A German Expat in The Philippines - Ein deutscher Auswanderer auf den Philippinen: Philippine Daily Inquirer

You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?

There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!

Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!

Showing posts with label Philippine Daily Inquirer. Show all posts

Monday, April 13, 2026

Women find success in a digital world

Honorees of the Inquirer Women of Power Awards 2026 gather on stage, celebrating leadership, innovation, and impact across industries.

Women leaders who have successfully navigated an increasingly technology-driven world took center stage at the recent Inquirer Women of Power awarding ceremonies, an event that underscored how leadership today is being reshaped by both innovation and intent.

Across the two-part gathering, which included the Women of Power Summit themed Guarding Legacies, Guiding Generations, honorees and attendees demonstrated a shared understanding: leadership in this era demands the ability to apply technology with clarity, responsibility, and purpose.

Globe Business Special Recognition for Digital Innovation recipient (center): Gigi Puno, chief information and technology officer of GoTyme with presenters.

As co-presenter, Globe Business highlighted women who are actively shaping this shift. Filipina leaders who are driving meaningful transformation within their organizations while ensuring that technology remains grounded in human insight and real-world impact need to be celebrated. These are women advancing their industries and influencing how innovation is designed, governed, and sustained.

Globe Business Special Recognition for Enterprise Excellence recipient (center): Leah Gonzales, artist and repertoire director of 1Z Entertainment with presenters.

Globe Business shared that the strategic intent behind every innovation should be considered equally important as the pace of implementation. As KD Dizon, Vice President and Head of Globe Business, emphasized at the summit, true leadership is anchored in the “why” behind the technology. By focusing on how tools create meaningful value for enterprises and society, the company champions putting people first. This human-centric approach is fueled by a long-standing commitment to empathy, collaboration, and malasakit.

Paolo Prieto, president of Inquirer Interactive Inc., delivers the closing message at the 2026 Women of Power Awards.

At the heart of the celebration was the Globe Business Special Recognition, which honored women who exemplify leadership across three key areas:

DIGITAL INNOVATION – for leading initiatives that drive transformative change through technology and digital solutions

ENTERPRISE EXCELLENCE – for demonstrating leadership and strategies that advance business growth and organizational impact

EMPOWERMENT THROUGH INNOVATION – for harnessing innovation to uplift communities, teams, or industries

Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez, chairperson of Inquirer Interactive Inc., delivers the opening remarks at the 2026 Women of Power Awards.

Each awardee reflected a different facet of leadership in action, but all shared a common thread: the ability to turn technology into something purposeful, measurable, and inclusive.

Beyond the formal program, the event created space for connection and exchange. Attendees engaged in conversations with peers across industries, shared experiences, and built new networks. Moments of celebration—from candid interactions to creative photo installations—captured the energy of a community that continues to grow in both influence and impact.

Panel discussion on Passing the Torch: Leadership Across Generations

For the awardees, the evening marked a recognition of their contributions and the paths they have forged. For the broader audience, it offered something equally valuable: direct insight into how today’s most effective leaders think, adapt, and move forward.

More than a celebration, the Inquirer Women of Power served as a reminder that the future of leadership is already taking shape—driven by women who are choosing to lead with purpose, act with intention, and build systems that enable others to succeed alongside them.

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Friday, April 10, 2026

Baguio under calamity state due to fuel crisis

TRANSPORT WOES Passengers at a jeepney terminal in Baguio City were few on Thursday as it was the Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) holiday. But on regular workdays, residents endure long lines at the city’s business district to wait for their ride home as local drivers choose to limit their trips to save on fuel. —VINCENT CABREZA

BAGUIO CITY—Residents dealing with long lines at jeepney terminals here on their way home at night found some relief on Wednesday when more units were deployed—financed by the city government after Baguio was placed under a state of calamity.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Tuesday signed City Resolution No. 257 declaring a state of calamity which he asked the city council to pass before it adjourned on March 30 for the Holy Week break.

Councilor Peter Fianza, a former city administrator, had informed the local legislature that a resolution may no longer be necessary after President Marcos placed the country under a state of national energy emergency on March 24.

The Philippines is among the Southeast Asian countries hit hardest by unstable world oil prices triggered by the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran starting on Feb. 28. The crisis worsened as Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz where 20 percent of global oil supply, especially those bound for Asia, passes through.

