BALITANG MARINO DAILY NEWS for April 22, 2026
US oil prices rise as US-Iran peace talks remain uncertain
Fondness for Pope Francis undimmed one year after pope’s death
Scammers Are Offering Ships Safe Hormuz Passage for Crypto Payments
Shipping Through Hormuz Remains Mostly Halted
Cruise Ship Reports “Splash” in Strait as Five Ships Escape Persian Gulf
Allied Canada, Australia, US ships maneuver in South China Sea
PH can now access Japanese equipment with easing of restrictions
Romualdez denies role in 2025 budget graft; tags Chiz Escudero, Zaldy Co
Navotas landfill fire has grown to half the size of Rizal Park
No toll, port fees for farmers, traders
Philippines has 52 days of oil supply, Palace says
Warm, humid weather across PH Wednesday
PCSO: No winners of major lotto jackpot draws last night
SexBomb Girls ‘Get, Get Aw!’ concert Final rAWnd moves to MOA Arena
BINI and SB19 nominated at SEC Awards 2026
Vic and Vice fuel MMFF buzz
PBA: Phoenix rises, hands Rain or Shine first loss
PVL: Creamline dominates Cignal in Game 1 sweep, inches closer to All-Filipino crown
Timberwolves battle back to stun Nuggets in NBA playoffs
Practicing mindful social media use onboard
FULL NEWSPAPER
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
US oil prices rise as US-Iran peace talks remain uncertain
TOKYO, April 22 —— U.S. crude futures rose in early trade despite Washington’s announcement that it would indefinitely extend a ceasefire with Iran, as uncertainty over peace talks persisted and the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures climbed as high as $90.70 a barrel and traded up 59 cents, or 0.7 per cent, at $90.26 at 2215 GMT. The benchmark contract rose 2.8 per cent on Tuesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would indefinitely extend the ceasefire with Iran, hours before it was set to expire, to allow the two countries to continue peace talks to end a war that has killed thousands of people and shaken the global economy.
Trump’s announcement appeared to be unilateral, and it was not immediately clear whether Iran, or U.S. ally Israel, would agree to extend the ceasefire, which began two weeks ago. Trump also said he would continue the U.S. Navy’s blockade of Iran’s ports and shore, which Iran’s leaders have called an act of war. There was no immediate comment from Iran’s most senior leaders, but Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, said Iran had not asked for a ceasefire extension and repeated threats to break the U.S. blockade by force.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which normally handles about 20 per cent of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, remained broadly halted on Tuesday with only three ships passing through the waterway in the past 24 hours, shipping data showed.
Source: channelnewsasia.com
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Fondness for Pope Francis undimmed one year after pope’s death
ROME, Italy, April 22 —— Pilgrims prayed and shared fond memories at the tomb of Pope Francis on the first anniversary of his death, as his successor, Leo, paid tribute to a man “who gave so much”.
Italian visitor Laura Tonelli, 69, wiped her eyes with a handkerchief after praying at the modest marble tomb in Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, inscribed with just “Franciscus”, the Argentine pope’s name in Latin. “It’s not sadness, it’s gratitude, appreciation for everything he has done for my family and me… like a father who picks you up every time without ever judging you,” she told AFP.
Pope Francis, a charismatic reformer, died at age 88 on April 21 last year — Easter Monday — after having led the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics since March 2013. His immense popularity is evidenced by the long queues that form each day outside the Rome basilica, with the faithful and tourists alike lining up to pay tribute. The lines were longer than usual on Tuesday, with Catholics kneeling before the tomb and bouquets of flowers piling up next to the single white rose laid there daily by church staff. Argentine Carolina Alberi, 49, had extended her visit to Rome to be at Francis’s tomb on Tuesday.
“He lives in us. He was a being who opened a path for us, who showed us a path. With understanding, with kindness, with a lot of resilience as well,” she told AFP. “I would have loved to have gotten here (to Rome) and have him be here,” she said, acknowledging that she felt closer to her former countryman than Francis’s successor, Pope Leo XIV. “But, well, he’s in us.”
Francis died about a month after his discharge from Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he had spent 38 days being treated for pneumonia in both lungs. He had appeared to the crowds at the Vatican on Easter Sunday, but died the following morning. He became the first pope in a century to be buried outside St Peter’s Basilica. A special mass for Francis will be held Tuesday evening at Santa Maria Maggiore, the Roman basilica dear to the former pope.
‘Closeness to the poor’
Pope Leo, who was elected in May 2025 as his successor, offered his own prayers for Francis on Tuesday as he arrived in Equatorial Guinea, the final stop of a four-nation African tour. “On this first anniversary of his death, I would like to remember Pope Francis, who gave so much to the Church through his life, his witness, his words and his deeds,” the first US pontiff told reporters. “Time and again, he did this by truly living out his closeness to the poorest, the most vulnerable, the sick, children, and the elderly.” He added: “Let us pray that he is already enjoying the Lord’s mercy, and let us thank the Lord for the great gift of Francis’s life to the whole Church and to the whole world.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni noted that Francis reached out to “believers and non-believers alike”. “In his teaching, he consistently emphasized the value of peace, care for the most vulnerable, and responsibility toward others,” she wrote on X.
The anniversary comes amid a media storm spurred by US President Donald Trump’s harsh criticism last week of Pope Leo’s calls for peace in the Middle East war. Leo on Saturday sought to ease tensions with Washington, saying that a speech about “tyrants” delivered in Cameroon last week had been written well before Trump’s outburst. “It was perceived as if I were trying to start a new debate with the president, which doesn’t interest me at all,” Leo said.
US Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert who previously said Leo should “stick to matters of morality”, subsequently said he was “grateful” for the clarification. Back at the basilica, Tonelli described Francis as a pope who broke with the Church’s “veneer of rigidity and inflexibility”, saying it was an “immense gift that God has given us”. “He drew near to us, he came right up close, he took us in his arms, on his shoulders,” she said. “You felt personally loved.”
Source: gmanetwork.com
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MARITIME NEWS
Scammers Are Offering Ships Safe Hormuz Passage for Crypto Payments
April 22 —— As the Strait of Hormuz opens and closes along with the political winds, a new warning is going out to ships to be cautious of emails offering safe passage in exchange for crypto payments. Although Iranian officials had outlined the payment plan, Greek security consultancy Marisks warned that scammers are getting in on the act.
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In a safety briefing seen by Reuters, Marisks reports it has reviewed emails being sent out offering safe passage in exchange for the payments. It says that the messages it reviewed were scams and were definitely not coming from Iranian authorities. Iran had proposed the payment scheme in March, with reports that it was demanding up to $2 million paid either in cryptocurrency or the Chinese Yuan. Bloomberg reported the process, saying ships had to apply for permission and would be subjected to a safety check.
The actual price for passage, they said, was on a sliding scale with favored nationalities receiving the best terms. After making the payment, the ships were being given, in effect, a PIN to transmit when they reached a position near Larak Island. Ships were also reportedly being given a specific time to start their passage.
Iranian media quoted a member of parliament saying, “Now, because war has costs, naturally we must do this and take transit fees from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.” Iran said it also confirmed its “authority” over the Strait. It is unclear how many ships have actually made the payments. Countries such as India have asserted they were not making the payments, although their ships have been permitted to exit the Persian Gulf. Some of the ships are traveling to the Iranian side of the Strait and obeying the new route spelled out by Iran, while others have hugged the coast of Oman.
Marisks reported that at least one ship has fallen for the fake emails. According to Reuters, the vessel attempted to approach the Strait for exit on Saturday after transmitting its payment. Iranian gunboats, however, fired on the ship and told it that it did not have permission for the passage. As of Sunday, Iran has again asserted the Strait is entirely closed, although tracking shows a small number of ships have continued to transit. More are thought to be making the passage “dark” to evade the Iranians.
The status of the Strait of Hormuz is seen as one of the biggest stumbling blocks to resolving the conflict. Iran wants to retain control as it is one of its few remaining levers against the West. Donald Trump has alternated between demanding free passage for all and proposing that he, along with the Iranians, might ultimately control the Strait and set the fees.
Source: maritime-executive.com
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Shipping Through Hormuz Remains Mostly Halted
April 22 —— Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained broadly halted with only three ships passing the waterway in the past 24 hours, shipping data showed.
A U.S. blockade of Iranian ports has infuriated Tehran, prompting it to maintain its own restrictions on the strait, which had been typically handling roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply.
The Ean Spir products tanker, which had no known flag or known ownership, sailed through Hormuz on Tuesday after previously calling at an Iraqi port, ship tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform showed.
The Lian Star cargo ship, which had no known flag or known ownership, also sailed through the strait from an Iranian port, the data showed.
Separately, the Meda liquefied petroleum gas tanker, which had called at a United Arab Emirates port in the Gulf and also had no known flag or ownership, crossed the strait on Monday in its second attempt to leave the Gulf after turning back previously, according to satellite analysis from data analytics specialists SynMax.
Those are a fraction of the 140 ships that sailed through daily before the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran began on February 28. More than a dozen tankers passed through the strait after Iran briefly declared it open on Friday, before Tehran announced it was closed on Saturday, firing shots at vessels. “Even vessels that seemingly check the publicly known boxes for successful transit through both blockades, can find themselves in danger and unable to pass,” shipbroker BRS said in a note this week.
A ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appeared in jeopardy on Tuesday with Tehran not committing to join new peace talks and the U.S. military saying it had seized a tanker linked to Iran in international waters.
SEAFARERS’ LIVES AT RISK
Hundreds of ships and 20,000 seafarers remain stuck inside the Gulf unable to sail. “We cannot put at risk the lives of the seafarers,” Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the UN’s shipping agency, told reporters on the sidelines of Singapore’s maritime week on Tuesday. “We saw what happened last weekend, that on Friday, when some ships started to sail. Then there was an announcement that the strait was closed, and then some ships were actually targeted. Thankfully, we didn’t have any casualties and there was no damage to the vessels.”
Iran’s army said an Iranian tanker had entered its territorial waters from the Arabian Sea on Monday with help from the Iranian Navy, despite what it described as repeated warnings and threats from the U.S. naval task force.
Shipbroker BRS estimated that 61 non-Iran-related supertankers were trapped inside the Gulf at present, 50 of which were laden with cargoes of up to 2 million barrels each. “At a time when the world is desperate for crude oil, an additional 2 million barrels slipping out of the Middle East Gulf would be gratefully received,” BRS said.
MILITARY MEETING
Military planners from more than 30 countries will hold two-day talks in London from Wednesday to advance a mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and draw up detailed plans, the British government said. More than a dozen countries said last week they were willing to join an international mission, led by Britain and France, to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz when conditions permit.
The commitment came after some 50 countries from Europe, Asia and the Middle East joined a video conference aimed at sending a signal to Washington after U.S. President Donald Trump said he did not need allies’ help.
Britain’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement the meeting on Wednesday would build on progress made at last week’s talks. “The task, today and tomorrow, is to translate the diplomatic consensus into a joint plan to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Strait and support a lasting ceasefire,” said UK defense minister John Healey. “I am confident that, over the next two days, real progress can be made.”
Britain said the talks would advance military plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz once conditions allow, following a sustainable ceasefire. Participants are expected to discuss military capabilities, command and control arrangements, and how forces could deploy to the region.
