Category: Politics

Philippines

Baby Rescued in a Bucket as Habagat Floods Rise in Cavite—Then a Sinkhole Deepens in Tarlac

MANILA, Philippines — As relentless rains from the Southwest Monsoon, locally known as Habagat, battered parts of Luzon, a dramatic rescue in Cavite captured the urgency of the unfolding weather crisis: a young child was brought to safety using a bucket after floodwaters rose too quickly for rescuers to bring in a boat. The rescue happened in Barangay Niog, Bacoor, Cavite, where residents along First Street in Sto. Niño, Purok III were forced to evacuate as floodwaters rapidly climbed. Accordin

August 30, 2026

Philippines

Baha Na Naman? Speaker Dy Nagbabala: Hindi Lang Flood Control ang Sagot—May Mahalagang Dapat Iligtas sa Sierra Madre

MANILA, Philippines — Habang muling kinakaharap ng ilang bahagi ng bansa ang banta ng matinding pag-ulan at pagbaha, iginiit ni House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III na hindi sapat ang pagtatayo lamang ng mga flood-control project upang maprotektahan ang mga komunidad. Ayon kay Dy, kailangang sabayan ng pangangalaga sa mga kagubatan, watershed at iba pang natural ecosystem ang mga proyektong pang-imprastraktura—at kabilang sa pinakamahalagang dapat bantayan ang Sierra Madre Mountain Range, ang

August 30, 2026

Philippines

₱11.49M Penalty After Deadly Pampanga Building Collapse—But the Violations Found Raise Even Bigger Questions

ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — The contractor and owner linked to the devastating collapse of a nine-story building in Angeles City are facing ₱11.49 million in unpaid workers’ benefits and occupational safety and health fines, after the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) upheld their liability in a resolution issued this month. The decision comes months after the tragedy that claimed at least 30 lives, turning the construction disaster into one of the country's most serious workplace tragedie

August 29, 2026

Philippines

The Storm Hasn’t Arrived Yet—But LGUs Are Being Told to Act Now Before It’s Too Late

MANILA, Philippines — The most important decisions during a disaster may be the ones made before the first warning siren sounds. As the Philippines continues to experience the effects of the southwest monsoon, or Habagat, and remains vulnerable to tropical cyclones, local government units (LGUs) are being urged to strengthen preparations before heavy rains, flooding, landslides, and powerful storms put communities in danger. The message is increasingly clear: disaster response should not begin

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Sara Duterte Impeachment Enters Information War as Prosecutors Warn of Fake News, AFP Flags Foreign Influence Threat

MANILA, Philippines — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is no longer unfolding only inside the Senate chamber. As prosecutors prepare to deepen their case over the alleged misuse of confidential funds, another battle is intensifying outside the courtroom: the fight over what Filipinos believe about the proceedings. House impeachment team adviser and spokesperson Robert Ace Barbers on Saturday, August 29, warned the public against fake news and misleading narratives surroundin

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Habagat Pounds Luzon: Floods, Evacuations, La Mesa Dam Overflow and Tarlac Bridge Collapse as Heavy Rains Persist

MANILA, Philippines — Relentless rains from the Southwest Monsoon, locally known as Habagat, battered large portions of Luzon on Saturday, August 29, triggering floods, evacuations, landslides, impassable highways and the collapse of part of a major bridge — while weather officials warned that another round of heavy rainfall could continue through the long weekend. From Pangasinan and Central Luzon to Metro Manila, communities already saturated by days of rain were again confronted by rising ri

August 29, 2026

Philippines

PRO-6 Takes 16 Loose Guns, 3 Explosives Off Western Visayas Streets in 24 Hours; 4 Arrested

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — A sweeping 24-hour campaign against undocumented firearms across Western Visayas resulted in 16 loose firearms and three explosive devices being taken out of circulation, while four people were arrested as police intensified a regional crackdown on weapons that could potentially be used in violent crimes. The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) recorded the haul during 17 operations conducted across Western Visayas from 6 a.m. on August 25 until 5:59 a.m. on August 26, 2

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Michael Poa to Testify on DepEd’s ₱112.5-M Confidential Funds as Prosecutors Zero In on Military Certifications

MANILA, Philippines — Michael Poa, once one of Vice President Sara Duterte’s most senior officials at the Department of Education and now a member of her impeachment defense team, is preparing to move from the lawyers’ table to the witness stand—putting him at the center of one of the most closely watched questions surrounding DepEd’s confidential funds. The House prosecution panel says Poa still has significant questions to answer about how ₱112.5 million in DepEd confidential funds was handle

August 29, 2026

Politics

Taiwan Wins International Praise for Anti-Corruption System — But Experts Flag 78 Areas That Still Need Fixing

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan has won strong international praise for building what experts described as a mature and innovative anti-corruption system, but the assessment came with a significant warning: the island still faces serious transparency and accountability gaps involving political donations, lobbying, government procurement, corporate records and even national defense. A five-member international review committee examining Taiwan’s third national report under the United Nations Convention

August 29, 2026

Philippines

DepEd Secures 105 Textbook Titles After a Decade of Shortages — But Only 37% of Schools Have Completed This Crucial Step

MANILA, Philippines — After breaking through a decade-long textbook procurement bottleneck, the Department of Education is turning its attention to an equally difficult challenge: making sure the books it bought actually reach the classrooms that need them. DepEd is expanding the use of its Learning Resource Management and Information System, or LRMIS, a digital platform designed to give education officials a clearer school-by-school picture of textbook inventories, deliveries, shortages and su

August 29, 2026