MEMBERS of international relief group Oxfam park their versions of the G-8 leaders (minus one in this photo) in Sapporo on Japan’s northern main island of Hokkaido Monday. The G-8 leaders from the United States, Japan, Russia, France, Britain, Canada, Italy and Germany began their three-day summit on Monday to discuss global warming and soaring oil and food prices. --AP

FCOF bags P.86-B e-passport deal

FRENCH-BELGIAN firm Francois Charles Oberthur Fiduciaire (FCOF) has won the contract for the first electronic passport (e-passport) in the Philippines with its bid worth P859.7 million for the landmark project to be implemented jointly by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The people pitch 7-pt agenda on ‘twin tsunamis‘ to G-8

MORE than 90 civil-society organizations (CSOs) have drawn up a seven-point agenda for the Group of Eight (G-8) countries that seek to address the “twin tsunamis” that plague the world today—the food and climate-change crises.

More advice on easing crisis

MALACAÑANG is being bombarded by a slew of advice on how to meet the national crisis brought about by the larger world crisis in oil and food, the latest including amendments to the Labor Code to spur productivity.

Sen. Mar Roxas II, whose advocacy to suspend the value-added tax (VAT)on oil products to put more money directly in people’s hands has been opposed by the administration, told the Palace to stop being in denial. “Fiscal discipline means being up-front. Pretending that things are normal, and the economic solutions before the oil crisis hit should still remain as is, is not only foolish but patently unfair and a great disservice to our people.”

P2/liter diesel price hike can fill oil firms’ claims  

AN increase of P2 per liter in the price of diesel can actually help oil companies recoup their claimed P16 per liter in diesel underrecoveries in two months and help soften the shock of record-high diesel prices, Raul Concepcion, chairman of the Consumer and Oil Price Watch (COPW), said Monday.

S&T will make RP a First World in 20 yrs–GMA

CONTINUOUS investment in science and technology will bring the Philippines to First World status in 20 years, President Arroyo said on Monday.

“On the part of the Philippines, to pursue our vision to join the First World in 20 years, we have proclaimed technology as the foundation of future economic development,” said Arroyo in her keynote speech at the opening of the Asean Science and Technology Week that coincides with the Philippines’ National Science and Technology and Week. It was also part of the celebration of the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) 50th anniversary.

Take it from the experts: Davao worth considering for business

IF you’re looking to do business in a metro city and are contemplating Metro Manila, think again: You might want to consider starting in Davao City, which ranks No. 1 in terms of cost of doing business and infrastructure.

These are some of the details included in the Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project (PCCRP) 2007, a biennial study conducted by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center released last week.

Now they call it ‘competence card’

A JEWELER and a therapist planning to set up their own businesses in the world’s romance capital were the first two Filipinos given “competence cards” by the French Embassy in Manila as part of its scheme to open its borders to more skilled and talented Filipinos to work there.

EU boosts research ties with Asean

THE European Union is strengthening research cooperation with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to address the global food-and-energy crisis, hitting most of the developing countries in the region like the Philippines.

UK to punish sponsors of overstayers

THE British government has adopted a stricter visa policy that requires foreigners who sponsor visa applications of their relatives to face sanctions, including jail sentence, if their relatives fail to return home before the visa expiration.

The British Embassy in Manila announced the new visa rules along with the program granting short-term, low-cost visas for group travel and one-off special events, such as the Edinburgh festival and the 2012 London Olympics.

SC tells Edsa Shangri-La to pay BF P34M

THE Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed the ruling of the Court of Appeals (CA) finding the management of Edsa Shangri-La Hotel and Resort Inc. (Eshri) liable to the construction firm BF Corporation in the amount of P33.59 million for the construction of the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City.

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DATU MAXIMUS ONGKILI (left) Malaysian Science Minister, joins President Arroyo, Science Secretary Estrella Alabastro and Singapore senior state minister S. Iswaran at the opening of the 8th Asean Science and Technology Week and the 2008 National Science and Technology Week held at the World Trade Center. --RHOY COBILLA