Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

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.

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.

There have been no reports of looting or crime incidents so far in the areas affected by Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong), according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday.

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

‘For now, yes, we can say that, as of this reporting, we have not received any reports or any criminal incidents,’ PNP community relations deputy director Brig. Gen. Vina Guzman said in a press briefing in Camp Crame.

PNP public information chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño also noted that, as of 6 a.m. on Monday, the police had deployed 21,682 officers and 1,566 vehicles, as well as 16,628 personnel of its Reactionary Standby Support Force, for rescue and relief operations.

Tuaño further noted that the PNP was monitoring 28,008 evacuation centers in the affected regions, of which 9,853 were occupied by at least 1,416,063 individuals or 443,073 families.

The national police force also stated that it conducted 62 search and rescue operations during the typhoon’s onslaught, rescuing at least 10,112 individuals.

Meanwhile, the PNP said it was monitoring 71 cancelled flights and 176 cancelled sea trips, affecting at least 7,868 passengers.

Further, the police said it monitored 2,977 roads and 35 bridges that were not yet passable, and 3,258 power lines were affected in at least 209 barangays across the affected regions.

In a statement earlier on Monday, Acting PNP Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said all of the police force’s field units in the entirety of Luzon and Visayas will stay on alert to secure evacuation and rescue operations in the wake of the typhoon.

Four vessels in Antique, Batangas and Palawan ran aground during the onslaught of Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong), according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday.

In a press briefing with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Camp Aguinaldo on Monday, PCG civil relations deputy commander Capt. John Barrameda identified the affected vessels as:

tugboat Sea Asia 2 and barge Sea Asia 102, 100 meters from the shoreline of the fishport in San Jose, Antique;

landing craft tank Felicity A in the waters off Barangay Wawa, Nasugbu, Batangas

motor banca Shenalyn 2 in the waters off Barangay Santo Niño, Sitio Manukan, San Vicente, Palawan

‘They were sheltered and anchored, but, because of the strong current and wind, these accidents happened,’ Barrameda explained in Filipino.

‘Our Coast Guard is already in the area, assessing all the damage and how they can make a recommendation on the incident,’ he added.

Barrameda likewise reported that there were no casualties and no threat of an oil spill.

Barrameda said the PCG is also verifying reports of a similar incident in the waters of Lemery, Batangas.

Albay Representative Adrian Salceda has appealed to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to allow the construction of flood control projects that are deemed necessary, based on scientific and evidence-based prioritization.

Salceda, in a statement on Monday, after Super Typhoon Uwan ravaged through Bicol Region and different parts of Luzon, said that many structures damaged by previous cyclones were not repaired due to the ban on flood control projects.

Authorities resorted to placing sandbags, but according to Salceda, the sandbags eventually gave way to floodwaters-highlighting the need for proper flood control projects.

‘Because of the national ban on flood control projects, many structures that were damaged by Typhoon Kristine remain unrepaired. During Typhoon Uwan, we conducted temporary sandbagging operations that delayed the entry of floodwaters long enough for our evacuation efforts to be completed. Eventually, the sandbags gave way,’ Salceda said.

‘We therefore appeal to the Department of Public Works and Highways to prioritize appropriate, scientific, and evidence-based flood control projects for the district,’ he added.

According to Salceda, over 25,000 families in his district were evacuated, prompting relief operations-distribution of food packs in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

However, the lawmaker said their current supply can only cover 10,000 families, which means they would need additional aid to cover all affected households.

‘Our district experienced the full impact of (Super) Typhoon Uwan, with winds reaching Signal No. 4. Preemptive evacuation was carried out across all municipalities and the lone city in the 3rd district of Albay. At least 25,000 families were evacuated, and this number could be higher pending validation with the respective local government units,’ Salceda said.

‘Relief operations are ongoing. We are distributing food packs to affected communities and are closely coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to expand coverage. Our current supply is sufficient for around 10,000 families, but we will need additional assistance to reach all affected households,’ he added.

Roads in Albay’s 3rd district are being cleared while power service is being restored, Salceda noted.

‘The [DPWH] has begun deploying equipment for road clearance, while the Bureau of Fire Protection and other agencies are assisting in clearing debris and flushing silt from the streets so that normal activities can resume as soon as possible,’ he said.

‘We are also working closely with the Albay Electric Cooperative (Aleco) to restore power in affected areas as soon as it is safe to do so. A zero-casualty record was achieved in all municipalities except the town of Libon, which unfortunately reported one fatality. We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved family,’ he added.

Uwan, which had a diameter of over 1,600 kilometers, barreled through a huge part of Luzon and Visayas. The super typhoon’s impact, which came after Typhoon Tino hit Visayas and Mindanao, prompted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare the country under a state of calamity for a year.

At its peak, Uwan packed maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (km/h), and gustiness of up to 230 km/h. Coupled with Uwan’s wide diameter, over one million individuals from disaster-prone areas were evacuated.

Palay-buying

Salceda also said that they will launch a palay-buying operation using funds from the DSWD’s Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), to assist farmers affected by Uwan.

‘In the coming weeks, we will also launch a palay-buying operation in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, using AKAP Rice funds. This initiative will allow us to buy palay directly from farmers at higher prices, helping absorb the harvests we encouraged them to complete before the typhoon’s landfall,’ he said.

‘Although we recorded minimal loss of life, this should not be taken to mean that our district no longer needs help. The zero-casualty record reflects our preparedness, but the physical and economic damage remains extensive. We appeal to the national government and to relief organizations for sustained support as we begin the work of recovery and rehabilitation,’ he added.

Earlier reports stated that the heavy rains over Albay triggered the flow of lahar from Mayon Volcano, down to several towns in the province.

In Guinobatan town, the volcanic deposits along the slopes of Mayon Volcano were mobilized by the heavy rains, causing lahar flow in the villages of Masarawag.

Guinobatan sits in Albay’s 3rd District.

Also, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol said that 167 villages in Albay, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes are still experiencing flooding, while water levels in 26 others had begun receding.