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Police arrested a suspected drug trader and seized about P822,800 worth of suspected shabu (crystal meth) during a buy-bust operation in Candaba, Pampanga, on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Central Luzon police identified the suspect only by the alias ‘Donald,’ who is listed as a high-value individual in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

Authorities confiscated about 121 grams of suspected shabu from the suspect, along with the marked money used in the sting operation that was staged by operatives of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 3 and the Regional Special Operations Group 3, with assistance from the Candaba Municipal Police Station.

In a separate operation in Tarlac City on Monday, July 27, police arrested a suspected drug pusher identified only by the alias ‘Penpen.’

Policemen recovered about 105 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P716,000 from the suspect.

Central Luzon police director Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez said intelligence-driven anti-illegal drug operations across Central Luzon would be intensified as part of the law enforcement agency’s continuing campaign against illegal drugs.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) posted an 85 percent drop in first-half net income as weaker earnings from electronic gaming dragged down the state-run gaming regulator’s overall revenue.

Net income fell to P1.58 billion in the six months ended June from a year earlier, while total revenues declined 26.64 percent as gaming receipts weakened.

Revenue from gaming operations, dropped 27.11 percent to P38.92 billion from P53.40 billion in the same period last year.

Total revenue fell 26.64 percent to P43.32 billion. Gaming operations, Pagcor’s main source of income, generated P38.92 billion, down 27.11 percent from a year earlier. Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco attributed the decline largely to weak performance in the electronic gaming segment.

Revenue from eGames, eBingo and bingo grantees plunged 41.85 percent to P18.60 billion. Revenue from licensed casinos slipped 3.85 percent, while income from Pagcor-operated casinos fell 8.67 percent.

‘Our first-half revenue results reflect the continuing impact of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which dampened consumer spending during the first quarter and affected overall industry performance,’ Mr. Tengco said.

‘While market conditions improved in the second quarter, uncertainties remain, particularly with the recent uptick in global fuel prices.’

PSC share raised

The weaker operating performance was compounded by a sharp increase in mandatory remittances after the Supreme Court ordered the state gaming agency to remit 5 percent of its gross income to the Philippine Sports Commission, replacing its previous method of computation.

In the first half alone, Pagcor remitted P2.01 billion to the sports commission, up 58.68 percent from a year earlier.

The agency also remitted P18.49 billion as the national government’s 50 percent share of its income, P1.94 billion in franchise taxes, P7.36 billion for socio-civic projects, P340.05 million to host cities, P9.87 million in corporate income tax and P4.47 million in incentives for athletes, coaches and trainers under Republic Act 10699.

‘Nevertheless, we remain focused on strengthening industry performance through sound regulation and close collaboration with our stakeholders to ensure that the gaming sector continues to generate meaningful revenues for nation-building,’ Tengco said

Philex Mining Corp. recorded a net loss for the six months ending June despite posting higher earnings in the second quarter due to unrealized foreign exchange losses.

In a disclosure on Wednesday, the Manuel Pangilinan-led mining company said its net loss reached P200.4 million in the first semester of 2026, a reversal from a net income of P301.4 million in the same period a year ago.

Philex Mining posted a second-quarter net income of P392 million, a sharp reversal from the P592-million net loss a year earlier.

However, the first-half bottom line resulted in a net loss primarily because of unrealized forex losses from the restatement of dollar-denominated loans at both Philex and the Silangan copper-gold project.

Revenues decreased by 6.8 percent to P3.5 billion, even as costs and expenses dropped by 9.1 percent to P3.2 billion.

Meanwhile, core net income climbed by 56 percent to P211.9 million. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization stood at P844.5 million, up 29 percent.

‘With the completion of the rehabilitation of the secondary and tertiary crushing plant at the Padcal Mill, the company expects the operational momentum seen in the second quarter to continue through the remainder of 2026, at the backdrop of sustained higher level of prices of gold and copper,’ Philex Mining said.

Operations at the Padcal mine in Benguet, Philex Mining’s largest revenue contributor for more than six decades, were disrupted in January due to the partial collapse of the structural support of the tertiary ore bins at the crushing section of its plant.

Meanwhile, the Silangan project in Surigao del Norte is slated to start operations this year. It is expected to become a major source of revenue upon completion.

