SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union—Upland communities in at least 10 towns of the Ilocos region have increased their forest and fruit tree density using a P12-million agro forestry livelihood assistance fund, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional office here. “Agro forestry provides direct income to the upland communities at the same [...]

MANILA – With the Asian Development Bank (ADB) providing a loan of $400 million, up to 1 million Filipino families among the country’s poorest households will receive monthly cash grants of P1,400 each by the end of this year, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman announced Thursday. The number of beneficiary families is expected to hit [...]

MARINA BAY, Singapore—Controversy could hound the two teams picked by the producers of “The Amazing Race Asia” to represent the Philippines in its newest season. The first team, Lani Pilinger, 27, and Jacinta James, 27, were both born and raised in Australia. Pilinger’s mom hails from Bicol, and James, Pilinger’s best friend, is 100 percent [...]

MANILA – Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Thursday said that the House of Representatives will not mind if Saranggani Representative Manny Pacquiao’s role as legislator takes a backseat this time as he begins training for a boxing bout in November. Even when out of the hall of Congress and in the boxing ring, Belmonte said [...]

MANILA  – Three Philippine companies made it to the “Best Under A Billion” list for 2010 by Forbes Asia, according to an article in the magazine’s September issue. It listed Lopez Holdings (broadcasting, cable and satellite, and entertainment programming); Pacific Online Systems (develops and manages computer systems for gaming industry); and Philweb (online gambling services [...]

FISHERMAN Gavino Ringel, 44, a grade school dropout, admitted that he used to butcher dolphins in Tablas Strait between Pola town in Oriental Mindoro and Marinduque. Ringel, who lives near the Bacawan fish sanctuary in Barangay Bacawan in Pola, had captured and butchered a dolphin thrice, village records show. View Source

MANILA -  Local stocks surged anew on Wednesday as a modest overnight gain in Wall Street spurred follow-through buying. The main-share Philippine Stock Exchange index gained 27.10 points or 0.76 percent to 3,593.41. View Source