Day: June 25, 2025

Batangas: Investigators will seek assistance abroad for submersible remote robots to comb the bed of Lake Taal after a whistleblower alleged that the bodies of missing cockfight aficionados were dumped there, the Department of Justice said Wednesday. According to Philippines News Agency, Taal Lake spans several towns in Batangas and, according to some accounts, is at least 100 feet deep in some portions. Justice Secretary Jesus Remulla stated in a television interview that he has instructed his staff to draft a letter to the Japanese government to request their ROVs, remote operating vehicles, and associated equipment to map the lake

Manila: The local stock barometer experienced a positive shift on Wednesday, with markets responding favorably to the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Simultaneously, the peso returned to a more stable position, reaching the 56 to a dollar level. According to Philippines News Agency, the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose by 0.52 percent, closing at 6,325.64. The All Shares index also saw an increase, ending the day at 3,754.43, marking a 0.41 percent rise. The market’s optimistic response was largely attributed to the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran, despite ongoing accusations of violations from both parties.

Manila: Mixed results mark the Treasury bond (T-bond) auction on Wednesday as the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) fully awarded the reissued three-year Treasury bond and partially awarded the 25-year T-bond. According to Philippines News Agency, the reissued three-year T-bond, with a remaining term of two years and 10 months, fetched an average rate of 5.760 percent, which is lower than the current secondary market rate. The auction saw a 2.0 oversubscription with total tenders amounting to PHP40.7 billion, and the full program of PHP20 billion was accepted. The 25-year T-bond, on the other hand, has a remaining maturity of

Palayan City: Two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) platforms, alongside four AH-64 “Apache” attack helicopters from the United States, will participate in “Operation Lightning Strike,” a joint military exercise between the Philippine Army (PA) and US Army Pacific (USARPAC) in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija on June 30. According to Philippines News Agency, this exercise is part of the ongoing “Salaknib” Phase 2 exercises between Filipino and American soldiers. Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala shared in an advisory that the PA’s Artillery Regiment and USARPAC’s 25th Infantry Division will conduct a coordinated deep attack as part of the operation. The

Manila: The Centro Escolar University (CEU) is set to kick off a tree-planting initiative called ‘A Hundred Trees for a Hundred Years’ in Angeles City in July. This effort is part of the centennial celebration of the university’s School of Dentistry, which has been a pillar of dental education since its founding. According to Philippines News Agency, the centennial celebration, themed “10 Dekadang Kahusayan: Pagdiriwang ng Kalidad ng Edukasyon sa Dentistriya (10 Decades of Excellence: A Celebration of Quality Education in Dentistry),” began on February 28 with a red-carpet procession event. The year-long festivities also include a belated commemoration of