Philippines News Today April 27, 2023

Here are the latest news and events that happened today, Thursday, April 27, 2023.

Two centenarians in Ozamiz receive P300k each as cash gifts

A total of P600,000 in cash was awarded to two women centenarians in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental. Centenarians Pompia Ochagabia Balcita of Barangay Maningcol and Tiburcia Gaid Parojinog of Barangay Molicay received P300,000 each after celebrating their 100th birthdays this April. The Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 10, together with other government officials, handed out the cash gifts See more...

Lucas Garcia, masaya sa kanyang buhay pag-ibig

MAYNILA -- Ibinahagi ni Lucas Garcia ang saya dahil sa kanyang buhay pag-ibig. Sa "Magandang Buhay" nitong Huwebes, kasama ang kanyang ina, naging bukas si Garcia sa pag-aming nasa relasyon siya ngayon. "Masaya ang puso ko kasi totoo ang sinasabi natin na surround yourself with good people and positive people. At masaya ako dahil napapaligiran ako ng mga kaibigan na See more...

Tiffany reopens flagship New York store under French management

NEW YORK, United States - New Yorkers and tourists will once again stroll between the rings and diamonds of jeweler Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue, which officially reopened for business Wednesday after extensive renovations under new owners, French luxury giant LVMH. The iconic Manhattan jewelry store -- immortalized by the 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" -- reopened its doors See more...

Poe blasts 'notorious' LTO over license plate issue: 'Di katanggap-tanggap'

MANILA -- Sen. Grace Poe on Thursday called out the Land Transportation Office (LTO) over its being "notorious" for "delivering short of what is expected" by the public amid the current shortage in license plates and cards. "From license cards to motorcycle plates and car plates, the LTO has earned a notorious reputation of delivering short of what is expected... See more...

PNP looking into possible violations, lapses in database leak

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is now looking into possible violations and lapses in the reported leak of its database. In a statement issued Thursday, the PNP said it took actions in response to the report of the National Privacy Commission (NPC) about the leak, which compromised the details of 1.2 million records of employees and applicants. “As an immediate See more...

Philippines’ COVID-19 positivity rate now at 12.9% — OCTA

The nationwide COVID-19 positivity rate increased to 12.9% on Wednesday, according to independent monitoring group OCTA Research. Data by OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David showed that the Philippines’ positivity rate — or the percentage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested — went up from 11.7% on April 25, to 12.9% See more...

DMW cites Egypt’s stricter border control in Filipinos’ crossing issues

Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople said Thursday that Egypt is now implementing a stricter border control amid the rising number of evacuees from Sudan, thus causing a problem with Filipinos who wish to cross from the battle-scarred country. In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Ople said among the challenges they are facing with regards to evacuating Filipinos from Sudan was See more...

DOE, other agencies tackle power shortage crisis in Occidental Mindoro

MANILA - The Department of Energy, the National Electrification Administration and other agencies are working together to address the ongoing power crisis in Occidental Mindoro province. The Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Inc. (OMECO) is facing a power shortage of about 22.5 megawatts (MWs), causing frequent power outages in the province. To address this issue, the Power Systems, Inc. (PSI) diesel See more...

PSA: ‘Digital economy’ hits P2.08T in 2022, accounts for 9.4% of GDP

The Philippines’ digital economy was valued at P2.08 trillion in 2022, up 11% from P1.87 trillion in 2021 amid the rise in digital transactions, according to a preliminary report by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). In its report, the PSA said the digital economy accounted for 9.4% of the country’s 2022 gross domestic product (GDP) — the total value of See more...

New group eyes NAIA rehab, pushes P100 billion proposal

MANILA (UPDATE) - MANILA – A new consortium, composed of some of the biggest conglomerates in the Philippines and a global partner, is looking to upgrade the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Calling itself the Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC), the group has submitted an unsolicited proposal worth P100 billion to “transform NAIA into a world-class airport.” MIAC is composed See more...

PSA: Western Visayas fastest-growing region in 2022

Western Visayas had the fastest-growing economy in 2022 as it overtook even the national average during the year, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Thursday showed. The Western Visayas region posted an economic growth of 9.3%, followed by the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) with 8.7%, and the Davao Region with 8.15%. They were followed by Central Luzon See more...

MPIC to delist from PSE

Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is set to voluntarily delist from the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), as its controlling shareholders are set to buy out the minority through a P48.6 billion tender offer. In a regulatory filing on Thursday, MPIC said a consortium of major shareholders — Metro Pacific Holdings Inc. (MPHI), GT Capital Holdings Inc., Mit-Pacific Infrastructure Holdings See more...

