Good morning. It’s Tuesday, Nov 25.

Hey PW readers! this week in the Philippines felt like the government pressed the giant “enough” button. The BIR froze field audits after extortion claims, DSWD launched a probe into cash aid cuts, courts cancelled passports in a trafficking case, BI arrested a Chinese fugitive, and even some part of the country rolled out hundreds of e-taxis to clean up its streets.

It’s a mix of cleanup mode and catch up mode, and we pulled together the most important stories so you don’t have to jump across tabs.

Got ideas or feedback? Email us anytime at [email protected].

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What happened
The Bureau of Internal Revenue stopped all field audits after allegations surfaced that some officers used Letters of Authority to pressure businesses into paying under the table. The pause covers the creation and serving of LOAs and Mission Orders across all BIR units.

Why it paused audits
Newly appointed commissioner Charlie Mendoza said the move protects taxpayers while the agency reviews its systems. Only urgent cases continue, like criminal probes, one-time transactions, refund audits, and matters flagged by verified intel.

How the issue exploded
Senator Erwin Tulfo filed a resolution asking the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate claims that LOAs were misused or even faked. Some business owners said they were pushed to agree to “discounted” payments to avoid inflated tax assessments.

What reforms are coming
• A technical working group will audit LOA and MO procedures
• Digital safeguards and uniform standards will be added
• Regional and assessment offices are part of the review

Finance Secretary Frederick Go said taxpayers must be protected from harassment and irregularities.

Why it matters
The suspension signals a major reset inside the BIR. If the probe confirms systemic abuse, it could lead to the biggest audit reform the agency has seen in years.

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The Department of Trade and Industry says its upgraded digital systems sharply improved business processing and complaint handling this year. The new Integrated Registration Information System processed nearly 40,000 permits, a 9% jump, while cutting in person visits. DTI’s CAReS platform helped resolve more than 33,000 consumer complaints with zero backlog. Online monitoring also expanded, screening over 204,000 product listings and driving a 43% rise in takedown requests. Physical inspections increased too, with fewer substandard goods found as compliance improved.

2GO just rolled out its first fleet of electric trucks, a big step in its push for cleaner logistics. The company already uses electric forklifts, Euro 4 vehicles, solar powered sites and eco friendly packaging. The new e-trucks can handle high volume cargo and are expected to cut fuel costs, reduce emissions and run more quietly on busy routes. 2GO says the move supports its long term plan to shrink its carbon footprint while modernizing its delivery network.

The Department of Finance is pushing back hard against a proposal to cut VAT from 12% to 10%, warning it could erase P1.7 trillion in revenue from 2026 to 2030. In a position paper to Congress, the DoF said the plan would widen the deficit, threaten debt reduction goals and risk a credit rating downgrade that would raise borrowing costs. VAT currently makes up nearly 30% of government revenue. The DoF also argues the cut would mainly benefit richer households, not low income families.

Danish firm Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners is preparing a 300 MW onshore wind project in Nueva Ecija worth P30.5 billion. The development will span more than 4,600 hectares across Lupao and Carranglan and is expected to boost clean power supply for Luzon. Construction is set to begin in 2027 and finish by 2029. CIP, a major global renewable energy investor, says the project will help improve energy security and support the Philippines’ shift to a low carbon power mix.

The Department of Agriculture will roll out new price caps on key food items starting Dec. 1 to keep holiday costs in check. Pork will be capped at ₱340 per kilo for pigue and kasim and ₱370 for liempo, while onions and imported carrots will have a ₱120 limit. A ₱210 floor price for live hogs will also be introduced to protect farmers. The DA says the move targets profiteering and aims to stabilize prices through January.

Big picture
Bedtime procrastination hits people who have the least control over their days, from parents to students to busy workers. After a long day of demands, late night feels like the only time that belongs to you. The problem is that pushing off sleep backfires. Your body produces extra wake hormones, leaving you groggy, stressed and more prone to illness the next day.

What’s driving it
• Phones and streaming give nonstop dopamine hits
• Stressful days increase the urge to reclaim time
• “Tomorrow aversion” makes people delay facing the next day
• Insomnia, ADHD and night owl tendencies make it worse

So what
Sleep deprivation affects mood, memory, healing and even heart health. Experts say the key is reframing sleep as real “me” time. A consistent wind down routine, tech limits before bed and predictable sleep hours help break the cycle. Better rest creates better days, not lost ones.

Big picture
Google just pulled off its strongest AI comeback yet. Gemini 3 launched this week and immediately topped industry benchmarks, outperforming ChatGPT and Claude in expert reasoning, math, logic and multimodal tasks. Inside Google, employees had already sensed the jump. Early tests showed the model writing better, thinking clearer and answering harder questions than anything they had built before.

Context check
This win follows a year of internal restructuring, with Google breaking down silos and even bringing co founder Sergey Brin back into day to day AI work. The team focused on improving how the model sees, plans and uses tools. Gemini 3 also powers new versions of AI Mode in Search, turning complex queries into simulations or interactive explanations.

So what
Gemini’s results shift the balance of the AI race. Google moves from playing defense to leading again, with a model that sets the new performance bar across multiple skills.

