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Energy Secretary Sharon Garin is eyeing the allocation of all or most of the coal produced from Semirara Island to local power plants, as new export rules of top supplier Indonesia pose risks to the domestic electricity situation.

Garin said the changes in Indonesian export guidelines would have an impact on the Philippines’ planned coal contract auction.

Consunji-led Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC), accounting for more than 90 percent of domestic coal production, has a 50-year contract with the government covering mining blocks on Semirara. This will expire in July 2027.

As the government turned down its proposal for a 13-year extension, the DOE is opening the industry to more players through a competitive auction.

The auction, however, has been facing delays. Now, the government is targeting to open the process by August or September.

But for Garin, the delay ended up being beneficial somehow, as the DOE could still make changes in the terms of reference.

This includes making sure the Philippines would get the bulk of the domestic coal output.

‘Semirara actually exports more than [half] of their coal (output) … Maybe we need to fix the terms of reference in the bidding so that they will comply, or be obliged, to prioritize the local market first,’ Garin told reporters last week.

‘As much as possible, I would recommend all of it (domestic output). But if not possible, then on the high side, 80 percent to 90 percent should be used in our power plants,’ Garin said.

The energy official, however, acknowledged that SMPC may have been prompted to sell the bulk of its output abroad because some power plants cannot use Semirara coal.

Garin said she saw some blending facilities in Indonesia, an approach that could be tapped by the local industry.

Hours before his fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday afternoon, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has received a ‘failed’ mark again from Amnesty International (AI) Philippines, drawing heavy criticism for his administration’s track record on human rights and social justice.

In its 2025-2026 assessment, the human rights watchdog highlighted the President’s apparent failure to deliver on three critical fronts: the protection of human rights defenders (HRDs), the defense of press freedom, and the advancement of climate justice.

AI Philippines noted that these shortcomings compound the administration’s regressions from the previous years.

Prior assessments flagged the government’s ‘inability to prevent worsening’ human rights violations, specifically pointing to deteriorating access to health care, compromised labor security, and ineffective crackdowns on corruption.

With the Marcos administration entering its final two years, AI Philippines emphasized that these failures are recurring and require urgent intervention.

‘His government must decide now whether it will continue to protect power and privilege or finally uphold the rights of every Filipino,’ the group stated.

Pampanga First District Rep. Carmelo Lazatin Jr. is urging authorities to file appropriate charges against three minors allegedly behind online threats targeting a school in this city.

In a statement on Monday, Lazatin said making grave threats is a criminal offense under the Revised Penal Code.

‘Counseling the suspects is not sufficient after their actions generated panic, public disruption, and insecurity in the communities,’ Lazatin said in a statement addressed in Filipino.

‘I will be writing the Philippine National Police to urge them to file appropriate charges also for people or groups that induced these minors.’

On July 25, three juvenile suspects were brought to the Cutud barangay hall after authorities identified them as the individuals behind a social media video showing a masked person threatening to stab students of Cutud Elementary School.

During questioning by police officers and barangay officials, the minors said the video was merely ‘tripping’ (doing a practical joke)

In a Facebook post, the Cutud Barangay Council said the minors would undergo intervention and counseling and perform community service to help them understand the seriousness and consequences of their actions.

But Lazatin cited the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, which provides that children above 15 but below 18 years old are exempt from criminal liability and are instead subject to an intervention program, unless they acted with discernment. In such cases, they may face appropriate legal proceedings.

He noted that Supreme Court guidelines define ‘discernment’ as a child’s capacity at the time of committing an offense to understand the difference between right and wrong and the consequences of the wrongful act.

According to Lazatin, determining whether a minor acted with discernment is initially the responsibility of a social worker and is ultimately decided by the court.

The lawmaker also appealed to parents, guardians, teachers, and community members to closely monitor children and educate them that making violent threats is not a joke but a criminal offense.

Meanwhile, the Mabalacat City Police Station announced on Monday that it had identified and located two minors allegedly behind a separate bomb threat that circulated on social media.

