Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Department of Finance (DOF) is seeking to collect more from wealthy consumers through higher taxes on luxury and nonessential goods, while also overhauling charges on motor vehicles to stabilize revenue collection.

These will form part of the government’s offsetting reforms to make up for revenue loss from the proposed Progress Bill, which is expected to ease the financial burden on middle-class workers and microenterprises.

‘The current tax system does not impose higher tax burden to luxury items and other non-essential goods, resulting in equity gap and untapped revenue potential,’ the DOF said, noting that a progressive tax would minimize the direct impact on lower-income households.

Under the proposal, the DOF is looking to raise the tax rate on nonessential goods to 25 percent from 20 percent and expand its coverage to include private aircraft and recreational vehicles such as planes, jets, helicopters, jet skis, speedboats, sailboats and motorboats.

Currently, the law only covers jewelry made of precious and semiprecious metals, perfumes, toilet waters, yachts and vessels intended for pleasure or sports.

There are no estimates yet on the revenue impact of the expanded nonessential goods tax. However, in 2025, the government collected P307 million from said goods.

Another proposal is to increase the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC), whose rates have not been adjusted for more than two decades.

Once imposed, the reform is expected to generate a total of P89.58 billion in additional revenues from 2027 to 2030, or an average of P22.39 billion annually. In 2027 alone, the higher MVUC is estimated to add P20.66 billion to state coffers.

The rate increases will be based on cumulative average annual inflation of 2.1 percent.

The annual charge for light passenger cars used privately or by the government will increase to P3,344 from P1,600, while that for similar vehicles for hire is set to rise to P1,881 from P900.

Meanwhile, the charge for private and government trucks, as well as trucks for hire, will climb to P6,170 from P2,952.

MVUC for buses used privately or by the government will increase to P10,935 from P5,232, while that for buses for hire will rise to P10,659 from P5,100.

For jeepneys, the annual charge will increase to P2,320 from P1,110. The rate for modern jeepneys, meanwhile, will rise to P3,132 from P1,499.

These reforms add to the proposed increase in automobile excise announced earlier, which would impose a 75-percent tax rate on vehicles priced above P8 million.

Earlier, the DOF said it projects to raise a total of P518.71 billion from 2027 to 2030 through offsetting measures that could compensate for the estimated P326.92-billion revenue loss from income tax exemptions under the bill.

The Progress Bill, first announced by President Marcos during his State of the Nation Address, is expected to be passed this year.

No lawmaker has yet to sponsor the bill, although the DOF said some legislators have already expressed interest.

Global minimum tax

Separately, the DOF said the potential revenue impact of the global minimum tax is about P24.4 billion. This estimate is still preliminary and may still decrease or increase, the DOF said.

Also known as the Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (QDMTT), the policy ensures that large multinational enterprise groups pay a minimum global tax rate of 15 percent on income arising in each country where they operate.

Should the QDMTT be passed into law next year, collections will start in 2029.

A total of 1,001 MNEs and 4,037 subsidiaries operated by multinational groups are covered by the QDMTT.

A grass fire burned an estimated seven hectares of agricultural field and vegetation in three barangays of Hinunangan, Southern Leyte, with firefighters battling the blaze for more than 10 hours before it was fully put off early Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The fire started at about 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 31, in portions of Barangays Sto. Niño, Badiangaon and Manalog but was reported to authorities only at around 3:30 p.m., according to the Hinunangan Fire Station.

A responding team arrived at about 3:35 p.m. and immediately launched suppression and containment operations, with personnel from the Hinundayan Fire Station and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office joining the firefighting effort.

The fire was placed under control at 1:40 a.m. Tuesday and declared completely put out at 2:10 a.m.

Authorities estimated the property damage at about P50,000. The affected agricultural lands and vegetation were reportedly owned or cultivated by six families.

No fatalities or injuries were reported, and the fire did not reach any residential houses or establishments.

Three fire trucks were deployed during the operation, which was led by FO3 Joselito Gomez, ground commander.

The Hinunangan Fire Station, under the leadership of SFO4 Michael Mamita, acting municipal fire marshal, reminded residents to exercise caution in activities that could trigger grass and vegetation fires.

The public was also urged to avoid indiscriminate burning and immediately report fire incidents to the nearest fire station or emergency responders.

Alas Pilipinas women’s pair of Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara stayed unbeaten in two games in Pool C of the AVC Asian Beach Volleyball Championships 2026-an Olympic qualifier for Los Angeles 2028.

