Author: Jericho Zafra

The nation’s girl group has reached a new milestone after it reached 100 million streams on streaming platforms Spotify and YouTube music. This new height followed BINI’s successful three-day sold out concert at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City from June 28-30. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Star Music celebrated the milestone of BINI’s hit song “Pantropiko,” which has achieved over 100 million streams combined on Spotify and YouTube Music. Additionally, the song peaked at 65th place on YouTube’s Top 100 Daily Global Music Video chart and currently maintains the 68th position. “Back to back to…

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment is now “preparing” for the possible phaseout of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hubs as controversies pressed the latter’s operation in the country. “I can’t say that we are ready yet. But we are preparing for it,” Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said in a Palace briefing. Laguesma said the department was now anticipating the “possible negative effects” should the POGO shutdown in the Philippines take effect, however, it did not provide exact estimates as to how many workers could lose their jobs after the phaseout. The DOLE is already “profiling”…

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines Amusement Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) revealed that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is the “legal head” of the raided illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Pampanga which the latter denied thereafter. During the Senate inquiry on the controversies involving POGOs in the country on Wednesday, PAGCOR chief Alejandro Tengco said that in July 2023, Roque visited his office to offer legal assistance to Cassandra Lee Ong. As per Tengco, Roque sought PAGCOR’s aid regarding financial matters concerning Lucky South 99, a large POGO complex in Porac, Pampanga, for which he is the authorized representative.…

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly two years into the Marcos presidency, former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez minced no words in confirming that First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos had met with an executive of Smartmatic prior to the May 2022 national elections.The Marcos camp, who once filed criminal charges against four Smartmatic personnel in 2016 for allegedly making unauthorized changes to the script in the transparency server of the poll body, now finds themselves allegedly participating in secret meetings with the Smartmatic camp leading to the May 2022 national elections.In 2023, allegations surfaced suggesting that Araneta-Marcos had meetings with Smartmatic President Roger Piñate…

MANILA, Philippines — Several Filipinos are joining a series of prayer meetings amid increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea and urged lawmakers to be “resolute” and “forthright” in reporting to the nation.“For our dear lawmakers: Be resolute in your investigations and forthright in your report to the nation, and bring to light the extent to which our government and national and local institutions have been infiltrated by agents and lackeys of the People’s Republic of China,” Omar Santos said, who was one of the prayer leaders during the Monday prayer meeting.The prayer meeting is now on its 12th day…

MANILA, Philippines — The Marcos administration has yet to discuss the banning of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country, according to National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan on Tuesday.“We haven’t really talked about it at the level of economic managers, I’m not aware if there are other meetings but I keep my view that our attention, our focus should be generating high-quality jobs,” Balisacan said during a Palace briefing.He stood firm on banning POGOs and stressed that the government should focus on creating better jobs for people.“I think that there are a lot of opportunities for…

MANILA, Philippines — Over 44 percent or only four out of 10 Filipino adults are expecting an improved quality of life in the next 12 months, Philippine-based polling firm Social Weather Stations said.SWS conducted a survey from March 21 to 25, polling 1,500 Filipinos aged 18 and above. According to the results, 44 percent of respondents expressed optimism that their quality of life would improve, while another 44 percent believed it would remain the same. Only seven percent anticipated a decline in their quality of life. Of the participants, 600 were from Balance Luzon, with 300 each from Metro Manila, Visayas, and…

MANILA, Philippines — Transport Group PISTON has called out the government and oil companies following a four consecutive week of oil price hikes in the country.According to PISTON National President Mody Floranda, the government ‘“has failed” to curb the “big three” oil firms in the country that add up to the burden of the Filipino masses.“Despite inflation trending upward and [the] rising cost of living causing widespread crisis, Shell, Caltex, and Petron continue to raise oil prices—the fourth consecutive increase in the past weeks,” he said.Chevron Philippines Inc. (Caltex), Petron Corp., Seaoil Philippines Corp., and Shell Pilipinas Corp. announced they…

MANILA, Philippines — “[Vic] Rodriguez felt responsible and accountable to fulfill the campaign promises to the nation. But the weak leadership of the President and his compromised decisions frustrated the Little President.”This was how “Kingmaker, The Hard Copy” answered the questions about why Rodriguez, who served as the first Executive Secretary of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and the overall strategist of the President, who paved the way to the return of the Marcoses in Malacañang left his post 79 days after his appointment.Seasoned newsman Gerry Lirio wrote the book based on interviews with Rodriguez and several other former Marcos officials.‘Tell-all…

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of  Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos announced Monday a reward of P10 million for any information leading to the arrest of the self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God”  Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.“I would like to announce to those watching and listening that we have friends who want to help in finding  and are offering a reward of P10 million for any information leading to the arrest of Pastor Quiboloy,” Abalos told reporters in a virtual presser.Meanwhile, a reward worth P1 million is being offered for Quiboloy’s associates including Cresente Canada, Pauline Canada, Ingrid Canada,…