March, 2025

• 17 March

  Phl condemns North Korea’s missile launches

  

  North Korea’s recent ballistic missile tests, citing concerns over regional peace and stability. In a statement on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) emphasized that such actions threaten economic progress and security in the Korean Peninsula and the broader Indo-Pacific region. North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles into the sea on Monday, following its denunciation of ongoing joint military …

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• 17 March

  Phl, Canada strengthen cybersecurity ties

  

  The Department of National Defense (DND) announced on Friday that the Philippines and Canada have agreed to strengthen cybersecurity cooperation. This development follows a meeting between DND officials, led by Senior Undersecretary Irineo Espino, and Canada’s Cyber Envoy, Sami Khoury of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), on Thursday.  Discussions focused on expanding collaboration in cybersecurity, exchanging best practices in policy …

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• 17 March

  Expanded tertiary education law signed

  

  President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act 12124, allowing working professionals with at least five years of experience to earn college degrees without traditional schooling. Under the newly enacted Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP), qualified individuals can obtain academic degrees based on an assessment of their skills, knowledge, and competencies. The Commission on Higher Education …

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• 17 March

  Demonizing the ICC

  

  By Tracy Cabrera The arrest of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (FPRRD) has sparked mixed reactions, but a slight majority of Filipinos agree with Vice President ‘Inday’ Sara Duterte-Carpio, who condemned her father’s arrest as a “blatant affront to our sovereignty.” According to Duterte’s eldest daughter, “our own government has surrendered a Filipino citizen—even a former President at that—to foreign …

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• 17 March

  NBI to go after fake news purveyors

  

  The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced on Thursday its plans to take action against online sources of fake news and disinformation, including those operating outside the Philippines. Speaking at the “Meet the Manila Press” news forum, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the bureau’s cybercrime and technical intelligence unit is set to hold a meeting to outline the government’s strategy …

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• 17 March

  Market Stability

  

  The recent decline in the Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) following news of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s possible arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) has reignited concerns about political instability affecting investor confidence. However, analysts suggest that while short-term market jitters are expected, the broader economic outlook remains driven by external factors such as global trade policies and interest …

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• 17 March

  Low yield, dropping global rice prices led to low palay buying prices

  

  BEYOND ELLIPTICALBy Rose Marie de la Cruz Farmgate prices for palay– which is now beginning harvest– have been dropping to as low as P14 per kilogram (even lower than the historical average of P16 per kg). Industry sources blamed the declining farmgate prices to low price of imports and low productivity of our farmers (amid high cost of production inputs  …

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• 17 March

  Review sought for Rice Tariffication Law

  

  A review of the Rice Tariffication Law to determine if it had complied with its commitment to keep prices of rice at affordable levels and help rice farmers through various initiatives is needed. Comebacking Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. (Ifugao) said the RTL was supposed to prop up the country’s rice sector through collection of tariffs from imports. The RTL, passed …

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• 17 March

  After SRP for rice, now pork

  

  After setting a P58 per kg suggested retail price (SRP) for rice last January 20, the Department of Agriculture is setting a P380 per kg SRP for liempo (belly) and P350 per kg for kasim (shoulder) and pigue (hind legs) beginning March 10. The SRP would be adopted in markets of the National Capital Region to ease the financial strain …

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• 17 March

  Chicken prices seen rising

  

  With the ban on March 4 on importation of domestic and wild birds, poultry products from Indiana, New York and Pennsylvania because of bird flu outbreaks in these states, the Department of Agriculture expects local  chicken prices to soar. In a press release, the DA said the temporary ban, contained in Memorandum Order 14, aims to  protect the health of …

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