Philippines

12.17.2009
Mayon big bang feared
 LEGAZPI CITY—Two lava domes have formed at the crater of the Mayon Volcano, raising concerns among government volcanologists over the possible extensive damage should these collapse and a major eruption occur.

12.16.2009
CHR: No martial law abuses in Maguindanao
AMPATUAN, MAGUINDANAO—The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has found no rights violation during the eight-day martial rule in the province.

12.16.2009
Next round of gov’t-MILF talks in January
THE GOVERNMENT and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels will hold the second round of talks in January, officials from both sides said early this week.

12.16.2009
RP jobless rate rises to 7.1%; 11.2% in Manila
The unemployment rate rose to 7.1 percent in October, up from 6.8 percent posted for the month a year ago, with Metro Manila posting the highest jobless rate at 11.2 percent, the National Statistics Office (NSO) said yesterday.

12.16.2009
Evacuation at Mayon continues, eruption imminent
DISASTER-mitigation officials in Albay on Wednesday continued to move residents out of the eight-kilometer danger zone as Mayon Volcano showed no respite in ejecting lava down its slope, which volcanologists said was a sign of eruption, possibly in the next days.

12.16.2009
RP proposal to cut carbon emissions gains ground
COPENHAGEN—The Philippine proposal for a “deep and early cut” in global carbon emissions has gained momentum here at the United Nations climate change summit, where some 115 heads of state will gather on Thursday in a bid to seal a crucial legally-binding deal to combat global warming.

12.16.2009
Dark Christmas for fleeing Mayon folk
LEGAZPI CITY—Albay officials have begun moving thousands of villagers out of harm’s way near Mayon Volcano after it oozed lava and shot plumes of ash late Monday.

12.15.2009
Thousands evacuate as Mayon spews mud
AUTHORITIES STARTED evacuating about 50,000 people from around the country’s most active volcano yesterday as it spewed burning mud and rocks.

12.11.2009
Revamp of anti-poverty thrust pushed
A STUDY conducted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has recommended strategies to accelerate poverty reduction in the Philippines and ensure that economic growth benefits the poor.

12.11.2009
Climate change: Rich must fund poor nations
FIRST, it looked like the division of the house in the ongoing UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen was clearly between the rich, developed nations and the poor, economically and industrially developing nations together with the poor, rather economically and industrially underdeveloped nations.