Successive storms and heavy rains have disrupted farms and fishing grounds, driving up the prices of vegetables and fish and pushing overall inflation higher in August, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Friday. Inflation quickened to 1.5% in August from 0.9% in July, with food inflation recorded at 0.6%, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel …

The Sandiganbayan has dismissed graft and malversation charges against a non-government organization (NGO) official implicated in the alleged misuse of a former lawmaker’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) more than a decade ago. In a 22-page decision promulgated on Sept. 2, the anti-graft court’s First Division acquitted Marilou Ferrer, corporate secretary of the Kabuhayan at Kalusugan Alay sa Masa Foundation, …

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has dismissed Henry Alcantara, former head of the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office, after finding him guilty of involvement in anomalous flood control projects in the province. In a statement Friday, DPWH Secretary Vivencio Dizon said Alcantara was held liable for disloyalty to the Republic and the Filipino people, grave misconduct, gross …

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday declared that Siquijor’s power supply is now sufficient, less than two months after he vowed in his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) to resolve the island’s chronic power shortage. Marcos led the ceremonial switch-on of the 17.8-megawatt Siquijor Power Plants at the Province of Siquijor Electric Cooperative (PROSIELCO) facility in Larena …

Senator Risa Hontiveros marked National Teachers’ Month by renewing her call for a P15,000 across-the-board monthly salary increase for public school teachers and personnel, along with expanded health benefits and protection of their pension contributions. She is championing two measures in the Senate: the Dagdag Sahod for Public Basic Education Teachers and Employees Act (Senate Bill 211), which mandates the …

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Friday said the strong statement issued by the business community and civil society calling for an end to corruption in government reflects the same principles of transparency, accountability, and integrity that the House of Representatives has committed to uphold. “Let me be clear: the House of the People will never condone corruption, whether in …

The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) has suspended the acceptance of all mail and parcels bound for the United States starting Aug. 28, until further notice. The move comes after the US suspended its duty-free de minimis exemption and enforced new customs requirements, prompting PHLPost to temporarily stop services to avoid inconvenience to customers. In an advisory issued Sept. 2, PHLPost …

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Friday underscored the Department of National Defense’s (DND) firm commitment to safeguarding Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). “As we observe this year’s MANA Mo, the DND stands with our people in protecting our patrimony. In the face of attempts to undermine our sovereignty and territorial integrity, especially in the WPS, we …

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s approval of Republic Act (RA) 12252, extending the maximum lease period of private lands to foreign investors up to 99 years, deserves careful scrutiny beyond the applause for its investment potential. While the law seeks to make the Philippines more attractive to long-term capital, it also walks a fine line between opportunity and compromise.  For …

Motorists should brace for another round of pump price hikes this week, with increases projected at ₱1 to ₱1.50 per liter due to global supply concerns. Jetti Petroleum president Leo Bellas said diesel is expected to go up by ₱1.30 to ₱1.50 per liter, while gasoline may climb between ₱1 and ₱1.20, based on the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS) …