The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is pushing for reforms to strengthen the Philippine corporate bond market and broaden capital market access for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with strategic engagement from the World Bank Group (WBG) and its private-sector lending arm,...
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued for public comment its draft amendments to the rules governing real estate investment trusts (REITs), expanding the list of allowable assets and relaxing limitations on public ownership and the reinvestment period. The Commission released the...
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan revealed on Monday, November 17 plans to propose a measure that would create a congressional commission to review and address the gaps in the Philippines’ justice system. Pangilinan said this is to address the low conviction rate of criminal cases in the...
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is moving to establish a witness protection program for individuals who report illegal activities like investment scams, predatory lending, money laundering, terrorist financing, market abuse, and disclosure violations. On Nov. 12, the SEC issued for...
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has ordered all distribution utilities (DUs) to suspend power line disconnections until the end of the year, following the devastation wrought by Typhoons “Tino” and “Uwan.” In an advisory, the ERC stated that residential and non-residential customers...
Double-digit growth in both life and non-life premiums fueled the insurance industry’s expansion as of end-September, driven by Filipinos’ rising awareness and demand for financial protection. Data from the Insurance Commission (IC) showed that total premiums for the insurance...
Under the law, all contributions in connection with the elections should be reported. Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said this on Monday, Nov. 10, amid Senator Rodante Marcoleta 's statement that he withheld details about campaign donations in his Statement of...
One of the most prominent voices in the private sector has expressed willingness to provide funding support for the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) in its ongoing investigation into the flood control scandal as calls for accountability and justice ramp up. Al Panlilio, president of...
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has formed a technical working group with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) to speed up the drafting of new policies that will help in developing the capital market, such as the expansion of the minimum public ownership rule for listed companies. In an...
Electricity consumers may see another round of power-bill increases as the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) announced the resumption of the Universal Charge-Environmental Charge (UC-EC) collection. In an advisory Friday, Nov. 7, the ERC reinstated the ₱0.0025 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) UC-EC, five...
All government agencies and the citizenry were encouraged by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) to conduct educational activities for the historic observance of Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Day on Nov. 7. In a statement, the NCMF urged the nation to celebrate Muslim heritage during the...
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is moving to create a uniform national lifeline subsidy rate (UNLSR) that would fund 100 percent electricity bill discounts for low-income households. In a statement on Wednesday, Nov. 5, the agency announced that it is seeking to establish a national lifeline...
