Philippine Airlines boosts domestic operations with new Manila-Cauayan flight

January 15, 2025 | 8:45 pm

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES continues to expand its domestic operations with the launch of Manila-Cauayan route on Wednesday, the flag carrier said.

The new Manila-Cauayan-Manila flight will be operated daily starting on Jan. 15 via an 86-seater De Havilland Dash 8-400 Next Generation aircraft, Philippine Airlines said in a statement on Wednesday.

PAL Express President Rabbi Vincent L. Ang said the new domestic flight to Cauayan, Isabela is part of the airline’s goal to help boost tourism activities domestically.

“By opening this new route, we are also expecting the economic growth that it will bring to our city and our province,” said Cauayan City Mayor Caesar S. Dy, Jr.

Just last week, Philippine Airlines also announced the operation of new flights from Cebu.

The company is set to launch a flight from Cebu City to Catarman City, which will be offered three times a week starting March 1.

Currently, Philippine Airlines offers flights to Catarman City from Manila, four times a week.

Philippine Airlines will also boost its flights from Cebu to Siargao by adding mid-morning flights on Wednesdays and Sundays bringing its Cebu-Siargao flights to a total of 18 flights a week, beginning March 1.

“The new Cebu hub services to Catarman and Siargao are part of our continuing commitment to enhance inter-island connectivity, boosting tourism and stimulating business,” Mr. Ang said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Cebu most searched destination for foreigners for the Lunar New Year

January 15, 2025 | 8:44 pm

Cebu city — An aerial view of Cebu City. — PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

CEBU emerged as the most popular destination among foreign visitors looking to travel in celebration of the Lunar New Year, according to digital travel platform Agoda.

Based on data collected from Agoda’s platform, accommodation searches for Cebu jumped by an annual 15%. This was likely driven by the island’s famous beaches, marine life, and cultural heritage.

Ahead of the Lunar New Year, accommodation searches for the Philippines also rose by 19% year-on-year, with interested visitors mostly from South Korea, the United States, and mainland China.

Manila was the sought-after destination for domestic tourists, with a 50% surge in accommodations in the platform. The Philippine capital is home to one of the oldest Chinatowns in the world, where the Lunar New Year is celebrated with traditional dances and other festivities.

“The Lunar New Year holiday is one of Asia’s most popular travel periods and it’s great to see growing interest in the Philippines from international and domestic travelers alike,” Mike Hwang, country director, Philippines at Agoda, was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong is the most favored destination for Filipinos celebrating the “Year of the Snake” abroad, with a 120% annual jump in accommodation searches, overtaking Tokyo.

Outbound accommodation searches increased by 67%, showing Filipinos’ interest to travel abroad for the holiday.

Other destination favorites for the Lunar New Year include Bangkok (Thailand), Osaka and Fukuoka (Japan), and Seoul (South Korea).

Rankings were made based on accommodation searches in Agoda’s platform from Dec. 1 to 25, 2024 for check-ins between Jan. 29 and Feb. 2. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

SC asked to reverse Comelec’s decision to allow Quiboloy to run

January 15, 2025 | 8:42 pm

THE Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP) on Wednesday appealed before the Supreme Court (SC) to reverse the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) decision to include an embattled preacher in the senatorial race this May.

WPP challenged Comelec’s decision that dismissed its plea to declare pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy a nuisance candidate.

The WPP said the Comelec’s ruling showed a double standard in enforcing procedural rules, undermining fairness, equal protection and the rule of law in the electoral process.

“We urge the Supreme Court to ensure that the electoral process upholds the principles of fairness, accountability, and equal protection,” the group’s leader Jose Sonny G. Matula said. “The future of our democracy depends on it.”

The 19-page petition slammed the poll body’s practice of splitting cases into separate issues, which it said delays justice and creates opportunities for respondents like Mr. Quiboloy to exploit these inefficiencies.

It added that while Comelec strictly enforced procedural requirements against the group, it has shown leniency toward the self-appointed son of God.

The WPP also said that Comelec’s decision reflects unequal treatment of candidates, favoring powerful figures like Mr. Quiboloy.

It argued this selective enforcement contradicts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection under the law.

Mr. Quiboloy’s legal counsel, Ferdinand S. Topacio, did not immediately respond to a Viber message seeking comment.

The embattled preacher, who is currently detained due to trafficking and abuse charges, filed his certificate of candidacy for the position last Oct. 8, through his lawyer.

The Comelec en banc did not disqualify him from the May 2025 race due to “lack of merit.”

