Congress ratifies P6.793-trillion budget, up for Marcos approval
Congress ratifies P6.793-trillion budget, up for Marcos approvalMANILA, Philippines — Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have ratified the 2026 national budget, clearing the way for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to sign the P6.793-trillion spending plan into law. Lawmakers approved the bicameral conference committee report in separate plenary sessions at the Senate and House on Monday, December 29. The swift ratification comes a day after bicam delegates signed the report that reconciles the House and Senate's differences over the 2026 budget. Marcos is expected to sign the budget on January 5. Several minority lawmakers voted against the final budget due to what they see as "pork" allocations kept in the spending plan.
Source:Philippine Star
December 29, 2025 13:53 UTC
Suansing denies offering P150-M incentives for 2026 budget votes
Suansing denies offering P150-M incentives for 2026 budget votesRep. Mikaela Suansing (Nueva Ejica) speaks upon signing the bicameral conference committee report on the 2026 General Appropriations Bill, or the proposed national budget on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. He had claimed a staff member from Suansing's office allegedly offered him P151 million in budget allocations as informal "incentives" before the House's final reading of the 2026 budget in October. The House approved the 2026 budget on final reading on October 13. The House is set to reconvene briefly today to ratify the bicameral conference committee report on the P6.793-trillion budget for 2026. The bicameral conference committee signed the report Sunday, December 28, after reconciling disagreements between the House and Senate versions of the budget.
Source:Philippine Star
December 29, 2025 12:33 UTC
Missing bride-to-be found, says QCPD
Missing bride-to-be found, says QCPDMANILA, Philippines — The missing bride-to-be reported gone days before her wedding has been found, ending a nearly three-week search that drew widespread public attention. In a Facebook post on Monday, December 29, the Quezon City Police District said officers are en route to fetch Sherra de Juan, accompanied by her family. The QCPD said the trip back to Metro Manila would take around three hours but did not disclose the exact location where De Juan was found. On Interaksyon: ‘Bring Sherra home’: Accounting firm seeks help to find staffer missing before weddingWhat came beforeDe Juan was reported missing by her fiancé, Mark Arjay Reyes, after she disappeared just four days before their planned wedding on December 14. As the search intensified, Reyes appealed for public assistance and offered a P150,000 reward for information that would lead to her location.
Source:Philippine Star
December 29, 2025 11:42 UTC
New year brings new mayor for New York City
Russia says Ukraine tried to attack Putin's residence but Kyiv says Moscow is lying
Source:The Standard
December 29, 2025 11:08 UTC
List of certified fireworks brands, according to DTI
List of certified fireworks brands, according to DTIMANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry has released a registry of certified fireworks manufacturers that passed government quality checks, as it renewed its call for the public to buy only from licensed and properly labeled brands ahead of the New Year. In an advisory, the DTI reminded consumers to avoid generic or unlabeled fireworks, warning that uncertified products pose higher safety risks. Avoid generic fireworks without labels identifying the manufacturer,” the DTI said. Certified fireworks manufacturersThe following manufacturers were listed by the DTI as having met quality standards:PS LICENSE COMPANY BRAND Q-1469 DIAMOND FIREWORKS INC. DIAMOND Q-1253 DRAGON FIREWORKS INCORPORATED DRAGON FIREWORKS Q-5708 DREAMLIGHT FIREWORKS MANUFACTURING DREAMLIGHT FIREWORKS Q-6482 F.R.T. FIREWORKS FRT Q-5443 JPL MANUFACTURING FIREWORKS JPL FIREWORKS Q-1903 LEEGENDARY FIREWORKS INC. LF FIREWORKS Q-5248 MARIBEL STA.
Source:Philippine Star
December 29, 2025 10:52 UTC
ADOR terminates exclusive contract with NewJeans' Danielle
Record label ADOR has terminated its exclusive contract with NewJeans member Danielle June Marsh. The agency shared updates regarding the K-pop girl group's status on Dec. 29, saying that it dropped Danielle as a member of NewJeans. "In Danielle's case, we determined that it would be difficult to continue together as a NewJeans member and an ADOR artist, and today we notified her of the termination of her exclusive contract," ADOR's statement, as translated by K-entertainment outlet Soompi, read. Moreover, the company aims to take legal action against a member of Danielle's family and former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin for "precipitating" the dispute between the label and the group. We have also agreed to find an opportunity to address the various controversies that arose during the dispute and are discussing the timing and manner."
