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Sri Lanka could turn Maldives’ dollar dilemma into investment opportunity

There is a revealing incongruity at the heart of the Maldives’ latest foreign-exchange policy. A country whose economic model depends overwhelmingly on attracting foreign visitors and earning hard currency is tightening its grip on the dollars generated by its tourism industry. The decision to require Category A tourism establishments to convert 40 per cent of their monthly gross foreign-currency sales, effective from September 2026, comes amid renewed pressure on the country’s foreign-exchange position.

The Maldives Monetary Authority’s August figures showed official reserve assets rising marginally to $ 643.8 million, while usable reserves fell 9.6 per cent to $ 200.6 million. The central bank attributed the decline to foreign-currency sales exceeding inflows during the month.

The timing matters. This is not an isolated regulatory adjustment but a broader attempt to draw tourism earnings into the formal banking system, strengthen domestic foreign-exchange liquidity and reduce pressure on the currency market. President Mohamed Muizzu ratified the First Amendment to the Foreign Currency Act on 31 August, with the amendments taking effect on 1 September. Category A establishments must now convert 40 per cent of monthly gross foreign-currency sales through an MMA-licensed bank, replacing the previous option of converting $500 per tourist.

But the consequences extend beyond monetary management. They raise a question for the Indian Ocean tourism market, what happens when a government requires the businesses generating foreign currency to surrender a larger share of their earnings, while those same businesses depend on dollars to operate?

For Sri Lanka, the answer could influence the next generation of resort developments, international hotel partnerships and investment decisions.

A tighter grip on tourism dollars

The amended framework compresses the conversion timetable. September earnings must be converted by 28 October, rather than by the 28th day of the third subsequent month under the previous arrangement. Compliance records and transaction logs must be submitted through the MMA’s Foreign Exchange Portal.

The authorities have also strengthened controls over foreign-exchange transactions. The revised regime provides for penalties of up to MVR 1 million for prohibited foreign-currency transactions conducted above rates authorised by the central bank. It also introduces restrictions on publishing or disseminating unofficial exchange rates, including through media and digital channels, alongside stricter licensing requirements for money changers.

Money-exchange operators must obtain formal MMA licences and meet a mandatory $50,000 security-deposit requirement. Together, these measures seek to reduce unregulated currency dealing and direct more foreign-exchange transactions through authorised institutions.

The underlying objective is understandable. When dollars earned from tourism do not circulate adequately through the formal financial system, the central bank has fewer resources to meet import requirements and ease shortages. However, enforcement alone cannot resolve the economic incentives that drive businesses towards alternative channels.

The dollar paradox facing resorts

A Maldivian resort is an unusually foreign-currency-intensive business. Imported food and beverages, fuel, equipment, insurance, spare parts, overseas services and foreign-currency financing account for substantial operating requirements.

The resort earns dollars from international visitors but also needs those dollars to remain commercially viable.

The difficulty emerges when mandatory conversion into Rufiyaa is not matched by reliable access to foreign currency for legitimate international payments. Businesses may receive local currency through conversion only to face delays, additional costs or uncertainty when purchasing dollars to pay overseas suppliers, service foreign debt or settle foreign-currency obligations.

At a 40 per cent conversion threshold, this becomes a material consideration for working capital, margins and investment returns.

The regulatory framework recognises that a uniform requirement may create difficulties for certain operators. The MMA Governor has discretionary powers to reduce the threshold where businesses demonstrate that compliance would impair their ability to service foreign debt, pay mandatory foreign-currency taxes or meet essential overseas operating costs.

Such concessions may provide relief, but discretionary exemptions are not necessarily equivalent to a predictable, transparent system guaranteeing access to foreign currency when legitimate commercial obligations fall due.

Taxing offshore tourism transactions

The foreign-exchange measures also intersect with efforts to capture more value from tourism transactions arranged outside the Maldives.

Revisions to the Tourism Goods and Services Tax framework target foreign tour operators and online travel agencies, bringing offshore package and booking arrangements within a more clearly defined domestic tax-compliance regime.

Resorts and guesthouses are required to disclose transactions, booking values and revenue arrangements involving foreign travel intermediaries to the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority.

