Category: Philippines

Lifestyle

Filipino Rice Farmers Are Still Fighting for Their Future—But This Government Support Could Change What Happens Next

For many Filipino farmers, every planting season is a gamble. They put seeds into the soil without knowing exactly what the next harvest will bring. Weather can destroy a crop. Production costs can eat into already-thin earnings. And when farmgate prices weaken, months of hard work can translate into little income for the families who depend on the land. That uncertainty is at the heart of the Philippine Information Agency's latest feature, “Kwentong Butil: Sa kinabukasang hindi matanaw, tulon

August 20, 2026

Philippines

Nine Rare Nicobar Pigeons Spotted Together in Palawan—What Their “Reunion” Could Mean for Conservation

Nine Nicobar pigeons were recently spotted resting together on a single tree at the Ursula Island Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary in Bataraza, Palawan, in what local wildlife personnel described as an extremely unusual sight. The discovery was made during wet-season biodiversity monitoring by forest rangers and personnel from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Brooke’s Point. According to GMA News, the team initially noticed what appeared to be a lone dark-colored

August 20, 2026

Philippines

₱11.6-M SHABU FOUND INSIDE CAR PARTS AT CLARK — BUT THE X-RAY REVEALED WHAT WAS HIDING WITHIN

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga — What appeared to be an ordinary shipment of car parts turned into an ₱11.6-million drug interception after Bureau of Customs personnel detected suspicious contents inside the cargo at the Port of Clark. The Bureau of Customs–Port of Clark, working with the Clark Inter-Agency Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (CRK-IATFAID), intercepted approximately 1,706 grams of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, concealed inside imported automotive

August 20, 2026

Philippines

MIMAROPA Just Took a Major Leap in 3D Printing—Here’s What WPU and DOST Are Building in Palawan

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, PALAWAN — A new chapter in regional technology and manufacturing is taking shape in Palawan as Western Philippines University (WPU) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCen) MIMAROPA at the university’s Puerto Princesa Campus on August 17, 2026. The facility is expected to give researchers, students, innovators, entrepreneurs, and local industries in Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan greater access to tec

August 20, 2026

Philippines

ROBOTS ARE COMING FOR ROMBLON’S MARBLE INDUSTRY—BUT THE REAL REASON MAY SURPRISE YOU

ROMBLON, Philippines — The Philippines’ “Marble Capital” is preparing for a major technological shift as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) moves to bring robotics, automation, mechatronics and artificial intelligence (AI) into Romblon’s traditional marble industry. The initiative is designed to help local marble businesses increase production, improve consistency and compete in larger domestic and international markets—while keeping the craftsmanship and cultural identity that hav

August 20, 2026

Philippines

MMDA Suspends Number Coding on August 21 for Ninoy Aquino Day—But Motorists Are Still Being Warned About One Thing

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila motorists will get a break from number coding on Friday, August 21, 2026, as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority suspends the Expanded Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program in observance of Ninoy Aquino Day. The MMDA confirmed Thursday that the number-coding scheme will not be enforced across areas covered by the agency’s program because August 21 is a special non-working holiday. Under the MMDA’s policy, number coding is automatically suspended

August 20, 2026

Philippines

IFUGAO TIGHTENS WAR ON TRASH: Provinces’ New Waste Push Could Change How Every Household Handles Garbage

LAGAWE, Ifugao — Ifugao is stepping up its fight against improper waste disposal as the Provincial Solid Waste Management Board intensifies coordination with municipal governments on segregation, collection, recycling, disposal and other ecological solid waste management measures. The push gained momentum during the board’s second-quarter meeting, where officials reviewed municipal waste programs and reminded local government units to renew their respective 10-year Solid Waste Management Plans,

August 20, 2026

Philippines

Five Southern Leyte Students Were Just Given ₱20,000 Each—Now Comes the Hardest Part

SOGOD, Southern Leyte — For five college students in Barangay Suba, the road to graduation just became a little more within reach. Five fourth-year students from the barangay have received ₱20,000 each in educational assistance under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bawat Barangay Makikinabang scholarship initiative, giving them additional financial support as they enter the final stretch of their college education. The beneficiaries are Maria Elda Binalangbang, Emarnel Odarbe, Neilmatheo A

August 20, 2026

Philippines

Zamboanga Schools ‘Remain Safe,’ Remulla Says — But One Security Gap Could Change School Rules Nationwide

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Parents and students in Zamboanga City are being urged not to panic after Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla assured the public that schools in the city remain safe, even as authorities intensify security measures following the deadly shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University. During his August 20 visit to the school, Remulla said the institution had followed established security procedures and that authorities had found no major security lapse on the schoo

August 20, 2026

Philippines

Bulacan Declares State of Calamity After Habagat Floods Hit Nearly 1 Million Residents—But the Bigger Crisis May Come After the Water Recedes

MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan — After weeks of relentless rain, rising floodwaters and repeated evacuations, the entire province of Bulacan has officially been placed under a state of calamity, giving local authorities greater flexibility to mobilize resources as communities struggle with the effects of the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat. The Bulacan Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved Resolution No. 708-T’2026 during its regular session on Thursday, August 20, formalizing the province-wide declaration. GM

August 20, 2026