Lalaking naniningil ng parking fee sa mga motorista sa pampublikong lugar, hinuli

Ipinaalala ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Mangaldan, Pangasinan na libre at hindi dapat magbayad ng parking fee ang mga motorista kapag nasa pampublikong lugar gaya ng plaza. Ginawa ang paalala kasunod ng mga reklamo ng ilang motorista dahil may mga naniningil umano ng parking fee sa mga pampublikong lugar. Sa ulat sa Russel Simorio sa GMA Regional TV "One North See more...

4 Pinays being trafficked to Lebanon rescued

Four women who were allegedly being trafficked to work in Lebanon were rescued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. In a statement on Thursday, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said authorities intercepted one of the victims on April 21 while attempting to board a flight to Thailand, while the remaining three were already cleared for See more...

Maynilad extends water service interruptions in several areas

Water service interruptions will continue for Maynilad customers until next month, the company said. According to Oscar Oida’s “24 Oras” report on Wednesday, water service interruptions for Maynilad customers will range from eight to 21 hours a day until May 16. Among the affected cities are Parañaque, Pasay, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, and several areas in Cavite. Maynilad said this is See more...

PCG rescues 16 fishermen in Oriental Mindoro

Sixteen fishermen en route to Iloilo province were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after their motorbanca encountered engine trouble in the waters off Oriental Mindoro. According to the PCG on Thursday, the fishermen departed Rosario, Cavite, on Saturday, April 22, to go on a fishing venture in Estancia, Iloilo. Their vessel, however, encountered engine problems while traversing the See more...

Meet the fan favorites in Miss Universe PH 2023 swimsuit challenge

MANILA -- Five candidates are a step closer to winning the swimsuit challenge of Miss Universe Philippines 2023. Jannarie Zarzoso of Agusan del Norte, Pauline Amelinckx of Bohol, Princess Anne Marcos of Bulacan, Shayne Maquiran of Capiz, and Angelique Manto of Pampanga emerged as fan favorites after getting the highest number of votes on the Miss Universe Philippines app. Zarzoso, See more...

Arroyo wants K-to-12 replaced with post-secondary studies

Former President and Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Arroyo of has filed a bill replacing the K-to-12 basic education program to "K+10+2" which would remove the two-year senior high school years for 2 years of post secondary or pre-university education in preparation for professional degree studies. In her explanatory note on her proposed House Bill 7893, Arroyo said that the K-to-12 See more...

Romualdez: Filipinos to benefit from Marcos-Biden meeting

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s upcoming visit to the United States will be beneficial to the country, particularly in terms of security, investment opportunities, and job creation, Speaker Martin Romualdez said Thursday. Marcos will have a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House on May 1. “The meeting between President Marcos and US President Biden will further See more...

SC junks petition vs. Pichay for being moot, academic

The Supreme Court has junked a petition seeking to declare as immediately executory the penalty of perpetual disqualification against former Surigao del Sur Representative Prospero Pichay Jr. as moot and academic. During its En Banc session on Tuesday, the SC said it has previously affirmed a decision of the Office of the Ombudsman, among others, that imposed a penalty of See more...

Cheap phones on postpaid coming this June: DITO

MANILA - DITO Telecommunity on Thursday said it looks to offer affordable phones together with the launch of its postpaid plans this June, as it works towards profitability. DITO Chief Administrative Officer Adel Tamano told reporters in a briefing that the company is aiming to provide cheaper and more reliable alternatives in the postpaid and enterprise market segments. “We See more...

Babaeng nambato umano ng gunting sa nakaaway niyang katrabaho, arestado

Arestado ang isang babaeng nambato umano ng gunting sa katrabaho niya sa Maynila. Iniulat ni Darlene Cay sa Unang Balita nitong Huwebes na nangyari ang pamgbabato ng gunting habang nag-aaway ang dalawang workers sa kanilang pinagtatrabahuan sa Binondo, Manila. "Batay sa imbestigasyon ng mga pulis, madalas umanong magtalo itong dalawang personalidad na ito ng dahil siguro sa trabaho," pahayag ni See more...

High temperatures raise demand for electricity, cause higher rates

Electricity consumers may expect higher power rates starting next month as the country’s consumption increases due to higher temperatures. According to Maki Pulido’s report on “24 Oras” on Wednesday, the higher demand for electric supply jacked up prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). Settlement prices in Luzon and Visayas climbed to 16.8% or P7.68 per kilowatt hour for See more...

Oil spill cleanup in 2 Oriental Mindoro towns around 80 percent complete, says PCG

MANILA — Efforts to clean up parts of Oriental Mindoro hit by the MT Princess Empress oil spill are now 74 to 80 percent complete, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Thursday. PCG said in a Facebook post that its incident management team has completed 74.82 percent of its cleanup efforts in Naujan town, while the cleanup at Pola town See more...

Oil spill shoreline cleanup in Pola 80% done, Najuan at 74%

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday reported 80.71% and 74.82% “shoreline cleanup completeness” in oil spill-hit towns Pola and Naujan in Oriental Mindoro as of Wednesday. In a statement, the PCG said at least 28 of the 34 kilometers of affected shoreline in Pola and five out of seven kilometers in Naujan have already been cleaned up. The PCG See more...

