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Banks have started enforcing new limits on large cash withdrawals and payouts in line with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)’s latest directive aimed at curbing money laundering and promoting traceable transactions.

In a customer advisory, BDO Unibank Inc. said that starting Oct. 7, cash withdrawals of over P500,000 per banking day, or its equivalent in foreign currency equivalent, would require additional documents in compliance with BSP Circular 1218.

Under the circular, financial institutions must cap large-value cash transactions at P500,000 unless the amount is processed through traceable channels.

The new rule, approved by the Monetary Board on Sept. 18 and taking effect in early October, requires enhanced due diligence (EDD) for customers seeking to withdraw or encash beyond the P500,000 threshold.

These clients must present valid identification and proof of legitimate business purpose, such as documentation for hospital bills or supplier payments.

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) announced that starting Oct. 4, customers who need to withdraw more than P500,000 would be asked to provide a valid ID and supporting documents.

‘Customers will be asked to submit additional identification information and/or proof of a legitimate business purpose for large cash out transactions exceeding P500,000,’ BPI said.

Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) said the new rule seeks to ‘promote secure and transparent banking,’ noting that single or multiple withdrawals are now capped at P500,000 per banking day.

‘Large value cash transactions or withdrawals above P500,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency must be processed only through traceable channels, such as check payments, fund transfers or digital platforms,’ Metrobank said.

It added that clients might be asked to provide identification or other supporting papers to verify the purpose of the transaction.

Other lenders such as the Philippine National Bank (PNB), Bank of Commerce and Union Bank of the Philippines have also issued advisories to customers outlining compliance procedures.

PNB reminded depositors to notify branches two banking days in advance for over-the-counter cash withdrawals above P500,000 and to submit supporting documents, while BankCom stressed that withdrawals exceeding the limit ‘may require enhanced verification’ and proof of fund source.

UnionBank likewise said that ‘withdrawals above P500,000 would now be subject to EDD procedures’ and urged clients to use traceable alternatives such as online fund transfers and digital payments.

According to the BSP, the new policy was introduced after risk assessments found that cash-based transactions remain vulnerable to money laundering, terrorism financing and other illicit fund flows.

By requiring stricter checks and documentation, regulators aim to promote transparency and preserve the integrity of the financial system.

The central bank said the regulation covers both banks and other BSP-supervised financial institutions. Violations or suspicious activities must be reported through suspicious transaction reports.

The policy, however, has drawn mixed reactions online. Several social media users, particularly small business owners, expressed frustration over the stricter requirements and said that the P500,000 daily cash limit could disrupt operations and delay payments to suppliers.

Others described the need to submit additional documents as ‘a hassle,’ noting that many legitimate businesses still rely heavily on cash transactions for day-to-day expenses.

State seismologists have lifted the tsunami warning triggered by the magnitude 7.5 earthquake that struck off the coast of Davao Oriental on Friday, October 10.

Phivolcs issued a tsunami warning in several Visayas and Mindanao coastal areas after the quake, and residents were told to immediately evacuate.

A tsunami was detected by the Tandag Surigao Del Sur Sea level Monitoring Station for Tsunami Detection at 10:20 a.m. It measured around 30 centimeters.

‘Any effects due to the tsunami warning have largely passed and therefore. Department of Science and Technology-PHIVOLCS has now cancelled all Tsunami Warnings issued for this event,’ the agency said in a bulletin.

The earthquake that struck Davao was felt in several localities in the area. Several local government units have suspended classes and government work to give way for safety checks.

The regional Office of Civil Defense has already raised a Red Alert status over the affected area.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier ordered for the evacuation of residents in affected areas and reassured them that help was on the way.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck off the coast of Manay, Davao Oriental on Friday, October 10, and the magnitude 6.9 tremor that struck Cebu 10 days earlier, are completely unrelated, Phivolcs said.

At a press conference, Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol dismissed concerns that the earthquake this morning was triggered by the earlier tremors in Cebu, explaining that these come from entirely different fault systems.

“All independent earthquake generators… Walang kinalaman yung isa sa Philippine Trench dun sa Bogo Bay Fault (The Philippine Trench has nothing to do with Bogo Bay Fault),” Bacolcol said.

Both faults are “independent” and located far from each other geographically. Bacolcol added: “The activity of one will not induce or trigger the acitivity of the other.”

