Manila Times

PhilWeb Buys 30% Stake in JKS Tech

Listed gaming technology company PhilWeb acquired a 30% interest in JKS Tech to strengthen its digital infrastructure and electronic gaming operations.

Philippine Customs Seizes 10.6 Million Pesos of Crystal Meth at Clark Airport

Customs officers intercepted a shipment containing 10.6 million pesos worth of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu, at Clark International Airport.

Central Luzon Police Seize Nearly 960 Million Pesos of Smuggled Cigarettes

Police confiscated about 960 million pesos of illicit cigarettes in coordinated raids targeting smuggling operations across Central Luzon.

ABS-CBN Plans 6 Billion-Peso Capital Infusion for Digital and Entertainment Expansion

The media company is preparing a 6 billion-peso investment to expand digital content production and international distribution as it continues shifting beyond traditional broadcasting.

Jollibee Considers Hong Kong Listing for International Business

Jollibee Foods is evaluating a potential spin-off and Hong Kong listing of its overseas operations as the Philippine fast-food group expands internationally.

NBI Finds Double Payments Linked to 2019 Southeast Asian Games Cauldron

The National Bureau of Investigation said the 55 million-peso cauldron used during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games was subject to duplicate payments, with the inquiry continuing into possible corruption.

Philippine Agencies Propose National ID Checks for Social Media Age Verification

The Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center proposed linking the national ID system to social media age checks, drawing privacy and cybersecurity concerns.

Fourteen Filipino Seafarers Repatriated After Tanker Missile Attack in Strait of Hormuz

The Department of Migrant Workers brought home 14 Filipino crew members whose commercial vessel was struck during an attack in the Strait of Hormuz.

Marcos Administration Seeks 33.28 Billion Pesos for Emergency Assistance Program

The proposed 2027 budget would increase funding for the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program by 23%, supporting financial, medical and educational aid for an estimated 4.6 million people.

Metro Manila Approves 60-Peso Increase in Daily Minimum Wage

The regional wage board approved a 60-peso increase to help workers cope with higher living costs, while small-business groups warned that the adjustment could add pressure to staffing and financing.

Philippine Power Prices Hit Record Highs in Visayas and Mindanao

Wholesale electricity spot prices climbed close to 20 pesos per kilowatt-hour in the Visayas and Mindanao as tight supply and strong demand increased costs for households and industry.

Five Die After Passenger Ferry Catches Fire Off Palawan

Five passengers were killed and 42 rescued after an inter-island ferry caught fire near Coron, prompting renewed scrutiny of safety standards in the Philippines’ domestic maritime transport sector.

Philippines Seeks Interpol Red Notices for Businessman Zaldy Co and Others

The Justice Department instructed Interpol’s Manila office to accelerate documentation for Red Notice requests involving Zaldy Co and several other individuals as part of investigations into cross-border financial crime and corruption.

Philippines Unveils $34.4 Billion AI Infrastructure Plan

The Department of Information and Communications Technology launched a roadmap targeting a 30-fold increase in data-center capacity by 2033, with major development planned around the Clark-Bataan and Batangas-Aurora corridors.

Philippine Supreme Court Reverses Imelda Marcos Graft Conviction

The Supreme Court overturned the former first lady’s long-standing graft conviction, bringing a decades-old legal case involving allegations of illicit wealth to a close.

Sandiganbayan Orders Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez Detained on Corruption and Plunder Charges

The anti-graft court ordered Martin Romualdez held at the New Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory following his arrest on corruption and plunder charges.

Lawmakers Say Sara Duterte Bank Accounts Match Anti-Money Laundering Council Records

House prosecutors in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment case said 15 accounts belonging to Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio, matched financial details supplied by the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Philippine Senate Seeks Expert Guidance on Voting Rules in Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial

The Senate impeachment court appointed constitutional experts to clarify the threshold needed for conviction while four senators are absent, as lawmakers seek to avoid a procedural deadlock.

Philippine Inflation Eases to 6.1% in August but Remains Above Target

Headline inflation slowed slightly to 6.1% as steadier food prices were offset by higher transport costs, leaving price growth well above the government’s 2%-4% target range.

Philippine Peso Falls to Record Low of 62.62 Per Dollar

The peso weakened to an all-time low of 62.62 against the U.S. dollar, while central bank term-deposit yields rose for a third week as monetary authorities absorbed excess liquidity.

Philippines Rebukes China Over South China Sea Claims at Seoul Defense Forum

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. publicly rejected a diplomatic note from Chinese delegates during the Seoul Defense Dialogue, calling Beijing’s maritime claims illegal under international law.

Chinese Military Fires Flares at Philippine Coast Guard Aircraft Over Kalayaan Islands

The Philippine Coast Guard said Chinese forces fired flares at an unarmed aircraft conducting maritime surveillance over the Kalayaan Island Group, adding to tensions in the South China Sea.

