Asia – Page 38 – Author Carlo Carrasco

10 More Medicines Now VAT-Exempt in the Philippines

June 28, 2025June 23, 2025carlocarrasco

Some good news for Filipinos struggling with buy medicine for their respective health-related needs. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) officially announced that ten more medicines are exempted from the value-added tax (VAT), according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

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

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said 10 more medicines for cancer, high cholesterol, hypertension, and mental illness are now exempted from value-added tax (VAT).

In a statement on Monday, the BIR said Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 62-2025 on June 20 further expanding the list of VAT-exempt medicines.

The BIR said these changes aim to enhance access to critical medications by reducing treatment costs for patients and their families.

Some medicines on the list are Tegafur + Gimeracil + Oteracil Potassium for cancer, Metformin Hydrochloride + Teneligliptin for diabetes, Atorvastatin (as calcium) + Fenobribrate for high cholesterol, Metoprolol tartrate + Ivabradine (as hydrochloride) for hypertension, and Lamotrigine for mental illness.

The VAT exemption, pursuant to Republic Act No. 10963, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, and Republic Act No. 11534, or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, is intended to be responsive and adaptive to current public health needs, guided by the latest evaluations from the Food and Drug Administration.

“The BIR has issued an additional VAT-exemption of 10 medicines for cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, and mental illness,” Lumagui said.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are on medication, does this new development from the BIR look helpful to you?

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

High-value suspect arrested in Parañaque City

June 27, 2025June 22, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the city of Parañaque, a buy-bust operation successfully organized by the local police resulted in the arrest of a high-value suspect and the seizure of illegal drugs worth more than half a million Pesos, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

Police arrested a suspected high-value drug personality and seized P544,000 worth of shabu during a buy-bust operation in Parañaque City on Wednesday, June 19.

The Southern Police District (SPD) said the suspect, identified only as Jose, 21, was arrested at around 9:00 p.m. in Barangay San Isidro by operatives of the Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU).

Police said the operation stemmed from reports by concerned residents about the suspect’s alleged involvement in illegal drug activities.

Confiscated from the suspect were 80 grams of shabu valued at P544,000, a black backpack, a cellphone used in illegal drug transactions, and P1,000 in marked buy-bust money. The seized drugs were turned over to the SPD Forensic Unit for laboratory examination.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you think that the smuggling and selling of illegal drugs in the city will get worse over the next six months?

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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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 engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Gunrunning suspects arrested by PNP-CIDG in Parañaque City

June 26, 2025June 22, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the city of Parañaque, elements of the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) successfully pulled of an entrapment operation resulting in the apprehension of three gunrunning suspects and the seizure of loose firearms, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

Three gunrunning suspects were arrested and five loose firearms were seized by the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) during an entrapment operation in Parañaque City, a ranking official bared Friday, June 20.

Police Brig. Gen. Rolindo M. Suguilon, CIDG officer-in-charge, identified the suspects as alias “Johnel”, an electrical engineer; “James”, a businessman; and “Rolyn”, a dentist.

The suspects were allegedly caught in the act of delivering and trading five unlicensed firearms at an open parking lot of a mall in Barangay Tambo last June 18.

Authorities recovered from the suspects three caliber 5.56 Bushmaster rifles, a caliber 9mm pistol, and a caliber 22 pistol.

“The suspects are allegedly involved in gunrunning and the illegal firearms trade operating within the National Capital Region,” Suguilon said.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you considering that there are a lot of loose firearms within the city? Do you think violent crime will get much worse in Parañaque over the next six months?

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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Las Piñas City Mayor-elect Aguilar and incoming Congressman Santos attend ERPAT-Pilar gathering

June 26, 2025June 26, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the Empowerment and Reaffirmation of Paternal Abilities (ERPAT) Pilar Chapter had its gathering of members and Mayor-elect April Aguilar and incoming Congressman Mark Santos joined in as guests, the City Government announced via social media.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…

The Empowerment and Reaffirmation of Paternal Abilities (ERPAT) Pilar Chapter held its General Assembly on Sunday, June 15, in Pilar. The gathering brought together members of ERPAT for a day of fellowship, updates on organizational initiatives, and formal recognition of outstanding contributions to the group’s advocacy.

