PH Losing Trillions of Pesos Yearly Due to Malnutrition

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, "the cost to the global economy caused by malnutrition, as a result of lost productivity and direct health care costs, could account for as much as 5 percent of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), equivalent to $3.5 trillion/year or $500/person."  This means that the Philippines, with a population of 96.71 million, is losing up to more than P2 trillion/year from lost productivity and health care costs caused by malnutrition, reports Rappler.com.

PH to Become Mobile-First Country This Year

By the last quarter of 2014, the Philippines will be a mobile-first country—meaning people will likely use their mobile phones to access the Internet rather than the traditional desktop computers, Google said, Inquirer.net reports.

Filipino Student Wins Leadership Award in New South Wales

Cherry Bo Fernandez recently bested 23 other international students to receive the 2014 New South Wales (NSW) School Service Award, reports GMA News. Fernandez was recognized by NSW Governor Marie Bashir at the NSW Parliament House last Feb. 25 for her outstanding leadership qualities. 

PH Jobless Rate Rises to 7.5 Percent

Unemployment in the Philippines worsened in January, which the government blamed on recent natural disasters that disrupted business activities in the provinces, reports Inquirer.net. The unemployment rate inched up to 7.5 percent in January from 7.1 percent in the same month last year, or about 2.96 million jobless Filipinos out of the 39.41 million members of the labor force.

Makati Is the Selfiest City in the World -- TIME

Makati City, known as the financial center of the Philippines, can now boast another distinction: It is the Selfie Capital of the World, reports Time. The city, part of metropolitan Manila and home to 500,000 people, produces more selfies per capita than any other city in the world.

Henry Sy Stays in Forbes' Top 100 Wealthiest

Filipino-Chinese magnate Henry Sy and family remained in Forbes magazine’s list of top 100 global billionaires in 2014, despite a decline in the family’s net worth to $11.4 billion from $13.2 billion in 2013, reports the Manila Times.

PH Motor Vehicle Sales Outpace Neighbors

Sales of motor vehicles and motorcycles grew the fastest in the Philippines in the first month of 2014, reports Interaksyon.com. In its latest report,  the Asean Automotive Federation (AAF) said motor vehicle sales in the Philippines grew 27 percent to 15,642 units in January from 12,303 units a year ago, bucking the 16 percent contraction in Asean.

Young Filipino in Saudi Publishes Third Book

Riyadh-based Filipino Nigel Willem Canlapan, 14, already has three published books under his name, reports GMA News.  Last Feb. 21, Manila-born Canlapan, 14, released his latest book, Craig Smith Back Flip at the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia.