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Public school teachers are now considered more empowered in expressing their demands to the government, especially with regards to their decades-old call for higher compensation.

‘We are tied to the P50 pay per day from 2024 to 2027 under the law,’ said Vladimer Quetua, chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT). ‘If we will follow this law, while prices of goods and services are skyrocketing, we were hoping for some sort of an upgrade.’

Inadequate wages

On Oct. 3, as part of the observance of World Teachers’ Day, teachers across Metro Manila staged a mass walkout again to underscore the longtime challenges of their profession-inadequate wages, shortage of learning facilities and materials, and an education budget yet to meet the standards set by the United Nations.

The mass action also doubled as an expression of outrage over the systemic corruption being uncovered lately in public works projects.

Quetua said the clamor continues for teachers to be granted an entry-level salary of P50,000, much more than current P30,000.

Pending bills

He said there is a pending bill at the House of Representatives-House Bill No. 203-which pushes for the P50,000 minimum.

Another pending bill, House Bill No. 2903, seeks an across-the-board pay increase of P15,000, he added. In response to the calls made by the teachers who took part in Friday’s mass walkout, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Saturday said it continues to acknowledge their right to peaceful assembly and the significance of the issues being raised.

‘We likewise acknowledge that under the leadership of President Marcos, the government continues to champion the welfare of public servants-including our teachers-through reforms like Executive Order No. 64, which, last year, delivered a significant and much-needed boost to educators’ wages,’ said Dennis Legaspi, chief media relations officer of DepEd.

Legaspi was referring to the updated salary schedule that was applied to all civilian government personnel in all branches of the government.

The DepEd has been holding dialogues with all teacher representatives to address the concerns in a collaborative manner. ‘Rest assured, the DepEd leadership is not only listening but is committed to taking meaningful action,’ Legaspi said.

Go past ‘lip service’

For Quetua, however, the agency should now match its reassuring statements with concrete steps. ‘We welcome their cknowledgment, but this would just be another lip service from the government. What we want are actions from the Department of Education,’ he said.

‘Piles of cash are being wasted in the hands of corrupt officials while teachers are being burdened by the low wages (and) struggle with the rising prices of commodities,’ Quetua said. ‘From the mass walkout, we saw how the teachers are now more motivated and empowered to express the longtime demand,’ he noted.

Seven films from the Philippines have made it to the shortlist of the ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards (AIFFA) 2025, cementing the country’s strong presence at the biennial event.

Now in its seventh edition, the festival will run from Nov. 12 to 15 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. From more than 200 submissions – the highest in AIFFA history – only select entries made the cut, with the Philippines landing seven coveted slots.

The films representing the country are Sheron Dayoc’s ‘The Gospel of the Beast,’ Dominic Bekaert’s ‘An Errand,’ Louie Ignacio’s ‘Avenida,’ Petersen Vargas’ ‘Some Nights I Feel Like Walking,’ Zig Dulay’s ‘Green Bones’ and ‘Firefly: The Movie’ and Derick Cabrido’s ‘Mallari.’

Rain Yamson III, AIFFA’s liaison officer for the Philippines, announced the shortlist and called the achievement another testament to Filipino creativity. ‘Filipino filmmakers are limitless already. We’re now able to expand. Southeast Asia now appreciates our work,’ he said.

AIFFA festival director Livan Tajang, represented in Manila by Fadhilla ‘Dillah’ Abdulla, highlighted the Philippines’ unwavering support. ‘We look forward to the Philippines bringing a lot more movies in the coming years. The country has been very supportive through the years,’ Abdulla told reporters at a recent media gathering. She also noted that AIFFA has seen historic Filipino winners, including National Artist for Film Nora Aunor, actress Cherie Gil and filmmaker Joseph Israel Laban – all of whom have since passed away, but not before being honored by the festival. Since its founding in 2013, AIFFA has drawn around 300 industry professionals from across Asean and beyond. Alongside screenings and the Gala Night, the 2025 edition will feature workshops, masterclasses, exhibitions, and a new category: the Borneo Documentary Awards.

