Here are the latest news and events that happened today, Friday, February 24, 2023.

LTFRB: 61% jeepney units joined consolidated entity so far

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Friday said out of the 158,000 target jeepney units nationwide, at least 61% have joined a consolidated entity in compliance with the jeepney modernization program. “Sa mga jeepney out of 158,000 target nationwide, 61% na po ng mga individual units ang nakapagconsolidate na, sa UV [Express units] naman po meron na See more...

Feb. 25, 2023 no longer a holiday —Palace

Malacañang on Friday clarified that February 25, 2023 will no longer be a regular holiday after President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. declared February 24 as a special non-working holiday. "Consistent with the holidays moved in furtherance of holiday economics as contained in Proclamation No. 90 dated November 11, 2022, February 24, 2023 has been declared a special non-working holiday to See more...

Marcos inks law making Carmona a component city of Cavite

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure converting the municipality of Carmona into a component city of the province of Cavite. Republic Act No. 119381 or "An Act Converting the Municipality of Carmona in the Province of Cavite into a component city to be known as the City of Carmona" was signed by the chief executive See more...

1 on 1: Miles Ocampo on no-script serye, fame, 20 years in showbiz

MANILA — At just 25 years old, Miles Ocampo can be considered a relative veteran in show business, with a career crossing the two-decade mark next year. With those years of experience, it's no wonder that Ocampo did justice to the physically and emotionally taxing role of Marites in "FPJ's Batang Quiapo," which has drawn her wide praise and made See more...

2 lalaki, arestado dahil sa pamamaril umano sa isang Indian sa QC

Arestado ang dalawang lalaki sa Quezon City dahil sa umano'y pamamaril at pagkapatay sa isang Indian, at ang pinag-ugatan umano ng krimen ay ang paniningil ng utang. Iniulat sa Unang Balita nitong Biyernes na umamin ang gunman at sinabing napag-utusan lang daw siya ng kanyang amo sa pinagtatrabahuhan niyang bigasan. Inulat ni James Agustin na noong February 14, pinagbabaril ang See more...

No picking fights: How creators can keep viewers entertained, informed on TikTok

MANILA — In an app like TikTok where only short videos are allowed, how can content creators keep their audience entertained and informed? "Content has to be quick, quippy, and quotable," said education content creator Lyqa Maravilla, who has 1.1 million followers on the video-sharing platform. "The average watch time is a couple of seconds. If you don’t get their See more...

Coco Martin's ‘Apag' leads 8 entries for inaugural Metro Manila Summer Film Festival

MANILA – (UPDATED) The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) on Friday announced the eight official entries for its inaugural summer edition in April. Leading the official movies for the Metro Manila Summer Film Festival is Kapamilya primetime king Coco Martin’s “Apag.” Directed by Brillante Mendoza, Martin is joined by Lito Lapid, Jaclyn Jose, and Gladys Reyes. Also making the See more...

Aregluhan sa mga kaso ng incestuous rape, gustong ipagbawal ng DOJ

MAYNILA — Isinusulong ng Department of Justice (DOJ) ang no settlement o walang aregluhan sa mga kaso ng incestuous rape o panghahalay na ginawa ng kaanak. Ayon kay Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, isasangguni nila ito sa court administrator at susulat kay Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo para magkaroon ng panuntunan sa mga korte kaugnay ng no settlement sa mga kaso See more...

Jayson Gainza, tinitiyak na napapasaya muna ang pamilya bago ang ibang tao

Inilahad ni Jayson Gainza na isa sa mga sikreto niya sa halos dalawang dekada na niyang pagiging komedyante ang siguruhing mapasaya muna ang kaniyang pamilya, bago magpasaya ng ibang tao. Sa podcast na "Updated with Nelson Canlas," tinanong ng host na si Nelson Canlas si Jayson tungkol sa kaniyang sikreto sa matagal na niyang pagpapatawa sa telebisyon. "Hindi ko talaga See more...

Amihan, localized thunderstorms to bring rains across Philippines

The Northeast Monsoon (Amihan) and localized thunderstorms will continue to bring rains across the country, the weather bureau PAGASA said Friday. Based on its 24-hour weather forecast, the agency said Amihan would bring cloudy skies with rains over Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, and Ifugao, and partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with light rains over Metro Manila See more...

Presyo ng isda sa Nepa Q Mart tumaas sa unang Biyernes ng kwaresma

Ngayong nagsimula na ang panahon ng kwaresma, nagtaasan na rin ang presyo ng isda sa ilang palengke. Sa Mega Q Mart sa Quezon City, nasa P190 na kada kilo mula P180 kada kilo ang presyo ng bangus. Habang ang presyo ng tilapia, nasa P130 kada kilo. Nasa P400 kada kilo naman mula P360 ang presyo ng tuyo. See more...

