General

Leyte: There is no more collection of ‘permit to campaign’ and ‘permit to win’ fees from the New People’s Army (NPA) in Leyte Island and some parts of Samar provinces ahead of the May 12, 2025 elections, the Philippine Army stated on Monday. One week before the national and local elections, there have been no NPA violent activities monitored by the military, including extortion attempts from local candidates, according to Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir. According to Philippines News Agency, in previous elections, the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, demanded

Manila: Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has called for the accelerated implementation of programs to support local farmers and fishers, aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s objectives for food security, accessibility, and affordability. Tiu Laurel emphasized the importance of prompt action during a statement for the celebration of Farmers and Fisherfolk Month, urging public service workers to recognize the impact of their daily efforts on those in need. According to Philippines News Agency, the programs highlighted by Tiu Laurel include raising the National Food Authority’s (NFA) buying price for palay (unhusked rice) to benefit local farmers financially.

Washington D.C.: Officials from the Department of Finance (DOF) met with senior representatives of the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to outline shared priorities for enhancing private sector investments throughout the Philippines. According to Philippines News Agency, the meeting took place on April 22, 2025, in Washington D.C., alongside the World Bank – International Monetary Fund (WB-IMF) Spring Meetings, which ran from April 21 to 26, 2025. The DFC, a US government development finance institution, collaborates with the private sector to tackle significant challenges in emerging markets, focusing on sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure, and technology. During

Manila: A resolution was filed in the Senate on Monday seeking to investigate joint venture agreements (JVAs) between government water districts and private concessionaires, citing findings from the Commission on Audit (COA) that flagged several of the contracts as ‘disadvantageous.’ According to Philippines News Agency, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros emphasized the need for scrutiny of water concessionaires amid a surge in consumer complaints, particularly against PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. Hontiveros highlighted that many Filipinos are demanding better service, especially during the dry season. The senator filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 1352, urging the Senate Committee on Public Services to

Pangasinan: A total of 3,709 boxes containing official ballots for the 2025 national and local elections have arrived in Pangasinan and La Union, election officials confirmed on Monday. Of the total, 2,869 ballot boxes were delivered to Pangasinan, while the remaining 840 were received in La Union. The unsealing and unloading of the boxes took place on Sunday. According to Philippines News Agency, La Union election officer assistant Marku Dominik Lavaro stated that the ballot boxes will be kept in the municipal treasury offices until distribution to clustered polling precincts on election day. Lavaro assured the public that all ballot