Manila Standard
PBBM signs oil excise tax law to ease price spikes
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday signed into law a measure allowing him to temporarily suspend or reduce excise taxes on fuel to shield consumers from surging pump prices amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East. This as an industry source...
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TRUMP HALTS STRIKES ON IRAN POWER PLANTS FOR 5 DAYS ‘AFTER TALKS’
US President Donald Trump said Monday he will hold off on attacking Iranian power plants for five days after "very good" talks with Tehran, an abrupt shift that immediately eased pressure on rattled markets. But Iranian media said there were no...
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Trump threatens Iran: Open Hormuz or else
US President Donald Trump vowed to "obliterate" the Islamic republic's power plants unless the Strait of Hormuz swiftly reopens in 48 hours. But Iran's military operational command responded that if the country's facilities were hit, "all energy,...
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Pump prices to spike as much as P17.50/l
DOMESTIC pump prices are expected to increase even higher than earlier projections next week, with diesel prices likely to reach P132 per liter amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. An industry source said diesel prices may go up by P16.50 to...
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Diesel prices may hit P129.40/l
CONSUMERS must brace for another substantial increase in fuel prices next week, with diesel expected to rise by as much as P14.50 per liter as the conflict in the Middle East shows no signs of letup. An industry source said diesel prices could climb...
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Peso hits record low at P60.10: $1
THE Philippine peso plummeted to a new record low of 60.10 against the US dollar Thursday, losing 58 centavos from Wednesday’s close of 59.52 as intensifying external pressures weighed on the domestic market and the government scrambles to shore up...
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CHECKING ON PRICES.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., upper right photo, checks market prices at the Agora Public Market in San Juan City together with Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel Tiu and Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque even as women leaders of...
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HOUSE, SENATE TO RECONCILE VERSIONS OF FUEL EXCISE BILL
THE House of Representatives and the Senate will reconcile today its versions of a measure giving President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the power to suspend or lower excise taxes on fuel. Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the two chambers will settle...
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Congress rushes fuel tax bill OK
CONGRESS is pulling out all the stops to pass measures aimed at cushioning the impact of rising global oil prices on Filipino consumers, including the temporary suspension of fuel excise tax and amendments to the Biofuels Act of 2006. The two...
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Fare hikes for buses, jeeps set for Tuesday
FARE hikes for jeepneys and buses will be announced Tuesday as the government grapples with the impact of rising global oil prices, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairperson Vigor Mendoza said yesterday. Another round of...
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Suspension of fuel excise tax likely within 2 weeks
THE public can expect relief from rising fuel prices by around P6 to P10 per liter within the next two weeks with Congress poised to pass a measure allowing the President to suspend or slash excise tax of petroleum products, House Committee on Public...
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ANTI-RABIES DRIVE.
Over 800 cats and dogs are given anti-rabies shots during the Veterinary Medical Mission spearheaded by the Office of the Imus City Veterinarian in Brgy. Magdalo in connection with the observance of Rabies Awareness Month.
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House to approve fuel excise tax bill Monday
THE House is expected to approve on third and final reading on Monday a measure authorizing the President to suspend or slash excise tax on fuel products during national or global economic emergencies after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. certified the...
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P5,000 aid for transport workers out by March 17
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the distribution of P5,000 in financial assistance to transport workers in Metro Manila beginning March 17 to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle...
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Diesel may breach P100/l next week
DIESEL prices will likely breach the P100 per liter mark next week with another round of fuel price hikes of as much as P21 per liter, industry sources warned yesterday. Based on the Mean of Platts Singapore movement as of Monday, sources said...
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Oil prices hit highest jump yet
OIL firms will implement historic high increases in fuel prices of as much as P24.25 per liter for diesel and P38.50 per liter for kerosene but will do a staggered rollout from today (March 10) until Monday next week (March 16) in a bid to cushion the...
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Panic buying on fuel: Gas stations shutter
SOME gasoline stations across the country began running out of fuel on Sunday as panicked motorists rushed to fill their tanks ahead of a looming price hike, prompting government agencies to conduct surprise inspections of retail outlets. Television...
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Even higher oil price hikes likely
AS the conflict in the Middle East entered its second week with no signs of letup, an official of the Department of Energy said yesterday. In an interview on dzBB, DOE Oil Industry Management Bureau director Rino Abad said the “minimum estimates” for...
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Brace for historic high oil price hikes next week
CONSUMERS face historic high increases in pump prices next week—with diesel estimated at P17.28/liter, gasoline at P7.48/l and kerosene at P32.35/l due to the volatility of world oil prices driven by the Middle East crisis, President Ferdinand Marcos...
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Biz cautious of 4-day workweek
THE country’s biggest business groups took a cautious stance on the proposed four-day workweek, noting its impact will differ across various sectors. The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry...
