MANILA, Philippines—At least 7.5 million Filipinos, including children, are vulnerable to trafficking and may also find it difficult to enrol in schools, find jobs, travel or run for office—all because their births were not registered. Birth registration establishes the official identity of a child and protects them from harm and exploitation, according to Sen.

With more schools planning to adjust their academic calendar to that of the rest of the world, the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) is weighing the proposal of the “big four” universities for a change in the start of the academic year to August or September. But Patricia Licuanan, CHEd chair, said on Friday that the proposal would be carefully studied to determine its impact and implications on the wider education system in the Philippines.

Manila, Philippines – The government will not propose new taxes this year despite its resolve to attain inclusive economic growth in the country, a Malacañang official said yesterday. Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said President Benigno S. Aquino III will keep his word to refrain from imposing new taxes,

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed Bureau of Immigration (BI) officer-in-charge (OIC) Siegfred Mison as the Bureau’s new Commissioner. Malacañang said yesterday the President signed Mison’s appointment on Dec. 18. It also announced the appointment of resigned National Bureau of Investigation chief Nonnatus Cesar Rojas as regional prosecutor in the Ilocos Region.

The United Nations’ International Labor Organization (ILO) on Monday expressed its full support to the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) typhoon emergency employment programs for victims of supertyphoon “Yolanda.” ILO said in a statement that it is giving technical expertise and financial support to DOLE’s emergency employment programs for Typhoon Yolanda victims.