Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The magnitude of corruption in flood control projects has become the most important issue in the Philippines today. And rightly so. Trillions of pesos meant for these projects have been stolen over the years by public officials and private contractors. Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos rallied on Edsa and at Luneta to protest this palpable waste of public funds.

Congressional investigations revealed that the uncontrolled rise in unprogrammed appropriations was one of the ways this corruption is facilitated. For example, in 2025, the original proposal was only P158.7 billion, then it was massively raised to P531.7 billion in the bicameral conference committee. It was eventually reduced to P363 billion after the President vetoed some line items.

The President, in his third State of the Nation Address, expressed anger at the level of corruption that he ordered a strict audit of infrastructure, in particular, flood control projects. Subsequently, he also ordered lifestyle checks on all government officials.

Institutional mechanisms must be in place to ensure that corruption will be substantially reduced in this and succeeding administrations.

What has been done so far: House Resolution No. 94, adopted on Aug. 5, 2025, allows accredited people’s organizations to observe the 2026 budget hearings. Meanwhile, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4, adopted on Aug. 13, mandates full transparency mechanisms for the 2026 budget. It mandates both houses to upload key documents such as the General Appropriations Act, committee reports, transcripts of budget briefings and hearings, and plenary deliberation records to be fully accessible to the public. The bicameral process will also be livestreamed in response to public calls for a more open budget deliberation process.

On Sept. 11, President Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 94 creating the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), an ‘independent fact-finding body to investigate alleged irregularities in government flood control and other infrastructure projects.’ The ICI will investigate possible corruption in the planning, financing, and implementation of government projects undertaken in the past 10 years, with a specific priority on investigating flood control projects and may recommend cases to the Ombudsman or the Department of Justice for prosecution.

Reforms must cover not only the budget deliberation process but also include statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALNs), digitalization of transactions, and publishing of bidding documents, among others.

Recommendations: 1. The President should convene the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) to align executive and legislative priorities, deciding which programs are programmed and unprogrammed in the 2026 budget before bicameral deliberations and submission to Congress. Ledac should also be used to monitor spending throughout the year to ensure efficient delivery of public services.

2. The development budget coordination committee should regularly track government spending, especially in agencies with low budget utilization, to avoid idle funds.

3. Amend the Bank Secrecy law to allow:

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to examine bank deposits and investments of elected and appointed government officials as part of corruption investigations or lifestyle checks;

The AMLC to verify the declared bank accounts of public officials in their SALNs;

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to examine deposits of stockholders, directors, and employees of supervised financial institutions if there is reasonable ground.

4. Make the SALNs accessible to the public again by revoking the current circular as it is inconsistent with the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials granting public access to SALNs.

5. Automatically upload online bidding documents and other infrastructure project documents like the Bill of Quantities, which include itemized details like materials, labor, and equipment, with respective quantities.

6. Fully implement electronic invoicing, allowing businesses to send, receive, and process invoices online instead of using paper. Transactions will be faster, more secure, and harder to tamper with.

7. Pass the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill requiring government offices to make budgets, contracts, and project updates accessible to the public while protecting personal data, national security matters, and ongoing investigations. Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam already have FOI laws.

The government must quickly respond with concrete policies to improve transparency and accountability to avoid disruptions to peace and order.

The government should institutionalize and strengthen anticorruption mechanisms through robust policy reforms and digitalization initiatives, combined with sustained political will. These will enable the government to restore public trust and ensure accountable governance in future administrations.

Gig work, symbolized by on demand work and freelancing, has expanded rapidly worldwide. The convenience of being able to accept work with just a smartphone has provided many with flexible working arrangements.

Behind the surface, lurk issues such as unstable working conditions and exclusion from social security for gig workers. Gig workers are usually denied rights as regular employees. Consequently, they have been pushed outside the scope of basic protection offered by labor laws, including minimum wages, medical insurance, compensation for illness, and injury at the job.

A landmark development for such workers came on Sept. 9 when Malaysia’s Gig Workers Bill 2025 passed the country’s Senate (Dewan Negara). As the world’s first comprehensive protection bill directly targeting gig workers, it will impact over 1.2 million workers in Malaysia.

