Category: Politics

Politics

Trump Says ‘America First’ Is His Foreign-Policy Strategy — But One Growing Contradiction Could Redefine His Presidency

WASHINGTON — More than a year into Donald Trump’s second presidency, one of Washington’s biggest foreign-policy debates is no longer simply about whether the United States is becoming more isolationist, interventionist or transactional. It is about whether all of Trump’s increasingly consequential moves abroad actually fit together. The White House insists they do. Its 2025 National Security Strategy explicitly describes Trump’s foreign policy as being driven above all by what works for the U

August 29, 2026

Philippines

₱510K WORTH OF SUSPECTED SHABU SEIZED IN DUEÑAS: 24-YEAR-OLD HVI ARRESTED IN BUY-BUST

ILOILO — A 24-year-old man identified by police only as alias “Josh” was arrested in a drug buy-bust operation in Dueñas, Iloilo, after authorities seized about 75 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of ₱510,000. The operation was conducted at around 7:35 p.m. on August 26 in Barangay Poblacion A, Dueñas, by personnel of the Dueñas Municipal Police Station (MPS) in coordination with Iloilo Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) Team 1. Police described Josh as an alleged h

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Ombudsman Questions Loren Legarda’s Extended Medical Leave: What Happens Next?

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman is continuing to raise questions over Sen. Loren Legarda’s repeated medical leave extensions, with its spokesperson saying the circumstances surrounding her absence have added to the agency’s concerns as she faces a preliminary investigation alongside her son, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste. Assistant Ombudsman and spokesperson Mico Clavano said Friday that if Legarda is suffering from a serious illness, the repeated extensions of her medical lea

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Mandaue Unveils Major Hospital, School Projects as Ouano Lays Out Next Phase of City Development

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano has unveiled a series of major health and education projects aimed at expanding public services and modernizing the city’s infrastructure. The projects were highlighted during Ouano’s first State of the City Address (SOCA) on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, where he outlined the administration’s ongoing programs and long-term plans for Mandaue. Among the biggest priorities are the modernization of the Mandaue City Hospital, the constr

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Bulacan, Pampanga Brace for More Flooding as Habagat, High Tide Push Water Levels Higher

BULACAN/PAMPANGA — Residents in flood-hit parts of Bulacan and Pampanga are facing the threat of worsening flooding as the southwest monsoon, or Habagat, continues to bring heavy rain while high tide and rising river levels add pressure to already inundated communities. The situation remained critical on Saturday, August 29, with PAGASA placing Pampanga and several areas of Bulacan under a red rainfall warning, meaning serious flooding is possible in flood-prone areas. In Bulacan, authorities

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Heavy Rains Hit Dasmariñas Special Election—Will Comelec Extend Voting Hours?

DASMARIÑAS CITY, Cavite, Philippines — Heavy rains could force the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to extend voting hours in Saturday's special election in Dasmariñas City, as authorities monitor whether worsening weather will prevent voters from reaching their polling precincts. Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the poll body had not made a final decision on extending the voting period, stressing that the situation would depend on conditions as the scheduled 3 p.m. closing time ap

August 29, 2026

Philippines

A ₱77-M Bulacan Flood Project Was Marked 100% Complete — Then Investigators Went to the Site

MANILA, Philippines — A flood-control project in Bulacan worth more than ₱77 million was officially declared 100% complete in 2025. But when authorities later inspected the site, the riverbank protection structure was allegedly nowhere to be found. That finding is now at the center of fresh malversation and graft cases filed before the Sandiganbayan against former Ako Bicol party-list representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, several former Department of Public Works and Highways officials, and two m

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Halad sa Pagtuo Wristbands Are Being Sold? Cebu Capitol Issues Urgent Warning to the Public

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Provincial Government officials are warning the public not to buy or pay for Halad sa Pagtuo wristbands, stressing that admission to the much-anticipated celebration is free of charge. The warning comes as public interest builds around Halad sa Pagtuo 2026, Cebu Province's faith-centered celebration that brings together religious traditions, colorful festivals and cultural presentations in one major event. Capitol officials have emphasized that wristbands and gate pass

August 29, 2026

Philippines

Rain Can’t Stop Dasmariñas Voters as Crucial Race to Replace Kiko Barzaga Begins

DASMARIÑAS CITY, Cavite, Philippines — Despite heavy rain, voters in Dasmariñas City began casting their ballots Saturday, August 29, in a closely watched special election to fill the congressional seat left vacant following the expulsion of former Cavite 4th District Representative Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga. The special election puts the political future of one of Cavite’s most prominent congressional districts in the hands of hundreds of thousands of registered voters—and adds another chapter

August 29, 2026

Philippines

DOLE Upholds ₱11.49M Liability Over Angeles City Building Collapse — But the Bigger Question Is What Happened After a Work-Stoppage Order Was Lifted

MANILA, Philippines — More than three months after a nine-story building under construction collapsed in Angeles City and ultimately left 30 people dead, the Department of Labor and Employment has upheld roughly ₱11.49 million in liabilities against Golden Years Construction and Steelworks Corporation and building owner Ernest Jackson Lim over unpaid worker benefits and serious occupational safety and health violations. The latest ruling does more than preserve a multimillion-peso penalty. It a

August 29, 2026