Decision Science Management Consulting

Looking for a quick investment? Get this pasalo condominium unit now.

Waived cash transfer banks, etc

UPDATED LIST (as of 31 October 2023)

Banks and e-money issuers with waived PESONet and InstaPay fees.

Always ready to learn something new

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas joins the celebration of the Economic and Financial Literacy Week 2023.

Values are changing

Quezon City to collect property tax based on 2017 land values After a five-year pause, the Quezon City government said it will resume the collection of real property taxes this year based on the 2017 schedule of fair market values of the land.

88 A.D. ARCHITECTURE + DESIGNS INC is composed of designers whose passion is to transform the ordinary to something sublime. These creative minds are backed with professional training and experience in the field of Architecture and Engineering.

Today, 88 A.D, continues its commitment to create spaces and environment that are not only aesthetically pleasing but are tailor made to bring out the essence of comfort and functionality to its clients and end users.

For more information regarding our services and offers contact us at:

Instagram: 88 A.D. Design Inc
Facebook: 88 AD Design Inc.

Start your dream with us.

WFH for BPOs still OK

If it corrupts the system, then it must be bad.

Experience Makati by walking around.

Makatizen Free Walking Tours returns on August 1

Starting August 1, the city’s International Relations Department (IRD) will resume the Makatizen Free Walking Tours.

To register, scan the QR code and fill out the form.

For more information, call (02) 8870-1192 or (02) 8870-1195.

Learn from the real authority, and always transact with licensed professionals. 👍

Nais mo bang bumili ng real estate property? Kung oo, para sa'yo ang episode na ito!

Halina't samahan kami sa episode 22 ng ating Kapihan sa DHSUD at alamin ang ilan sa mga pratical tips bago bumili ng property!

Makakasama natin sa darating na Biyernes, July 29, ganap na alas-10 ng umaga si OIC-Director Angelito Aguila ng -Housing and Real Estate Development Regulation Bureau.

Sundan ang link na ito upang makibahagi sa aming talakayan: https://forms.gle/2J7vg7Jwp2Hr75e66

Always deal with licensed professionals. 👍

Shall we realign our business priorities?

Visualizing the $100 Trillion Dollar World Economy in One Chart Despite worldwide conflicts and inflation, global GDP growth continues. Here's a look at the world's $100 trillion economy in one chart.

Proper handling of the new PhP 1K bill includes keeping them flat and not excessively folding, creasing or crumpling them. It is NOT illegal to keep them folded inside your wallet.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Coins And Notes - Polymer Banknotes The BSP continuously looks for ways to improve our banknotes in response to the evolving needs of Filipinos and the availability of modern technologies. One such improvement is the use of polymer banknotes, which are known to be SMARTER (more secure and sustainable), CLEANER (more hygienic and sanit...

The only way is 📈.

LOOK: The Philippines jumped four spots in the annual global competitiveness report by Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development IMD due to the economy’s improved performance.

IMD’s 2022 World Competitiveness Yearbook ranked the Philippines 48th out of 63 economies, from the 52nd spot out of 64 economies in 2021.

This was the Philippines’ highest ranking in two years or since placing 45th in 2020.

Read the full report: https://worldcompetitiveness.imd.org/countryprofile/PH/wcy

To receive on-the-go updates on the Philippine economy, JOIN the DOF Viber community: https://vb.me/dofcommunity

New beginning

Mga ka-BALAI at ka-OSHmate, kapihan na!

Halina't makisalo kasama ang ating mga panauhin mula sa Organization of Socialized and Economic Housing Developers PH - President Gino Olivares at Director Ryan Tan sa Miyerkules, June 29, 3:00 ng hapon!

Makibahagi sa aming talakayan at alamin ang pananaw ng pribadong sektor sa darating na administrasyon sa usaping pabahay at pagpapaunlad ng kalunsuran.

Mag-register na sa link na ito: https://forms.gle/L4NgYt86hNazSzEn9

FYI

Alam mo ba? 💡

Ang “Legal Tender Limit” ay tumutukoy sa pinakamataas na halaga kung saan maaari pang gamiting pambayad o panukli ang ating mga barya. Halimbawa, ang 1-Piso, 5-Piso, at 10-Piso ay maaaring ipambayad o ipanukli hanggang sa halagang P1,000. Ang 1-Sentimo, 5-Sentimo, 10-Sentimo, 25-Sentimo naman ay maaaring gamitin hanggang sa P100.

Wala namang limit ang halaga ng baryang pwedeng ideposito sa mga bangko.