A move to significantly transform the state of gig work started in the United States and Europe. In the US, California Assembly Bill 5, effective from Jan. 1, 2020, made it easier for gig workers to be recognized as employees. Spain enacted a specific law: the ‘Rider Law’ (Royal Decree-Law 9/2021), effective from Aug. 12, 2021, made a legal presumption that food delivery riders are employees rather than self-employed.

Singapore’s Platform Workers Act, which came into force on Jan. 1, mandates gig workers to split social security contributions equally with the platform company, while expanding access to workers’ compensation and medical insurance.

Platform operators now bear responsibility for workplace safety. Systems for income protection and accident compensation have also been established. This formally incorporated gig workers into the mainstream labor protection mechanisms for the first time, having previously been excluded as self-employed individuals.

The approval of Malaysia’s Gig Workers Bill 2025 marks the beginning of substantive institutionalization of gig worker protection in Asia.

The provisions within this bill can be organized into four categories.

Firstly, provisions concerning service contracts. To enhance contract transparency, it is mandatory for contracts to clearly state the parties involved, duration, scope of work, remuneration, payment method, and rights and obligations.

Second, provisions concerning the rights of gig workers. Just cause is required for dismissal, and they are guaranteed the freedom to work across multiple platforms, the right to form, or join trade unions, as well as the provision of remuneration statements and mechanisms to prevent nonpayment.

Third, provisions concerning dispute resolution and tribunals. A three-tier structure is established: internal company grievance mechanisms, mediation, and swift, low-cost adjudication by the newly established Gig Workers Tribunal.

Fourth, provisions concerning councils, social security, and health and safety. The establishment of councils with equal employer and worker representation grants them the ability to propose minimum remuneration and system reforms.

Additionally, platform companies are obligated to contribute to the Social Security Organization, clearly ensuring their responsibility for occupational safety and health.

These provisions can be viewed as the ‘Malaysian hybrid model,’ positioned between the European Union’s Platform Work Directive and the employment reclassification model exemplified by the United Kingdom and Singapore’s social security extension model. However, this bill does not represent a complete victory for gig workers.

Major platform companies did not actively show their support for the bill, and the government, balancing economic growth with worker protection, accepted a compromise solution. While contract transparency and basic social security were achieved, official collective bargaining rights and full employment status were not included.

Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the initiatives in Singapore and Malaysia have opened new horizons for protecting gig workers in Asia. While imperfect and fluid, Malaysia’s model presents a realistic scenario for emerging economies to regulate platform labor.

Together with Singapore’s reform, Malaysia’s experience positions Asia as an active arena of regulatory experimentation, offering a hybrid approach that is neither a wholesale reclassification of employment nor a simple extension of social security.

As similar debates unfold in countries such as Thailand and Indonesia, these cases provide crucial comparative material and underscore the importance for policymakers in other emerging economies of combining worker mobilization, public discourse, and expert input to craft protections suited to local contexts. The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

Yosuke Uchiyama is a research fellow at the Transportation Institute, Chulalongkorn University.

Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) chief Arsenio Balisacan sought budgetary support for Regional Development Councils (RDCs) for 2026, seeking to stop ‘non-effective’ or ‘simply wasteful’ government projects.

Balisacan made the appeal during the Senate sub-panel on finance’s Friday hearing on the proposed 2026 budget of DEPDev and attached agencies.

He said they are requesting Congress to provide more support to local government units and RDCs, noting the huge tasks they cover.

In particular, Balisacan noted that RDCs are usually the ones on the ground, monitoring infrastructure projects, including those related to flood control.

‘We have these committees and they are supposed to know and be able to monitor these various infrastructure projects including flood control projects, but they don’t have resources to be able to do that function – especially [in] a difficult region [such] as MIMAROPA,’ said Balisacan.

‘That mobility cost is a problem,’ he told the senators.

Apart from this, Balisacan noted the need to ‘give more resources’ to Research and Development Monitoring and Evaluation.

‘I also find that quite missing is the lack of appreciation of what monitoring and evaluation can do. We don’t provide enough support to good studies doing impact assessment, monitoring assessment of completed and ongoing projects, especially for completed projects so that we don’t keep repeating mistakes over and over again,’ he lamented.