The policy challenge is to ensure that tourism-related economic activity is appropriately reported and taxed, even when booking and payment arrangements cross national borders. Yet taxation, foreign-exchange conversion and access to dollars are distinct issues. Their combined effect on resort cash flow and investment returns will matter to operators assessing future projects.

Commercial banks also face foreign-currency surrender obligations requiring them to transfer prescribed portions of foreign currency purchased to the MMA. The objective is to strengthen central-bank reserves and support essential imports, including fuel, food and pharmaceuticals.

The wider question is whether the system can improve the availability of dollars across the economy without undermining the businesses responsible for generating them.

Why Sri Lanka should look beyond tourist arrivals

This is where the story becomes particularly relevant for Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has experienced its own severe foreign-exchange crisis and has no reason to assume that its present position is permanently secure. Nevertheless, the country has an opportunity to compete for international tourism capital by offering investors a credible, predictable operating environment.

An investor evaluating an Indian Ocean resort does not compare beaches, room rates and tourist arrivals alone. The calculation includes financing costs, foreign-currency liquidity, imported operating expenses, debt servicing, taxation, regulatory predictability and the ability to repatriate legitimate returns.

The distinction is important. A tourist may change destinations for a week. An international hotel group may commit hundreds of millions of dollars to a project expected to operate for decades.

Sri Lanka should therefore resist treating the Maldives’ regulatory changes merely as an opportunity to attract displaced visitors. The larger prize is investment capital: new resorts, hotel-management agreements, integrated tourism developments and long-term hospitality infrastructure.

Colombo should engage international hotel groups and resort operators while investment decisions are still being made. Its proposition should combine a diversified tourism offering, connectivity, luxury and experiential tourism opportunities, infrastructure development and a transparent framework for managing foreign-currency earnings.

The objective should not be to promise investors that Sri Lanka will never experience currency pressure. It should be to demonstrate that legitimate foreign-currency obligations can be managed through predictable rules and functioning financial markets.

A window, not a guaranteed windfall

The opportunity is neither automatic nor permanent.

The Maldivian government could modify the 40 per cent threshold, expand exemptions or improve access to dollars through domestic banks. Its established luxury-tourism brand, existing resort infrastructure and international commercial relationships remain formidable advantages. A regulatory change does not mean international investors will abandon existing projects.

The more important question is what happens at the margin: where the next resort is built, where the next hotel-management agreement is signed and where international capital is committed.

For Sri Lanka, converting this opening into investment requires credible policy, efficient approvals, reliable infrastructure, regulatory stability and a clear commitment to protecting the commercial viability of tourism projects. Without these, any advantage created by developments elsewhere will remain theoretical.

Maldives’ foreign-exchange difficulties should not be celebrated. They should be studied.

The Maldives may have a foreign-exchange problem. Sri Lanka has an investment problem. One country is attempting to retain more of the dollars generated by tourism; the other needs to attract more foreign capital into its tourism economy.

If Colombo can align its tourism, investment, foreign-exchange and infrastructure policies intelligently, the Maldivian policy shift could create an opening that extends far beyond the next tourist arrival.

The question is whether Sri Lanka will recognise that opportunity while it is still a window, rather than discovering it after the capital has already chosen where to go.

Archers prevail vs Blue Eagles in overtime

La Salle shot down rival Ateneo, 76-73, in overtime of their UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tussle Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Green Archers fended off a gritty Blue Eagles side to get their third straight win in the tournament and rise to solo third.

Joaquin Tovera took center stage in the rivalry game, finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a steal in 32 minutes of play before exiting the ballgame with an ankle injury. JC Macalalag added 11 markers and three boards to go with two steals.

The two teams traded haymakers in regulation, with the lead swinging like a pendulum.

A floater by Jared Bahay with 48.3 seconds to go in the fourth pushed Ateneo ahead, 65-64, before his split from the line with 26.9 ticks remaining pushed their lead to two, 66-64.

On the other end, a slam by Henry Agunanne tied things up, and a Kieffer Alas drifting jumper missed for the win.

In the overtime period, La Salle started off with a 6-0 run thanks to the collective effort of Luis Pablo and Tovera.

An and-one play by Travis Roberts snapped the run, before Mason Amos connected on a trey for the dagger, 75-69.