For Filipino artists, AIFFA has long been both a competition and a celebration. Actor Tommy Alejandrino (‘The Baseball Player’) fondly recalled the camaraderie: ‘We partied almost every night. But we were also very professional about it. We met a lot of filmmakers there. It was such a great experience.’

Filmmaker Christian Paolo Lat (‘Solace’) emphasized the festival’s opportunities for cultural exchange: ‘The most memorable was meeting (Korean celebrity) Rain because I’m a big fan of his. He was the special guest and I saw him during the awards night. I’ve always looked up to him as an actor and as a dancer. The trip was also made memorable by meeting filmmakers from other countries. Overall, it was an amazing experience.’

Roman Perez Jr., who previously screened ‘Kaluskos’ and ‘Sitio Diablo’ at AIFFA, praised the festival’s openness: ‘Bringing ‘Sitio Diablo’ there was tricky since Malaysia is an Islamic country, but they allowed the film to be screened even though there were a lot of love scenes, rape scenes, and drugs. It was shown uncut. I’m thankful to AIFFA because there were no barriers. The best part was, they know all about Vivamax in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia. They were looking for me, and they asked: ‘Who is the Vivamax director here?”

Past winner Max Eigenmann, who won best actress for ‘Kargo’ in 2023, also joined the announcement. Looking back, Eigenmann reflected on her connection to her aunt Cherie – herself an AIFFA Best Actress winner in 2017: ‘She’s always with me. I got a tattoo of her initials here – that’s CG.’

The festival will culminate in the Gala Night at the Colosseum, Pullman Hotel Kuching, where 12 AIFFA awards will be presented. With seven contenders in the running, the Philippines once again heads into the festival as one of its strongest forces. /ra

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said he continues to support the leadership of Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

Asked whether the leadership of Sotto remains stable after former and incumbent lawmakers were implicated in an ongoing investigation of public works corruption, Lacson said: ‘I don’t know, that’s what’s in my colleagues’ minds.’

‘But if you will ask me, I’ve already experienced his being a Senate president for the longest time, in the past Congress. His system of management is good; he has good leadership. He always goes for consensus, he doesn’t dictate and and he doesn’t decide alone. So if you ask me, I’ll continue to support him,’ he said. ‘Now, if in the views of my colleagues, he is also lacking in leadership.that’s how it goes in the Senate, whoever has the majority, whoever has at least 13. whoever is sitting can be replaced by whoever has at least 13 (votes),’ Lacson added.

Lacson’s statement came following Sen. JV Ejercito’s recent remark that he, along with four other senators, planned to leave the majority bloc after several former and incumbent senators were dragged into the investigation of anomalous flood control projects by the Senate blue ribbon committee.

Sen. Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian, however, said on Saturday that he believes Sotto’s leadership is ‘very stable.’

By virtue of Republic Act No. 11086, signed by then President Rodrigo Duterte, Sto. Tomas was converted into a component city of Batangas province. Strategically located on the boundary of Laguna and Batangas, Sto. Tomas has emerged as a thriving industrial hub with a land area of 10,032.38 hectares and a population of 226,772, based on the latest census. Nestled at the foot of the legendary and scenic Mt. Makiling, the city blends progress with natural beauty. Although recognized only recently as the fourth city of the province-after Lipa, Tanauan, and Batangas-Sto. Tomas is one of its oldest towns, established in 1666. Its name was given by the Dominican missionaries in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas. Sto. Tomas also contributed immensely to the pages of Philippine history, as it prides itself as the birthplace of the national hero General Miguel Malvar, the last Filipino general to surrender to the Americans.

