Government agencies accelerated their spending efficiency in the first two months of the year, burning through cash allocations at a faster clip than in 2025 despite slight contraction in total fund releases. Data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), published on Monday, April 6,...
For a lot of Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) teachers, returning home is not just about finding a job; it is about coming to terms with the sacrifices they made while working abroad. Teacher I Aylene Lara knows this all too well. "I didn’t want to work abroad for a very long time because it’s...
Rising input costs driven by the conflict in the Middle East may impact the United States’ (US) dominance in shipments of major agricultural products to the Philippines, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). In a report, the USDA identified surging input costs, on the back of...
The World Bank approved another $600-million loan for the Philippines last Good Friday, April 3—this time to fund efforts to improve the country’s education system. In a statement published on Monday, April 6, the Washington-based multilateral lender said over 21 million K-10 students and...
Business names registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) rose by seven percent in the first quarter to more than 460,000 compared with the previous year, as higher fuel prices failed to slow the country’s surging entrepreneurial activity. Data from the DTI showed that business...
As motorists drive back to Metro Manila on Monday, March 6, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon is doing away with short-term patchwork repairs to address recurring complaints over roads that deteriorate shortly after repairs. Dizon said this in a radio interview...
On the heels of a record-high performance in 2025, the country’s merchandise exports may post flat growth this year as the ongoing war in the Middle East drives up fuel costs and disrupts supply chains, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). “To be honest, it 's hard to...
The Philippines is poised to increase its corn imports to nearly two million metric tons this marketing year as recovering livestock sector and expanding industrial demand outpace local harvests, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. In a report published last week, the USDA...
Iran is not imposing any "toll fees" on Philippine-flagged oil vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz following Tehran 's assurance of their unhampered passage. "On question regarding the reported toll fee, there is no toll fee," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said after...
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. sought to ease concerns over a potential fertilizer shortage as escalating Middle East tensions threaten global trade routes, asserting that the Philippines maintains sufficient domestic stockpiles and alternative sources to mitigate price volatility....
The Philippines has asked Iran to be designated as a “non-hostile” country in the Strait of Hormuz as the government is struggling to meet its oil needs due to the waterway’s partial closure. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro on Wednesday, April 1, sat down...
Due to an urgent need to stabilize the country’s oil supply and curb escalating fuel prices, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is bypassing standard procedures, directing all district collectors to fast-track processes related to the state’s emergency importations. This follows the emergency mandate...
