TACLOBAN CITY — Eastern Visayas posted a sharp decline in the value of external trade in October 2025, even as the region shipped more goods by volume compared to the same month last year.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority(PSA), the total value of trade in the region fell to USD 37.70 million in October 2025 from USD 475.19 million in October 2024, marking an annual decrease of 92.1 percent.

The region’s balance of trade in goods (BoT-G) turned positive, registering a USD 9.90 million surplus in October 2025, a significant turnaround from the USD 39.46 million deficit recorded in October 2024.

The total value of exports plunged 89.1 percent, from USD 217.87 million in October 2024 to USD 23.80 million in October 2025, while imports also fell 94.6 percent, from USD 257.32 million to USD 13.90 million.

Despite the drop in monetary value, the volume of exports surged, reaching 617.25 million kilograms, more than doubling the 239.14 million kilograms exported in October 2024.
The leading export commodity was animal, vegetable, or microbial fats and oils, including edible fats and waxes, which were shipped mainly to Spain. These exports totaled USD 14.18 million, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the region’s total export value.

On the import side, Eastern Visayas brought in 75.98 million kilograms of goods in October 2025, a 66.9 percent decrease from the 229.56 million kilograms imported in the same month last year. Mineral fuels and oils topped the list of imports with a value of USD 11.52 million, representing 82.9 percent of total import value. South Korea was the largest supplier, providing USD 5.67 million worth of goods, or 40.8 percent of total imports.

Analysts note that while the region is exporting more in terms of volume, the sharp decline in trade value points to lower-priced commodities dominating shipments and fluctuations in global market prices.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY — Public elementary and high schools, along with state universities and colleges (SUCs), are set to become major hubs of free, password-free internet access as Congress earmarked an additional P5 billion to expand the government’s Free Public Internet Access Program (FPIAP).

House Assistant Minority Leader and Eastern Samar lone district Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales said the new funding was included under the proposed 2026 General Appropriations Act, on top of the P7.5 billion already allocated for the program in 2025.
“With this additional P5 billion, we are prioritizing public schools and SUCs to strengthen access to online learning, distance education, and essential digital services,” Gonzales said in a statement.

He noted that the expanded network of public Wi-Fi hotspots is expected to benefit communities in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), allowing residents to access government platforms for skills training, employment opportunities, and other online services critical to livelihood development.

“Strengthening digital infrastructure in off-grid and hard-to-reach communities is vital to closing long-standing development gaps and ensuring that no Filipino is left out of the digital economy,” Gonzales added.

The FPIAP is mandated under Republic Act No. 10929, or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, which calls for the nationwide installation of free internet access points in public areas such as parks, libraries, barangay halls, schools, SUCs, hospitals, airports, seaports, and transport terminals.

Funding for the program comes from Spectrum User Fees collected by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) from private telecommunications companies.
The Philippines currently ranks 11th globally in terms of internet users, with an estimated 97.5 million Filipinos online, based on data from global research platform DataReportal.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has approved the release of an additional PhP7.372 billion to cover the remaining funding requirements for the 2025 Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) of qualified teachers and non-teaching personnel nationwide.

In a Palace press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), led by Acting Secretary Rolando Toledo, has already released the funds.

“Layunin nito na matustusan nang buo ang natitirang cash requirement para sa Fiscal Year 2025 Service Recognition Incentive o SRI ng mga kwalipikadong guro at non-teaching personnel sa buong bansa,” Castro said.

The DBM approved the corresponding Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) on January 27, 2026, according to Castro.

With the approval of the additional cash allocation, qualified beneficiaries are now set to receive the full amount of their SRI.

On December 11, President Marcos issued Administrative Order (AO) 40, authorizing the grant of a one-time Service Recognition Incentive to all qualified government employees for the year 2025.

“Sa ating mga guro at non-teaching staff, maraming salamat po sa inyong serbisyo at pagsisikap upang gabayan ang kabataan. Saludo po sa inyo ang pamahalaan at ang buong bayan,” said Castro.
(PCO-PND)

ORMOC CITY — A 42-year-old public school teacher was killed in the early hours of Thursday after a heavily loaded truck turned sideways and crushed her subcompact car along the national highway in Barangay Imelda, Baybay City.

Police identified the fatality as alias “Sami,” a resident of Barangay Makinhas, Baybay City. She was driving a Mitsubishi Mirage at the time of the accident. The other vehicle involved was an Isuzu truck loaded with iron scrap and driven by alias “Cardo,” 53, a married company driver from Iligan City.

According to the Baybay City Police Station, the crash occurred at around 2:00 a.m. while the teacher was traveling toward Mahaplag, Leyte. The Isuzu truck, carrying an estimated 18,000 kilograms of assorted metal scrap, was heading toward Baybay City proper when it reached a descending and curved section of the highway.

Initial police investigation showed that the truck encroached into the opposite lane and suddenly turned sideways, pinning the smaller vehicle underneath and trapping its driver inside.

Responding personnel from the Baybay Traffic Enforcement Unit, Baybay Emergency Response Unit, and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) were already conducting rescue operations when police arrived at the scene. The truck driver had been brought to an ambulance for medical treatment.

The teacher was eventually extricated from the wreckage and rushed to the Immaculate Conception Hospital in the city, but she was declared dead on arrival by attending physicians.

Further investigation revealed that the truck’s rear tires were excessively worn, while both front tires were also found to be damaged, raising concerns over the vehicle’s roadworthiness. Police said both vehicles sustained extensive damage and were rendered inoperable.

Police said charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide were filed against the truck driver, who is currently recovering from injuries at a hospital whose name was not immediately disclosed.

(ROBERT DEJON)