Manila Times

US Embassy in Manila Suspends Public Services as Historic Flooding Disrupts Capital

The US Embassy in Manila has suspended routine visa and citizen services and rescheduled appointments after severe monsoon flooding made major roads across Metro Manila impassable.

Severe Monsoon Weather Forces Cancellation of at Least Thirteen Philippine Domestic Flights

Airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines have suspended at least thirteen domestic flights as heavy monsoon rains reduce visibility and affect ground safety at airports across the country.

Philippine Housing Agency Reports Nine Straight Weeks Without Backlog in Regulatory Applications

The Department of Human Settlements says its regional offices have maintained zero overdue housing and real estate applications for nine consecutive weeks, as the government seeks to speed up project approvals and address the country's h...

Philippines Destroys Seized Illicit Tobacco Linked to Nearly Two Hundred Forty-One Million Pesos in Tax Liabilities

Authorities in Cebu have destroyed counterfeit tobacco manufacturing equipment and illicit cigarettes seized during regional operations, with the Bureau of Internal Revenue estimating nearly two hundred forty-one million pesos in evaded ...

Philippines Faces Another Round of Fuel Price Increases as Global Crude Costs Rise

The Department of Energy expects higher diesel and gasoline prices for a third consecutive week as global crude costs increase, while saying the country's fifty-eight-day fuel inventory is sufficient to prevent domestic shortages.

Philippine Senate Approves Ban on Hospital Detention Over Unpaid Medical Bills

The Senate has unanimously approved legislation prohibiting hospitals from withholding patients or release clearances because of unpaid medical bills, strengthening legal protections for people unable to settle medical expenses.

Philippine Agriculture Reports More Than One Billion Pesos in Weather Damage

The Department of Agriculture says crop losses across seven regions have exceeded one point zero three billion pesos after the enhanced southwest monsoon and consecutive tropical cyclones, affecting about thirty thousand farmers and rais...

Philippines Raises Treasury Bill Borrowing as Markets Expect Slower Interest Rate Cuts

The Bureau of the Treasury awarded fifty-four point eight billion pesos in treasury bills after bids exceeded one hundred sixty-seven billion pesos, with mixed yields reflecting expectations that the central bank will keep interest rates...

Digital Payments Exceed Sixty-Four Percent of Philippine Retail Transactions

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas says digital payments now account for more than sixty-four percent of retail transactions, with QR Ph and electronic fund transfers overtaking traditional cards as electronic wallets and interoperable paym...

Philippine Central Bank Warns Inflation Risks Remain Elevated Amid Oil and Supply Pressures

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona told lawmakers that global oil price volatility and supply-side pressures could delay a return to the three percent inflation target until two thousand twenty-eight, despite easing core i...

Witness Says Sara Duterte Ordered Release of One Hundred Twenty-Five Million Pesos in Confidential Funds

A prosecution witness in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial testified that she directly ordered the release of one hundred twenty-five million pesos in confidential funds, as House prosecutors said they would reject politica...

Philippines Accelerates Infrastructure Spending After Second-Quarter Growth Slows to Two Point Three Percent

The Philippine government is speeding up infrastructure fund releases to support domestic economic activity after construction weakness contributed to second-quarter growth of two point three percent, while new safeguards are being intro...

Philippines and United States Finalize Framework for Seventy Billion Dollar AI and Semiconductor Hub

The Philippines and the US Department of State are finalizing plans for a high-technology manufacturing hub in New Clark City that could attract up to seventy billion dollars in investment across semiconductors, critical minerals and art...

Severe Monsoon Rains Paralyze Metro Manila as Flooding Displaces Thousands

More than two hundred millimeters of rain fell across Metro Manila within five hours, prompting the government to suspend work and classes across the capital region and thirteen surrounding provinces as flooding reached levels approachin...

Philippines Advances South China Sea Energy Talks With China While Limiting US Military Role in Taiwan Conflict

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed optimism about restarting stalled joint oil and gas exploration talks with China in the South China Sea while saying the Philippines would not allow US forces to launch attacks from Philippine...

Google Launches Pixel 11 With Gemini AI at the Center of Its Hardware Strategy

Google Launches Pixel 11 With Gemini AI at the Center of Its Hardware Strategy

The new Pixel phones start at $899 alongside the Pixel Watch 5 and Google's first Pixel Tag tracker, as Google turns its devices into an increasingly integrated platform for Gemini.

Philippine Authorities Investigate Taguig 911 Center Over Delayed Emergency Responses

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has ordered an investigation into Taguig City’s 911 command center following complaints about unanswered calls and delayed responses, raising concerns about emergency-service capacity i...

Manila Electric Company Steps Up Crackdown on Electricity Theft

Manila Electric Company has intensified efforts against illegal electricity connections, warning that power theft increases system losses, threatens grid stability and shifts additional costs onto legitimate consumers.

