General

Manila: The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) announced on Monday that it has confiscated PHP129.64 million worth of illegal drugs during operations conducted nationwide from April 4 to 11. According to Philippines News Agency, the operations led to the arrest of 53 individuals and the seizure of 16.44 kilograms of suspected shabu, 150.96 grams of dried marijuana leaves, 20 kilograms of kush, 72.53 kilograms of marijuana plants, 496 pieces of ecstasy, and one milliliter of cannabis oil. PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez emphasized that these numbers are significant as they represent lives saved and communities protected. Nerez stated that PDEA

Manila: While some analysts anticipate a decline in Philippine exports due to the imposed tariffs by the United States, the country’s top economist offered a different perspective. According to Philippines News Agency, in a press chat Monday, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said his office has done simulations on the impacts of the United States tariffs and it showed that the country could actually gain from President Donald Trump’s order. Balisacan said two simulations were done. First is that reciprocal tariffs, wherein the Philippines is slapped with a 17 percent tariff rate, lower than its neighboring

Antique: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded local candidates in Antique that holding political campaigns is prohibited during the Holy Week. ‘Candidates should momentarily stop their house-to-house, rally, mobile or recorida and any other form of campaigning during the Holy Week,’ said Comelec acting Assistant Regional Director and concurrent Antique Provincial Election Supervisor Wil Arce±o in an interview on Monday. According to Philippines News Agency, local candidates are prohibited from conducting any form of political campaign on April 17, a Maundy Thursday, and April 18, Good Friday. The prohibition on campaigning in observance of the Holy Week is based on

Las Vegas: Member companies of the Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (HIMAP) secured USD79 million, or around PHP4.5 billion, worth of contracts during the recent Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS) Global Health Conference and Exhibition in Las Vegas. In a statement Monday, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque emphasized the Philippines’ appeal as a key investment destination for backend support in the healthcare sector. According to Philippines News Agency, Roque highlighted the country’s unique positioning to meet the demands of the global healthcare information management sector, citing the Philippines’ “culture of care”

Manila: Eleven party-list groups are poised to win seats in the House of Representatives in the May 12 elections, according to the results of OCTA Research’s March 2025 Tugon ng Masa (TNM) survey released Monday. The survey results indicate a competitive race among various party-list groups aiming for representation in the upcoming elections. According to Philippines News Agency, the survey, conducted from March 18 to 24, showed that the Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) party-list ranked first with 8.70 percent voter preference. Following ACT-CIS, Tingog garnered 5.77 percent, and 4PS (Pagtibayin at Palaguin and Pangkabuhayan Pilipino) attained