Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The southwest monsoon or habagat will continue to affect a huge portion of Luzon on Wednesday while Visayas and Mindanao will see fair weather conditions, 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 Chenel Dominguez said that former tropical cyclone Obet will still enhance the southwest monsoon, which will bring rains over certain areas in Luzon.

‘Inaasahan nating makakaranas ng pabugso-bugsong malalakas na pag-ulan dito sa may Zambales. Samantala dito sa Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, malaking bahagi ng Central Luzon, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, makakaranas ng maulap na papawirin at kalat-kalat na pag-ulan dulot pa rin ito ng habagat,’ Dominguez said.

(We expect heavy rainfall over Zambales. Meanwhile, cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers due to habagat will prevail over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, huge portions of Central Luzon, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro.)

She then noted that Zambales will experience significant rainfall (50 to 100 millimeters of rainfall), where she warned of possible flooding and landslides.

She also said that fair weather with chances of localized thunderstorms especially in the afternoon and evening are expected over the rest of Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) and the whole Bicol Region. Palawan and Antique will also experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms due to habagat.

Meanwhile, the rest of Visayas and Mindanao will still see pleasant weather and humid weather in the noon and afternoon with chances of localized thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening.

The weather specialist also reported that no gale warning was hoisted in any seaboards of the country.

She also shared that no tropical cyclones or any weather disturbances are being monitored inside the monitoring domain of Pagasa.

Temperature forecast in the following areas:

Metro Manila: 27°C to 31°C

Laoag: 25°C to 30°C

Baguio: 17°C to 21°C

Tagaytay: 23°C to 30°C

Tuguegarao: 26°C to 32°C

Legazpi: 26°C to 33°C

Cebu: 27°C to 34°C

Tacloban: 26°C to 34°C

Zamboanga: 25°C to 34°C

Cagayan de Oro: 26°C to 34°C

Davao: 26°C to 33°C

Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils have both gone far but never all the way to the US Open title. Maybe the married couple can finally win a trophy together.

The spouses made quite a pair on the court Tuesday, becoming the first team into the mixed doubles semifinals by edging Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten 5-4 (6), 4-5 (3) (10-8).

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz won their first-round match but were then ousted after a 5-4 (4), 4-1 loss to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli.

Svitolina and Monfils will face Bencic and Cobolli in one semifinal Wednesday, with Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev to meet Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik in the other. The winning team will earn $1 million.

That would be quite a payday for Monfils to share with his wife in his final Grand Slam tournament before retiring.

‘Happy wife, happy life,’ Monfils said in their postmatch interview after a kiss and hug on the court.

Williams and Alcaraz beat Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1 in Williams’ first match at the U.S. Open since 2022.

‘It’s always such an amazing place to be here,’ Williams said. ‘I never expected to be back on this court, so it was just a really cool moment. I never thought this would happen.’

But the 44-year-old Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, and the two-time U.S. Open champion Alcaraz appeared to run out of steam after dropping the first-set tiebreaker after quickly returning to the court for their second match.

New champions will be crowned and an old crush is revealed

Williams and Alcaraz began their opening match just as the two-time defending champions were eliminated. Andreeva and Rublev saved a match point and outlasted Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori 1-4, 4-1 (11-9). The 19-year-old Andreeva revealed afterward that she used to have a crush on her partner and fellow Russian, who is 28.

They then recovered after blowing four match points in the second set to beat Diana Shnaider and Casper Ruud 4-1, 4-5 (9) (10-5).

The US Open tinkered with the format of the tournament this year to allow more doubles specialists back in, but it was the singles players who had the upper hand.

Monfils, who will turn 40 on Sept. 1, reached the US Open semifinals in 2016. Svitolina, who is eight years younger, got to the final four in Flushing Meadows in 2019.

Now it’s another semifinal – and an unlikely one – after they outlasted a team featuring the No.-1 ranked players in men’s and women’s doubles.

Monfils, who is from France, was given a wild card into the singles tournament. He and Svitolina, who is from Ukraine, were given wild cards to compete in mixed. They were married in 2021 and daughter Skaï was born the next year.

