Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. asked urged country’s inventors and innovators to work with the government in addressing food insecurity, flooding, energy shortages, and other challenges facing the country.

In his speech at the 2026 Presidential Filipinnovation Awards National Competition Awarding Ceremony on Thursday, Marcos said his administration would continue to support them in turning their ideas and inspirations into usable breakthroughs.

‘To every innovator across the country: I know that you have come a long way to reach this point. I also know that there is still much to do to turn your ideas into solutions that can improve the lives of our people, our communities, and our nation,’ he said in his speech at the Crowne Plaza Galleria in Quezon City.

‘I call on each of you to work with the government in addressing modern challenges-from food insecurity, flooding, soil erosion and energy shortages,’ the President added.

Marcos also expressed his commitment to creating an environment where more inventors and innovators can pursue their ideas.

‘This administration appreciates your efforts in helping building a safer, more comfortable, and more sustainable life for every Filipino,’ he said.

Citing a famous quote from Thomas Edison, the President commended the inventors and innovators for their curiosity and discipline in creating and pursuing new ideas, as well as their determination to make a difference in the lives of others.

‘After all, whenever I read phrases like that, I am reminded of Thomas Edison’s answer when he was asked to define his genius. And his answer was rather simple and he said, ‘my genius consist of one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration’,’ he said.

‘So, that sticktoitiveness, that persistence, that commitment to it is a critical part of everything that we have achieved here,’ Marcos said.

The five winners out of 16 finalists of this year’s Presidential Filipinnovation Awards National Competition are as follows:

– Compact Easy to Operate and Economical Biodiesel Reactor for Benteng Diesel, Capistrano Research and Development on Biotechnology

– Philippine Native Chicken helping Industry through Scientific Innovations, Golden Sprout Corporation

– Saltric Marissa Turbine: Turning Rivers into 24/7 Power for Off-Grid Filipino Communities, PDG Engineering Services

– Gasification Process for Waste Disposal: Advance Waste Solution, Vic Metal Fabrication and Environmental Services, Inc.

– OstreaVent2 A Prototype Ventilator for Mechanically Ventilated Adult Patients, Breath of Life Foundation, Inc.

The awardees received P3.5 million worth of cash grants and post-competition support which includes training and mentoring, participation in local and international platforms, and opportunities to connect with potential investors, clients, and business partners.

Tropical Storm Pilandok (international name: Krovanh) exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) early Thursday morning and is not expected to directly affect the country, according to the state weather bureau.

In the 5 a.m. weather forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), weather specialist Leanne Loreto said that Pilandok exited the PAR as of 4:30 a.m.

It was last estimated 1,030 kilometers east-northeast of Extreme Northern Luzon as of 4 a.m. It maintained its strength as it was still carrying a maximum wind speed of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

‘Less likely na papasok ito sa PAR ulit at hindi na rin makakaapekto sa panahon,’ Loreto said.

(It is less likely to re-enter the PAR and this will not affect the weather conditions.)

Meanwhile, Loreto said that the southwest monsoon or habagat will continue to prevail in parts of Luzon on Thursday.

She noted that habagat will bring significant rainfall (50 to 100 millimeters) over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro on Thursday.

She added that Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of Central Luzon, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Laguna, and Oriental Mindoro will experience scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms due to habagat.

On the other hand, Visayas and Mindanao will see hot and humid weather conditions with low chances of rainshowers.

Gale warning was also raised in Batanes and Western Babuyan Islands.

Face-to-face classes from preschool to Grade 12 in Baguio City and Benguet province have been suspended on Thursday, as heavy rains and strong wind pound their communities.

Acting Baguio City Mayor Faustino Olowan announced the suspension in anticipation of poor weather conditions that have affected the mountain city for weeks.

Olowan said authorities would issue further announcements on early Thursday morning depending on the prevailing weather and local conditions.

In Benguet, Governor Melchor Diclas ordered the suspension of face-to-face classes from preschool to senior high school, including classes for Alternative Learning System (ALS) enrollees, in both public and private schools across the province through Executive Order No. 2026-68.

Schools were encouraged to implement appropriate learning continuity measures to make up for the disruption.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) placed Baguio City and Benguet under a yellow rainfall warning until the afternoon of Sept. 3.

No ticket holder won the jackpots in the Super Lotto 6/49 and Lotto 6/42 draws Thursday, Sept. 3, according to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

The Super Lotto 6/49 winning combination was 15-45-13-18-08-02 for a jackpot of ?25.24 million. No ticket matched all six numbers.

The Lotto 6/42 winning combination was 13-14-39-30-28-32 for a jackpot of ?25.01 million. The jackpot also had no winner.

