Philippines

HABAGAT TRIGGERS NEW VOLCANIC THREAT: PHIVOLCS Warns of Lahar From Pinatubo and Taal—These Communities Are at Risk

MANILA, Philippines — The relentless rains brought by the southwest monsoon or Habagat have prompted state volcanologists to issue a lahar advisory for Mount Pinatubo and Taal Volcano, warning that intense and prolonged rainfall could transform volcanic sediments and ash into dangerous mudflows, muddy streamflows and runoff. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) issued the advisory at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 29, as heavy rainfall continued over western and centra

August 29, 2026

Philippines

8 Million Filipinos Hit by Weeks of Habagat and Tropical Cyclones — And the Crisis Isn’t Over Yet

MANILA, Philippines — The number of Filipinos affected by weeks of relentless southwest monsoon rains and successive tropical cyclones has now crossed 8 million, underscoring the extraordinary scale of a weather crisis that continues to flood communities, damage infrastructure and threaten more parts of Luzon. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported the new milestone on Saturday, August 29, according to ABS-CBN News. The latest figure represents another significant

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Palace Eyes National Flood Control Master Plan as DPWH Pushes River Basin Strategy

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang is leaving the door open to a nationwide flood-control master plan as the Philippines confronts another season of widespread flooding, but the Marcos administration says the final strategy may still depend heavily on separate plans tailored to the country’s major river basins and urban centers. The debate gained urgency after Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon acknowledged during the House Committee on Appropriations’ deliberations on the Department

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Tigbauan Barangay Faces Leadership Crisis as 9 Officials File Mass Resignation Over Poultry Farm Dispute

ILOILO, Philippines — A year-long dispute over foul odors and flies allegedly coming from a poultry farm has escalated into an extraordinary governance crisis in Tigbauan, where the entire elected leadership of Barangay Linobayan has moved to resign — potentially leaving the community without anyone who can automatically take over. Punong Barangay Rene Taño, all seven members of the Sangguniang Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson Ejelyn Claire Casio submitted resignation letters to th

August 29, 2026

Business

GCash’s ₱92-B IPO Could Make Philippine History — But Most of the Money Won’t Go to GCash

MANILA, Philippines — GCash parent Mynt Inc. is preparing what could become the biggest initial public offering in Philippine history, but one detail buried inside the massive transaction may prove just as significant as its record-breaking size: most of the potential ₱92.3 billion raised would go to existing shareholders selling their stakes, rather than directly into the company. Under Mynt’s revised preliminary prospectus, selling shareholders could receive as much as approximately ₱76.26 bi

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Alex Eala Faces a Familiar American at the US Open—But Can She Deliver Another Historic Win?

NEW YORK — Philippine tennis sensation Alex Eala is set for another major moment on one of tennis' biggest stages. The Filipino star will face American qualifier Mary Stoiana in the first round of the 2026 US Open women's singles tournament, with Eala entering Flushing Meadows as one of the rising names to watch—and carrying the weight of another possible chapter in Philippine tennis history. Eala, currently ranked inside the world's Top 20 and among the tournament's seeded players, will take

August 29, 2026

Philippines

2026 Barangay, SK Elections Hang in Balance as Congress Faces Critical September Deadline

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines. The clock is running down on one of the biggest unresolved political questions of 2026: Will Filipinos vote for new barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials on November 2, or will Congress push the elections back again, possibly until 2028? Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez says the answer now rests largely with Congress, where lawmakers are racing against an increasingly tight timetable as the Commission on Elections continues preparing f

August 29, 2026

Philippines

A Drinking Session in Boljoon Turned Deadly—What Happened Next Left One Man Dead

BOLJOON, Cebu — What began as a drinking session in the southern Cebu town of Boljoon reportedly ended in violence, leaving one person dead and another wounded in a hacking attack now under investigation. According to a report by Cebu Daily News, the fatal incident followed a drinking session in Boljoon. The victim was rushed to the Oslob District Hospital for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician. Another person was reported wounded in the attack. A

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Ombudsman Probes Possible Payments Behind Romualdez Witness Recantations as Flood-Control Case Deepens

MANILA, Philippines — The battle over one of the Philippines’ biggest alleged flood-control corruption schemes has entered a potentially decisive new phase: investigators are now looking into whether money or other inducements influenced witnesses who reversed statements implicating former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. The Office of the Ombudsman is examining the circumstances surrounding the recantations rather than automatically treating the witnesses’ new statements as proof

August 29, 2026

Philippines

UV Eyes Historic Five-Peat—but Gary Cortes Warns the Toughest CESAFI Battle May Be Just Beginning

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers are chasing history once again, but head coach Gary Cortes knows that a fifth straight CESAFI championship will not come easily. Fresh off a historic four-peat, the defending champions enter the CESAFI Season 26 men's basketball tournament with a massive target on their backs—and Cortes is already bracing his players for what could be their toughest title defense yet. The reason? The competition is getting stronger. Sev

August 29, 2026