Inaugural 6200 BookFest to bring publishers, booksellers to Dumaguete

 

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The Arts and Design Collective Dumaguete (ADCD), alongside the Duma LitFest team, will launch the inaugural 6200 BookFest from July 17 to 19 at Filinvest Mall in Dumaguete City, gathering national publishers, independent booksellers, authors, and readers in the Philippines' first UNESCO Creative City of Literature.

The three-day fair, themed "Across the Shores," marks an expansion of Duma LitFest's literary initiatives by establishing a dedicated marketplace for publishers and booksellers while positioning Dumaguete as a meeting point for stories and literary communities from across the Philippines and beyond.

Historian and author Ambeth Ocampo will serve as the fair's keynote speaker. Ocampo, a professor at the Ateneo de Manila University and longtime Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist, is best known for his writings on national hero José Rizal, including the bestselling Rizal Without the Overcoat. He is also a three-time National Book Award recipient and was awarded the 2016 Fukuoka Prize for his contributions to Philippine history and culture.

The event will also feature book launches, author talks, and workshops for readers, writers, and educators alongside the publisher and bookseller marketplace. 

The festival is organized by ADCD and the Duma LitFest team in partnership with the Dumaguete City Local Government Unit and its Tourism Office, the National Book Development Board, and Futura Shores.

Organizers said additional details on programming, exhibitors, and ticketing will be announced through the official channels of ADCD and Duma LitFest ahead of the event.

The 6200 Book Fest will also serve as a host event for the National Book Development Board’s (NBDB) Philippine Book Festival in the Regions, making it the first regional book fair of its kind in the Negros Island Region. 

Through the initiative, the NBDB will mount a “collective stand” featuring publishers and authors from across the country, alongside the fair’s local exhibitors.

Participating exhibitors include Anvil Publishing, Vibal Group, Silliman’s Sands and Coral, Everything's Fine, Haring Ibon, 8Letters Publishing, and Dum Alt Press, alongside independent bookshops LibrAria, Lost Books, and Utopia.

Among those joining the NBDB Collective Stand are ABC Educational Development Center Children’s Books, Aklat Alamid, Central Book Supply Inc., Johnny and Hansel Publications, Santo Niño de Cebu Publishing House, Dumaguete-based author Kate D. Pirate Books, and Capiz writer Joanna Leah S. Villamor, further expanding the range of books and literary voices represented at the fair.

ADCD is a volunteer-run creative collective based in a preserved 1950s family home in Dumaguete City, dedicated to supporting the city's identity as the Philippines' first UNESCO Creative City of Literature.

Meanwhile, Duma LitFest is the city’s official literary festival, bringing together writers, readers, and the local creative community through readings,talks, and workshops.

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About Backpack Solutions, Inc.

Backpack Solutions supports ADCD and the Duma LitFest team as its marketing and content media partner. Backpack believes in 'content for good, of good'
www.backpack.solutions

 

 

Casino Plus Raises the Stakes with ₱41.3M Baccarat Grand Championship

 

Casino Plus, one of the country’s leading responsible digital entertainment platforms licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), has officially launched the 2026 Baccarat Grand Championship, a five-month competitive campaign organized in partnership with Bingo Plus and LaVie Resort & Casino.

The Baccarat Grand Championship officially launched on July 1, 2026, with a prize pool of up to ₱41.3 million. Monthly finals will run from July to October, with the top three players from each leg advancing to the live Grand Finals on November 28.

For Casino Plus, the new championship reflects the platform’s continued commitment to elevating competitive digital entertainment while maintaining strong standards for responsible gaming, player protection, and regulated play.

“With the Baccarat Grand Championship, we are connecting the scale of online competition with the excitement and prestige of a live finals event. This is where the industry is headed. Players expect experiences that are seamless, accessible, and trusted across both digital and physical environments. As we continue to elevate regulated entertainment, responsible gaming remains at the center. Player protection is not just a compliance requirement for us. It is built into every stage of the player experience,"  said Casino Plus CEO Evan Spytma.

The 2026 Baccarat Grand Championship gives players the opportunity to qualify through consistent play from July to October. The structured qualification format is designed to reward top-performing players and build momentum leading into the November Grand Finals. 

The Grand Finals will bring together qualified players, VIP guests, brand ambassadors, and entertainment personalities for a live championship event at LaVie Resort & Casino.

Building on Casino Plus’ previous live tournament experience, the finals are expected to feature premium hospitality, curated entertainment, exclusive guest experiences, and a competitive live showdown for another Baccarat Grand Championship title.

