Category: Philippines

Business

FERRY TRIPS CANCELLED: Habagat Disrupts Sea Travel in Key Philippine Routes—Here’s the Full List

MANILA, Philippines — Travelers planning to cross the sea on Friday, September 4, are being urged to check their ferry schedules first as several voyages were cancelled amid weather conditions associated with the southwest monsoon or “Habagat.” The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) reported several cancelled trips at ports in Mindoro and Western Leyte-Biliran as of 8 a.m. Friday, with authorities prioritizing passenger safety as unfavorable weather conditions continue to affect parts of the coun

September 4, 2026

Philippines

LAPU-LAPU GETS A NEW WATER SOURCE—BUT THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING

LAPU-LAPU CITY, CEBU — A new source of potable water is now flowing into Lapu-Lapu City, marking another major step in Cebu's efforts to strengthen its water security amid rising demand and mounting pressure on groundwater resources. The development involves desalinated water from Isla Mactan Cordova Corp. (IMCC), a subsidiary of Vivant Water, which has begun entering the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) distribution system. The initial supply stands at 5,000 cubic meters per day, or 5

September 4, 2026

Philippines

Cebu’s Power Supply Is Running Out of Room—And Gov. Pam Is Calling an Energy Summit

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu is confronting a growing power-supply challenge as recurring rotational brownouts and thin reserves put pressure on households, businesses and the province’s plans for economic expansion. Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro has called for an urgent meeting with power suppliers and energy-sector officials and announced a Cebu Energy Summit on October 7, 2026, seeking both immediate measures and longer-term solutions to the province’s electricity needs. The move came as the

September 4, 2026

Philippines

Binaliw Landfill Faces New Environmental Questions: Where Is the Leachate Going?

CEBU CITY — The Binaliw landfill is facing renewed scrutiny as Cebu City officials question how contaminated wastewater, known as leachate, is being handled while the facility’s wastewater treatment system remains out of operation. The concern surfaced during a Cebu City Council inspection of the landfill on September 2, with Environment Committee chairperson Joel Garganera saying officials need to establish exactly where the collected leachate is being transported, how it is treated, and where

September 4, 2026

Business

₱30-B DOTr Budget Boost Pushed as 149 Transport Projects Miss 2027 Funding, Mindanao Railway Left Out

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker is pushing Congress to add another ₱30 billion to the Department of Transportation’s proposed 2027 budget, arguing that dozens of major transport projects — including the long-delayed Mindanao Railway Project — could remain stalled unless lawmakers restore funding left out of the government’s spending plan. Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez made the proposal during the House Committee on Appropriations’ deliberations on the DOTr budget, calling fo

September 3, 2026

Entertainment

Yeng Constantino Once Auditioned for SexBomb — But Her Showbiz Journey Took a Very Different Turn

Yeng Constantino’s journey to becoming one of the Philippines’ most recognizable pop-rock singers took several unexpected turns — including an audition connected to the iconic SexBomb group. A recent ABS-CBN Entertainment feature published August 27, 2026, revisited the little-known detail about Constantino’s early showbiz journey: she once auditioned for SexBomb. The revelation adds another surprising chapter to the story of how the singer-songwriter eventually found her way to Pinoy Dream Aca

September 3, 2026

Philippines

TUCP Warns Firms: Defy the Wage Order and Face Legal Action — Could More Companies Be Targeted Next?

MANILA, Philippines — The battle over Metro Manila’s minimum wage is escalating, with the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) warning that companies that refuse to comply with a valid wage order could face legal action. The warning comes as the implementation of Wage Order No. NCR-27, which provides a total P85 daily minimum wage increase, remains caught in a legal dispute before the courts. The wage order originally called for a P60 increase in the first tranche, followed by anothe

September 3, 2026

Philippines

Cebu Flood Crisis Deepens: 65 Developers Put Under Scrutiny — But What Will Inspectors Find?

CEBU CITY — Cebu City has intensified its investigation into hillside developments after concerns grew over recurring flooding in communities below the city’s upland areas, putting dozens of property developers under scrutiny for their flood-mitigation measures. The city government had sent notices to 65 developers in the South District, requiring them to submit information on detention ponds, drainage systems and other measures designed to control stormwater runoff. At the height of the compl

September 3, 2026

Philippines

Tacloban School Shooting: DOJ Orders 10 More Murder-Related Charges vs. 15-Year-Old Suspect — What Prosecutors Found

The legal case surrounding the deadly Tacloban school shooting has taken a major turn after Department of Justice prosecutors ordered the filing of 10 additional murder-related charges against the 15-year-old student accused in the June 22 attack. DOJ Undersecretary Ian Norman Dato said Thursday, September 3, that prosecutors recommended four counts of frustrated murder and six counts of attempted murder against the minor, who is accused of being one of two students involved in the shooting at

September 3, 2026

Entertainment

Alex Gonzaga Finally Welcomes Baby Boy After Three Miscarriages — But Her Final Months of Pregnancy Were Far From Easy

MANILA, Philippines — After years of heartbreak, prayers and an unexpectedly difficult pregnancy, Alex Gonzaga and husband Mikee Morada have finally entered a new chapter as parents. The actress, television personality and content creator publicly introduced their first child, a baby boy, in an emotional social media post on Wednesday, September 2. “Now there are three of us, with our very own little baby boy,” Gonzaga wrote alongside a video showing intimate moments between the new parents an

September 3, 2026