Category: General

MANILA: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) had been tasked to uplift the condition and competitiveness of the country’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through digitalization and the use of technology, its acting chief said Saturday. DTI Acting Secretary Cristina Roque said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s marching order is to boost income and MSME industry in general. ‘For us in DTI, we will really do everything for the MSMEs to be able to grow their business. Doon kami naka-focus (We are focused there),” she said. ‘We’re not in

DUMAGUETE CITY: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Oriental said on Saturday that prices of premium rice dropped slightly, while regular and well-milled rice remained unchanged in the province. DTI-Negros Oriental Director Nimfa Virtucio told the Philippine News Agency that the latest price monitoring this week showed slight decrease in imported rice prices sold in bigger supermarkets and grocery stores. ‘Our monitoring team reported that six of the 16 brands of premium rice in our list dropped between PHP2 and PHP4 a kilo within a week,’ she said. Currently, premium rice prices monitored range from a low

MANILA: The three remaining Filipino seafarers from the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, seized by the Iranian authorities while passing through the Strait of Hormuz in April, have returned to the Philippines, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Saturday. The three were among the four Filipino crew members of the vessel. One was released in May because of health issues. ‘Ang magandang ulat dito, hindi lang namin inanunsiyo pero quietly iyong tatlo na natira doon sa MSC Aries, that was seized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard sa Strait of Hormuz ay naka-uwi na, naka-uwi na silang tatlo (We just didn’t announce

MANILA: Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Saturday ordered the swift issuance of guidelines for the salary adjustments of government workers. This was after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday signed Executive Order (EO) 64, which grants a salary increase and medical allowance to government employees. ‘I already instructed our concerned DBM (Deprtment of Budget and Management) officials to swiftly complete the guidelines for the approved salary increase,’ Pangandaman said in a statement. ‘We will rush the implementing guidelines so that government employees will see their first round of salary increases this 2024,’ she added. Pangandaman said approximately PHP36 billion

MANILA: The appeal for the release of the 17 Filipino crew members of the Houthi-seized MV Galaxy Leader in Yemen, especially the three who were hospitalized and are exhibiting malaria symptoms, are ‘in the works,’ the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said. During the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the three sick sailors are currently in a hospital while the other 14 are still on board the vessel. “As far as we know, they are safe. They are being fed and given their basic necessities on board the ship,” he said, reporting the