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More than 20 environmental and civil society organizations are calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Congress to abandon ‘concrete-centric, corruption-riddled, and environmentally blind’ flood control projects in favor of nature-based solutions that are proven, cheaper, and more resilient.

In a joint statement sent to the President and Congressional leaders on Wednesday, the groups said they were united ‘in collective outrage and profound disgust over the systemic corruption plaguing the nation’s flood control infrastructure program.’ ‘The era of pouring billions into concrete-centric, corruption-riddled, and environmentally blind infrastructure must end,’ the statement read.

‘We do not simply call for the immediate prosecution and arrest of those responsible, though that is paramount-we demand a fundamental and transformative shift in the nation’s approach to disaster risk reduction including flood control,’ it added.

Invest in nature, not kickbacks

The coalition urged Congress to restore public confidence by reallocating scrapped or realigned flood control funds toward long-overdue government obligations that remain severely underfunded.

These include expansive reforestation and watershed management efforts; restoring mangrove and beach forests, as well as wetlands, to serve as natural shields against storm surges and erosion; rehabilitating rivers and creeks through ecological methods to regulate water flow, improve water quality, and create green public spaces; and enforcing Republic Act 11195 or the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS), which integrates the economic value of the country’s natural resources into national development and policy decisions.

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The coalition also called on lawmakers to urgently enact key environmental legislation aimed at addressing flooding risks-particularly the National Coastal Greenbelt Bill, which seeks to safeguard mangrove forests, and a nationwide ban on single-use and disposable plastics that often block drainage systems and waterways. The groups also urged national leaders to look to successful examples at the local level, citing how communities in Batanes, Busuanga (Palawan), Camarines Sur, Dumaguete, and Negros Island have adopted cost-efficient nature-based solutions that restore ecosystems while addressing local needs.

‘These solutions are less prone to corruption and abuse, they also create green jobs, while enhancing biodiversity and protecting nature,’ said Von Hernandez, Vice President of Oceana Philippines. ‘Nature does not expect or ask for kickbacks – but it will push back if you destroy and abuse it.’

Call to halt destructive reclamation projects

Fisherfolk leaders joined the growing call to end environmentally destructive projects, particularly reclamation activities that have worsened flooding in coastal communities. Pablo Rosales, president of PANGISDA Pilipinas, said these projects have damaged natural coastal defenses and disrupted water pathways.

‘Sinira at tinambakan ng reklamasyon ang mga baybayin at karagatang panangga namin sa daluyong sa panahon ng bagyo,’ Rosales said, stressing how these interventions have blocked natural water flows and left many low-lying towns submerged during storms.

(Reclamation has destroyed and filled in our coastlines and seas that served as barriers against storm surges during typhoons.)

He warned that many of these ventures benefit only business interests while placing vulnerable communities in even greater danger.

‘Kailangang itigil na ang mga proyektong ito na nagtataguyod ng mas malaking kita para lamang sa mga negosyante habang iniiwang naghihirap at nasa panganib ang mga mamamayan,’ he added.

(These projects must be stopped. They only serve to enrich a few businessmen while leaving ordinary citizens poor and in harm’s way.) The coalition emphasized that this is no longer just a question of infrastructure, but a defining choice for government leaders-one that will test their integrity, foresight, and true commitment to a resilient future.

‘We can continue to line the pockets of the corrupt with expensive, failing concrete or we can invest in proven natural systems that have protected us for centuries,’ the groups said. Aside from Oceana and PANGISDA Pilipinas, the signatories include:

Alyansa Tigil Mina

BAN Toxics

Center for Conservation and Innovations

Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc.

EcoWaste Coalition

Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC)

Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA Philippines)

Greenpeace Philippines

Health Care Without Harm – Southeast Asia

Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS)

Kalasag (Kabitenyong Alyansa Laban sa Seabed Quarrying)

Mother Earth Foundation

Resources, Environment and Economics Center for Studies (REECS), Inc.

Solidarity of Oppressed Filipino People, Inc. (DAMPA-SOFP)

Wetlands International

World Wide Fund for Nature – Philippines

Zoological Society of London/tsb

MANILA, Philippines-In celebration of Indigenous Peoples Month this October, Sen. Loren Legarda paid tribute to the invaluable contributions of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) to the country’s cultural heritage, national identity and sustainable development.

‘The Philippines is home to scores of ethnolinguistic groups, many of which have maintained their unique pre-colonial cultures and practices. This is not a mere point of pride, but it represents a wealth of knowledge we can depend on for the future,’ Legarda said.

