Philippine News

MANILA, April 30 ------ President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday announced a sweeping expansion of the maternity benefits provided by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) starting today, aimed at easing the financial burden on expectant mothers. In a video message, Marcos announced that coverage for normal hospital deliveries will increase to PHP29,000—nearly triple the previous PHP9,750—while benefits for cesarean sections will rise from PHP37,000 t

MANILA, Philippines, April 30 ------ The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed that Vice President Sara Duterte had contracted an assassin to carry out her threat to kill President Marcos and members of his family. Senior NBI agent Jeremy Lotoc made the confirmation in answer to questions raised by Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno during the House committee on justice impeachment hearing. “Our investigation is ongoing, but there are people that have already been

April 30 ------ Several Kapuso programs and stars earned recognition at the 7th Village Pipol Choice Awards, with GMA Network winning the TV Station of the Year award at the recently concluded event held last night. Here is the complete list of Kapuso shows and personalities that won: • TV Station of the Year: GMA Network • Artists Powerhouse Agency of the Year: Sparkle GMA Artist Center • Pipol of the Year: Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes • News Anchor of the Year: Vicky Morales

April 30 ------ “58th” and “Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah,” which capture the beauty of Filipino storytelling through animation, are among the films screening at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France. The screening of “58th” and “Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah” at Annecy was announced by their respective production companies in a press statement, highlighting the festival as the “world’s most prestigious animation festival.” The Carl Joseph Papa-helmed film, which honors the

April 30 ------ Joy Barcoma is a guest star on "Bubble Gang" for its summer special, and the beauty queen took the opportunity to soak in everything she could learn from the industry veterans in the comedy program. On Wednesday's episode of "Fast Talk With Boy Abunda," Joy said she met Kapuso Comedy Genius Michael V. for the first time when they taped the episodes. When asked what she learned from Bitoy, the Miss Philippines Earth 2025 said it's that fame is not enough to ach

April 30 ------ Singer and beauty queen Michelle Dee said she draws inspiration from the SexBomb Girls’ unapologetic authenticity as she continues to embrace the same mindset herself. “What I admire about the SexBomb Girls is their consistency. They have always been unapologetically themselves. They know who they are and they stand by it,” she said in a message. “That is something I continue to learn. Authenticity is not about being perfect. It is about being real and showing

April 30 ------ The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago released a joint statement in support of Panama's sovereignty, saying recent actions by China are an attempt to politicize maritime trade and infringe on the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere. "We are monitoring with vigilance China's targeted economic pressure and the recent actions that have affected Panama-flagged vessels," the statement said. "Panama is a pillar of our

BAKU, April 30 ------ A Japanese-owned tanker carrying two million barrels of crude oil has transited through the Strait of Hormuz after securing permission from Iranian authorities, according to Kyodo. The Panama-flagged Idemitsu Maru, managed by a subsidiary of Japan's Idemitsu Kosan Co., loaded crude oil at a terminal in Saudi Arabia in early March. After spending over a week stationary off Abu Dhabi, the ship began its journey toward the Strait, according to Iran's Press

April 30 ------ The European Union is considering imposing stricter conditions on part of its €90 billion ($105 billion) aid package for Ukraine, potentially tying payouts to unpopular tax reforms. On Wednesday, April 29, Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that the proposed changes, under discussion by the European Commission, would affect €8.4 billion ($9.8 billion) in macro-financial assistance expected this year. The funds are seen as critical to

April 30 ------ Another oil facility deep inside Russia was reportedly on fire after what Ukraine’s president claimed was his country’s latest long-range drone attack. Ukraine’s Security Service, known as the SBU, said it struck an oil pumping station near the city of Perm as part of efforts to target Russia’s energy infrastructure. The area is more than 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) from Ukraine. Russian media reported the attack, though Perm Gov. Dmitry Makhonin said only th

