Abbey M.

The Philippine peso touched a new all-time low of P61.567 against the US dollar on Wednesday, April 30, 2026, yet another blow to Filipinos already struggling with a rapidly shrinking purchasing power.

The local currency closed at P61.30 the previous day, April 28, itself a record-breaking close. That figure surpassed the previous all-time low close of P60.748 logged on March 31, and marked the peso's biggest single-day drop in over seven months. 

The latest record comes as data continues to paint a grim picture of what Filipinos can actually afford. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the purchasing power of the peso stood at 0.75 in March 2026, the lowest on record based on 2018 prices. 

To put it in everyday terms, what cost P1,000 in 2018 now effectively costs P1,333, meaning the same grocery budget buys considerably less than it did eight years ago. Economists say many Filipinos are already feeling this at the palengke, even when spending the same amount they always have.

What's driving the peso down

Analysts point to the stalled US-Iran negotiations and the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz as key factors behind the peso's continued slide. 

As a net oil importer that sources much of its supply from the Middle East, the Philippines is especially exposed to global fuel price shocks. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas responded by hiking benchmark interest rates by 25 basis points, its first increase in more than two years, and has signaled further tightening ahead. 

The central bank has also raised its inflation forecast to 6.3% for 2026 and 4.3% for 2027, and now expects prices to remain above its 2%–4% target band well into next year. 

Some economists note that this is the third major inflation wave to hit Filipino households in recent years, following the rice price crisis in 2018 and the oil and wheat surge driven by the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. The current Middle East conflict has added a fresh and severe layer of price pressure.

Who wins, who loses

OFW families and Filipinos earning in US dollars stand to benefit from the weaker peso, as remittances convert to higher amounts in local currency. On the other hand, ordinary consumers bear the brunt of costlier imports, fuel, food, and power among them pushing everyday prices even higher. 

Economists have also raised the alarm over the risk of stagflation, where rising prices and slowing economic growth happen simultaneously, squeezing both consumers and businesses. 

For now, Filipinos are left stretching every peso further, with no clear end in sight.

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The House Committee on Justice has unanimously found probable cause in the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, with all 53 members voting to endorse the case filed by La Union 1st District Representative Paolo Ortega and Manila 6th District Representative Benny Abante.

In response, the defense team of Vice President Duterte released an official statement saying the committee's finding did not come as a surprise, given how the proceedings had unfolded.

The defense team maintained that the process before the committee deviated from its constitutional mandate, arguing that the proceedings went beyond the scope of the verified complaints and their attachments, and instead ventured into matters that should only be taken up during a full trial.

“The finding of probable cause by the House Committee on Justice was not unexpected, given the direction the proceedings had taken.

We respectfully maintain that the proceedings before the Committee departed from the constitutional design. Instead of confining itself to the verified complaints and their attachments, the process expanded into matters that properly belong to a full trial.” - Official statement of the Defense team of VP Sara Duterte.

Two beloved Filipino dishes have made it to TasteAtlas' World's 50 Best Chicken Dishes, with Chicken Inasal landing in the top three and Chicken Adobo breaking into the top 40.

Taste Atlas, an online travel guide that researches and ranks traditional foods and their ingredients worldwide, gave Chicken Inasal a 4.4-star rating, placing it third on the global list. Chicken Adobo, meanwhile, earned a 4.1-star rating, securing a spot in the top 40.

According to TasteAtlas, Chicken Inasal is a distinctly Filipino style of grilled chicken said to have originated in Western Visayas. The guide also recommended Bacolod, Iloilo, and Tagaytay as the best places to experience the dish.

Chicken Adobo was described as a traditional Filipino stew cooked with garlic, onion, bay leaves, pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, and a small amount of sugar.

Topping the list was Korean Fried Chicken, followed by Peru's Pollo a la Brasa in second place. Turkey's Pili Topkapi ranked fourth, while Pakistan's Murgh Karahi rounded out the top five.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed that former AKO Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co is no longer within the territory of the Czech Republic, following a high-level meeting between Philippine and Czech officials.

