Author: Nouman Ali

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered police officers conducting checkpoint operations to speed up inspections of trucks transporting essential goods.

‘Amid the challenging situations that our country is experiencing, our personnel on the ground stationed at checkpoints will ensure that the flow of goods remains unhampered and uninterrupted,’ Nartatez said in a statement on Thursday.

He also said the new directive will not affect the police force’s crackdown on smuggled goods.

‘Checkpoint operations will continue to support law enforcement objectives without compromising the movement of legitimate cargo,’ the PNP chief said.

The top cop added that the police force will coordinate with local government units (LGUs) and other agencies to ensure that regulations are still enforced without disrupting essential transport.

Nartatez’ statement came after Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said ‘unnecessary and unreasonable’ checks and inspections of food trucks conducted by the police and LGUs at checkpoints delayed travel and wasted fuel.

Recto made the pronouncement on Tuesday, appealing to government agencies to help farmers and traders take advantage of reduced toll and port fees to soften the impact of high fuel prices on food.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) released funds amounting to at least P92.8 million for a flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan, linked to former Sen. Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. and several others, despite alleged irregularities in billing documents, an official told the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division on Wednesday.

Testifying at the hearing for the malversation case against Revilla and his coaccused, DPWH finance director Genevieve Cuaresma confirmed alleged irregularities in the monthly certificate of payment and Statement of Work Accomplished (Sowa) for the project.

Cuaresma said the documents were not signed by former DPWH assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez and district engineer Henry Alcantara.

Hernandez is among the coaccused in the case, while Alcantara is a state witness.

The lack of signatures, according to Cuaresma, made the documents ‘incomplete, illegal,’ adding that the payments should not have been released as a result.

The Sowa also declared the project ‘95.17 percent’ complete but when Third Division chair Associate Justice Karl Miranda inspected the site last week, there were no visible structures aside from several steel sheet piles.

The Forest Foundation Philippines (FFP) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have partnered to advance forest restoration, community-based forest management, and climate initiatives across the region, officials announced on Thursday.

The collaboration was formalized with the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on April 16, between FFP and the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) in Makati City.

MENRE Minister Akmad Brahim signed the MOA along with lawyer Badr Salendab, Director General of Environment and Natural Resources, and lawyer Jose Canivel, FFP executive director.

In a statement, Brahim said the BARMM’s advocacy of protecting the environment and natural resources is ‘not just a mandate but a sacred obligation.’

‘Our forests are the lifeblood of our region. They provide the water that feeds our lands, the air we breathe, and the heritage we pass on to the next generation of Bangsamoro,’ Brahim said.

‘The challenges we face-climate change, deforestation, and the need for sustainable livelihoods-are too vast for any single agency to tackle alone. This is why this MOA is so vital,’ he added.

The collaboration also aims to strengthen long-term environmental policy in the region, supporting policy development, program implementation, and project co-financing.

Canivel underscored the ecological importance of the Bangsamoro region. ‘It is the Bangsamoro that holds vast, dense forests and mangroves,’ he said.

‘These resources position the region to contribute significantly to biodiversity conservation and the Philippines’ global commitments,’ he added.

FFP is a non-stock, non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides grants and technical assistance to organizations and individuals that empower people to protect and conserve the forests.

In January this year, MENRE-BARMM implemented a reforestation initiative under the Integrated Bangsamoro Greening Program (IBGP), aiming to restore ecological balance and protect natural resources for future generations.

BARMM interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua approved the P168-million allocation for the reforestation of 2,600 hectares across BARMM.

Macacua emphasized that environmental protection remains a cornerstone of BARMM’s development agenda, particularly in addressing the growing impacts of climate change.

‘We will create safe and sustainable living conditions through resilience programs that will strengthen our communities physically and environmentally,’ Macacua added.

The program is also expected to bring social and economic benefits, including the preservation of biodiversity, protection of watersheds, and the creation of livelihoods for local communities.

As of 2024, BARMM’s forest cover was approximately 299,195 hectares. This represented roughly 45 percent of the region’s total land area of 1,293,552 hectares, MENRE said.

According to the Climate Change Commission, the lead government policy-making body on climate change, Mindanao accounts for approximately 32.36 percent of the Philippines’ total forest cover (over 7.22 million hectares as of 2020/2022).

Happiness is often shaped not by grand milestones, but by everyday choices to move forward, help others, and create meaning despite life’s challenges. Through Happiest Pinoy, Cebuana Lhuillier continues to spotlight Filipinos whose stories reflect quiet resilience and purposeful optimism-demonstrating that even the simplest moments can inspire hope and positive change across communities. More than a recognition platform, Happiest Pinoy has grown into a nationwide advocacy that highlights how personal strength and service to others can create lasting impact.