Because they were unsure at first they would be in the field in New York, Svitolina said they entered with no expectations, having not even worked on their tactics until Monday.

‘I mean, we practice quite a lot together back at home or on the tournaments. Only yesterday we worked on few things for doubles,’ Svitolina said.

‘When we warmed up this morning, yeah, I told my coach it would be amazing if we can win just a few games.’

Czech duo has the look

Muchova and Mensik reached the semifinals with a 4-1, 5-3 victory over American pair Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul. Mensik texted Muchova on the eve of the tournament so they could coordinate outfits, and both wore pink tops and maroon bottoms.

‘It’s definitely one of the most important things, to look good on the court, as well,’ Mensik said.

Siniakova and Patten ousted Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic 1-4, 4-2 (10-2) in the first round. Siniakova ended the match with an ace while serving to Djokovic.

The tournament was overhauled last year in an effort to get more top singles players to compete. It was moved to a two-day event well before the singles main draw begins, with a scoring format that guarantees quick matches that shouldn’t tax the players too much.

The matches in the first three rounds feature sets to four games, with a tiebreaker at 4-all and a 10-point tiebreaker instead of a third set. Only the final will resemble a regular match, with traditional sets to six games.

‘I will say if we play until basically regular rules, until six games, will be much more difficult,’ Mensik said.

Sabalenka, the two-time defending U.S. Open women’s champion, and 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic are exactly the types of players the U.S. Tennis Association was seeking. They had the No. 1 seed based on the lowest combined singles ranking of any team, but their loss was far from an upset.

Doubles specialists such as Siniakova and Patten were shut out of the U.S. Open last year, when teams qualified directly based on the two players’ singles rankings, or were given wild cards by the USTA. Errani and Vavassori, who had won the title in 2024, were the only doubles players in the field after they were given a wild card to return, and went on to defend their title.

Thirteen towns in Zambales suspended face-to-face classes at all levels on Tuesday as the southwest monsoon continued to bring rain across the province.

The towns of Subic, Castillejos, San Antonio, Cabangan, Botolan, and Masinloc suspended classes at all levels in both public and private schools

Other towns – San Marcelino, San Narciso, San Felipe, Iba, Palauig, Candelaria and Santa Cruz – also suspended classes but will shift to alternative learning protocols like online or modular learning, to allow students to continue their education while face-to-face classes are suspended.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in its 4 a.m. forecast on Tuesday, said Zambales could receive 50 to 100 millimeters of rain from Monday to Thursday noon (Aug. 27).

Meanwhile, Typhoon Saudel, formerly known as ‘Obet,’ was outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) as of 3 a.m. Tuesday, with maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h and gustiness of up to 185 km/h. Another tropical cyclone, Tropical Depression Atsani, was being monitored outside the PAR

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.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has urged more private hospitals to implement the no balance billing and no-copayment policies of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), saying financial hardship should not prevent Filipinos from getting specialized medical care.

Marcos made the call on Tuesday following the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between PhilHealth and St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC)-Global City to expand access to private hospital services for qualified PhilHealth members.

‘This is so that people who get sick will no longer be afraid to go to private hospitals because they cannot afford to pay,’ Marcos said.

According to Marcos, the MOA between PhilHealth and SLMC ‘reflects a shared commitment to strengthen the implementation of the no co-payment policy and to support the government’s Universal Health Care agenda.’

‘By joining this effort, St. Luke’s also sends an important message: that quality care in leading private hospitals can be made more accessible to qualified PhilHealth members, and that both government and the private sector have a role in making Universal Health Care work,’ he added.

No out-of-pocket expenses

Under PhilHealth’s no co-payment policy, eligible PhilHealth members admitted to basic or ward accommodations in private hospitals do not have to pay additional charges or out-of-pocket expenses for medical services covered by PhilHealth.

The policy was initially limited to indigent patients but was expanded under Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act of 2019, covering all Filipinos regardless of their financial or employment status.

