Daniel Padilla and Kaila Estrada are back in the showbiz spotlight after fans noticed Kaila appearing in one of Daniel’s latest Instagram posts.

According to Philstar.com, Daniel uploaded a set of random photos, including a shot of Kaila sitting in a golf cart. His caption read: “There is no ifs, woulds, coulds, shoulds. Its just is. And we just are.”

The post quickly drew attention because Daniel and Kaila have been the subject of relationship talk since they grew closer while working together on the teleserye “Incognito” in 2025.

Kaila’s half-brother Luigi Muhlach also joined the comment section, joking, “’Yung isa panay gallery.” Daniel replied with “HAHAHAHAHA,” while Kaila reacted with a laughing emoji. Luigi previously stirred buzz after calling Daniel “bayaw,” which many fans took as a hint about the two stars’ status.

Still, the pair has not directly confirmed a relationship. The update matters to fans because Daniel’s post marks a more public appearance for Kaila on his own account, especially after his split from former love team partner Kathryn Bernardo. Source: Philstar.com

Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense team is asking the International Criminal Court to order a fresh medical examination before his crimes against humanity case moves closer to trial.

According to GMA News Online, Duterte’s lawyer Peter Haynes filed a seven-page pleading dated May 25 asking ICC Trial Chamber III to re-determine whether the 81-year-old former president is fit to stand trial.

Haynes argued that an earlier medical assessment was limited to the pre-trial stage. He cited findings from the confirmation of charges hearings, including an expert’s view that Duterte had only a “partial understanding of the accusations” and that a redacted condition reduced, to some extent, his ability to stand trial.

The defense said the chamber has an ongoing obligation to reassess Duterte’s fitness every 120 days or when a party requests it. Haynes also argued that the issue is tied to fair trial rights, saying proceedings cannot be fair if an accused person cannot meaningfully exercise procedural rights because of health.

GMA reported that ICC Presiding Judge Joanna Korner said last week the court would order a re-examination of Duterte’s fitness in the case connected to his anti-drug campaign as Davao City mayor and later as president. Source: GMA News Online

Senator Jinggoy Estrada is now in police custody after the Sandiganbayan ordered his arrest over plunder and graft cases tied to the flood control corruption scandal.

According to Rappler, Estrada said he was voluntarily surrendering at the Senate on Monday afternoon, June 1, but Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla later said authorities had already arrested him before the press conference. Remulla said Estrada was read his rights at the Senate, which technically constituted an arrest.

Estrada told reporters, “I will defend myself till the end,” and said he would not seek protective custody from the Senate. Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano accompanied him to Camp Crame, where Estrada went through booking procedures including a mugshot and fingerprints.

The cases stem from the Ombudsman’s allegations of a scheme involving flood control-related budget insertions in exchange for commissions or kickbacks. The Ombudsman alleged that more than ₱573 million in illicit payouts were systematically delivered to Estrada, who is the highest sitting official so far to be arrested in the flood control scam.

Rappler reported that this is Estrada’s third plunder case in 25 years; he was previously acquitted in two plunder cases connected to the 2001 jueteng scandal and the 2014 pork barrel scam, while separate graft cases from the pork barrel issue remain pending. Source: Rappler

Good news for motorists: fuel prices are expected to take a big rollback in the first week of June, giving drivers and households some breathing room after last week’s pump price hikes.

According to GMA News Online, an oil industry source said diesel prices may go down by around ₱7.50 to ₱8.50 per liter, while gasoline may be reduced by about ₱4.00 to ₱5.00 per liter.

The estimate was based on Mean of Platts Singapore prices, foreign exchange averages, and shipment costs from May 25 to 29. Official price adjustments are usually announced by fuel companies every Monday and implemented the following day.

The expected rollback comes after oil firms raised prices effective May 26, with gasoline up by about ₱1.43 to ₱1.60 per liter, diesel up by ₱1.85 to ₱2.00 per liter, and kerosene up by ₱0.83 to ₱1.45 per liter.

