Senate finance panel swiftly approves 7.7B budget for chamber

Inquirer.net - Oct 22, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 was quickly approved at the Senate finance committee level on Thursday. Senate Secretary Atty. Renato Bantug presented the budget for the chamber. Bantug noted that the Senate is accepting the amount that the Department of Budget and Management allocated in the National Expenditures Program

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NCIP chief objects to blanket use of ‘Lumad’ for Mindanao IPs

Oct 22, 2026

NCIP chief objects to blanket use of ‘Lumad’ for Mindanao IPs

COTABATO CITY — The head of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has objected to the indiscriminate use of the term “Lumad” to refer to the Indigenous Peoples (IP) of Mindanao, saying that no outside party has the authority to define their identity. In a statement posted on her Facebook page on Thursday, NCIP

LIST: Canceled ferry trips Thursday afternoon due to Rosal

Oct 22, 2026

LIST: Canceled ferry trips Thursday afternoon due to Rosal

MANILA, Philippines — Several ferry trips were canceled on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 22, due to rough seas brought by Super Typhoon Rosal, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said. In its 12 p.m. advisory, the PPA listed the following Port Management Office (PMO) with canceled trips: Masbate PMO Mindoro PMO Bohol PMO READ: Super Typhoon Rosal

PDEA: ‘No evidence’ pointing to a ton of intercepted shabu bound for PH

Oct 22, 2026

PDEA: ‘No evidence’ pointing to a ton of intercepted shabu bound for PH

MANILA, Philippines — It is inconclusive to claim that a vessel carrying more than a ton of shabu (methamphetamine) intercepted by Thai authorities was headed to the Philippines. This statement comes from Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Isagani Nerez on Thursday, dispelling reports linking the cargo to domestic shores. Thai authorities intercepted a vessel

'No retirement from giving': Catholic priest returns to school to care for elderly

Oct 22, 2026

'No retirement from giving': Catholic priest returns to school to care for elderly

A Catholic priest in his 60s who has spent his life serving others is embarking on a new educational journey after decades away from the classroom, hoping to continue his service to the elderly after retirement. Father Carlo Yoon Haeng-do, 65, is head of the Wolyeong Catholic Church in the Diocese of Masan. Yoon enrolled in a master's program in social welfare at Kyungnam University in South Gyeongsang Province in March. He returned to his studies after nearly 30 years to prepare for a new chapter of service to the elderly after retirement. Although priests step down from active ministry at 70, Yoon believes that “there is no retirement from serving one's neighbors.” “As the elderly population grows, someone has to work for older people, and older people themselves should also take part in that work,” he said with a broad smile. Yoon begins each day by rising around 3 a.m. and praying for about two hours before cleaning the church and nearby alleyways. He has maintained this routine since taking up his post at Wolyeong Catholic Church in 2024. On Wednesday and Thursday evenings,

Korea's int'l student boom puts universities to new test

Oct 22, 2026

Korea's int'l student boom puts universities to new test

SINGAPORE, LONDON, SEOUL — Korea reached its goal of attracting 300,000 international students ahead of schedule. Now comes the harder part. As the government shifts its focus from quantity to quality, universities face a tougher test of whether they can turn rising enrollment into quality education, meaningful career opportunities and long-term talent retention. Under its Study Korea 300K initiative launched in 2023, the government set a target of attracting 300,000 international students by 2027. It reached that milestone early, with enrollment climbing to 307,464 this year, according to the Ministry of Education. Yet the gap between recruitment and retention remains wide, raising questions about whether universities are equipped to deliver on the government's new priorities. Despite a surge in international enrollment, Korea continues to struggle to retain foreign graduates. Of the 36,271 international students who graduated from Korean universities between August 2023 and February 2024, 42.9 percent left Korea, while fewer than 5,000 secured employment in the country. The problem is

Publishers seek safeguards over suspected AI book-buying spree

Oct 22, 2026

Publishers seek safeguards over suspected AI book-buying spree

Korean publishers are calling for stronger copyright protections and compensation as bulk book purchase requests suspected of being linked to artificial intelligence (AI) training raise concerns over intellectual property theft. Publishing groups are investigating suspicious orders and seeking a coordinated response. However, authors and publishers face a fundamental obstacle: they often cannot know for sure whether their books are being used to train AI systems. Kyobo Book Centre, a bookstore chain in Korea, said on Wednesday that 10 overseas companies, including businesses in the United States and Britain, had approached it since early this year, each seeking only one copy of roughly 100,000 titles. “Many introduced themselves as book wholesalers,” a Kyobo official was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency Tuesday. The official added that some denied an AI training purpose but identified data-related companies as the final recipients. The bookseller declined the request because it could not rule out the use of AI training. Yes24, another bookstore, also reportedly received an inqui

Korea, US conclude multinational maritime mine warfare exercise off Busan

Oct 22, 2026

Korea, US conclude multinational maritime mine warfare exercise off Busan

WASHINGTON — South Korea and the United States have concluded a multinational maritime mine warfare exercise off Korea's southeastern port city of Busan with 15 partner nations, according to the U.S. Navy. The ninth Multi-National Mine Warfare Exercise 2026 concluded Friday after bringing together mine countermeasures vessels, explosive ordnance disposal personnel, clearance divers and autonomous underwater vehicles, the U.S. Navy said in a press release. The exercise was aimed at strengthening mine warfare capabilities and interoperability among participating navies through combined maritime operations. It included mine-hunting operations, harbor clearance and port-entry scenarios, mine detection and neutralization, and seabed surveys using unmanned underwater systems. The U.S. Navy deployed USS Chief, an Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship, alongside expeditionary mine countermeasures companies and diving detachments. The South Korean Navy participated with mine laying and hunting vessels, supported by specialized clearance divers and underwater disposal teams. The exercise also i

