JV Ejercito: 70% of LOA collections pocketed by some BIR officials
Other Relevant Tax Updates:
- TAX & BUSINESS-RELATED NEWS [NOVEMBER 24-28]
- DOJ OPINION ON THE JURISDICTION OF ARTA OVER DTI’s QUASI-JUDICIAL & APPELLATE PROCESSES
I. TAX & BUSINESS-RELATED NEWS [NOVEMBER 24-28]
- Marcos: New Bulacan tunnel will improve water access in NCR, nearby areas
- Legarda calls for thorough review of BCDA charter
- DTI may keep online seller’s trustmark registration voluntary
- BIR to probe employees for alleged LOA
- Palace calls for probe into alleged BIR money-making scheme
- BIR files tax evasion cases vs contractors tagged in Bulacan flood control projects
- German companies in the Philippines welcome BIR field audit freeze
- 2026: List of long weekends for the entire year
- House panel OKs proposal to extend estate taxes amnesty to December 2028
- Monterrazas de Cebu may still sell units amid probe – DHSUD
- Raffy Tulfo seeks probe of ‘overpriced’ tickets for foreign artists
- PDIC widens payout channels for depositors of closed banks
- ‘Loan rate cap may drive Filipinos to loan sharks’
- Maayo Shipyard builds its first commercial ship
- JV Ejercito: 70% of LOA collections pocketed by some BIR officials
- BSP: Withdrawals of P500K+ cash with proof of purpose should’ve no undue delays
- FDA, LTO lead red tape complaint list
- ‘Evaluating possible actions against contractor’: Restaurant in Rizal apologizes for hanging bridge incident
- VinFast rolls out residual value guarantee program in PH
- PCC OKs Philippine Veterans Bank’s P2.7B acquisition of UCPB Savings Bank
- Denmark’s CIP to build P30.5 billion wind farm in Nueva Ecija
- Philippines told to consider cap on bank lending to consumers
- BIR suspends audit operations amid complaints of abuse
- Nursing removed from list of ‘professional degree’ programs in US
- BPI rolls out cash benefit plan for critical illnesses
- Residents oppose mining proposal on Calayan Island
- USPF investigates as athletes, moved off campus, complain online
II. DOJ OPINION
ANTI-RED TAPE ACT (ARTA) DOES NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER QUASI-JUDICIAL & APPELLATE PROCESSES OF THE DEPARTMENT & TRADE INDUSTRY (DTI)
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is requesting a legal opinion on whether the authority of the DTI to hear and resolve consumer complaints constitutes a quasi-judicial function, and whether the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) has jurisdiction to oversee or impose compliance on the DTI’s appeal processes. In reply, the DOJ affirmed that the DTI’s role in hearing and deciding consumer complaints, especially appeals handled by the DTI Secretary, constitutes a quasi-judicial function. This is because the DTI conducts hearings, evaluates evidence, and issues decisions affecting parties’ rights, functions which are similar to those exercised by a court, but as an administrative agency, thereby falling within the definition of quasi-judicial power. Moreover, the DOJ further clarified that quasi-judicial functions exercised by an administrative agency are not subject to the jurisdiction and authority of ARTA. ARTA’s mandate under R.A. No. 11032 is limited to overseeing frontline services, such as the issuance of permits, licenses, and certifications, and does not include quasi-judicial functions. [DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LEGAL OPINION NO. 26, SERIES OF 2025, OCTOBER 23, 2025]
Marcos: New Bulacan tunnel will improve water access in NCR, nearby areas [GMA News Online, November 28, 2025]
The establishment of the Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project Tunnel No. 5 is seen to increase the transport capacity of water in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Friday.
Legarda calls for thorough review of BCDA charter [GMA News Online, November 28, 2025]
During the Senate plenary session on Friday, Senator Loren Legarda had pointed out that there seemed to be irregular remittances from the BCDA to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
DTI may keep online seller’s trustmark registration voluntary [ABS-CBN News, November 28, 2025]
The DTI Trustmark is a digital badge that signifies complies with e-commerce, consumer protection and data privacy standards. Trustmarks can be verified through a QR code.
