Monthly Archives: December 2018

NEW digital currency player GOW Exchange is setting its sights on serving big corporates as it enters the Philippine market, as it looks to disrupt traditional finance.

BUENOS AIRES/CHICAGO -- A ship named the Torrent is nearing the end of a 5,000-mile trip carrying soybeans from the US Great Lakes to Argentina -- a journey that only makes economic sense because of the US-China trade war.

A BRAND-NEW store opened in Tokyo’s Harajuku fashion district on Friday, walls lined with clothes, shoes and handbags -- and with a twist: shoppers will walk away empty-handed.

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it will be releasing by the first quarter of 2019 a new policy that would allow it to take back and redistribute radio frequency currently controlled by telecommunications companies, possibly opening the door for even more telecommunications companies.

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released the proposed guidelines to implement the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) Pass, which seeks to allow the free movement of investment advisers within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

TWO House bills seeking to impose an excise tax on the use of plastic bags were filed at the House of Representatives.

THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) said that it will use a certification process used by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to determine whether electric vehicles qualify for tax exemptions.

A BILL creating a Regional Investment and Infrastructure Coordinating Hub (RICH) in central Luzon was approved by three House committees.

A JOINT resolution has been filed in the Senate seeking to extend the availability of 2018 appropriations for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) and capital outlays (CO) to another year.

In the first part of this article, we recalled that both private and public sectors must take the business of digital transformation an utmost priority if the country is to achieve both local and regional economic success. In particular for the public sector, government must spearhead efforts to create a digitally-inclusive, technologically-capable nation. Otherwise, digital innovations will fall short of mainstream adoption. This idea was touched on during the ASEAN Outlook Conference 2018.

I am pleased to share with readers the executive summary of our quarterly economic outlook report for GlobalSource Partners (globalsourcepartners.com) written by Marie Christine Tang and me last Nov. 22, 2018. The second part of this column is a statement of the Foundation for Economic Freedom supporting TRAIN 3, on property valuation for taxation purposes issued Nov. 30, 2018.

When the no-frills, no-nonsense British Prime Minister Theresa May crossed to center-stage dancing, raised hands swaying to the languid swing of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” it all said something was terribly amiss. It was in October, at the Conservative Party’s conference. Despite the standing ovation (the only polite and “veddy-British” response expected) to the somewhat awkward dancing, the matter to be discussed by May at the conference was not as forgivably acceptable. She was standing for approval of her planned UK transition deal with the European Union (EU) through to the end of 2020, after the March 29, 2019 effectivity of the British withdrawal (Brexit) from the EU, as signified by the UK in June 2016.

IT is also said that the meek shall inherit the earth. By meek they don’t mean small and scared but someone who is kind, forgiving and most of all humble. I respect this value and one incident in my life has made it a permanent part of my life.

THE bias for action is critical when dealing with consultants, especially those coming from academe or who have had many clients in one category. While these gurus can mesmerize a seminar crowd, or a board committee with their road map to the future (evolve or die), they seldom bother with how to move their clients from Point A to Point F. They may dismiss such humdrum exertions as operational issues.

THE PEOPLE’S REFORM Party (PRP) of the late senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago is set to forge an alliance with presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio’s regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) on Monday, Dec. 3.

DAVAO CITY -- The opening of two new convention centers within the next three years will establish the city as a major meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) destination, government and business officials said.

A QUEZON City court has convicted four people out of 20 involved in an investment scam in 2002.

REGIONAL health authorities have issued an alert to community anti-dengue brigades to step up measures in combating mosquito population as dengue cases have been on the rise.

THE MILITARY has intensified its operations against the New People’s Army (NPA) in Compostela Valley (ComVal) province following last week’s attack on two trucks of Sumifru (Philippines) Corp.

AFTER A 17.39% drop in reported crimes in the first half of the year, the Philippine National Police (PNP) attributed the slight increase of common crime victims in the third quarter to the approaching holiday season.

DRAWING first blood in their blockbuster best-of-three University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 finals series, the Ateneo Blue Eagles are not keen on letting up and looking forward to closing out the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in Game Two later this week.

HAD its FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifier bid dealt a big blow last time around, the Philippine men’s national basketball team looks to bounce back in its fifth-window home stand today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City against Iran.

THE Philippine men’s national football team has to go through the eye of the needle to reach the final of the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup after it fell to Vietnam, 2-1, in the first leg of their semifinals at the Panaad Park and Football Stadium in Bacolod City on Sunday.

FILIPINO boxer Mark Barriga fell in his quest to become the next world champion from the Philippines after being edged out by Mexican Carlos Licona by split decision in their International Boxing Federation minimum weight world title clash at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday (Manila time).

BEFORE the year ends, the Philippine Go For Gold wrestling team will go to a much-needed international trip in an effort to win more gold medals in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

LOS ANGELES -- Andre Drummond tipped in Detroit misses on consecutive possessions in the third quarter Saturday night to stall a Golden State Warriors comeback, and the host Pistons eased away in the fourth period for a 111-102 victory over the two-time defending champions in Stephen Curry’s return to action.

PARIS -- Billiards and snooker continued their bid to get included in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris with an exhibition to showcase their sports at the Eiffel Tower on Friday.

LONDON -- The International Olympic Committee said on Friday it has stopped planning for the boxing tournament at Tokyo 2020 and launched an investigation into its governing body the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

Enes Kanter has never been known for his defense. In fact, any mention of him regarding his work on the aforesaid end of the court would invariably concern his glaring lack thereof. Still, let it not be said he isn’t trying; he is, hard, and to the point where, over the last two years, advanced metrics have painted him to be a wash at the slot. No doubt, it’s a reflection of his increased importance to the Knicks. Whereas he used to be counted on as an offensive spark plus during his days with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he’s now required to start games.

SHARES are seen to rise in the week ahead as the seasonal consumer spending uptick kicks in, alongside expectations of slower inflation for November.