‘We will not be silenced’: Senators hit back at Chinese EmbassyMembers of the Chinese Coast Guard (CGG) were seen roving around the Rozul Reef in Palawan as they patrol the area on April 21, 2024MANILA, Philippines — Senators are hitting back at the Chinese Embassy in Manila, saying it is in no position to try to silence Philippine officials. The Chinese Embassy slammed the Senate resolution condemning its envoy’s statements against Philippine lawmakers and officials, calling it a mere political stunt. Sen. Risa Hontiveros, one of the officials the Chinese Embassy criticized, also thumbed down the embassy’s recent statement. Sen. Erwin Tulfo, who had choice words for the Chinese Embassy when the issue first broke, said the embassy stands on Philippine soil — it is merely a visitor. The verbal war between Philippine officials and the Chinese Embassy has been ongoing since the installation of the new Chinese envoy, Jing Quan.

10 more Dawlah, BIFF terrorists surrender in Maguindanao del SurThe weapons of the 10 terrorists who surrendered on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, are now in the custody of the Army's 10th Infantry Battalion. COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Ten more remnants of the now defunct allies Dawlah Islamiya and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters pledged allegiance to the government before local executives and Army officials in Datu Saudi Ampatuan in Maguindanao del Sur on Tuesday, February 10. Our having joined these terror groups did not do us any good,” Ansar said in Filipino, in a heavy Maguindanaon accent. Gen. Edgar Catu of the 601st Infantry Brigade separately told reporters on Wednesday that the 10 terrorists agreed to surrender through the joint intercession of the local executives in Maguindanao del Sur, among them Datu Saudi Mayor Basir Utto, and officials of the 90th IB led by its commanding officer, Lt. Col. Loqui Marco. Units of the 6th ID, Utto and his constituent-barangay officials and traditional Moro leaders had worked out, via backchannel dialogues, the surrender in batches of 147 Dawlah Islamiya and BIFF members since July 2025.

Lunar New Year fairs open with cautious cheer for the Year of Horse

'Tangential': Leonen says charter change sidesteps corruption's rootsSenior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen delivers a lecture during the IBP Human Rights Symposium and Award Ceremony at Crowne Plaza in Ortigas on Dec. 5, 2024. MANILA, Philippines — Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen expressed skepticism over whether charter change would meaningfully address the country’s deep-seated corruption problems. “At present, the idea of charter change is being floated in response to corruption. I say for corruption, charter change is tangential,” Leonen said. “No matter what political system we evolve into, it will always have a criminal justice system,” he said.

A call for justice for our fallen and disabled soldiersThere are moments in a nation’s life when existing policies must change to give way to what is moral and correct. President Marcos Jr.’s directive in December 2025 to review policies governing Complete Disability Discharge (CDD) of soldiers in the Armed Forces is one such moment. The President rightly said that soldiers who sacrifice in the line of duty should not be treated as disposable. Today, soldiers killed in action (KIA) or rendered permanently disabled are often treated as if their service simply ended early – as if death or disability were a voluntary resignation. Disability pensions under Philippine Veterans Affairs office (PVAO) end when the soldier dies, leaving families abruptly unsupported.

Photo by YUICHI YAMAZAKI / AFP This picture taken on January 9, 2026 shows sparks flying as swordsmith Akihira Kawasaki (R) steadies steel over an anvil while his apprentice Toru Watanabe hammers the metal to forge katana blades at Kawasaki's workshop in Misato, Saitama prefecture.

MV Trisha Kerstin 3 death toll climbs to 52Philippine Coast Guard divers recover a body from the sunken MV Trisha Kerstin 3 off Baluk-Baluk Island, Basilan, during ongoing search and rescue operations on Feb. 11, 2026. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday, February 11, confirmed that the death toll from the sunken MV Trisha Kerstin 3 in Basilan has risen to 52 after another body was recovered during ongoing search and rescue operations. The BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702) deployed its rigid-hull inflatable boat to retrieve the body from the dive site. The vessel, which departed from the Port of Zamboanga City on the evening of January 25 bound for Jolo, Sulu, submerged in Basilan waters the following morning. Following the incident, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) temporarily grounded the entire fleet of Aleson Shipping Lines as maritime authorities conducted a safety and inspection audit.

Man City drop points in chase of Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd also draw

YouTube says it is not social media in landmark addiction trialThe YouTube app logo is seen on a smartphone in this picture illustration taken September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

YouTube says it is not social media in landmark addiction trial

A 3D-printed miniature model of Elon Musk and xAI logo are seen in this illustration created on February 16, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

No crisis modePre-COVID, a class size of 50 was typical at a large public high school near my home. Our education system is in a serious crisis, inflicting grievous harm on a country’s most precious resource, its people. Yet until last year, we could see that the crisis seemed nearly invisible both to the executive and legislative branches. But the education system is plagued by more than just a shortage of classrooms. The crisis in education is also driven by the crisis in politics.

Lunar New Year fairs open with cautious cheer for the Year of Horse

DOTr removes viral, ‘tactless’ MRT-3 signageMANILA, Philippines — A signage encouraging commuters to climb the stairs instead of using the escalators on the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) has been removed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr). On the contrary, the convenience of the commuters is always our priority,” the MRT-3 management said. Station supervisors took the initiative to put up the “unnecessary” signage, the management said. “It was initiated by one of the station supervisors, not sanctioned by the MRT-3 management and was poorly communicated, which only led to misunderstanding. Apologizing for the signage, the management said, “There was never any intention to invalidate or diminish commuters’ experiences or concerns.

But for this study, the team performed a wider analysis by pooling data published since 1990 across 160 bird species to see if any broader trends could be established. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, found clear evidence of a "pervasive" impact of noise pollution on birds worldwide. In some cases, noise pollution interrupted mating displays, caused males to change their courtship songs, or masked messages between chicks and parents. Some 61 percent of the world's bird species have declining populations, the International Union for Conservation of Nature said in October. But many solutions to combat noise pollution already existed, said the study's senior author Neil Carter, from the University of Michigan.