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Volume 24 - No. 51 • 12 Pages
T h e F i l i p i n o A m e r i ca n C o m mu n i t y N e ws pa p e r
Volume 18 - No. 17 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
December 19-25, 2025
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Unprogrammed funds restored as bicameral DATELINE USA Tax refunds in 2026 reflect panel adopts House version of 2026 budget post-pandemic rules; no from the AJPress NEWS TEAM across America
$2,000 payment authorized Here’s what taxpayers should expect from tax refunds arriving in 2026, including the status of the proposed $2,000 payment discussed by President Trump
by AJPress
MANILA — The bicameral conference committee reconciling the House of Representatives and Senate versions of the 2026 national budget restored unprogrammed appropriations to more than P243 billion, largely adopting the House version despite earlier assurances from senators that the amount would be significantly reduced.
The House-approved version of the proposed P6.7-trillion General Appropriations Act set unprogrammed appropriations at P243.22 billion. In contrast, the Senate version passed earlier cut the amount to P174.55 billion, trimming P68.66 billion in what senators described as an effort to curb discretionary spending and tighten fiscal controls. Following closed-door deliberations, the bicameral conference committee reconciled the differing
Bicam restores OVP budget to P889 million, undoing House cut over Sara’s snub
Tax refunds issued in 2026 will reflect a federal tax system that has largely returned to its pre-pandemic baseline. Inflation indexing remains in place, but the emergency credits and stimulus-driven provisions that shaped refunds earlier in the decade are no longer part of current law. The result is a filing season defined by normalization rather than relief, with refund outcomes driven primarily by withholding accuracy and long-standing statutory provisions. Emergency tax provisions have expired All federal tax measures enacted under COVID-19 emergency legislation have sunu PAGE 4
by Cristina Chi Philstar.com
States sue to block Trump administration’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee
A coalition of 20 U.S. states, led by California, has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration’s decision to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions, arguing the policy exceeds executive authority, violates federal law, and threatens access to skilled workers across key sectors of the economy. The lawsuit was filed on December 12, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, with California Attorney General Rob Bonta serving as lead plaintiff and coordinating the multistate legal challenge. Administration orders unprecedented increase in visa filing costs The case challenges a presidential proclamation issued September 19, 2025, directing the Department of Homeland Security to implement a six-figure fee for employers filing initial H-1B visa petitions. Historically, total H-1B filing fees — including statutory assessments and fraud prevention charges — have ranged from apu PAGE 2
versions by restoring the House figure, effectively reversing the Senate’s reduction. Unprogrammed appropriations are budgetary items included in the national spending plan without specific project allocations at the time of enactment. Under existing budget laws and Department of Budget and Management rules, these funds may only be released if certain conditions are met, such u PAGE 2
TRADITION STARTS. Hundreds attend the first Simbang Gabi (Dawn Mass) of 2025 at St. Peter Parish: Shrine of Leaders in Commonwealth, Quezon City on Tuesday (Dec. 16). Also known as Misa de Gallo or Dawn Masses, the nine-day novena dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary may also start Dec. 15 as Anticipated Mass. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc
MANILA — The bicameral conference committee restored the Office of the Vice President’s proposed P889 million budget for 2026, reversing a House-approved cut imposed after Vice President Sara Duterte declined to personally defend her office’s spending during plenary deliberations. The amount approved by the bicam panel late Tuesday, December 17, matches the figure in the National Expenditure Program for 2026 and scraps the P733 million version passed earlier by the House of Representatives. The House cut of about P156 million was explicitly linked to Duterte’s repeated refusal to face lawmakers during budget deliberations, which supporters—including opposition figure Rep. Leila de Lima (Mamamayang Liberal party-list) said was meant to enforce accountability rather than cripple the office. Duterte initially skipped the House's first two committee-level hearings of the OVP's budget. She eventually appeared in September, but she was not quesu PAGE 2
Former DPWH undersecretary Catalina Cabral declared dead after being found near Kennon Road Cabral, a former senior public works official who resigned amid reviews of flood-control projects, was found near Kennon Road in Benguet. Police said the case remains under investigation as the Ombudsman ordered the preservation of her electronic devices by AJPress BAGUIO CITY — Former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral was declared dead early Friday after authorities found her near
the Bued River, several meters below Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet, police said. According to Benguet police, Cabral was discovered late Thursday evening in Barangay Camp 4, approximately 20 to 30 meters u PAGE 4
Alex Eala wins SEA Games tennis Customs begins delivery of gold, ends long drought for PH 130,000 stranded balikbayan Bondi attack investigation focuses on Islamic State ideology boxes after Marcos order and suspects’ travel to Mindanao
An aerial view of Bondi Beach in Sydney, where Australian authorities are investigating a deadly December 14 attack classified as terrorism. Photo courtesy of Nick Ang / Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0)
by AJPress
NONTHABURI, Thailand — Filipino tennis player Alexandra “Alex” Eala captured the women’s singles gold medalat the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, defeating Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in straight sets, 6–1, 6–2, in the final held at the National Tennis Development Center in Nonthaburi, just outside Bangkok. The victory marked the Philippines’ first women’s singles tennis gold at the SEA Games in 26 years, ending a drought that dated back to 1999.
Alex Eala File photo from Facebook/@AlexEala
u PAGE 3
by AJPress
MANILA — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Thursday, December 18, 2025, began the inspection and delivery of around 130,000 unclaimed balikbayan boxes that had been left unattended at customs facilities, following a directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure the shipments reach overseas Filipino workers’ (OFWs) families before Christmas. The distribution effort was led by BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno at a customs facility
in the Port Area, Manila, according to the Philippine News Agency (PNA). Presidential directive triggers release President Marcos earlier ordered the BOC to move forward with the release of abandoned balikbayan boxes that had remained uncleared for extended periods, citing the need to prevent further hardship for OFW families, particularly during the holiday season. Government officials have said
by AJPress
SYDNEY, Australia — Australian authorities investigating the mass shooting at a Jewish community gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach said evidence gathered so far indicates the two suspects were motivated by Islamic State ideology and had traveled to the Philippines weeks before the attack, according to official statements and immigration records confirmed by Philippine authorities. The December 14 attack killed 15 people and wounded dozens, making it one of Australia’s deadliest mass shootings in decades. New South Wales Police have classified the incident as terrorism based on the nature of the target and evidence recovered during u PAGE 2 u PAGE 3