General

Manila: Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Viado on Monday denied allegations of corruption reportedly hurled against him by several employees of the bureau. “For the record, I unequivocally state that all the allegations contained in the alleged ‘white paper’ are patently false,” Viado said in a statement, in reaction to the reported June 2, 2025 letter sent by BI employees to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. According to Philippines News Agency, the letter accuses Viado of committing illegalities in handling cases involving illegal foreign workers and Philippine offshore gaming operators. Viado said the letter was “obviously the handiwork of

Bangkok: Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia remain high as Thailand strengthens its military presence along their disputed 817-km border, following a deadly clash on May 28 that left a Cambodian soldier dead. Thai Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed the buildup, citing repeated Cambodian incursions and Phnom Penh’s rejection of de-escalation efforts during bilateral talks on June 5. According to Philippines News Agency, there has been a strengthening of the military presence, which has exacerbated tensions along the border. As a result, the Thai government felt it necessary to take further measures and strengthen its military posture.

La Union: The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has partnered with the Department of Agriculture in the Ilocos Region to launch the ‘Benteng Bigas, Meron Na’ (BBM Na) program, offering rice at PHP20 per kilo. This initiative is set to benefit 11,000 minimum wage earners in La Union province beginning June 13. According to Philippines News Agency, DOLE-Ilocos Region Director Exequiel Ronie Guzman announced during a recent forum that they have collaborated with the La Union Chamber of Commerce to identify the initial list of beneficiaries. The program, initially aimed at vulnerable sectors, has been extended to assist minimum

Davao City: The Philippine Statistics Authority in Davao Region (PSA-11) reported that regional fisheries production in the first quarter of 2025 reached 16,126.40 metric tons (MT), marking a 17.8 percent increase from the 13,694.99 MT recorded in the same period last year. According to Philippines News Agency, the fisheries sector in the region comprises four subsectors: commercial, marine municipal, inland municipal, and aquaculture. ‘These statistics primarily serve as input for compiling the performance of agriculture and national accounts. The data sets are also crucial for policymaking and program implementation aimed at developing the fisheries sector,’ the agency said in its

Manila: The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) reported recovery in more than 17 hectares of sugarcane farms affected by red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) in Negros Occidental but sustains intensified field response as the infestation continues to increase, its latest report showed on Monday. ‘I know that the sugar industry is very important for the Negros Island Region and the SRA and the Department of Agriculture (DA) will work with 101 percent effort in finding a solution. This solution entails the cooperation of everyone,’ SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said during the stakeholders’ forum at the SRA Bacolod Social Hall. According