Army intervenes to de-escalate clash between rival Moro groupsA peacekeeping team composed of policemen, soldiers and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front are helping the Army's 6th Infantry Division totally disengage the two armed groups that repeatedly clashed at the border of two towns in Cotabato province last week. COTABATO CITY — Guns have been silent for two days along the border of Nabalawag and Midsayap towns in Cotabato, the site of deadly clashes last week between heavily armed Moro groups vying for control of strategic areas. Gen. Ricky Bunayog, seized more than 20 assault rifles, grenade launchers, a K3 machine gun, and an 81mm mortar last week. A large contingent from the Joint Peace and Security Team (JPST), composed of policemen, soldiers, and members of the MILF, was also deployed to prevent a repeat of last week’s deadly clashes between the two Moro groups. Local officials and traditional Moro leaders mediating the conflict said that both factions lost two members each in the encounters along the Midsayap–Nabalawag boundary.

Motorists rush to fill up on last day of capped fuel pricesMotorists line up at a gasoline station along Norzagaray Road in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan on Sunday, March 8, 2026, as some stations display "out of stock" signs for diesel. MANILA, Philippines — Monday, March 9 is set to be the last day for motorists to avail of capped gas prices before fuel costs are adjusted the following day, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). The next regular fuel price adjustments will take effect tomorrow, Tuesday, March 10. It is currently coordinating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to monitor gas stations across the country. The DOE has already caught at least two gas stations in Quezon City after it already implemented a price adjustment before March 10.

Sandiganbayan grants motion to 'hold' Zaldy Co's 16 propertiesFormer Rep. Elizaldy Co admits inserting P100 billion in the 2025 budget in a video released on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 while abroad. MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has officially granted a writ of preliminary attachment against the properties of fugitive lawmaker Zaldy Co to secure over P215 million in alleged civil liabilities. In an order dated March 4, the anti-graft court granted the prosecution's ex parte motion for the issuance of the writ of preliminary attachment over the 16 properties of Co. This means that the anti-graft court temporarily takes or holds the property of Co while the case is ongoing. After his passport was cancelled, he was also declared a fugitive by the anti-graft court.

Or else there will be regular in-person working hours four days a week, and work from home on Fridays. For another – as anti-red tape authorities have pointed out – humans design red tape into the system. If such crooks can do this for in-person transactions, they can also design red tape into e-systems. Agency heads must ensure that red tape, redundancy and inefficiency are not built into e-transactions. This effort can be boosted and opportunities for improving digital transactions explored as the nation copes with the worsening fuel crisis.

The Lantern Festival is a big deal in many communities, but today’s Lantern Festival is a far cry from its origins, believed to go back over 2,000 years to the Western Han Dynasty. The emperor, who was Buddhist, saw monks light lanterns in the temple on the 15th day of the first month and ordered that lanterns be similarly lit in the imperial palace, in temples and households all over his realm. In some places people set off sky lanterns (paper lanterns with a small flame inside), writing their wishes before sending them aloft. In Taiwan, where setting off sky lanterns is a big tourist attraction, this is confined to Pingxi and Shifen counties for one day only (Feb. 28 and March 3, respectively), with a limited number of lanterns launched at set intervals. It’s nothing like the traditional parade of red paper lanterns, as technology has taken over and the lanterns are computer-guided multi-sensory, sometimes interactive, spectacles.

But he did not convene a crisis committee to map out a plan to deal with all the fallout from from the oil price spike induced by the war in the Middle East. We hope this time his “monitoring” helps cushion the severe impact of the oil price increase – which could be first in a series. The scale of the fuel price surge is pretty unnerving. We know from experience that an oil price spike quickly reflects in transport costs and then in food costs. We also know from experience that the usual suspects will try and provoke a riot over rising fuel costs.

Business name registrations increase 6% in 2 monthsMANILA, Philippines — Business name listings with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) rose by six percent in the first two months of the year from a year ago, signaling renewed business confidence. Of the registered business names as of end-February, 299,921 were new filings, while 67,836 were renewals. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said in an email that the increase in business registrations reflect improving business confidence. He said that anti-corruption efforts and other reforms to raise governance standards would also help further improve investor confidence and translate to faster economic growth and more business registrations. Last year, total business names registered with the DTI declined by 3.7 percent to 1.02 million from 1.06 million listings in 2024.

