The booming illicit tobacco market is taking a heavy toll not only on government coffers but also on thousands of Filipino tobacco farmers who depend on legitimate businesses for their livelihood, industry experts warned. Recent studies cited by the European Union-Association of Southeast Asian Nations Business Council (EU-ABC) and Euromonitor International showed that the Philippine government lost an estimated US$2.5 …
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Malacañang has called for a thorough investigation into the deaths of two Ateneo de Manila University basketball players during a team-building activity in Aurora, saying authorities must determine exactly what went wrong. Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro conveyed the government’s condolences to the families of the victims while stressing the need for a …
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The number of families affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao on June 8 has climbed to more than 86,000, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). In its latest situational update released Friday, the agency said 86,135 families—or about 392,806 individuals—across 352 barangays in Regions 9, 11, 12, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region …
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The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Friday called for a nationwide, coordinated effort to conserve water as government forecasters warn of developing El Niño conditions that could lead to a prolonged dry spell. Officials said the appeal is aimed at safeguarding supplies for drinking, hospitals, and essential services while utilities move to repair infrastructure and address water …
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The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) has issued special commemorative stamps and an official first day cover to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, highlighting a key milestone in the country’s judicial history. In a statement released Thursday, PHLPost said the commemorative stamps feature a design created by its in-house artist Jose Antonio Jayme, based on …
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The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has filed a series of criminal complaints before the Department of Justice (DOJ), including a high-profile tax evasion case against Alice Leal Guo involving alleged liabilities exceeding ₱1.008 billion. In a statement, the BIR said the Guo case is the largest among five new criminal tax cases recently filed, with total estimated deficiencies across …
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The Senate has assured the public that no confidential or sensitive data appears to have been compromised following a cyberattack that defaced its official website on Thursday. In a statement, the Senate’s Electronic Data Processing and Management Information System (EDP-MIS) confirmed that the incident involved the unauthorized alteration of the website’s content, commonly known as website defacement. Officials said the …
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The Philippines posted its highest-ever agricultural export value in April, reaching $1.029 billion as government efforts to expand global market access continued to gain traction, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The figure marks a 33.2 percent jump from the $772.68 million recorded in April 2025, driven largely by stronger overseas demand for …
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More than 2.6 million students have benefited from the government’s Free Higher Education Program in the first semester of Academic Year 2025–2026, as the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) reported significant gains across access, scholarships, research, workforce development, and digital transformation under its reform agenda. CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis, in her State of Higher Education Address during the agency’s 32nd …
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The devastating earthquake that struck General Santos and neighboring communities has exposed a painful reality that Filipinos know all too well: natural disasters may destroy homes and livelihoods, but political instability often worsens the suffering long after the ground stops shaking. Major business organizations have recently voiced concern over the continuing power struggle in the Senate, warning that uncertainty in …
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The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business