Ombudsman bares probe of Cagayan lawmaker Lara, kin

Inquirer.net - Oct 18, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Saturday said it had initiated a preliminary investigation of Cagayan Rep. Joseph Lasam Lara and members of his family over alleged financial interests in construction companies that bagged billions of pesos worth of government contracts. In a statement, the Ombudsman said the Laras were being investigated

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Erwin Tulfo on 3 ‘backstabbing’ peers: ‘Tsk, tsk, tsk’

Oct 18, 2026

Erwin Tulfo on 3 ‘backstabbing’ peers: ‘Tsk, tsk, tsk’

MANILA, Philippines — Using a cartoon, Sen. Erwin Tulfo lamented how “backstabbing” peers who sit on the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) continued to support a move to unseat him. While he did not outrightly name them, Tulfo on Saturday took a swipe at his fellow senators who he said continued to seek his ouster over

Ombudsman bares probe of Cagayan lawmaker Lara, kin

Oct 18, 2026

Ombudsman bares probe of Cagayan lawmaker Lara, kin

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Saturday said it had initiated a preliminary investigation of Cagayan Rep. Joseph Lasam Lara and members of his family over alleged financial interests in construction companies that bagged billions of pesos worth of government contracts. In a statement, the Ombudsman said the Laras were being investigated

Development banks pledge support in 1st Manila meeting

Oct 18, 2026

Development banks pledge support in 1st Manila meeting

MANILA, Philippines — The heads of 10 multilateral development banks (MDBs) agreed to expand their financing capacity to help developing countries like the Philippines weather mounting economic pressures from geopolitical conflicts and increasingly severe climate disasters. In their first-ever meeting in the country on Saturday, the bank leaders pledged to strengthen cooperation in mobilizing private

18 including 8 Chinese nabbed for illegal mining in Surigao City

Oct 18, 2026

18 including 8 Chinese nabbed for illegal mining in Surigao City

MANILA, Philippines — Eighteen individuals, including eight Chinese, were arrested on Saturday in Surigao City during a joint operation against illegal mining by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine National Police. The DENR in a statement said its Environmental Law Enforcement and Protection Service and Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)

‘Millennial Saint’ relic touring Visayas churches

Oct 18, 2026

‘Millennial Saint’ relic touring Visayas churches

MANILA, Philippines — A relic of St. Carlo Acutis, the Italian teenager canonized in 2025 and now known as the “Millennial Saint,” will be put on display for public veneration at some churches in the Visayas from Nov. 26 to Dec. 6. It is the same relic — a portion of Acutis’ pericardium, or the

Lasting gift that keeps Angeles City reading

Oct 18, 2026

Lasting gift that keeps Angeles City reading

ANGELES CITY — When city librarian Erma Manalo thanked the children of Renato “Katoks” Tayag for their father’s donation of land for a city library 54 years ago, she recalled a legacy built over three generations of two families. Manalo described the 1,690-square-meter property as a “gift” during a commemoration of the late lawyer and

This week’s milestones: Oct. 18 to Oct. 24

Oct 18, 2026

This week’s milestones: Oct. 18 to Oct. 24

Oct. 19, 1938 Bacolod was formally inaugurated as a city of Negros Occidental by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 326, approved on June 18, 1938. Built on the wealth of sugar plantations of the past, Bacolod has since grown into a first-class city with a population of 624,787 as of the 2024 Census. It is

Gen Z workplace communication sparks friction in Korean offices

Oct 18, 2026

Gen Z workplace communication sparks friction in Korean offices

"This new hire is really strange. Even when calls come in, they do not answer, and when given instructions, they do not respond. They ignore most KakaoTalk messages and only reply to things that benefit them." Senior employees in their 30s who work with new hires in their 20s with impressive credentials frequently voice this grievance. They complain that open communication with junior staff remains difficult despite considerable effort. However, the 20-somethings targeted by this criticism counter that their true intent — exchanging precise information and avoiding getting hurt while communicating — is not getting across. Why young workers avoid office phones Participant 4: Why do people in their 20s avoid phone calls these days? Participant 2: We prefer text messages because they let us reply after preparing our thoughts. That is especially true for work-related matters. Because text leaves a written record, we can check details directly from the message without having to ask again later. Even if a phone call is recorded, it is more inconvenient because we have to go back and listen

