Labor dep’t to reduce worker deployments to Saudi Arabia
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) will reduce deployments of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to Saudi Arabia, citing Riyadh’s inaction in settling 9,000 unpaid claims filed by OFWs worth P4.6 billion.
Portion of Quezon City common station declared 96% complete
THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said the Area B, which will serve as the common concourse of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-Light Rail Transit (LRT) common station project in North Avenue, Quezon City, is now 96% complete.
Government to fund pay of BARMM teachers’ salaries
DAVAO CITY -- The national government will fund the salaries of teachers in parts of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) which were not initially included in the region’s budget.
PEZA to develop ecozones for agribusiness, marine products
THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said it will help develop agro-industrial and marine products-based economic zones through a partnership with the Department of...
DENR opposes taxing plastic bags by weight
THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it supports taxing single-use plastic shopping bags on a per-piece basis, saying that taxing by weight would worsen the plastic pollution problem.
Water contract review not seen denting investor confidence — DoF
DAVAO CITY -- Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said he does not expect the ongoing contract review for the water distribution sector to dampen investor sentiment, adding that the review will benefit the entire nation in the end.
Rice inventory little changed in Oct. as NFA holdings surge
THE national rice inventory was estimated at 2.962 million metric tons (MT) as of Nov. 1, down 1.3% from a year earlier, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
e-Health, Health Passport bills hurdle House committee
THE House Committee on Health approved Tuesday an unnumbered substitute bill establishing the National e-Health System and a bill creating the National Health Passport System.
Probe urged into motorcycle taxi pilot stage
COMMUTER rights associations called for a Congressional hearing into the decisions made behind the scenes by government agencies regarding the six-month pilot period extension for motorcycle taxi services, claiming they were not consulted on the matter and that the new entrants joining the pilot program might not offer safe services.
Senate signals low priority for constitutional amendments
AMENDMENTS to the 1987 Constitution as proposed by the House of Representatives are not among the priorities of the Senate for the 18th Congress, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said Monday.
DA cash transfers to rice farmers to start Dec. 23
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) and government banks have agreed on the mechanisms for disbursing P5,000 worth of cash assistance to rice farmers most affected by the decline in the price of palay, or unmilled rice, due to the Rice Tariffication Law, with payouts to start Dec. 23.
Plenary to consider bill protecting consumers from billing charges
THE Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship will endorse for plenary approval legislation that will institutionalize consumer protections against fees charged on the issuance of paper bills.