Day: July 29, 2025

Manila: The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) announced on Tuesday that the government will continue to prioritize food security, job quality improvements, and the effective delivery of key public services. According to Philippines News Agency, while the Marcos administration has made progress in these areas, DEPDev emphasizes the need for inclusive growth. DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan highlighted the necessity of further efforts to achieve the targets set in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028. “As the President rightly pointed out, improvements in our statistical measures mean little if they do not translate into better lives for the ordinary

Manila: Senate President Francis Escudero announced plans to introduce a bill that would bar public officials and their relatives, up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, from participating in government contracts as contractors or suppliers. The initiative comes as a response to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s recent State of the Nation Address, where he emphasized the need to eradicate corruption, address conflicts of interest, and prevent the misuse of public funds in governmental transactions. According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero emphasized that such involvement of officials and their families in government contracts presents a clear conflict of

San juan city: The Department of Agrarian Reform is targeting the distribution of between 300,000 and 400,000 land titles to farmers by the end of 2025, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has committed to accelerating agrarian reform during the remaining years of his term. According to Philippines News Agency, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III stated at the post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) conference that this ambitious target is within reach as the agency responds to the President’s directive to expedite government services. Estrella noted that many farmers have been waiting for as long as 30 years to

Bicol: Bicolanos commended President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for tackling the country’s pressing issues and laying out specific plans to improve in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered Monday. Albay 1st District Board Member Sheina Onrubia-Dela Cruz said the SONA focused on social services that match her priorities in literacy, nutrition, health, and good governance. According to Philippines News Agency, Dela Cruz expressed excitement about the concrete programs that will benefit Albayanos, especially in agriculture, power and energy, and transport. She highlighted the expansion of free public Wi-Fi, digital access in schools, and disaster-resilient facilities as signs

Manila: Several United States aircraft have arrived in the Philippines to assist in ongoing humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) missions amid challenging weather conditions, a Philippine military official announced on Tuesday. According to Philippines News Agency, in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Philippine Air Force (PAF) spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo revealed that the aircraft were “committed” by the US and are currently stationed at a local military base, ready for deployment. Col. Castillo explained that the aircraft include both rotary and fixed-wing assets, although details regarding their arrival remain undisclosed. The deployment of these US aircraft will