MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued the guidelines for the 2026 National Literacy Awards (NLA), reaffirming its commitment to recognize partners helping advance literacy in communities nationwide. DepEd issued Memorandum No. 062, s. 2026, which contains the guidelines, through the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC). According to a DepEd statement issued on

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday launched new employment programs aimed at helping Filipinos develop their skills, access job opportunities, and build sustainable livelihoods. Speaking at the 26th National Public Employment Service Office Congress in Cebu, Marcos introduced the Trabahong-Dagat, SkillPass, and Sagip-Trabaho programs as part of the Department of Labor and

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday said Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. had ordered the revocation of the sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance for a vessel carrying suspected smuggled rice before it arrived in the Philippines. According to the DA, the decision came after Tiu Laurel received “derogatory” information about the

MANILA, Philippines — New public school buildings will be required to meet updated accessibility and disaster-resilience standards beginning in fiscal year 2027 under a Department of Education (DepEd) policy welcomed by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA). In a statement, the NCDA said DepEd Order No. 022, series of 2026, establishes enhanced minimum performance

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday disputed the claim that the Senate is spending P25 million daily in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the amount represented the operating costs of the entire chamber. According to Gatchalian, “The claim that the impeachment trial costs the Senate P25 million a

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Sandiganbayan over the insufficient documentation of the foreign travels undertaken by its officials and employees. In its 2025 audit report, COA noted that a total of P11.87 million worth of cash advances were granted last year to the Sandiganbayan for the foreign travels of

MANILA, Philippines — A resolution seeking an investigation into the implementation of the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) to ensure fairness to motorists cited for traffic violations despite poor road infrastructure has been filed in the Senate. Senate Resolution No. 732, filed by Sen. Robin Padilla on Oct. 12, seeks an inquiry into fairness and

MANILA, Philippines — El Niño has affected more than 451,000 people across the country, including over 215,000 farmers and fisherfolk, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Wednesday. In its situational report as of Oct. 14, the NDRRMC said 121,185 families, or 451,889 individuals, are affected in Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Mimaropa,

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will conduct an independent review of the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027 and correct its own version if the review finds problems in the House-approved bill. Sen. JV Ejercito, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, gave that assurance in a statement on Tuesday. The House has approved the General