CARIBBEAN-AGRICULTURE-CARICOM agriculture ministers meeting in St.Kitts-Nevis

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) agriculture ministers meet here on Tuesday focusing on a wide range of issues including the status and trends in fisheries and aquaculture production, trade, and employment; initiatives to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and a new grievance redress mechanism for the Belize-based Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM).

The meeting forms part of the activities for the 19th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA 2025) that got underway here on Monday with St. Kitts and Nevis Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister, Samal Duggins, highlighting the central role of agriculture in regional development and resilience.

Agriculture Minister, Samal Duggins, addressing the opening of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA 2025)

‘Agriculture is not just another sector. It is the very lifeblood of our people. It is the guarantee that every family can access healthy and nutritious food,’ he said in his feature address, reflecting also on the CWA 2025 theme ‘Sowing Change, Harvesting Resilience: Transforming our Caribbean Food Systems for 2025, saying that the ‘seeds we plant here today, the policies we shape, the partnerships we build, will determine the resilience and the prosperity that we shall reap tomorrow’.

He urged regional leaders to confront long-standing challenges and elevate the agricultural agenda.

‘Our region has not always given agriculture the priority it deserves. Too often, it has been seen as a last resort, rather than recognised as a pillar of sovereignty and a pillar of growth,’ Duggins said, outlining efforts being made locally including the food import reduction programme, which prioritises local investment to increase the production of high-demand crops such as bananas, plantains, coconuts, and pineapples..

‘We are scaling climate-smart practices, expanding agro-processing, and empowering our youth and women to lead in this very transformation,’ he said, acknowledging the importance of unified regional efforts and emphasising the value of South-South cooperation, particularly through strengthening relationships with African nations.

He said the twin island Federation has been actively forging closer ties with countries like Nigeria and that such South-South collaboration enables shared learning in climate-smart agriculture, the creation of cross-continental value chains, and the development of deeper trade and innovation networks.

The agriculture ministers meeting, which will be chaired by Anguilla’s Minister of Economic Development, Industry, Commerce, Lands, Planning, Water, and Natural Resources, Kyle Hodge, will also discuss a regional training and capacity needs assessment being undertaken by the CRFM with support from GRÓ-Fisheries Training Programme (FTP), under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as well as south-south cooperation with China.

The ministers will also receive updates and provide policy guidance on regional initiatives to address climate resilience and blue economic growth. These include the Global Affairs Canada-funded Sustainable Technologies for Adaptation and Resilience in Fisheries (STAR-Fish) Project; the GEF/CAF/FAO/CRFM BE-CLME+ Project: Promoting National Blue Economy Priorities through Marine Spatial Planning in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Plus (BE-CLME+); and the New Zealand Bioeconomy Science Institute: Plant and Food Research Group/CRFM Sargassum Products for Climate Resilience in the Caribbean Project.

Meanwhile, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) will this week launch its landmark Common Apiculture Policy coinciding with the 9th OECS Council of Ministers: Agriculture meeting.

The policy, developed under the EU-funded BioSPACE Programme in collaboration with regional partners, seeks to protect bees as vital pollinators while strengthening the apiculture sector through sustainable practices, standardized approaches, and research-driven strategies.

‘We are going to have a technical paper and presentation presented within CWA so this is something that will be very pertinent for people like beekeepers, people who want to get into the apiculture space and policy makers,’ said Beekeeper at the Department of Agriculture here, Monroe Tweed.

‘What it is basically it is a document about how we would like to flesh out how we (standardise) beekeeping in the region and not just in St. Kitts but this is a document that’s been building up for a number of years with baseline studies funded by Small Grant Programs (SGPs)

‘We would also like to do an IPM which is an Integrated Pest Management paper because bees have their own pests, especially in the climate that we are in. It is an agricultural venture now so we must consider that as good stewards of bees.’

As part of the celebrations, the OECS-CARICOM Caribbean Honey Show will also be featured during CWA 2025, offering patrons the opportunity to taste and purchase honey and related products, including soaps made from beeswax, honey cocktails, pastries, and more.

On Wednesday, the CRFM will partner with the local Department of Marine Resources and the National Fisherfolk Organization to convene the Caribbean Small-scale Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum.

UNITED STATES-RIGHTS-US lists Caribbean countries in 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report

The United States Department of State has listed several Caribbean countries in its 2025 Trafficking in Person Report, stating that ‘trafficking in persons’ and ‘human trafficking’ are umbrella terms, often used interchangeably, to refer to a crime whereby traffickers exploit and profit at the expense of adults or children by compelling them to perform labor or engage in commercial sex.