Oct. 7, 1660

Residents of Pampanga province rose against Spanish colonizers in what became known as the Kapampangan Revolt of 1660, or the Maniago Revolt. The uprising was sparked by resentment toward the forced labor policy and the compulsory sale of native products paid under the ‘bandala,’ where payment came only in promissory notes. Leading the revolt was Francisco Maniago, a native of Mexico town, who boldly blocked the mouths of the rivers of Pampanga to cut off trade with Manila. The rebellion quickly gained momentum as Pangasinenses, Cagayanos, and Ilocanos joined the fight, and it inspired uprisings in Northern Luzon as well. The rebellion ended when the Spaniards accepted the demands of the people. The MassKara Festival held in Bacolod City is considered one of the most colorful festivals in the Philippines. It showcases dancers donning carnival-inspired costumes and masks on the streets and in a stadium on the final day. The festival was born in 1980 to ease the collective grief of Negrenses following a severe economic crisis caused by the collapse of the sugar industry and the sinking of the Bacolod-bound MV Don Juan that had left over a hundred dead and missing. The festival’s masks, representing the many ‘happy faces’ of Negrenses, have since evolved into a festivity that fosters optimism, resilience, and unity-while showcasing the artistry and creativity of Bacolodnons. This year’s festivities boast a wide array of cultural and sectoral activities, including street and dance competitions, sports tournaments, talent shows, a beauty pageant and more.

Sagingan Festival (Sept. 13 to Oct. 20)

The Sagingan Festival is a celebration held in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, honoring the town’s primary agricultural product-bananas. With some 30 varieties, bananas stand as the heart and soul of Tubod’s culture. The town’s progress and heritage were also deeply intertwined with this beloved fruit. More than just a tribute to the harvest, the Sagingan Festival showcases the strength, unity, and unwavering spirit of Tubod’s locals. This year’s month-long celebration bursts with color and energy through sports competitions, beauty pageants, concerts, and fireworks displays. It also features meaningful events such as a trade fair, job fair, mass, civic parade, kasalan ng bayan (mass wedding), and an environment day celebration. -NATHALIE GRACE ADALID, INQUIRER RESEARCH

After a flurry of offseason moves and a reshaping of the NBA Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks are poised to be a factor this year.

And while four-time All-Star Trae Young is still the team’s fulcrum, a second All-Star will need to emerge if the Hawks are to fulfill expectations. Enter Jalen Johnson. The Hawks’ 6-foot-9 forward is entering his fifth season out of Duke coming off a torn labrum in his left shoulder that required surgery last January and ended his season. He lasted only 36 games, but he continued his ascent with career-highs in points (18.9), rebounds (10.0), steals (1.6), blocks (1.0) and minutes (35.7).

‘I’m just excited for a basketball game,’ Johnson said at the team’s practice facility Thursday. ‘It’s been a long time since January, so I’m excited to get out on the court, preseason, training camp. I’m excited to be full go and fully healthy going into the season.’

Johnson spent part of his summer training with LeBron James after he was cleared to resume basketball activities. He said his conditioning is up to par and he has worked most on his shooting in the offseason. The first few days of training camp have been spent getting acclimated to the new rotational pieces the Hawks have acquired, such as Kristaps Porzingas, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard.

And while Johnson is trying to fit in with them, Hawks coach Quin Snyder feels the newcomers will fit in nicely with Johnson.

‘Other guys on the team benefit from Jalen because of his play-making ability,’ Snyder said. ‘Jalen is such a good passer and willing passer that he’s ready to play-make even more. . (With the new lineup), he will be in spacing situations where he can just catch and shoot. We want him to do that, just to let it fly. We trust him in that regard.’ Johnson shot 35.5% from 3-point range in 2023-24, but that number dipped to 31.2% last season. Should his outside shooting become more reliable, it will open up his ability to drive. Johnson is one of the Hawks’ best at getting out and finishing in transition, and has been since he came into the league.

Snyder said he has noticed in the early part of training camp that Johnson has been more focused on defensive details, which shows his maturation as a player. Johnson hasn’t been able to experience a full season in his two years as a starter. He played 56 games in 2023-24 because of ankle and wrist injuries, and then missed 46 games last season.

