Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Despite glaring backlogs in local infrastructure, the City Council has officially authorized the local government to secure a P8.5 billion loan for a sprawling new government complex.

The measure passed the council on Monday, with 15 councilors voting in favor, three voting against, and one abstention. This decisive approval overrides minority pushback regarding the sheer size and necessity of the massive borrowing.

Councilor Yevonna Yacine ‘Yvy’ Emano, who led the dissenting bloc, criticized the council’s priority for the 22-hectare mega-project in Barangay Carmen when approximately P3 billion worth of existing city projects remain incomplete.

‘There are so many projects in the city worth P3 billion that are still unfinished, so why are we borrowing another P8.5 billion for that project?’ Emano argued during deliberations. ‘Let us first prioritize finishing the projects that were promised and went through groundbreakings.’

Her opposition spotlights a deeper administrative issue mirrored in recent Commission on Audit (COA) findings. Public auditors flagged the city government’s financial ledger for extensive unliquidated cash advances and a massive backlog in local government deliverables.

The audit records exposed years of unresolved fund transfers for barangay-level infrastructure, ranging from unfinished drainage systems to incomplete school buildings and multi-purpose halls.

Defending the urgent loan request, the Local Finance Committee clarified that the P8.5 billion operates on a strict ‘progress billing’ system. Banking institutions will release the money in staggered phases only after specific land acquisition and construction milestones are officially completed, shielding the city from accumulating unutilized interest.

But the City Information Office justified securing the full amount upfront. They argued that a piecemeal funding approach risks stalling the project, whereas full funding ensures site development, building construction, and interior fixtures are finished upon handover.

For his part, Councilor Roger Abaday countered Emano’s stance, pointing to ‘chronic parking shortages and inefficiencies at the current site.’

By consolidating scattered local departments into a centralized ‘one-stop shop,’ Abaday asserted the new complex will finally end the transit hassle for residents seeking basic public services.

Administration allies maintained that upgrading from the severely congested City Hall can no longer wait, pointing to chronic parking shortages and public transit hassles.

However, the defense of the loan took a bizarrely personal turn when Councilor Edgar Daba threw his weight behind the mega-project by lamenting the dilapidated state of his own workplace.

‘First time I entered my office as a councilor…my tiles were broken, my aircon was weak. Oh my God, I won’t stay here; we’re councilors, and this is our situation. It’s so embarrassing,’ Daba said in Bisaya during the session.

His pronouncement immediately went viral on Facebook, sparking fierce admonishment from locals who blasted the councilor for his apparent insensitivity and out-of-touch entitlement.

Netizens flooded local pages like Lihok Katawhan, sharply contrasting Daba’s complaints about a weak air-conditioner with the daily struggles of ordinary citizens.

One Kagay-anon pointed out the glaring irony in the comments section: ‘Taxpayers are also embarrassed because the councilor wants tiled floors while taxpayers walk on bamboo bridges just to reach their homes.’ Others lambasted him for prioritizing his personal office comfort over the city’s string of unfinished, multi-billion public infrastructure projects.

Despite the public outrage over Daba’s remarks and the minority’s fiscal warnings, the council majority formally authorized Mayor Rolando Uy to negotiate the massive loan.

A resolution congratulating Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo’s historic double-gold finish at the 20th Asian Games has been filed at the Senate.

Sen. Bam Aquino filed Senate Resolution No. 689 on September 26, 2026 to commend Yulo’s most recent feat in the international sporting event.

‘Carlos Edriel ‘Carlos’ Poquiz Yulo made history as the first Filipino gymnast to win an Asian Games gold medal, earning a score of 14.666 in the individual floor exercise and an average score of 14.599 in the individual vault, thereby securing two gold medals at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026,’ Aquino wrote in the resolution.

Yulo’s career is also highlighted by his double-gold Olympic medals for the same events in Paris 2024. He is the first Filipino and Southeast Asian to win multiple gold medals in one Olympic stint.

On Tuesday, Aquino presented Yulo and his assistant coach Josh Garcia, with a copy of the resolution.

The two discussed the scarcity of physical therapists and the need for mental health support for Filipino athletes.

