BIR Makati launches MS-TAMP to assist micro, small taxpayers

Inquirer.net - Sep 18, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has rolled out a new mentoring program tailored for micro and small taxpayers, shifting the agency’s focus from strict enforcement to hands-on assistance and voluntary compliance. Launched on Sept. 15 by BIR Revenue Region No. 8A–Makati City, the Micro and Small Taxpayers Assistance and Mentoring Program

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LIST: Flooded areas in Metro Manila due to heavy rainfall

Sep 18, 2026

LIST: Flooded areas in Metro Manila due to heavy rainfall

MANILA, Philippines — Several areas in Metro Manila were submerged in floodwaters on Friday afternoon, Sept. 18, due to heavy rainfall brought by localized thunderstorms, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reported. In an advisory, the MMDA reported the following flooded areas, as of 1:57 p.m.: Quezon City Gutter-deep, up to 8 inches (passable to

Korea Times University Rankings focus on universities' internationalization capabilities

Sep 18, 2026

Korea Times University Rankings focus on universities' internationalization capabilities

The Korea Times University Rankings 2027 focus on universities’ internationalization capabilities rather than their overall institutional strength. Unlike comprehensive rankings such as QS and Times Higher Education (THE), which place greater emphasis on reputation and research, The Korea Times rankings evaluate the diverse resources and achievements of universities from an internationalization perspective. Through the assessment, The Korea Times aims to help international students considering studying in Korea make informed choices and promote healthy competition among universities to strengthen their internationalization capabilities. Differences in evaluation method The Korea Times excluded the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) from its University Rankings, although both rank among Korea’s top universities in global rankings. The exclusion was based on a comprehensive consideration of the number of international students, institutional size and regional balance among Korean universities. In the QS

Evaluation criteria revised to better assess universities' internationalization

Sep 18, 2026

Evaluation criteria revised to better assess universities' internationalization

The Korea Times has revised the evaluation criteria for its University Rankings 2027 to provide a more comprehensive and rigorous assessment of the internationalization of Korean universities. This year’s evaluation expanded its coverage from 54 universities last year to 60, while increasing the total score from 190 points across 18 indicators to 200 points across 19 indicators. Notably, The Korea Times introduced a new indicator measuring the proportion of full-time international faculty. It also changed the calculation method for the academic retention rate of international students, focusing the measure on degree-seeking students, and refined the evaluation period for research performance. The new international faculty indicator, worth 10 points, is designed to strengthen the assessment of internationalization in the education and research environment, marking the biggest change in this year’s rankings. Accordingly, the education category’s score increased from 60 points to 70 points. The category now consists of seven indicators, including the ratio of degree-seeking internationa

New indicators sharpen focus on quality over quantity in university globalization

Sep 18, 2026

New indicators sharpen focus on quality over quantity in university globalization

Academics and industry observers said revision to The Korea Times University Rankings 2027 represent a meaningful step forward, with updated indicators that offer a more comprehensive measure of university internationalization. This year’s revisions placed greater emphasis on faculty diversity, student success and sustained research collaboration. Shin Jang-sup, a professor of economics at the National University of Singapore, said the overall framework has improved from last year, highlighting the addition of an indicator measuring the proportion of international full-time faculty, as well as changes to the international student retention indicator. “Including the international student retention rate is a very desirable change,” Shin said. “It strengthens the rankings’ focus on evaluating universities from the perspective of international students.” Seo Myeong-seok, managing director of the Korea Advancing Schools Foundation, also emphasized that the revisions have strengthened the overall framework. He pointed to the introduction of the international full-time faculty ratio,

Universities need to do more to support international students

Sep 18, 2026

Universities need to do more to support international students

Internationalization is no longer an option for Korean universities but a necessity for their survival, as the nation’s higher education system faces an unprecedented structural transformation. Yet The Korea Times University Rankings 2027 reveal a stark reality: Korean universities still have a long way to go to achieve full-fledged internationalization. Universities have met the basic requirements for internationalization. But investment in faculty recruitment and student support has failed to keep pace with the increasing number of international students, while graduate outcomes remain weak. The Korea Times launched the university rankings last year to assess the level of internationalization among domestic universities. This year’s rankings covered 60 universities using 19 indicators in four categories: education, research, student support and graduate outcomes. Universities were assessed on a 200-point scale, with 70 points allocated to education, 50 points to research, 40 points to student support and 40 points to graduate outcomes. The education category saw the strongest overall

Top Korean universities hold firm as new contenders gain ground

Sep 18, 2026

Top Korean universities hold firm as new contenders gain ground

Korea University retained the top spot in The Korea Times University Rankings 2027 for the second consecutive year, as the country’s leading universities largely held their ground while Sejong University emerged as the biggest mover in the top 10. First launched last year, The Korea Times University Rankings aim to look beyond the number of international students to assess how well universities are building the broader ecosystem needed for globalization. This year’s results suggest that while Korean universities have made progress in attracting and managing international students, many still lag in areas such as international faculty, financial support and post-graduation outcomes. The disparity was evident across the four evaluation areas. Universities performed strongest in education, while scores were lower in student support and lowest in graduate outcomes, underscoring the challenge of building an environment that supports international students not only upon arrival but throughout their studies and beyond graduation. Korea University topped the rankings with 149.52 points out o

