Aussie, Cebu City delegations visit San Juan City for governance gab

MANILA, Philippines — Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said Friday he will bring the newly enacted law postponing the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to the Supreme Court. “Because this measure strikes at the heart of our democracy and reflects a grave abuse of discretion, voters like me are left with no choice but to

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Robinhood “Robin” Padilla personally appeared before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday at the start of the preliminary investigation into allegations of obstruction of justice. The Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed the case for assisting fellow lawmaker Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa in leaving the

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday issued Executive Order No. 125, which temporarily suspends the excise taxes on liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene. “The excise taxes on LPG, except when used as raw material for production of petrochemical products or used for motive power, and kerosene, except when used as aviation fuel,

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Rep. Joel Chua believes the Senate Impeachment Court can assign Vice President Sara Duterte public lawyers to defend her, should members of the defense panel decide to boycott the impeachment proceedings. Chua said this in a press briefing on Friday after being asked about the possibility that the defense panel opts to

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) is seeking an additional P17 billion in the proposed 2027 national budget to support free higher education for about 940,000 students. CHEd Chairperson Shirley Agrupis made the statement during the Senate committee on finance’s hearing on the commission’s spending plan. “We can no longer reduce it.

MANILA, Philippines—The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has deployed emergency response boats and equipment to Tarlac City on Thursday, Sept. 25. The action is meant to help residents cross the river following the partial collapse of the Aquino Bridge. The MMDA sent 50 pontoons (flat-deck boats), 50 life vests, eight engine-operated rubber boats and four

MANILA, Philippines — Heavy rains are forecast to affect Metro Manila and other areas in Luzon on Friday, Sept. 25, due to localized thunderstorms, the state weather bureau said. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported in its thunderstorm advisory issued at 4:46 p.m. that heavy to intense rain showers with lightning

CALASIAO, Pangasinan – A 34-year-old cook from San Fernando City, La Union, died after the motorcycle he was driving collided with a pickup truck along the national highway in Barangay Pagdaraoan early Friday. Initial investigation showed that the victim was traveling northbound while a pickup truck, driven by a 51-year-old fish vendor from Bacnotan town,

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday challenged senator-judges who supposedly claimed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was interfering in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to substantiate their allegations. At a briefing in Batac City, Ilocos Norte, Palace press officer Claire Castro was asked to give the Marcos administration’s assurance that it was not

MANILA, Philippines — The renewable projects under Batangas First District Representative Leandro Leviste’s solar energy company were privately funded, said Atty. Antonio La Viña, spokesperson of Senator Loren Legarda. La Viña maintained that the failed projects of Leviste under scrutiny did not “constitute plunder or graft” as no government funds were used. “First of all,

SAN ILDEFONSO, Ilocos Sur — The University of Northern Philippines (UNP) in Vigan City said a report claiming a student brought a firearm on campus was untrue, based on an investigation undertaken by the university administration. In a statement on Friday, the university said it conducted a thorough investigation into the reported gun presence and

MANILA, Philippines — At least two House of Representatives lawmakers have called out their former colleague, ex-Cavite Rep. Kiko Barzaga, for his disrespectful statements on the death of Batanes Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr. In a press briefing on Friday, Manila Rep. Joel Chua said Barzaga is rude for a nepo baby — a term used for politicians