News

Olongapo folk asked to store water due to power situation

OLONGAPO CITY — Citing the unstable power situation in Luzon, the local water concessionaire on Wednesday, April 17, asked residents in this city to stock up on water in anticipation of power outages. In an advisory, Subic Water said that while the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines issued a yellow alert over Luzon, residents in some villages must stock water for at least one day due to the possible service interruptions. A yellow alert is...

Ombudsman sacks BFAR chief over P2-B transmitter deal

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the head of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) after finding him guilty of grave misconduct in connection with the 2018 purchase of a monitoring system for fishing vessels that proved to be disadvantageous to the government. BFAR National Director Demosthenes Escoto was meted the penalty for his role in what state prosecutors described as an “anomalous scheme” in...

Scholars file complaint against CHEd chief before Ombudsman

TEN indigenous student scholars from South Cotabato filed a complaint against Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Chairman Prospero de Vera III before the Office of the Ombudsman for failing to release their living allowances for three school years starting in 2021. De Vera has already been under fire for failing to make use of a P10.3 billion fund meant for free tuition and living allowances of government scholars under Republic Act 10931 or...

Dubai: Floods submerge roads, affect airport after record rains

Dubai’s giant highways were clogged by flooding and its major airport was in chaos as the Middle East financial centre remained gridlocked on Wednesday, a day after the heaviest rains on record. Tailbacks snaked along waterlogged, six-lane expressways after up to 259.5 millimetres (10.2 inches) of rain, the most since records began 75 years ago, fell on the desert United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. READ MORE: ‘Iron Man’ pilots race in jet suits...

'Turd that can't be polished': SNP MP's blistering Commons rant about Rwanda bill

'I will vote against it at every opportunity because it is despicable.'

Gatchalian asks CHEd: Probe ‘sale’ of degrees to foreign students

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday asked the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) to investigate and sanction people involved in the alleged sale of diplomas or degrees to foreign students in the country. He made the call following reports that some Chinese students in Cagayan are paying P2 million to obtain their degrees. “CHEd must impose appropriate penalties or sanctions on HEIs (higher education institutions) and...

Philippines says decision to strengthen ties with Japan, US a ‘sovereign choice’

MANILA — The Philippines’ decision to ramp up ties with Japan and the United States at a recent summit was a “sovereign choice” for the country, its foreign ministry said on Thursday in response to China’s comments opposing the trilateral meeting. U.S. President Joe Biden hosted Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington last […]

Women’s bodies being turned into ‘battlegrounds’—UN

GENEVA, Switzerland — Women’s bodies have become political “battlegrounds,” putting at risk 30 years of progress on sexual and reproductive health for women and girls, the United Nations warned on Wednesday. Though maternal mortality rates and unwanted pregnancy rates have been steadily falling, progress is now slowing or even flatlining on key measures, said the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN’s sexual and reproductive health...

Residents mock up 'Arctic' fishing spot at sinkhole

Households await news of when a sinkhole will be filled in after it opened up on 13 March.

Senate comment sought on Quiboloy’s petition to block arrest order

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Supreme Court has directed the Senate to comment on the petition for certiorari and temporary restraining order (TRO) being sought by televangelist Apollo Quiboloy in relation to the upper chamber’s inquiry on alleged cases of human trafficking, rape, sexual and child abuse against the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader. At a media forum in Baguio City on Wednesday, Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Ting said...

IMF says global debt levels face ‘Great Election Year’ risk

WASHINGTON, United States — The path towards sustainable government debt levels around the world is under threat this year from the sheer number of elections taking place, the IMF said Wednesday in a new report. “History suggests, and empirical evidence confirms, that governments tend to spend more and or tax less in election year,” Vitor Gaspar, the head of the International Monetary Fund’s Fiscal Affairs told AFP, ahead of the publication of...

