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The police chief of Nebraska’s largest city acknowledged Friday that police nationwide are more likely to pull Black people out of their cars at gunpoint than other racial groups as Omaha grapples with growing outrage over champion boxer Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford being ordered out of his car at gunpoint only hours after the city held a downtown celebration in his honor.

‘Quite frankly, that is generally a true statement. The number of stops are disproportionate. That is nationwide,’ Police Chief Tobb Schmaderer said at a news conference to address an internal investigation into Crawford’s traffic stop.

The police confrontation with Crawford, who is Black, has reignited long-simmering tensions between Omaha’s Black community and its police force. Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney, one of three Black state lawmakers in the Nebraska Legislature and a vocal critic of Omaha police and the state’s justice system, said he was disappointed – but not surprised – by the police stop.

‘I urge the people to keep speaking out and demanding real change boldly and unapologetically,’ McKinney said in a Facebook post earlier this week. ‘Our lives are at risk, and we have endured oppression for far too long.’

According to a U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics’ special report released in 2022, Black and Hispanic people were more likely than white people to experience the threat or use of force by police in 2020. Black people were also more likely to be shouted at by police than white people.

Police chief long an advocate for community policing

Schmaderer has long been an advocate of community policing that aims to build trust between officers and the public they patrol. He said Friday that he understands there is a lot of anger in the community over the treatment of Crawford – a favorite son of Omaha after making history by becoming the first male boxer to capture three unified division titles.

‘We understand the importance of this traffic stop to our community, and the implications and the impression it has given out,’ he said.

But he said a nearly completed internal investigation into the traffic stop shows the officers involved did not violate department policy.

According to their reports, the officers spotted a high-performance sedan without license plates pull out of a downtown parking garage around 1:30 a.m. Sunday and quickly accelerate to more than twice the 25 mph (40 kph) speed limit. The officers did not know Crawford was driving the car, Schmaderer said, before they pulled it over. Two officers approached it – one on the passenger side and another on the driver’s side.

Schmaderer said the initial interaction was cordial, which he assessed through body camera footage. Crawford, who was driving, told the officer at his window that the car was new and ‘had gotten away from him.’

At that point, a member of Crawford’s security team who was in the passenger seat told the officer at his window that he was carrying a legal handgun, Schmaderer said. Crawford, who was leaning over the car’s console, told that officer he also had a legal firearm, but the officer at the driver’s side window didn’t hear that exchange, Schmaderer said.

That is when the officer on the driver’s side spotted Crawford’s gun on the floorboard by his feet, pulled his service weapon and ordered Crawford and three other people out. Schmaderer said Crawford and the others were handcuffed for about 10 minutes. Police confirmed all occupants of the vehicle were legally permitted to carry firearms and let them go after about 30 minutes, ticketing Crawford on suspicion of reckless driving.

Crawford’s spokesperson said Friday that the boxer had no comment.

Video of incident won’t be released, chief says

Schmaderer said he will not be sharing police video of the stop unless Crawford agrees to it.

‘We don’t have a fatality here. We don’t have an officer-involved shooting, and it’s generally not our protocol to release that footage under those circumstances,’ he said.

Crawford’s stop by police came after the city held a parade through downtown streets in Crawford’s honor, followed by a party to celebrate his 38th birthday at a live music venue near where the stop occurred.

The celebration came after Crawford earned the unified super middleweight championship with his unanimous decision victory over Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 13 in Las Vegas. Crawford is 42-0 with 31 knockouts.

The 35 percent tariff on imported rice should be restored to protect farmers’ interests, House of Representatives Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III said on Monday.

During the joint hearing of the House committee on agriculture and food and the committee on ways and means on the moratorium on rice importation, Dy said that the 35 percent tariff on imported rice will strengthen local rice production because farmers would benefit from it.

‘May I reiterate na kung maaari lang na ibalik natin ang 35 percent na taripa (if we can just put back the 35 percent tariff)? Please, thank you,’ Dy said.

According to agriculture chairperson and Quezon 1st District Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, they support Dy’s call, noting that this is the same suggestion made by the quinta committee during the 19th Congress.