BIR to probe employees for alleged LOA abuse [GMA News Online, November 27, 2025]
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will look into its employees amid allegations of a money-making scheme involving the issuance of Letters of Authority (LOA), Commissioner Charlito Mendoza said Thursday.
Palace calls for probe into alleged BIR money-making scheme [Cebu Daily News, November 27, 2025]
Castro added that she had no information on whether the issue was related to the removal of Romeo Lumagui Jr. as BIR commissioner.
BIR files tax evasion cases vs contractors tagged in Bulacan flood control projects [ABS-CBN News, November 27, 2025]
Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza led the filing of P13.8 million tax evasion complaints at the Department of Justice against SYMS Construction Trading proprietor Sally Santos and IM Construction Corporation president Robert Imperio and treasurer Marie Jane Imperio over ghost flood control projects in Bulacan.
German companies in the Philippines welcome BIR field audit freeze [The Philippine Star, November 26, 2025]
To sustain investor confidence, the Philippines must ensure “transparent and predictable audit procedures,” German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry said in a statement on Wednesday, November 26.
2026: List of long weekends for the entire year [Cebu Daily News, November 26, 2025]
Because in accordance the Proclamation No. 1006 from Malacañang, consisting the official list of regular and special non-working holidays, there are quite a number of long weekends everyone can enjoy.
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/673201/2026-list-of-long-weekends-for-the-entire-year
House panel OKs proposal to extend estate taxes amnesty to December 2028 [Inquirer.Net, November 26, 2025]
“So, the proposal of the committee is to make the cutoff of the decedent’s death to 31 December 2024. And the period of availment […] availment period naman ay to December 31, 2028. So, just very briefly, the reason for the cutoff of December 31 is that, obviously, it cannot go beyond 2024 kasi kapag namatay ka ng 2025, wala ka pa namang penalties to speak about, ‘di ba?” Quimbo said.
Monterrazas de Cebu may still sell units amid probe – DHSUD [GMA News Online, November 26, 2025]
“The DENR is investigating the possible environmental transgressions. The local government as well is also doing its own investigation. But as long as those documents still stand and are still valid—the ECC, the Sanggunian resolutions, the building permits—the department will not revoke the certificate of registration,” he said.
Raffy Tulfo seeks probe of ‘overpriced’ tickets for foreign artists [GMA News Online, November 26, 2025]
During the plenary debates on the proposed P12 billion budget of the DTI and its attached agencies for next year, Tulfo questioned why the VIP concert ticket for K-pop girl group Blackpink reached P19,000 in the country, when it reportedly cost around P11,000 only in South Korea.
PDIC widens payout channels for depositors of closed banks [The Philippine Star, November 26, 2025]
This allows proceeds to be credited through bank transfers and e-wallets such as GCash, Maya Bank and ECPay.
‘Loan rate cap may drive Filipinos to loan sharks’ [The Philippine Star, November 26, 2025]
CitizenWatch Philippines warned that the SEC’s proposed interest rate cap for small loans could trigger a credit crisis for the country’s most vulnerable borrowers, stressing that the draft circular risks a sweeping disruption of the unsecured loans relied on by ordinary consumers.
https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/11/26/2489812/loan-rate-cap-may-drive-filipinos-loan-sharks
Maayo Shipyard builds its first commercial ship [The Manila Times, November 26, 2025]
MAAYO Ship Building and Ship Repairs, Inc. is advancing commercial shipbuilding capacity with the construction of its vessel, Martin 10, at its facility in Tampi, San Jose, Negros Oriental.
JV Ejercito: 70% of LOA collections pocketed by some BIR officials [Inquirer.Net, November 25, 2025]
“Because the target was supposed to be projected to raise about P6 to P8 billion from these LOAs for revenue generation. But what they raised was only about P2 to 3 billion. Because 70 percent of what is collected is not remitted, instead, it goes into people’s pockets. Only 30 percent is actually remitted,” said Ejercito in Filipino.
