The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has re-intensified its isolation facilities in preparation for the Covid-19 surge as the Department of Health (DOH) recorded more than 8,000 new cases last August 10. PRC had previously turned unused classrooms at Ateneo, UP, Benilde, and Makati Science High school into isolation facilities in response to the Covid-19 surge that happened last April 2021. “Kailangan nating umaksyon agad. Mas maraming mahahawa kung hindi tayo kikilos. Agaran natin ipinatayo ang isolation facilities noong Abril upang maiwasan ng asymptomatic spreaders ang makapanghawa sa kanilang mga pamilya (We need to act fast. There would be more infections

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has adjusted the country’s agricultural growth target this year to 2 percent from the earlier announced 2.5 percent. “Before, our projection is 2.5 percent, but with the continuing two pandemics affecting the country — Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) and African swine fever (ASF)– we have set it to 2 percent growth target this year,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said during the virtual forum of the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) on Wednesday. Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed that the contraction of Philippine agriculture this second quarter of 2021 is only .1 percent.

A financial institution executive has cited the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) bid to address payments system interoperability, a major challenge among businesses in the Philippines, through its QR PH program. During a virtual briefing hosted by the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) on Wednesday, Union Bank of the Philippines (Unionbank) executive vice president and financial inclusion executive Manuel Santiago Jr. said while digital financial transactions surged during the pandemic businesses, especially the small ones, there are still issues with the payment systems. He said the market “is currently fragmented” because business owners need to talk to several

A two-week vaccination drive, which covers weekends and holidays, will roll out for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the Matina Town Square (MTS) compound here starting Aug. 18. Public Employment and Service Office (PESO) manager Lilibeth Pantinople, in a radio interview Wednesday, said the vaccination express lane was requested by Mayor Sara Duterte after learning that OFWs are not yet on the priority list of the Department of Health (DOH). She added that the vaccination express lane will cater to around 5,000 departing and returning or repatriated migrant workers. “Based on experience, OFWs are not found yet in the DQR

Higher education institutions (HEIs) that have agriculture-related programs have taken seriously the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) challenge for them to take an active role in implementing the government’s action plans, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chair J. Prospero de Vera III said on Wednesday. “The challenge raised by Sec. Dar (Secretary William Dar) has been consistently raised by agriculture and higher education leaders for some time now. It is taken seriously by HEIs that have agriculture and agriculture related programs,” de Vera told the Philippine News Agency. He said the country has State universities and colleges (SUCs) that are enticing

Manny Pacquiao will now take on Yordenis Ugas of Cuba on Aug. 22 (Philippine Time) after his original opponent, American Errol Spence, begged off. Early Wednesday, Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), which is promoting the fight, announced that Spence will undergo surgery in his left eye following the discovery of a retinal tear during his pre-fight medical examination in Las Vegas. “I’m very disappointed that I won’t be able to fight Manny Pacquiao on August 21 (Aug. 22, Philippine Time),” Spence rued in a statement also released by PBC. “I was excited about the fight and the event. Unfortunately, the doctors