Category: Philippines

Business

Gunmen Opened Fire on a Pickup in Maguindanao del Sur—But Where the Deadly Ambush Happened Raises Bigger Security Questions

DATU SAUDI AMPATUAN, Maguindanao del Sur — Two men were killed and another was wounded after motorcycle-riding gunmen opened fire on their pickup truck along a national highway in Maguindanao del Sur, in another deadly attack unfolding as authorities enforce heightened security ahead of the historic Bangsamoro parliamentary elections. The shooting happened shortly after noon on Thursday, August 20, 2026, in Barangay Salbu, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, according to reports from the Police Regional Offic

August 22, 2026

Philippines

A Superheated Plume Appeared Over Kanlaon Late at Night—But What PHIVOLCS Recorded Beneath the Volcano Matters More

NEGROS ISLAND — Kanlaon Volcano is once again drawing attention after monitoring cameras captured a superheated plume rising from its summit crater late Friday night, adding another visible sign that one of the Philippines’ most closely watched active volcanoes remains restless. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said the activity was recorded between 11:05 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. on Friday, August 21, according to footage released by the agency and reported by GMA Ne

August 22, 2026

Entertainment

Charlie Dizon Trained 12 Hours a Day to Become a K-Pop Idol—But One Problem Ended the Dream Before Her Debut

Before Charlie Dizon became an award-winning actress in the Philippines, she was chasing an entirely different dream thousands of kilometers away: becoming a K-pop idol in South Korea. And she came much closer than many fans may realize. Dizon revisited that chapter of her life in an ABS-CBN News feature published on August 21, 2026, recalling how a dream that once appeared within reach ultimately collapsed—and unexpectedly pushed her toward the career that would later make her one of Philippi

August 21, 2026

Entertainment

Robbie Jaworski Never Planned to Enter Showbiz—So What Finally Made Him Say Yes?

MANILA, Philippines — For someone born into one of the Philippines’ most recognizable families, Robbie Jaworski might have seemed destined for the spotlight. But according to the young actor and television personality himself, show business was never the original plan. In an ABS-CBN Entertainment exclusive published on August 21, 2026, Jaworski once again opened up about his decision to enter the entertainment industry, adding another chapter to a career that has moved surprisingly fast—from a

August 21, 2026

Entertainment

The Directors Behind DreamWorks’ ‘Forgotten Island’ Want to Make a BINI Music Video—And Their Connection Is Already Bigger Than One Song

MANILA, Philippines — BINI’s growing connection with Hollywood animation may not end with a movie soundtrack. The filmmakers behind DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming “Forgotten Island” have expressed interest in directing a music video for the eight-member Filipino girl group, opening the possibility of another creative collaboration between BINI and directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado. ABS-CBN News reported on August 20 that Crawford and Mercado, the writer-directors of the Filipino cult

August 21, 2026

Philippines

Abra de Ilog Got 300 MM of Rain in Just One Day—But What Failed After the River Rose Is the Bigger Story

ABRA DE ILOG, Occidental Mindoro — A staggering 300 millimeters of rain reportedly fell over Abra de Ilog in just one day, sending river levels surging, forcing hundreds of residents from their homes and washing away a footbridge relied on by hundreds of families. But beyond the dramatic rainfall total, the deluge has raised a more difficult question for the northern Occidental Mindoro town: Are its evacuation systems and flood-control infrastructure strong enough for increasingly severe rain e

August 21, 2026

Philippines

Dengue Cases in Caraga Plunged 66%—But One Province Has Already Crossed the Epidemic Threshold

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines — Dengue infections across the Caraga Region have fallen sharply in 2026, but health authorities are warning residents not to interpret the dramatic decline as a signal that the threat has disappeared. Latest Department of Health-Caraga figures showed 2,303 dengue cases as of August 8, about 66 percent lower than the 6,822 cases recorded during the comparable period in 2025. The numbers represent one of the region’s most substantial year-on-year improvements in dengue

August 21, 2026

Philippines

29 Isabela Barangays Are Getting Marcos-Backed Aid—But Half of Every ₱200,000 Comes With a Major Condition

BENITO SOLIVEN, Isabela — Twenty-nine barangays in this Isabela municipality are receiving solar streetlights and educational assistance under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program, part of a nationwide initiative that could channel roughly ₱8.4 billion directly to more than 42,000 villages across the Philippines. The latest rollout in Benito Soliven puts a local face on one of the Marcos administration’s largest direct barangay assistance programs, with each comm

August 21, 2026

Philippines

DAR Lawyers Are Going Straight to Farmers’ Communities—But the Land Problems They’re Hearing Reveal a Bigger Struggle

MIMAROPA, Philippines — For thousands of Filipino farmers, receiving land is only part of the battle. Keeping it, understanding their legal rights and resolving disputes over boundaries, ownership and possession can become an entirely different fight. That is the problem the Department of Agrarian Reform is trying to address through its “Lawyers to the Benepisyaryo” program, an initiative that sends DAR lawyers directly into farming communities instead of requiring agrarian reform beneficiaries

August 21, 2026

Philippines

3,194 Cordova Residents Got Free Rice—But the ₱25 Million Behind the Distribution Tells a Bigger Story

CORDOVA, Cebu — Thousands of residents in this coastal Cebu municipality have received government rice assistance, but the August distribution was only one part of a much larger national program combining food relief, local infrastructure funding and support for vulnerable communities. A total of 3,194 Cordova residents received 10 kilograms of rice each on August 13 under the Marcos administration’s Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program, according to the Philippine Information Agency. Among them was

August 21, 2026