Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Two Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) stations experienced a technical glitch following the high volume of passengers this Tuesday morning, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said.

In a Facebook advisory, the DOTr said the glitch struck the Taft Avenue Station and Magallanes Stations.

‘We sincerely ask for your understanding and patience as we experience high volume of passengers coinciding with the peak hours,’ the DOTr said in the advisory.

‘Our maintenance teams are immediately on site, performing necessary safety checks and actively working to restore full service efficiency as quickly and safely as possible,’ it added.

In another Facebook post later, the DOTr said that as of 8:55 a.m. this Tuesday, ‘the technical glitch affecting MRT Taft Avenue Station and MRT Magallanes Station has been fully resolved.’

Train rides at the MRT-3, along with Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2, are free to the public this Tuesday following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. due to Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong)

Puregold Price Club Inc., the listed grocery retail chain led by tycoon Lucio Co, continued to enjoy a stronger bottom line on the back of sustained revenue momentum in the first nine months.

The company on Monday said its consolidated net income grew 5.6 percent to P7.3 billion from P6.9 billion in the same period last year.

This, as its consolidated revenues booked a 10.6-percent growth, climbing to P168 billion from the previous P152 billion.

Same-store sales growth

The group said the robust top line figure was propelled by higher same-store sales growth in Puregold Stores and SandR Warehouse clubs, thanks to higher basket size and increased foot traffic.

Operating expenses in the first three quarters, meanwhile, jumped 16.5 percent to P23 billion from P19.7 billion.

It ended September with 772 stores across the country, of which the majority-or 673 -are Puregold stores.

New branches

The firm earlier said it would launch eight new branches before the year ends. New stores will open in Luzon, as well as in other provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Opening more stores outside Luzon would further promote the growth of micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs), as Puregold’s customers are mostly ‘sari-sari’ store owners.

‘Our vision is to have a Puregold branch within reach of every Filipino MSME and every Filipino family across the country. We want to make everyday products more accessible to them through best value pricing and greater presence,’ Puregold president Ferdinand Vincent Co previously said in a statement

Former Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan left the Philippines for the United States of America on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

This is what BI Spokesperson Dana Sandoval answered when asked if Bonoan already flew out of the country.

‘We confirm that former Secretary Manny Bonoan departed this afternoon for the United States via Taiwan,’ Sandoval told Inquirer in a Viber message.

Sandoval said that Bonoan is covered by an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) earlier issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ). BI Commissioner Joel Viado earlier clarified that ILBO is issued for authorities to monitor travel activities, and is different from a hold departure order, which bars an individual from leaving the country.

‘Upon encounter, immigration officers immediately coordinated with the DOJ to verify if a hold departure order or warrant of arrest was in effect. The DOJ confirmed that none exists. Hence, he was cleared to depart,’ Sandoval added.

Bonoan is one of former government officials implicated in the alleged corruption in government infrastructure works, including flood control projects. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) recently found Bonoan liable for a ‘ghost’ flood control project in Bulacan worth P95.04 million.

He is facing an administrative case recommended by the ICI over a P72.4-million ‘ghost’ riverbank project in the same province.

Authorities confiscated suspected shabu (crystal meth) worth P6.8 million and arrested two individuals in Zamboanga del Norte on Tuesday morning, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said.

The operation took place in Barangay Miputak, Dipolog City, and involved PDEA’s Zamboanga Peninsula Seaport Interdiction Unit as well as the local Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Unit.

PDEA did not specify the location.

‘Arrested during the operation were alias ‘Gilben,’ 37 years old, male, resident of West Poblacion, Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte; and alias ‘Sarah,’ 28 years old, female, resident of Barangay Lawaan, Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte,’ the PDEA noted in a statement.

‘Confiscated from their possession were 20 heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing a total of one kilogram of suspected shabu,’ the agency added.

PDEA said both suspects were taken into custody, awaiting charges for violation of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Meralco Bolts active consultant Nenad Vucinic said the team knew what it was getting into when they accepted the challenge of representing the PBA in the East Asia Super League (EASL).

Now, the Serbian coach hopes to ‘perhaps get some legs’ as his team seeks to improve its less-than-impressive records in both the PBA and EASL tournaments.

‘We accepted these (responsibilities), so we have to [continue],’ he said, adding that the Bolts hope that a payback victory over Taiwan’s Taoyuan Pilots will spark some sort of revival for Meralco.

