Philippine News

January 12 ------ SCOTTIE Thompson came up with a triple double to lead Barangay Ginebra to a 105-91 win over San Miguel and forge a 2-2 deadlock in their PBA 50th Season Philippine Cup semifinal series at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Thompson put together the PBA's first 30-point triple double in 33 years, rescuing the Gin Kings after a flat start that saw them trail by as many as 16 points in the first quarter to equalize the best-of-seven semifinal series at 2-2. Thompson fi

LOS ANGELES, January 12 ------ Victor Wembanyama stepped it up in the second half drilling a go-ahead jump shot with 1:33 to play and adding the final dagger in the San Antonio Spurs' 100-95 NBA victory over the Boston Celtics. The French star, who again came off the bench as the Spurs ease him back into action in the wake of a knee injury, scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half, adding six rebounds and three blocked shots. "My mindset was just, I have to close out the

January 12 ------ There will be little rest for Alex Eala as she continues her preparations for her debut in the main draw of the Australian Open. Fresh off a solid run at the WTA ASB Classic in New Zealand, where she reached the third semifinal of her young career, the 20-year-old Eala will fly to Melbourne to compete in the Kooyong Classic 2026, scheduled from January 13 to 15 at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. The Kooyong Classic is a premier tune-up tournament ahead of the

January 12 ------ IN the shadows of Petro Gazz’s announced leave of absence on Saturday, several key signings quietly reshaped the early offseason landscape elsewhere in the PVL. Akari and Galeries Tower wasted no time kickstarting their respective retooling efforts, each welcoming an influx of newly available free agents. For the Chargers, the acquisitions came in the form of former Chery Tiggo duo Cza Carandang and Baby Jyne Soreño, alongside ex-Cignal standout Judith Abil.

MANILA, Philippines, January 12 ------ State volcanologists recorded 256 rockfalls amid ongoing lava flow at Mayon Volcano, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. In its latest observation, Phivolcs reported that Mayon Volcano in Albay also generated 41 pyroclastic density currents, along with the 256 recorded rockfall events. The sulfur dioxide flux emitted also reached 777 metric tons per day on January 10. This was further corroborated by g

January 12 ------ The number of “super flu” cases in the country has reached 63, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Sunday, noting that all patients have already recovered. “Meron na tayong datos ngayon, all the way until December, 63 yung naibilang natin. Lahat po sila ay buhay, lahat sila ay gumaling na,” DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB. The DOH clarified that “super flu” is a variant of influenza A and is not a new disease. “Y

MANILA, January 12 ------ Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez ordered the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to change the lead time for settling traffic violations to 15 days and suspend the confiscation of driver’s licenses of erring motorists. In a statement, Lopez said the order is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to streamline and clarify procedures in apprehending erring motorists. In a memorandum dated Jan. 9, Lopez ordered the LTO to

MANILA, Philippines, January 12 ------ The Senate Blue Ribbon committee will resume its flood control hearings next week to address alleged witness retractions, enforce attendance through subpoenas and begin scrutinizing public works documents known as the “Cabral files,” its chairman Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said. Lacson said the resumption is scheduled for Jan. 19 at 1 p.m., subject to a quorum. “I already informed colleagues in the majority through our c

HANOI, January 11 ------ Hanoi has proposed suspending passenger train services on the section of railway running through the so-called “railway cafe street”, a popular tourist spot where cafes line both sides of an active rail track in the city center. In a recent document sent to the Ministry of Construction, the municipal People’s Committee asked that passenger services on the national railway section between Hanoi Station and Gia Lam Station be adjusted. Under the proposa

MELBOURNE, Australia, January 11 ------ Australian Open prize money has increased by 16% on last year to a record total for the tournament starting Jan. 18. Organizers of the season's first tennis major announced their largest prize pool ever in local currency, with the total for 2026 set at 111.5 million Australian dollars (US$75 million). That was up from 96.5 million Australian dollars in 2025. The women’s and men’s singles champions will win 4.15 million Australian dollar

MANILA, January 11 ------ Chinese maritime and air activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) are expected to persist into 2026, as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, China Coast Guard (CCG) and maritime militia continue to operate in an increasingly integrated and deterrence-focused manner, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said that from 2024 to 2025, Ch

January 11 ------ Sexbomb Girls is back for a concert for the fourth time around! The iconic girl group is set to hold their fourth reunion concert, “Get Get Aw Rawnd 4!” at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on February 7. “Sigaw ng mga pinalaki ng Sexbomb... ONE MORE rAWnd!!! Madali kaming kausap eto na….rAWNd 4!” Rochelle Pangilinan said on an Instagram post. The announcement comes after tickets to their third reunion concert set for February 6 were sold out. Tickets for the fourth

January 11 ------ The Gulf of Guinea, stretching from Liberia to Gabon, is a crucial yet increasingly unstable region in West Africa. This area is pivotal due to its natural resources, rich biodiversity, and strategic maritime routes that facilitate trade and drug trafficking. However, the Gulf faces significant challenges, including rampant piracy, illegal fishing, and a lack of effective governance. Economic Importance The Gulf of Guinea’s waters are home to significant sea

January 11 ------ The past 12 months have been worrying for researchers who study the chemistry of the ocean. More and more evidence has been published showing that human activities are fundamentally altering this chemistry in an acidic direction. At the end of 2025, it seems clear ocean acidification is pushing the largest habitat on Earth into a risky zone. Ocean acidification is part of the global carbon cycle. When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, it forms carbonic acid

MANILA, Philippines, January 11 ------ The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said its zero balance billing policy will now be implemented in selected local government unit – owned hospitals after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced that P1 billion of the agency’s budget will be used for the program. In a statement following the signing of the 2026 General Appropriations Act, the DOH noted that Marcos “has confirmed that P1 billion from the DOH budget will be used t

January 11 ------ Filipino boxing icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao was recognized for his outstanding career in sport during the World Sports Summit in Dubai in late 2025. Pacquiao was conferred the Global Outstanding Sporting Career Award last December 29 by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee, and President of the Gulf Youth Games and Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Ma

January 11 ------ “One Battle After Another” dominated nominations to the Actor Awards on Wednesday, with Paul Thomas Anderson’s ragtag revolutionary saga landing a record seven nods in the annual SAG-AFTRA honors. In the 31 years of the Actor Awards, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, no movie has received more than five nominations. Along with a nod for the guild’s top award, best ensemble, the cast of “One Battle After Another” was showered with nominations

January 11 ------ When people stop taking the new generation of weight-loss drugs they pile back on the kilos four times faster than they would after ending diet and exercise regimes, new research found. But this was mostly because they lost so much weight in the first place, according to the British researchers who conducted the largest and most up-to-date review of the subject. A new generation of appetite-suppressing, injectable drugs called GLP-1 agonists have become imme

MANILA, Philippines, January 10 ------ The Philippines closed 2025 with average inflation easing to 1.7 percent, its lowest level in nine years and below the government’s target as the increase in food prices slowed, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said. National Statistician Dennis Mapa said in a press conference yesterday that headline inflation – the rate of increase in consumer prices – averaged 1.7 percent last year, lower than the 3.2 percent average inflation

January 10 ------ China has hacked emails used by staff members of powerful committees in the US House of Representatives, as part of a cyber espionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter. China accessed email systems used by some staffers on the House China committee as well as aides on panels covering foreign affairs, intelligence, and the armed services, the report said. Reuters could not immediately verify t