Manila Times

Ilocos Nursing Graduate Tops Philippine Licensure Examination

A nursing graduate from the Ilocos region achieved the highest score in the latest Philippine nursing board examination as the country continues to produce healthcare professionals sought by employers at home and overseas.

Bangsamoro Indigenous Leaders Seek Guaranteed Representation in Regional Parliament

Indigenous and tribal leaders are pressing for protected representation in the Bangsamoro parliament as the autonomous region establishes its new elected political institutions.

Philippine Interior Department Seeks Restrictions on Children’s Social Media Access

The Department of the Interior and Local Government is seeking talks with lawmakers and technology regulators on possible limits to minors’ access to the internet and social media amid concerns about online exploitation and harmful content.

Philippine Immigration Bureau Accelerates Body-Camera Rollout at Airports

The Bureau of Immigration is fast-tracking voice-recording body cameras for airport officers as part of efforts to strengthen accountability and prevent abuses linked to trafficking and border-control operations.

Philippine Coast Guard Warns Fleet Shortage Could Weaken Maritime Patrols

The Philippine Coast Guard has warned lawmakers that funding and maintenance constraints could leave the service short of operational vessels as maritime patrol demands continue to grow.

Philippines Expands Walang Gutom Food Program Toward 750,000 Households

The government plans to extend its electronic food-support program to 750,000 vulnerable households by 2027 as it scales up efforts to address hunger and malnutrition.

Philippines Cancels Auction for Three Coal Areas and Reviews Contract Framework

The Department of Energy canceled bidding for three coal concession areas and said it would reassess how future operating contracts are valued and awarded.

Philippines Targets ₱4.5 Trillion in Strategic Investment for AI and Emerging Technologies

The Board of Investments is promoting its 2026 investment priorities across artificial intelligence, quantum computing, critical minerals and other advanced industries as the government seeks larger flows of high-value capital.

Philippines Pushes ASEAN to Reduce Digital Trade Barriers

The Department of Trade and Industry is urging Southeast Asian governments to harmonize digital trade rules and improve access to regional supply chains for smaller businesses as the Philippines chairs key ASEAN economic meetings.

Philippine Forces Kill Four Suspected Dawlah Islamiya-Linked Militants in Cotabato

Philippine security forces killed four suspected militants linked to Dawlah Islamiya during fighting in Cotabato, while residents fled affected communities as operations continued.

Indonesian Haze Pushes Metro Cebu Air Quality to Acutely Unhealthy Levels

Smoke from forest and land fires in Indonesia has again driven Metro Cebu’s air pollution into the acutely unhealthy range, prompting health warnings as transboundary haze spreads across parts of the central and southern Philippines.

South Cotabato School Shooting Kills Three and Injures Six

Three students, including the gunman, were killed and six others wounded in a shooting at Banga National High School, prompting an investigation and renewed calls for stronger campus security measures.

Philippines Revises Major Railway and Cebu Airport Public-Private Partnerships

Economic authorities approved changes to the ₱229 billion North-South Commuter Railway operations contract and extended the Mactan-Cebu International Airport concession as the government seeks stronger bidding interest and additional air...

GCash Parent Mynt Prepares ₱92 Billion Philippine IPO for October

Mynt, the parent company of mobile wallet GCash, is preparing an initial public offering worth about ₱92 billion, potentially creating one of the largest listings in Philippine market history.

Philippine Remittance Growth Forecast to Slow to 25-Year Low

Cash remittances from overseas Filipino workers are forecast to grow about 2% to $36 billion this year, with Middle East instability weighing on overseas deployment and one of the Philippine economy’s major sources of foreign currency.

Sara Duterte Impeachment Prosecutors Focus on Nearly ₱99 Million in Questioned Assets

House prosecutors examining Vice President Sara Duterte’s finances are pursuing allegations of unexplained wealth as they review bank, tax, corporate and property records during her Senate impeachment trial.

U.S., Canada and EU Voice Concern After China Coast Guard Ship Rams Philippine Vessel

The United States, Canada and European Union expressed concern after a China Coast Guard vessel struck and damaged a Philippine civilian government ship conducting a humanitarian support mission off Palawan.

Malacañang Orders Half-Day Government Schedule for National Family Week

The Philippine executive branch has ordered government offices to end operations early as part of National Family Week, giving public employees additional time with their families.

Philippine Business Groups Criticise Anti-China Casket Protests in Metro Manila

Business and trade groups have condemned provocative anti-China demonstrations, warning that the displays could further strain diplomatic relations and affect commercial ties.

Philippine Transport Regulator Given One Month to Resolve Fare Increase Petitions

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has been directed to address public-transport fare petitions as higher global oil prices increase operating costs for drivers and pressure household budgets.

