Day: June 23, 2025

Manila: The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the second batch of teaching positions to complete the 20,000 new teaching items for 2025. In a news release, DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman confirmed the approval of 4,000 new Teacher I (Salary Grade 11) positions, following the earlier approval of 16,000 positions last month. According to Philippines News Agency, the new positions are allocated as follows: 1,658 for kindergarten and elementary, 391 for junior high school, and 1,951 for senior high school, for deployment in school year 2025-2026. This move is part of President Bongbong Marcos’ goal to increase the

Marawi City: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday acknowledged steady progress in the government’s infrastructure rehabilitation efforts in Marawi City, noting that key facilities – including schools, a hospital, and a port – are nearing completion, years after the 2017 siege. During his visit to several project sites, Marcos emphasized the importance of sustained recovery work to restore essential public services to residents affected by the conflict. According to Philippines News Agency, among the sites inspected were the Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) in Barangay Sagonsongan, the Marawi City-Dansalan Integrated School, the Marawi General Hospital, and the Marawi Port. At

Zamboanga Peninsula: The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology have announced that 26 evacuation centers funded by the national government are now operational across the Zamboanga Peninsula. These centers are part of a broader initiative to enhance disaster preparedness in the region. According to Philippines News Agency, the agencies revealed that three additional centers are currently under construction, with plans for more facilities in areas such as Dapitan and Dipolog set for 2025. These developments are aligned with the proposed Ligtas Pinoy Center Act, which seeks to establish permanent, hazard-informed evacuation sites within

Manila: The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has announced that 10 additional medicines for conditions such as cancer, high cholesterol, hypertension, and mental illness are now exempt from value-added tax (VAT). According to Philippines News Agency, Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 62-2025 on June 20, which further expands the list of VAT-exempt medications. The BIR aims to enhance access to essential medicines and reduce treatment costs for patients and their families through these changes. The newly exempted medicines include Tegafur + Gimeracil + Oteracil Potassium for cancer, Metformin Hydrochloride + Teneligliptin for diabetes, Atorvastatin (as calcium)

Manila: Malaca±ang has moved to address growing public concern over the possibility of a global war, assuring Filipinos that the government is prepared to respond to any situation as tensions rise in the Middle East. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed relevant agencies to prioritize the protection and welfare of overseas Filipinos, particularly those in high-risk areas. According to Philippines News Agency, Castro emphasized the President’s message of readiness and government support in a recent Palace press briefing. The statement aimed to calm fears fueled by online discussions of a potential World