Manila Times

Philippines Expands Mindanao Security and Reintegration Efforts as Former Rebels Seek Police Roles

More than 700 former combatants from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front have applied to join the Philippine National Police, reflecting continued efforts to integrate former separatist fighters into civi...

Filipina Tennis Star Alex Eala Reaches Career-High World Ranking of 18

Nineteen-year-old Alex Eala has climbed to a career-best world ranking of 18 in the live rankings after reaching the third round of the Cincinnati Open, marking the highest ranking achieved by a Filipina tennis player.

Cabinet Secretary Rebukes Norwegian-Backed AI Data Centre Project Over Regulatory Issues

Cabinet Secretary Benjamin Abalos Junior has criticized the proponents of a Norwegian-backed artificial intelligence data centre over alleged regulatory breaches, casting uncertainty over the immediate future of the planned digital infra...

Independent Commission Opens Public Hearings on Duterte Administration Drug War

A newly established truth commission has begun public hearings into alleged extrajudicial killings during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, allowing victims’ families to give testimony as the country examines the leg...

Maritime Authority Allows Aleson Shipping to Resume Operations After Fatal Basilan Ferry Fire

The Maritime Industry Authority has lifted suspension orders against Aleson Shipping, allowing its passenger fleet to resume inter-island services in Mindanao weeks after a fatal ferry fire exposed serious maritime safety concerns.

Philippine Health Department Loses Two Senior Undersecretaries in Sudden Resignations

The Presidential Communications Office has confirmed the abrupt resignation of two senior Department of Health undersecretaries, raising concerns about potential disruption to public health programs and hospital modernization projects.

Philippine Conglomerates Report Mixed First-Half Results as Currency Losses Offset Property and Gaming Gains

First-half corporate results showed divergent performances among major Philippine companies, with San Miguel Corporation reporting significant foreign-exchange losses while Alliance Global Group and Security Bank benefited from stronger ...

Philippine Labor Federation Seeks 200-Peso Nationwide Daily Wage Increase

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines is lobbying Congress for a legislated 200-peso increase in the daily wage for private-sector workers, arguing that sustained inflation has significantly reduced workers’ purchasing power.

Cebu Pacific Reports Strong Domestic Passenger Growth Despite Cautious Consumer Spending

Cebu Pacific has recorded a sharp increase in passenger volumes as domestic tourism remains strong, providing support for the Philippine aviation industry even as inflation continues to constrain household discretionary spending.

Philippine Trade Negotiators Aim to Finalize Canada Free Trade Agreement by September

The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry is accelerating negotiations with Canada with the goal of completing a comprehensive free trade agreement by September. Manila sees the deal as a way to diversify export markets and strengt...

Philippine Firms Face Rising AI-Driven Cyberattacks as Researchers Urge Stronger Defences

Regional cybersecurity researchers say criminal groups are increasingly using artificial intelligence to target corporate networks across Southeast Asia, prompting calls for Philippine banks and business-process outsourcing companies to ...

Philippine Government Secures Private Partnerships for More Than 7,000 Affordable Housing Units

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development has announced partnerships involving Pag-IBIG Fund financing and private developers to build more than 7,000 affordable homes, advancing the government’s mass housing program.

Philippine Government Expands Police Recruitment for Former Moro Separatist Combatants

More than 700 former fighters from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front have applied to join the Philippine National Police as part of the government’s broader Mindanao normalization process.

Philippines Plans Waste-to-Energy Facilities Within 18 Months Despite Environmental Opposition

The Philippine government says comprehensive waste-to-energy facilities will be operational within 18 months to address urban power and waste-management needs. Environmental groups oppose the plans, warning of potential public health and...

European Companies Join Luzon Economic Corridor as Philippines Seeks More Foreign Investment

The Philippine government has secured commitments from European companies to participate in the Luzon Economic Corridor, strengthening investment prospects in digital infrastructure, clean energy and logistics linking Subic, Clark and Me...

Philippines Secures $230 Million French Financing for Blue Economy Development

The Philippine Department of Finance has finalized a $230 million financing agreement with France to support sustainable development of the country’s maritime resources, including coastal resilience, marine biodiversity protection and fi...

Flooding and Monsoon Rains Affect More Than 3.7 Million People Across the Philippines

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said nearly four million people across Luzon and the Visayas have been affected by flooding and heavy monsoon rains. President Ferdinand Marcos Junior has ordered faster disaste...

Radioactive Materials Found at Three Steel Plants in Davao After Coordinated Raids

Philippine authorities have found dangerous radioactive materials at three steel manufacturing facilities in the Davao region, triggering emergency containment measures and raising concerns about industrial safety standards.

Bangsamoro Chief Minister Survives Armed Ambush on Convoy in Maguindanao del Norte

Ahod Ebrahim Macacua, interim chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, escaped unharmed after gunmen ambushed his convoy. The attack has raised fresh security concerns ahead of the region’s inaugural parliam...

Philippines Reviews US Extradition Request for Religious Leader Apollo Quiboloy

The Philippine Department of Justice is reviewing formal extradition documents from the United States seeking the transfer of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy, who faces federal charges including human trafficking and bulk cash smuggling.

Philippine Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over Lump-Sum Allocations in Proposed 7.2 Trillion-Peso Budget

Opposition lawmakers and transparency advocates have questioned large lump-sum appropriations in the administration’s proposed 7.2 trillion-peso national budget, calling for greater public scrutiny and livestreaming of bicameral committe...

Philippine Palace Warns Sara Duterte That No Official Is Above the Law

Malacañang has warned Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal team that no public official is above the law after her lawyers sought oral arguments to dismiss a grave threats case. The dispute adds to growing tensions between the country’s t...

Marcos Says He Will Back Presidential Successor Who Continues Anti-Corruption and Economic Reforms

President Ferdinand Marcos Junior has begun looking ahead to the next national election cycle, saying he intends to endorse a successor committed to continuing his administration’s economic reforms and anti-corruption efforts.

Philippines and China Make Progress on Joint Energy Exploration Talks Despite Maritime Disputes

President Ferdinand Marcos Junior said discussions on joint energy exploration with Chinese entities in contested maritime areas are advancing, reflecting Manila’s effort to pursue resource development while maintaining its territorial p...

Philippine Economy Grows Just 2.3 Percent as High Prices and Global Volatility Weigh on Demand

The Philippine economy expanded 2.3 percent in the latest quarter, its weakest growth since the pandemic, as elevated consumer prices and global economic shocks restrained household spending and prompted the central bank to reconsider fu...

Philippine Defence Chief Condemns China’s Detention of More Than 100 Filipinos as Coercion

Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has condemned China’s immigration actions targeting more than 100 Filipinos in the South China Sea, calling the detentions an attempt to pressure Manila over its maritime sovereignty claims.

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...