Dizon set for June CA appearance

May 18, 2025 | 6:20 pm

THE Commission on Appointments (CA) would deliberate the nominations of the Transportation secretary and top officials of the country’s constitutional bodies when Congress resumes in June, a congressman said on Sunday.

Transportation Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon would face the CA on June 3, while four ad interim commissioners from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Civil Service Commission (CSC) and Commission on Audit (CoA) would appear before the body on June 4, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny T. Pimentel, an assistant minority leader of the body, said.

“The public is encouraged to submit to the CA secretariat any information, written reports, or sworn or notarized complaints regarding the appointees,” he said in a statement.

The CA is composed of 12 members each from the House of Representatives and the Senate, and has the authority to approve or reject presidential appointments.

The 19^th Congress will reconvene on June 2 after a four-month break before adjourning again on June 14.

Mr. Dizon, 50, assumed his post as head of the Transportation department on Feb. 21 after his predecessor Jaime J. Bautista resigned due to health reasons. He served as presidential adviser on flagship programs and projects, as well as deputy chief implementer of the National Action Plan against COVID-19 during the Duterte administration.

In his nearly three months as Transportation secretary, he halted the rollout of a fully cashless toll collection system and again allowed jeepney drivers and operators to apply for consolidation under the government’s transport modernization program.

Meanwhile, the vetting body would also take up the appointments of Noli R. Pipo and Maria Norina S. Tangaro-Casingal as Comelec commissioners alongside Luis Meinrado C. Pañgulayan’s assignment as CSC commissioner and Douglas Michael N. Mallillin’s CoA commissioner posting. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

PPA: Cargo volume up 10.5% in Q1

May 18, 2025 | 6:19 pm

THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) handled 10.50% more cargoes in the first quarter mainly driven by foreign cargo imports.

According to PPA’s preliminary data, ports within PPA’s jurisdiction handled a total of 65.77 million metric tons in the January-to-March period, marking an increase of 10.50% from the 59.52 million metric tons in the same period last year.

Broken down, domestic cargo throughput totaled 28.28 million metric tons, while PPA logged foreign cargo throughput at 37.49 million metric tons driven by imports at 26.77 million metric tons and exports at 10.71 million metric tons.

In terms of container traffic, PPA ports serviced a total of 2.04 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up by 13.31% from the 1.80 million TEUs in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, passenger traffic declined by 2.29% in the first three months to 18.42 million from 18.85 million in 2024.

For this year, PPA expects cargo throughput to reach 301.47 million metric tons while passenger volume is projected to grow by 9.5% to 85.41 million by the end of 2025. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

DBM OKs 16,000 new teaching posts

May 18, 2025 | 6:19 pm

Classroom-teacher-students — Students attend a class at the Commonwealth High School, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, April 18, 2024. — REUTERS

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the creation of 16,000 new teaching positions to ensure sufficient manpower in public schools.

In a statement, the DBM said this was the first tranche of the 20,000 positions targeted for creation in 2025.

These positions include Teacher I (15,343) with salary grade 11, special science teachers (157) with Salary Grade 13, and special education teachers (500) with Salary Grade 14.

“The P4.194 billion needed to fund the new items will come from Department of Education’s (DepEd) built-in appropriations under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, specifically earmarked for hiring new school personnel,” the DBM said.

In accordance with the election ban, which took effect from March 28 to May 11, the release of appointments and Notices of Organization, Staffing, and Compensation Action takes effect only after the election period.

Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said these new posts will support DepEd’s initiative to scale up the teaching workforce across kindergarten, elementary, junior high school, senior high school, and the alternative learning system.

“For added flexibility, the Senior High School teaching positions will be created at the division level, allowing School Division Superintendents to transfer or reassign them to where they’re most needed,” the DBM said.

This arrangement approved in 2016 by the Budget department seeks to prevent duplication and ensures efficient deployment.

DepEd said for the school year 2024-2025, over 27.012 million students had enrolled in elementary and high schools nationwide. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

31 of SIAP mayoral bets elected

May 18, 2025 | 6:18 pm

COTABATO CITY — Only eight of the 40 mayoral candidates in Lanao del Sur of Bangsamoro region’s pioneer regional political party, the Serbisyong Inklusibo, Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP), were defeated by rivals during the May 12 elections.

