Latest news with #Philippine
Filipino Times
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Trump to Visit Manila for 2026 ASEAN Summit
United States President Donald Trump has confirmed his attendance at the 44th ASEAN Summit to be hosted by the Philippines in 2026, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez revealed in an interview with NewsWatch Plus. The commitment came during a conversation between the two following an official luncheon held in Washington as part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s recent visit to the United States. Romualdez recalled asking Trump directly if he would attend the summit in Manila. 'Yes, I will definitely go,' Trump reportedly replied, according to the ambassador. Trump had previously stated in the Oval Office during a media engagement, 'If I'm invited, I'll go.' President Marcos formally extended the invitation, solidifying expectations that Trump will visit the country as part of the summit. The Philippines is set to host the 44th ASEAN Summit in 2026, which will coincide with two major milestones in PH-U.S. relations—the 80th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 75th year of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). The high-level summit will serve as a platform to strengthen regional cooperation and reaffirm longstanding alliances among member states and key partners like the United States. In his arrival statement from Washington, President Marcos described Trump's anticipated visit as a 'reaffirmation of our historic alliance.' He emphasized the importance of U.S.-Philippine relations, noting that the Mutual Defense Treaty remains a key pillar of the country's security framework. 'The United States is our oldest and only treaty ally,' Marcos said. 'This visit and summit will mark another chapter in our shared strategic interests.' Ask ChatGPT
Filipino Times
5 hours ago
- Business
- Filipino Times
Philippine Labor Officials Visit Lithuanian Companies Amid OFW Hiring Boom
Philippine labor officials from the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) based in Prague, led by Labor Attaché Llewelyn Perez, recently conducted an inspection and outreach visit to employers of Filipino workers across Lithuania. The mission included site visits in Klaipėda, Tauragė, and Utena, where Filipino manpower continues to be in high demand. In Klaipėda, the delegation visited RNDV, one of the Baltic region's largest shipbuilding firms, which currently employs 300 OFWs. The team toured its modern training facility for new recruits in welding, electrical, and cable-related work, and also engaged with newly arrived workers. The visit in Tauragė included discussions with Darbo Turas, a recruitment agency known for sourcing skilled labor for top-tier clients. In Utena, they met with UAB Biovela, a meat supplier and recent gold medalist at the 2024 World Steak Challenge. Biovela currently employs 30 OFWs and plans to expand hiring, citing the excellent work ethic of Filipino workers. MWO emphasized the importance of safe and legal overseas employment, and encouraged aspiring OFWs to transact only with licensed recruitment agencies with approved job orders listed on the Department of Migrant Workers' official website.
GMA Network
6 hours ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Lee says Korea a reliable partner of PH amid global instability
'This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Korean War. We will never forget that the Philippines was the first Asian nation to send combat troops in 1950—ultimately more than 7,000 strong,' Lee said. Korean Ambassador Lee Sang-Hwa said his country is a reliable partner of the Philippines, recalling the Philippines' role in Korea's history as the first country in Asia to send combat troops to the Korean War in 1950. At a luncheon he hosted for members of the Philippine media earlier this week, Lee said, 'Korea knows what solidarity means.' 'This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Korean War. We will never forget that the Philippines was the first Asian nation to send combat troops in 1950—ultimately more than 7,000 strong,' Lee said. 'Because our bond was forged in the crucible of war, it is natural that Korea stands as a reliable partner of the Philippines, particularly when we face deepening global instability, one that is fraught with fragmentation and uncertainty,' he added. 'As fellow maritime nations, we share an abiding interest in peace and stability, as well as upholding a rules-based order in the South China Sea and beyond,' Lee said. Oliver Victor B. Amoroso, Senior Vice President and Head of GMA Integrated News, Regional TV, and Synergy; and Reina Anne S. Dimapawi, Assistant Vice President and Deputy Head of Integrated News Operations, attended the luncheon. Lee thanked the Philippine government, the Filipino people, and the media 'for the trust you have shown in the resilience of Korea's democracy.' 'As you know, Korea has come through a period of domestic uncertainty following the declaration of martial law last December,' Lee said. 'With the inauguration of President Lee Jae-myung's new government, stability has been restored across the board. We believe this renewed confidence at home will translate into fresh momentum in our 76-year-old ties,' he added. Lee said that after the Philippines-Korea Free Trade Agreement came into force in December, Korea has topped the list of foreign investors based on PEZA-approved projects. 