March, 2026

• 9 March

  Lack of credible evacuation plan amidst Mideast war

  

  As headlines swirl around the ICC trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, and the dragging investigations into flood control anomalies, a far more urgent concern looms over the Filipino public. The raging conflict in the Middle East has placed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at a defining crossroads. At stake are not only diplomatic balancing acts, but the safety of …

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• 8 March

  BACK TO BASICS

  Laws  have categories and a hierarcy. Divine, natural or moral law has pre-eminence among God-fearing humans if they wish to be humane.  Downstream,  we have Civil Law  for citizens for civic life, Military Laws for men of arms, and during the pre-Modern times, there was priority to Canon Law when men of the cloth lorded it over during the age …

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• 8 March

  Rhetoric instead of genuine preparedness

  We are told the Philippines has ample petroleum reserves to weather a protracted war in the Middle East. Not true. We are assured that emergency rescue mechanisms are firmly in place for Filipinos seeking to flee a widening conflict. Not true. We are promised that suspending the fuel excise tax will stabilize pump prices. Not true. These declarations may calm …

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• 8 March

  Why Not Forever Peace?

  REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro In my recent interview with Herman Tiu Laurel—better known as Ka Mentong—on Walang Atrasan over DWAR Abante Radyo, the veteran broadcaster and geopolitical analyst offered a sobering view of the Philippines’ place in today’s turbulent world. His insights cut to the heart of our national dilemma: are we destined to be a pawn in “forever wars,” or can we chart a …

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• 8 March

  Standing Shoulder to Shoulder: A Partnership Forged in History

  LOVE FOR ALL​By: Virginia Rodriguez Seventy-seven years ago, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea established diplomatic relations rooted in shared ideals and sacrifice. That bond was not merely symbolic; it was tested in the fires of the Korean War, when Filipino soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder with Koreans in defense of freedom. Today, that same spirit of solidarity continues …

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• 8 March

  BPI honored ‘OFW Bank of the Year’ in the UAE

  

  The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) was recently recognized as the “OFW Bank of the Year” at the Gintong Ani Awards in Dubai, reaffirming its position as the most trusted partner of Filipinos in the UAE. The award highlights BPI’s strong commitment to overseas Filipinos and their families, offering reliable and accessible banking solutions that support their financial needs. …

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• 8 March

  Agriculture’s dismal performance to worsen

  

  BEYOND ELLIPTICALBy Rose Marie de la Cruz WITH THE worsening geopolitical tensions in the Middle East affecting the global supply chain and leading to rising oil prices and its byproducts– fertilizers and pesticides– the already dismal performance of agriculture is expected to worsen further. Philippine agriculture has been suffering, but the government planners desperately try to hide the structural causes …

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• 8 March

  DA halts fertilizer delivery in Mindoro for expired FPA registration

  

  THE Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority, an agency under the Department of Agriculture, has stopped the delivery of 11,000 bags of fertilizers for Oriental and Occidental Mindoro provinces after discovering violations of FPA regulations that could trigger sanctions and possible blacklisting for Agri-Victorious Trading Corp. based in Cagayan. The company secured a contract to supply fertilizer under the DA’s program in …

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• 8 March

  Five-minute  xray of imports still risky for pork producers

  

  THE GOVERNMENT’S proposed five-minute X-ray inspection of imported agricultural containers in the first border facilities does not sit well with local pork producers as this might cause the entry of transboundary diseases. The Xray inspections are supposed to begin in 2027. Vice chairman Alfred Ng of the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NatFed) said the Philippine Council for Agriculture …

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• 8 March

  Limited pork imports to support pig stock recovery

  

  LIMITED pork importation will be crucial in helping the swine herd recover, as the Department of Agriculture (DA) ramps up hog repopulation efforts. “We will increase our production definitely because the government has a repopulation fund. But if excessive imports remain, farmers will lose because they (will have to sell) below production cost,” Alfred Ng, vice chairman of the National …

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