Category: Lifestyle

Lifestyle

WHO Gives Congo 3 Months to Stop Its Deadliest Ebola Outbreak — But the Virus Is Already Spreading Beyond Control

The World Health Organization says there is still a narrow window to bring the Democratic Republic of Congo’s rapidly escalating Ebola outbreak under control within three months — but health officials warn the virus remains far from contained. The warning comes as the outbreak has become the deadliest Ebola epidemic in the DRC’s history, with at least 2,325 deaths and 4,945 confirmed cases reported by August 2026. The toll has already surpassed the country’s previous major Ebola outbreak of 201

August 18, 2026

Lifestyle

11,800 Iloilo Health Workers Await a Long-Overdue Break—Will ₱3,000 Monthly Benefits Finally Become Reality?

ILOILO — More than 11,800 barangay health workers (BHWs) across Iloilo Province could be among those who stand to benefit from a proposed overhaul of government support for community health volunteers, as calls intensify for better compensation, protection and recognition of their frontline work. The Iloilo BHWs are seeking long-awaited assistance, including a minimum monthly benefit of ₱3,000, amid renewed national attention on the welfare of barangay-level health workers. The issue has gaine

August 18, 2026

Lifestyle

₱20,000 Aid Reaches Negrense Students—Now They’re Asking Marcos for Something More

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL — For students struggling to stay in college, ₱20,000 can mean the difference between continuing their studies and putting their education on hold. That is the message emerging from Negros Occidental as student beneficiaries expressed gratitude for financial assistance under the Marcos administration’s Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program, while also calling for the initiative to reach more students who are facing financial barriers to completing college. The assistance forms

August 18, 2026

Lifestyle

Benguet Vegetables Keep Rotting in the Rain—Now 7 Cold Storage Facilities Are Being Built, But Is It Enough?

The government is moving to address one of the Cordillera’s most persistent agricultural problems as the Department of Agriculture (DA) begins constructing seven cold-storage facilities across the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) to help prevent vegetables and other perishable crops from going to waste. The development was announced on August 18, 2026, as Malacañang responded to reports of farmers in Benguet suffering losses after heavy rains and landslides disrupted the movement of agric

August 18, 2026

Lifestyle

PNP’s Cybercrime War Is Escalating: 86 Arrested, 201 Cases Filed — But What Are Scammers Doing Next?

QUEZON CITY — The Philippine National Police is taking its fight against cybercrime deeper into the digital space, with PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. vowing a sustained crackdown as criminals increasingly use technology to target Filipinos. Nartatez said police can no longer focus their crime-fighting efforts solely on the streets because criminal activity is rapidly moving online. “Hindi puwedeng sa kalsada lang tayo nagbabantay,” Nartatez said, stressing that police investigat

August 18, 2026

Business

The Forbes Park Parties Are Only Part of the Story: Who Really Is AJ Violago — and How Did Wawa Put His Name on the Business Map?

Anthony “AJ” Violago has long been a familiar name in Manila’s high society, appearing in society pages, diplomatic gatherings, charity events and high-profile celebrations. But beneath the Forbes Park parties and lifestyle headlines is a far more consequential business connection: the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project, one of the Philippines’ major private-sector water infrastructure ventures. Public records and corporate announcements identify Violago as president and CEO of San Lorenzo Ruiz Bu

August 18, 2026

Lifestyle

Oriental Mindoro Expands Free Cancer Care as OMPH Becomes DOH Cancer Assistance Fund Site

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — Cancer patients in Oriental Mindoro now have another lifeline as the Oriental Mindoro Provincial Hospital (OMPH) expands access to free chemotherapy medicines and government-funded cancer assistance under the Department of Health (DOH) program. The initiative is aimed particularly at qualified and indigent patients who face the steep cost of cancer medicines and treatment. The program was initially announced in January, when OMPH began making free chemotherapy

August 18, 2026

Lifestyle

Romblon Education Gets a Major Reset: DepEd, CHED and TESDA Forge New Deal—Here’s What Could Change for Learners

ROMBLON, Philippines — A new push to make education pathways more connected is taking shape in Romblon as the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) move to strengthen coordination across basic education, higher education and technical-vocational training. The three agencies signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in Romblon aimed at advancing the implementation of the country’s trifocal education f

August 18, 2026

Lifestyle

Romblon’s Maritime Services Are About to Get Closer—Here’s What Changes in September

SAN AGUSTIN, Romblon — Maritime stakeholders in San Agustin and nearby communities will soon have easier access to government services as the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) moves to establish a satellite office in the municipality. MARINA and the Municipal Government of San Agustin signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on August 13, 2026, formally setting the groundwork for a MARINA Region IV satellite office in the municipality. MARINA Administrator Sonia B. Malaluan and San Agusti

August 18, 2026

Lifestyle

Eastern Samar Opens ₱50-M Maritime Facility—Could This Be the Start of a New Generation of Filipino Seafarers?

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar — A new maritime facility has been inaugurated at the Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) Guiuan Campus, giving aspiring seafarers a potential pathway to pursue maritime education closer to home instead of leaving the province for specialized training. House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Representative Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan and Eastern Samar Lone District Representative Christopher Sheen Gonzales led the inauguration and turnover of the Phase 1 Maritime Building

August 18, 2026