Month: August 2025
MILF Fighter to Farmer: Abdulpatah Alimanโs Journey from War to Peace in Maguindanao del Sur
GUINDULUNGAN, MAGUINDANAO DEL SUR โ Beneath the gently oscillating canopy of young coconut trees, Abdulpatah Bato Aliman washes the grime from his callused hands. Resplendent with corn stalks, fruit trees, and vegetable plots border his agricultural land. A chorus of laughter from the children rings in the background. It is a world different from the
Armed men storm lending firm in Ipil, cart away โฑ726K, shoot manager
ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY โ A late-night robbery turned bloody in Ipil town after five armed men stormed a lending company past midnight on Tuesday, August 29, escaping with โฑ726,409 in cash and leaving its manager wounded. Police said the suspects, clad in black hooded jackets and masks, forced their way into the Panjobjoban Lending Corporation (PLC)
Marcos keeps trust in DPWH chief Bonoan amid flood control project mess
MANILA, Philippines โ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continues to back Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan despite mounting calls for his resignation over alleged ghost and overpriced flood control projects nationwide. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro on Wednesday, August 27, said the President has not indicated any plan to let go of Bonoan.
DPWH completes โฑ28.8-M river wall in Zamboanga Sibugay amid flood control project controversies
ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY โ The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed a โฑ28.8-million river wall in Siay town, saying it will strengthen flood defenses and protect nearby communities from seasonal inundation. The DPWH-Zamboanga Peninsula announced on Wednesday, August 27, that the project spans 310 linear meters along a riverbank and was funded under
Timor-Lesteโs Ramos-Horta Eyes New Era of Prosperity with ASEAN Membership
Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta has expressed optimism that his countryโs long-awaited entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will usher in a new era of prosperity and opportunity. In an interview with NHK on Tuesday, Ramos-Horta said the nation, formerly known as East Timor, is set to officially join ASEAN as its eleventh
Timor-Leste Faces Aid Cuts: U.S. Assistance Was Always More About America Than Timor
DILI, East Timor โ East Timor has served as an exemplar of United States foreign assistance in Asia for two decades. Billions of dollars of aid headlines and photo opportunities have framed an image of Washington โassistingโ one of the globe’s newest democracies to get on its own two feet. But scratch below the surface,
Zamboanga Sibugay Village Builds Classroom for โฑ1.4MโFaster, Cheaper, and Transparent
TALUSAN, ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY โ Out of a rural barangay of this sleepy Zamboanga Sibugay coastal town, Barangay Baganipay residents just finished celebrating the completion of a new classroom. Unlike most of the classrooms government has pledged in the national budget and are still to arrive, this one is Villa Verde-ready โ with a comfort room
San Miguel Global Power Invests โฑ3.2B to Boost Zamboanga Cityโs Energy Supply with 56-MW Plant
A new spark of hope is on the horizon in a region long plagued by brownouts and flickering lights. Tycoon Ramon Angโs San Miguel Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMGP) is pouring in โฑ3.2 billion to double the capacity of its gas turbine power plant in Sangali, Zamboanga Cityโa move expected to ease the crippling power
Torre out as PNP chief days after clash with Napolcom
Police General Nicolas Torre III was removed from his position on Tuesday, August 26, just three months into his tenure as the nation’s top policeman, amid a publicized showdown with the National Police Commission (Napolcom) in a row over a divisive reorganization of major police officers. Torre’s relief was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin
Hope and Healing: 1,700 Sibugaynons get free treatment on first day of Tzu Chi medical mission
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay โ Under the shade of the Provincial Capitol grounds, long lines of patients โ some arriving before sunrise โ waited patiently on Thursday, August 14, for a chance at treatment many had long put off because of cost. By dayโs end, at least 1,700 Sibugaynons had been served in the first leg
Philippine debt to hit โฑ19 trillion in 2026 โ DBM
MANILA, Philippines โ The Philippinesโ debt stock is projected to breach โฑ19 trillion by the end of 2026, as the Marcos administration leans heavily on borrowings to fund infrastructure, social services, and economic recovery. Budget documents show the national governmentโs outstanding debt could reach โฑ19.057 trillion next year, up from the โฑ17.359 trillion expected at
2 miners drown, prompting crackdown on illegal gold mining in South Cotabato
COTABATO CITY, Philippines โ Authorities in Region 12 are ramping up their campaign against illegal small-scale copper and gold mining in Tampakan, South Cotabato after two miners drowned in floodwaters that swept through a clandestine site. Local officials identified the victims as Johnry Samling and Richard Sumali, residents engaged in banlas โ a hazardous sluice
