Day: August 21, 2024

MANILA: The government has allocated about PHP3 billion for the cash gifts to elderly Filipinos aged 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100 in the proposed 2025 national budget, a lawmaker said on Wednesday. In a statement, Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo said the PHP3 billion proposed allocation for next year would cover the PHP100,000 cash gift for 1,730 new centenarians amounting to PHP173 million, while the remaining allocation will be used to pay for the PHP10,000 grant for octogenarians and nonagenarians. ‘Based on the 2025 National Expenditure Program, the government intends to spend up to PHP3 billion for the initial

MANILA: Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said Wednesday the agency is ready to help persons who need assistance even if they do not have referral letters from public officials. Gatchalian made this remark in response to Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim during a Senate budget hearing on Tuesday that there were instances when the DSWD declined to extend financial aid to individuals endorsed by the Office of the Vice President. ‘Mayroon kasi tayong policy sa DSWD na lahat ng pupunta sa aming tanggapan, whether may referral o walang referral, basta nangangailangan at tumuntong sa aming

BACOLOD CITY: The Negros Occidental provincial government is establishing a common sanitary landfill worth PHP30 million for nine local government units (LGUs) in La Castellana town. This is among the initiatives pursued by the province through the Provincial Environment Management Office, as its 10-year Solid Waste Management (SWM) Plan got the approval of the National SWM Commission. As of Wednesday, the selected clustered LGU beneficiaries are Pulupandan, Valladolid, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Binalbagan, Moises Padilla, and Isabela, aside from the host-municipality of La Castellana, which do not have waste disposal facility. ‘The construction is expected to be completed by November

MANILA: Choco Mucho seeks to secure the last quarterfinal berth in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference when it battles PLDT at the FilOil EcoOil Center in San Juan City on Thursday. The Flying Titans take on the High Speed Hitters at 3 p.m. Choco Mucho is in ninth place with a 2-5 slate and seven points, half a game behind Farm Fresh (3-5) with eight points. A victory will send Choco Mucho to the knockout stage, setting up a duel with top seed Akari (8-0). If PLDT wins in five sets, Choco Mucho will get one point and

MANILA: The Department of Agriculture (DA) reported Wednesday the opening of a new quarantine office of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) at the Subic Freeport Zone, which is expected to enhance the country’s agricultural biosecurity and address potential risks posed by plant pests and diseases. ‘The establishment of this new office holds significant importance due to its position as a prominent center for trade and logistics,” DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement, referring to the completion of the BPI’s PHP2-million project. He said the Subic Freeport office is also crucial to achieving the administration’s food