Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The reported death toll from the Cebu earthquake has dropped to 68 from the initial tally of 72 due to ‘double entry’, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) reported Friday.

The Office of Civil Defense, the implementing arm of the NDRRMC, clarified that the earlier report came from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Cebu, while the latest figures are from the Management of the Dead and Missing (MDM) cluster.

‘It’s a matter of double entry,’ OCD-VII Regional Director Joel Erestain said in a statement sent to reporters.

Erestain said, ‘adjustment is being made once names and other documents are submitted to the activated MDM cluster.’

OCD deputy spokesperson Diego Mariano said the MDM, will now serve as the standard source for casualty figures.

‘The numbers may increase or decrease as validation by the MDM is ongoing,’ Mariano told reporters.

All 68 reported deaths have death certificates already, according to Mariano.

However, Erestain said official police spot reports and death certificates are not complete yet.

‘Hence this total number is still for verification and validation,’ Erestain said.

Meanwhile, the reported 599 injuries, are still subject to validation, while the agency has not reported any missing individuals as of Friday.

Thousands of houses, buildings damaged

Total infrastructure damage has yet to be fully documented, but thousands of homes and public buildings were destroyed by the earthquake.

So far, 5,013 houses were damaged, of which 4,355 were partially damaged and 658 were destroyed.

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake affected 366,360 people in the region, with only 1,795 currently staying in evacuation centers.

The quake struck at 9:59 p.m. on Tuesday, with its epicenter located 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

More aftershocks

Phivolcs has continued to record aftershocks, which it says may persist for weeks.

As of 8:00 a.m. on Friday, state seismologists reported 3,952 aftershocks, ranging from magnitude 1 to 5.1.

Located on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’ where tectonic plates frequently collide, the Philippines experiences regular earthquakes and volcanic activity./mcm

One of the newest members of the House of Representatives, Ang Probinsyano Rep. Alfred delos Santos, has family members running companies that have won government contracts in Albay province, the Inquirer learned.

On Thursday, Delos Santos was officially proclaimed as one of three party list representatives-including those of Abono and Murang Kuryente-who could assume seats in the 20th Congress following the disqualification of the Duterte Youth group.

All in the family

It is a comeback for the Albay-born lawmaker, who debuted at the chamber in 2019 after Ang Probinsyano, then a newly formed group, won two seats with more than 760,000 votes. He retained his House seat in 2022.

The Inquirer learned that his mother, Maria Gracia delos Santos, is the authorized managing officer of Wearr Enterprises and Development Corp.

The Legazpi-based company bagged at least 48 government projects in Albay, Sorsogon, and Camarines Sur worth P2.4 billion from 2016 to 2025, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) project and contract management application (PCMA).

According to the Sumbong sa Pangulo website, the online desk ordered set up by President Marcos to receive complaints or leads regarding public works projects for possible investigation, Wearr bagged P377.2 million worth of flood control projects in Albay, under the current administration alone.

Delos Santos’ three brothers also have their own construction firms.

Raymond delos Santos is currently the authorized managing officer for WCS Construction Inc., also in Legazpi City, which has won P1.6 billion worth of infrastructure contracts in Albay in the same period.

It has one flood control project under the Marcos administration, a P102.3-million project in Guinobatan, Albay, which was supposed to have been finished in 2024.

RCDS Construction and Supply Inc., based in Ilawod, Guinobatan, Albay, is owned by Richard delos Santos and has 57 contracts worth more than P3 billion in total.

It has five flood control projects worth P243.6 million, all undertaken in 2023.

3Diamonds Construction Corp., owned by Wilfred delos Santos, has 55 contracts worth P2.5 billion.

It has the most flood control projects of the four firms: 14 undertakings worth a total of P616.7 million from 2022 to 2023.

None of them has been accused of any anomalies in the ongoing investigations.

In an interview on Thursday, Delos Santos confirmed their relations but stressed that he himself was not involved in their companies and that he had never used his office to give them undue advantage.

‘We’re party list representatives, so the budget (for those contracts) [doesn’t] pass through us. What we do is we just file bills. And even allocations, we don’t have such things, so there is no conflict of interest,’ he told the Inquirer.

Delos Santos also stressed that their companies have been long-standing firms long before he became a congressman in 2019.

3 party-lists proclaimed

When still a neophyte lawmaker, Delos Santos was caught on video trying to punch a waiter in a fast-food chain in Legazpi City. He apologized later, saying he was ‘not a bully or a troublemaker . I am not a siga, astig or sanggano. The people who know me well can attest to that.’

