AVANT GARDENER Last week, I wrote about Republic Act (RA) 12215, also known as the Philippine Agriculturists Act, which, in very simple terms, requires anyone engaged in agriculture to be a licensed agriculturist, and what that could mean for the industry. I also interviewed Samantha Geraldine De...
Business groups expect the full implementation of the law suspending or reducing excise taxes on petroleum products to cushion the impact of rising prices on the operations of businesses across the country. In a statement, the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) said it welcomes...
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is cutting down its international and domestic connectivity from regional airports as it looks to optimize services to minimize the impact of the Middle East conflict on its operations. In an advisory on Thursday, March 26, PAL said it is implementing...
Benchmark stock index retreated on Thursday, March 26, slipping back below the 6,000 level as investors locked in gains from a two-day rally amid heightening geopolitical friction in the Middle East and domestic inflation concerns. The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) fell 59.97 points, or...
The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) has expressed support for the government’s move to revive joint oil and gas exploration talks with China, citing the need for energy security amid global volatility. “FFCCCII welcomes the pronouncement of...
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian urged government agencies on Thursday, March 26, to act swiftly to secure additional petroleum supplies amid growing uncertainty in the global market. Gatchalian said this during the second organizational meeting, specifically calling on the Department of Energy (DOE)...
Philippine security officials reaffirmed Manila’s commitment to uphold the 2016 arbitral ruling in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) against China and strengthen defense partnerships with allies, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said. AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the...
State-run policy think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said persistent gaps in old-age income security could weigh on the Philippines’ long-term growth prospects, as limited pension coverage and high labor informality leave a large segment of the elderly financially...
It comes as a bit of a surprise that Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba—China’s largest private company—names Southeast Asia, rather than China, as the world’s next global economic juggernaut. Ma recently returned to Alibaba following years of Chinese government crackdowns on major tech firms that...
President Marcos has cited the futility of spending the country 's foreign reserves to defend the Philippine peso, which recently further weakened, hitting a new record low of P60.30 against the US dollar. In an interview with Bloomberg, Marcos stressed that the dollar 's movement is...
Local stocks surged back above the 6,000 threshold on Wednesday, March 25, as investor sentiment shifted toward optimism following reports that the United States (US) has entered formal negotiations with Iran. The prospect of a diplomatic resolution to Middle East tensions sparked a broad-based...
Alert Philippine Navy (PN) personnel rescued nine individuals, including two children, after a motorized banca capsized off the Mactan-Cebu Channel on Tuesday, March 24. The boat was sailing approximately 20 yards from Captain Veloso Pier, Naval Base Rafael Ramos in Lapu-Lapu City when it...