When Ariel Nepomuceno took over the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in July last year, he knew what he was walking into. The bureau had long carried a reputation for corruption so entrenched that even the mention of reform invited skepticism. His response was immediate—and deliberate. “‘Yung mga ayaw sumabay, tinanggal ko na kaagad,” Nepomuceno said in an interview on DZRH News program…
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is working to deliver tens of thousands of balikbayan boxes sent by overseas Filipino workers that were left stranded at Philippine ports after several cargo companies abandoned the shipments without paying the required duties, taxes, and port charges. In an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday, Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said over 42,000 balikbayan boxes…
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino has laid bare a critical shortage of active labor inspectors at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), revealing that of 1,210 inspectors across 17 regional offices, only 477 are actually deployed in the field nationwide. Tolentino made the disclosure during an interview on DZRH News program “Special on Saturday” on May 30, days after the deadly collapse…
When Ariel Nepomuceno took over the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in July last year, he knew what he was walking into. The bureau had long carried a reputation for corruption so entrenched that even the mention of reform invited skepticism. His response was immediate—and deliberate. “‘Yung mga ayaw sumabay, tinanggal ko na kaagad,” Nepomuceno said in an interview on DZRH News program…
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%,…