The government has suspended the local partner of a US-based helicopter maker from bidding for state contracts for one year for attempting to mislead the government in a 2007 tender, a defense official said yesterday. The defense department’s bids and award committee has also recommended filing a criminal complaint against Asian Aerospace Corporation for violating procurement laws, according to documents seen by Reuters. In September 2007, Asian Aerospace Corp., a local partner of MD Helicopters, won a government contract to sell six MD530F night-capable attack helicopters for P1.2 billion ($ 28.6 million). But a review of the bidding process showed that MD530F did not meet the technical specifications required by the Philippine Air Force, the documents said. The price also appeared to be inflated since Asian Aerospace had previously offered 12 of the same helicopters for nearly the same price, according to the documents. On Jan. 25, the defense department halted the award of the helicopter supply contract after an inquiry showed irregularities in the tender procedures.

Value of production index (VaPI) for the manufacturing industry continued its downtrend as it posted a year-on-year decline of 1.4 percent in January 2008, according to the preliminary results of the monthly integrated survey of selected industries, (MISSI). This was brought about by the sluggish performance in production observed in the following major sectors: furniture and fixtures, food manufacturing, and transport equipment. Also, VaPI dropped by 11 percent on month on month basis in January 2008. Production value of the 8 major sectors contracted, with two- digit decreases observed in the following: food manufacturing, petroleum products and beverages. Volume of production index (VoPI) on early comparison grew by 0.5 percent in January 2008.

Philippine furniture company Asia-Pacific Exim Trade Inc. captured the Merit Award for Furniture Excellence (Category: Occasional Furniture) at the 14th Malaysian International furniture Fair (MIFF 2008) held in Kuala Lumpur from 4 to 8 March 2008. The MIFF, which annually showcases the world’s finest furniture and attracts both sellers and buyers internationally, holds the competition to encourage creativity and excellence in design among the exhibitors. The MIFF 2008 was spread over two venues with a total exhibition area of 80,000 sq.m. filled by 500 international exhibitors. Emmanuel P. Padiernos, who has been in the furniture business for more than 20 years, designed the award-winning chair. The award is made more significant as this is the first time he participated at the MIFF. The chair’s design garnered a lot of interest among the exhibitors and buyers and generated sales and partnerships for Mr. Padiernos. Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Victoriano M. Lecaros expressed his congratulations to Mr. Padiernos, citing his success as an example of Filipino skill and entrepreneurship.

Visa and Singapore Post Limited (SingPost) now offer the Visa Money Transfer remittance service from 51 designated post offices in Singapore enabling the transfer of money to nine markets around the world, including the Philippines. The SingPost Visa Money Transfer service is convenient, secure, and inexpensive. It enables money to be sent to Visa cardholders in nine countries, namely the Philippines, Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. It is the first time Visa Money Transfer has been made available through a postal service provider. Among the 197 Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) countries, Singapore now ranks as the seventh OFW destination, with nearly 30,000 workers, and ninth among the largest sources of remittances as of 2006. Bob Joubert, Visa International country manager for the Philippines, said "We are delighted to partner with SingPost. Sending money home is part of life for many of the Filipinos working abroad. With SingPost, Filipinos based in Singapore can now conveniently and securely send their money to their families and friends in the Philippines and in other countries via SingPost’s Visa Money Transfer service."