NEA seals deal for add’l ‘free’ 2-month power supply for Occidental Mindoro

Amid the long power outages being experienced in Occidental Mindoro province, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) on Thursday said it has sealed a deal for a two-month additional power supply for the province that will be subsidized by the government. In a statement, the NEA said starting April 29, residents of Occidental Mindoro will get an additional six to seven See more...

Marcos leads inking of 2 contracts for North-South Commuter Railway

MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr on Thursday led the ceremonial signing for two contract packages for the construction of parts of the South Commuter section of the North-South Commuter Railway Project in Malacañang. These are Contract Packages S-02 and S-03B, which constitute some 14-kilometer stretch of the south commuter section, running through Metro Manila, both above and below its See more...

VP Sara to K-12 graduates: Choose a course you are happy about

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte advised K–12 graduates on Thursday to choose a field of study in college they will be happy to pursue. In her speech during the moving up ceremony and commencement exercises at the Montessori de San Juan, Duterte told Grade 12 students to proceed to higher education as it will ensure the realization of See more...

PNP probes 'criminal aspect' of alleged data breach in police computer system

MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Thursday that their Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) is investigating possible criminal liability over alleged data breach in the computer system of the police organization. “Ang iniimbestigahan niya yung criminal aspect, kung meron bang na-violate na batas doon sa tinatawag nating RA 10173 at yung DICTM (Directorate for information and Communication Technology Management). See more...

New image reveals violent events near a supermassive black hole

WASHINGTON - Expanding upon the historic first images of black holes, scientists on Wednesday unveiled the first picture showing the violent events unfolding around one of these ravenous cosmic behemoths, including the launching point of a colossal jet of high-energy particles shooting outward into space. The new image was obtained using 16 telescopes at various locations on Earth that essentially See more...

Babae, pinagsasaksak ng kapatid ng live-in partner na napuno sa pagbabanta

Nagtamo ng mga sugat ang isang babae matapos siyang pagsasaksakin ng kapatid ng kaniyang live-in partner sa Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Quezon City. Ang suspek, napuno na umano dahil sa mga pagbabanta ng biktima. Sa ulat ni James Agustin sa Balitanghali nitong Huwebes, makikita ang dugo sa damit at paa ng 21-anyos na suspek na nadakip sa follow-up operation ng pulisya. See more...

Sen. Binay prods DOH, LGUs to ramp up inoculation of routine vaccines for children

Senator Nancy Binay on Thursday called on the Department of Health and the local government units to craft strategies to ramp up the inoculation of routine vaccines for children after Unicef reported that around one million Filipino children missed out on such jabs. The member of the Senate health and demography committee made the call after the Philippines ranked See more...

Marcos greets 2023 electronics engineer, electronics technician board passers

MANILA - President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Thursday congratulated the successful examinees of the April 2023 Electronics Engineer and Electronics Technician Board Examinations. “Today we celebrate new additions to the ranks of our country’s highly skilled and internationally renowned and sought-after professionals,” the Philippine leader tweeted. “Congratulations to our newly licensed Electronics Engineers and Technicians!” According to the Professional See more...

PH slips 3 notches in good governance index

The Philippines has slipped three notches in the global governance index, placing 66th out of 104 countries in the overall ranking. The country dropped from 63rd to 66th this year with an index score of 0.4694, according to the Chandler Good Government Index 2023. This was the Philippines’ lowest ranking since the annual index started in 2021 when it ranked See more...

Poe to gov’t, telcos: Work with 5G speed in urging public to register SIM

The government agencies and the telecommunication companies should now work with full speed in urging the public to register their SIM, Senator Grace Poe said a day after the Supreme Court denied the bid to issue a temporary restraining order against the implementation of the SIM Registration Act. “The Supreme Court's verdict on the SIM Law is a big boost See more...

Jessica Sanchez, Allison Shore to perform in MPL Season 11 finals

MANILA -- Jessica Sanchez will be returning to the Philippines to open the MPL Season 11 grand finals on May 7 at the SMX Convention Center. Sanchez will join rapper-composer Allison Shore in performing the league's theme song "Lakas ng Pinas." Sanchez, an "American Idol" alum, made her music comeback in 2022 with "Baddie." Sanchez last returned to See more...

DOH launches children immunization campaign vs measles, rubella, polio

MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday launched the “Chikiting Ligtas” campaign to encourage parents to have their children vaccinated against measles, rubella, and poliovirus. The immunization drive, which aims to increase routine vaccine uptake among children below 5 years old, was launched in San Juan City and would last until the end of May. Confidence in childhood See more...

