Day: December 18, 2025

Bangkok: Defending champion Gilas Pilipinas forced Indonesia to miss on a last-gasp three-point try at the buzzer to score a hard-earned 71-68 victory in the semifinal and reach the Big Dance of the men’s basketball tournament Thursday at the Nimibutr Stadium here. According to Philippines News Agency, the nationals led by as much as 16 (70-54) with under four minutes to go, but allowed the Indonesians to stage one big fightback that threatened the team’s bid to repeat in this year’s edition of the biennial meet. Thirdy Ravena showed the way for Gilas with 16 points, six rebounds and two

Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced Thursday the court’s issuance of arrest warrants against contractor Cezara Rowena ‘Sarah’ Discaya and nine other individuals linked to the PHP96.5-million ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental. Marcos said the accused, including several officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), are facing graft and malversation charges, which are non-bailable. According to Philippines News Agency, the Office of the Ombudsman has recommended the filing of malversation through falsification and violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for their involvement in the ghost

Manila: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday announced its ongoing efforts to collect feedback from capital market participants on proposed policies concerning a cyber resilience framework. This initiative aligns with the government’s aim to safeguard investors and ensure the stability of financial markets. According to Philippines News Agency, the SEC released a draft memorandum for public comment on Wednesday. The proposal is part of the National Cybersecurity Plan 2023 to 2028, underscoring the importance of cybersecurity in maintaining peace, security, and economic growth. The SEC detailed that the new framework would require regulated firms to define their cyber

Manila: Telecommunications company (telco) PLDT has announced a decline in cable and telco equipment theft throughout most of 2025, attributing the decrease to enhanced partnerships with local government units (LGUs), police, and communities nationwide. According to Philippines News Agency, PLDT and its wireless subsidiary, Smart (PLDT-Smart), have emphasized their collaboration with barangays through the intensified rollout of the asset protection project known as ‘Bayanihan.’ This initiative has seen PLDT-Smart’s Asset Protection and Security Governance (APSRG) group engage in collaboration sessions with barangays in various cities, including Makati, Dagupan, Davao City, Liloan, Calamba, General Santos, Quezon City, Rodriguez in Rizal, Pasay,

Baguio city: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) will open satellite offices in Abra, Kalinga, and Apayao to improve access to services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), particularly those belonging to Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities. According to Philippines News Agency, DMW-CAR Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Cheryl Daytec stated in a phone interview that the agency has documented about 36,000 OFWs from the Cordillera. Daytec believes that the number may be higher, as nearly every household in the provinces has at least one family member who is an OFW. ‘We have recorded 36,000 OFWs, but we