The Bolts own a 3-4 (win-loss) card in the PBA and a 1-2 record in the EASL.

‘We played seven games in the PBA, probably in 19 days, and we lost four games,’ he admitted.

The Bolts broke into the EASL win column with a victory over the Pilots here, but are performing below the expectations put on their shoulders after the signing of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player Justin Brownlee. However, Brownlee was not available due to pneumonia and was temporarily replaced by Ange Kouame.

‘Ange (Kouame) is still out of shape, but he is trying hard to be fit (possibly for the next games),’ Vucinic added

The Army is pursuing remnants of the Islamic State-linked Dawlah Islamiya-Maute Group after an encounter on Sunday in the hinterlands of Lanao del Norte that resulted in the death of a member.

Troops from the Army’s 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion under Joint Task Group Magbalantay encountered Dawlah Islamiya-Maute members while conducting a decisive military operation in Sitio Palangakon, Barangay Pawak, Salvador town, past 6 p.m. on November 9.

The troops were first fired upon by three heavily armed terrorists in a gunfight that lasted about 20 minutes, resulting in one fatality, later identified as Ibrahim Ampaso, also known as Ibra and Abu Raas.

Soldiers recovered two M16A1 rifles with defaced serial numbers, two M14 rifles, and one M203 grenade launcher with a defaced serial number at the encounter site.

They also seized Baofeng radios, rifle magazines, assorted ammunition, and smartphones.

Brigadier General Ronel R. Manalo, commander of JTG Magbalantay, expressed deep gratitude for the success and bravery of the operating troops.

‘We commend the professionalism and courage of our troops and police partners in denying violent extremist elements a safe haven. We remain committed to lawful, intelligence-driven operations to protect our communities,’ Manalo said. Major General Yegor Rey Barroquillo Jr., commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, also commended the troops for their dedication and commitment in carrying out their duties.

‘The neutralization of a high-value target underscores the effectiveness of coordinated operations and public cooperation,’ Barroquillo said. ‘We urge citizens to continue sharing information to help dismantle extremist networks.

Uwan (international name Fung-wong) has weakened into a typhoon as it hits the mountainous terrains of Luzon, including the Sierra Madre range, the state weather bureau said on Monday.

As of 1:00 a.m., Uwan was last spotted in the area of Bagulin, La Union, packing maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, gustiness of up to 275 kph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

‘If you notice, the gustiness is a bit strong as it hits the terrain or the mountains of Northern Luzon,’ said Pagasa weather specialist Obet Badrina in Pagasa’s 2:00 a.m. update.

Pagasa has said that tropical cyclones reach their greatest intensity while over warm tropical water, but they begin to weaken as soon as they move inland.

Badrina said Uwan’s west-northwestward movement is ‘fast’ at 30 kph, adding that its eye could already be outside Luzon’s landmass this Monday morning.

‘Possibly, in our next 5:00 a.m. update, Uwan will be in the West Philippine Sea already,’ he said.

The weather specialist also said that Uwan’s only directly affecting most parts of Luzon.

‘This typhoon only covers most parts of Luzon, and we expect a significant reduction of rains in parts of Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao,’ he also said.

Due to the weakening of the former super typhoon, Pagasa lifted the highest Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 5 in four areas.

At least 155 cities and municipalities across the country are still waiting for the restoration of electricity following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong), according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Monday.

Uwan whipped many parts of Luzon over the weekend, leaving at least two individuals dead, the latest National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) situational report said.

‘On the status of life lines, 155 cities and municipalities are still experiencing power interruptions while 15 have resumed; 13 areas with water supply interruption, with 2 restored; and 14 areas have reported communication interruption,’ OCD Assistant Secretary Rafael Alejandro IV said in a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo.

‘In terms of mobility, 71 roads are still not passable, with 16 passable; and 26 bridges have reported limited access, while three are not passable,’ he added.

The OCD assistant secretary did not immediately specify the locations of the utility interruptions, non-passable roads, and bridges.

However, Alejandro further noted that 13 areas were affected by storm surges during Uwan’s onslaught, and 132 areas remained flooded as of Monday morning.

At least 1,085 houses have been reported damaged so far, with 89 being totally damaged and 996 partially damaged, according to the OCD assistant secretary.

He added that they monitored around 6,200 passengers; 2,900 rolling cargoes; 80 vessels; and 34 motor bancas stranded as the typhoon crossed the country’s landmass.

