SENATOR Leila M. De Lima has reiterated calls to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to take “urgent actions” on the human rights situation in the Philippines, citing the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

Farm damage A FARMER inspects his corn farm after it was destroyed by typhoon Mangkhut (local name: Ompong) in Callao town, Cagayan province, on Sept....

THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) has denied Australian nun Sister Patricia Fox’s request for a missionary visa extension request due to the deportation order against her.

CEBU Province signed a sisterhood pact with China’s Fujian province last week, which is seen to boost investments and tourism cooperation.

AFTER FARMS in the northern Luzon area were devastated by typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkhut), farmers from four mountain towns of Bukidnon pledged to ship vegetables to Metro Manila to augment supply starting this week, according to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol.

THE NEWLY-built New City Commercial Center (NCCC) in Buhangin has caught fire barely two months after it officially opened last July.

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THE COUNTRY’S current account balance reversed to a deficit in the second quarter, largely under the weight of a growing merchandise trade gap, making the first-semester shortfall hit the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) full-year forecast and signalling more pressure ahead on an already beleaguered peso.

MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. has obtained an increase of P5.73 per cubic meter (cu. m.) in water tariffs for Metro Manila’s west zone, which the company is offering to impose on a staggered basis.

RABOBANK said that it expects poultry production in Vietnam, Indonesia, India and the Philippines (VIIP) to grow in the next five years, driven by higher incomes and increased dining out.

ECONOMIC managers said current inflationary conditions do not amount to a “major” crisis and added that they are confident that an Executive Order expected in the next few weeks will stabilize prices by next month.

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is seeking to import an additional 150,000 metric tons of rice under a government-to-government scheme, saying that the process will take less time than an open tender.