Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

parts of the Philippines. -Photo by Niño Jesus Orbeta | INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines – Some areas in Metro Manila recorded ‘very unhealthy’ air quality levels on Wednesday because of the lingering transboundary haze that may be connected to ongoing fires in Indonesia.

According to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), high PM2.5 levels – which refer to fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter-were observed in parts of the National Capital Region (NCR).

‘The observed haze is possibly associated with smoke and transboundary haze from ongoing fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, which may have been transported toward the Philippines by prevailing winds,’ the DENR-EMB said in a statement.

Among these areas that registered a ‘very unhealthy’ level of air quality index (AQI) ranging from 151 to 200 were Caloocan (University of the East), Las Piñas, Muntinlupa (Parang), Muntinlupa (Filinvest City), Parañaque (Don Bosco) and Parañaque (Peatc or PEA Tollway Corp).

The EMB warned that prolonged exposure to such air quality levels may worsen the condition of people with lung and heart ailments.

On the other hand, the following areas logged an AQI of between 101 and 150, which belongs to the ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ level. Under this category, the air quality may pose risks to children, pregnant women, the elderly and other vulnerable individuals.

The affected areas were Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina (Parang), Navotas, Pasay, Pateros, Quezon City (Ateneo), San Juan City, Taguig (Technological University of the Philippines or TUP), and Valenzuela.

The DENR-EMB advised residents to minimize outdoor activities and to take precautionary measures such as wearing masks, preferably an N95, when going outside

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV will reveal on Friday, October 2, the contents of his testimony that he would have delivered before the Senate Impeachment Court if he was called as a witness of the prosecution.

Trillanes said this in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Thursday.

This comes after he admitted that it was him who had asked lead public prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro to remove his name from the prosecution’s list of witnesses.

‘Earlier in the day, I requested the House prosecution, under Chair Jinky Luistro, to formally withdraw my name as a witness for the prosecution,’ Trillanes said.

‘This way, the prosecution panel would be relieved from the pressure it is going through,’ he explained.

‘Having said that, I will hold a press conference tomorrow to present all the matters that I would have presented and released during the impeachment trial,’ he disclosed.

In a press briefing after the trial on Thursday, counsel for the prosecution Lorna Kapunan said that while they do not know what Trillanes will be stating, it will be more freewheeling for him to state his concerns during a press briefing, than in a trial.

Kapunan believes that Trillanes not serving as a witness means that he is not covered by the sub judice rule.

The sub judice rule under Rule 18 prevents senator-judges, lawyers from the prosecution and the defense, the respondent, and the witnesses from making statements that delve on the merits of the case.

‘Maybe it would be better that the presentation is made out of court,’ Kapunan noted.

‘It may be in fact more exciting because he will not be covered by the sub judice rule. So you can ask him anything and everything,’ the prosecution counsel stated the advantage.

Earlier, Luistro manifested before the Senate Impeachment Court that the prosecution will no longer call Trillanes as the prosecution’s witness for Article II of the Articles of Impeachment.

‘The prosecution has finally decided not to present former Senator Sonny Trillanes,’ she told the senator-judges.

‘We seek the kind indulgence of the honorable impeachment court for the belated final decision on this particular concern,’ Luistro said.

Article II contains allegations that Duterte has unexplained wealth and failed to declare this in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

It is not clear what pressure Trillanes was referring to, but several netizens, including vlogger and lawyer Jesus Falcis, said that there were individuals who were against the presentation of the former senator.

Trillanes has been seen as a crucial witness to establish a case for Article II.

He had been saying, for several years now, that Duterte and members of her family – including her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte – had hidden bank accounts not stated in her SALN.

On April 22, when the House committee on justice held confirmatory hearings on the two impeachment complaints against Duterte, Trillanes was called as a resource person, to shed light on his claims of hidden bank accounts.

Trillanes presented several bank accounts during the April 22 hearing.

