Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Prices of electricity traded at the spot market surged by 49.4 percent in October, as the recent natural disasters curtailed supply.

Systemwide power rates covering the October supply increased to P4.54 per kilowatt hour (kWh) from the previous month’s P3.04 per kWh. This will reflect in consumers’ November bills. Data from the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) showed that demand during the period rose by 1.8 percent to 13,881 megawatts (MW).

Supply, however, decreased by 4 percent to 19,889 MW.

All the major grids saw increases in rates, with Luzon logging the biggest jump at 54.3 percent to P3.96 per kWh.

Sport prices in the Visayas reached P5.85 per kWh and in Mindanao P5.87 per kWh. Isidro Cacho Jr., IEMOP’s vice-president for trading operations, said this was a usual scenario during October given the rise in demand.

‘Aside from supply and demand, we experienced earthquakes and typhoons. Those events had an impact on our market because they caused multiple outages, plant trippings and several generator shutdowns,’ he told reporters during a virtual briefing.

The Social Security System (SSS) has opened up calamity loans of up to P20,000 for victims of Typhoon ‘Tino’ in Cebu.

The SSS is accepting loan applications until Dec 5. The loan is intended to provide immediate access to emergency funds for qualified SSS members in the province. The loan carries a 7-percent interest rate, payable over 24 months. Applications can be sent through SSS’s online facility.

Once approved, the loan will be wired directly to their enrolled disbursement account.

Cebu bore the brunt of the typhoon, with the death toll already reaching 71. As of Nov. 4, 53 cities and towns in Cebu have been placed under a state of calamity in the aftermath of Tino.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the typhoon affected 200,000 families and 700,000 individuals.

Typhoon Tino exited the Philippine area of responsibility at 12:30 a.m. on Thursday. /rwd

Remember that little film that took the box office by storm last Halloween season, defying expectations and filling our hearts (and our nightmares) with possessed animatronics? Yes, I’m talking about Blumhouse’s incredibly successful ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ adaptation!

Well, hold onto your security guard hats because ‘Freddy Fazbear’ and his merry band of mechanical misfits are officially making a grand return, and the first official movie trailer for the sequel, ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’, has just dropped online, sending shivers down our spines and ripples through the internet! Honestly, I thought we were done with this property! Haha.

If you recall, I previously covered the first film’s release around two years ago, noting how it was a ‘cinematic jump-scare delight.’ It managed to bring the beloved, viral video game series to life in a way that truly resonated with fans, grossing nearly $300 million worldwide despite being a low-budget project. Talk about a success story! What happened with ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ was a case of a perfect cinematic adaptation that grabbed the imagination of both gamers and moviegoers, and that explains why it made so much in the total box office gross when all the numbers have been tallied.

Now, the highly anticipated sequel, hitting cinemas this December 5, 2025 in the States, promises even more scares, with more animatronics (including new ‘toy’ versions and the creepy ‘Puppet!’), and a deeper dive into the dark lore of the ‘Freddy Fazbear’ world.

What the official movie trailer reveals

The new official movie trailer doesn’t waste any time getting us back into the eerie atmosphere we all know and love. We see the return of our main cast: Josh Hutcherson as ‘Mike Schmidt’, Elizabeth Lail as the police officer ‘Vanessa’, and Piper Rubio as ‘Abby’, Mike’s younger sister. I am glad they did not recast anyone here.

Unsurprisingly, the story picks up one year after the events of the first film. The incident at the original pizzeria has become a twisted local legend, inspiring a ‘Fazfest’ (which sounds like ‘Ozzfest’ a bit. Or perhaps, fatal?). You know how things work nowadays when it comes to social perspectives and this part of the premise plays into that modern ideology of most young people now. This is an ideal upcoming movie for the more analytical mindset of the majority of modern moviegoers.