Back-to-back layups by Alas, however, nipped the lead to just two, 73-75, with 28.4 seconds to go.

A split from the line by Agunanne made it a three-point ballgame, 76-73, and after a miss by Roberts on the other end, Vhoris Marasigan was fouled. Marasigan missed both, and on the inbound, Ateneo’s Bahay could not

take control of the ball, which sailed out of bounds.

A pair of misses from the free throw line by Doy Dungo opened up a window of opportunity for the Blue Eagles, but a heave by Ian Espinosa from three-fourths court missed as the clock melted.

Dungo, Agunanne and Amos had eight points each in the win.

Bahay and Alas paced Ateneo with 18 points each. The former had nine rebounds, four assists and three steals, while the latter hauled down four boards, dished out three dimes and had two steals. Shawn Tuano and Roberts finished with 12 points each.

Through 101 contests all-time, La Salle is now leading 51-50.

The Green Archers are now holding a 6-4 win-loss record, while Ateneo dropped to 5-5.

Hamzat: I will respect Lagosians, work with truth

The Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Deputy Governor Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has unveiled a seven-point manifesto, pledging to prioritise residents’ welfare, infrastructure development, economic opportunities and accountable governance if elected governor in the February 6, 2027 election.

Hamzat, who unveiled the manifesto, tagged ‘The Lagos Promise (Ileri Eko),’ at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts (National Theatre), Iganmu, Lagos, yesterday, said he was seeking not only the votes of residents but also their trust.

He pledged to ‘respect Lagosians, work hard and uphold the truth,’ describing the three commitments as the principles that would guide his administration.

The manifesto, structured around seven pillars represented by the acronym P.R.O.M.I.S.E, comprises People First, Renewal, Opportunity, Machinery of Government, Inclusion, Security and Resilience, and Everyday Dignity.

Hamzat said the People First pillar would place residents at the centre of governance, with emphasis on healthcare, education, safety, dignity, accessibility and efficient public service delivery.

Under Renewal, he promised to pursue urban infrastructure development, including roads, power infrastructure, water supply, drainage systems, flood mitigation and waste management.

He said the Opportunity pillar would focus on expanding economic participation through enterprise development, trade, industry, job creation, skills acquisition and the digital economy.

On the Machinery of Government, the deputy governor said his administration would seek to improve institutional efficiency, local government administration, the judicial system and other administrative processes to ensure that policies translated into measurable outcomes.

He also promised equitable access to opportunities and public services across Lagos’s five administrative divisions, with particular attention to women, young people and diverse communities.

On security and resilience, Hamzat said his administration would prioritise public safety and the protection of lives and property, while strengthening the state’s capacity to respond to environmental and other urban challenges.

The final pillar, Everyday Dignity, he said, would focus on improving living standards, providing social protection and promoting the dignity of residents.

The governorship candidate disclosed that the manifesto contained 100 pledges, with 87 identified as firm commitments within the powers of the governor, while the remaining 13 were described as broader aspirations to be pursued without specific deadlines because they fell outside the governor’s direct control.

He said the foreword to the document was written by President Bola Tinubu.

Explaining his motivation for public service, Hamzat recalled an encounter with the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo when he was about 14 years old and a student of Olivet School, Oyo.

He said Awolowo’s remark that a nation rises when people of ability and honour choose to serve had made a lasting impression on him.

Citing Psalm 15, verse four, Hamzat said he considered the promises made to Lagosians binding and pledged to implement them faithfully.

‘I will respect, I will work and I will uphold the truth. These will dictate my approach to governance,’ he said.

He added that accountability would begin within the first 100 days of his administration rather than at the end of his tenure.

As part of the proposed accountability framework, he promised to sign an executive order establishing a Lagos State Service Delivery Board, which he would head. He also said every government office would be required to display a service charter.

Hamzat further promised to introduce feedback mechanisms, including town hall meetings across the state’s five administrative divisions.

On infrastructure, he said he would pursue the activation of the Fourth Mainland Bridge through partnerships and construct more inner-city roads to ease congestion and traffic challenges across the state.

He also pledged to sustain investment in healthcare, disclosing that 586 hospital beds were being provided in hospitals across Lagos. He promised improved welfare for doctors, nurses and other health workers.

