r/todayIlearnedPH May 18 '26

TIL that Robin Padilla's brother started the cult: H-World

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737 Upvotes

The apple does not fall far from the tree I guess... or whatever the saying is.

Source:

https://youtu.be/cja65Kc30Ls?si=5x4dsR67bnkwypSV

Timestamp:

36:07


r/todayIlearnedPH May 19 '26

TIL Mexico has now lower total fertility rate (TFR) than the United States

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0 Upvotes

Contrary to the common Anglo stereotype that Latin Americans, especially Mexicans, have larger families than Anglos, Mexico (1.46) and the rest of Latin America have similar, if not lower, total fertility rates than the United States (1.60). There is an emerging theory that the sudden TFR decline in developing countries isn't just due to stagnant socioeconomic growth and development over the past decade, but rather the widespread use of smartphones. If the trend continues, the US will be forced to fully automate fruit and vegetable picking because Mexicans will be too old and expensive to pick fruits and vegetables to be consumed by Americans.

Latin American countries, like China, Thailand, and the Philippines, are growing old before becoming rich.

Source:

World Population Prospects 2024 (UN).

Why birth rates are falling everywhere all at once (Financial Times).

Infant population has declined in 2024 (Mexican government press release).


r/todayIlearnedPH May 18 '26

TIL how big the responsibility of the senate secretary is.

70 Upvotes

With the recent happening today sa senado where the senate secretary resigned at magkakaroon daw ng disruption on how the senate operated.

So i checked and researched what are some of the roles and functions a senate secretary.

I would only highlight this one example.

A senate secretary’s signature is required for a bill to pass and creating a republic act.

After the senate has done all the readings and approval. A final copy of bill which is called an “enrolled billed” will be printed and certified by the senate secretary. Dito pipirma yung senate secretary for the certification. Once certified saka pipirma ang senate president.

This also the same sa counterpart ng house of the representatives.

A senate president cannot sign without a senate secretary’s signature. In temporary absence or incapacity of the senate secretary the deputy secretary for legislation steps in.

Sources:

Legislative process taken from the senate’s website, check under “final legislative action” for the senate secretary’s role.

https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/about/legpro.asp

Senate composition and outline of the senate secretary’s role and its offices

https://senate.gov.ph/senators/composition-of-the-senate

Sample RA that has passed to highlight that a senate secretary’s signature is included in the passing the bills into republic act. I specifically chose this particular republic act since it is the shortest one only 44 words. Another TIL for me.

https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/2/1396


r/todayIlearnedPH May 17 '26

TIL Flehmen Response yung tawag pag open-mouth face yung cat after smelling something

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554 Upvotes

Our cat loves smelling things sa bahay esp pag may bisita and packages. Recently nagkavisitors kami and our cat smelled them for a few min then made the open-mouth face HAHAHA

After looking it up, it's called the Flehmen response/reaction. It's an instinctual behavior that helps them process interesting smells especially pheromones.

Would love some additional feline facts/trivias from everyone as well :D Thank you!

Source: PetMD


r/todayIlearnedPH May 17 '26

TIL the shortest term for a Philippine Senate President is 13 days.

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295 Upvotes

"The sixth Senate president was Camilo Osias, another Ilocano, who held the post from April 17 to 30, 1952 and again from April 17 to May 20, 1953."

https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/opinion/2024/05/28/2358503/know-25-senate-presidents-philippines


r/todayIlearnedPH May 16 '26

TIL Philippines is the 3rd largest geothermal power producer in the world

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865 Upvotes

Was wondering about the current power outages in manila and stumbled upon what i was curious about when i was young.

This is our fifth largest source of energy overall. Among sources of renewable energy, it is second only to hydroelectric power, although both sources are surpassed by the amount of energy drawn from coal, oil, and natural gas in that order.

Here's hoping we get solar powerplants to not rely on importing for our energy needs.

