Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Metro Manila residents were urged to take precautions as haze believed to be linked to fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, affected air quality in several cities.

Based on data as of 6 a.m. from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) in the National Capital Region, several areas recorded high levels of PM2.5, or particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter.

Eleven cities recorded acutely unhealthy levels, with Parañaque having the highest reading at 296; Quezon City (Ateneo), 241; Las Piñas, 237; Manila, 231; Malabon, 229; Taguig and Valenzuela, 224; Marikina, 217; Muntinlupa, 216; San Juan, 213; and Mandaluyong, 207.

Very unhealthy levels were recorded in Pateros and Navotas at 172 and 153, respectively, while Makati’s reading of 111 was considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. Air quality was fair in Quezon City (Commonwealth Avenue), with a reading of 98.

With unhealthy air conditions, residents can take the following steps to reduce their exposure:

Wear a mask when going outside

If going outdoors is necessary, wear respiratory protection such as an N95 mask, which can help reduce exposure to fine particles.

Stay indoors as much as possible

When air quality reaches unhealthy levels, limit unnecessary outdoor activities and prolonged exposure.

Under the EMB’s PM2.5 guidelines, people are advised to limit outdoor exertion when conditions become acutely unhealthy, while those with heart or respiratory diseases are advised to stay indoors and rest as much as possible.

Protect vulnerable people

Children, older adults, pregnant women and people with respiratory or heart conditions may be more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution.

Monitor the air quality in your area

Air quality can vary from one part of Metro Manila to another. Residents should therefore check the Air Quality Index (AQI) before deciding whether to spend time outdoors.

The EMB-NCR provides real-time air quality monitoring data, including PM2.5 measurements, through its monitoring stations across the region.

The DENR-EMB reminded the public to rely on official advisories from the agency or their respective local government units during episodes of haze or deteriorating air quality.

Health hazards

The World Health Organization said PM2.5 can penetrate the lungs and enter the body through the bloodstream, affecting all major organs.

It said exposure to PM2.5 can harm the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and can cause conditions such as stroke, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

New research has also shown an association between prenatal exposure to high levels of air pollution and developmental delays at age 3, as well as psychological and behavioral problems later in life, including symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression.

The Indoor Air Hygiene Institute said studies also suggest that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter may be associated with increased rates of chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function and increased mortality from lung cancer and heart disease.

‘People with breathing and heart problems, children and the elderly may be particularly sensitive to PM2.5,’ the institute said.

Exposure to fine particles can also affect lung function and worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease.

‘Scientific studies have linked increases in daily PM2.5 exposure with increased respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions, emergency department visits and deaths,’ the institute’s study said.

IQAir said PM2.5 can be produced by a variety of sources, resulting in different chemical compositions and physical characteristics. Sulfates, nitrates, black carbon and ammonium are among the most common particles that make up PM2.5.

The anthropogenic generation of PM2.5 can largely be attributed to combustion engines, power generation, industrial processes, agricultural processes, wood and coal burning and construction. The most prevalent natural sources of PM2.5 include dust storms, wildfires and sandstorms.

It said ‘small particles pose the greatest risk to human health’ and that ‘while the nose can filter most coarse particles, fine and ultrafine particles are inhaled deeper into the lungs where they can be deposited or even pass into the bloodstream.’

The House of Representatives committee on appropriations’ budget briefing on the proposed budget of the Office of the President (OP) in 2027 was terminated in less than an hour as part of parliamentary courtesy despite objections from some minority lawmakers.

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto presented the OP’s proposed budget of P10,156,000,000, which he noted is 64% lower than the budget allocated to the office this year.

‘The substantial reduction reflects the lower operational requirements of our units and completion of our activities related to the hosting of the Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] meeting for which no additional funding will be required next year,’ Recto said.

‘In short, we’re asking for less while we’re fully prepared to do more. We believe that this amount is sufficient for the presidency to meet the demands in leading the nation at the time of overlapping domestic and external challenges from geopolitical tensions and disruptions in the Middle East, typhoons, El Niño, and other calamities,’ Recto added.

After Recto’s presentation, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan made a motion to extend parliamentary courtesy to the OP by terminating interpellations, which was seconded by Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez.

