Farmers press gov’t on need for border inspection facilities 

THE farm industry said the need for first border inspection facilities at ports remains urgent to deter smuggling or dangerous produce. Gregorio A. San Diego, Jr., chairman of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) and the Philippine Egg Board Association, said cold examination facilities for agriculture (CEFA) are “very long delayed.” “What is happening (under […]

AppleOne aims to start construction of Panglao hotel by next year

CEBU-BASED property developer AppleOne Properties, Inc. on Tuesday said that its new five-star hotel development in Panglao, Bohol is expected to begin construction by next year. The JW Marriott Panglao Island Resort & Spa is currently in the early stages of planning and development. The company announced earlier that it had signed another deal with […]

Ascott to open new Makati property in September

THE ASCOTT Limited Philippines is set to open a new property in Makati City in September, it said on Tuesday, as it continues to grow its portfolio in the country. “We are thrilled to open the new Citadines Benavides Makati as part of our continued commitment to providing world-class accommodations and services to our guests,”  […]

Gov’t fully awards new T-bonds

THE GOVERNMENT fully awarded the fresh 15-year Treasury bonds (T-bonds) it auctioned off on Tuesday at a coupon rate higher than secondary market levels due to expectations of further monetary tightening by the US Federal Reserve. The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) made a full P30-billion award of the new 15-year bonds it offered on […]

Arts&Culture (07/12/23)

1 of 5 GINTONG ANI by Krister Isip Masipag Art Group pays tribute to working-class heroes In an age of pop cultural superheroes, multiverses and galaxies far, far away, a group of artists decided to give props to the real heroes among us: the laborers who put entire industries upon their backs. “(Our exhibit titled)  […]

Peso drops further vs dollar on US jobs report

THE PESO weakened further against the dollar on Monday amid recession fears due to softer US labor data. The local currency closed at P55.69 versus the dollar on Monday, dropping by seven centavos from Friday’s P55.62 finish, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines’ website showed. The local unit opened Monday’s session at P55.55 […]

PSEi inches up as investors await US CPI report

THE MAIN INDEX inched higher on Monday in thin trade as investors awaited the release of June US consumer inflation data, which could affect the US Federal Reserve’s policy decision this month, and due to deflation risks in China. The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) inched up by 0.69 points or 0.01% to 6,379.72 on […]

Maynilad customers warned of ‘indefinite’ water interruptions

MORE than half a million customers of Maynilad Water Services, Inc. will experience daily water interruptions indefinitely as water levels at Angat Dam, Metro Manila’s main water source, continue to decline. Maynilad, which services the capital’s west zone, will subject users to nine hours of water interruptions daily starting on Wednesday until further notice. The […]

Europe roadshow yields P73B in ‘investment leads’

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is counting on potential investments of more than P73 billion after the conclusion of its investment roadshow to Europe last week. Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual said in a statement on Monday that the valuation of the roadshow results is based on 16 potential projects that are considered […]

PPPs proposed for education due to K-to-12 shortcomings

THE Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) proposed public-private partnerships (PPPs) to address the “education crisis,” citing the unfulfilled potential of the K-to-12 program. MAP President Benedicta Du-Baladad said in a statement on Monday that PPPs should be configured to ensure that students have adequate skills when they enter the workforce. “As the biggest ‘consumers’ […]

Former NEDA chief calls peso ‘overvalued’

THE PESO has been “overvalued” far too long, putting the Philippines at a disadvantage relative to Indonesia, whose exports have become more competitive as a result, a former chief economic planner said. Former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Cielito F. Habito, speaking at a briefing at the University of the Philippines School of […]

The warrant of distraint and/or levy

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) audits are ordeals for taxpayers, from the moment the Letter of Authority (LoA) is received, to the back and forth involving the submission of documents and the presentation of reconciliations, up to the final settlement of the issues. The best-case scenario is that the case is closed at the earliest […]

Lawmaker seeks probe of ‘covert’ US military flights in Philippine airspace

A PARTY-LIST congresswoman on Monday sought an investigation of “covert” flights involving American military aircraft in Philippine airspace, which she said was “deeply troubling.” “It is clear that the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and visiting forces agreement (VFA) have turned the entire Philippines into a de facto US military base, compromising our national sovereignty,” […]

France worried about latest South China Sea incident

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter FRANCE on Monday expressed concern over China’s blockade of a Philippine resupply mission in the South China Sea on June 30, as it reiterated support for a 2016 arbitral ruling on the sea dispute in Manila’s favor. In a statement, the French Embassy in Manila said it is opposed […]

DoJ blames PNP for bungling POGO raid in Las Piñas City

THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DoJ) on Monday blamed police for failing to coordinate its raid of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) facility in Las Piñas City suspected of human trafficking, which eventually netted zero arrest. The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group raided the POGO on June 27 before building up the case, Justice Secretary […]

NGCP tax passthrough questioned

A SENATOR on Monday urged the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to stop the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) from passing on to consumers the 3% franchise tax it is supposed to pay the government.   “The ERC should stop the passthrough,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said in a statement. “Consumers should not be paying […]

Marcos told to tackle El Niño 

SENATOR Aquilino Martin “Koko” D. Pimentel III on Monday urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to discuss the water crisis and looming El Niño in his state of the nation address on July 24.  Past droughts and water crises had caused a significant toll on the economy, business, agriculture, power generation, public health and natural […]