Category: General

DUMAGUETE CITY: The Silliman University Medical Center (SUMC) has advanced its commitment to sustainability by entering a 15-year solar power agreement with First Gen Corp., a move aimed at enhancing its renewable energy consumption. This agreement, signed on Thursday, also marks the renewal of SUMC’s partnership with First Gen for a direct supply of renewable energy through the government’s Green Energy Option Program. According to Philippines News Agency, the agreement allows SUMC to procure 800 kilowatts (kW) of electricity from the Palinpinon geothermal power plant in Valencia, Negros Oriental, which is operated by Energy Development Corp., a subsidiary of First

MANILA: The national government of the Philippines is exploring alternative formats for offshore funding as the country transitions away from its reliance on official development assistance (ODA) loans, according to economic managers. This strategic shift comes as the Philippines is poised to achieve upper-middle-income status, which will affect its eligibility for certain types of financial aid. According to Philippines News Agency, the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) has identified Eurobonds, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)-linked notes, and Sukuk or Islamic bonds as potential options for offshore funding. The committee emphasized the importance of leveraging the Philippines’ sovereign creditworthiness to secure

MANILA: Both the Philippine Stock Exchange index and the peso remained largely unchanged on Thursday, reflecting investor caution in the market. According to Philippines News Agency, the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) edged down slightly by 0.02 percent to close at 6,641.35 points. Similarly, the All Shares index saw a minor decline of 0.07 percent, settling at 3,756.07 points. Japhet Tantiangco, Philstock Financials research manager, noted that the market’s sideways movement ended in negative territory as investors quickly capitalized on intra-day gains while maintaining a cautious approach. Within the sectoral indices, Services and Holding Firms emerged as the only gainers,

MANILA: Canadian mining firm B2Gold Corp. has announced plans to extend its presence in the Philippines by opening an exploration office in 2025, following a recent meeting with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque. The decision comes amid the approaching end of life for the company’s current mining operations in the country, necessitating further exploration and research efforts. According to Philippines News Agency, Philippine Trade and Investment (PTIC) Toronto Trade Commissioner Mario Tani confirmed B2Gold’s forthcoming plans in a Viber message. The exploration office is intended to facilitate research and analysis to determine the feasibility

ILOILO CITY: Western Visayas anti-drug operatives seized over P10.2 million worth of suspected shabu during a large-scale operation, as reported by the Police Regional Office. The operation, which spanned 24 hours starting at 6 a.m. on December 10, resulted in the confiscation of approximately 1,206 grams of illegal drugs and the arrest of 19 suspects. According to Philippines News Agency, the seized drugs have an estimated market value of PHP8.2 million. Among those arrested, four individuals were identified as high-value targets, while the remaining 15 were considered street-level operatives. The largest confiscation was made by the Negros Occidental Police Office,