‘We don’t know that we are making mistakes because there is no available information to inform [us] of those mistakes,’ he added.

In making his appeal, Balisacan emphasized that these movements are not ‘expensive activities.’

‘If we do it right scientifically, they’re quite cheap and the benefits are enormous if we are able to stop non-effective programs or simply wasteful programs and projects,’ he said.

Panel on finance head Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, meanwhile, acknowledged Balisacan’s appeal, admitting the need for reform in the government’s planning and budgeting process, as well as budgeting coordination.

‘We understand that when DPWH endorses a project, it’s taken as gospel truth and ends up in NEP immediately. As opposed to, let’s say, the RDC endorsed – the RDC endorsed projects – you will really pass through the needle hole, which is good to be endorsed by the RDC,’ said Gatchalian.

‘This is good in my opinion, because that means the vetting process is working, making sure that all projects are aligned with the Philippine Development Plan,’ he added. /apl

For micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that are planning, or hoping to go global, finding the right partner to help them navigate the complex-and at the moment, tumultuous-international market is crucial to their success.

Payoneer, a pioneering financial platform for cross-border business, has made its services available to these MSMEs, which make up more than 90 percent of locally registered establishments.

Monique Avila, Payoneer head of customer success for Asia-Pacific, says the company has established as its niche the servicing of cross-border payments.

Payoneer offers convenience, speed, security, lower cost and the flexibility of paying or getting paid in different currencies.

Banks take longer to process transactions and charge higher fees. Electronic or e-wallets, while fast, do not have the facility to allow transactions in any denomination.

Through Payoneer, MSMEs are now able to access the global market. The world’s underserved businesses are being connected to a rising global economy.

Payoneer estimates that, based on staff sizes, 90 percent or more of its customers in the Philippines are individual contractors or MSMEs.

With its services available in over 190 countries and territories, Payoneer helps these firms manage their financial operations, including treasury, currency conversion for payments, vendor management, as well as accounts receivable and accounts payable. A key market

Payoneer considers the Philippines one of its key markets, ‘a global hub for digital services’ that includes business process outsourcing or BPO (including call centers) companies, creative and technology-enabled sectors.

Local businesses in information technology, software, digital services, marketing and creative services, e-commerce and logistics, professional services (such as consulting and accounting), travel services have tapped Payoneer to simplify global payments and scale internationally.

As Payoneer is able to handle multi-currency transactions, clients can keep payments they receive in virtual bank accounts in foreign denominations, like United States dollars.

‘[Y]our . client in the US will just perform a domestic transfer (which is cheaper). And then you get to store (your payment in) US dollars . (If you need money), you can bring the funds to the Philippines (or) use other products, like our (Payoneer) card (to pay for products and services) or (to use abroad if you are traveling),’ Avila explains.

Clients set up their own ‘accounts’ and money from that account may be transferred by Payoneer to their local accounts-a process that is still faster and cheaper, according to Avila.

Payoneer also keeps clients abreast of fluctuating rates of exchange so they know the optimal time to withdraw their funds.

In keeping with the evolving landscape of the service-providing industry, Payoneer has also gone beyond simply being a facilitator for moving currency from payer to payee. It has expanded its business to business services to meet emerging needs and trends.

Workforce management

Tarun Gadhok, Payoneer senior director for account management, says Payoneer has added a capability called workforce management, where it helps with fundamental principles to assist companies go global and cross borders.

Payoneer’s Workforce Management (WFM) division is a platform that empowers companies to seamlessly hire and manage talents across borders.

Through WFM, Payoneer assists clients find the best talent or work contractor they need in more than 100 countries served by the company.

It helps hire and ‘manage’ employees, like handling payroll, and ensuring that local laws are complied with.

‘Every country has different labor laws,’ Gadhok points out. The process is ‘actually a tech-driven employee management platform’.

‘This helps small businesses . basically break the border and go global by not having to worry too much about compliance. Setting up an entity in a new country can be really taxing. It requires time . managing that entity on an ongoing basis [is] even more difficult, because you have to do compliance filings. So all of that we do on behalf of our customers. We just let them just identify and/or hire the talent, or we can actually even hire, manage and pay the employees through the life cycle.’

