MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday recognized Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian as the leader of the Senate during his Independence Day speech, marking the first time he has publicly done so since the recent leadership change in the chamber. In his customary acknowledgment of government officials at the start of his

BANGKOK, Thailand —Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, the king’s eldest daughter, has died aged 47, the royal palace announced Friday, more than three years after she was hospitalised following a sudden illness. She was suffering from an abdominal infection and “her condition continued to worsen”, the Bureau of the Royal Household said in a statement, until

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump last year dramatically ratcheted up the fee for H-1B work visas to $100,000, saying it would protect American workers from losing their jobs to lower-paid foreigners. But on Monday a federal judge struck down the fees, siding with 20 states and ruling that the Trump administration exceeded its authority by

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., in his Independence Day speech on Friday, urged Filipinos to “protect truth from distortion,” noting that the country now faces challenges different from those confronted by the nation’s heroes. Marking the 128th anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, Marcos said safeguarding freedom remains a shared responsibility even

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., in his Independence Day message on Friday, urged Filipinos to draw lessons from history and stay united in protecting the country’s freedom and sovereignty amid modern-day challenges. In his speech at the commemoration of the 128th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence held at the Quirino Grandstand,

MANILA, Philippines — Commercial flights to and from General Santos City remain canceled on Friday, June 12, following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck offshore Maasim, Sarangani, in Mindanao on June 8, according to aviation authorities. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) said commercial operations at General Santos International Airport are still affected

Screengrab of Vice President Sara Duterte’s ambush interview in Davao City on June 12, 2026. MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday said she has no desire to grab President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s position, claiming she would rather let Filipinos see for themselves how shameless the president is. “I have no desire

MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga — Police arrested three suspected drug traffickers and seized an estimated P38.5 million worth of suspected shabu and cocaine during a buy-bust operation in San Fernando City, Pampanga on Wednesday, June 10. In a statement, Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) identified the suspects only by their aliases: “Ambeth,” 35, of Manila; “Bert,”