PHILIPPINES

A collection of 1619 posts

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Citi and Germany’s DEG Unlock ₱1.5 Billion for Filipino Women Entrepreneurs — But the Bigger Financing Push Is Already Underway

MANILA, Philippines — A new billion-peso financing deal could put more capital within reach of women running sari-sari stores, trading businesses and other microenterprises across the Philippines, as global lenders intensify their push into one of the country’s biggest but still underserved business sectors. Citi and German development

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PAL Is Cutting Bangkok Fares by Up to 20% — But Thailand’s Entry Rules Change Just Days After the Promo Travel Begins

MANILA — Bangkok is getting another sales push aimed squarely at Filipino travelers. Philippine Airlines (PAL), in partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), is offering up to 20% off eligible flights to Bangkok, positioning the Thai capital as an easy international escape for Filipinos looking for food, shopping, culture,

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ABS-CBN Just Secured a ₱3.5-Billion New Investor — But the Fine Print Shows What I&C Is Really Worried About

MANILA, Philippines — The biggest outside investor in ABS-CBN Corp.’s planned ₱6-billion recapitalization is preparing to become a powerful new shareholder — and newly disclosed deal terms show that it is protecting itself carefully as it enters one of the most closely watched corporate turnarounds in Philippine media. I&

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Ayala Corp. Keeps Buying Ayala Land Near Multi-Year Lows—But One Number Will Show Whether the Comeback Is Real

MANILA, Philippines — Ayala Land Inc. is going through one of its roughest market stretches in years, but some of the people with the most at stake are behaving as if the downturn may eventually prove temporary. Parent company Ayala Corp. has continued accumulating shares of its listed property arm, even

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Sara Duterte’s Impeachment Still Needs 16 Votes—But Four Missing Senator-Judges Have Forced a Constitutional Showdown

MANILA, Philippines — A constitutional question that could ultimately determine the fate of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial is heading for a major showdown on September 23, 2026, when prosecutors and defense lawyers argue over how many senator-judges are actually needed to convict her. The Senate, sitting

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Philippines Farm Losses Hit ₱4.38 Billion After Habagat, 4 Cyclones — But the Biggest Threat May Not Be Over

MANILA, Philippines — The cost of weeks of punishing weather on Philippine farms is becoming clearer — and the damage is now well into the billions. Agricultural damage and production losses caused by the enhanced southwest monsoon, or Habagat, and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, Neneng and Pilandok have climbed to ₱4.38

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Newborn Found Dead in a Garbage Dump — But a Little-Known Philippine Law Could Have Offered Another Way

MANILA, Philippines — A newborn baby was found dead in a garbage dump, according to a report carried by GMA News’ Unang Balita on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, prompting fresh concern over infant abandonment and the circumstances that may have led to the child’s death. The discovery is deeply disturbing,

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Manny Pacquiao Takes Oath as Anti-Poverty Chief—Now Comes the Bigger Test

MANILA, Philippines — Former senator and boxing legend Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao has officially returned to government service, taking his oath as secretary and lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at Malacañang on Tuesday, September 8. The appointment puts Pacquiao back at the

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Sara Duterte Asked to Confirm Bank Accounts—But What Happens If She Denies Them?

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte is being asked by prosecutors to confirm whether bank accounts submitted to the Senate impeachment court are actually hers, as the trial moves deeper into allegations of unexplained wealth and undeclared assets. The prosecution has filed a Request for Admission covering 104 items, asking

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PNP Reports 41.77% Crime Drop in August—But One Warning From the Chief Stands Out

MANILA, Philippines — Reported incidents involving the Philippine National Police's (PNP) eight focus crimes fell by 41.77% nationwide in August 2026 compared with the same month last year, according to the latest police data. The PNP recorded 2,087 focus crime incidents in August 2026, down from 3,

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₱4.38-BILLION AGRI BLOW: Habagat, 4 Cyclones Leave Filipino Farmers Reeling—And the Damage May Not End Here

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ agriculture sector has suffered an estimated ₱4.38 billion in damage and losses following the combined effects of the enhanced southwest monsoon or Habagat and four tropical cyclones—Luis, Maymay, Neneng and Pilandok. The latest assessment underscores the growing cost of successive weather disturbances on farmers,

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Lanao del Sur Vice Mayor Arrested in Iligan Over Murder Case—But the February Shooting Holds a Bigger Story

ILIGAN CITY — A sitting vice mayor of Marantao, Lanao del Sur, has been arrested in Iligan City over separate murder and frustrated murder cases stemming from a shooting incident in Misamis Oriental earlier this year. Police identified the official as Ali Eskandar Unte Alonto III, also known as “Bimmy Alonto,