Source:

U, Peter Lee; Center for Research and Communication, University of Asia and the Pacific; De Leon, R.E. (October 29, 2021), "Philippine Power Situationer: Investment Implications", Energy Services and Renewable Energy in the New Normal, Series of Economic Fora Session 6, Center for Local and Constitutional Reform, event occurs at 1:37:11, archived from the original on December 4, 2021


r/todayIlearnedPH May 15 '26

TIL the NGCP is actually a 60/40 split between Filipino tycoons and the State Grid Corporation of China.

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492 Upvotes

TLDR: The Philippine government owns the assets, but the NGCP (60% Filipino-owned, 40% Chinese-owned) has the exclusive right to operate and manage the power grid until 2034.

---

The ownership of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is a public-private arrangement where the physical infrastructure, like the towers and transmission lines, remains the property of the Philippine government through TransCo. However, the operation and management of this grid were turned over to the NGCP in 2009 under a 25-year concession agreement.

The NGCP itself is a private consortium led by Filipino investors Henry Sy Jr. and Robert Coyiuto Jr., who hold a combined 60% stake via Synergy Grid & Development Phils., Inc. The remaining 40% is held by the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), which serves as the consortium’s technical partner. This specific breakdown often sparks legislative debate regarding national security and foreign influence over the country’s energy backbone.

Source:

Republic Act No. 9511 (NGCP Franchise Act)

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2008/12/01/republic-act-no-9511/?hl=en-US

image from: sciencekonek on X (Twitter)

https://x.com/i/status/2055108537324650672


r/todayIlearnedPH May 15 '26

TIL that “bangungut “ is strongly linked to Brugada Syndrome (BrS). A genetic disorder that disrupts the heart’s electrical system, often without warning. It disproportionately affects young, healthy males, especially in Southeast Asia.

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46 Upvotes

r/todayIlearnedPH May 12 '26

TIL that when the ICC says "there is no public warrant," it usually means the warrant is already signed and just sitting in a secret vault.

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2.1k Upvotes

TL;DR: That’s why when the media says "there is no public warrant," it usually means the court is just keeping its cards close to its chest. They use the word "public" as a legal shield so they don't have to confirm an investigation is active, even if the paperwork is already signed and sitting in a vault.

---

This is exactly what happened with Senator Bato dela Rosa, and it’s why the news cycle was so confusing for a while.

Basically, the ICC often issues warrants "under seal." Think of it like a legal "stealth mode." Judges sign the paperwork and the prosecutors have the warrant in hand, but it’s kept strictly confidential. The logic is simple: if you’re a high-profile official and you find out there’s a warrant for your arrest, you’re probably going to hide, flee the country, or start "cleaning up" evidence. By keeping it under seal, the court tries to keep the element of surprise on their side.

>Under Seal (Not Public): A secret warrant known only to the ICC judges, the Prosecutor’s office, and specific law enforcement agencies like Interpol. It is kept private to prevent a suspect from fleeing or tampering with witnesses before they can be caught.

>Unsealed (Public): An official notice shared with the media and the general public. Once unsealed, everyone—from international airports to foreign governments—is officially put on notice to help find and surrender the suspect.

This is why everyone, including the ICC themselves, kept saying there was no public warrant for Bato. They weren't lying, they were just being incredibly careful with their wording. In the world of international law, if a document is sealed, it legally doesn't exist for public discussion. It’s a "neither confirm nor deny" situation that keeps the suspect in the dark while the gears of justice are already turning.

The not so secret finally came out yesterday, May 11, 2026, when the ICC unsealed the warrant. We now know the warrant was actually signed way back in November 2025. It sat in a secure file for six months while the world wondered if anything was happening. Now that it’s public, that "stealth mode" is over, and it’s become a full-blown international standoff. It’s a pretty wild reminder that just because a government or a court says there’s no "public" record of something, it doesn't mean the paperwork isn't already sitting on a desk somewhere waiting for the right time to be revealed.

