“These schemes are cleverly used by syndicates and bogus businesses. They may not be covered by the definition of tax evasion, which the tax law penalizes. The bill proposes that tax racketeers suffer an imprisonment period of 17 to 20 years if convicted. Should the perpetrator be a company or organization, then the penalty will be imposed on ont those whose participation allowed the tax racketeering. “Persons who, having knowledge of tax racketeering, take part subsequent to its commission, including profiting from it, shall suffer imprisonment of six years to 10 years,” Romualdez said.

Nevertheless, Cagayan was placed under “red alert” status, as local officials monitored weather updates and prepared contingency plans for disaster response. Some 34 families or 111 people were evacuated from the villages of Poblacion, Dadao, Babuyan Claro, and Naguilan on Calayan Island. 2 over parts of mainland Cagayan, the eastern part of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Island, Camiguin Island, Didicas Island, Pamuktan Island), and the islands of Batanes province. 1 were the northern and central parts of Aurora, Polillo Islands, the northern part of Catanduanes, the northeastern part of Camarines Sur, and the northern part of Camarines Norte. In Batangas province in Southern Luzon, sea travel among small vessels was suspended due to rough sea conditions, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

COVID-19 positivity rate in NCR dips to 22%Long queue of stranded commuters can be seen along Taft Avenue following heavy rains that caused flooding in parts of Manila on May 26, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — The seven-day COVID positivity rate in the National Capital Region decreased on Saturday, the OCTA Research group said yesterday. OCTA fellow Guido David said the testing positivity rate in Metro Manila dropped to 22 percent on May 27 from 25.7 percent on May 20. David said COVID positivity rates in Batangas, Bulacan, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Isabela, Laguna, Rizal and Zambales also went down. The Department of Health on Sunday recorded 1,855 new COVID cases nationwide.

Philippines-Indonesia joint military training endsThis photo release shows participants in the Philippine-Indonesian military exercise that started on May 21, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — Filipino and Indonesian soldiers on Monday concluded a training activity that is part of the Philippines’ push for improving international defense relations. Gen. Freddie Dela Cruz, regiment commander of the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR), presided over the closing ceremony of the 15th iteration of Training Activity Dolphine XV-23. “The training activity bolstered the tactics, techniques, and procedures as well as sustained the existing partnership between the two military forces,” it added. The AFP added that the conclusion of the training activity Dolphine XV-23 marked the two armed forces’ “robust partnership and collaborative efforts toward building stronger relations and enhancing training and education programs for both countries.” — with report from Kaycee Valmonte

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 11,667 COVID-19 infections were recorded from May 22 to 28, lower than the previous week’s tally of 12,426, the Department of Health (DOH) announced on Monday. ADVERTISEMENTAccording to the DOH’s latest weekly report, the infections translated to a daily average of 1,667, six percent lower than the 1,775 daily average cases recorded from May 15 to 21. A total of 105 infections or 0.70 percent of the total recorded cases, however, were tagged as critical or severe, with active critical or severe COVID-19 admissions currently at 554. No deaths, on the other hand, were recorded by the DOH during this period. Based on the DOH’s online COVID-19 tracker as of May 28, the country’s total COVID-19 caseload is currently at 4,139,295, (16,002 active cases), with 4,056,827 recoveries and 66,466 deaths.

DealJoe Biden announced over the weekend that he and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have reached a deal – “in principle” – that would pave the way for raising the debt ceiling and averting a US default on its debts. This must not be understood as the terminal point in a crisis that threatens the global financial markets many times more severe than the 2008 meltdown. It is at best only the starting point of a slow and grinding process to restore US borrowing as the reliable foundation of the global financial system. That wing seems willing to raze the financial system if only to strike a political blow at the Biden administration. Already, a number of hard right Republican congressmen have announced they will vote against lifting the debt ceiling – even if the details of the deal have yet to be threshed out.

Weekly COVID-19 tally lower by 6% at 11,667 casesPeople with umbrellas brave the sudden heavy downpour in Manila on May 24, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines posted 11,667 COVID-19 cases in the past week, with a daily average of 1,667, the Department of Health said Monday. In a separate report, OCTA Research fellow Guido David said the seven-day positivity rate in Metro Manila decreased to 22% on Saturday from 25.7%. The number of people testing positive for COVID-19 also dropped in Batangas, Bulacan, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Isabela, Laguna, Rizal, and Zambales. The Philippines has confirmed over 4.1 million COVID-19 infections, with more than 66,000 deaths, since the pandemic began in early 2020.

