News Update Maid dies saving baby girl

Mrs Lam breaks down whenever she recalls the accident. Her husband tries to console her. -- PHOTO: TNP

SHE loved them so much that she was even willing to lay her life down for the girls. On Saturday night, Indonesian maid Puji Astutik died proving her love - and saved her boss' one-year-old.
Ms Puji, 28, was crossing the road with her employer, Mrs Lam's younger daughter, when an SMRT bus ran into her at the junction of Choa Chu Kang Street 52 and Choa Chu Kang North 6.
She flung the baby girl forward but was pinned under the wheels, The New Paper and Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao reported.
She was rushed to the National University Hospital, but died later that night from her injuries. The Lams' daughter suffered minor scratches on her left arm and kept shivering that night.
Neighbours remember Ms Puji as a 'very friendly' person who would say hi. Mrs Lam said she intended to renew the maid's contract when it expired in September.

News Update No need to renew water deal

By Nur Dianah Suhaimi

This picture shows the Sembcorp Changi NEWater Plant (SCNP). Singapore aims to be self-sufficient in water by 2061 when its second water agreement with Malaysia expires. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA

SINGAPORE will not be renewing the first of its two water agreements with Malaysia when it expires next year.
The reason: Extra reservoirs and another Newater plant being built can increase supply to meet the country's needs, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim said yesterday.
He was replying to Nominated MP Mildred Tan who had asked whether the expiry of the first water agreement next year will lead to higher water tariffs in future and what steps Singapore has taken to become more self-sufficient in water.
Over the years, supply has been bolstered with more Newater plants, new reservoirs and desalinated water, Dr Yaacob noted. 'With these new sources, we have diversified our water supply and built up a robust system.' He added that, as a result, there is no need to renew the first water agreement with Malaysia. Under the agreement, signed in 1961, Singapore will buy water from Malaysia at three sen for every 1,000 gallons for 50 years.
Singapore aims to be self-sufficient in water by 2061 when its second water agreement with Malaysia expires. This agreement, signed in 1962, allows it to buy more water at the same price.
Dr Yaacob said Newater supply is expected to meet 30 per cent of Singapore's water needs when the fifth and largest Newater plant in Changi is completed later this year. It will produce up to 50 million gallons of ultra-clean reclaimed water daily - enough to fill 94 Olympic-size swimming pools. Also, the desalination plant in Tuas can meet 10 per cent of Singapore's needs.

News Update BIR seeks overturn of Makati tax ruling

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Internal Revenue plans to file a motion for reconsideration before the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) regarding the court’s decision to issue a temporary restraining order that prevents the BIR from garnishing the real properties of the Makati City government.

Tan-Torres said his office has been informed that the CTA issued the order last week. “The CTA has issued a restraining order barring us from garnishing the real properties, movable equipment and vehicles, bank accounts of Makati City. We have to abide by that order…but we will file a motion for reconsideration,” he said.

The CTA acted on a motion filed by the Makati government following the BIR’s April 8 decision to slap a lien on the city government’s properties following the failure of the Makati government to settle its taxes.

The CTA, in a decision dated Dec. 16, 2009, ordered Makati to pay BIR P1.05 billion in deficiency taxes for 1999 to 2001 and P217.8 million for 2002 to 2004.

Tan-Torres said the Makati City government would have to file a surety bond until the case is resolved. The bond is a form of guarantee that the government of Makati would fulfill its supposed tax obligations with the BIR if the court decides in favor of the tax agency.

The BIR has been running after government agencies, including the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Metropolitan Manila Develoment Authority over alleged back taxes. The MMDA has agreed to a compromise amount of P25 million.

The agency has been stepping up measures to improve collections as it is tasked to collect P830 billion this year, revised downward from an original collection goal of P875 billion.

The BIR accounts for roughly 70 percent of total government revenues. - By Iris Gonzales

News Update Ilocos mayor tagged as brains in slay of electric cooperative head

Laoag City, Ilocos Norte , Philippines – An Ilocos Norte mayor who is again running for the same post this May was tagged as the brains in the slay of her political foe in September last year.

Alleged hired killer Noel Aurellano, nabbed last week in Isabela in connection with the killing of Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) Board President Lorenzo Rey Ruiz, told investigators that Dingras Mayor Marineth Gamboa paid them P800,000 for the hit.

This, as he also “spilled” that 16 other personalities are on their hit list. Aurellano confirmed what authorities found from the original lair of the “hitman” all in Ilocos Norte with the list written on a paper.

The personalities on the “hit list” however, is being kept under wraps by authorities while security operations are being undertaken to avert any blood anymore to spill in the province.

Admission

While under questioning, Aurellano accordingly admitted it was former INEC employee Jonathan Bagamaspad, a relative of Gamboa, who directly talked to him about the hit.

Aurellano admitted to authorities that he was the driver of one of the motorcycle used when they barged in the INEC compound in Currimao town, Ilocos Norte to accomplish the “hit.”

Earlier, charges against Gamboa were dropped by state prosecutors in connection with the death of a Nacionalista Party councilor bet after armed men fired upon the vehicle she was riding
along with other NP bets on Dec. 28, last year.

Killed in the Dec. 28 ambush was barangay captain Jo-en Caniete-Diego of Lanas, Dingras, an NP bet for Dingras councilor. Four others led by re-electionist board member Robert Castro were seriously wounded during the incident. - By Artemio Dumlao

News Update AFP to go on red alert status in preparation for elections

Starting Friday, the Philippines’ Armed Forces will go on a nationwide red alert — its highest security status — in preparation for the upcoming May polls, a military spokesperson said Monday.

Declared ten days ahead of the polls, the red alert status will remain hoisted until May 20, Col. Ricardo Nepomuceno of the military’s Task Force Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections (HOPE) told reporters on Monday. “We want to be prepared, especially since that [period] covers the time of the delivery of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines. We want to make sure that we are monitoring what’s happening to the PCOS," he said. All military officers are required to be on their posts at all times upon declaration of a red alert status. The Commission on Elections (Comelec), through three forwarding companies, started delivering the poll machines to precincts in the Visayas and Mindanao earlier this month.