Para sa karagdagang kaalaman tungkol sa panuntunan at regulasyon tungkol sa sa ating mga salapi, basahin ang BSP Circular 537, series of 2006 (https://bit.ly/cn537) at BSP Circular No. 829, series of 2014 (https://bit.ly/bspC829.)

Attention non-practicing appraisers

In addressing the growing clamor of non-practicing appraisers to learn how to conduct appraisal

THE PHILIPPINE ASSOCIATION REALTY APPRAISERS, INC.

invites you to our

Basic Real Estate Appraisal Training
(with Workshop and Fieldwork)

Lectures via Zoom will be on:
June 18, 25 & July 2, 2022 (10am -12:00 noon/2:00 pm-4:00pm)

Workshop and fieldwork on 3 properties in different locations will be conducted on WEEKDAYS after the lectures

Investment fee for a PARA member in good standing: Php 6,000
(limited slots only)
Click the link to register:
https://forms.gle/R4nkd1GHmpt55HU69

Payment Options:
Account Name: Philippine Association of Realty Appraisers, Inc.
BPI Current Acct No.1731-0111-21
G-Cash No.: 0917-5182741 (PARA Treasurer - Marie Yvonne T. Apad)

For more details, please contact the Secretariat at:
CP Number : 0939-7799596
Contact us: 8-813-2708 or Email: [email protected]

It can be done. 👍

We are grateful for our continued partnership with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), which has only grown stronger and more collaborative through the years.

As long as the ecozone locators doing WFH/hybrid work are able to comply with the minimum 70% export sales and minimum 70% on-site reporting by their workers, they should be entitled to the incentives

𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐙𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐍-𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐇: 𝐏𝐄𝐙𝐀'𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐅𝐇 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐓 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 by Deputy Director General Tereso O. Panga

-

With FIRB's denial of PEZA's request for the extension of WFH and hybrid work scheme, it was reported that some IT locators have dropped their PEZA status in favor of the BOI to avail of the WFH or even 100% permanent remote work with full incentives. So far, we have not received any application for deregistration by our IT locators. In fact, it is the IT-BPO industry and many IT locators and their workers who have been clamoring for the retention of the WFH and hybrid workplace in their designated IT parks/centers under PEZA.

From the media accounts, it is ill-advised for the government to be telling our valued IT locators that they can only operate on-site in their designated IT centers (or "confined in their enclaves") and that they cannot engage in WFH unless they give up on their incentives or transfer registration with the BOI. It seems the message being conveyed is that it is okay for IT locators to give up their ecozone site and PEZA status since they will get anyway the same fiscal incentives under BOI if they operate in the domestic territory. And thus, the IT locators are better off under BOI which allows for 100% WFH with incentives.

However, this seeming lack of equal treatment on the WFH policy might prompt existing IT locators under PEZA to consider transferring registration with the BOI if only to maintain flexiwork/hybrid workplace to sustain their workers' and business productivity. A move that will simply shift project registration from one Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) to another, might be a legal remedy in the interim but not sustainable as a strategy to attract and facilitate more IT investments into the country.

In the immediate term, it will cause massive displacement on the part of IT locators as they move out of the zone and transfer to a new site which can be tedious and costly. Even the IT center developers will be greatly affected by the sudden loss of rental revenues from exiting IT locators. The same is true for the would-be displaced workers who prefer a hybrid workplace (i.e., flexiwork options for WFH and physical reporting in the IT centers given the office amenities, interaction with co-workers, and culture of excellence provided by their employer companies). But the worst that could happen is when IT locators altogether leave the Philippines because of issues concerning the viability of their operations in the country. This will surely have a long-term impact on our IT sector and the economy in general.

Moreover, this shortsighted approach in pitting the PEZA against BOI or providing the BOI alternative to address the WFH issue does not augur well with the investors. Actually, IT investors prefer to be under PEZA because of our one-stop shop service and overall conducive business ecosystem prevailing in the ecozones. Also, we are working closely with the BOI on how we can institutionalize the WFH in the SIPP to further promote the growth of the IT sector and to ensure regulatory coherence, particularly on the WFH policy.
And so, on the WFH issue, the government can be more proactive and responsive to the needs of IT locators if it will extend to them the WFH privileges under a hybrid work set-up. This solution will not only put PEZA on equal footing with the BOI since both agencies offer the same incentives to their RBEs (whether domestic or export-market oriented), but will also make the Philippines apace with India and other forward-thinking economies that have adopted WFH and hybrid work as the new normal.

