Purpose beyond yearsFour days into the new year, I find myself marking another milestone: my 62nd birthday. What purpose will guide me now that I have entered this stage in my life? On a personal note, working in my senior years gives me purpose and fulfillment. At 62, I am proud to be a working senior citizen. My birthday was not just a celebration of years lived, but of years still to be lived with purpose.

Our counterpart funding for these projects is a contractual obligation. The government has reneged on fully providing for our counterpart funding. In addition, our unreliable counterpart funding will make our international partners hesitant to commit to further funding for strategic infrastructure our nation directly needs. From one point of view, the veto of UA items was unnecessary to begin with. The sheer scale of the looting that happened attests to how badly the Marcos presidency has guided the formation of our fiscal spending.

Fighting cynicism with hope in 2026According to the latest Social Weather Stations survey, Filipinos have started 2026 with a decline in hope and rise in fear, compared to last year. As a Christian nation, let us live our faith amid the disappointments and despair we may face in 2026. Not only should we keep our hope but we should intentionally spread hope. “God doesn’t come and go. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.

Bretman Rock has finally addressed his supposed beef with Vanessa Hudgens, sharing that his ill feelings towards her started when he encountered her at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. I met her at Coachella, and we were both there for Sugar Bear Hair. According to Bretman, he was on his way to pick up tickets for the Coachella when she spotted Vanessa talking to the CEO of Sugar Bear Hair. "I was friends with the Sugar Bear Hair CEO because I've been to his house, we would talk, and I remembered her talking to him. Let's just get that out of the way," he joked, referring to a character in the movie High School Musical, which Vanessa starred in.

Ex-PNP officials in ghost procurement get 40 yearsIn a 265-page decision promulgated on Dec. 11, 2025 but uploaded on the Sandiganbayan website only on Tuesday, the anti-graft court’s Fourth Division found five former officials of the PNP Logistics Support Service-Bids and Awards Committee (LSS BAC) guilty of four counts of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Meanwhile, found guilty of two counts each of graft were former LSS inspection officer Lt. Col. Warlito Tubon and non-uniformed personnel (NUP) supply accountable officer Eulito Fuentes. Also found guilty of one count each of graft were former LSS BAC member Lt. Col. Henry Duque and former property inspector for the Directorate for Comptrollership NUP Alex Barrameda. The ombudsman said the accused PNP officials made it appear that they purchased spare parts, engines, and transmission assemblies for the repair and maintenance of the vehicles when in fact there was no actual purchase nor delivery of the items. Instead, the accused PNP officials, in collusion with the suppliers, falsified supporting documents such as the invitation to bid, minutes of bidding, recommendation of award, purchase order, delivery receipts as well as certifications of inspection and acceptance, the court noted.

Duterte’s lawyer pushing for interim release anewComposite photo shows the facade of the International Criminal Court and former President Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte’s initial request for interim release was denied last year after pre-trial chamber judges determined that there is a risk that he would flee, intimidate witnesses and continue committing the alleged crimes. But according to Kaufman, Duterte’s deteriorating health should be factored in when assessing the risk factors related to interim release. The Chamber has already considered and rejected the Defense’s argument that Mr. Duterte’s health can mitigate the risks… This decision was subsequently upheld by the Appeals Chamber,” he wrote. “The alleged deterioration of Mr. Duterte’s health does not justify the need for a further expert report, nor does it constitute a changed circumstance.

Senators dismiss economic impact of Maduro ousterMANILA, Philippines — Senators doused fears that the US government’s capture of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has an economic impact, but they said it could trigger geopolitical tensions at the expense of smaller nations like the Philippines. At a press briefing at the Senate on Tuesday, Senate finance committee chair Sherwin Gatchalian said the Philippines and Venezuela have modest trade relations. Oil prices are also not likely to be affected by the US attacks in Venezuela, which has vast yet unutilized oil resources. “This is my personal opinion, but economically there is no impact, because we have little historical trade with Venezuela,” Gatchalian said. “Other countries might be emboldened to do what the US did – a regime change by force that is not done by election.

