Photo by HANDOUT / COURTESY OF FACEBOOK USER SMITH MIKLE / AFP This screen grab made from UGC handout video footage courtesy of Facebook user Smith Mikle taken and released on January 14, 2026 shows the wreckage of a train that crashed after a construction crane collapsed in Thailand's Nakhon Ratchasima province.

Yen and US dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken March 19, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Cagayan court grants release of peasant advocate Amanda EchanisThis photo posted by Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas shows Amanda Echanis and her baby. MANILA, Philippines — A Cagayan court has ordered the release of peasant advocate Amanda Echanis. The Tuguegarao City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 10 granted her release after she spent five years in detention following her 2020 arrest. In acquitting Echanis, the court found that the police failed to comply with the "hierarchy of witnesses" rule under the Rules of Court. "The acquittal of Amanda Echanis is a resounding indictment of the military and police's campaign of political repression and fabrication of charges and evidence," Karapatan Secretary-General Cristina Palabay said.

Photo by ARUN SANKAR / AFP This photograph taken on January 6, 2026 shows Indian author Amitav Ghosh looking on during an interview with AFP amidst a promotional tour for his novel 'Ghost-Eye' in New Delhi.

DOE flags solar non-delivery, enforcing stricter executionFrom AB Capital's The Opening Bell: Three MovesEventThe DOE flagged potential P24bn penalties for Solar Philippines following large-scale non-delivery of GEA-awarded solar projects, contributing to a total of 17.9GW of RE contracts terminated or relinquished by the DOE in 2024-2025. The terminations are concentrated among developers with aggressive bidding and limited execution progress. ViewThe disclosure reinforces execution and credibility risks within the GEA framework, rather than concern over system adequacy. We think the penalties help clean up awarded capacity and support more rational clearing prices in future rounds by reducing speculative overhang. CatalystWatch for additional developers flagged by the DOE, clarity on penalty enforcement, and whether terminated capacity is re-auctioned under tighter rules (higher bid bonds, stricter milestones).

FDI plunge reflects investment cautionFrom AB Capital's The Opening Bell: Three MovesEventForeign direct investment (FDI) net inflows into the Philippines fell nearly 40% YoY to US$642mn in October 2025, according to central bank data. While Japan, the US, and Singapore still provide capital, the overall pullback signals investment risk aversion. ActionPersistent FDI weakness adds a downside risk to capex-driven growth forecasts, keeping us cautious on industrial and construction exposure. Disclaimer: The information, analyses, and views contained herein is based on sources which we, AB Capital Securities, believe are reliable, but is not guaranteed by us and is not to be considered all inclusive. It is not to be construed as an offer or solicitation of an offer to sell or buy the securities herein mentioned.

Infrastructure spending target cut points to prolonged fiscal dragFrom AB Capital's The Opening Bell: Three MovesEventThe Department of Budget and Management trimmed the Philippines’ 2026 infra spending target to 4.3% of GDP (i.e. The updated target reflects tighter scrutiny and slower execution in the wake of flood control project reviews. With infra spending below the level needed to meaningfully lift capex, its contribution to GDP is likely to remain muted without execution acceleration. Conversely, further slippage would deepen the fiscal drag and weigh on capex confidence. ActionIn our view, slower infra lift supports a continued underweight on construction-linked equities while favoring sectors with more stable demand fundamentals.

Five human heads that came with a chilling warning were found on a beach in Ecuador. As reported by CBS News, Ecuadorian police said the severed heads were seen tied to wooden posts at Puerto Lopez beach on Sunday, Jan. 11, following violent clashes between rival gangs. The heads were fastened with ropes on two posts at the tourist site known for whale watching. Nearby, a wooden sign carried a warning: “The town belongs to us. Ecuador has been experiencing growing criminal activity since 2021 through gangs associated with Colombian and Mexican drug trafficking.

Photo by PEDRO MATTEY / AFP A woman lit a candle next to a Venezuelan flag during a vigil to demand freedom for political prisoners at El Helicoide -a facility and prison owned by the Venezuelan government and used for both regular and political prisoners of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN)- in Caracas on January 13, 2026.

