Category: General

Antique: A total of 39,177 out of 44,138 farmer-beneficiaries under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) 2024 have claimed their PHP7,000 cash assistance as of Feb. 26. According to Philippines News Agency, Sonie Guanco, head of the Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Program Coordinating Office (DA-APCO) in Antique, stated in an interview that the 39,177 farmers represent 88.76 percent of the first batch of beneficiaries. The remaining 4,961 farmers are expected to receive their aid by the first week of March. ‘Farmers claimed their cash assistance using their intervention monitoring card or automated teller machine

Manila: Senator Nancy Binay on Thursday called for the immediate approval of a new dengue vaccine, warning that the government’s current strategies may no longer be enough to contain the current surge in cases. According to Philippines News Agency, Binay urged the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fast-track the evaluation of TAK-003, a dengue vaccine developed by Japanese pharmaceutical firm Takeda, which has already been licensed in over 40 countries, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Brazil, and members of the European Union. “I think it’s time we approve the new dengue vaccine. We

Manila: The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has announced a significant enhancement to its outpatient human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment (OHAT) package, now offering an annual benefit of PHP58,500. This marks a considerable increase of 95 percent from the previous package rate of PHP30,000. According to Philippines News Agency, PhilHealth emphasized its commitment to supporting people living with HIV (PLHIV) by providing increased financial access to essential healthcare services through comprehensive outpatient HIV/AIDS treatment coverage. This enhancement aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to improve and sustain healthcare benefits, ensuring adequate financial support for patients seeking medical treatment.

Ilocos Norte: The Ilocos Norte provincial government has taken significant steps to connect its tomato farmers with institutional buyers to secure fair market prices, according to an official statement on Thursday. According to Philippines News Agency, provincial agriculturist Engr. Teresa Bacnat noted that earlier this week, approximately 6.3 tons of tomatoes were successfully delivered by two farmers’ associations to Bulacan. This was made possible with the provincial government’s support. “With the use of our Kadiwa truck, farmers were able to transport their goods to an institutional buyer in Bulacan, ensuring they receive fair market prices,” Bacnat reported, highlighting that the

Manila: Korea Electric Power Company (KEPCO) remains keen on the Philippine market as it considers exploring opportunities in renewable energy (RE), nuclear energy, and smart grid in the country. In a news release on Thursday, the Department of Energy (DOE) said KEPCO president Kim Dong-cheol paid a courtesy visit on Secretary Raphael Lotilla on Feb. 25 and reaffirmed their commitment to invest in the Philippine energy sector. According to Philippines News Agency, the meeting between Lotilla and Kim centered on RE, nuclear energy, and bringing in Korea’s smart grid platform. Secretary Lotilla expressed appreciation for KEPCO’s commitment to advancing renewable