Progella and Pagara cruised to their second win after making quick work of Uzbekistan’s Zamira Shagraeva and Odina Uralova, 21-5, 21-7, on Thursday in Shangluo, China.

Progella and Pagara, Busan Futures champions, opened their campaign with a 21-13, 21-14 win over Kristina Karimova and Yekaterina Ryukhova of Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons improved to 1-1 in Pool E after taking down Uzbekistan’s Guzaloy Mamatsodikova and Malikakhon Tursunpulatova, 21-8, 21-8.

Pons and Rondina bounced back from their opening-day loss to Thailand’s Taravadee Naraphornrapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee, 13-21, 21-19, 13-15, on Wednesday night.

The top two squads of each pool will advance to the round of 16. The champion of the tournament will earn a spot at the LA Olympics 2028.

Alas men’s pair James Buytrago and Ronniel Rosales dropped to a 0-2 record in Pool C.

Buytrago and Rosales fell to Japan’s Kai Kurokawa and Ryuichi Adachi, 15-21, 14-21.

The Filipinos got swept by Australia’s Mark Nicolaidis and Izac Carracher, 12-21, 17-21.

The South Cotabato Electric Cooperative I (SOCOTECO I) urged consumers in South Cotabato to conserve electricity on Thursday, Sept. 3.

The request was made as a power supply shortage prompted red and yellow alerts across the Mindanao grid and raised the possibility of rotational brownouts.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Mindanao grid under red alert from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., and yellow alert from 10 a.m. to noon, and again at 10 p.m.

In their official social media page, SOCOTECO I said the alerts were caused by forced outages and reduced capacity at several power plants, leaving available supply insufficient to meet electricity demand.

NGCP also advised that Manual Load Dropping (MLD), which can result in temporary power interruptions in selected areas, may be put in place from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

This option is intended to help maintain the stability of the Mindanao grid.

SOCOTECO I was among the electric cooperatives and power distributors identified by NGCP as potentially affected by the measure.

The cooperative said rotational brownouts may be implemented in selected areas, depending on the actual condition of the grid and instructions from NGCP.

It urged its member-consumer-owners to reduce electricity use, particularly during periods of high demand in the afternoon and evening.

NGCP said the planned load dropping can be canceled if grid conditions improve, including a situation wherein the actual electricity demand turns out lower than projected.

Aside from SOCOTECO I, the NGCP advisory covered several other electric cooperatives and distribution utilities across Mindanao.

These cooperatives are SOCOTECO II, SUKELCO, MAGELCO, COTELCO, Davao Light and Power Co. and other utilities in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga and Davao regions

South Cotabato has stepped up preparations for a possible strong El Niño event, with disaster officials keeping funds, water facilities and relief supplies ready as the prolonged heat and dry conditions threaten farms, livestock and public health.

Rolly Doane Aquino, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief, said the province remains under an El Niño Alert based on information from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Aquino said South Cotabato ‘has not yet reached El Niño conditions,’ but authorities are preparing in case the current heat and dry weather worsen.

‘As of now, all preparedness measures are being undertaken by our department,’ Aquino said.

Aquino said he had seen signs of dry conditions affecting corn and rice farms in parts of Banga and Surallah towns during his trips around the province.

He stressed that these were his observations and have yet to be backed by official data. The PDRRMO has yet to receive official report of farms being affected by the dry conditions.

‘We are monitoring the agriculture sector, the health sector and, of course, our livestock that could be affected,’ Aquino said.

He urged farmers to closely monitor weather forecasts and advisories from irrigation authorities as dry conditions persist.

Aquino said the province’s El Niño Task Force is already in place, bringing together the PDRRMO, Integrated Provincial Health Office, Provincial Veterinary Office, Bureau of Fire Protection and other concerned agencies.

He said resources are also available should the province need to respond to worsening conditions.

Part of the province’s Quick Response Fund remains available, along with other disaster funds that may be tapped for preparedness and response, Aquino said.

Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., who chairs the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, has also directed officials to ensure that water impounding facilities are ready and relief supplies remain available in provincial warehouses, according to Aquino.

Fuel is also being secured for water pumps that may be needed if water supplies become affected.

Aquino said authorities are closely watching the effects of high temperatures on residents and have advised the public to avoid unnecessary exposure to the sun, stay hydrated and remain in cooler areas whenever possible.

The province’s preparations come after South Cotabato experienced severe dry conditions in late 2023 and early 2024 that caused widespread damage to farms and livelihoods.

