Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday said 4,631 individuals-including passengers, truck drivers, and cargo helpers-were stranded in 55 ports across the country due to Tropical Depression Wilma.

In its bulletin, the PCG said that from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. on December 5, it had monitored 55 ports across Southern Tagalog, Northeastern Mindanao, Southern Visayas, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Central Visayas.

Based on PCG’s data, 1,484 vessels, 45 motorbancas, and 26 rolling cargoes were stranded, while 107 vessels and 53 motorbancas were taking shelter due to Wilma.

In a separate bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Wilma may make its initial landfall or pass close to Eastern Visayas or Dinagat Islands on Friday evening or Saturday morning.

Wilma is forecast to move west-southwest until Saturday before continuing to traverse the Visayas until December 7. It is then expected to emerge over the Sulu Sea and may pass over northern Palawan by the morning of December 8.

Pagasa said Wilma will likely remain a tropical depression throughout the forecast period

Team Philippines produced contrasting results in football with the men’s U-22 team on the winning side and the women’s squad falling short on Friday in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.

The Filipino footballers took down Myanmar, 2-0, in their Group C battle at 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai to begin their quest for a breakthrough medal finish, with Alex Monis producing the opener while benefiting from an own goal after the break.

It was a heartbreaking result, however, for the Filipinas as they fell to the same country, 2-1, in Group B at IPS Stadium in Chonburi after conceding May Htet Lu’s winner in the 89th minute.

With the win, the men’s team fortified its chances of reaching the semifinals either as group winner or the best among the three second placers, but will have to produce a massive result against Indonesia on Monday to qualify.

There are three teams in each of the three groups after the tournament was redrawn due to Cambodia’s withdrawal.

Meanwhile, the Filipinas are now in a desperate situation of needing to beat Vietnam on Monday and Malaysia on Dec. 11 in hopes of qualifying for the semis. The top two teams in Group B will advance to the semis.

The Filipinas fell behind four minutes after kickoff on a goal from Myanmar talisman Win Theingi Lun, but they were able to draw level in the 69th courtesy of Mallie Ramirez.

Saturday, meanwhile, will see men’s polo facing Thailand in the 2-4 goals event in Samut Prakan while men’s baseball launches its quest to defend the title it won during the last staging of the sport in 2019 against Indonesia in Pathum Thani.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should have no problem certifying as urgent the proposed minimum wage hike if he can raise military and uniformed personnel’s (MUP) salaries, lawmakers said on Friday.

In a statement, House Deputy Speaker and TUCP party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza said there should be no double standard, as workers have also waited a long time for their wages to increase.

‘Mr. President, there should be no double standard. If we can raise the salaries of uniformed personnel, we can also raise the wages of Filipino workers. As we recognize the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, let us not lose sight of our over five million minimum wage earners who work too hard yet are paid too little for far too long,’ Mendoza said.

‘We should also acknowledge and reward our workers who continue to sacrifice while serving in their offices and workplaces, even as they and their families struggle with hunger, poverty, and lack of future prospects,’ he added.

Mendoza said he understands the need to boost the morale of police and military officers, but workers also need support and play an important role in society.

‘What about the morale, health, and dignity of our workers and their families and children-the future of our nation? Just like our nation’s defenders, Filipino workers continue to drive our industries and economy with their labor productivity despite being denied a substantial legislated wage hike since 1989 and deprived of their Constitutional right to a living wage,’ he said.

‘Without a wage hike now, our workers face not only deprivation but desperation. If the President does not certify the proposal as urgent and Congress does not include it in LEDAC (Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council) priority bills, the patience of the Filipino people may run out, as billions are stolen by a few while their due wages remain unpaid,’ he added.

Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co also criticized the Marcos administration for seemingly ignoring the plight of workers in key sectors.

‘They want higher pay for MUP, but not for workers? Workers should be the priority,’ Co said. ‘Aren’t teachers, healthcare professionals, laborers, and farmers, who struggle to support the nation, also deserving of attention?’

‘If Marcos Jr. wants true development and security for the country, he should first raise the wages of other professionals because they deserve it,’ she added.

On Wednesday, it was reported that Marcos granted a 15 percent increase over three years to boost the morale of troops and officers, and in response to prevailing economic conditions in the country.

Marcos’ order comes seven years after the last hike in basic pay for MUP during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s term.

