Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The spokesperson for the Office of the Ombudsman continued to express doubt over the official reason given by Sen. Loren Legarda for her continued medical leave, which had been extended for almost a month now.

This was despite an earlier statement from Senate President Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian attesting to Legarda having a ‘serious illness.’

‘Well, if [Legarda] really has a serious illness, then she should have requested just one medical leave, rather than getting repeated extensions,’ Clavano said at a press conference on Friday.

Legarda and her son, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, are under investigation over the projects that the latter’s solar power company committed but allegedly failed to accomplish under the franchise awarded by the government.

Legarda first filed a medical leave on Aug. 3, days after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced that both mother and son, as well as former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, were being investigated for plunder and graft.

‘Increases suspicion’

Legarda filed the fourth extension of her medical leave until Sept. 2. Leviste also sought a two-month travel authority from the House, from July 26 to Sept. 24, Clavano earlier said.

‘The fact that both the mother and son are out of the country adds to the speculation, or increases the suspicion, of the Office of the Ombudsman,’ he said, noting that there’s a standing order for the two to submit their counteraffidavit.

Preliminary probe

‘We hope that you (Legarda and Leviste) will remain in the country for now so that we can shed some light on what happened and allow the public to know the truth,’ Clavano said, adding:

‘That’s why we are flagging their travel at this point. .. it is really very suspicious that they are there [abroad], while they have a case here that requires them to answer and appear, and that they chose to leave the country at precisely this time.’

Investigators alleged that Legarda, Leviste and Cusi ‘conspired to secure exclusive government rights over the country’s solar energy resources through legislative and regulatory actions.’

Despite the awards, they said, ‘many of the projects were never developed as promised.’

The antigraft body said the terminated contracts of Leviste’s Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc. (SPPPHI) resulted in more than P10.44 billion in unpaid financial obligations to the government.

Leviste, who founded SPPPHI in 2013 when he was just 20 years old, won more than 30 service contracts with the government.

Remulla said Leviste would not have won the contracts-awarded during the Duterte administration-without his senator mother.

‘Baseless allegation’

In an earlier statement, Legarda, the former chair of the powerful Senate committee on finance, described the allegations as ‘utterly false and baseless.’

‘No public funds were involved. We are prepared to bring out the truth,’ she said. ‘This baseless allegation is a smear on my person that is totally undeserved.’

‘We remain confident that once the facts are laid bare, we will be vindicated and our names cleared,’ Legarda said.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday said the police should now be allowed to inspect the homes of persons who had been issued firearms by the government, to check how they are keeping their guns away from unauthorized users.

Remulla’s proposal was the latest offshoot of two recent deadly school shootings-in Tacloban City and Zamboanga City-where the attackers were both minors who managed to get hold of loaded firearms licensed to members of their family.

During the House committee hearing on the budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Remulla said his agency would propose amendments to gun regulations to make it legal for the police to check on the safekeeping of firearms in private homes.

‘What we are proposing is that the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) have to be amended,’ the Cabinet official said in response to questions from Akbayan Rep. Dadah Ismula.

‘The PNP (Philippine National Police) will be granted access to all homes of lawfully issued firearms to inspect their procedures in safekeeping,’ Remulla said.

He was referring to the IRR of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, or Republic Act No. 10591.

Still a privilege

According to the secretary, around 800,000 personnel in the uniformed services alone have been issued firearms.

They are responsible for keeping the guns secure at all times, he said.

‘This (proposal) might upset a few people because… it might be interpreted as an infringement of rights. However, we must remember that the privilege to own a gun is not enshrined in our Constitution,’ he explained.

Earlier this month, Remulla also urged Congress to repeal a 1997 law and reclassify the offense of illegal possession of firearms from being bailable to nonbailable.

KairoTech and Packworks have entered into a strategic partnership to develop what the companies envision as the Philippines’ first Sari-Sari Retail Media Network-a new way for brands to understand, reach and engage Filipino consumers closer to where everyday purchasing decisions take place.

The partnership combines Packworks’ network of more than 300,000 digitized sari-sari stores with KairoTech’s behavior-led digital media and audience intelligence capabilities. Together, the companies aim to connect one of the country’s most important grassroots retail channels more closely with brands, media and the digital economy.

There are an estimated 1.3 million sari-sari stores nationwide. Beyond their scale, these stores are deeply embedded in Filipino communities, providing convenient access to everyday goods while serving as trusted neighborhood businesses built on proximity, familiarity and personal relationships.

‘Retail media should do more than make advertising more precise. In the Philippine context, it can connect brand investment to real economic activity in communities-helping brands build demand while creating more opportunities for sari-sari stores to sell more, strengthen their economics and grow,’ says Ed Sunico, managing partner of KairoTech.

As supermarkets, convenience stores, e-commerce platforms and other modern retail formats expand, the partnership aims to strengthen the sari-sari channel. For store owners, stronger and more relevant demand can mean faster product movement and higher sales. Better visibility into local demand can support smarter stocking and ordering, reduce inventory inefficiencies, and create opportunities for better purchasing economics and lower cost of goods over time. These gains can help improve margins, support more competitive pricing and strengthen the long-term viability of neighborhood stores.

