Focus on ‘DBM files,’ not ‘Cabral files’ – SottoMANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday downplayed the significance of the flood control documents left behind by the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, saying budget records are more crucial in uncovering alleged corruption. “When I look at what they call the Cabral files, I find myself scratching my head. Which among those listed projects actually have SAROs?” Sotto asked in Filipino. What matters is what was actually released, not just the Cabral files,” he added. The DBM files are the most important.

DOJ: No recantation by Henry AlcantaraFormer 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 Department of Justice (DOJ) has denied a rumor circulating on social media that former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office engineer Henry Alcantara has recanted his testimony about the flood control scam. “For the record, the DOJ has not received or reviewed any affidavit from Henry Alcantara retracting his previous statements,” DOJ spokesman Raphael Niccolo Martinez said in a press statement yesterday. “There has been no official recantation by Alcantara whether written or verbal,” he added. The DOJ had earlier provisionally admitted Alcantara to the Witness Protection Program (WPP) to utilize him as a state witness.

DepEd’s anti-bully program gets P100 millionStudents leave the school in Manila on March 3, 2025, where classes are suspended due to extreme heat. MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education has allocated at least P100 million to fund the program on bullying prevention, values formation and learner support. DepEd Undersecretary Fatima Panontongan issued DepEd Memorandum No. 2 on Jan. 9 on the implementing guidelines of the Kaagapay Program aimed at empowering the school community to address bullying. “The program supports parents, guardians and caregivers of public school learners in strengthening home-based learning and complementing classroom instruction, encouraging positive discipline and promoting safe, nurturing and inclusive learning environments,” Panontongan said.

Quiapo Church vows changes in Nazarene celebrationPhoto shows the situation in the vicinity of Quiapo Church in Manila as devotees await the return of the image of the Jesus Nazareno on January 9, 2026. MANILA, Philippines — The leadership of Quiapo Church on Saturday vowed to institute changes in the celebration of the Feast of Jesus Nazareno, after the Traslacion took nearly 31 hours to complete. This is also one of the obstacles to the speed of the Traslacion,” Arellano added. Secillano said it is important for devotees to understand the clear difference between true devotion and fanaticism, especially during the Traslacion in Quiapo. The Quiapo Church said that at least 9.6 million devotees joined the procession.

Longest ever Traslacion ends after nearly 31 hoursThousands of devotees flock along Carlos Palanca Street in Manila to participate in the #Traslacion2026 on January 9, 2026. It exceeded the previous record of 22 hours and 19 minutes in 2017, and 20 hours and 45 minutes last year. Speaking from the balcony of the church immediately after the gates were shut, Quiapo Church rector Fr. The NCRPO initially targeted the Traslacion to run between 10 and 12 hours before settling at 15 hours. Home stretchFor his part, Nazareno 2026 spokesman and Quiapo Church parochial vicar Fr.

DA cracks down on unfair food price hikesVendors sell various vegetables at a market along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on January 6, 2026MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture has warned retailers that unjustified hikes in basic food prices will not be tolerated, noting that noncompliance may prompt formal complaints and further investigation. “If they are not cooperating and the information they give is false or lacking, that becomes subject to further investigation,” Tiu Laurel said. Tiu Laurel noted that the recent decline in onion and rice prices demonstrates the effect of stricter oversight. Although the DA has limited enforcement powers, Tiu Laurel emphasized close coordination with other agencies to implement rules against profiteering and other prohibited acts under the Price Act. He also renewed his call for stronger DA enforcement powers, noting that proposed legislation in Congress aims to establish a dedicated enforcement arm similar to the Department of Trade and Industry’s Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau.

Boat develops engine trouble off MarinduqueThe PCG said the boat was carrying 50 passengers and 250 sacks of rice when the incident occurred near the coast of Barangay Bachao Ibaba. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) assisted a motorized banca that developed engine trouble in the waters off Gasan, Marinduque on Friday. The PCG said the boat was carrying 50 passengers and 250 sacks of rice when the incident occurred near the coast of Barangay Bachao Ibaba. A rescue team towed the boat toward the port of Gasan where the passengers were given medical attention. The PCG said all passengers were in good condition and the cargo remained intact.

Beermen, Tropa seek 3-1 cushionRanidel de Ocampo is joined by his family, PBA chairman Ricky Vargas, Commissioner Willie Marcial and other PBA officials as his No. But ever defiant, Barangay Ginebra and Meralco would prefer to make it a level affair at 2-2. The Beermen seized control of the best-of-seven contest against the Gin Kings after countering a 90-99 opening loss with back-to-back wins, 93-84 and 91-85. Kaya naman ito, kaya,” said “The Kraken,” who did his part under the boards as Don Trollano presided over the offense and rifled in 33. Like I said in the last game, we have no illusion that it’s going to be easy,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes.

