Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Nikko Natividad
Nikko Natividad Viral Video Scandal Filipino Model Nikko HQ
Things used in this project Filipino actor, model, and dancer Nikko Natividad admitted to cheating on his wife on March 6, 2026, in an interview with Ogie Diaz, according to the Manila Times. An intimate video from 2022 captured him stepping out on his wife. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NOW CLICK HERE TO WATCH NOW In the emotional interview, Nikko confirmed the legitimacy of the video and took full responsibility for his actions.
Taiwan’s visa-free entry for Filipinos extended until July 2021
MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos can continue to enjoy traveling to Taiwan without a visa—at least after the pandemic subsides—as its Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) extended the visa-free entry for selected nations until July 2021.According to an announcement from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (TECO), the extension is aimed at strengthening its New Southbound Policy, which is an initiative of the Taiwanese government to enhance ties and exchanges with...
2 ‘nanlaban’ drug suspects killed in Cotabato anti-drug raid
The items seized during a dawn raid in Pikit town of Cotabato province. PHOTO COURTESY OF PDEA PIKIT, COTABATO—Two drug suspects cornered in an anti-drug operation at a village here early on Thursday (July 23) were killed after they fought back, or nanlaban, and were shot by a law enforcement team composed of police, Army and anti-narcotics agents. Capt.
PH’s COVID-19 caseload surges to 74,390 with 2,200 new patients logged
MANILA, Philippines — The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the country swelled to 74,390 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported additional 2,220 cases on Thursday. According to DOH’s COVID-19 bulletin, 1,546 of the 2,220 new patients came from the National Capital Region, followed by 246 from Cebu province, 83 from Laguna, 61 from Rizal, and 48 from Cavite. ADVERTISEMENT Meanwhile, 28 fatalities were added to the death toll, now at 1,871.
Senate to repel Cha-cha moves during pandemic-Gatchalian
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will push back against any attempts for constitutional reforms in the middle of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Thursday. Gatchalian, in an online interview with reporters, added that for him, he doesn’t see a scenario that the upper chamber of Congress would even tackle any bill regarding Charter change (Cha-cha) proposals. ADVERTISEMENT “The Senate will push back.
In Sweden, female priests now outnumber male ones
The Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden. INQUIRER.net stock photo For the first time in history, Swedish female priests outnumber their male counterparts, 60 years after they were first allowed to don the clerical collar, the Church of Sweden said Wednesday. Of the 3,060 priests currently serving in Sweden, 1,533 are female, or 50.1%, according to Cristina Grenholm, secretary for the Church of Sweden.
Petitions against anti-terror law swamp SC
MANILA, Philippines – Petitions against Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 is snowballing. On Thursday, human rights advocates, cause-oriented groups, youth, veteran journalists, lawmakers, and Constitution framers have joined the call for the Supreme Court to declare ATA as unconstitutional. ADVERTISEMENT To date, there are already 16 petitions pending before the Supreme Court, making this law the most highly contested since the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
School principal gunned down in Cotabato province
PIKIT, COTABATO — A school principal in Pikit town of Cotabato province was gunned down on Thursday, July 23. Captain Mautin Pangandigan, Pikit municipal police chief, identified the victim as Abdullah Hussain, 43, a resident of Barangay Fort Pikit. ADVERTISEMENT Hussain is the principal of the Dagadas Elementary School in Barangay Buliok.
Melbourne orders compulsory masks as Australia battles coronavirus
MELBOURNE — Anyone venturing out in Australia’s second-biggest city was ordered Thursday to wear a mask as authorities struggle to contain multiple coronavirus clusters in the country’s southeast. Commuters walk outside Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station on July 23, 2020 on the first day of the mandatory wearing of face masks in public areas as the city experiences an outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Ukraine president defends movie post to end hostage crisis
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky holds a press conference marking his first year in office at Kiev’s Mariinsky Palace on May 20, 2020. Image: AFP/Sergey Dolzhenko Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday defended his decision to agree to a hostage-taker’s bizarre demand that he post a movie recommendation to end a 12-hour stand-off. Zelensky described how he negotiated personally on Tuesday evening with a gunman who was holding 13 hostages on a bus in the western city of Lutsk.
Tokyo sets virus case record as holiday begins
People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus walk on a beach on a national holiday in Fujisawa, Kanagawa prefecture, near Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2020.
Study: Gender inequality increases in media during pandemic
BRUSSELS — Gender inequalities in newsrooms have increased during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey published Thursday by the International Federation of Journalists. According to the survey of 558 journalists in 52 countries, the COVID-19 crisis had a negative impact on women’s salaries as well as on their work responsibilities, career advancement, and private life.
