Day: December 12, 2024

MANILA: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced that 66 candidates will compete for 12 senatorial seats in the upcoming May 2025 midterm elections, moving forward without any temporary restraining orders from the Supreme Court. According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia confirmed the finalized list of senatorial candidates after excluding 117 individuals who were deemed nuisance candidates. Garcia explained that the candidates’ names would appear in alphabetical order on the ballot. The commission plans to print approximately 73 million ballots over a 77-day period, starting January 6 and concluding by April 14, ensuring the ballots reach

MANILA: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is set to sign the PHP6.352-trillion national budget for 2025 before Christmas, according to an announcement from Malacañang on Thursday. According to Philippines News Agency, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) stated that the Congress-approved national budget bill will be transmitted to the Office of the President for review, adhering to the standard practice. This procedure allows the President ample time to examine the budget bill thoroughly. The PCO confirmed that the signing of the national budget for 2025 will occur before Christmas Day. This announcement follows the approval of the final version of the

ILOILO CITY: The local government of Iloilo City is urging more residents to participate in a free influenza vaccination program that has already benefited 47,000 individuals. The initiative, which is being carried out by the Iloilo City Health Office (CHO), aims to enhance community-wide protection against the flu. According to Philippines News Agency, Mayor Jerry Treñas has called on all residents-whether they are working, studying, or conducting business in the city-to take advantage of the free flu vaccines. He emphasized the importance of mass vaccination drives and encouraged coordination between companies, schools, government offices, and the City Health Office to

MANILA: Canadian mining firm B2Gold Corp. has announced plans to extend its presence in the Philippines by opening an exploration office in 2025, following a recent meeting with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque. The decision comes amid the approaching end of life for the company’s current mining operations in the country, necessitating further exploration and research efforts. According to Philippines News Agency, Philippine Trade and Investment (PTIC) Toronto Trade Commissioner Mario Tani confirmed B2Gold’s forthcoming plans in a Viber message. The exploration office is intended to facilitate research and analysis to determine the feasibility

MANILA: The national government of the Philippines is exploring alternative formats for offshore funding as the country transitions away from its reliance on official development assistance (ODA) loans, according to economic managers. This strategic shift comes as the Philippines is poised to achieve upper-middle-income status, which will affect its eligibility for certain types of financial aid. According to Philippines News Agency, the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) has identified Eurobonds, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)-linked notes, and Sukuk or Islamic bonds as potential options for offshore funding. The committee emphasized the importance of leveraging the Philippines’ sovereign creditworthiness to secure