According to Philex Mining, its general contractor EEI Corp. is making progress in various stages of turning over completed areas of the process plant to Silangan Mindanao Mining Co. Inc. (SMMCI), the operator of the Silangan project.

This allows SMMCI and its lead consultant, Ausenco Pty. Ltd of Australia, to conduct progressive commissioning of the facility with a target completion in the fourth quarter of 2026

A government soldier was wounded in a second encounter between government troops and suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Masbate on Wednesday, hours after two alleged communist rebels were killed in an earlier clash in the province.

Col. Angelo Lutera, commander of the Army’s 903rd Infantry Brigade, said the soldier sustained a gunshot wound to the neck during the 10-minute firefight in Barangay Libtong, Cataingan town, at around 10:15 a.m.

The clash occurred just hours after another encounter in Barangay San Isidro, Palanas, where two alleged NPA members, believed to be a married couple, were killed.

Lutera said government troops recovered an M653 rifle and an M203 grenade launcher from the encounter site in Cataingan, both believed to have been left behind by the fleeing rebels.

The military has yet to determine whether there were casualties among the suspected rebels in the Cataingan encounter.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said his administration is relying on local government units (LGUs) to distribute rice assistance, saying local officials are better equipped to identify beneficiaries and deliver aid more quickly than the national government.

Speaking in Tarlac, Marcos said the government has restructured the implementation of the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) by giving LGUs a larger role in identifying recipients of the administration’s rice assistance program.

According to the president, requiring the national government to identify beneficiaries, conduct surveys, secure approvals and deploy personnel for distribution would slow the release of assistance.

‘If we rely on the national government to do it… it will take a very long time,’ Marcos said in his speech.

He noted that local officials already maintain updated lists of residents who need assistance.

‘The list of beneficiaries, the list of our countrymen who needs help and food, it’s already with them,’ he added.

Under the program, qualified beneficiaries will receive a 10-kilogram sack of rice every two months, or six times a year, Marcos said.

He added that the initiative was intended to help families cope with rising food costs, citing the impact of higher global oil prices brought about by tensions in the Middle East.

Marcos said 3,077 beneficiaries in Tarlac are covered by the program, while more than 1,200 LGU’s nationwide have already received funding under the LGSF. He added that some LGUs have already completed a second round of rice distribution.

He also announced a P200,000 allocation for each barangay. Of the amount, P100,000 will be set aside for a scholarship program, with each barangay selecting five students to receive P20,000 each.

The remaining P100,000 will be left to barangay officials, who may use the funds for projects they consider necessary in their communities.

The president said the scholarship component is intended for students who are at risk of not finishing their studies because of financial constraints

Allisha Gray scored five of her 25 points in the closing seconds and the Atlanta Dream overcame a 15-point deficit to beat the Dallas Wings 82-81 on Wednesday night in the first game for both teams since the WNBA All-Star break.

Angel Reese had 22 points and 12 rebounds for her 18th double-double of the season for the Dream (17-10). They have won four in a row and five of six following a five-game losing streak.

Arike Ogunbowale led Dallas (18-10) with 24 points. Azzi Fudd scored 20 points, Paige Bueckers had 16 points and Jessica Shepard had 16 points and 14 rebounds for her WNBA-leading 19th double-double of the season.

Ogunbowale was called for a Flagrant Foul 1 on Gray’s 3-point shot with Dallas leading 81-77 and 18.7 seconds left. Gray hit all three free throws, then took the ensuing inbounds pass and hit a contested jumper in the lane to give Atlanta its first lead of the second half with 15 seconds remaining.

Awak Kuier missed a corner 3-point shot before Shepard’s putback attempt at the buzzer missed.

The Dream were 1 of 16 from 3-point range.

The Department of Education prepares for the implementation of the Last Mile and Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (Gida) Schools Act, which aims to improve access to quality education in remote and underserved communities.

Signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and set to take effect on Aug. 12, 2026, the measure institutionalizes multi-agency support, infrastructure standards, and incentives for teachers assigned to far-flung schools.

‘We can no longer leave behind our teachers and learners in the farthest corners of the country,’ said Education Secretary Sonny Angara.

‘We are putting in place concrete solutions to a long-standing problem: ensuring that learners have decent classrooms, enough well-supported and protected teachers, and schools that are more accessible to students,’ Angara said.