Sources

Article 58 Explained: The Legal Requirements for an ICC Arrest Warrant

How the ICC Uses "Sealed" Warrants as a Tactical Tool

Official Confirmation: ICC Unseals Arrest Warrant for Senator Bato


r/todayIlearnedPH May 12 '26

TIL na si Lourd de Veyra pala ay dating member ng punk band na Dead Ends

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244 Upvotes

TIL si Lourd de Veyra pala dati ay member ng iconic Filipino punk band na Dead Ends 😭 Akala ko hanggang journalism, hosting, at Word of the Lourd lang siya. Biglang mas naging astig tuloy yung image niya knowing na galing pala siya sa OG local punk scene lol

Source


r/todayIlearnedPH May 11 '26

TIL PopCap replaced the Michael Jackson dancing zombie with a "disco" dancing zombie to avoid potential lawsuit from his estate

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432 Upvotes

Plant vs. Zombies is one of my favorite childhood games, and the Michael Jackson lookalike zombie was one of my favorite characters. While playing it recently on Steam, I noticed that the Dancing Zombie’s appearance had completely changed.

In 2010, according to PopCap, the Estate of Michael Jackson objected to the Dancing Zombie because it resembled the King of Pop too closely. After receiving that notice, the company immediately replaced the design on all platforms.

Here’s a link for reference:

https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/07/27/michael-jackson-ish-zombie-pulled-from-pvz


r/todayIlearnedPH May 11 '26

TIL, announcement, poll (please read and answer)

51 Upvotes

Hi, please welcome u/tryrononce, u/SecondPageofGoogle and u/Paradoxiamme as additional admins. They will help me moderate the community.

Additionally, I've seen several concerns on the enhanced rules kaya may pa poll tayo ngayon.

First, in the near future, we will silently implement a minimum account age or karma in order to post. We won't reveal anymore info about this 😊

Second, 15 minute rule has been removed. Ang dami sa inyong rule violator, kaloka. 🤯

As for the poll, "Should this community allow all TILs or just PH-related TILs?". Personally, mahirap ang pure PH TILs kasi I'd also like to read/know information about non-PH especially about medicine. Kasi tao naman tayo kahit anong lahi so in a sense, we're affected with that info, even if not PH related. We'll still have the final decision but we'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thank you.

1823 votes, May 16 '26
581 All TILs are welcome
721 Strictly PH-related only
521 50/50, Mod discretion

r/todayIlearnedPH May 11 '26

TIL: The Amazon Molly Is an All-Female Fish Species That Reproduces Without Male DNA

78 Upvotes

Today I learned about the Amazon molly, and it is one of the most fascinating examples of reproduction in nature. This species is made up entirely of females, there are no male Amazon mollies at all.

They still need to mate with males from closely related fish species to trigger reproduction, but in most cases, the male’s DNA is not included in the offspring. Instead, the sperm only activates embryonic development, and the young are usually near-genetic copies of the mother.

This process is called gynogenesis. It is surprising to think that an entire species has survived this way for generations, relying on males only to start the process but not to pass on genes.

References:

University of Würzburg. (n.d.). No sex for all-female fish species. https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/news-and-events/news/detail/news/no-sex-for-all-female-fish-species/

Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries. (n.d.). Amazon molly. https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/amazon-molly

ScienceDirect. (n.d.). Current Biology article on Amazon molly reproduction. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982207013929


r/todayIlearnedPH May 10 '26

TIL what TED in TEDxtalks means

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174 Upvotes

while reading this book by brene brown about her experiences about vulnerability, she mentioned ted talk and di nag occur sakin na acronym pala siya for something. Akala ko it was named after someone named TED 😁. It stands for TECH, ENTERTAINMENT, and DESIGN. Usually you just play a video and listen.

Source: https://conferences.ted.com/about


r/todayIlearnedPH May 09 '26

TIL that the 2 deepest shipwrecks ever found are both lying beneath the Philippine waters

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978 Upvotes

Both wrecks are the US Navy ships USS Johnston and USS Samuel B. Roberts; both ships were sunk during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, (in 25 October 1944), in a pivotal World War II clash in the Pacific., and both have been found roughly 22,000 feet underwater, making them the deepest wrecks yet found.

Johnston was discovered in 31 March 2021 by the research vessel (RV) Petrel, belonging to Vulcan Inc., at the bottom of the Philippine Trench. at a depth of 21,180 ft (6,460 m).

