General

Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday warned candidates in the May 12 midterm elections against submitting “untruthful” Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs). In an interview, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said filing inaccurate SOCEs could lead to charges. “If you file SOCEs with discrepancy and are untruthful, you can face charges of falsification and perjury. Those are violations of the law,” Garcia said. According to Philippines News Agency, under Republic Act No. 7166, every candidate and political party must file their “full, true and itemized” SOCEs within 30 days after election day. Failure to file the SOCE may

Manila: The Civil Service Commission: The Civil Service Commission (CSC) on Tuesday reminded outgoing officials that restrictions on human resource movement remain in effect until June 30, 2025. According to Philippines News Agency, the agency issued a public advisory indicating that these restrictions are connected to the upcoming May 12 midterm elections. CSC Resolution No. 1800692 Rule XI Section 112, dated July 3, 2018, specifies the conditions under which appointments made by outgoing officials could be considered valid. The resolution requires that appointees meet the approved minimum qualification standards or those mandated under special law for the position they are

Manila: Total assets of the Philippine banking sector went up by over 7 percent as of end-March this year. According to Philippines News Agency, data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that the total assets of the banking sector amounted to PHP27.64 trillion in March this year, up by 7.7 percent from PHP25.65 trillion in the same month last year. Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation chief economist Michael Ricafort said the continued growth in banks’ total assets may be attributed to the growth in loans and investments. “[It] is also supported by the continued growth in bank deposits

Baguio: The City Health Services Office (CHSO), in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), is initiating an extensive information campaign targeting schoolchildren to enhance their understanding of the rising human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases. Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes, city health officer, emphasized the importance of collaborating with schools to educate young people about HIV prevention and management. According to Philippines News Agency, Brillantes highlighted the critical need to engage with the youth, noting that records indicate a significant number of active cases are among individuals aged 15 to 34. The Department of Education (DepEd) has integrated topics on sexuality

Jolo: Anti-narcotics agents arrested a suspected high-value drug dealer in Jolo, Sulu, and confiscated PHP6.8 million worth of shabu, authorities reported Tuesday. According to Philippines News Agency, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Bangsamoro Director Gil Cesario Castro stated that joint operatives captured alias “Bads” during a buy-bust operation along Serentes Street in Barangay Chinese Pier. The 37-year-old Sulu resident was found in possession of one kilogram of shabu, a mobile phone, and marked money. “This successful operation demonstrates the importance of inter-agency collaboration in maintaining peace and order,” Castro said, highlighting the combined efforts of PDEA, military, and police units.