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The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it will be investigating a police officer-vlogger who asked viewers to play a party game in which they would ‘bring him’ a drug user, a drug pusher and unregistered firearms.

‘That’s not in our police operational procedures,’ acting PNP Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in Filipino in a news briefing in Camp Crame.

‘The ACG (Anti-Cybercrime Group) and the DIDM (Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management) are now conducting an appropriate investigation for the act that he committed,’ Nartatez added.

Later at the briefing, ACG Director Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang said they already identified the police officer, called the attention of his immediate supervisor and requested him to take down the post.

PNP public information chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño did not name the police officer-vlogger but said he was assigned to the Talisay City Police Station under the Cebu Police Provincial Office.

Videos shared by the PNP could be traced to a social media page but the Inquirer opted not to name the vlogger until it is able to reach his side.

In his Oct. 31 post, the police officer-vlogger said he was offering viewers P2,000 for every drug user and P5,000 for every street-level drug pusher they surrender.

Then, in a Nov. 2 post, he asked viewers to surrender unregistered firearms and they will be compensated monetarily based on the conditions and caliber of the weapon.

The post was the officer’s own initiative and the money was the officer’s own money, according to Tuaño.

The cop-vlogger was administratively relieved from his post amid the investigation, Tuaño added.

Philippine factory activity inched up slightly in October, as manufacturers reported improved business confidence for the next year, despite muted demand and production cuts.

A survey of around 400 companies showed the Philippines’ Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) picked up slightly to 50.1 from 49.9 in September, SandP Global said on Wednesday.

This kept the index above the 50-point threshold that separates growth from contraction.

The slight recovery came even as production and new orders remained weak amid sluggish demand, while export orders still have not recorded any growth for the second consecutive month.

‘A closer examination of the Philippines PMI data revealed a mixed picture in October. The two largest segments, new orders and output, indicated further declines,’ SandP Global Market Intelligence economist Maryam Baluch said.

‘On a more positive note, manufacturers grew more optimistic about their growth prospects for output in the coming year,’ she added.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has formally signed an order seeking to lower the prices of various construction materials used in government projects, which he said will bring an estimated P60 billion worth of savings in the 2026 budget.

In a press conference on Monday, Dizon announced that prices for asphalt, steel sheet piles, gravel, sand, reinforced steel bars grade 60 and grade 40, cement, and ready-mix concrete will now be lowered and aligned with current market value prices, following the directive given by President Marcos.

He revealed through a presentation that for certain government projects, some materials were found to be priced higher than the market value by as much as 75 percent.

Dizon explained that this was based on the findings of a team led by Public Works Undersecretary Lara Esquibil who examined the prices of various construction materials in the market by checking with accredited suppliers, among other methods.

For asphalt, he noted that the average cost was P13,863.85 per metric ton when used in government projects. However, upon checking the market value, it was found that the material costs only P6,961 per MT, meaning that prices were raised by as much as 50 percent.

These prices vary per region, although most areas had prices higher than the market value, Dizon noted, with Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) having the highest variance between the cost of asphalt in government projects and the actual market price.

‘In Region 4-B, for example. in the projects we saw in Mindoro, P23,650 was the price of asphalt per metric ton. But based on what we saw in the market, it was less than P6,000. The variance was 75 percent,’ Dizon said.

Given a market price of P5,937, he noted that projects in Central Luzon had asphalt that cost P14,006.81 per MT. For projects in the National Capital Region, asphalt costs P13,938 per MT, while in Calabarzon it costs P13,525, and in the Bicol region it was priced at P12,731, all higher than the market value by more than 50 percent.

For steel sheet piles, the average cost in public works was P62 per kilogram, but it was found that the actual market value was only P40 per kg. Caraga posted the highest price for steel sheet piles at P85, which was 57 percent higher than the market price of P36.61.

Also higher than the stated market price were the steel sheet piles in Soccsksargen, which cost P76 per kilogram, Davao (P69), Northern Mindanao (P63), and Zamboanga (P61).

