SINGAPORE – APEC is moving ahead with cooperative efforts to evaluate and identify initiatives that support freer, faster and more beneficial trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

Concluding its weeklong cluster of meetings on Tuesday, the APEC Committee on Trade and Investment and related policy groups met for the second time this year with a focus on APEC 2012 priorities, specifically to foster regional economic integration in the Asia-Pacific, establish reliable supply chains, expand regulatory convergence and cooperation, and foster innovative growth.

SINGAPORE – APEC is taking further steps to enhance supply chain performance, improve collaboration on innovation and extend opportunities for more robust economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific.

That is the aim of a diverse cluster of high-level APEC trade and investment roundtables and workshops taking place this week in Singapore.

Attention will center on delivering practical strategies and solutions necessary to achieve trade and investment liberalization, regional economic integration, innovative growth and supply chain connectivity, which are among APEC’s top 2012 agenda items.

As the world marks International Consumer Rights Day, research group IBON said that the consuming public, which bears the brunt of unabated oil price hikes, has the right to know how the oil companies determine oil prices.

The group urged government to regulate the oil industry to ensure transparency in pricing. It also challenged oil firms to give additional information about their operations to show that the price of local oil is not beyond what is justified. “Only oil firms have full details of their operations. But under the oil deregulation law, oil companies are protected from disclosing these key information to the public, thus giving the oil firms more room to manipulate their prices” said IBON research head Sonny Africa, speaking before oil industry stakeholders and lawmakers on Wednesday in a forum at the House of Representatives.

MANILA -- California-based Wells Fargo and Co., a highly diversified financial services company with 70 million customers and 264,000 employees, has established Wells Fargo Philippines Solutions Inc. to handle a variety of functions, including service and back office support.

Wells Fargo's decision to shift more jobs offshore comes worries in the Philippines over a U.S. anti-outsourcing bill introduced by New York Congressman Tim Bishop.  The proposed U.S. Call Center and Consumer Protection Act would require the U.S. Department of Labor to track firms that shift contact center jobs overseas.

MANILA -- Independent research group IBON cautions the Aquino government in committing to a free trade agreement with the US, as a US trade official arrives in the country to secure new trade and investment areas, as well as the possibility for a new trade pact.

Honolulu (HI) – Trade transaction costs across the Asia-Pacific region have fallen 5%, resulting in US$ 58.7 billion in total savings for businesses, research shows.

In a new report released, an independent research team has investigated whether APEC met its target of reducing trade transaction costs between 2007 and 2010, after implementing a comprehensive action plan to facilitate trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

Romblon, PHILIPPINES --- People power has chased away Canadian mining giant, Ivanhoe, from the Philippines -  a move analysts say will impact future exploration projects in the cash strapped Southeast Asian nation.

Ivanhoe Philippines, a subsidiary of Canada-based Ivanhoe Mines, cited low priority exploration target in withdrawing its applications for its project on Tablas Island.

Leo Deiparine, the firm’s president, in a letter sent to the Philippines Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).said there was a consensus decision by the company to withdraw its applications based on Tablas as a low priority exploration target, and the strong opposition of local politicians for the approval of the applications.

Tablas is the largest of the islands that comprise the province of Romblon in the Philippines.

“The power of the people and the political will of the leaders with the help of the civil society and religious sector clearly manifest the strong position of the province. We will continue to defend the right of our people to a balanced and healthy ecology,” said Romblon Governor Eduardo Firmalo.

The Romblon Ecumenical Forum against Mining has now called for the scrapping of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 and the passage of a new mining law to rationalize the minerals industry, protect and promote human rights and establish so-called “no-go zones”.

Its conveners, Catholic priest Nonato Ernie Fetalino and Philippine Independent Church Bishop Ronelio Fabriquer said in a joint statement: “This victory of the people is just the beginning; the challenge to protect our islands is a life-long commitment. We are in the middle of a spiritual battle against greed and corruption. We shall continue to defend the integrity of creation and human rights.”

“If the province of Romblon can do it, the local government units and communities in other parts of the country resisting this destructive industry can now stand up more proudly to assert their power to decide.”

Ivanhoe’s departure sends a signal to the Canadian mining industry that Philippines may not be the best place to do business, said a Vancouver-based analyst.

“The company has spent millions on this project but in the long run if you do not get local support, this may have been the best thing to do,” he told the Filipino Post.

Philippines has vast amounts of gold, nickel, copper and other valuable minerals. The government estimates the Philippines has 83 billion tonnes of mineral ore deposits.

