Manila Times

Philippine Space Agency Targets First Domestically Developed Sounding Rocket Launch in 2027

The Philippine Space Agency plans to launch the country's first domestically developed sounding rocket in early 2027, advancing national capabilities in atmospheric research, aerospace engineering and long-term technology development.

Government Expands Digital Infrastructure Drive With Nationwide Connectivity Projects

The Marcos administration is advancing a one point two billion United States dollar digital highway initiative alongside an eight hundred fifty million dollar Smart City program to expand high-speed internet, strengthen 5G coverage and i...

Senate Impeachment Court Hears Key Audit Testimony in Sara Duterte Confidential Funds Case

The Philippine Senate continued the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte by hearing testimony from state auditors examining the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, as...

President Marcos Pushes Priority Reform Agenda Through Legislative-Executive Council

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. convened congressional leaders at Malacañang to accelerate the passage of twenty-four priority measures, including an Anti-Political Dynasty bill and tax amnesty legislation, before the Twentieth Congress c...

China Honors Coast Guard Personnel Killed in 2025 Scarborough Shoal Collision

Chinese authorities have officially recognized two coast guard personnel as martyrs following their deaths in a 2025 collision with a Philippine vessel near Scarborough Shoal, marking a rare public commemoration that adds a new dimension...

Government Suspends Work and Classes Across Much of Luzon as Tropical Storm Maymay Triggers Deadly Flooding

The Philippine government suspended classes and government operations across Metro Manila and twenty-two provinces after Tropical Storm Maymay and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon brought severe flooding and landslides across northern and ...

Lightning Strike Kills Yala FC Player During Match in Southern Thailand

Safwan Awae, 24, died after lightning struck the pitch during the Golok FA Cup in Narathiwat; 12 other players, including a Malaysian, were injured.

Department of Health Warns of Rising Measles Cases in Ho Chi Minh City

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health declared a localized measles outbreak and expanded vaccination efforts as pediatric hospitalizations continued to increase.

Vice President Sara Duterte Visits Detained Political Allies in Quezon City

Vice President Sara Duterte visited several detained political allies at the New Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory while her Senate impeachment trial continues.

Malacañang Rejects Rumors of Senator Ronald dela Rosa's Arrest

The Palace dismissed reports that Senator Ronald dela Rosa had been arrested, describing the claims as misinformation linked to the political debate surrounding Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment proceedings.

Google Reports Brands Are Increasing Advertising Through Philippine YouTube Creators

Google Philippines said more major consumer brands are shifting marketing budgets toward local YouTube creators after research found that 81 percent of Filipino viewers rely on creator-led content when making purchasing decisions.

Bureau of Internal Revenue Introduces Mandatory Ethics Training for Tax Officials

The Bureau of Internal Revenue launched a compulsory anti-corruption and ethics program for all personnel as part of efforts to strengthen institutional integrity and improve public trust.

Common Ground and Megaworld Open New Technology-Focused Coworking Hub in Taguig

Common Ground and Megaworld Real Estate Investment Trust launched a new Digital Park coworking facility in McKinley Hill, targeting technology startups seeking flexible office space outside Bonifacio Global City.

Federation of Philippine Industries Supports Power Sector Reform to Reduce Electricity Costs

The Federation of Philippine Industries endorsed proposed amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, urging lawmakers to address high electricity costs affecting businesses and households.

Education and Interior Departments Launch Nationwide Early Childhood Development Framework

The Department of Education and the Department of the Interior and Local Government signed implementing guidelines aimed at improving and standardizing early childhood education across the Philippines.

Department of Energy Awards Mindanao Oil and Gas Survey Contract to UK-Based Metatek

The Department of Energy selected Metatek to conduct a one-year airborne geophysical survey of sedimentary basins in Mindanao as part of efforts to identify new domestic oil and gas resources.

Philippines and United States Reaffirm Defense Cooperation

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Antonio Nafarrete and the new head of the Joint United States Military Assistance Group-Philippines, Colonel Daniel Oh, pledged to deepen military interoperability and strengthen Phi...

Apple Pay Launches in the Philippines

Visa and Mastercard confirmed the official rollout of Apple Pay, allowing eligible cardholders to make secure contactless mobile payments and supporting the country's expanding digital payments ecosystem.

Philippine Stock Market Slips Ahead of Key Economic Growth Data

The Philippine Stock Exchange index fell 0.16 percent as investors adopted a cautious stance before the release of second-quarter gross domestic product figures.

Philippines and Canada Remain on Track to Sign Free Trade Agreement in 2026

The Department of Trade and Industry said negotiations continue to progress toward signing a comprehensive free trade agreement by the end of the year, expanding market opportunities for Philippine exports.

San Miguel Corporation Seeks $1 Billion Syndicated Loan for Infrastructure and Energy Projects

San Miguel Corporation is negotiating a $1 billion syndicated loan with domestic and international banks, a financing package expected to become the Philippines' largest corporate borrowing this year.

Philippines Records Strongest Second-Quarter Palay Harvest in Nearly Four Decades

The Department of Agriculture reported unhusked rice production of 4.63 million metric tons between April and June, marking the country's highest second-quarter harvest in almost 40 years and strengthening the domestic food supply outlook.