Rep. Antonio Tinio, however, objected to the motion, stating that the tradition of parliamentary courtesy should be abolished by Congress in budget briefings to uphold transparency and accountability.

‘Ang gusto ng taumbayan ay transparency. Kailangang patas. Dapat patas ang Kongresong ito sa application ng prinsipyo ng transparency. Lakas makademand ng Kongresong ito ng transparency para sa Office of the Vice President. Dapat ganoon din para sa Office of the President,’ Tinio said.

(The people want transparency. We need to be fair. This Congress needs to be fair in applying the principle of transparency. Congress demands transparency for the Office of the Vice President, so it should be the same for the Office of the President.)

He emphasized the importance of interpellations, noting that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and some Cabinet officials are implicated in the flood control anomalies.

He also pointed out that the OP must explain why almost half of its proposed budget is allocated for confidential and intelligence funds.

‘The people want answers direct from the Office of the President. Yun ang gusto nating marinig at ito ang pagkakataon para direktang marinig ang kanilang mga sagot kung kaya again, tayo po ay tumututol sa motion para mag extend ng parliamentary courtesy,’ Tinio added.

(The people want answers directly from the Office of the President. That’s what we want to hear and this is the opportunity to directly hear their answers. That’s why again, we are objecting to the motion to extend parliamentary courtesy.)

After the matter was put to a vote, 37 members of the committee voted in favor of the extension of parliamentary courtesy while five members from the minority voted in the negative.

Representatives Renee Co, Elijah Fernando, Sarah Elago, Iris Montes, and Tinio each explained their objections, emphasizing that the OP’s budget should be subject to scrutiny.

Rep. Albert Garcia, the committee’s senior vice chairperson, terminated the hearing as he shared that the questions on the OP’s proposed budget and other matters will be answered during or before the plenary session.

Infrastructure projects in Quezon City that leave construction debris, waste or damaged public facilities behind could face penalties and delays in project approval under a new city ordinance.

Quezon City residents and motorists may report such projects that have become obstructions to their convenience and safety via the QCitizen Helpline 122 or by filing a report at quezoncity.gov.ph/program/qc-ireport/.

The city government said all public and private infrastructure projects must secure a Certificate of Site Restoration and Cleanup Compliance (CSRCC) before they can be officially accepted or fully authorized under the Quezon City Construction Site Restoration and Cleanup Compliance Ordinance (SP-3519, S-2026).

The ordinance seeks to prevent construction debris from blocking roads, sidewalks, drainage systems, waterways and other public spaces, which the city government said could worsen flooding and endanger residents.

‘Every infrastructure project must be completed in a safe, orderly, and environmentally responsible manner. No developer or project proponent should be allowed to leave behind debris that threatens our people, communities, and environment,’ Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

Regulations

Under the ordinance, project proponents must clear construction and demolition debris, restore affected roads, sidewalks, drainage systems and rights-of-way, and ensure proper backfilling and compaction.

They must also comply with engineering, environmental and waste management regulations and ensure that debris is transported, disposed of, recovered or recycled only through authorized facilities.

The CSRCC will be issued only after a project secures the required clearances, including a Technical Restoration Clearance from the Quezon City Department of Engineering and an Environmental Compliance Inspection Report from the Department of Sanitation and Cleanup Works of Quezon City.

‘The Department of Building Official will oversee privately owned or privately funded projects, while the Quezon City Department of Engineering will have jurisdiction over projects owned or funded by the City Government. District Action Offices and barangays will assist in monitoring and reporting noncompliant projects,’ the city government said.

Motorists are getting some relief at the start of September as local oil companies cut pump prices, with diesel and kerosene seeing the biggest reductions of nearly P4 per liter. Gasoline prices, meanwhile, dropped by as much as 40 centavos per liter.

The price cuts come amid renewed hopes for an end to the conflict in the Middle East, which helped ease concerns over global oil supply.

However, consumers may still face higher costs for liquefied petroleum gas, with LPG prices potentially rising by as much as P3 per kilogram this month due to a weaker peso and higher shipping costs.

In their bid to help the campaign against loose firearms and establish peaceful communities in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, local officials and residents in 25 of 34 villages voluntarily surrendered 44 unlicensed guns to the military on Monday.

