Day: November 18, 2024

Manila: Private individuals are not required to register their webpages, vlogs, and other online platforms used for campaigning in the 2025 midterm elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Monday. This decision is part of a new resolution aimed at protecting private individuals’ constitutional rights to freedom of expression. According to Philippines News Agency, a resolution promulgated on November 13 by the Commission en banc emphasized the importance of safeguarding the freedom of expression for private individuals. The resolution stated that freedom of expression is a fundamental constitutional right, essential for maintaining a democratic society. It facilitates open dialogue

MANILA: The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has announced that there are no longer any stranded passengers in ports across the country following the aftermath of Super Typhoon Pepito, known internationally as Man-yi. The maritime safety advisory released by the PCG as of Monday noon confirmed that all passengers, vessels, rolling cargoes, and motor bancas have resumed normal operations. According to Philippines News Agency, the number of stranded individuals reached a peak on Sunday, with a total of 3,541 passengers, 1,484 rolling cargoes, 15 vessels, and 17 motor bancas affected in regions such as Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Southern Tagalog, Central Visayas,

KORONADAL CITY: Police are pursuing suspects in the fatal shooting of a vice mayoral aspirant in Tantangan, South Cotabato early Monday morning. Maj. Erika Vallejo, chief of the Tantangan municipal police station, said authorities are working to identify the attackers and establish a motive for the killing. According to Philippines News Agency, the victim, Jose Osorio, 58, was the former chief of Barangay Bukay Pait and a candidate for vice mayor next year under the slate of former Tantangan mayor Benjamin Figueroa. Relatives discovered the blooded Osorio inside his family’s roadside eatery around 5:50 a.m. after hearing gunshots, Vallejo said.

MALASIQUI: The two spill gates of the San Roque Dam that were opened Sunday to address the inflow of water from upstream and from tropical cyclone Pepito (international name Man-yi) were closed before noon Monday. “Although there is still continuous inflow from Ambuklao Dam in Bokod town, and Binga Dam in Itogon town, both in Benguet province, we terminated so that the reservoir would just store the water since there are no monitored weather disturbance until the end of November,” National Power Corporation-San Roque Dam Office flood operation manager Teresa Serra said in a phone interview. She said the reservoir

MANILA: The Senate on Monday decided to retain the PHP35.47 billion proposed 2025 budget of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), just like what the House of Representatives did. Senator Imee Marcos announced that the Committee on Finance upheld the proposed amount under the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP), which is PHP4.912 billion less than the 2024 budget. According to Philippines News Agency, the budget reduction is primarily attributed to the decreased operations under the regular program in preparation for the local and national elections. This decrease stems from the leasing costs of new machines in 2024, amounting to PHP23.9 billion,