Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Call me a Luddite, or perhaps contrarian, but I would rather sit in a library and trawl through hundreds of books than use AI (artificial intelligence). In this day and age, realistically speaking, that means combing through hundreds of websites, sometimes going down many rabbit holes, sifting sense from sensationalism, checking facts against bias, verifying sources, and ignoring clickbait, all in the name of solid research.

Vive la resistance

One could say my disinterest in AI is a form of resistance against intellectual indolence, against the frankly terrifying reality of big tech colonialism, against the abdication of agency when it comes to knowledge. Whereas many people think nothing of consulting ChatGPT or some other AI engine with questions both anodyne and profound, and getting the answers in seconds, I personally prefer to go old school digital-meaning, I type into a search engine whatever it is I’m interested in looking up, and then I run through the various search results, assessing the credibility of one source versus the other, before possibly veering off-tangent to look up something often outwardly unrelated yet nevertheless triggered by a word or phrase or factoid I’d just happened upon.

Of course, not everything I am seeking answers for is highly complicated or arcane; sometimes it’s as simple as finding the address of a restaurant. But I’d like to think it’s a form of discipline-having a healthy dose of skepticism and perspicacity when presented with a smorgasbord of options, especially when the commodity is information.

All this, I suppose, reflects my background in the Humanities, my very catholic upbringing-and I mean catholic not in the religious sense, but in terms of broadness and universality of scope-which involved being immersed in the different worlds afforded to me by literature, art, philosophy, and languages.

And these are worlds that I discovered first through reading and research, often serendipitously.

When humanity outsmarts technology

The Contrast 1940 Oil on canvas board | Photo from met museum manila via IG

Recently, a friend of mine, the brilliant John Kenneth Paranada, the art and climate change curator at the Sainsbury Centre/University of East Anglia (my alma mater), mounted an exhibition by the Ethiopian artist Tesfaye Urgessa that explores war, displacement, and diaspora as part of the museum’s wider curatorial theme this season, ‘Can We Stop Killing Each Other?’

When Paranada first shared images of Urgessa’s work with me, I was struck by the artist’s muscular expressionistic cubism; to me, they were strongly reminiscent of Ang Kiukok’s paintings, albeit in a more somber palette. Both blend figuration and abstraction. It was remarkable how, in the hands of an artist as gifted as Urgessa, that particular form of cubism can still resonate with unexpected force, more than half a century after Ang Kiukok began painting in this manner.

Where the Filipino master depicted such raw, tortured anguish in searing tones, the young Ethiopian is perhaps a little more subtle. ‘I want my figures to embody both suffering and strength,’ he tells Paranada in an interview. ‘They’ve endured something, but they’ve emerged from it. They’re not victims; they’re survivors, even champions.’

And while the curator in me immediately began dreaming of a possible future exhibition featuring Urgessa in dialogue with Ang Kiukok, I came across, completely by chance, a 1940 painting with hints of cubism by another Filipino Modernist master, H.R. Ocampo, that seemed to echo Urgessa’s in palette and feel, as well as in language.

And this was almost two decades before Ocampo turned to the fully abstract color-saturated biomorphic forms that have since become his signature.

These are, to my mind, examples of old school discoveries AI might not have immediately presented to me, had I asked. Perhaps because AI, as a language learning model, would have had to scrape through terabytes of information from an entire universe of sources to find the correlations that I very happily stumbled upon.

But if no one had thought to write a paper, about as obscure topic as, say, artistic linkages between The Thirteen Moderns and contemporary Ethiopian art, what sources would AI have had recourse to in milliseconds?

In short, I love it when the fecundity of human imagination outsmarts the superficiality of artificial intelligence.

A frustrated murder complaint was filed against a supposed gang member after he allegedly shot a Quezon City clubgoer in the head during a commotion last week, the police said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the Quezon City Police Department identified the suspect as Jayson Dellosa.

The police also identified the night club owner as Joseph Santos Juan, who is supposedly Dellosa’s associate.

‘On November 19, 2025, a frustrated murder case was filed against Jayson, while Joseph was charged as an accessory to frustrated murder for facilitating Jayson’s entry and bypassing security procedures,’ the QCPD said.

Both men are still at large.

The QCPD did not expound on Juan or Dellosa’s profiles, only claiming their investigation found the latter was a ‘known member of the Original Pinoy Gangster group’ in San Juan City.

The incident occurred early morning of Nov. 16 at Juan’s club in Barangay Laging Handa, according to the QCPD.

‘Around 4:42 a.m., a commotion broke out between Jayson’s companion and the 23-year-old male victim inside the club, prompting Jayson to allegedly fire a single shot to the victim’s head before fleeing the scene,’ the QCPD maintained.

‘The victim was initially transported to St. Luke’s Medical Center and later transferred to Quezon City General Hospital, where he is now in stable condition,’ it added.

The QCPD did not identify the victim.

Crime scene operatives recovered a fired cartridge and a deformed bullet. The QCPD did not say from what gun caliber the bullet was from.

The police further noted that Dellosa is a registered gun owner and, due to the alleged incident, they had requested the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office to revoke his license.

Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone said the decision to cut Juan Gomez de Liaño from the first window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers won’t mean that he has no plans for the Converge super rookie in the long term.

‘Juan is a future Gilas player,’ Cone said after Monday’s sendoff event before Gilas flies to Guam for the first of two meetings with the tiny island. ‘He’ll be on this team at some point; it just happened that he’s still new to the system.’

Excitement grew the moment Cone announced Gomez de Liaño’s inclusion in the Gilas pool, which came on the heels of his splendid showing in the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations, including a 32-point explosion against Barangay Ginebra.

Gomez de Liaño quickly reported to camp and had been described by Cone as someone ‘who practiced really well.’

In the end, however, Cone decided it would be best to stick with some of his old guns, with RJ Abarrientos being one of the guards added to the two matches on Friday in Guam and Dec. 1 at Blue Eagle Gym inside the Ateneo campus.

But Cone believes his participation in the camp would bode well for Gomez de Liaño moving forward.

‘What we did with him is we laid a foundation for Juan in terms of him learning the system this time and then being able to go with it next time,’ Cone said. ‘He’s going to be a fixture on this team. Instead of saying we’re sorry to Juan, it was like congratulations, Juan. You proved your worth. You’re going to be on this team. There’s no doubt about it.

‘He is really a stud. There was no reason for us not to bring him this time except for the fact that we wanted to be loyal to the guys we had,’ Cone added.

Going to play in both games are Justin Brownlee, Dwight Ramos, June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, Chris Newsome, Kevin Quiambao, CJ Perez, Abarrientos and Japeth Aguilar, who has hinted at the possibility of finally ending his international career.

Quentin Millora-Brown is set for his Gilas debut, Carl Tamayo is joining the team in Guam after getting his United States visa approved on Monday, while AJ Edu will come over after tying the knot recently.

Also cut from the window were Jamie Malonzo, who could be part of the Gilas roster for the Thailand Southeast Asian Games, and Troy Rosario.

‘Those three were amazing,’ Cone said of the other cuts. ‘Troy is always amazing. I see him every day in Ginebra practices and he never takes a moment off and plays incredibly hard all the time. And Jamie came in incredibly motivated; he was early at work and worked really, really hard.’ INQ

Tropical Depression Verbena is forecast to make landfall over the northern portion of Palawan on Tuesday night as it is tracked to move over Sulu Sea and Cuyo Islands, according to the state weather bureau.

In its 11 a.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that Verbena was located over the coastal waters of Hamtic, Antique as of 10 a.m.

It was carrying maximum wind speed of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 90 kph. It was moving west northwest at 35 kph.

‘On the track forecast, Verbena will move west northwestward over Sulu Sea, pass near or over Cuyo Islands this afternoon before making landfall over the northern portion of Palawan tonight,’ Pagasa said.

Verbena may develop into a tropical storm within the next 12 hours while further intensification is ‘likely’ once it reaches the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The tropical depression will emerge over the West Philippine Sea by Wednesday morning and continue to move west northwestward before moving west southwestward on Thursday.

Verbena is then forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday.

Meanwhile, Pagasa hoisted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 over the following areas, where wind speeds range from 39 to 61 kph which may potentially cause ‘minimal to minor threat to life and property:’

Luzon

Occidental Mindoro

Oriental Mindoro

Romblon

Northern and central portions of Palawan (Araceli, Taytay, El Nido, Dumaran, Roxas, San Vicente, Puerto Princesa City) including Calamian, Cuyo and Cagayancillo Islands

Mainland Masbate (Balud, Mandaon, Milagros, Cawayan, Placer, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Uson, Dimasalang, Masbate City, Mobo, Palanas, Aroroy, Cataingan, Baleno)

Visayas

Antique

Aklan

Capiz

Iloilo

Guimaras

Negros OccidentalNegros Oriental

Cebu

Aside from this, Pagasa said that the surge of northeast monsoon, or amihan, and Verbena will bring ‘gusty conditions reaching strong to gale-force strength’ over the following areas that are not under the Signal No.1:

Tuesday

Luzon

Visayas

Dinagat Islands

Surigao del Norte

Agusan del Norte

Surigao del Sur

Davao Oriental

Misamis Oriental

Lanao del Norte

Misamis Occidental

Zamboanga del Norte

Wednesday

Luzon

Western Visayas

Zamboanga Peninsula

Northern Samar

Eastern Samar

Dinagat Islands

Thursday

Batanes

Cagayan including Babuyan Islands

Ilocos Norte

Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan)

Bataan

Cavite

Batangas

Western Visayas

A gale warning is also raised over the seaboards of Northern Luzon.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday advised social media users to ‘be responsible’ in using artificially generated images of police uniforms.

Although the PNP did not cite an incident, the law enforcement agency’s statement came after Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro posted a photo of herself online appearing to wear a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) uniform.

‘Be responsible in using manipulated or artificially-generated images of police uniforms and other insignias,’ Acting PNP Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement.

‘The directive is aimed at protecting the integrity of the PNP and maintaining public trust in its operations,’ he added.

Baricuatro defended the post, saying the image posted on her social media was part of a message to thank the Cebu Provincial Police Office for celebrating her birthday and stressing that she ‘never intended to portray herself as wearing an official police uniform.’

However, Nartatez reiterated, ‘The organization takes any reports of misuse of police uniforms seriously. The organization is actively monitoring online content and coordinating with concerned units to prevent misuse of images.’

Earlier this November, the PNP and the National Police Commission publicly called out a social media user for wearing a police uniform as a costume for a Halloween party.

Our country today is exhausted. Worn thin by a near-constant drumbeat of scandal, accusation and counterattack, a majority of citizens are asking a blunt, overdue question: why is the nation being pushed into another convulsion when the law, the constitution and the calendar already provide the proper avenues for accountability and transition?

For months now, what should be a sober contest of facts and institutions has instead been turned into a non-stop fatal attraction of political theater. One faction pictures a quick, extra-constitutional removal of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (PBBM) to make way for Vice-President Sara Duterte. Another concedes no principle in pursuit of that goal – dredging up family quarrels, recycling unproven allegations, and parading viral exposés in place of court filings. Another group pushing for a transition council or a military- backed ‘reset’. Meanwhile the public watches with increasing impatience, knowing full well that the stakes are not only who sits in Malacañang before 2028, but which foreign axis will benefit from the chaos.

Make no mistake: this is not merely domestic soap opera. It looks, smells and acts like a coordinated campaign to destabilize an elected government and to position an alternate leader – Vice-President Duterte – for an early, contested succession. Everything in the recent sequence of events points to that objective. When political impulses coincide with institutional failures, cynicism spreads. Citizens rightly ask whether these ‘revelations’ are genuinely about exposing corruption and malfeasance, or about grabbing power now, before voters have their say again.

There are two threads to view separately but simultaneously: the substantive allegations and the method of addressing them. Substantively, the vice president faces impeachment moves that were, by many accounts, deferred by political maneuvers from allies in the Senate; the president – through a dramatic video exposé by a former House appropriations official – has been accused of receiving kickbacks tied to purported flood control insertions. These are grave claims. If true, they would be catastrophic for public trust. They should be pursued relentlessly, transparently and in court.

But the manner in which these claims are being used reveals a poisonous impatience. When allegations become headline instruments of political theater instead of evidence in a court of law, democracy loses. The attempt to manufacture a public consensus for removal through soundbites and rallies undermines the very accountability it claims to seek. It replaces deliberation and due process with viral outrage, and in doing so it sets the country on a path where the loudest faction – or the most sophisticated foreign actor – decides who governs.

Complicating the scene is the spectacle of family against family. Senator Imee Marcos’ shocking public assault on her brother alleging drug use – and her theatrical demand for hair-follicle tests. It was a political grenade lobbed into an already hot field, timed to feed a wider destabilization narrative. As Filipinos, family betrayals have power precisely because they cut through partisan filters and shock citizens into taking sides. But they are not substitutes for evidence. Public life requires evidence; vendettas do not.

Added also are organized calls for ouster from influential institutions and networks: religious blocs , a cohort of former generals loyal to ex-President Duterte, and assorted civic organizations. Some cloak their ambitions in the righteous language of ‘accountability.’ But when accountability becomes a pretext for immediate regime change, the pretense rings hollow. The Constitution – and the rule of law it enshrines – provides the remedy for presidential misconduct. If the grounds for impeachment exist, they must be pursued through the House and the Senate. Street pressure should never substitute constitutional process.

And then there is the foreign dimension: pro-China forces, overt and covert, have reportedly intensified an information offensive aimed at discrediting the Marcos administration and the Philippine economy in the world. Whether these actors are attempting to erode investor confidence or to amplify domestic fractures is less important than the fact that foreign geopolitical objectives now overlap with domestic power plays. This is the most dangerous element of the present crisis. When internal political disputes intersect with rival external agendas, ordinary Filipinos – not the politicians – become the collateral damage.

For those who think the Armed Forces will solve the crisis, history offers a cautionary tale. The Philippines has lived through military takeovers and attempted coups, and the memory of instability is fresh in the national psyche. Yet the current military posture is telling: the Armed Forces have publicly affirmed that they will not engage in internal political disputes and that institutional mechanisms must resolve political differences. That is as it should be. The soldiers’ refusal to be political kingmakers – as commentators and columnists have noted – is a sign of a maturing republic and a rejection of the old coup-first, govern-later playbook.

Why then this rush to topple an administration that had a popular mandate and which has nearly three years left in office? Why the urgency to replace a president midterm, to invite instability into already precarious economic and social circumstances? We must not be naïve. Power vacuums are magnet for opportunists and for foreign actors hoping to realign the Philippines to their strategic preferences. The question that ordinary citizens must insist on is blunt: who benefits from an early change in leadership? If the answer includes foreign interests that would prefer a weaker, divided Philippines, then the call to ‘act now’ should be treated with skepticism.

Equally worrying is the growing refusal among civil society groups, progressive organizations to accept constitutional succession merely because they distrust the successor. If they fear that Vice-President Duterte would pursue policies inimical to democratic norms or national security, the response should be to fight those policies in the halls of Congress, in civil society, and at the ballot box – not to subvert the Constitution’s succession rules. The very groups that once defended democratic norms should be the loudest advocates for due process today.

To be clear: calling for constitutional process is not an argument for impunity. If corruption is proven, public officials – including the president – must be prosecuted without fear or favor. Independent investigations, swift prosecutions and transparent trials are the correct way to restore public trust. Those who have evidence should present it in courts; those who lack evidence should stop fanning the flames. The country deserves neither unproven smears nor summary kangaroo courts.

What the country needs now is a dual strand of action: first, rigorous, impartial investigations of all credible allegations – led by independent prosecutors, overseen by the judiciary, and open to public scrutiny; second, a national pause on extra-constitutional schemes for regime change. The former restores justice; the latter preserves the republic.

Let us also be candid about the political arithmetic: many Filipinos remain deeply wary of a Sara Duterte presidency. Her family’s record, the specter of authoritarian tendencies, and unresolved questions about accountability make many civic actors and voters nervous about a midterm succession. Their fears are valid. But those fears should be addressed through the ballot box in 2028 and through political organizing and persuasion today – not by undermining the constitution and inviting the very instability that will weaken the Philippines and imperil its sovereignty.

The most dangerous outcome would be to trade an elected, if flawed, administration for a regime of chaos that hands the Philippines to actors – domestic or foreign – who have no democratic mandate. Filipinos remember too well the cost of extra-constitutional transfers: broken institutions, looted treasuries, and a citizenry left to pick up the pieces.

Let the institutions – the courts, the Congress, the electoral calendar – do what they are designed to do. So let the record show: President Marcos will finish his term unless the constitution and the law provide a different, legitimate outcome. The rush to remove him for the sake of short-term political gains or foreign strategic objectives should be resisted by every defender of democracy. If opponents have proof of wrongdoing, file it. If civil society fears a successor’s policies, organize and campaign. But do not burn the Constitution for a moment of triumphalism.

The country deserves better than coups, rumors and theatrics. It deserves proof, process and prudence. BBM stays on – until, and unless, the Constitution says otherwise. And until that day, soldiers, institutions and citizens must stand firm against being used as instruments in someone else’s or another country’s rush to power.

The Sandiganbayan and Office of the Ombudsman will have their hands full these coming days as the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and Department of Public Works and Highways ramp up the filing of cases against the people allegedly involved in anomalous flood control projects.

The ICI said that as many as 1,200 people may be involved in the scandal. That number may increase after military and police staffs who have been tasked to check on those projects in other parts of the country submit their report later to the ICI.

When those cases are filed in court, it would be a reason for rejoicing by litigation lawyers and insurance companies; it would be like manna from heaven. The respondents or accused in those cases would need the services of skillful trial lawyers to avoid conviction.

Aside from handling the defense in court, the lawyers may have to double up from time to time as spokesperson of their clients to answer question about them from the media.

With social media already a part of daily life, lawyers of politically exposed clients have their work cut for them outside the courtroom without violating the subjudice rule (or restriction on the public discussion of pending court cases).

Public outcry

Since billions of pesos are involved in those projects and there is widespread public outcry, it should not come as a surprise if those lawyers demand six- or seven-figure acceptance fees and four-figure hourly rates for the preparation of their clients’ defenses and attendance in the preliminary investigation and court trial.

If associate lawyers or paralegals may have to be involved in those proceedings, a lesser rate, but nonetheless not cheap, would be charged for their services.

It would be easy to justify the lawyer’s demand for ‘an arm and a leg,’ so to speak, as consideration for his or her services if the client is a principal player in the scandal and is perceived to have received tons of money from ‘ghost’ or substandard projects.

Chances are-because the kickbacks did not come from honest work and a conviction could mean spending decades in prison and forfeiture of unlawfully acquired wealth-paying those fees, plus actual expenses incurred in the course of the trial, would be a no-brainer. They would be promptly paid.

Although some of the charges that may be filed by the Ombudsman are nonbailable, the right to bail may be availed of or granted to the accused who appears to be less guilty, or the evidence of guilt may not be strong.

Loopholes

Proving the presence of those circumstances would be a test of the ability of the lawyer to, among others, find loopholes in the information filed, or skillfully use the humanitarian card to convince the court that the accused is not a flight risk due to his or her age or medical condition.

If this bid is successful, there is, however, the possibility that the court may impose bail in an amount that would ensure the attendance of the accused during the trial and, most importantly, would not be perceived by the public as being soft on the people who stole their money.

It would be a boon to insurance companies if that right to bail is liberally construed by the court.

Although there are standard rates on insurance premiums for criminal cases, the insurer may increase them depending on their evaluation of the ability or sincerity of the accused to appear in court when their presence is required.

Financial consequences

Note that if the accused jumps bail, the insurer would be required to forfeit in favor of the court the amount of the bail granted. That prospect would result in adverse financial consequences to the insurer and, worse, losing accreditation as an authorized bail provider.

As things are evolving, the flood control project scandal may be described as a seller’s market for lawyers and insurance companies, as the alternative to the buyer is something they can ill afford.

The saying ‘one man is sorrow is another man’s joy’ applies squarely to the worse scandal that has hit Congress in its checkered history. INQ

Numerous local government units have either suspended classes or shifted to alternative delivery mode (ADM) / alternative learning modalities Tuesday, due to the effects of Tropical Depression Verbena.

Metro Manila

Mandaluyong CIty – face-to-face classes from pre-school to grade 12 and Alternative Learning System (public and private); shift to modular and asynchronous learning

Pasig City – kindergarten to senior high school, including day care (public and private); shift to alternative delivery mode (ADM)

Pateros – face-to-face classes from kindergarten to senior high school, including early childhood development centers (public and private); shift to ADM

San Juan City – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Valenzuela City – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); college level to shift to online classes

Quezon City – afternoon face-to-face classes from kindergarten to grade 12, including child development centers and alternative learning systems (public schools); shift to ADM

Caloocan City – afternoon face-to-face classes from kindergarten to grade 12 (public and private); shift to ADM

City of Manila – afternoon face-to-face classes from kindergarten to grade 12 (public and private); shift to ADM

Bicol Region

Albay – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Camarines Norte

Daet – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Labo – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Mercedes – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Paracale – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Talisay – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Vinzons – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Camarines Sur

Balatan – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Buhi – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Bula – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Del Gallego – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Iriga City – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Milaor – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Tinambac – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Naga City – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Catanduanes

Panganiban – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Virac – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Masbate

Aroroy – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Cataingan – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Esperanza – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Palanas – face-to-face classes for preschool to senior high school (public and private); shift to ADM

Pio V. Corpus – no classes, all levels (public and private)

San Pascual – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Sorsogon – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Sorsogon – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon)

Batangas province

Santo Tomas City – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Laguna

San Pablo City – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Quezon province

Calauag – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Guinayangan – no classes, preschool to senior high school (public and private)

Tagkawayan – no classes, preschool to senior high school (public and private)

Mimaropa (Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan)

Marinduque

Buenavista – face-to-face classes in all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Oriental Mindoro – no classes, preschool to senior high school (public and private)

Palawan

Cuyo – no classes, all levels (public and private), until Wednesday, November 26

Romblon

Odiongan – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Western Visayas

Antique

San Jose de Buenavista – face-to-face classes, pre-school to senior high school (public and private); shift to ADM

Anini-y – face-to-face classes, all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Tibiao – no classes, pre-school to senior high school (public and private)

Hamtic – no classes, pre-school to senior high school (public and private)

Sibalom – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Barbaza – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Sebaste – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Belison – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

San Remigio – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Valderrama – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Bugasong – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Libertad – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Patnongon – face-to-face classes, all levels (public and private); shift to ADM

Aklan

Banga – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Ibajay – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Kalibo – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Malay – no classes, pre-school to senior high school (public and private)

Malinao – no classes, all levels (public and private)

New Washington – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Capiz

Dao – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Pontevedra – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Sapian – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Tapaz – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Guimaras – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Iloilo

Anilao – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Balasan – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Banate – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Barotac Viejo – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Dumangas – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Estancia – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Oton – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Pavia – no classes, all levels (public and private)

San Dionisio – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

San Enrique – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Iloilo City – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Central Visayas

Bohol – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Cebu:

Argao – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Minglanilla – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Naga City – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Tabuelan – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Carmen – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Dalaguete – no classes, all levels (public and private)

San Fernando – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Talisay Cit – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Cebu City – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Lapu-Lapu City – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Mandaue City – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Sibonga – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Eastern Visayas

Leyte

Tacloban City – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Northern Samar:

San Vicente: – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Samar

Gandara – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Northern Mindanao

Misamis Occidental

Calamba – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Panaon – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Misamis Oriental

Alubijid – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Gingoog City – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Villanueva – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Cagayan de Oro City – no classes, pre-school to senior high school (public and private)

Caraga

Surigao del Sur

Tandag City – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Negros Island Region

Negros Occidental

Calatrava -no classes, all levels (public and private)

San Carlos City – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Valladolid -no classes, all levels (public and private)

Bago City – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Cadiz City -no classes, all levels (public and private)

Escalante City – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Himamaylan City – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Talisay City -no classes, all levels (public and private)

Victorias City – no classes, pre-school to senior high school (public and private)

Binalbagan – no classes, all levels (public and private) until Wednesday, November 26

Candon – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Cauayan – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Don Salvador Benedicto – no classes, all levels (public and private)

E. B. Magalona -no classes, all levels (public and private))

Hinigaran -no classes, all levels (public and private) until Wednesday, November 26

Hinoba-an – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Isabela – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Ilog – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Kabankalan City – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

La Carlota City – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Murcia – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Pontevedra – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Pulupandan – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Sagay City – no classes, all levels (public and private)

Silay City – face-to-face classes, all levels, (public and private); shift to ADM

Sipalay City -no classes, all levels (public and private)

Bacolod City – no classes, all levels (public and private)

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Verbena maintained its strength while heading towards the Negros Island Region, at 4 a.m. on Tuesday.

Verbena is anticipated to develop into a tropical storm before exiting the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday morning, Pagasa said.

Several areas in Bohol were hit by flooding on Tuesday as heavy rain brought by Tropical Depression Verbena caused rivers to swell and overflow into residential communities.

In Barangay Loreto in Cortes and Barangay Tupaz in Antequera, floodwaters rose rapidly, submerging several houses.

Among the affected was the home of the Coquilla family, which was destroyed when water from the nearby river rushed into their area. The family had already evacuated before the incident, preventing any injuries.

Pacifica Coquilla, 68, a resident of Purok 6 in Barangay Loreto, described how quickly the water rose. Their dangkahan (copra dryer) and several bamboo furniture pieces they were selling were swept away by the flood.

‘It wasn’t the wind. It was water-so much water because of the heavy rain. That’s what caused the flooding, ‘ she said in Cebuano.

Nearby homes were also submerged, forcing residents to stay on higher ground until the water receded.

Some locals attempting to return home were unable to cross the flooded pathway, as water in certain portions reached waist-deep. One young man, however, braved the strong current to get across.

‘We’ll stay here until it’s safe to cross,’ said Bonifacio Verano, 89, a resident of Barangay Tupaz, who was worried about his dogs.

Flooding was also reported in parts of Tubigon, Loon, and Maribojoc, where emergency teams continued monitoring waterways and assisting affected residents.

The continuous heavy rains that drenched the entire province of Bohol on Monday triggered evacuations and prompted widespread class suspensions on Tuesday.

Light to heavy rainfall was experienced from Monday morning until the early hours of Tuesday, with downpours intensifying at past 2 a.m. on Tuesday.

According to initial reports from disaster response units, a total of 345 families or 2,000 individuals sought refuge in evacuation centers across 13 municipalities, as authorities moved residents away from flood-prone and landslide-susceptible areas

Acting transportation secretary Giovanni Lopez has ordered the fast-tracking of safety and requirements checks and utilization procedures of the three sets of three-car Dalian trains scheduled to operate in December this year.

Lopez said this on Tuesday as he inspected the trains-including the Dalian trains-at the Metro Rail Transit Line (MRT) Line 3 Depot after making a commute from Valley Golf in Cainta, Rizal, toward the office of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in Quezon City.

According to Lopez, the Dalian trains would be a huge help for commuters, as ‘it will reduce long lines’ at the MRT-3 and Light Rail Transit stations.

But he likewise said that the safety of commuters must not be compromised.

With this, the acting DOTr chief told the technical team of the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), which manages the Dalian trains, to ensure that safety and requirements checks and utilization procedures are followed.

‘Bagaman kailangang bilisan na rin ang pagde-deploy ng Dalian Trains, hindi natin iko-kompromiso ang kaligtasan ng mga pasahero kaya dadaan muna ito sa masusing safety checks para matiyak natin na ligtas ang biyahe ng mga kababayan natin,’ Lopez said.

(Although the deployment of Dalian Trains needs to be expedited, we will not compromise on the safety of passengers, so it will first go through thorough safety checks to ensure that our countrymen travel safely.)

Among the officials who accompanied Lopez during the inspection were MRT-3 General Manager Mike Capati, Sumitomo Corp. Philippines Manager Hidenori Sunohara, CRRC Senior Regional Manager Damien Chang, and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Executive Director Loumer Bernabe.

In July this year, the first set of Dalian trains was put into service on the tracks of the MRT-3, after almost 10 years of being stored in the train depot.

‘Elevator at MRT-3 Ortigas’

Meanwhile, after commuting through the northbound Ortigas station at the MRT-3, Lopez likewise ordered the management of the MRT-3 to study the installation of an elevator at the station.

Lopez said the elevator would help commuters, especially persons with disabilities and senior citizens, who have difficulty getting up and down to the station platform.