‘We fully support the appeal of the honorable speaker. This is an output, if the good [Agriculture] Secretary [Francisco Tiu Laurel] and the DOF [Department of Finance] would remember, that this is an output of the Murang Pagkain committee in the previous Congress, is that we bring back the tariff to 35 [percent]. So, I think that has reached your desk,’ Enverga said partly in Filipino.

‘So, please. We join the Speaker in his appeal na ibalik po natin ‘yong (to bring back the) 35 percent tariff,’ he added.

Dy attended the hearing on the rice importation moratorium, announcing on the onset that at least one million rice farmers will get a P7,000 cash aid for 2026, with an allocation reserved under the proposed 2026 national budget.

The Speaker said this after saying that the Department of Agriculture (DA) needs to implement systems properly so that the country would not be reliant on importation.

‘Regarding this, I am happy to inform you that in our 2026 national budget, farmers will receive direct cash aid as part of the government’s wider support for the agriculture sector. Help will surely come. One million farmers will each receive P7,000 cash aid, to address the loss of income due to the low buying price of palay,’ Dy said.

However, a farmer from Nueva Ecija told the committees that what they need is higher buying prices of palay and not another wave of cash assistance, saying that the practice of providing aid makes it seem that they are beggars.

According to Danilo Bolos said they would not need the P7,000 cash aid pushed by the Speaker if the government addresses extremely low buying prices for palay – ranging from P8 to P10 per kilogram.

Bolos said they are forced to dig into their savings or ask for loans since they have invested at least P14 to P15 per kilogram, only for palay to be bought at low prices.

After Bolos aired his sentiments, Dy assured him and other farmers that they think highly of workers in the agricultural sector, and that the aid is just a manifestation of the government’s yearning to support farmers.

‘First of all I apologize for these things, the aid is only out of the government’s yearning to address the needs of our farmers, but this does not mean that we think lowly of you, we regard you highly, we respect your efforts, if our hardworking farmers are not here, our country will not survive,’ he said.

‘You sacrifice a lot, whatever your ill feelings are, whatever your resentments are, you are still there working hard and sacrificing for our people,’ he added.

Enverga also assured Bolos that his yearning to amend to Republic Act No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law that amended R.A. No. 8178 will be addressed by the panel.

As early as June 23 – before the 19th Congress lawmakers ended their term – former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez already said that the chamber will focus on improving the capability of the the National Food Authority (NFA), so that the government can buy palay or rice grains at fair prices while selling them cheaper.

Romualdez eventually filed House Bill (HB) No. 1 or the proposed Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment (RICE) Act, which seeks to amend R.A.No. 8178.

Based on the copy of the measure released by Romualdez’s office, the bill seeks to strengthen the regulatory powers of the NFA ‘to support the rice industry and ensure consumer protection through adequate supply and stable price of rice.’

Earlier, in his speech, Dy said the RICE Act will be tackled by the House being a priority legislation of the chamber and the entire Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac).

In the 19th Congress, a proposal to amend the RTL was approved on third reading by the House of Representatives. House Bill (HB) No. 10381 was approved last May 2024, with 231 lawmakers voting in the affirmative, three in the negative, and one abstaining.

However, the bill faced opposition in the Senate amid fears that giving back some of NFA’s mandates might lead to corruption again. According to Enverga, this would not happen as NFA will have a limited role in importation.

Students from De La Salle University (DLSU) – Manila staged an academic walkout on Monday to denounce corruption in government, following the revelations of the flood-control probe which implicated ranking public officials

Apart from various progressive youth groups, several students joined an anti-corruption march within the Manila campus, before staging a program outside university grounds along Taft Avenue, despite the rainy conditions.

The group swelled to over a thousand after students from DLS-College of Saint Benilde also converged with the initial protest group in solidarity, following their own academic walkout.

Simultaneously, students from DLSU-Laguna also held their own protest.

Students chanted ‘DLSU, laban sa korap,’ in the tune of the university’s UAAP cheer.

During the program, DLSU alumnus and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Chair Teodoro ‘Teddy’ Casiño expressed his support to the students’ call and lauded the group for standing up to the issues faced by the country.

