TODAY’S TOP STORIES - Wednesday, 22 July 2026

TODAY’S TOP STORIES (from online monitoring)

22 July 2026, Wednesday, 5:00 p.m.

1. Impeach trial Day 9: Matibag cross-examination to continue

-Matibag: Betrayal of public trust consummated when Duterte admitted contracting assassin vs Marcos

-Impeachment court serves subpoenas for Sara Duterte’s financial records

[ABS-CBN News, Daily Tribune, DZRH, GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Manila Times, News5PH, NewsWatchPlus, Panay News, Philstar, Rappler, Sunstar, Watchmen Daily Journal]

https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/22/impeach-trial-day-9-matibag-cross-examination-to-continue-1050

2. PBBM meets US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Malacanang

[ABS-CBN News, BusinessMirror, Daily Tribune, DZRH, GMA News, Inquirer, Philstar]

https://x.com/gmanews/status/2079824867030094257

3. House ready to host PBBM's penultimate SONA--Speaker Dy

-Recto leads meeting or safe, orderly 2026 Marcos Sona

-Metro Manila police all set for SONA; Full alert starts July 24

[ABS-CBN News, DZRH, GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, News5PH, Panay News, Sunstar]

https://mb.com.ph/2026/07/22/house-ready-to-host-pbbms-penultimate-sona-speaker-dy

4. Marcos distributes assistance in Bangsamoro region; Vows first BARMM elections will push through in September

[Daily Tribune, GMA News, Inquirer, Malaya, Manila Standard, News5PH, Sunstar]

https://www.inquirer.net/481754/marcos-vows-first-barmm-elections-will-push-through-in-september/

5. AFP rejects China's claim it 'permitted' Ayungin medical evacuation

[ABS-CBN News, Daily Tribune, DZRH, GMA News, Manila Standard, Manila Times, Philstar, Sunstar, Watchmen Daily Journal]

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/995717/afp-rejects-china-s-claim-it-permitted-ayungin-medical-evacuation/story/

6. VP Sara leads 2028 presidential preference survey, followed by Robredo

[Daily Guardian, Daily Tribune, DZRH, GMA News, Malaya, Manila Bulletin, News5PH, Panay News]

https://mb.com.ph/2026/07/22/vp-sara-leads-2028-presidential-preference-survey-followed-by-robredo

7. 64% of Filipinos distrust China — OCTA

[ABS-CBN News, GMA News, Inquirer, Malaya, Manila Standard, Philstar]

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/07/22/2543904/64-filipinos-distrust-china-octa

8. MANIBELA starts 2-day transport strike vs mega oil price hike

[ABS-CBN News, DZRH, GMA News, Manila Bulletin, Manila Standard, News5PH, Philstar]

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/995704/manibela-starts-2-day-transport-strike-vs-mega-oil-price-hike/story/

9. Marcoleta pleads not guilty to plunder, 1 of 3 ‘gift’ raps

[ABS-CBN News, Daily Tribune, DZRH, GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Manila Standard, News5PH, Panay News, Philstar, Watchmen Daily Journal]

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2268093/marcoleta-pleads-not-guilty-to-plunder-1-of-3-gift-raps

10. Anti-US protesters clash with police during Rubio visit; PCP condemns ‘harassment’ of photojournalists covering rally

[ABS-CBN News, DZRH, Inquirer, Manila Standard, Manila Times, News5PH, Rappler]

https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/22/anti-us-protesters-clash-with-police-amid-rubio-visit-2-journalists-nearly-arrested-1323

11. LPA enters PAR, has high chance of developing into tropical depression in 24 hours

[ABS-CBN News, GMA News, Manila Bulletin, Rappler]

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/weather/content/995713/lpa-enters-par-has-high-chance-of-developing-into-tropical-depression-in-24-hours/story/

© Philippine Information Agency Monitoring Unit

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

15 barangays in Butuan City receive over 4,000 kilos of rice from PBBM program  

By Renelle L. Escuadro  

BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Over 4,000 kilos of rice were recently distributed to the 15 barangays in Butuan City under President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program.

Funded under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), each beneficiary received one 10-kilo bag of rice during the July 12–13 distribution activity held at the covered court of Barangay Doongan in this city.

Barangays covered by the distribution activity include Barangays Agusan Pequeno, Bading, Bayanihan, Dagohoy, Doongan, Fort Poyohon, Holy Redeemer, Imadejas, JP Rizal, Limaha, Obrero, Ong Yiu, San Ignacio, Tandang Sora, and Villa Kananga.

