REUTERSGLOBAL DEMAND and growing health consciousness are expected to support tea production in the Philippines, though a “tea culture” needs to be established before the market takes off, a business chamber official said.Cecilio K. Pedro, president of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS GROSS national savings amounted to P4.90 trillion in 2022, rising 26.6%, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday.At current prices, gross domestic product (GDP) and gross national income (GNI) rose 13.5% and 16%, respectively. Meanwhile, household spending increased 14.5% to P16.72

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBANTHE Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Thursday that the supply of rice and meat products is sufficient for the Philippines’ needs, with production of rice in particular seen as “high.”“According to the National Rice Program, our production plus the imports and the

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBANTHE Asian Development Bank (ADB) said the Philippine emergency cash transfer program, first tested during 2013’s Typhoon Yolanda, has become a “core disaster response mechanism” with an outsized impact on vulnerable families.“In times of such disasters, the challenge of recovery is immense. Many

PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALESBy Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, ReporterPHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. did not push significant political reforms during his first year in office, political analysts said on Thursday, citing power struggles and delays in his appointment of key Cabinet officials. He should

THE SENATE president on Thursday downplayed criticisms that Congress had disregarded the legislative process when it made changes to the bill creating a Philippine sovereign wealth fund. “[The bill] went through the correct process,” Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri told a news briefing, referring

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBANBy John Victor D. Ordoñez, ReporterA NATIONAL CAPITAL Region (NCR) Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board has approved a P40 increase in the daily minimum wage in Metro Manila, the Department of Labor Employment (DoLE) said on Thursday.The wage hike will bring the daily

LOCAL WATER UTILITIES ADMINISTRATION FACEBOOK PAGETHE COMMISSION on Audit (CoA) has asked the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) to return more than P53 million in unused subsidies to the national Treasury.In its 2022 audit report posted on its website on June 28, state auditors said

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTOPRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Thursday ordered the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to fast-track the development of the coconut sector. He issued the call at the 50th anniversary celebration of the agency, which he said should accelerate the modernization of the coconut industry

A MUNTINLUPA trial court has archived the murder case against former prison chief Gerald Q. Bantag and his deputy pending their arrest. In a seven-page order issued by Presiding Judge Gener M. Gito, the court said it would revive the case once they are found and