IT’S a catch-22 of sorts for the Philippines as remittances from Filipinos abroad continue to strengthen the peso, threatening to dampen its flow.

The latter occurring, while expected by some financial executives, won’t help an economy already hurting from a drop in exports that continues to reel from a strong peso.

PASAY CITY, Metro Manila — MAGUINDANAO province, the site of a mass killing last month, is one of the safest places in the country.

That is according to Abdilah Malasigan, whose family was recently hailed as the Model Overseas Filipino Workers Family (MOFYA) this year for the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

MARIBOJOC, Bohol–THE explorer Pigafetta would have chosen this town over Mactan had it already sported a Hollywood-like sign on its mountain ranges.

But had this town did, it may have attracted not only Pigafetta –desperate to escape after his and Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet was pummeled in the Battle of Mactan– but also other explorers who may know only Bohol because of its famed chocolate hills.

By Jeremaiah Opiniano

CEBU CITY – MIGRANT Filipinos continue to burn the passion of city sisterhood through a fire truck, which is expected to arrive here after a 15,000-kilometer journey.

For 47 days in mid-June 2010, a fire truck route from the northern Dutch municipality of Haarlemmermeer (pronounced “jar-le-mer-mir”) celebrates a goodwill gesture brokered by migrant Filipinos since 1990.

By Jeremaiah Opiniano

MANILA — CANADA or bust, majority of expatriates surveyed in 26 countries revealed.

An international bank’s survey of 26 countries showed that Canada is the best place for expatriates to settle in.