Philippines Business News

Marcos names new DOH undersecretary

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently appointed Department of Health Assistant Secretary Christian Lel Saquilabon as undersecretary, replacing Emmie Liza Chiong. The President signed Saquilabon’s appointment letter on August 4. "Pursuant to the provisions of existing laws, you are hereby appointed undersecretary, co-terminus with the appointing authority, vice Emmie Liza P. Chiong," the appointment letter read. Saquilabon, who has a law degree, has been the ch

WATCH: 1,400 athletes join IRONMAN in Cebu

Around 1,400 athletes from 48 countries took part in the 12th IRONMAN 70.3 Lapu-Lapu Cebu, which Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” King-Chan described as a successful hosting for the city. King-Chan said the race proceeded without recorded untoward incidents despite the challenging current during the swim. The athletes completed a 1.9-kilometer swim, 90-kilometer bike course and 21.1-kilometer run. The mayor said the city is excited to host the event again next year. VIDEO BY

McNally grateful for Filipino support despite Eala defeat

MANILA, Philippines — American tennis player Caty McNally may have fallen to Filipina star Alexandra “Alex” Eala, but she left Toronto with a lasting appreciation for the Filipino fans who filled the stands and cheered throughout their clash. The world No. 70 McNally bowed to No. 20 Eala, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, in a grueling three-set battle in the Round of 32 of the National Bank Open at Sobeys Stadium Centre Court in Toronto, Canada. Despite the defeat, McNally said the experience of

International Rights Groups Raise Alarm Over Freedom of Religion and Expression in South Korea

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), together with CAP Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC), which has accredited ECOSOC status at the United Nations, FOREF, CESNUR and Bitter Winter, held a press conference today at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Freedom of Expression in South Korea. The issues addressed included concerns about the treatment of elderly religious leaders in pretrial detention, includin

Filipinos new breed of ‘high energy’ tennis fans

It’s high time tennis gets a “high energy” crowd. And Filipinos are setting the trend on what a “high energy” crowd in tennis is, every time they cheer and almost put on a pedestal Alex Eala. Well, let me say it again – it’s high time tennis gets its own “high energy” crowd, because, if not, tennis might as well be played like chess – or in a venue where silence is the norm. In my view, the real sports superstars don’t wilt or get

PH embassy seeks Filipino community’s help in finding missing Filipino in Vietnam

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Embassy in Vietnam has sought the help of the Filipino community to determine the whereabouts of a 20-year-old Filipina who had been missing since August 2025. The embassy in Hanoi on Saturday posted a "missing person advisory" concerning the disappearance of Charmaine Portes Huraño who was born in 2005. "The embassy requests the assistance of the Filipino community in determining the whereabouts and of the condition of Ms. Huraño, who has

Inclement weather disrupts nine flights

MANILA, Philippines — Nine domestic and international flights were disrupted on Sunday due to bad weather caused by the enhanced southwest monsoon, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said. CAAP announced the cancellation of Cebgo flights DG171 and DG172 (Clark-Masbate-Clark) due to adverse wind and strong tailwind conditions in Masbate. Two flights were diverted to Clark International Airport — Cebu Pacific flight 5J472 (Bacolod-Manila) and Malaysia Airlines fligh

Messi missing after father's death as Miami lose in Leagues Cup

MIAMI — Lionel Messi was missing following the death of his father as Inter Miami lost 2-1 to visiting Monterrey on Saturday in a Leagues Cup match. Teams observed a minute of silence before the match for Jorge Messi, who died at age 68 in Argentina, where the Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi arrived on Saturday night. "Our hearts are with our captain, Leo, and the entire Messi family," Inter Miami said in a statement. Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul scored in the 32nd minute to give

Lake Mead hits historic low water level as Colorado River struggles

BOULDER CITY, Nevada — Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, has plummeted to its lowest water level since it was filled some 90 years ago, another sign of the crisis plaguing the Colorado River system. Water levels at the reservoir, which straddles the Arizona-Nevada border outside Las Vegas, hit 1,040.4 feet (317.1 meters) above sea level on Friday, according to federal data. That's just below the record set on July 28, 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

World number one Sabalenka ousted in Toronto by Alexandrova

TORONTO — World number one Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated by Russian 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova on Saturday in a fourth-round match at the WTA Toronto Masters tournament. Alexandrova defeated the four-time Grand Slam winner from Belarus 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4 in 2hr 29min to book a berth in the quarter-finals. Sabalenka, who will seek her third consecutive US Open title next month, fell to 5-5 in her career WTA rivalry with Alexandrova, who will face either American eighth seed Amanda An

Wall Street week ahead: inflation, retail sales updates

NEW YORK — Reports on inflation and retail sales are the central updates for Wall Street this week. The reports help give investors and economists a better sense of where prices are moving on a wide range of goods and services, while also providing a clearer picture on the impact to businesses and households. On Wednesday, the U.S. will release its consumer price index, or CPI, for July. It is a detailed report on prices for a wide range of goods and services. Economists expect it to show

The 16th Worldwide Chinese Life Insurance Congress & 2026 International Dragon Award (IDA) Annual Conference Grandly Held

Over 10,000 financial insurance elites from around the world gathered in Hong Kong HONG KONG, Aug. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- From August 7 to 10, 2026, the 16th Worldwide Chinese Life Insurance Congress and the 2026 International Dragon Award (IDA) Annual Conference were grandly held in Hong Kong, the "Pearl of the Orient." At this joint event, over 10,000 financial insurance professionals from around the world-including senior executives of insurance companies, industry experts, and scholars-gath

