With a flurry of initiatives lined up for next year, the Department of Agriculture (DA) shall seek exemptions from the forthcoming election ban on public spending to ensure that projects won't stop nor delay implementation. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. told Manila Bulletin on...
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has adopted the 2024-2028 National Ecotourism Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) in a bid to position the Philippines as a leading tourism destination in Asia in the coming years. Speaking at the Tourism Stakeholders' Summit in Pasay City on Dec. 16, DOT Secretary...
After divesting its stake in Petron Corporation in 2008, trillion-dollar energy giant Saudi Aramco is reportedly plotting a re-entry into the Philippine energy sector. According to a highly placed source, this will be through a prospective merger and acquisition (M&A) deal with one of the...
President Marcos made an assurance that they are working to restore the P10-billion cut in the proposed budget for the Department of Education (DepEd). President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (MANILA BULLETIN | Mark Balmores) Marcos also tagged the budget cut as contradictory to the policy...
First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, together with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, DSWD Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay, and DSWD Undersecretary for Operations Pinky Romualdez, served nutritious, specially prepared meals to families, children, and...
The Department of Finance (DOF) is upbeat on its expectation that the government’s total revenue collection for 2024 will reach P4.42 trillion by the end of the year, exceeding the full-year target of P4.27 trillion. In a Dec. 16 statement, the DOF stated its anticipation that emerging...
The Department of Energy (DOE) is firming up a policy that will reduce the performance bond requirement for offshore wind projects to a leaner five percent, a departure from the typical 20 percent required in green energy auctions (GEA) for other renewable energy (RE) technologies. At a year-end...
The Department of Energy’s (DOE) announcement of a dedicated green energy auction (GEA) for offshore wind projects next year has serious industry players excitedly charging ahead like surfers eyeing that perfect swell into the deep sea—but are we ready to catch the big wave on these uncharted...
Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara expressed disappointment after Congress cut ₱10 billion from President Marcos’ proposed budget for the department, particularly the funds allocated for computerization projects in 2025. Angara said the reduction comes despite the...
Navotas lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco Navotas lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco lauded the Department of Agriculture (DA) for its timely move of expanding its Rice for All program during the holiday season. Tiangco said this will allow more...
Although the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) was "taught a lesson" with its zero-subsidy budget, Senator Pia Cayetano expressed her belief that that the action still violated the law. (Photo from the Office of Senator Pia Cayetano) "So siguro naturuan nga ng leksyon (So perhaps we...
AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee (Rep. Lee's Facebook page) AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee is up in arms over the removal of government subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in the P6.352-trillion 2025...