Minor games

PCSO also released the results of the day’s other lotto draws:

6D Lotto: 4-3-7-4-3-2 – ?1.78 million – no winner

3D Lotto 2 p.m.: 2-2-4 – ?4,500 – 459 winners

3D Lotto 5 p.m.: 6-2-2 – ?4,500 – 172 winners

3D Lotto 9 p.m.: 1-0-6 – ?4,500 – 600 winners

2D Lotto 2 p.m.: 12-16 – ?4,000 – 195 winners

2D Lotto 5 p.m.: 15-22 – ?4,000 – 142 winners

2D Lotto 9 p.m.: 05-21 – ?4,000 – 337 winners

Draw schedule

Super Lotto 6/49 draws are held every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, while Lotto 6/42 draws take place every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The campus of National University – Mall of Asia (NU-MOA) in Pasay City was cleared of explosives following a report of an alleged bomb threat, the university said on Thursday.

According to the NU-MOA, the Philippine National Police unit of MOA Sub-station, Pasay Investigation Division, and Pasay Bureau of Fire Protection conducted clearing operations inside the campus on Thursday.

‘We are pleased to inform everyone that, following a thorough security inspection, the campus has been cleared of explosives and any hazardous materials,’ the NU-MOA said in a Facebook post.

‘We thank our law enforcement and emergency response teams for their prompt action and continued commitment to ensuring the safety of our campus community,’ it added.

In an earlier report on Thursday morning, the National Capital Region Police Office said that police authorities received a report of the alleged bomb threat in the NU campus.

It noted that a personnel of the university’s Safety Office received information regarding the alleged bomb threat and eventually relayed it to the customer relations representative (CSR) of MAAX Building in MOA.

The CSR then reported it to Sub-Station 10.

The school announced that its morning classes on Thursday shifted to online classes while in-person classes and examinations were expected to resume at 1 p.m. /

Air quality in Iloilo City remained a health concern early Thursday as fine particulate pollution reached a level classified as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ amid haze affecting parts of the Philippines.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) Region 6 said its Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station at the Garden of Love in Barangay Nabitasan, La Paz district, recorded a PM2.5 rolling 24-hour Air Quality Index (AQI) average of 150 as of 5 a.m.

The reading falls under the ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ category, prompting the agency to advise children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with existing respiratory or heart conditions to limit prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities.

Sensitive individuals were also advised to reduce their exposure to outdoor air whenever possible.

PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers or smaller. Because of their extremely small size, these particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs and pose greater health risks, particularly to people with underlying medical conditions.

DENR-EMB Region 6 has been closely monitoring air quality in the Metro Iloilo airshed as haze continues to affect several areas of the country.

The agency said the haze may be associated with smoke and transboundary haze from ongoing wildfires in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

The results from other ambient air monitoring stations will be released once available.

DENR-EMB Region 6 said monitoring across the Metro Iloilo airshed would continue while haze conditions persist, with updated readings to be posted through its official channels for public guidance.

The latest reading underscores continued concern over air quality in Iloilo after authorities stepped up monitoring this week amid reports of haze affecting Western Visayas and other parts of the country.

The San Jose Water District in Dinagat Islands has suspended its entire water supply operation after a large fire swept through a watershed area and reached facilities serving communities in three towns.

The shutdown came as the province recorded a dangerous heat index of 45 degrees Celsius at noon on Thursday, raising concerns over residents’ access to water amid extreme heat.

The water district said the fire began around 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, in Sitio Palo Doce, Barangay Doña Helen in Basilisa town. It spread rapidly by 3 p.m. the following day.

The blaze eventually reached the pumping station in Sitio Manoligao, Barangay Del Pilar in Cagdianao, and moved toward the upper portion of the watershed in Barangay Cuarinta, San Jose.

The fire remained active in parts of the watershed as of Thursday, said the water district.

Clearing operations, a rapid damage assessment, and needs analysis were underway to determine the condition of the water facilities and the extent of the damage.

‘Water supply operations will resume once the status of our facilities is declared safe and secure,’ the water district management said in an advisory.

Repair and restoration work will begin immediately after the assessment, it added.

The shutdown comes as residents contend with dangerous heat.

At noon Thursday, the air temperature reached 34°C, with a dew point of 27°C, producing a heat index of 45°C-classified as ‘danger.’

Under such conditions, prolonged exposure or physical activity may cause heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke.

Residents were advised to drink plenty of water, avoid unnecessary outdoor activities, wear light-colored clothing, use umbrellas, and limit strenuous activities during midday and afternoon. They were also advised to avoid alcoholic drinks.

The water district appealed for patience and cooperation, acknowledging that the shutdown would worsen the existing water shortage

Our priority is public safety and the restoration of water supply service at the earliest possible time,’ it said.

Asia Rose Simpson delivered Filipino flair on the 2026 Miss World stage with a quick glimpse of the folk dance ‘Pandanggo sa Ilaw’ during the pageant’s ‘Dances of the World’ showcase.

