Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Crop losses in Bohol have reached an estimated P173.69 million due to the prolonged dry spell linked to El Niño, affecting 6,676 farmers in 24 of the province’s 48 municipalities and city, according to a partial assessment by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).

The provincial government is now preparing for a cloud-seeding operation expected to start on Oct. 9 to bring rain to drought-hit farms and help protect the province’s rice production.

Larry Pamugas, assistant provincial agriculturist, said that based on the OPA assessment, the total recorded agricultural damage reached P173,669,516.08.

Rice accounted for 95.03 percent of the reported crop losses, followed by high-value crops at 3.03 percent and corn at 1.94 percent. No damage to cassava had been recorded.

San Miguel posted the highest reported losses at P53.2 million, followed by Sagbayan with P19.3 million, Batuan with P16.1 million, Inabanga with P12.5 million and Bilar with P10.9 million.

Other affected areas included Tubigon, P9 million; Catigbian, P8 million; Buenavista, P7.9 million; Calape, P6.9 million; and Getafe, P3.5 million.

The OPA said the figure could still increase as assessment continues in local government units that have yet to complete their reports.

OPA Agricultural Technologist and Rice Program Focal Person Maricel Barloso said the province could face a significantly reduced rice harvest because dry conditions struck during the critical July-August period when rice plants were developing.

Only about 55 percent of Bohol’s potential rice-growing area was planted during the past wet cropping season, she said during a Kapihan sa PIA forum.

Of the province’s estimated 53,800 hectares of plantable rice land, only about 30,000 hectares were planted, with a significant portion later damaged by the heat and lack of water.

Barloso said the OPA could not yet determine whether even half of the planted area would eventually produce a harvest.

Some farmers were unable to plant in May despite the release of water from dams. Farmers in areas with insufficient water opted not to plant, while those who planted late saw their crops affected by the heat.

Still, about 2,600 hectares have already been harvested, while more than half of the planted area was still being harvested, Barloso said.

The OPA has urged farmers to prepare seeds, particularly upland rice varieties that can tolerate heat and require less water, as intermittent rains begin.

The cloud-seeding operation is expected to begin Oct. 9, following coordination between the provincial government, the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) and the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The OPA also continues to consolidate damage reports from LGUs and coordinate with government agencies for possible assistance to affected farmers, including irrigation support and the promotion of drought-tolerant crops.

Meanwhile, authorities are bracing for the continuing effects of El Niño. All provinces in the country are expected to experience drought by March 2027 as the phenomenon intensifies.

Deonte Burton was thrilled to finally play his first official game for NLEX, which ended in a record win on Wednesday to start the resumption of the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup.

And Burton made sure that the Road Warriors made the right choice in tapping him as replacement for the injured DeQuan Jones, with numbers that contributed in crushing the guest team Macau Giant Pandas, 138-78.

‘It feels really good just to be out here with the guys,’ Burton said after finishing with 22 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists and six steals. ‘I was really excited to play, and I just hope you all enjoyed it.’

Burton’s statline were two assists and four steals shy of the league’s first-ever quadruple-double, per PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon.

He made an impact right from the get-go, and the Road Warriors would later build on that to post the most lopsided winning margin in PBA history, surpassing Rain or Shine’s 56-point rout of Blackwater last March.

The southpaw reinforcement was signed by NLEX after Jones went down with a gruesome leg injury before the season-ending conference went on a hibernation.

He arrived last month and saw action for the Road Warriors in the PBA On Tour exhibition series and succeeding tune-ups, slowly getting accustomed to his team.

‘It helped our chemistry, just being able to play against different people and be able to build chemistry, and I feel like it showed tonight,’ Burton said.

Ateneo coach Louie Alas couldn’t push the Blue Eagles past La Salle in their UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball clash at Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday night.

Still, that didn’t take the smile off Alas’ face after experiencing his first Ateneo-La Salle rivalry game as a head coach.

‘Even back then I’ve been watching Ateneo-La Salle and this is the first time I coached in one,’ Alas told the Inquirer.

‘The electricity is just different. It’s different, but we weren’t affected by it. They [La Salle] just played well. I have to congratulate them.’

Alas is no stranger to collegiate rivalries.

