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GOV’T PILOT TESTS SALE OF RICE AT P20 PER KILO IN VISAYAS By Charles Dantes and Othel Campos THE Department of Agriculture on Wednesday announced the pilot implementation of the P20-per-kilo rice program in the Visayas region, marking a key step in the fulfillment of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s campaign promise to lower rice prices for Filipino consumers. The announcement came shortly after a closed-door meeting between Next page
AVIATION VETERAN RICHARD NUTTALL IS NEW PAL CHIEF
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 68 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2025
First Couple to attend Pope Francis’ funeral
BUSINESS / B1
Nat’l period of mourning set until late pontiff’s burial By Charles Dantes
P
RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos will attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City on Saturday, Malacañang announced yesterday.
A funeral Mass for the Holy Father has been scheduled on Saturday at the city state, where many world leaders are expected to gather, from US President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed the attendance of the First Couple but did not say when they
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ALEX EALA PREPS FOR RETURN MATCH WITH IGA SWIATEK SPORTS / A8
Trade, defense top agenda of Marcos, Ishiba meet next week
PRAYERS.
Irish-born US Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell (2nd from left) diffuses incense next to Pope Francis’ coffin inside St Peter’s Basilica following the procession of the late Pope’s coffin from the chapel of Santa Marta to the Vatican on April 23, 2025. AFP
By Charles Dantes JAPANESE Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will visit the Philippines next week, officials said Wednesday, as part of Tokyo’s summit diplomacy to maintain a rules-based order in the IndoPacific and efforts to ramp up regional ties after the US tariff onslaught. Ishiba’s April 27-30 trip to Vietnam and the Philippines follows a Southeast Asia tour by Chinese President Xi Jinping, with Beijing trying to position itself as a stable alternative to the United States as leaders confront Next page
AFP getting more BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles Party-list coalition throws full support to Alyansa Senate slate By Rex Espiritu
ANOTHER batch of BrahMos cruise missiles is set to be delivered to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. announced yesterday. The defense chief made the confirmation after Indian media reported that the second of three ordered BrahMos batteries is now being shipped to the Philippines. “These are on the way and we will do what is needed so that these are used properly,” he said during an ambush interview at the EDSA Shangrila Hotel in Mandaluyong City. “Those are from the previous order and already scheduled for delivery,” Teodoro added. He was referring to a PHP 18.8 billion contract signed in January 2022 between the Department of National Defense (DND) and India-Russia joint Next page
By Maricel V. Cruz THE Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. (PCFI) on Wednesday declared its full support for the 11 senatorial candidates of Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, the administration’s official slate for the 2025 midterm elections. The endorsement followed a luncheon meeting hosted by the PCFI and attended by at least 40 party-list lawmakers, including Speaker Ferdinand
Martin G. Romualdez, whose party, Lakas-CMD, has also committed to delivering victory for all 11 candidates. Talino at Galing ng Pinoy (TGP) Party-list Rep. Jose Teves Jr. and Barangay Health Workers Party-list Rep. Angelica Next page
PARTY-LIST SUPPORT.
TROOP VISIT. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. shakes the hand of a soldier during
his visit to troops of the 4th Infantry Division at Camp Edilberto Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro. In his address, the President expressed his gratitude for maintaining order and peace in Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions, and reaffirmed his continued support for the military.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez welcomes the expression of support of the Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc. (PCFI) for the senatorial slate of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas. Ver Noveno
PBBM bestows Medal of Merit to Aunor, Corrales, Fores, and Romero
Nora Aunor
Pilita Corrales
Margarita Fores
Gloria Romero
MALACAÑANG on Wednesday announced that Nora Aunor, Pilita Corrales, Margarita Fores, and Gloria Romero will be posthumously honored with the Presidential Medal of Merit. “The event is confirmed,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro told reporters when asked about the matter. The awarding ceremony will take place on May 4. The Presidential Medal of Merit is one of the highest honors conferred by a Philippine president, Next page