Tropang 5G go for killMANILA, Philippines — Qualifying for the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup finals as early as possible would offer extra time for the players to recover and recharge while waiting for their opponent. The Beermen and the Gin Kings are locked in a 2-2 standoff and would need until Friday, at the earliest, or Sunday, at the latest, to settle the score. “And I’ve said this since Game 1, we have no illusion this is going to be an easy series. Meanwhile, the Beermen and the Gin Kings dispute control at 7:30 p.m. The Gin Kings are on a high after bringing the series to square one and avoiding a 1-3 deficit with a dominant 105-91 victory Sunday.

P105.7 billion PPP scheme OK’d to ease classroom shortageAngara said the Economic Development Council, chaired by the President, approved Phase 3 of the Public-Private Partnership for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP), which forms part of broader reforms to speed up classroom construction and improve governance in school infrastructure. MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has approved a P105.7-billion public-private partnership (PPP) scheme aimed at addressing the country’s 165,000-classroom shortage, Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced yesterday. Angara said the initiative is aligned with President Marcos’ directive to fast-track or “green lane” Department of Education (DepEd) PPP projects, with technical support from the economic team, the PPP Center and the Asian Development Bank. The DepEd plans to build 105,000 classrooms from 2026 to 2031 under a build-lease-and-transfer PPP scheme. TransparencyAs the government accelerates efforts to expand education infrastructure through public-private partnerships, private education stakeholders are also moving to safeguard the integrity of existing education support programs amid concerns flagged by state auditors.

FDI net inflows fall to $642 millionMANILA, Philippines — Foreign direct investments (FDI) inflow to the Philippines plunged by nearly 40 percent year-on-year in October, although the month saw a rebound from September’s five-year low as investors remained largely cautious amid political and policy uncertainties. Preliminary data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed net FDI inflow fell by 39.8 percent to $642 million in October 2025 from $1.07 billion in the same month in 2024. “Foreign direct investments into the Philippines posted net inflows of $642 million in October 2025,” the BSP said. Nonresidents’ net investments in equity capital, excluding reinvestment of earnings, rose by 17.1 percent to $117 million from $100 million a year ago. Equity capital placements increased by 10.7 percent to $135 million, while withdrawals declined by 17.4 percent to $19 million.

Profit taking snaps market’s three-day runThe bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slipped by 0.17 percent or 11.2 points to finish yesterday’s session at 6,408.76. MANILA, Philippines — The local stock market took a breather following a three-day rally, but still managed to stay above the 6,400 territory. The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slipped by 0.17 percent or 11.2 points to finish yesterday’s session at 6,408.76. Analysts attributed the decline to profit taking, with investors waiting for fresh leads. RCBC chief economist Michael Ricafort said that yesterday’s correction was considered a healthy profit taking after the PSEi advanced for three straight trading days.

Proof of lifeWhat the country needs today is proof of life from BBM. That’s why BBM must urgently show signs of life that he is on the ball. He has bigger fish to fry in connection with the flood control scam. But I am not sure Education Secretary Sonny Angara should be replaced just because his name was mentioned in some documents concerning the flood control mess. BBM must show us proof of life.

Proposed specialty hospital for seniors nears Senate approvalPatients infected with dengue rest at a hospital ward in Manila on Feb. 19, 2025. MANILA, Philippines — A bill seeking to establish a tertiary hospital for geriatric medicine is closer to becoming law. “Our seniors deserve dignified and comprehensive care that responds to the realities of aging,” Villar said. Under the proposal, the facility will serve as the lead institution for geriatric medicine, including patient care, research and training for health care professionals. Villar said the measure, once enacted, would help improve seniors’ access to specialized medical attention while reducing hospitalization-related costs for families.

CLI’s Luzon entry gets NTT UD backingMANILA, Philippines — Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI)’s planned expansion in Luzon is getting a major boost with the support of a subsidiary of Japan’s NTT Group. CLI said the company has received the Philippine Competition Commission’s clearance on the proposed subscription by NTT UD Asia Pte. Ltd. to 40 percent of the voting shares of CLI Luzon Ventures Inc.CLI Luzon Ventures was established to spearhead developments in the Luzon region. The Wave Towers marks the first joint venture between CLI and NTT UD Asia. NTT UD Asia’s portfolio spans major global cities including Tokyo, New York, London, Boston, Melbourne and Ho Chi Minh City.

