Day: October 14, 2024

LEGAZPI CITY – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said there are at least 30 uncontested aspirants for various positions in the May 2025 midterm elections in the Bicol region. In an interview on Monday, Comelec-5 (Bicol) director Maria Juana Valeza said they are from the provinces of Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon. “At least they have one vote cast in their favor on election day; they are already winners since we have regular elections this 2025 NLE (national and local elections). However, in special elections, if only one files COC, the lone candidate will be declared winner per Republic

Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) highlighted local agricultural products during the 2024 World Food Day celebration on Monday. DA Undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro said agricultural products are either free or sold at a discounted price during the event themed ‘Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future’ at the central office in Quezon City. ‘Libre at mayroon din ibebenta natin na mura ang presyo. Siguro 20 percent cheaper ang price natin dito (There’s free and others sold at a more affordable price. Our price here is about 20 percent cheaper). Some are coming from Mindanao,

Manila: Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Monday he is not inclined to believe that China is committed to settling maritime difference with other countries. “Committed sila sa dialogue kaso sila lang ang naniniwala sa sinasabi nila. ‘Yan ang problema. Kung committed sila sa dialogue ‘yung kapanipaniwala naman, tapos nakalagay na naman may colatilla na committed to dialogue based on historical facts ba ang nakalagay (They are claiming that they are committed to dialogue but they are the only ones believing that. That’s the problem with their statement. If they are committed to dialogue, then it

Manila: The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) is in discussions with a New York-based company and the Department of National Defense (DND) to build a seaport within the ecozone in Casiguran, Aurora. APECO president and chief executive officer Gil Taway IV said in a recent interview that he will embark on a follow-through investment mission to the United States on Oct. 20 to 27 to talk to firms about their investment interests inside the zone, especially in seaport and defense hub development. ‘We will meet Newmark, which is interested in financing the seaport,’ Taway said, referring to

TACLOBAN CITY – Eastern Visayas posted a 20.3 percent poverty incidence last year, lower by 1.9 percentage points from the 22.2 percent posted in 2021, officials reported on Monday. This means that 10,264 more people in Eastern Visayas have been lifted out of poverty during the three-year period, said National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Assistant Regional Director Jam Colas-Villaber. Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Villaber said that in the last seven years, the region’s poverty ranking among the 17 regions in the country has also been improving. ‘The region was the third poorest in 2018 and

Manila: Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo has noted the transformative role of technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) in reshaping the judicial landscape but cautioned against overreliance on it. Speaking before his fellow judiciary leaders at the 19th Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Oct. 12, Gesmundo highlighted both the ‘opportunities and challenges’ AI presents to deliver justice efficiently. Gesmundo said AI has the ‘significant potential’ to assist judges in streamlining administrative tasks, expediting legal research, and predicting judicial outcomes, the SC said in a news release on Sunday. Citing examples from foreign jurisdictions,