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ICC Prosecution restructures evidence list vs. Rodrigo Duterte, seeks admission of 3 recorded testimonies
Oct 12, 2026

ICC Prosecution restructures evidence list vs. Rodrigo Duterte, seeks admission of 3 recorded testimonies

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor has restructured its List of Evidence in former President Rodrigo Duterte"s case, following a further review of the materials.

Ex-political prisoners ask Ombudsman to reconsider complaints vs. PNP officials
Oct 12, 2026

Ex-political prisoners ask Ombudsman to reconsider complaints vs. PNP officials

Two former political prisoners asked the Office of the Ombudsman to reconsider the complaints filed against several PNP officers over alleged illegal detention and planting of evidence.

Mindanao feels El Niño pinch: Struggling farms, idle power plants
Oct 12, 2026

Mindanao feels El Niño pinch: Struggling farms, idle power plants

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — At the Cogon Public Market here, 59-year-old vegetable vendor Alma Labajo is already feeling the pinch of a “very strong” El Niño, lamenting high prices as harvests from the city’s hinterland farms dwindle. “When fewer vegetables reach the market, prices inevitably rise,” Labajo told the Inquirer, noting that resellers are

Duterte trial: Cale 88 ‘revolving door’ ops symptom of money laundering
Oct 12, 2026

Duterte trial: Cale 88 ‘revolving door’ ops symptom of money laundering

MANILA, Philippines — Forensic financial analyst Atty. Alexander Cabrera on Monday described the financial operations of Cale 88 Food Corp. as a “revolving door,” calling it a “symptom of money laundering.” Vice President Sara Duterte’s spouse, Atty. Manases Carpio, supposedly held a 47.5% ownership stake in Cale 88 as an incorporator and shareholder from 2021

Musikwela brings Filipino values to life through music, puppetry 
Oct 12, 2026

Musikwela brings Filipino values to life through music, puppetry 

Musikwela, a Filipino children's educational entertainment program that uses music, storytelling, puppetry and animation to teach values, will release five new episodes in November covering respect for elders, indigenous culture, autism awareness, disaster preparedness and environmental care.  The five 30-minute episodes, co-produced by Ideasquest Inc. and the National Council for Children's Television (NCCT), an attached agency of the Department of Education, aim to make learning more engaging while helping children understand social issues and appreciate Filipino traditions.  During a media launch, Musikwela founder and executive director Ellen Estrada said the program draws from personal experiences and real-life encounters to create stories that children can relate to and learn from.  “Most of the things you see are made by us. We made all the puppets and all the songs. Even the costumes were sewn in a small community in Las Piñas,” Estrada said, explaining how her team handled much of the creative work behind the production despite limited resources.  The new episodes feature the Musikscouts, composed of Estrada's daughter, Yumi Sansano, and three furry puppet characters, Potpot, Lala and Biboy. Through their adventures, the characters demonstrate how children can respond to problems by helping others and practicing values such as empathy, respect and responsibility.    Estrada said she hopes the stories will encourage children to look beyond their immediate surroundings and appreciate the diversity of Filipino communities.  “I realized how rich our cultures are and how much there is to learn about them. We are so rich. We just don't know it, and we just don't teach it,” she said.   “We may be scattered across thousands of islands, but that does not mean we can never be one,” she said.  Musikwela received support through an NCCT grant, while Ideasquest also contributed resources to complete the production.  “Filipinos can create a funny, child-friendly show, but we cannot do it alone. We want to bring it to schools. We want to do road shows. We want to partner with brands that believe we can do more to help our children.,” she said.  Beyond the five episodes, Estrada said she hopes to explore other subjects, including financial literacy. She believes children should learn early about empathy, respect, responsibility and the value of money.  She also encouraged students and aspiring creators to develop stories that reflect experiences and issues they genuinely care about.  “For a story to be meaningful to others, it must be meaningful to you first. It must affect you in some way,” she said.  The new episodes will be available in November through Musikwela's website and social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube.

Homeware line designed for dormers, young couples, small families
Oct 12, 2026

Homeware line designed for dormers, young couples, small families

College students in dorms and young couples starting out often need a few items to make their spaces more comfortable. These often include basics like flatware, plates, beddings and maybe a lamp or two. While there are department stores and home store chains that offer pretty much the same kind of mix, one of the newer entrants is the Metro Retail Stores Group. Last month, it launched its own brand of home basics, Metro Living in its four Metro Department Stores located in Alabang, Market Market, Ayala Center Cebu, and Super Metro Colon. Arranged on open shelves and in compact displays, the merchandise is basic and designed to work together.  “For Metro Living, we’ve shifted our entire retail philosophy from selling individual products to delivering fully integrated lifestyle solutions. Previously, customers had to navigate different aisles to assemble a look,” Joel Orense, Metro Retail President and COO told The Manila Times in an email interview.  “Through our dedicated shop-in-shop concept, we bring fully curated, pre-styled living spaces directly to the retail floor. It eliminates decision fatigue, offers immediate aesthetic inspiration, and maximizes customer convenience. We are elevating the overall shopping experience, and based on initial performance, we plan to scale this format to additional key stores next year,” he added.  Placing these household staples in a dedicated location inside their stores was only logical as it takes out the guesswork for shoppers.  Orense said that historically, people bought items for their homes from different stores. While this can actually be a fun exercise on a weekend or during sale season, it can also be a chore for people who might prefer to do something else with their time.  “By engineering a cross-category, cohesive product matrix, Metro Living bridges that gap — transforming single-item transactions into complete room solutions,” he said. The current merchandise mix at the Metro stores includes beddings, pillow cases and cushion covers, kitchen linens, and window treatments. There also plates, cutlery and compact storage systems.  “Metro Living is tailored for the modern Filipino demographic — specifically first-time condo owners, growing families, young homeowners, and value-conscious style seekers,” Orense said. “These consumers want practical, elevated, and contemporary home aesthetics without compromising on affordability or functionality.”

Ejercito backs calls to hike gov’t workers’ allowance to P5,000
Oct 12, 2026

Ejercito backs calls to hike gov’t workers’ allowance to P5,000

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. JV Ejercito is pushing for an increase in the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) for government employees from P2,000 to P5,000 per month, according to a statement issued by his office on Monday. The hike in the allowance —last adjusted in 2009 through Joint Resolution No. 4 issued by both chambers

Prosecution presents video of alleged suitcase deliveries to Romualdez at bail hearing
Oct 12, 2026

Prosecution presents video of alleged suitcase deliveries to Romualdez at bail hearing

The prosecution in the plunder charges against former Speaker Martin Romualdez presented before the Sandiganbayan a video showing suitcases allegedly delivered to Romualdez's house in Forbes Park, Makati City.

Marcos: PH serious on nuclear energy amid future power demands of AI, data centers
Oct 12, 2026

Marcos: PH serious on nuclear energy amid future power demands of AI, data centers

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that he is serious about his plans to establish nuclear power in the country in preparation for the anticipated high power demand of data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) centers set to operate in the Philippines.

Ex-PDLs ask Ombudsman to reconsider complaints vs 5 PNP execs
Oct 12, 2026

Ex-PDLs ask Ombudsman to reconsider complaints vs 5 PNP execs

MANILA, Philippines — Former political prisoners and Indigenous Peoples rights defenders on Monday filed a motion for reconsideration before the Office of the Ombudsman over the complaints of alleged illegal arrest and detention, among others, that they filed against five police officers. According to complainants Indigenous Peoples’ rights advocate Niezel Velasco and Manobo activist Julieta Gomez, they were allegedly

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