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The Philippines has expanded its Universal Health Care (UHC) integration sites to 114, covering 95 percent of provinces and key cities in 2026, but health officials say the next challenge is ensuring that the expansion results in accessible and quality medical services. The Department of Health (DOH) reported that the number of integration sites has nearly doubled from 58 in 2020, following the enactment of the UHC Act in 2019. […]

Cebu requires at least P11.174 billion to rehabilitate communities and infrastructure damaged by Typhoon Tino, a year after the storm killed 143 people and left several priority bridge projects still awaiting construction. The Cebu Provincial Government reported spending nearly P300 million on recovery initiatives in 2026, including infrastructure allocations and housing assistance for affected families. However, several major projects remain in the procurement stage, while the full extent of funding […]

The Department of Education (DepEd) will begin distributing more than 172,000 MacBook Neo laptops to qualified public school teachers and administrative personnel nationwide in November 2026 as part of its efforts to expand digital learning resources. Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the department has scheduled the distribution of 172,654 units to provide educators with reliable equipment for their teaching and administrative responsibilities. Angara said the procurement aims to ease the […]

More than 40.7 million people visited cemeteries, memorial parks and columbaria across the Philippines during the Undas 2026 observance, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP). PNP chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement on Monday, November 2, that authorities recorded 40,740,246 visitors in 5,311 sites nationwide since October 30. Police also confiscated 6,499 prohibited items during security operations conducted throughout the observance. The seized items included […]

Former Cebu City mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia faces a fine equivalent to six months of his basic salary after the Office of the Ombudsman found him administratively liable for unauthorized cockfighting events held at Nustar in 2024. In a decision dated Jan. 6, 2026, the Ombudsman found Garcia guilty of Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service and initially imposed a six-month suspension without pay. Since Garcia is […]

The Cebu Provincial Government is preparing standardized deadlines for air quality advisories and class suspension announcements as Metro Cebu continues to experience unhealthy air pollution levels. Gov. Pamela Baricuatro proposed the uniform timeline during a consultation meeting on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, to help local government units (LGUs) respond more consistently to air quality emergencies and give families sufficient time to prepare. Under the proposed guidelines, initial air quality advisories […]

Philippine authorities are coordinating with law enforcement agencies in the United States and the United Kingdom to investigate allegations that Thomas Markle, father of Meghan Markle, possessed child sexual abuse material while based in Cebu. Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, that international cooperation is crucial in investigating suspected child exploitation cases involving digital evidence and individuals with links to […]

More than 3,600 police officers, military personnel and other government responders will be deployed to secure the 2026 Asean Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) in Lapu-Lapu City from October 28 to 31. A total of 3,670 personnel will be mobilized for the regional gathering, with a presentation of troops and logistical resources held during a send-off ceremony ahead of their scheduled deployment on Monday, October 26. Data from the Police Regional […]

The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged Cebu Normal University (CNU) over its P947.83-million smart hub project, citing procurement irregularities, questionable payments for a partially delivered learning management system, and delays that left millions of pesos worth of equipment unused in storage. In its 2025 report, state auditors said CNU paid P262.75 million for a learning management system (LMS) whose modules were certified as partially delivered and remained untested. The […]