Day: October 23, 2025

Manila: Senator Francis Escudero emphasized on Thursday the need for local government units (LGUs) to play a more significant role in identifying infrastructure projects within their jurisdictions. This, he argues, would ensure that public funds are allocated to beneficial programs that genuinely serve the community’s needs. According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero suggested that this approach should be integral to the preparation of the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and subsequent national budgets. He pointed out that recent issues with substandard and ‘ghost’ flood control projects highlight the pressing need for meaningful reforms in the government’s infrastructure planning and budgeting

Cotabato city: Police authorities in the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) arrested 127 wanted persons and law offenders during a 20-day law enforcement operation across the region, a police official said Thursday. According to Philippines News Agency, Brig. Gen. Jaysen de Guzman, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRP-BAR), said police units across the region conducted 190 operations from Oct. 1 to 20, arresting individuals involved in crimes. Various illegal items were recovered during the operations, including firearms, explosives, illegal drugs, smuggled goods, and stolen vehicles, among others, worth over PHP12.4 million, he said in a statement.

North cotabato: The military has dispatched a significant contingent to the Special Geographic Area of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (SGA-BARMM) in North Cotabato to intervene in a violent conflict between two Moro families. The feud, which has been ongoing since Wednesday, resulted in one casualty. According to Philippines News Agency, Lt. Col. Erwin Jay Dumaghan, commander of the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion (40IB), announced that a company-sized unit is now stationed in the village of Barongis, Ligawasan town in the SGA. The conflict concerns a long-standing territorial dispute between the family of Mackly Adam and Taib Sampulna,

Manila: The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) has taken decisive action against Arwind Santos, suspending him indefinitely following an on-court altercation. The incident occurred during a playoff game between the Basilan and GenSan teams in the South Division quarterfinals. According to Philippines News Agency, the league imposed a PHP100,000 fine on the Portmasters’ star forward after he struck Tonton Bringas in the face during the game. The altercation happened at the Malolos Convention Center during the fourth quarter. Both players were vying for position when Santos, displeased with Bringas’ nudge, retaliated with a hit that resulted in his immediate ejection

Batanes: Gale-force winds and heavy rains are forecast across Batanes, now under tropical cyclone wind signal no. 2, the weather bureau said in its 5 a.m. bulletin on Thursday. Tropical Storm Salome was last tracked over the coastal waters of Sabtang, Batanes. It is moving south-southwest at 20 kph, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said. According to Philippines News Agency, the cyclone packs maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph. Strong winds will prevail in areas under signal no. 1: western portion of Babuyan Islands (Calayan Is.,