MANILA, Philippines — No bettor won the ₱284.69-million Grand Lotto 6/55 jackpot or the ₱15-million MegaLotto 6/45 jackpot in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) draws on Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. According to the PCSO results, the Grand Lotto 6/55 winning combination was 14-52-49-39-35-05, with a jackpot prize of ₱284.69 million. No ticket matched all

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the city has no outstanding debt, highlighting the local government’s financial standing in her eighth year as local executive. Belmonte, in her State of the City Address on Monday, Oct. 19, declared that since the start of her stint in 2019, “we have continuously strengthened our

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian stressed the need for sustained military modernization and stronger cyberwarfare capabilities, saying the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should be prepared for evolving security threats. Gatchalian, during the Senate finance subcommittee hearing on the 2027 budget of the Department of National Defense (DND) and its attached agencies

SAN ILDEFONSO, Ilocos Sur — A 19-year-old man was arrested after allegedly selling marijuana to an undercover police officer during a buy-bust operation in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, on Sunday, Oct. 18. The suspect was arrested in Barangay 3, San Ildefonso, during a joint anti-illegal drug operation led by the San Nicolas Municipal Police Station.

MANILA, Philippines — The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) condemned what it described as “use of violence” against a reporter of the alternative media outlet Bulatlat, who was present in the farmers-led protest in Quezon City on Monday, Oct. 19. Identified by the NUJP as Ernest Cruz, the reporter was one of

MANILA, Philippines — As Manila Water gears up for the anticipated strong El Niño conditions, which may persist up to the first semester of 2027, the company is maximizing the capacity of its Cardona Water Treatment Plant (WTP) to help ensure a reliable and resilient water supply for customers across the East Zone. Located in Cardona,

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said it is eyeing to vaccinate over 2 million girls in Grades 4 and 5 nationwide against human papillomavirus (HPV) under its school immunization program. According to Dr. Alethea De Guzman, director of the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, the agency recommends a single dose of the

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Nine years after the liberation of Marawi from Islamic State-aligned militants, the Army’s 4th Infantry Division (4ID) honored the sacrifices of more than 1,500 military and police personnel who were killed or wounded during the five-month siege. The commemoration took place during a flag-raising ceremony at Camp Evangelista on Monday,

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur— An alleged former communist rebel leader wanted for multiple offenses was arrested in Butuan City on Saturday, Oct. 17, following a joint police and military manhunt, authorities reported on Monday. The suspect, known by the aliases “Kenny” and “Tikoy,” ranks fourth on the list of most wanted persons in Surigao

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon — A landmark tree that produced vibrant yellow blooms along the national highway each summer was uprooted Monday afternoon after heavy rains and strong winds from localized thunderstorms battered the city. Personnel from the Malaybalay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) responded to a distress call at around 2:55 p.m.

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said on Monday that the mix-up in the coordinates of a flood control project billed to Taguig City, which pointed to Leyte, was due to the contractor’s error. Earlier, Sen. Panfilo Lacson asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to validate a flood control

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — The National Irrigation Administration Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) has instructed its personnel to implement crop diversification strategies and administrative reforms to cushion farmers from the effects of the El Niño phenomenon. Engr. June Nathaniel Plaza, NIA-9 regional manager, on Monday urged personnel to take proactive measures to help farmers

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Northern Mindanao police seized nearly half a million pesos’ worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes during operations in Iligan City and Misamis Occidental on Sunday night, Oct. 18. The Police Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) reported confiscating a total of 597 reams of illicit cigarettes valued at P477,600. In Iligan City, authorities flagged

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister, Sen. Pia Cayetano, scrutinized the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) on Monday over its supposed focus on inspecting projects in Taguig City. The senators pointed out the LLDA’s seemingly “special interest” in Taguig City, led by Sen. Alan’s wife, Mayor Lani Cayetano, despite

