A total 108 delegates from wholesale travel agents from all over the world are coming to the Philippines for the upcoming 10th Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex 2010) to forge deals with the different sectors of the local tourism industry.
Tourism Secretary Alberto A. Lim said that the delegates who will be coming in are large representations [...]

The United States government announced the increase in its law enforcement aid to the Philippines. From nearly P495 million in 2010, the country will be getting close to P630 million in 2011, according to the US Embassy in Manila. This support will come in the form of “technical assistance, training, facilities, and supply of equipment.”

The Philippine Development Foundation-USA (PDF), newly formed US-based Filipino development group is pushing for Philippine government to grant incentives for the creation of technology business incubators and business parks in order to nurture start-up investments in commercially-viable research and development fields in drug-making, food production and software.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced that it will finally implement its plan that took four years in inception, of a paperless business registration system.  Program manager of DTI’s Philippine Business Registry (PBR), Whilner Morales, said the paperless business registration system would be implemented both in the local and national levels. “Anybody can [...]

It’s called BOSS, short for business one-stop shop, an initiative by the Quezon City Government that aims to lessen the burden of businessmen when securing business permit. Launched last Friday, officer-in-charge for the Business Permit and Licensing Office Pacifico F. Maghacot, Jr. said they are expecting to have at least 12,000 new businesses within the [...]

Investment banker Philip Sevilla has been appointed by President Aquino as Finance undersecretary for Privatization and the Corporate Affairs Group, as confirmed by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima recently. Sevilla will be taking over the portfolio which was previously handled by Crisanta Legaspi. He will be handling the difficult task of helping raise revenues for the [...]

The country’s power sector, including renewable energy projects, is likely to get a big boos from the World Bank (WB). WB’s private sector arm, the International Finance Corp. (IFC), is looking at pouring in more than $300 million in investment to the said industry in the Philippines.
IFC resident representatives to the Philippines, Jesse Ang, said [...]

Texas Instruments (TI), one of the world’s leader in the semiconductor industry, has been doing business in the Philippines for more than 30 years, and the company plans to stay longer in the country. In fact, TI has earmarked $1 billion in new investments for its planned expansion of its operation in the country for [...]

The senior citizens in the country will enjoy additional discounts starting on July 6, 2010. That is because the Department of Social Works and Development (DSWD) has signed the implementing rules on the law granting senior citizens exemption from the value-added tax (VAT).
The guideline signed by the DSWD is the implementing rules and regulations of [...]

The Naga power plant in complex Cebu. The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) opened the bidding process for the independent power producer administrator (IPPA) contract to manage the output of the said power facility.
The state-run agency said it already issued the invitation to bid (ITB) to parties who might be interested to [...]

Another company is the subject of the charges filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue for tax evasion. This time, the BIR filed a criminal case against Nanox Philippines, Inc., a Japanese company that manufactures liquid crystal display (LCD) screens, for its failure to pay its taxes worth over P200 million.
BIR Deputy Commissioner for Legal [...]

To help educate the consumers, a program called Integrated Consumer Education Program will be launched by the Department of Trade and Industry on May 31. The program aims to increase public awareness on the need to be properly informed of their rights and for them to be involved as consumers.
The Integrated Consumer Education is a [...]

Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is insistent about staying in his Time Street residence and not reside in Malacañang palace, once he is finally proclaimed as the country’s next president. This in spite of his neighbors’ and close-in security’s fears of added security risks, and of course, the additional traffic and noise that his continued [...]

A new president and vice president will be proclaimed by June 15. This is the promise of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile despite the questions constantly being raised by some their colleagues. The Joint Canvassing Committee of Congress (JCCC) was said to be working double time to answer the questions raised by lawmakers on alleged [...]

A lower fees in their remittances will be enjoyed by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their beneficiaries starting on the third quarter of the year. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), this will materialize once the the Philippine Payments and Settlements System (Philpass) Remit System becomes fully operational.
Remittances sent through the Philpass Remit [...]

Starting on the 1st of June, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will be pushing through with the implementation of value-added tax (VAT) on toll fees, in spite of the opposition of various sectors. This could mean higher toll rates once the VAT is imposed.
BIR Commissioner Joel Tan-Torres, who is adamant on the imposition of [...]

A new ruling on the issuance of gift certificates (GCs) might be issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) soon. If the DTI will have its way, it wants GCs to have no expiration dates. It is expected to come out with the decision on the matter next month.
The issuers of gift certificates [...]

The plan of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) of naming the top taxpayers in the country makes foreign business leaders worried that it could threaten people’s safety and privacy. The Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) is urging the BIR to nix the said plan.
JFC said that publishing the names of the top taxpayers may also [...]

Starting next week, the National Statistics Office (NSO) will again be going house to house conducting the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH). The census will run from May 17 to June 14. The move is in pursuant to Batas Pambansa Bilang 72, which provided NSO the authority to undertake an integrated census every [...]

The Commission of Elections (Comelec) proclaimed yesterday, May 15, 2010, the top nine senators in the ongoing canvassing of votes.  Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said they decided to proclaim the nine senators because a continuation of the canvass would no longer affect their standing. “Even if we canvass the uncanvassed Certificate of Canvass (COCs), it [...]