PNP informants receive around P8M for arrest of most wanted persons

Nine informants of the Philippine National Police (PNP) received nearly P8 million in reward money for the arrest of some of the most wanted persons in the country. PNP Director for Intelligence Police Major General Benjamin Acorda Jr. said the total reward money was P7,960,000, according to Sam Nielsen's report on Super Radyo dzBB on Friday. Of the nine apprehended See more...

Zubiri, Legarda say PH agri protected under RCEP

MANILA - Philippine agricultural products will be protected even as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) finally takes effect, two Senate leaders said on Friday. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri during Friday’s media briefing on the post-approval scenario of RCEP said, agricultural products like rice, corn, among others will be exempted from tariff rates in this so-called “world’s largest free See more...

Marcos orders creation of green lanes in gov’t offices for strategic investments

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has called for the creation of green lanes in government offices in order to promote the Philippines as a "top investment destination." In his Executive Order No. 18, the President said there is a need to ensure that the country's regulatory environment is conducive to business operations to encourage investors to engage in strategic investments. See more...

PNP checking for 'pattern' in series of attacks vs. local officials —Azurin

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking into a possible pattern in the recent armed attacks against elected government officials, according to PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Friday. “Nakikita natin na is this a pattern or incident lang 'yan? Kasi nga sa iba-ibang lugar naman sila na-ambush. So 'yun ang pinag-aaralan natin ngayon,” Azurin told reporters in See more...

Core collection: Apple archive to go up for auction

LOS ANGELES, United States — A collection of nearly half-a-century's worth of Apple computers that traces the evolution of one of the world's most influential companies is going under the hammer in California next month. Aficionados of Steve Jobs' groundbreaking firm will be able to get their hands on a suite of devices that showcase how Apple became a household See more...

Maynilad to reduce water losses by 163 million liters per day

West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. is eyeing to cut its water losses by 162 million liters per day (MLD) this year. In a statement, Maynilad said the 162 MLD volume recovery—equivalent to filling up 73 Olympic-size swimming pools daily—is enough to supply the water needs of some 162,000 people. The water company said it aims to recover this See more...

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy underestimated by Putin

It's a world record. No leader before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has managed to hold an address every single day for a straight year. The leader records video statements in his office, a bunker or elsewhere, chronicling the war against his country. The presidential addresses document how he and his country have changed since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. See more...

Marcos orders 'green lanes' to ease entry of 'strategic investments'

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has ordered the creation of green lanes in government offices and a "One Stop Action Center" to ease the entry of strategic investments into the country. Marcos, in Executive Order No. 18 signed on Thursday, directed the Department of Trade and Industry – Board of Investments to set up the One Stop Action See more...

IPs end 9-day march dismayed, determined to continue fight vs Kaliwa Dam

MANILA — While confident their 9-day journey to the nation’s capital successfully amplified their group’s opposition to the construction of the Kaliwa Dam, a leader of the Dumagat-Remontado tribes on Thursday said they were dismayed they had not been able to personally bring their concerns to the president. The indigenous people (IPs) who began their march in General Nakar, See more...

EU lawmakers call on Philippines to rejoin ICC, decriminalize libel

The Human Rights Committee of the European Parliament called on the Philippines to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC) and decriminalize libel and cyberlibel laws to improve its human rights record. “The delegation was made aware of continuing extra judicial killings, and underscored the importance of investigating each such case and ensuring accountability of perpetrators," said European Parliament Sub-Committee on See more...

LOOK: ‘PBB’ hosts bonds once again with Direk Lauren

MANILA – It may be off-season for “Pinoy Big Brother” but the reality series' hosts still find time for a get-together every once in a while. Bianca Gonzalez, Melai Cantiveros, Robi Domingo, Kim Chiu, and Enchong Dee gathered for a casual bonding dinner with ABS-CBN executive Laurenti Dyogi. On Instagram, Cantiveros shared some pictures of their dinner held See more...

DOLE: Employees working on Feb. 24 holiday entitled to additional pay

Employees working on Friday, February 24, a special non-working holiday, are entitled to additional pay, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). On Thursday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. moved the February 25 holiday to February 24 “to enable our countrymen to avail of the benefits of a longer weekend pursuant to the principle of holiday economics... provided that See more...

