Manila Times

Gilas Pilipinas Faces Backlash After Asian Games Exit Against China

The Philippine men’s basketball team was eliminated from the Asian Games following a heavy defeat to host China, prompting criticism from fans and renewed calls for changes within the national sports programme.

Philippines Expands Healthcare Programme to 47,000 Public School Beneficiaries

The Department of Education introduced a medical support programme for about 47,000 students and teachers, bringing primary healthcare services more directly into the public school system.

Philippine Authorities Intercept Drug Shipment From Canada

Customs and drug-enforcement officers seized 15 boxes containing illegal narcotics shipped from North America as authorities stepped up cargo screening at international ports of entry.

Philippine Senate Approves Five-Year Terms for Barangay and Youth Council Officials

Senators passed legislation on final reading extending the terms of barangay and youth council officials from three years to five, reducing the frequency of local elections.

Philippines Seeks Reopening of U.S. Market for Blue Swimming Crab Exports

Foreign affairs and fisheries officials are lobbying U.S. authorities to lift import restrictions on Philippine blue swimming crabs, seeking to restore export income for coastal communities in the Visayas.

Metro Manila Water Tariffs to Rise After Foreign Exchange Adjustment

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System approved tariff changes for concessionaires to reflect currency movements caused by the weaker peso, modestly increasing bills for households and businesses.

Eastern Visayas Irrigation Systems Fall Below Normal Levels as Dry Spell Threatens Rice Output

Nine major irrigation networks in Eastern Visayas have recorded severely depleted water reserves, raising risks for rice production and prompting preparations for emergency water rationing.

Philippines Unveils $34 Billion AI Infrastructure Plan Targeting 1.5 Gigawatts of Data Centres

The Department of Information and Communications Technology launched a roadmap to expand artificial intelligence data-centre capacity thirtyfold by 2033, focusing investment on the Clark-Bataan and Batangas-Aurora corridors.

Visayas Power Grid Placed on Red Alert After Multiple Plant Shutdowns

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines issued red and yellow alerts across the Visayas after several power plants went offline, renewing calls for investment in more reliable electricity generation.

Martin Romualdez Transferred to Quezon City Jail on Plunder and Graft Charges

Prominent lawmaker Martin Romualdez was transferred from Philippine General Hospital to a detention facility in Payatas, Quezon City, as he faces judicial proceedings over alleged corruption.

Philippine Peso Slides Toward 63 per Dollar as Inflation Pressures Persist

The peso extended its decline toward 63 to the U.S. dollar as high global oil prices and weaker public infrastructure spending added to concerns over the Philippine economic outlook.

Violence Mars First Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections in Southern Philippines

A series of armed confrontations in Cotabato City left several people dead and dozens wounded during the inaugural parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Examines Nearly 7 Billion Pesos in Alleged Unexplained Wealth

The Senate impeachment court focused on allegations of hidden wealth linked to Vice President Sara Duterte as the Anti-Money Laundering Council prepared to testify about large bank transactions.

Palawan Ferry Fire Death Toll Rises to 76 as Search Operations Continue

Philippine Coast Guard and rescue teams recovered more victims from a burned passenger ferry off Palawan, raising the confirmed death toll to 76 in one of the country’s deadliest recent maritime disasters.

Philippines Condemns China’s South China Sea Actions at Seoul Defence Forum

Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. sharply criticised Beijing at the Seoul Defence Dialogue as Manila demanded an end to China’s occupation of Panganiban and Zamora reefs following recent flare deployments against Philippine aircraft.

Philippine Authorities Dismantle ₱6 Million Fuel Smuggling Operation in Navotas

Police arrested three people and shut down an illegal fuel siphoning operation in Navotas City valued at more than ₱6 million as authorities continue efforts to curb petroleum-related economic crimes.

More Than 40 Injured in Clash Between Police and Activists in Bonifacio Global City

More than 40 police officers and activists were injured during a dispersal operation outside a hotel in Bonifacio Global City, prompting renewed debate over protest policing and public assembly rules.

Ayala Land Extends Market Market Lease With ₱1 Billion Upgrade Commitment

Ayala Land secured a 12-year lease extension for the Market Market complex in Bonifacio Global City and committed ₱1 billion for upgrades to the retail property.

Marcos Designates Maasim in Sarangani as New Special Economic Zone

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has designated an area in Maasim, Sarangani, as a special economic zone intended to attract foreign investment and create industrial and manufacturing jobs in southern Mindanao.

