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Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. has urged lawmakers to amend the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), warning that the measure in its current form has failed to protect local farmers and left the rice industry vulnerable to volatile global markets. In a presentation before the House Committee on Agriculture and Food, chaired by Quezon Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, Tiu-Laurel described the …

The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) have formally launched a nationwide program granting 50-percent fare discounts for students using the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) systems. In a statement last week, the DepEd said the initiative will run until 2028, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to help …

The ongoing crackdown on anomalous flood control projects (FCPs) has struck a national nerve, reaching a dramatic crescendo as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the filing of graft charges against a contractor tied to a so-called “ghost” project in Bulacan. The President’s move came after personally inspecting another incomplete flood mitigation structure built with substandard materials—an ominous signal of how …

PhP5M for full-length, PhP200K for student short films It’s all systems go for Puregold CinePanalo 2026, which is offering hefty production grants—the largest ever in Philippine film festival history—to this year’s participants, both professional and student filmmakers. With PhP5 million to be awarded to seven full-length film directors and PhP200,000 to 27 student filmmakers, Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, Puregold CinePanalo chair and …

By Tracy Cabrera President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s campaign against corruption is gaining momentum, with several civic groups throwing their full support behind his efforts to hold erring officials and contractors accountable. The Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement rallied …

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian warmly received the Board of Trustees of the Association of Philippine Journalists – Samahang Plaridel Foundation, Inc. (Samahang Plaridel), led by association president Evelyn Quiroz, during today’s (August 18, 2025) courtesy visit at the DSWD Central Office. In his short message, Secretary Gatchalian expressed hope that media groups such as …

Lawmakers from the House of Representatives’ Young Guns bloc on Friday threw their full support behind the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) move to suspend in-app gambling access in mobile payment platforms, calling it a crucial step to protect Filipinos from addiction and financial ruin. In a joint statement, the group said BSP’s decisive action tackles the surge in online …

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Wednesday formally received the proposed P6.793-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) from Budget and Management Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, marking the start of the Senate’s in-depth review of next year’s spending plan. The 2026 budget proposal prioritizes quality and accessible education, stronger healthcare systems, wider social protection for vulnerable sectors, and a secure food supply …

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. continues to back Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan despite corruption allegations tied to the agency’s multi-billion-peso flood control projects, Malacañang confirmed Wednesday. Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President’s trust in Bonoan “remains,” even as the Palace orders an extensive probe into the projects. She stressed that the DPWH will not handle the investigation …

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. blasted Saint Timothy Construction Corporation on Friday over its alleged failed flood control project in Calumpit, Bulacan, demanding the contractor explain its work. During an on-site inspection of the Rehabilitation of the River Protection Structure, Marcos learned that Bulacan has the most flood control projects in the country—668 contracts—awarded to the Pasig-based company owned by …