General

Manila: The Department of Education (DepEd) assured on Thursday that the government has been intensifying interventions in schools following reports of more than 18 million high school graduates from 2019-2024 considered ‘functional illiterate’. DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said instead of memorization, the agency is making efforts to help students become critical thinkers while teaching them 21st-century skills. According to Philippines News Agency, Angara emphasized that no child will be allowed to fall behind in reading and comprehension. The recent FLEMMS results on functional literacy underscore the necessity for literacy to be central in educational reforms. The government is focused on

Manila: The Ministry of Health in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOH-BARMM) has expanded its healthcare reach by signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with 10 new hospitals. According to Philippines News Agency, the MOH-BARMM Minister, Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr., announced the partnership on Thursday, highlighting its aim to serve more disadvantaged Bangsamoro people both within and outside the region. This initiative allows a greater number of Bangsamoro individuals to access medical assistance through the newly partnered hospitals under the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients Program (MAIFFIP). The 10 newly partnered hospitals include St. Pius

Manila: Inflation likely continued to settle below 2 percent in April due to lower food prices, an economist has said. According to Philippines News Agency, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation chief economist Michael Ricafort stated in a Viber message Thursday that inflation is projected to further decelerate to 1.6 percent in April from 1.8 percent last March. “The initial implementation of the maximum suggested retail price of imported rice on January 20, 2025, the declaration of a food security emergency on February 3, 2025, as well as world rough rice prices at the lowest in more than three years, could all

Manila: Disqualification complaints have been filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against a congressional candidate in Quezon City and two local candidates in Laguna over alleged vote-buying and misuse of government resources. According to Philippines News Agency, two separate petitions were lodged Thursday against Rose Nono Lin, who is making a second attempt to represent Quezon City’s 5th congressional district. She is accused of illegal campaigning on Maundy Thursday (April 17) and of violating the Omnibus Election Code (OEC). Petitioner Ligaya Sta. Ana alleged that Lin’s campaign team set up a tent near Nova Plaza Mall in Novaliches on

Manila: Over 1.2 million commuters benefited from free train rides across three rail lines in Metro Manila on the first day of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Labor Day ‘Libreng Sakay’ initiative. According to Philippines News Agency, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) reported that this figure marks an ‘all-time high’ in Libreng Sakay ridership across the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), LRT-2, and the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3). The DOTr emphasized the significant impact of the program and the positive public response to the Libreng Sakay initiative implemented by the government for Labor Day. The program was