Housing prices post weakest growth in Q3Data from the BSP’s Residential Property Price Index (RPPI) showed nationwide housing prices rose by just 1.9 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, a steep slowdown from the 7.5 percent increase recorded in the previous quarter. MANILA, Philippines — Residential property prices in the Philippines posted their slowest annual growth on record as broad-based price gains cooled sharply in the third quarter, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. By location, the National Capital Region continued to support overall price growth, with residential prices in the NCR rising by 2.3 percent year-on-year in the third quarter. In AONCR, residential property prices in more urbanized areas still posted annual increases, but growth rates eased across all regions. Despite softer price growth, housing loan activity strengthened during the quarter.

We end and start the year with hopeWhen the late Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica inside Vatican on Dec. 24, 2024, it heralded the Jubilee of Hope, a tradition celebrated every 25 years by the Catholic church. They are fountains of hope – stories that are worth telling repeatedly. We traced and walked along the footsteps of the Martins because we are both devotees of St. Therese and she has a special attachment to Leonie. How do you find hope and where do you draw strength from under such conditions? After the family tragedy, the widower Louis, along with the girls, relocated to Lisieux where he rented a home called Les Buissonnets or The Hedges.

Ping warns Palace of cover-up perceptions in ‘Cabral files’MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has urged Malacañang not to downplay the possible role of Cabinet officials in the anomalous practice of inserting lawmakers’ infrastructure projects for kickbacks in the executive’s spending plan. Leviste said he obtained a list of proponents behind the budget insertions from the late DPWH undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral. Lacson urged the government not to downplay the incident and ignore public furor over the entrenched corruption that has long hounded DPWH projects. Leviste’s limited and partial release of the so-called Cabral files is welcome. “He (Leviste) says the Cabral files hold information on everyone – party-lists, senators, Malacañang officials and the like,” he added.

Gatchalian confident of President Marcos’ approval of 2026 budget billSenate finance committee chair Sherwin Gatchalian speaks at the telecasted bicameral conference committee session on the 2026 national budget on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. MANILA, Philippines — The 2026 General Appropriations Bill would pass the scrutiny of President Marcos, Senate finance committee chair Sherwin Gatchalian said yesterday as he expressed confidence on the bicameral conference committee-approved GAB. In a dzBB interview, Gatchalian said the Senate and House of Representatives had a “meeting of minds” in reconciling their differing versions of the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget. “I am confident the budget would be passed, because we had a parallel review with the executive branch to review the budget even before it is transmitted to them,” Gatchalian said. “We had ensured that past infrastructure anomalies would no longer happen again in this budget, so that taxpayers’ money would no longer be wasted,” Gatchalian said.

VP Sara on another impeachment: People are tiredVice President Sara Duterte addresses the media at the Office of the Vice President in Mandaluyong City on February 7, 2025, days after the House of Representatives approved her impeachment. MANILA, Philippines — The people are tired of impeachment, Vice President Sara Duterte said on Thursday after civil society groups threatened to file a new complaint against her after the one-year ban expires in February. “It’s already tiring for the people, that impeachment, because we can see that there’s no evidence of their accusations, totally for threats and harassment,” Duterte said in Davao City. Three impeachment complaints were filed by private citizens and groups against Duterte late last year but they were never tackled in the plenary. Instead, the House, with 215 votes, approved a fourth impeachment complaint last Feb. 5, which was immediately followed by the transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.

Mixed fuel price movements seen by yearendJetti Petroleum Inc. president Leo Bellas said gasoline prices are expected to be steady or increase by P0.10 per liter next week, while diesel prices are likely to go up by P0.30 to P0.50 per liter. MANILA, Philippines — Motorists can expect fuel prices to increase next week amid geopolitical issues that may disrupt supply. The Department of Energy, meanwhile, said kerosene prices are also expected to go up by P0.10 per liter next week. Oil firms are expected to announce fuel price changes on Monday, while the adjustments will take effect the following day. Earlier this week, oil firms reduced gasoline prices by P0.80 per liter, diesel by P1.30 per liter and kerosene by P1.60 per liter.

