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GSIS pushes full digital shift, members no longer need to visit a branch
The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is pushing members to transact entirely through their mobile phones, with President and CEO Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso saying the agency has gone digital across its services and that there is no longer any reason for most members to visit a branch…
FBI offers ₱1.5 million reward for Filipino content creator linked to child porn network
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is offering a $25,000 reward (nearly ₱1.5 million) for information leading to the arrest of Austin Jan Sy Yatco, a 27-year-old Filipino content creator from San Pedro, Laguna, who is wanted for his alleged role in an online child sexual…
PH, Thailand most exposed to jet fuel shortage in Asia, says Oxford Economics
The Philippines is among the most vulnerable economies in Asia to the ongoing refined fuel crisis, according to a research briefing released by Oxford Economics on April 15, as disruptions stemming from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz ripple across regional supply chains. The briefing…
Lawmaker warns PH nuclear regulatory body remains without officials, IRR months after founding law took effect
The law creating the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority has been signed, but the government has yet to appoint the officials tasked with implementing it — and the deadline for issuing its implementing rules has already lapsed, Pangasinan 2nd District Rep. Mark Cojuangco said Saturday…
Despite nuclear fuel costing 20 times less, the Philippines is still 75% dependent on coal, gas
The Philippines could slash its fuel import costs by as much as 20 times by shifting to nuclear power, yet the country continues to source roughly three-quarters of its electricity from coal and natural gas, Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco said Saturday, April 18. Cojuangco, chairman of the House…
They’ll play gay for views — but will they even lift a finger for LGBTQ+ rights?
Gay culture has never been more profitable online. But for Miss Earth Philippines Joy Barcoma, the creators cashing in on it owe the LGBTQ+ community a lot more than a performance. The beauty queen took to Facebook on March 25 to weigh in on the growing queerbaiting controversy, calling out…
The eTravel scam you need to know about before you fly this Holy Week
As millions of Filipinos head to airports this Holy Week, scammers have found a way to cash in on the rush — setting up fake websites that charge unsuspecting travelers fees for a government service that costs nothing. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) raised the alarm Wednesday, April 1, as it…
Marcos is betting on an energy deal with China, but analysts aren’t so sure
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made a striking claim in a television interview: a reset of the Philippines’ ties with China was, in his words, “happening now.” Speaking to Bloomberg, he also said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which prompted him to declare a national energy crisis after…
The Iran war is showing why the Philippines can’t afford to neglect its farmers
A war thousands of kilometers away is beginning to ripple through something as basic as the Filipino dining table. The conflict involving Iran has pushed oil prices higher, disrupted key shipping routes, and strained global supply chains—especially for fertilizer, a critical input for food…
The Philippines’ food supply is safe—for now—and why we should thank our farmers
For now, food remains available. Rice is being harvested, fish supply is steady, and markets are holding despite rising costs linked to tensions in the Middle East. That buffer, according to Agriculture Undersecretary Asis Perez, comes down to timing. The crisis coincided with harvest season…
Cybercrime law outdated, needs urgent update amid AI scams — CICC
The Philippines’ cybercrime law is outdated and increasingly unable to address AI-driven online scams, with authorities constrained by court rulings that limit the government’s power to block malicious sites without judicial approval, according to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating…
AI-powered deepfakes now driving online love scams, says CICC
Artificial intelligence–powered deepfakes are now at the core of increasingly sophisticated online love scams, erasing many of the warning signs Filipinos once relied on to detect fraud, according to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC). “So ang nakita natin ngayon ay maling…
CICC sounds alarm on AI-driven romance scams, rolls out Feb-IBIG awareness drive
The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on Monday launched a nationwide public information drive to counter the growing use of artificial intelligence in online romance scams, warning that scammers are now exploiting Filipinos’ emotions with increasingly sophisticated digital…
After public rebuke, DOTr chief orders LTO to suspend driver’s license confiscation, amend settlement period
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez ordered the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to immediately suspend the confiscation of driver’s licenses following public backlash over traffic apprehension procedures. The directive came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed the Department of…
Analyst flags absence of U.S. treaty ally Philippines in Trump’s new national security strategy
U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly released 29-page national security strategy placed China at the center of U.S. policy priorities for the coming years. While the document discussed tensions in the South China Sea and emphasized the need to maintain U.S. military dominance across the first…