: Super User; Philippines; 21 February 2012; Hits: 1603

Clever Marketing not enough to Boost tourism

LAST year, for the first time in the history of Philippine tourism, the number of visitor arrivals in the country reached 3.9 million, more than 11 per cent higher than the 3.5 million arrivals posted in 2010.

: Super User; Philippines; 24 January 2012; Hits: 1245

Uniform cut in Interest Rates Unlikely

SHOULD Asian nations cut interest rates in order to head off an expected economic slowdown this year? Countries such as Australia and Thailand have already begun the process. Others widely regarded as preparing to follow suit include Vietnam and the Philippines.

: Super User; Philippines; 17 January 2012; Hits: 1266

Manila Should Get its Anti-drug Focus Right

ON JAN 6, when Philippine drug enforcement agents raided a sprawling compound inside the exclusive Ayala Alabang residential village in a south Manila suburb, what they found underlined a point many observers had been making for some time.

: Super User; Philippines; 13 December 2011; Hits: 1287

Blood Ties a Factor in relations with Beijing

EARLIER this month, when Philippine President Benigno Aquino declared that Chinese New Year would be an official public holiday, he justified it by referring to the need to respect the nation’s cultural diversity.

: Super User; Philippines; 02 November 2011; Hits: 1238

Aquino in a Bind over Peace Talks

IN A pattern that has repeated itself with depressing regularity for decades, yet another acrimonious debate has broken out in Manila about the wisdom of pursuing stalled peace talks with the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Key Political Risks

President Benigno Aquino has stepped up efforts to lure foreign investors into the country, so far without much success. The country continues to be hobbled by widespread corruption and several long-running insurgencies.

However, the government has had some success in reducing the budget deficit. The president also remains popular with voters.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

Extent to which foreign and domestic investors show interest in big ticket infrastructure projects.
Increased spending on the air force and navy to counter Beijing's territorial claims in the disputed Spratly Islands. The issue could become an important point of contention at the East Asia forum in Indonesia in November.
The implementation of the "framework agreement" between Manila and the insurgent Moro Islamic Liberation Front announced in early October. If all goes well, a final peace deal may be signed by 2016.