MANILA, Philippines — A station of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) in Clark, Pampanga, is now 73.29 percent complete, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said. The progress of its underground Clark Station is at 73.29 percent, as of Sept. 2026, the DOTr said in a press release issued on Wednesday. “Ang sabi po ng ating

MANILA, Philippines — Observing tradition and parliamentary courtesy accorded to a coequal branch of government, the Senate committee on finance swiftly approved on Wednesday the proposed P10.15-billion budget for the Office of the President (OP) for 2027, marking it “deemed submitted” for plenary consideration. The committee also approved the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) budget in

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday emphasized the need to strengthen preparation and development in teachers’ careers, as some educators remain assigned outside their specialized subjects and training sometimes does not reflect classroom realities. In his speech at the 2026 Teachers Awards at the Manila Hotel in Manila, Marcos said his administration

MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution panel said it intends to finally present Vice President Sara Duterte’s bank records before the Senate impeachment court within the week. House trial spokesperson Ace Barbers disclosed the timetable as prosecutors prepare to move deeper into the financial evidence under Article II. Article II covers Vice President Sara Duterte’s

COTABATO CITY — An 11-year-old boy was killed while a man was wounded after they were hit by stray bullets during an armed encounter between two rival groups of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur, early Wednesday, a police official said. Major Joel Lebrilla, Shariff Aguak police chief, identified

MANILA, Philippines — The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and other concerned agencies are continuously preparing to ease the effects of the looming super El Niño, including the maintenance of irrigation systems and clearing operations on irrigation canals, Malacañang said Wednesday. Palace press officer Claire Castro made the assurance after the NIA outlined its mitigation action

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Mimaropa is studying the reproductive biology of the octopus Octopus cyanea, locally known as “pugita,” to generate scientific data that could support sustainable fisheries management in the region, according to a social media post on Wednesday, Sept. 30. The assessment, which

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court’s swift dismissal of the petitions seeking to nullify the impeachment court’s Sept. 23 ruling on the 2/3 vote requirement needed to convict Vice President Sara Duterte proves that its interpretations and proceedings are “constitutionally bullet-proof.” That’s according to Senate impeachment court spokesperson Reginald Tongol. In a statement, Tongol said the impeachment court acknowledges

MANILA, Philippines — House prosecutor and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon on Wednesday hailed the dismissal by the Supreme Court of the petitions challenging the Senate Impeachment Court’s ruling on the voting threshold to convict Vice President Sara Duterte. Ridon emphasized that their work on impeachment proceedings will continue.  The SC has junked separate

BACOLOD CITY—A government armed auxiliary member was killed, and two soldiers were wounded after an armed group attacked military personnel in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday afternoon, the Army reported Wednesday. Members of the 79th Infantry Battalion’s Mobile Community Support and Sustainment Program (MCSSP) were conducting a security patrol in Sitio Bautista, Barangay Malasibog,

MANILA, Philippines — APO Production Unit Inc., the printing agency for Philippine passports, clarified on Wednesday that it did not request an increase in passport fees. Instead, its president, Atty. Gil Carlos Puyat, told the Senate finance subcommittee that the agency had asked for a government subsidy to offset passport printing costs without passing the

MANILA, Philippines — The reported shooting incident at Isulan National High School in Sultan Kudarat province on Wednesday was a “false alarm,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara confirmed. Earlier, Governor Datu Pax Ali S. Mangudadatu said in a social media post that there was an alleged shooting incident at the school, but no confirmed reports of injuries or

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading three bills seeking to provide further legal and financial protection to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). During Wednesday’s session, lawmakers in a voice vote approved House Bill (HB) 9462, HB 9805, and HB 9806, all sponsored by Agimat party-list Rep. Bryan Revilla, chairperson

BAGABAG, Nueva Vizcaya — Bagabag town showcased a giant ‘buko’ (coconut) pie display made up of 480 standard-sized pies during the 23rd Pabbalat Festival and its 285th Founding Anniversary on Tuesday. Bagabag Mayor Benigno Calauad told reporters that the giant display of buko pies, which had a 15-meter diameter, was given free to residents who

MANILA, Philippines — The National Unity Party (NUP) on Wednesday called for an end to withholding district funding as political punishment for lawmakers who break ranks and do not toe the line, saying the practice is a form of retribution that ultimately harms their constituencies. “The practice of punishing districts and communities for any opinions

Screengrab from Senate of the Philippines / YouTube Dole: P25 NCR wage hike still possible if Wage Order 27 upheld in court MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) on Wednesday said the additional P25 daily wage increase for Metro Manila workers can still be implemented if the courts will ultimately uphold

MANILA, Philippines — Atty. Levito Baligod, legal counsel for the 18 “maleta boys,” said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag is the one who needs to take a lie detector test. Baligod made this statement when asked about the NBI chief’s remark that the bureau also asked the “maleta boys”—who implicated various government

KORONADAL CITY — The principal of Isulan National High School in Sultan Kudarat province on Wednesday vehemently denied reports of a shooting or hostage-taking on campus, saying all students were safe following a security scare that prompted a lockdown. “There was no shooting incident, and there was no hostage-taking,” school principal Lorna Lee Ann Valencia

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Wednesday expressed concern over Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s claim that he was unaware of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte’s, financial interest in Gencorp Industries Inc. The Palace made the statement after Mayor Duterte said during the resumption of the impeachment trial on Tuesday that he had no

