INQUIRER.net
Posted date: February 26, 2009
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, February 2, 2009 – Xoom.com, the fastest growing online money transfer company, announced a partnership with M. Lhuillier to offer cash pickup at more than 1,000 locations in the Philippines. Many M. Lhuillier locations offer 24/7 service, allowing greater convenience for cash pickups. With 24/7 cash pickup money transfer, beneficiaries are no longer restricted by remittance center business hours. Recipients no longer have to miss work or rearrange the day in order to accommodate the errand of picking up money from outlets.
“Our partnership with M. Lhuillier reflects our commitment to provide even more convenient money transfer services to our Filipino customers.” said Julian King, Xoom.com Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Development. “M. Lhuillier’s 24/7 network gives our customers the choice of picking up remittances on their schedule.”
M. Lhuillier brings to the Xoom.com network an additional 1,000 locations, raising the total number of Xoom locations in the Philippines to over 3,000. Not only are many of the M. Lhuillier locations open 24/7, most M. Lhuillier outlets also offer extended hours of service and are open evenings and weekends.
“We’re delighted with our partnership with Xoom.com.” said Michael Lhuillier, Vice President of M. Lhuillier. “Xoom.com’s online service allows sending money 24/7. It’s a perfect complement to receiving money transfers 24/7, as well. That’s round-the-clock service.”
24/7 convenience is not just for recipients who are picking up remittances. Round-the-clock services are also available for senders. Send money to the Philippines anytime by visiting xoom.com; enter sender information, how the money will be received, and the amount to be remitted. Then, choose a payment method – bank account, credit/debit card or PayPal – and click “send.” The money will be available in the Philippines in just minutes**. Xoom money transfer fees to the Philippines start at just $3.50*. Pinoys can send $300 to $2,999 for an affordable rate of $7.99 when paying with a US bank account.
“Xoom.com has always made sending money easy for kababayans, and now with M. Lhuillier’s 24/7 cash pickup, sending money is more convenient for all remittance needs – from regular remittances, to last minute cash situations and unforeseen emergencies.” said Gene Gutierrez, Xoom.com Regional Vice President for the Philippines. “M. Lhuillier shops are in almost every local township, making it very convenient for loved ones to pick up the money.”
Including the M. Lhuillier 24/7 locations, Xoom cash pickup service is available at over 3,000 locations across the Philippines. Xoom.com also provides bank deposits to any bank and home delivery nationwide. For more information on Xoom money transfer services, please visit www.xoom.com or call 1-877-993-7966 for customer service in Tagalog. Recipients in the Philippines can call 1-800-10-636-7000 (PLDT) or 1-800-8-636-7000 (Globe). Customers can also send e-mail to Xoom customer service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
About M.Lhuillier
The seeds to success for M. Lhuillier Philippines, Inc. were sown as far back as the 1930s. With a simple mission to ease the financial burden of Filipinos through money lending, M. Lhuillier has become a byword in service – the company that every Filipino can really rely on. Initially a money lender, it has since diversified to include money remittance, jewelry, insurance, courier, electronic loading, processed food products and a host of other allied services. Its domestic remittance service has been tested and proven in the industry. With an online system that connects all the branches in the network, money can be sent and received in any of its locations in just a few minutes. This truly earns M. Lhuillier the designation “Numero Uno ng Bayan.”
About Xoom
Xoom.com enables individuals to send money from any Internet-enabled computer to family, friends and businesses worldwide. Xoom Corporation was founded in 2001 in San Francisco and is backed by leading venture firms Sequoia Capital, New Enterprise Associates and Fidelity Ventures.
*Xoom makes money on transactions involving foreign currency exchange based on the difference between the rate at which Xoom purchases foreign currency and the rate provided to you.
**The speed of transaction claim is dependent on good funds availability and approval by the Xoom proprietary verification system. It is subject to Xoom receiving agent hours of operation and difference in time zone, and may not be available for all transactions.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Italy adopts tough law vs illegal immigration
By Francoise Michel
Agence France-Presse Inquirer.net
First Posted 10:24:00 07/03/2009
ROME, Italy—Italy adopted a tough law against illegal immigration on Thursday, including a measure allowing citizens to mount their own patrols, despite fierce criticism from rights groups and the Vatican.
