Thursday, 13 August 2026

Peace partners’ dependents in Agusan Norte gain education support

By Nora L. Molde

BUTUAN CITY (PIA) —  Sixteen dependents of peace partners in Agusan del Norte are now better positioned to continue their education as the provincial government provided educational assistance through the Kagawasan143 Peace and Development Center.

Aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s peace and development agenda, the assistance aims to ease the financial burden on families and help beneficiaries pursue their studies, while recognizing partners or former rebels’ (FRs) contribution to sustaining peace, stability, and development in communities across the province.

Led by Governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante, the initiative was implemented in partnership with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) with the support of the Philippine Army.

The initiative complements the national government’s efforts under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to expand access to education, invest in the Filipino youth, and promote inclusive and sustainable development. By extending educational opportunities to the children and dependents of Peace Partners, the provincial government contributes to the broader peace and development agenda of building resilient families and communities.

The assistance also reflects the province’s commitment to ensuring that the gains of peace translate into concrete opportunities for families, particularly the youth, who are expected to become future contributors to development in their communities.

Amante encouraged the beneficiaries to value the opportunity and remain determined to pursue their education, drawing from her experiences and challenges.

“We must always learn to prioritize what truly matters in life,” Amante said.

She shared that the trials she experienced at a young age helped shape her strength, resilience, and determination, reminding the youth that hardships should not prevent them from pursuing their aspirations.

Amante urged the beneficiaries to embrace challenges as opportunities to grow and to remain committed to their studies, emphasizing that success is not measured by the absence of obstacles but by the determination to keep moving forward despite them.

Through educational assistance, the provincial government of Agusan del Norte hopes to empower beneficiaries to complete their studies, improve their prospects, and eventually become responsible, productive, and compassionate citizens who contribute to the province’s progress. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte)

Thursday, 13 August 2026

Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program benefits over 2,000 households in Dinagat town

By Renelle L. Escuadro

BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program recently reached 2,222 households from 12 barangays of Dinagat town in the Province of Dinagat Islands.

With funding amounting to P4,999,500 under the Local Government Support Fund-Financial Assistance to Local Government Units (LGSF-FALGU), the rice distribution program has benefited near-poor households of the town, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, and malnourished children.

For Dinagat Mayor Simplicio S. Leyran Jr., this initiative strengthened local food security through the national government’s support.

“Ang matag kwalipikadong panimalay makadawat og rice assistance pinaagi sa usa ka organisado ug klaro nga sistema sa pag-apod-apod (Every qualified beneficiary-household received their rice through a well-organized, transparent, and systematic rice distribution),” the mayor said.

Municipal Information Officer Mhelody D. Santander further shared that the rice distribution was conducted in four schedules.

“The first batch was conducted on July 14 in the barangays of Escolta, Mauswagon, and White Beach. The following day, July 15, rice distribution took place in Bagumbayan, Justiniana Edera, and New Mabuhay. On July 23, the aid-giving was Wadas, Magsaysay, and Cayetano; and the final batch took place on July 26 in the barangays of Cab-ilan, Cabayawan, and Gomez,” the information officer said.

Meanwhile, the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program is part of PBBM’s umbrella campaign of Bawat Bayan Makikinabang (PBBM), which was launched on February 23 to strengthen local government units and to directly bring financial assistance, education, and aid to every barangay and community in the country.

Under the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program, vulnerable and poor families will each receive a 10-kilo rice bag to ensure that those in need receive government assistance. (RLE, Dinagat Islands with a report from the Municipality of Dinagat)

Thursday, 13 August 2026

Indigent households in Agusan Norte’s town benefit from PBBM’s rice program  

By Nora L. Molde

BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — A total of 1,390 indigent and vulnerable households from nine barangays in Santiago, Agusan del Norte benefited from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program under this year’s Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), helping families meet their food needs and ease the financial burden of daily household expenses.

Each beneficiary receives 10 kilos of rice every other month, for a total of 60 kilos per household, distributed in six tranches from May to December 2026. The municipality has a total allocation of P5 million for the program, which prioritizes families with little to no stable source of income, households living below the poverty threshold, unemployed or underemployed household heads, senior citizens without regular financial support, persons with disabilities, solo parents, families dependent on seasonal or irregular earnings, and existing social welfare beneficiaries who continue to face financial constraints.

The initiative supports President Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen social protection and ensure that government assistance reaches vulnerable and underserved sectors, particularly families lacking in basic needs.

Santiago Mayor Franklin D. Lim said the local government prioritizes families in need, particularly those who are not recipients of similar assistance or those identified as requiring immediate support. “Priority is given to indigent and vulnerable households that are not yet recipients of similar assistance or those identified to be in urgent need of support,” Lim said.

Meanwhile, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Ramonito P. Maestrado said the municipality conducted a systematic identification and validation process to ensure that the assistance reaches qualified beneficiaries. “To ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most, the MDRRMO and MSWDO conducted beneficiary identification in the nine barangays, with the support of the purok presidents and barangay personnel,” Maestrado said.

The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) and Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) also used available references and records to validate potential beneficiaries, with purok presidents and barangay personnel supporting the identification process.

For the beneficiaries, the rice assistance provides practical support in meeting their daily food requirements. One beneficiary expressed gratitude for the program, saying that the assistance, although modest, has helped lessen the family’s burden of finding food and has provided additional support for their daily needs.

Implemented under the LGSF, the assistance provides a total of 83,400 kilos of rice to the 1,390 beneficiary households over the six distribution periods, helping augment their food supply and household resources.