‘We have long regarded IPs as the bedrock of our nation, for it was them who laid the foundation of many of our traditions and practices that we Filipinos have embraced throughout the centuries.’

Legarda, principal author of the law declaring Aug. 9 as National Indigenous Peoples Day, underscored that despite decades of advocacy, many indigenous communities continue to face major challenges, including threats to their ancestral domains from various commercial entities, the worsening impacts of climate change and the erosion of traditions and values due to globalization.

‘True nation-building means celebrating and learning from the traditions of our Indigenous Peoples, and ensuring that their communities are safe, thriving and respected,’ Legarda said.

‘We must integrate indigenous knowledge systems into national strategies on climate change adaptation, food security and biodiversity conservation. These are time-tested systems that have long sustained our people and our environment.’

‘Celebrating and learning from the traditions of the IPs, recognizing their inherent rights and partnering with them is to build a prosperous future that is also culturally vibrant and environmentally sound,’ she added.

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‘Hindi sila ang may pangangailangan sa atin, dahil nagmumula sa kanila ang ating pagka-Pilipino, at natutuklasan natin ito sa araw-araw, salamat sa kanilang mga naiambag.’

Legarda has long championed legislation that uplifts and empowers indigenous communities. She authored key measures such as the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 and its amendatory measure, the Cultural Mapping Law, which mandates every local government unit to document and safeguard its cultural wealth.

She has also supported the Schools of Living Traditions, which pass on traditional methods indigenous people have used in the manufacture of various products such as textiles.

As principal author and co-sponsor of the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Law, Legarda also advanced the use of local textiles for official uniforms in government service-helping preserve indigenous weaving traditions and promote local livelihoods.

On the night NLEX was missing the services of a grieving Robert Bolick, one of its sophomores stood up to the challenge and made true what the Road Warriors’ ace scorer had been saying before the PBA Philippine Cup tipped off.

Jonnel Policarpio’s 16 points were one of the reasons why they were able to come from a 13-point deficit to survive defending champion San Miguel Beer, 85-84, on Wednesday at Ynares Center here. ‘We all contributed to this win,’ Policarpio said in Filipino after posting 16 points with three rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Road Warriors.

Brandon Ramirez and JB Bahio were instrumental as well on both ends to cap off the crucial performances of coach Jong Uichico’s three sophomore frontcourt players.

But Policarpio’s showing seems to be an indication that the words Bolick made before the start of the season are holding true, at least for one game.

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Bolick had mentioned Policarpio, who averaged 6.0 points and 3.7 rebounds in 40 games with an average playing time of 14 minutes, as among those on the NLEX roster who are expected to ‘do big things’ this season. One indication was Policarpio’s part in NLEX’s triumphant run in the Kadayawan Invitational Basketball Tournament in Davao City during the offseason, which ended with the Road Warriors taking home the crown after beating the Blackwater Bossing in the championship game.

His play also became doubly important, with Bolick skipping the season-opener to mourn the loss of his father in the United States. ‘The trust that Coach Jong [Uichico] has given to me is really important,’ said Policarpio. ‘Kuya Bert also reminds me to just do my best everytime I’m on the court. Their faith really helps boost my confidence.’

NLEX could end the opening week of the PBA season at 2-0, with Terrafirma next on Sunday at the same venue.

Policarpio, Ramirez, Bahio, as well as Enoch Valdez, Matt Nieto and veteran Kevin Alas are expected to put the Road Warriors on the winning side once more.

Ramirez scored baskets underneath while holding his own against June Mar Fajardo while Bahio had 12 points and 12 rebounds and made a stop in the final seconds when he forced Don Trollano to go for an errant pass instead of a shot before time expired. Valdez and Nieto made most of their playing time even as Alas contributed 12 points and showed the form that replicated the time before he went down with an ACL injury for the third time in 2023.

New Petro Gazz coach Gary Van Sickle relished his first win with the Angels and the warm reception he’s received in the Premier Volleyball League.

The head of the Van Sickle family made a winning start as the Angels coach after his daughter Brooke conspired with import Lindsey Vander Weide to sweep Galeries, 25-21, 25-19, 25-14, in the 2025 Reinforced Conference on Thursday at Dasmariñas Arena here. More than the victory itself, with Brooke executing his system and wife Lisa serving as assistant coach, Gary was thrilled to experience the league’s energy firsthand.

