Liam Demafelix
Reporting from the TSR newsroom.
‘Kulang sa budget, kulang sa powers’: Singson pleads with Congress to grant ICI funding and authority even as it investigates lawmakers
It was a moment thick with irony: even as the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) digs into irregularities that involve members of Congress, resigned commissioner Rogelio “Babes” Singson said the commission must now rely on the same institution for the budget and powers it never fully…
Ping Lacson says up to ₱180 billion likely lost to ghost flood control projects since 2016
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday, December 3 warned that more than ₱180 billion may have been lost to ghost flood-control projects dating back to 2016, based on Senate inspections that found over 600 nonexistent projects out of the 10,000 reviewed so far. Lacson said…
Housing chief Aliling rebuts Senator JV Ejercito, defends overhaul of execs: ‘Hindi ko papayagan na mahusgahan kami nang walang basehan’
Housing Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling pushed back on Senator JV Ejercito’s concerns over the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), insisting that recent leadership changes have not diminished the agency’s competence. In a Facebook post on November 26, Ejercito said he was…
Isko Moreno rolls out ‘One Smart TV=One Classroom’ project, leads turnover of Smart TVs, laptops to Manila public schools
Five months after reviving his digital learning agenda in July, Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso on Monday, December 1 delivered on a key pledge: equipping public schools with Smart TVs and laptops under the city’s “One Smart TV = One Classroom” program for Kindergarten learners.…
Finance chief Frederick Go says PH economy remains solid, expects recovery as government spending normalizes in 2026
Newly-appointed Finance Secretary Frederick Go sought to ease public worries about the economy, saying the Philippines’ core economic fundamentals remain intact despite concerns over corruption controversies and reduced government spending in the second half of 2025. In an interview on DZRH News’…
₱500 for Noche Buena? ‘Pampalasa lang ’yan,’ says poultry raisers
A ₱500 budget might cover a few grocery items, but it falls far short of what Filipino families traditionally prepare for Noche Buena. That was how United Broiler Raisers Association chairman Atty. Bong Inciong responded to Trade Secretary Cristina Roque’s claim that ₱500 is enough for a family’s…
Finance chief Frederick Go says BIR audit freeze will protect taxpayers, likens LOAs to search warrants
Newly-appointed Finance Secretary Frederick Go said the nationwide suspension of all Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) field audits is intended to protect taxpayers from arbitrary or poorly justified inspections, describing Letters of Authority (LOAs) as instruments that should meet standards…
DepEd urges ACT to drop Nov. 28 sit-down strike, cites violation of civil service rules
The Department of Education–National Capital Region (DepEd–NCR) has urged the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) to call off its planned sit-down strike on November 28, warning that the action constitutes an illegal work stoppage in government service. In a letter dated November 27, DepEd…
‘Dapat ganito pinagagawa natin’: Isko beams with pride as Marcos praises Manila’s housing projects
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, November 27, praised Manila’s in-city housing program as he inaugurated the newly finished San Lazaro Residences, a 20-storey vertical housing complex that broke ground during Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso’s first term. After walking through the…
Four celebrity-endorsed partylist lawmakers among ‘cong-tractors’ flagged for constitutional violations in ICI probe
Filipino celebrities often lend their star power to the nation’s political stage, but the fallout from the 2025 elections shows how costly those endorsements can become. Congressmen from four partylist groups backed by some of the country’s biggest names in entertainment are now at the center of…
Manila businesses show strong confidence despite national economic challenges
The City of Manila continues to see solid business activity heading into 2026, with new registrations well ahead of closures—a sign of strong confidence in the capital even as national growth forecasts are being cut back. Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso said Wednesday, November 26, that…
After Australia, Malaysia now moving to block children under 16 from social media
Malaysia is moving to follow Australia’s lead with a plan to block children under 16 from opening social media accounts next year, the country’s strongest step yet to curb online risks faced by young users. The Malaysian government said it is reviewing age-restriction systems used in Australia and…
Marcos says Zaldy Co’s claims ‘mean nothing’ unless he comes home to face the law
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday, November 24, rejected former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co’s allegations linking him to ₱1-billion in supposed cash deliveries through a Forbes Park drop-off house, saying the claims amounted to nothing more than online fabrications. “Well, look at the…
Ping Lacson sees ‘orchestrated’ moves behind civil-military junta, says Zaldy Co’s revelations appear part of the sequence
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Monday, November 24, said recent chatter pushing for a “civil-military junta” appears to be part of an “orchestrated” series of events, noting that the timing of former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co’s explosive allegations fits into the sequence.…
Zaldy Co claims he delivered ₱1 billion to Marcos drop-off house in Forbes Park as part of alleged ₱56-billion cash transfers
Former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co alleged that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz to act as the lone courier for cash deliveries, directing him to bring money to 30 Tamarind Street, South Forbes Park, which he described as a drop-off site for funds intended for the…