General

Manila: The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Monday announced the formal launch of a major campaign aimed at addressing the surge in complaints against abusive online lending applications (OLAs). According to Philippines News Agency, PAOCC is coordinating with the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). This initiative follows directives from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to prioritize complaints against OLAs to ensure victims can obtain justice and access necessary legal remedies. PAOCC Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz highlighted the severe impact of OLA

Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. warned his Cabinet against complacency, saying he is continuing a rigorous performance review of key officials and emphasized that government work must never fall back into a ‘business as usual’ mindset that has long plagued the Philippine bureaucracy. According to Philippines News Agency, the President stressed that under his administration, both large-scale and day-to-day government operations will be under close scrutiny to ensure targets are met, especially in areas directly affecting the public. Marcos cited practical examples such as malfunctioning escalators, broken stairs, uncollected garbage, and long queues in public services as issues that

La Trinidad: The local government unit (LGU) of La Trinidad, along with residents, has successfully obtained a temporary restraining order to protect the Shilan Communal Forest. This legal action comes as a relief to the community, including children, who depend on the forest for vital resources. According to Philippines News Agency, the case was initiated by the LGU in 2020 after discovering unauthorized bulldozing activities by defendants in the communal forest. This unauthorized activity posed a threat to the forest, which is a crucial source of water and one of the few remaining green patches in the area. Bartolome Baldas,

Manila: Senate President Francis Escudero on Monday defended the constitutionality of a bill that proposes extending the term of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials from three to four years, arguing that it rectifies the issues highlighted by the Supreme Court in a similar law that was partially declared unconstitutional in 2023. Escudero emphasized that the previous law was voided due to a failure to define the term of office for officials while postponing elections. According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero explained that the newly proposed bill avoids the previous errors by rescheduling the elections and explicitly stating the four-year

Ilocos Region: The Department of Education (DepEd) in the Ilocos Region has welcomed around 677,000 learners for the school year 2025-2026. This initial count encompasses students from all grade levels in both public and private schools throughout the region. According to Philippines News Agency, DepEd Ilocos Region administrative officer Dr. Cesar Bucsit mentioned in a phone interview that the number of enrollees could still change as enrollment is ongoing. The breakdown of the initial number of learners includes 45,111 in Kindergarten, 44,561 in Grade 1, 48,633 in Grade 2, 50,422 in Grade 3, 52,880 in Grade 4, 57,833 in Grade