LOOK: OneRepublic in Makati's Poblacion after concert

MANILA – It appeared that OneRepublic still had more energy left after their concert at the Araneta Coliseum Thursday night. This as lead singer Ryan Tedder documented through his Instagram stories their visit to Poblacion, the popular nightlife district in Makati City. The band roamed around the area, visiting Run Rabbit Run along P. Guanzon St. before having See more...

Theater review: 6 years after, 'Ang Pag-uusig' still rings true

MANILA -- First staged in 2017 and again in 2018, Tanghalang Pilipino's award-winning production of Jerry Respeto’s Filipino translation of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” struck a nerve with its core “thou-shalt-not-bare-false-witness” message at a time when extra judicial killings attributed to the past administration’s war on drugs was top of mind. This year, Tanghalang Pilipino is restaging its award-winning See more...

Bayad sa driving schools pinag-aaralang i-standardize ng LTO

MAYNILA — Pinag-aaralan ng Land Transportation Office (LTO) ang standardization ng bayad sa mga driving school. Isa sa mga requirement sa pagkuha ng driver’s license ay ang technical at practical driver’s course mula sa mga driving school. Pinaiimbestigahan ni Pampanga 4th District Rep. Ana York Bondoc ang umano’y “anti-poor” na bayarin para makakuha ng lisensya sa LTO. Umaabot aniya ng See more...

Mayor sa Maguindanao, sugatan sa ambush sa Pasay City

Sugatan ang alkalde ng Datu Montawal, Maguindanao del Sur na si Ohto Caumbo Montawal, matapos siyang pagbabarilin sa loob ng kaniyang sasakyan sa Pasay City noong Miyerkules ng gabi. Sa pahayag na inilabas nitong Biyernes ng Southern Police District (SPD), sinabing binabagtas ng sasakyan ni Montawal ang Roxas Boulevard Service Road dakong 6:30 p.m. nang pagbabarilin siya ng mga salarin. See more...

De Lima files motion for case dismissal, immediate release

Detained former senator Leila de Lima has again filed a petition seeking the dismissal of the drug case against her as well as her immediate release, her camp announced Friday. In a 33-page motion filed via email on Thursday, the camp of De Lima asked the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 to dismiss the case for lack of evidence, See more...

Beauty Gonzalez admits she does not watch herself on TV: ‘It’s hard’

Beauty Gonzalez finds it difficult to see herself on television. On Friday’s “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” Beauty said she suffers from imposter syndrome where she finds it hard to believe that she’s beautiful. “Dati, ang taba ko tapos sinasabihan akong pumayat and kahit anong gawin ko, ‘di ako pumapayat. ‘Di nawala sa’kin yung takot so kahit anong sabihin See more...

PNP chief explains latest leadership revamp

MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said Friday that recent movements in the leadership of the police organization is just part of a regular revamp. “Ito pong movement na ito is a regular na revamp ng ating PNP, because we wanted to further improve yung ating police presence dito sa NCR (National Capital See more...

National Grid Corporation of the Philippines warns of 'tight' power supply this summer

MANILA - The Philippines’ power grid operator on Friday warned that the country’s power supply will be “tight” this summer amid higher demand this year. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said Luzon’s peak demand is forecast to rise to 13,125 megawatts (MW) towards the end of May. This is 8.35 percent higher than the actual 2022 See more...

‘The Iron Heart’ sets new online live viewership record

MANILA – The Richard Gutierrez-led series “The Iron Heart” is also raking tons of online live viewers just like other ABS-CBN primetime shows “Batang Quiapo” and “Dirty Linen.” In fact, the action-packed drama series recorded back-to-back all-time high live concurrent viewers last February 22, and February 23. The alliance of Apollo ( Gutierrez) and Eros (Jake Cuenca) may be See more...

Bato dela Rosa believes Marcos has no secret order to push Cha-cha in Congress

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa expressed belief Friday that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has no secret order for Congress to amend the 1987 Constitution. "Tingnan natin 'yung personalidad ng ating Pangulo. Hindi naman duplicitous 'yung kanyang personalidad. 'Pag sinabi niyang hindi niya priority, maniwala tayo na hindi niya priority," Dela Rosa said in an interview on Dobol B See more...

P27M worth of smuggled sugar seized in Manila

Some P27 million worth of alleged smuggled sugar from China were seized by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in a series of inspections at the Manila International Container Port (MICP). A report by Allan Gatus on Dobol B TV on Friday said the inspections were conducted following a tip received by the office of DA Assistant Secretary James Layug. Three See more...

