Four children from an Indigenous community in Colombia were found alive in the south of the country more than five weeks after the plane they were travelling in crashed in thick jungle, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro said on Friday. Pilot among 3 adults killed when Cessna 206 aircraft crashed May …
Read More »David Johnston resigning as special rapporteur on foreign interference
David Johnston — tasked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau back in March with looking into allegations that China tried to meddle in the past two federal elections — has decided to step down from that role. House of Commons passed a motion calling on Johnston to step down last week …
Read More »BIR on right track
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is hitting the ground running. In the first four months of 2023, it surpassed its collection target by ₱14.319 billion. In particular, BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. cited the agency’s ₱336.02-billion collection in April, surpassing its goal for the month by ₱35.114 billion. …
Read More »Marcos to present some ‘progress’ in 2nd SONA
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed confidence that he would be able to report some progress when he delivers his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the awarding ceremony of the Award for Promoting Philippines-China Understanding (APPCU) on Thursday, the …
Read More »Gov’t revenues projected to reach P3.73T in 2023, P6.62T in 2028
GOV’T REVENUES. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman attends a press conference after the 185th meeting of the inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) at the DOF Podium on Friday (June 9, 2023). Pangandaman said the government revenues are projected to reach PHP3.729 trillion in 2023 and PHP6.622 in 2028. (Photo from DBM FB …
Read More »PBBM to new DOH Chief: Craft COVID exit plan, focus on TB, HIV cases
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has instructed Dr. Ted Herbosa to craft a COVID-19 exit plan for the country and focus on tuberculosis and HIV cases, the new Health Secretary said Thursday. Herbosa, a former Special Adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19, said this was among the marching orders …
Read More »Marcos: No shift from China to another superpower
ALL SMILES. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gamely poses for a selfie with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian (in blue suit), Association for Philippines-China Understanding chairman Raul Lambino (left) and other guests during the Award for Promoting Philippines-China Understanding ceremony on Thursday, June 8, 2023. Alfred Frias The Philippines has not shifted …
Read More »ASEAN naval drills up in SCS
Bloc’s first-ever joint exercises to focus on maritime search and rescue Southeast Asian nations have agreed to hold their first-ever joint military drills in the South China Sea, Indonesian officials said Thursday, as tensions grow over China’s increasing assertiveness in the region. “We will hold joint military drills in the …
Read More »Albay under state of calamity
THE provincial government of Albay has placed the entire province under a state of calamity, due to Mayon Volcano’s increasing restiveness. An announcement was made on the information office on Friday with the provincial council issuing Resolution 0607-2023, after conducting a special session that was live streamed on their Facebook …
Read More »Jobless rate improves in April
UNEMPLOYMENT dropped in April from a month earlier, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday. The country’s jobless rate declined to 4.5 percent from 4.7 percent in March but underemployment — which counts those looking for more work or an extra job — registered an uptick to 12.9 percent …
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