Manny Pacquiao will always be the Filipino “People’s Champ” despite failing to reclaim the World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight belt, Malacañang said on Sunday. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this remark after Pacquiao’s unanimous decision loss to Cuban Yordenis Ugas for the WBA super welterweight world title on Sunday (Philippine time) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Roque acknowledged that public support to Pacquiao’s boxing career has always been “unwavering”, including his latest fight against Ugas. “The boxing icon’s loss in Las Vegas would not diminish the honors he bestowed to our country and the joy he

The anti-scalawag unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested a police officer for alleged extortion in an entrapment operation in Zamboanga City on Saturday. Brig. Gen. Flynn Dongbo, the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) Director, identified the suspect as Cpl. Alexis Garcia, an investigator of the Drug Enforcement Team Police Station 11 of the Zamboanga City Police Office. He was nabbed during an entrapment operation along Mayor Climaco Avenue shortly after he received marked money from a complainant. Recovered from the suspect were one PHP1,000 marked money, one bundle boodle money, PNP identification card, one pistol, 22 live

Thanks to the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), coupled with sheer determination to be in school, five young beneficiaries of the conditional cash grant program are on their way to realizing their dreams. Key Princes Santiago, John Nick Calambro, Leendon Gelborion, Cadet Jehserf Ervich Pacure, and Nicole Cagas are some of the 4Ps’ children beneficiaries who are bent on getting degrees despite the odds. Santiago, 18, originally from Barangay Maglinao in Basay, Negros Oriental, is set to enter college this year. She graduated with honors at the General Flaviano Yengko Senior High School in Cavite while working as a

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Sunday “Isang” has intensified into a several tropical storm as it approaches the waters off Miyako Islands in the southern Ryukyus. As of 4 a.m. Sunday, PAGASA weather specialist Ezra Bulquerin said the center of “Isang” was estimated at 560 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes. It is moving northwestward at 20 km per hour with maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph. Bulquerin said it is unlikely to directly affect the weather condition and bring heavy rainfall in the country throughout

The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) described as “notorious terrorists” the two Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) rebels killed during a clash with government troops in Silay City, Negros Occidental on Aug. 20. They were identified as Kerima Lorena Tariman (alias Ella/Em-em), 42, and a certain Pabling, who both belonged to the Northern Negros Front (NNF) of the NPA’s Komite Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor. “[They] are not just headaches of the people. They are responsible for the fear and terror that ordinary people are experiencing in Negros,” said Maj. Cenon Pancito III, 3ID public affairs