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The easterlies will bring rains in the eastern section of the Philippines while generally fair weather is forecast in Metro Manila and the rest of the country on Sunday, the state weather bureau said.

In the 5 a.m. weather forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration, weather specialist Daniel Villamil said that easterlies, or the winds coming from the Pacific Ocean, will prevail over Aurora, Quezon, Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and Davao Region.

‘Expect that early in the day, there will be more areas experiencing rains since they are provinces in the eastern section of Luzon which are most susceptible to thunderstorms due to easterlies,’ Villamil said.

Meanwhile, Villamil said that generally fair weather conditions with chances of partly cloudy skies and rains due to thunderstorms are expected over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.

Palawan, Visayas, and Mindanao will also experience the same improving weather conditions. Villamil noted that there is no more southwesterly windflow prevailing over Palawan.

‘Expect thunderstorm activities in the eastern portions of these areas, particularly in Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and Davao Region since these are located in the eastern section of our country. They are exposed to thunderstorm occurrences due to easterlies,’ he said.

He also shared that no gale warning is raised over any seaboards in the country. However, he warned mariners that offshore thunderstorms can cause rising waves.

Forecast temperature for the following areas:

Laoag, Ilocos Norte: 25°C to 32°C

Baguio: 18°C to 24°C

Metro Manila: 25°C to 31°C

Tagaytay: 22°C to 30°C

Tuguegarao: 25°C to 33°C

Legazpi: 24°C to 32°C

Kalayaan Islands: 25°C to 30°C

Puerto Princesa: 25°C to 31°C

Iloilo: 25°C to 31°C

Cebu: 25°C to 32°C

Tacloban: 25°C TO 32°C

Cagayan de Oro: 25°C to 32°C

Davao: 24°C to 32°C

Four-day weather outlook

Villamil said that cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms will be expected over Bicol Region, Quezon, Aurora, and Isabela due to easterlies from Monday to Wednesday. The same weather conditions will continue to persist over Quezon, Aurora, and Isabela until Thursday. Meanwhile, Villamil noted that generally fair weather apart from isolated showers or thunderstorms will be seen over the rest of the country throughout the rest of the forecast period.

He added that there is a low chance of tropical cyclone formation in the next two to three days.

Thunderstorms are expected over Quezon and three other areas in Luzon within the next two hours on Sunday morning, the state weather bureau said.

In a thunderstorm advisory issued at 6:28 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that aside from Quezon, moderate to heavy rain showers with lightning and strong winds are also expected over the following areas:

Quezon

Infanta

Real

General Nakar

Panukulan

Burdeos

Polillo

Patnanungan

Jomalig

Rizal

Tanay

Antipolo

Baras

Rodriguez

Morong

Teresa

Pililla

Laguna

Santa Maria

Siniloan

Famy

Nueva Ecija

General Tinio

Gabaldon

Bongabon

Laur

Meanwhile, Pagasa said that the same weather conditions are currently being experienced by areas of Macabebe, Masantol, and Minalin in Pampanga and may persist within two hours and affect nearby areas.

‘All are advised to take precautionary measures against the impacts associated with these hazards which include flash floods and landslides,’ Pagasa warned.

In a 5 a.m. weather forecast, Pagasa weather specialist Daniel Villamil said that easterlies will bring rains over the eastern sections of the country on Sunday, particularly in Quezon, Aurora, Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and Davao Region. Meanwhile, he noted that generally fair weather with chances of rains is expected over Metro Manila and the rest of the country.

The inaugural Korea Art Market Power 20 named BTS member RM among the list of 20 movers and shakers in the Korean art market Sunday.

The Power 20 was released as part of the Korea Art Market Report 2025 compiled by the Paradise Cultural Foundation and the Seoul National University Business School, and features artists, collectors, museum directors, gallerists, critics and cultural influencers.

The list was selected based on a survey of leading Korean galleries and refined through consultation with art market experts. While the list is not ranked, it offers a snapshot of the individuals making a clear and positive impact.

RM is the only figure from the wider arts and entertainment field to be included.

‘RM is also a passionate art collector and cultural influencer,’ the report notes, citing his habit of visiting museums even during military service. He is preparing for a solo exhibition of his private collection at San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art in October 2026.

RM, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, is the leader of the K-pop supergroup who is also a rapper, songwriter and producer.

Other honorees

Among the business figures named is Leeum Museum of Art, Hong Ra-hee, a prominent collector and member of the Samsung family.

