Month: September 2025
In Tungawan, a mayoral win saves WMSU campus from possible closure
TUNGAWAN, Zamboanga Sibugay โ The recent elections in this small farming town carried consequences far beyond politics: they determined the fate of a local college campus. For many residents, a win by mayoralty candidate Lalay Climaco, daughter of outgoing mayor Carlnan Climaco, would have meant the eventual shutdown of the Western Mindanao State University External
MNLF, BARMM officials strengthen peace, development efforts in Cotabatoโs Special Geographic Area
COTABATO, Philippines โ The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) central committee and MNLF leaders in the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area (SGA) agreed on Saturday, September 27, to strengthen coordination on municipal peace and security programs in support of Malacaรฑangโs Mindanao peace process. The MNLF signed a final peace agreement with the national government on September
Navy seizes โฑ9.1-M smuggled cigarettes off Sulu
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay โ Navy personnel intercepted โฑ9.1 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and arrested five men in a maritime operation off Sulu, authorities said Thursday, September 25. Rear Admiral Constancio Arturo Reyes Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC), said sailors aboard BRP Herminigildo Yurong (PG906) stopped motorboat MFB Ghazi around 9:45
Tropical storm Bualoi leaves 10 dead, over 433,000 evacuated in Philippines
MANILA, Philippines โ Tropical Storm Bualoi swept across the central Philippines, leaving at least 10 people dead and forcing more than 433,000 residents to evacuate from flood- and landslide-prone areas, disaster officials said on Friday, September 27. The storm made landfall in San Policarpo, Eastern Samar, on Thursday night, packing maximum sustained winds of 110
ChatGPT is no longer just a work tool โ study finds itโs shaping everyday life worldwide
MANILA, Philippines โ ChatGPT is quickly shedding its image as a niche tech tool, with a new study showing it has become part of peopleโs everyday routines across the globe. A joint analysis by OpenAI and Harvard economist David Deming looked at 1.5 million conversations and found that adoption of the AI chatbot has widened
Opinion I Stop Corruption? Then Fix the System, Not Just the Scapegoats
โStop corruption; fix the system now.โ Itโs the kind of headline youโve seen before, the kind that makes you sigh because you know itโs true โ and you know youโve heard it too many times. But this time, the cry feels different. Filipinos are tired, angrier, more awake. The recent flood control scandal โ billions
DAR turns over โฑ1M processing center to farmers in Zamboanga Sibugay town
Farmers in Kauswagan in Mabuhay town, Zamboanga Sibugay are getting a boost in their livelihoods after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) turned over a โฑ1-million processing center to their association. The facility, handed to the Kauswagan Integrated Farmers & Service Association (KIFSA), will expand production of the communityโs signature spicy vinegar โsinamakโ and open
ICC indicts Duterte for 76 murders in Davao, nationwide drug war killings
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay โ The International Criminal Court (ICC) has filed three counts of murder as crimes against humanity against former president Rodrigo Duterte, citing 76 victims from his years as Davao City mayor and during the bloody โwar on drugsโ under his presidency. In a redacted document released on September 22, ICC prosecutors said
Sony Pulse Elevate Wireless Speakers Launch in 2026 with PS5, PC, and PlayStation Link Support
Sony is expanding its Pulse lineup with a new addition: the Pulse Elevate wireless speakers. Designed to pair seamlessly with the PS5, PC, Mac, and even the PlayStation Portal or your phone, the Elevate promises what Sony calls โlifelike desktop audio.โ They also come with a built-in mic for voice chat and support for the
29 BARMM towns submerged as Ligawasan Delta overflows, 97,000 residents affected
COTABATO CITY โ September 25, 2025 โ At least 29 towns in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) remain flooded after days of heavy rains caused the Ligawasan Delta โ Mindanaoโs largest marshland โ to overflow, affecting nearly 97,000 residents. The floods hit communities in Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and BARMMโs
Timor-Leste activists issue manifesto alleging infiltration by foreign crime groups
MANILA, Philippines – Activists in Timor-Leste released a manifesto warning that transnational crime syndicates are trying to infiltrate state institutions through corruption and illicit financial flows. The 26-page document, titled โManifesto for the Defence of Timor-Leste,โ circulated this week in Portuguese and Tetum. It alleges that officials allowed private aircraft to land carrying about $11