The initiative complements the Marcos administration’s zero balance billing program, which provides free hospital services to ward patients and is currently being implemented in 79 Department of Health (DOH) hospitals and the government’s four specialty centers, as well as the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital.

According to PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Beverly Lorraine Ho, SLMC initially allocated 53 beds for eligible patients requiring specialized treatment, 50 of which are already occupied.

PhilHealth spokesperson Dr. Alfred Philip de Dios, meanwhile, said the agreement covers all PhilHealth benefit packages and is not limited to any specific health case.

The MOA also establishes a joint mechanism between PhilHealth and SLMC Global City to monitor the implementation of the policy, improve processes, and gather evidence that could support future reforms to PhilHealth’s payment system.

The agreement forms part of the administration’s efforts to expand Filipinos’ access to quality and affordable healthcare by strengthening cooperation between the government and private hospitals.

‘We started with St. Luke’s, and we will expand this to more hospitals. We encourage more hospitals across the country to support PhilHealth in advancing Universal Health Care by embracing the no co-payment policy,’ Marcos said.

‘Together, let us ensure that no Filipino is denied the care they need simply because of financial hardship,’ he added. Aside from SLMC Global City in Taguig, three other top-tier private hospitals have expressed support for the policy. These are Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City, Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa City, and The Medical City Ortigas in Pasig City

Pedestrians in Baguio City will soon be required to observe a ‘keep right’ rule when using two-way sidewalks, pedestrian lanes and other walkways.

This directive is under an amended anti-distracted walking ordinance approved by the City Council.

Jordan Habbiling, information officer of the Baguio City Council, said in an interview on Monday that the amended ordinance will take effect upon signing by the mayor and publication.

‘The City Council has approved on third and final reading the ordinance further amending the Anti-Distracted Walking Ordinance that impose a keep-right rule on two-way sidewalks, giving priority to walking pedestrians but with exemptions for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and during emergencies,’ Habbiling said.

Habbiling noted that this policy – Ordinance 77-2026 – also establishes that sidewalks shall primarily be used for pedestrians.

Other activities such as jogging, running and taking photos must give way to walking pedestrians and must not obstruct their movement, he added.

The ordinance also prohibits the use of mobile devices to text, read messages or make calls while crossing a pedestrian lane or street, or while traversing a sidewalk, when such use causes delays in the movement of other people.

A first offense carries a reprimand, while a second offense is punishable by 10 days of community service.

Under the new ‘keep right’ rule, pedestrians using two-way sidewalks, particularly those walking in groups, must stay on the right side and avoid occupying the opposite or incoming lane.

PWDs who require additional space to safely traverse sidewalks are exempted from the keep-right requirement.

The ordinance authorizes the Public Order and Safety Division, Baguio City Police Office, Traffic Management Unit, barangay tanods and other authorized enforcers to monitor and apprehend violators.

It also allows city-installed closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to be used as evidence of violations.

Habbiling said alleged violations recorded through CCTV may be contested through other video footage.

The measure is the latest amendment to Ordinance 49-2019, which established Baguio’s Anti-Distracted Walking Ordinance. The ordinance was first amended in 2023.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is proposing a ‘One Business Start Date’ that would allow companies to begin commercial operations once they secure their SEC registration or other primary regulatory license, even while other government permits are still being processed.

On Monday, the SEC said the proposal is among the corporate regulator’s next-wave reforms aimed at cutting the time between company registration and the actual start of operations.

Under the planned system, businesses could complete other government permits in parallel instead of waiting for all requirements before commencing operations.

‘Ease of doing business is still very high in our agenda,’ SEC Chair Francis Lim told reporters on Monday.

Lim said the SEC would continue automating and digitizing its processes as part of its push to reduce regulatory hurdles.

The regulator has already imposed strict internal processing timelines, including a ‘deemed approved’ policy for applications that are not acted upon within prescribed periods.

It also cut fees for corporate document requests. The SEC said cumulative discounts had reached nearly P263 million as of July after fees were reduced by half in 2025 and by another 25 percent this year.