Source:Philippine Star
December 29, 2025 07:25 UTC
Vlogger Jeraldine Blackman opens up about losing her father on Christmas Day: 'I have so many regrets in life'
Vlogger Jeraldine Blackman opened up about the loss of her biological father, whom she saw only last July after more than 20 years. "My father that I've only seen in July, that I hadn't met for more than 20 years, just passed away on Christmas Day." In a separate video, she recounted that her father wasn't present in her life since childhood. The vlogger began creating content in 2022, sharing glimpses of her life with The Blackman Family and their lighthearted moments, including skits and pranks online. She and her former husband Joshua Blackman met in 2015 and tied the knot two years later.
Source:Philippine Star
December 29, 2025 07:25 UTC
Missing bride-to-be found—QCPD
The bride-to-be who went missing for weeks has been located, according to police. “Immediately, binigyan po natin ng instruction na samahan agad, sunduin na po is Ms. Sherra sa Pangasinan,” he said. The bride-to-be's dad, Jose de Juan, shared his reaction to the news with the media outlet. De Juan's disappearanceDe Juan and Reyes were supposed to get married on Dec. 14. This didn't alarm him initially, since, according to him, de Juan normally went to the market around that time of the day.
Source:Philippine Star
December 29, 2025 07:25 UTC
Ombudsman says Leviste showed partial files while Cabral was alive
Ombudsman says Leviste showed partial files while Cabral was aliveMANILA, Philippines — Only portions of the so-called “Cabral files” were shown to the Office of the Ombudsman while former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral was still alive, contradicting claims that the full set of documents had already been turned over, the Ombudsman said. Clavano said this differs from Leviste’s earlier public statements that the full Cabral files had already been shown to the Ombudsman. Just a part of itClavano stressed that the Cabral files are only one component of a broader investigation into alleged anomalies in infrastructure spending. Questions over source of documentsClavano said several individuals have since come forward claiming to possess copies of the Cabral files. On December 21, days after Cabral's death, Leviste claimed that Cabral personally gave him the files on September 4, days before her death.
Source:Philippine Star
December 29, 2025 05:33 UTC
Palace wants to know how Leviste got ‘Cabral files’
Palace wants to know how Leviste got ‘Cabral files’MANILA, Philippines — An investigation should be conducted on how the supposed files of the late former public works undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral were obtained, as evidence acquired illegally has no probative value, Malacañang said yesterday. Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said there have been reports that the documents obtained by Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Leviste came from a staff member, not Cabral. She added that Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon had already clarified that he has not authenticated any document in Leviste’s possession. What is important here is how were the files obtained from the staff?” the Palace press officer told radio dzBB when asked whether she thought the manner by which the files were sourced should be probed. On Dec. 21, Leviste claimed Cabral provided him files listing the proponents of the DPWH’s insertions on Sept. 4.
Source:Philippine Star
December 29, 2025 05:17 UTC
House's anti-dynasty bill entrenches political families, warns solon
House's anti-dynasty bill entrenches political families, warns solonMANILA, Philippines — A bill branded as an "anti-political dynasty" measure is now facing criticism for doing the opposite: entrenching dynasties by formally defining which family members are allowed to keep power, rather than dismantling the system altogether. What the people are saying is that they do not want political dynasties.) Calling for political will rather than accommodation, Cendaña said lawmakers—many of whom belong to political families—must act against their own interests for once. Nearly four decades later, no comprehensive anti-dynasty law has been enacted—largely because lawmakers themselves often belong to political families. Advocacy groups and reform-oriented legislators have long argued that unchecked political dynasties weaken democratic competition, concentrate power, and perpetuate patronage politics at the local and national levels.
Source:Philippine Star
December 29, 2025 04:09 UTC
Hong Kong Red Cross medics on the front line in Gaza
Hong Kong Red Cross medics on the front line in GazaEmergency nurse Chan Chi-keung helped set up the hospital’s out-patient department, which now sees up to 300 people a day alongside mass casualty emergencies.
Source:The Standard
December 29, 2025 01:13 UTC
DPWH urged to authenticate Cabral files
DPWH urged to authenticate Cabral filesThe so-called Cabral files are turned over to the Office of the Ombudsman by DPWH officials. MANILA, Philippines — Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Leviste is pressuring Secretary Vince Dizon of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to “authenticate” the so-called Cabral files he published on social media on Christmas eve. And to see if they really don’t want the files published,” Leviste said in a statement yesterday. Leviste also posted a series of back and forth correspondence, supposedly between his office and the DPWH. Dizon previously denied authenticating the files in Leviste’s possession: “I haven’t seen the documents he is referring to.
Source:Philippine Star
December 28, 2025 23:10 UTC