Day: June 18, 2025

Manila: Despite shared frustrations over the K-12 program, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said his administration is focused on strengthening the current curriculum and addressing long-standing gaps in education infrastructure and teacher support, while Congress deliberates possible changes. According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos, in his latest podcast, referred to Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s call to abolish senior high school. He expressed similar frustrations about the program, particularly regarding its cost to parents and its perceived lack of advantage in securing jobs. Marcos indicated that the government is awaiting Congress’s decision on any potential changes to the program. While the K-12

Manila: The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has confirmed that its plans to acquire multi-role fighters (MRFs) remain intact as part of its modernization program. This announcement comes despite the approval for procuring an additional 12 brand-new FA-50 aircraft from South Korea, which are more sophisticated than their predecessors. According to Philippines News Agency, PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo emphasized that the acquisition of MRFs is crucial for the country’s defense needs. “Of course, the plans or the proposal to acquire MRFs are still pending and still part of our plans because we still need more,” Castillo stated during a

San Juan City: Malaca±ang has declared June 24 a special non-working day in the City of San Juan to celebrate the Wattah! Wattah! Festival. The declaration was made through Proclamation No. 929, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on June 13, allowing residents to fully participate in the festivities. According to Philippines News Agency, the proclamation was made public on Tuesday. The Wattah! Wattah! Festival is an annual event honoring the city’s patron saint, St. John the Baptist, known in Catholicism for baptizing Jesus Christ. The celebration features a tradition where both children and adults take to the streets to

Manila: Several areas will experience rains caused by the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and the easterlies affecting the country’s eastern section, the weather bureau said Wednesday. According to Philippines News Agency, the easterlies will bring scattered rains and thunderstorms over Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Oriental Mindoro, and Marinduque. Scattered rains and thunderstorms caused by the ITCZ will also prevail over Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, and Tawi-Tawi. Moderate to heavy rains in those areas could result in flash floods or landslides, the Philippine Atmospheric,

Manila: The Philippines will implement a framework on crypto-assets to combat cross-border tax evasion and illicit financial flows, the Department of Finance (DOF) said. According to Philippines News Agency, the DOF announced that the Philippines committed to execute the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) by 2028 during the 8th Asia Initiative Meeting in Mal©, Maldives. The CARF institutionalizes the framework for reporting and automatic exchange of information related to crypto-assets between tax authorities for tax compliance purposes. The Philippines now joins 67 other jurisdictions already committed to implementing the CARF by 2027 or 2028, including 10 in Asia. Finance Secretary Ralph