PNA.gov.ph – Page 4 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Online Lending Company Raided and 168 Employees Arrested Over Harassment Allegations

July 24, 2025July 16, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Pasig, law enforcers raided an online lending firm and arrested one hundred and sixty-eight employees over alleged harassment of several borrowers, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. It should be noted that one of the victims committed suicide due to harassment over money borrowed from the raided firm.

For the newcomers reading this, this is the latest development about local companies that lend money to clients who later get harassed or threatened as ways to compel them to pay back. There were similar developments that happened over the past few years which you can see by clicking here, here, here and here.

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

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Tuesday said an inter-agency operation in Pasig City has resulted in the arrest of 168 employees of an online lending company allegedly harassing borrowers.

In a statement, the PAOCC said the operation was conducted at the 22nd floor of Robinsons Equitable Tower in Pasig City, the main operating hub of Creditable Lending Corporation, the company behind the online lending application Easy Peso.

The operation was led by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG), and the PNP-CIDG, with support from the PAOCC, the National Privacy Commission (NPC), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by virtue of a Warrant to Search, Seize, and Examine Computer Data (WSSECD) issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 46 in Manila.

Authorities seized hundreds of computers and several company-issued mobile phones allegedly used for harassment during debt collection, along with hundreds of pre-registered SIM cards, text blasters, and harassment scripts.

The raid followed months of surveillance and investigation, aided by the testimony of a former employee who came forward to expose how the company misled and harassed borrowers.

According to the PAOCC, some victims were directed to send payments to personal GCash or bank accounts under the guise of clearing their loans, only to be contacted again by collectors despite having paid.

This operation comes just days after a man from Valenzuela City took his own life after suffering harassment from individuals connected with Easy Peso.

“May isang buhay na nawala dahil sa pang-aabuso ng isang lending app. Hindi utang ang pumatay sa kanya kundi ‘yung walang-awang pangha-harass (A life was gone due to the abuses of a lending app. The victim did not die due to his debt, but due to cruel harassment),” PAOCC Executive Director Gilbert Cruz said.

“Sa bawat biktima, huwag kayong matakot. Hindi kayo nag-iisa. Nandito ang gobyerno na handa kayong tulungan (To each victim, don’t be scared. You are not alone. The government is here ready to help you) ,” he said

Meanwhile, the SEC is reviewing the company’s legal and regulatory compliance, as its operations appear to have exploited the system while falsely claiming legitimacy.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think there are still a lot of online lending firms that planned to harass or threaten its borrowers? Do you know anyone who borrowed money from such firms only to get threated to pay back? Did you notice the presence of online lending firms 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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Philippines office leasing market rebounds strongly despite POGO ban

July 20, 2025July 13, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently the real estate advisory firm Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC) announced that the office leasing market of the Philippines rebounded strongly in the first half of 2025 even though there were many Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that closed down due to the government ban on them, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. It should be noted that the POGO ban resulted in weaker demand for office spaces in 2024.

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

The office leasing market sustained a strong momentum in the first half of 2025, with demand reaching 67 percent of full-year 2024, despite the withdrawal of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), real estate advisory firm Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC) said Thursday.

“Demand has been strong for the first half of the year. We believe it will continue. We never know what will happen, but we are optimistic about it,” Mikko Barranda, LPC director for Commercial Leasing, said during the presentation of the LPC Q2 2025 Philippine Property Market Report in Makati City.

The Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) took up 50 percent of the total leasing activity, or 365,000 square meters, in the first half of 2025.

Traditional industries, on the other hand, accounted for 48 percent, or 354,000 sqm, of the demand, while government offices took the rest of the share at 21,000 sqm.

At least 79 percent, or 581,000 sqm, of the overall demand came from Metro Manila, with Bonifacio Global City representing 146,000 sqm, while provincial demand was at 21 percent to 159,000 sqm, with Cebu covering 81,000 sqm.

Barranda reported that the net demand has breached more than 50 percent to 271,000 sqm of the firm’s projection for the year.

“Contractions are tapering off and net take-up in terms of what we have projected back in Q1, which we feel will be at 490,000 sqm levels, were already touching 55 percent,” he said.

In the absence of POGOs, LPC Chief Executive Officer David Leechiu said this surge is already the highest since 2017.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? How far do you think the current surge of office leasing market will go by the end of the year? Do you think there are a lot more companies out there actively searching for office spaces to rent?

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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Domestic travel leading recovery of Philippine tourism industry

July 15, 2025July 11, 2025carlocarrasco

While it is a fact that the Philippines is failing on attracting visitors from overseas, the real estate advisory firm Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC) pointed to domestic travel as the key to the industry’s recovery, 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…

Domestic travel continues to lead the recovery of the Philippine tourism industry, with its receipts able to make up for the “shortfall” in international arrivals, real estate advisory firm Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC) said Thursday.

