Muntinlupa Mayor Biazon celebrates birthday by organizing feeding program in local communities

Recently in the progressive city of Muntinlupa, Mayor Ruffy Biazon celebrated his birthday by being generous as he led a huge feeding program on the many local communities, the Manila Bulletin reported. He expressed gratitude to the Lord.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon celebrated his 54th birthday with a simultaneous community feeding program in 44 communities in the city.

We are grateful to the Lord for another year of life, but we are especially thankful because this means more opportunities to serve our people, all Muntinlupeños,” said Biazon.

The feeding program was held in different barangays in Muntinlupa, particularly targeting those who were vulnerable to malnutrition.

Biazon was born on March 20, 1969 and served as Muntinlupa’s congressman and commissioner of the Bureau of Customs. He was elected to his first term as mayor in the May 2022 elections.

Jumping for joy at 54! Thank you very very much sa mga bumati! (Thank you to all those who greeted),” he posted on Facebook.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this development? How do you plan to celebrate your own birthday this year?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Chinese national arrested in Parañaque for estafa and unjust vexation

Recently in Parañaque City, a foreigner from China got arrested by local police officers at Barangay Tambo over charges of estafa and unjust vexation, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

A Chinese was arrested by members of the Parañaque police Tambo substation after complaints of estafa and unjust vexation were filed against him by a fellow Chinese on Sunday, March 19.

The Southern Police District (SPD) said the suspect, identified as Haoyi Li, 24, was arrested around 11:30 a.m. at Solaire Resort and Casino located along Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Barangay Tambo.

The SPD said the victim was identified as Xianglong Zeng, 32, also a Chinese.

The police said the suspect borrowed P600,000 from the victim and promised to pay him through online fund transfer or via Alipay app for the amount of 75,000 RMB.

The victim told the police that when he made a follow up for the payment,  Li reportedly got angry and shouted at the victim.

The victim added that he was pushed several times by the suspect while shouting unsavory words at him that caught the attention of the security personnel who called up the police for assistance.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a Parañaque City resident, are you concerned about Chinese nationals causing trouble in your local community?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Sea of Stars RPG coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One on August 29, 2023

Xbox fans who love role-playing games (RPGs) should be delighted to know that the new multiplatform fantasy RPG Sea of Stars will be officially released for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One consoles on August 29, 2023, according to an official announcement by Sabotage Studio (The Messenger).

To begin with, watch the official Sea of Stars Xbox video below…

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the official announcement by the developer…

Talk about an announcement that was long overdue!

Since the very beginning, we were secretly hoping to be able to cover all current and previous generation consoles. With production being a world of curve balls, we had to leave the messaging at “PC and Consoles” to avoid having to walk some things back. With the big unknowns now in the rear view, we are delighted to finally confirm the addition of Xbox to the party!

For the newcomers reading this, Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG inspired by the classics. It tells the story of two Children of the Solstice who combine the powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic, the only force capable of fending off the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer. The game also has some music from veteran composer Yasunori Mitsuda whose credits include Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. In terms of setting, Sea of Stars is a prequel to Sabotage Studios’ previous game The Messenger.

A battle with a huge monster. This game has really nice pixel art and animation, complete with oversized creatures.
A battle with monsters while exploring the world.
We will find out soon how good the quality the writing for the game will be.

This announcement of Sea of Stars is making 2023 a more exciting year of RPGs for Xbox gamers as Starfield will be released this coming September as an Xbox-exclusive, while new JRPG Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and the remastered editions of Suikoden I and II will be released sometime this year. Recently, the remastered Tales of Symphonia was released on Xbox while Square Enix had an online sale for Xbox gamers.

The Xbox ecosystem is becoming more significant for gamers who love RPGs whether they are brand new or old RPGs that got remastered to take advantage of the modern game consoles. The more the Xbox ecosystem becomes important, it could convince Square Enix to someday remaster their classic JRPG Xenogears on Xbox and Windows PC. The same could be said about Capcom and its Breath of Fire RPG series.

Sea of Stars on Xbox is a blessing!

Watch out for Sea of Stars on Xbox on August 29, 2023.