Cebuana Lhuillier’s Happiest Pinoy winner continue to inspire through #SimpleJoysPH

As the initiative evolves into the digital space through #SimpleJoysPH, the journeys of past winners continue to resonate-showing how small acts of courage, gratitude, and kindness can influence others in meaningful ways.

One such story is that of Zacarias Mansing, the 2025 Happiest Pinoy awardee, whose life journey reflects how adversity can be transformed into purpose.

In 2012, Zacarias’s life changed dramatically after a car accident left him paralyzed from the chest down. What could have been defined by loss instead became a turning point. Choosing not to be limited by his circumstances, he redirected his experience into service-becoming a socio-civic volunteer, education advocate, and motivational speaker. Guided by his personal mantra, ‘Making a Difference Despite Disability-Inspiring People, Instilling Hope,’ Zacarias has consistently demonstrated how determination and optimism can create impact far beyond one’s own circumstances.

For Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier, stories like Zacarias’s reflect the deeper purpose of the initiative. ‘Happiest Pinoy highlights Filipinos who turn life’s challenges into opportunities to uplift others. Zacarias’s journey reminds us that happiness is not about circumstance-it is about choosing purpose, creating impact, and finding meaning in even the simplest moments.’

Since receiving the recognition in 2025, Zacarias has continued to expand his advocacy. His Books for Kids Project, which he launched in 2017, has now reached over 50,000 students across 300 public schools in Negros Oriental, promoting literacy while advancing awareness on disability inclusion. Through partnerships with schools and organizations, he delivers talks on resilience, leadership, and positive self-image-reaching diverse audiences from OWWA scholars to aspiring educators, school leaders, and senior high school students. His work reflects how individual purpose can translate into community impact.

For Zacarias, the recognition marked not an endpoint, but a renewed commitment to serve. He finds fulfillment in moments of gratitude, in supporting learners through education initiatives, and in seeing how encouragement can help others recognize their own potential. His experience reinforces a simple but powerful insight: meaningful impact often begins with small, intentional actions.

As Happiest Pinoy 2026 enters a fully digital chapter through #SimpleJoysPH, Cebuana Lhuillier continues to spotlight how everyday acts of resilience, generosity, and hope can create meaningful impact beyond individual stories. By amplifying journeys like Zacarias’s, the initiative underscores a simple but powerful truth: happiness is not defined by perfect circumstances, but by the choice to move forward with purpose and inspire positive change in others-even through life’s simplest moments.

The province of Iloilo has once again secured its place as a hub for academic excellence as Royce Arjan Fantillan, a native of Oton town, claimed the top spot in the April 2026 Pharmacists Licensure Examination.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced on Wednesdsy that Fantillan, a graduate of the University of San Agustin, bested thousands of examinees nationwide with a stellar rating of 94.65 percent.

For Fantillan, a resident of Poblacion West, Oton, the news came while he was scrolling through social media to ease the anxiety of the wait.

‘I opened Messenger and saw our group chat blowing up. Then I saw a picture of the list of topnotchers,’ Fantillan recalled. ‘I was in shock. When it finally sank in, I immediately hugged my parents. They were the very first people I wanted to know.’

The son of a retired seaman, Fantillan credits his success to his family’s unwavering support. Despite describing their life as a modest, middle-class existence, he noted that his parents provided the ‘time and space’ necessary for him to focus entirely on his goals.

Fantillan’s journey to the top was unconventional. Unlike the stereotypical ‘studious’ topnotcher, the 22-year-old admitted he struggled with distractions and preferred the hum of coffee shops over the quiet of a bedroom.

‘I couldn’t study well inside the house. I preferred going out, finding a new environment in coffee shops with good ambiance,’ Fantillan shared. He added that his ‘secret weapon’ was a combination of intense, late-stage study spurts and a solid support system of friends who reviewed alongside him.

The two-day exam, held on April 18 and 19, was described by Fantillan as a grueling test of ‘testmanship’ and logic, featuring many new concepts not previously seen in review materials.

Fantillan’s individual victory mirrored the institutional success of his alma mater. The University of San Agustin in Iloilo City emerged as the only top-performing school with more than 100 examinees, registering an impressive 82.43 percent passing rate, with 122 successful examinees out of 148 takers.

The new topnotcher admits that his university performance gave him a quiet confidence. ‘I set an expectation for myself that if I could do it in San Ag, I could conquer the board exam too,’ he said.

While many top-performing pharmacists head straight into community or clinical practice, Fantillan is looking toward the classroom.

