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Senate committee on public services chairman Sen. Raffy Tulfo has urged agencies to ensure the safety of millions of people expected to travel to their provinces during the Undas holiday, calling for stricter inspections of public utility vehicles and tighter security at airports and seaports.

During a recent committee hearing, Tulfo directed the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to ensure that passenger buses are roadworthy before being allowed to operate.

Inspections should cover properly functioning brakes, worn-out tires and drug testing for drivers, while colorum buses should be prohibited from operating, he said.

‘Even when it is not Undas, the LTO should still conduct regular inspections,’ Tulfo said.

He also raised concerns about airport security, with more than 1.25 million passengers expected to travel during Undas 2026.

He cited the robbery of French national Anthony Boukhors, who lost luxury watches at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, where some closed-circuit television cameras were reportedly not operational.

Tulfo called for all CCTV cameras to be working before the holiday rush and for adequate security personnel to be deployed throughout airport premises to respond promptly to incidents and deter criminals.

The senator also urged the Maritime Industry Authority, Philippine Ports Authority and Philippine Coast Guard to ensure that vessels comply with safety standards before sailing, including sufficient life jackets, passenger capacity limits, proper cargo weight limits and accurate passenger manifests.

‘No life should be lost due to negligence,’ he stressed.

President Marcos orders safety measures

President Marcos has ordered government agencies to ensure the safety and convenience of Filipinos traveling to their provinces and visiting cemeteries to observe All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

‘This Undas, many of our fellow Filipinos will go home to their respective provinces and visit cemeteries to remember and pray for their loved ones. We are ensuring that their travel and visit will be safe, smooth, and convenient,’ Marcos said in a video message on Friday.

According to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), more than one million passengers have passed through the landport ahead of the Undas weekend.

Between Oct. 25 and 29, the terminal recorded 931,225 passengers. Another 137,807 were added as of 5 p.m. on Friday, for a total of 1,069,032.

PITX projects 1.9 million passengers from Oct. 25 to Nov. 4, down from the 2.1 million recorded last year.

The President said the government was ensuring that Filipinos would have safe, orderly and convenient trips during the observance.

The Maritime Industry Authority has issued relaxation orders and special permits allowing flexible shipping schedules and additional ferry trips from Oct. 29 to Nov. 3 to accommodate increased passenger demand on selected routes.

Likewise, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has also issued more than 1,000 special permits for additional bus trips, while the Department of Transportation and its attached agencies are inspecting airports, seaports and bus terminals.

Marcos said 24-hour help desks are available at major transport terminals from Oct. 29 to Nov. 3.

Airport immigration counters will also have enough personnel on duty from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3 to prevent long lines, with digital systems such as eGates to be used to speed up processing.

He also directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to deploy personnel to cemeteries and columbaria to maintain peace and order.

In response, the PNP has tightened security at cemeteries, memorial parks and transport hubs nationwide, deploying more than 141,000 police officers and force multipliers to secure 5,311 cemeteries and columbaria, major thoroughfares, transportation hubs, places of worship, tourist destinations and other areas where people are expected to gather.

‘We will ensure that our personnel remain visible, approachable, and ready to respond to every request for assistance, especially from children, senior citizens and other vulnerable individuals,’ PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.

The PNP will remain on full alert until Nov. 3.

Church: Treat ashes with respect

As Filipinos prepare to visit their departed loved ones, Catholic Church officials reminded the public to treat cremated remains with respect and follow Church guidelines on their proper disposition.

Taytay, Palawan Bishop Broderick Pabillo warned against taking portions of a loved one’s ashes to make necklaces or other personal mementos, saying families should respect the integrity of the remains.

‘We should respect the integrity of the deceased… ‘I’ll take some parts of the ashes’ – that’s not right. It’s like we’re cutting parts of the body,’ Pabillo said in an interview with Radyo Veritas.

He encouraged families visiting cemeteries on Nov. 1, which falls on a Sunday this year, to pray and attend mass together, saying the observance also offers an opportunity for families and relatives to reunite.

