Kuwaiti magnate eyeing Clark? Sheik Loay Jassim al-Kharafi (extreme left), a member of the 17th richest family in the world, discusses with Victor Jose Luaciano (extreme right), president of Clark International Airport Corp., the potentials of the former US military base. Al-Kharafi met with President Arroyo after the food summit in Fontana resort, but no details about their talks were released by the Palace.
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$20B Malampaya
tested for gas leak Shutdown seen leading to
brownouts
TESTING for leaks in the country's lone gas
production facility offshore northwest Palawan started early
morning yesterday, with operator Shell Petroleum Exploration
Corp (Spex) expected to announce today whether the $20 billion
production facility needs to be shut down.
Spex was expected to complete testing at the
production platform last night as energy officials drew up
contingency measures to address a prolonged shutdown.
Malampaya currently supplies fuel to three
gas-powered generating plants which account for 50 percent of
the Luzon's power requirement.
INFLATION climbed 6.4 percent in March, the
fastest in 19 months, due to soaring prices of food and oil, the
government said yesterday.
The level rose from 5.4 percent in February
and 2.2 percent last year, bringing the average for the first
three months to 5.6 percent, above the Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas' full-year target of 3 to 5 percent.
The BSP had forecast inflation to be at 5.3
to 5.9 percent in March.
CLARK FIELD, Pampanga. - President Arroyo on
Friday unveiled a P43.7 billion agriculture assistance package
aimed at ensuring accessible and affordable food supply.
At the Food Summit at the Fontana Convention
Center, Arroyo said the multi-billion package has been clustered
into six areas dubbed "FIELDS" which stands for fertilizer,
irrigation, extension and education, loans and insurance, dryers
and other post harvest facilities, and seeds.
"We must work harder to grow and breed what
we need," she said.