MANILA, Philippines — Actor Jericho Rosales’ son Santino, like his father, is also out to make waves in the local showbiz industry.       View this post on Instagram We are pleased to announce that Santino Rosales is now part of the VIVA ARTISTS AGENCY family! 💕 Get to know more about… Keep Reading

MANILA, Philippines — Edgar “Injap” Sia II made a fortune in fast food when he founded the successful Mang Inasal grilled chicken chain. He is now looking to recast innovations in that industry within his budding grocery store empire as the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changes consumer preferences. On Friday, Sia’s MerryMart Consumer Corp. announced plans… Keep Reading

MANILA, Philippines — Assigning Cabinet members to cities and provinces with high COVID-19 transmission was inspired by Cebu City’s “success” in handling the health crisis after Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu was designated as its pandemic response overseer, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Friday. The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases assigned its members… Keep Reading

MANILA, Philippines — The Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) has deferred the retrenchment of Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-) workers, after initially announcing that it would be terminating the contracts of 100 employees of the train line. “While the factual basis behind the redundancy program remains legally valid, LRMC is putting it on hold, for… Keep Reading

KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan authorities said Friday they had started releasing 400 Taliban prisoners, the final hurdle in launching long-delayed peace talks between the two warring sides. A group of 80 prisoners were released on Thursday, said National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal. The release would “speed up efforts for direct talks and a lasting,… Keep Reading

  SAN ANTONIO, ZAMBALES —- A man lost his life after saving his drowning daughter and friend who were swimming in a beach here on Thursday, police said. Initial investigation showed that Jimmy Spates, 57, a resident of Barangay San Nicolas here, managed to rescue his 13-year old daughter and his friend, Allan Canonizado, 32,… Keep Reading

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT —- The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Friday said it would cancel the special work permit it issued to a Chinese national, who worked for a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) company here, and later tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Wilma Eisma, SBMA chair and administrator, said the 29-year-old… Keep Reading

TACLOBAN CITY —- A pregnant woman and a healthcare worker were among the latest victims of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Eastern Visayas. The 18-year-old female patient is a resident of Santa Fe town in Leyte and confined at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVMRC). The rural health unit of Santa Fe said the… Keep Reading

MANILA, Philippines — Despite already being suspended, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Friday maintained that its interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM) was “legal and necessary” for the country’s COVID-19 response. PhilHealth clarifies the following: 1. IRM suspended to review overall implementation and resolve issues arising from… Posted by Philippine Health Insurance Corporation on Thursday, August… Keep Reading

BACOLOD CITY —- The Bago City Hospital has temporarily stopped admitting patients starting Wednesday after one of its contractual doctors from Bacolod City tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Bago Mayor Nicholas Yulo said the 50-bed hospital would be decontaminated and disinfected. While it will not admit new patients until Monday, the Bago City… Keep Reading

Gretchen Ho will once again be giving away bicycles to deserving people after the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) is lifted in Metro Manila. The TV host and reporter is looking for 50 beneficiaries to apply for the said giveaway under her Woman-in-Action initiative, noting that “a bike can spell the difference between keeping a… Keep Reading

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Health (DOH) have launched a national advocacy campaign in Marikina City on Friday to make sure that the public will follow quarantine protocols to suppress the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Interior Secretary Eduardo Ao said “BIDA ang… Keep Reading

BACOLOD CITY —- Five more employees of the Negros Occidental provincial government tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Thursday. Three of them worked at the Bids and Awards Committee, one at the Provincial Veterinary Office, and another at the Provincial Health Office, said Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz. As of August 13, at least… Keep Reading

    MANILA, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will not approve a COVID-19 vaccine unless it has completed all the required local procedures to ensure its safety and efficacy.   FDA Director General Eric Domingo made the assurance on Friday as a COVID-19 from Russia is set to be tested in the… Keep Reading

    MANILA, Philippines — The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases will tackle the proposal of several lawmakers to defer the scheduled opening of classes in public schools on August 24 due to health concerns.   Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who also serves as co-chair of the IATF, pointed… Keep Reading

    MANILA, Philippines — The Russian vaccine being developed against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be available in the Philippines as early as November 2020, according to the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund which finances the vaccine project. “We believe we can start this trial as early as August or maybe… Keep Reading

MANILA, Philippines — Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who was assigned to support Quezon City’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response, wants 25 barangays in the most populous city in the Philippines to be placed under “special concern lockdowns” because of the increasing number of coronavirus infections in their communities. In an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel Friday,… Keep Reading

MANILA, Philippines — Residents of Quezon City may be qualified to join the clinical trials for the vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) which was developed by Russia as several of its barangays have local transmission of the virus, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Friday. Malacaang said the Philippines will conduct clinical trials of Russia’s… Keep Reading

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday gave credence to a false and racist conspiracy about Kamala Harris’ eligibility to be president, fueling an online misinformation campaign that parallels the one he used to power his rise into politics.         Speaking from the White House, Trump told reporters he had “heard” rumors… Keep Reading

TikTok and its U.S. employees are planning to take President Donald Trump’s administration to court over his sweeping order to ban the popular video app, according to a lawyer preparing one of the lawsuits.     The employees’ legal challenge to Trump’s executive order will be separate from a pending lawsuit from the company that… Keep Reading

    MANILA, Philippines — Ospital ng Tondo in the City of Manila will be temporarily closed anew after 32 medical frontline workers tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Mayor Isko Moreno announced on Friday. “Yung Ospital ng Tondo ipasara ko rin ng pansamantala, baka within the day, I will sign the document,”… Keep Reading

BAGUIO CITY — The city’s total number of coronavirus cases breached the 200 mark on Thursday (Aug. 13) when the health services office recorded 25 infections — the largest yet in a single day. Among the new patients is an 8-year-old girl, who now counts among the 214 Baguio patients afflicted with the coronavirus disease… Keep Reading

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police chief Gen. Archie Gamboa has ordered the relief of 11 police personnel in San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan for their alleged involvement in the killing of six people during a buy-bust operation in February. “PNP Chief, Police General Archie Gamboa ordered the administrative relief and restrictive custody of… Keep Reading

    MANILA, Philippines — Only about half of the school division offices are halfway through the production of required self-learning modules for the blended learning program to be implemented in the coming school year which will open in less than two weeks amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, an official of the Department… Keep Reading

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump frankly acknowledged Thursday that he’s starving the U.S. Postal Service of money in order to make it harder to process an expected surge of mail-in ballots, which he worries could cost him the election.         In an interview on Fox Business Network, Trump explicitly noted two funding… Keep Reading

MEXICO CITY — Mexico plans to extend the closure of its shared border with the United States for another month to non-essential travel, Mexico Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Thursday.         The current agreement runs through Aug. 21, but Ebrard said it does not make sense to reopen the border at… Keep Reading