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 272014
No sunshine? No problem! With the heavy rains, Pinoys can get their healthy dose of the sunshine vitamin with Forti-D, which contains 800 IU of vitamin D3. MANILA, Philippines – With more typhoons expected to hit the country, Filipinos will have less sun exposure, which is not always a good thing, contrary to what most people think. The lack of sun exposure inhibits the body’s production of vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, which is vital to one’s overall health and well-being. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to a number of serious health conditions common among Pinoys such as bone degradation, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancer. Health experts even declared vitamin D deficiency as a silent epidemic that is now affecting three out of every five Filipinos. What makes vitamin D unique is the fact that it is the only vitamin the body is capable of generating. However, the body cannot produce it without regular exposure to sunlight. Unlike vitamin C, which Filipinos can easily get from a variety of fruits and vegetables, vitamin D can be found only in small amounts in very few foods such as salmon, tuna, cod liver, and egg yolks. With the pervasiveness of heavy rains that keeps Filipinos from getting enough sunlight, they can turn to Forti-D to help meet their body’s daily sunshine vitamin requirements. A single dose of Forti-D contains 800 IU of colecalciferol or vitamin D3, which is responsible for absorbing calcium and phosphate as Read More …
Oct 272014
Laude sympathizers rally near Olongapo court. Sympathizers of slain transgender woman Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude rally outside the Olongapo Hall of Justice on Monday, October 27, during the second day of the preliminary investigation on the case. Suspect US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton was again a no-show at the probe. Rouchelle Dinglasan Prosecutors on Monday rejected a motion filed by the camp of US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton seeking to reduce the murder complaint filed against him to homicide, saying it would be premature to do so. The 19-year-old US Marine is the suspect in killing transgender woman Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, who was found dead in a motel on Oct. 11. The motion was one of three filed by the defense, led by lawyer Rowena Garcia-Flores, during the preliminary investigation at the Olongapo Hall of Justice. The motions were for clarification of the murder complaint, declaration that there was no probable cause, and — in case the prosecution panel finds probable cause — the reduction of the charge to homicide. “Do not teach us what to do. We will base our resolution on the evidence that we’ve gathered,” Olongapo City Chief Prosecutor Emilie Fe Delos Santos said during the proceedings, which lasted less than an hour. All three motions were denied. Delos Santos explained that the evidence needs to be corroborated before the panel can decide if the complaint should be filed in court. Only then will the charge be determined, she said. “It is premature to determine if Read More …
Oct 272014
Marc Sueselbeck AFP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – The government stopped the German boyfriend of slain transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude from leaving the country Sunday night to enforce the law and uphold the nation’s integrity, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Monday. De Lima also said Marc Sueselbeck was stopped from leaving so he could face “undesirability” charges that the Bureau of Immigration had filed against him. The charges could lead to Sueselbeck’s deportation and being blacklisted in the Philippines, De Lima said. Sueselbeck missed his Malaysian Airlines flight Sunday night after immigration agents stopped him from boarding it and handed him a copy of a complaint brought against him by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The military filed a complaint against Sueselbeck in the immigration bureau last week, accusing the German accountant of illegally entering an off-limits area in Camp Aguinaldo and assaulting a Filipino soldier. The trespassing and assault happened on Oct. 22 after the suspect in the killing of Laude, US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton, was transferred from the USS Peleliu, which was docked on Subic Bay, to the Joint US Military Assistance Group (Jusmag) compound in Camp Aguinaldo, the AFP headquarters in Quezon City. Demanding to see Pemberton, Sueselbeck and Laude’s sister Marilou climbed over the fence and leapt into the Jusmag compound, where the US Marine had been put in a makeshift detention cell–a 28-cubic-meter, air-conditioned freight container. When challenged, Sueselbeck shoved a Filipino guard but apologized later in talks with Read More …
Oct 272014
Several birds, including exotic ones, in an aviary inside the sprawling estate in Batangas allegedly owned by Vice President Jejomar Binay are registered under the name of her daughter, Makati Rep. Abigail Binay. This was according to a report on “24 Oras” on Monday, citing the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Calabarzon, which said the aviary is the biggest in the region. The report said according to the DENR, the 57 birds were part of Rep. Binay’s private collection. The aviary is just an addition to the London-inspired maze garden, man-made lagoon, and mansion inside Sunchamp Agri-Tourism Park, which is allegedly part of the Binay family’s hidden wealth.Ownership of the 350-hectare estate has been claimed by businessman Antonio Tiu, an alleged Binay dummy. Among the 17 species in the aviary are Indian peafowl, mallard, Alexandrine parakeet, and silver pheasant, the report said. It added Rep. Binay also has vulnerable species, or those nearing extinction, in the aviary such as the Victoria crowned pegion and Luzon bleeding-heart. Rare species Elmer Bascos, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office in Batangas, said that the birds are priced from P1,500 to P10,000 each. He also noted that having an aviary of exotic birds is normal in farms and eco-tourism parks. According to the certificate of wildlife registration released in December 2004 and signed by Rep. Binay, the address of the aviary is in Barangay Maligaya in Rosario, Batangas, where Sunchamp is located. However, if the Binay family Read More …
Oct 272014
Arnel Pineda launches a talent search to open an opportunity for Asian musicians to be known internationally.
