General

Maguindanao del Sur: Military and election officials are ramping up coordination with key stakeholders to ensure peaceful and orderly elections in areas of concern in Maguindanao del Sur, an Army official said Thursday. According to Philippines News Agency, Brig. Gen. Edgar Catu, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade (601Bde), emphasized the need for synchronized efforts among government agencies, security forces, and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to secure the May 12 midterm polls. “Coordination is essential to maintain order and protect the integrity of the elections,” Catu stated. The 601Bde’s area of responsibility includes six municipalities in Maguindanao del Sur-Shariff

Antique: Residents of Antique should be ready at all times, especially since the province is prone to earthquakes. According to Philippines News Agency, Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Broderick Train made the call following an earthquake that hit Myanmar and Thailand a week ago. Train emphasized that Antique is susceptible to earthquakes as it is located along the West Panay Fault and the Tablas Fault System. He advised families to prepare a ‘go bag’ with food supplies sufficient for three days to sustain them while waiting for rescuers or response teams to arrive. Building owners were urged

Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is ramping up its efforts to address hunger and malnutrition in the Philippines, with a strong focus on collaboration with other sectors. DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao emphasized the agency’s dedication as the lead of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger, stating that they are ‘fully committed’ to tackling the issue of hunger. According to Philippines News Agency, Dumlao highlighted the DSWD’s ongoing efforts to harmonize and align the various programs and services of national government agencies. The aim is to partner with other sectors to develop sustainable

Bago: The component cities of Bago and Victorias in Negros Occidental have been awarded the certificate of commendation and seal of electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) compliance by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) in separate rites led by ARTA Secretary Ernesto Perez. According to Philippines News Agency, the eBOSS is a single portal for the renewal and application of business permits jointly implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, and ARTA. The operationalization of this portal is mandated under Republic Act 11032, also known as the

Ilocos: The Bagnos Multi-Purpose Cooperative is transforming the lives of farmers here with its rice coffee enterprise, which hit around PHP3.2 million in sales in 2024. With a startup capital of only PHP4,457 in 2000, the cooperative now has an asset size of PHP77 million – a success story that Amelia Bautista, project manager, ascribed to community-driven entrepreneurship, sustainable business practices, and government support. According to Philippines News Agency, as rice is one of their main products, the 1,500-member cooperative started a rice coffee business in 2008 through the convergence effort of the local government unit of Banna, the Department