‘It is very important that our people, especially our youth, come out and show their protest and anger, otherwise, the cover-up that is currently being carried out in Congress, in the Independent Commission (for Infrastructure) will continue,’ he said in Filipino.

Casiño also highlighted that students’ all over the country must participate as well, as it is their futures that are ‘at stake’ if talks of corruption dissipate, adding that pushing against the issue should continue.

‘We have to keep up the pressure. And the youth are important because our youth, they are the ones with the energy, they are the ones with the drive, and they are the ones with the biggest stake in changing our society, so it’s very important that they have come out, not only here at La Salle but in many schools across the country,’ Casino added.

Professors and parents were also in solidarity with the students’ plea.

DLSU professor and educator Dominic Paguio supported the academic walkout, which coincided with his class schedule.

‘It’s a big part of being an educator to be a role model. This exercise of their democratic rights is a form of education for them. This is a part of understanding their values and what they stand for. I’m supporting that growth in regards to what they stand for, part of their political identity also, and being a citizen of the country,’ Paguio told the Inquirer.

The anti-corruption academic walkout was supposed to be held on October 2, but was postponed after a false bomb threat was sent to a student from DLSU-Manila on the evening of October 1.

Upon investigation of the local police, no explosives or harmful materials were detected within the campus, but the university closed the school grounds on October 2 for precautionary measures.

The 2025 iteration of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival sailed ahead after a months-long delay, with its executives demanding that government officials be transparent about public funds and reallocate the people’s money to support the arts.

In their respective speeches at the Cinemalaya opening ceremony at the Shangri-La Plaza on Friday, Oct. 3, deputy festival director Tess Rances and president Laurice Guillen took the time to echo the public’s fury toward the corruption of public funds and why the country’s film industry needs proper funding.

‘While billions of taxpayers’ money are skimmed in ghost projects right under the noses of our lawmakers, who were supposed to safeguard them, artists scrape the bottom of the pot to bring their stories to life,’ Rances said.

‘Corruption stumps and kills creativity. We urge our government to prioritize the allocation of funds to support the arts, specifically institutions like Cinemalaya and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and the FDCP that nurture the growth of Philippine independent filmmaking,’ she continued.

Staying on the topic, Rances called on government officials to practice ‘urgency in responding against corruption,’ as it also plays a role in ‘stifling creativity and artistic excellence.’

‘We demand accountability and transparency of public funds meant for cultural and artistic development. The Cinemalaya festival, now in its 21st edition, has proven time and again its significance in shaping the narrative of Philippine cinema, promoting innovation, and giving a voice to the people,’ she said.

‘We call on our lawmakers to act with urgency in [responding] against corruption. It stifles creativity and artistic excellence. The future of Philippine cinema and the art demand it. The voices of our artists demand it. Labanan natin ang korapsyon at suportahan ang sining (Let’s fight against corruption and support the arts),’ she further added.

Meanwhile, Guillen revealed that the festival currently has 197 films in its arsenal, while acknowledging how the current political climate has an impact on filmmakers and local cinema.

‘Cinemalaya is not just a festival, it is a journey. The filmmaker who joins the competition with a story close to his heart sets out on a personal journey to a process that emphasizes craft and creativity, he learns to refine his vision and finds his voice,’ she said.

‘Unless our filmmakers acknowledge the hard truth and the upheavals today. Climate change, migration and refugee flows, war and conflict, political instability, economic disparity, we can’t even begin to take up the challenge,’ she continued.

With the theme ‘Layag sa Alon, Hangin, at Unos,’ this year’s Cinemalaya will be held from Oct. 3 to 12 at the Mandaluyong-based mall and partner cinemas.

The full-length film entries include ‘Bloom Where You are Planted,’ ‘Child No. 82,’ ‘Cinemartyrs,’ ‘Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan,’ ‘Open Endings,’ ‘Padamlagan,’ ‘Paglilitis,’ ‘Raging,’ ‘Republika ng Pipolipinas,’ and ‘Warla.’