He is facing numerous charges linked to his alleged actions and those of his organization, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Among these is a non-bailable case of trafficking in persons filed in a Pasig City Regional Trial Court, where he entered a plea of not guilty. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

2 drug traders caught with P26-M cannabis-in-bricks in Isabela

January 15, 2025 | 8:41 pm

police-handcuffs-arrested-2122373_1920 — STOCK PHOTO | Image by 4711018 from Pixabay

BAGUIO CITY — Roxas, Isabela policemen arrested two drug traders who attempted to smuggle out P26 million worth of dried marijiuana leaves, already in brick form, in Mallig town in Isabela Tuesday evening.

Policemen were manning a checkpoint at Barangay Nuesa, Roxas, when a speeding black SUV breached the checkpoint by ramming through the barricades and a police patrol vehicle, prompting policemen to give chase.

After two hours, policemen caught up on the SUV and arrested the suspects.

At least 222 bricks of dried marijuana leaves with a total worth of P26.6 million, 19 rolled marijuana leaves worth P2,280, including a hand grenade, were discovered inside the vehicle.

The suspects were initially identified as alias “JD,” a college student and a call center agent; and alias “Rick”, a kitchen staff, both from Barangay Barangka Ilaya, Mandaluyong City.

The two will be facing charges for violating RA 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and illegal possession of explosives. — Artemio A. Dumlao

P7-M smuggled cigarettes confiscated in Zamboanga del Norte

January 15, 2025 | 8:40 pm

COTABATO CITY — Policemen seized P7 million worth of imported cigarettes in an entrapment operation in Zamboanga del Norte before dawn on Tuesday.

The newly installed director of the Police Regional Office-9, Brig. Gen. Roel C. Rodolfo, told reporters on Wednesday that personnel of the Leon B. Postigo Municipal Police Station and the Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Police Office had confiscated 136 cases of cigarettes, made in Indonesia.

The contraband was delivered to policemen disguised as merchants in Barangay Poblacion in Leon B. Postigo by a Mitsubishi Fuso truck, whose driver and a companion are now both detained.

The duo had promised to identify the smugglers who had tasked them to bring the smuggled cigarettes to the police team that laid the entrapment operation.

Mr. Rodolfo said they shall immediately turn over the confiscated cigarettes to the Bureau of Customs for disposition. — John Felix M. Unson

121 individuals in a boat lost for six days in Tawi-Tawi rescued

January 15, 2025 | 8:40 pm

COTABATO — Navy personnel on Tuesday rescued 121 passengers and crewmen of a small boat that went adrift for six days due to engine trouble while sailing from Zamboanga City to Taganak island town in Tawi-Tawi.

Senior Officials of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, among them its regional director, Brig Gen. Romeo J. Macapaz, told reporters in Cotabato City on Wednesday that personnel of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao found the missing M/L J Sayang 1 some six nautical miles off the Siklangkalong Island in Tawi-Tawi.

Tawi-Tawi is a component province of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Citing initial reports by officials of a Navy unit in Tawi-Tawi, local executives told reporters that the engine of the M/L J Sayang 1 malfunctioned and stalled while sailing near the Pangutaran Island in the province last Jan. 8.

The small boat has no two-way radio, and its crew members rely only on mobile phones to send messages to contacts in the ports in Tawi-Tawi and in Zamboanga City, usable only when near islands that have telecommunications relay towers.

The Navy servicemen who rescued the boat passengers and crewmen using their watercraft, the BRP Jose Loor, Sr., immediately provided them with food and water, according to Tawi-Tawi provincial officials.

The M/L J Sayang 1 was immediately towed to Taganak, also known as Turtle Island, by the BRP Jose Loor, Sr. All passengers reunited with their relatives in the island municipality. — John Felix M. Unson

IT-BPM industry sees growth moderating due to base effects

January 15, 2025 | 8:23 pm

By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Reporter

THE information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry said growth this year is expected to moderate because it will be measured from a bigger base in 2024.

IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) President Jonathan R. Madrid said that the industry has yet to issue an official forecast for 2025, adding that more clarity is expected by midyear.

“No official forecast yet, but it will be positive growth,” Mr. Madrid said via Viber on Wednesday.

“It will probably be slightly more moderate, as our base is bigger now,” he added.

In October, Mr. Madrid said growth will be less than 7% in 2025. If realized, the industry will not be hitting its 2 million staffing goal this year.

The industry ended with 1.82 million full-time employees (FTEs) and $38 billion in export revenue in 2024.

Mr. Madrid said performance will hinge on global demand from US banks, financial institutions, services, and healthcare companies.