The 2026 Baccarat Grand Championship follows the success of the Second Baccarat Tournament Grand Finals held on January 31, 2026 at Newport World Resorts in Manila, where Casino Plus staged one of the country’s biggest live baccarat tournament events with a P52 million total prize pool and a P30 million champion prize.

RESPONSIBLE GAMING ADVISORY

In accordance with PAGCOR’s Responsible Gaming Code of Practice, Casino Plus wishes to remind all players of the following:

Gaming is for entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered a source of income or a means of financial relief. Players are encouraged to play responsibly and within their means.

Winning is never guaranteed. All gaming outcomes are determined by chance. Past results, including jackpot wins, do not influence or predict future outcomes.

About IGO Digital High Technology, Inc.

Casino Plus is a trusted online casino platform in the Philippines, duly licensed and regulated by the PAGCOR. The company is committed to providing a secure, fair, and engaging digital entertainment experience, guided by the principles of responsible gaming and player protection. With its continuous expansion, Casino Plus is now regarded as one of the country’s leading online casino platforms, combining entertainment excellence with meaningful corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Filing While Surviving: Taxumo’s 2026 Report Shows the Financial Reality of Filipino Taxpayers

 

 MANILA, PHILIPPINES  — Before sunrise in Marikina, Bianca, a 33-year-old virtual assistant, is already awake, working for multiple clients abroad.

To her clients, she is reliable. At home, she is the eldest daughter trying to keep the household steady as prices rise and uncertainty becomes part of daily life.

Bianca keeps her work organized and files her taxes. She does this because every filing helps prove that her work is real and her income is recorded, belonging in the formal economy.

But that proof does not make life secure.

Bianca is not poor because she lacks opportunities. She’s skilled and hardworking however she’s still living close to the edge. One sudden expense can quickly pull her financially backward making her poor.

Bianca Reyes is a fictional character –– a composite inspired by data patterns observed in Taxumo’s 2026 State of Online Taxation Report.

But her story reflects the reality of many Filipino online workers and independent earners who are filing taxes, joining the formal economy, and trying to build stability in an increasingly uncertain economy.

Taxumo’s report offers a closer look at Filipino taxpayers using online filing through the Taxumo platform. The findings point to one central story: online tax filing is helping more taxpayers formalize their income, but many are doing so while still facing financial pressure.

Taxumo’s filer base includes freelancers, self-employed professionals, online sellers, consultants, creatives, micro-entrepreneurs, small businesses, and taxpayers from traditional service-based industries.

For many of them, tax filing helps them create a record of income, strengthen credibility, support future financial applications, and make their work more visible in the formal economy. At the same time, the report shows that formalizing income does not automatically mean financial stability.

A closer look at financially exposed taxpayers

One of the report’s main themes is financial exposure. Taxumo’s 2026 data suggests that some filers are using online tax tools while still working toward financial stability. The report notes that a significant share of Taxumo filers fall under the Poor and Lower Middle Income brackets.

The data does not represent all Filipino taxpayers. However, it shows what is visible within Taxumo’s own filer base: many people use online filing not because they are already financially stable, but because they are trying to build a more secure financial future. Filing taxes helps create proof of income, establish a financial record, and open access to opportunities such as loans, business growth, and other financial services.

Like Bianca, they file taxes to build proof of income, even while dealing with unstable earnings, rising costs, and daily work pressure.

Key Findings from the 2026 Report

Several findings from Taxumo’s 2026 report show how Filipino taxpayers are using online filing while navigating different levels of financial stability.

Online tax payments continued to grow.
Taxumo recorded a 43% compound growth rate in online tax payments, showing that more users are turning to digital tools to make tax compliance easier.

More Gen Z taxpayers entered the system.
Gen Z filers increased by 19% from 2025 to 2026. However, Millennials remained the largest filer group on Taxumo.

Men reported faster income growth.
Male filers declared 12.45% higher annual income year-on-year, while female filers reported 4.79% growth. This shows that filing participation and income growth do not always move at the same pace.

More filers did not always mean higher income.
IT & Software Development had the largest share of Taxumo filers in 2026 (13.81%) and higher incomes. But other large groups, like Virtual Assistant & Admin Services, had many filers with lower income contributions.This highlights a gap: more filers don’t always mean higher earnings.

Online filing is not just for digital workers.
Traditional and service-based industries such as Agriculture & Farming, Veterinary & Pet Services, Wellness, Hardware & Home Improvement, and Security & Investigation also showed strong median tax remittance levels.

What Connects the Findings

The findings show one clear story: online tax filing is helping more taxpayers formalize their work, but not all of them are financially stable.

Some are digital workers. Some run traditional or service-based businesses. Some come from growing industries, while others belong to large filer groups where income remains modest.