‘This single incident does not represent me or my values, and I will prove it by working hard to deliver our party platform and campaign promises to fellow probinsyanos, and from hereon conduct myself as an exemplary public servant worthy of the trust and confidence our people placed [in] us last election,’ he said.

Aside from Ang Probinsyano, taking the other seats in the House that became available after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) canceled the registration of Duterte Youth are Abono and Murang Kuryente party lists.

Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia announced this during a press conference on Thursday, before the first nominees of the three party lists were proclaimed by the commission.

They were former Rep. Robert Raymund Estrella for the Abono party list, former Agriculture Secretary and Bohol Gov. Arthur Yap for Murang Kuryente, and Delos Santos for Ang Probinsyano.

‘This decision of the Commission and the National Board of Canvassers is a result of the recommendation of our law department as well as the supervisory group in charge of all the aspects of canvassing and proclamation,’ Garcia said.

According to him, the Comelec based its decision on recent cases, such as An Waray vs Comelec, with the three seats originally allotted for Duterte Youth given to the party lists that got the most votes among those who did not make the cut during the May 2025 elections. -WITH A REPORT FROM GILLIAN VILLANUEVA

Police caught a businesswoman for allegedly selling non-food relief kits valued at P15.5 million and bearing the logo of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said.

The suspect was entrapped while selling 6,000 kits containing clothing for P2,588 each at a warehouse on Juan Luna Street in Barangay 56, Tondo, Manila, on Thursday night, according to CIDG public information chief Maj. Helen dela Cruz in an interview in Camp Crame on Friday.

‘You will see the DSWD logo there. The Bagong Pilipinas logo is there and, worse, you’ll see ‘not for sale’ there,’ CIDG National Capital Region chief Lt. Col. John Guiagui said in the interview.

Guiagui explained that the operation stemmed from a tip from a private informant, prompting them to coordinate with the DSWD.

‘They say they’re a supplier of the DSWD. They say it’s an excess supply. Nonetheless, they shouldn’t sell it. If they will sell it and it’s no longer the government’s property, it shouldn’t be packed with markings of the DSWD and ‘not for sale,” he added.

Guiagui further said the businesswoman told operatives that she had previously sold relief packs to a buyer, but they have yet to identify how much was sold and to whom.

‘They (suspect) say they can reproduce more,’ the CIDG NCR chief added.

Approached by reporters in Camp Crame, the arrested suspect declined to comment.

According to dela Cruz, the suspect faces charges for violating Section 19 (e) of Republic Act No. 10121 or the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, which prohibits ‘selling of relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities which are intended for distribution to disaster victims.’

The suspect also faces charges for violating Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code, which pertains to the illegal use of insignia, the CIDG public information chief further noted.

‘The items discovered during the entrapment operation. are in no way owned, operated or affiliated with the DSWD. No DSWD personnel were involved,’ dela Cruz claimed, citing a statement from the department.

‘The department expresses its full support for the ongoing investigation and is prepared to take all necessary legal actions against those found responsible,’ she added. /apl

Taylor Swift has officially entered her showgirl era on Friday, Oct. 3 as she released her 12-track album ‘The Life of a Showgirl.’

‘I can’t tell you how proud I am to share this with you, an album that just feels so right. A forever thank you goes out to my mentors and friends Max and Shellback for helping me paint this self portrait,’ the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter said via her Instagram page, referring to her collaborators.

‘If you thought the big show was wild, perhaps you should come and take a look behind the curtain. The Life of a Showgirl is out now,’ she added.

The album includes the earlier announced titles ‘The Fate of Ophelia,’ ‘Elizabeth Taylor,’ ‘Opalite,’ ‘Father Figure,’ ‘Eldest Daughter,’ ‘Ruin The Friendship,’ ‘Actually Romantic,’ ‘ Wi$h Li$t,’ ‘Wood,’ ‘CANCELLED!’, ‘Honey’ and the title track ‘The Life of a Show Girl,’ which features American pop star Sabrina Carpenter.

‘I care about this record more than I can even overstate,’ Swift said, describing the release as full of ‘bangers.’

Prior to its release, the album became the most pre-saved album on audio streaming platform Spotify. It surpassed five million pre-saves on their platform and dethroned the previous title holder, Swift’s 2024 album ‘The Tortured Poets Department.’

Classes in all levels, both public and private, were suspended in Zambales and nearby Olongapo City on Friday as nonstop rains from Typhoon Paolo drenched the province.

