Manila Bulletin - May 12, 2025

In this issue

68M cast their votes today; 'All hands on deck' as Comelec assures honest, peaceful polls
Marcos: Fight for the future through your vote
US-China tariff talks continue as Trump touts 'great progress made

68M cast their votes today

'All hands on deck' as Comelec assures honest, peaceful polls

7 mins

Marcos: Fight for the future through your vote

President Marcos has urged Filipinos to fight for their future through the ballot and to vote for those who are capable of serving them.

4 mins

US-China tariff talks continue as Trump touts 'great progress made'

President Donald Trump said \"great progress\" was being made in ongoing U.S.-China talks over tariffs threatening the global economy, and even suggested a \"total reset\" was on the table as tariff negotiations are set to continue Sunday in Switzerland.

2 mins

5 things you may not know about librarians

Insights from Escolarian Library Science Alumni

3 mins

PBBM, Duterte pay tribute to mothers

President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte set aside any political tension with just a day before the May 12 National and Local Elections to greet all mothers on Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 11.

1 min

BI to install more e-gates in high-traffic immigration terminals

Over 100 electronic gates (e-gates) will be procured by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to provide efficient and safe immigration processing particularly in high-traffic terminals like the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

1 min

VP Sara doesn't expect impeachment case vs Marcos to prosper

Vice President Sara Duterte does not expect the impeachment case to be filed against President Marcos to gain ground in the House of Representatives as majority of the lawmakers there are allies of the Chief Executive.

2 mins

68M cast their votes today

senators, 63 party-list seats, and 254 district representatives. At the local level, Filipinos will vote for 82 governors, 82 vice governors, 800 provincial board members, 149 city mayors and vice mayors, 1,690 city councilors, 1,493 municipal mayors and vice mayors, and 11,948 members of the Sangguniang Bayan.

5 mins

Russia's Putin proposes direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15 'without preconditions'

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, “without preconditions,\" an offer that came in response to Ukraine and its allies urging Moscow to commit to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or face additional sanctions.

1 min

Pope Leo XIV lays out vision of papacy, identifies Al as a main challenge for humanity

Pope Leo XIV laid out the vision of his papacy Saturday, identifying artificial intelligence as one of the most critical matters facing humanity and vowing to continue with some of the core priorities of Pope Francis.

1 min

Make your vote count

Today, Filipinos will once again head to the polls to cast their votes in the mid-term elections—an event that is not just a civic duty but a powerful expression of democracy. In these times, where our choices shape the direction of governance and policy for years to come, voting wisely is essential.

2 mins

I came so that they might have life

\"Life\" is one of the central themes in John's Gospel.

3 mins

May 12 elections: Defining moment for PH democracy

Today, May 12, the Filipino people will once again troop to the polls in one of the most consequential electoral exercises in recent memory.

2 mins

Data-driven peace

In a significant stride toward fostering enduring peace within the Philippines, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) has forged an alliance with the globally esteemed Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). The formalization of this partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on April 14 underscores a pivotal shift toward embedding data-driven strategies at the very core of the nation's peacebuilding endeavors.

3 mins

Rethinking well-being in microfinance

In the quiet corners of rural barangays and the bustling alleyways of urban poor communities, microfinance workers serve as lifelines—bridging financial services to the unbanked and underserved.

3 mins

Tamaraws strike first in men's finals

Far Eastern University displayed nerves of steel and held off National University, 22-25, 25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 15-13, to inch closer to its long awaited UAAP men's volleyball title in the Season 87 finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday, May 11.

1 min

Ramos, Agad deliver silver medals

The Philippine weightlifting team banked on Rosegie Ramos and Fernando Agad Jr. after collecting four silver medals in the 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, China over the weekend.

1 min

Eala, Gauff advance to Round of 16

Alex Eala and American Coco Gauff opened their title campaign at the women’s doubles of the 2025 Italian Open on a high note after dispatching their opening round rivals on Saturday, May 10.

1 min

Homegrown talents out to defend turf

After a dominant showing by Mindanao-based players in the Mactan kickoff, the spotlight now shifts to the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club as Visayan hopefuls, led by Bacolod’s rising stars, gear up to defend home turf in the second leg of the ICTSI Junior PGT Visayas-Mindanao Series on May 14-16.

1 min

Edwards powers Timberwolves

Minnesota leads 2-1 over GSW; Celtics win

2 mins

Suarez absorbs controversial loss

Charly Suarez dropped a controversial technical decision against World Boxing Organization (WBO) super featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California on Sunday, May 11 (Manila time).

2 mins

EU blackouts signal PH battery urgency

The Spain-Portugal blackouts, which had been partly blamed on overreliance on solar without enough capacity backup, signal a warranted acceleration of energy storage investments for markets like the Philippines that have been betting on massive-scale renewables.

2 mins

EIU: Economy resilient amid global trade woes

Despite the dismal first-quarter growth mostly weighed down by world trade uncertainties, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) sees the Philippine economy outperforming the region in 2025.

2 mins

Foreign retail influx shrinks NCR mall vacancy

Mall vacancy is projected to return to pre-pandemic levels this year as foreign retail brands strive to capture the interest of a populace that still prefers shopping inside physical malls, according to a report by property advisory firm Colliers.

2 mins

BSP: Trade shocks pose higher risk

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr. has warned that trade shocks are more damaging than supply shocks—as they can shrink the country's capital stock and slow growth—which monetary policy is not equipped to address.

2 mins

Dangerous PH transport system

Just recently, media headlines bled with tragedy as the country’s transport chaos turned fatal, claiming lives from the deadly SCTEX wreck to the NAIA Terminal 1 crash, where concrete and steel failed to protect, but instead wrote obituaries.

4 mins

GCash boosts Globe's earnings

Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc. saw its net income expand in the first quarter of the year as its equity stake in Mynt, the holding company of popular e-wallet GCash, continued to pay off even after the dilution of its share.

1 min

RE leads PH planned 19 GW energy expansion by 2030

The Department of Energy (DOE) is anticipating a total of 19,190 megawatts (MW) worth of energy projects from 2025 to 2030, spanning across non-renewable and renewable energy (RE).

1 min

Best tech gifts for moms this Mother's Day

Let's be honest: most of us moms don't really need another scented candle or mug that says \"World's Best Mom\"—cute, but we’ve been there.

2 mins

San Sebastian College embraces Al with Radenta partnership

The educational facility of San Sebastian College-Recoletos Manila will be undergoing a major digital transformation as Radenta Technologies will be providing the institution with AI solutions.

2 mins

Low inflation, weak growth point to fresh BSP rate cut

Another 25-basis-point (bp) interest rate cut by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is widely expected at its monetary policy meeting next month, as inflation slides and economic growth weakens.

1 min

Seventeen to mark 10th anniversary with special performance in Seoul

K-pop boy band Seventeen will celebrate their 10th anniversary with a special performance to be held at Seoul’s Jamsugyo Bridge located below the famous Banpo Bridge.

1 min

How fatherhood positively transformed Dennis Trillo

Award-winning actor Dennis Trillo acknowledged that fatherhood has positively transformed him, expressing gratitude to his wife, actress Jennylyn Mercado, for being a devoted mother to their family.

5 mins

The luminous lines of 'Siya'

Joen Sudlon's exhibit is a journey of faith and shared humanity

3 mins

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