Doongan Punong Barangay Gilberto A. Enriquez, in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga on July 20, expressed his gratitude that the Office of the President’s rice program reached the indigent and vulnerable families.

“Thank you, President Bongbong Marcos, for the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang (BBM) initiative because it directly benefited our constituents, especially with the ongoing crisis,” Enriquez said.

“For our barangay, a total of 1,031 sacks of rice were allocated and distributed to target beneficiaries,” he added.

He also shared that Barangay Doongan, considered a district barangay, served as the host venue of the rice distribution. “We ensured that when the rice was delivered, the items were secured and the distribution was properly organized.”

He further said that the program’s implementation was a success with the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga and the Butuan City Social Welfare and Development Department (CSWDD).

PBBM’s initiative “Sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” was launched on February 23. It aims to strengthen local government units through increased financial support to help them respond more effectively to the needs and concerns of their communities.

It includes distributing 10 kilograms of rice to each of the most vulnerable beneficiaries under the expanded Local Government Support Fund rice assistance program to improve food security and accelerate aid delivery at the community level. (RLE, PIA Dinagat Islands)

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

DA’s Presidential assistance reaches 287 Carrascal farmers 

By Nida Grace P. Barcena  

CARRASCAL, Surigao del Sur (PIA) — For Marivic Itaas, a rice farmer cultivating a one-hectare farm in Carrascal, government assistance means more than financial aid; it is a timely boost that has helped her sustain her livelihood and continue providing for her family.

As one of the 287 farmers who benefited from the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP), Itaas said the support came at a time when many farmers are facing rising production costs.

During the distribution at the Carrascal sports and cultural center, each qualified beneficiary received P2,325 in financial assistance from the Office of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. through the PAFFP.

The program covers farmers registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) who cultivate two hectares or less, as well as qualified beneficiaries enrolled in the National Program for Municipal Fishing Vessels and Gears Registration (BoatR), ensuring that support reaches eligible farmers and fisherfolk across key agricultural sectors.

“Nagpasalamat ako sa lokal ug nasyonal nga pangagamhanan sa maong programa para sa mga mag-uuma,” Itaas said in a phone patch interview. (I am grateful to both the local and national governments for this program that supports farmers.)

The assistance was distributed by the DA Caraga in partnership with the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) of Carrascal, to help farmers recover from recent production and economic challenges and enable them to continue agricultural activities.

The local government of Carrascal, through the Municipal Agriculturist Japhet C. Sugian, together with the MAO technical staff, supervised the distribution to ensure that all qualified beneficiaries received the assistance efficiently.

The program aims to strengthen farmers’ livelihoods, improve agricultural productivity, and reinforce the country’s food security through sustained government support.

The Municipal Agriculture Office expressed its gratitude to the Department of Agriculture Caraga for the program’s implementation, recognizing the dedication of Carrascal’s farmers in sustaining local food production despite various challenges. (NGPB, PIA-Surigao del Sur/ Photo courtesy of FITS Carrascal)

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

Agusan Norte fisherfolk receive livelihood support to boost fisheries production, income

By Nora L. Molde

BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — A total of 201 fisherfolk and community members from 10 associations in Agusan del Norte have received livelihood interventions from the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) through the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program Phase II, strengthening fisheries production, post-harvest processing, and sustainable income opportunities in rural communities.

The assistance supports the Marcos administration’s agenda of ensuring food security, reducing rural poverty, and improving the productivity and resilience of the country’s agriculture and fisheries sector. The initiative complements President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to expand livelihood opportunities for farmers and fisherfolk, increase local food production, and promote inclusive rural development.

To strengthen aquaculture production, the DA-BFAR Provincial Fisheries Office Agusan del Norte (PFO-ADN), headed by Officer-in-Charge Provincial Fishery Officer Felixberto Tanduyan, distributed feed inputs worth P471,265 to five beneficiary associations from May to June. These include the San Antonio Fisherfolk Organization, Maningalao Freshwater Fishpond Operators Association, Mag-uuma sa Tagbongabong Association, Balang-balang Hatchery Operators Association, and Dalicanan Fisherfolk Association.

The bureau also provided post-harvest equipment to improve value-adding and fish processing activities. Beneficiaries received chest freezers, pressure cookers, heat guns, and glass bottles for food processing, with equipment worth P196,132 turned over to the Maningalao Supermom Association in Las Nieves and the Balang-balang Pass-on Livestock Raisers Organization in Remedios T. Romualdez.

