The recent Senate hearing on the motorcycle taxi bill has reignited calls for immediate legislative action, and rightly so. For far too long, the sector has been stuck in neutral, leaving riders and commuters in limbo. The data from the pilot program h...

AN alarming rate of 58.8 percent of Filipino children aged 1 to 14 years have experienced violent discipline. This highlights the prevalence of child abuse in the Philippines, where physical punishment is supported by almost 12 percent of adults.

Last Monday, the 13th of January, the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) collected a million plus of its believers to stage a peace rally. Days before the said event, there were statements made by other religious groups—we would like to assume that they did not b...

Since the assumption of President Rodrigo Duterte into office in 2016, the opposition has lost every major election. As the 2025 elections draw near, the same story will likely happen again.

Lack of a final medical assessment from the company-designated physician (CDP) negates the need to comply with the third doctor referral provision on seafarer’s disability claims.

IN film education, do we educate the film or does the film educate us?

IT certainly wasn’t a “dry January” at the Fort San Antonio Abad last Friday, with the top bankers in the country, glasses of red wine in hand, schmoozed with key officials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and some high-level government officia...

MAYOR’S PROBLEM

The Philippine real estate sector is facing a significant challenge of a persistent mismatch between developer inventories and buyer demands. Founder of Filipino Homes, Anthony Leuterio, recently shed light on this issue, highlighting critical gaps in ...

THE shares of local government units (LGUs) in the national tax allotment (NTA) will equate to about 35 percent in 2026, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).

MALACAÑANG credited the wins of a Filipino athlete and singer in international competitions for boosting the image of the Philippines abroad.

THE Department of Finance (DOF) announced last Thursday it tapped the unrestricted P107.3-billion excess funds of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) so government could generate additional cash without inflicting new taxes.

DIPLOMATIC officials of the Philippines and China met Thursday in Xiamen, Fujian and had “frank and constructive discussions” on the South China Sea bilateral dispute.

SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go aired his concern Thursday over the rising medical cost in the country, and urged relevant agencies and policy makers to act quickly to blunt this hike and its impact on the public.

NOTING the positive effect on traffic flow, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will recommend to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.,  the 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. new work schedule for local government units (LGUs) as an option for all...

THE chairman of the Senate blue-ribbon committee warned on Thursday that continuing the sorry state of miscoordination among government agencies will worsen the public-health problems caused by smoking and vaping, and waste huge public funds despite th...

LONG-TIME Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson formally withdrew his senatorial bid on Thursday, emphasizing that he can still provide assistance even without holding public office.

THE Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday said that the offshore patrol vessel BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301) is now keeping watch on the China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5901, which is illegally operating off the Zambales coast which is part of the West Philip...

The Philippines’ military continues to strengthen ties the country’s allies.

BOTH houses of Congress have recognized the heroism of Melchora Aquino, more popularly known as Tandang Sora, by passing the measure declaring January 6 of every year a special working holiday in Quezon City in commemoration of her birth anniversary.

NEGOTIATIONS for a free trade agreement between the 27-member European Union and the Philippines are expected to deliver “well and fast” as talks are set to resume on February 10 in Manila, according to the EU ambassador to the Philippines. 

THE coming Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting (APRM) will serve as a platform for citizens to participate and engage in the budget preparation process, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.

SUSTAINED domestic political conflicts may not only impact next year’s polls but also the country’s economic and fiscal performance, according to Fitch Ratings.

THE scheduled signing of the proposed P6.35-trillion 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) is now facing delay and line veto as it undergoes more “rigorous and exhaustive” review from President Ferdinand Marcos and his Cabinet, according to Malacañang....

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is finalizing agreements with envoys from Pakistan and India to secure commitments for the supply of a combined 2 million metric tons (MMT) of rice.

FINANCE Secretary Ralph G. Recto believes another 25-basis-point (bps) reduction in the country’s policy rate this week would be beneficial to spur economic investments next year.

WHILE many leave their homes for the promise of better opportunities abroad, migrant workers often face higher unemployment than their local counterparts, reflecting systemic barriers that hinder their integration into labor markets.

THE Toyota Group expects receipts from the exports of auto parts to reach $1.21 billion by the end of 2024, a 3-percent decline from the $1.26 billion recorded in 2023 due to the slowdown in demand in the United States and Japan.

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) has some P78.41 million in unutilized funds accumulated from 2019 to December 2023, which could otherwise have been allocated to important tourism projects and marketing programs.

THE Gencars group, a leading Isuzu dealership group in the Philippines, warmly welcomed a delegation from Isuzu Motors Ltd. (IML), Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) and select Isuzu Japan dealers on November 27, 2024, at Isuzu Makati—the first of its seven...

Civilian government employees, including public school teachers, will receive P7,000 in medical allowance as early as January next year, according to Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman.

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has directed all Private Distribution Utilities (PDUs) to refund the remaining amounts collected from consumers for regulatory reset expenses that were not utilized.

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has unveiled a series of digital transformation initiatives designed to streamline processes and enhance transparency across the energy sector.

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced last Wednesday it has officially opened a new extension office in Lipa City, in line with its efforts to facilitate business formation, invest in high-growth regions, and keep a closer watch on fra...

AYALA Corp. announced last Wednesday its executives signed a 50-million euro (about P3.1 billion) “social” loan from ING Bank N.V. to support the growth of the portfolio of its wholly-owned subsidiary Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc. (AC Health).

Image credits: Jimbo Albano

IN a society striving for progress, the formative years of a child’s life must not be ignored or neglected. This is because the early stages of development are pivotal in shaping both the child’s future and the future of society as a whole. Therefore, ...