Day: May 20, 2025

Manila: The Civil Service Commission: The Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Tuesday reminded outgoing officials that restrictions on human resource movement remain in effect until June 30, 2025. According to Philippines News Agency, the agency issued a public advisory indicating that these restrictions are connected to the upcoming May 12 midterm elections. CSC Resolution No. 1800692 Rule XI Section 112, dated July 3, 2018, specifies the conditions under which appointments made by outgoing officials could be considered valid. The resolution requires that appointees meet the approved minimum qualification standards or those mandated under special law for the position they are

Manila: The United States has donated three units of mobile energy systems (MES) to provide reliable electricity to remote communities in Palawan, its embassy in Manila said Tuesday. US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson turned over the units in a ceremony at the National Power Corporation (NPC) Irawan Switching Station in Puerto Princesa City on May 16. According to Philippines News Agency, the MES are essential tools of resilience and innovation that have been proven to provide power to some of the most remote locations in the country. Ambassador Carlson emphasized the importance of these units, stating that they

Quezon City: A complete rebuild of the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) is set to begin on June 13, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Tuesday. In an interview at the EDSA Busway’s Balintawak Station in Quezon City, MMDA Chair Romando Artes mentioned that the project is part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s ‘Build, Better, More’ initiative. It will involve a comprehensive information campaign on the project’s schedules, plans, rerouting schemes, and other measures to mitigate traffic slowdowns. According to Philippines News Agency, the EDSA rebuild was announced to begin in mid-June by Department of Transportation (DOTr)

Manila: The Philippine National Police (PNP) announced on Tuesday that it has confiscated PHP43.8 billion worth of illegal drugs under the bloodless anti-drug campaign initiated by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration from July 2022 to May 17, 2025. According to Philippines News Agency, PNP information chief Col. Randulf Tua±o highlighted that the PHP43.8 billion seizure surpasses the PHP14.3 billion recorded from July 2016 to May 17, 2019, during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war on drugs. Tua±o emphasized the PNP’s strategy to broaden its focus beyond large-scale operations and target smaller drug offenders as well. Tua±o stated that the

Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced that the Philippines is unlikely to meet the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) projected rice import figures for 2025 and the following year. According to Philippines News Agency, the USDA had projected that the Philippines would remain the largest global rice importer, with an import forecast of 5.4 million metric tons (MMT) in 2025 and 5.5 MMT in 2026. However, DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa countered these figures, citing an expected recovery in local palay (unhusked rice) production. De Mesa noted that the USDA’s projections seemed exaggerated given the