Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Benchmark international prices of milled declined in October as harvests started or improved in some parts of the globe. This, amid sufficient supplies and strong competition, according to the United Nations’ (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The UN agency said in a report that the FAO All Rice Price Index averaged 98.4 points last month. This was a decrease of 2.5 percent from September and 21.7 percent lower than the same period last year. It has been declining since May.

Among varieties, quotations for glutinous rice posted the largest drop of 5.9 percent to 94 points in October.

Indica prices followed with 3 percent, ending at 99.7 points. This is the variant’s fifth consecutive price decrease and the lowest since June 2019.

Japonica and Aromatic prices went down by 0.5 percent each to average 90.1 points and 96.3 points, respectively.

‘Asian prices of Indica rice remained on a downtrend in October, as main-crop harvests were launched or gained momentum, in a context already marked by ample exportable supplies and fierce competition for markets,’ the FAO said.

‘In Vietnam, the Philippines’ retreat from the market provided little room for quotations to regain ground.,’ it added. -JORDEENE B. LAGARE INQ

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Monday said Isabela Gov. Rodolfo Albano III was only a ‘victim of bad taste’ after the latter’s ‘chill’ remark over Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong).

Albano caught flak from social media users after telling residents in a radio interview to ‘just chill’ as Uwan-then a super typhoon-loomed over the province last weekend.

‘That ‘chill’ remark, that’s the usual way that Rodolfo talks, but he is honestly a very hardworking local government official. He is just a victim of bad taste,’ Remulla said in an interview over ANC’s Headstart.

‘But, credit to the Isabela officials, they were very prepared, and we were in contact with them during the OCD (Office of Civil Defense) meetings. His vice governor was very ready,’ Remulla added.

Albano previously told the Inquirer that he ‘didn’t care and didn’t read’ the social media users’ comments about his ‘chill’ remark.

The Isabela governor is in Germany to attend an annual agricultural trade fair, but he promised to catch the first available flight home, according to the DILG chief.

Remulla himself has been the subject of online flak for his communication style in announcing class and government work suspensions amid inclement weather brought by the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones.

The DILG chief defended his messaging, saying ‘a little humor never hurt anyone.’

Uwan made landfall over Dinalungan, Aurora, on Sunday night.

It weakened into a typhoon early Monday morning.

Uwan 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.

Senator Loren Legarda called for urgent, climate-resilient urban transformation in her keynote address at the luncheon for speakers of the Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue (TPSD) 2025: Sustainable Cities and Communities on November 10, citing the country’s recent experiences with destructive typhoons and the growing gap between urban growth and livability.

‘It is my honor to host this luncheon and to welcome you all to Manila.’ Legarda began, addressing a high-level gathering. ‘We gather in that same spirit of candor, respect, and search for common ground.’

Speaking before delegates from the Ban Ki-moon Foundation, Stanford University’s Asia-Pacific Research Center, the University of the Philippines Asian Center, and other international institutions, Legarda paid tribute to former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, with whom she had collaborated on shared advocacies for climate action, disaster resilience, and sustainable development.

‘Your leadership, from championing the Sustainable Development Goals to guiding the Paris Agreement, has shown us all that even complex global challenges can be met through empathy and collective resolve,’ the four-term senator said.

‘The Philippine Senate’s Resolution No. 929, which I had the honor to sponsor last year, was our modest tribute to you, a leader who has built bridges of cooperation across continents,’ she added.

Legarda, a longtime advocate of environmental protection and climate action, emphasized Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. She warned that the country’s urban development has outpaced its safeguards, citing the devastation caused by Typhoons Tino and Uwan.

‘It is like nature is speaking to us, telling us that our urban growth has outpaced our safeguards,’ Legarda said. ‘It is a hard truth; our cities are not yet built for the climate realities we face.’

