The recent OCTA Research findings indicated that around 11.9 million Filipino families—or approximately 45%—consider themselves poor as of July 2025, a moderate rise from 42% in April. These survey results are not mere statistics—they’re a resounding alarm. The jump—translating to about 800,000 newly self-identified poor families within just a fewContinue Reading

ISABELA CITY, BASILAN – Once branded as a hotspot of violence, Basilan is now planting the seeds of transformation—this time, as Mindanao’s emerging agri-industrial hub. From coconut and rubber plantations to thriving fisheries and potential halal tourism, the island province is undergoing a quiet revolution powered by peace, policy reforms,Continue Reading

COTABATO CITY – Local officials, business groups, and Blaan tribal leaders have thrown their support behind a newly formed multi-sectoral body tasked with monitoring community development projects tied to the controversial Tampakan mining venture in Central Mindanao. The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Region 12 launched the 1st JointContinue Reading

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COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Business leaders in the Bangsamoro region welcomed the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) commitment of a $400-million grant to support economic programs and protect marine resources in Mindanao. Ronald Hallid Dimacisil Torres, chair of the Bangsamoro Business Council, said they were informed about the grant by BangsamoroContinue Reading

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Indigenous leaders, local officials, and mining regulators have joined forces to install 18 anti-illegal mining signages across Tampakan town in South Cotabato, a mineral-rich area eyed for large-scale copper and gold extraction by 2026. The initiative, involving Blaan tribal leaders, barangay officials, and representatives from theContinue Reading

As tensions mount between the United States and China, Europe appears to be subtly recalibrating its global alliances—shifting its focus eastward. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reportedly reached out to Beijing within days of U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff escalation, signaling a strategic pivot in the EU’sContinue Reading