Source: marinelink.com
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Cruise Ship Reports “Splash” in Strait as Five Ships Escape Persian Gulf
April 22 —— Taking advantage of the relative calm with the current ceasefire and reports that the Strait of Hormuz is open, the first of the cruise ships began their outward journey. Six cruise ships had been caught inside the Persian Gulf when hostilities began and have remained for the past 47 days alongside at ports including Port Rashid, UAE, and Doha, Qatar, while their passengers were repatriated.
Three cruise ships, MSC Cruises’ MSC Euribia (184,000 gross tons), and the sister ships Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 (each 99,000 gross tons) were seen on AIS sailing together on Saturday through the Strait of Hormuz. The ships were staying on the southern side, remaining in Omani waters.
The master of one of the cruise ships reported to the monitoring operation UKMTO (UK Maritime Trade Operations) that it saw a “splash” close to the ship. It happened when they were approximately three nautical miles east of Oman. It is unclear if a missile or drone was fired, but it came after UKMTO received reports that a containership was struck in the Strait and IRGC speedboats shot at a tanker. Iran said on Saturday that the Strait is again closed due to violations in the ceasefire, just a day after both the Iranians and Donald Trump declared the Strait open.
The first of the cruise ships to begin the exit sailings was the Celestyal Discovery (42,289 gross tons), which departed from Port Rashid on April 17 and successfully transited the Strait into the Gulf of Oman on her way to Muscat. Built in 2003, the ship was acquired by Celestyal in 2024 as part of its two-ship fleet. Her running mate, Celestyal Journey (55,819 gross tons), began the transit several hours later, departing from Doha, on her way to the Strait and then to Oman.
For a small company, getting its two ships out of the Persian Gulf and starting the repositioning is critical for Celestyal. The company was forced to cancel its revenue trips through the end of April and hopes to resume commercial service at the beginning of May in the Greek Islands. Celestyal Journey has a capacity for a total of 1,360 passengers, and Celestyal Explorer has a capacity for 1,260 passengers. The two ships in total have a normal complement of just over 1,000 crew.
While making statements to assure the travel community that it was still financially strong, Celestyal also told UK regulators that it was reviewing parts of its business. It had said that due to the financial strain and the uncertainty on the restart, it was looking at possibly a small downsizing of parts of its business.
Hours after the first Celestyal ship appeared to have made the transit, and Donald Trump and the Iranians said the Strait of Hormuz was open to all ships, more cruise ships also got underway. Reports are that the MSC Cruises’ MSC Euribia had to first refuel before she got underway. Similarly, Mein Schiff 5 (99,000 gross tons), operated by the partnership between TUI Group and Royal Caribbean Group, also got underway from Doha bound for Oman, and was followed by her sister ship, Mein Schiff 4.
One other cruise ship, Aroya (150,695 gross tons), has not gotten underway, although its AIS shows that it would be repositioning from Dammam to outside the Strait, going to Fujairah, both in Saudi Arabia. Aroya, registered in Malta, is operated by a company set up by Cruise Saudi. She had been scheduled to reposition to the Mediterranean for the summer season.
MSC days ago proposed that its cruise ship could possibly be used to evacuate stranded crewmembers or others from the Gulf region. As late as the beginning of this week, it said it was uncertain when the ship would be able to leave the Persian Gulf.
All the ships were able to repatriate their passengers, but it is unclear what the different cruise lines did with their crews. TUI had reported that it repatriated the crews from its two ships, leaving only skeleton crews aboard.
Once the ships exit the Persian Gulf, the cruise line faces another safety decision. Celestyal and Aroya had run their ships through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb despite the safety concerns from the Houthis. TUI, however, had sent its ships around Africa. All the ships will be sailing just with crew, but so far, only Celestyal Discovery is showing a route to the Suez Canal. TUI and MSC have not said how they will route the ships to the Mediterranean.
The Middle East had been a strong market for the cruise industry, especially for repositioning ships from Europe for winter season cruises. MSC Cruises, however, has already announced its plan to reposition its ships for next year away from the Persian Gulf and the Middle East. MSC World Europa (215,863 gross tons), which was scheduled to sail between November 2026 and April 2027 in the Persian Gulf, will make her first appearance in the Caribbean for a replacement season sailing from Martinique and Guadeloupe.
It is anticipated that other cruise lines that had planned to sail next year in the Persian Gulf will also reposition their ships for alternate destinations.
Source: maritime-executive.com
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PHILIPPINE NEWS
Allied Canada, Australia, US ships maneuver in South China Sea
MANILA, Philippines, April 22 —— Australia, Canada and the United States conducted multilateral operations in the South China Sea, adding to allied military activity in the region as the Philippines and the US prepared to open this year’s Balikatan exercises.
The US Pacific Fleet said ships from the Royal Australian Navy, Royal Canadian Armed Forces and US Navy carried out operations in support of a “free and open Indo-Pacific.” The Pacific Fleet said the operations took place from April 12 to 18, although the exact timing and specific location of each activity were not disclosed.
Participating war ships included the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Toowoomba, the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Charlottetown, a Royal Canadian Air Force Super Puma helicopter and the US Navy dock landing ship USS Ashland with embarked Marines from Task Force Ashland. The US Navy said the vessels conducted tactical maneuvers, helicopter cross-decks and personnel exchanges during their combined transit through the South China Sea.
Cmdr. Adam Peeples, commanding officer of USS Ashland, said the operations gave allied forces “any chance to engage with our allies and friends” while improving interoperability and information-sharing. Peeples also said the sailors and Marines involved were “dedicated to supporting regional security.”
Balikatan backdrop
The operations came shortly before the April 20 opening of Balikatan, the annual Philippines-US military exercises that run until May 8. This year’s US-Philippines Balikatan is the largest-ever iteration of the joint drills, with more than 17,000 personnel from the Philippines, the United States and allied countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Japan and New Zealand.
The expanded exercises are expected to test maritime strike, air and missile defense, multinational operations and live-fire scenarios across the Philippine archipelago. The South China Sea operations also build on earlier allied engagements, including the 2024 Rim of the Pacific exercises, where Australia, Canada and the US were among 29 nations that trained to improve cooperation in securing sea lanes, the US Navy said. The activities underscore continued allied presence in waters where Beijing asserts sweeping claims rejected by a 2016 arbitral ruling, and where the Philippines has repeatedly reported confrontations involving Chinese vessels.
Source: philstar.com
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PH can now access Japanese equipment with easing of restrictions
MANILA, April 22 —— Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the Philippines can now access quality military equipment from Japan following the release of its “Review of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology” and its “Implementation Guidelines,” which eliminated restrictions on military equipment transfers. “(This) will allow the Philippines to access defense articles of the highest quality and supportability, which will not only enable us to strengthen domestic resilience but also to contribute to regional stability through deterrence in a meaningful way,” Teodoro said in a statement.
He said this will allow the Philippines to secure its individual and collective rights and entitlements under international law through principled advocacy buttressed by deterrence. “We are also thankful for the OSA (Official Security Assistance) received and the assistance rendered by Japan when we are hit by natural calamities. We will continue the fruitful and impactful partnership and will be creative in proactively ensuring our mutual security goals in the coming period,” Teodoro said.
He said he is looking forward to the upcoming visit of Japan Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, where they will discuss anchoring mechanisms for a strong and responsive alliance. Earlier reports said the Japanese government has officially revised the “Review of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology” and its “Implementation Guidelines” to allow the export of weapons, including those with lethal capabilities. The changes have been approved by the Cabinet and the National Security Council.
The revisions scrapped rules that limit Japan’s defense equipment exports to five noncombat categories – rescue, transport, warning, surveillance, and minesweeping. Instead, defense equipment will be divided into “weapons” and “non-weapons” categories, based on whether they have lethal capability. While the revisions in principle prohibit the export of arms to countries where conflict is taking place, they do allow for exceptions “in special circumstances” that take into consideration Japan’s security needs.
Source: pna.gov.ph
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Romualdez denies role in 2025 budget graft; tags Chiz Escudero, Zaldy Co
April 22 —— Former Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez denied any role in the corruption related to the 2025 national budget, stressing there is “no evidence that proves that he committed plunder, conspiracy to commit plunder, or any similar offense that the Ombudsman may be contemplating against me.”
Romualdez released the video statement after the Office of the Ombudsman said it had asked the Sandiganbayan to issue a preventive hold departure order against the former leader of the House of Representatives. Speaker Faustino Dy III has given Romualdez clearance to travel to Singapore from April 20 to May 4 for a medical procedure, but Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla told reporters that he had denied Romualdez’s request.
The Ombudsman said Romualdez is being investigated for alleged plunder and money laundering in connection with alleged anomalous government infrastructure. As regards the allegations against him, Romualdez said he was authorizing the release of the affidavit he submitted and all supporting information “so that the Filipino people can judge for themselves who has been transparent, and who is simply being politically targeted.”
‘No role in bicam, small committee’
“How can I be the mastermind? I was the former Speaker of the House of Representatives. But the House of Representatives is only part of one branch of government: the legislature,” Romualdez said. “It is the product of a constitutional process involving the Executive, the House, and the Senate,” he added.
Romualdez argued that if he were indeed the mastermind, his district in Tacloban should have benefited the most. However, he maintained that there is not a single “ghost project” in his district. “To prove this point, I am authorizing my staff to release to the public the list of all projects in my district that authorities may deem attributable to me. Let the public scrutinize and verify them,” he said.
Romualdez said he was not a part of the bicameral conference committee and the small committee budget deliberations, where insertions were allegedly made after the budget process in the Senate and the House. “With respect to how the budget was deliberated in Congress, let me say this categorically: I was not a part of the BiCam and the Small Committee budget deliberations,” Romualdez said.
The former House speaker said he was only informed of the overall results of the budget deliberations, but not the specific details: “Yes, I was updated on the general outcomes of the deliberations, but I had no visibility into the specific details of the discussions, including the amendments or insertions approved during these closed-door deliberations.” “However, two people were instrumental in making those budget decisions: Chiz Escudero and Zaldy Co,” he added.
GMA News is getting comments from the camps of Escudero and Co and will publish them as soon as they are available. Romualdez added that if anyone bears command responsibility over the budget, it would be the Executive branch. “If corruption were to occur on the scale alleged in recent months, it is clear that it would not happen at the level of general legislative approval alone. It happens at the level of execution of the General Appropriations Act,” he said. “That is why command responsibility is more logically attributed to the Executive branch, where there is actual supervision, operational control, and on-the-ground implementation, rather than to a collegial legislative body whose constitutional role is deliberation and appropriation,” Romualdez added.
The former House Speaker also said he would not remain silent on the allegations against him. “I will not keep quiet anymore. I will face this head-on, and I will speak with facts. I did not hide. I did not run. I did not evade scrutiny,” Romualdez said. “I faced it head-on, within the proper channel, because I know there is no evidence that proves I committed plunder, conspiracy to commit plunder, or any similar offense that the Ombudsman may be contemplating against me,” he added.
‘Baka hindi bumalik, e’
Regarding the preemptive HDO, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said, “While the cases [complaints] are pending before the Office of the Ombudsman, the teams find it necessary to seek this remedy so as not to jeopardize the cases.” “They do not want the respondent to abscond and evade office processes. Based on the details on the Sandiganbayan website, the Ombudsman’s request for PHDO on Romualdez was raffled to the Seventh Division today, April 21,” Clavano said.
