INQToday: PH December Inflation eases to 3.9%

Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:

PH December Inflation eases to 3.9%

Inflation softened for the third straight month in December despite the typical surge in demand during the Holiday season, thanks to slower increases in utility costs and prices of some key food items.

Inflation—as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI)— eased to 3.9 percent year-on-year in the final month of 2023, from 4.1 percent in November, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Friday.

Lawmakers slam ‘abrupt’ CHED memorandum

Lawmakers on Thursday slammed the “abrupt” decision of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to discontinue the senior high school program (SHS) in government-run universities and colleges.

In a statement, Gabriela party list Rep. Arlene Brosas criticized CHEd chair Prospero de Vera III for issuing on Dec. 18 the memorandum directing state universities and colleges (SUCs) as well as local universities and colleges (LUCs) to discontinue their SHS programs starting next school year. According to Brosas, the memorandum would be an added burden on parents, students and educators and also threaten the job security of SHS faculty and personnel.

Ex-president Duterte may seek Senate seat in 2025 – Sen. Dela Rosa

Former president Rodrigo Duterte may seek out a Senate seat in the 2025 midterm elections if the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation pushes through, Senator Ronald dela Rosa said on Thursday.

Dela Rosa, in a virtual interview, said that Duterte’s possible candidacy has been raised by several fellow PDP-Laban members, although the former president still has not decided on it.

Japan quake death toll rises to 92, missing 242

The powerful earthquake that hit Japan’s western coast on New Year’s Day has underscored the country’s exposure to natural disasters, casting fresh doubt over a push to bring its nuclear capacity back online.

Nuclear power plants dot the coast of mountainous Japan, which is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis due to its location on the seismically active “Ring of Fire” around the Pacific Ocean.