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Live in about 15 min. Live coverage — House of Representatives

PRESS STATEMENT | At approximately 12:17 a.m. today, 27 July 2026, an explosion, allegedly caused by an improvised explosive device, occurred near the entrance of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Padre Faura Street, Ermita.

There are no reported casualties, and the Philippine National Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (PNP-EOD) Unit was immediately notified and responded to conduct a technical examination.

Investigation is ongoing to determine the source, nature, and circumstances surrounding the explosion.

The situation is currently under control, and the DOJ compound remains secure. The DOJ remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of its personnel and the general public, while supporting a comprehensive and impartial investigation.

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PRESS STATEMENT | At approximately 12:17 a.m. today, 27 July 2026, an explosion, allegedly caused by an improvised explosive device, occurred near the entrance of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on...

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President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. makes final preparations for his 2026 State of the Nation Address, which he will deliver tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. before a joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

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𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧🇵🇭 President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. makes final preparations for his 2026 State of the Nation Address, which he will deliver tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. before a joint...

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President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. makes final preparations for his 2026 State of the Nation Address, which he will deliver tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. before a joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

Protesters from Southern Tagalog dismantle an effigy along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Monday, July 27, 2026, as they rally against corruption and what they call systemic failures in governance.

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Protesters from Southern Tagalog tear down an effigy along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Monday, July 27, 2026, as they express opposition to corruption and what they describe as systemic problems in governance. The protest takes place hours before President Ferdinand… pic.twitter.com/XSbeIHJU79 — ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) July 27, 2026

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Energy Secretary Sharon Garin told Rappler that the planned artificial intelligence and semiconductor hub in New Clark City cannot be fully connected to the Luzon grid without risking blackouts and threatening households and businesses, AFP reports.

Pax Silica's eventual 3,000-megawatt demand equals about 19% of Luzon's projected 2026 peak demand. "If you put it on the grid, and then suddenly this 3 gigawatt demand will be lost, the grid will just shut down," Garin said on Friday, July 24.

To manage the risk, Garin said the project will likely scale up gradually over years rather than drawing the full 3 GW at once, allowing the Luzon grid to absorb early phases.

State auditors have flagged Cebu City for misreporting more than P21.85 billion in expenditures across 2024 and 2025, the Commission on Audit said in its 2025 report. The City recorded P11.18 billion in spending for 2024 and P10.67 billion for 2025 as actual disbursements, but the figures were drawn from committed funds rather than money actually paid out to vendors, contractors or personnel, violating international accounting standards.

COA also found a P1.188 billion variance in maintenance and operating expenses caused by unrecorded or delayed transactions and recording errors in the City's e-Budget system. The City Budget Office and City Accounting Office have committed to implementing COA's recommendations, including linking the Electronic New Government Accounting System with the e-Budget system to track real disbursements, according to responses dated April 2026, SunStar reports.

COA raps Cebu City over budget figures STATE auditors have flagged Cebu City for misreporting more than P21.85 billion in expenditures over two fiscal years, citing accounting practices that made the SunStar

Mindanawons share nationwide concern over corruption and living costs ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address on Monday, but diverge sharply on other priorities, according to a Pulse Asia survey released this week.

29.7% of Mindanao respondents wanted the President to address corruption — nearly identical to the 29.8% national figure — while 19.4% cited the rising cost of living. But illegal drugs ranked higher in Mindanao at 6.9%, compared with 3.7% in Metro Manila and 3.6% in Luzon; only the Visayas posted a higher share at 10%. Agriculture also featured more prominently, with 6% of Mindanao respondents wanting it discussed, well above the national average.

Mindanao respondents were also notably more likely to raise the case of former President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court — 2.8% compared with 0.7% nationwide, the highest share of any region. The survey, conducted June 28 to July 3 and July 6 with 2,400 adults, carries a 2% margin of error nationally and 4% regionally, Bea Gatmaytan reports for MindaNews.

Vice President Sara Duterte will miss President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 27, the third time she has skipped the annual event. She is on an overseas trip to Qatar, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands from July 16 to 31, according to her office. House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil said Duterte remains on the official guest list in keeping with standard practice, even as she faces an impeachment trial in the Senate over alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds, inaccurate asset declarations and alleged threats against the president and first lady, Kristina Maralit reports for The Manila Times.

