PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN -- Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) unveiled last Thursday the refreshed version of its popular multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), the Avanza. The new iteration banners a sportier look, reworked dashboard with a new infotainment system, and more safety features.

THE DEPARTMENT of Finance (DoF) said it will pursue an audit of the beverage industry after missing collection targets for Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) in 2018, to validate whether users of highly-taxed corn syrup did indeed switch to sugar as claimed.

MG is a British sports car maker that dates back to 1924. Its halcyon years were the 40’s through the 70’s, when it came out with some of the most iconic roadsters of the time. These included the immortal MG TC, TD and TF of the 40’s and 50’s, followed by the MGA, MGB, MGB GT coupe, and MG Midget from the 60’s through the 80’s.

THE PHILIPPINES is expected to reduce its rice imports due to ample inventories and increased production forecast for 2019/2020, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said.

THE Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) affirmed a May 2017 decision ordering the refund of excise taxes paid by Air Philippines Corp. (APC) on its importation of aviation fuel worth P235.6 million.

LAMBORGHINI began its 2019 British GT campaign in victorious fashion as Jonny Cocker and Sam De Haan came out on top in Race 2 at Oulton Park in Cheshire. The Barwell Motorsport duo, who completed a spectacular recovery to finish fourth in Race 1, brought the Italian marque its first continental success for the brand-new Huracán GT3 Evo.

THE 1970s were a dark time for the Philippines, mostly due to the atrocities of the Marcos regime. For better or for worse, there were some bright spots in the arts during that period, mostly due to the spendthrift former First Lady, Imelda Marcos. Fashion-obsessed Mrs. Marcos nurtured fashion designers and wore their clothes on the world stage, lending her very visible visage to Filipino designers. Galas for this and that ran every evening, and in 1979, Filipino designer Ben Farrales, known as The Dean of Philippine Fashion, organized a Flores de Mayo parade at the Manila Hotel, under the Congregacíon del Santissimo Nombre del Niño Jesus. Beauty queens and celebrities participated in the parade that honored the Virgin Mary, part of the Catholic devotions to Mary during May.

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK -- The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed increasing the volume of biofuels refiners must blend into their fuel annually to 20.04 billion gallons in 2020, from 19.92 billion gallons in 2019, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

RATES OF government securities on offer this week will likely decline on the back of the recent policy rate cut from the local central bank as well as anticipation of a possible reduction in banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR).

ILOILO CITY -- Connie M. Atijon, a master weaver of Iloilo’s hablon cloth, believes that the younger generation can be enticed to appreciate and keep alive the fading tradition.

TOKYO -- The European Union intends to keep agriculture off the agenda in its trade talks with the United States and continues to support rules-based, open and predictable international commerce, the EU’s agriculture commissioner said on Friday.

GOVERNMENT SECURITIES extended their rally last week following the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) interest rate cut and the Treasury’s euro bond sale.