Philippine News

MANILA, Philippines, November 3 ------ The weather bureau warned several provinces to brace for intense to torrential rain as Severe Tropical Storm Tino (Kalmaegi) intensified further offshore before dawn on Monday, November 3. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a briefing past 5 am on Monday that Tino now has maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour from the previous 100 km/h. Its gustiness is now up t

November 3 ------ A magnitude 5.5 earthquake jolted Candoni, Negros Occidental, early Monday, Nov. 3, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported. In its Earthquake Information No. 2, the agency said the quake struck at 3:06 a.m., with the epicenter located 16 kilometers south of Candoni, Negros Occidental. It added that the quake had a depth of focus of 89 kilometers and was of tectonic origin, indicating movement of the earth’s crust. Phivolcs

MANILA, November 3 ------ Provinces in Visayas and one city in Mindanao suspended classes on Monday due to the expected impact of Severe Tropical Storm Tino, the country’s 20th tropical cyclone this year. According to the Philippine Information Agency report, many areas have suspended classes up to Wednesday as Tino is forecast to move generally westward over the next three days. It will make its initial landfall over Eastern Samar or Dinagat Islands late Monday evening or ea

November 3 ------ In a rare intercept and boarding operation, Philippine personnel seized alleged illegal fishing equipment from a Chinese boat near the BRP Sierra Madre, the decaying WWII landing ship that serves as a makeshift outpost at Second Thomas Shoal. The Sierra Madre is a longtime flashpoint between Chinese and Philippine forces: China claims Second Thomas Shoal as its own and has demanded that Manila withdraw and remove the wrecked landing craft from the reef. Chin

November 2 ------ The loss of a beloved causes a void that can never be filled. In the case of celebrities, it leaves a mark both on those who have admired them and on the industry that housed their legacies. But even long after they are gone, their radiant stars will continue to shine through those whose lives they have inspired. To mark All Souls Day, let us look back at some of those we have lost this year. Local Celebrities Gloria Romero Gloria Romero, an award-winning ac

November 2 ------ JIA de Guzman will again be at the forefront of Alas Pilipinas’ bid to end a 20-year medal drought at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand in December. The PNVF formed a 20-player pool featuring PVL standouts, UAAP top guns and overseas-based aces. Leading the Nationals’ offense come the biennial meet are decorated outside hitters Angel Canino, Bella Belen, Shaina Nitura, Eya Laure, Vanie Gandler and Alleiah Malaluan. A newcomer in Kat Tolentino

ROME, November 2 ------ Pope Leo XIV urged Catholic teachers to focus less on pre-professional outcomes and more on educating students to have rich spiritual lives and use technology in ways that keep human dignity front and center. Leo issued a set of marching orders to Catholic educators during a special Holy Year celebration that has brought thousands of teachers, students, and administrators to Rome. The brief text, which Leo signed at a Mass for Jubilee pilgrims on Monda

November 2 ------ The Philippines and Japan reaffirmed their deepening partnership in defense, economic, and regional cooperation as President Marcos held his first bilateral meeting with newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits in Malaysia. During their meeting, Marcos personally congratulated Takaichi on her recent election, saying he looked forward to working

November 2 ------ The never-ending controversy over commercial ships' threats to endangered whales and other species in the Californian waters has flared up again after conservationist groups sued the Trump administration for failure to protect the mammals. With reports showing that at least 10 gray whales have been killed by probable ship strikes in the San Francisco Bay Area so far this year, while several more whales have died from undetermined causes, the Center for Biolo

November 2 ------ More than 10 years after facing unbeaten Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, Filipino boxing legend and senator Manny Pacquiao is still eyeing a rematch with his former rival. Pacquiao said his camp is in talks with several potential opponents, including Mayweather. The two boxing icons previously clashed on May 2, 2015, with Mayweather winning via unanimous decision. Netflix, the giant streaming company, had earlier reported on the potential rematch. Pacquiao, w

November 2 ------ At 75, American singer Patti Austin proved she ages just like fine wine during her impressive performance as a special guest at the Babyface concert held last October 27 at the SM MOA Arena in Pasay City. The Grammy Award-winning artist, who started her singing career at the age of four, entertained the crowd with anecdotes in between her songs. “This is old lady music. Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of the show. We’re going to just plow through lots and lo

November 2 ------ The energy sector is often front and center when the discussion revolves around breakbulk and heavy-lift cargoes. Windmills, on land or anchored to the ocean floor, have been all the rage for the past several years. And why not? Energy makes the world go around - whether it's green or liquid gold. Dry bulk is another sector critical to our developing society. However, dry bulk products, like breakbulk cargoes, would not be available or accessible were it no

MANILA, Philippines, November 2 ------ The government still disallows Filipino workers from seeking employment in Myanmar, according to the Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration. The OWWA said the deployment ban remains in effect amid the rising number of Filipino victims of human trafficking and illegal recruitment in Myanmar. Most of the illegal recruitment victims were offered jobs as customer service representatives but ended up in scam hubs, the OWWA said. “Avoid j

LINUM, Germany, November 2 ------ In a spot outside Berlin that's usually a paradise for birdwatchers, volunteers have recovered nearly 2,000 dead cranes in recent days as bird flu has hit the migrating birds hard. Linum, a small village about an hour's travel from the German capital, is known in summer for its many nesting storks. In the fall and spring, it's a popular resting spot for thousands of cranes as they migrate between the Baltic and Nordic regions and southern Eur

November 1 ------ GILAS Pilipinas will play a home game at the refurbished Blue Eagle Gym on December 1 when it takes on Guam in the Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers. The Nationals will see action in the facility located inside the Ateneo de Manila campus that recently played host to UAAP games following its renovation. The December 1 tiff is the second for the Philippines after their road showdown against Guam on November 28 in their bid to qualify for the FIBA Basketball Wor

November 1 ------ The voice cast for the DreamWorks animation "Forgotten Island" is out! Lea Salonga, H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Manny Jacinto, Dave Franco, and Jenny Slate were announced as the stars of the upcoming action-adventure comedy, which is scheduled for release on Sept. 25, 2026. To be released under Universal Pictures and directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the film follows lifelong best friends Jo (voiced by H.E.R.) and Raissa (portrayed by Soberano) as the

SYDNEY, Australia, November 1 ------ Instagram owner Meta and other social media firms said on Tuesday they would comply with a ban on users younger than 16 years old, adding that they would start deactivating accounts once the law takes effect on Dec. 10. In parliament, Meta, TikTok owner ByteDance, and Snapchat owner Snap said they continued to believe the ban would not protect young people, but they would soon reach out to owners of more than a million underage accounts to

November 1 ------ More than 80 percent of the world’s goods, measured by volume, are transported by ship. This transport accounts for three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). “Many people probably think that we can simply switch fuel types or perhaps completely electrify these large ships, but as of today, technology has not come that far. The battery packs alone would have to take the place of all the goods that wo

November 1 ------ President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said that the signing of the upgraded ASEAN - China free trade agreement would boost employment for Filipinos. "This upgraded agreement supports our MSMEs, strengthens supply chains, and creates new opportunities in the digital and green economy," Marcos, who is in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, said. "It paves the way for more jobs and growth for our people. Here’s to a stronge

November 1 ------ Antwerp's giant container port is notorious for cocaine smuggling, and for all of the ills that go with it - gangs, violence, bribery, and corruption. These vices have seeped out into the surrounding community for years and have gotten so bad that one investigator warns that the city could turn into a "narco-state" - an economy dominated by the illicit influence of traffickers and lacking the rule of law. In an open letter published Monday on the website o