Author: Jean Vergara

  • LTO Reports Surge in Motorist Apprehensions and Vehicle Impoundments in 2024

    In 2024, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Manila has significantly ramped up its enforcement efforts, resulting in the apprehension of 639,323 motorists and the impoundment of 29,709 vehicles. LTO Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II announced that this year’s apprehensions marked a 20.75% increase from the previous year, attributing the rise to enhanced enforcement of…

  • Bureau of Immigration Ramps Up Efforts to Deport Over 11,000 POGO Workers

    The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has announced a significant escalation in its efforts to locate and deport more than 11,000 foreign workers associated with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO). This move comes as these individuals are now classified as illegal aliens within the country. Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado disclosed that the BI’s intelligence division has…

  • UNDP and DOE to Enhance Medical Infrastructure in Lanao del Sur

    In a significant move to bolster healthcare infrastructure, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have announced plans to upgrade medical facilities in Lanao del Sur. The initiative is part of the ongoing Development for Renewable Energy Applications Mainstreaming and Market Sustainability (Dreams) Project, which is set to commence construction…

  • Philippine Solicitor General to Oversee Extensive Post-POGO Cleanup

    Following the expiration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s deadline to ban Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) at the end of 2024, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) announced plans for a comprehensive asset inventory of the closed operations. Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra stated that the OSG’s extensive post-POGO duties will involve revoking birth…

  • New Year’s Eve Shootout in Zamboanga Leaves Two Dead, Police Officer Injured

    In a tragic turn of events on New Year’s Eve, a shootout in Zamboanga City resulted in the death of two assailants and left a police officer injured. The incident occurred in front of a parish church in Zone 1, Barangay Ayala, as reported by Col. Kimberly Molitas, the director of the Zamboanga City Police…

  • New Year’s Eve in Darkness: Tacloban’s 10-Hour Blackout

    Tacloban City and its surrounding areas rang in the New Year shrouded in darkness due to an unexpected 10-hour power outage. The blackout, which started at 10:11 p.m. on December 31, 2024, and lasted until 7:45 a.m. on January 1, 2025, was caused by a severed power line managed by the National Grid Corporation of…

  • National Security Adviser Urges Communist Party to Embrace Political Solution for Youth’s Future

    In a compelling call to action, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año has urged the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to embrace a political settlement. This move, he argues, would enable the party’s remaining members, especially its young cadres, to contribute positively to nation-building efforts. Año’s statement comes at a time when the communist movement…

  • Tsunami Scenarios to be Added to National Earthquake Drills Following Ilocos Sur Quakes

    MANILA – In response to a series of offshore earthquakes near Ilocos Sur, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is pushing for the inclusion of tsunami scenarios in the upcoming Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill. This move aims to bolster public readiness for potential tsunami events. OCD chief Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno emphasized the importance of integrating…

  • Police Nab Five High-Value Drug Suspects, Seize P4.7M Shabu in Taguig

    In a significant crackdown on illegal drugs, the Philippine National Police’s Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) arrested five high-value individuals (HVIs) in Taguig City, confiscating over PHP4.7 million worth of suspected shabu. The arrests took place during a meticulously planned sting operation on Monday, December 23, 2024. The first two suspects, known by the aliases Maeng,…

  • Philippine Defense Secretary Affirms Legality of Typhon Missile System Deployment

    Philippine National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has declared the deployment of the US-manufactured Mid-Range Capability (MRC) ‘Typhon’ Missile System during joint military exercises as entirely ‘legitimate, legal, and beyond reproach.’ This statement comes in response to criticisms from China regarding the Philippines’ plans to enhance its defense capabilities with such systems. Teodoro emphasized that…