Here are the latest news and features as Filipinos prepare on Saturday, October 31, 2026, for the observance of All Saints' Day on November 1.
Oct 30, 2026
PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – – Authorities confiscated a wing van loaded with some 481 sacks of illegally sourced mineral ore during a joint operation by the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO)-Sindangan, Office of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (OPENRO), and the Sindangan Municipal Police Station on Thursday, Oct. 29.
ILIGAN CITY — A vehicle reportedly being used for barangay rescue operations was found transporting around P800,000 worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes when police intercepted it at a checkpoint along Macapagal Highway in Barangay Suarez here on Thursday afternoon, October 29. Police said personnel of the Iligan City Mobile Force Company (ICMFC), led by Lt.
MANILA, Philippines — North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corp. is preparing to implement counterflow operations as more motorists head north for Undas, with traffic expected to build from Friday afternoon, Oct. 30, through Saturday, Oct. 31. To manage the expected influx of motorists, NLEX is prepared to implement counterflow when needed, assistant vice president for traffic
LEGAZPI CITY, Albay — Four natural and historical sites in Albay province are being eyed for development as sustainable tourism destinations under bills sponsored by Rep. Raymond Adrian Salceda. The proposed measures seek to generate jobs, protect the environment and preserve local heritage while promoting tourism beyond the province’s main attraction, Mayon Volcano. Salceda sponsored
COTABATO CITY — Newly elected Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua on Friday called on all political leaders, including his opponents, to work with his administration in serving the Bangsamoro people. In his inaugural speech following his election over MP Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and his former
Prisons, once widely regarded as undesirable facilities, are now drawing competition from local governments seeking to revive shrinking communities and struggling economies. Seven municipal governments are competing to host four new correctional facilities as part of the Ministry of Justice’s first nationwide competitive bidding process for prison sites. The ministry launched a nationwide call for applications on Aug. 28, marking the first time it has used a competitive bidding process to select sites for new correctional facilities. Previously, sites were chosen through consultations between the ministry and local governments. Under the new system, municipalities must seek residents' input and obtain approval from their local councils before submitting bids. The four planned facilities will each have a capacity of 1,000 inmates and employ around 250 staff members. Seven local governments have joined the race, including the counties of Yeongyang, Cheongsong, Yeongdeok and Uiseong in North Gyeongsang Province, the city of Jecheon and Boeun County in North Chungcheong Province and Jeongse
Korea is stepping up its efforts to help retired working dogs find forever homes by building a comprehensive, state-funded safety net designed to ease the steep financial burden on adoptive families. Under an expanded initiative led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the government is introducing direct medical subsidies, discounted veterinary care, and dedicated hospice facilities to ensure these canine public servants are cared for after their service ends. Roughly 1,100 working dogs currently serve across six government bodies, including the military, police, fire services, customs and quarantine inspection. Among them, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency alone operates approximately 70 specialized detector dogs at key international travel hubs. For years, private adoption for retired working dogs faced steep hurdles. Specialized breeds like beagles, Labradors, and Malinois typically retire around age 8 after six to eight years of active duty. Upon retirement, adoptive owners are left with high medical costs for joint issues, dental problems and chronic ailment
"Whenever you talk to an employee in their 20s, it's probably best to assume the entire conversation is being recorded." It is a warning increasingly shared among Korean managers in their 40s and 50s as they try to make sense of a generation of young employees whose workplace habits can seem baffling — and sometimes unsettling — to their bosses. Some older managers see low loyalty to the company and a lack of respect for senior colleagues. Gen Z workers, however, see something very different: a desire for clear communication, boundaries between work and private life and relationships based less on hierarchy. From recording conversations with bosses and avoiding unnecessary apologies to skipping team lunches and continuing to use honorific speech even with close colleagues, young Koreans are quietly rewriting some of the unwritten rules that have long governed the country's offices. Why record a conversation with your boss? For some middle managers, discovering that a young employee is recording a conversation without saying anything can be uncomfortable. Some even wonder whether the em
"I think the fall is getting to me." That's what a friend told me on the phone recently. "You're middle-aged now, and suddenly you're getting the autumn blues?" I said jokingly. He laughed awkwardly, then began telling me about his life lately. Seeing the darkening sky on his way home from work drains his energy. Once home, he lies on the couch and does nothing. Even after sleeping in on weekends, he doesn't feel refreshed. And after dinner, he finds himself reaching for bread and snacks. As I listened, I began to wonder whether it was really something that could simply be blamed on the season. In Korea, the expression "gaeul tada," literally "to be affected by autumn," carries a certain romanticism. It describes that wistful feeling that arrives with falling leaves, when even a familiar song can unexpectedly stir the emotions. But persistent sadness and lethargy, along with losing interest in hobbies once enjoyed, are a long way from romantic autumn melancholy. According to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a "type of depression characterize
It is generally considered less risky for companies to first establish a robust consumer base in the country where they are based, giving them a comfort zone for operations like marketing, administration and customer service. Expanding into overseas markets would be a logical next step. Major Korean firms almost always follow this approach, building operational know-how and a strong domestic following before venturing into uncharted territories. Global expansion has become increasingly encouraging for Korean beauty and food firms thanks to their growing presence on the global stage. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Korean beauty exports hit a record $11.4 billion in 2025, up 24.5 percent from 2021. Korean food exports also reached a record in 2025 at $10.4 billion, up 21.9 percent over the same period, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The booming global trade in these industries has encouraged some small and medium-sized Korean companies to aim high from the outset, targeting international consumers rather than the domestic market. These
MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday said it ordered the preventive suspension of five project engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) amid its ongoing investigation involving three flood control projects in Bulacan. In a statement, the ombudsman identified the five engineers as Irene Ontingco, Kevin Geronimo, John
In May, Donald Trump touring Beijing’s Temple of Heaven – bathed in golden light as traditional Chinese music played in the background – was an unlikely image of US-China relations. For Julian Gewirtz, a former China official on president Joe Biden’s National Security Council, it also had a familiar Gen Z twist. “Trump, strange as it is to say, is Chinamaxxing,” he wrote in a Substack post at the time. The social media trend celebrates the features of Chinese life, from high-speed trains and...