Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chairwoman Lala Sotto and ‘Dreamboi’ lead star Tony Labrusca were spotted exchanging pleasantries at an event, weeks after the government agency gave the film an R-18 rating on its third attempt.

In a video provided to Inquirer Entertainment, Labrusca is seen approaching Sotto to give a greeting during Charo Santos-Concio’s 50th anniversary celebration, to which the MTRCB chair warmly responds.

The two of them then share a friendly conversation. The interaction happened weeks after the MTRCB gave ‘Dreamboi’ an R-18 rating on its third review, with the government agency saying it underwent an ‘objective’ assessment through a ‘separate review committee composed of three different, distinct committee members.’

Prior to its final rating, the erotic film received an X rating from MTRCB twice. According to the review board, its ‘prolonged sexually explicit’ scenes were deemed ‘inappropriate’ for viewers despite its ‘mature [and] artistically driven’ storyline.

‘Dreamboi’ eventually emerged as the biggest winner of the inaugural CineSilip Film Festival where it bagged a total of seven awards including Best Film, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor.

Aside from Labrusca, the film stars EJ Jallorina and Migs Almendras. It tells the story of a trans woman named Diwa (Jallorina) who becomes obsessed with an underground audio porn actor (Labrusca).

A 17-year-old pedestrian was killed and 19 others were injured after a Manila-bound passenger bus plunged into a 20-foot ravine Thursday night in Gumaca, Quezon, police reported Friday.

Police identified the fatality only as ‘Joshua,’ a resident of Barangay Inagbuhan Ilaya in Gumaca. His companion, ‘Ivan,’ 16, was among those injured.

According to the Quezon police, the Bobis Liner bus, driven by a man named only as ‘Arnel,’ 44, was navigating a curved, downhill stretch of the diversion road in Barangay Villa Arcaya around 9 p.m. when it reportedly suffered a mechanical failure that caused the crash.

The driver lost control of the vehicle, hitting the two pedestrians before the bus careened off the road and plunged into a ravine about 20 feet deep.

Joshua died instantly after being run over by the bus, while 18 of the 29 passengers were injured and taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Rescue teams from the local government responded quickly to the scene and assisted in evacuating the victims.

Police said the bus driver is now under custody at the Gumaca municipal police station as authorities continue their investigation into the fatal crash

Classes in several areas in the country were either suspended or shifted to alternative learning modes on Friday, Nov. 7, due to the anticipated impact of Severe Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to further intensify and enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) this weekend.

The following are the areas where classes were either suspended or have shifted to alternative learning modes:

Suspended classes:

Catanduanes (whole province) – all levels, public and private

Aurora

Dingalan – afternoon classes, all levels, public and private

Cagayan

Tuguegarao City – all levels, public and private

Cebu

Cebu City – all levels, public and private (Administration of private schools were given the discretion to suspend classes)

Mandaue City – all levels, public (Administration of private schools were given the discretion to suspend classes)

Negros Occidental

Sagay City – all levels, public and private

Talisay – all levels, public and private

Negros Oriental

Siaton – Kindergarten to senior high school, public and private

Classes shifted to alternative learning modes:

Albay

Tiwi (until lifted) – all levels, public and private

Cebu

Lapu-Lapu City – all levels, public (Administration of private schools were given the discretion to suspend classes)

Negros Occidental

Hinoba-an – all levels, public and private

Based on the 11 a.m. update of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration on Friday, Fung-wong is forecast to enter PAR either late evening this Friday or early morning on Saturday and will be locally known as Uwan.

It is expected to reach typhoon category in the next 24 hours and intensify into a super typhoon by Saturday evening or Sunday morning.

It may make landfall over the southern portion of Isabela or the northern portion of Aurora on Sunday late evening or on Monday early morning.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has launched a joint investigation into the Monterrazas de Cebu Project to assess its compliance with environmental laws and identify potential risks, including landslides and flooding, in the area.

The DENR announced in a statement on Friday, revealed that the joint investigation consists of its assessment team of technical experts from its Central Visayas office and the region’s units, including the Environmental Management Bureau, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office of Cebu, and the province’s local government.

According to the agency, the team already started its on-site investigation and was tasked to look into the following:

the project’s compliance with the conditions of its ECC (environmental compliance certificate) and other environmental regulations

the effectiveness of its drainage, slope protection, and runoff management systems

the stability of slopes and potential risks of landslides and flooding, possible alterations to the natural landform, and proximity to timberland areas

evidence of erosion, siltation, or obstructions in nearby tributaries and waterways

Aside from this, the DENR said it ordered the project proponent ‘to adhere to its obligation to report its Engineering, Geological, and Geohazard Assessment.’