Screengrab Senate of the Philippines / YouTube MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday grilled the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), which is under the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), over regional directors who have remained in their posts for years, with some allegedly staying for decades. During the Senate finance committee’s 2027 DOLE

ILIGAN CITY — A total road closure will be implemented along a section of the Mariano Lluch Badelles Sr. Road in Barangay Tambacan, Iligan City, starting Thursday, October 1, to pave the way for the rehabilitation of the Tambacan Bridge. Pursuant to Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution No. 26-670, vehicles are not allowed on the affected road

MANILA, Philippines — The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) on Wednesday committed to investigate a plastic surgeon and his clinic. This comes after Sen. Raffy Tulfo raised alleged malpractice cases involving reported deaths of patients. During the Senate Committee on Finance hearing for the 2027 spending plan of

The Camon Slim 5G phone from Tecno is out today and is one of the more anticipated units of the mobile brand if the staff at the Tecno store in One Ayala is to be believed. He shared during a brief chat that potential customers have been inquiring about its release and said many were willing to go on a list to be the first to get their hands on it. Unfortunately, staff weren’t permitted to accept reservations but the wait is finally over. Fresh out of the box, the Camon Slim is true to its name. With a width of 6.39 mm, it is sleek with rounded edges and comes with a large 6.78” Amoled display. It’s equipped with a 6000mAh long-lasting battery and is extremely dust- and water-resistant. Once the unit has been programmed, it can be activated by its owner three ways. First is through fingerprint access, followed by face recognition, and lastly by sliding your finger on the display using your chosen pattern. These security measures are welcome and not at all excessive in this day and age, but can take some getting used to. That was the general sentiment for this writer who has gotten so used after years spent with the Apple interface. The Tecno Camon Slim 5G is tricked out with numerous features like a 50MP Sony Lytia 700C Camera that takes photos that are way clearer then those taken with my aging but still serviceable iPhone XR. Test shots on the Camon Slim during brunch on a sunny day were crisp although the built-in filter rendered its subjects poreless, porcelain-complected. This particular feature is marketed by the brand as “universal skin tone [that captures] enhanced but true-to-life colors.” For those aware of how they look in real life, the flawlessness can be jarring or, in some cases, very much welcomed. During Bench Fashion Week last weekend, the camera was able to capture video quickly and efficiently. Take note: it retains the last function used so if one keeps shifting from shooting video to taking photos, one will have to toggle the desired function every time. The phone is obviously targeted at a younger market, one that’s more accommodating to AI since another feature is called practical AI. Under that category is AI Snap Poster where items can be isolated and placed on a themed scene (home interior, beach, showroom, etc) and is ideal for small vendors creating product posters. AI Health and Sports, meanwhile, can analyze food photos to estimate calories and nutrients before offering personalized meal recommendations. For creatives or writers, the unit’s AI Recording Notes feature shows some promise. It can transcribe record lectures into structured notes, and even match whiteboard photos to the corresponding moments in the recording. So far, this writer has managed to write a 600-word column by connecting the phone via Bluetooth using a compact and foldable keyboard (sold separately). What usually takes an hour to an hour and a half ended up taking more than two hours because the on-screen keyboard had to be repeatedly dismissed. The system didn’t seem to recognize that an external keyboard was already connected. For those who appreciate all the bells and whistles incorporated into the new phones these days, the Tecno Camon Slim 5G might be the perfect unit. It comes in four colors (Burgundy Red, Gossamer White, Matisse Black and Rebel Pink) and is equipped with 256GB ROM and 24GB RAM (8GB + 16GB Extended).

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Police said all students and personnel of Isulan National High School (INHS) in Sultan Kudarat were safe, and no injuries were reported in the incident that caused panic there Wednesday morning. Col. Marvin Fontalva, acting director of the Sultan Kudarat Police Provincial Office (SKPPO), said police personnel were coordinating with the

MANILA, Philippines — Heavy rains may affect Metro Manila and six areas in Luzon on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 30, due to the persistence of localized thunderstorms, the state weather bureau said. In a thunderstorm advisory issued at 2:18 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said heavy rain showers with lightning and

[Updated Sept. 30, 2026, 6:33 p.m.] MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has dismissed three petitions challenging the Senate Impeachment Court’s interpretation of the two-thirds vote required to convict Vice President Sara Duterte. Voting unanimously, with acting Chief Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen presiding, the high court said the petitions filed separately by former Executive Secretary

MANILA, Philippines–The Supreme Court (SC) has directed respondents in the petition filed by election lawyer Romulo Macalintal to file their comments on his plea to declare Republic Act (RA) No. 12326 unconstitutional and stop the postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. Named respondents in the petition were the Office of the President,

MANILA, Philippines — A bill establishing a national geriatric center moved closer to enactment after being ratified by the Bicameral Conference Committee on Tuesday. According to House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, the ratification is a step forward in fulfilling a promise made during the necrological service for the late Batanes Rep. Ciriaco Gato

MANILA, Philippines — The prosecution panel for the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte remains ready to present their evidence as the Senate Impeachment Court looks to shift towards a whole-day trial for October, public prosecutor and Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said. Ridon, in a press briefing at the Batasang Pambansa complex on Wednesday, also

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division has suspended Tarlac Rep. Noel Rivera from holding public office for 90 days amid his pending graft case over his alleged ties to a construction company that entered into contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). In a resolution dated Sept. 29, the court said