The Philippine Trench, one of six active trenches around the Philippines, was the origin of Friday’s quake that struck 9:43 a.m., prompting tsunami warnings. At least two people have been reportedly killed.

The September 30 Cebu quake came from the Bogo Bay Fault, an underwater fault that hadn’t moved significantly in over 400 years.

Bacolcol pointed to historical patterns showing the Philippine Trench regularly generates powerful earthquakes. A magnitude 7.5 quake hit the same area in 1921, followed by an 8.3 tremor in 1924, a 7.2 in 1929, and a 7.6 in 1952. All were along the Philippine Trench, Bacolcol said.

The Cebu earthquake devastated the municipalities of Bogo, Daanbantayan, and Medellin, killing at least 74 and completely destroying over 5,000 homes.

As of October 10, around 8,000 persons remain displaced.

Friday’s Davao quake was felt across Mindanao and as far as Cebu City, where residents still on edge from last month’s earthquake felt Intensity IV-level shaking. Over 200 aftershocks followed the Davao tremor, with the strongest so far reaching magnitude 5.8.

Back like he never left.

After missing significant time last season, Rey Nambatac showcased his brilliance anew as he helped the TNT Tropang 5G blast the Phoenix Fuel Masters, 93-78, in their PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup matchup Friday at the Ynares Center in Montalban, Rizal.

Nambatac, who missed a few months in last season’s All-Filipino Cup, finished with 22 points, six rebounds and three assists for TNT in 30 minutes of play.

The guard out of Letran said he was ‘very excited’ to play once again.

‘Parang four months mahigit yata akong hindi nakapaglaro e. So, siyempre, ito talaga yung pinaghahandaan ko,’ he told reporters after the game.

He bared that he was really out of shape, but thanked his teammates for stepping up.

‘Good thing naman, yung mga teammates ko, huge shout out to all my teammates kasi talagang pinush hard nila ako noong training camp namin. And to be honest, wala talaga ako. Out of shape ako Nahirapan ako noong una,’ he stated.

‘But then again, nagkaroon ako ng opportunity na makarecover. Makuha ko yung rhythm ko, yung timing ko. And ayun nga, ito, unti-unting nagbunga.’

After a close encounter in the first half, TNT started to pull away in the third quarter.

The Tropang 5G led by one, 45-44, early in the third frame before Nambatac scored seven points in his team’s 8-2 run as TNT grabbed a 54-46 lead.

While the Fuel Masters were able to pull themselves closer, the Tropang 5G’s hot offense was just too much to handle as they broke the game wide open in the fourth period. The latter took a 16-point lead, 81-65, after a split from Nambatac.

Ricci Rivero tried to will the Fuel Masters back into it, but a 3-pointer by Kelly Williams slammed the door shut on any comeback attempt.

Calvin Oftana backstopped Nambatac with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Simon Enciso and newcomer Kevin Ferrer had 12 markers apiece.

Tyler Tio and Jason Perkins powered Phoenix with 12 points apiece while Kai Ballungay added 11 markers for the Fuel Masters, who were held to 40.8% shooting and were forced to commit 14 turnovers.

‘There were stretches na masakit sa mata yung offense namin. But, as always, we relied on our defense. Okay lang if we’re not making our shots or if our offense is not as smooth as we want it to be, but as long as we can make stops, that’s the most important element of our gameplan,’ TNT head coach Chot Reyes said.

TNT will be back in action next Saturday against Converge, while Phoenix will return to play on October 22 against the NLEX Road Warriors.

Yesterday morning, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck La Union, with other parts of northern Luzon, including Baguio City, feeling the tremors.

So far as of this writing there have been no reports of damage, while one report claims someone died of a heart attack in Baguio City while the quake was happening.

Now the people there can’t help but be on alert for aftershocks, no doubt having been appraised of what quakes can do and how devastating they can be following what happened in northern Cebu recently.

Speaking of aftershocks, as of yesterday noon, a total of 10,006 aftershocks have been recorded following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit northern Cebu.

If anything else, this should show us that it’s not quite over yet and, more importantly, that quakes are more unpredictable compared to other natural disasters.

Let’s not be fooled that quakes can be predicted with precision. Yes, there are general patterns that we can observe and analyze, but we can never say when a quake will strike somewhere specific and how strong it will be.