Established in 1954, Lanao del Sur, which has 39 towns and whose capital is Marawi City, is the oldest and largest of the five provinces in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Regional officials of the Commission on Elections in BARMM and ranking SIAP leaders were quoted in radio reports in Cotabato City on Sunday as saying that 31 candidates of the party for mayors in Marawi City and in Lanao del Sur got elected during the May 12 electoral exercise.

SIAP is known for its primary agenda of promoting commerce and trade in agricultural areas in Lanao del Sur and elsewhere to generate employment for villagers and promote micro, small, and medium enterprises in far-flung areas covered by the government’s separate peace compacts with the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Reelected Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong, Jr., a senior official of SIAP, told reporters on Sunday that they are grateful to Maranao community leaders, among them merchants, and barangay officials who campaigned for their 40 candidates for mayors in Marawi City and the 39 towns in the province. — John Felix M. Unson

Russia launches war’s biggest drone attack after peace talks

May 18, 2025 | 6:02 pm

UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-KYIV — FIREFIGHTERS work at the site of a private enterprise hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s central Kyiv region and the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions on May 18, 2025. — REUTERS

KYIV — The largest known Russian drone attack since full-scale war began in 2022 killed a woman in the Kyiv region and injured at least three people, Ukrainian authorities said early on Sunday, as Moscow stepped up strikes after peace talks on Friday.

Russia had launched 273 drones by 8 a.m. local time (5 a.m. GMT), targeting chiefly the central Kyiv region and the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions in the country’s east, Ukraine’s air force said.

Based on data provided by the air force, this was Russia’s largest drone attack on Ukraine during the war. On the eve of the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 23, Moscow launched a then-record 267 drones.

The first direct talks in three years between Russia and Ukraine on Friday failed to broker the temporary ceasefire Kyiv and its allies have been urging. The 100 minutes of talks in Istanbul yielded an agreement to trade 1,000 prisoners of war on each side.

US President Donald J. Trump said he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday.

The sustained overnight Russian drone attack on Sunday killed a 28-year-old woman in the capital region and injured at least three people, including a four-year-old child, Ukrainian authorities said.

“Unfortunately, as a result of the enemy attack in the Obukhiv district, a woman died from her injuries,” Mykola Kalashnik, governor of the Kyiv region, posted on Telegram.

Kyiv and the region around it as well as the eastern part of Ukraine were under raid warnings for nine straight hours overnight before they were called off at around 9 a.m. local time (6 a.m. GMT). Air defense units were engaged several times trying to repel attacks, the military said on Telegram.

“It’s been a tough night. The Russians have always used war and attacks to intimidate everyone in negotiations,” Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, said on Telegram about Sunday’s attack.

Air defense units destroyed 88 of the drones overnight. The attack also included 128 simulator drones that were lost along the way without hitting anything, Ukraine’s air force said in a statement on Telegram.

On Saturday, a Russian drone attack killed nine civilians after hitting a shuttle bus in the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine, Kyiv said. Mr. Zelensky called the attack “deliberate” and urged stronger sanctions on Moscow, which said it had attacked a military facility.

All of those injured in the Obukhiv district just south of Kyiv city were hospitalized, Mr. Kalashnik said. Several residential buildings were damaged in the area, he added.

In the city of Kyiv, fragments of a destroyed drone damaged the roof of a nonresidential building, the city’s military administration said on Telegram. There were no reports of injuries, it added.

Reuters witnesses in and around Kyiv heard blasts that sounded like air defense units in operation. There was no immediate comment from Russia.

Both sides deny targeting civilians in the war, but thousands have been killed in the conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian. — Reuters

Israel airs trike kills at least 24 in Gaza as mediators host ceasefire talks

May 18, 2025 | 6:02 pm

ISRAELI-PALESTINIANS-GAZA-ARMY — REUTERS

CAIRO — An Israeli air strike killed at least 24 Palestinians in a tent encampment housing displaced families in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, local health authorities said on Sunday, as mediators hosted a new round of talks between Israel and Hamas.

Israel expanded its military offensive in the enclave and ramped up bombing that has killed hundreds of people over the past 72 hours.

Medics said the latest strike that also killed women and children, wounded dozens of other people and set several tents ablaze.

