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The Philippines continues to attract foreign companies seeking trained accountants and reliable data systems, showing a steady demand for outsourced accounting services.

Data from the Association of CPAs in Public Practice, Inc. show that more apply their training in corporate roles, adding to a broad community of professionals with experience in audits and financial reporting.

Atty.

Jose B.

Calsas Jr., Chief Financial Officer and Legal Compliance Head of D&V Philippines, said foreign companies value the technical skills and workplace discipline of Filipino teams.

“The Philippines, as everyone knows, has a very good accounting background in terms of our professionals. We

have a very large pool of licensed certified public accountants,” Atty. Cals

as said in an interview on an episode of Businessworld’s B-Side podcast. “These

professionals can do both local and international finance and accounting. Of cours

e, our Filipino accountants are imbued with our character, which is part of our culture.” Many forei

Government once seen as progressive on migration says aid cuts to blame for excluding countries ‘not experiencing war’ The

Ugandan government has stopped granting asylum and refugee status to people from Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia, citing severe funding shortfalls for the significant policy shift. Hill

ary Onek, Uganda’s minister for refugees, announced that the government would no longer grant the status to new arrivals from countries “not experiencing war”. “I have in

structed our officers not to give refugee status to citizens from those countries … especially those coming from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia, because there is no war there,” he said late last week. The decision, fr

om a country seen as one of the world’s most progressive in its approach to migration, has raised concerns that thousands of people will be left in legal and humanitarian limbo. Onek put the blame

on a lack of money. “The situation is

dire, and it is our people who shoulder those costs,” he said. “Uganda used to get $2

40m per year from [the UN refugee agency] UNHCR, but with an increased refugee population of almost 2 million people, we now get less than $100m,” Onek said, adding that this year, the country had received only $18m (£14m). The minister was speaking a

t the handover of 2,544 tonnes of rice donated by South Korea to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), which will support about 600,000 refugees across 13 settlements. The contribution, worth $2.

9m, was received at the UN agency’s warehouse in the northern Ugandan city of Gulu. Uganda hosts an asylum and re

For decades, community health centers survived on paper.

Handwritten charts, overstuffed logbooks, and filing cabinets formed the backbone of daily operations.

Although the paper system had long been serviceable, it slowed health professionals: locating one patient record could take several minutes, missing charts derailed schedules, and limited storage left staff scrambling for makeshift filing solutions in already cramped spaces.

Through its community consultations, SM Foundation began to pivot and transition to help redefine how care is delivered in communities through DigiKonsulta.

DigiKonsulta is a component of the Wellness Center Program of the SM Foundation.

In tandem with infrastructure upgrades, the initiative was designed to strengthen health centers for the digital age and help them meet compliance, accreditation, and licensing requirements from relevant government agencies.

It serves as both an upgrade and an equalizer, ensuring that even small or remote facilities can meet modern healthcare standards.

At Krus na Ligas Health Center, one of the facilities where DigiKonsulta has been rolled out, healthcare professionals shared that the change is visible from the moment one enters: refurbished consultation rooms, new equipment, organized pharmacy and storage areas, improved patient flow, and functional digital systems steadily replacing the old paper trail.

For Dr.

James Demetria, the center’s physician, the changes improve both efficiency and morale. “P

Pioneer Insurance teamed up with Lalamove to provide more secure and reliable deliveries through Goods Insurance.

Effective Nov. 7, every Lalamove delivery is automatically insured for up to P20,000 against loss, damage, or robbery.

The partnership comes at an ideal time when deliveries are expected to increase as the holiday season draws near.

“Filipinos use Lalamove for all their delivery requirements, from business deliveries to family gifts, especially when the holiday season gets hectic,” said Djon Nacario, managing director of Lalamove Philippines. “The

automatic P20,000 insurance coverage applied to every Lalamove booking strengthens that trust by giving users built-in coverage through Pioneer Insurance.” To compl

ement Lalamove’s swift deliveries, the insurance claim process has been simplified. Claims can

be filed by completing the Lalamove Google Form, submitting a photo of the lost or damaged item along with the purchase or replacement invoice, and then receiving payment within seven days. “This part

nership is not just about working together,” said Armand Pesigan, Pioneer Insurance Underwriting and Claims head. “It’s about ma

king things easier for our customers. By combining Lalam

ove’s speed with Pioneer Insurance’s dependability, we are creating solutions that simplify claims and improve every customer experience.” Pioneer continues to del

This festive season, Dusit Thani Manila invites guests to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year through Timeless Traditions, a thoughtfully curated collection of experiences that embody the joy, warmth, and elegance of the holidays.

From luxurious stays and exquisite dining to serene spa indulgences, each moment is designed to bring loved ones together in the spirit of gratitude and celebration.

Immerse yourself in the beauty of the season with exclusive room packages designed to make your holidays truly unforgettable.

Starting at PHP 6,800++ for Dusit Gold members, this offer includes buffet breakfast for two adults and two children (11 years old and below), a charming festive keepsake, and a 20% discount on buffet dining (excluding Dec. 24-25 and Jan.

1).

Welcome 2026 in style with rates from PHP 11,050++ per room per night for Dusit Gold members.

The package includes breakfast for two adults and two children, two entrance tickets to the New Year’s Eve Countdown Party, and a special New Year turn-down amenity — all designed to make the transition to the new year truly memorable. From

9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Dec. 31, 2025, join us for an unforgettable countdown experience featuring VIP tables, premium beverages, and festive bites in an elegant setting. Php

22,000 net (Table of 4) | Php 30,000 net (Table of 6) Incl

udes a bottle of champagne, unlimited red or white wine, premium spirits, beer, sodas, and chilled juices, complemented by a charcuterie platter Php

ABS‑CBN Corp. said it has received a notice of termination from TV5 Network, Inc. for their television content supply agreement. In

a statement on Thursday, ABS-CBN said it “deeply regrets that this action has been taken at this critical juncture in our recovery.” “We ha

ve sought additional time to resolve this matter and are working urgently within the thirty-day period we have been given,” the network added. It said th

e “amounts and manner of the claims remain disputed,” and denied any suggestion of deliberate payment delays. “There is no t

ruth to any insinuation that ABS‑CBN willfully delayed payment,” the company said. The network said tha

t the financial constraints underlying the issue stem from its previous loss of broadcast franchise, which “significantly reduced” its revenues and caused continued losses. At the same time, ABS‑CB

N said its transformation into a storytelling company has shown “steady performance improvement.” ABS‑CBN said it remains open t

o “fair and reasonable solutions” and will continue to find ways to reach audiences should the partnership officially end. TV5 Network is part of MediaQuest Ho

ldings, Inc., whose unit Hastings Holdings, Inc. — under the PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund — holds a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group.– Arjay L. Balinbin

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THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY will likely undershoot the target this year amid spending cuts and weak investor sentiment due to the graft scandal, increasing the possibility of further easing this month, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli M.

Remolona, Jr. said.

Speaking to reporters at the BSP head office in Manila, Mr.

Remolona said gross domestic product (GDP) growth could settle between 4% and 5% by yearend, well-below the government’s 5.5-6.5% goal. As

ked if this raises the odds of a rate cut at its Dec. 11 meeting, Mr. Re

molona said: “Yeah, most definitely. But

it’s not assured.” The BSP

in October reduced the benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points (bps) for a fourth time in a row, bringing borrowing costs to an over three-year low of 4.75%. It has s

o far delivered a total of 175 bps in cuts since it began its easing cycle in August 2024. The Phil

ippine economic outlook has been clouded by a corruption scandal involving anomalous government projects. This has

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