Mayor-elect April Aguilar and Congressman-elect Mark Anthony Santos joined the assembly and expressed their appreciation for the continued efforts of ERPAT in promoting responsible fatherhood and active community participation. In her message, Mayor-elect Aguilar commended the group for its unity and commitment to family-centered programs, particularly at the grassroots level.

One of the highlights of the event was the awarding of certificates to selected members who have shown exceptional support and service to the organization and active involvement in ERPAT initiatives.

The ERPAT organization continues to serve as a strong partner of the local government in advocating paternal responsibility, community building, and family welfare.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Does ERPAT have a lot of members in your local community right now? Is there an ERPAT chapter in your barangay?

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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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 85

June 25, 2025June 21, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 The Cannonball Run revisited by GoodBadFlicks and You, Me and the Movies – Do you enjoy 1980s comedy films? How about a film that has comedy, an all-star cast, lots of cars and lots of stunts? You will find that in The Cannonball Run which was released in 1981 and became a box office hit. The film has a memorable cast including Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore (technically playing James Bond), Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Jackie Chan, Adrienne Barbeau, Tara Buckman and others. For your enjoyment, I posted below the recent reaction video by You, Me and the Movies, and a retrospective video by GoodBadFlicks. If you have not seen The Cannonball Run, watch it first (available on Blu-ray format). Otherwise, enjoy the videos below.

#2 PatmanQC examines Super Mario Bros. 3 – When it comes to picking which is the most influential platform game on the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom)/Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 are often the most popular choices as both games are really great. While the first game sold a lot more copies worldwide, the third game remains highly significant as it influenced platform game designers for a number of years. Not only that, Super Mario Bros. 3 notably was featured in the 1989 movie The Wizard. To see how Super Mario Bros. 3 was made, what the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto and teammates did and how much of an impact the game had on players, watch the in-depth video of PatmanQC below.

#3 Unsolved Mysteries examines 2001 anthrax attacks – 2001 will always be remembered as a year of uncertainty and chaos. During that year, 9/11 shocked the world which raised public fear about terrorism. Adding further to the shock and fear of the time, the 2001 anthrax attacks happened shortly after 9/11. Suddenly, a lot of people got afraid of touching pieces of mail as the anthrax attacks happened through the distribution system of the US Postal Service. Eventually, the TV series Unsolved Mysteries (hosted by the late Robert Stack) released an episode dramatizing and examining the 2001 anthrax attacks. Before watching the video below, be advised that the details can be quite disturbing.

#4 Examining the so-called success of Xbox RPG Avowed – It has been months since the Obsidian-developed Xbox fantasy role-playing game (RPG) Avowed was released. Shortly after, there were these individuals or publishers that declared the game a success even though there is no evidence to prove it was. This only reminds me of the sad reality that there are a lot of woke activists, Marxists and fake fans who have infiltrated the gaming and entertainment industries which explains the misinformation spreading around us. I played and finished Avowed and I can say that it never lived up to my expectations and the long wait since it was first announced was not worth it. Along the way, it is clear that Obsidian allowed its assigned game makers to add elements of identity politics into Avowed. Externally, there are woke nuts among game journalists, vloggers and bloggers who dedicated themselves to make Avowed look like a smash success even though reality, truth and facts are not on their side. Watch and learn from the selected videos below.

#5 James Gunn’s Superman movie to end up a huge disappointment? – Recently here in the Philippines, director James Gunn, producer Peter Safran, Rachel Brosnahan and David Corenswet arrived to meet the fans as part of their world tour to promote the new Superman movie. Considering how lavish the activities and promotions are, it is simply hard to ignore that Superman of 2025 is looking bound for box office disappointment based on the latest box office analysis and predictions. While RK Outpost examines the weakening Superman box office prospects, Ranting for Vengeance examines the many elements of the James Gunn-directed movie (based on the latest footage shown) that could turn off long-time and genuine Superman fans, and lead to failure. Watch the videos below and pay close attention to the details.

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Over 1,500 residents served by Las Piñas City’s Lab for All caravan in Barangay Pilar Village

June 25, 2025June 19, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the Lab for All caravan was held in Barangay Pilar Village serving more than one thousand five hundred residents, the City Government announced via social media. First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Department of Health (DOH) secretary Teodoro Herbosa, Mayor Imelda Aguilar and Vice Mayor April Aguilar were present during the event.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…

The City of Las Piñas, led by Mayor Imelda Aguilar and Vice Mayor April Aguilar, welcomed the national government’s “Lab For All: Laboratoryo, Konsulta, at Gamot para sa Lahat” caravan on Tuesday, June 17, at the Aguilar Sports Complex in Pilar. The medical and social outreach provided free health services to more than 1,500 residents in coordination with the Department of Health, partner agencies, and the private sector.

