beyond Palawan’s territory.

The dispute led the provincial government to file a case in the Regional Trial Court in Palawan. The court ruled in favor of the province but this was reversed by the Court of Appeals in 2006, prompting the local government to bring the matter to the Supreme Court.

The high court ordered to put the disputed local government share in escrow until the case was resolved.

Pending the final resolution of the case, the Palawan and the national governments signed an interim agreement in February 2005 to jointly spend half of the province’s 40-percent share mandated by the Local Government Code.

In December 2007, Malacañang issued Executive Order No. 683, which provides for a provisional implementation of an agreement in which half of the 40 percent of the proceedsPhilippine Government to Offer Grants and Subsidies to Startup Companies

Philippine Government to Offer Grants and Subsidies to Startup Companies

The Philippine government is now encouraging local and foreign entrepreneurs to establish or develop their own startup company by offering special incentives and eliminating existing financial constraints to promote innovation in the country’s startup community.

Enacted in April of this year, the Republic Act No.11337, or the Innovative Startup Act, provides the startup community with numerous benefits, such as the following:

subsidies in business registration,

use of office space and equipment, and

grants in research and development.

Under the new law, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will be mandated to provide special visas with multiple entry privileges to foreign startup owners, employees, and investors through the creation of the following startup visas:

Startup owner visa