December 20-26 2025 Volume 36 - No. 51 • 1 Section – 16 Pages
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Authorities probe death of former DPWH DATELINE USA Tax refunds in 2026 reflect undersecretary linked to flood-control reviews 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
Former public works official Maria Catalina Cabral was found dead in Benguet, government agencies continue separate inquiries into flood-control projects by AJPress
TUBA, Benguet — Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina “Cathy” Cabral, a long-serving public
works official whose name surfaced in ongoing inCabral, 63, was discovered 20 to 30 meters bevestigations into alleged irregularities in flood-con- low the highway near the Bued River and was detrol projects, was found dead in a ravine along Ken- clared dead after rescue teams recovered her body non Road in Tuba, Benguet, on Thursday evening, on December 18. Law-enforcement authorities said authorities said. u PAGE 2
Congress completes 2026 budget, restores P243B in unprogrammed funds
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 sunset. There will be no stimulus-related credits,
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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 4
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 — Congress has completed work on the P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, with the bicameral conference committee restoring P243 billion in unprogrammed appropriations and finalizing allocations across major government offices, including the Office of the Vice President (OVP). House and Senate differences resolved in bicameral talks The consolidated budget reconciles competing versions passed separately by the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House proposal retained P243.22 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, while the Senate version reduced the amount to P174.55 billion, citing concerns over the size of discretionary spending. The bicameral conference committee ultimately restored the higher House figure in the final compromise. What unprogrammed appropriations mean in practice Unprogrammed appropriations are standby budgetary u PAGE 4
ICC medical team finds Duterte fit for proceedings by Janvic Mateo Philstar.com
MANILA — The independent panel of medical experts appointed by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to examine former President Rodrigo Duterte has found him fit to participate in pre-trial proceedings, including the postponed confirmation of charges hearings, court filings showed. Although they had different interpretations of the findings, both the ICC prosecutor and Duterte’s lawyers have confirmed
that the panel found Duterte “competent for the purpose of the pre-trial proceedings.” In his nine-page observation released on Thursday, December 18, ICC deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang urged the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I to conclude that Duterte is “capable of meaningfully exercising his procedural and fair trial rights, and that he is fit to participate in the pre-trial proceedings, including the confirmation hearing.” “Upon completion of their assessments, u PAGE 2 An aerial view of Bondi Beach in Sydney, where Australian authorities are investigating a deadly
Alex Eala wins SEA Games tennis Customs begins delivery of Bondi attack investigation gold, ends long drought for PH 130,000 stranded balikbayan focuses on Islamic State ideology boxes after Marcos order and suspects’ travel to Mindanao
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
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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, accord-
ing 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 the shipments were left unattended after required charges and pro-
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 the investigation. One suspect, a 50-year-old man, was shot and killed by police at
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by AJPress