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has expanded its fuel marking operations to 10 revenue regions, testing 189 fuel stations as of Oct. 13, 2026, as part of its intensified enforcement against illicit fuel trade and efforts to protect the country’s revenue base. Of the stations subjected to field tests, 111 passed,

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. JV Ejercito called for a detailed accounting of the P90-billion allocation for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program, particularly fund releases, obligations, expenditures, and project implementation. During the Senate Committee on Finance’s subpanel hearing on the proposed budget of the Department of National Defense (DND) on Monday, Ejercito

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate finance subcommittee on Monday approved the proposed 2027 budget of the Department of National Defense (DND) and its attached agencies. “The budget of the DND is now deemed submitted for the plenary’s consideration, subject to discussion and possible budgetary adjustments,” said finance panel head Sen. JV Ejercito. The National Expenditure

MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III paid tribute to the late former Speaker Pro Tempore Raul A. Daza on Monday for his more than five decades of public service, showing his commitment to the Filipino people. “Today, we gather as one House family to honor and remember a man who devoted

BANGA, South Cotabato — Banga National High School (BNHS) is gradually bringing students back to face-to-face classes under tighter security measures following the Sept. 18 shooting. The school has also banned smartphones on campus to encourage students to interact more with their classmates. The campus shooting left three students dead, including the shooter, and six

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — Recognizing the heightened vulnerability of schools in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas during disasters, the Pisompongan Integrated School (PIS) in Midsalip town, Zamboanga del Sur, conducted over the weekend a two-day emergency response training, transforming teachers, students, and community volunteers into first responders. Pisompongan Integrated School is 20 kilometers

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Monday suspended Sen. Rodante Marcoleta for 90 days due to his plunder case. Marcoleta was charged with plunder for allegedly accepting a P75-million donation while serving as a party-list lawmaker. “Senator Rodante D. Marcoleta is suspended from his position as Senator of the Republic of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Wind signals may be raised in parts of Cagayan and Isabela starting Wednesday as Super Typhoon Champi approaches the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), with its closest approach to Northern Luzon expected later this week, the state weather bureau said Monday. In its 5 p.m. public weather forecast, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical

MANILA, Philippines — Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos has endorsed the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s (PDEA) request to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the creation of a national task force to intensify the crackdown against illegal drugs.  According to Santos on Sunday, the recent reports that a Filipino allegedly

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Amid continuing reports of harassment and government interference, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Cagayan de Oro Chapter has launched a campaign to protect media workers and push for local legislation safeguarding press freedom. To strengthen the campaign, the NUJP chapter urged local news outlets to report

PROSPERIDAD, AGUSAN DEL SUR — Agusan del Sur 2nd District Rep. Adolph Edward “Eddiebong” Plaza scored Monday morning the “systematic breakdown” of the government to improve agricultural productivity through proper laboratory-tested soil application methods. In his keynote speech during the Capacity Building on Soil Health and Local Diagnostics attended by participants from different regions, Plaza

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – Classes were not suspended at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) Grade School Department on Monday, but campus administrators, with the help of the police, elevated internal security protocols following circulating online threats of an alleged attack at the campus. Lt. Col. Shellamie Chang, spokesperson for Police Regional Office

The camp of Senator Rodante Marcoleta flagged the prosecution"s attempt to present the attorney who notarized the deed of donations worth P75 million for Marcoleta"s campaign expenses.

MANILA, Philippines — Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima on Monday honored late former Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza by recalling his “reassuring presence” when she was imprisoned, noting how the latter was once subject of persecution.  De Lima made these remarks during the necrological service of the House of Representatives for Daza, who once

MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has approved special permits for 1,131 buses ahead of this year’s Undas travel rush, while applications covering about 90 more buses remain under review. The LTFRB on Monday said it had approved 384 special permit applications covering the 1,131 buses to accommodate the expected

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. received Monday the credentials of newly designated envoys, Turkish Ambassador Kaan Esener and Egyptian Ambassador Ihab Ahmed Aboserie Ahmed.