‘Imelda Marcos not exempt from arrest’
Former first lady Imelda Marcos, widow of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is not exempt from being arrested and jailed despite her advanced age, various lawmakers said on Tuesday, November 13. According…
Category: Across the Islands
Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories throughout the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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El Nido cleanup set before 2019
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Tuesday, November 13, is set out to remove business establishments that violate environmental rules and guidelines in El Nido by the…
Duterte: ‘It ain’t here until it’s here’
Reports about the U.S. returning the Balangiga bells to the Philippines were welcomed by the Malacañang on Wednesday, November 13. But officials have yet to comment until the actual arrival…
BE Grand Resort in Bohol announced as Southeast Asia’s hidden gem
BE Grand Resort in Bohol, a 5.0-hectare resort situated on a clifftop and naturally surrounded by lush vegetation has been awarded as Southeast Asia’s hidden gem by receiving the award…
Sandiganbayan finds former first lady Imelda Marcos guilty of graft
FORMER Philippine first lady and current Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos on Friday, November 9 has been found guilty on several graft offenses that occurred during her husband’s regime. The…
Palace: Yolanda rehabilitation on track
FIVE years after super typhoon Yolanda destroyed parts of the Philippines, Malacañang assured that the rehabilitation and recovery efforts are being fast-tracked. To date, P146.156 billion in funds have already…
Duterte honors Boracay locals’ wish for no casinos
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte said that casinos will not be built within the premises of the world-famous Boracay island to honor the wishes of the locals and residents of the…
Esperon: Martial law extension in Mindanao a ‘last resort’
NATIONAL Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Thursday, November 8 said extending martial law in Mindanao should be a “last resort” as military rule in the restive region is set…
Duterte: Drug money could still affect 2019 elections
Drug money could be in play in next year’s mid-term elections, according to President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, November 6. “Drug menace is the number one threat to national security…
Sotto: There are extrajudicial killings, just not state-sponsored
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Wednesday, November 7, admitted that there are extra-judicial killings (EJKs) in the country but denied that these are state-sponsored. “We have to admit…
DILG, PNP supports extension of martial law in Mindanao
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año on Tuesday, November 6, expressed his approval of the extension of martial law in Mindanao as he noted that the…
PH named 5th worst country for the prosecution of journalists’ killings
A REPORT from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) revealed that the Philippines, for the second time in a row, remained fifth among the countries with the worst prosecution of…
Barely a week after reopening, litter found on Boracay beach
Three days after its reopening, Boracay island once again faced problems as visitors flocked the world-famous destination. Piles of trash were seen along its coastline while businesses and establishments were…
Boracay now open to the public after six-month rehab
WORLD-renowned Boracay island opened its doors to visitors on Friday, October 26, six months after it closed for rehabilitation. President Rodrigo Duterte previously called the hot spot a “cesspool” due…
SWS: Majority of Filipinos believe PH heading in ‘right direction’
The majority of Filipinos have a positive outlook on the current climate in the Philippines, the Social Weather Stations’ (SWS) latest survey has revealed. Results from the September 2018 survey…
Employers push for P20 wage hike instead of P344
THE Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) on Wednesday, October 24, found a total of P20 increase in daily minimum wage to be the “acceptable” amount for workers to recover…
Farmers, human rights group seek truth behind Sagay massacre
The National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), labor organizations and human rights advocacy groups on Wednesday, October 24, started their joint fact-finding investigation on the massacre of nine farmers in…
Puyat Welcomes ‘Better’ Boracay, Calls For Responsible Tourism
BORACAY ISLAND, AKLAN, PHILIPPINES – Tourism Chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat urges visitors to respect and observe local regulations to help protect and preserve Boracay Island. Puyat made the appeal during the…
PDEA: No slowdown of anti-drug operations despite 4,948 deaths
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on Tuesday, October 23, that the government’s fight against illegal drugs will remain continuous as it reported the 110,395 anti-drug operations conducted from…
Senators reject PH withdrawal from IPU
Senators Franklin Drilon, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, and Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday, October 23, opposed the proposal of House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the Philippines to withdraw from the Inter-Parliamentary Union…
DOT trains 2,100 frontliners for Boracay reopening
BORACAY ISLAND, AKLAN, PHILIPPINES-The Department of Tourism (DOT) facilitated the training of some 2,100 tourism front line workers in anticipation of Boracay Island’s soft opening on October 26. “Since the…
World Bank reveals 3 billion people struggle for basic needs
The World Bank stated in its “Piecing Together the Poverty Puzzle“ report issued on Wednesday, October 17, that nearly half of the world’s population is struggling to meet their basic…
Comelec: ‘Not enough’ women running in 2019 elections
COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon on Wednesday, October 17, said there are not enough women running for national and local positions in the 2019 polls. This is after…
PH ranked 5th most competitive economy in ASEAN
THE World Economic forum revealed that the Philippines ranked fifth among the most competitive economies in Southeast Asia with a score of 62.1 percent in the latest Global Competitiveness report…
PH ranks 56th on global competitiveness report
The Philippines placed 56th globally among 140 countries in the latest Global Competitiveness Report 2018-2019 of the World Economic Forum. It also showed the Philippines as the fifth most competitive…
Businesses still ‘confused’ over Boracay re-opening plans
The government’s guidelines for popular tourist spot Boracay Island still have many Boracay businesses confused. Elena Brugger, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Boracay, said in…
Joma: Peace possible in our lifetime
ACCORDING to Jose Ma. Sison, peace during our lifetime is possible. In an interview with The Manila Times, the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the…
Aquino, former Cabinet officials, senators face raps over DAP
Former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, along with with some of his cabinet officials, and incumbent opposition senators are facing 274 counts of alleged malversation of public funds acquired through…
Roxas, Marcos, others submit COCs as filing period continues
Various candidates submitted their certificates of candidacy (COC) for the senatorial, mayoral and congressional posts at the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) headquarters on the fourth day of filing. Leading Tuesday’s…
PH sees decade of 7 percent growth from $180-billion infrastructure drive
SECRETARY of Budget and Management (DBM) Benjamin Diokno on Wednesday, October 10, said the Philippines expects economic growth to recover to 7-8 percent target next year as it pushes ahead…