‘It’s been positive, not just because we won, but everyone’s friendly, the environment is electric, so that makes it fun to coach. The competition is pretty good. Coaches on the other side are tough, so we’re making adjustments as we go,’ said Gary. Gary admitted that the team is still adjusting to his coaching style, but he’s pleased how the Angels worked as one unit to dominate their first game.

‘We’re trying to implement little things here and there, but overall, the team is pretty well balanced,’ he said. ‘We’re just coming in, trying to make a little adjustments here and there, and we’ll go as, by mid-season, I think we’ll have adjusted what we want to do. But overall, I think the coaching staff has done a great job with that.’ Brooke, the two-time All-Filipino MVP, believes her experience from her parents coaching her for 10 years before college made it easier for them to call the shots for the Angels.

‘They taught me all my fundamentals, everything about volleyball, my volleyball IQ and everything. So it’s like picking up where we left off. I don’t feel anything weird about it. It’s actually nice to have the feedback right away because they watch every single game. They know the team very well,’ said Brooke.

Brooke is grateful to have her parents on her side and get instant feedback from them about the game.

‘I’m the type of volleyball player who breaks things down and really analyzes games. So I feel like it’s nice to finally have them right then and there versus having to wait until they wake up and watch the game and then get feedback on what I can improve on and stuff in the moment. So it’s really helpful,’ she said.

Gary faces a big test against defending champion Creamline on Tuesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. ‘At least we have one runner in the belt, but Creamline’s going to be tough. That’s like a rival for us, so we’re going to practice tough the next couple of days. We have tomorrow off, and then we’ll get ready for Creamline, and hopefully we play a good match,’ the new Petro Gazz said.

Profit taking early in the trading day quickly snapped the two-day winning streak of the benchmark stock index on Thursday, with the surprise interest rate cut optimism coming in too late.

By the end of the session, the Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) lost 0.68 percent, or 41.34 points, to 6,057.40.

Likewise, the broader All Shares Index shed 0.48 percent, or 17.64 points, to close at 3,667.01. A total of 5.35 billion shares worth P6.51 billion changed hands, stock exchange data showed.

The index ended its brief stay in the green territory as investors took advantage of the price surge, opting to sell their stocks and pocket gains, said Luis Limlingan, head of sales at stock brokerage house Regina Capital Development Corp.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ surprise move to cut rates by 25 basis points to 4.75 percent came just before the market closed. However, optimism from this will be felt moving forward, according to Limlingan.

BDO Unibank Inc. was the top-traded stock as it shed 2.57 percent to P136.40. It was followed by: International Container Terminal Services Inc., down 0.38 percent to P526; Philex Mining Corp., a rare gainer that went up by 3.17 percent to P10.42; SM Investments Corp., down 0.14 percent to P734; and Bank of the Philippine Islands, down 1.1 percent to P107.50 each.

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Others were: DigiPlus Interactive Corp., down 4.13 percent to P24.40; Ayala Land Inc., down 1.27 percent to P23.25; Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., down 2.42 percent to P68.50; Ayala Corp., down 1.02 percent to P485; and PLDT Inc., down 0.36 percent to P1,106 per share.

Losers overpowered gainers, 135 to 72, while 55 companies closed flat, stock exchange data also showed.

The total damage to schools caused by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu is expected to exceed P1 billion, the Department of Education (Deped) said Thursday.

‘The total damage to schools across the province is projected to exceed P1 billion, with more than 50,000 learners and over 1,400 teaching and non-teaching personnel affected, including nearly 900 in Bogo City,’ DepEd said in a statement, citing its regional director for Central Visayas, Salustiano Jimenez. Due to this, DepEd said it has already reinforced its disaster preparedness and response systems through the deployment of rapid assessment teams and the launch of new tools and facilities aimed at strengthening education resilience.

Among these major initiatives, said DepEd, is the ‘PlanSmart for Safe Schools,’ a web-based contingency planning application developed to enable schools to create evidence-based contingency plans.

DepEd said a series of training sessions for the project will begin in November 2025 for 3,012 schools in the Greater Metro Manila area, before its nationwide rollout.

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The Department said it is also set to pilot the ‘M7X School Ready Program,’ which refers to the initiative aimed at strengthening earthquake preparedness in public schools and DepEd offices.

West Valley Fault

The pilot phase of the program will prioritize schools in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon, particularly those situated along or near the West Valley Fault.

DepEd also unveiled its Pillar 1: Safer Learning Facilities Guidebook, a reference manual which aims to empower schools to adopt inclusive, climate-resilient, and child-safe construction standards. Furthermore, DepEd rolled out the ‘Upgraded Temporary Learning Spaces’ program to improve modular classrooms designed to support continued education while permanent school structures undergo repair or reconstruction.

