(MB) Artillery troops trained to fire weapons are now being taught how to save lives on the battlefield as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and United States Armed Forces conducted a Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) training at Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban City, Leyte.
The three-day activity, which concluded on Wednesday, April 22, was part of the 41st iteration of Exercise Balikatan, the annual joint military exercise between the AFP and US military, that has expanded in recent years to include humanitarian and lifesaving components alongside combat drills.
The AFP said the training brought together personnel from the Artillery Regiment of the Philippine Army and their counterparts from the United States Army, where soldiers more known for operating heavy weapons shifted focus to emergency care under fire.
The training “focused on enhancing lifesaving skills in combat environments, equipping troops with critical competencies to respond effectively to battlefield medical emergencies,” said Major Al Anthony Pueblas, chief of Balikatan’s combined joint information bureau (CJIB).
“The activity underscores a shared priority to ensure the protection and preservation of human life in all aspects of military operations,” he added… Read More
P8 to P10 per liter rollback in diesel prices seen next week
(GMA) Motorists should expect another sigh of relief as pump prices of diesel could be slashed again next week, its third straight week of rollback since the series of global oil price shocks due to the Middle East conflict rocked the local fuel market.
Citing estimates based on Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS) trading and foreign exchange averages in the past four days, an oil industry source said the per liter prices of diesel could be reduced by P8.00 to P10.00.
Gasoline prices, however, are seen to have no movement or a possible increase of P1.00 per liter.
The local oil industry uses MOPS as the basis for fuel retail prices in the country. It is the average of daily price assessments for refined petroleum products (like gasoline and diesel) traded in Singapore, which acts as the regional hub for Asian oil trading… Read More
Kim Chiu celebrates birthday by giving free gas, groceries to drivers
(Inquirer.net) Kim Chiu marked her 36th birthday by giving back to transport workers, distributing free gasoline, meals, and grocery packs to hundreds of jeepney and tricycle drivers.
On Tuesday, April 21, Chiu shared photos on her Instagram Story showing the initiative, which benefited around 600 drivers. The donations were funded through proceeds from her recent closet sale.
“Thank you to everyone who supported my #KimChiuClosetBazaar dahil sa tulong niyo nakapagbigay po tayo sa 600 Jeepney and Tricycle drivers ng gas, meal and grocery pack (We were able to provide gas, meal, and grocery pack to 600 drivers). Maraming salamat (Thank you so much),” she wrote… Read More
Philippines opens key coast guard base in the disputed South China Sea
(APNews) MANILA — The Philippines unveiled a major coast guard base Thursday on an island in the South China Sea to serve as a “steadfast sentinel of our sovereignty” in a disputed region closely guarded by China’s forces.
Chinese officials did not immediately react to the Philippines’ opening of its coast guard district command on Thitu Island, which has been occupied by Filipino forces and civilians for decades but is also claimed by Beijing.
Chinese coast guard and other government-linked ships frequently patrol outlying waters off the island, which is also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. Chinese and Filipino forces have had tense but mostly minor confrontations in outlying waters in the past.
In new incidents on Thursday afternoon, the Philippine coast guard accused Chinese forces of firing flares toward its patrol aircraft in what it said was “a clear and deliberate act of bullying” that endangered Filipino personnel over the disputed Subi Reef and Mischief Reef, which are occupied by China… Read More
Film on Manila hostage crisis sparks debate over ‘secondary trauma’ in Hong Kong
(SunStar) ‘Beyond Hostage Crisis’, set to open in Hong Kong next month, draws mixed reactions, with some raising trauma concerns and others defending it.
A Hong Kong film adapted from the 2010 Manila hostage crisis, which led to the deaths of eight Hongkongers, has stirred online debate, with some questioning whether it could cause “secondary trauma” and others saying it offers lessons from the past.
Titled Beyond Hostage Crisis, the film was released in Malaysia in April and is set to open in Hong Kong on May 28.
Information about the 90-minute film starring newly crowned Hong Kong Film Awards best actress Fish Liew Chi-yu is available on the MCL Cinemas website.
The plot is based on the August 23, 2010 hostage crisis, in which a 55-year-old former police officer armed with an M-16 rifle hijacked a tour bus carrying 22 Hong Kong tourists and three Filipinos in Manila…. Read More
Drug suspect killed Barmm shootout; P340,000 shabu seized
(SunStar) A KNOWN drug dealer was killed in a shootout with authorities that resulted to the confiscation of some P340,000 worth of illegal drugs in the Bangsamoro’s Special Geographic Area (SGA), the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said Wednesday, April 22… Read More
Marcos says key suspect in Philippine corruption firestorm arrested
(BBCNews) A key suspect at the heart of a corruption scandal that sparked widespread anger in the Philippines has been arrested in the Czech Republic, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said.
Zaldy Co, a former lawmaker, was detained by authorities in Prague after crossing into the country “without proper documentation”, Marcos said on Thursday.
Massive protests erupted last year after widespread floods paralysed daily life across the country – sparking allegations that billion of dollars in funding for flood-control projects were lost to corruption.
Marcos has made holding corrupt officials to account a priority as some opinions polls show the scandal has hurt his popularity.
Co is among those who have been accused of earning kickbacks from such projects. He was a lawmaker in the House of Representatives from 2019 until his resignation last September. He has been out of the Philippines since July 2025, local media reported.
Last year the Philippines cancelled Co’s passport and reached out to Interpol to catch him… Read More
Viva artist Christine Li denies being Chavit Singson’s girlfriend
(ABSCBN) Mariing kinondena ng Viva artist na si Christine Li ang kumakalat na espekulasyong siya ang bagong nobya ni dating Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson.
Noong April 19, 2026, kumalat online ang video ni Chavit na nasa isang restaurant habang may katabi at ka-holding hands na babae.
Walang pagkakakilanlan ang nasabing babae sa video, ngunit tantiya ng netizens ay nasa edad 20 lamang ito batay sa hitsura at pananamit.
Malayung-malayo raw sa edad ngayon ni Chavit na 84, kaya naman napataas ang kilay ng ilang nakapanood sa video sa paniniwalang may espesyal na relasyon ang dalawa.
Kalaunan, isang Facebook page ang nag-post ng diumano’y pagkakakilanlan ng babaeng kasama ni Chavit sa video.
Ayon sa post, ang bagong nobya umano ng kilalang businessman ay walang iba kundi ang Viva actress na si Christine Li…. Read More
