News
UN: 2023 year of ‘enormous suffering, violence, and climate chaos’
WASHINGTON – The head of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres has voiced hope for 2024 on Thursday and urged unity among nations to rebuild trust. In a video message prepared for the new year, the UN chief said “2023 has been a year of enormous suffering, violence, and climate chaos. Humanity is in pain. Our planet is in peril. 2023 is the…
PhilHealth to adjust benefit package rates in 2024
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is set to adjust the rates of most of its benefit packages starting 2024, to enable its members to cope with the increasing cost of medical care, PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said in a recent statement. “We want our members to feel the value of their benefits…
Bicol’s ‘pasalubong’ packages
DARAGA, Albay – Returning home from your Bicol trip but still undecided what “pasalubong” to take with you to capture the unique flavors and culture of the region? Fret not! We have made the list and checked it twice to find out what’s novel and nice. Sorsogon’s pili skincare essentials If you want to get up close…
DTI: P22-B investment pledges from PBBM’s foreign trips now operational
The Department of Trade and Insustry (DTI) said some P22 billion worth of projects sealed during the foreign visits of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. this year are already operational. DTI Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said at the recent Bagong Pilipinas briefing the projects are part of the P4.019-trillion investment pledges bagged by the Chief Executive during his…
BOI to help in commercialization, promotion of local bio-fertilizer
The Board of Investments (BOI) has started collaborating with AgriSpecialist, Inc. (ASI) for the commercialization and promotion of locally-developed bio-fertilizer products. In a statement Friday, the BOI highlighted the BIO-N bio-fertilizer developed by the University of the Philippines Los Baños-National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, which is being produced by ASI in its facility…
DOH-7 reiterates call for fireworks zones amid rise in injuries
CEBU CITY – The Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH-7) on Thursday reiterated its call for all barangays in the region to establish a common area where the people can safely use firecrackers to avoid further increase in fireworks-related injuries. The advisory was issued after the health agency recorded an increase in the number of persons injured by firecrackers from…
LTFRB gives 3 scenarios for unconsolidated jeeps beyond Dec. 31
Jeepney operators and drivers who failed to join the government’s Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program would be allowed to operate beyond the Dec. 31 consolidation deadline but only in routes that have few consolidated units. Joel Bolano, chief of the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) technical division, said unconsolidated jeepneys in routes with…
Close to 1.5M arrivals recorded this month – BI
Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the total arrivals recorded at the country’s airports this December hit 1.48 million while departures were recorded at over 750,000. departures recorded. He added that they expect a rise in the daily departures to 40,000 a day after New Year. Tansingco noted that arrivals remain high after Christmas, as they have recorded as high as 57,000 arrivals in a day, while they…
DOH on ‘Code White’ alert until Jan. 4
MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) has raised the Code White alert for the entire health sector during the holiday celebrations until Jan. 4, 2024. The DOH’s Health Emergency Management Bureau raised the alert on Dec. 20 among its central and regional offices, public and private hospitals, and other health facilities. Based on DOH Administrative Order…
DA: 740-km improved irrigation canals to ease El Niño impact
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the about 740 kilometers of irrigation canals improved and upgraded recently will help ease the impact of El Niño on farmers in 2024. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. said DA targets to rehabilitate some 843 kilometers of irrigation canals to distribute water more effectively and efficiently to farmlands, even as 40 small-scale irrigation systems covering 1,477.5…