GMA reported that the possible price cut is tied to easing tensions between the United States and Iran and optimism over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. DOE data cited in the report still shows fuel prices remain sharply higher for the year, with net increases of ₱49.72 per liter for gasoline, ₱46.84 for diesel, and ₱40.50 for kerosene. Source: GMA News Online

Job seekers and displaced workers have a fresh opportunity this week as the Department of Labor and Employment prepares to roll out at least 200,000 TUPAD jobs nationwide for Brigada Eskwela.

According to The Philippine Star, newly appointed Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said the beneficiaries will be deployed to schools across the country to help the Department of Education prepare campuses for the opening of classes.

The work will include cleaning school grounds, repairing classrooms, and helping make learning facilities ready for students. Tolentino said the temporary employment program will run from June until classes start, and may continue even after classes are already ongoing.

DOLE regional directors have been told to supervise the simultaneous nationwide rollout in coordination with DepEd officials. TUPAD, which started in 2009 under DOLE’s livelihood and emergency employment program, gives temporary wage work to marginalized, underemployed, and displaced workers for 10 to 30 days.

Beneficiaries are paid based on the prevailing regional minimum wage and are commonly assigned to community-based work such as street cleaning, canal declogging, tree planting, and public facility repairs. Tolentino also said DOLE is coordinating with TESDA on possible starter kits and initial capital assistance for technical-vocational graduates who want to start small businesses. Source: The Philippine Star

Filipino households may be facing another painful inflation print, with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas saying May inflation likely climbed to between 7.1% and 7.9%.

If the figure lands near the upper end of that range, it would top April’s 7.2% and become the fastest inflation rate since February 2023. It would also mark a sharp jump from the 1.3% rate recorded in May last year.

The BSP pointed to higher prices of rice, vegetables and meat, along with the weaker peso, as the main forces pushing prices up. Department of Agriculture monitoring cited in the report showed Metro Manila rice prices remained elevated in the third week of May, with local well-milled rice averaging nearly P50 per kilo and premium rice above P55 per kilo.

Vegetables also stayed expensive in NCR markets, with ampalaya, sitao, carrots, beans and lettuce all showing high average prices. The peso’s slide to around the P61-per-dollar level during May also likely added pressure by making imported fuel, food and raw materials more costly.

The BSP said fuel rollbacks, lower fish prices and slightly lower electricity rates helped offset some of the pressure, but an economist warned inflation could still accelerate if second-round effects continue. Source: Philstar

US and Philippine Coast Guard vessels were reported near Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, in what maritime monitors described as a notable joint presence operation in the West Philippine Sea.

According to The Manila Times, tracking reports cited by SeaLight and Starboard Intel showed the US Coast Guard cutter Midgett leaving Manila Bay on May 28 with the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Melchora Aquino. The vessels were later tracked on the western approaches to the shoal beginning May 29, around 35 to 40 nautical miles away.

The report said other Philippine government vessels were also in the broader area, including the PCG’s BRP Cabra and BFAR’s BRP Datu Pagbuaya. The BFAR vessel was later seen heading back toward Manila Bay while being closely shadowed by a China Coast Guard vessel, based on AIS data cited in the maritime reports.

Chinese maritime activity was also reportedly layered around Scarborough Shoal, with at least nine China Coast Guard vessels forming an outer perimeter and at least seven larger maritime militia vessels closer to the shoal. The report also noted the possible presence of additional Chinese naval assets not visible on AIS.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. separately said the government is monitoring “raw information” about possible new structures in Bajo de Masinloc, while stressing that the information has not been fully validated. Source: The Manila Times

The Visayas grid is under a yellow alert this Saturday evening, putting power supply in the region under tighter watch as demand stays high and several plants remain unavailable.

According to GMA News Online, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said the yellow alert will run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on May 30. NGCP reported available capacity of 2,581 megawatts against peak demand of 2,454 MW, leaving only a thin buffer for the grid.

The alert comes as 961.5 MW remain unavailable. NGCP said multiple plants have been on forced outage since May 2026, with others offline since previous years, while 12 plants are operating at derated capacities.

