Category: General

Manila: Around 4.7 million passengers have passed through the country’s ports during the holiday season, surpassing the projected 4.5 million passengers of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). ‘It’s more than the expected passengers; the total is 4.7 million this 2024 compared to 4.3 million last 2023 and compared to the 4.5 million forecast [for this year],’ PPA Spokesperson Eunice Samonte said in a message to reporters on Monday. According to Philippines News Agency, PPA port passenger data from Dec. 15, 2024, to Jan. 5, 2025, revealed that the Port Management Office (PMO) Batangas recorded the highest number of passengers, with

Manila: A total of 47 new cases were added to the tally of holiday-related road traffic accidents as of 6 a.m. Monday. This figure brought the overall tally to 703, or 30.6 percent higher than the road traffic injuries recorded from Dec. 22, 2023 to Jan. 6, 2024. According to Philippines News Agency, eight deaths were recorded, five of which were motorcycle accidents. Additionally, a total of 603 motorists were not wearing safety accessories such as helmets and seatbelts, 497 were involved in motorcycle accidents, and 127 consumed alcohol before traveling. The Department of Health (DOH) reminded motorists not to

Manila: The Philippine Coast Guard in Bicol (PCG-5) has reported that over 107,000 passengers departed from all ports in the Bicol region during the recent holiday season. According to Philippines News Agency, PCG-5 Commander, Commodore Ivan Roldan, stated that 315 personnel were deployed to various locations and ports in the region from December 20, 2024, to January 3, 2025. Roldan emphasized that these efforts were crucial in ensuring passenger safety and managing the high volume of travelers. This initiative was part of their Oplan Byaheng Ayos: Pasko 2024, which aimed to provide a safe and convenient travel experience to the

Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provided aid to more than 6 million Filipinos facing difficult circumstances through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program from January to November 2024. According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao reported that the number of clients served under the AICS program exceeded the 2024 annual target of 4,254,440 beneficiaries. “In 2023, we had an annual target of over one million for AICS but eventually the DSWD made some adjustments because we served four times the said number. For 2024, we raised it up to 4.2

Manila: To address the unreasonable retail prices of rice in some local markets, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to establish a ‘maximum suggested retail price (SRP) system’ before the end of January. In an interview on Monday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said there should be no imported rice being sold at PHP60 per kg. According to Philippines News Agency, the DA is working on defining the maximum suggested retail price for rice. However, the DA chief clarified that the system will not act as a price cap on retail rice. Tiu Laurel explained that the proposed