Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Department of Energy (DOE) is looking to sell remaining government-procured liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stocks to local retailers, with no plans yet to order additional supply despite renewed attacks in the Middle East.

DOE Secretary Sharon Garin said the agency would unload the remaining LPG supply acquired by the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC).

LPG is the region’s top clean cooking fuel. In the Philippines, about 80 percent of the consumption is attributed to households.

To recall, the state-run group received about 21,000 metric tons of LPG from the United States in May after placing the order in April, about a month after the bombing attacks in the oil-producing region had begun, affecting energy trade.

‘Because while we have it, we have to pay for storage. I mean, the rent of the space to store it. So, the longer we keep it, the more expensive the storage,’ Garin told reporters last week.

Garin said the government may sell them for P60 per kilogram. In July, PNOC began releasing LPG inventory priced at P68.72 per kilogram.

Garin said there’s no need to place a fresh order. ‘We have really enough,’ she said.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon on Wednesday said various master plans for flood mitigation structures across the country are not yet complete, citing climate change concerns and a lack of plans in some areas.

Dizon shared this update during the House Committee on Appropriations’ briefing on his agency’s proposed 2027 budget.

‘Hindi pa po kompleto ang ating master plans nationwide,’ Dizon said, noting that many river basin master plans across the country are either outdated already or not yet finished.

(Our master plans nationwide are not yet complete.)

He said that the agency can’t just utilize old master plans or studies from several years ago, as he pointed out the effects of climate change.

‘Alam naman po natin given what we have seen with climate change, the updating of master plan is critical because they have a direct impact on the engineering design of the infrastructures that need to be built,’ Dizon added.

(We know that given what we have seen with climate change, the updating of the master plan is critical because they have a direct impact on the engineering design of the infrastructures that need to be built.)

He also shared that there is no master plan for the National Capital Region yet, except in some areas such as Quezon City, Pasig City, Marikina City, and Manila City. He noted that many master plans being formed are being patterned with Quezon City’s drainage master plan.

He then emphasized the importance of coordination among the agencies and regional, provincial, and local authorities to ensure that projects worth millions or billions of pesos are properly accounted for.

‘Kaya pumapasok yung requirement yung regional development councils, provincial development council, local development council or at the very least, certificate of no objection from the LGUs [local government units] para coordinate ang mga proyekto ng DPWH sa ating regional, provincial, local authorities,’ he said.

(This is why the requirement of regional development councils, provincial development council, local development council, or at the very least, a certificate of no objection from the LGUs [local government units] comes into the picture to coordinate the projects of DPWH with our regional, provincial, local authorities.)

No national plan for flood mitigation

In the same hearing, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno asked Dizon if the agency still has no national master plan for flood mitigation. Dizon answered in the affirmative, citing the agency’s strategy.

Dizon noted that while it has no national flood control master plan, it has master plans per river basin and urban center.

‘Apparently when I asked the same question, ito raw yung recommendation ng ating foreign partners to do it per major river basin and also on per urban center basis especially for drainage master plan,’ Dizon answered.

(Apparently, when I asked the same question, this was the recommendation of our foreign partners to do it per major river basin and also on a per urban center basis, especially for a drainage master plan.)

Diokno also asked Dizon if the executive department is abandoning the idea of coming up with a national flood control master plan. While Dizon said that he thinks the plan is not being neglected, he noted that there are general principles applicable nationwide that are ‘standard to all the other river basin master plans.’

He said that such general principles include focusing on retarding basins rather than simply putting up dikes, focusing on needs-based approaches, and focusing on upstream intervention rather than downstream interventions.

The secretary also shared that of all the 18 major river basin master plans across the country, 14 are being updated. He said that the agency asked its consultants to complete the updates by the first half of 2027.

The agency noted that of the 18 master plans of major river basins, seven are located in Luzon, three in the Visayas, and eight in Mindanao. It underscored that the Japan International Cooperation Agency said master plans must be updated within five years, while the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development advised updating them within three years due to the effects of climate change.

Dizon then expressed support for the proposed Master Plan on Infrastructure and National Development Act.

When Japeth Aguilar officially retired from national duties in the first window of the 2027 Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers, June Mar Fajardo was the obvious next in line to assume the role of Gilas Pilipinas’ veteran voice.

