Global oil prices surged sharply, with Brent Crude for May delivery breaching USD100 per barrel for the first time in nearly four years as Iran threatened to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed amid escalating tensions with the US and Israel.
The Philippines will use its ASEAN chairmanship to push for stronger regional safeguards against energy supply disruptions and faster cross-border power connectivity as Southeast Asian energy ministers meet in Manila this week.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that around 300,000 farmers, fisherfolk, and agricultural haulers will receive ₱3 billion in fuel subsidies starting this month, aiding the sector amid El Niño impacts and persistently high fuel costs.
Therma Visayas told lawmakers that it sources coal from Indonesia and uses the Indonesian Coal Index in its power supply agreements, as a House inquiry into electricity reliability in the Visayas turned attention to both supply security and pricing transparency.
The Department of Agriculture is bolstering full-scale preparations for an intense El Niño, applying hard-won experience to safeguard farm output, secure food supplies, and protect farmers and fisherfolk from harm.