One of the world’s most polluted cities has banned single-use plastics. It’s not so easy
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Today is August 13th.
Our top story:
The House of Representatives will implement several reforms in national budget deliberations starting this year. House Speaker Martin Romualdez made this announcement at the ceremonial turnover of the proposed 2026 national budget. Romualdez received the proposed spending plan for the P6.793 trillion budget from officials of the Department of Budget and Management. The reforms include inviting civil society, people’s organizations, and the private sector to budget hearings, and opening the bicameral conference committee to the public.
Read more: https://tmt.news/2166937
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Beep cards for students with the 50-percent fare discount will be available next month. Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon says the beep cards will be for both the MRT and LRT lines. Dedicated Beep cards for senior citizens and persons with disabilities will also be available. Dizon says commuters will no longer need to fill out forms to avail of the 50-percent discount in LRT-1 and LRT-2 fares. Currently, students buying single-journey tickets had to present a valid school-year ID or proof of enrollment at the ticket counter.
Read more: https://tmt.news/2166909
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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approves a $400-million loan to address food insecurity in the country. The ADB says food vouchers are essential to help poor and vulnerable households meet their nutritional needs. This will be done through “The Reducing Food Insecurity and Undernutrition with Electronic Vouchers Project.” This will help finance the delivery of monthly electronic food vouchers to food-insecure households nationwide. The project will also expand the government social assistance initiative, the Walang Gutom food stamp program.
Read more: https://tmt.news/2166930
Senator Robin Padilla has filed a bill seeking to ban the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages, junk food, and other unhealthy food products in schools. Padilla described the issue of poor nutrition within schools as a “silent crisis.” Citing data from the Department of Science And Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Padilla says 14 percent of school-age children or those 5 to 10 years old are overweight or obese. He says schools should be free from the influence of unhealthy food choices.
And finally in sports, Gilas Pilipinas tries to keep its championship hopes alive in the FIBA-Asia Cup 2025. The Filipino squad faces 2-time defending champion Australia in the knockout quarterfinal phase in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The last time the Philippines and Australia played each other was in 2018. That game was marred by a brawl between the players of the two teams. Australia reached the quarterfinals by sweeping all three of its assignments in Group A.
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Read more: https://tmt.news/2166413
