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Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday urged the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to widen the list of value-added tax (VAT)-exempt medicines to help ease the financial strain on Filipino patients. “Walang Pilipino ang dapat mapagkaitan ng pagkakataong mapangalagaan ang kanilang kalusugan at makabili ng murang gamot (No Filipino should be denied the opportunity …

Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is championing a bill that seeks to grant senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs) the full 20% discount and 12% value-added tax (VAT) exemption even when availing of existing promotional offers from business establishments. In a statement on Friday, Romualdez said House Bill No. 16, or the “Act Enhancing the Discount on …

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has denied a petition filed by former President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense team seeking the disqualification of two judges from the case he is facing. In a ruling dated July 3, the ICC’s plenary of judges found no merit in the claims questioning the impartiality of Judges Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou and María del Socorro Flores …

Two former Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) employees were arrested in Las Piñas City for allegedly selling counterfeit money online, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG) reported on Friday. In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP ACG Director Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang identified the suspects as alias “Usa,” 18, from Cotabato City, and “Agila,” 30, from Zamboanga …

The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Thursday that chicken prices may soon decline following the lifting of the import ban on poultry products from Brazil and six U.S. states. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed Memorandum Orders No. 34 and 32, officially removing the temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, eggs, and …

China’s decision to bar former Philippine senator and current Deputy Majority Leader Francis Tolentino from entering all its territories is both revealing and troubling.  This move—reportedly in retaliation for his firm stance on Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea—exposes Beijing’s growing intolerance for lawful, diplomatic dissent. Tolentino has been among the most vocal defenders of Philippine maritime rights. He …

In what is fast becoming a recurring theme in the Philippine justice system, the case of the missing sabungeros—now four years old—has once again made headlines, this time reignited by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla’s bold insinuation that powerful personalities are involved in the apparent abductions. While this should have signaled a serious escalation in the investigation, it instead triggered …

15 scholars from Batch 23 of the Isuzu Heart and Smile Project (IHSP) graduated with the highest qualification — an NC IV Certificate  — from a rigorous two-year Automotive Servicing Course at the Isuzu-TESDA Auto Mechanic Training Center in Tacloban, Leyte. The educational aid project is a collaboration between Isuzu Motors Limited Japan (IML), the Technical Education and Skills Development …

By Tracy Cabrera Despite political tremors following the administration’s dismal performance in the 2025 midterm elections, Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is expected to retain the House Speakership, according to Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez. Gomez, a known ally of Romualdez, dismissed speculations of a leadership shake-up in the Lower House, saying the Speaker still enjoys solid …

Following the recent truce between Iran and Israel, which helped stabilize global oil prices, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. instructed government agencies last week to closely monitor and prevent unjustified increases in the prices of goods and services. From a high of USD79 per barrel during the peak of the conflict, international oil prices dropped to USD69 per barrel after …