Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway proved that the heels still fit and fashion never goes out of style as they officially reprised their roles as Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs, respectively, in the first teaser for the anticipated ‘Devil Wears Prada 2.’

Hathaway, who just celebrated her 43nd birthday, dropped a fashionable surprise on Instagram on Thursday, Nov. 13, showing her and Streep in the iconic halls of the Runway magazine office.

The 51-second teaser opens with a close-up of red stilettos walking down a hallway interspersed with clips of a glamorous red carpet, cameras flashing, and stylish outfits.

The woman walking in the ruby-red heels is revealed to be none other than the exacting Miranda Priestly as the camera pans to a wide shot of an opening elevator, showing her in a black blouse paired with a houndstooth skirt, red belt, black sunglasses, and her iconic white pixie cut.

Just as the elevator door is about to close, a more polished Andy (Hathaway) steps in to join her former boss, donning a tailored pinstripe vest and pearl necklace set. ‘Took you long enough,’ Miranda tells Andy, who then shot her a smile as she puts her big sunglasses on.

While the exact plot details are kept under wraps, early reports suggest the sequel will explore how fashion and media have transformed in the digital age, and how Miranda grapples with the decline of print media and finds her path intertwined with Andy once again.

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ is set for a May 1, 2026, theatrical release. Aside from Streep and Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci will also reprise their iconic roles, with director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna also returning.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) again defended Thursday the criminal complaints it filed over violent incidents during the Sept. 21 anti-corruption rallies, saying the police unit was ‘not into curtailing freedom of expression.’

‘If there is a crime committed, whatever and whoever the personalities involved, big or small, whether you are a politician or just a farmer or a laborer, the CIDG will act on it,’ Director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II said mostly in English during a chance interview at Camp Crame on Thursday.

‘We have to respect laws, especially if we are key figures. The CIDG is not really into curtailing freedom of expression, but, you know, we have to exercise this right in accordance with the rule of law,’ he added.

Morico previously announced that the CIDG filed cases for conspiracy and proposal to commit rebellion or insurrection, sedition, and inciting to sedition against at least 97 people in connection with the riots.

The CIDG director confirmed Thursday that among the 97 people sued was Cavite 4th District Rep. Kiko Barzaga for both the violent incidents during the Sept. 21 protests and the Oct. 12 rally the lawmaker led outside the Forbes Park subdivision in Makati City.

The violence during the widespread Sept. 21 anti-corruption rallies erupted at the Ayala Bridge and the Mendiola Peace Arch.

Police arrested over 200 individuals, and at least two were reportedly killed during the riots, prompting human rights groups to condemn law enforcers and allege that they failed to exercise ‘maximum tolerance.’

Meanwhile, police said there were no ‘untoward incidents’ during the Oct. 12 rally at Forbes Park, which Barzaga led to call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to step down.

The protests stemmed from alleged corruption in flood control and other infrastructure projects.

Cavite 4th District Rep. Kiko Barzaga is facing a criminal complaint over a rally he led outside Forbes Park in Makati City last Oct. 12, according to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

The CIDG earlier confirmed that it lodged a case before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office against Barzaga for inciting sedition over violence during the Sept. 21 anti-corruption rallies.

‘Actually, we have another one. It’s also the one in Makati [City], Forbes [Park],’ CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II said in a chance interview in Camp Crame on Thursday.

‘I will not comment because it is already with the [National] Prosecution Service.’

‘This is nothing personal. There was a crime committed. It was a violent one. There are police officers [who] were injured. There were government properties that were destroyed. That is the reason that we filed cases,’ Morico added.

The CIDG, however, declined to specify Barzaga’s role in the alleged sedition in both the Sept. 21 and the Oct. 12 rallies, citing that the cases are already with the prosecutor’s office.

Morico previously announced that the CIDG had filed criminal cases before the Department of Justice against at least 97 individuals over the violence during the Sept. 21 rallies.

Asked whether Barzaga was among the 97 individuals initially sued, at the chance interview, Morico answered in the affirmative.

Commenting on the case against him, in a social media post on Wednesday, Barzaga said, ‘This will not stop us. This will only make our revolution stronger!’

The violence during the widespread Sept. 21 anti-corruption rallies erupted at the foot of Ayala Bridge and the Mendiola Peace Arch.

Police arrested over 200 individuals, and at least two were reportedly killed during the riots, prompting human rights groups to condemn law enforcers and allege that they failed to exercise ‘maximum tolerance.’

Meanwhile, police said there were no ‘untoward incidents’ during the Oct. 12 rally at Forbes Park, which Barzaga led to call on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to step down.

The protests stemmed from alleged corruption in flood control and other infrastructure projects.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is still evaluating the procedures for livestreaming its hearings on the flood control anomalies probe.

‘We’re still studying that,’ ICI chair Andres Reyes said in a press briefing on Thursday.

‘We might have something for you on that matter maybe next week,’ he added.