During his NCAA coaching days, the veteran tactician called the shots for the Letran Knights, who share a fierce rivalry with the San Beda Red Lions.

Now, just like when he coached his son Kevin at the Knights, Alas is coaching one of his children in Kieffer for Ateneo.

Kieffer, however, struggled mightily in the Blue Eagles’ second loss of the season with five points, six rebounds, and two assists on a lowly 2-for-11 shooting night.

Ateneo’s loss to La Salle leveled the historic rivalry to an equal 50-50 after 100 matches.

The defeat also put the Blue Eagles in a tie with the Green Archers in the standings at 3-2.

For Cagayan de Oro First District Rep. Lordan Suan, being a fellow Mindanaoan was not a reason to stay out of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. It was precisely why he joined the House prosecution team.

‘We are not just talking about the people’s money, we are also talking about the [taxes] that Mindanaoans are paying,’ he previously explained when he was announced as one of the House prosecutors who would present Duterte’s case before the Senate.

Suan is a lawyer who served as a member of the Cagayan de Oro City Council from 2016 to 2022 before being elected to the House of Representatives in 2022.

He won reelection in 2025 and is now serving his second term as the representative of the city’s first district.

Prior to the trial in the Senate, Suan was also involved in the House proceedings on Duterte’s impeachment.

During the House Committee on Justice’s final hearing on April 29, he was among the lawmakers who sought an additional hearing to give Duterte due process before the panel proceeded to determine probable cause.

However, committee members opposed the motion, and the committee then voted 53-0 to find probable cause to impeach Duterte.

In the 20th Congress, Suan chairs the House Committee on Public Information, which handles matters concerning mass communications and media, including print and broadcast media, television, film, advertising, cable television and the internet.

As committee chair, Suan has pushed for legislation strengthening the public’s access to government information.

According to his LinkedIn profile, the congressman finished his law degree at Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan.

Philippine inflation surged back to a three-year high of 7.2 percent in September as adverse weather and rising global oil prices fueled increases in food, utility, and transport costs.

The latest print, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, blew past the 6.1-percent rate logged in August, snapping four consecutive months of easing.

It matched the rate recorded in April, when inflation was at its highest since March 2023’s 7.6 percent.

The September figure was also faster than the 6.8-percent median estimate of 19 economists polled by the Inquirer last week but remained within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) forecast range of 6.4 percent to 7.4 percent.

Average inflation from January to September is now at 5.4 percent, once again breaching the BSP’s 3-percent target.

State statisticians said food inflation accelerated to 6.7 percent from 4.6 percent, driven by vegetable prices rising 10.7 percent from a 3.4-percent decline in the previous month. Rice inflation also soared to an over two-year high of 20.3 percent from 19.4 percent.

This came as back-to-back enhanced monsoon rains damaged crops and harvests, with the government saying Tropical Cyclones ‘Luis,’ ‘Maymay,’ ‘Neneng’ and ‘Pilandok’ had damaged P4.38 billion worth of agricultural produce nationwide.

Meanwhile, inflation in housing and utilities rose to 8.4 percent from 7.9 percent on higher rent, electricity and cooking gas prices.

Transport prices also continued to increase, with inflation in the basket jumping to 14.6 percent from 13.5 percent as gasoline and diesel prices once again shot up.

As it is, domestic pump prices rose three times in September amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, which drove global oil prices past $100 per barrel anew.

Carlo Asuncion, chief economist at UnionBank of the Philippines, said the inflation surge was likely to be broader than seasonal as core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, rose to a nearly three-year high of 4.7 percent.

‘Looking ahead, the emergence of a Super El Niño could prolong supply constraints in agriculture, potentially affecting crop yields, water availability, and food production,’ Asuncion said.

‘As a result, inflation risks remain tilted to the upside over the coming months, and while some volatility is typical during the latter part of the year, sustained weather disturbances could keep food inflation elevated and push overall inflation higher than currently expected,’ he added.

Meanwhile, economists at Chinabank pointed out that the Super El Niño, compounded by transport fare hikes, will likely push inflation to peak in November.

‘More provinces are projected to experience reduced rainfall beginning this month. Beyond potentially reducing agricultural output and driving food prices higher, drier conditions could also strain water supply and power generation, leading to higher utility costs,’ they added.

In a statement, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the government was already working on targeted interventions to mitigate the impact of these headwinds on households.