In concluding this article, posted below for your enjoyment are Xbox-related videos.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Two ladies and a man arrested for shoplifting in Alabang

What would you do if you had so many containers of sunblock lotion? I had to ask that question because the Manila Bulletin reported a recent incident that happened in Alabang, Muntinlupa City in which three people got arrested for shoplifting inside a popular retailer. They were caught carrying over fifty units of expensive sunblock lotion and had no proof of purchase with them as they attempted to leave.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Three persons were arrested by the police for allegedly shoplifting 55 sunblock lotions at a popular membership-only warehouse club in Muntinlupa.

The Muntinlupa police identified the suspects as Zamuel Campo, 50; Riza Cuatro, 46; and Fatima Cuatro, 39.

According to the police, the shoplifting incident happened at the S&R Membership Shopping branch at Westgate Alabang on March 19.

The three allegedly posed as customers and put 55 pieces of Beach Hut sunblock lotions in a bag and immediately walked out of the store. Each sunblock lotion cost P492 for a total of P27,060.

At the S&R exit, they were searched by the guards and when they failed to show a receipt for the sunblock lotions, they were prevented from leaving.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think the arrested suspects could be working together or could they be working for a crime syndicate?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

A Look Back at Harbinger #20 (1993)

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through the Harbinger monthly series.

In my previous review, the team led by Sting daringly broke into the Harbinger Foundation’s New York facility and freed the pretty blonde Natalie Toynbee (codename: Stunner) who happened to have a big ego and was not comfortable with the organization’s rules. While Sting and his team secured Natalie as their newest member, a sinister force from Iran arrives in America. 

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #20, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins deep in the nation of Iran on February 1, 1993. Thanks to the tremendous help of Screen, the Harbinger renegades composed of Flamingo, Kris, Shatiqua and Faith/Zephyr make their way through the busy section of Mashad, carefully communicating with each other while disguised in cultural clothing. Their mission is to find the hideout of Kaliph and rescue Sting and Natalie/Stunner knowing they only have ten hours left.

Inside Kaliph’s fortress, a very weak and uneasy Sting finds himself alone in a dark room while Natalie is being treated nicely by the servants of Kaliph in preparation for dinner with the sinister master himself…

Quality

During their rescue effort, Sting’s teammates face off with the armed Iranians of Kaliph.

In terms of storytelling, this is a very solid continuation to the events that happened in the previous issue and it was a clever move by the creators to have the story set in enemy territory which easily raised the stakes for Sting’s team. While this is not the first time that the group went out on dangerous missions going into the turf of the opposition, having Iran as the setting and Kaliph as the powerful villain really made things fresh for this particular comic book series.

It should be noted that having Sting being very vulnerable added a nice layer of depth in this tale given the fact that he is still living with a false sense of maturity as well as traces of arrogance on his part believing that he could make positive changes by fighting powerful enemies and freeing powered youth from captivity without vast amounts of resources. For the newcomers reading this, Sting and his companions do not have much money to live with nor do they have technologies or connections to be powerful as a team. They simply have their own super powers and the will to move on and make things happen which makes them different compared to many other superhero teams in comics.

There are also signs of suicidal thoughts on Sting’s part as he recklessly moved to get to Kaliph even though the villain’s men were armed. By contrast, his teammates moved cautiously into Kaliph’s fortress and the way they handled the armed Iranians was believably presented. Not to be outdone here in Natalie who got a good share of the spotlight.

This comic book’s evil Iranian Kaliph was presented to be not only powerful but also talented as a business negotiator (which makes him somewhat similar with this comic book series’ super villain Toyo Harada) and even as a host of special guests. His evil nature here got emphasized further through his treatment of people as pawns of negotiations backed by his power of manipulation.

Conclusion

Natalie Toynbee being treated nicely by the servants not realizing the evil of the man she is about to meet.

Harbinger #20 (1993) is both engaging and intriguing to read from start to finish. Having Sting’s team on a high-risk rescue mission in Iran made for a great setting and Kaliph turned out to be a more significant figure of evil. Through Kaliph and his violence-oriented servants, you will see the symbolism of the evil of Iran in real-life even though this comic book does not show any links between him and the regime that took power in 1979. Geopolitics are pretty much absent in the story but the evil presented through Kaliph make this old comic book highly relevant in relation to the evil of Iran today (for reference, click here, here, here, here, here and here). It should be noted that within the comic book, the Iranian people in general are not condemned and in real life, there are Iranians standing up against their government which itself has been sponsoring terrorists and organizing terrorism for a long time now. The brutality committed by Iran’s regime made several Iranians escape their country to be free.