Meanwhile, the short-film entries are the following: ‘Ascension from the Office Cubicle,’ ‘Figat (Tomorrow),’ ‘Hasang (Gills),’ ‘I’m Left Inside My Head,’ ‘Kay Basta Angkarabo Yay Bagay Ibat ha Langit (Objects Do Not Randomly Fall from the Sky),’ ‘Kung Tugnaw ang Kaidalman Sang Lawod (Cold as the Oceans Run Deep),’ ‘Please Keep this Copy,’ ‘Radikals,’ ‘The Next 24 Hours,’ and ‘Water Sports.’

Five major transport groups split from the ‘Magnificent 7’ transportation coalition after its leaders called for the resignation of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chief Teofilo Gaudiz III.

At a conference on Friday, groups Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO), Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP), Stop and Go Transport Coalition (Stop and Go), Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP), and UV Express Federation of the Philippines announced their withdrawal from the coalition.

Left in the coalition are Pasang Masda led by Ka Obet Martin, and Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP) led by Boy Vargas.

The five groups, through its spokesperson Orlando Marquez, alleged that they were made to sign petitions by Martin and Vargas under false pretenses, particularly in calling to remove Gaudiz from the LTFRB.

Marquez said that the five groups will ‘no longer participate in smear campaigns against government officials who are working sincerely.’

He also added that the five groups did not agree with the coalition’s calls to remove Gaudiz, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary Ramon Reyes, and LTFRB NCR Regional Director Zona Russet M. Tamayo.

‘The call to dismiss Undersecretary Ramon Reyes, Charmain Guadiz, RD Tamayo of NCR, we are not part of that. We did not discuss it with the group,’ Marquez said.

Marquez, however, also revealed that the five organizations will be joining five other Luzon-based groups to form a new 10-member coalition that he said will be ‘even bigger than the Magnificent 7.’

National Teachers’ Month shines a light on the extraordinary dedication of Filipino teachers, who continue to adapt and innovate in an ever-changing education landscape. In San Marcelino, Zambales, quiet transformation is underway-one where teachers are blending traditional instruction with digital tools to create a learning experience that is more engaging, inclusive, and effective.

Average math scores among 4th to 6th grade students have doubled among students participating in the pilot run of CENTEX Digital Education – High Touch, High Tech (HTHT). The pilot is being implemented in nine public elementary schools as a partnership among the local government of San Marcelino, Department of Education Zambales, ACEN subsidiary Sta Cruz Solar Energy Inc., Huawei, the Philanthropy Asia Alliance, and the Education Development Center, all working in partnership and brought together by Ayala Foundation. Together, the partners provide intensive teacher upskilling, quality digital education resources, and technical and evaluation expertise.

CENTEX Digital Education pairs intensive teacher training (High Touch) with Khan Academy Philippines, a quality digital learning platform tailored to the official DepEd curriculum (High Tech). By equipping educators with both pedagogical and technological support, the program helps teachers deliver instruction that is personalized, data-driven, and inspiring for their students.

Teachers have been the first to see the change in their own classrooms. Myla Romualdo of Sta. Fe Elementary School reflects, ‘HTHT taught me the value of combining technology with human interaction in the classroom. I realized that while digital tools can make lessons more interactive and accessible, they are most effective when paired with the teacher’s guidance and personal connection with learners. I also learned that personalization, creativity, and critical thinking can flourish when technology is used purposefully to enhance, not replace, the role of the teacher.’

Teacher Geraldine Ramos of Laoag Integrated School, meanwhile, said it was important to emphasize balance: ‘HTHT taught me the importance of balancing technology and human connection to provide differentiated and meaningful learning experiences for every student.’

These observations are reinforced by a third-party evaluation done by an international education research and advocacy organization. Results showed that more than 1,600 learners across nine DepEd schools in San Marcelino improved their math performance from 27 percent to 56 percent in just 12 weeks.

An independent evaluation by the Education Development Center, with researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Glasgow, confirmed the difference as highly statistically significant and equivalent to nearly four extra months of schooling. They also shared that the average effect size of the CENTEX Digital pilot in Zambales is around double what they usually find in similar programs run in other countries.