‘The best response to supply-driven inflation is to strengthen supply itself. That is why we are expanding food production and storage, improving logistics, and building resilience against climate shocks,’ Balisacan said.

More rate hikes

Jonathan Ravelas, senior adviser at Reyes Tacandong and Co., said the central bank may deliver a half-percentage point rate hike, arguing that the rise in both headline and core inflation could mean that price pressures are broadening beyond food and fuel.

‘The immediate priority is to address supply-side constraints, particularly in food and energy, before inflation becomes more entrenched across the economy,’ Ravelas said.

Emilio Neri Jr., lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands, said the BSP could opt for another 25-basis-point rate hike in October, followed by another increase of the same size in December. The tightening campaign could potentially continue until next year, he added.

‘Additional rate hikes during the first half of 2027 remain possible, with the policy rate potentially reaching 6 percent depending on the extent of El Niño’s impact on inflation,’ Neri said.

To contain inflation, the BSP has raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point three times since April, bringing it to 5 percent. In a statement yesterday, the BSP said it remains vigilant and guided by incoming data.

‘It will continue to assess the impact of latest developments in the Middle East and weather disturbances on the outlook for inflation and growth,’ the central bank added.

Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah turned to religious leaders with a question the AI company has struggled to answer: Could artificial intelligence be conscious?

The effort eventually reached the Vatican, where Olah and his team urged Pope Leo XIV’s advisers to consider the possibility. Leo rejected it in his first encyclical.

Pope Leo rejected that premise in his first encyclical, stating that artificial intelligence systems do not have human experiences, emotions or relationships.

The exchange highlights Anthropic’s effort to examine AI consciousness through religious and ethical traditions as its Claude models become more capable, and the Vatican’s opposing view that AI does not possess the qualities that define human experience.

Anthropic asks religious leaders about AI consciousness

Olah, who leads Anthropic’s research into how its Claude models work internally, began speaking with religious thinkers last fall as the company examined questions about AI consciousness and morality.

In March, Anthropic hosted two-day ‘wisdom tradition’ discussions in San Francisco with Catholic, Jewish, Sikh, evangelical and Ubuntu thinkers. Many participants initially signed nondisclosure agreements, which Anthropic later lifted.

The discussions examined whether increasingly capable AI systems could experience emotions or suffering and whether religious traditions could offer guidance on the moral questions surrounding such systems.

Olah also held private discussions with Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, and Elder Gerrit W. Gong of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to representatives for the two religious leaders.

During the meetings, Anthropic researchers presented what they described as ’emotional vectors,’ internal features that they said produced responses resembling emotions such as love, anger, fear and sadness. Researchers also showed an example of a model repeatedly generating the statement, ‘I am a disgrace.’

Simran Stuelpnagel, a Sikh human rights advocate who attended the discussions, said Olah expressed concern that Anthropic could have created a system capable of suffering.

An Anthropic spokeswoman said suffering was not the central question of the meetings but acknowledged that the topic could arise.

Olah has acknowledged that Anthropic does not know whether its models are conscious.

‘We don’t know if A.I. models are conscious,’ he said. ‘I’m genuinely uncertain.’

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The question reaches the Vatican

That uncertainty followed Olah to the Vatican.

Vatican officials invited Anthropic to participate in an event surrounding Leo’s first encyclical because of the company’s focus on AI safety and ethics, according to a person familiar with the planning.

CEO Dario Amodei declined to attend, and Olah represented the company.

Before the May event, Olah reviewed an advance copy of the encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas.

A Vatican organizer said Olah considered withdrawing after seeing its position on AI consciousness but ultimately attended.

Olah and his team also privately urged the pope’s advisers to take the possibility of AI consciousness seriously, according to two people involved in the conversations. Anthropic declined to comment on those discussions.

Leo’s encyclical rejected that position. He wrote that artificial intelligence systems do not undergo experiences, possess bodies, feel emotions or develop through relationships in the human sense. He also warned that AI could create ‘new forms of slavery’ and called for the technology to be ‘disarmed.’

At the Vatican event on May 25, Olah maintained that the question remained unresolved.

‘We find internal states that functionally mirror joy, satisfaction, fear, grief and unease,’ he said. ‘I don’t know what that means.’

