Recruits would like to bring their families as well
By Merituuli Ahola – In October last year, Philippine nurse and mother of four, Helen Donesa, 45, was watching television when she saw an interview with a Finnish man who said that he had come to the Philippines to recruit nurses for work in Finland. At that time Donesa certainly had no idea that in just six months she herself would be interviewed at a Finnish dementia treatment home. (more…)

By Jim Paredes
Consider that almost nine million Filipinos are now living abroad in practically every continent, in every region under every climate known to man, and under different types of political systems. Filipinos have invested their lives, established residence, intermarried with locals, begotten children, put up businesses and built futures in different countries and cultures all over the world. And more will be doing so. (more…)

Manila Times – A SMALL victory for the Filipino war veterans is the passage of the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill last week in the United States Senate. Recognition for the valor of Filipinos who fought for the defense of the United States and the Philippines during World War II came 62 years late. The beneficiaries—a small band of venerable citizens—are falling in numbers as age, disease and death decimate their ranks. (more…)

The Philippines is left with no other choice but to buy whatever rice is available in the world market — even at a higher price. This is to ensure that there’s enough rice supply for the 88.57 million Philippine population, former Agriculture Secretary Senen Bacani said in an interview in News at 8, ANC’s relaunched morning news program. (more…)

By MARIA ALETA NIEVA
The Dela Rosa family was looking forward to a memorable vacation abroad. They never imagined that tragedy would come their way on their very first trip to the US. Jose Ricardo, his wife Carmichelle and children Jose Gabriel “Gjay” and Alexa Marie were supposed to spend a month-long vacation in the US—a trip they had planned since last year to serve as a surprise gift to their two kids. (more…)

By ROY MEDINA
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Except for that event during the period leading to the 1964 Tokyo Games, Manila has yet to repeat its hosting of the Olympic torch relay, now winding its way down to Jakarta, Indonesia in Southeast Asia, Canberra in Australia, and back to mainland China. (more…)

By Matthew Balan
The day after Pope Benedict XVI departed the U.S. after a six-day visit, Blaine Harden of the Washington Post lamented the Catholic Church’s influence in the Philippines, specifically, the government of Philippines “acceding to Catholic doctrine” by “supporting only what it calls ‘natural’ family planning,” rejecting “modern contraception” as part of family planning.” (more…)