Day: April 15, 2025

Manila: House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez on Tuesday hailed Google Maps’ recognition of the “West Philippine Sea” label as a “geopolitical affirmation” of the Philippines’ maritime claims and a boost to international support for the country’s sovereign rights. Romualdez said the move marks more than a cartographic update, highlighting its political and diplomatic significance. According to Philippine News Agency, Romualdez stated that Google’s decision to reflect the West Philippine Sea label is a significant geopolitical statement that enhances global awareness and adds considerable weight to the Philippines’ maritime claims. He emphasized that the change aligns with the 2016 Permanent

Manila: Mandarin-speaking agents are now available to cater to Chinese tourists when they call the government-funded Tourist Assistance Call Center, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Tuesday. The language is an addition to the English-, Filipino- and Korean-speaking call center agents since the creation of the call center in October 2023. According to Philippine News Agency, the DOT said the Tourist Assistance Call Center, with hotline 151-TOUR or 151-8687, would remain “active and live” during the Holy Week break. “With a total of four languages already available, the Department of Tourism’s Tourist Assistance Call Center aims to fulfill a key

Manila: Pope Francis has appointed Monsignor Glenn Corsiga as the new bishop of the Diocese of Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay province. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news website reported that Corsiga’s appointment was announced by the Vatican at 12 noon (6 p.m. Manila time) on Monday. The diocese has been without a permanent bishop since August 2023 following Archbishop Julius Tonel’s transfer to lead the Archdiocese of Zamboanga. According to Philippine News Agency, Monsignor Elizar Cielo has been managing the diocese in the capacity of diocesan administrator during the interim period. Corsiga hails from Dumaguete and pursued

Manila: The country’s largest power distribution utility, Manila Electric Company (Meralco), has assured customers in its franchise areas of stable and reliable power service during the Holy Week. In a statement Tuesday, Meralco vice president and head of corporate communications Joe Zaldarriaga said response teams are on standby 24/7 for any power-related concerns. According to Philippine News Agency, Zaldarriaga stated, “We join the nation in observing a solemn and safe Holy Week. As a 24/7 service provider, we assure our customers that our crews are fully prepared to respond to any power-related concerns that may arise.” Meralco also issued safety

Manila: A weeklong law enforcement operation in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) concluded with the arrest of 22 individuals involved in illegal activities, including 17 with outstanding warrants. The operation, which took place from April 7 to 14, also led to the confiscation of smuggled goods and illegal substances, the BARMM police reported. According to Philippine News Agency, Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz, director of the BARMM police, stated that the coordinated operations resulted in the seizure of smuggled cigarettes and petroleum products valued at PHP1 million, and the recovery of over PHP4 million worth of suspected shabu