The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

Government employees burdened by high-interest loans can now look forward to financial relief through the enhanced Ginhawa Max Loan Buyout program of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso announced that the upgraded initiative offers a lifeline to qualified borrowers by completely buying out their existing loans from predatory lenders and replacing …

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has partnered with private logistics companies to deliver nearly 3,000 abandoned balikbayan boxes to the families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) across the country. BOC Assistant Commissioner and spokesperson Vincent Philip Maronilla announced on Friday that the agency has coordinated with the Door-to-Door Consolidators Association of the Philippines (DDCAP) to ensure that the packages, turned …

Malacañang has officially received the Judicial and Bar Council’s (JBC) shortlist of candidates for the Supreme Court (SC) post that will soon be vacated by Associate Justice Mario Lopez, who is set to retire on June 4 upon reaching the mandatory age of 70. The list represents President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s first opportunity to appoint a justice to the …

A Romanian male passenger was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 after authorities discovered he was carrying 50 rounds of ammunition in his luggage, the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) disclosed on Friday. The incident took place on May 27, when OTS personnel flagged the suspicious item during routine baggage screening. X-ray operator Marile Banola and baggage …

The National Food Authority (NFA) has received a rare commendation from the Commission on Audit (COA) for effectively maintaining a “near-optimal” national rice buffer stock, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Friday. In its latest Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM), COA praised the NFA’s improved inventory management practices, highlighting the agency’s success in achieving the mandated 300,000 metric tons (MT) …

Following reports of six suspected Glanders cases in Siquijor, the Department of Agriculture-Negros Island Region (DA-NIR) on Friday assured the public that there is currently no cause for alarm regarding the possible spread of the disease to nearby provinces or regions. DA-NIR Director Jose Albert Barrogo confirmed that while the presence of the bacterial infection was reported by local authorities, …

The deportation of former Negros Oriental Representative Arnulfo Teves, Jr. to the Philippines marks a crucial step in the pursuit of justice and the reaffirmation of the rule of law. Contrary to speculations and the claims of his camp, Teves was not abducted—his return was a lawful consequence of his fugitive status and the Philippine government’s consistent diplomatic efforts to …

BEYOND ELLIPTICAL By Rose Marie de la Cruz I completely agree with the Federation of Free Farmers in calling for a leadership change at the Departments of Agriculture, Agrarian Reform and Labor and Employment. Clearly, these agencies have fallen short of their targets and commitments. In a statement, the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) called on President Marcos Jr. to …

The Makati Business Club urged the government to invest more in farm infrastructure like irrigation, drying and storage facilities than subsidizing rice, which would bring down rice prices to P20 per kilogram. Infrastructure investment is more sustainable and efficient than subsidizing rice prices, MBC Chairman Edgar O. Chua told reporters emphasizing that the key is to reduce farmer reliance on …

Anid farmers’ displeasure over his lackluster performance, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. makes a last-ditch effort to be remembered and hopefully retained at DA during the ongoing Cabinet recalibration.  He is strongly pushing for a palay floor price to ensure that farmers aren’t always on the losing end. In a press release Monday, DA said Laurel hopes to release …