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PBBM open to 4-day workweek
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to studying a proposal for a four‑day workweek for government offices as part of broader efforts to conserve energy amid global oil price risks driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East, the Palace on...
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PH not legally barred to assist ICC — DOJ
THERE is no legal prohibition provided under current laws to coordinate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) pending the resolution of the Supreme Court (SC), the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Tuesday. “We reiterate our previous stance that...
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Conflict with Iran may last 4 weeks—Trump
UNITED States President Donald Trump said the conflict with Iran may continue for four weeks as he vowed to avenge the deaths of three US soldiers killed during the operations while warning that more casualties were likely. Trump said he envisaged a...
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Cheers, music, anger: Iran’s Khamenei killed
• Escalation fears mount • UN calls for end to fighting CHEERS in Tehran. Retaliation and mourning by Iran. Protests in some parts of the Muslim world, celebrations in others. The world greeted with jubilation, anger or trepidation the news Sunday...
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US, Israel launch strikes vs. Iran
THE United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday, with Israel’s public broadcaster reporting that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been targeted, as the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states...
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US, Japan, PH militaries hold air, sea exercises in Bashi strait
THE Philippine, US and Japanese militaries conducted joint exercises this week over the Bashi Channel that separates the Philippines from Taiwan, officials said Friday. Aircraft from the three nations patrolled over the Philippines' northernmost...
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‘ICC testimony to link Sara’
TESTIMONY linking Vice President Sara Duterte to the deadly anti-drug campaign in Davao will most likely surface – along with a list of names of several other coconspirators -- during the confirmation of charges hearing of former president Rodrigo...
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Marcos on 2028 talks: We will get to that soon
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he did not discuss the 2028 elections with former Vice President and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo during their meeting yesterday, adding that they will eventually “get to that.” “We did not discuss (politics). I...
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Rody allowed to skip ICC hearings next week
THE International Criminal Court PreTrial Chamber I has approved the request of former President Rodrigo Duterte not to attend the confirmation of charges hearing starting Feb. 23. “The Chamber, while acknowledging the objections of the Prosecution...
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Mt. Kanlaon blows ash 2,000 meters high—Phivolcs
KANLAON Volcano in Negros island erupted yesterday throwing out ash 2,000 meters up in the sky, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported. The eruption occurred at 4:38 p.m. and lasted two minutes based on seismic...
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VP Sara says to run for president in 2028
VICE President Sara Duterte on Wednesday said she will run for president in 2028 – a move that was met by jeers and cheers from allies and critics alike, and a terse “good luck” from Malacañang. Duterte, who was impeached last year only to see the...
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Season of grace begins this week
IN A powerful and rare alignment this year, Catholic and Muslim communities in the Philippines are beginning their sacred seasons of Lent and Ramadan this week. Church leaders are embracing this convergence as a unique opportunity for shared spiritual...
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Fire Horse Year: Inconvenient truths coming out
THE Year of the Fire Horse will be marked by intensity, independence and strong energy – the horse being a fire animal, and fire being this year’s amplifying element. “It is a double fire year – a year of illumination and confrontation,” said feng...
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No China sanctions on PH solons
THE Chinese embassy in Manila yesterday raised the possibility of sanctions on Philippine lawmakers even as it said it would not do so for now. Embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng stressed that dialogue and debate should guide diplomatic relations...
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ICC names Go, Bato as Rody co-perpetrators
TWO sitting senators have been identified as “co-perpetrators” in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC), documents released by prosecutors showed. Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and...
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China hits senators anew: Who do you think you are?
THE spokesman of the Chinese Embassy in Manila scored Filipino senators anew, saying it was not their place to call for the designation of a new ambassador and warning that such "childish" actions could lead cost millions of jobs. Chinese embassy...
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New China envoy needed—senators
A NEW Chinese ambassador – one who is not “very aggressive and very sensitive” – could be just what is needed to ease tensions between Manila and Beijing officials over the West Philippine Sea issue, Senators JV Ejercito and Raffy Tulfo said. Ejercito...
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Stay calm, be professional, gov’t tells Beijing’s envoys
THE Philippines on Wednesday called on Chinese diplomats in Manila to observe professionalism and mutual respect in their public statements, as tensions escalated over exchanges related to the West Philippine Sea. Department of Foreign Affairs...
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Sotto...
wanted to silence this august chamber by calling us hypocrites and ignorant by issuing our stand through this resolution,” Sotto said. “He is claiming that we are intimidating Chinese diplomats, yet he continues to speak disrespectfully against us and...
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Senate adopts reso censuring Chinese embassy
THE Senate yesterday adopted Resolution 37 expressing the sense of the Senate in condemning recent public statements issued by the Chinese Embassy that criticized Philippine officials and institutions over their positions on national sovereignty and...