So if someone shares a post in social media that a quake will happen somewhere at a certain time, take it with a grain of salt and don’t immediately share it.

Let’s also not be fooled into thinking that we won’t get shaken just because a quake happened somewhere else. La Union is quite far from where the current aftershocks are being concentrated and recorded. We are sure they never saw it coming, but it came anyway.

These latest developments should remind us that unlike other natural disasters, earthquakes can strike anywhere without warning. While typhoons or tsunamis can be observed forming from a ways off, seasons of drought or flood can be predicted months ahead with a high degree of accuracy, and volcanic eruptions give off many warnings signs, earthquakes are still far off from becoming predictable.

What’s the best we can do about it? Nothing much, except take measures to make our homes and critical infrastructure resilient, not live in hazard zones, and be prepared to deal with what happens after.

Two more fatalities in the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu last week have been reported, bringing the death toll to 74 as of yesterday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Office of Civil Defense said the additional fatalities were reported in the towns of Tabogon and Medellin.

The number of injured people remained at 559 with no one reported missing.

Houses damaged by the earthquake increased to 71,996 from 62,531 the other day, with close to 5,000 assessed to be beyond repair, according to the NDRRMC.

From 733 the other day, the agency yesterday lowered to 703 the number of infrastructure such as schools and government facilities that were damaged during the quake.

Up to 189,620 families were displaced by the calamity. Most of them are staying in six evacuation centers.

The government has spent more than P152.6 million for food and non-food assistance to affected communities, especially in Bogo City, the epicenter of the earthquake, and its neighboring municipalities.

More help arriving

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) yesterday airlifted 20 tons of humanitarian cargo for the earthquake victims in Cebu.

PAL transported 3,000 liters of water donated by the Lucio Tan Group and the Asia Brewery Corp., and 654 kilos of hygiene and psychosocial kits provided by the Philippine Red Cross.

The transport of humanitarian cargo was facilitated by the PAL Foundation Inc., the corporate social arm of the flag carrier, in coordination with teams from PAL Cargo in Manila and Cebu.

PAL said it stands in solidarity with the people of Cebu during this time of calamity, and remains committed to providing support where it is needed most.

Local government units (LGUs) in Bacolod, Navotas, Pasig as well as Negros Occidental and Pangasinan have pledged to donate financial assistance for victims of the temblor.

Bogo City Mayor Maria Cielo Martinez on Wednesday received the financial assistance and five emergency go-bags from Pasig Councilors Warren Inocencio, Volta delos Santos and Buboy Agustin.

Aside from financial assistance, the LGUs deployed teams to assist in the search and rescue operations in Cebu.

Meanwhile, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has fully restored the internet connection in Cebu, a few days after the temblor.

DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda said the agency coordinated with leading telecommunications firms Globe, Smart and Dito to ensure the immediate restoration of internet connection in areas severely hit by the earthquake.

Aguda said that during calamities, communication is essential in saving lives.

With an announcement of a live fire drill, a helicopter flying close to Filipino fishing boats and heavy presence of patrol ships, Chinese forces disrupted once again a humanitarian mission carried out by Philippine maritime authorities.

Both the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Philippine Coast Guard deployed vessels to perform the ‘Kadiwa sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda’ humanitarian program at Panatag (Scarborough) and Escoda (Sabina) Shoals on Wednesday, according to a statement from PCG spokesman on West Philippine Sea issues Commodore Jay Tarriela.

PCG patrol ships BRP Teresa Magbanua and BRP Cape San Agustin joined the mission in Panatag Shoal, while the BRP Melchora Aquino and BRP Cabra accompanied the BFAR, he noted.

Along with 11 other vessels, the PCG and BFAR were supposed to distribute supplies of fuel and ice as well as grocery packs to ‘nearly 100 vessels, enabling fishermen to extend their fishing expeditions’ at both Panatag and Escoda Shoals, he added.

Amid the mission, ‘a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) – Navy vessel 568 issued warnings from a distance regarding a live-fire exercise in the area, raising concerns among Filipino fishermen’ at Panatag, also called Bajo de Masinloc, reported Tarriela.

At Escoda Shoal, ‘a PLA Navy helicopter conducted low-altitude monitoring flights, further attempting to intimidate the fishermen,’ he also said.

