Manila Times

Philippine Embassy in Beijing Assists Filipinos Detained in China

Philippine diplomatic officials are providing consular assistance to several Filipinos detained by Chinese authorities, underscoring the challenges facing Manila in protecting its citizens in China amid broader bilateral tensions.

Marcos Says Next President Must Continue Anti-Corruption and Infrastructure Programs

President Ferdinand Marcos has said his successor should have the political will to maintain anti-corruption efforts and infrastructure investment, offering an early indication of the priorities he wants carried into the 2028 presidentia...

Cebu Pacific Reports Strong Domestic Passenger Growth as Routes Expand

Cebu Pacific is seeing a sharp rise in domestic passenger traffic as new aircraft and expanded inter-island routes support renewed tourism and business travel across the Philippines.

Philippine Lawmakers Consider Deeper Cuts to Unprogrammed Budget Funds

Congressional finance committees are considering further reductions to unprogrammed appropriations for the next fiscal year as lawmakers seek tighter control of government spending, infrastructure outlays and national development programs.

Subic Port Revenue Rises Eight Percent as Philippine Cargo Activity Recovers

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority recorded an eight percent year-on-year increase in port revenue during the first half of 2026, as stronger cargo volumes and recovering maritime trade support the freeport’s position as a regional logisti...

Authorities Secure Radioactive Materials During Raid on Davao Steel Plant

The National Bureau of Investigation has conducted an operation at a steel facility in Davao City after improperly handled radioactive materials were discovered, with authorities moving to secure the site and address potential environmen...

Philippine Senate Seeks Probe Into Rapid Deterioration of Rehabilitated EDSA

Lawmakers have called for an investigation into severe potholes and other damage that appeared along EDSA after just a week of monsoon rains, raising questions about contractor accountability and the quality of recent road rehabilitation...

Monsoon Flooding Hits Metro Manila as Agricultural Damage Nears P700 Million

Persistent southwest monsoon rains and regional storm systems have caused widespread flooding across Metro Manila and nearby provinces, while the Department of Agriculture estimates crop losses of nearly 700 million pesos and the educati...

Sandiganbayan Sets Hearings in Plunder Case Against Lawmaker Rodante Marcoleta

The Philippines’ anti-graft court has scheduled suspension and bail hearings for Representative Rodante Marcoleta and identified 12 witnesses in a high-profile plunder case that is testing the government’s anti-corruption drive.

Court Blocks P85 Daily Wage Increase for Metro Manila Workers

A Pasig court has temporarily halted implementation of an 85-peso daily wage increase for private-sector workers in the capital after employers challenged the adjustment, drawing criticism from labour groups and lawmakers amid rising liv...

Philippine Central Bank Signals Caution on Further Interest Rate Hikes

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has indicated it may avoid aggressive monetary tightening as it seeks to support economic growth and consumer spending, even as persistent inflation and expected fuel price increases put pressure on households...

Philippines and China See Cautious Progress in Joint South China Sea Energy Talks

Philippine officials say negotiations with Beijing on possible joint oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea are making cautious progress, offering a potential channel for economic cooperation despite continuing disputes over mari...

US and Philippine Forces to Expand Special Operations Drills Amid Regional Tensions

US military commanders say American and Philippine special forces will step up advanced training and joint operations, reinforcing the countries’ Mutual Defence Treaty as maritime tensions rise across the Indo-Pacific.

Marcos Defends Pax Silica AI Hub Amid Concerns Over Massive Water Demand

President Ferdinand Marcos has defended the proposed foreign-backed technology and manufacturing hub in New Clark City, Tarlac, after disclosures that the project could consume up to 90 million litres of water a day, saying it will use n...

Sara Duterte Seeks Dismissal of Grave Threats Case as Senate Impeachment Trial Continues

Vice President Sara Duterte’s lawyers have asked a Quezon City court to dismiss grave threats charges as her defence team continues to contest allegations involving 612 million pesos in confidential funds during her ongoing Senate impeac...

DOJ Reviews US Extradition Request for Religious Leader Apollo Quiboloy

The Philippine Department of Justice says it expects to process a United States extradition request involving religious leader Apollo Quiboloy without prolonged delays, making the case a significant test of cooperation between Philippine...

Twenty-Six Philippine Senate Committees Await Minority Assignments, Delaying Legislative Work

Twenty-six Senate committees remain without formal minority bloc assignments, creating administrative delays that could slow hearings and work on economic reforms, infrastructure funding and the national budget for the next fiscal year.

Environmental Groups Oppose Marcos Waste-to-Energy Projects Over Emissions Concerns

Environmental organizations are campaigning against proposed waste-to-energy facilities under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., arguing that thermal waste treatment could increase emissions, conflict with clean-air requirements and divert ...

Concentrix and DragonFi Launch Employee Investment Matching Program in Philippines

Business process outsourcing company Concentrix has partnered with digital brokerage DragonFi on a program matching employee contributions to Personal Equity and Retirement Accounts, seeking to increase capital-market participation and l...