More than half of the PCOS machines have been brought to their respective hubs, the poll body announced Monday. “We are monitoring that (transport of the PCOS machines) but the responsibility of the transportation lies with the Comelec-designated forwarders but we are assisting them. We are securing them," said Nepomuceno. Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales had earlier placed the Armed Forces at the full disposal of the Comelec to ensure the peaceful conduction of elections in May. — GMANews.TV

News Update Businessmen, lawyers join calls for parallel manual count

Businessmen and lawyers have joined calls for a conduct of a parallel manual count, seen to guarantee credibility of results of the automated elections this May.

Representatives of the Makati Business Club (MBC) and the Philippine Bar Association (PBA) met with Commission on Elections officials on Monday to discuss their proposed manual count for at least three positions before the results are transmitted by the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine.

The MBC, in their open letter, asked the poll body to conduct a parallel count of the votes for president, vice president, and one local position.

If the discrepancy is less than one percent, transmission can proceed. However, if it is more than one percent, a full manual count for all the positions should take place.

It said that the whole process will only take three hours.

If there are discrepancies, the process should last for at least two days for counting and two days for canvassing. It also said that the whole thing will probably cost the poll body about half a billion pesos.

"This is a small price to pay to ensure the sanctity of the ballot and boost the people's confidence in the automated elections. We believe the proposed manual count is rational, doable and will not constitute a drain on public resources," said the group.

On the other hand, the PBA wants to conduct a parallel count of the votes for president, vice president, congressman, governor, and mayor.

"It is the only legal, effective, and cost-efficient way to validate the electronic results of each PCOS machine and thus ensure clean and credible polls," the group said in a separate open letter.

It said that there should be no question about the legality of the parallel count because Section 30 of Republic Act 9369 authorizes the Comelec to "prescribe" another manner or procedure for the canvassing and consolidation of votes.

It likewise said that the poll body has the "necessary" funds to conduct the process, given the amount of money it was initially going to spend on the controversial and botched ballot secrecy folder deal.

Response

But Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said that it's not a matter of how much or how little the parallel count is going to cost. "Democracy will cost how democracy costs," he said.

The Comelec will still have to study how the conduct of the manual count will affect the automation process, he said. He added that conducting this proposal might actually leave the process vulnerable to more fraud attempts.

"Hindi ito simpleng bagay na yes or no...sino ba naman ang may ayaw ng seguridad (This is not a simple matter of yes or no, who does not want security?)," he told reporters on Monday.

Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal, for his part, said they "appreciate" the concerns raised by some groups.

He was quick to note, however, that they have to discuss the matter thoroughly because they won't be the only ones implementing the proposal if ever.

"At this point it's difficult to comment... we're studying it, we're getting comments and feedback," he said in a briefing held Monday.

The commissioner, who heads the poll body steering committee on automation, said a decision will be released later this week.

PBA chair Simeon Marcelo said that the group was quite content with its meeting with the poll body officials.

"They understand that this has to be decided immediately at kailangan gumalaw na (and that they need to take action)," he told reporters.

MBC chair Ramon del Rosario likewise said they were "assured" by the commission that their proposal would be "seriously considered."

"We're very hopeful that they will give a sympathetic ear to the proposal we made. Whatever the decision of Comelec, we will abide by it," he told reporters after the meeting.

Last week, presidential aspirant Senator Maria Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal and the farmer-fisherfolk group Alyansa Agrikultura said that they would go on a hunger strike until the Comelec decides to conduct a parallel manual count.

Meanwhile, Larrazabal said that they have already conducted a simulation of the random manual audit.

The poll body is set to conduct a random audit of five precincts in each congressional district in the May polls. - RJAB Jr.
Expect 11.5 million Californians to vote, 53.5% of citizens eligible: Heavy absentee voting could delay count (The Field poll)
Every vote counts; maintain perspective at the polls.(results of local bond propositions): An article from: San Diego Business Journal
Making Votes Count (Democratic Audit Paper)
All error, no margin: every vote counts on the Web, but news organizations should temper their enthusiasm for these pseudo polls.(THE ONLINE FRONTIER): An article from: American Journalism Review

Kopi Talk - LACSON QUESTIONS USE OF 10 BILLION CALAMITY FUND FOR MINDANAO

Hi Alex thanks for the article

Citing reports from Mindanao local executives, Liberal Party senatorial bet Atty. Alex "Pinoy" Lacson questioned the use of the billion peso power crisis calamity fund in Mindanao by administration candidates, who are allegedly buying rice and other amenities instead of using the fund to solve the worsening blackouts in the region.

Lacson said Mindanao local executives revealed this to him in his consultations with them a few days ago. Lacson said he fears that the calamity fund will totally be misused and redirected towards buying of votes.

“Mindanao executives are threatening to protest this improper use of the funds, and I totally support them, “ says the civil society leader.

In his visits to the provincial capitols in Mindanao last week, Lacson noted that "in every place, there were six to ten hours of blackouts every day, affecting businesses and residents alike. It's a disaster, and coming just before the national elections, is clearly an issue of national importance." Lacson was informed that despite promises made by the Philippine National Oil Corporation (PNOC) and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), even the new PNOC geothermal project in Mt. Apo could not adequately cover the electricity requirements of the most badly-hit areas.

Reports have reached Lacson that administration-backed local candidates are using the power crisis calamity fund to buy thousands of cavans of rice, food stuffs and even appliances instead of using the calamity fund to buy generator sets. Out of the 10 billion pesos calamity fund, every province was allotted close to 1 billion pesos each to buy or lease generator sets.

Lacson bewailed the total lack of central planning in addressing the power crisis. He shared the opinion of the Mindanao local executives that the national government failed to anticipate the growing energy requirements of Mindanao.

“Mindanao is growing both economically and socially. The Arroyo administration should have anticipated that its energy requirements would actually increase. Evidently, there was no planning.”

Lacson shared the view of Mindanao-based executives of the need to provide short-term solutions such as buying power barges. Long-term solutions include exploring other energy sources, such as wind, building geothermal plants and rehabilitating existing plants.

"We can no longer afford to live in the dark ages. Kailangan tutukan ito ng ating mga opisyales at bantayan ng taong bayan para hindi nanaman manakaw ang pondong kinakailangan ng Mindanao. Let's literally and figuratively shine a light on this issue," Lacson said.

News Update Quakes hit Taiwan, Philippines

TAIPEI - A 6.9 MAGNITUDE quake struck in an ocean area north of the Philippines on Monday and was felt throughout Taiwan, officials said, but there were no immediate reports of damage and no mass tsunami warnings.

