More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
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| https://ibctv13.com/dot-logs-5-6m-tourists-expects-return-of-chinese-market-in-2026/ |
The Philippines has recorded 5.6 million in foreign visitor arrivals as of Dec. 20, nearly equal to the inbound figures it logged in 2024.
The number remains short of the 2019 recorded levels prior to the pandemic, but the Department of Tourism (DOT) on Tuesday expressed optimism for 2026 as the country anticipates an increase in the Chinese market with the recently resumed e-Visa for China.
Data showed that China ranked sixth in tourist arrivals with 262,144, behind South Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Canada – a performance, the DOT said, was “largely influenced by visa disruptions, security perceptions, and limited air connectivity.”
Tourism Attaché to China Ireneo Reyes said the reintroduction of the Philippine e-Visa in November marks a critical step toward restoring confidence and easing travel for Chinese tourists, with stronger gains expected in early 2026.
“The e-Visa resumption is a critical step forward and a clear signal that the Philippines is open, ready, and eager to welcome our Chinese friends,” he said.
“While the timing meant that its full benefits could not be felt within the peak booking periods of 2025, we expect a more visible impact beginning the first quarter of 2026.”
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco earlier attributed to the suspension of e-Visa and weak Korean won the decrease in Chinese and Korean arrivals –the country’s top markets prior to the pandemic.
The DOT added that recovery was “constrained by reduced flight capacity, with China-Philippines routes operating at only about 45 percent of pre-pandemic levels,” but engagements with airlines and aviation stakeholders are ongoing “to gradually restore routes and seat capacity.”
“The Department is working closely with aviation and tourism stakeholders to gradually rebuild connectivity and confidence,” it said.
“With China being one of the world’s largest outbound travel markets, improving air connectivity presents a major opportunity.”
Despite budget constraints and market-specific challenges, the agency said Philippine tourism remains resilient, generating PHP3.86 trillion in receipts in 2024 and supporting 6.75 million of tourism-related job for Filipinos.
“The DOT remains optimistic that improved access, safety measures, and connectivity will drive a stronger rebound of the Chinese market and help lift overall arrival figures moving forward,” it said.
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| https://www.sunstar.com.ph/amp/story/cebu/tell-it-to-sunstar-learning-crisis-in-philippine-schools-is-far-from-over |
The release of the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) 2024 results offers a sobering reminder that the region’s learning crisis is far from over. While there are modest signs of improvement in mathematics across Southeast Asia, progress in reading has largely stalled. For the Philippines, the findings point to persistent weaknesses -- and widening inequalities -- that demand urgent, targeted action.
Education is a fundamental right and a cornerstone of national development. Foundational skills in reading and mathematics shape not only children’s success in school, but also their future participation in the economy and society. When these skills are not firmly established in the early grades, learning gaps tend to compound, limiting opportunities well beyond the classroom.
SEA-PLM assesses reading, writing and mathematical literacy among Grade 5 students across six Southeast Asian countries. In 2024, a key technical change was introduced: the benchmark for minimum proficiency was recalibrated from Band 6 to Band 5. Students reaching Band 5 and above are now considered to meet the internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goal indicator for learning outcomes at the end of primary education (SDG 4.1.1b).
Even under this revised benchmark, the results for the Philippines remain deeply concerning.
Across participating countries, 53 percent of Grade 5 students meet the minimum proficiency level in reading. In the Philippines, only 27 percent do so -- an improvement from 22 percent in 2019, but still leaving nearly three out of four children below the expected level. While the share of higher-performing students has increased slightly, the proportion of learners in the lowest bands has barely changed, suggesting that learning opportunities are becoming more unequal rather than more inclusive.
The picture is similar in mathematics. Regionally, 66 percent of students meet the minimum proficiency standard. In the Philippines, only 46 percent do -- up from 35 percent in 2019, yet still below the majority threshold. Alarmingly, the proportion of students in the very lowest proficiency band has remained unchanged since 2019, indicating that the most vulnerable learners are not benefiting from overall gains.
Perhaps the most troubling message of SEA-PLM 2024 lies beneath the averages. Learning gaps remain stark and persistent. Students from low-income households, rural communities and disaster-prone areas continue to lag far behind their more advantaged peers. The pandemic did not create these inequalities, but it clearly magnified existing structural weaknesses -- unequal access to learning resources, uneven teacher deployment, and disparities in school leadership and support.
For the Philippines, a country regularly affected by typhoons, floods and other climate-related shocks, learning recovery cannot be treated as a uniform national process. Equity-focused interventions will be essential if recovery efforts are to reach those children who have lost the most.
While the SEA-PLM 2024 report provides a valuable descriptive overview of learning outcomes, it also highlights a critical gap: we still know too little about why some schools and students perform better than others. Which school-level factors matter most? How much do teacher qualifications, instructional practices, language of instruction, or parental engagement contribute to learning success?
Answering these questions requires deeper, more sophisticated analysis of the rich SEA-PLM data -- going beyond national averages and headline indicators. Without this, education reforms risk remaining well-intentioned but blunt, unable to address the root causes of underperformance.
As Southeast Asian countries work to rebuild more resilient and equitable education systems, measurement alone is not enough. What matters now is how seriously governments, researchers and development partners engage with the data -- and how boldly they translate evidence into targeted action. For the Philippines, the opportunity remains open. The data is there. The question is whether it will be used to its full potential.
