Philippine News

MANILA, Philippines, September 10 ------ Fourteen Filipino seafarers who were aboard the Saudi-flagged M/V SIDR have returned to the Philippines following an attack on the vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, which killed two of their fellow crewmembers. The seafarers arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday, where they were received by officials from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. The DMW said the r

MANILA, Philippines, September 10 ------ Malacañang announced on Thirsday that government work will shift to alternative work arrangements and classes at all levels in both public and private schools to shift to alternative learning modes in Metro Manila and 13 other provinces due to the expected heavy rainfall caused by the enhanced Southwest monsoon, or “habagat.” Memorandum Circular No. 135 covers the National Capital Region, La Union, Pangasinan, Bengue, Bataan, Bulacan

MANILA, Philippines, September 10 ------ Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. assailed Chinese officials in Seoul after receiving a surprise message from them onstage while mid-answer at a regional defense summit. Teodoro was taking a question about Chinese gray-zone coercion in the South China Sea at the Seoul Defense Dialogue when a man walked up behind him and left a sheet of paper on his table. Gray-zone tactics are actions that pressure another state without crossing

September 10 ------ The arraignment of Vice President Sara Duterte for three counts of grave threats is set for Friday, September 11, 2026, before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QCRTC). According to a report on "24 Oras," Duterte’s lawyer, Michael Poa, said they have yet to discuss the arraignment with the Vice President. Poa, however, said an accused is required to personally appear in court to enter a plea. Meanwhile, a group of supporters of Duterte said they plan

MANILA, Philippines, September 9 ------ The peso slipped to another record low against the dollar yesterday as rising oil prices fueled concerns over global inflation and tighter monetary policy. The local currency closed at 62.625 to $1, weakening by 3.9 centavos from Monday’s 62.586 finish, based on Bankers Association of the Philippines data. This breached the previous record closing low of 62.59 on Sept. 4. The peso opened at 62.57 and traded between 62.48 and 62.675. Tra

September 9 ------ The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed that Chinese fighter aircraft intercepted Philippine government aircraft conducting maritime patrols over Bajo de Masinloc. AFP spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said a Chinese J-10 fighter intercepted Philippine aircraft during regular maritime air patrols over the disputed feature on September 2. “Regular maritime air patrol domain awareness flights were conducted over Bajo de Masinloc. They

MANILA, Philippines, September 9 ------ More heavy rain is forecast across parts of Luzon on Wednesday, September 9, with PAGASA warning that already saturated areas may face greater risks from flooding and landslides after days of rainfall. In its 5 a.m. weather advisory, PAGASA said the southwest monsoon could bring 50 to 100 millimeters of rain over Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Cavite, Batangas and Occidental Mindoro. Another 50 to 100 mm is forecast ove

MANILA, Philippines, September 9 ------ The House prosecution ended its presentation of evidence on the confidential funds article by dropping its 15 remaining witnesses and signaling it intends to call Vice President Sara Duterte to the stand before the whole trial wraps up. With no witnesses to hear, the impeachment court today set a 15-day deadline for the defense to answer the prosecution's 104 requests for admission for Article II on unexplained wealth, and scheduled a S

MANILA, Philippines, September 8 ------ Hefty pump adjustments are set to push gasoline and diesel prices above P100 per liter at some fuel stations today. Gasoline, diesel and kerosene prices will rise by as much as P4.69, P5.18 and P5.58 per liter, respectively, according to Energy Secretary Sharon Garin. “We have an oil price hike, driven largely by higher international oil prices following renewed tensions affecting energy flows through the Middle East,” Garin said yester

MANILA, Philippines, September 8 ------ The number of leptospirosis cases in Manila has exceeded the epidemiologic threshold, the city health department announced. According to city health officer Dr. Grace Padilla, a rapid increase over a short period was shown, with the number of cases rising from 1.27 percent last week to 3.48 percent. Manila logged 12 new cases yesterday, bringing the total number to 982. Up to 35 fatalities have been recorded. Padilla said district hospi