‘I hope we can strengthen this even more through our collective prayers, especially this year, Nov. 1 is a Sunday, let’s go to church,’ he said.

The Archdiocese of Manila has also issued guidelines on the proper treatment of cremated remains as part of the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

In Circular 2026-100, the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission provided prayers for the departed in English and Filipino that may be used at home or when visiting cemeteries and columbaria.

The guidelines aim to deepen the faithful’s understanding of Church teachings and foster respect for the remains of departed loved ones in keeping with Christian belief.

The Cebu City Government has started releasing fuel subsidy assistance to qualified transport drivers on Friday, October 30, months after approving the program and launching a validation process to weed out ineligible beneficiaries.

Initial payroll records released by City Hall showed that payouts had been scheduled for drivers from several barangays and transport groups.

Among the first batches were 104 qualified beneficiaries under the Habal-Habal Fuel Subsidy program in Barangay Sinsin, with a total allocation of P260,000; 109 beneficiaries from Barangay Cambinocot with P272,500; 98 from Sudlon 2 with P245,000; and 43 from Tabunan with P107,500.

The four barangays accounted for a combined payout of P885,000, with each beneficiary receiving P2,500 in cash.

Another batch covered drivers from Barangays Cogon Ramos, Sto. Niño, San Antonio and Sta. Cruz, involving 111 beneficiaries and a total allocation of P272,500.

The payouts mark the long-awaited implementation of the city’s P35-million fuel subsidy program, which aims to cushion transport workers from the impact of rising fuel prices.

The program faced repeated delays after city officials found discrepancies in the initial list of applicants.

The number of applicants had ballooned from about 10,000 to roughly 35,000, prompting City Hall to conduct a thorough revalidation to ensure that only legitimate transport workers would receive assistance.

Mayor Nestor Archival subsequently ordered stricter verification of beneficiaries, requiring applicants to submit supporting documents and certifications before they could be included in the final payroll.

The city government removed duplicate, questionable and ineligible entries from the master list before releasing the funds. The P35-million subsidy was earlier allocated through Supplemental Budget No. 1.

Qualified beneficiaries also include drivers of public utility vehicles, modern jeepneys, taxis and habal-habal operators who meet the requirements set under an executive order issued by Archival.

Officials earlier said applicants must be registered voters of Cebu City, hold valid driver’s licenses and certify that they have not received similar fuel assistance through another government program.

National University hustled its way to a huge win over University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 75-71, in their UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball clash Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Bulldogs bounced back from a narrow loss against Ateneo in their last game, while sending the Tigers to their third straight defeat.

Mo Diassana flexed his muscles inside with 16 points and 19 rebounds, while swatting one shot. PJ Palacielo added 14 markers and six boards, while Kenshin Padrones added 13 points and 12 rebounds.

After losing a double-digit lead in the first half, NU trailed by five, 57-62, early on in the fourth quarter after an 8-0 run by UST capped by a Kristian Porter layup.

But a 10-0 run by the Bulldogs, capped by a deuce by Paul Francisco, pushed them ahead, 67-62, with 4:53 left.

A pair of free throws by Collins Akowe made it a three-point game, 64-67, but Reinhard Jumamoy and Palacielo kept the pressure on for NU.

After a dunk by Diassana gave the Bulldogs a 73-66 advantage with 42 seconds to go, UST inched closer with a triple by Landyn Jumawan and a pair of freebies by Amiel Acido, 71-73, with seven ticks to go.

On the other end, Palacielo was fouled. He made the first but missed the second, but NU was able to carom the rebound anew.

Palacielo was then sent to the line once again, and split his pair from the charity stripe to ice the game.

Tebol Garcia added 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a steal in the win. Jumamoy and Vince Reyes had six markers each for NU, which outrebounded UST 59-29.

Acido paced UST with 13 points and five rebounds. Llemit added 12 markers, four dimes and three boards. Akowe and Andrew Chio tallied 11 points each. The former was kept to a 2-of-7 shooting from the field and had just five rebounds. The latter made three of his five tries from deep.

The Bulldogs rose to 7-3 in the standings, while UST slipped to 4-6.

