UBX, Post Office partner to drive financial, social inclusion towards digitally transformed community financial centers

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The Philippine Postal Corporation (Post Office) has partnered with UBX, the leading open finance platform in the Philippines, to launch “Kasama Lahat”, a capacity development project which will transform the country’s premier postal agency into a modern hub that offers financial and data services for everyone in the community.

Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio and UBX President John Januzczak signed the agreement that will transform each post office outlet as community financial centers, promoting financial inclusion, especially in far-flung areas of the country.

“The Post Office Digital Innovation signifies the commitment and support of the Post Office especially under the new administration of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. in serving the public who deserve no less than the best postal service by global standards’, Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio said.

Under the partnership, UBX will provide the necessary technical knowledge in digital finance and open finance to hasten the Post Office’s digital transformation journey. With its ubiquity and reach, the Post Office is well-positioned to provide the customers necessary financial services, through its network in cities and municipalities nationwide.

Through the Bangko sa Barangay Service of UBX, the Post Office will be able to transform thousands of its outlets nationwide into financial hubs, offering various types of services such as disbursements, fund transfers, cash withdrawals, loan applications, payments, insurance, and collections, among others.

The Philippine Post Office has approximately over 1,300 outlets across the country.

“This groundbreaking partnership with the Post Office reflects our strong commitment to include everyone into the country’s financial system. With its reach and data, the Post Office has the power to drive financial and social inclusion through its digital transformation initiative,” UBX President John Januzczak said.

Aside from transforming each postal outlet as community financial centers, the partnership will also empower postmen or letter carriers to become cash agents. They will be trained to provide guidance on how to apply for financial products and services, as well as to supervise the provision of these services.

In the long term, Kasama Lahat aims to establish the Post Office as Open Finance Hubs, which can process data transactions as well, such as validation of customer information for loan applications, asset validation, and even collection or debt restructuring services.

Since it was established in 2019, i2i, an open finance and payments platform, has been connecting institutions, including micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) into the country’s financial ecosystems. Now with thousands of agents and hundreds of financial institutions, it provides fund transfers, bills payments, mobile ATM, insurance, and loan services which anyone can access in various banks and merchant locations nationwide.

Millions of Filipinos have been integrated into digital finance through i2i, paving the way forward to the future of open finance. Its Bangko sa Barangay service, which was launched in July of last year, turned branch networks and agent pools to become financial service providers in their communities capable of providing financial and data transactions.

These services, under Kasama Lahat, aim to transform the Post Office by putting customers to the fore by creating and innovating products and services to meet their demands, shifting the agency to a sustainable business culture, reviewing, and proposing amendments to the Post Office Charter (RA 7354), and overall contributing to social inclusion in the Philippines.

With this partnership, the Post Office will also be able to establish a product line which will establish its financial independence from the budget provisioned by the government, giving the postal agency a more sustainable business culture. The profit margins will also allow it to continue its vision of modernization.

“Our digital transformation journey, powered by UBX, allows us to diversify our services beyond the Filipino people’s postal needs. With our network of over 1,300 outlets and more than 3,500 postmen, we are in a unique position to provide financial services that promote both financial and social inclusion in the country,” Post Office Postmaster General Normal Fulgencio said.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) shows that 47 percent of Filipino adults are still unbanked. The government aims to include at least 70 percent of Filipino adults to the country’s financial system by 2023.

“The challenge for both the public and private sectors to drive financial inclusion is daunting and it requires a strong sense of commitment and partnership to achieve this. Our partnership with the Post Office is just an example of meaningful ways to bring financial services closer to Filipinos,” Januszczak said. 

Kumustahan with commuters

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Personal na nagtungo at sorpresang sumakay sa MRT-3 si Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista, upang makita mismo kung ano ang kalagayan ng mga pasahero mula sa pagpila at pagsakay rito.

Sa kaniyang pagsakay, kinausap ni Secretary Bautista ang mga pasahero sa pila at sa loob ng tren, upang malaman at marinig ang kanilang “travel experience” sa MRT-3.

Kinamusta niya rin ang mga teller at mga security guards, upang alamin at kumuha ng mga suhestiyon sa pagsasaayos pa ng mga pasilidad upang mas maging kumportable, kumbinyente, at mapadali ang araw-araw na pagsakay ng mga commuter.