African Swine Fever Triggers Lockdowns in Three Camarines Sur Municipalities

Agricultural authorities in Camarines Sur have imposed emergency culling and transport restrictions after detecting new African swine fever infections, raising concerns about pork supplies and prices in surrounding provinces.

Benguet Farmers Discard Vegetables as Monsoon Rains Disrupt Mountain Supply Routes

Vegetable growers in the Cordillera region are suffering heavy losses as low market prices and mountain roads made impassable by weeks of southwest monsoon rains leave farmers unable to move their harvests.

Philippine Education Commission Urges Climate-Resilient Schools Over Immediate Calendar Reversal

The Second Congressional Commission on Education has advised against quickly returning to the traditional June-to-March school calendar, urging the government instead to prioritize school infrastructure capable of withstanding extreme he...

SM Prime Signals Strong Year After Robust First-Half Performance

SM Prime Holdings is projecting strong annual revenue after reporting solid first-half performance, with domestic consumer spending and continued expansion of provincial malls supporting the property group’s growth outlook.

Philippine Energy Department Backs Maharlika Fund Investment in National Grid

The Department of Energy has expressed support for a potential Maharlika Investment Fund acquisition of a stake in the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, viewing new capital as a way to accelerate upgrades to the country’s str...

Justice Secretary Criticizes Philippine Public Works Agency Over Construction Quality

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has criticized the Department of Public Works and Highways over substandard government construction and called for greater use of public-private partnerships to improve accountability and engineeri...

Philippine Justice Department Reviews U.S. Extradition Requests for Apollo Quiboloy

The Department of Justice has begun reviewing extradition documents submitted by the United States for religious leader Apollo Quiboloy and two associates, escalating the legal process involving the fugitive pastor, who faces federal tra...

Self-Rated Poverty in Philippines Eases to 49% Despite Persistent Cost Pressures

Social Weather Stations polling shows that the share of Filipinos who consider themselves poor has declined slightly to 49%, although economic analysts warn that many households remain exposed to volatile food prices and the financial im...

Philippines Plans Faster Waste-to-Energy Rollout to Address Waste and Power Challenges

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the government to accelerate construction of waste-to-energy facilities in major urban areas, with an 18-month timetable aimed at addressing the country’s growing solid-waste problem while addin...

Philippines Releases ₱9.75 Billion for Free Tuition at State Universities and Colleges

The Department of Budget and Management has released ₱9.75 billion to 108 state universities and colleges, funding continued implementation of the country’s free tuition program and supporting access to higher education for hundreds of t...

GMR Group Reaffirms Investment in Multibillion-Peso Sangley Point International Airport Project

India-based infrastructure group GMR has reaffirmed its commitment to the Sangley Point International Airport project, providing continued support for plans to develop an alternative aviation hub aimed at easing pressure on Manila’s main...

PLDT Plans Major Hyperscale Data Center in Southern Philippines

PLDT is planning a large hyperscale data center outside Metro Manila to meet rising international demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure while expanding the country’s digital capacity into the southern prov...

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Expected to Keep Rates Elevated as Inflation Risks Persist

Analysts expect the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to keep its benchmark policy rate near 5.25% through the end of the year as policymakers prioritize inflation control despite economic growth slowing to 2.3% in the second quarter.

Philippine Senate Demands Detailed Coordinates for Flood-Control Projects Amid ₱1.2 Trillion Budget Concerns

Senators are demanding precise geographic information for more than ₱100 billion in proposed flood-control projects after revelations that the national flood-control budget has grown to ₱1.2 trillion since 2022, amid allegations involvin...

Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua Survives Armed Ambush in Maguindanao del Norte

The convoy of Bangsamoro interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua came under fire from unidentified gunmen in Datu Odin Sinsuat, prompting national security agencies and the Commission on Elections to investigate the attack ahead of the ...

Philippine Defense Officials Condemn China as Marcos Defends Sovereign Rights in West Philippine Sea

Philippine defense authorities have criticized the Chinese Embassy in Manila over what they called deceptive messaging, while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said arrangements for resupplying the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal do not c...

Philippines and United States Sign New Defense Framework to Deepen Military Cooperation

The Philippines and the United States have signed a new framework for joint operations and military capacity building, reinforcing their 75-year defense alliance as both countries seek to respond to coercive maritime activity in the Indo...

Marcos Administration Submits Record ₱7.2 Trillion Philippine Budget for 2027

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has submitted a ₱7.2 trillion spending plan for 2027, drawing immediate Senate scrutiny as lawmakers push to remove confidential and intelligence funds from civilian agencies and strengthen transparency in ...

Philippines Faces Severe Flooding as Monsoon Rains Kill Seven and Displace More Than 9,000 Families

Southwest monsoon rains and weather disturbances have killed at least seven people and displaced more than 9,000 families across Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Rizal, with local governments declaring states of calamity and further flooding...

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.