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Metro Manila Daily News, Manila (2026)

20/04/2026

LOOK| The Commission on Audit (COA) has again flagged the Office of the Vice President (OVP), this time for the use of P300 million in “disallowed” government funds, separate from the P73.2 million return order that has reached “finality,” a lawmaker revealed over the weekend.

“These are two different matters. As far as the P73 million is concerned, COA is done with that. If they still want to contest it, the next step is no longer within the COA process, but before the Supreme Court,” Rep. Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro party-list said.

Ridon said the P300 million separate notice of disallowance represents an additional layer of potential liability arising from the same issue involving the use of intelligence and confidential funds, where a total of P612.5 million in taxpayers’ money remain unaccounted for by Vice President Sara Duterte until now.

15/04/2026

LOOK| Transport groups Manibela and Piston are staging another series of strikes following the launching of the service contracting program.

Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena expressed his disappointment that only a few public utility vehicle drivers and operators will be part of the program.

Around 1,000 transport operators and 50,000 PUV units will be included nationwide.

13/04/2026

MANILA, Philippines — Kinumpirma ni Jonvic Remulla, kalihim ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), na nakatanggap ang mga awtoridad ng ulat tungkol sa isang “eyeball contact,” o aktuwal na pagkakita, sa negosyanteng si Atong Ang sa loob ng bansa na agad namang sinundan ng mga operasyon.

Ayon kay Remulla, personal siyang sumama sa isang raiding team, subalit nakaalis na si Ang sa nasabing lugar bago pa man sila dumating. Tumanggi ang mga opisyal na ibunyag ang eksaktong lokasyon ng umano’y pagkakakita, kabilang na kung ito ay naganap sa Central Luzon, habang pinaigting pa ang beripikasyon sa kanyang galaw at ang koordinasyon sa patuloy na operasyon ng mga awtoridad.

12/04/2026

LOOK: Wind turbines are seen along the ridge of Pililla, Rizal, on Sunday, April 12, 2026. These generate clean energy that helps power Metro Manila and parts of Rizal.

08/04/2026

MAS SAFE NA PILIPINAS

Nagsagawa ng patrolya ang Manila Police District sa Ermita at Malate upang ipatupad ang ‘Safer Cities’ ng Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Bawal ang inuman sa kalye, hubad na pagtambay, at pananatili sa lansangan lampas 10 PM. Ilang indibidwal, kabilang ang lasing at menor de edad, ang dinampot at dinala sa covered court para sa profiling.

Nauna nang nagbabala si Jonvic Remulla na huhulihin ang mga lalabag. Palalawakin ang kampanya sa buong bansa.

07/04/2026

LOOK| Not all Filipinos are set to receive cash assistance under the proposed Bayanihan 3 Act, Senator Win Gatchalian bared Monday, April 6.

Gatchalian, chairman of Senate Energy Committee, said the government is allotting at least P98 billion to P406 billion for the measure, which the Senate proposed to help Filipinos mostly affected by the economic cost of rising fuel prices.

However, the government will only "pick" those who will be qualified beneficiaries, who will mainly come from the vulnerable sector, he said.

"Let's say, farmers, fisher folks, yung tinatawag natin bottom 30 percent, 'yung pinaka-mahirap nating kababayan (those who belong to the poorest sector) and transportation," Gatchalian said.

06/04/2026

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) will release more than PHP19 billion under its Balik Ginhawa (Loan Moratorium Through Refund) program, benefiting 1.37 million members and pensioners with active loan accounts.

GSIS data show that monthly loan amortizations range from PHP4,000 to PHP39,000, depending on the loan amount, equivalent to roughly PHP12,000 to PHP117,000 over three months.

The program covers loan payments made from December 2025 to February 2026. Refund amounts will vary depending on how many payments borrowers made during this period.

05/04/2026

LOOK: In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to provide necessary assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the Middle East crisis, the Pag-IBIG Fund has approved a special benefits package, allowing qualified members to access their savings and receive temporary relief on housing loan payments as they recover and rebuild their lives.

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling, who also chairs the 11-member Board of Trustees of Pag-IBIG or the Home Development Mutual Fund, said the package is timely as the repatriation of war-affected OFWs continues.

"Ito po ang ambag ng Pag-IBIG Fund sa hangarin ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. para sa whole-of-government approach sa pagtulong sa ating mga bayaning OFWs (This is the contribution of the Pag IBIG Fund to President Marcos Jr.'s desire for a whole-of-government approach in helping our heroic OFWs)," Aliling said in a news release Sunday.

31/03/2026

LOOK| The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Monday said the fuel subsidy distribution is “on the right track,” with around PHP651 million already released to beneficiaries nationwide.

The subsidy release is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s order to immediately release fuel subsidy for public utility vehicles (PUV) amid the ongoing national energy emergency caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

In a statement, LTFRB Chair Vigor Mendoza II said all regional directors of the agency have been ordered to continue the validation of beneficiaries in coordination with other government agencies to ensure “fast, comfortable, and hassle-free” distribution.

“The goal remains, fast distribution of the fuel subsidy, and we assure our friends and partners in the PUV sector that we are on the right track,” Mendoza said.

While there have been challenges, especially in the distribution in Metro Manila, he assured that these are now “learned lessons” to prevent similar incidents in provincial distributions.

28/03/2026

LOOK| Senator Imee Marcos called on the Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), PAG-IBIG, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to implement a temporary suspension of collections.

26/03/2026

TINGNAN| Sinimulan na ng iba’t ibang transport group ang kanilang dalawang araw na tigil-pasada nitong Huwebes, Marso 26, bilang protesta sa tumataas na presyo ng langis dulot ng tensyon sa Middle East.

Ang transport strike ay kinabibilangan ng mga manggagawa mula sa mga transport sector, kasama ang mga jeepney, TNVS, motorcycle taxi, bus, at UV Express.

Nanawagan ang mga grupo sa pagtatanggal ng VAT at excise tax sa mga produktong petrolyo, pagbabalik ng presyo ng gasolina sa P55 kada litro, at pagbuwag ng Oil Deregulation Law.

Humiling din sila ng dagdag-pasahe, P1,200 na family living wage, at nasyonalisasyon ng industriya ng langis upang makapagbenta ang gobyerno ng mas murang gasolina.

24/03/2026

TINGNAN| Pinawalang-bisa ng Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) ang P849.14 milyong tax assessment ng Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) laban sa Eastern Petroleum Corporation dahil sa paglabag sa due process.

Ayon sa CTA, invalid ang assessment para sa 2014 dahil mali ang due date—nakasaad sa demand na Setyembre 30, 2019 kahit natanggap lamang ito noong Oktubre 24, 2019. Dahil dito, nawalan ng pagkakataon ang kompanya na makapagbayad o makapagpaliwanag.

Bunsod nito, kinansela ang lahat ng buwis at ipinagbawal ang karagdagang koleksiyon ng BIR kaugnay sa kaso.

Metro Manila Daily News