MANILA, July 10 (PNA) — Cheers for the season!

The Philippines’ Puerto Princesa Subterranean River in Palawan has successfully landed on the top 77 nominees on the New 7 Wonders of Nature (N7WN) international poll.

Being the world’s renowned longest underground river, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park also features a stunning limestone karst mountain landscape. Read more. . .

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MANILA, July 11 (PNA) – The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) registered total investments of P10.98 billion in June this year, up by 54 percent from P7.13 billion in the same month last year.

Lilia B. De Lima, PEZA director-general, noted this is the second consecutive month this year that investments went positive from negative growth in the first four months of the year.

“We are seeing some silver linings over the horizon and we hope this would be sustained in the second semester,” De Lima said. Read more. . .

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MANILA, July 10 (PNA) — The Asian Development Bank on Thursday sees no recession for the Philippines because of the moderate growth in overseas Filipino workers’ (OFWs) remittances and improvement in business confidence.

Neeraj Jain, ADB’s country director for the Philippines, told reporters that the Philippine economy is expected to maintain a positive growth in 2009.

Jain said the continuing remittance growth, recent improvement in business confidence and turnaround key exports are positive signals for a positive growth. Read more. . .

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MANILA, July 10 (PNA) — The Department of Public Works and Highways is proposing the construction of an underground expressway on Roxas Boulevard as it warns of worsening traffic congestion in the area where traffic flow has crawled to 10-kilometer per hour during peak hours.

As envisioned, the Metro Manila Tunnel Expressway (MMTEX) will save the scenic view of Roxas Boulevard and historical sites like the Rizal Park but at the same time speed up traffic flow from North and East side of Metro Manila.

“The President and Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. are very keen on this project as it would decongest traffic in greater Manila. This is the first time we’ll have such kind of project in the country,” said Undersecretary Romeo Momo, who is assigned to oversee DPWH operations in Metro Manila. Read more. . .

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MANILA, Jul 7 (PNA) — An official of the Science Education Institute lauded students who excel in Mathematics competitions, especially those who compete overseas and bring honor to the country.

“I urge our dear students to put into good use the foundation they get in joining this kind of competition by taking up science-related courses. We need you to help us pursue our development goals through research and development geared towards building our capacity to innovate our industries and improve our economy,” Dr. Ester B. Ogena, Director of DOST-Science Education Institute said. Read more. . .

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MANILA, July 8 (PNA) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is ready for the signing of the P7.2-billion poll automation contract with the Smartmatic Corporation and Total Information Management Inc. (TIM) on Friday.

“It is already pretty much in the form of what would be signed (by the two parties). It is just practically crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.

He said they are just waiting for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to approve the joint venture application of the two firms. Read more. . .

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MANILA, July 4 (PNA) — Automation of the 2010 national and local elections will push through, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.

This after Smartmatic International and its local partner Total Information Management Corporation (TIM) resolved their “differences” Friday afternoon.

“We were able to thresh out everything,” Comelec Chairman Jose Melo announced after a three-hour meeting with the officials of the firms that won the P11.3- billion automation project. Read more. . .

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DUMAGUETE CITY, July 4 (PNA) — A fresh graduate of the College of Mass Communication of Silliman University in Dumaguete City is among this year’s Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP).

Stacy Danika Alcantara, who graduated summa cum laude in March this year, received the award July 2 at the Rizal Hall of the Malacañang Palace. She was the one who delivered the batch response, consolidating the common vision of the group. Five other awardees are from Central Visayas. Read more. . .

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MANILA, June 27 (PNA) — Despite the global crisis, the country’s pursuit in achieving the United Nations’ Millenium Development Goal (MDG) will not be sidetracked, said National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) deputy director general Rolando G. Tungpalan.

“Let me underscore that despite the global economic crisis, the Philippine government’s resolve to achieve the MDGs would not be sidetracked,” Tungpalan said during the launching of the MDG-Fund (MDG-F) Joint Programme on Youth, Employment and Migration “Alternatives to Migration: Decent Jobs for Filipino Youth” . Read more. . .

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MANILA, June 22 (PNA) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said over the weekend that the Philippines need to reform its political system to become a “First World” in 20 years.

“We also need to reform the political system,” President Arroyo said Saturday in Tokyo, Japan before leaving for Brazil.

The President said that her vision was to see the Philippine on the verge of the First World (well-developed nation) in 20 years with more investments in education, economy, environment, anti-poverty programs, coupled with reforms of its political system. Read more. . .