General

Negros Oriental: The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has issued a red tide advisory for Siit Bay in Siaton, Negros Oriental, warning the public against consuming shellfish and ‘alamang’ (krill/small shrimp) due to high levels of harmful toxins found in the water. According to Philippines News Agency, Florencia Mepa±a, the BFAR-Negros Oriental provincial chief, stated that the BFAR-7 (Central Visayas) office detected elevated levels of dangerous toxins in water samples taken from the bay. To further assess the situation, they are also requesting shellfish meat samples from Siit Bay for additional laboratory testing. Mepa±a explained that before declaring

Manila: Senate President Francis Escudero on Monday called on Philippine authorities to proactively reach out to all Filipinos, including the undocumented, who may wish to leave Israel and Iran amid rising tensions between the two countries. Escudero asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to lead efforts in locating Filipinos in conflict zones and activating contingency plans for their safe and immediate repatriation. According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero emphasized the need for the DFA and DMW to make extensive efforts in ensuring the safety of Filipinos in Israel and Iran, regardless of

Manila: There will be no maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for local pork while the hog industry is still under its repopulation efforts because of African swine fever (ASF) in the country, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Monday. This announcement follows the Department of Agriculture’s decision on May 15 to lift the pork MSRP, granting the pork industry time to recover. According to Philippines News Agency, the MSRP for local pork was previously set at PHP380 per kilogram for “liempo” (belly), PHP350/kg for “kasim” (ham) and pigue, and PHP300/kg for “sabit-ulo”. In a media interview, Tiu Laurel mentioned

Manila: Elected officials whose administrative cases remain under review are not considered perpetually disqualified from holding public office, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Monday. The DILG made this remark as it issued an advisory addressing the assumption of office by elected officials in the last May 12 polls despite being previously dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman. According to Philippines News Agency, the advisory covers elected officials whose administrative cases remain under review, such as those with pending motions for reconsideration, appeals, or other legal remedies. “This includes cases where officials are in

Jerusalem: At least three town mayors from Eastern Visayas, including Barugo, Leyte Mayor Aron Balais; Lawaan, Eastern Samar Mayor Athene Mendros; and Hindang, Leyte Mayor Betty Cabal, have been stranded in Israel after being caught in the escalating Iran-Israel conflict. In a message sent to Tacloban-based journalists on Monday, Mayor Balais said they have been taking shelter inside a bomb-proof bunker near their hotel. The officials are part of a study visit organized by Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, focused on promoting sustainability and food security in urban centers. According to Philippines News Agency, Balais stated that there are