On war anniversary eve, Zelensky says Ukraine 'will prevail'

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday expressed confidence in his country's victory over invading Russian forces with fears mounting of strikes on the war's first anniversary. The nearly year-long conflict has seen Western leaders step up their support for Kyiv, and on Thursday G7 ministers discussed new sanctions on Russia as the UN General Assembly prepared See more...

Fuel price rollback seen next week –oil industry source

After several hikes, motorists can expect a breather in the coming week as pump prices of petroleum products are seen to be rolled back. Citing oil trading in the past four days (February 20 to 23), an oil industry source told GMA News Online that the price per liter of diesel may be slashed by P1.40 to P1.70. Gasoline prices, See more...

Pagkuha sa labi ng Cessna plane crash victims malapit sa Mayon, pahirapan

Nananatiling pahirapan para sa mga mountaineer ang pag-retrieve ng bangkay ng mga biktima ng Cessna plane crash sa Albay. Sinuspinde ang retrieval operations noong Huwebes lalo't mahirap at delikado sa crash site, malambot ang lupa, at walang matuntungan sa pinagbagsakan ng eroplano. Nakadagdag din ang zero visibility sa dalisdis ng Bulkang Mayon. "Mahirap talaga 'yung [pumunta sa See more...

Robi Domingo, nagsimula nang maghanda para sa kasal

MAYNILA -- Nagsimula na ang paghahanda nina Robi Domingo at kanyang fiancee na si Maiqui Pineda para sa kanilang kasal. Sa "Magandang Buhay" nitong Biyernes kasama sina Bianca Gonzalez at Martin Nievera, ibinahagi ni Domingo na maliban sa kasal ay naghahanda na rin sila ni Pineda sa buhay na tatahakin bilang mag-asawa. "Right now, safe to say na may See more...

Collaborators invited for community engagement fund vs. disinformation

Since 2016, my colleagues and I have authored multiple studies about social media disinformation and influence operations and their pernicious consequences to political debate, trust in the electoral process, and even the quality of our personal relationships. The problem has become so much more profound than the attention-hacking stunts and silly distraction peddled by bloggers and influencers. In our recent See more...

DOF's Diokno: No projection yet on how much Maharlika fund can grow

Amid criticisms on the lack of a business plan for the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Friday that there was no estimate yet how much the sovereign wealth fund would grow should it be established. “We don’t have any projection [yet]… But there's a lot of money floating around,” Diokno said at the sidelines of See more...

Philippines lost at least half of mangrove areas from 1918 to 2010

The Philippines reportedly has lost about half of mangrove or “bakawan” over the past years. According to Raffy Tima’s report on “24 Oras”, mangrove areas went down from 500,000 in 1918 to 240,824 hectares in 2010. Among the reasons for the disappearance of mangrove forests were reclamation projects and creation of fisheries. Severino Salmo III, UP Diliman Institute of Biology See more...

House Speaker claims prominent Japanese business group 'interested' in Maharlika fund

MANILA — House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Friday said a Japanese business group is interested in investing in the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF). “This early, a prominent Japanese business group has already expressed his interest in the Fund,” Romualdez said. Romualdez, however, did not name the potential investor. “The Landbank, the Development Bank of the Philippines, and the Bangko See more...

One year of Ukraine war: Why we get compassion fatigue

It's easy to turn away from another news article or social media post about war and violence. After all, we're constantly bombarded with images of traumatic events when we're online. The phenomenon, known as compassion fatigue, or empathy burnout, causes us to lose our capacity to react and help those in need. "I felt this after the invasion of Ukraine," See more...

Why didn't Cessna planes in Bicol, Isabela incidents send distress signal?

MANILA — It took aviation authorities three days to confirm that the wreckage near Mayon Volcano was that of the Cessna 240 that went missing on February 18, while it has been over a month since a Cessna 206 went missing in Isabela. The search for these planes could have been quick if only these aircraft were able to send See more...

DOJ, UPPAF sign MOU for competition reform

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the University of the Philippines Public Administration Research and Extension Services Foundation Inc. (UPPAF) on Friday entered a memorandum of understanding for competition reforms. UPPAF is the lead implementing organization for the Regulatory Reform Support Program for National Development (RESPOND) project, which seeks to enhance trade and investment in the country. “This is between See more...

143 new COVID-19 cases recorded, active tally hits 9,337

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday recorded 143 new COVID-19 cases, while the active tally went up to 9,337. Based on the DOH’s latest data, the nationwide tally is currently at 4,076,014, while the active tally increased from 9,269 cases on Thursday. The country’s recovery tally stood at 4,000,601, while the death tally increased to 66,076 with 13 new See more...