Later on, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), through Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, confirmed that many financial transactions mentioned by Trillanes were the same fund movements that the council had flagged or monitored.

The confirmation came after Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima randomly picked 18 financial transactions listed in Trillanes’ annexes, and asked AMLC to check if this was part of its investigation.

Eventually, Buenaventura confirmed that 18 out of all the 18 randomly-picked transactions in Trillanes’ annexes matched the AMLC’s records.

The Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee (BARSc) of the House of Representatives on Thursday approved an additional over P8 billion in amendments to the funding of the education sector for 2027.

The BARSc began its deliberations on the proposed amendments to the P7.2-trillion House budget bill on Thursday. The subcommittee, composed of select lawmakers from major political parties and the minority bloc, is tasked to discuss amendments expected to be introduced by lawmakers before being voted on the floor for second reading.

House committee on appropriations chairperson Rep. Mikaela Suansing introduced P1,952,000,000 worth of amendments to six line items under the Department of Education (DepEd). The agency received over P916 billion allocation under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

The biggest chunk of the amount was allotted to the additional budget for the basic education facilities program worth P952 million. Suansing said that as this will fund additional classrooms, the House of Representatives will exercise its oversight functions to ensure that the construction of classrooms will not be delayed.

Suansing also presented P500 million worth of additional allocation for DepEd’s school safety and security program. She noted that Education Secretary Sonny Angara requested P800 million in funding as it was not allocated any funding under the 2027 NEP amid the growing concerns of school violence across the country.

The chairperson then proposed for P350 million funding for DepEd’s Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program, noting that the initiative got no funding under the 2027 NEP.

She also proposed additional funding for the Special Needs Education Program, Indigenous People Education Program, and the Madrasah Education Program worth P75 million, P25 million, and P50 million, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Tertiary Education Subsidy and Tulong Dunong Program under the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) received P3,868,865,000 in amendments as proposed by Senior Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez.

Hernandez proposed P2,102,475,000 and P1,766,390,000 for the Tertiary Education Subsidy and Tulong Dunong Program, respectively. He noted that the Tulong Dunong Program received no funding under the 2027 NEP.

The committee also approved P360 million worth of amendments under three line items to the budget of the University of the Philippines System.

Deputy Speaker Janette Garin proposed the allocation of P70 million for the UP Center for Education and Development in its Diliman campus, noting that it received no allocation under the 2027 NEP.

FPJ Panday Bayanihan party-list Rep. Brian Poe then introduced the allocation of an additional P250 million for the funding of Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards). Project NOAH which was defunded in 2017, was the country’s flagship disaster risk reduction and management program.

Poe also presented the allocation of P15 million for the UP Diliman Institute of Mathematics, as he shared that it got no funding under the 2027 NEP. It has been recognized by the CHEd as a Center of Excellence since 1998.

Samar Rep. Stephen James Tan also proposed the inclusion of P456,000,000 for the locally funded projects of various state universities across the country.

Lastly, Ilocos Sur Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan introduced P1,435,910,000 worth of amendments to two line items under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. Training for Work Scholarship and Special Training for Employment Program received P966,650,000 and P469,260,000, respectively.

All motions made for the amendments of these items received no objections from the members of the subcommittee.

With a total of P8,072,775,000 amended allocation proposed for the education cluster, Suansing underscored the national government’s responsibility to provide sufficient funding to sustain programs under the sector.

‘We have repeatedly said, on the part of the House of Representatives, to make sure that the education cluster gets the biggest budgetary share in our budget,’ Suansing said.

The Article XIV, Section 5(5) of the 1987 Constitution mandates the government to give the highest budgetary priority to the education sector and ensure that teachers will receive sufficient remuneration and other means of job satisfaction.

The municipal government of Naujan in Oriental Mindoro has tightened measures to prevent the entry and spread of African swine fever (ASF), including a temporary ban on the entry of live pigs for various purposes, according to its information office on Thursday.

The measures are contained in Municipal Executive Order No. 26-040 signed by Mayor Henry Joel C. Teves on Sept. 29.