Tracker teams formed to pursue suspects linked to missing sabungeros

Tracker teams will be formed to look for the suspects linked to the disappearance of six sabungeros at the Manila Arena in 2022, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Thursday. “Mag fo-form ng tracker teams para sa pursuit para dito sa mga missing suspects, the suspects who have not surrendered or have not shown up. ‘Yun po ang ating See more...

El Niño mitigation plan should include agri insurance —Villanueva

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva is urging the government to include the agricultural insurance woes of farmers in its plans to mitigate the expected impact of the El Niño phenomenon in the country. The lawmaker expressed concern over the low number of farmers availing themselves of agricultural insurance as he emphasized the need for the country to be prepared for See more...

Landbank nets P10.8B in Q1

State-owned Land Bank of the Philippines booked a P10.8-billion net income in the first quarter of 2023, on the back of higher interest income and lower operating costs. In a statement, Landbank said its three-month bottomline was higher by P2 billion than its target for the period and already accounts for 30.8% of the lender’s P35-billion net income goal for See more...

Robinsons Retail nets P1.09B in first quarter

Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. opened 2023 with a net income of over P1 billion, driven mainly by the growth of its core business in the first quarter of the year. In an emailed statement, RRHI said its core net income climbed 20.5% to P1.094 billion from P907 million. Net income, however, declined by 46.5% to P683 million from P1.276 billion. See more...

What is the historical origin of the Bible?

More than 2 billion Christians worldwide base their faith on the New Testament. It is one of the most influential pieces of writing that has ever existed. So, every new discovery about the text has the potential to be a big deal. That's what Grigory Kessel, a researcher from the Austrian Academy of Science, must have felt when he unearthed See more...

Valeen Montenegro, iniisip ang kaniyang yaya kapag may eksenang iyakan

Inihayag ni Valeen Montenegro na kung mayroon man siyang pinanghuhugutan ng emosyon para sa mga iyakan na eksena, ito ay walang iba kundi ang kaniyang mahigit 70-anyos nang yaya, na nag-alaga sa kaniya mula pa noong pagkabata. “Siya ‘yung normally shortcut ko to having that emotion out, kapag nagmamadali na or ‘pag anong oras na ng gabi. Kasi I grew See more...

Sports equipment at musical instruments warehouse sa Rizal, nasunog

Sumiklab ang sunog sa isang warehouse ng sports equipment at musical instruments sa Cainta, Rizal madaling-araw nitong Huwebes. Sa ulat ni Bam Alegre sa Unang Balita nitong umaga, sinabing kontrolado na ang sunog sa isang industrial warehouse sa Cainta, malapit sa boundary ng Pasig City. Ayon sa report, matindi ang pagliyab ng apoy pasado alas-tres ng madaling-araw. Naglalaman ang warehouse See more...

BPI says 'Let's get phygital' or both physical and digital

MANILA - Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) said is set to transform all its branches into "phygital" banks which operate as both physical and digital branches. At a media briefing following the company's Annual Stockholders' Meeting, BPI President & CEO Jose Teodoro Limcaoco said it will refurbish 25 branches into phygital banks this year with the first one opening See more...

New movie alert: Daniel Padilla to star in dark thriller, buddy comedy

MANILA – The Supremo is making a huge comeback on the big screen. Kapamilya leading man Daniel Padilla is set to star in two new movies from ABS-CBN Films to finally end his film hiatus. The announcement came a month after his girlfriend Kathryn Bernardo revealed her upcoming projects. Just in time for his birthday, Padilla said he See more...

Microplastics are already present in Metro Manila air, study confirms

Microplastics have been found floating in Metro Manila air, a study confirmed. Mandaluyong and Muntinlupa yielded the most number of microplastics among the 17 Metro Manila LGUs, while Malabon yielded the least among all LGUS of the National Capital Region. The study is the first of its kind, with students from Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, headed by See more...

NBI seeks to file murder raps vs. Arnie Teves by next week —Remulla

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) seeks to file murder complaints against suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. over the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight others by next week, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday. In an ambush interview, Remulla said the NBI seeks to file murder, multiple murder, and multiple frustrated murder See more...

CAAP says probing aircraft that 'interrupted' Balikatan exercises

MANILA — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Thursday said it was coordinating with the Balikatan 2023 organizers after a civilian aircraft reportedly interrupted the war games by entering a no-fly zone. In a statement, CAAP said it is investigating the incident and identifying the said aircraft. It has also issued airspace restrictions through 7 notices to See more...

Fresh COVID-19 cases at 781; active infections rise to 4,960 —DOH

The Department of Health (DOH) registered 781 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, pushing the active tally to 4,960. The nationwide caseload is now 4,090,996, while active infections rose to 4,960 from 4,446 on Wednesday. The National Capital Region remained the region with the highest number of cases in the recent two weeks with 2,370 infections. This was followed by Calabarzon See more...

