Filipino households may see slight relief in their June electricity bills after NGCP reduced transmission charges. The decrease, driven by lower wheeling and ancillary services costs, highlights how grid-related expenses influence what consumers ultimately pay for power.
Bangsamoro Leaders’ Partnership That Crosses Political Lines to Bring Peace, Healthcare, and Hope to Ligawasan Communities
PIKIT, Cotabato โ The people still need help. That is one thing that has remained remarkably simple in a region where political boundaries can be complicated That shared reality brought Bangsamoro Parliament Member Kadil Sinolinding Jr. โ better known as โDoc Jojoโ โ and Ligawasan Vice Mayor Jenaida Abas together on Friday, August 28, for talks aimed at strengthening cooperation…
5,000 Cops Deployed to BARMM: Massive Security Operation Launched as Region Braces for First-Ever Parliamentary Election
BARMM deploys thousands of security forces as governors, police, and military brace for the region's first parliamentary elections on September 14. (John Unson) COTABATO CITY, Philippines โ Thousands of police officers are being mobilized across the Bangsamoro region as authorities brace for a potentially tense election day in areas already identified as hotspots. With the clock ticking toward September 14,…
Indian National Arrested in Zamboanga Sibugay Over Violations of Law Protecting Women and Children
IPIL, ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAYโ Police arrested an Indian national in this town after a court issued a warrant accusing him of three counts of allegedly violating the Philippinesโ law protecting women and children from violence. The arrest was carried out under a valid judicial warrant, police said, although authorities did not disclose the specific allegations or circumstances behind the three cases…
Could New Mexicoโs Meta Ruling Change Meta’s Social Media Platforms?
A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta Platforms to pay $567 million and make sweeping changes to how Facebook and Instagram protect children, in a landmark case that could have…
AI Boom or Water Crisis? Philippines’ Massive Pax Silica Hub Puts Scarce Resources to the Test
New Clark City was formerly military land hosting US bases, but it is now a master-planned area along the Luzon Economic Corridor. The Philippines hopes this site will help it…
Digital Age, Same Old Battles: Disinformation Weaponized Against Indigenous Peoples
The Philippines likes to celebrate its digital riseโand not without reason. We are among the most connected populations in the world, spending hours online, shaping conversations, influencing elections, and increasingly,…
Call Centers vs. Factories: How a Single Economic Gamble Changed Southeast Asia Forever, Leaving Philippines Behind
Decades of relying on BPO jobs and worker remittances delivered stability and a rising middle class โ but at the cost of the manufacturing boom that lifted Vietnam and other Southeast Asian peers. As AI threatens outsourcing and talent continues to leave, the Philippines confronts the limits of its chosen path.
Two Teens Kill 3, Wound 7 in Philippines School Shooting: A Test of Strict Gun Laws, Juvenile Justice After Bullying Grudge
In a rare school shooting in the central Philippines, two teenage boys allegedly entered San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on Monday morning and opened fire in a classroom, killing three students and wounding at least seven others. Police quickly arrested the 14- and 15-year-old suspects. Authorities are investigating a reported bullying-related grudge. The firearms โ a 9mm Glock and a .38 revolver โ reportedly belonged to a relative of one suspect.
Got Old Tax Penalties or “Stop-Filer” Stress? The BIR Launched a One-Time Tax Abatement Program to Completely Erase Them.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue has opened a one-time tax abatement program for micro taxpayers, giving small businesses and stop-filers until Dec. 31, 2026, to settle delinquent accounts and clear their records. The initiative is part of the government’s efforts to simplify compliance and encourage voluntary tax payments.
โBullied Since Grade 7โ: Investigators Probe Troubled Past of Teens Behind Deadly Tacloban School Shooting That Killed 3
A rare US-style school shooting in Tacloban City left three students dead and seven injured, prompting investigators to examine whether years of bullying experienced by the two teenage suspects played a role in one of the deadliest campus attacks in recent Philippine history.
Fees Worth Billions Exit, Clean Power Never Arrives: A Tale of Zamsureco II Power Woes
For over six years, ZAMSURECO II has operated under National Electrification Administration supervision after its board was deactivated. Despite consumer payments into the Feed-in Tariff Allowance (FIT-All) for renewables, reliable power and clean energy projects remain elusive in Zamboanga Sibugayโs rural communities.
On His Way to Celebrate Mass, a Young Priest Dies in a Panabo Road Crash
Fr. Francis Panistan Cadagdagon, CSCh, 38, a member of the Cavanis congregation, died in a road accident in Panabo City on June 18 while traveling to Davao City to celebrate Mass. Ordained less than two years ago, the young priest’s death has prompted an outpouring of grief and prayers from the Catholic community across Mindanao.
No More Begging for ‘Guarantee Letters’ to Pay Hospital Bills. What Every Poor Patient Needs to Know.
For generations, poor Filipinos had to beg politicians for โguarantee lettersโ to cover hospital bills. That era is ending. Under the 2026 national budget, indigent patients can now go straight to hospital social workers for assistance without political approval.
From Moral Governance to a Stronger Bangsamoro: Can Macacua Deliver Stability Before BARMMโs Historic Parliamentary Elections?
With parliamentary elections just months away, BARMMโs Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua is steering the region toward greater stability, doubling down on moral governance while advancing education, infrastructure, and investment initiatives under the new โMas Matatag na Bangsamoroโ framework.
โWhy Must We Leave Home to Become Seafarers?โ Tawi-Tawi Pushes for Its First Maritime School
Lawmakers, local officials and business leaders in Tawi-Tawi are backing a proposal to establish the provinceโs first maritime school, saying it would spare students from relocating to distant cities and expand educational opportunities in one of the countryโs most remote island provinces.
What Small Nations Might Learn From the Standoff Between Iran and the United States
From Tehran to Manila, governments are studying Iranโs standoff with the United States. The country preserved its regime and sovereignty โ yet the human and economic toll raises questions about whether defiance is a viable model for smaller nations.
A Couple Went Into the Forest for Firewood. One Came Home Dead After Soldiers Mistook Them for Communist Rebels.
The Philippine Army has acknowledged a possible case of mistaken identity after soldiers fatally shot a woman and wounded her husband during a patrol operation in Bukidnon. The couple, later identified as local residents gathering firewood, had reportedly been mistaken for communist rebels in an area under heightened military alert.