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Thursday, July 20, 2017

KSA: These Expats Are Exempted From Paying Dependent's Fees

It's been three weeks since the Dependent Fee has been implemented for Saudi Arabia Expatriate workers who brought their families to live with them. Now it is becoming clearer on who are supposed to pay, and who are exempted from paying the dependent fee. Remember that the fees amount to SR100 per family member per month, but the payment must be done annually and in full. Once paid, it cannot be refunded as well, in case your family members go out of the country. Finally, the amount increases by SR 100 every year, up to 2020 where it will be SR 400 per dependent member per month.

This has caused many expats sending their families back home. But hope emerges for a certain few expats as more details emerge. A tweet in arabic has shown a list of expats exempted from paying the dependent fees. See it below. Here are the confirmed lists of expatriates exempted from paying dependent fees:

Scroll below for the list in English - as well as the explanations.

An expatriate who is married to a Saudi Citizen:

A citizen's wife and children are exempted from the dependent fee. Widows and divorced women who were married to a Saudi Citizen are also exempted. However, it is not clear if this remains true if the woman married an expat after her Saudi husband dies or is divorced.

In case where the Saudi citizen is the mother, the child is still exempted.

Long-term Residents

Expatriate dependents who have stayed in Saudi Arabia for most of their lives are also listed as exempted from the dependent fees. The requirement is that they must not have traveled to any country outside the kingdom for the last 40 years!

Foreign Students

Foreign students who are currently studying in Saudi Arabia are exempted from paying dependent fees. To clarify, these are students whose visa states that they are in the kingdom as students. These do not include children sponsored by their parents and are merely studying as well.

Expatriates Working in the Government Sector

Expats whose sponsors are a part of government are not required to pay the dependent fees.

This is most welcome news for many OFWs since many Filipinos are working in the different Saudi government hospitals, schools and offices.

To further verify the news, we asked some OFWs to check their banking information - if it indeed shows no requirements for dependent fees. See the screenshots after the video.

Also, employees who are working in the government sector, but were supplied through a private contractor are not exempted.

Expats whose Iqama, the residence card, are registered as employed by the government sector, will see "zero" in their dependent fee inquiry when using online banking.

Another bank shows a similar message, but with "error" attached. Dependent fee amount is zero for government sector employees.

While the Saudi Government has full rights to craft and implement their own policy, the effects of these policies cannot be easily controlled. The dependent levy is expected to enrich the kingdom's coffers, but what about the effect to the local market. Some economists argue that the gross outcome of the move will not be beneficial at all for the national economy because in the first year after the imposition of the new tax at least 1 million expats, 75 percent of them dependents, are likely to leave the Kingdom. These 1 million foreigners used to spend their money inside the Kingdom to purchase goods and services, pay rent as well as some ministry fees like exit/re-entry visas. Now, they will send 50-80% of their salaries back home, reducing liquidity in the local market.

Whatever the policy may be, both Saudi nationals and expats hope for a brighter future for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

sources: Saudi Gazette, Gulf Business

Kuwait Newspaper Insults Duterte Many Times, Depicts President As Butcher, Insane and a Terrorist

A Kuwait-based newspaper is taking flak from netizens when pictures of its editorial cartoons featuring the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte made rounds in the internet. The Kuwaiti Times editorials paint the highly popular leader in bad light. He was depicted in various personas such as a butcher, an insane person, a murderous villain and a moronic terrorist. The images below are arranged in chronological order. The dates when the images were published are shown so you can check Kuwait Times' website to see for yourself. May 7, 2016 The editorial cartoons begin innocently enough showing President Duterte as a fighter casting his ballot for the Presidential Elections of 2016. May 10, 2016 - Election Day Upon winning the elections, President Duterte makes it again in the editorial cartoon section. This time, the Kuwait Times' shows the President pointing a gun and trash-talking some "punk," while what seems to be blood is seen in the bottom left corner. August 29, 2016 Things get malicious with Kuwait Times as they portrayed a leader of an independent nation as a butcher, about to hack the Philippines in the form of a bloody piece of hanging meat. September 27, 2016 The President is depicted wearing slippers, with his mouth, both hands and a foot "holding" a gun. A text bubble implies that Duterte is frustrated for not being able to kill all drug dealers, a statement so far from reality. October 11, 2016 The Kuwait Times mocks President Duterte again, this time along with US President-Elect Donald Trump. The paper depicts the two world leaders as a pimple on the face of a globe. The Kuwait Times editor seems to disagree about the populist views that helped elect both Duterte and Trump into office. October 24, 2016 Misinterpreting the President's statements on addicts, the Kuwait Times editors insulted the still popular leader, depicting him as an insane person in an asylum, complete with a straitjacket. President Duterte has since apologized to the Jewish community regarding the misunderstood statement. February 01, 2017 While not directly attacking the President, the newspaper wrongly depicts the Philippine Government's war on drugs as war on the poor. The image shows a member of the Philippine National Police shooting a stray dog dead. The editorial also insults Filipinos, depicting them as dogs. Clearly, the editors of this newspaper are not conducting enough research before publishing their work. March 04, 2017 As the Philippine lawmakers are debating the reinstatement of death penalty, the Kuwait Times editors cannot help but poke fun at the Philippine President. It depicted Duterte trash-talking the bullet-riddled body of what could only be assumed as a criminal. Around the guys neck is a noose, as the paper's editors wanted to lay all extra-judicial deaths to the President. It is ironic that a paper from Kuwait will criticize the leader of an independent country regarding death penalty, when their own country of Kuwait executes more people than most other countries except for a few. April-30-2017 Not happy with depicting the Philippine leader as an insane person, the Kuwait paper repeats the insult, this time pairing Duterte with Trump. The editorial mischievously draws Duterte and Trump as two crazy blabbermouths who have so much in common. The two are shown wearing straitjackets. May 30, 2017 At the height of the Marawi Crisis, while other countries were offering their support to the Philippines, the Kuwait-based newspaper ups its malicious depiction as it publishes a malevolent piece of editorial cartoon likening the Philippine President with other Islamic militants, and making the insult one step higher by labeling Mr. Duterte as a moron. What do you think of the Kuwait Times? Do you agree with their assessment? Do you think the editor-in-chief should make a public apology? What about the "artist" who's supposedly done the drawings, should he lose his job? Tell us what you think! Please comment and share this article! DISCLAIMER: All editorials were taken from Kuwait Times website, they own the rights to it, but they DO NOT have the right to insult our President! If you agree with me, drop them a message here >>> Kuwait Times Facebook Page.

