Philippine News

MANILA, March 5 ------ A total of 299 Filipinos affected by the escalating tensions in the Middle East safely returned home, the Department of Migrant Workers said. The DMW said the group included some individuals who were “returning to the Philippines for their safety and security as advised by their employers,” while others were “OFWs who finished their contract, and some are returning home for good and personal reasons.” The group arrived at the NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay Ci

March 3 ------ The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) said Monday it was tracking Philippine-registered vessels in international waters as conflict continued in the Middle East following United States and Israeli strikes against Iran. "Marina has conducted an assessment of the Philippine-Registered Overseas Fleet (PROF), with particular attention to vessels operating within or transiting through areas of geopolitical concern," said the agency, which is responsible for regul

MANILA, February 25 ------ The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Philippine Embassy in Finland have commended 19 Filipino crew members of the Greek merchant vessel Cymona Eagle for rescuing a Finnish solo rower who was left adrift in the South Atlantic Ocean after his boat was damaged during a powerful storm. In a news release on Tuesday, the DMW said the Filipino crew rescued Jari Saario in early January during his historic attempt to become the first solo rower to

MANILA, February 16 ------ Filipino seafarers and their families can now easily access key government services in one location following the opening of a dedicated Seafarers’ Welfare Center. Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) chief Patricia Yvonne Caunan on Friday inaugurated the welfare center at Aseana Business Park in Parañaque City. Caunan said the center is designed to provide a safe and orderl

MANILA, Philippines, February 15 ------ Direct contributors of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will soon be able to avail themselves of a pay ward or shared room in hospitals run by the Department of Health (DOH) for free under the government’s zero balance billing (ZBB) policy. In a statement, the DOH announced that it would be releasing a new memorandum circular directing all of its 87 hospitals across the country to cover patients admitted in pay wards u

MANILA, February 11 ------ Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac stressed the importance of strengthening coordination among government, manning agencies, and labor groups to better protect Filipino seafarers, as the department welcomed the induction of new officers of the Joint Manning Group. Cacdac said the oath-taking comes at a crucial time, following a challenging year for the global maritime industry marked by security risks in the Red Sea, notin

MANILA, Philippines, February 10 ------ The Department of Health (DOH) will order state hospitals to apply the zero-balance billing policy to direct contributors of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) who will be admitted to pay wards. “There has been a wide clamor for PhilHealth’s direct contributors to be given this privilege. These are those whose PhilHealth premiums are directly deducted from their salary. They would want to have better hospital accommodati

Dubai, UAE, January 14 ------ The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), led by Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac, and DataFlow Group Chief Strategy Officer Amit Gupta officially signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai. This event marks the global launch of the Online Employment Contract Verification System (OECVS), a fully digital platform that enables overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to submit, pay for, and download verified employment contracts online.

MANILA, January 13 ------ Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) can expect wider coverage and better services from the government as the Department of Migrant Workers’ (DMW) budget for 2026 has increased by 34 percent. At a Palace briefing Monday, Undersecretary Bernard Olalia reported that the DMW’s allocation under the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) rose to PHP11.745 billion from last year’s PHP8.76 billion. “For the Office of the Secretary, we have PHP7.46 billion, an in

MANILA, Philippines, November 21 ------ Filipinos in need of emergency care can now avail themselves of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. ambulance service package. The PhilHealth ambulance service packages range from Basic Life Support Ambulance, priced at P4,100, to Advanced Life Support Ambulance costing P4,600, and the Physician-managed Advanced Life Support Ambulance, priced at P6,100. A separate coverage for the maintenance and fuel costs of ambulance service is als

MANILA, November 19 ------ Pag-IBIG Fund is offering a one-month payment moratorium and reminding borrowers of their Housing Loan insurance coverage to help members recover from the devastation caused by recent typhoons and earthquakes, officials announced. Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary and Pag-IBIG Fund Board Chairman Jose Ramon Aliling said the measures reflect Pag-IBIG Fund’s continuing commitment to provide responsive support to Filipino

MANILA, November 14 ------ The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday assured the public that its newly launched Kaagapay donations portal will provide a secure and transparent platform for sending cash assistance to families and communities affected by recent calamities. In an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the online portal was designed to make donating simpler, safer, and more direct for individuals and org

MANILA, November 13 ------ The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Tuesday said it will begin reprocessing previously denied hospital claims starting Nov. 15 until Mar. 31, 2026. These include denied claims that were unprotested or unappealed and were filed late between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2024. PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Edwin Mercado said the move acknowledges the challenges faced by hospitals in claim processing. “Alam natin

MANILA, November 4 ------ The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reiterates the warning issued by the Philippine Embassy in Egypt against illegal recruitment and “third-country” schemes offering employment in the African nation without proper permits and accreditation. In an advisory posted on social media, the DMW urged Filipinos seeking jobs abroad to apply only through its accredited agencies, report suspicious recruiters, and always keep their passports and valid work do

MANILA, September 3 ------ A milestone declaration seeking stronger protection for seafarers was adopted in a Philippine government-led...

MANILA, September 1 ------ The Philippines, the largest source of seafarers worldwide, hosts the first International Conference on...

August 27 ------ The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has conceptualized a business plan that will serve as a sustainable livelihood...

MANILA, Philippines, August 19 ------ The Home Development Mutual Fund, commonly known as Pag-IBIG Fund, will extend its special three...

MANILA, Philippines, August 18 ------ The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. yesterday launched the enhanced PhilHealth GAMOT (Guaranteed...

MANILA, August 2 ------ The Social Security System (SSS) said it was increasing pensions for 3 years starting September this year. In a...