Now that Fajardo has made it known that his stint with the national team is running on borrowed time, there is a need for a new leader to step up for the squad.

That’s where Chris Newsome comes in.

‘All I can do is really just share my leadership, the knowledge that I have and pass that down so that way, they can continue to carry the torch like the guys that came before us did for us,’ the Meralco star in the PBA said.

‘I think everybody on this team has their sacrifices and things that they have given up just so they can be in this position. Something that we always talk about is never taking this opportunity for granted.’

The 36-year-old Newsome isn’t the only veteran on the Gilas roster, nor is he the only longtime member of the national pool. PBA stars like Scottie Thompson, CJ Perez and Troy Rosario have received their share of callups and can definitely be the kind of locker room presence that glues a team together.

But Newsome has played the leader role the longest.

‘Me being one of the older guys here, I definitely don’t take this for granted,’ said Newsome, who is averaging just 2.7 points, 1.8 assists and 1.2 rebounds in six games in the qualifiers. But the more interesting stat is he hasn’t missed a single window yet.

And his presence allows young guards like RJ Abarrientos and Juan Gomez de Liaño to soak up some of the things he has learned as a National.

‘I try to pass down all that knowledge that I’ve had throughout my experiences here on Gilas to these younger guys that are coming up. They’re definitely receptive to it,’ Newsome said.

Grief continues to grip Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) a week after the Aug. 18 fatal shooting inside its Tumaga campus that claimed the lives of two high school students, including the shooter.

‘A week has passed, but grief does not follow a timetable. Some may be ready to return to familiar routines; others will need more time, more support. So let us continue to be patient with one another, especially gentle with those who are carrying the deepest grief,’ AdZU president Fr. Guillrey Anthony Andal said in a statement on Monday.

The university continued its ‘accompaniment activities’ following the deadly shooting, allowing junior high school students to retrieve their belongings from the Tumaga campus in Zamboanga City on Monday.

The AdZU community also gathered for a candle-lighting and prayer service at its Salvador campus, led by student leaders from El Consejo Atenista. Faculty and staff held a Kumustahan Session, with similar activities planned for college students in the coming days.

‘As we continue to understand what happened, we must also be clear: violence has no place in our society,’ Andal said, underscoring that preventing violence is a shared responsibility of families, schools, government, religious institutions, media and the wider community.

Appeal to public

The Jesuit-run university reiterated its appeal to the public and media organizations to exercise prudence in sharing images, recordings and information related to the incident.

‘Inaccurate information and unnecessary circulation of materials, including those AI (artificial intelligence)-generated involving minors, can cause further harm to families already carrying great pain,’ Andal warned.

Andal declined to comment on the shooting incident pending the final police investigation, which the university was awaiting on Monday.

On Aug. 20, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said after visiting the AdZU Tumaga campus that the final police report on the shooting was expected by Aug. 24.

‘We had hoped to receive it [on Monday], but until it is formally provided to us, we will refrain from commenting on findings that have not yet been officially communicated,’ Andal said.

He stressed that the university continues to fully cooperate with authorities and will share verified information once it becomes available.

Andal said the university had updated Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Olaso on its cooperation with police and its ongoing efforts to strengthen campus security and provide psychological support to affected students and families.

The mayor expressed support for the initiatives.

AdZU has begun implementing enhanced security protocols at the Tumaga campus, including the procurement of additional walk-through metal detectors and X-ray machines. Improvements to perimeter security, CCTV coverage and live monitoring are also being pursued.

A 31-year-old man tagged by authorities as a high-value individual (HVI) in the illegal drug trade was arrested in a joint buy-bust operation in Barangay Sto. Niño here on Monday (Aug. 24).

The suspect was arrested after an undercover policeman purchased a heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing a white crystalline substance believed to be shabu (crystal meth) .

A subsequent search yielded three more sachets containing suspected shabu, bringing the total estimated weight of the seized substance to about 2 grams, with an estimated street value of P13,600.

Authorities also recovered the P1,000 buy-bust money used in the operation.

The drug evidence was turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Office in MIMAROPA for laboratory examination.