‘Preparedness is the foundation of resilience. When our schools have adequate equipment, training, and facilities, we can ensure that learning continues even in the midst of disaster,’ Angara added in Filipino.

Scientists and medical doctors cautioned that the widespread misconception about nicotine’s harm is hindering millions of smokers worldwide from adopting effective, less harmful alternatives.

During a panel discussion at the eighth Summit on Tobacco Harm Reduction: Novel Products, Research and Policy in Athens on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 2025, organized by SCOHRE, the International Association on Smoking Control and Harm Reduction, 200 experts from 51 countries emphasized a collective message: Science, not ideology, must guide global tobacco control efforts and embrace harm reduction as a vital public health tool for smokers unable or unwilling to quit.

Tobacco harm reduction is a public health strategy aimed at reducing the harm caused by traditional cigarettes by promoting less harmful alternatives such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches. While cessation remains the ‘gold standard,’ experts said these alternatives represent a pragmatic, science-based option.

Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos, a physician and research associate in Greece, noted the important role of the scientific community in correctly communicating the effects of nicotine to dispel misconceptions about it.

The failure to confront these misconceptions will only allow them to thrive, continuously leading many health care professionals-and the public-to mistakenly consider nicotine itself as highly hazardous.

Research shows nicotine itself is not the main cause of diseases associated with smoking, though it is addictive.

Meanwhile, Dr. Giovanni Li Volti, a full professor of biochemistry at the University of Catania, cited studies suggesting nicotine is ‘perfectly safe’ for cardiovascular health and not associated with conditions such as recurrent stroke.

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He said the very existence of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) makes no sense if nicotine were inherently risky.

Despite this evidence, Li Volti said the prevailing misperception is widespread.

‘This is the result of our failure as a scientist to communicate. We fail to teach them what is exactly the effect of nicotine and which is the toxic effect of combustion products,’ he said.

He added that high-quality human epidemiological evidence does not support an increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease or cancer from nicotine alone.

The practical consequences of this failure were illustrated by Dr. Rohan Andrade Sequeira, a consultant cardio-endocrine physician in Mumbai, India, where the widespread use of local oral tobacco contributes to exceptionally high rates of oral cancer.

With the global success rate for NRT at only 7 percent, Sequeira said the remaining 93 percent of users ‘have to go back to their old patterns,’ remaining trapped in a cycle without a safer alternative.

For Sequeira, nicotine pouches present an opportunity for India to progress from its traditional patterns of oral tobacco use.

Damian Sweeney, chair of the New Nicotine Alliance Ireland, presented Sweden as a powerful ‘proof of concept.’

While the country’s overall nicotine use is at the European Union average, the majority is through snus, a smoke-free tobacco product.

This has reduced Sweden’s smoking prevalence to just 5 percent-the lowest in the European Union-a clear achievement for tobacco harm reduction supported by robust real-world data.

Sweeney contended that misinformation about nicotine and low-risk alternatives is ‘as deadly as smoking itself.’

The consumer perspective is vital, Sweeney said, urging individuals to share their positive experiences with novel products directly with policymakers.

Farsalinos corroborated the impact of misinformation, noting that a 2017 survey he published found only 5 percent of smokers correctly believed e-cigarettes are substantially less harmful than smoking.

‘When they’re not properly informed, they will not even try to quit using a harm reduction product,’ he said.

Clive Bates, former director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) UK, cited evidence that all noncombustible nicotine sources are ‘very much less risky than smoking.’

He said the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) has moved away from its core objective of reducing smoking and is actively blocking tobacco harm reduction.

He said a ‘coalition of the willing’ among FCTC parties should emerge to challenge the secretariat and the WHO to integrate harm reduction and reverse the current ‘fanaticism’ against nicotine. The panel concluded that the scientific community should consistently communicate evidence-based findings across all channels, while media outlets share a responsibility to correct misinformation and provide balanced coverage of harm reduction.

At least 400 families or some 1,850 individuals were displaced by floods and landslides in eight villages of Zamboanga City as of Thursday afternoon as rains brought by an intertropical convergence zone poured since Tuesday.

According to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), the displaced families are temporarily sheltered in five evacuation centers.

Initial reports from the CDRRMO listed the villages of Talisayan, San Jose Gusu, Pasonanca, Tigtabon, Tugbungan and Guiwan as hit by flood while Tulungatung and La Paz were hit by landslides.