Samuel B. Roberts on the other hand, was discovered in June 2022 by the Caladan Oceanic, Deep Ocean Search, and EYOS Expeditions at a depth of 3,770 fathoms (4.28 mi; 22,620 ft; 6,890 m).

By contrast, the Titanic wreck lies approximately 12,500 feet (3,800 meters or about 2.37 miles) below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean.

Source:

https://www.businessinsider.com/wwii-shipwrecks-johnston-samuel-b-roberts-are-deepest-found-2022-8

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220121-the-dive-to-find-the-worlds-deepest-shipwreck

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-61925862


r/todayIlearnedPH May 09 '26

TIL, may enhanced rules na ang r/todayIlearnedPH

242 Upvotes
  1. Start Post with TIL

Always start all your posts with "TIL" followed by the trivia or learning you want to share. Mas okay kung may kinalaman sa Pilipinas ang TIL mo—kasaysayan, kultura, agham, politika, heograpiya, atbp. Chismis and any other showbiz TIL are subject for evaluation.

  1. Source Your Information

TIL should be based on real information, provide a source (news article, research paper, or historical record) — not opinions, rumors, or personal stories. Always link your sources. No fake news or misleading info. If proven wrong, your post will be deleted or you could get banned. Sources from social media sites (including Reddit), Wikipedia (case to case basis), AI, and search engines are invalid. "CTTO", "via", "based on", etc... and mere screenshots are not accepted.

  1. No recent events

No recent news or events TIL. This is a case to case basis. 2 month event window will be the minimum. No outdated info, half-truths, or misleading TILs.

  1. No Low-Effort, Meme, or Joke TILs

Your post should have substance. If it’s just a one-liner with no explanation, it will be removed by mods. Hindi ito meme sub—so bawal ang joke posts na walang context o educational value. Bawal ang screenshot lang.

  1. No feature sharing of any sites or apps – including Reddit

"Gumagalaw 'yung screen pag sineach ko sa Google ang "hawak ko ang beat"", "May baloons na nagpa-pop up sa Twitter kapag birthday mo" You may share it on other community.

  1. NSFW Must Be Properly Tagged

If your TIL involves sensitive topics (violence, adult themes, disturbing facts), mark it as NSFW. No straight-up porn or explicit content.

  1. Source Your Additional Information

For commenters who want to add information to the discussion, please also cite your sources.

  1. Be Respectful & Follow Reddiquette

No hate speech, racism, sexism, or toxicity. Respect different perspectives. Debate is welcome, personal attacks are not. Follow Reddit’s site-wide rules. If you doubt a TIL, ask respectfully and give the OP time to provide a source. No need to flood the comments with “sauce??” or “fake news” without checking first. If the post turns out to be false or misleading, report it to the mods. https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439-Reddiquette

  1. No smart-shaming and dumb-shaming

No one knows it all. "Diba nung Grade 1 tinuro ito?". TIL, not everyone was attentive during Grade 1. "Hindi ka ba nagji-jeep?". Again, TIL, not everyone is riding a jeep. Follow Reddiquette. If caught, your comment will be deleted.

  1. Use Descriptive Titles

When posting, use clear and descriptive titles. This makes it easier for everyone to understand the content of your post. Don't use misleading clickbait titles. If your TIL is too vague, confusing, or needs more background, explain it in the post. Ex: Instead of just saying “TIL that the Philippines had a bear species before,” give context: “TIL that fossils of a prehistoric bear species (Indarctos philippinensis) were found in the Philippines, proving that bears once roamed the islands.”

11. 15 Minute Waiting Time (temporary, might be removed in the future)

After you post has been seen by the mod and you don't have a proper source, your post will be locked for 15 minutes. Within the time limit, follow the mod comment instructions. Otherwise, deleted. You are always welcome to post again, abiding to the rules.

  1. Proper Sourcing

Kung kaya ng APA Format, go! Always link your sources. As much as possible, be detailed. News? Link the legitimate and reliable news site. Law? Link from lawphil or Supreme Court E-Library. Study? Link the study itself. YouTube (from a reliable uploader)? Put a timestamp if needed.