The program reflects the government’s continuing efforts to strengthen social protection and food security while promoting inclusive and responsive local governance, consistent with the Marcos administration’s commitment to ensuring that vulnerable families receive timely and meaningful government assistance. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte)

TODAY’S TOP STORIES - Tuesday, 11 August 2026

TODAY’S TOP STORIES (from online monitoring)

11 August 2026, Tuesday, 5:00 p.m.

1. 1.    Malacañang sends proposed P7.2-trillion budget to House for review

-DBM proposes P107B for flood control, P10B for secret funds; DepEd, DPWH get lion’s share in P7.2-T 2027 budget

[ABS-CBN News, BusinessWorld, Daily Tribune, GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Manila Times, NewsWatchPlus, News5PH, Rappler]

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2282018/marcos-cabinets-p7-2-t-budget-sent-by-malacanang-to-house-for-review

2. VP IMPEACHMENT TRIAL DAY 14:

-Auditor: OVP confidential funds used for Christmas activities, meeting with TODA, tree planting

-Sara Duterte, OVP execs, security head liable over disallowed CF

-'Na-Indian po kami': Impeachment prosecution, defense fail to meet over receipts

-‘Hontiveros,’ ‘Diokno’ named in OVP confidential fund receipts

-Zubiri proposes trial be held 3 p.m. onwards for longer proceedings

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

https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/11/auditor-ovp-confidential-funds-used-for-christmas-activities-tree-planting-1221

3. 19 reported dead as habagat, storms batter PH – NDRRMC

[ABS-CBN News, BusinessWorld, Daily Tribune, DZRH, GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Manila Standard, Manila Times, News5PH]

https://www.dzrh.com.ph/post/19-reported-dead-as-habagat-storms-batter-ph-ndrrmc

4. Marcos offers condolences, solidarity with Colombia after 7.4 earthquake
[GMA News, Inquirer, News5PH, Rappler]

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/334405/marcos-offers-condolences-solidarity-with-colombia-after-7-4-earthquake

5. ERC moves to cut power bills by eliminating VAT on lost electricity
[ABS-CBN News, BusinessWorld, GMA News, Manila Bulletin, Philstar]

https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/11/erc-moves-to-cut-power-bills-by-eliminating-vat-on-lost-electricity

6. Palace hits Sara Duterte for credit-grabbing People’s Ville in Davao
[ABS-CBN News, Daily Tribune, Inquirer, News5PH, Philstar]

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2282353/palace-hits-sara-duterte-for-credit-grabbing-peoples-ville-in-davao

7. Akbayan asks SC to probe Pasig court order blocking P85 wage hike
[ABS-CBN News, Daily Tribune, DZRH, GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Standard]

https://tribune.net.ph/2026/08/11/akbayan-asks-sc-to-probe-pasig-court-order-blocking-p85-wage-hike

8. Loren Legarda extends medical leave from Aug. 11 to 12 – Bantug
[Daily Tribune, GMA News, Inquirer, News5PH, NewsWatchPlus]

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2282314/loren-legarda-extends-medical-leave-from-aug-11-to-12-bantug

9. 10 dead, 3 rescued in Baguio landslide as search ends; Deped mourns 5 students killed in landslide
[ABS-CBN News, Daily Tribune, DZBB, GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Manila Times, NewsWatchPlus, Rappler]

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2281966/baguio-landslide-death-toll-rises-to-10-all-missing-accounted-for

10. DOLE fines Tab Baldwin, Ateneo over work permits
[ABS-CBN News, Daily Tribune, DZRH, GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Manila Standard, News5PH, NewsWatchPlus, Philstar]

https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/11/dole-fines-tab-baldwin-ateneo-over-work-permits-0959

© Philippine Information Agency Monitoring Unit

Tuesday, 11 August 2026

Over 1.5K farmers in Surigao Sur’s town receive PBBM’s cash aid to ease rising farm production costs

By Nida Grace P. Barcena

MADRID, Surigao del Sur (PIA) — A total of 1,506 farmers in the municipality of Madrid in Surigao del Sur received financial assistance under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF) program, providing much-needed support to beneficiaries amid rising farm production costs.

The assistance is part of the national government’s efforts to cushion farmers from increasing production costs due to the continued rise in diesel and gasoline prices, which directly affect land preparation, transportation, and other agricultural activities.

The program provides immediate financial relief to eligible farmers and fisherfolk, enabling them to sustain farm operations, improve productivity, and strengthen their livelihoods amid economic challenges.

For 60-year-old farmer Florito Ascarez, the assistance came at a crucial time as his family continues to cope with rising living and farming costs.

“Ang maong hinabang nakatabang sa among pamilya sa pagsagubang sa pagsaka sa presyo sa mga batakang panginahanglanon. Nagpaabot usab ako og dakong pasalamat sa kasamtangang nasyonal ug lokal nga panggamhanan nga nakahatod niining maong hinabang kanamo (The assistance has helped our family cope with the rising cost of basic commodities. I am also grateful to the national and local governments for bringing this assistance to our community),” Ascarez said in a phone patch interview with the PIA-Surigao del Sur coordinator.

Local officials thanked the national government for bringing the program to Madrid, saying it reflected the administration’s continued commitment to supporting the agriculture sector and ensuring that farmers receive timely assistance.

They also emphasized the importance of sustaining government interventions that enhance farmers’ productivity, expand income opportunities, and contribute to local food security.

The PAFF is among President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s key initiatives to strengthen the resilience of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk by helping them manage rising production costs and sustain agricultural productivity, for the country’s food security and rural development goals. (NGPB, PIA Surigao del Sur/Photo courtesy of LGU Madrid)