Remulla said Romualdez was supposed to have a check-up in Singapore. “They were trying to ask us to allow him to leave. But because we have a bulletin, a lookout order with Immigration about those who are under investigation, we did not respond favorably to the request that he be allowed to leave,” Remulla said. “Actually, they were burning the lines yesterday and up to this morning. I held my ground. I said, when you join the government, you already surrender your right to travel, especially to another jurisdiction, especially if you’re under investigation. Baka hindi na bumalik eh [He might not return],” he added.
‘I won’t be a scapegoat’
Romualdez then cited that the national budget is not drafted by the Speaker of the House alone but conceived collectively by all members of Congress. “I will not allow myself to be turned into the scapegoat so that others who are actually accountable can walk away clean. If this is a political play to push me out and close the story, tarnishing my name and my reputation, then I am telling everyone now: I will not go quietly, and I will not go alone,” Romualdez said. “I will not be the fall guy for other people’s corruption,” he added.
Romualdez said the national budget is not conceived, executed, implemented, bid out, supervised, and completed by one congressman or even by Congress alone. “There are emerging indications that certain sectors are attempting to weaponize individuals, including Zaldy Co, to construct a narrative that serves their own interests. So, when the legal process is being used against me as a political demolition job, then, I will have no choice but to defend myself,” he said. “And certainly not by the Speaker of the House. The budget deliberation does not stop in the House. The Senate also conducts its own deliberations, reviews its own version, and plays its own role in shaping the final budget,” Romualdez added.
He called on the Ombudsman to follow the evidence because public pressure is not tantamount to prosecutorial duty. “What I ask of the Office of the Ombudsman is simple: follow the rule of law and due process. This is a serious matter, and it should be handled with seriousness, not with haste, theatrics, or shortcuts,” Romualdez said. “I am ready and willing to respond to every allegation in the proper forum, through the proper pleadings, motions, and submissions that the law allows,” he added.
Source: gmanetwork.com
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Navotas landfill fire has grown to half the size of Rizal Park
MANILA, Philippines, April 22 —— A fire that broke out at a landfill in Navotas on April 10 has scorched an estimated 28.6 hectares as of April 16, according to satellite analysis released by the Philippine Space Agency.
The burned area in the inactive landfill is about half the size of Rizal Park, which spans around 58 hectares. The space agency said the estimated size of the burned area was based on a Sentinel-2C satellite image captured at 10:33 a.m. on April 16, six days after the fire was first reported.
The agency had mapped the affected area using near-infrared data, which can detect burned surfaces. The results were provided to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to support response operations, according to its news release. Maps are “subject to field validation,” the agency said, but it added that satellite imagery allows authorities to monitor large-scale disasters and prioritize areas for intervention.
The blaze has been contained within the facility perimeter since April 12 but has yet to be extinguished. As a result, seven Metro Manila cities have also recorded unhealthy air, based on the monitoring of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Air in Marikina and Valenzuela has been classified as “acutely unhealthy,” while Caloocan, Malabon, and parts of Quezon City are “very unhealthy.” Meanwhile, air in San Juan and Navotas is “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
PhilSA earlier said the landfill haze has reached as far as Bataan. The Navotas landfill has been non-operational since August 2025.
Source: philstar.com
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No toll, port fees for farmers, traders
April 22 —— MALACAÑANG called on national agencies and local governments to help truckers of farm produce take advantage of lower toll and port fees to fast-track the movement of food products.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said this was in line with the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to cushion the impact of high oil prices on food products. The government started implementing on April 20 a monthlong toll holiday for food trucks. They were also exempted from truck bans and delivery fees to ease logistics costs and help temper food prices. “This begins with the speedy accreditation of farmers and traders who are qualified for the toll fee waiver,” Recto said in a statement. “Unnecessary and unreasonable stopping and inspection of food trucks by police and LGU (local government unit) checkpoints should also stop because it delays travel and wastes fuel,” he added.
Recto said that reducing delivery time was critical, especially during the peak harvest season when produce was highly perishable. He said “toll and port fees holiday” formed part of a broader government response to mitigate the impact of rising oil prices on food costs, including fuel subsidies for farmers and fisherfolk, and direct procurement of produce by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Under the DA’s Food Lane Program, 1,162 accredited trucks can transport up to 7 million kilos of food daily to major markets. “The DA’s goal is to encourage the 3,100 truckers previously registered to get their easy-to-renew accreditation,” Recto said. The Philippine Ports Authority also reduced roll-on, roll-off terminal fees for agricultural cargo vehicles to P1, down from as much as P516, while the Maritime Industry Authority cut regulatory fees by up to 75 percent to support interisland transport. Recto said these interventions aimed to reduce logistics costs, which added an estimated P5 to P7 per kilo to food prices.
Source: manilatimes.net
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Philippines has 52 days of oil supply, Palace says
MANILA, April 22 —— The Philippines has 52 days of oil supply, according to the Palace.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Bongbong Marcos Jr reiterated his order to ensure the continuous supply of petroleum products in the country. “At pinagpilitan ng Pangulo sa ating Secretary of Energy, kay Secretary Sharon na dapat na hindi maputol ang suplay ng krudo o produktong petrolyo sa atin dahil ayaw po ng Pangulo ang stagnation,” Castro said. “Nagkakaroon na po ng inflation dahil po bunga ito ng sigalot sa Middle East so ayaw po na dumating pa sa estado ng stagnation kaya kinakailangan po na ang suplay ng krudo ay manatili at tuluy-tuloy sa ating bansa,” Castro added.