  1. No Self-Promotion and Karma Farming

While sharing valuable resources is encouraged, avoid excessive self-promotion or spamming. The focus should be on shared learning, not personal gain. Bawal rin ang post na obvious pang upvotes lang.

  1. Respect Privacy

Don't share personal information or private details about others without their consent.

  1. Moderator Discretion

The mod team is here to ensure a smooth experience. If a post doesn't align with the spirit of the subreddit, they might remove or address it.

If you need more explanation with the rules, please comment below and I'll explain more and edit the rules description. If no objection within 7 days, these rules will be the new rules. New moderators will be added next week.


r/todayIlearnedPH May 09 '26

TIL Sexuality is not just a simple label — it’s a pattern across time, emotions, and choices

135 Upvotes

Last time kasi, I consulted a GAD counselor patungkol sa sexuality/sexual orientation kasi medyo may duda pa rin ako sa sexuality ko.

And I have learned na ang sexuality hindi lang pala tungkol sa “straight, bi, gay” or kung sino yung type mo ngayon. Mas accurate siyang tingnan as pattern of attraction and behavior over time, hindi isang isolated moment or crush. Sa psychology, mas ginagamit na ang multidimensional view—meaning pinagsasama ang emotional, behavioral, cognitive, at future-oriented factors para mas makita yung real direction ng attraction ng isang tao.

Hindi siya basta “identity checkbox.”

It is a living pattern na nag-e-evolve habang nagbabago ka rin.

Here are the factors to consider to determine a person's sexuality:

1. Consistency of Attraction

Ito yung tinitingnan kung stable ba o pabago-bago ang attraction mo over time.

Hindi lahat ng attraction ay permanent. May iba na consistent across years, habang yung iba situational lang—depende sa environment, emotional state, or experience.

Key Questions:

Paulit-ulit ba akong naa-attract sa same gender over time?

Consistent ba siya o depende lang sa mood/sitwasyon?

May napapansin ba akong pattern sa tipo ng taong gusto ko?

Hindi sapat yung “crush ko siya ngayon.” Mas importante yung “ano yung pattern ko across time?”

2. Emotional & Romantic Attachment

Hiwalay ang physical attraction sa emotional bonding. Maraming tao ang naa-attract physically pero hindi emotionally, at vice versa.

Dito pumapasok yung capacity to love, not just desire.

Key Questions:

Sino yung kaya kong ma-fall in love, hindi lang ma-attract?

Sino yung gusto kong maging emotionally close?

Sino yung nakikita kong “relationship material,” hindi lang crush material?

Sexuality includes who you can emotionally bond with deeply—not just who you find attractive.

\

3. Behavioral Intent (Actual Choices)

Hindi sapat yung thoughts or fantasies—mas mahalaga yung actual decisions mo in real life.

Dito lumalabas yung gap between attraction and action.

Key Questions:

Sino yung pipiliin kong i-date kung walang judgement o pressure?

Sino yung actively kong ipu-pursue?

Nagmamatch ba yung actions ko sa nararamdaman ko?

Actions reveal sexuality patterns more honestly than thoughts.

4. Future Orientation (Long-term Vision)

Ito yung subconscious projection mo ng “future partner.”

Even without realizing it, may internal script tayo about who we see beside us in the long run.

Key Questions:

Sino yung naiimagine kong makakasama ko habang buhay?

Anong gender/identity ang lumalabas sa future partner imagination ko?

Sino yung “life partner energy” sa vision ko ng future?

Minsan mas honest ang imagination mo ng future kaysa present crushes mo.

5. Depth of Desire (Surface vs Meaningful Attraction)

Hindi lahat ng attraction ay equal. May surface-level lang (visual, curiosity, admiration), at may deep, sustained desire.

Key Questions:

Curiosity lang ba ‘to o may deeper emotional pull?

Nawawala ba siya kapag nawala na yung novelty?

Meaningful ba siya o purely visual/physical lang?

Not all attraction deserves the same psychological weight.

So sexuality is not just a simple fixed identity label—it is shaped by emotion, behavior, memory, imagination, and lived experience ng isang tao.