The country’s estimated gold ore reserves of four billion tonnes is the world’s third largest, its 7.9 billion tonnes of copper the fourth largest and the 815 million tonnes of nickel ore the fifth biggest in the world, it says.It said the country’s mineral reserves are estimated to be worth about $800 billion, and the industry could raise about $2.2 billion annually, enough to wipe out the country’s fiscal deficit.

This has attracted many Canadian companies to the Philippines who hold dozens of permits. They include  Altai Resources Inc, Canada Resources Corporation, Crazy Horse Resources Inc, MBMI Resources Inc, Metallum Resources Inc, Mindoro Resources Ltd, Panoro Minerals Ltd, Philex Gold Inc, Philippine Metals Inc, Rugby Mining Ltd, and Tiger International Resources Ltd, and 6 Toronto Stock Exchange mining companies with 28 properties in the Philippines, namely, CGA Mining Ltd, Crew Gold Corporation, Medusa Mining Ltd, Oceana Gold Corporation, Olympus Pacific Minerals Inc, TVI Pacific Inc.
Mining opponents have been highly critical of  Canadian investment in the Philippine mining sector saying it aids in alleged human rights violations.

Ivanhoe’s pullout comes in the wake of communist rebels in the Philippines warning of  attacks on mining companies that allegedly degrade the environment and abuse workers.

They have already raided three mines in the country’s south.

Equipment and infrastructure worth up to 1.5 billion dollars were damaged in the attacks on three mines in Claver town in Surigao del Norte province, 780 kilometres south of Manila, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said.

The communist National Democratic Front said the raids were punishment for the environmental degradation the companies cause.

“We warn other giant mining companies that the revolutionary movement is determined to defend the interest of people, including that of the environment,” it said in a statement.

“We also warn contractors who are working for these abusive giant companies that we will not hesitate to disable their mining equipment if they refuse to terminate their contracts with said companies,” it said.

The rebels also accused the three mining companies of not paying correct taxes to the government and repressing workers’ rights.

About 300 guerrillas barged into the facilities of the Taganito Mining Corp, Platinum Gold Metal Corp and Taganito HPAL Nickel Corp. They set fire to at least 132 dump trucks, seven backhoes, four barges, one generator set, other heavy equipment, and several office and housing structures.

The guerillas also seized dozens of guns from security guards.

No casualties were reported among the employees, including 20 Japanese, police said.

The three companies immediately suspended their operations.

Teresita Quintos-Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process with the communist rebels, said the attacks set back efforts to revive stalled negotiations with the leftist guerrillas.

“Peace talks are more difficult when there is no accompanying ceasefire on the ground,” she said, adding the attacks “undermine people’s confidence in the peace process.”

Communist rebels have been fighting the government since the late 1960s, making the movement one of the longest-running leftist insurgencies in Asia. It entered negotiations with the government in 1987.

MALAYSIA -- The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) sees further growth in the rubber sector in the Philippines says the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia.

According to the embassy, this was disclosed by Dato' Dr. Kamarul Baharain Basir, ANRPC's secretary general, during a courtesy call on Philippine Ambassador-designate Jose Eduardo Malaya on October 7.

ANRPC cited Zamboanga and Basilan as conducive to rubber plantation because of their natural conditions.

MANILA -- Since 2009 remittances from Filipino sailors continue to grow.  For the past seven months in 2011, remittances have already reached $2,433 billion, up 14.13 percent or $301 million versus the $2.132 billion they have sent home through banks over the same period in 2010, according to the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP). The labor group expects to surpass $4 billion this year.

In 2010, Filipino sailors sent home a total of $3.806 billion in the 12 months of 2010, up $406 million or 12 percent from the $3.4 billion they remitted via the banking system in 2009.

“The Philippines has secured its position as the world’s preferred supplier of able ship staff,” said TUCP secretary-general and former Senator Ernesto Herrera, whose labor center includes the Philippine Seafarers’ Union (PSU).   

According to Herrera, the number of Filipino sailors registering for the first time with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has been increasing by around 3,500 every month.

He said the Philippines should concentrate on deploying abroad sailors and other highly skilled surplus professionals such as nurses.

“The drawback of unskilled or semi-skilled laborers such as domestic helpers is that, because talents are easy to replace, they are exceptionally exposed to potential mistreatment by employers,” he pointed out.

Herrera said the cash wired home by sailors has been growing three times faster than remittances from land-based migrant Filipino workers.

The POEA processed for deployment a total of 280,348 sea-based workers in the first seven months of this year, up 5.5 percent from 265,656 over the same period in 2010.

