Day: July 17, 2025

Manila: Holding special elections for the seven parliamentary seats originally allocated for Sulu is being considered as a potential solution to fill the seats that are currently “temporarily vacant.” According to Philippines News Agency, United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) president Murad Ebrahim shared that Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia proposed the idea during a discussion. Ebrahim mentioned that if the reallocation of the seven seats cannot be enacted in a timely manner, Chairman Garcia suggested the possibility of holding special elections at a later date. Ebrahim expressed agreement with this proposal, noting that if reallocation is not feasible,

Manila: Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed that two of the four sacks recovered by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) from Taal Lake contained human remains. According to Philippines News Agency, Remulla informed reporters that the contents of the recovered sacks were clearly human remains and included ribs. The other sacks, which contained sand, were believed to have been used as weights. The sacks were located with the assistance of boatmen identified by whistleblower Julie Patidongan, alias Totoy. Remulla mentioned that the boatmen pointed out the location as indicated by Patidongan. The whistleblower had previously claimed that

Pasay city: The Philippine government, through the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), is stepping up efforts to rescue and repatriate Filipino workers victimized by human traffickers and scam hubs across Southeast Asia. According to Philippines News Agency, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, during a media briefing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, reminded those seeking foreign employment to always follow the process and call the DMW when in doubt. He highlighted that even professionals are now falling victim to scammers and illegal recruiters. Cacdac emphasized the importance of going through the DMW

Manila: Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio Pe±ones Jr., Police Regional Office-3 (PRO-3) chief, led the official launch of the Digitalized Squad Weekly Interaction Meeting (SWIM) on Thursday at the PRO-3 Patrol Hall here. In an interview, Pe±ones said the digital initiative directly responds to the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) internal transformation roadmap and aligns with the Chief PNP’s Peace and Security Framework, specifically its Second Pillar: “Unity and Morale within the Ranks.” According to Philippines News Agency, by integrating technology into regular squad sessions, the PNP aims to strengthen interaction, spiritual resilience, and camaraderie among its personnel. Attendees included key officials

Dumaguete: The Department of Science and Technology – Negros Island Region (DOST-NIR) has pledged to assist coffee farmers in Dauin, Negros Oriental in enhancing their production to increase market competitiveness. DOST-NIR officer-in-charge, Assistant Director Gilbert Arbon, announced plans to provide support to the Baslay Highland Agriculture Cooperative (BASHACO) as their coffee production requires further refinement. According to Philippines News Agency, Arbon emphasized that the DOST aims to transform Dauin into a ‘smart municipality,’ incorporating a ridge-to-reef sustainability model that includes Apo Island and Baslay. BASHACO, located in Dauin’s Barangay Baslay, faced challenges in coffee production due to the El Ni±o-triggered