PCG: Chinese vessel carrying 55-MT nickel ore ran aground off Eastern Samar

A Chinese vessel carrying 55,000 metric tons of nickel ore ran aground off the coast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar last week, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Thursday. Based on an incident report, the Chinese-flagged bulk carrier MV ZHE HAI 168 hit the vicinity waters approximately 2.7 nautical miles off the shoreline of Barangay Sulangan, Guiuan, Eastern Samar on April See more...

LOOK: Anne Curtis attends reopening of Tiffany's in New York

Philippine screen superstar Anne Curtis looked absolutely gorgeous as she attended the reopening of the Manhattan store of jeweler Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue, New York. Curtis was photographed by Getty Images in front of the iconic store wearing a cream colored, princess-like dress paired with glittery heels. Through an Instagram Story, Curtis expressed her delight that she attended See more...

Milky Way's fate? Astronomers reveal what ignites quasars

PARIS, France - Astronomers said Wednesday that for the first time they have confirmed what ignites quasars, the brightest and most powerful objects in the universe, which put galaxies in their "death throes". These celestial behemoths form when two galaxies smash into each other, the astronomers said, warning that this could be the Milky Way's fate in a few billion See more...

Mga plaka ng sasakyan pinangangambahang maubos sa Hulyo: LTO

MAYNILA - Matapos ang kakulangan sa lisensiya, nakaamba ngayong magkulang umano ang mga plaka para sa mga sasakyan. Ayon sa Land Transportation Office, nasa 1 milyong plaka na lang ang suplay nila sa buong bansa para sa mga sasakyan, habang 300,000 naman para sa motor vehicles. "Ang projection ng LTO, motor vehicles plates to last until July; motorcycle See more...

Street vendor sa Thailand na tila sinasapian, inatake pala ng mga bubuyog

Ikinagulat ng mga tao ang pagtatakbo ng isang street vendor habang hinahampas ang sarili sa harap ng isang restaurant sa Thailand. Ang lalaki na tila sinasapian, inatake pala ng mga bubuyog. Sa ulat ng GMA News Feed, makikita na hinagisan ang lalaki ng puting tela, at doon lamang siya tumigil nang gamitin niya itong pangtalukbong. Pagkalipas ng ilang saglit, pinapasok See more...

Digital divide hits women harder in poor countries —UN

UNITED NATIONS — Some 90 percent of young women and teenage girls in the world's poorest countries have no access to the internet, a United Nations report published Wednesday said. The lack of access—and disparity between the number of girls and boys offline —poses serious risks that women will be left behind economically in an increasingly digitally connected world, the See more...

LOOK: Anne Curtis, Heart Evangelista reunite in New York

Anne Curtis and Heart Evangelista reunited in New York to attend the reopening of the iconic Manhattan store of jeweler Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue. The “It’s Showtime” host shared their photo on her Instagram Stories, where she and Evangelista were joined by the latter’s husband, Senator Chiz Escudero, and Tatler Philippines editor Anton San Diego. “Team PH,” Curtis See more...

Mayor Binay: Makati hits 72% of 2023 revenue target in Q1

Makati City Mayor Abby Binay said Thursday the city is on its way to full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic following the recorded growth in its total revenue collection. Binay said the city has achieved 72% of its full-year revenue target of about P17.84 billion in the first quarter after its total collection reached P12,925,503,905.76 as of the end of See more...

Hold departure order vs. Bantag, Zulueta issued by Muntinlupa court

A Muntinlupa City court has issued a hold departure order (HDO) against former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and former BuCor deputy officer Ricardo Zulueta. The order was issued upon the request of state prosecutors to prevent them from leaving the country during the pendency of the case involving the murder of Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in See more...

Bianca Umali is a goddess in new beach pic

Bianca Umali just casually dropped a gorgeous photo of herself in a bikini, and fans can't get enough of it. As seen in her Instagram post, the Kapuso actress paired her swimwear with a sarong, showing off her toned figure. Netizens had plenty to say about it. Their comments ranged from "So sexy!!!" to "SOBRANG SEXYYY." One called her a See more...

3 Filipinos killed, 5 hurt in Taiwan factory fire —Bello

Three Filipinos were killed while five others were hurt following a fire incident in a food factory in Taiwan, Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) chair Silvestre Bello III said Thursday. In a statement, Bello identified the three as Renato Larua, 30, of Cavite; Nancy Revilla of Marinduque; and Aroma Miranda of Tarlac. Their families, he said, have already been See more...

BPI planning to tap syndicated loan

Ayala-led lender Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) on Thursday announced plans to tap a syndicated loan to partly refinance its $600-million debt papers set to mature this year. According to BPI treasurer and global markets head Dino Gasmen, the bank is now looking at a syndicated loan instead of bond issuance, given the prevailing market conditions. “We’re going to See more...

