MANILA, Philippines - Seventy-five years ago today, President Manuel L. Quezon addressed the nation in Filipino via radio.

It was the first time that a President spoke on air using Filipino, which was declared the Philippines' national language by virtue of Executive Order No. 134 issued on December 30, 1937.

MANILA, Philippines – Conde Nast Traveller agrees. It’s more fun in the Philippines.

The London-based luxury travel magazine named the Philippines one of its 10 hottest new travel destinations for 2013. In its article “Destinations to watch in 2013,” Conde Nast Traveller recommended the Philippines as a destination “we think will be big news for travellers in 2013.”

MANILA, Philippines - The year 2013 brings hope for most Filipinos, according to the Social Weather Stations survey released Friday, December 28.

The yearend survey, conducted between December 8-11, showed that 92% of adult Filipinos are feeling hopeful, rather than fearful, for the year ahead. This is just a slight drop from last year, wherein a record high 95% said they entered 2012 with hope.

MANILA, Philippines - Apart from being a banner year for the economy, the government said 2012 was also the 4th consecutive year when Filipino household's became the primary savings driver in the country.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that Filipino household's savings increased by 6.3% to P909.8 billion, making it the prime savings driver in the economy.

MANILA, Philippines - The sin tax law will be implemented early January, said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), which is set to release the law's implementing rules and regulations (IRR) next week.

BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said on December 22 there is no need to conduct public hearings on the IRR of Republic Act 10351 or the Sin Tax Reform Act of 2012 as the rules will "not deviate" from the provisions of the law.