U.S. BASES IN PHILIPPINES STIR UP WAR OF WORDS 

13 May 1988 Reuters News English (c) 1988 Reuters Limited  MANILA, May 13, Reuter – The U.S. bases in the Philippines have sparked a superpower slanging match and stirred passionate debate about self-respect, alms-giving, sovereignty and subservience.  Since April 5 when Manila-Washington talks on the future of the bases began, Philippine talk shows and newspaper…

PHILIPPINE BANKS SEEN LOSING OUT ON CURRENCY DEALS 

18 May 1988 Reuters News English (c) 1988 Reuters Limited  MANILA, May 18, Reuter – Philippine banks are missing opportunities by restricting foreign exchange trading to U.S. dollars and not dealing in stronger currencies like the yen, Central Bank Governor Jose Fernandez said.  He told Reuters in an interview that technically, commercial banks could buy or…

INDIA’S POLITICAL INSTABILITY SEEN SLOWING GROWTH

22 November 1989  Reuters News English  (c) 1989 Reuters Limited  NEW DELHI, NOV 22, Reuter – Political instability likely to result from this week’s elections could dangerously slow India’s economic growth, economic analysts said.  They said the new government could also face a resource crisis brought on by plunging foreign exchange reserves, unbridled domestic demand…

INSTABILITY SEEN SLOWING GROWTH IN RESOURCE-STRAPPED INDIA

22 November 1989  Reuters News  English  (c) 1989 Reuters Limited  NEW DELHI, Reuter – Political instability likely to result from this week’s elections could slow India’s growth dangerously, analysts said on Wednesday.  They said the new government would also face a resource crisis brought on by plunging foreign exchange reserves, unbridled domestic demand and a…

WIDOW OF INDIRA GANDHI ASSASSIN SET TO ENTER INDIA PARLIAMENT

23 November 1989 Reuters News English (c) 1989 Reuters Limited  CHAMKAUR SAHIB, India, Nov 23, Reuter – Long before Bimal Kaur Khalsa’s motorcade churns into dusty view across the Punjab countryside, the waiting crowds are chanting militant Sikh slogans.  Khalsa, widow of one of prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassins, has come to symbolise the anger…

Exhausted Gandhi ends Campaign in mud opposition Jubilant

24 November 1989 Reuters News English (c) 1989 Reuters Limited  LUDHIANA, India, Nov 24, Reuters – Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi wound up an exhausting election campaign on Friday, addressing a sparse crowd standing up to its ankles in mud.  Chief rival Vishwanath Pratap Singh ended his campaign jubilant.  “Congress will be routed,” Singh told…

Troops at battle stations as India’s Punjab goes to the polls

26 November 1989 Reuters News English (c) 1989 Reuters Limited  CHANDIGARH, India, Nov 26, Reuters – India’s bloody general election entered its final stage on Sunday with an exit poll from earlier voting predicting that Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi faces major losses.  The survey, conducted by the independent India Today magazine, forecast neither Gandhi nor…

Aquino Ignores Coup Waning to Visit Rebel Island

Reuter  19 January 1987  Sydney Morning Herald  MANILA, Sunday: President Corazon Aquino flew to the violence-racked island of Mindanao today, apparently unruffled by a night of tension triggered by warnings that a fanatical military group was plotting a new attempt to topple her Government.  In Manila, soldiers, backed by water cannon and armoured cars sealed…

Christ and communism make explosive mix in Philippines

REUTERS  16 April 1987  The Seattle times  MANILA _ Weeks of fierce fighting between government troops and communist insurgents have highlighted a deep rift between radical left-wing priests and conservatives in the Philippines’ powerful Roman Catholic church.  Amid some of the worst violence in the 18-year revolt, high Church leaders have moved to sever the…

Pressure to Act Soon/Land Reform Issue Splits Aquino Aides 

21 May 1987  The San Francisco Chronicle  Manila  President Corazon Aquino’s ambitious plan to distribute land to more than half the country’s peasants is in danger of falling victim to the Philippines’ return to full legislative democracy.  Pressure has been mounting on Aquino to use her sweeping legislative powers and sign the Accelerated Land Reform…

