General

Mandaluyong City: Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque stated that the Philippines will not retaliate against the newly imposed 17-percent tariff on certain Philippine goods entering the US market, introduced as part of Trump’s ‘liberation day’. According to Philippines News Agency, Roque, speaking to reporters at the National Food Fair in Mandaluyong City, emphasized that the Marcos administration aims to focus on strengthening trade ties with the US, adopting a constructive approach. She remarked, “No, we don’t have any of those (retaliation). We just move on a positive note, and we really have more trade between our country and the US.”

Manila: The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Wednesday said tourism activities in areas near Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Occidental are suspended to ensure the safety of both residents and tourists. In an advisory, the DOT said it is now closely coordinating with involved local government units (LGUs) to ‘prioritize’ the safety and well-being of individuals affected by the April 8 explosive eruption of Mt. Kanlaon through monitoring and immediate response. According to Philippines News Agency, all tourism activities near Mt. Kanlaon, including treks and visits to nearby destinations such as La Carlota City, Bago City, La Castellana, and other surrounding

Surigao City: The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has enhanced the productivity and income of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) by providing rice combine harvesters (RCH) to two ARB organizations, significantly improving their farming operations. According to Philippines News Agency, funded through the DAR’s Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF), the Farm Machinery and Equipment (FME) worth PHP3.55 million streamlines the harvesting process and allows ARBs to work faster and with less manual labor and reduce postharvest losses. Rocky Aborro, chairperson of the Roxas Community Agrarian Reform Cooperative (RCARC) in Brgy. Roxas, expressed gratitude for the support that they received. ‘We are very

Labo: The Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO-5) apprehended a high-value drug suspect and seized PHP6.9 million worth of shabu during an anti-illegal drug operation in Labo, Camarines Norte. The operation took place on Wednesday, leading to the arrest of a suspect identified as “Rich,” a 33-year-old resident of Labo, Camarines Norte. According to Philippines News Agency, PRO-5 Director Brig. Gen. Andrei Dizon reported that the operation was carried out by the Provincial Police Drug Enforcement Unit (PPDEU) and Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU), in collaboration with the Labo Municipal Police Station (MPS). The suspect was found in possession of 1,020

Nueva Ecija: The Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced the inauguration of a cutting-edge vaccine unit at the Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (CenTrAD) in Nueva Ecija province. According to Philippines News Agency, this state-of-the-art facility is a collaborative project between the Bureau of Animal Industry and Central Luzon State University (CLSU), aimed at addressing issues related to transboundary animal diseases through diagnosis, surveillance, research, and technology development. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized the role of the facility in bolstering the country’s efforts against infectious diseases that threaten the swine and livestock industries. Laurel stated, “The National Animal