Saturday, 17 May 2025, 1:52 pm

    Top News

    Commerce, trade grind slowly at the San Juanico Strait

    Alleged continued inaction by port authorities in Eastern Visayas have sent transport and trade and commerce authorities in Region 8 looking for solutions to the chaos created by the closure of the San Juanico Bridge to vehicular traffic exceeding three tons.

    Just in

    Context Dispatch

    Exclusive

    Boeing deepens strategy cuts as operations take center-stage – sources

    Boeing Co has embarked on deeper-than-expected cuts in its strategy ranks, halving the number of planners working within key divisions as it refocuses energies on tackling industrial pressures, people familiar with the matter said.
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    Agriculture

    DA expands P20 rice program to more KADIWA centers

    The Department of Agriculture (DA) expanded the P20-per-kilo rice program to more KADIWA ng Pangulo centers on Thursday, fulfilling President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s promise to make affordable food accessible to a larger number of Filipinos.

    Corporate

    One Meralco opens new ‘Bagong Bayani’ care center

    One Meralco Foundation (OMF), the CSR arm of Meralco, joined forces with the Congressional Spouses Foundation, Inc. (CSFI), PLDT-Smart Foundation, and Metro Pacific Investments Foundation to launch the Bagong Bayaning Mandirigma Casualty Care Center (BBM CCC) at the AFP Medical Center in Quezon City.

    Banking & Insurance

    BSP bars four firms for unauthorized money service operations

    The Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has disqualified four entities from registering or obtaining a license to operate under its supervision after they were found operating as Money Service Businesses (MSBs) without prior BSP registration.
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    Markets

    EU steps forward as U.S. reassesses global trade role

    The 55th WTCA Global Business Forum (GBF), hosted jointly by the World Trade Centers Association and WTC Marseille Provence, ignited critical discussion on global trade dynamics, with the European Union’s evolving role taking center stage amid shifting U.S. trade policy.

    Travel

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    Energy

    Higher electricity sales power 8% profit rise for CREC

    Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) reported an 8 percent increase in net income for the first quarter of 2025, rising to ₱230 million from ₱213 million last year, buoyed by a sharp uptick in electricity sales.

    Transport & Communications

    BI Tightens Anti-Trafficking Measures Amid Surge in Travel

    The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is intensifying the campaign against human trafficking, warning of increasingly deceptive schemes targeting outbound Filipino travelers. Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said that 2025 will mark a year of modernization for the agency, including upgraded screening technology, streamlined processes, and strengthened legal frameworks to enhance border security and protect Filipinos.
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    Property

    Vista Land unit secures USD150M syndicated loan

    Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., the Villar Group’s listed property arm, announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, VLL International Inc., has secured a USD150 million syndicated term loan facility with a fixed annual interest rate of 6.40509 percent.

    Environment

    DENR launches post-election recycling drive to tackle waste

    The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has launched a national initiative to collect and recycle campaign materials following the conclusion of the country's midterm elections, with implications for long-term waste management policy.
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    Technology

    Report ties cybersecurity innovation to climate action and shareholder value

    Fortinet®, a global leader in cybersecurity, has released its 2024 Sustainability Report, highlighting substantial strides in environmental responsibility, cybersecurity innovation, and workforce development—underscoring the business and commercial importance of sustainable digital security.

    Health & Science

    New law paves way for inclusive early childhood services

    The recently signed Republic Act 12199, also known as the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Systems Act, marks a pivotal step toward inclusive early childhood support in the Philippines, especially for children with disabilities.
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    Opinion

    A Promise the Nation Can’t Comprehend

    For years, the Philippines has looked ahead with optimism, banking on its so-called “demographic sweet spot.” With around two-thirds of the population between the ages of 15 and 65, the country seemed poised for rapid economic growth—a young, able-bodied workforce ready to fuel productivity and progress.

    Vote smart or pay the price

    You can feel it in the air, even if no one says it out loud. The world is tilting, and tension is building between countries that no longer trust each other. The US and China—two giants locked in a stare-down—are turning tariffs into weapons. Everyone knows what comes next: slower global growth, just when the world is finally getting back on its feet after the pandemic.

    The Duterte Arrest: A Complicated Affair of Sovereignty and Justice

    Here we are again, watching the political drama unfold with the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte. It’s strange how something that’s supposed to be about justice often turns into a series of complex, tangled arguments, full of political posturing and personal pride.

    Ayuda: A lifeline for struggling Filipinos

    The latest surveys are in, and they’ve made something pointedly clear: Filipinos are firmly standing behind the government’s social assistance programs.