Eala bids Auckland goodbyeMANILA, Philippines — Almost but not quite. Eala, WTA No. But Xinyu, WTA No. Still, it was a commendable run for Eala who is expected to reach a new career-best in next week’s update of the WTA rankings. Up next for Eala is the Kooyong Classic on Jan. 13 to 15 in Melbourne, and then the Australian Open starting on Jan. 18.

EDITORIAL — Another tragedy in CebuRemember Typhoon Tino? As of Nov. 16, at least 57 remained missing in Cebu due to Tino. It turns out that Tino’s extreme rainfall and flooding, which caught Cebu by surprise, had not finished wreaking havoc in the city. On Thursday afternoon, the nation was reminded of the impact of Tino after a landfill facility in Cebu City collapsed in Barangay Binaliw. Accountability related to the deluge during Tino cannot wait for the next killer flood to hit Cebu.

MANILA, Philippines — TikTok Philippines’ online shopping platform helped local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to triple their sales last year through various partnerships and collaborations, according to Tiktok Shop head of public policy Yves Gonzales. “TikTok Shop is more than a marketplace; it is a partner for Filipino entrepreneurs. “(Young’s) record-breaking sessions earned her recognition as TikTok Shop Philippines’ Creator of the Year,” TikTok said. TikTok Shop also helped local brands like Dood, a homegrown modern innerwear, to succeed. “TikTok Shop helped Dood grow from a small space to a full warehouse, allowing us to connect directly with our customers and address their needs in real time,” Manguino said.

Veteran PR man bags Pokerstars Gold PassFirst for PhilippinesMANILA, Philippines — Veteran public relations practitioner Rommel Orbigo, who is also an amateur poker player, recently won a Gold Pass in a satellite tournament at Pokerstars, the world’s largest poker site. After besting a field of more than 640 players from all over the world, Orbigo won the $10,300 Pokerstars Gold Pass — which entitles him to join the European Poker Tour (EPT) Main Event in Paris starting on Feb. 23 with a buy-in of €5,300. “To our memories, you (Rommel) are the first and we can’t recall any other Filipino playing an EPT after using a Gold Pass,” the Pokerstars Live Team said via email. I hope to make my fellow local poker enthusiasts proud, when I do finally get to join the EPT in Paris,” Orbigo said. In 2024, the winner of the EPT Paris Main Event banked in more than €1.2 million.

‘Philippines emerges as battleground for faster, cheaper digital remittances’MANILA, Philippines — As the Philippines cements its position as one of the world’s largest remittance destinations, global financial institutions are doubling down on efforts to support the country’s rapidly evolving digital payments landscape. J.P. Morgan sees the Philippines at the center of Asia’s cross-border remittance growth, driven by the surge of digital wallets, instant payment schemes and new consumer expectations for speed and transparency. “Our approach is to help our clients provide cash management services, payments capabilities where they can leverage banks’ rails to collect money from the senders,” he said. “People who are in remote areas are not easily able to access the financial ecosystem but they can actually do it by leveraging individual wallet capabilities,” he said. “On one hand, yes, the growth is important, real-time payments are already here, wallet capabilities are already there.

In his analysis titled “The Delta Doctrine: How 150 Minutes Over Caracas Redrew the Map of Global Power,” Perera wrote: “The capture of Nicolás Maduro represents far more than the removal of a narco-dictator. Does the United States still possess not only overwhelming capability, but the political will to act decisively? Modern power is no longer defined solely by firepower but by coordination, patience and clarity of purpose – qualities that allies watch closely and adversaries study carefully. And it is not asking for permission.”Whether that sentiment is welcomed or viewed cautiously, it undeniably signals a shift. It will be remembered as a moment when the global conversation about power, credibility and resolve decisively changed.

3 cops, civilian killed in Negros shootingsForensic investigators collect evidence from the car where three police officers were shot and killed by a colleague in Sibulan, Negros Oriental on Jan. 9, 2026. Jose Edrohil Cimafranca, chief of the Sibulan police, and his men – Senior M/Sgt. Bonifacio Saycon of the Sibulan police, surrendered to the nearby Tanjay police, according to Lt. Col. Joem Malong, spokesman for the Negros Island Region (NIR) police. For still unknown reasons, Saycon allegedly shot the woman, prompting Cimafranca to arrest him. Negros Oriental police director Col. Criscente Tiguelo condemned the incident.