Considering the very sensitive matter of Iran and other issues related with contemporary geopolitics, Harbinger #20 (1993) not only aged well but is also a living reminder that people whose minds got poisoned with wickedness, political correctness and wokeness would not dare make a comic book showing the evil of Iran. The Leftist-oriented people prefer to make deals with terrorists (for examples, click here and here).

Overall, Harbinger #20 (1993) is highly recommended!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Department of Tourism (DOT) unveils ambitious plan to establish Philippines as a major tourism player in Asia within five years

Tourism in the Philippines looks bright right now. Recently, the MUEG Bank Ltd. Of Japan expressed that the tourism sector of the Philippines could double this year with the return of Chinese tourists as the factor. For its part, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced the scrapping of mask wearing and proof of vaccination as requirements in the nation’s tourism enterprises.

Recently, the DOT announced its ambitious plan to transform the nation into a major player in international tourism (specifically within Asia) in the next five years, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippines targets to become a tourism powerhouse in Asia in the next five years, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said Wednesday.

At the unveiling of the 2023-2028 National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) during a tourism stakeholders’ summit in Manila, the Department of Tourism (DOT) vowed to “establish a Philippine tourism industry anchored on Filipino culture, heritage and identity, which aims to be sustainable, resilient and competitive in order to transform the Philippines into a tourism powerhouse in Asia.”

The roadmap identified seven measures to achieve this goal, with improving tourism infrastructure and accessibility as one of the priorities.

The overall target is the transformation of the tourism industry of the Philippines, which is why we have embarked on the objective of not just focusing on the promotion of tourism but more importantly on the development of industry from the ground up focusing not just on our key destinations, but also on our emerging and lesser known destinations,” Frasco said.

“We can only truly transform the Philippine tourism industry if we address the prevailing challenges that we face continually across our regions,” she added.

On connectivity, Frasco said DOT is working with the Department of Transportation to negotiate more routes for air and sea travel.

Under the NTDP, Frasco said DOT would focus on digitalization; enhancement of the overall tourist experience by incentivizing sustainable travel and improving safety and security in destinations, among others.

The agency would also tap local government units in developing more tourist sites and linking emerging ones to key destinations.

She said the government will increase investments in creating “high-value” tourism experiences and announced the May 2023 launch of the Philippine Experience.

The program, which aims to highlight heritage and culture unique to every region in the country, will be piloted in Davao, Ilocos Region, Bicol and Calabarzon.

The program, she said, would include a three to five-day tour packages allowing tourists to experience both well-known and lesser-known destinations in said regions.

Frasco presented the salient points of the NTDP before the country’s top tourism players. The roadmap was first previewed during the Tourism Coordinating Council (TCC) meeting convened in February and would be submitted to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for approval within the month.

“This NTDP will serve as a blueprint for the strategies on how the Department of Tourism intends to continue and to grow the impact of tourism upon our economy in the next few years. This will be the guidebook of the industry where we put in place mechanisms for sustainability for many many years to come,” Frasco said.

‘Rosy prospects’ – Frasco noted that, even prior to the finalization of NTDP, the DOT has closely collaborated with tourism stakeholders in carrying out the President’s vision through its various plans and programs, citing the most recent awards and nominations received by the Philippines and its tourism destinations.

The DOT has yet to reveal arrival targets for the next five years but earlier said it seeks to reach 4.8 million in foreign visitors by end of 2023.

This follows the positive momentum set in 2022, which successfully closed with 2.65 million visitors that translates to PHP214 billion or roughly USD4 billion in estimated revenues.

The momentum for recovery and growth has begun. We’ve eased restrictions. We’ve continued to aggressively promote our destinations through the DOT’s constant and unyielding presence in various exhibits in the Philippines and all over the world. And people are traveling now, and are traveling with a vengeance,” Frasco said.

