Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Soil erosion has affected portions of the grounds of Loacan National High School in Itogon, Benguet, weakening some riprap and other protective structures around the campus.

Loacan Barangay Captain Franklin Almoza ordered the suspension of in-person classes at the school on Tuesday, Aug. 25, after an inspection found portions of the school premises affected by erosion.

Almoza had earlier ordered classes suspended midday Monday, as a precaution to protect students and school personnel.

The suspension will remain in effect until hazardous conditions subside and authorities determine that the school grounds and access routes are safe for learners and personnel

Electricity consumers in Tacloban City and the towns of Palo and Babatngon in Leyte province were warned of possible temporary power interruptions on Tuesday as the Visayas power grid was placed under red and yellow alerts amid tight supply conditions.

The Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco II) said the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), the operator of the country’s transmission grid, informed the cooperative that the Visayas Grid would be under red alert from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and yellow alert from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Aug. 25.

NGCP’s 8 a.m. update showed that the Visayas had 2,421 megawatts (MW) of available capacity against a projected peak demand of 2,570 MW, leaving a supply gap of about 149 MW during the peak period.

Leyeco II said forced outages of several power plants and the operation of other generating facilities at reduced capacities caused the tight supply.

NGCP reported that 10 power plants were on forced outage, while 13 others were operating at derated capacities, resulting in a combined 904.5 MW of unavailable capacity.

Among the factors that the NGCP cited were the unavailability of the Visayas’ large coal-fired power plants TVI 1, TVI 2, and KSPC 1, as well as limited power imports from Mindanao because of that region’s high demand forecast.

A red alert means available power supply is insufficient to meet consumer demand and the transmission grid’s regulating requirement. A yellow alert, meanwhile, means the operating margin is insufficient to meet the grid’s contingency requirement.

Leyeco II warned that if the tight supply condition persists and NGCP directs the cooperative to reduce its load, it may implement Manual Load Dropping (MLD), or the temporary disconnection of electricity supply in selected portions of its service area to reduce overall electricity consumption.

The cooperative said this measure would be implemented only if necessary and upon appropriate notice from NGCP.

Leyeco II serves more than 96,600 member-consumers in Tacloban City and the municipalities of Palo and Babatngon. Its franchise area is officially covered by Republic Act No. 12017, which authorizes the cooperative to operate and maintain the electricity distribution system serving the three areas.

The NGCP’s transmission facilities supplying the area include the Babatngon-Arado 69-kilovolt transmission line, which serves Tacloban and the neighboring towns.

Leyeco II urged its member-consumers to conserve electricity, particularly during peak-demand periods, and to monitor official announcements from the cooperative and NGCP for updates on the grid condition and any possible power interruptions.

More than 100 local chief executives under the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) have renewed their call against corruption, as well as public oversight in the national budget.

The M4GG had pledged to continue to push for ‘transparent, accountable, and people-centered governance through strong and empowered local governments,’ during its third anniversary summit and general assembly last August 22 at the Manila Diamond Hotel.

During the event, the coalition said it launched Report Infra, a channel for citizens and stakeholders to report suspected ghost, high-priced, or substandard infrastructure projects within their municipalities.

The group has also renewed their call for greater public access to the national budget information, amounting to P7.2-trillion under the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program, as well as the P57 billion increase of the Local Government Support fund.

Members of the M4GG also met with the Department of Social Welfare and Development to discuss better and more effective implementation of social welfare programs in local communities.

‘We are grateful for the opportunity to stand with M4GG on its third anniversary. This is a room full of leaders who chose the harder, more accountable way to lead, and that work deserves every bit of support we can give it. Good governance is not an aspiration. It is a standard, and these mayors are proving it is possible,’ Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Javier Miguel L. Benitez said during M4GG’s d Governance third anniversary summit and general assembly

An Australian-backed battery manufacturer is exploring renewable energy and storage projects in New Clark City, which the government is positioning as an emerging hub for advanced technology and clean energy.

In a statement on Monday, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said it signed a memorandum of understanding with StB GigaFactory Inc. to study renewable energy generation, battery energy storage systems and electric mobility solutions in New Clark City.