‘When a person younger than 18 is used to perform a commercial sex act, it is a crime regardless of whether there is any force, fraud, or coercion involved,’ the State Department said, adding that Washington recognizes two primary forms of trafficking in persons, namely sex trafficking and forced labour.

In its report, the State Department has placed The Bahamas, Guyana and Suriname in Tier 1 which it said are those ‘whose governments fully meet the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Belize, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago have all been placed in Tier 2 ‘ whose governments do not fully meet the TVPA’s minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards’.

St. Lucia and Barbados have been placed in Tier 2 Watch List ‘whose governments do not fully meet the TVPA’s minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards (with certain exceptions), and for which the estimated number of victims of severe forms of trafficking is very significant or is significantly increasing, and the country is not taking proportional concrete actions’.

Sint Maarten, Venezuela and Cuba have been placed in Tier 3 ‘whose governments do not fully meet the TVPA’s minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so.’

The State Department also listed Haiti, along with Libya, Somalia and Yemen in the ‘Special Case’ category.

The State Department said the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended (TVPA), defines ‘severe forms of trafficking in persons’ as sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age; or the recruitment, harbouring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

The State Department said more than 180 countries ave ratified or acceded to the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (the UN TIP Protocol), which defines trafficking in persons and contains obligations to prevent and combat the crime.

The report says the TVPA directs the US Secretary of State to consider, as proof of a country’s failure to make significant efforts to fully meet the TVPA’s minimum standards, adding that governments on Tier 3 may be subject to certain restrictions on foreign assistance, ‘whereby the President may determine not to provide US government nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related foreign assistance as defined in the TVPA’.

The report states that the US President may also determine to instruct the US executive director of each multilateral development bank and the International Monetary Fun(IMF) to ‘vote against and use their best efforts to deny any loans or other uses of the institutions’ funds to a designated Tier 3 country for most purposes.

CRICKET-CWI unveils 2025/26 retainer contracts

In a significant move to secure the future of West Indies cricket, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has officially unveiled its list of players offered International Retainer Contracts for the 2025/26 season.

The new contract cycle, beginning October 1, sees a blend of established stars and exciting newcomers across both the Men’s and Women’s teams.

A key feature of this year’s list is the expanded use of multi-year deals, an initiative designed to provide players with greater financial security and help CWI retain its most valuable assets in the competitive global cricket landscape.

Miles Bascombe, CWI’s Director of Cricket, emphasised the dual focus of the selection process.

‘We have placed a premium on both current performance and long-term potential,’ Bascombe stated. ‘Our strategy is firmly focused on building competitive squads for major global tournaments, ensuring stability for our top performers, and aligning our pathways with long-term success for West Indies cricket.’

The senior Men’s list features 15 players who have become central figures across formats. The exciting pace duo of Alzarri Joseph and breakout sensation Shamar Joseph are retained, alongside batting mainstays like Shai Hope and Brandon King. Spin options Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie are also included, highlighting their importance to the squad.

Notably, the ‘Starter Contracts’ for developing players have been offered to promising teenagers, including young wicketkeeper-batter Jewel Andrew. Furthermore, the Men’s Academy list features a 15-player pool, such as Nathan Edward and Rivaldo Clarke.

The Women’s squad sees a strong core of experienced campaigners like captain Hayley Matthews and legendary Stafanie Taylor. They are joined by key players such as Chinelle Henry and Karishma Ramharack.

The commitment to development is mirrored in the Women’s program, with ‘Starter Contracts’ awarded to Jahzara Claxton and Realeanna Grimmond.

A 14-player Women’s Academy, including names like Trishan Holder and Shabika Gajnabi, rounds out a comprehensive plan to build depth and sustain success for the Maroon women.

West Indies Men’s Contracts 2025/26 Senior Men Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Jomel Warrican.

Starter Contracts (Development) Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Johann Layne,

Men’s Academy Ackeem Auguste, Ryan Bandoo, Jediah Blades, Rivaldo Clarke, Mavendra Dindyal, Giovonte Depeiza, Nathan Edward, Damel Evelyn, Amari Goodridge, Mbeki Joseph, Johann Layne, Zishan Motara, Kelvin Pittman, Renico Smith, Carlon Tuckett.

