Manila Times

Construction of the SM Seaside Cebu Arena is spurring commercial property development around the project as investors seek to build a larger lifestyle and entertainment district aimed at tourism and domestic demand.

Dinagat Islands Introduces Emergency Water Rationing Amid Severe Shortage

Provincial authorities have deployed mobile water distribution units and introduced rationing measures across affected municipalities as the Dinagat Islands contend with an acute water shortage.

Several Philippine Senators Waive Salaries While Unable to Attend Legislative Duties

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian says several senators who are detained, at large or on medical leave, including Loren Legarda, have waived their government salaries while unable to perform on-site legislative duties.

Philippine Government Rules Out Facebook Ban as Meta Cooperates With Regulators

The Marcos administration says it will not ban Facebook after parent company Meta cooperated with government authorities addressing concerns over platform accountability and content moderation.

Philippines Searches for Missing Filipino Doctor After Himalayan Flash Floods

Philippine diplomats are coordinating with authorities in Nepal to locate a Filipino medical professional reported missing after catastrophic glacial flooding struck the Nepal-China border region.

Activist Groups Challenge Marcos Over Family Wealth and $3 Billion Estate Tax Dispute

Philippine civil society groups have disputed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s statements denying that his family possesses ill-gotten wealth and renewed demands for payment of an estimated $3 billion in unpaid estate tax.

Philippine Regulators Face Calls to Maintain Crackdown on Chinese-Linked Steel Companies

Domestic industry groups are urging the government to resist foreign diplomatic pressure as regulators pursue Chinese-linked steel manufacturers accused of breaching local operating and environmental standards.

Philippines Intensifies Crackdown on Agricultural Smuggling

The Bureau of Customs has declared zero tolerance for illegal agricultural imports as authorities seek to protect domestic farmers and limit pressure on food prices.

Quezon City Orders Forced Evacuations as La Mesa Dam Reaches Spilling Level

Authorities have ordered residents near creeks and low-lying slopes to evacuate after La Mesa Dam reached its spilling level during torrential rainfall, adding to flood risks across Metro Manila.

Philippine Prosecutors File Charges Over 77 Million Peso Ghost Flood-Control Project

State prosecutors have filed graft and malversation complaints against several people, including Zaldy Co, over an allegedly fraudulent 77 million peso flood mitigation project.

Philippines Investigates Reported Child Deaths Linked to Measles-Rubella Vaccination Drive

Health authorities have opened an epidemiological investigation into reported child deaths allegedly associated with the third phase of the national measles-rubella immunization campaign.

Philippines Reviews US Extradition Request for Religious Leader Apollo Quiboloy

The Department of Justice says it will closely evaluate the US government's formal request to extradite Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Apollo Quiboloy, with Chief State Counsel Dennis Chan pledging that the process will proceed without ...

Leptospirosis Death Toll Reaches 23 in Manila as Hospitals Fill After Floods

San Lazaro Hospital has reported 157 leptospirosis admissions and 23 deaths following widespread flooding, while medical facilities in Olongapo have also reached capacity amid the post-flood outbreak.

Philippine Peso Falls to Three-Week Low Near 62 to the US Dollar

The peso has weakened to nearly 62 against the US dollar, making it one of Asia's worst-performing currencies and raising concerns about imported inflation and pressure on household purchasing power.

Sara Duterte Impeachment Tribunal Summons Military and Education Officials Over Confidential Funds

The Philippine Senate impeachment tribunal has called military witnesses and former Department of Education officials to provide evidence on the liquidation of confidential funds used during Vice President Sara Duterte's tenure as educat...

Severe Monsoon Rains Flood Metro Manila and Central Luzon

Philippine weather authorities have issued red rainfall warnings as an intensified southwest monsoon floods major roads, displaces residents and disrupts economic activity across Metro Manila and parts of Central Luzon.

Philippines Overhauls Public Works Budget to Cut Poorly Planned Infrastructure Projects

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has imposed a no-plan, no-budget policy across regional and district offices, reducing the number of projects planned for next year by more than half in an effort to curb wasteful infrastructure spending.

Philippines Submits 7.2 Trillion Peso National Budget for 2027

The proposed 7.2 trillion peso budget has been filed in the House of Representatives, opening deliberations over the Marcos administration's spending priorities for infrastructure, defence and social services.

Quezon City Converts Major Public Parks Into Floodwater Retention Areas

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has ordered the Quezon Memorial Circle and City Hall lagoon to be used as large rainwater retention basins as the city expands efforts to reduce flooding during periods of extreme rainfall.

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Remits ₱98 Billion to Government for Healthcare and Social Programs

The state gaming agency says it has contributed nearly ₱98 billion in taxes and mandatory dividends since 2022, helping finance the government's expansion of universal healthcare and social protection programs.

Health Department Investigates Reported Child Deaths Following Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign

The Department of Health has ordered an epidemiological investigation into reports of child deaths following the third phase of a national supplemental immunization campaign, seeking to establish the cause and prevent a wider loss of con...

Bohol Declares Province-Wide Dengue Outbreak as Cases Surge

Bohol health authorities have activated emergency measures and requested national assistance after a sharp rise in dengue infections strained hospital capacity and raised concerns for the province's tourism-dependent economy.