The European Commission announced it would examine the new measures to determine whether they comply with EU norms, warning that "automatic expulsion rules for entire categories are not acceptable."
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had made tougher immigration rules a cornerstone of the election campaign that saw him returned to power in May 2008.
The senate, Italy's upper parliamentary chamber, endorsed a vote by the lower house in May bringing the package of measures into full force with 157 in favor, 124 against, and three abstentions.
Under the new law, illegal immigration becomes a criminal offense; anyone caught housing an illegal immigrant could face jail; and parents registering a baby's birth have to present papers to show they are legal residents.
During its slow passage through parliament, the opposition denounced the measures as reminiscent of Italy's fascist era.
Perhaps the most controversial measure permits "citizens groups" to mount patrols on the lookout for public order offenses.
After objections that they would be little more than vigilante groups, the local authorities will monitor their activities.
The measure was particularly sought by the fiercely anti-immigration Northern League, part of Berlusconi's right-wing coalition government. The Northern League has a strong presence in the richer northern part of the country.
In parliament, the opposition put up a bitter fight against the bill.
Dario Franceschini, leader of the Democratic Party, compared it to the racial purity laws introduced by Benito Mussolini's fascist regime in the 1930s onwards.
Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, a senior figure in the League, dismissed the charge as "laughable."
The new law makes illegal immigration a criminal offense punishable by a fine of between 5,000 and 10,000 euros ($7,000 and $14,000) and immediate expulsion.
Berlusconi had originally intended to make it an imprisonable offense, but was forced to reconsider because of overcrowding in the prison system, which has reached record levels.
Parents will also have to present their passport or residency permit when they declare the birth of a child, which some critics have warned could lead to a generation of "invisible" children growing up outside the system.
The new law would "deprive children of their most basic rights," said Raffaele Salinari, the president of the Italian branch of Terre des Hommes, a campaign group dedicated to protecting the rights of children.
It also extends the period of detention for illegal immigrations to six months from the current two months to allow more time for them to be identified so they can be sent back to their home country.
Italian writers including Andrea Camilleri, Antonio Tabucchi, and Nobel prize winner Dario Fo signed a statement denouncing "discriminatory standards against immigrants, unknown in Europe since the era of racial laws."
An official with Catholic organization Sant'Egidio estimated the number of illegal immigrants in Italy at between 400,000 and 500,000 and said many are employed by families to care for the elderly or children. Among them are an estimated 13,000 Filipinos.
"With this law, we introduce the idea that being an immigrant and clandestine means being a delinquent," said Daniela Pompei.
While other European countries have not actually criminalized illegal immigration, several, including France and Greece, have adopted similar measures.
Agence France-Presse Inquirer.net
First Posted 10:24:00 07/03/2009
ROME, Italy—Italy adopted a tough law against illegal immigration on Thursday, including a measure allowing citizens to mount their own patrols, despite fierce criticism from rights groups and the Vatican.
The European Commission announced it would examine the new measures to determine whether they comply with EU norms, warning that "automatic expulsion rules for entire categories are not acceptable."
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had made tougher immigration rules a cornerstone of the election campaign that saw him returned to power in May 2008.
The senate, Italy's upper parliamentary chamber, endorsed a vote by the lower house in May bringing the package of measures into full force with 157 in favor, 124 against, and three abstentions.
Under the new law, illegal immigration becomes a criminal offense; anyone caught housing an illegal immigrant could face jail; and parents registering a baby's birth have to present papers to show they are legal residents.
During its slow passage through parliament, the opposition denounced the measures as reminiscent of Italy's fascist era.
Perhaps the most controversial measure permits "citizens groups" to mount patrols on the lookout for public order offenses.
After objections that they would be little more than vigilante groups, the local authorities will monitor their activities.
The measure was particularly sought by the fiercely anti-immigration Northern League, part of Berlusconi's right-wing coalition government. The Northern League has a strong presence in the richer northern part of the country.
In parliament, the opposition put up a bitter fight against the bill.
Dario Franceschini, leader of the Democratic Party, compared it to the racial purity laws introduced by Benito Mussolini's fascist regime in the 1930s onwards.
Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, a senior figure in the League, dismissed the charge as "laughable."
The new law makes illegal immigration a criminal offense punishable by a fine of between 5,000 and 10,000 euros ($7,000 and $14,000) and immediate expulsion.
