General

Davao: An initial 20-ton shipment of Cardava bananas to Saudi Arabia will depart on June 26, the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11) said Wednesday. The shipment, comprising 1,540 boxes of 13 kg. each, is expected to arrive in 35 days and is handled by GERB Golden Hands Corporation, an accredited exporter. According to Philippines News Agency, this export milestone is a result of the International Expo attended in Dubai last year, specifically the AGRA Middle East Exhibition. Macario Gonzaga, DA-11 regional director, mentioned in an interview that GERB Corp.’s participation in the expo facilitated the market linkage necessary

Legazpi: The Office of Civil Defense in Bicol (OCD-5) has praised the creation of the Bicol Regional Federation of Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers Association. This new federation aims to facilitate the sharing of effective disaster management practices within the region. According to Philippines News Agency, OCD-5 assistant regional director Jessar Adornado expressed that the federation is expected to improve assistance efforts, promote disaster response protocols, and ensure timely, coordinated responses across different provinces during emergencies. Adornado emphasized that the federation’s establishment would enhance collaboration among affected local government units and their neighboring towns, providing a better understanding

Manila: The House of Representatives’ prosecution panel has officially notified the Senate, which is functioning as an impeachment court, that it has adhered to all constitutional mandates in the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. On Wednesday, the panel submitted a certification to the Senate confirming this compliance. According to Philippines News Agency, the panel also presented a Manifestation reiterating its unqualified entry of appearance, countering the conditional Entry of Appearance Ad Cautelam submitted by Duterte’s legal team. This submission, filed as a precaution, questions the jurisdiction of the impeachment court. The House panel’s submission included an enrolled copy of

Manila: The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the voluntary repatriation phase or Alert Level 3 in Israel will remain in place, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said Wednesday. De Vega said the DFA would wait for the official recommendation of the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv on whether to retain or downgrade the alert level as activities in Israel slowly return to normal after the ceasefire with Iran. ‘Still Alert Level 3. We shall await (the) recommendations of Ambassador (Aileen Mendiola),’ he told the Philippine News Agency in a text message. According to Philippines News Agency, Israel

Tacloban: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is eyeing PHP4.5 million in sales during the five-day trade fair of Leyte-based small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) showcasing local products at a mall here from June 25 to 29. According to Philippines News Agency, from the initial PHP4 million target sales, DTI Eastern Visayas Regional Director Celerina Bato challenged the 71 exhibitors from Leyte to aim for higher gains during the fair dubbed ‘Layag’ Leyte Fiesta Bonanza Trade Expo 2025 at the Robinsons Place here, to be held ahead of the fiesta celebration on June 30. ‘We are here to seize