A drone likely from Ukraine explodes in Bulgaria near a gas pipeline

SOFIA, Bulgaria — A drone entered Bulgarian airspace on Saturday and exploded close to an international gas pipeline shortly after crossing the border from Romania. There were no casualties or damage. Drones straying into NATO airspace have not been uncommon since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The defense ministry in Sofia, Bulgaria's capital, later said there were indications the drone was the kind used by Ukrainian armed forces and that the incident was likely accidental. Bulg

Agoda Shares Must-Visit Destinations in Asia for the Ultimate 'Glow-cation'

SINGAPORE, Aug. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 'glow-cation' trend is captivating travelers worldwide, offering a journey focused on beauty treatments and wellness experiences. Asia, with its unique style offerings and cutting-edge beauty innovations, stands out as a premier destination for those seeking to enhance their personal style and rejuvenate their appearance. Digital travel platform Agoda showcases some of Asia's most alluring style and wellness destinations, each promising a distinct beau

Another soggy week: Pagasa says more rain to soak Luzon

MANILA, Philippines — Many areas in Luzon, already soaked from more than a week of rain, will continue to be inundated by strong rain because of the southwest monsoon or habagat, the weather bureau said. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that on Monday, heavy to intense rains are expected in La Union, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro. Moderate to heavy rains will fall in Ilocos Norte, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Prov

Former US president Biden's cancer has spread—son

WASHINGTON, United States — Former US president Joe Biden's cancer has metastasized further, according to his son Hunter Biden, who shared the update in a recent interview with the BBC. In May 2025, just four months after he left office as the oldest sitting president, the elder Biden revealed he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. He subsequently began treatment, including radiation and hormone therapy, which the 83-year-old describe

543 passengers, 179 rolling cargoes stranded due to southwest monsoon

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) monitored 28 ports in four regions where 543 passengers, truck drivers and cargo helpers, 179 rolling cargoes and 16 vessels were stranded early Sunday due to rough sea conditions brought by the southwest monsoon or habagat, intensified by Typhoon Dolphin. The PCG maritime safety advisory covered monitoring from midnight to 4 a.m. on Aug. 9, 2026, in Western Visayas, Bicol, Southern Tagalog and Central Visayas. In Western Visayas, the

Changhong Partners with Indonesian Pop Icon Rossa to Strengthen Its Presence in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 7, 2026, Changhong announced Indonesian pop icon Rossa (Sri Rossa Roslaina Handiyani)as its new Brand Ambassador. The collaboration marks another milestone in Changhong's efforts to expand its global brand presence while strengthening its localized operations in Indonesia and across Southeast Asia. Changhong Partners with Indonesian Pop Icon Rossa to Strengthen Its Presence in Indonesia As one of Southeast Asia's largest consumer markets

NFL legend Craig reveals dementia diagnosis at Hall of Fame induction

WASHINGTON, United States — Three-time Super Bowl champion running back Roger Craig revealed Saturday he has been diagnosed with vascular dementia during his induction ceremony speech into the American Pro Football Hall of Fame. The 66-year-old former rusher who helped the San Francisco 49ers win Super Bowls in 1985, 1989 and 1990 was enshrined at Canton, Ohio, alongside quarterback Drew Brees, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, linebacker Luke Kuechly and kicker Adam Vinatieri. "I have been

Parts of Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite to have water interruptions due to maintenance work

MANILA, Philippines — Some areas in Metro Manila, Rizal and Cavite will have water interruptions this week because of maintenance work and facility limitations, Manila Water Company Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. said on Sunday. Manila Water said that in Metro Manila, some locations in the villages of Maybunga and Rosario in Pasig City will have service interruptions on August 11-12 between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. due to declogging work. Some parts of Barangay Santolan will have no water

Today's Weather, 5 A.M. | Aug. 9, 2026

Dangerous wildfire keeps crews from reaching helicopter crash in Utah

A large Utah wildfire kept emergency responders from safely reaching the remote site of a helicopter crash on Saturday as other fires burned across several Western states, including one that closed part of Mount Rainier National Park. The Friday morning crash of a Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter in Utah's Fishlake National Forest ignited a new fire that spread to connect with the existing blaze that has now scorched nearly 174 square miles (nearly 451 square kilometers). Officials battling the fire

ICE expects all field officers to have body cameras by the end of August

WASHINGTON — US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Saturday it expects every officer and agent in the field to be equipped with a body camera by the end of August, a rapid expansion that could provide an unprecedented visual record of the federal government’s immigration enforcement operations. But whether the public will get to see that footage remains largely up to ICE. The agency defended its body-worn camera policy amid questions about provisions allowing ICE leadership to

ThinkCareBelieve: Week 81 of the Trump Administration: Welcome to The Golden Age

Week 81 of the Trump Administration has catapulted us to a roaring Golden Age. Washington, DC, Aug. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ThinkCareBelieve announces a New Report on the events of Week81of the Trump Administration, part of a weekly series covering all the exciting achievements and events as they happened since President Trump took office in January 2025. The article can be accessed in full at https://thinkcarebelieve.blog/2026/08/08/week-81-of-the-trump-administration-welcome-to-the-golden