KYIV — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has put forward a bill that would see Ukraine impose sanctions on Russian ally Iran for 50 years, Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said on Sunday, a response to what Kyiv says is Tehran’s weapons supplies to Moscow. Kyiv and its allies say Iran has been supplying Russia with arms, including hundreds of drones, since Moscow invaded Ukraine last year. ADVERTISEMENTIf passed by Ukraine’s parliament, the bill would stop Iranian goods transiting through Ukraine and use of its airspace, as well as imposing trade, financial and technology sanctions against Iran and its citizens. Kyiv said on Sunday that Moscow had staged the largest drone strike to date on Ukraine overnight, using 54 Iran-made drones. Subscribe to our daily newsletter SIGN ME UPRead Next

Philippine officials began evacuating thousands of villagers, shut down schools and offices and imposed a no-sail ban Monday as Typhoon Mawar approached the country’s northern provinces a week after battering the U.S. territory of Guam. Disaster-preparedness officials said the typhoon’s course could change abruptly and there was no room for complacency. More than 4,800 people have been evacuated to emergency shelters in Cagayan, Batanes and other provinces, Alejandro said. Classes and office work, except those involved in disaster-preparedness, have been suspended in most of Cagayan and Batanes provinces, where occasional downpours and gusty wind were reported Sunday night. Villa said the local government lent ropes to villagers living in high-risk communities to strengthen their houses as the typhoon approached.

Death zoneBut David remained in Jerusalem. He survived the dangerous ascent, but the high altitude squeezed his heart, and he passed away on the trek down. They must get up and down quickly, remembering “they’re in the Death Zone.”David survived his dangerous climb to the top. But David forgot he was in the death zone. We’re in the death zone.

Climate change tripsBy God’s graces, our country was just grazed by the super typhoon called “Betty” over the weekend. “We cannot avoid talking about climate change and the effects of climate change and the changes that we have to do or the way we work because we have to adjust to climate change. We have to adapt to the effects of climate change,” PBBM pointed out in his recent speech at the inauguration of the ACEN windmills farm in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. But I can’t for the life of me understand why Philippine government officials would go abroad on talk-athon conferences related to climate change. But for the DENR Secretary to go on climate change trips abroad, go figure.

Ukraine's capital was subjected to the largest drone attack since the start of Russia's war, local officials said, as Kyiv prepared to mark the anniversary of its founding on Sunday. Russia has repeatedly launched waves of drone attacks against Ukraine, but most are shot down. Ukrainian air defenses, bolstered by sophisticated Western-supplied systems, have been adept at thwarting Russian air attacks — both drones and aircraft missiles. Earlier in May, Ukraine prevented an intense Russian air attack on Kyiv, shooting down all missiles aimed at the capital. Against the backdrop of Saturday night’s drone attacks, Russia's ambassador to the U.K., Andrei Kelin, warned of an escalation in Ukraine.

A nurse was injured when part of a false ceiling of a ward in Kwai Chung Hospital collapsed Sunday night. The hospital announced late Sunday that a piece of false ceiling, measuring approximately 60 centimetres by 31 centimetres, fell off at the treatment room of a female general adult psychiatric ward at around 8 pm and hit a nurse. The hospital will investigate the relations between the incident and recent works on removing and installing false ceilings. A piece of false ceiling at Kwai Chung Hospital's corridor also fell in April. No patients nor staff were injured in the incident.

(UPDATE) TO address inflation and enhance initiatives to further improve the economy, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. created the Inter-Agency Committee on Inflation and Market Outlook (IAC-IMO), Malacañang said over the weekend. The Presidential Communications Office said that Executive Order (EO) 28, signed by the President on May 26, mandates that the IAC-IMO shall serve as an advisory body to the Economic Development Group (EDG) in the crafting and implementation of measures that will keep inflation, particularly of food and energy, within the government's targets. "In view of the increasing prices of key commodities, particularly food and energy resources, the creation of an advisory body to the EDC, tasked to directly address inflation, will strengthen the EDC, and reinforce existing government initiatives aimed to improve the economy and the quality of life of the Filipino people," the circular read. The EDC was reorganized and renamed as Economic Development Group. The EDG is composed of the Finance secretary as chairman; NEDA as co-chairman; and the head of Presidential Management Staff, secretaries of Agriculture, Budget, Energy, Information and Communications Technology, Interior, Labor, Public Workers, Science and Technology, Trade, Transportation, and Tourism as members.

Watch outLast week, investors were spooked by a potential cut in OPEC+ output. Oil prices rose amid fierce warnings made by Saudi Arabia’s energy chief to oil speculators. I would just tell them: Watch out!” These comments signal a potentially large output reduction which may come in the upcoming OPEC+ meeting on June 4. Far-reaching ramificationsIndeed, the world should carefully watch the next actions of OPEC+ as these would have far-reaching ramifications on the global economy. A continued ascent of oil prices would trigger a resurgence of inflation which in turn would necessitate keeping higher interest rates for longer.