MANILA, Philippines — While they are not expecting fuel price spikes similar to what happened last March 2026, when the war between the United States (US) and Iran started, the Department of Energy (DOE) does not expect fuel costs to go down to pre-war levels even by the end of the year. In an ambush

MANILA, Philippines—No bettor won the ₱214.44 million Grand Lotto 6/55 jackpot or the ₱67.37 million Mega Lotto 6/45 jackpot in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office draws on Monday, Sept. 21. The date fell on a Monday, when Grand Lotto 6/55 and Mega Lotto 6/45 are among the major games scheduled for drawing. Time and Date

MANILA, Philippines — Some local governments in the province of Cebu have suspended the conduct of in-person classes because of poor air quality. Cebu City All levels, public and private Lapu-Lapu City Pre-school to high school, public and private READ: Iloilo air unhealthy for sensitive groups as haze persists READ: Dole issues guidelines to protect

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives leadership has confirmed the passing of Batanes Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr., with the chamber’s members offering prayers for the late lawmaker. During the session late Monday night, as the House held plenary debates on the proposed 2027 national budget, Deputy Speaker Yevgeny Emano who was presiding over session

The top Democrat on the US Senate’s foreign policy panel urged Donald Trump on Monday not to signal any retreat from Taiwan when he hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. Speaking at the Concordia Summit in New York, Senator Jeanne Shaheen said she hoped the president “will not say anything that indicates a lack of support for Taiwan” during his talks with the Chinese leader. Shaheen is the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which reviews US arms sales abroad,...

MANILA, Philippines — The organizers of the Sept. 21 anti-corruption rally near Mendiola said their show of force was a success despite “fear mongering” and “overkill measures” from the police and Malacañang. Thousands of protesters marched from Liwasang Bonifacio to the vicinity of Mendiola Peace Arch to mark the 54th anniversary of martial law declaration

ILOILO CITY — Motorists lined up at gasoline stations in Iloilo City on Monday evening, Sept. 21, ahead of a steep pump price increase taking effect Tuesday. Oil companies announced increases of P8.82 per liter for diesel, P6.47 for kerosene and P4.88 for gasoline. READ: Shell Pilipinas staggers hikes; diesel surges over P8/liter The latest

The September 24 summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump is no ordinary engagement. Their May summit took place in Beijing and largely centred on economic issues. This one will be on Trump’s home turf and is expected to put strategic questions on the table. Will the Korean peninsula and North Korea’s nuclear programme again be pushed to the margins? In Beijing, both sides focused on their immediate national interests, such as trade, semiconductors, rare earths and...

MANILA, Philippines—The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Monday lauded the peaceful conduct of rallies commemorating the 54th anniversary of Martial Law, crediting cops and organizers for maintaining order while respecting protesters’ constitutional right to assembly. More than 17,000 police officers have been deployed since Saturday night as multisectoral groups took to the streets

MANILA, Philippines — Detained Sen. Rodante Marcoleta on Monday said he no longer intends to join the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, citing constitutional concerns over the proceedings. Marcoleta, who has been unable to attend a single day of Duterte’s trial, also reiterated his opposition to the designation of Sen. Francis Escudero as

BALANGA CITY, Bataan — Artist and novelist Levy Balgos dela Cruz spoke about the abuses of Martial Law and the continuing culture of impunity during an open forum in Balanga on Monday afternoon, Sept. 21. Speaking in Filipino before about 50 young people, Dela Cruz said the culture of impunity “remains in our midst,” as

MANILA, Philippines — A Philippine Eagle nest in Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte, was razed by a forest fire this month, highlighting the “clear and present danger” posed by fires to the country’s critically endangered national bird, the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) said. The nest, which was used in December 2025, was reached by the fire

SAN ILDEFONSO, Ilocos Sur — The police arrested six individuals during an anti-illegal gambling operation in Narvacan town Sunday afternoon. Personnel of the Narvacan Municipal Police Station conducted the operation at about 4:50 p.m. The suspects were allegedly caught playing card games with bets on two tables. Seized from the arrested suspects were two sets

LEGAZPI CITY — A 27-year-old man died after being struck by lightning while fishing in this city on Monday afternoon. The Albay police reported that the victim was fishing with friends in the vicinity of an old port in Barangay Bigaa at around 3:30 p.m. when the tragedy struck. Authorities responded to the area and

