Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has received his first-ever higher education degree, an honorary award from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM).

Mr. Marcos was conferred a Doctor of Laws degree, honoris causa (Latin for ‘for the sake of honor’) during the graduation rites of the city government-run university on Thursday.

According to the Legal Education Board (LEB), an honorary Doctor of Laws degree is ‘an extraordinary academic degree awarded by a legal education institution to eminent individuals of integrity who have distinguished themselves in the field of law, justice, legal academe, legal research, public governance, leadership, or public service in the areas of statesmanship, administration, legislative activity, judicial service, or through outstanding and impactful work and/or exemplary service to society.’

The six members of the LEB en banc unanimously approved and adopted Resolution No. 286-01 giving the PLM authority to grant the degree to the 68-year-old president.

It took 12 days for the LEB to approve the application, which the PLM submitted on Aug. 13.

The resolution was signed by LEB chair Jason Barlis; and regular members, LEB commissioners Lorenzo Reyes, Voltaire San Pedro, retired Justice Manuel Barrios, Salex Alibogha and Justine Kyle Mapalo; and ex officio member Shirley Agrupis, chair of the Commission on Higher Education.

According to Alibogha, the PLM ‘sufficiently satisfies’ the specific requirements prescribed under LEB Memorandum Order (MO) No. 033, series of 2025, to confer the degree on Mr. Marcos.

Under Section 4(d) of the memo, a prospective honoree ‘must have at least a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from a reputable institution.’

‘It is not necessary for the honoree to be a lawyer or a law graduate,’ it stated.

Mr. Marcos has maintained that he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. But the university stated that, based on its records, he did not complete his course but was awarded a Special Diploma in Social Studies in 1978.

Mr. Marcos admitted that he did not complete his Master of Business Administration course at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the United States after enrolling in 1979 because he was elected vice governor of Ilocos Norte in 1980.

Under the MO, the LEB shall have the prerogative to deny, withdraw, withhold, or declare null and void the conferment of the degree based on several grounds, including ‘fabrication/misrepresentation of any document in support of the application.’

The LEB shall also take into consideration the prospective honorees’ conduct on issues of relevance which is inconsistent with or in contravention of the rule of law, ethics, public policy, and/or public morals, in denying, withdrawing, or declaring null and void the conferment of the degree.

‘Insult’ to lawyers

Kabataan Rep. Renee Co, a lawyer, said conferring the honorary degree on Mr. Marcos was not a ‘good example for our examinees rigorously studying law just days before the 2027 Bar examinations.’

‘This is an insult to the hundreds of lawyers […] who studied day-in and day-out to refine their knowledge of the law and ensure that said knowledge serves the most vulnerable-the complete opposite of Marcos Jr.,’ Co was quoted as saying by the Kabataan partylist page on Facebook.

Lawyer Frederick Mikhail ‘Spocky’ Farolan, former presidential appointee to the University of the Philippines Board of Regents, cited the LEB memorandum, noting that a bachelor’s degree was ‘a requirement before someone can be a recipient of an honorary PhD or honorary Doctor of Laws.’

‘Does [Bongbong] Marcos have a bachelor’s degree? Is this ‘bend the law’ or ‘bend the rules?’ he said also in a Facebook post.

First lady ties

PLM president Domingo Reyes Jr. made the recommendation to confer the degree on Mr. Marcos. It was later approved by the board of regents chaired by Edward Serapio.

Serapio is among the founding partners of MOST Law Office along with Araneta-Marcos, who worked there from 2006 until 2019. She later set up the M and Associates law firm, which she dissolved in June 2022 before Mr. Marcos’ oath-taking as newly elected president.

The first lady also taught at the PLM College of Law from 2010 to 2014.

Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso and Reyes bestowed the PLM doctoral regalia-the robe, hood, beret, and medallion-on Mr. Marcos

‘I receive this honor with gratitude, mindful of the responsibility that comes with it,’ the president said.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said over 200 personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), an agency under his department, were being investigated for alleged schemes in which applicants were asked to pay for slots in the agency.

‘Kung sa pinapanganak ka pa lang sa institusyon ay korapsyon, korapsyon ka na habang buhay. So, we’ll clean it up. This will be a massive purge,’ Remulla maintained in a press briefing in Camp Crame on Friday.

(If from your infancy in the institution, there’s corruption, then you’re corrupt throughout your tour of duty. So, we’ll clean it up. This will be a massive purge.)

‘Ang iniimbestigahan namin ngayon ay lagpas 200 tao tungkol sa slots-for-sale,’ he noted.

