Day: December 15, 2025

Manila: The Philippine National Police (PNP) has stepped up its campaign against the illegal manufacture and online sale of prohibited firecrackers to prevent injuries and fatalities during the holiday revelries. According to Philippines News Agency, at a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday, Col. Rex Buyucan, chief of the Explosive Management Division of the Firearms and Explosives Office, said the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group has intensified cyber-patrolling to track down sellers of banned firecrackers on various online platforms. Buyucan mentioned that several arrests have already been made in recent weeks as part of the operation. He added that law enforcement

Bangkok: Gilas Pilipinas survived the upset axe wielded by a vastly-improved Vietnam side, scoring a 78-67 win to secure a semifinals berth in the men’s basketball competition of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Monday here. According to Philippines News Agency, Robert Bolick scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, highlighted by back-to-back triples, that helped Gilas create separation from the pesky Vietnamese side and seal top spot in Group A with a 2-0 record at the Nimibutr Stadium. “It was a hard-earned win,” coach Norman Black, whose charges rallied from a 14-point deficit in the second

Dumaguete: Metro Dumaguete Water is making strides in sustainable water management by implementing projects to enhance both the supply and quality of water in the city. A significant development includes the inauguration of a new pumping station capable of delivering an additional 3 million liters of water daily. According to Philippines News Agency, MDW information officer Katrin Arcala announced that the company inaugurated its 22nd pumping station this year in Barangay Talay. This new infrastructure is set to benefit approximately 3,000 households by boosting the overall water supply in the area. Arcala emphasized that the new facility would augment the

Iloilo city: Iloilo City shared best practices on its anti-smoking campaign in a recent conference in Bangkok, Thailand. The event, titled ‘Strengthening Smoke-free Cities in Thailand: Learning from Philippines’ Success,’ took place on December 1-2 and served as a platform for local chief executives, law enforcement officers, and smoke-free coordinators of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to gain insights into effective smoke-free legislation from Iloilo City. According to Philippines News Agency, Councilor Alan Zaldivar, chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) Committee on Health, attended the conference alongside Task Force Anti-Smoking Executive Director I±igo Garingalao. They were invited by the Action

Chonburi: Elreen Ando secured the Philippines’ first gold medal in weightlifting at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games held at the Chonburi Sports School. The 27-year-old athlete dominated the women’s 63kg category, lifting a total of 229 kilograms, with 98 kilograms in the snatch and 127 kilograms in the clean and jerk. This victory marks Ando’s second SEA Games gold, following her 2023 triumph in Cambodia in the 59kg category. According to Philippines News Agency, Ando’s gold medal came as a relief to the Philippine weightlifting team, which had only managed a silver through Albert Delos Santos in the men’s 71kg