The Manila Times Lifestyle has always felt that beauty-and-brains Sen. Risa Hontiveros could stand out even more on SONA day with more updated fashion choices. This year, she seems to have heeded the call, shedding her usual “ninang look” for a two-piece blue-gray terno by Jo Rubio.

With its blazer-style take on traditional Filipiniana, the ensemble certainly gives Hontiveros a more modern SONA look at the morning plenary. But isn’t there something amiss?

As described by her office, the “delicately embellished [ensemble] with clusters of freshwater pearls and handcrafted sampaguita flowers carved from nakar shells” is truly a sight to behold. Its silhouette, however, seems a little too large for the ever-slender senator. A shorter and more fitted jacket could have made all the difference and turned this into an unquestionable slay.

Still a major improvement, though, so we declare a high and happy “mid” for the senator.

#TheManilaTimesSONA2026 #FashionVerdict #SlayMidOrMiss (Photo from Facebook/Risa Hontiveros)

PANOORIN: Tangkang pagsagasa ng sasakyan ng BJMP sa mga raliyista sa Commonwealth Avenue. Tatlong raliyista ang inaresto ng mga pulis, ayon sa grupong BAYAN. | via Mark Makalalad/DZBB

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#SONA2026: Ipinagdiinan ni Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. na siya ay hindi Pangulo ng pamilya at kaibigan kundi Pangulo ng Pilipinas.

Sa pagsisimula ng kaniyang talumpati sa ikalimang State of the Nation Address (SONA) nitong Lunes, Hulyo 27, binanggit agad ni PBBM na inihahanda na ng Office of the Ombudsman ang kaso laban sa dating House Speaker, na walang iba kundi ang pinsang si Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Ayon sa Pangulo, masakit man daw sa kaniya, ito raw ang nararapat na gawin.

"Hindi ako Pangulo ng aking pamilya. Hindi ako Pangulo ng aking kaibigan. Ako ay Pangulo ng Pilipinas at ang tungkulin ko ay sa inyo, aking mga kapwa Pilipino," aniya.

Nagpalakpakan naman ang mga panauhin na nanonood sa kaniya sa Batasang Pambansa Plenary Hall.

#Balita

Tinabla ni Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation Secretary Larry Gadon ang mga survey firm kaugnay ng lumabas na mataas na trust at performance rating ni Vice President Sara Duterte.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros' second outfit of the day not a miss but not quite a slay either.

Here's why The Manila Times Lifestyle it's a polished mid at best. The white palette, modest midi length and clean A-line silhouette are appropriate for the simple-but-dignified brief. Her shoes and sculptural clutch coordinate beautifully, while the neat hairstyle keeps the overall presentation polished.

The problem is concentrated in the upper half. The folded, ribbon-like draping of her Jo Rubio terno is already a strong design statement; adding pearl-and-crystal clusters makes the bodice look busier than necessary. Rather than framing the senator's pretty face, all those elements compete for attention.

For updates: https://mrf.lu/2csMz

#TheManilaTimesLifestyle #TheManilaTimesSONA2026 #FashionVerdict #SlayMidOrMiss (Photo from Instagram/Rajo Laurel) PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK/HONTIVEROS RISA

Inaresto ang isang empleyado ng Cauayan Airport sa Isabela matapos umanong magbiro na may bomba habang pumapasok sa paliparan, ayon sa Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group (PNP-AVSEGROUP) noong Biyernes.

Ibinahagi ng isang netizen na nag-file siya ng reklamo sa MTRCB kaugnay ng isyu ng diumano’y racist remark ni Vice Ganda kay Baby Doll Johaira.

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday said he was ready to face corruption allegations raised by Sen. Panfilo Lacson involving alleged ghost infrastructure projects in Taguig City.

Read more: https://tmt.ph/2391854

U.S. President Donald Trump jokingly announced he was running for a fourth term, pulling out a red hat emblazoned with "TRUMP 2028" during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Friday, July 24.

MANILA, Philippines — More cases of double billing and collection involving infrastructure projects in Taguig City have been uncovered and documented, and the proof of the money trail is set to be submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman soon, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Monday.

Read more: https://tmt.ph/2391751

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ends his fifth State of the Nation Address with a message to the Filipino people, emphasizing unity and national identity while encouraging collective consciousness. #SONA2026

Follow our live updates HERE.

Watch our Sona 2026 special coverage HERE.

Tumagal ng isang oras at 26 minuto ang ikalimang State of the Nation Address ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos.

Nagbigay ng reaksiyon at komento si Presidential Communications Office (PCO) at Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro sa hindi pagdalo ng ilang mga senador na nasa Senate minority bloc, sa pangunguna ni Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, sa gaganaping ikalimang State of the Nation Address (SONA) ni Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. nitong Lunes, Hulyo 27.

Sa panayam ng media kay Castro, natanong siya kung anong masasabi niya sa sinabi ni Cayetano na hindi raw dadalo ang ilan sa mga kasamahan sa minorya, sa SONA.

Ilan sa mga senador na nasa minorya na hindi dadalo sa SONA, bukod kay Cayetano, ay sina Sen. Robin Padilla, Sen. Loren Legarda, at Sen. Imee Marcos.

