Philippines

43 Years After Ninoy Aquino Was Killed, His Grandchildren Have a Warning for Filipinos—And Marcos Jr.’s Message Makes It Even More Striking

MANILA, Philippines — Forty-three years after the assassination of former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. shocked the Philippines and helped ignite a political movement that would reshape the country, his family, supporters and political allies gathered once again to remember a man whose legacy remains deeply intertwined with the nation’s continuing debate over democracy, history and political power. On Friday, August 21, members of the Aquino family and supporters commemorated the 43rd anni

August 22, 2026

Philippines

Strong Group Finished the Jones Cup 6-1 After Beating Jordan—So How Did a Team That Barely Lost End Up Only Fifth?

NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan — On paper, Strong Group-Pilipinas walked away from the 2026 William Jones Cup with the kind of record normally associated with a championship contender. Six wins. One loss. Yet when the tournament ended for the Philippine side, Strong Group was celebrating neither a championship nor even a semifinal appearance. Instead, it was fifth. Strong Group closed its campaign with a hard-earned 96-91 victory over Jordan on Friday, August 21, at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New T

August 22, 2026

Philippines

Ramil Madriaga May Not Even Need to Testify Against Sara Duterte—What Gina Acosta Already Admitted Could Change the Trial

MANILA, Philippines — Ramil Madriaga was once expected to become one of the most explosive witnesses in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. Now, prosecutors are asking a very different question: Do they still need him? The House prosecution panel has yet to make a final decision on whether Madriaga—who has described himself as having participated in the movement of confidential funds—will personally testify before the Senate impeachment court. According to prosecution counsel an

August 22, 2026

Philippines

The Philippines Wants ASEAN to Unite in Space—But What Marcos Is Building Could Go Far Beyond Satellites

MANILA — The Philippines is trying to move Southeast Asia’s space ambitions from scattered national programs into something much bigger: a coordinated ASEAN strategy that could shape how the region uses satellites, protects orbital assets, responds to disasters and competes in the rapidly expanding global space economy. Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Philippines’ 2026 chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Manila is pushing for an ASEAN Declaration on Space Co

August 22, 2026

Philippines

Philippine Poverty Just Fell Below 10% for the First Time—But 11 Million Filipinos Are Still Below the Line

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has crossed a milestone that once seemed years away. The share of Filipinos officially classified as poor dropped to 9.7% in 2025, the lowest level recorded in the country’s official poverty statistics and the first time the national poverty incidence among individuals has fallen below 10%, according to new data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. That translates to roughly 11.08 million Filipinos still living below the official poverty threshold in

August 22, 2026

Philippines

Philippines Holds A- Investment-Grade Rating as Japan’s R&I Reveals the Economic Risk Investors Are Watching

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has retained its A- investment-grade credit rating from Japan-based Rating and Investment Information Inc. (R&I), a move that signals continued confidence in the country’s creditworthiness even as the economy faces a tougher growth environment in 2026. In its August 2026 rating action, R&I maintained the Philippines’ A- foreign-currency issuer rating and a stable outlook. The agency also kept the country’s foreign-currency short-term debt rating at a-1. Th

August 22, 2026

Business

Makro Is Coming Back to Four Ayala Estates—But the Bigger Story May Be What Ayala Is Building Around It

MANILA, Philippines — Makro’s return to the Philippines is no longer just a comeback plan on paper. The wholesale retail brand has now secured four strategic Ayala Land locations, setting the stage for a rollout that could become a much bigger play for both retail and real estate. Ayala Land Inc. announced that it has signed lease agreements with Makro Philippines covering four of its mixed-use estates: Cloverleaf in Quezon City, Arca South in Taguig, Broadfield in Biñan, Laguna, and Evo City i

August 22, 2026

Entertainment

LaLaLa Fest Finally Landed in Manila With Steve Lacy, Two Door Cinema Club and OPM’s Biggest Names—But the Real Story Was the Mix

MANILA, Philippines — Manila's already crowded concert calendar gained a new player this week, but LaLaLa Fest wasn't built around just one superstar. Instead, its Philippine debut attempted something considerably broader: putting Grammy-winning international talent, indie-rock favorites, contemporary R&B, Southeast Asian artists and some of the Philippines' fastest-rising OPM acts on the same festival bill. LaLaLa Fest Manila was held on August 21, 2026 at the World Trade Center Manila in Pas

August 22, 2026

Philippines

Four Drug Den Operators Nabbed in Maguindanao del Sur—Then Authorities Revealed Who Helped Bring Them Down

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Four men allegedly operating a drug den in Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur were arrested during an anti-drug entrapment operation, with authorities seizing an estimated ₱54,000 worth of suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia from the site. The operation was carried out on August 18, 2026, in Purok 1, Barangay Upper Siling, where Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) agents, backed by police units, conducted a buy

August 22, 2026

Entertainment

Gabby Lopez Is Backing ABS-CBN With Billions—But the Real Battle May Be Over What the Network Becomes Next

MANILA, Philippines — Six years after ABS-CBN lost its broadcast franchise and was forced into one of the most painful restructurings in Philippine media history, Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III is once again emerging at the center of the company’s future. But this time, the story is not simply about restoring the television empire his family once controlled. It is about whether ABS-CBN can become something fundamentally different—and survive. Lopez, the network’s former chairman and chairman emeri

August 22, 2026