Monthly Archives: August 2018

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by Ian Nicolas Cigaral (philstar.com) – Aug 31, 2018 MANILA, Philippines — The country’s socioeconomic planners have proposed a phased shift to a federal form of government that will span 15 years to avoid disruptions to the economy’s growth momentum.

by Ripples, Aug 31, 2018 MANILA – A member of the Consultative Committee (ConCom) that drafted the proposed Federal Constitution said Friday the shift to a federal system of government will only cost about PHP13.29 billion.

By Samuel P. Medenilla, Businessmirror – Aug 31, 2018 Government economic managers have officially thumbed down a proposal raised by the Department of Labor Employment (DOLE) to grant financial subsidy to minimum-wage earners.

by Matt Flynn, Aug 31, 2018 People are generally living longer than previous generations across most parts of the world. Rising life expectancy is a result of advances in medicine as well as improving living standards and healthier lifestyles. But while this should be celebrated for social reasons, is it beneficial in economic terms? Does…

‘The tax reform measures being put forth will reverse the progress…attained thus far,’ says the Philippine Ecozones Association by Ralf Rivas, Aug 30, 2018 MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Ecozones Association (Philea) warned that the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities (Trabaho) bill would have a negative impact on foreign direct investments in…

by Bilyonaryo, Aug 30, 2018 The country will lose its luster as an investment destination if the tax perks are removed. The government should say goodbye to foreign investments if it is so bent on passing package two of the tax reform program, the Philippine Ecozones Association (PHILEA) said.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III says the budget department turned down their proposal to hire more labor inspectors by Aika Rey, Aug 30, 2018 MANILA, Philippines – Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Thursday, August 30 appealed to lawmakers to increase their budget allocation to hire more labor inspectors across the country.

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by ABS-CBN News, Aug 30, 2018 MANILA — A federal Philippines will need an additional P240 billion annually to operate the new form of government and could double the size of the budget deficit compared to the economy, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said Thursday.

By: Roy Stephen C. Canivel, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Aug 30, 2018 Japanese firms say the transition period towards rationalized tax incentives is too short, which will leave them struggling under a business climate seen as “one of the worst in Asia Pacific.”

By: Cathy Babao Philippine Daily Inquirer, Aug 29, 2018 There are years, and there are milestone years. June 3 marked 20 years since my son Migi died. Twenty years. The realization blew me away. There was both gratefulness at having come this far, and a tinge of sadness in realizing that it has been that…

By: Roy Stephen C. Canivel, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Aug 29, 2018 More than half of American companies in the country warned they would not expand their operations if the government would insist on the scheduled transition to a new tax regime under the second package of the tax reform program.

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By Cecilio Arillo, Businessmirror, Aug 29, 2018 Part Four The legitimacy of the Aquino administration THE lack of legitimacy haunts the Aquino administration from the day it unnecessarily usurped power from a duly elected president. According to a young and prominent lawyer from Batangas province who was murdered in front of the Manila Hilton sometime…

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by Louella Desiderio (The Philippine Star) – Aug 28, 2018 MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) remains optimistic that investments registered with the agency would grow this year, although at a slower pace than the 8.89 percent posted last year, due to uncertainties on the proposed tax reform program to rationalize incentives…

Despite California’s reputation as being a tech innovator and economic engine for the nation, nearly half of those working in the gig economy are barely getting by, according to a new survey. Nearly one-third of all Californians are struggling with poverty, says the survey by Public Religion Research Institute, a nonpartisan, independent research organization.

By Samuel P. Medenilla, Businessmirror – Aug 28, 2018 When it comes to doing business, companies still prefer to keep their operations labor-intensive. At least for now. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it has yet to observe any game-changing shift in the local industries toward the so-called fourth industrial revolution with the…

by Natasha Bach, Aug 28, 2018 Plastic straws are the target du jour of corporations, retailers, and even states and cities. Everyone from Marriott and Hyatt to Starbucks and McDonald’s are implementing their own plastic straw bans.

By: Doris Dumlao-Abadilla – Reporter / @philbizwatcher Philippine Daily Inquirer, Aug 28, 2018 Despite some short-term concerns on inflation, the Philippines is still Southeast Asia’s outperformer and the recent stock market pullback has only opened fresh investment opportunities, Manulife’s top Asia fund manager said.

Inquirer Mindanao, Aug 27, 2018 DAPITAN CITY – Twenty-three individuals, believed to be victims of illegal recruitment, were rescued in Bakkungan island of Tawi-Tawi on August 20 while on board motor vessel Fatima Raiza.

by Trishia Billones, ABS-CBN News, Aug 27, 2018 MANILA – Filipino construction workers in New Zealand receive relatively low salaries and face uncertain working hours, inadequate living conditions and expensive of the immigration process, a research found.

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By Cecilio Arillo, Businessmirror, Aug 27, 2018 Part Three Corruption abounds in the Aquino government WHILE the insurgency situation worsened in 1988, “corruption abounds” in the Aquino government. Joaquin “Chino” Roces, publisher and one of the owners of The Manila Times, in the course of receiving an honor award from Mrs. Aquino, said:

by Elizabeth Marcelo (The Philippine Star), Aug 26, 2018 MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has directed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to remit to the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) a total of P392.107 million in unused fund intended for an assistance program for teachers and other school personnel displaced by…

by Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan, BusinessWorld, Aug 24, 2018 GDP growth to miss goal, but not ‘bad’ MERCHANDISE exports and manufacturing will weigh on growth, though investments will provide the lift, according to top economists of the Ateneo de Manila University.

SRI WENING HANDAYANI | AUG 24, 2018 Anyone who studies welfare systems, particularly on providing social protection or social security for every citizen, usually goes back to the argument between the approaches defended by 19th century German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck and UK progressive economist Lord William Beveridge.

By: Karl R. Ocampo – @inquirerdotnet Philippine Daily Inquirer, Aug 24, 2018 Rice prices rose to all-time highs four months after the rice stocks of the National Food Authority (NFA) ran out. Last year, consumers could buy regular-milled rice at an average of P37.89 a kilogram and well-milled rice at P41.93 a kilo.

by Maricel Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta, Rio N. Araja, Aug 24, 2018 A pro-administration lawmaker on Thursday supported the call to purge the list of beneficiaries for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the government’s platform for doles to poor families.