"Balik Ka, Kabayan" Seminar Engages Fil-Am Community in the US Capital on PH Tax Reform & Ease of Doing Business
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A sizeable crowd from the Filipino-American community in the DMV (DC-Maryland-Virginia) area attended the much anticipated “Balik ka, Kabayan” seminar featuring “The Philippine Tax Whiz” Raymond Abrea at the Philippine Embassy Chancery Annex on 17 September 2019.
In his brief opening remarks, Consul General Renato Pedro Villa encouraged the audience to take advantage of the opportunity to ask relevant questions and engage with the resource person during the Q&A and discussion session.
Mr. Abrea then delivered an in-depth presentation about the comprehensive tax reform program of the current Philippine administration, giving an overview of the new laws and regulations and how they will impact investing and doing business in the Philippines. Among these laws is the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) that aims to help professionals and those who are self-employed.
His presentation also touched on the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act, Tax Amnesty Act, and upcoming Tax Reforms.
“If you have any other ideas that will help our Philippine economy, tell us and we will discuss it with our government. We are really working hard to make sure that before this administration ends, something significant will be accomplished whether it is on our tax system, or in the ease of doing business. And as we always say, if we want a better Philippines, we need to be better citizens whether we are in the Philippines or abroad, and better taxpayers,” said Mr. Abrea as he concluded his presentation.
A short video about the Build Build Build infrastructure program was also shown prior to Mr. Abrea’s presentation.
Philippine Embassy Commercial Counsellor Raymond Batac, who served as the emcee and moderator, said “We are very happy that our overseas Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in the Washington, D.C. metro area participated in this seminar, as it demonstrates their strong interest to invest and give back to the Philippines. It also gave us an opportunity to show them that the government’s reform programs are starting to bear fruit.”
The Philippine American Chamber of Commerce – Washington DC (PACC-DC) provided additional support to the overall success of the program.
Raymond Abrea is the founding President of the Center for Strategic Reforms (CSR) of the Philippines, a non-profit NGO that serves as the official Think Tank of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry and the Bureau of Internal Revenue on ease of doing business.
The Washington, D.C. seminar is the second stop of the US leg of the “Balik ka, Kabayan” International Roadshow that aims to encourage overseas Filipinos to invest and do business in the Philippines.
Raymond Abrea (2nd from left) met with Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez (center) prior to the start of the “Balik ka, Kabayan” seminar at the Philippine Embassy. Also in photo are (from left) Welfare Officer Josephine Tobia, Labor Attaché Angela Trinidad, and Commercial Counsellor Raymond Batac.
A brief Q&A session followed Mr. Abrea’s presentation.
Group photo of Raymond Abrea with Commercial Counsellor Raymond Batac, Consul General Renato Pedro Villa, and attendees of the seminar