Under the 12-month agreement, StB GigaFactory will conduct site surveys, technical feasibility studies and financial modeling to assess whether clean energy technologies could be deployed across BCDA developments.

The BCDA, for its part, will provide access to potential sites, supply project data and extend administrative assistance for the studies.

‘Partnering with StB GigaFactory aligns directly with our vision to make New Clark City a model of sustainable, high-tech urban development,’ BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang said in a statement.

‘By integrating cutting-edge energy storage and clean mobility solutions into our master plan, we are building a resilient infrastructure framework that empowers industries, protects the environment, and drives long-term economic growth,’ Bingcang added.

Expansion

Beyond New Clark City, the BCDA said the partnership would also explore how renewable energy, locally manufactured storage systems and electric mobility infrastructure could be integrated and scaled across its other developments.

The BCDA also manages Camp John Hay in Baguio, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Poro Point Freeport Zone in La Union and Morong Discovery Park in Bataan.

While the agreement with StB GigaFactory does not yet cover specific projects or investment commitments, the partnership could expand the company’s footprint in New Clark City, where it already operates a manufacturing facility at the Filinvest Innovation Park.

The company currently employs 500 Filipinos and plans to expand its workforce to 2,500 by 2030.

Its New Clark City facility is the Philippines’ first manufacturing plant for lithium iron phosphate battery cells and battery energy storage systems, according to the BCDA.

In 2023, Australian investment firm St Baker Energy Innovation Fund committed an initial $10 million to jump-start the battery manufacturing facility within the 120-hectare Filinvest Innovation Park-New Clark City in Tarlac.

The facility is targeted to reach a full production capacity of 1.2 gigawatt-hours by 2030.

Although no double-digit increases are expected in the coming weeks, motorists will still see an uptick in pump prices starting Aug. 25, with diesel going up by P2.31 per liter, the Department of Energy (DOE) said on Monday.

Gasoline and kerosene will also have upward price adjustments of up to P1.08 and 95 centavos per liter, respectively.

‘As a result of heightened tensions between US and Iran, motorists will see increases in gasoline and diesel prices, driven by new developments in the war that have pushed up global prices.

In the past week, prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the US-Iran conflict and the normalization of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz have weakened,’ Energy Secretary Sharon Garin told reporters.

‘This is the difficulty with the Philippines’ longtime dependence on imported fuel,’ Garin said. For Energy Undersecretary Alessandro Sales, the global oil market will see significant movements in prices if bombing attacks hit ports or pipelines in the region, since these would directly affect the supply.

‘But as of now, the probability of a double-digit increase in the coming weeks is low,’ Sales added. The DOE said the country’s fuel inventory is enough for 47.22 days.

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

Calamity aid, assistance to schools and hospitals, and other ‘nation-building initiatives’ by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) may face cuts due to a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that hiked the gaming regulator’s mandated contribution to the government’s sports body.

Pagcor chair and CEO Alejandro Tengco said its monthly contributions to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is now at around P400 million, increasing from about P200 million, in accordance with a ruling by the high court which states Pagcor owes the sports body 5 percent of its gross income.

Pagcor appealed the ruling early this year but its motion was denied with finality.

This is apart from its P37-billion obligation to the PSC dating back to the 1990s, Tengco told a hearing by the House committee on appropriations, adding that Pagcor may need to remit an additional P300 million a month to settle its liability within 10 years.

‘This will affect our projects, our aid assistance because… instead of being poured for nation-building, it will have to be used to pay off the debt from the Supreme Court’s decision,’ Tengco said in Filipino

Philippine vehicle sales continued to sputter in July despite a slight month-on-month increase, as the industry recorded what it called its strongest month of 2026 so far, though sales remained muted compared with 2025 levels.

On Tuesday, data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association Inc. (TMA) showed that their member companies sold 37,319 vehicles in July, down 2.5 percent from 38,295 units in the same month last year.

Still, this marked a slight uptick from the 37,079 units sold in June 2026.

Including estimated sales from nonmember brands, the groups said total Philippine vehicle sales reached 42,880 units in July, the highest monthly tally so far in 2026.

