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The National Police Commission (Napolcom) urged Monday the Philippine National Police (PNP) to crack down on the unauthorized sale of police uniforms and equipment.

The urgency followed the discovery of a Halloween partygoer wearing a police uniform as a costume. The partygoer, Daryll Isidro, explained to Napolcom that the uniform originated from a tailor in Quiapo, Manila.

‘There should also be a crackdown on the general public’s access to police uniforms and paraphernalia. Where else would all this be from if not unauthorized access to PNP uniforms? We should solve it at the source,’ Napolcom Executive Officer Rafael Calinisan said in a press conference.

‘If the PNP is listening, that’s what we should talk about, on how we put safeguards as to how people should not buy police uniforms and paraphernalia. Only those authorized should be allowed to buy,’ he added.

Calinisan said he initially instructed Napolcom to file a case against Isidro for violating Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code (the illegal use of uniforms and insignia).

However, Isidro met with Calinisan earlier on Monday morning, prompting him to withdraw his directive to file a case and tear up the show-cause order the partygoer was supposed to receive.

‘Calm down’

Calinisan first brought attention to the issue on social media on Sunday.

On Sunday night, on his social media, Sen. Francis Pangilinan appealed to Napolcom to instead focus on more pressing issues.

‘My advice to Napolcom is to understand the situation and feelings of those who pay our salaries, the people, who are seething with anger against all the corrupt in the government, as well as the corrupt in the PNP,’ Pangilinan said.

‘Sa halip na ikagalit ito ng kapulisan at mauwi pa sa kasuhan, mas mainam na unawa ang mangibabaw at hindi ang galit. Ika nga, kalma lang,’ he added. (It’s better for understanding to prevail over anger. As the saying goes, just stay calm.)

‘Instead getting upset over the issue and [ending] up with the filing of cases, it’d be better if reason were to prevail and not anger, just calm down.)

Calinisan said he respects Pangilinan’s statement but raised the issue due to ‘national security concerns.’

Ahtisa Manalo has found one familiar face when she set foot in Thailand for the 74th Miss Universe pageant – recently-crowned Miss Grand International Emma Tiglao.

The two Filipino queens met at the Chatrium Hotel and Residence Riverside Bangkok on Sunday, Nov. 2, where the Miss Universe delegates are staying for the initial leg of this year’s pageant edition.

The Miss Grand International Ltd. Co. is organizing the Miss Universe pageant’s staging in Thailand, and Tiglao was part of the team that welcomed the ladies. She will be involved in other activities as well. Manalo, who is representing the Philippines in the Miss Universe pageant, flashed a gleeful smile at Tiglao upon seeing her, and the two were filmed having a tight embrace, while Miss Grand International Pres. Nawat Itsaragrisil looked on.

Tiglao also got to be with Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Theilvig. ‘Such an honor to witness the arrival of the Miss Universe candidates with the reigning Miss Universe,’ she said.

There was a time when such a scenario was highly unlikely to have happened, especially because Itsaragrisil had challenged the Miss Universe pageant’s position as one of the leading international competitions.

But earlier this year, he snagged the Miss Universe Thailand franchise from TPN Global Co., the country’s former licensee.

Itsaragrisil’s company secured a five-year contract to conduct a search for Thailand’s Miss Universe delegate for five years for a staggering THB130 million (roughly P309 million).

Later, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) announced that Thailand’s hosting of the 74th competition would be handled by Itsaragrisil’s Miss Grand International Ltd.

This got many pageant fans excited because Miss Grand International has been known for its glossy production, with massive stages and huge LED panels.

But the MUO and Itsaragrisil are seemingly locked in conflict now, after the organization issued a statement that said his online poll on the Miss Universe Thailand page is ‘not authorized.’

The organization added: ‘All official communications, announcements, and voting initiatives from the Miss Universe Organization are published exclusively through verified channels.’

I was having a heart attack, and the pain was so intense that I could neither breathe nor move. To make it worse, it happened during COVID-19. It was a good thing that I got to the hospital just in time.’ The doctor had unfortunately become a patient.

‘I decided to monitor her at home. We have an oxygen tank on hand and a pulse oximeter. She doesn’t like hospitals, and it’s better that she doesn’t get exposed to hospital bugs.’ Her resolve to keep her mother under close watch at home was strengthened with the knowledge that her groupmate, an internal medicine specialist, was on call 24/7, and Molnupiravir had been timely administered.