‘Hong Ra-hee has shaped Korea’s art landscape through her acquisitions of major Korean and international artworks,’ the report states. As founding director of the Leeum Museum of Art, she built a formidable collection and, in 2025, returned as honorary director after an eight-year hiatus.

Suh Kyung-bae, the chairman of Amorepacific Group, is another key figure in the art scene. A three-time ARTnews Top 200 Collector, Suh founded the Amorepacific Museum of Art (APMA), home to a vast collection from antiquity to the avant-garde. In 2025, APMA hosted exhibitions of Steven Harrington, Elmgreen and Dragset and Mark Bradford.

Two of Korea’s most internationally respected artists also made the list.

Lee Bae, known for powerful charcoal-based works and blending minimalist aesthetics with East Asian philosophy, is, the report notes, ‘Often referred to as the ‘second Lee Ufan,’ he is a dominant figure in Korea’s art market.’

In 2024, Lee presented ‘La Maison de la Lune Brelee’ as an official Collateral Event of the Venice Biennale, solidifying his international stature.

Suh Do-ho, famed for his intricate fabric installations and drawings, explores ideas of memory, home and migration. His works have been exhibited in New York, London and Sydney, and in May 2025, he launched ‘Walk the House’ at Tate Modern as part of the museum’s Genesis Exhibition series.

Museum professionals on the list include Kim In-hye (MMCA, Korea), Lee Sook-kyung (Whitworth Gallery in Manchester, UK) and Suh Jin-suk (Busan Museum of Art), highlighting the institutional leadership driving Korea’s art ecosystem forward. Korean gallerists in Seoul and New York also made the list, reflecting the increasingly global nature of the Korean art market. The names include Do Hyung-teh (Gallery Hyundai), Park Kyung-mee (Founder and director of PKM Gallery), Youngjoo Lee (Senior Vice President and Director of Pace Gallery Seoul) and Tina Kim (Tina Kim Gallery in New York).

The ‘doublet earthquake’ that struck Davao Oriental last Friday has generated over 1,100 aftershocks, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Sunday.

In an update, the Phivolcs reported a total of 1,111 aftershocks as of 12 p.m., with magnitudes ranging from 1.2 to 5.8. Of this figure, 511 were plotted while 14 were felt.

The agency previously said the magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 earthquakes that struck off Davao Oriental may be considered a ‘doublet earthquake.’

It explained that a ‘doublet earthquake’ refers to distinct or different earthquakes that occurred in almost the same area, with two (or more) main shocks that have a slight difference in magnitude.’

The epicenter of the magnitude 7.4 earthquake was located 62 kilometers southeast of Manay in Davao Oriental at 9:43 a.m., while the magnitude 6.9 earthquake was traced 36 kilometers southeast of the same town at 7:12 p.m. last Friday.

According to the latest report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, a total of 125,283 families or 491,258 individuals were affected by the earthquakes. It also reported eight fatalities and 395 injuries.

The earthquakes also damaged a total of 2,155 houses in Davao Region and Caraga Region. The agency estimated losses totaling P100,258,000 from 273 damaged infrastructures across the two regions.

Last Thursday, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck Pugo town in La Union, with its intensity felt in nearby areas like Baguio City. Before these tremors, a deadly magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit Bogo City in Bogo City, which claimed over 70 lives.

Many people in Surigao del Sur province were roused from their sleep as a strong tremor rocked Cagwait town at 10:32 p.m. on Saturday.

As shown on raw videos shared on social media, people rushed out of their homes, some straight from being shaken off their slumber.

The tremor lasted about 20 seconds.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the offshore quake is located some 22 kilometers northeast of Cagwait town, and had a depth of 10 kilometers.

After the quake had ended, some people in Cagwait were shown going to the shore to check on any unusual movement of the sea, probably taking cue from Friday’s tsunami warning raised by state seismologists following the 7.4-magnitude quake off Manay, Davao Oriental.

Another video also showed a group of fishers aboard their respective boats rushing back to the shores.

The recent tremor was reported at Intensity IV in Davao City and Cagwait and Carmen towns of Surigao del Sur; Intensity III in Bislig City of Surigao Del Sur and Mati City of Davao Oriental.

For instrumental intensities, the quake was at Intensity IV in Cabadbaran City, Agusan Del Norte; Nabunturan, Davao De Oro; Hinunangan, Southern Leyte; and Tandag City of Surigao Del Sur; and Intensity III in San Fernando, Bukidnon; Digos City of Davao Del Sur; Abuyog, Leyte; Gingoog City of Misamis Oriental; Malungon, Sarangani; Hinundayan and Silago, Southern Leyte; Surigao City of Surigao del Norte; and Bislig City of Surigao Del Sur.