Teachers note that the transformation goes beyond test scores.

‘Even after many years of teaching, I realized there is always something new to learn,’ veteran teacher Elvie Corpuz of Rabanes Elementary School shared. ‘The program gave me strategies I can use to make math and science more exciting for my students.’

Angelica Artillera of Nagbunga Integrated School added: ‘I see my students smiling now when they work on math problems. That’s the biggest reward for me.’

These stories reveal the true strength of CENTEX Digital: it is not just the technology itself, but the teachers who bring it to life. Their willingness to learn, to experiment, and to put their students first is what drives success.

For indigenous students in remote areas, the experience has been even more transformative. It marked the first time they had ever used a digital learning platform in their classrooms.

Local leaders shared this sense of transformation.

‘As a son of San Marcelino Zambales, I have seen the dreams of our children often limited not by their talent, but by the tools and opportunities around them,’ said town Mayor Elvis Soria. ‘CENTEX Digital Education – High Touch High Tech gives them a fighting chance, bringing the world’s knowledge to their fingertips, while still keeping the heart of every lesson close to home. For me, this is more than technology, it is hope, it is equity, and it is love for the next generation.’

Ayala Foundation echoes this commitment.

‘CENTEX Digital shows what is possible when DepEd, local governments, and partners come together with a shared vision: to improve learning outcomes by giving every DepEd teacher and student the most effective, efficient, and evidence-based support. Building our human capital is an investment in the country’s future,’ said Tony Lambino, President of Ayala Foundation.

At the same time, Ayala Foundation is piloting CENTEX Early Grades in Lamitan City, Basilan, and El Nido, Palawan, to strengthen literacy and numeracy skills, together with social and emotional learning for the youngest Filipino learners. The vision is to create a seamless pathway: ensuring that pre-Kindergarten administered by LGUs connects more to the Kindergarten curriculum offered in DepEd schools. The goal is to give our youngest learners a leg up in numeracy and literacy, setting them up for success on their long-term educational journeys.

For Ayala Foundation, innovation in education is not about replacing teachers, but equipping them with the tools for teaching and learning. For the teachers of San Marcelino, innovation is about giving their students the gift of possibility.

This Teachers’ Month, their stories remind us that when technology is placed in the hands of dedicated educators, learning becomes not just faster, but deeper, more personal, and full of hope.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland believes he is in the best form of his career – and the statistics show he might be right.

The scoring phenom from Norway made it 18 goals from his opening 11 games of the season by netting City’s winner against Brentford in the Premier League.

That prompted a question: Is he in the form of his life?

‘You can say so,’ Haaland said. ‘I’ve never felt better than I do now.’

Here’s a deeper look at his scoring run – and how it currently compares to other top strikers:

Is this Haaland’s best goal streak?

In a senior career spent at Molde in Norway, Salzburg in Austria, Borussia Dortmund in Germany and now City, Haaland has never scored more than 18 goals in an 11-game stretch in a single season.

He has achieved that exact same tally, though, on three previous occasions. And they came in the same season.

In the 2022-23 campaign – his first at City – Haaland had 11-game stretches from Aug. 21-Oct. 5 and Aug. 27-Oct. 8 where he scored 18 goals for club and country. Those runs included hat tricks in three consecutive home league games.

Later that season, he again netted 18 goals in an 11-game run from March 11-May 3 – a streak that included five goals in a Champions League match against Leipzig.

In his current run, Haaland also has a five-goal match – for Norway against Moldova – as well as four doubles. He has nine Premier League goals so far, which is more than nine teams in the division.

What about Haaland’s run of consecutive scoring games?

This is where Haaland has broken his personal record.

His goal against Brentford meant he has now scored in nine straight matches for club and country, and he’s never done that before.

His previous best streak was eight games in a row – from August to October in 2021 when he played for Dortmund, and from August to September in 2022 soon after joining City.

What’s the Premier League record for scoring in consecutive games?

The only game in which Haaland failed to score this season was at home to Tottenham in the Premier League on Aug. 23, when City lost 2-0.

He has netted in all five of City’s league games since, but has a way to go to break the record for scoring in consecutive games.

