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Foreign Observers in ComVal Wary Over Elections


Monitors. Some of the foreign observers during a briefing on Sunday. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)

By Cheryll D. Fiel
Davao Today

DAVAO CITY — International observers who are in the southern Philippines to monitor today’s elections said Sunday that a clean, peaceful and honest elections in the country remains a pipe dream.

Gill Boehringer, a professor of history and philosophy at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, who is one of the five foreign delegates of the International Observers Mission (IOM) assigned in Southern Mindanao, said he did not have any illusions that the elections will be any better today, that “people would be on their good behavior.”

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Philippines: IMF team affirms weak link between OFW money, investments

by JEREMAIAH M. OPINIANO
www.ofwjournalism.net

MANILA, Philippines ? A team from the International Monetary Fund observed that remittances from an estimated eight million Filipinos abroad have not led to increased investments.

Ever since the country?s investment ratio has steadily declined since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, increasing remittances ?has not increased investment,? IMF?s Ayako Fujita and Srikant Seshadri wrote in a policy analysis paper of selected Philippine economic issues done by a six-person IMF team.

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Remittances from Philippines, Other Countries Help Foil Another Asian Financial Crisis: WB Study

by ISAGANI DE LA PAZ
www.ofwjournalism.net

MANILA, Philippines ? Across the East Asia region sweeps the wind of prosperity and cash remittances as well as knowledge capital by migrant workers has helped economies become more robust a decade after a devastating crisis.

Aside from the Philippines, the World Bank cited remittances from workers overseas also helped other countries like Vietnam and Mongolia to beef up cash reserves. Hence, remittances could soften and may even foil a repeat of the 1997 Asian crisis ?if ever there would be one in the near future.
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Philippines: Susan Roces Asks Bukidnon Voters to Junk Garci

Alarmed over news reports from Bukidnon of a perceived lead by ?Hello, Garci? star, former Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano over 1st District Liberal Party candidate Malou Acosta, opposition stalwart Susan Roces has produced a video endorsing Acosta as the candidate to send to Congress.
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Philippines: Kontra Daya slams Comelec ban on cell phones, cameras

MANILA — The anti-fraud watchdog group Kontra Daya slammed as the recently announced ban on cell phones and cameras in precincts as ?another ridiculous concoction of the discredited Comelec.? The group believes that the ban on these digital devices is meant to ensure another cover-up of massive fraud even at the precinct level.

Fr. Jose Dizon, Kontra Daya convenor branded the move as ?ridiculous and stupid? and said that it would not in any way prevent vote-buying as the Comelec claims.
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