ACEN bullish on growth despite 2025 profit dropIn a stock exchange filing yesterday, the company reported a net income of P3.8 billion in 2025, down by 60 percent from P9.36 billion in 2024. MANILA, Philippines — ACEN Corp., the Zobel family’s listed energy arm, delivered weaker financial results last year but remained optimistic about its long-term growth prospects. “ACEN faced numerous macro and sectoral headwinds in 2025, reflecting the complexities of today’s energy landscape and the long-term energy transition,” ACEN president and CEO Eric Francia said. “Notwithstanding softer financial performance, we continued to deliver solid generation growth,” ACEN chief finance officer and chief strategy officer Jonathan Back said. This continued, disciplined approach will help us navigate market and macro uncertainties while sustaining our long-term growth trajectory,” Back said.

New shocker from EalaMANILA, Philippines — Another huge moment, another milestone, another giant slaying. 4 Coco Gauff of the United States in the third round of the 2026 Indian Wells Open at the Indian Wells Garden in California yesterday. To be able to play in Stadium 1 of Indian Wells and against such a great competitor,” said the WTA No. “I’m really grateful to be here, and super happy.”It’s the third career win for the 31st seed Eala against Top-5 players, having beaten Iga Swiatek (No. Fighting Gauff power for power and fire for fire, Eala took the first set with ease, 6-2, then had jumped to 2-0 in the second when Gauff called it a day.

Ramos proud to play for countryMANILA, Philippines — Gilas Pilipinas star Dwight Ramos vowed to always be ready to answer the call and serve duties for the national team. “As long as my body allows me to compete at my best and the team needs me, I’ll always be committed to playing for Gilas Pilipinas,” he said. “Playing for the Philippines is an honor that I don’t take for granted. SportsPlus president and CEO Andre Uy emphasized the importance of continuity in the partnership with Ramos, who first came on board as brand ambassador in August 2024. “Dwight represents the best of what Philippine basketball stands for: hard work, integrity, and pride in representing the country,” Uy said.

DepEd shifts to four-day workweekIn a statement yesterday, DepEd said Memorandum 18, s. 2026 outlines the new protocols aimed at reducing electricity and fuel consumption by 10 to 20 percent while allowing flexible work arrangements. In a statement yesterday, DepEd said Memorandum 18, s. 2026 outlines the new protocols aimed at reducing electricity and fuel consumption by 10 to 20 percent while allowing flexible work arrangements. Teaching personnel, however, will continue with their existing class schedules to ensure uninterrupted classes and the completion of end-of-school-year activities. To maintain productivity, personnel working from home are required to submit daily time records, individual daily logs and accomplishment reports. Frontline offices and critical operational units will maintain their full-week Monday-to-Friday schedule to ensure uninterrupted service to members.

House panel OKs travel tax removal“Today, there are tens of millions of middle-class Filipinos whose voices, together with the poorest of the poor, are too often unheard in policy discussions,” panel chair Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo said during the hearing. MANILA, Philippines — A House bill abolishing the travel tax yesterday hurdled the ways and means committee, paving the way for a more “progressive and competitive” tax system. Authored by House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, the bill will repeal Presidential Decree 1183, or the travel tax imposed since 1977, as well as related provisions of the Tourism Act of 2009. Abolishing the travel tax could generate as much as P22 billion in additional economic activities, Quimbo noted. The Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia that continues to impose a travel tax.

A less forgiving worldMost people do not wake up thinking about geopolitics, energy markets, artificial intelligence or global trade. That is why many of the biggest changes in the world are easy to miss at first. The world is changing underneath us, and many people can already feel it even if they cannot fully explain it. Because once you see that the world is shifting quietly, you stop preparing for the wrong future. They may simply be the ones who understood early that the world had changed, and chose to adapt accordingly.

Marcos Jr. announces free calls to Middle EastOverseas Filipino workers line up at the immigration counters of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in this photo taken in October 2024MANILA, Philippines — Telecommunication firms will offer free communication services to allow Filipinos to talk to their family members in the Middle East, President Marcos announced. “Further assistance (has) been initiated for our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) in the Middle East,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday. “I have directed our telecommunications companies to provide free communication services between our OFWs and their families here in the Philippines,” Marcos added. Iran retaliated by targeting American and Israeli bases across the Middle East, where about 2.5 million Filipinos live and work. Facts, not hearsayThe repatriation of Filipinos from the Middle East must be based on facts, not hearsay, Malacañang said on Sunday (Monday Manila time).

God Made Them AllHow many are your works, Lord! He also affirmed that God has determined the days of each one’s existence (vv. We can join the psalmist in singing this declaration of devotion: “I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live” (v. 33). Every creature that exists, from the big to the small, can lead us to praise because God made them all. Xochitl DixonWhen has exploring the wonderful world God made led you to praise Him?