Interestingly, the revealed core conflict in this one? ‘Abby’, apparently missing her spooky pals, sneaks out to ‘reconnect’ with ‘Freddy’, ‘Bonnie’, ‘Chica’, and ‘Foxy.’ Ah, the innocence of youth! That is always an ill-fated move. The said poor decision sets in motion a terrifying chain of events designed to ‘unleash a long-forgotten horror hidden away for decades’ and reveal the true origin of Freddy’s.

We catch glimpses of the new-look animatronics. The ‘toy’ versions, which are sleeker but somehow even more unsettling than their predecessors, are here to play. And let’s not forget the appearance of ‘The Puppet,’ that long-limbed, tear-streaked figure from the games, which is sure to give us all the heebie-jeebies. These are some well designed horror puppets that are accurate to the video game, if you ask me.

New faces and fan favs

Image by Blumhouse Productions and Universal Pictures

The cast is expanding, too! We’ve got some fantastic additions to the established cast like Skeet Ulrich (reuniting with Matthew Lillard from ‘Scream’), Wayne Knight (hello, Newman from ‘Seinfeld’), and Mckenna Grace, all in new and intriguing onscreen roles. And, before I forget, in the voice acting department, the always sultry and gorgeous Megan Fox has been cast as the voice for ‘Toy Chica.’ I can see what they are doing here, they are slowly adding more pieces that would further expand the ‘world’ of FNaF. I would dread to use the term ‘universe’ because that has been overused, misused in some cases and a term that we are all tired of reading. Haha.

And I have to say, in a welcome nod to the FNaF fandom, several prominent social media personalities and voice actors are joining the fun, with Matthew ‘MatPat’ Patrick as ‘Toy Bonnie’ and Kellen Goff as ‘Toy Freddy.’ How cool is that for a touch of fan service? They are checking all the boxes here by making sure they have the aforementioned personalities involved. That alone is a slick marketing strategy and a clever one, too.

The vibe: scares, lore, and PG-13 fun

Much like the first installment, ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ is rated PG-13 for ‘violent content, terror and some language,’ meaning it’s keeping its broad appeal by not toning down any of that while still delivering believable scares that have crossover appeal with anyone who is familiar with the property. Director Emma Tammi and game creator Scott Cawthon return to the helm, and they are the two most important people behind the scenes ensuring the film remains faithful to the source material throughout its sequel and avoiding the ire of loyal fans of FNaF by ruining it.

The official movie trailer showcases a mix of jump scares, an ominous atmosphere, and some cool effects brought to life once again by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. For those who don’t know who the late, legendary Jim Henson is, his globally known puppets, all of which he designed and created, were used on classic child-friendly television shows like ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘The Muppet Show’, and movies like ‘The NeverEnding Story.’

Seriously, the incorporation of puppets coming from Jim Henson’s Creature shop are the best part! They are a mix of old school charm, practicality in effects, and modern wizardry in piecing all of these pieces into one working formula that was a sight to see in the first movie because it was super balanced. It did not feel overly obvious that it was an animatronic or a person in a costume, or both, the perception was blurred to the eye of the moviegoer on which is which because of all of it being done right.

Which leads me to this, as I mentioned in my previous article about the original, the charm of FNaF lies in its ability to build suspense in that classic designed, worn down and creepy pizzeria setting. The sequel seems to be upping the ante, taking us deeper into the more dark unknown history and expanding the scope of the horror beyond what has been revealed in the first movie to now greater heights diving into a more concentrated effort into developing more lore from the video game. Why so? To potentially have another sequel to this one day.

Focusing on the present, as soon as ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ gets a scheduled showing date here, that will be the time to mark your calendars. Get your popcorn ready, maybe bring a nightlight, and prepare for another horror filled entry and, light-hearted (well, as light-hearted as killer animatronics can get! Haha.) journey back into the world of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza.

We’re all just waiting to see what happens next! Stay safe out there in this time of rainy weather, folks!

Have you ever written a love letter to someone who would never read it? Letters, even when undelivered, have souls of their own, feelings frozen in time, sealed in ink and silence.