The Philippine National Police is examining foreign measures to prevent mass shootings, including Australia's restrictions on children under 16 accessing social media, following a deadly attack on a school in Tacloban City that killed three students and injured 20 others, PNP Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.

The issue emerged during the recently concluded 44th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Chiefs of Police conference, where regional police leaders exchanged strategies on emerging public safety threats. The Tacloban incident, carried out by minors classified as children in conflict with the law, prompted discussions on how other countries' legislation could prevent similar attacks.

Nartatez said the PNP is studying whether comparable policies could be adapted in the Philippines and may recommend that Congress examine legislative measures on minors' use of social media. Brigadier General Matthew Baccay, director of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, said conference participants recognised that foreign legislation could serve as a reference for crafting policies to limit children's exposure to harmful online content, SunStar reports.

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Sunday presented evidence of alleged double billing and collection in infrastructure projects in Taguig City, linking the findings to Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Lacson said one case involved two supposedly different projects that shared the same photograph for billing purposes, while another involved a single slope protection project that received two separate budget appropriations, with both billed and collected.

"Two different projects, two distinct appropriations, two different technical descriptions and locations, two different contractors, but sharing the same photo for billing purposes," Lacson said in a social media post. Lacson said he would present full details and evidence to the Ombudsman or during Blue Ribbon Committee hearings. Cayetano's wife, Lani, is the current mayor of Taguig. GMA News Online said it had reached out to Cayetano for comment, GMA News Online / News reports.

More than half of Filipinos feel President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration fails to understand their daily struggles, according to the EON–Tangere Pre-SONA Survey 2026 released ahead of his fifth State of the Nation Address. The survey found 55% said the government does not listen to ordinary Filipinos, while 49.4% distrust its ability to solve pressing issues.

When asked what they want to hear in the SONA, 48.3% of respondents prioritized concrete solutions to national problems, followed by 35.6% seeking anti-corruption measures and 34.7% wanting updates on previous promises. Only 22% said they want to hear about the administration's accomplishments.

Economy and inflation topped the list of priority issues at 67.1%, followed by jobs and wages at 56.2% and education at 53.2%. The survey of 1,200 Filipino adults drawn from across the country has a margin of error of ±2.96 percentage points at a 95% confidence level, Ian Laqui reports for philstar.com.

Speaking on House of Representatives, a lawmaker said the chamber has decided the State of the Nation Address should be treated as a normal legislative session rather than a ceremonial spectacle, with simple and dignified dress encouraged but not mandated.

"It should be simple but dignified," the speaker said, adding that all members are encouraged to wear Filipino attire. The House will not be issuing special invitations for this year's address, she added, and production is being handled by PTV4 and House management.

Speaking on House of Representatives Saturday News Forum, a House member said the president is expected to address corruption at Monday's address, citing institutional failures that cut across multiple agencies.

'We have learned the lessons from recent events,' the lawmaker told the forum on July 25. 'That spanning different institutions. And we need to translate that into actual executive and legislative policy.'

The comments follow months of graft allegations that have affected senior government officials. The lawmaker did not specify which recent events or agencies the statement referred to.

A House lawmaker named additional reform bills waiting for Senate action during Saturday News Forum, going beyond the Anti-Political Dynasty measure already flagged this session.

The stalled measures include the Right to Information Act, legislation to strengthen education, bills for teachers, and an expansion of assistance for tertiary education, the lawmaker said. "Yung mga big ticket na mga bills na masusabi ko na we are awaiting once magbukas po ang session na finally maipas," she said ["The big-ticket bills I can name — we are awaiting, once session opens, that they will finally be passed"].

She said the House goal for the second regular session is to complete the remaining bills in the common legislative agenda, after passing 26 of 52 in the first session.

A House representative told the Saturday News Forum on July 22, 2026 that the lower chamber passed 26 of the 52 bills on the Common Legislative Agenda during the first regular session — more than half the target — with work on the remainder set to continue in the second regular session that opens Monday.

The lawmaker, whose name was not clearly established in the broadcast, said the House is ready to act on whatever priorities President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announces in his State of the Nation Address. "We are ready once the house opens to receive the call to action," she said on House of Representatives.

The second regular session begins the same day as the SONA.

