Maniolas

Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said most of the group’s members are linked within the tourism supply chain such as in food, furniture, logistics and giftwares, thus reforms in the tourism and hospitality sectors are also critical for local exporters. MANILA, Philippines – Local exporters are pushing for policy and economic reforms to boost the country’s tourism and hospitality sectors which they claim remain lagging behind in the region. Among the reforms being proposed by the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) include market access and connectivity improvement through upgrading of the international and domestic airports and seaports, as well as reduction of foreign carrier operations cost and elimination of the common carriers and tax on gross Philippine billings. Other reforms seen by the group as imperative for bolstering industry growth include improving sea and road transportation services on safety and reliability, as  well as development of competitive destinations, products and services. Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said most of the group’s members are linked within the tourism supply chain such as in food, furniture, logistics and giftwares, thus reforms in the tourism and hospitality sectors are also critical for local exporters. Ortiz-Luis stressed the vital contribution of the tourism sector to the country, with 34.8 percent of total employment or about five million Filipinos engaged in the food, beverage and accommodation sectors. He said the number is still outside the passenger transport sector which has recorded an even bigger employment share of 36 percent. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: Read More …

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Baguio Rep. Marques Go has filed a bill expanding the travel tax exemption to include students and the country’s representatives to beauty pageants, sports tournaments and academic conferences. “Filipino athletes, students and beauty pageant representatives bring pride to our country. Exemption from paying the travel tax is a small way of showing support to those who seek to bring home awards and recognition for the Philippines,” Go said in House Bill 3557. The neophyte congressman also asserted expanding the list of exemptions from the payment of the travel tax will not adversely affect the country’s travel tax collections which reached P3.852 billion in 2014. “As such, we have a big collection of travel tax for the past few years and these are divided between the TIEZA, National Parks Development Committee, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and CHED. We can afford to expand the list of those exempted from paying travel tax, as long as they have certified documents to confirm their official participation in events abroad,” he added. The Philippines currently levies a travel tax of P2,700 for first class passengers, P1,620 for economy class passengers and reduced or privilege amounts depending on the classification. The current list of travel tax exemption includes 18 different classifications. HB 3557 seeks to add to the list four additional classifications for exemption. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “These amounts may be small for some but it is already a burden for those Read More …

Given the current toxic political situation, I think VP Leni Robredo should just focus on making a difference in the housing sector. That is after all, her formal assignment as a Cabinet member. Even if she is the highest elected official from the Liberal Party, she ought to put that hat aside to protect herself from being entangled in political plots, real or imagined. Taking a leave from the Liberal Party is a good idea, specially because she was elected despite her affiliation with that party. I worry about Leni, a political newbie who doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. I do not believe she is capable of conspiring to unseat the President as some people are claiming. She has too much integrity to do that. But it is so easy for her to be used by scheming politicians in a way that affects her credibility as our vice president. I can see and sense in her recent public statements how careful she is in expressing her views on current events outside of housing. So far so good, but it is so easy to slip, specially with the armies of vicious political trolls ready to twist her words. This is why it is wise for her to focus on her current housing assignment. There is so much to do anyway. We have a current backlog of about four million houses. The market grows by at least 330,000 a year, but only 183,000 units are made available, according to Read More …

Sep. 20 marks a very important date for the only wholly Filipino-owned cigarette manufacturing company as it celebrates its 71st anniversary. Mighty Corp. is a fully integrated tobacco company, with its factories located inside a nine-hectare property in Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines. It is engaged in both tobacco processing, which includes fermentation of tobaccos for the cigar-blended cigarillos, and cigarette manufacturing.  The company has two cigarette manufacturing plants and one tobacco processing plant. It also has a complete threshing and redrying plant, which supplies the necessary requirements for the cigarette manufacturing operations of the company. The two cigarette manufacturing facilities answer for the two major product lines of Mighty. Here is a description of Mighty’s operations as told by one of their most loyal employees: “The company boasts of a complete cigarette product line, the cigar blended cigarillos and the American blended cigarettes. The cigar blended cigarillos are a blend of dark air cured tobaccos. Its distinctive aroma and flavor has made the products of Mighty bywords in the Philippine cigarette market. “Mighty produces the well-known products of La Campana Fabrica De Tabacos and Alhambra Industries. The two product lines of these two companies have a combined history of over a century, dating back to the Spanish colonial period. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “These cigarillos are known as Cortos and Regaliz Largos. The flavors of these cigarettes are a combined distinct Cigar Aroma and the smoothness of fully aged and fermented tobaccos. They are wrapped in Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – Real estate developers and telecommunications companies have pledged their support for the development of the country’s information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector which will soon embark on a new six-year growth path. The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) said the country’s biggest property and telecommunications players  vowed to put up better quality buildings and infrastructure in their bid to create an ecosystem that will sustain more inclusive growth for the IT-BPM sector. These firms include Ayala Land, Double Dragon Properties, Federal Land, Filinvest, Globe Telecom, Leechiu Property Consultants, Megaworld, PLDT, Profriends, Robinsons Land, and SM Prime Holdings, the IBPAP said. “All these years, our roadmap partners have been our strong allies in building the industry through connectivity and building robust, world class 24/7 communities that IT-BPM companies need. They continue to play a crucial role as the 1.2 million strong industry charts its course over the next six years,” said Benedict Hernandez, IBPAP’s executive committee chairman. Hernandez said the property and telecommunications giants maintained their commitment to further support the growth of the sector by continuously aligning with IT-BPM companies’ needs and ICT demands as they continue to expand into areas outside Metro Manila, transforming previously untapped and undeveloped localities into bustling IT-BPM hubs. “Our collaboration and partnership will remain key to realizing the new roadmap ambitions, especially as we focus even more on countryside development,” he said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 IBPAP and research Read More …