During their meeting, Aquino said he will file a measure to strengthen support for Filipino athletes and coaches.

Apart from the resolution commending Yulo, Aquino also filed Senate Resolution No. 702 recognizing all 447 Philippine athletes who competed in the 20th Asian Games. The national team brought home a total of 29 medals – four golds, nine silvers, and 16 bronzes – from various sporting events.

Earning gold medals apart from Yulo are Ernest John ‘EJ’ Obiena, who took home gold from the men’s pole vault event, and Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape who won the medal in taekwondo.

On the 34th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, the prosecution presented Land Bank of the Philippines R. Magsaysay Branch Manager Raquel dela Cerna, who testified about the year-end balances of Duterte’s husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, in an account ending in 2730, covering 2022 to 2025.

A second LBP witness, San Pedro branch head Eunice Sumatra, was also called to the stand on Tuesday as the prosecution continued building its case on financial records tied to the couple.

The proceedings drew renewed attention to the P4.4-billion financial trail involving Duterte and Carpio, comprising 666 covered transaction reports and 55 suspicious transaction reports filed with the Anti-Money Laundering Council from 2007 to 2025.

Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, returning for cross-examination, maintained that his testimony was limited to transactions reported to the agency and that he had no personal knowledge of whether Duterte had amassed unexplained wealth. He also clarified that suspicious transaction reports do not by themselves prove illegal activity, as they require further analysis and investigation.

Senator-Judge Bam Aquino raised the question of whether prosecutors would move to obtain financial records of Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines, a group previously led by Duterte as Davao City mayor, after the prosecution stated the group received a P150-million donation from the Chinese government in 2018 for the construction of 13 school buildings in Davao City. Prosecution counsel Mae Divinagracia said the team was considering the move.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian had earlier noted what he called an unusual trend in Duterte’s financial data, observing that transactions from 2009 to 2013 alone amounted to about P2.7 billion, or roughly 70 to 80 percent of the total P3.3 billion flagged for that period. [4]

Off the stand, the defense team’s warnings during cross-examination about potential criminal liability for those who disclose AMLC information drew sharp reactions from press freedom advocates and the prosecution. Lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro maintained that no law was violated when the House obtained and discussed AMLC records as part of the constitutionally mandated impeachment process.

Defense spokesperson lawyer Michael Poa said it was not the team’s intent to threaten anyone.

Rights advocate Carlos Conde, a former Human Rights Watch researcher, branded the defense warnings an absurd, desperate move and an assault on press freedom. [8] The International Association of Women in Radio and Television-Philippines similarly criticized defense lawyer Mark Vinluan for enumerating AMLC penalties while cross-examining Buenaventura.

Malacañang, meanwhile, denied Duterte’s suggestion that the administration was behind allegations against her. Palace press officer Claire Castro said Duterte appeared to be blaming President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. because she could no longer find a defense against the accusations.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) warned that some 230,000 scholarship slots will not be available next year due to a cut in the agency’s proposed 2027 budget.Tesda Secretary Francisco ‘Kiko’ Benitez said the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), which the Office of the President submitted to Congress, provided a budget of P20.9 billion-46 percent lower than the agency’s P39 billion budget proposal.

Diploma programs’The ones that will be affected are our diploma programs. The higher-level programs that we worked hard to expand are the ones that will have insufficient funding,’ he added.Benitez said Tesda had appealed to both the Senate and the House of Representatives to increase its funding for 2027, particularly for diploma programs dubbed ‘Universal Access to Tertiary Education.’During his visit, Benitez listened to the concerns of TVET stakeholders, and discussed ways to move forward. He said the TVET alumni could play an important role in linking skills training with employment opportunities.’They can contribute greatly. They understand the value of TVET education. They understand where our industries are looking for skilled workers,’ Benitez said.He said the alumni could also help fresh TVET graduates find suitable employment.Benitez also discussed Tesda’s partnership with local government units (LGU), the Special Training for Employment Program (STEP), a community-based livelihood training initiative often conducted in barangays.He cited the Train Lokal (Local Opportunities for Knowledge Access and Lifelong Learning) program as another mechanism to strengthen Tesda-LGU partnerships in labor market intelligence, workforce development planning and the delivery of localized skills training.Norayah Acas, TESDA Lanao del Norte provincial director, said local TVET stakeholders remain active in supporting skills development programs.’Here in Lanao del Norte and Iligan City, our TVET stakeholders are active, vibrant and continuously evolving,’ Acas said.’We are fortunate to have leaders and partners who recognize the importance of skills development and who actively support TESDA’s programs and initiatives,’ she added.Iligan Mayor Frederick Siao said the city government allocated P10 million from the Local School Board to support TESDA programs in the locality, noting the assistance benefits poor but deserving residents interested in acquiring new skills.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday observed an ‘unusual trend’ in the financial transactions reported by Vice President Sara Duterte based on Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records.

