Manila Times

Philippine Peace Adviser Calls Local Political Legitimacy Essential to Mindanao Stability

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity has urged stronger participation in regional democratic processes, arguing that legitimate local leadership is central to long-term economic development and confli...

Philippine Anti-Graft Court Dismisses Plunder Charges Against Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan

The Sandiganbayan has dismissed longstanding plunder allegations against Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, citing insufficient evidence.

Laguna de Bay Fish Kill Wipes Out More Than 20,000 Kilograms of Aquaculture Stock

Environmental authorities say more than 20,000 kilograms of commercial fish died in Laguna de Bay after sudden temperature changes and depleted oxygen levels worsened by urban pollution.

Philippine Police Increase Security at Water Pumping Stations After Tarlac Bridge Collapse

Police have deployed additional personnel to critical flood-control and water-distribution facilities to protect operations during the ongoing period of extreme monsoon weather.

Tropical Storm Pilandok Brings Risk of Prolonged Monsoon Rains Across Luzon

The Philippine weather agency has warned disaster officials to prepare for extended heavy rainfall as Tropical Storm Pilandok continues drawing large bands of monsoon precipitation across northern Philippines.

Metro Pacific Tollways Accelerates Flood Protection Work Across Expressway Network

Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation is speeding up flood-mitigation projects on major expressways to protect commercial transport and commuter traffic in the Greater Manila Area during severe weather.

Philippines Allocates 10 Billion Pesos to Expand Zero-Balance Hospital Billing

The government has approved 10 billion pesos to support public hospitals and expand access to medical treatment for low-income patients without out-of-pocket charges.

Philippine Senate Opens Probe Into 3.7 Billion Peso Taguig Reclamation Project

Senators have launched an inquiry into a 3.7 billion peso reclamation project in Taguig over allegations of wasted public funds and failures in infrastructure procurement oversight.

Philippine Election Commission Seeks 29 Billion Pesos for 2028 Voting Modernization

The Commission on Elections has requested 29 billion pesos under the 2027 budget program to upgrade voting infrastructure and strengthen election systems against emerging cyber threats.

Philippine Senators Propose Single Metropolitan Authority for Flood Control

Lawmakers have proposed consolidating urban flood-management programs under one agency after recent typhoons exposed failures in existing drainage infrastructure and coordination.

Philippine Court Upholds Asset Freeze on Unnamed Lawmaker in Corruption Probe

The Court of Appeals has upheld an asset freeze requested by the Anti-Money Laundering Council against a member of Congress as authorities investigate suspected illicit enrichment and public-sector corruption.

Indonesian Forest-Fire Haze Triggers Health Warnings and Class Suspensions in Philippines

Transboundary haze from fires in Kalimantan has degraded air quality across Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, prompting mask advisories and localized class suspensions.

Philippines Funds 150 Million Peso Maritime IT Overhaul After Cyberattack

The government has authorized 150 million pesos for an urgent upgrade of Maritime Industry Authority systems following a breach of national maritime databases.

Philippines Agriculture Department Seeks 198 Billion Pesos as El Niño Threatens Food Supply

The Agriculture Department has requested 198 billion pesos for 2027, prioritizing irrigation upgrades while warning that rice imports could reach 5 million metric tons if severe El Niño conditions damage domestic harvests.

Philippine Telecom Operators Commit More Than $2.2 Billion to Digital Infrastructure

PLDT, Globe Telecom and Converge ICT plan more than $2.2 billion in 2026 capital spending to expand broadband coverage, upgrade enterprise cloud networks and strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure.

Philippine BPO Industry Revises 2028 Targets as Generative AI Reshapes Jobs

The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines has revised its employment and revenue forecasts as artificial intelligence automates routine work and pushes the industry toward analytics and hybrid human-m...

Philippine Manufacturing Growth Reaches Near-Decade High as Stocks Rebound

Philippine factory activity recorded a fourth consecutive month of strong expansion, helping the benchmark stock index climb back above 6,000 despite sharp depreciation in the peso.

Philippine Peso Falls to Record 62.4 Against U.S. Dollar

The Philippine peso weakened to a historic low of 62.4 per dollar as Middle East tensions and rising U.S. Treasury yields pressured the currency, increasing calls for clearer guidance from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Hears Allegations of Confidential Fund Misuse

Prosecutors in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial presented testimony alleging that the Education Department falsified military certifications to justify the release of hundreds of millions of pesos in confidential intellige...

Philippines Declares Calamity in 178 Areas as Flooding Affects 9 Million People

Tropical Storm Pilandok and intensified southwest monsoon rains have caused severe flooding across the Philippines, damaging infrastructure and farmland and prompting the government to accelerate flood-control and climate-resilience meas...

Marcos Says Philippines-China Talks on Joint South China Sea Energy Exploration Are Advancing

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said negotiations with Beijing over joint oil and gas development in disputed waters are progressing, while reiterating that Manila will not compromise its sovereign resupply missions in the West Philippine...

Consumer Groups Urge Philippines to Crack Down on Counterfeit Goods Sold Online

Consumer organizations have asked the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines to impose tougher penalties on e-commerce platforms accused of facilitating sales of counterfeit and substandard imported products.

Tourists Stranded in Batanes as Severe Weather Grounds Flights

Domestic and international travelers remain stranded in Batanes after persistent monsoon storms and strong crosswinds forced the cancellation of commercial flights and military evacuation services.

Philippine Industry Groups Oppose Proposed Increase in Sugary Drink Taxes

Food, beverage and retail groups are lobbying Congress against higher excise taxes on sugary drinks, arguing that the measure would raise costs for lower-income consumers and threaten retail employment.

Watchdogs Warn Proposed 2027 Philippine Budget Could Enable Political Patronage

Transparency groups say loopholes in the proposed 2027 national budget could allow greater discretionary spending and political patronage ahead of the midterm elections.

Philippine Anti-Graft Court Freezes Assets of Lawmaker Facing Corruption Charges

A Philippine court ordered the freezing of domestic bank accounts and other assets belonging to a sitting member of the House of Representatives amid an investigation into alleged misuse of public infrastructure funds.

Philippine Social Security System Targets 1.44 Trillion-Peso Investment Portfolio

The state pension fund is targeting a 1.44 trillion-peso portfolio weighted toward government securities and domestic equities as it seeks to strengthen the long-term finances of the national retirement system.

Metro Pacific Water Plans 23 Billion-Peso Expansion Program

Metro Pacific Water has announced a five-year, 23 billion-peso investment plan to upgrade domestic water infrastructure and expand its operations across Southeast Asia.

Philippine Mining Sector Expects New Investment After Regulatory Changes

Mining companies are preparing for increased capital inflows after the Marcos administration introduced measures to streamline approvals and expand the Philippines’ role in critical-mineral supply chains for electric vehicles.

Ayala and Philippine Tax Bureau Partner on AI System to Detect Fraud

Ayala Corporation and the Bureau of Internal Revenue are developing artificial intelligence tools to identify corporate tax fraud, improve collection efficiency and modernize government revenue systems.

Philippines Says Rice Supply Remains Adequate Despite Typhoon Damage

Agricultural authorities said national rice inventories should remain sufficient through the end of the year despite widespread crop flooding in Central Luzon and the Cagayan Valley.

Central Luzon Flood-Control Projects Face Scrutiny After Widespread Failures

Philippine lawmakers and civic groups are demanding audits of major flood-control projects after infrastructure failures during recent monsoon rains damaged farmland and isolated communities across Central Luzon.

Moody’s Maintains Philippines Investment-Grade Rating and Stable Outlook

Moody’s retained its investment-grade sovereign assessment and stable outlook for the Philippines, citing resilient economic growth and continued fiscal consolidation despite difficult global conditions.

Philippine Economic Zone Investments Surge 334% in August

Approved investments in Philippine special economic zones jumped 334% from a year earlier in August, indicating strong multinational interest in the country’s manufacturing and export-processing industries.

GCash Parent Mynt Prepares 92 Billion-Peso Philippine IPO

Globe Fintech Innovations, the parent of mobile wallet GCash, is preparing a 92 billion-peso domestic listing that would test investor appetite for large technology and digital-finance offerings on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Indonesian Fire Haze Pushes Air Quality to Acutely Unhealthy Levels in Metro Manila and Visayas

Environmental agencies urged residents to take respiratory precautions as transboundary haze from Indonesian forest and agricultural fires sharply worsened air quality across Metro Manila and parts of the Visayas.

Visayas Power Grid Faces Red and Yellow Alerts After Generator Outages

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines issued red and yellow alerts in the Visayas after unexpected power plant outages reduced available capacity and raised the risk of rolling blackouts.

Philippines Declares Leptospirosis Emergency as Cases Exceed 5,000

Health authorities opened 33 dedicated treatment lanes after flooding pushed the national leptospirosis caseload above 5,000 and left some Metro Manila emergency departments operating at 300% capacity.

Marcos Suspends Government Operations Across 15 Provinces as Flooding Worsens

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered alternative work and learning arrangements across 15 provinces after prolonged southwest monsoon rains caused widespread flooding and severe transport disruption.

Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Continues Over Confidential Funds

The Philippine Senate impeachment court is examining allegations involving confidential intelligence funds used by the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education, deepening a major political crisis for President Ferdinand M...

Philippine Central Bank Says August Inflation Could Reach 6.5%

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas expects August inflation to fall between 5.5% and 6.5%, driven by higher food prices after successive typhoons and elevated domestic fuel costs.

Philippine Peso Falls to Record Low of 62.35 Against US Dollar

The Philippine peso touched an all-time intraday low of 62.35 per US dollar as global economic pressures weighed on the currency, prompting close monitoring from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Philippine Defense Chief Suspects Some Local Politicians Receive Support From China

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said he suspects certain elected Philippine officials may be receiving financial or political backing from Beijing, raising concerns about foreign interference in local government.

Philippines Seeks South China Sea Code of Conduct by End of 2026

Philippine officials want China and ASEAN to complete the long-delayed South China Sea code of conduct by the end of 2026, seeking a multilateral framework to reduce the risk of armed confrontation in disputed waters.