That is held by Jamie Vardy, who scored in 11 straight matches in the Premier League from August to November en route to Leicester winning the title in fairytale fashion.

How does Haaland compare to the world’s other top strikers this season?

It hasn’t just been a strong start to the season for Haaland.

Harry Kane has begun even better, scoring 19 goals in his first 11 games for Bayern Munich and England combined – starting with one in the German Super Cup. The England captain has failed to score in just one of those matches.

As for Kylian Mbappé, he has 16 goals in his opening 12 games for Real Madrid and France combined. He has also failed to score in only one of those matches.

As communities in Masbate continue to recover from the devastation brought by Typhoon Opong, Manila Water has mobilized a dedicated relief team and deployed a mobile water treatment plant and water tanker to provide much-needed potable water to affected residents.

The company’s swift response comes amid challenges in aid distribution, as national and private relief efforts are also deployed to Cebu following the powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the province just days after the typhoon. Despite this, Manila Water has extended its support to both disaster-hit areas.

In Masbate, Manila Water has so far distributed 24,000 liters of potable water to an estimated 16,000 individuals from Barangays Bagacay, Pinamarbuhan, Tabuk, and Malatukan. These are running totals as of the morning of October 6, with relief operations still ongoing.

The company’s mobile water treatment plant, capable of producing 3,000 liters per hour through conventional treatment and 1,500 liters per hour via reverse osmosis, is currently sourcing raw water from the Mandali River in Mobo, Masbate. An alternative water source has also been identified at Barangay Lalaguna’s irrigation system to ensure continuous operations.

Manila Water’s relief efforts in Masbate were made possible through close coordination with the Office of the Civil Defense – National and the Office of the Civil Defense Region V, which served as the company’s ground coordinator.

Their support enabled efficient deployment and ensured that potable water reached the most affected communities. ‘Access to clean water is critical in the aftermath of disasters. Our team in Masbate is working closely with local authorities to ensure that affected families have safe drinking water as they begin to rebuild,’ Manila Water Communication Affairs Group Director Jeric Sevilla said.

While focused on Masbate, Manila Water has also extended support to Cebu, where its subsidiary continues to supply potable water to municipalities affected by the recent earthquake.

Manila Water remains committed to delivering life-saving water access and supporting communities in times of need.

Sen. Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan appealed to his colleague Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson to reconsider his decision to resign as the chairman of the blue ribbon committee.

In a statement on Monday evening, Pangilinan said no one in the majority bloc sought Lacson’s replacement as the head of the powerful blue ribbon panel.

‘My sense was and is that while there were a number of our colleagues in the majority bloc who disagreed with some earlier public pronouncements made by him, the matter had been threshed out and clarified by him in a majority caucus held last Wednesday Oct 1. No one in the majority bloc sought his replacement as blue ribbon committee chairman,’ said Pangilinan.

‘I appeal to Senator Ping to stay on as blue ribbon committee chairman and appeal as well to our colleagues in the majority bloc to reaffirm our support for him to stay on even as we iron out our differences,’ he added.

Pangilinan said he is hoping that with the renewed support of the majority bloc, Lacson will be convinced to stay on his post.

‘Now more than ever, amidst the political crisis facing the nation, our people are looking for stability and certainty in the state of our affairs and looking to the strength of our institutions to withstand the ongoing crisis and resolve it in favor of truth, transparency and public accountability,’ said Pangilinan.

Earlier, Senate President Vicente Sotto III confirmed the receipt of Lacson’s resignation letter as blue ribbon chairperson.

In a resignation letter dated October 7 and addressed to Sotto, Lacson explained how a number of their colleagues have expressed disappointment with the ‘direction’ of the blue ribbon committee hearings regarding the anomalous flood control projects.

‘Some senators publicly and secretly pursue the narrative that I am zeroing in on several of my colleagues while purportedly protecting those members of the Lower House perceived to be the principal actors in the budget anomalies related to the substandard and ghost flood control projects,’ said Lacson.

But according to him, nothing could be further from the truth.