Kelvin Miranda, hinihintay ang text ni Kate Valdez?

Inihayag ni Kelvin Miranda na kung mayroon mang text ng isang Kapuso actress na hinihintay niya na magpapasaya sa kaniya, ito ay mula kay Kate Valdez. Sa “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” nitong Huwebes, sumalang si Kelvin sa “Fast Talk” segment, kung saan pinabuo sa kaniya ang pangungusap na “Sana all ___.” “Sana all happy,” tugon ni Kelvin. Tinanong ni See more...

Marcos Jr eats lunch at Laoag City eatery

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Friday made a surprise visit at an eatery in Laoag City where he ate lunch with his son Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos and other government officials. Tourism Secretary Cristina Frasco was seen joining the President, who was served Ilocano dishes at Dawang’s Eatery. Prior to his meal, the Chief See more...

Chinese Coast Guard tries to shoo away PCG vessel in Ayungin Shoal

A Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel tried to drive away a Philippine Coast Guard ship that was conducting a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight in Ayungin Shoal on Tuesday, GMA News’ Unang Balita reported Friday. The PCG has released a video where a radio challenge from China can be heard telling the PCG to leave the area even though it See more...

Here’s a sneak peek of ‘Unbreak My Heart’ shooting in Switzerland

The cameras have started to roll in Switzerland for the much-awaited series “Unbreak My Heart.” Dreamscape Entertainment shared the latest snaps of the filming that features lead stars Jodi Sta. Maria, Joshua Garcia, Richard Yap, and Gabbi Garcia. Most of the photos were taken while the Kapamilya and Kapuso stars were filming their scenes in Switzerland. Interestingly, fans See more...

David Licauco thanks fans for letters, gifts: 'It means a lot to me'

David Licauco is nothing but grateful for all the love he's been receiving from fans. The "Maria Clara at Ibarra" star took to Facebook to say he's had the chance to go through the gifts he received. "Reading all the letters, I never had that before," he said. "Handwritten stuff takes a lot of effort, it means a lot to See more...

Journalists urged to unite for press freedom 37 years after EDSA revolt

Filipino journalists should band together to protect the press freedom that the EDSA People Power Revolution restored, the Philippine Collegian said Friday. Media practitioners face threats and vilification nearly 37 years after the largely peaceful revolt restored democracy and toppled the 2-decade regime of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., said Philippine Collegian editor-in-chief Daniel Daiz. "So perhaps in the years to See more...

DOJ eyes no settlement in incestuous rape, child abuse cases

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said they are seeking to establish guidelines that will prevent settlement in cases of incestuous rape and child abuse. Remulla issued the remark following a meeting with officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Information and Communication Technology See more...

Party-list system should be amended not abolished —Gabriela

House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas of Gabriela party-list warned that abolishing the country's party-list system will be "problematic" as it would deny marginalized sectors a chance for representation. Brosas was responding to the suggestion of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa that the party-list system only resulted in redundancy of representation and was being abused by politicians. “That view See more...

PCC adjusts ceiling for compulsory notification of mergers, acquisitions

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has upwardly adjusted the thresholds for the mandatory notification of mergers and acquisitions to the antitrust body. In a statement, the PCC said the recalibration of the ceilings for the compulsory notification was made “to reflect changes in the economy facing high inflation and reeling from the effects induced by the pandemic.” Starting March 1, See more...

Call to remove BSP, state banks as initial Maharlika fund source unhelpful –DOF

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Friday stood firm on the current composition of initial funding sources for the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), which include the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and state-run lenders Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). “If you exclude BSP, Landbank, DBP… basically they don’t want it to continue. That’s See more...

India calls on G-20 finance chiefs to address rising prices

BENGALURU, India - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on financial chiefs of the Group of 20 leading economies to address rising prices and other economic challenges the world faces as they met in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru. "Many societies are suffering due to rising prices...Even the financial viability of many countries is threatened by unsustainable See more...

Suspek sa pagpatay sa dayuhang taga-New Zealand, sumuko

Sumuko sa mga awtoridad ang itinuturong bumaril sa isang dayuhang taga-New Zealand sa Makati City noong Linggo, February 19. Sa ulat ng Unang Balita nitong Biyernes, inginiit ng suspek na wala umano siyang kinalaman sa krimen dahil nasa bahay daw siya nang mangyari ang pamamaril kay Nicholas Peter Stacey. Sa exclusive na ulat ni John Consulta, sinabing sumuko ang suspek See more...