“Domestic travel is so big. It’s so big and strong that it can make up for, now in the short term, the shortfall of international arrivals,” Alfred Lay, LPC director for Hotels, Tourism, and Leisure, said during the presentation of the LPC Q2 2025 Philippine Property Market Report in Makati City.

“It can do that for a long time, and the long-term goal for domestic tourism would probably to double (its) size within the next five to 10 years.”

Lay noted that domestic tourism expenditure in 2024 reached PHP3.16 trillion, surpassing the pre-pandemic level of PHP3.14 trillion in 2019. Tourism contributed 8.9 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) last year.

International tourism expenditures, on the other hand, stood at PHP699 billion, up from PHP600 billion pre-pandemic levels, despite missing the 2024 targets.

In an interview, Lay said he expects inbound arrivals this year to reach at least six million.

He noted that the arrival of South Korean visitors, the Philippines’ top market, has seen a decline in the past five months, likely due to the “negative media coverage” in South Korea over security issues in the country, but long-haul tourists are increasing and have offset the decline.

According to the LPC report, Korean arrivals in the first five months of 2025 dipped 19 percent to 552,000 from 682,000 in the same period last year, while inbound arrivals from the United States, Japan, Australia, and Canada surged between 9 percent and 19.4 percent.

Additional routes and flight frequencies, he said, are likewise expected to sustain this upward momentum.

Meanwhile, Lay addressed news coverage about the affordability of travel to the Philippines, stating that the country only ranks in the “middle of the pack” in terms of hotel average daily rates (ADR) compared to Southeast Asian neighbors and competitors.

The LPC report showed that the Philippines ranks fourth in hotel ADR at PHP6,048, with Thailand (PHP8,171), Cambodia (PHP6,591), and Vietnam (PHP6,359) in the top three places.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the tourism industry of the Philippines will do better this year with domestic travel as the main factor? Do you think it is still possible for the Philippines to attract at least six million foreign tourists by the end of this year? Do you think both the national government and private sector should work together to improve local infrastructure so that the cost of travel will go down?

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 apprehends two individuals in Parañaque City and seizes illegal vape products worth millions

July 12, 2025July 5, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the city of Parañaque, NBI agents arrested two people and seized illegal vape products that have been estimated to be worth almost P4 million, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). This development is the result of a successful entrapment operation by the NBI.

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

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested two individuals and seized PHP3.9 million worth of illegal vape products in an operation in Parañaque City.

In a press briefing, NBI Director Jaime Santiago identified the suspects as Ace Garcia and Reginald Llanto, who were arrested by operatives of the NBI’s Cavite North District Office (NBI-CAVIDO-North) on Wednesday.

According to the NBI, the CAVIDO-North received information on the sale and distribution of illegal vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products.

After presenting a sample, the NBI received a certification from the Department of Trade and Industry – Office for the Special Mandate on Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products (DTI-OSMV) that the vape products submitted were considered “unregulated and substandard.”

Operatives conducted an entrapment against the two suspects, resulting in the seizure of 49 master cases which contain 8,200 pieces of vape pods and 1,600 pieces of vape devices, among others, with an estimated value of PHP3.92 million.

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 the sale and distribution of illegal vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products in the city will only 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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Nationwide voter registration for BSKE set for August 1 to 10, 2025

July 11, 2025July 10, 2025carlocarrasco

In preparation for the next edition of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that the nationwide voter registration process will be held from August 1 to 10, 2025, 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 Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set the resumption of the nationwide voter registration next month for the conduct of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) later this year.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said the Commission’s seven-member panel has approved the holding of the 10-day voter registration activities from Aug. 1 to 10.

“The Commission en banc has approved the resumption of voter registration for the BSKE,” he said in an interview.

He noted that the resumption of the voter registration has been decided to ensure that those looking to vote in the village and youth polls will be able to vote, particularly those aged 15 to 17 years old.

“We are still waiting if the BSKE will push through or not. The problem is, if it pushes through on Dec. 1 and we have not conducted voter registration, we won’t have voters, especially in the 15 to 17 years old age group,” he explained.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has yet to sign the proposed bill setting the terms of village and youth officials.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you feel confident that the BSKE will push through this year? Are many voters aged 15 to 17-years-old in your local community eager to vote in the Sangguniang Kabataan polls?

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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America sets 20% tariff on Philippine goods and will take effect on August 1, 2025

July 11, 2025July 10, 2025carlocarrasco

Starting August 1, 2025, the United States of America (USA) will impose a 20% tariff on all and any Philippine-made products coming into their shores as stated in US President Donald Trump’s official letter to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. In response, the Philippines wants to renegotiate with America while there is still time.

