Before allowing vaccinated individuals to avail of dine-in and personal care service in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), a certain target in vaccination must be reached first, according to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos. MMDA...
The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) is calling for startup applications to a recently launched incubation program seen to help increase the transfer of patented technologies to benefit local startups. Called the IPHatch Competition, the program is held by Singapore-based...
Investments to Philippine startups reached $547 million as of 2020, including $50 million poured into local startups, according to Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez. In a keynote speech at the virtual Manufacturing Summit 2021, Lopez revealed that $547 million have been invested to...
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Sunday, August 22 appealed to fellow lawmakers to maintain objectivity as they seek the truth about the government’s COVID-19 response, saying they should not pass judgment too early without knowing all the facts. Go, who chairs the Senate health committee...
Global merchandise trade hits record high, confirming the strength of trade recovery from the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, although the new waves of infection could easily undermine recovery, according to the latest World Trade Organization's (WTO) latest Global Trade Barometer. WTO The Goods...
If he would have his way, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III would not extend the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) beyond Aug. 20. (File photo/ Screengrab from Zoom meeting) "Frankly my personal position would be to give a break to our workers. Kung ituloy...
Instead of an extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said he would rather have a deescalation of the restriction to a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) with granular lockdowns. DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez...
The domestic plastics industry has been alarmed by the passage in the Lower House of HB 9147 (Single-Use Plastic Products or SUPs Regulation Act) and HB 9171 (Plastic Tax Act), imposing P20 per kg. excise tax on plastic bag products, which seek to curb the plastic waste problem. Photo credit:...
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez has signed an order to stop the imposition of safeguard duty on imported completely built up (CBU) passenger cars and imported CBU light commercial vehicles (LCVs). Lopez signed the order last Friday, August 6, dismissing the case filed by the...
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez has assured the public that there is more than enough supply of medical oxygen (O2) to quell panic, even raising the potential of allowing more importation and a stern warning against hoarding. “Current industry capacity is about 3 times more than...
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez has urged Congress to pass the 3 pending economic reform bills in this third quarter or before the filing of candidacy for the national elections in October to sustain growth in foreign direct investments (FDI) and drive economic recovery post COVID....
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez will push for the passage of three bills pending in Congress to institutionalize support and sustain the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during the remaining 11 months of the Duterte administration. In an opening speech at the...
