Day: August 9, 2025

Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has received more than 1.7 million applications for voter registration just a day before the 10-day nationwide enlisting period closes. From August 1 to 9, a total of 1,725,297 individuals have filed applications. According to Philippines News Agency, at least six regions posted over 100,000 applications each, with Calabarzon leading the count at 217,386, followed by Central Luzon with 180,305, Bicol Region with 137,129, National Capital Region with 129,943, Central Visayas with 117,631, and Ilocos Region with 115,803. Meanwhile, the Cordillera Administrative Region recorded the lowest number of applicants with 32,369. Comelec met its

Dumaguete city: Ten informal settlers received PHP500,000 worth of ‘NegoKart’ units in Dumaguete City on Saturday as part of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) efforts to support marginalized workers. Each NegoKart package, worth PHP50,000, includes a food cart, cooking equipment, and initial stock. Unlike previous versions, the carts are now attached to electric motorcycles for improved mobility. The beneficiaries, mostly urban poor, are expected to sell street food items like fish balls and fried chicken. According to Philippines News Agency, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma led the distribution of the e-carts during his two-day visit to the province. Laguesma

Manila: The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is submitting a report to Department of Justice (DOJ) to initiate a probe on the sources of illegally acquired Philippine documents by foreign nationals. Commissioner Joel Viado expressed alarm over the continuous proliferation of such documents being used by illegal aliens in business dealings in the country. ‘The illegal use of Philippine documents is a national security issue that must be addressed at its roots,’ he said in a news release on Saturday. According to Philippines News Agency, the BI was alerted anew after the arrest of three more suspected fake Filipinos in separate

Manila: A fast-moving wildfire in Southern California expanded aggressively from 50 acres to 4,856 acres by Thursday night, forcing evacuations near Lake Piru as firefighting crews launched an aggressive air and ground response, authorities said. According to Philippines News Agency, the Canyon Fire ignited east of the lake in Ventura County during the afternoon and quickly spread into neighboring Los Angeles County, as reported by fire officials cited by Fox News. ‘The Canyon Fire is currently burning between Los Angeles County and Ventura County in the Piru Lake area. Several zones are under evacuation order and warning,’ the Los Angeles

Dumaguete city: More than 7,000 minimum wage earners in Negros Oriental have benefited from the government’s PHP20 per kilogram rice program, as confirmed by an official of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). According to Philippines News Agency, the rollout of the ‘Benteng Bigas Meron Na’ in Negros Oriental began in June, with several business establishments participating. Nole Torres, DOLE-Negros Island Region (NIR) senior labor officer and focal person for the rice program, noted that the initiative marks a step towards fulfilling the President’s promise of affordable rice for minimum wage earners. This program specifically targets wage earners, while