No promise, no expectation – just all heart.

That’s John Mark ‘Marama’ Tokong’s vow as Siargao’s own takes on the world when the WSL Championship Tour Philippines Pro fires off today at Cloud 9.

Four Filipino wildcards – Tokong, Jayuard Alciso, Mara Lopez and Noah Arkfeld – have been unleashed to face the world’s best and brightest, including reigning world champions and Olympic medalists.

Tokong opens against Brazil’s Samuel Pupo – and if he survives, a monster Round 2 awaits in former world champion Gabriel Medina.

It doesn’t get easier for the rest. Lopez, 15, draws an opening-day nightmare in Australia’s Molly Picklum, the reigning Portugal champion and current Yellow Jersey holder. Alciso faces French Polynesia’s Olympic gold medalist Kauli Vaast, while Arkfeld battles Australia’s George Pittar.

In a bid for upset, Tokong, the brightest hope among the Filipino bets, will bank on familiarity of the waves, knowledge of every hollow section, every shift of the wind in Siargao waters.

The world has come to Siargao, but PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio had a warning for the invaders during yesterday’s press conference at Café Loka.

‘Watch out for our bets,’ said Gregorio, who is presenting the historic event with Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, General Luna Mayor Johnson Sajulga and Vice Mayor Romina Sajulga.

From today to Nov. 10, Siargao is not just hosting a contest. It’s showing the world what Filipino surfing is made of.

Investors yesterday made sure to cash in profits before heading into the Undas break, having no motivation to buy more due to uncertainties on the economic front.

Meanwhile, the peso continued to appreciate after President Marcos made an assurance that economic managers are trying ‘as hard as we possibly can’ to defend the local currency.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) yesterday slipped by 0.44 percent or 25.23 points to settle at 5,680.35, as investors resorted to profit-taking activity to maximize last Thursday’s gains.

The broader All Shares index also dipped by 0.51 percent or 16.31 points, closing at 3,178.42.

Regina Capital Development Corp. head of sales Luis Limlingan said investors have cashed out of the PSEi to defend their profits before a long weekend.

Likewise, he said investors reduced their exposure because of economic uncertainties hounding the market.

‘The local bourse retreated in yesterday’s session as investors resorted to profit-taking following prior day’s gains. This reflects continued market caution,’ Limlingan said.

‘Investors maintained defensive positions and reduced exposure ahead of the long weekend amid lingering macroeconomic and external uncertainties,’ he added.

Losers edging out the winners, 110 to 63, while 68 issuers were unchanged.

Data from the Banker’s Association of the Philippines show the peso appreciated by 11 centavos to close at 63.74 to $1 from Thursday’s 63.85 per dollar level.

The peso has bounced back after hitting a record low of 64.17 on Oct. 27, prompting President Marcos to assure that there is no need to panic over the weakening local currency.

‘First of all, do not take it with alarm. Don’t panic. It is still an effect of the rising prices of oil and fuel and its impact on the economy,’ Marcos earlier told reporters.

Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) has retained its title as the Philippines’ strongest bank for the sixth consecutive year, according to financial research and intelligence provider The Asian Banker.

The recognition forms part of The Asian Banker’s annual ranking of the world’s 1,000 largest and strongest banks, which evaluates financial institutions based on their balance sheet strength, profitability, asset quality, liquidity and risk management.

The ranking assesses banks’ financial health and resilience, including their ability to absorb potential losses and maintain stable operations during challenging economic conditions.

‘Our strength comes from the trust our customers place in us and the dedication of our Metrobankers, who remain committed to delivering financial solutions that help our clients succeed in different market conditions,’ Metrobank president Fabian Dee said.

‘This recognition reflects how we continue to grow stronger together with our clients, communities and partners through every challenge and opportunity,’ Dee added.

The recognition comes as Metrobank continues to report solid financial results, with net income reaching P24.9 billion in the first half.

The bank’s nonperforming loan ratio stood at 1.8 percent, significantly below the banking industry’s average of 3.4 percent. Metrobank also maintained an NPL coverage ratio of 133.3 percent.