(We’re now investigating more than 200 personnel for slots-for-sale.)

‘As of now, all regional directors are being investigated,’ Remulla further detailed.

(As of now, all regional directors are being investigated.)

He added that the BFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have yet to finalize how many ‘slot-selling’ cases were being investigated.

The secretary also noted that, although the BFP personnel were under investigation, only those who will be proven to have links to the scheme will be relieved from their posts.

‘Binabalaan ko na lahat ng opisyal ng BFP. Lumabas na kayo at umaamin na kayo o hahabulin namin kayo,’ Remulla stressed.

(I am warning all the officials of the BFP. Come clean now or face the consequences.)

Pampanga, Ilocos cases

This came following the recent operation by police in Pampanga arresting a Senior Fire Officer (SFO) 1 assigned to the BFP National Capital Region (NCR), who allegedly contacted an applicant for a position in the bureau’s Central Luzon for an initial P500,000.

At the briefing, BFP officer in charge Fire Chief Superintendent Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu said the implicated personnel had been relieved from her post and was now facing dismissal proceedings.

The PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) previously said the suspect supposedly contacted the victim after the latter’s name was published on the bureau’s social media for the recruitment process.

The police also earlier detailed that the apprehended SFO had allegedly touted to have successfully orchestrated the hiring of four other applicants in the past year.

Remulla said the four other BFP applicants who accepted the implicated personnel’s offer were subpoenaed by the CIDG.

‘They can either testify kung ano yung nangyari or we will charge them because nagbayad sila. If they testify, we will give them clemency because they are as much as a victim. But, they have to come out with all the deeds,’ the DILG chief explained.

(They can either testify kung ano yung nangyari or we will charge them because they paid for it. If they testify, we will give them clemency because they are just as much of a victim. But, they have to come out with all the deeds.)

The CIDG also previously said the arrested SFO named a ‘senior fire commissioned officer’ as a cohort in the purported scheme.

Remulla identified the alleged cohort as a deputy director for administration in BFP Calabarzon.

He added that the other implicated bureau official had since been relieved from his post but had yet to be placed under restrictive custody.

Kwan Tiu also touted that the fire bureau and the police arrested another SFO 1 in the Ilocos Region, who had recently been dismissed by the agency, but he did not provide further details.

‘P15-billion industry’

Remulla noted that the offers in their recorded ‘slot-selling’ schemes ranged between P100,000 and P800,000 per applicant.

He reiterated that, prior to his tenure as DILG chief, erring personnel of the BFP had supposedly made at least P15 billion a year through questionable practices like ‘slot-selling,’ purported kickbacks on the procurement of equipment and additional fees for inspections.

The DILG and the BFP chiefs touted recent reforms to the BFP, particularly the deployment of its electronic hiring system for the 2026 recruitment process.

‘Basta tao ang involved sa selection, doon nangyayari ang corruption. Ngayon, systems-generated na,’ Remulla explained.

(As long as a person is involved in the selection, that’s where corruption happens. Now, the lists are generated by a system.)

Citing the Pampanga case, Kwan Tiu said he will be exploring options with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to protect the identities of BFP applicants.

The bureau, similar to the PNP, publishes its lists of applicants in a bid for transparency.

Earlier this year, Remulla launched an anti-corruption drive within the BFP, starting with criminal and administrative cases against over 40 personnel for alleged anomalies; and the relief of over 900 fire safety inspectors in NCR for alleged questionable practices.

The campaign included the suspension of then-BFP chief Fire Director Jesus Fernandez, whom Remulla accused of facilitating kickback schemes on the procurement of fire trucks and ambulances.

‘Within six months, lilinisin natin lahat yan. Within BFP, matatanggal na rin lahat ng sindikato,’ Remulla maintained.

(Within six months, we will clean that all up. We will remove all the syndicates inside the BFP.)

‘Ang goal ko is to strengthen the institution of the DILG. It used to be very weak. It used to be very porous,’ he explained.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. expressed support for a proposed law to bolster safety measures inside schools.

‘The PNP is ready to work closely with DepEd (Department of Education) and other stakeholders to ensure that schools remain safe and secure environments,’ Nartatez said in a statement on Friday.

‘We support measures that strengthen the protection of our learners,’ he noted.

The PNP chief particularly pointed to Senate Bill No. 2426 or the Comprehensive School Safety Bill, which Senate basic education committee chairperson Sen. Bam Aquino sponsored in the chamber on Wednesday.

The proposed law seeks to expand mental health and child protection services; establish school safety and risk prevention systems; outline guidelines on emergency response and recovery; and set standards for security infrastructure and visitor management.