The senator emphasized that legislative action must match the scale of the challenge. She cited the Sustainable Cities and Communities Act, the Clean Gateway Cities Act, the Urban Walkability and Safe Pathways Standards Act, the Government Sustainable Hybrid and Electric Fleet Transition (SHIFT) Act, and the Noise Pollution Control and Abatement Act as key measures aligned with SDG 11.

‘These measures are important,’ Legarda said, ‘but what matters is the spirit with which they are implemented, the spirit of long-term vision and care for both people and planet.’

Legarda closed with a call to deepen cooperation across sectors and generations.

‘Let this Dialogue be one such bridge, linking research and policy, past and future,’ she said.

The Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue 2025 continues through November 11, convening senior policymakers, development experts, and scholars to accelerate progress on SDG 11 across the Asia-Pacific.

Storm surges of up to three meters from Typhoon Uwan are highly likely within the next 12 hours along the coastal areas of the Ilocos Region, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Monday afternoon.

In its 2 p.m. advisory, Pagasa warned of ‘moderate to high risk of storm surge’ and flooding due to rising sea water and high waves in low-lying coastal areas.

According to the weather bureau, the following provinces are forecast to experience storm surges ranging from 2.1 to 3 meters:

Ilocos Norte: Bacarra, Burgos, Pasuquin, Bangui, Pagudpud, Badoc, Currimao, Laoag City, Paoay

Ilocos Sur: Cabugao, Caoayan, Candon, Vigan, Magsingal, Narvacan, San Esteban, San Juan, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Santa Cruz, Santa Lucia, Santa Maria, Santiago, Santo Domingo, Sinait, Tagudin

La Union: Agoo, Aringay, Bacnotan, Balaoan, Bangar, Bauang, Caba, San Fernando, Luna, Rosario, San Juan, Santo Tomas

Pangasinan: Agno, Anda, Bani, Bolinao, Burgos, Dasol, Infanta

Zambales: Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Santa Cruz

Meanwhile, the following areas may experience storm surges of 1 to 2 meters:

Aurora: Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Casiguran, Dilasag

Bataan: Mariveles, Bagac, Morong

Batangas: Nasugbu, Calatagan, Lian

Cagayan: Peñablanca, Baggao, Abulug, Aparri, Calayan, Ballesteros, Buguey, Claveria, Gattaran, Gonzaga, Lal-lo, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Santa Ana, Santa Praxedes, Santa Teresita

Cavite: Maragondon, Ternate

Isabela: Dinapigue, Divilacan, Palanan, Maconacon

Occidental Mindoro: Lubang, Looc, Calintaan, Sablayan, Santa Cruz, Mamburao, Paluan

Palawan: Busuanga, Coron, Culion, Linapacan

Pangasinan: Binmaley, Alaminos, Dagupan City, Labrador, Lingayen, San Fabian, Sual

Zambales: Botolan, Cabangan, Iba, San Antonio, San Felipe, San Narciso, Subic, Olongapo City

Pagasa advised the public to evacuate to higher grounds, away from coastal areas, and to cancel all marine activities.

Typhoon Uwan has weakened, but it is still bringing wind disturbances dangerous to its affected communities, Pagasa said.

Uwan was last located 135 kilometers west-northwest of Bacnotan, La Union, moving west-northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph), and packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kph and gusts of up to 160 kph, the weather bureau added.

Pagasa also noted that while over the West Philippine Sea, Uwan may briefly re-intensify between Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

The soundtrack for Netflix’s hit animated film ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ remained at No. 2 in its 20th week on Billboard’s main albums chart.

According to a Billboard preview released Sunday, the album ranked just behind global pop star Taylor Swift’s latest studio album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl,’ on the Billboard 200 for the fifth week in a row.

The soundtrack previously topped the chart twice before ceding the No. 1 spot to Swift.

The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units, comprising physical sales, track-equivalent units and streaming-equivalent units.

During the latest tracking week, the ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ soundtrack earned 84,000 equivalent album units, down 1 percent from the previous week.

