The government will continue to ensure a stable food supply to ease prices of fish, vegetables, and pork, and address the recent uptick in inflation, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Tuesday. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the headline inflation rate increased to 4.9 percent in August this year from 4.0 percent in July. This is at the upper-end of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ forecast range of 4.1 to 4.9 percent for August 2021. Despite this increase, the year-to-date inflation remained at 4.4 percent. Food inflation continued its uptrend at 6.9 percent in August from

Century Pacific Food Inc. (CNPF), one of the leading food companies in the Philippines, through its nonprofit affiliate RSPo Foundation, Inc., signed an agreement with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to participate in its livelihood program, Project Hope adopt-a-farm. Project Hope aims to address the lack of sustainable sources of livelihood among workers in the marine industry during the closed fishing season in Zamboanga, a manufacturing epicenter of marine products in Mindanao. Through the adopt-a-farm program, DOLE, together with participating companies, builds agricultural farming villages, creating employment opportunities for seasonally displaced workers and their families. Manufacturing companies can

An initial 75 tricycle drivers have received their first dose of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine here as the city kicked off its inoculation for the A4 or frontline personnel in essential sectors on Tuesday. Mayor Joseph Evangelista said the A4 group includes public transport workers, market vendors, construction workers, and all other personnel facing people in their daily duties. “We need to strengthen the (A4) group because they propel our economic cycle”, he said. The city’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Against Covid-19 was earlier tasked by the mayor to coordinate with the city’s market vendors’ association and the tricycle

The Philippines recorded its lowest unemployment rate since April 2020 at 6.9 percent in July this year. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Tuesday that July 2021’s unemployment rate declined from 7.7 percent in June 2021. In a joint statement of Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, and Budget and Management officer-in-charge Tina Rose Marie Canda, the rate of jobless individuals in Metro Manila dropped significantly from 14.4 percent in April 2021 to 9 percent in July this year. Unemployment rate outside the National Capital Region (NCR) also decreased from 7.9 percent to 6.5 percent

An official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday said the petition filed by the group of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) president and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi against the party’s faction led by Senator Manny Pacquiao will be tackled by the poll body’s en banc. “Matter will be referred to the en banc. No word yet on how long it will take. We might have a better idea tomorrow,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a message to reporters. On Tuesday, Cusi’s group asked the Comelec to declare Pacquiao and his allies as “illegitimate officers” of the

Two roads in Eastern Visayas are currently impassable due to floods caused by Typhoon Jolina, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported on Tuesday. In an advisory, the DPWH said as of Tuesday noon, these roads are the Jaro-Dagami-Burauen-Lapaz Road, Brgy. Canlingga in the town of Dagami and the Sto. Rosario-Villaba Road. DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said a quick response team with equipment is currently clearing the affected road sections. Warning signs were installed at the closed roads while motorists are advised to look for alternate routes. Villar also assured that manpower and heavy equipment in regions affected