Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Continuous heavy rainfall brought by Tropical Depression Verbena prompted local chief executives across Northern Mindanao to suspend face-to-face classes and halt sea travel on Monday, Nov. 24, as the state weather bureau raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 over the eastern portion of Misamis Oriental.

Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando A. Uy issued Executive Order No. 0446-2025A, suspending face-to-face classes at all levels-from daycare to secondary-starting at 1 p.m. today, Nov. 24.

While the City Information Office (CIO) reported that most major thoroughfares remain passable, it advised motorists that the Kauswagan Highway is currently obstructed due to the weather conditions.

In its 11 a.m. advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration placed the eastern portion of Misamis Oriental under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1.

The warning covers Gingoog City and the municipalities of Magsaysay, Medina, Talisayan, Balingoan, Kinoguitan, Binuangan, Sugbongcogon, Salay, Lagonglong, Balingasag, Claveria, and Jasaan.

Classes at all levels were suspended early Monday in Gingoog City, Binuangan, Lagonglong, Sugbongcogon, El Salvador City, Magsaysay, Opol, Tagoloan, and Manticao. In Medina, Mayor Marriane Chan extended the suspension through Tuesday.

Gingoog City Mayor Erick Cañosa issued a specific warning to residents living near riverbanks and in landslide-prone coastal areas to remain vigilant.

Similarly, Talisayan Mayor Ciriaco Talines suspended work for non-teaching staff, maintaining only essential emergency personnel.

In the island province of Camiguin, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) temporarily suspended all vessel voyages.

‘Vessels that intend to take shelter shall be permitted as long as it is manifested through a written request, and no passenger or cargo will be allowed on board,’ the PCG Camiguin advisory reads.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said the central bank was in no rush to lower banks’ cash requirements, a move that could have freed up more funds for lending at a time of sluggish economic growth, citing the need to carefully manage domestic liquidity.

‘It’s on the table,’ Remolona told reporters at a news conference on Monday following a BSP forum in Bohol. ‘But there’s no urgency in adjusting it.’

Last March, the BSP further reduced the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) for big banks to 5 percent, 2.5 percent for digital banks and zero for thrift banks.

The RRR refers to the certain amount of deposits that banks must set aside as standby funds, which do not generate returns because they cannot be used for lending activities. This is to ensure that lenders are able to meet their liabilities in case of sudden withdrawals.

‘Neutral’ move

When Remolona took office as central bank governor in 2023, the RRR stood at 9.5 percent. He signaled then that the ratio should come down, even raising the possibility of bringing it to zero over his term.

Unlike interest-rate cuts, which can weigh on the peso, the BSP chief had previously described the lowering of the reserve ratio as a ‘neutral’ move that injects liquidity into the financial system and frees up more funds for lending.

That could potentially provide some relief for an economy that slowed to a four-year low of 4 percent growth in the third quarter, as a widening graft scandal saps business and consumer confidence

The Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) here announced the arrest of a college dean in Maguindanao del Sur for his alleged involvement in the 2023 murder of two village officials.

Capt. Norman Marcos, who heads the CIDG Maguindanao provincial field unit, identified the suspect as ‘Alias Sarip,’ 33, dean of a private college in Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur. ‘Alias Sarip’ has a warrant of arrest for the murder of a village chairperson and a village councilman in Shariff Saydona Mustapha town, also in Maguindanao del Sur. No bail was recommended.

Major Gen. Robert Morico II, acting CIDG director, said ‘Sarip’ was linked to the Nov. 2023 roadside bombing in Barangay Ganta, Shariff Saydona Mustapha that killed Jun ‘Datumanot’ Silongan, village chair of Barangay Pendeten, Datu Salibo town, and village councilor Salik Katua. Eight others were wounded.

Silongan and nine other companions were walking along a barangay road when an improvised bomb went off, killing the barangay chair on the spot and seriously wounding Katua and eight others. Katua eventually died in the hospital.

Morico said that of the 22 accused with warrants, ‘Sarip’ was the third to be captured by the CIDG Maguindanao provincial field unit since October.

Alias ‘Nasser,’ a village official of Datu Salibo town, was arrested on November 5 this year in Datu Piang; while Datu Salibo Municipal Councilor ‘Allan’ was arrested on October 11 at the Cotabato City Airport in Barangay Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao del Norte

The Philippine women’s futsal team returns to action on Monday against Morocco, the team that also absorbed a similar 6-0 defeat to open the Fifa Futsal Women’s World Cup.