Gravel, another construction material, costs P1,014 per cubic meter when used in government projects, but its market price was found to be only P690. Caraga similarly had the highest price for gravel, costing P1,605.90 per cubic meter compared to the market value of P601.

Also higher than the market value were the prices of gravel in Mimaropa, where it costs P1,436 compared to the market price of P606; NCR, P1,138 compared to P590; and Western Visayas, P1,344 compared to P714.

Sand used in government projects had an average price of P951 per cubic meter, but it was found to only cost P650 based on current market value.

The material was most expensive in NCR, where it costs P1,314 compared to its market value of P450. This was followed by Caraga, with sand priced at P1,406, compared to the market value of P556, and Mimaropa, at P1,538, compared to P620.

On average, reinforced steel bars, grade 60, were priced at P54 per kg in government projects, while their market price was P37. On the other hand, reinforced steel bars, grade 40, was priced at P51.65 per kg when its market price was only P36.

Moreover, cement was priced at P236 for each 40-kilo bag when its market value was only P213, while ready-to-mix concrete cost P5,781 per cubic meter when its market price was P5,402.

The House of Representatives’ investigation on the issues surrounding the Manila Bay Dolomite Beach will start by the third week of November and focus on whether or not the project was necessary, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said on Monday.

Ridon, in a statement said that the House committee on public accounts, which he chairs will check if the project fits the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan and the Supreme Court (SC) writ of continuing mandamus on the Manila Bay rehabilitation.

‘The House public accounts committee will begin proceedings on the Manila Bay Dolomite Beach Project in the week of November 17, 2025,’ Ridon said.

‘The first hearing will focus on the project’s necessity based on (a) the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan and (b) the Supreme Court’s Continuing Mandamus for the rehabilitation of Manila Bay,’ he added.

According to the lawmaker, the hearing will also check if the dolomite beach project really caused flooding to adjacent areas within the City of Manila.

‘The hearing will also examine the project’s flooding impact on adjacent Ermita-Malate areas, including the status of the Faura, Remedios, and Estero de San Antonio Abad drainage outfalls and any effects arising from the project’s engineering specifications,’ he said.

‘The committee will also look at available alternative interventions and solutions to further ‘clean up, rehabilitate, and preserve Manila Bay,’ and improve its water quality to make it fit for swimming, skin-diving, and other forms of contact recreation – the specific requirements under the Supreme Court’s Continuing Mandamus,’ Ridon added.

It was also Ridon who filed House Resolution (HR) No. 56 last July 16, asking the House to check on the Manila Bay Dolomite Beach project due to environmental concerns that were supposedly disregarded by the past administration.

‘Scientific experts from the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UPMSI) and the group Agham have formally requested that the DENR publish environmental and fisheries impact assessment data for the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach, warning that the project’s effects on marine habitats, sediment dynamics, and water quality remain unexamined and may pose risks to the bay’s ecosystem and coastal resilience,’ Ridon said in HR No. 56.

According to Ridon, the project was never part of the projects approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) for the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Master Plan.

During the time of president Rodrigo Duterte, several pro-environment advocates and public officials like former vice president Leni Robredo called out the DENR for implementing the multi-million project amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Robredo said that the project reeks of insensitivity, noting that the government could have placed funds for the dolomite project – pegged at P349 million – to a P5,000 one-time cash aid for 80,000 families amid the health crisis.

Several flights going in and out of provinces in Visayas and Mindanao on Monday have been canceled to avoid the effects of Typhoon Tino, Mactan-Cebu International Airport and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) announced.

