Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Olongapo City government on Tuesday has declared the city under a state of calamity after weeks of intense rainfall that triggered widespread flooding, landslides, damage to properties and infrastructure, and the displacement of residents.

The city council approved Resolution No. 196, Series of 2026, during its regular session on Tuesday based on the recommendation of the Olongapo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (OCDRRMC), which adopted Resolution No. 2026-04 during an emergency meeting on Monday.

In his endorsement to the city council, Mayor Rolen C. Paulino Jr. said Olongapo recorded 2,900.5 millimeters of cumulative rainfall throughout August, about 3.47 times the normal August rainfall of 835.7 mm.

He said 569.5 mm of rain fell from August 28 to 29 alone, equivalent to about 68 percent of the city’s normal rainfall for the entire month.

The prolonged, heavy rains resulted in flooding, landslides, damage to properties and infrastructure, environmental degradation, disruption of transportation and public services, and the displacement of residents, according to the resolution.

The city government also said the successive weather disturbances had significantly disrupted normal social and economic activities and placed considerable strain on its disaster response, recovery, and public service capabilities.

In an earlier interview, Jeffrey Lapid, head of the Olongapo City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, said that 13 out of 17 villages in the city were flooded during intense rainfall as of Saturday, Aug. 29.

At least 730 families, or 2,530 individuals, evacuated from their flooded homes. The city also recorded one fatality, a 3-year-old boy in Barangay Old Cabalan who was swept by rushing floodwaters when a wall above their house suddenly collapsed.

The declaration is expected to facilitate the immediate mobilization and use of available resources for response, relief, recovery, and rehabilitation efforts for affected residents, communities, properties, and infrastructure.

The city and other parts of Zambales continue to recover from repeated flooding and other impacts of heavy rains in recent weeks

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeking a budget of P198.45 billion for 2027 amid ongoing initiatives to advance the country’s farm sector.

On Tuesday, the DA said in a statement the proposed allocation is 8 percent lower than this year’s approved budget of P215.69 billion.

It is also significantly lower than the initially proposed budget of P260 billion submitted to the Department of Budget and Management for 2027.

The agency primarily attributed the reduced budget to the normalization of the farm-to-market road budget, noting that funding for FMR projects will revert to P16 billion in 2027 after doubling to P33 billion this year.

Higher allocations for programs, including coffee development, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ projects and P20 billion for animal industry development and competitiveness partially offset reductions in other programs, such as support for attached agencies and digitalization.

The government has kept the budget for the Rice-for-All program, which supports the P20-per-kilogram subsidized rice initiative, at P10 billion.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the reduced funding must still address a sector grappling with high production costs, changing weather patterns, climate risks and market uncertainty.

‘This is not simply an investment in agriculture. It is an investment in food security,’ Tiu Laurel said during a budget hearing at the House of Representatives.

Tiu Laurel assured lawmakers that the DA will use its budget allocation efficiently, carefully, effectively, and with full accountability.

Despite lower funding, the DA will prioritize programs aimed at bolstering agricultural production, improving infrastructure, reducing postharvest losses, strengthening logistics and market access, and expanding the use of technology.

There is likely one week left in the prosecution’s timeline before they rest their case regarding Article I of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, or specifically the allegations of misusing confidential funds (CF) allocated to her offices from 2022 to 2023.

In a press briefing after the trial on Tuesday, public prosecutor and Manila Rep. Joel Chua said that they will decide who will be their next set of witnesses after lawyer Michael Poa – a member of the defense panel who used to serve as Undersecretary when the Department of Education (DepEd) was still under Duterte’s supervision.

After Poa, Chua said they may have three or four witnesses left – a representative from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), former Education Assistant Secretary Edward Fajarda, and one or two other individuals.

‘Well, siguro ang natitira na lamang kung saka-sakaling bukas ay maipe-presenta ‘yong PSA, ang natitira na lamang si Mr. Edward Fajarda and probably isa, or siguro at most, dalawa. Mamaya pag-uusapan pa namin kung, or ipa-finalize namin tomorrow,’ Chua said.

(Well, what remains of our witness, should we be able to present PSA, is Mr. Edward Fajarda and probably one or at most, two more witnesses. Later we will discuss or finalize the list tomorrow.)

‘In any event, masasabi natin, baka by next week, eh matatapos na hopefully ang confidential fund (issue) and we will move on to the next article,’ he added.

(In any event, we can say that by next week, we can hopefully finalize the confidential fund (issue) and we will move on to the next article.)

Chua also confirmed earlier statements from fellow public prosecutor Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, who said that the prosecution plans to end the presentation of evidence by October.

If they are able to rest their case for all articles by October, Chua believes the defense can present their evidence immediately after and allow the Senate Impeachment Court to rule by December.

