Day: November 4, 2025

Manila: The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will invite a ‘very important witness’ whose testimony could complete the chain of evidence and lead to possible prosecution and conviction in the ongoing probe into alleged fund irregularities, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson said Tuesday. Speaking at the Kapihan sa Senado forum, Lacson, who confirmed he is set to return as the panel’s chairperson, said the witness is finalizing an affidavit supported by ledgers, digital files and other records. According to Philippines News Agency, Lacson emphasized that the witness’s information could wrap up everything necessary for prosecution and conviction. The witness,

Manila: The low pressure area (LPA) that has been monitored south of Guam has developed into a tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported Tuesday. While positioned over the Philippine Sea, the tropical depression is expected to gain strength, potentially escalating to a typhoon by Thursday and reaching super typhoon status over the weekend. According to Philippines News Agency, PAGASA has estimated the center of the tropical depression to be 1,985 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao, with coordinates at 9.9°N, 143.6°E. The system carries maximum sustained winds of

Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas deployed on Tuesday its mobile command center (MCC) to Southern Leyte as part of its response operations for Typhoon Tino. According to Philippines News Agency, the MCC is among the DSWD’s key communication assets equipped with a generator, wireless radio and other communication tools, as stated by DSWD Eastern Visayas Regional Director Grace Subong. Its deployment aims to strengthen communication capabilities in the province and speed up the collection of critical information, such as the number of affected families and the immediate relief needs in the area. The

Manila: The Philippines is on track to achieve a record-breaking harvest of palay (unhusked rice) totaling 20.2 million metric tons (MT) by the end of 2025, as announced by the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday. This anticipated production would surpass the previous record of 20.06 million MT set in 2023. According to Philippines News Agency, DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa, during a Palace press briefing, highlighted that even with conservative estimates, the country is poised to achieve another record harvest this year. The forecasted volume already considers the impacts of multiple weather disturbances, with around 7.5 million

Manila: Filipino Ruelle Canino achieved a significant victory over sixth seed Woman International Master Bach Ngoc Thuy from Vietnam in the second round of the 6th ASEAN Individual Chess Championships-Gov. Henry Oaminal Cup. The event took place at the Misamis Occidental Resort and Aquamarine Park. According to Philippines News Agency, Canino, a 17-year-old Woman FIDE Master from Cagayan de Oro, now shares the lead with Indian IM V S Raahul, Vietnamese GM Tran Tuan Minh, and Indonesian FM Fabian Glen Mariano. The tournament spans nine rounds, with the ultimate winner receiving an outright Women Grandmaster (WGM) title. Currently the reigning

Tacloban: The Police Regional Office (PRO) 8 in Eastern Visayas has mobilized at least 3,400 personnel across the region to ensure public safety and support ongoing disaster response operations amid the onslaught of Typhoon Tino. As of Tuesday morning, PRO-8 reported that 1,450 police and 1,953 Regional Special Support Force personnel have been deployed throughout the region’s provinces and cities to conduct disaster response, security operations, and evacuation assistance. According to Philippines News Agency, 465 personnel were stationed in evacuation centers, 157 were assigned to secure vital installations, and 176 were designated as search, rescue, and retrieval operatives. To ensure