CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — Workers in the CALABARZON region are set to receive relief as the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) approved a P15-P40 wage hike aimed at helping them cope with rising living costs amid the crisis brought by the tensions in the Middle East. RTWPB board secretary lawyer Rio Ariel Soriano emphasized that CALABARZON, one of the country’s major industrial hubs, hosts a large number of workers employed in manufacturing, logistics

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — Workers in the CALABARZON region are set to receive relief as the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) approved a P15-P40 wage hike aimed at helping them cope with rising living costs amid the crisis brought by the tensions in the Middle East. RTWPB board secretary lawyer Rio Ariel Soriano emphasized that CALABARZON, one of the country’s major industrial hubs, hosts a large number of workers employed in manufacturing, logistics

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday urged Filipinos and government leaders to adopt a stronger culture of preparation, warning that repeated lapses in planning continue to leave the country exposed to rising costs and global disruptions. Speaking during his “CIA 365 with Kuya Alan” Facebook Live on April 8, Cayetano said preparation must go hand in hand with purpose and planning, especially as external pressures such as oil supply shocks begin to affect th

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is urging taxpayers to file their income tax returns (ITRs) early as the April 15 deadline approaches, stressing that penalties can be avoided amid economic hardships. In an interview with the Philippine Information Agency, BIR Revenue District Office (RDO) 056 Calamba City, Laguna Assistant Revenue District Officer Marlon Cabance stressed the importance of early filing to avoid penalties imposed on late submis

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office IV-A has started the distribution of cash relief assistance to more than 24,000 tricycle drivers across 13 payout sites in the Calabarzon region on Wednesday, April 8. According to Joseph Arceo, DSWD IV-A’s regional information officer, the assistance provided under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, aims to support public utility vehicle (PUV) driv

SM Supermalls is strengthening its commitment to environmental sustainability through a new partnership with global cleantech company Sparklo. Expanding the reach of the SM Green Movement and the SM Green Recycling Machine (GRM) program, the partnership aims to make recycling more accessible, convenient, and rewarding for participating customers through SM malls nationwide. The collaboration introduces Sparklo’s reverse vending machine technology in the Philippines for the fi

MANILA — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has assured members that all frontline and hospital-based services will continue operating on a regular five-day schedule even as the agency implements adjusted work arrangements for select administrative and back-office personnel starting March 9, 2026. Under the new arrangement, administrative and back-office personnel will observe a compressed onsite schedule from Monday to Thursday with a 10-hour workday, w

MAGALLANES, Cavite — The Municipality of Magallanes celebrated its 110th Founding Anniversary and Muscovado Festival on March 12, 2026, highlighting the town’s rich agricultural heritage and community spirit. This year’s celebration carried the theme “Payak na Pinagmulan, Maunlad at Maningning na Pamayanan,” reflecting the municipality’s journey from humble beginnings to a progressive and vibrant community. One of the highlights of the morning program was the Muscovado Festiv

At her stall in Puerto Princesa Public Market, Palawan, Wilma Nicolas, a 69-year-old proud CARD SME client, runs a smoked fish business she has nurtured over decades with hard work and community support. At 69, Wilma Nicolas, a widow and mother of five, has spent her life working hard for her family. Her journey began in Bataan before relocating to Palawan with her grandmother and parents, believing the island would give them better opportunities to start over. Wilma started

Mekeni Food Corporation celebrated four decades of success with a grand employee Thanksgiving on February 28, 2026, gathering more than 1,400 employees at the Laus Group Event Centre, City of San Fernando, Pampanga in a heartfelt tribute to the people who have built the company over the past 40 years. With the theme “Pasasalamat: Apat na Dekadang Kwento sa Bawat Timpla,” the celebration honored the dedication, resilience, and shared stories of the Mekeni workforce, recognizin

CITY OF BACOOR, Cavite (PIA) — More residents in Bacoor City are set to benefit from the government’s P20 rice program as the Department of Agriculture (DA) Calabarzon and the Bacoor City government rolled out the expanded “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” initiative. Around 2,500 Bacooreños were able to purchase P20-per-kilo rice during the ceremonial selling held on March 6, which also signaled the start of regular rice distribution by the Bacoor local government unit for qualifie

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano welcomed the move of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to certify as urgent House Bill No. 8418, a measure that would allow the temporary suspension or reduction of excise taxes on fuel amid rising global oil prices linked to tensions in the Middle East. Noting that the House measure addresses the same concern raised in Senate Bill No. 1927 which he filed with Senator Pia Cayetano, the Minority Leader said the certification shows that t

BACOOR CITY, Cavite — Women entrepreneurs took center stage as the City Government of Bacoor organized the MSBR – Women’s Month Bazaar on March 16 at the Bacoor Government Center (BGC) Lobby in celebration of National Women’s Month. The activity was spearheaded by the city government under the leadership of Mayor Strike B. Revilla, through the Livelihood and Entrepreneurship Development and Investment Promotions Office (LEDIPO) headed by Khei Sanchez. The event gathered local

KAWIT, Cavite — The Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital–Kawit Kalayaan Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) Center was officially turned over Monday, marking another milestone in strengthening healthcare services in the municipality. The turnover ceremony was attended by Cavite First District Representative Jolo Revilla, Kawit Mayor Armie Aguinaldo, as well as officials from the provincial government and the Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital. Following the formal

IMUS CITY, Cavite — Forty residents of Barangay Bagong Silang participated in a Livelihood Skills Training conducted by the Office of the City Cooperatives Development Officer (OCCDO) on Thursday, March 12. The training aimed to equip participants with practical knowledge in meat processing as a potential source of livelihood. During the session, resource speaker Maria Charissa Geronimo discussed the basic processes and techniques in making tapa and longganisa, including the

TANZA, CAVITE — Mainit na sinalubong ng Reserve Command, Philippine Army (RESCOM, PA) ang Assistant Secretary ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) na si ASEC Elmer G. Gato sa kanyang pagbisita sa Camp Riego de Dios noong Pebrero 27, 2026. Personal na tumanggap kay ASEC Gato si Maj. Gen. Ronald Jess S. Alcudia, Commander ng RESCOM, PA, kasama si Brig. Gen. Patricio S. Tomales, Deputy Commander ng yunit. Ipinakita ng kanilang pagpupulong ang matibay na pagkakaisa at kooperasy

MANILA – The regions of Central Visayas and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) are the Philippines’ most visited destinations by foreign and domestic tourists in the past two decades, based on a recent study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). In its paper titled “Philippine Tourism Sectoral Review (2000 to 2025): From Promise to Power,” the PIDS said Central Visayas attracted 31.5 million international visitors between 2000 and 2

A successful multi-sector outreach program was jointly conducted by various media groups, local government units (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs), and military personnel, providing a wide range of free services to residents of Jaen, Nueva Ecija. The activity offered free medical and dental services, ECG tests, eye check-ups, wellness massages, haircuts and hair coloring, as well as manicure and pedicure services. Free medicines were also distributed to beneficiarie

Bacoor City, Cavite — February 10–13, 2026 — The S.E.A.L. B.E.G.I.N. (Small Enterprise Acceleration Lab – Business Education and Growth Initiative for Nano-entrepreneurs) program officially kicked off on February 10, 2026, at Gawaran Hall, 3rd Floor, Bacoor City Hall, bringing together 30 nano-entrepreneurs for an intensive four-day entrepreneurial development initiative designed to strengthen small businesses across Cavite. The program is a collaborative effort among the Dep