Niche market

In the Philippines, she says, Payoneer established its office in 2016 specifically to service small businesses or the ‘freelancing’ industry. This includes individuals who are contracted to do work for overseas clients.

Avila says Payoneer has a ‘niche market’, and that is really to facilitate cross-border payments.

The cost for both payer and payee is seen to be lower. A client in the US, for instance, can pay a Filipino contractor by making a domestic transfer to the virtual dollar bank account of the payee, who may choose to keep the payment in his or her account. Another option is to use Payoneer’s other products, like its card, to access the money or transfer it to a Philippine bank, which will entail charges, explains Avila.

The process is faster and cheaper, Avila says.

Payoneer also helps clients decide when it is best to withdraw their funds by monitoring exchange rates.

Flagship event

An indication of how important the Philippines is to Payoneer is suggested by its choice of the country as venue for its recent VIP Connect, its global flagship event for high-growth businesses.

With the theme of ’20 Years of Empowering Businesses to go Global’, the event celebrated two decades of partnership with businesses in navigating the complexities of cross-border payments. It showcased Payoneer’s role in empowering local businesses with tools and community support.

Attendees were treated to a preview of new product features, Workforce Management and product road map.

Filipino customers shared stories of their journey toward global growth. Speakers included local and regional Payoneer leaders. Among the topics covered were efficiency, scalability and payouts. -CONTRIBUTED

The private wealth unit of Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) wants to grow its client base to potentially more than 8,000 people by next year after seeing growth in the country’s affluent sector.

BPI Wealth president and CEO Maria Theresa Marcial told reporters on Thursday that they were looking at adding up to 1,000 clients annually to the BPI Private Wealth network.

BPI Private Wealth-whose customers include high-net worth ($1 million to less than $5 million in assets), very high-net worth (between $5 million and $30 million) and ultra high-net worth individuals (at least $30 million)-currently has more than 6,000 clients. This is expected to reach 7,000 by the end of this year.

‘It could be higher in succeeding years because we constantly update our market studies, and we’re seeing that the growth is steeper . our goal is to gain market share,’ Marcial said during a press conference.

Big market share

According to the CEO, BPI Wealth currently has a 20- to 21-percent market share in the total trust industry.

‘The market is growing so all the other players will continue to grow . we’re doing what we’re able to touch more customer segments,’ Marcial said.

BPI Wealth currently has 1.3 million customers out of the entire BPI Group’s 18 million.

As of end-June, the entire asset and wealth management segment of BPI had P1.9 trillion in assets under management.

Marcial noted they were reviewing their strategy and targets for 2030 as BPI approaches the tail-end of its five-year plan ending in 2026, its 175th year.

BPI Wealth has launched the second year of its Wealth Wellness Program.

A small piece of good news amidst the flood and tsunami of bad. I read in Radio Veritas Asia and other sites that the Parish of San Pascual Baylon-National Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepcion de Salambao in Obando, Bulacan has announced that a donated Nissan Navara pickup will be returned to its donor. The bleeding-heart donor is none other than Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) former OIC regional director Henry Alcantara, who is on the list of the first 21 persons who will face charges of graft, bribery, and malversation of public funds for alleged involvement in anomalous flood control projects. You may read the full Inquirer banner story online: see ’21 face raps: Lawmakers, DPWH execs, contractors.’ (9/27/25)

On the list besides Alcantara are three senators-Chiz Escudero, Joel Villanueva, and Jinggoy Estrada-as well as former Sen. Bong Revilla, Ako Bicol party list Rep. Zaldy Co, former Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Mary Mitzi Cajayon-Uy, Carleen Villa, businessman Maynard Ngu, et. al. The list will become longer.

As to the Nissan Navara, the parish council said in its social media post that the vehicle was turned over to the parish on June 1, 2024. It was accepted ‘in good faith’ to be used as a transport vehicle for the Virgin of Salambao image when it visits different parishes. The council explained: ‘It was given wholeheartedly, and we accepted it without judgment on the intention of the giver.’ Imagine the Birhen ng Salambao onboard a vehicle of suspicious origins. I had attended a fiesta in Obando, where childless couples dance on the streets and pray to be blessed with children. Salambao is a native contraption used by fishermen.

