Marcos suspends fare hike‘Mystery riders’ deployed vs fare hike violatorsMANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has suspended the fare increase scheduled today, saying commuters – mostly workers and students – need not be burdened further, with the crisis in the Middle East still raging. “Our transport workers need not worry because we will expedite and increase our assistance to ease your burden,” Marcos said. The fare hike was supposed to cover jeepneys, city and provincial buses, airport taxis, transport network vehicle services (TNVS) and point-to-point (P2P) buses. Transport group PISTON lamented the President’s decision and said it is pushing through with its transport strike today. Nearly 10,000 police officers, meanwhile, will secure Metro Manila as militant transport group PISTON launches a transport strike today.

Hard timesAlmost everybody is feeling the brunt of the ongoing US-Israel war against Iran, but most especially the public transport drivers. According to the Office of the Executive Secretary, the program aims to help 396,352 public transport drivers in Metro Manila. Following this initial rollout, the program will extend to TNVS drivers, motorcycle taxi drivers, bus drivers and jeepney drivers in Metro Manila. “The passage of both measures is expected to help mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices on consumers,” Go said. Litmus testThe oil crisis of the 1970s happened during the administration of Marcos Sr. Decades later, under Marcos 2.0, we are facing another oil shock.

6 of 18 ‘bagmen’ sign testimonyMANILA, Philippines — Only six of the 18 alleged bagmen of fugitive ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co signed the testimony they gave to the National Bureau of Investigation, according to NBI director Melvin Matibag. “Of course, our agents did not agree because that’s the personal recollection of the 18 ex-Marines. They just needed to sign their testimonies that were simply reduced into writing,” he added. The NBI chief said Baligod wanted to withdraw the signatures of his six clients, to no avail. In any case, whether or not the ex-Marines signed the affidavits, they still consented to record their question-and-answer sessions with investigators that could later be used in court, Matibag said.

No need to hoard food supplies – Marcos Jr.President Marcos, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Trade Secretary Cristina Roque and Metro Manila Council president San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora inspect the prices of rice and other basic goods at the Agora Market in San Juan yesterday. “We have sufficient supply of food, rice, all basic goods. Marcos said inspections are being conducted in different markets to ensure there is no sudden increase in prices of food. “If the fuel prices go up by May or June there might be a shortage. She noted that the upward adjustments in fuel prices cannot be avoided but the increases should not be unreasonable.

House panel finds impeach raps ‘sufficient in grounds’Groups call for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on March 2. MANILA, Philippines — Without any objections, members of the House committee on justice yesterday found the two impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte “sufficient in grounds,” setting the start of trial proper hearing on March 25. They always say the Vice President is not answering. Well, the Vice President is not answering because there is nothing to answer right now,” he said. Public accounts panel chair and Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon also challenged Tiangco to name names, otherwise he should stop maligning the House.

DA: Pinoys prefer imported riceMANILA, Philippines — The Philippines faces a challenge as consumers now prefer imported rice, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said, noting that local varieties are losing ground in the domestic market. “The problem is that the imported rice is what consumers want now, not our local rice,” Tiu Laurel revealed at the 2026 Agriculture and Food Security Summit organized by the Makati Business Club. Imported rice, currently priced at P43 to P48 per kilo, is expected to reach other key cities beyond Luzon. “We’re losing market share,” Tiu Laurel said, noting that the Department of Agriculture can only urge traders to limit their imports. The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) said the government bears significant responsibility for the growing consumer preference for imported rice.

People’s initiative suspension liftedIn minute Resolution 26-0223 dated March 18, the Comelec said the suspension imposed in January 2024 is lifted except for initiatives calling for constitutional amendments. MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has partially lifted the suspension of its rules on people’s initiative proceedings. In minute Resolution 26-0223 dated March 18, the Comelec said the suspension imposed in January 2024 is lifted except for initiatives calling for constitutional amendments. “We will not accept new signatures or filing of people’s initiative for the amendment of the Constitution because the rules on that are still suspended,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia told The STAR. An initial empirical mapping of political dynasties will be released in the coming weeks, the CPBRD said.