Phivolcs said damage is possible and aftershocks are also expected

Key officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), and the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) met in Davao Oriental on Saturday, following the twin quakes that struck the province the previous day.

In a press release, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, along with DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara and MinDA Chairperson Leo Magno, visited affected communities to check on the effects of the tremors on infrastructure, such as roads and school buildings.

‘We are here upon the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. because he really wants to provide the fastest relief as fast as we can,’ Dizon said.

Based on the initial assessment of the DPWH, all national roads in the Davao Region remain passable, although one local road sustained damage due to landslides triggered by the tremors.

The DPWH said it has mobilized quick response teams to assist in clearing operations and is conducting a detailed evaluation of public structures, including hospitals and school buildings.

It will also devote all its resources to assist in the immediate construction of medical tents and evacuation sites. Dizon said the government’s priority is to ensure that affected residents receive immediate assistance and that essential infrastructure remains functional as directed by the president. /cb

The Fraternitas Scintilla Legis and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Misamis Oriental chapter condemned the killing of lawyer and anti-corruption advocate Niruh Kyle Antatico in Patag village here on Friday, October 10.

In an official statement, the Fraternitas Scintilla Legis denounced the ‘cold-blooded murder’ of their brother, calling Antatico ‘a man of integrity, courage, and principle’ who devoted his life to justice and transparency in public service.

‘We grieve his tragic and untimely death, but we refuse to let his voice be silenced,’ part of the fraternity’s statement read. ‘The bullets that took his life will never extinguish his cause.’

Antatico was shot dead in broad daylight by still unidentified assailants.

The group urged law enforcement agencies – including the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice – to ‘conduct a thorough, impartial and speedy investigation’ and ensure that ‘the perpetrators and those who ordered this heinous act be brought to justice-swiftly and without exception.’

The fraternity called for justice for Antatico and for every ‘servant of truth who refuses to be silenced.’

The IBP Misamis Oriental chapter called the attack a ‘grave assault on the rule of law.’

The chapter noted that Antatico, a former employee of the National Irrigation Administration-10, had been known for exposing alleged corruption in government offices.

‘Any attack on a person seeking accountability is an attack on the rule of law itself. We cannot allow fear and impunity to erode the foundations of justice and public service,’ the IBP’s statement read.

The chapter urged investigators to pursue every lead, including the possibility that the murder was connected to Antatico’s anti-corruption efforts. It also encouraged anyone with information to come forward.

‘Through collective vigilance and civic courage, we can help ensure that accountability and justice prevail,’ the IBP added.

Both organizations praised Antatico as a ‘champion against corruption and a voice of truth.’

His fraternity vowed that his legacy ‘will continue to burn in the hearts of those who believe that integrity in public service is not negotiableAuthorities have yet to identify the gunmen involved in the fatal attack, which was reportedly captured on dashcam footage.

The three powerful earthquakes that hit the Visayas and Mindanao in a span of 10 days have added another layer to the country’s severe classroom shortage and, in a bigger context, the Filipino children’s learning crisis.

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit northern Cebu on Sept. 30 has totally damaged 1,187 schools, while 5,587 classrooms sustained minor damage and 803 others suffered major destruction. Last Friday’s magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 quakes that happened hours apart also damaged structures, including school buildings. Based on preliminary damage assessments, 1,164 classrooms sustained minor damage, 255 were moderately damaged, and 376 were completely destroyed.

These were only from the earthquakes. Last month’s Typhoon ‘Opong’ totally damaged 312 classrooms while 1,101 others recorded minor damage, affecting about 13 million learners nationwide.

The Philippines already has a backlog of more than 165,000 classrooms nationwide, and these recent disasters only exacerbate the problem. It also demonstrates the substandard quality of school buildings that, if unchecked, could put at risk the lives of thousands of learners and school personnel.

Save the Children Philippines reported that 2.7 million children, or 10 percent of the country’s student population, were still unable to return to school a week after the Cebu earthquake.

Post-disaster trauma

Many of the children were scared to go back to their classrooms because of the aftershocks, fearing that they might end up being trapped if their school building collapsed in the event of another strong temblor. This disruption in the students’ daily lives could only worsen the learning crisis because they lose valuable learning time and must also deal with post-disaster trauma.

Last month, Education Secretary Sonny Angara revealed that more than 1,000 classrooms that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) turned over to the Department of Education (DepEd) were not completed.

