Philippine News

MANILA, November 14 ------ The Philippines and Japan are working to align their marine conservation initiatives with the United Nations High Seas Treaty, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. The DFA said both countries agreed to strengthen cooperation on protecting the marine environment and ensuring the sustainable use of marine resources during the 8th Philippines–Japan Maritime Dialogue held in Tokyo on Nov. 6 to 7. In a statement, the DFA noted that the dialogue

November 14 ------ PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr said many of those linked to the flood control bribery scandal would be in jail by December — but his cousin, former speaker Martin Romualdez, would not be one of them. “I know that before Christmas, many of those named here will have their cases concluded. They will be in jail,” he said, referring to former officials, lawmakers and contractors that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has recommended to the Offi

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

November 13 ------ San Miguel simply had its way offensively and dealt the hapless Titan Ultra a 41-point beating, 158-117, to extend its winning streak to five in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center Montalban. The Beermen tore the game apart in the first half with CJ Perez opening the floodgates after firing 24 of 26 his points through the first 24 minutes on their way to the masterful win that hiked their record to 5-2. Perez actually started the scintilla

TURIN, Italy, November 13 ------ Jannik Sinner reached the last four of the ATP Finals after beating Alexander Zverev, 6-4, 6-3, to qualify from the Bjorn Borg group with a match to spare. World No. 1 Sinner is bidding to retain his title at the prestigious end-of-season tournament, and he cruised into the semifinals in front of a delighted crowd in Turin. The 24-year-old was not at his best and struggled with a hand problem at the start of the match but still had more than e

NEW YORK, November 13 ------ Tyrese Maxey and hometown hero Justin Edwards sparked the Philadelphia 76ers over Boston 102-100 on Tuesday while reigning champion Oklahoma City improved their NBA-best record to 11-1. Maxey, the NBA's number two scorer this season, netted 21 points and Edwards came off the bench to score 22. But it was Kelly Oubre's putback shot with 8.7 seconds remaining off the only miss of the night by Edwards that produced the winning points. "Extremely toug

MANILA, November 13 ------ Figure skaters Maxine Bautista and Paolo Borromeo once again showed their mastery on the ice at the Philippine National Figure Skating Championships 2025 at Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Bautista ruled the Senior Women's category with a score of 139.21, enough to clinch back-to-back gold medals in the tournament. "Honestly, it feels amazing. I just wanted to go here and skate the best program that I could. And a win is just a cherry on top of that," s

November 13 ------ Jodi Sta. Maria pondered on the Filipinos in light of the recent calamities, stressing how the public should demand more from those who are meant to protect them. The actress spoke about this while showing roads and damaged houses submerged in floodwaters after the typhoons, through her Instagram page. Written on the photos are the sentences, “Even in the storm, you showed grace just by getting through the day. Not every strength looks like bravery. Sometim

November 13 ------ As Emma Tiglao finds herself in the spotlight after attending some of Miss Universe 2025’s pre-pageant activities, she reminded the pageant community that being a “true queen” goes beyond winning the crown and is about fulfilling one’s duties with a purpose. Tiglao spoke about the definition of a true queen on her Instagram page on Monday, November 10, although her message is dedicated to the pageant community as a whole. “To everyone in the pageant communi

MANILA, Philippines, November 13 ------ It was an easy “yes” for Maricel Soriano to accept the expected tearjerker, “Meet, Greet & Bye.” “I could relate to the role, being a mother myself. She has three sons, and I have two sons, so I immediately connected with her experiences of motherhood,” Maricel said in an exclusive interview. “Also, yung parang sa tingin ng mga anak ko na dalawa (in film), kay Papa P (Piolo), parang paborito ni Mama yan. Of course, na-hi-hurt ang nanay

MANILA, Philippines, November 13 ------ After six years apart, members of the Filipino pop-rock band IV of Spades are officially back together with their second album, “Andalucia,” a comeback born out of their mended friendship. Seven years after releasing their debut album “CLAPCLAPCLAP!” (2019), Zild Benitez, Blaster Silonga, Unique Salonga and Badjao de Castro have reunited to begin a new chapter. Their latest release also marks the band’s evolution from breakout acts to m

MANILA, November 13 ------ The Philippine peso hit a historic low of P59.17 to the US dollar at the close of Wednesday's trading. This is lower than its P59.13 close on October 28. The peso has been described as one of the worst performers in Southeast Asia this month. The last time it tested the P59-to-the-dollar level was on December 19 last year. A former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) official has said that bad governance is also scaring off investors, affecting the va

MANILA, November 13 ------ Tropical Depression Uwan maintained its strength while moving northeastward over the sea east of Taiwan, the weather bureau said. In its 5 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) estimated the center of Uwan at 305 km. north of Itbayat, Batanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center, and gustiness of up to 70 kph, moving northeastward at 25 kph. Strong winds extend

MANILA, Philippines, November 13 ------ In an effort to address the massive flooding in Metro Manila, President Marcos launched “Oplan Kontra Baha” at Balihatar Creek in Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque. The program aims to declog waterways and drains of debris and garbage as well as manage the operability of pumping stations to curb flooding in low-lying areas. “We have studied it carefully, and a large part of flooding is siltation; our spillways are too shallow. Secondly,

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

November 13 ------ Three months after the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) came into force, the ship recycling industry looks much the same. The yards remain busy, the paperwork continues to grow, and the sweeping reform promised by the Convention has yet to take shape. This slow start is no surprise. The industry had more than a decade to prepare. Many shipowners, some had already aligned with the European Union Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR), which set stricter standards and

November 13 ------ When considering where to register commercial vessels, shipowners have a broad range of options, each with its own advantages. Among European flags, Estonia has emerged as a compelling choice thanks to its cutting-edge digital infrastructure, favorable fiscal policies, and streamlined administrative processes. A Maritime Nation Embracing Digital Transformation Estonia's seafaring traditions stretch back centuries, but its approach to ship registration refle

November 13 ------ The container sector continues to grow, with attention focused on the carriers’ total orderbook, which is more than 10 million TEU is the largest in history. While all the largest carriers continue to grow, two carriers, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and HMM, hit significant milestones in their strategies recently. MSC has for the first time topped the 7 million TEU capacity mark, making its capacity 50 percent larger than the second largest carrier, M

November 13 ------ ElbOil, a German-based company specializing in the trading, brokering, and hedging of marine fuels, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese companies Shandong Shunli Hydrogen Energy Technology, a subsidiary of Henan Shuncheng Group, and Shanghai Wenji Biotechnology, which is responsible for domestic trade procedures, to support the future production and distribution of green methanol. Starting in early 2027, the initiative is expected to

TAIPEI, November 13 ------ Taiwan evacuated more than 8,300 people from coastal and mountainous areas and closed schools before a tropical storm brushes the southern part of the island on Wednesday. Fung-wong had super typhoon strength when it battered the Philippines on Sunday, causing flooding, landslides, power outages, and at least 27 deaths. Still holding tropical storm strength on Wednesday morning, it was expected to continue losing wind speed and size as it approached