SINGAPORE: About S$370 million in government payouts under the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) were erroneously credited to about 5,400 companies in October last year, after mistakes were made in computing the disbursements. The overpayments make up about 6 per cent of the total amount paid out under JSS last October, said the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Thursday (Apr 8). Explaining what happened, the ministries said the payouts were computed based on the dates that the companies reopened after the COVID-19 “circuit breaker”, which ended in June last year. However, there had been “errors in the compilation and processing of business reopening dates”, said the ministries in a media release. The companies that were paid extra were erroneously tagged as having reopened later, making them qualify for a higher payout. About 5,400 firms were affected, or about 3.6 per cent of all companies that received ... » Learn More about About S$370 million in payouts erroneously credited to firms under Jobs Support Scheme in October
Credit cards people with bad credit
Marikina goes cashless with PayMaya for resident, citizen payments
THE City Government of Marikina has tapped digital financial services leader PayMaya to roll out contactless payments for real property and other business taxes within the city. Using PayMaya’s payment platform, residents and businesses can now pay for their city government fees online from the safety of their own homes. All they have to do is log-in to Marikina’s online portal powered by PayMaya Checkout and pay using any credit, debit, or prepaid card as well as their PayMaya wallet. This initiative is in collaboration with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). “Through this cashless initiative with PayMaya and DBP, we are empowering our constituents with a safer way to pay for taxes and other fees online so that they don’t have to physically go to the city hall, especially at this time. This will contribute towards safer and more efficient government transactions during this pandemic. At the same time, this will allow us to continue delivering critical services to the ... » Learn More about Marikina goes cashless with PayMaya for resident, citizen payments
Vlogger Nas Daily to Wil Dasovich: Influencers cannot stay away from politics
Nas Daily (left) and Wil Dasovich (Image: Instagram/@nasddaily; @wil_dasovich) Online content creator Nuseir Yassin, popularly known as Nas Daily, told fellow vlogger and friend Wil Dasovich that it is “impossible” for influencers like them to just stay away from politics. Dasovich joined Yassin in the second episode of the latter’s podcast titled “Nas Talks,” available on Spotify since July 15, to talk about the positive and negative impact of social media on Filipinos. Discussing the recent denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal bid, the two acknowledged how the internet-loving Filipinos will now turn to content creators like them for information. Dasovich admitted, however, that he was not updated with current affairs as he had been choosing to stay away from news and politics, in accordance with his “golden rule.” “I just have to stay more away from politics. I kind of have a golden rule, it’s I try to limit and not talk about politics because you’re always going to upset ... » Learn More about Vlogger Nas Daily to Wil Dasovich: Influencers cannot stay away from politics
Government aims to recover all S$370 million wrongly paid to firms as part of Jobs Support Scheme
SINGAPORE: The Government aims to recover the full amount of about S$370 million wrongly paid to companies in October last year as part of the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS). "We will do all we can to recover the excess disbursements while ensuring that we minimise inconvenience to firms throughout the process,” said the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) late on Thursday (Apr 8) in response to CNA's queries. "The Government aims to recover the full amount of overpayment," they added. “For firms that face difficulties in returning the excess payouts, we will provide them with the options of repaying in instalments. This will help firms to ease cashflow, especially for affected small and medium enterprises (SMEs).” When asked what will happen if companies do not return the excess amount, and whether they will face penalties, the ministries said that businesses that need further assistance may write in. “We will ... » Learn More about Government aims to recover all S$370 million wrongly paid to firms as part of Jobs Support Scheme
WATCH: Wil Dasovich addresses ‘golden rule’ backlash, appeals for netizens to know full story
Nas Daily (left) and Wil Dasovich (right). Image: Instagram/@nasddaily, @wil_dasovich Wil Dasovich has addressed the Nas Daily controversy after being called out on Twitter for his statements that he said were taken out of context. Dasovich went trending on the social media platform after he and his fellow vlogger and friend Nuseir Yassin, otherwise known as Nas Daily himself, had a friendly discussion on politics and influencers in the latter’s podcast on Spotify. The Filipino-American vlogger was later slammed by netizens for apparently advocating “toxic positivity” and for choosing to stay away from politics when vlogging. He clarified in a new video, however, that this is “far from the truth.” For one, Dasovich admitted that his “golden rule” quote – where he said he chooses to stay away from politics so as to not “upset a huge group of people” – can indeed look bad if taken out of context. He also clarified that when Yassin disagreed with him at one point with the quote ... » Learn More about WATCH: Wil Dasovich addresses ‘golden rule’ backlash, appeals for netizens to know full story