‘May target kasi tayo na ito ‘yong gusto natin na matapos, kasi we have to understand after us meron pang defense eh, sila naman ang magpe-present eh,’ he said.

(We have a target because we want to finish this, because we have to understand that after us, the defense will present their own evidence.)

‘Siyempre ayaw naman natin na umabot pa to by next year, so sana, hopefully by November, tapos na lahat, so by December we can have the decision of the impeachment court whether or not to convict the Vice President,’ he added.

(Of course we do not want this to reach by next year, so hopefully by November, we will be done, so by December we can have the decision of the impeachment court whether or not to convict the Vice President.)

DepEd issue

Chua is the team leader for Article I, as most of the allegations raised by the prosecution were borne out of the investigation made by the committee he chairs, the House of Representatives’ committee on good government and public accountability.

Over the second half of 2024, Chua’s committee focused on allegations that there was misuse of the P500 million CF allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) from the fourth quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023; and the P112.5 million placed in DepEd for the first three quarters of 2023.

One of the issues raised at the committee hearings was the matter tackled earlier – the testimony of Philippine Army (PA) officials Col. Maranos Boransing II and Col. Magtanggol Panopio that none of Duterte’s offices whether it be DepEd, OVP, or even the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) poured part of its regular allocations or CFs to the youth oriented-programs.

Boransing and Panopio were referring to the Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) and the Information Education Communication (IEC), programs funded by the PA’s annual budget, which aim to curb communist groups’ recruitment of high school and college students.

When the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged DepEd’s P15.54 million confidential expenditures through an audit observation memorandum (AOM), the agency cited certifications from Boransing, Panopio and other PA officials regarding the conduct of the YLS and IEC to prove the use of CFs.

Chua said they are already satisfied with the matter relating to YLS.

‘Yes, insofar as the Youth Leadership Summit is concerned and the certifications they issued, we are (satisfied),’ he noted.

During the trial, Panopio also admitted being shocked that DepEd under Duterte used his certification to justify its confidential expenses, saying that the first time he first heard about this was on October 17, 2024 – the hearing of the House committee on good government and public accountability.

Boransing and Panopio are the eighth and ninth witnesses presented by the prosecution for Article I.

Prior to the two Army officials, the prosecution panel presented two Land Bank of the Philippines officials from which OVP and DepEd withdrew their CFs; COA auditors who checked on the confidential expenditures made by Duterte’s offices; and OVP staffers like former special disbursing officer Gina Acosta.

Last August 24, Acosta testified before the impeachment court that she released OVP’s CFs Col. Raymund Dante Lachica of the VPSPG even though she knew that Lachica was not a bonded officer.

Like Boransing and Panopio, Acosta also appeared before the House committee on good government and public accountability, and admitted during a November 2024 hearing that it was Duterte’s orders to release the CFs to Lachica.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is calling for stricter enforcement of ‘no-build zone’ policies and other measures aimed at reducing flooding and protecting communities from the effects of climate change, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Tuesday.

He issued the directive during a Central Luzon and Metro Manila Response Meeting with key Cabinet officials and local chief executives on Monday in Malacañang.

‘According to the president, the law must be enforced, including the ‘no-build zone’ policy. Let us stop politicizing the issue. Enforce the law. It must be explained to everyone that stricter enforcement of the law is necessary for our safety,’ Castro said during a briefing.

‘For LGUs, enforce the ‘no-build zones.’ Ensure that your respective jurisdictions are properly maintained, work together to clear obstructions from waterways, and make sure that garbage is collected and disposed of at proper disposal sites,’ she added.

In the same briefing, Castro said Marcos wants greater focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

‘There is no need for us to blame one another. Whatever shortcomings may have occurred under the previous administration will not be tolerated by the president,’ she said.

‘The president is particularly focused on the effects of climate change, as we are increasingly witnessing and experiencing the full force of nature’s fury,’ she added.

She said the government will also strengthen coordination with the Climate Change Commission, which is chaired by Marcos, to identify gaps in the implementation of climate policies and ensure that its recommendations reach the president.

The UAAP is adjusting its September basketball schedule to accommodate the Gilas Pilipinas’ campaigns in the Asian Games and Fiba 3×3 Under-23 World Cup.

There will be only five gamedays for the collegiate men’s and women’s basketball tournaments from Sept. 13 to 30, the UAAP announced.

The Season 89 opening ceremony is set for September 12 at Mall of Asia Arena, with the first men’s basketball games scheduled the following day at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Far Eastern University will face Adamson at noon, followed by defending champion La Salle against National University at 2:30 p.m. University of the Philippines will then take on University of Santo Tomas at 6 p.m.

The men’s schedule will continue on September 16 at MOA Arena, September 19 at Smart Araneta Coliseum, September 26 at MOA Asia Arena and September 30 at the same venue.

