BIR seizes P516 million illicit cigarettes; Senate eyes probe
BIR seizes P516 million illicit cigarettes; Senate eyes probeArmed with mission orders, BIR and HPG personnel found truckloads of unregistered cigarettes in a storage facility in Barangay Gen. T. de Leon. MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Internal Revenue and Highway Patrol Group operatives seized smuggled cigarettes valued at P516.79 million in Valenzuela on Friday. Armed with mission orders, BIR and HPG personnel found truckloads of unregistered cigarettes in a storage facility in Barangay Gen. T. de Leon. “It signals the BIR’s renewed and intensified commitment to combating tax evasion and illicit tobacco trade,” the agency said in a statement. Senate probeMeanwhile, Senate finance committee chair Sherwin Gatchalian believed politicians are in cahoots with rogue law enforcers to smuggle illicit cigarettes and cheat the government of sin taxes.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 16:32 UTC
Philippines tourism expects ‘big boost’ from ASEAN chairmanship – DOT
Philippines tourism expects ‘big boost’ from ASEAN chairmanship – DOTMANILA, Philippines — After a lackluster 2025, the tourism industry is expected to get a “big boost” from the country’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, according to Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco. “Historically, our numbers are not that big, that’s why we look on having a more visible presence in the ASEAN,” Frasco told reporters last week. She noted that tourist arrivals from other ASEAN member-states were not as high as those from other countries. Based on Bureau of Immigration records of tourist arrivals in 2025, Singapore posted the biggest among ASEAN but only ninth among the Philippines’ 10 top sources of tourists, at 115,341 travelers. She noted that the Philippines has recovered “less than 50 percent” of the pre-pandemic tourist arrivals from China.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 16:32 UTC
‘Receipt of impeach complaint not a walk-in transaction’
‘Receipt of impeach complaint not a walk-in transaction’MANILA, Philippines — Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong yesterday defended the decision of the Office of the Secretary General not to receive an impeachment complaint in the absence of secretary general Cheloy Garafil, stressing that the action is required by House rules and long-standing parliamentary practice. “The receipt of an impeachment complaint is not a casual or clerical transaction. It is a formal constitutional act that must strictly comply with House rules. “The secretary general is required, upon receipt, to determine whether the complaint is complete and whether it complies with constitutional and rules-based requirements on form, including verification, endorsements and accompanying documents,” Adiong said. He further explained that the consequences of official receipt are significant.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 16:32 UTC
MRT-7, PNR commuter project may open in 2027
MRT-7, PNR commuter project may open in 2027Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) train cars were seen parked inside a depot in Quezon City on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation hopes to launch two rail projects – Metro Rail Transit Line 7 or MRT-7 and the Philippine National Railway (PNR) North-South Commuter Railway – by next year, the DOTr announced. The MRT-7 is composed of 12 stations from North Caloocan to North Avenue in Quezon City and could carry a daily average of 500,000 passengers. Meanwhile, Lopez said a segment of the PNR North-South Commuter Railway project from Valenzuela City to Malolos City in Bulacan would be open by 2027. He noted that the project is 90 percent complete with the remaining 10 percent slowed by right of way issues, which the DOTr would resolve “by the second quarter of 2026.”
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 16:08 UTC
Survivors unlikely in New Zealand landslide, police say
Survivors unlikely in New Zealand landslide, police sayThe portion of cliff that gave way at the scene of a landslide triggered by heavy rains on January 23, in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, January 24, 2026. REUTERS/David Rowland/Pool
Source:The Standard
January 24, 2026 15:37 UTC
Fixing Philippine education won’t work until we redesign it
Fixing Philippine education won’t work until we redesign itThis photo taken on March 21, 2025, shows students gathering for a physical education class at a high school in Baseco, Manila. The result is a persistent misalignment between what schools require and what teacher education institutions supply. The country’s trifocalized education structure has entrenched institutional silos, weakening coordination across basic education, higher education and technical–vocational training. While important legislation has already resulted from the Commission’s work, laws alone cannot transform an education system unless they are animated by a clear vision of what that system is meant to become. Dr. Feliece I. Yeban, is professor of human rights education at Philippine Normal University, the National Center for Teacher Education.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 14:58 UTC
Arrested Russian vlogger says he spread HIV scare to 'become a meme'
Nikita Chekhov, the Russian vlogger who was arrested by the Bureau of Immigration for threatening to spread HIV in the Philippines, explained that he only did the act to become a meme on social media. I've been making TikToks for Filipino audience too," he said. "I was getting many comments like ‘stop spreading your viruses, foreigner,’ ‘passport bro,’ ‘lbh,’ ‘HIV alert.’ Just for being me. And that’s how I came up with ‘Spread HIV’ thing—I literally said out loud what Filipinos were saying to me. "I do not have HIV and do not have intentions to spread it.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 09:59 UTC
A roadmap for forward-looking leadership
