MANILA, Philippines — Two containers carrying P29-million worth of smuggled cigarettes were intercepted at the Sub-port of North Harbor in Tondo, Manila, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said on Friday. The BOC said that at least 320 boxes of Astro and Redwood cigarettes were found hidden inside the containers declared as scrap metal.  “Malinaw ang

MANILA, Philippines — Food company GenCorp Industries Inc. remained part of Vice President Sara Duterte’s business interests under her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) — even if the firm does not list her as an incorporator — because it is too precious to lose. This is was a witness at Duterte’s impeachment trial on

MANILA, Philippines – After testifying on his financial review of Vice President Sara Duterte, and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio’s wealth on Friday, financial forensic analyst Atty. Alexandra B. Cabrera stated that paying one’s taxes shows integrity. Cabrera, the expert witness of the House prosecution panel, made the statement after he presented his analysis of

TACLOBAN CITY — The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) in Palo, Leyte is rolling out a community-centered program aimed at making residents feel safe. Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño, PRO-8 regional director, said the program called SAFE or Seen, Appreciated, Felt and Extraordinary Police Service, seeks to improve police visibility and responsiveness. “We should see one

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusn del Sur — Police and environmental law enforcement operatives arrested two men and seized an estimated P810,000 worth of illegally sawn hardwood lumber during an anti-illegal logging operation in the hinterlands of Lanuza, Surigao del Sur, on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Brig. Gen. Rolindo M. Suguilon, director of Police Regional Office 13 (Caraga),

MANILA, Philippines — Labor group National Union of Workers in Hotel, Restaurant and Allied Industries (NUWHRAIN) has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the deaths of three engineering workers during maintenance work at Dusit Thani Residence Davao on Oct. 5. The group said the investigation should determine whether negligence, foul play or violations

MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution panel’s final witness in Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth tagged the purchasing of a manager’s check as a form of “tinikling.” This was because the transaction was reportedly used to skirt a specific amount of funds from the year-end balance. The purchase was in reference to manager’s

ILIGAN CITY, Northern Mindanao — The main building of Iligan City Hall was illuminated in pink to raise awareness about the importance of early breast cancer detection and mental health care for women. The activity, which started on October 8, brought together the local government and community groups to encourage women to undergo regular medical

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Friday that it directed transportation authorities to explore a possible route along the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2 for Public Utility Buses (PUBs) to help passengers amid limited train operations. The DOTr said that Transportation Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez has directed the Land Transportation Franchising

VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — City health officials here are rushing to secure confirmatory testing for 73 suspected Hepatitis A cases. The move comes following a sharp rise in infections in Barangay Lurugan, a heavily urbanized village surrounded by vast pineapple plantations. Most of those affected are students aged 10 to 19. Aron Apostol Rempohito, chief

MANILA, Philippines — The table prepared by prosecution witness, lawyer and accountant Alexander Cabrera, alleges that Vice President Sara Duterte had a total unexplained wealth of P817.87 million from 2022 to 2025. On Friday, day 37 of Duterte’s trial, House Prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno led the direct examination of Cabrera, whom the prosecution sought to

MANILA, Philippines — Senator-Judge Joel Villanueva on Friday expressed alarm that Cale88 Foods Corp. supposedly has only two employees, despite reporting over P150 million in revenue and over P6 million in losses. READ: Sara Duterte trial: Witness reveals CALE88, Gencorp balances, 2022-2025 Cale88 is among Vice President Sara Duterte’s business interests being tackled before the

The International Criminal Court"s (ICC) Trial Chamber III has ordered prosecutors to update their list of witnesses and evidence to reflect the removal of Incident 57 from the trial brief involving former President Rodrigo Duterte.

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte supposedly failed to declare over P207 million worth of cash in different bank accounts belonging to her and her husband, Manases Carpio, a financial forensic analyst, Atty. Alexander Cabrera testified on Friday. At Day 37 of the impeachment trial, Cabrera — the prosecution panel’s witness for Article II of the

MANILA, Philippines — The state weather bureau on Friday said the low-pressure area (LPA) off Northern Samar will affect some areas in the country until Saturday, Oct. 10. In its 4 p.m. weather advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Quezon, Marinduque, and Romblon may experience

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — After helping secure the historic Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections last month, troops of the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion (27IB) have finally returned home. Maj. Gen. Alvin Luzon, 10th Infantry Division commander, alongside Brig. Gen. Christopher Diaz of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade, led the welcome ceremony for the returning officers and enlisted

MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III and a delegation of lawmakers brought LegisHear to the Jose Rizal Coliseum in Calamba, Laguna, on Friday to discuss with residents and other stakeholders a comprehensive flood mitigation and management plan for the Laguna Lake Basin. Laguna Gov. Sol Aragones and Calamba City officials welcomed

The BIR witness says the copy of the Letter of Authority displayed during the trial showed the names of some revenue officers

COTABATO CITY — Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim has asked to meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on implementing the Bangsamoro peace agreement. In a letter dated October 1 through Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, Ebrahim requested a meeting with the President, together with representatives of the MILF leadership, “at a

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Friday said it had already issued a Letter of Authority (LOA) to Cale88 Food Corporation, the company linked to Vice President Sara Duterte’s husband, Manases Carpio. BIR chief of staff Anne Loraine Garcia-Marquez revealed this during the 37th day of Duterte’s impeachment trial after Senate

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – Police intercepted a motorized boat carrying over P7.2 million worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes and arrested eight crew members during a seaborne operation in the coastal waters off Barangay Sinunuc, Zamboanga City on Thursday morning. Police Lt. Col. Shellamie Chang, Police Regional Office 9 (PRO-9) spokesperson, reported that personnel

Tagle"s election marks a historic milestone for the Catholic Church in Asia and the Philippines. But what does the Dean of the College of Cardinals do, and why is the position important?

MANILA, Philippines — Levito Baligod, lawyer of the so-called “Maleta boys,” on Friday posted bail of P30,000 in a libel case filed by Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abante. In June, Abante filed the case against Baligod and 18 former bodyguards of then-Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co over an accusation that Abante had received suitcases

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Police arrested two graduating college students on Thursday following a pre-dawn drinking brawl that left a 46-year-old man dead and another wounded in this town, authorities said Friday. Brig. Gen. Rolindo M. Suguilon, regional director of Police Regional Office 13 (PRO-13), identified the suspects through their aliases as “Rommel,”

MANILA, Philippines – Seeking to consolidate its financial evidence under Article II, the House prosecution panel calls lawyer Alexander Cabrera to testify as a forensic financial expert witness in the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. House prosecution Rep. Chel Diokno formally offered Cabrera’s testimony before the Senate impeachment court./dp READ: Hontiveros firm

MANILA, Philippines – A financial forensic analyst was called into the witness stand by the prosecution on Friday, during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, overriding objections from the defense team over access to confidential financial statements. Duterte’s defense lead counsel Atty. Sheila Sison questioned the authority of the analyst to get a hold of

Representatives from the Office of the Ombudsman inspected the office vacated by Senator Jinggoy Estrada, according to a GMA News report, quoting Senate Secretary Renato Bantug.

Good news for parents who love the play-based learning approach of Kids Learning Ville (KLV): Children can now experience it beyond the home.  Introducing Kids Play Ville, a new community group class program by Kids Learning Ville, held at Little Chinatown in Lucky Chinatown Mall.  For parents who want their children to experience KLV’s hands-on, play-based learning while interacting with other children, the program offers an opportunity to learn, play and grow together.  Kids Play Ville brings the same KLV curriculum and learning approach into a fun, social and interactive setting. Instead of participating in one-on-one sessions at home, children can join group activities where they can explore, move, create, discover and learn together.  The program takes place in a large indoor playground, giving children space to learn through movement and play.  At Kids Play Ville, learning goes beyond sitting down and completing activities. Children can participate in storytelling, counting games, sensory exploration, creative projects, music and movement, hands-on challenges and other activities designed to support early learning and development.  Group classes also give children opportunities to interact with their peers. Through everyday activities, they can practice sharing, taking turns, listening to others, following directions, communicating their ideas and participating in group tasks while building confidence and social skills.  Most importantly, the learning remains intentional.  Kids Play Ville uses the same curriculum as Kids Learning Ville, with activities designed to support children’s early literacy, numeracy, discovery, creativity, movement, independence and overall development.  The difference is that children now get to experience these activities alongside their peers.  Kids Play Ville is an eight-session community group class program that gives children multiple opportunities to become comfortable in a group setting, participate in different activities and develop skills over time.  The full eight-session program is available for P5,200.  For families looking for playgroup classes in Manila, fun activities for children or new opportunities for their little ones to learn and socialize, Kids Play Ville combines learning and play in one experience.  The KLV experience can now be enjoyed in person, with more space to play, explore and learn alongside other children.  Families can join Kids Play Ville at Little Chinatown, Lucky Chinatown Mall, and give their children an opportunity to learn, play, explore and grow with KLV.

