Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Office of the Ombudsman is conducting lifestyle checks on more than 100 officials of ‘income generating’ government agencies including the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla disclosed this Tuesday during the House committee on appropriations deliberating its over P7 billion proposed budget.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno asked Remulla if the anti-graft body is conducting a lifestyle check.

‘We have 107 lifestyle checks being conducted as we speak, and we are adding more to the list because we have been actively pursuing information on the people in [Bureau of] Customs, in LTO, and other income-generating agencies of the government because this is where most of the lifestyle sins happen,’ Remulla said.

‘I’m very happy to hear that you have been conducting lifestyle checks,’ Diokno said in response.

Last year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. also ordered a lifestyle check on all government officials-starting with those in the Department of Public Works and Highways as part of a widening scrutiny of flood-control projects

Olongapo City government suspended classes at all levels on Tuesday afternoon amid inclement weather and persistent rains.

In a public advisory, Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. apologized for the delayed announcement, saying class suspensions were based on available information and that schools had earlier been encouraged to assess conditions in their respective localities.

Paulino said the city government decided to wait until the morning classes had ended before announcing the suspension of afternoon classes.

It reminded students not to rush home if heavy rains or flooding made travel unsafe.

‘Kahit kailan ay hindi po natin isinasantabi ang kaligtasan ng lahat,’ Paulino noted.

(We never set aside the safety of everyone)

Meanwhile, Gordon College in the city earlier announced that all classes from Tuesday through Thursday (Aug. 27) would be conducted through online synchronous classes due to inclement weather.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the southwest monsoon was affecting Luzon and forecast cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Central Luzon, including Zambales and Olongapo City.

In its 11 a.m advisory, PAGASA said Zambales could receive 50 to 100 millimeters of rain from Tuesday to Thursday noon. The province is also forecast to receive 100 to 200 mm of rain from Thursday noon to Friday noon, Aug. 28

The Joint Normalization Committee (JNC), a mechanism under the Bangsamoro peace process between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), has reorganized its composition as it vowed to regain momentum on its deliverables, which include the decommissioning of MILF fighters.

The committee reorganized its ranks on Monday, naming former OPAPRU Presidential Assistant David Diciano as GPH-JNC head and Bangsamoro Member of Parliament Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba as MILF-JNC head.

OPAPRU stands for the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity.

Diciano and Dumama-Alba will co-chair the JNC, a joint GPH-MILF peace mechanism tasked with ensuring the smooth implementation of the normalization track under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). The body serves as a mechanism for coordinating all components of the normalization process for decommissioned MILF combatants, their families, and communities.

The GPH-JNC members include OPAPRU Presidential Assistant Noel Baraceros and Ariel Hernandez, while the MILF-JNC members are Sheikh Bashir Tahir Abdulbayan and Mohd. Noory Bin Anshary.

Ma. Erlinda R. Vila heads the GPH-JNC Secretariat, while Aliuddin Haron heads the MILF JNC Secretariat.

OPAPRU announced these developments Tuesday afternoon in a social media post.

Diciano said the government has already allocated funds for the next two years to ensure significant progress in implementing the normalization program.

He expressed hopes the JNC’s reorganization will regain its momentum and build on what it has achieved over the years.

For her part, Dumama-Alba said that the work for peace is a continuous journey, emphasizing that the principles of continuity and jointness must remain at the core of the JNC’s interventions.

‘The credibility of the peace process depends not only on what we implement, but on how faithfully and jointly we implement what we have agreed upon,’ she stressed.

‘At this point in our journey, I believe that we need stronger coordination and deeper cooperation between the GPH and the MILF. We may sometimes have different perspectives institutionally, but we share a common responsibility,’ Dumama-Alba noted.

In July 2025, the MILF suspended the fourth and last phase of decommissioning for its combatants.

‘It is hereby resolved that the decommissioning of the remaining 14,000 MILF combatants and 2,450 weapons shall commence only upon the substantial compliance of the GPH in the other tracks of normalization, including the provision of a socio-economic package as agreed upon by the GPH and MILF Peace Implementing Panels to the 26,145 (earlier decommissioned) combatants,’ the MILF said in a resolution

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is now coordinating with schools to make adjustments to the upcoming nationwide Department of Education’s (DepEd) active shooter drill.

‘We understand the sentiments of some advocacy and medical groups that drills must not cause unnecessary fear or distress among learners and teachers,’ PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement on Tuesday.

‘Local police offices are coordinating with school division heads and regional directors to determine the adjustments needed for the drills to ensure that these exercises strengthen preparedness while protecting the welfare of learners and teachers,’ he noted.

Various DepEd divisions launched the drills following the June 22 shooting incident at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, where two students allegedly killed three schoolmates.

The department was set to mount a nationwide drill after the August 18 shooting incident at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City, where both a teenage gunman and his schoolmate died.

However, DepEd postponed the drill from August 25 to the first week of September, citing both concerns raised by psychologist groups and that face-to-face classes in several areas had been suspended due to inclement weather.

For their part, Nartatez said the PNP will continue to provide assistance and technical support to the DepEd, including the conduct of ‘non-traumatic approaches,’ once the nationwide drill proceeds.

‘The postponement would allow time to align the exercises with expert recommendations,’ the national police chief said.

‘All the safety measures that the PNP discussed and recommended to the DepEd are anchored on the welfare and interest of the learners. And this will be a continuing and an evolving process with the end goal of making all schools safe and conducive to learning,’ he added. /

The municipality of Camalig has opened its first community college, allowing 120 pioneer students to pursue higher education closer to home.

The Camalig Community College, located in Purok 4, Barangay Salugan, formally opened on Monday, (Aug. 24) with the students divided into three sections and enrolled in Construction Engineering.