Land Authorities Probe Alleged Illegal Titles Covering 39 Hectares of Laguna Lake Reclamation

The Land Registration Authority is investigating property titles covering nearly 39 hectares of allegedly unauthorized reclamation along Laguna de Bay in Taguig City following congressional inquiries led by Senator Panfilo Lacson.

Mayon Volcano Remains at Alert Level Two After Renewed Ash Explosions

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded new phreatic eruptions producing ash plumes up to 150 metres, prompting authorities in Albay to restrict access to the permanent danger zone and prepare for possible evacuat...

Occidental Mindoro Reports ₱2 Billion in Agricultural Damage From Monsoon Rains

Persistent southwest monsoon rainfall has severely disrupted farming and rural infrastructure in Occidental Mindoro, prompting local authorities to consider a province-wide state of calamity as damage threatens food supplies and could ad...

Ombudsman Prepares Plunder and Graft Cases Against Senators Loren Legarda and Leandro Leviste

Anti-graft investigators say they are preparing criminal indictments against Senator Loren Legarda and renewable energy executive Leandro Leviste over alleged financial irregularities involving legislative figures and private-sector cont...

Philippine Congress Speeds Up Review of Marcos Administration's ₱7.2 Trillion 2027 Budget

Lawmakers are accelerating deliberations on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s proposed national budget, with spending priorities including infrastructure, human capital and agricultural modernization as the government seeks to sustain eco...

Police File Homicide Charges Over Ateneo de Zamboanga School Shooting

The Philippine National Police has charged the father of the student shooter and a campus security guard with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide following the August 18 attack that killed two people and injured 23 others.

Supreme Court Reviews Metro Manila Minimum Wage Dispute After ₱85 Increase Is Halted

The Supreme Court has ordered the parties to submit comments on a temporary restraining order blocking an ₱85 increase in the minimum wage across Metro Manila, bringing the contentious labour dispute before the country's highest court.

Justice Department Opens Investigation Into May Senate Shooting

The Department of Justice has begun a preliminary investigation into gunfire inside the Senate complex in May, when government agents attempted to serve an International Criminal Court arrest warrant on Senator Ronald dela Rosa.

Philippine Economic Zone Authority Approves ₱216 Billion in Investments as Manufacturing Expands

The investment promotion agency had reached 72 percent of its annual target by August, with approved investments more than doubling from a year earlier on strong foreign capital inflows into manufacturing, digital services and logistics.

Ombudsman Charges Zaldy Co Over Alleged ₱77 Million Ghost Flood Projects

Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co and several Department of Public Works and Highways officials face malversation and graft charges over alleged kickbacks linked to non-existent flood-control projects inserted into the national budget.

Senate Tightens Sub Judice Rules as Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Enters 19th Day

Senate President Francis Escudero warned prosecution and defence lawyers that public comments on the proceedings could draw sanctions including fines and suspension as the trial over alleged misuse of confidential funds by the Office of ...

Philippine Authorities Search for Missing Tourist After Nepal-Tibet Glacial Floods

The Department of Foreign Affairs is coordinating with regional officials and the Nepal Tourism Board to locate a Filipino tourist reported missing after catastrophic glacial floods destroyed trekking routes and villages in the Himalayas.

Philippine Justice Department Tightens Rules on Police Inspections of Licensed Gun Owners’ Homes

The Department of Justice issued operational guidelines stressing judicial warrants and constitutional protections amid a proposal allowing police to inspect the residences of registered firearm owners.

Philippine Commission on Women Backs Bill to Remove Spousal Forgiveness Provision From Anti-Rape Law

The commission endorsed legislation seeking to repeal provisions that can extinguish criminal liability for rape following subsequent marriage or spousal forgiveness, supporting a major change to the country’s legal treatment of sexual v...

Philippine Supreme Court Upholds Cancellation of Sultan Kudarat Gubernatorial Candidacy

The Supreme Court rejected a final motion for reconsideration and upheld the cancellation of Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu’s candidacy, affirming the Commission on Elections’ decision over residency and eligibility requirements.

Dinagat Islands and Occidental Mindoro Declare States of Calamity After Severe Flooding

Provincial authorities declared states of calamity after monsoon flooding caused more than two billion pesos in infrastructure and agricultural damage, unlocking emergency assistance and other measures for affected communities.

Four Philippine Senators Lose Salaries Over Prolonged Absences From Legislative Sessions

The Senate suspended monthly compensation for four incumbent senators who failed to attend sessions, marking an enforcement of parliamentary attendance rules amid increased scrutiny of legislative productivity.

Anti-Money Laundering Council Receives 163 Million Peso Funding Increase to Expand Financial Crime Investigations

The Philippine financial intelligence unit will use the additional funding to strengthen digital forensics and expand its investigative workforce as authorities pursue sophisticated money laundering and terrorism financing networks.

Philippine Education Department Expands Learning Recovery Programme to Address Post-Pandemic Losses

The Department of Education is expanding targeted remedial programmes and specialized resources to tackle learning poverty and help millions of basic education students recover from pandemic-era academic setbacks.