The Gaza health ministry said Israeli strikes in the past few days had killed hundreds of Palestinians despite a visit by US President Donald J. Trump to the region.

Hamas described the strike as a “new brutal crime” in a statement on Sunday and blamed the US administration for the escalation.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the latest strikes, but it said in an earlier statement that it was conducting extensive strikes in areas of Gaza as part of its plan to reach its war objectives.

Egypt and Qatar mediators, backed by the United States, began a new round of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas on Saturday, officials from both sides said.

Sources close to the negotiation told Reuters there has been no breakthrough reported in the talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, as each of the sides remained committed to its stance. — Reuters

S. Korea’s presidential candidates prepare to face off in first debate

May 18, 2025 | 6:00 pm

SOUTHKOREA-ANNIVERSARY-MILITARY-flag — SOUTH KOREAN soldiers salute in front of a huge national flag in Pohang, South Korea, Sept. 30, 2021. — LEE JIN-MAN/POOL VIA REUTERS

SEOUL — South Korea’s presidential candidates were scheduled to face off in their first TV debate on Sunday evening ahead of a snap election on June 3 to choose a successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached over his short-lived martial law declaration in December.

Sunday’s debate, the first of three TV debates scheduled over the next two weeks, will focus on how to revitalize the struggling economy, one of the hot-button election issues.

Asia’s fourth-largest economy contracted in the first quarter as exports and consumption stalled amid fears over the impact of Washington’s aggressive tariffs and political turmoil at home.

South Korea has begun trade talks with the US and is seeking a waiver from the tariffs. After US President Donald J. Trump slapped 25% tariffs on South Korea in April, Seoul was one of the first countries to hold face-to-face talks with Washington, following in the footsteps of Japan.

Lee Jae-myung, the main opposition Democratic Party’s candidate and the frontrunner in the race, has vowed to raise artificial intelligence investment up to 100 trillion won ($71.52 billion) and offer a production tax credit of up to 10% for semiconductors manufactured and sold domestically.

Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate for the conservative People Power Party, has pledged to create a government agency dedicated to innovating regulations and invest over 5% of the budget in research and development.

Mr. Lee holds a lead with 51% support in the latest Gallup Korea poll released on Friday, with Mr. Kim trailing far behind at 29%.

Former President Yoon was ousted last month over his short-lived imposition of martial law on December 3, stoking political turmoil and triggering the election.

Mr. Lee called earlier in the day for constitutional reform to allow a four-year, two-term presidency and a two-round system for presidential elections through a referendum.

South Korean presidents currently serve a single five-year term.

He also vowed to curb the presidential right to declare martial law and hold to account those responsible for the Dec. 3 martial law declaration.

“We must gather the people’s strength to root (them) out and strictly hold (them) accountable,” he told a press briefing. — Reuters

N. Korea’s Kim Jong Un oversees air drills, calls for stepped-up preparation for war

May 18, 2025 | 6:00 pm

SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised drills by the nation’s air force and underscored the need for a step-up in war preparation, state media said on Saturday.

Mr. Kim, who inspected anti-aircraft combat and air strike drills by North Korea’s 1^st Air Division on Thursday, called for “all units in the entire military” to bring about “a breakthrough in war preparation,” KCNA reported.

Footage of the drills on North Korean state TV showed a MiG-29 jet launching a missile, which appeared to be a North Korean version of a Russia-developed mid- to long-range air-to-air missile, said Hong Min, North Korea analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

So far this month, Mr. Kim has overseen a missile test, inspected tank and munitions plants, made a rare visit to the Russian embassy in Pyongyang reaffirming the country’s alliance with Russia, and supervised tank firing drills and special operations unit training.

North Korea also slammed the US State Department for placing it on a list of countries that do not fully cooperate with US counterterrorism efforts. Pyongyang has been placed on the list every year since 1997, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency said.

“The more the US provokes the DPRK with unnecessary and inefficient malicious acts, the further it will escalate the irreconcilable hostility between the DPRK and the US,” a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, using the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

“The DPRK will… take effective and proper measures to cope with the US hostile provocations in all spheres.” — Reuters

Why China’s neighbors may want currency deals with Trump

May 18, 2025 | 3:16 pm

SINGAPORE — As the currencies of South Korea, Taiwan and Japan rise, so too is chatter that these economies could use exchange rate revaluation as a carrot in trade talks with US President Donald Trump.