Aside from PLA-Navy assets, a total of 15 China Coast Guard vessels and 19 Chinese maritime militia ships were also present during the PCG-BFAR operation. Panatag Shoal was reportedly guarded with seven CCG and 10 Chinese maritime militia vessels, and eight CCG and nine maritime militia ships at Escoda Shoal.

Some CCG personnel onboard speedboats also tried to block some of the Filipino fishing boats while a CCG patrol ship crossed the way of a PCG vessel, according to photos and videos from the PCG.

Despite the new episode of harassment by Chinese forces, the mission delivered a total of 98,000 liters of fuel to the crew of 55 Filipino fishing boats at Panatag Shoal and 45 more at Escoda Shoal, as well as five tons of crushed ice and 345 grocery packs, said Tarriela.

He said the BFAR also bought 35 tons of fish caught by fishermen at Panatag.

It would have been the second time since last month that the PLA-Navy announced a live fire drill at Panatag Shoal, which was not carried out.

‘The Philippine Coast Guard, alongside our partners at BFAR, will never back down in defending the rights and livelihoods of our Filipino fishermen,’ declared PCG Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan.

He added the Kadiwa program ‘exemplifies President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s firm policy: we will neither waver nor surrender a single square inch of our territory to any foreign power.’

Both Panatag and Escoda Shoals lie in the West Philippine Sea, within the country’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone as defined under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and upheld in the landmark 2016 arbitral award.

The worst social cancer is currently plaguing the whole nation. The people are losing trust and confidence in the government and institutions. And the people are impervious to what matters most at these critical times. If unabated, this could be the beginning of the nation’s end.

Many people don’t take government institutions seriously anymore. There’s no more genuine respect for authority because people see government officials as oppressors and exploiters. Taxpayers are no longer motivated to pay properly and on time because they’re convinced taxes are being stolen by the officials.

Gone are the days when members of Congress were truly honorable, men and women we can be truly proud of, who served the nation well and never stole a peso from the public coffers. Our senators today are “tinimbang, ngunit kulang”. And our congressmen are “tinimbang ngunit sobra”.

People today don’t respect legislators anymore. We cannot blame them for losing their trust and confidence in Congress because the men and women in the august halls of both the Senate and the House don’t inspire respect anymore.

Gone are the days when our women solons were exemplars of brilliance and integrity, in the likes of Geronima Pecson (the first female senator who was an educator), Tecla San Andres Ziga (the first woman Bar topnotcher), Pacita Madrigal Warns, Maria Kalaw Katigbak, Eva Estrada Kalaw, Helena Benitez, Magnolia Antonino, Letecia Ramos Shahani, Santanina Rasul, Nikki Coseteng, Loren Legarda, and the greatest of them all, Miriam Defensor Santiago. Today, we have family dynasties in the Senate, siblings coming from the same families monopolizing powers and protecting their family business empires.

During the golden era of Claro M. Recto and Lorenzo Tañada, you could not become a senator if you were not a highly-competent lawyer, a Bar topnotcher, or a famous Law dean, professor, or author of law books because you are supposed to make laws. Today, you can be a senator even if you were convicted and imprisoned for serious crimes and even incarcerated, having been accused of plunder and other high crimes. You can be a senator today even if you were only a high school student as long as you are an actor or you represent a well-entrenched family dynasty with a lot of campaign funds contributed allegedly by your favorite public work contractors.

The standards for electing public officials have gone down to the level of the dogs (with apologies to the dogs), and members of Congress are being insulted, defamed, and ridiculed in the social media as crocodiles (with due respect to the crocodiles). During my younger years, whenever a senator or congressman would enter a room, we all stood up and bowed our heads. Today, the effigies of senators and even presidents are burned and trapos are being seen as burdens to the people instead of being models for excellence and integrity. People don’t respect politicians anymore, and yet, on election day, they still vote for them in exchange for a few pesos and cans of cheap sardines.

The social cancer of the whole nation is reaching its terminal stage. Both those who govern and those who are governed are no longer imbued with a sense of nationalism and patriotism like the spirit that animated Rizal, Bonifacio, and Mabini. We have no more sense of dignity and pride like that sense which characterized Don Sergio Osmeña and Manuel Quezon. We don’t respect authorities anymore like the times of Carlos P. Romulo and Camilo Osias. We are a people with such malignant social cancer that the slightest touch would exacerbate the pains and anguish in our hearts and the woundedness of our souls.