‘From 2009 to 2013, ang transactions reported by VP Sara, for that time frame alone, it’s about P2.7 billion,’ Gatchalian pointed out while questioning prosecution witness, AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Atty. Ronel Buenaventura.

‘It appears that transaction alone accounts for almost 70% to 80% of the total P3.3 billion in transactions,’ he added.

A P700 million transaction, for instance, was reported in 2009, P600 million in 2010, and P500 million in 2011, according to the Senate chief, citing the AMLC records previously presented before the Senate impeachment court.

Buenaventura could not, however, comment on Gatchalian’s observation because he did not have a copy of the report on hand.

‘But it’s an unusual trend compared with the others, which average only P40 million in transactions, while this one involves about P2.7 billion in transactions over a five-year period,’ Gatchalian said.

‘In your opinion, is this something the AMLC should look into, even though I know it happened a long time ago?’ he asked.

While he could not still recall the contents of the said report, Buenaventura explained that generally, the AMLC also looks at historical transactions.

‘Your Honor, part of what we look at is whether there has been a sudden increase in the size of a transaction. That is part of the analysis that we generally conduct,’ the witness answered.

Still citing AMLC records, Gatchalian noted that 30 of the 34 suspicious transactions reports (STRs) involving Duterte were recorded between 2022 to 2025.

‘So that accounts for about 80% of her STRs in just three years. Why is it concentrated in those three years out of the entire 18-year period?’ the senator-judge asked the witness.

One of the documents the witness submitted to the Senate impeachment court was a tabular summary of STRs and covered suspicious transactions (CSRs) involving the vice president and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, from 2007 to 2025.

The summary showed a total of 666 CTRs and 55 STRs involving the couple, with a combined amount of P4.4 billion.

‘Your Honor, I cannot answer that. This is based on what appears in our records, which were reported by the covered person…’ Buenaventura said.

The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMs) on Tuesday welcomed the conviction of two individuals for the 2019 murder of broadcaster Eduardo ‘Ed’ Dizon, calling the Quezon City court’s ruling a significant step toward justice for his family.

‘While no court decision can restore the life that was lost, holding perpetrators accountable is essential in honoring Ed’s memory and safeguarding those who continue his work,’ PTFoMs said in a statement.

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 228 found Junell Jane Andagkit Poten, identified as the alleged gunman, and Dante Encarnacion Tabusares, tagged as the alleged mastermind, guilty of murder.

Both were sentenced to reclusion perpetua.

‘This development highlights the importance of sustained investigation, diligent prosecution, witness protection, and inter-agency collaboration, all while respecting judicial independence and due process,’ the task force said.

Dizon, a broadcaster for Brigada News FM, was shot dead on July 10, 2019, in Kidapawan City while he was driving home after his radio program.

His reports had focused, among other issues, on alleged local corruption.

PTFoMS said it would continue monitoring the case and coordinating with authorities, while also pursuing other unresolved cases involving attacks against journalists and media workers.

It added that efforts to protect journalists should also focus on preventing threats and ensuring that members of the press can perform their work without fear of violence.

‘No journalist should lose their life in service to the public, and every attack on the press demands a robust and comprehensive response,’ PTFoMS said.

Local air carriers may have to source part of their fuel from cleaner, nonfossil alternatives by 2030, a government official said.

Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Alessandro Sales said the agency has discussed with the National Biofuels Board the possibility of requiring a minimum 1 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend.

‘The recommendation is to have a 1 percent SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) mix or mandate by 2030,’ he told reporters on the sidelines of the ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting in Pasay City.

In a previous statement, the DOE said SAF is a chemically identical alternative to fossil fuel-based aviation fuel. Producers can process it from plant- and used-oil feedstocks, such as forestry and agricultural waste and used vegetable oils.

The DOE considers coconut oil, which the country already uses to produce biodiesel, a potential feedstock for SAF.

Although SAF prices are ‘three to four times higher’ than fossil fuels, Sales said the impact on airfares may be minimal because the initial implementation would require only a 1 percent blend.

Sales said the country needs to increase production to bring SAF prices down. The Philippines currently has no domestic SAF production.

The government, however, still needs to assess local feedstock availability and investors’ appetite for building up supply, Sales said.

Sales could not provide an estimate of the initial investment needed to develop a SAF facility in the Philippines. He added that the industry would also have to account for the logistics costs of transporting feedstock to the facility.

Aviation fuel accounted for 3 percent of total fuel demand in the country last year, DOE data showed.

Meanwhile, Sales said ASEAN members could collaborate on SAF production, noting that the region has the resources to produce the fuel and is in a ‘unique position’ to become a demand center.

‘[But] this will involve more collaborative talks… because there are national agendas also running in the individual countries,’ he said.

he World Bank cut its 2027 growth forecast for the Philippines, describing the country as an ‘outlier’ in East Asia and the Pacific as war-driven pressures weigh on growth and the economy struggles to benefit from the global artificial intelligence (AI) boom.

In its East Asia and Pacific Update released Tuesday, the Washington-based institution kept its 3.7 percent growth forecast for the Philippines this year but cut its 2027 outlook by 0.4 percentage point to 5.2 percent.

If realized, growth this year would lag the World Bank’s 4.5 percent forecast for the broader East Asia and Pacific region. It would also fall short of the Marcos administration’s target of 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent.

The World Bank forecasts that the Philippines will grow by 5.2 percent next year, outpacing its 4.4 percent projection for the region.

The estimate would also put growth near the lower end of the government’s 5 percent to 6 percent target for 2027.

‘Pressure from high energy prices is forecast to push inflation to 5.8 percent in 2026, weakening household purchasing power and raising production costs, while weak public investment and confidence will soften investment growth,’ the bank said. It added that next year’s growth would depend on the pace of the rebound in government spending and an expected easing of inflation.

The revision made the World Bank the latest global institution to lower its outlook for the Philippines, a net energy importer exposed to the fallout from the conflict in the Middle East and facing a slowdown in government spending amid corruption concerns.

Last month, the Asian Development Bank lowered its 2026 gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the Philippines to 3.3 percent from 3.8 percent, while the International Monetary Fund cut its forecast to 3.4 percent from 3.9 percent.

The domestic economy expanded by just 2.6 percent in the first half, as limited fiscal support allowed war-driven inflation to quickly feed through to consumers. Government spending has also weakened following a wide-ranging crackdown on anomalous flood control projects.

Meanwhile, the World Bank said some countries in the region have been able to weather the impact of the US-Iran conflict because the global AI boom has powered their export sectors.

‘The Philippines is the outlier in East Asia,’ said Franziska Ohnsorge, the World Bank’s chief economist for Asia. ‘The World Bank predicts that the Philippines will grow by 5.2 percent next year, exceeding its regional projection of 4.4 percent.’

YouTube sensation Rachel Griffin Accurso, popularly known as Ms. Rachel, extended help to a Filipino mom who appealed for donation for her child suffering from a rare birth condition.

Daisilyn Mejia reached out to Accurso through Threads last Friday, Oct. 2, sharing the condition of her son who was diagnosed with omphalocele.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, omphalocele is a birth defect of the abdominal wall where ‘the infant’s intestines, liver, or other organs stick outside of the belly through the belly button.’

In her post, Mejia shared a video of her older son singing Accurso’s ‘I Love a Rainbow.’

