A total of 16,003 former rebels and ex-combatants applied for the national government’s amnesty program as the deadline set by President Marcos Jr. officially ended but calls for its extension continue to mount. The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) said the majority of applicants belonged to the Communist Party … Read more
MANILA, Philippines —The Department of Health-Metro Manila Center for Health Development (DOH-MMCHD) reported a total of 101,807 cases of tuberculosis (TB) in the National Capital Region, stressing the need to intensify the agency’s campaign for early detection. In a statement on Saturday, the DOH-MMCHD said the number showed the importance of early detection through screening, … Read more
GUMACA, Quezon — Mayor Webster Letargo has explained the rationale behind the middle of the week (Wednesday) off-work schedule of their local government unit (LGU). Letargo issued Executive Order (EO) WDL-08-03-2026, declaring every Wednesday as the off-work schedule of the LGU in compliance with the Office of the President’s Memorandum Circular 114 to save gas … Read more
President Marcos has addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to campaign for the Philippines’ bid for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council, stressing that the country “is ready to be part of the solution.” In his special address to the UNGA before concluding his working visit in New York on Tuesday, March … Read more
“You can rapidly produce long lists of targets much faster than humans can do it, by automating that process,” said the associate professor of media studies at the New School in New York, who also serves as vice-chair of the Stop Killer Robots campaign. But then “the ethical and legal question is: to what degree … Read more
Interview Foreign secretary’s request to meet Aung San Suu Kyi was ‘politely denied’ Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro speaks to Nikkei Asia on Feb. 25. (Photo by Yuki Fujita) RAMON ROYANDOYAN February 27, 2026 16:09 JST MANILA — ASEAN is considering appointing a long-term special envoy for Myanmar, replacing the current system where the role … Read more
Books Women’s voices and titles that explore Asian identity are gaining traction “People are still looking for physical books because of the feeling, the experience of touching a book, of turning the pages, the smell. It’s a whole sensory experience,” said Nora Nazerene Abu Bakar, vice president of Penguin Random House Southeast Asia. (Photo by Raquel Carvalho) … Read more
Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Today’s episode is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, The Philippines’ leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer—your Trusted Building Partner. READ: Arrest warrants loom for dela Rosa, Go, ICC lawyer says WARRANTS of arrest against Senators Ronald dela Rosa … Read more
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson admitted on Sunday, February 8 that the draft partial committee report of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the investigation into the anomalous flood control projects is still a work in progress. The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, chaired by Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, resumed its probe … Read more
An Iranian military spokesman warned that Tehran’s response to any US action would not be limited – as it was in June last year when American planes and missiles briefly joined Israel’s short air war against Iran – but would be a decisive response “delivered instantly”. Iran has threatened a decisive response to any US … Read more