Category: Asia

Philippines

P85 Wage Hike Still Frozen: DOLE Chief Now Demands Answers From Court and Petitioners

MANILA, Philippines — Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino is calling for greater public accountability in the continuing legal battle over Metro Manila’s P85 daily minimum wage increase, saying both the companies that challenged the wage order and the court that halted its implementation should explain their positions to Filipino workers. In an interview with Super Radyo dzBB on Saturday, August 22, Tolentino questioned why public attention has largely focused on the Department of Labor and Emplo

August 22, 2026

Philippines

PUP Students Finally Returned to Campus After Weeks of Weather Disruptions—But 3,000 of Them Had a Bigger Fight Waiting on the First Day

MANILA, Philippines — Students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) finally returned to face-to-face classes on Saturday, August 22, following a string of weather-related disruptions that repeatedly forced the university to suspend classes or move instruction online. But what was supposed to be a straightforward return to classrooms quickly became something much bigger. As students streamed back into PUP’s Sta. Mesa campus, thousands also joined the university’s annual “First

August 22, 2026

Philippines

1,000 Bataan Farmers Just Got a New Trading Post—But the Biggest Change Could Be Who They No Longer Need to Sell To

SAMAL, Bataan — A newly opened agricultural trading post in Bataan could significantly change how hundreds of local farmers sell their harvests, cutting travel costs and reducing their dependence on middlemen. The Department of Agriculture inaugurated the Samal Trading Post in Barangay Gugo, Samal, Bataan, on August 18, 2026, creating a dedicated farm-to-consumer marketplace expected to directly benefit around 20 farmers’ cooperatives and associations representing roughly 1,000 farmers and live

August 22, 2026

Philippines

Pototan’s No. 5 Most Wanted Was Finally Caught — But Police Had to Track Her Down in Another Iloilo Town

ILOILO — A 31-year-old woman listed as Pototan, Iloilo’s No. 5 most wanted person was arrested in neighboring Barotac Nuevo, marking another successful manhunt operation by police in Iloilo. The arrest was carried out by operatives of the Pototan Municipal Police Station (MPS), according to the report published by Panay News. The woman had been placed on the municipality’s most-wanted list before police tracked her down in Barotac Nuevo. The development highlights the continuing efforts of pol

August 22, 2026

Philippines

Iloilo School Threat Traced to Bullied Student—But What Happened Before the Message Was Sent?

ILOILO, Philippines — A school security scare in Iloilo that forced students out of classrooms has taken a troubling turn after police traced the reported threat to a student who was allegedly being bullied. The incident happened at Tigbauan National High School on Thursday, August 20, when face-to-face classes were suspended after a teacher received a message warning of a possible shooting at the school. Students were sent home shortly after 7 a.m. and were shifted to alternative delivery of

August 22, 2026

Philippines

200 Cordillera Elders Sat Down to End Decades of Tribal Conflict—But One Ancient Tradition May Decide Whether Peace Lasts

BONTOC, Mountain Province — Around 200 tribal elders, peace advocates, government representatives and community leaders from Mountain Province and Kalinga have gathered in a major effort to stop recurring inter-tribal conflicts that have cost lives, disrupted livelihoods and left communities living under the threat of retaliation. The two-day gathering held in Bontoc on August 20 and 21 brought together delegates from municipalities across Mountain Province and Kalinga, including Tabuk City, un

August 22, 2026

Philippines

4 Sugatan sa Gabi-Gabing Karambola sa Mandaluyong—Ano ang Nauwi sa Banggaan ng 3 Sasakyan sa Shaw Boulevard?

MANDALUYONG CITY — Four people were injured after an AUV, a sedan and a motorcycle taxi were involved in a collision along Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City late Friday night, August 21. The crash happened past 11 p.m., according to reports. The incident involved three vehicles, including a motorcycle taxi carrying a passenger. Initial reports identified the vehicles involved as an AUV, a sedan and a motorcycle taxi. Four people sustained injuries in the collision, including the motorcycle ta

August 22, 2026

Entertainment

Jennica Garcia Says Some Actors Come to Set Unprepared—But What She Said About TikTok Made Her Message Hit Harder

MANILA, Philippines — Jennica Garcia has sparked a wider conversation about work ethic in Philippine show business after speaking candidly about one thing she finds difficult to understand on set: actors who say they are serious about their craft but appear to come to work without fully preparing for their scenes. During an appearance on “Think Talk Tea,” Garcia said actors carry a major responsibility because they are often among the more highly compensated members of a production. For her, th

August 22, 2026

Philippines

PH-Japan Defense Pact Takes Effect—But What It Really Allows Could Change Military Cooperation in the Region

MANILA — A new defense logistics agreement between the Philippines and Japan has officially taken effect, giving their armed forces a formal framework to provide supplies and services to one another as the two countries deepen security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. The Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) entered into force on August 22, 2026, following the exchange of diplomatic notes by Manila and Tokyo on July 23, according to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The agreemen

August 22, 2026

Asia

Father Leaves 7-Year-Old Son Alone on Mount Fuji to Keep Climbing—But What Police Found Next Sparked a Warning

A family trip to Mount Fuji has triggered a child-safety debate in Japan after a father reportedly left his exhausted 7-year-old son alone at the mountain’s sixth station while continuing toward the summit with his older son. The incident happened on Aug. 20, 2026, along the Fujinomiya Trail, one of the routes leading to the summit of Japan’s highest mountain. According to Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi, the boy had been climbing with his father and his middle-school-aged brother when he compla

August 22, 2026