Phantom land, false signature: How agents allegedly duped migrant worker quota system

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday said it is conducting a fact-finding investigation into the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on an alleged discrepancy in Vice President Sara Duterte’s statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN). “That will undergo fact-finding first. So, it’s a process where we

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture and other related government agencies should prioritize setting up water impounding facilities to prepare for the impact of the so-called Super El Niño, Sen. JV Ejercito said in a statement. During the hearing of the DA budget for 210927 on Wednesday, Ejercito emphasized that water storage infrastructure could both

LEGAZPI CITY — The Philippine Coast Guard has restricted sea travel in parts of Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Catanduanes as Super Typhoon Rosal threatens the Bicol region with strong winds and rough seas. Lt. Junior Grade Alyzza Novie Bermal, information officer of the Coast Guard District Bicol, told the Inquirer in a text message

LUCENA CITY — The heat index in Talisay, Batangas reached 41 degrees Celsius, while Calamba City, Laguna, registered 40 degrees Celsius on Thursday, Oct. 22. To help residents cope with the prevailing heat, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (MDRRMC) in Talisay advised them to take precautionary measures in a Facebook post at 2:45

LUCENA CITY — The Batangas Police Provincial Office (BPPO) filed a murder complaint on Oct. 21 against eight suspects in the killing of village chief Dennis Austria in Sto. Tomas City, Batangas. Police said the suspects were implicated in Austria’s killing at his residence in Barangay Sta. Anastacia on Oct. 15. On Oct. 20, police

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate finance subcommittee approved the proposed P3.125-billion budget of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for 2027 on Thursday. The DBM trimmed its original P5.780-billion funding request for fiscal year (FY) 2027 by P2.655 billion, bringing its proposed budget down to P3.125 billion without compromising essential services and priority reforms.

MANILA, Philippines — Court operations in some places in Luzon are suspended on Friday (October 23) due to various reasons, according to the Supreme Court. Here are the branches: Judicial Region (JR) 1: READ: Walang Pasok: Oct. 23 class, gov’t work suspensions due to Rosal JR 2 JR 3 JR 4-B READ: NGCP to place

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities arrested six individuals, including two high-value individuals (HVIs), and seized P2.1 million worth of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) in three separate buy-bust operations across Metro Manila, police said Thursday. The operations were conducted in Marikina, Makati and Taguig on Wednesday, yielding approximately 314.34 grams of suspected shabu. READ: Cops seize P1M

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 was quickly approved at the Senate finance committee level on Thursday. Senate Secretary Atty. Renato Bantug presented the budget for the chamber. Bantug noted that the Senate is accepting the amount that the Department of Budget and Management allocated in the National Expenditures Program

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is probing another company allegedly linked to Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, as part of its inquiry into her alleged “unexplained wealth,” Director Melvin Matibag said. Matibag identified the company as Westgate88, which he said was allegedly named after Duterte-Carpio associates.

MANILA, Philippines — Super Typhoon Rosal, internationally known as Champi, weakened into a typhoon Thursday afternoon, Oct. 22, the state weather bureau reported. In its weather advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Rosal had slightly weakened as of 2 p.m. As of 3 p.m., Rosal was located 360 kilometers east

ORION, Bataan – The Bataan chapter of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines remains opposed to the national government’s plan to rehabilitate and eventually operate the mothballed 40-year-old Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in Morong town.  Orion town Mayor Antonio Raymundo, Jr., LMP Bataan Chapter president, in an interview on Thursday said the stand of