‘If the investigation finds any violation of ECC conditions or environmental regulations, the DENR will not hesitate to enforce corrective actions, including suspension, penalties, or other legal remedies as provided by law,’ the agency added.

Based on reports, celebrity engineer Slater Young is again under public scrutiny following the deadly flooding in Cebu caused by Typhoon Tino, with critics blaming his hillside development, The Rise at Monterrazas, for worsening the disaster.

The real estate project, located on the slopes of Barangay Guadalupe and unveiled in 2023, has drawn renewed criticism online for its possible impact on flooding and landslide risks.

Young previously defended the project, saying it underwent over 300 design revisions to ensure environmental safety and structural stability. He also maintained that it was approved by relevant government agencies.

As of this writing, Young has yet to issue a statement on the latest controversy surrounding the Monterrazas development.

Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL) President Jean Henri Lhuillier lauded the RP Blu Boys for their impressive championship run at the International Exchange Men’s Softball Tournament in Higashikagawa City, Japan, calling it a strong affirmation of the team’s readiness and determination ahead of the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

The Philippines clinched the title after a series of strong performances-starting with a 2-2 draw against Kagawa, followed by a commanding 16-0 victory over Singapore’s Under-23 squad, and capped by a decisive 9-0 win against Hong Kong. The Blu Boys then sealed their dominance with a 2-0 victory over Himeji.

‘This remarkable run is a testament to the Blu Boys’ dedication, discipline, and teamwork,’ said Lhuillier. ‘It validates the countless hours of preparation we’ve invested and shows that the Philippines remains a powerhouse in Asian softball. I could not be prouder of how the team represented our country.’

The Blu Boys’ stint in Japan served as part of their intensive training camp for the SEA Games in Thailand, where they aim to reclaim the gold medal after settling for silver when the sport was last played at the 2019 SEA Games in Clark, Pampanga.

Lhuillier expressed confidence in the team’s momentum and resolve. ‘The competition in Japan was a valuable test of our readiness, and the results speak for themselves. The challenges ahead are even greater, but this victory gives us confidence that we are on the right track. The Blu Boys are ready to bring the gold back home.’

The state weather bureau has warned the public to take precautionary measures as widespread flooding and landslides are expected across the country due to the looming Super Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong).

In a press conference on Friday, Dr. Nathaniel Servando, administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), described Uwan as ‘a very intense and enormous tropical cyclone.’

Servando noted that the cyclone is expected to reach the typhoon category when it enters the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Friday evening or Saturday morning.

He added that the cyclone may intensify into a super typhoon by Saturday evening or Sunday morning as it approaches the country.

According to Servando, Uwan is a dangerous weather system since it has a wide circulation and a radius of more than 700 kilometers.

‘Uwan is likely to bring destructive winds, intense to torrential rains, and dangerous storm surge conditions that can lead to widespread flooding, landslides, and severe coastal inundation in vulnerable areas,’ the Pagasa director emphasized.

‘We cannot emphasize enough: now is the time to prepare. Everyone is advised to take proactive measures,’ he said.

Servando called on the public to secure their houses and avoid going to risky areas, particularly those prone to floods, landslides, and storm surges.

‘Based on translation: Super Typhoon Uwan is extremely dangerous, and early preparation and cooperation will make a crucial difference in keeping our communities safe,’ he reiterated, speaking mostly in Filipino.

Based on the 11 a.m. update from Pagasa, the cyclone, which is currently under the severe tropical storm category, was last spotted 1,315 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas. It is packing a maximum sustained wind speed of 100 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, with gusts of up to 125 kph.

The cyclone is expected to move generally west-northwestward and may make landfall over the southern portion of Isabela or the northern portion of Aurora on Sunday late evening or Monday early morning.

A commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was killed and two of his sons critically wounded in a gunfight Wednesday afternoon in Ganta village, Shariff Saydona Mustapha town, Maguindanao del Sur.

Lt. Col. Jopy Ventura, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PROBAR), said that those involved in the firefight were the Buisan family, reportedly backed by the MILF Task Force Itihad, and the family of Kagi Fahad Sapal, who were said to be supported by the MILF 105th Base Command.

A police report identified the fatality as a certain Commander Bandao of the 105th Base Command.

His two sons sustained serious injuries and are receiving treatment at a local hospital, the police report added.

Police said the gun battle stemmed from a personal dispute between the two MILF-affiliated groups.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation to prevent possible retaliation and further escalation of the conflict

Astride a dark horse, she hurtles across grassy fields and wooded hills in search of the missing Andres Bonifacio, her husband, founder of the Katipunan. In a scene, she pauses and sits quietly by a pool in a forest clearing, summons all her strength and lets out a piercing cry: ‘Andreees!!!’ De profundis, from out of the depths, her heartrending cry reverberates across the lush landscape of Maragondon. A cinematic moment, it jerked a tear from out of me.

