THE BUREAU of Customs (BoC) has issued operational guidelines granting the Manila North Harbour Port, Inc. (MNHPI) sub-port the status of an international container port.
Jun 202016
Jun 202016
Most, if not all, individuals and corporate entities alike, have had some experience buying, selling, exchanging, transferring, inheriting or donating real and/or personal property/ies. We are well aware that such transfers of properties are subject to applicable income/capital gains taxes (based either on the selling price or fair market value of the properties transferred or gain realized on the transfer) as well as documentary stamp tax (DST) in the case of transfers of real properties and shares of stock not traded in the stock exchange. In the case of transfers of real or personal properties that are held for sale or lease or are used in the business, the same are also subject to value-added tax (VAT). In addition to these national taxes, the sale or exchange of real properties is subject to applicable transfer taxes payable to the concerned local government unit.
Jun 202016
(From left) Mr. Matthew Scott, Dr. Renato Solidum, Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., and Dr. Chris Newhall at the pre-event reception for the lecture “25 years ago at Pinatubo: The forecast, climax, and aftermath of a giant eruption” at the Carnegie Institution for Science on 13 June 2016. WASHINGTON, D.C.— Twenty-five years after the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, experts and analysts, Government officials, private sector representatives, and members of the academe gathered at the Carnegie Institution for Science for the public lecture, “25 years ago at Pinatubo: The forecast, climax, and aftermath of a giant eruption” by Dr. Chris Newhall and Dr. Renato Solidum. The lecture focused on the preparation and monitoring prior to the Pinatubo eruption, its lasting impact, and lessons learned from the experience. Dr. Chris Newhall, a career volcanologist from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) described the setting prior to the eruption in which a team of volcanologists from the USGS and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOLCS) made pre-eruption preparations that included safety studies, hazard map estimates, alert level reminders, and unrest trend monitoring. Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. emphasized in his remarks the importance of such collaboration in saving hundreds of lives and property from destruction. “Thankfully, prior to the eruption, the collaboration between PHIVOLCS and USGS resulted in intensive studies of the volcano’s past eruption history, timely forecasts and accurate predictions thus prompting the evacuation of 75,000 people living in the lowlands around Mt. Read More …
Jun 202016
President Benigno S. Aquino III visits the room of his father Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.who was detained in this 4 x 5 meter room of Building No. 2 inside the Legazpi Compound in Fort Bonifacio, Makati. from August 27, 1973 until his exile in the US in 1980. In his visit, the President recalled happy and sad moments during their family visitation hours. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino III has vetoed a proposed law that seeks to improve the nursing profession, including raising the minimum monthly salary of nurses to almost P25,000, Malacañang said Thursday. In a statement, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the President has rejected the enrolled consolidated House Bill No. 6411 and Senate Bill No. 2720 entitled “An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Nursing Law Towards Quality Health Care System, and Appropriating Funds Therefor.” The minimum base pay for entry-level nurses has already been increased through Executive Order No. 201, series of 2016, which raised their total guaranteed annual compensation from P228,924.00 to P344,074.00, Aquino noted in his veto message. The compensation was apart from other benefits and allowances they receive under the Magna Carta of Public Health, he added. “While we recognize the objective of the bill to promote the well-being of the country’s nurses, we cannot support the bill in its present form because of its dire financial consequences,” Aquino said. Aquino explained that granting the said increase will place the salaries of nurses over and above their other similarly situated Read More …
Jun 202016
Supporters of presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte pose for media as they launch the “Duterte Bantay Boto Brigade” (DBBB) during a press conference in Quezon City on Wednesday. The group aims to solidify its volunteer groups to help safeguard votes for Mayor Duterte, who was ahead in the latest polls. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Philippine aviation officials will implement new airport protocols to ensure the safety of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte during his trips to Manila and Davao City, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said Thursday. Gen. Rodante Joya, CAAP Deputy Director General for Operations, said the Presidential Security Group and other government agencies will need to draft new regulations to ensure Duterte’s safety while taking commercial planes from Davao to Manila and back. He said other flights will be affected by Duterte’s trips under the present airport protocol. “No other airplane will move, even vehicles, to ensure the security of the President inside the airport. Siya iyung priority,” he said. “Pagsakay niya ng eroplano at ready for taxi na iyung eroplano, simula na iyun ng quasi-emergency. Matatapos iyan kapag naka-take off na siya, including iyung kanyang back-up aircraft.” Airport operation may be suspended from nine to 12 minutes to give way to the arrival or takeoff of the airplane boarded by the President, Joya said. Duterte has said he would govern the country both from Malacanang and Davao City where he served as mayor for over two decades, unmindful of the grueling commute that Read More …
