PH Expects $51B This Year from Remittances and BPO Earnings

The Philippines expects to earn more than $51 billion this year from the sustained inflow of remittances from overseas Filipino workers and the business process outsourcing sector, Dutch financial giant ING Bank said yesterday. Money sent home by Filipinos abroad would grow at least three percent from$25.8 billion in 2015 to $26.6 billionthis year. Revenues from the BPO sector would expand by up to16 percentto around $24 billion, reports Philstar.com.

Aquino Raises Tax-Exempt Value of Balikbayan Box Items

Good news for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). President Benigno Aquino III signed Republic Act No 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) on Tuesday, May 31, which increases the tax-exempt value of items sent via balikbayan boxes by OFWs to their families back home. Under CMTA, the tax exemption ceiling is increased from P10,000 to P150,000, reports Rappler.

Chef Tayag Wins People's Choice Award at DC Embassy Chef Tilt

Chef Claude Tayag (Source: Interaksyon.com)

Acclaimed Filipino chef Claude Tayag won the People's Choice Award at the Embassy Chef Challenge (ECC) on May 25, Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington DC, reports Rappler.

Fil-Am Gets Role in 'Phantom of the Opera' on Broadway

Ali Ewoldt

Filipino American Ali Ewoldt has been named as the new Christine in the long running Broadway production of Phantom of the Opera, reports Rappler.

Key California Body OKs Textbook Inclusion of Filipinos' WWII Role

A key committee of California’s Department of Education on May 19 approved all of the curriculum recommendations of the Bataan Legacy Historical Society (BLHS), a big step towards making high school students learn of the contributions and sacrifices of Filipinos who fought side by side with Americans during the Second World War, reports Inquirer.net.
 

Poll: Fil-Am Voters Lean Left, Like Other Asian Americans

Republican presidential aspirant Donald Trump is highly unpopular among Filipino American voters as he is among Asian American voters, and like Asian Americans in general the majority of Filipino American voters identify as Democrats. These are among the findings of a new national survey conducted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice, AAPIData and the Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote initiative, reports Inquirer.net.

Firm Offers to End Manila Traffic in 2 to 3 Years for P100B

Metro Manila’s traffic woes can’t be solved overnight, but possibly within two to three years, according to a “Marshall Plan-like” solution being offered to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte by Filipino consortium Philtrak Inc., reports Inquirer.net.

Filipino Costume Designer Gets Tony Nomination

Clint Ramos (Source: zimbio)

Filipino Costume designer Clint Ramos is the only Filipino nominated in this year’s Tony Awards. He designed the set and costume for "Eclipsed," a Tony-nominated best play starring Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, reports ABS-CBN News.