While a stronger currency has historically meant a competitive disadvantage for these Asian exporters, revaluation may now be the least costly bargaining chip in their scramble for favorable trading terms with the US.

The Korean won surged last week after officials there said currency policy was discussed at a meeting they had in Milan with US officials on May 5. That comes just days after US-Taiwan talks triggered an unprecedented 8% surge in the Taiwan dollar.

Japan’s finance minister is meanwhile seeking to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the G7 meetings in Canada this week to discuss foreign exchange.

Market participants have been quick to connect these developments with China’s surprise 90-day trade truce with United States on the weekend at Geneva.

“This China deal is very bad news for Korea, for Japan, for anybody waiting in the queue, because now they need to offer what China managed to avoid,” said Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis.

She believes Taiwan may have agreed to revalue its currency as part of trade negotiations, while China pushed back against such a request.

The clock is ticking for export-reliant Asia. Trump’s April 2 reciprocal tariffs, ranging from 25% for South Korea to 46% for Vietnam, were suspended for 90 days but could kick in on July 8, unless deals are struck.

There is greater urgency for China’s immediate neighbors Japan, Korea and Taiwan, which risk being displaced from semiconductor and autos supply chains as China and India expedite negotiations with Trump.

China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam are also among the economies on the US Treasury’s “monitoring list” for currency practices — something Trump’s team could use as a talking point in negotiations.

“The Koreans might think, ‘well actually a stronger currency is in our interest and so we may as well propose this in these negotiations’,” said HSBC’s chief Asia economist Fred Neumann.

“These currency angles are only coming up in certain negotiations and not in others, maybe because the US is not insisting on it, but it’s really the other country that has brought them in as a way to kind of appease US demands.”

TAIL WAGGING THE DOG
Trump and Bessent have both expressed a preference for a strong dollar, though that has done little to squelch suspicion that the US President wants an adjustment lower in the world’s top reserve currency, a deal dubbed the Mar-a-Lago accord.

“If one country comes out and agrees with the Trump team that they are going to maybe accept a slightly stronger currency, then it sets the tone for the others,” said Homin Lee, senior macro strategist at Lombard Odier in Singapore.

A weaker dollar could theoretically reduce the burgeoning US trade deficits with the rest of the world. Investors have used that hunch to sell the dollar and US assets in the past few weeks.

Taiwan’s central bank has repeatedly denied the United States asked Taipei to allow its currency to appreciate during tariff talks with Washington.

But one Taiwan source familiar with the matter expects foreign exchange issues will eventually come up in any negotiations.

“No one can withstand US pressure,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter.

In Asia, analysts also make the case that most Asian currencies are weaker than their long-run trade-and-inflation-adjusted real effective exchange rates, which means they have room to trade higher.

Yet, analysts also say the undervaluation of the yen, won, yuan and Taiwan dollar are a result of disinflationary pressures in these economies that make their goods cheaper by the day.

“The solution to that problem would be more fiscal stimulus, more encouragement of domestic demand,” said BofA strategist Claudio Piron.

“You could argue if they appreciate their currencies, it could worsen the problem by creating more disinflation and deflation as well.”

RISKY BUSINESS
Not only is the plan fraught with such economic risks, it could also be unsafe for markets.

For one, Asian governments and citizens own tens of trillions in dollars assets that they’d need to sell as the greenback falls.

That includes a chunk of the $33 trillion of dollar-based stocks and bonds foreigners held at the end of 2024, and Asia’s roughly $7.5 trillion foreign reserves plus a couple of trillions more of dollar deposits retail investors and exporters have accumulated.

Equally challenging is the idea that governments can manipulate their currencies, even in Asia’s less open markets.

HSBC’s Neumann reckons currency deals, if any, will not be ironclad and could at most be broad statements of principles on currency management that ultimately don’t make too many demands on individual countries.

“Nowadays central banks can only lean a little bit against the wind, they can’t affect the overall direction of currencies,” he said.

Tohru Sasaki, chief strategist at Fukuoka Financial Group, says any kind of currency accord, similar to the 1985 Plaza Accord to weaken the dollar, is unlikely.

