Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) police is boosting its operational capabilities through drone technology by training personnel to deploy unmanned aerial systems in law enforcement, disaster response, search and rescue, and other public safety missions across the region.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Mimaropa police said a three-day Drone Equipment Training and Familiarization forum officially opened on August 25 where participants will be given lectures and hands-on instructions on the use of DJI Matrice 4T drone and its associated systems, marking a significant step in the region’s modernization efforts.

‘The technology is especially critical for Mimaropa – a region composed of islands, coastal communities, and mountainous terrain where ground access can become extremely difficult during emergencies, police operations, or calamities,’ the regional police said.

‘Drones provide responders with a vital aerial perspective, enabling real-time situational awareness, disaster assessment, area monitoring, and faster search-and-rescue operations before personnel are deployed,’ the regional police force added.

Mimaropa police regional director Brigadier General Christopher R. Dela Cruz emphasized that technology must directly translate to better public service.

‘Every new capability should have a clear purpose: to make our operations more responsive, our personnel more capable, and our communities safer. I want our modernization efforts to be measured not by how much equipment we acquire, but by how much better we are able to serve the public because of that equipment,’ he said

A sequel to the hit romantic comedy ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’ is being developed at Paramount, more than two decades after the original film brought Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey as one of Hollywood’s memorable rom-com pairings.

Variety reported on Tuesday, Aug. 25, that Hudson is attached to produce the sequel through her production banner, with the studio hoping to reunite her with McConaughey as Andie Anderson and Benjamin ‘Ben’ Barry, respectively.

The outlet noted that the project remains in its early stages, and the two actors’ return has yet to be finalized. Paramount is also still looking for a writer to work out the story.

Directed by Donald Petrie, the 2003 film follows Andie, played by Hudson, a women’s magazine ‘How to’ writer who decides to date a man and deliberately drive him away within 10 days as a reference for one of her articles.

And that man is advertising executive, Ben (McConaughey), who’s also on a mission to make a woman fall in love with him in 10 days to prove that he can successfully lead a major diamond advertising campaign.

The movie was a commercial success, earning about $177.5 million worldwide against a reported $50 million budget. It opened with $23.8 million in North America and ultimately earned about $105.8 million domestically.

The pair reunited onscreen five years later for the 2008 romantic adventure comedy ‘Fool’s Gold,’ in which they played a divorced couple searching for a lost treasure. The film opened at No. 1 in North America and went on to gross more than $110 million worldwide.

Before ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,’ Hudson had her breakout role as Penny Lane in Cameron Crowe’s ‘Almost Famous’ (2000). Her performance earned her the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.

She went on to headline other popular comedies, including ‘Raising Helen,’ ‘Bride Wars’ and ‘Something Borrowed.’ More recently, she starred in the Netflix comedy series ‘Running Point,’ where she plays a reformed party girl unexpectedly placed in charge of her family’s professional basketball team. The series has since been renewed for a third season.

McConaughey, meanwhile, rose to fame after his breakout performance as David Wooderson in Richard Linklater’s ‘Dazed and Confused’ in 1993. He then starred in the 1996 legal drama ‘A Time to Kill,’ and the romantic comedies ‘The Wedding Planner’ and ‘Failure to Launch.’

He later shifted into more dramatic roles, appearing in ‘Dallas Buyers Club,’ which earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2014. After a five-year hiatus, he returned to the big screen in the 2025 crime thriller ‘The Rivals of Amziah King,’ where he plays a beekeeper and musician who reconnects with his former foster daughter.

NBA legend Derrick Rose kicked off his tour of Cebu with a private event held Tuesday night in this city.

Rose graced an appreciation dinner hosted by a licensed online sportsbook at Shangri-La Mactan before VIPs and reporters.

‘That’s why I retired, to be able to have these types of moments, being able to see people face-to-face, being intimate and to grow connections,’ Rose said.

It was Rose’s first trip down south after spending his last two visits as brand ambassador in Manila.

During the event, the 2011 NBA MVP got to pose for pictures with fans while a cultural performance was held in Rose’s honor.

The Chicago Bulls great even got to dance the tinikling to wrap up the event, before granting selfies and autographs to almost everyone who attended the gathering.

More fans will get a chance to see Rose in person on Wednesday when his tour concludes with a public event at SM Seaside Cebu.

Before the evening festivities, Rose was spotted touring the famed Mactan Shrine where some locals got a chance encounter with him.

‘It’s been nothing but love,’ Rose said. ‘I didn’t know if all the people were going to know me here. But I’m surprised with the way I’ve been accepted.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said on Tuesday that the planned acquisition of advanced fighter jets remains under consideration, but stressed that support systems must come first to ensure their combat effectiveness.

At a congressional budget briefing, Teodoro said the plan to purchase multirole fighters ‘is still there,’ underscoring that radar systems, air-to-air refueling capabilities, and hangar facilities must also be included in such an acquisition.

‘A multirole fighter… is heavily dependent on ground control and domain awareness. If not, it will be an unguided pilot-controlled aircraft and its use will be marginal,’ he told lawmakers.

