Category: General

MANILA: The House of Representatives on Wednesday night approved on the third and final reading the proposed PHP6.352-trillion national budget for 2025. With 285 affirmative votes, 3 negative votes and zero abstention, the chamber approved House Bill 10800 or the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB). The bill was approved on second and third reading on the same day after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. certified it as urgent. Marcos, in his letter, sent Tuesday to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Senate President Francis Escudero, urged lawmakers to fast-track the passage of the 2025 GAB ‘to ensure the uninterrupted operation

MANILA: The Colegio de San Juan de Letran defeated Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), 75-73, Wednesday to gain a share of second place in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 100 men’s basketball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan. Kevin Santos had 17 points, six blocks, five rebounds, and one steal as the Knights joined the University of Perpetual Help Altas in second place at 4-2, behind the College of Saint Benilde Blazers (4-1). Vince Cuajao contributed 14 points, including three triples, to go with three assists, two rebounds, and one steal while Sherick Estrada added 11

SHAH ALAM, The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) has ordered eight private Islamic religious schools identified as having connections with GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) to close. The eight premises are Sekolah Menengah (SM) Islam Global Ikhwan (Banat), Sekolah Rendah Islam (SRI) Yaqutul Fuad and SRI Integrasi Bustanul Ikhwani in Rawang, SRI Integrasi Qurratul Ain and Maahad Tahfiz Wal Ulum Al Ghazaly in Sepang, SRI Miftahul Hikmah in Klang, SM Islam Zadut Taqwa 2 in Puchong and SM Islam Zadut Taqwa 1 in Shah Alam. Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said in a

KUCHING, Selangor para-athlete Ikmal Fathillah Abu Arqam was badly traumatised after being ridiculed and called blind and disabled during his schooling days. But it was those very taunts that spurred him to show his mettle as he ended his 2024 Malaysia Para Games (Para SUKMA) campaign with three gold medals, including in today’s men’s 200-metres (m) T13 (visual impairment) category. Despite the downpour at the Sarawak Stadium, the 20-year-old ran the race of his life to cross the finish line in 23.75 seconds (s), with Terengganu’s Ainur Haikal Danial Bahrudin (24.97s) taking silver and Sarawak’s Flexcyvius Michael Kete Bakar (25.33s)

KUALA LUMPUR, Once thought to primarily affect the elderly, hypertension is increasingly becoming a serious issue among younger Malaysians, particularly those under the age of 40, according to a medical expert. Consultant General Physician (Internal Medicine) at the Wellness Centre, Sunway Medical Centre in Sunway City, Dr Jolene See Su Chen, urged Malaysians not to dismiss this concerning trend. She explained that this shift was due to a complex interplay of genetic predisposition, lifestyle factors and dietary habits, dispelling the myth that hypertension is only a concern for the elderly. ‘This misconception is dangerous. Many younger people believe they are