Very first community milk bank of the world has started its operations the Makati city of Philippines. It is one of the first milk Bank in the entire world where about 200 mothers donated their milk in small quantity. The launch of this milk Bank is a fruit of the efforts of Mr. Sen. Pia S. Cayetano who is a strong promoter of breastfeeding. The idea of this milk Bank is suggested by the Compañero Rene Cayetano Foundation. Makati City Health Department has also supported this new idea and offered all type of help for its establishment.

Manila - The Philippine military on Tuesday vowed to take "aggressive actions" against Muslim separatist rebels who killed 49 people in a deadly rampage that also displaced more than 36,000 residents in southern provinces.

General Alexander Yano, armed forces chief of staff, said government forces were hunting down Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels after a string of attacks in the southern region of Mindanao since the weekend.

Manila - Muslim separatist rebels attacked several towns in the southern Philippines Monday, killing at least two people, burning homes and looting businesses, military and police officials said.

The attacks triggered fresh fighting between government forces and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in the southern provinces of Sarangani and Lanao del Norte on the island of Mindanao, the military said.

Manila - Seven government troops were killed and 11 others wounded Sunday in an ambush by unidentified assailants in the southern Philippines, an army spokesman said.

The gunmen opened fire on a convoy of army soldiers and militiamen in the boundary of Mulondo and Baudiposo-Buntong towns in Lanao del Sur province, 810 kilometres south of Manila.

Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner said the identities of the attackers were not immediately known, but Muslim separatist rebels are known to operate in the area.

Manila - A Philippine labour organization on Friday expressed alarm over a spate of suicides among Filipino workers in the United Arab Emirates.

According to Migrante, an alliance of Filipino migrant workers, at least seven Filipino workers have committed suicide in the seven-state Middle Eastern federation since the start of the year.

Manila - Remittances from overseas Filipinos reached nearly 1.5 billion dollars in June, the highest monthly inflow in 19 years, the central bank said Friday.

The central bank said the 1.45 billion dollars sent home by overseas Filipinos in June was 30 per cent higher than remittances in the same month last year.

It is the highest monthly inflow recorded since 1989 when the central bank started to classify foreign exchange inflows from overseas Filipinos as a separate category.