The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Negros Oriental on Monday resumed registration of citizens to the government’s national identification system following a hiatus due to the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in the province last December. PSA-Negros Oriental provincial director Engr. Ariel Fortuito told the Philippine News Agency in an interview that his office has deployed 16 registration kits to different towns and cities for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) registration. “We were not able to start immediately the registration process this year as many towns and cities, especially in the central and northern parts of the province, were badly devastated

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said the number of areas under granular lockdown across the country has climbed to 900, amid a continued surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections. This is a slight increase from only 700 areas as of Sunday, based on the latest data of the police force. Most of the areas under granular lockdown are in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) at 330, followed by Ilocos Region at 233; Cagayan Valley, 212; National Capital Region, 106; and Mimaropa, 19. From January 21 to 31, three CAR provinces — Kalinga, Ifugao, and Mountain Province —

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure that will spur microgrid development in unserved and underserved areas nationwide to achieve the government’s goal of 100 percent electrification in the Philippines. Republic Act 11646 or the Microgrid Systems Act was signed into law last January 21, documents released by Malacañang on Monday showed. The law aims to accelerate total electrification and ensure the provision of quality, reliable, and secure electricity service at reasonable rates in unserved and underserved areas through the installation of microgrid systems by accredited Microgrid Service Providers (MGSPs). The MGSPs will be allowed to operate in