Qatar's Riyal In Trouble? Qatar Central Bank is Trying To Keep Its Value Up

Reports are coming in that numerous banks and currency exchanges outside Qatar are refusing to deal in Qatari riyals amid the ongoing diplomatic spat in the Gulf. Several Qatari nationals and residents traveling in Europe, the US and Asia have contacted news agencies saying they have been unable to exchange Qatari currency in the countries they were visiting. However, not all banks in all countries are affected. Exchanges in Jordan and Lebanon, for example, are still operating normally. Many exchange houses in the Gulf reportedly stopped accepting riyals early on in the crisis, and just last week, global institutions have followed. Among countries confirmed as having orders to avoid the currency include the United States, UK, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the Philippines - the last four having a significant number of expat workers in Qatar. The governments of some of these countries deny that there is an official order to refuse trade in Qatari riyals, however, there is also no memo to say that the banks and exchanges cannot refuse either. In early June, Qatar's Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt ceased air, sea and land links with the country, which has been accused of funding terrorism. Qatar denies the claim. One effect of the diplomatic crisis in the gulf region is that the Qatari riyals is now unprofitable for many banks. This is because the currency recently depreciated against the US dollar, which it has been pegged to since July 2001. The Qatar Central Bank (QCB) attempts to keep the riyal fixed at around 3.64 per dollar. But it recently reached 3.76 – its weakest level on record. The Post Office, one of the UK’s main operators of currency-exchange services, said it took the decision to “temporarily” stop trading in riyals on June 5. Other UK foreign exchange services ceased trading Qatar riyals from 21 June. The currency is no longer available for sale or buy-back across branches of Barclays, RBS, Lloyds Banking Group and Tesco Bank. However, currency supplier Travelex said trading in riyals had only been suspended in some markets due to "business challenges" and that it announced it has resumed purchasing Qatar riyal globally. Western Union and UAE Exchange have issued responses that they will continue to trade in Qatari riyals. For the millions of foreign workers in Qatar, transferring money back home is also taking longer because new routes are being found. The increasing volatility of the currency outside the country also means that the income of foreign workers are becoming smaller as the value of the riyal falls. But the The world's biggest liquefied natural gas exporter has huge dollar reserves with which it could use to defend its currency against devaluation. The Qatari central bank declared in the early hours of June 10 that it would guarantee all dealings for customers inside and outside Qatar. However, expat workers are still affected. An an example, two exchange houses in Dubai said they would buy 1,000 Qatari riyals for only 710 or 720 UAE dirhams – far below the 970 dirhams which they offered before the crisis. That is a 25% loss in value. Are you an expat working or living in Qatar? Have you had similar experience in dealing with banks or exchange rates. Please comment and let others know.

How Much Will You Save Under President Duterte's Tax Reform Program?

