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A senator is calling for the ускорation of the tax bureau’s digital transformation as the April 15 income tax filing deadline approaches, saying improved systems would ease compliance and boost collections. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said he has filed Senate Resolution No. 316 to review the integrated digital system of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), in line with the requirements …

Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized the importance of existing tax incentives in helping schools and private education partners cope with rising operational expenses driven by global economic pressures and instability in the Middle East. Angara said these fiscal measures act as a buffer that allows the education sector to continue investing in quality learning despite increases in fuel, transport, and …

Text and photo by Tracy Cabrera  RIZAL PARK, Manila — Mindful of the prevailing energy crisis and the government’s need to stabilize the country’s economy, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) has accelerated its push for a fully digital, data-driven customs administration that would significantly lessen if not eliminate smuggling and corruption within the agency.  Speaking before a media forum at …

The last-minute two-week ceasefire in the Middle East may have spared the region from plunging into a catastrophic escalation, even as it offered a convenient off-ramp for the very forces that pushed it to the brink. The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most critical sea lane corridors—immediately triggered a sharp drop in global oil prices, underscoring just how …

Opposition to the new public safety rules being implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government is being framed as a defense of the marginalized. Much of the backlash appears misplaced, if not self-serving. The regulations in question are hardly novel impositions; they are reiterations of long-standing local ordinances—prohibitions on public drinking, restrictions on noise such as late-night karaoke, curfews for minors, and …

LOVE FOR ALL​By: Virginia Rodriguez The ongoing reforms at the Bureau of Customs under Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno signal a serious attempt to shed the agency’s long-standing reputation as one of the country’s most corruption-prone institutions. For decades, the BOC has been associated with smuggling, revenue leakages, and weak enforcement. Today, however, early indicators suggest that a shift may be underway. …

REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro The reopening of oil and gas exploration talks between the Philippines and China has stirred both skepticism and cautious optimism. Herman Tiu Laurel, president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI), told The Manila Times that the move comes “very late in the day,” driven by fears of a looming energy crisis linked to escalating …

Government’s plan to negotiate “safe passage” for Philippine-bound oil tankers is less a strategy than a hopeful gesture detached from geopolitical reality. The Philippines is a longstanding ally of the United States, while the choke-point in question—the Strait of Hormuz—is influenced by the posture of Iran. Even arranging a formal dialogue at the diplomatic level would be fraught, slow and …

Amid global uncertainty, a positive development has emerged for the Philippines as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the successful drilling and testing of the Camago-3 gas well—an indigenous energy source expected to help cushion Filipinos from volatile global fuel prices. “My fellow Filipinos, today I am proud to announce another step forward in our mission to secure affordable, reliable energy …

The Social Security System (SSS) has assured its members in the Middle East that access to benefits and services remains uninterrupted through its digital platforms despite ongoing regional tensions. SSS President Robert Joseph de Claro underscored the reliability of the My.SSS Portal, which enables overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to file benefit claims and apply for loans online, as long as …