The House of Representatives has approved 26 of 52 priority legislative measures ahead of Monday's State of the Nation Address, a lawmaker said Saturday.

Speaking on House of Representatives during the Saturday News Forum, a House representative said the chamber accomplished more than half of its target legislative agenda before the regular session opens.

"Handa po ang bawat chamber," the lawmaker said ["Every chamber is ready"], adding that Congress stands prepared to support executive priority bills when sessions resume.

Fifty-eight female Overseas Filipino Worker applicants bound for domestic work in the Middle East were rescued from an alleged unregistered, overcrowded and unsafe accommodation facility in Parañaque City on Saturday, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration reported Sunday.

The Department of Migrant Workers conducted the rescue and closure operation. OWWA provided the women with transportation assistance and temporary housing, and conducted welfare assessments and case management.

The rescue comes after the DMW warned this week of risks posed by illegal recruiters, including exposure to criminal activities such as cyber scam operations and labor exploitation through unreviewed contracts, GMA News Online / News reports.

The House of Representatives has cleared more than half its priority legislation ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation address on Monday, but lawmakers say the real test comes after he sets out his agenda for the remainder of the term.

Congressman Terry Ridon, who chairs the House committee on accounts and sits on the impeachment prosecution panel, said the chamber is "ready once the house opens to receive the call to action" from the President. He framed the 26 bills passed out of 52 priority measures as a starting point rather than a finish line. "Kailangan makompleto po namin ang susunod pa ng mga batas" [We still need to complete the remaining bills], Ridon said, adding that the House must ensure passed legislation "will become actual law" by shepherding it through the Senate.

Ridon noted the President is keeping Monday's speech details closely guarded, even through Sunday preparations. The House has not disclosed what structural reforms the President will prioritize, though Ridon indicated some bills already passed—including one on the right to infertility—represent the kind of sweeping change being targeted. How the Senate will handle House-passed measures remains unresolved.

Live coverage — House of Representatives Presscon — stream ended.

Live coverage — House of Representatives Presscon — stream ended.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said Saturday there was no slowdown in his investigation into allegedly anomalous infrastructure projects in Taguig City, a political stronghold of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. "Today, a Saturday, we haven't slowed down in following up the leads to maintain the momentum gained since we started investigating the anomalous slope protection and drainage projects in Taguig," Lacson said, according to GMA News.

Lacson has accused Cayetano of securing budget insertions totalling 6.79 billion pesos and leaving several projects unfinished. In an earlier statement, Lacson said he was gathering witnesses and evidence that could lead to Cayetano's imprisonment. The dispute began after Cayetano publicly accused Lacson of doubling his net worth during his Senate tenure, GMA News Online / News reports.

A coalition of Philippine civil society organizations, journalists, digital rights advocates, and academic institutions has issued a joint statement opposing two anti-disinformation measures now before Congress: House Bill No. 9465, the "Digital Media Anti-False Information Act," which has cleared third reading in the House, and a counterpart version pending at the committee level in the Senate. Signatories including the Sigla Research Center, Democracy.Net.PH, and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism argue that both bills fail to address the structural drivers of disinformation — illicit financing, platform vulnerabilities, and organized influence operations — while exposing ordinary users and legitimate political speech to disproportionate legal risk.

The statement identifies five core concerns, including weak platform enforcement mechanisms, vague liability standards that could enable legal harassment, executive-branch takedown powers largely shielded from judicial review, penalties that fall hardest on low-level disinformation workers while sparing those who finance and direct such operations, and platform-side content rules that risk further overregulation. In response, the coalition calls on Congress to defer passage and instead pursue targeted legislation built around coordinated inauthentic behavior, independent platform auditing, sustained media literacy funding, and a civil society-led multistakeholder council to guide digital rights policy going forward.

A year after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. committed in his 2025 State of the Nation Address to lift Filipinos out of poverty through job creation and small business support, 52% of Filipino families—or 14.5 million—now identify themselves as poor, according to a Social Weather Station survey conducted in late March 2026. This represents a one percent increase from 51% in November 2025.

Unemployment has also worsened. The Philippine Statistics Authority recorded 2.5 million jobless Filipinos ages 15 and above in May 2026, up from 2.41 million in April and 2.03 million in May 2025, translating to a 4.8% unemployment rate. Marcos had vowed in 2025 to help 2.5 million poor families start small businesses and intensify job-creation efforts across multiple departments including Labor, Trade and Industry, Social Welfare and Development, and Tourism.