Philippine Lawmakers Call for Caps on Doctors’ Professional Fees

Members of Congress urged the Health Department to impose limits on physician fees, arguing that high hospital costs continue to impose heavy financial burdens on patients despite universal healthcare funding.

Philippines Launches 60-Hectare Forest Restoration Project in Leyte

Environmental agencies and local governments began reforesting 60 hectares in Leyte to restore biodiversity, reduce landslide risks and strengthen resilience against severe typhoons.

Philippines Names New National Artists in Recognition of Cultural Achievement

The government announced a new group of National Artists, including the first female recipient in the visual arts category, recognizing major contributions to Philippine cultural heritage.

Philippines Reports Improvement in International Education Assessment

The Department of Education reported gains in Programme for International Student Assessment results, citing early progress from curriculum reforms aimed at strengthening workforce skills.

Lawmakers Press Transport Department to Accelerate LRT-1 Extension Construction

Philippine lawmakers and urban planners are urging faster construction of the long-delayed Light Rail Transit Line 1 extension, which is intended to ease congestion south of Metro Manila.

Philippine Court Convicts Three Former Soldiers in Degamo Assassination Case

A regional trial court convicted three former military personnel of illegal possession of firearms and explosives in connection with the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.

Senate Reviews Two-Thirds Conviction Rule Ahead of Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial

Senate leaders are examining the constitutional two-thirds threshold required to convict an impeached official as preparations continue for Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial.

Philippine Police Rescue South Korean and Indian Kidnap Victims in Metro Manila

The Philippine National Police rescued a South Korean businessman and an Indian medical student in separate operations in Pasay and Las Piñas, arresting five suspects.

Five Die After Inter-Island Ferry Catches Fire Near Coron

The Philippine Coast Guard recovered five bodies after a ferry fire off Coron in Palawan, renewing scrutiny of maritime safety standards in the country’s domestic shipping sector.

Marcos Convenes Business Leaders to Address Water Security Risks

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met private-sector advisers to discuss water infrastructure as prolonged dry conditions and inadequate urban detention ponds threaten agricultural production and household supplies.

Pampanga Archbishop Links Severe Flooding to Corruption in Public Infrastructure

The Archbishop of Pampanga criticized regional leaders over missing public funds and questionable infrastructure contracts as devastating floods intensified public anger over disaster preparedness.

Philippines Opens 7,500 New Ride-Hailing Permits Exclusively for Electric Vehicles

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board allocated 7,500 new Metro Manila ride-hailing slots to electric vehicles, supporting the government’s effort to expand cleaner urban transport.

Philippines Proposes 53.1 Billion Peso Digitalization Budget for 2027

The Department of Budget and Management is seeking 53.1 billion pesos to expand public internet access and upgrade government digital systems as part of a broader push toward e-governance.

Philippines and Australia Explore Infrastructure Partnership for Ports, Railways and Airports

Transportation officials and Australian representatives opened talks on technical and financial cooperation for major Philippine transport projects under the Build Better More program.

SunAsia and Thai Investors Plan $1 Billion Floating Solar Project in Philippines

SunAsia Energy and Thai partners committed to finance and develop a $1 billion floating solar facility aimed at strengthening the Philippine power grid and reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.

Philippine Joblessness and Underemployment Rise as Domestic Economy Weakens

Official data showed a sharp increase in unemployment and underemployment in July as high borrowing and operating costs led businesses to slow hiring and reduce production.

Severe Monsoon Flooding Suspends Work and Classes Across Metro Manila and 13 Provinces

The government ordered alternative work and learning arrangements across the capital and surrounding provinces as southwest monsoon rains caused widespread flooding and disrupted major transport routes.

Metro Manila Raises Daily Minimum Wage by 60 Pesos

The regional wage board approved a 60-peso daily minimum wage increase for private-sector workers in Metro Manila as inflation and currency weakness continue to erode household purchasing power.

China and Philippines Escalate War of Words Over South China Sea

China’s Foreign Ministry accused Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro of provocation and theatrics, intensifying diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Manila over contested waters and navigation rights.

Marcos Becomes First Philippine President to Attend BRICS Summit

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. traveled to New Delhi for the BRICS summit as the Philippines seeks broader economic partnerships with emerging economies beyond its traditional Western relationships.

Philippine Supreme Court Acquits Imelda Marcos on Seven Graft Charges

The Supreme Court overturned seven graft convictions against former first lady Imelda Marcos, ruling that prosecutors had failed to present sufficient evidence.

House Prosecutors Prepare 1,800 Financial Documents for Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial

House prosecutors finalized an extensive financial evidence package concerning alleged unexplained wealth of Vice President Sara Duterte, who separately posted 360,000 pesos bail on grave-threat charges involving the First Family.

Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez Arrested on Plunder Charge

Philippine authorities arrested former House Speaker Martin Romualdez on a plunder warrant at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, while Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla denied that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. intervened in the case.