Philippine authorities forecast little damage after the 10.59am (0259 GMT) quake that struck 300 km (180 miles) off the Batan Islands of the Philippines and 314 km (195 miles) southeast of Taiwan.

Philippine officials warned people on the coast to watch for a tidal surge, though it was unlikely to cause casualties or damage, while the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center advised that local tsunamis on coastlines within 100 km (60 miles) of the quake's centre were possible.

The United States Geological Survey put the quake at a depth of 10 km (six miles), while Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said it was 20 km (12 miles) deep and registered 6.6 on the Richter scale, which is the local measurement standard.

The quake shook buildings in Taiwan's capital, Taipei.

Taiwan's TSMC, the world No 1 contract chipmaker, said the quake had no impact on its plants in northern Taiwan. UMC, the world No 2 chipmaker, also reported no impact.

Earthquakes occur frequently in Taiwan, which lies on a seismically active stretch of the Pacific basin. One of Taiwan's worst-recorded quakes occurred in September 1999. Measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, it killed more than 2,400 people and destroyed or damaged 50,000 buildings. - Reuters.

Kopi talk - Poverty and elections

In a society where daily the poor feel the depths of despair, the indignities that life afflicts on them and the helplessness from a social order that favors the wealthy, election is payback time. Through the ballot, they can show their hatred for those who continue to savour the fruits of the land which had long been promised to be returned to them, the true tillers of the soil. By their vote, they can express strong disapproval of those who have the benefit of great fortunes and enviable family status do not even attempt to make a name but would rather coast through life. Even as they aspire for the highest position of government, their dependency syndrome is evident as advisers and kin control the campaign and lead the way. A life of submission to strong personalities, whether relatives or colleagues cannot be transformed by scripted media ads and rehearsed speeches to a picture of a decisive leader; the cracks will show.

The poor perceive all this and as the surveys show, gravitate to two leading candidates for president - Joseph ''Erap'' Estrada and Manuel ''Manny'' Villar. Both have deep roots in the life experiences of the Filipino masses.

Erap, while coming from a well-to-do family, grew up in the company of the poor, eating and drinking; laughing and crying with them. The foundation of his fame and fortune rests on their patronage and prayers. The Erap presidency whatever failings there may have been was still a presidency that was pro-poor. Poverty levels went down, government programs favoured the poor and his sincerity earned the trust of the masses even as his administration had to make decisions that were unpopular on the short term. A man of no pretensions he was able to put together what economist Bernie Villegas considered the best cabinet the country ever had. Knowing where he was weak, he reached out to the best and the brightest. But he had his own mind and the confidence that comes from doing honest work using his own talents. When he was senator, I had a one-on-one session with him arranged by his brother-in-law, Dr. Raul de Guzman, my former boss in the University of the Philippines. I found that Erap asked the right questions and subjected my ideas on entrepreneurship and small business development to an intense scrutiny based on his personal experiences as a businessman (movie producer) and inputs from other academics.

Manny, no matter what critics say, has experienced being poor and had to help his mother augment the family income. In the University of the Philippines, he took public transport going to school and was juggling school work and pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities. His businesses followed the roller coaster of Philippine economy, down (when the Asian financial crisis affected his businesses as it did many other Philippine enterprises) and then up (on the strength of his sacrifices and well thought out business strategies). It is that experience which gave him the drive to venture into business and reach the critical mass of wealth that allows exponential growth. It is having been poor that makes him aspire to a presidency that will create jobs and give the poor a level playing field in life. His will be a presidency that will uproot the moorings of the privileged class that accuse others of corruption while they themselves used family and school ties to benefit their business conglomerates. His will be a presidency whose only ''utang na loob'' is to the masses unlike those who have to repay debts to their campaign contributors or media supporters.

I am sure the poor will go either to Erap or Manny. I am positive that the elite, a number of whom Enzo Zobel used to call ''the idle rich'' as opposed to the working rich; civil society leaders, who gained prominence if not fortunes after EDSA I and II; businessmen who benefitted by having their enterprises ''returned to them'' after EDSA I even when these businesses had vastly grown and had significantly less liabilities than before martial law; and traditional politicians today who started as OICs in the post EDSA scene will not. It is this same group that ousted Erap and installed one from their own class- Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The mistake they made will be repeated as they work to elect another from their social class not considering industry, personal leadership and career track record, only the promise of potentials to be realised. Thank goodness, the votes of the poor are vastly greater than theirs.

Business Bits. Congratulations to the lifetime awardees of the Rotary Club of Quezon City on their 50th Charter Anniversary - PP Eddie Endriquez, PDG Tony Sibal and PP Mon Hechanova. They are inspiration to those who aspire to ''serve above self.''

News UpdatePhilippines studying sale of more peso bonds to foreigners

By Rosemarie Francisco

MANILA, April 25 - The Philippines is working on a mechanism to encourage foreign investors to buy more local currency bonds and plans to issue debt instruments such as dollar-to-peso warrants to raise capital market liquidity, the national treasurer said.

Asia's largest sovereign issuer of foreign debt was still interested in accessing the euro bond market and would pursue a euro debt issue when conditions become attractive, Roberto Tan also told a foreign exchange traders annual convention in Boracay island in central Philippines over the weekend.

"Hopefully, we will be issuing peso bonds to foreign markets," Tan said, adding the debt papers may eventually be listed on other markets such as the Singapore exchange.

Officials at the country's currency and debt exchange, Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp , were studying taxation issues related to the debt sale. Foreign investors have said an existing 20 percent withholding tax on local debt issues has made Philippine peso debt unattractive.

"The way I look at it, the tax treatment will be based on tax treaties that we have with them ," Tan said. "This is being pursued by the PDS with the Singapore trading exchange."

Asia currently enjoys heavy foreign fund inflows with investors banking on rapid growth in the region this year.

The Philippines has benefitted from these fund flows with the stock market <.PSI> soaring to its highest since early 2008 and the peso rising to its strongest in nearly two years.

Last month, PDEX posted a record one-day trading volume of 53.75 billion pesos , its highest in its 5-year history as a debt exchange.

Tan said Manila was studying other debt instruments to encourage more placements in the local capital market.

"We are planning to undertake regular opening of the outstanding bonds to create benchmark bonds given liquidity of securities, and issue innovative debt instruments such as swaps, zeros , dollar-to-peso warrants and indexed bonds," he said.