Once upon a time, people bled their hearts onto paper. They folded them into envelopes, kissed the flap shut, and trusted the wind and the postal system to carry their longing across oceans and borders. Each letter was a leap of faith, that words could travel where the body could not, that paper could hold a pulse, that love could survive distance, delay, or even death.

Now, we live in an age of instant messages, ‘seen’ notifications, and vanishing stories. Our words no longer linger; they expire after 24 hours. The love letter, once a ritual, a heartbeat, now feels like a relic from a slower, more deliberate world.

The post office still stands, but no longer for love.

Its walls echo with the ghosts of unsent confessions and forgotten goodbyes, the sighs of soldiers who never made it home, the whispers of lovers who waited by windows for letters that never came. Somewhere, in some old storage room, there might still be a stack of envelopes addressed to no one, love stories trapped in transit, waiting for hands that will never open them.

Across war-torn nations and quiet towns alike, countless letters remain unclaimed, apologies without replies, goodbyes without returns, promises sealed but never fulfilled. And yet, those words, suspended in envelopes, still breathe. Love, after all, has its own afterlife.

The 2018 anime special, a 34-minute film streaming on Netflix, captures this language of loss. Violet, an ‘auto memory doll,’ writes letters for people who cannot express their feelings. In this story, she’s asked to compose a song for an opera singer mourning her deceased lover.

What she creates isn’t just a song, it’s a love letter with no receiver, a melody that drifts between the living and the dead. A message addressed to absence itself.

At the film’s end, the song becomes a requiem for enduring love: ‘Just listening quietly to the wind in the sky together. You’re no longer here with me, but the words I’ve written over and over have flown as if they were feathers and disappeared. Love is always in a sunshine-filled place.’

It’s a haunting reminder that even unsent letters carry weight. Words can outlive their destinations. Handwriting can pulse like a heartbeat left behind.

Today, we post, tweet, and react instantly, but rarely pause to feel. We have perfected communication, but in doing so, we have forgotten connection.

‘Violet Evergarden’ hurts so beautifully because it reminds us that to write is to feel twice: once when we live it, and again when we put it into words.

Maybe that’s why people still write letters they never send, to confess without consequence, to remember without reopening wounds, to love without needing to be loved back.

So if you cannot say the words, write them. If the one you love can no longer reply, write still. Because love, even unanswered, always finds a way to return, quietly, eternally, between the lines.

Eight members of the Eastern Police District’s (EPD) Special Operations Unit, accused of kidnapping and holding for ransom a Chinese trader, in addition to stealing P75 million in cash and valuables from him, have been allowed to post bail of P300,000 each after the victim failed to show up in court.

In an order dated Nov. 3, the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 197 granted the bail petitions filed by the police officers after Li Jie failed to testify in court ‘despite having been afforded numerous opportunities to do so.’

The eight EPD law enforcers-four staff sergeants, two corporals, and two patrolmen-were tagged in an unauthorized police operation on Apr. 2 in Las Piñas that led to the arrest of Li. The case turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

Aside from arresting Li, the police officers reportedly took around P75 million worth of cash and jewelry from his house.

Trial date set

But the court clarified that the granting of bail was a provisional conclusion and not a final prejudgment. It set the trial for Dec. 10.

In an affidavit, Li accused the law enforcers of kidnapping for ransom and theft. However, he failed to appear in court to testify against them.

‘His absence on the witness stand, being the most crucial witness in this kidnapping case, substantially weakens the opposition to the petitions for bail,’ the court said.

‘It bears emphasis that from the evidence presented so far, only Li Jie can firmly testify on the circumstances surrounding the alleged kidnapping,’ it added.

Another Chinese citizen was also supposed to testify for the prosecution, but he failed to appear in court.

‘Without his testimony, the prosecution’s opposition to the petitions for bail is considerably weakened,’ the court said.

At the same time, it discounted the testimony of the prosecution’s main witness, Col. Glenn Lomogan, then the EPD deputy district director.

The court said Lomogan was merely an arresting officer and ‘does not possess personal knowledge of the actual circumstances about the alleged crime.’