NGCP pointed to the unavailability of major Visayas coal plants — including TVI 1, TVI 2, PEDC 3, and KSPC 2 — plus high forecast system demand as key reasons for the alert. A yellow alert means supply can still meet current demand, but the operating margin is no longer enough to satisfy the grid’s contingency requirement.

For households and businesses, the practical takeaway is simple: the risk of rotational power interruptions goes up when the grid is on yellow alert, even if outages are not automatic. Source: GMA News Online

Bagyong Domeng, internationally known as Jangmi, has strengthened into a typhoon over the Philippine Sea, according to PAGASA’s Saturday bulletin cited by Philstar.com.

As of 5 p.m. on May 30, Domeng was located 815 kilometers east of Northern Luzon, carrying maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 150 kph. PAGASA said the typhoon was moving northwestward at 20 kph, with strong to typhoon-force winds extending up to 500 kilometers from its center.

The good news: Domeng is not expected to make landfall in the Philippines. The warning, though, is that it will enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat, raising the risk of strong to gale-force gusts and rains across large parts of Luzon, Visayas, and some areas in Mindanao through the weekend and into Monday.

PAGASA also warned of rough seas, including waves of up to 3.5 meters near Batanes and up to 3 meters around the Babuyan Islands and northern Luzon coastal waters. Small seacraft operators and motorbanca users were advised not to sail in rough conditions.

Domeng is forecast to continue moving northwest before recurving toward southern Japan and exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Monday, June 1. Source: Philstar.com

Senator Jinggoy Estrada posted ₱90,000 bail at the Sandiganbayan on Friday, May 29, after the anti-graft court ordered his arrest in a graft case tied to the multibillion-peso flood-control scandal.

The bail gives Estrada temporary liberty only for the graft charges before the court’s Second Division. According to Philstar.com, a separate plunder case remains pending before the Fifth Division, where a non-bailable warrant could still be issued as early as Monday.

Estrada surrendered to the anti-graft court after the arrest order and a travel ban were issued. He said in a statement that posting bail was a legal remedy available to him and that he intends to use lawful means to defend himself and clear his name.

The Ombudsman charged Estrada with plunder and two counts of graft over allegations that he received ₱573 million in kickbacks in exchange for steering flood-control contracts through budget insertions and rigged project allocations at the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The case is drawing national attention because Estrada is the highest-ranking official so far ordered arrested in the flood-control controversy. Source: Philstar.com

Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto was arrested in Angat, Bulacan on Friday, May 29, over trafficking charges under Republic Act No. 9208.

According to Rappler, the Philippine National Police said the arrest happened on the same day a regional trial court in Malolos City, Bulacan issued a warrant against him. The report said no bail was recommended in the warrant.

The PNP report identified the suspect only as “Tony,” but Rappler noted that GMA and ABS-CBN News also reported the arrest and named Meloto, publishing the same photos posted by police.

The case stems from a Department of Justice decision in September 2025 approving the filing of two counts of sex trafficking against Meloto. The complaints were filed by two former beneficiaries, whose real names were withheld, and prosecutors said Meloto allegedly used his authority and control over them while providing shelter and basic needs.

Meloto, known for founding Gawad Kalinga in 2003 and receiving the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2006, has previously called the complaints a “demolition job.” Source: Rappler

BINI gave Manila concertgoers a major surprise when Laufey brought the P-pop group onstage during the second night of her “A Matter of Time” concert.

According to GMA News Online, Laufey paused her set and asked the crowd, “Is BINI here?” before all eight members of the Nation’s Girl Group came out in flowy gowns by Vania Romoff. The surprise instantly turned the concert into a crossover moment for OPM, P-pop, and Laufey’s jazz-pop fanbase.

BINI joined Laufey for a live performance of “From the Start,” one of the singer’s biggest hits. The collaboration happened during Laufey’s Manila stop at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, where she is staging three sold-out shows for her latest album, “A Matter of Time.”

