%201.svg){kind=logo}
Emergency Hotline:
(+63) 2 911 – 8688
Solo parents across the country may soon have easier access to government assistance as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ramps up efforts to reach those who remain unregistered under its support program.
This was discussed in the program "Get It Straight with Kuya Daniel Razon" on GMK, where Kuya Daniel Razon interviewed Ms. Francia Bongala, focal person of DSWD's "Strengthening Opportunities for Lone Parents" (SOLO) program, on the initiative's coverage and requirements.
According to Bongala, qualified beneficiaries include parents who are raising their children or dependents on their own, widows, widowers, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), legal guardians, and adoptive or foster parents.
To obtain a Solo Parent Identification Card (SPIC), applicants need to submit the following requirements:
Bongala noted that solo parents must first qualify for the SPIC before they can access the benefits under the program, and qualification is assessed through the proper application process.
Because of this, the DSWD is encouraging solo parents to register, as many remain unregistered and have yet to be reached with the assistance available to them.
Solo parents may proceed to their local DSWD office through their respective local government unit (LGU) for assessment and to apply for their identification card to avail of the benefits under the program.
The SOLO program is part of DSWD's continuing effort to empower solo parents in fulfilling their parental roles.
Watch the full episode of "Get It Straight with Kuya Daniel Razon" for more details.
The House of Representatives is set to conduct hearings on the National Expenditure Program submitted by the Department of Budget and Management, covering the proposed 7.2 trillion pesos budget for 2027 under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The House Committee on Appropriations will begin the budget briefings today, August 17, at 9 a.m., where lawmakers will discuss revenue sources, expenditure levels, and the budget proposals of each government agency.
The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) will be the first to face the panel. The DBCC is composed of the Department of Budget and Management, the Department of Economy, Planning and Development, the Department of Finance, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
The chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations and the chamber's leadership earlier assured that the hearings will be transparent, following the same process used in 2026.
Each hearing will be livestreamed, civil society organizations will be able to participate through the People's Budget Review, and the Budget Amendments and Review Subcommittee will also be open to the public.
Meanwhile, Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong, one of the vice chairpersons of the Appropriations Committee, said he can manage both the budget deliberations and his role in the ongoing impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte.
"So tayo naman, it's just a matter of adjusting. We will focus on one area or try to do this. You know, try to focus on the impeachment trial, not focusing also or not doing our job as vice chair. So it's a matter of— it's a matter of adjusting time management. So wala namang problema as to how we perform our job as vice chair and how we also perform our task being named as one of the spokespersons for the House prosecution panel." Adiong said.
The House targets to approve the 2027 House General Appropriations Bill (HGAB) on third reading by October 9.
Ombudsman Crispin "Boying" Remulla criticized the Department of Public Works and Highways over its alleged failure to deliver high-quality infrastructure projects for government agencies.
Remulla made the statement on his radio program on Saturday, August 15.
Among the examples he cited was the alleged failure to properly construct the UP-PGH Cancer Center project, valued at around 9 billion pesos.
He also cited the construction of the new Bureau of Immigration office, which he said has been 10 years in the making.
The same issue applies to the NBI headquarters, where he said the agency opted to buy an old building instead of constructing a new one.
According to Remulla, it would be better to buy old buildings, which are cheaper and better, than to construct new buildings similar to those under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.
Meanwhile, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon agreed with Remulla's statements regarding projects under the PPP scheme.
According to Dizon, until there is reform in the internal system and culture within the DPWH, PPP projects will remain better than government-constructed buildings.
Dizon also believes that under the PPP scheme, timeliness, high quality, cost efficiency, and high standards of projects for the public can be guaranteed.
In connection with this, Dizon assured continued cooperation with the Ombudsman to implement the necessary reforms within the DPWH.
BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua strongly condemned the ambush on his convoy on Saturday, August 15.
The ambush took place in Barangay Bitu, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, while the chief minister was on his way back from an event in Barangay Gambar, Kabuntalan.
The official survived unharmed, and no injuries were reported among his companions.
In his official statement, Macacua condemned the attack as an act of cowardice, saying it reflects the harsh reality that much still needs to be done to achieve genuine and lasting peace in BARMM.
Nonetheless, he emphasized that this will not weaken their commitment to democratic progress, particularly the determination to hold the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections on September 14.
He stressed that violence and weapons will not dictate the future of the region.
He also appealed to the public to remain calm and avoid baseless speculation while authorities conduct a thorough investigation.
Macacua assured that the entire Bangsamoro government remains stable and operational, and that he will continue to carry out his duties for the people.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has been tasked to determine who was behind the attack.
Comelec said that whether or not the incident is related to the elections, maintaining peace and order in the area remains the top priority.
Nearly six months since war broke out between the United States, Israel, and Iran, the conflict continues to affect global oil supply and prices.
Before the war, roughly twenty percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz. But due to Iran's tight control over the route, the number of vessels crossing it has dropped significantly.
According to ship-tracking firm Kpler, only two ships crossed the strait on Friday, with no crude oil shipments recorded, far from the more than 130 vessels that used to pass through daily before the war.
The effects of rising oil prices are also being felt in the US. The average price of a gallon of gasoline in the country has reached around $4.80, twenty-nine percent higher compared to last year.
But according to US President Donald Trump, Americans should accept slightly higher gasoline prices in exchange for ensuring that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon.
"So for you to pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline, just remember you're doing it so that a very evil country cannot have a, really it's the number one state sponsor of terror in the world. We don't want to have them have a nuclear weapon. So remember that when you have to pay a little bit more, you're at $4. It's okay. I mean, I'm not, I'm not — I'll never apologize."
Trump also maintained that his decision to continue the war against Iran was the right one. He added that they are close to fully defeating Iran, and once that happens, he will declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States.
"And after we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated, pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States."
Iran, however, strongly opposed this. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stressed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be claimed simply through statements or shows of military force.
Gharibabadi added that only Iran will decide when to open or close the strait, and that as long as the US does not accept the reality of its defeat, Iran will continue the blockade.
Senior Military Advisor Amir Hatami also criticized Trump's statement and called it senseless.
"The criminal President of America says, 'I want to declare the Strait of Hormuz as part of the land of crime.' First of all, you are talking nonsense! Of course, after they realized what a huge mistake they made, they said, 'We were just joking.' Even making such a joke is a huge mistake!"
Meanwhile, there is still no visible progress in US-Iran peace talks. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Tehran has made no decision to resume direct negotiations with Washington.
"Mediators, both Qatar and Pakistan, are exchanging messages and are in contact with us, but this does not mean active negotiations. No decision has yet been made to resume direct negotiations with America."
Technical talks between Iran and Oman continue for new shipping routes for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