Oct 272014
popular Renée Zellweger is that you? Old Hollywood ‘taboo’ again Ottawa gunman made video before attack – police ‘The Judge’: Objection! Badgering the moviegoer Jennifer Laude ignored haters, fought for dolls, kept poise Execs from Harvard bring adobo to US market Palace on Binay-Trillanes debate: Sign of healthy democracy Ancient Philippine textiles studied by Prince Charles’ School of Traditional Arts LeBron homecoming turns Cavaliers into contenders videos AFP spokesman, netizens engage in Twitter war over Sueselbeck Soldier shoved by Sueselbeck gets award Commotion on van causes false holdup alarm First blind bar examinee leaves lawyer dream to God Unicef’ Trick or Treat MANILA, Philippines—A Filipina maid conspired with her Indonesian woman companion to kill a Pakistani driver who allegedly had sexual relations with both of them in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Khaleej Times reported Monday. According to the Sharjah police, the driver was found dead in his room. He died of strangulation, police added. Police said that the maids confessed to the crime. The maids and the driver were working for an Emirati family. The names of those involved in the incident have been withheld by Sharjah police. RELATED STORIES Filipina maid faces adultery rap in UAE Foreign maids endure abuse in UAE—Human Rights Watch Tags: murder Overseas Filipino workers UAE Related Stories: Australia investigates ‘paedophile’ father in Thai baby scandal Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in Read More …
Oct 272014
MANILA, Philippines — What Twitter war? The spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday downplayed his “Twitter war” with some netizens over his supposedly insensitive remarks about Marc Sueselbeck, the German fiance of slain transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude. “Sumasagot lang tao hindi mangibabaw ang opinyon na sa palagay amin ay hindi naman tama. Kagaya nang pauwiin na lang si Sueselbeck. Naniniwala kami sa rule of law, batas dapat ipairal sa lahat….Kung nanawagan na parusahan si Pemberton na naniniwala na may kasalanan siya, manawagan din tayo na parusahan si Sueselbeck kasi may kasalanan din siya at kita sa videos at may ginawa ring kabalastugan,” AFP Public Affairs Office chief Lieutenant Harold Cabunoc told reporters on Monday. (I was just answering to prevent the prevalence of public opinion which we think is not correct. Just like what happened when Sueselbeck was about to go home. We believe in the rule of law which should be implemented to everyone. If there are people calling for the punishment of Pemberton because they believe he is guilty, then we should also call for the punishment of Sueselbeck because he was also at fault, and it was captured on the videos that he did something wrong.) On Sunday night, Cabunoc’s Twitter posts sparked angry comments from some netizens. Last week Sueselbeck tried to enter the detention center of Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, the suspected killer of Laude, at Camp Aguinaldo. The German climbed the fence and shoved a soldier manning Read More …
Oct 272014
Judy Ann Santos gives seal of approval to Lock & Lock kitchenware.