Manila Times

Former Police Investigator Appointed Philippine Tourism Undersecretary

Malacañang appointed a former senior criminal investigator as an undersecretary at the Department of Tourism, with the move aimed at strengthening security and crisis-management measures for visitors across the Philippines.

Manila’s LRT Line 1 Suspends Service After Storm Damages Railway Power Infrastructure

Light Rail Transit Line 1 temporarily halted passenger operations after a fallen tree damaged critical railway power infrastructure, disrupting travel for large numbers of commuters during peak hours.

Philippine Air Force Pilot Leads 40-Aircraft Formation at Australia’s Exercise Pitch Black

A Philippine Air Force pilot commanded a multinational formation of 40 aircraft during Exercise Pitch Black in Australia, demonstrating the country's growing participation in complex international air operations as its military modernizes.

Philippine Lawmakers Demand Audit of Multibillion-Peso Flood Control Spending

Senators and congressional representatives called for a comprehensive audit of flood-control funds allocated to the Department of Public Works and Highways following repeated flooding and questions over the design and resilience of major...

Philippine Auditors Testify on Confidential Funds in Sara Duterte Impeachment Case

Commission on Audit officials returned to the Senate impeachment court to provide financial testimony on confidential fund disbursements at the center of proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.

US Coast Guard Deploys Four Fast-Response Cutters to Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone

Four United States Coast Guard fast-response cutters have been deployed to patrol alongside Philippine maritime forces within the country's exclusive economic zone, strengthening surveillance and maritime security cooperation.

Marcos Urges Congress to Stop Utilities Passing System Loss Costs to Philippine Households

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act that would prevent distribution utilities from passing technical system-loss costs and related value-added taxes on to household electricity c...

Philippines Reports More Than 100 Million Pesos in Crop Damage From Recent Typhoons

The Department of Agriculture said successive tropical cyclones have caused more than 100 million pesos in agricultural losses, threatening food supply chains and increasing short-term inflation risks while emergency assistance is being ...

Philippine Officials Face Backlash Over Flood Mitigation Projects After Severe Metro Manila Inundation

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority defended improvements in regional flood mitigation after severe flooding, but the response has triggered public criticism and renewed demands for accountability over multibillion-peso drainag...

Philippine Startup Sector Shifts Focus Toward Practical Artificial Intelligence Applications

Founders, investors and policymakers preparing for the Echelon Philippines technology conference are emphasizing commercial artificial intelligence applications rather than technology hype as the country seeks to strengthen its position ...

Philippine Outsourcing Industry Turns to Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics

Executives and technology leaders gathered in Manila for the country's major shared services and business process outsourcing conference, where discussions focused on moving the industry beyond traditional customer service toward artific...

Ramon Ang Acquires Lopez Family Stake in Major Philippine Holding Company

Businessman Ramon Ang acquired the remaining shares held by Gabby Lopez's branch of the Lopez family in Lopez Incorporated, reshaping ownership of one of the Philippines' longstanding business groups and expanding Ang's corporate interests.

Philippines to Decide on Apollo Quiboloy Extradition Request Within Weeks

The Department of Justice said it expects to finalize its decision on the possible extradition of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy to the United States within weeks, following federal indictments involving alleged human trafficking and f...

Philippine Health Secretary Resigns as Government Appoints Successor

Health Secretary Teodoro Pujalte resigned and was replaced by Edwin Mercado, who will oversee infectious disease responses, hospital modernization and reforms to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation amid continuing public health c...

Flooding Disrupts Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial in Philippine Senate

The Senate postponed the 14th day of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial after severe monsoon rains flooded major roads across Metro Manila, temporarily interrupting proceedings over allegations involving hundreds of millions...

Philippines Launches Major Solar and Battery Project to Strengthen Energy Security

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated the first phase of the Meralco Terra Solar Project, described as the world's largest integrated solar and battery storage facility, with planned capacity of up to 3,500 megawatts to supply the n...

Severe Monsoon Flooding and Landslides Kill at Least 15 in Northern Philippines

Tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay, combined with an enhanced southwest monsoon, triggered landslides and widespread flooding across Luzon, killing at least 15 people and displacing more than 1.3 million residents.

Philippines and United States Mark 75 Years of Mutual Defense Treaty

Defense officials from Manila and Washington reaffirmed their longstanding alliance on the 75th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty and committed to expanding joint maritime patrols in the Philippine exclusive economic zone amid con...

China Confirms Deaths of Two Coast Guard Sailors in Scarborough Shoal Collision

Beijing acknowledged that two Chinese coast guard personnel died when their vessel collided with a Chinese warship while pursuing a Philippine Coast Guard patrol boat near Scarborough Shoal last August, highlighting the risks surrounding...

Philippines Submits Record 7.2 Trillion-Peso National Budget for Next Year

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman submitted the proposed national expenditure program to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with major allocations for infrastructure, social protection and defense modernization under the government's econ...

Philippines Reports Eleven-Year Low in Monthly Foreign Direct Investment

Net foreign direct investment inflows fell more than 64 percent to $210 million in May, the lowest monthly level in more than a decade, as geopolitical tensions and weaker intercompany borrowing weighed on international investment commit...

Philippines Economic Growth Slows to 2.3 Percent as Central Bank Reassesses Monetary Policy

The Philippine economy expanded at its slowest pace since the pandemic in the second quarter, prompting the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to reassess its monetary tightening stance as weaker consumer demand offsets easing inflation pressures.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino Denies Affair Allegation as UEFA Confirms Payment to Former Employee

UEFA says a departure payment and MBA fees complied with staff rules then in force, while Infantino faces a separate governance revolt over his abandoned plan to bring private investors into FIFA’s World Cup business.