“Some people say ‘maybe the US and Japan will agree to see a 10% higher yen against the dollar.’ But how can we do it and how can we manage to keep it?” said Sasaki. “So it’s something like a dream. In the real world it’s impossible.” — Reuters

Millennial, Gen Z vote shook up 2025 polls, analysts say

May 17, 2025 | 8:30 pm

election posters-wc — AN ICE CREAM VENDOR passes by a wall covered in campaign posters in Quezon City, May 4. Midterm elections are scheduled for May 12. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

by Edg Adrian A. Eva, Reporter

The 2025 midterm elections may have seen a game-changing shift from Millennials and Generation Z, defying dynasty and celebrity candidates who had led in pre-election surveys, according to analysts.

In an interview, Senior Research Fellow at Ateneo Policy Center Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco said the younger generation of voters is now seeking change amid the country’s unsolved problems—a change they believe can be achieved by steering clear of candidates from political dynasties and celebrities.

“I think there is now a brewing anxiety, and that is giving voters pause. Na baka nga hindi na okay na bumoto ng dynastic candidates and celebrities, kasi wala naman silang nai-offer na solusyon [Maybe it’s no longer okay to vote for dynastic candidates and celebrities because they have not offered any solution],” Mr. Yusingco said.

“I’m not saying, I’m completely sure… In other words, if they have a choice, they will choose non-dynastic candidates. And that’s partially the explanation why you have Bam Aquino, you have Kiko Pangilinan, and Marcoleta at the top six.”

Mr. Yusingco also said that one key difference from the pre-election surveys was the drop of several highly popular celebrity bets from the winning circle known as the ‘Magic 12, based on the Commission on Elections’ partial and unofficial results.

These include re-electionist Senator Bong Revilla, Manny Pacquiao, and newcomer candidates and hosts Willie Revillame and Ben Tulfo.

He added that some well-known candidates from political dynasties also fell short of expectations compared to their rankings in pre-election surveys.

Erwin Tulfo, who previously ranked first in the last SWS pre-election senatorial survey, landed in fourth place, while Tito Sotto dropped from an expected fifth to eighth place.

Also notable was the loss of Abby Binay, who was ranked 10th in the same survey.

Apart from the Senatorial race, Mr. Yusingco said he also observed a similar pattern in some local elections, where several dynastic and celebrity candidates lost their election bids.

Notably, the Villars lost grip of their 33-year-old congressional seat, and actor-comedian Lucky Manzano’s defeat in his bid to become vice governor of Batangas.

Meanwhile, political scientist and retired University of the Philippines professor Clarita A. Carlos welcomed the youth’s increased participation in the recent elections.

“The signs are good that we are reaching political maturity little by little. Voters are becoming more educated and discerning in choosing their leaders. And that’s all good,” Ms. Carlos said in an interview.

She added that youth were more eager to vote in order to change the country’s current political landscape.

“I would imagine they’re sick and tired of the corruption and the ineptitude of many of our leaders,” she furthered.

“It may have come from the realization of many that it is their responsibility to really participate. Otherwise, they have no reason, you know, to comment or even critique any of the actions of the government.”

In a press briefing on Thursday, COMELEC said the youth vote was a key driver in the recent election, helping achieve a record-high voter turnout of 81.65%, the highest among previous midterm elections.

“Naniniwala ako that the votes of the youth matters talaga. Yung pagdagsa nilang sobrang dami… Yung boses nila, gusto talaga nilang (iparinig) [I truly believe that the votes of the youth really matter. Their overwhelming turnout… Their voices, they genuinely wanted to be heard],” COMELEC Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said.

DepEd logs over 600 election-related incidents

May 17, 2025 | 8:21 pm

The Department of Education (DepEd) Election Task Force (ETF), which ran a 24/7 command center in Makati from May 11 to May 13, recorded 603 election-related reports on Tuesday.

DepEd said the most common issues reported involved machines malfunctioning, irregularities in ballots and receipts, and voter list concerns.

Most reports came from Region IX, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and the National Capital Region (NCR), according to DepED.

Although most of the problems were solved by their regional and division ETF counterparts, the department said some cases were endorsed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for appropriate action.

