The Philippine Star - April 24, 2025

In this issue

April 24, 2025

Period of nat'l mourning declared for Pope Francis

BBM, Liza flying to Vatican for pontiff's funeral

3 mins

CBCP asks Pinoys: Don't campaign for Tagle as pope

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday asked the public to refrain from campaigning for Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle to become the next pope.

2 mins

Japanese PM arriving in Manila

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will embark on a two-day official visit to the Philippines to further enhance the relationship between Manila and Tokyo, now entering its \"golden age.\"

1 min

Provincial Governors to Deliver Votes for 11 Alyansa Bets

As the May 12 midterm elections draw near, provincial governors aligned with the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats have pledged strong support for the administration's 11-member senatorial lineup under the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition.

2 mins

Sara returns to The Hague next month

Vice President Sara Duterte will be returning to The Hague with her mother next month to visit her father, detained former president Rodrigo Duterte.

2 mins

Phl, US troops exchange notes on air defense

The US Avenger Air Defense System (AADS) took centerstage on the second day of this year's Balikatan exercises, where Filipino and US troops trained in Zambales to familiarize themselves with the advanced premier shoot-on-the-move air defense platform and its primary armament, the FIM-92 Stinger missile.

2 mins

DepEd to roll out summer programs

The Department of Education (DepEd) is set to roll out four summer programs aimed at enhancing literacy and foundational skills among students, in response to learning gaps identified in previous international assessments.

1 min

NBI readies raps vs fake news peddlers against Bato

Branding the spread of fake news as a \"pandemic\" and its curtailment a non-partisan issue, National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago said the NBI is now targeting administration supporters sowing disinformation against political foes.

1 min

More foreign election watchers arriving in Phl

More international observers are coming to the country to monitor the midterm elections on May 12, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced.

3 mins

Retired judge sued in Cebu lawyer's slay

The Supreme Court (SC) has charged with gross misconduct a retired appellate judge for allegedly orchestrating the murder of a lawyer in Cebu City in November 2020.

1 min

8 Party-List Groups Leading in SWS Poll

Less than a month before the midterm elections, eight party-list organizations are leading in the latest survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).

2 mins

DA: P20/kilo rice to be sold in Visayas

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. yesterday announced that the government will start selling rice at P20 per kilo in the Visayas following a closed-door meeting with President Marcos and 12 governors at Cebu Provincial Capitol.

2 mins

Workers Join Calls for Better Phl Peace, Order

Licensed despite past crimes

1 min

Ex-lawmaker believes impeached Sara to be convicted

A former lawmaker believes Vice President Sara Duterte can be convicted in the impeachment trial for betrayal of public trust following her spending spree at the Department of Education (DepEd).

1 min

Heat Kills 2,000 Kilos of Fish in Taguig

Over 2,000 kilos of dead fish were found along the Lakeshore area in Taguig City, facing Laguna de Bay, in what authorities suspect was a consequence of the recent extreme heat.

1 min

LTO: 671 Driver's Licenses Suspended

Up to 671 drivers involved in traffic collisions and illegal drug use nationwide have had their licenses suspended for 90 days, according to the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

1 min

QC Bans Single-Use Plastics at City Hall

As part of efforts to reduce plastic waste, the Quezon City government has prohibited the use of disposables and single-use plastic bags within city hall premises and in other local government-run establishments.

1 min

1,800 Families Displaced in Manila Fires

Around 1,800 families in Manila were left homeless yesterday after fires struck Port Area and Tondo.

1 min

2 suspects in Chinese woman's kidnap held

Police on Tuesday arrested two suspects, including a Taiwanese, for allegedly kidnapping a Chinese woman in Manila.

1 min

10 More QC Cops Fired

Ten more personnel of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) were sacked from their posts yesterday due to alleged irregularities in the implementation of anti-crime operations.

1 min

'Scandalous inequality'

EYES WIDE OPEN

3 mins

Nemesis

FIRST PERSON

3 mins

Under observation

EDITORIAL

2 mins

Tariffs and trade wars

The world today is approaching what has been termed as global economic chaos.

3 mins

The pope of inclusion

VIRTUAL REALITY

4 mins

Honoring past service, sacrifice and the bonds they forged

LETTER FROM AUSTRALIA

3 mins

Even in sickness, Pope Francis reached out to Gaza's Christians

World view

3 mins

Angat elevation down by almost 2 meters in 1 week

The water level in Angat Dam in Bulacan has dropped by almost two meters in just one week amid increased consumption due to extreme heat.

1 min

Marcos Leads Launch of Phl's First AI-Ready Data Center

President Marcos yesterday led the launching of the country's first hyperscale and artificial intelligence (AI)-ready data center in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

1 min

Barangays Allowed To Hold Fund-Raising Bingo Games

The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld the rights of barangays to conduct fund-raising activities without the need to secure permits.

1 min

Zambo firms stopped from printing Comelec sample ballots

The Commission on Elections has ordered commercial firms in Zamboanga peninsula to stop printing sample ballots similar to the Comelec's official ballots for the May 12 elections.