The suspect remains in police custody and is expected to face charges for alleged violations of Sections 5 (sale of dangerous drugs) and 11 (possession of dangerous drugs), Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The operation was conducted by personnel of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit-Drug Enforcement Group (RDEU-DEG), led by PLt. Col. Francis Aldrich D. Garcia, chief of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit, in coordination with the Calapan City Police Station

Prosecutors have recommended the filing of criminal charges against a police officer in Tacloban City, the aunt of the 14-year-old boy who, along with another student, is accused of opening fire at a school in the city in June.

Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Polo Martinez on Tuesday confirmed that the Office of the City Prosecutor of Tacloban City is keen to pursue complaints for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and physical injuries against Police Staff Sergeant Arla Ray Paciencia in connection with the school shooting on June 22.

The recommendation for the charge, which is a bailable offense, was issued on Aug. 20. The complaint will be filed before the family court of the Tacloban City Regional Trial Court, said Martinez.

‘The recommendation follows the preliminary investigation conducted on the complaint filed by parents and students of San Jose National High School, in connection with the shooting incident involving a child in conflict with the law,’ Martinez said in a statement to reporters.

Paciencia, a native of Tacloban City, is identified as the aunt who owned the government-issued 9mm Glock 17 firearm that alias ‘Nash,’ a Grade 9 student, used in the shooting that left three people dead and at least 20 others injured.

The police officer, who has since been relieved from duty, said last month in a Senate inquiry into the incident that Nash broke into her home and stole her gun, which was supposedly stored in a ‘plastic locker.’

A Grade 10 student with the alias ‘Rod’ is accused of being the other shooter. Rod allegedly used a .38-caliber revolver registered to a Cebu-based security agency.

Not strong enough

Following another school shooting, this time in Zamboanga City, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla is pushing for tougher gun laws by making illegal possession of loose firearms a nonbailable offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

In a statement on Tuesday, Remulla said the current law is not a strong enough deterrent because suspects caught with loose firearms can still post bail while their cases are being heard.

Remulla last week urged Congress to ‘repeal [the law] and make [possession of] loose firearms a nonbailable charge again,’ stressing that tougher penalties could help address a wider range of crimes involving firearms.

At the same time, Remulla called on licensed gun owners to exercise greater responsibility in securing their weapons, noting that the firearm used by the Ateneo de Zamboanga shooter was government-issued and belonged to the suspect’s father, a Bureau of Customs employee.

Planted firearms

However, human rights group Karapatan criticized last week the DILG chief’s proposal to make illegal possession of firearms a nonbailable offense, warning that it could be used to prolong the detention of activists and other dissenters.

‘Many activists and other political opponents targeted for persecution have been slapped with trumped-up cases of illegal possession of firearms and explosives based on evidence planted by the arresting teams,’ said Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay.

Palabay said that as of February 2025, at least 228 of the 697 political prisoners at the time were facing allegedly fabricated charges involving illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

‘Why should the answer to failures of law enforcement be more power to detain? The DILG proposal is especially concerning given the routine planting of firearms and explosives to build cases to indefinitely jail activists,’ Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim told the Inquirer.

‘The DILG chief should be reminded that the Zamboanga shooting did not involve ‘loose firearms’ but were reportedly owned by the student’s father, a customs officer,’ she added.

According to Republic Act No. 10591, known as the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, unlawfully possessing or acquiring one small arm is punishable by prision mayor.

Under the Philippines’ Revised Penal Code, prision mayor carries a prison sentence of 6 years and 1 day to 12 years for serious offenses.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has issued a local red tide advisory for the coastal waters of Leyte, Leyte, after shellfish samples collected from the area tested positive for paralytic shellfish toxin, prompting authorities to warn the public against gathering, selling, or eating shellfish from the affected waters.

In an advisory issued Tuesday, Aug. 25, BFAR said the samples tested positive for paralytic shellfish toxin, specifically saxitoxin.

The agency said it issued the advisory as a precaution while awaiting confirmatory test results from the BFAR National Fisheries Laboratory Division.

The warning covers all types of shellfish and Acetes species, locally known as alamang, gathered from the affected coastal waters.

BFAR said the precautionary measure is intended to protect public health and minimize the impact of the red tide episode on the local shellfish industry.

The agency also reminded the public that two other areas in Eastern Visayas remain under a shellfish ban because samples previously collected from their waters tested positive for red tide toxins.

These areas are Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar, covering the coastal waters of General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani and Salcedo, and the coastal waters of Biliran Island.

All shellfish and Acetes or alamang harvested from these areas are considered unsafe for human consumption while the shellfish bans remain in effect.

