Philippines gets Support for Peaceful West Philippines Sea from ASEAN neighbors + Chile

People's Republic of China President Hu Jintao did not meet President Benigno Aquino III in the APEC sideline meeting but both meet and discussed with Vietnam.

Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said President Aquino received support for the Philippines' stance from Malaysia and Vietnam, during bilateral meetings with their leaders.

"[On] the West Philippine Sea, we are, of course, we're both on board. Both countries are on board in terms of the six principles that was agreed with ASEAN [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations] and so we are anxious to see how that can be moved forward. Both leaders had expressed the need to be able to adopt a common position in ASEAN in terms of the challenges in the West Philippine Sea. And we are also together in terms of support for the forward movement of the code of conduct," del Rosario said at a media briefing, referring to Aquino's bilateral meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak.

He said Aquino and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang also pushed close cooperation in "dealing with the challenge that faced both of us."

"Vietnam has been a partner of the Philippines in terms of a cooperation to see how we both can address the challenge and be able to also work with other countries within ASEAN and also our other dialogue partners in terms of being able to move forward the objectives which we had closely defined as a peaceful resolution to the dispute in accordance with international law," he said.

Aquino held talks with the Malaysian and Vietnamese leaders Sunday. On Saturday, he held talks with Chilean president Sebastian Piñera and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam are all claimants to the Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

But the Philippines and China have also been locked in a territorial dispute since April over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

The Philippine and Chinese sides had tried to work out a meeting between Aquino and Hu at the sidelines of the APEC summit but scheduling conflicts prevented the meeting from pushing through.

On Saturday, del Rosario said Aquino thanked Lee for Singapore's support for the Philippines' position on the West Philippine Sea.

"The president expressed his gratitude for the very strong support Singapore has given the Philippines in terms of its position in the West Philippine Sea. Singapore committed to continue its support in terms of a peaceful resolution of the dispute in accordance with international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," he said.

He said the two leaders also expressed the need for the ASEAN to "strengthen its solidarity and centrality in being able to reinforce the importance of ASEAN being an entity that would promote peace and stability in the region.

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Philippines now ratify UN - ILO not just for Filipinos but for 100 Million DH worldwide

The Philippines is the Chairman for the UN International Labor Organization (ILO) who finalized last year, ratified to come into force by 2013

NEW YORK, Sept 6, (UN News Center): A United Nations treaty which provides a set of international standards to improve the lives of millions of domestic workers worldwide has now been ratified by a second Member State, the Philippines, allowing it to come into force by 2013.

The Convention on Domestic Workers, that seeks to protect domestic workers around the world, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said which states that workers around the world who care for families and households must have the same basic labor rights as other employees, was adopted at the annual conference of the UN International Labor Organization (ILO) last year in Geneva.

To enter into force, however, the Convention required ratification by two countries. In June, Uruguay became the first country to ratify it.

The Philippines is the second country after Uruguay to ratify the measure, a move seen as a "significant milestone in the protection of migrant domestic workers," the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Protected

"Today's ratification by the Philippines sends a powerful signal to the millions of domestic workers who will be protected when the Convention comes into force," said ILO's Director-General, Juan So-mavia. "I hope it will also send a signal to other Member States and that we will soon see more and more countries committing to protect the rights of domestic workers."

Ambassador Evan Garcia, the country's permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, on Wednesday formalized the Philippines' ratification of the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 189, or the Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.

More than 150,000 Filipinos work as household help in different parts of the world, particularly the Middle East, Europe and North America which sets to be phase out by 2015 which means the move for the Philippines it not focuses for the welfare for Filipino Domestic Workers but to all the Domestic Workers around the world.

There are around 53 million domestic workers worldwide but experts put the total number at 100 million as this kind of work is often unregistered, according to recent ILO estimates.

The ILO convention seeks to provide equal protection to domestic workers, assuring decent pay, work conditions and other benefits.

The convention stipulates standards that would ensure that domestic workers are treated with "the same respect, dignity and protection given to other workers," Hernandez said.