South Cotabato declared a state of calamity on April 26, 2024, after agricultural and livelihood losses reached P201.9 million and affected at least 2,767 farmers.

Surallah, Tboli and Banga also declared states of calamity at the time as the dry spell affected farms and water supplies.

Aquino urged residents, particularly farmers and livestock raisers, to continue monitoring official advisories and take precautions as the province prepares for the possibility of more severe heat and dry conditions.

Filmmaker Zach Cregger is taking the Resident Evil franchise in a new direction with an original story designed to capture the survival-horror intensity of the popular video game series.

Cregger, who directed the horror films ‘Barbarian’ and ‘Weapons,’ said making a Resident Evil movie had long been a dream, given his longtime admiration for the games.

‘The games are a great standard for survival horror,’ Cregger said in a statement sent to Inquirer Entertainment. ‘I’m celebrating everything I love about them by telling a story that could exist on the edges of one of the games.’

The new film follows Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, a medical courier whose routine assignment to deliver a package turns into a fight for survival as he encounters mutated creatures and infected beings.

‘I leaned into the visceral stuff,’ the director said. ‘The movie follows a person from point A to point B; it’s like a real-time journey, where we’re propelled deeper and deeper into the depths of Hell. It’s a constant, ‘Go! Go! Go!”

Producer Roy Lee said the film offers a different cinematic experience of Raccoon City, one of the most recognizable locations in the Resident Evil games.

‘Our film is a roller coaster ride of non-stop action,’ Lee said. ‘And it’s set in the world of Raccoon City, one of the game’s most memorable locales. Zach is giving audiences something they have not experienced before in cinema.’

Producer Asad Qizilbash, meanwhile, praised Cregger’s approach, particularly his ability to build tension before delivering unexpected scares.

‘The best Resident Evil games don’t just scare you; they make you afraid of what’s coming next. That’s cinema,’ Qizilbash said. ‘Zach is brilliant at weaponizing tension, then breaking it with something shocking, strange or darkly funny. That filmmaker instinct he has, is perfect for Resident Evil: you think you know what’s going to happen, and then Zach shows you something you never expected.’

Longtime Resident Evil producer Robert Kulzer attested that Cregger wanted the film to feel like an immersive ride from beginning to end.

‘Zach wanted to create a ride, an immersive experience. He wanted to take the audience by the hand in minute one, take them on this journey, and not let them go till minute 90,’ Kulzer said. ‘Zach delivered all that and more.’

Victor Hadida, who has been involved in the Resident Evil film franchise for decades alongside Kulzer, said he was impressed by Cregger’s interpretation of the material.

‘I was blown away by Zach’s take, which will have audiences jumping and cheering and going out of their minds,’ Hadida said.

Since its first film adaptation in 2002, ‘Resident Evil’ has become a major video game movie franchise, with six films in its original live-action series earning more than $1.2 billion worldwide.

‘Resident Evil’ opens in Philippine cinemas on Sept. 16

The House of Representatives prosecution panel is targeting Sept. 9 to complete its presentation of evidence in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte over her alleged misuse of confidential funds, even as prosecutors have yet to finalize their list of witnesses.

House prosecutor and Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said that the date announced by lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro remained a working target rather than a firm deadline.

‘The Sept. 9 date that has been mentioned remains a target,’ Ridon said at a House press conference Thursday. He described Sept. 9 as an optimistic target for completing the presentation of evidence.

The prosecution is presenting evidence under Article I, which covers P500 million in confidential funds spent by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) from December 2022 to the third quarter of 2023 and P112.5 million released to the Department of Education in 2023 while Duterte headed the agency.

Ridon said the length of cross-examinations and questions from senator-judges could still affect the timetable.

‘We cannot control several things – the cross and the questions of the senator-judges,’ he said. ‘But we will try to wrap up by that date,’ he added.

Asked whether the prosecution still intended to present Ramil Madriaga and the purported confidential fund recipient identified in documents as Mary Grace Piatos, Ridon said the panel would disclose its final lineup as it approached the close of Article I.

‘Let’s just wait and see what the final list of those who will testify at the trial will be,’ he said.

Ridon said the prosecution’s immediate priority was establishing the connection between the handling of the confidential funds and Duterte’s instructions or official actions.

‘The important aspect is really proving the tie to the vice president,’ he said.

He cited the testimony of former OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta, OVP Assistant Secretary Lemuel Ortonio and former Department of Education chief of staff Atty. Michael Poa.