BFAR clarified, however, that fish, squid, shrimp, and crabs from affected waters may still be consumed provided they are fresh and properly prepared. It said that internal organs, including the intestines and gills, should be removed and the seafood thoroughly washed before cooking.

Red tide refers to the proliferation or accumulation of certain algae that can produce toxins harmful to humans and marine organisms.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning can occur when people eat shellfish that have accumulated these toxins. Cooking does not reliably eliminate the toxins, making compliance with shellfish bans important.

BFAR advised consumers to buy shellfish only from safe and approved sources and to avoid harvesting shellfish from areas covered by red tide advisories or shellfish bans.

The agency said it will issue further updates once confirmatory laboratory results for the Leyte, Leyte samples become available

The Department of Finance (DOF) and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) welcomed Moody’s Ratings’ decision to affirm the Philippines’ investment-grade ‘Baa2’ rating with a stable outlook, saying the assessment reflects the country’s steady credit standing despite economic headwinds.

In a statement, Finance Secretary Frederick Go said the affirmation shows the resilience of the Philippine economy amid the global energy shock and slowdown in public infrastructure spending.

‘We welcome the stable outlook credit-rating affirmation, even as the world deals with real headwinds. Moody’s assessment confirms our strong macroeconomic fundamentals, and that the reforms we’ve put in place are working.’ Go said.

Moody’s is now the only one of the three major credit rating agencies to maintain a stable outlook on the Philippines.

In April, Fitch Ratings revised its outlook to negative from stable, while SandP Global Ratings lowered its outlook to stable from positive.

Separately, the BSP said the latest development recognized the country’s ability to withstand headwinds.

‘On the part of the BSP, we will continue working to bring inflation back close to target, safeguard the soundness of the country’s banking system, promote a safe and efficient payments and settlements system, and prudently manage the country’s international reserves,’ the central bank said.

‘These efforts help preserve macroeconomic and financial stability, which supports sustainable and inclusive growth,’ it added.

Moody’s affirmed the Philippines’ Baa2 rating on Monday, leaving it two notches below the coveted A-level rating. The Philippines first attained a Baa2 rating in December 2014.

Despite affirming the rating, Moody’s has still become more cautious about the Philippines’ near-term economic and fiscal outlook.

The credit rater cut its 2026 growth forecast for the Philippines to 3.6 percent from its previous 5.5-percent projection, while trimming its 2027 forecast to 5.3 percent from 5.6 percent. Both forecasts, however, remain within the Marcos administration’s targets of 3.5 to 4.5 percent for 2026 and 5 to 6 percent for 2027.

Moody’s also raised its forecast for the country’s current account deficit in 2026 to around 4 percent of GDP from 3.4 percent previously.

Its projection for the general government debt burden was likewise raised to around 58 percent of GDP in 2026 from 54 percent previously, while interest payments are now expected to absorb more than 14 percent of government revenue over the next two to three years, up from its previous estimate of 12.3 percent.

Still, Moody’s kept its general government deficit forecast unchanged at around 3.9 percent of GDP for 2026.

‘The stable outlook reflects our expectation that the government’s fiscal consolidation path and debt stabilization remain broadly on track despite the current cyclical slowdown. This view is supported by the government’s track record of navigating successive external shocks while maintaining broadly prudent macroeconomic policies,’ Moody’s said.

These expectations are balanced against risks that weaker confidence, political developments ahead of the 2028 elections, or delays to planned revenue measures weigh on investment, growth and fiscal consolidation,’ it added

That is the question asked us often when it comes to personal finance. Whether it is a stock, real estate, cryptocurrency, mutual fund, unit investment trust fund (UITF), single pay variable unit-linked insurance, gold or even Pag-ibig MP2, many Filipinos are constantly searching for the investment that delivers the highest return.

Many times, however, this is the road to financial perdition.

Behavioral economics, a field that studies how emotions and psychological biases affect financial decisions, teaches us that people are not always rational investors. We are influenced by stories, headlines, social media and what everyone around us is doing.

One of the most dangerous behavioral traps is recency bias or the tendency to place too much importance on recent events while ignoring long-term realities. Investors assume that what performed well recently will continue performing well in the future. This explains why instead of buying low and selling high, uninformed investors buy high and sell low, thus being blinded by the fact that when prices are hot, such prices are most likely close to their peak levels.