West Indies Women’s Contracts 2025/26 Senior Women Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Jannillea Glasgow, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Hayley Matthews, Ashmini Munisar, Stafanie Taylor, Karishma Ramharack.

Starter Contracts (Development) Jahzara Claxton, Realeanna Grimmond.

Women’s Academy Abigail Bryce, Asabi Callender, NaiJanni Cumberbatch, Shabika Gajanbi, Brianna Harricharan, Trishan Holder, Djenaba Joseph, Nyia Latchman, Samara Ramnath, Amrita Ramtahal, Selena Ross, Shunelle Sawh, Steffie Soogrim, Kate Wilmott.

CRICKET-NEP/WIS-LEAD Simmonds, openers inspire dominant consolation win for West Indies over Nepal

A revitalised West Indies outfit delivered a crushing ten-wicket victory over Nepal in the final T20I, preventing a historic whitewash and showcasing the potent talent within their ranks.

Despite the emphatic nature of the win, the result does little to overshadow Nepal’s landmark achievement in securing their first-ever series win against a full member nation after claiming the series 2-1.

Choosing to bowl first on a sluggish Sharjah pitch offering consistent sideways movement, the regional side were vindicated by a disciplined bowling performance.

The tone was set early, with Nepal’s openers finding boundaries hard to come against accurate bowling led by skipper Akeal Hosein.

Player of the series Kushal Bhurtel managed to hit a few lusty blows in his top score of 39, as the visitors put a stranglehold on the home side’s top order, stifling the powerplay that included 20 dot balls.

The pressure told quickly after the fielding restrictions eased, with Hosein and the impressive player of the match, Ramon Simmonds, exploiting the conditions perfectly.

Simmonds, brought in as one of two changes for the must-win encounter, was the game-changer, finishing with remarkable figures of 4-15 from three overs.

His impact was immediate, triggering a catastrophic middle-order collapse for Nepal. In his first two overs, Simmonds removed the dangerous-looking Rohit Paudel for 17 and Aarif Sheikh for 6, while a mix-up saw Gulsan Jha run out for 10.

From a precarious position of 91-5 in the 15th over, Nepal never recovered, with Simmonds mopping up the tail to bowl them out for 122.

The West Indies chase was a masterclass in controlled aggression. Openers Amir Jangoo and Ackeem Auguste extinguished any faint hopes of a Nepal fightback from the very first over, with Jangoo launching a Karan KC delivery onto the stadium roof.

The pair feasted on anything short or wayward, peppering the leg-side boundary with ease. They raced to a 47-run power play, effectively ending the contest within the first six overs. A rare dropped chance by Paudel to reprieve Auguste on 29 was a symbol of Nepal’s deflated energy.

Jangoo was in sublime touch, and after a solid foundation, he shifted into a devastating top gear. He brought up his fifty off just 38 balls and then unleashed a brutal assault, smashing five sixes in his last nine deliveries. The Trinidadian left-hander would finish not out on 74.

At the other end, Auguste provided the perfect foil with 41 not out, as the visitors galloped to their target with a massive 46 balls to spare, securing their first-ever ten-wicket win in T20Is.

DBM makes ‘bold’ step; adopts blockchain tech to make budgeting transparent

TO boost transparency, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Tuesday has officially adopted blockchain technology in the government budgeting process.

According to DBM Undersecretary Goddes Hope Libiran, it marks a bold step toward redefining transparency, efficiency, and accountability in public financial management.

‘Blockchain is more than a buzzword-it’s a governance tool. By leveraging this technology, we can ensure that every peso is accounted for, every transaction is transparent, and every citizen can trust how public funds are managed,’ said Libiran.

Although blockchain is not the silver bullet, Libiran said it offers a game-changing response by making transactions visible and verifiable in near real time, protecting data integrity through cryptographic consensus, and streamlining workflows for faster reconciliation with fewer bureaucratic layers.

Blockchain initially gained prominence in the private sector for its applications in cryptocurrencies to supply chain tracking, Libiran said. He noted that DBM’s adoption of the technology signals one of the first large-scale government implementations in Asia. She pointed out it puts the Philippines at the forefront of technological governance innovation and may inspire neighboring countries to follow suit.

This quarter, the DBM launched a production portal that records Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) and Notices of Cash Allocation (NCAs) as verifiable, on-chain entries. In partnership with BayaniChain and ExakIT Services, the site is widely regarded as the country’s first blockchain-backed budget transparency platform, making records tamper-proof while allowing the public to inspect how funds are authorized and released.