About 70% of IBPAP depends on North American clients or are controlled by North American companies.

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) US Investment in the Philippines report, the IT-BPM industry was identified as an opportunity for US investors.

According to CSIS, 395 US-based firms have invested $22.4 billion in the Philippines between 2003 and 2021, $7.8 billion of which went into IT-BPM.

The industry was also identified as one of the top performers for the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

Under the Philippine IT-BPM Industry Roadmap 2028, the target is to grow into a $59-billion industry and increase the FTE count to 2.5 million.

However, Mr. Madrid said the projections are up for review at midyear.

Recto, LGUs settle NTA ‘misunderstanding’

January 15, 2025 | 8:23 pm

FINANCE Secretary Ralph G. Recto briefed local government units (LGUs) on how their National Tax Allotment (NTA) was computed, after a mayor alleged that the National Government (NG) is not handing over to LGUs their proper share of tax revenue.

In a statement, the Department of Finance (DoF) said Mr. Recto provided a “detailed line-by-line briefing” to mayors on the NTA computations, which it said were compliant with the 2019 Mandanas-Garcia Supreme Court ruling.

The 2019 ruling, which took effect in 2022, redefined the LGU share of national revenue, ordering that they be given 40% of all taxes, instead of the previous standard of 40% of all “internal revenue.”

The change was reflected in the renaming of the LGUs’ share to the national tax allotment. It had previously been known as the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).

Both the NTA and IRA are based on NG revenue from three years prior.

The ruling effectively amended the Local Government Code of 1991, which had originally based the LGU share on “internal revenue.”

“We did not change or amend anything. This is based on the Supreme Court ruling and a Development Budget Coordination Committee resolution, which was made in consultation with the LGUs. We are very transparent,” Mr. Recto said.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong had claimed that municipalities and cities have been “shortchanged,” receiving only 31.7% of national taxes instead of 40%.

“A comparison of the computations between the LGUs and the DoF was also discussed, revealing that the calculations and deductions under various laws were more or less aligned,” the DoF said.

Asked if the mayors were satisfied with the explanation, Quezon City Mayor Maria Josefina G. Belmonte-Alimurung said: “Yes, to a certain extent. There were a lot of misunderstandings and lack of communication.”

“I feel that all of our concerns were raised and all of them were answered. And the important thing is we have made a commitment to continue the dialogue between us and the DoF so that these issues pertaining to the NTA will continue to be resolved,” Ms. Belmonte told reporters.

Both Ms. Belmonte and the Finance Secretary said the differences stem from the treatment of special purpose funds.

“It was also explained to us that in the Supreme Court ruling there are so-called special purpose funds that are not included in the tax base,” she said.

“The SC ordered the Secretaries of Finance and Budget, the Commissioners of the BIR and the Bureau of Customs (BoC), and the National Treasury, to include all national tax collections in the computation of the NTA base, ‘except those accruing to special purpose funds and special allotments for the utilization and development of the national wealth.’” — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Moody’s sees PHL 2025 growth slowing to 6.1%

January 15, 2025 | 8:22 pm

THE economy’s growth is expected to slow to 6.1% in 2025 from an expected 6.2% last year, Moody’s Ratings said.

In an outlook, Moody’s called the 6.1% projection “above-trend.”

The government’s official targets are 6-6.5% and 6-8% for 2024 and 2025, respectively.

“Rising employment and higher remittance inflows will support household spending,” Moody’s Ratings said.

“Public investment will also buttress growth, while reforms, including market liberalization, and foreign investment will spur private-sector investment,” it added.

For the first nine months of 2024, growth averaged 5.8%. Preliminary fourth-quarter and full-year GDP data will be released on Jan. 30. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Pangilinan backs broader industry adoption of AI

January 15, 2025 | 8:20 pm

METRO PACIFIC Investments Corp. (MPIC) Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan called on Philippine companies to further embrace artificial intelligence (AI) to remain globally competitive.

“AI is touted as this monumental technology that will forever alter the landscape of business. AI will be impactful. For us frontliners in the technology battlefield, it is simply another big challenge,” Mr. Pangilinan said during his keynote speech at the 77th Management Association of the Philippines Inaugural Meeting in Taguig City on Wednesday.

Mr. Pangilinan said the Philippines needs to address data, talent and expertise, and infrastructure issues to boost AI adoption.

“For AI to work, companies need to feed their algorithms vast caches of data, which must be complete, high-quality, and available. Talent and expertise are probably the scarcest resources because AI needs to be customized for particular business needs. Open-source solutions may not always work,” he said.

