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State lawyers will conduct a comprehensive inventory of assets belonging to shuttered Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) following the expiration of the ban on the industry at the end of 2024, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) announced recently. “The OSG’s massive post-POGO tasks will consist of cancelling all certificates of birth fraudulently acquired by aliens/foreign nationals and forfeiting …

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for signing the P6.32-trillion national budget as it assured responsible use of its allocation under the 2025 General Appropriations Act. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla acknowledged the DILG’s substantial budget of P279.1 billion, the fourth-largest allocation among government agencies. “As the Department with the …

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac assured last week that the Philippine government is committed to pursuing justice for the slain overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Kuwait. Cacdac said the case is under close monitoring, with Kuwaiti authorities having the prime suspect in custody. Legal support is being provided by a lawyer on the ground to ensure …

The government’s subsidy programs for private schools will prioritize the poorest learners in selecting beneficiaries for fiscal year 2025, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian announced on Thursday. The 2025 national budget includes Gatchalian’s proposed amendments to the special provisions on Government Assistance and Subsidies within the Department of Education’s (DepEd) budget. These amendments emphasize prioritizing learners from low-income households in the Senior …

In an age where information spreads at lightning speed, social media posts about a supposed new health crisis in China have sparked global attention and anxiety.  Claims of a surge in respiratory illnesses, including human metapneumovirus (HMPV), Influenza A, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Covid-19, have made their rounds online. Allegations that hospitals and crematoriums in China are overwhelmed and that a …

East Zone concessionaire Manila Water ends 2024 with notable completed projects, further improving the provision of water and wastewater services for its customers. These capital expenditure projects address critical infrastructure for water security, environmental sustainability, service enhancement and upgrading especially in geographically challenged areas in Rizal, and compliance with regulatory obligations. 2024 marked the start of operations of Phase 1 …

By Rose de la Cruz In the days leading to Christmas and New Year, I never saw, read or heard any prohibition against fireworks, which is why it did not surprise me that on New Year’s eve, I saw powerful and deafening fireworks being blasted in the air and land, which cause the poor air quality in Manila. It is …

By Rose de la Cruz With four days left before the year ends, the President is now hurdling the biggest challenge to his leadership– a flawed budget courtesy of the greedy members of the House of Representatives, which he must correct or face impeachment. At this juncture, it is anybody’s guess what motivated the members of HoR to cut the …

Senator Loren Legarda believes the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has enough resources to expand benefit packages and address gaps in public healthcare access despite the removal of the agency’s P74-billion government subsidy under the proposed 2025 national budget. Legarda made this assertion during a Senate hearing on December 18, as she urged PhilHealth to utilize its P150 billion surplus …

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) have solidified a partnership aimed at addressing critical urban traffic issues through the expanded use of GSIS properties.  The agreement was signed on December 18 by GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso and MMDA Chairman Romando Artes, with MMDA General Manager Procopio Lipana as witness. Key …