Category: Philippine Star

Minimum wage earners in Western Visayas including Negros Occidental and Bacolod City will receive an increase of P40 to P45 in their daily pay following the approval of a wage hike petition by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board.

RTWPB-Western Visayas chairman Sixto Rodriguez Jr. said the board approved Wage Order No. 30 on Oct. 21 and submitted it to the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) the following day for affirmation.

Under the new wage order, workers in the agriculture sector will receive an increase of P45, raising their daily minimum pay from P520 to P565.

Workers in non-agriculture establishments employing more than 10 people will get an increase of P40, raising their daily minimum pay from P550 to P590.

Those in non-agriculture establishments with 10 or fewer workers will also receive an increase of P40, raising their daily minimum wage from P525 to P565.

The wage order also covers household workers or kasambahays who will get an increase of P500, raising their minimum monthly salary from P6,500 to P7,000.

The new wage rates will take effect in the middle part of next month following the required publication and completion of other processes, subject to the affirmation of the NWPC and approval by the Department of Labor and Employment.

Although Negros Occidental is now part of the newly created Negros Island Region, the province remains under the jurisdiction of RTWPB-Westen Visayas, pending the establishment of a separate wage board for the NIR.

Typhoon Rosal, the most powerful cyclone this year, has stepped out of the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday morning, October 24.

No tropical cyclone wind signals remain in effect but strong winds and dangerous seas may still affect parts of the country, PAGASA said in an advisory.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, the state weather bureau said Rosal was 525 kilometers north-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, outside PAR.

The typhoon had weakened further, with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 150 kph.

It was moving east-northeastward at 20 kph toward the East China Sea.

Earlier Saturday, Rosal had maximum sustained winds of 150 kph and was moving southwestward after making a counterclockwise loop over the sea east of Taiwan.

Strong gusts may persist

Despite Rosal’s exit from PAR, its periphery may continue to bring strong to gale-force gusts Saturday over Batanes, the Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, northern Quezon, Polillo Islands, the Bicol Region, Romblon, Capiz, Iloilo and Negros Occidental.

Strong to gale-force gusts may also affect Batanes, the Babuyan Islands and Ilocos Norte on Sunday.

PAGASA said local winds may be stronger in coastal, upland and mountainous areas exposed to the prevailing winds.

Dangerous seas over Northern Luzon

The cyclone may be gone, but its expansive wingspan has lingering effects. A gale warning remains in effect over the seaboards of Northern Luzon.

Very rough seas with waves reaching as high as 5.5 meters are forecast along the northern seaboard of Batanes, while waves may reach 4.5 meters along the northern seaboard of the Babuyan Islands.

PAGASA said sea travel is risky for vessels of all types and tonnage in these areas. Mariners were advised to remain in port or seek safe harbor until winds and waves subside.

Rough seas are also forecast over several coastal waters of Northern Luzon.

Waves may reach 4 meters over the remaining seaboards of the Babuyan Islands, the northeastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan and the northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte.

Waves of up to 3.5 meters are forecast over the remaining seaboard of Ilocos Norte and the seaboard of Ilocos Sur.

Up to 3-meter waves may affect the remaining seaboards of mainland Cagayan, the western seaboard of Pangasinan, the seaboards of Isabela and northern Aurora, and the northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes.

Mariners of small vessels, including motorbancas, were advised not to venture out under these conditions.

The abuse of visa-free entry privileges by some foreigners could have contributed to the apparent resurgence of small-scale scam hubs in parts of the country, according to the Department of Justice.

Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty reported that some of the foreigners, mostly Chinese nationals, apprehended in recent raids on scam hubs, particularly in Zamboanga Sibugay earlier this month, entered the Philippines under a visa-free arrangement.

‘We cannot deny that this is a privilege we granted to Chinese tourists and that, to some extent, it has been exploited, contributing to this problem,’ Ty said at a media briefing last week, acknowledging that the privilege granted to Chinese tourists may have been exploited and contributed to the problem.

