General

Bacolod City: Several companies employing minimum wage earners in Negros Occidental are set to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) to avail of the PHP20 per kg rice for their workers. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Negros Occidental Provincial Head Carmela Abellar stated that their office is facilitating the companies’ requirements for inclusion in the ‘Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na’ program. According to Philippines News Agency, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is preparing the advice for the National Food Authority. The DA announced it would allocate 1.2 million kg of rice monthly for 120,000

Yeoncheon: Jimin and Jungkook, members of the K-pop group BTS, were discharged from the South Korean military after completing their 18-month mandatory service, as fans eagerly awaited their return. According to Philippines News Agency, the two stars, dressed in military uniforms, saluted a cheering crowd at a public sports facility near their former unit in Yeoncheon, about 60 km north of Seoul, during a brief ceremony. Hundreds of fans and journalists gathered at the site, with fans erupting in applause and cheers as the duo arrived. Jimin and Jungkook greeted the crowd with bright smiles, holding bouquets presented by their

Manila: Resolutions of online transaction-related complaints filed with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) continue to increase, authorities said Wednesday. In a briefing at the BSP office here, lawyer Charina de Vera-Yap, Managing Director of the BSP’s Financial Inclusion and Consumer Empowerment Sub-Sector, said there were 322 cases for mediation in 2023, and these registered 69 percent success rates in favor of the complainants. The following year, mediation cases reached 703, and the success rate rose to 83 percent, she said. In the first five months this year, mediation cases already reached 400, but Yap did not give details on

Malaca±ang: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has mandated the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to develop a comprehensive energy strategy for the province of Siquijor, addressing its severe power crisis. According to Philippines News Agency, Presidential Communications Office and Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro announced that the President aims to establish a permanent and reliable power system in Siquijor within six months. Castro relayed that President Marcos instructed the DOE and NEA to ensure a stable and sufficient energy service by repairing plants, transmission lines, fuel logistics, and technical standards. President Marcos expressed his

Manila: The southwest monsoon, locally known as ‘habagat’, is set to persist in bringing rain to various parts of the Philippines, with certain regions likely to experience heavy downpours, according to the national weather bureau on Wednesday. According to Philippines News Agency, the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, and Antique are expected to see monsoon rains. The weather conditions in these areas, characterized by moderate to heavy rainfall with occasional intense rains, could potentially lead to flooding or landslides, as reported by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 4 a.m. bulletin. In addition,