Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Two public secondary schools in Catbalogan City, Samar, with a combined student population of more than 7,200, suspended in-person classes on Tuesday as a precaution following a reported online threat involving possible violence or shooting.

The affected schools are Samar National School (SNS), the biggest secondary school in Catbalogan, and the Eastern Visayas Regional Science High School (EVRSHS).

Samar National School shifted all in-person classes to synchronous online learning after a reported threat of violence or shooting was shared through a private group chat, according to a school memorandum.

The school said its administration immediately coordinated with the Philippine National Police and other concerned authorities to assess, verify, and implement appropriate security measures.

Authorities are verifying the authenticity and credibility of the reported threat, the memorandum said, stressing that no conclusion had been made regarding its validity.

As a precaution, SNS directed teachers to conduct scheduled classes through online platforms while students were advised to attend and participate in their classes remotely.

The EVRSHS suspended face-to-face classes on Tuesday as a safety measure. Its students were instructed to undertake asynchronous learning activities, while teaching and non-teaching personnel were required to report to campus for safety planning, coordination, and strengthening of security measures.

The school also said it was preparing contingency measures covering the movement and entry and exit of students, personnel and visitors.

The precautionary moves in Catbalogan came amid heightened concern over school security following two deadly school shootings in the country in less than two months.

On June 22, three students were killed, and 20 others were injured in a shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City. Two student suspects, aged 14 and 15, were arrested in connection with the attack.

The Tacloban tragedy prompted heightened security measures in schools, including a subsequent response to another online threat that forced San Jose National High School to shift to blended learning in July.

The concern was further heightened after a second deadly school shooting on Aug. 18 at a school affiliated with Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City. A Grade 9 student shot and killed a fellow student before taking his own life, resulting in two deaths. Two other people were injured.

The Zamboanga shooting, which was partially livestreamed, prompted renewed calls for stronger school security, responsible firearm ownership. and closer monitoring of online threats involving young people.

In Catbalogan, school officials urged students, parents and personnel to remain calm and refrain from sharing or amplifying unverified information that could cause fear or panic.

Authorities are expected to continue assessing the reported threat before the schools decide whether face-to-face classes can resume.

The Youth for Health Coalition sounded the alarm over the the use vape products by young students, citing the adverse health effects.

The group’s convenor, Aliyah Mae Lozari, expressed the concern at the House of Representatives ways and means committee hearing on the Department of Finance’s (DOF) proposed unified P72.9 excise tax on cigarettes and vape products on Tuesday.

‘Labis na nakakabahala ang mabilis na pagkalat ng vape sa mga schools, lalo na’t naaakit nito ang mga kabataang madaling maimpluwensyahan ng kanilang mga kaibigan, kamag-aral at pati na ang social media,’ she told lawmakers.

(The fast spread of vapes in schools is alarming, especially since it entices the youth who are easily influenced by their friends, classmates and by social media.)

‘Ang tanong namin: ilang buhay pa kaya ang hihintayin natin bago natin aksyunan ang negatibong epektong ito ng vape sa mga kabataan?’ she added.

(We ask: How many more lives should be lost before we take action on the negative effects of vapes on children?)

Lozari said that based on their group’s observation, elementary and high school students are now able to buy vapes since more stores are set up near schools while some sellers are on social media platforms.

She also explained that some vape products are designed supposedly to cater to the youth with flavors and packaging akin to milk tea.

The Youth for Health Coalition convenor cited the potential electronic cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injuries (EVALI) that may be sustained by users.

‘Bukod dito, ang paglaganap ng vape sa mga paaralan ay maaaring magresulta rin sa malaking productivity loss sa mga kabataan ngayon at sa hinaharap,’ Lozari explained.

(Apart from this, the proliferation of vapes in schools may also result in widespread productivity loss among the youth now and in the future.)

‘Dahil sa vape, maaaring maapektuhan ang aming konsentrasyon, kahusayan at sipag sa pag-aaral at sa iba naming pinagkakaabalahan,’ she added.

(Because of vapes, our concentration, our skill and our motivation in our studies and our other endeavors may be affected.)

