The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has given the green light for the inclusion of 10 Enlisted Men’s Barrios (EMBO) barangays in the two legislative and councilor districts of Taguig City. In a resolution issued on September 25, the Commission en banc approved recommendations from the Election Records and Statistics Department (ERSD) and the Office of the Deputy Executive Director for …

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is advocating for a reorganization of water management in the country through the establishment of a Department of Water Resources. “It’s a department because we aim to reorganize everything. Initially, we intended to overhaul the entire water management process in the Philippines. However, due to the pressing challenges posed by climate change, we must focus …

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) renewed its appeal recently for the immediate release of the MV Galaxy Leader crew, who have been held captive by the Houthi group since November 2023. The call coincided with the observance of the 2024 World Maritime Day, emphasizing the crucial role that Filipino seafarers play in promoting “global peace and prosperity.” “We take …

A police officer has implicated former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma in the 2020 assassination of board secretary and retired general Wesley Barayuga. During the seventh hearing of the House of Representatives Quad Committee on alleged extrajudicial killings under the Duterte administration, Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza of the Police Drug Enforcement Group revealed that he was contacted …

The recent completion of the Panguil Bay Bridge in Mindanao is a shining example of how infrastructure development can serve as a catalyst for economic growth in the Philippines. As the country’s longest sea-crossing bridge, it drastically reduces travel time between Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental, improving connectivity and opening new opportunities for trade, tourism, and investment in previously …

An official of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) quelled fears that the ban imposed by the European Union on imported agricultural products linked to forest degradation would affect the Philippines, saying the impact would be minimal. “Our internal consultations have shown that the potential impact on our exports is minimal,” said Director Sherylyn D. Aquia of the DTI- …

By Rose de la Cruz Imported frozen meats and fisheries products, just like rice, are being held in the country’s ports for reasons like incomplete documentation; 100 percent inspection for safety reasons, and the failure of importers to show appropriate import clearances for such items. For this the government– through the Bureaus of Customs, the Philippine Ports Authority, and regulatory …

With the population of farmers and fishermen having reach 50 to 60, pretty soon these noble livelihood would soon be gone. This is why the House of Representatives has approved, on third and final reading, House Bill 10840, and forwarded it to the Senate for deliberation and approval. The bill seeks to promote and harness the potential of young farming …

The Department of Agriculture is looking at additional funding from international development partners to address critical challenges in the agricultural sector and fill large gaps in farm infrastructure due to the lack of significant investments in the past three decades. Addressing the Manila Overseas Press Club, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the DA is cognizant of the …

With the lifting of the three-year ban on chicken imports from the United Kingdom by the Department of Agriculture (DA), that country hopes to regain its status as one of the top suppliers of chicken in the Philippine market.  UK chickens were found to be free from the highly pathogenic avian flu influenza. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. in …