The bill also consolidated measures seeking to strengthen anti-bullying protections; regulate the use of mobile devices in schools; and promote responsible social media use.

‘School safety must be preventive, responsive and supportive,’ Nartatez said.

‘We will continue strengthening police visibility, threat assessment, emergency preparedness and coordination with school authorities,’ he added

About one in eight Filipino households faced multiple deprivations in basic needs beyond income in 2024, with gaps in education, health, housing, sanitation and employment, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) first Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).

The PSA said 12.4 percent of households were classified as multidimensionally poor under the new measure.

The MPI was developed to complement the traditional income-based poverty statistics by looking at whether families are deprived across several dimensions of well-being.

At the individual level, 12.8 percent of Filipinos lived in households classified as multidimensionally poor.

Poverty beyond income

The national MPI stood at 0.045 at the individual level and 0.042 at the household level. The closer the index is to 1, the higher the level of multidimensional poverty.

‘The MPI shows that poverty is not just about what people earn. It is also about whether Filipinos have access to essential services that allow them to live productive and dignified lives,’ Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement.

‘By assessing the specific deprivations, we can improve the targeting of programs, strengthen coordination across sectors, and make public investments more effective,’ he added.

The MPI assesses poverty through four broad dimensions: education; health and nutrition; housing, water and sanitation; and employment.

Education was the largest contributor to multidimensional poverty, accounting for 40.7 percent of the overall MPI at the individual level. Housing, water and sanitation followed at 31.3 percent, while health and nutrition accounted for 18.5 percent and employment for 9.5 percent.

Among those classified as multidimensionally poor, the most common deprivations were low educational attainment and inadequate housing materials, each affecting 10.7 percent.

Other major gaps included lack of asset ownership, affecting 7.8 percent; food insecurity, 7.2 percent; lack of internet access, 6.8 percent; inadequate sanitation or toilet facilities, 6.1 percent; and inadequate water sources, 5.6 percent.

The broader figures show that deprivation in basic services and living conditions extends well beyond the population classified as multidimensionally poor.

Inadequate housing materials were the most widespread deprivation, affecting 38.7 percent of Filipinos. Lack of internet access affected 26.4 percent, while 24.1 percent lacked adequate sanitation or toilet facilities and 21.8 percent lacked sufficient asset ownership.

Education also remained a major concern, with 20.2 percent of Filipinos living in households where no adult age 19 or older had completed high school.

Historic low, constant gaps

The new index comes as official income-based poverty figures have reached a historic low. The PSA earlier reported that poverty incidence fell to 9.7 percent in 2025, the first time the share of Filipinos living below the official poverty threshold dropped into single digits.

That was equivalent to 11.08 million Filipinos, down from 15.5 percent, or 17.5 million, in 2023.

The annual per capita poverty threshold rose to P35,121 in 2025 from P33,296 in 2023, equivalent to about P96 a day

But economists have cautioned that the income-based poverty rate does not fully capture the financial and social pressures facing many Filipino households, particularly as the official threshold remains below what some analysts consider sufficient to meet basic needs.

Agricultural damage due to the combined effects of the enhanced southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay (international name: Kujira), and Neneng (international name: Gaenari) has climbed to P2.32 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Thursday.

The latest tally represented a 21.5-percent increase from the P1.91 billion in losses the DA reported on Monday.

The weather disturbances affected 69,615 farmers and fishers in eight regions, namely Cordillera, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and Western Visayas. About 60,896 metric tons of farm produce were damaged, covering 62,732 hectares of agricultural areas.

‘Further damage and losses are expected in affected regions as assessment and validation are ongoing,’ the DA said in its advisory. Rice accounted for 59.74 percent or P1.39 billion of the overall damage, with the majority of damaged crops in vegetative and reproductive stages. Losses in high-value crops amounted to P692.21 million, equivalent to 29.83 percent of the total.

Two political prisoner support groups on Thursday criticized the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) for the ‘special treatment’ given to Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who was brought to a private hospital for a tear in his left knee.

Estrada, who is detained in a Quezon City on charges of plunder, graft and bribery in relation to the flood control scandal, was on his way to the hospital for a scheduled knee X-ray on Wednesday when his camp said he felt something snap in his knee.

‘The plunderers are treated with kid gloves while political prisoners are deprived of the basic rights to life, liberty and competent medical care,’ Amanda Echanis, Laya Campaign for the Release of All Political Prisoners spokesperson, said.

For Danilo dela Fuente, Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto vice chair, the senator’s condition is generally not considered an emergency.