Listed below are the trips canceled on Monday:

Sunlight Air

– 2R857 Cebu to Siargao, 32 affected passengers

– 2R858 Siargao to Cebu, 58 affected passengers

– 2R898 Clark to Siargao, 34 affected passengers

– 2R990 Siargao to Clark, 58 affected passengers

CebGo

– DG6853 Cebu to Siargao

– DG6857 Cebu to Siargao

– DG6855 Cebu to Siargao

– DG6859 Cebu to Siargao

– DG6861 Cebu to Siargao

– DG6897 Cebu to Surigao

– DG6901 Cebu to Surigao

– DG6854 Siargao to Cebu

– DG6856 Siargao to Cebu

– DG6858 Siargao to Cebu

– DG6860 Siargao to Cebu

– DG6862 Siargao to Cebu

– DG6898 Surigao to Cebu

– DG6902 Surigao to Cebu

– DG6763 Clark to Siargao

– DG6764 Siargao to Clark

Philippine Airlines

– PR2939 Butuan to Manila, 138 affected passengers

– PR2336 Butuan to Cebu, 72 affected passengers

– PR2938 Manila to Butuan

– PR2382 Cebu to Siargao

– PR2335 Cebu to Butuan

– PR2238 Cebu to Tacloban

– PR2651 Cebu to Borongan, Eastern Samar

– PR2383 Siargao to Cebu

– PR2239 Tacloban to Cebu

– PR2375 Siargao to Cebu

– PR2238 Cebu to Tacloban

– PR2652 Borongan, Eastern Samar to Cebu

– PR2875 Clark to Siargao

– PR2973 Manila to Siargao

– PR2974 Siargao to Manila

– PR2985 Manila to Tacloban

– PR2986 Tacloban Manila

– PR2987 Manila to Tacloban

– PR2988 Tacloban to Manila

– PR2239 Tacloban to Manila

Passengers affected by the Philippine Airlines flights PR2336 and PR2939 have been compensated for refund and rebooking without fare charges, according to Caap.

The Cebu airport advised affected passengers to await updates from their airlines regarding their canceled flights.

Typhoon Tino is forecast to cause rainfall of greater than 200 millimeters on Monday in Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Leyte and Dinagat Islands, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa),

Tino is also expected to bring 100 to 200 millimeters of rainfall in Cebu, Surigao del Norte, Northern Samar, Sorsogon, Biliran, Samar, Bohol, Camiguin and Agusan del Norte.

Typhoon Tino is packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (kph), and gusts of up to 150 kph. At its peak, Tino may reach up to 165 kph maximum winds with higher gustiness.

The typhoon may make landfall in the vicinity of Eastern Visayas on Monday evening to Tuesday morning, the state weather bureau added.

Authorities in Siargao, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands have ordered the forced evacuation of residents along coastal and flood-prone communities after the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned that storm surges exceeding three meters high would hit the coastal areas within 48 hours as Typhoon Tino makes its landfall.

As of 8 a.m. on Monday, the state weather bureau warned that storm surges exceeding three meters may hit coastal areas in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, and the Dinagat Islands within the next 48 hours.

Pagasa said these areas would be at high risk of inundation due to the combined effects of strong winds and intense rainfall.

General Luna town councilor Bingle Silvosa called on residents to comply with the advisories in a post on her social media account.

According to General Luna’s Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), local disaster teams have begun mandatory evacuations in low-lying and coastal villages of Siargao Island.

Town officials advised residents to move to designated safe shelters as all fishing, sea travel, and tourism activities-including island-hopping and surfing-were all suspended until further notice.

Authorities reminded residents to prepare Go Bags containing essential items such as food, water, medicines, flashlights, clothes, hygiene kits, and important documents. The public was also urged to secure homes, livestock, and belongings, and to stay away from riverbanks, coastal zones, and steep slopes vulnerable to landslides or flooding.

Tourists staying in beachfront or light-material lodgings were advised to relocate to inland evacuation centers, which can be verified through the official MDRRMO-General Luna Facebook page and local tourism offices.

Officials urged the public to stay tuned for updates from DOST-PAGASA, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office-General Luna, and other official government pages as Tino continues to move across the Caraga Region

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 was raised over parts of the Visayas and Mindanao Monday morning as Severe Tropical Storm Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) moves towards landmass, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in its Monday morning update, said TCWS No. 3 is in effect over Guiuan and Mercedes in Eastern Samar, as well as Dinagat Islands and Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands in Mindanao.

