PhilHealth has P311B in unreleased funds – lawmaker

Inquirer.net - Sep 24, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — About P311 billion in state funding for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) remains unreleased, Bataan Rep. Albert Garcia said Thursday. Garcia revealed this while sponsoring the health sector’s spending plan for 2027 during a congressional budget debate. He said P199.44 billion in obligatory funding from sin tax collections, revenues from the

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Witness: DPWH yet to give Sunwest P14M meant to fix defects

Sep 24, 2026

Witness: DPWH yet to give Sunwest P14M meant to fix defects

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is withholding ₱14 million in retention funds from contractor Sunwest over an allegedly substandard ₱289 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro. The project led to a malversation case against former Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co and nine others. DPWH Finance Division chief Cecilia Vicquerra,

Heavy rains hit South Cotabato lake town due to TS Queenie

Sep 24, 2026

Heavy rains hit South Cotabato lake town due to TS Queenie

LAKE SEBU, South Cotabato — Heavy rains poured over this upland town on Thursday afternoon as Tropical Storm Queenie began affecting weather conditions in parts of Mindanao after entering the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR). The downpour was among the strongest in the area in recent days as Queenie’s trough affected portions of Mindanao, according

Consistent, Luistro says of OVP after COA flags its transactions anew

Sep 24, 2026

Consistent, Luistro says of OVP after COA flags its transactions anew

MANILA, Philippines — It seems that Vice President Sara Duterte’s office has been consistent in getting flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA) for questionable transactions, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said on Thursday. Luistro, along with other lawmakers, was asked in a press briefing about a COA report on the 2025 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Bill fixing term of barangay, SK officials for Marcos’ signature – Gatchalian

Sep 24, 2026

Bill fixing term of barangay, SK officials for Marcos’ signature – Gatchalian

MANILA, Philippines – The bill that fixes the term of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to five years has already been transmitted to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian gave the information on Thursday. The measure – Senate Bill No. 2397 – effectively postpones the upcoming polls in November. The House of

Gatchalian: Villar vote on impeachment rules not a move to join majority

Sep 24, 2026

Gatchalian: Villar vote on impeachment rules not a move to join majority

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said on Thursday that Sen. Mark Villar’s vote to make the voting base to convict Vice President Sara Duterte more flexible does not indicate he is joining the Senate majority. The senator clarified that after Villar, the sole minority bloc member to do so, voted to let the

Pagadian ramps up campus security even after fake online threat

Sep 24, 2026

Pagadian ramps up campus security even after fake online threat

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – The Department of Education (DepEd) Pagadian City Division has ordered a permanent tightening of campus security across the locality following an alleged online threat against local schools.  Dr. Danny Cordova, DepEd Pagadian City Schools Division Superintendent, confirmed that on Wednesday evening, he received a report regarding a threat posted

Gatchalian: Vote on conviction threshold not indicative of final verdict

Sep 24, 2026

Gatchalian: Vote on conviction threshold not indicative of final verdict

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday said the 13-1 vote to overturn the 16-vote conviction threshold does not indicate how senator-judges will vote on whether to convict or acquit Vice President Sara Duterte in her impeachment trial. “No, that’s far off. Because when it comes to the verdict, it’s about the evidence,

CICC apologizes for inconvenience caused by Discord ban

Sep 24, 2026

CICC apologizes for inconvenience caused by Discord ban

The Department of Information and Communications Technology"s (DICT) Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) apologized Thursday for the inconvenience caused by its order that temporarily banned media sharing and messaging platform Discord in the Philippines.

Malaysia eyes Davao coconut shells for energy use

Sep 24, 2026

Malaysia eyes Davao coconut shells for energy use

DAVAO CITY — The Department of Agriculture (DA)–Davao Region has begun discussions with a Malaysian company about potential market opportunities for coconut shells as an alternative energy resource. Through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), DA-Davao Region officials recently met with Borneo New Energy representatives to assess the availability and volume of coconut shells. The

DICT, gov’t cybercrime center confirm Discord ban has been lifted

Sep 24, 2026

DICT, gov’t cybercrime center confirm Discord ban has been lifted

MANILA, Philippines — The ban on Discord was lifted on Thursday, Sept. 24 after its representatives talked with officials of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). CICC is an attached agency of the DICT. DICT chief Henry Aguda and CICC Executive Director Undersecretary Renato “Aboy”

School shootings meant to make gov’t look weak? Pangilinan not surprised

Sep 24, 2026

School shootings meant to make gov’t look weak? Pangilinan not surprised

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis Pangilinan did not discount the possibility that the recent school shootings in the country could be tied to efforts to instill fear and instability and “make the government look weak.” While scrutinizing the Department of Justice’s proposed P46.44-billion budget for 2027 on Thursday, Pangilinan aired his concerns about the series

Matibag: P7B flood projects in Duterte district went to 1 contractor

Sep 24, 2026

Matibag: P7B flood projects in Duterte district went to 1 contractor

MANILA, Philippines — National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag revealed on Thursday that the bureau discovered that P7 billion worth of flood control projects in the first district of Davao City were awarded to a single contractor. “It turned out that the P1.9 billion in projects given to one contractor that we were

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