Manila is also interested in pursuing an earlier plan to go back to the euro-currency debt market to diversify its debt profile. Its last euro debt issue was in 2002.

"We are now looking at accessing the euro market if conditions become conducive," Tan said.

News Update 3 local campaign leaders slain

MANILA, Philippines - A campaign leader of a Cavite mayoral bet and two campaign coordinators of a Negros Occidental congressional candidate were killed Saturday, as violence spiked in the run-up to the May 10 polls, authorities said.

In Cavite, Senior Superintendent Primitivo Tabujara, provincial police director, said Jose Eusebio, 54, campaign leader of Nacionalista Party mayoral bet and former Bacoor mayor Jessie Castillo, was walking in Barangay Niog 1 Saturday night when he had a brief argument with another man who later shot him at close range.

Eusebio sustained four gunshot wounds and died while being treated at the St. Dominic Hospital. His attacker escaped by boarding a “pedicab.”

Police are looking into politics as a motive behind the killing, but are not ruling out other angles.

Cavite first district Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya of the Liberal Party has asked the Commission on Elections to declare Bacoor an election hot spot, as houses of his supporters were fired upon.

Bacoor, Cavite’s biggest municipality with 270,000 voters, is a known bailiwick of the Revilla clan.

Its incumbent mayor, Strike Revilla, is seeking re-election, while his sister-in-law and former actress Lani Mercado is running for Congress against the Abayas.

Mercado’s husband, Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., is seeking another term. The Revillas are staunch supporters of the administration’s Lakas-Kampi-CMD party.

Negros ambush

In Negros Occidental, two campaign coordinators of Ted Lizares Jimenez, a congressional bet in the third district, were killed in an ambush in Barangay Canlandog, Murcia town.

Police identified the victims as Rogelio Garcia, 53, and Errol Lubrea, 41. A CAFGU member, Dennis Mahusay, 38, survived the attack.

Investigators said the victims were on their way home on board a motorcycle driven by Garcia when they were waylaid in Purok Paho, Barangay Canlandog at around 9 p.m. Saturday.

Eight empty 9-mm shells were recovered at the ambush site.

Jimenez condemned the ambush and urged the Murcia police and Senior Superintendent Manuel Felix, provincial police director, to conduct an in-depth investigation into the incident.

A day before the ambush, Garcia managed to gather a big number of residents from the barangays of Canlandog, Amayco, Caliban and Lopez Jaena to attend Jimenez’s campaign sortie in Murcia town, said Bambi Yngson, media liaison officer of the congressional bet.

Yngson said Jimenez’s staffers were also being harassed and threatened through text messages even before the Murcia incident.

Jimenez is running against businessman Albee Bantug-Benitez and Esteban Coscolluela, outgoing mayor of Murcia town.

Police, however, raised the possibility that the ambush may have been triggered by old grudges among several families in Barangay Canlandog, which have claimed the lives of a number of villagers in previous years. - By Arnell Ozaeta and Antonieta Lopez (Philstar News Service
Anatomy of a stealth candidate. (Republican congressional candidate Ron Freeman): An article from: St. Louis Journalism Review
Feldkamp won't keep tainted cash.(Politics)(The GOP congressional candidate says he'll give to charity $1,000 he received from a disgraced California congressman): ... from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)

News Update Thousands of people lose homes in Manila slum fire

MANILA, Philippines – A huge fire sweeping through a shantytown outside the Philippine capital has destroyed about 300 houses and left about 7,000 people homeless.

Metropolitan Manila Fire Marshal Pablito Cordeta says about 200 firetrucks are battling the fire that started at midafternoon Sunday and was still burning at nightfall. It spread rapidly in the slum in Quezon city because of strong winds and the scorching summer heat.

Firefighters struggled to penetrate alleys, which were clogged by people trying to save their belongings. Residents wept as they watched their burning houses.

A weeping resident, Glen Sardon, says "We failed to save anything except our clothes."

Cordeta said at least two residents were reported missing.

What Happen before 0859 Hrs in Gamu, Isabela.

We opened the first Internet cafe in Guibang Gamu , Because of the school holiday our young customer came early before 0859hrs.

Extract from Yahoo-Nielsen Study on Urban Philippines Internet users in March 2006 survey

28% of Filipinos in National Urban Philippines have accessed the Internet in the past month. 5% access the Internet everyday. Filipino internet users are likely to be below 29 years old, single and are better educated. Internet use is not restricted just to the big cities like Metro Manila. Other cities are experiencing internet growth. For example, 35% of Filipinos in Cagayan de Oro have accessed the internet in the past month. Filipino Internet users are more likely to be opinion leaders and early adopters compared to traditional media consumers. They are likely to be individualistic, trend conscious, willing to pay for quality products and are tech-enthusiasts. Internet usage is particularly higher amongst the younger segments. 50% of those below 20 years old have accessed the internet in the past month Internet Cafes are an important internet access point. 71% have accessed the internet from internet cafes in the past 3 months. 47% of all internet time are spent in internet cafes. Internet cafes are also a dominant access point forcuser from the lower socio-economic classes.

Email, Instant messaging and Search are the most common online activities for Filipino internet users. Yahoo! is the dominant web-based email, instant messaging and search service in the Philippines. Social networking is a key online activity. 51% claimed to have visited a social networking site in the past month. 1 in 3 Filipino internet users have a blog. Friendster is the leading social network in the Philippines. (To my personal Opinion nowadays face book is the main contender for social networking site in Philippine)

Online Activities in Guibang Gamu Internet Class95cafe Used email (23%) Used instant messengers (20%) Used search (58%) Played games online (63%) Visited a social networking site (51%) Read blogs (12%) Down-/uploaded digital photos on photo sharing sites (5%) Worked on personal blog (1%) Listened to internet radio (3%) Down-/uploaded music files online (1%) Reads news online on internal portals or other news sites (24%) Internet SMS (1%) Conducted online banking transactions (0%) Purchased products online (0%)

Just ask - Hi I'm from US wanted to work in Singapore ?

Hi Sherline there many US citizen working in Singapore, but I think they told me you have to pay double taxation. However there are various work permit schemes available in Singapore. Singapore has become the ideal business and commercial hub in Southeast Asia partly due to its creative immigration policies designed to attract seasoned entrepreneurs and working professionals from around the world.

