Context.ph

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry is pressing the government to quickly issue a Joint Administrative Order aimed at curbing soaring logistics costs and easing port congestion, warning that delays could further squeeze businesses and consumers as cargo volumes rise later this year.

The House of Representatives has approved a resolution commending the long-standing bilateral relations between the Philippines and Japan, marking the 70th anniversary of the normalization of their diplomatic ties.

San Miguel Corp. has grown its Backyard Bukid initiative to nine sites nationwide, marking its first presence in the Visayas as the project shifts from urban farming to boost community food security and livelihoods.

Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC) has notified the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) of a redundancy program, following a decision to slash its annual coal production target by over one-third compared to last year.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Dr. Edwin Mercado as the country’s new health secretary, replacing Dr. Jose Brittanio Pujalte Jr., who resigned for health reasons, Palace spokesperson Claire Castro said. Mercado, who has served as acting president and chief executive officer of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. since February 2025, is a University of the Philippines medical graduate with master’s degrees from Harvard Medical School and the University of North Carolina. Pujalte, appointed health chief on July 13, now faces an anonymous ethics and graft complaint before the Ombudsman. Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, former health undersecretary, assistant secretary, and spokesperson, will replace Mercado at PhilHealth.