Author: Jericho Zafra
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is currently racing with its neighboring cities in terms of high cost of living after it placed fifth in the recently released Mercer 2024 Cost of Living Survey.Cities including Hong Kong, Singapore, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Manila, and Jakarta are among the cities with high costs of living across Southeast Asia.Manila’s ranking slightly increased compared to the 133rd world rank it clinched from the previous year. This only means that the city’s cost of living has risen in 2024 compared to its 2023 cost of living condition.Of the 226 cities the consulting firm surveyed, Hong Kong,…
MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro said Monday that the Philippine government is not downplaying China’s recent aggression near Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal. During a press briefing, Teodoro said that the June 17 strife with China was not a “misunderstanding” or “accident” but an aggressive and illegal use of force from Chinese authorities. “After our visit to our troops in Palawan yesterday where the President personally talked to the troops involved in the RoRe (rotation and resupply), we have now come to the conclusion that it was not a misunderstanding or an accident,” he said. “We are not downplaying…
MANILA, Philippines — Former senator Leila De Lima was cleared of all the drug charges filed against her by the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.On Monday, June 24, the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 in Muntinlupa City acquitted De Lima of the final charge related to conspiracy to commit drug trading.Judge Gener Gito of Branch 206 granted De Lima’s demurrer to evidence, which is a defense filing asserting that the prosecution’s evidence is insufficient. Granting of a demurrer to evidence results in the acquittal of the accused.The Muntinlupa Court is also the same court that granted De Lima’s bail…
MANILA, Philippines — Former cabinet officials, friends, and relatives of the late and former President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III remember their fond memories with the latter in time for his third death anniversary.On Monday, close friends and relatives of the Aquino family attended a holy mass for the third death anniversary of the former chief executive at the Manila Memorial Park.https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?extid=CL-UNK-UNK-UNK-IOS_GK0T-GK1C&ref=watch_permalink&v=7981574268530582During the mass, which was presided over by Fr. Jett Villarin SJ, Aquino was recalled as someone who did not refuse to lead and serve the people.“Ano pa man ang kaniyang kahinaan, hindi siya santo, [ngunit] hindi niya tinalikdan…
MANILA, Philippines — Several members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) community took to social media to express their disappointment about the recently held Pride event that caused clamor about the real essence of the pride march for the community.Over the weekend, social media users dominated both the headlines and various platforms to call out participants of the “Love Laban 2 Everyone Pride PH Festival” at the Quezon City Memorial Circle, who had appeared heedless of the reason behind the purpose of the Pride march. Some users argued that most, if not all of the participants…