Category: News
Army deploys elite troops to Basilan ahead of 2025 polls
COTABATO CITY – Ahead of the 2025 polls, the Philippine Army has deployed a rapid deployment team of elite soldiers to Basilan in a bid to tighten security in the island province once notorious for insurgent threats. Around 100 troops from the 113th Division Reconnaissance Company (DRC), trained in ranger-style combat, arrived in Basilan on
9 Chinese nationals without work permits nabbed at Sultan Kudarat mining site
COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Immigration agents, backed by the Philippine Army, arrested nine Chinese nationals — including one from Hong Kong — working at a mining site in Barangay Chua, Bagumbayan town, Sultan Kudarat, without work permits. The operation was carried out last week by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and soldiers from the Army’s
Alleged coddler of wanted man killed in Maguindanao del Norte shootout
COTABATO CITY, Philippines – A man accused of harboring a wanted suspect was shot dead in a brief encounter with law enforcers in Barangay Meti, a coastal village in Datu Blah Sinsuat town, Maguindanao del Norte, on Friday, April 18. Police said the slain suspect, Norsaidie Samo Tato, opened fire on authorities who were serving
BARMM social services ministry assesses impact of aid programs in remote Tawi-Tawi towns
COTABATO CITY – In an effort to ensure equitable delivery of public services across the Bangsamoro region, the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has conducted an assessment of its aid programs in Tawi-Tawi, one of the most remote island provinces under its jurisdiction. The
Six Bangsamoro Lawmakers Propose Regional Law to Honor Exemplary Local Leadership
COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Six lawmakers in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament have filed a bill seeking to institutionalize an annual recognition program that rewards outstanding local leaders in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The proposed Salamat Excellence Award for Leadership (SEAL) Act of 2025 aims to promote a culture of
Eye Care Mission Reaches Remote Bangsamoro Village, Bringing Relief to Elderly Residents
COTABATO CITY — In the isolated village of Simsiman in Pahamuddin, a newly established town in Cotabato province, 73 elderly Moro residents received critical eye care on Tuesday, part of a continuing outreach effort led by regional officials and private health advocates. The mission, which included basic checkups and the distribution of free reading glasses,
Comelec places Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur under control after surge in election-related violence
MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has placed Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur under its control following a rise in election-related violence ahead of the 2025 polls. Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia confirmed the move on Tuesday, April 15, saying the decision took effect immediately following an en banc resolution issued the same day.
Ipil has New Bishop, Expected to Tackle Corruption, Climate, and Credible Elections
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay – Pope Francis has appointed Msgr. Glenn Montebon Corsiga as the new bishop of the Diocese of Ipil, a move seen by church leaders and laypeople alike as a fresh chapter for a diocese facing urgent pastoral and social challenges—from environmental degradation and corruption to electoral integrity. The Vatican announced the appointment
Europe Looks East as Rift with Trump Grows Over Trade, Ukraine
As tensions mount between the United States and China, Europe appears to be subtly recalibrating its global alliances—shifting its focus eastward. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reportedly reached out to Beijing within days of U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff escalation, signaling a strategic pivot in the EU’s trade posture. The move follows
Local Governments Support Boosts Success of PH-US Marine Exercise 2025
COTABATO CITY – Philippine Marine and Army officials on Monday, April 14, expressed gratitude to local government units (LGUs) in Maguindanao del Norte for their strong support during the recently concluded Marine Exercise 2025, a 12-day joint military training activity between Philippine and US forces. The bilateral drills, held from March 31 to April 11,
Basilan Residents Surrender 61 Firearms in Continued Disarmament Push
COTABATO CITY – Residents of Basilan have turned over 61 more combat weapons to authorities in support of a local disarmament campaign aligned with the national government’s peace efforts in Mindanao. The firearms were surrendered by locals from the cities of Isabela and Lamitan, as well as eight towns—Tuburan, Akbar, Sumisip, Maluso, Lantawan, Tabuan-Lasa, and Hadji
BFAR raises Red tide alert in Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay
ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has raised a red tide alert in the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay after detecting the presence of paralytic shellfish poison in two major fishing grounds. In an April 3 bulletin, echoed by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