The deputy governor assured residents, irrespective of their ethnic or religious backgrounds, of equitable treatment and inclusion in his proposed administration.

He urged Lagosians to support President Tinubu and APC National Assembly candidates in the January 16, 2027 elections, as well as himself and the party’s House of Assembly candidates in the February 6, 2027 governorship and state assembly elections.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who attended the event with his wife, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, gave his deputy three pieces of advice, urging him to listen to Lagosians, sustain ongoing projects and ensure a smooth transition to another competent leader at the end of his tenure.

Recounting their political journey, which began in September 2018 when he sought the APC governorship ticket, Sanwo-Olu recalled that Hamzat had stepped down from the contest despite his experience and support base and subsequently agreed to become his running mate.

‘He stepped down and never plotted evil, and he agreed to run as my deputy,’ the governor said.

He described Hamzat as the best deputy governor in Lagos’s history and expressed confidence that he would become the first deputy governor to succeed his principal as governor of the state.

Sanwo-Olu said the absence of a crisis between him and his deputy demonstrated the state’s political maturity, adding that Lagos had continued to serve as a training ground for future governors.

He said the state, which had produced leaders with backgrounds in accountancy, law and banking, was set to produce an engineer as its next governor.

The governor said he would be pleased to hand over to a successor who would consolidate existing achievements rather than dismantle them.

‘Across this country, successions have ended in courtrooms, in broken parties, in deputies at war with the men who chose them. In Lagos, the governor and his deputy walked into this hall together. They will walk out of it together,’ he said.

‘And in May, one of them will hand the other a state that is whole. There is no greater gift a governor can leave his people than a handover that does not break the house.’

Sanwo-Olu urged Hamzat to consolidate on the achievements of successive administrations, saying the state could not afford to experiment with its development trajectory.

He also said the choice of Damilola Sonayon-James as Hamzat’s running mate would strengthen the inclusion of young people and bring the Badagry Division further into the state’s political leadership.

Sosan backs continuity

Former Lagos Deputy Governor Sarah Sosan, who spoke on behalf of members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), said an administration of continuity was in the making, expressing confidence that Hamzat would build on the achievements of his predecessors, including Sanwo-Olu, Akinwunmi Ambode, Babatunde Fashola and President Tinubu.

She said continuity did not mean rejecting change but preserving successful policies, correcting shortcomings and adapting governance to emerging challenges.

‘Lagos is growing every day. More people are coming into the state, businesses are also growing, and our people expect more from the government. We must plan well and prepare for the future, and this is why the experience of Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat is important,’ she said.

Sosan noted that Hamzat had served the state in different capacities as commissioner and deputy governor, giving him considerable experience in government administration.

She said residents expected improvements in roads, transportation, education, healthcare, security, employment, housing and environmental sanitation.

According to her, the development of Lagos required cooperation among government, businesses and residents.

Lagos must move forward, says Obanikoro

The Director-General of the Tinubu/Hamzat Campaign, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, said the APC was committed to sustaining Lagos’s development and ensuring that the state continued to move forward.

He described the manifesto presentation as a reaffirmation of the party’s commitment to inclusive governance, sustainable development and broader opportunities for residents.

Obanikoro said Hamzat’s experience and dedication would help consolidate the achievements of successive APC administrations while addressing emerging challenges.

He called on residents to contribute ideas and offer constructive feedback on the manifesto, describing the campaign as a collective undertaking.

Hamzat won’t disappoint, Ojelabi assures

The Lagos State APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, expressed confidence in Hamzat’s capacity to lead the state, citing his experience in government, administrative competence and understanding of the challenges confronting Lagos.

He said the state’s next phase of development would require purposeful leadership, strategic planning and sustained commitment to improving public services.

Ojelabi identified infrastructure, transportation, education, healthcare, technology and economic development as priority areas requiring continued attention.

He said the achievements of successive APC administrations provided a foundation for further development but should not lead to complacency.

‘Lagos must move forward, not backward. Opportunity does not mean complacency. It must mean building through leadership, identifying shortcomings and driving greater progress with renewed determination,’ he said.

The APC chairman added that Hamzat’s experience in both the public and private sectors had equipped him with the knowledge and competence to manage the complexities of a growing metropolitan state.