‘Our mission is to equip government and businesses with the tools to keep their systems secure and reliable. By using blockchain technology combined with the capabilities of advanced AI, we not only help the DBM strengthen transparency and the security of public finance, but also show how technologies can help institutions safeguard critical processes and deliver lasting value to their stakeholders,’ said BayaniChain CEO Paul Soliman in a press statement.

The workflow starts with DBM’s Action Document Releasing System (ADRS), which issues the official budget papers. These are then secured using BayaniChain’s Lumen Blockchain-as-a-Service platform, co-developed with ExakIT.

Transparency and protecting the data will go a simultaneously as the Prismo Protocol governs what details are made public and what stays private. After approval, SAROs and NCAs are immutably written to the Polygon blockchain as NFTs, preventing any alteration or tampering-an effective defense against deepfakes and document fraud.

Documents from 2024 onward can be retrieved either by scanning the QR code on a valid SARO or NCA, or by searching manually using fields like document type, department, agency, and operating unit.

Beyond SARO and NCA

LIBIRAN said the DBM envisions a broader digital ecosystem in which the full budget lifecycle-planning, allocation, disbursement, and audit-is traceable on-chain, complemented by AI-assisted analytics to detect anomalies, forecast needs, and inform smarter fiscal policy, as well as citizen-facing dashboards that turn complex budget data into clear, understandable insights.

‘We’re not just digitizing SAROs and NCAs, we’re building a next-generation public finance system that combines blockchain transparency with Artificial Intelligence to allocate resources more effectively and uphold accountability at every level,’ said Libiran.

She added that the DBM plans to extend blockchain-powered platforms across budgeting, procurement, and monitoring, with pilot programs already underway. The ultimate vision is a trustless (decentralized), transparent, citizen-first financial ecosystem that strengthens democratic governance through technology.

With this milestone, the Philippines notwithstanding the current challenges it is facing in the national expenditure program, hopes to demonstrate that the government can evolve with the times and lead, positioning the country as a regional model for digital trust and innovation aligned with global best practices.

BayaniChain is a trusted blockchain infrastructure provider for government and enterprises. It delivers secure, transparent, and scalable systems that enable institutions to harness blockchain for real-world impact.

DA-PCC says higher carabao population to strengthen dairy and meat industries

Building on the higher volumes of milk and meat collected in the last five years, the Philippines is now aiming to scale up its carabao population to boost rural incomes, according to the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC).

DA-PCC said this in a statement on Tuesday after it revealed that the government national program on genetically improving the Philippine carabao has made ‘headway’ as it recorded 145,181 genetically improved calves in the last five years.

This represents a 31.1 percent increase from 2019 to 2024 and translates to an estimated 12 million kilograms of milk and 114,380 jobs supported by the carabao supply chain.

The attached agency of the country’s Agriculture department said 90 percent of these calves are meant for milk and meat purposes while the remaining 10 percent is for draft power.

In the recent year alone, the DA-PCC said 36,618 superior-breed calves were produced out of the organized crossbreeding program.

‘Building on these gains, the program now aims to scale up the adoption of genetically superior carabaos across the DA-PCC network of service areas,’ the attached agency of DA said in its statement.

Liza G. Battad, Executive Director III of DA-PCC, explained that the ‘accelerated shift toward a more productive carabao population is expected to strengthen farmer cooperatives due to higher volumes of milk and meat handled collectively, enhance market linkages, significantly increase farmers’ incomes, and improve household nutrition through greater milk availability.’

DA-PCC said the carabao topped the list of the national dairy animal inventory, with 82,908 carabaos, followed by goats with 36,022, and cattle with 35,322.

‘With 99 percent of the carabao population owned by smallholder farmers, efforts to improve its productivity directly translate to better incomes and livelihoods for rural households,’ the attached agency of DA noted.

This ‘buildup,’ DA-PCC said, supports the livelihood of 227 assisted cooperative-led enterprises, comprising some 14,000 cooperative members and their families.

The DA-PCC also note the ‘steady increase’ in price per liter of raw carabao’s milk signals the ‘economic viability’ and competitiveness of the industry, underscoring the importance and timeliness of these advancements for the industry.

‘From P63.27 in 2020, a liter of raw carabao milk is now at P84.87,’ the attached agency of DA noted.

