Author: WWC NEWSDESK

Business

Philippine Peso Crashes to Record ₱62.59 per Dollar — And Rising Oil Prices Could Make the Pain Worse

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine peso has fallen to another historic low, closing at ₱62.59 against the US dollar on Friday, September 4, as surging global oil prices, a stronger greenback and rising US Treasury yields pile fresh pressure on the Philippine economy. The currency weakened by seven centavos from Thursday’s ₱62.52 close, eclipsing the previous record of ₱62.565 set just two days earlier. It marked the peso’s fifth record-low finish in six trading sessions, underscoring how quic

September 5, 2026

Business

PH Businesses Turn More Pessimistic Than During Key COVID Periods—Here’s What’s Driving the Sudden Gloom

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine businesses have turned sharply pessimistic, with confidence plunging to levels that were weaker than those recorded in published business surveys during major periods of the COVID-19 crisis. The latest Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Business Expectations Survey showed the overall business confidence index collapsing to -20.3% in July 2026, from a neutral 0% in June. A negative reading means pessimistic firms outnumbered optimistic ones. The deterioration co

September 5, 2026

Philippines

MOTORCYCLIST HIT BY FALLING TREE BRANCH IN PAMPANGA — THEN AUTHORITIES HAD TO SHUT DOWN POWER

SAN FERNANDO CITY, PAMPANGA — What began as an ordinary motorcycle trip along one of Pampanga's busiest roads suddenly turned into a roadside emergency when a large tree branch fell onto a passing rider Friday morning, Sept. 4. The motorcycle rider was traveling along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Telabastagan, City of San Fernando, when the branch fell and struck him, according to the City Public Order and Safety Coordinating Office (CPOSCO). The impact left the rider with a broken arm, and h

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Sara Duterte Arrest Warrant Issued—But De Lima Says the Court’s Finding Could Change Everything

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte is facing a major legal setback after a Quezon City court issued a warrant for her arrest over three counts of grave threats, with the court finding probable cause to hold her for trial. The development prompted former senator and now Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima to say that the warrant demonstrates that the court found sufficient basis to move the case forward. But the legal significance goes beyond the political statements

September 5, 2026

Business

Shein Finally Got Its $26.5 Billion IPO — But Temu and TikTok Shop May Be the Bigger Problem

HONG KONG — Shein finally achieved something it had chased for years: a public stock-market listing. But instead of celebrating a triumphant arrival, the fast-fashion giant is confronting a much harder question from investors: Can the company that transformed online fashion keep growing now that many of the advantages behind its rise are disappearing? Shein began trading in Hong Kong on September 1 after years of unsuccessful efforts to list in New York and London. The company priced its shar

September 5, 2026

Business

TESDA Is Expanding to 18 High-Tech Skills Centers — But Building Them May Be the Easy Part

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is moving to expand and recalibrate a major TESDA modernization program designed to prepare Filipino workers for higher-skilled, technology-driven jobs, with a newly proposed training hub in the Negros Island Region set to bring the nationwide network to 18 Regional TVET Innovation Centers. The Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee (ICC-CC) has recommended key adjustments to the Supporting Innovation in the Philippine Technical and V

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Whirlwinds Tear Through Ilocos Sur, Leaving Dozens of Homes Damaged—Now Aid Is Reaching Families

ILOCOS SUR, Philippines — Families whose homes were damaged by powerful whirlwinds in Ilocos Sur are beginning to receive government assistance as authorities step up recovery operations following a series of weather-related incidents that tore off roofs, damaged structures and sent debris flying across several communities. The municipal government of Magsingal has distributed housing materials to affected families to help them repair their homes, according to the latest report from the Philipp

September 5, 2026

Business

This Chinatown Antique Shop Turns Broken Heirlooms Into Lamps — But the Real Story Is Who’s Keeping the Craft Alive

In the middle of Singapore’s fast-changing Chinatown, one shop is betting that an old object does not have to remain trapped in the past. At East Inspirations, a decades-old antiques and lifestyle business along South Bridge Road, 72-year-old founder Cheong Poh Kwai, better known as PK, and his 37-year-old son Jacob Cheong are keeping old objects relevant by transforming some of them into functional pieces for modern homes. That can mean turning damaged porcelain into a table lamp. Or giving a

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Bonoan Pleads Not Guilty in Flood Control Graft Case—But the Bigger Legal Battle Is Just Beginning

MANILA, Philippines — Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan pleaded not guilty on Friday, September 4, to the remaining graft charge against him before the Sandiganbayan Second Division, as the legal fallout from the government's sprawling flood control corruption investigation continues. Bonoan personally entered his plea during his arraignment after his lawyer, Stephanie Ong, waived the reading of the formal charge. The court then proceeded with prelimi

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Woman Robbed of ₱135,000 After Leaving Bank in Cotabato—Then Gunfire Erupted on Her Way Home

COTABATO CITY, BARMM — A routine trip home after withdrawing money from a bank turned violent Friday afternoon when a woman was robbed of ₱135,000 and shot, with the motorcycle-for-hire driver carrying her also wounded in the attack. The incident happened at around 3:10 p.m. on September 4 along Climente Alino Street in Barangay Rosary Heights 2, Cotabato City, according to the Cotabato City Police Office. Police Director Col. Jibin Bongcayao said the victim, identified only as “Mercy,” had wi

September 5, 2026