Philippines Star

The Department of Justice is building a case of economic sabotage against a network of industry players allegedly involved in an onion cartel that has been blamed for a spike in prices last year, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said yesterday.

The Commission on Elections has warned candidates against buying votes in all forms as this year’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections approach.

President Marcos will sign into law today the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which will officially condone at least P58 billion in arrears incurred by more than 600,000 farmer-beneficiaries from his late father’s land reform program under Presidential Decree 27, including agrarian reform beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program of the late former president Corazon Aquino.

MASA 2023 will involve the conduct of live fire drills, bilateral air assaults, airfield seizures, joint operations for arming and refueling, and other forms of aviation support activities.

Fifty-one percent of Filipino adults expected “little to no benefit” from the creation of the country’s first sovereign wealth fund, according to a survey conducted in March and published only on Thursday. 

A co-accused of detained former senator Leila de Lima had reportedly been given special treatment in jail, allowing him to temporarily leave prison to eat in high-class restaurants and take trips to Tagaytay and Batangas, discussions during a Senate hearing found.

Another trial court judge has inhibited from handling the third drug case against former Sen. Leila De Lima, which may cause a delay in the proceedings in her remaining drug charge.

Healthcare workers expressed concern about the plan to end the state of public health emergency in the Philippines as it will lead to the discontinuation of the special allowances they receive.

A new bill filed at the Senate seeks to institutionalize technical vocational and livelihood training programs for rehabilitated drug dependents to increase their chances of finding gainful employment.

The Commission on Human Rights has called for the passage of a bill providing a lifetime validity to identification cards issued to persons with permanent disabilities, saying that it would reduce the administrative hurdles faced by the sector.

Remulla added that he is “meeting the leadership on Monday morning after the flag ceremony,” referring to department undersecretaries and assistant secretaries. This is to discuss directions and orders, he said.

EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Yee also told Philstar.com that it can be more efficient for companies to help deliver tech-voc programs in fields that require robust training facilities, which some government centers may not have.

The new EO, dated July 4 and signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, amends the Duterte-era EO 68. The Palace has yet to publish the new EO. 

State prosecutors have asked the Muntinlupa court judge handling the recently re-raffled drug case against former Sen. Leila de Lima—her last pending charge—to inhibit himself.

The Department of Tourism has retained the use of the controversial rebranded tourism campaign “Love the Philippines.”

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised on June 8 the status of Mayon Volcano in Albay to Alert Level 3 after it showed an “increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption.”

Rep. Joey Salceda described President Marcos’ expected signing tomorrow of the Agrarian Emancipation Act, which will free farmers from debt, as the “hallmark” of his first year in office.

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines remains the top source of talent among 700 companies from 42 industries in the country, while University of the Philippines graduates are considered “most desired” by employers.

A farmers’ group wants charges filed against people, including government officials, involved in smuggling, hoarding and price fixing of agricultural products.

The slower inflation last month indicated that the government’s efforts to support consumers, workers and businesses are working, President Marcos said yesterday.