Author: Jericho Zafra

MANILA, Philippines — The effects of Super Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon rains or “habagat” has left at least 4.73 billion worth of agricultural damage in the country, the Department of Agriculture said. In its final bulletin, the DA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DA-DRRM) Operations Center reported that about 137,999 farmers and fishers were impacted across the Cordillera, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western and Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, and Caraga regions. The most severe damage was reported as follows: The DA said that its regional field offices, along with local government units and…

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 23 Filipino seafarers in the Red Sea have been rescued from a drifting tanker after three missiles launched by Houthi rebels hit the ship on Wednesday, the Department of Migrant Workers said Thursday. “The ship sustained engine damage from three missile strikes, resulting in some water intake, but it did not sink. It is currently drifting,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said during a Palace briefing. Cacdac said that 23 of the 25 crew members of the MT Sounion are Filipinos, while the other two, including the captain, are Russians. The ship was hit…

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported a drop in both the value and volume of traded goods but noted that the National Capital Region (NCR) reported the highest value of traded commodities in all the regions in the country for the second quarter of the year. PSA data showed that in the second quarter of 2024, domestic trade was valued at P182.62 billion, which is 14.9 percent less than the P214.72 billion recorded in the same quarter of 2023. Domestic trade value is the total worth of goods moved from one region or province to another. It…

MANILA, Philippines — Even though over a thousand overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Lebanon have applied for repatriation, only 45 of them were ready to be repatriated, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Wednesday. Over the weekend, a group of 15 Filipinos arrived in the Philippines from Lebanon following the tension between Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Israeli defense forces. Recent reports indicate that the situation is tense and could potentially escalate. “Around a thousand had applied but 45 said they [were] ready to go home. We continue to monitor the situation. There are crisis plans that are in place and…

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from filing a diplomatic protest against China, the Philippines should also demand compensation after it rammed two Philippine-flagged vessels in Sabina Shoal, Sen. Francis Tolentino said Wednesday. What happened in the maritime region was “unacceptable”, said Tolentino, and that the Department of Foreign Affairs should lodge a diplomatic protest over the incident. “The Philippines should also file a claim for damages,”Tolentino said in a TeleRadyo interview. “Under Part 15 of UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), the owner of the ship, whether state-owned or private, can be held accountable for what happened,” …

MANILA, Philippines — Beginning August 31, motorists passing through expressways without a radio frequency identification (RFID) or with an RFID but without enough load to pass through the expressways will be penalized. In a statement, the announcement follows Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-001, which was signed by the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, and Toll Regulatory Board on August 1. However, it was only shared with the press on August 21. The memo said that drivers need to get an electronic toll device, such as an RFID tag, attach it to their vehicles, and make sure their accounts have…

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe hit the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) after it issued a memorandum that will penalize motorists for entering the expressways without a radio frequency identification (RFID) or a sufficient load balance. “The regulator and the private entities running it must fix the current RFID woes and prove the technology of cashless payment will give our motorists better travel experience than inconvenience,” Poe told reporters in a statement. On Wednesday, the TRB along with the Department of Transportation and Land Transportation Office issued a joint memorandum circular punishing motorists who would enter the expressways without an…

MANILA, Philippines — The government has allotted an additional PP3.681 billion to the Department of Information and Communications Technology to continue the implementation of the “Free Public Internet Access Program in the country, the Budget department said. The fund is estimated to sustain a total of 13,462 access point sites within the country. “As mandated by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., we will ensure that every citizen, saan mang sulok ng Pilipinas, makikinabang sa ating (wherever they are in the Philippines, will benefit from our) digital transformation initiatives,” Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said. As part of the FPIAP, efforts are…

MANILA, Philippines — At least 3.5 million students at all levels are currently affected by the continuous volcanic smog emissions of Taal Volcano, the Department of Education said. Since August 19, several institutions surrounding the area have either canceled classes or suspended their in-person sessions due to the risk of inhaling volcanic smog or “vog” from Taal Volcano. In its recent bulletin, DepEd said that the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) region recorded the most affected learners, with a total of 2,850,095 students impacted. This was followed by 730,336 in the National Capital Region (NCR) and 5,992 in MIMAROPA…

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos has called on her fellow senators to ratify a treaty between the Philippines and Canada that would allow Filipino prisoners in Canada to serve their sentences in the Philippines. The “Treaty Between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of Canada on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons and on Cooperation in the Enforcement of Penal Sentences” was signed on May 22, 2003, and approved by President Marcos Jr. on January 24, 2023. The treaty outlines the conditions and process for transferring a person sentenced in one country to their home…