Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company conducted a special tour for the members of Subic Bay ICT Council at PLDT Subic Innolab which is a showcase of the most responsive ICT-based solutions being offered by the PLDT Corporate Business Group. Shown in photo from left to right are:  PLDT Relationship Manager Alfredo Contreras, Jones Lang LaSalle Lee Chiu Assistant Marketing Manager Bobby Lee, Site Director Munish Mahjan, APAC Minacs President of Operations Milind Godbole, Subic Bay ICT Council Chairman Jay Son, and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority OIC of Business and Investment Department for ICT Vergil Lansangan.

Legazpi City (25 June) -- Albay Governor Joey Salceda declared that the toll fee hike imposed by the South Luzon Tollway Corporation (SLTC) is illegal because the franchise given to them by Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) has expired and has not been renewed.

Salceda said the concession agreement between SLTC and PNCC commenced in May 2006 while the franchise given to PNCC expired in May 2007, without being renewed by Congress.

LEGAZPI CITY, April 7  - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is set to release the new design of the Philippine monetary bills and coins by the end of 2010 and Mayon Volcano will be included in the new design of the bills.

Marlyn Paje, acting deputy director of BSP branch here, said that this is in accordance with the New Central Bank Act or Republic Act 7653 giving the Central Bank Monetary Board, with the approval of the Philippine President, the power to prescribe denominations, dimensions, designs and inscriptions and other characteristics of notes issued by the BSP.

MANILA, March 31, 2010- Militant groups and other organizations today filed disqualification cases against nominees of several party-list groups with alleged ties to the Arroyo administration.

Groups involved with election watchdog Kontra Daya campaign asked the Commission on Elections to disqualify businessman Teodorico Haresco and Eugenio Jose Lacson of the Ang Kasangga party.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) registered strong business volume and revenue growth in 2009.  Full year unaudited income rose to P8.5 billion, 33% higher than 2008 and equivalent to a 13% Return on Equity and 1.3% Return on Assets.  Correspondingly, net income for the fourth quarter of 2009 was 7% better than 2008.

MANILA, Jan. 22, 2010- President Arroyo has no power to appoint the next chief justice of the Supreme Court, constitutionalist Fr. Joaquin Bernas, SJ, said Friday.

Bernas, dean emeritus of the Ateneo Law School, said that Mrs. Arroyo will be violating the Constitution if she would insist in appointing the successor of Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

The Charter, he said, forbids the President from making appointments within 60 days before her term ends on June 30 this year.

MANILA, Jan. 9 -Senator Richard J. Gordon is optimistic that millions of employees of delinquent employees could now re-avail of their benefits from the Social Security System (SSS) with the enactment of the SSS condonation law.

Republic Act No. 9903, or the Social Security Condonation Act, would also help ease the burden from non-compliant companies that were facing economic difficulties.

MANILA, Oct. 23, 2009-Catholic bishops on Friday said that they will seek a dialogue with President Arroyo to express their concerns to aerial spraying of pesticides in banana plantations.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said all they want is to bring to Arroyo's attention concrete cases related to aerial dust cropping.

"We are hoping that the President will side [with] our concern, especially the demand of the affected residents from Davao, to stop aerial spraying," he said.

MANILA, Sept 30, 2009-The Bishops of Samar Islands along with the local government units headed by Easter Samar Governor Ben Evardone have decided to give a posthumous award to the murdered priest, Fr. Cecilio Lucero.

Evardone said that this move to grant Lucero an award is a recognition and tribute to his involvement in creating peace and development in their province.