NGCP welcomes Terra Solar project, but...Terra Solar has a total capacity of 2,500 megawatts, supported by a 1,125-MW battery energy storage system capable of sustaining output for around four hours. MANILA, Philippines — NGCP welcomes Terra Solar Power Project as a significant addition to the country’s growing renewable energy capacity, supporting national efforts toward a cleaner energy mix. “Renewable energy initiatives such as the Terra Solar Power Project are welcome. The Terra Solar Power Project will be supplying 850MW to Manila Electric Co. through a Power Supply Agreement, mainly during the daytime, while the remaining 1,650MW will be injected into the grid via the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market. As a variable renewable energy source, Terra Solar operates on a must-dispatch basis under Republic Act 9513.

PTA charts courses of action for 2026The PTA, a successful national sports association that produced 14 medals in last year’s SEA Games in Thailand – including two golds – anticipates more than 1,000 certified instructors to converge at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) will be holding its annual National Instructors General Assembly on Sunday to chart a course for the continued growth of the sport with focus on forming formidable national team for a number of important international events this year. The PTA, a successful national sports association that produced 14 medals in last year’s SEA Games in Thailand – including two golds – anticipates more than 1,000 certified instructors to converge at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Apart from the affiliated PTA national instructors, also expected to attend are the Regional Management Committee (RMC) chairmen and top guns of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Registration starts at 9 a.m. followed by a practical review of new Poomsae rules and Referee Hand Signal.

Jobless rate declines to 4.4% in November2.25 million Pinoys remain unemployed, says PSAMANILA, Philippines — Unemployment in the country declined in November 2025 compared to the previous month, while underemployment also eased, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). This translates to 2.25 million jobless Filipinos in November 2025, down from 2.54 million in October 2025. The country’s employment rate rose to 95.6 percent in November 2025 from 95 percent in October 2025, but dipped from 96.8 percent in November 2024. An estimated 49.26 million Filipinos were employed in November 2025, up from 48.62 million a month ago, but lower than the 49.54 million in November 2024. Strengthening workforce competitiveness is one of the key elements to attract investments that generate quality jobs,” DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

For her final performance on Jan. 6, Dorado performed Light Up, a new song produced by GroovyRoom. Filipino pride soared on the global stage as singer‑songwriter Gwyn Dorado earned a second‑place finish in the grand finale of Korean talent competition show Sing Again. Related Article Filipina singer Gwyn Dorado earns 'All Again' pass from Korean judges at ‘Sing Again 4’In an Instagram post, Dorado reflected on her journey competing on Sing Again. Hosted by Lee Seung-gi, the fourth season of Sing Again began with a sizeable number of 81 amateur singers. The show’s previous champions include Lee Seung-yoon from Season 1, Kim Ki-tae from Season 2, and Hong Isaac from Season 3.

After nearly a decade, Stranger Things concluded on Jan. 1 (Philippine time), closing a story that had grown alongside its audience. As fans continue to talk about the series online, a certain "Conformity Gate" theory has made the rounds. The theory concludes that Episode 8 is merely a fabricated reality, a dream, or an illusion that would eventually break down in a hypothetical Episode 9. However, this may just be in reference to a line his character Mr. Whatsit, Vecna's alter ego, says in Stranger Things Season 5 Episode 5. As of writing, neither Netflix nor series creators Matt and Ross Duffer have addressed the rumors of a ninth episode.

FULL LIST: 2025 Bar exams passersMANILA, Philippines — Supreme Court Associate Justice and 2025 Bar Chair Amy Lazaro-Javier announced on Wednesday, January 7, the results of the 2025 Bar Examinations. A total of 5,594 examinees successfully passed the Bar, higher than the 3,962 passers in 2024. In 2025, 13,193 candidates registered for the exams, but only 11,437 took the tests on September 7, 10 and 14. The list of successful examinees can be viewed in the Supreme Court courtyard on Padre Faura Street, Manila, and through the Court’s YouTube channel and social media platforms. Here is the full list of successful Bar examinees.

An oilfield worker walks next to drilling rigs at an oil well operated by Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA, in the oil rich Orinoco belt, near Morichal at the state of Monagas April 16, 2015. Picture taken on April 16, 2015. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Customs collection for 2025 hits P934.4 billionMANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday, January 7, said that it collected P934.4 billion from January to December 2025. This surpassed the BOC’s previous collection in 2024 by 1.9% or P17.726 billion. Despite the BOC reaching a record high in revenue collections, it still fell short of its P958.714 billion target for 2025. The BOC said it faced several challenges in 2025, including lower import volumes, suspension of rice importation and global commodity price fluctuations. The BOC said that there were a total of 1,024 enforcement operations, which led to the seizure of P61.707 billion worth of smuggled or prohibited goods.