The order seeks to strengthen prevention, monitoring, biosecurity, and enforcement measures to protect hog raisers, food security, and livelihoods in the municipality.

Under the EO, the entry of live pigs into Naujan is temporarily barred, including their unloading, sale, delivery, storage, breeding, slaughter, and other local activities.

The municipality will also establish ASF checkpoints to inspect and monitor vehicles, shipments, permits, and other required documents.

Swine farms should comply with biosecurity measures, including registration, installation of footbaths and fences, disinfection, and pest control.

The order also regulates hog traders, swine breeding services, genetic materials, frozen pork, and processed pork products in accordance with existing laws and government regulations.

Residents are urged to immediately report to the Municipal Agriculture Office or barangay officials any unusual pig deaths, symptoms displayed by swine that may be associated with ASF, and unauthorized movement of pigs or sale of undocumented pork products.

The Municipal ASF Task Force will lead the implementation of the measures with the Municipal Agriculture Office and other concerned government agencies.

According to the municipal government, Oriental Mindoro and Naujan remain ASF-free

Several of the country’s largest telecommunications companies have rallied behind the three mobile network operators slapped with P100,000 daily fines over ‘poor’ mobile broadband service, raising concerns over how the government imposed the penalties.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Philippine Chamber of Telecommunication Operators (PCTO) expressed ‘grave concern’ over the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) sanctions against Smart Communications Inc., Globe Telecom Inc. and DITO Telecommunity Corp. for weak or no mobile broadband signal in Metro Manila.

While saying it supports better service for Filipinos, PCTO said the NTC action ‘raises serious due process concerns,’ particularly because the fines were imposed before the operators were notified and given an opportunity to respond.

The NTC had said the P100,000 daily fines would take effect on Sept. 25 and continue until the operators address the service deficiencies identified by the regulator.

It earlier said its September revalidation found that previously recorded poor mobile broadband signals remained substantially unchanged despite giving operators an opportunity to undertake corrective measures.

All three telcos, however, said they received their respective show-cause orders only on Sept. 28.

‘While the law authorizes the NTC to investigate and undertake specified regulatory/compliance measures without previous hearing, it does not constitute a general exemption from administrative due process or a blanket authority to impose punitive penalties without notice and opportunity to be heard,’ PCTO said.

It also questioned the technical basis for the penalties, saying the NTC had not sufficiently disclosed the methodologies, metrics, parameters and testing conditions it used to determine noncompliance.

‘Without this information, operators cannot properly verify or contest the results,’ PCTO said.

A bill that restricts minors or those below 18 years old from using social media has been approved on second reading at the Senate.

Senate Bill No. 2424, or the Child Online Safety and Protection Act, which seeks to protect children from physical, mental and social harms from social media platforms, was passed on second reading Wednesday evening.

Sponsored by Sen. Robinhood Padilla, the measure defines the age-restricted social media platforms as any electronic services that primarily facilitates online social interactions, and permits users to publish content accessible to other users.

These platforms will be mandated to ensure that no person under 18 years old is able to access or create an account on the platform, and likewise must establish systems to accurately and appropriately verify the age of its users.

Such systems must also provide parental safety tools for age-restricted users.

In addition, social media platforms operating internationally will be required to comply with the measure, designate a representative in the Philippines and work with Philippine authorities in the implementation of the bill.

These provisions do not cover e-mailing platforms, private messaging services, online gaming that is not primarily used for social networking, educational platforms, news services, and professional collaboration tools.

Once passed into law, the implementation of the safeguards will be subject to the oversight of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

The agency’s functions shall include assessment of compliance, reporting mechanisms, investigations, imposition of fines and updating of age assurance standards.

The parents of minors also have the ‘primary responsibility’ over the compliance of their children.

Parents who are found to knowingly assist or allow the circumvention of the banning mechanisms may be fined as much as P50,000, or may be penalized with community service, and mandatory attendance to digital parenting and child safety programs.

