Month: October 2025
Tungawan Mayor Explores Potential of Eco-Tourism with ‘Bat Kingdom’ as Centerpiece
TUNGAWAN, Zamboanga Sibugay — Tungawan is positioning itself as the next eco-tourism hotspot in Zamboanga Sibugay, with its locally known “Bat Kingdom” as a centerpiece attraction. Municipal Mayor Angelito Aniñon along with officials from local and national agencies recently visited the site, a mangrove area recognized by the Ramsar Convention as home to thousands of
DENR to Public: Don’t Hunt Migratory Birds
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is urging the public not to hunt, harm, or trade migratory birds as the country enters its annual migration season, with thousands of birds stopping at wetlands across the country, including the Siay-Kabasalan Wetlands in Zamboanga Sibugay. The Siay-Kabasalan Wetlands, spanning roughly 187,000
Battle of the Bands Unites Soldiers, Youth in Celebration of Peace in Sulu
LUUK, Sulu (October 27, 2025) — Soldiers, youth, and local officials joined in a Battle of the Bands at Mans Beach Resort here on Saturday in a celebration aimed at promoting peace and unity through music. Brig. Gen. Alaric Avelino Delos Santos, commander of the 1102nd Infantry “Ganarul” Brigade, said the event reflected Sulu’s transformation from
Japan Launches Most Powerful H3 Rocket, Sending New Cargo Ship to Space Station
MANILA — Japan’s space agency successfully launched its most powerful flagship H3 rocket on Sunday, carrying a newly developed unmanned cargo spacecraft on its first mission to deliver supplies to the International Space Station. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, said the HTV-X1 spacecraft lifted off atop the No. 7 H3 rocket from the
For East Timor, a 14-Year Journey Ends With a Seat at ASEAN’s Table
MANILA — When Xanana Gusmão clasped hands with Southeast Asia’s leaders in a familiar interlocking pose Sunday, it was more than a photo opportunity. For the former resistance fighter turned prime minister, it was the realization of a dream that took nearly a generation to fulfill — East Timor’s formal entry into the Association of
Opinion: Excessive Reverence for the Rich and Influential Weakens Accountability
Writer Gege Cruz Sugue, in her opinion piece in PhilStar, shared how a group of celebrities reacted angrily when asked to lower their voices in a café. What she exposed was a social sickness that feels all too familiar — especially here in our towns across Zamboanga Sibugay. It’s the sickness of excessive reverence for
SWS survey: Most Filipinos turn to prayer to cope with stress
MANILA, Philippines – When life gets heavy, most Filipinos find solace in prayer. A new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found that praying or engaging in spiritual activities is the top way Filipinos cope with stress, cited by 16% of 1,500 adult respondents interviewed nationwide from September 24 to 30, 2025. The non-commissioned survey revealed
Feature: A Long Road for Mayor Aniñon to Lift Tungawan Forward
TUNGAWAN, Zamboanga Sibugay — The road to progress here is long, uneven, and mostly unpaved. For Mayor Angelito Aniñon, that road isn’t just literal—it’s the path toward pulling this quiet coastal municipality out of poverty and into sustainable growth. Tungawan, home to more than 46,000 residents, sits on the western stretch of Zamboanga Sibugay, where
7 nabbed, ₱66,000 worth of suspected shabu seized in Zamboanga Sibugay ops
ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY — Separate anti-drug campaigns by the Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Police Office (ZSBPPO), led by Provincial Director Barnard Danie V. Dasugo, resulted in the arrest of seven suspects and the seizure of suspected shabu worth roughly ₱66,300. The operatives have also confiscated a homemade improvised shotgun during operations across the province on October 23
Military Recovers 7 High-Powered Firearms After Armed Clash in Ligawasan, BARMM
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The military recovered seven high-powered firearms after intervening in a clash between two armed groups in Ligawasan, Special Geographic Area (SGA), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), that left one person dead, authorities said Thursday. Maj. Gen. Donald M. Gumiran, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines–Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom),
Pagadian City: The Little Hong Kong of the South
Pagadian City is nestled between the verdant hills of Zamboanga del Sur and the glimmering waters of Illana Bay. It Pagadian City welcomes travelers with a landscape as breathtaking as it is unexpected. Known as the “Little Hong Kong of the South,” this Mindanao gem offers sweeping coastal views, steep winding roads, and a bustling
NBI raids alleged online scam hub in Cavite, arrests 7 including foreign nationals
MANILA – Agents from the National Bureau of Investigation–Cavite North District Office (NBI-CAVIDO North) arrested seven individuals — four foreign nationals and three Filipinos — in a late-night raid on an alleged online scam hub in Barangay Panapaan, Bacoor City. The operation took place around 11:30 p.m. on October 15, 2025, at a two-story residence