Philippine Central Bank Chief Sees Health Growth in 1987

2 June 1987  Reuters News English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, June 2, Reuter – The Philippine economy’s impressive growth in this year’s first quarter suggests the government’s ambitious economic targets are within reach, Central Bank Governor Jose Fernandez said today.  “I don’t see anything on the horizon that should cut (growth) short,” Fernandez said…

Philippines Revises Reform Plan, Puts Off Land Distribution

3 June 1987  Reuters News English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, June 3, Reuter – The latest draft of the Philippines’ ambitious land reform program delays final land distribution until 1997, details options for compensating landowners, and holds out imprisonment for violators.  Teodoro Benigno, spokesman for President Corazon Aquino, told reporters a cabinet meeting today…

Manila Bank Closure Exposes Strains in Philippine System

8 July 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, June 8, Reuter – The closure last month of the Manila Banking Corporation, one of the Philippines‘ nine largest banks, highlights the weaknesses still plaguing the country’s financial institutions, bankers and analysts said today.  Manila Bank was declared insolvent by the Central Bank of…

Land Bank Chief Criticises Philippine Land Ceiling

11 June 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, June 11 – Proposed land reforms that would limit all holdings in the Philippines to seven hectares are likely to scare away private entrepreneurs, said Deogracias Vistan, president of the state-owned Land Bank of the Philippines.  The government should carefully study minimum land needs…

Row Intensifies Over Philippine Oil Privatisation

 23 July 1987  Reuters News English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, July 23 – A row over the proposed privatisation of Petron Corp, a fully-owned subsidiary of the Philippine National Oil Co (PNOC), intensified as the Committee on Privatisation (COP) said overwhelming arguments favour the sale.  PNOC’s board of directors last month opposed Petron’s sale,…

Protests Mount Over Aquino’s Land Reform Program

23 July 1987 Reuters News English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, July 23, Reuter – Protests by both landowners and poor farmworkers mounted today over the Philippines’ land reform program, while the country’s new Congress threatened to review all decrees signed by President Corazon Aquino.  Hours after Aquino signed the land reforms into law yesterday,…

PM-Philippine-Minister (News Analysis, Scheduled) Murder in Manila Revives Debate Over Violence, Vigilantes

4 August 1987   Reuters News   English   (c) 1987 Reuters Limited   MANILA, Aug 4, Reuter – The killing of a top official known for his strong anti-communist views has shocked the Philippines and revived a debate over armed vigilante groups.   Local Governments Secretary Jaime Ferrer’s murder by three gunmen on Sunday was the latest in a series…

Philippine Minister Attacks Call for Debt Repudiation

7 August 1987   Reuters News   English   (c) 1987 Reuters Limited   MANILA, Aug 7, Reuter – The growing call in the Philippines for a repudiation of some of the country’s 28.4 Billion dollar foreign debt was strongly attacked today by the finance minister and the leader of an influential business group.  Finance Secretary Jaime Ongpin told reporters…

Philippine Officials Get Death Threats, Security Tightened

7 August 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Aug 7, Reuter – Extra bodyguards were assigned to top Philippine officials today after a congressional leader and the country’s election commission chief received death threats from Communist and Moslem guerrillas.  Amid rising public outrage, police admitted they were no nearer solving the murders…

AQUINO NOT KEPT FULLY INFORMED OF BARCLAYS ROW, OFFICIAL SAYS

13 August 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Aug 13, Reuter – President Corazon Aquino was not kept fully Informed throughout a prolonged dispute between the Philippines and a consortium of Western banks, Finance Secretary Jaime Ongpin told Reuters in an interview today.  The dispute Involved a commercial debt incurred by a private fertiliser…

Philippine Landowners warn of violence over reforms

25 August 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Aug 25, Reuter – A major coalition of Philippine landowners today labelled President Corazon Aquino’s land reforms “communistic” and said violence might erupt if the program was pushed through.  “This is a polarisation of classes,” Eduardo Hernandez, chairman of the Council of Agricultural Producers,…