To match the increase in production, the DA-PCC assisted cooperatives are ‘actively’ supplying toned pasteurized milk for the national School-based Feeding Program (SBFP) of the Department of Education (DepEd) and Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

‘This market channel alone has generated for these cooperatives P2.4 billion from 2019 to 2024 for the SBFP and P504 million from 2020 to 2024 for the SFP,’ DA-PCC said.

Under the Sagip Saka Act or Republic Act No. 11321, community-based organizations such as the assisted carabao cooperatives of the DA-PCC are prioritized as suppliers under the guided procurement.

DA-PCC also noted that other market development interventions are now underway, including the establishment of 80 Dairy Boxes nationwide, 18 of which are positioned as Kadiwa ng Pangulo Dairy Box.

The Dairy Box is a business model by DA-PCC developed to absorb the produce of carabao dairy cooperatives.

The Milka Krem, an advocacy dairy outlet and café managed by the DA-PCC, showcases quality carabao milk and carabao-based products, serving as another market support for dairy farmers.

The Department of Tourism-accredited outlet can be found in Science City of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija and at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños Laguna.

Meanwhile, DA-PCC said there is also a ‘significant’ growing appreciation of carabao meat and consistent increase in meat production with 76,046 metric tons in 2024 from 70,572 in 2020.

‘The demand for carabao meat has also influenced the prevailing liveweight price per kilogram at P164.61 from P110.28 in 2020,’ the attached agency of DA also noted.

DA-PCC said another ’emerging subsector’ alongside the dairy sector is the leather production industry, which taps into carabao by-products and creates additional income streams for farmers.

‘This Cara Cuero brand, a market development initiative by the DA-PCC at Central Luzon State University, seeks to enhance the value of carabao hide by creating high-quality leather products, positioning them in the high-end,’ it also noted.

Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong to see pay hike, DMW lauds increase

Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong will get a 2.2-percent increase in their monthly allowable wage in the special administrative region of China, according to Department of the Migrant Workers (DMW).

The Hong Kong government decided to raise the monthly salary of foreign domestic workers from HK$4,990 (equivalent to P37,329.64) to HK$5,100 (equivalent to P38,152.64).

The new salary adjustment will apply to employment contracts, which were signed starting September 30, 2025. However, contracts, which were signed under the previous wage level will still be accepted by the Hong Kong Immigration Department until October 27, 2025.

DMW Secretary Hans J. Cacdac lauded the development since it exceeded DMW’s proposed new monthly minimum wage for domestic workers.

‘The wage increase surpasses the Philippines’ US$500 [equivalent to P29,098.75] z minimum wage standard for domestic workers as outlined in DMW Advisory No. 25, Series of 2025,’ he said in a statement.

The new wage adjustment will cover majority of the over 190,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in Hong Kong, who are mostly domestic workers.

DMW said its Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Hong Kong will assist OFWs in enforcing contracts and reporting any cases of non-compliance.

It said it will continue to push for better benefits for Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong such as raising their food allowance, which remained at HK$1,236 (equivalent to P9,246.40).

‘The DMW stressed the importance of ongoing discussions to address additional issues, like the unchanged food allowance despite rising living costs,’ the agency said.

DPWH to use blockchain tech in fund use

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has teamed up with the Blockchain Council of the Philippines (BCP) to roll out ‘Integrity Chain,’ a blockchain-powered platform aimed at embedding transparency and accountability in government infrastructure spending.

The initiative, formalized through a memorandum of agreement signed on September 30, will see foreign-assisted projects of the DPWH digitized and recorded on an immutable ledger.

Key details-ranging from budgets and procurement processes to construction milestones and contractor payments-will be uploaded on the system, which will be accessible to the public.

‘From the budget process to the procurement process, to the award of the contract, to the implementation of the project, to the monitoring of the project, to the payments made to the contractors, to the acceptance of the project. Everyone should be watching now, everyone,’ said Dizon.

The Integrity Chain will feature a real-time dashboard for tracking project progress, citizen feedback, and anomaly reporting. Its tamper-proof recordkeeping is designed to deter corruption and reinforce accountability in one of the most corruption-prone agencies of government.

‘For the first time, the private sector isn’t just demanding integrity-we’re building the infrastructure to deliver it,’ said BCP President Donald Patrick Lim.

As part of the pilot, BCP will provide the DPWH with a one-year complimentary subscription, including training, technical support, and cybersecurity safeguards.