While they pose significant risks to national stability and development, they also present opportunities for reform, resilience and long-term growth if addressed with foresight and effective leadership. By combining rigorous analysis with practical recommendations, the volume serves both as a roadmap and as a call for forward-looking leadership capable of addressing complex, long-term challenges. Sustainable development, competitiveness, and national security should function as mutually reinforcing objectives, rather than being pursued as distinct or independent goals. Finally, the book turns to the need to enhance geostrategic thinking and national security amid the rapidly evolving Indo-Pacific landscape. This book urges national leaders and key decision makers to adopt a forward-looking mindset by planning beyond electoral cycles and short-term political timelines.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 09:58 UTC
2NE1's CL referred to prosecutors for allegedly running unregistered agency
South Korean rapper CL, the leader of 2NE1, has been referred to prosecutors for allegedly running an unregistered agency. Under the country's laws, operating an unregistered entertainment agency can result in imprisonment for two years or a 20 million won (P800,000) fine. After CL's contract with YG Entertainment expired, she created her one-person agency, Very Cherry, in 2020. In September 2025, Korea JoongAng Daily reported that CL and actor Gang Dong-won were under investigation for running talent agencies without proper registration. Apart from CL, the police also referred the executives of Gang's AA Group to prosecutors.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 07:05 UTC
TikTok in the US goes American, but questions remain
WASHINGTON, United States — After a long legal saga, TikTok has established a majority American-owned joint venture to operate its US business, deflecting the threat of a ban over its Chinese ownership. TikTok insists that US users will maintain a "global TikTok experience," meaning US creators can still be discovered internationally and businesses can "operate on a global scale." What it means for TikTokBefore President Donald Trump took office, TikTok's fate in the United States looked bleak. "TikTok remains incredibly popular in the US, but it's facing more competition than ever, particularly from Instagram Reels," said Emarketer analyst Minda Smiley. TikTok says key functions like e-commerce and marketing will remain tied to the global entity and that could be problematic.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 05:04 UTC
Got Valentine's Day plans? Moonlit Symphonies at Masungi Georeserve returns in February
Valentine’s Day usually means overstimulated crowds and hours stuck in traffic. If you’re looking to skip the malls without just settling for another night on the couch, there’s a much better way to celebrate this year. Moonlit Symphonies at Masungi Georeserve is an intimate, four-hour immersion in Rizal that gives you a rare chance to see—and actually listen to—nature through a different lens. It is inspired by the rich food culture of the Rizal–Quezon–Laguna corridor, offering a menu that feels familiar. To participate, register via this link at least four days before the visit date, but Masungi Georeserve noted that they will receive a separate approval message.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 04:08 UTC
'Legally Blonde' prequel series 'Elle' to premiere in July, season 2 now in production
The series' main character, Elle Woods, was originally played by Reese Witherspoon in 2004. Fans of Legally Blonde have something to look forward to this summer as its prequel series Elle is set to premiere on Prime Video this July, with its second season now in production. "I’m just really emotional, because 25 years ago, Legally Blonde came out in July. So this will be the 25-year anniversary of Legally Blonde. The first Legally Blonde film follows the story of the ever-fabulous and brilliant lawyer, Elle Woods.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 03:07 UTC
South Korean Embassy to stop issuing printed visa grant notices
Starting on Jan. 26, the Embassy will transition to a fully digital Visa Grant Notice. Applicants can now verify their status and download or print their own visa directly from the official Korea Visa Portal. The Korea Visa Application Center in the Philippines announced plans to make its visa application results more accessible. To know when to claim the passport, KVAC said that applicants will be notified through SMS with the message, "Your visa application has been screened and stored in the visa center... To get the visa grant notice, go to the Korea Visa Portal via this link and click "Check Application Status."
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 02:18 UTC
Wages emerge as Filipinos’ top concern in Q4 2025 — OCTA
Wages emerge as Filipinos’ top concern in Q4 2025 — OCTAMulti-sectoral groups stage a protest rally against Charter change outside the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on March 20, 2024. OCTA said the spike in concern over wages in the fourth quarter marked its "steepest increase since March 2024." "The share of adult Filipinos citing improving or increasing workers’ wages as an urgent national concern rose sharply in the Fourth Quarter (Q4) of 2025," OCTA said. For Class D, improving wages ranked highest at 46%, followed by price control at 40%. Among Class E respondents, controlling price increases emerged as the top concern at 48%, while 42% cited improving wages.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 01:34 UTC
Robbie Williams tops Beatles for most number one albums in UK
Pop superstar Robbie Williams has surpassed the Beatles as the artist with the most number one albums in the history of the British charts, sales trackers said Friday. The news came a week after Williams released Britpop, now officially his 16th UK chart-topping album. said the Official Charts Company, referencing the hit 1998 single She's the One by the former Take That frontman. Since Williams, 51, started his chart-topping career with his 1997 solo debut, Life Thru a Lens, he has sold an estimated 20 million albums in the UK. In his 35-year career, Williams has sold 80 million albums worldwide.
Source:Philippine Star
January 24, 2026 01:17 UTC