The ICI is scheduled to resume its hearing on November 17 after former Public Works Usec. Roberto Bernardo’s supposed appearance on November 12 was rescheduled at the request of his counsel.

When asked if the ICI would be ready for livestreaming on November 17, Reyes said, ‘We’ll be ready.’

‘But I think we might ask the person if he wants a livestream,’ he added.

When further asked if livestreaming would then depend on the resource person, the ICI chair said, ‘We’re studying that matter.’

‘Because these are potential witnesses, and if they feel harm or threat to their safety, we might ask for that. But there is no yes or no right now on that. We are still evaluating everything,’ Reyes added.

Recently, Reyes said it ‘will take some time’ for the commission to establish rules and procedures for livestreaming its hearings because they are ‘undermanned’ with lawyers to process it.

The ICI is currently conducting an investigation into massive infrastructure anomalies across the country.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Thursday announced an increase in the minimum wage of workers in the Ilocos Region and Western Visayas.

According to DOLE in a statement, the increases reflect the Wage Orders issued by both regions’ Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards, which are expected to cover 389,505 minimum wage earners.

In Ilocos, a P45 daily wage increase will be implemented for the non-agricultural sector employing fewer than 10 employees and the agricultural sector, increasing their daily minimum wage to P480 or P12,520 per month.

Meanwhile, workers in the non-agricultural sector with employees of 10 or more will receive a P37 wage hike, bringing their daily minimum pay to P505, or approximately P13,172 per month.

The approved daily wage increase in Western Visayas, on the other hand, is P37 for the non-agricultural, industrial, and commercial sectors employing more than 10 workers, bringing their daily minimum wage to P587 daily or P17,826 per month.

For those in the same sector but employing ten workers or fewer, the increase is P40, which brings their daily minimum wage to P525 daily or P13,694 per month.

Meanwhile, the agricultural sector will also receive a P40 increase, bringing the daily minimum wage to P560 daily or P13,560 per month.

Domestic workers in both regions will also receive monthly increases of P700 and P500, raising the minimum monthly wage rates in the Ilocos Region to P6,700 and in Western Visayas to P6,500.

‘About 758,733 full-time wage and salary workers earning above the minimum wage are also expected to indirectly benefit from wage adjustments at the enterprise level in the said regions, arising from the correction of wage distortions,’ said DOLE in a statement.

However, the agency said that retail and service establishments with no more than 10 regular employees, as well as enterprises affected by natural or human-induced disasters, may apply for an exemption from the wage increase until January 17, 2026.

Meanwhile, Barangay Micro Business Enterprises with valid Certificates of Authority from the Department of Trade and Industry are not covered by the minimum wage law.

The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that no violations of the right to free speech were committed during a House of Representatives inquiry on the spread of fake news, which invited several vloggers as resource persons.

The decision stemmed from a petition filed by several online content creators seeking to prohibit the House from requiring them to attend legislative inquiries involving their social media posts.

The vloggers in their petition argued that the inquiries violated their right to free speech and claimed that the proceedings aimed to silence and regulate their social media content, creating a ‘chilling effect’ on free expression.

However, the SC in a 31-page decision dismissed this, stating that their invitation ‘had no relation at all to their exercise of free speech.’

‘The mere act of inviting Abines et al. as resource persons to an inquiry in aid of legislation did not violate their freedom of expression, as it had no relation at all to their exercise of free speech,’ the decision read.

‘It did not, at the very least, regulate the content of their speech or its incidents,’ it further stated.

The High Court also noted that being invited as resource persons simply meant that they were to aid the House in crafting legislation.

‘In other words, the issuance of summons is a matter of procedure to effectively exercise the power of Congress to conduct its legislative inquiry. It was neither a punitive measure in relation to free speech nor an attempt to suppress it,’ the SC said.

Due to this, the SC ruled that the perceived ‘chilling effect’ by the petitioners had ‘no leg to stand on’ as there was no restraint to freedom of expression made.

Despite this, the High Court acknowledged that there were some instances where the inquisition by some lawmakers appeared ‘unduly harsh and derogatory.’

‘Albeit it is not the province of the Court to chastise or in any way discipline Members of Congress, we find it apropos, in line with our mandate as guardians of people’s rights, to remind that resource speakers are not only guaranteed their constitutional rights during inquiries in aid of legislation,’ the SC said.

‘They also deserve a reasonable expectation that the legislators conducting the inquiries will accord them courtesy and respect befitting that of any dignified human being,’ it added.

The north gains a new landmark for timeless craftsmanship as The Watch Store opens its latest branch at SM City La Union, uniting the best of international watchmaking and contemporary design in one destination.

Inside the store, customers can discover a lineup that captures every personality – from the refined precision of Tissot, to the effortless sophistication of Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Bering, and the trusted reliability of Citizen and Seiko. Each brand embodies a legacy of precision and style that transcends generations.

