The House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms has pledged to craft a singular, constitutionally viable Anti-Political Dynasty Bill by consolidating over a dozen separate proposals. With President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Malacañang urging deliberate, well-reviewed drafting, the committee emphasizes broad public participation through nationwide consultations to ensure the resulting law balances presidential priorities, legal…
Vice President Sara Duterte faces plunder and graft charges filed by a coalition of civil society groups accusing her and 15 officials of misappropriating over ₱612 million in confidential funds during her tenure at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd). The complaints, lodged on December 12, 2025, cite a…
Japan’s coastal communities were placed on high alert Friday morning after a powerful magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of Aomori Prefecture, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to issue a Tsunami Advisory. The tremor, which hit at 11:44 AM Japan Standard Time (JST), followed a stronger magnitude 7.5 quake earlier in the…
The fractured political landscape of the Philippines reached a volatile turning point on Friday afternoon as a coalition of civil society leaders, clergy, and academics filed a formal criminal complaint charging Vice President Sara Z. Duterte and 15 of her associates with Plunder. The complaint, lodged before the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City,…
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has publicly articulated his primary Christmas wish: the swift passage of a “good budget” for 2026 by the Philippine Congress. The statement, made during a podcast aired on Thursday, December 11, 2025, underscores the critical final phase of deliberations over the massive 6.793 trillion PhP spending plan, which the administration…
In a groundbreaking effort to shield Filipino farmers from the mounting threats of climate variability, Philippine agritech startup Agrilever has partnered with US-based weather intelligence firm Tomorrow.io to deploy AI-driven, hyperlocal weather forecasts across the archipelago. This innovative collaboration aims to provide rice farmers with precise, real-time weather data integrated with crop management and financial…
The Taal Volcano in the Philippines continues to display persistent eruptive activity, with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) maintaining its vigilant monitoring amid ongoing emissions, tremors, and minor eruptions. Authorities urge residents and nearby communities to stay alert as the risk of ashfall and sudden volcanic events remains present, even as the…
Aleah Finnegan secured the gold medal in the women’s vault event at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held in 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, reinforcing the Philippines’ rising stature in regional gymnastics. Finnegan’s winning score of 13.433 edged out Vietnam’s Thi Quynh Nhu Nguyen, who scored 13.400, while Malaysia’s Kang Xian Yeap took bronze with…
Philippine stocks posted a modest rebound after coordinated interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) provided a shot of adrenaline to investors navigating an uncertain economic landscape. The synchronized move to ease borrowing costs signaled a potential shift in global monetary policy, offering temporary relief to a…
In the wake of years marked by financial scandals and international scrutiny, Malta is intensifying its drive to regain investor confidence. A sweeping agenda of business and financial reforms is now gathering pace, as the government, buoyed by fresh financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and strong public demand for transparency, doubles down on…
Justin Kobe Macario delivered a landmark victory for the Philippines at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand, securing the nation’s first gold medal of the competition in the men’s taekwondo individual freestyle poomsae on Wednesday, December 10. The 22-year-old rising star from the University of Santo Tomas achieved the top score of 8.200…
As public frustration over entrenched political dynasties intensifies in the Philippines, lawmakers face mounting pressure to pass long-awaited anti-dynasty legislation. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has added fuel to growing calls for reform by instructing Congressional leaders to prioritize passage of a bill officially banning dynastic rule—a provision enshrined in the 1987 Constitution but never realized…
MANILA, Philippines — In a move that signals growing concern within Malacañang over persistent political abuses, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has urged Congress to expedite a set of four legislative reforms aimed at curbing dynasty-driven governance, tightening party-list qualifications, boosting fiscal transparency, and enhancing public oversight mechanisms. The push, formalized on December 9 during…
MANILA, Philippines — In a high-profile bid to bring a fugitive lawmaker to justice, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on December 10 announced the cancellation of former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co’s passport, intensifying efforts to locate and repatriate the ex-congressman amid sweeping corruption allegations linked to flood control infrastructure. Passport Revoked as Global Search…
In a major stride toward digital modernization, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) has officially partnered with Digital Edge to migrate its critical IT infrastructure to NARRA1, the largest carrier-neutral data centre in the Philippines. The agreement, formalized on 9 December 2025, serves as a cornerstone of RCBC’s 2026 digital roadmap, designed to bolster system resilience,…
Investment activity in Malta has slowed dramatically, with new data showing a 48 percent drop in investments approved by the Board of Investments (BOI) over the first 11 months of 2025. The decline signals a shift in investor sentiment, particularly among local stakeholders, and raises concerns about the broader economic ramifications—ranging from slowed job growth…
Gasoline prices across the Philippines surged by P1.20 per liter on December 9, 2025, marking a sharp increase that is expected to deepen the financial burden on consumers and rekindle nationwide concern over inflation and energy policy. The hike, implemented by key oil firms including Petron, Seaoil, Jetti, and PTT Philippines, underscores the country’s vulnerability…
Gasoline prices in the Philippines rose by P1.20 per liter nationwide on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, marking the second successive weekly increase and adding further pressure to household budgets already strained by inflation. Major fuel retailers, including Jetti Petroleum, Seaoil, Petron, and PTT Philippines, implemented the adjustment at 6 a.m., while diesel and kerosene prices…
In a bold bid to climb the Southeast Asian sporting ranks, the Philippines is dispatching its largest-ever delegation—a contingent of over 1,600 athletes and officials—to the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Bangkok and Chonburi, Thailand. The unprecedented move marks a strategic push by the country to expand its competitive footprint and bring home a…
Chinese military forces fired three signal flares at a Philippine patrol aircraft flying near the contested Subi Reef in the South China Sea, in what Manila has labeled a provocative act amid soaring territorial tensions. The incident unfolded during a recent routine surveillance mission over the West Philippine Sea, a stretch of contested waters that…