‘The first 10 days of being in isolation were the worst times in our lives. It was the beginning of the pandemic, and no one knew what to do. The hospitals were overflowing with patients, and we were scared to line up for admission, thinking that in the event that we would turn for the worse, we would be cremated and no one would have access to our remains. My husband and I had pulse oximeters at home, but we would only use our oxygen tank sparingly when our oxygen levels dipped to 80 percent. Our supply was limited, and we were sharing one tank, so we had to make it last. He even passed out twice. Thank God we were able to recover.’

‘Can anyone please share the contact number of a supplier of oxygen? I tried borrowing a tank from the hospital, but they couldn’t accommodate my request as they were also worried that they might run out.’

There is no doubt that providing oxygen support will always be an integral part of lifesaving measures. All of us would need it at some point in our lives. No one is exempt from experiencing illness, whether of an acute or chronic nature, or undergoing procedures that necessitate its use. As a physician, I have seen not only how oxygen brings immediate relief, but more importantly, how it can reverse a critical situation that could otherwise have resulted in significant morbidity or death, resulting from hypoxemia, which simply means that there is a lack of oxygen in the blood. Its importance was never more pronounced than during the pandemic, when oxygen became a precious commodity that further served to highlight the wide divide between the rich and the poor. Those with the means had the security of staying home while awaiting admission if it was eventually needed. Quite a number who had no access painfully waited in line and suffered from the consequences of long-standing hypoxemia. Try holding your breath until you can no longer and imagine how it feels to be unable to come up for air.

Citing data from the Lancet Global Health Commission on oxygen medical health security, which was formed in 2022, of the 374 million people needing medical oxygen annually, 306 million (82 percent) live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). They found that ‘more than 5 billion people-i.e., more than 60 percent of the world’s population- do not have access to safe, quality, and affordable medical oxygen services.’

To my knowledge, we are still classified as an LMIC. These facts easily brought back memories even before the pandemic, when, as a medical intern, I witnessed three or four people sharing an oxygen tank. In my years as a practicing physician, patients have on more than one occasion complained about the high cost of oxygen that was itemized in their hospital bill.

Sifting through these figures, aware of our current situation, and having witnessed how our existing health infrastructure struggled to remain upright during those difficult times, I wonder how prepared we are in the eventuality of another pandemic. Thinking about it brings more than its fair share of unease. Having experienced an undersupply, how do we as a country ensure that oxygen, which is listed as an essential medicine that has no substitute and is made available when necessary, is equally distributed and accessible to all?

Solutions will always be multipronged, needing careful planning and multistakeholder involvement. To help keep and foster positive vibes, which we badly need to face the week ahead, I would like to believe that the Philippines has a ready road map to address the challenges that we are and will continue to face. If policies are well-crafted and implemented justly, those truly in need will be served, rather than only those with the power or the privilege to access resources. Ethiopia’s success story, particularly their improvement of medical oxygen security through strategic planning, which helped them respond during the pandemic, should encourage us that we are capable of making our own as well.

Alex Eala broke through the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Top 50 to end her season.

On Monday, Eala achieved a new career-high world ranking of No. 50, following a historic year.

She eclipsed her previous high at 51 despite a round-of-16 loss to Canadian Victoria Mboko, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, in the Hong Kong Open on Thursday.

The 20-year-old Eala was at No. 140 before her dream semifinal run at the Miami Open that catapulted her to the Top 75 and became an automatic participant in the Grand Slam main draws.

Eala delivered the Philippines’ first-ever US Open main draw win when she took down Clara Tauson in the first round and captured her first WTA title in the Guadalajara 125 open.

The Filipino tennis ace is currently taking a break in the Philippines, as she seeks to compete in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand in December.

Local oil prices will surge in the first week of November, with diesel prices making the biggest jump of P2.70 a liter.

In an advisory on Monday, Seaoil said gasoline and kerosene would also increase by P1.70 and P2.10 a liter starting Nov. 4.

This marks the fifth straight week of hikes for gasoline, and the second for both diesel and kerosene.

Last week, Jetti Petroleum president Leo Bellas said the new sanctions against Russian oil producers Rosneft and Lukoil ‘have introduced significant compliance risks and uncertainty into the market.’