Under the law, DepEd will serve as the implementing agency tasked with issuing evidence-based guidelines for identifying covered schools.

The department will review its existing criteria for Last Mile and Gida schools, including indicators such as areas where more than 75% of learners belong to Indigenous Peoples communities or are affected by conflict and disasters.

Schools established within ancestral domains must comply with the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 and requirements on Free, Prior and Informed Consent.

To improve access to education in remote areas, the law requires DepEd to develop a National Last Mile and GIDA School Map within one year of its effectivity.

The map will serve as the basis for planning, resource allocation, and program implementation, and will be updated at least once every three years.

DepEd’s existing mapping system for Last Mile and Gida schools will be revised to align with the new law.

The law sets a national accessibility standard requiring basic education schools to be located within a three-kilometer walkable distance from learners’ homes whenever possible.

In areas where geography, terrain, or security concerns make physical access difficult, DepEd and local government units will provide transportation support and alternative learning delivery modes

For its part, the Department of Public Works and Highways will ensure the construction of accessible roads.

The measure also provides a comprehensive support package for teachers and non-teaching personnel assigned to isolated and high-risk areas, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management, LGUs, and other government agencies.

It includes career development opportunities through specialized training, scholarships tied to return-to-service obligations, and career progression pathways.

The law likewise promotes localized recruitment by prioritizing residents and culturally and linguistically aligned candidates, while recognizing Indigenous knowledge systems educators and culture-bearers.

DepEd said it is finalizing the implementing rules and technical guidelines to ensure the law’s smooth implementation once it takes effect next month.

Prior to the law’s enactment, there were around 9,000 last mile schools nationwide serving 2.5 million learners, according to the Second Congressional Commission on Education.

About half of these schools are located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. INQ

The ubiquitous ‘gumamela’ (hibiscus) flower of the Philippines has found its way to Poland, thanks to Katrina Llegado.

The Filipino beauty queen paraded a voluminous creation by designer Mitch Viray, inspired by the typical red variety of the popular flower, at the 2026 Miss Supranational pageant’s costume showcase in Nowy Sacz.

‘I’m honored to wear this national costume inspired by the gumamela, a flower that can be found all across the Philippines,’ Llegado posted on social media as she shared photos of her couture piece.

‘It may look delicate, but it blooms with resilience, strength, and beauty wherever it grows. Those are the same values that I am carrying as I represent our country on the Miss Supranational stage,’ she continued.

Llegado also wore red to the ‘elegance round’ of the preliminary evaluation of the competition, a fully-beaded gown by her go-to designer Pablo Mendez.

Her gown presentation, as well as her performancce in the ‘confidence round’ in an asymmetrical black swimsuit, were among those that caught the attention of many pageant analysts and fans.

Llegado’s Filipino counterpart in the 2026 Mister Supranational pageant, national athlete Felipe Marasigan, has also made quite a stride in his own competition, and has left quite an impression on the spectators and judges.

He was among the Top 5 in the Supra Model competition, the Top 4 of the ‘Influencer Challenge (Facebook),’ and the Top 10 of the ‘Supra Chat’ challenge.

Llegado is competing for the Philippines’ second Miss Supranational victory, 13 years since Mutya Datul posted the country’s first win in 2013. The final competition will be on July 31 (Aug. 1 in Manila).

Marasigan is hoping to score the Philippines’ first-ever victory in the Mister Supranational competition at the finale show on Aug. 1 (2 in Manila).

The Philippines is enjoying an impressive placement streak in both the Mister and Miss Supranational pageants. For the women’s competition, the streak started in 2012, and for the men’s contest it was since the first edition in 2016.

‘Eat Bulaga’ trio Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon took a trip down memory lane as they reunited with their former co-host Chiqui Hollmann during the celebration of the show’s 47th anniversary.

Hollmann, who was one of the original hosts of the noontime show, visited the program on Thursday, July 30.

During her conversation with hosts Allan K and Maine Mendoza, Hollmann recalled how she joined the show and became a mainstay from 1979 through the 1980s. She also shared that she has remained in contact with Tito’s wife, veteran actress Helen Gamboa, over the years.

TVJ and Hollmann also delighted the audience as the hosts recreated their old photos on-air.