The assorted loose firearms were presented to authorities during a turnover program in Barangay Bitu as part of efforts to curb violence and the proliferation of unregistered weapons ahead of the Sept. 14 Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.

Village officials collected the weapons from their constituents, including those in the hands of barangay leaders.

The turnover was held at the evacuation center in Barangay Bitu, which is the same village where the convoy of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua was ambushed on Aug. 15.

Military authorities said the incident served as a serious reminder of the continuing threat of violence and the need for stronger collective action against loose firearms, particularly with the elections fast approaching.

The initiative brought together government agencies, security forces, local leaders, and residents to help prevent further violence and maintain peace and order in Datu Odin Sinsuat.

Lt. Col. William G. Sabado, commanding officer of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion, led the program. Also present were Datu Odin Sinsuat Mayor Abdulmain Abas Sr.; Lt. Col. Sahibun Mamantal, Maguindanao Norte police deputy provincial director; Lt. Col. Brian A. Balite, Datu Odin Sinsuat municipal police chief; and officials from 25 barangays in Datu Odin Sinsuat.

The surrendered weapons included four 7.62mm sniper rifles, 11 fabricated 12-gauge shotguns, 12 fabricated .38-caliber revolvers, three fabricated 9mm submachine guns, three .45-caliber pistols, three grenade launchers, and other firearms.

Sabado said the surrender of the weapons is an important step toward reducing potential security threats and preventing their possible use in violence.

‘The voluntary surrender of firearms was more than just a turnover. It demonstrated the communities’ trust and cooperation in the pursuit of peace,’ Sabado said.

‘Every firearm voluntarily surrendered represented a potential threat removed and a step toward safer communities,’ he added.

Sabado noted the turnover of 44 loose firearms reflected Datu Odin Sinsuat’s collective resolve against violence and underscored how unity and concerted action can help strengthen and protect peace in the community.

Maj. Gen. Ronel R. Manalo, commander of the Philippine Army’s Armor Division, expressed the division’s full support for initiatives to reduce threats to peace and strengthen community security.

He called for continued cooperation among local governments, security forces, and residents to preserve peace and ensure a safe, orderly, peaceful election.

Team Philippines goes into Nomura Cup battle starting Tuesday with a three-man squad that is the most talented that it can assemble, as the Filipinos try to win what is also known as the Asia-Pacific team championship for the first time in its 62-year history.

Jet Hernandez and Shinichi Suzuki, who won national titles last month, and Rolando Bregente, the runner-up to them in both those events, comprise the formidable PH crew that will try to unseat Vietnam and beat traditional golfing nations like Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, among others.

The trio sampled the Bayhood No. 9 International Golf Club in Beijing, China on Monday, just hours after touching down. Though the course has some tight bends, undulating greens and is longer than usual, Hernandez, Suzuki and Bregente basically said that they ‘will be fine.’

‘I think if we commit to our targets and fire at the right spots on our approach shots, we should be fine,’ the 21-year-old Hernandez, who ruled the PH Strokeplay Championship at Pradera Verde, said. ‘The greens are a little tricky, but I think we will get used to it as the week goes on.’

Suzuki is the youngest in the group at 18, but is a seasoned campaigner. He won the PH Match Play title over Bregente at Luisita.

‘The course this week is amazing,’ Suzuki told the Inquirer. The layout is pretty challenging but will be a very fun one. I like our chances this week. because anyone can play well on this course.

‘We just have to give our best and let God do His will.’

The Philippines has two second place finishes in the first 30 editions of the tournament that it founded in 1963 together with Japan and Chinese Taipei.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday expressed its readiness to conduct training sessions in schools to identify red-flag behaviors and help adults properly respond to warning signs involving children.

According to the PNP, its local police offices and units are prepared to work with the Department of Education (DepEd) to conduct training sessions to help parents and teachers recognize violent acts, criminal activities, and behavioral red flags among children.

‘Protecting students and teachers in schools requires efforts from various stakeholders,’ PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said in a statement.

‘And we in the PNP are ready to extend assistance and impart knowledge through training sessions that will educate parents and teachers in the interest of the safety and welfare of learners,’ he added.

