'Hunker down' as global crisis continues PNOY

The President told Filipino exporters to “hunker down” as the economic slowdown continues worldwide.

In his speech during the 20th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. on Tuesday, President Benigno Aquino III said that exporters are facing challenges at the moment big export markets like Europe and the US are in crisis.

“We wish it were otherwise, but the fact is, we cannot predict how long this slowdown will last. This is a time when the most prudent thing to do for those in the export industry is to hunker down, to continue to look for markets and to improve efficiencies,” he said.

He advised exporters to look to potential markets such as Western Europe, and to keep looking into new export opportunities.

“We must remain proactive in looking for these countries and opportunities, because I tell you: this slowdown will end, and when the dust settles, the global environment we find ourselves in may be very different from the one that we grew up with. The hot export good may no longer be athletic sneakers, but coconut water. The furniture you manufacture, originally meant to appeal to a newlywed couple in California, may have to cater to the tastes of a couple in New Delhi,” he said.

“The point is, when the global economy begins to recover, we must be ready to adapt and adjust to whatever the new environment is.”

Aquino also assured exporters of government support.

“All I ask is that you continue what you have been doing these past several years, and that you stand by us as we pursue our agenda of reform. In return, we will stand by you now, when things are tough, and in the future, when things will undoubtedly be better. It is really in these times of adversity where we are given opportunities to truly prepare for the coming opportunities. It is within our grasp; it is but a matter of faith on all our parts,” he said. —
Source:
 BM, GMA News

Troll Paint

Singaporean Teacher Jailed for sex with student

A 32-year-old female Singaporean teacher was sentenced to a year in jail on Monday for having sex with a 15-year-old boy in her school, local media reported.

The teacher, who was married with two children, started a relationship with the student last year after she started counselling him, the Straits Times daily reported on its website.
Their names were withheld to protect the minor's identity.
The court was told that she wooed the boy with gifts including a copy of the bestselling book "Eat, Pray, Love", which dealt with a divorced American woman's adventures and was made into a film starring Julia Roberts in 2010.
The two continued their relationship for more than a month, during which they had consensual sex at the teacher's flat before the student's parents found out about the affair and reported her to the school.
In passing sentence, district judge Eugene Teo warned those who viewed schools "as acceptable venues for such illicit pursuits, and our students as acceptable partners in lust" will be punished, the Straits Times reported.
Another news portal, channelnewsasia.com, said the judge noted that psychiatrists found "no predatory paedophilic tendencies" in the teacher, which led to the comparatively light sentence.
Under Singapore law, an adult found guilty of engaging sexual intercourse with anyone under the age of 16 -- even if it's consensual -- faces up to 10 years' imprisonment, a fine or both.