What connects them is the need for an easier way to comply.

For many Taxumo filers, filing taxes builds income credibility. These can help when applying for loans, working with clients, or growing a business.

But the report also shows that compliance happens alongside real financial pressure: irregular income, rising costs, family responsibilities, and limited access to accounting support.

Online Filing Is Reaching More Than Online Workers

Online filing is also being used by people from traditional and service-based industries, including agriculture, wellness, pet services, hardware, security, consulting, and tech.

This matters because tax compliance applies to everyone, not just freelancers or digital workers. Regardless of how they earn, people need a simpler way to file and pay taxes.

Tax Compliance as a Step Toward Inclusion

Filing taxes is not just about meeting a requirement. For many taxpayers, it can also help build proof that their income is real, recorded, and visible.

That proof can matter when applying for loans, working with clients, organizing business records, or growing a small business.

The bigger question is not only how to get more people to file. It is also how to make filing feel useful, less intimidating, and more connected to real opportunities.

This is where digital tools, including platforms like Taxumo, can play a role by helping make workflows more efficient and accessible for taxpayers, supporting them as they manage their responsibilities and grow their businesses.

About the 2026 State of Online Taxation Report

Taxumo’s 2026 State of Online Taxation Report analyzes online taxpayer behavior, declared income, tax remittance, industry activity, location, gender, and generational trends based on Taxumo platform data.

Socioeconomic profiles in the report are approximated from declared annual income on Taxumo and mapped directionally to PSA/PIDS classifications. The findings should be read as insights from a segment of the Filipino taxpayer population.

Read the full “State of Online Taxation 2026” report at: https://www.taxumo.com/soot/2026-report/

 

About Taxumo

Taxumo is an online tax compliance platform that helps Filipino freelancers, self-employed professionals, small business owners, and corporations manage tax filing and payments more easily. Through digital tools and guided workflows, Taxumo aims to make tax compliance simpler, more accessible, and less intimidating for Filipino taxpayers.

PetroSync Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training for Oil & Gas

 

Join PetroSync Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training to develop practical skills in well design, risk mitigation, and operational integrity for HPHT environments.

High-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) wells present some of the most demanding challenges in the oil and gas industry. Successfully managing these environments requires specialized engineering knowledge, careful planning, and a strong understanding of operational risks.

Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training is designed to help professionals develop the competencies needed to address complex HPHT well conditions. Through PetroSync’s industry-focused training approach, participants gain practical insights that support safer operations, improved drilling performance, and enhanced well integrity.

What Is Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training and Why Does It Matter?

Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training focuses on the engineering principles, operational considerations, and risk management strategies required for high-pressure, high-temperature well environments. The program helps professionals understand how to plan and execute operations while maintaining safety, efficiency, and well integrity.

A strong understanding of HPHT Well Engineering Training is increasingly important as operators encounter more technically challenging reservoirs and complex drilling conditions.

Key competencies covered in the training include:

• HPHT well design principles

• Drilling challenges in HPHT environments

• Pressure management strategies

• Well integrity considerationsRisk mitigation and contingency planning

• Casing design and cementing considerations

• Operational safety practices for HPHT wells

These competencies help professionals improve decision-making and support successful well delivery in demanding operating conditions.

Why Choose PetroSync for Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training?

Choosing the right training provider is essential when developing expertise in complex well engineering disciplines. PetroSync delivers practical learning experiences that combine technical concepts with industry-relevant applications.

The Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training program is designed to help participants strengthen their understanding of HPHT operations while improving their ability to manage technical challenges throughout the well lifecycle.

Through interactive discussions and practical case-based learning, PetroSync supports professionals in building confidence and competence in advanced well engineering practices.

Who Should Take Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training?

Advanced Well Engineering Course programs are particularly valuable for professionals involved in planning, designing, supervising, and executing HPHT well operations. The training helps participants develop knowledge that can be applied directly to challenging field environments.

This program is suitable for:

• Drilling EngineersWell Engineers

• Drilling Supervisors

• Completion Engineers

• Drilling Managers

• Asset Teams

• Technical professionals involved in HPHT operations

Whether you are responsible for drilling performance, well integrity, risk management, or operational planning, High Pressure High Temperature Well Training can help strengthen your technical capabilities and support more effective project execution.

Strengthen Your HPHT Expertise with PetroSync

As the industry continues to develop more challenging reservoirs, specialized HPHT knowledge becomes increasingly valuable. Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training provides a practical pathway for professionals seeking to improve technical expertise, enhance operational safety, and support successful well delivery.

Explore more professional development opportunities through PetroSync and continue building the competencies needed to excel in complex well engineering environments.