Gatchalian: Bantag should've exercised transparency on Bilibid inmates' deaths
MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director-General Gerald Bantag “should have exercised transparency” in the disclosure of information about the deaths of high-profile New Bilibid Prison (NBP) inmates, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Thursday.
Greece: Firefighters race to stop blaze during lull in wind
Fire burns near the village of Galataki as authorities evacuate the place near Corinth, Greece, on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. More than 250 firefighters, backed by water-dropping aircraft, were struggling Wednesday to contain a large wildfire fanned by strong winds that have forced the evacuation of five settlements in southern Greece.
No bad time to be a Good Guy
The plan was set. After spending years working in an industry that was unrelated to his training, Rence Urian decided it was time to go home to his passion. Rence is a 29-year-old nursing graduate. 2020 was supposed to be the year when he would finally answer his heart’s true calling. His eyes were set for that nursing job in Japan. After all, he had already done the paperwork and aced the pre-qualifying exams. But the COVID-19 pandemic changed all that.
UN calls for basic income to help world's poorest in virus fight
United Nations Development Programme administrator Achim Steiner speaks to AFP in an interview in the Sudanese capital Khartoum during his visit to the country, on January 29, 2020. (Photo by ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP) UNITED NATIONS, United States — Nearly three billion of the world’s poorest people should receive a temporary basic income to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, a United Nations body says.
ADB extending record-high $4.2B in loans to PH to help fight pandemic
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will extend to the Philippines a record $4.2 billion (over P207 billion) in concessional loans this year, with most of it for use in giving a boost to the Philippine government’s battle with the health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Twitter says hackers saw messages from 36 accounts, including Netherlands official
FILE PHOTO: A 3D printed Twitter logo is seen in front of a displayed cyber code in this illustration taken March 22, 2016. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Twitter said on Wednesday that the hackers who breached its systems last week likely read the direct messages of 36 accounts, including one belonging to an elected official in the Netherlands.
Pandemic to cost Australia government $131 billion this year
CANBERRA — Australia’s response to the coronavirus pandemic tipped the government’s budget 85.8 billion Australian dollars ($61 billion) into the red in the last fiscal year and will create AU$184 billion ($131 billion) more debt in the current year which would be the nation’s biggest deficit since World War II, treasury figures showed on Thursday.
Trump touts five-word memory test as showing he is 'cognitively there'
US President Donald Trump arrives to speak to the press ahead of the renewed briefing of the Coronavirus Task Force in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 22, 2020. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) WASHINGTON — Donald Trump has divulged details of a cognitive test he “aced” — including a five-word memory challenge he said proved he had the “mental stamina” to lead the US. “Person. Woman. Man Camera.
Quezon City hires 256 community health workers
MANILA, Philippines — The local government of Quezon City has hired 256 community health workers (CHWs) as contractual with minimum pay to further strengthen its workforce amid the pandemic. Under the city’s contractual scheme, the health workers will receive a monthly payment of at least P13,000 per month, which follows the legal minimum pay prescribed by the Department of Labor and Employment. This is way higher than their previous monthly allowance of P3, 500 to P7, 000.
Privacy commission: Public interest justifies disclosure of high-profile inmate deaths
MANILA, Philippines — The disclosure of the high-profile inmates’ deaths is covered by the law requiring to report diseases and the freedom of information (FOI), National Privacy Commissioner Raymund Liboro said Thursday. Liboro said this as he reiterated that the Data Privacy Act (DPA) should not be used to deny the public’s right to know the details on the deaths of high-profile inmates as public interest justifies it.
In another legal win for BSP, ex-owner of shuttered Laguna rural bank convicted of fraud
The central bank has scored another legal victory against erring bank officials after a court last month found the former owner of a shuttered Laguna-based rural bank guilty of fraud. In a statement, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the Regional Trial Court of Sta. Cruz, Laguna convicted the former owner of the now closed Rural Bank of Victoria (Laguna) Inc. on 12 counts of estafa through falsification of commercial or public documents under the Revised Penal Code.
Blended-learning: DepEd seeking 'best and brightest teacher-broadcasters'
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is looking for teacher-broadcasters who will help in the production of video and audio episodes that will be used for blended learning in the upcoming school year.
BREAKING: Manila bishop tests positive for coronavirus
Bishop Broderick Pabillo. Photo courtesy of CBCP MANILA, Philippines — Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo has been infected with the coronavirus disease. “It is in this spirit that I announce that I tested positive with the COVID-19 with RT-PCR (Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test,” Pabillo wrote in a statement to the clergy of Manila Thursday.
2 returnees about to finish quarantine test positive for COVID-19 in Palawan
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — Two returning locally stranded individuals (LSI) in Roxas town of Palawan province were about to end their mandatory 14-day quarantine when they tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Dr. Leo Salvino, chief of Roxas health office, said in a phone interview on Thursday that the two patients, a 19-year-old female student and a 23-year-old male, remained asymptomatic and were set to be transferred to the Roxas Medicare Hospital for isolation and monitoring.