Philippine Inflation Slows to Four-Month Low in July

Headline inflation eased to 6.2 percent in July from 6.4 percent in June, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, while the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas continues to monitor domestic price pressures and global energy costs.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Approves Higher Fuel Subsidies for Public Utility Vehicle Drivers

The government will increase fuel subsidies for public utility vehicle drivers from 10 pesos to 12 pesos per liter beginning in mid-August to help offset the impact of higher global oil prices on the transport sector.

Malacañang Suspends Government Work and Classes as Tropical Storm Maymay Brings Heavy Rain

Government offices and public schools across Metro Manila and six provinces were ordered closed as Tropical Storm Maymay and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon raised the risk of flooding and prolonged heavy rainfall.

Philippines Rejects China's Scarborough Shoal Nature Reserve Declaration

The Department of Foreign Affairs protested Beijing's unilateral declaration of a nature reserve at Bajo de Masinloc, warning against any enforcement measures that would restrict fishing within waters claimed by the Philippines.

Philippine Senate Requires Witness Testimony in Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial

Senate President and Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero said the prosecution must present competent witnesses to substantiate allegations against Vice President Sara Duterte, even though the court recognizes the officia...

Supreme Court Declares Petitions Against Vice President Sara Duterte's Impeachment Moot

The Supreme Court ruled that petitions challenging the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte no longer require judicial intervention after the House of Representatives formally transmitted the Articles of Impeachmen...

Philippines Expands Value-Added Tax Exemptions for Essential Medicines

The Bureau of Internal Revenue has extended value-added tax exemptions to more than two thousand two hundred essential medicines, a measure intended to reduce healthcare costs and improve access to treatment for Filipino households.

Police Seize Seven Hundred Million Pesos Worth of Counterfeit Goods in Cavite Raid

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group confiscated counterfeit footwear valued at seven hundred million pesos during a raid on a warehouse in Imus, Cavite, in a major operation targeting illegal trade.

Philippines Opens ASEAN Youth Summit in Manila

As ASEAN chair, the Philippines has opened a regional youth summit focused on digital responsibility, technological resilience and cooperation among young leaders across Southeast Asia.

Military Reports Continued Decline in Communist Insurgency

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said military operations and local peace initiatives led to the neutralization of eight hundred and seventy communist rebels and supporters during the first seven months of the year.

High Electricity Costs Fuel Growing Demand for Residential Solar Power

More households across the Philippines are installing rooftop solar systems as rising electricity prices and concerns over grid reliability encourage consumers to seek alternative energy sources.

Magnitude Six Point Four Earthquake Strikes Off Davao Occidental

A magnitude six point four earthquake occurred southwest of Balut Island in Davao Occidental, prompting damage assessments across parts of Mindanao, although authorities did not issue a tsunami warning.

Government Expands Social Assistance in Visayas Communities

The Marcos administration has increased support under the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang programme by distributing rice and education assistance to communities in Negros Occidental and Samar to help ease the effects of inflation and severe wea...

Globe Business Urges Companies to Accelerate Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Adoption

Globe Business is encouraging Philippine companies to integrate cloud platforms, cybersecurity systems and artificial intelligence tools more effectively, warning that fragmented digital infrastructure increases operational and security ...

Artificial Intelligence Costs May Sustain Philippine Business Process Outsourcing Industry

JLL Philippines said the high operating costs of advanced artificial intelligence systems could slow the replacement of human workers, helping preserve the competitiveness of the country's business process outsourcing sector.

Environment Department Opens Forest Land to Sustainable Private Investment

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has opened one point one eight million hectares of designated forest land to sustainable commercial investment, aiming to encourage rural economic development while maintaining environm...

Visayas Power Grid Placed on Yellow Alert After Plant Outages

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines issued a yellow alert for the Visayas grid after forced outages at several coal-fired power plants reduced available electricity supply during a period of high demand.

Government Suspends Classes as Tropical Storm Maymay Threatens Northern Luzon

Authorities suspended classes and government operations across Metro Manila, Cavite and several northern provinces as Tropical Storm Maymay approached, while emergency agencies deployed assistance to communities vulnerable to flooding an...

China Rejects Philippine Maritime Submission as Manila Expands United States Cooperation

China rejected the Philippines' submission of nautical charts covering Scarborough Shoal to the United Nations, while Philippine Coast Guard officials met visiting United States lawmakers in Manila to discuss closer maritime cooperation ...

Philippine Manufacturing Activity Reaches Five-Month High

The Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to fifty-one point eight in July, marking the strongest growth in factory output and new orders since February and placing the country among the stronger manufacturing perform...

Goldman Sachs Forecasts Philippine Economic Growth Slowed to Two Point Seven Percent in Second Quarter

Goldman Sachs estimates the Philippine economy expanded by two point seven percent in the second quarter, citing weaker consumer spending, higher fuel costs, tight credit conditions and slower infrastructure spending as factors weighing ...

Philippine Authorities Launch Nationwide Search for Senator Ronald Dela Rosa

The Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation have deployed teams across Luzon and Mindanao to locate Senator Ronald Dela Rosa after he left Senate protective custody following the issuance of an International C...

Supreme Court Clears Way for Senate Impeachment Trial of Vice President Sara Duterte

The Supreme Court dismissed petitions seeking to void the House of Representatives' impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, allowing the Senate trial to continue with witness testimony over the alleged misuse of conf...