The model also builds on an advantage unique to neighborhood retail: the traditional suki (close customer) relationship.

‘Sari-sari stores understand their neighborhoods better than anyone. By giving them greater access to technology, data and market opportunities while preserving the trust and suki relationships that define neighborhood retail, we can help the entire channel become stronger, more competitive and more sustainable,’ says Ibba Rasul Bernardo, chief strategy and communications officer of Packworks

A 24-year-old college student was killed while his girlfriend was wounded after a gunman shot them in front of a house in Barangay Uguis, Nueva Era town, Ilocos Norte, on Thursday night.

Police said Jhey Em Abellano was walking near his home with his girlfriend, a resident of Burgos town in Ilocos Norte and also a college student, at 7:30 p.m. when a 19-year-old man, also a resident of Barangay Uguis, allegedly rode up to them on a motorcycle.

The suspect reportedly fired four shots at the two victims and then fled.

Abellano sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body, while his girlfriend was hit in the leg and abdomen, investigators said.

Both victims were rushed to a hospital, but Abellano was declared dead on arrival. His girlfriend is still undergoing treatment.

A separate account from the victim’s family said Abellano had traveled to Badoc to fetch his girlfriend. They were reportedly attacked when they arrived in front of the house.

Abellano’s brother, in a social media post, described him as a kind and caring person who was not known for picking fights or getting into trouble.

He said Abellano had returned to Uguis to recover after being diagnosed with anemia.

The brother appealed for justice, saying the family was not seeking sympathy but wanted those responsible for the shooting to be held accountable.

‘Hustisya para sa kapatid ko ang kailangan namin (We demand justice for my brother),’ he said.

Police immediately launched a hot pursuit and dragnet operation for the suspect, who remained at large as of Friday morning (August 28)

Face-to-face classes from preschool to Grade 12 were suspended in the summer capital on Friday (Aug. 28) after an orange rainfall warning was raised over the city and Benguet province, according to the Baguio City Public Information Office in a 5 a.m. post.

The automatic suspension follows Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 14, series of 2026. The decision on suspending college classes was left to the discretion of individual school administrations.

This mountain resort city has recorded one confirmed death from leptospirosis this year even as cases of the disease declined by 39 percent compared with last year’s tally for the same period, according to the City Health Services Office (CHSO).

In an Aug. 25 statement from the Baguio City Public Information Office, the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) reported 14 leptospirosis cases from Jan. 1 to Aug. 15, down from 23 cases in 2025.

The confirmed fatality was a male farmer who died on June 14, with laboratory results later confirming leptospirosis, the CESU said.

Three other deaths were recorded among suspected leptospirosis cases. Two of the victims-a construction worker and a delivery rider-died in June but tested negative for the disease. The third, a student who died this month, was still awaiting laboratory results.

Of the 14 confirmed cases this year, 13 or 93 percent were male. Patients were between 24 and 71 years old.

Cases have been reported in Barangays Irisan, Camp 7, Bakakeng Central, Phil-Am Compound, Quirino-Magsaysay, Middle Quezon Hill, Outlook Drive, Happy Hollow, City Camp Proper and Kias.

The CESU said people whose work exposes them to potentially contaminated water or soil may be at greater risk of contracting leptospirosis. These include farmers, construction workers, delivery riders, painters, animal caretakers, welders and other outdoor or mobile workers.

‘If you have a fever and history of wading, better have your consultation immediately,’ said City Health Officer Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes.

Leptospirosis can be contracted through exposure to water or soil contaminated with the droppings of infected rodents, particularly when contaminated water comes into contact with cuts or wounds on the skin.

Brillantes said symptoms may include sudden fever lasting three to five days, severe headache and reddish eyes. Severe infections may progress to yellowing of the skin.

The CHSO is strengthening preventive measures through health education in barangays, rodent control and the clearing of drainage systems in high-risk areas.

The city also plans to coordinate with delivery hubs and construction companies to promote the use of personal protective equipment and conduct workplace safety briefings.

Brillantes assured residents that the city has sufficient medicines available for leptospirosis treatment.

The Visayas grid continues to suffer from a power supply crunch, prompting the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) to place the region under red alert for three hours on Friday.

In an advisory, the red alert would be up from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Likewise, a yellow alert would take effect from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

A yellow alert indicates that available power reserves are thinning, meaning any unexpected plant outage could trigger service interruptions. A red alert means that supply cannot meet demand, which increases the likelihood of rotational brownouts unless we manage consumption effectively.

The available capacity remained thin at 2,307 megawatts (MW) as of 8 a.m., while peak demand was 2,402 MW

A 35-year-old nurse died after a concrete slab from a waiting shed collapsed on him while he was waiting for a boat ride home in Sierra Island, Barangay Canhawan Gote, Catbalogan City, Samar, on Thursday afternoon.

The victim was identified as Kelvin Castro, 35, a Department of Health nurse assigned to the Catbalogan City Health Office and a resident of Purok 3, Barangay Canlapwas, Catbalogan City.

Police said Castro and his colleague, also a nurse at the City Health Office, had just completed a measles-rubella supplemental immunization activity in Barangay Canhawan Gote.

