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Former Speaker Martin Romualdez and resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co will be invited to the next hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee’s investigation into the corruption behind anomalous flood control projects.

According to Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, the blue ribbon committee, which he chairs, will send invitations to Romualdez and Co while awaiting developments in the case and before scheduling the next hearing.

He stressed that this should debunk the perception of some groups that the committee was targeting, favoring or even ‘protecting’ some personalities. ‘We are not covering up for anyone here,’ the senator said.

In the case of Romualdez, the invitation will be coursed through Speaker Faustino Dy III, ‘in observation of the time-honored interparliamentary courtesy between the two houses of Congress.’

In Co’s case, Lacson said the letter would be sent to his residential address.

‘Now we know he is abroad and will not show up. If that is the case, we will issue a subpoena, and then a show-cause order,’ Lacson said in an interview on NET25. ‘If the show-cause order is not satisfactory, we will cite him in contempt of the committee and issue a warrant for his arrest.’

In his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned government officials and contractors who allegedly earned kickbacks from infrastructure projects at the expense of people suffering from heavy flooding. This led to congressional investigations and the creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to probe alleged corruption in flood control projects.

Co, who resigned as representative of Ako Bicol party list on Monday, is abroad supposedly for a medical leave. The former lawmaker, who chaired the powerful House appropriations committee in the 19th Congress, has been accused of getting billions of pesos in kickbacks by contractors and public works officials testifying in congressional inquiries into these projects.

Co, in previous statements, had denied the allegations and lamented ‘the evident denial of my right to due process.’

Romualdez has not been linked to any of the top companies that cornered big-ticket projects of the government. He denied allegations made in congressional inquiries that he received kickbacks, calling them ‘false’ and ‘pure fiction.’

Evidence

Lacson made it clear that the blue ribbon committee will continue its hearings for as long as there are major developments that it needs to look into. He reiterated that he would maintain a ‘blindfold mentality,’ stressing he would be impartial and go where the evidence would lead him.

‘If we stop the probe now, we may reinforce the perception rightly or wrongly that we are covering up for someone. No. I said it clearly, we will go where the evidence leads us,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Malacañang said Co should return to the country to face the possible charges against him.

‘Nothing can stop him from making his decisions, but if ever a case is filed against him, he will not be able to avoid it, he cannot run away from it,’ Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a briefing on Tuesday.

‘So it would be better that if he becomes an accused, he should simply fight for his rights and defend his innocence based on the evidence he holds,’ she said. The ICI on Monday asked the Office of the Ombudsman to recommend filing of graft complaints against Co and 17 others, including officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways and his construction firm, Sunwest Inc., over a substandard flood control project in Oriental Mindoro worth P289.5 million.

Eight construction groups, including Consunji-led DMCI and EEI Corp., submitted financial bids for a land approach component of the $3.91-billion Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB) project.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) opened their financial bids on Tuesday, which was livestreamed as part of the agency’s way to regain the public trust and promote transparency amid corruption issues hounding infrastructure projects.

The bids for the Contract Package 1 (CP1) were from Beijing Urban Construction Group Co. Ltd., DM Consunji Inc., China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., Sino Road and Bridge Group Co. Ltd., EEI-PMI joint venture, POSCO EandC-Sta. Clara joint venture, China Wu Yi Co. Ltd./Fujian Road and Bridge Construction Group Co. Ltd. (consortium), and the joint venture of Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Ltd. and China Civil Engineering Construction Corp.

CP1 covers the construction of the Bataan Land Approach, with an approved budget of P7.25 billion.

The package includes the trumpet interchange that connects the BCIB with Roman Highway, Roman Interchange Bridge, Alas-Asin Main Bridge, Alas-Asin Overpass Bridge, Mt. View Overpass Bridge, Mt. View Waterway Bridge, and the Bataan Land Viaduct.

Envisioned to be the ‘longest water-spanning bridge’ in the country, it is a flagship infrastructure project under the Marcos administration.

Late in 2023, the Department of Finance said the project had secured financing of up to $2.11 billion. It will be built using low-carbon technologies and construction materials, it previously said.

The remaining funding would come from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Philippine government.

Once finished, the project will cut travel time between the two provinces to 45 minutes from five hours.

DPWH officials earlier said the project may be completed by 2030.

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck late Tuesday night in Cebu, causing power outages in Tagbilaran, Bohol and sending residents fleeing into the streets.

The quake occurred at 9:59 p.m., with a depth of 10 kilometers and an epicenter 17 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, Cebu, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

In Barangay Booy, residents rushed out of their homes. ‘I ran for fear,’ said John Rey, who was watching television when the quake hit.

