Business
Call centers now demanding ‘near-native’ English speakers
September 13, 2018, 7:21 pm
MANILA -- Call center applicants should learn to speak English with American, Australian, or British accents as business process outsourcing (BPO) clients have expressed preference for “near-native” English speakers. During the formal launch of Teleperformance's 19th site in the country on… Read More
Where are American investors? Dominguez asks US envoy
September 13, 2018, 7:17 pm
MANILA -- Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has questioned the absence of American investors in the Duterte administration’s flagship infrastructure project to develop the Clark Freeport Zone, a former United States military airbase, into the country’s next big metropolis. In a meeting… Read More
Local markets bounce back on weak US economic reports
September 13, 2018, 6:00 pm
MANILA -- Bargain hunting allowed the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) to cut short its eight-day losing streak Thursday, which also gave the peso a much needed boost. PSEi gained 0.92, or 68.17 points, to 7,517.37 points, which Landbank market economist Guian Angelo S. Dumalagan attributed… Read More
Filipino youth more workforce ready with K+12
September 13, 2018, 5:59 pm
MANILA -- Teleperformance Philippines Managing Director Travis Coates said the implementation of the K+12 Basic Education Program is better preparing the Filipino youth to enter the workforce. Coates said the company is also benefiting from the fruits of the K+12, as senior high school graduates… Read More
Gatchalian open to retaining old tax incentive under TRABAHO Bill
September 13, 2018, 9:51 am
MANILA – Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday said he is open to retaining the 5-percent gross income earned (GIE) tax incentive under the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities (TRABAHO) Bill, the second package of the tax reform program. On the sidelines of the… Read More
ADB pushes for further private sector role on transport infra
September 13, 2018, 7:54 am
MANILA -- Countries in the Asia Pacific region should craft policies that enable the growth of private sector participation on transport infrastructure projects, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said. ADB President Takehiko Nakao said the private sector has a significant role on infrastructure… Read More
TDF rates sustain hikes but BSP cut next week's offering
September 12, 2018, 8:40 pm
MANILA -- The rise in the rates of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) Term Deposit Facility (TDF) continued Wednesday but offering for next week’s auction was cut for the longer tenors. Data released by the central bank showed that rate of the seven-day facility went up to 4.3744 percent from… Read More
Banks given Nov. 30 deadline to include ACHs in their e-channels
September 12, 2018, 7:32 pm
MANILA -- Banks that offer InstaPay and PESONet are given until November 30, 2018 to make available on their electronic banking (e-banking) channels these payment platforms. Memorandum No. M-2018-026, signed by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier on September 4, 2018,… Read More
Trade tensions continue to dampen local markets' performance
September 12, 2018, 6:47 pm
MANILA -- External developments continue to contribute to the weakness of both the Philippine peso, which fell to its weakest since December 2005, and the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi). The local currency ended Wednesday at 54.13, its weakest after the 54.155 on December 2, 2005. It shed… Read More
Foreign bizmen want PEZA regime to stay
September 12, 2018, 6:46 pm
MANILA -- Executives from various foreign chambers of commerce in the country threw their support behind the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) saying that current policies, including perks, extended by government to their members ought to be maintained. In a press conference during the… Read More
Financial literacy in PH gets boost
September 12, 2018, 6:08 pm
MANILA -- Teaching financial literacy to students got another lift through a multi-sectoral program to educate teachers on this topic and provide tools that will make financial education more interesting. Global payment technology provider Visa has partnered with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas… Read More
MAP to gov’t: Deal with NCR traffic like Boracay mess
September 12, 2018, 2:13 pm
MANILA -- The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) has called on the government to address Metro Manila's worsening traffic congestion with the “same intensity” as in dealing with the environmental decay of Boracay. During the Arangkada Philippines Forum 2018 in Pasay City… Read More
DICT vows to name 3rd telco by December
September 11, 2018, 11:05 pm
MANILA – The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) vowed to name the new major telco player, among many interested local and foreign firms, by December. This, as the DICT is finalizing the terms of reference for the selection process within this month. “That has been… Read More
PCCI backs TRABAHO Bill
September 11, 2018, 11:01 pm
MANILA -- The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has expressed support for the second package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program of the administration or the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities, also known as the TRABAHO Bill. In a press conference… Read More
Good macroeconomic policies to mitigate external shocks
September 11, 2018, 9:34 pm
MANILA -- An official of the Department of Finance (DOF) said maintaining good macroeconomic policies, among others, will shield the Philippine economy from economic shocks overseas. Because of fears arising from the financial woes of Turkey and Argentina as well as brewing trade wars among major… Read More
60% of sites nationwide upgraded to LTE technology: Smart
September 11, 2018, 8:41 pm
MANILA – PLDT wireless unit, Smart Communications, announced that it has deployed more Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced sites nationwide during the year's first half, resulting in higher mobile data traffic. In a statement Tuesday, Smart said more than 60 percent of its sites were… Read More
New Clark City, a priority of Duterte admin: Dominguez
September 11, 2018, 8:40 pm
MANILA – Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said while the implementation of various infrastructure projects is important to the Duterte administration, the completion of New Clark City is deemed especially significant. “Our priority is the Clark City Development and we have put money in… Read More
Peso stays put despite depreciation risks, PSEi continues decline
September 11, 2018, 7:49 pm
MANILA -- The Peso ended Tuesday's session sideways against the US dollar despite the strong pull towards the 54-level but the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) declined for the fifth straight day on trade war concerns overseas and rise of domestic inflation rate. The local unit ended the day… Read More
Logistics firm expands facility in PH
September 11, 2018, 6:57 pm
MANILA -- Logistics solutions provider Black Arrow Express has invested in a larger facility to accommodate increasing shipment volumes from e-commerce orders. Black Arrow Express President Allan Brizuela said in a statement Tuesday that the company is moving to a three-storey warehouse facility… Read More
Treasury bureau rejects bids for 10-year T-bond
September 11, 2018, 5:40 pm
MANILA -- The Bureau of Treasury’s (BTr) auction committee on Tuesday rejected all bids for the 10-year Treasury bond due to undersubscription and demand for high yields. It offered the debt paper for PHP15 billion but total tenders only amounted to PHP12.737 billion. Had the auction committee… Read More
