Philippines

Kerwin Espinosa Turns Over Loose Firearms—But One Major Detail Has Yet to Be Revealed

ALBUERA, LEYTE — Albuera Mayor Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa has surrendered his loose firearms to local police authorities, saying he voluntarily complied with the directive as part of his commitment to obey the law. Bombo Radyo reported on August 22 that Espinosa turned over the unlicensed firearms following a police call for the surrender of loose firearms. The mayor said he complied without hesitation to demonstrate that he is now a law-abiding citizen. Espinosa, however, clarified that he would

August 22, 2026

Philippines

Gilas Boys Rally From 14 Down, But Japan Had the Final Answer—What Happens Next?

Gilas Pilipinas Youth refused to go quietly, but Japan had just enough answers down the stretch. The Philippines absorbed an 80–75 defeat to Japan on Saturday in the classification round of the 2026 FIBA U18 Asia Cup at the Veer Savarkar Indoor Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, leaving the young Nationals with one final game to determine their finishing position in the tournament. The defeat was particularly painful because Gilas had mounted a serious fourth-quarter comeback after falling behind by

August 22, 2026

Philippines

From ₱1.73B to ₱1.79B in Days: Agriculture Losses Keep Rising After Luis, Maymay, Neneng and Habagat — What Comes Next?

MANILA, Philippines — The combined impact of Tropical Cyclones Luis, Maymay and Neneng, together with the enhanced southwest monsoon or Habagat, has pushed agricultural damage and losses in the Philippines to approximately ₱1.79 billion, according to the latest assessment from the Department of Agriculture (DA). The latest figure, reported by the DA on August 22, represents an increase from the ₱1.73-billion estimate recorded as of August 20, underscoring the continuing toll of prolonged rains,

August 22, 2026

Business

Hagonoy Fishers Returned to Sea After Days of Heavy Rain—But the Bigger Threat to Their Livelihood Hasn’t Gone Away

HAGONOY, Bulacan — After days of heavy rain disrupted daily life across flood-prone areas of Bulacan, small-scale fishers in Hagonoy were once again seen unloading fresh catch at the Hagonoy Public Market on Saturday, August 22 — a modest sign of normalcy returning to one of the province’s most fisheries-dependent communities. Photos published by the Daily Tribune showed local fishermen busy moving their catch after generally fairer weather allowed fishing activities to resume. But behind that

August 22, 2026

Entertainment

The Yulo Brothers Are Going All-In for Asian Games Gold—But Japan Holds One Major Test

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo and younger brother Karl Eldrew Yulo are set to undergo a training camp in Japan before heading directly to Nagoya for the 2026 Asian Games, according to Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) president Cynthia Carrion. Carrion told The Philippine Star that the brothers will train at Tokushukai and are expected to leave for Japan roughly two weeks before the Asian Games. From there, they will proceed directly to the competition in Nagoya. The

August 22, 2026

Philippines

Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Could Stretch Into Late Hours as Senate Majority Backs Afternoon Hearings

MANILA, Philippines — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could enter a new phase in September, with a majority of senator-judges reportedly favoring afternoon hearings to give the Senate more time for legislative work while allowing the proceedings to continue into the evening. Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Saturday that the prevailing sentiment among the Senate majority is to move the impeachment proceedings to the afternoon, with hearings potentially starting at 2:30 p.m.

August 22, 2026

Philippines

Philippines Says Poverty Fell to a Historic 9.7%—But Another Survey Shows 49% of Families Still Feel Poor. Here’s Why

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has officially pushed poverty below 10 percent for the first time, marking what the government calls a historic breakthrough in its fight against deprivation. But behind the record-low number is a much more complicated question: Does the official poverty line accurately reflect what Filipino families actually need to survive—and live decently—amid rising everyday expenses? New data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that poverty incidence amon

August 22, 2026

Philippines

Lacson Warns of Possible Perjury Fallout as Guteza Recants—Now the Spotlight Turns to Marcoleta and Defensor

MANILA, Philippines — A political controversy surrounding the Senate’s flood-control investigation has taken a dramatic turn after retired Marine Orly Guteza withdrew his earlier testimony and accused Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and former lawmaker Mike Defensor of pressuring and allegedly coaching him to make claims against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. The development prompted Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson to push for tougher penalties against people who induce or for

August 22, 2026

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