In separate advisories from local government units, afternoon classes were cancelled in Subic, Castillejos, San Marcelino, San Narciso, the capital town of Iba, and Olongapo City. In Candelaria town, classes shifted to modular and asynchronous learning.

In northern Zambales, particularly in San Felipe, Botolan, Palauig, and Masinloc, classes had already been suspended earlier in the morning due to expected bad weather from Paolo. In San Antonio, classes were also cancelled in observance of Teacher’s Day.

On Thursday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Zambales ordered the suspension of sea travel for all types of vessels due to rough sea conditions brought by the storm.

The northern towns of Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, and Sta. Cruz was placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1.

The entire province and Olongapo City have been experiencing continuous rainfall since Friday morning, prompting Pagasa to raise an orange rainfall warning.

An orange warning is issued when intense rainfall, typically 15 to 30 millimeters per hour, is expected or observed to persist within the next two hours./coa

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has already found the fault that caused the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu on Tuesday evening, September 30, that killed 68 individuals.

In a statement on Friday, Phivolcs said its quick response team located the inland extension of the newly named Bogo Bay Fault in Sitio Looc, Brgy. Nailon, Bogo City.

‘The team observed fault scarps, open cracks, and small pressure mounds within a 2-meter-wide deformation zone,’ Phivolcs noted.

‘Initial field mapping recorded about 200 meters of surface rupture, while drone surveys revealed the fault may extend up to 1.5 kilometers, showing signs of right-lateral movement,’ it added.

The response team continues to conduct field verification in order to determine the full extent of the rupture.

Phivolcs, meanwhile, advised the public to stay vigilant ‘for strong aftershocks, secure their homes, know evacuation routes, and rely only on official sources for updates and safety instructions.’

As of 4 p.m. this Friday, a total of 4,378 aftershocks-ranging from magnitude 1 to 5.1-were recorded from the strong quake, wherein 21 of these were felt.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Friday the Philippines will chair the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) in 2026, giving the country a key role in shaping Southeast Asia’s approach to digital governance and urban resilience.

The chairmanship was formally turned over on Sept. 9 by Malaysia’s Deputy Secretary-General Mohd Hazli Bin Ahmad Adnan to Interior Undersecretary Marlo Iringan during the ASCN’s 8th annual meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

In his remarks, Iringan said smart communities are not just about building high-tech systems but about practical improvements in daily life.

‘They are real solutions that improve daily life-faster services, safer streets, more efficient mobility, and stronger resilience,’ he said.

Iringan pointed to projects such as Manila’s e-government services, Cebu’s automated traffic system, and Davao’s transport and security upgrades as examples of how smart city initiatives directly benefit communities.

According to the DILG, the Philippines is also advancing its own framework through the Developing Resilient, Innovative, Vibrant and Efficient Smart Local Governments Nationwide (DRIVEN) Program, developed with the World Bank. The initiative aims to create a national smart governance platform linking local government units with technology and infrastructure partners.

Iringan added that the country’s chairmanship will emphasize accountability and resilience in local governance. He noted the recent inclusion of Cauayan City in the ASCN as an example of how smaller LGUs can meet smart city standards.

Established in 2018, the ASCN links 35 cities across the region to pursue sustainable and innovative solutions to urban challenges.

The DILG said the chairmanship will allow the Philippines to highlight the role of local governments in regional efforts on modernization and climate resilience.

Tropical Storm ‘Paolo’ (international name: Matmo) is forecast to bring heavy rains to Isabela, Quirino and Aurora until Friday afternoon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that as of 4 p.m. Thursday, Paolo was located approximately 480 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon, moving west-northwestward at 15 kilometers per hour (kph).

It had maximum sustained winds of 85 kph and gusts of up to 105 kph.

Pagasa said that Paolo may make landfall over southern Isabela or northern Aurora on Friday morning. It will then emerge over the West Philippine Sea in the afternoon and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday morning.

In its 5 p.m. advisory, Pagasa also reported the following rainfall forecast from Thursday to Friday afternoon (100 to 200 mm) in Cagayan, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, and Ecija.

For Apayao, Abra, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Tarlac, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes, the rainfall forecast will be from 50 to 100 mm.

Additionally, the trough of the cyclone was forecast to bring scattered rains over Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Eastern Visayas and Western Visayas.

Signal No. 2

Pagasa hoisted Tropical Cyclone Signal (TCWS) no. 2 over Isabela and the northern portions of the following provinces: Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya,

Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Aurora.