Earlier in the hearing, DOF Fiscal Policy and Monitoring Undersecretary Karlo Fermin Adriano explained that the department sought to impose a P72.93 tax per milliliter (mL) of both salt nicotine and freebase nicotine.

Currently, freebase nicotine is taxed at P6.95 per mL and salt nicotine at P60.29 per mL.

‘Kung magkakaiba ang buwis na nakapataw dahil lamang magkaiba ang uri ng nicotine sa mga produktong ito, maaaring lumipat lamang ang mga consumer sa freebase nicotine dahil mas mura ito kumpara sa salt nicotine,’ Lozari said.

(If the tax imposed is different just because they’re different kinds of nicotine, consumers may just switch to freebase nicotine since it’s cheaper compared to salt nicotine.)

‘Higit pa dito, maaaring magsilbing unang hakbang ang vape tungo sa paggamit at pagkalulong ng mga kabataan sa tradisyonal na sigarilyo,’ she added.

(Vapes may serve as the youth’s gateway to using and being addicted to traditional cigarettes.)

At the same hearing, however, Minimal Government Thinkers researcher Bienvenido Oplas Jr. expressed opposition to having the same tax rate for tobacco products and vape products.

Oplas cited his own study which found that Indonesia, Canada, South Africa, Malaysia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and New Zealand imposed different taxes on the two product types.

Also at the hearing, Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation lawyer Noel de Luna cited New Zealand’s practice.

‘New Zealand has a 100-percent tax differential because a part of their tobacco control policy is to wean people away from cigarettes to vapor products. That’s why they’re not taxing vapor products in New Zealand as of the moment,’ he said.

The municipality of Abra de Ilog has been asked to declare a state of calamity after the southwest monsoon, intensified by successive weather disturbances, left an estimated P69.08 million in damage across the municipality.

The recommendation was contained in Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) Resolution No. 2026-02, Series of 2026, dated Aug. 24.

Based on the consolidated damage assessment and needs analysis, the heaviest losses were recorded in agriculture, other infrastructure, water supply systems and damaged houses.

Agricultural damage was estimated at P27,895,722.70, while damage to other infrastructure reached P25,340,000. Water supply systems sustained an estimated P7,440,000 in damage, while damage to houses cost P8,400,000.

The resolution said the agricultural sector suffered substantial losses affecting crops, livestock, fisheries and agricultural infrastructure.

Infrastructure damage was reported in the barangays of Cabacao, Balao, San Vicente and Lumangbayan, including flood protection structures, flooding control structures and river protection works.

The municipality also reported that several municipal and barangay water supply systems sustained damage from erosion, scouring, flooding and other effects of the disaster, disrupting water service delivery in various barangays.

A total of 89 houses were reported damaged-45 partially and 44 totally.

The prolonged rains also caused significant displacement of families and individuals, damaged public infrastructure and temporarily rendered several roads and bridges inaccessible or impassable.

Under the resolution, the declaration of a state of calamity is expected to facilitate the implementation of necessary disaster response, relief, early recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction measures.

Among the priority interventions identified are the provision of food and non-food assistance to affected families and vulnerable sectors; continued assistance to families with partially and totally damaged houses; restoration and rehabilitation of damaged water supply systems; repair of flood-control, flood-protection and other critical infrastructure; clearing and rehabilitation of roads affected by flooding, landslides and road cuts; and restoration of agricultural and fisheries livelihoods.

The MDRRMC also called for early recovery interventions, watershed and river management, and the development of more resilient infrastructure under the ‘Build Back Better’ approach.

The resolution said the municipality would pursue long-term recovery and strengthen its environmental management, disaster preparedness and climate adaptation measures following the widespread impacts of the weather disturbances.

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.’

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Tuesday denied claims circulating on social media that it was implementing a ‘one-week duty, two-weeks off’ work arrangement for police officers.

In a statement, the NCRPO said the claim originated from a Facebook post supposedly showing an altered image of newly installed officer in charge Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano.

‘These reports are entirely false and do not reflect any officially implemented policy,’ the regional police said.

‘Existing programs and policies concerning personnel welfare and work arrangements remain fully in place,’ it added.

