radar PH

JTI Philippines calls for harmonized ASEAN rules as illicit tobacco trade grows, while Philippine agencies step up efforts to seize and destroy illegal cigarette products. The Philippines lost an estimated ₱141 billion in government revenues to illicit tobacco over the past two years, with one in every four cigarettes sold estimated to be illicit, according to a Euromonitor study cited by Japan Tobacco International (JTI), a global tobacco and nicotine products company.

Why did she have to wait until 67 in the first place? The viral story of Lolita Escal is undoubtedly inspiring. At 67, the salt vendor from Angono finished senior high school, ranked among the topnotchers of a college entrance exam, and pursued journalism—all after decades away from formal education. But the Department of Education’s framing of her story is infuriating. Amid the pasukan season, Escal’s narrative has made the rounds on social media.

Patients will undergo screening before receiving the procedures scheduled for September 17 to 18. A public hospital in Batangas recently went viral for offering free nose jobs for a limited time, raising eyebrows among netizens who questioned the need for cosmetic procedures in a public healthcare setting. In a Facebook post on August 12, the Batangas Provincial Hospital announced free rhinoplasty and blepharoplasty for select patients on September 17 to 18.

Property, tourism, and spirits helped lift Alliance Global Group’s earnings as VIP gaming took a smaller role in the company’s first-half performance. Alliance Global Group Inc. (AGI), the holding company of tycoon Andrew L. Tan, posted ₱16 billion in net income in the first half of 2026, up 3% from a year earlier, with nearly ₱90 billion in consolidated revenues. This excludes the one-time gain tied to the deconsolidation of Golden Arches Development Corp.

Lolita Escal returned to school at 63 through ALS and is now in her third year of college. At 69, Lolita Escal is in her third year of college, continuing an education she had to put on hold decades ago. Escal’s story gained renewed attention after the Department of Education reposted photos of her taking a college entrance exam on Aug. 13. A salt vendor from Rizal, Escal left formal schooling early to help her family. Her father had fallen ill while her mother had just given birth.

A healthy employer-employee relationship requires boundaries on both sides. A viral workplace exchange has sparked debate over whether eating lunch 20 minutes early can amount to “stealing time from the company.” In the exchange, an employee asked, “Sir lunch na po,” only to be told, “Ang aga ah. 11:40 pa.” The employee explained that the food was already getting cold and said they had gotten used to eating lunch early and returning to work at 1 PM.

Experts say complementary feeding, including fortified cereals, can help meet nutritional needs. There’s no shortage of advice for parents these days. Open Facebook, TikTok, or Reddit—and someone already tells you what your baby should eat, when they should eat it, and whether you’re doing it right. The harder part, however, is making sure there’s actually enough of the right food on the plate.

Philippine shares edged higher after the previous session’s losses while the peso weakened for a second straight trading day, keeping markets on mixed footing. Philippine financial markets ended mixed on Friday, August 14, 2026, as the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) regained some ground while the Philippine peso continued to weaken against the US dollar. The PSEi climbed 9.05 points, or 0.14%, to close at 6,297.30, recovering from the previous trading session’s losses.

Grapevine Restaurant faces scrutiny over menu prices that exclude the 12% VAT, raising questions about pricing rules and consumer protection. Grapevine Restaurant is facing scrutiny over menu prices that exclude the 12% VAT, with the issue drawing added attention because its founder is the daughter of DTI Secretary Cristina Roque. Grapevine’s menu displays prices exclusive of VAT, raising questions over whether the practice complies with laws requiring VAT to be included in displayed prices.

Actor opens up on co-parenting with Alexis Suapengco, fatherhood, love life and new home. After facing various mental health challenges in life, Diego Loyzaga said becoming a father has given him a stronger sense of purpose and inspired him to become a better person for his daughter, Hailey Paige. The actor said his co-parenting arrangement with ex-partner Alexis Suapengco works well for them, even if he understands why some people struggle to understand their setup.