Day: May 7, 2025

Manila: The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is currently observing two low pressure areas (LPA) within the Philippine Area of Responsibility. These weather disturbances are not expected to intensify into tropical cyclones within the next 24 hours, as stated by PAGASA forecaster Benison Estareja. According to Philippines News Agency, as of 3 a.m., one LPA was positioned over the coastal waters of Kalibo, Aklan, while the other was situated 425 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales. The LPA near Kalibo is anticipated to dissipate by Thursday but will bring scattered rains and thunderstorms to the Visayas, Bicol Region,

Manila: Ten out of eleven candidates from the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition are statistically in the winning circle less than a week before the May 12 midterm elections, according to the latest pre-election survey released by OCTA Research on Wednesday. According to Philippines News Agency, the April 20 to 24 poll showed ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo among the top performers of the Alyansa slate with 52.7 percent voter preference, placing him in the 1st to 2nd range. Former Senate president Vicente Sotto III earned 42.3 percent and is ranked 3rd to 8th, followed by Senator Pia

Manila: The Philippines will continue to deploy maritime and air patrols to assert the country’s sovereignty and jurisdiction over Scarborough Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc, despite mounting security challenges. National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya provided this assurance during the Stratbase Institute and Stanford University’s Sealight Project online forum titled “Scarborough Shoal: Facing Facts and Exploring Options.” According to Philippines News Agency, Malaya emphasized that notwithstanding the challenges, the Philippines is committed to supporting its fishermen and maintaining the nation’s territorial integrity. The country plans to increase its presence by regularly sending ships on maritime

Manila: The Marcos Jr. administration is poised to enhance job quality and address persistent labor market challenges through the implementation of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan, as announced by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev). According to Philippines News Agency, the DEPDev made this assurance following the release of preliminary results from the latest Labor Force Survey. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicated a slight decrease in the number of jobless Filipinos, from 1.94 million in February to 1.93 million in March, translating to an unemployment rate of 3.4 percent. However, National Statistician Dennis

Manila: The European Union (EU) has significantly increased its monitoring presence in the Philippines for the upcoming May 12 midterm elections by deploying 104 additional ‘short-term’ observers. This expansion brings the total number of EU election experts in the country to 226. According to Philippines News Agency, these additional observers will cover all regions, both urban and rural, to supplement the 72 long-term observers who were deployed in mid-April. This strategic move aims to enhance the mission’s presence, reach, and capacity during the election day activities, which include polling, automated counting, and canvassing of results. Chief Observer Marta Temido, who