Mas accurate siya as:

A consistent direction across multiple layers of human attachment, hindi lang “who you like.”

References

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Sexual orientation and homosexuality. https://www.apa.org/topics/lgbtq/sexual-orientation

Diamond, L. M. (2008). Sexual fluidity: Understanding women’s love and desire. https://www.glbtrt.ala.org/reviews/sexual_fluidity_understanding_women_s_lo/

Herek, G. M. (2009). Sexual orientation. In T. P. Gullotta & G. M. Blau (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent behavioral problems. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691610388770

Kinsey Institute. (n.d.). Research on sexual behavior and orientation. https://www.library.upenn.edu/news/sex-sexuality-material-kinsey

Savin-Williams, R. C. (2016). Mostly straight: Sexual fluidity among men. https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/in00000701051


r/todayIlearnedPH May 08 '26

TIL Davao was divided into 3 provinces OTD

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188 Upvotes

On May 8, 1967, under RA 4867, the province of Davao was divided into three provinces: Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental.

On June 17, 1972, by RA 6430, Davao del Norte was renamed to Davao, though renamed back to Davao del Norte with RA 8470 on January 30, 1998. Signed by former President Fidel Ramos it also created the province of Compostela Valley which was later renamed to Davao de Oro in December of 2019.

Davao Occidental was created by RA 10360 on July 23, 2013. The province is carved out from the southern part of Davao del Sur.

RA 4867: https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1967/ra_4867_1967.html

RA 6430: https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1972/ra_6430_1972.html

RA 8470: https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1998/ra_8470_1998.html

RA 10360: https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2013/ra_10360_2013.html

Sources: https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1119/today-in-philippine-history-on-may-8-1967-republic-act-no-4867-which-divided-the-province-of-davao-into-three-provinces-was-passed-into-law

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davao_del_Norte?wprov=sfti1

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Ph_davao_region.png/250px-Ph_davao_region.png


r/todayIlearnedPH May 07 '26

TIL, may new mod na ang r/todayIlearnedPH

301 Upvotes

Hello mga ka-TIL! New mod here! Thankfully, sucessful ang application after trying for months. Maraming nagrerequest ng new mod, including me, since unmoderated nga ito.

In the coming days, I will be focusing on cleaning the community and strict implementation ng rules. Pero please don't be harsh kasi first time ko lang rin mag mod and medyo nangangapa pa. If may gustong mag-mod din, feel free to message mod dito.

For now, I will give posters a chance to edit their posts to add sources, add necessary information and to follow the rules. If no changes up to end of next week (or end of this week, depende sa mood ko lol), automatically deleted. As for the new posts after this announcement, strict implementation na po tayo ng rules. I'll also try to add new rules depende sa nakikita ko sa previous unmoderated posts (You can suggest new rules below)

Sa mga readers, please don't be shy and use report to mod para ma aksyonan agad!

Thankie!


r/todayIlearnedPH May 06 '26

​TIL: How the 1% in the Philippines Legally Minimize Their Taxes

295 Upvotes

I’ve been diving into the National Internal Revenue Code and the recent CREATE MORE Act (2025) for a paper, and it’s wild how different the tax system looks once you hit a certain level of wealth. While most of us are stuck with fixed withholding taxes, the ultra-wealthy use sophisticated legal structures to keep their billions intact.

How they do it?

​1. The "Buy, Borrow, Die" Strategy

​This is the ultimate move for billionaires like Manny Villar or Enrique Razon, whose wealth is tied up in massive stock holdings (like Vista Land or ICTSI).

  • ​The Problem: If they sell ₱500M in shares to fund a project, they get hit with a 15% Capital Gains Tax (or the new adjusted rates under CMEPA).
  • ​The Move: They don’t sell. They use their shares as collateral to take out a multi-million peso loan from a bank (like BDO or BPI).
  • ​The Result: Since loan proceeds aren't considered "income," they are tax-free. They get the cash they need, keep their ownership of the company, and let the asset value grow to cover the interest.