Kasabay nito ay ininspeksyon din ni Secretary Bautista ang mga pasilidad ng MRT-3.

Naganap ito matapos ang pag anunsyo ng extension ng Libreng Sakay na handog ng pamahalaan noong ika-30 ng Hunyo 2022.

Matapos ang kaniyang pagsakay sa rail system, kinumusta rin ni Secretary Bautista ang mga Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Traffic Auxiliaries na naka-istasyon sa Taft Station.

Naranasan, ramdam, at kita ng Kalihim ang mga pagsubok sa pagko-commute—kaya naman hayag nya na sya ay handang makinig at magsagawa ng mga kinakailangang programa, proyekto, at inisyatibo, para sa mas maginhawa at hassle-free na pagbiyahe ng bawat Pilipino.

Aira Lopez reveals her lifestyle’s perfect partn

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Multifaceted influencer, athlete, host shares her story of winning races, health, and advocacy to help more people live better lives

The 24-year-old goal-getter, influencer, athlete, and host for CNN’s Cycling Unlimited TV show, Aira Lopez, proves that a healthy lifestyle is not as simple as a 30-day diet routine but a daily practice of healthy habits. Recently, Lopez became one of the new brand ambassadors of Santé, a premier natural and organic health and wellness product and services provider. 

 

Despite juggling work hustles daily, Lopez always finds time to exercise and drink her supplements. “I do cardio exercise more often. I do biking, running, and swimming, especially if I have a lot of time on my hand. And if my morning schedule allows me, I go for a morning bike ride,” Lopez shared.

 

“I don’t follow any specific or strict diet. I eat whatever I want. But the secret to staying fit is I burn it through exercise. I exercise a lot so that I can eat a lot. Plus, part of my everyday healthy lifestyle is drinking Santé Barley every morning after my workout session,” she blithely added.

 

Being sports-inclined, Lopez, at a young age, knows how precious health is. “I do love sports since my elementary days,” she said. Lopez claimed that she was already health-conscious at a young age and wanted to share with everyone how she considered her health as her wealth, just like the golden adage says. Her Papa Louie also revealed that during her high school days, Lopez was a baseball player in her school.

 

“We used to arrange fun rides together with my other siblings and Papa Louie. We once conducted a free event in Tarlac, and it was free for everyone. We also gave free food to the riders who joined. And of course, it was fulfilling because we were able to encourage more women to join in our ride.”

 

With her talents in sports and a bubbly personality, no wonder Lopez could capture the hearts of many to join her in her healthy movement. Today, she has over half a million subscribers on her channel, where she usually uploads her inspiring vlogs about her sports journey. And now that she and her family is the newest member of the Santé family, Lopez believes that she is set to win her future races and, at the same time, ready to inspire more, especially the women.

 

“We hope to reach more women and Filipinos and inspire them to do a sport that they love and enjoy. And as a new family ambassador of Santé, we are confident that we share the same values and goals with the brand,” Lopez shared.

 

Santé Barley™, the company’s flagship product, is made of barley grass gathered at a young age and turned into powder and capsule forms. It is composed of pure organic barley grass rich in vitamins and minerals that help detoxify the body, lower bad cholesterol, aid digestive health, deliver a good number of antioxidants, assist wound healing, bone formation, and many more. 

 

A glass or capsule of Santé Barley™ fortifies the body with Vitamin C, zinc, calcium, amino acids, magnesium, iron, B-vitamins, and carotenoids, essential to giving the immune system an extra boost. The healthy goodness of Santé Barley™ is certified organic by New Zealand’s renowned organic produce and products organization, BioGro. 

 

“Our Papa Louie is proof of how beneficial Santé Barley is to him and our whole family. I believe that Santé Barley and other products will help boost my health and stamina to ace my races. So, I advise everyone to find any sports they would like to do because it can make them happy. And being happy means being mentally healthy as well. And last is, don’t forget to drink your vitamins and supplements like Santé Barley,” Lopez encouraged.

 

From her viral introduction video, Aira Lopez’s new spiel goes, “I’m Aira Lopez, a YouTube vlogger, an athlete, and a TV host, and I would love to help more people live better lives.”