Many pageant fans expressed their disappointment over the results of the chosen finalists at Miss Earth 2025, with some pointing out that those who failed to make the cut, including the Philippines’ Joy Barcoma, performed better at the Top 8 question-and-answer segment.

Before the eight semi-finalists were narrowed down to the Final Four, the candidates’ wits were put to the test at the first round of question-and-answer portion. Each contestant was given a keyword which they are asked to expound on in their own words.

While the global pageant crowns the one who is a ‘total package,’ Miss Earth said the delegates would be judged based on these four key aspects during pre-pageant events: on intelligence and environmental awareness; beauty of face and poise; fitness and form; and, attitude.

However, netizens weren’t happy with the chosen finalists since according to them, they were some of the weakest among the eight, while the runners-up had better performances when it comes to expressing their thoughts on the chosen topic.

Other pageant fans called out the Miss Earth organization for ‘robbing’ the Filipina beauty queen of the chance to enter the final four despite her strong performance.

‘Bakit parang yung alanganin sa Q and A, sila pa naging top 4? Brazil and Ph nailed the Q and A eh (Why those who didn’t have a satisfactory performance at the QandA were chosen as the Top 4? Brazil and the Philippines nailed the QandA),’ one @PauloEspinosaa said on X (formerly Twitter).

With the controversial segment in mind, take a look at how the runners-up performed below:

Joy Barcoma of the Philippines, Miss Earth 2025 runner-up

‘No one is above the law, and we hope that everyone can hear this message. Every decision that our politicians are making, every policies that our government officials are passing for our people affects the lives of everybody. Social justice, environmental justice is also human justice. And we must make sure that every law that will be passed is a right for every person on Earth. Thank you.’

Laila Frizon of Brazil, Miss Earth 2025 runner-up

‘Corruption is a bad thing that ever happened in our world. But we need to choose our leaders because when we have good people in control, we can have a better future. So we need to invest in education, educate people to choose our leaders. Thank you.’

Mariia Zheliaskova of Ukraine, Miss Earth 2025 runner-up

‘I’m actively using ChatGPT and AI and I constantly think that this is our future. But we need to remember that artificial intelligence will not keep work for all, so I’m here to protect people for artificial intelligence will be co-existing happily with all of us. Thank you so much.’

Nathalie Briones of Chile, Miss Earth 2025 runner-up

‘I do believe that hope is something fundamental in our lives. Hope is the light that guides our path in life. But hope, it also comes from our actions. And that is why I hope for a future where Mother Earth will be loved and protected by us, the human beings. That is the biggest hope we can aspire to.’

Meanwhile, here is the performance of the finalists at the global tilt:

‘For me, this is a very specific word because when I was 16 years old, I unfortunately lost my father. He passed away. And this is one thing that changed my life completely. And I still, till this day, find the strength in me to not only fight for my dreams, to find the strength, but to also to fight for the future and to fight for our environment. And this is the reason why I’m standing here today. And I’m pretty sure that my dad is watching me from up there.’

Soldis Ivarsdottir of Iceland, Miss Earth – Air 2025

‘Our Earth is our all place. We deserve to be here and we all deserve rights. We should all come together and take care of our Earth and give back to the Earth what we deserve because we, together, we can, together we can make the Earth greener for tomorrow. Thank you.’

My Anh Trinh of Vietnam, Miss Earth – Water 2025

‘The planet Earth, leadership is actually a very special word. With our leadership, we can now act to save the planet. With leadership, we can do everything, we can save earth, we can collect shaft and reserve. I believe that if we reduce, reuse, and recycle, and with the leadership, we can help people and educate children to save the planet and help it greener. Thank you.’

Waree Ngamkham of Thailand, Miss Earth – Fire 2025

‘We have motivation in us, but the moment comes, we bring motivation to us. Someone in front of us and that person bring that power for us, to motivate us to move forward. And I believe as a little girl that motivation pushed me forward and make me stand here today as a girl and be succeed. Thank you.’