‘In recognition of your unwavering service, dedication, and excellence, we will be increasing the base pay of the MUP,’ he said in a video statement.

Those who will benefit from Marcos’ latest executive order are the more than 470,000 active personnel from the following agencies:

Armed Forces of the Philippines

Philippine National Police

Bureau of Fire Protection

Bureau of Jail Management and Penology

Bureau of Corrections

Philippine Coast Guard

National Mapping and Resource Information Authority

Under Executive Order No. 107, the hike in the base pay of MUP will be implemented in three tranches starting next year – on Jan. 1, 2026, and on the same date in 2027 and 2028.

Several bills seeking a wage increase have been filed in the House. Last July, Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co and the Makabayan bloc submitted a proposal pushing for a P1,200 daily minimum wage, citing it as a living wage that would allow families to live decently.

Under House Bill (HB) No. 2599, or the proposed National Minimum Wage Act of 2025, additional provisions in Presidential Decree (PD) No. 442, or the Labor Code, will be revised to make it more responsive to people’s needs.

Mendoza also filed HB No. 88, pushing for a P200 increase in the daily salaries of minimum wage earners, similar to HB No. 766 filed by Akbayan party-list lawmakers.

In the 19th Congress, lawmakers came close to passing a final version of a wage hike bill. The House approved HB No. 11376, or the proposed Wage Hike for Minimum Wage Workers Act, on third reading in June 2025, while the Senate approved Senate Bill (SB) No. 2534 in February 2024.

Due to differences between the bills – the House seeking a P200 hike and the Senate a P100 increase – a bicameral conference committee should have been convened to produce a final version.

This final version, contained in a bicameral conference committee report, must be ratified separately by the House and Senate in plenary sessions before being forwarded to the President for consideration.

However, in the last week of the 19th Congress’ session, reports said the House and Senate were in a deadlock, as former House Committee on Labor and Employment Chairperson Juan Fidel Nograles preferred a bicameral discussion to ensure transparency.

Ultimately, the 19th Congress adjourned without the House and Senate ratifying a final version of the wage hike bill.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should explain the reason behind the resignation of three high-ranking cabinet officials despite the administration’s position that former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co’s claims over social media carry no weight.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, in an online press briefing on Friday, stressed that Justice Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz – whose resignation was reportedly accepted earlier – and former Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman were not involved in the infrastructure corruption scheme until Co released a series of video statements last November.

Co named Pangandaman as the cabinet official who directed him to place P100 billion worth of insertions into the 2025 budget, while Cadiz was described as one of the personalities that the former lawmaker talked to, to verify if the instructions really came from Marcos.

‘We are asking and daring the Malacañang to give a complete and honest explanation as to why they accepted the resignation of Usec. Jojo Cadiz, we know that he is one of the names mentioned, particularly by [.] Zaldy Co, there should be an explanation why he was removed,’ Tinio said after news broke that Cadiz had resigned.

‘At one point, Malacañang said that Zaldy Co’s testimony has no value whatsoever, but now, not only one, but three officials of President Marcos Jr.’s cabinet have been removed: ES (Executive Secretary Lucas) Bersamin, Usec. Jojo Cadiz, and Secretary Pangandaman ng DBM (Department of Budget and Management),’ he added.

Tinio said that of the three, Cadiz and Pangandaman were named only by Co, as former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo did not identify the two in his supposed affidavit.

Accusations carry weight?

If both Cadiz and Pangandaman left office because of Co’s statements, Tinio said it might be an admission that Co’s accusations carry weight – and must be subjected to a more thorough investigation.

‘Former Usec. Bernardo did not mention Pangandaman or Jojo Cadiz. That’s why this means, there is no basis for their so-called resignation or removal other than Zaldy Co’s allegations. This is like an admission that Zaldy Co’s statements carry weight,’ he said.

‘Now, we condemn Malacañang – whether it’s the President himself or his spokesperson – for outright refusal to explain to the public the real reason why these officials resigned,’ he added.

During a press briefing on Friday, Palace press officer, Undersecretary Claire Castro said that information coming from the Department of Justice indicated that Cadiz has resigned from his post.

‘As far as we know, he has already submitted his resignation,’ Castro said in Filipino.

