The Value-Added Tax (VAT) Refund Program for foreign tourists, which was recently approved by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., is a welcome development. The program, which is set for implementation in 2024, is among the proposals the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) presented to Marcos to...
Barangay health workers (BHWs) play a vital role in the country’s healthcare system. They act as community organizers, educators, and primary healthcare service providers in their community. Therefore, they are at the forefront of the delivery of healthcare services at the grassroots level. They...
Today, Jan. 25, 2023, is the 90th birth anniversary of Maria Corazon “Cory” Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino who served as the 11th President of the Republic of the Philippines from Feb. 25, 1986 to June 30, 1992. She opposed then President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. in a hotly contested snap election...
Today is Chinese New Year, also called Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival. It is the most important festival in China. Reports say tens of millions of people in China headed to their rural hometowns starting Friday to keep the tradition of celebrating the start of the new year with their...
What makes a healthy nation? It is not enough that citizens are able to consume three meals a day, but they also have access to meals that are nutritious, utilizing ingredients grown by local farmers and sold at fair prices. A healthy nation is also one that is able to achieve nutrition security...
With the skyrocketing price of onions taking a toll on consumers, various government functionaries are dipping their hands into the crisis in a bid to address the problem. The Office of the Ombudsman recently announced it is investigating the issue, while the Senate recently conducted an inquiry...
In its latest biennial report in December 2022, the European Commission’s Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List identified the Baclaran, Cartimar, Divisoria and Greenhills markets in Metro Manila, Philippines as offering a wide range of counterfeit goods on retail and wholesale basis. This is the...
Smuggling is the illegal transport of goods by stealth, with the intention of avoiding government tax or regulations. An economy, especially one that is growing, must not tolerate any form of smuggling as it doesn’t only lead to loss of government revenue, but also creates economic instability,...
In a media briefing last week, Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara said that the Luzon grid could be distressed with 12 incidents of yellow alerts for eight months this year, a condition in the power system entailing insufficiency of power reserves. This forecast is...
The Libreng Sakay (free bus ride) program that started in late 2020 is an initiative that shows government is listening to the people. Recently, when news reports announced that the program would not be extended after it ended on Dec. 31, 2022, people – especially those who needed the free rides...
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) is the central personnel agency of the Philippine government responsible for the policies, plans and programs concerning all government employees, whether working in national or local governments. Its mission is to promote morale, efficiency, integrity,...
The year 2023 has been acknowledged by the International Monetary Fund as a year of global economic recession that would hit one-third of the world’s economy. The economic difficulties have been brought about by Russia’s war in Ukraine, causing oil prices to rise to historic levels, disrupting...