The schedule adjustments were made as several UAAP players are set to represent the Philippines in September.

‘We have always believed that the UAAP’s mission goes beyond the competition. We are here to develop student-athletes who can represent our schools, but we are equally proud when they get the opportunity to represent the country,’ said UAAP Season 89 President Mark Molina of FEU.

FEU’s Cabs Cabonilas and Jedric Daa and Adamson’s Earl Medina are scheduled to compete in the Fiba 3×3 Under-23 World Cup in Wuhan, China, from September 15 to 19.

La Salle’s Luis Pablo and Doy Dungo and UST’s Koji Buenaflor are set to suit up for Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 in the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, from September 21 to 25.

The collegiate women’s basketball tournament will also start later as the national teams for the Asian Games and the U23 World Cup are expected to include several UAAP student-athletes.

‘The support of the UAAP is important to our national team programs, especially with so many of our student-athletes being called up to represent the country,’ Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Erika Dy said.

‘We appreciate the UAAP for working closely with us and for making the necessary adjustments to accommodate our national team commitments.’

Thailand’s women’s national volleyball team made history after defeating hosts China 3-2 in the final of the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Asian Championship, successfully defending their continental title and securing their first-ever place at the Olympic Games.

The five-set victory earned Thailand direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, marking the first time the women’s national volleyball team will compete on the Olympic stage.

Thailand made an impressive start to the final, carrying their confidence from the previous round into a strong opening set. Solid defence combined with an effective attack allowed them to control the contest and take the first set 25-20.

China responded emphatically in the second. Thailand began to struggle with their serve reception, while the hosts found greater consistency in both attack and defence. China dominated the set 25-11 to level the match at 1-1.

Thailand regrouped in the third and produced a much tighter contest, taking the lead at stages during the middle and latter part of the set. China, however, raised their level at the decisive moments and overturned the deficit to win 25-23, moving 2-1 ahead.

Needing the fourth set to keep the match alive, Thailand responded strongly. Their attacking rhythm returned, while improved defence created opportunities to dictate play. A 25-18 victory levelled the match at 2-2 and forced a deciding fifth set.

The two teams remained locked in a tense battle in the decider amid strong support for the hosts. Thailand maintained their composure under pressure and won the decisive points to close out the set 15-10, completing a 3-2 victory.

The result secured another Asian championship for Thailand and, more significantly, delivered direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

After generations of Thai players pursued the Olympic dream, Thailand’s women’s national volleyball team will now compete at the Games for the first time in its history.

Sulfur emissions from Mayon Volcano have surged to more than twice their average level since Aug. 5, prompting the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to warn of possible renewed eruptive activity.

In its bulletin on Tuesday, Sept. 1, the agency said Mayon released 7,115 tons of sulfur dioxide on Aug. 31, the second-highest emission recorded since volcanic gas concentrations began declining on July 16.

Since Mayon was placed under Alert Level 2, or moderate unrest, on Aug. 5, its sulfur emissions have averaged 3,844 tons a day, Phivolcs said.

The surge in gas emissions coincided with a slight increase in low-frequency volcanic earthquakes, with 12 recorded as of midnight Tuesday. Phivolcs attributed the earthquakes to volcanic degassing, while real-time seismic energy release remained at background levels.

The agency also detected short-term swelling or pressurization in Mayon’s northern and eastern flanks based on electronic tilt monitoring.

‘Elevated volcanic sulfur dioxide emissions could forewarn of a potential shift to renewed eruptive activity at the summit crater,’ it said.

A renewed eruption could generate pyroclastic density currents or uson, rockfall, ballistic fragments, and widespread ashfall, it added.

Phivolcs said Mayon remained under Alert Level 2 but urged residents and local governments to prepare for a possible escalation to Alert Level 3, particularly those in areas vulnerable to pyroclastic density currents.

It reiterated that entry into the six-kilometerPermanent Danger Zone is prohibited and warned of possible lahars and sediment-laden streamflows along channels draining Mayon, particularly during prolonged heavy rains or a simultaneous explosive eruption.

Pilots were also advised to avoid flying near the summit, as ash and ballistic fragments from a sudden eruption could endanger aircraft

Foreign investors dumped government securities in July but turned buyers in the local stock market, resulting in a significantly smaller net inflow of portfolio investments for the month.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed foreign portfolio inflows (FPI) surpassed outflows by $66 million in July, plummeting 91 percent from the net inflow recorded a year earlier.

Month-on-month, net inflow of FPIs fell by 61 percent. This brought the seven-month tally to a net outflow of $4 billion, a reversal from nearly $2.3 billion in net gain seen in the same period last year.