'We expect even more good news in the months ahead as businesses act on the new opportunities unlocked by the FTA and the Philippines' CREATE MORE Act,' Lee said. Lee said the two countries' defense cooperation also continued to grow with the Korean-built frigate—the BRP Miguel Malvar—getting commissioned in May. 'And with the 12 additional FA-50 fighter aircraft contracted in June, this active defense cooperation will help modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines,' Lee said. Lee said the Filipinos and Koreans also feel their connection through culture. 'Korean culture continues to bring our communities closer. I am glad that Filipinos enthusiastically streamed the latest Squid Game season and embraced the animated hit K-Pop Demon Hunters,' Lee said. 'Building on that excitement, the Korean Cultural Center is hosting 'Step Into the World of K-Pop Demon Hunters' from 18 July to 4 August,' he added. ' I encourage all of you to visit and try on the iconic gat (let me show you this), and create traditional maedeup knots and paint your own Magpie-and-Tiger folk art piece. It's a fun, hands-on way to experience Korea's creative spirit,' Lee said. –NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
7 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
ARAL Act, revised senior high program adopted for learning recovery
When President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. delivered his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2024, he ordered that the gaps in the Philippine education system be addressed as he lamented the 'poor reality' hounding young learners. Back then, the President cited international assessments revealing that more than half of students in Grades 6, 10, and 12 failed to reach the ideal proficiency levels, faring low in information literacy, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Marcos thus declared that the national learning recovery program must proceed 'without the slightest disruption,' especially in basic education. 'Our system of education must be strategically calibrated to make sure that our youth are not only taught to become literate. But, it must also consciously develop them into problem-solvers, and into critical thinkers—hungry for success, ready for the future,' he said in his third presidential address. This was a resounding call to address the country's persistent learning crisis, one deepened by years of lockdowns due to the pandemic and underinvestment despite the education sector being given the highest budgetary priority as mandated by the 1987 Constitution. This year, Marcos is set to return to Batasang Pambansa to deliver his fourth SONA, which marks the middle of his term as president. Where does the country stand now in terms of implementing the learning recovery program? In its Year Two report released in January, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) pointed out that the Department of Education's (DepEd) own National Learning Recovery Program (NLRP) faces 'significant criticism and is in need of massive reforms' due to certain flaws in its design. To recall, the DepEd adopted the NLRP in 2023 under the leadership of then-Education Secretary, Vice President Sara Duterte, to address the learning gaps that were heightened by school closures and disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic. The NLRP also aims to deal with the low performance of Filipino learners in international, large-scale, and national assessments. EDCOM 2, a congressional body tasked to make a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of the performance of the Philippine education sector, recommended that the NLRP be revamped to ensure proper targeting, prompt support, and proper assessment of students that require urgent intervention—with a focus on those lacking foundational competencies. This call for reforms was welcomed by Duterte's successor as DepEd chief, Sonny Angara. ARAL Law One notable move made by the Marcos administration since the 2024 SONA was signing into law the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Act, which establishes a national learning intervention program for struggling learners to meet grade-level standards. Led by DepEd, the ARAL program is a free project that would focus on improving students' competencies in essential learning areas, including reading and mathematics for Grades 1 to 10, and science for Grades 3 to 10. As for the Kindergarten learners, the program would focus on building foundational skills to strengthen their literacy and numeracy competencies. Tutorial sessions would also be conducted either through a face-to-face, online, or blended learning approach to help ensure the effectiveness and accessibility of learning. Angara said he believes that the new law would significantly improve Filipino students' performance in international assessments, like the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), in the long term. However, he admitted that immediate results might not be evident in time for the 2025 PISA, which was held from March to April this year. Marcos had directed DepEd to prioritize improvements in the country's PISA scores after the 2022 results reflected Filipino learners' poor performance in mathematics, science, and reading. That time, the