Abbey M.

The World Bank has confirmed the status of the Philippines as an upper-middle-income country.

Based on the World Bank's latest income assessment this July, the Philippines' gross national income per capita has reached 4,850 US dollars, surpassing the 4,636 US dollar threshold for upper-middle-income countries.

According to the Department of Economy, Planning and Development, or DepDev, this improvement is driven by the continued growth of the Philippine economy, macroeconomic management, and long-term structural reforms.

DepDev added that this development only shows the resilience of the Philippine economy.

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed hope for a more solid relationship with the United States after welcoming the new US Ambassador-designate, Lee Lipton, at Malacañang yesterday.

Ambassador Lipton presented his credentials to President Marcos as the new US envoy to the Philippines.

According to the new US ambassador, he will work hard to further deepen the partnership between America and the Philippines, particularly when it comes to security, economic, and commercial ties.

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will proceed with his trip to Canada today for a four-day official visit.

The President is set to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Joseph Carney to discuss various areas of cooperation between the two countries.

Also part of the discussion will be the Philippines' ASEAN chairmanship, with Canada serving as a dialogue partner of the regional bloc since 1977.

President Marcos will also push the country's interests as he meets with Canadian businessmen and investors.

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The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is expected to begin on Monday, July 6, with the Senate affirming its readiness for the proceedings.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian expressed confidence that the Senate is fully prepared for the impeachment trial set for Monday. However, this comes amid the unresolved issue surrounding a sealed and unmarked box from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) containing the vice president's tax records.

According to Senator Gatchalian, the decision on what to do with the box now rests with the impeachment court.

"Ano mangyayari sa BIR box? Yung BIR box will be left to the impeachment court to decide."

(What will happen to the BIR box? The BIR box will be left to the impeachment court to decide.)

"So not necessarily first order of business on Monday? Not necessarily." SP Sherwin Gatchalian added.

The House prosecution panel had earlier submitted a manifestation during the pre-trial conference requesting that the BIR box be opened so that the documents inside could be marked. When the impeachment court did not act on this request, the prosecution again asked that the box at least be marked as evidence.

However, by the conclusion of the pre-trial conference, the box remained sealed and unmarked.

On this matter, the Senate leader said they will wait for the historic trial against the vice president to begin before the impeachment court makes a decision.

"Sir, sa Monday yun pagdidesisyon? When the time comes. I'm sure yung prosecution, pag i-reraise, then we will decide on that matter."

(Sir, will the decision be made on Monday? When the time comes. I'm sure if the prosecution raises it, then we will decide on that matter.)

The trial proper is expected to begin at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 6.

According to the prosecution panel, they will first present evidence related to the alleged threats made by Vice President Duterte against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

This will be followed by the alleged misuse of confidential funds, then the alleged bribery and corruption within the Department of Education.

Lastly, the prosecution will take up the vice president's alleged unexplained wealth.

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Labor groups have opposed a planned executive session for the substitute bill on the legislated wage hike, saying the move lacks transparency.

The House Committee on Labor and Employment approved a motion to convene an executive session for the substitute bill covering the pending measures on the legislated wage hike. This will take place after the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 27, 2026.

Several bills are currently pending in the House of Representatives seeking a wage increase for workers, including proposals ranging from a 100-peso to a 1,200-peso increase.

During the hearing, Rep. Johanne Monich Bautista, Senior Vice Chairperson of the House Committee on Labor and Employment and representative of TRABAHO Partylist, moved to convene the executive session:

"Mr. Chair, may I move to convene an executive session after the SONA to decide on the substitute bill for these proposed measures on legislated wage hike."

Rep. Ramon Jolo Revilla, Chairperson of the House Committee on Labor and Employment and representative of Cavite's 1st District, approved the motion:

"There's a motion to convene an executive session to decide on substitute bill on wage. Any objection? The motion is seconded, the motion is hereby approved."

President of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, Atty. Luke Espiritu opposed the move, saying it lacks transparency.

"Na gagawin lang na parang pribado, na hindi open sa publiko na pinasa kanina ng house committee on labor, tingin ko yan ay walang ka-transpa-transparency. Ang ayaw nating mangyari ay parang tulad sa bill ng anti-dynasty law. Na ang dami-daming bills na anti-dynasty law na mas maganda, tapos maraming versions na mas deserving na ipasa, tapos ito ay ni-reduce lamang sa so-called consolidated version na yan ay version lamang ng iisa, yung bill na pabor sa mga dinastiya. Yan ang ayaw nating mangyari at maging resulta ng wage bills na ito."

(For this to be done privately, not open to the public, what was passed earlier by the house committee on labor — I think that lacks transparency. What we don't want to happen is similar to what happened with the anti-dynasty law bill. There were so many anti-dynasty law bills that were better, and many versions that were more deserving of passage, but it was just reduced to a so-called consolidated version, which turned out to be just one version — the bill favorable to political dynasties. That is what we don't want to happen and become the result of these wage bills.)

Meanwhile, some legislators said the process should be made public.

"Ang position namin is mas maganda nga kung public dun sa komite mismo para kung mayroong mga oposisyon dito, una yung mga business at stakeholders, publicly din malaman ng mga manggagawa, malaman, so better mapag-usapan publicly." Rep. Eli San Fernando of Kamanggagawa Partylist said.

(Our position is that it would be better if it were public at the committee level itself, so that if there is opposition to this — first from businesses and stakeholders — the workers would also know publicly, so it's better discussed publicly.)

"In the end, ipe-present pa rin yan sa committee. Kaya hindi pa rin makakalampas ang bill na ito at di maaprubahan kung di dadalhin sa komite, unfortunately executive session pa yung ginawang paraan pero in the end aabot din ito sa komite." Rep. Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers Partylist stated.

(In the end, it will still be presented to the committee. So this bill still cannot pass and be approved without being brought to the committee — unfortunately, an executive session was the method used, but in the end, it will still reach the committee.)

The groups also challenged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to certify as urgent the pending bills seeking a wage increase for workers.

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