On July 25, a Facebook user identified only by the alias ‘Anthony Policarpio’ posted threats to bomb several elementary and high schools in Mabalacat City between Aug. 26 and Sept. 5.

The post claimed the threats were retaliation for alleged discrimination in student admissions.

‘The Mabalacat City Police Station further informs the public that the two minors allegedly involved in the circulating video have already been identified and located by this office. Appropriate procedures are being undertaken in coordination with concerned authorities to ensure that their rights, welfare, and protection as minors are properly observed in accordance with existing laws,’ the police said in a Facebook post.

The Mabalacat City government suspended classes at all levels on Monday following the bomb threats against schools in Barangays Atlu Bola, Mamatitang, San Joaquin, Sta. Ines, Tabun, Camatchiles, and Mangalit.

Lt. Col. Jose Charlmal Gundaya, acting chief of the Mabalacat City police, said authorities coordinated with the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 3 at Camp Capt. Julian Olivas in the City of San Fernando to identify and verify the source of the online post, including the account and digital information involved.

This, along with other investigative and intelligence activities, led to the identification of the suspected perpetrators of the online bombing threat.

Police have not disclosed the identities of the two minors or the motive behind their action that caused concerns among parents, students, and school personnel of the schools mentioned in the bomb threat posts.

Motorists are already seeing higher prices at gas stations as fuel retailers prepare to implement another significant oil price increase on Tuesday.

The looming increase comes amid sustained volatility in global oil markets, adding further pressure on transport costs and household expenses.

The House of Representatives entered the second regular session ahead of schedule in advancing the Marcos administration’s legislative priorities despite months of political controversies competing for public and congressional attention.

House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander ‘Sandro’ A. Marcos said the House, under the leadership of Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ G. Dy III, showed by its output during the first regular session that it remained focused on legislation intended to improve the lives of Filipinos.

The House approved 229 measures during the first regular session, including 66 national bills and 163 local measures, while completing action on 26 of the 52 priority proposals endorsed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac).

‘And I think the fact that we’re ahead of schedule would say that I am satisfied with what’s been happening in the Lower House as of late and with the legislative performance,’ Marcos said during an ambush interview.

The chamber also transmitted more than 160 measures to the Senate, including proposals covering land use, digital payments, water governance, education, energy, nutrition and social protection.

Marcos explained that legislative output remains the fairest measure of whether a majority leader has effectively managed the work of the chamber.

‘The measure of performance of any majority leader is the legislative output of the House that it is elected in,’ Marcos stressed.

The majority leader emphasized that the number and quality of measures advanced by Congress should remain the central basis for judging its performance.

According to him, the House record showed that political disputes did not prevent committees and the plenary from processing measures included in the president’s legislative program.

‘I think it speaks volumes that, despite the political noise that we’ve been experiencing in the last few months, if not longer, Congress has still been able to exercise its functions as a legislative body and bring legislation that will help the people,’ Marcos said.

Marcos pledged that the House would build on its first regular session output and continue working on the remaining administration priorities in the coming months.

As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) in Region 9 staged symbolic protests across public schools in Zamboanga del Sur, demanding urgent reforms in the education sector.

Liza Idiang , ACT Teachers Region 9 president, said members hung tarpaulins in various campuses to amplify their calls for a P50,000 basic monthly salary for teachers, improved benefits, and stronger protection of their rights.

Teachers are overworked, underpaid, under supported and under attack, she said.

The group also denounced what they described as persistent red-tagging and profiling harassment against educators.

Among the demands emblazoned on the tarpaulins were salary upgrading to reflect the scope of teachers’ responsibilities; increased education budget to fund classrooms, chairs, and learning facilities; accountability for corruption in the education sector; and end to red-tagging and harassment of teachers

Idiang stressed that the current pay scale no longer matches the workload and responsibilities shouldered by educators. ‘Our action today is meant to show the President and the government the real situation of teachers – that our salaries are insufficient and our rights are under threat,’ she said.

The group reiterated its appeal for the administration to prioritize salary increase, adequate benefits, and systemic reforms that would strengthen the teaching profession and uplift the education sector nationwide.