Preemptive evacuation

Alejandro also said around 1.4 million individuals were preemptively evacuated from the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas ahead of Uwan’s landfall.

Uwan made landfall as a super typhoon over Dinalungan, Aurora, on Sunday night.

Two people were reported dead as the tropical cyclone crossed the country’s landmass, according to the latest National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) situational report.

Further, at the press briefing, Philippine National Police (PNP) community affairs chief Col. Esmeraldo Osia Jr. confirmed that a landslide occurred in Nueva Vizcaya but said they were still validating whether two five-year-olds died during the incident.

Nonetheless, OCD spokesperson Junie Castillo, quoting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said the preemptive evacuation ‘minimized casualties despite the strength of the storm.’

Alejandro said they briefed the president on the situation again on Monday morning.

Uwan weakened to a typhoon early on Monday shortly after making landfall in Aurora and was last spotted 135 kilometers (km) west-northwest of Bacnotan, La Union, at 10 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its latest update.

The typhoon was packing maximum sustained winds of up to 130 km per hour (km/h) and gusts of up to 160 km/h while moving west-northwest at 20 km/h.

Over 1,800 classrooms in at least 312 schools were damaged during Typhoon Uwan’s (international name: Fung Wong) onslaught in Luzon, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported on Monday.

According to DepEd, most of the affected classrooms-1,182 in total-sustained minor damage, while 366 were heavily damaged and 261 were completely destroyed. Bicol, Calabarzon, and the Cordillera Administrative Region recorded the highest numbers of damaged classrooms, DepEd said.

The agency clarified, however, that the figures are still being verified as additional reports continue to come in from regional and division offices.

DepEd also reported that 5,572 classrooms in 1,072 schools across 11 regions are currently being used as evacuation centers. Education Secretary Sonny Angara assured affected communities that the department remains committed to the ‘immediate protection of students, teachers, and school personnel, as well as the long-term continuity of learning.’

‘The challenges faced by our teachers, parents, and students during Typhoons Uwan and Tino have been immense. We extend our sympathies to our fellow citizens and assure them that DepEd stands with you every step of the way as we recover and rebuild hope in every classroom,’ Angara said. He also said DepEd has identified funding requirements of P20.2 million for clean-up and clearing operations and P57.9 million for minor repairs.

Furthermore, the department has prioritized the implementation of Alternative Delivery Modes (ADM) in schools that remain closed due to recent typhoons and other calamities. Funds have already been released to the affected regions to produce learning packets and lesson guides under the Dynamic Learning Program and other ADM modalities.

I was 21 years old when Super Typhoon ‘Odette’ wreaked havoc on our city on the afternoon of Dec. 16, 2021. Despite living in a typhoon-prone area in the northeastern part of Mindanao, I had never fully grown accustomed to the devastation that extreme weather could bring, especially the kind Odette delivered.

That afternoon, I prayed fervently as the wind mercilessly tore off roofs, shattered windows, uprooted trees, and the torrential rain destroyed appliances as if they were made of paper. Later, the streets were filled with debris. It felt as though the calamity had gone on a rampage, and we were nothing but vulnerable, helpless witnesses.

Just recently, Typhoon ‘Tino’ (international name: Kalmaegi), with its gusty winds and relentless rain, transported me back to that terrifying day. I am now 25 years old, yet I could not fathom the fear that gripped me from yesterday afternoon well into the night. I prayed so hard. I could hear the menacing howl of the wind and feel the cold creeping into my skin. It reminded me so vividly of that one unfortunate event a few years ago.

In moments like these, I tend to gravitate toward panicking, overwhelmed by the storm outside and the storm within, both stirred by memories I wish I didn’t have to relive. The emotional toll was tantamount to reliving the trauma all over again. It’s a stark reminder of how truly vulnerable we are in the face of nature’s wrath.

While our city did not feel the extraordinary brunt of Typhoon Tino, I prayed for those in its path. I hoped it would not cause severe damage or suffering in any way.

Fast forward to this morning: I woke up to the warmth of the sun piercing through the clouds-a sign of God’s grace and mercy. Power lines and internet connections have been restored, and water is now available in our area after hours of being cut off. As of this writing, I find comfort in the light, even as the shadows of yesterday remain silently in my headspace. But what is more certain now is that we are safe.

Thank God there isn’t much aftermath. Marajaw Karajaw!