Lee pays tribute to firefighter killed in Bucheon factory fire

Oct 18, 2026

Lee pays tribute to firefighter killed in Bucheon factory fire

President Lee Jae Myung paid his respects Saturday to a firefighter who died while responding to a factory fire in Bucheon, west of Seoul, the presidential office said. Lee posthumously awarded firefighter Kim Jin-seok the Okjo Order of Service Merit in recognition of his dedication and sacrifice, and offered condolences to his bereaved family, the office said. After paying his respects, Lee said, "The government must provide firefighters with recognition and support commensurate with their dedication and sacrifice." Lee also stressed the need to strengthen on-site safety measures to ensure that firefighters can perform their duties in safer working conditions. The president instructed Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung, who accompanied him, to provide all necessary support for the treatment and recovery of firefighters injured in the blaze. The government also plans to provide further honors for Kim, including arrangements for his burial at a national cemetery. The fire broke out at a four-story metalworking factory at 8:38 a.m. Friday and was fully extinguished at 11:06 a.m., according to fi

Wearable robots offer mobility to people with disabilities in Seoul

Oct 18, 2026

Wearable robots offer mobility to people with disabilities in Seoul

Advanced rehabilitation involving wearable robotics has traditionally remained out of reach for many due to high costs and limited availability outside major medical centers. Now, a pioneering municipal program in western Seoul is bringing this cutting-edge technology directly into neighborhood streets. The Mapo District office is running a specialized robotic rehabilitation initiative designed to help registered residents with mobility impairments regain independence. By partnering with the Seoul Seobuk Hospital and wearable robotics firm Angel Robotics, the district has established a collaborative support framework bridging public health infrastructure with advanced medical engineering. Driven by leading tech firms, research institutes and startups like Hyundai Motor, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Angel Robotics, Korea has rapidly expanded wearable robot technology beyond specialized medical rehabilitation into everyday industrial, agricultural and community mobility applications. The program utilizes robotic exoskeletons to analyze participants' gaits and

Dark Side of Seoul Podcast digs up city's secrets

Oct 18, 2026

Dark Side of Seoul Podcast digs up city's secrets

Korea has always been conscious of its own image, even as K-content exports and inbound tourism numbers continue to break records. But that global spotlight comes with an unspoken condition: show the shiny face, and sweep the unpolished parts under the rug. From outside, the country is often viewed through rose-tinted glasses, a tidy utopia of cute cafes and picture-perfect K-drama lifestyles. The Dark Side of Seoul Podcast offers something that doesn't fit on a postcard: an unvarnished look at Korean history and culture, aimed at the genuinely curious rather than the credulous, equally comfortable with the country's dark folklore as with its murders, crimes and political purges, distant and not so distant. The show is hosted by Joe McPherson and Shawn Morrissey, who have both lived in Korea for more than two decades and together lead The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk. To be clear, this isn't a foreigner-complaint fest where the hosts look down on Korean culture. It respects the culture and its listeners enough to give the fuller picture, with a dark sense of humor that labels certain

Korea should approach Trump with business mindset, Sunny Park says

Oct 18, 2026

Korea should approach Trump with business mindset, Sunny Park says

When Sunny K. Park arrived in the United States in 1974 with just $200 in his pocket, he had little idea that he would one day become a successful Korean American entrepreneur with extensive ties to Washington. Park, now 84 and president of the American Korean Friendship Society, was 32 when he moved to Indiana to study at Indiana University. Having grown up in poverty and survived the 1950-53 Korean War, he recalled seeing America as a “paradise” filled with opportunities. Two years later, however, he left school to support his family and began selling life insurance door to door. His involvement with the Korean immigrant community eventually led him into a different line of work. While helping newly arrived Koreans find jobs, Park noticed growing demand in the commercial cleaning industry. “Korean immigrants came into the U.S., but they had a tough time to get a job, so I helped them and that brought me to a new industry — commercial cleaning,” Park told The Korea Times. “That business became so popular and it doubled in just one year. I gave up the insurance sales and star

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