President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Tuesday called on the Filipino people to continue demonstrating compassion and unity as the country welcomes the 2022 Lunar New Year. In his Chinese New Year message, Duterte said he hopes this year of the Water Tiger would bring the entire nation “good fortune and renewed strength as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges that have tested our mettle as a nation.” “Through our courage, faith, and determination, we have become more resilient and capable to build back better,” he said. “It is my fervent prayer that 2022 will be a better

The provincial government of South Cotabato has appealed to the public to refrain from bringing hogs or processed pork meat products from African swine fever (ASF) affected areas to help maintain the status of the province as ASF-free. In a statement Tuesday, Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said the province’s hog industry, which is one of the biggest in the country, must always be protected against the disease. He said the ASF scare could trigger a domino effect on micro, small, and medium enterprises that are also dependent on the hog industry. “The hog raisers are not the only ones who

The Philippines fully supports measures that would protect civilians during war or conflicts in urban settings, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday. The measures include strict adherence to international humanitarian law, adopting responsible military operations, and providing humanitarian assistance based on the principle of impartiality, among others. The Philippines’ support was articulated during the United Nations Security Council High-Level Open Debate on “War in Cities: Protection of Civilians in Urban Settings” last January 26. Philippine Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ariel Peñaranda said civilians are the most affected when war and conflict are waged in

Secretary Jeremiah B. Belgica, director general of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), renewed his call to the government agencies to establish their official contact lines and ensure that their offices are reachable by the public. Belgica said this is an important aspect of public service, especially now during the Covid-19 pandemic. The statement came after ARTA continued receiving reports of government offices that are unreachable through their contact lines. “We need to understand that it is a disservice to the public if they are not able to reach those in the government for assistance. This is yet another form of

Two Dawlah Islamiya (DI) terrorists were killed during an armed encounter with government forces in Polomolok, South Cotabato on Monday. Major General Juvymax Uy, Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, said the clash occurred in Barangay Lapu, Polomolok between the Army-led Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) operating troops and the terrorists under the DI-Maguid Group. The five-minute encounter left DI members Zypol Nilong and Salahudin Usman dead. The two belonged to the group of Zaiden Jade Nilong, alias Aliboy of the DI Maguid group. Lt. Col. Raymond Rapi, commanding officer of 1st Scout Ranger Battalion, said government troops recovered two M16