For the newcomers reading this, America previously set a 17% tariff on the Philippines when Trump unveiled last April the many tariff rates on many nations. The Philippines was confident about the negotiations they had with their American counterparts.

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

The Philippine government is looking to renegotiate the 20 percent tariff imposed by the Trump administration on Philippine goods, according to Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez.

In a letter dated July 9 addressed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., US President Donald Trump announced that beginning Aug. 1, 2025, the US will raise tariffs on Philippine goods to 20 percent—up from the previously announced 17 percent rate.

In a text message to the Philippine News Agency on Thursday morning, Romualdez said Manila would formally request a review of the tariff hike from Washington D.C.

Trump, in his letter, recognized the Philippine-US trade relations and said the latter has “agreed to continue working with the Philippines, despite having a significant trade deficit.”

“Starting on August 1, 2025, we will charge the Philippines a Tariff of only 20 percent on any and all Philippine products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs,” it read.

Trump said there would be “no tariff if the Philippines, or companies within” the country decide to build or manufacture products within the US.

The US, he added, is also open to “reconsider an adjustment” if the country opens its “closed trading markets to the United States,” and eliminates its “tariff, and non-tariff policies and trade barriers.”

“These tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your country,” he said.

Trump, meanwhile, warned Manila against reciprocating the move with a tariff increase.

“If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 20 percent that we charge,” he said.

For transparency, posted below is the 2-page letter of Trump to Marcos regarding tariffs.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines fell short in its recent negotiations with the United States which resulted in a higher tariff at 20%? Do you think the economic managers of the Philippines can convince America to delay, if not lower, the declared tariff? Do you think a 20% tariff rate by America will hurt the economy of the Philippines 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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Philippines Inflation Rate Rises to 1.4% in June 2025

July 10, 2025July 4, 2025carlocarrasco

After back-to-back months of shrinking, the headline inflation of the Philippines inched up to 1.4% for the month of June 2025, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). By comparison, May 2025 inflation rate was 1.3%.

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

Headline inflation continued to remain below the lower end of the government’s target range in June, despite a slight uptick due to a faster increase in non-food prices.

In a briefing on Friday, National Statistician Dennis Mapa said headline inflation settled at 1.4 percent in June from 1.3 percent in May.

This brings the year-to-date average inflation to 1.8 percent, well within the government’s target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for the year.

Mapa said the slight uptick in headline inflation was driven by higher non-food inflation (1.9 percent from 1.5 percent), with faster price increases observed in electricity (7.4 percent from 2.8 percent) and education (5.4 percent from 4.2 percent). Food inflation, however, eased to 0.1 percent during the month from 0.7 percent in May.

Mapa said the deceleration of food inflation in June was mainly due to the annual decrease in the prices of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses at 2.8 percent from an annual increase of 3.4 percent in the previous month. Rice deflation also hit a record low of 14.3 percent in June.

Mapa said the rollout of the government’s PHP20 per kg. rice program also contributed to the decline, especially in regular-milled rice prices.

In a separate statement, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said government measures to stabilize food supply, boost agriculture, and improve logistics helped ease food inflation during the month.

“The sharp decline in food inflation over the past year underscores the continued progress in our coordinated efforts to boost local production, improve logistics, and implement calibrated trade and biosecurity measures,” DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

“We will sustain these interventions and complement them with targeted initiatives to ensure a continuous, stable supply and shield consumers from future price pressures.”

To further strengthen food supply chains, DEPDev said the Department of Agriculture (DA) would intensify the implementation of industry recovery and expansion programs, such as the Swine Industry Recovery Project and Livestock Economic Enterprise Development, to accelerate the rehabilitation of the hog industry and restore the pre-African Swine Fever hog population levels.

The DA will also establish the country’s first Onion Research and Extension Center in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija for the development of effective methods to combat pests and diseases, enhance seed quality, and increase farm yields.

The Department of Energy, meanwhile, has partnered with private oil companies to offer fuel discounts to motorists affected by oil price fluctuations amid geopolitical uncertainties.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think inflation rate of the Philippines will be able to settle below 2% per month until the end of the year? If you are managing a local business, how much of an impact did inflation have on your business?

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 Arrests 9 in Parañaque Over Car Financing Scam

July 7, 2025July 3, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the city of Parañaque, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested a group of nine people – six foreigners and three locals – for their involvement in a car financing scam, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

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

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested three Filipinos and six Indian nationals for their alleged involvement in an “assume balance-talon” scheme.

In a statement on Friday, NBI Director Jaime Santiago identified the suspects as Teotima Batutay, Rose Torion and Michael Castulo, and Indian nationals Sajjan Sarkar, Sai Charan, Kulvatnh Thati, Gayatri Sarma, Ray Anand, and Nithin Kamepalli.