Given the quicksand of their own making that the likes of Alcantara and his ilk are in, the parish council decided: ‘We are now taking the necessary steps to return it properly, to the rightful person, or institution, through the appropriate legal process. This decision follows the guidance of the Diocese of Malolos and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.’ It added that ‘If this caused concern to the Church and the faithful, we sincerely apologize.’

Bulacan was the epicenter of the corruption in flood control projects that came to light last month following massive flooding in the province and elsewhere, and the staggering wealth of DPWH-linked contractors whose misdeeds continue to be exposed. Billions of people’s money has gone into the pockets of a few who thought nothing of what their greed has wrought on millions of Filipinos who suffered immensely, not only in Bulacan but all over the Philippines, citizens deprived of the services they deserved.

On donations to churches, charitable organizations, and the like, one would expect that these groups are the most likely beneficiaries of excess wealth, be it ill-gotten or hard-earned. Pampalinis ng konsiyensia (to cleanse one’s conscience), as the saying goes. As to the recipients of purloined largesse, the churches especially, shouldn’t there be a way for the church leaders to know where the huge donations are coming from? Especially if these are delivered in the form of cash. Can’t the beneficiaries demand checks for, say, more than P20,000 instead of mounds of cash? This way, there would be a money trail in case.

It had been reported that a religious formation house and seminary for a locally founded religious congregation for men had received donations from Janet Napoles. The ‘pork barrel queen’ is now serving time for several crimes at the Women’s Correctional.

Remember the sport utility vehicles that were given to unsuspecting bishops during the Arroyo presidency? ‘Unsuspecting,’ if we give them the benefit of the doubt. The SUV donations gave rise to the word ‘Mitsubishops’ (derived from Mitsubishi, the car manufacturer) that tarnished the image of shepherds of the flock. That is the Pinoy way of getting even-by ridicule. If I remember right, some bishops did try to return the SUVs.

Pope Leo XIV, when he was bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, was said to buy secondhand vehicles and fix them so his priests could use them in their ministries. Here was an Augustinian friar who served as prior general of his order twice over and with a doctorate in canon law, doing his bit as a car mechanic.

Years ago, a friend of a certain age, now deceased, confided in me that a lawmaker known to her personally asked her if he could channel money through a foundation which she was part of. Money laundering, what else. She politely said no. No theatrics, just no.

With the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu two days ago and claimed the lives of 72 (as of this writing), one could not help but wonder if lives were lost also because of substandard public infrastructure.

There are many ways to be corrupt, but there are also many ways not to be.

The provincial government of Zamboanga del Sur is sending aid to quake-hit Cebu, Gov. Divina Grace Yu said.

Yu said this will be an initial salvo of help, to address urgent relief needs.

The contingent is set to travel on Saturday to Dipolog City, from where they will take a slow boat that will arrive in Cebu City on Sunday.

Yu said personnel from the provincial social welfare and development office and provincial disaster risk reduction and management office will join the delivery of the relief goods ‘to assess on what additional assistance the quake-hit areas needed.’

On Friday, trucks were loaded with 2,000 25-kg bags of rice and 500 kilograms of dried fish as part of the relief supplies to be brought to CebuYu said they will also send a water tanker ‘for areas who need to transport water.’

She disclosed that they initially wanted to send construction materials since many houses were damaged; however, with the current situation, the provincial government saw that food and water should be prioritized.

Yu added that the League of Provinces of the Philippines has called for aid to the people of Cebu.

Former Governor Victor Yu disclosed that several business owners in the province had lent the provincial government the trucks to transport the goods.

In Zamboanga City, Mayor Khymer Olaso sent the second batch of goods to Cebu province on Thursday evening aboard two coast guard vessels – BRP Tubbataha and BRP Capones, bound for Cebu.

The shipment consisted of 700 sacks of rice from the City Social Welfare and Development Office, 20 boxes of canned sardines and 1,000 jerry cans with water.

Paolo (international name: Matmo) intensified into a typhoon as it neared landfall, prompting the state weather bureau to raise Signal No. 4 over parts of northern Luzon and Aurora on Friday, Oct. 3.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) also reported that Typhoon Paolo’s center was located over the coastal waters of Dilasag, Aurora, with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 180 kph and moving west-northwest at 25 kph.

