Plunder and multiple criminal charges have been filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against Vice President Sara Duterte and 14 other officials over the alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds during her time at the Office of…
Your Daily Coca-Cola Habit: What Really Happens After That First Sip
For many Filipinos, opening a cold can of Coca-Cola is almost second nature — a quick boost during lunch, a reward after a long day, or a staple at family gatherings. But behind the familiar fizz, health experts are raising…
Beyond the Beaches: Why the Philippines Is Redefining Paradise in an Age of Climate Crisis
MANILA, Philippines — For decades, the Philippines marketed paradise in a single frame: white sand, blue water, and the promise of escape. But in an era of intensifying storms, coral bleaching, and vanishing coastlines, the country is being forced to…
Cigarette Smuggling in Zamboanga Peninsula: Why the Crackdown Never Seems Enough
ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA – The latest seizure of ₱8.7 million worth of smuggled cigarettes off Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, is only the newest entry in a running tally that has come to define the region’s maritime problem: cigarette smuggling is not just…
Boatman arrested, P8.7 million smuggled cigarettes seized in Zamboanga Sibugay
ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY, Philippines – Maritime police arrested a boatman and confiscated around P8.7 million worth of smuggled cigarettes off the province’s coast, authorities said on Friday, December 12. The Zamboanga Sibugay Maritime Police Station (Marpsta) identified the suspect only as…
Explainer | Anti-Political Dynasty Bill: Does It Need Charter Change?
MANILA, Philippines – A fresh debate could erupt after Ako Bicol Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr. warned that the long-delayed Anti-Political Dynasty Act cannot be enforced unless the Constitution is amended. The statement revived an old but unresolved question: Can Congress…
ANALYSIS: Two Anti-Political Dynasty Bills, Two Very Different Visions for Political Reform
Two competing anti-political dynasty bills now filed in the House of Representatives offer sharply different approaches to dismantling entrenched family control in Philippine politics. Members of the Dy and Marcos blocs filed House Bill (HB) 6771. Their version places its emphasis…
Maguindanao del Norte Officials Ramp Up United Front vs Illegal Drugs to Sustain Investment Momentum
COTABATO CITY — Local executives in Maguindanao del Norte vowed to strengthen their united campaign against illegal drugs as the province continues to brand itself as a “new investment hub” in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Participants…
EXPLAINER: Is PalengQR PH Really a Step Toward Progress?
The government billed PalengQR PH as a milestone in the country’s digital transformation when it rolled out the program. This initiative, led by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), promotes…
DOLE-Zamboanga Sibugay reminds firms: Release 13th Month Pay by December 24
ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Zamboanga Sibugay reminded private sector employers to strictly follow labor standards, particularly the mandatory release of the 13th Month Pay to rank-and-file workers on or before December 24. Provincial…
Q&A: What We Know — And Don’t Know — About Ramil Madriaga And His Explosive Claims
MANILA, Philippines – The name Ramil Lagunoy Madriaga has reemerged in the national conversation after his sworn affidavit surfaced alleging that he delivered illicit funds for the 2022 vice-presidential campaign of Sara Duterte. His claims have since circulated online, raising…
CBCP Taps Former Rome Chaplain as New Executive Secretary of Migrants Ministry
MANILA, Philippines – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has appointed Scalabrinian priest Fr. Ricky Gente, a former chaplain for Filipinos in Rome, as the new executive secretary of its migrant ministry effective December 1. Gente will work…