They were arrested on June 24 in Parañaque City and charged with carnapping and syndicated estafa.

According to the NBI, the complainant said he failed to pay the monthly amortization of the subject vehicle to a bank and offered it for sale on the “assume balance” process.

The said vehicle was assumed by a car dealer, which passed it to Batutay who allegedly sold the vehicle to Castulo. Castulo together with Sarkar, mortgaged it to Anand for PHP120,000.

The bank chased after the complainant after the amortizations fell due, and sought the recovery of the vehicle through Castulo.

However, Castulo demanded PHP450,000 from the complainant and even threatened to tear the car into parts if the money, which was later reduced to PHP250,000, was not given.

The complainant filed a report with the NBI, leading to the suspects’ arrest and the recovery of the vehicle.

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 there are still gangs of both foreigners and locals who are committing scams and have yet to be caught? Do you think there will be more financial scams that will take place 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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Nineteen More Medicines VAT-Exempt in the Philippines

July 5, 2025July 4, 2025carlocarrasco

Following the recent announcement of several medicines declared exempted from the value-added tax (VAT), nineteen more medicines became VAT-exempt as a result of the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), 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…

Nineteen maintenance and lifesaving medicines have been included in the list of those exempted from value added tax (VAT), benefiting more people.

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing on Thursday, said nine medicines were included under Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 59-2025 issued on June 11, 2025 while the other 10 are covered by RMC 62-2025.

He said the inclusion of the medications for VAT exemption was based on the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Of the total, seven of these medicines are for cancer treatment; three each for diabetes, hypertension and mental illness; one each for high cholesterol, kidney disease, and tuberculosis.

“Ang mga ito ay mga maintenance at lifesaving medicines na ngayon ay hindi na papatawan ng VAT. Isang kongkretong hakbang para mas mapagaan ang gastuhin ng mga pasyente (These are maintenance and lifesaving medicines that will now be exempt from VAT. This move is a concrete step to lower patients’ expenses),” Lumagui said.

The BIR chief said both the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) law and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law provide VAT exemptions on certain health products.

He said BIR coordinates with the FDA and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) among others to monitor compliance among pharmaceutical companies and drugstores regarding this price changes.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Were you surprised that a lot more medicines were declared VAT-exempt?

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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Philippines Lowers Economic Growth Target Amid Global Uncertainty

July 2, 2025June 27, 2025carlocarrasco

As there are more signs of weakness and uncertainty, the economic managers of the Philippines officially lowered their economic growth target this year, 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…

Economic managers on Thursday revised the economic growth target for this year amid mounting global uncertainties.

At a briefing after the 191st Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) meeting, Budget Secretary and DBCC Chair Amenah Pangandaman said the economic growth assumption for 2025 was revised downward to 5.5 to 6.5 percent from the previous 6 to 8 percent.

For 2026 to 2028, the Philippine economy is projected to expand by 6 to 7 percent, reflecting a more cautious and resilient economic outlook amid global headwinds.

“The revisions take into account heightened global uncertainties, such as the unforeseen escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the imposition of U.S. tariffs,” Pangandaman said.

She said that despite these challenges, the DBCC remains “vigilant and ready to deploy timely and targeted measures” to mitigate their potential impact on the Philippine economy.

The budget chief said the country continues to be one of the fastest-growing economies in ASEAN driven by robust domestic demand.

To maintain this momentum, she highlighted the administration’s focus on structural reforms, including the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Act and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code, both designed to enhance the country’s trade and investment competitiveness.

Pangandaman said the government will also pursue the approval and implementation of other reforms recently ratified by Congress, such as the Liberalizing the Lease of Private Lands by Foreign Investors Act, Enhanced Fiscal Regime for Large-Scale Metallic Mining Act, Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way (ARROW) Act, and Konektadong Pinoy Act.

The DBCC also revisited the medium-term macroeconomic assumptions to take into consideration recent global and domestic developments.

The inflation assumption for this year was cut to 2 to 3 percent from the previous 2 to 4 percent. For 2026 to 2028, the inflation assumption was retained at 2 to 4 percent.

For 2025 to 2028, crude oil price assumptions were reduced to USD60 to USD70 per barrel from USD60 to 80 per barrel, despite escalating geopolitical tensions.

The foreign exchange rate is assumed to remain stable, averaging at PHP56 to PHP58 per US dollar from 2025 through 2028, supported by lower domestic inflation.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the economy of the Philippines is lacking momentum to achieve 6% growth this year? Do you think that inflation and unemployment will eventually rise before the year ends? Are you convinced that foreign investors are staying away from the Philippines?

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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