NGCP says tight power supply looms during dry season months

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) on Friday said the power supply is seen to be thin during the hot dry season months due to the expected uptick in demand. In a statement, the NGCP, citing a forecast from the Department of Energy (DOE), said the total peak demand of 13,125 megawatts (MW) for the Luzon grid is See more...

Global wildlife contaminated by 'forever chemicals': study

PARIS, France — From pandas to sea lions to tigers, hundreds of wildlife species across the globe are contaminated by potentially harmful "forever chemicals", according to a review of hundreds of peer-reviewed studies. Over 300 wildlife species showed traces of the nearly indestructible synthetic chemicals, according to a report from the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) PFAS Project Lab released on See more...

Makati to keep Ayala Avenue protected bike lanes

Ayala Land and the #MakeltSaferMakati movement agreed on Friday to keep the protected bike lanes on Ayala Avenue and to work together on the design solutions to promote safety. On February 23, 2023, representatives from the #MakeltSaferMakati movement, Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), and the Makati Business Club's (MBC) Business for Biking Program met to discuss the design of the bike See more...

Louis Vuitton accused over Joan Mitchell paintings in handbag ads

NEW YORK — The Joan Mitchell Foundation has sent a cease and desist letter to Louis Vuitton alleging the luxury brand is using reproductions of the artist's paintings in handbag advertisements without authorization. In a statement dated Tuesday the non-profit said it repeatedly denied requests from Louis Vuitton to use Mitchell's colorful abstract work in their campaign, which stars actor See more...

Zubiri: PH can withdraw from RCEP if imports flood local industries

The Philippines can withdraw from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) if the local industries are flooded with imported products, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Friday. In a press conference, Zubiri said the Senate resolution which concurred in the ratification of the mega-trade deal provides that the Senate president may recommend to the President the withdrawal from the agreement. See more...

Rollback sa petrolyo, LPG namumuro sa katapusan ng buwan

MAYNILA - May inaassahang rollback sa petroleum products maging sa liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sa katapusan ng buwan. Ang kompanyang Regasco, nag-rollback muli ng kanilang petroleum products dahil lalo pa raw bumagsak ang contract price ng LPG sa world market. "Ang pananaw namin mga another 5 days to go before end of the month, so nakikita namin kung See more...

'I really thought I got this': Celeste Cortesi shares thoughts after Miss Universe loss

MANILA -- Celeste Cortesi admitted that she thought she had what it takes to win the 71st Miss Universe pageant. The Filipina-Italian beauty queen failed to make it to the Top 16 of the competition, which came as a shock to many of her fans. In an interview with Boy Abunda, Cortesi said she believed she can bring home See more...

Weekend guide: Taiko show, beauty room, and more

MANILA – Here are some events that you can check out this weekend. These are not endorsed by ABS-CBN News. JOHNNIE HIGHBALL BAR POP-UP IN CEBU The Johnnie Highball Bar pop-up is back and making its way to Cebu after its successful runs in BGC and Alabang last year. From February 24 to March 26, Cebuanos and tourists alike See more...

Maguindanao town mayor hurt in Pasay ambush —police

Datu Montawal, Maguindanao del Sur Mayor Ohto Caumbo Montawal was hurt after two assailants shot him while inside his vehicle in Pasay City on Wednesday, police said Friday. In a statement, the Southern Police District (SPD) said Montawal’s vehicle was traversing the Roxas Boulevard Service Road about 6:30 p.m. when shot by the suspects. After the shooting, the suspects fled See more...

Martin Nievera, nabigla nang mapiling coach ng 'Voice Kids'

MAYNILA -- Inamin ni Martin Nievera ang pagkabigla nang mapili siya na maging isa sa mga coach ng pinakabagong season ng "The Voice Kids." "Kasi 'yung last gig ko as a judge or as a coach was 'The X Factor.' Matagal na 'yon hindi ba? Then 'I Love OPM' which is more of a fun musical reality show. Pero 'The See more...

Police to assess threat on gov't officials after attacks

MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday said it would assess the threat on government officials following a series of ambush and shooting incidents against local executives. “Ang marching order natin [ay] to start conducting a threat assessment sa mga elected as well as appointed officials doon sa kanilang mga respective areas so that we would know See more...

FDA creates task force to fast track COVID-19 drugs registration

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has created a task force to fast track and streamline the approval and evaluation of COVID-19 drugs in the country. FDA Director General Dr. Samuel Zacarte said Taskforce Fleming was launched to fast track the provision of “safe and effective” COVID-19 drugs in the market. Zacarte said the task force aims to streamline the See more...