Also, DA-BFAR rolled out fisheries production intervention packages to three fisherfolk associations in Tubay and Jabonga, consisting of shallow-water fish shelters, complete fishing gear and paraphernalia, and chest freezers. The bureau invested P1.41 million in the interventions to enhance fishing operations and improve beneficiaries’ access to essential fisheries equipment and facilities.

To help sustain fish stocks and improve coastal resource management, DA-BFAR also installed four shallow-water fish shelters in identified coastal communities, creating productive fishing grounds while supporting the long-term conservation of marine resources.

Through the SAAD Program Phase II, DA-BFAR continues to strengthen community-based fishery enterprises by providing production inputs, post-harvest facilities, and livelihood support, that enable marginalized fisherfolk to increase household income, improve food security, and contribute to rural economic development.

The DA-BFAR SAAD Program Phase II aims to reduce poverty among vulnerable fishing communities by providing sustainable livelihood interventions that complement the Department of Agriculture’s banner programs and help establish community-based fishery enterprises that promote long-term food security and economic growth. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte with  reports from BFAR-SAAD and PPMSO-Agusan del Norte)

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

FishCoRe livelihood projects boost incomes, resilience of Agusan Norte sardine fishers

By Nora L. Molde

BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Ninety-six sardine fishers from three fishing associations in Agusan del Norte are set to benefit from more sustainable livelihood opportunities after the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) turned over more than P12 million worth of milkfish culture cages under the project on Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe).

The livelihood assistance, distributed from June 30 to July 2 in Buenavista, Magallanes, and Cabadbaran City, is part of the Modern and Resilient Livelihood Investment (MARLIN) 2.1 Livelihood Subprojects, supporting the Marcos administration’s Bagong Pilipinas agenda of strengthening food security, increasing fisheries productivity, protecting marine resources, and improving the lives of small-scale fisherfolk through sustainable and climate-resilient livelihood programs.

The initiative also advances President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to modernize the agriculture and fisheries sector by expanding livelihood opportunities, increasing local food production, and enhancing the resilience of coastal communities against economic and environmental challenges.

The project equips fisherfolk associations with complete milkfish cage-culture production inputs, including high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fish cages, fingerlings, feeds, nets, drums, and caretaker’s huts. The package awarded to the Cabadbaran City association also covers production inputs for the first and second culture cycles, to ensure continuous operations.

DA-BFAR Caraga Director Omnia B. Olama said the intervention is designed not only to improve incomes but also to help fishing communities prepare for the proposed closed fishing season in Butuan Bay and to promote responsible fisheries management.

“This intervention is more than a livelihood project. It is our way of helping fisherfolk become economically resilient while supporting sustainable fisheries management. We encourage beneficiaries to work together, manage these projects well, and continue protecting our fisheries resources by avoiding illegal fishing,” Olama said.

FishCoRe alternate focal person Loida B. Arreglado described the turnover as a milestone for the beneficiaries, saying the livelihood packages symbolize hope, opportunity, and a shared commitment to improving the lives of fishing communities through sustainable aquaculture enterprises.

The first project worth P3.55 million was awarded to the Calanggaman Tanke Fisherfolk Association (CATAFIA) in Buenavista, benefiting 35 fisherfolk. Another P3.55-million package was turned over to the Barangay Caloc-an Small-scale Commercial Fisherfolks Cluster 1 in Magallanes for 29 beneficiaries, and the Cabadbaran City Deputized Fish Wardens Association received a P4.93-million package for a larger 15-meter HDPE fish cage project benefiting 32 fisherfolk.

For the beneficiaries, the assistance marks the realization of years of preparation.

“This is the day we have been waiting for. Our proposal has finally borne fruit. We will take good care of this project so it will benefit our members for years to come,” said Junalito Gabotero, chairperson of CATAFIA.

Rizalinda L. Abing, MARLIN lead focal  person assured the associations of DA-BFAR’s continued technical assistance and acknowledged the support of local government units in helping fisherfolk prepare proposals that qualified them for the livelihood projects.

Through FishCoRe, DA-BFAR continues to advance ecosystem-based fisheries management by promoting livelihood diversification that balances marine resource conservation with economic development. The initiative supports the national government’s goal of building a more resilient fisheries sector, ensuring stable incomes for fisherfolk while contributing to the country’s food security and inclusive rural development under the Bagong Pilipinas vision. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte with a report from BFAR Caraga)