Higher fines are applied to the digital services.

Upon failure to comply, the digital services may face a P5 million to P20 million fine per violation, and another fine of P100 thousand every day that they do not comply with the measure.

The bill also gives the DICT authority to file a petition to restrict digital services from operating in the country for failing to apply minimum age requirements and age verification mechanisms, and failing to address harmful content.

The measure is awaiting approval on third reading before it is reconciled with its counterpart version at the House of Representatives in a bicameral conference committee.

Its counterpart measure at the lower chamber puts a full social media ban for children below 13 years old, while restrictions are placed for those aged 13 to 18 years old.

Once Congress ratifies the reconciled version of the bill, it will be transmitted to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for signing and enactment into law

Mu Xinyue called it ‘the happiest moment of my life’ after she became the first woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in esports.

The 20-year-old played a pivotal role as China beat host Japan to win the final of horror survival game ‘Identity V’ in Nagoya.

‘When the national anthem was played and the gold medal was around my neck, I was so excited and happy,’ Xinhua news agency quoted her as saying. ‘I think this may be the happiest moment of my life.’

Mu is the only woman in China’s 23-strong esports squad at the Games.

Competitive gaming remains dominated by men.

At Asia’s biggest sporting spectacular there are 534 esports competitors. Just 14 of them, or less than three percent, are women.

For South Korea, another gaming heavyweight, Park So-yeon became the first woman to represent their national team when she competed in Nagoya.

Following her landmark gold medal on Wednesday, Mu said the only thing that mattered was ability.

‘As the first female player to win the gold medal I don’t think gender is something that should define us or be used as a benchmark,’ she said.

‘I think that whether you’re a man or a woman, everyone needs to have enough ability to compete at this level.

‘I think every player who makes it here has earned their place through their own ability.’

Competitive gaming made its full debut at the Asian Games in Hangzhou three years ago.

A nationwide campus tour is reaching out to young Filipinos to discuss the West Philippine Sea, government accountability and the 2028 elections, as organizers seek to encourage Gen Z voters to take a more active interest in national affairs.

Team Pinas brought its ‘GenZennial Tour’ to Mindanao State University-General Santos City on Wednesday, combining discussions on national issues with performances and activities designed for young audiences.

Cleve Arguelles, spokesperson for Team Pinas, said the tour focuses on the West Philippine Sea, government accountability, and issues young voters may consider as the country approaches the 2028 elections.

Among the topics were China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea, issues arising from the flood control controversy, and the impeachment proceedings involving Vice President Sara Duterte.

The program also features performances, lightsticks, photo booths and other activities patterned after events popular among young people.

Arguelles said the format was designed not only to attract Gen Z participants but also to find out which national issues matter most to them.

He said organizers initially wondered whether young people who spend much of their time online had become less interested in national affairs. Their experience during the tour, however, showed that students were also looking for information and face-to-face discussions.

According to Arguelles, such discussions allow students to ask questions and examine information amid the spread of fake news and disinformation online.

One session, titled ‘From TikTok to West Philippine Sea,’ connects young people’s use of social media with issues such as food security, the livelihood and safety of Filipino fishermen, and online disinformation.

The group also discusses the 2028 elections, including potential candidates and the performance of incumbent officials.

Arguelles stressed, however, that Team Pinas does not endorse candidates or tell participants whom to vote for.

‘We do not endorse candidates, and we also do not tell them whom they should vote for,’ he said.

Instead, Arguelles said, the group wants young voters to consider national issues when they eventually cast their ballots.

Team Pinas is a coalition of academics and community advocates from different universities and professions, including political scientists, public administration scholars, and lawyers.

Its activities also extend beyond campuses through ‘Baranggayan,’ or community-level discussions.

Arguelles maintained that the program is nonpartisan and focused on raising awareness among young people.

‘They are not merely the hope of the future. They are already the hope of today,’ he said.

