Corruption, inflation lead public concerns before Sona
The address will outline the administration’s priorities for the final two years of Marcos’ six-year term.
The address will outline the administration’s priorities for the final two years of Marcos’ six-year term.
Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. has ordered the expansion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Direct Commission Program to recruit more civilian professionals with specialized skills as the military modernizes its capabilities.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said the Senate cannot shoulder the cost of catering for Vice President Sara Duterte’s staff and legal team during her impeachment trial, citing budget constraints.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said negotiators have met monthly since January, signaling renewed political will to complete the agreement.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the government respects the US decision and will continue discussions while assessing the impact of the new tariff on Philippine exports.
Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has demanded a public apology from the Bureau of Immigration (BI), accusing the agency of spreading false information that he attempted to leave the country despite a court-issued travel ban.
A special panel of investigators from the Office of the Ombudsman alleged that billions of pesos in kickbacks from corruption-tainted flood control projects were funneled through holding companies owned by a close associate of former Speaker Martin Romualdez, according to a supplemental complaint-affidavit filed on July 20.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Marcos and Rubio also discussed the Philippines’ participation in Pax Silica and its hosting of the initiative’s first Economic Security Zone in Clark.
Lawyer Von Añonuevo, counsel for former DPWH Region IV-B Planning and Design Division Chief Montrexis Tordecilla Tamayo, said his client traveled to the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv because it was the nearest diplomatic post where he could surrender.
Carpio issued the statement in response to Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan, who claimed that a confrontation between the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Philippine Navy personnel at Ayungin Shoal on July 20 stemmed from Manila’s alleged violation of a 2024 provisional agreement between the two countries.