Frances Ramos has embraced the challenge of switching from setter to libero for the Alas Pilipinas girls’ team in the 2nd AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship.

A playmaker for Saint Michael College of Caraga in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte, Ramos has taken on a new role as the team’s main floor defender in the youngest national squad’s debut on the Asian stage.

She sacrificed setting plays to defending the floor for the Alas team, composed of junior high school players from different provinces.

Ramos finished with 15 digs but struggled with receptions as Alas fell to Chinese Taipei, 14-25, 21-25, 15-25, bowing out of title contention in the Final Eight round on Wednesday at Prince Hamzah Sports Hall here.

‘It was really challenging because I was the only libero, so I had to toughen up and believe that I could handle it, especially since the attackers from Taipei are really strong,’ Ramos told the Inquirer in Filipino.

The 14-year-old admitted she didn’t have much preparation for her new position but credited her coaches for helping her adjust.

‘It was a big challenge for me, especially since I was a setter during the tournament in Tacloban, and now I’m playing libero at the international level. I took on the challenge even though I wasn’t 100 percent prepared. But with the help and guidance of my coaches, I’m slowly learning and getting used to the position,’ said Ramos.

Though out of title contention, Ramos and the rest of Alas U16 continue to gain experience against Asia’s best, facing Thailand on Thursday before entering the classification phase for fifth to eighth places.

‘I’d like to thank everyone those watching live back home and here at the venue. We still have upcoming games, and we won’t stop until we get that win. I hope you’ll continue to watch and support us,’ she said.

Showbiz vlogger Ogie Diaz slammed National Police Commission (Napolcom) Vice Chair Ralph Calinisan for his public rebuke of a man who attended a Halloween party in a police uniform.

In a Facebook post on Nov. 2, Calinisan demanded a public apology from the partygoer who dressed as a policeman for Halloween, at the same time giving a warning that the commission would issue a show-cause order to the concerned partygoer.

‘Mukhang Halloween Party pala ang pinuntahan nitong taong ito (It seems this person went to a Halloween party). Tomorrow, on behalf of all our policemen, I will issue a Show Cause Order against you and demand a public apology from you. If we do not hear from you, expect a case to be filed against you. Respect your men in uniform,’ said the vice chair.

Diaz responded with an open letter on his Facebook account on Tuesday, Nov. 4, and questioned the basis for the commission’s strong criticism as he explained that the partygoer did not even carry an unlicensed gun.

‘Juice ko, costume nga po yan. At pwede ngang idenay yan sa harap niyo na naka-police uniform siya. Otherwise, Sir Ralph Calinisan, para mapa-sorry niyo siya eh makiusap kayo sa kanya na palagyan ng manggas ‘yung telang isinuot niya,’ said Diaz.

(My take is that it’s a costume. And he can even deny in front of you that he wore a police uniform. Otherwise, Sir Ralph Calinisan, if you want him to apologize, ask him to put sleeves on the fabric he wore.)

‘Paano natin mapagkakamalang nagpupulis-pulisan ‘yan kung sinandohan lang tayo? Malakas lang maka-tanga ‘yung ating kuda. Di bale sana kung may bitbit na totoong baril ‘yan na walang lisensya, ayan sige, hulihin niyo,’ continued the entertainment vlogger.

(How can we mistake him for actually impersonating a cop if we’re only being fancied? Our reaction looks foolish. It would be different if he had a real, unlicensed firearm; then yes, arrest him.) Diaz argued that it’s best if the police commission would focus on apprehending corrupt officials and improving the quality of law enforcement in the country.

‘Sir, mas bibilib po sa inyo yung taumbayan kung makakapagpakulong kayo ng corrupt officials. O kaya magpakulong kayo ng tiwaling pulis na totoong uniporme ang suot, may tsapa at insignia pa,’ said the showbiz vlogger.

(Sir, the public would respect you more if you could jail corrupt officials. Or jail crooked cops who wear the real uniform, with rank and insignia.)

