Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has filed a bill seeking to upgrade the salary grades and protect the benefits of sanitation inspectors to better reflect the health risks they face in the line of duty. Senate Bill 1725 aims to professionalize the sector by requiring mandatory registration and accreditation for all sanitation inspectors through…
Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro formally opened the 2026 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Retreat on Thursday, calling for urgent regional unity as security challenges grow increasingly “complex and interconnected.” In her opening remarks, Lazaro highlighted a shifting geopolitical landscape, citing rising maritime tensions, internal conflicts, and unresolved humanitarian issues as…
Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro and Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow met Wednesday to coordinate a unified response against the “industrial-scale” online scam operations and human trafficking networks currently destabilizing the region. The bilateral talks, held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Cebu City, focused on the rapid expansion of fraudulent…
More than 350 families were forced to evacuate their homes after a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Sultan Kudarat early Wednesday morning, January 28. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported that the tectonic tremor occurred at 1:05 a.m., with its epicenter located 55 kilometers southwest of Kalamansig. The quake…
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) – Port of Clark intercepted a shipment of high-grade marijuana, known as “kush,” valued at approximately ₱6.16 million, hidden inside a misdeclared package from the United States. In a statement released Wednesday, January 28, the BOC reported that the contraband was discovered within a parcel declared as a “polyester rug…
More than 350 families were forced to evacuate their homes after a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Sultan Kudarat early Wednesday morning, January 28. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported that the tectonic tremor occurred at 1:05 a.m., with its epicenter located 55 kilometers southwest of Kalamansig. The quake…
The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday reassured the public that the country is equipped to handle the Nipah virus (NiV), maintaining that the current risk level remains low despite reported outbreaks in other regions. DOH spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo stated that the Philippines is “not new” to the virus, noting a previous outbreak…
Former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. was moved to the general population of the New Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory in Payatas on Tuesday, following the completion of a mandatory seven-day medical quarantine. The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) confirmed that Revilla is now sharing a 47-square-meter cell with six other persons deprived…
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) announced Tuesday it will deploy up to 14,000 police officers to secure the upcoming 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution on February 25. NCRPO Director Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin confirmed the figure during a press briefing, noting that the deployment scale is consistent with previous large-scale…
The Department of Justice issued subpoenas to Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and former Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. in connection with a massive corruption investigation involving ghost flood control projects. The high-profile officials have been directed to appear before a DOJ panel for preliminary investigation hearings scheduled for February 2 and…