TRAIN: Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion. This is a Tax Reform program initiated by the Duterte Administration, to change the old tax system in the Philippines and make it simpler, more fair, and efficient. The current tax system in the Philippines is both complex and unjust. TRAIN will change this, by reducing personal income tax, simplify estate and donor tax, expand Value-Added Tax coverage and increase oil and automobile excise taxes. Let us look at each of these components. PERSONAL INCOME TAX The proposed Tax Schedule under TRAIN will benefit 99% of the taxpayers. That's more than the percentage of voters who chose Duterte to be President. Based on the table below, the new tax rates will increase take-home pay of most workers and increase the purchasing power of the family or individual. Also, all bonuses not exceeding P100,000 will stay tax-free! Also, by 2020, the tax rates will be even lower. The current income tax rate in the Philippines is actually higher than most of its neighbors. Information gathered showed that Filipinos pay the 2nd highest tax rate in the Asean countries, with also a lower income threshold. This table shows that if you earn P500,000 in Singapore, you don't have to pay income tax. In the Philippines, that's 32% rate. Compare that to Indonesia, where you pay 30% only if you earn three times more than in the Philippines. In Thailand, you pay 35% rate, but only if you earn 11 times more than in the Philippines. Let us see some projected calculations and comparisons of present and proposed tax rates based on worker's salaries, from minimum wage earners to a call-center agent. ESTATE TAX and DONOR'S TAX TRAIN proposes that Estate Tax be fixed at 6% of the estate's net value. There will also be a standard deduction of P1 million and exemption of up to P3 million for family homes. This means that for inheritance with value below standard deduction, and for family homes valued at less than the exemption, no estate tax shall be paid. Only inheritance of rich families will be taxed. A similar scheme is applied for Donor's Tax. A single rate of 6% of the net donations for gifts above P100,000 yearly, will be applied. This is regardless of relationship. VALUE ADDED TAX This part of the TRAIN is least understood and often misrepresented by many. Actually, the VAT system in the Philippines has the most number of exemptions (people, companies, cooperatives and other institutions exempted from paying VAT). TRAIN will expand the tax base by limiting exemptions to necessities - raw food, education, and health. Cooperatives with gross sales of more than P3 million pesos will not be exempted from VAT. Only smaller cooperatives and those that produce raw agriculture products will be VAT exempt. Among the previously exempted entities that will need to pay VAT are: Domestic shipping importation power transmission low cost and socialized housing (if value is more than P1.5M for lots, P2.5M for house and lot) lease of residential units (with monthly rent of over P10,000/month) boy and girl scouts other entities exempted via special laws. This will raise more funds for the poor and vulnerable. Senior Citizens and Persons With Disabilities will still enjoy exemptions. OIL EXCISE TAX Oil excise will be raised by P6 gradually over three years. The rates will be adjusted yearly after the third year. The last time the oil excise tax was adjusted was in 1997. Increasing the petrol price via excise tax will not necessarily affect the savings of the majority. In fact, fuel consumption is higher for the wealthiest Filipino. Take this graphic below: The graphic above shows that the top 10% wealthiest Filipinos use more than half of the fuel for vehicles. The poorest 10% only use 0.6%. The middle group use only about 5%. This means that the wealthiest will be affected more by the price increase in petrol. AUTOMOBILE EXCISE TAX The tax rates for cars will be increased, more for luxury cars than basic cars. This makes the wealthier people pay more tax than the middle class. The wealthiest are the ones who usually buy or own more than one car. An example of computation is shown below: One of the main concerns of the public is the effect of the increased taxes on goods and transportation costs. The government however believes that the net savings for each worker will be greater due to the lower income tax. Also, a percentage of the revenues will be allotted for the poorest Filipinos to help them keep up with any price increase. President Duterte's Tax Reform agenda is vital to the improvement of lives of the Filipino, one that the President vowed to leave behind after his term of office. The current tax system is already 20 years old. If passed into law, the comprehensive tax reform bill is estimated to raise (P)162 billion in net revenues every year. This is vital for the advancement of the economy. The Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion program is vital to President Duterte's ten-point socioeconomic agenda. The revenue will be used to improve existing infrastructure and accelerate building new one, providing jobs and better services to people and help move the economy forward. Note: The values and tax rates stated herein are subject to change because the bill on tax reform has not been approved yet in the senate.

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Monday, July 03, 2017

Saudi Expat Dependent's Fee Must Be Paid First Before Iqama Renewal Or Exit-Reentry Visa

July 1, 2017 - Saudi Arabia has started to collect the much-talked about Dependent's Fee from the huge number of expatriates in the kingdom. Announced during last year's budget proposal, the Dependent's Levy is a part of the kingdom's plan to diversify its source of income which comes mainly from petroleum products as the price of oil remains low. As part of the government’s Fiscal Balance Program, expatriate workers are expected to pay SR1,200 for one year for each of his dependents in the kingdom.

Up until Sunday morning, there was no clear indication as to the implementation of the proposal except that the fees will be collected at the time of the iqama renewal - the residency document for expatriates.

In the later hours of Sunday however, expats who wanted to pay the exit-reentry visa fee for their family members were prompted by the online payment system to first clear the dependent fee for the remaining months of the validity of their iqamas (residence permits). Online transactions started displaying complete and accurately calculated amount of dependent fee based on the validity of the expat's iqama and his number of dependents.

Screenshot of SAMBA Transactions for Alien Control Services under MOI Payments

This observation was seen in online transactions of Saudi-American Bank, NCB and other banks in the kingdom. However, not all banks are currently reflecting the fees in the payment options, including Al Rajhi Bank. A video is also shown below (in English and Indian language).

Screenshot of Al Rajhi Bank Online Transactions for Expatriate Services under MOI Payments

Today, it emerged clearly that the payment of dependent fee is not only directly linked with the renewal of iqama but also the issuance of exit-reentry visa, whichever comes first.

The exit-reentry process can be done against single individual dependent by paying the fee up to the date of the validity of iqama. However, for the renewal of iqama it is mandatory to settle the amount for all dependents. What remians unclear now is if the fee is limited to the commercial sector and if expatriates working in the government sector are included as well.

All dependents are included in the regulation, including children, wife, as well as maids and drivers working directly for a sponsor. Monthly fee for each dependent costs SR100 this year. It will double next year, then triple in 2019. In 2020, the fee for each dependent will be SR400 per month.

