TESSDRIVE PH

Philippine centenarians get P100,000 incentive; double if you live in this city

Since the passage of the Centenarians Act in 2016, the Philippine government (via the Department of Social Welfare and Development) has awarded a total of P468.8 million in cash to 4,688 Filipinos who turned 100 years old–a one-time, tax-free payout of P100,000 per centenarian. For 2019, the government will set aside another P109 million for […]

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Forest trees are becoming endangered, too; here’s what our scientists are doing to help

LUCBAN, Quezon – To meet the high demand for quality planting materials of the wood-based industry, ensuring the supply of our forest tree resources is a must. To achieve this, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) funded a project in support

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In Nueva Vizcaya, the smiles are ‘sour’ because the citrus grows better

A visit to the citrus plantation in Malabing Valley in Nueva Vizcaya last September 13 and 14 has provided some valuable information. The visit was part of the activities on the conduct of the Cagayan Valley Agriculture, Aquatic and Resources Research and Development’s (CVAARRD) Farms and Industry Encounters through the S&T Agenda (FIESTA) on Citrus.

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Yet more proof that plants hold the key to our health: Take a closer look at ‘duhat’ and ‘bignay’

Two projects implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) found that duhat (Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels) and bignay (Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng) contain anthocyanins that possess health-promoting properties, particularly antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties. Because of these properties, the two extracts can be processed as food supplements and food additives. They also

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OFWs could have sent P6.75B more to their families in one month alone, if only they used what was already at hand

Mobile money–the use of a mobile phone to remit funds–offers the cheapest way for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to send cash home. Citing the World Bank’s latest Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) report, ACTS-OFW Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III said on September 23 that cash transfers via mobile operators cost a global average of only 3.20% of

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The flutterings before the storm

Two days before super typhoon Ompong makes landfall 400 kms north, 30 or so motoring scribes take a break from test driving Honda’s latest crossover HR-V along Tagaytay and Talisay in Cavite. Here at Escala Tagaytay, this butterfly seems to take in the breathtaking view of Taal Lake and volcano.   How did we get

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What’s better than eating chocolates? Making money out of ‘nature’s brown gold’, of course

Let’s just call it your “cash cacao”. And in a nutshell (pun intended), we’re taking advantage of one of our most guilty pleasures, chocolates! An event in Mati City, Davao Oriental, focusing on the economic opportunities presented by cacao, the raw material used to make chocolates, was held August 23 and 24. Known as the

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The P3.5B alloted for the PUV modernization program is a lot of money — until you realize how many have to share the pot

The financial support is coming in, for sure. The national government will spend another P447 million next year to carry out the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), a member of Congress said last August 21. “The fresh funding is on top of the P843 million allotted this year to support the program,” said Surigao

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Finally, an iconic Italian scooter brand will come out with an electric version. But will the cheap Chinese-made ones even care?

The Piaggio Group will start production of Vespa Elettrica in September. The long-awaited electric version of one of the world’s most iconic scooters will be produced at the Pontedera plant in the province of Pisa, the same one where Vespa first rolled off the line in the spring of 1946. The first vehicles will already

Finally, an iconic Italian scooter brand will come out with an electric version. But will the cheap Chinese-made ones even care? Read More »

Carra-what? Increased ‘munggo’ production depends on this abundant seaweed

We all know what “munggo”, or “monggo” is. That small, greenish member of the legume family we love to saute or make a key ingredient of in savory or sweet dishes  is also popularly called the mung bean. It grows abundantly in Southeast Asia. But with the human population explosion in the Asian region, production

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