Philippines

Makati Students to Get Free Rice and Up to ₱7,000: Here’s What Families Need to Know

MAKATI CITY, Philippines — Thousands of students in Makati are set to receive expanded assistance as the city government rolls out a package combining monthly rice aid, cash incentives and school meal programs designed to ease the financial burden on families while improving student nutrition. The initiative, announced by the Makati city government on September 2, covers learners from daycare through Grade 12, including students under the Special Needs Education (SNED) program. At the center o

September 3, 2026

Business

Villar’s AllHome Loses Its President While Its Shares Remain Frozen — What Happens Next Could Define the Retailer’s Future

MANILA, Philippines — Another major leadership change has hit billionaire Manuel Villar Jr.’s retail empire, and this one comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the group. Maribel Sibayan has resigned as president, chief operating officer and director of AllHome Corp., ending a tenure of less than a year at the Villar-controlled home-improvement retailer. Her resignation took effect on September 2, 2026, with the company citing personal reasons, according to a report by InsiderPH. AllHom

September 3, 2026

Philippines

Western Visayas Police Arrest 108 in Environmental Crackdown — But the Bigger Numbers Reveal a Much Wider Campaign

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Police in Western Visayas have arrested 108 people in another round of intensified environmental law-enforcement operations, extending a months-long crackdown targeting illegal fishing, illegal logging and activities authorities say are threatening the region’s forests, coastal waters and local livelihoods. The latest enforcement drive adds another chapter to what has become one of the Police Regional Office 6’s most sustained environmental campaigns in 2026. While 1

September 3, 2026

Business

Central Visayas Developers Push Major Reforms To Cut Housing Costs

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The race to make housing more affordable in Central Visayas is facing a growing list of obstacles—from expensive land and construction costs to financing, infrastructure and regulatory requirements. Now, property developers are asking government agencies and local officials to work more closely with the private sector on reforms they say could help bring down development costs and speed up the delivery of new homes. The issue is expected to take center stage at the Hou

September 3, 2026

Philippines

Tulfo Demands Protection for Filipino Seafarers as Hormuz Crisis Deepens

MANILA — Senator Raffy Tulfo is calling for stronger protection for Filipino seafarers amid continuing security risks in and around the Strait of Hormuz, saying workers should have the right to refuse voyages through the high-risk waterway without fear of losing their jobs. The call comes as maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains under intense pressure because of the continuing conflict involving Iran and the United States. The strategic waterway is one of the world's most import

September 3, 2026

Business

McDonald’s Is Giving Filipinos Unlimited Fries—But There’s a Catch You Need to Know

MANILA, Philippines — Calling all fries lovers: McDonald’s Philippines is bringing its biggest celebration yet for its World Famous Fries, with McDo Fry Fest happening simultaneously at 64 stores across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao on September 4, 2026. The first-of-its-kind in-store event comes after the fast-food giant’s National Fries Day activities in July and the succeeding McDo FryDay celebrations, turning the chain’s popular fries campaign into a nationwide fan experience. But there’s on

September 3, 2026

Business

PAL’s Fourth A350-1000 Just Landed — But Its Bigger North America Expansion Is Only Beginning

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Airlines is adding serious firepower to its long-haul ambitions. The flag carrier has taken delivery of its fourth Airbus A350-1000, bringing another next-generation widebody into a fleet that PAL is positioning at the center of a much larger push across North America — and potentially beyond. The aircraft, registered RP-C3513, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 7:22 p.m. on September 2, 2026, following its delivery flight from Airbus’ facility in

September 3, 2026

Business

Western Union Is Coming to 1,400 JuanPay Outlets — But the Bigger Remittance Expansion May Be Just Beginning

MANILA, Philippines — Western Union is making another major push into Filipino communities, teaming up with JuanPay to bring international money transfers to around 1,400 locations nationwide in the initial phase — with the partnership eventually targeting JuanPay’s broader network of roughly 2,000 owned and franchise-operated outlets. The deal gives Filipinos another place to send and receive international remittances, particularly in provincial areas and communities with large numbers of fami

September 3, 2026

Business

Quezon City Waives Barangay Fees For New Nano-Enterprises

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — Starting a tiny business in Quezon City is about to become cheaper and potentially far less complicated after the city government removed barangay business clearance fees for newly registered nano-enterprises and moved to standardize business-related barangay charges across all 142 barangays. The change could particularly benefit neighborhood businesses such as sari-sari stores, small carinderias and other community-based livelihoods whose owners often operate with on

September 3, 2026

Philippines

OCD, NDRRMC Deepen Asia Foundation Pact — What Comes Next Could Reshape Disaster Response in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) are moving to deepen their partnership with The Asia Foundation as the Philippines tries to shift disaster policy beyond emergency response and toward stronger preparedness, resilient infrastructure and long-term risk reduction. The renewed cooperation comes at a critical moment for a country repeatedly exposed to typhoons, floods, earthquakes and other hazards — and

September 3, 2026