Day: September 17, 2025

Isabela: Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III was formally elected on Wednesday as the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, garnering 253 votes, 28 abstentions, and zero negative votes. He replaced Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who stepped down to protect public trust and allow the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to proceed with its investigation without influence from top leaders. According to Philippines News Agency, in his inaugural address, Dy assured the public that the House of Representatives would work to earn back the trust of the people by pursuing budget reforms, ensuring transparency,

Northern samar: The Northern Samar provincial government has successfully secured a PHP8.5-million commitment to establish a credit surety fund aimed at expanding financial access for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives within the province. According to Philippines News Agency, the Northern Samar Credit Surety Fund was raised through contributions from the provincial government, the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), and eight local cooperatives. This fund is designed to act as a trust facility that guarantees loans for MSMEs, which often face difficulties in securing bank financing due to inadequate collateral or credit history. Northern Samar Governor Harris

Manila: Several ‘Libreng Sakay’ (free ride) buses and trucks are plying the roads of the National Capital Region (NCR) on Wednesday as part of the government’s effort to ensure the mobility of the public amid a three-day transport strike. According to Philippines News Agency, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) stated that these free rides were deployed by the Office of the President (OP), the DOTr, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). The initiative follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure commuters have access to transportation despite the ongoing strike. These vehicles offering free

Calamba city: The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) have rolled out the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) in Laguna to make primary health services more accessible to workers. According to Philippines News Agency, the program was launched on Tuesday at Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing Inc. in Calamba City, led by DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and PhilHealth Acting President and CEO Edwin Mercado. With the tagline ‘Malayo ka sa Sakit,’ YAKAP encourages employees to seek preventive health consultations even without existing symptoms. This initiative aligns with the government’s Universal Health Care (UHC) agenda, a priority

Manila: A growing waistline is often linked to weight gain, belly fat, bloating, or other digestive problems, but health experts caution that it could also indicate a more serious condition such as abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). AAA occurs when the main artery in the abdomen (abdominal aorta), which supplies blood to the lower body, bulges or enlarges. If the aneurysm becomes too big, it can rupture and cause life-threatening internal bleeding. According to Philippines News Agency, in a public advisory on Wednesday, the Philippine Heart Association stated that most AAAs develop silently without symptoms, often going undetected until they enlarge