Dizon has intensified anti-corruption efforts at the DPWH in the wake of the multibillion-peso flood control scandal, which exposed how public funds were allegedly siphoned off through ghost projects and collusion between contractors and agency officials.

Since taking office, he has ordered the removal of several executives and regional officers, while initiating criminal and administrative cases against erring contractors and personnel.

San Lorenzo Ruiz Level 2 General Hospital touts upgraded facilities

MALABON CITY-A new chapter in Malabon’s healthcare system officially began with the inauguration of the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital (SLRGH), now a Level 2 General Hospital, that will provide better health services to more Malabueños.

Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval led the blessing and inauguration ceremony along with Rep. Ricky Sandoval, who initiated the upgrade through House Bill No. 5791, Secretary of Health Teodoro J. Herbosa, and SLRGH officials.

‘With the collaboration of our Depoartment of Health and the initiative of our city’s former representative, Ricky Sandoval, the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital has been reopened – more modern this time, and able to provide more comprehensive services for more Malabueños. Now, along with the programs of the city government, our people are assured of better healthcare. We continue to pursue our goal of better services for all,’ Mayor Jeannie said.

The newly inaugurated six-story hospital along Panghulo Road boasts a 200-bed capacity, a major upgrade that will allow it to accommodate more patients. Equipped with modern facilities such as operating rooms, a labor room, an intensive care unit, a surgery consultation room, an emergency room, and a spacious lobby, the SLRGH ensures that Malabueños have access to comprehensive and quality healthcare.

SLRGH’s expansion was made possible through the initiative of Reo. Ricky Sandoval, who filed House Bill No. 5791 in the 17th Congress. The bill led to the allocation of funds for a wider hospital site and the construction of the new six-story facility under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program. In 2019, through Republic Act 11289, the former San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital was officially converted into the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital, paving the way for its upgrade.

Because of this initiative by Sandoval, the hospital has increased its capacity from 10 beds to 200 beds, allowing it to serve more residents of the city.

As a Level 2 hospital, SLRGH offers departmentalized services, including:

Medicine

Diagnosis and treatment of various illnesses

Pediatrics

Child healthcare and wellness

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-Gyne)

Women’s health and childbirth services

Surgery

Safe and advanced surgical procedures

Anesthesiology

Specialized care before, during, and after operation.

It features modern equipment, including machines for colposcopy, MRI, CT scan, 2D echo, ultrasound, therapy, x-ray, a clinical laboratory, and other services under Level 2 classification that will improve the delivery of health services to residents. It will soon have a fully digital fluoroscopy machine, a fully digital C-arm machine, and a hystero-laparoscopy tower and instruments.

Founded in 1990 as the San Lorenzo Ruiz Municipal Hospital, the facility initially served as a small healthcare center before becoming the San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital (SLRWH) in 1998. From a modest 10-bed Level 1 hospital, it has now transformed into a 200-bed modern general hospital-proof of Malabon’s continuous investment in healthcare.

Over the years, SLRGH has also earned national recognition such as being a PhilHealth-accredited Center for Quality hospital, an ISO 9001:2015 Certified Government Hospital, and a Red Orchid Hall of Famer Awardee.

Comelec issues certificate of finality on Duterte Youth cancellation

The cancellation of the registration of the Duterte Youth party-list is now final and executory, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Tuesday.

This comes after Duterte Youth failed to secure a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Supreme Court to stop the poll body from enforcing its ruling.

‘The clerk of the Commission has just issued the certificate of finality and entry of judgment in this case. Therefore, expect that by tomorrow the Comelec en banc will discuss and determine who will benefit from the three seats vacated by the party-list,’ Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said.

Garcia noted that since the Supreme Court did not issue a TRO within 30 days, the Comelec en banc’s August 29 ruling canceling Duterte Youth’s registration has now attained finality.

‘This means the decision is final as far as the Comelec is concerned. The decision of the Comelec en banc can now be implemented,’ he added.

The Comelec earlier barred Duterte Youth from taking its seats in the 20th Congress after the en banc voted 5-1-1 to affirm the Second Division’s ruling in SPP No. 19-009 nullifying its registration.

The poll body held that the group failed to comply with mandatory requirements under the Party-List System Act, including publication and the conduct of public hearings.

To recall, the Duterte Youth garnered 2.33 million votes in the May 2025 midterm polls, the second-highest tally among party-list groups, which would have entitled it to three congressional seats had its registration not been canceled.