Acosta testified that Duterte instructed her to turn over OVP confidential-fund cash to security officer Col. Raymund Dante Lachica. Ortonio and Poa testified about their respective official roles and the limits of their knowledge of the transactions.

Ridon said those accounts had already supplied the evidence the prosecution considered central to linking the challenged transactions to Duterte.

‘That was already mentioned in the testimonies of Ms. Acosta, Mr. Ortonio and Atty. Poa,’ he said.

The panel will decide whether additional witnesses are necessary after the remaining scheduled testimony and questioning, Ridon said.

‘All the others will just serve as additional evidence to the overall effort to prove this article of impeachment,’ the lawmaker added. ‘That part is already done.’

Senate finance committee head JV Ejercito said on Thursday that it is worth adding ‘a little’ to the P51 million confidential funds for the Office of the Ombudsman, as proposed in the National Expenditure Program for 2027.

Ejercito expressed the sentiment after the panel’s hearing on the Office of the Ombudsman’s budget.

During the proceeding, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla told lawmakers what would be compromised after the Department of Budget and Management slashed his agency’s budget from its requested P147 million to P51 million.

‘If there is any agency that is really worth helping or increasing confidential funds for, I think it is the Office of the Ombudsman,’ Ejercito told the media.

‘Because as I said, we will confine confidential funds to law enforcement, national security and investigative. And, of course, the Ombudsman is included in the end,’ he explained.

Ejercito clarified, however, that the Senate might only be able to add a little more to the P51 million budget for the Ombudsman’s secret funds, and not restore the P147 million funding originally asked by the investigative body.

‘We cannot promise that the P147M requested by the Ombudsman will be restored… But we might add a little,’ the senator said.

In a separate interview, Remulla said that it will help the Ombudsman so much if its entire P147 million proposal will be granted.

Nevertheless, he said the agency will still be prepared for a different outcome.

The P51 million in confidential funds is only part of the P7.2 billion proposed budget of the Office of the Ombudsman for next year.

Here’s a compilation of INQUIRER.net’s reports highlighting the major developments of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.

Catch up on the key allegations, testimonies, revelations and arguments that have shaped the impeachment proceedings so far.

WEEK 8 (Aug. 24-26, 2026)The week’s most consequential testimony came on Day 18, August 25, when Office of the Vice President Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, designated as the second hostile witness in the trial, told the Senate impeachment court that Duterte knew about and had authorized all activities related to the use of confidential funds under her office’s disposal.

Also, the week’s proceedings highlighted the sub judice ruling issued by Presiding Officer Francis Escudero.

WEEK 7 (Aug. 17, 2026)

The impeachment court held one trial day during Week 7 as classes and work, both in government and some private offices were disrupted due to heavy monsoon rains.

Week 7 of the trial, however, was focused heavily on the testimony of Gina Acosta, the former OVP special disbursing officer who became the prosecution’s first hostile witness.

Acosta testified that she withdrew P125 million in confidential funds from LandBank and, following Duterte’s instruction, turned the money over to Col. Raymund Lachica, the vice president’s security chief. The testimony was highlighted by the prosecution as a key piece of evidence in its allegation of misuse of confidential funds or Article 1 of the Impeachment Articles.

ICYMI: Sara Duterte impeachment trial Week 7 highlights

Highlights: Day 16 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Aug. 17, 2026

WEEK 6 (Aug. 11, 12, 2026)

A second Coa witness completed testimony on Days 14 and 15 of the vice president’s trial, declaring that neither the OVP nor DepEd had a mandate for confidential operations, while courtroom clashes over misleading questions, social media posts, and defense delays dominated the week.

The impeachment trial resumed on August 11 after Monday’s cancellation due to heavy monsoon rains, with Coa Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office supervising auditor Xylene Mae del Campo returning to the witness stand for Days 14 and 15 to testify on the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds split between the OVP and DepEd.

WEEK 5 (Aug. 3, 4, 5, 2026)

Week five of Duterte’s trial highlighted by Supreme Court decision on August 5 dismissing as moot the consolidated petitions filed by Duterte and a group of lawyers led by Israelito Torreon that sought to nullify the House of Representatives’ impeachment proceedings.

The high court ruled that any decision on the validity of the House and its committee on justice actions would no longer affect the controversy now pending before the Senate impeachment court.

Week 4 (July 29, 2026)

The prosecution opened Article 1 of the Articles of Impeachment, which is centered on allegations of misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds from the OVP and DepEd.

