Customs bureau says 7 ports exceeded collection targets for Sept

 Entertainment
Oct 312016
 

Bureau-of-Customs-292x300MANILA, Oct. 26 (PNA) –Seven out of the country’s 17 port districts have surpassed their revenue collection targets for the month of September, the Bureau of Customs has said.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the bureau reported that the ports that exceeded their collection last month are the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and the ports of Batangas, Cebu and Davao, the four known billionaire ports; and the ports of Clark, Iloilo and Zamboanga.

Based on the final revenue collection report by the Bureau of Treasury, the actual revenue collection for September was PHP34.234 billion.

The report however added that the total revenue collection has become PHP33.326 billion, given last year’s tax credit of PHP908 million.

The bureau has already achieved 91.3 percent of its PHP36.519 billion assessed revenue collected target for last month, and is expected to improve before the year ends.

The amount is higher than the August collection of PHP33.03 billion, and the PHP32.651 billion collected in the same month in 2015.

The following are the collected revenues of the other ports:

Port of Clark: PHP225.2 million collected, PHP110 million target (203.7 percent)

Port of Zamboanga: PHP19.5 million collected, PHP12.8 million target (152.6 percent)

Port of Cebu: PHP1.759 billion collected, PHP1.423 billion target (123.6 percent)

Port of Iloilo: PHP211.8 million collected, PHP188.2 million target (112.5 percent)

Port of Batangas: PHP8.529 billion collected, PHP7.740 billion target (110.2 percent)

Port of Davao: PHP1.052 billion collected, PHP998 million target (105.4 percent)

Manila International Container Port: PHP10.583 billion collected, PHP10.505 billion target (100.7 percent).

 

Asian Americans stars grace CAPE’s gala night

 Entertainment
Oct 312016
 
Asian Americans stars grace CAPE’s gala night

Carrie Ann Inaba at CAPE gala night Asian Pacific stars descended at the historic Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday night (October 22) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of an equally remarkable organization,the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE), a group working for equality and diversity in the industry. Tia Carrere and Carrie Ann Inaba, both of whom were not popularly known to come from Filipino ancestry, obliquely represented Filipino American visibility in the affair. Steve Yeun of the “The Walking Dead,”; Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim of “Hawaii Five-O” also came and walked the red carpet. “CAPE is a wonderful organization. Back in the days when I was so young, I did a diversity workshop for ABC (TV). And I don’t know if you notice that I’m with the DWTS (Dancing With The Stars) which is one of ABC’s top shows. That connection that they provided for me back in the days has proved to be helpful in so many ways for me as I pursued my career,” Inaba told Weekend Balita/US Asian Post during the red carpet interview. Inaba went on to commend CAPE for pursuing programs aimed at developing Asian American writers, explaining that “the more there are Asian American writers, the more characters we will see on the screen.” Carrere, for her part, also commended CAPE’s steady growth and consistency. “Check the roster and board members, the people that you’ll see donating tonight – because I’ll be going up there tonight to Read More …

Janella distances self from Elmo-Janine split

 Entertainment
Oct 312016
 
Janella distances self from Elmo-Janine split

Janella Salvador (MNS photo) Janella Salvador has finally broken her silence on the recent breakup of her onscreen partner, Elmo Magalona, and actress Janine Gutierrez. Salvador denied that she has anything to do with the split. “Yung reaction ko diyan, wala. As long as I know na wala naman akong ginawang masama, I’d rather stay out of it kasi I’m really not involved naman talaga,” she said. Asked if she feels bad for Magalona and Gutierrez, Salvador said: “Of course, I do. I’m always going to be here for Elmo, siyempre more for Elmo because he’s my friend. If I have to comfort him, I’m going to be here naman.” Is she open in case Magalona decides to court her now that he’s no longer in a relationship? “Tignan natin. We need time,” she briefly stated. Salvador said he likes Magalona because “he is very caring as a friend and he will always think of others too.” Ever since they were paired together in “Born For You,” Magalona and Salvador have been subject to romance rumors. They even attended last Saturday’s Star Magic Ball together. The two have repeatedly downplayed these, but admitted that they do enjoy the close friendship that they have. (MNS)

Investment pledges from Japan to create 200,000 jobs, says trade chief

 Entertainment
Oct 312016
 
Investment pledges from Japan to create 200,000 jobs, says trade chief

President Rodrigo Duterte and his delegation pose with the Filipino community in Japan at the Palace Hotel in Tokyo on Tuesday, October 25, 2016. (MNS photo) MANILA, Oct. 25 (PNA) – The 12 deals that will be signed by Japanese and Filipino businesses during the official visit of President Rodrigo Duterte to Japan will generate some 200,000 jobs in the next few years, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez has said. In a text message Tuesday, Lopez told Manila-based reporters that the commitments from Japanese companies will be in the sectors of automotive, vehicle parts, electric vehicles, shipbuilding and ship repair, biomass fuel, renewable energy, solar and energy management system, optical image stabilizers, and agriculture. “(We’re) bullish in further strengthening trade and investments from Japan,” he said. “Japan is our largest trading partner with over USD18 billion of total trade. We export more than we import and we have USD6.0 billion trade surplus, which is a big help to our economy.” The trade secretary is joining President Duterte in his official trip to Japan until Thursday. Lopez had earlier stressed the administration’s push to revitalize partnership with Asian neighbors.  

PHL firms urged to explore opportunities in Iraq as ICTSI inaugurates $130-M port project in Basra

 Entertainment
Oct 312016
 
PHL firms urged to explore opportunities in Iraq as ICTSI inaugurates $130-M port project in Basra

BASRA GATEWAY TERMINAL PROJECT. International Container Terminal Servinces Inc. (ICTSI)Chairman and President Enrique Razon Jr. cuts the ceremonial ribbon during the inauguration of the $130-million Basra Gateway Terminal at the Port of Umm Qasr in Iraq. The project, the biggest direct foreign investment in Iraq’s port sector, is expected to spur economic growth as it expanded the capacity of Iraq’s only deep water port, which services 80 percent of the country’s imports. (ICTSI Photo) BASRA, Iraq – The Philippine Embassy expressed hope that more Filipino companies would explore investment opportunities in Iraq following the recent inauguration by Manila-based International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) of its $130-million port development project here. In a statement, the Embassy welcomed the inauguration of ICTSI’s Basra Gateway Terminal Project in Umm Qasr – Iraq’s largest and only deep-water port and the main gateway to the Iraqi market. “We are glad that ICTSI, a leading Filipino company, is helping spur economic growth in Iraq,” Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Elmer G. Cato said. “We hope that more Filipino companies would take a second look at Iraq and consider investing in the country,” Cato said, citing possible opportunities in construction and the oil and gas sectors, particularly in Basra, the country’s commercial capital, and other southern provinces as well as in the Kurdistan Region. In his remarks during the inauguration, ICTSI Chairman and President Enrique K. Razon said that with the new berth and equipment, Umm Qasr port can now handle larger ships and ensure a more efficient Read More …

A dying tax?

 Economy
Oct 312016
 

Is the estate tax now a dying tax? The estate tax is a tax on the dead. It is imposed on the value of properties being passed on to the heirs from a person who has passed away. From being a tax on the dead, is it now on its way to being a dead tax?

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