Philippine Authorities Foil Drone Escape Plot for Jailed South Korean Drug Trafficker

Security forces intercepted a heavy-duty drone during a test flight allegedly intended to extract an imprisoned South Korean narcotics trafficker from a maximum-security facility.

Mindanao Air Quality Deteriorates as Haze Arrives From Indonesian Fires

Environmental authorities have warned of unhealthy air conditions in parts of the southern Philippines as smoke from forest and agricultural fires in Kalimantan moves across the Celebes Sea.

Philippine State Pension Fund Allocates 8 Billion Pesos for Emergency Loans

The Government Service Insurance System has set aside 8 billion pesos in emergency credit for teachers and other public employees affected by typhoons and flooding.

EU Provides 10.9 Million Pesos in Emergency Aid for Flood-Hit Luzon Communities

The European Union has announced a 10.9 million peso humanitarian package to provide relief supplies and recovery assistance to communities affected by successive typhoons and monsoon flooding.

Senators Question Lack of Funding for Coast Guard Outposts in West Philippine Sea

Philippine lawmakers have challenged the government over the absence of requested funding for Coast Guard facilities in the Kalayaan Island Group during deliberations on the 2027 national expenditure programme.

Marcos Appoints Edwin Mercado as Philippine Health Secretary

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed former PhilHealth chief Edwin Mercado to lead the Department of Health, placing him in charge of national public-health policy and universal healthcare expansion.

Philippines Considers Expanding Domestic Nickel Processing

Economic planners are examining support for additional nickel-processing capacity as the Philippines seeks a larger role in higher-value battery and electric-vehicle supply chains instead of relying mainly on raw mineral exports.

Manila Hospital Reports 31 Leptospirosis Deaths After Widespread Flooding

San Lazaro Hospital has recorded 31 recent leptospirosis deaths, prompting health authorities to warn communities about heightened infection risks following extensive urban flooding.

Three Students Killed in Armed Attack at South Cotabato School

Three students were killed after rival political factions exchanged gunfire outside Datu Usman Mampen Elementary School, raising security concerns ahead of elections for the Bangsamoro Parliament.

Analysts Forecast Further Philippine Rate Increase as Inflation Risks Rise

Financial institutions including UnionBank expect a possible 25-basis-point increase in the benchmark rate to 5.25% as peso weakness and domestic supply pressures raise concerns over inflation.

Marcos Announces 4.7 Billion Peso Indian Technology Investment After New Delhi Talks

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced a 4.7 billion peso expansion by India’s iSON Group alongside discussions on cross-border digital payments as the Philippines seeks additional artificial-intelligence and IT investment.

Philippines Leads ASEAN Push for Regional Artificial Intelligence Rules

The Philippines is using its role at the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting to advance a regional digital agreement covering artificial-intelligence governance and cross-border digital trade.

Philippines Accelerates 741 Billion Pesos in Infrastructure Spending

Economic managers are accelerating 741 billion pesos in infrastructure expenditure during the second half of the year after procurement delays and scrutiny surrounding flood-control projects slowed construction activity.

US Deploys Four Fast-Response Cutters to Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone

Four US fast-response cutters have been deployed to Philippine waters as Washington and Manila expand maritime coordination amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea.

Sara Duterte Impeachment Proceedings Face Further Delays and Procedural Disputes

Proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte have been disrupted by severe weather while House prosecutors face continued scrutiny over trial procedures and restrictions on public discussion of the case.

GCash Operator Mynt Wins Approval for Landmark Philippine IPO

The Philippine Stock Exchange has approved the listing of GCash operator Mynt at a planned valuation of about 669 billion pesos, setting up one of the country’s biggest equity offerings.

Severe Monsoon Flooding Disrupts Metro Manila and Provinces

Heavy southwest monsoon rains forced widespread school and government-work disruptions while authorities monitored water levels and flooding across Metro Manila and surrounding provinces.

Philippine Peso Falls Past 62.8 Per Dollar as Oil Prices Add to Inflation Risks

The peso weakened beyond 62.8 against the US dollar as high import and energy costs fuel expectations that headline inflation could rise to 6.5%, increasing pressure on monetary policy.

Philippine Supreme Court Orders Congress to Act on Anti-Political Dynasty Law

The Supreme Court directed Congress to fulfil its constitutional duty to enact legislation prohibiting political dynasties, ending decades of legislative inaction on the constitutional provision.

Rodrigo Duterte Makes First In-Person Appearance Before International Criminal Court

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte appeared in person before the International Criminal Court as proceedings continue over alleged extrajudicial killings linked to his administration’s anti-narcotics campaign.