The opening coincided with the inauguration of new school facilities led by Mayor Carlos Irwin ‘Caloy’ Baldo Jr. and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo ‘Pido’ Garbin Jr., along with representatives of Albay officials, members of the Sangguniang Bayan, barangay officials and other guests.

Among the facilities inaugurated was a three-story, 12-classroom building funded through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).

Garbin said the P65 million LGSF allocation and the efforts of the Camalig local government made the construction of the building possible.

‘Today in Camalig, what was once a dream, a promise turns into reality,’ Garbin said, adding ‘This (college) will be a big help to students and parents who dream of finishing their education and helping their families.’

‘That is our purpose here-to fulfill the dream of finishing college and earning a degree,’ the lawmaker said.

Baldo said the college was open to anyone who wished to enroll and pursue higher education.

The local government would also seek sponsors and educational assistance programs to help students meet their financial and other needs, he said.

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 heavy rainfall warning is on effect in Zambales and parts of Bataan on Tuesday afternoon, the state weather bureau said.

In an advisory issued at 2 p.m, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Zambales and the municipalities of Dinalupihan, Hermosa, and Morong in Bataan are under yellow rainfall warning, indicating 7.5 to 15 millimeters of rainfall is expected within the next three hours.

Meanwhile, light to moderate with occasional heavy rains may prevail over the following areas within the next three hours:

Cavite

Rizal (Rodriguez, San Mateo, Antipolo, Cainta)

Batangas (Nasugbu, Lian, Calatagan, Balayan, Tuy)

Nueva Ecija (Gabaldon, Zaragoza, San Antonio, Santa Rosa, General Tinio, Penaranda, San Leonardo, Jaen, San Isidro, Gapan, Cabiao, Laur, Palayan, Cabanatuan)

Quezon (General Nakar)

Laguna (Calamba, Cabuyao, Santa Rosa, Binan, San Pedro)

Similar conditions are being experienced over the following areas, which may persist within the next three hours.

Bataan (Abucay, Bagac, Balanga, Limay, Mariveles, Orani, Orion, Pilar, Samal)

Metro Manila (Valenzuela, Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas)

Pampanga (Angeles, Porac, Floridablanca, Lubao, Guagua, Santa Rita, Mabalacat)

Tarlac (Capas, Bamban, San Jose, Santa Ignacia, Camiling, San Clemente, Mayantoc)

Bulacan (Meycauayan, Obando, Marilao)

Pagasa said that the southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’ may affect parts of Luzon on Tuesday and is expected to continue to bring rains in the next few days

Niño Muhlach issued an apology after he fell asleep while driving his SUV in Rizal, causing the vehicle to crash into several establishments.

The actor’s vehicle rammed into three shops in Antipolo City, Rizal, injuring a customer at one of the establishments.

‘First and foremost, I want to clarify that I had not previously given any personal statement regarding the incident. The initial information released stating that the crash was caused by mechanical failure was based solely on the preliminary findings of the police investigation, not from my own words,’ Muhlach said in a statement released on his social media pages on Monday, Aug. 24.

‘I want to be completely clear and honest: the accident was entirely my fault,’ he admitted. ‘Due to an extremely demanding and exhausting schedule, I fell asleep behind the wheel.’

Muhlach said he drove himself as his driver was on a day off. Nonetheless, he stressed, ‘While fatigue overtook me, that is no excuse.’

Muhlach noted that he is taking full responsibility for the accident.

‘My priority right now is ensuring that the affected individual receives all necessary care, support, and medical assistance, and that all damages caused to the properties and establishments are fully compensated and rectified,’ he stated.

‘I am deeply sorry to the victim, their family, and everyone affected by my negligence. I am fully cooperating with authorities as this matter is being resolved,’ he concluded.

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.

Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon on Tuesday called on the Ombudsman to delve into whether Vice President Sara Duterte and officials of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) committed malversation in their use of confidential funds.

Ridon made the pronouncement during a press conference while the 17th day of Duterte’s impeachment trial – where the vice president’s alleged misuse of confidential funds is being tackled – was on break.

‘We call on the Ombudsman to look into whether there is actual malversation committed by Miss Acosta, Mr. Lachica, Vice President Sara Duterte in using the confidential funds,’ said Ridon.

‘I think it’s clear that these confidential funds were really misused,’ he added.

This came a day after OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta testified before the Senate impeachment court where she admitted that she handed the office’s confidential funds to former head of Duterte’s security Army Col. Raymund Dante Lachica – even if she knew that the latter was not a bonded officer.

Ridon, however, clarified that the ‘original sin’ was committed not by Acosta or Lachica, but by Duterte herself.

‘Because she herself was the one who ordered the transfer of the P125 million from Gina Acosta to Mr. Lachica,’ he said.

Safe houses

Meanwhile, Ridon in the same press conference also pointed out that to this day, the confidential funds used for the supposed renting of safehouses has not yet been explained before the impeachment court.

‘It is still not explained why the money spent on safe houses is so large… P16 million every quarter,’ said Ridon.

According to Ridon, the amount used by the OVP for the safe houses basically reflect prices in exclusive villages Forbes Park and Dasmariñas Village, as well as high-end condominiums in Bonifacio Global City or that in Makati.

‘I’m quite certain that those are not the same as the ones that were given and paid for by our security sector, which has confidential funds,’ he added.

He also noted that based on the documents authenticated by OVP assistant chief-of-staff Lemuel Ortonio on Tuesday’s hearing, it was clear that they were ‘manipulating’ the records pertaining to the OVP’s use of the confidential funds.

‘We can’t let that go. P16 million every quarter [on] different days,’ said Ridon.

‘You’d be a fool to believe the explanation that we can reach that price level because the days we’re talking about are different. So we’ll chase that until the very end,’ he added.