Obama Nominates Filipino American for Top Navy Post

Rear Admiral Raquel C. Bono (Source: wikipedia.org)

President Obama has nominated Navy Rear Admiral Raquel C. Bono, the granddaughter of a Filipino veteran of World War II, for promotion to the rank of vice admiral in the United States Navy and for the position of Defense Health Agency (DHA) director, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced Thursday, September 17, reports Inquirer.net. If her nomination is approved, Bono will become the highest ranking Filipino American naval officer in the US.

BPO-Call Center Revenues Soon to Match OFW Remittances

The Philippine economy is on the brink of a structural shift, with revenues from call centers and other outsourcing firms expected to soon match the contribution of cash transfers from migrant workers, reports Inquirer.net.

US Embassy Again Denies American Involvement in Mamasapano Massacre

The US Embassy in Manila on September 16 categorically dismissed speculation that any US military personnel were involved, much less killed, in Oplan Exodus that bagged Malaysian terrorist Marwan but led to the death of 44 Philippine police commandos on Jan. 25, 2015, reports Interaksyon.com.

Filipina Is One of Top Female Surfers in Asia

Rain (Lorraine Crystal Lapus) (Source: pinterest.com)

Rain (Lorraine Crystal Lapus) is one of the female surf icons in the Philippines, an archipelago blessed with a number of surfing spots in its every nook and cranny. She has paddled her way into winning various surfing competitions here and abroad and was ranked among the top 10 women surfers in the Asian Surfing Championships in 2014, reports ChoosePhilippines.com.

Former Hongkong Maid Publishes Photos of 'Modern Slavery'

Xyza Cruz Bacani (Source: gmanetwork.com)

Xyza Cruz Bacani, a Filipina maid in Hong Kong, has published stark photographs of burned and beaten domestic workers to highlight the "modern slavery" she says has long been the city's shameful secret,” reports MSN News. Bacani's black and white portraits won her a scholarship from the Magnum Foundation to start studying at New York University.

Fewer OFW Families Are Saving--Central Bank

Fewer remittance-receiving families want to save money, a new Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) survey showed, presenting a setback to the regulator’s efforts toward financial inclusion. The number of savers among households that rely on cash from migrant workers suffered the sharpest drop since 2010 as those favoring major purchases remained steady, a BSP survey on family income showed, reports Inquirer.net.

PH Anti-Poverty Efforts a Model for Emerging Economies--World Bank

Axel van Trotsenburg

Emerging economies across the globe can learn from the Philippines’ success in providing social safety nets aimed at uplifting the lives of the marginally poor, Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank vice president for East Asia and the Pacific, said. Investing in quality education and providing social protection for the poor stand out among the key policies to address rising inequality in the Asia-Pacific region, Inquirer.net.

Warning Issued on Hiring Scams for Health Care Jobs Abroad

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration reiterated its warning on fraudulent e-mails offering employment in big hospitals in Canada and other countries to Filipino nurses and other healthcare professionals. The bogus e-mails instruct applicants to pay P3,750 as registration fee for a "mandatory orientation seminar," reports Interaksyon.com.