Day: November 4, 2025

Manila: Medium-sized businesses may now take advantage of the retail aggregation program (RAP) for electricity consumers and join the retail competition and open access (RCOA) after the Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) cut the eligibility threshold for the monthly peak demand from 500 kilowatts (kW) to 100 kW. According to Philippines News Agency, the new rules will take effect on June 26, 2026, to give distribution utilities (DUs) and retail metering service providers (RMSPs) sufficient time to procure and install compliant metering facilities, as stated in a press release on Tuesday. Under the RAP program, which is part of ERC’s implementation

Baguio: The city government targets to achieve economic expansion by 2028 through creativity, innovation, and digital integration, based on the 2025-2028 Executive Legislative Agenda (ELA) comprehensive plan. According to Philippines News Agency, the plan outlines four major initiatives – the pursuit of new local economic enterprises, development of the Baguio Creative Website, creation of the Baguio MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) Startup and Innovation Desk, and the development of the Smart Economic Integration Program. Mayor Benjamin Magalong said these initiatives form part of the city’s broader strategy to ‘create an environment that supports innovation, empowers local industries, and ensures

Manila: The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported that 26 people have been confirmed dead as a result of Typhoon Tino, also known internationally as Kalmaegi, which struck various parts of the Visayas and Mindanao regions. According to Philippines News Agency, OCD spokesperson Junie Castillo informed the media that the fatalities included 22 individuals from Central Visayas, two from the Negros Island Region, one from Western Visayas, and another from Eastern Visayas. Castillo emphasized that these figures are currently undergoing verification and validation by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). The majority of the deaths were attributed

Manila: The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose Tuesday amid the selling pressures and the local currency gained against the US dollar. The main stocks gauge rose 0.67 percent to 5,867.04 points, and All Shares by 0.28 percent to 3,558.88 points. According to Philippines News Agency, half of the sectoral gauges also gained during the day, namely Financials, 2.09 percent; Property, 1.94 percent; and Services, 0.12 percent. On the other hand, Industrial fell 1.24 percent, Mining and Oil, 1.20 percent; and Holding Firms, 0.07 percent. Volume was thin at 538.81 million shares, amounting to PHP6.37 billion. Advancers led decliners at

Davao city: Police arrested 79 drug suspects and confiscated PHP1.2 million worth of illegal drugs in a week-long operation across the Davao region from Oct. 26 to Nov. 1. Brig. Gen. Joseph Arguelles, director of Police Regional Office 11 (Davao Region), stated in an interview Tuesday that the operations led to the seizure of 182.9 grams of suspected shabu, 189.2 grams of dried marijuana leaves, and five tablets of cocaine. According to Philippines News Agency, the contraband was recovered through 49 buy-bust operations, 16 warrant services, four search warrant implementations, two checkpoint operations, and nine police responses. Arguelles highlighted that