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PH Pres. Benigno Aquino III inspects APEC venue. Photo: Malacanang In one of its front page trivia, the Philippines News Agency came out with a news dispatch which states that the 21 world leaders who are set to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Manila on November 17, 2015, would be using fixed chairs, instead of the normal swivel chairs that allow the leader to have the freedom to turn around whenever he wants to do so during formal sessions. Admittedly, this news story is new. And this is the first time that a host country like the Philippines has used this new strategy to perhaps, curtail the bad mannerism of a particular world leader. To some, this might be misconstrued as an unacceptable imposition of something beyond human rational behavior. If it is, I simply don't agree with this view. What is really the essence why the host country decides to deviate from using the usual swivel chair? In his words, Philippines' Communication Secretar...

The Economist Intelligence Unit released in its latest survey of the world's GDP growth forecast for 2013 vis-a-vis the countries' per capita income. In the Asia-Pacific Countries, China is the leader of the pack with a growth forecast of 8.6% for 2013. Due to its large population, however,  its per capita income remains at $6,890. Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) comes second with 6.8%, with a per capita of $3,150. Others include Uzbekistan--6.7% ($1,920) ; India--6.5%($1,770); Afghanistan--6.5%($668); Indonesia--6.3% ($,3,890); Bangladesh--6.1% ($695); Philippines--6.0% ($2,650); Vietnam--6.0%  ($1,800); Kazakstan--5.1% ($12,210); Thailand--4.7%  ($5,800); Malaysia--4.6% ($11,580); Singapore--4.0% ($53,370); Hong Kong--2.4% ($35,610); Japan--1.2%  ($45,680); South Korea--3.7% ($24,590); Taiwan--3.6% ($22,020); Pakistan--3.3% ($1,410); New Zealand--2.3%  ($33,160); and Australia--3.0% with a per capita pegged at $66,950, the highest in the region so far. ...

Demonstrating the ever-growing need for global public standards for the quality of medicines, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) announced the expansion of its Medicines Compendium (MC).  The USP MC is a free, online resource of quality standards for medicines approved in any country.  It was launched in July of 2011 with one Expert Committee based in South Asia (India).  The USP MC represents an innovative approach to make available good public testing standards for a marketed medicine and its ingredients. The USP MC provides monographs, general chapters, and allied reference materials for chemical and biologic medicines and their ingredients, including drug substances and excipients. The early success of the MC has lead to the creation of two new Expert Committees (in addition to a second EC convened in January of this year in East Asia) and to the expansion and enhancement of the MC website. "I have been gratified by advances of the Medicines Compendium du...

Booming service industries can be a powerful engine of economic growth and job creation for developing Asia, but the sector’s true potential remains blocked by restrictions and red tape, a new ADB report shows. “A slew of regulations restrict competition and hamper development of the services sector, affecting everything from the corner shop to mobile telephones,” said Changyong Rhee, ADB’s Chief Economist. “These barriers need to be dismantled so that everyone, particularly the region’s poor, can seize the opportunities of growth.” Services now account for almost half of developing Asia’s output, ADB says in the theme chapter of Asian Development Outlook 2012 Update. The sector contributed about two-thirds of the growth recorded in India between 2000 and 2010, and more than 40% in the People’s Republic of China. Services have also been a massive source of jobs, employing 34% of the region’s workers, and thus furthering inclusive growth.   Notwithstanding their large and growing q...