Business Process Outsourcing employees evacuated Alta Citta, while some nurses and patients at Gov. Celestino Gallares Medical Center were also forced to leave hospital buildings over safety concerns.

It was still raining past 10:30 p.m.

Phivolcs reported Intensity III in San Fernando, Cebu, and Intensity II in Laoang, Northern Samar. Instrumental Intensity VI was recorded in Cebu City and Villaba, Leyte.

Authorities have yet to report casualties or major damage as assessments continue.

Phivolcs also warned that aftershocks are possible in the coming hours and days, urging the public to remain alert and follow safety protocols

San Beda may have opened the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament with a big win, but the path ahead is anything but easy.

Following the Red Lions’ 96-85 win over the College of St. Benilde at Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, coach Yuri Escueta quickly turned their attention to their next game day. On Sunday at San Juan Arena, the oldest collegiate rivalry between Letran and San Beda takes center stage and the matchup always demands the best preparation.

‘Playing Letran always brings out the best of the coaches and the players knowing they’re our rivals,’ he said. ‘This year, they’re so strong. They’re like an all-star team.’

Bryan Sajonia, who scored a team-high 16 points with three steals to match, will have to exert the same effort or even more in their outing against their longtime rival.

For one, the Knights will have the services of former Perpetual Help stars Jun Roque and Mark Omega along with veteran shooter Deo Cuajao and Titing Manalili, who sat out last season due to academic deficiencies.

Red Lions forward Yukien Andrada knows just how physical that upcoming clash would be. After all, he’s been through most of the rivalry since his rookie year in the NCAA.

‘I’m expecting a very very physical ballgame but we’ll just play the game the San Beda way,’ he said after dropping 11 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Six communal irrigation systems managed by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Bicol sustained heavy damage in the island province of Masbate following the onslaught of Typhoon Opong (international name: Bualoi), with initial estimates placing the total cost at P70 million.

According to a damage assessment report, irrigation infrastructure in four municipalities, particularly in Baleno, Milagros, Dimasalang, and Cataingan, was either destroyed or severely compromised, affecting key agricultural zones that rely on these systems for water supply.

Engr. Gaudencio De Vera, NIA regional manager, said in a Viber message to the Inquirer on Tuesday that approximately 350 meters of lined canals across the province, along with essential irrigation components such as dam aprons, sluice gates, siphons, and intake structures, suffered extensive damage from Opong.

He said NIA personnel have begun coordinating with local government units and the Department of Agriculture to conduct site inspections and draft immediate rehabilitation plans.

‘This level of destruction poses a threat, as it may disrupt the flow of water to farms during the upcoming cropping season. We are moving quickly to secure funding and deploy repair teams to minimize the impact on local farmers,’ he added./coa

Debris from Typhoon ‘Opong’ (international name: Bualoi) damaged the lifting mechanism and slide steel gate of a dam in Milagros town, Masbate, potentially affecting water distribution in the area. (Contributed photo/NIA Bicol)

Senator Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday accused the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of favoring and accepting bribes from multinational pharmaceutical companies, resulting in the continued sale of unregistered products and shutdown of smaller pharmaceutical firms. Tulfo made the pronouncement during a Senate panel hearing on the proposed budget of the Department of Health for 2026.

During the hearing, Tulfo questioned why despite continuously releasing advisories and warnings on harmful medical products, the FDA does not seem to actually enforce it.

FDA Director General Paolo Teston, for his part, said that the advisories already include an order for law enforcement agencies to prevent such products’ sale, adding that the FDA does not have enough capacity to do it by itself as it only has 890 plantilla and 300 contract of service personnel.

But Tulfo pointed out that even just one or two researchers can check if their advisories are being enforced.

‘I only have four plantilla researchers, and yet we were able to investigate this,’ said Tulfo speaking in Filipino, adding that they found one of the banned products in online shopping apps and even mainstream pharmacies.

‘Don’t use that excuse on me about having 800 personnel . that’s already more than enough. If there’s a will, there’s a way; if there’s none, there will always be excuses,’ he added in a mix of Filipino and English.

Teston then responded that the agency is already coordinating with pharmacies and online shopping platforms to curb the illicit sale, but Tulfo interjected, insisting that the real reason it persists is due to the bribes the FDA allegedly receives from manufacturers and suppliers.

‘One of the most corrupt agencies in the Philippines is the FDA, and many pharmaceutical companies can attest to that,’ said Tulfo in Filipino.