‘Growing concerns that refined products output will tighten globally due to the US sanctions on key Russian producers have resulted in strengthening diesel and gasoline prices outside of crude movements,’ he added.

The Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office has junked the complaint filed against activist Jonila Castro for allegedly leading a protest against controversial contractors Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya at their office in Pasig City at the height of the congressional inquiry into anomalous flood control projects.

The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) called the dismissal of the complaint filed by a Pasig police official a vindication for Castro.

Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Rowena Simbahan recommended the dismissal of the complaint for insufficient evidence.

Simbahan said the complainant, Police Capt. Ralph Santos failed to prove that Castro led the public assembly and that she was criminally liable for organizing the protest without securing a permit.

‘Aside from the allegations of the complainant and their witnesses that they obtained the information from one of the rallyists as to the identity of the leader or organizer of the said assembly, no other evidence was submitted to prove that it was the respondent who is the leader or organizer of the said public assembly and is thus criminally liable,’ read her resolution dated Sept. 29.

Freedom of speech, assembly

Castro was part of the Sept. 4 rally outside the Pasig City compound of St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corp., one of at least nine construction firms owned by the Discaya couple. The protesters hurled mud and rocks at the property and spray-painted the words ‘magnanakaw’ (thief) and ‘ikulong’ (jail them) on its walls.

A week after the incident, Santos filed a complaint against Castro for violating Batas Pambansa (BP) No. 880, or the Public Assembly Act of 1985, arguing that the ralliers failed to present a permit during the protest.

Castro denied that she violated the law when she attended the rally, saying she was merely exercising her constitutional rights of freedom of speech and assembly.

The Discayas have come under the spotlight for their central role in the flood control project mess. After being identified as among the top 15 contractors who bagged P30 billion in flood control projects in the past three years, they have tagged several lawmakers as recipients of kickbacks from substandard or nonexistent projects.

‘Hearsay’ evidence

In her resolution, Simbahan said evidence of the organizer’s identity is indispensable, citing Section 13 of BP 880, which states that criminal liability lies with an organizer of a permit-less public assembly.

In this case, the prosecutor noted that the affidavit of the rallier who supposedly gave the information to the police that Castro was the leader was not submitted as evidence, making it ‘hearsay,’ which carried no weight.

‘The first duty of the prosecution is not to prove the crime but to establish the identity of the perpetrator . Failure to present this proof warrants the dismissal of the instant complaint,’ Simbahan said.

NUPL president Ephraim Cortez said the resolution of Castro’s case was ‘clear proof that [she] was unjustly singled out by the PNP (Philippine National Police), and [the PNP] concocted an obviously baseless complaint against her.’

‘Agitators’

In September 2023, Castro and fellow activist Jhed Tamano disappeared while working with coastal communities opposed to reclamation activities in Manila Bay. Nearly two weeks later, they were presented in a press conference where they accused the military of abducting them, a charge denied by the authorities.

Meanwhile, in Busan, South Korea, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday said he was worried about troublemakers at the Trillion Peso March scheduled on Nov. 30, but not about the anticorruption rally itself.

‘The only concern I have when we have demonstrations for whatever reason is that there are agitators who will go and try to cause trouble. What demonstrator goes to a demonstration with Molotov cocktails that are not intended to cause trouble or to hurt people?’ Marcos told reporters.

On Sept. 21, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in the largest protest yet against the corruption scandal that was marred by riots instigated by masked men, who set a container van on fire near Malacañang in Manila, killing one person and injuring several others.

The police in Metro Manila were monitoring possible recruitment of youths for the Nov. 30 rally through social media to prevent a repeat of the Sept. 21 violence.

Higher member contributions pushed the Social Security System’s (SSS) net income up by nearly 20 percent in the first nine months of 2025, helping offset the impact of increased benefit payouts from the recent pension hike.

Data from the state-run pension system showed that its net income reached P93.88 billion by the end of September, or a 19.9-percent growth from P78.3 billion in the same period last year.

Contributions from members rose by 14.23 percent to P281.7 billion, more than double the pace of growth in benefit payments, which went up 6.84 percent to P223.3 billion. Overall expenses rose 9.07 percent to P251 billion during the period, driven by higher benefit payouts and operational costs.

At the start of September, SSS started to roll out an increase in pensions phased over until 2027, which was said to benefit millions of pensioners without requiring an increase in member contributions.

Retirement and disability pensioners received a 10-percent increase, while death or survivor pensioners got 5 percent on Aug. 31.

Robert Joseph de Claro, the fund’s president and chief executive, earlier said that slow growth was to be expected next year even as they set a higher target for contributions in 2026.

Earnings are only projected to increase by about 8 percent in 2026, which is lower than the estimated 38 to 45 percent increase this year.

The fund forecasts earnings to rise by just about 8 percent in 2026, well below the estimated 38 to 45 percent increase in 2025.

Earnings are projected to increase by about 8 percent in 2026, significantly lower than the estimated 38 to 45 percent expansion recorded this year.

Still, the higher earnings recorded for the first three quarters remain on track with the system’s full-year profit goal of P100 billion.

Cebu Archbishop Alberto ‘Abet’ Uy on Monday instructed all priests in the Archdiocese of Cebu to open church facilities as temporary shelters for residents seeking refuge during the ongoing typhoon.

In a directive issued to parishes, Uy emphasized that this applies to all structurally safe churches, excluding those damaged by the recent earthquake.

‘Please stay safe and keep everyone in your prayers,’ he added, urging the faithful to prioritize safety while helping their communities.

Churches throughout Cebu are expected to accommodate families and individuals needing shelter until Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) passes

Residents of central Cebu, including the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Talisay, and Danao, and nearby towns, are on alert as Typhoon Tino maintains its strength while moving westward over the Philippine Sea.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 in these areas as of 2 p.m. on Monday, November 3, warning of storm-force winds of up to 117 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 150 kph.

Authorities advise residents in low-lying, coastal, and flood-prone areas to seek shelter and follow evacuation instructions. Local governments, including Cebu City and Mandaue City, have opened evacuation centers and are coordinating emergency response efforts.

Cebu is expected to experience heavy rainfall, strong winds, and possible coastal flooding over the next 24 hours. Pagasa warns that Tino may traverse the Visayas and intensify, with peak winds forecasted at 150-165 kph.

Residents are urged to stay updated with official advisories and avoid unnecessary travel, especially at sea, as rough to very rough conditions are expected along the eastern and northern seaboards

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is on alert as Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) approaches the country’s landmass.

Tino was last spotted at 10 a.m. some 285 kilometers (km) east-southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, moving west-southwestward at 25 km per hour (kph), with a maximum sustained wind speed of 120 kph and gusts of up to 150 kph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

‘The Philippine National Police has placed all units on alert and has already begun deploying personnel ahead of the expected landfall of [Typhoon] Tino,’ the PNP said in a statement on Monday morning.

‘Police units nationwide have activated their disaster action plans in coordination with local government units, the NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council), and other emergency responders,’ it added.

PNP community relations executive officer Col. Jessie Tamayao particularly noted that the full alert status was raised for the regional police offices of Eastern Visayas, Negros Island Region, Western Visayas, Mimaropa, Bicol region and Caraga.

Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. stressed that residents in the affected areas should follow updates from verified sources, avoid unnecessary travel and seek police assistance through the 911 hotline or their nearest police station.

‘Tino will move generally westward and may make its landfall over the vicinity of the southern portion of Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte or Dinagat Islands tonight (Nov. 3) or tomorrow (Nov. 4) early morning,’ Pagasa said.

The Coast Guard Station in Oriental Mindoro has temporarily suspended vessel trips in five southern towns of the province due to the threat of Severe Tropical Storm Tino, according to its advisory issued at 6:21 a.m. Monday.

In its 5 a.m. Tropical Cyclone Bulletin No. 4, issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), reported that Tino was affecting the towns of Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, and Bulalacao.

‘All vessels are reminded to take precautionary measures and remain vigilant in monitoring the movement of the tropical cyclone. Voyages will remain suspended until further notice and upon improvement of weather and sea conditions,’ the Coast Guard said in its advisory.

It added that vessels seeking to take shelter will be permitted to do so, provided they file a request, but no passengers or cargo will be allowed on board.

Meanwhile, vessel operations from Calapan Port remain ongoing as of 5 a.m. advisory from the Calapan Coast Guard