Author: WWC NEWSDESK

Philippines

GPH, MILF Accelerate Peace and Normalization Efforts as Historic BARMM Elections Near

MANILA, Philippines — With the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) preparing for its first parliamentary elections, the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are stepping up efforts to complete key commitments under their landmark peace agreement. The renewed push comes just days before the September 14, 2026 BARMM parliamentary elections, a vote widely seen as a major test of the Bangsamoro peace process and the region's transition from decades

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Philippines

DBM Plans Automatic Release of Salary Deficiency Funds for Government Workers by Q4 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Thousands of government employees who have been waiting for salary adjustments tied to promotions, reclassifications or other personnel changes could soon see a faster funding process as the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) moves to test an automatic release system for salary deficiencies in the fourth quarter of 2026. The planned reform aims to remove a layer of paperwork that currently requires government agencies to formally request additional Personnel Service

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Indonesia

WILDFIRES CLOSE IN ON INDONESIA’S FUTURE CAPITAL: Authorities Turn to Water Bombing as Flames Spread

JAKARTA — Indonesia has launched aerial water-bombing operations to help contain wildfires spreading around Nusantara, the country’s planned new capital in East Kalimantan, as authorities confront an increasingly severe forest and land-fire season across the archipelago. The operation is aimed at stopping fires in areas surrounding Nusantara from advancing toward the core development zone of the under-construction capital. Nusantara Capital Authority environment and natural resources deputy My

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Entertainment

South Korea’s Dementia Rate Could Top 10% by 2040 — But the Bigger Crisis May Be What Comes Next

South Korea is facing a rapidly growing dementia challenge, with the government projecting that more than one in 10 people aged 65 and older could be living with dementia by 2040. The projection, reported by The Korea Herald and based on an analysis by the Ministry of Health and Welfare using national population projections and dementia prevalence data, puts the estimated dementia prevalence among Koreans aged 65 and above at 10.34% in 2040. The rate is projected to rise further to 11.81% by 20

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Business

Four Sacks of Talaba Seized in Iloilo — Vendor Says It Cost Their Families a Day’s Income, But LEEO Has a Different Story

A routine clearing operation near the Iloilo Terminal Public Market has sparked a dispute between oyster vendors and the city office tasked with enforcing market and sidewalk regulations. The incident happened on September 4 along Jalandoni Street, where personnel identified by the vendors as part of the Local Economic and Enterprise Office (LEEO) confiscated four sacks of talaba, according to Bombo Radyo Iloilo. The vendors said they were caught off guard by the operation and questioned why t

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Politics

Russia Strikes Again in Ukraine, Killing Four — But the Timing Raises New Questions

KYIV, Ukraine — A fresh Russian strike killed at least four people in southeastern Ukraine on Saturday, Ukrainian authorities said, as intensified attacks across the country cast a shadow over renewed international efforts to find a path toward ending the war. The latest deadly attack struck the southeastern city of Kamianske in the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to Ukrainian officials. Initial reports said several other people were injured as emergency crews responded to the aftermath. The

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Philippines

Tolosa Defends His Aggressive Style in Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial — But the Court Has Already Drawn the Line

Private prosecutor Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. is defending his forceful courtroom style in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, saying his assertiveness is part of his responsibility to defend the public interest — not an attempt to intimidate witnesses. Tolosa made the clarification after his questioning of former Education Undersecretary Michael Poa triggered one of the more heated exchanges of the impeachment proceedings. The controversy has now turned the spotlight not only on w

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Business

Western Visayas Poor Households Face 9.8% Inflation—But One Province Is Feeling the Squeeze Far Worse

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The cost-of-living squeeze is intensifying for low-income families in Western Visayas, with inflation among the region’s bottom 30 percent of income households jumping to 9.8 percent in July 2026, significantly higher than the 8.2-percent national rate for the same income group. The latest figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show that the regional rate climbed from 8.1 percent in June, highlighting the growing pressure on families whose budgets are

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Indonesia

Wildfires Close In on Borneo’s Orangutans—Then Rescuers Find Another Mother and Baby

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian wildlife rescuers have evacuated another orangutan mother and her baby from a forest threatened by advancing wildfires, highlighting the growing danger facing one of the world's most endangered great apes as fires continue to spread across Borneo. The latest rescue took place in West Kalimantan's Ketapang district, where a mother orangutan and her infant had been under observation since July after they were spotted in a plantation area near a forest. Authorities

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Philippines

Social Watch Warns of Cuts to Philippine Social Services in 2027 Budget — But Government Says There’s More to the Numbers

Social Watch Philippines Senior Budget Specialist Alce Quitalig said programs directly supporting poor and vulnerable Filipinos are among those facing significant reductions in the proposed 2027 spending plan. According to Quitalig, the government is allocating more resources to mandatory expenditures, leaving less fiscal space for programs that directly deliver services to ordinary Filipinos. Social Watch specifically raised concerns over education, health and social welfare, saying their sha

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