He said the party’s vision included expanding economic opportunities, supporting businesses and young people, improving infrastructure and ensuring that the benefits of development reached communities across Lagos.

Ojelabi said the manifesto offered residents an opportunity to assess Hamzat’s priorities and examine the proposed measures for translating his vision into practical outcomes.

APC PCC’s quibbling Morka vs unequivocal Lawan

If this was mathematics, it would have been so nice to see how today’s musings would have looked like as a mathematical formula. But here are musings of a worried Nigerian who is wondering how two extremely opposed voices from one stable are jiggling our minds so badly. These men are teasing our brains on one matter in which one from their house spoke unequivocally and the other tried to spin out of simple comprehension and cognitive control.

Does it not rankle the brain that the PBAT/APC 2027 Presidential Campaign Council (APC- PCC) is struggling hard to turn a regular submission of one of its spokespersons, Alwan Hassan, into an optical illusion spiral? Right before our eyes, and in broad daylight, a Coordinating Deputy Director of the campaign, Mr Felix Morka, who is also the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, tried to turn the submission of Hassan into a hypnotic spiral. To achieve what really…? To deflect the matter or hedge it? As learners, we have heard journalism scholars and elders in the profession talk about obfuscation and hair-splitting. Mr Morka’s outing post-Hassan might have been to bring all these in.

Unfortunately for the usually sound Morka, it didn’t work. Nigerians were not buying it because his best efforts at spinning that narrative crumbled right before his curious submission that he would discuss the matter further with Hassan. Watching a recording of that outing again, Morka himself would see that he only managed his quibbling best to explain the heavyweight accusation. It is not easy to convince one that black is white even in a magical wave.

So, today is about one unequivocal Alwan Hassan and the quipping Felix Morka.

Alwan Hassan said without mincing words that the ministers we have in the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu paid (in billions of Naira) to get to their positions. He was unequivocal and he was assertive. Being a spokesperson of the party’s presidential re-election campaign, he cannot be regarded as a toddler in the business of speaking for a group. Hassan spoke smoothly and had all the platitudes in place for their presidential candidate. His mouth too was running smoothly and fast in the discharge of his spokesperson duties, but it appeared that it ran faster than his mind at that point.

He was being interviewed by a suave Charles Aniagolu and not a rasping Rufai Oseni. So, he got the question, to which he gave an answer, in Anioagolu’s usually measured words. The question did not come to him as a barrage. ‘Charles, a lot of ministers pay billions and billions, and you know, to get themselves appointed. The first thing they think of is how to recoup that money.’ Hassan also said: ‘Whatever it is a budget is supposed to do in this country in the last three and a half years, Asiwaju has done it by himself. Why do we need ministers? Why do we need a budget to be given to ministers?’ He guaranteed that what he was saying was the truth and looked surprised that Charles Aniagolu and other Nigerians did not know this.

Even if Nigerians knew, how can such cases be substantiated? Even if the cases can be substantiated, where would you go to substantiate your case? Who would listen to you? What would be its outcome? Would you be the one to appoint the adjudicators? Are you the one in charge of the courts? Or, where exactly would you take your case if you plan to present your evidence – the same Nigerian courts? Or, is it the National Assembly?

What happened after reports of other such weighty allegations? In 2024 a Sokoto cleric alleged that President Tinubu northern clerics that he bought his seat with money. If that has been forgotten, what about the fake agencies’ saga of this year? Mr. Adeniyi Adeyemi, who named principal government officials, and that of George Nwabueze discovered in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. These scandals sucked-in three permanent secretaries and a few other officers in the federal civil service. The man behind the celebrated fake agency has been charged to court by the ICPC. He is in a lonely place, oblivious of the machinations of the big cats who gave him assurances. So, the institutional foundations for such deep due diligence failures have not been highlighted. They remain – like the underworld to sprout again in some other pattern. These are pointers to what cash and carry means in government operations.

If we had a country where basic standards of morality in leadership are thriving, the government and the APC would have retched at this period. Had we proper institutional standards, the claim by Alwan Hassan would have been enough to ground the APC, and Mr. Felix Morka would not have been courageous enough to even attempt to defend the indefensible. He would not have had the nerve to come out in the open to explain what Hassan said or meant. But in Nigeria, even when an elephant is swept under the carpet we carry on as though nothing happened.