Meanwhile, BJMP spokesperson Jayrex Bustinera told the Inquirer, ‘The medical check-up of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was covered by a court order.’

‘BJMP was implementing a lawful court directive, not extending special treatment,’ Bustinera added.

For his part, Orthopedic surgeon Fernando Syquia earlier said that Estrada may need surgery for a meniscus tear in his left knee.

Every day, thousands of Ninja Van riders weave through streets and barangays nationwide. They know every corner shop, sari-sari store, and neighborhood grocery store on their routes.

But what if they could do more than move parcels? With an extensive network and a trained fleet of riders, they could also provide brands with real-time visibility into what is actually happening on store shelves-whether products are in stock, displayed correctly, or losing space to competitors.

This is the idea behind Ninja Van’s newest operational engine, Ninja FieldSight, an AI-powered, real-time retail intelligence solution. Combining Ninja Van’s delivery footprint with computer vision and analytics, FieldSight enables FMCG brands to monitor product availability, verify retail execution, and track competitor activity – without the high costs, heavy retainers, and long lag times of traditional market research agencies

Addressing the FMCG Blind Spot

High-priority retail doors and neighborhood stores account for a significant share of everyday consumer purchases. Yet, even across an FMCG brand’s most critical store locations, a blind spot persists: a lack of continuous, real-time visibility into what actually happens on the shelf between delivery runs. Out-of-stock products go unnoticed, promotional displays are improperly executed, or competitors gain shelf space, long before brands become aware.

‘The future of FMCG retail success is no longer just about making sure packages are being delivered to the stores. It’s also about understanding what happens on the shelf once they get there,’ says Danielle Hung, Head of Business Planning and Operations, Ninja Van.

Traditional field audits have long been used to bridge this gap, but they come with high overhead costs, prolonged recruitment, and tedious deployment cycles. Brands are left waiting during long report turnaround times, with no ability to view their data while still fresh. ‘Long data lead times deliver yesterday’s news weeks too late. By the time insights reach decision-makers, the information is often already outdated,’ Hung noted.

Reinforcing Delivery Network with Data

Instead of building a separate field force, Ninja Van leveraged something it already had: one of the country’s largest logistics networks. FieldSight builds on its B2C and B2B delivery infrastructure, with thousands of Ninja Van riders plying the roads daily.

As riders pass target retail touchpoints, FieldSight automatically prompts them to capture shelf images through a proprietary AI bot on their phones. Uploaded photos are instantly processed by Vision AI to validate that they are high-resolution, accurately labeled, and backed by geo-tagged, time-stamped visual proof.

‘We don’t send temporary auditors into unfamiliar streets,’ Hung added. ‘Our riders are already part of their neighborhood’s daily rhythm. That allows us to collect retail intelligence naturally as part of our existing operations’

Faster Insights, Deeper Reach, Real-Time Deployment

FieldSight gives FMCG brands strategic advantages in terms of speed, reach, accuracy, and flexibility, shifting retail strategy from reactive troubleshooting to proactive shelf management.

Because touchpoints are identified based on rider proximity and data is transmitted immediately, SKU availability can be confirmed in near real time. This replaces weeks-long report cycles with daily feedback loops, ensuring they can respond with timely corrective action. Through automated shelf-share measurement, live dashboards and interactive heat maps, brands can reduce stock-outs, improve on-shelf availability, protect promotional investments and respond more quickly to competitor activity.

While traditional audits provide market intelligence through slow, manual reporting cycles, FieldSight ensures ground-level data is accessible. Brands gain a real-time window to competitor pulse, including rival pricing, neighborhood promotions, and new product launches.

Moreover, every audit is backed by high-resolution, geo-tagged, and time-stamped visual verification, creating a reliable audit trail that confirms shelf placement and planogram compliance. Unlike manual self-reporting-where data can be altered, misattributed, or delayed-FieldSight is designed to eliminate human error, field fraud, and blind spots.

Whether conducting a rapid hyper-local spot check or a coordinated nationwide audit, FieldSight scales to business needs. Brands can launch customized campaigns across selected territories or simultaneously nationwide, with as little as 24 hours’ notice and no lengthy recruitment or deployment period.

Winning at the Counter: From Data to Brand Impact

By combining historical audit data with real-time shelf insights from FieldSight, brand managers can anticipate supply gaps and intervene before empty shelves compromise brand trust, erode customer loyalty, and drive shoppers to competitors.

True brand impact happens when products remain reliably within arm’s reach at the exact moment of purchase. FieldSight extends visibility beyond logistics, giving brands confidence not only that products have reached their destinations, but that they are present, visible, and retail-ready on store shelves.

