First Lady Liza inspects ongoing renovations at PICC for ASEAN 2026
''This iconic space has been a witness to many pivotal chapters in our history -- and now, it's being primed to host the world once more,'' Liza said in a social media post.
''My heartfelt thanks to the efficient PICC team and to our ASEAN National Organizing Committee for their dedication in making this landmark a venue that reflects not just our hospitality, but our strength, our progress and our vision for the region,'' she added.
The Philippines will host the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits next year.
To recall, the Office of the President's budget for fiscal year 2025 was increased as it asked for supplemental funds for the Philippines' hosting of the ASEAN Summit and its related meetings.
The ASEAN aims to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavors in the spirit of equality and partnership that will strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian nations.
The bloc also aims to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries of the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations charter. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
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GMA Network
34 minutes ago
- GMA Network
Cambodia and Thailand agree to ASEAN observers to ensure ceasefire holds
Thai delegates led by Deputy Defence Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit and Cambodian delegates led by Defence Minister General Tea Seiha, joined by Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, pose for a group photo ahead of the Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) to discuss their border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia in Kuala Lumpur August 7, 2025. REUTERS/ Hasnoor Hussain/ Pool KUALA LUMPUR — Cambodia and Thailand's top defense officials agreed on Thursday to allow observers from the ASEAN regional bloc to inspect disputed border areas and help ensure hostilities do not resume following a violent five-day conflict that ended in a ceasefire late in July. The Southeast Asian neighbors saw the worst fighting in over a decade last month, including exchanges of artillery fire and jet fighter bombing runs that claimed at least 43 lives and displaced more than 300,000 people on both sides of the border. Fighting continued despite diplomatic interventions from China and Malaysia, chair of the regional bloc ASEAN, both calling for restraint. The leaders of Cambodia and Thailand only came to the negotiating table when US President Donald Trump told them that tariff negotiations would not continue unless there was peace, Reuters exclusively reported. Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Seiha and Thailand's acting defense minister Nattaphon Narkphanit met at Malaysia's Armed Forces headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to thrash out the terms of a permanent cessation of hostilities. "There will be an observation team of ASEAN military attaches based in Thailand and Cambodia, led by Malaysia," Nattaphon told reporters at a press conference after the meeting, adding that foreign inspectors based in either country would not cross the border. "Thailand and Cambodia are neighbors with a shared border that can move away from each other ... a resolution will allow our people to return to peaceful lives," he said. Thailand and Cambodia said in a joint statement that they would hold more talks in two weeks and then again in a month. The peace conditions were formulated during three days of talks between senior officials in Kuala Lumpur and were finalized on the fourth day in the presence of observers from China and the United States. "Both sides agreed on the terms of implementation of the ceasefire and improving communication between the two armies," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on social media. Thailand and Cambodia have quarreled for decades over undemarcated parts of their 817 km (508 miles) land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when the latter was its colony. — Reuters
GMA Network
2 hours ago
- GMA Network
Imee Marcos says impeachment complaint vs Sara Duterte 'dead but not buried'
The impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte may be revived should the Supreme Court reverse its decision, Senator Imee Marcos said Thursday. Marcos made the remarks a day after the Senate, voting 19-4-1, moved to archives the articles of impeachment against Duterte, saying it is 'dead but not buried.' 'It's dead but it's not really buried. In effect, because it is in the archive…pwede namang hugutin pa uli kung magbago ang Korte Suprema (it can still be revived should the SC reverse its decision),' Marcos said during the Kapihan sa Senado. 'Sumusunod lang kami sa batas at sa Korte Suprema (We are just following the law and the Supreme Court),' she said. Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa, JV Ejercito, Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Sherwin Gatchalian, Bong Go, Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda, Rodante Marcoleta, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo, Imee Marcos, and Robin Padilla, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Camille Villar, and Mark Villar, and Miguel Zubiri voted yes. Senators Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan, Senate minority leader Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III voted no. Sen. Panfilo 'Ping' Lacson abstained. 'We archived it that's for sure pero maliwanag naman sa sentimyento ng lahat na kung ano ang utos ng SC ay masusunod. Kung may himala na mangyari at mag-reverse ang 13 justices, talaga namang susunod kami dun,' said Marcos, adding she believes the possibility that the SC will reverse its ruling is 'highly unlikely'. 'We archived it, that's for sure but it is clear that we will adhere to the SC decision. We will follow if the 13 justices reverse their decision.) Meanwhile, Senator Rodante Marcoleta said the impeachment case against Duterte died along with the end of the 19th Congress. 'Sapagkat 'yung impeachment na pinasimulan noong 19th Congress, kasamang namatay noong nag-expire ang 19th Congress noong June 30, 2025. Isa 'yun na dapat isaalang-alang,' Marcoleta told Super Radyo dzBB. (Because the impeachment initiated during the 19th Congress also ended when the 19th Congress expired on June 30, 2025. It must be taken into consideration.) Marcoleta, who chairs the Senate committee on accountability of public officers and investigations, initially moved for the dismissal of the articles of impeachment, but agreed to Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva's amendment that the complaint instead be archived. When asked if an impeachment will be filed against Duterte in February 2026, Marcoleta said, 'Nasa kanila na yun (It's up to them).' 'Basta iluto lang nilang mabuti 'yung kanin, katanggap-tanggap, hindi hilaw. 'Yun lang naman (they should work on it. It should be acceptable),' the senator said as he likened Duterte's impeachment case to uncooked rice. Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros said the motion of Sotto to table the impeachment case should have been enough instead of archiving it. 'Kapag in-archive kahit hindi pa patay, napakahirap ilabas sa archives. Kailangan pang mag-majority vote,' Hontiveros said. (Once it is archived, even if it's not dead, it's very hard to bring it out of the archives. It requires a majority vote.) 'Tama na sana 'yung motion to table kasi nga ibig sabihin, isasantabi muna pero oras na matapos ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema sa motion for reconsideration, itutuloy na. Ganoon lang,' she added. (The motion to table should have been enough, since it simply means setting it aside for now. But once the Supreme Court rules on the motions for reconsideration, it will proceed.) Hontiveros also noted that the issues surrounding Duterte's impeachment case should be resolved. 'Dapat hindi muna tayo mag-move on kung may mga importanteng issue na kailangang ma-resolve muna. Na may mga leksyon tayo na matutunan doon. At sa pagtuto natin, sisingilin 'yung accountability ng bawat isa sa atin,' the senator said. (We shouldn't move on yet if there are important issues that still need to be resolved. There are lessons we need to learn from it. And through that learning, we will hold those accountable.) Just a suggestion Meanwhile, Marcos reiterated she was merely making a recommendation to House lawmakers when she suggested they replace Speaker Martin Romualdez instead of removing an elected leader. 'Wala akong niyuyurakan. Sabi ko nga, suggestion lang naman ito. 'Wag kayong magalit at wala naman akong pinipilit (I am not attacking anyone. As I've said, it's just a suggestion. Don't get mad, I'm not forcing anyone to do it),' she said. Meanwhile, the senator also said she already texted the Vice President regarding the Senate vote. She said Duterte replied with a Bible quote and thanked God. Impeachment complaint The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. The Vice President was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. Recently, the Supreme Court declared the articles of impeachment against Duterte unconstitutional, stressing that it was barred by the one-year rule under the Constitution and that it violated her right to due process. The House then filed a motion for reconsideration, seeking to reverse the SC decision. The lower chamber argued it should be allowed to perform its exclusive duty to prosecute an impeachable official, and the Senate's to try the case. Three motions for reconsideration have been filed with the SC against its ruling. The first was filed by some of the individuals behind the first impeachment complaint against Duterte, followed by the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives. The third motion was filed by the 1Sambayan coalition, including retired SC justices Conchita Carpio-Morales, also a former Ombudsman, and Antonio Carpio. They asked the SC to issue a status quo ante order and to set the case for oral arguments. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
5 hours ago
- GMA Network
House leaders to Imee: You cannot dictate on us
House leaders on Thursday called out Senator Imee Marcos over her suggestion that the House should replace Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez instead of pushing for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. Senator Marcos made the call in light of the Senate vote to transfer to the archives the articles of impeachment against Duterte. The Supreme Court earlier declared the articles of impeachment as unconstitutional. The House of Representatives has filed a motion of reconsideration. 'Sa mga mahal kong kongresista, may suggestion po ako. Ito ay suggestion lang naman ano, 'wag niyong masamain. Kaysa inaatupag ninyong palitan ang pinili ng taumbayan, binoto, at minahal, bakit 'di ninyo na lang palitan ang taong kayo naman lang ang pumili,' Marcos said. (To my dear congressmen, I have a suggestion. This is just a suggestion, don't take it personally. Instead of trying to remove a person whom the people chose, voted for, and loved, why don't you just replace the person you chose yourself?) 'Ayaw paawat ng iba sa kaka-flex! Ano kaya kung ang Speaker ninyo na lang ang palitan ninyo? Kaya ninyo 'yan,' she added. (Others keep on flexing. Why don't you just change your Speaker? You can do it.) To which, House Senior Deputy Speaker David Suarez responded: 'This is a blatant overreach into the affairs of a co-equal chamber. Let me be clear: No senator, regardless of stature or history, has the right to dictate who should lead the House.' 'That decision [on who will serve as Speaker of the House] rests solely with the elected members of this chamber, and Speaker Romualdez continues to enjoy our overwhelming confidence,' Suarez said in a statement. Likewise, Suarez said Romualdez acted well within the Constitution when he presided over the transmittal of Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President to ensure accountability. 'What we are seeing here [from Senator Marcos] is not a call for accountability. It's a classic deflection from the real issues raised in the impeachment case,' Suarez said. House Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union agreed, saying that Senator Marcos' statement is nothing but an attempt to stage a political circus. 'Strong statements may grab headlines, but they do little to uphold the dignity of our institutions. We must not allow a legitimate constitutional process like impeachment to be dragged into a political circus,' Ortega said. 'The Speaker did not act alone. This was a collective institutional decision—one rooted in the Constitution. Calls for his removal overlook that fact and risk personalizing what is, at its core, a constitutional process.' House Deputy Majority Leader Zia Adiong of Lanao del Sur, for his part, said Senator Marcos' tirade at Speaker Romualdez is a cheap shot. 'Her call to replace Speaker Romualdez is unwarranted, undemocratic, and unwise. This is not about Speaker Romualdez. This is about the institutional mandate of the House to initiate impeachment. Trying to pin this all on one man is a cheap political trick,' Adiong said. Instead of attacking Romualdez, Adiong said senators should focus on their constitutional duty to try impeached officials, not run away from it. 'The Speaker does not serve at the pleasure of the Senate. He serves because the House overwhelmingly trusts him to lead us in a time of great political responsibility. Maybe the better question is: Why is the Senate avoiding accountability? Why archive a complaint when the Supreme Court hasn't even ruled with finality yet?' Adiong said. 'When over 200 members vote in favor of impeachment, that's not just one man's decision. That's the House speaking as an institution. Calling it a political maneuver is not only unfair, but severely misleading,' Adiong added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