But it was flattering that the APC-PCC saw the extent of damage done by Mr. Hassan, and thought the best foot forward was for the courageous Morka to step forward to chest it, and make a mess of our heads by explaining it. He did what he could by muddying the waters but even an elementary listener would know that he was in a very tight corner. And when the frog missed his way to the stream, he turned it into an enterprise of confusion.

By claiming that cash-for-position predated this administration, Mr. Morkahas added a valid endorsement to the conclusion that the preceding administration of Muhammadu Buhari is also complicit. He cannot reasonably stretch this accusation beyond his APC. If Morka and his band of erudite spinners want us to look beyond the APC for samples of this utter mess, I think that would fall flat.

Cash-for-position is novel. It is today’s news, otherwise it would have been one of the most ear-filling discussions in the Nigerian polity when the APC was not the party in power. When one remembers how much the APC did to the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, a matter like this would not have escaped their attention. Think of what ministers like Deziani Allison-Madueke and Stella Oduah went through as fire set to their hindquarters by aggressive propagandists and unremitting spin doyens. Look back at what the APC made Nigerians think of the administration and it can be seen that this cash-for position would have been among the juiciest talks. Something as grave as that could not have slipped through the nets of the APC propaganda if it existed.

So, it is surprising that Mr. Felix Morka acted surprised. He too might have heard that people were paying money to get into important positions in the country, but the matter heavy for mouth a la Omawumi. Now that Alwan Hassan, a player within the power circles, announced it, the best response is not for Muoka and those who prodded him to deny it or muddy the waters about it. We know that it is a tough job mopping such up because it is like clearing a heavy thicket. Morka has been assigned to take the fall for Hassan’s equivocation. I think they should just let this slide and spare us the explanations. The thunder which strikes a smooth talker didn’t do the community a favour because what he did cannot be reached by the thunderbolt. There are limits to what power can give, but there are no limits to what power can take from an individual.

COP31 Host Country Agreement Takes Effect Ahead of Antalya Summit

The Host Country Agreement (HCA) between the government of Trkiye and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has entered into force, establishing the legal framework for hosting COP31 in Antalya in November.

According to UN Climate Change, the agreement introduces measures to improve conference effi ciency, strengthen human rights protections and ensure more inclusive participation.

It also aims to improve cost management and provide greater clarity for delegates and other participants.

The agreement consolidates existing improvements and introduces new provisions, including stronger commitments to gender equality, the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and accessibility for persons with disabilities.

To support participation by countries with limited fi nancial resources, accommodation costs for delegates funded through the Trust Fund for Participation will be capped at 50% of the daily subsistence allowance.

Additional measures require early engagement with the hospitality sector and better information for participants about their rights under Turkish consumer law.

The agreement also strengthens oversight by requiring Trkiye to keep the COP Bureau informed of organizational challenges and report on the conference’s achievements and implementation of the agreement after COP31.

TIN mandatory for eight transactions from 1 Nov.: IRD reminder

The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has reminded the public that a valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificate will be mandatory for eight specified transactions from 1 November, under the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026.

The requirement applies to persons specified under Section 102(3) of the Inland Revenue Act, No. 24 of 2017, as amended. They will need a TIN certificate to open an account at a bank or financial institution, obtain a credit card, obtain approval for a building plan, register a motor vehicle, renew a motor vehicle licence, register land or a land title, register a business, or transfer shares in a Sri Lankan-incorporated company, with the last requiring a certificate from both the transferor and the transferee.

Relevant officials and institutions must ensure the certificate is submitted before processing or completing any of these transactions, the IRD said.

The obligation to obtain a TIN applies to resident individuals aged 18 or above as of 31 December, 2023, and to those who turned or will turn 18 on or after 1 January, 2024, upon reaching that age. It was introduced through Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2334/21 of 31 May, 2023.

Individuals without a TIN can register through the IRD’s e-Services portal, where they can also verify their TIN. A printout of the verification result clearly showing the individual’s National Identity Card (NIC) number and TIN may be accepted in place of the official certificate. The Commissioner General of Inland Revenue urged the public to obtain and verify their TIN certificates before the deadline to avoid delays.