Arguelles also urged young people not to lose interest in national affairs despite concerns over corruption and other problems confronting the country, saying Gen Z could use its collective voice to participate in discussions on issues that could shape its future

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV revealed that he asked lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro to remove his name from the list of witnesses to be presented by the prosecution panel in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.

In a statement on his Facebook page on Thursday, Trillanes said he asked Luistro to withdraw his name to relieve the prosecution panel of the ‘pressure it is going through.’

‘Earlier in the day, I requested the House prosecution under Chair Jinky Luistro to formally withdraw my name as a witness for the prosecution. This way, the prosecution panel would be relieved from the pressure it is going through,’ he said.

‘Having said that, I will hold a press conference tomorrow to present all the matters that I would have presented and released during the impeachment trial,’ he added.

Before the impeachment trial went on a lunch break, Luistro manifested before the Senate Impeachment Court that they had finally decided to refrain from presenting Trillanes as their witness for Article II of the Articles of Impeachment.

‘The prosecution has finally decided not to present former Senator Sonny Trillanes. We seek the kind indulgence of the honorable impeachment court for the belated final decision on this particular concern,’ Luistro said.

Article II contains allegations that Duterte has unexplained wealth and failed to declare this in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

It is not clear what pressure Trillanes was referring to, but several netizens, including vlogger and lawyer Jesus Falcis, claimed that individuals opposed the former senator’s presentation.

Trillanes has been seen as a crucial witness in establishing a case under Article II, as he has claimed for several years that Duterte and members of her family, including her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, hid bank accounts not stated in her SALN.

Last April 22, when the House of Representatives’ Committee on Justice held confirmatory hearings regarding the two impeachment complaints against Duterte, Trillanes was called as a resource person to shed light on his claims of hidden bank accounts.

Trillanes presented several bank accounts during the April 22 hearing. Later, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), through Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, confirmed that several financial transactions mentioned by Trillanes were the same fund movements that the agency had flagged or monitored.

The confirmation came after Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima randomly picked 18 financial transactions listed in Trillanes’ annexes and asked the AMLC to check if these were part of its investigation.

Buenaventura confirmed that 18 out of 18 randomly picked transactions in Trillanes’ annexes matched the AMLC’s records.

On Thursday, Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo urged the prosecution to be strategic in presenting its witnesses, suggesting that Trillanes be presented first before going to the AMLC executive director.

Tulfo said this as he scolded the prosecution for instances in which they failed to pique the curiosity of senator-judges, as they supposedly fielded witnesses unnecessary to Duterte’s impeachment trial.

When Presiding Officer and Senator-judge Francis Escudero said Flores would give the answer after lunch, Tulfo said he was raising the suggestion because the prosecution seemed to have stumbled several times in presenting witnesses.

Trillanes was also seen at the Senate premises last Tuesday. When the prosecution presented Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte as a witness, Trillanes was present to monitor the proceedings.

Authorities seized about P1.7 million worth of suspected shabu and arrested a suspected drug peddler during a joint buy-bust operation in Poblacion 5 here on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

The operation was led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Maguindanao del Norte Provincial Office (PDEA-MagNor), according to PDEA-BARMM Regional Director George Paul Alcovindas.

Joining the PDEA in the entrapment operation were operatives from Cotabato City Police Office, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency 17 (NICA 17), PNP Drug Enforcement Group-Special Operations Unit BAR (PDEG-SOU BAR).

Arrested was alias ‘Ivan/Jehad,’ 22, a farmer, of Barangay Kuden, Talitay, Maguindanao del Norte.

Recovered from the suspect were five heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing about 250 grams, with an estimated street value of P1.7 million.

Authorities also recovered a mobile phone, the buy-bust money, a black belt bag, a white plastic bag, and a brown paper bag allegedly used in the transaction.

The suspect is currently under the custody of the PDEA BARMM jail facility pending the filing of appropriate charges.

He is set to face charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

PDEA BARMM urged the public to support its campaign against illegal drugs by providing authorities with information on suspected drug activities