General

Cavite: A joint operation by various law enforcement groups on Monday led to the arrest of an alleged gun runner and the seizure of a cache of firearms and ammunition in Barangay Molino 2, Bacoor City, Cavite. According to Philippines News Agency, Brig. Gen. Kenneth Lucas, director of Police Regional Office (PRO) 4A (Calabarzon), confirmed the operation in a statement on Tuesday. The suspect, identified as “Jay,” 52, a resident of Barangay Molino 2, Bacoor City, was arrested during the buy-bust operation, which led to the discovery of a wide array of firearms and live ammunition, including four KG9 long

Manila: The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) fully awarded on Tuesday the reissued seven-year Treasury bond (T-bond). With a remaining term of six years and three months, the reissued T-bond fetched an average yield of 5.986 percent, lower than the 6.143 percent when it was last reissued on March 11, 2025. According to Philippines News Agency, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation chief economist Michael Ricafort said the T-bond’s average auction yield eased after the latest inflation fell to 1.8 percent in March, increasing further the odds of a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) rate cut. “The 7-year T-bond auction yield also

Manila: The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is reaffirming its push for high-quality jobs, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Tuesday as the country’s underemployment rate declined in February this year. According to Philippines News Agency, NEDA’s statement came after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the country’s underemployment rate, which measures workers seeking additional jobs or work hours, fell to 10.1 percent in February 2025 from 12.4 percent in February 2024. The quality of employment continued to improve year-on-year, with more workers engaged in full-time employment (+1.7 million), middle- and high-skilled occupations (+1.1 million),

Bicol: The Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO-5) reported a 9.71-percent decrease in the crime rate in the region during the first three months of the year, compared to the same period last year. PRO-5 Director Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon announced that 5,020 crimes were recorded from January to March, 540 cases lower than the 5,560 incidents in the first quarter of 2024. According to Philippines News Agency, the decline in crime rate is attributed to enhanced police visibility, intensified law enforcement efforts, and proactive community engagement. Dizon stated that both index and non-index crimes saw a reduction this quarter.

Borongan City: The Department of Agriculture (DA) is intensifying its surveillance efforts in Northern Samar and Eastern Samar following the confirmation of African swine fever (ASF) cases in four areas within these provinces. According to Philippines News Agency, seven villages across Bobon, Laoang, and Palapag towns in Northern Samar, and Borongan City in Eastern Samar, have been identified as ASF red zones due to active cases detected over the past two months. These areas are part of the 27 towns and cities nationwide currently contending with confirmed ASF outbreaks, as reported by Vincie Pantonino, a senior veterinarian from the DA’s