Calls for Vice President Jejomar Binay to vacate his posts as housing czar and presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) concerns began since his buddies-turned-accusers exposed one corruption scandal after another, and filed plunder complaints against him last year.

With the crucial political month of June coming up, sources from the Binay camp say the Vice President’s resignation might come sooner than later. Yet the reasons have more to do with politics than answering graft accusations.

Read part one of this in-depth report on Rappler.

The Department of Labor and Employment is set to issue a compliance order to compel embattled footwear maker Kentex Manufacturing Corporation to pay at least P7.8 million in underpaid wages to 99 workers hired through a subcontractor.

The P7.8 million does not include other unpaid law-mandated benefits to the 99 workers, including overtime pay, night shift differential, 13th month pay, holiday pay, vacation and leave pay, refund of cash bond, social security benefits, and others.

Read more on Rappler.

Ireland on Sunday, May 24, became the first country in the world to approve gay marriage by popular vote, as crowds cheered in Dublin in a spectacular setback for the once all-powerful Catholic Church. With ballots in 40 out of 43 constituencies counted, the “Yes” vote was ahead with 62.3%, official figures showed, and public broadcaster RTE said the result from the ongoing count was now certain.

Legalizing gay marriage is a seismic change in Ireland, where the Church remains a powerful force. Homosexuality was illegal until 1993 and divorce until 1996, and abortion is banned except where the mother’s life is in danger. The Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, Ireland’s top Catholic leader, told RTE that the Church now needed a “reality check”.

Read more on Rappler.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon said on Saturday, May 23, that saving the lives of migrants stranded at sea in Southeast Asia should be a “top priority” as the region battles with an exodus of boat people fleeing persecution and poverty.

The UN Secretary General said he hoped regional nations would tackle the “root causes” of the current exodus at an upcoming conference in Thailand later this month. “But when people are drifting on the sea, how we can search and rescue them and provide life saving humanitarian assistance, that is a top priority at this time,” he told reporters during a visit to Hanoi.

Meanwhile, a group of migrants recently rescued by Myanmar will be deported to Bangladesh, officials confirmed on Saturday.

Read more on Rappler.

The National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is one step closer to owning the Manila Metropolitan Theater, a decaying building that many heritage conservationists want restored to its former glory, after the NCCA got approval from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to buy it.

The approved funds total P270 million, matching the offer made by the Manila city government. The NCCA and Manila, led by Mayor Joseph Estrada, are in a tug-of-war for what many have called the “forgotten National Cultural Treasure.”

Read more on Rappler.

A new study finds that the average hit song has lyrics at a third grader’s reading level. The research took lyrics from 225 songs that topped US charts since 2005 and used standard tests that determine the reading difficulty.

The study, completed for ticket seller SeatSmart, found that the average reading level was third grade – roughly 8 years old in the US educational system – and that it has gone down over the decade.

Read more on Rappler.

The US Senate rejected legislation early Saturday, May 23, aimed at reforming NSA intelligence gathering, a blow to President Barack Obama and others who support ending the bulk collection of Americans’ telephone records. Senators also rejected efforts to extend the USA Patriot Act, increasing the prospects that the legal underpinnings of the domestic surveillance program will expire byJune 1.

Read more on Rappler.

Many people dream of going to Paris but are intimidated by the cost and complexity of turning this dream into reality. However, with a bit of luck and a whole lot of stinginess, it’s entirely possible to go on a 7-day Paris trip for only P50,000.

Here’s one traveler’s do-it-yourself Paris planning guide – from booking flights and accommodations, visa applications, top free things to do, and tips!

Read more on Rappler.

The recently concluded first season of Asia’s Got Talent has introduced viewers once more to world-class Filipino talents. Four out of 9 grand finalists were from the Philippines, with shadow play group El Gamma Penumbra emerging as its first grand champion. In a recent press conference for the winners, El Gamma Penumbra, singers Gerphil Flores and Gwyneth Dorado, and dance group Junior New System revealed what fans can expect from them now that the show is over.

Watch on Rappler.

As part of their visit to the Philippines for NBA Cares, Los Angeles Lakers Fil-Am guard Jordan Clarkson along with Utah Jazz guard Trey Burke and former NBA Champion Horace Grant visited the Maginoo Street covered basketball court in Tondo, Manila to tutor kids on basketball fundamentals.

The trio each taught kids from the Project Pearls program the basics of proper dribbling and shooting skills. Later on, Clarkson and Burke both threw down slam dunks, much to the delight of those in attendance.

See photos and read more on Rappler.