Implementation of a recovery plan along with the vaccination of more Filipinos is necessary to bring the Philippine economy back to its pre-pandemic level, Malacañang said on Monday. This, after the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) reported that the Philippine economy is expected to return to its pre-pandemic level in 2022 or early 2023. “Kinakailangan po talaga na magpabakuna pa tayo ng mas marami nating mga kababayan, buksan pa po natin ang ating ekonomiya, ipagpatuloy na po natin itong pilot face-to-face schooling at mag-implement po tayo ng recovery plan (We need to vaccinate more of our countrymen, open the

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco on Monday said the proposed Philippine Creative Industries Development Act would help the country bounce back from the economic woes brought about by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. Velasco made the statement after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved on final reading House Bill 10107 with 175 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and no abstention. He said the landmark legislation aims to organize and institutionalize the Philippine creative economy to provide opportunities to workers in one of the sectors hit hardest by the current health crisis. “The coronavirus has had an enormous impact on every person

The Antique Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPA) is seeking rice seeds assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Office 6 after farms were flooded by the heavy rains spawned by Typhoon Jolina. Antique OPA chief Nicolasito Calawag said there were 905 farmers in 14 towns of the province who were affected by Typhoon Jolina last Sept. 7 to 13. “Most farmers, if given seeds, could still recover their losses,” he said in an interview Monday. He said the seeds assistance would enable the farmers to replant their farms for the second cropping period. Antique OPA seed coordinator Arlene

Oil companies will raise pump prices starting Tuesday, marking the fourth consecutive week of an increase. In separate advisories, Caltex, Petro Gazz, Seaoil, Shell, and Total will hike prices of diesel and gasoline by PHP0.80 per liter. Cleanfuel will also increase prices of gasoline by PHP0.65 per liter and diesel by PHP0.70 per liter. Kerosene prices in Caltex, Seaoil, and Shell will also go up by PHP0.85 per liter. Previous week’s oil price adjustments resulted in a year-to-date net increase of PHP13.75 per liter for gasoline, PHP11.25 per liter for diesel, and PHP8.85 per liter for kerosene. Source: Philippines News

The Bureau of Customs-Port of Manila (BOC-POM) has destroyed over PHP7.4 billion worth of seized counterfeit goods in Valenzuela City. In a statement on Monday, the BOC said the apprehended fake items from Bagong Milenyo Pasay City were crushed at the ICT Compound in Bagbaguin, Valenzuela City on September 15. The counterfeit hair and body products, clothes and footwear bear the brands of Louis Vuitton, Crocs, and Nike, among others. Officials from the POM-District Collector’s Office, Auction and Cargo Disposal Division (ACDD), POM Law Division and members of the Port Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service