Day: November 19, 2025

Bacolod: This city’s Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez personally reiterated his support for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. after the Visayan bloc in the House of Representatives issued a statement backing the administration. According to Philippines News Agency, Benitez, who identifies as an independent member of the House, highlighted the importance of supporting the President’s initiative to combat corruption within the bureaucracy. He emphasized the unprecedented nature of a sitting president investigating his own administration. “The reason why we’re supporting this administration is because he’s the only president in the history of the Philippines who is investigating his own

Manila: Investors sought out shares with lower valuations on Wednesday, driving an increase in the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi). The peso, however, concluded the day with minimal changes against the US dollar. According to Philippines News Agency, the PSEi rose by 0.99 percent, reaching 5,813.71 points, while the broader All Shares index increased by 0.63 percent to 3,251.84 points. Most sectoral indices saw gains, led by Financials, which increased by 1.78 percent. Industrial followed with a rise of 1.55 percent, Holding Firms by 1.14 percent, Property by 0.43 percent, and Services by 0.08 percent. The only sector that declined

Mandaluyong city: More than 10,000 former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) have successfully reintegrated into the country and returned to the education sector, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced on Wednesday. According to Philippines News Agency, this reintegration was made possible through the DMW’s ‘Sa ‘Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir’ (SPIMS) Program. The department emphasized that SPIMS has facilitated the return of more than 10,000 OFWs to their vocation, allowing them to teach in public schools across the country. The program offers guidance and support to former OFWs, aiding their

Makati city: An official of Ayala Corp. on Wednesday emphasized the necessity of a unified position from the private sector to assist the government in formulating policies that would benefit all sectors. Citing his experience in government service, Ayala Corp. Managing Director Karl Chua, a former director general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and undersecretary of the Department of Finance, pointed out that while private sector groups have offered numerous policy suggestions, many have not materialized as they were often tailored to benefit the specific sectors those groups represented. According to Philippines News Agency, Chua articulated the

Davao city: The Department of Agriculture in Davao Region has initiated a new technology demonstration to address the pervasive issue of Fusarium wilt, a disease severely impacting banana crops. The demonstration was launched in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, building on a successful three-year field trial and involving partnerships with industry stakeholders and local governments. According to Philippines News Agency, DA-11 Regional Technical Director Marie Ann Constantino highlighted the importance of collective action in tackling this widespread agricultural threat. “This milestone emphasized that having strong collaboration and unified efforts are essential to sustaining the region’s banana industry,” Constantino stated in