MARAMAG, Bukidnon — The Maramag Municipal Police Station clarified on Monday that a 10-year-old elementary student who died three weeks ago was not beaten by his classmates, contrary to a local broadcast report. READ: DOJ tasks prosecutors to handle bullying cases Lt. Col. Evary Bacunawa, Maramag police chief, said school-related bullying was not the cause

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Water employees from its East Zone and Non-East Zone operations joined thousands of volunteers at the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) 2026 held at Manila Bay’s Dolomite Beach on Sept. 19, 2026. Organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Capital Region (DENR-NCR), the annual cleanup mobilized 36,897 volunteers from private companies,

The United States, Japan and South Korea announced a new economic-security consultation and reinforced their support for stability across the Taiwan Strait on Monday, sending a coordinated message on two of Beijing’s most sensitive issues just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s summit with US President Donald Trump. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun unveiled the initiative after meeting on the...

TUGUEGARAO CITY — Batanes lone district Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr. died on Monday, Sept. 21, due to cardiac arrest. He was 66. Gato’s relatives and friends confirmed his death, saying he died while being taken to a hospital in Manila. READ: Batanes solon disputes Chinese claim: Ivatans are Filipinos Fr. Rolando Berber Manabat, rector parish

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Agriculture (DA) is supporting a proposal from hog industry stakeholders to set a P210-per-kilo floor price for live hogs as farmgate prices in some areas fall to P120 to P160 per kilo. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., however, said the agency cannot impose the proposed rate because no existing law

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) directed employers to implement workplace control measures to keep employees safe from the “potential adverse effects of poor ambient air quality.” As stated in Labor Advisory No. 15, signed by Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino on Sept. 18, the order was issued as the government moves

MANILA, Philippines — A nationwide cleanup with over 103,000 participants has cleared 369 coastal areas of more than 466,000 kilograms of waste, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). That was the result of the Philippines’ participation last Saturday in this year’s International Coastal Cleanup, an

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Caraga and its partners collected 6,027.92 kilograms (six tons) of non-biodegradable waste during a regionwide coastal cleanup campaign that covered 10.37 kilometers of shoreline across the region. The cleanup, conducted from September 16 to 19, 2026, gathered 1,458 volunteers who collected

MANILA, Philippines — The number of calls received by the National Center for Mental Health’s (NCMH) 24/7 crisis hotline has quadrupled since the COVID-19 pandemic, with a notable increase in young callers with self-harm issues. The NCMH’s main 24/7 crisis hotline can be reached at 1553 or 1800-1888-1553. According to NCMH chief Dr. Noel Reyes, calls

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — Aiming to enrich Mindanao’s history, scholar and ethnographer Dr. Wendell Glenn Cagape launched his new book, “Colonial Images of the Subano Nation,” here on Sunday. The historical and ethnographic work explores the colonial history, cultural resilience and identity of the Subanen Indigenous people across the Zamboanga Peninsula. By examining

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has granted the request of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for exemption of some of its programs from the election spending ban ahead of the 2026 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia shared the development on Monday after the

ILIGAN CITY — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) – Region 11 (Davao Region) served a subpoena to the Department of Public Works and Highways-11 (DPWH-11) on Monday, directing the agency to produce documents related to some 50 allegedly questionable flood-control and road projects in the region, mostly in Davao City. The documents being sought

MANILA, Philippines — Jaime T. Cruz, who was identified as an incorporator of the same businesses in which Vice President Sara Duterte declared having stocks, may also be called as a witness before the Senate Impeachment Court, House prosecution spokesperson Ace Barbers said Monday. Barbers made the statement after the conclusion of the 27th day

MANILA, Philippines — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not received any document showing that Vice President Sara Duterte transferred ownership of businesses linked to her to other people, an official told the Senate impeachment court on Monday. On the 27th day of Duterte’s impeachment trial, the prosecution team presented SEC Company Registration and

KORONADAL CITY — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Melencio Nartatez Jr. visited Banga National High School on Monday, Sept. 21, three days after a shooting inside the campus left three students dead, including the suspected gunman. Remulla and Nartatez met with school, police, and local government officials as authorities continued

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Monday floated the idea of requiring the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to include the date of birth of parents in certificates of live birth with the hopes of preventing fraudulent birth registrations and identity manipulation. Tulfo made the proposal during the Senate finance committee’s budget deliberations on the