General

Masbate City: The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) has extended relief assistance to families and individuals affected by a fire incident in the capital of Masbate province on Monday. In a report on Wednesday, DSWD-5 Director Norman Laurio said they mobilized its Disaster Response Management Division, in coordination with the Masbate Quick Response Team, to provide essential relief aid to the affected residents in Masbate City. The relief items that were distributed on Tuesday included family food packs and various non-food items such as hygiene kits, family kits, sleeping kits, kitchen kits, and 10-meter laminated sacks,

Zamboanga: The Police Regional Office (PRO) 9 has deployed 1,420 personnel across the region to ensure a peaceful and secure observance of Holy Week, a top police official stated. Brig. Gen. Roel Rodolfo, PRO-9 director, emphasized that the intensified security operation aims to safeguard devotees, tourists, and the general public participating in the religious and cultural activities scheduled throughout the Lenten season. According to Philippines News Agency, Brig. Gen. Rodolfo mentioned that police officers are strategically stationed in key areas, including churches, major thoroughfares, transport terminals, commercial centers, and other gathering places. The PRO-9 personnel are reinforced by 129 members

Manila: The European Union (EU) has deployed a 72-member mission to observe the conduct of the upcoming midterm elections in the Philippines, following an official invitation from the Philippine government. According to Philippines News Agency, the mission comprises experts from all 27 EU member states, who will observe the elections in pairs across all regions of the country, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Deputy Chief Observer Manuel S¡nchez de Nogu©s emphasized that this mission is a first for the EU in the Philippines and one of the largest deployments by the bloc. In a statement made

Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has issued proclamations declaring five non-working days to mark various local celebrations in four towns and one city across the country. Proclamation Nos. 855 to 857 were all signed on April 10 and released by the Official Gazette on Monday. According to Philippines News Agency, in the municipality of Rizal in Cagayan province, a special non-working day was declared on April 26 to mark the town’s founding anniversary, as stated in Proclamation 855. Proclamation 856 declared May 14 a special non-working day in Pulilan, Bulacan, in celebration of the Kneeling Carabao Festival. Meanwhile, May

Washington: US President Donald Trump threatened to strip Harvard University of its tax-exempt status Tuesday after the Ivy League school bucked his demands to enact sweeping overhauls of its operations and policies. “Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’” Trump posted on his proprietary social media website. “Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!” According to Philippines News Agency, the threat came after Harvard said Monday it would fight reforms demanded by the Trump administration after