The dashing but soft-spoken William Golangco, more popularly known as "Bill" to the construction industry, died Tuesday morning 01 July 2008 after a lingering illness. 

Bill Golangco was Chairman and President of the William Golangco Construction, known for its numerous construction works during the redevelopment years of the 1950s of the former U.S. Military Bases in Pampanga and Subic, Zambales as well as one of the pioneers in high-rise building works and the early SM malls in the Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines - Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division swooped down on four firms for allegedly using illegal copies of Autodesk software in their business operations.

The raid was conducted based on search warrants issued by the Manila City Regional Trial Court last week.

The agents confiscated 50 desktop computers and two laptop units loaded with pirated AutoCAD, Studio Max and Architectural desktop as well as seven unlicensed CD installers of AutoCAD software amounting to P19.6 million pesos.

The software are owned by Autodesk, a publisher known for its design softwa

By Tonette Orejas
Central Luzon Desk
First Posted 21:53:00 07/01/2008

CLARK FREEPORT, Philippines -- The Chinese government-owned China National Machinery and Equipment Corp. (CNMEC) has backed off from the NorthRail project of the Philippine government due to disagreements over engineering and construction standards, according to Secretary Edgardo Pamintuan.

Pamintuan, the newly appointed president of the North Luzon Railways Corp. (NLRC), however, said on Tuesday China had not cancelled the $1-billion loan package to the 80-kilometer railway system that would stretch from Caloocan City to the Clark Freeport in Pampanga.

BY AVA KASHIMA K. AUSTRIA, Reporter

AMERICAN FIRM CalEnergy Generation has submitted a $1.1-billion proposal for the Laiban Dam project, the chief of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) yesterday said.

In an interview, MWSS administrator Diosdado Jose M. Allado said CalEnergy had submitted a proposal in accordance with state guidelines. It allows for a Swiss challenge where another company can seek to better the US firm’s proposal.

Last 31 December 2007, steel billets were priced at US$650 per Metric Ton.  By 31 March 2008 or three (3) months after, the price has risen to US$930 per Metric Ton.  By 29 May 2008, world market price of steel has gone up to US$1,100 per Metric Ton.  Last Monday morning, 02 June 2008, the local steel millers were surprised to wake up with the price at US$1,200 per Metric Ton.  By the afternoon of the same day, it has already risen to US$1,240 per Metric Ton or a 100% increase from 31 December 2007 prices in only a matter of five (5) months.

With the price of crude oil way up above US$100 per barrel, the cost of fuel for the construction industry has become very prohibitive.  Some contractors have resorted to shift some of their usually mechanized operations to manual operations instead.  But such are few, specially for high-rise building works.  Such moves have resulted in a slowdown of project schedules.

The need for immediate relief becomes imperative.

Property giant Ayala Land Inc. said Wednesday it would develop a mixed-used project within the John Hay Special Economic Zone in Baguio City at an initial cost of P3 billion.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, the company said it entered into a lease agreement with Fil Estate-owned Camp John Hay Development Corp. involving a 120,637-square meter property in the ecozone.

The prices of goods and services increased by 11.4 percent in June, the highest in 14 years and has set the pace for double-digit inflation for the coming months.
 
The National Statistics Office released the recent inflation data Friday after much anticipation on how much higher prices were last month. The June figure, however, was beyond previous forecasts, including the central bank's, which ranged from 10.4 percent to 11.2 percent.
 
It was the second highest since May 1994, when inflation was at 11.5 percent.

The ADB wants to amend its lending strategy for the Philippines, aligning it with the government’s own development efforts, an official of the Department of Finance said.

The source declined to be identified because he is not an official spokesperson for the agency.

At present, the source said, the ADB decides what projects and programs should be funded by its loans.