Investments

People who like to blast multinationals might want to take stock of their daily lives. Did you brush your teeth this morning? Colgate produced the first toothpaste in a tube. Did you (men only) shave? Gillette invented the safety razor. Did you get to work with reasonable facility? Benz invented the modern automobile.

The problem with our leaders and legislators is their simplistic, politically motivated way of doing things. That’s why we have failed to keep up with the pace of economic advancement of our neighbors in South East Asia. Take the matter of investment perks, for instance. ASEAN countries offer roughly the same types of incentives to…

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign direct investments (FDIs) continued to post net inflows in May, amounting to $379 million or more than seven times higher than the year-ago level of $50 million, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said yesterday.

P4 billion FDI commitments lowest since 1996; actual inflows lower at P2 billion MANILA – The government has approved only P4 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) pledges for the first 3 months of 2009, the lowest since the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) started compiling data for committed FDIs in the first quarter of…

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Information and Communications Technology is urging the development of more Philippine Economic Zone Authority-accredited sites, as this is the most feasible way to extend incentives to potential ICT investors.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Finance (DOF) has thumbed down the proposal to convert the Bataan Economic Zone (BEZ) into a special economic and freeport zone, saying the move is no longer necessary.

Investors to the country are expected to flood in now with the recent release of the guidelines for the awarding of the renewable energy (RE) contracts.

MANILA, Philippines—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to loosen its policy on jet-setting Chinese tourists and allow them to enter the country without visas and remain for seven days.

MANILA – Investments committed with the Board of Investments (BOI) and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) plunged by 71.6% in the first half of the year due to the global economic slump.

INVESTMENT pledges made before the Philippines’ two main incentive-giving agencies doubled in the first six months of the year, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The total costs of new business projects fell 72 percent in the first half to P79.67 billion from P280.81 billion registered last year.

MANILA, Philippines – Emerging markets, including the Philippines, may expect a larger piece of the foreign investment pie as soon as investors get over their aversion to risks, spurred by an improvement in the global economic climate, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

MANILA, Philippines – The Clark Freeport zone is proof that President Arroyo made good her promises during her State of the Nation Address (SONA) last year, Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President Benigno N. Ricafort said.

When long-time Clark Development Corp. director Benigno N. Ricafort assumed on Aug. 1 last year the position of CDC president and chief executive officer, the cloud of the global financial crisis was there hanging over his head.

MANILA, Philippines – Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto said the government’s successful global bond offer last week reflected strong investor confidence in the Philippines.

The Finance Department has strongly opposed the establishment of more special economic zones in different parts of the country, saying they could worsen the government’s deteriorating fiscal condition.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Finance (DOF) is opposing the creation of more economic zones, saying that tax incentives given to businesses registered in these areas are too generous and would severely affect government revenues.

MANILA, Philippines – The local stock market has bucked the worldwide economic crisis as foreign funds, impressed by the the Philippine economy’s resiliency, have started to trickle back with net foreign buying hitting P7.6 billion in the first half this year, a reversal of the P18.82 billion in net foreign selling during the same period…

MANILA, Philippines—Local business leaders and foreign chamber heads are pushing for the prioritization of 12 pieces of legislation when Congress reconvenes for its third session next month.

MANILA, Philippines – Net foreign direct investments surged to $601 million in April, propelled by the infusion made by Japan’s Kirin Holdings into San Miguel Brewery.

MANILA, Philippines – A lawmaker stressed yesterday the need for Congress to approve the Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) measure, saying that this would unify different laws and regulations on unit investments trust funds and investment companies.

The government will likely splurge on tax breaks to projects that would be listed under the proposed Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) of the newly signed Republic Act 9593 also known as the National Tourism Policy Act of 2009.

New investments in tourism-related projects will likely enjoy more incentives from the proposed Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.

A congressional think tank has cautioned lawmakers against crafting a “one-size-fits-all” policy on land ownership by foreign investors.

MANILA, Philippines – With congressmen preoccupied with Charter change, local and foreign business groups urged lawmakers yesterday to give priority to 12 pieces of legislation, including those that will lower power costs and provide broad access to public records.

MANILA, Philippines – Portfolio investments made a significant turnaround in May, with over $498 million worth of funds coming into the country compared with the $276-million net outflow in April.

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows amounted to $27 million in March, a 118-percent decline compared with inflows amounting to $149 million in the same month last year.

The country continued to suffer from an outflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in March, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Wednesday.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is not attracting as much foreign investments because laws in the country make it difficult for companies to infuse capital, the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) said yesterday.

The Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) on Monday ticked off supposed failings of the Philippine economy that would make it difficult for the country to recover and grow when the global crisis blew over.