Peace through international lawInternational law is in a bad way these days. This is the conclusion reached by Margaret MacMillan, emeritus professor of international history at Oxford University. Canada seems to be one of the few remaining democracies that still believes in the international rule of law. However, its prime minister Mark Carney, in his speech at this year’s Davos conference in Switzerland, spoke of the many failures of international law this year. President Donald Trump has said that the only limits to his power are “my own morality” and “my own mind.”Trump is not the only example of a leader that has decided to ignore international law.

32-year-old mother arrested for child neglect after 7-year-old son climbs onto canopy in Chai Wan

Municipal councilor killed in gun attackThe municipal councilor attacked by men armed with pistols in Paglat, Maguindanao del Sur died instantly from bullet wounds in different parts of his body. COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Gunmen shot dead a Moro municipal councilor in an attack, in the presence of villagers, at a residential area in the town center of Paglat in Maguindanao del Sur on Wednesday morning, March 18. The pistol-wielding assailants of Kitalok immediately escaped using a black getaway Rusi motorcycle, according to barangay officials and investigators who responded to the incident. BARMM’s police director, Brig. Gen. Jaysen De Guzman, has ordered officials of their units in Paglat and in nearby towns to seek help from local executives and traditional Moro datus in identifying the killers of Kitalok for prosecution.

House panel: Third, fourth impeachment complaints vs VP Sara have sufficient groundsVice President Sara Duterte holds a press conference at the Office of the Vice President in Mandaluyong City on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, days after the House of Representatives moved to impeach her. MANILA, Philippines — The grounds for the third and fourth impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte have been declared sufficient by the House Committee on Justice on Wednesday, March 18. This means that the House Committee will proceed with hearings on the impeachment complaint against Duterte, which are set for March 25, according to Justice Committee Chairperson Rep. Gerville Luistro (Batangas 2nd District). The House committee formally recognized the sufficiency of the third and fourth impeachment complaints following motions from Senior Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor and Deputy Speaker Janette Garin. It can be recalled that the Justice committee declared the impeachment complaints against Duterte sufficient in substance on March 4.

Economist urges wealth tax over 'unfortunate' fuel excise tax suspensionAn attendant updates the fuel prices at a gasoline station in Cubao, Quezon City on March 17, 2026, following a staggered hike in prices of oil companies nationwide due to the Middle East conflict. Monsod also questioned where the government will recover the funds set to be lost if the excise tax on oil is to be suspended. "The move to suspend the excise tax on fuel is a very wrong move," Monsod said. On March 16, the House of Representatives approved the bill allowing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend the collection of excise tax on fuel during a crisis. Objective of the wealth tax.

Comelec: Marcoleta didn't commit election offenseSenators Rodante Marcoleta address the media during a press conference held at the Senate in Pasay City on January 20, 2026. MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc on Wednesday, March 18, cleared Sen. Rodante Marcoleta of any possible election offenses, but maintained that he was not able to comply with a section of the Omnibus Election Code. Marcoleta had been under moto proprio investigation for allegedly failing to disclose all of his campaign donors in his statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) during the midterm elections. The Comelec probed Marcoleta after he admitted that he did not disclose all of the election contributions in his SOCE, as per the request of his contributors. Through his counsel, Marcoleta said that he received the P75 million in campaign contributions from three individuals well before the official campaign period.

Marcos appoints Immigration deputy commissionerMANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed a new deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration. Marcos appointed Theodore Pascual as the bureau’s deputy commissioner on March 5, according to the bureau’s press release on Wednesday, March 18. According to the bureau, Pascual had 42 years of experience in “immigration and border control operations.”Prior to this executive appointment, Pascual served as a Senior Immigration Officer and Technical Assistant at the Office of the Commissioner. Academic credentials for the new deputy commissioner include a Bachelor of Science in Statistics from the University of the East, where he also pursued units for a Master's in Public Administration. He later earned a Master's in Business Administration from Wesleyan University Philippines.

No need to hoard food supplies, says MarcosMANILA, Philippines — As high fuel prices threaten to drive up inflation, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, March 18, assured the public that there is no need to hoard food supplies. “Ang supply natin, maganda naman ang supply natin ng pagkain, ng bigas, lahat ng mga basic goods. Kaya ‘yung ating mga kababayan sinasabi natin, hindi naman kailangan mag-hoarding at hindi tayo nagkukulang sa food supply,” Marcos said. (Our supplies, our supply of food is good, of rice, of all the basic goods. That is why to our citizens, we say, there is no need to hoard and we will not run short of food supplies.)