Lois Calderon, Author at newswatchplus.ph

Philippine Navy WW-2 landing ship skirts collision with China’s missile frigate

Lois Calderon — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:39:32 +0000

Manila, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Command (WESCOM) said its troops aboard the Philippine Navy’s World War II-era landing ship avoided what would have been a collision in a flashpoint in the West Philippine Sea after an alleged “dangerously close distance” maneuver by China’s PLA Navy missile frigate during the

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Monetary Board keeps rate untouched in off-cycle meet

Lois Calderon — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:08:48 +0000

Manila, Philippines – The central bank’s policymaking Monetary Board kept borrowing costs untouched on Thursday, March 26, during an off-cycle meeting it held amid what it described as “fast-changing developments and uncertain economic conditions.” The unscheduled rate review was nearly a month ahead of a scheduled April 23 meeting, but made in wake of President

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Philippine sailors detect submarine during Indian naval exercise

Lois Calderon — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:59:50 +0000

Manila, Philippines – Filipino sailors aboard the BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-6), the Philippine Navy’s guided missile frigate, outperformed their counterparts from 32 other nations in detecting an Indian Navy submarine during naval exercises held in the Bay of Bengal in India, a high-ranking naval official said on Tuesday, March 24. BRP Miguel Malvar, the only

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Common LRT-MRT station project to get new builders

Lois Calderon — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:56:26 +0000

Manila, Philippines – A mothballed project linking Metro Manila’s three elevated railways will finally get a makeover after the economic team of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. cleared the last legal hurdle to awarding the contract to new concessionaires. In a statement released on Friday, March 20, the Economy and Development Council (ED Council) said it

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Peso breaches P60-per-dollar in line with Asian FX weakness amid Middle East war

Lois Calderon — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:09:18 +0000

Manila, Philippines – The peso has breached for the first time the P60-to-the-dollar level to end Thursday’s session at its weakest on record as an escalating war in the Middle East jolted energy markets and forced investors to shun Asian currencies. Thursday’s exchange rate was P60.10 per dollar, a 58-centavo single-day loss for the peso,

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Free rides, 180,000-strong police force ready ahead of March 19 nationwide transport strike

Lois Calderon — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 05:35:13 +0000

Manila, Philippines – Up to 180,000 policemen are on standby for deployment to ensure peace and order as a major transport group takes to the streets tomorrow, March 19, to protest runaway pump prices, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday. The police are also mobilizing land assets to provide free rides to commuters

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PH braces for food supply woes – DA

Lois Calderon — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:27:04 +0000

Manila, Philippines – The fallout from the Middle East conflict would likely spill over to other sectors of the economy, including local farms and fisheries, creating food supply bottlenecks, the Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday, March 17. Agriculture officials told the House committee on agriculture and food that fertilizer costs have already risen by

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Mideast conflict jobs impact possibly worse than Ukraine-Russia war – PSA

Lois Calderon — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:10:38 +0000

Manila, Philippines – Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) coming home to escape the Middle East conflict could exacerbate joblessness if they end up unemployed, an official of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Friday, March 13. The impact of the Middle East crisis on the labor market could be worse than what was seen during

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Peso plunges to fresh record low of P59.65 per dollar in midday trade

Lois Calderon — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:08:57 +0000

Manila, Philippines – The peso stayed close to its record-low of ₱59.50 against the dollar on Thursday, March 12, as the greenback rallied given its safe-haven appeal amid the rapid increase in energy prices. Thursday’s exchange rate was ₱59.385 per dollar, just 12 centavos shy of the all-time low the local currency hit last Monday,

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No indication China will use intel from Filipino spies to take over BRP Sierra Madre – Navy

Lois Calderon — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:29:38 +0000

Manila, Philippines – After the military uncovered China-sponsored espionage activities employing three Filipino civilian defense personnel, the Philippine Navy said there are “no indications” that Beijing will use the intel to occupy Ayungin Shoal or take over BRP Sierra Madre – the World War II-era ship grounded as a military outpost there. Rear Admiral Roy

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