COA: DepEd’s Senior High School voucher program included ghost studentsThe photo of the Commission on Audit's office in Quezon CIty. MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the inclusion of “ghost students” in the Department of Education (DepEd)’s Senior High School Voucher Program or SHS-VP. The COA said there were also VPBs listed multiple times in the same school or in different voucher program-participating senior high schools. The COA said this defeated the primary purpose of the GASTPE-SHS VP, which provides financial assistance to indigent SHS students enrolled in private schools. Vice President Sara Duterte was the concurrent secretary of DepEd from June 30, 2022 until her resignation on July 19, 2024.

Full disclosure of budget allocations per congressional district urgedMANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives should make a full disclosure of the detailed information on the distribution of funds for each congressional district in the country ahead of voting for the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) on Dec. 29, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said yesterday. He said full disclosure of the distribution of budget allocations to each congressional district is non-negotiable. He said the House of Representatives must release detailed information on how funds are distributed per congressional district and per party-list before lawmakers cast their votes on the budget. Bare allocables, incentivesThe House must disclose all the “allocables” and “incentives” for congressmen in the 2026 GAA before the national budget is approved next week, Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Leviste said yesterday. The public deserves to know this before Congress ratifies the 2026 budget next week,” Leviste said.

PSEi gains further momentumThe bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index rose by 0.39 percent or 23.73 points to close at 6,065.64. MANILA, Philippines — The local stock market gained further momentum as the year draws to a close, with investors taking advantage of cheap prices. The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index rose by 0.39 percent or 23.73 points to close at 6,065.64. “The local market closed higher as some investors hunted for bargains, taking positions as the year is about to close,” Philstocks Financial research manager Japhet Tantiangco said. Tantiangco said that trading, however, has been anemic with net value turnover of P2.77 billion.

Trade gap thins to 9-month lowThis photo shows crates carried by a forklift in the port of Manila. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines posted its smallest trade deficit in nine months in November as exports continued to grow, while imports declined. This is the lowest trade gap since the $2.97 billion deficit in February. From January to November, the country posted a lower trade deficit of $45.20 billion from $50.18 billion in the same period last year. He said some agricultural exports to the US have also been exempted from the 19 percent tariff imposed on Philippine exports.

Illegal software use in government offices bannedDICT has ordered government agencies to use only licensed software to guarantee technical support in times of emergency and scale up operational efficiency. DICT has ordered government agencies to use only licensed software to guarantee technical support in times of emergency and scale up operational efficiency. The order requires government entities to include in their information systems strategic plans (ISSP) the acquisition of licensed software. DICT said the use of unlicensed software could also hurt the country’s reputation to the tech community. As known in the tech community, the use of unlicensed software lacks the necessary patches for security protocols, thus exposing the user to cyber threats, such as malware.

Chinese navy sailors aid Philippine fishermanThe Chinese embassy in Manila says Chinese navy ship No. MANILA, Philippines — In a rare display of compassion, Chinese navy members came to the aid of a distressed Filipino fisherman in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Christmas Day. The Filipino fisherman can be heard repeatedly saying thank you to the Chinese soldiers as both sides exchanged “merry Christmas” greetings. “Enough food and water for you, don’t be worried,” a Chinese navy soldier was heard saying while tossing supplies to the fisherman. “I’m stay here,” the Filipino fisherman told the Chinese troops in strained English apparently in response to an offer to bring him to a safer location.

God’s Wisdom Saves LivesThe fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives. Proverbs says, “the one who is wise saves lives” (11:30). The discernment that comes from doing right and living according to God’s wisdom can bless not only ourselves but those we encounter too. The wisdom God provides is there to guide us throughout our lives. — Katara PattonHow can you use wisdom to help someone today?

‘More flood culprits jailed this New Year’Eight of the accused linked to an anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro are escorted to the Sandiganbayan November 24, 2025 for booking and issuance of commitment orders. MANILA, Philippines — More persons linked to irregularities in flood control projects will be “thrown behind bars in the New Year,” Malacañang said yesterday. The government’s investigation into alleged irregularities in flood control projects is far from over, Gomez pointed out. “The flood control investigation does not end on Dec. 25. Sarah Discaya was arrested on Dec. 18 over the P96-million ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental.

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives at a court to attend a hearing to review his arrest warrant requested by special prosecutors in Seoul, South Korea, July 9, 2025.