MANILA, Philippines, September 8 ------ Former House speaker Martin Romualdez was placed under arrest last night on orders of the Sandiganbayan, where he was indicted for P7.4-billion plunder together with fugitive ex-congressman Zaldy Co and two others. Romualdez was served the arrest warrant at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who was at the hospital, confirmed. The former speaker, first cousin of President Marcos, was reportedl

MANILA, Philippines, September 8 ------ Nearly two-thirds of the confidential fund recipients that the House asked the Philippine Statistics Authority to check have no record of ever being born, married or dying, a statistician of the agency told the impeachment court. By the close of the day's proceedings, the defense had confirmed on the record that indeed, the odd and unusual names on those Office of the Vice President acknowledgment receipts are aliases — a disclosure the

September 7 ------ The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said a Chinese survey vessel has been operating inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for 25 days, including three weeks near Bajo de Masinloc. “For 25 days, the 76-meter Chinese survey vessel Haiyang Dizhi Shiahao has been operating inside our EEZ,” PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said in a post on X (formerly Twitter.) “Three weeks of it inside the 12-nautical mile ter

MANILA, Philippines, September 7 ------ Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday posted P360,000 bail for three counts of grave threats directed at President Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos and former speaker Martin Romualdez, evading possible arrest that she claimed would have exposed her to harassment or worse. Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 presiding judge Maria Angelica De Ramos lifted the arrest warrant she issued last Friday after Duterte showed up at the Quezon

MANILA, Philippines, September 7 ------ The southwest monsoon will keep parts of Luzon rainy on Monday, September 7, with Zambales, Bataan, Batangas and Occidental Mindoro facing the highest risk of flash floods or landslides from moderate to heavy rain. State weather bureau PAGASA forecasts occasional rain over the four provinces as the habagat continues to affect Luzon and the Visayas. Metro Manila, the Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Antique and the rest of Central Luzon, Ca

MANILA, September 7 ------ The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is closely monitoring retail movements in the prices of vegetables and fish following recent weather disturbances. In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said continuous rains and flooding caused by the southwest monsoon or “habagat” and recent typhoons could bring temporary upward adjustments to some commodity prices. “The bigger near-term concern is food inflation in high-value crops a

MANILA, Philippines, September 6 ------ Philippine travelers must brace for more expensive airfares in September as the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has again raised the allowable fuel surcharge, which airlines charge on top of base fares to account for volatility in jet fuel prices. In an advisory dated Aug. 27, the regulator said the fuel surcharge would revert to Level 13 from Sept. 1 to 15 after retreating to Level 12 from Aug. 16 to 31, as prices in the global jet fuel

MANILA, September 6 ------ The Armed Forces of the Philippines said it monitored 56 China Coast Guard (CCG) and People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) vessels in key areas in the West Philippine Sea in August. The highest number was recorded at Bajo de Masinloc with 23 Chinese vessels, including 14 CCG and 9 PLA-N ships. This was followed by Ayungin Shoal with 18 vessels, composed of 17 CCG ships and one PLA-N warship. At Escoda Shoal, the AFP monitored nine Chinese vessels, i

MANILA, Philippines, September 5 ------ Inflation in the country fell within the government’s target as it slightly declined to 6.1% in August from 6.2% in July, according to the latest report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The figure was within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ forecast range of 5.5% to 6.5%. This is also the fourth time in 2026 that the headline inflation rate has gone down since May. “‘Yung ating inflation rate na 6.1%, mataas pa rin talaga y

MANILA, September 5 ------ Domestic fuel prices are projected to increase next week following the resumption of hostilities between the US and Iran over mining in the Strait of Hormuz. Citing price developments in the international market, Jetti Petroleum president Leo Bellas said Friday that diesel prices may go up by PHP4.50 to PHP5 per liter, and gasoline by PHP4 to PHP4.50 per liter. “Oil prices rose as the resumption of hostilities between the US and Iran over mining in