Malacañang said the government remains committed to creating quality jobs and attracting investment. The Department of Labor and Employment is expanding nationwide job fairs and strengthening labor education for graduating students, GMA News is reporting, GMA News Online / News reports.

The first instalment of a P85 daily minimum wage increase for workers in the National Capital Region comes into effect today, raising the daily minimum for non-agriculture workers from P695 to P755, according to Wage Order NCR-27. Workers in agriculture, retail establishments with 15 or fewer staff, and manufacturing firms with fewer than 10 employees will receive P718 a day, up from P658. The Department of Labor and Employment said more than 1.1 million minimum wage earners in Metro Manila are expected to benefit, describing it as the largest single daily wage increase in the region to date.

Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said the increase aimed to help workers cope with rising living costs including inflation and higher electricity prices. He reminded employers that violations of the wage order are punishable under law and urged labour and management to address wage distortions through collective bargaining agreements. The remaining P25 increase will take effect on January 20, 2027. Qualified micro, small and medium enterprises may apply for financial assistance or seek exemption within a 75-day period, Dan Madrazo reports for The Manila Times.

A newly established public opinion research firm found that while 68% of Filipinos are aware of Vice President Sara Duterte's ongoing impeachment trial, only 13% are actively monitoring it, according to Momentum Research. A majority of 55% said they only hear developments but do not actively follow the proceedings, while 29% do not monitor them at all.

About 32% of respondents described the trial as confusing, and 8% said it was too technical and hard to follow. Momentum Research founder Cleve Arguelles said the confusion stems from frequent use of legal jargon and technical arguments by prosecutors, defence counsel and senator-judges during the first week. "The public may be aware that the trial is happening, but the proceedings haven't yet broken through in a way that feels meaningful or legible to the average Filipino," he said.

The survey also found that 36.6% of respondents trust the Senate impeachment court will be fair and neutral, while 35.5% expressed distrust. A majority of Filipinos, 44.3%, considered the vice president's personal appearance at trial extremely important, Renalyn Ramirez reports for philstar.com.

The United States placed Philippine exports in a 12.5 percent tariff bracket after a review by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative found gaps in Manila's enforcement against goods made with forced labor. Countries that demonstrated sufficient safeguards qualified for a 10 percent rate; the Philippines was deemed to have insufficient protections and assigned to the higher bracket.

Philippine trade officials formed an inter-agency committee to strengthen import inspections, but only after the U.S. review concluded, leaving the country unable to qualify for the lower rate during the evaluation. Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said Manila would negotiate with U.S. officials to reduce the tariff to 10 percent.

Cebu business groups warned the higher tariff threatens competitiveness and jobs. Philexport Cebu Executive Director Fred T. Escalona Jr. said the measure could reduce export orders and investment, particularly for micro, small and medium enterprises already struggling with high production and logistics costs. "Responsible exporters should not become unintended casualties of trade measures intended to address broader policy concerns," he said, SunStar reports.

U.S. President Donald Trump has assured Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that he will "take up the concerns of the Philippines" regarding the South China Sea with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to Rappler.

The assurance comes as Chinese vessels continue to target Philippine ships in the disputed waters. Chinese vessels hit at least three Philippine vessels with water cannons during a mission to Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea over two consecutive days, Rappler reports.

Local government units are central to upholding Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said on Thursday at a commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award in Lingayen, Pangasinan. "Often, when we think about the WPS, it is only about maritime security or foreign affairs. But in reality, a big part of this is local governance," DILG Assistant Secretary for International Relations Lilian De Leon said.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla called on Filipinos to unite on the issue. "Our seas belong to us. Our seas are for the Filipinos and for the Philippines," he said. The DILG has a program called "Bayanihang Adhikain, Bayaning Aksyon Para sa Kanlurang Dagat ng Pilipinas" that empowers local governments to take greater ownership through maritime governance, environmental protection, food security and economic growth. At least eight provinces have established a West Philippine Sea Council through local ordinances or executive orders; the DILG conferred plaques of recognition to 10 coastal provinces.

The announcement comes as tensions escalate between Manila and Beijing over the disputed waters, GMA News Online / News reports.