Day: July 1, 2025

Manila: Strengthen border protection and intensify the government’s campaign against smuggling. These were President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s marching orders to newly appointed Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno as he takes the helm of one of the country’s most critical revenue-generating and border protection agencies. According to Philippines News Agency, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro emphasized the President’s directive during a press briefing. Castro stated, “Unang-una po, strengthen ‘yung border protection at labanan nga po ang smuggling. Nag-uumpisa na po ang pamahalaan sa mas matinding laban sa smuggling (First of all, strengthen border protection and fight smuggling. The

Manila: Seven police officers assigned at the Manila Police District (MPD) are facing dismissal from the service after they were accused of extorting money from a 49-year-old man, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said on Tuesday. In a statement, NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin said the police officers – a lieutenant, three staff sergeants, and three patrolmen, all detailed at the Anti-Drug Unit of Police Station 5 – were arrested inside the station in Ermita, Manila late Monday night. According to Philippines News Agency, the operation stemmed from the arrest of the complainant on June 20 based

Manila: Filipino climate and energy professionals, led by the Climate Change Commission (CCC), have returned from New Zealand equipped with valuable expertise in renewable energy management. This initiative is designed to support the Philippines’ transition to cleaner and more resilient energy systems. According to Philippines News Agency, in a news release Tuesday, Aimee Evangelista, representing the CCC, announced that the Renewable Energy Project Management (REPM) Short Course was fully funded by the New Zealand Government through its International Development Programme. The month-long training, conducted from May 26 to June 24, was organized with the support of the New Zealand Ministry

Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is paying attention to public sentiment regarding the Philippines’ potential rejoining of the International Criminal Court (ICC), as indicated by Malaca±ang. This follows a recent survey by OCTA Research, conducted from April 22 to 24, which revealed that 57 percent of Filipinos support the idea of the Philippines returning to the ICC as a member state. According to Philippines News Agency, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated in a press briefing that discussions on the matter have not yet taken place. While President Marcos has not mentioned rejoining the ICC, he is reportedly considering

Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA), in coordination with other government agencies, seized PHP34.2 million worth of smuggled agricultural products from China at the Port of Manila. The operation was part of efforts to intensify the crackdown against agricultural smuggling in the country. According to Philippines News Agency, the six container shipments, which arrived in the country on May 27 and June 1, were misdeclared as “assorted food items” such as mantou, egg noodles, and kimchi. The Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported that the confiscated items included two 40-foot containers of frozen mackerel worth PHP20 million, three containers of red