General

Manila: The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday raised the alarm over a new trafficking scheme where victims were made to pose as missionaries on a church trip. According to Philippines News Agency, Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated that agents from the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) prevented three women, aged 23, 25, and 50, from boarding a Scoot Airlines flight to Singapore that was connecting to Thailand at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on April 1. The women claimed to be full-time church volunteers designated for a missionary mission in Thailand. However, discrepancies in

Kabugao: Government troops on Monday clashed with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Barangay Maragat in Kabugao town, Apayao province, three days after a similar encounter took place in the same village. According to Philippines News Agency, the troops encountered an estimated 20 NPA rebels while conducting follow-up operations at around 10:25 a.m. “These successive encounters clearly demonstrate that the CNTs (Communist NPA Terrorists) are on the retreat and losing ground rapidly,” said Lt. Col. Melchor Balasi, commanding officer of the 98th Infantry Battalion (IB), in a statement. On April 5, troops from 98th IB engaged members of the Regional

Manila: Train operations for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2), and the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) will be halted from April 17 (Maundy Thursday) to April 20 (Easter Sunday) to facilitate annual maintenance activities during the Holy Week break. According to Philippines News Agency, this temporary suspension is part of an essential maintenance program aimed at enhancing the reliability and convenience of services for commuters. Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) president and CEO Enrico Benipayo emphasized the importance of these activities in a statement, noting that all LRT-1 trains will

Ilocos Norte: Ilocos Norte, the “garlic capital” of the Philippines, is set to celebrate this favorite household spice through a two-day festival set later this week. Organized by the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) and the provincial government of Ilocos Norte, the event on April 10 and 11 will feature a culinary festival, creative garlic arrangement showcase, and booth competition. According to Philippines News Agency, the festival, held at the MMSU Student Center in Batac City, will also feature various contests such as largest and best quality garlic, a TikTok Challenge, and a same event edit competition to promote garlic,

Manila: A women’s rights group on Monday sought administrative sanctions from the Supreme Court (SC) against a lawyer running for a congressional post due to remarks he made about single mothers during a campaign event. According to Philippines News Agency, women’s group Gabriela submitted a three-page letter to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and the Justices of the high court. The letter highlighted that Atty. Christian Sia’s conduct, specifically his jokes made on stage at a rally, violated the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA). These violations include prohibitions against gender-based harassment and the requirement for lawyers to maintain dignified