‘I want to join the academe; that’s my preferred career path,’ he revealed, adding that he is also considering a future in Medicine. For now, however, the nation’s newest top pharmacist plans to take a well-deserved vacation before beginning his professional journey.

Fantillan’s success serves as a testament to the growing prestige of Western Visayas in the medical and allied health fields, proving that local talent can rise to the national stage through a mix of grit, community support, and-in his case-the perfect cup of coffee.

The House of Representatives committee on justice is set to tackle one of the most explosive charges in the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte – her alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez – at what could be its final hearing on probable cause on April 29.

Justice committee chairperson Rep. Gerville Luistro of Batangas said Thursday that the next hearing will delve into the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) probe and documentary evidence on the alleged death threats Duterte made in November 2024.

‘We are inclined to proceed to the presentation of evidence in support of the allegations of threat. As a matter of fact, yesterday (Wednesday), we issued a subpoena to the NBI, as well as duces tecum to bring all digital and documentary evidence pertaining to the allegations of threat,’ Luistro told ANC Headstart.

‘That is because we are really intending to conduct a clarificatory hearing on the allegations of threat. This will be happening on April 29,’ she added.

Before suspending the April 22 hearing, the justice committee granted a motion to issue subpoenas for the NBI to present its findings on the vice president’s alleged threats.

Unlike the first two hearings, the April 29 session will only have the NBI as its sole resource person, Luistro said. Since there would be a less packed agenda, she mentioned that the committee is likely to vote that same day on whether probable cause exists for each allegation in the two impeachment complaints.

‘So we anticipate that at the end of the hearing on April 29, the justice members will proceed to vote on the determination of probable cause,’ Luistro said.

She further stressed that the grave threats allegation is the last of the charges in the impeachment complaints to be examined, noting that no justice committee member has so far requested additional hearing dates – which she believes suggests the panel is satisfied with the three sessions scheduled.

Before voting, however, Luistro also said that the committee will first need to decide whether to unseal the tax records of Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, as submitted by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

‘We need to vote whether or not we will open [the sealed box] because we cannot terminate the proceedings of the Justice committee with a matter left pending,’ she said.

Should the committee vote to keep the BIR records sealed, Luistro said she would suggest transmitting them to the Senate as is, leaving it to the upper chamber to determine whether it has the jurisdiction and legal authority to open them as an impeachment court. This, she stressed, would only apply if the committee first votes in favor of probable cause.

‘But in the event that we will not open the sealed box, I think I will be suggesting to the committee that we just transmit it to the Senate even if it is sealed. So we will leave it up to the Senate what their position will be about that. That is on the assumption that the justice members will vote in favor of the probable cause,’ she said.

The committee on justice deferred on Wednesday the disclosure of Duterte and Carpio’s income tax returns after encountering a legal obstacle where the tax code specifically limits the release of such records to Congress only upon request during inquiries in aid of legislation and in executive session.

Total insured deposits in the banking system posted a double-digit growth in 2025, which state-run insurer Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) attributed to expanded protection for depositors.

PDIC data showed insured deposits had climbed to P5.2 trillion last year, an increase of P1.5 trillion, or 40.9 percent, from P3.7 trillion in 2024.

The agency said most of the gain stemmed from the doubling of maximum deposit insurance coverage to P1 million from P500,000 on March 15, 2025. This policy shift accounted for P1.3 trillion, or 86.1 percent, of the rise.

Fully insured accounts increased to 169.2 million at end-2025, up 20.9 percent from 140 million a year earlier, representing 98.8 percent of all deposit accounts nationwide in the Philippines.

Total deposits

Total domestic deposits reached P21.7 trillion at year-end, rising 7.1 percent, or P1.4 trillion.

Individual depositors drove the expansion, contributing P812.1 billion, or 56.4 percent of the increase, followed by private corporations with P334.8 billion, or 23.2 percent.

‘This sharp increase not only reflects sustained public confidence in the banking system but also signals a significantly stronger financial safety net for depositors,’ the PDIC said.

The PDIC has tapped the World Bank to study the possibility of implementing a ‘risk-based’ pricing mechanism for fees that banks pay to insure deposits, in a bid to deter lenders from making risky investment moves.

Premium cost

At present, the PDIC collects a flat annual rate of one-fifth of 1 percent of the total deposit liability of a bank. Lenders pay the state insurer so that depositors can be reimbursed up to a certain amount if a bank is ordered closed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

But the PDIC also has five years from 2022-the year its revised charter took effect-to conduct a study on the need to establish a risk-based assessment system, which could result in higher premiums to be paid by banks that engage in riskier investment activities.