Landfall is expected in either Dilasag, Aurora, or Dinapigue, Isabela, within the day. Pagasa has yet to release the specific list of areas under Signal No. 4 as of this posting time.

Areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals as of 8 a.m. are listed below:

Signal No. 3

The northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan)

The central and southern portions of Isabela (Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, Cordon, City of Santiago, Ramon, San Isidro, Alicia, Angadanan, City of Cauayan, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Cabatuan, San Mateo, Aurora, San Manuel, Burgos, Gamu, Roxas, Palanan)

The northern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Cabarroguis, Aglipay, Saguday, Diffun)

The northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Villaverde, Ambaguio, Quezon, Solano, Bayombong)

Mountain Province

Ifugao

The southeastern portion of Abra (Tubo)

The northern portion of Benguet (Mankayan, Buguias, Kabayan, Bakun, Kibungan, Atok, Kapangan)

The central and southern portions of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Alilem, Cervantes, Suyo, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Sigay, Quirino, Gregorio del Pilar, Salcedo, Santa Lucia, City of Candon, San Emilio, Galimuyod, Lidlidda, Banayoyo, Santiago, San Esteban, Burgos)

The northern portion of La Union (Sudipen, Santol, Balaoan, Luna, Bangar, San Gabriel, Bacnotan, San Juan)

Signal No. 2

The central and southern portions of mainland Cagayan (Peñablanca, Tuguegarao City, Enrile, Solana, Iguig, Tuao, Piat, Rizal, Santo Niño, Alcala, Amulung)

The rest of Isabela

The rest of Quirino

The rest of Nueva Vizcaya

The central portion of Aurora (Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora, San Luis)

The northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Bongabon, San Jose City, Pantabangan, Rizal, Lupao)

The central and southern portions of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao)

Kalinga

The rest of Abra

The rest of Benguet

The central and southern portions 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

The northern portion of Pangasinan (San Fabian, Sison, Pozorrubio, Umingan, San Jacinto, Laoac, Binalonan, San Nicolas, Natividad, Tayug, San Manuel, Asingan, Santa Maria, San Quintin, Dagupan City, Mangaldan, Manaoag, Bolinao, Anda, Bani, City of Alaminos, Sual, Labrador, Lingayen, Binmaley, Calasiao, Mapandan, Santa Barbara, City of Urdaneta)

Signal No. 1

The rest of mainland Cagayan including Babuyan Islands

The rest of Aurora

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

Camarines Norte

The northern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Goa, San Jose, Presentacion)

Catanduanes

The rest of Apayao

The rest of Ilocos Norte

The rest of Pangasinan

The rest of Nueva Ecija

The northern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, Norzagaray, San Rafael, Angat)

Tarlac

The northeastern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba, Mabalacat City)

The northern portion of Zambales (Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz)

Wider effects

Pagasa warned Paolo’s periphery may bring gale-force gusts on Friday to Metro Manila and other provinces, including Batanes, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, the Bicol Region, Panay Island, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar.

It is also likely to affect Batanes, Cagayan-including the Babuyan Islands-Ilocos Region, Zambales, and Bataan on Saturday, Oct. 4.

After crossing Northern Luzon, Paolo is forecast to emerge over the West Philippine Sea by Friday evening./mcm/abc

Classes at all levels in both public and private schools, as well as work in government and private offices, were suspended on Friday in Ifugao and in most parts of Isabela due to Severe Tropical Storm Paolo (international name: Matmo), according to executive orders issued by the local government units.

In Ifugao, Governor Jerry Dalipog declared a province-wide suspension of classes and work, exempting only frontliners and disaster responders to ensure the safety of residents in affected towns.

In Isabela, class suspensions were enforced in the cities of Cauayan, Ilagan, and Santiago, as well as in the towns of Benito Soliven, San Mariano, and Gamu.

Meanwhile, in Tuguegarao City, classes at all levels were also suspended in both public and private schools, alongside the imposition of a liquor ban.

Disaster response teams across Cagayan Valley have been placed on alert, closely monitoring rivers and waterways while preparing rescue equipment. Authorities have likewise prohibited sea and river fishing, sailing, and swimming throughout the region as a precautionary measure./coa

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