01/01/2026
🇵🇠Top 5 Major News in the Philippines Today (January 1, 2026)
1. Marcos Urges Discipline and Shared Responsibility in 2026 New Year Message President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed 2026 by calling on Filipinos to embrace "discipline, empathy, and shared responsibility." He emphasized that national progress in the coming year should be driven by collective will rather than circumstance, as his administration gears up for major anti-corruption and infrastructure milestones. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1266036
2. DOH: Firecracker Injuries Hit 140; Holiday Stroke and Heart Attack Cases Rise The Department of Health (DOH) reported that firecracker-related injuries reached 140 as of New Year’s morning, with more cases expected to be filed from overnight revelries. Additionally, health officials noted a 5% spike in heart attack and stroke cases over the holiday period compared to the previous year. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2161617/doh-cases-of-heart-attack-stroke-asthma-higher-by-5-percent-this-year
3. Sen. Imee Marcos Rejects 2026 National Budget Over 'Pork Giniling' Funds Senator Imee Marcos announced her refusal to sign the bicameral report on the P6.793-trillion 2026 National Budget. She criticized the inclusion of "pork giniling" (soft pork barrel funds) and expressed concern over massive cuts to the government's counterpart funding for major JICA-funded railway and subway projects. https://www.onenews.ph/imee-marcos-hits-pork-giniling-in-2026-budget
4. EDCOM 2 Report: 24 Million Filipinos Aged 10-64 Are Functionally Illiterate The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) released its top findings for 2025, revealing a sobering statistic: over 24 million Filipinos remain functionally illiterate. The report also highlighted that 5.1 million children with disabilities are still unserved by basic government services. https://www.onenews.ph/24-million-pinoys-illiterate-5-1-million-children-unserved-edcom-2
5. Lawmaker Leviste Claims Solons Received P2-M 'Christmas Bonus' Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste sparked a New Year controversy by claiming that House members received P2 million each as a "Christmas bonus." While other House leaders have denied the claim as baseless, the allegation has added fuel to the ongoing public debate regarding congressional transparency and budget insertions. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/12/27/2497075/marcos-declares-special-non-working-days-8-areas-january-2026