Such investments, often referred to as ‘hot money,’ are prone to swift reversals at the first sign of unfavorable conditions.

These funds-often invested in liquid instruments like stocks and bonds-are far more sensitive to shifts in domestic and global sentiment than foreign direct investments, which tend to stay for longer term and are more closely tied to job creation.

By type of instrument, government securities-including Treasury bonds and Treasury bills-posted a net outflow of $20 million in July, a turnaround from the $540 million net inflow in the preceding month.

The shift came as the benchmark 10-year government bond yield remained above 7 percent during the month.

Foreign investors, meanwhile, bought $86 million more Philippine stocks than they sold, ending a four-month streak of net outflows from the local stock market.

In its monthly report, the Philippine Stock Exchange said the local bourse closed the trading month of July at 6,236.44, up 3.3 percent from its June close, as foreign investors returned to the local market amid easing US inflation pressures and a shift toward ‘proactive’ local monetary policy. Foreign transactions accounted for 44.3 percent of the total market trades during the month.

Ruben Carlo Asuncion, chief economist at UnionBank of the Philippines, said the latest hot money data indicated that foreign investors remained ‘selectively constructive’ on Philippine assets despite a more challenging global environment.

‘The continued inflow likely reflected pockets of opportunity in local financial markets, supported by still-resilient domestic economic activity and investor search for returns, even as concerns over global growth, geopolitical tensions, elevated oil prices, and inflation risks tempered risk appetite,’ Asuncion said.

‘Foreign portfolio flows may continue to swing between inflows and outflows depending on global market developments and investor sentiment,’ he added.

Looking ahead, the central bank now expects total FPIs-including transactions not registered with the BSP-to post a net inflow of $1.8 billion in 2026, far lower than its previous estimate of $3.7 billion. The BSP said portfolio flows were expected to remain volatile and sensitive to global risk sentiment and financial conditions.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is currently studying the possible impact of the proposed Pax Silica projec to farmers in Capas, Tarlac, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Tuesday.

During the House committee on appropriations’ briefing on the DA’s proposed budget in 2027, Rep. Sarah Elago asked Tiu Laurel if his agency is assessing the possible effects of the proposed initiative to farmers, noting that around 15,200 farmers might lose their agricultural land due to the project.

‘Sa ngayon, inaassess pa naming mabuti yung full effects ng Pax Silica. But initial reports na nakikita ko is hindi ganon karami yung ma-aaffect,’ Tiu Laurel said.

(We are thoroughly assessing the full effects of Pax Silica. But from initial reports, I can say that not too many will be affected.)

‘Di pa tapos yung assessment namin dito but more or less kung from what I understand, what I see on TV, sa lupa lang actually ng Clark area na 1,600 mukhang hindi naman ganon karami yung directly affected na farmer,’ he added.

(Our assessment is not yet done but more or less from what I understand, what I see on TV, on the 1,600 [hectare land] in Clark, it seems that there will not be many farmers who will be directly affected.)

The secretary also shared that the study will be completed in 30 days.

Elago recommended for the assessment to be finished before the start of the budget deliberations in the plenary level of the lower chamber.

The lawmaker also emphasized that development should not compromise the capacity of the country to produce its own food.

‘Kung tunay na priority ang food security, food sufficiency, dapat kasama sa prayoridad ang mahigpit na pangangalaga sa lupang agrikultural lalo sa rice granary dito sa Pilipinas,’ Elago added.

(If food security and food sufficiency is a genuine priority, taking care of agricultural land should be a priority in the country.)

In the same hearing, Rep. Renee Co made the same recommendation as Elago for the lawmakers to have informed decisions.

Co also suggested for the study to include reclassification, hydrologic and irrigation impact assessment, joint monitoring mechanisms to prevent metal contamination and toxic runoff into nearby agricultural soil, among others.

Tiu-laurel then said that the agency will consider the suggestions raised in the hearing.

The controversial Pax Silica hub is set to occupy a 1,620-hectare site at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

The project has drawn criticisms from many sectors, citing the large volume of water needed r and gigawatts of electricity daily.

Inquirer data scientist Dr. Alicor Panao warned that the Pax Silica poses an energy challenge, ‘which would require a substantial and reliable power supply to support AI-related infrastructure,’ pointing out that the Philippines does not have the same level of electricity capacity unlike other countries.

Despite these contentions, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. , in his fifth State of the Nation Address said that the initiative will bring more quality jobs, enhance the country’s competitiveness through an AI-focused industrial hub, and improve the economy.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said it has secured a court order to immobilize the assets of a lawmaker linked to government contracts for projects worth billions of pesos, as authorities step up efforts to trace money tied to illicit activities.

The AMLC did not identify the lawmaker or provide details on ownership of the frozen assets, consistent with its practice in previous cases