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Father Leaves 7-Year-Old Alone on Mount Fuji to Keep Climbing—What Happened Hours Later

TOKYO, Japan — A family hike up Mount Fuji took a troubling turn after a 48-year-old father reportedly left his exhausted 7-year-old son alone on the mountain while continuing toward the summit with his older son. The incident happened on August 20 along the Fujinomiya Trail, one

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South Korea Faces a High-Stakes Hormuz Decision as Iran War Intensifies — What Seoul Does Next Could Change Everything

SEOUL — South Korea is taking another look at how far it should go in supporting efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open as the conflict involving the United States and Iran intensifies, putting President Lee Jae Myung's government in an increasingly difficult diplomatic and security position. The

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Philippines Warns China Could Exploit Cuts to US-South Korea Military Exercises

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has warned that China could see recent reductions in US-South Korean military exercises as an opportunity to reassert its influence across the Indo-Pacific, raising fresh concerns about the region's already fragile security balance. Speaking at the Seoul Defense

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Indonesia Cut the Sentences of Soldiers Convicted in an Acid Attack — But the Bigger Question Is Who Else Was Involved

JAKARTA — An Indonesian military appeals court has reduced the prison terms of two soldiers convicted over the acid attack on human rights activist Andrie Yunus and overturned orders dismissing them from the armed forces, triggering a fresh wave of criticism from lawyers and civil society groups who say the ruling

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Mindanao Railway Left With Zero Funding in Proposed 2027 Budget as Government Searches for New Investors

DAVAO, PHILIPPINES — Mindanao's long-awaited railway project has once again hit a major roadblock after being left without funding in the proposed 2027 national budget. The Mindanao Railway Project (MRP) received zero allocation under the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), despite years of planning, right-of-way

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DOLE Brings Child Labor Services to Disaster-Hit Families in Davao Occidental as Government Steps Up Protection Drive

JOSE ABAD SANTOS, DAVAO OCCIDENTAL — As families continue recovering from a powerful earthquake, government agencies in Davao are stepping up efforts to ensure that financial hardship and disaster do not push children into dangerous work. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Davao Region, together with the local government of

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Davao Teachers Take Centre Stage as 2026 National Teachers’ Month Begins With 'Teacher, Ikaw Naman'

DAVAO CITY, PHILIPPINES — Thousands of Filipino educators are taking centre stage this month, and teachers from Davao Region are among those joining the nationwide celebration. The 2026 National Teachers’ Month officially kicked off on Sept. 5, with educators from Davao Region joining teachers from across Mindanao at the national launch

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Fake Cebu City Hall Agent, Job Order Worker Arrested in Alleged Carbon Market Slot Scam

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — A man accused of posing as a Cebu City Hall agent and a Job Order worker were arrested after an NBI entrapment operation over allegations that they collected tens of thousands of pesos from a Carbon Market vendor in exchange for a storage space they allegedly had

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Land Dispute and Alleged ₱50,000 Bounty: Three Arrested in Cebu Carenderia Owner's Killing

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — What began as the disappearance of a 57-year-old Cebu businessman has developed into a murder case police now say may have been driven by a bitter land dispute and an alleged ₱50,000 payment. Police have arrested three of four suspects in connection with the

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Teacher and Partner Stabbed Inside Their Home in Cebu; Police Hunt Woman's Uncle

SIBONGA, CEBU, PHILIPPINES — A 26-year-old public school teacher and her live-in partner were injured after the woman's uncle allegedly stabbed them inside their own home in Sibonga, Cebu. The violent incident happened at around 11:10 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 6, inside the couple&

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From Davao Farms to Cebu and Baguio: Durian, Mangosteen and Pomelo Hit the Road After Metro Manila Success

DAVAO CITY, PHILIPPINES — After winning over consumers in Quezon City and Metro Manila, Davao's famous durian and other tropical fruits are now heading to new markets in Cebu, Bohol and Baguio as the government pushes to give local farmers more places to sell their harvests. The Department of

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Motorcycle Rider Injured After Slamming Into Center Island in Cebu City

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — A 24-year-old motorcycle rider was rushed to the hospital after crashing into a center island along Villalon Drive in Barangay Capitol Site early Monday morning, Sept. 7. The rider, identified as Kenneth Mariano, was injured after he reportedly lost control of his motorcycle while navigating

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Garbage Truck Driver Arrested After Minor Crash Leads Police to Suspected Shabu and Gun in Cebu

NAGA CITY, CEBU, PHILIPPINES — What started as a minor traffic accident ended with the arrest of a private garbage truck driver after police allegedly found suspected shabu and a .45-caliber pistol inside his sling bag. The incident happened at around 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 6, in Barangay