The next back-to-school tax-free holiday is slated for July 21 to Aug. 1, The Puerto Rico Treasury Department announced in a circular letter published on its website. That is the first of two such events scheduled for Fiscal 2021, when specific items will be exempt from the island’s 11.5% sales tax. Another tax-free holiday is […]
The Ana G. Méndez University System’s Carolina campus will add two new programs to its tourism bachelor’s degree programs focusing on sustainable practices. The new programs recently approved by the Board of Postsecondary Institutions (formerly the Puerto Rico Board of Education) are the Associate Degree of Science in Management of Sustainable Tourism Companies and the […]
L’Oréal has launched its new global sustainability program, “L’Oréal for The Future,” which outlines a new set of goals for 2030 that will transform the way it does business and addresses critical environmental and societal issues. The program lays out specific actions and measurable objectives that will further accelerate the company’s transformation to respect the planet’s […]
The Federal Emergency Management Agency comfirmed a funding obligation of some $579,000 for repairs to public town squares in 13 municipalities throughout the island. “Town squares are historic places and landmarks of the Puerto Rican culture. Being part of the repair of these spaces is what drives us to continue with our recovery efforts,” said […]
Evertec Inc. announced the launch of its new ATH Movil solution that allows consumers to make payments by scanning QR codes at participating Evertec retailers, without having the card on hand. This new feature will allow the more than 1.5 million ATH Movil users to make payments at participating locations, in “an easy, secure, and […]
The Puerto Rico Ports Authority announced the start of some $7.4 million in runway pavement improvements at the Eugenio María de Hostos regional airport in Mayagüez. Ports Authority Executive Director Joel A. Pizá-Batiz said the agency maintains a pavement inspection program at all airports under its jurisdiction, according to standards established by the Federal Aviation […]
The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for Puerto Rico’s manufacturing sector increased to 50.4 in May, indicating an expansion in the manufacturing sector with respect to the previous month. The PRM-PMI is the result of a collaborative project between the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association and the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics. The index measures short-run business […]
Two days before the 4th of July weekend and a month after the launch of the “Check In Por Tu Isla” marketing initiative, the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. revealed that occupancy rates during the 4-day weekend are expected to reach 46.9% with some 37,884 local residents planning to stay at an agency-endorsed hotel or small […]
Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez urged Puerto Ricans to respond to the 2020 Census in an effort to increase participation and adequate headcount of residents on the island, where just 22% of residents have responded to the questionnaire. Puerto Rico currently has one of the lowest census response rates in the U.S. amid the coronavirus […]
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Puerto Rico’s Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience, or COR3, announced the approval of more than $108 million for 182 projects across the island. Several municipalities will benefit, including Aguas Buenas, Culebra and Aibonito, with grant approvals for 153 permanent work projects that were awarded June 19-25, the […]
Starting July 15, all passengers arriving at Puerto Rico airports will be required to wear a face mask or covering while in the facilities, provide proof that they have tested negative for COVID-19, or in the absence of that, self-isolate for 14 days. Executive Order 2020-052 also calls for passengers to fill out an information […]
The Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico announced that it certified the Fiscal Plans for the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO, in Spanish) the Public Corporation for Supervision and Insurance of Cooperatives (COSSEC, in Spanish) and 10 towns. “Both institutions are important contributors to Puerto Rico’s recovery and economic development,” said the […]
The Puerto Rico Agriculture Department has earmarked $500,000 to provide vouchers to 260 farmers to help them cover additional expenses brought on by the drought. The incentive will cover the agricultural regions of Caguas, Ponce and San Germán — which cover 15 towns combined — specifically for the purchase of maintenance feed (known as bulky) […]
The U.S. Small Business Administration has guaranteed 36,417 in loans totaling $1.8 billion under the Payroll Protection Program, for which it will accept applications 11:59:59 p.m. tonight, the agency confirmed. The June 30 deadline was provided to the PPP by the CARES Act under the “covered period,” the agency added. The most recent PPP Report, […]
NIMB ON SOCIAL MEDIA