THE SENATE approved on third and final reading on Monday a measure seeking to make the sugarcane industry more competitive by consolidating small farms and reiterating the exemption of refined sugar for export from value-added tax (VAT).
Oct 272014
Oct 272014
ONCE the tax assessment is rendered final and the collection stage begins, taxpayers have an option to file for a compromise settlement to pay for a reduced amount, in meritorious cases. Revenue Regulations No. (RR) 30-2002, as amended, provides for specific grounds when a taxpayer can request for compromise settlement: (1) when there is doubtful validity in the tax assessment or (2) when there is financial incapacity on the part of the taxpayer. In either case, the taxpayer has the burden of proof and is obligated to pay the amount of the compromise offer — which ranges from 10% to 40% of the basic deficiency taxes — before filing the application for settlement. Otherwise, the application will not move forward.
Oct 262014
MANILA, Philippines — Cameraphone users who are interested in keeping up with the latest news now have the chance to earn money and be a part of the news gathering process with a revolutionary app that is shaping up to be a trailblazer in user-generated content production. Philstar.com and The Philippine Star take photo crowdsourcing in the Philippines to a whole new level as they team with Finland-based P2S Media Group, Inc. in bringing Scoopshot, a smartphone application that allows citizens to contribute photos and videos from the day’s hot news events. Scoopshot provides news agencies like Philstar access to hundreds and thousands of crowdsourced photos and videos from around the world. Photos deemed fit for a news article can be used by buying it from the contributor. Through this setup, Scoopshot users can sell their photos to news agencies and at the same time get recognized for their contribution. The app is available in the App Store and Play Store, and once installed, it allows users to shoot and sell their photos and videos for publication. Likewise, new agencies can also set up a task to call for various submissions, where chosen entries get monetary compensation. Currently, the app is being used in 170 countries and about 60 publications worldwide use the service. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “We are shaping user-generated content in the Philippines as our readers will soon join others from around the world in this endeavor. User-generated content will have a Read More …
Oct 262014
THE DEPARTMENT of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) is targeting to complete over P258-billion worth of infrastructure projects by 2019, in line with the target timeline for the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) P2.61-trillion Road map for Transport Infrastructure Development for Metro Manila and Its Surrounding Areas, known simply as the “Dream Plan”.
Oct 262014
TWO BILLS seeking to impose a logging ban in areas in Mindanao have been approved on third and final reading at the House of Representatives.
Oct 262014
(First of two parts) COMPANIES engaged in agricultural activities, which is the biological transformation and harvest of crops such as banana, pineapple, sugar, coffee, palm oil and rubber, incur costs of planting (including seedlings), fertilizers and or plant/fruit care prior to commercial harvest. The aggregate of these costs is what is commonly called the costs of bearer plants. These costs are often significant since a farm may cover hundreds, if not thousands, of hectares of land. Given our rapidly growing population, there is constant pressure on agricultural companies to expand operations to meet demand — which in turn means commensurate increases in the cost of bearer plants. These costs can also be substantial when farms are damaged by typhoons or crop diseases, which in some cases require rehabilitation and even replanting.
Oct 262014
MANILA, Philippines – In an effort to help strengthen orthopedic care for Filipinos, Royal Philips has today announced that it has partnered with World Citi Inc. to jointly innovate healthcare at one of the Philippines’ most distinguished medical centers, Philippine Orthopedic Center. This project aims to help the government provide better healthcare services to the public and provide access to more modern hospital facilities. There are a number of conditions and ailments treated through orthopedic procedures and some of these are due to traumatic injuries while others are a result of infections leading to strained muscles or degenerative diseases that can affect the musculoskeletal system and patients can significantly benefit from orthopedic procedures. The joint project that Philippine Orthopedic Center will receive is the first healthcare Public Private Partnership (PPP) awarded by the government that will help transform the nation’s primary center for musculoskeletal diseases through the new site in the Healthcare Triangle of Metro Manila. “The Philippine Orthopedic Center has been serving Filipinos with quality orthopedic care for over 60 years,” said Fabia Tetteroo-Bueno, country manager of Philips Philippines. “We are honored to complement their steadfast dedication with advanced facilities to provide comfort to their patients for decades to come. This further exemplifies Philips’ commitment to help bring meaningful innovations to the lives of Filipinos.” In 2013 alone, the Philippine Orthopedic Center serviced over 100,000 cases through medical treatment and consultation services (operating room, out-patient department, emergency room, and wards). The center is highly regarded as a training ground Read More …
Oct 262014
MANILA, Philippines – In line with its commitment to deliver topnotch service, the recently unified Nissan Philippines, Inc. (NPI) held its first Nissan Service Technician Excellence Competency Award (NISTEC) and Nissan Service Advisor Excellence Competency Award (NISAC) National Competition at the Nissan Training and Research Center in Santa Rosa, Laguna. After being recognized by JD Power Asia Pacific’s 2014 Philippine customer service index (CSI) study by garnering top marks in customer satisfaction with aftersales service among new vehicle owners, NPI continues to develop and carry out programs that increase the service reliability and competency of its aftersales workforce. “NISTEC-NISAC is a competition done globally in all countries where Nissan operates. It has been Nissan Motor Co. Limited’s program for more than 20 years,” said Antonio Zara, president and managing director of NPI. “Part of the JD Power criteria involves the competences of the service technicians and service advisors in achieving the over-all satisfaction of the customers. With this competition, we at NPI, aim to further improve the skills and capabilities of our service technicians and service advisors. We also want to encourage them to give the best kind of service our Nissan customers deserve,” he added. Nissan now has a total of 217 service technicians and 59 service advisors nationwide. Through a series of rigorous sets of examinations in the pre-qualifying round, 12 finalists emerged as the strong contenders for the final competition. The six service technician and six service advisor finalists were certified by Nissan Sales Technician Education Program Read More …
Oct 262014
MANILA, Philippines – British American Tobacco (Philippines) Limited has tapped Negrense Volunteers for Change Foundation Inc. as its partner in implementing more than P9 million worth of infrastructure and livelihood projects in Yolanda-struck areas. Barangays in Biliran, Eastern Samar, and Leyte will benefit from the partnership. Signing the memorandum of agreement are BATP general manager James Lafferty and NVC president Milagros Kilayko. Looking on from behind is NVC trustee Mariel Tolentino. The projects covered by the agreement are now underway. BATP also donated P1 million to ABS-CBN Foundation Sagip Kapamilya in January for its Yolanda-related efforts.
Oct 262014
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine real estate industry is expected to grow further next year as the looming Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) Economic Integration continue to attract foreign investors and with the region’s increasing role in global economy. According to Noel Cariño, president of Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Association, the country’s largest organization of key players in the domestic real estate industry, the Asean integration in 2015 will change the economic landscape of the whole region, particularly the real estate market. The elimination of tariffs on goods and services by a single Asean economy would drive consumer spending higher. “The demand for residential spaces adjacent to malls, retail complexes and other recreational spaces would go up and will likely increase the already healthy real estate market,” Cariño said. The influx of investment and elimination of trade barriers will allow each country in Asean to enjoy unimpeded and free flow of goods, services, labor and capital. The potential impact of the integration would require more commercial and residential infrastructure for highly urbanized cities within the region including key cities of the Philippines. “Residential, commercial and retail developers, which will be exposed to international market will expand their operations and acquire properties inside and outside the country. While foreign investors and corporate executives with local operations in the country will look for residential spaces for a place to stay,” Cariño added. CREBA however, reiterated the country must continue to pursue relevant market reforms in order to remain Read More …