Almost all expats are reacting negatively to the policy of taxing only expatriates. Some have already sent dependents on final exit as they themselves started seeking better opportunities somewhere else.

While most residents understand that Saudi Arabia needs to give more opportunities to its nationals and tackle unemployment, they say the move is counter-productive, as expats have also been a contributing factor to the local economy.

Okaz Arabic daily estimates that the dependent fee will generate SR1 billion in revenue by the end of the year and SR65 billion by 2020. However, it is unclear how much the move will take away from the economy if expats continue to send their families back home - including most of their salaries.

UPDATE: A recent screenshot of AlRiyadh Newspaper is going viral all over the internet. It says that the King has cancelled all visa related fees in the kingdom. However, AlRiyadh themselves tweeted that the post was not theirs and therefore it is fake news. See the image below.

source: Saudi Gazette, Arab News

New Traffic Laws and Penalties Come Into Effect in the UAE Today - July 1

July 01, 2017 - New traffic rules and fines come into effect today in the UAE. Senior police officials are confident that these will will reduce the number of deaths on the roads and that the results will be seen after the law's implementation. The [new] law is more harsh and has tough punishments for dangerous offences like reckless driving, using the phone when driving and speeding,” Major-General Mohammad Saif Al Zafein said. He is the director of the Director of the Federal Traffic Council. He clarified that the main purpose of the law, which came into effect July 1, is to make roads safer and not to make more money from motorists. The list of violations and their corresponding fines are listed below Generally, motorists believe that any increase in traffic fines aims to collect more money but that’s not the truth. Under the new law, fines for some offences have been reduced. "People need a strong deterrent to prevent them from violating [traffic rules]. When there is a large sum of money [as fines], they will think many times before breaking the rule because no one wants to spend his earnings on traffic fines. I am sure that as soon as the new traffic law is implemented, we will see a reduction in road fatalities," according to Major Abdul Rahman Khatr, director of the Traffic Awareness branch at Sharjah Police. Officials point out that most traffic accidents occur when motorists fail to abide by the traffic rules — be it regarding speed limits, respecting the red signal, overtaking from the wrong side or using the hard shoulder to overtake. Currently, there are over 200 different fines you could get on the roads in the UAE. Below is the list of violations and the corresponding penalties. VIOLATIONS FINE BLACK POINTS Vehicle confiscated / Days 1 Driving under the influence of alcohol Decided by court 23 90 2 Driving under the influence of drugs or similar substances. Decided by court License to be suspended for 1 year from the date of punishment completion 60 3 Driving a vehicle without number plates. Dh3000 23 90 4 Driving a heavy vehicle in a way that endangers his or other people’s lives, harms public or private properties, jumping the red light, causing his or another vehicle to overturn Dh3000 License to be suspended for 1 year 5 Heavy vehicle not abiding by lane discipline. Dh1500 12 6 Driving a heavy vehicle that does not comply with safety and security conditions. Dh2000 6 7 Loading a heavy vehicle in a way that may cause danger to others or to the road. Dh2000 6 8 Entering road dangerously. Dh600 6 9 Causing death of others. Decided by court 23 60 10 Not stopping after causing an accident that resulted in injuries with a light vehicle. Dh500 8 7 11 Not stopping after causing an accident that resulted in injuries with a heavy vehicle. Dh1000 16 12 Failure for light vehicle to stop after causing an accident Dh500 8 7 13 Failure for heavy vehicle to stop after causing an accident Dh1000 16 15 Exceeding maximum speed limit by more than 80km/hr for light vehicles Dh3000 23 60 14 Exceeding maximum speed limit by more than 60km/hr. Dh2000 12 30 25 Exceeding maximum speed limit by not more than 60km/hr. Dh1500 6 15 26 Exceeding maximum speed limit by not more than 50km/hr. Dh1000 29 Exceeding maximum speed limit by not more than 40km/hr. Dh700 31 Exceeding maximum speed limit by not more than 30km/hr. Dh600 37 Exceeding maximum speed limit by not more than 20km/hr. Dh300 17 Driving in a way that endangers people Dh2000 23 60 18 Jumping a red light for light vehicles Dh1000 12 30 19 Jumping a red light for motor bikes Dh800 4 30 20 Running away from a traffic policeman in a light vehicle Dh800 12 30 21 Running away from a traffic policeman in a heavy vehicles Dh1000 16 22 Dangerous overtaking by heavy vehicles where it's prohibited Dh3000 1 year 23 Causing a car to overturn by heavy vehicles Dh3000 1 year license suspension 24 Causing serious injuries. Decided by court 23 30 27 Overtaking on the hard shoulder. Dh1000 6 28 Overtaking from a prohibited place. Dh600 30 Parking in fire hydrant places, spaces allocated for people with special needs and ambulance parking. Dh1000 6 32 Driving against traffic. Dh600 4 33 Allowing children under 10 years old or shorter 145 cm to sit in the front seat of a vehicle. Dh400 34 Failure to fasten seat belt while driving for all passengers. Dh400 4 35 Failure to leave a safe distance. Dh400 4 36 Failure to follow the directions of the policeman. Dh400 4 38 Entering a road without ensuring that it is clear. Dh400 4 39 Exceeding permitted level of car window tinting. Dh1500 40 Not giving way to emergency, police and public service vehicles or official convoys. Dh1000 6 41 Driving a noisy vehicle. Dh2000 6 42 Allowing others to drive a vehicle for which they are unlicensed. Dh500 7 43 Overload or protruding load from a heavy vehicle without permission. Dh3000 12 44 Driving a vehicle that causes pollution. Dh1000 6 45 Stopping on the road for no reason. Dh1000 6 46 Stopping on a yellow box. Dh500 47 Not giving pedestrians way on pedestrian crossings. Dh500 6 48 Failure to abide by traffic signs and directions. Dh500 49 Throwing waste from vehicles onto roads. Dh1000 6 50 Stopping vehicle on the left side of the road in prohibited places. Dh1000 51 Stopping vehicle on pedestrian crossing. Dh500 52 Teaching driving in a training vehicle that does not bear learning sign. Dh500 53 Teaching driving in a non-training vehicle without permission from licensing authority. Dh500 54 Placing marks on the road that may damage the road or block traffic. Dh500 55 Operating industrial, construction and mechanical vehicles and tractors without permission Dh500 7 56 Modifying vehicle’s engine without permission. Dh1000 12 30 57 Changing vehicle’s color without permission. Dh800 59 Driving with a driving license issued by a foreign country except in permitted cases. Dh400 61 Parking behind vehicles and blocking their movement. Dh500 62 Towing a vehicle or a boat with an unprepared vehicle. Dh1000 64 No lights on the back or sides of trailer container. Dh400 2 65 Lights on the back or sides of container not working. Dh400 6 66 Taxis, which have designated pickup areas, stopping in undesignated places. Dh500 4 67 Prohibited entry of heavy vehicles Dh1000 4 68 