topsmediacenter

A Makati court has issued an arrest warrant for Batangas First District Representative Leandro Leviste in connection with an alleged violation of the Public Service Act involving his company’s obligations to provide electricity in underserved areas. The Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 235 issued the warrant on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, and set bail at P72,000. The case arose from a complaint filed by the Department of Energy (DOE) in […]

More than P16 million in cash donations intended to assist calamity victims remained unused as of the end of 2025, while the Cebu City Government failed to fully document the receipt and distribution of donated relief goods, a Commission on Audit (COA) report found. COA said P16,089,306.91 in cash donations remained unutilized as of Dec. 31, 2025. The audit also found gaps in supporting documents for in-kind donations, preventing auditors […]

A Cebu labor group has criticized the newly approved P42 daily minimum wage increase in Central Visayas, saying the adjustment remains insufficient to meet workers’ basic needs as prices of food, utilities and other necessities continue to rise. The Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno (Ama Sugbo-KMU) said Monday, Sept. 28, that the new wage rates fall short of what workers need to cope with the region’s cost […]

Higher fares for public utility vehicles (PUVs) take effect Monday, Sept. 28, in Cebu, prompting some commuters to question the timing of the increase as the P42 minimum wage hike is not scheduled to take effect until October. The fare adjustments were approved by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) following the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) recommendation to lift the suspension on previously approved fare increases. The new […]

The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte is considering asking the Supreme Court to review the Senate impeachment court’s decision to change how the two-thirds conviction threshold in her impeachment trial will be calculated. Duterte spokesperson and lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. said Wednesday, Sept. 23, that the defense is looking into filing a petition for certiorari, arguing that the Senate impeachment court may have committed grave abuse of discretion […]

The Senate on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, unanimously approved on third and final reading two measures aimed at strengthening protections for children against violence, online abuse and exploitation while improving safety in schools. The measures are the Comprehensive School Safety Act and the Safeguarding Against Grooming, Inducement and Predation, and Building Accountability for Technology-Facilitated Abuse or Exploitation (SAGIP BATA) Act. Both received 17 affirmative votes, with no negative votes or […]

Businesswoman Lakambini “Lakam” Chiu, the older sister of actress-host Kim Chiu, was arrested in Mandaluyong City on Sunday, Sept. 20, over 124 counts of qualified theft, police said. Lakam, 45, was arrested at around 4 p.m. in Barangay Wack Wack after police served a warrant issued by Branch 84 of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. The warrant carried a total recommended bail of P5.838 million, according to the Quezon […]

Three people, including the 16-year-old gunman, were killed and several others were wounded after a shooting inside Banga National High School in South Cotabato on Friday afternoon, officials said. The incident occurred at about 1:15 p.m. inside one of the classrooms of the school in Barangay Benitez, where the suspect reportedly opened fire on fellow students before turning the gun on himself. South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said police […]

The Moalboal Municipal Government has imposed a 30-day restriction on live hogs and pork products from outside the town as authorities strengthen measures against the possible spread of African swine fever (ASF). The restriction was approved unanimously by the Municipal Council through Resolution 255-2026 on Sept. 7, 2026, and signed by Mayor Inocentes Cabaron. Under the measure, hogs brought to the municipal slaughterhouse must be sourced from within Moalboal’s barangays. […]