It is of small consolation that, per Angara, these were not exactly ‘ghost’ projects-only unfinished ones. But they might as well have been nonexistent projects because these incomplete classrooms were not painted and did not have electricity, making them useless.

This revelation shows that corruption in public works has not been limited to flood control and farm-to-market road projects, but has also extended even to institutions for learning-places where students are also supposed to learn values such as honesty and integrity that shape them to be better citizens.

Disaster-proof classrooms

This classroom crisis also brings to mind the staggering P612.5 million in confidential funds that Vice President Sara Duterte has yet to account for when she was education secretary-money that could have funded the purchase of textbooks and other education materials, salaries of teachers, even hygiene or modular kits that students can use during emergencies, and building sturdier, disaster-proof classrooms.

The DepEd estimated that only 4,000 new classrooms can be built each year, given the slow pace of the DPWH when it comes to the construction of school buildings. The government needs P413 billion to address this shortage, or from P10 billion to P14.8 billion annually, with each DPWH-implemented classroom costing between P2.5 million and P3.7 million.

To put things in perspective, the P118.5 billion allegedly lost to anomalous flood control projects from 2023 to 2025 could have already funded a third of the classroom shortage. Even Duterte’s intelligence funds could already have built 165 classrooms.

The classroom shortage problem has forced many schools to implement double or triple shifts, with some classes being held in makeshift or open-air rooms-not exactly conducive learning environments.

55 years

According to Angara, it would take 55 years to completely resolve the backlog, which has been caused by several factors, including rapid population growth, aging infrastructure, decades-long underinvestment in basic education facilities, on top of the destruction caused by calamities.

If there is one good thing that came out of the DPWH corruption scandal, it is the realignment of funds, with the education sector gaining P26 billion to build more classrooms.

The DepEd, however, must ensure that these funds will not go into the pockets of corrupt government officials and contractors. Angara must also report on the results of an audit that he had ordered on the heels of the incomplete classrooms issue. He should not stop at determining how many classrooms were lost to corruption, but also who should be held accountable and charge them in the court of law. Corruption is a crime that deprives Filipinos many of their rights, including the right to quality education. Every time a school building is not built or a substandard classroom is destroyed, there is a student out there who loses an opportunity for a better life with an education that could have been their ticket to overcome social inequalities.

An official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has been asked to explain the use of a vehicle with unauthorized blinkers and protocol plate ’10,’ the agency said on Sunday.

In a statement, the agency said acting Transport Secretary Giovanni Lopez ordered DOTr Undersecretary for Special Concerns Ricky Alfonso to explain the act.

The agency noted that the Land Transportation Office (LTO) found that the gray Lexus LX750 was not registered to use the plate number.

The Executive Order No. 56, issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last April, provides the designation of the plate number for the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and Solicitors General.

Marcos’ Administrative Order No. 18 prohibits government officials and personnel from using sirens, blinkers, and other flashing devices. However, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, fire trucks, hospital ambulances, and other emergency vehicles are exempted from this order.

Meanwhile, the LTO also issued a show-cause order to the driver of the Lexus vehicle in line with a reported incident on October 8.

The order cited the police report stating that the vehicle was involved in an incident resulting in an injury.

In a separate statement, the LTO said that ‘the incident showed Alfonso’s driver and security aide confronting and allegedly slapping the driver of an Isuzu multicab after a traffic altercation.’

With this, the driver and owner of the vehicle is tasked to submit an explanation on ‘why the driver should not be administratively charged for Reckless Driving, Motor vehicle operating without or with defective/improper/unauthorized accessories, devices, equipment, and parts’ and why the driver’s license should not be suspended for being an Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle.

The LTO also said that the license of the driver has been preventively suspended for 90 days and is directed to surrender the said license. Aside from this, the vehicle will be placed under alarm to prevent any transactions amid pending investigations. ‘The use of blinkers, sirens, and protocol plates is strictly regulated under existing laws and administrative orders. We will not tolerate any misuse of these privileges, especially by individuals who should serve as examples to the public,’ LTO Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao said in a statement.

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck a town in Davao Oriental on Sunday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

In its earthquake bulletin, Phivolcs said that this is an aftershock of the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that hit waters off the coast of Manay in Davao Oriental last Friday.

Phivolcs noted that the center of the aftershock was located 52 kilometers east of Manay town at 5:04 a.m.

It was tectonic in origin and had a depth of 24 kilometers.

Phivolcs noted that no damage to properties and aftershocks are expected from this tremor.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Saturday said that the magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 earthquakes, which are tagged as ‘doublet earthquakes’ that jolted the town, affected a total of 74,649 families or 91,224 persons.