Archive for September, 2008

In Wake of China’s Poisoned Milk Scare, WHO Urges Mothers in the Philippines to Breastfeed


WHO says it is important for the public to know that apart from the possibility of intentional poisoning of milk from China, powdered formula milk is intrinsically not a sterile product. Health risks can increase due to improper handling, storage, and preparation of formula.

9/27/08 02:44 PM   Full Story
Migrants Assail Government for Ignoring Stranded OFWs

Migrante International assails the Philippine government for sitting down on the issue of about 6,000 stranded OFWs in different countries in the Middle East. The group particularly criticized acting DFA Secretary Esteban Conejos, Jr. for literally waiting for the response of the UAE government before acting on the matter.

9/27/08 02:37 PM   Full Story
Obama, McCain on Asia’s Muslims and Other Issues


Advisors to both McCain and Obama share their candidates’ views on issues ranging from regional economic integration and free trade agreements to U.S. relations with Asia’s Muslims, the Six-Party Talks, and relations with China, Japan and South Korea.

9/27/08 02:32 PM   Full Story
Speculation: A Closer Look at Oil Price Hikes


By Ibon Features |  The market price of crude oil has more than doubled over the past year. And oil prices continue to fluctuate, with industry players blaming a number of factors, including jitters caused by the current financial crisis in the US. Skyrocketing oil prices have thus become a global concern and a source of much debate as to what really lies behind them.

9/26/08 03:04 PM   Full Story
WHO Concerned About Increasing Deaths from Noncommunicable diseases

Fifty-ninth session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific
22-26 September, 2008, Manila, Philippines
MANILA, 25 September 2008—Noncommunicable diseases account for eight out of every 10 deaths in the Western Pacific Region, and the situation is expected to worsen in countries in economic transition if urgent measures are not taken, the World Health Organization has [...]

9/26/08 02:21 PM   Full Story
WHO: More Efforts Needed to Beat Tobacco Scourge

The World Health Organization warned today that countries will need to be much more aggressive in their attempts to stamp out smoking if they are to counter the tobacco industry’s marketing techniques.

9/26/08 02:20 PM   Full Story
Local Pharma Supports BFAD on Fair Competition

The Philippine Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry (PCPI) expresses support to strengthen the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD). The group also urges the agency to improve its procedures and implement a supportive regulatory policy most especially for Filipino drug companies, for competition to thrive and bring down the prices of medicines.
“We are very hopeful that [...]

9/26/08 11:06 AM   Full Story
People Unaware of Their HIV Status Could Jeopardize Battle vs AIDS: WHO


Available data on HIV testing and counseling indicate that the majority of people living with HIV still do not know they are sick and, therefore, are not only missing the opportunity to access available services, but may also unknowingly be spreading the disease.

9/26/08 11:03 AM   Full Story
WHO Urges Countries to Speed Up Their Ability to Fight New Diseases

Manila 25 September 2008—The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries to accelerate implementation of the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases to achieve the basic capacities required to deal with new infections.
While some countries have started strengthening their ability to respond to disease, others need to work harder to achieve the strategy’s core capacity [...]

9/26/08 10:59 AM   Full Story
Jamby Blasts Villar’s ‘Moneymaking’

Senator Jamby Madrigal accused Senate President Manny Villar Jr. Wednesday of illegally profiting P12-P16 billion from the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation through its Unified Home Lending program from SSS and GSIS contributions of the poor while pocketing P414 million more from the scandal-ridden C-5 road project.
“We cannot have a nation run by a thief,” [...]

9/26/08 10:58 AM   Full Story
Burma: One Year After Violent Crackdown, Repression Continues

The international community should demand accountability from the Burmese military government for the brutal crackdown in September 2007 on monks, activists, and other civilians, Human Rights Watch said today. Repression in Burma has increased and the military government has failed to deliver on promises it made a year ago, despite international efforts at mediation.

9/26/08 10:55 AM   Full Story
Two Peasant Organizers in Bataan Still Missing


Suspected agents of the Armed Forces of the Philippines allegedly abducted Nelson Balmaña on Sept. 21 and Florencia Espiritu on Sept. 22. The two men are organizers of the group Sto. Niño Lubao Farmers’ Association in Lubao, Pampanga.

9/26/08 10:46 AM   Full Story
Google Calls for Ideas to ‘Change the World’

Manila, Philippines, September 25, 2008 – We’ve learned over the last ten years at Google that great ideas can come from anywhere. For that reason, Google is announcing as part of its tenth birthday celebration Project 10^100 (pronounced Project 10 to the 100th), a call for ideas to change the world by helping as many people as possible.

9/26/08 10:44 AM   Full Story
Life on the Streets of Ermita Still Beats Life Back Home

By Claire Delfin |  Mary Grace Pulido, 17, is from Ermita. She was born there, grew up there, and lives there. She even found her man there. Her life is on the street.

9/25/08 02:19 PM   Full Story
Christians, Muslims Assert Peace Amid War Mongering

The prospect of serious renewed fighting breaking out in Mindanao after the end of Ramadan has got Christian and Muslim organizations trying to work out how best to help keep the peace and kick-start renewed talks while helping out in the huge relief effort needed.

9/25/08 02:16 PM   Full Story