Mayor Mel Aguilar expressed her deep appreciation to the Office of the First Lady and the Department of Health for bringing the Lab For All program to the city, citing its strong alignment with Las Piñas’ continuing thrust to deliver health services closer to the community. Vice Mayor April Aguilar likewise delivered a message of unity and compassion, thanking all volunteers and partner organizations who worked to serve Las Piñeros throughout the day.

Leading the national delegation was First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, who emphasized the administration’s support for maternal and child care, particularly through the First 1,000 Days Program. Also present at the event were Department of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who both expressed support for the caravan’s goal of providing accessible and people-centered health programs.

Among the services offered were free medical consultations, blood sugar and cholesterol tests, reproductive health services, eye checkups, free eyeglasses, family planning assistance, and the distribution of free medicines. Residents also received legal consultations from the Public Attorney’s Office, assistance from Pag-IBIG and the National Housing Authority, and support from the Senate’s outreach team.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Is your local community up next to host the Lab for All caravan?

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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NBI agents attacked by Chinese national during entrapment operation in Parañaque City

June 24, 2025June 19, 2025carlocarrasco

During an entrapment operation in Parañaque City, a Chinese national physically attacked three agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and it took a few men to subdue him, according to a GMA Network news report.

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

Three agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) were physically attacked by a Chinese man during an entrapment operation in Paranaque City.

In John Consulta’s exclusive report on “24 Oras” on Tuesday, the incident occurred against members of the NBI Criminal Intelligence Division inside a building in Parañaque City.

Video showed one NBI agent backing away after he was punched in the face by one of the Chinese men.

Authorities had difficulty in arresting the Chinese man after his violent outburst after his companion was being arrested.

“Nagulat kami. Lumaban. Nanakit ng mga agents natin. Very bothering yung ginagawa nung isang suspect na lumaban sa mga otoridad kasi parang hindi na niya kinakatakutan ang local authorities. Hindi na sila natakot kahit alam nila otoridad,” said Noel Bocaling, NBI Intelligence Service assistant director.

(We were caught off guard because he fought back and hurt our agents. What he did was very bothering because it seemed like he was not afraid of local authorities.)

“It took at least three men to subdue the said person pero kung unarmed, you will practice maximum tolerance din pagdating sa ganyan. Huliin mo talaga kaya tatlong agents dyan ang nasaktan,” he added.

(It took at least three men to subdue the said person, but he was unarmed, [so] you will practice maximum tolerance in this case. You need to arrest them, but in the process three of our agents got hurt.)

According to the NBI, one of the Chinese men is facing a complaint for allegedly keeping the complainant’s passport as ransom.

“Passport na ayaw isuli and the passport will be returned for a fee kaya pumunta kami doon in an entrapment operation. Naghanda kami ng pera, ng marked money, para ibayad and then after dun, ang plano huliin,” Bocaling said.

(The suspect will only return the complainant’s passport if he pays the fee, so we prepared marked money for the entrapment operation and the plan was to capture him.)

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you consider your city a hot spot of criminal activities and violent incidents involving Chinese nationals?

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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Almost 500 residents served by Las Piñas City’s Lab for All caravan in Barangay Talon Kuatro

June 24, 2025June 17, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the Lab for All caravan was organized in Barangay Talon Kuatro serving almost five hundred residents, the City Government announced via social media. Mayor-elect April Aguilar was present to meet the locals.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…

The Lab For All Caravan continued its rollout of medical missions in Las Piñas with a second leg held on Saturday, June 14, at the Equitable Village Covered Court in Talon Kuatro. The initiative once again brought healthcare services directly to the community, with nearly 500 residents benefiting from the free consultations and treatments.

Mayor-elect April Aguilar personally joined the activity, alongside City Health Office head Dr. Juliana Gonzalez, to oversee the operations and engage with the beneficiaries. The event featured on-site medical check-ups, laboratory diagnostics, BMI computation, sugar and cholesterol testing, and distribution of maintenance medicines.

