LEGISLATION authorizing the Coconut Farmers Trust Fund is expected to be approved within the year or by 2021, after the President threw his support behind the measure in his State of the Nation Address (SONA), Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said.

SUPPORTERS of clean energy said the fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) was delivered by President Rodrigo R. Duterte Monday failed to renew a previous commitment to pursue more green energy alternatives.

EMERGING MARKETS need to expand their paid sick leave policies to encourage workers to observe self-isolation rules in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

INFLATION will likely stay benign as the economy recovers over the remainder of the year and into the first quarter of 2021, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

THE Philippines has enough food on hand to last until the first quarter, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said, even though agricultural logistics remain under strain because of quarantines.

THE average farmgate price of palay, or unmilled rice, fell 0.5% week on week to P18.86 per kilogram in the third week of June, with the year-on-year increase at 5.7%, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

THE World Bank estimated that its board will decide by July 2021 on a $200-million  loan sought by the Philippine government to develop the fisheries sector.

THE Philippines has signed on to an international system that will allow temporary and tax-free imports of goods for use in trade shows and exhibitions.

Nearly a month ago, many taxpayers finally put an end to the longest tax season when they finally submitted their annual income tax returns (ITRs). Others, however, have to brace for the submission of a new set of attachments to the ITR. These refer to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Form No. 1709 or the Information Return on Related Party Transactions (Domestic and/or Foreign) and its related attachments, as prescribed by Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 19-2020. RR No. 19-2020 requires not only the proper disclosure of related-party transactions, but also the documents that would support that these transactions have been conducted at arm’s length.

SUPPORTERS of green energy are urging the government to highlight renewables in its economic recovery plan, saying that such a measure will make the economy more resilient while generating jobs.

THE national government released P69.161 billion worth of subsidies to government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) in June, with 83% going to the National Food Authority (NFA) and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

FISCAL measures to support the economy need to compensate for the major drop in foreign exchange inflows as the pandemic drags on, according to the International Institute of Finance (IIF).