Tanker truck crashes in ManilaPersonnel of the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office remove candy syrup, which spilled from a tanker truck along Magsaysay Boulevard in Manila on January 13, 2026MANILA, Philippines — Traffic was snarled along Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard in Manila yesterday morning after a tanker truck carrying syrup used in making candies overturned, spilling its cargo onto the road. According to reports, the truck careened out of control while descending from the North Luzon Expressway Connector due to the weight of its cargo. The spilled syrup coated portions of the road, making the surface slippery and hazardous to passing motorists. The incident caused several motorcycle riders to slip and suffer injuries. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority implemented a stop-and-go traffic scheme as flushing and cleanup operations were carried out to ensure the safety of motorists.

China ships increase in West Philippine Sea in 2026More than 50 Chinese vessels swarm the vicinity of Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, July 7. MANILA, Philippines — Just two weeks into 2026, the number of Chinese coast guard and naval vessels in the West Philippine Sea has increased, with some of them on several occasions even sailing dangerously close to ships of foreign nations engaged in drills or joint sail with Philippine ships. Meanwhile around Ayungin Shoal, Philippine Navy spokesman for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad noted the presence of six China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and eight MMVs during the period. “Overall, for these four features, we have a total of 41 different ships and boats from the PLA Navy, the Chinese Coast Guard and the maritime militia,” Trinidad said. So, we foresee that for 2026, this would be the likely trend, increased presence in our maritime features of PLA Navy, the Coast Guard and the maritime militia,” he explained.

Impeach complaints to be acted upon ‘with dispatch, forthwith’“One thing is certain: as Senate President, I will act on it with dispatch, forthwith,” Sotto told reporters when asked about the possibility of impeachment moves against the country’s leaders. MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will act promptly on any impeachment complaint filed against President Marcos or Vice President Sara Duterte, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said yesterday. “One thing is certain: as Senate President, I will act on it with dispatch, forthwith,” Sotto told reporters when asked about the possibility of impeachment moves against the country’s leaders. And if an impeachment is transmitted to us, we have to act on it because that’s our constitutional mandate,” he said in Filipino. “It doesn’t mean that if the Senate acts on impeachment, there is already a guilty verdict,” he added.

Philippines, UAE sign trade agreementPresident Marcos meets with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan yesterday on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The signing yesterday of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) – the Philippines’ first free trade deal with a Middle Eastern state – was one of the highlights of President Marcos’ two-day working visit to UAE. Citing preliminary studies, the PCO said the free trade agreement could boost Philippine exports to the UAE by 9.13 percent, generate consumer savings and enhance overall trade linkages with the Gulf region. “The CEPA is also expected to further complement the Philippines’ network of FTAs (free trade agreements) with Japan, South Korea, European Free Trade Agreement and regional agreements within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and trade partners, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement,” the PCO said. The Philippines has existing agreements with the UAE, including the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and cooperation on trade, energy, logistics, innovation and tourism.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speak during a tour of the Federal Reserve Board building, which is currently undergoing renovations, in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 24, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo/File Photo

A 30-year-old Pinay healthcare worker and her unborn child died in a car crash in Crumlin, Ireland. Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed that Cathrene Kith Singco, a Pinay based in Ireland, was killed after a car crash over the weekend. “We can also confirm that, sadly, Cathrene was pregnant and her baby also died as a result of the collision. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time," Detective Inspector Stewart of the Collision Investigation Unit said in the statement. Her husband, Ralph Singco, was reportedly critically injured and is still in the hospital.

The good news is that there are now more practical ways to earn extra income outside a full-time job. Here are some platforms you can jumpstart your freelance search:UpworkUpwork is one of the reliable platforms for freelancers. LinkedInYou can always rely on LinkedIn when searching for part-time jobs. You can use the search filters to narrow down listings and explore trends or top searches on the platform. You can also sort listings through search filters like job type, where you can choose full-time, part-time, freelance, or contractual, as well as the job level and work setup you prefer.

Cabral offered only to be 'ordinary witness', not state witness — lawyerOfficial portrait of Catalina Cabral when she was undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways. "I never confirmed any such deal," she said, adding that Cabral did not even apply to be a state witness. "What she offered was to be an ordinary witness, and not state witness, because the latter would entail admission of complicity," Divinagracia explained. No state witness dealIn media interviews, Divinagracia was asked whether Cabral had been offered a state witness deal if she linked Pangandaman to the anomalies in the infrastructure budget. Leviste, however, also appeared to imply that Divinagracia had confirmed the existence of a state witness deal when he said Cabral chose not to accept it.