Context Dispatch

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) recently marked International Customs Day 2025, emphasizing its commitment to efficiency, security, and economic growth. The event, aligned with the World Customs Organization (WCO) theme, recognized industry leaders and stakeholders advancing trade facilitation and customs modernization.

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) received 10,004 cybercrime complaints in 2024, more than three times the 3,317 reports in 2023. Victims lost nearly ₽198 million, marking the first release of data on actual losses from cybercrime. CICC Executive Director Alexander K. Ramos attributed the increase to growing public awareness and more people reporting scams. “In previous years, many didn’t realize they were being scammed or didn’t know where to report it,” he said.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) through the BOC – Port of Davao, in coordination with local authorities, successfully intercepted 251 master cases of smuggled cigarettes valued at PhP9.861 million.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said efforts to declare the 2025 national budget unconstitutional are part of a broader plan by anti-administration groups to destabilize the government. He expressed confidence that the budget law is solid and will be upheld by the Supreme Court. When asked if the government has a contingency plan in case the Court rules the budget as unconstitutional, Marcos responded: “No. We shut down everything. I guess that’s what they want. They want the government to cease working so matuloy yung kanilang mga destabilization na ginagawa.”

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) lauds the historic approval of the P200 across-the-board daily wage hike by the House Committee on Labor and Employment, marking a crucial step toward the first legislated wage increase in over three decades.  Originally proposed in TUCP Party-list’s House Bill No. 7871 for a P150 daily hike, the approved increase reflects the House’s strong commitment to uplifting workers amid rising living costs.