Week 4 had only one scheduled trial as the Senate impeachment court adjusted its proceedings for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) and the opening of the Second Regular Session of the 20th Congress.

WEEK 3 (July 20, 21, 22, 2026)

During Week 3, the impeachment court granted the prosecution’s request to subpoena Duterte’s bank, tax, and Anti-Money Laundering Council records while the House prosecution panel concluded its presentation of evidence on Article IV involving alleged grave threats.

The week also saw the prosecution’s final witness testify that Duterte’s controversial remarks against President Marcos and other officials constitute an active assassination plot, while lawmakers rejected the OVP’s request for the Senate to shoulder the catering expenses of the defense team.

WEEK 2 (July 13, 14, 15, 2026)

The Senate impeachment trial of Duterte shifted focus during this week from witness testimony to a key legal battle over access to her financial records, as senator-judges heard oral arguments on whether to subpoena her bank accounts, tax returns, and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) documents in connection with Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which alleges unexplained wealth and undeclared assets.

The impeachment court deferred its ruling until July 20, saying it needed more time to study the legal issues raised by both the prosecution and the defense.

The Senate impeachment court completed the first week of Duterte’s trial, with proceedings focused on Article IV, which accuses her of making grave threats against Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Over the first three trial days, senator-judges settled procedural issues, heard opening statements from both sides, and began receiving evidence from the prosecution through its first witness, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Senior Agent John Mark Calilung.

The week also saw legal challenges outside the courtroom, including a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to halt the proceedings.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the judiciary needs to undergo ‘soul-searching’ and be ‘examined closely by everybody in government’ to address long-standing problems in the country’s justice system.

Remulla made the remarks during the Senate committee on finance hearing on Thursday on the proposed 2027 budget of the Office of the Ombudsman.

‘It’s just probably unfortunate that I have to mention this. Many of those that we have dismissed in the Office of the Ombudsman institutionally, in many cases, we’re talking about many, many cases, that were reversed by the Court of Appeals,’ he said.

‘That is a trend that’s known to the whole Office of the Ombudsman,’ Remulla said, adding that he had discussed the matter with Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.

‘I told him about this problem that we have because institutionally, it’s very discouraging to be conducting all of these activities only to be reversed by the Court of Appeals decision that came out of nowhere,’ he said.

He acknowledged that it was unusual for lawyers to criticize the courts but said the issue needed to be raised.

‘As a lawyer, it’s not really common for lawyers to complain about the courts. But sometimes we just have to raise that issue already because it can be the biggest elephant in the room, within our justice system,’ the Ombudsman said.

Remulla later told the media that his remarks were prompted by his experience as a lawyer and government official and ‘something that I have to do for the country.’

‘I think my experience as a lawyer and government official and advocate speak for itself, It something that everybody knows but somebody should say it,’ he added.

‘If there’s one thing that was never touched with all the EDSAs that happened to this country, [it] is the judiciary. Never has the judiciary accounted for everything that they’ve been doing,’ he added. ‘It’s actually a problem that has been there for the longest time, but it has to be said openly.

Meanwhile, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian urged stronger coordination between the Office of the Ombudsman and the judiciary to make the ‘wheels of justice’ move faster, more efficiently, and more fairly.

He warned that a slow and fragmented justice system undermines accountability, stressing that when cases take years to resolve, it is ultimately the Filipino people who bear the cost.

Gatchalian raised the issue after Remulla told senators that it takes an average of 15 years for the Sandiganbayan to resolve a case. Remulla also said the CA reverses many of the Ombudsman’s decisions.

‘I am not blaming them. I am just saying that the wheels of justice are broken. … They seem to be stuck,’ Gatchalian said.

He asked what steps the Ombudsman was taking with the judiciary to speed up the resolution of cases, stressing that the Ombudsman’s proactive efforts could be undermined if cases remain stuck in the judicial process.

In response, Remulla said the government could establish a coordinating mechanism involving the Ombudsman and the judiciary, similar to the Justice Sector Coordinating Council he worked with when he was Secretary of Justice.

Such coordination, he said, could help make the ‘wheels of justice’ move faster, noting that delays in resolving cases have long affected not only accountability but also business investments and economic progress.

Gatchalian reiterated his support for efforts to improve the efficiency of the justice system, emphasizing that delays in the accountability process ultimately hurt the public.

‘If our accountability mechanisms do not function, from the Ombudsman all the way to the judiciary, it is not necessarily the respondent or the accused who suffers. It is the people who suffer,’ Gatchalian said