“By promoting the Philippines through the biggest international tourism and trade fairs across Asia and Europe, we are re-introducing the Philippines to the world, and bringing no less than the best of the best of the country and the Filipino people,” she added

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the DOT and all the strategic partners will be able to fulfill all the adjustments needed to transform the Philippines into a major tourist destination? What would you suggest to the DOT to make the tourism experience in the country more efficient and more interesting? Do you think it is time for the DOT to start recognizing local conventions or special events (examples: ToyCon, Trans Sport Show) and start encouraging foreign tourists to attend them?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Starfield set for release on September 6, 2023 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC

The delay has been painful for Xbox fans, Bethesda fans and gamers who love playing role-playing games (RPGs). The pain, however, is easing as the much anticipated Xbox-exclusive sci-fi RPG Starfield is set for a global release on September 6, 2023. You will need an Xbox Series X console, an Xbox Series S console or a capable Windows PC to play the new game from Bethesda. The game will also launch on Xbox Game Pass (XGP).

To begin with, watch the official Starfield release announcement trailer below…

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from a related announcement by Bethesda. There is more coming before the release of Starfield…

Starfield is launching on September 6, 2023.

Starfield’s official launch date has been revealed in a brand-new enigmatic trailer, followed by a special message from Game Director Todd Howard. Players can look forward to the deepest dive yet into Bethesda Game Studios’ latest epic at the Starfield Direct, coming June 11, 2023.

Starfield arrives exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC on September 6, 2023. Play it day one with Xbox Game Pass.

Like anyone else, I was disappointed when Starfield’s initial release date of November 2022 could not be fulfilled. We are now beyond that and if you looked closely at the above Starfield release date video with updates from Todd Howard, you will see lots of gameplay moments as other Bethesda people played it. I also noticed from those moments that it looks like Bethesda somehow improved the frame rate of the game above 30 frames-per-second (30FPS).

That being said, we can expect a lot more updates about the sci-fi RPG in this June’s Starfield Direct online event. I hope that the developers will announce officially that the game will be played in two visual modes, with one of them prioritizing a 60FPS frame rate over resolution or visual details. I also hope that they will show that controls during the space battles sequences will be very responsive and user-friendly. It would also be nice for Bethesda to show some more characters (note: interactive supporting characters that players can choose to recruit) and more details of the plot without spoiling too much.

Considering the massive open-world environments, here is hoping that 60FPS will be achieved for gamers who prefer a higher frame rate.
There should be more details and gameplay about the space battles in this June’s pre-release event.

Starfield will undoubtedly be the most significant Xbox-exclusive release this year and by succeeding commercially and critically, it will make Xbox an even more significant ecosystem for playing RPGs.

Be ready for the pre-release digital event this June and the game’s release this September.

Watch out for Starfield Direct event on June 11, 2023, and the official launch of Starfield on September 6, 2023.

In concluding this article, posted below for your enjoyment are Xbox-related videos. The leader of Sony PlayStation looks more illogical and desperate as he leads a fading opposition against the Microsoft Activision-Blizzard deal. Microsoft recently made 10-year deals with Nintendo, Nvidia and Boosteroid in connection with Activision-Blizzard. Sony is looking more isolated and shameful which is disturbing PlayStation fanboys who hate Xbox on social media. It seems the PlayStation extremists can’t help but be jealous and angry over Starfield being Xbox-exclusive.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Most wanted person of Las Piñas City arrested in Quezon City

Recently police officers organized a manhunt operation that resulted in the arrest of a man who was described as the most wanted person Las Piñas City, the Manila Bulletin reported. The suspect was apprehended in Quezon City.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

A man wanted by the police for statutory rape and acts of lasciviousness was arrested by members of the Warrant and Subpoena Section (WSS) of the Las Piñas police in Quezon City on Tuesday, March 14.

According to city police chief, Col. Jaime Santos, members of the WSS conducted a manhunt operation for the arrest of the suspect identified as Francis Sarmiento, 33.

Sarmiento was tagged as the most wanted person in Las Piñas.

Sarmiento was arrested around 1:30 p.m. along Acacia Street, Vista Real Executive Village in Barangay Matandang Balara, Quezon City.

