WHO News: Life Expectancy Grows for Women Age 50 and Up. Life expectancy for women who live to age 50 is going up around the world, but poor and middle-income countries could easily make greater gains, according to a new World Health Organization report. Heart disease, stroke and cancer kill most women over 50, said Dr. John R. Beard, director of the W.H.O.'s department of aging, so countries should focus on lowering blood pressure with inexpensive drugs and screening for cervical and breast cancer. Those diseases can be prevented or treated, said Dr. Beard, who was also an author of the study, which was published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Getting women to avoid smoking, excessive drinking and being obese is also crucial, he said. Japanese women live the longest on average. But women in most countries now live longer than they did 40 years ago, thanks to progress against infectious diseases like flu, tuberculosis and pneumonia. Some countries have improved less than others: South Africa has an AIDS epidemic, Russian women suffered when the Soviet health system collapsed, and growing prosperity in Mexico has led to more lung cancer and obesity-related diabetes. - NYTimes.com

Life Expectancy Grows for Women Age 50 and Up - NYTimes.com: "The bulletin also included a report on older women’s right to protected sex, also co-authored by Dr. Beard.

“To some extent, we treat women as vessels of reproduction, and once they’ve done that we don’t pay much attention to them,” he said.

As more women live alone and more older men get drugs for erectile dysfunction, stereotypes about sex and older people need to change, Dr. Beard said, and women should be offered advice on protected sex and screened for sexually transmitted diseases."

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WELLNESS IN TRADE & INDUSTRY: Boosting Philippine exports to Europe - The Philippines seeks to increase its exports to the 27-nation European Union (EU) by applying for more duty-free privileges under the revised Generalized System of Preferences (GSP+) EU scheme to support less developed economies starting January 1, 2014. The country now benefits from the general GSP arrangement which covers 6,209 products, 2,442 of which are subject to zero duty, while 3,767 are subject to reduced tariffs. Philippine top GSP exports to EU include crude coconut oil, pneumatic tires, spectacle lenses, canned tuna, prepared fruits, activated carbon, and imitation jewelry. Last year, the country shipped 1.076-billion euros or P62.8-billion worth of products under the GSP. The GSP+ arrangement has a larger coverage of 6,274 products, all of which are subject to zero duty. Major products that will enjoy zero duties include textiles with 1,125 product lines, agriculture with 918 lines, and fisheries with 292 lines. If the Philippines qualifies for GSP+, the Department of Trade and Industry estimated that Philippine exports to EU may increase by 12% and create 270,000 jobs.- | Tempo - News in a Flash

Boosting Philippine exports to Europe | Tempo - News in a Flash: "Zero-duty preference under GSP+ will benefit other items the Philippines is exporting under the regular GSP, including animal/vegetable fats and oils, machinery and mechanical appliances, chemical, and plastic products. In 2012, Philippine GSP exports to the 27-nation bloc reached €1.07 billion, the largest of which were chemical products (€101.0 million), vegetable products (€5 million), wood and articles of wood (€5 million), and jewelry (€31 million).
To avail of GSP+, a country must meet two conditions. First, products comprise less than 2% of Europe’s GSP imports. Second, countries must have ratified and are abiding by 27 international conventions on human and labor rights, sustainable development, environment, and good governance."

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WELLNESS IN SCIENCE & TECH: Aquino approves law for science, math teachers - President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed into law a bill aimed at expanding the coverage of the Science and Technology (S&T) Scholarship Program and building a pool of highly qualified science and math teachers in the country, Malacañang said today. "This Act builds on the current Science and Technology Scholarships offered by the Department of Science and Technology ( DOST), through its Science Education Institute (SEI), as provided for in Republic Act No. 7687, otherwise known as the 'Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994,'" the president said. The law envisions a fast tracking of more science, technology, and engineering graduates by offering scholarships to deserving students in their third year of undergraduate study, based on their competitiveness and merit.- | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

Aquino approves law for science, math teachers | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com: "The state also offers additional incentives to attract the graduates of the scholarship program to pursue a career in teaching science, mathematics and technology in high schools, especially in their home regions.  "

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WELLNESS IN EDUCATION: DepEd: Training starts for coaches for differently-abled athletes. Education and sports officials started over the weekend a training for coaches for differently abled athletes, the Department of Education said. The DepEd said it is undertaking the training with the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently-Abled National Paralympics Committee of the Philippines. “These athletes are equally capable and deserving of all the state support they need,” DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro said.- | Sports | GMA News Online

DepEd: Training starts for coaches for differently-abled athletes | Sports | GMA News Online: "Luistro added the training seminar also aims to establish a pool of coaches, trainors, technical officials and classifiers who will "help differently-abled athletes in all levels of competition."

A news release by the DepEd issued Sunday cited DepEd Memo no. 159 providing for the training of trainors, technical and classification seminars for the differently-abled persons."

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GLOBAL PINOY: Filipino artist Rodney Yap's 'Primeval' exhibit rocks Wroclaw | Arts and Culture, Lifestyle Features, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

Filipino artist Rodney Yap's 'Primeval' exhibit rocks Wroclaw | Arts and Culture, Lifestyle Features, The Philippine Star | philstar.com: "Yap adds that art should be with purpose and honesty and without fear. His multi-layered approach fuses hypnagogic images that are both intentional and unexpected. The artist admits that his mind already has the finished work in his head even before the first brushstroke lands on the canvass.

He notes that the exhibit came at the right time as the Philippines and Poland celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.

The exhibit was made possible through the efforts of art advocate Mabel Guia Acosta. It will move to the Marriott Hotel in Warsaw on September 6."

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Wellness in Business: The ASEAN Business Outlook Survey 2014, taken from May 10 to June 10 among 475 American firms in the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, also showed that 39 of the companies doing business in the Philippines registered the biggest increase in satisfaction over the local business environment from 2008 to 2013. The survey, taken by the US Chamber of Commerce and the American Chambers of Commerce in the ASEAN, showed satisfaction with the Philippines improving in 14 out of 16 business factors including the availability of low-cost labor, trained personnel and raw materials. Improvements were also noted in the fight against corruption, housing costs and new business incentives. The biggest improvement was registered in the stability of the government and political system. The survey also showed the companies projecting higher profits this year and in 2014.- EDITORIAL - Improved environment | Opinion, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

EDITORIAL - Improved environment | Opinion, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com: "After giving itself a pat on the back, the government should address the key concerns of the companies, which are not new. These include the tax structure, inadequate infrastructure, laws and regulations, the ease of moving goods through Customs, and yes, corruption. While the Philippines is deemed to have shown the most improvement, the country continues to lag behind many of its neighbors in attracting foreign direct investment. The FDI is needed to create the jobs that will make economic growth inclusive — something that has eluded the government despite positive economic performance."

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