Day: October 23, 2025

Manila: Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is preparing for a significant increase in passenger traffic during the upcoming holiday season by expanding the frequencies and capacity of its international flights. According to Philippines News Agency, from mid-December 2025 to mid-January 2026, PAL will double its Manila-Perth flights from three to six weekly, and increase Manila to Melbourne flights from five weekly to daily. The airline plans to deploy larger aircraft for select routes to accommodate the anticipated rise in travelers. An Airbus A330 will be used for some Manila-Brisbane flights, while Melbourne services will utilize the A330-300, and Perth flights

Manila: Bargain hunting lifted the Philippine Stock Exchange index on Thursday, but the Philippine peso continues its slide against the US dollar. A day after its decline, the main stocks gauge rose by 0.38 percent to 6,053.96 points, and the All Shares by 0.28 percent to 3,637.58 points. Half of the sectors trailed the main index, namely Services, 1.72 percent; Mining and Oil, 1.26 percent; and Industrial, 0.52 percent. On the other hand, the Financials fell 0.56 percent, Holding Firms, 0.13 percent; and Property, 0.10 percent. According to Philippines News Agency, volume reached 1.42 billion shares amounting to PHP4.8 billion.

Negros island: The Department of Health – Negros Island Region (DOH-NIR) is set to hire 432 health personnel for deployment in 2026. These personnel will be assigned to various local health offices and units throughout the region, covering the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. According to Philippines News Agency, the recruitment drive seeks to fill positions including 245 nurses, 152 midwives, 15 medical technologists, eight nutritionist-dieticians, six pharmacists, three physical therapists, and three dentists. This initiative is part of the National Health Workforce Support System for the year 2026. In an advisory dated October 21, Regional Director

Manila: Tropical Cyclone Salome has weakened into a low pressure area (LPA), the state weather bureau announced in its 5 p.m. bulletin on Thursday. The LPA was last observed 145 kilometers west-northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, and is moving southwestward at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour. According to Philippines News Agency, no wind signal is currently raised in any part of the country, as reported by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). However, the existing northeasterly windflow is expected to bring strong to gale-force gusts across regions such as Cagayan, including the Babuyan Islands,

Manila: Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez conducted an inspection of Terminal 3 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to assess its readiness for the anticipated surge in passengers during Undas, or All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days. This inspection aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure smooth and comfortable travel for those heading to the provinces. According to Philippines News Agency, Lopez emphasized the airport’s preparedness, noting improvements designed to enhance passenger convenience. He announced that check-in and bag drop processes at the airport would soon become self-service, with implementation expected in the following weeks. Additionally, he