Philippines

50 Cops at QC Court as Sara Duterte Faces Arrest Warrant—But Police Reveal Why They Were Really There

MANILA, Philippines — The presence of dozens of police officers at the Quezon City Hall of Justice sparked speculation Friday after a court issued an arrest warrant against Vice President Sara Duterte—but the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said the deployment was primarily about court security, not a special operation to capture the vice president. Around 50 police officers were deployed to the Hall of Justice following a request from court authorities, QCPD Director PBGen. Christopher Olaz

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Philippines

Who Is Judge Maria Angelica De Ramos? The Sorority Connection Behind Sara Duterte’s Explosive Court Case

MANILA, Philippines — As Vice President Sara Duterte faces an arrest warrant over three counts of grave threats, attention has shifted to the Quezon City judge who signed the order—and to a personal connection between the magistrate and the vice president that had already been disclosed in court. The judge is Maria Angelica P. De Ramos, the presiding judge of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98, the court handling Duterte’s criminal case. The Supreme Court’s official directory confirms

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Philippines

Illegal Mining Caught in the Act in Misamis Oriental—Then Authorities Saw What Was Being Processed

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Authorities have intensified their crackdown on illegal mining in Misamis Oriental after a 29-year-old man was allegedly caught processing mineral ore without the required permits in Barangay Limonda, Opol town. The operation was carried out around 5:20 p.m. on September 2 in Zone 2 of the hinterland village, where joint police and military personnel reportedly found the suspect operating ball mill drums used in mineral processing. Police identified the suspect only as “G

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Business

Toyota PH’s Filipino Workforce Just Swept Asia’s Skills Contest — But the Bigger Win Is Happening on the Factory Floor

Toyota Motor Philippines | Santa Rosa Laguna plant | Philippine auto manufacturing | Toyota Vios | Innova | Tamaraw Toyota Motor Philippines is not just selling more vehicles in one of Southeast Asia’s biggest automotive markets. Behind the numbers, a highly trained Filipino manufacturing workforce is helping turn the company’s Santa Rosa, Laguna complex into an increasingly important production hub. That capability came into sharper focus after six Filipino Toyota manufacturing workers won me

September 4, 2026

Business

Aboitiz, GCash Are Planting 1 Million Trees in Cebu — But the Real Test Begins After They’re in the Ground

CEBU, Philippines — Aboitiz Foundation and GCash are launching an ambitious five-year environmental push in Cebu, targeting one million new trees and the restoration of about 1,200 hectares of forest and coastal ecosystems in Balamban. But the bigger measure of success will not simply be how many seedlings make it into the ground. It will be how many survive, mature and eventually become part of functioning forests, watersheds and coastal ecosystems. The CarbonPH x GForest Project brings toget

September 4, 2026

Business

LaunchStrong Has Helped 150+ Filipinos Build E-Commerce Brands — But Launching Is No Longer the Hard Part

MANILA, Philippines — Starting an online store in the Philippines has arguably never been easier. Turning one into a profitable business that survives rising competition, platform costs, logistics headaches and relentless customer-acquisition expenses is another matter entirely. That widening gap between launching a product and building a sustainable company is what Philippine-founded e-commerce mentorship program LaunchStrong is attempting to address as it marks its first year. Founded in 202

September 4, 2026

Business

PNB Holdings Turns ₱80.9-B Legacy Property Portfolio Green — Just Weeks Before Its PSE Debut

MANILA, Philippines — PNB Holdings Corp. is trying to prove that some of Metro Manila’s aging corporate landmarks do not need to be torn down to stay valuable. Instead, the Lucio Tan-linked property company is betting on renewable electricity, lower energy consumption, water recycling, technology-driven waste management and adaptive reuse to extend the commercial life of a property portfolio recently valued at around ₱80.9 billion. And the timing is significant. The sustainability drive is ac

September 4, 2026

Business

Cebu’s Daily Brownouts Are Hammering Business — But the Bigger Threat May Be What Investors Do Next

CEBU CITY — Cebu’s worsening power shortage is rapidly turning from an electricity problem into an economic threat, with business leaders warning that recurring rotational brownouts could raise operating costs, disrupt factories and supply chains, discourage new investment and ultimately put jobs and growth at risk. The pressure intensified again on Friday, September 4, as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines placed the Visayas grid under red alert from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., with only

September 4, 2026

Business

BDO Targets Philippines’ Growing Senior Market With Prime Savers — as 11.4 Million Filipinos Enter Their Golden Years

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is getting older faster than many may realize—and the country’s biggest bank is putting a sharper focus on the financial needs of Filipinos entering retirement. BDO Unibank is highlighting its Prime Savers account, a savings product specifically available to clients aged 60 and above, as millions of Filipino seniors continue working, supporting their families and managing savings that may need to last for decades. The push comes during Grandparents’ Month

September 4, 2026

Business

Axelum’s Surging Stock Is Reportedly Putting MVP’s Takeover Plans on Ice — But Speculators May Be Creating a Bigger Problem

MANILA, Philippines — A powerful stock-market rally may be complicating Manuel V. Pangilinan’s next move in the Philippine coconut industry, with a new report saying Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is prepared to delay a potential takeover of Axelum Resources Corp. as speculative buying pushes the listed coconut exporter’s valuation higher. InsiderPH reported on September 4 that Metro Pacific, which already has a substantial investment in Axelum, had been considering steps that could eventually

September 4, 2026