MANILA, Philippines — No tropical cyclone is likely to occur within the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) for the rest of the week, state meteorologists said on Monday. (Possibly for this week, there is a small chance that we will have a tropical cyclone that will form or enter the Philippine area of responsibility.) To date, the country has yet to have a tropical cyclone occurring inside the country’s PAR. Should it occur this March, Pagasa said the tropical cyclone would be named “Agaton.”READ: Pagasa: PH expecting 1 tropical cyclone this MarchADVERTISEMENTPagasa data showed that March — along with February — recorded the least frequent occurrence of tropical cyclones, with an average of 0.3 from 1948 to 2023. The country experiences most of the tropical cyclones in July, with an average of 3.2 within the same period, according to Pagasa.

MANILA, Philippines — In a recent House hearing on proposed minimum wage hikes, research group Ibon Foundation stressed that an across-the-board increase is urgently needed. Ibon executive director Sonny Africa said the actual value of the minimum wage today is lower than 35 years ago, in 1989, in 16 out of 17 regions. ADVERTISEMENTHe pointed to a 22 percent contraction in the average real minimum wage since 1989, even as worker productivity has increased by 88 percent over the same period. Africa argued that wage hikes need not be inflationary if employers accept a small profit cut rather than pass on costs. ‘Urgent, just and doable’The research group urged legislators to approve an across-the-board minimum wage increase, calling it “urgent, just and doable.”Meanwhile, Gabriela, a women’s rights group, said in a statement on Sunday that regular work opportunities, increased wages, and equal pay for women are needed.

Report notes rise in Chinese militia vessels in South China SeaThis photo taken on February 15, 2024, shows an aerial view of Chinese vessel identified by the Philippine Coast Guard as “maritime militia” (upper C) , Philippine fishing boats and BRP Datu Tamblot (C) during a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-led mission to bring supplies and assistance to the fishermen over Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea. MANILA, Philippines — The number of Chinese maritime militia vessels around key features in the South China Sea increased by 35% in 2023, a Washington-based think tank said, as Beijing bolstered its presence in the disputed waters. An analysis by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) based on satellite imagery found an average of 195 Chinese militia ships around nine features in the sea on any given day last year. Beyond Panganiban Reef, AMTI identified Hughes Reef and Julian Felipe Reef, also known as Whitsun, as having the largest consistent militia vessel presence. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, and has ignored a landmark ruling that its assertions have no legal basis.

Marcos visits Australia again for ASEAN summitPresident Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers a speech before departing for Melbourne, Australia to attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit on March 3, 2024. MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday made his second trip to Australia in just one week to attend a special summit with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states. Marcos said the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne is an opportunity for the government to reiterate the country’s position on regional and international issues. Marcos will hold bilateral meetings with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. He also met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and signed agreements to strengthen cooperation on cyber technology, civil and defense maritime matters between the Philippines and Australia.

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis on Sunday appealed for an end to the conflict in Gaza, as he showed signs of recovery after suffering from bronchitis. Addressing believers in St Peter’s Square, Francis stressed the consequences of the conflict on children and asked for the release of all the hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 raid. “Do you really think you can build a better world in this way? Do you really think you will achieve peace? Stop!” Francis saidFrancis has had a number of health issues in recent months.

"WHAT we've got here is failure to communicate." The contract also requires the Miru group, the lone bidder, to provide 104,345 ballot boxes, 2,200 laptops and printers, the paper for printing 73.88 million ballots, and a system for verifying ballots. But the watchdog group Democracy Watch raised some valid questions that demand some answers. These findings were corroborated by the Carter Center's international election observers, who allegedly witnessed technical issues in 22 percent of the polling stations they visited, Democracy Watch said. An electronic voting system, after all, isn't just any ordinary automated system.

NEW DELHI — What happens when the son of Asia’s richest man is about to get married? All eyes were on Anant Ambani, 28, and his long-time girlfriend Radhika Merchant, 29, who will tie the knot in July. READ: Asia’s richest man advises millennials: Dream bigWho is Mukesh Ambani? Mukesh Ambani, 66, is currently the world’s 10th richest man with a net worth of $115 billion, according to Forbes. Earlier this week, Disney struck an $8.5 billion deal to merge its India business with Ambani’s Reliance Industries, forming a new media giant.

The scariest scenario is whether these accidental armed conflicts will lead not only to a war, but worse, to a nuclear war. In the more than seven decades of conflicts since World War II which included at least one nuclear power, nuclear weapons have never been used. However, despite this bloody and protracted war, the nuclear powers avoided the use of nuclear weapons. The Philippines must therefore prepare itself for the likelihood of a protracted war. The Philippines must realize the effect of a great power war that would last for many months or years and must prepare to have the staying power in what could be a long war.

Baby no more: Justin Bieber celebrates 30th birthday with wife HaileyMANILA, Philippines — Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber has reached another milestone in his young decorated career, his 30th birthday. Justin turned 30 years old last March 1, and leading the celebrations was his wife Hailey. The popular wax museum unveiled a new wax figure of Justin in Hollywood after creating two replicas of the singer in the past. Hailey and Justin tied the knot in September 2018 after an on-and-off two-year relationship. RELATED: Justin Bieber sells music rights for $200 million

Game director Naoki Hamaguchi visits the Philippines for the first time and meets the fans of the Final Fantasy VII game as part launch of Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth at the SM City North Edsa on Saturday, March 2, 2024. In a Q and A, Hamaguchi said that the development team and game developer Square Enix tried to remain true to the vision of the original game while allowing newer gamers to experience the world of Final Fantasy. Alodia and Ashley Gosiengfiao, celebrity cosplay siblings and Final Fantasy VII fans, met with the director for autographs on the FFVII-related merchandise. Video by Red MendozaGet the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

It's a 'dream come true' for Ben&Ben as its music becomes the heart of a PETA play, 'One More Chance, The Musical' in April and the band has been invited to do a special performance at British singer Ed Sheeran's Manila concert on March 9, 2024. Video by Christina Alpad

Analiza Solis, head of the Climate Monitoring and Prediction of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), says that extreme El Niño will be felt in over 40 provinces from March to May of this year. As a result, extreme drought is expected in these areas where government must exert efforts to ease its effects. Video and Interview by Ezrah Raya

BEIJING: Factory activity in China contracted for the fifth straight month in February, official figures showed Friday, as sluggish demand in the world's second-largest economy continues to drag on growth. The purchasing managers' index (PMI) a key measure of factory output came in at 49.1 percent in February, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). China’s National Bureau of Statistics reported that factory activity shrunk for the fifth straight month by 49.1 percent in February. China's National Bureau of Statistics reported that factory activity shrunk for the fifth straight month by 49.1 percent in February. Factory activity has consistently contracted since then, with February marking the fifth consecutive month of decline.

SC disbars ex-customs official over illegal sale of SUVThis photo shows a picture of the building of the Bureau of Customs. MANILA, Philippines — A former official from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has been disbarred by the Supreme Court (SC) who misrepresented himself as a BOC director with the authority to sell seized vehicles. In a press release of the high court released on Friday, it said that lawyer Jorge Monroy’s name has been removed from the roll of attorneys after violating the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA). Monroy assured the complainant that the transaction was legal and that official receipts would be issued. The estafa conviction from the anti-graft court, meanwhile, is also a sufficient ground for disbarment, according to the SC.

Are you sure you want to log out? X Login Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. Get Updated: Signup for the News Round now E-mail Address: Password REMEMBER ME FORGOT PASSWORD? SIGN IN or sign in with New user?