The result of the study will have to be reported to Congress.

BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. earlier said that beefing up the protection for bank deposits would unlikely create a moral hazard, as he stressed the need to make the local deposit insurance system ready for systemic risks.

Philippines-University of Santo Tomas star Josh Ybañez is back on his throne with a third Most Valuable Player award in the UAAP men’s volleyball tournament.

After missing out on individual honors in Season 87 due to injuries, Ybañez returned to peak form in Season 88, leading the league with 90.192 statistical points (SP) to become the first UST men’s volleyball player to win three MVP awards.

The 23-year-old senior dominated in all departments, ranking fourth in spiking with a 45.19 percent success rate, second in aces with 0.35 per set, and second in receptions with a remarkable 65.68 percent efficiency.

He also finished as the league’s second-leading scorer with 278 points built on 244 spikes, 16 blocks, and 18 aces.

Ybañez will likewise secure his third Best Outside Spiker plum after finishing with 329 ranking points (RP), while National University’s Michaelo Buddin earned the other nod-his second-with 269 RP. Buddin led the UAAP in aces at 0.48 per set while also placing eighth in spiking with a 41.27 percent success rate.

NU’s Leo Ordiales will capture his first Best Opposite Spiker award after finishing with 232 RP, backed by strong all-around numbers ranking third in spiking (46.12 percent), sixth in blocking (0.67 per set), and seventh in aces (0.21 per set).

La Salle’ Issa Ousseini (196 RP) and Far Eastern University’s Lirick Mendoza (191 RP) will be named Best Middle Blockers.

The Cameroonian Green Spiker finished as the highest-scoring middle blocker with 191 points-eighth-best overall-on 139 attacks, 39 blocks, and 13 aces. He also ranked fifth in blocking with a 0.71 per set average and fourth in aces at 0.24 per set.

Mendoza, meanwhile, emerged as the league’s top blocker with 46 total kill blocks and a 0.87 per set average.

FEU’s Ariel Cacao edged out Ateneo’s Enzo Gutierrez for the Best Setter award, while Tamaraws teammate Vennie Ceballos ran away with the Best Libero plum.

Cacao finished with 200 RP, just 13 ahead of Gutierrez, to claim his first positional award. The Tamaraw playmaker led the league in setting with a 6.3 average per set while also emerging as the only setter inside the top 50 in scoring with 44 points.

Ceballos, meanwhile, topped the reception charts with a 70.67 percent efficiency rate and ranked second in digging with 2.13 per set.

Actress Sheena Halili is expecting her third child with husband Jeron Manzanero, as they confirm that their family is set to grow to five.

Halili shared the news via an Instagram reel posted on April 21, where she and her family staged a playful reveal. The video showed Halili, Manzanero, and their two children reacting to a positive pregnancy test before the actress revealed her baby bump. She captioned the post, ‘1…2…THREE!’

The announcement drew congratulatory messages from fellow celebrities including Nadine Samonte, Iya Villania, Chariz Solomon, Yasmien Kurdi, Shaira Diaz, Ryza Cenon, Isabel Oli, and Rita Daniela, among others.

Halili and Manzanero tied the knot in February 2020 in Quezon City. They welcomed their first child, Martina, 10 months later, followed by their son, Jio, in August 2024.

In January 2024, the 39-year-old actress opened up in an interview that she struggles being a first-time mom, explaining that it’s important for women to give themselves the grace to navigate through motherhood

The actress rose to fame after joining the first season of the talent search show ‘StarStruck.’ Halili, who is now a full-time mom, last appeared in the 2019 series ‘Ika-5 Utos.’

Police arrested four men allegedly involved in fuel pilfering, locally known as ‘paihi,’ during a late-night operation on Wednesday in Alaminos, Laguna.

The Police Regional Office 4A said local police, assisted by barangay tanods (village watchmen), were conducting a routine patrol when they caught the suspects in the act of siphoning fuel from two tanker trucks along the Alaminos-Lipa City bypass road in Barangay San Miguel at around 11 p.m.

The suspects were identified by their aliases as ‘Roberto,’ 34; ‘Fernan,’ 33; and ‘Mark Paolo,’ 28 – all drivers – and a helper, ‘Jericho.’

Authorities said about 400 liters of petroleum products, valued at P40,000, had already been siphoned and transferred into a drum inside a Mitsubishi L300 van driven by Mark Paolo.

The theft is called ‘paihi,’ a Filipino term that refers to the act of urinating and now means siphoning fuel from a tank or depot.

The suspects were taken into custody and are set to face criminal charges.

The two tanker trucks and the van used in the operation were impounded.