The following are the main types of Singapore work permit schemes for foreigners in the professional employment visa category:

* Employment Pass (EP)
* Entrepreneur Pass (EntrePass)
* S Pass
* Personalized Employment Pass (PEP)

None of the above Singapore work permits except the S Pass come under a quota system. This means that the work permit will be approved mainly based on the merits of the applicant and not external factors. More details about the above work passes are provided below:
Work Permit Scheme: Employment Pass

The Employment Pass (EP) is the main type of work permit meant for company owners or skilled employees that will be working in Singapore. Your fixed monthly salary must be more than S$2,500 and you should be a degree holder from a reputable university. There is no official quota system limiting the number of Employment Passes that can be issued.

Validity: Employment Pass is initially issued for 1-2 years (at the discretion of authorities) and renewable as long as the applicant continues to be employed by the company.

Eligibility: Company owners and professional staff with good education.

Quota System: No. Each EP application is considered based in its own merit

Permanent Residence Eligibility: Employment Pass holders are eligible to apply for PR status in due course.

For more detailed information on the Employment Pass work permit type, refer to Singapore Employment Pass guide.
Work Permit Scheme: Entrepreneur Pass

Entrepreneur Pass (EntrePass) type of work permit is a variation of Employment Pass and is meant for entrepreneurs wishing to start a business in Singapore who might not qualify under Employment Pass category due to the lack of education qualifications.

Validity: Entrepreneur Pass is initially issued for 1-2 years (at the discretion of authorities) and renewable after that as long as the business remains viable.

Eligibility: Company owners that lack good education.

Quota System: No. Each EntrePass application is considered based in its own merit.

Permanent Residence Eligibility: Entrepreneur Pass holders are eligible to apply for PR status in due course.

For further information on the EntrePass work permit type, refer to Singapore Entrepreneur Pass (EntrePass) guide.
Work Permit Scheme: S Pass

The S Pass is for mid-skilled employees who earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $1,800. S Pass applicants are assessed based on employer's quota eligibility and applicant's qualifications. Instead of a degree, a technical diploma is acceptable for this kind of work pass.

Validity: S Pass is initially issued for 1-2 years (at the discretion of authorities) and renewable after that as long as the applicant continues to be employed by the employer.

Eligibility: Mid-level staff.

Quota System: Yes. In general, the number of S Pass holders a company may hire is capped at 25% of the company's total workforce. For more details on quota details, see Computation of Company's Quota Balance

Permanent Residence Eligibility: S pass holders are eligible to apply for PR status, however they may to wait for 4-5 years.

For more detailed information on the S Pass work permit scheme, refer to Singapore S-Pass guide.
Work Permit Scheme: Personalised Employment Pass (PEP)

The Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) is a special type of Employment Pass that is not tied to a specific employer. The biggest benefit of having a PEP work permit is that you can switch jobs without re-applying for a new employment pass provided that you are not unemployed for more than six months. Candidates must meet specific requirements before a PEP is approved.

Validity: PEP is issued for 5 years and non-renewable.

Eligibility: Well paid professionals who want to work in Singapore for an employer. PEP holders cannot start their own business in Singapore.

Quota System: No. Each PEP application is considered based in its own merit.

Permanent Residence Eligibility: PEP holders are eligible to apply for PR status in due course.

For details on PEP work permit, refer to Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) guide.
Work Permit Scheme: Miscellaneous Work Pass

The Miscellaneous Work Pass is issued to foreigners working in Singapore on short-term assignments. More specifically, you will be issued a Miscellaneous Work Pass if you are:

* involved in activities directly related to the organisation or conduct of any seminar, conference, workshop, gathering or talk concerning any religion, race or community, or political end;
* a foreign religious worker giving talks relating directly or indirectly to any religion; or
* a foreign journalist, reporter or an accompanying crew member not sponsored by any Singapore Government agency.

Validity: Depends

Quota System: No. Each Misc Work Pass application is considered based in its own merit.

Permanent Residence Eligibility: Misc Work Pass holders are not eligible to apply for PR status.
Work Permit Scheme: Training Employment Pass

The Training Employment Pass is issued to foreigners undergoing practical training attachments for professional, managerial, executive or specialist jobs in Singapore. You may apply for the pass if you are:

* An undergraduate -The training attachment in Singapore must be part of the trainee's degree programme from an acceptable educational institution.
* An intra-company trainee - Companies can bring employees from their foreign offices/subsidiaries to Singapore for professional or executive training. Intra-company trainees should have a degree or diploma.

To qualify for the Training Employment Pass, you should:

* Earn a fixed monthly salary of more than $2,500; and/or
* Hold acceptable tertiary or professional qualifications.

Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate (EPEC)

The Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate (EPEC) is not exactly a work permit but a special type of social visit pass that allows the applicant to come and stay in Singapore for 6-12 months and look for a job. Once you have secured a job, you will still need to file an employment pass application.

Validity: EPEC is issued for 6-12 months and non-renewable.

Eligibility: Professionals with tertiary education working overseas.

Quota System: No. Each EPEC application is considered based in its own merit.

Permanent Residence Eligibility: EPEC holders are not eligible to apply for PR status. Once EPEC holders have obtained an Employment Pass, they are eligible for PR under the Employment Pass category.

For more information on EPEC, refer to Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate guide.
Multiple Journey Business Visa

The Singapore Multiple Journey Business Visa is not a work permit and is meant for foreign business executives from visa-requiring countries who travel to Singapore frequently to attend to their business matters. The key benefit of this visa is that you don't need to apply for an entry-visa each time you plan to visit Singapore. Multiple visits are allowed each up to 30 days of stay, without a need for a separate visa application each time.

Validity: 1, 2 or 5 years as approved by authorities

Quota System: No. Each application is considered based on its own merit.

Permanent Residence Eligibility: Not eligible

Singapore has relatively liberal immigration policies that are designed to facilitate the relocation of foreign entrepreneurs and working professionals to Singapore through various work permit schemes. The increasing share of non-citizen population is a direct consequence of Singapore's policies to attract and rely on "foreign manpower" — at both the high and low ends of the spectrum — to overcome the limits of local resources.

Just ask - Any different between local and international schools in Singapore

Hi Bruce nice to hear that you relocating your family from Philippine to Singapore. I guess a decision regarding child’s education is an important decision for all parents. Expatriates in Singapore are presented with a choice of local vs international schools. Knowing the general merits and demerits of the local and international schools is crucial in order to determine the right school environment. This report is an attempt to help expats working in Singapore pick the right type of school for their child.

