Tag Archives: Philippines

Business, International, Politics, Uncategorized

WORLD BANK WITHDRAWS PHILIPPINES’ ECONOMIC GROWTH FORECAST

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011712_WorldbankWashington, D.C. – Hours after The World Bank predicted a 7% economic growth for the Philippines,  the international monetary body withdrew its forecast, saying that interns committed an embarrassing data error. The earlier prediction would have made the Philippines a standout as the bank cut its projections for most of the rest of Asia.  The bank attributed the Philippine growth forecast to increased infrastructure spending, consumer spending, remittances and business process outsourcing.

Background: Makati skyline; foreground: slums by the Pasig River
Background: Makati skyline; foreground: slums by the Pasig River

In withdrawing the forecast, World Bank officials said that interns working at the bank’s Washington, D.C. headquarters misinterpreted some of the data they were reviewing.  “They thought they were looking at financial data when in fact, they were reviewing the Philippines’ population growth rate,” they said.

Economic experts familiar with the actual situation in the Philippines have been skeptical of the investment-grade rating received by the country from Moody’s Investment Service,  Fitch Ratings, and Standard & Poor in recent months, as they have with The World Bank’s forecast. “The ratings and forecast are simply not consistent with the ever-increasing gap between the rich and poor in this country of almost 100 million,  as well as the massive political corruption and financial scandals that have pervaded many levels of the Philippine government,” the experts said.

Law Enforcement

“HALF-NAKED” ILLEGAL IN PHILIPPINE CITY, BUT NOT “FULLY-NAKED”

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imageSan Juan, Philippines – In this  Metropolitan Manila city – San Juan – it is illegal to be seen half-naked in public. It can mean a fine or up to three to five days in the city jail.

The city government has banned people from appearing half-naked or shirtless in public places as it noted that being a “premier urban center,” San Juan must “set an example of orderliness, propriety and decency.” “No person shall move about (i.e. walk, jog, run or the like) in public places and outside his public (sic) residence half-naked or wearing clothing covering only the lowermost portion of the body without any top apparel,” said a provision in the ordinance approved and passed by the city council and Mayor Guia Gomez months ago.

The ordinance applies to everybody, including babies. Although Section 2 refers only to people who go out in public without any upper clothing, Section 3 defines “half-naked” as either topless or bottomless, specifically, “wearing clothing covering only the lowermost or uppermost portion of the body with the absence of any top or bottom apparel.”

Yesterday, a Filipino man whose name was withheld by authorities  was arrested for bathing completely naked in his front yard using a garden hose. Hours later, he was released for lack of sufficient evidence to charge him with misdemeanor related to the new ordinance. The man’s lawyer, Atty. Pedro Batongbakal, said that his client did not violate the law since the new ordinance says nothing about appearing  in public “completely ” naked. He said the language of the ordinance is clear that a violation consists of being “either” topless or bottomless, not both.

The city’s prosecuting attorney did not challenge Batongbakal’s argument, so the man was immediately released.

Business, Politics

Jollibee Testifies Before Philippine Senate On Pork Barrel Scam

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imageManila, Philippines – The fat, stupid, happy bee is once again making headlines in the Philippines, just months after it put the  clown permanently out of business in this Asian country of almost 100 million people. See story on the merger of Jollibee and McDonald’s .

As charges of plunder were filed against Janet Lim-Napoles and ranking members of the Philippine Senate this week, the names of more politicians were implicated in testimonies by whistleblowers in the escalating pork barrel scam. The scam involves the diversion of more than 10 billion pesos of taxpayer money into the coffers of fake non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as into the pockets of national and local politicians.

In a privilege speech in the Senate, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, one of the Senators charged in the scam, decried what he termed “selective justice” by being singled out among many others who have personally benefited from this money scandal. During  his speech, Estrada suggested that Jollibee, one of the most successful food business enterprises in the country, also benefited from the pork barrel. Estrada did not reveal any details of the alleged involvement of Jollibee in the scam.

Yesterday, Jollibee was summoned to the floor of Congress to answer the allegation by Estrada.

Under oath, Jollibee made a very brief statement at the hearing, then took the Fifth, saying he refuses to answer any questions from the senators on the grounds that he might incriminate himself.

His brief statement: “I can assure this respectable chamber and our millions of loyal customers that Jollibee’s hamburgers are not tainted in any way by pork.  Our burgers are 100% beef.”