General

Dumaguete: The Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NOCCI) is urging the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to authorize a barge trip to Mindanao via the Tambobo Port in Siaton town, addressing the challenges posed by the San Juanico Bridge repair crisis. According to Philippines News Agency, NOCCI President Edward Du expressed their strong backing for the motion for reconsideration filed by E-Motion Logistics Services with the DOTr. This comes after the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) denied its application for a special permit for the proposed Siaton-Dapitan route. Du highlighted the urgency of the situation, stating that MARINA’s failure to

Legazpi city: The Department of Health in Bicol (DOH-5) has initiated a call to ban the sale of junk food near schools while promoting healthier food options. Dr. Gladys Escote, the chief of the local health support division of DOH-5, emphasized the role of barangay councils in implementing policies to restrict the sale of junk food, carbonated drinks, and sweetened juices in proximity to educational institutions. According to Philippines News Agency, Dr. Escote highlighted the importance of community involvement, urging barangay councils to support the health advocacy by creating resolutions to enforce this policy. She suggested that with the assistance

Manila: Finance Secretary Ralph Recto vowed the efficient rollout of the landmark capital markets reform to unlock broader investor participation and drive inclusive economic growth. According to Philippines News Agency, Republic Act No. 12214, or the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act (CMEPA), aims to make the Philippines a more attractive and competitive investment destination by bringing long-awaited reforms to its capital markets. The law supports President Marcos’ goal of driving long-term economic growth by empowering more Filipinos to invest and attracting capital that translates to more jobs, higher incomes, and shared prosperity. Recto emphasized the importance of building a Philippine

Sulu: The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) said it has completed socioeconomic profiling of 458 members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Sulu. According to Philippines News Agency, the socioeconomic profiling, which ran from June 24 to 28, was conducted in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Integrated Provincial Health Office and rural health offices, and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Each beneficiary received transitional cash assistance amounting to PHP45,000 from the DSWD, with the agency disbursing a total of PHP20.61 million in

Iloilo: The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) on Wednesday urged communities to intensify the campaign against dengue as the province experiences a continuing rise in cases since the start of the year. According to Philippines News Agency, based on the latest data, Iloilo province logged 2,511 dengue cases, including 10 deaths, from Jan. 1 to June 28, marking a 58 percent increase from the 1,586 cases with five deaths recorded in the same period in 2024. The municipalities with the highest cases are San Joaquin, Oton, Dumangas, Leon, Cabatuan, Pototan, Lambunao, Janiuay, Calinog, and Pavia. The towns with the highest