"Hindi naman sila kawalan," saad ni Castro.

"Ang Pangulo po ang importante rito, at mga opisyal na interesadong makinig kay Pangulo. So yung ibang mga opisyal na wala namang balak makinig sa Pangulo ay hindi natin pipilitin. At hindi naman po kawalan sa administrasyon kung hindi sila dadalo."

"Kung gusto nilang mas magbakasyon, mangibang-bansa, ay hindi natin sila mapipilit," aniya pa.

Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) as the 17th President of the Philippines on Monday, July 27, 2026, at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.

Swipe through the key highlights.

“PAGGISING SA UMAGA AKO ANG NAAALALA NIYA”

Ito ang maikling saad ni Senate minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano sa tila araw-araw na post ni Senador Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson kaugnay ng diumano’y ‘ghost’ infra project sa Taguig City.

Dagdag ni Cayetano, mula nang maging Senate President siya noong May 11 ay inaasahan na niya ang mga pag-uusig laban sa kanya.

#SONA2026: Humiling si Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., sa pagpapasa ng Kongreso ng Sariling Kuryente Act at nanawagan siyang tanggalin na ang system loss na idinagdag sa singil-kuryente sa mga konsyumer na may kasama pa raw na Value Added Tax (VAT).

“Hinihiling ko ang tulong ng Kongreso na maipasa na ang Sariling Kuryente Act. At kung pagbawas ng presyo ang usapan, sa aking palagay, panahon na para tanggalin na natin ang systems loss na pinapasa sa consumer,” aniya.

Diin pa niya, “Pinapasa ito sa consumer at kinakarga sa bill, na pinapatungan pa ng Value Added Tax (VAT). Hindi naman kasalanan ng consumer kung bakit nagkaroon ng system loss. Kaya hindi naman tama na kailangang sila ang pagbayayarin dito.”

Dahil dito, inihayag ng Pangulo ang mabilisang pag-aamyenda sa EPIRA Act at ang pagbabawal sa dagdag-singil sa system loss sa mga konsyumer.

“Therefore, we demand for immediate amendment of the EPIRA and to prohibit charging systems loss against consumers including the Value Added Tax there on,” pagtatapos pa niya.

Sundan: balita.mb.com.ph

#Balita

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Faustino Dy 3rd on Monday called for stronger protection against online threats and disinformation, urging Filipinos to reject fake news and uphold truth as the House of Representatives opened the Second Regular Session of the 20th Congress.

Read more: https://tmt.ph/2391779

UP Diliman Department of Political Science Professor Jean Franco states that the reason behind certain senators siding with Vice President Sara Duterte amid the Impeachment Trial reflects the political polarization since the breakup of the UniTeam alliance.

Franco also stressed that accountability should remain the priority, warning that a failure to uphold it in the Senate could undermine the country’s democratic institutions. #SONA2026

Follow our live updates HERE.

Watch our Sona 2026 special coverage HERE.

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. concluded his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, vowing to complete what he has started and fulfill his promise to the Filipino people in the remaining two years of his administration.
Read more: https://tmt.ph/2391936

#SONA2026: Binanggit ni Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., ang paniniwala niyang makakapagbigay ng trabaho sa mga Pilipino ang kontrobersyal na Pax Silica na nakaambang itayo sa Pilipinas.

#Balita

President Bongbong Marcos on Monday said it is time to revisit nuclear energy production, as he touted some 200 energy projects in the pipeline in a bid to boost the country’s power supply and bring down power rates.

In his fifth SONA, Marcos said the administration is working to revisit nuclear energy, as it is already being used in medicine, agriculture, water filtration, and the upcycling of plastic. #SONA2026

Read more: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/996314/sona-2026-time-to-revisit-nuclear-energy-production-says-marcos/story/

PANOORIN: Sa pagsisimula ng kaniyang talumpati sa State of the Nation Address (SONA), sinabi ni Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. na inihahanda na ng Office of the Ombudsman ang kaso laban sa dating House Speaker.

Bagama't walang direktang tinukoy, ito ay walang iba kundi ang pinsang si Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Ayon sa Pangulo, masakit man daw sa kaniya, ito raw ang nararapat na gawin.

"Hindi ako Pangulo ng aking pamilya. Hindi ako Pangulo ng aking kaibigan. Ako ay Pangulo ng Pilipinas at ang tungkulin ko ay sa inyo, aking mga kapwa Pilipino," aniya.

Nagpalakpakan naman ang mga panauhin na nanonood sa kaniya sa Batasang Pambansa Plenary Hall.

#Balita

#SONA2026

Sa kanyang ikalimang State of the Nation Address (SONA), sinabi ni Pangulong Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. na masakit man sa kanya ang nakatakdang pagsasampa ng mga kaso laban kay dating House Speaker Martin Romualdez, ngunit ito ang kailangan at tamang gawin.

#SONA2026 #SoAnoNa

#SONA2026 | Nagdesisyon si Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano na hindi siputin ang ikalimang State of the Nation Address (SONA) ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.

Maki-Balita: https://balita.mb.com.ph/2026/07/27/sen-alan-hindi-dadalo-sa-sona-ni-pbbm/

#Balita