DA to boost 2020 ‘palay’ output by 1 MMT
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is aiming to increase the country’s palay (unmilled rice) production by 1 million metric ton (MMT) to attain a national yield of 20.4 MMT for 2021. Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the agency’s goal is to reach 95-percent rice sufficiency level this year. “Last year, despite perfect storm which includes the eruption of Taal Volcano, the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, the African swine fever, and the series of typhoons, the country managed to attain a 19.4-MMT national yield. Pinakamataas sa history ng rice production sa bansa (This is the highest in the history of rice production in the country),” said Dar during a visit at the International Training Center for Pig Husbandry (ITCPH) in Tanauan City, Batangas. He also noted that rice import level is starting to go down as local production continues to grow with interventions like assistance for seeds, fertilizer and capacity building. The agri sector posted positive ... » Learn More about DA to boost 2020 ‘palay’ output by 1 MMT
Success causes us to fail
Dear Lloyd, I have this experience of reaching heights and becoming successful in what I do. Recently, it was a totally different story. When success is no longer there — and failure suddenly meets me face to face — what do I do? Mar Mar, A few years ago, I did a motivational talk before two real estate giants in Manila during their sales kickoff rally. Most companies do this every year. Back in the prepandemic days, there were face-to-face meetings. They gathered their sales people and hired a motivational speaker to speak and try to encourage their people to sell more this time as the speaker tried to equip them with knowled ge, wisdom and stories. Hopefully after the one-hour program or so, participants would leave the venue with inspiration and drive to face the new year and yes, painful or not as it was, make the best effort to hit their quota for that period. It’s amazing to see their mix of emotions — from being happy to being excited to being afraid to being ... » Learn More about Success causes us to fail
Staying at home during Covid-19 outbreak: How to plan activities with your kids, and take ‘sanity breaks’
SINGAPORE - Siblings Nathan and Phoebe Foong have been waking up for school, where they stand to attention for the National Anthem during assembly, before heading to the canteen. The catch? They are actually at home. Their parents, Elvin and Esther Foong, devised "Naph School", an amalgam of the first two letters of the children's names, after the family were asked to self-isolate under a leave of absence (LOA) request. The family's LOA was issued after their trip to visit Mrs Foong's father in Johor during the recent March school holidays. Nathan, nine, and Phoebe, seven, will return to school on April 2 . According to the Education Ministry, less than 10 per cent of students and staff across all schools are on LOA or stay-home notice (SHN), which aim to prevent the spread of Covid-19. They are both 14-day self-isolation measures, typically following overseas travel. Some families with young children are concerned about supporting their offspring's learning away from ... » Learn More about Staying at home during Covid-19 outbreak: How to plan activities with your kids, and take ‘sanity breaks’
Students say NUS orientation camp games increasingly sexualised; some told to re-enact rape scene
SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - One was asked whose bodily fluids she would like to drink, while another watched her peers re-enact an incestuous rape scene. These were just two examples of the sexualised activities that hundreds of freshmen were made to participate in some of the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) orientation camps in the past two months. Some students said they attended the camps to make friends, but they were instead pressured to take part in increasingly sexualised activities. A 19-year-old freshman whom we shall name Chloe told The New Paper that she left the room after she became uncomfortable during an activity called “burning bridges” that required her to answer inappropriate questions. The questions touched on taboo subjects such as which man’s bodily fluid she would want to drink, who among them is the sluttiest, and who would never get married and die alone, she said. The girl had to lie on the floor, then the guy pretended to kick open a door ... » Learn More about Students say NUS orientation camp games increasingly sexualised; some told to re-enact rape scene
Steph Curry to auction ‘Bruce Lee shoes’ for families of Atlanta shooting victims
FILE PHOTO: March 15, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots the basketball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry will auction a pair of custom game-worn shoes featuring a picture of martial arts icon Bruce Lee to raise money for the families of last month’s Atlanta-area shootings victims. Curry wore the yellow, white and black shoes — designed with the Bruce Lee Foundation and featuring Lee’s famous quote “under the heavens, there is but one family” — during Sunday’s 117-111 defeat by the Atlanta Hawks . In the last year, there has been increased reports of anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States. Eight people — six of whom were Asian women — were killed in a March 16 rampage in Atlanta. “I think Stephen’s gesture is a beautiful example of allyship and solidarity in action,” Shannon Lee, the ... » Learn More about Steph Curry to auction ‘Bruce Lee shoes’ for families of Atlanta shooting victims