Marcos on Tuesday led the fourth meeting of the UPLIFT Committee, where heads of agencies talked about the ongoing government response to the Middle East Crisis. So far, 471,000 barrels of oil have been delivered to the country, while another 1 million barrels or orders have been confirmed. Meanwhile, more than 977,000 PUV drivers were extended assistance, while 373,000 have benefited from the fuel subsidy program. “Para naman tiyakin na matatag ang ating suplay ng kuryente, kasalukuyan nang pinabibilis ang paggawa ng 22 renewable energy projects na may katumbas na 1,471 megawatts capacity habang nasa 86.89% na sa 665 government agencies ang compliant sa energy-saving measures ng pamahalaan,” Castro said. “Nasa 2,933 agencies and entities din ang sumusunod sa flexible work arrangements upang makatipid sa petrolyo at kuryente,” she added.
The Department of Migrant Workers is set to launch a microsite about the government’s aid to those affected by the crisis. “Gumagawa na po ng microsite ang DMW at ipinakita po ‘to sa Pangulo ngunit sa ngayon ay ito ay pina-finalize para po mapakita sa taumbayan kung anong ayuda at ano po ang mga programang nagawa na at gagawin pa,” Castro said. “Most probably by next week at iimbitahin po natin mismo ang pamunuan dito ng DMW kapag po natapos na po ito para maipakita sa taumbayan kung papaano ito magwo-work,” the press officer added.
More than 4,000 OFWs and 1300 dependents have been repatriated since the Middle East conflict began.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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Warm, humid weather across PH Wednesday
MANILA, April 22 —— The prevailing easterlies will continue to cause warm and humid weather across the archipelago, the weather bureau said. “Fair weather will prevail. Expect it to be warm and humid, especially in the afternoon,” weather specialist Chenel Dominguez of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
Dominguez added that isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms are still possible, especially in the afternoon or evening. Forecast temperatures could peak at 36°C in Tuguegarao, and 34°C in Metro Manila, Davao, and Zamboanga. The heat index, or the temperature felt by the human body when relative humidity combines with actual air temperature, could peak at 42°C in Aparri, Cagayan.
The heat index in parts of Metro Manila could reach 37°C to 38°C. “High temperature poses health risks. Avoid going outdoors. Drink lots of water and wear light-colored clothes,” Dominguez said. Meanwhile, no low-pressure area is being monitored for possible tropical cyclone formation. Moderate winds and moderate coastal seas will continue to prevail across the eastern sections of Southern Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate with slight to moderate coastal waters.
Source: pna.gov.ph
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PCSO: No winners of major lotto jackpot draws last night
April 22 —— There were no winners of the major jackpot prizes drawn by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) last night.
The prize for Ultra Lotto 6/58 of P75,000,000.00 remained untouched. The winning numbers are 58-34-43-05-40-03. For Superlotto 6/49, no one picked the correct combination of 45-10-36-43-13-19 that would have yielded the jackpot prize of P25,000,000. No one correctly guessed the Lotto 6/42 numbers of 22-04-33-11-09-15 to bring home the P17,860,503.83 pot.
Source: gmanetwork.com
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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
SexBomb Girls ‘Get, Get Aw!’ concert Final rAWnd moves to MOA Arena
April 22 —— The SexBomb Girls announced that the “Final rAWnd” of their Get, Get Aw! concert on April 30 will now be held at the Mall of Asia Arena. The show was originally scheduled to take place at the SMDC Festival Grounds.
Rochelle Pangilinan shared the update on Instagram on April 17. “Sa mga pinalaki ng SexBomb… ito na talaga! FINAL rAWnd — 1 NIGHT ONLY!! Paglipat natin sa mas malamig… mas lalong umiinit ang laban,” she posted. The dancer-actress added, “Unahan na sa kung sino ang makakasaksi ng huling rAWnd ng SexBomb Girls. Kita-kits. Get get aww! PUKSAAN NAAA!!”
Ticket prices for the MOA Arena concert are as follows:
SVIP (Reserved Seating) – ₱7,600
MOSHPIT (Floor Standing) – ₱6,150
Gold (Floor Standing) – ₱4,500
Silver (Free Seating) – ₱2,800
Bronze (Free Seating) – ₱800
Fans online were quick to react to the news. “Yay! MOA Arena! Just secured tickets for me and my girls! Laban na! 🔥 kita-kits mga pinalaki ng sexbomb!” one fan wrote.
Meanwhile, on April 20, Rochelle reflected on her journey with the group as the final show nears. “10 days na lang. Hindi ko alam kung anong uunahin ko… pagod ng isip kakaisip ng bagong prod para sa FINAL rAWnd, o pagod ng katawan kakaaral ng steps at kanta. Hindi ko alam… pero nalulungkot ako. Kasi alam kong pagkatapos nito—tapos na,” she admitted.
She also opened up about the emotional weight of the group’s final performances. “Oo, may world tour pa… pero pagkatapos nun, maghihiwalay na ulit kami. Mauulit pa kaya ito? Mauulit pa kaya yung ganitong pagod… na nakakaiyak pero punong-puno ng pagmamahal? May mga gabi na bigla na lang may bumabara sa lalamunan ko… biglang maiipon yung luha… kasi ramdam ko na— huling laban na. Babalik na ulit kami sa kanya-kanya naming buhay,” she shared. “At hindi ko maiaalis… mahal ko ang mga babaeng ‘to. Away-bati, oo. Pero sa huli… alam naming mahal namin ang isa’t isa.”
