Day: July 4, 2025

Manila: The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced that inflation is anticipated to remain within the government’s 2 percent to 4 percent target range until 2027. This statement follows the recent report from the Philippine Statistics Authority, which revealed that last month’s headline inflation was at 1.4 percent. According to Philippines News Agency, the BSP stated that the June 2025 inflation outcome aligns with its forecast range of 1.1 to 1.9 percent. The central bank attributed this expectation to the ongoing decrease in rice prices, which is projected to keep inflation below the lower end of the target in 2025.

Manila: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reiterated its warning to private recruitment and manning agencies to strictly adhere to ethical recruitment standards or risk losing their licenses. According to Philippines News Agency, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac stated that the DMW stands firm on its ‘zero tolerance’ policy for unethical recruiters, as the government intensifies efforts to protect millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from abuse and exploitation. Cacdac emphasized that the protection and welfare of OFWs is the utmost priority. He affirmed the decision of the former Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on resolved cases involving agencies

Seoul: Officials from nine member countries of an international chemical weapons watchdog received chemical defense education in South Korea this week, the defense ministry said Friday. The five-day program began Monday at the Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense Command in Seoul, involving 19 officials from the nine countries, including the Philippines, Nepal, Malaysia, and India. According to Philippines News Agency, the annual program is designed to train officials on defense measures against chemical terror attacks and accidents. This week’s program involved advanced equipment, including multi-legged robots and armored vehicles designed to respond to chemical, biological, and radiological attacks. South Korea

Manila: Tropical Depression Bising has slightly intensified, now packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph, as per the weather bureau’s 11 a.m. update on Friday. According to Philippines News Agency, Bising was located 280 kilometers west northwest of Calayan, Cagayan as of 10 a.m. It is moving west southwestward at a speed of 15 kph. Several areas have been placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1, including the western portion of Babuyan Islands, the western portion of Ilocos Norte, and the northwestern portion of Ilocos Sur.

Muntinlupa city: The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) released 1,004 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) from June 13 to July 3, bringing to 24,583 the total released under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. According to Philippines News Agency, BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. stated that the PDL released were either acquitted, granted probations or habeas corpus grants; paroled; posted cash and bail bonds; or had expired sentences. The released PDL were from various facilities including the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) with 52 releases, Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) with 109, CIW-IPPF with 1, CIW-