DOT: Domestic tourism alive during holidaysThe DOT identified the world-famous Boracay Island as the most visited tourist site with 118,745 guests from Dec. 15, 2015 to New Year’s Eve. MANILA, Philippines — Domestic travelers boosted tourism in select destinations in the country during the holidays, the Department of Tourism reported yesterday. The DOT identified the world-famous Boracay Island as the most visited tourist site with 118,745 guests from Dec. 15, 2015 to New Year’s Eve. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the recent Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, prolonged by the school break and a weeklong suspension of work in government, “once again showed how Filipinos continue to explore and support our own destinations.”“The strength of domestic tourism in the Philippines remains a driving force of our travel industry,” Frasco said. However, it showed that 5,235,455 foreign travelers visited the country from January to November 2025.

PCG member saves child from drowningPetty Officer 3 (PO3) Al-Shier Alimuddin of Coast Guard Sub-Station Siasi poses with the eight-year-old child he saved from drowning at a pool in Zamboanga City on Jan. 4, 2025. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard yesterday said an off-duty PCG member saved an eight-year-old child who drowned in a resort pool in Zamboanga City on Sunday. PO3 Al-Shier Alimuddin, assigned with the Coast Guard Siasi sub-station, was attending a family gathering in Barangay Cabatangan when alerted of the drowning incident. Although the child was found unresponsive, Alimuddin administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation, which restored the child’s vital signs and pulse. According to the PCG, the victim was transported to a hospital for further medical treatment.

The world helm alone means to take ownership, to lead and ultimately, to take responsibility and pride for what’s to come. Across industries, from food to finance, we are beginning to take our rightful place at the helm. The Philippines, at the helm, now has the chance to shape how the region governs AI, encourages innovation, protects consumers and accelerates growth while people remain at the center. Let’s remember the word Helm as we step into the new year; not just as a symbol, but as our national responsibility and reminder that the Philippines is no longer content to follow. Taking the helm is not about power.

Cautionary taleVenezuela is a testament to what can happen to a society when it is deeply mired in corruption. This is a cautionary tale for us Filipinos, including the thieves among us. Corruption in the Philippines, just like in Venezuela, has become so deeply entrenched and systemic. In Venezuela, corruption is deeply rooted in its vast oil reserves. It may well be referring to the Philippines, where corruption and political patronage pull the strings, turning our institutions into marionettes.

Five wishes that could end povertyPoverty in our country is neither a mystery nor an accident. I’ve listed at least five crucial wishes for the Philippines on how to begin ending poverty which is almost in every corner of the country. Freedom from poverty means families are not merely surviving but rather, they are lifted way above the poverty threshold. The system is stacked against them – poor infrastructure, weak access to meaningful credit, volatile prices and competition without effective protection. Starting this year 2026, we must hopefully align national policy, purpose and politics that would break poverty’s hold on our nation.

Diesel, kerosene prices up today; rollback for gasA tricycle driver prepares to refuel at a gasoline station in Paco, Manila yesterday, before fuel price adjustments take effect today. MANILA, Philippines — Fuel prices are set to move in opposite directions today, reflecting recent geopolitical developments that rattled global oil markets. In separate advisories, major oil companies announced an upward adjustment of P0.20 and P0.10 per liter for diesel and kerosene prices, respectively. Jetti president Leo Bellas said the suspension and paralysis of Venezuela’s oil export operations could drive global oil prices higher and sustain market volatility. World crude prices fell yesterday as sanctions on the export of Venezuelan crude oil were seen to be eased, threatening a global supply glut.

Less than 10 percent of those who attempt these resolutions ultimately succeed, with many dropping out within half of a year. Step by step, change by change, you will improve. We can break these resolutions down into bite-sized pieces that are more easily achievable and can gradually create a larger impact. David Penny, in “The Power of Small: Achieving Success through Bite-Sized New Year’s Resolutions,” came up with a guide to making resolutions, called the S.M.A.R.T Approach, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound. And if we fail at achieving these bite-sized resolutions, it’s OK.

Singson dares Marcos, Romualdez to debate; Palace ignores challengeFormer Ilocos Sur governor Chavit Singson holds a press briefing on the anomalous flood control scandal in San Juan City on January 5, 2026MANILA, Philippines — Former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson yesterday challenged President Marcos and former House speaker Martin Romualdez to a public debate at Malacañang over alleged anomalies in flood control projects. If they say tomorrow and they accept my challenge, I will go to Malacañang,” Singson said. Singson claimed that Marcos was aware of, and allegedly involved in, the supposed corruption, arguing that responsibility should not be pinned on Romualdez alone. She said Marcos has ordered the investigation of all anomalous flood control projects. He further alleged that Marcos and Romualdez were the “masterminds” behind the supposed corruption and claimed that other lawmakers were involved through large allocations for flood control projects, naming several congressmen, including Sandro Marcos.

ByteDance's Doubao AI glasses near launch, supply chain saysByteDance logo is seen in this illustration taken February 8, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

Maduro arrives for first US court appearance after captureDEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agents move captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from a helicopter, as Maduro heads towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan United States Courthouse for an initial appearance to face U.S. federal charges.

A Japanese sushi entrepreneur paid a record $3.2 million (P189 million) for a giant bluefin tuna at an annual prestigious New Year's auction in Tokyo's main fish market, smashing the previous all-time high. Dave Gershman at the Pew Charitable Trusts' international fisheries team used news of the auction to highlight that stocks of Pacific bluefin tuna were improving after being "near collapse". Self-styled "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura's sushi restaurant chain paid the top price for the 243-kilogram fish that was caught off Japan's northern coast. "I'd thought we would be able to buy a little cheaper, but the price soared before you knew it," Kimura said after the pre-dawn auction at Tokyo's main fish market. "I was surprised at the price...I hope that by eating auspicious tuna, as many people as possible will feel energised," he told reporters.

China seeks to enhance ties with Ireland to boost relations with EUIrish Prime Minister Micheal Martin talks to Chinese President Xi Jinping during the bilateral meeting at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China, January 5, 2026.

A flame burning natural gas is seen at an heavy-crude treatment plant operated by Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA, in the oil rich Orinoco belt, near Cabrutica at the state of Anzoategui April 16, 2015. Picture taken on April 16, 2015.

When rules don't apply: What US action on Venezuela means for PhilippinesA woman holds a portrait of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a gathering in Caracas on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured him. But already, observers and other world leaders are saying it violated Venezuela’s sovereignty and bypassed international rules designed to prevent exactly this kind of intervention. "He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected," it added. An independent commission established by the Dutch government concluded that the 2003 Iraq invasion contravened international law. “Any weakening of international law and norms — especially by actors like the US — negatively affects us,” Arguelles told Philstar.com.

Analysts expect stock market recovery this yearAfter the market experienced multi-year lows and deep corrections that pushed valuations to discounted levels relative to regional peers last year, the outlook for stocks has turned constructive, Unicapital Securities head of research Wendy Estacio-Cruz said. MANILA, Philippines — Coming off what many would consider as a disappointing year, the Philippine stock market looks to shift to a higher gear this 2026 amid expectations of renewed investor confidence. “As economic growth gains traction and investor confidence improves, the market is well-positioned for a gradual but meaningful recovery. “We advise investors to have a balanced exposure to equities and fixed income instruments so that they can better ride out any stock market volatility in the next 12 months,” Colet said. “The gain of 1.4 percent in the PSEi on the first day of trading augurs well for the much awaited turnaround of our stock market in the coming year,” Monzon said.