MANILA, Philippines — The alleged kickbacks delivered to former Ako Bicol party list Rep. Zaldy Co from then Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Henry Alcantara came with “acknowledgment receipts,” a witness told the Sandiganbayan antigraft court on Thursday. Wirt Walter Rosales, who used to be Alcantara’s personal assistant, said the single biggest

MANILA, Philippines — Senators on Thursday sought the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) recommendations on how to adjust the proposed P7.2-trillion 2027 national budget following the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down key provisions of previous spending laws. At the House of Representatives, a dispute erupted over whether the chamber should recall its approved version

MANILA, Philippines — Agricultural damage throughout the country due to the El Niño phenomenon has climbed to P8.57 billion, a 24.7-percent increase from the P6.87 billion recorded in September. According to the Oct. 21 bulletin of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the dry spell affected the livelihood of 288,058 farmers in different regions across the

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri challenged Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to crack down on pork price manipulators, smugglers and excessive meat imports. He urged Tiu Laurel to demonstrate his strong leadership as thousands of backyard hog raisers struggle with falling farmgate prices while consumers continue paying considerably more

COTABATO CITY — Some 1,500 supporters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) gathered at the city plaza here on Thursday to air their call for the elected Bangsamoro parties and district and sectoral representatives to unite in a “rainbow coalition” headed by the erstwhile revolutionary group’s leader, Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim. The rally

BAGUIO CITY — A 1970s mulberry enterprise in Benguet province is getting a new lease on life, thanks to a government initiative to rebuild the country’s sericulture industry and ensure a local supply of silk. Science Secretary Renato Solidum said the old Benguet operation had been designated the north Luzon sericulture hub under the government’s