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UN agency upgrades PH food system from ‘laggard’ to ‘performer’ in 2025 assessment
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) has upgraded the Philippines’ food system rating from “laggard” to “performer” in its 2025 assessment, citing improved logistics and reduced post-harvest losses, a senior DA official said Saturday. DA…
Marcos approves ₱300M budget for ube industry as DA eyes world No. 1 status
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved ₱300 million in additional funding for the Philippine ube industry for 2027, as the Department of Agriculture (DA) sets its sights on making the Philippines the world’s top ube producer, Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel said Saturday.…
DA opens first-ever Export Office as PH mangoes now sold in Italy, France, Canada
The Department of Agriculture has established a dedicated Export Office for the first time in its history, with Philippine mangoes now being sold in Italy, France, and Canada as a result, Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel said Saturday. Tiu Laurel made the disclosure in an…
Agriculture budget doubled under Marcos, NFA funded for infrastructure first time since 1985
The Department of Agriculture’s budget has doubled from approximately ₱100 billion under the previous administration to ₱200 billion under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel said Saturday. Tiu Laurel made the statement in an interview on DZRH News…
Kadiwa centers surge from 170 to 800, with DA targeting 1,500 nationwide
The number of Kadiwa centers nationwide has grown from 140 to 170 sites to 800 fully operational locations, Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel said Saturday. Tiu Laurel made the disclosure in an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday on July 18, as part of the DZRH SONA…
Government stops importing rice for first time as private sector now sole rice importer: DA
The Philippine government has stopped importing rice entirely, leaving the private sector as the sole rice importer under the Rice Tariffication Law, Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel said Saturday. Tiu Laurel made the statement in an interview on DZRH News program Special on…
Marcos administration seizes most agricultural smuggling haul in history: DA chief
The Marcos administration has recorded the highest value of seized agricultural smuggling in Philippine history, Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel said Saturday. Tiu Laurel made the statement in an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday on July 18, as part of the DZRH…
Median age in PH increased to 27.7 years, indicating the country’s aging population: PSA
The median age of Filipinos continues to rise, indicating that the country’s population is gradually aging. Based on the 2024 Census of Population released by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the median age increased from 24.3 years in 2015 to 25.3 years in 2020, and further to 27.7 years in…
UN agency warns cost of a healthy diet has spiked 25 percent since 2021
The cost of a healthy diet has increased 25 percent in the past five years, putting it out of reach for one-third of the global population, according to figures released Wednesday by the United Nations. The increased cost of food makes a healthy diet require an average of $4.28 purchase power…
Plastic on the plate: Ateneo study finds microplastics contaminating salt, sugar, rice, and fish sauce
From land to sea and back to the dining table, plastic pollution has made its way into the Filipino kitchen. A study by researchers from Ateneo de Manila University, published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology, found that microplastics—tiny plastic fragments measuring between 1…
UK announces social media curfew for older teens
The UK government said Tuesday it will introduce an overnight social media curfew for children aged 16 and 17, after Prime Minister Keir Starmer last month announced an under-16 social media ban. In the latest crackdown on children’s access to addictive apps, the government said there will be a…
SSS to offer up to P400k loans for solar panel installations
The Social Security System (SSS) is set to roll out an energy sustainability loan program with an allocation of P40 billion to help members finance the installation of solar panels. SSS President Robert Joseph de Claro said the program is expected to initially benefit up to 100,000 households. De…
Scientists sail for Greenland to study glacier melt risk
HARWICH, England, July 15 (Reuters) – An international team of around 80 scientists and crew will set sail on polar research ship the RSS David Attenborough for Greenland this week to investigate whether the island’s rapidly melting glaciers could disrupt a major Atlantic Ocean current system…
June 2026 is second-warmest June on record globally: Copernicus
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has confirmed that June 2026 was the second-warmest June on record globally, as the planet continues to accumulate heat at an alarming rate. According to the latest monthly bulletin from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the global average…
New York becomes the first state to impose a data center moratorium
New York became the first U.S. state on Tuesday to halt construction of large new data centers, imposing a one-year moratorium as concerns grow that the facilities driving the artificial-intelligence boom are raising power costs, straining water supplies and burdening local communities. The…