Day: August 5, 2025

Baguio city: The Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) is steadily replacing traditional overhead electric lines with insulated ‘tree wire’ systems to reduce power outages caused by vegetation that is common across this city and Benguet. Cris Gonzales, Beneco’s Community Relations chief, stated that the shift began in 2022, focusing on backbone and lateral distribution lines, with the ultimate goal of extending this upgrade to household-level connections. According to Philippines News Agency, the transition to tree wires, while more costly than traditional bare wires, aims to minimize unscheduled power interruptions. Gonzales noted that the project is funded by internally generated resources and

Cebu: A yellow alert status has been raised over the Visayas grid from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday due to a low operating margin partly caused by the forced outage of 11 power plants. A yellow alert is declared when the available power supply has a limited margin compared to the demand. According to Philippines News Agency, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported that the available capacity in the Visayas as of 1:30 p.m. is 2,528 megawatts (MW), while the peak demand is expected to reach around 2,475 MW. This indicates a tight balance between supply

Pangasinan: Top officials of Pangasinan are advocating for the dredging of rivers to address the province’s perennial flooding problem. Vice Governor Mark Ronald Lambino, in an interview on Monday, said addressing flooding is not just about creating additional canals or infrastructure but also its main cause, which is river siltation. According to Philippines News Agency, studies conducted by experts from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) point to heavy siltation at the mouths of major river systems-Cayanga, Sinocalan, and Agno-as a primary cause of flooding in Central Pangasinan. Vice Governor Lambino emphasized the necessity of implementing flood mitigation

Catanduanes: The Department of Labor and Employment in Bicol (DOLE-5) has provided farmers’ associations and local entrepreneurs with start-up capital. In a media release on Tuesday, the farmers’ group from San Miguel town and the 19 local entrepreneurs from Baras received more than PHP800,000 in funding for their meat processing project and various livelihood ventures. According to Philippines News Agency, the ventures include carpentry, fish vending, laundry services, nail care services, vulcanizing, car washing, barbershops, and automotive services. DOLE Bicol Assistant Regional Director Nepomuceno Lea±o II expressed support for the beneficiaries, encouraging them to strengthen their livelihoods as a means

Manila: Senate President Francis Escudero announced his proposal to criminalize the unauthorized use of an individual’s likeness and identity through artificial intelligence (AI). He expressed concerns that AI-generated content is being misused to spread fake news, commit fraud, and endorse illegitimate products. According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero introduced Senate Bill No. 782, also known as the Physical Identity Protection Act. The bill aims to impose jail terms, substantial fines, and permanent disqualification from public office for government officials found guilty of AI misuse. Escudero emphasized that while AI can be a valuable tool for education and business, it is

Manila: The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has released over PHP942 billion in loans to more than 1.1 million government workers under its Multi-Purpose Loan (MPL) programs since 2020. According to Philippines News Agency, the MPL programs, now rebranded as ‘Ginhawa Loans,’ aim to provide financial relief for everyday needs such as medical bills, education, emergencies, and livelihood ventures, as stated in a news release on Monday. GSIS officer-in-charge Juliet Bautista emphasized that the loan disbursements underscore the agency’s commitment to supporting its members’ well-being, noting that nearly PHP1 trillion in disbursements reflect the real financial needs of government employees