Maynard Ngu, best known as the founder and CEO of Cherry Mobile, was accused by former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo of acting as an intermediary for Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero in securing funds from projects inserted into the national budget.
Thousands of Filipinos took to the streets over the weekend to demand accountability in government infrastructure spending, with their calls for transparency and reform echoed online by hacktivist groups that defaced nearly 20 government websites in a show of digital protest.
The Philippines has climbed to 50th place in the 2025 Global Innovation Index (GII), its highest ranking to date. Among lower middle-income economies, the country now ranks third, driven by high-tech trade, integration into global value chains, and expanding creative industries.
Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed into law the E-Governance Act or Republic Act 12254, a measure that seeks to make government services accessible anytime and anywhere through digital platforms.
The development marks a significant turnaround for major players, particularly PLDT and Globe, which had previously opposed the measure. At one point, PLDT even threatened to challenge the law’s constitutionality before the courts.
The hacktivist group Deathnote Hackers International has claimed responsibility for the leak of roughly 445,000 entries from Pagcor's National Database of Restricted Persons (NDRP), which contains names of government officials prohibited from playing in gambling establishments.
The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has declared Jollibee as the country’s first registered “well-known mark”, marking a milestone in the implementation of new rules designed to provide stronger intellectual property (IP) protection for leading brands.