Blocking traffic Dh500 69 Vehicle unfit for driving. Dh500 7 70 Driving a light vehicle that does not comply with safety and security conditions. Dh200 7 71 Not lifting exhaust of trucks. Dh1500 72 Not covering loads of trucks. Dh3000 74 Heavy vehicle prohibited entry. Dh1000 4 75 Violating loading or unloading regulations in parking. Dh1000 4 76 Carrying and transporting passengers illegally. Dh3000 24 30 77 Writing phrases or placing stickers on vehicle without permission. Dh500 78 Not taking road safety measures during vehicle breakdowns Dh500 79 U turn from undesignated areas of incorrectly Dh500 4 80 Loading a light vehicle in a way that may pose a danger to others or to the road. Dh500 4 81 Stopping vehicle without keeping the distance specified by the law from a curve or junction. Dh500 82 Transporting passengers by vehicle undesignated for this purpose. Dh1000 4 83 Sudden swerve. Dh1000 4 84 Driving on lanes meant for buses or taxis Dh400 85 Driving a taxi without required license. Dh200 4 86 Carrying passengers in driving training vehicle. Dh200 4 87 Driving a taxi with an expired warranty. Dh200 88 Reversing dangerously. Dh400 4 89 Taxi refusing to carry passengers. Dh200 4 90 Parking illegally Dh500 91 Parking in loading and offloading areas Dh200 92 Parking on the left hand shoulder of road in prohibited areas Dh1000 93 Parking without securing the car Dh500 94 Using multi-colored lights. Dh200 95 Not wearing helmet while driving motorbike. Dh500 4 96 Exceeding passenger limit. Dh500 4 7 97 Expired tires Dh500 4 7 98 Driving with an expired registration Dh500 4 7 (if registration expired more than 3 months) 99 Driving unlicensed vehicle. Dh5 00 100 Violation of laws of using commercial number plates. Dh500 7 101 Light vehicle dropping or spilling load Dh500 103 Driving with one number plate or faded numbers on plate Dh400 104 Driving at night or in foggy weather without lights. Dh500 4 106 Not fixing reflective stickers at the back of trucks and heavy vehicles. Dh500 107 Not using indicators when changing direction or turning. Dh400 108 Not giving way for vehicles to pass on the left. Dh400 113 Overtaking dangerously Dh600 6 114 Driving an unlicensed vehicle. Dh500 4 7 119 Parking vehicles on pavement. Dh400 129 Driving below minimum speed limit. Dh400 131 Using hand-held mobile phone while driving or being distracted in any way Dh800 4 138 Using horn in a disturbing way. Dh400 4 140 Failure to hand over a driving license when the maximum black points are accrued in the first traffic violation Dh1000 141 Failure to hand over a driving license when the maximum black points are accrued in the second traffic violation Dh2000 142 Failure to hand over a driving license when the maximum black points are accrued in the third traffic violation Dh3000 143 Failure to pick up confiscated car once the confiscation period is over Dh50 a day maximum of Dh3000 144 Failure to pick up confiscated heavy vehicle once the confiscation period is over Dh100 a day, maximumDh3000 145 Overloading a light vehicle Dh500 4 146 Driving school vehicles in times and areas that are prohibited Dh400 147 Teaching someone to drive in a car that is not labeled as learning vehicle, or teaching without a license Dh500 148 Not presenting a learners permit Dh300 149 Broken or absence of back or sidelights on the tow truck Dh500 4 150 Participating in a motorcade without a permit Dh500 4 15 151 Pedestrian’s failure to abide by signals, or crossing from undesignated areas Dh400 152 School bus driver failing to activate the stop sign or abide by traffic instructions Dh500 6 153 Driver failing to stop when the bus drivers activates the stop sign. Dh1000 10 154 Using a leisure bike with three or more wheels Dh3,000 90 155 Transporting inflammable ale or dangerous materials without permission Dh3,000 24 60 156 Failure to take safety precautions when the car breaks down Dh500 157 Failure to get the car technically tested after any major engine or chassis modifications Dh400 158 Broken Car lights Dh400 6 159 Disregarding policeman’s instructions Dh400 4 160 Failure to fix child seats for children under 4 years Dh400 161 Failure to give priority to emergency , police and protocol vehicles Dh1000 6 162 Stopping at Zebra crossings Dh500 163 Stopping vehicles and road turns Dh500 164 Parking in a way without securing the car Dh500 165 Parking on pavements Dh400 166 Writing or posting on the vehicle without a permit Dh500 167 Failure to abide by traffic signs Dh500 168 Littering from vehicle windows while driving Dh1000 6 169 Rubber neck and crowds at the scenes of traffic accident Dh1000 170 Driving a heavy vehicle dangerously in a way that endangers his or other people’s lives Dh3,000 License to be suspended for one year 171 Driving a heavy vehicle in a way that harms public or private properties Dh3,000 License to be suspended for one year 172 Heavy vehicle jumping the red light Dh3,000 License to be suspended for one year 173 Heavy vehicle causing his or another vehicle to overturn Dh3,000 License to be suspended for one year 174 Driving industrial, construction and mechanical equipment without a license Dh1,500 175 Heavy vehicle overtaking in areas where it is prohibited Dh3,000 License to be suspended for one year 176 Driving a heavy vehicle that does not abide by safety standards Dh2,000 6 177 A driving an uninsured vehicle Dh500 4 7 178 Driving a vehicle on a different license for a different type of vehicle Dh400 12 179 Driving a vehicle that does not abide by safety standards Dh500 180 Driving a vehicle that is unfit for driving Dh500 181 Driving a vehicle at below the minimum speed set for the road (if any) Dh400 Previous fines as of February 2016 (Some are revised as of July 1) 182 Not fixing number plates in designated places. Dh200 2 183 Exceeding maximum speed limit by not more than 10km/hr. Dh400 184 Violating the terms of the driving license. Dh300 185 Leaving a vehicle on the road with its engine running. Dh300 186 Using vehicle for purposes other than designated. Dh200 4 7 187 Using un-matching number plates for trailers and containers. Dh200 188 Stopping a vehicle in a way that may pose danger or block traffic. Dh200 3 189 Using training vehicles outside of timings specified by licensing authority. Dh200 190 Using training vehicles in places not designated by licensing. Dh200 191 Abuse of parking space. Dh200 3 192 Violating tariff. Dh200 6 193 Not showing vehicle registration card when required. Dh200 194 Not showing driving license when required. Dh200 195 Not fixing taxi sign where required. Dh200 196 Not fixing a sign indicating licensed overload. Dh200 3 197 Using interior lights for no reason while driving. Dh100 198 Failure to abide by specified color for taxis or training cars. Dh200 199 Failure to display tariff of buses or taxis or not showing them when required. Dh200 200 Broken lights. Dh200 6 201 Using horn in prohibited areas. Dh200 2 202 Failure to keep taxis and buses clean inside and outside. Dh200 203 Not abiding by taxi drivers obligatory uniform or not keeping it in good condition. Dh100 204 Smoking inside taxis and buses. Dh200 205 Calling on passengers in the presence of signs. Dh100 206 Not displaying truck’s load on both sides. Dh100 207 Driving without spectacles or contact lenses. Dh100 208 Not using interior light in buses at night. Dh100 209 Opening left door of taxi. Dh100 3

