PCCI pushes 20 ‘critical’ measures By Andrea E. San Juan
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ISRAELI FORCES PUSH INTO PARTS OF A CENTRAL GAZA CITY THAT THE WAR HAD LARGELY SPARED
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HE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the largest business group in the country, is pressing President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to endorse 20 “critical” legislative measures in his upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the 20th Congress agenda. PCCI said these reforms would
help in addressing the “structural bottlenecks” in the country. In a formal letter addressed to Malacañang, PCCI President Enunina V. Mangio said the proposals target structural reforms to “unlock the full potential of our economy” and ensure “broadly shared and sustainable growth.” The business group said these measures align with the administration’s momentum in enhancing competitiveness, expanding eco-
nomic opportunities, and driving innovation. Under the pillar of Digital Transformation and Infrastructure, PCCI said there is a need to prioritize the passage of the Open Access in Data Transmission Bill or Konektadong Pinoy Act which “seeks to expand high-speed internet access nationwide.” To further beef up digital transformation in the country, the business group pointed out the
need to “fully leverage” the Digital Transformation Roadmap and National Fiber Backbone. On infrastructure, PCCI said it supports the passage of a National Comprehensive Infrastructure Masterplan, adding this will provide a “long-term framework for strategic and resilient infrastructure investment.” In the area of logistics efficiency and reducing costs, PCCI See “PCCI,” A2
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Wednesday, July 23, 2025 Vol. 20 No. 283
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Rice bears brunt of ‘Crising,’ rains—DA By Ada Pelonia
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IRONCLAD ALLIANCE Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. outside the Thomas Jefferson State Reception Room at the US Department of State in Washington, D.C., on July 21, 2025, following their bilateral meeting. Secretary Rubio met with President Marcos ahead of the Philippine leader’s scheduled talks with United States President Donald Trump at the Oval Office on July 22. The two reaffirmed the enduring and ironclad United States–Philippines alliance, emphasizing its critical role in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. They reiterated their shared commitment to deterrence and to upholding freedoms of navigation and overflight in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. TROI SANTOS
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By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
HE Marcos administration is offtrack in meeting its Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 20232028 goals for social protection, agriculture and agribusiness and industry.
METRO GRIT AMID HABAGAT’S WRATH Lashed by days of relentless downpour from
the Southwest Monsoon—locally known as Habagat—Metro Manila found itself submerged once again in waist-deep waters. In Parañaque and Las Piñas, scenes of soaked commuters and determined workers trudging through murky floodwaters reflect the quiet resilience of a city in survival mode. From schoolchildren to office workers, people from all walks of life waded through the deluge just to make it home—or to make a living. NONIE REYES
Based on the Statistical Indicators on Philippine Development (StatDev), the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said less than half of the country’s social protection, agriculture and agribusiness, and industry goals can be achieved by 2028. Using 2024 data, the country’s overall performance showed only 247 out of 439 or 56.3 percent of the indicators assessed showed medium to high likelihood of achieving the end-of-plan (EOP) targets. “It is important to note that poor sectoral progress does not necessarily mean that the concerned agencies under the sector performed poorly,” the PSA said. “The sectoral progress is affected by the number of indicators considered, and data for indicators under the sector. A poor sectoral progress may improve when there are changes in the two aforementioned factors under the sector,” it added. In terms of social protection, the proportion of Local Government Units with Dietary Supplementation Programs for both pregnant women and children aged 6 to 23 months has markedly improved. However, the number of deaths and missing persons, as well as those See “Govt,” A2
SURVEY: COSTLY DEVICES, FEES LIMIT INTERNET ACCESS IN PHL
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XPENSIVE internet subscriptions and devices are the top reasons cited by Filipinos for not having internet access at home, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Based on the results of the National Information and Communications Technology Household Survey (NICTHS), PSA said 58.3 percent of Filipinos said internet service is expensive while 37.5 percent said a device was costly. “High cost of internet subscription was the common reason for no access to internet among households and the main reason for not using the internet among individuals.” PSA said among individuals aged 10 years and over who did not use the internet at any loca-
tions, the most common reason was high cost of internet subscription at 41.7 percent, followed by high cost of equipment at 33.2 percent. The data also showed 29.5 percent of those who were surveyed said they did not know how to use the internet, preventing them from accessing it. PSA also said 16.1 percent said internet service was not available in their area; 14.9 percent said they do not need the internet; 12.5 percent said internet quality and speed was poor; and 11.4 percent said they did know what the internet is. The data also showed 6.6 percent said they were not allowed to use the internet; 6.3 percent said they had privacy and security concerns; See “Costly,” A5
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EVERE tropical storm Crising and the southwest monsoon destroyed crops and killed livestock valued at over P130 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday. In its latest bulletin, the DA said the agricultural damage caused by the tropical storm and habagat hit P134.66 million. The storm also displaced 6,377 farmers and fisherfolk. The volume of production losses in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region and Western Visayas Regions was pegged at 3,412 metric tons (MT). Rice bore the brunt of the damage brought by the combined effects of the typhoon and southwest monsoon at 3,075 MT. Corn, high-value crops, and cassava also sustained damage at 243 MT, 94 MT, and 1 MT, respectively. The report said the production losses are equivalent to P121.88 million for rice, P5.34 million for corn, P4.53 million for high-value crops, P2.85 million for livestock and poultry, and P44,950 for fisheries, and P9,000 for cassava. The DA said 8,035 hectares of agricultural areas were affected by the storm and habagat. Of these, 6,699 hectares have a chance to recover. However, DA Undersecretary Roger Navarro said the latest figures have yet to be validated. “These figures are still subject to change as we continue to assess the situation on the ground,” Navarro said in a statement. Despite this, the DA said it has allocated P495.4 million in agricultural inputs, including rice, corn, and vegetable seeds. This would help farmers in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Western Visayas, it added. These are the areas affected by typhoon Crising whose impact was compounded by the southwest monsoon. Navarro said additional support would also be made immediately available to affected farmers and fisherfolk. Such interventions include See “Rice,” A10
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 57.1420 n JAPAN 0.3879 n UK 77.1303 n HK 7.2796 n CHINA 7.9688 n SINGAPORE 44.6457 n AUSTRALIA 37.2680 n EU 66.8161 n KOREA 0.0413 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.2330 Source: BSP (July 22, 2025)