Power distributor Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has raised concerns over unregistered or “guerrilla” solar panel installations that bypass local government permits and safety inspections. Speaking at a Senate Committee on Energy hearing, Meralco Vice President and Head of Utility Economics Lawrence Fernandez cited data from the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), showing that about one-third of rooftop solar units within…
The Department of Energy supports all efforts, including the removal of the value-added tax (VAT), to help lower electricity prices in the country, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said. In a statement, Garin said, “Sa katunayan, dahil sa ating mga inisyatibo, naiwasan natin ang pagkakaroon ng P7.00 pagtaas sa presyo ng kuryente.” She added that while she supports the removal of VAT, the…
Philippine inflation surged to 7.2% year-on-year in April 2026, the fastest pace in more than three years. Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort on Tuesday, May 5, attributed the acceleration largely to the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has sent fuel and commodity prices sharply higher. The last time inflation ran faster was in March 2023, when…
Vietnam is in the grip of a construction frenzy unlike anything Southeast Asia has seen in a generation—and while Hanoi breaks ground on bullet trains, nuclear plants, and the world’s largest stadium, the Philippines is fighting a different kind of battle: keeping fuel affordable for ordinary Filipinos while its own infrastructure ambitions inch forward under the long shadow of corruption. The groundbreaking…
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%,…