Reading through the provisions of CREATE in relation to the WFH issue, it does not prohibit the PEZA RBEs from conducting remote work or performing a portion of their activity outside the zone. What is not allowed is when IT locators, for instance, will conduct the registered project/activity in its entirety outside the zone. We have enough legal bases to allow for the WFH/hybrid work through our approved policies on 30% local sales incentive and local subcontacting (authorizing the outsourcing or conduct of an activity outside the zone) and pursuant to the Telecommuting act-- which are well within the purview of the PEZA and contained in existing regulations that preceded the CREATE and thus, are covered by the sunset provision in the said law.

As long as the ecozone locators doing WFH/hybrid work are able to comply with the minimum 70% export sales and minimum 70% on-site reporting by their workers, they should be entitled to the incentives. Allowing the IT locators to engage in WFH is one way PEZA can promote integration of the ecozones with the domestic market which is good for the economy. In sum, 30% WFH limit/hybrid work should be allowed as a permissible activity under the PEZA, CREATE and Telecommuting laws.

This is the way to go in order for the PEZA to retain the existing IT locators and encourage them to expand as well as attract new ones, and for the government to enhance the competitiveness of the Philippines as an investination destination.
_______________
On the social dimension of WFH, got this comment from a concerned worker with a toddler to take care of and ailing mother: "I dont know why our government has to put a hard stance on RTO when the situation now calls for a hybrid. If anything, the impact of RTO on the reopening of the economy would only be modest. But hardship on the workers would be unquantifiable. The transport sector remained constrained, and the infrastructure under build build is yet to provide relief to the commuters on top of the surgng oil prices. If you can do your work from home, why not allow it."
WFH allows him to provide care while earning for the family. And so with the many similarly situated workers and bread winners of the family who are positively benefited by the WFH scheme. In effect, WFH could provide incremental employment for the Filipinos with the job spillovers from IT locators operating in the IT centers.
__________________
PEZA is home to 1,027 export-oriented IT locator companies operating in 236 IT centers/parks nationwide and providing direct jobs to 456,835 Filipinos. The PEZA Board first approved its IT guidelines in 2000 paving the way for the creation of vertical ecozones (a novel concept at the time given EPZA/PEZA's traditional horizontal parks) and the influx of foreign and local investors into the call center, BPO and KPO space. There is no doubt that the IT sector's phenomenal growth has been a resounding success and where it continues to be a big contributor to our country's local and national development.

Attention honeyists!

Congratulations to the latest batch of professional real estate consultants! 🥳🥳🥳

www.prc.gov.ph

Good news to BPOs

'Extend work-from-home scheme' WITH the surging prices of oil products, the government should consider extending the work-from-home (WFH) arrangement for the information technology and business process...

Check this out to know if you are qualified to apply for the SM College Scholarship Program (SY 2022-2023). Online application for incoming college freshmen is open until March 15, 2022: https://bit.ly/3qbd35d

The Balance Sheet Approach (BSA) is a summary of the outstanding gross and net financial asset and liability positions of the domestic sectors of an economy, disaggregated by economic sectors, and the rest of the world as of a given period. The said information is presented in an interconnected manner, which enables one to analyze the exposures of each sector from a whom-to-whom basis.

The infographics present developments on the Q2 2021 BSA.

Details on the BSA may be accessed through:
https://www.bsp.gov.ph/SitePages/MediaAndResearch/MediaDisp.aspx?ItemId=6082

Download the full Q2 2021 BSA Report:https://www.bsp.gov.ph/Media_And_Research/Philippine%20Balance%20Sheet%20Approach/BSA_2qtr2021.pdf

FYI

UPDATED LIST (as of 17 December 2021)

Banks and e-money issuers with waived PESONet and InstaPay fees.

FYI: 2021 year-end PSE trading schedule

Let’s celebrate the holidays! ✨

Please also be guided of the schedule of holidays and trading days for the remainder of 2021. All our offices in Makati, Cebu, and Davao will be closed on holidays to give way for the Yuletide celebrations.

For questions, you may check our Help Center at https://help.firstmetrosec.com.ph

You may still open a FirstMetroSec account online through bit.ly/fms-accountopening

FYI

Did you know that in 2018. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas introduced basic deposit accounts to promote financial inclusion accross social classes? A BDA has no maintaining balance, earns no interest, and has a maximum balance limit of PhP 50,000.00.

Check the banks offering BDA from the list.

www.bsp.gov.ph

Second socialized condominium project in San Juan City in Metro Manila to rise

Condo type, in-city socialized housing soon to rise in San Juan MANILA – A high-rise, in-city socialized public housing project that can accommodate more than 500 families is soon to rise in San Juan City.The San Juan city government led by Mayor Francis Zamora and National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr. graced the...