Behavioral economists also describe another phenomenon known as herd mentality, which can also be loosely called heard mentality. Instead of making independent decisions, people simply follow the crowd. If relatives, friends, office mates, influencers or online groups are making money from a particular investment, many assume it must be a good idea.

These tendencies are not unique to Filipinos. They are present worldwide.

Research in behavioral finance consistently shows that investors who frequently jump from one hot investment to another often earn lower returns. Consider what happened during various investment booms.

During the global technology stock boom, many investors bought internet-related stocks only after hearing success stories from others. During property booms, buyers convinced themselves that real estate prices could only go up. More recently, countless investors entered cryptocurrencies after reading about overnight millionaires. But in many cases, early participants profited handsomely while latecomers suffered losses.

That is why sellers of financial products often include in their marketing collaterals the warning that past performance is not a guarantee of future return. A basketball player who scored 40 points last night is not guaranteed to score 40 points tomorrow. Similarly, a mutual fund, stock or cryptocurrency that gained 50 percent last year is not guaranteed to gain another 50 percent this year.

Even the ranking of best performing Philippine-equity invested mutual funds and UITFs that the Personal Finance Advisers Philippines Corporation tracks changes year to year.

Markets move in cycles. Economic conditions change. Interest rates rise and fall. Government policies evolve. What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow.

Another behavioral bias called overconfidence makes matters worse. After a few successful investments, people begin believing they can consistently identify the next winner. They become convinced they possess special insight. As a result, they concentrate their money in a handful of investments instead of diversifying.

Yet research shows that overconfidence is one of the most common behavioral biases among investors and often contributes to poor decision-making. Many times, the overconfidence morphs into greed.

As a greater number of Filipinos begin investing, it becomes even more important to avoid behavioral mistakes that have hurt investors in other countries for decades.

Unfortunately, successful investing is usually boring. Most financially successful investors did not become wealthy by constantly chasing the year’s best-performing asset. Instead, they focused on proven principles: regular investing, diversification, patience, discipline and alignment with long-term goals.

The objective of investing is not to own the investment that generated the highest return last year but to achieve your financial goals. If your goal is retirement, your strategy should support retirement. If your goal is funding a child’s education, your investments should support that objective. If your goal is financial independence, your portfolio should be designed to get you there.

The better question is not ‘which earned the highest return?’ but ‘which gives me the highest probability of reaching my goals?’

So, the next time someone tells you about an investment that has doubled or tripled in value, resist the urge to immediately jump in. Pause. Ask whether the investment fits your goals, risk tolerance and financial plan. Because in investing, the people who win are rarely those who chase returns. They are the ones who stay focused on their destination. INQ

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora led the distribution on Monday of version 2 of the Makabagong San Juan customized rubber shoes and physical education uniforms to 13,000 kindergarten-to-grade-12 public school students at the Makabagong San Juan Theater.

According to a statement from his office, the distribution was part of the city’s comprehensive educational assistance to support San Juan students, aimed at reducing the financial burden on their families while ensuring that they have the resources they need to focus on their studies.

Zamora was joined by his son, Special Assistant to the Mayor Rocco Zamora; Vice Mayor Angelo Agcaoili; and city councilors.

Mayor Francis Zamora ties a student’s shoe. -Photo from his office.

The new rubber shoes and PE uniforms replaced those previously provided by the city to continuing K-12 students, while newly enrolled students also received their own sets.

Beyond school necessities, the city government also provides financial incentives to honor students and graduating students moving up from Grades 6, 10, and 12.

Another student receives a pair of new shoes from San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora. -Photo from Zamora’s office

Students who distinguished themselves by winning regional, national, and international academic and sports competitions also received financial incentives in recognition of their achievements. All families of public school students are also provided financial assistance for educational expenses.

Public school teachers also received their own laptops and financial incentives.

The Makabagong San Juan Theater fills up with students who received new rubber shoes and PE uniforms from Mayor Francis Zamora. -Photo from Zamora’s office

Zamora has consistently identified education as one of his administration’s foremost governance priorities.

The results of the city’s sustained investments in education were already evident. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), released in 2025, San Juan registered a functional literacy rate of 95 percent, ranking No. 1 among all highly urbanized cities in the Philippines