Recent ILO estimates based on national surveys or censuses in 117 countries place the number of domestic workers at a minimum of 53 million, but experts say there could be as many as 100 million across the world.

In developing countries, they make up at least four to 12 percent of those in wage employment, and around 83 per cent of them are women, many of whom are migrant workers.

"The new standard covers all domestic workers and provides for special measures to protect those workers who, because of their young age or nationality or live-in status, may be exposed to additional risks," ILO said in a news release.

The Convention also states that domestic workers must have the rights to reasonable working hours, weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours, a limit on in-kind payments and clear information on terms and conditions of their employment, as well as the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

The Philippine Congress, meanwhile, is discussing various pending measures that would implement the Convention's provisions in the country.

The ILO said the treaty would extend standards to a group which continues to be poorly regulated and remains largely part of the informal sector.

The convention lists basic rights for domestic workers, including reasonable working hours, weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours, a limit on in-kind payment, clear information on terms and conditions of employment, and respect for fundamental principles and rights at work, including freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.

The convention, finalized last year by an ILO committee that the Philippine labor department chaired, will come into force in the Philippines by 2013, the DFA said.

President Aquino signed the convention's ratification earlier this year.

On August 6, the Senate approved on third reading the resolution concurring the ratification of the convention with 20 votes.

In a statement, Somavia said the Philippine ratification of the treaty "sends a powerful signal to the millions of domestic workers who will be protected when the convention comes into force."

Somavia said he was hoping to see more and more countries committing to protect the rights of domestic workers.

So far, No major migrant-receiving country, however, has ratified the convention, noted Migrante International, an organization of overseas Filipino workers.

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Philippine Micro Chips - Cirtek hoping to take over Thailand Electronics Plant

While foreign sales of the country's electronic products saw huge drops in the first half, with June alone seeing a 14.6% annual fall to $1.886 billion, Cirtek says it sees demand picking up this semester.

"We hope to conclude it (negotiation) by the third quarter of 2012. But you know, just like in any M&A (mergers and acquisitions), it's very difficult to predict," said Anthony T. Buyawe, the company's chief financial officer, in a telephone interview on Friday (August 31, 2012) last week.

"But there is common ground for both parties to agree."

Cirtek first announced in June that it was conducting "due diligence for acquisitions outside the Philippines," which the company claimed would "improve its top line."

"We do the same products, but they are more efficient in doing other products, so that would complement us," Mr. Buyawe said, adding that the acquisition will also "boost the company's efficiency" aside from "expanding its capacity."

Cirtek said it provides "turnkey solutions that include package design and development, wafer probing, wafer back grinding, assembly and packaging, final testing of semiconductor devices."

Last July, the company issued $10 million worth of corporate notes to Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., with proceeds to be used for acquisitions, Mr. Buyawe said.

"The acquisition price is less than $10 million," Mr. Buyawe said, referring to the Thailand-based firm, even as he declined to be more specific.

Excess funds, he said, could help another prospective acquisition in Malaysia.

"We are also looking at a company in Malaysia but we like to finish first the one in Thailand," Mr. Buyawe added.

The expansion comes as the company said it is expecting an additional $2.2 million in annual revenues from new customers while its manufacturing facility in Laguna will be fully utilized by the end of the year, the company said in June.

In 2011, Cirtek booked $3.97 million in net income, up by 10.27% from $3.60 million last year as net sales surged by 7.97% to $37.11 million from $34.37 million, its financial statement submitted to the Philippine Stock Exchange showed.

For its domestic expansion, Mr. Buyawe said the company may build a third manufacturing facility in Laguna by the end of the year.

Mr. Buyawe also said the company is bullish on its prospects this semester, as "demand for electronic devices is expected to pick up later this year."

In the first half, the company's net income rose to $1.75 million, up by 4.16% from the $1.68 million recorded in the same period last year due to higher sales of its products.

Shares of Cirtek slipped 3 centavos or 0.31% to ₱9.65 apiece from ₱9.68 last Wednesday (September 5).

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