Meta is asking the US government for permission to trade electricity so it can secure long term energy deals for its fast growing data centers. The company says developers hesitate to build new power plants unless buyers commit, and being able to resell unused power would reduce Meta’s risk. Bloomberg reports that Meta’s AI expansion is so energy hungry that at least three new gas plants are needed for its Louisiana campus alone. Microsoft is making a similar request, while Apple already has approval.

A Delaware bankruptcy court has ruled Byju Raveendran personally liable for more than $1 billion after years of discovery delays tied to Byju’s troubled US financing arm. The case centers on a $1.2 billion loan raised in 2021 and more than $1 billion that later moved through hedge funds and related entities. The judge issued a default judgment after repeated noncompliance. Raveendran plans to appeal and says the transfers were company actions, not personal misconduct.

Malaysia says it wants to block anyone under 16 from opening social media accounts starting next year. Officials say the move is meant to protect kids from online dangers including scams, cyberbullying, and harmful content. The government is studying models from Australia, which will soon deactivate accounts of users under 16. Several European countries are also testing age verification tools. Malaysia has tightened rules on digital platforms this year, requiring big services to get licensed and filter risky content.

Nokia is pouring $4 billion into U.S. manufacturing and R&D as part of a new partnership with the Trump administration. Most of the money will go to Nokia Bell Labs in New Jersey to develop AI ready networking tech, with the rest supporting facilities in Texas and Pennsylvania. The move comes as demand for AI focused infrastructure surges and follows Nvidia’s recent $1 billion stake in Nokia. The company says the investment will help build faster, more secure networks.

A new study suggests metformin, a common diabetes drug, may help women live past 90. Researchers reviewed long term data from 438 postmenopausal women. Those who used metformin had a 30% lower risk of dying before 90 compared to women taking another diabetes drug. Metformin has been shown to reduce DNA damage and support healthy aging, but scientists warn this study cannot prove cause and effect. Still, the findings strengthen interest in metformin as a possible anti aging tool.

Researchers have found 3.33 billion year old carbon in South Africa that shows the earliest clear chemical signs of life ever confirmed. Using machine learning, scientists compared patterns in ancient carbon to modern biological samples and identified a strong match. The team also uncovered the oldest evidence of photosynthesis in rocks up to 2.52 billion years old. The work suggests early microbes left chemical “echoes” in rocks long after their bodies disappeared, giving scientists a new way to study Earth’s beginnings.

Scientists discovered that the brain may already have a built in cleaning system for Alzheimer’s. In mice with memory loss, turning on a protein called Sox9 made astrocytes act like vacuum cleaners that cleared toxic plaques. When Sox9 was boosted, these brain cells removed more buildup and protected memory. The study suggests future treatments might focus on strengthening astrocytes instead of only targeting neurons or trying to stop plaque formation.

A new Oxford study suggests kissing began with the ancestors of humans and great apes around 21 million years ago. Researchers mapped kissing across primate species and found it is common in large apes, which means the behavior likely existed long before humans appeared. The team also says Neanderthals probably kissed too, since they shared saliva microbes and even genes with early humans. The findings give scientists a fresh way to study social behavior that leaves no fossils behind.

Scientists just learned that African lions don’t roar in one style but two. A new study found a hidden “intermediary roar,” and AI can now tell these calls apart with 95% accuracy. This means conservationists can track lions more easily, even as wild populations fall to around 20,000 to 25,000. The discovery cuts human bias, improves population estimates, and could change how wildlife teams monitor big cats across Africa.

The DSWD is investigating reports that some Iloilo City beneficiaries of its crisis aid program received less than the promised ₱10,000. Several residents said barangay officials asked them to return part of the money after payouts, a pattern investigators say looks coordinated. A special DSWD team has taken statements from multiple victims and may recommend suspending payouts in the city until new safeguards are in place. Secretary Rex Gatchalian vowed to file charges against those involved.

Pag-IBIG Fund and GSIS have extended their calamity loan programs until February 2026 after the national state of calamity declaration. Pag-IBIG members in affected areas can borrow up to 90% of their savings at a 5.95% rate, with online applications allowed for faster processing. GSIS members may borrow up to PHP20,000 at 6% interest with a three month grace period. Both agencies aim to give quick, flexible relief to workers hit by recent storms.

Davao City will see 500 new electric taxis on the road starting November 28, 2025. The units, made by Vietnam’s VinFast and deployed by Green and Smart Mobility, arrived in October and are now waiting for final permits. The company plans to build charging stations and hire up to 20,000 workers, scaling to 70,000 as operations grow. The e-taxis use the VinFast VF 5 model, offering a 326-kilometer range and app-based or street-hail booking.

A Chinese fugitive wanted for major economic crimes was arrested in a condo in San Miguel, Manila, along with 15 other Chinese nationals who had no valid IDs or immigration documents. The raid, led by the Bureau of Immigration and police investigators, uncovered gadgets linked to suspected online fraud operations. The fugitive is accused of embezzling over CNY 3 million in China. All 16 individuals now face deportation and will remain in BI custody.

Pasig City’s trial court has cancelled the passports of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and several others tied to an alleged human trafficking case involving Pogo hubs. The court said Roque was not a fugitive when he first left the country, but became one when he stayed abroad despite knowing about the charges. It added that the locations of Roque, Cassandra Ong, and other accused are now unknown, calling them fugitives under the law.

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