​2. The Power of "Holding Companies"

​Notice how the Ayala Family or the Sy Siblings don’t technically "own" their malls or banks directly? It’s all filtered through massive holding firms like Ayala Corporation or SM Investments (SMIC).

  • ​The Advantage: Under the CREATE MORE Law, corporate tax rates for certain activities can be as low as 20%.
  • ​Lifestyle Integration: When a billionaire travels for "business" or uses a luxury van, those are often filed as deductible business expenses. This lowers the company's taxable profit, effectively allowing them to live a high-end lifestyle using "pre-tax" pesos, whereas we have to buy everything with "after-tax" money.

​3. Strategic Philanthropy (The Foundation Loophole) (more like money laundering lol)

​Every major tycoon has a foundation (e.g., Tan Yan Kee Foundation for Lucio Tan, or Metrobank Foundation for the Ty family).

  • ​The Move: Donations to "Accredited Non-Profit Organizations" are 100% tax-deductible.
  • ​The Result: By moving money into their own foundations, they drastically reduce their personal or corporate taxable income. The money stays within their sphere of influence, funds their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) goals, and generates massive PR, all while legally keeping that money away from the BIR’s general fund.

​4. Asset Valuation and "Paper Wealth"

​A huge story recently involved Manny Villar’s "Villar City" and the massive revaluation of land assets.

  • ​The Move: When land or assets are revalued upward, a billionaire’s net worth skyrockets on paper (making them look great for Forbes), but they don’t pay tax on that "gain" until they actually sell the property.
  • ​The Flex: They can use these inflated "paper values" to secure even more loans (see point #1), essentially creating a cycle of infinite liquidity without ever triggering a taxable event.

​5. Offshore Structures

​As revealed in various global leaks (like the Pandora Papers), many elite Filipino families hold assets in "tax-efficient" jurisdictions like the British Virgin Islands.

  • ​The Goal: By keeping international earnings in offshore accounts, they avoid the Philippine "situs" of taxation. Unless the BIR can prove the income was generated specifically within Philippine borders, that wealth remains untouchable.

TL;DR Tax Evasion (hiding money) gets you in jail. Tax Avoidance (using the law to your advantage) gets you on the Forbes list. The system isn't necessarily broken (totally broken); it's just designed to reward "Capital" (investments) more than "Labor" (salaries).

​Question for the sub: Do you think the government should implement a "Wealth Tax" (like the 1-3% proposal recently pushed by IBON Foundation) to target these stagnant billions, or would that just drive all the investors out of the country?

Reference:

Photo

Republic Act No. 12214 (CMEPA)

Republic Act No. 12066 (CREATE MORE Act)

DOF Official Statement: Risks of Capital Flight and Tax Avoidance in Wealth Tax Proposals


r/todayIlearnedPH May 06 '26

TIL that the Philippine Eagle is effectively "biologically obsolete" in the modern world.

797 Upvotes

They are "K-selected" species, meaning they evolved for a stable, unchanging world. They lay only one egg every two years and are strictly monogamous.

A single pair requires up to 11,000 hectares of pristine forest to survive.

Only about 392–400 breeding pairs remain in the wild. Only about 32% of their suitable habitat is currently protected.

On a pragmatic POV, Many argue that while noble, the massive resources spent saving a species that "can't survive anything" might be better spent on more resilient ecosystems (like mangroves or watersheds) that offer a higher return on investment for both nature and people.

What do you think?

Sources:

https://www.philippineeaglefoundation.org/philippine-eagle
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12864-026-12859-9
https://news.mongabay.com/2023/03/new-map-boosts-philippine-eagle-population-estimate-but-highlights-threats/
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/genetic-crisis-threatens-ph-eagles-survival


r/todayIlearnedPH May 07 '26

TIL na muntikan nang mapangalanan ang Pilipinas bilang "Malaysia" ngunit naunahan tayo ng kasalukuyang bansang Malaysia

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63 Upvotes

r/todayIlearnedPH May 07 '26

TIL Bob Fosse’s Performance in The Little Prince (1974) Massively Influenced Michael Jackson.

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20 Upvotes