National ID Will Be Implemented Within President Duterte's Term

The government is planning to put in place a national ID system within President Rodrigo Duterte's term. This will help improve the delivery of social services according to one of his economic managers. The plan is to replace all government-issued identification cards with the National ID. The passport and drivers' license will have to remain separate. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the ID will contain biometric data and will be issued at birth and renewable when the citizen turns 18. According to the secretary, an executive order is being drafted for the national ID. It will be issued to all 105 million Filipinos "within two years of the enactment of the proposal." "We intend to give all Filipinos a national ID that will also function as a social welfare card." The ID's will contain an EMV - a chip-based technology that is similar to the ones used in credit cards for secure transactions. This will enable public transports, shops, hospitals and other public service places to determine who can avail of discounts on transportation, medicine and health care services, Sec. Diokno said. The government plans to prioritize senior citizens and the poorest 5 million households in the registration and distribution of the National IDs. A similar bill on National ID has been passed at the committee level of the House of Representatives last month, while two other bills are currently being discussed in the Senate as well. Duterte's predecessors had unsuccessfully pushed for a national ID, following criticism that it could invade privacy. The first to try was Fidel Ramos back in 1996. However, his initiative was struck down by the Supreme Court on the ground that legislative approval is required for the scheme. The closest the country came to a National ID was the Unified Multi-Purpose ID Card (UMID) that is issued to the members of SSS, GSIS, Philhealth and Pag-ibig. If the government's plan is approved, then we could expect smoother transactions in the future. Abusing social services will also be a thing of the past since the National ID will differentiate between citizens who are qualified for government support. Finally, the security of society in general will be improved since all Filipinos will be required to register for a National ID - which in turn will be required, among other things, to open bank accounts (no fictitious accounts), register sim cards (bye bye text scams) and for voting in the elections (flying voters go away). Do you agree on President Duterte's plan to implement a National ID system? Comment now!

