Philippines

DA Creates Powerful New Rice Office as Imports Surge — But Can It Protect Farmers Before El Niño Hits?

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture has placed the government's major rice programs, monitoring systems and rice-development funds under a newly created office, a sweeping reorganization that comes as the Philippines faces a difficult balancing act: keeping rice supplies plentiful and prices manageable without allowing surging imports to crush local palay farmers. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. created the Interim Rice Industry Development Office, or Rice Office,

August 30, 2026

Philippines

El Niño Threat Grows: DA Orders Urgent Plan Overhaul as Food Prices Face New Risk

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered its agencies to revise and strengthen their El Niño response plans as the Philippines braces for a potentially worsening dry spell that could threaten crop production, food supplies and consumer prices. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government is drawing lessons from the powerful El Niño episode that ended in mid-2024, stressing that preparations must move beyond reacting to damage and focus on protec

August 30, 2026

Philippines

Metro Manila’s ₱85 Wage Hike Is Still Frozen—Now Labor Groups Are Telling Courts to End the Fight

MANILA, Philippines — Labor groups are stepping up pressure on the courts to clear the way for Metro Manila workers to receive their long-delayed wage increase, calling on the Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) in Pasig and Navotas to dismiss petitions challenging the implementation of the ₱85 daily minimum wage hike. The appeal comes as the legal battle over NCR Wage Order No. 27 continues to leave millions of pesos in expected wage adjustments—and the workers counting on them—in limbo. Labor leade

August 30, 2026

Philippines

DPWH Chief Relieved After ‘Delayed’ Calamity Response — But What Finally Triggered Dizon’s Order?

MANILA, Philippines — As severe flooding again tested government response in parts of Metro Manila, the Department of Public Works and Highways has removed a key maintenance official in Las Piñas and Muntinlupa following what the agency described as repeated reports of poor performance and slow action during calamities. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon ordered Engr. Loreto C. Balena Jr., maintenance chief of the DPWH Las Piñas-Muntinlupa District Engineering Office (LMDEO), relieved of his du

August 30, 2026

Philippines

Tarlac Declares State of Calamity After Devastating Floods—But the Crisis May Not Be Over Yet

TARLAC, Philippines — Tarlac Province has been placed under a state of calamity after relentless rains from the Southwest Monsoon, locally known as Habagat, triggered widespread flooding, damaged infrastructure and disrupted communities across the province. The declaration was approved under Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution No. 416-2026 following a recommendation from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), according to reports from GMA News and the Philippine

August 30, 2026

Philippines

Maddela Families Get 10 Kilos of Rice Under Marcos Aid — Town Adds Over ₱1 Million After Allocation Falls Short

MADDELA, Quirino — Families in Maddela have begun receiving 10 kilograms of rice each under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s nationwide rice assistance initiative, but the local rollout came with a notable development: the municipality had to put in more than ₱1 million of its own funds after the available allocation was not enough to cover all qualified families. Maddela Mayor Rimel C. Tolentino said the municipal government realigned local funds to augment the assistance and allow more eligib

August 30, 2026

Philippines

Pampanga Still Has Power After Nearly Three Weeks Underwater—But the Next Flood Surge Is What Officials Fear

PAMPANGA, Philippines — Even as floodwaters continue to engulf communities across Pampanga after nearly three weeks of relentless rain, electricity remains available in many affected areas—a lifeline officials are trying to preserve as authorities brace for more possible flooding. Pampanga Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda said Sunday that the province's power supply remains operational despite some communities being submerged in waist-deep floodwaters for weeks due to persistent rains brought by t

August 30, 2026

Philippines

Six Homes Gone in Minutes: What Happened When Floodwaters Broke Through a Lubao Community?

LUBAO, Pampanga — What began as a flooding emergency near a dam turned into a devastating scene in Barangay Sto. Cristo, Lubao, where powerful floodwaters carved through a residential area, washing away homes and forcing more than 100 residents to flee to safety. At least six houses were reported lost as raging water surged through the community, according to GMA News. The dramatic destruction continued even during a live television report, when part of an already damaged house collapsed after

August 30, 2026

Philippines

Pampanga Has Been Flooded for Nearly 3 Weeks — So Why Is the Power Still On?

PAMPANGA, Philippines — In communities where floodwater has lingered for nearly three weeks, one essential service has remarkably continued operating: electricity. Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda said Sunday, August 30, that power remains available in affected parts of the province despite prolonged flooding that has left some communities under waist-deep water. But keeping the lights on amid widespread flooding comes with a serious warning: electricity and floodwater can be a deadly combinatio

August 30, 2026

Philippines

2.39 Million BARMM Voters Are About to Make History — But One Major Test Could Define the September 14 Election

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — With the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao just days away from a political milestone years in the making, the government’s peace office is urging political parties, security forces and communities to make sure history is written at the ballot box — not through violence. The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) on Sunday, August 30, called for an orderly, credible and peaceful electoral process ahead of the firs

August 30, 2026