Poe wants LTO's 'complete report' on plates, licenses backlog

Senator Grace Poe on Thursday urged the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to provide the public with a "complete report" on the backlogs of vehicle plates and license cards and to provide details on how it plans to address the problem. “We ask the LTO to give the public a complete report on its backlog on vehicle plates and license cards See more...

SC halts election of IBP-Central Luzon officers

The Supreme Court has ordered the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) — Central Luzon to halt the election of its officers until further directives from the court. The SC, in its En Banc session on Tuesday, acted on the case titled “Illegal campaign and activities in the IBP-Central Luzon allegedly perpetrated by Atty. Nilo Divina.” The high court also See more...

Microplastics, nasa hangin na ng Metro Manila, ayon sa pag-aaral

Lumitaw sa isang pag-aaral na kasama na umano sa hangin ng Metro Manila ang microplastics na maaaring malanghap ng tao. Ang mga lungsod na mayroon umanong pinakamataas na antas ng microplastics sa hangin--ang Mandaluyong at Muntinlupa. Ang pag-aaral ay isinagawa ng mga mag-aaral mula sa Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, na pinamunuan ni Rodolfo Romarate II at ginabayan ni See more...

DITO to launch postpaid, enterprise biz services in June

New major telecommunications player DITO Telecommunity Corp. is expanding its service offerings further as it plans to launch postpaid and enterprise business plans in the middle of 2023. At a press briefing on Thursday, DITO chief administrative officer Adel Tamano said the telco booked P7.2 billion in gross revenues last year, over 300% higher since it posted P2.2 billion in See more...

DoubleDragon acquires land for Hotel101-Madrid

Businessman Edgar “Injap” Sia’s DoubleDragon Properties Corp. announced on Thursday it acquired land in Madrid, Spain, where its Hotel101 will soon rise. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, DoubleDragon said its subsidiary Hotel101 Global Pte Ltd. signed a binding agreement on April 27 for the purchase of 6,593 square meters of prime commercial land in Madrid. Hotel101-Madrid will See more...

PDEA destroys drugs, chemicals worth P4.1 billion

MANILA — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Thursday said it destroyed illegal drugs and chemicals worth P4.1 billion at a stockpile in Trece Martires City, Cavite. PDEA said the incinerated drugs weighed 700 kilograms, and were pieces of evidence seized from various anti-drug operations carried out by the agency. Among the drugs and chemicals the agency burned down See more...

DOH launches children vaccination drive vs. measles, rubella, polio

The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday kicked off a nationwide supplemental immunization campaign to vaccinate children against measles, rubella, and polio. During the launch at San Juan City, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire underscored the importance of the “Chikiting Ligtas 2023” in informing and encouraging Filipino children to get vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases that continue to exist in the See more...

Jason Dy, ibinahagi ang dahilan ng kanyang 'hot' posts

MAYNILA -- Ibinahagi ni Jason Dy ang dahilan ng kanyang "hot" posts sa social media. Sa "Magandang Buhay" nitong Huwebes, nagbigay reaksiyon si Dy sa kanyang mga retrato na ang ilan ay kita ang kanyang dibdib at abs. "Minsan lang tayo sa ganitong age. So take as many photos as you want," ani Dy. Sumang-ayon din si Dy sa See more...

Fire hits industrial warehouse in Cainta; no casualties

A fire broke out at an industrial warehouse in Cainta, Rizal, on Thursday morning, Unang Balita reported. The fire started at 3 a.m. and reached the third alarm, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). Twelve firetrucks responded and the fire was put under control by 4:31 a.m. The warehouse was said to be filled with musical instruments and See more...

4 Filipino workers killed in Taiwan factory fire: MECO

MANILA - Four overseas Filipino workers were killed in a fire that hit a factory in Changhua County in Taiwan, the chairman of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office-Taiwan (MECO-Taiwan) said Thursday. According to Atty. Silvestre Bello III, three of the 4 victims died due to suffocation, while the fourth died while in the hospital. Aside from the 4 Filipino See more...

PH books $70 million in 'hot money' outflows in March

MANILA - The Philippines booked $70 million in net outflows of foreign portfolio investments in March, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The BSP said transactions on foreign investments registered with the central bank, through authorized agent banks in March showed gross outflows of $1.33 billion and gross inflows of $1.26 billion. "This is smaller compared to See more...

Iba-ibang klase ng kape ng Pilipinas, bumida sa 2023 Coffee Expo Seoul

SOUTH KOREA - Bumida sa 2023 Coffee Expo Seoul sa South Korea ang iba-ibang klase ng kape ng Pilipinas. Bilang guest country ang Pilipinas sa taunang event na ito, siniguro ng Philippine Trade Investment Center o PTIC sa Seoul sa pakikipagtulungan ng embahada ng Pilipinas at Philippine Agriculture Office ng Seoul na maayos na maipakikilala ang ating See more...