Santos said Judge Elizabeth Yu-Guray of the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 202 issued the warrant of arrest on Sarmiento, who was charged with statutory rape and acts of lasciviousness with a recommended bail of P400,000 for the acts of lasciviousness and no bail for statutory rape.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Las Piñas City resident, what is your reaction to this new development? Are you thankful to the local police for apprehending the man described as the city’s most wanted person?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Philippines PC sales of 2022 4th quarter falls down 48.9%

Were you able to buy a brand new laptop or desktop over the past six months? This question I asked because according to a news report by BusinessWorld, personal computer (PC) sales in the Philippines decreased by almost 49% in the 4th quarter of 2022. There is an ongoing downward trend that cannot be ignored.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld news article. Some parts in boldface…

The personal computer (PC) market in the Philippines had 464,000 units in the fourth quarter of 2022, representing a 48.9% decrease compared to the same period the previous year, according to the International Data Corp. (IDC).

The PC market also declined 18.5% from the previous quarter.

The market declined across notebooks and desktops,” IDC Philippines Associate Market Analyst Jeeno Velasco said in a statement on Monday.

Household consumption was largely fulfilled and refocused on other spending activities geared toward the holiday season.

He also noted that macroeconomic pressures further drove inventory rationalization among vendors.

Top five PC companies in the Philippines during the quarter were Acer Group, Lenovo, HP Inc, ASUS, and Dell Technologies.

The commercial space has not bounced back, as reported by the market intelligence company, due to weakened government and enterprise sectors which declined 44.7% and 25.2% from the previous quarter, respectively.

It noted that the national government has not announced any major plans involving information technology spending, while the enterprise segment is more reluctant to procure more units due to its negative financial outlook.

“Demand for desktops and the influx of company workers required to report back to work should have increased shipments for the corporate sector, but this didn’t pan out,” Mr. Velasco said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think economic factors like high inflation, rising interest rates and a potential recession overseas will keep the local PC market down for the rest of the year?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

BIR targeting online sellers

If you have been engaging on selling items or services online, you should be aware that the Philippines’ authority on taxation the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is constantly watching you and it is seeking ways to tax you, according to a BusinessWorld news report. Already the BIR has been communicating with the e-commerce platforms.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld news article. Some parts in boldface…

THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) is looking to collect taxes from online sellers on e-commerce platforms more efficiently.

BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui said it is difficult to monitor taxes on individual online sellers on e-commerce platforms.

We’re in constant communication with the platforms, because it’s a challenge to monitor. We’re thinking of ways to approach it because if we look at individual online sellers, it’s a bit difficult. It’s a challenge,” he told reporters on Thursday evening.

Mr. Lumagui said the BIR is prioritizing ways to better collect taxes from online sellers and other new platforms this year.

The pandemic forced many entrepreneurs to shift to online selling using e-commerce platforms like Shopee and Lazada, as well as social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok.

As of 2022, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) estimated there are around two million entities doing business as online sellers.

In 2021, the digital economy contributed 9.6% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), or about P1.87 trillion. DigiPinas, the multi-sectoral initiative led by UBX Philippines Corp., earlier said the Philippine digital economy can grow to as much as $150 billion or about P8.3 trillion in the next decade.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lumagui said the BIR will tap social media influencers to help educate the public on the importance of paying taxes.

“They have reach and I think that one way of making people comply with tax obligations is to educate the people since tax is a very complicated topic not easy to understand,” he said, adding the BIR will schedule a dialogue with them.

Mr. Lumagui said the BIR will continue its efforts to collect taxes from social media influencers, since they’re earning income. He noted there are already some who are undergoing tax audits.

What we want is to dialogue with them that these are your obligations as social media influencers, you’re earning from whatever you’re doing, so this is your responsibility as income earners,” he said.

The BIR said it collected around P44.6 billion worth of tax from online content creators and retail sales at the end of 2021.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you have been selling products or services online for the last twelve months, do you think the BIR’s move with taxing your business will negatively affect Philippine e-commerce as a whole? Have you set aside enough money for potential taxation by the BIR? What is the one thing about online selling that made you stay away from selling through physical establishments like a store?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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