In Singapore what I had gather is that the teaching policies at international schools emphasize individual needs of students and are not exam focused. The international schools attempt to foster critical and independent thinking in Children. Children at international schools have opportunity to make friendships that transcend culture and develop a global perspective in a school with no dominant racial, national or religious identity. Students come from a better financial background and their parents are generally well educated and successful.

Most International schools in Singapore use English as the mainstream language. Singapore local schools serving the local students follow the national policies, academic calendar and a local curriculum. Local schools emphasize on exams and grades which are complained to be mere tests of memory rather than knowledge. Local schools provide the best opportunity to learn the local culture and language and adapt to the local society. International schools and local schools in Singapore do have certain distinct features.

When compared to local schools, international schools have smaller class sizes, therefore enabling a better student-teacher ratio, which in turn ensures individual attention to the students’ developmental needs. The smaller class sizes also means a better access to facilities. The Local schools have larger class sizes and the campus is sometimes cramped, facilities have to be shared among the large pool. In general, poor student–teacher ratio affects the relationship between the students and teachers. Often the students at the local schools have to fend for themselves, the teachers also have to tackle the challenge of handling an over sized class thus resulting in undue stress that affects their productivity.
Heterogeneous Class

International schools being open to all nationalities admit students from different linguistic background. Second language students at the international schools come from various educational backgrounds. The students are not necessarily from the higher end of the aptitude scale but are generally placed in the same class rooms. The teachers have to strike a balance in their teaching style so as to enable a progressive learning environment for all students. High performing students when placed along with average students may find the teaching system to be lagging, or may start feeling overconfident and eventually slide down the performance scale. On the other hand, the second language students and students with learning disabilities in spite of receiving special attention and assistance may feel pressurized amidst high performing students. Many international schools in Singapore split students into separate groups based on their language skills in order to address this issue. Singapore Local schools take in students of similar aptitude because admissions are based on merit, so students of matching abilities are grouped in a school. This enables the schools to implement special teaching techniques aimed at improving the child’s performance. Devoid of the pressure of high performing peers, the under-performing students often scale up their performance. At the same time higher aptitude students are given the opportunity to aspire for higher goals by setting competitive benchmarks.
Relocation Woes

International schools being a haven for the often relocating families, the students have to cope with loosing friends. The international schools make an earnest attempt to offer a welcoming and supportive environment to students, yet due to relocation, permanent friendships do not last. The emotional toll caused by loosing friends is rather huge. Often it is not limited to loosing friends but also at times, they may have to cope with parting a favorite teacher, because the teachers are generally from overseas or spouses of professionals who often relocate. Some students may react to such a situation in an adverse manner and may display extreme anxiety or become aggressive which eventually affect their education. The local schools do not pose this problem, the teachers are permanent staff and the students get to keep company of their friends for a longer period. Yet it has to be noted that the Singapore local schools cater to the local students and often arrangements to assuage the woes of the relocated students may be inadequate or totally absent. The relocating families being well educated must pitch in to support their children to smoothly sail through the new environment.

The international schools attract students from diverse culture and it is not unusual to see that some schools have a higher proportion of particular nationality of students. The child has to adjust and grapple with the differences amidst students from assorted cultural background. Such a situation also grooms tolerance, respect and understanding towards other cultures, a trait that is increasingly becoming essential in a globalized environment. It has to be noted that problems of racism and bullying by dominant groups are strictly dealt with by both local and international schools in Singapore. Local schools also pose the problem of culture shock yet the amplitude of the challenge is magnified by the fact that, there would be a cultural monopoly. A child devoid of any friend from an identical background will have poor social life. Yet it has been observed that, with passage of time, adaptive kids often make very good friends and feel at home in Singapore local schools. They also familiarize themselves with the local Asian culture, which prove lucrative for them in their career since the Asian economies have started playing a dominant role across all industries.

Another area is the cost factor because the fee is the most distinctive difference between the local and international schools. The international schools charge exorbitant fees. Parents who have the privilege of comprehensive relocation package may not feel the pinch, while the parents who pay out of their pockets, tend to be anxious of the results and performance of their kids. This will result in undue pressure on the child and may also affect their performance. The local schools charge higher fees for the foreign students however it is far more competitive than those charged by the international schools in Singapore.

Children of frequently relocating families will find it easier if enrolled in branded international schools because, they often have overseas branches which, readily admit these students in case of yet another relocation. Such schools also provide a curriculum matching a standard international system thus ensuring adaptability in case of change to a new school. Singapore local schools follow the national educational policies and a local curriculum. The local curriculum might be less relevant in other countries where the family may relocate thus restraining the mobility however, it has to be noted that standard IB programmes are now offered at select local schools.
International schools sport an atypical informal atmosphere, fostering a friendly relationship between students and teachers while the local schools adorn a formal atmosphere. Many Asian expatriates find the informal environment in the international schools a little alien to their culture, but gradually warm up to the atmosphere, while the western expatriate children will feel a similar initial discomfort when put in a local school. The international schools are not exam oriented and encourage self learning and research geared towards nurturing critical and independent thinking while building the strength of character. The local schools are more focused on exams and assessments and give lots of homework but efforts are now being taken to shift away from this approach. This is being done without compromising on the strength of the fundamental education. In Singapore's international schools, the students come from affluent families, so there is not much of diversity in terms of status. So children tend to grow up without an understanding of the social disparities and at times may tend to become inconsiderate. To counter this issue, schools attempt to enlighten their students through community services and social education. Children from all walks of life come together in local schools thus they get to know the social nuances and also learn to appreciate and adapt to reality. Children of minority nationalities tend to imitate the culture of the dominant nationalities in international schools and it is the case in local schools as well. This may cause dispute between children and their parents who tend to preserve their cultural identity. The demands of children to keep up to their peers may cause dissension in the family.


International schools often have teachers and educational psychologists who are there to support those with learning / emotional / physical disabilities. This support system is helpful to the non mainstream students and their teachers. The local schools do not provide adequate support system and special education for such students.

The merits and demerits of schools being on one side, the personal family situation, the child’s aptitude & adaptability and the family’s financial resilience could play the deciding role in determine whether to send your child to a Singapore local vs international school.

Kopi talk - il Piccolo - Ooo or ew ?