The NCRPO also assured the public that the proper police deployment and prompt incident response throughout Metro Manila remained in place.

It also reminded the public and its personnel to refer to official NCRPO channels for accurate announcements and reject unverified claims.

Abrahano was appointed NCRPO officer in charge last Sunday, replacing Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 56.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended the filing of criminal charges against the owner of one of the guns used in the June Tacloban school shooting that killed three people, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said on Monday.

At a congressional budget hearing, Vida said a Tacloban prosecution office on Monday found probable cause to charge the gun owner with criminal negligence. He did not disclose the gun owner’s name.

Two students, aged 14 and 15, opened fire at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22, killing three and injuring 20 others. Authorities believe the students’ actions were motivated by a grudge over alleged bullying.

The 14-year-old suspect allegedly used a 9mm pistol registered to his aunt, a policewoman, while the 15-year-old suspect allegedly used a .38-caliber revolver registered to a Cebu-based security agency.

Vida said authorities ‘are seeing a pattern’ in the spate of school violence that has rocked the Philippines in recent months. Last week, a student also opened fire at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University campus, killing another student before he shot himself.

The justice chief said ‘groomers’ target children playing online games and lure them into chat rooms where violence is amplified and encouraged.

Drills postponed

Meanwhile, the Nationwide Simultaneous School Safety Drill for Active Attack Incidents initially scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed, according to the Department of Education (DepEd), to ensure alignment with the guidance of psychosocial support experts.

‘We are deferring temporarily to incorporate new suggestions,’ Education Secretary Sonny Angara told the Inquirer on Monday.

In an advisory, DepEd announced that the activity will be moved to the first week of September.

On Saturday, the Philippine Psychiatric Association and Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry urged the deferment of the shooting drills, citing studies that show the drills can ‘expose learners to hyper-realistic scenarios of violence,’ causing possible psychological issues.

In a statement released on Monday, the Philippine Pediatric Society also said evidence on children’s participation in active-attack and lockdown drills remains ‘limited’ or ‘mixed.’

Returned to family

Following the concerns raised by health experts on the shooting drills, the Philippine National Police said it was ‘willing and always ready to participate in any consultation with all groups concerned.’

PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co also reported in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday that the Cebu junior high school student allegedly caught with a gun inside his bag while in school has been returned to his family.

The student, who initially said the gun was his grandfather’s, was first turned over to local social workers for intervention under Republic Act No. 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.

But ‘due to the lack of personnel there to handle the case, as well as a proper facility for it, he was returned to his family,’ Co said.

The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila has offered to accommodate patients from the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) in Quezon City as the latter reaches full bed capacity amid a surge in leptospirosis cases.

Palace press officer Claire Castro on Tuesday said the PGH, which is operated by the University of the Philippines (UP), to receive non-leptospirosis patients from NKTI.

This would allow NKTI as a government-run speciality center to focus its capacity on leptospirosis patients requiring specialized renal care.

‘This reflects our institutions’ longstanding partnership and shared commitment to timely, appropriate care for every patient-regardless of which facility they first approach,’ the PGH said in a statement.

On Sunday, the NKTI announced that walk-in admissions will be subject to limitations ‘until further notice’ to prioritize patients requiring emergency care and admission due to the surge in leptospirosis cases and high patient volume in its emergency room.

The NKTI’s emergency room can only accommodate up to 64 patients at a time.

Patients requiring urgent and critical medical interventions will be prioritized.

It also advised patients seeking elective or non-emergency admission to coordinate with their attending physician and consider other healthcare facilities with available bed capacity to avoid prolonged waiting times.

To prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed by a surge of leptospirosis cases, the Department of Health (DOH) said all hospitals facing bed capacity concerns can coordinate with the Health Emergency Management Bureau’s Operation Center for patient navigation.

At least 33 DOH hospitals in the National Capital Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera Administrative Region have also established express lanes to specifically handle cases of leptospirosis.

As of Aug. 22, the DOH has recorded a total of 4,285 cases of leptospirosis across the country, up from the 3,440 cases recorded as of Aug. 8.

