Remittances Rose 8% in January

The Philippines' central bank said money sent home by Filipinos working overseas amounted to $1.68 billion in the first month of 2013—up by 8 percent from the $1.56 billion recorded in the same period last year, reports Inquirer.net. “Remittances were sustained on account of steady demand for skilled and professional Filipino workers abroad, as well as the continued expansion of global market coverage of remittance service providers,” the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said in a statement. The United States continued to be the biggest source of remittances, accounting for nearly 39 percent, or $653 million, of the total.Other sources of remittances were: Canada, which accounted for 11 percent of the total; Saudi Arabia, 7.6 percent; the United Kingdom, 5.3 percent; the  United Arab Emirates, 4.7 percent; Singapore, 3.9 percent; and Japan, 3.8 percent.

UK Loosens Rules for Top Students, Skilled Migrants

The United Kingdom government on Friday announced changes to its Immigration Rules for the benefit of entrepreneurs, international students and highly skilled immigrants, reports GMA News. The UK government said it is encouraging "the brightest and best global talent to come to the UK to study, work, invest and set up business." The UK Home Office said the changes to current UK immigration rules will take effect on April 6 this year. 

High Court Suspends RH Law for 120 Days

MANILA--The Supreme Court on Tuesday stopped for 120 days the implementation of the controversial reproductive health law, whose constitutionality is being challenged before the court, reports GMA News. The magistrates voted 10-5 in issuing a status quo ante order against the law enacted by President Aquino in December 2012. Those who dissented were Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, and Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Mariano del Castillo, Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Marvic Leonen. Sereno, Perlas-Bernabe, and Leonen are Aquino appointees.The court also set the oral arguments on the case on June 18.

Germany Opens Door to Filipino Nurses

Germany is opening its doors to Filipino nurses, and Manila and Berlin are set to sign an agreement paving the way for the deployment of Philippine health workers with guarantees of professional training and a healthy work environment, reports Inquirer.net. The Department of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that German Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Ursula von der Leyen is set to travel to Manila soon to formalize the deployment agreement with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

Two Moro Fighters in Sabah Were Jabidah Survivors

TAWI-TAWI-- Two of the members of the Royal Sultanate Army (or the Royal Sultanate Force), Musa Abdulla and Ernesto Sambas, that trooped to Sabah last Feb. 14 were survivors of the Jabidah commando unit formed as part of Ferdinand Marcos' secret plot to invade Sabah four decades ago, reports Rappler.com. Abdulla and Sambas were among at least 13 Simunul residents who boarded two ships to Lahad Datu, along with about 200 of their comrades. Oplan Merdeka (freedom in Bahasa Melayu) was hatched by the Marcos military in 1968, but it was exposed, souring relations between Manila and Kuala Lumpur, prompting the latter to train and provide sanctuary to rebels belonging to the Moro National Liberation Front. Abdulla and Sambas were able to escape from Corregidor Island in 1968 before the military shot dead their fellow recruits in a massacre that lit the Muslim rebellion in Mindanao. Their fate as a result of the recent fighting is not known.

Long Lines at Jollibee Singapore Opening, Despite Boycott

MANILA–Long lines greeted popular fast food chain Jollibee's branch opening  in Singapore on Tuesday despite the threat of boycott by some Singaporeans who assailed the restaurant’s alleged preference for Filipino workers, reports ABS-CBN News. Jollibee’s newest branch is located on the 6th floor of Lucky Plaza along Orchard Road in Singapore. But while the opening seemed successful, a campaign to boycott the restaurant was already online in the past few weeks.  The issue started when Jollibee Singapore posted a message on its Facebook wall urging all “Jollibee fans” looking for careers at Jollibee Singapore to send their resumes. But there was no mention on Jollibee Singapore's Facebook page that it was only hiring Filipinos for its store.

Call Centers Top Last Year's Growth Target

MANILA--The call center industry on Tuesday said it surpassed its growth target for 2012 despite the peso appreciation, reports Interaksyon.com. "We exceeded our target last year. We've projected conservatively a 15 percent growth last year, [but] we did end 2012 [with] about 20 percent," Jojo Uligan, executive director of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) told reporters. "We are still okay," Uligan added, "but if the peso and dollar exchange will fall below P40, it will hurt us most.  The call center industry was aiming for $8.4 billion in revenues and 500,000 jobs last year.  A lot of orders are coming from areas that the Philippine call center industry doesn't have a very strong presence--Europe, United Kingdom as well as the Asian countries.​

14 Filipino Sailors Released By Somali Pirates

The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that 14 Filipinos are among the 26 crew members of a Greek-owned oil tanker freed by Somali pirates, reports Interaksyon.com . The DFA learned from the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya that pirates released on March 9 the M/T Smyrni, a Greek-owned and Liberian-flagged oil tanker, and its 26-member crew. All of the crew members, who were held for ten months, are in good physical condition, DFA said. The M/T Smyrni was hijacked by Somali pirates on May 10, 2012 off the coast of Oman