Sec. Ople sa mga Pinoy na lumilikas mula sa Sudan: 'Magbayanihan spirit tayo'

Nagpapatupad umano ng mahigpit na border control ang pamahalaan ng Egypt sa mga Pinoy na lumilikas mula sa Sudan na may nagaganap na kaguluhan, ayon kay Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople. Anang kalihim, hindi madali ang sitwasyon at hinikayat niya ang mga kababayan na "magbayanihan." Sa panayam ng Super Radyo dzBB nitong Huwebes, sinabi ni Ople na nagdudulot ng problema See more...

PDEA destroys over P4B worth of illegal drugs

More than P4 billion worth of confiscated illegal drugs were destroyed in Trece Martires City, Cavite on Thursday, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). In a statement, the PDEA said the 700 kilograms of dangerous drugs worth P4,154,802,996.83 were incinerated at the facility of the Integrated Waste Management, Inc. These dangerous drugs and controlled precursors and essential chemicals See more...

Why Ricky Lee is excited to work with Daniel Padilla

MANILA – When Kapamilya heartthrob Daniel Padilla makes his return to the big screen, he will be doing it in style as he is set to star in an adaptation of a story written by one of the country's national artists. Padilla will star in the upcoming ABS-CBN Film movie “Nang Mapagod si Kamatayan” – based from a short See more...

Lolo na nagpapasan ng mabigat na upuan para ibenta, tumanggap ng mga biyaya

Sadyang gumagaan ang mabigat na pasanin sa buhay kapag may tumulong. Gaya ng nangyari sa isang 68-anyos na lolo na nagpapasan ng ibinibenta niyang upuang gawa sa kawayan na 30 kilo ang bigat sa Davao del Norte. Kuwento ni lolo Mateo Embalsado, mula sa Kapalong, Davao del Norte, natutunan niya ang paggawa ng upuan mula sa kaniyang ama. Binibinili niya See more...

PH, China vessels in near-crash off Spratly Islands

A Chinese coast guard ship cut off a Philippine patrol vessel carrying journalists in the disputed South China Sea, causing a near-collision, an Agence France-Presse team on board another boat saw. The near-miss off the Spratly Islands on Sunday was the latest in a steady string of incidents between China and the Philippines in the contested waterway. AFP was one See more...

Kim Hyun-joong, naniniwalang magkakaroon din ng ‘Philippine wave’

Para sa Korean idol na si Kim Hyun-joong, hindi malayong magkakaroon din ng “Philippine wave” sa hinaharap dahil na rin umano sa malakas na energy ng mga Filipino. “As one of the K (Korean) artists, naging looky [ako] kasi sobrang lakas ng energy ng mga Pilipino,” sabi ni Kim sa tulong ng interpreter sa “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” nitong See more...

Filipino-owned Half Saints opens second store in Tokyo

Filipino-owned restaurant Half Saints continues to expand in Japan with its second store in Tokyo. The new branch, called Half Saints Bakes, opened last April 15 at the Deli and Dish artisanal food market at LaQua in Tokyo Dome. It offers sweet and savory treats such as puff pastry pizzas and layered cup desserts. "Opening in spring fills our hearts See more...

'The Boobay and Tekla Show,' may mga bagong pakulo!

Magkakaroon ng mga bagong pakulo ang late-night comedy talk show nina Boobay at Tekla na napapanood tuwing Linggo ng gabi. Sa darating na Linggo, April 30, magkakaroon ng relaunch ang kinagigiliwang "The Boobay and Tekla Show." Mayroon pa ring live celebrity guests, games, at iba pang nakatutuwa at pampa-good vibes na mga gimik. Kabilang sa mga bagong segment at games See more...

Janitor noon sa Baclaran Church, milyonaryong CEO na ngayon

Buhay na patunay na itinuturing si Julius Ladigohon na sadyang mapaghimala at natutupad ang mga kahilingang inilalapit sa Our Mother of Perpetual Help sa Baclaran o ang Ina ng Laging Saklolo. Ang dati kasing janitor sa simbahan na pangarap umasenso sa buhay, isa na ngayong matagumpay at milyonaryong CEO ng sarili niyang kompanya. Laki sa hirap si Ladigohon, na tumutulong See more...

Hot money outflows narrow to $70.26 million in March

Registered foreign investments with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) or “hot money” continued to post net outflows in March, albeit lower than the previous month, data released on Thursday showed. Data released by the BSP recorded $70.26-million in net outflows in March, lower than the $531.27-million net outflows in February, and the $305.08-million net outflows the same month last See more...

Antipolo cops deny they were the ones in drug arrest video during House probe

Policemen accused of illegally arresting a woman over alleged illegal drugs in Antipolo City last year on Thursday denied that they were the men seen on video accosting the suspect. Police Major Juan Carlo Porciuncula, Corporals Pasul Pigcaulan and John Olaño, and Patrolman Mark Peregrino all attended Thursday's hearing of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety regarding the See more...