Pagasa warned of a ‘moderate to significant threat to life and property’ in these areas due to winds of 89 to 117 kilometers per hour (kph).

Meanwhile, TCWS no. 2 is still up for the following areas:

VISAYAS

Central and southern portions of Eastern Samar

central and southern portions of Samar

Leyte

Biliran

Southern Leyte

Bohol

northern and central portions of Cebu, including the Bantayan Islands and the Camotes Islands

northeastern portion of Negros Occidental

MINDANAO

The rest of Surigao del Norte

northern portion of Surigao del Sur

northeastern portion of Agusan del Norte

Signal No. 1 is also up over the areas:

LUZON

Sorsogon,

Masbate, including Ticao and Burias Island

Albay

southern portion of Quezon

southern portion of Marinduque

Romblon

central and southern portions of Oriental Mindoro

central and southern portions of Occidental Mindoro

Cuyo Islands

Calamian Islands

VISAYAS

Northern Samar

the rest of Eastern Samar,

the rest of Samar

the rest of Cebu

Siquijor

Negros Oriental

the rest of Negros Occidental

Guimaras

Iloilo

Capiz

Aklan

Antique, including Caluya Islands

MINDANAO

The rest of Surigao del Sur

northern and central portions of Agusan del Sur

the rest of Agusan del Norte

Camiguin

Misamis Oriental

northern portion of Bukidnon

Pagasa last located Tino around 360 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, moving west-southwest at 25 kph.

Tino is packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kph, with gusts of up to 135 kph, Pagasa added.

Pagasa also forecasts that Tino will ‘continuously intensify and may reach typhoon category within the next 12 hours’ but may slightly weaken after it makes landfall in the vicinity of Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, or Dinagat Islands on Tuesday.

Xyz Rayco showed what she’s capable of as the leader of the Alas Pilipinas girls’ team in the 2nd AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship.

Rayco, bannering a squad composed of players from different provinces, took matters into her own hands in the clutch moments of the second and third sets, finishing with 13 points in their 25-21, 25-22, 25-22 sweep of Iran to advance to the quarterfinal early Monday (Manila time) at Princess Sumaya Hall here. When the Philippines needed a closer, the 14-year-old spiker stepped up and denied the late runs of Iran in the last two sets.

‘I just kept telling myself to fight and be brave because I knew the ball would eventually come to me. Even when I struggled in the first set, I told myself I’d bounce back,’ Rayco told the Inquirer in Filipino. ‘And in the end, I gave it everything I had.’

For Rayco, it was challenging at first to keep a team together with players coming from Manila, Leyte, Batangas, Talisay, Bukidnon, and Negros Occidental.

But having one goal in fighting for flag and country, all of them were able to form a strong connection despite the short preparation.

‘This is such a big achievement for all of us because we’re already part of the national team. We all came from different schools, and to win a match we didn’t expect meant a lot to us,’ said the Saint Michael College of Caraga stalwart from Nasipit, Agusan Del Norte.

Alas dedicated the win to the Overseas Filipino Workers watching their games live, and their families and fans back home. The stunning victory also served as payback after the Alas U18 squad lost to Iran in the semifinals in the Asian Youth Games recently.

Now that they are in the quarterfinals, Rayco is determined to reach greater heights with her fellow first-timers on the international stage.

‘You can expect us to improve. We’ll correct the mistakes we made in this game and play even better in the next one,’ she said.

The municipality of Malay has advised tourists and residents to remain alert and take precautionary measures as Typhoon Tino (international name Kalmaegi) brings adverse weather across Western Visayas, temporarily affecting travel to and from Boracay Island. In an advisory issued Monday by the Malay Municipal Tourism Office, the local government confirmed that boat operations between Caticlan in mainland Malay and Boracay have been suspended due to strong winds and rough sea conditions brought by the typhoon, which has placed the town under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1.