The soundtrack secured five nominations at the upcoming 68th Grammy Awards in February. Among them, the standout track ‘Golden’ was nominated for Song of the Year. ‘Golden’ is described as the ‘story’ of their respective characters.

Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami – the singing voices behind Rumi, Mira and Zoey in ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ – captivated the audience with their first live performance of the smash hit ‘Golden’ on the Oct. 8 episode of ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.’

A former security guard surrendered to the police a day after allegedly killing a retired soldier who turned out to be his brother-in-law over an argument in Kidapawan City Sunday.

Ramil Morales, 57, subject of the police’s manhunt operation over the weekend after the killing of retired soldier Edmund Bautista, 55, voluntarily turned himself in to face the charges, Lt. Colonel Josemarie Simangan, Kidapawan City police director, said Monday.

Simangan said Morales and Bautista, both residents of Barangay Poblacion in Kidapawan City, had a heated argument on Sunday when Morales allegedly pulled a pistol and shot Bautista around noontime.

Relatives rushed Bautista to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead by an attending physician.

Morales quickly fled after the killing, prompting the police and the Barangay Police Action Team to hunt for him

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has lifted its temporary suspension of sea travel in Eastern Visayas following the degrading of storm signals across much of the region.

In a notice to mariners on Monday morning, the PCG cited improving weather and sea conditions, based in the 5 a.m. bulletin from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

‘In reference to DOST-Pagasa Tropical Cyclone Bulletin Number 16.this station lifts the temporary suspension of voyages for all vessels and watercraft,’ the notice said.

It, however, urged ship owners, operators, and boat masters to exercise ‘extreme caution’ and continue to monitor subsequent weather updates and maritime safety advisories from the PCG and Pagasa.

Northern Samar, which serves as the gateway to Luzon through the port of Allen town, was among the areas that lifted travel cancellations.

The Northern Samar Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), led by Rei Josiah Echano, reported that 580 passengers were stranded at Allen ports before the PCG’s lifting of sea travel restrictions in Eastern Visayas.

Although Northern Samar endured strong winds and rains from Super Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-Wong), the province reported minimal damage.

Echano said timely evacuations of approximately 45,706 residents helped achieve zero casualties.

‘After enduring almost 18 hours of devastating winds and rains, all local government units reported zero casualties in their situational reports submitted to the Northern Emergency Operations Center on Nov. 9 at 6 p.m.,’ he added

In any community, a good neighbor is one who respects the rights of others and ensures that the environment is stable and peaceful. One who bullies and takes advantage of others cannot be considered a good neighbor. Good neighbors work together and abide by the rules for the good of all.

These parameters are true whether we are talking about living spaces for individuals and families, or about nations’ access to global commons.

The global commons is a zone in which numerous countries share opportunities and risks alike. Here, the stakes are high because the issues transcend national boundaries: national security issues are closely intertwined with economic security.

The South China Sea (SCS) easily comes to mind when we talk about global commons. The various people living in this common space share sea lanes, trade routes, data connectivity avenues, supply chains, and critical mineral reserves.

Unfortunately, the SCS is now a virtual theater where a single country, in its selfish, expansionist tendencies, is exploiting the rights of others and resorting to various means in doing so. These acts not only affect the defense and security of other countries, but also their economic security.

Within SCS, for instance, in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), China continues to display intensified and increasingly regular illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive gray-zone tactics. These range from repeated ramming and the firing of powerful water cannons, the use of military-grade blinding lasers and dangerous blockade operations, the intimidation and harassment of our fisherfolk, and even the invasion of our cyber domains through propaganda and disinformation.

Each incident shows a blatant disregard for international law that is supposed to bind countries of the world and govern our conduct toward and among each other. Diplomatic protests filed by the Philippines do not seem to deter China, because every new incident betrays a growing boldness, arrogance, and entitlement-regardless of the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China’s so-called nine-dash line.

China’s acts continue to undermine the rules-based international order and pose clear threats to the lives, livelihoods, and dignity of the people who depend on these waters.

