PSA website crashes due to surge in nat’l ID applicants

Ben O. de Vera 05/01/2021

A surge in applicants overwhelmed the dedicated portal during the first day of online registration for the national ID. “We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the downtime of the pilot launch of the PhilSys (Philippine Identification…

SSS contributions down 7.1% as recession slashed jobs

Ben O. de Vera 03/13/2021

Contributions to the state-run pension fund Social Security System (SSS) dropped 7.1 percent to P204.75 billion in 2020 as millions of its members lost their jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Finance (DOF) said Friday.…

4.5 million Filipinos jobless in 2020; highest in 15 years

Ben O. de Vera 03/09/2021

MANILA, Philippines — Some 4.5 million Filipinos were jobless last year for an average unemployment rate of 10.3 percent, the highest in 15 years, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Monday. In 2020, the Philippines imposed…

PH borrowed a record P2.74T in 2020

Ben O. de Vera 03/02/2021

The Philippines borrowed a record P2.74 trillion in 2020 to fight the health and socioeconomic crises inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest Bureau of the Treasury data showed that gross domestic borrowings cornered the bulk or…

Gov’t keeps tight watch on pork imports

Ben O. de Vera 02/23/2021

While allowing more pork imports in a bid to arrest elevated domestic prices caused by a supply lack, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has ordered the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to be on the lookout for smugglers…

Fewer PH families caring for elderly women – ADB

Ben O. de Vera 02/14/2021

MANILA, Philippines —  When she was just 32 and a rising star in the business process outsourcing company where she works, “Rona” was offered a higher-paying position that would relocate her to its US headquarters. While she…

PH gets P3.72-B grant, 500K vaccine doses from China

Ben O. de Vera, Marlon Ramos 01/17/2021

China on Saturday provided a 500-million renminbi (P3.72-billion) grant to the Philippines to bankroll various livelihood and infrastructure projects, which might also be used to finance the Duterte administration’s COVID-19 response, and promised to donate 500,000 doses…

PH seeks $300-M World Bank loan to buy COVID vaccines

Ben O. de Vera 01/03/2021

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is seeking a fresh loan of $300 million from the World Bank to purchase vaccines for COVID-19, according to documents from the multilateral lender seen by the Inquirer on Saturday. In response…

Despite pandemic, SSS contribution rate hike a go in 2021

Ben O. de Vera 12/07/2020

MANILA, Philippines—Despite the COVID-19 pandemic that shed millions of jobs and shuttered thousands of businesses, the state-run pension fund Social Security System (SSS) on Monday (Dec. 7) said the scheduled increase in contribution rate to 13 percent…

Neda warns of higher food prices

Ben O. de Vera 11/09/2020

The Philippines is bracing for higher food prices amid an expected prolonged wet season and the state planning agency National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) has sought additional support for the agriculture sector. “While inflation has been…

Import duties, taxes up in October

Ben O. de Vera 11/04/2020

  The Bureau of Customs (BOC) collected P50.9 billion in import duties and other taxes in October, exceeding its downscaled revenue goal for the fifth straight month. While the BOC’s actual collection was 5.2-percent higher than the…

SSS extends contribution payment deadline to Dec. 1

Ben O. de Vera 10/18/2020

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the Social Security System (SSS) has again given employers and the self-employed some more time or until Dec. 1 to remit their mandatory employee contributions to the state-run pension…

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