Amid the emotional weight, Rochelle revealed what drives her to keep going. “Siguro kaya ko pa rin nilalabanan ang pagod— kasi gusto ko silang bigyan ng isang napakagandang alaala. Na balang araw, sa pagtanda namin… may maikukuwento kami sa mga apo namin— na minsan… nanalo kami sa laban,” she remarked. Rochelle also expressed gratitude to their longtime supporters. “At higit sa lahat— para sa inyo. Sa lahat ng Pinalaki ng Sexbomb na sumuporta mula noon hanggang ngayon… kayo ang dahilan kung bakit umabot kami hanggang dito.”
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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BINI and SB19 nominated at SEC Awards 2026
April 22 —— BINI and SB19 are continuously taking over the world, one stage at a time. The two pop powerhouses have been nominated for International Group/Duo of the Year at the SEC Awards 2026 in Brazil, thrilling Blooms and A’TIN while proving that OPM deserves a place on the global music scene.
The SEC Awards, a major Brazilian award show honoring music, film, television, and internet culture, announced the nominations on April 20 on its social media accounts. Both BINI and SB19 are up for nominations alongside international acts including BLACKPINK, BTS, Le Sserafim, Monsta X, and KATSEYE. SB19’s recent collaborator, Japanese boy group BE:FIRST, for their song “Toyfriend” also secured a nomination in the same category.
This is a milestone moment for the Nation’s Girl Group, as this serves as their first-ever nomination at the Brazilian-based awards show. Meanwhile, SB19 has been nominated for the SEC Awards every year since 2022 and won the title in 2022, 2024, and 2025. They were also nominated in 2023 but lost to BLACKPINK.
The timing of the nominations is perfect for both groups, as BINI recently made history as the first all-Filipino group to perform at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. They are also scheduled to appear at the GRAMMY Museum’s “Global Spin Live” on April 21 and will be recognized at Billboard’s “Women in Music” with the Global Force Award on April 29.
SB19, on the other hand, just capped off their grandest concert yet with the Wakas at Simula: The Trilogy Concert Finale. The group will also perform at Summer Sonic in Japan this year and will make history as the first Filipino group to take the stage at Lollapalooza in Grant Park, Chicago, United States.
Apart from the Group/Duo of the Year category, the SEC Awards will also be honoring several acts for other categories including Star in Reality Show, International Reality Show Star, Movie of the Year, Series of the Year, International Series of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, International Music of the Year, and Song of the Year.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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Vic and Vice fuel MMFF buzz
April 22 —— This early, showbiz is abuzz with talks about a possible collaboration between Bossing Vic Sotto and the Unkabogable Vice Ganda for a Metro Manila Film Festival entry this year. If true, does that mean the former “Eat Bulaga” host will revert to his tried-and-tested comedy flicks, which were a festival staple for many years?
Vice, of course, is the main host of “It’s Showtime.” Seeing rival noontime show hosts in a movie — double the magnitude — is not only a welcome idea but also expected to make a killing at the box office. Are Vic and Vice indeed teaming up for a still-untitled film intended especially for kids, and thereby reminiscent of the MMFF’s glorious past? Again, if so, are Vic’s MZet Productions and Viva Films on Vice Ganda’s side, cashing in on this stupendous project?
Meanwhile, the MMFF has already released the deadlines: May 15 for participating film producers’ letters of intent; script submission on or before 5 p.m. on June 30; and the finished film on or before 5 p.m. on September 30.
Source: manilatimes.net
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SPORTS NEWS
PBA: Phoenix rises, hands Rain or Shine first loss
MANILA, April 22 —— The Phoenix Fuel Masters mounted a come-from-behind victory to hand the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters their first loss in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup, 87-83 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Charles Tiu’s wards rallied from an 18-point deficit to secure their second straight win, led by Tyler Tio, who had 16 points, five assists, and two rebounds, and Jason Perkins, who posted a team-high 20 markers with three boards. “We just challenged the team at halftime. Parang na-‘Space Jam’ kami, biglang hindi kami maka-shoot,” said Tiu, as Phoenix shot just 13-of-47 (27.7%) from the field and 1-of-21 (4.8%) from beyond the arc in the first half.
Fortunately for the College of Saint Benilde mentor, his team found its rhythm in the third period. In that span, Phoenix shot 52.6% in the frame and hit four of its eight attempts from three-point range to cut its 29-44 halftime deficit to just three, 61-64. The Fuel Masters kept the momentum going in the fourth quarter, with Perkins and Tio knocking down back-to-back triples at the 8:33 mark to give Phoenix a 70-68 lead. While it turned into a back-and-forth affair, Phoenix delivered a decisive six-to-nothing surge with 4:21 remaining to build an 84-78 cushion, capped by another Perkins basket.
The Elasto Painters still managed to pull within one possession, 83-87, following a basket by Gian Mamuyac with 38 seconds left. However, despite getting another chance to force overtime with 6.4 seconds remaining, Rain or Shine faltered as Phoenix’s defense forced Caelan Tiongson into a difficult four-point attempt that fell short. James Dickey also impressed for the Fuel Masters with 17 points and 19 rebounds, while Evan Nelle and Ricci Rivero added 12 and 11 markers, respectively, as they recorded their fifth win in eight tries.
On the other hand, Adrian Nocum finished with a game-high 20 points, while Jaylen Johnson backed him up with 12 points, 19 rebounds, and seven assists in the loss.
The Scores:
Phoenix 87 – Perkins 20, Dickey 17, Tio 16, Nelle 12, Rivero 11, Delos Santos 4, Tuffin 3, Santos 2, Escandor 2, Ynot 0, Daves 0.
Rain or Shine 83 – Nocum 20, Johnson 12, Mamuyac 11, Clarito 9, Asistio 6, David 6, Tiongson 5, Roque 5, Villegas 3, Caracut 2, Malonzo 2, Santillan 2, Manaytay 0.
