National

NCR workers to get P21 daily hike starting Thursday

MANILA -- The PHP21 hike in the minimum wage of private sector workers in Metro Manila will take effect starting Thursday, Oct. 5, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) said.In Wage Order No. RB NCR-21, the board approved the adjustment in the daily... Read More

Israeli bizman faces raps for illegal trading

MANILA -- An Israeli national is facing criminal charges for illegal investments and business trading, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Wednesday.NBI Director Dante A. Gierran identified the Israeli national as Ariel Altaraz, owner and manager of the company S&L Services, Inc., a... Read More

Drug-related deaths only a fraction of 6,129 ‘solved’ cases

MANILA -- Out of the 6,129 resolved homicide cases, only 389 or 6.49 percent are drug-related, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced Wednesday.These figures are from July 1, 2016 to Sept. 15, 2017 according to the latest data on homicide cases nationwide from the Directorate for... Read More

League denounces series of attacks on prosecutors

MANILA -- The Prosecutors' League of the Philippines (PLP) has condemned the series of killing and ambushes of prosecutors in different parts of the country.“We are outraged by these unfortunate and untoward events exposing government prosecutors to risks and perils of being ambushed and... Read More

Duterte signs law postponing barangay, SK polls to May 2018

MANILA -- President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law Republic Act No. 10952 postponing the October 23, 2017 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls to the second Monday of May 2018.The law was signed by the President on Monday.Under RA No. 10952, all incumbent barangay officials shall remain... Read More

LPA, ITCZ to bring rains Wednesday: PAGASA

MANILA— The low pressure area (LPA) spotted off Aurora province and the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) will bring scattered rains and thunderstorms in most parts of the country Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.The... Read More

Pres. Duterte thanks Japanese envoy for service

MANILA --Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa on Tuesday, October 3, paid a farewell call on President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as he concludes his stint as Japan's top diplomat in the country.During the call at Malacañan Palace, the President expressed his gratitude to the... Read More

Banner stories of Manila's leading newspapers, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017

BUSINESS MIRROR – Local airlines buck CAB plan to regulate airfaresINQUIRER – 2 cases filed in Palace vs Ombudsman probersMANILA BULLETIN – Vegas carnage unavoidable - expertsMANILA TIMES – Duterte allies charge Ombudsman execsMANILA STANDARD – Vegas massacre:... Read More

PDEA drug raps 'based on lies': ex-BOC exec

MANILA -- A former official of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday slammed thecharges filed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) against him and 11 others in connection with the entryof the PHP6.4 billion worth ofshabu into the country in May.“This is not something we can... Read More

Comelec reminds public to follow gun ban rules

MANILA -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday reminded the public to abide by the gun ban being implemented in the country while the bill postponing the October 23 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections has yet to be signed.Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez warned that they will... Read More

Palace trumpets continuous drop in NCR crime rate

MANILA -- Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella announced that the crime rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) continues to drop, owing to the administration’s campaign against drugs and criminality.He said as of October this year, robbery/holdup incidents dropped by 39.5 percent; theft... Read More

TESDA provides skills training for Marawi evacuees

MANILA -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is conducting a massive skills training program for displaced Filipinos affected by the ongoing rebellion in Marawi City.During a press briefing in Malacañan on Tuesday, October 3, TESDA Director General Guiling... Read More

Giving EJK witnesses sanctuary all in pursuit of truth — CBCP

MANILA -- An official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-Public Affairs Committee (CBCP-PAC) on Tuesday clarified that their efforts to provide sanctuary to those who want to reveal information about extra judicial killings (EJKs) seek truth and does not intend to put the... Read More

CA affirms kidnap raps vs Palparan

MANILA -- The Court of Appeals (CA) on Tuesday upheld the kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges filed against retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan.In a 15-page decision dated Sept. 18, penned by Associate Justice Carmelita Salandanan Manahan and concurred by Associate Justices Fernanda... Read More

Shipping of election materials to start this week: Comelec

MANILA -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will start sending election paraphernalia, including official ballots, to the different parts of the country this week.This, as the bill proposing postponement of this month’s Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls has yet to be signed by... Read More

Raps filed vs 2 Ombudsman execs

MANILA -- Two lawyers on Tuesday filed administrative complaints against Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang and Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Rodolfo Elman before the Office of the President in Malacañang.Lawyers Manuelito Luna and Eligio Mallari filed graft and corruption and... Read More

More Mindanao bulk power in 2019 — NGCP

MANILA – The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) expects to complete the reinforcement of the Mindanao transmission backbone within the first quarter of 2019, months ahead of its target of June 2019 completion.The Mindanao 230-kiloVolt (kV) Transmission Backbone Project will address... Read More

MMDA pushes for flood control thru solid waste management

MANILA --The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will implement solid waste management activities as part of a flood control project in Metro Manila, with the recent approval of a loan by the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

The USD500-million... Read More

Ombudsman ready to answer charges

MANILA --Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales on Tuesday stood her ground amid the renewed call of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for her to resign.“I will not be baited into abandoning my constitutional duties. If the President has charges against me, I am prepared to answer them in accordance... Read More

DOST to observe regional S&T Week in GenSan

MANILA --The Department of Science and Technology in Region 12 (DOST 12) will celebrate the regional Science and Technology (S&T) Week on October 17-19 in General Santos City.The National S&T Week is being observed annually every July. However, the DOST regional offices also prepared various... Read More