The two acts first crossed paths at Billboard Women in Music 2026 in Los Angeles, where BINI received the Global Force Award. BINI member Maloi said she had approached Laufey for a photo at the event, after which Laufey suggested that their managers get in touch. Maloi later found out they would perform together on her birthday.

The Manila moment adds to BINI’s big international year after the group made history as the first Filipino and P-pop girl group to perform at Coachella. Source: GMA News Online

Tropical Storm Domeng has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility early Friday, giving Filipinos a fresh bagyo watch as PAGASA tracks the system over the Philippine Sea.

In its 5 a.m. advisory, PAGASA said Domeng was spotted 1,345 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon, carrying maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 90 kph. The storm was moving northwestward at 20 kph.

No tropical cyclone wind signal had been raised as of Friday morning, and PAGASA said Domeng is unlikely to make landfall. Still, the weather bureau warned that the storm may enhance the southwesterly windflow, which could bring heavy rains over western parts of the country starting Sunday, May 31.

PAGASA also said Domeng may intensify into a typhoon by Saturday before gradually weakening afterward. Strong to gale-force gusts may affect most of the Visayas and several areas in Luzon and Mindanao, especially coastal and upland communities exposed to winds.

For mariners, PAGASA advised caution along several eastern seaboards, including Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Dinagat Islands and parts of Davao Oriental, where waves may reach up to two meters. Domeng is forecast to leave PAR by Monday, June 1. Source: Philstar

Residents in parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces should prepare for scheduled water and power interruptions from May 28 to 31, as utility firms carry out maintenance, repairs, facility upgrades and relocation work.

Maynilad and Manila Water listed several affected areas, including portions of Quezon City, Makati, Pasig, Manila, Caloocan and parts of Rizal. Some water interruptions are scheduled overnight, including 10 p.m. on May 28 to 4 a.m. on May 29 in areas such as UP Campus, Kamuning, Sacred Heart, Pansol, Kalusugan, Old Capitol Site and Culiat in Quezon City.

Other affected water service areas include parts of Forbes Park in Makati, portions of Rodriguez, Taytay and Cainta in Rizal, Barangay Maybunga in Pasig, and several barangays in Manila and Caloocan due to meter replacement, line maintenance, crossover, step testing, network repair and leak repair activities.

Meralco also announced scheduled power interruptions in parts of Manila, Pasig, Cavite, Rizal, Malabon, Bulacan and Quezon City. The affected areas include portions of Binondo and Tondo, Barangay San Antonio in Pasig, Salawag in Dasmariñas, Binangonan in Rizal, parts of Malabon, Marilao, Tandang Sora, Sauyo, Talipapa, Bocaue and Balagtas.

Utility providers advised customers to store enough water, charge devices and take precautions before the scheduled maintenance windows. For households and businesses, the key move is simple: check if your barangay or street is included and plan around the outage hours para iwas aberya.

Source: The Manila Times

The Philippines and Japan have officially pushed their relationship to a new level, announcing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Tokyo.

The move is a major diplomatic upgrade: Rappler reported that it is the highest level of ties short of a formal alliance, and Japan is now the Philippines’ first-ever comprehensive strategic partner. Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae made the announcement after their bilateral meeting on Thursday, May 28.

Beyond the big diplomatic label, the two countries also started talks on an intelligence-sharing deal known as a General Security of Military Information Agreement or GSOMIA. Such an agreement would create a framework for sharing sensitive defense and security information, a key issue as both Manila and Tokyo face rising maritime and regional security concerns.

The visit also produced agreements in several areas, including double taxation, agriculture and fisheries, health services, human resource development, space applications, artificial intelligence, energy security, supply chains, and talks on maritime boundary delimitation. Marcos said the steps would strengthen defense cooperation and help uphold a rules-based maritime order.

Japan has long been one of the Philippines’ biggest partners in aid, infrastructure, disaster response, trade, and maritime security. With this upgraded partnership, Manila and Tokyo are signaling closer coordination not just on economics, but also on defense, technology, and Indo-Pacific stability. Source: Rappler