Last November 25, Acting Justice Secretary Frederick Vida said Cadiz went on leave and was scheduled to return to office last December 1. While Vida did not elaborate on Cadiz’s whereabouts, he said Cadiz had not applied for travel authorization.

Last November 17, Castro said that President Marcos accepted Bersamin and Pangandaman’s resignation, which were supposedly made out of ‘delicadeza’ amid the investigation into the anomalous flood control projects.

In his first video statement, Co questioned why Marcos appeared surprised by the 2025 budget, given that it was allegedly the Chief Executive’s idea to make insertions.

According to Co, everything started after Pangandaman called him to inform that Marcos wants P100 billion worth of insertions in the 2025 national budget.

Co said Pangandaman asked him to confirm the President’s orders with Presidential Legislative Liason Office Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin – the former executive secretary’s grandnephew. After confirmation, Co said he told former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez about this instruction.

In the same video, Co said that he appealed to Pangandaman and Bersamin to just put half of the P100 billion to unprogrammed funds so that funds for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) would not exceed the allocation for the Department of Education (DepEd).

Under the 1987 Constitution, the education sector should have the highest budget prioritization. Co said the appeal was made before Pangandaman, Bersamin, Romualdez, and Cadiz

The removal of a former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official came after he allegedly tried to endorse a lawmaker to Secretary Vince Dizon to secure infrastructure projects, Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste said on Friday.

Leviste, in a radio interview with DZRH – transcripts of which were provided by his office – claimed that former Undersecretary Arrey Perez is allegedly connected to CWS party-list Rep. Edwin Gardiola, whom Perez supposedly tried to introduce to Dizon.

But when Dizon learned of this and other allegations linking Perez to contractors, Leviste said the undersecretary was fired from his post.

‘I thank Secretary Vince Dizon because after his internal investigation, he ordered the removal of an Assistant Secretary and a Director IV that were brought in by former Usec. Arrey Perez, who himself is a contractor. That’s why it appears that contractors are not only inside Congress but also in the DPWH,’ Leviste said in Filipino.

‘The former Undersecretary of DPWH, Arrey Perez, is connected to Congressman Gardiola, and Secretary Vince Dizon eventually learned about this. That’s why Arrey Perez was removed. When they were talking, Usec. Arrey Perez tried to endorse Congressman Gardiola to Secretary Vince Dizon so that he could get government contracts,’ he added.

According to Leviste, Perez allegedly has ties with Gardiola because he has been in Batangas for a long time. Both Leviste and Gardiola hail from Batangas province.

‘Arrey Perez has been in Batangas for a long time, and that is where he met Congressman Gardiola. But again, I thank Secretary Dizon because when he learned about this, he had Usec. Arrey Perez removed along with the two officials he brought in,’ he added, speaking Filipino.

Gardiola has been accused by Leviste of pre-ordering contracts within DPWH – the practice of assigning projects to contractors at the National Expenditures Program (NEP) level. The NEP is the budget submitted by the executive branch to Congress, which indicates that projects may have been predetermined before the House of Representatives deliberates on the proposed budget.

In a press briefing last November 19, Leviste presented a document supposedly given by former Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, which showed several items labeled as ‘CENTI2025’ – infrastructure projects in different areas, including Leviste’s own district.

A week after Leviste’s claims, Gardiola denied any involvement in anomalous infrastructure projects, adding that he will answer allegations hurled against him at the right forum. In a previous statement, Gardiola said he was ‘disheartened’ to hear his name mentioned in several allegations because such claims are ‘untrue.’

Perez resigned from DPWH last October after he was linked by Leviste to flood control contractors, with Dizon saying that the former official wanted to avoid being a ‘distraction’ to the DPWH.

On Wednesday, two more DPWH officials – an assistant secretary and a director allegedly brought in by Perez – were reportedly removed after they were accused of having ties to contractors.

INQUIRER has asked Dizon for confirmation if Gardiola was indeed endorsed to him by Perez, and if he blocked such an attempt. Dizon, however, has not replied as of posting time.

Over the past few weeks, Leviste has made several claims regarding the infrastructure corruption issue. Aside from his allegations against Gardiola, Leviste claimed that the DPWH knows who are the proponents behind P721.8 billion in insertions in the agency’s budget for 2025, and another P496.9 billion for the upcoming 2026 budget cycle.

