General

Manila: Malaca±ang confirmed on Sunday that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. personally shouldered the hospital bills of the late National Artist for Film Nora Aunor. According to Philippines News Agency, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Senior Undersecretary Ana Puod stated that it was Marcos and the Office of the President, not the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), that settled Aunor’s hospital bill. Puod mentioned that the breakdown and the amount provided by the President would not be disclosed. Aunor, born Nora Villamayor, passed away on April 16 at the age of 71 due to acute respiratory failure following an angioplasty. Known

Vancouver: Several people were killed and others injured when a sports utility vehicle drove into a Filipino celebration, called ‘Lapu Lapu Day Block Party,’ in Vancouver, Canada Saturday night. According to Philippines News Agency, the incident happened shortly after 8 p.m. near East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street. The police have confirmed that the male driver, reportedly 30 years old, is already in custody. The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver expressed its ‘deep concern and sympathies to the victims of the horrific incident at the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party today.’ The consulate urged the community to remain strong and

Manila: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has welcomed the signing of Republic Act No. 12177 by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., which grants free legal assistance to military and uniformed personnel (MUP). “With the enactment of this law, the DILG is confident that police, fire and jail personnel will be able to perform their duties with greater focus and confidence, free from the fear of harassment through baseless or unwarranted cases,” the DILG said in a statement over the weekend. According to Philippines News Agency, RA 12177 mandates the government to shoulder legal fees and provide

Manila: The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Sunday issued a warning against human trafficking syndicates in Cambodia after four Filipinos repatriated from Phnom Penh revealed that they were ‘sold’ by online scam operators. According to Philippines News Agency, the BI said the Filipinos, who are in their 20s and 30s, returned on April 19 through the assistance of the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). This effort aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify the fight against human trafficking and ensure the safety of overseas Filipinos. Initial investigations found that the victims

Manila: Pope Francis was laid to rest on Saturday in Rome, but his teachings and example of leadership remain. On Holy Thursday 2013, Pope Francis bent low to wash and kissed the feet of prisoners, women and Muslims, breaking a long-standing tradition involving 12 Catholic men, often priests. The bold move provided the world a glimpse into the kind of pope he would be for the next 12 years: a servant leader. According to Philippines News Agency, while leadership is often defined by power and prestige, Pope Francis made a transformative difference when it came to governing the Roman Catholic