NGCP says no instance of remote access to grid
THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said Wednesday that there was no cause for alarm over Chinese involvement in the power distribution system, noting that the grid’s controls have never been accessed remotely since the company’s founding.
BoC cites weak imports, fuel marking delay for missed targets
THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) told a Congressional panel that major ports failed to meet their revenue targets because of a slowdown in imports, adding that some targets have been set too high and do not account for delays in the fuel marking program.
PHL, S. Korea sign fisheries, aquaculture agreement
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) to collaborate in fisheries management and trade.
Gov’t union seeks uniform P16,000 starting salary for public sector
A GOVERNMENT workers’ union said it is pushing for a uniform P16,000 entry-level wage for public-sector workers.
Brownout-free power seen requiring diversified sources, latest coal tech
THE Philippines should diversify and modernize its sources of electricity to achieve the kind of uninterrupted power supply Taiwan has attained, according to officials of power generation companies from the Philippines and Taiwan.
CTA upholds South Luzon Tollway stamp tax ruling
THE Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) affirmed the cancellation of P50.5-million tax assessment against South Luzon Tollway Corp. over a Documentary Stamp Tax (DST) deficiency, among others.
ARTA: Path of unease to ease doing business
By Cyril B. Pestilos
To enhance efficiency, the government has strengthened and broadened the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 by passing Republic Act (RA) 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018. The law took effect on June 17, 2018, intending to create programs that simplify requirements and streamline procedures in government transactions.
ARTA sets deadline for FDA to clear backlog
THE Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has instructed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address half of its backlog of 11,000 applications for certificates of product registration within 11 days, starting Tuesday.
BIR’s POGO employee list well short of real estate sector’s estimated numbers
A HOUSE COMMITTEE heard estimates of employee numbers in the offshore gaming industry that far exceeded the population of workers registered for tax purposes with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
Luzon grid goes on yellow alert for second day on plant outages
THE GRID OPERATOR placed the Luzon grid on yellow alert on Tuesday, the second straight day it has done so but for a longer period starting from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Senate approves measure extending 2019 budget validity
THE SENATE on Tuesday approved on third and final reading a measure extending the availability of the 2019 national budget until December 2020.
Philippines, S. Korea issue FTA progress report after missing summit deadline
THE Philippines and South Korea signed an “early achievement package” on market access for goods at the ASEAN-Korea commemorative summit on Monday pending the possible conclusion of a free trade agreement between the two countries by the first half of 2020.