Public Works Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon on Friday announced new budget guidelines for project consultancy contracts of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), starting with a policy that sets stricter limits on proposed budgets for consultants. Under Department Order No. 184, released last week, the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) will now strictly serve as the ceiling …
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Amid controversies over alleged insertions in the national budget, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has thrown its support behind a multisectoral initiative to put the government’s budget on the blockchain. Information Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda said the DICT is backing the project being developed with New York-based blockchain firm Polygon Labs and local tech partner Bayani Chain. …
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The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has rolled out sweeping reforms to speed up the resolution of regulatory cases and strengthen consumer protection while supporting the growth of the country’s energy sector. ERC chairperson Atty. Francis Saturnino Juan, who was recently appointed to head the agency, said the new measures are designed to build confidence among stakeholders through fairness, transparency, and …
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The Philippines has signed a landmark agreement with South Korea to strengthen air quality monitoring and safeguard public health, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced Friday. DENR Assistant Secretary and Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Director Jacqueline Caancan and Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health Professor Kiyoung Lee formalized the partnership under the Clean Air for …
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Authorities arrested a woman in Manila on Thursday for allegedly selling ₱15.5 million worth of relief goods from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) spokesperson Maj. Helen dela Cruz identified the suspect only as alias “Janice,” who was caught selling 6,000 “DSWD Family Kits” inside a warehouse in Barangay 56, Tondo. Each …
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The House of Representatives on Friday adopted a resolution expressing compassion and solidarity with the victims of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu and nearby provinces on September 30. House Resolution (HR) 325, introduced by Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan, supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call for …
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The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will reshuffle chiefs of its district offices nationwide to address underperformance, particularly in the distribution of vehicle plates and the apprehension of unregistered units. LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said Friday that a memorandum has been issued directing all regional directors to recommend district-level reorganizations in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call …
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The National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC) has granted a one-month moratorium on the amortization of housing loans for borrowers affected by recent typhoons and the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Central Visayas. In a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview Friday, NHMFC officer in charge of the Securitized Accounts Division Shara Jane Falceso said the relief measure follows the directive of President …
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Quezon City will receive a USD300,000 grant after being named one of six global grantees of the 2025 Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees, the city government announced Friday. The program, spearheaded by the Mayors Migration Council (MMC), supports bold, city-led initiatives that advance economic inclusion for migrants, refugees, and host communities. Mayor Joy Belmonte said the funding will …
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Losses from recent weather disturbances have exceeded ₱3 billion, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Friday. In its latest situational update, the agency said agricultural damage reached ₱2.31 billion across Regions 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), Calabarzon, Mimaropa, 5 (Bicol), 6 (Western Visayas), Negros Island Region and 12 (Soccsksargen). Infrastructure damage was pegged …
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