MANILA, Philippines — The interagency Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC) has lowered the Bureau of Customs’ collection target for this year by P18 billion due to projected slower import growth.
Finance Assistant Secretary Ma. Teresa S. Habitan said Customs collection, which accounts for a fifth of government revenue, was reduced by 5 percent to P347 billion from the original target of P365 billion.
MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Corporation (SMC)may consider buying back the preferred shares it had issued to the government in exchange for the state’s common shares in the company.
In a mobile phone message, SMC president Ramon S. Ang said “SMC can” when asked if SMC or its top shareholder Top Frontier would be interested in the government’s plan to divest from SMC.
In a message to Bloomberg News, Finance undersecretary John Philip Sevilla said the government is considering the sale of its SMC preferred shares.
MANILA, Philippines — Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) once again bolstered its position as the authority in diesel-powered vehicles as it posted steady sales for its model lineup in 2011, with the Isuzu N-Series light-duty truck topping its segment.
SEOUL (AFP) – South Korea's Samsung Electronics Friday posted a record operating profit of 5.3 trillion won ($4.72 billion) in the fourth quarter, thanks largely to booming smartphone sales.
The company, the world's largest technology firm by revenue, is battling US giant Apple for leadership of the global smartphone market.
It credited its flagship Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Note brands for helping its telecoms businesses achieve a record quarterly operating profit of 2.64 trillion won.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The US economy likely grew at its fastest pace in nearly two years at the end of 2011, but a rebuilding of stocks by businesses and weak exports could be early warning signs of a slowdown in early 2012.
US gross domestic product is expected to have expanded at a 3.0 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter, according to a Reuters poll, which would be a sharp acceleration from the 1.8 percent clip of the prior three months and the quickest pace since the second quarter of 2010.
JUST A THOUGHT: He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts. – Samuel Johnson
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NEW TIMESLOT: After 16 months of educating the masses once a week on aspects of Philippine law, the courtroom drama and talk show “Public Atorni: Asunto o Areglo” graduates to a new timeslot and a daily grind starting on Jan. 30, still on TV5.
MANILA, Philippines — Creators of TV’s most acclaimed comedy “Modern Family” stood by its controversial episode “Little Bo Bleep” aired Tuesday (Jan. 24) locally even after a group called No Cussing Club criticized the show for a plot line grounded on a toddler’s first “effing” trouble.
The anti-profanity organization has requested on Jan. 18 for ABC to pull out the entire “Modern Family” episode where the show’s youngest cast member appeared to have dropped the F-bomb, wire reports said.
MANILA, Philippines — Rock fans have marked Feb. 19 on their calendars as gothic rock band Evanescence performs at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
The one-night gig mounted by Ovation Productions and titled “Evanescence Live In Manila!” also features British alternative rocker Bush as special guest.
The two-in-one musical presentation brings to the concert scene two of the hottest groups in rock music during the past two decades.
MANILA, Philippines — "You’re never too old to learn,” goes the saying. If that’s true, then certainly, nobody is ever too young to learn as well. That’s why there are classes even for the littlest ones like newborns and infants. Kindermusik classes are an example.
Hi Suzi and Paolo. I am a regular follower of your column here in Manila Bulletin. I never had a question to ask… until now. My daughter will be starting school next school year. And as early as now, we are already preparing her. The problem is, she does not want to go to school. We already tried reasoning with her and even took her to school to let her see what school is about. What more can we do to make her like going to school? — Estela Rodriguez, San Andres, Manila