Jhaena Jewels is taking its six-year live-selling journey into the digital space with a new portal designed to connect live shopping, online transactions, order tracking and customer support in one platform. The new digital home allows customers to register for personal accounts where they can view their claims, orders, invoices, payments and delivery information in one place. Customers can also browse available jewelry through the online shop and continue to discover and claim pieces during live-selling sessions. Founder and CEO Haena Sia-Foo said the portal is designed to complement, rather than replace, the live-selling experience that helped build the brand’s community. “When we started Jhaena Jewels six years ago, live selling was one of the important parts of our journey. I love the connection with our clients and the community that we built together for the past six years,” Sia-Foo said during the launch. The portal addresses some of the manual processes associated with live selling, including sending screenshots, messaging administrators to confirm item availability and following up on payments. Jhaena Jewels OIC Arlene Natividad said the platform was developed as the company looked for ways to make transactions easier without losing the personal interaction customers have come to expect from the brand. “As the community grew, we also started asking ourselves, how can we make the experience easier, clearer and more connected for our customers without taking away the live experience that they already love?” Natividad said. Through the portal, customers can claim an available piece, proceed to checkout and receive an automatically generated invoice. They can also upload proof of payment directly to their account, while payment status and delivery information can be tracked through the system. “Instead of looking for screenshots, going back through messages or asking where your transaction is, we are giving you a more organized way,” Natividad said. The system also connects purchases made through live selling and the online shop, allowing customers to review their transactions and invoices in one purchase history. “Less guessing, more transparency. We want our customers to feel more informed and more confident about their transactions,” Natividad said. The platform is also designed for customers who miss live sessions. Available pieces featured during a broadcast can still be browsed through the portal after the live session, giving customers another way to see and purchase items. Sia-Foo emphasized that the familiar “mine” culture of live selling remains part of the experience, although it now takes on a digital form. “On the website, ‘mine’ becomes a claim. You just have to tap the claim there for it to go to our portal or checkout,” Sia-Foo said. Once a customer claims an item, the transaction moves through the cart, checkout, invoicing, payment and delivery stages within the system. Sia-Foo said the company will continue using social media for live selling with broadcasts viewable on the website. “Are we going to replace live selling? The answer, of course, is no. We’re actually upgrading it,” she said. The portal forms part of the brand’s broader sixth-year theme, “Access is the New Luxury.” Sia-Foo said the company’s goal is to make access to jewelry, information, sourcing networks and opportunities more attainable for its customers and partners. “Luxury is not just about owning something. Luxury is about access to quality, and to the better value of something that we know will create a memory for us forever,” she said. Sia-Foo said the company spent years developing relationships with manufacturers, artisans, diamond cutters and polishers in jewelry markets around the world, including India, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan and Italy. The company is also looking to expand its ecosystem to include affiliates, live sellers, entrepreneurs, resellers and other business partners. “We spent six years building a foundation. Now, we have the technology and infrastructure to open it to more people,” she said. For Sia-Foo, the portal is the latest step in a journey that began with live selling and limited resources. “I started with just one phone, one sticky note, a phone stand and my ball pen. But I had something much bigger than that. I had a dream,” she said. “Real luxury today isn’t only about owning something beautiful. It’s having access to something that was once beyond our reach,” she finally added.

My Spirit, an activewear brand under China-based HLA Group, has entered the Philippine market with its first store at Robinsons Galleria, offering a collection designed to take women from training sessions to the rest of their day. The range brings together technical performance, comfort and contemporary design, with pieces intended for running, yoga, Pilates, racket sports and casual wear. Versatility is central to the brand’s approach: clothes that support movement while fitting into an everyday wardrobe. Its philosophy, “Peak Tech. Pure Art.,” ties that practical purpose to an emphasis on style. My Spirit pays attention to fabric, fit, functionality and design, aiming to give women freedom of movement alongside a polished look. The brand also places confidence and self-expression at the center of its collection. Beyond supporting physical activity, its pieces are designed to help women feel comfortable in what they wear and express their individuality. That combination reflects activewear’s growing place in everyday fashion, as consumers seek clothes that can transition from workouts and sports to other activities. The Robinsons Galleria opening gives Filipina shoppers the opportunity to explore that approach firsthand. Located on the upper ground floor, the store carries the brand’s new collection of activewear and athleisure pieces.