Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa and 16 other Department of Health officials were slapped Tuesday afternoon with a fresh batch of criminal and administrative complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman — this time over more than P1.4 billion worth of medicines and vaccines that allegedly expired under their watch, the latest in a growing pile of legal troubles besetting the agency.…
A teachers’ association and a transport group on Tuesday, March 31, separately voiced support for Manila’s free jeepney ride program, with both calling on the national government to adopt a similar initiative as fuel prices continue to squeeze commuters and drivers across the country. The Manila Public School Teachers Association (MPSTA) lauded the initiative, calling it immediate and much-needed relief for drivers,…
Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso announced Tuesday morning, March 31, that the city government is increasing its subsidy for participating jeepney drivers from ₱3,000 to ₱3,500, funded by ₱661,000 in savings generated from the program’s first day of operations on Monday. The Mayor said the additional ₱500 per driver per day was a direct response to a ₱12 increase in…
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made a striking claim in a television interview: a reset of the Philippines’ ties with China was, in his words, “happening now.” Speaking to Bloomberg, he also said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which prompted him to declare a national energy crisis after Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, might actually help Manila and Beijing finally…
With the perceived ouster of career health officials, Malacañang now stands accused of putting institutional stability and expert leadership at risk for political convenience. The uproar follows the exit of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire and other veteran DOH officials in what appears to be a politically motivated shake-up. About 55 professional medical groups signed a joint statement expressing concerns of what…
The Laguna Lake is fast deteriorating into the country’s “biggest septic tank,” Biñan City Rep. Walfredo “Arman” Dimaguila Jr. warned on Saturday, August 2. In an interview on DZRH News’ Special on Saturday, Rep. Dimaguila urged the Marcos Jr. administration to take urgent and science-based action to rehabilitate the vital water body affecting millions across Southern Luzon and Metro Manila. “Magkakaroon na…
The Iran war is showing why the Philippines can’t afford to neglect its farmers
A war thousands of kilometers away is beginning to ripple through something as basic as the Filipino dining table. The conflict involving Iran has pushed oil prices higher, disrupted key shipping routes, and strained global supply chains—especially for fertilizer, a critical input for food production. Farmers are already feeling the pressure. Fertilizer prices have surged by as much as 30% to 40%,…