🇵🇭 Philippines

Latest Dispatches

• Ombudsman orders Cebu City mayor to pay fine for night market lapses — The Office of the Ombudsman has found Cebu City Mayor Nestor Dionson Archival Sr. administratively liable for simple neglect of duty and ordered him to pay a fine equivalent to one month's basic salary over operational lapses at the 2025 Colon Street Night Market.
• Consumer advocates push penalties for power firms over Visayas blackouts — A consumer rights group has thrown its support behind calls to impose sanctions on electricity providers responsible for frequent and extended power outages affecting the Visayas region. The move comes as frustration mounts over service reliability in the grid.
• PCSO lotto jackpots remain unclaimed after Wednesday draws — No winning tickets were sold in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office draws on October 28, leaving the Grand Lotto 6/55 jackpot of ₱312.1 million and the Mega Lotto 6/45 prize of ₱15 million unclaimed.
• Witness Calls Estrada 'Friend' During Plunder Case Bail Hearing — State witness Roberto Bernardo testified Wednesday that he considers Senator Jinggoy Estrada a friend, even as he provided testimony in the senator's plunder bail hearing before the Sandiganbayan.
• Caguioa proposes data-driven court efficiency plan in CJ bid — Supreme Court Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa has unveiled a high-performance court initiative aimed at strengthening trial court operations through management analytics rather than judge-to-judge performance rankings. The proposal was presented to the Judicial and Bar Council as Caguioa pursues the chief justice position.
• De Lima backs bill to decriminalize libel, protect press freedom — A Liberal party-list representative announced plans to file legislation decriminalizing libel charges, citing concerns that such laws are being weaponized against journalists. The proposed measure aims to safeguard press freedom and prevent legal harassment of media practitioners.
• Farmers' group pushes to dismiss cyber libel case vs ex-agriculture chief — The Federation of Free Farmers has called for the dismissal of a cyber libel suit filed against former Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Montemayor, arguing his statements about rice imports deserve protection as legitimate advocacy.
• Manila Water ramps up North Luzon water supply amid El Niño concerns — Manila Water Philippine Ventures is bolstering water supply infrastructure across North Luzon as the state weather bureau warns of potential dry conditions. The utility's operating units in Pangasinan and Isabela are implementing proactive measures to ensure resilience during the El Niño season.
• Estrada sought help securing P1B leadership fund, witness tells court — A former Department of Public Works and Highways official testified before the Sandiganbayan that Senator Jinggoy Estrada approached him first regarding an alleged P1 billion allocation. The revelation came as state witness Roberto Bernardo took the stand before the anti-graft court's Fifth Division.
• Bukidnon town sees revenue surge as ecotourism transforms BuDa corridor — Tax collections in Kitaotao have tripled over the past decade as ecotourism development accelerates along the Bukidnon-Davao highway. Local officials credit the growth corridor with driving economic expansion in the southern Bukidnon municipality.
• Muslim SC Justice Dimaampao Seeks Inclusive Judiciary in Chief Justice Bid — Supreme Court Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao vowed to expand equal access to justice and promote a more compassionate judiciary system during his candidacy interview before the Judicial and Bar Council. As the second Muslim appointed to the nation's highest court, Dimaampao is among five contenders seeking to succeed retiring Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo.
• Education chief visits Manila school with perfect safety record — Education Secretary Sonny Angara toured Lakan Dula High School in Tondo on Wednesday to examine its zero-incident safety practices. The inspection is part of a broader Department of Education initiative to strengthen safety protocols nationwide.