‘Twenty-five thousand more years to come! Happy happy birthday, [Eat Bulaga]!’ Hollmann greeted.

Chiqui was the first female host of ‘Eat Bulaga.’ Her daughter, Chia, followed in her footsteps and briefly joined the program in 2010.

Aside from Chiqui, the show’s Thursday episode also featured former host Debraliz Valasote who credited her then-hosting stint as what helped build her confidence in show business.

While they are concerned over the spread of wrong information – particularly regarding the spliced video uploaded on Sen. Pia Cayetano’s social media accounts – the prosecution panel for the impeachment trial would neither make a manifestation nor seek for her inhibition.

In a press briefing, lawyer Benjamin Tolosa Jr. admitted that they are worried that the video uploaded on Cayetano’s Facebook page, showing spliced portions of Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno’s manifestations during the oral arguments on the request for a subpoena on Vice President Sara Duterte’s bank and tax records, may cause confusion to the public.

Diokno, one of the 11-person House of Representatives prosecution team for Duterte’s impeachment trial, was able to secure a win as he convinced the Senate Impeachment Court of a need to summon the vice president’s bank and tax records.

However, Cayetano posted a video that made it seem like Diokno admitted that the prosecution had no evidence, and was doing a fishing expedition.

‘This is concerning not only because the people may have a wrong impression regarding what really happened in the oral arguments, and what was the prosecution’s stand through Cong. Chel Diokno. But the bigger concern is that this might give an impression […] that members of the impeachment court have prejudged the matter,’ Tolosa, a counsel for the prosecution, said on Wednesday.

‘Because we can see here, aside from editing the exchange during the oral arguments, the video has a text overlay na stating ‘there is no evidence, they are just taking a chance’ and then a question (mark) […] it accuses, something to that effect, which is very concerning because people may thing that there is prejudgment,’ he added.

Tolosa also said that it could send a wrong message that prosecutors are no longer impartial, when the rules on impeachment clearly ask them to do so. However, the lawyer said that they will not put any senator-judge on the spot.

‘And it could also lead to a perception of partiality when this is very dangerous, because it could erode the people’s confidence and trust in our institutions. And no less than this Senate Impeachment Court – which is a constitutional institution, which is meant to ensure accountability with respect to the highest officials of the land,’ he said.

‘So that’s concerning, but we want to clarify, we don’t want to put any specific member of the impeachment court on the spot, we don’t want to call them out and we don’t want to ascribe any negative intentions on the part of anyone,’ he added.

Tolosa clarified that they would not ask senator-judges to voluntarily inhibit themselves.

‘No we’re not asking anyone to voluntarily inhibit themselves. Again, we don’t want to focus on personalities, this is just a concern, not a way to put anyone on the spot or say that someone has negative intentions,’ he said.

‘That’s not it, as I said earlier, because there may be a valid explanation for this, it can be a clerical error, maybe the social media handlers are the ones wrong, so let’s give them the benefit of the doubt,’ he added.

The post that Tolosa was referring to was made by Cayetano on July 24, showing discussions between her brother, Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano, and Diokno during the impeachment trial.

The video started out with Diokno saying that ‘we’re taking a chance that we may find evidence’ which was immediately followed by Alan asking what may be obtained from the bank documents.

However, these statements from Diokno were made while he was explaining what a fishing expedition is – gathering documents in hopes of finding incriminating evidence – which he said is not what the prosecution panel is doing.

In a separate social media post, Diokno clarified that they are not engaged in a fishing expedition since the documents that they asked a subpoena for were specific, and were identified even before the impeachment trial.

‘Probable cause was established in Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records showing billions that passed through the accounts of the vice president and her spouse. We sought the bank records to verify whether they match the AMLC reports,’ he said last July 26.

Pia has been criticized on social media over her actions. On Wednesday, a group composed of women’s rights advocates, student leaders and civil society groups filed a complaint against her before the Senate ethics committee, over the spliced video she posted online.

In a letter, the complainants asked the panel to ‘conduct an inquiry into the public actions’ of Cayetano regarding her ‘deliberate dissemination of a spliced and misleading video on her Facebook page.’

The deliberate editing of official impeachment proceedings to mislead the public is not merely a political act, it is a serious ethical issue that strikes at the integrity of the Senate as an impeachment court,’ they said in a separate statement.