After the activity, the two went to the docking area for motorboats to wait for their ride back to Catbalogan City.

While waiting, Castro sat under a waiting shed when the structure suddenly collapsed, causing a concrete slab to fall directly on him.

Castro sustained multiple injuries to different parts of his body, particularly to his head.

Cañete, along with several residents in the area and daycare teachers from the City Social Welfare and Development Office, helped pull Castro from underneath the collapsed structure.

They immediately brought him to Samar Provincial Hospital for emergency medical treatment.

Doctors and other medical personnel performed resuscitation procedures upon his arrival, but despite their efforts, Castro was declared dead on arrival.

Converge ICT Solutions Inc.’s sprawling data center in Angeles City, Pampanga, has secured ‘green lane’ status from the government. This makes the nearly P5-billion facility eligible for expedited processing of permits and other regulatory requirements.

This classification also recognizes the Angeles Data Center, which was formally unveiled only in March, as a ‘strategic investment’ under the Board of Investments (BOI), which administers the green lane program.

Converge CEO Dennis Uy said he expects the classification to help ease regulatory hurdles as the company positions itself to capture rising demand for cloud computing, data storage and other digital services.

‘Securing Green Lane status for our Angeles Data Center underscores the vital role digital infrastructure plays in nation-building,’ Uy said in a statement.

‘This facility isn’t just expanding our enterprise portfolio-it is building the core digital foundation required to power the Philippines’ booming digital economy,’ he added.

With such status, the Converge facility becomes eligible for government assistance in expediting permits, licenses and other regulatory requirements, including the renewal of clearances.

The addition of the Angeles facility also bolsters the green lane program’s digital infrastructure pipeline, currently its second-largest investment sector with 10 projects worth a combined P405.12 billion.

These projects are expected to generate 20,393 jobs.

The BOI said it expects the project to support the Marcos administration’s industrial development priorities, particularly those identified under the revised Strategic Investment Priority Plan.

‘Investors are looking for predictability and ease of doing business, which is precisely what this endorsement provides,’ BOI director Ernesto de los Reyes said.

The Angeles facility is Converge’s fourth and largest data center, adding to its existing sites in Caloocan City and Pasig City in Metro Manila and Clark in Pampanga.

While the facility began operations with a 3-megawatt (MW) load, Uy earlier said the site has enough room to scale up to as much as 36 MW.

The facility currently serves private-sector clients in industries such as banking and logistics. Local government units are also exploring its use for disaster recovery, while offices under the executive and judicial branches of government are already using the site.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) hoisted the red heavy rainfall warning over parts of Zambales and Bataan on Friday morning, Aug. 28.

The red heavy rainfall warning means at least 30 millimeters (mm) of rain is expected in the affected areas within an hour and it will continue in the next two hours, which may bring severe flooding in low-lying areas.

In an advisory at 8 a.m. on Friday, Pagasa said the following areas were covered by the red heavy rainfall warning:

Zambales (Cabangan, Botolan, Subic, San Antonio, San Marcelino, Castillejos, San Narciso, San Felipe, and Olongapo); and

Bataan (Morong, Dinalupihan, and Hermosa)

The state weather bureau also raised the orange heavy rainfall warning over the following:

Tarlac

Pampanga

Bulacan

The rest of Zambales (Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Santa Cruz, Iba), Bataan(Abucay, Bagac, Balanga, Limay, Mariveles, Orani, Orion, Pilar, Samal); and

Nueva Ecija (San Antonio, Cabiao, San Isidro, Gapan, General Tinio, Penaranda, Jaen, San Leonardo, Guimba, Santo Domingo, Quezon, Licab, Zaragoza, Aliaga, Santa Rosa, Cabanatuan, Gabaldon, Laur, Palayan, Bongabon, Rizal, General Mamerto Natividad, Llanera, and Talavera)

The orange heavy rainfall warning means between 15 to 30 mm of rain is expected in the affected areas within an hour and it will continue in the next two hours.

Further, Pagasa raised the yellow heavy rainfall warning over the following areas:

Metro Manila

Rizal; and

The rest of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Cuyapo, Lupao, Nampicuan, Pantabangan, San Jose, Munoz, and Talugtug)

The yellow heavy rainfall warning means between 7.5 to 15 mm of rain is expected in the affected areas within an hour and it will continue in the next two hours.

Meanwhile, according to Pagasa, light to moderate rains were expected over the following areas in the next three hours:

Cavite

Batangas (Balayan, Calatagan, Laurel, Lian, Nasugbu, Talisay, Tuy, Tanauan, Calaca, San Nicolas, Agoncillo, Lemery, Taal, Batangas City, Santo Tomas, Malvar, Balete, Lipa, Mataasnakahoy, Ibaan, San Jose, Cuenca, San Pascual, Alitagtag, Bauan, Santa Teresita, San Luis, and Mabini)

Quezon (General Nakar and Infanta); and

Laguna (Santa Maria)

In the agency’s forecast on Friday morning, Pagasa weather specialist Obet Badrina said the southwest monsoon, locally known as the habagat, continued to affect parts of Luzon