The PNP made the pronouncement after DepEd recently began expanding its Kaagapay Program aimed to train parents in helping them identify red flags in their children’s behavior.

The police are also offering protection sessions focused on addressing bullying, online sexual abuse and violent extremism.

The PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and the Women and Children Protection Center also extended its assistance in these sessions to strengthen the parents’ and teachers’ capacity to address concerns related to violence and other criminal activities.

Senator-judge Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III reminded the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday that names could only be considered an alias if there is a person behind it, but otherwise, it is fake.

In the last few weeks, as the court tackled Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds, acknowledgement receipts signed by several people with seemingly suspicious names resembling that of famous food brands, fruits, Filipino phrases and even local politicians surfaced.

The signatories included the likes of Mary Grace Piattos, Andy Lim, Miggy Mango, and Kristine Applegate Estrada.

‘If there is a person behind the alias, then it is an alias. If there is no person behind the name, it is a fictitious name or a fake name,’ Sotto said in a manifestation.

Sotto was citing Republic Act No. 6085, which regulates the use of aliases.

‘For the public and for us, the general rule that she mentioned is Republic Act No. 6085, regulating the use of aliases, which only allowed in the Philippines [the use of] pseudonyms, solely for literary, cinema, television and other entertainment purposes,’ Sotto noted.

It was counsel for the prosecution Mae Divinagracia who brought up the law on aliases, after Senator-judge Robin Padilla sought to justify the use of aliases by noting that even national heroes used them

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has relieved a maintenance chief following reports of delayed response to calamities, as heavy rains continued to trigger flooding across Metro Manila and several other parts of Luzon.

In an Aug. 29 memorandum, Dizon ordered engineer Loreto Balena Jr. relieved as maintenance chief of the Las Piñas-Muntinlupa District Engineering Office.

Dizon cited Balena’s ‘unsatisfactory performance, lack of urgency, and delayed response to calamities’ as grounds for his removal.

Balena was directed to complete an inventory of his office’s properties, finish and sign pending documents and deliverables, and turn over official records and other papers.

Sen. JV Ejercito, meanwhile, urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to complete unfinished flood control projects before starting new ones, saying incomplete infrastructure could worsen the country’s vulnerability to flooding.

‘For practical reasons, we need to close the gaps so that mitigating or solving flood control would be effective,’ Ejercito, chair of the Senate finance committee, told DZBB on Sunday.

‘Close the gaps, complete the unfinished flood control projects. No new projects. Finish what needs to be finished,’ he added.Ejercito’s call came amid renewed scrutiny of the government’s multibillion-peso flood control program and concerns over unfinished or poorly implemented projects.

He also pushed for the proposed Masterplan for Infrastructure National Development, which he said would provide a long-term framework for infrastructure planning that would survive changes in administrations.

The proposed measure would integrate flood control with transportation, housing, water, energy, utilities and other major infrastructure, rather than allowing projects to be planned and implemented separately.

Ejercito said the government should prioritize the country’s 10 most flood-prone areas and use a 30- to 50-year framework to guide major infrastructure investments.

He said long-term planning could also strengthen accountability by giving projects clear objectives, timelines, and costs, and help prevent corruption by ensuring that projects form part of a coherent national plan.

Rain volume

The warnings came as Metro Manila was placed under a red rainfall warning by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) at 12:10 p.m. on Sunday.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said the metropolis had 186 millimeters of rain in 23 hours from 9 a.m. on Saturday to 8 a.m. on Sunday, based on data from the Pagasa Science Garden Station in Quezon City. A millimeter of rain amounts to a liter of water on a flat area.

Serious flooding remained possible in low-lying and flood-prone areas.

The MMDA said it was deploying mobile pumps, clearing clogged drains and waterways, and dredging and removing debris and garbage from drainage inlets as part of its flood mitigation efforts.

Classrooms damaged

The prolonged rains have also taken a toll on schools.

The Department of Education said 9,869 classrooms had been damaged by the combined effects of the ‘habagat’ (southwest monsoon) and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, Neneng, and Obet.

Of the total, 5,731 classrooms sustained minor damage, 2,055 suffered major damage, and 2,083 were totally damaged, according to the latest DepEd situation report as of 8 a.m. Sunday.

