Berlinale unrolls green carpet for politically charged film festival
BERLIN — A mother fleeing her violent husband, a serial killer who preys on women, and famine in 1930s Ukraine are among the weighty social and political themes explored in films showcased at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
PRC signals reduced coursework requirement for professionals
THE Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) said that it may require less refresher coursework from professionals as the agency makes adjustments to implement the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Law.
PMFTC inks leaf supply deal with Universal
UNIVERSAL Corp. on Thursday said its subsidiary is increasing sales of leaf tobaccos in the Philippines as it signed a new leaf supply agreement with Philip Morris International Management SA (PMIMSA).
Congress ratifies bill waiving fees for first-time job-seekers
A MEASURE exempting graduates and out-of-school youth from fees charged for official documents was ratified by both chambers of Congress on Wednesday.
GM’s incentive plan for Cruise chief points to IPO
DETROIT -- General Motors Co on Wednesday outlined an incentive plan for the head of its self-driving car unit that points the way toward a possible initial public offering for the business.
BSP requires detailed reports on loan, deposit rates
THE CENTRAL BANK will soon require lenders to submit more detailed reports on the interest rates they impose on loans and deposits, which is seen to boost transparency and enhance the regulator’s watch on the market.
UnionBank to roll out first virtual currency ATM
UNIONBANK of the Philippines, Inc. is set to launch the first virtual currency automated teller machine (ATM) in the country, allowing customers to buy and sell digital units for cash.
Curing the 3rd telco’s defects
By J. Albert Gamboa
BEFORE adjourning for a three-month recess, the Senate approved a concurrent House of Representatives resolution that effectively paves the way for a third major telecommunications player to operate in the Philippines.
Slow land-use conversion provokes Duterte ‘outburst’
MALACAÑANG said Thursday that President Rodrigo R. Duterte wants the processing of land-use conversion applications fast-tracked.
Palace rejects farmers’ call for rice tariffication veto
OVER the opposition of farmers’ groups to rice tariffication, Malacañang on Thursday said President Rodrigo R. Duterte will not veto the measure, with his signature “forthcoming.”
Duterte to certify AFP pension bill as urgent
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte will certify as urgent the Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP) Pension Reform Bill being proposed the Department of the National Defense (DND), his spokesperson said.
Inflation and the Transportation sector
By Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr.
The Philippines registered a 4.4% inflation rate for January 2019. The good news is that it is a lot lower than the past four months’ average of 6.1%, but the bad news is that compared to our neighbors with January 2019 data, it is the highest. In the ASEAN-6, three have near-zero inflation while Indonesia and Vietnam have below 3%.