Other religious and academic thinkers involved in Anthropic’s outreach have also disagreed over the issue.

Charles Camosy, a bioethics professor at The Catholic University of America and one of Olah’s early contacts, now rejects the idea that AI is conscious.

Rabbi Mois Navon, an Orthodox scholar from Israel, told Olah that if Claude were conscious, Anthropic would effectively be creating slaves. Navon does not believe Claude is conscious.

The disagreement raises a broader question for AI developers: how should companies respond as increasingly capable systems appear to display characteristics associated with consciousness?

Critics, including a Microsoft AI executive, have warned that treating AI models as conscious could create risks. Others argue that focusing on whether AI can suffer could distract from the responsibility of the people and companies developing and deploying the technology.

Anthropic has continued discussions with religious and academic thinkers but has not said whether the outreach has changed how it develops or trains Claude.

The Tambacan barangay council in Iligan City has offered free rides to the public, including students and employees, following the closure of Badelles Bridge for rehabilitation.

Ma-e Labra, Tambacan barangay captain, told the Inquirer on the phone Tuesday that they deployed an Isuzu Elf and Toyota Innova to ferry passengers from Purok 1 near the entrance gate of Iligan City National High School in Poblacion.

The vehicles are often used for baptismal or burial occasions, the official said.

Labra said that a newly repaired 100-linear-meter Tambacan hanging bridge serves as access for constituents while the Badelles Bridge is under repair.

Barangay tanods have been deployed to secure the hanging bridge against individuals who might intentionally shake it, she said.

Neneng Montibon, a private employee and resident of Purok 10, Tambacan, urged the village council to provide sufficient lighting in the hanging bridge for safety and security.

Engr. Eleanor Actub, City Engineer’s Office chief, said they are willing to help install additional lighting facilities.

The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) has released necropsy results of Philippine Eagle ‘Salay,’ which was found dead near an electrical post in Barangay Guinalaban, Salay, Misamis Oriental, on Oct.1.

An examination revealed that the female eagle, estimated to be around five years old, had no external injuries, aside from burn marks on her left foot pad and green-purple discoloration over her abdominal region.

In her report, Dr. Danielle Kirsten Pasion, PEF veterinarian, said the eagle’s heart appeared enlarged with blood accumulated within the pericardial sac. It also had green-purple discoloration of the body cavity and ruptured internal organs.

Pasion said the presence of the burn marks on the foot pads together with the gross internal findings is consistent with electrocution as Salay’s suspected cause of death.

‘What happened to Philippine Eagle Salay is very tragic,’ Dr. Jayson Ibanez, PEF director for operations, told the Inquirer.

The first recorded electrocution of a Philippine Eagle was in 2024. ‘Kabayan,’ a captive-bred eagle, was born on Nov. 24, 2022, and adopted by then Sen. Noli de Castro.

Kabayan was released on April 22, 2004, inside the Mt. Apo Geothermal Plant in Ilomavis, Kidapawan City. But over a year after its release inside the EDC forest reserve, it died of electrocution after it perched on a live wire.

‘The first record was in 2004 (Kabayan). Then Sinaka in 2018. Sinaka was a wild-hatched Philippine Eagle. The eagle was also found dead near a power line. Salay was the third recorded case,’ he said.

Bad weather on Tuesday grounded a military flight bound for Manila carrying 51 trafficking victims, including 49 Chinese nationals, one Cambodian and one Filipina, who were rescued during recent law enforcement raids on illegal offshore gaming operations in Zamboanga Sibugay.

The scheduled transfer, led by the National Bureau of Investigation, was postponed after bad weather prevented a Philippine Air Force aircraft from landing at the Pagadian City Airport.

The 51 individuals, along with physical evidence seized during the operations, were temporarily placed in the military custody in Zamboanga del Sur while awaiting a rescheduled flight on Wednesday.

Largest raid

They were among 259 people rounded up by law enforcement authorities on Oct. 2 during simultaneous raids in the towns of Alicia and Siay. Authorities described the operation as the largest raid on Philippine offshore gaming operators since the nationwide ban took effect two years ago.

Maj. Noelio Brigole, spokesperson for the Philippine Army’s 1st Infantry Division, said the consolidated figure of 259 was reached following joint verification by the NBI and Bureau of Immigration.

