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In a 2016 report by WeAreSocial says 47.1 million Filipinos are active internet users and millennials represent 41 percent of these “wired” segment. And, some say that the last election was fought “in the streets of cyber.” Internet users are typically impatient and spirited in voicing out their opinion on almost anything; even telling stories which may be truthful but often spiteful and distorted. Stories became so personalized that family members and lifelong friends separated ways (How many did you ‘unfriend’ from Facebook?).The use of the internet is so open and so pervasive that somewhere in the World Wide Web, someone maybe talking about you and he may not be saying the most flattering things. Or worse, he may be plotting against you.

Fundraising is never easy, even for serial entrepreneurs let alone budding first-timers who may be putting their life’s savings or sustained sources of income at stake. Given the stage we are at in the fintech revolution (or evolution), not many have the luxury of claiming to have done it before. But there comes a time in most evolutionary cycles when there is a now-or-never moment and the plunge is worth taking. The focus often tends to be on preparing swanky business plans and presentations with little attention given to fundraising itself – the amount, investors, staging, and so on.

As a father of two iGens (also known as Gen Z, those born after 1994) and at the same time being exposed to the corporate world over the past 12 years, I noticed certain parenting principles that can be applied by leaders in their respective organizations, especially those dealing with millennials and, soon-to-be in the workforce, the iGens. These principles, which I abide by as a parent, stemmed from my desire to see my kids become the best version of them. If this is the same path we want our employees to follow, it could be worthwhile to consider the following principles:

With appointment of the new Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner, Atty. Cesar R. Dulay, everyone is expecting significant changes to happen in the BIR. Atty. Dulay is joining an organization cited by President Duterte as one of the most corrupt government agencies. Certainly, changing such an organization will be one gargantuan task. Stakeholders like the local and foreign business organizations, tax practitioners, individual taxpayers, and foreign investors are eagerly observing the changes that are being introduced. It is worthwhile to examine the BIR issuances released by the new Commissioner for the first two weeks after he assumed his post last July 1. These issuances give the stakeholders and observers a clear insight of the changes what we will expect and the priorities of this new administration

One of the items in the ten-point socio-economic agenda of the Duterte administration speaks of the development of rural tourism, a variant of ecotourism that gives “the country experience.” As more and more tourists are lured to the beauty of our countryside related jobs and livelihood should also filter down to rural people.

Discretion is a power which makes someone powerful even more powerful. Administrative bodies like the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs, were given discretionary powers in order to carry out their tasks to implement laws. The grant of discretion recognizes that the agency has the knowledge, experience and specialization on a particular field to make judgments. Discretionary powers facilitate efficient implementation, upholds the law, curbs the evils the laws seek to avoid and achieves the higher interest of the State, its citizens and those who sojourn its territory, equity. However, discretion is double-edged in that it impacts negatively when it is abused, performed in manifest partiality and favored one’s own interest.

School opening last week again highlighted the terrible traffic in Metro Manila, said to be among the worst in the world. It took me during the Wednesday rush hour, one hour and forty-five minutes for the three-kilometer distance to my business meeting. While I have emotionally accepted my fate of being stuck in Manila, let me share you some of my thoughts in a listicle, on how we can ease the traffic in our own little ways

When the new Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner, lawyer Cesar Dulay, formally assumed office on July 1, it appeared to many that he intended to make an impression. Wasting no time, the Commissioner took many by surprise with three new issuances.