BSP: Withdrawals of P500K+ cash with proof of purpose should’ve no undue delays [GMA News Online, November 25, 2025]
According to BSP Deputy Governor Zeno Abenoja, the central bank is also looking at the possible impact of the circular on economic growth, after former Finance secretary, now Executive Secretary, Ralph Recto reportedly said this was a possible factor behind the slowdown recorded in the third quarter.
FDA, LTO lead red tape complaint list [The Philippine Star, November 25, 2025]
The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has identified the 10 poorest-performing government agencies and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) under its red tape complaint list.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/11/25/2489640/fda-lto-lead-red-tape-complaint-list
‘Evaluating possible actions against contractor’: Restaurant in Rizal apologizes for hanging bridge incident [interaksyon, November 25, 2025]
A restaurant in San Mateo, Rizal apologized to the public following an incident over its 80-meter hanging bridge on Sunday, November 23.
VinFast rolls out residual value guarantee program in PH [The Manila Times, November 25, 2025]
VINFAST has introduced its Residual Value Guarantee (RVG) Program for the Philippine market, giving buyers the option to sell their vehicles back to the company at a predetermined value within the first three years of ownership.
PCC OKs Philippine Veterans Bank’s P2.7B acquisition of UCPB Savings Bank [GMA News Online, November 25, 2025]
“The Commission found no horizontal or vertical relationships between the Veterans Bank notifying group and UCPB Savings,” the PCC said in a statement released Tuesday.
Denmark’s CIP to build P30.5 billion wind farm in Nueva Ecija [The Philippine Star, November 25, 2025]
Denmark’s Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) is spending P30.5 billion for its proposed development of a 300-megawatt (MW) onshore wind farm in Nueva Ecija.
Philippines told to consider cap on bank lending to consumers [Philippine Daily Inquirer, November 25, 2025]
Philippine regulators may want to consider setting sector-specific loan limits for consumer borrowers, regional surveillance group Amro said, a proposal aimed at mitigating risks of household over-indebtedness as credit card lending continues to surge in the country.
https://business.inquirer.net/559886/ph-told-to-consider-cap-on-bank-lending-to-consumers
BIR suspends audit operations amid complaints of abuse [Philippine Daily Inquirer, November 24, 2025]
The halt covers the issuance, creation, printing, and signing of Letters of Authority (LOAs) and Mission Orders (MOs), effectively pausing all audit-related enforcement during the review period.
https://business.inquirer.net/559866/bir-suspends-audit-operations-amid-complaints-of-abuse
Nursing removed from list of ‘professional degree’ programs in US [Cebu Daily News, November 24, 2025]
LOS ANGELES — A major federal policy change has alarmed nurses across the United States—including Filipino American nurses—after the Department of Education (DOE) removed nursing from its list of recognized “professional degree” programs.
BPI rolls out cash benefit plan for critical illnesses [Philippine Daily Inquirer, November 24, 2025]
The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) and its insurance arm have launched a critical illness plan offering a lump-sum cash benefit. This is aimed at reducing treatment delays due to patients’ financial hardship.
https://business.inquirer.net/559761/bpi-rolls-out-cash-benefit-plan-for-critical-illnesses
Residents oppose mining proposal on Calayan Island [Inquirer.Net, November 24, 2025]
This, as Mayor Jong Llopis prohibited “all mining and quarrying activities” in Calayan, cancelling the permit for the “quarrying of pebbles” at Sibang Cove, which is a pristine destination on the island that prides itself for its white sand beaches and clear blue waters.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2145414/residents-oppose-mining-proposal-on-calayan-island
USPF investigates as athletes, moved off campus, complain online [Cebu Daily News, November 24, 2025]
The University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) has addressed allegations of forcibly evicting athletes from their campus dormitory, calling the claims false.
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