The Department of Agriculture (DA) launched a major regional development initiative on Thursday, with Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. personally overseeing the distribution of over P65 million in agricultural interventions to local farmers and fisherfolk in this town widely recognized as the “rice granary of Albay.”

The Department of Agriculture has imposed a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds—and their products—from Indiana following confirmed outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza strain.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has received the 2026 “Reserve Manager” award from Central Banking, recognizing the Philippine central bank’s improvements in handling the country’s foreign currency reserves.