Coach Rafa Merino, however, cautioned that the Filipina5 will be in for another difficult match, especially with the two sides battling for survival in the 8:30 p.m. affair at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

‘Every team here is a strong team because we are in a World Cup,’ Merino said. ‘Every team is gonna be difficult, every team is gonna make it hard. The other teams have more experience than we do.’

Merino and the Filipina5 found that out the hard way on Friday, when Poland took advantage of a home side that ran out of gas in the second half and hammered out a crushing 6-0 victory.

Morocco, meanwhile, gave up four goals in the final minutes of the first half against Argentina, the perceived favorite to top Group A.

Argentina and Poland square off in the opener at 6 p.m. for a chance to close in on a quarterfinal berth.

‘What makes us different is the energy that we have,’ Merino said, hoping that his team would back it up on the court against the Moroccan side ranked 31st in the world.

Morocco echoed the same sentiment as Merino in terms of the difficult task of getting a result.

‘We know that the second game will be very hard also because we will play against the host team,’ said Morocco coach Adil Sayeh.

Meanwhile, world No. 2 Spain and Colombia posted contrasting victories in Group B action on Saturday.

Spain beat world No. 4 Thailand, 5-2, with Laura Cordoba producing a brace in the victory. Her goals allowed the Spaniards to break away a 2-2 tie in the first half.

Colombia downed Canada, 2-0, in the other game with Angely Camargo and Nicolle Mancilla scoring in each half.

Sunday’s first of four matches saw Japan dominate New Zealand in Group C, 6-0, led by two goals from Sara Oino. INQ

A Japanese woman recently chose to marry her ChatGPT bot. After a painful breakup, 32-year-old Kano began seeking comfort from the platform. Eventually, she personalized her AI companion and named it ‘Lune Klaus,’ describing him as the ideal partner: kind, attentive, and patient. After hundreds of back-and-forth messages, Lune Klaus ‘proposed.’

Although Japanese law requires marriage to be between two consenting humans, this did not stop Kano from having a ceremony attended by her loved ones. Wearing augmented-reality glasses, she exchanged rings and digital vows with a projected life-size image of her AI groom.

This scenario is part of a rapidly growing trend, with the global AI Girlfriend market expected to reach $9.5 billion by 2028. ‘AI-lationship’ is a new term referring to the intimate attachment that a person has with their AI companion. Many treat the bots as friends they can confide in, but there is also a growing number of people like Kano whose AI-lationships involve imagined marriages, sex, and even pregnancies.

Advocates claim that AI-lationships are not intended to replace human connections but to offer supplemental emotional support. While there are, indeed, documented cases of artificial intelligence improving the well-being of people suffering from social isolation (especially among senior citizens), there are also numerous instances of how AI has fueled people’s harmful delusions.

Recent studies on young people’s AI use suggest another troubling trend. A 2025 study by Common Sense Media found that 31 percent of the surveyed teens felt their conversations with AI companions were ‘as satisfying or more satisfying’ than talking with real friends, and that 33 percent had discussed serious issues with AI instead of real people.

Another report from the Center for Democracy and Technology found that 19 percent of US high schoolers said they or a friend had a romantic AI relationship. While there are no local studies yet, a quick Reddit search shows Filipino teenagers sharing similar experiences, including debates on whether it is considered ‘cheating’ to have an AI companion if you already have a partner.

These numbers matter because adolescence is the stage when templates for handling future relationships are formed. Their heightened sensitivity to reward, combined with an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex, makes teenagers more vulnerable to impulsive behavior, intense attachments, and the blurred line between fantasy and reality. While the benefits of AI-lationships for adults may still be open to debate, the danger they pose to young people’s social and emotional development is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. One famous case is the death of a 14-year-old British teenager after his AI girlfriend encouraged his suicidal ideation.

My column last week (see ‘The collapse of dialogue (1),’ 11/17/25) explored how technology has weakened our ability to have real conversations. Social media has trained us to express ourselves constantly, but often in a performative manner motivated by online engagement. At the same time, becoming accustomed to superficial connections has compromised our ability to navigate the reciprocal nature of face-to-face dialogue. AI has further deepened this shift as more people let chatbots write and reply for them, resulting in polished but hollow communication.

For relationships to deepen, they require a capacity to listen, negotiate differences, and communicate with sincerity. However, as people begin to outsource the cognitive and emotional labor needed in conversations, these relational foundations are also becoming increasingly fragile. In 2023, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy described the loneliness epidemic not as physically being alone but as a state of mind: ‘that results from perceived isolation or inadequate meaningful connections, where inadequate refers to the discrepancy or unmet need between an individual’s preferred and actual experience.’ In other words, loneliness persists not because people lack interaction, but because they lack relationships that feel real.

