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CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao del Norte -- Military officials have confirmed the death of 11 local terrorists during an operation in Datu Hofer town, Maguindanao del Sur, on Friday. Major Saber Balogan, civil-military operations chief of the Army's 601st Infantry Brigade, reported that soldiers from the 40th Infantry Battalion encountered Dawlah Islamiyah gunmen in Barangay Tuwayan Mother around 1 p.m. on Friday. The gunmen are believed to be members of the Salauhiddin Hassan faction. "The firefight lasted for more than three hours," Balogan said during a radio interview. Artillery support was provided to the ground troops, according to Balogan. He said ground troops, during clearing ...

Keep on reading: 11 terrorist killed in Army offensives in Maguindanao del Sur

MANILA, Philippines--Jio Jalalon put on another all-around performance that kept Magnolia unbeaten in the PBA Commissioner's Cup with a key play in the third quarter of Friday's 99-72 rout of NLEX at Philsports Arena in Pasig City. Jalalon came through with a steal off Road Warriors' new import Stokley Chaffee Jr. before racing down on the other end to feed Mark Barroca for the layup with over six minutes left in the said period. That sequence allowed the Hotshots to extend the lead to four, and it also sparked the big run that eventually turned a tight contest into a lopsided scoreline at the final buzzer. "We couldn't scout their import during the first and second quarter ...

Keep on reading: PBA: Jio Jalalon delivers timely plays anew to keep Magnolia unbeaten

MANILA, Philippines--Hundreds of food delivery riders, backed by the National Union of Food Delivery Riders, took to the streets of Quezon City to protest against what they describe as unfair management practices by Grab. The demonstration, called a unity ride, was organized in response to the new fare matrix implemented by Grab, which has significantly reduced the income of these riders. The group of riders is also calling for the reinstatement of colleagues who were allegedly suspended or terminated by Grab for participating in similar rallies. They argue that these actions were an unfair response to their efforts to voice their grievances. The pr...

Keep on reading: Hundreds of riders protest Grab’s new fare policy

Alora Sasam apologized for sharing a meme of Kathryn Bernardo supposedly asking the comedian to have a drink after the actress confirmed to the public her breakup with Daniel Padilla. Sasam, a known close friend of Bernardo, removed from her X (formerly Twitter) the photo she shared which shows the "A Very Good Girl" actress whispering something to her. Screenshots of the now-deleted photo have already been re-uploaded on social media. A speech bubble next to Bernardo reads, "Shot puno mamaya. Bawal tumakas (Let's have some shots later. No one can leave)." Sasam's bubble then states, "Pwede iwan ko na lang atay ko? Balikan ko bukas." (Can I just leave my liver? I'll come back f...

Keep on reading: Alora Sasam sorry for ‘insensitive’ post on Kathniel split

MANILA, Philippines--Phoenix Super LPG kept it together in the most critical times to escape desperate Converge by the skin of its teeth, 99-98, in the PBA Commissioner's Cup on Saturday. Kenneth Tuffin hit the go-ahead basket off a Jason Perkins dime to preserve the efforts of import Johnathan Williams III and fellow rookie Ricci Rivero, and ultimately help the Fuel Masters to their fourth straight victory in the race. "This is our third game in a week so we were expecting to be a little tired. So it's fortunate that after 48 minutes we got the victory," said head coach Jamike Jarin during the post-game presser at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. "It took an entire unit, an ...

Keep on reading: PBA: Phoenix sends Converge to dismal 0-5 start with tight win

For someone who is as tenured as Heart Evangelista in the fashion industry, one will have a difficult time believing she has experienced getting kicked out of a show at Fashion Week. Sitting down with MEGA Editor-in-Chief Peewee Reyes-Isidro, the actress detailed her experience of having been kicked out of a Fashion Week event, which she noted was one of the causes of her stress at the time. "There's no need to have tried to kick somebody out of a show because that happened to me in the last Fashion Week. I would talk to certain PRs to say no; somebody was calling and saying I'm not able because another person's going to attend," recalled Evangelista. The fashion icon reveal...

Keep on reading: Heart Evangelista reveals she got kicked out of recent Fashion Week event

MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen collaboration and resource sharing in the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in the region. The MOU was signed on November 28, 2023, by DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III and BARMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim. This landmark agreement marks the first formal partnership between DAR and BARMM since the enactment of the CARP in 1988. Under the MOU, DAR and MAFAR will collaborate in various aspec...