Leviste said he cannot watch the DPWH claim to be for transparency when it is allegedly hiding the people behind the insertions in the 2025 and 2026 National Expenditures Program (NEP), the budget submitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to Congress

Dr. Karol Yee, executive director of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2) recently wrote that our nutrition programs are ‘too little, too late.’ I agree. Stunting isn’t solved by feeding, but by a package of nutrition and health interventions in the first 1,000 days, from conception to a child’s second birthday, when the diet and health of mothers and children matter most.

Yet as highlighted in a recent Senate hearing, very few government programs focus on this window. Feeding starts in day care and school, but by then the damage is often irreversible. So how do we ‘feed’ pregnant women and young children, with dignity, at the right time? Lining up mothers for food may help in an emergency, but it doesn’t build a system that protects nutrition every month, for years. What might work better?

1. Put cash in mothers’ hands. The poorest households spend around 60 percent of their income on food, with the rest going mostly to health, clothing, and education. On average, less than 2 percent goes to vices. The stereotype that ‘they’ll just waste it’ is not what the data show.

What the data show is this: when food prices rise, Filipino households tend to downgrade. They drop nutrient-rich foods and stick to staples like rice. This is especially harmful to pregnant women and young children. A full stomach is not the same as a nourished brain. If we want less stunting, poor households should be able to afford nutritious food.

That’s why our coalition supported the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in designing and implementing a first 1,000 days grant under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), launched in February. The grant is given per child or pregnant woman, at P350 per month. The Senate is fighting to increase this to P750.

2. Tie cash to monthly checkups and nutrition counseling. What makes the grant powerful is not just the extra cash, but also the fact that it nudges mothers to bring their children to health centers for monthly monitoring. Procrastination is universal, especially among families who carry the mental load of daily survival. Long-term investments in health, like bringing a child for regular checkups when they look healthy, are easy to postpone.

Before the grant, only 23,779 4Ps children under 2 years old were being regularly monitored by the health system. Since implementation of the grant, that number has jumped to 157,323. That’s a 6.6-fold increase. Cash, combined with conditions, brings pregnant women and toddlers into the health system earlier and more consistently. That is a big win.

The next challenge is this: is the health system good enough to meet their needs?

3. Use health financing to pay for child growth monitoring and malnutrition prevention. Here is where PhilHealth comes in. Local health units are overworked and underfunded. Growth monitoring, counseling, and follow-through for nutritionally at-risk children often depend on the heroism of a few midwives, nurses, and barangay health workers. Data show that local government units only monitor about one-fourth of stunted children.

If we want stunting prevention to be ‘every month, for every mother and child,’ we need stable financing and clear incentives.

PhilHealth can pay for first 1,000 days services as a package, not just for curative care when a child is already sick. Following best practices, it can pay a fixed rate per child if a local health unit is able to bring that child into its ‘catchment.’ Units that consistently monitor, provide health and nutrition counseling, and deliver supplementation can receive an additional performance-based payment. Once the monitoring and evaluation system is stronger, PhilHealth could even provide bonuses to local health units that effectively lower the stunting rate in their catchment. This structure is similar to the President’s Yaman ng Kalusugan Program primary care package.

Reformers in PhilHealth, DSWD, and other agencies are doing their best, but they cannot do it alone. They need our help in clamoring for stunting to be front and center in our development priorities.

Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) emerged stronger on the last trading day. The index regained its hold on the 5,900 level as the country recorded cooler inflation last month.

The PSEi rose 1.05 percent or 61.64 points to finish at 5,949.22.

The broader All Shares also closed the trading week in the positive territory jumping 0.55 percent or 19.03 points, to 3,477.68.

Major sectors’ performances were mixed again on Friday, with the services leading with a 3.93-percent surge.

However, stock data showed that trading was still ‘tepid’ with net value turnover at P5.17 billion, Philstocks financial research manager Japhet Tantiangco said.

‘The local market bounced back as investors cheered the Philippines’ November inflation rate, which came in at 1.5 percent, declining from the prior month’s 1.7 percent,’ Tantiangco said.

‘The slowdown in the country’s inflation is seen to help in household consumption. It also gives the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas more room to ease monetary policies,’ he added.

AB Capital Securities Inc., meanwhile, said the local bourse was also fueled by ‘ICT’s record high’ print.

International Container Terminal Services Inc., the listed global ports operator led by tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., gained the most on Friday. It soared by 6.63 percent to P587.

