XN000022-1981-11-14 — Page 4

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1981

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OFF TO WATER SUPPLY TALKS

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THE DIRECTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES, MR WILLIAM TUCKER, LEFT TODAY (SATURDAY) FOR MANILA TO ATTEND THE THIRD ASIA PACIFIC REGIONAL WATER SUPPLY CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION.

HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE GOVERNMENT WATER ENGINEER (SUPPLIES AND DISTRIBUTION), MR LAU JONG-MING.

THE FOUR-DAY CONFERENCE, WHICH WILL START ON MONDAY, IS BEING HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EAST ASIA REGIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL WATER SUPPLY ASSOCIATION AND IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS' DECADE OF WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION PROGRAMME (1981-1990). IT IS HOSTED BY THE PHILIPPINE WATERWORKS ASSOCIATION.

THE CONFERENCE WILL COMPRISE A NUMBER OF TECHNICAL PRESENTATIONS REGARDING ALL ASPECTS OF WATER SUPPLY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO EXPERIENCES IN PARTICULAR COUNTRIES.

SOME 500 WATERWORKS OFFICIALS FROM MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES, INCLUDING JAPAN, THAILAND, INDONESIA, KOREA, SINGAPORE, TAIWAN, BRUNEI, HONG KONG, MALAYSIA AND THE PHILIPPINES WILL ATTEND THE CONFERENCE.

ABOUT 400 MORE OFFICIALS ARE EXPECTED FROM NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AUSTRALIA, AFRICA AND OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES.

JOBS, PAYROLL AND ORDERS-ON-HAND FOR SEPTEMBER

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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY RELEASED STATISTICS FROM THE SURVEY OF EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL AND ORDERS-ON-HAND FOR SEPTEMBER 1981.

ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURERS SURVEYED, EMPLOYMENT DECREASED BUT PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED OVER THE MONTH WHEN COMPARED WITH AUGUST THIS YEAR. THIS OCCURRED NOTABLY IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS, TEXTILES, FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS, AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES.

HOWEVER, A SURVEY OF THE BANKING AND PUBLIC UTILITIES SECTORS SHOWED THAT PER CAPITA EARNINGS DECREASED IN SEPTEMBER COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH BECAUSE OF SALARIES ADJUSTMENTS AND THE AWARD OF BACK PAY IN CERTAIN COMPANIES DURING AUGUST.

THE VOLUME OF ORDERS HELD BY THE MANUFACTURERS SURVEYED IN SEPTEMBER WAS SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THAT IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH. THIS WAS DUE TO INCREASES MAINLY IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS, FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS AND WEARING APPAREL INDUSTRIES.

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