Philippines

Antique Seafarer Finally Comes Home 43 Days After Deadly Black Sea Strike — But His Death Raises a Bigger Question

ANTIQUE, Philippines — After more than six weeks of uncertainty, appeals and painful waiting, Filipino seafarer Jude Prado Pagunsan has finally returned home to Antique. But not in the homecoming his family had prayed for. The remains of the 37-year-old seafarer from Sitio Wayang, Barangay Ubos in Valderrama, Antique arrived at Iloilo International Airport on August 30, more than a month after the commercial vessel he was serving aboard was caught in a deadly Russian attack in the Black Sea ne

September 2, 2026

Entertainment

Manila International Book Fair 2026: The Philippines’ Biggest Book Gathering Returns With 165+ Exhibitors, Author Events and a New Reading Experience

MANILA, Philippines — September 2, 2026 — Book lovers, students, educators, writers and publishers are getting ready for one of the Philippines’ biggest annual literary gatherings as the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) 2026 returns to the SMX Convention Center Manila from September 9 to 13. Now in its 47th edition, the five-day event will bring together more than 165 exhibitors, hundreds of titles and a packed programme of book launches, author signings, workshops, panels, storytelling se

September 2, 2026

Entertainment

Tatler Philippines Turns 25: How a Magazine Helped Redefine Power, Culture and Influence in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-five years after its Philippine edition first appeared, Tatler Philippines is looking back on a quarter-century of personalities, cultural shifts and changing definitions of influence — from traditional high society to a much broader generation of entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, innovators and social changemakers. The magazine launched its Philippine edition in September 2001, entering a country at the beginning of a new millennium when social status and influence

September 2, 2026

China

Two Chinese Nationals Get Life Over ₱1.62-B Shabu Shipment Hidden in Tea Bags

MANILA, Philippines — What looked like hundreds of ordinary tea packs turned out to be one of the biggest pieces of evidence in a billion-peso drug importation case — and nearly six years after the shipment was intercepted, two Chinese nationals have been sentenced to life imprisonment. The Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 116 found Jason Ang and James Soriano guilty beyond reasonable doubt of illegally importing more than 239 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, into the

September 2, 2026

Entertainment

Frank Rivera’s Ambon, Ulan, Baha Returns to the Metropolitan Theater — and Its 50-Year-Old Warning Feels Uncomfortably Current

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly five decades after Frank G. Rivera first created Ambon, Ulan, Baha, the award-winning Filipino ethno-pop-rock modern zarzuela is returning to the Metropolitan Theater with a message that feels strikingly relevant to a country repeatedly confronting floods, landslides, deforestation and climate-related disasters. The production will run September 26 and 27, 2026, marking a remarkable return to the same historic venue where the musical was staged in 1992 as the final

September 2, 2026

Philippines

PAVIA CRACKS DOWN: 7 Motorcycles Clamped on Day One — And the Fines Could Get Much Bigger

PAVIA, Iloilo — Motorists in Pavia are being put on notice: illegal parking is no longer being treated lightly. Seven motorcycles were already clamped on the first day of enforcement of the municipality’s new wheel-clamping ordinance, signaling the start of a stricter campaign against vehicles parked in designated no-parking areas. The Pavia Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) reported that the seven motorcycles had been clamped as of noon on September 1, the day Municip

September 2, 2026

Philippines

PRO-6 Chief Tells Cops Heroism Starts With Everyday Service — But the Real Test Comes After the Ceremony

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Police officers do not need a battlefield, a medal or a dramatic rescue to prove their heroism. For Western Visayas’ top police official, the more difficult test may come during the ordinary decisions officers make when nobody is celebrating them. Police Regional Office 6 chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño used the observance of National Heroes Day to challenge police personnel and ordinary Filipinos to turn patriotism into daily action, arguing that service, compassion a

September 2, 2026

Philippines

Black Hawks Rush 1,000 Relief Packs Into Flood-Hit Zambales — But Getting Food In Is Only Half the Battle

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Air Force Black Hawk helicopters have airlifted 1,000 family food packs to flood-stricken communities in Zambales, underscoring the growing logistical challenge facing authorities as weeks of heavy monsoon rains leave roads damaged, bridges impassable and thousands of residents displaced. The Philippine Air Force said its S-70i Black Hawk helicopters transported the Department of Social Welfare and Development relief supplies from Clark Air Base in Pampanga on S

September 2, 2026

Business

RAZON’S ICTSI BREAKS THE P2-TRILLION BARRIER — NOW THE PSE IS ASKING: HOW MUCH HIGHER CAN IT GO?

MANILA, Philippines — Tycoon Enrique Razon Jr.’s International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) has officially cemented its place in Philippine stock-market history after becoming the first domestic listed company to reach a ₱2-trillion market capitalization, prompting the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) to hold a special recognition ceremony for the port operator. The PSE celebrated ICTSI’s milestone on September 1, highlighting what exchange officials described as an extraordinary acc

September 2, 2026

Philippines

Two Filipino Seafarers Killed in Saudi Tanker Attack as Strait of Hormuz Becomes Deadlier Flashpoint

MANILA — Two Filipino seafarers have been killed aboard a Saudi oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, turning another attack on commercial shipping into a deadly reminder of how rapidly one of the world's most important energy corridors is becoming a frontline in the widening Middle East conflict. Saudi Arabia's national shipping company Bahri confirmed Wednesday, September 2, that its Saudi-flagged tanker SIDR was involved in a security incident while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on the night

September 2, 2026