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Rice prices in the Philippines may reach P60 to P62 per kilo by September. That’s according to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel. Currently, the average retail price of rice stands at about P50 per kilo. Tiu pointed to a sharp increase in fertilizer prices as a key factor that will affect the next harvest season. He said fertilizer prices have jumped from around P1,650 to as much as P3,000. Tiu Laurel said they have been directed by President Marcos to find ways to stabilize and lower rice prices.

Filipinos who said that they were poor have remained stable in the first quarter of 2026. That’s according to a survey conducted by OCTA Research. Filipinos who said that they were poor declined slightly to 35 percent, equivalent to 9.2 million families. That’s down two percent from the 37 percent or 9.8 million families in the previous quarter. However, OCTA noted that the difference is not statistically significant. OCTA said it is within the survey’s margin of error of ±3 percent. This suggests that overall poverty conditions remained stable, according to OCTA.

Maternity benefits under PhilHealth will be expanded, starting April 30. President Marcos said the expanded coverage includes higher benefits for normal and cesarean deliveries. For normal deliveries, PhilHealth coverage will be raised to P29,000 from P9,750. For Caesarean deliveries, coverage will be increased from P37,000 to P58,000 up to P62,000.

A coastline defense against enemy amphibious landings was simulated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and its allied partners. It took place at the Apurawan Beach landing site in Aborlan, Palawan as part of the Balikatan exercises. The AFP says this showcased the combined forces’ capability to detect, disrupt, and deny hostile elements from establishing a beachhead. The activity also demonstrated strong coordination among participating forces. Participants in the exercise also include the armed forces of the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. The multi-domain defense employed synchronized air, land, and indirect fire assets. The Philippine Air Force deployed its fighter jets, while U.S. forces used their artillery rocket system. For their part, ground forces executed mid- to close-range engagements.

A five-hour fire hit a residential area in Muntinlupa City. The blaze at Purok 2 in Barangay Sucat broke out early this morning. At least 16 fire trucks, including volunteer units, responded to the incident. Firefighters had difficulty entering the area because of narrow alleys leading to the burning homes. Authorities have yet to release details on the number of affected families, damaged houses, or possible injuries.

Source : manilatimes