Unauthorized Alteration in E-Passport May Cause Trouble For Filipino Travelers

A government watchdog and anti-corruption advocate Action for Good Governance has raised the alarm about the possibility of Filipino travelers getting detained and deported back to the Philippines after they have discovered alleged unauthorized changes in materials and security features of the new digital passport or e-passport. The group's convenor, Atty. Argee Guevarra, argues that the quality of the new batch of passports are substandard. He showed a leaf from a supposed newly printed passport given to him by his informant, saying the new print is thinner and the embedded watermarks are not that clear. This apparent change may cause the passports to be suspected as fake or forgeries and will not pass the reading machines at airports locally and internationally. This might result in possible detention and deportation of Filipino passport holders. The scenario would be “a nightmare” for OFWs who may end up jobless and detained abroad. The DFA, under former Sec. Alberto del Rosario, touted the new e-passport in 2016. The new design was unveiled during former President Aquino’s visit to the Asian Productivity Organization - Production Unit’s high-security printing plant at Lima Technology Center in Batangas, which currently prints the BIR’s excise stamps. APO-PU later granted United Graphic Expression Corporation, a private company, a ten-year P39 Billion contract to print 150,000 to 200,000 new passports and renewals annually. The passport's electronic covers which contain the chip are being assembled in Europe, while booklet printing is being done by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the personalization by the Department of Foreign Affairs. A whistle-blower allegedly told Guevarra that the APO-PU UGEC deal was without DFA permission - at a time when the backlog for passport applications were at its height. Upon his appointment as DFA Secretary under President Duterte, Sec. Perfecto Yasay has considered the APO-PU deal with UGC anomalous. Only three entities are supposed to handle the printing of passports - the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the National Printing Office, and the Asian Productivity Organization-Production Unit. Yasay did not get confirmation as DFA Secretary. President Duterte then appointed Senator Alan Peter Cayetano to the post. Guevarra has asked Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano to look into the issue. The secretary is considering a review, however the passports with questionable materials are scheduled for release in the next few months. Among the security features in the new e-Passport is the use of a latent image which is visible only when the document is viewed at a certain angle, ultraviolet ink only visible under UV light, watermark, the use of a different security background design for every visa page to prevent VISA page tampering, and laser perforation for the unique document number perforate on the passport’s inside pages. It uses the intaglio printing technique which is usually used in printing paper money. “The unique formulation and design of these materials are security features in themselves, much like the paper and ink used for Philippine currency,” Guevarra said in his statement.

SAUDI SIN TAX: Price of Soft Drinks Increase, Cigarette Doubles

Prices of cigarettes and energy drinks have doubled with the implementation of an excise tax that became effective midnight Saturday in a measure unprecedented in the Kingdom. The excise tax, commonly known as a “sin tax,” is imposed on “unhealthy products” that are likely to cause health problems and eventually increase medical expenses paid by individuals or the government, according to the General Authority of Zakat and Tax (GAZT) official website. Items that are now taxed include: cigarettes and cigar products, energy drinks and softdrinks. It is unclear if other sugary beverages are included since some shops still sell these at normal prices. A few days prior to the implementation, some smokers struggled to find boxes of their usual cigarettes. Consumers attempted to stock up on cigarettes at their pre-tax price, while suppliers were trying to keep the products off the shelves until the prices rose. At one of the main supermarkets in Jeddah, a shelf stacker said “There was nothing here yesterday,” pointing at the shelf. “Yesterday, the price was normal. But today, a soft drink can is SR2.25 ($0.60).” Some supermarkets had also kept the newly taxed drinks away from customers so they are sold 50 percent higher in price in the case of soft drinks, and double the price for energy drinks. Consumers will now pay SR12 at one supermarket for a 250ml can of a popular taurine drink, which is priced at SR11.90 at another supermarket. Aside from tags of doubled priced energy drinks, a new sign has been posted on market shelves stating: “Energy drinks harmful to health.” The full warning matches the text on beverage cans. This is part of the new move to curb consumption of sugary and energy drinks in the kingdom. The tax authority urged producers and suppliers of taxable goods to register for the excise tax, the GAZT official website stated. The taxing body expects to lower consumption by people with limited income of the taxed products after the price hike. Officials of Saudi General Authority of Zakat and Tax, the entity responsible for collecting VAT and excise tax, have told local media that they expect excise tax revenues of $1.87 billion (SR7bn) in just six months. A regular smoker and energy-drinks lover from Jeddah said the move would not make her quit. “It’s an extra strain on the pocket, but it’s a habit that I can’t just quit or cut down on,” she said. She bought her last pack of the cigarettes she smokes for SR12 one day before the tax into effect. Now it is SR24. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are also set to implement a value-added tax (VAT) of 5 percent on certain goods beginning in 2018. This is just the beginning of taxation imposed on goods in the Kingdom. Starting 2018, a 5%VAT will be implemented on goods throughout the GCC - Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and UAE.

