News & Stories

Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner and media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of colluding with foreign forces under the the city's controversial national security law (NSL).

The 78-year-old, who has been in jail since December 2020, pleaded not guilty.

He faces life in prison and is expected to be sentenced early next year.

Lai used his now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper as part of a wider effort to lobby foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China, the court found.

Hong Kong's chief executive John Lee welcomed the verdict, noting that Lai's actions "damaged the country's interests and the welfare of Hong Kongers", but rights groups called it "a cruel judicial farce".

They say the NSL, which Beijing defends as essential for the city's stability, has been used to crush dissent.

There is "no doubt" that Jimmy Lai "harboured hatred" for the People's Republic of China (PRC), Judge Esther Toh said on Monday, citing his "constant invitation to the US to help bring down the government of the PRC with the excuse of helping the people of Hong Kong".

When Lai testified in November, he denied all the charges against him, saying he had "never" used his foreign contacts to influence foreign policy on Hong Kong.

Asked about his meeting with then US Vice President Mike Pence, Lai said he did not ask anything of him: "I would just relay to him what happened in Hong Kong when he asked me."

He was also asked about his meeting with then secretary of state Mike Pompeo, to which he said he had asked Pompeo, "not to do something but to say something, to voice support for Hong Kong".

MANILA, Philippines — A Church leader has called on lawmakers to “renounce pork once and for all” as he criticized the decision of the bicameral conference committee to increase the budget of the Department of Health’s (DOH) Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated program (MAIFIP). READ: Bi

cam raises MAIFIP budget to P51B amid backlash

MANILA, Philippines — The reduced material costs presented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) cannot be applied wholesale or to all line items under the general appropriations bill (GAB), as it resulted in inaccurate estimates for 10,000 projects, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon told the bicameral conference committee on Sunday. Di

zon in

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is grappling with competing legislative proposals aimed at finally fulfilling the decades-old constitutional mandate to prohibit political dynasties, with key differences emerging over how wide the net should be cast on prohibiting family relationships in public office. In

the current 20th Congress alone, there are at least 13

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has placed all units on heightened alert nationwide ahead of the start of “Simbang Gabi“ on Dec. 16. Mi

llio

ns of Catholic faithful are expected to attend dawn and evening Masses leading up to Christmas. Under

the Ligtas Paskuhan 2025 strategy, more than 70,000 police personnel will be deployed

MANILA, Philippines — The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (Cenpeg) has called on the Marcos administration to pursue criminal charges against officials who were involved in the 2024 transfer of P60 billion from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (P

hilHealth) to the national treasury. “W

e expect our legal institutions dedicated to the public interest to

MANILA, Philippines — The first family remains in a festive mood for the holidays, amid a politically turbulent year and its controversies hounding some of its members. Pr

esident Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was joined by first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and their three sons, Sandro, Simon and Vinny, for their annual Christmas photo shoot in Malacañang. “Ch

ristmas

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Marc Douglas Cagas IV will remain as vice governor of Davao del Sur after the Supreme Court en banc issued a status quo ante order on a petition that questioned the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) decision that disqualified him from last May’s elections and annulled his proclamation as the second-highest elected

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — A group of Cordillera technocrats backed the planned P75-billion block subsidy for the proposed Autonomous Region of the Cordillera (ARC), saying the amount was not only justified but would pose no strain to government coffers. Th

e fiscal forecast made by the consultancy group Nadunop Interdisciplinary Research and Development on Social Sciences

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — A Regional Trial Court (RTC) in San Jose de Buenavista in Antique issued a temporary environmental protection order (Tepo) against the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and its contractor, halting the construction of an esplanade and seawall in the capital town. Sa

n Jose RTC Branch 11 Presiding Judge Jojo

<p>By <strong><span data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Katherine K. C

han</span></strong>, <em>reporter</em></p> <p

>Money sent home by Filipinos abroad grew by 3% year on year in October, the slowest pace in five months, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Monday.</p> <p

>Cash remittances coursed through banks climbed by 3% to $3.171 billion in October from $3.009 billion in the same month last year, data from the central bank showed.</p> <p

>This was the slowest growth posted since May when remittances rose by 2.9%.</p> <p

>However, October still marked the highest monthly remittance level in three months or since the $3.179 billion posted in July.</p> <p

>“Cash remittances from overseas Filipinos (OF) totaled $3.17 billion in October 2025 and $29.20 billion in January-October 2025,” the central bank said in a statement.</p> <p>The

United States remained the top source of remittances to the Philippines in the January October period, followed by Singapore and Saudi Arabia.</p> <p>Mon

th on month, remittances grew by 1.6% from $3.121 billion previously.</p> <p>In

the ten-month period, cash remittances reached $29.202 billion, up 3.2% from $28.304 billion seen a year ago.</p> <p>Mea

Brittany, the luxury leisure and residential arm of the Villar Group, was named Best Lifestyle Developer at the recently held Dot Property Southeast Asia Awards 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand.

This prestigious regional award firmly places Brittany alongside Southeast Asia’s leading developers that are known for defining modern, sophisticated lifestyle-driven communities. It

comes as no surprise that Brittany bagged this recognition. Kn

own for building master-planned communities that were inspired by some of the world’s most admired destinations, Brittany has always put a premium on elegance, greenery, and elevated living. For

decades now, Brittany has rightfully established itself as a significant force in the Philippines’ high-end residential market. This f

oundation makes the company’s latest accolade both fitting and well-earned. The Best

Lifestyle Developer award is given to companies that excel in designing communities where daily life is enhanced through well-planned spaces, strong amenities, and environments that support both personal and family well-being. Brittany

distinguished itself through developments that consistently bring together thoughtful design, accessible open spaces, and architecture that blends naturally with their surroundings. In a reg

ion known for intense competition in lifestyle-led residential development, this win marks a meaningful step forward for the Philippines. It shows

that Filipino developers can now excel in categories where user experience, community planning, and overall livability — not just building quality — are rigorously assessed. It should be