Manibela Launches Two-Day Nationwide Transport Strike Over Fuel Prices

Transport group Manibela began a two-day strike across Metro Manila and other urban centers to protest higher oil prices and transport modernization policies, causing delays for commuters.

Philippines Removes VAT From Electricity System Loss Charges

The Bureau of Internal Revenue has removed value-added tax from allowable electricity system loss charges, a change expected to provide modest relief to households facing high power costs.

Marcos Appeals for Protection of Filipino Seafarers Amid Global Maritime Conflicts

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged countries involved in armed conflicts to avoid targeting commercial ships carrying Filipino crew, highlighting the exposure of Philippine seafarers to rising security risks along major trade routes.

Philippine Government Plans Faster Public Spending to Support Economic Growth

Economic managers said the government will accelerate infrastructure and social-service spending for the rest of the year as it seeks to sustain domestic growth and offset external economic pressures.

Philippines Raises Unconditional Climate Target to 7% Emissions Reduction

The Philippines has increased its unconditional greenhouse gas reduction target to 7% from 2.7% in its updated Nationally Determined Contribution, strengthening the country’s formal climate commitment.

Philippine Senate Panel Approves Visiting Forces Agreement With France

The Senate foreign relations committee approved a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement with France, advancing closer military cooperation and joint exercises as Manila expands its network of international security partnerships.

Philippine Supreme Court Overturns Imelda Marcos Graft Conviction

The Supreme Court reversed Imelda Marcos’s seven-count graft conviction involving private foundations established during her husband’s martial law rule, bringing a long-running legal case against the former first lady to a close.

Bangsamoro Holds First Parliamentary Election Despite Deadly Pre-Election Violence

The Philippines proceeded with the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region despite fatal shootings and explosions in Cotabato City and Basilan, with heavy security deployed after hundreds of teachers withdrew fr...

House Speaker Martin Romualdez Transferred to Quezon City Jail on Plunder Charges

Philippine authorities ordered Martin Romualdez transferred to the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory after doctors cleared him to leave hospital confinement, as the House speaker and presidential cousin continues to deny plunder allegations.

Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Intensifies Over ₱6.7 Billion in Bank Transactions

The Senate impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte escalated as the Anti-Money Laundering Council prepared reports on ₱6.7 billion in transactions linked to Duterte and her husband, while she publicly called for Presi...

Search Continues After Coron Ferry Fire Leaves 30 Dead and More Than 80 Missing

Philippine Coast Guard teams have recovered 30 bodies and are searching for more than 80 missing passengers after a fire aboard the June Aster off Coron, Palawan, prompting renewed scrutiny of ferry safety and emergency response standards.

Philippine NCAA Opens New Season at Mall of Asia Arena

The National Collegiate Athletic Association opened its latest season in Pasay City with a major ceremony at the Mall of Asia Arena, renewing longstanding university sporting rivalries.

‘Filipiniana’ Selected as Philippine Entry for Academy Awards

The Film Academy of the Philippines selected the independent film “Filipiniana” as the country’s submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the next Academy Awards.

Gilas Pilipinas Faces Unbeaten China in Asian Games Quarterfinal

The Philippine men’s basketball team will face undefeated China in an elimination game at the Asian Games in Nagoya as it seeks to keep its championship defense alive.

Philippines Steps Up Protection of Sea Turtle Nesting Sites in Aurora

Environmental authorities introduced additional enforcement measures along Aurora’s coastline to protect sea turtle nesting areas from poaching and illegal coastal development.

Philippine Subsidies to State-Owned Companies Fall 31%

Government subsidies to state-owned and controlled corporations declined 31% from a year earlier in July as the Marcos administration continued efforts to tighten public finances and reduce institutional reliance on state support.

Pueblo de Oro Forms Real Estate Venture With Japan’s Takamatsu

Philippine developer Pueblo de Oro signed a joint venture with Takamatsu Corporation of Japan, combining local land holdings with Japanese construction expertise for premium residential and commercial projects.

US Energy Companies Explore Natural Hydrogen Deposits Across Philippines

American energy companies are expanding geological surveys for naturally occurring hydrogen deposits in the Philippines as they assess the potential for a new domestic clean-energy resource.

Jollibee Considers Hong Kong IPO for International Business

Jollibee Foods Corporation is evaluating a Hong Kong listing for its international operations as the Philippine fast-food group seeks capital to support acquisitions and expansion in overseas markets.