Quarterscores: 16-18, 29-44, 61-64, 87-83.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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PVL: Creamline dominates Cignal in Game 1 sweep, inches closer to All-Filipino crown
MANILA, April 22 —— Creamline overwhelmed Cignal with a sweep in Game 1 of the Finals, 25-22, 25-18, 25-16, to inch closer to the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference title at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
There was no hitting on the brakes for the Cool Smashers, who are in the Finals for the 15th time, attacking with precision and focus from start to finish in the opener. Leading the way was Jema Galanza, who registered 17 points built on 16 attacks to go with 13 excellent receptions, while Bernadeth Pons was the other player in twin-digit scoring, firing 11 points and also anchored the defense with 15 excellent digs. They had a better attacking clip, converting 46 spikes on 167 attempts, whereas the Super Spikers nailed 38 attacks on more tries with 174. Pulling the strings altogether was Creamline’s main playmaker Jia de Guzman, who listed 22 excellent sets. “Siyempre sobrang happy kasi three sets namin nakuha ‘yung Cignal — malaking benefit, kasi one day preparation lang sa Game 2. So, makakapag-rest kami nang maganda, then makapag-training kasi ‘di pa naman tapos ‘yung laban. Pero siyempre, big advantage sa amin,” said coach Sherwin Meneses during the postgame press conference.
Another aspect of the game that spelled the difference was the opposition’s errors, as the Super Spikers committed 22 mistakes, while the Cool Smashers only gave 12. The PVL powerhouse club has a chance to close it out in Game 2 this Thursday, April 23. Across the taraflex was Cignal, which fell to a 0-1 hole, hoping to force another affair in the Finals. Pacing the losing cause was Vanie Gandler, who had 17 points and 10 receptions, while Erika Santos chipped in 10 points and 10 digs.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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Timberwolves battle back to stun Nuggets in NBA playoffs
LOS ANGELES, April 22 —— Anthony Edwards scored 30 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves staged a double-digit fightback for a series-leveling 119-114 upset of the Denver Nuggets in the NBA playoffs.
A titanic duel in Denver saw the Wolves overturn an early 19-point deficit before a clinical fourth-quarter display sealed a crucial victory in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series. The Nuggets, 116-105 winners in game one on Saturday, picked up where they left off with a blistering first-quarter performance that pushed them into a 39-25 lead. But the Timberwolves bounced back in the second quarter to tie the game 64-64 at halftime before edging the second half.
Edwards was backed by 24 points from Julius Randle while Donte DiVincenzo added 16. Jamal Murray led the Denver scoring with 30 points while Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists. “We did what we expected to do,” Randle said. “When you’re coming on the road to start a series you want to steal one. So we did that, and now we go home and we’ve got two days to get our bodies right.”
CJ McCollum scored 32 points and led a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback as the Atlanta Hawks overturned a 12-point deficit to score a series-leveling 107-106 defeat of the New York Knicks. Atlanta looked poised to fall 2-0 down in the series after trailing a confident Knicks line-up by as much as 14 points in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. But the Hawks roared back to life in the fourth quarter, hauling themselves back into the contest with an 11-0 run to take a 103-100 lead with under two minutes remaining.
A Jalen Brunson three-pointer tied it at 103-103 but McCollum calmly nailed a fadeaway jump shot to put Atlanta back in front before Jalen Johnson’s dunk gave the Hawks a 107-103 lead with 10 seconds remaining. Another Brunson three-pointer cut the lead to 107-106 to set up a frantic finale, but Mikal Bridges missed an attempted buzzer-beater for New York and Atlanta claimed the win.
Donovan Mitchell and James Harden combined for 58 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors 115-105 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference series. Fourth seeds Cleveland, convincing 126-113 victors in game one on Saturday, once again proved too strong for fifth-seeded Toronto as they powered to a wire-to-wire victory. Mitchell scored 30 points including four three-pointers while Harden finished with 28 points, five rebounds and four assists. Evan Mobley also had a big night for the Cavs, weighing in with 25 points from an efficient 11-of-13 shooting display.
The Cavs’ victory provided more evidence that the offensive partnership between Mitchell and the 36-year-old Harden, who was traded to the team in February, is blossoming at the right time for Cleveland. “He’s been doing it a little bit longer than me but we’ve still been doing it for a long time — just trying to find ways to win,” Mitchell said of Harden. “Whether it’s passing, it’s rebounding, getting stops — when you have two guys who are trying to chase the same thing, it definitely helps for sure,” Mitchell added.
Toronto’s scoring was led by Scottie Barnes with 26 points while RJ Barrett added 22. Game three of the series takes place in Toronto on Thursday.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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FEATURED ARTICLE
Practicing mindful social media use onboard
Social media is a powerful tool. It helps you stay connected with loved ones but can also affect your mental well-being if not used mindfully.
Scrolling through posts of friends and family celebrating birthdays, holidays, or special events can sometimes create feelings of missing out, as highlighted by The Swedish Club in collaboration with Mental Health Support Solutions (MHSS).
Connect meaningfully
• Instead of endlessly scrolling, prefer to:
• reach out to family members directly
• send a message to a loved one and ask how their day went.
• plan something special for when you return home.
5 principles to balance social media and boost soft skills
#1 Set boundaries
Limit social media use by setting screen time restrictions and taking regular breaks
#2 Practice self-awareness
Take time for self-reflection and mindfulness to build emotional intelligence
#3 Engage in offline activities
Develop hobbies that require focus and interaction, such as reading
#4 Improve digital well-being
Unfollow accounts that trigger negative emotions and follow content that inspires and educates
#5 Sleep hygiene
Avoid screens before bed to improve sleep quality and cognitive function
Source: wwww.safety4sea.com