On Monday, similar complaints from netizens regarding ballot and receipt mismatch, missing names and precincts, and rejection of ballots have surfaced online.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia dismissed claims of ballot and receipt mismatch, stating that there is no evidence to support such allegations. He added that voters might have simply forgotten who they voted for.

On the rejected ballots, Mr. Garcia said that damage to the ballot’s timing marks could result in being ejected by the machine.

Despite the logged reports, the DepEd, Comelec, and other government agencies claimed that the midterm election was “largely peaceful.”

“We can say that overall, the elections were conducted smoothly,” Undersecretary Malcolm S. Garma, chair of the DepEd ETF, said in a press release.

Out of the 758,549 poll workers during the midterm elections, over 660,000 DepEd personnel were deployed to ensure safe, fair, and orderly elections in thousands of polling precincts nationwide.

“These are not just public servants,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said. “They are frontliners of democracy.” – Almira Louise S. Martinez

Here’s how your garden grows with Wilcon

May 17, 2025 | 12:05 am

Repurposing forgotten pieces around the home does more than save space. It reduces waste, adds character, and turns everyday objects into functional pieces. Sometimes, the most inspiring spaces come from giving old, forgotten items a fresh purpose. With a bit of creativity, imagination and the right tools, you can recreate whatever you have into something valuable.

1. Step up your ladder

Start with a simple ladder that may be gathering dust in the garage. Instead of letting it go to waste, turn it into a tiered farm. Each step offers a perfect ledge for potted herbs, trailing plants, or cute blooms. It’s a clever way to maximize small spaces and add height and movement to your garden design.

However, if you are currently on the hunt for a reliable ladder for your home projects? Visit your nearest Wilcon Depot and discover P.Tech aluminum ladder. It is designed for safety, durability, and everyday convenience.

2. Birdbath to succulent sanctuary

An old birdbath can become the perfect cradle for succulents and small plants. Its shallow basin and weathered look make it an ideal, ready-made planter, adding texture and history to your garden without effort.

3. Create charming pathways with broken tiles

Even broken pots and chipped tiles deserve a second chance. Use shattered ceramics to line pathways. It will bring an instant rustic charm and a touch of color underfoot. Scatter them artfully across garden beds or lay them between stepping stones for a playful, lived-in feel that money simply can’t buy.

You can also redesign your balcony with a matte and rustic outdoor tile from Sol Ceramica. The non-slip surface promises safety even in wet conditions.

4. Hide the eyesores using your extra pallet wood.

Hose snaking around your yard? Build a house planter to your garden hose from unused pallet wood. The top doubles as a tiny garden bed for cute plants. Functional and fresh. For a good quality hose that will last you for a long haul, choose your garden bestie with Truper 3 Ply Garden Hose.

5. Bring the garden in your living room

Repurpose a long, rectangular piece of artificial grass by cutting it into medium-sized circles for a unique touch. Alternatively, circle-shaped artificial grass is available at Wilcon Depot if you’re short on time. Choose small pots in different shapes to create an interesting contrast. This setup requires little care but adds instant charm to any corner of your home.

For another layer of airy and greenery vibe, add a Heim plant pot to your indoor space. It’s perfect for housing snake plants, peace lilies, or welcome plants because of its durability and modern design. It also makes a great addition to your patio or balcony.

6. Recreate your wheelbarrow.

Transform your antique wheelbarrow into a charming planter. A little creativity goes a long way. This vintage piece can become a unique focal point, filled with bright-colored flowers, or trailing plants. The rustic appeal of the wheelbarrow contrasts beautifully with the greenery. Not only does it repurpose an old item, but it also brings a touch of personality to your garden decor.

Once your plan is in place, you’ll need a few practical tools to bring your garden ideas to life. You will be needing tools that actually work wonders like the compact Truper garden trowel. It is easy to handle — great for delicate jobs like transplanting seedlings. For moving soil or compost, the Truper wheelbarrow saves your back and your time.

For trimming, the Hills phoenix telescopic hedge shear lets you tackle hedges with ease. It extends to reach difficult spots and collapses for convenient storage. Lastly, make pest control and plant feeding a breeze with the Truper manual sprayer. Its portability ensures you can apply precisely where needed without soaking the surrounding area.

Ready to DIY your own pocket of green? Discover more DIY must-haves at Wilcon Depot.

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