Berlusconi had originally intended to make it an imprisonable offense, but was forced to reconsider because of overcrowding in the prison system, which has reached record levels.
Parents will also have to present their passport or residency permit when they declare the birth of a child, which some critics have warned could lead to a generation of "invisible" children growing up outside the system.
The new law would "deprive children of their most basic rights," said Raffaele Salinari, the president of the Italian branch of Terre des Hommes, a campaign group dedicated to protecting the rights of children.
It also extends the period of detention for illegal immigrations to six months from the current two months to allow more time for them to be identified so they can be sent back to their home country.
Italian writers including Andrea Camilleri, Antonio Tabucchi, and Nobel prize winner Dario Fo signed a statement denouncing "discriminatory standards against immigrants, unknown in Europe since the era of racial laws."
An official with Catholic organization Sant'Egidio estimated the number of illegal immigrants in Italy at between 400,000 and 500,000 and said many are employed by families to care for the elderly or children. Among them are an estimated 13,000 Filipinos.
"With this law, we introduce the idea that being an immigrant and clandestine means being a delinquent," said Daniela Pompei.
While other European countries have not actually criminalized illegal immigration, several, including France and Greece, have adopted similar measures.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Jobs await Filipinos in Guam, Japan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Posted date: July 02, 2009
MANILA, Philippines—Thousands of Filipino workers could be hired in the construction of new military bases on the US territory of Guam, the island’s governor said during a visit to the Philippines.
Jobs also beckon in Japan, which is looking not only for Filipino health workers but also engineers, information technology
experts and other professionals, according to an official of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).
Guam will be hiring between 10,000 and 15,000 workers to support the US military buildup, including the relocation of 8,000 Marines and their families from Okinawa over the next few years, Gov. Felix Camacho told reporters in Manila on Tuesday.
No to Chinese workers
He said he expected skilled Filipino workers to fill job demands that could not be met by local labor alone.
“It is not exclusive but the likelihood is that most will be from the Philippines,” Camacho said. Chinese workers will not be hired because of security concerns related to work on military bases, Camacho said.
Several years ago, Filipinos were also tapped to build facilities in Guantanamo in Cuba where suspected al-Qaida members linked to 9-11 were detained.
Minimum wage
The US House armed services committee last week passed a bill saying foreign workers won’t be allowed to do more than 30 percent of the work on the Guam projects.
The 2010 National Defense Authorization Act would require that the minimum wage for all Guam construction projects be at the prevailing wage level for similar work in Hawaii, said US Rep. Neil Abercrombie from Hawaii.
The buildup in Guam will cost at least $15 billion. Japan is covering $6 billion of the bill.
Tip of iceberg
Filipino engineers, information technology experts and other professionals are welcome to work in Japan especially since the Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) has already taken effect, said Togo Hiroshi, principal Jica senior representative to the Philippines.
“[Jobs for] caregivers and nurses are just the tip of the iceberg,” Togo said yesterday.
He said the same message was reiterated to President Macapagal-Arroyo during her most recent state visit to Japan.
First batch
Some 270 Filipinos were deployed to Japan in May, comprising the first batch of nurses and caregivers to be allowed to work in the land of the rising sun following the ratification of Jpepa.
Under Jpepa that the Senate ratified in October last year, Japan and the Philippines agreed to improve business ties, such as easier access to each other’s markets. The agreement also allows more Filipinos to work in Japan.
Aging population
Togo said Japan’s aging population made it necessary for the Japanese economy to allow the entry of foreign workers to fill in current and future job vacancies.
Since many Filipinos seek employment and better opportunities offshore, Jpepa is a win-win solution for both countries, he said.
More than 200,000 Filipinos are based in Japan, according to government estimates.
In the first quarter of the year, they remitted $185 million to the Philippines, accounting for 4.6 percent of the total remittances from overseas Filipinos during the period.
Arroyo administration officials said the availability of more jobs in Japan for Filipinos was a welcome development for the Philippines, whose economy is partly dependent on remittances to spur household consumption.
Japanese language
For Filipinos to more easily find jobs in Japan, they must study the Japanese language, said Matsuda Norio, Jica representative to the Philippines.
While most Filipino workers know how to speak English, some Japanese firms prefer applicants who can speak Japanese, he said.