 

Santé Barley™ and other Santé products are organic health and wellness products offered by Santé, known for developing a comprehensive selection of everyday barley-based products. They are designed to improve people’s quality of life to live more and do more. 

 

Santé is one of the leading global producers of certified organic barley grass grown and harvested from New Zealand. With its mission to help people live better lives, the company promotes, produces, and distributes premier natural health and wellness products and services. Today, Santé has expanded its offerings, including a fitness and rehabilitation center with Santé Fitness Lab, staying true to its thrust of promoting a healthy lifestyle. 

 

To learn more about Santé Barley™ and other Santé products, visit its website at mysante.com.

 

 

 

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SMDC’s Glade Residences breaks ground in Jaro, Iloilo City

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A master-planned city with exceptionally-connected infrastructure; an incubator of business and tourism opportunities seen to be “the next economic epicenter” of the Philippines; and now, a home to SM Development Corporation (SMDC)’s Glade Residences.

SMDC held a groundbreaking ceremony last Friday, July 1, to inaugurate the construction of their newest development in Jaro, Iloilo City.

Glade Residences is strategically located in the largest district in Iloilo City — granting residents access to only the best of culture, lifestyle, and entertainment. Soon to rise will be an SM Mall right beside it, providing utmost convenience for astute individuals who will call Glade Residences home.

Designed with health and wellness in mind, the walkable, nature-centric development offers a low-carbon footprint lifestyle for young professionals and start-up families who seek new levels of productivity and fulfillment.

A true economic catalyst and a partner in nation-building, SMDC is committed to complement the continued transformation of Iloilo City with residential developments such as Glade Residences that allow more people to live sustainability in communities that encourage them to thrive.

To know more about Glade Residences, follow SMDC on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter, or visit the SMDC website.

An evening of Chivas, Auro, and Amorsolo at &More By Sheraton

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Sheraton Manila Bay hosted an evening of art and gastronomy with a one-night-only pairing event entitled “Whisky and Chocolate Experience” on July 7, 2022 held at the recently launched &More by Sheraton and Unspoken Bar. Epicurean diners, media, and key influencers delight in the culinary marriage of Scottish whiskeys from Chivas Regal and delish pastries baked by our seasoned culinary team using proudly-local Auro Chocolate in time for the celebration of World Chocolate Day.

The curated pairing and tasting notes led by sommelier Chino Garcia of Chivas Regal include White Chocolate Madeleine (made with Auro 32% White Chocolate) and Mango Tart (made with Auro cocoa powder) paired with Chivas Regal 13 Sherry Cask; Peanut Chocolate Caramel Lollipop (made with Auro Dark Chocolate and Chocolate Nibs) and Espresso Dark Chocolate Truffle (made with Auro Dark Chocolate) paired with Chivas Regal 18 years; and Chocolate French Macarons and Bailey's Irish Chocolate Mousse (both made with Auro 64% Dark Chocolate) paired with Chivas Regal 12 years.

The exquisite pairing were complemented by a visually delightful exhibition of select artworks of National Artist Fernando Amorsolo made of LEGO™ brick mosaic. On display at the hotel main lobby starting 7 July 2022 are Lego rendition of Amorsolo’s Early Traders (1948), Bayanihan (1959), and Dalagang Bukid (1958). Among those seen enjoying the event are members of the Amorsolo family led by Fernando “Nandy” Lazo, Fernando Amorsolo’s grandson and executive director of the Amorsolo Foundation and Leslie Araujo, president and LAN (Lego Ambassador Network) ambassador of Pinoy LUG (Lego User Group). The exhibit is in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the proclamation of Fernando C. Amorsolo as the first national artist of the Philippines in visual art.

“Since the launching of &More and Unspoken Bar we have been inspired to create events that is not just focus on satisfying our senses with good food and beverage experience, welcoming ambience, live entertainment, and unparalleled service but at the same time with a purpose.” said Juvy Agudon, the hotel’s Director of Sales and Marketing.

Commemorative fine art prints of Project AMORsolo are for sale at Sheraton Manila Bay from July 7 to 21, 2022 for only Php 20,000 per framed prints with Certificate of Authentication. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the commemorative prints will be donated to San Lorenzo Ruiz Home for the Elderly and Bahay Tuluyan, a non-profit organization for children's welfare.

On hand to welcome guests and to show them around the exhibit were hotel General Manager Richard Masselin, Director of Sales and Marketing Juvy Agudon and her team, Director of Room Crystal Monzones, Director of Finance Jennifer Labita, Director of Human Resources Edna Al Sharhan, Director of Engineering Nilo De Ramos, Executive Chef Plaridelio Adora, Marketing Communications Manager Stephanie Cabrejas, and Food and Beverage Manager Karla Delos Reyes.

&More by Sheraton is located in the Main Lobby of Sheraton Manila Bay, M. Adriatico cor. Gen Malvar Sts. Malate. For reservations please call +632 5318 0788 or email reservations.manilabay@sheraton.com. Like us on Facebook and Instagram @sheratonmanilabay and Twitter at @sheratonmnlbay. For more information, please visit our website at www.sheratonmanilabay.com.

The Relentless Rizaly

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From SM Foundation scholar to SM Prime accounting manager

Twenty years ago, high school student Rizaly Lim and her four siblings would watch in awe every time they pass by the construction of the first SM City in her hometown Sta. Rosa, Laguna.  All five children, packed in the tricycle their father rides for a living, were all excitedly looking forward to happy family weekends they would be spending at the huge mall.

Today, after graduating Summa Cum Laude through a scholarship from SM Foundation, Rizaly is now a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) working as Accounting Manager for the head office of SM Prime Holdings, a leading property developer in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

From SM Foundation scholar to SM Prime accounting manager

At a young age, Rizaly was headstrong about getting her family out of poverty. She shares, “My father was the only one who worked for our family, and because we were a large family, his daily earnings as a tricycle driver were never enough.”

Rizaly finished high school at the Balibago National High School as class valedictorian in 2005 and was already sending applications for other college scholarships when her teacher asked the top 10 students to go to SM City Sta. Rosa for an interview with SM Foundation.

“Sa umpisa, hindi po ako naniwala kasi bago pa lang sa amin noon ang SM City Sta. Rosa,” she recalls. She proceeded of course, driven by the one goal of finishing college and helping her family. “Gusto ko rin po makapag-aral at makapagtapos noon. Maka-work at makatulong sa family.”

A few exams and interviews later, SM Foundation, Inc. (SMFI) went to visit her and her family at home to inform them that she will be receiving a full scholarship with monthly allowance until she finishes her course.

In 2010, Rizaly graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy. She went on to pass the Philippine CPA Board Exams on first try in October 2010. The assistance of SMFI, she said, went beyond tuition and allowances. “With full scholarship grants and monthly allowances, as well as the opportunity to work at SM Store during our summer and Christmas vacations, the SMFI scholarship has enabled me to help my family financially.”

 

“I am the master of my fate”

While other parents were buying their college kids the latest Nokia phone back in the summers of 2000’s, Rizaly’s father gave her and her siblings weekly assignments to accomplish during the summer vacation. “Our late father instilled in us the love of reading and the value of studying,” she shared. “During summer, he would assign us English words and their meanings to memorize and asked us to recite these to him.“

Then there's the memorization of motivational poems and speeches, one of which stuck with her for life: “It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” She shared that this last stanza of “Invictus” by W.E. Henley had kept her motivated to look past the limitations of her circumstances and focus on her personal goals.

 

Career at SM

SM Foundation was established in 1983 by Henry Sy, Sr. and Felicidad T. Sy as the heart of the SM group. It has established programs that are focused on nurturing and caring for underserved communities where SM is present. It supports and empowers host communities through education, healthcare, shelter, disaster response, sustainable agriculture, and care for persons with special needs.

To date, SM Foundation has assisted more than 8,000 college and technical/vocational students, and has donated over 100 school buildings with a total of 334 classrooms built across the country.

Nurturing the graduates extends beyond the classroom as SM Foundation also provides job opportunities across the different companies of the SM group. The foundation organizes a Career Fair specifically designed for its scholars.

From the Career Fair organized by SM Foundation, Rizaly was able to get job offers from three companies – among which was SM Prime Holdings, one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia that offers innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities with the development of malls, residences, offices, hotels and convention centers. It is also the largest, in terms of asset, in the Philippines.

 

I still want to level up

“I haven't accomplished much yet, but I value what I have already accomplished and received so far,” said Rizaly, referring to the highest honors she has received in high school and college, becoming a CPA, and being promoted to manager in within only a few years of her work at SM Prime.  “These are just a few of the accomplishments for which I will be eternally grateful. I'm also proud of my daily achievements at work, such as fulfilling particular duties assigned to me. They make me happy and proud of myself, and they inspire me to do better.”

 “Ang mga dating pinapangarap ko lang, nagagawa ko na ngayon,” Rizaly said as she related how she has been able to travel to Taiwan for vacation and do the tri-city tour of Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. But her biggest dreams, she said, remain centered on her family: to provide better for her family by sharing with them what she has now. “Nothing is simple. Nothing is easy. Hindi ko naman to straight line lang na na-achieve. Life is full of challenges. Just stay strong, keep the faith and always give your best effort.”

UN-Awarded ASEAN Science Diplomat Welcomes Pres. Marcos’ Science Initiatives

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What follows is the official statement of UN Sasakawa Laureate, ASEAN Science Diplomat Glenn Banaguas, on the occasion of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.’s inauguration as the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines and the latter’s underscoring of science initiatives in his inaugural address to the nation.

On behalf of my colleagues in the science diplomacy corps and in the climate change and disaster risk reduction and management communities, I congratulate President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. on the occasion of his inauguration as the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines.

Mr. President, we welcome and take up your call to address the looming crises of climate change that perpetually cast their long shadow on the nation’s future.

Indeed, as you rightly pointed out, the Philippines is one of the most at-risk nations to climate change in the world. And even as the country struggles with sustaining and protecting itself in the face of global upheaval, so too do we also wrestle with the need to develop sustainable production systems and an eco-friendly economy for our people. Thankfully, we are not alone in this ambition: the Philippines and the rest of our fellow member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) thus drafted the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI) 2016-2025. This far-reaching plan underscores the importance of public-private collaboration, talent mobility, people-to-people connectivity, inclusiveness, enterprise support, public awareness, and STI enculturation as cornerstones for sustainable growth both within and between our brethren nations.

Mr. President, we thank you for echoing this international call for cooperation and unity in your inaugural address, and we stand ready to serve the Philippines under your stewardship. In particular, we at the Environmental and Climate Change Research Institute (ECCRI) have committed ourselves entirely to the pursuit and achievement of the APASTI and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and we are grateful to the new administration for giving these ideals their long-overdue acknowledgement and prioritization.

As a science diplomat, I have always believed that science and government policy are as paramount as they are inseparable; I remain focused on bringing these to the poorest communities and most marginalized sectors of our country. To this end, the ECCRI’s flagship program, Climate Smart Philippines: Science for Service, provides cutting-edge research, training, and capacity-building to our countrymen in order to combat climate change and disaster risks. This initiative is focused particularly on food security, sustainable energy, water sufficiency, human security, ecological and environmental stability, knowledge management and capacity development, and climate-smart infrastructures and services, climate and sustainable financing programs—all of which were touched on, directly or incidentally, in the President’s inaugural speech.

No less than the United Nations has acknowledged and honored our efforts, via its prestigious Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction for 2022. This prestigious global honor is bestowed on institutions, groups, and individuals that promote inclusive and resilient approaches to disaster risk reduction in line with the UN’s Sendai Framework. And while we are thankful for this accolade, we continue to believe that our greatest achievement is to serve the Filipino people through our work.

So it is that we congratulate and thank you, our President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., for paving the way towards jumpstarting our nation’s climate-smart capacity, and its disaster preparedness and resiliency.

Mabuhay po tayong lahat.

In perpetual service to the Filipino People,

Sci. Dpl. Glenn S. Banaguas

Chairman, Asian (ASEAN) Science Diplomats

Chairman, US-ASEAN Fellows for Science and Technology

Climate Diplomat, EU-Asia Expert Panel for Climate Diplomacy and Environmental Security

Founder and President, Environmental and Climate Change Research Institute

Executive Director, Philippine Council for Foreign Relations

UN Sasakawa Laureate

Asia Sustainability Leaders Awardee

The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) Laureate

7-Eleven treats customers with up to 50% OFF on over 200 items for its #711Day SALE-bration

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Enjoy a huge price drop on Big Bite, City Cafe, Crunch Time Chicken, and MORE from July 8 to 13


The most-awaited annual 7-Eleven SALE-bration is coming! 7-Eleven is gearing up for this year’s 7-Eleven Day with a 6-day promo-filled party from July 8 to 13 in all stores nationwide. 7-Eleven is treating customers to up to 50% OFF on over 200 items including its signature food items from Big Bite, City Cafe, and Crunch Time Chicken.

Office workers, students, loyal customers, and those residing near 7-Eleven stores, better take note! Crunch Time Chicken will start its P10 OFF promo on its 1pc. Chicken with Rice on July 6, in time for National Fried Chicken Day, until July 11.

Come 7-Eleven Day on July 11, the small size of the crowd-favorite City Cafe coffee blend is offered at half the price. This applies to all available blends: Brewed Coffee, French Vanilla, Mochaccino, Salted Caramel, and Hot Chocolate. Small Prima Americano is also available at half off. The customers’ go-to 7-Eleven snack, Big Bite Hotdog, is also at 50% off on this day. Should anyone need a quick bite or baon, then this is where to get the bang for that buck — and a delicious one at that!

From July 8 to 13, the convenience store will offer a huge price drop of up to 50% discount on snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, personal hygiene products for the face, body, and hair, and other grocery essentials.

While #711Day merits its own grand party, what makes this year’s celebration even more special is that everyone is finally able to celebrate together, in person after spending the past two years in quarantine.

Now that everyone is going back to work, back to school, and back to regular daily routines, 7-Eleven is also urging Filipinos to come back to their stores to regain the experience of shopping at their favorite neighborhood convenience store. Take this as an invitation to get back all the things and people we missed — because with 7-Eleven’s #711Day, it’s a celebration like no other!

Contactless payments through the CLiQQ app and GCash are available. Don’t miss out on 7-Eleven’s six-day celebration! Visit here for the list of the complete sale items available from July 8 to 13.


PHOTO CAPTIONS

All time favorite 7-Eleven snacks such as Big Bite, City Cafe, and Crunch Time Chicken will be offered at a discounted price during the #711Day celebration.

Get up to 50% discount on over 200 snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, personal hygiene products for the face, body, and hair, and other grocery essentials during the 7-Eleven Day celebration on July 8 to 13.

Post Office sealed agreement for online payment with DOF, Customs

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The Philippine Postal Corporation (Post Office) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) ink a landmark Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to provide the customers a more efficient, secure, hassle free and reliable online payment system of Philippine customs duties and taxes through the Post Office website at www.phlpost.gov.ph.

The online payment system for customs duties and taxes aims to eliminate fraud in compliance with Republic Act No. 11032 also known as the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

The said agreement will make the process of clearing and delivery of parcels and other mail matters faster and simpler, benefitting thousands of consumers and Philippine residents who rely on the postal service to send and receive packages from abroad but also boosting the e-commerce industry for the growth of our economy.

Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio and Bureau of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero signed the agreement coinciding with the 125th Founding Anniversary of the Department of Finance.

“For the first time, in the 75 years of being a Republic, the Post Office Digital Innovation will enhance the competitiveness of the Post Office in the local and International market”, Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio said.

He added, “It is important for the public to understand that all mail and parcels may be subject to customs examination, duties, taxes and other fees”.

The Post Office has introduced the payment of customs duties and taxes through its Post Office website and mobile application launched last May 19, 2022 with no less than former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in attendance.

“This Duterte Legacy signifies the commitment and support of the Post Office especially under the new administration of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. in serving the public who deserve no less than the best postal service by global standards”, Postmaster General Fulgencio said.
Under the agreement the Post Office and Bureau of Customs shall both have access to the systems only in relation to the corresponding input of charges of duties and taxes by the BOC personnel and for the verification of payment. A separate Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) shall be made in relation to collection of duties, taxes and other charges which shall form part of the agreement.