The rise of nonhuman relationships reflects this crisis. It shows how deeply people want to connect, yet may not have the skills to start or sustain a genuine relationship. Always-available and always-empathetic chatbots are so appealing because they offer a type of companionship that one can fully control-free from uncertainties that come with relating to another person who carries their own complexities. For young people whose sense of self and social skills are still forming, overexposure to AI interactions risks shaping distorted expectations of intimacy.

Much of the discussion on AI ethics among young people has centered on classroom use and academic integrity. What we urgently need is a deeper examination of the regulatory frameworks and comprehensive education necessary to protect and guide young people in socially engaging with AI in more critically informed and emotionally healthier ways.

Maritime authorities have temporarily suspended all sea voyages to and from Bohol after the state bureau raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 over the province due to Tropical Depression Verbena.

In an advisory released early Monday, the Coast Guard announced the immediate suspension of all vessel traffic, following Tropical Cyclone Bulletin No. 01 issued at 5 a.m. by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

The move is in line with the Headquarters Philippine Coast Guard (HPCG) Memorandum Circular 02-23, which provides updated guidelines on the movement of vessels during severe weather.

Authorities warned that the developing weather system may bring strong winds, rough seas, and reduced visibility, prompting the precautionary halt to ensure the safety of passengers, crew, and maritime property.

Vessel operators were advised to stay alert, monitor official updates on Verbena, and take all necessary safety precautions.

The public is urged to stay informed as maritime officials continue to monitor the situation and evaluate when sea travel may resume safely

The low-pressure area (LPA) east of Mindanao has developed into Tropical Depression Verbana at 2 a.m. on Monday, the state weather bureau said.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Verbena was last spotted some 330 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte.

Pagasa added that Verbena is moving west at 30 kilometers per hour (kph), with maximum sustained winds of 45 kph and gusts of up to 55 kph.

Verbena is forecast to bring heavy rainfall to the eastern part of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Northern Mindanao.

Listed below are the areas anticipated to see 50 to 200 millimeters of rainfall on Monday:

100 to 200 millimeters

Eastern Samar

Samar

Leyte

Biliran

Southern Leyte

Surigao del Sur

Surigao del Norte

Dinagat Islands

50 to 100 millimeters

Camarines Norte

Camarines Sur

Catanduanes

Albay

Sorsogon

Masbate

Capiz

Iloilo

Guimaras

Negros Occidental

Negros Oriental

Cebu

Bohol

Siquijor

Northern Samar

Agusan del Norte

Agusan del Sur

Misamis Oriental

Bukidnon

Camiguin

Pagasa also hoisted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal no. 1 in the following areas expected to experience wind speeds of 39 to 61 kph:

LUZON

southern portion of Occidental Mindoro

southern portion of Oriental Mindoro

Romblon

mainland Masbate

VISAYAS

central and southern portions of Eastern Samar

central and southern portions of Samar

Biliran

Leyte

Southern Leyte

northern and central portions of Cebu, including Bantayan Islands

Camotes Islands

Bohol

northern portion of Negros Occidental

northern portion of Negros Oriental

Iloilo

Capiz

Aklan

Antique, including Caluya Islands and Guimaras

MINDANAO

Dinagat Islands

Surigao del Norte, including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands

northern portion of Surigao del Sur

northern portion of Agusan del Norte

Pagasa said Verbana is forecast to move generally west-northwest over the Visayas and the northern portion of Palawan from Monday to Wednesday before emerging over the West Philippine Sea.

Verbana is also anticipated to slightly intensify before making landfall in northeastern Mindanao, but will likely remain as a tropical depression as it crosses the landmass.

At the recent Senate hearing of the Senate committee on ways and means chaired by Sen. Pia Cayetano, she asked the resource person how the luxury cars of the Discaya couple were brought into the country without paying the proper duties.

But when the very polite and patient Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno started to explain, Cayetano kept interrupting him and making side remarks as if she were hosting a TV talk show.

That showed a lack of basic good manners and right conduct taught to us when we were in grade school.

What happened to that charming UP cum laude graduate whose claim to fame was her various sports achievements and her unwavering support for our Filipino athletes?

She used to be one of the kind and proper senators during her early terms, but now, it seems the powers of her office have turned her from a good role model for our youth into a grandstanding brat like her brother or even worse than former Sen. Cynthia Villar and Sen. Rodante Marcoleta!

Cayetano should follow the example of her colleagues like Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Sen. Bam Aquino, and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on how to conduct a proper hearing. These real public servants always show respect to their invited resource persons, who are supposed to be the experts on the subject matter being investigated.

It’s supposed to be a hearing. The chairperson should talk less and listen more.

God created us with two ears and one mouth for that very reason.

Tropical Depression Verbena made landfall over Bayabas town in Surigao del Sur on Monday, according to state meteorologists.

Verbena made landfall in the area at 1:30 p.m., according to Grace Castañeda, weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

As of 4:00 p.m., Castañeda said Verbena was spotted in the vicinity of Jabonga, Agusan del Norte, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, and gustiness of up to 75 kph.

Areas in southern Luzon, the entire Visayas, and Mindanao, are expecting overcast skies with rains due to Verbena.

Pagasa also raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 (winds of 39 to 61 kph, with minimal to minor threat to life and property) across parts of Luzon, the entire Visayas and parts of Mindanao.

Here are the areas under Signal No. 1:

Luzon: Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, the northern and central portions of Palawan (Araceli, Taytay, El Nido, Dumaran, Roxas, San Vicente, Puerto Princesa City) including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands, and mainland Masbate Balud, Mandaon, Milagros, Cawayan, Placer, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Uson, Dimasalang, City of Masbate, Mobo, Palanas, Aroroy, Cataingan, Baleno)

Visayas: Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Cebu, Bohol, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte and Southern Leyte

Mindanao: Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, and the northern portion of Bukidnon (Baungon, Libona, Manolo Fortich, Sumilao, Impasug-Ong, City of Malaybalay, Malitbog, Cabanglasan), the northern portion of Misamis Occidental (Sapang Dalaga, Calamba, Baliangao, Plaridel, Lopez Jaena, Oroquieta City, Aloran, Panaon, Jimenez, Concepcion), and the northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte (Jose Dalman, Manukan, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Dipolog City, Polanco, Piñan, Dapitan City, La Libertad, Sibutad, Rizal, Mutia)

Signal No. 2 not ruled out

Castañeda said that while TCWS No. 1 is seen as the ‘highest possible wind signal’ to be hoisted by Pagasa, the people should not be complacent.

‘While it is not that strong compared to previous tropical cyclones we experienced, we should expect minimal to minor damage in structures made of light materials,’ she said in a public weather forecast.

Verbena will likely cross Visayas as a tropical depression, Pagasa said.

Castañeda said it may reach tropical storm category either before reaching northern Palawan or once over the West Philippine Sea, and once that occurs, Pagasa’s hoisting of TCWS No. 2 is still possible.

Sea travel suspended

In a related development, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is suspending all trips of vessels and watercraft in areas under TCWS No. 1.

‘Definitely, in all areas where Wind Signal No. 1 is raised, sea travel is suspended,’ PCG spokesperson Noemi Cayabyab told reporters.

As of 12:00 p.m., the PCG said it monitored 40 ports or areas nationwide where 2,373 passengers, truck drivers and cargo helpers were stranded, while 46 vessels and nine motorbancas took shelter there due to Verbena.

For the first time in franchise history, ZUS Coffee booked a spot in the PVL Final Four.

ZUS Coffee dominated Capital1, 25-14, 25-20, 25-18, to reach the Reinforced Conference semifinals on Monday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. The second-seeded Thunderbelles continued their dream run in the playoffs after winning seven of their eight games in the elimination round.

Anna DeBeer sustained her lethal form, while setter Clo Mondoñedo continued to pace the red-hot squad, which joined the league as an expansion team in 2024.

DeBeer delivered the goods anew with 24 points, all from attacks, on top of eight digs and seven excellent receptions.

‘I’m super happy. I mean, it really shows how we’ve been doing all season long. It’s like everyone stepping up in different moments. I think it’s a full-on team effort,’ said the American import. ‘Like, I could not do anything I do without everyone out there, which is really exciting, and that’s gonna help us carry on in the semis and hopefully in the Finals.’

Mondoñedo dished out 17 excellent sets, as Chinnie Arroyo and Riza Nogales chipped in eight and seven points, respectively. Jovelyn Gonzaga and AC Miner added six each.

ZUS Coffee faces the winner of the PLDT and Cignal duel on Thursday also at the Big Dome.

‘Happy, but we still have more games ahead. Unfortunately, the format is one loss and you’re out, so we really have to be prepared,’ said ZUS Coffee coach Jerry Yee.

Capital1 ended its campaign with a quarterfinal exit for the second Reinforced Conference in a row, with rookie Bella Belen closing her first tournament as a pro.

Sasha Bytsenko was the lone bright spot with 19 points in her final game for the Solar Spikers, while Belen had nine points and 19 excellent receptions.