Makabayan urges House to recall 2027 budget bill
Metro Manila, Philippines – The Makabayan bloc on Thursday, Oct. 22, urged the House to recall its version of the proposed 2027 budget in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling on certain provisions of past laws. The bloc warned House Bill 10858 retains budget mechanisms the Supreme Court recently declared unconstitutional. House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio said the 2027 bill still contains questionable fund-release conditions, unitemized lump sums, and transfers to unprogrammed appropriations. “Ayusin dapat ng House ang sariling kalat dito sa 2027 proposed budget,” Tinio said. [Translation: The House should fix its own mess in the 2027 proposed budget.] He cited the ₱50-billion AFP Modernization Fund and large lump-sum allocations for local governments as examples of questionable appropriations. He also said cuts to foreign-assisted projects created fiscal space for new insertions through unprogrammed appropriations. Tinio said more than 6,000 new public works projects were added through what…
Pope Leo XIV won’t need further treatment — doctors
Metro Manila, Philippines – Pope Leo XIV will not go through extended treatment after his lung surgery last week, the pontiff’s doctors Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora said on Wednesday, Oct. 21. According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the final medical reports confirmed that the tumor was a common type of lung cancer and that the disease was localized. It added that a subsequent oncological assessment has confirmed that “no further treatment is necessary.” The 71-year-old pontiff underwent an operation on Oct. 13 that removed part of his right lung to extract a cancerous tumor. The procedure lasted more than an hour and was without complications. He was eventually discharged from the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome on Saturday. Margaritora earlier said the pope is in generally good condition and fit to proceed with his activities, like the upcoming visit to Latin America…
MMDA to conduct random drug tests on bus drivers for Undas travel
Metro Manila, Philippines – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said it will conduct unannounced inspections and drug tests among bus drivers ahead of Undas (All Saints’ and All Souls’ days) to ensure safety with the expected volume of passengers taking advantage of the holidays. MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said the team will be composed of personnel from local government units, the Department of Transportation, Philippine National Police, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. The transport terminals are in Caloocan City, Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, Tramo in Pasay, Manila, and Epifanio de losa Santos Ave. in Cubao in Quezon City. As for Undas itself, the MMDA said it will also monitor Manila North Cemetery, Manila South Cemetery in Makati, Bagbag Public Cemetery in Quezon City, Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina, and San Juan Public Cemetery. Artes said more than 2,400 traffic personnel will be deployed beginning Oct. 29. Local government units…
MMDA to suspend road works for close to 2 months
Metro Manila, Philippines – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said road works will be suspended for close to two months beginning Nov. 1 over a number of events. After an inter-agency meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 21, the MMDA said the temporary suspension is part of early preparations for the Undas (All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day), the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, as well as the holiday season in December. Under Memorandum Circular 20, the MMDA noted possible higher vehicular traffic for the remaining months of the year that would need fewer road obstructions. The agency noted that excluded from the moratorium are major infrastructure projects, including asphalt overlay projects without re-blocking works, drainage improvement projects not occupying any part of the roadway, and emergency repairs such as those by water concessionaires and electric companies. The suspension will be lifted at midnight on Dec. 23. By then,…
Looming Super El Niño to impact rice output; DSWD warns of aid shortfall
Metro Manila, Philippines – The looming Super El Niño could cut rice production by at least 700,000 metric tons next year, the Department of Agriculture (DA) warned, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) cautioned that funding constraints could hamper aid to families. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. told a Senate budget hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 21, that the country could potentially lose at least 700,000 metric tons of rice in a worst-case scenario. This would be on top of the 163,000-metric ton losses as of last month. “We would need an additional 863,000 tons of rice para ma-ensure na may bigas tayo through this El Niño plus strategic buffer stocks pa na kailangan,” Tiu Laurel said. [Translation: We would need an additional 863,000 tons of rice to ensure that we have enough supply throughout El Niño, including the strategic buffer stocks we need.] The DA said…