PBB alum Lance Carr finishes college as cum laude

MANILA – Actor and former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate Lance Carr knew how to balance his career and studies as he finished his undergraduate degree in flying colors. Carr graduated as cum laude at the Ateneo de Davao University with a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Communication. He was also a Blue Knight awardee. The young actor first See more...

Meralco billing sa May, posibleng tumaas

Inalerto na ng Meralco ang mga consumer na posibleng tumaas ang paparating na singil dahil sa inaasahang pagsipa ng presyo ng kuryente o konsumo dahil sa tindi ng init ng panahon. "There really is that pressure for overall electricity cost to perhaps go up... Talagang pagpasok ng summer months, asahan na natin di lang sa presyo kundi sa maging See more...

PH internet getting faster as investments ramp up: Ookla

MANILA - Internet connections in the Philippines in March were faster compared to the previous month, according to global internet speed tracker Ookla. In terms of mobile data connection, the Philippines recorded a median download speed of 25.63 Mbps and 6.39 Mbps for upload. This placed the country at number 79 out of 140 countries monitored by Ookla, which See more...

Relasyong pangnegosyo ng Malaysia at Pilipinas, mas pinalakas

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Lumagda sa isang MOU o Memorandum of Understanding ang Embahada ng Pilipinas sa Malaysia, Philippine Trade and Investment Centre o PTIC Kuala Lumpur kasama ang Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry o MICCI noong April 11. Ayon sa embahada, layon ng MOU na magtatag ng balangkas para sa mas matibay na business relations See more...

Muntinlupa court issues hold departure order vs Bantag, Zulueta

MANILA - A hold departure order against former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag has been issued, a Department of Justice official said Thursday. According to DOJ spokesperson Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano, a HDO was issued by the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court Branch 206 against Bantag and former BuCor deputy officer Ricardo Zulueta on Tuesday, April 25. See more...

Erwan Heussaff, 3 Filipino chefs nominated for 2023 James Beard Awards

MANILA -- Four Filipinos have been nominated for the 2023 James Beard Awards, which has been dubbed by many as the Oscars of the culinary world. The Instagram page of Filipino-French content creator Erwan Heussaff is included in this year's James Beard Media Awards under the Social Media Account category, which "recognizes excellence in a single food-related post, or See more...

YouTube Shorts vs fake news? Google asks journos to try format

MANILA - Google Philippines said news platforms, journalists, content creators as well as influencers can use YouTube Shorts to connect viewers to trusted information, which in turn could reduce misinformation. YouTube Shorts, the "snackable," low-lift videos that are less than 60 seconds is broad-based and is meant to expose creators to new viewers as well as viewers to new See more...

AFP chief Centino backs amnesty for former rebels

Armed Forces chief General Andres Centino on Thursday expressed support for the proposed amnesty for former rebels. In a statement, the Task Force Balik-Loob (TFBL) said Centino noted the value of a multi-faceted approach in addressing the armed insurgency including the granting of amnesty. “I have advocated that other approaches of government in dealing with insurgency should be considered, such See more...

409 Pinoys evacuated from Sudan —Palace

Malacañang on Thursday said a total of 409 Filipinos have already been evacuated from conflict-torn Sudan. The Presidential Communications Office said of the number, 335 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and family members left Khartoum on April 26 for Egypt via Wadi Halfa Highway. Meanwhile, 35 OFWs and 15 students were safely evacuated to Egypt with the help of Filipinos in See more...

DOH, LGUs urged to beef up vaccination of children after 'alarming' Unicef report

MANILA -- Sen. Nancy Binay on Thursday urged the Department of Health (DOH) and local government units (LGU) to beef up their vaccination efforts among children. Binay made the call after the United Nations' children's agency Unicef reported that some 67 million children partially or fully missed routine vaccines globally between 2019 and 2021 because of lockdowns and healthcare See more...

Probe still ongoing on PNP's 990-kg shabu haul

MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday said an investigation is still ongoing to solve the puzzle behind the 990-kilo drug haul discovered October last year. “Patuloy ang pag-iimbestiga nung ating SITG 990 (Special Investigation Task Group 990) at isa nga sa tinututukan nila diyan ay paano nakarating doon sa WPD lending office na pag-aari ni (Sgt. Rodolfo) See more...

3 OFW, patay sa sunog sa Taiwan; 5 pa, sugatan-- MECO

Tatlong Pinoy ang nasawi sa nasunog na food factory sa Taiwan, at limang iba pa ang nasugatan, ayon kay Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) chairman Silvestre Bello III. Sa isang pahayag nitong Huwebes, kinilala ni Bello ang mga nasawi na sina Renato Larua, 30, mula sa Cavite; Nancy Revilla ng Marinduque; at Aroma Miranda mula sa Tarlac. Naipaalam na See more...