Legazpi Savings Bank (LSB), a subsidiary of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), has opened three new branch-lite units in northern Luzon to make financial services more accessible to teachers. The new outlets are located in San Fernando, La Union; La Trinidad, Benguet; and Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. Together, these areas have more than 85,000 teaching and non-teaching personnel and …
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President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday visited the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC) and San Agustin Elementary School in San Fernando City, La Union, to extend financial and relief assistance. At ITRMC, the President checked on patients and assessed the implementation of the government’s zero balance billing policy, according to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro. He also …
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The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has released over ₱195.21 billion in benefit claims from January to August 2025, marking an 84.35 percent increase from the same period last year. Data showed private healthcare institutions received the biggest share at ₱114.63 billion, while government hospitals accounted for ₱80.58 billion. In 2024, PhilHealth disbursed a total of ₱105.89 billion for the …
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The World Health Organization (WHO) clarified last week that there is no conclusive scientific evidence linking the use of paracetamol during pregnancy to autism, dismissing a claim made by US President Donald Trump. In a statement, the UN health agency said nearly 62 million people worldwide—about one in 127—live with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a condition that affects brain development. …
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A bigger waistline is often blamed on weight gain or bloating, but health experts warn it may also point to a life-threatening condition called abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). In a recent public advisory, the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) said AAA occurs when the abdominal aorta—the body’s main artery in the abdomen—bulges or enlarges. If it ruptures, it can cause massive …
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The Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to integrate Comprehensive Gender and Health Education for Youth (CGHEY) into the education system of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) from 2025 to 2028. CGHEY will be mainstreamed across basic education, alternative learning systems, …
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The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine’s (RITM) Schistosomiasis National Reference Laboratory (SjNRL) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) joined forces to train DENR field personnel on schistosomiasis prevention and response. The training, held recently at the Watershed and Water Resources Research, Development and Extension Center (WWRRDEC) in Baguio City, gathered 23 …
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The Department of Agriculture (DA) has assured farmers and fishers reeling from the impact of Tropical Depression Mirasol, Super Typhoon Nando (international name: Ragasa), and Severe Tropical Storm Opong (international name: Bualoi) that more than ₱3 billion in assistance is ready to roll out. DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the agency has prepositioned interventions nationwide, including agricultural …
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Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) president Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso announced fresh investment plans for major transport projects and the redevelopment of the old Jai Alai property in Manila, shortly after his suspension was lifted by the Office of the Ombudsman. Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Veloso said the state pension fund is reviving the proposed intermodal transport …
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President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has appointed former Supreme Court spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka as executive director of the newly created Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). The Presidential Communications Office released Hosaka’s appointment paper on Wednesday, September 24, days after Marcos signed Executive Order No. 94 establishing the ICI. The ad hoc fact-finding body is tasked to investigate alleged corruption, …
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