Keep on reading: DAR, MAFAR ink deal to bolster agrarian reform in BARMM

Actresses Eugene Domingo and Pokwang are undeniably good at their craft, but how about at love? Starring in the upcoming comedy film "Becky and Badette," the duo sat on "Fast Talk with Boy Abunda" to talk about their film and their love lives. Program host Boy Abunda bluntly asked Pokwang if she could live without her love for men, to which the comedienne replied, "Wala muna. Sinabi ko naman na magfo-focus ako sa negosyo. Magpapayaman muna ako saka 'yung mga anak ko." Pokwang broke up with her ex-partner Lee O'Brian in December 2021, and as the actress becomes reluctant to love again, Domingo offered advice to her co-star and friend to still have faith that love will find her e...

Keep on reading: Eugene Domingo gives Pokwang love advice: ‘Wag kang sumuko’

MANILA, Philippines -- The Manila Water Foundation (MWF) has led activities in the celebration of World Toilet Day (WTD) with the theme: "Accelerating Change. Sanitasyon, Lahat Aksyon!" A World Toilet Day Sanitation Fair attended by Special Science students and parents was held at F. Ma. Guerrero Elementary School in Paco, Manila in partnership with the City of Manila LGU, Department of Education Schools Division Office of Manila, and private sector partners. The fair aimed to promote proper sanitation for good health, highlighting the importance of clean and safely-managed sanitation facilities, which form part of personal and public health, and contribute to and support environment...

Keep on reading: Manila Water Foundation hosts World Toilet Day sanitation fair

It's been quite a year for Nam Woo-hyun of the K-pop boy group Infinite. He was diagnosed with a rare cancer for which he underwent hours-long surgery, and then joined the band for comeback concerts and the release of a mini-album. On Tuesday, Nov. 28, he dropped his first solo LP and is due to hold concerts in December. "I was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor for which I underwent surgery at a university hospital in April. I was expecting a small surgery at first. But when the surgery began, the surgeon found that the tumor was much bigger. I was under general anesthesia for 10 hours," he said during a group interview last Thursday in Seoul. The artist felt d...

Keep on reading: Nam Woo-hyun returns with solo studio album after rare cancer battle

MANILA, Philippines --- An advocacy group has urged for transparency and accountability in the bicameral proceedings of the 2024 National Budget. Social Watch Philippines highlighted that the closed-door meetings of the Bicameral Conference Committee could lead to suspicions, which could be alleviated by making the meetings public. "The non-transparent nature of the Bicameral Conference Committee meetings may make it vulnerable to all sorts of deals, including unprincipled transactions and horse trading, suspicions which can easily be dispelled if the meetings were open to the public," SWP said in a statement on Saturday. The Senate passed the 2024 national budget, totaling P5....

Keep on reading: Group calls for transparency in 2024 budget proceedings

MANILA, Philippines --- Bringing nostalgia through its Super Mario-themed routine, Far Eastern University Cheering Squad reclaimed the UAAP Cheerdance Competition crown in Season 86 on Saturday The FEU Cheering Squad brought 18,122 spectators at the Mall of Asia Arena and millions of television viewers to the world of Super Mario, the classic and beloved video game, through the team's superb stunts and impressive dance. https://twitter.com/INQUIRERSports/status/1730865379021652081 The Tamaraws reclaimed the crown they lost last Season 85 to National University Pep Squad, proving they can win it all in the regular five-six minute routine. The FEU Cheering Squad won the Sea...

Keep on reading: FEU Cheering Squad wins UAAP Cheerdance 2023 crown

Heart Evangelista is of a different caliber in terms of fashion. The actress has gained the reputation of being a fashion week habitu, proving her natural elegance in different fashion weeks every year. Given that Evangelista is a preeminent role model in the fashion department, MEGA editor-in-chief Peewee Reyes-Isidro asked the actress in an interview how she felt about local celebrities following in her footsteps attending fashion weeks. "The truth is, I'm very happy. The only thing I don't like is some people's mentality is really messed up. Filipino to Filipino, we know the crab mentality exists. When I was doing fashion week, when I was working with other celebrities or in...

