PEACE UPDATE: Norway Hopes For Peace Talk Resumption Between Philippine Government, Rebels. Visiting Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende said he hopes the Philippine government and leftist rebel group Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) will resume peace talks in the coming months. Norway is mediator in peace negotiations between the Philippine government and leftist rebels, Xinhua news agency reported. "We're committed to continue as facilitator in (peace talks) as long as this is the interest of the Philippine government," Brende told reporters in an interview. Brende said he will be discussing opportunities to resume the stalled negotiations during his meeting with Philippines President Benigno S. Aquino III later in the day. "I think the presidency of Aquino is here for several years and we are looking into the opportunity to resume talks in the future," he said. Talks between the government and the CPP's negotiating arm, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, has been suspended since 2011 over the leftist rebels' demand for the release of a number of their detained commanders. The CPP has been waging war against the Philippine government for more than four decades.- BERNAMA

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WOMEN'S CAUSES: UN adopts PHL-sponsored reso on violence vs. women migrant workers. The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a Philippine-sponsored resolution giving protection to female migrant workers against abuse and exploitation. In a statement, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) said the UN General Assembly adopted four resolutions under the Advancement of Women report, one of which is “Violence Against Women Migrant Workers,” during the international body's 68th plenary assembly last December 18. The resolution urged member-states to ratify conventions from the International Labour Organization (ILO) protecting domestic workers, the families of all migrant workers, and smuggled persons. The resolution also calls for the abolishment of sponsorship systems, and for humane and gender-sensitive treatment of all migrant workers and their families “regardless of their immigration status.” | Pinoy Abroad | GMA News Online

"Indonesia presented the bill to the assembly on behalf of the Philippines and seven other countries on the 24th of October. PCW, in their statement, said governments around the world must ensure the safety of migrant women against exploitation, discrimination, and all forms of sexual abuse. The commission urged private institutions to provide gender-sensitive procedures at their workplaces, and encouraged both private and public sectors to realize the contributions of these women to the economy, regardless of their immigration status." CLICK LINK TO READ FULL ARTICLE UN adopts PHL-sponsored reso on violence vs. women migrant workers | Pinoy Abroad | GMA News Online:

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CHILDREN'S CAUSES: Philippines gives measles vaccine to 13 million kids. The Philippines will launch a nationwide campaign on measles prevention among children, after measles outbreaks took place in several areas in Metro Manila, a senior government official said Wednesday. In the campaign, planned in September this year, roughly 13 million children aged up to 5 years old will be given measles vaccination, Philippine Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Enrique Ona said. "The supplemental immunization activity is aimed at the children who missed their routine vaccine doses since 2011," he said.- Xinhua | English.news.cn

"In recent weeks, health centers in Metro Manila have been giving first dose of measles vaccines to children aged 9 to 11 months, while children aged 12 to 23 months have been inoculated with their second dose.This is part of the DOH's heightened campaign, in coordination with local government units (LGUs), to prevent the spread of measles in the National Capital Region, Ona said." CLICK LINK TO READ FULL ARTICLE Philippines gives measles vaccine to 13 million kids - Xinhua | English.news.cn:

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WELLNESS IN BUSINESS: BSP expects strong inflows from BPO, tourism. The sustained growth in the BPO and tourism sectors will support the Philippines’ balance of payments position, which indicates a country’s transactions with the rest of the world. The BOP position includes exports, imports, foreign direct and portfolio investments, and remittances, among others. BPO and tourism receipts are recorded under services, placed under the BOP’s current accounts. The central bank expects a BOP surplus of $3 billion this year. This will help the country boost its gross international reserves to as much as $88 billion in 2014. | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

 "“For the BPOs, we’re expecting a 15- percent growth (in export revenues) for 2013 and also a 15-percent growth for 2014,” Rosabel Guerrero, director at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Departmanet of Economic Statistics, said in a briefing. Guerrero noted that the growth rate will be from an $11.6-billion revenue figure recorded in 2012 by the BPO industry. Zeno Abenoja, director for BSP’s Department of Economic Research, noted that the sustained growth of the industry will be on the back of government’s continued support for the industry and sustained demand for firms abroad. “The projections were done in consultations with the industry... The projections took into account continued strong government support to the industry in terms of favorable tax treatment for capital equipment, and tax incentives (among others),” Abenoja said." CLICK LINK TO READ FULL ARTICLE BSP expects strong inflows from BPO, tourism | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com:

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WELLNESS IN ENVIRONMENT: GMA Network joins water pollution reduction program. GMA Network recently inked a Memorandum of Agreement with Sagip Ilog Pilipinas Movement (SIPM), Philippine Biochar Association (PBiA) and Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) to undertake a water pollution reduction and livelihood program dubbed the Clean River Zone Biochar Community Project. Through its Kapuso ng Kalikasan, an environment-focused CSR platform, GMA is set to support the program by organizing community engagement activities with its corps of employee volunteers, the GMA GIVES. The Clean River Zone Biochar Community Project involves the use of Bokashi balls to reduce the pollution of the estero in Block 5, Daang Tubo, Diliman, Quezon City and create an alternative livelihood for the residents in the said community. The collaboration was formalized in a simple signing ceremony at GMA Network’s Quezon City headquarters with (seated, L-R) PMSEA President Engr. Luis R. Sarmiento, GMA Network AVP for Corporate Affairs Teresa L. Pacis, PBiA CEO Philip G. Camara, and SIPM Chairperson Severino M. Galindo, (standing, L-R) PMSEA volunteer Gia Veloso, GMA Network Manager for Corporate Relations Unis M. Loleng, PBiA CSR Consultant Christine G. Cenal and SIPM Executive Director Myrna J. H. Jimenez. | Community Bulletin Board | GMA News Online

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