Tourists stranded in Caticlan Jetty Port were urged to coordinate with their hotels, airlines, ferry, and land transport operators for rebooking assistance or temporary accommodation. The municipality released an updated list of available lodgings in Mainland Malay-including in Barangays Caticlan, Sambiray, Argao, and Nabas-ranging from budget inns to airport hotels with nightly rates starting at ?1,000.

The advisory reminded visitors to stay indoors, avoid the shore and open areas, and keep communication devices charged for weather updates. Travelers were also told to monitor official announcements from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the Malay-Boracay Tourism Office, and other authorized agencies.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Tourism Office released a separate ‘Tourist Safety Tips During a Typhoon’ poster detailing emergency measures for travelers. The guidelines urge tourists to prepare emergency kits, keep documents in waterproof bags, and follow instructions from hotel and local authorities during evacuations or flooding.

For assistance, stranded travelers may contact the Malay Municipal Tourism Office at (036) 288-7108, 0905-219-1604 (Globe), or 0968-243-1919 (Smart).

The local government assured visitors that the safety of tourists remains a top priority and that updates will be issued regularly as Typhoon Tino continues to move across the Visayas region.

There’s a high risk of life-threatening storm surge to occur in the southern part of Luzon, Visayas, and the northern part of Mindanao in the next 48 hours due to Severe Tropical Storm Tino, internationally known as Kalmaegi, state meteorologists warned on Monday morning.

More than 3 meters of storm surge may be anticipated at the low-lying coastal areas of the following provinces, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa):

Dinagat Islands: Basilisa, Cagdianao, Dinagat, Libjo, Loreto, San Jose, Tubajon

Eastern Samar: Balangiga, Balangkayan, General Macarthur, Giporlos, Guiuan, Hernanin, Lawaan, Llorente, Maydolong, Mercedes, Quinapondan, Salcedo

Leyte: Abuyog, Dulag, Javier, MacArthur, Mayorga, Palo, Tacloban City, Tanauan, Tolosa

Samar: Basey, Marabut

Surigao del Norte: Burgos, Dapa, Del Carmen, General Luna, Pilar, San Benito, San Isidro, Santa Monica, Socorro

Those areas may experience ‘significant damage to communities, coastal/marine infrastructures,’ and possible river flooding.

Additionally, 2.1 to 3 meters of rising sea water may also occur at the low-lying coastal areas of the following:

rest of coastal areas in Eastern Samar: Arteche, Can-avid, Borongan, Dolores, Oras, San Julian, San Policarpo, Sulat, Taft

Northern Samar: Gamay, Lapinig, Biri, Bobon, Catarman, Laoang, Mapanas, Mondragon, Palapag, Pambujan, San Roque

Southern Leyte: Anahawan, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Liloan, Pintuyan. Saint Bernard, San Francisco, San Juan, San Ricardo, Silago

Surigao del Norte: Bacuag, Claver, Gigaquit, Placer, Surigao City, Tagana-an

Those areas may get some ‘moderate to significant’ damage, as well as flooding, Pagasa said.

Also forecast is 1 to 2 meters of a storm surge, which may bring ‘minimal to moderate’ damage to the low-lying coastal areas of the provinces listed below:

Agusan del Norte

Aklan

Antique

Biliran

Bohol

Camiguin

Cebu

Guimaras

Iloilo

Leyte

Masbate

Misamis Oriental

Negros Occidental

Negros Oriental

the rest of Northern Samar

Oriental Mindoro

Occidental Mindoro

Palawan

Romblon

Samar

Siquijor

Sorsogon

Southern Leyte

Surigao del Norte

Surigao del Sur

Pagasa advised the public in the areas listed to cancel all marine and coastal activities and to move to higher ground.

Tino is expected to make landfall in Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, or the Dinagat Islands on Tuesday midnight or early morning, Pagasa reported.

Pagasa also said that Tino is forecast to intensify into a typhoon in the next 12 hours.