Regional universities excel in student support category

Sep 18, 2026

Regional universities excel in student support category

Seoul-based universities dominate the top 30 of The Korea Times University Rankings 2027. Their dominance is, however, less evident in the student support category, where regional universities are investing more in helping international students find jobs and settle after graduation. Among the 60 universities evaluated nationwide, 18 of the 24 universities in Seoul made the top 30, reaffirming the capital’s long-standing dominance in internationalization. Five of nine schools in Gyeonggi Province and Incheon are included in the list, while four of 13 universities in metropolitan cities outside the capital region made the cut. Only three of the 14 universities in provincial areas made the top 30, showing that they still lag well behind major universities in Seoul and other metropolitan areas. Those figures indicate that internationalization capabilities remain concentrated in the capital region. The education, research and graduate outcomes categories showed a consistent regional pattern, with Seoul scoring highest, followed by Gyeonggi and Incheon, metropolitan cities outside the capita

Regional, smaller universities challenge hierarchy as globalization paths diverge

Sep 18, 2026

Regional, smaller universities challenge hierarchy as globalization paths diverge

Some universities outside Seoul and the capital region demonstrated strong international competitiveness in specific areas in The Korea Times University Rankings 2027, despite the dominance of the country’s top-tier schools in the overall standings. This indicates that universities are strengthening their international capabilities in different ways across areas such as student recruitment, educational environments, international research, student support and graduate outcomes. Korea University, Seoul National University and Yonsei University — the country’s three leading institutions collectively known as “SKY” — held the top three spots in the overall top 30. However, regional and smaller universities including Handong Global University, Incheon National University, Woosong University and Kyungsung University performed strongly in categories such as education, student support and graduate outcomes. Handong Global University, based in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, stood out by ranking second in student support behind only Seoul National University, despite placing 23rd

New metrics reshuffle top 30 university rankings, expose globalization gaps

Sep 18, 2026

New metrics reshuffle top 30 university rankings, expose globalization gaps

The top 30 of The Korea Times University Rankings 2027 remained largely stable — 28 of last year's 30 universities held their places — but beneath that continuity, a revised methodology reshaped individual positions and exposed widening gaps in the quality and depth of internationalization at Korean universities. Seoul-based private universities dominated the top 30, though seven universities outside the capital region also made the cut. They included regional flagship national universities — Pusan, Kyungpook, Jeonbuk and Chungnam — as well as private institutions known for their internationalization efforts, such as Woosong, Handong Global and Yeungnam universities. Yeungnam University and Kookmin University were the only newcomers, climbing three and four spots from 32nd and 34th last year to 29th and 30th, respectively. Yeungnam's rise was driven largely by its strong performance in international research. The private university in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, ranked ninth among the 60 institutions in the research category with 30.95 points, placing first in the shar

Dating in Korea: Gen Z divides exact costs to prevent relationship burdens

Sep 18, 2026

Dating in Korea: Gen Z divides exact costs to prevent relationship burdens

To an older generation that used to argue over the check, each insisting on paying for the group, Gen Z's habit of "1/N" — or splitting a bill and increasingly paying only for what you personally ordered — looks unfamiliar and hard-hearted. For young Koreans, settling the exact amount shows consideration and reason in their own way, as they refuse to leave the table owing anyone anything. It goes further than etiquette. It is an attempt to secure fairness and equity at the very foundation of human relationships. 1/N: Way to protect relationships Participant 6: "For the older generation, if five friends met, one would pay today and someone else would pay next time. Even without settling every time, over the long run, it came to roughly a fifth each. So I think it is why the older generation sees today's split-it-right-now approach as lacking human warmth." Participant 5: "Older people might see it that way, but our generation has always done it like this. If you meet enough times, everyone probably ends up paying about the same, but isn't it much cleaner to just finish it there and th

Seoul's Jongno 3-ga rises to world's coolest neighborhood

Sep 18, 2026

Seoul's Jongno 3-ga rises to world's coolest neighborhood

Seoul’s Jongno 3-ga has gone from cool to coolest, taking the No. 1 spot on Time Out’s list of the world’s coolest neighborhoods in 2026 after ranking third five years ago. The historic downtown neighborhood was praised for its mix of old Seoul and new energy, from late-night food stalls, or "pocha," to independent businesses and traditional Korean houses, or "hanok." Time Out said Jongno 3-ga has only grown cooler since its previous appearance, citing the rise of late-evening outdoor dining, independent businesses and shops. The neighborhood’s appeal increasingly stretches across generations. Today, younger crowds are flocking to the area, drawn by its affordable food and relaxed, open-air atmosphere. "Jongno 3-ga thrives as a social intersection," Time Out wrote, describing a neighborhood where different generations and communities have long crossed paths. Nearby Ikseon-dong has become a magnet for cafes and boutiques tucked into century-old hanok, while Seosulla-gil offers another side of the neighborhood, with craft workshops, jewelry studios and bars. The ranking has put Jongn

Gov't to closely monitor energy price volatility, vows diversification

Sep 18, 2026

Gov't to closely monitor energy price volatility, vows diversification

The finance minister on Friday vowed to make diplomatic efforts and diversify import sources to address recent energy price volatility amid geopolitical uncertainties in the Middle East. Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol made the remarks during a meeting of economy-related ministers in the central city of Sejong, pointing out that global oil prices have recently risen sharply amid geopolitical tensions. "The government intends to remain vigilant and maintain an emergency response system to stably manage the supply of energy sources and their prices," Koo said during the meeting. Koo added that the energy supply is expected to remain stable for the time being due to the government's proactive diplomatic efforts, diversification of import sources and a strategic swap of oil reserves. "We will operate a monitoring team with the oil refining industry to check the supply of crude oil on a daily basis and take necessary measures promptly," the finance minister said. During the meeting, the government said the country will extend its fuel tax cut scheme by another two months through November to eas

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