MANILA, April 29 ------ The San Miguel Beermen held on to secure a crucial 103-92 win over the Meralco Bolts in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The perennial league powerhouse marked their fifth win in 10 games, with June Mar Fajardo leading the way with 19 points, 17 rebounds, and six steals. “Luckily, yung sense of urgency ng team ay hindi nawala. I know that this game is very important kasi the teams at the bottom four are very close,” sai

MANILA, April 29 ------ The Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 teams kept their medal bids alive after both the men’s and women’s squads advanced to the semifinals of the 6th Asian Beach Games at the Sanya Sports Centre Gymnasium. The men’s team eked out an 18-14 victory over India, leaning on a late 5-0 run to pull through after surrendering an 11-8 lead. Jeff Manday sparked the decisive stretch, scoring the game-tying basket to make it 14-all with 22 seconds left. Crucial foul calls on Al

WASHINGTON, April 29 ------ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder swept into the second round of the NBA playoffs with a 131-122 victory at Phoenix. The top-seeded Thunder captured the Western Conference best-of-seven series 4-0, completing a third consecutive sweep in the opening round. "We just came in ready," said Gilgeous-Alexander. "Love to play basketball, a group full of great kids that have fun together. "We do it fo

MADRID, April 29 ------ World number one Aryna Sabalenka suffered a shock 2-6 6-2 7-6(6) defeat by Hailey Baptiste at the Madrid Open as the American produced the biggest win of her career after saving six match points to reach the semi-finals for the first time. The 24-year-old Baptiste, seeded 30, claimed her first victory over a top-five player, handing defending champion Sabalenka only her second defeat of the season. The 30th seed will now face world number nine Mirra An

April 29 ------ Billboard is set to honor BINI at this year’s Women in Music Awards. In an announcement, Billboard said that the Nation’s Girl Group will receive the Global Force Award, which Cara Delevingne will present. “The Global Force additions further emphasize Billboard’s international strategy, spotlighting artists who have built audiences beyond their home markets. The inclusion of BINI and The Beaches reflects the increasing role of regional scenes in shaping global

April 29 ------ For Alden Richards, balancing acting, directing, and a growing list of endorsements starts with discipline off-camera, as the actor and television host says health and intentional living now guide both his personal routine and professional choices, including his latest partnership with Fruitas Holdings. Richards said his role in Fruitas’ “Fruitas For Real” campaign aligns with a lifestyle he has consciously shaped around wellness and healthier living. “Right n

April 29 ------ With Andrea Brillantes’ series “A Secret in Prague” now streaming on Netflix and premiering on TV5, multi-award-winning film company Rein Entertainment is also moving ahead with its next feature film, “Laya,” which stars the young actress with JC Santos and Anthony Jennings. The film marks Rein Entertainment’s latest feature project as the Filipino production studio continues to develop stories for both film and series, with an eye toward local audiences and i

April 29 ------ Seasoned actress Ai-Ai delas Alas is part of the inspirational drama titled “My Bespren Emman,” airing weeknights on TV5 and featuring JM de Guzman in the leading role. In a recent mediacon, Ai-Ai, also known for her iconic mother role Ina Montecillo in the movie “Ang Tanging Ina,” said that Piolo Pascual broached to her the idea of playing a nun or a “madre” in the vernacular. She initially thought they would be working together as actors, but Piolo is wearin

MANILA, Philippines, April 29 ------ China is constructing what could become its largest artificial island in the South China Sea, according to a new report, signaling renewed large-scale reclamation activity in disputed waters. The project at Antelope Reef in the Paracel Islands could rival or even surpass the size of China’s biggest outposts in the region, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and Internatio

MANILA, Philippines, April 29 ------ The peso sank to a fresh record low yesterday, breaching the 61-per-dollar level for the first time as persistent global headwinds and firm dollar demand continued to pressure the local currency. Data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines showed the peso closed at 61.30 per dollar, weaker by 59 centavos than Monday’s 60.71 finish. The local currency opened at 60.80 against the greenback and traded between 60.77 and 61.30 during t