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Metro Manila, Philippines – The Department of Education on Friday ordered tighter security measures in public schools nationwide following last week’s deadly shooting at a high school in Tacloban City, including the deployment of handheld metal detectors, campus safety audits and stricter visitor screening. Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced the measures days after three students were killed and more than a dozen others were injured in a shooting inside San Jose National High School on June 22. “We are moving with urgency because protecting our children is our absolute priority,” Angara said. The department said all public schools will undergo security assessments to identify vulnerabilities in perimeter fencing, access points, lighting and emergency exits. Schools will also tighten visitor management, conduct regular bag inspections, expand the use of closed-circuit television cameras and deploy handheld metal detectors. DepEd is also requiring schools to strengthen enforcement of the Anti-Bullying Act and existing…

Metro Manila, Philippines –  Malacañang expressed confidence that higher government spending on infrastructure projects will help boost the economy in the second half. Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said infrastructure spending has improved with the resumption of a number of projects after a review of flood control and other public works programs. “Since ngayon ay gumaganda naman ang paggastos sa imprastraktura, nakikita ninyo naman po. So nakikita sa second half this year ay malamang magkakaroon na ng konting improvement,” Castro said on Thursday, June 26.  [Translation: Infrastructure spending is improving, as you can already see. We expect to see some improvement in the second half of the year.]  The administration has accelerated infrastructure projects, particularly those that are under construction but delayed because of the review in light of the flood control scandal. Marcos earlier ordered agencies to release funds to ensure timely project completion and sustain economic activity. The economy…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The pre-trial conference for the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte ended on Thursday, June 25, leaving the crucial box of her tax records sealed and unmarked as evidence. Senate Secretary Renato Bantug, who sits as clerk of court, announced the termination of the five-day pre-trial proceedings, which began on June 18.  The pre-trial conference is the stage where the prosecution and the defense mark evidence, submit a list of witnesses and stipulation of facts, and discuss trial dates and the order of presentation of evidence. “Ever since our objective is to finish expeditiously. And that is why we would like to express our thanks to the impeachment court because the goal was achieved,” said lead prosecutor and Batangas 2nd district Rep. Jinky Luistro, noting that the prosecution considers the pre-trial a success. The prosecution and the defense spent longer time to mark evidence related…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The alias ‘Mary Grace Piattos’ and the defense lawyer of Vice President Sara Duterte are among confirmed witnesses of the prosecution panel in the looming impeachment trial.  On Thursday, June 25, Manila Rep. Joel Chua said Piattos, the alias of a supposed recipient of Duterte’s confidential funds, was listed as a witness in the pre-trial brief submitted to the Impeachment Court.  Piattos – a combination of a popular restaurant and snack brand – surfaced in 2024 at a hearing of the House committee on good government and public accountability as a supposed recipient of the vice president’s confidential funds. In December 2024, the Philippine Statistics Authority said it has no civil registry records of a “Mary Grace Piattos.” “Malalaman po natin kung totoo siya,” Chua said in a text message when asked the significance of including Piattos in their witness list. [Translation: We will know if…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will recommend amendments to firearm ownership laws and the Juvenile Justice Act in light of the Tacloban school shooting and rising school violence. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday, June 25, said authorities thwarted another possible attack on the Tolosa National High School in Leyte. He said this recent spike in school violence raised “infirmities” in the law which he would recommend for Congress to revise. He said the implementing rules and regulations of gun ownership and responsibility should be rewritten to include a criminal liability for the illegal use and transfer of firearms, and that gun owners should be responsible “100 percent of the time” for their firearms. “In case one, the firearm used was a service pistol of a police officer. Ang charge lang ay malversation, walang criminal liability ayon sa batas…In the other case, security…