DA chief urged to take leave amid rice import probe

Inquirer.net - Oct 15, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) on Wednesday urged Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to show “delicadeza” and take a leave of absence while an investigation into the alleged illegal importation of P395 million worth of rice is ongoing. The Bureau of Customs seized 312,000 bags of Vietnamese

Read full article

More News

‘China shock 3.0’ to be driven by AI, biotech and robot exports, economist says

Oct 14, 2026

The world is on the cusp of a “China shock 3.0” driven by exports of artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology and robots, which could hit harder than the current wave, a leading economist on China has said. “We are already at the starting point of the China shock 3.0,” Alicia Garcia-Herrero, a senior fellow at Brussels-based think tank Bruegel and chief economist for Asia-Pacific at investment bank Natixis, told the South China Morning Post from Taipei after a virtual panel hosted by the...

Susan Thornton on US-China ties, post-midterms and averting a new balloon crisis

Oct 14, 2026

Susan Thornton is a former American diplomat who for decades worked on US policy in Eurasia in the State Department before becoming acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs during the first Trump presidency. She is the director of the Forum on Asia-Pacific Security at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy and a senior fellow at the Paul Tsai China Centre, Yale Law School. She spoke to Orange Wang about keeping the lines of China-US communication...

Lawmakers, JICA join inspection of North-South Commuter railway

Oct 14, 2026

Photos from the DOTr MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) led the inspection of the North-South Commuter railway (NSCR) system, alongside lawmakers and officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). During the joint inspection on Tuesday, Oct. 13, the officials inspected the NSCR’s key operational hubs, such as the Main Operations

Group seeks House probe on alleged Socoteco II plebiscite issues

Oct 14, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has been pressed to start its investigation of the issues hounding South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative Inc. (Socoteco II), particularly on alleged problems with the plebiscite for its joint venture agreement (JVA) with Ignite Power and Energy Holdings Inc. In a statement, progressive group Bayan Muna party-list and

PCSO lotto results Oct. 14: ₱271.06M jackpot not won

Oct 14, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — No bettor won the ₱271.06 million Grand Lotto 6/55 jackpot or the ₱110.53 million Mega Lotto 6/45 jackpot in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) draws on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. According to the PCSO results provided, the Grand Lotto 6/55 winning combination was 10-54-08-35-34-38, with a jackpot prize of ₱271.06 million.

Hegseth calls US$1.5 trillion defence budget ‘critical’ to counter China

Oct 14, 2026

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has called a nearly US$1.5 trillion defence budget request “absolutely critical”, warning that whoever falls behind in autonomy, robotics and AI will fall “even further behind” as Washington eyes China’s rapid military modernisation. Speaking at a panel discussion during the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition on Wednesday, Hegseth said that Project Agincourt, the Pentagon’s initiative to accelerate drone and autonomous...

Can China’s coal industry ride to the rescue of a world in oil shock?

Oct 14, 2026

Be warned. The global economy is likely to experience a recession next year. War across the Middle East is set to escalate, wrecking energy supplies for many years, even as the artificial intelligence (AI) bubble is ripe to burst. This, however, would also create an energy leadership opportunity for China. High energy prices already fuel demand for Chinese renewable energy products and electric vehicles. But as a leader in building coal-fired power plants, China can also offer the global market...

Spying not ruled out at suspected Pogo hub near military camp

Oct 14, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday left open the possibility that a suspected illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) hub near Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame was used for spying, saying forensic examination of recovered materials would help establish its activities. “All possibilities are open,” Teodoro said in an online interview

Walang pasok: Oct. 15 in-person classes suspended over poor air quality

Oct 14, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — In-person classes for Oct. 15 are suspended in some areas due to poor air quality caused by lingering transboundary haze. The following local government units on Wednesday announced class suspensions: READ: DENR: Ateneo de Zamboanga air quality now ‘very unhealthy’ The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) monitored high

Sandro Marcos leaves PFP, joins Lakas-CMD

Oct 14, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos has joined political party Lakas-CMD, several sources told reporters. According to different sources, Marcos took his oath as a member of the party in a ceremony last Monday which includes his uncle, former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as

Negros hospital hit by ‘severe congestion’ as patient admissions rise

Oct 14, 2026

BACOLOD CITY — The emergency department of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) here issued a “severe congestion alert” on Wednesday, Oct. 14, after its occupancy rate reached 212%. A CLMMRH public health advisory said 138 patients were seeking treatment at a facility with a capacity of only 65 beds. In response to

Luistro on VP trial: Defense did not agree to alternating presentations

Oct 14, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial agreed to alternating presentations with the defense, as suggested by Senator-Judge Bam Aquino, but the defense did not. The lead prosecutor, Rep. Gerville Luistro, pointed this out on Tuesday, saying that the arrangement could have addressed the concerns that the defense raised

DA chief urged to take leave amid rice import probe

More News

‘China shock 3.0’ to be driven by AI, biotech and robot exports, economist says

Susan Thornton on US-China ties, post-midterms and averting a new balloon crisis

Lawmakers, JICA join inspection of North-South Commuter railway

Group seeks House probe on alleged Socoteco II plebiscite issues

PCSO lotto results Oct. 14: ₱271.06M jackpot not won

Hegseth calls US$1.5 trillion defence budget ‘critical’ to counter China

Can China’s coal industry ride to the rescue of a world in oil shock?

Spying not ruled out at suspected Pogo hub near military camp

Walang pasok: Oct. 15 in-person classes suspended over poor air quality

Sandro Marcos leaves PFP, joins Lakas-CMD

Negros hospital hit by ‘severe congestion’ as patient admissions rise

Luistro on VP trial: Defense did not agree to alternating presentations

Recommended

Akmal set to give up Merlimau to PAS, eyeing other safe seats

Young Chinese are choosing healthy relationships over toxic filial piety

Ridon to Carpio’s massive shoe bill: Only oligarchs are sports patrons

YOURSAY | Sarawak shows the way: Build bridges, not walls

Singapore open to legal action against errant firms as haze crisis worsens

US and China race to shape AI agenda ahead of Xi-Trump talks in Shenzhen, sources say

Chinese scientists use open-source data to spot suspected Israeli electronic warfare units

Bersatu’s planned pact with Selangor govt adds to tensions in PN

GMA Kapuso Foundation builds 2 classrooms in Cebu

Amanah reps open to Selangor Harapan-Bersatu CSA, wider political cooperation