The development was revealed around 8 p.m. PHT, after the Philippine delegation met with their Czech counterparts. Czech Minister of Justice officially informed DOJ Secretary Fredderick Vida that Co was no longer in their custody.

"I have to share difficult news, mga kababayan. Czech authorities have informed us that Mister Zaldy Co is no longer in their custody. What we can confirm is that he is within the Schengen area," Secretary Vida said.

Despite the confirmation of his departure from Czech territory, Philippine officials believe the former lawmaker remains somewhere in Europe.

Vida noted that while they sought additional information, Czech authorities cited Schengen rules and data privacy laws as limitations. He added, however, that the conversation pointed toward the possibility of police cooperation, something that is currently still under negotiation between the Philippine and Czech governments.

"They were pointing to a possible police cooperation which we don't have, which is currently ongoing negotiation between the Philippine Government and Czech Republic," Vida said.

Meanwhile, the DOJ disclosed that it holds details regarding the vehicle used by Co during his time in Czech Republic, which has since become part of an active intelligence operation.

"Definitely he is travelling by land. We're also aware — we got information as to the registry of the vehicle, we also got information as to who the driver is," Vida said.

Earlier reports indicated that the former lawmaker was intercepted at the Czech-German border due to an immigration violation.

It was also confirmed that Co was found carrying three Philippine passports. Vida said their verification with the Bureau of Immigration revealed that Co had been issued three passports, one of which, an expired passport that lapsed on September 11, 2022, was the one he had in his possession when he was accosted by authorities. 

The two others include an official passport issued during his term as a congressman, and another passport that had been cancelled by Philippine courts.

Secretary Vida and the Philippine delegation are set to remain in Czech Republic until April 30. 

While the DOJ expressed disappointment over not being able to bring Co back with them to the Philippines, officials said they will work to expedite law enforcement mechanisms, including the processing of a Red Notice and the establishment of international police cooperation.

The Philippines has received all four shipments of diesel procured by the government through the Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC), equivalent to an additional five days of supply for the country.

Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Alessandro "Sandy" Sales said the deliveries were completed over the span of one month, with the first two crude shipments offloaded in La Union and Batangas before the end of March, the third discharged in Subic, and the fourth unloaded in Davao City on Monday, April 27. 

"So, in total, 'yong apat na cargoes na ito delivered from March 25 to early this morning in a span of one month totaled about 178 million liters of diesel. Essentially, that's about 5 days buffer stock," Sales said.

["In total, the four cargo shipments delivered from March 25 to early this morning, within a span of one month, amounted to approximately 178 million liters of diesel — equivalent to about five days of buffer stock."]

The deliveries are part of the government's ongoing efforts to ensure sufficient oil supply amid the continuing conflict in the Middle East.

DOE disclosed that no additional diesel shipments have been lined up for May as part of the country's buffer stock. The agency said it must balance government fuel procurement with orders from private oil companies that directly purchase gasoline and diesel. 

It noted that the country's petroleum storage capacity is limited to 60 days, requiring careful management of consumption and supply purchases.

Meanwhile, a vessel carrying additional liquified petroleum gas (LPG) supply for the Philippines has already set sail from Texas, with orders placed by several oil companies sourced from suppliers in the United States.

"We have confirmed this morning that the vessel has left Texas. It is en route to Panama to cross through the Panama Canal. Ang schedule pa rin niya ay makarating sa Philippines ng by May 20 from between May 20 to May 31 to the end of the month. Hindi pa ma-verify until makatawid sa Panama Canal kasi medyo pila sa Panama Canal," Sales said.

["We have confirmed this morning that the vessel has left Texas. It is en route to Panama to cross through the Panama Canal. It is still scheduled to arrive in the Philippines between May 20 and May 31. This cannot be verified yet until it has crossed the Panama Canal, as there is currently a queue there."]

The DOE reiterated that the country maintains sufficient petroleum product supply through continued coordination with other nations.