News stories by Prime Sarmiento

Café by the Ruins, a popular rustic restaurant situated in Baguio City, the Philippines' famed mountain city resort, usually caters to tourists and residents who enjoy sipping their cups of brewed coffee while appreciating the artworks displayed on the café’s stone walls.

For Father Eduardo Vasquez, setting up 'Bahay Kalinga’ (House of Care) in the province of Maguindanao, is one way of deepening his mission.

An icon of democracy whose unexpected rise to power in 1986 gave birth to the term 'people power' in the world’s political lexicon. A reluctant president and survivor of six coup attempts. A moral force known for her stubbornness even if told she was wrong.

George Detubio, once an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) is enjoying his new career as an entrepreneur. The 47-year-old owns a thriving business – distributing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) products in this town, 200 kilometers north of Manila.

Rosevic Colli’s ambition is to run her own Internet café in her hometown of Davao, southern Philippines. 'I don’t want to work for anyone, I want to be my own boss,' she says.

The global recession will raise the already high incidence of poverty in South Asia on the back of layoffs, decreased foreign aid and dwindling resources for social welfare, say economists and experts.

Shaynar Bacon was working as a cashier in a shopping mall in Mindanao, southern Philippines, when she learned that an electronics manufacturing firm in Taiwan was looking for workers.

Apo Aguila, a computer programmer, moved to Singapore in 2005, frustrated with the news that Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had allegedly cheated in the 2004 presidential election.

Filipina domestic worker Emily Alson spends her weekends cooking and selling snacks. This venture brings in additional income and also helps Alson learn the ropes of entrepreneurship.

The global recession is causing a heightened sense of job insecurity among millions of migrant workers making them more vulnerable to abuse, say migrant rights advocates.