General

Manila: Finance Secretary Ralph Recto secured 250 million euros (PHP15.79 billion) concessional funding from France, through the Agence Fran§aise De D©veloppement (AFD), to help advance the Philippines’ climate actions. The ceremonial exchange for the Climate Change Action Plan, Subprogram 2 (CCAP2) was formally executed between Recto and French Ambassador to Manila Marie Fontanel on Monday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said in a news release. According to Philippines News Agency, the agreement is consistent with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call for innovative strategies to address climate change. “[This] is a vote of confidence in the Filipino people and our

Manila: The Regional Inter-Agency Coordinating Cell: Task Force San Juanico: The Task Force San Juanico has opened the Dampigan temporary passenger terminal in Sta. Rita, Samar, dedicated as a drop-off and pick-up point for Tacloban-bound passengers affected by the San Juanico Bridge access limit. According to Philippines News Agency, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Eastern Visayas director Lord Byron Torrecarion stated that the terminal is among key interventions in the ongoing crisis arising from the limited load capacity of the vital bridge that links the islands of Leyte and Samar. Torrecarion mentioned that the terminal in Dampigan village, which opened

Davao: This city has emerged as the Philippines’ 3rd Best Startup Ecosystem and the leading hub in the region, as ranked by StartupBlink’s 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report. Startups are defined as businesses that leverage innovative, technology-enabled solutions with significant potential for expansion or scalability. According to Philippines News Agency, Christian Cambaya, head of the Davao City Investment Promotion Center’s (DCIPC) investor assistance servicing unit, highlighted the city’s significant advancement from fourth to third place nationally. Davao City is the only city in the country to have improved its national ranking. The city logged a remarkable over 97 percent national

Dumaguete City: Residents of Barangay Bantayan here, joined by various groups, are calling for the halting of a coastal road expansion in this capital city of Negros Oriental, citing possible negative impacts on the marine environment, the fishing community, and other stakeholders. According to Philippines News Agency, Gary Rosales, president and co-founder of the environmental advocacy group Kahugpungan para sa Kinabuhi ug Kinaiyahan, Inc. (Kinaiyahan), mentioned in an interview that a signature campaign is ongoing against the project. Rosales stated that the coastal road expansion project will be undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and will

Bacolod City: Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez announced that the city government will launch a program to sell rice at PHP20 per kilo starting June 5, with an initial budget allocation of PHP8 million. The initiative, known as ‘Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na’, aims to alleviate the burden of high food prices on residents. According to Philippines News Agency, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is expected to attend the launching event. The program will be closely coordinated with the National Food Authority (NFA) to ensure proper distribution. Mayor Benitez mentioned that the NFA’s warehouse currently holds an inventory of approximately