The government may experience a merry Christmas this year as it prepares to face the challenges of the coming year. Congress is eyeing the enactment of the ₱5.768-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or the proposed 2024 national budget before Christmas this year. “Our confidence is...
Few things are more important to Filipino families than education. The pursuit of a diploma carries such weight that parents go to great lengths to fund it, even pawning their properties or working abroad to meet the ever-increasing educational costs. In 2017, the Universal Access to Quality...
In a nation characterized by thousands of islands and extensive coastlines, the role of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is crucial for our national security. Mainly, it is tasked to safeguard our territorial waters and ensure the safety of our people as they navigate our seas. The...
This week is officially “Elderly Filipino Week,” a celebration backed up by two legislative acts: first, Republic Act (RA) 11350, also known as the “National Commission of Senior Citizen Act,” which mandates the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) to “ensure the full...
Last week, President Ferdinand R. Marcos ordered the release of ₱12.7 billion for 2.3 million rice farmers as emergency assistance. He also launched the administrative nationwide Zero Hunger campaign in Siargao, Surigao Norte. These twin moves signify the administration’s commitment to...
Our fruits are known the world over — we have the sweetest mangoes, the juiciest pineapples, and the plumpest pomelos. Now, we proudly add avocados to that list as an initial shipment of 3,040 boxes of fresh Hass avocados embarked on a journey from our shores to South Korea last Sept. 30,...
When “Bagong Pilipinas” was introduced, skepticism entered the minds of many. Would this be another fleeting branding exercise quickly forgotten in the whirlwind of news cycles? However, it appears that this time is different, with the nation's top leader anchoring his messages firmly on...
The title of this piece encapsulates the exact directive issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Sept. 12, 2023 to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) when he attended the presentation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 11953, known as the “New Agrarian...
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), composed of various nations, is currently having its 43rd summit in Jakarta, Indonesia. It opened on Sept. 5, 2023, with leaders wasting no time to address a host of issues and challenges faced by the region. During a plenary session, President...
One doesn’t need to be an expert in economics to recognize that there is absolutely no benefit when it comes to rice smuggling and hoarding. These twin “evils” not only disrupt the agricultural market but also inflict severe hardship on the majority, particularly our farmers and producers....
The scourge of cancer runs deep — it can shatter family ties, derail a promising career, and obliterate the dreams of individuals who now find themselves immersed in the relentless struggle for recovery. There’s always the feeling of an impending doom that cancer brings and this is something...
Securing a job is the aspiration of the majority following years of formal education. A stable job not only sustains one’s family but instills dignity and pride to the employed. In a general picture, a country where its citizens are mostly employed is one where economic growth and communal peace...