1 min

Kanlaon Victims to Vote in Alternate Polling Centers

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) will not allow people displaced by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano in Negros to return home on May 12 to cast their votes.

1 min

ANTIPOLO BAKERY MASSACRE: 'Victims may have been sedated'

Police are looking at the possibility that the suspect in the killing of seven people in a bakery in Antipolo, Rizal on Tuesday sedated the victims before stabbing them multiple times.

1 min

Pope Francis Lies In State For 3 Days

VATICAN CITY (AFP) — Tens of thousands of mourners began saying their last goodbyes to Pope Francis at St. Peter's Basilica yesterday, as the body of the late Argentine pontiff began three days of lying in state.

1 min

Oscar Voters Required to View All Films Before Casting Ballots

Oscar voters will be required to demonstrate that they have watched all the films in each category before they cast their final ballots, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday.

1 min

Magnitude 6.2 quake rocks Istanbul

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 shook Istanbul yesterday, Turkey's AFAD disaster agency said, one of the strongest quakes to strike the city of 16 million in recent years.

1 min

Ukraine Ready for Talks With Russia Only After Ceasefire

Ukraine is ready to hold direct peace talks with Russia, but only after a ceasefire is in place, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday amid new US pressure to end the three-year-old conflict.

1 min

Israel shares, then deletes, condolences over pope's death

The Israeli government shared and then deleted a social media post offering condolences over the death of Pope Francis, without saying why, though an Israeli newspaper linked the decision to the late pontiff's criticism of the war in Gaza.

1 min

Second Fukushima debris removal trial complete

A tricky operation to remove a second sample of radioactive debris from inside Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant has been completed, the site operator said yesterday.

1 min

Tigresses seal semis passage

Santo Tomas booted out University of the Philippines while sealing its entry into the Final Four with a 25-20, 25-21, 25-18 victory at the resumption of the UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

1 min

PLDT, Creamline face tall odds

Here comes the tough part.

1 min

Smart/MVPSF taekwondo summer program ongoing

It’s summertime and the Philippine Taekwondo Association is once again holding its traditional Smart/ MVP Sports Foundation Taekwondo Summer Program all over the country.

1 min

Espedido, Sarines keep hot romp

Mavis Espedido and Lisa Sarines continued their stellar run by sweeping the second leg of the ICTSI Junior PGT Luzon Series at Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires, Cavite yesterday.

1 min

LUKA, LAKERS BOUNCE BACK

PACERS, THUNDER ROLL TO 2-0 LEADS

1 min

Tabal vies in EVA Air Marathon

Around 24,000 runners including Filipina Olympian Mary Joy Tabal test their mettle on the road at the heart of Taiwan in the biggest edition of the EVA Air Marathon on Oct. 26.

1 min

Luka, Lakers Bounce Back

Pacers, Thunder Roll to 2-0 Leads

1 min

Prayers for Jonathan

Jonathan Peñalosa, who failed in a bid to wrest the WBA flyweight crown from Korea's Yong Kang Kim in 1992, is fighting for his life at the Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod. He's down but not out with Stage 4 colon cancer.

2 mins

Beloved summer 'Tour' back today

PAOAY, Ilocos Norte — Four battle-tested Philippine continental teams seeking to impose their will, four dangerous foreign squads eyeing to give a strong challenge to a slew of wide-eyed Filipino young blood out to prove their worth will battle it out and face nature's elements when the Tour of Luzon kicks off today in this charming town here.

2 mins

NLEX CATCHES TNT OFF GUARD

Just as it spoiled the debut of last conference's semifinalist Rain or Shine, NLEX tarnished the maiden appearance of grand slam-seeking TNT.

1 min

MVP Group lends helping hand to DSWD

The MVP Group of Companies, through its unified corporate social responsibility arm Tulong Kapatid, is teaming up with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to expand the reach of vital social services across the country.

1 min

PLDT readies P40-B data center in Cavite

Telco giant PLDT Inc. is drawing up a plan to build a P40-billion data center in Cavite to support its commitment of raising as much as 500 megawatts of capacity for information storage.

1 min

BSP: New pricing scheme for fund transfers out soon

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is set to release this week an exposure draft outlining a new pricing mechanism aimed at lowering fees for electronic fund transfers, according to BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan.

2 mins

DOF Streamlines Tax Perks for Education

The Department of Finance (DOF) has rolled out new regulations aimed at simplifying access to tax incentives for education-related initiatives, in a bid to attract more private sector investments in the country's human capital development.

1 min

Wall Street Gains Buoy Local Stocks

The benchmark Philippines Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained by 0.37 percent or 22.89

1 min

Context as our weapon in the fight against fake news

In this era where digital platforms have become the primary sources and conduits of information, we continue to face an increasing challenge: the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation.

2 mins

Eton Earmarks ₱900M for Property Upgrades

Eton Properties Philippines Inc., the real estate arm of Lucio Tan's LT Group Inc., is allocating ₱900 million in capital expenditures this year to fund property enhancement programs and township redevelopment.

1 min

MVP From B1

Kapatid brings together the philanthropic efforts of its member foundations to deliver a collective and coordinated impact.

