Philippines

Philippines Has Already Recorded 4,285 Leptospirosis Cases — But DOH Says the Most Dangerous Numbers May Not Have Appeared Yet

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health has intensified nationwide monitoring for leptospirosis following weeks of heavy rain and flooding, activating 33 special hospital fast lanes as health officials prepare for the possibility that more infections could emerge in the coming days. The move comes despite nationwide leptospirosis cases remaining significantly lower than last year's level — a contrast that could give a misleading picture of the immediate threat following the latest floods

August 25, 2026

Philippines

DOJ’s ₱1.5-B Confidential Fund in 2025 Under Fire—Vida Says Every Peso Was Liquidated, But Lawmakers Want Answers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) is facing renewed scrutiny over the ₱1.5 billion in confidential funds allocated in 2025, after a lawmaker questioned the sharp increase and pressed the agency to explain how the money was used. During the House Committee on Appropriations’ deliberations on the DOJ’s proposed 2027 budget, ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio questioned why the department’s confidential funds had ballooned from ₱168 million in 2024 to about ₱1

August 25, 2026

Philippines

9,597 Philippine Classrooms Were Damaged by Storms — But the Bigger Crisis Was Already There Before the Rain Began

MANILA, Philippines — More than 9,500 classrooms across the Philippines have been damaged by recent typhoons and the intensified southwest monsoon, creating another major challenge for a public school system already struggling with a massive classroom shortage. The Department of Education said its latest assessment showed that 1,594 schools nationwide were affected, with 9,597 classrooms sustaining damage ranging from minor to major structural problems. Central Luzon emerged as the hardest-hit

August 25, 2026

Philippines

BSKE 2026 IN LIMBO: SENATE PANEL APPROVES MOVE TO 2028—BUT ₱8 BILLION HAS ALREADY BEEN SPENT

MANILA, Philippines — The 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) could be pushed back once again after a Senate committee approved a measure seeking to move the polls to November 2028 and establish a five-year term for barangay and SK officials. The Senate Committee on Local Government, led by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, approved the proposal on Monday, August 24, clearing the way for the measure to be tackled by the full Senate. Under Senate Bill No. 2387, Escudero wants

August 25, 2026

Business

Philippine Farm Damage Just Hit ₱1.91 Billion — But What Happens to Rice and Food Prices Next Could Matter More

MANILA, Philippines — The economic toll of weeks of destructive weather is rapidly mounting across Philippine farms, with agricultural damage and losses from the enhanced southwest monsoon, or Habagat, and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay and Neneng reaching approximately ₱1.91 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture. The latest assessment paints a troubling picture for thousands of Filipino farmers already vulnerable to volatile weather, production costs and fluctuating commodity pri

August 25, 2026

Philippines

2026 BARANGAY, SK ELECTIONS COULD BE MOVED TO 2028 — BUT THE ₱8-BILLION QUESTION ISN’T GOING AWAY

MANILA, Philippines — The 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) could be pushed back to November 2028 after a Senate panel advanced a proposal that would also increase the regular term of barangay and SK officials from four years to five years. The Senate Committee on Local Government approved the measure on August 24, allowing the proposal to move toward plenary deliberations. But the move does not mean the 2026 elections have already been cancelled. The proposed reset stil

August 25, 2026

Philippines

Prosecution Still Weighing Lachica Testimony as Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Turns to P500-M Confidential Fund Trail

MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution team is still deciding whether to call Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, former security chief of Vice President Sara Duterte, to testify in her impeachment trial, despite repeated testimony identifying him as the person who received hundreds of millions of pesos in confidential funds. The issue took center stage after former Office of the Vice President (OVP) special disbursing officer Gina Acosta repeatedly told the Senate impeachment court that she turne

August 25, 2026

Philippines

Raffy Tulfo Calls Out Gina Acosta Over OVP Confidential Fund Records: “Stupid in the Name of Blind Loyalty”

Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo sharply confronted former Office of the Vice President (OVP) special disbursing officer Gina Acosta during Day 17 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, questioning why apparent red flags in confidential-fund documents did not prompt her to demand further verification. Tulfo’s most striking remark came after Acosta explained that she relied on former OVP security officer Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, whom she said was responsible for implementing confidentia

August 25, 2026

Philippines

Habagat Keeps Luzon Under Rain Threat as PAGASA Tracks Saudel, Atsani and Former Neneng

MANILA, Philippines — August 25, 2026 — A rain-soaked Tuesday is unfolding across large parts of Luzon as the southwest monsoon, or Habagat, continues to pull moisture over the country while weather authorities monitor two tropical cyclones and a low-pressure area outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). The immediate concern for millions of Filipinos, however, is not necessarily the three weather systems themselves. It is the rain they could help sustain. PAGASA said the Southwes

August 25, 2026

Philippines

SARA DUTERTE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL DAY 18: NEW OVP WITNESS TO FACE QUESTIONS OVER ₱500M CONFIDENTIAL FUNDS—WHAT COMES NEXT COULD BE CRITICAL

MANILA, Philippines — The spotlight returns to the Office of the Vice President’s controversial confidential funds as the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte enters its 18th day on Tuesday, August 25. The House prosecution panel is set to present Lemuel Ortonio, an assistant chief of staff at the Office of the Vice President (OVP), as its next witness when the Senate impeachment court resumes proceedings at 10 a.m. Ortonio's testimony is expected to further examine how ₱500 millio

August 25, 2026