Gregoria ‘Oriang’ de Jesus is not a mere footnote to history, or only incidentally a spouse to a great revolutionary and revered national hero. She was not simply a wife with a front seat to unfolding history, she was a significant part of that history, albeit in a muted way because the main protagonists of that era were men whose lives easily found their way to written history. Although it took time-more than a century-the story of Oriang would come into its own when emboldened women like her-of this present era-would give her the place she deserves in the nation’s memory.

Showing in movie theaters now is ‘Lakambini: Gregoria de Jesus’ directed by Arjanmar H. Rebeta (and Jeffrey Jeturian, et al. for the portions shot in 2015) and produced by veteran filmmaker Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil of Pelikulove. The ‘meta docufiction’ celebrates Oriang’s 150th birth anniversary this 2025 and ‘mirrors the filmmakers’ struggle to reclaim the legacy of a forgotten heroine.’ The oeuvre was 10 years in the making, but that is another story.

‘Lakambini’ stars both Elora Espano and Lovi Poe as Oriang in the cusp of adulthood and in their journey into widowhood. Gina Pareño is a force of her own-OMGs galore!-as Oriang in her sunset years. Rocco Nacino stars as Bonifacio; Paulo Avelino and Spanky Manikan as Julio Nakpil (the younger and the older respectively), Oriang’s second husband. Some scenes must have been shot in the Nakpil house, a heritage site in the Quiapo area. I had been there.

Oriang, only in her 20s and married to the Katipunan’s Supremo, chooses ‘Lakambini’ as her nom de guerre when she is inducted into a world of mostly male revolutionaries rising against the Spanish colonizers in Luzon areas toward the end of the 1800s, at the turn of the century. Lakambini derives from the word lakan or ruler; bini from binibini or a comely woman. Lakambini means woman leader. Beauty, brains, bravery.

We are given a glimpse of the courtship between the lovelorn Andres and Oriang, parental objections and all. Noted playwright Boni Ilagan did stage a rendition of it in ‘O Pag-ibig na Makapangyarihan,’ a kilig blockbuster for both millennials and millenniors. It was a precursor to the big screen’s ‘Lakambini.’

At a special screening of ‘Lakambini,’ it occurred to me that Bonifacio could be called a desaparecido (Spanish for disappeared) long before the word was used worldwide. Ongkeko-Marfil did say at the open forum that Oriang’s cry echoes in the cry of the families of the disappeared in our times. Desaparecido, in the language of Filipino human rights activists, is sapilitang iwinala.

‘Lakambini,’ presents the figure of Gregoria de Jesus as a woman in the heart of the revolution. She is thoroughly committed but not solely to her husband as the leader of a movement. She embraces the Katipunan and sees the differences, tensions, and ambitions within and keeps these in her heart. This does not mean she does not speak up. She, too, has a job to do. What exactly does she contribute to the struggle? For one, she risks her life protecting the documents of the Katipunan. She was a keeper of memory and more.

Note that because ‘Lakambini’ is a ‘mega docu-fiction,’ it does not follow the formula of a conventional historical opus. It uses documentary materials as backdrop to enhance visual storytelling and present-day sources with cameo appearances and spiels to connect the dots.

The disappearance and death of Bonifacio in the hands of his fellow freedom fighters is betrayal without compare. Who, why, when, where, how? The moviegoer should notice the fault lines in a movement run by men so committed and consumed by the common desire to see their people free. What did Oriang see and know?

Oriang must bear the aftermath of the Supremo’s death. Over the years, attempts at finding Bonifacio’s remains have not succeeded. Historians have been hard put pinning down the brains and the crystal clear reasons. Was it all worth it? Ah, hearken to the strains of Bonifacio’s famous poem set to music, ‘Aling pag-ibig pa.’ No greater love than this.

I leave it to the moviegoer to find where in ‘Lakambini’ Oriang’s heroism lies, to understand how it was to be a woman in the freedom struggle, to grieve not only for the husband she loved and lost but also for a nation in the iron hands of oppressors. To find hope and love again, for herself and for the motherland.

Revel in the outside-the-box surprise ending.

The death toll from Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) has risen to 188, with 135 others missing and 96 injured, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) deputy spokesperson Diego Mariano said Friday morning.

Mariano emphasized that the figures are based on a report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), and the reported deaths remain subject to validation and may change.

According to Mariano, Cebu – which bore the brunt of Tino, triggering rains and massive flooding – accounted for 139 fatalities. The remaining deaths were reported in Cebu province (24), Negros Occidental (24), Negros Oriental (9), Agusan del Sur (6), Capiz (3), Southern Leyte (2), and one each in Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, Bohol, and Leyte.

He also said that most of the 96 people reportedly injured were also in Cebu (84), followed by Negros Occidental (7), Surigao del Norte and Leyte with two each, and one in Surigao del Sur.

According to NDRRMC’s situation report, a total of 2,258,782 persons were affected by Tino. At least 397,634 are still in evacuation centers.

To date, the disaster management council has also logged P10.6 million in damage to agriculture and P6.3 million in damage to infrastructure.

A total of 9,585 houses nationwide sustained damage (9,321 partially, 264 totally damaged).

Before exiting the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday, Tino made landfall eight times and devastated many parts of the Visayas and Mindanao./dm.

Severe Tropical Storm Uwan (International name: Fung-wong) slightly intensified as of Friday afternoon, latest forecasts from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) showed.

Pagasa said Fung-wong was given a local name even before it entered the PAR because tropical cyclone wind signals have been raised.

Pagasa’s weather update showed that Uwan was now packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gustiness of up to 135 km/h. It remains outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), located 1,175 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas.

It was moving west at a speed of 25 km/h, and may enter the PAR between Friday night and early Saturday morning.

As of now, the following areas are under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1:

Luzon:

southeastern portion of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Calauag, Lopez, Buenavista, Catanauan, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco), the eastern portion of Romblon (Cajidiocan, San Fernando, Magdiwang)

Camarines Norte

Camarines Sur

Catanduanes

Albay

Sorsogon

Masbate

Visayas:

Northern Samar

Eastern Samar

Samar

Biliran

Leyte

Southern Leyte

northern and central portions of Cebu (Medellin, Daanbantayan, City of Bogo, Tabogon, San Remigio, Tabuelan, Borbon, Sogod, Tuburan, Catmon, Carmen, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Cordova, Asturias, Cebu City, Balamban, City of Talisay, Toledo City, Minglanilla), including Bantayan and Camotes Islands

northeastern portion of Bohol (Getafe, Talibon, Buenavista, Trinidad, San Miguel, Ubay, Alicia, Mabini, Bien Unido, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia)

northern portion of Negros Occidental (City of Escalante, Toboso, Sagay City, Cadiz City, Calatrava, Manapla)

northeastern portion of Capiz (President Roxas, Pilar, Panay, Pontevedra)

northeastern portion of Iloilo (Carles, Estancia, Balasan, San Dionisio, Concepcion, Batad, Sara, Ajuy)

Mindanao:

Dinagat Islands

Surigao del Norte

‘The wind signals warn the public of the general wind threat over an area due to the tropical cyclone. Local winds may be slightly stronger/enhanced in coastal and upland/mountainous areas exposed to winds. Winds are less strong in areas sheltered from the prevailing wind direction,’ Pagasa said in its weather update.

‘Minimal to minor impacts from strong winds are possible within any of the areas under Wind Signal No. 1,’ it added.

Pagasa also reiterated that they expect Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 5 to be raised as Uwan is seen to intensify into a super typhoon-category cyclone.

As of Friday afternoon, Uwan is expected to intensify into a typhoon-category cyclone by 2 a.m. on Saturday. Pagasa’s forecast track shows that Uwan will eventually turn west-northwestward and head for Isabela province.

By Sunday morning, Uwan would have intensified already into a super typhoon. Pagasa said the cyclone may reach its peak during that time, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h near the center, while it is 305 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes.

It is still expected to make landfall over Isabela province or northern Aurora between Monday morning and Monday afternoon.

‘Uwan will move generally westward in the next 24 hours, then west-northwestward for most of the forecast period. On the track forecast, this TC is forecast to enter the PAR tonight or early morning tomorrow (Nov. 8),’ Pagasa said.

‘Furthermore, Uwan is forecast to make landfall over the southern portion of Isabela or the northern portion of Aurora on Sunday (Nov. 9) late evening or on Monday (Nov. 10) early morning. After landfall, Uwan will traverse the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon and emerge over the West Philippine Sea on Monday morning or afternoon,’ it added.

Passing over Luzon’s mountainous areas is seen to weaken Uwan, as it may emerge over La Union’s waters as a typhoon category cyclone.

Uwan’s threat looms over Luzon, just days after Typhoon Tino battered through Visayas, along with parts of Southern Luzon and Northern Mindanao. As of Friday morning, the death toll due to Tino is at 185, with 135 individuals still missing.

Several local government units have announced class suspension or a shift to alternative learning modes as early as Friday, in anticipation of Uwan’s impact on the country over the weekend.