The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Friday reported the seizure of counterfeit luxury brand items and smuggled ukay-ukay (used clothing) worth PHP2.3 billion in Valenzuela City. In a statement, Alvin Enciso, chief of Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS)-Manila International Container Port (MICP), said the inspection was conducted on July 2 after they received information about the presence of illegal goods in the warehouse in Barangay Maysan. Upon inspection, the composite team discovered the different fake branded bags, luggage, bearing brands such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Nike and bales of used clothing, face masks, and other imported items. MICP

Some 14 barangays affected by the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Negros Oriental will soon benefit from infrastructure projects and livelihood training under the Barangay Development Program (BDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Friday, Farah Gentuya, chief of the provincial office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), said the villages of Carol-an, Mabato, and Nabhang in Ayungon town; Nalundan, Atotes, Cabcaban, and Danao in Bindoy town; Banwague, Linantuyan, and Luz in Guihulngan City;

A meeting of the environment and energy ministers of the Group of 20 rich nations began Thursday in Naples hosted by Italy, the rotating president of the G20. The ministers, along with representatives of relevant organizations, met at the historic Royal Palace of Naples to hold discussions and seek solutions on the issues of biodiversity loss and pollution, degradation of agricultural land, desertification, and unsustainable use of water and other natural resources. Italy’s Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani welcomed the ministers. The summit is being held in unprecedented circumstances that require heartfelt, joint and urgent global action, he said in

A total of 53 members of the Ata Manobo tribe, including minors, have returned to their ancestral land in Talaingod, Davao del Norte after several years of exploitation living in the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Haran compound here. In a statement Friday, the Police Regional Office in Region 11 (PRO-11) said the indigenous peoples (IP), all residents of Sitio Dulian, were brought home by the Talaingod municipality’s bus, van, and dump truck on Wednesday. Members of PRO-11’s Revitalized-Pulis Sa Barangay (R-PSB) Nasilaban and the Talaingod Municipal Police Station escorted the returning IPs, led by Lorena Mandacawan,

The local stock barometer fell into correction territory on Friday, a day after posting gains, and the peso followed. The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) lost 0.85 percent, or 55.88 points, to 6,520.74 points. All Shares followed with a drop of 0.89 percent, or 36.43 points, to 4,038.51 points. Most of the sectoral indexes trailed, led by the Property index which declined by 2.07 percent. Financials slipped by 1.24 percent; Mining and Oil, 1.17 percent; Industrial, 1.01 percent; and Holding Firms, 0.51 percent. Only the Services index ended in positive territory after increasing by 0.08 percent. Volume totaled 2.22 billion

Strong winds and big waves due to the southwest monsoon and enhanced by typhoon Fabian forced 191 families living in coastal barangays in this city to temporarily evacuate on Friday, according to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) here. CDRRM officer Donna Magno, in an interview, said the families are currently staying in their barangay evacuation centers or houses of their relatives. Of the city’s 26 barangays, 10 have reported that they have families affected by the flooding. Most of the evacuees and those affected by flooding are from Barangays Boulevard, San Juan, Calumpang in Molo District;