Hi Gabriel thanks for the article I remembered we used to hunt for good food in Clementi and of course Botak Jones.

Posted by Gabriel

I first had a meal at il Piccolo when I accompanied my friend, who was craving for Botak Jones, to the Clementi outlet. Not wanting to eat fried Western food but still wanting to treat myself to something more than the usual hawker fare, I decided to try il Piccolo. Located in the same coffeeshop, il Piccolo serves pasta and pizza and looked to be of a similar level as Botak Jones.

I was pleasantly surprised at the dishes I had (and they were pretty cheap too, at least compared to Botak Jones, the main courses priced around $6-8) and brought some friends back there a few days later. Alas, the second time round was a much less satisfying experience.

The dish that I had loved so much the first time was the Gnocchi Di Patate, which is basically little blobs of potato wrapped in pasta served with asparagus, mushroom, cream and tomato sauce. Although the dish was a tad overwhelming and filling, the gravy was flavour-packed and delicious while the potato dumplings were soft and melted in the mouth. The second time round, though, my friend who had it commented that the gravy was excessively salty and it was a taste dealbreaker.

On my second trip there, I had the Frutti de Mare, a seafood pasta in tomato sauce which should be named Frutti Nightmare instead. While there was admittedly a generous load of seafood added, the prawns were unshelled (something I find unacceptable even from hawker stalls), there were sand fragments floating around and, like with my friend who tried the Gnocchi Di Patate, the chef apparently went trigger happy with the salt shaker.

Another friend had the Buongustaio, a chicken, mushroom and onion pasta in cream sauce, which was the best main dish of that second night, although slightly underwhelming. The gravy was decent if nothing to write home about and the chicken was chewy.

The mixed green salad though, was definitely the best part of both meals. Priced at a value-for-money $4, the salad serving was large and definitely enough for two people to share comfortably and was packed with fresh ingredients. The lettuce were crunchy, the tomatoes solid to the bite and, although I personally found them a tad strong, my friends loved the olives.
With such inconsistent quality, I’d find it hard to heartily recommend il Piccolo’s offerings but, for those prices, the outlet could serve as an alternative to those not wanting to spend so much or eat so unhealthily at Botak Jones but still want something more than the usual coffeeshop staples.

Kopi talk - A more optimistic scenario

Amidst talk of failure of election, we welcome the recent analysis of former Comelec Chairperson Christian Monsod before the Makati Business Club which we thought was quite objective. He reassures us of "a good chance that the automated election system will be successful, provided that safeguards are installed, that with clear source code and PCOs we can expect at least eight copies of election returns which will be accurate as long as political parties are present at the precincts; that delay in the proclamation of the president and vice president is unlikely but possible; and that even without automated fraud, still there will be problems of logistics and acceptability." His advice is to be patient.

On possible conspiracy is to deliberately mismanage the elections by Comelec, military, police, Congress, Supreme Court and other agencies to prolong the stay of an unpopular president. But he believes that this is an unlikely scenario. Comelec, he notes, will not allow itself to become a scapegoat. It has been convening meetings with various stakeholders on how to ensure credible elections. There will be glitches primarily due to errors of judgment and incompetence, but not through conspiracy. The military is against any unconstitutional move. It would want to vindicate its honor after having been association with election anomalies in 2004 and 2007. He would leave it to experts to analyze what the Supreme Court might do but he believes like many of us that the Supreme Court will not engage in an "unprecedented judicial adventurism."

As for GMA, Monsod thinks that like a number of past presidents, she would not risk the credibility and stability of the country by engaging in such conspiracy, and that eventually, she would heed the call of the people.

He cites what can go wrong, reinforcing what election watch groups have noted such as internal rigging of the technology before election - through a corrupted source code, and after, through transmission.

This is where safeguards should be installed such as certification from the Technical Evaluation Committee (consisting of DOST, Comelec and the private sector), members of which are deemed trustworthy; a review of source code by political parties which is yet to be done; and holding two random manual audits. The good news is that TEC has certified that except for some controls which have to be adopted, it "can securely, accurately, and properly be used."

Some of the concerns include (1) logistical problems - delays in the training of teachers, and delivery of election paraphernalia, in which case, the military can assist; and (2) acceptance of credibility of results - The two changes in procedure which could pose problems are decision not to provide replacement of ballots that are rejected and decision to limit grounds for a pre-proclamation dispute in local elections.

A question that has been raised is the matter of succession. Should there be delay in the proclamation of the president, the Senate president will come in as acting president. If this not be possible, Monsod notes this alternative - that the vice president elect, should he have enough votes that would render academic the uncounted votes, could serve as acting president until a new president is proclaimed. According to Section 7 of Article VII in the Constitution, the vice president can succeed temporarily as acting president.

Despite this optimistic reassurance by Comm. Monsod, there are skeptics who believe that anything is possible as this government is capable of doing the unthinkable. In the next few weeks, we expect to see some concrete demonstration of the administration's expressed commitment to a peaceful transition of power." We share the hope of poet Alfred Tennyson who said that "more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of."

News UpdateGibo, Erap lead mock polls in Metro

MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate and former defense secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino former President Joseph Estrada are dominating mock polls in Metro Manila’s slum districts, newly-formed “Green Army Brigades” (GAB) bared yesterday.

Daisy Bardoquillo, head of the Kilusan ng mga Aktwal na Naninirahan sa Estado ng Payatas (Kanepa) and spokesperson of the newly-formed Green Army Brigades, said that results of mock polls they have been conducting since last month among informal settlers in Metro Manila, were in total contrast to the survey results being released by the Social Weather Station (SWS) and the Pulse Asia.

“Our own surveys had Teodoro winning popular support among the urban poor. In six big events attended by leaders of urban poor groups held in March and early April, a total of 963 joined the mock polls conducted after the meetings,” Bardoquillo said. Joven Pajora, president of the Parola Binondo Coalition, also of GAB said Teodoro was the top choice for President with 464 respondents voting for him.

He was followed by Estrada who got 306 votes, Liberal Party presidential bet Sen. Benigno Aquino III placed third with 127 while Sen. Manuel Villar, who claimed to have lived in the slums of Tondo, received 33 votes.

Evangelist Eddie Villanueva had 17 votes; Nicanor Perlas, seven; Sen. Richard Gordon, six and JC de los Reyes, five. Sen. Jamby Madrigal received only one vote. Pajora said 56 were still undecided.

