A poor Filipino blacksmith's son who stands less than 2 feet (60 centimeters) tall was declared the world's shortest man by Guinness World Records on his 18th birthday Sunday, sparking a celebration in his hometown.

The title was bestowed on Junrey Balawing in Sindangan in the southern Philippines, with his parents, villagers and officials showering the coastal town's newly famous resident with a feast, cake, balloons and cash gifts.

Balawing measured 23.5 inches (60 cent...

MANILA (2nd UPDATE) - An illiterate, slum-dwelling Filipino carpenter who was too poor to send his six children to school became an instant millionaire Thursday with the country's second biggest-ever lottery win.

The 60-year-old collected a 356.5-million-peso (eight-million-dollar) cheque from a single 20-peso ticket, which was all he could afford, said an aide to Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Jose Ferdinand Roxas.

"He plans to buy a house because he and his family ha...

*Originally published in Illustrado Women of Substance March 2010 issue.  Photography by Eros Goze.

Illustrado Woman of Substance, Dubai based Mindanaoan Indie-Film Producer, Actress, Singer, Dancer and Theatre Performer FE GING GING HYDE bagged the BEST ACTRESS AWARD at the 34th Gawad Urian held on the 17th May 2011.

Here, we look back at what makes her more than just a multi-talented new player – a force to reckon with – in the Philippine Indie film world, but also a veritable role mode...

MANILA, Philippines - Sitting in front of a computer all day? This may cause a number of health problems, an orthopedic surgeon said.

Dr. Jose Pujalte Jr. said repetitive movements such as typing on a keyboard for hours may cause significant strain to the hands, which may eventually lead to a condition called carpal tunnel syndrome.

Its main symptom is intermittent numbness of the thumb, index and middle fingers.

"Over time, hihina rin siya, mangangalay, mangangawit hanggang sa kapag may hi...

If Harold Camping’s calculations are right, Saturday’s newspaper is the last some Christians will ever read.
The Oakland, Calif., radio preacher has predicted the end of the world — beginning today.
At 6 p.m. in every time zone across the globe, Camping anticipates the rapture of righteous Christians, while the rest of Earth’s people remain in a five-month tribulation. They’re to endure fire and plagues until the world finally ends on Oct. 21.
“The only thing left to say now is that time is short...

MANILA, Philippines - The World Bank will lend the Philippines $250 million to support the government's plans to improve governance, reduce poverty and increase economic growth, and said it could make further concessional loans depending on the progress of reforms.

The loan has an interest rate based on LIBOR plus variable spread, and a maturity of 25.5 years, including a 10-year grace period.

"We are pleased to support this reform agenda through this DPL (Development Policy Lending) as...

Tourists will soon be able to wander through a nuclear power plant in the Philippines that was built nearly three decades ago but never used, a government official said Wednesday.

The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, which has lain dormant since it was completed in 1984 at a cost of $2.3 billion, will be opened to tour groups to teach them about nuclear power, said regional tourism director Ronald Tiotuico.

Tiotuico said the move was timely amid increased public interest in the issue fo...

MANILA, Philippines - Some P20 million worth of black corals and turtles were seized today by the Bureau of Customs from two 20-foot container vans at the Eva Macapagal Domestic Terminal in Manila.

Customs Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Horacio Suansing said the shipment came from Cotabato and was misdeclared as rubber by a certain Exequiel Navarro.

The shipment also included "sea fans", a species of hard, stony corals.

Suansing said the collection and harvesting of this coral...