Earlier this week, the ICTSI said that it had completed the expansion of its logistics and industrial center in Brazil.

Alliance Global Group Inc., meanwhile, performed poorly, dropping 3.73 percent to P6.45.

The market closed with 95 losers, 83 advancers and 69 unchanged

There are no discussions yet regarding the abolishment of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said on Friday.

These remarks came after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla said in an earlier interview that the super body may have only a month or two left before it concludes its investigation into anomalous infrastructure projects.

‘Right now, I can’t answer that, and we haven’t discussed it yet,’ she said, referring to the former Justice chief’s statement.

‘But since the Ombudsman is also there and they are very active regarding the issue of anomalous flood control projects, it could be like that. But as of now, we don’t have any details or any updates regarding that,’ Castro continued.

During an Unang Balita interview, Remulla said the ICI will turn over its referrals to the Office of the Ombudsman once it stops its probe.

‘I think some of them, it’s only two months away and they can turn over their jobs to us,’ Remulla said in an interview on Unang Balita.

”That’s the direction, because the ICI is not forever, and there is a law that created the Office of the Ombudsman, which we are now very active in,’ he also said

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday raised a code white alert ahead of the expected landfall of Tropical Depression Wilma and to ensure immediate emergency response in affected areas.

A code white alert is raised to ensure that all assigned medical personnel, medical equipment, and facilities will be ready to respond to emergencies.

‘Itinaas na ng Department of Health (DOH) ang Code White Alert bilang paghahanda para sa inaaahang pagtama ng bagyong #WilmaPH sa bansa partikular sa Eastern Visayas o Dinagat Islands ngayong Biyernes ng gabi o Sabado ng umaga,’ the DOH said in a Facebook post.

(The Department of Health raised Code White Alert to prepare for the expected landfall of Tropical Depression Vilma in the country, particularly in the Eastern Visayas or Dinagat Islands on Friday night or Saturday morning.)

According to the 8 p.m. bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Wilma wast spotted some 170 kilometers east of Borongan City in Eastern Samar, with a maximum wind speed of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 55 kph.

Pagasa also said that the center of Wilma is forecast to make landfall over Eastern Visayas on Saturday and will continue to traverse Visayas until Sunday.

Twenty-four areas are under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 as Tropical Depression Wilma moved closer to the country’s landmass on Friday, according to the state weather bureau.

In its 11 p.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Signal No. 1 was hoisted over the following areas:

The southern portion of Sorsogon (Matnog, Bulan, Irosin, Santa Magdalena, Bulusan, Barcelona, Magallanes, Juban, Casiguran, Gubat)

mainland Masbate including Ticao Island

the eastern portion of Romblon (San Fernando, Cajidiocan, Magdiwang)

Northern Samar

Eastern Samar

Samar

Biliran

Leyte

Southern Leyte

Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands

Bohol

the northern and central portions of Negros Occidental ( Sagay City, City of Escalante, Toboso, Calatrava, Enrique B. Magalona, City of Victorias, Manapla, Cadiz City, Bacolod City, City of Talisay, Silay City, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City, Murcia, Bago City, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Valladolid, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Isabela, Binalbagan, City of Himamaylan, City of Kabankalan, Ilog, Cauayan, Candoni)

Siquijor

the northern and central portions of Negros Oriental (City of Guihulngan, Canlaon City, Vallehermoso, La Libertad, Jimalalud, Tayasan, Ayungon, Bindoy, Manjuyod, Bais City, Pamplona, City of Tanjay, Amlan, San Jose, Dumaguete City, Valencia, Sibulan, Bacong, Mabinay)

Guimaras

Iloilo

Capiz

Aklan

Antique

Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands

Dinagat Islands

the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza)

the northern portion of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago, Tubay, City of Cabadbaran, Remedios T. Romualdez, Magallanes)

Camiguin

Areas under TCWS No. 1 can expect winds from 39 and 61 kilometers per hour (kph) in the next 36 hours, posing minimal to minor threat to life and property.

Wilma was last spotted some 135 kilometers (km) east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar.

The tropical depression was moving westward slowly and packing maximum sustained winds of up to 45 kph and gusts of up to 55 kph.

Earlier, Pagasa said Wilma may make landfall over Eastern Visayas on Saturday