Resolution No. 257, which the Baguio council passed unanimously, provides authority to Magalong to use the city’s quick response fund (QRF) representing 1.5 percent of the city’s P3.26-billion budget, and secures a share from the national disaster relief standby fund.

Part of the QRF will be spent on Baguio’s emergency transport support fund, said Amy Gas-ib, chief of the traffic division at the City Engineers Office, during a Wednesday briefing.

Under an arrangement drawn up in a March 18 dialogue and formalized on Wednesday, 295 units of the total 1,154 public utility jeepneys serving Baguio would be assigned to ferry passengers from 6 p.m. to as late as 11 p.m. in exchange for subsidies covering their trips back to the central business district, Gas-ib said.

The price of diesel, which public transport vehicles consume, has shot up, discouraging many of the jeepney drivers to serve passengers after 7 p.m. to stretch their fuel when they resume work the following day.

As of April 9, diesel sold for P165.70 a liter, maintaining the same high rates recorded on Tuesday and Wednesday by the Baguio police.

Gas-ib said the subsidy would be based on the prevailing diesel prices and would adjust should prices rise again next week.

She also announced that subsidies for taxi drivers are being prepared once her office completes the list of 3,346 taxi units in Baguio.

Subsidies in CDO

In Cagayan de Oro City, the local legislature approved an emergency declaration during a special session on Tuesday, allowing Mayor Rolando Uy to use the QRF to provide fuel subsidies to transport workers.

Public utility vehicles have been reeling from the fare hike moratorium imposed by the national government hence the city government is providing P2,000 on top of the P5,000 provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Jeepney drivers have also asked commuters to voluntarily increase the fare they give at every ride, from P12 per passenger to P15. —WITH A REPORT FROM FROILAN GALLARDO

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

PSEi falls below 6,000

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

March inflation seen accelerating to 3.9%

EDITED BY INQUIRER PLUS GRAPHICS/FAITH HINOJOSA

Inflation likely accelerated in March and may have nearly overshot the upper end of the official target range, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said, citing a surge in energy costs and the pass-through effects of a weakening currency that has fallen to record lows amid tensions in the Middle East.

In a statement on Tuesday, the central bank said it expected consumer prices to have risen between 3.1 percent and 3.9 percent last month.

If the forecast holds, the figure to be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on April 7 would mark a pickup from the 2.4-percent pace in February and signal that inflation came close to breaching the central bank’s 2-percent to 4-percent target band.

“Inflation risks have intensified with upward price pressures arising from the significant increase in domestic petroleum prices, higher rice prices, increased electricity charges in Meralco-serviced areas, and depreciation of the peso,” the BSP said.

“The anticipated lower prices of vegetables, fish, and meat may help temper inflation, but upside pressures continue to warrant close monitoring,” it added.

The war, which has entered its fifth week, broke out after the United States and Israel launched joint attacks against Iran. The conflict has disrupted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane where 20 percent of global oil supply passes.

The turmoil has ignited fears for oil-importing countries like the Philippines, which became the first nation to declare a state of national energy emergency. Data from the Department of Energy show local gasoline prices have risen a net P45.30 per liter so far this year, while diesel has climbed P76.05 and kerosene P75.60.

This, as global crude prices have soared to $100 per barrel while fears of a drawn-out regional upheaval have boosted the US dollar, wreaking havoc on Asian currencies like the Philippine peso, which has weakened past the 60-per-dollar level.

The oil shock has already shaped the central bank’s policy stance ahead of its scheduled April 23 meeting. Officials opted for an off-cycle decision last week to keep the policy rate unchanged at 4.25 percent, even as they raised their average inflation forecast for 2026 to 5.1 percent—with price gains likely to hit as high as 5 percent in April and breach the official target band.

Governor Eli Remolona Jr. has said that raising borrowing costs to fight inflation could delay the economy’s rebound from a confidence shock triggered by a major corruption scandal. He added that higher interest rates—typically used to curb demand-driven inflation—would do little to counter supply-side price pressures stemming from the Iran conflict.

Overall, Remolona said policymakers do not expect a buildup in demand-side inflation, pointing instead to weak growth that could temper consumer spending.

“The BSP will remain vigilant and guided by incoming data, specifically on inflation and growth prospects,” the central bank said. “We will continue to monitor recent developments in the Middle East for their implications on inflation and economic activity.”

A German Expat in The Philippines - Ein deutscher Auswanderer auf den Philippinen