Day: April 7, 2025

Occidental Mindoro: The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) announced plans to ramp up socio-economic interventions in Occidental Mindoro, following the province’s progress in freeing several towns from communist influence, now classified under “Stable Internal Peace and Security” (SIPS) status. According to Philippines News Agency, the Occidental Mindoro Police Provincial Office reported that seven out of the province’s 15 towns have been officially declared insurgency-free. This announcement was made during an orientation on localized peace engagements and transformation programs held on March 28. With this development, these municipalities are now set to receive government-led socio-economic

Manila: A women’s rights group on Monday sought administrative sanctions from the Supreme Court (SC) against a lawyer running for a congressional post due to remarks he made about single mothers during a campaign event. According to Philippines News Agency, women’s group Gabriela submitted a three-page letter to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and the Justices of the high court. The letter highlighted that Atty. Christian Sia’s conduct, specifically his jokes made on stage at a rally, violated the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA). These violations include prohibitions against gender-based harassment and the requirement for lawyers to maintain dignified

Manila: The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday raised the alarm over a new trafficking scheme where victims were made to pose as missionaries on a church trip. According to Philippines News Agency, Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated that agents from the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) prevented three women, aged 23, 25, and 50, from boarding a Scoot Airlines flight to Singapore that was connecting to Thailand at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on April 1. The women claimed to be full-time church volunteers designated for a missionary mission in Thailand. However, discrepancies in

Manila: The Philippines has expressed its interest to expand its defense ties with Finland. Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. conveyed this during the introductory meeting with Finnish Ambassador to Manila Saija Nurminen on April 2, DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong said in a news release Monday. According to Philippines News Agency, Secretary Teodoro remarked that Finland’s geography and history have cultivated its robust resilience to threat actors within its region. He noted that this has led to Finland’s advanced capabilities in securing its defense supply chains. Nurminen expressed Finland’s willingness to cooperate with like-minded countries,

Manila: The charges against the 17 Filipinos arrested in Qatar for participating in an illegal public demonstration have been dismissed. According to Philippines News Agency, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. met with Qatari Ambassador to the Philippines Ahmed Saad Nasser Abdullah Al-Homidi in Malaca±ang on Monday morning. The Qatari envoy informed Marcos that the cases against the Filipinos have been dismissed, Castro said. ‘Ayon kay Ambassador Al-Homidi, ito raw ay repleksyon ng maganda at matatag na pagkakaibigan ng dalawang bansa (According to Ambassador Al-Homidi, this is a reflection of the good and strong friendship between the Philippines and Qatar),’ Castro