Day: September 29, 2025

Leyte: Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Monday described the privilege speech of Senator Francis Escudero as a political maneuver aimed at alignment with Vice President Sara Duterte for the 2028 elections. Escudero accused Romualdez of orchestrating what he called a ‘script and sarswela (dramatics)’ to divert public outrage over ghost and substandard flood control projects away from the House of Representatives and toward senators. According to Philippines News Agency, Romualdez stated in a press release that Escudero’s speech was akin to a “DDS (Digong Duterte Supporters) script,” reiterating accusations that have circulated on troll pages and social

Negros occidental: Sugar mills in Negros Occidental have commenced accepting sugarcane as the crop year 2025-2026 officially kicks off, despite ongoing challenges from the red-striped soft-scale insect (RSSI) infestation affecting plantations in the region. According to Philippines News Agency, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona stated that the milling season, which traditionally starts on October 1, was advanced to the nearest Monday, September 29, to complete the transition back to a late-year commencement. Azcona explained that the start date had been gradually shifted over the past three years, aligning milling operations closer to the end of the

New york: The Philippines, serving as the chair of the Like-Minded Group for Middle-Income Countries (LMG-MICs), has urged the international community to support reforms addressing the unique challenges faced by middle-income countries (MICs). This call was made during the 10th Ministerial Meeting held on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, taking place from September 9 to 28, 2025. According to Philippines News Agency, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, in her opening remarks on September 25, emphasized the significant role that MICs are playing as global development actors. She highlighted that MICs contribute a

Manila: Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Monday welcomed plans to reallocate part of the flood control budget to support Filipino farmers. The Office of the President announced the reallocation of PHP255 billion from the Department of Public Works and Highways’ flood control program to other priority programs of various agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Education, and Department of Health. According to Philippines News Agency, PHP39.37 billion of the reallocated funds will go to the Department of Agriculture. The budget will cover post-harvest facilities, fish ports,

Sta. rosa: An official of ePLDT is hopeful for the release of a government policy that will ensure data sovereignty, eyed to bolster the country’s attractiveness as a data center hub in the region. According to Philippines News Agency, in a briefing Monday for the launch of PLDT’s information and communication technology (ICT) arm’s partnership with Dell Technologies and Katonic AI to power the country’s first sovereign AI solution stack, Pilipinas AI, in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, ePLDT president and chief executive officer Victor Genuino said they have been in talks with officials of the Department of Information and Communication Technology