Top News

Senate gives priority to admin’s tax reforms

The Senate is giving priority to the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) being sought by the government through the Department of Finance (DOF) and cannot at this time accede to the House of Representatives’s request for a needed push to amend the Sin Tax Reform Law, commonly known as the sin-tax law, said Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, chairman of …

Read More »

Mining body to discuss mines’ closure order

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has given assurances that the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) will meet “as soon as possible” to address the appeal of the Chamber of Mines (CMP) of the Philippines (CMP), the umbrella organization of local mining firms, which is protesting the order of the government to shutdown an unprecedented number of mostly nickel-producing mines “without …

Read More »

World nickle prices up over local mines closure

The order of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the closure of 21 mainly nickel-producing mines that account for about half of output in the world’s top nickel ore supplies, has triggered a steep rise in the price of nickel in the world market. 

Read More »

Labor department head suspects possible ‘wrongdoing’ in HTI fire

By Riza Lozada  Hinting of a possible high-level anomaly in the two-day factory fire that hit House Technology Inc. (HTI) at the Cavite Export Zone (CEZ), Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) will investigate a possible “wrongdoing” in the local governance level.

Read More »

Piñol, Lopez hurdle CA tests

A few rounds of questioning were enough for Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol to pass confirmation by the Commission on Appointments (CA) last Feb. 1. 

Read More »

AFP chief of staff says military ready as ceasefire with Reds ends

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has more than sufficient forces to meet rebel groups in Eastern Mindanao and elsewhere as the unilateral ceasefires of both the government and the communist group ended, AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Eduardo Año said. 

Read More »

ABB bags $27-M deal to upgrade power grid

Power transformers will support the upgrade of transmission infrastructure and improve grid reliability, according to power equipment supplier ABB after winning orders worth approximately $27 million from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). 

Read More »

PCCI, Russian group eye expanded trade

By Riza Lozada  The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country’s largest business organization, met with a delegation sent by the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation last week to discuss expanding of business relations in both countries. 

Read More »

Philippines seen taking over as Asia’s growth leader

By Luis Leoncio The Philippines had the most robust economy in Asia for 2016 when it posted a 6.8-percent full-year growth as gross domestic product (GDP) expansion moderated in the fourth quarter to 6.6 percent.

Read More »

Phinma asks government to speed up rules on feed-in tariff

By Riza Lozada Diversified Phinma Corp. has completed preparatory work to build new wind power plants to expand its wind-generation capacity by 40 megawatts (MW) in the Visayas grid, but a top official of the company said it needed guidelines from government on feed-in tariff to pursue such projects.

Read More »