Philippine Senate Calls for National Flood Management Plan After Widespread Monsoon Damage

Senator Francis Pangilinan is urging the government to establish a unified national flood management plan and provide a full public accounting of mitigation funds as severe monsoon flooding exposes continuing weaknesses in disaster prepa...

Philippine House Panel Approves Higher Income Tax Exemption and Microenterprise Relief

The House Committee on Ways and Means has approved legislation raising the annual income tax exemption threshold to 350,000 pesos and removing the two percent Minimum Corporate Income Tax for microenterprises, with lawmakers seeking to s...

Philippine Supreme Court Approves Faster Seizure of Illegal Offshore Gambling Assets

The Supreme Court has approved expedited civil forfeiture procedures under the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, giving the government greater authority to seize property, equipment and financial proceeds linked to banned Philippine offshore gaming...

Philippines Power Grids in Visayas and Mindanao Face Red and Yellow Alerts

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has issued critical power alerts across the Visayas and Mindanao after multiple generating units went offline and reserves fell below regulatory thresholds, raising the risk of rotational ...

United States Deploys Four Fast-Response Cutters to Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone

Washington has sent four fast-response cutters to the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone following high-level defence discussions with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., reinforcing the growing US-Philippines defence partnership amid increa...

Philippines Proposes 7.2 Trillion Pesos for 2027 National Budget

Budget Secretary Kim de Leon has submitted the proposed 7.2 trillion peso national expenditure program to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., setting out funding priorities for infrastructure, defence and social services ahead of congression...

Severe Monsoon Rains Kill Eight and Flood Metro Manila and 15 Philippine Provinces

Torrential rains intensified by Tropical Cyclones Luis and Maymay have caused eight deaths and widespread infrastructure damage, prompting the Philippine government to suspend classes and order work-from-home arrangements in affected areas.

Jollibee Opens First Compose Coffee Branch in the Philippines

Jollibee Foods Corporation has opened its first Compose Coffee outlet in the Philippines as the restaurant group expands into the country’s growing coffee retail market following its majority acquisition of the South Korean beverage brand.

Manila Electric Scrambles to Restore Power to 98,000 Customers After Monsoon Storms

Manila Electric Company deployed emergency crews after flooding and strong winds damaged power infrastructure across Metro Manila and nearby provinces, leaving about 98,000 residential and commercial customers without electricity.

Philippine Agricultural Trade Deficit Widens Beyond $1 Billion as Food Imports Outpace Exports

The Philippines recorded an agricultural trade deficit of more than $1.06 billion, highlighting the continuing gap between domestic food production and national demand despite government efforts to modernize agriculture and expand precis...

Sand Shortages Threaten Construction Timeline for New Manila International Airport

Construction of the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan is facing logistical and environmental challenges as large land reclamation requirements contribute to local sand shortages, potentially affecting the timetable for the San ...

Philippines Repays 1.23 Trillion Pesos in Sovereign Debt During First Half of 2026

The Philippine government paid 1.23 trillion pesos to service national debt in the first six months of 2026, highlighting the continuing fiscal burden of pandemic-era borrowing and elevated global interest rates.

Philippine Semiconductor Industry Maintains Positive Export Outlook Despite Economic Weakness

The Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines foundation expects technology exports to strengthen in the second half of 2026, offering a potential boost to the trade balance as other manufacturing sectors continue to fa...

Philippine Technology Leaders Warn of Artificial Intelligence Disruption to Business Process Outsourcing

Technology executives and policymakers at a national information and communications technology summit warned that the Philippines could face significant economic displacement without faster artificial intelligence adoption and urgent ret...

Marcos Calls for Greater ASEAN Cooperation Against Geopolitical and Artificial Intelligence Shocks

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged Southeast Asian countries to deepen regional integration to help protect their economies from geopolitical conflict, climate volatility and labor-market disruption linked to generative arti...

Philippines Advances Five Billion Peso Manila Cruise Terminal Project

The Philippine Ports Authority is finalizing a 25-year lease with the Philippine Reclamation Authority for a five billion peso international cruise terminal near Ninoy Aquino International Airport, with the project intended to strengthen...

Philippine Central Bank Faces Rate Dilemma After Sharp Economic Slowdown

The unexpected weakening of Philippine consumption and investment has eased pressure on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to raise interest rates, leaving policymakers to weigh cooling inflation against the need to support corporate lendin...

Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Resumes With Commission on Audit Testimony

The Philippine Senate resumed its impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte with testimony from Commission on Audit officials over alleged misuse of confidential funds at the Office of the Vice President and Department of Educatio...

Philippines Seeks $1.5 Billion in Multilateral Financing to Modernize Capital Markets

The Philippine government is negotiating a $1.5 billion financing package with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank to modernize domestic capital markets, expand corporate access to funding and strengthen safeguards against money la...

United States Rejects China’s Scarborough Shoal Nature Reserve Declaration

The United States State Department condemned China’s unilateral declaration of an environmental and legal regime around Scarborough Shoal, saying Beijing was using environmental measures to reinforce its maritime claims and restrict Fili...

Typhoon Dolphin and Monsoon Rains Suspend Government Work and Classes Across Metro Manila

The Philippine government suspended government operations and face-to-face classes across Metro Manila and 15 provinces after torrential southwest monsoon rains intensified by Typhoon Dolphin caused severe flooding, displaced hundreds of...

Philippine Economy Grows 2.3 Percent in Second Quarter as Full-Year Forecasts Are Cut

The Philippine economy expanded just 2.3 percent year on year in the second quarter of 2026, weaker than expected, prompting Nomura and Capital Economics to lower their full-year growth forecasts to as little as 3 percent as household co...