‘The key for any young player in getting better is to embrace the things they need to work on, just to be painfully honest with yourself about how can I get better and then to work,’ Snyder said. ‘He’s done a real good job in the portions of the season, early in the season that he did play, I think he’s been able to take that and really work on things and apply them.’

Snyder described Johnson as hungry to play and has hopes he will continue to progress and be a key component of the team this season.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Sunday denied that there is another looming change in the Senate leadership.

Only less than a month ago, Sen. Francis Escudero was replaced by Senate President Vicente Sotto III. ‘Not true. It’s the same old rehashed psywar tactic all over again intended to confuse and sow intrigue among members of the majority,’ Lacson said.

He was commenting on talks circulating that some senators are eyeing switch sides and support Senate Minority Leader Alan Cayetano to become the next senate president.

Adamson escaped Far Eastern University, 57-56, to earn its first win in the UAAP Season 88 women’s basketball tournament Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

After losses to UP and Ateneo, the Lady Falcons leaned on Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 standouts Elaine Etang and Cheska Apag to give new coach Jed Colonia his maiden victory.

‘Lahat ng games namin boiled down to the dying seconds. It’s a great feeling,’ said Colonia. ‘We’ve been giving ourselves chances to win, and it’s the effort and heart in the last few possessions that decide the game.’

Adamson nearly lost a 14-point lead before Apag hit a free throw and Etang buried a clutch triple for a 57-51 edge. FEU answered with free throws and a three-pointer by Victoria Pasilang to cut it to one, but Apag’s steal sealed the win.

Apag finished with 18 points, six steals, five rebounds and two assists. Etang added 12 points, six boards and four assists.

Adamson improved to 1-2, tying FEU for fifth place. The Lady Falcons face defending champion National University next on October 8, still at MOA Arena.

Amyah Espanol and Pasilang had 15 points apiece for FEU, which plays UP on Oct. 12 at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

Despite public clamor to immediately jail all personalities involved in the flood control mess, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he does not want a rushed and haphazard investigation, as that may backfire on his administration’s anti-corruption campaign.

For the President, mere accusations and testimonies, even in congressional hearings, would not hold up in court in the absence of proof.

‘We know many of these people are not innocent. But if you’re going to bring them to court, you must have a very strong case,’ Marcos said in an interview with Philip Cu-Unjieng of the Manila Bulletin and his childhood friend as part of his BBM Podcast.

A teaser of the latest episode of the podcast was released by the Presidential Communications Office on Sunday.

‘Look, what would happen if we rushed the investigation? We would have incomplete and unclear evidence. But we still pursued the filing of cases. The result: We lost the cases. Can you imagine that right now?’ the President said.

‘I think that would be much, much, much worse,’ he added.

The President created the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate all the anomalous government infrastructure works, most especially flood control projects, in the past 10 years. The results of its inquiry would be used to recommend the filing of charges against all those involved.

Almost a month after the fact-finding body’s three members were appointed, the ICI has conducted numerous closed-door hearings and summoned different government officials and contractors involved in the flood control mess.

However, it has only publicized one interim report, which urged the Office of the Ombudsman to recommend the filing of graft charges against 18 individuals, including resigned lawmaker Elizaldy ‘Zaldy’ Co, over the substandard flood control project in Oriental Mindoro worth P289.5 million. The public, including lawmakers, also urged the ICI to open its hearings to the public for the sake of more transparency and accountability. The ICI, however, was hesitant to accept the proposal, stressing it wanted to ‘avoid trial by publicity and will not allow itself to be used for any political leverage or agenda by any individual or group.’ In a previous episode of his podcast, the President said he was committed to going after the ‘big fish’ behind the corruption-tainted flood control projects once the ICI investigation concludes.

For him, the rotten system could be fixed only by jailing the contractors and government officials involved in numerous irregularities surrounding publicly funded infrastructure projects over the years.