Trilateral pushback against China

Stripped of diplomatic verbiage and despite disclaimers to the contrary, there is no question the cooperation agreement entered into recently by the Philippines, the United States, and Japan is directed at China. While it is true that the leaders of the three countries discussed infrastructure and investment plans, e.g., the Luzon Economic Corridor and Open Radio Access Network programs in the Philippines, the principal objective of that...

Ukraine PM warns of Third World War if Russia wins

Denys Shmyhal tells the BBC his country desperately needs the US to pass a long-stalled foreign aid bill.

CCLEX-Guadalupe ramp: P6B project set to boost Cebu’s economy

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebuanos can anticipate a significant impact on Metro Cebu’s economy following a substantial investment increase by a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) in the construction of the Guadalupe ramp. This ramp will connect the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) to Barangay Guadalupe. Initially projected at P1 billion last year, CCLEX Corp. (CCLEC) President and General Manager, Engineer Allan Alfon, now estimates...

3 Mindanao towns under state of calamity due to El Niño

KORONADAL CITY, SOCCSKSARGEN, Philippines — Three towns in Mindanao have been placed under a state of calamity due to the impact of the El Niño weather phenomenon in farming-dependent local economies there. The local governments of the towns of Paglat and Datu Piang in Maguindanao del Sur province, and Surallah town in South Cotabato province declared the state of calamity as the prolonged dry spell destroyed farms and disrupted irrigation...

911 emergency lines are DOWN across multiple states

Cities as big as Las Vegas , as well as the entire state of South Dakota and locales in Texas and Nebraska announced the unprecedented outages on Wednesday night.

Police arrest six, seek three others in Canada's largest gold heist

By KyawSoe Oo and Ismail Shakil BRAMPTON, Ontario (Reuters) - Canadian and U.S. authorities said on Wednesday six people have been arrested and three more are being sought in connection with what they called the largest gold heist in Canadian history -- a cargo of over C$22 million ($16 million) in gold and currency. The suspects, including two Air Canada employees, forged an airway bill to

3 cities in PH have cleanest air in Southeast Asia

MANILA, Philippines — Three cities in the Philippines ranked among the cleanest in terms of air pollution levels in Southeast Asia, according to a 2023 international report on air quality. The Swiss air-monitoring company IQAir’s 2023 World Air Quality Report provides a global review of air quality, citing PM2.5 air quality data from 7,812 cities spanning 134 countries, regions, and territories for 2023. M2.5 concentration describes the amount...

China slams U.S. probe into its shipbuilding industry, says move is a 'mistake on top of a mistake'

China on Wednesday said it "firmly opposes" the U.S. investigation into its maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries.

Survey: Support for Duterte in senatorial race dips

FORMER president Rodrigo Duterte slipped into second place among contenders for the 2025 Senate race in the latest Publicus Asia survey results released on Wednesday. In its Pahayag 2024 First Quarter Survey, conducted from March 14 to 18 among 1,500 respondents, Publicus Asia noted "intriguing shifts in voter predispositions" amid the anticipation and speculation surrounding the 2025 senatorial elections. "Out of 54 names in the list,...

Tsunami alert after devastating volcanic eruption rocks nation

Indonesian stratovolcano Mount Ruang, in North Sulawesi Province, has erupted spectaularly five times in 24 hours.

Heat index at ‘danger’ levels seen to strike 18 areas on April 18

MANILA, Philippines — Heat index at “danger” levels of 42 to 45 degrees Celsius were forecast to hit 18 areas of the country on Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said. The state weather agency said in an advisory that these areas are: Aborlan, Palawan – 45 degrees Celsius Dagupan City, Pangasinan – 44 degrees Celsius Puerto Princesa City, Palawan – 44 degrees Celsius Catarman,...

Marcos meets Blair over BARMM peace efforts, food security, climate change

MANILA, Philippines: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier this week met with former United Kingdom prime minister Tony Blair, Malacañang said. Their meeting last Wednesday, April 17, was their third overall, the first two being on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York and in the Palace in Manila, both in 2022. In a social media post, Marcos said he was "looking forward to further collaboration with the Tony Blair...