Over 60,000 passengers leave ports for Undas – PCG

More than 60,000 passengers have departed from ports nationwide as Filipinos travel for the observance of Undas 2026, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

Based on data posted on the PCG’s official Facebook page on Saturday, October 31, the agency recorded 60,411 outbound passengers and 54,291 inbound passengers across ports nationwide from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 31.

To ensure passenger safety and smooth port operations, the agency deployed 6,221 frontline personnel from its 17 districts.

Coast Guard personnel also inspected 540 vessels and 806 motorbancas as part of its preparations for the expected increase in passenger traffic during the holiday period.

The PCG placed all its districts, stations and substations on heightened alert from October 29 to November 3 to monitor port operations and assist travelers.

The agency said the measures aim to ensure safe and efficient travel as more passengers head to their provinces and other destinations for the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

Go turns over Super Health Center in Davao City

The opening of a Super Health Center in Barangay Tibungco marked a milestone in bringing accessible healthcare closer to residents of Davao City, according to Sen. Bong Go.

On Tuesday, Go joined local officials, health workers and residents for the turnover of the facility. He underscored the importance of strengthening primary healthcare services at the grassroots level.

Located in Bunawan district, the village of Tibungco is a busy community where residents face challenges in accessing hospital services due to distance and traffic.

Go said he had been pushing for the realization of the project since 2023.

‘This is a project of the Department of Health (DOH). It will be turned over to the local government unit (LGU), which will manage and provide facilities and manpower including personnel and doctors,’ Go said.

He emphasized the importance of cooperation between the DOH and the LGU in ensuring the full operation of the health facility.

Chanaka ends nine-year drought, makes cut

Chanaka Perera ended a nine-year drought for the country at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Golf Championship 2026 by making the cut at the prestigious golf tournament in New Zealand yesterday.

Chanaka produced a determined performance to advance into the last two rounds, becoming the first Sri Lankan since B. A. Sanjeewa in 2017 to survive the halfway cut at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. Sri Lanka’s other representatives, Kumar Danushan and Reshan Algama, were unable to make the cut despite their efforts.

Isko to elderly: Visit cemeteries on off-peak days

With more than a million visitors anticipated for Undas at the Manila North Cemetery (MNC), Mayor Isko Moreno is advising senior citizens to consider coming on off-peak days to avoid health risks amid large crowds.

‘The weather is very humid. This may cause hardship to the elderly visitors’ health. As we all know, we have El Niño upon us,’ Moreno said.

City health officer Grace Padilla suggested that visitors wear light clothing and to bring refreshments and protection against possible rain.

Padilla echoed Moreno’s appeal for the vulnerable population to wear face masks amid large crowds, as influenza-like illnesses may spread in densely packed areas.

MNC director Daniel Tan said the city government deployed 100 e-tricycles to offer free rides to visitors, making their movements around the 54-hectare cemetery easier. The e-tricycles will be available only until today.

At the Manila South Cemetery, road closures were imposed along Kalayaan Avenue, South Avenue, Vito Cruz Avenue Extension and Pililla Street.

Moreno reiterated that liquor, sharp objects, firearms, noise equipment and pets are prohibited inside the memorial grounds.

‘Our intention is to make this occasion solemn. A time for families to come together, visit the graves of their departed loved ones and pray for the peace of their souls,’ Moreno said.

In Malabon, the city government opened a new crematory and interment facility at the Tugatog Public Cemetery.

Mayor Jeannie Sandoval led the inauguration yesterday to provide residents with additional facilities for cremation, funeral services and interment.

At the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon led officials in inspecting the NAIA to ensure the safety, security and convenience of passengers, as part of Oplan Biyaheng Ayos.

Office for Transportation Security administrator Gilberto DC Cruz said the OTS has intensified security measures and strengthened its coordination with law enforcement agencies and airport operators to ensure a unified approach to airport security.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has set up more than 80 LTFRB help desks at bus stations and other public land transportation hubs across the country.

Acting LTFRB Chairman Greg Pua Jr. said the help desk is tasked to provide basic information on travel schedules and provide assistance, especially to senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

‘Our personnel manning the help desks were instructed to extend all the courtesy and assistance especially to those with special needs,’ Pua said.

Millions of passengers are expected to troop to bus stations and other major transportation hubs to go to their home provinces for All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.