1 min

ACEN eyes up to P30 B from stock rights offer

Ayala-led ACEN Corp. is returning to the capital market this year to raise up to P30 billion in fresh funds to further beef up its growth and expansion.

1 min

Trade Wars and Fintech

Trade wars are often viewed through the lens of tariffs, manufacturing and geopolitics. But beneath the headlines of retaliatory duties and disrupted supply chains lies a quieter casualty: fintech.

5 mins

Approved Construction Permits Down in February

Construction activities in the Philippines are slowing down as the number of building permits approved nationwide dipped by 2.5 percent in February.

1 min

Illicit vape items worth P3.26 B go up in smoke

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has ramped up its campaign against smuggling with the destruction of P3.26 billion worth of illicit vape products, signaling a strong government stance against the proliferation of unauthorized goods in the market.

1 min

Kuya J open to new investors, to spend P100 M for expansion

Kuya J Food Group Inc., owner of homegrown restaurant chain Kuya J and the exclusive master franchise holder in the Philippines of American fast food chain Popeyes, is open to welcoming new investors that will help support and accelerate the group's growth.

2 mins

ANZ cuts Phl growth outlook to 5% this year

The Philippines' economic growth forecast for 2025 has been lowered to five percent from 5.7 percent as persistent global trade tensions and weak private investment cloud the outlook for emerging markets in Asia, according to ANZ Research.

1 min

Nuttall takes helm at PAL as competition heightens

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is reshuffling its boardroom ahead of tougher challenges in the airline industry, pinning hopes on an aviation veteran to lead its next round of expansion.

2 mins

Balai Profit Soars in 2024

Counter service bakery operator Balai ni Fruitas Inc. booked higher earnings last year following a robust top line growth which was driven by improved same-store sales and strategic expansion of the company's retail footprint.

1 min

Medilines to Venture into Specialized Health Care Market

Medical equipment supplier Medilines Distributors Inc. is looking to venture into new high-profit health care categories to cash in on the rising health care spending in the country.

2 mins

PHL in Top 3 Fastest Growing Economies in 2023 and 2024

The IMF released the World Economic Outlook (WEO) April 2025 last Tuesday.

3 mins

Landbank Extends P1.3-B Loan for Isabela Feed Mill

State-run Land Bank of the Philippines is extending a P1.3-billion financing to Sagittarian Agricultural Philippines Inc. (SAPI) to partially fund a 15-hectare feed mill facility in Isabela.

1 min

DA Revives LDAG to Stabilize Livestock Sector

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has reactivated the Inter-Agency Livestock Data Analytics Group (LDAG) to ensure market stability across the pork, chicken, egg and dairy sectors.

1 min

7-Eleven's Phl operator marks 30 years of partnership with PFA

Philippine Seven Corp. (PSC), the exclusive operator of 7-Eleven stores in the Philippines, celebrates three decades of fruitful partnership with Philippine Franchise Association (PFA), highlighting a journey of growth, innovation and collaborative success that has helped shape the country's franchising landscape.

2 mins

Exporters urged to strengthen US ties amid reciprocal tariffs

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Investment and Economic Affairs (OSAPIEA) are engaging the country's exporters in coming up with measures to strengthen trade with the United States following the imposition of reciprocal tariffs.

2 mins

AMANPULO'S CULINARY WEEKEND 6: KAINSEKI

The pleasure of dining extends far beyond tastes and aromas. It's about connections forged, stories shared, and people who bring their best to every meal.

3 mins

State Champs' Explosive Return to Manila

It took eight years, three albums, a global pandemic, and a whole lot of patience, but pop-punk veterans State Champs finally made their explosive return to Manila. And when they did, they didn't just hit the stage—they owned it.

3 mins

HK's Mixology Meister Tiziano Tasso Takes Over The Bar at The Pen

itara Group Hong Kong's Tiziano Tasso teams up with The Peninsula Manila for a one-night-only takeover at The Bar on April 25, Friday, from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight.

1 min

CHOCOLATE WITH LAING? YES, PLEASE!

'Venchi is not just another chocolate brand. It's magic, tradition, and emotion wrapped in a simple yet powerful bite.'

3 mins

'NORATIVES' GALORE: ATE GUY THROUGH THE EYES OF HER ‘PRECIOUS ONES'

Nora \"Ate Guy\" Aunor and my Mom (Inday Badiday) were besties/partners in crime. They rose to fame at the same time.

5 mins

YARA marks a musical turning point with Sabi Ko Na

Songs are tracks, as in footprints, of artists' musical careers and paths. However, these tunes also signal a turning point or milestone in their creative journey.

3 mins

HOW FPJ, GRANDPA PAQUITO DIAZ INSPIRED KIKO ESTRADA IN 'TOTOY BATO'

\"LUMUHOD KA SA LUPA\" star Kiko Estrada is set to make a primetime comeback via TV5's upcoming series \"Totoy Bato.\" Kiko will portray the iconic titular role created by comics writer and film producer Carlo J. Caparas and originally played by the late \"Da King\" Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) in the '70s film adaptation.

2 mins

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