General

San Fernando: The Department of Health (DOH) in Ilocos Region has opened almost 200 vacant positions in hospitals across its area. The vacant positions are available at Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, Region 1 Medical Center, Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, and Conrado P. Estrella Regional Trauma and Medical Center, as well as in the DOH-Ilocos office. According to Philippines News Agency, DOH-Ilocos Director Dr. Paula Paz Sydiongco stated that interested applicants who were unable to attend the job fair held in San Fernando, La Union, can apply online. Job seekers can submit their applications through the

Dumaguete City: The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) have signed an agreement with transport network vehicle service provider Grab Philippines and Megaworld to explore the use of drone technology for deliveries. According to Philippines News Agency, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the four entities to set the stage for future pilot activities and provide opportunities to examine possible use cases and learnings, and to build public awareness of drone-enabled services. The initiative is designed to test whether unmanned aerial vehicles can transform urban logistics in one of the region’s

Prosperidad: The provincial government of Agusan del Sur, in collaboration with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), formally opened the country’s first state-of-the-art soil laboratory in Prosperidad town on Tuesday. The PHP550 million facility, covering 1,687 square meters, is equipped to handle a wide range of testing and research, with the capacity to process between 50 and 100 soil samples daily. According to Philippines News Agency, the facility aims to translate scientific knowledge into real, measurable change for farmers. Governor Santiago Cane Jr. emphasized that the laboratory’s purpose is not only scientific advancement but also providing tangible, inclusive,

Manila: Strong domestic demand and economic resilience are expected to bolster growth in several Asian countries such as the Philippines despite the impact of United States tariff policies, S and P Global Ratings said Tuesday. In a report, the credit rater hiked its 2025 gross domestic product (GDP) forecast for the Philippines to 6.1 percent from 5.9 percent last May. According to Philippines News Agency, S and P Global Ratings senior lead economist Vincent Conti attributed this development to the sharp reduction of bilateral tariffs between the U.S. and China, which followed a pause in the country-specific ‘reciprocal’ tariffs by

Pulupandan: About 500 beneficiaries in Pulupandan town availed of PHP20 per kilo rice through the ‘Bigasan ng Bayan’ initiative of the Negros Occidental provincial government and the Federation of Irrigators’ Association of Central Negros-Bago River Irrigation System (FIACN-BRIS) on Tuesday. According to Philippines News Agency, FIACN-BRIS president Pedro Limpangog mentioned that after offering rice at PHP25 per kg since 2023, they discovered a method to sell rice at an even lower price to align with the ‘Benteng Bigas, Meron (BBM) Na!’ program of the national government. Limpangog emphasized their commitment to ensuring the continuation of this initiative, adding that FIACN-BRIS