Bamboo textile innovation hub eyed in Ilocos Norte town

FIBER INNOVATION HUB. Personnel of the DOST-PTRI visit the municipality of Vintar in Ilocos Norte on Tuesday (April 16, 2024), presenting some finished products out of tropical fabric. To engage local communities in fiber processing, a Bamboo Textile Fiber Innovation Hub will be established in Vintar soon. (Photo courtesy of Vintar LGU) The Department of Science and…

Read More

PH generates P489-M sales leads from Berlin travel fair

The Philippines has generated P489.1 million in sales leads at the recently concluded Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) Berlin 2024.4.22 The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) said the Philippine booth at the fair secured  a total of 322 sales count after three days of business-to-business appointments with tourism players from various parts of Europe in the event, known as the world’s largest…

Read More

Indon volcano eruption cause extensive damage

JAKARTA — The Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB has reported at least 498 houses and three public facilities damaged by the eruption last March 18 of Mount Ruang in Sitaro Islands District, North Sulawesi. The head of BNPB’s Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari, said that in addition to 135 mildly damaged houses and 363 moderately to severely damaged houses, two churches and…

Read More

Pope Francis urges dialogues among Middle East leaders

VATICAN — Pope Francis has expressed concern over the conflict situation in the Middle East and called for dialogue and diplomacy among leaders in the region. During his traditional Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican, the pope said: “I continue to follow the situation in the Middle East with concern and sadness. I reiterate the plea not to yield to the claims of…

Read More

Parents urged to have kids vaccinated amidst pertusis outbreak

House of Representatives Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin has urged parents to have their children properly vaccinated as cases of pertussis in the country continue to increase. Garin, a former Health Secretary, made the call after the Department of Health logged 1,477 cases of pertussis with 63 deaths nationwide from January 1 to April 6 this year. She said “vaccine hesitancy” was the…

Read More

PH co-hosts Indo-Pacific business forum next month

The Philippines will co-host the 6th Indo-Pacific Business Forum (IPBF) with the United States next month. The forum is the US government’s premier commercial event in the region. In a document shared by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the IPBF on May 21 will gather some 500 participants composed of senior government officials, industry experts, and other stakeholders across the region. It…

Read More

BOI hits nearly 50% of 2023 pledges in Q1 of 2024

The Board of Investments (BOI) has registered P607.22 billion worth of investment projects from January to April 17 this year. BOI Director Sandra Marie Recolizado said the figure is almost half of the registered projects for the full year of 2023, valued at P1.26 trillion. She told media reporters  the approved investments during the past four months was 15% higher than the P527.24 billion posted during the…

Read More

PH first to sign rapid response to crisis pact with WB

DISASTER RESPONSE. World Bank Group managing director Anna Bjerde (left) and Finance Secretary Ralph Recto sign the Rapid Response Option agreement on April 20, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Philippines is the first country to sign the agreement with the World Bank. (Photo courtesy of DOF) MANILA – The Philippines recently signed the Rapid Response Option (RRO) agreement…

Read More

NEDA seeks higher budget for Innovation Fund for 2025

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon told media they hope to double their Innovation Fund to P200 million next year from their current P100 million outlay. Edillon shared the information with reporters on the sidelines of the 2024 National Innovation Day Celebration at the Novotel Manila Araneta City in Quezon City. She said that aside from…

Read More