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US dollar banknotes are laid on a table as the Philippine peso falls to historic low, breaching the ₱60-to-$1 level, when exchange rates closed on March 19, 2026 amid ongoing global economic pressures driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East. (Photo by Edd Castro / Manila Standard) Analyst fears …

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (Courtesy: Presidential Communications Office) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said the government is exploring alternative sources of oil and petroleum products to ensure sufficient supply while managing rising price pressures. Speaking to reporters in Bataan, Mr. Marcos said authorities are closely monitoring both fuel and …

DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David (JEL SANTOS/MB PHOTO) The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) needs P200 billion to address water scarcity in the Philippines, as around 40 million Filipinos still rely on water sources that may be unsafe or compromised. “They’ve had an estimate of P200 billion to …

Weakened militant group still a threat to Israel and has strong support in some areas Wehbi al-Moussawi, mayor of Nabi Chit, Lebanon, oversees the damage an Israeli airstrike did to his home on March 7. (Susan Ormiston/CBC)  High in the hills of Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, much of the heart of the …

Juan Carlos Pino says charcoal-conversion ‘the best option we have’ Cuban mechanic Juan Carlos Pino is seen putting charcoal in the fuel tank of his 1980 Fiat Polski, which he modified so that he could power his vehicle with a cheaper and more abundant alternative to gasoline. (Norlys Perez/Reuters)  Juan Carlos …

Canada signed on to the joint statement shortly after it was published Tankers sail in the Persian Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz on March 11. Canada has joined six of its allies expressing a readiness to help reopen the strait to oil and gas tanker traffic. (Stringer/Reuters)  Canada has signed …

Premier Currie Dixon introduced budget at start of Legislative Assembly’s spring sitting on Thursday Yukon Premier Currie Dixon, delivering his budget address on Thursday, said the territory’s financial picture ‘is much worse than was ever publicly communicated to Yukoners.’ (Chloé Dioré de Périgny/Radio-Canada)  When Yukon Premier Currie Dixon tabled his government’s …

Police say more than 50 suspects identified Edmonton police Supt. Robinder Gill, with the Criminal Investigations Division, said this latest investigation comes after an uptick in extortion cases after the EPS investigation Project Gaslight ended in 2024. (Mrinali Anchan/CBC)  A joint operation involving Edmonton police has led to the deportation of …

Finance Secretary and Monetary Board Member Frederick D. Go speaks during a Bloomberg interview on March 17. Go signaled a potential interest rate hike in April if global oil prices remain elevated. (From DOF Facebook page) The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is prepared to shift back toward a hawkish …

President Marcos, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Trade Secretary Cristina Roque and Metro Manila Council president San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora inspect the prices of rice and other basic goods at the Agora Market in San Juan yesterday (Noel Pabalate)  MANILA, Philippines —  President Marcos advised the public yesterday …