Chinese vessels fishing illegally in North Korea waters-study
FILE — North Korean and Chinese flags fly in Pyongyang on June 19, 2019. (Photo by Ed JONES / AFP) A huge fleet of Chinese fishing boats has been operating illegally in North Korean waters catching hundreds of millions of dollars worth of squid, a study showed Wednesday. The competition from hundreds of larger, better-equipped Chinese vessels was forcing North Korean fishermen to poach in Russian waters, according to a group of international researchers involved in the Global Fishing Watch study.
On yer bike: Cycling industry out-pedaled by demand
A cyclist rides in a dedicated lane in Paris, on May 11, 2020, on the first day of France’s easing of lockdown measures in place for 55 days to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by Martin BUREAU / AFP) PARIS — Bikes are booming across the globe as people seek to avoid crowded buses and trains for their daily commutes in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic — or get back into shape after long months of lockdown.
Rape suspect wanted in Calabarzon falls in Lucena
LUCENA CITY — Police arrested one of the most wanted criminals in the Calabarzon region in an operation here on Thursday afternoon. Police Colonel Audie Madrideo, Quezon provincial police chief, said the suspect, Joshua Vargas Acaso, 23, was collared by a police team armed with an arrest warrant in his safehouse in Barangay Dalahican at 1:20 p.m. ADVERTISEMENT The suspect, who is facing rape charges, is listed as number 9 among the most wanted persons in the region.
Palace: UP experts who gave COVID-19 response 'failing grade' may join IATF
MANILA, Philippines — Experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) who gave the government’s response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a “failing” grade are welcome to join the task force in charge of containing the pandemic, Malacañang said Thursday.
Manila opens 2nd walk-in COVID-19 testing center
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno opens another walk-in COVID-19 testing site in the city. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – The Manila City government on Thursday opened its second walk-in COVID-19 testing center at the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center (GABMMC) in Tondo, Manila. Adhering to the local government’s “inclusive approach” to the ongoing pandemic, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said that the city’s free mass testing program is open to residents and non-residents of the city.
Marcos eyes tax exemption to boost local production of PPEs
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos is eyeing to boost the local production of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and other frontliners through certain tax exemptions to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign-made medical supplies.
Duterte, Robredo urged to jointly promote immunization program
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Thursday urged President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo to have a joint public service announcement (PSA) to promote immunization. Recto said that while the government’s Expanded Program of Immunization has a budget of P7.5 billion this year to cover about 12 million individuals, only 2.8 million have been vaccinated as of June. ADVERTISEMENT “That is the sad halftime score,” he said in a statement.
Outstanding IOUs climbed to P5.9T in H1 as gov’t ramped up local borrowings
MANILA, Philippines — As the government borrowed more locally to finance COVID-19 response while demand for treasury bills and bonds remained robust as investors sought a safe haven amid a pandemic, the amount of outstanding IOUs climbed to a record P5.9 trillion at the end of the first half. The latest Bureau of the Treasury showed that the outstanding treasury bonds issued by the national government as of end-June reached P5.1 trillion, up from P5 trillion a month ago.
China's Sinopharm says COVID-19 vaccine could be ready by year-end
BEIJING—A coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) could be ready for public use by the end of this year, state media reported on Wednesday, ahead of a previous expectation it may become available in 2021. Sinopharm Chairman Liu Jingzhen told state broadcaster CCTV the company expects to finish late-stage human testing within about three months.
PH confident of possible virus vaccine deal due to ‘independent foreign policy'
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is confident of striking a possible deal once a vaccine for the coronavirus disease is developed abroad, citing its “independent foreign policy”. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said this following reports that the government has reached out to various international pharmaceutical companies that are currently developing a vaccine against the novel coronavirus, which has already infected over 15.2 million people worldwide.
Civil rights trailblazer C.T. Vivian to be laid to rest
Mourners sit in the capitol rotunda around the casket of The Rev. C.T. Vivian for his memorial service, Wednesday, July 22, 2020, in Atlanta. Rev. Vivian, an early and key adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who organized pivotal civil rights campaigns and spent decades advocating for justice and equality, died Friday at the age of 95. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) ATLANTA — The nation will pay its final respects Thursday to the Rev.
Cavite gov shuns hiring of 'gossipmongers' to help in contact tracing
MANILA, Philippines — Will tapping “chismosos” and “chismosas” (gossipmongers) really help trace individuals who have had direct contact with coronavirus disease patients? Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla does not think so. The governor mentioned the use of so-called busybodies in contact tracing in his Facebook post on Thursday, in which he also urged the government to focus on the COVID-19 response instead of reopening talks on Charter change.
