Liam Demafelix
Reporting from the TSR newsroom.
Despite global oil shock, Manila posts P3.3-billion surge in new business investments in first half of 2026
Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso said business activity in the nation’s capital remained remarkably strong through the first five months of 2026, with new business registrations surging year-on-year and total new business investment reaching P3.303 billion. This is even as the…
Crocodiles cry when they feast on their victims, study says
Do crocodiles cry? Science says yes — but not for the reasons long suggested by myth and folklore. A 2007 study published in the journal BioScience found that crocodiles do produce tears while feeding, challenging the age-old belief that “crocodile tears” signify emotional remorse or sorrow. The…
Fewer areas to experience dangerous heat index levels on Tuesday — PAGASA
MANILA, Philippines — Fewer areas across the country are expected to experience dangerous heat index levels on Tuesday, June 2, state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said. The heat index refers to how hot it feels to the human…
Moderna and other groups get $60 million to develop Ebola vaccine: report
Global health organisation CEPI will give roughly $60 million to Moderna, opens new tab and two other groups to accelerate the development of shots against Ebola Bundibugyo, the deadly virus that has swept through eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness…
Landbank waives fees for select online gov’t payments amid rising costs
The Land Bank of the Philippines will waive fees for select online government payments from June 1 to December 31, 2026, in response to rising global economic pressures, it said in a statement. The bank said it will implement zero fees on eligible person-to-government (P2G) transactions made via…
Alex Eala leads the list of Filipinos in Forbes’ 30 under 30 list
Filipina tennis star Alex Eala leads the list of Filipinos included in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia 2026. Eala was recognized under the Entertainment & Sports category, which Forbes describes as “the next generation of talent — on court and on screen.” The publication cited Eala’s historic…
Sweden now ‘smoke-free’ as smoking rate drops below 5%: report
Sweden has met its target of becoming smoke-free by 2025, with fewer than five percent of its population smoking cigarettes daily, although some still use nicotine in other forms, a report showed. A report by the Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs found that the share of…
Classroom overcrowding, bullying drive absenteeism in schools: EDCOM II
Overcrowding and a “troubling culture” of bullying are driving student absenteeism in schools, a study by the Second Congressional Commission on Education found. Through a focus group discussion conducted on May 28 with junior high school students at President Corazon C. Aquino High School in Port…
Labor chief Francis Tolentino invites Eli San Fernando to DOLE, eyes turning Monday flag ceremony into platform for workers’ voices
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino launched the first weekly flag ceremony of his tenure at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Monday, June 1, announcing that the Monday ritual will be opened to labor sector voices. Tolentino said this includes Kamanggagawa Partylist Rep. Eli San…
Mosquitoes can learn to love common repellent, scientists find
Mosquitoes can learn to associate the smell of the world’s most common insect repellent with a tasty meal — and after training can even prefer to bite people who have been sprayed with it, an experimental study said Thursday. The surprising results, which were conducted “under very specific…
Strong winds, rains to affect Metro Manila, several areas as Habagat begins: PAGASA
As the southwest monsoon, or Habagat, begins, state weather bureau PAGASA is forecasting strong winds and moderate to heavy rains over several parts of the country on Monday and in the coming days. In its 5 a.m. weather advisory on June 1, PAGASA weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said the…
Experimental pill vs deadly pancreatic cancer reduces risk of death by 60%: report
Revolution Medicine’s experimental pancreatic cancer pill doubled survival compared with chemotherapy and improved symptoms enough that some patients could resume activities they had previously abandoned, setting a new benchmark for this deadly cancer, researchers reported on Sunday. Full results…
How Ariel Nepomuceno is taking on corruption, patronage, and resistance at the Customs bureau
When Ariel Nepomuceno took over the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in July last year, he knew what he was walking into. The bureau had long carried a reputation for corruption so entrenched that even the mention of reform invited skepticism. His response was immediate—and deliberate. “‘Yung mga ayaw…
Customs moving to clear 42,000 stranded OFW balikbayan boxes, suing cargo firms responsible for abandoned shipments
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is working to deliver tens of thousands of balikbayan boxes sent by overseas Filipino workers that were left stranded at Philippine ports after several cargo companies abandoned the shipments without paying the required duties, taxes, and port charges. In an interview…
Tolentino bares alarming DOLE inspector shortage, with only 477 in the field to cover the entire country
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino has laid bare a critical shortage of active labor inspectors at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), revealing that of 1,210 inspectors across 17 regional offices, only 477 are actually deployed in the field nationwide. Tolentino made the disclosure…