‘This narrative is categorically false. These misrepresentations are being floated mostly by critics opposed to our efforts to get to the bottom of the flood control anomalies,’ he said.

Lacson underscored that his committee went where the evidence led them, and not by the noise coming from highly partisan political persuasions.

To all my colleagues, let me reiterate: there are no political considerations in any and all my actions related to my handling of the committee hearings and other related activities,’ said Lacson.

In the Philippines, October isn’t just for Halloween celebrations; it also marks the start of Museums and Galleries Month. Whether you’re a seasoned art enthusiast or taking your first curious steps into the world of exhibitions, this month offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in Filipino arts and culture.

Bahay Nakpil-Bautista

Located in Quiapo, Bahay Nakpil-Bautista is an ancestral bahay na bato associated with the Nakpils, a significant family in Philippine history. Most notable among them are Gregoria de Jesus, the ‘Lakambini ng Katipunan,’ and her husband, musical composer and Katipunan vice-leader, Julio Nakpil.

The museum features permanent exhibits about the house’s former residents, the Katipunan movement, and includes a small library of Filipiniana literature accessible to researchers.

Beyond its role as a museum, Bahay Nakpil-Bautista also functions as an active community center, hosting exhibits for emerging artists, meetings for advocacy groups, and organizing walking tours of Manila.

432 A. Bautista, Quiapo, Manila, 1001 Kalakhang Maynila. Open only on Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Entrance fee is P80.

The Tandang Sora Women’s Museum opened on Jan. 6, 2025, commemorating the 213th birth anniversary of Melchora Aquino, Mother of the Philippine Revolution. This museum honors not only Aquino, but also celebrates the contributions of Filipino women throughout the nation’s history. The bahay na bato-inspired building houses a creativity corner, an audio-visual section, and a rotating exhibit space.

Aside from a comprehensive timeline documenting Filipino women’s significant roles across various sectors-such as politics, arts, science, and media-the museum also preserves materials and memorabilia from feminist movements in the Philippines.

Fundación Sansó is a nonprofit foundation established in 2014 to preserve and promote the artistic legacy of renowned visual artist Juvenal Sansó. It maintains an extensive collection of over 600 works from Sansó’s personal archive, including paintings, prints, textile designs, opera set designs, sketches, and painted slides.

Aside from preserving the Spanish-born Filipino artist’s legacy, Fundacion Sansó also actively contributes to the development of the Philippine cultural sector by spearheading various arts-related projects, scholarships, and grants.

Found inside the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies (AIMS) campus, the AIMS Museo Maritimo is the Philippines’ first maritime-themed museum that offers comprehensive exhibitions on the country’s seafaring history. It provides insights into significant events such as Magellan’s global circumnavigation and the trade interactions between Mexico and the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.

Visitors can also explore maritime artifacts and displays, learn about notable figures across different sectors of the maritime industry, and understand the duties and responsibilities of a Filipino maritime officer.

Founded in 2013 by Dominador Buhain, president of REX Publishing, the Book Museum cum Ethnology Center houses a curated collection of limited-edition books and published materials from over 200 countries. Buhain established the museum to share knowledge from his travels and reignite an appreciation for reading within Filipinos. In his collection are remarkable pieces such as a copy of the ‘Doctrina Christiana,’ the first book printed in the Philippines, and a miniature set of William Shakespeare’s works.

Doubling as an ethnology center, the museum features two artifact exhibitions highlighting Cordilleran, Mangyan, Tausug, and other Indigenous groups. The space also includes a 1950s-inspired coffee shop filled with James Dean memorabilia, honoring the museum owner’s favorite actor from that era.

Founded by photographer Erwin Canlas and maintained alongside his family, RiseSpace Art Gallery is more than just an exhibition space; it is also a platform for artistic expression and connection, welcoming emerging creatives, established artists, and art enthusiasts alike. Dedicated to fostering creativity and communication within the art community, RiseSpace hosts not only exhibitions but also artist talks and performances.

Their inaugural exhibition, ‘Visions,’ showcased works from the Canlas family members-Erwin, Rene, and Isabela-which expressed their common philosophy of art as a shared language.