Day: February 20, 2025

Davao City: The Department of Agriculture in the Davao Region (DA-11) has provided a PHP1-million solar-powered irrigation system (SPIS) to a farmers cooperative in this city. The Sibulan Organic Banana Growers Multipurpose Cooperative (SOBAGROMCO) in Barangay Sibulan, Toril District received the SPIS on Wednesday, DA-11 said. According to Philippines News Agency, Joedel Leliza, DA-11 agricultural program coordinating officer, said the project will benefit the association and neighboring areas. ‘This is expected to ensure a continuous water supply, reduce costs, promote renewable energy, and increase productivity,’ he said Thursday. The SPIS features six solar modules that can irrigate up to three

Manila: The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) recently convened a consultation meeting with private hospital groups and national associations to discuss strategies for increasing healthcare access points. This meeting marks a significant step towards improving healthcare delivery in the Philippines. According to Philippines News Agency, President and Chief Executive Officer Edwin Mercado led discussions with representatives from various prominent healthcare institutions, including Metro Pacific Health Corp., Mount Grace Hospital Group, Unilab Foundation, AC Health, St. Luke’s Medical Center, The Medical City, Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc., and the Philippine Hospital Association. The primary focus of the meeting was

Manila: Aviation regulators and the weather bureau have tapped the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) for possible collaboration which aims to enhance the Philippines’ cyclone monitoring capability. The move also seeks to enhance safety in the aviation sector, both the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said. According to Philippines News Agency, partnering with the HKO would involve the use of dropsonde, a technology that the Philippines does not have because it is too expensive, according to PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando. “Dropsonde is a kind of technology using an aircraft

Davao City: Stakeholders from the Philippines and Indonesia met Thursday to discuss reviving the Davao-General Santos-Bitung (DGB) sea route. The meeting, organized by the Indonesian Consulate in Davao City, focused on enhancing trade routes within the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). According to Philippines News Agency, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Leo Tereso Magno expressed optimism for the initiative, citing support from the Marcos administration. “This complements the goals of BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025, which seeks to enhance connectivity and trade,” he said in a message delivered by MinDA Deputy Executive Director Romeo Montenegro. The initiative is based on a

Manila: Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil on Thursday commended the law enforcement units’ swift response in resolving the recent series of hostage-taking incidents, saying these do not reflect the overall situation of peace and order in the country. “Our police forces have demonstrated exceptional dedication in handling these life-threatening situations with the utmost professionalism,” Marbil said in a statement. According to Philippines News Agency, four hostage-taking incidents took place in Manila, Batangas, Rizal, and Digos City from Jan. 20 to Feb. 18. Marbil said the police responded with urgency to secure the release of hostages and