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The public will not be asked to shoulder a proposed increase in passport fees, with the government-owned APO Production Unit Inc. instead seeking a subsidy to cover rising production costs. APO President Atty. Gil Carlos Puyat gave the assurance last week during the Senate’s briefing on the company’s proposed 2027 budget, saying APO is not asking for the passport processing …

The Office of the Ombudsman has been asked to investigate a ₱9.97-million flood control project in Ligao City, Albay, after state auditors flagged the use of funds intended to rebuild a consolidation dam for a different structure. The Commission on Audit (COA) made the request after upholding the disallowance of a ₱5.77-million payment made by the regional Department of Public …

Motorists will face sharply different fuel price movements this week, with gasoline expected to rise by as much as ₱1.80 per liter while diesel prices could drop by up to ₱0.80. Jetti Petroleum president Leo Bellas said gasoline prices could increase by ₱1.50 to ₱1.80 per liter beginning Tuesday, based on movements in the Asian oil market and foreign exchange …

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has secured a Court of Appeals order freezing 116 financial accounts and other assets allegedly linked to a lawmaker, a corporation, and several individuals and entities being investigated over suspected flood control anomalies and a broader government budget kickback scheme. The AMLC did not identify the respondents covered by the freeze order. The Court of …

The impeachment side circus is unlikely to end with the Supreme Court’s dismissal of three petitions challenging the Senate impeachment court’s interpretation of the two-thirds vote required to convict Vice President Sara Duterte. The High Court did not settle the constitutional controversy on its merits. It dismissed the petitions on procedural grounds, including lack of standing and prematurity. In plain …

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon’s quick shift into damage-control mode is understandable. His categorical declaration that there were “no ghost projects in Taguig” has now been qualified by: “Where the evidence leads, that’s where we’ll go.” That may sound prudent. Politically, however, it sounds like retreat. Simply, that’s damage control. The controversy intensified after documents gathered by Senator Ping Lacson’s meticulous research …

REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro While many of us complain about the scorching heat or the relentless rise in market prices, a vital sector of our society is quietly collapsing under a dual crisis: the wrath of climate change and the apathy of bureaucracy. These are our small-scale fishers—the unsung providers of protein for Filipino households—yet they remain among the hungriest, stranded …

LOVE FOR ALL​By: Virginia Rodriguez The Philippine government stands with Indigenous Peoples in protecting their rights, ancestral lands, cultural heritage, and aspirations for a better future. This October, that commitment takes on special meaning as the nation honors the courage of our ancestors, the wisdom of our elders, and the enduring strength of Indigenous communities across the country. Indigenous Peoples, …

EBITDABy DIEGO C. CAGAHASTIAN Already naturally endowed with majestic mountains, rivers and lakes, beaches and islands, historic landmarks, architectural wonders, unique festivals and a hospitable people,  China still continues to develop its local and international tourism in ways other countries are simply planning to do. The growth of the Chinese tourism industry is phenomenal, and is the envy of similarly …

The Philippines and United Kingdom reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening economic ties at the 2nd Joint Economic and Trade Committee Meeting held earliet this week. The meeting was co-chaired by DTI Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty and Minister of State for Trade Anas Sarwar of the UK’s Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.  Building on the momentum of the inaugural …