PNP reshuffle not connected to review on senior officers’ resignations — Azurin

The recent revamp of officials in different positions in the Philippine National Police (PNP) has nothing to do with the ongoing review on the courtesy resignations of senior officers, its chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said Friday. Azurin told reporters that the new designations of officials are just a regular reshuffle in the PNP. “Unang-una, ito pong movement na See more...

Clouds, terrain hampering retrieval of Cessna crash victims in Bicol —mayor

Thick clouds and dangerous terrain are hampering the retrieval of the bodies of the four fatalities of the Cessna plane crash in Mayon Volcano, a local official said Friday. Interviewed on Unang Balita, Camalig, Albay Mayor Carlos Irwin Baldo said it is unlikely that the retrieval operations would be completed on Friday. “Hindi po kakayanin ngayong araw kasi kahit kahapon, See more...

OCD: More than 61K people affected by Davao region floods

A total of 61,525 people or 14,154 families were under distress due to floods in different areas in Davao region as of Friday, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). Based on an update from OCD Joint Information Center, 5,269 individuals or 1,495 families were evacuated due to flooding. Around 1,700 individuals or 451 families were staying in evacuation See more...

EU MP says probe of PH drug killings 'to go on forever', calls for ICC support

The prosecution of perpetrators behind the thousands of killings blamed on the war on drugs under the Duterte administration "will go on forever" with the current pace of the investigation, a member of the European Parliament subcommittee on human rights said on Friday. This developed as the subcommittee delegation said that the Philippines re-joining the Rome Statute of the ICC See more...

Nancy Binay seeks probe into BuCor's transfer plan to Masungi Georeserve

Senator Nancy Binay has filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the reported plan of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to build a new headquarters at the Masungi Georeserve in Rizal. The lawmaker filed proposed Senate Resolution 495 which tasks the Senate committee on tourism, which she chairs, to investigate BuCor's plan. "The Masungi georeserve is a symbol of sustainable See more...

Durian exports to China to start in March: Palace

MANILA — The Philippines will start exporting durian fruits to China next month, Malacañang said on Friday. Citing information from the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Plant Industry, the Presidential Communications Office said there is already a "scheduled shipment of durian" to Beijing in March. Some 7,500 metric tons of durian will be sent to China sourced from See more...

Victor Basa, wife Stephanie Dan expecting first child

MANILA -- Former "Pinoy Big Brother" housemate and model Victor Basa and his wife Stephanie Dan are expecting their first child. The actor shared the good news in an Instagram post on Thursday night, as he uploaded the ultrasound image of their baby. "Want to share our joy and hope with everyone, people close to us know that we See more...

Buto ng bulaklak, umusbong sa loob ng tenga ng bata

Paalala sa mga magulang na may mga anak na mahilig sa bulaklak na inilalagay sa tenga. Sa Vietnam, nagulat ang isang duktor nang madiskubre niya na may tumubong "seedling" o buto ng bulaklak sa loob ng tenga ng isang bata na dahilan ng pamamaga nito. Sa video na mapapanood sa GMA News Feed, sinabing dinala ang 10-taong-gulang na bata See more...

On 6th year of detention, De Lima sees vindication 'at hand'

Former Senator Leila de Lima marked her sixth year in detention on drug-related charges on Friday with a firm belief that her vindication is about to come. "I strongly believe that my vindication is at hand," De Lima said in a statement. "But even if they continue to try to silence me, I refuse to cower." A critic of former See more...

'Mga Lihim ni Urduja' releases magical full trailer

"Mga Lihim ni Urduja" finally released its full trailer and it looks amazing. The nearly five-minute video introduces a whole new world: the kingdom of Tawalisi. Sanya looks fierce as Urduja, the warrior queen from the Pangasinan legend that the show is based on. Gabbi Garcia plays a jewelry designer named Crystal while Kylie Padilla is a police lieutenant See more...

Teflon and 'forever chemicals:' The hidden toxins in your body

The "Forever Pollution Project"has found more than 17,000 sites in Europe that are contaminated by perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS). More than 2,000 of these sites can be considered hotspots. Known as "forever chemicals" by experts, they could be damaging human health. Roland Weber, an environmental consultant with the United Nations, describes them as "one of the most threatening chemicals ever See more...

Warhol in the desert: Flamboyant art icon pops up in Saudi

AL-ULA -- Andy Warhol's iconic portraits of stars such as Marlon Brando and Dolly Parton are on display in the Saudi desert, at a show intended to reframe the kingdom's forbidding reputation. The first exhibition in Saudi Arabia for the Pop Art giant is a tribute to the late artist's obsession with celebrity, and his seeming ability to predict the See more...