S. Korean, US air forces to bolster autonomous combat platform cooperation

Oct 22, 2026

S. Korean, US air forces to bolster autonomous combat platform cooperation

The air forces of Korea and the United States will sign a letter of intent (LOI) on autonomous combat platform cooperation Thursday to bolster collaboration in the manned-unmanned combat systems, the Korean Air Force said. The LOI will be signed during a meeting between the chiefs of staff of the two countries' air forces — Gen. Son Sug-rag and U.S. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, the South's armed force said in a statement. The autonomous collaborative platform (ACP) refers to an autonomous system designed to collaborate with manned aircraft and other unmanned assets to execute air missions. Such manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) is regarded as a cornerstone of next-generation air operations, reducing risks to pilots and significantly boosting the operational range and survival chances for airmen. The collaboration comes as the U.S. Air Force is pushing for the development and operational integration of the unmanned combat aircraft systems. Korea's Air Force is also working to lay the groundwork to secure operational capabilities for the MUM-T systems. Building on the collaboration, the two air fo

US troops in S. Korea must be ready for missions beyond peninsula, commander says

Oct 22, 2026

US troops in S. Korea must be ready for missions beyond peninsula, commander says

The commander of the U.S. Eighth Army in South Korea said his troops must be ready for deployment outside the Korean peninsula if ordered, arguing that it would be "irresponsible" to focus "myopically" on threats there. Lt. Gen. Joe Hilbert said that while his command's focus was on fulfilling U.S. commitments under its mutual defense treaty with Seoul, the Eighth Army's location did not limit the missions it could undertake. It would be "irresponsible to focus myopically" on threats on the Korean peninsula alone, he told the South China Morning Post by email, or to "suggest that we cannot do other things simply because we are in Korea." Describing the Eighth Army as part of a "global force" that trains for "readiness so that we can deploy where needed by our national command authority," Hilbert cited the Eighth Army's participation in multinational exercises across the Asia-Pacific as an example of its activities beyond the peninsula. "We view readiness as largely threat-agnostic. If we have a trained, ready force capable of executing the Army's assigned missions, we can apply that forc

Yonsei University portal hack leaks data of 10,000 students, graduates

Oct 22, 2026

Yonsei University portal hack leaks data of 10,000 students, graduates

Personal information belonging to about 10,000 Yonsei University students and graduates has been leaked in a hacking of the university's portal service, the university said Thursday. Yonsei University's information and communications office said it has confirmed unauthorized access to the portal by an external party, resulting in the exposure of personal information of some members of the university community. It apologized for the concern and inconvenience caused by the breach. The exposed data includes student ID numbers, mobile phone numbers and email addresses of current students and graduates, as well as certain system management information, the university said. However, sensitive personal information, such as resident registration numbers, was not compromised, it said. After discovering the hack, the university took steps to block the point of intrusion and requested a police investigation. The university said details of the breach, including the specific types of personal information exposed for each affected individual, will be available on its website from 1 p.m. Thursday.

Busan shark returns to canal after brief exit

Oct 22, 2026

Busan shark returns to canal after brief exit

BUSAN — Bukang-i the shark, which was guided out of a canal in South Korea's southeastern city of Busan after more than a month there, has returned to the waterway. The shark was seen swimming Thursday morning in a narrow space between a flat floating platform installed near the canal's exit to prevent it from coming back and a net set up as a second backstop, a day after it was successfully guided out of the canal. Observers say the fish could have swum its way into the canal under the floating platform, known as a pontoon. The shark -- named Bukang-i after Bukhang, Korean for North Port -- was first spotted in the canal Sept. 18. Since then, the canal park, located about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, has turned into a major attraction, drawing over 1.6 million visitors as of Sunday. After two previous attempts to guide the fish to the open sea failed, officials had waited for it to exit the canal on its own. But after it didn't, the officials made a third attempt over concern it could die if water temperatures fell further. On Wednesday, a joint team involving municipal and Coast

Veterans minister to pay tribute to 2 late former presidents

Oct 22, 2026

Veterans minister to pay tribute to 2 late former presidents

Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul will visit the graves of two former presidents, including controversial former dictator Park Chung-hee, the veterans ministry said Thursday, following through on his pledge to honor past leaders regardless of political differences. Kwon was set to attend a memorial ceremony later in the day marking the 20th anniversary of the death of Choi Kyu-hah, the 10th president, from December 1979 to August 1980, at the Daejeon National Cemetery and pay his respects, according to the ministry. Choi assumed office following the assassination of Park in October 1979 and resigned under pressure from then Army Gen. Chun Doo-hwan, who took power through a military coup. Choi is the shortest-serving president in post-Korean War history. Kwon plans to visit the Seoul National Cemetery on Monday and pay tribute to Park, the ministry said. Kwon's moves are considered rare, as paying respects to controversial past leaders like Park has often drawn criticism, especially from the liberal bloc. Kwon, a Cabinet member in the liberal Lee Jae Myung government, has expressed a commitmen

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