Malampaya gas deliveries rise as Luzon grid placed on alert status

MANILA, Philippines—The Malampaya offshore field was able to deliver more than its target gas volume to key power plants as the Luzon grid was placed on red and yellow alert status by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). Prime Energy Resources Development B.V. (Prime Energy), operator of Service Contract (SC) No. 38 which governs the Malampaya project, said gas supply to customers peaked at 290 million standard cubic feet per...

Another clarification from DepEd: No need to buy alternate uniform

MANILA, Philippines — Teachers and nonteaching staff do not need to buy collared shirts that they can wear as alternate uniforms for summer, the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Wednesday. Michael Poa, DepEd spokesperson and undersecretary, told reporters that the agency’s April 11 memorandum on optional “comfortable clothing” amid rising temperatures nationwide said that any collared shirt used in the agency’s previous activities could...

DOTr ink pact with DILG, MMDA to crack down on colorum vehicles

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has signed a tripartite cooperation agreement with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to intensify the crackdown on colorum vehicles as part of efforts to ease traffic in Metro Manila. In a news release on Thursday, the DOTr said the tripartite agreement was signed by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos,...

Meat plant throws away 1.8 tonnes of food

More than 1.8 tonnes of meat was thrown away earlier this month, a government minister confirms.

Solon wants clarity in Bukidnon clash

MANILA, Philippines — Gabriela party list Rep. Arlene Brosas on Wednesday slammed the Armed Forces of the Philippines over the circumstances surrounding the death of a New People’s Army (NPA) leader in Bukidnon province, calling it an extrajudicial killing in violation of international humanitarian law. In a statement, Brosas pointed out that the body of Kaliska “Kal” Peralta, 33, bore signs of torture and abuse, which were concealed because...

Explainer: What caused the storm that brought Dubai to a standstill?

DUBAI — A storm hit the United Arab Emirates and Oman this week bringing record rainfall that flooded highways, inundated houses, grid-locked traffic and trapped people in their homes. At least 20 people were reported to have died in the deluge in Oman while another person was said to have died in floods in the UAE that […]

BIZ BUZZ: Retail ‘sukuk’ bond sale?

MANILA, Philippines — For Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr., financial conditions are now ripe for a domestic “sukuk” bond sale. At a press conference on Monday, Remolona said the government could make a killing with a local issuance of sukuk, a form of financing that is compliant with Islamic religious law that prohibits the earning of interest. While he noted that it is the National Treasurer who is in charge of...

China ‘recruitment’ of PH armed forces must be probed – Makabayan

MANILA, Philippines — China’s alleged recruitment of Filipino military and police personnel must be investigated, lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc of the House of Representatives said. They also said that the reported existence of Chinese sleeper cells – or secretive groups on standby to conduct “infiltration and intervention activities” – in the country must be looked into as these are considered “serious matters of national security.” The...

The Russian Orthodox Church declares ‘holy war’ against Ukraine and the West

Rape victim's frustration over attacker's parole

"Elizabeth"'s rapist was recalled to prison in January after breaching his parole conditions.

Thailand and New Zealand vow to strengthen economic ties

BANGKOK — Thailand and New Zealand on Wednesday vowed to boost economic cooperation with an aim to triple two-way trade by 2045, as the New Zealand leader visited Thailand for the first time in 11 years. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon arrived in Bangkok on Tuesday and met with his Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin at the government house on Wednesday. They discussed trade, education, investment, visa arrangements, tourism,...

China told: ‘Peace-loving’ nations won’t take US-PH-Japan meet as threat

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the recent trilateral summit of the Philippines, Japan, and the United States should not be deemed as a threat “by any peace-loving country.” It explained anew that the goal of the historic three-way talks was to promote peace as it responds to the Philippines’ development needs. “It is the sovereign choice and decision of the Philippines to strengthen our alliance with the...

