WASHINGTON – The Philippines ranks 44th among countries considered to be “over performers” by a new World Bank logistics survey that measures how efficiently countries trade their goods around the world.

Drivers and operators of 50 mini-buses providing transport services to Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines Inc. (HHIC-PI) on Saturday went on strike and blocked the way of big buses.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) on Friday decried the physical harassment by an Iligan City councilor of a local broadcaster, who was exposing alleged misuse of government funds there.

Anakpawis party-list Representative Rafael Mariano on Friday protested against members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for harassing farmers now holding a nationwide caravan to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of Mendiola massacre.

Citing the country’s own disasters and the outpouring of international assistance when a series of calamities ravaged the country, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday said the Philippines would be sending aid to earthquake-devastated Haiti to help hundreds of thousands of victims.

The United States has filed a trade complaint against the Philippines over taxes it imposes on imported whiskey, gin and other spirits, joining the European Union in a similar case at the World Trade Organization.

WASHINGTON – The United States said Thursday that it was hauling the Philippines to the World Trade Organization over a dispute on taxes imposed by the Asian nation on imported whiskey and gin.

Starting February 8, 2010, British passport applications from the Philippines will be handled by the British consulate in Hong Kong, the British embassy in Manila said Wednesday.

The Communist Party of the Philippines denied that New People’s Army rebels have also been issuing “permits to win” (PTW) to candidates in the upcoming May elections in exchange for money and called the reported scheme as part of the military’s psywar propaganda.

What would make Google’s Chrome OS thrive in the Philippines? The continued popularity of netbooks and surprisingly healthy adoption of the search giant’s Web browser, according to an executive.

The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision allowing for the creation of the 16 new cities.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will use, as a “last resort,” the Armed Forces of the Philippines in securing candidates in the national elections in May, Comelec chairman Jose Melo said on Thursday.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Thursday said that once the Philippine Immigration and Naturalization Act of 2009 (Pina) bill is enacted into law, more foreign visitors and investors will come to the Philippines.

A retired policeman who was planning to run for a local position in the Philippines was shot dead in the latest in a rash of attacks on candidates for the May elections, a police spokesman said Wednesday.

The Philippines will see a partial solar eclipse on Jan. 15 with the moon covering around half of the sun in some areas of the country.

Outgoing United States Ambassador Kristie Kenney on Wednesday said she’ll miss the Philippines once she steps down from office this month.

(UPDATE) The trial of the prime suspect in the worst political massacre in the Philippines began shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday, placing the nation’s corruption-plagued political and justice systems under the microscope.

The Philippines will see a partial solar eclipse on January 15 with the moon covering around half of the sun in some areas of the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Tuesday.

Inflation in the Philippines rose to an eight-month high of 4.4 percent in December as prices of basic commodities rose, the government said Tuesday.

Police records show that in 2009, the Philippines had a higher crime solution rate compared to other countries like United States and Japan.