Day: August 14, 2025

Malaca±ang: The Office of the President’s (OP) proposed PHP4.5 billion confidential intelligence funds (CIF) for 2026 has been defended by Malaca±ang, emphasizing its necessity for national security and ensuring proper utilization. According to Philippines News Agency, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro highlighted that the allocation, which constitutes nearly half of the PHP10.77-billion total CIF under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), is crucial because the President serves as the commander-in-chief of the uniformed services and chief architect of national policy, including national security and foreign policy. Castro stated, “Confidential funds are not inherently wrong if used properly. It only becomes

Mindanao: The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) announced on Thursday the inaugural strategic gathering of Mindanao’s regional and provincial micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for the first-ever Mindanao MSME Forum. In a statement, MinDA Undersecretary Janet Lopoz said the forum, which took place on Wednesday in this city, is aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s priority agenda to accelerate MSME growth, innovation, and competitiveness. According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative fully supports President Marcos’ goal of empowering MSMEs as key drivers of job creation and economic strength. Under his administration, nationwide momentum for MSME development has surged, with

Manila: Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday vowed to ensure that the 2026 national budget would provide the resources needed for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to implement its reform agenda. Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, said he would work to align higher education funding with CHED’s priorities, which include addressing the jobs-skills mismatch, promoting internationalization, and strengthening data collection and analytics. According to Philippines News Agency, CHED recently unveiled its seven-point ‘ACHIEVE’ reform agenda, a 2025-2030 blueprint to address skills mismatches, strengthen innovation, and align higher education with national development goals. CHED chairperson Shirley Agrupis said

Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced that the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for imported rice with 5 percent broken grains will remain at PHP43 per kilogram despite an impending 60-day ban on rice imports. According to Philippines News Agency, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. stated that the MSRP would be maintained throughout the import suspension period, which is intended to prevent unscrupulous traders from exploiting consumers. Tiu Laurel emphasized the DA’s commitment to closely monitoring supply and market dynamics among retailers, wholesalers, and importers to ensure market discipline is upheld. The DA’s Bantay Presyo monitoring, as

Malaca±ang: The ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in flood control projects is not a witch-hunt, but an effort to uphold transparency and accountability in government spending. According to Philippines News Agency, in a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will not act in haste, pending the results of the investigation into the flagged infrastructure projects for flood mitigation. Castro emphasized that the President would not dismiss officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) without solid evidence. Castro reiterated that it is challenging to conduct a witch-hunt and fire DPWH