Philippine News

MANILA, Philippines, November 28 ------ A Filipino domestic worker is in critical condition and another is still missing after a massive fire tore through a high-rise residential complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. Foreign Affairs spokesperson Angelica Escalona said both overseas Filipino workers were employed as domestic helpers. One remains confined in the intensive care unit of a local hospital, while authorities continue s

MANILA, November 28 ------ The Philippine Navy is closely monitoring a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel off the Zambales coastline, an official said. Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the Chinese ship was observed moving northward off the Zambales coastline at a speed of 8 knots. The vessel was approximately 51 nautical miles west of Botolan at noon. “We do not want to speculate bakit lumapit siya, but we have noticed in the

MANILA, November 28 ------ President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr announced that he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to explore deeper cooperation in food security, agriculture, and digitalization. In a Facebook post, Marcos said the discussion with Zelenskyy reaffirmed the Philippines and Ukraine’s bilateral relations and opened doors for expanded collaboration in priority sectors. “I spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky today to reaffirm our warm relations an

November 28 ------ Former president Rodrigo Duterte has waived his right to appear at the International Criminal Court’s hearing today, November 28, where the Court will deliver its judgment on the Defense’s appeal of Pre-Trial Chamber I’s earlier decision denying his interim release. The Defense formally placed on record Duterte’s signed waiver of his right to be physically or virtually present at the said hearing. The filing was submitted by Defense Counsel Nicholas Kaufman

MANILA, Philippines, November 27 ------ Seven congressmen who are owners of construction firms that have contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have been recommended for prosecution by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure. Also, on ICI’s list – the eighth – was resigned party-list representative and fugitive Zaldy Co. The lawmakers – mockingly called “cong-tractors” – “appeared” to have violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and

MANILA, November 27 ------ Tropical cyclone Verbena (international name Koto) has exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and is forecast to continue intensifying within the next 12 hours, the weather bureau said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. The cyclone has intensified, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kph near the center, and gustiness of up to 135 kph, according to the advisory of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (

MANILA, November 27 ------ The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that there have been no confirmed reports "at this time" of Filipinos killed or injured in the level 5 fire in Hong Kong. "The DFA, through the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong, has not, as of this time, received any confirmed reports of Filipinos killed or injured as a result of the Level 5 fire at a residential complex in Tai Po in New Territories, Hong Kong," it said. However, the DFA said it

MANILA, November 27 ------ Filipinos traveling abroad can now apply online for travel tax exemption, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) said. TIEZA said it is enhancing its Online Travel Tax Services System (OTTSS) to help millions of passengers. TIEZA Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid said that in line with the government’s ease of doing business initiatives, TIEZA now supports the online application for the Travel Tax Exemption Certificate and

MANILA, November 26 ------ Tropical cyclone Verbena, which intensified into a tropical storm (TS) on Tuesday night, continues to intensify and could possibly reach the severe tropical storm category this afternoon, the weather bureau said. In its 5 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Verbena packs maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph. It was last tracked 130 k

MANILA, Philippines, November 26 ------ At least 30 Chinese military and coast guard vessels were seen swarming four features in the West Philippine Sea as of yesterday, the Philippine Navy said. Based on the Navy's monitoring, at least four Chinese warships and eight coast guard ships were spotted near Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc), while seven vessels were seen near Ayungin Shoal. Six more vessels were seen at Escoda Shoal, while five China Coast Guard ships were spo

MANILA, November 26 ------ President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday welcomed the five newly designated non-resident ambassadors from Tunisia, Paraguay, Burkina Faso, the Marshall Islands, and Serbia, affirming the Philippines’ commitment to deepening bilateral relations and international cooperation. Marcos received the credentials of Ambassadors Mohamed Trabelsi (Tunisia), Miguel Angel Ubaldino Romero Alvarez (Paraguay), Bibata Nebie/Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), Anjanette K

November 26 ------ A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Davao Oriental at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 25, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported. In its initial bulletin, Phivolcs said the quake’s epicenter was located 41 kilometers southeast of Governor Generoso, at a depth of 26 kilometers. Instruments recorded the tremor at Intensity II (slightly felt) in Kiamba, Sarangani. Phivolcs said the earthquake was tectonic in origin, caused by the m

MANILA, November 25 ------ Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is still hoisted in some areas as Tropical Depression (TD) Verbena maintained its strength, the weather bureau said. The TD packs maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center, and gustiness of up to 90 kph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). As of 4 a.m., the cyclone was located over the coastal waters of Pinamungahan, Cebu, moving northwestw

MANILA, November 25 ------ Prices of gasoline will be rolled back by PHP0.20 per liter today, but diesel prices will increase by PHP0.60 per liter and kerosene by PHP1.30 per liter. In separate advisories, Seaoil and Petron said they will implement the price adjustments effective 6 a.m. on Nov. 25. Jetti Petroleum and PTT Philippines, in separate advisories, said they will also adjust prices of their respective products on the same day and the same time, except for kerosene,

MANILA, Philippines, November 25 ------ The Department of Health (DOH) reminded Filipinos to clean their surroundings and seek early medical care upon experiencing symptoms of dengue, as the agency reported over 14,000 cases of the illness over two weeks in October. In an episode of dzMM Teleradyo, Health Promotion Bureau Director Tina Marasigan said the agency recorded 14,038 dengue cases from October 12 to 25, 2025. She noted that this was 8 percent lower than the 15,182 ta

MANILA, November 25 ------ The Philippine passports of Cassandra Li Ong and lawyer Harry Roque have been cancelled, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said. Ong and Roque are facing human trafficking cases. Department of Justice spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez added that aside from accused Roque and Ong, the passports of Ronelyn Baterna, Dennis Cunanan and Mercides Macabasa were also ordered cancelled by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 157. Martinez note

MANILA, Philippines, November 24 ------ The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) shadowed the two China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels operating near Panatag Shoal during a routine maritime patrol in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). PCG vessel BRP Cabra repeatedly issued radio challenges, ordering the two Chinese ships to depart Philippine waters, according to PCG spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela. “The challenge cited violations of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the Unite

MANILA, Philippines, November 24 ------ The low pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) developed into a tropical depression at 2 am on Monday, November 24. It was given the local name Verbena, as the country’s 22nd tropical cyclone for 2025. It is also the third tropical cyclone for November, after Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) and Super Typhoon Uwan (Fung-wong). In a briefing past 5 am on Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronom

MANILA, November 24 ------ The Philippine Fleet is tightening its naval embrace with Japan as both countries accelerate security cooperation amid Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the West Philippine Sea and wider Indo-Pacific. Rear Adm. Joe Anthony Orbe, commander of the Philippine Fleet, led a delegation to Japan this week for a string of high-level engagements with the Japan Self-Defense Fleet (JSDF) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) — a visit that comes a

MANILA, Philippines, November 24 ------ Immigration personnel stationed at international airports and seaports are under heightened alert for former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co and 15 of his co-accused. Their names have been encoded into the Bureau of Immigration’s centralized derogatory database, ensuring that frontline officers can immediately flag, verify and respond should any of them attempt to depart from or enter the Philippines, BI Commissioner Joel A