That also marked a 5-percent year-on-year increase, the first time this year that monthly sales grew compared with the same period in 2025.

‘With this continuous growth, the industry is riding on a good momentum. We are hopeful that the positive trend will continue for the remainder of the year,’ said Campi president Jose Maria Atienza.

Water levels beneath three bridges in Olongapo City rose again on Tuesday morning after dropping from critical and evacuation levels recorded on Monday afternoon.

As of 8:47 a.m., the water level at Sta. Rita Bridge stood at 2.5 meters, which is classified as its critical level, according to the city’s monitoring data.

Del Rosario Bridge recorded 2.3 meters, while Kalaklan Bridge reached 2.2 meters, both classified as their warning level.

The latest readings were lower than those recorded at 4:50 p.m. Monday, when Sta. Rita Bridge reached the evacuation level at 3 meters, while Del Rosario and Kalaklan bridges were at the critical level.

Water levels subsequently dropped but were elevated again Tuesday morning amid continuing rains and changing tide conditions.

Authorities continued to monitor the bridges and other flood-prone areas as part of the city’s flood preparedness measures./

The Philippines’ new critical minerals framework could help advance the long-term ambitions of the planned Pax Silica hub in New Clark City, particularly as the project eventually moves into mineral processing and other higher-value industries.

For the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP), the framework established under Executive Order (EO) No. 122 does not directly align with the Pax Silica hub’s immediate priorities, yet it could support the project as it moves further up the value chain.

‘We believe that Pax Silica is primarily focused on establishing a semiconductor manufacturing hub in Clark. The broader goal is to eventually bring in processing plants, smelters and chip manufacturers, but we’re still some way from that,’ COMP vice president Rocky Dimaculangan said in a message to the Inquirer.

‘Opportunity’ for Mindanao

‘For now, it’s semiconductors first, then gradually moving up the value chain. EO 122 should help get us there,’ Dimaculangan added.

The Philippines, offering a 1,619-hectare site in New Clark City, agreed to take part in a US-led push in what participating countries described as a ‘historic opportunity and demand for energy, critical minerals, manufacturing, technological hardware, infrastructure, and new markets not yet invented.’

As Dimaculangan noted, Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo had also said critical mineral processing would not be the hub’s immediate focus, but could be pursued over the medium to long term.

In an earlier forum, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the agency leading the project, said critical minerals that could support industries within the hub may come from the Visayas and Mindanao, potentially generating spillover investments in those regions.

The Mindanao Development Authority has thrown its support behind EO 122, which it sees as an opportunity to attract more mineral-related investments to the region.

‘For Mindanao, this is the opportunity to transform mineral wealth into lasting prosperity for our communities, and to become a strategic Philippine gateway to the global critical-minerals and clean-energy economy,’ agency chair Leo Magno said in a statement.

Should Pax Silica eventually expand into mineral processing, Dimaculangan said EO 122 could support those plans as the order ‘sets a framework to expedite extraction and processing of critical minerals in the Philippines by making ease of doing business better and making investments in processing more competitive.’

Transparency sought

Even with the anticipated gains from the EO, there is also growing pushback against that directive.

The Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) criticized the lack of a ‘clear industrial policy’ paired with President Marcos’ ‘overly optimistic view of critical minerals,’ which it said would only sacrifice the country’s land.

‘We reject EO 122 for shamefully promoting ‘sustainable mining’ when it has been clearly debunked as a concept,’ the group said.

‘The emphasis on privatization and expansion of mineral lands is a direct threat to food and water security and poses health risks to affected communities,’ it added. ‘We completely reject the provision declaring ‘relinquished, expired and cancelled’ mining contracts to be converted into mineral lands.’

Under EO 122, Marcos directed the government to pursue the exploration, development, processing and utilization of critical minerals while encouraging investments in higher-value products used in advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, batteries and electronics.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, will also implement a ‘national exploration and mineral reservation program’ to identify and evaluate ‘new critical mineral deposits.’

ATM challenged Marcos and the DENR ‘to immediately start discussions with affected communities on how to address ongoing barricades and legal questions against destructive mining projects.’