General

Tacloban: The Department of Tourism (DOT) has urged hotels and restaurants in Eastern Visayas to apply halal culinary practices amid growing global demand for Muslim-friendly tourist destinations. At a culinary event held Thursday at Summit Hotel here, the DOT brought together chefs, food industry players, and halal experts to showcase inclusive and culturally sensitive cuisine. According to Philippines News Agency, the gathering featured live cooking demos, discussions on halal practices, and insights into the regional food scene. In her speech, Tourism Undersecretary Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar acknowledged that there is a ‘certain demographic that is unable to enjoy or even explore

Manila: Pope Francis appointed 45 of the Philippines’ 86 active Catholic bishops, which is more than half, during his 12-year tenure as the head of the Catholic Church. This information was reported by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). According to Philippines News Agency, Pope Francis’ first appointment of a Filipino bishop was Romblon Bishop Narciso Abellana in October 2013, shortly after he assumed the papacy. His final appointment was made on April 14, 2025, when he named Msgr. Glenn Corsiga as the bishop of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, just a week before his passing. The bishops appointed by

Manila: The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., has approved a three-year program to improve food insecurity and malnutrition measures. The NEDA Board approved the Reducing Food Insecurity and Undernutrition with Electronic Vouchers (REFUEL) Project during its final meeting on Wednesday before its transition to become the Economy and Development (ED) Council as mandated by Republic Act (RA) 12145. RA 12145 also gave the NEDA greater authority as the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev). According to Philippines News Agency, the REFUEL project is set to be implemented from July 2025

Manila: Police arrested a Taiwanese national and his cohort tagged in the kidnapping of a Chinese national. In a statement on Thursday, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said the two suspects were nabbed in separate operations on Tuesday. According to Philippines News Agency, the Taiwanese national was the first to be collared in a subdivision in Las Pi±as City, while the second suspect was apprehended in Barangay 19 in Pasay City hours later. Marbil lauded the swift and coordinated response of the operating units of the Manila Police District, Pasay City Police Station, and Para±aque City

Makati City: The Philippines is set to host a significant gathering of middle-income countries (MICs) next week in Makati City. The meeting aims to develop solutions and targeted approaches to support the growth trajectories of these nations. According to Philippines News Agency, the conference is an initiative of the Like-Minded Group in support of Middle-Income Countries (LMG-MICs), chaired by the Kingdom of Morocco. The LMG-MICs comprises countries such as Armenia, Belarus, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, and Uruguay. Additionally, countries like Bangladesh, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia,