Good morning. It seems as if the branding team of the Chinese-owned Dali Grocery was the type to plagiarize a whole paper but change the title back in the day.

• Chinese-owned Dali Grocery Chain ordered to stop sale of suspected ripoff products:

Local News

☀ Offshore Shenanigans: A Billion Reasons to Question COMELEC

By Tobias Bautista

At least P1 billion has taken a trip from South Korean banks to 49 offshore accounts, allegedly linked to a mysterious Comelec official. Sagip Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta spilled the beans in Quezon City, but kept the identity of this financial Houdini under wraps.

Marcoleta highlighted some intriguing activity in Comelec’s automated election system (AES) procurement coinciding with these fund transfers. He pointed out payments from hubs in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, the Caribbean, and North America, all linked back to this elusive official.

Talk about Timing ⌚. In one example, $148,000 zipped from a South Korean Standard Chartered Bank to its Singapore counterpart, right when Comelec declared old vote-counting machines unserviceable.

Marcoleta promised more details as his investigation unfolds. Meanwhile, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia is calling for an NBI probe into these allegations, suggesting a potential smear campaign.

Stay tuned as this financial detective story develops!

☝ Pros and Cons: The P35 Pay Hike Shake-Up

by Tobias Bautista

Brace yourselves, Metro Manila workers—your daily wage just got a P35 boost! The new minimum wage hike, approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, bumps up non-agriculture sector wages from P610 to P645, and agriculture, service, and retail wages from P573 to P608.

However, Neda chief Arsenio Balisacan warns that this hike could rain on some parades, potentially affecting 40,000 to 140,000 workers, especially in smaller businesses. It's like trying to squeeze into your high school jeans—not everyone's going to fit.

But don't panic just yet. Balisacan assures us that the figures are "negligible" and that the economy, growing at 6-7%, will create alternative job opportunities. Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma adds that DOLE is on high alert, monitoring any fallout from the wage increase.

So, while some businesses might feel the pinch, it's not all doom and gloom. Keep your eyes peeled for new job openings and enjoy that extra cash in your pocket!

Business

💸 Business is Business: Healthcare Behemoth Johnson & Johnson to Dodge Lawsuits?

By Tobias Bautista

Eron Evans, 41, sadly lost her battle with ovarian cancer in 2016, leaving behind two daughters. Now, her mom, Darlene, is suing Johnson & Johnson, claiming their Baby Powder caused the illness. Darlene, a 71-year-old grandma, is feeling the squeeze after spending her savings on her grandkids. And with J&J’s latest bankruptcy bid, she’s unsure how to vote.

J&J, the $350 billion healthcare behemoth, is trying its third "Texas two-step" bankruptcy trick to dodge over 61,000 lawsuits. They need 75% of claimants to vote yes to settle. It's like corporate limbo, and J&J hopes to slip under the legal bar without filing for bankruptcy themselves.

Darlene is caught in this whirlwind. Vote yes and get some relief, or hold out for a bigger payout? It's a high-stakes game with J&J dangling a $6.48 billion settlement. Some lawyers say take it; others shout "no way!" This legal drama has more twists than a soap opera, and the July 26 deadline is the cliffhanger.

News Roundup

• Marcos Lays Out plan to safeguard Philippine Economy

• Filipino fisher missing in West PH Sea after boat hit by ‘unidentified ship.’

• Part of a pioneering study, a rare voice box transplant helped a cancer patient speak once more

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