On the other hand, TCWS no. 1 was raised in Cagayan, the rest of Quirino, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Abra, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, the northern portion of Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, the rest of Aurora, the northern portion of Bulacan, the northern portion of Pampanga, the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, the northern portion of Camarines Sur and Catanduanes.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has terminated a P101.32-million rehabilitation project for a creek in Lapuz district after repeated delays caused by obstructions and the presence of settlers.

In a letter to Mayor Raisa Treñas on Sept. 18, former DPWH Western Visayas regional director Joel Limpengco said the project involving Mansaya Creek had become ‘inaccessible’ and ‘beyond the agency’s control’ due to the failure to clear the site.

‘The primary challenges include the persistent presence of obstructions, notably the nonremoval of informal settlers, and the consequent inaccessibility of the project site,’ Limpengco wrote.

The termination took effect on Sept. 16, nearly two years after the contract was awarded to YPR General Contractor and Construction Supply Inc., a firm owned by couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya.

Records showed the project started on Feb. 10, 2023, with a target completion of March 27, 2024. But as of its termination, work progress was pegged at only 0.02 percent. The DPWH, however, has yet to say whether any of the project funds were released prior to its termination.

The rehabilitation plan covered 2,396 lineal meters of the creek spanning the villages of Lapuz Norte, Don Esteban and Sinikway. The structure was designed at 14.5 meters wide and 3 meters high.

Relocation plan

A 2024 report from the City Local Housing Office identified at least 63 families as informal settlers along the creek, with plans to relocate them to Barangay San Isidro in Jaro district.

The project was also among eight flagged by the Environmental Management Bureau for review, resulting in a temporary suspension of permit processing by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Treñas lamented the cancellation, stressing that stronger coordination could have prevented the setback.

‘Stronger collaboration between national agencies and the local government, including barangay officials, is necessary and vital to ensure that projects intended for our people will not go to waste and are completed,’ she said.

Severe tropical storm Paolo has maintained its strength while already moving farther from the landmass of the country, the state weather bureau said.

Based on its 8 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Paolo was last located 115 kilometers west-northwest of Bacnotan, La Union.

It is still packing a maximum sustained wind speed of 110 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, with gusts of 135 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 remains hoisted over the following areas:

Western portion of Ilocos Sur (San Vicente, Santa Catalina, City of Vigan, Caoayan, Santa, Narvacan, Santa Maria, San Esteban, Santiago, City of Candon, Santa Lucia, Santa Cruz, Tagudin)

Northwestern portion of La Union (Luna, Bangar, Balaoan, Bacnotan, San Juan, City of San Fernando)

TCWS No. 2

Southern portion of Ilocos Norte (Nueva Era, Badoc, Pinili, City of Batac, Paoay, Currimao, Banna, Laoag City, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Dingras, Solsona, Marcos, Bacarra, Piddig)

The rest of Ilocos Sur

The rest of La Union

Northern portion of Pangasinan ( Basista, Lingayen, Villasis, City of Alaminos, Anda, Malasiqui, San Fabian, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Burgos, Dagupan City, Binalonan, Bolinao, Aguilar, San Manuel, Sual, Asingan, Labrador, Bani, Pozorrubio, City of Urdaneta, Laoac, Mabini, San Carlos City, Manaoag, Binmaley, San Jacinto, Bugallon, Infanta, Agno, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Dasol, Sison, San Nicolas)

Abra

Western portion of Kalinga (Tinglayan, Balbalan, Lubuagan, Pasil), the western portion of Mountain Province (Besao, Tadian, Sagada, Bauko, Sadanga, Bontoc, Sabangan)

Western portion of Ifugao (Hungduan, Tinoc)

Benguet

Western portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kayapa, Santa Fe)

TCWS No. 1

The rest of Ilocos Norte

The rest of Pangasinan

Apayao

The rest of Kalinga

The rest of Mountain Province

The rest of Ifugao

The southern portion of Batanes (Mahatao, Uyugan, Basco, Ivana, Sabtang)

Mainland Cagayan including Babuyan Islands

Isabela

Quirino

The rest of Nueva Vizcaya

Zambales

Tarlac

Pampanga

Nueva Ecija

Bulacan

Aurora

Northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including Polillo Islands

Paolo, continuously moving west-northwestward at 35 kph, may exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday morning.

But it is also forecast to re-intensify into a typhoon category within the next 12 hours.