2 Mideast countries, world's top virus rates per population
DUBAI — The small, neighboring sheikhdoms of Bahrain and Qatar have the world’s highest per-capita rates of coronavirus infections. In the two Mideast countries, COVID-19 epidemics initially swept undetected through camps housing healthy and young foreign laborers, studies now show.
Vietnam’s GDP forecast to grow 3.8% this year
A farmer in the nothern province of Hai Duong’s Thanh Ha District harvests lychee. Agriculture has been a highlight of the economy in the first half of the year. Viet Nam News/Asia News Network/Manh Minh HANOI — Vietnam’s growth rate this year would reach 3.8 percent if there is no second COVID-19 outbreak in the second half of the year and the economic activities gradually resume, the Viet Nam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VERP) has predicted.
Duterte to undergo COVID-19 testing before SONA
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will undergo COVID-19 testing ahead of his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27, Malacañang said Thursday According to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, government officials attending the SONA, as well as ground personnel at Batasang Pambansa, will also undergo COVID-19 testing. ADVERTISEMENT “Ang alam ko lang po lahat ng papasok sa loob ng Batasan will be subjected to PCR testing on Sunday, the night before.
Palace: DOH ‘should have been clearer’ on home quarantine rules from start
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) “should have been clearer” about the guidelines for home quarantine at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country, Malacañang said Thursday. In an online briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said he believes the vague guidelines caused the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country. ADVERTISEMENT “I think hindi naging malinaw kasi ‘yung sinabi ng DOH that asymptomatic and the mild [cases] can stay home.
Forum tackles health outcomes that matter to patients, society beyond costs
Experts in the field of health value assessment from both public and private sectors gathered in the Health for Juan and Juana Forum Series 2, to put spotlight on the value of innovation, dialogue, and multi-stakeholder participation as the way forward in the country’s strategy to improve health outcomes.
S. Korea's economy shrinks 2.9% in Q2, worst since 1997 financial crisis
Yonhap via The Korea Herald/Asia News Network SEOUL — South Korea’s economy contracted at a sharper rate than what had been expected in the second quarter, delivering the worst performance in over two decades, as the pandemic hammered outbound shipments and private spending in Asia’s fourth-largest economy, central bank data showed Thursday.
Thailand will gift Cambodia with 140 km of rail for stronger link
Cambodia will soon welcome another 140km of northern railway to connect to the Thai border. Photo supplied via The Phnom Penh Post PHNOM PENH — Cambodia will soon welcome another 140km of northern railway to connect to the Thai border to better facilitate the transportation of goods between the two countries. Cambodia and Thailand officially launched rail reconnection link in late 2018.
India e-commerce to grow 27%; Reliance to capture half of online grocery sales-Goldman
Online penetration of retail is expected to reach 10.7 per cent by 2024, versus 4.7 per cent in 2019. Photo; Getty) via The Statesman NEW DELHI — India’s e-commerce business is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27 percent to reach USD 99 billion by 2024, Goldman Sachs said projecting that Reliance Industries would capture half of the online grocery sales through its Facebook.
Thailand: Banks extend helping hand to over 10 million debtors
The Nation/Asia News Network BANGKOK — Banks have provided financial aid worth a total of Bt6.7 trillion ($211.7 billion) to more than 10 million debtors suffering from the impact of Covid-19, while some believe 70 percent of the borrowers will repay their debts once the aid package comes to an end.
Chilean police train dogs to sniff out COVID-19
Members of the Chilean Police Canine Training team walk two Golden Retriever dogs before the beginning of their training session aimed to detect people infected with coronavirus COVID-19. (AFP) SANTIAGO, Chile–Police in Chile are training dogs to detect people that may be infected with the novel coronavirus by sniffing their sweat. The dogs — three golden retrievers and a labrador — are between the ages of four and five.
DILG files admin raps vs Pangasinan mayor, councilor for having birthday party
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday said it had filed administrative complaints against the mayor and councilor of Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan for organizing a birthday party last May 6. “DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that two (2) cases have been referred to the Ombudsman, particularly against the mayor and a councilor in Sto.
Thailand eyes luxury Phuket hotels as alternative quarantine options
The Nation/Asia News Network BANGKOK — Fourteen five-star hotels in Phuket have put their names forward as alternative state quarantine options and two – Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas and Trisara Hotel – have passed the Public Health Ministry’s criteria. Though Sripanwa Hotel’s result has yet to be announced, 11 other hotels are currently being checked by public health officials. ADVERTISEMENT The price for 14-day luxury alternative quarantine in Phuket ranges between Bt99,500 and Bt650,000.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Nikko
Contact Nikko, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack