Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Burnham Lake reopened to the public on Tuesday, coinciding with Baguio City’s 117th Charter Day celebration and bringing back boat rides at one of the city’s most iconic tourist attractions.

The man-made lake had been closed since October 2025 for a P480-million rehabilitation and improvement project.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid, Rep. Mauricio Domogan, Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan, and other city officials led the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The reopening came after the lake was enclosed by galvanized steel barriers as Tieza undertook extensive repairs and a makeover of the century-old attraction.

The rehabilitation formed part of the national government’s broader program to modernize Burnham Park and other tourism destinations in Baguio.

The 33-hectare park, including its nearly 4-hectare lake, was part of the original 1903 Burnham Plan prepared by American architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham. The park was designed as one of the city’s major open spaces and remains among Baguio’s most visited public attractions.

Baguio was established as a mountain resort city under the American colonial government and was formally granted a city charter on Sept. 1, 1909.

The rehabilitation of Burnham Park had been programmed as early as 2013 as part of a national tourism redevelopment initiative covering Baguio and Boracay. While the Boracay rehabilitation was completed in 2018, the Baguio project was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A P500-million allocation originally intended for the city was instead used for pandemic response measures.

Improvements

The work included the construction of a wooden boardwalk around the roughly 10-meter-deep lake, concrete benches that also serve as reinforced embankments, and improvements to the view deck. About 14 new boats had also been brought to the lake grounds.

The lake normally holds about 34,000 cubic meters of water.

Returning concessionaires were previously asked to provide new boats instead of the swan-shaped boats that had long been associated with the attraction.

The Department of Tourism recorded 117,137 visitors arriving in Baguio from Dec. 15 to Dec. 31, 2025.

The city government, however, clarified that the reopening of Burnham Lake does not mean all areas of Burnham Park have reopened. Some facilities remain subject to safety assessments.

Tieza is also validating city plans for the next phase of the Burnham Park rehabilitation, which will cover Children’s Park, Skating Rink and Rose Garden, where a bust of Burnham stands

Transboundary haze from the forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, may persist in parts of the Philippines until Thursday as the prevailing southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’ causes smoke to reach several regions in Luzon and the Visayas, environment and health officials said on Tuesday.

Several cities in Metro Manila also recorded ‘very unhealthy’ to ‘acutely unhealthy’ air quality levels on Tuesday morning, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB).

The Department of Health (DOH) advised the public to try staying indoors or wear an N95 mask when outdoors due to poor air quality attributed to haze. Those without an N95 mask may also use a wet handkerchief or cloth to cover their mouths and noses, or use two surgical or ordinary masks.

The DOH said haze can cause difficulty in breathing, coughing, chest pain, watering of the eyes, itchiness in the nose, and could worsen respiratory diseases, such as asthma.

‘Extra caution is essential for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory and heart illnesses,’ the DOH said.

Those without an N95 mask may also use a wet handkerchief or cloth, or two surgical or normal masks worn to form double layers.

‘Beyond our control’

According to Jundy del Socorro, chief of the Environmental Quality Management Division of DENR-EMB, haze may continue to affect parts of the country until Thursday.

‘At this point, the haze situation is largely beyond our control because it depends on several factors outside the Philippines, including the intensity of the forest fires in Kalimantan, prevailing wind patterns, and rainfall across the region,’ Del Socorro said.

Rainfall, he said, can help lower pollution levels by removing smoke particles and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from the atmosphere.

PM2.5 refers to fine particles measuring 2.5 micrometers or smaller that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. Elevated levels can pose greater risks to people sensitive to air pollution.

‘Between Sept. 4 and Sept. 6, air quality could gradually improve if rainfall remains widespread and wind patterns begin to shift,’ said Del Socorro.

‘Beyond Sept. 6, conditions will depend primarily on whether the fires in Kalimantan continue to generate smoke, whether new hot spots emerge, and whether winds continue to carry smoke toward the Philippines,’ he added.

‘Acutely unhealthy’ areas

Data from the DENR-EMB as of 4 p.m. Tuesday showed the following areas in Metro Manila with ‘acutely unhealthy’ levels of air quality: Parañaque (air quality index of 265), Las Piñas (245), Quezon City (237, Ateneo area), Malabon (227), Taguig (226), Manila (225), Valenzuela (221), Marikina (217), Muntinlupa (216), San Juan (214), and Mandaluyong (208).

Under the EMB scale, ‘acutely unhealthy’ with an air quality index ranging from 201-300 is the second highest category, next to ’emergency’ with an air quality index of 301-500.

Areas under the ‘very unhealthy’ category include Makati (188), Navotas (180), Quezon City (171, Commonwealth), and Pateros (167).

In a separate Facebook post, the DENR-EMB said among the regions affected by the haze included Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) and Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan).

Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator for administration, reminded motorists to use headlights or fog lights when traveling at night or in areas with poor visibility.

Visayas situation

In Bohol, residents in Tagbilaran City and nearby towns reported hazy, smoke-filled skies, with some saying the condition had been observed since Monday.

Mel Micayabas, 34, of Dauis town, said Panglao Island appeared to be covered in smoke when viewed from a distance.

From Tagbilaran, neighboring Cebu Island, which is usually visible across the Bohol Strait, was barely seen through the thick haze. The mountains of Maribojoc were likewise obscured.

Air quality in Metro Cebu reached the ‘very unhealthy’ level on Tuesday morning, according to the DENR-EMB in Central Visayas.

Bohol Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado urged residents to wear masks when going outdoors and avoid unnecessary exposure to the haze.

In Western Visayas, residents of Tubungan town in Iloilo also reported hazy conditions on Monday, with some saying the air smelled strongly of smoke and caused discomfort as they breathe.

Despite the haze, Iloilo City’s air quality remained within the ‘Good to Fair’ range from Aug. 28 to 31, according to the latest monitoring results.

Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense counsel Michael Poa was declared by the Senate impeachment court as a hostile witness at the resumption of the trial on Wednesday.

Poa was called by the prosecution panel to testify on the P112.5 million in Department of Education (DepEd) confidential funds when Duterte was its secretary.

‘The chair will proceed to declare Atty. Poa as a hostile witness, therefore giving Atty. [Benjamin] Tolosa the right to ask leading questions,’ presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero said.

Hostile witnesses are individuals presumed to favor the opposite party – in Poa’s case, the respondent, who is the vice president.

When Duterte was the secretary of DepEd from 2022 to 2024, Poa served as the agency’s chief of staff, an officer-in-charge of DepEd’s finance unit, and later Duterte’s spokesperson.

After Duterte’s stint at DepEd, Poa represented Duterte when she faced the first set of impeachment complaints against her in 2025.

At present, he is one of Duterte’s defense lawyers

Ordinary people have a habit of keeping things ‘just in case.’ Old appliances gather dust in storage rooms. Worn-out gadgets fill drawers. Empty bottles, boxes and even defective car batteries occupy precious space in garages and backyards.

While some items are indeed beyond use, many still possess financial, practical and even social value.

In personal finance, one of the most overlooked principles is that used does not mean useless.

The concept applies not only to household items but also to how we think about money, assets and financial freedom. Learning to maximize the value of used items can help reduce expenses, generate income, support charitable causes and ultimately improve financial well-being.

Consider the humble car battery. Most vehicle owners simply replace a dead battery and move on. Yet many battery suppliers offer trade-in values for old lead acid batteries because lead and other components can be recycled, up to 98 percent of them. The trade-in value may not be huge, but it reduces the cost of purchasing a replacement. A battery that appears worthless can still save a few hundred pesos.

The same principle applies to old mobile phones, laptops, tablets and other gadgets. Many retailers and manufacturers offer trade-in programs that provide discounts on new purchases.

Online marketplaces are also filled with buyers looking for secondhand electronics, even those that require minor repairs. Believe it or not, an old iconic car stereo system can be worth more than the car in which it was originally installed.

Furniture provides another example. A dining table may no longer match a home’s interior design, but it could still be perfectly useful to another family. Children’s books, toys, bicycles and school supplies often outlive their original owners’ needs while remaining valuable to others.

A household that sells unused appliances, old gadgets, excess furniture and recyclable materials could generate several thousand pesos. That amount may be enough to start an emergency fund, pay down debt, or make an investment. And the benefits go beyond cash.

Buying used items can also be a smart financial strategy. Many people assume that ‘brand new’ automatically means ‘better.’ Yet certain items depreciate rapidly despite remaining fully functional. Cars are perhaps the most obvious example. A vehicle loses a significant portion of its value the moment it leaves the dealer’s premises. Purchasing a well-maintained used car can allow a family to enjoy the same utility while spending considerably less.

The same logic applies to office furniture, exercise equipment, books and even certain household appliances. By choosing quality used items when appropriate, consumers can reduce spending without sacrificing their quality of life.

This mindset encourages a shift from ownership to utility. The real question is not whether an item is new or used. The question is whether it still performs the function you need.

There is also a charitable dimension to the value of used items. Many households possess items that no longer serve them but could greatly benefit others. Clothing that no longer fits, extra kitchenware, books that have already been read, or furniture that is no longer needed can find new life through donations.

When families donate usable items to charitable organizations, schools, churches, shelters or disaster-relief programs, they extend the economic value of those goods. What may be clutter in one home can become a necessity in another.

Beyond helping others, charitable giving can also have a positive effect on personal financial behavior. It encourages intentional consumption. People become more mindful of what they buy when they recognize that items have a lifecycle beyond their own use.

Financial freedom occurs when your resources consistently support your desired lifestyle.

Those resources include not only money in the bank but also the assets you already own. Every unused item represents locked value. Some can be converted into cash. Others can reduce future expenses. Still, others can create social value through charitable giving.

Many Filipinos work hard to earn additional income while overlooking assets already sitting inside their homes. Before searching for new ways to make money, it may be worthwhile to look around. The old phone in the drawer, the unused exercise bike, the stack of books, the excess furniture or even the dead car battery may still hold value. And mind you, you do not need to have a garage to do a garage sale.

Financial wisdom is not only about earning more. It is also about making the most of what you already have. And sometimes, the journey toward financial freedom begins with realizing that used doesn’t mean useless. INQ

The Office of the Vice Mayor at the Manila City Hall caught fire on Wednesday morning, according to the Manila Disaster City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (DRRMD).

In a report by Manila DRRMD shared by the Manila City government to media, the fire occurred at the second flood where the Office of the Vice Mayor is located.

The fire reached first alarm at 5:57 a.m. and was immediately declared under control at 6:15 a.m.

The blaze was extinguished at 6:21 a.m.

The Manila City government shared that work was not suspended in the city hall as per the directive of Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso.

Elena Rybakina said it was so far, so good with her left heel injury after she eased into the second round of the US Open with a straight-sets victory over US teen Thea Frodin.

The second-ranked Kazakh has her sights not only on a third Grand Slam but also the world number one ranking – which she could claim just by reaching the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows.

Her 6-3, 6-2 victory over the powerful but erratic Frodin was a polished performance, and an encouraging one after the injury that flared up to force her out of her Cincinnati Open quarterfinal.

Make that 8 straight Grand Slam hardcourt wins for Elena Rybakina! pic.twitter.com/uYxLeyDk7S

‘I’m happy with the match. Especially when you don’t know your opponent, it always can be dangerous, but overall I’m happy with the first match and how it went,’ she said.

‘It’s a great result after 10 days from that kind of injury.’

Rybakina had been reassured in Cincinnati when the physio told her she hadn’t torn her Achilles tendon.

But she was unable to walk without pain for several days and is still cautiously managing her training, rest and treatment.

‘When I went to serve, I realized I cannot push from the leg. So it was impossible to continue,’ she said.

‘From that, we started my recovery. We didn’t know if I’m going to be able to play here or not.

‘We were taking day by day. I was not playing for the full week, so seven days no tennis and basically not too much gym I could do movement-wise.

‘Right now, I feel Ok,’ she said after the match. ‘Of course we’ll see again day by day how I wake up tomorrow since it’s the first match and kind of a lot of movement.’

Lawyer Benjamin ‘Jay’ Tolosa Jr. is among private lawyers assisting the House prosecution panel in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.

Tolosa, who also serves as prosecution team’s legal spokesperson, will be leading the direct examination of lawyer Michael Poa, who is Duterte’s defense counsel and former Department of Education (DepEd) chief of staff.

Tolosa was introduced as part of the legal team of the prosecutors before the trial began in July.

He is the founding and managing partner of the Tolosa Lim and Chua Law Firm, where he heads the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice and leads a team of more than 25 lawyers handling complex and high-stakes disputes.

Graduating from the University of Santo Tomas College of Law, Tolosa ranked among the Top 10 of his class of 145 students in 2008.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in Legal Management from the same university in 2003 and received the Outstanding Thomasian Award from the University of Santo Tomas Law Alumni Foundation, Inc.

Earlier in his career, Tolosa also previously served as legal counsel of the Philippine affiliate of a Fortune Global 500 multinational corporation and as general counsel of a regional conglomerate engaged in the retail and distribution of premium global brands.

He also served as a senior associate at ACCRALAW (Angara Abello Concepcion Regala and Cruz Law Offices), where he represented major corporations, senior executives and public officials in complex and high-value disputes

Air quality in parts of Iloilo City has deteriorated as transboundary haze from forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, spreads across portions of the Philippines, prompting local authorities to advise vulnerable residents to avoid outdoor physical activities.

The Iloilo City Operations Center (OpCen), in an advisory issued at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, said the haze was affecting portions of Luzon and the Visayas, with the prevailing southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’ carrying particulate matter northward from Indonesia.

The advisory preceded a separate health warning released at 9 p.m. saying the haze had reached Western Visayas and could cause coughing, throat irritation, chest discomfort, and watery eyes, with people suffering from asthma and cardiovascular disease facing greater risks.

In Iloilo City, monitoring showed a marked increase in fine particulate pollution.

At the Environmental Management Bureau Region VI’s Garden of Love monitoring station, the PM2.5 Air Quality Index rose from readings classified as ‘Good’ late last week to ‘Fair’ on Aug. 31.

The station recorded AQI readings of 19 on Aug. 28, 34 on Aug. 29 and 41 on Aug. 30 before climbing to 70 on Aug. 31.

More concerning conditions were detected at the Central Philippine University/Ungka monitoring station, where real-time measurements cited by OpCen showed a US AQI of 116, classified as ‘Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups,’ with a PM2.5 concentration of 41.4 micrograms per cubic meter.

Regional satellite and PurpleAir monitoring also indicated elevated particulate levels over parts of Indonesia and scattered elevated concentrations along western and central Philippine corridors, according to the advisory.

OpCen said atmospheric analysis at an altitude of about three kilometers showed sustained southwesterly airflow transporting particulate matter from Indonesia across Philippine airspace.

An observable haze layer was documented Tuesday morning at moderate levels along affected corridors. Authorities warned that lighter surface and low-level winds in the afternoon could reduce the dispersal of pollutants, allowing fine particles to remain closer to the ground.

PM2.5 refers to microscopic airborne particles measuring 2.5 micrometers or smaller. Because of their size, the particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and may enter the bloodstream.

Exposure may trigger coughing, difficulty breathing, throat irritation, chest discomfort and watery eyes and can aggravate asthma, chronic bronchitis, heart disease and other existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, OpCen said.

Children, senior citizens, pregnant women and people with pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular illnesses were advised to avoid outdoor physical activities and, as much as possible, remain indoors in areas with filtered air.

If going outdoors cannot be avoided, authorities strongly urged residents, particularly vulnerable individuals, to use properly fitted N95 masks or appropriate masks capable of filtering fine particulate matter.

Residents were also advised to keep doors and windows closed during periods when haze is at its worst, avoid low-lying areas where smoke and suspended particles may accumulate, and use air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters when available.

Motorists were told to exercise additional caution because haze may reduce visibility and to ensure that vehicle headlights or fog lights are working properly.

Those who experience difficulty breathing, persistent coughing, or chest pain were advised to seek medical attention immediately.

The Iloilo City Operations Center said it was continuing to monitor the haze and the southwest monsoon, together with information from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, its Visayas regional weather office, and other air-quality monitoring sources.

Authorities said further advisories could be issued depending on changes in atmospheric and air-quality conditions.

Amid the devastating floods that have hit various parts of the country in recent days, Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos of the Diocese of Antipolo called on government officials to account for their actions and responsibilities.

‘As your shepherd, I call upon those in positions of authority: Ask yourselves. Are you truly serving the people? Are you honest? Do you truly care about our nation?’ Santos said in a scathing message written in Filipino titled ‘Hanggang Kailan’ (Until When?) and posted on the diocese’s official Facebook page on Tuesday.

‘You are there to protect, serve, and safeguard us. You have the power, time, and ability to address the problems of this country. But why do these recurring tragedies remain unresolved?’

‘Why did funds intended for the welfare of the people fail to reach where they were supposed to go? Why have so many enriched themselves while the nation is sinking?’ he asked.

Santos said the country has once again been plunged into deep suffering by seemingly endless flooding caused by the southwest monsoon, or ‘habagat.’

The weather disturbances have triggered widespread flooding, destroyed livelihoods and crops, and damaged infrastructure that should have helped protect communities from disasters.

‘Many families have been forced to evacuate, many areas have become impassable, and once again, many Filipinos are asking: How long?’ Santos said.

The bishop acknowledged that the rains have been heavy and that a lack of discipline, including improper waste disposal, has contributed to flooding.

‘But these are not the only reasons. There is a deeper wound that we must acknowledge: projects that were supposed to prevent flooding, but were never started, never built, or never fulfilled their intended purpose,’ he said.

‘Funds intended to protect our communities were not properly used. What should have been our defense against disasters became ghosts – ghost projects that were never seen, never felt, and never helped the people,’ he lamented.

Santos stressed, however, that corruption and ghost projects are not the fault of ordinary Filipinos.

‘All these are the result of the evil, greed, and negligence of those in power,’ he said.

The bishop said Filipinos also have a responsibility to help rid the government of corrupt officials through their choices at the ballot box.

‘In the coming elections, be discerning. Do not be swayed by temporary favors or handouts. The price of accepting a few thousand pesos in exchange for your vote is years of suffering, destroyed livelihoods, and lost hope. Have compassion for our country. Have compassion for ourselves. Have compassion for the generations to come,’ Santos said.

Despite the situation, Santos appealed to Filipinos not to lose hope and to continue putting their faith in God.

‘In the midst of the storm, let us hold hands. In the midst of the floods, let us help one another. In the midst of corruption, let us stand firm. In the midst of darkness, let us be the light,’ the bishop said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Vicente Sotto III has filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 631 seeking a Senate investigation into the root causes and devastating effects of typhoons and monsoon rains, with the aim of strengthening disaster mitigation efforts.

Sotto said the probe should assess the country’s disaster mitigation measures and the resilience of public infrastructure, particularly flood-control projects intended to protect communities from flooding.

Environmental advocates, coastal communities, and fisherfolk will come together from Sept. 21 to 25 for the Verde Island Passage (VIP) Week 2026, with organizers renewing calls for stronger protection of one of the country’s richest marine biodiversity areas.

The Protect Verde Island Passage (VIP) Network announced that this year’s celebration will carry the theme ‘Tayo ang Alon: Sama-samang Pagkilos Para sa Karagatan, Kabuhayan, at Kinabukasan.’

The campaign seeks to highlight the role of communities and ordinary citizens in protecting the Verde Island Passage, which has been described as the ‘Center of the Center of Marine Shorefish Biodiversity’ and the ‘Amazon of the Oceans’ because of its exceptional marine biodiversity.

The network said the term ‘VIP’ or ‘Very Important People’ should refer not only to government officials and other influential individuals but also to fishermen, coastal residents, young people and communities whose food, livelihoods and future depend on the sea.

‘VIP tayo,’ the network said, emphasizing that protecting the passage requires collective action from people who live along and depend on its waters.

Organizers said the ‘Tayo ang Alon’ theme recognizes that collective action can build a powerful force for the protection of the Verde Island Passage.

One of the major advocacy goals of the VIP Week is to push for the passage of the Verde Island Passage Protected Seascape (VIPPS) Bill in Congress and the Senate.

The network called on the public to support the proposed legislation and join efforts to strengthen protection for the passage.

‘Ang VIP ay para sa VIP. At tayo ang VIP,’ the group said.

The Verde Island Passage stretches between the provinces of Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon and is recognized as an area of exceptional marine biodiversity and importance to coastal communities