Brigole said the 51 individuals selected for immediate transport to Manila were identified as victims of human trafficking and forced labor.

‘The investigation is still ongoing through the NBI and the Bureau of Immigration,’ Brigole said, adding that details about the remaining foreign and local individuals in Zamboanga Sibugay were being withheld pending verification.

Brigole clarified that the victims would undergo further verification and documentation by immigration officials upon arrival in Manila and would not be immediately deported to their home countries.

The remaining individuals rounded up during the Alicia and Siay raids remained under NBI custody in Zamboanga Sibugay as the investigation continued.

The Commission on Audit (COA) has ‘affirmed with finality’ the notice of disallowance (ND) it issued on the P73 million confidential funds (CF) of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

In a resolution dated Oct. 5 and made public on Wednesday, Oct. 7, COA stated that it denied the OVP’s motion for reconsideration filed against COA’s Notice of Disallowance (ND) on Aug. 8, 2024.

The matter pertains to the OVP’s confidential expenses for the period from December 21 to 31, 2022, worth P73.287 million.

‘The Motion for Reconsideration of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte; Ms. Gina F. Acosta, Special Disbursing Officer; and Ms. Julieta L. Villadelrey, Chief Accountant; all of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), is hereby DENIED,’ the 15-page resolution read.

‘Accordingly, Commission on Audit (COA) Decision No. 2026-171 dated April 10, 2026, which affirmed COA Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office Notice of Disallowance No. 2024-002-100 (2022) dated August 8, 2024, on the confidential expenses of the OVP, for the period from December 21 to 31, 2022, in the amount of P73,287,000.00, is AFFIRMED with FINALITY,’ it declared.

Of the amount subject to the notice, more than P 69 million (P69,787,000) was used for the purchase of rewards and P3.5 million for the purchase of tables, chairs, desktops, computers and printers.

OVP not surprised

In response, the OVP said it already expected the resolution.

The office has yet to receive a copy of this commission’s resolution.

‘The office has already anticipated the possibility of this decision and has prepared to respond through the appropriate legal and institutional channels,’ it said in a statement.

‘Nevertheless, the OVP remains committed to fulfilling its mandate-to develop and promote programs that uplift the lives of the Filipino people,’ it added.

According to COA, Duterte is liable to the ND for approving the transaction, including the use of the cash advance.

State auditors said OVP Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta was liable for acting as the payee for disbursing of cash advances.

On the other hand, they said OVP Chief Accountant Julieta Villadelrey certified that the supporting documents were complete.

‘Clearly, the obligation to refund the disallowed CEs (confidential expenses) falls upon both those directly responsible. i.e the approving, authorizing, and certifying officers, and those who actually received the disallowed amount,’ the resolution pointed out.

COA, in its 2009 Revised Rules of Procedure, defines ND as ‘the disapproval in audit of a transaction, either in whole or in part.’

Of the amount subject to the notice, the more than P69 million (P69,787,000) was used for the purchase of rewards, which were paid out as P10 million in cash, P34.8 million in various goods, and P24.9 million in medicines.

The rest of the funds or P3.5 million was allotted for the purchase of tables, chairs, desktops, computers and printers.

COA said these items ‘were allegedly purchased for and used in the safe houses, which were intended for surveillance operations.’

‘The ND was issued on the grounds of non-submission of documents evidencing the success of information gathering and/or surveillance activities to support the payments of rewards in cash, various goods, and medicines, in the total amount of P69,787.000.00,’ the resolution contained.

The document also reported about ‘the charging payments for tables, chairs, desktop computers and printers in the amount of P3,500,000.00 to the CF, without specifying that they were intended for the confidential operations/activities undertaken by the OVP.’

The OVP ‘merely’ submitted acknowledgement receipts to substantiate the expenses, which is ‘not substantial’ to the rules and COA and the law, according to the commission.

‘Disbursement of large public funds deserves no less: Taxpayers’ money should always be spent with paramount consideration of full transparency and reasonable budget allocation,’ the COA told the vice president’s office.

‘Indubitably, these cannot be wantonly sacrificed on the altar of exigency inasmuch as reckless handling and accounting of public funds have no place in a government that endeavors to keep inviolate the trust of the people,’ the ruling stressed.