47 Pinoy namamatay kada araw dahil sa bisyo... Taas-presyo sa alak

ni BRT @Business News | April 27, 2026

Posibleng tumaas ang presyo ng alak kapag naaprubahan ang panukala sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso na pagtataas ng buwis sa nasabing inumin dahil 47 Pilipino umano ang namamatay sa bisyo na ito kada araw.

Ayon kay Akbayan Partylist Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula, panahon na para itaas pa ang tax sa alak dahil bukod sa masama umano ito sa kalusugan ay ito ang dahilan kung bakit maraming namamatay sa aksidente.

“Sa gitna ng economic crisis na kinakaharap natin ngayon, ayokong umabot tayo sa punto na sasabihin ng gobyerno: ‘Wala na tayong budget para sa libreng gamot’ o ‘Ubos na ang

pera para sa treatment’,” dagdag pa ng mambabatas.

Ito ang dahilan kaya inihain ni Ismula kasama ang mga kapartido sa Kamara para ihain ang kanilang House Bill (HB) 5475 para patawan ng mas mataas na buwis ang lahat ng uri ng alak upang tuluyang umiwas ang mga tao sa bisyong ito.

Sa ilalim ng panukala, itataas sa P88 ang ad valorem tax sa bawat litro ng alak mula sa kasalukuyang P48 habang ang specific tax na P47 ay nais ni Ismula na gawin itong P109 kada litro.

Kapag naisabatas ito, taun-taon ay tataas ang mga buwis na sisingilin sa bawat litro ng alak kasama excise at value added tax (VAT) na sinisingil ng mga manufacturers sa mga consumers.

DOST Ilocos Region Backs P6.4M Tech Upgrades for Inclusive Regional Growth of MSMEs

by Info @Business News | April 24, 2026

Photo: DOST

𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗔𝗡 𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗢, 𝗟𝗮 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 — The Department of Science and Technology Ilocos Region (DOST Ilocos Region) awarded financial assistance to the 2nd batch of 2026 beneficiaries of the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) during a ceremony at the DOST Ilocos Region Innovation Hub on March 19, 2026. Known collectively as “Batch SIBOL” (Siyensya at Inobasyon para sa Bagong Oportunidad at Lunti-lunting Pagyabong), six cooperators received support and are set to “sprout,” embarking on a journey toward greater competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability.

Three firms from Ilocos Sur (Torres Ricemill, Melody’s Food Products, and Niks Printing Shop) collectively received ₱4,610,000.00 in financial assistance. Heisabelle Wood Works of La Union was granted ₱257,600.00, while HN Chicken Dealer and Obet Mushroom Farm in Pangasinan received a combined ₱1,549,800.00, further expanding support for MSMEs across the region.

Ms. Racquel M. Espiritu, Supervising Assistant Regional Director for SETUP, emphasized that the initiative supports long-term enterprise growth beyond financial aid. “This program is about giving our MSMEs the chance to sprout, grow, and flourish – bringing jobs, products, and services that uplift families and communities across the nation,” she stated.

Furthermore, Ms. Mary Ann B. Ofiana, Project Technical Assistant I, led the Gender Sensitivity Training, where she emphasized integrating gender perspectives and promoting equal opportunities in the workplace. This was followed by Ms. Katrina F. Ronquillo, SETUP RPMO Head, who outlined the beneficiaries’ duties as stipulated in the Memorandum of Agreement, discussed required reports, and answered participants’ questions.

Regional Director Teresita A. Tabaog congratulated the beneficiaries and emphasized the role of MSMEs in economic growth and inclusive development. “I hope that you will not be content with just receiving that fund and improving your current processes but do better in coming up with more creative things and more innovative things. And while you do those, you will be mirroring some of the best practices that other MSMEs can learn from,” she said.

The event concluded with closing remarks from Ms. Katrina F. Ronquillo, who thanked the Batch SIBOL beneficiaries for their trust and collaboration. “Your trust inspires us to do more, to serve better, and to continue bringing programs that truly make a difference,” she remarked. The ceremony highlighted the DOST Ilocos Region’s commitment to empowering MSMEs to grow, innovate, and achieve sustainable success, bringing ‘Agham na Ramdam’ closer to communities across the region. (Eldrick John Viluan and Katherine Grace Balanag)

Pag-IBIG Fund continues housing fairs in South Luzon and Visayas to expand access to homeownership

by Info @Brand Zone | April 24, 2026

Pag-IBIG Fund is continuing its housing fair series in South Luzon and the Visayas, with the South Luzon fair set on April 27 and 28 at the Jose Rizal Coliseum in Calamba City, Laguna, and the Visayas fair scheduled on April 30 and May 1 at the IEC Convention Center Cebu. The two fairs will each showcase more than 20,000 housing units from partner developers and the agency's acquired properties for sale, bringing more housing options closer to Filipino workers and their families.

The housing fairs form part of the efforts of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and Pag-IBIG Fund, under the Marcos administration’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program, to bring housing supply, affordable financing, and government assistance closer to more Filipinos. The series follows the earlier Central Luzon leg and forms part of the broader regional rollout of housing fairs aimed at making the path to homeownership easier and more accessible.

“We continue to heed the call of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to make decent and affordable housing more accessible to Filipino families through the Expanded 4PH Program,” said DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling, who also chairs the Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees. “By continuing these housing fairs in South Luzon and the Visayas, Pag-IBIG Fund is bringing together leading private developers, Pag-IBIG Fund’s affordable financing programs, and government assistance in one accessible venue, so that more workers can move from simply hoping for a home to actually taking concrete steps toward owning one.”

The Housing Fairs will include socialized housing units under the Expanded 4PH Program, among them Pasinaya Heights in Laguna, where a unit priced at ₱1.404 million may be purchased at a monthly amortization of as low as ₱2,257.91 in the first year, and Asenso Yuhum Residences in Bacolod, where a 24-square-meter condominium unit priced at ₱1.059 million may be acquired at a monthly amortization of as low as ₱1,703.08 in the first year. These affordable monthly payments are made possible through Pag-IBIG Fund’s Housing Loan Program under the Expanded 4PH, which offers a subsidized 3% interest rate for the first five years of the loan term, with the possibility of extension for another five years for eligible borrowers. In addition, Pag-IBIG Fund is currently offering an Early Bird Promo, under which the first 30,000 qualified borrowers may enjoy the same 3% interest rate for the first 10 years of their loan, further easing the path to homeownership.

Meanwhile, Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Marilene C. Acosta emphasized that the agency’s home loans enables low-income and other qualified members, including overseas Filipino workers, to access decent housing at monthly amortizations that are 

often lower than prevailing rental costs. She added that the housing fairs make these homeownership opportunities more accessible by bringing housing options and the agency's financing assistance together in one venue.

“Through Pag-IBIG Fund’s affordable housing loan programs, many families may now find that what they would otherwise spend on rent can already be used to start paying for a home they will eventually own,” Acosta said. “This allows members not only to realize possible savings on monthly housing costs, but also to build long-term household stability, equity, and a more secure future. Through these housing fairs, we are making that opportunity more tangible by bringing housing options and financing guidance together in one venue, where members can compare choices and take clearer steps toward homeownership.”