Civilians Cheer as Fighting Rages at Manila Military Camp

28 August 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Aug 28, Reuter – Buildings blazed and streets shook in Manila today in the capital’s heaviest fighting since World War Two.  “Advance, advance,” civilian spectators shouted to soldiers backing Corazon Aquino as they moved on comrades-in-arms dedicated to overturning the president’s government.  Gunfire cracked and…

Manila Coup Bid Seen Damaging Business Confidence

28 August 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Aug 28 – The Philippines’ latest coup attempt, the most violent in President Corazon Aquino’s 18 months in office, will severely affect business confidence and create renewed uncertainty for investors, analysts said.  Finance Secretary Jaime Ongpin, asked for his reaction to the takeover of parts of…

Low pay, poor conditions fuel unrest in Philippine Military

4 September 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Sept 4, Reuter – Low pay and poor working conditions have fuelled unrest in the Philippine military and laid the ground for further coup attempts, analysts said on Friday.  “Most soldiers barely manage to survive,” a Western military attache told Reuters.  “Housing is almost…

Cabinet Reshuffle Seen as Last Chance for Aquino as Confidence Wanes

10 September 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Sept 10 – Philippine President Corazon Aquino has been given a final chance to cobble together a cohesive government thanks to the resignation of all 26 of her cabinet ministers, bankers, businessmen and stockbrokers said.  They said the turmoil of the past two weeks,…

Manila Shake-up Will Restore Investor Confidence Minister

18 September 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Sept 18, Reuter – President Corazon Aquino’s shake-up of top posts in her government will restore waning investor confidence in the Philippines, Trade and Industry Secretary Jose Concepcion said on Friday.  “The new team will be a rallying force. It will bring investments in,” Concepcion…

Human Rights a Thorny issue in Asia Despite Official Silence

 30 September 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Sept 30, Reuter – Charges of widespread human rights violations in Asia met silence or official denials on Wednesday but a Reuter poll showed personal liberty is still a prized possession across much of the sprawling continent.  The charges were made by the London-based…

Anti-strike Force Planned, Labour Minister says

14 October 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Oct 14, Reuter – The Philippine government is considering setting up a special police force to enforce return-to-work orders at strike-hit companies, Secretary of Labour Franklin Drilon said.  Labour unrest had declined this year but was still simmering because workers were testing their new-found…

U.S. Diplomat’s recall marks new low in ties with Philippines

28 October 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Oct 28, Reuter – The recall of a U.S. military diplomat from the Philippines underlines the love-hate ties between the two countries but also points to a new direction in Manila’s foreign policy, analysts said on Wednesday.  The U.S. Embassy’s announcement that Assistant Army…

US Defuses meddling row by pulling out attache from Manila

28 October 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Oct 28, Reuter – The United States said on Wednesday it was withdrawing a military attache from the Philippines following accusations that he interfered in a failed coup attempt in August.  A U.S. embassy statement said assistant army attache Lieutenant-Colonel Victor Raphael would depart…

Philippine hit-squad killings signal new communist offensive

29 October 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Oct 29, Reuter – Philippine Communist guerrillas appear to have launched a major offensive with the killings of 14 people in two days, political analysts said on Thursday.  For the first time in the 18-year-old Communist insurgency, the victims included U.S. servicemen, two serving…

Manila Resolves row over planters products INC’s debt ahead of deadline

30 October 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Oct 30 – The Philippine government and creditors of a private fertiliser firm have reached agreement on a 56.5 million dollar debt that has held up the country’s recent debt rescheduling agreement, bankers and officials said.  A senior foreign banker told Reuters that lawyers…

Philippines Worried About Commodity Prices

9 November 1987  Reuters News  English  (c) 1987 Reuters Limited  MANILA, Nov 9 – Any fall in commodity prices resulting from the crash in world stock markets could badly affect the Philippines, Central Bank governor Jose Fernandez said.  “Probably far more important than exchange rates and interest rates are commodity prices,” he told reporters. ‘Because then…