Day: October 3, 2024

MANILA: The United States government is providing an additional PHP485 million (USD9 million) to help expand basic education in the Philippines, the US Embassy in Manila said Thursday. The fund will finance the US Agency for International Development (USAID) project ‘Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines or ABC+,’ which aims to improve literacy and math skills among Filipino children. With a total funding of PHP2.6 billion, ABC+ will extend its reach to new regions, including select areas in Metro Manila, Mimaropa, the Cordillera region, and Soccsksargen. The additional funding will provide 900,000 new books and learning materials, benefiting at least

MANILA: Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Thursday highlighted the need to love and honor Filipino teachers as the country celebrates Teacher’s Day. “Isa po sa unang sinabi niya (President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.) sa akin alagaan natin ang ating mga guro, mahalin natin ang ating mga guro dahil sila ang nasa puso ng ating sistemang pang-edukasyon (One of the instructions the President gave me was to take care of our teachers, to love our teachers because they are the very heart of our education system),’ he said in a speech during the culmination activity of Teachers’ Month at the Araneta

MANILA: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said St. Timothy Construction Corporation (STCC) withdrew from the Miru Joint Venture (JV), election technology provider, amid reports that one of its owners may run in the 2025 polls. ‘The Commission en banc immediately conveyed its sentiment to the joint venture that we will not allow the integrity of the elections to be questioned simply because one of the owners of our contracting partners would run in the 2025 elections,’ Comelec chairperson George Garcia said in a press conference. ‘Two choices only, one that the particular partner will have to withdraw, two

ILOILO CITY – The local government here is eyeing to gather about 2,000 performers and participants for the two-week Iloilo Arts Festival to position this city as a hub for arts and culture. “For this arts festival, we aim to promote cultural diversity and inclusivity, support creative industries and artists, preserve and promote heritage sites, enhance cultural education and awareness, and strengthen cultural diplomacy and exchange,” festival director, architect Wilfredo Sy, said in a statement on Wednesday. Its theme, “Creative Collaborations in the Community,” marks the ‘coming together of various art groups and socio-civic organizations to showcase the diverse expressions

LEGAZPI CITY – The Police Regional Office (PRO) 5 (Bicol) arrested 110 individuals involved in illegal drug transactions during operations conducted in the region’s six provinces in September. In a report on Wednesday, PRO-5 spokesperson, Lt. Col. Malu Calubaquib, said a total of 115 drug operations were conducted, including buy-busts and service of warrants of arrest and search warrants. “Among the 110 arrested drug personalities, 17 were included as high-value individuals and 93 were street-level individuals,” she said. Calubaquib said the arrest of drug personalities resulted in the seizure of illegal drugs with an estimated street value of PHPP3.69 million,

Manila: A police officer who figured in a viral incident at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) has been relieved of his post and may face administrative charges. ‘The police officer was assigned to our satellite office in Fairview, Quezon City, under the RCSU-NCR (Regional Civil Security Unit – National Capital Region). Pending the administrative investigation, the concerned personnel (was) ordered to turn over his service firearm,” Philippine National Police (PNP) Civil Security Group (CSG) spokesperson Lt. Col. Eudisan Gultiano said in a media interview in Camp Crame Thursday, Initial investigation showed that on Sept. 30, the Toyota Avanza being driven