Some 45 families with 127 individuals were displaced in Talisayan, San Jose Gusu with 227 families or 1,344 individuals, Pasonanca with 14 families or 53 individuals, Tigtabon with 24 families or 78 individuals, Tugbungan with 70 individuals, Guiwan with 84 families or 221 individuals, and a combined total of two families or 10 individuals in Tulungatung and La Paz. Mayor Khymer Olaso has ordered the City Social Welfare and Development Office to provide immediate relief assistance to the affected families. Olaso earlier declared class suspensions on Wednesday and Thursday due to the inclement weather.

CDRRMO chief Elmeir Apolinario said the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is continuously monitoring the situation in the barangays, especially the low-lying and flood-prone areas and is ready to respond to emergencies in light of the unstable weather condition.

On Wednesday evening, the local government deployed a fleet of vehicles to give free rides to stranded commuters as only a few public utility vehicles continued plying on their routes due to flooded street sections. /mr

Women pursuing their personal goals is seen as a factor behind the declining fertility rate in the Philippines, according to the Commission on Population and Development (CPD).

During the press conference of the 10th National Population Health and Environment, CPD Deputy Executive Director Lolito Tacardon was asked why some women are no longer getting pregnant.

Citing the 2024 Census of Population, Tacardon stated that 16 out of 82 provinces in the country experienced a decline in their annual Population Growth Rate (PGR) from 2015 to 2020 to 2022-2024.

He also pointed out the data of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) where the country’s PGR slowed down from 1.6% five years ago (2015 to 2020) to 0.8% a year ago (2020-2024). In a statement released on Thursday, the CPD said that the slowdown in the growth rate may be attributed to three factors: Declining fertility and birth rate, high mortality during the Covid-19 pandemic, and migration activity.

‘The PIDS [Philippine Institute for Development Studies] conducted a study using the trends and patterns from the series of national demographic and health surveys,’ Tacardon said.

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‘They found out that the most significant factor related to fertility decline is the improvement of the socio-economic condition of women,’ he noted.

‘As they improve their education, income, there’s tendency for them to prefer [a smaller] number of children and delay their fertility[-related plans],’ Tacardon added.

Tacardon also compared the study to the one they conducted during the pandemic.

He said a change in preference was observed among young people, as most of them tend to delay pregnancy or the formation of a family ‘because they want to pursue personal goals.’

In a March 2025 statement, the CPD said that women who have completed college are at 14% compared to men at 10%.

It added that the women’s completion rate for secondary education is 84%, slightly higher than the men’s 81%. Aside from this, Tacardon said that the increasing number of women using contraceptive or family planning methods contribute to the declining fertility rate.

The CPD previously said that more than 8.5 million Filipino women are currently using family planning methods, which is higher than the 8.3 million figure in 2022.

CPD also said that pills remain the most popular method of modern family planning, with 34% of current users, followed by injectables at 20%, while implants posed the highest increase in number among users at 24%.

Ageing population

In a statement released on Thursday, the CPD stated that with the declining fertility rate in the country, the population may approach the ageing phase by 2030.

During that time, the elders who are 60 years old will comprise 11% of the population, and 65 years olds and above will be approximately 7% of the population.

The CPD noted that this was projected by the PSA based on the 2020 population and will be validated once the population age group for 2024 is released.

‘With the declining fertility rate, and as projected by the PSA, the growth rate of the working age population will still be more significant than among the older persons,’ CPD explained.

Some local government units announced class and government work suspensions in La Union, Pangasinan and Benguet on Thursday following a magnitude 4.4 earthquake that hit Pugo, La Union The following suspensions have been announced:

ILOCOS REGION

La Union

Caba: All classes and government work

Tubao: All classes and government work

Pugo: All classes and government work

Burgos: All classes and government work

Agoo: All classes and government work

Naguilian: All classes and government work

Aringay: All classes (public and private)

Santo Tomas: All classes (public and private)

Bagulin: All classes (public and private)

Bauang: All classes (public and private)

Rosario: All classes (public and private)

Santol: Elementary level (public and private)

Pangasinan

Mangaldan: All classes and government work

Rosales: All classes (public and private)

Asingan: All face-to-face classes (public and private)

CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

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Benguet

Baguio: Face-to-face classes, pre-school to senior high school (public and private)

No aftershocks are expected to occur following the earthquake, but it was felt in other areas of La Union, and portions of Pangasinan, Benguet, Mountain Province, and Nueva Ecija, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.