National

PHL inflation slightly accelerates to 3.9% in May

(Eagle News)–The Philippines’ headline inflation slightly accelerated to 3.9% in May 2024, the Philippine Statistics Authority said. According to PSA data, this was 0.1 percent higher than the 3.8 percent registered in April. It brings the national average inflation from January to May to 3.5 percent. The PSA said the uptrend in the overall inflation in May was primarily influenced by the higher year-on-year increase in the index of the housing, water, electricity, gas and […]

84 ‘weak low-frequency volcanic earthquake events’ monitored at Kanlaon as of Tuesday noon: PHIVOLCS

(Eagle News)–Eighty-four weak low-frequency volcanic earthquake events were monitored at Kanlaon as of noon on Tuesday, June 4. These came after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised an Alert Level 2 over the volcano on Monday, June 3, following a “moderately explosive eruption.” PHIVOLCS said the eruption was preceded by a volcano-tectonic event at a depth of 10 kilometers. According to PHIVOLCS, sulfur dioxide emission measured by today’s campaign survey  was at 4113 […]

NEDA Board maintains reduced tariff rates on pork, others

(Eagle News)–The National Economic Development Authority Board has maintained the reduced tariff rates on pork, corn and mechanically-deboned meat. In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office said under the new Comprehensive Tariff Program for 2024 to 2028 approved on June 3, the board, chaired by President Bongbong Marcos, also maintained the tariff cover for  agricultural products such as sugar, onion shallots, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, lettuce, sweet potatoes, cassava, and coffee substitutes, and complete feeds, and […]

Philippines says Chinese boats seized supplies airdropped to Filipino outpost

MANILA, June 4, 2024 (AFP) – The Philippine military said Tuesday that Chinese boats illegally “seized” food and medicine airdropped to a Filipino outpost in the South China Sea. The alleged incident happened on May 19 at Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, where Filipino troops are garrisoned on a grounded navy vessel to assert Manila’s claims to the waters. Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea and there has been a series […]

PBBM signs Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act

  (Eagle News)–President Bongbong Marcos has signed the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act increasing the annual teaching allowance for public school teachers. Under the law, the teaching allowance will increase from P5,000 to P10,000 beginning  school year 2025-2026. According to the Presidential Communications Office, public school teachers have historically received allowances for their actual teaching expenses throughout, starting at P100 in 1988 and pegged at P5,000 in 2021. “Indeed, this new law institutionalizes the provision of an […]

Alert level raised for Philippine volcano after ‘explosive eruption’: volcanology agency

By Pam Castro and Cecil Morella MANILA, June 3, 2024 (AFP) – The alert level for a Philippine volcano was raised Monday after an “explosive eruption” sent a plume of ash, gas and rocks five kilometres (three miles) into the sky, the volcanology agency said. Mount Kanlaon on the central island of Negros erupted for six minutes shortly before 7:00 pm (1100 GMT), prompting warnings for nearby residents to wear facemasks due the threat of […]

PBBM: For continued stability in Indo-Pacific, US, China must manage rivalry in responsible manner

(Eagle News)–For President Bongbong Marcos, the “continued stability” of the Indo-Pacific Region “requires China and the United States to manage that rivalry in a responsible manner.” In his keynote address at the opening of the 21st edition of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the President said China’s determining influence over the security situation and the economic evolution of the region is permanent. The stabilizing presence of America, meanwhile, is […]

PAGASA: Easterlies affecting eastern sections of S. Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao

(Eagle News)–The easterlies are affecting the eastern sections of southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said, as a result, Metro Manila will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will experience the same conditions. Flashfloods or landslides during  severe thunderstorms are possible. Extreme Northern Luzon will experience moderate winds and moderate coastal waters. The rest of the country, […]

PAGASA monitoring tropical storm outside PAR

(Eagle News)–The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is monitoring a tropical cyclone outside the Philippine area of responsibility. PAGASA said Tropical Storm “Maliksi” was so far located 1065 kilometers west of extreme Northern Luzon. It is so far packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center, and has a gustiness of up to 90 kph. It is moving northward at 10 kph. According to PAGASA, Metro Manila and the rest of […]

PBBM urges countries in Indo-Pacific Region to reject ‘narrative that seeks to impose hierarchy amongst nations’

(Eagle News)–President Bongbong Marcos on Friday, May 31, urged countries in the Indo-Pacific Region to reject any narrative that seeks to impose a hierarchy among nations. “We must reject unjust narratives that seek to subsume distinct national interests [into] so-called ‘major country’ dynamics,” he said in his speech during the 21st International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. According to the President, after all, “those who came before us worked painstakingly throughout […]

Luzon grid on yellow alert on Friday, May 31: NGCP

(Eagle News)–The Luzon grid is on yellow alert on Friday, May 31, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said. According to the NGCP, the alert will be in place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Two plants have been on forced outage since 2023, three between January and March, and ten between April and May. Nine, meanwhile, are running on derated capacities, for a total of 2598.3 […]