‘Further increase in leptospirosis cases is expected, especially given that leptospirosis has an incubation period of five to 15 days,’ the agency warned.

The DOH urged the public to observe key health precautions against leptospirosis, urging individuals to avoid unnecessary contact with floodwater, especially if they have open wounds.

If flood exposure is unavoidable, the hospital advised taking doxycycline prophylaxis as recommended by a primary care physician.

Free doxycycline capsules are provided by local government units through barangays, Rural Health Units, or through the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s Yaman ng Kalusugan Program

Authorities also urged the public to seek immediate medical consultation should symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, or headache develop following exposure to floodwaters.

Smilegate announced on Wednesday the 26th that it will carry out the first world merge for its MMORPG ?LORDNINE? (developed by NX3GAMES) and hold Gear Restoration and Trading Post fee reduction events to commemorate the occasion.

Smilegate will merge the four servers Horatio, Yvonne, Douglas, and Santiago into the Musha server, while the two servers Medea and Ricardo will be merged into the Remus server. Players can now encounter more users on a single server, creating a more competitive environment and offering a wider variety of cooperative content. The new Sven and Helena servers are excluded from this world merge.

Smilegate is holding various events to commemorate the world merge. First, through August 31, a commemorative coupon for the limited-edition Homun Rider mount will be distributed via the official social media channels and the official YouTube update preview video. Following the world merge, a series of in-game events will be held, offering various rewards including an ‘Epic Avatar Guaranteed Summon Ticket.’

The first-ever Gear Restoration Event will also run through September 9. During the event period, players can restore gear that was destroyed while attempting to enhance it. Players can request restoration for Epic and Legendary weapons destroyed at +7 enhancement or higher and armor destroyed at +5 enhancement or higher. Restored gear can be claimed from September 9 until maintenance on September 30.

The Trading Fee Reduction Event will also run through September 9. Accordingly, World Trade fees will be reduced from 13% to 10%, while Personal Trade fees will be reduced from 15% to 10%.

The police freed an 18-year-old woman from the clutches of her father, a 55-year-old laborer, who took her hostage at their home in Bugallon, Pangasinan on Monday afternoon, Aug. 24.

The suspect was armed with a bolo, said Police Col. Dennis de Leon, officer in charge of the Pangasinan Police Office.

‘In the course of the negotiation, the suspect eventually threw the bolo outside (of the house), thereby temporarily reducing the immediate threat. However, the suspect subsequently exhibited aggressive behavior and physically hurt his daughter,’ the police reported.

A team composed of de Leon, Police Maj. Rodolfo Labayo Jr., officer in charge of the Bugallon police, and the SWAT team led by Police Capt. John Ramos implemented an operational plan to safely restrain the suspect and rescue the victim.

The father was taken into police custody. His wife told police that he had been experiencing emotional distress following the deaths of their two sons in 2004 and 2018.

‘The suspect reportedly believed that someone had poisoned his sons, which allegedly caused him to become increasingly distressed and suspicious,’ the police said.

The wife said the suspect had also hurt her and her three other children and held them hostage until she found a way to escape with her children. However, the 18-year-old woman was unable to get out, prompting responding police officers to take immediate action to ensure her safety

Suspected illegal drugs worth an estimated P36.1 million were discovered and seized at a mail hub in Pasay City, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the PNP said that law enforcers flagged the packages with the contraband at the Central Mail Exchange Center along Domestic Road on Monday.

‘The items were discovered through cargo x-ray screening and manual inspection by BOC (Bureau of Customs) personnel, complemented by K-9 inspection conducted by PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency),’ the PNP said.

‘The shipments were reportedly consigned and sent by different individuals whose identities and addresses are contained in the seized evidence,’ it added.

It noted that the packages contained 5.282 kilograms (kg) of suspected marijuana kush; 2.838 kg of suspected ecstasy; 1.064 kg of suspected shabu (crystal meth); 511 g of suspected ketamine; and 3,756 suspected ecstasy tablets.

According to the PNP, the confiscated illegal drugs were turned over to the PDEA for proper disposition and further investigation