Manila Times

Philippine Police Seize 14 Million Pesos of Smuggled Cigarettes Hidden Under Coconuts

Authorities in Maguindanao del Norte intercepted untaxed cigarettes worth 14 million pesos concealed beneath a shipment of coconuts, highlighting continuing smuggling challenges in Mindanao.

7-Eleven Opens 5,000th Philippine Store in Cebu

The Philippine operator of 7-Eleven has opened its 5,000th convenience store in Cebu City, marking a major expansion milestone for the nationwide retail chain.

Philippines Targets 2028 Launch for Next-Generation Electronic Passports

The Department of Foreign Affairs plans to introduce upgraded electronic passports by 2028 with stronger cryptographic security and improved international interoperability.

Philippines Accelerates Conversion of Collective Farm Titles Into Individual Deeds

The Department of Agrarian Reform is speeding up the subdivision of collective land titles into individual property deeds, giving farmers direct ownership and potentially bankable collateral.

Philippines Launches Smart Farming Initiative Using Sensors, Data and Automation

The Department of Agriculture is rolling out digital sensors, data analytics and targeted automation to help farmers raise crop yields and strengthen domestic food production.

Philippine Airlines Takes Delivery of Fourth Airbus A350-1000

Philippine Airlines has received its fourth Airbus A350-1000 as the flag carrier expands and modernises its long-haul fleet for nonstop services to North America and Europe.

Philippine Authorities Seize 162 Million Pesos of Marijuana From Yacht at Subic Bay

A maritime law-enforcement operation at Subic Bay Freeport intercepted a yacht carrying high-grade marijuana valued at 162 million pesos, highlighting continued concerns over international maritime smuggling.

Fire Protection Chief Dismissed and Charged Over 485 Million-Peso Ambulance Procurement

Philippine anti-corruption authorities have dismissed the head of the Bureau of Fire Protection and filed graft charges over allegedly irregular ambulance procurements worth 485 million pesos.

House Lawmakers Draft Tighter Controls on Confidential and Intelligence Funds

Philippine lawmakers are preparing legislation to restrict and monitor the use of confidential and intelligence funds by civilian agencies, with stronger penalties proposed for misuse following issues raised during the vice presidential ...

Indonesian Wildfire Haze Forces School Closures in Parts of the Philippines

Transboundary haze from Indonesian forest fires has degraded air quality across Cebu, Bohol and several Mindanao provinces, leading local authorities to suspend classes and issue respiratory health warnings.

Philippines Halts Taguig Reclamation Projects Along Laguna de Bay

The Department of Public Works and Highways has suspended several reclamation projects along Taguig City’s coastline as authorities tighten scrutiny of urban development and environmental impacts around Laguna de Bay.

NBI Finds Substandard Steel Rebars in Collapsed Pampanga Building

The National Bureau of Investigation says forensic testing confirmed that uncertified Chuangxing steel rebars were used in a recently collapsed building in Pampanga, raising concerns over construction-material oversight.

Philippines Needs 7.78 Billion Pesos to Repair More Than 2,200 Storm-Damaged Schools

The Department of Education says repairing public schools damaged by typhoons and monsoon flooding will require 7.78 billion pesos, putting additional pressure on the national education budget.

Leptospirosis Cases Top 6,200 as Metro Manila Cities Remain at Epidemic Levels

Philippine health authorities have recorded more than 6,200 leptospirosis cases nationwide, with nine cities in Metro Manila still at epidemic levels following repeated flooding.

Maharlika Investment Corporation Deploys 18.8 Billion Pesos in First Half of 2026

The Philippine sovereign wealth fund invested 18.8 billion pesos during the first six months of the year as it accelerated capital deployment into infrastructure and energy assets.

Philippines Seeks $12.6 Billion to Expand Geothermal Power Capacity

The Department of Energy says the Philippines needs $12.6 billion in investment to increase geothermal generation, strengthen long-term power security and seek to regain its former position as the world’s second-largest geothermal producer.

Philippine Senate Passes Bill Barring Politicians’ Immediate Relatives From Government Contracts

The Senate has approved legislation prohibiting immediate family members of elected officials from securing public works and government procurement contracts as part of a broader anti-corruption push.

Power Shortages Trigger Red and Yellow Alerts Across Visayas and Mindanao

Insufficient generating capacity has kept parts of the Visayas and Mindanao power grids under red and yellow alerts, causing emergency shutdowns and rolling blackouts in areas including Bukidnon.

Two Filipino Seafarers Killed in Strait of Hormuz Tanker Attack

Two Filipino sailors were killed when a Saudi-owned commercial tanker was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting calls for stronger protections for maritime workers operating in high-risk areas.

Philippine National Debt Hits Record 19.39 Trillion Pesos

Government borrowing and currency movements pushed Philippine sovereign debt to a record 19.39 trillion pesos in July 2026, adding to fiscal pressure as the Marcos administration balances infrastructure spending with deficit management.

Philippine House Prosecutors Obtain Sara Duterte Bank and Tax Records for Impeachment Trial

The House prosecution team has obtained bank and tax records belonging to Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband as it prepares to pursue allegations of unexplained wealth in the Senate impeachment trial.

