7:28 p.m. July 11, 2025

SmarTrade, a leader in empowering Filipinos with comprehensive financial education, trading insights, and market strategies, continues its university outreach initiatives to help young individuals make informed financial decisions and develop essential skills for their futures.

The company was at the National Teachers College (NTC) in Mendiola for the school’s “The Professional’s Playbook in Action” Leadership Series where Ed Saguibo, SmarTrade’s Head of Learning and Development, was invited as guest speaker for the special segment “LEFT BRAIN FOCUS: Financial Precision”.

Saguibo’s talk, attended by Business Administration students, focused on the timely and relevant topic of “Quantitative Decision Making and Identifying Poor Decisions in Financial Choices,” a critical area of knowledge for future professionals navigating today’s increasingly complex financial landscape.  He emphasized how data-backed decisions can positively impact personal and business finances, providing technical insights combined with real-life scenarios and common decision-making pitfalls to offer practical tools that students can immediately apply.

“It’s not just about making smart decisions, it’s about making informed ones.  When students learn how to analyze numbers and spot red flags in their financial behavior early on, they are better prepared to lead successful financial lives, whether as entrepreneurs, professionals, or investors,” said Saguibo.

This is SmarTrade’s third campus engagement for the year under its nationwide campaign P.A.R.T.N.E.R. Summit (Profitable Alliances: Reshaping Trading Networks for Endless Rewards), which aims to promote financial literacy and readiness among students and young professionals. The campaign is built around a vision of equipping Filipinos with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate and thrive in the trading and investment world.  By incorporating school engagements, SmarTrade continues to lay the groundwork for a financially empowered generation.

“We’re proud to bring this advocacy to institutions like the National Teachers College,” said Joyce Mayo, President and CEO of SmarTrade. “Education is at the core of what we do, and through our P.A.R.T.N.E.R. campaign, we aim to go beyond trading to build a community of financially literate Filipinos. These students are the future, and it’s our role to help shape that future through opportunity and learning.”

To inquire on how your college, university, or student organization can be part of the P.A.R.T.N.E.R. Summit campaign, email events@smartrade.com.ph.  To learn more about SmarTrade and its services, including free training sessions and personalized coaching, visit www.smartradeph.com or follow their official Facebook and Instagram pages.

7:30 a.m. July 10, 2025

In a sea of short-lived hype cycles token launches, Political Pump is emerging as a cultural movement for the next generation of crypto enthusiasts. Showcased at Philippine Blockchain Week 2025, the platform brings a new, safer frontier for meme coin lovers, one where you can buy, hold, and sleep soundly.

Political Pump is not just another meme coin, it’s a decentralized collectible platform where political figures meet blockchain in a unique blend of satire, scarcity, and community governance. Each politician-based micro memecoin has a fixed supply and is launched without presales or insider allocations. True to the spirit of decentralization, 100% of liquidity is burned, ensuring fair, transparent, and tamper-proof tokenomics. It’s not just a token. It’s a conversation. A collectible. A piece of digital history.

(Photo from Philippine Blockchain Week: Jose Manuel Torres, Co-Founder of Political Pump)

“This isn’t just another meme coin. It’s a statement,” said Jose Manuel Torres, Co-Founder of Political Pump. “We launched without presales, private allocations, or team-controlled wallets. Every coin is market-driven, with all liquidity burned, ensuring there’s no room for manipulation. No secret deals, no backroom games—just pure, transparent crypto play. We don’t believe in governance tokens or centralized control. We believe the people should speak through the free market.”

From left to right: Chezka Gonzales, Vice President of Blockchain Council of the Philippines and Co Founder of Philippine Blockchain Week, Donnalyn Bartolome, multi-talented Filipina personality, Jose Manuel Torres, Co-Founder of Political Pump Political Pump piqued interest and stood out alongside other noteworthy innovations and meme coin activations at Philippine Blockchain Week 2025, a true celebration of culture, technology, and community-led finance. If you missed out, learn more by visiting www.politicalpump.com.

6:38 p.m. July 4, 2025

In a bold first act as head of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno has ordered the immediate suspension of all unserved Letters of Authority (LOAs) and Mission Orders (MOs) issued before July 2, 2025—signaling a strong push to restore discipline, prevent abuse, and realign field operations with lawful and transparent practices.

The memorandum, issued on July 2, covers all LOAs and MOs across BOC’s Intelligence and Enforcement Groups that have not yet been served. This decisive move comes in response to mounting concerns raised by legitimate business groups over questionable raids and enforcement excesses that have disrupted operations and eroded trust. Nepomuceno further directed all concerned Deputy Commissioners to submit within 24 hours a full status report on LOAs and MOs issued from January 1 to June 30, 2025.

“This directive is a necessary reset,” Commissioner Nepomuceno said. “We must ensure that every enforcement action moving forward is legal, current, and in line with the Bureau’s renewed focus on professionalism, transparency, and institutional accountability.”

The suspension aims to prevent unauthorized, outdated, or improperly documented operations—long viewed as a breeding ground for irregularities and abuse in field enforcement. By halting these pending operations, Nepomuceno is asserting control and sending a clear message: the BOC will no longer tolerate loose, unsupervised, or potentially exploitative enforcement activities.

This policy shift comes in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to professionalize the bureaucracy and strengthen anti-smuggling efforts without compromising legal standards. Under Nepomuceno’s leadership, the BOC is expected to pursue aggressive reforms that prioritize lawful enforcement and rebuild public trust in the institution.

“This is not about slowing down enforcement—it’s about doing it right,” Nepomuceno emphasized. “Our fight against smuggling and corruption must be anchored in discipline, not discretion.” 

With this sweeping measure, the new BOC chief sets the tone for a more accountable and reform-driven agency—one that enforces the law without fear or favor, and always within the bounds of its mandate.