“Many Filipino workers think that learning English is enough. They don’t realize that learning Japanese is important as well,” he also told the Inquirer.
Matsuda said it would benefit Filipinos seeking to work in Japan to undergo enhanced training, as most of Japanese firms’ labor requirements are stricter than average.
Robust remittance
The further opening of the Japanese labor market to Filipinos was one reason the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) cited for projecting that remittances would remain robust this year.
Contrary to forecasts by some economists that remittances would shrink, the BSP said the worst would be a flat growth. The country recorded a total of $16.4 billion in remittances last year.
The BSP said robust remittances, which fuel household consumption, would help prevent the Philippine economy from slipping into recession.
Posted date: July 02, 2009
MANILA, Philippines—Thousands of Filipino workers could be hired in the construction of new military bases on the US territory of Guam, the island’s governor said during a visit to the Philippines.
Jobs also beckon in Japan, which is looking not only for Filipino health workers but also engineers, information technology
experts and other professionals, according to an official of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).
Guam will be hiring between 10,000 and 15,000 workers to support the US military buildup, including the relocation of 8,000 Marines and their families from Okinawa over the next few years, Gov. Felix Camacho told reporters in Manila on Tuesday.
No to Chinese workers
He said he expected skilled Filipino workers to fill job demands that could not be met by local labor alone.
“It is not exclusive but the likelihood is that most will be from the Philippines,” Camacho said. Chinese workers will not be hired because of security concerns related to work on military bases, Camacho said.
Several years ago, Filipinos were also tapped to build facilities in Guantanamo in Cuba where suspected al-Qaida members linked to 9-11 were detained.
Minimum wage
The US House armed services committee last week passed a bill saying foreign workers won’t be allowed to do more than 30 percent of the work on the Guam projects.
The 2010 National Defense Authorization Act would require that the minimum wage for all Guam construction projects be at the prevailing wage level for similar work in Hawaii, said US Rep. Neil Abercrombie from Hawaii.
The buildup in Guam will cost at least $15 billion. Japan is covering $6 billion of the bill.
Tip of iceberg
Filipino engineers, information technology experts and other professionals are welcome to work in Japan especially since the Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) has already taken effect, said Togo Hiroshi, principal Jica senior representative to the Philippines.
“[Jobs for] caregivers and nurses are just the tip of the iceberg,” Togo said yesterday.
He said the same message was reiterated to President Macapagal-Arroyo during her most recent state visit to Japan.
First batch
Some 270 Filipinos were deployed to Japan in May, comprising the first batch of nurses and caregivers to be allowed to work in the land of the rising sun following the ratification of Jpepa.
Under Jpepa that the Senate ratified in October last year, Japan and the Philippines agreed to improve business ties, such as easier access to each other’s markets. The agreement also allows more Filipinos to work in Japan.
Aging population
Togo said Japan’s aging population made it necessary for the Japanese economy to allow the entry of foreign workers to fill in current and future job vacancies.
Since many Filipinos seek employment and better opportunities offshore, Jpepa is a win-win solution for both countries, he said.
More than 200,000 Filipinos are based in Japan, according to government estimates.
In the first quarter of the year, they remitted $185 million to the Philippines, accounting for 4.6 percent of the total remittances from overseas Filipinos during the period.
Arroyo administration officials said the availability of more jobs in Japan for Filipinos was a welcome development for the Philippines, whose economy is partly dependent on remittances to spur household consumption.
Japanese language
For Filipinos to more easily find jobs in Japan, they must study the Japanese language, said Matsuda Norio, Jica representative to the Philippines.
While most Filipino workers know how to speak English, some Japanese firms prefer applicants who can speak Japanese, he said.
“Many Filipino workers think that learning English is enough. They don’t realize that learning Japanese is important as well,” he also told the Inquirer.
Matsuda said it would benefit Filipinos seeking to work in Japan to undergo enhanced training, as most of Japanese firms’ labor requirements are stricter than average.
Robust remittance
The further opening of the Japanese labor market to Filipinos was one reason the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) cited for projecting that remittances would remain robust this year.
Contrary to forecasts by some economists that remittances would shrink, the BSP said the worst would be a flat growth. The country recorded a total of $16.4 billion in remittances last year.
The BSP said robust remittances, which fuel household consumption, would help prevent the Philippine economy from slipping into recession.
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