Philippines ranked sixth from the bottom among 81 participating countries and economies. A separate 2022 PISA report also revealed that Filipino students placed second-to-last when it comes to creative thinking. These results mirrored the findings of the EDCOM 2, which noted that even after a decade of implementing the K to 12 system, Filipino students continue to fall behind regional and global peers in key academic competencies. Revised SHS curriculum Another key highlight in education since the previous SONA was the pilot implementation of the revised Senior High School (SHS) curriculum this School Year 2025-2026. Among the salient features of this new curriculum is the reduction of core subjects from the 15 being offered per semester, to just five that will be offered for a full year in Grade 11. These five new subjects are: Effective Communication (Mabisang Komunikasyon), Life Skills, General Mathematics, General Science, and Pag-aaral ng Kasaysayan at Lipunang Pilipino. This development came after Marcos, in August 2024, directed the rationalization of the SHS curriculum as he wanted to ensure that SHS graduates could acquire high-quality jobs. But calls for education reforms further escalated when it was revealed in congressional hearings earlier this year that approximately 5.58 million high school graduates, including junior high school completers aged 10 to 64, were considered 'functionally illiterate" because of a lack of comprehension skills. Angara said that the DepEd has been taking action to address the issue in order to prepare the children for a better future. Among the agency's interventions, he said, are intensifying remedial and literacy programs and the use of data in schools. He said teaching and assessment methods have also been improved, and the students are being honed to be critical thinkers and have 21st-century skills, instead of merely memorizing lessons. DepEd also revised its class suspension protocols, allowing schools and local government units (LGUs) to have more discretion when it comes to the declaration depending on real-time conditions. Before, classes were automatically canceled under any public storm signals. Angara thus reminded school officials and LGUs to be prudent in declaring class suspensions, emphasizing the need for learning continuity and to minimize learning loss. Also included in the agency's interventions in times of calamity is the rollout of durable and mobile modular classrooms that will replace temporary learning spaces in disaster-hit areas. Digitalization, connectivity Aside from addressing the classroom gap, Marcos in his last SONA said that the digital gap should also be addressed with as much intensity. The President then expressed hope that all students will be equipped with computers, smart TVs, essential programs, digital books, and access to reliable power and internet connection. 'Digitalization and solar-powered electricity must now be standard features in our schools and in our classrooms. Simply put, this is educational reform through technology,' he said. To realize this vision, DepEd began implementing several digitalization initiatives. Through a public-private partnership approach, the agency has been pursuing smart classrooms, ICT equipment, and upgraded e-learning materials, while aiming to improve digital connectivity nationwide. DepEd has also deployed smart TVs, laptops, and other devices to public schools to support digital learning and reduce reliance on printed modules. These tools are expected to enhance interactive and blended learning delivery in classrooms. Teachers and students in geographically isolated and underserved public schools are likewise expected to benefit from improved internet connectivity under the government's ongoing "Free WiFi for All" initiative. The road to full recovery remains steep. While the Marcos administration has made progress in addressing learning gaps, the scale of the education crisis in the country demands faster execution, deeper investments, and stronger accountability. With millions of students needing help and an entire generation at risk of being left behind, eyes and ears are now turned to Marcos' next SONA to know his next moves to improve the quality of education in the country. —LDF/RSJ/NB, GMA Integrated News
Cision Canada
7 hours ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Sun Life hosts second quarter 2025 earnings conference call Français
TORONTO, July 24, 2025 /CNW/ - Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) will release its second quarter financial results on Thursday, August 7, 2025 after markets close. A live webcast of the quarterly results will be available the following day – August 8, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. ET Date: Friday, August 8, 2025 Time: 10:00 a.m. ET Access the call and presentation via live webcast. Access the call via telephone. The webcast replay will be available after the event. About Sun Life Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2025, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1.55 trillion. For more information, please visit Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF. Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars To contact Sun Life media relations, please email To contact Sun Life investor relations, please email SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc.