The City Health Office, in coordination with the national Lab For All team, ensured that residents received immediate medical attention and appropriate prescriptions.

Mayor-elect Aguilar expressed her continued support for the Lab For All program, thanking the healthcare workers and volunteers for their dedication.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you confident that the Lab for All caravan will arrive at your local community very soon?

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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Tourism registers 8.9% share of 2024 Philippine gross domestic product

June 23, 2025June 20, 2025carlocarrasco

The tourism of the industry of the Philippines accounted for a share of 8.9% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) for the year 2024, according to a BusinessWorld news report.

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

THE SHARE of the tourism industry in the Philippine economy rose to a five-year high of 8.9% in 2024, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Thursday.

Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA) — an indicator of the economic contribution from tourism-related activities — jumped by 11.2% year on year to P2.35 trillion last year, preliminary data from the PSA showed.

However, TDGVA growth was slower than the 49.9% surge logged in 2023 and the slowest annual growth since the 10.3% expansion in 2020.

Despite the slower growth, the share of TDGVA to the economy rose to 8.9% in 2024, the highest share since the 12.9% recorded in 2019.

By industry, country-specific tourism characteristics goods – shopping accounted for 21.8% of the total with P512.68 billion. It was followed by miscellaneous services (20.2% share or P476.23 billion) and accommodation services for visitors (18.4% share or P432.9 billion).

Domestic tourism expenditure, which includes resident visitors’ spending within the country on a domestic trip or as part of an international trip, grew by 16.4% to P3.16 trillion last year.

Outbound tourism spending reached P345.68 billion in 2024, rising by 37.5% from P251.35 billion in 2023.

Inbound tourism expenditure, meanwhile, inched up by 0.4% annually to P699.99 billion. Total employment in the tourism sector grew by 6.1% to 6.75 million in 2024. Tourism accounted for 13.8% of the total jobs in the country in 2024.

The majority of the tourism-related jobs were centered on miscellaneous activities. The health and wellness sector employed 1.83 million, accounting for a 27.1% share.

The accommodation and food and beverage sector had 1.69 million workers (25% share), while passenger transport had 1.67 million workers (24.7%).

Reinielle Matt M. Erece, an economist at Oikonomiya Advisory and Research, Inc. said easing inflation helped boost tourism spending last year.

“Lower inflation relative to 2023 and better economic conditions in the country may have encouraged tourists due to better prices,” he said in an e-mail. Inflation averaged 3.2% in 2024, cooling from the 15-year high of 6% in 2023.

Last year, the Department of Tourism recorded 5.95 million visitor arrivals, falling short of its 7.7 million target.

“While Philippine tourism has made substantial progress — particularly in revenue generation — it hasn’t achieved full recovery in terms of visitor numbers, and the pace of recovery appears to be slowing in early 2025,” Leonardo A. Lanzona, Jr., an economics professor in Ateneo de Manila University, said in an e-mail.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think Philippine tourism will end up being weaker as an economic sector this year? Do you think the weakening Philippine Peso will convince foreigners to visit the Philippines very soon?

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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Las Piñas City launches Lab for All caravan in Barangay BF International-CAA, over 600 residents served

June 22, 2025June 17, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the Lab for All caravan was formally launched in Barangay BF International-CAA and more than six hundred local residents availed of the free medical and social services, the City Government announced via social media. Mayor-elect April Aguilar attended the launch and met with locals.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the social media post of the City Government. Some parts in boldface…

The Lab For All Caravan officially launched its series of medical missions in Las Piñas City on Friday, June 13, with its first at the CAA Elementary School Covered Court in BF International / CAA. Over 600 residents gathered early in the day to avail of the free medical and social services brought by the program, which aims to deliver accessible healthcare and assistance directly to communities.

Residents availed of a wide range of free services including medical consultations, chest x-rays, blood sugar and cholesterol testing, body mass index computation, and the issuance of maintenance medicines.

Mayor-elect April Aguilar was present to oversee the conduct of the activity and express her gratitude to the organizers for choosing Las Piñas as one of the host cities. She emphasized the importance of making healthcare more reachable, especially for those who need it most.

Aside from medical services, Pag-IBIG Fund was also on site to assist residents with membership concerns, applications, and other related services.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do know when will the Lab for All caravan arrive 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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