First Gen Buyout Offer Fuels Speculation Over Possible Philippine Stock Exchange Delisting

Analysts say renewable energy company First Gen Corporation could become a candidate for voluntary delisting from the Philippine Stock Exchange following a major buyout offer from a global investment firm, highlighting interest in taking...

Philippine Seven Reports Nearly 2 Billion Pesos in First-Half Profit on Store Expansion

Philippine Seven Corporation, the exclusive 7-Eleven licensee in the Philippines, reported first-half net income of nearly 2 billion pesos as rapid expansion of its national store network supported earnings and reflected continued consum...

Puregold Posts Nearly 6 Billion Pesos in First-Half Profit as Sales Volumes Rise

Puregold Price Club reported first-half net income of nearly 6 billion pesos as strong sales volumes offset broader economic weakness, showing continued resilience in household consumption despite persistent inflation and pressure on dis...

Toyota Motor Philippines Expects Auto Sales Growth to Continue Despite High Interest Rates

Toyota Motor Philippines expects vehicle sales to keep growing through the rest of the year despite elevated domestic borrowing costs and global economic pressures, citing continued demand for passenger and commercial vehicles.

Philippine Auto Sales Reach Record as VinFast Drives Electric Vehicle Growth

Philippine vehicle sales reached a record 387,849 units in the first seven months of the year, up 28.6 percent from a year earlier, while VinFast deliveries rose more than 74 percent as electric vehicles drove a sharp expansion in the do...

Top Frontier Share Transfer Gives Iñigo Zobel Greater Control Over San Miguel Parent

Iñigo Zobel has completed an 11 billion peso transaction transferring controlling stakes in Top Frontier Investment Holdings, strengthening his control over the parent company of San Miguel Corporation and one of the Philippines’ largest...

Philippines Eyes Japanese Investment in Wawa Pumped Storage Hydropower Project

Senior executives from major Japanese power companies have inspected the Wawa pumped storage hydroelectric project in Rizal province as the Philippines seeks more energy storage capacity to stabilize the grid while adding larger amounts ...

Southwest Monsoon Causes Nearly 700 Million Pesos in Agricultural Damage Across Luzon

Heavy southwest monsoon rains have prompted states of calamity in several Luzon municipalities and disrupted classes in Metro Manila, with nearly 3.7 million people affected and agricultural losses approaching 700 million pesos, raising ...

Philippine Social Security System Earns 27 Billion Pesos in First-Half Investment Income

The Social Security System generated more than 27 billion pesos in investment income during the first half of the year from a portfolio heavily exposed to government securities and domestic equities, providing continued institutional sup...

Philippines Accelerates AI Regulation and National Building Code Modernization

The Department of Information and Communications Technology has identified artificial intelligence regulation and updates to the National Building Code as major legislative priorities, with the government seeking to modernize digital inf...

Philippine Government Lifts Japanese Poultry Import Ban After Bird Flu Outbreaks Contained

The Philippine government has lifted restrictions on poultry imports from Japan after authorities determined that avian influenza outbreaks in affected Japanese prefectures had been contained, reopening a source of supply intended to str...

Philippine Banking Sector Prepares for Higher Loan Loss Risks

Philippine banks are preparing for higher loan-loss provisions and narrower profit margins as global geopolitical and economic pressures increasingly affect corporate borrowers, although lenders continue to maintain strong capital positi...

Philippine Customs Seizes More Than 35 Billion Pesos in Contraband

The Bureau of Customs has confiscated more than 35 billion pesos worth of smuggled agricultural goods, fuel and counterfeit products since January, as increased maritime surveillance and tighter port inspections intensify the government’...

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Expected to Hold 5% Policy Rate Through Year-End

Financial analysts expect the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to keep its benchmark interest rate at 5 percent through the end of the year despite sluggish economic growth, as policymakers seek to contain inflation expectations and support t...

Philippine Truth Commission Opens Drug War Hearings Amid Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial

A national truth commission investigating alleged extrajudicial killings during the previous administration’s drug war has begun public hearings as the Senate conducts the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, bringing two ma...

Philippine Court Suspends 85-Peso Metro Manila Minimum Wage Increase

A Pasig City Regional Trial Court has issued a preliminary injunction blocking an 85-peso daily minimum wage increase in the National Capital Region and required the petitioning construction companies to post a 10 billion peso bond, draw...

Philippine Defense Chief Accuses China of Blackmail Over Immigration Crackdown on Filipinos

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has accused Chinese authorities of extortion after more than 100 Filipinos in Hong Kong and Macau were targeted over alleged visa violations, escalating tensions following Philippine raids on illegal Ch...

Philippines Reviews Regional Airport Privatization Plan for Davao, Bicol and Siargao

The Investment Coordination Committee is reviewing a proposed privatization package covering airports in Davao, Bicol and Siargao before it proceeds to a Swiss Challenge bidding process, as the government seeks to spread economic activit...

Philippine Government Expands Potential Sites for Future Nuclear Power Plants

The Philippine Department of Energy is identifying additional locations for potential nuclear power facilities as the government seeks reliable baseload electricity, lower dependence on imported fossil fuels and enough power to meet risi...