₧1.31-T spending seen to boost Q4 growth By Ada Pelonia
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TARLAQUEÑO CHRISTMAS SPIRIT SHINES BRIGHT Children and dancers dressed as angels and Santa from Bamban, Tarlac, perform in front of their municipal category entry at the town plaza during the opening of the 18th Belenismo sa Tarlac on Thursday. The Tarlac Heritage Foundation led media participants on a tour of this year’s displays, featuring 52 entries across five categories—from community-made belens to monumental creations that illuminate the province. Since its inception in 2007 and Department of Tourism accreditation, the annual festival has showcased the artistry and craftsmanship of Tarlaqueños, celebrating faith, creativity, and community pride. BERNARD TESTA
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@adapelonia
HE national government is banking on the P1.307trillion programmed spending for the fourth quarter to bolster economic growth amid a combination of headwinds. In a statement on Thursday, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the government has about P1.307 trillion left to spend until the end of the year. “Our programmed spending for the fourth quarter will boost yearend economic growth and thus impact overall economic growth for the year,” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.
Of the P1.307 trillion, the DBM noted that a significant portion would be earmarked primarily for social services. This includes P2.74 billion for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF), which covers the Quick Response Fund (QRF) replenishment and Emergency Cash Transfers (ECT), in expectation of possible typhoons in the fourth quarter. Furthermore, the DBM said the amount released for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) would be allocated to cover major social protection commitments, including the balance for the Pantawid Pamilyang
Pilipino Program (4Ps) worth P9.52 billion, which provides conditional cash transfers to qualified beneficiaries. The DBM said it also released P7.03 billion for payouts for the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program and P5.77 billion for the social pension benefits for indigent senior citizens. Moreover, P4.83 billion was released for the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP) program to support vulnerable sectors. Under the Department of Agriculture (DA), the agency noted that P7.33 billion was earmarked for the National Rice Program, while P2.47 billion for the National Livestock Program.
The DBM added that P2.29 billion was allotted to the National Food Authority (NFA) for its buffer stocking requirement and targeted rice distribution program to ensure the availability of rice. Meanwhile, the agency said it allocated P203.82 billion to the Department of Education (DepEd), which includes personnel services worth P153.71 billion to cover the yearend benefits of teachers and personnel, including year-end bonus; and P11.4 billion for the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) adjustments. The DBM also earmarked P23.62 billion for the operations of schools, while P32.79 billion See “P1.31-T,” A2
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Friday, November 7, 2025 Vol. 21 No. 30
P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 20 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK
BRACING FOR ANOTHER BLOW President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has declared a national state of calamity after Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) left at least 114 people dead and 127 missing, with another storm—Typhoon Uwan—expected to hit in the coming days. In Talisay City, Cebu province, residents pick through the ruins of their homes after Tino unleashed flash floods that swallowed riverside communities along the Mananga River. The province—still reeling from a deadly September earthquake—has been placed under a state of calamity as the nation braces for Uwan’s arrival. JACQUELINE HERNANDEZ/ASSOCIATED PRESS
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By Justine Xyrah Garcia
MPLOYMENT in the Philippines slipped in September, defying the usual gains recorded at the start of the “ber months,” according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Results of the latest Labor Force Survey (LFS) showed that the number of employed Filipinos fell to 49.60 million, about 494,000 fewer than the 50.10 million recorded in August and 270,000 lower than the 49.87 million posted in the same month last year. The decline came even as the country entered its traditionally busy preholiday season, when hiring in retail, services, and logistics typically rises. PSA data indicated that the
largest month-on-month declines were recorded in other service activities (-498,000, from 3.42 million to 2.92 million), construction (-308,000, from 5.28 million to 4.97 million), and transportation and storage (-247,000, from 3.89 million to 3.64 million). On a year-on-year basis, employment also contracted in several industries, led by other service activities (-493,000, from 3.41 million to 2.92 million), administrative and See “Jobs,” A2
FISHERIES OUTPUT POSTS 21-YR LOW IN Q3; FULL-YR DIP SEEN By Ada Pelonia
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HE country’s fisheries output fell by 7.5 percent in the third quarter, the lowest level in over two decades, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Data from the PSA showed that the total volume of fisheries production in the July to September period reached 894,320 metric tons (MT), down from 966,730 MT in the same quarter last year. Historical data indicated that the latest figures represented the lowest level of fisheries output since the 852,378 MT recorded in
the third quarter of 2004. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. expects fisheries production to decline this year, noting that the absence of El Niño weighed on the subsector. “Our prediction for this year’s fisheries production is definitely lower because last year was an El Niño year,” Tiu Laurel told reporters on Thursday. “Based on my 38 years of experience in the fishing industry, whenever the water is warm, production is always higher,” he said. “Since this year isn’t an El Niño year, production will be lower.” See “Fisheries,” A2
State of calamity for regions hit by ‘Tino’ By Samuel P. Medenilla
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@sam_medenilla
RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he will be declaring a state of national calamity in regions still reeling from the devastation caused by Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi), and may also be affected by the new weather disturbance Typhoon Uwan during the weekend. The chief executive said he approved the recommendation of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to make the declaration to fasttrack the mobilization of govern-
ment resources in the typhoon-hit areas. “That gives us quicker access to some of the emergency funds, number one. Second, our procurement will be accelerated so we don’t have to go through the usual bureaucratic procedures and we can immediately provide assistance to some of the victims of the storms,” he told reporters after attending a situation briefing on the effects of Typhoon Tino at the NDRRMC Office in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday. He said the declaration will cover 10 to 12 regions. As of press time, See “Tino,” A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 58.7510 n JAPAN 0.3812 n UK 76.6759 n HK 7.5570 n CHINA 8.2428 n SINGAPORE 44.9648 n AUSTRALIA 38.2058 n EU 67.5284 n KOREA 0.0408 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.6657 Source: BSP (November 6, 2025)