‘I’m hoping if could you please share our fundraiser for his little brother who diagnosed with omphalocele. Thank you so much,’ Mejia wrote, adding the link to the fundraiser page she set up that had a goal of $5,000 or over P300,000.

Responding to Mejia’s post, Accurso wrote, ‘I donated the full amount. He’s so precious and much love to the whole family. Hope his brother feels better soon.’

Mejia expressed her gratitude to Accurso, describing her as an ‘angel’ God sent to help her family.

‘Ms. Rachel, thank you so much for helping us… At a time when we were feeling worried and unsure, your help gave us hope and made us feel that we are not alone. I truly believe that God sent you to us at the right time,’ she wrote.

‘You became an angel He used to bless and help our family. I will always remember the kindness you showed us, and I am deeply grateful from the bottom of my heart,’ she added.

Ms. Rachel launched her hugely popular YouTube channel in 2019. She has since been using her social media platforms to advocate for people affected by humanitarian crises around the world.

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) on Tuesday called for the formation of a rapid referral pathway in the government to immediately address concerns of violence against women in politics (VAWP).

PCW Senior Gender and Development Specialist Caryl Joyce Gutapia made this recommendation during the hearing of the House committee on women and gender equality on House Bills Nos. 8353 and 9254, which both seek to define and penalize VAWP.

Gutapia said that the PCW supports both measures amid the proliferation of threats against women in politics. Gutapia said that women in politics must be afforded protection against any violence and threats for them to fully perform their duties for their communities and the country.

‘Hanggang ngayon patuloy na may diskriminasyon, panggigipit at karahasan ng mga kasama nating kababaihan sa pagtahak nila sa larangan ng politika. Kung hindi natin sosolusyonan at haharapin, patuloy na hindi magiging ligtas at buo ang pakikilahok ng mga kababaihan sa politika at demokrasya,’ Gutapia said.

(Until now, there is still discrimination and harassment against women in politics. If we do not solve and address this, the participation of women in politics and democracy will not be fully safe.)

With this, she laid out the agency’s recommendations, including establishing a rapid referral pathway to be handled by the Commission on Elections and the Department of Justice, for example.

She said that this should be done ‘so digital evidence, physical security, threats and election offenses are routed simultaneously to DICT [Department of Information and Communications Technology], PNP [Philippine National Police], or NBI [National Bureau of Investigation], and election contest bodies without delaying emergency protective measures.’

She added that the VAWP desk should be harmonized with existing violence against women desks during the election period. She also said that the women in politics experiencing threats must also have access to psychosocial services, particularly for trauma informed care and other forms of assistance.

Meanwhile, Trent Joshua Asuncion of the non-government organization The Asia Foundation said women in politics should be protected throughout their political participation.

Asuncion said that while the proposed VAWP desk and election period response mechanisms are equally important, he noted that ‘violence does not necessarily begin only when somebody files her candidacy nor does it end on election day.’ He emphasized that women may begin facing pressure even before becoming election candidates, and threats and pressure may continue once they assume office.

‘The question for us is a practical one: where does she go? She should be able to approach the designated reporting channel and get help without first having to work out with the agency that has jurisdiction of her case,’ he added.

The House panel approved the motion to consolidate the two measures into a consolidated bill and consider the recommendations made during the hearing.

This hearing was conducted just days after San Juan City Lone District Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora received sexist and misogynistic attacks online after conducting the direct examination of P/Maj. Joericson Sangalang, head of the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office during the impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte.

As many netizens branded her approach as ‘flirtatious,’ Zamora clapped back and told the bashers behind the remarks to ‘get a life.’

‘You know it’s so unfortunate that a lot of Filipinos still think that way, they still make misogynistic remarks, especially directed towards women, girls, who apparently are smart and can speak well, and can be a lawyer in an impeachment court,’ Zamora said during a previous press briefing.

Zamora, who studied political science and law from the University of the Philippines, was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2009. She handled civil and family law, corporate law, and criminal law at the Zamora Poblador Law Office before she began her political career in 2022.

During the House panel hearing, panel chairperson Laguna Rep. Ann Matibag reaffirmed her support for Zamora, who is also the panel’s vice chairperson.