Penny-pinching measures

Penny-pinching measures

MANILA (AFP): Philippine President Fidel Ramos yesterday ordered government agencies to implement various cost-cutting measures in a bid to cope with the regional economic crisis.

Among the measures are a suspension of perks and grants to government employees, a ban on publications and advertisements not required by law and a halt to charitable donations except to disaster victims.

A presidential palace statement said the measures were part of a government policy ordered earlier by Ramos which aims to cut expenses by up to 25 percent.

Government agencies were also required to submit reports every three months on the amount of money saved by such measures.