‘So many small pharmaceutical companies are being forced to close because you favor these multinational firms,’ he added.

Tulfo then went on to cite a case he previously encountered where a smaller pharmaceutical firm introduced a mosquito spray that rivaled a popular brand.

The senator alleged that the FDA deliberately withheld the smaller firm’s license renewal over the flimsiest grounds-such as a typographical error in the address-to protect the larger competitor.

‘You withheld the license, you withheld the renewal because you were bribed,’ said Tulfo.

Tulfo then pressed the FDA chief on what concrete actions he will take to stop the continued online sale of banned products, warning that if the FDA continues to be ineffective, he would challenge Teston to step down.

The death toll in the devastating 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on Tuesday night has further risen to 53, with at least 175 persons reported injured, according to the latest report collated by the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO).

As of noon, the 53 fatalities were broken down as follows: Bogo City – 30; San Remegio – 11; Medellin – 10; Sogod – 1; and Tabuelan -1.

Bogo City, about 98 kilometers north of Cebu City, was the epicenter of the strong quake, while the other towns with reported fatalities were all in northern Cebu./coa

Over 4.7 million individuals were affected by the recent weather disturbances as of Wednesday morning, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

In a situational report, the DSWD bared that the southwest monsoon (habagat) and tropical cyclones Mirasol, Nando, and Opong have so far affected a total of 4,734,851 individuals or 1,305,842 families.

Of this figure, 63,687 persons (17,011 families) are currently in 844 evacuation centers nationwide, while 55,701 individuals (13,305 families) took shelter elsewhere or received assistance outside evacuation centers.

Based on the report, the affected persons reside in 11,211 affected barangays in Metro Manila, Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol region, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

To aid flood-hit or affected communities, the DSWD said it has so far distributed over P307 million worth of assistance.

The death toll due to the recent tropical cyclones and habagat reached 27, with four confirmed, while the rest are up for validation, according to a report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

NDRRMC also revealed that 33 people were reportedly injured and 16 remain missing.

For older residents of low-lying, centuries-old Pampanga towns of Macabebe and Masantol, they had accepted floods as a way life and floodwaters were used to irrigate rice fields, refresh rivers, and flush out saltwater.

But over the past two decades, flooding has become more frequent and persistent-often taking months to subside and residents adapted without protest.

But that silence will finally break on Thursday.

The Saingsing People’s Rally (Lament of the People’s Rally) on that day will mark the first collective protest by Macabebe and Masantol residents against corruption, said Rey Yumang, one of the organizers, along with leaders from local religious and civic groups.

A march from Sta. Lucia Bridge in Masantol to Macabebe Plaza is scheduled for 12:30 p.m., while another from San Gabriel Chapel in Macabebe will begin at 1:30 p.m. Both groups will walk through flooded roads and converge at San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish in Macabebe.

In an invitation posted online, the organizers declared: ‘The national government failed us! The system has been corrupted! We are slowly being killed by drowning! We are gradually losing our future!’

Affected communities

They condemned widespread corruption-particularly in flood control projects-and demanded long-term, concrete solutions and the prosecution of those responsible.

As of Sept. 27, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported 82 flooded barangays across 14 towns and cities in Pampanga.

Macabebe had 19 flooded barangays, and Masantol, 26. Floodwaters-rising from 0.3 meters to 1.5 meters (1 feet to 5 feet)-were caused by high tides, monsoon rains, Supertyphoon ‘Nando’ (international name: Ragasa) and Severe Tropical Storm ‘Opong (Bualoi).

The floods have affected 52,056 families, or 169,405 people, most of them in Macabebe (54,586) and Masantol (80,524).

‘Since July, ali na melangi (the villages haven’t dried),’ said Jomel Cruz, head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

Around 10,000 families in both towns have been displaced since 1992, when the government widened the mouth of Pampanga River from 250 meters to 750 meters using Japanese loans, as part of the Pampanga Delta Development Project. Nearly 300 chapels and schools were relocated.

According to Masantol former Vice Mayor Bajun Lacap, over 2,000 families-whose livelihoods depend on fishing and aquaculture-chose to remain in seven villages along the widened channel, building homes on high-risk areas despite being paid for their land.

A P600-million bridge project connecting Masantol’s left bank to Calumpit, Bulacan, has been delayed for five years, despite the funding awarded to Eddmari Construction and Trading Co.

In August 2022, President Marcos Jr. inaugurated the Korean-funded Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Project-Stage 1 in Masantol. However, locals said rising sea levels have rendered the project’s check gates almost ineffective