Day: December 18, 2025

Manila: The Peninsula Manila and Nay Palad Hideaway have been listed in Cond© Nast Traveler’s 2026 Gold List of the world’s best hotels and resorts. This marks the first time The Peninsula Manila, a 5-star hotel located in Makati City, has received this prestigious international accolade, which is considered one of the most respected editorial honors in the realm of global luxury travel. According to Philippines News Agency, this recognition underscores the hotel’s legacy of elegance, history, and hospitality that has made it an integral part of Manila’s cultural and social fabric for nearly five decades. Kevin Tsang, Managing Director

Iloilo city: A university professor from this city enjoined Ilonggos to honor reformist and national hero Graciano Lopez Jaena by ‘seeking truth in an age of misinformation.’ Prof. Joyce Christine Colon of the West Visayas State University walked through the life and works of the Ilonggo hero in her speech during the commemoration of the 169th birth anniversary of the Ilonggo hero on Thursday at the Graciano Lopez Jaena Park in the Jaro district. According to Philippines News Agency, Colon emphasized the importance of rediscovering Lopez Jaena’s contributions. “Beyond the names, accolades and the yearly tradition of wreath laying in

Manila: Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Thursday welcomed the safeguards and transparency measures embedded in the proposed 2026 national budget but cautioned that vigilance must continue even after its ratification to prevent abuse of public funds. According to Philippines News Agency, Lacson said the safeguards were secured through the efforts of the Senate panel in the bicameral conference committee, led by Senate Committee on Finance chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian, which pushed for accountability measures amid criticisms and misinformation. Lacson expressed his support for the Senate panel, acknowledging their efforts in ensuring accountability. “Amid all the disinformation and unreasonable criticisms,

Alcala: The municipal government of this town officially adopted the Paleng-QR Ph Plus digital payment platform in its public market and public transportation on Thursday. According to Philippines News Agency, Mayor Manuel Collado expressed that the implementation of the digital payment system is a convenient solution for both consumers and sellers. It allows individuals to make purchases even if they are not physically present in the market. Although not all vendors will be covered immediately, a substantial number is expected to be included by February. The success of this initiative is expected to be facilitated by the cooperation of market

Manila: The bicameral conference committee has successfully realized PHP20.7 billion in savings from the PHP529.6-billion 2026 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) following the application of updated construction cost adjustments across thousands of infrastructure projects, Senate Committee on Finance Chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian announced early Thursday. According to Philippines News Agency, the majority of the savings have been redirected to address a funding shortfall in the national government’s contributions to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). The required remittance for 2026 stands at PHP69.7 billion, but only PHP53.2 billion was initially provided, leaving a gap of approximately