Ex-DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara stripped of civil engineering licenseFormer Bulacan 1st Disrtict engineer Henry Alcantara attends the House Infra Comm's first hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Sept. 2, 2025. MANILA, Philippines — The Professional Regulatory Board of Civil Engineering ordered the revocation of the professional license of former Department of Public Works and Highways district engineer Henry Alcantara. In a statement issued Tuesday, January 12, the PRC said Alcantara was found guilty of gross unprofessional and unethical conduct due to his self-confessed involvement in non-existent and substandard flood control projects in Bulacan. The commission said Alcantara, now considered a witness in the flood control scam that is at the center of the corruption scandal, remains entitled to legal remedies under due process. He recently turned over P181.37 million to the Department of Justice, as part of efforts to repay the P300 million he admitted pocketing through kickback schemes tied to flood control projects.

Unfortunately, an undernourished mother rarely has enough breast milk for her infant. The high sugar content of condensed milk of course makes it a rather unhealthy substitute for breast milk. Considering that milk is a staple of early childhood nutrition, its domestic production should be given as much importance as that of rice. Increasing domestic milk production can help make prices affordable. The breed, which is a cross between the Gir and Holstein, supposedly provides high milk production even in tropical climate.

Remove economy class travel tax – TulfoTulfo’s Senate Bill 88 highlights how the travel tax places an undue financial burden on economy-class passengers. MANILA, Philippines — Travel taxes imposed on Filipinos flying economy should be removed, according to Sen. Raffy Tulfo. Tulfo’s Senate Bill 88 highlights how the travel tax places an undue financial burden on economy-class passengers. “This is compounded by the already heavy tax obligations imposed on Filipino citizens, including income and consumption taxes,” he pointed out. Tulfo clarified that his proposed measure does not seek to abolish travel tax, but “merely introduces a more equitable structure by retaining the imposition of travel tax on passengers traveling through business class or higher, whose financial standing affords them greater capacity to contribute to national development.”“The government shall continue to secure the necessary resources for TIEZA (Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority), the CHED (Commission on Higher Education) and NCCA (National Commission for Culture and the Arts), ensuring the sustainability of essential programs and projects, while alleviating the financial strain on the average Filipino traveler,” Tulfo said.

DOE seeks P24 billion penalties over canceled Solar Philippines contractsEnergy Secretary Sharon Garin said Solar Philippines’ terminated deals account for more than 11,400 megawatts (MW), or about 64 percent of the total capacity of all renewable power service contracts terminated in 2024 and 2025. MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) is pursuing roughly P24 billion in penalties from Solar Philippines, founded by Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, following the termination of its 33 contracts over the past two years. Garin said Solar Philippines, along with other developers whose contracts were terminated, failed to meet their contractual obligations and did not comply with the agreed project timelines. Of the total capacity covered by Solar Philippines’ contracts, 1,370 MW had been awarded during the government’s first two green energy auction rounds. For those noncompliant, the agency is considering filing civil, criminal or administrative cases against the developers behind these contracts, Garin said.

A trial in the lawsuit brought by Elon Musk against OpenAI CEO Samuel Altman and other defendants—including tech giant Microsoft—is scheduled to begin April 27, according to a federal court order issued Tuesday, Jan. 13. The legal showdown will center on Musk's claim that OpenAI and Altman abandoned the startup's original nonprofit, public-benefit mission and misled him while turning the lab into a highly lucrative, Microsoft-linked for-profit enterprise. OpenAI went on to release ChatGPT in 2022 and Musk eventually launched a rival, xAI. Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI since 2019, has poured billions into the firm and become its biggest shareholder after a restructuring last year. The trial, to be held before a jury, will be presided over by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California.

LPA enters PAR, may develop into tropical depressionPAGASA said the LPA is expected to bring rain over parts of Mindanao and the Visayas in the coming days. MANILA, Philippines — A low-pressure area (LPA) entered the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday afternoon and may develop into a tropical depression, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. PAGASA said the LPA is expected to bring rain over parts of Mindanao and the Visayas in the coming days. If the LPA develops into a tropical storm, it will be given the local name Ada. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon are expected to experience generally fair weather, with only isolated light rains or localized thunderstorms.