PhilHealth Expands Universal Healthcare Access in Northern Mindanao

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is expanding community-based healthcare programmes in Northern Mindanao to improve medical coverage and financial protection for remote and vulnerable populations.

Civil Service Commission Launches Nationwide Job Fairs and Public Service Drive

The Civil Service Commission began a month-long programme of job fairs and faster frontline services aimed at connecting jobseekers with public-sector opportunities and improving administrative efficiency.

Philippines Launches First Cage-Free Farming Association

Agricultural stakeholders established the country’s first cage-free farming association to promote higher animal-welfare standards and respond to demand for ethically sourced poultry products.

Philippines Promotes Green Infrastructure Funding for Local Governments

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development urged local governments to use the Green, Green, Green programme to finance parks, active-mobility corridors and climate-resilient urban spaces.

Philippine Police Deploy Nationwide Security Plan for 2026 Bar Examinations

Police units have begun security and traffic preparations for examination venues across the country ahead of the 2026 Bar examinations.

Philippine Police Step Up Crackdown on Online Sellers of Counterfeit Goods

Law-enforcement agencies intensified intelligence operations against e-commerce networks selling counterfeit and unregulated products that authorities say pose health and safety risks to consumers.

Exist Software Labs Partners With SEON on Southeast Asian Fraud Prevention

Philippine technology company Exist Software Labs partnered with cybersecurity firm SEON to deploy fraud detection, anti-money-laundering and compliance tools across digital payment markets in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Philippines Tightens Anti-Bullying and Violence Rules in Public Schools

The Department of Education announced stricter prevention measures and reporting protocols aimed at reducing bullying, physical violence and psychological abuse across the public school system.

Philippine Government Urges Local Officials to Speed Up Flood-Control Projects

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla called on local governments to put aside partisan disputes and accelerate critical flood-control infrastructure as extreme weather continues to threaten communities.

Malacañang Defends Marcos’s Continued Use of Acting Cabinet Appointments

The Presidential Communications Office said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s continued appointment of acting Cabinet secretaries complies with existing law despite scrutiny from the Senate.

Marcos Inspects Philippine International Convention Center Ahead of ASEAN Summit

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inspected the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay as preparations accelerate for the 49th ASEAN Summit and related diplomatic meetings.

Philippines Grants One-Month Housing Loan Moratorium After Monsoon Flooding

The Social Housing Finance Corporation suspended monthly loan payments for one month for affected borrowers in the National Capital Region and five Luzon provinces hit by severe southwest monsoon flooding.

Severe Haze Hits Parts of Visayas as Tropical Storm Saudel Strengthens

Environmental monitors reported unhealthy air quality in parts of Cebu as persistent haze coincided with the renewed intensification of Tropical Storm Saudel over the South China Sea.

Philippine Schools Hold Nationwide Security Drills After Rare Campus Shootings

Schools and law-enforcement agencies conducted coordinated lockdown exercises to prepare students and staff for armed intruder emergencies following recent incidents of school violence.

Philippines Pushes for Stronger ASEAN Rules on Big Tech Accountability

Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda said the Philippines will seek regional mechanisms to hold major technology platforms accountable for scams, fraudulent advertising and digital security threats.

Marcos Orders Aid for Families of Filipino Seafarers Killed in Strait of Hormuz

The Philippine government mobilised compensation, insurance proceeds and other benefits for the families of two Filipino seafarers killed in a maritime security incident in the Strait of Hormuz.

Philippine Telecom Companies Commit More Than $2.2 Billion to Network Expansion

Major telecommunications providers announced combined capital spending of more than $2.2 billion to expand connectivity and digital infrastructure across the Philippines.

Philippines Raises Concerns Over Chinese Maritime Militia Activity in West Philippine Sea

Regional security analysts reported continued aggressive manoeuvres by Chinese maritime militia vessels near Philippine assets, adding to Manila’s challenge of maintaining its presence within its exclusive economic zone.

Magnitude-6.0 Earthquake Strikes Davao Occidental, Prompting Inspections Across Mindanao

A magnitude-6.0 earthquake hit Davao Occidental, leading civil-protection teams to inspect public infrastructure and commercial buildings across southern Mindanao for structural damage.

Japan Credit Rating Agency Affirms Philippines at A-Minus With Stable Outlook

The Japan Credit Rating Agency kept the Philippines at an A-minus investment-grade rating, citing strong domestic demand, high foreign-exchange reserves and low external debt as buffers against global volatility.

Philippines Prepares Luzon Economic Corridor Forum for U.S. and Japanese Investors

The government is preparing an investment forum in Manila focused on manufacturing, clean energy and logistics projects linking Subic, Clark and Batangas, with hundreds of investors and policymakers expected to attend.

Philippine House Panel Weighs Dropping Bribery Charges in Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial

The House prosecution team is considering withdrawing bribery charges against Vice President Sara Duterte as it adjusts its legal strategy during the ongoing impeachment proceedings.

UAE and Saudi Arabia Offer to Finance Philippine Strategic Oil Storage

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have offered to fund and build oil storage facilities in the Philippines, a move aimed at improving access to fuel reserves during global supply disruptions.

Marcos Orders Faster Rollout of Nationwide Flood Control Master Plans

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed government agencies to accelerate updated flood-control projects, with Metro Manila among the priority areas after severe weather and scrutiny of abandoned public works.