General

Bacolod: Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has welcomed the additional PHP205 million allocation from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) for the expansion of the Bacolod-Silay Airport terminal in Negros Occidental. The new funding was approved amid the ongoing implementation of the PHP45 million rehabilitation of the passenger terminal building to address several outdated and deteriorated building materials and components, which is expected to be completed this December. According to Philippines News Agency, Benitez expressed gratitude towards CAAP for approving the request and allocating PHP205 million for the Bacolod-Silay Airport upgrade. The mayor anticipates an upgrade of the airport

Dagupan City: Thousands of Pangasinenses gathered at the CSI Stadia on Friday to welcome the senatorial candidates of Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas during their campaign stop here. The administration candidates outlined initiatives aimed at alleviating the living conditions of the Filipino people, ranging from reduced electricity costs to the provision of free medicine and hospitalization. According to Philippines News Agency, former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos pledged to lower electricity costs, while Abby Binay promised to push for tax-free bonuses, including the 13th-month pay and overtime pay. Senator Bong Revilla proposed a universal pension of PHP1,000 for senior citizens and

Manila: Most banks have generally maintained their credit standards for businesses in the first quarter of 2025, as indicated by the results of the Q1 2025 Senior Bank Loan Officers’ Survey released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Friday. According to Philippines News Agency, the survey utilized a modal approach, analyzing the results based on the option with the highest number of responses. Approximately 81.8 percent of respondent banks kept their credit standards steady, a slight decrease from the 83.3 percent recorded in the previous quarter. The BSP reported, “Banks tightened their loan standards for enterprises due to

Quezon City: The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) is on heightened alert in the wake of reported threats and violence against journalists amid the election season. ‘Ang (The) Presidential Task Force on Media Security ay (is) on alert these weeks, especially ahead of the midterm elections,’ PTFoMS executive director Undersecretary Jose Torres Jr. said in a weekly news forum in Quezon City on Saturday. According to Philippines News Agency, Torres cited the case of dzRH reporter Romeo Be±as who was threatened by La Paz, Abra Mayor Joseph Bernos through Facebook messenger and a video call on April 21.

Manila: Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno has urged all Filipinos to remain vigilant as preparations for the national and local elections on May 12 intensify. According to Philippines News Agency, the recent NDRRMC Memorandum 102 series of 2025 states that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (NDRRMOC) will elevate its alert status to “Blue” from May 11 to 14. This alert level signifies that half of the agency’s disaster response force is on standby, prepared to handle any emergencies that may arise. The decision is part of a strategy to ensure smooth coordination