Day: December 16, 2025

Pasay city: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced on Tuesday that an estimated 130,000 balikbayan boxes will be returned to their rightful owners before Christmas. During the inauguration of the new facilities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, Marcos stated that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is currently processing the immediate release of around 130 container vans containing balikbayan boxes sent by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) but left unattended for nearly a year. According to Philippines News Agency, the delay occurred because the companies responsible for shipping these boxes to the Philippines failed to pay the necessary fees.

Pasay city: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday welcomed returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and led the distribution of assistance during the 2025 Presidential Pamaskong Salubong at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City. Held ahead of Christmas, the event aims to welcome home OFWs arriving from overseas to spend the holidays with their families and loved ones. According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos, accompanied by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, greeted the returning OFWs and oversaw the distribution of assistance during the activity, which was organized by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in partnership with various

San miguel: A concreted PHP90-million road project, completed this month, was formally turned over to the local officials of San Miguel, Surigao del Sur on Monday. The eight-kilometer road project connects the Barangays of Carromata and Calatngan in San Miguel to market centers in Surigao del Sur. According to Philippines News Agency, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito Galvez, along with Surigao del Sur Governor Johnny Pimentel and San Miguel Mayor Michael Corilla, conducted the project handover. Galvez also led the groundbreaking of another road-concreting project, costing PHP50 million and stretching 12 kilometers,

Rome: For Filipinos around the world, Christmas is more than a holiday-it is a season woven with tradition, community, and the comforting feeling of home. This spirit came alive in Rome as hundreds of Filipinos gathered for the inaugural ‘Paskong Pinoy sa Roma’ on Dec. 14 at Via Trequanda 12 here, an event organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce in Italy (PCCI). According to Philippines News Agency, the festive marketplace transformed the venue into a vibrant Filipino Christmas village, offering a wide selection of goods-from local food favorites and accessories to holiday gift items and artisanal products. Attendees enjoyed

Tokyo: Japan’s last two giant pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, currently residing in Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo, are slated to be returned to China in late January, as announced by the Tokyo metropolitan government. These male-female twin pandas, born at the zoo in 2021, have become the only remaining giant pandas in Japan. According to Philippines News Agency, an agreement between the Tokyo government and the China Wildlife Conservation Association requires the twins to be handed over to China, which retains ownership of all giant pandas globally, by February 2026. The final opportunity for the public to view Xiao Xiao