Powered by its nationwide delivery network and advanced AI, Ninja Van is redefining operational excellence-transforming everyday deliveries into real-time retail intelligence that drives stronger execution and better business outcomes.

Your product left the warehouse. But is it actually on the shelf? FieldSight turns your delivery footprint into real-time retail intelligence as they happen.

Twin defeats on Thursday denied the Philippines a chance to extend its debut run in the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup in Tainan, Taiwan.

The Filipino batters were handed an 8-2 loss by Chinese Taipei before being brutally shown the door by Venezuela hours later with a 10-0 rout at the Aspac Secondary Field.

That concluded the campaign of the Philippine squad, which finished with a 2-3 win-loss record, well short of securing a top three finish in Group B and a spot in the six-team Finals to be held next year in Rockford, Illinois.

But the first World Cup stint did not end without the Philippines giving itself something to remember after bouncing back from Tuesday’s 3-0 loss to defending champion Japan to open the rain-delayed competition.

Wednesday saw coach Saki Bacarisas’ squad produce a breakthrough first win by blanking Cuba, 6-0, before returning to the field in the evening to beat Great Britain, 8-2.

In both games, Martine Francisco broke the ice for the Philippines by driving home the first run against Cuba, and the first two against Great Britain, all in the first inning.

The WBSC took notice of the performance of the University of the Philippines softball standout in both games and named her Player of the Day.

It was the momentum the Philippines needed going into the final day, but both Chinese Taipei and Venezuela had other ideas.

Starting pitcher Jojielyn Lim was rocked by Chinese Taipei with four runs in the first inning, and the Philippines could not recover to settle for defeat.

Against Venezuela, the Philippines was on even terms in the bottom of the first after Veronica Velasco advanced to second on a balk with one out. But Mae Langga popped out to the shortstop, and Francisco struck out swinging against Venezuelan righty Abril Amaro.

Venezuela would extend its lead in the second by tacking on six runs to make it 7-0.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Friday explained the artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled body-worn cameras it is procuring will have better image quality.

‘The AI-enabled body cameras will enhance the PNP’s capability to document police operations with clearer and more reliable footage. This will help preserve evidence, support investigations, and promote greater accountability among our personnel,’ Nartatez said in a statement.

‘The new units are expected to have superior lenses and image quality that will make them more suitable for AI processing,’ he noted.

The top cop also detailed that the rollout of the body cameras will be coordinated with the agencies concerned to craft guidelines on the use of its AI features to comply with privacy and evidence-handling requirements.

‘We assure the public that these body cameras will be used to strengthen transparency and accountability in police operations. We will ensure that our personnel use the technology properly and in accordance with existing laws and policies,’ Nartatez maintained.

‘This technology will protect not only the public but also our police officers by providing an objective record of what transpired during police encounters and operations,’ he added.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, during the House of Representatives appropriations committee hearing on his department’s 2027 budget on Thursday, bared that the PNP was in the process of purchasing up to 20,000 new AI-enabled body cameras.

Remulla cited that the PNP currently only had 2,000 body-worn cameras available for the over 230,000-strong police force.

A 2021 Supreme Court issuance required law enforcement officers to use at least one body-worn camera and one alternative recording device in implementing search and arrest warrants

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday said the police should now be allowed to inspect the homes of persons who had been issued firearms by the government, to check how they are keeping their guns away from unauthorized users.

Remulla’s proposal was the latest offshoot of two recent deadly school shootings-in Tacloban City and Zamboanga City-where the attackers were both minors who managed to get hold of loaded firearms licensed to members of their family.

During the House committee hearing on the budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Remulla said his agency would propose amendments to gun regulations to make it legal for the police to check on the safekeeping of firearms in private homes.

‘What we are proposing is that the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) have to be amended,’ the Cabinet official said in response to questions from Akbayan Rep. Dadah Ismula.

‘The PNP (Philippine National Police) will be granted access to all homes of lawfully issued firearms to inspect their procedures in safekeeping,’ Remulla said.

He was referring to the IRR of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, or Republic Act No. 10591.

Still a privilege

According to the secretary, around 800,000 personnel in the uniformed services alone have been issued firearms.

They are responsible for keeping the guns secure at all times, he said.

‘This (proposal) might upset a few people because… it might be interpreted as an infringement of rights. However, we must remember that the privilege to own a gun is not enshrined in our Constitution,’ he explained.

Earlier this month, Remulla also urged Congress to repeal a 1997 law and reclassify the offense of illegal possession of firearms from being bailable to nonbailable.