Start strong and finish wellSomeone reminded me we’re just days away from another New Year. Those rallies always emphasize the same idea: Start strong, finish well. There are things more important than income and assets if you want to finish strong and finish well. Start strong. May the coming year find you not just busier, but wiser, deeper, and closer to the finish line that truly matters.

The Department of Public Works and Highways began the rehabilitation of EDSA on Christmas Eve, starting at 11 p.m. on Wednesday, as the department advised motorists “to use other roads to avoid getting caught in possible slow-moving traffic.” Portions of the innermost lanes of EDSA reserved for the EDSA Bus Carousel, particularly near Roxas Boulevard, have been excavated, according to radio and television reports. The concrete barriers used for the busway were moved to the next lane.

PAGASA: Fair to cloudy weather aheadCloudy skies with chances of rainshowers and/or thunderstorms can be expected over Legazpi City in Albay and Zamboanga City on Rizal Day and in Puerto Princesa City and the Kalayaan Island Group on Dec. 31. MANILA, Philippines — Key areas in the country may mark Rizal Day and the end of the year with cloudy weather and thunderstorms, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). Cloudy skies with chances of rainshowers and/or thunderstorms can be expected over Legazpi City in Albay and Zamboanga City on Rizal Day and in Puerto Princesa City and the Kalayaan Island Group on Dec. 31. Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, Laoag City in Ilocos Norte, Baguio City and the Clark Zone may experience “partly cloudy to at times cloudy (skies) with rainshower” on both Rizal Day and the end of the year. Meanwhile, fair to cloudy weather with chances of rain may prevail over other areas, including Metro Manila.

P20 per kilo rice extended to lower middle classDepartment of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and officials from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) launch the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” project at the Manila Harbour Centre in Vitas, Tondo, Manila on June 13, 2025. MANILA, Philippines — The government is set to expand the availability of the P20 per kilo rice to an estimated 15.6 million lower middle class households by January. He said qualified households may also be required to register in the centralized masterlist of the cheaper rice program. Presently, the P20 per kilo rice is available in all 82 provinces in the country through around 450 “Kadiwa ng Pangulo” centers set up in select NFA warehouses and local government units. With an estimated 2.2 million to 2.9 million bags of milled rice currently available, the expanded P20 per kilo rice program would be able to distribute a million bags monthly, Lacson said.

MANILA, Philippines — In a criminal case, how can an individual be proven as the account owner/holder of a social media account? It explained that for crimes committed through social media platforms, such as Facebook, the basic features of the platform must be considered. Once created, the user can add friends, exchange private messages and post statements, photos or videos visible to others, depending on the user’s privacy settings. To prove the ownership or control of a social media account, the SC enumerated several parameters. The SC said the Facebook post also contained statements XXX was expected to know, such as AAA’s nickname and the fact that he had been blocked by her.

BSP warns of wider BOP deficit in 2026Amid global headwindsMANILA, Philippines — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects the country’s balance of payments (BOP) deficit to widen in 2026 as external headwinds persist, prompting a downward revision in its latest quarterly forecasts. In a statement, the BSP said the country’s BOP position is projected to post a deficit of $5.9 billion in 2026, equivalent to 1.2 percent of gross domestic product, wider than the $3.4-billion deficit or 0.6 percent of GDP projected in the previous quarter. This keeps the trade balance under pressure and contributes to the wider external gap. Services exports are now seen at $54.7 billion in 2026, slightly lower than earlier expectations, while services imports are unchanged at $42.3 billion. The current account deficit is projected at $15.3 billion in 2026, or three percent of GDP, wider than the $15.5 billion or 2.9 percent of GDP previously projected.

Banks told to align retail payments with global standardsBusinesses are expected to benefit from the implementation of ISO 20022, as this promotes more accurate invoice reconciliation and smoother cross-border integration. MANILA, Philippines — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is now requiring all retail payment systems in the country to adopt ISO 20022, a global standard designed to make domestic and cross-border retail payments more seamless, efficient and secure. The BSP issued Circular 1223 to harmonize local retail payment systems with international standards set by the Bank for International Settlements–Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures. With the issuance of the circular, all industry players are now required to consistently apply the global standard in their retail payment operations. The circular also aligns with the G20’s objectives to improve the affordability, speed and transparency of remittances as well as domestic and cross-border retail payments.

A humanoid robot Tiangong by Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics Co, moves an orange as a demonstration at its company, during an organised media tour to Beijing Robotics Industrial Park, in Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as Beijing E-Town, China May 16, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo

Thailand and Cambodia halt fierce border conflict with second ceasefireCambodia's Defence Minister Tea Seiha and Thailand's Defence Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit pose with documents during a special General Border Committee (GBC) meeting at a border checkpoint, in Chanthaburi province, Thailand, December 27, 2025. Agence Kampuchea Press/Handout via REUTERS

SLEX, STAR toll rates set to increase starting Jan. 1, 2026Motorists enter and exit the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) through the Nichols toll gate in Pasay City on Dec. 27, 2025. MANILA, Philippines — Motorists traveling on the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway will see higher toll fees starting Jan. 1, 2026, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) announced Friday, December 26. The toll hikes cover both Class 1, 2, and 3 vehicles across key sections of SLEX and STAR Tollway. For SLEX, the new toll rates are as follows:Alabang to CalambaClass 1 – P126 (up P10)Class 2 – P253 (up P21)Class 3 – P379 (up P31)Calamba to Sto. TomasClass 1 – P34 (up P3)Class 2 – P68 (up P5)Class 3 – P102 (up P8)Meanwhile, STAR Tollway users will also face increases:Sto.

Filipino tech pioneer Dado Banatao dies at 79ALBAY, Philippines — Diosdado “Dado” Banatao, one of the most influential Filipino engineers in Silicon Valley and a pioneer in microchip and computer technology, passed away on December 25 in Stanford, California. Banatao’s family confirmed that he died due to "complications from a neurological disorder that developed later in his life." Born in Iguig, Cagayan, Banatao rose from humble beginnings as the son of a rice farmer and a housekeeper. He established the Philippine Development Foundation (PhilDev), a non-profit organization that provides scholarships, mentorship and training programs to young Filipinos pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). He also received numerous honors, including the Pamana ng Filipino Award in 1997, the Asian Leadership Award in 1993 and the Ramon V. del Rosario Award in 2018.

Attention, commuters: Metro Rail Transit Line 3 and Light Rail Transit Line 2 will offer free rides on Tuesday, Dec. 30, in commemoration of Rizal Day. In commemoration of Jose Rizal's heroism and martyrdom, MRT-3 and LRT-2 will treat commuters to free rides during peak hours from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., and in the afternoon to early evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.For LRT-2 commuters, note that the first trip from Recto to Antipolo Station departs at 5:00 a.m. The last trip leaves Antipolo Station at 10:00 p.m., while the final trip from Recto Station departs at 10:30 p.m.To celebrate the holiday season, the Department of Transportation offered 12 days of free train rides on the LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 lines. Rizal Day has been declared a regular holiday by Malacañang. The day commemorates the death anniversary of the national hero, who was executed at Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park) after voicing his dissent against corruption and injustices under the Spanish colonial rule.

The Toll Regulatory Board has approved a toll rate adjustment for SLEX and STAR Tollway effective January 1, 2026. This increase is intended to fund ongoing maintenance and infrastructure improvements across the expressway. For the Alabang-Calamba stretch, rates are now P126, P253, and P379 for Classes 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Additionally, you no longer need to have multiple RFID accounts for different tollways with the newly introduced unified RFID system. This is a true Filipino spirit—one of unity, bayanihan and pakikipagkapwa."

The Department of Justice has dismissed the perjury charges filed by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada against former Department of Public Works and Highways district engineer Brice Hernandez due to a lack of evidence. Estrada filed a perjury complaint against Hernandez in October, accusing the latter of making false statements under oath and deliberately making up lies to harm his name and reputation. This came after Hernandez named Estrada and Joel Villanueva as senators who were involved in a kickback scheme in the anomalous flood control projects. The prosecutor said the Supreme Court requires the complainant to prove both that the statement was false and that the defendant knew it was untrue. It added that “these contradictory statements alone are insufficient to establish perjury without independent, corroborative evidence of which specific statement was deliberately false."

Former NCT member Taeil has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison after he was found guilty of sexual assault. South Korea's Supreme Court on Friday finalized a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Taeil and his associates, Lee and Hong, after dismissing their appeal in a special quasi-rape case. The charges came from the incident in June 2024 when Taeil and his accomplices sexually assaulted an intoxicated foreign woman in Lee's residence while she was unconscious. Taeil debuted with NCT in April 2016 and was part of sub-units NCT U and NCT 127. In October 2024, SM Entertainment terminated its contract with Taeil amid sexual assault allegations.