Entertainment

Jollibee Set for Four More Price Hikes This Year—But the Next Increase May Not Be the Last

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino consumers may have to brace for more expensive Jollibee meals, with Jollibee Foods Corp. reportedly planning four additional price increases during the second half of 2026. The planned adjustments come as the country's largest homegrown restaurant group continues to deal with elevated commodity, logistics and supply-chain costs that have squeezed profitability despite continued growth in sales. The latest report from the Manila Standard says Jollibee intends to i

August 19, 2026

Entertainment

NCCA, UNESCO Challenge Filipino Teachers: Turn Living Heritage Into Classroom Lessons—and 10 Could Get US$1,000

Filipino teachers are being challenged to turn the country’s living traditions into lessons that students can use in science, mathematics, language and other subjects—with selected educators set to receive US$1,000 grants to bring their ideas into actual classrooms. The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has opened the Bringing Living Heritage into the Classroom (BLHC) in the Phi

August 19, 2026

Entertainment

BINI’s Mikha Lim Questioned the Philippines’ $70-Billion Pax Silica Vision—But One Detail Changes the AI Hub Debate

MANILA, Philippines — BINI member Mikha Lim has pushed one of the Philippines’ biggest technology projects deeper into the national conversation, questioning whether the promised economic gains from the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative will ultimately be worth the pressure it could place on the country’s natural resources and communities. Lim raised the issue during an August 15 Weverse livestream, where she discussed the proposed massive industrial development in New Clark City, Tarlac. Clips of

August 19, 2026

Entertainment

Iman Fandi Just Shared a Stage With Snoop Dogg in Los Angeles—But What She Debuted There Could Be the Bigger Story

SINGAPORE — Iman Fandi is taking her music ambitions far beyond Singapore. Just days after performing before a massive National Day Parade audience at home, the 26-year-old Singaporean singer, actress and model found herself on a very different stage in California — at an invitation-only music event headlined by hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg. Iman performed at Superstar Among Friends: Broadus Together on Aug. 15, 2026, at The Compound, Snoop Dogg’s private studio and creative space in Inglewood, L

August 19, 2026

Entertainment

Derek Ramsay’s Porsche Was Spotted With a Different Plate—Now the LTO Is Considering a Much Bigger Penalty

MANILA, Philippines — Actor-businessman Derek Ramsay and his friend Anthony Jude Violago could face suspension or even revocation of their driver’s licenses as the Land Transportation Office intensifies its investigation into an allegedly unauthorized license plate fitted to a Porsche 918 Spyder linked to Ramsay. The controversy began after LTO personnel spotted images of the ultra-rare supercar on social media carrying a plate number that allegedly did not match the vehicle’s officially regist

August 19, 2026

Business

Unitree’s IPO Was Already Oversubscribed Thousands of Times—What Happened on Its Shanghai Debut Took the Robot Frenzy Even Further

SHANGHAI — China’s humanoid robot boom has moved from technology showcases to the stock market — and investors are showing just how much they are willing to pay for a piece of it. Unitree Robotics, one of China’s best-known makers of humanoid robots and robotic dogs, was set for an extraordinary debut on Shanghai’s STAR Market on Wednesday, August 19, with pre-open indications pointing to its shares opening more than 600% above their IPO price. The dramatic move puts a spotlight not only on Un

August 19, 2026

Entertainment

Babar Azam Ruled Out of England Test—Now Pakistan Must Put Its Faith in a First-Time Test Captain

LEEDS, England — Pakistan’s Test campaign against England has suffered a major setback before the first ball has even been bowled. Captain and star batter Babar Azam has been ruled out of the opening Test at Headingley after injuring his right hand, forcing Pakistan to hand the leadership to Salman Ali Agha for one of the toughest assignments in international cricket. The first Test of the three-match series is scheduled to begin Wednesday, August 19, in Leeds, but Pakistan will enter the cont

August 18, 2026

Entertainment

Pope Bacay Paints Ordinary Windows and Doors—But Look Closer and They Reveal Something Much Bigger

MANILA, Philippines — A window is supposed to let you see outside. But put steel bars across it, and the same opening designed to provide a view can suddenly become a boundary. That contradiction sits at the heart of Filipino contemporary artist Pope Bacay’s “What We Hold Sacred,” an exhibition that transforms seemingly ordinary pieces of architecture into meditations on memory, home, security and confinement. Running from July 30 to August 29, 2026 at Artinformal in Makati, the exhibition ask

August 18, 2026

Entertainment

Patrick Vieira Returns to His Birthplace to Coach Senegal—But His Biggest Test Is Still Ahead

DAKAR, Senegal — Patrick Vieira is going back to where his remarkable football story began — this time not as a player, but as the man tasked with leading one of Africa’s most formidable national teams. The Senegalese Football Federation has appointed the former Arsenal captain and France World Cup winner as the new head coach of Senegal’s senior men’s national team, opening a major new chapter for both Vieira and the Lions of Teranga. The appointment was confirmed on Tuesday, August 18, follo

August 18, 2026

Entertainment

Jodi Sta. Maria Reunites With Her Mother After 27 Years—But One Secret Turns Their Family Reunion Upside Down

A family reunion. A dinner table. Decades of resentment waiting to erupt. Netflix’s Filipino family dramedy “Ganito, Ganyan, Ganoon” takes one of the most familiar situations in Filipino life—the complicated family gathering—and turns it into an emotionally charged confrontation about mothers, daughters, abandonment, forgiveness and the wounds people carry long after childhood. At the center of the story are Joanne “Jo,” played by Jodi Sta. Maria, and her estranged mother Paz, portrayed by Ago

August 18, 2026