UK, EU face significant medicine shortages – study

LONDON, United Kingdom — Patients in the UK and European Union are facing shortages of vital medicines such as antibiotics and epilepsy medication, research published Thursday found. The report by Britain’s Nuffield Trust think-tank found the situation had become a “new normal” in the UK and was “also having a serious impact in EU countries.” Mark Dayan, Brexit program lead at the Nuffield Trust think-tank, said Britain’s decision to leave the...

Russian missile barrage on Ukraine city kills 17

CHERNIGIV, Ukraine — Three Russian missiles crashed into Ukraine’s historic city of Chernigiv on Wednesday, killing 17 people as officials pleaded for more air defense systems from allies. Pools of blood gathered on the street at the scene of one strike, where rescuers searched for survivors in the rubble and carried away the wounded on stretchers, official images showed. As President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for more help from Western...

BSP unfazed by peso slump to 57:$1

MANILA, Philippines – The recent weakness of the peso is “not large enough” to upset inflation expectations and trigger any policy actions from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said on Wednesday. At a press conference, Remolona said the local currency’s slump was “not a case of a weak peso, [but] a case of a strong dollar” as the greenback regained strength amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and...

Can Ukraine’s new drone campaign change the battlefield?

Luzon, Visayas grids still on red and yellow alerts on Thursday

MANILA, Philippines — National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) raised red and yellow alerts in Luzon and Visayas for the third straight day today, April 18, due to the unavailability of several power plants. In an advisory, NGCP said a red alert status will be up in the Luzon grid from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Before that, the Luzon grid will be placed under yellow alert from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and from 10...

Play tells real-life story of one-punch killing

Killer Jacob Dunne hopes Punch will be a legacy to his victim, James Hodgkinson.

Comelec looks set to hit goal of 3M new voters

MANILA, Philippines — Less than three months after it started accepting applications, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Wednesday that more than 2 million people have registered to become voters—more than two-thirds of its targeted 3 million new voters for the 2025 midterm polls. In a Viber message to reporters, Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia said that as of April 16, a total of 2,082,744 registration applications had been...

ERC, pinagpapaliwanag ang ilang planta na nagpatupad ng 'unplanned shutdown'

ERC, pinagpapaliwanag ang ilang planta na nagpatupad ng 'unplanned shutdown'; DFA, dinepensahan ang isinagawang Trilateral Summit ng PH, U.S., at Japan

NATO is working to make sure Trump won't be a problem for Ukraine

Ex-AFP chief urges Asean members to support PH fight vs China’s aggression

MANILA, Philippines — A former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief is urging other Southeast Asian countries to support the Philippines in its fight against China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Former AFP chief Emmanuel Bautista noted that while several of its western allies supported the Philippines, no other Southeast Asian nation has expressed similar sentiments so far. Bautista said that only 21 countries expressed...

Most Americans think Trump really has committed crimes

2 minor temblors felt in Batangas island town

LUCENA CITY — Two successive minor earthquakes hit the island town of Tingloy in Batangas on late Wednesday night, April 17. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported in its bulletin that a magnitude 3.1 tremor with a 5-kilometer depth of focus was recorded in Tingloy at 11:20 p.m. At 10:51 p.m. in the same town, the only island municipality in the province, a magnitude 2.7 tremor with a 3-km depth of focus was...

Natalie Barr demands answers about the threats Australia faces

The Albanese government has been pressed by Sunrise host Natalie Barr for answers.

Family homeless after builder abandons extension

A Rochdale family say they cannot return home after a builder abandoned their house part-finished.

Manila Water service cutoff set in Taguig, Marikina this April

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Water customers in some areas of Taguig City and Marikina City will experience temporary water supply interruption from April 18 to 19 and April 24 to 25 due to scheduled maintenance activities. The water company on Thursday advised affected residents to reserve water for their use as maintenance works will be carried out on the following: Taguig City – April 18, 10 p.m., to April 19, 4 a.m. Parts of Barangay New...