During the pandemic one resourceful Filipino decided to develop his cacao farm and increase its yield.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2159960/soil-engineering-allows-agriculture-to-flourish-in-agusan-del-sur |
Now he's on the forefront of Philippine agricultural innovation.Young farmer-entrepreneur Japhet Gupit Tabale, owner of Cacao Prince products, is proving that agriculture and technology can thrive together as he uses artificial intelligence (AI) to market and expand his cacao business across the country.A graduate of business administration and computer science, the Bayugan City native integrated e-commerce and AI into their family’s third-generation cacao enterprise that was started in the 1970s by his grandmother.
The 2.5-hectare farm in the mountain village of Magkiangkang now focuses on hybrid cacao varieties that produce bigger beans, hence a higher yield, and have stronger resistance to pests.
The COVID-19 pandemic pushed Tabale to employ technology aggressively to reach target customers among cafés, “sikwate” (native chocolate) shops and individuals who are fond of chocolates, as businesses struggled with the lockdowns.
Before the pandemic, Tabale was selling around 30 kilos of “tablea” every month. Today, demand has climbed to 300 kilos monthly and, by next year, could reach 500 kilos. Hence, he is seeking to expand his supply of cacao beans by setting up a buying center in Bayugan, offering farmers a stable business relationship and fair pricing.
Tabale’s innovative business approach earned him the National Young Farmers Challenge Upscale Award in 2023, securing nearly P1 million to further develop his farm. He is also one of the Rural Agro-Enterprise and Productivity Innovation Development Youth Champions of the Department of Trade and Industry in Agusan del Sur.
To help expand his production, Tabale joined the Upland Sustainable Agri-Forestry Development (USAD) program of the provincial government, availing of aid to develop an additional hectare of cacao.
Agusan del Sur Gov. Santiago Cane Jr. always cites the role of young innovators like Tabale in strengthening the province’s agriculture for which it has vast potential, given a land area of close to a million hectares.
“To keep up with the demands of the times, we need to tailor-fit our agricultural system to the latest technologies and innovations,” Cane points out.
He emphasizes the need for generational transition as the bulk of farmers in the province are already way past 50 years old.
Here, leaders in the province hinge their hopes on the youth, confident that with the right motivation, they will take up the challenge of reimagining farming to achieve, among others, food security amid disruptions wrought by climate change.
“We must groom a new breed of farmers who understand both the science of agriculture and the urgency of climate adaptation,” says Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza, who has been pushing for innovation-driven farming. “The future of agriculture depends on the youth who will sustain and lead it forward,” he adds.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2025/12/31/philippine-food-service-sales-set-to-return-to-pre-pandemic-levels-in-2025 |
The Philippines’ food service industry is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels beginning this year, with sales on an upswing as restaurants expand to take advantage of consumers dining out more frequently, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
In a Dec. 30 report, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Manila estimates that the country’s food service sales this year would grow by eight percent to $14 billion from around $13 billion last year.
If this forecast is realized, it would mean that the food service industry is back to the $14 billion in sales recorded in 2019, or the year before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The USDA expects growth to continue into next year, with sales forecast to increase by 10 percent to around $15.4 billion.
“This sales growth in 2025 and 2026 is driven by the expansion of quick-service restaurant (QSR) chains and international restaurant concepts, which are increasing their market presence by opening new outlets,” the report read.
“As consumers increasingly seek convenince and prioritize experiential dining, the hotel, restaurant, and institutional sectors are thriving, even in the face of inflationary pressures,” it added.
Despite the Philippine economy being projected to grow at a slower pace amid domestic and external headwinds, the USDA said consumer spending on food remains robust, supported by a higher employment rate and a growing middle class.
The foreign agency said this results in “increased frequency and spending on food options at food service establishments.”
A booming tourism sector, the popularity of online deliveries, and even the recent debut of Michelin Guide are all expected to drive sales next year.
The USDA said the majority of consumers eat at limited-service restaurants (LSRs), which represent more than half of food service sales, or 61 percent of the total.
LSRs, which include fast-food establishments, are projected to post a 10-percent growth in sales next year to $9.52 billion from this year’s $8.64 billion.
“Market trends include ongoing expansion into untapped areas, the rise of value-for-money menu options, and digital marketing innovations, while major players such as Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) and McDonald’s continue to drive the sector’s rapid development,” the report read.
Full-service restaurants (FSRs), which account for 15 percent of industry sales, are expected to hit $2.18 billion next year, up three percent from $2.11 billion this year.
The foreign agency said the arrival of new international players, the development of innovative restaurant concepts, and increasing consumer demand for unique dining experiences are among the growth drivers for this segment.
Meanwhile, street stalls and kiosks are seen growing five percent to $1.97 billion next year from $1.88 billion as demand for quick and affordable food and beverage options remains strong.
Street stalls and kiosks, which include the likes of Angel’s Burger Group, Potato Corner, and Fruitas Holdings Inc., account for 13 percent of food service sales.
Cafes and bars make up the remaining 11 percent of industry sales, with growth next year pegged at $1.74 billion from this year’s $1.63 billion.
Or perhaps they haven't finished counting all the receipts yet.“This segment is driven by rising consumer mobility, the popularity of specialty coffee and tea shops, and the growing influence of Millennials and Gen Z, who are fueling demand for innovative beverages and café experiences,” the USDA said.
