Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan voiced out his support for the creation of an independent commission to investigate alleged anomalous flood control projects worth trillions of pesos. In an interview with Bombo Radyo Baguio on Thursday, Aug. 28, Pangilinan emphasized the importance of...
Senator Bam Aquino is calling for a review of the proposed ₱243-billion flood control budget for 2026, saying funds allocated for unnecessary projects should be redirected to more urgent priorities such as education and healthcare. “If we really concentrate and put the money where the...
Senator Erwin Tulfo suggested that the Philippines should revisit its adherence to the One-China Policy in light of China’s continued aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). “I think it’s high time that we [re]think our position if we must continue to observe this One-China Policy...
The Department of Energy (DOE) is delaying the country’s first-ever renewable energy auction dedicated to offshore wind to the fourth quarter, as the agency works to address stakeholders’ concerns on a new provision embodied in the proposed terms of reference (TOR). From the previously slated...
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has ordered the country’s leading e-commerce platforms to remove unauthorized listings of Beep cards, warning that failure to cooperate would result in legal action from the government. In a letter made public on Wednesday, August 27, Transportation...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is looking to overhaul the country’s rice importation rules by introducing a requirement for importers to take part in maintaining the country’s rice buffer stocks as part of a cost-cutting effort. In a statement on Tuesday, Aug. 26, the DA recalled that...
The Philippines’ rice output, which soared to a record high in the first half, may not be enough to meet the anticipated demand during the 60-day import ban set to begin next week, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In a report, the USDA said the country imported...
The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) welcomed the enactment of the Konektadong Pinoy (KP) Act, which it said aims to bridge the digital divide and accelerate the country’s digital transformation, in line with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023–2028. In a...
The proposed “Three-Year College Education (3CE) Act” is a well-intentioned attempt to fix the mismatch between what the Philippine educational system produces and the actual needs of the job market. This gap is especially obvious in sectors that need technically skilled workers, such as...
The telecommunications industry is urging the government to ensure strong safeguards for consumers under the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to be crafted for the Konektadong Pinoy Act, which recently lapsed into law. The bill, also known as the Open Access in Data Transmission Act,...
State-run think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) has recommended the inclusion of stricter safeguards for public-private partnership (PPP) projects under a Senate bill (SB) seeking to accelerate classroom construction nationwide. In an Aug. 18 comment on SB No. 121, or the...
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)+3 policymakers, including the Philippines, are urged to balance near-term spending with long-term fiscal discipline as shrinking fiscal space and rising debt costs stress the need for consolidation to meet climate- and aging-related demands, according...