Around 200 foreigners were apprehended during the operations. Ty added that some of the foreigners could have been overstaying.

He also said that Chinese nationals recruited to work in local scam hubs may have been instructed to target fellow Chinese citizens before accepting job offers that brought them to the Philippines.

The Department of Foreign Affairs restored visa-free access for Chinese visitors on Jan. 16, allowing visits of up to 14 days strictly for tourism or business purposes.

The arrangement is subject to review before it expires a year after its implementation.

Asked whether Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) and scam hubs were indeed making a comeback across the country, Ty said it was possible.

However, he maintained that the operations were smaller than those previously uncovered, both in scale and in the number of foreign nationals found in the facilities.

‘Remember, before, the composition was very international, mostly Chinese, but there were also many Vietnamese, Indonesians and people from Myanmar, Nepal and Africa. Now, those being found are mostly Chinese,’ he said.

When Pope Leo XIV stood before the faithful at St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 11 and announced that doctors had discovered a small nodule in his lung requiring surgery, he did something that leaders everywhere would do well to consider. He told the people the truth about his health.

There was no elaborate attempt to conceal the problem, no reassuring fiction that everything was perfectly normal. He calmly explained the finding, disclosed the planned operation and asked for prayers.

Two days later, the Vatican announced that the surgery had been successful. A subsequent medical bulletin confirmed that the 71-year-old pontiff had undergone removal of the lower lobe of his right lung after doctors identified pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer. Further examinations will help determine the appropriate follow-up treatment and prognosis.

For the world’s Catholics and countless others who admire the pope, the news was understandably distressing. But amid the concern, his candor offers an important lesson: Leadership does not require the appearance of invulnerability. It requires the courage to be truthful.

The public’s right to know

A pope is not an ordinary public figure. As spiritual leader of approximately 1.4 billion Catholics and sovereign of Vatican City, his health has implications extending beyond his personal circumstances.

The same principle applies, with particular constitutional force, to presidents and other officials entrusted with enormous public responsibilities.

A head of state makes decisions affecting national security, economic stability, international relations and millions of lives. The public therefore has a legitimate interest in knowing whether a serious illness may affect that leader’s ability to discharge official duties.

This is not idle curiosity. It is accountability.

In the Philippines, the principle is expressly recognized in Article VII, Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution: ‘In case of serious illness of the president, the public shall be informed of the state of his health.’

Those words are remarkably clear. The Constitution does not require the president to surrender every intimate medical detail. But it recognizes that serious illness in the country’s highest office cannot automatically be treated as a purely private matter.

Our constitutional system also provides procedures for determining presidential inability and transferring executive authority when necessary. Health transparency and continuity of government are inseparable responsibilities.

Privacy vs public responsibility

As a physician, I recognize the fundamental importance of medical confidentiality. Every patient deserves dignity, privacy and control over sensitive personal information.

Public office does not extinguish those rights. But the balance changes when an illness has substantial implications for the performance of public duties.

A leader’s minor ailments, routine prescriptions or unrelated medical history need not become public property. A serious condition requiring major surgery, prolonged hospitalization or potentially affecting judgment, consciousness, mobility or sustained performance presents a different question.

The appropriate standard should be relevant disclosure, not indiscriminate exposure.

A credible medical bulletin should explain the established diagnosis, treatment undertaken, present clinical condition, anticipated recovery period and any material limitations on official duties. It should distinguish confirmed findings from uncertainties. And it should come from appropriately authorized medical professionals, with respect for patient consent and confidentiality.

Illness is not incompetence

Equally important, a medical diagnosis should never become an automatic judgment about a leader’s competence. Cancer does not necessarily mean incapacity. Neither does advanced age, disability or treatment for a chronic condition. Many individuals continue to perform demanding intellectual and leadership responsibilities while undergoing medical treatment.

The relevant question is functional: can the leader continue to perform the essential duties of office, and what arrangements are necessary during recovery?

That determination must rest on medical evidence and applicable constitutional procedures – not rumor, prejudice or political convenience.

Indeed, honest disclosure can prevent the speculation that secrecy often invites. When official information is withheld, conjecture fills the vacuum. When credible information is provided, citizens can respond with understanding rather than suspicion.

Truthful leadership

There is something profoundly human about a leader acknowledging vulnerability. The pope’s announcement reminds us that even those entrusted with extraordinary responsibilities remain subject to the frailties of the human body.

Transparency need not diminish authority. It can strengthen trust.

For governments, the lesson is to establish clear, consistent medical-disclosure practices before a health crisis occurs, rather than improvising statements under political pressure.

For physicians, it is to communicate accurately, compassionately and without offering assurances unsupported by evidence.

For citizens, it is to respond to illness with humanity rather than treating another person’s suffering as political entertainment.

We should neither demand that leaders be superhuman nor accept that serious health information affecting public responsibilities must remain hidden. There is room for both compassion and accountability.

Our prayers for Pope Leo

We join millions around the world in praying for Pope Leo XIV’s speedy, complete and uncomplicated recovery.

We pray for wisdom for his physicians, strength during his recuperation and favorable results from his continuing medical evaluation. And we hope his example encourages a broader culture in which leaders understand that acknowledging illness is not an admission of weakness.

It is an expression of humanity.

The health of a leader may be personal. But when that health bears directly on the responsibilities of public office, truthful disclosure becomes part of the public trust.

Sometimes, the strongest demonstration of leadership is simply having the courage to tell the truth.

Ateneo at home held on to a 75-72 squeaker over Far Eastern University to snap a three-game skid in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

Kieffer Alas sank the dagger charities in the last two seconds to rescue the Blue Eagles from a near collapse after leading by as many as 18 points, including 11 inside the last two minutes.

Alas finished with 21 points, four rebounds and two steals as the Blue Eagles drew inspiration from home fans and improved to 4-4 to rejoin a crowded middle pack of the standings.

The super rookie drew solid coverage from Jared Bahay with 15 points, while reinforcement Sultan Baruwa collared a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double laced by two assists. Ian Espinosa and Travis Roberts chipped in eight points each.

‘This is a very huge win for us because I know were are just one game behind sa mga nasa upper bracket,’ said coach Louie Alas, whose wards ended the first round with an 80-68 defeat to University Santo Tomas in Sampaloc, Manila.

‘But this is just (one) win. We need to bounce back against. We need to have a back-to-back win for us to be in contention again. As of now, we’re still in the lower bracket of the standings.’

At home this time, Ateneo did albeit via slimmest of margins after a 48-30 lead in the first half that it managed to protect in the last two minutes.

With what seemed a comfortable 73-62 upperhand off Roberts lay-up in the 1:51 mark, the Blue Eagles surrendered a 10-0 Tamaraws rally capped by a Jorick Bautista triple in the last three seconds.

Good thing for the hoopers from Katipunan, Alas was steady from the stripe to avenge their one-sided 93-70 loss to the Tamaraws in the first round.

FEU, once the early league leader at 4-1, absorbed its third consecutive defeat despite the 18 points of Bautista to slide to at 4-4 for a three-way tie with Ateneo and reigning champion La Salle.

Mo Konateh, the leader in the Best Foreign Student-Athlete derby, added a 12-16 double-double, Kirby Mongcopa and Cabs Cabonilas had 11 each, as reigning MVP Janrey Pasaol settled for seven points.

In women’s basketball, NU (5-2) fended off La Salle (1-6), 75-71, to end the first round in style as FEU (4-3) gained a piece of the coveted No. 4 seed with a 50-48 win over Adamson (4-3) on Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 stalwart Victoria Pasilang’s game-winner.

Four Philippine Air Force (PAF) pilots died after two trainer aircraft collided midair in Lipa City, Batangas, on Friday afternoon, October 23, 2026.

