Day: July 31, 2024

MANILA: The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) forecast that inflation rate in July 2024 will settle between 4 and 4.8 percent. The inflation rate projection is higher than last month’s 3.7 percent. ‘Higher electricity rates along with the increased prices for agricultural commodities like vegetables, meat, and fruits along with higher domestic oil prices are the primary sources of upward price pressures for the month,’ the BSP said in a statement Wednesday. The central bank said the lower prices of rice and fruits as well as the appreciation of the Philippine peso are expected to offset the faster increase in

BACOLOD CITY: A 64-year-old combatant of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed during an encounter with troops of the Philippine Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Basak, Cauayan, Negros Occidental on Monday. The 3rd Infantry Division (ID) said in a report on Wednesday that Ramon Moico Enseniales, with aliases Art and Bugtong, was considered a remnant of the dismantled South West Front (SWF). He was killed during a two-minute encounter between the soldiers and about five NPA rebels Monday noon, according to Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, commander of the 3ID. He said the collaboration between the 15IB troops

MANILA: AirAsia Philippines is expanding its network in Japan, introducing flights between Manila and Nagoya starting Oct. 29. The low-cost carrier will fly thrice weekly – every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday – between the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Chubu International Airport. “Japan is one of the strongest regional markets for AirAsia Philippines,” the airline’s chief executive officer Ricky Isla said on Wednesday. AirAsia cited a recent Statista survey which showed that 48 percent of Filipinos preferred Japan as a holiday destination. Its rival Cebu Pacific had also said Japan is a top-of-mind destination among Filipino travelers, making the Gokongwei-led

MANILA: Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday filed drug smuggling charges before the Department of Justice against Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, former Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon, lawyer Mans Carpio and others over the PHP6.4-billion shabu shipment seized in Valenzuela City in 2017. In a 47-page complaint, Trillanes cited the legislative inquiry held in 2017 at the Senate which led to the filing of criminal charges against Chen Ju Long, aka Richard Tan, and Mark Taguba in connection with the shipment of shabu inside the vessel Guang Ping Voyage No. 1719S which arrived at the Manila International

MANILA: Authorities seized more than PHP2 million worth of marijuana in operations in the provinces of Cebu and Cavite and the city of Las Piñas in Metro Manila on Tuesday, the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) said. In a statement Wednesday, PDEG director Brig. Gen. Eleazar Matta said police officers uprooted and destroyed around 6,000 marijuana plants worth PHP1.2 million in Cebu’s Balamban town. This came after the Balamban police discovered a 1,000-square-meter plantation site in the town’s Barangay Bayong. A manhunt is underway for the cultivators who eluded arrest. The marijuana plants were destroyed on-site in compliance