It is not true, either, that China has been a synergistic partner to the Philippines over the years. The notion is that we benefit much from our trade relations with our giant neighbor.

In fact, our trade with China is so skewed toward imports, and this has resulted in a gaping trade deficit, which has harmed our economy more than it has benefited it. In contrast, we share much healthier trade balances with partners like the United States and Japan, our top export markets.

Filipinos have articulated their belief and position on this issue. A recent Pulse Asia national survey reinforced this shared national sentiment. Filipinos overwhelmingly trust the United States (77 percent), Japan (44 percent), Asean (29 percent), and Australia (26 percent) as key partners for economic security.

In sharp contrast, trust in China stands at 6 percent-a crushing indictment of Beijing’s escalating aggression and deceit. Filipinos have seen enough: the ramming of our boats, water-cannon attacks, laser harassment, coral destruction, and relentless intimidation of our fisherfolk.

Filipinos are not blind. A country that bullies us, makes false claims about us, and steals what is ours cannot be called a partner in the right sense of the word.

A similar Pulse Asia survey identified mainly the same partners in economic security as the ones Filipinos believe could help us in confronting coercion and aggression in the West Philippine Sea. These are the United States (77 percent), Japan (45 percent), Australia (30 percent, Canada (29 percent), and the United Kingdom (25 percent).

Next year, the Philippines will assume the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. With the theme ‘Navigating Our Future Together,’ the country has both the duty and the opportunity to lead by example, ensuring that discussions and agreements remain fair, rules-based, and genuinely beneficial for all.

Part of that leadership role is to provide platforms for principled discussions that help shape a region that resists coercion and defends collective prosperity.

Such platforms, similar to the Manila Dialogues in which the Philippines was an active participant, ensure continuing conversations about the issues that affect us directly and profoundly.

We are heartened by the fact that the Philippines can turn to its like-minded partners in facing up to bullying and aggression in the WPS, and in maintaining peace and stability in the global commons that we share.

This is a constant struggle given China’s behavior, but genuine partnerships, founded on shared commitments and on good faith, are also a constant source of strength.

Two deaths and the same number of injuries due to Super Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong) were reported so far on Monday morning, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

In a social media address, Office of Civil Defense Director Raffy Alejandro said one of the fatalities was in Viga, Catanduanes, due to drowning, while the other one was in Catbalogan City due to a collapsed structure.

Alejandro said these deaths are still subject to validation.

The injured individuals are from the Bicol region and Western Visayas, while there are still no reports on missing persons.

A total of 1,276,236 people were preemptively evacuated in several regions nationwide.

Similarly, 966 houses were partially damaged, while 78 others were completely damaged.

The NDRRMC has yet to release a report on damage to agriculture and infrastructure.

‘But we have received reports of damaged infrastructure, and this will be subject to ongoing validation so we can get the extent of the damage,’ Alejandro noted.

As of 5:00 a.m. Monday, Uwan has weakened as it crossed Luzon’s landmass.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Uwan was moving west-northwest at 25 kilometers per hour (kph), packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kph and gustiness of 230 kph.

Uwan’s fury inundated coasts as it tore off roofs, uprooted trees, and toppled electric posts in its path

Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) reported Monday that its net income in the first nine months was almost flat at P21.4 billion following ‘softer’ operations from its property development business.

Consolidated revenues in the period were down by 2.7 percent to P121.8 billion from P125.2 billion a year earlier.

Revenues from its property development business reached P75.9 billion, slightly weaker than the P76.6 billion booked in the same period last year.

Its leasing and hospitality business, on the other hand, posted a 6-percent growth at P35.1 billion.

‘Ayala Land continues to navigate market challenges with discipline and focus,’ said ALI president and chief executive officer Anna Ma. Margarita Bautista-Dy.

‘We remain committed to expanding our leasing portfolio, enhancing property development fundamentals, and driving disciplined execution and capital efficiency,’ the official added.