Sailors accounted for nearly one-fourth of the 1,470,826 workers the Philippines deployed abroad in the whole of 2010.

In the 12 months of 2010, a total of 347,150 Filipino sailors were deployed to 2,496 foreign ships. This was 16,726, or five percent, greater than the 330,424 sailors set out to 2,340 boats in 2009.

Filipino sailors mostly serve as licensed senior members of the deck department of merchant as well as passenger ships. Others serve as rated technicians in the engine department, bosuns and messmen.

They are employed by cruise liners, bulk carriers, container vessels, oil, gas, chemical and product tankers, general cargo ships, tugboat, and pure car containers.

MANILA — The Aquino administration is currently seeking an 86%-budget increase for its multi-billion peso conditional cash transfer (CCT) program. But while the program admittedly has a feel-good factor, it is a problematic approach to reducing poverty in the country.

The administration itself sets a high standard for the CCT program. Its economic blueprint, the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016, declares: “Direct CCTs to the poor through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program shall be the cornerstone of the government’s strategy to fight poverty and attain the MDGs.” Unfortunately this is a poor cornerstone and the program is a weak foundation in the drive against poverty in the country. Five major concerns can be raised.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – With economic models straining in every corner of the world, no economy can afford to perpetuate the barriers facing women in the workforce, said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Sept. 16 at the Asian Pacific Economic Council (APEC) Women and the Economy Summit.

The summit addressed access to capital and markets for women, building their capacities and skills, and supporting the rise of women leaders in the public and private sectors. Participants also discussed innovation, green growth, technology, entrepreneurship, and public-private partnerships.

Secretary Clinton said that by increasing women’s participation in the economy and enhancing their efficiency and productivity, a dramatic impact on the competitiveness and growth of the region’s economies can be achieved.

MANILA—As  the new phase of Saudi labor localization, or also known as Nitaqat, commences, hundreds of thousands of Filipino migrant nurses in Saudi Arabia faced uncertain situation on the status of their employment.

According to Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona Saudi’s Ministry of Health has already announced a plan to localize nursing jobs in all its medical facilities.

There are about 130,000 to 150,000 Filipino nurses in Saudi.

MANILA -- Government’s latest labor force survey pegs unemployment at 2.80 million in October 2010, slightly higher than the 2.72 million reported in the same period last year. However these data could place the number of unemployed at 4.16 million instead, according to research group IBON.

The figure is based on a recently revised definition of unemployment and an estimate approximating the previous definition for comparability with previous years.

MANILA -- Residents of Tondo may soon enjoy the benefits of buying and selling goods over the internet through a joint e-trading project of Veritas Social Empowerment, Inc. (Veritas) and leading wireless services provider, Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart).

Veritas, an NGO that is helping in the rehabilitation of Smokey Mountain and Tondo, will use Smart’s communication and e-commerce solutions to support the area’s livelihood activities. As an initial engagement, Smart will power the Veritas infoboard system, a two-way web-based information system that will allow members of the Tondo community to send and receive real-time announcements via SMS broadcasts.

A farmer-scientist group, MASIPAG, have spearheaded a forum to shed light on the developments and possible impacts of Bt Talong to food and agriculture.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) should give preference to some 6,000 Filipino workers forced out of Iraq when it comes to enlisting laborers for deployment to Guam, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said Sunday.

MANILA -- The number of Filipino nurses seeking to practice their profession in America fell by one-third in the first semester compared to a year ago, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) reported Sunday, July 18.

TUCP secretary-general and former Senator Ernesto Herrera said only 5,553 Filipino nurses took the NCLEX for the first time from January to June, down 2,719 or 33 percent from 8,272 in the same period of 2009.

MANILA -- The new administration is challenged to put forward pro-people initiatives to address the fiscal crisis, but front-running presidential candidate Sen. Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino has yet to take a strong progressive position on the country’s fiscal problems, said research group IBON.

MANILA --  The country’s employment and quality of work was at its worst in 2009, with around 64.4% to 81% of the 39.4 million-labor force in 2009 either jobless or in poor quality work. Its true unemployment rate of around 11% counting 4.32 million jobless Filipinos puts the Philippines in the worst crisis of joblessness and of poor quality work in its history.

MANILA -- Filipino sailors aboard foreign ocean-going vessels wired home a total of $3.4 billion in 2009, up $366 million or 12.06 percent from $3.034 billion in 2008, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) reported over the weekend.

TUCP secretary-general and former Senator Ernesto Herrera said Filipino sailors based in Europe remitted $1.156 billion last year, up $509.594 million or 78.82 percent from $646.406 million in 2008.