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‘Basyang’ dumps record rainfall as shear line worsens
TROPICAL storm ‘‘Basyang’’ has dumped extremely rare volumes of rain that exceeded Northern Mindanao’s 100-year return period and contributed to flooding in Iligan City due to overwhelmed rivers and drainage systems. The Philippine Atmospheric,...
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KIG officials, residents offended by Marcoleta
LOCAL officials and residents of the Kalayaan Island Group took offense at the statement by Senator Rodante Marcoleta that it will be easier to give up the islands than go to war against China for what he claimed to be “something that is not even...
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No giving up Kalayaan Islands, President says
MALACAÑANG on Friday rejected suggestions that the Philippines should give up the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), stressing that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not surrender any portion of the country's territory in the West Philippine Sea...
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‘Loren to head Senate by 2028’
WHAT started out as a joke among the majority bloc is now turning into a concrete plan to have Senator Loren Legarda installed as the first female Senate President, but only after the 2027 budget is approved or before her term ends in 2028. Legarda,...
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Tulfo asks colleagues to tone down verbal attacks vs. China
SENATOR Erwin Tulfo on Wednesday said he would ask his colleagues to “tone down” their verbal attacks against Chinese officials as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said stoking the world war could affect the ongoing negotiations for a code of...
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PBBM hands o on SALN release concerns, ICI future
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is taking a hands off stance on two issues -- the future of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and the protest lodged by the Ombudsman over the slow release of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth...
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‘Simultaneous impeach cases could hurt PH’
FOR the first time in the country’s history, the two highest officials – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte – are facing two fresh impeachment complaints each before the House of Representatives. “This is the first time...
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House pushes back on SC rulings, compliance
HOUSE lawmakers on Sunday pushed back against recent Supreme Court (SC) rulings on impeachment, arguing that the High Court itself must address questions on constitutional interpretation and compliance with mandated timelines. This even as the...
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No Palace talk on Cha-cha
MALACAÑANG on Saturday said proposals to amend the 1987 Constitution have not been discussed with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., citing the administration’s focus on strengthening the country’s economy. Presidential Communications Office...
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RESUMPTION.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has rejected calls from some lawmakers to declare Chinese ambassador Jing Quan and other embassy officials persona non grata after their recent verbal tussle with Filipino officials over the West Philippine Sea...
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ASEAN sets monthly meet for COC negotiations
CEBU CITY—Technical working groups of ASEAN member-states will meet face-to-face every month to hasten negotiations on a binding Code of Conduct which the bloc aims to finish this year under the Philippine chairmanship, Foreign Affairs Secretary...
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‘Pinoys see China as top threat’ OCTA survey also shows 6 in 10 Filipinos distrust China
MAJORITY of Filipino adults distrust China and consider it the greatest external threat to the Philippines, according to the latest Tugon ng Masa (TNM) survey conducted by OCTA Research. As this developed, some senators are considering filing a...
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Better health benefits for middle class sought
EXECUTIVE Secretary Ralph Recto has directed the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to expand their health benefit packages, particularly for middleincome contributors who are paying the most for the...
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CAPTIVATING.
Performers reenact bamboo planting and harvesting, adorned in intricate and delicate costumes as the Tultugan Festival brings Maasin’s heritage to life. Inset photo shows Ilonggos and visitors coming together for ‘AweSM Iloilo 2026,’ where joy, color,...
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Senate panel to start hearing on priority measure next week
THE Marcos administration has started to review provisions for a proposed anti-dynasty bill, a key reform which the President last month said should be prioritized by Congress. “This is now being studied, and if a good framework can be developed...
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Remulla: Co sending ‘feelers’
FORMER congressman Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co has sent “feelers” seeking a possible dialogue with the Ombudsman through intermediaries, including priests known to him, regarding his involvement in anomalous flood control projects, Interior Secretary Juanito...
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Bong Revilla jailed in QC on malversation charge
FORMER senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. was ordered detained at the Quezon City Jail’s Male Dormitory in Payatas on Tuesday following a malversation of public funds case filed with the Sandiganbayan, despite posting bail for a separate graft charge at...
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NBI arrests Hernandez, Mendoza in case vs. ex-Sen. Revilla
NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested former DPWH engineers Bryce Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza at the Senate last night. The Sandiganbayan Third Division had earlier issued warrants for former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and six...
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Bonoan back, to face probe
FORMER Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan made a surprise return to the country yesterday, about a month ahead of schedule, and will attend today’s hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee. In a statement, the Bureau of Immigration said Bonoan...
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ICI nearing end of its mandate, says PBBM
THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure is nearing the completion of its mandate, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Friday, noting that its future would depend on how much work remains to be done. “It depends on how much work they still have...
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HONORING OFWS.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. praised OFWs in the United Arab Emirates as a source of honor and pride for the country during a gathering of the Filipino community in Abu Dhabi, recognizing their significant contributions to the development of the...
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