Central Luzon had the highest number of affected classrooms and schools, with 3,732, followed by Region I with 2,746 and the Cordillera Administrative Region with 1,266.

DepEd estimated that P280 million would be needed for minor repairs, P1 billion for major repairs, and P5.2 billion for reconstruction.

Cordillera technocrats are pushing to revive a regional governing body for the preservation of the country’s rice terraces, as calls grow for a comprehensive master plan to protect the World Heritage-listed landscape from abandonment, climate change and deteriorating infrastructure.

The Cordillera Regional Development Council is studying a draft resolution urging President Marcos to establish a Cordillera Rice Terraces Commission, which would oversee the conservation of rice terraces across the region.

The proposed commission would replace the Ifugao Rice Terraces Commission, which was created in 1994 to oversee the preservation and restoration of the terraces but was abolished in 1999. Its responsibilities were later transferred to the Banaue Rice Terraces Task Force, which was dissolved in 2002, leaving the provincial government of Ifugao to take the lead in conservation efforts.

The proposed body would also cover rice terraces outside Ifugao, including those in Mountain Province.

The Batad, Bangaan, Mayoyao, Hungduan and Nagacadan rice terraces in Ifugao were collectively inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage List in 1995.

The terraces remain notable for their indigenous engineering, in which water collected from forested areas at the upper portions of the mountains is channeled through traditional irrigation systems to successive rice paddies, locally called ‘payao.’

‘The establishment of the Cordillera Rice Terraces Commission is crucial for stopping the deterioration of the terraces,’ the draft resolution says. It adds that the body could help revitalize indigenous knowledge and sustainable farming practices while enabling younger generations to continue traditional agriculture.

The proposal comes as urban planner and architect Felino Palafox recently pitched to Malacañang a comprehensive master plan for Banaue and other municipalities where the Ifugao rice terraces are located.

During a meeting with Marcos last week, Palafox offered to prepare a Comprehensive Urban, Environmental, Infrastructure, and Economic Development Master Plan for Banaue and the Rice Terraces Municipalities of Ifugao.

His proposal goes beyond repairing damaged terrace walls and irrigation systems, focusing also on the terraces’ role in the local economy and the engineering interventions needed to preserve them.

It argues that the terraces are deteriorating partly because the communities maintaining them can no longer earn enough from farming to sustain their livelihoods.

Palafox estimated that 25 percent to 35 percent of the terraces have been abandoned or irreversibly damaged, citing population decline and environmental pressures, including extreme weather that has damaged the ancient stone and earthen terrace walls.

The proposal, cosigned by the Ifugao provincial government and Polish entrepreneur Maciej Podhajski, also cited low farm incomes as a reason residents leave the province, threatening the workforce needed to maintain the terraces.

Palafox placed the typical farmer’s annual income at about P50,000, which he described as insufficient to sustain a livelihood.

Ifugao officials have been reviewing the proposal and have yet to make their comments public.

Protecting culture

Former Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. said any master plan must address the needs of the communities that continue to maintain the terraces and grow heirloom rice.

‘We must protect and nurture the watershed,’ Baguilat said.

He said the government should subsidize farmers and provide livelihood support, rehabilitate irrigation systems and strengthen programs that preserve indigenous knowledge.

Ifugao communities follow a traditional rice culture that governs planting schedules and the maintenance of the terraces.

Baguilat also called for mechanisms that would allow farmers and local communities to benefit from tourism revenues generated by the terraces.

Often described as 2,000 years old, the Ifugao terraces have been the subject of archaeological research suggesting that some of the structures may have been built or significantly expanded only several hundred years ago, possibly in response to pressures brought by Spanish expansion into the Cordillera.

The terraces remain a living agricultural landscape, sustained not only by stone and earth structures but also by indigenous knowledge and communal practices passed down through generations.

Ifugao had a population of 208,668, according to the latest available census data. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that in 2024, the province was the second-fastest growing economy in the Cordillera, accounting for 7.5 percent of the region’s gross domestic product, estimated at P28.24 billion.

The proposed commission and master plan are aimed at addressing the intertwined challenges of conservation, livelihood, tourism and climate resilience-while keeping the terraces a living part of Ifugao culture rather than simply preserving them as a heritage site.