Keep on reading: Heart Evangelista on local celebrities attending Fashion Week: ‘It’s never a competition’

MANILA, Philippines --- The Philippines and France have begun talks to establish a visiting forces agreement between both countries, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. announced on Saturday. Teodoro led the talks alongside his counterpart, French Minister of Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu. "We intend to take concrete steps in leveling up and making more comprehensive our defense cooperation, by working to get authorization of our respective heads of state to begin the negotiation for the status of visiting forces agreement," Teodoro stated during a joint conference with Lecornu in Taguig City. The Philippines currently has visiting forces agreements with the United States and Au...

Keep on reading: PH, France begin talks on visiting forces deal— Teodoro

MANILA, Philippines --- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced Saturday that a new batch of immigration inspectors will be deployed before Christmas. The BI is currently training 38 personnel at the Philippine Immigration Academy within Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga. These individuals will serve as immigration officers, assistants, administrative aides and officers, and fingerprint examiners. "The immigration officers are set to be deployed in the frontlines in time for Christmas, while the other trainees will act as immigration officers on augmentation teams," the BI said in a press release. This batch is part of the agency's effort to expand its workforce, according to the BI. ...

Keep on reading: BI readies new batch of inspectors for holiday season

[Representatives of different groups unite on the launch of the "Bridging Information Gap on  Prohibition of Child Marriage Law Project" on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. Photo from Oxfam Pilipinas.] MANILA, Philippines --- Various government agencies, civil society organizations, and youth groups have come together to support the implementation of the law banning child marriage in the Philippines, a confederation announced on Saturday. Oxfam Pilipinas, during the launch of the "Bridging Information Gap on Prohibition of Child Marriage Law Project," emphasized the need for broader information dissemination and enforcement of Republic Act 11596. The confederation, in partnership ...

Keep on reading: Government, NGOs unite vs child marriage in PH

LONDON---Co-writing, directing, producing and starring in his Leonard Bernstein biopic "Maestro" was a terrifying undertaking for Bradley Cooper that turned into a journey of joy and courage. A passion project years in the making, "Maestro" is the follow-up to Cooper's directorial debut, "A Star Is Born." "In the beginning, realizing how much work would be involved, I was terrified. But the more work I put in, and then each day, I became more and more at ease with the idea of being able to ask everybody to go on this journey," Cooper told Reuters at the film's premiere in London on Friday, Dec. 1. "By the end of it, it was just joy and fearlessness." Bernstein, who died i...

Keep on reading: Bradley Cooper’s ‘Maestro’ a tale of music, marriage and multitasking

MANILA, Philippines---The 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival entry "Mallari" has been holding several media conferences to drum up interest for the semi-biographical take on the first recorded Filipino serial killer. And it has even pushed the promotion up a notch by holding a "FanCon" as a kickoff event in the lead-up to the screening on Christmas Day. "A fancon is a way to connect to the audience, not just to promote the film, but to interact with them," lead actor Piolo Pascual, who is playing three characters in the film, responded when INQUIRER.net asked him what it means for him as an actor for his movie to hold such an event during a media conference held at the Cinema 5 of SM...

Keep on reading: Piolo Pascual, Janella Salvador, JC Santos delighted to interact with fans in ‘Mallari’ kickoff event

MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Saturday that two Filipino nationals were executed in China on November 24 for drug trafficking offenses. Out of respect for their privacy, the DFA withheld their identities and delayed the announcement until receiving formal notification of their execution from Chinese authorities. "The Department of Foreign Affairs regrets to inform the nation that two Filipino nationals were executed in China on 24 November 2023 for drug trafficking offenses, as confirmed by the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou," the DFA stated. "We offer our most sincere condolences to their families and loved ones. We respect the...

Keep on reading: 2 Filipinos executed in China for drug trafficking–DFA

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte --- A village chief in Marcos town in Ilocos Norte province was shot and killed on Friday while on her way home, police said in a report Saturday, Dec. 2. Helen Abrigado, the re-elected chief of Ferdinand village, was killed by two unidentified suspects riding-in-tandem on a motorcycle while she was aboard a Mitsubishi L300 FB truck owned by her village and driven by councilor Carlo Bagaoisan, the police report said. In an initial investigation, Abrigado's vehicle was traversing Barangay Tabucbuc in Marcos when she was attacked at 9:50 p.m. Abrigado was on a convoy with barangay health workers and other village officials during the incident after they r...

Keep on reading: Village chief shot dead in Ilocos Norte