2 senators share thoughts on EDSA revolution

MANILA — Two senators on Friday gave their thoughts on the EDSA People Power Revolution that took place 37 years ago. Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda was a working journalist in New York when the EDSA revolution happened. Freedom and democracy are two of EDSA's most important legacies, according to Legarda, who became one of ABS-CBN News' anchors right See more...

SC disbars lawyer over claims of bribing justices

The Supreme Court En Banc has disbarred a lawyer for telling his client that he can bribe justices of the Fifteenth Division of the Court of Appeals. In a decision penned by Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao, the SC said Atty. William delos Santos coaxed his client, Norma Flores, to pay P160,000 for a “bribe” to the justices. The lawyer said See more...

Japan's restaurants fight back vs 'sushi terrorism'

Takaya Takita is conflicted. As a father, he does not want the teenager who has caused outrage in Japan after his antics in a sushi bar — including licking his fingers and touching another customer's order — to blight his entire future. As the manager of a busy sushi restaurant, on the other hand, he insists something has to be See more...

Ukraine allies thank Philippines for UN vote against Russian invasion

MANILA — The ambassadors of France and Germany thanked the Philippines for voting in favor of a resolution before the United Nations (UN) General Assembly that demanded Russia to leave Ukraine. On the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, French Ambassador to the Philippines Michèle Boccoz said rules-based international order was "at stake" in the UN vote. “We See more...

Transport group: Include transport rules in education curriculum

MANILA — A transport group on Friday urged the government to include traffic regulations in the education curriculum amid the approval of the new traffic code in Metro Manila. Orlando Marquez, president of the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators ng Pilipinas (LTOP), said the Bicol Region has implemented this in classrooms. “Lahat ng public transport or private, lahat See more...

Pelikulang 'Plane,' kusang iniurong ng distributor sa mga sinehan sa Pilipinas

Kusang iniurong ng distributor ang pagpapalabas sa Pilipinas ng pelikulang "Plane," kaugnay na rin sa puna rito ng ilang senador dahil magbibigay umano ng masamang imahe sa bansa. Kamakailan lang, hiniling ni Senador Robin Padilla called sa Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) na i-ban ang naturang pelikula sa bansa dahil ginamit na setting ang Jolo, Sulu kung See more...

LTFRB urges traditional jeepneys to join cooperatives to secure loans, modern units

MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Friday called on traditional jeepney operators to consolidate into cooperatives, as the government plans to modernize the public transport system. Joel Bolano, chief of LTFRB's technical division, said the move would help jeepney drivers get loans and make their operations sustainable. They have until June 30 to join See more...

Climate change, rampant urbanization fuel Brazil storm disasters

BRASILIA, Brazil — Climate change and unchecked construction in flood- and landslide-prone areas are making disasters like the violent storm that killed at least 48 people in southeastern Brazil ever more frequent, according to a leading expert. Francis Lacerda, a researcher at Brazil's IPA Climate Change Laboratory, spoke with AFP about the forces driving disasters like the one that hit See more...

'Mula Sa Buwan' to be streamed, screened this March

MANILA -- Fans of "Mula sa Buwan," rejoice: the hit musical will be streamed and screened for a limited time this March. The professionally shot "Mula sa Buwan" film, which also includes English subtitles, will be streamed from March 24 to 26. There will also be an advance screening on March 18, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., at See more...

Suspect in killing of New Zealand tourist surrenders to police

A suspect in the February 19 killing of a New Zealand tourist in Makati City is already in police custody, Unang Balita reported on Friday. Accompanied by his family members, the suspect, John Mhar Manalo, surrendered to the police in Pasig City early Friday morning. Manalo was identified by three witnesses as the one who shot victim Nicholas Peter Stacey See more...

ARTA to cover corruption issues in deal with Citizens’ Complaint Center: exec

MANILA — The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and the Office of the President’s 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Center will act on complaints about slow government processes and issues of corruption as well, an official said on Friday. The two agencies this week signed a memorandum of agreement on the matter, forming a system where officials will be held accountable when See more...

Celeste Cortesi backs Michelle Dee's 2nd Miss Universe PH stint

MANILA -- Celeste Cortesi is happy that her friend and fellow beauty queen, Michelle Dee, is joining the Miss Universe Philippines pageant for the second time. In an interview with Boy Abunda, the Miss Universe Philippines 2022 titleholder believes that Dee will get the top crown this year. The daughter of Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez and businessman Frederick Dee See more...