Discounts granted to micro, small and medium enterprises reached P157.31 million as of July.

The SEC recorded 28,724 newly registered corporations as of July, bringing the number of active corporations to 613,553.

Beyond business registration, the regulator is pursuing changes to deepen the capital market.

It is working with the World Bank to separate regulatory requirements for debt and equity public offerings, while also developing market-making rules with the Philippine Stock Exchange and Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.

The SEC is separately reviewing margin trading rules to improve market liquidity.

The regulator is also developing a Philippine Capital Market Master Plan with the Asian Development Bank, part of its push to position the country among Southeast Asia’s leading capital markets by 2030.

Meanwhile, SEC Commissioner McJill Bryant Fernandez said the proposed initial public offerings of GCash parent Mynt and PLDT Inc.’s VITRO data center REIT remain targeted for the fourth quarter.

These companies are still submitting requirements, Fernandez said.

Consumers in the Visayas may experience power interruptions on Tuesday, as the grid operator issued a new red alert due to persistently tight electricity supply.

In an advisory, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said the red alert would be up from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

A yellow alert would also be in effect from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

A yellow alert indicates that available power reserves are thinning, meaning any unexpected plant outage could trigger service interruptions. A red alert indicates that supply cannot meet demand, heightening the chances of rotational brownouts unless people manage their consumption.

The Visayas’ available capacity as of Tuesday morning was 2,421 megawatts (MW), while peak demand was 2,570 MW.

The thin power situation still stems from the unavailability of major coal plants in the Visayas and limited imports from Mindanao.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday deployed additional personnel and oil spill response equipment as authorities work to retrieve a tugboat that sank off Bucao River in Barangay Bangan, in Botolan, Zambales.

An underwater survey was attempted to assess the condition of the sunken tugboat SL SUAL, but poor weather and water conditions hampered the operation, Commander Euphraim Jayson Diciano, head of the PCG in Zambales, said.

Diciano said additional oil spill response equipment and personnel from the PCG’s Marine Environmental Protection Group in Manila had arrived in the area as a precaution against a possible fuel leak.

‘So in case there is a spill, we are prepared,’ Diciano said in a phone interview.

The vessel was carrying about 15,000 liters of diesel, but Diciano said no leakage had been detected as of the latest assessment.

He explained that although diesel was not considered persistent oil and could eventually ‘dissipate through wave interaction and evaporation,’ they continued to monitor the area because a diesel spill could still affect the marine environment.

‘Our priority now is to retrieve the vessel because it will be more difficult once it is covered by sediment,’ Diciano added.

According to Diciano, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has also conducted water sampling in the area to monitor possible contamination.

The tugboat SL SUAL sank on Monday while emergency salvage operations were underway after it ran aground at Bucao River on Aug. 14.

No bettor won the P238.84 million Ultra Lotto 6/58 jackpot in the Tuesday, Aug. 25 draw, according to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

The Ultra Lotto 6/58 winning combination was 57-36-34-49-17-43. The jackpot stood at P238.84 million, but no ticket matched all six numbers.

No jackpot winner also emerged in Super Lotto 6/49. The winning combination was 17-47-20-42-40-09 for a P25-million jackpot.

Lotto 6/42 likewise had no jackpot winner. The winning combination was 07-13-24-17-01-16, with the jackpot at P13.53 million.

Minor games

6D Lotto: 2-2-1-8-9-0 – P1.05 million; no winner

3D Lotto 2 p.m.: 3-3-9 – P4,500; 152 winners

3D Lotto 5 p.m.: 7-2-6 – P4,500; 182 winners

3D Lotto 9 p.m.: 1-9-4 – P4,500; 340 winners

2D Lotto 2 p.m.: 01-24 – P4,000; 281 winners

2D Lotto 5 p.m.: 31-13 – P4,000; 44 winners

2D Lotto 9 p.m.: 09-31 – P4,000; 219 winners

Draw schedule

Ultra Lotto 6/58 draws are held every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Super Lotto 6/49 draws take place every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, while Lotto 6/42 draws are held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday