Following reports of South Korea dropping government aid for a ₱28-billion infrastructure project in the Philippines, the Department of Finance (DOF) has denied that such a loan exists between the two governments. According to the DOF, the Rural Modular Bridge Project loan is instead being...
To combat what he calls “systemic weakness,” former Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima is urging the government to adopt bold financial reform agenda, including cash transaction limits and demonetization, to fight corruption at its source. In a recent social media post, Purisima, who served as...
With more than ₱50 billion in revenues being forgone due to the non-imposition of top-up taxes on large multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the Philippines, the Department of Finance (DOF) is eyeing to slap “very large” corporations with such a levy to contain the flight of potential tax...
Instead of exempting over 130 lines from the 12 percent value-added tax (VAT), Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto stated he would support the proposal to reduce the number of lines benefiting from exemption to narrow the fiscal deficit. “I’m one with you,” Recto told senators during the...
Revenue leakages from smuggling agricultural products are estimated at around ₱150 billion this year, according to the Department of Finance (DOF). “The estimate of the leakage for the year will roughly be ₱150 billion,” Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto told reporters on the sidelines of...
The Philippine economy could have grown by six percent if flood control projects had not been hijacked by corruption, resulting in a loss of as much as ₱119 billion in economic output, according to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s chief economic manager. While Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto...
Nearly two years after China withdrew its funding for the Mindanao Railway Project (MRP) due to territorial disputes, India has stepped forward to negotiate a deal with the Philippine government for the project’s implementation. “For the Mindanao Railway Project, discussions are ongoing for...
While final details of the general tax amnesty eyed for enactment this year are still being ironed out, the Department of Finance (DOF) disclosed that the measure will likely cover taxable years 2007 to 2024, resuming from the last time a similar law was implemented, which raked in billions of...
A military and uniformed personnel (MUP) reform has not made the cut for the priority legislation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s three remaining years, as enacting changes would entail higher costs. “I think the reform will be more costly at this point in time,” Finance Secretary Ralph...
While the previous administration warned that imposing a “wealth tax” on the rich could trigger capital flight and tax avoidance, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto—the chief economic manager of the Marcos Jr. administration—said he would support Congress if it proposes such a measure. “Let...
With the online gambling sector turning into a declining industry, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto assured that alternative revenue sources will be “very much welcome” to offset potential losses from stricter regulations or a possible gaming ban. “Any additional revenue stream for the...
Tax measures enacted during the Marcos Jr. administration are expected to raise a net amount of ₱27.8 billion in 2026, more than seven times the projected collections of only ₱3.8 billion in 2025. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the main tax agency, is projected to collect ₱21.4 billion...