“(There is a need for) robust data networks and hyperscale data centers with humongous and ultra-fast computing capacities,” he added.

Mr. Pangilinan, who is also MPIC’s president and CEO, said workers should not be worried by greater AI adoption, citing its potential to transform employee roles.

“The end of one job often signals the beginning of another. AI reflects not just the rhythm of progress, it is the heartbeat of mankind. Humanity has never been shaped by the jobs we lose. Instead, we are defined by the future we create,” he said.

“Every generation, but especially those who come next — millennials, Gen Zs, alphas, and betas — are allies, not adversaries. AI with its immense power, is not an existential threat; it is a tool. Together, they form the scaffoldings of the next great cathedrals of progress,” he added.

Mr. Pangilinan said AI could also help address the Philippines’ food insecurity issues.

“Imagine if we could develop an end-to-end digital map of our nation’s food supply chain. We should know exactly which food items are consumed monthly per individual, how much are in inventory nationwide, how much are in transit, and what and where we produce or import our food items,” he said.

MPIC is one of the three key Philippine units of Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority share in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

John Hay investments projected at P10 billion

January 15, 2025 | 8:20 pm

THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said that it expects to generate investments of up to P10 billion in Camp John Hay (CJH) after its reversion to government control.

In a statement on Wednesday, the BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua M. Bingcang said that he expects “big things” from CJH.

“Here, we aim to replicate our successes in Bonifacio Global City and Clark by implementing infrastructure projects that will empower the community and by bringing in high-impact investments that will enable us to contribute more to the state coffers,” he said.

“To achieve this, we will determine areas that need improvement and explore new opportunities for development, all while ensuring the preservation of Baguio’s natural and cultural heritage,” he added.

According to the BCDA, a review of the comprehensive master plan of the John Hay Special Economic Zone is ongoing to position CJH as a “premier ecotourism destination.”

The plan involved the development of around 70 hectares of untapped land inside the former US military facility through a joint venture with the private sector.

It also includes the redevelopment of Mile Hi Center to expand its retail and restaurant offerings.

“Moreover, the BCDA is committed to enhancing public infrastructure inside the camp to provide a safer and more comfortable experience for tourists,” BCDA said.

“This will be done by improving roads, jogging trails, and pedestrian lanes; installing solar street lights; and establishing a smart transport system,” it added.

The BCDA is also negotiating fresh contracts with existing establishments as a means of providing “recourse to affected stakeholders” in CJH.

The BCDA said it has received queries from potential joint venture partners, including Landco Pacific Corp., which will be the interim manager of The Manor and Forest Lodge, and a new consortium of Golfplus Management, Inc. and DuckWorld, the interim managers of the CJH golf course.

BCDA also entered into a deal with Stern Real Estate and Development Corp., the operator of Le Monet Hotel and the Filling Station.

“The company intends to pursue improvements and redevelopment plans in its leased property to maximize economic activities in the area,” it said.

Commercial lease agreements with Amare La Cucina and Top Taste and Trading, Inc. have also been reached, it said.

The BCDA regained control of CJH after a Supreme Court decision allowed the recovery of the 247-hectare leased area. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

BIR sees further collection growth in 2025, assuming passage of pending tax measures

January 15, 2025 | 8:19 pm

BIR-tax-filling-720p — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is expecting further growth in collections in 2025, assuming that Congress passes a number of stalled tax bills.

“We are doing a lot to improve our efficiency and our collection targets. So, I think that the collection will be better also for 2025,” Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui said on the sidelines of a Congress hearing last week.

For 2025, the BIR is tasked with collecting P3.2 trillion, while the Bureau of Customs’ target is P1.06 trillion.

Earlier this week, the BIR said that it exceeded its revised P2.85-trillion collection goal in 2024, which is expected to further increase when the totals are finalized around mid-February.

In 2024, the BIR’s collection target was 22% higher than the P2.34-trillion goal in 2023. That year, revenue rose 8% but missed its P2.64-trillion target.

“This double-digit growth also presumes that (pending tax bills) will be passed. So, that’s one thing,” he said.

The BIR said these bills include the excise taxes on single-use plastics, pre-mixed alcoholic beverages, sweetened beverages, as well as the rationalization of the mining fiscal regime.

The proposed excise tax measure on single-use plastic received final approval from the House of Representatives but remains stalled at committee level in the Senate.

Similarly, the measure rationalizing taxes for large-scale miners has hurdled the House but remains at second reading in the Senate.

Meanwhile, the excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages and pre-mixed alcoholic beverages remains in committee at the House. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante