OFFBEAT MAIL

Individuals and businesses owed the federal government a combined total of US$373 billion in unpaid tax debts. Of this total, some US$258 billion are from individuals and US$115 billion from businesses, says a 2011 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO reported that some of these tax debts, ranging from US$5,000 to US$25,000 per debtor,  were in the collection process. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS)already notified the tax debtors but some of them resorted to dispute, while others requested for installment agreements, both totalling at least $60 billion. Sadly, some US$110 billion of the total was classified by the IRS as uncollectable. "IRS files tax liens on some tax debts and these liens are public records that credit bureaus routinely pick up and add to their data. Over half of the total amount owed was subject to liens, cutting across the above categories," GAO said. According to GAO, these tax liens and debt data could be picked by ...

Economic turmoil in Europe, slower growth in China and U.S. unemployment are expected to curb business travel growth in the United States through the end of the year, according to the latest GBTA BTI™ Outlook – United States, a report from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) sponsored by Visa, Inc. With disappointing job gains and the upcoming Presidential election on the horizon, businesses appear to be taking a cautious approach to their investment in travel until there is greater economic certainty.   GBTA now expects total U.S. business travel spending to grow 2.6 percent for 2012, reaching $257 billion by the end of the year. While this is a moderate increase since last quarter, when GBTA estimated growth for 2012 at 2.2 percent, the uptick in spend is largely being driven by rising business travel costs. Total business trip volume is expected to reach 438.1 million for 2012 – a reduction of -1.6 percent from 2011, when total business trip volume was 445 million....

Environmental degradation is a significant factor that reduces the capacity of societies to deal with disaster risk in many countries around the world. This is the key message of the World Risk Report 2012, presented today in Brussels, Belgium by the German Alliance for Development Works (Alliance), United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) and The Nature Conservancy. The report examines the risks of and solutions for natural disasters. The record for the decade 2002 to 2011 is alarming: 4,130 disasters, more than a million deaths and an economic loss of at least 1.195 trillion dollars. The report's WorldRiskIndex, developed by UNU-EHS in cooperation with the Alliance, determines the risk of becoming the victim of a disaster as a result of natural hazards for 173 countries. The Pacific Island states of Vanuatu and Tonga have the highest disaster risk. Malta and Qatar face the lowest risk. Australia ranks 117th and is therefore in the lowes...

The Organization for Islamic Conference (OIC) is trying its best to push for an initiative that will unify the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). This after MNLF chair Prof. Nur Misuari has threatened to file a case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after it was left out in the negotiations where the Philippine government panel agreed in principle to form the frameworks for the creation of the Bangsamoro governent, in place of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The MNLF rose up against the government during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos until the reign of power by former President Fidel V. Ramos who successfully brought the MNLF leadership on the peace negotiating table, which led to the establishment of the ARMM. Miisuari said the abolition of the ARMM would mean violation of the Tripoli Agreement.  Prof. Nur Misuari Some political observers interpreted the government's acco...

The month of October should be remembered well as the time when the first wave of Filipinos  settled and worked across the United States. To reckon with,  it was in Oct. 17, 1587 when the first wave of Filipino seamen arrived in Morro Bay in California. Called "Indios Luzones", they were the first group of documented workers aboard a Spanish galleon ship named Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza, on orders of the Spanish king at that time to claim the land in California. However, it wasn't until 1763 when the Filipino immigrants established the first settlement in the bayous and marshes in the state of Louisiana. "As sailors and navigators on board Spanish galleons, Filipinos -- also known as "Manilamen" or Spanish-speaking Filipinos -- jumped ship to escape the brutality of their Spanish masters. They built houses on stilts along the gulf ports of New Orleans and were the first in the United States to introduce the sun-drying process of shrimp.," th...

As the deadline for the filing of Certificate of Candidacy (COC) is closing in, the Philippines Commission on Elections (Comelec) has been transformed into a chaotic arena where many celebrities scamper to run for public office. As if they are the ones who could alleviate the sad plights of the poor from poverty. Now, it is up to the people as to whether to vote for them or not. But can the popularity of these celebrities really push them to the edge of victory? This is a big question that could be gauged once the national elections in May 2012 come to reality. In Metro Manila alone and some cities in the suburbs like the Calabarzon area, scions of political kingpins have been launched into the political limelight, thinking that they are the cream of the crop whose extra political talents could solve the economic and social problems of their constituents. How come all this development is coming into the picture? Why the rush to join the political bandwagon when they are still yo...

Philippine government peace negotiators and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have agreed in principle to lay down the frameworks for the creation of the Bangsamoro government, in place of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which will automatically be abolished once a new Muslim government is created in Mindanao.  Government forces in action Political observers said once and for all, the agreement is expected to put an end to the hostilities that already killed at least 150,000 people since the insurgency started in Mindanao many decades ago. They said that this political initiative will largely contribute in stabilizing the peace and order situation in the country. Lawmakers explained that the provisions of the law that will establish the Bangsamoro will be deliberated in Congress. Then, it will be resolved through a referendum. It is now up to the Filipino people as to whether they are sold out to the idea of allowing the MILF to run its own autono...