‘It will be useless’ if the warplanes don’t come with air fuel tankers and secured hangars for maintenance, he added. ‘So, it comes as a force package.’

The Philippines is scouting for advanced combat jets to bolster its air force amid a sea dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea, parts of the South China Sea within Manila’s exclusive economic zone.

‘Knowing what we know, we have to have a lot of systems in place before any multirole fighter,’ he said, reiterating that at least 40 jets are needed to ensure a credible ‘force package.’

The defense secretary described earlier in the briefing that ‘modernizing the armed forces… is indeed a tough nut to crack,’ saying that auxiliary systems need to be in place before any big-ticket equipment acquisition.

‘The equipment we use is just the tip of the spear. But without the support systems for those pieces of hardware… everything will be just useless because they will be unsustainable,’ he said.

The Philippines’ defense modernization program is also ‘equipment heavy, but not support heavy,’ as he noted that necessary structures to house and maintain military hardware are underfunded.

Under the defense department’s proposed 2027 budget, capital outlays were allotted P32.671 billion, 86.37 percent less than P239.733 billion in requested

The Sangguniang Bayan of Paluan in Mindoro has officially declared the municipality under a state of calamity following weeks of heavy rains and widespread flooding brought by the southwest monsoon.

Under Resolution No. 2026-08-07, unanimously approved during a regular session on August 24, local officials passed the measure to mobilize emergency resources after prolonged weather disturbances from August 4 to 20 severely impacted local agricultural and fishing communities.

According to local government data cited in the resolution, the persistent rains affected 4,399 families or 19,062 individuals across the town.

The council detailed the extent of damage to key sectors: 1,541 fishing households suffered severe disruptions to their livelihoods, and 57 farmers (48 males and 9 females) were directly affected, with total crop losses-primarily rice-estimated at ?1,700,350.00.

The resolution, sponsored by Councilor Roche D. Bautista, was approved by Mayor Michael D. Diaz and Presiding Officer Vice Mayor Jasmin T. Fernandez.

With the declaration, the municipality can now tap into its local disaster response funds for relief operations. Copies of the resolution have also been forwarded to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to enable eligible public employees in Paluan to access calamity loan assistance programs

Ice Seguerra and Liza Diño have reminded concertgoers that buying a ticket does not give them the right to record and upload entire performances online.

The celebrity couple made the remarks in separate Facebook posts on Monday, Aug. 24, two days after the ‘Sessionistas: The Playlist’ concert, which featured Seguerra alongside Nyoy Volante, Kean Cipriano, Duncan Ramos, Sitti, Princess Velasco, and Juris.

Seguerra said that while he appreciates fans who record short highlights from their shows, particularly when they share their reactions, he also drew the line at uploading full performances.

‘When you buy a concert ticket, you’re buying the experience of watching the show. You are not buying the right to record the whole thing and upload it to your own YouTube page or social media pages,’ Seguerra said. ‘Hindi po dahil nakabili tayo ng ticket, atin na rin ang concert.’

Seguerra pointed out that concerts involve artists, musicians, composers, producers, publishers, crew members, and other people whose work is protected.

‘That work is protected, and reposting full songs or entire portions of a concert without permission is not simply ‘sharing.’ It is unauthorized distribution of someone else’s work,’ he explained.

The OPM singer appealed to those who had uploaded full performances from their shows to take them down.

‘Please don’t upload the concert itself,’ he said. ‘Support the music. Support the artists. Please don’t turn our work into content you never had the right to distribute.’

Diño echoed her husband’s sentiments, saying the practice has become ‘increasingly disturbing.’

‘When you upload full songs, entire segments, or worse, practically the whole concert, you are reproducing and distributing material that belongs to the artists, composers, publishers, producers, and rights holders who created and paid for that show,’ she said.

‘Ang hirap intindihin kung saan nanggagaling ‘yung entitlement na dahil nakabili ka ng ticket, pwede mo nang i-upload ang buong concert online,’ she added. ‘A ticket is not a license to pirate the show.’

The theater actress expressed that while they value fans’ reactions and other posts celebrating the concert, they might also take legal action against pages uploading full-length material.

‘We will be protecting the rights of our artists and our productions, and we will take the necessary steps against unauthorized uploads when needed,’ she said. ‘Support artists by sharing the experience. Please don’t steal the work.’

The ‘Sessionistas: The Playlist’ group is set to return for ‘Love, Sessionistas: The Repeat’ on Oct. 18.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday downplayed the testimonies of the 25 individuals who introduced themselves as former bodyguards of resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.

The men were cited in an affidavit of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Last week, Romualdez submitted a supplemental counter affidavit to answer the complaint against him by the Ombudsman for plunder, graft, indirect and direct bribery, and money laundering.

In this document, Romualdez mentioned the testimonies of 25 of Co’s aides.

He said some of the aides were identified by the 18 bodyguards who were with them when they made the alleged deliveries of suitcases containing cash to the former House speaker.

Several of the 25 security aides denied their involvement in the delivery, contrary to the previous claims.

Asked to react to these new testimonies, Remulla said in an interview at the House of Representatives: ‘I don’t think it affects us.’