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Thursday, February 02, 2017

EXPATS IQAMA RENEWAL AND TRANSFERS AFFECTED BY SHAMOON 2 VIRUS ATTACK IN SAUDI ARABIA

A destructive computer virus attack in Saudi Arabia is now bringing a great number of expats hanging on the thread while they cannot renew or transfer their iqamas as government and private agency databases are being affected by the virus attack.

Executive director of the NCSC’s Strategic Development and Communication, Dr. Abbad Al-Abbad, said that counteractive measures should be sustainable and continuous to prevent the recurrence of such destructive cyber attacks, blaming the latest breach on poor adherence to security protocols. He also stressed the need for better education, such as teaching staff not to click on links in suspicious emails.

The Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development has yet to recover and bring its computer network back online after the devastating Shamoon malware attack last Jan. 23,2017.

Expatriates in the Kingdom are unable to renew or transfer their residence permits (iqamas) until the issue is being resolved in maybe a week , a month, a year, nobody really knows at this point.

Saad Al-Ali, owner of a contracting firm, said that the disruption of the ministry’s computer networks has put him and other employers in an unfavorable and shameful situation.

“For the past two weeks, all my attempts to renew iqamas of four expatriates working at my firm have failed due to the disruption of Labor Ministry’s services,” Al-Ali said, adding that the affected employers are afraid of incurring fine, jail term or even recruitment ban because of the issue.

According to experts, Shamoon is known to disrupt computers by overwriting the master book record, making it impossible for them to start up .

"Shamoon renders the computer unusable by overriding the hard disk with garbage," said Candid Wueest, security analyst and researcher at Symantec.

An alert from the telecoms authority earlier this month advised all parties to be vigilant for attacks from the Shamoon 2 variant of the virus that in 2012 crippled thousands of computers at Saudi Aramco.

Saudi Arabia Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT)’s Abdulrahman Al-Friah confirmed that at least 22 institutions were affected by the Shamoon virus as of this writing.

Sources: http://english.aawsat.com/2017/02/article55366680/saudi-cyber-security-official-shamoon2-virus-attacks-arent-yet

http://gulfnews.com/business/sectors/technology/destructive-computer-virus-shamoon-hits-saudi-arabia-for-third-time-1.1970590

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-arabia/expatriates-limbo-virus-cripples-network/

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China's plans to hire Filipino household workers to their five major cities including Beijing and Shanghai, was reported at a local newspaper Philippine Star. it could be a big break for the household workers who are trying their luck in finding greener pastures by working overseas China is offering up to P100,000 a month, or about HK$15,000. The existing minimum allowable wage for a foreign domestic helper in Hong Kong is around HK$4,310 per month. Dominador Say, undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), said that talks are underway with Chinese embassy officials on this possibility. China’s five major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen will soon be the haven for Filipino domestic workers who are seeking higher income. DOLE is expected to have further negotiations on the launch date with a delegation from China in September. according to Usec Say, Chinese employers favor Filipino domestic workers for their English proficiency, which allows them to teach their employers’ children. Chinese embassy officials also mentioned that improving ties with the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte has paved the way for the new policy to materialize. There is presently a strict work visa system for foreign workers who want to enter mainland China. But according Usec. Say, China is serious about the proposal. Philippine Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said an estimated 200,000 Filipino domestic helpers are presently working illegally in China. With a great demand for skilled domestic workers, Filipino OFWs would have an option to apply using legal processes on their desired higher salary for their sector. Source: ejinsight.com, PhilStar Read More: The effectivity of the Nationwide Smoking Ban or E.O. 26 (Providing for the Establishment of Smoke-free Environment in Public and Enclosed Places) started today, July 23, but only a few seems to be aware of it. President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Executive Order 26 with the citizens health in mind. Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the executive order is a milestone where the government prioritize public health protection. The smoking ban includes smoking in places such as schools, universities and colleges, playgrounds, restaurants and food preparation areas, basketball courts, stairwells, health centers, clinics, public and private hospitals, hotels, malls, elevators, taxis, buses, public utility jeepneys, ships, tricycles, trains, airplanes, and gas stations which are prone to combustion. The Department of Health urges all the establishments to post "no smoking" signs in compliance with the new executive order. They also appeal to the public to report any violation against the nationwide ban on smoking in public places. Read More: ©2017 THOUGHTSKOTO www.jbsolis.com SEARCH JBSOLIS, TYPE KEYWORDS and TITLE OF ARTICLE at the box below Smoking is only allowed in designated smoking areas to be provided by the owner of the establishment. Smoking in private vehicles parked in public areas is also prohibited. What Do You Need To know About The Nationwide Smoking Ban Violators will be fined P500 to P10,000, depending on their number of offenses, while owners of establishments caught violating the EO will face a fine of P5,000 or imprisonment of not more than 30 days. The Department of Health urges all the establishments to post "no smoking" signs in compliance with the new executive order. They also appeal to the public to report any violation against the nationwide ban on smoking in public places. ©2017 THOUGHTSKOTO

Dominador Say, undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), said that talks are underway with Chinese embassy officials on this possibility. China’s five major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen will soon be the destination for Filipino domestic workers who are seeking higher income.

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