The Philippines is a very sick nation with a people beset by a terminal cancer of distrust and a tumor of indifference. We no longer have respect, no more trust, and soon not even a feeling of shame. Ours is a nation that has lost our soul. Only a surgical operation, through another peaceful revolution may have the opportunity to save us all from total perdition. If the people don’t seize the day, I am afraid that the retired generals may take the law into their own hands. It is better that the people should opt for a bloodless transition.

And may that happen very soon, of course, within the framework of law and order, upholding bloodlessly and peacefully the sovereignty of the people over the government. That will be the day.

An American fugitive has been arrested by agents of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Jordan, Guimaras.

Boyd Monte Murray, 64, was reportedly found in possession of several identification cards bearing different names, according to Rendel Ryan Sy, chief of the BI fugitive search unit.

Murray reportedly failed to present a valid passport or immigration documents. He was arrested in Barangay Rizal on Sept. 30, with the help of the Philippine Navy.

The arrest stemmed from information provided by the United States embassy that Murray has a pending arrest warrant for theft issued by the King County Superior Court in Seattle, Washington in December 1994.

The suspect is reportedly facing multiple charges in several US states, including possession of stolen vehicles, larceny and other felony offenses. His US passport has reportedly been revoked by the US Department of State.

The BI is reviewing Murray’s record of stay in the Philippines after complaints from the community and posts on social media revealed the suspect’s alleged criminal history, including prior convictions for fraud, theft and burglary.

The suspect allegedly engaged in repulsive online behavior, including posting lewd remarks on social media accounts of underage girls.

Nothing can be more moving and heartwarming than the sight of people from all walks of life doing their share to ease the pain of the victims of the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck on the evening of September 30, 2025 in the northern part of Cebu destroying houses, claiming lives, and leaving thousands with a sense of hopelessness and grief.

But once again, the Cebuanos have shown their capacity for resilience. Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro demonstrated strong leadership as she assembled her team to respond to the disaster. She was on the ground zero just hours after the earthquake. She called on everyone to help the victims, and many responded.

She showed grace and diplomacy when President Ferdinand Marcos visited the province. Her most loyal supporters should understand that, as governor, she must keep her communication lines open with the highest office in the land.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival led the Cebu City Government and called upon all city residents to help. Many responded enthusiastically. What’s worth noting in all this is the fact that many young people, students and non-students alike, volunteered in the repacking efforts.

Without fanfare, Vice President Sara Duterte arrived ahead of President Marcos. In areas of the country where there is an OVP satellite office, she has a team ready for disaster relief operations.

The Davao City Government brought trucks of relief goods, without any name of politicians on the tarpaulins –just the phrase ‘From the People of Davao City.’ Impressive! One may recall that it was also the same local government that was among the first to respond when Typhoon Yolanda hit Tacloban City many years ago.

More than the help from local government units, the contribution of many unsung heroes stood out, those who spent their last centavo just to buy food and water for donation. They may remain anonymous, but there is no doubt that they made a difference.

I am also proud of the media industry to which I belong. Radio stations and newspaper outlets did their part. Our stations dyHP RMN Cebu and Ifm raised more than ?3 million in cash as of this writing, excluding the in-kind donations. This is a huge help to the earthquake victims. This could not have been made possible, however, without the support of our thousands of listeners. We cannot thank them enough.

I can’t blame those who chose not to course through their reliefs donations through our government. Trust in government is at its lowest, aggravated in no small way by the perception that the investigation on the flood control corruption scandal is a moro-moro. It’s going to the dogs. So, despite the risks of aftershocks and heavy traffic in areas heading to northern Cebu, many insisted on handing over the relief goods themselves.

There were also those who braved traffic congestion not because they distrusted the government, but because they had to reach areas where their relatives and friends lived or they were aware that there were remote areas that relief goods have not yet reached. They took their own initiative, knowing that many were already hungry, thirsty, and exhausted.

One could only wish that the kind of unity we show during tragedies would be the same degree of unity we can show in all other facets of our national life, particularly in our fight against the plunder of public coffers. During calamities, we tend to dissolve our political colors and conflicting ideologies. Why can’t we do that when we choose the right leaders during elections?