General

Antique: The observance of Holy Week in Antique was generally peaceful despite several incidents monitored from April 17 to 20. The Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported one death by drowning, one fire, and four vehicular accidents. According to Philippines News Agency, the drowning incident occurred in the Municipality of Sebaste. A 40-year-old male, reportedly intoxicated, went swimming with friends at Aras-asan Dam in Barangay Aras-asan on April 17. His friends found his body submerged in a deeper portion of the dam and attempted to rescue him. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead on arrival at Sebaste

Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reported that approximately 80,000 Filipinos residing overseas have enrolled for online voting in anticipation of the midterm elections scheduled for May. This enrollment is part of the ongoing efforts to ensure participation from the 1.241 million registered overseas voters. According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia expressed the hope that there would be a 50-percent voter turnout, equating to about 600,000 overseas voters. He noted that some voters have already cast their votes using automated counting machines in 16 different posts. “We can’t say the exact number but the results are

Manila: The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Monday reminded Filipinos anew of the in-patient benefits for heat-related illnesses in accredited hospitals nationwide. According to Philippines News Agency, PhilHealth emphasized that Filipinos are at risk for heat-related illnesses as summer officially started on April 16, as per the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. The Department of Health (DOH) reported 77 cases of such illnesses from January 1 to April 29, 2024, with seven resulting in fatalities. The benefit packages for common summer illnesses include coverage amounts such as PHP12,675 for conditions like heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat collapse,

Bangkok: Filipino FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca settled for a draw with Indian Grandmaster Surya Shekhar Ganguly in Round 8 of the 22nd Bangkok Chess Club Open at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Riverside Hotel in Thailand last Sunday. Arca, playing the white pieces, split the point with Ganguly after 43 moves of the Catalan Opening, gaining 6.0 points and securing his third and final International Master (IM) norm. According to Philippines News Agency, Arca is tied for sixth place with eight others, including his final round opponent, British GM Nigel Short, a former World Championship challenger. The 16-year-old from

Manila: The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Western Visayas (BJMP-6) has reiterated its strict policies against illegal drugs and contrabands after a sachet of shabu was intercepted from a female visitor at Victorias City Jail in Negros Occidental on Sunday. ‘We will continue to strengthen our measures and policies in detecting and confiscating illegal contrabands in order to prevent its entry inside our jails,’ BJMP-6 Regional Director Chief Supt. Simeon Dolojo Sr. said in a statement on Monday. According to Philippines News Agency, the BJMP-6 reported that a female visitor attempted to smuggle a heat-sealed plastic sachet of shabu inside