Day: November 25, 2025

Manila: The acquisition by the Philippine Veterans Bank of a majority stake in UCPB Savings Bank, Inc. has been cleared by the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC). The commission noted that this purchase does not harm competition within the market. According to Philippines News Agency, Veterans Bank has acquired approximately 97.55 percent of UCPB Savings Bank’s total issued shares for PHP2.7 billion. This transaction stems from a share purchase agreement dated July 8, 2025, between Veterans Bank and Land Bank of the Philippines, the ultimate parent entity of UCPB Savings, following its privatization under Memorandum Order No. 28 dated August 6,

Manila: Akari hopes to keep its winning form when it battles Petro Gazz on Wednesday in the PVL Reinforced Conference semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. According to Philippines News Agency, the No. 8 Chargers and No. 5 Angels clash at 4 p.m. with the winner securing the first finals slot. Annie Mitchem is expected to shine again for Akari after finishing with 25 points and 14 excellent receptions in their 28-26, 30-28, 25-21 victory over No. 1 Farm Fresh on Monday. “Everything – from technical adjustments to small information, to feedback – all this came from our training. We

Manila: Senator Sherwin Gatchalian announced a proposed PHP8.6 billion allocation aimed at upgrading infrastructure at state universities and colleges (SUCs) to expand their capacity to admit more qualified students. This initiative is a response to existing capacity issues that have resulted in the denial of admission to at least 168,493 students despite their qualifications. According to Philippines News Agency, Gatchalian emphasized the need for SUCs to focus on increasing their academic capacities, which includes the construction of additional classrooms and facilities. The lawmaker highlighted that the proposed fund would accelerate these infrastructure developments, providing more opportunities for Filipino youth to

Manila: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to open a dedicated contact center and strengthen its workforce as part of ongoing measures to enhance service delivery, reduce processing delays, and improve stakeholder assistance. In an official statement on Tuesday, the agency said the initiatives form part of its broader service reforms and modernization efforts that began under the leadership of Director General Paolo Teston in May. According to Philippines News Agency, the soon-to-be-launched FDA Contact Center will provide the public with faster and more responsive assistance. The facility will streamline communications, address concerns more efficiently, and expand access

Quezon city: A total of 30 Chinese military and coast guard ships were monitored off four Philippine-held features in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official said Tuesday. In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, PN spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, provided details on the sightings. According to Philippines News Agency, as of 5 p.m. on Monday, there were four People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships and eight China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels off Bajo de Masinloc. Additionally, one PLAN ship and six CCG vessels were seen off Ayungin Shoal, while another