Day: October 23, 2025

Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is urging the public to respect and exercise sensitivity when sharing information on family food packs and other relief items being distributed by DSWD personnel in times of disaster. ‘As the lead agency on disaster response, the DSWD urges the public to refrain from creating social media posts that make fun of the ongoing distribution of aid for disaster-stricken families. These misleading contents, when disseminated online, trivialize disaster response efforts by the government and other humanitarian organizations,’ Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group said in a statement

Manila: The third Asian Youth Games (AYG) officially commenced in Bahrain, bringing together a gathering of over 4,000 young athletes from 45 Asian countries and regions. The event, taking place from October 22 to 31, features a record 26 sports and 232 events, marking it as the largest edition in AYG history. According to Philippines News Agency, the Games will see a total of 4,074 athletes-comprising 2,425 men and 1,649 women-participating, surpassing the 2,413 participants at the 2013 Nanjing Games and the 1,321 at the inaugural Singapore Games in 2009. The opening ceremony, held in the Sakhir area, was officiated

Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) are collaborating to promote volunteerism as a crucial element in improving the delivery of social protection services across the Philippines. The partnership aims to utilize community involvement to make government services more efficient and responsive to the needs of citizens. According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD spokesperson Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao stated that the agencies held a meeting to strengthen their partnership, focusing on mobilizing volunteer groups to support government operations, especially during emergencies. Dumlao emphasized the importance of the PNVSCA’s role

Negros oriental: Police in Negros Oriental have arrested 50 individuals and recovered 952 firearms since the start of the year in separate enhanced operations, an official said Thursday. According to Philippines News Agency, Lt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO), stated that this is part of their campaign to rid the province of illegal and undocumented firearms. Polinar explained that the majority of the arrests and confiscations were made during Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operations conducted by the police stations. Additional arrests and confiscations occurred during anti-illegal drug operations and checkpoints. Records at the NOrPPO

Norzagaray: Acting Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has announced intensified operations against illegal and unauthorized fireworks manufacturing facilities following a deadly explosion at a factory in Norzagaray, Bulacan that resulted in two fatalities. He stressed the need for strict enforcement of safety regulations to prevent further loss of lives and damage to property. According to Philippines News Agency, the PNP is conducting an ongoing investigation into the explosion, collaborating closely with the Bureau of Fire Protection and other relevant government agencies, as well as the local government of Bulacan. The aim is to assess

Manila: The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Thursday reported it has disbursed over PHP217.93 billion in benefit claims from January to September this year. In a public advisory, the state insurer highlighted this as a significant 94.18 percent increase compared to the same period last year. According to Philippines News Agency, PhilHealth data showed private healthcare institutions received the largest share, totaling PHP127.79 billion, while government health facilities accounted for PHP90.14 billion. This marks a substantial rise from 2024 figures, when PhilHealth paid out PHP58.94 billion to private facilities and PHP53.29 billion to government hospitals, amounting to PHP112.23 billion