The military confirmed the deaths yesterday, announcing an investigation into the tragic incident, which occurred during a flight training exercise.

The PAF, in a statement, said it ‘mourns the loss of four pilots in an aviation accident involving two SF-260 aircraft during a training flight at Fernando Air Base on October 23, 2026, at 3:51 p.m.’

Confirming the circulation of videos of the mishap and crash online, the military said both aircraft went down within the base perimeter, with no other casualties reported.

‘An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident, while all SF-260 aircraft have been temporarily grounded as a precautionary safety measure,’ the PAF said.

‘The PAF honors the service and sacrifice of our fallen aviators and is coordinating with their bereaved families to provide necessary assistance,’ the same statement further read.

The military noted that, at the request of the pilots’ families, ‘we respectfully appeal to the public to respect their privacy during this difficult time.’

The PAF confirmed the collision hours after the mishap on Friday night, initially providing no information on fatalities or injuries.

‘Immediate response measures were activated upon the occurrence of the incident,’ the military announced a few hours after the mishap.

‘Our primary priority remains the safety and welfare of the personnel involved, as well as the individuals within the vicinity of the incident site. Response teams have been dispatched to secure the area and conduct initial assessments.

Businesses should treat digital trust as a strategic asset tied to customer confidence and economic participation, consumer group CitizenWatch Philippines said, urging companies and government to adopt consistent safeguards against online scams.

‘Digital trust is not only a cybersecurity concern; it is a business asset,’ said lawyer Kit Belmonte, former legislator and CitizenWatch co-convenor. ‘Customers are more likely to use digital services when they believe their data and transactions are protected. Companies and government should strengthen and embed trust in how they operate, making trust a shared responsibility across the companies and institutions that serve them.’

The call comes as Filipinos increasingly rely on digital services for payments, commerce, education, health care and government transactions. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the digital economy generated P2.74 trillion in gross value added in 2025, equivalent to 9.8 percent of gross domestic product.

But consumer confidence faces pressure from fraud. TransUnion’s H2 2025 report found that 65 percent of Filipino consumers surveyed had been targeted by fraud through email, online, phone or text, compared with 48 percent globally.

‘When people do not feel safe online, they can lose confidence in the services they depend on,’ Belmonte said. ‘That affects consumers directly, and it can also weaken the willingness of customers to participate in the digital economy.’

Belmonte urged telecom operators, digital platforms, financial institutions and government to coordinate their response and make safeguards consistent across services.

Measures such as blocking scam messages and malicious domains, giving users clear ways to report suspicious activity, and sharing threat information should be part of a broader system of protection, he said.

Telecommunications companies have taken steps that include scam and spam blocking, consumer reporting channels, security warnings and partnerships with financial institutions. Belmonte cited Globe’s test of Silent Network Authentication with GCash as an example of industry efforts to strengthen consumer protection. He said company initiatives can contribute to consumer protection, but should not be treated as a substitute for standards that apply across the industry.

‘Protection should not depend on which operator, bank or platform a person uses,’ Belmonte said. ‘If safeguards vary widely, scammers will look for the weakest link – and consumers will be left to manage risks they cannot control alone.’

The group also called for operators to share responsibility with platforms, banks and government agencies, including through faster information-sharing and support for smaller telecom providers that may not have the same resources to strengthen their defenses.

The Office of the Ombudsman has filed malversation and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan against six Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region XII personnel over their alleged involvement in a P491.9-million road right-of-way scam in General Santos City.

In a statement on Sunday, October 25, the Ombudsman said that it found prima facie evidence, with reasonable certainty of conviction, against former DPWH Region XII Regional Director Subair Saro Diron, former Assistant Regional Director Laureano Suan Jr. and four other DPWH employees.

According to the Ombudsman, the four other employees are the following:

Tomas Rodriguez

David Padlan

Paisal Padate

Ansare Busran

Seven private individuals implicated in the fraudulent scheme were also indicted.

