Saturday, June 20, 2009

Human Settlements Dev 6- PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION

Regional development projects require tremendous investments which are clearly beyond the capacity of public resources.  With appropriate incentives, the private sector shall be induced to invest in a number of industries and infrastructure projects including those that seemingly only government could undertake, such as road and bridge construction.
A complementary strategy to induce private investments, aside from incentives already available would be to incorporate the following elements:
  1. Corporate income tax schedule oriented towards labor employment;
  2. Tax rebates and holidays or other subsidies to industries that will base their operations in the desired areas; and
  3. Equity loans to investors, on a 50-50 basis and at a maximum interest rate of six percent per annum for the purchase of stocks preferably of private corporations which are located in the regional center or river basin.
Production ceilings shall be set by the government and incentives shall be increased or reduced depending on whether production lags or exceeds the ceilings.  To safe guard production against severe reverses,  the government shall see to it that the private entrepreneur is able to sustain a profitable enterprise in any case.  This flexible tax-subsidy scheme is a potent tool in correcting under and over production.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Human Settlements Development 5

The execution of projects shall follow a phased or staged program under sets of timetable according their technical complimentarity and feasibility.  Those projects that are mutually dependent and absolutely essential for the technical and economic feasibility of the entire package shall be implemented en masse.  On the other hand, projects that can be advanced or deferred from a package without affecting  its feasibility shall be timed in accordance with the feasibility study results.  They include those that are found to be obviously feasible at the early stage  of regional development planning and could be immediately on stream without significantly affecting or being affected by the over-all development strategy and those projects that require more detailed feasibility studies.

Regional Human Settlements Development 4

Projects in the regional centers shall include markets, electrification, water supplies and sewerage, housing , hospitals, educational facilities, seaport/airport, streets, recreational facilities, telecommunications, transportation, hotels, industrial estates, etc.  Projects in the river basins on the other hand, shall include the construction of highways, irrigation and drainage systems, transportation, access roads, rural electrification, rural water supplies, school and health facilities, agricultural food bowls, agricultural support service and simulation of other urban amenities.

In more immediate terms, undergraduate studies should be relocated from manila proper to a provincial location, say Tagaytay city.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

RP is ‘highly exposed’ to rising poverty - WB


Friday, June 12, 2009

Regional Human Settlements Development 3

Human and material resources of the Philippines should be dispersed to a number of growth points.  Socio-economic dispersal should be carried out by developing twelve designated regional centers and seven major river basins.  Possible regional centers are San Fernando (La Union), Tuguegarao (Cagayan), San Fernando (Pampanga), Legaspi City, Iloilo City, Cebu City, Tacloban City, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, Cotabato City, Zamboanga City and Jolo.  The major river basins are Cagayan, Agno, Pampanga, Bicol, Panay-jalaur, Agusan and Cotabato.

The regional centers shall serve as population sub-centers and as markets for agricultural and non-agricultural goods and services.  The river basins will function as sources of food and raw materials and as additional markets for urban goods.

Regional Human Settlements Development 2

     The concentration of opportunities in Metro Manila has invited heavy migrations from the other regions of the Philippines.  As a result Metro Manila is beset almost irreversibly with problems of congestion, pollution, slums, squatters, garbage, peace and order; and the lack of housing, education, transportation, communications, health, water and electrical facilities.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

This is something  perhaps one should read once a week (taken from an email forwarded to me without the authors name)       

 
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone....
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are  sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. 
Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
 8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
 9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
 10. When it comes to chocolate,
 resistance is futile.
 11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
 12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
 13. Don't compare your life to others.
 You have no idea what their journey is all about.
 14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
 15. Everything can change in the 
blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
 16. Take a 
deep breath. It calms the mind.
 17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
 18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
 19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
 20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
 21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
 22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
 23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
 24. The most important sex organ is the brain.  
 25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
 26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, 'In five years, will this matter?'
 27. Always choose life.
 28. Forgive everyone everything.. 
 29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
 30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
 31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
 32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
 33. Believe in miracles.
 34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
 35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
 36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
 37. Your children get only one childhood.
 38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
 39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
 40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
 41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
 42. The best is yet to come.
 43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
 44. Yield.
 45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.


Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Metro Manila Congested at 18,650 Persons Per Square Kilometer in 2007 - nso facts and figures

Based on the results of the 2007 Census of Population, the country’s population density is 260 persons per square kilometer or a 15.6 percent increase from 2000.  Metro Manila, the country’s center of economic activity and the most densely populated region, has 26 times the density of people in CALABARZON and 41 times that of Central Luzon.  With a land area of only 619.5 square kilometers and a population of 11,553,427, Metro Manila has a population density of 18,650 persons per square kilometer in 2007, an increase of 16.3 percent or 2,617 persons per square kilometer from 2000. 

Item 1 Regional Human Settlements Development

Economic wealth and power are overwhelmingly concentrated in Metro Manila.  Metro Manila accounts for some 80% of the countries economic growth and progress- about 70% of the non-agricultural workers, 90% of the biggest corporations, the major financial institutions, schools, hospitals, hotels, etc