Will Obama's Victory Improve The Way Of Life Of 3rd World Economies Like The Philippines?

The victory of incoming United States president Barack Obama has inspired a lot of people. The US election has gone beyond mere American politics. A lot of countries have been given a confidence boost by Obama's victory despite the prevailing financial crisis. And now that he is about to replace Bush, the question remains: will his victory change the way we live even if we are miles away from the American Dream?

Storm Signal No. 1 For Davao Lifted As "Tonyo" Heads To Palawan

It is a sunny day in Davao City!

Storm signal number 1 has been lifted not only in Davao City but in all of Mindanao as tropical depression "Tonyo" heads westward to Palawan. As of 10 A.M. today, the enter of the typhoon is 210 kms East of Puerto Princesa City.

Pagasa however cautions those who are near mountain slopes and low lying areas to keep watch and be alert for possible landslides and flashfloods.

While Palawan can expect gusty winds and rains today, the rest of Davao and Mindanao can expect cloudy skies and scattered rainshowers.

Storm Signal No. 1 For Davao City

Whoever said that typhoons do not visit Davao City has been proven wrong by this morning's Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or Pagasa advisory placing the city under Storm Signal No. 1.

At least eight Mindanao areas have been placed under Storm Signal No. 1 as ALPA (active low-pressure area) Tonyo developed into a tropical depression. As of 10 pm yesterday, "Tonyo" was about 470 kilometers east of the city and is expected to be 150 km northeast of Davao by tonight.

Among the areas placed under Storm Signal No. 1 are Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat and Siargao Islands.

However, Pagasa said the storm is easing out as of 6PM tonight. Those living near areas susceptible to water and land movements are however asked to be vigilant and to be careful until Pagasa has lifted or lowered the storm signal.

Mt. Apo, Mt. Hamiguitan Nominated As World Heritage Sites

Mindanao might yet have two of its natural attractions listed in the World Heritage Site if it meets the criteria set by the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the World Conservation Union.

The said mountains are located in the provinces of Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, the city of Davao and North Cotabato.

Aside from being Mindanao's highest peek, it is also a sanctuary of endangered and threatened biological species including the Philippine Eagle or Pithecophaga jefferyl which is known as the World's second largest eagle; the Almaciga or Agathis philippinensis and the Lauan or Shorea palita. Mt. Apo is also home to three indigenous communities namely the Bagobos, Manobos and the Klatas.

Mt. Hamiguitan, on the other hand, is situated in a biogeographic region in Mindanao with high units of flora and fauna including the remaining blocks of Philippine dipterocarp forests where the Philippine Eagle nests and where over 878 species of plans mostly angiosperms exist.

Only sites that have been included in the country's Tentative List can be nominated to the World Heritage List and only those that meet at least one of the 10 selection criteria can be included in the list.

Among the sites included in the World Heritage List are the Baroque Churches of the Philippines, the Tubbataha Reef Marine ark, the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, Historic Town of Vigan and Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park.

"This will be an opportunity for Mindanao to be identified as a Heritage Site," said Councilor Leo Avila. He said they have been given until December this year to provide the necessary information to UNESCO to support the nomination of Mt. Apo and Mt. Hamiguitan.

Avila, who solicited the support of Mindanaoans who can contribute any significant information that can help the bid to include the sites in the World Heritage List, said it is imperative to curb the uncontrolled trekking of tourists in Mt. Apo because it endangers the site.(thanks to Tacurong Mountaineers for the Mt. Apo photo)

Obama's Victory To Increase Investor Confidence

The Davao City Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is optimistic that the victory of United States President Barack Obama will increase investor confidence not only in the US but in other countries as well.

"We are optimistic but also realistic---we do not expect that a solution to the US recession will happen in the next 6 to 9 months but investor confidence will definitely increase," DCCCI president
Simeon Marfori said . The increase in investor confidence may not be to the previous level, he added, but it will increase with his victory.

Marfori sees a resurgence of the country's Business Process Outsourcing or BPO sector even with the slowing down of the US economy. With the American companies gearing towards cost-cutting measures, he said, they will then outsource their non-core activities to other countries like the Philippines.

It is good business sense to outsource non-core jobs since it will cost less than employing over-qualified personnel in the US who ask for higher salaries. Filipinos can look forward to more outsourced jobs in the following sectors: graphic design, content development, transcription and call centers.

However, those in the BPO sector are still worried about Obama's stance against outsourcing since he has declared his intention to end tax breaks for companies outsourcing their services outside the US. Some Americans consider the outsourcing trend as the reason why many of them are jobless.

50-100T OFWs To Lose Jobs Due To World Financial Crisis-DOLE

(In Photo) DOLE XI RD Atty. Jalilo dela Torre

The Department of Labor and Employment XI yesterday confirmed that an estimated 50 to 100 thousand Overseas Filipino Workers are set to lose their jobs due to the world financial crisis.

"But this number is very negligible compared to the number of OFWs we have worldwide," DOLE XI regional director Atty. Jalilo dela Torre said during yesterday's UGNAYAN sa Royal Mandaya press conference.

On the other hand a total of 590 thousand are in danger of being displaced because of the financial crisis. Among them are OFWs who work in the United States under temporary working visas (129T), seafarers working in cruise ships (130T), factory workers in South Korea, Taiwan and Macau (268T) and household service workers in Singapore, Macau and HongKong (48T).

Dela Torre however said that in general there is no displacement of OFWs due to the financial crisis. He said the employment of two million OFWs in the Middle East and 500,000 OFWs in Europe is secure and stable.

He said there are lots of potential labor markets for OFWs like Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Guam.

Braga Urge Criminalization Of Making Herbal Medicine False Claims

Davao City Councilor Pilar Braga is urging Congress to craft a law that will criminalize the act of making false claims about medicine and herbal supplements.

Braga said it is high time that the Bureau of Food and Drug as well as the Department of Trade and Industry should look into businessmen who take advantage of the wide acceptability of herbal medicines especially in the province.

The lack of scientific study and guidelines on their efficacy or effects to humans should be enough reason to worry. However, the claim of BFAD that these are food supplements and are therefore not under their jurisdiction makes the situation worse, she said.

Braga said the advertisements for these herbal supplements claim that they have many cures and have good effects on health. Take for example the case of an old man who cannot walk because of arthritis and yet suddenly after taking the herbal supplement he is shown to be able not only walk but even jog, she added.

"Many of these herbal drugs are sold over the counter much like the ordinary medicine," she said. She added that even the DOH encouraged the use of herbal medicines.

These herbal medicines should have been studied and tested by BFAD first before being sold in the market to protect consumers not only from falls claims but also from the possible harmful effects of these products, Braga said.

She said celebrities, doctors and other endorsers of herbal drugs should be held responsible when somebody dies after taking the herbal drugs they endorse. Congress, she said, should craft a law that will criminalize the act of making false claims about medicines or herbal supplements.