“Balik Ka, Kabayan” Seminar in U.S. Capital Draws Fil-Ams

Center for Strategic Reforms (CSR) of the Philippines President Raymond Abrea starts his presentation with an info graphic followed by the question “Taxable or exempt?” during the “Balik ka, Kabayan” seminar held at the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C.’s Chancery Annex on 17 September 2019. (Washington PE photo)

WASHINGTON D.C. 03 October 2019 — A sizeable crowd from the Filipino-American community in the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area attended the much anticipated “Balik ka, Kabayan” seminar featuring “The Philippine Tax Whiz” Raymond Abrea at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.’s Chancery Annex on 17 September 2019. 

Mr. Abrea is the founding President of the Center for Strategic Reforms (CSR) of the Philippines, a non-profit nongovernmental organization (NGO) that serves as the official think-tank of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Bureau of Internal Revenue on ease of doing business.

He gave 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 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,” Mr. Abrea said as he concluded his presentation.

A short video about the Philippine government’s “Build-Build-Build” infrastructure program was also shown before Mr. Abrea’s presentation. 

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 allowed us 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.

The Washington D.C. seminar is the second stop of the U.S. leg of the “Balik ka, Kabayan” International Roadshow that aims to encourage overseas Filipinos to invest and do business in the Philippines. END

Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez (center) meets Mr. Abrea (second from left) prior to the start of the “Balik ka, Kabayan” seminar at the Philippine Embassy. Also in photo are (from left) Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. Welfare Officer Josephine Tobia, Labor Attaché Angela Trinidad, and Commercial Counsellor Raymond Batac. (Washington PE photo)

A brief question and answer session followed Mr. Abrea’s presentation. (Washington PE photo)

Group photo of the attendees of the seminar. (Washington PE photo)

For more information, visit https://www.washingtonpe.dfa.gov.ph, www.philippineembassy-usa.org, https://www.facebook.com/PHinUSA or https://www.twitter.com/philippinesusa