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The average price of electricity sold at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) dropped by 15.3 percent in April, offering potential relief to consumers and commercial buyers facing rising summer demand. This was learned from data released Monday by the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP).

Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC), the property development arm of the Gokongwei group, reported a modest 4 percent increase in core net income for the first quarter of 2025, reaching ₱3.48 billion, as flat topline revenue of ₱11.03 billion reflected subdued development sales. However, robust performance from its recurring income portfolio highlighted the resilience of its diversified strategy.

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday addressed widespread misinterpretations of newly released national literacy figures, stating that claims suggesting 18.9 million Filipino high school graduates are functionally illiterate are “inaccurate and misleading.” DepEd cited the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which recorded a 70.8% functional literacy rate among Filipinos aged 10 to 64. This figure includes all individuals in that age range—not solely students or recent graduates.

Wilcon Depot Inc. reported a 27 percent drop in net income for the first quarter of 2025 to ₱536 million, down from ₱740 million in the same period last year, as weaker store sales weighed on performance despite modest expansion.

In a move to strengthen passenger safety and ensure roadworthiness across the nation’s land transport system, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Monday issued Department Order No. 2025-008, mandating comprehensive alcohol and drug testing for all drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs), including motorcycle taxi riders.