‘They are trying to make their publicity to make people doubt we have a strong case,’ he said. ‘We have a strong case.’

Ombudsman investigators accused Romualdez and Co of alleged ‘concerted and coordinated acts’ in ‘unlawfully amassing, accumulating and acquiring ill-gotten wealth’ amounting to approximately P56 billion from 2022 to 2025.

Some of these funds were purportedly delivered by the bodyguards through suitcases.

Investigators based their evidence on the testimonies of some of the 18 bodyguards, four of which have recanted their allegations.

Remulla, however, said ‘we are not reliant on those witnesses recanting their testimonies.’

‘The case does not rise and fall with those guards or the people who brought the money. We still have other evidence. We can still prove that,’ he said. /

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) arrested one of its personnel for allegedly being involved in a P500,000 ‘slot-for-sale’ recruitment scam that promised entry into the bureau, the BFP said Tuesday.

The BFP, with the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), arrested the suspect during an entrapment operation after a series of meetings involving money exchanges between the victim and the suspect.

The suspect was caught after an initial meeting with the victim, during which he showed a BFP ID and claimed to have offered slots in other regions for a price, later demanding a P500,000 fee.

The victim initially agreed to give the suspect P300,000 as partial payment. This led to an entrapment operation in which CIDG and BFP operatives caught the suspect on site during the exchange of the remaining money.

The incident stemmed from the victim reporting that the suspect had contacted them through a fake Facebook account.

According to BFP officer-in-charge Fire Chief Superintendent Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu, the bureau condemns corruption in its ranks and remains dedicated to its strict and fair hiring processes.

‘We will ensure anyone who exploits our aspiring applicants will face the law. … We will hold our personnel accountable for their actions,’ he said.

The BFP reminded applicants that entry to the bureau is strictly based on merit and fitness, not on payment.

The bureau conducts its anti-extortion campaign covering recruitment, promotions and transfers through ‘Oplan Santindig’ to ensure integrity within its ranks and the application process.

The water level at Laguna de Bay declined slightly to 12.39 meters on Tuesday morning (Aug. 25), after reaching its critical high-water mark of 12.50 meters last week, the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) reported in an advisory.

The agency said the 12.39-meter reading was recorded at 10 a.m.

According to the LLDA, the lake reached its critical high-water level of 12.50 meters last week.’Since then, water levels have gradually receded following the cessation of intense rainfall associated with the recent tropical cyclone activity and the enhanced southwest monsoon,’ the agency said.

The LLDA considers 10.50 meters as the lake’s critical low-water level and 12.50 meters as its critical high-water level.

Despite the decline, the agency earlier warned of a continued high risk of algal blooms and possible fish kills in Laguna de Bay.

In its Aug. 21 advisory, the LLDA said prevailing cloudy conditions and the lake’s elevated water level were generally less favorable for immediate algal growth, which typically thrives in warm, sunny and stagnant conditions.

However, the agency warned that changes in weather and water conditions could trigger or intensify algal blooms.

The LLDA explained that warmer water can accelerate algal growth, while intermittent winds and rainfall can stir up nutrient-rich sediments from the lake bottom to the surface, providing additional nutrients that support algal proliferation.

Algal blooms can become harmful when the algae die and decompose, consuming dissolved oxygen in the water. Dissolved oxygen levels below 5 milligrams per liter can already stress fish, while further depletion may lead to fish kills.

‘This sequence of environmental events creates a direct mechanism leading to potential fish mortality,’ the LLDA said.

The agency urged aquaculture operators to closely monitor fish behavior, particularly during early morning hours when dissolved oxygen levels are naturally at their lowest.

Fish swimming near the surface or gasping for air may indicate low dissolved oxygen levels. When such signs are observed, operators are advised to immediately activate mechanical aerators or paddle wheels to improve water circulation and oxygenation.

The LLDA also recommended early harvesting if severe distress persists and the fish have already reached marketable size, to prevent mass mortality or fishkill episodes and minimize financial losses.

The agency also warned the public against buying or consuming fish found floating in Laguna de Bay, as decomposing fish may expose consumers to harmful bacteria.

Laguna de Bay serves as a natural catch basin for watersheds in Laguna and Rizal provinces and parts of Metro Manila. Rising lake levels therefore pose a potential flooding threat to low-lying lakeshore communities.

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union- La Union Governor Mario Eduardo C. Ortega assumed the chairmanship of the Regional Peace and Order Council in Ilocos Region, taking his oath of office on Monday at the provincial Capitol.

Ortega took his oath before Jonathan Paul M. Leusen Jr., regional director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

With his designation, Ortega will spearhead and strengthen collaborative efforts among government agencies, local government units, and other stakeholders in implementing programs and initiatives aimed at promoting peace and order, public safety, preventing crimes, and addressing security concerns across the Ilocos Region.

‘It is an honor to be appointed to this position. It is not only an honor for me but also for the province because this recognizes our capability. But this is not an easy task because we are looking after the safety not only of our province but of the entire region and the country, especially with what is happening in the West Philippine Sea,’ he said.