The Watch Store continues to grow its presence across major shopping destinations from Luzon to Mindanao, with the SM City La Union branch marking its seventh location. This milestone reinforces the brand’s commitment to bringing premium timepieces closer to more Filipino communities, offering a trusted destination for authentic watches and exceptional service.

Adding to the experience, The Watch Store La Union is one of the few branches equipped with watch service facilities, where customers can enjoy bracelet adjustments and battery replacements done on-the-spot – ensuring every purchase is fitted, functional, and ready to wear.

To celebrate its opening, shoppers can take advantage of exclusive offers, including a free Corkcicle Canteen for every ?30,000 single-receipt purchase on select brands, along with special offers from Tissot.

Visit The Watch Store at the Lower Ground Level of SM City La Union and find the timepiece that speaks to your style and story.

Stay updated by following The Watch Store on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Acting Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered police stations and headquarters affected by Super Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong) to speed up repairs on their facilities.

Uwan whipped parts of the country last weekend, affecting 5.3 million people across 71 provinces, the latest National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council situational report said on Thursday morning.

‘We are expediting all the necessary procedures to start the repair and rehabilitation of all our facilities damaged by the typhoons,’ Nartatez said in a statement later on Thursday.

The national police force previously said at least 24 police stations and two headquarters sustained damage during Uwan’s onslaught in Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.

‘The PNP will also extend assistance to our uniformed and non-uniformed personnel who have been affected by the super typhoon. We will extend help even to their families so they can expedite recovery from this recent calamity,’ Nartatez added.

The law enforcement agency also previously said 27 uniformed and one non-uniformed personnel had their homes damaged by Super Typhoon Uwan but were uninjured.

A 19-year-old man surrendered to the local police in Ipil town, Zamboanga Sibugay province Wednesday morning (Nov 12), who was among the group that killed the two security guards inside the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) office last November 4.

Maj. Shellamie Chang, Police Regional Office-9 information officer, told the Inquirer that the surrenderee, a resident of Barangay Poblacion, Naga town, voluntarily surrendered, accompanied by his family.

With the presence of his legal counsel, he confessed that he was hired to be part of a group of men who went inside the BIR office, and explained that he was only assigned to burn documents.

He clarified that he was not the gunman who killed the two guards.

The authorities were conducting thorough investigation on the case and are hunting against those the surrenedree identified as his accomplices to the crime.

The Philippine peso fell to a new record low on Wednesday, as investor confidence continued to be rattled by a widening corruption scandal at home that has already taken a toll on economic growth.

The local currency weakened by 18.5 centavos from the previous day to close at 59.17 against the dollar, surpassing the previous record low of 59.13 set on Oct. 28. Trading volume was heavy, rising to $1.7 billion from $1.47 billion in the prior session.

‘Locally, market confidence is being tested by governance issues and slower growth, which make investors more cautious,’ John Paolo Rivera, a senior research fellow at the state-run Philippine Institute for Development Studies, said.

US Senate

Offshore, a trader said the dollar showed only modest softness after the US Senate approved a measure to reopen the federal government, ending a 40-day shutdown.

‘However, the 60-peso level remains a psychological level for many domestic participants wherein the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) might be compelled to intervene to prevent local inflation expectations getting unanchored,’ the trader said.

Another trader said a break toward 60-level ‘looks entirely plausible’ if global risk sentiment sours or if policy surprises stateside push the dollar higher.

‘Measured’ pause

‘However, absent such shocks the base-case remains the pair oscillating within the 58.50 to 60 corridor as market participants evaluate domestic carry and external flow dynamics,’ the trader added.

In a commentary, GlobalSource Partners analyst Diwa Guinigundo said a ‘measured’ pause in local interest rate cuts could help steady market confidence and preserve macroeconomic credibility. While further easing could support growth, he warned, it also risks fueling capital outflows that could add pressure on the fragile peso.

‘In this environment, a measured pause in policy rates could send a constructive signal-that the BSP remains data-driven, vigilant, and risk-conscious,’ Guinigundo added.

Flood control projects

Such comments stood out against a growing consensus for additional-and potentially larger-rate cuts in the coming months, after the economy showed clearer signs of weakness amid mounting challenges at home and abroad.

In October, BSP cut the benchmark interest rate by a quarter point to 4.75 percent, citing the need to shore up business confidence bruised by a deepening investigation into dubious flood control projects. Governor Eli Remolona Jr. has since signaled the possibility of further easing, acknowledging mounting challenges that could slow growth.

Already, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan conceded that reaching even the low end of the government’s 5.5- to 6.5-percent growth target for 2025 has become ‘very challenging’ after the economy expanded at a four-year low of 4 percent last quarter.

Excessive easing

Jun Neri, lead economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands, said the slowdown in the third quarter puts the Philippines at risk of falling further behind its Southeast Asian peers, but warned of any excessive easing aimed at compensating for sluggish growth.

‘While inflation is expected to remain manageable in the coming months, there is a significant chance it will move higher in 2026 as favorable base effects from rice prices fade,’ he said.