Day: August 6, 2025

Manila: The 60-day suspension of rice imports and the delay in hiking tariffs are strategic moves designed to safeguard both Filipino farmers and consumers, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced on Wednesday. This declaration follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s approval of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) request to temporarily halt rice imports from September 1, coinciding with the peak rice harvest season. According to Philippines News Agency, Agriculture Secretary Tiu Laurel emphasized the importance of a balanced approach to ensure that local palay (unhusked rice) producers receive fair income while keeping retail rice prices affordable for consumers. “We

Manila: Philippine Army (PA) chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete has ordered the temporary stop of reception ceremonies in all units following last week’s death of a 22-year-old rookie soldier in Maguindanao del Norte reportedly while undergoing such activity. According to Philippines News Agency, PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala stated in an interview on Wednesday that Lt. Gen. Nafarrete also instructed a review of the reception ceremony. This ceremony includes a series of physical exercises that new soldiers are required to perform when reporting to their units. “Meron siyang instruction na i-istop muna ‘yun receptions within the PA (He has an

Malolos city: Members of a National Bureau of Investigation – Special Task Force (NBI-STF) are under investigation following alleged irregularities in the service of a search warrant at a resort in Malolos City, Bulacan on July 14. In a radio interview Wednesday, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the 13 STF members were reassigned to other units. According to Philippines News Agency, the operation was intended to address alleged love scam activities, but the agents provided the incorrect address to the court when requesting a search warrant. Instead of Ligas Road, the warrant specified Sta. Rita, which led to complications in

Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided more than PHP1.16 billion worth of assistance to families and individuals affected by the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong as of Wednesday morning. This substantial aid underscores the agency’s commitment to supporting Filipinos during challenging times, as stated by Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG). According to Philippines News Agency, the DSWD has released over 1.7 million boxes of family food packs (FFPs) to assist families impacted by the recent weather disturbances. In addition to the food packs, the

Sulu: Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel have rescued six individuals whose motorboat capsized near an island municipality of Sulu province on Tuesday night. The Sulu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said the rescue took place around 8:45 p.m. in the municipal waters of Panglima Tahil. According to Philippines News Agency, the Coast Guard Station Western Sulu reported that one of the six rescued individuals, Amina Adain, managed to make a distress call before communication was lost. The search and rescue team located the motorboat half-submerged and initially rescued four of the six passengers in the waters off