Both Bardoquillo and Pajora said that the mock polls were conducted in urban poor areas in Baseco and Smokey Mountain, Manila; Sucat, Parañaque; Tonsuya, Malabon; Golden Ville Tower, San Jose del Monte, Navotas, Caloocan City and Pasay City.

Both said their group have decided to back Teodoro’s presidential bid because of their general dismay over the negative campaigns waged by other presidential candidates.

Bardoquillo said their group, composed of urban dwellers in the metropolis who work as jeepney and tricycle drivers, vendors, youth and women’s groups, senior citizens’ groups, among others, vowed to recruit more urban poor families in support of Gibo. “We will saturate Metro Manila to recruit more members for Green Army Brigades who will not just campaign but will also deliver a mass-based, solid vote for Gibo Teodoro,” she said. - By Jaime Laude

News Update Watchdog wants Philippine armed groups dismantled

MANILA, Philippines – Political killings in the Philippines will likely continue no matter who takes power in the upcoming presidential election because neither of the leading candidates is committed to dismantling paramilitary forces allegedly responsible for most of the atrocities, a U.S.-based human rights watchdog said Saturday.

The leading contenders _ Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and Senator Manuel Villar _ will continue to rely on the government-armed paramilitary groups that have become private armies for local warlords, including a powerful clan blamed for the massacre of 57 people last year, said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch.

Although both candidates recently told Roth they would not abolish the paramilitary units, he urged them in the May 10 elections to take a firm stand against human rights violations, particularly political killings such as the Nov. 23 massacre in southern Maguindanao province.

The victims included relatives of a political rival of the Ampatuan clan and 30 reporters and their staff, making it the worst attack on journalists in the world.

Clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr., a former governor, and several of his sons _ all Maguindanao officials allied with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo _ were charged with multiple murders. Most of the nearly 200 people accused in the case were pro-Ampatuan government-armed militiamen along with dozens of police and soldiers who support the clan.

Roth said the Philippines' reliance on civilian paramilitary forces _ which the government arms _ in part made the massacre possible. The government uses the forces as a backup, or "force multipliers," for the military and police in fighting communist and Muslim insurgents.

Until the government places security responsibilities entirely in the hands of a professional and disciplined army and police with a clear chain of command, "we are going to see a perpetuation of the problem of political violence that has so plagued the Philippines in recent years," he said.

Just ask - What is Satay and satay club mentioned in your post in Singapore ?

Hi Anne Sy satay is quite similar to BBQ "baboy" selling on Philippine street minus the peanut sauce and Pipino or cucumber. In Singapore the Satay Club is long gone it was around for as long as I can remember, which is back to the mid seventies, and probably long before then. A large, roughly  square area off one of the main roads on the outskirts of the city centre, the place looked unprepossessing during the day, but came alive when the sun went down. Dimly lit by strings of warn or daylight low watt plain bulbs, with a few hurricane lamps as well, the place consisted of lots of tables, large and small, in a central area, even though it was  shut down ostensibly for failing hygiene regulations, it still quite vivid in my memory lane the place was surrounded by lots of individual vendors selling  food and drink. It was possible to get normal chinese-type food there, but the raison d' etre was, as the name points out, Satay. Lamb, beef, chicken, or a combination, chunks strung onto wooden skewers and grilled. Peanut sauce and chilli sauce in big bowls to dip the satays. Drinks in big chilled bottles. Now, what happened (this is almost unique, I think) was that, say, four of you would arrive, and be seated round a table. Drinks would arrive. You would order sometimes 50 to 100 satays, with satay sauce (peanut) and nippy sauce (chilli). This sounds a lot. However, off you would go, fill your boots and chill beers. If you ran out of satays, or sauce, more would arrive. Another 50, for instance. At the end of the meal, you would be charged only for the satays eaten. So you would get a bill for 135 satays, or whatever. The various different sorts were different prices. It actually ended up quite expensive, because you always ate far more than you would normally do.The place were be crowded with all walk of lifes but share the same common passion for satay that grilled on the spot. However, in Philippine I yet to encounter a restaurant selling satay yets , I heard it they a restaurant in greenbelt selling Singapore and Malaysia food if you have information do drop me an email, hope to visit it one day.

Do YOU have a Philippine Secret you’d like to share? Send in 400 words about your great find to class95cafe@live.com.sg and be featured in an upcoming issue of  our class95cafe The Secret Finder magazine and you will be paid for it !

News Update Philippines Q1 budget gap seen larger than goal-source

By Manolo Serapio Jr.

MANILA, April 23 - The Philippines may have overshot its budget gap ceiling of 110.9 billion pesos ($2.5 billion) for the first quarter due to increased state spending, a government source said on Friday, overshadowing higher revenue collection.

"Actual spending was higher than the program for the first quarter so it's likely that we could breach the deficit ceiling of 110.9 billion pesos for the period," the source who has knowledge of the data told Reuters.

The government said earlier it was optimistic its first-quarter budget gap would be smaller than its forecast because of improved tax collections. [ID:nSGE62M0BA]

But actual state spending in January to March exceeded the target of 377.2 billion pesos, partly because of "frontloading" of expenses ahead of a ban on government agencies entering into new contracts before the May 10 national elections, the source said. The ban took effect on March 26. The earlier-than-usual enactment of the 2010 national budget in February which allowed faster disbursements, as well as spending for infrastructure reconstruction following last year's typhoons and measures to mitigate impact of the El Nino dry weather on crops also contributed to the increased spending, the source said.

The quarterly budget gap was likely to be bigger than forecast even with the two main revenue agencies outpacing their targets, said the source.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue, which accounts for around two-thirds of state revenue, said on Wednesday it had collected 174.5 billion pesos in January-March, 16.8 billion pesos more than its target. [ID:nSGE63K05U]

The second-biggest tax collector, the Bureau of Customs, said last month it was on course to top its 54.27 billion peso target for the quarter. [ID:nSGE62U0GF]

The Philippines is hoping better tax collections would trim its 2010 deficit to 293.2 billion pesos, or 3.5 percent of its gross domestic product, from a record 298.5 billion pesos in 2009.

The fiscal gap for the first two months of the year was 70.3 billion pesos, wider than the year earlier's 67 billion pesos.

The Department of Finance is scheduled to release first-quarter fiscal data on April 27.