National

Remains of four on board Cessna plane that crashed near Mayon summit found

(Eagle News) — The bodies of the four people on board a Cessna plane that crashed near Mayon have been found, a local official said. In a dzbb interview, Mayor Carlos Baldo of Camalig, Albay said the four fatalities–the pilot, mechanic, and two foreigners—were found near the plane wreckage. On Sunday, the plane’s debris was found some 350 meters from Mayon’s summit. “Wala na pong buhay,” he said, noting that authorities had now shifted to […]

Wetter storms, deforestation: Manila faces worsening floods

by Mikhail FLORES Agence France-Presse BARAS, Philippines (AFP) — From her house in a Manila suburb, Rowena Jimenez can’t see the bare mountains around the built-up city. But she feels the impact of deforestation every time her living room floods. Slash-and-burn farming, illegal logging, open-pit mining and development fueled by population growth have stripped the once-densely forested Philippines of much of its trees. In Manila, where more than 13 million people live, low-lying areas are […]

Isidro Purisima is new acting peace adviser: Palace

(Eagle News) — The Palace on Tuesday, Feb. 21, announced  Isidro Purisima is the new acting presidential adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU). The Palace said also appointed as chair of the National Amnesty Commission was Leah Tanodra-Armamento. Purisima replaced Carlito Galvez, Jr., who was appointed the country’s Defense chief last month. President Bongbong Marcos led Purisima’s oath-taking on Monday, according to the Palace. The Palace said Tanodra-Armamento took her oath also on Monday. […]

Aparri vice mayor, 5 others killed in Nueva Vizcaya ambush

(Eagle News)–The vice mayor of Aparri and five others were killed in an ambush in Nueva Vizcaya on Sunday, Feb. 19. Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda and his companions were traveling in a Hyundai Starex van when they were shot at by at least five people in Barangay Baretbet in Bagabag at 8:45 a.m. Witnesses told the police the vehicle the gunmen were using bore a red plate, indicating it was possibly a government vehicle. An […]

President Bongbong Marcos: “This country won’t lose one inch of its territory”

By Eagle News METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES—“This country will not lose one inch of its territory,” President Bongbong Marcos said on Saturday, Feb. 18. The President made the comment as part of his speech during the Philippine Military Academy’s homecoming in Baguio City. He did not elaborate, but the comment came after the Armed Forces of the Philippines called on China to “restrain its forces.” The call was made after a Chinese Coast Guard vessel pointed […]

PCG announces February 2 deployment of BRP Teresa Magbanua to Kalayaan Islands

(Eagle News) — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has deployed the BRP Teresa Magbanua, one of its fleet’s  largest maritime assets, to the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG). The PCG on Friday, Feb. 17, said the vessel deployment was done on Feb. 2, following a directive from President Bongbong Marcos to strengthen and increase the PCG’s presence and operations in the West Philippine Sea. The deployment came six days before the incident in Ayungin Shoal that […]

In Pictures: 6.1 magnitude quake rocks central Philippines

  Manila, Philippines | AFP | Thursday 2/16/2023 by Mikhail FLORES A 6.1 magnitude earthquake rocked the central Philippines on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, though there were no reports of casualties or significant damage. The strong and shallow quake struck just off the coast of Masbate province in the centre of the archipelago nation shortly after 2 am (1800 GMT). The epicentre was 11 kilometres (seven miles) from the coastal village of Miaga […]

Palace announces latest DND, DA appointments

(Eagle News) — The Palace on Thursday, Feb. 16, announced the latest appointments in the Departments of National Defense and Agriculture. In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office said the following have been appointed to the DA: Paz Benavidez II – Assistant Secretary Honorio Flameño – Director IV Fernando Flores – Director IV Maria Christine Inting – Director IV Roland Tulay – Director IV Reynaldo Campomanes – Director III The following, meanwhile, have been appointed […]

Philippines’ Marcos summons Chinese envoy over laser incident at sea

Manila, Philippines | AFP | Tuesday 2/14/2023 Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos summoned Beijing’s ambassador Tuesday to express “serious concern” after a Chinese security vessel was accused of using a military-grade laser light against a Philippine patrol boat in the disputed South China Sea. The confrontation marks an escalation in the diplomatic row, after the Philippine foreign ministry earlier filed a protest to the Chinese embassy condemning the “aggressive” actions of the Chinese coastguard vessel that […]

Trough of LPA affecting Mindanao: PAGASA

(Eagle News) — The trough of a low pressure area is affecting Mindanao. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the northeast monsoon is affecting Luzon. Visayas and Mindanao, PAGASA said, will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. Flash floods or landslides due to light to moderate with at times heavy rains are possible. Palawan will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. Metro Manila and […]

Chinese crypto scams targeting Filipinos to work for them: official

Manila, Philippines | AFP | by Mikhail FLORES Chinese criminals running cryptocurrency scams in Southeast Asia are targeting Filipinos to work for them because of their English language and computer skills, a Philippine foreign ministry official said Monday. Filipinos were “prized” targets for scam networks operating in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, said Eduardo de Vega, acting undersecretary for migrant workers affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs. De Vega said efforts to repatriate Filipinos sucked […]

Philippine coast guard accuses Chinese ship of using ‘laser light’

MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — The Philippine Coast Guard on Monday accused a Chinese coastguard vessel of shining a “military-grade laser light” at one of its boats in the disputed South China Sea, temporarily blinding crew members. The incident happened on February 6 nearly 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, where Philippine marines are stationed, the coast guard said in a statement. It was the latest episode in a series […]