CATEGORIES

2 Firms Bag Manila's P842.7-M Garbage Collection Deal

The Manila city government has awarded contracts for garbage collection and disposal worth P842.7 million to two companies, with the expectation that they will perform better than the previous contractor.

Holiday Road Accidents Rise to 457 - DOH

Road traffic accidents this holiday season increased to 457 with five fatalities, according to the Department of Health.

P500 Wage Hike for MM Kasambahay Starts Jan. 4

Household helpers or \"kasambahay\" in Metro Manila will receive an increase of P500 in their monthly salary beginning Jan. 4, 2025.

Quiapo Church releases 10-day schedule for Nazarene feast

A two-hour Walk of Thanksgiving kicked off the 10-day activities set by the Quiapo Church for the Feast of the Black Nazarene, which will culminate in the annual traslacion on Jan. 9, 2025.

BuCor: 1,000 More Inmates Freed

Up to 1,000 inmates from penal facilities across the country have been released by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) since Nov. 26, allowing them to spend the holiday season with their families.

PNP Logs 15 Cases of Indiscriminate Firing

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded 15 incidents of indiscriminate discharge of firearms nationwide ahead of the New Year revelry.

Vegetable prices remain high amid holiday demand

Retail prices of vegetables remained high amid the increase in demand during the holidays and the lingering effect of successive typhoons in the country.

Groups assail BBM over scrapped PhilHealth subsidy

Labor and militant groups have denounced President Marcos' failure to restore the scrapped subsidy for Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) in the enacted P6.326-trillion national budget for 2025.

Pump prices down on New Year's Eve

Fuel prices are poised to go down today, snapping five straight weeks of increase for gasoline and a two-week uptrend for diesel and kerosene.

Phl needs P22 B for 2026 Asean summit - Palace

The Philippines needs P22 billion to prepare for its hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in 2026, Malacañang said yesterday.

National Museum Puts Rizal's P31-M Sculpture on Display

A clay sculpture made by national hero Dr. Jose Rizal of his sleeping wife Josephine Bracken was put on public display yesterday at the National Museum of Fine Arts for the first time as part of the commemoration of the 128th anniversary of his martyrdom.

DOH records 163 firecracker injuries before New Year's Eve

Two days before the New Year's Eve celebration, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 163 firecracker-related injuries all over the country.

Year of the fugitives, falling out

Almost drowned out by all the political noise and dangerous maneuvers in the high seas was the landslide that killed around a hundred people in the small mining town of Maco, Davao de Oro in early February.

Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, dies at 100

Jimmy Carter, the 100-year-old former US president and Nobel peace laureate who rose from humble beginnings in rural Georgia to lead the nation from 1977 to 1981, has died, his non-profit foundation said on Sunday.

8 Party-List Groups Shine in Mock Polls

Filipinos are inclined to support incumbent party-lists based on the latest voter preference polls conducted by the OCTA Research group and Social Weather Stations (SWS).

Pinoys urged: Be catalysts of change

On the commemoration of the 128th anniversary of Jose Rizal's execution yesterday, President Marcos called on Filipinos to continue to be \"catalysts of change\" and to \"stand firm\" in the face of obstacles.

BBM, Sara trust ratings decline further - SWS

More than two years after a landslide victory in the 2022 elections, the erstwhile tandem of President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte will end 2024 with a significant decline in their trust ratings.

Marcos signs P6.3-T budget, vetoes P194 B

AKAP fund, zero PhilHealth subsidy retained

Pagasa: Expect rainy New Year

Three weather systems will bring rains in many parts of the country this New Year's Eve and on Jan. 1, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.

TRAINS, BOATS, PLANES AND BUSES: THE LAKARAN LECTURE SERIES TOURS ITALY

\"You wouldn't think it,\" a Filipina OFW named Alice tells us, referring to her modest attire while holding a mic in a Napoli church hall, \"but I was earning P200,000 a day. But I wasn't showy about it; I would just hide all this money away.\"

Welcome to Isla Pambata

Museo Pambata, the Philippines' first children's museum, proudly celebrated its 30th anniversary, reopening its doors on Dec. 6 with a reimagined, interactive space designed to inspire, educate and spark the imagination of all who visit.

'Somewhere in France' exhibit at Alliance Française de Manille

The Alliance Française de Manille is honored to present \"Somewhere in France,\" an exhibition that showcases the remarkable artistic journey of renowned Filipino artist Manuel Baldemor.

How Mike Tuviera Came Up With a Provocative Winner of a Film

Be warned: in this article, I will gush about the Metro Manila Film Festival 2024 entry \"The Kingdom,\" which was directed and co-produced by my brother-in-law, Mike Tuviera, who is married to my bunso sister Penny.

Dennis Trillo donates 50th MMFF Best Actor winnings to PDLs

Dennis Trillo has decided to donate his winnings from being named Best Actor at the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), who served as the inspiration for the prison drama \"Green Bones.\"

'THE KINGDOM' INTRODUCES A FILIPINO NATION NEVER COLONIZED

ALL THOSE WHO HAVE WATCHED \"THE KINGDOM\" will agree that it deserves the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award at the recent Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Gabi ng Parangal.

Cebu Pacific bringing in 7 jets this year

Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific is far from being done with its short-term expansion, as the airline plans to add seven aircraft to its fleet in 2025 to keep up with demand.

Embracing AI

As we close 2024 and move forward to 2025, I have become more anxious about embracing artificial intelligence (AI), fearful as with all other technological advancements, that I will become so dependent on it that even in writing my column I may fall into the habit of using AI, especially when my muse eludes me or when I become too lazy to do my own research.

BDO, Asia's Premier Banks Release New Report to Support Climate Transition

BDO Unibank Inc. (BDO), along with leading Asian banks, has published the Asia Transition Finance Annual Report 2024 to help Asian economies achieve a \"just and orderly transition\" toward a more sustainable future.

SEC Issues Draft Rules on PHL Green Equity

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a framework for green equity offerings to provide companies with greater visibility of their activities that make substantial contribution to an environmental objective.

Doing housing right

Just got back from spending the Christmas holidays with my son and his family in Singapore.