The anti-graft agency filed 18 counts of Malversation of Public Funds or Property through Falsification of Public Documents under Article 217 in relation to Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code, along with 18 counts of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

According to a 2017 affidavit executed by whistleblower Roberto Catapang Jr., a syndicate colluded with public officials to obtain government funds for land acquisitions by fabricating and submitting falsified land documents.

Following approvals by the DPWH Region XII technical working group, the government disbursed a total of P491,931,120.20 to claimants who were later found to have submitted fraudulent ownership claims.

Investigators from the National Bureau of Investigation also found that the respondents unlawfully applied a 2009 property appraisal rate of P3,500 per square meter to calculate compensation for land expropriated by the government in the early 1990s, resulting in heavily inflated right-of-way claims.

In a related administrative ruling, the Ombudsman ordered the immediate dismissal of former DPWH Region XII Legal Officer Ansare Mariga Busran from military or government service, with accessory penalties including the forfeiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

Chanelle Avaricio brings a potent mix of winning momentum, growing confidence and proven course mastery into the ICTSI Apo Golf Classic, seeking back-to-back victories and a fourth title of the season as the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour wraps up its 2026 campaign Tuesday, October 27, here.

Fresh from a one-shot victory over Tiffany Lee at South Pacific last week, Avaricio heads to the quaint Apo layout with another compelling edge: a return to the course where she ruled in dominant fashion last year, turning a tight opening-round battle into a runaway triumph with a sterling second-round 68 that propelled her to an seven-shot victory.

The reigning champion thus looms as the player to beat in the P1.25-million season-ending championship, armed with the confidence of a recent winner, familiarity with the demands of the course and an increasingly well-rounded game sharpened by overseas competitions, including the China Tour.

Another victory would not only give Avaricio a fitting finish to her campaign but also match her four-title haul in the 2022 season. She has already stamped her class this year with victories at the demanding Pinewoods leg and Summit Point before surviving a dramatic, shifting battle of fortunes at South Pacific.

Yet for Avaricio, the significance of each triumph goes beyond numbers or comparisons.

‘Each win means a lot to me,’ said Avaricio after edging Lee in a tense finish. ‘It’s same as my other wins. Pero lahat naman, I’m really grateful and happy. So, it’s the same as all my wins. So, grateful lang talaga.’

That humility, however, will not diminish the target on her back at Apo. With her recent form and impressive title-defense credentials, Avaricio will have to contend with 23 challengers, including three amateurs, eager to derail her bid for another LPGT crown and close the season with a statement of their own.

Among the leading threats is Yvon Bisera, who seeks redemption and a third title of the season, while Lee will be out to sustain her late-season charge after ending a two-year title drought at Pueblo de Oro. Daniella Uy, Harmie Constantino and Princess Superal also have the firepower to mount serious challenges if they find their rhythm early.

Local knowledge could prove crucial on Apo’s tight, tricky layout, putting Sarah Ababa, Mafy Singson and Chihiro Ikeda in the mix. Their familiarity with Davao’s oldest golf course, where they have trained and developed their games, could provide a valuable advantage in a field expected to push Avaricio from the opening round.

Also tipped to contend are Rev Alcantara, who turned in a strong performance at South Pacific, Pamela Mariano, Gretchen Villacencio, Marvi Monsalve, Velinda Castil and Monica Mondario, along with returning Korean campaigner Seoyun Kim, and Eunhua Nam.

A 21-year-old student died after his motorcycle crashed along the road in Bocaue, Bulacan before dawn yesterday.

Jasper Magana was declared dead on arrival at the Rogaciano Medical Memorial Hospital in Santa Maria town due to severe injuries.

Magana was traveling in Barangay Cacarong Bata at around 1:30 a.m. when his motorcycle hit something, causing him to be thrown off the vehicle, Central Luzon police director Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez.

Responding barangay watchmen retrieved the victim from a ditch.