Jun 202016
Members of the House of Representatives check a ballot box containing Certificates of Canvass and Election Returns from Davao del Sur at the start of the Joint Session of Congress to canvass votes for president and vice president at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Wednesday.(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) cannot reject the late filing of the Liberal Party’s (LP) expenditure report, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said Thursday, saying the party should only be penalized with a fine up to P10,000 for failing to meet the deadline. Macalintal said the LP’s filing of its statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) was just a “matter of late submission.” “Wala namang problema iyong late filing. Ang hinihingi ng LP ay extension. Ang sabi ng Comelec, hindi pwedeng extension. Hindi naman actually extension iyan eh. It’s a matter of late submission,” Macalintal said. “Nagtataka ako sa Comelec kung bakit ini-insist nila na, ‘Hindi na namin puwedeng tanggapin ang late submission.’ That is wrong. Kasi wala naman ganoong provision sa batas,” he said. Macalintal is an election lawyer for Vice President-elect Leni Robredo, and a member of the legal team of LP presidential candidate Manuel “Mar” Roxas II. Macalintal said the fines for the late submission range from P1,000 to 10,000 for the first offense, and P10,000 to 30,000 and disqualification from holding public office for the second offense. “Nagtataka lang ako kung bakit binibigyan ng napakalaking issue. Eh gayong hindi naman sinasabi na hindi sila mag-fifile,” he Read More …
Jun 202016
Businessman Antonio Tiu and Senator Atonio F. Trillanes IV as they walk along the Rosario property, that people are reffering to as the Binay Farm in Rosario Batangas. October 23 MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said he was “deeply saddened” by President Benigno Aquino III’s reported decision to veto a bill that he said could help stop the “mass exodus” of nurses to other countries. Trillanes was referring to the Comprehensive Nursing Bill, which seeks to upgrade the country’s nursing profession and raise the minimum salary of nurses. “As the principal sponsor, I am deeply saddened that the comprehensive nursing bill, which seeks to uplift the welfare of our nurses and professionalize the nursing practice in the country, was vetoed by the President,” he said in a statement. “This could have been the measure that would improve our healthcare sector and help stop the mass exodus of our nurses to other countries. Regardless, be assured that we will re-file the bill and continue to push for its passage in the next Congress,” the senator added. The 17th Congress will open on July 25.(MNS)
Jun 202016
Solenn Heussaff (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – – Sexy actress Solenn Heussaff insisted that marriage will not keep her from doing racy photo shoots and other similar projects. “Like I said. Marriage won’t change me,” Heussaff wrote as the caption to a photo she posted to her Instagram account. The intimate shot by Filipino photographer Pat Dy appeared to have been taken while she was preparing for her wedding with Argentinian businessman Nico Bolzico last month in France. Heussaff’s pose — sitting on a floor with her head slightly tilted to the left– is similar to her appearance on the cover of Esquire’s February 2013 issue, where she was proclaimed as the “Sexiest Woman Alive.” Bolzico, who vowed to support Heussaff’s “crazy” endeavors, took his wife’s post in stride. He also gamely posted a topless photo of himself, poking fun at Heussaff’s pose. Heussaff and Bolzico tied the knot last May 27 at the Eglise Notre Dame in Combourg, France after more than four years as a couple. (MNS)
Jun 202016
Enchong Dee (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — In celebration of its 17th year, the Knowledge Channel introduced two new programs: “Agri-cool-ture” and “Math-dali.” Rina Lopez-Bautista, executive director and president of Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc., said “Agri-cool-ture” aims to encourage students and learners to take up agriculture and to go into agri-preneurship. Show host Enchong Dee said he is learning about the industry alongside his audience. “As a host, I am learning with the students as we teach kids on aqua-culture, agriculture, the business side of agriculture. Even I, the host, I’m learning from what I’m saying, with the people that I interview also,” he said. Dee, who is celebrating his 10th year in show business, is grateful that he has been given a new hosting stint with an educational show. “I’m happy because it’s very educational, and I think we’re going to make a lot of impact on the kids studying right now,” he said. He added he hopes to reveal the many opportunities in agriculture, poultry, and fishing through the show. “Agri-cool-ture” will begin on July 19. “Math-dali,” on the other hand, tackles Grade Four math. Bautista said the show encourages the kids to love math and to be really interested because math is “something that is needed by everybody in daily life and it’s something that our country needs also—for us to learn math to the highest levels.” She added the show would also help change the people’s mindsets and attitudes to push everyone to be learn math. Read More …
Jun 192016
THE PHILIPPINES improved in terms of transparency in the budget process under the Aquino administration, as assessed by the international Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) network, the government said over the weekend.