The 18-year-old youth advocate appeared in a pink ‘Traje de Mestiza’ by designer Renel Suarez, complete with a floral headdress and ‘candles’ in her hands and on her head.

Simpson and the rest the 110 delegates each had their own moments on stage at the April 2 Square in Nha Trang, Vietnam, for the ‘Hello Vietnam, Hello World show held on Wednesday evening, Sept. 2.

The ladies were presented in four batches, according to their continental groupings, with the Asia and Oceania group closing the show.

‘Dances of the World’ used to be incorporated in the coronation show, with only a few delegates getting solo spots while the rest of the delegates danced with them in the background, all in their traditional attires.

But as in the previous staging in India, the Miss World Organization mounted a separate show to showcase the dances from the different countries, and all the delegates had their solo spots.

‘Simpson embodies the timeless elegance of Pandanggo sa Ilaw, a cherished Filipino dance where light, movement, and tradition come together in perfect harmony,’ the Miss World Philippines Organization posted on social media, sharing photos of the delegate in her ‘traje.’

Simpson has taken huge strides in her quest for the ‘blue crown.’ She had already secured her spot in the Top 40 for winning the ‘Head-to-Head’ Challenge for the Asia and Oceania group.

She also garnered placements in the Top Model and Sports Challenges, in Beauty with a Purpose, and even placed third in the Talent contest.

Simpson hopes to become the second Filipino woman to win the Miss World title, 13 years since Megan Young scored the Philippines’ first-ever victory in the international pageant in 2013.

The Miss World pageant is holding its 73rd edition this year to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The new queen will be crowned on Sept. 5, also in Nha Trang.

Another portion of the tail dike in Minalin, Pampanga collapsed early Thursday morning due to the strong river current.

Minalin Mayor Philip Siojo Naguit said part of the San Fernando-Sto. Tomas-Minalin Tail Dike at Barangay San Nicolas is now impassable to all three-wheel and four-wheel vehicles.

In a social media post, the mayor also said only residents on motorcycles who are buying necessities are allowed to pass along the partially damaged tail dike road.

Naguit said the collapsed portion is about 60 meters away from the section of the tail dike at Barangay Sta. Catalina that was breached by raging currents on August 30.

The Sta. Catalina portion of the tail dike is currently being reinforced by the Department of Public Works and Highways to mitigate flooding in affected villages.

Meanwhile, Naguit appealed to boat owners and helmsmen fetching passengers in deeply flooded areas of his town to be more considerate in charging fees.

‘I am making a sincere appeal to boat operators. I know I cannot regulate your rates, but we are in a time when our fellow citizens are struggling financially. I hope you will not raise your charges. I understand you are working to earn a living, but please do not take advantage of the situation,’ he said in the vernacular. The mayor did not reveal how much the fees are being contested.

Several Minalin residents who commented on the post lauded the mayor’s appeal.

‘Thank you for pointing out the boat fare. It is so expensive. I hope no one takes advantage of the situation because it is heartbreaking to see those who cannot afford the fare forced to wade and walk through the dirty water,’ a Minalin resident said.

Senate majority leader Juan Miguel ‘Migz’ Zubiri on Thursday cleared the air on his statement expressing exhaustion for working 12 hours a day.

His remark came amid the coinciding schedules of the second regular session, the budget hearings and the impeachment trial in the Senate.

When the impeachment court was discussing its potential schedule for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte in consideration of the chamber’s urgent legislative work, Zubiri had said he was ‘very tired,’ having to go to the Senate from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. almost daily.

His pronouncement was met with scrutiny from netizens who pointed out that his exhaustion does not compare to lower to middle-class earners who work the same hours for less income.

Some said that it is part of a lawmaker’s job to work long hours when necessary.

‘It doesn’t matter if I’m tired. We will do our job as senators and impeachment court judges. If we have to work 24/7, we will do it 24/7,’ Zubiri said in a media briefing.

The senator also explained that he was being ‘honest’ about his condition at that time.

‘I just mentioned my present condition at that time, because it was very difficult to juggle the three very important activities of the Senate,’ he explained.

‘It was the first time that there was an impeachment, a budget and a legislative session,’ he said.

In a social media statement, Zubiri further explained that his message was primarily on the schedule of all their present duties.

‘This was my only point yesterday: Time must be maximized for the impeachment trial, regular session and budget season because these are important,’ he said.

‘The goal: To finish these three properly, on time, and still be sane,’ he added.

Since July 29, the Senate has been holding impeachment proceedings and plenary sessions every Mondays to Wednesdays.

With budget hearings now at play, the Senate approved the temporary suspension of rules to allow the finance panel’s budget hearings to simultaneously be held during plenary sessions after the impeachment trials from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m