Diaz asserted that Halloween is about showing off costumes and not meant to be a cause of shallow controversy.

Prior to his Facebook post, Calinisan earlier reminded the public that the illegal use of the Philippine National Police uniform is punishable under Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code (Illegal Use of Uniforms and Insignias).

A leading French oncologist and former adviser to the World Health Organization (WHO) says harm reduction is essential to curbing smoking-related illnesses.

Dr. David Khayat, a professor at Pierre et Marie Curie University in Paris who also served as advisor to former French President Jacques Chirac, said that the WHO-led tobacco control measures have failed, and new solutions are necessary for smokers who do not want to quit smoking.

‘After thirty years of taxes, warnings, and bans, we must admit: we have failed to stop smoking,’ Khayat said. ‘The reality is that we need new solutions for helping people to quit and reducing, therefore, the harm for those who cannot,’ he added. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death globally, fueling a massive public health crisis. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, are responsible for almost 75 percent of all annual global deaths, Khayat said.

Khayat stressed a key distinction, stating that nicotine itself does not cause cancer. People smoke for the nicotine, but they die from the toxic chemicals and ultrafine particles released by the smoke in burning the tobacco. ‘Nicotine doesn’t cause cancer, burning tobacco does,’ he said.

While quitting smoking is the best option, Khayat said it is extremely difficult. He recalled a successful French initiative he led as a presidential adviser, where 1.8 million smokers quit, only to see almost all of them relapse within three years.

Decades of interventions – such as raising cigarette taxes, adding health warnings, implementing plain packaging, and banning smoking in public places – have failed to stop smoking from remaining the number one cause of NCDs today, Khayat said.

He said that when people try to prohibit a persistent behavior like smoking, it often leads to negative consequences. ‘When you try to prohibit it, what’s going to happen is mob, mafia, illicit trade and everything,’ he said, comparing it to the failed prohibition era in the United States in the 1920s.

He noted that even a majority of lung cancer patients – 64 percent – continue to smoke after their diagnosis. As a medical oncologist, Khayat said that while many believe cancer is primarily hereditary, 95 percent of cancers are actually caused by exposure to a carcinogen that damages DNA, and only 5 percent are truly hereditary.

Khayat said that cigarette smoke causes cancer because burning tobacco leaves creates over 6,000 chemicals, including about 80 known carcinogens and ultrafine particles. These chemicals from the smoke are the real culprits behind smoking-related diseases, he said.

He cited the dose-response relationship – the greater the amount of exposure to a carcinogen, the higher the risk of developing cancer – as the fundamental basis for the idea of harm reduction. This concept applies to the duration of smoking and is analogous to the reduced risk of injury when driving slowly versus fast.

Official health bodies worldwide, including the WHO and the FDA, have formally stated that nicotine is not a carcinogen. He said that before smoke-free alternatives were developed, combustible cigarettes were the only way to get nicotine.

Khayat’s clinical experience further cemented his belief in harm reduction, noting that 64 percent of patients diagnosed with life-threatening cancers, like lung cancer caused by smoking, still continue to smoke because they cannot stop.

Harm reduction involves the switch to less harmful alternatives such as vapes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches for smokers. Scientific studies have shown that these smoke-free products are far less harmful than combustible cigarettes.

Sea travel between Ozamiz and Cebu has resumed following disruptions caused by Typhoon Tino.

Some 380 passengers disembarked from MV Filipinas Mindanao on Thursday morning after an overnight voyage from Cebu City, signaling that sea transport between the Visayas and Mindanao had returned to normal.

The vessel returned to Cebu on Thursday evening, carrying passengers and cargo.

Sea trips had been disrupted for two days starting Monday due to Typhoon Tino, which devastated parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.

The Philippine Coast Guard lifted the suspension of sea travel on Wednesday, as Tino no longer affected the region.

At 6 p.m. on Wednesday, MV Filipinas Surigao del Norte docked at the port from Iligan City and departed for Cebu at 8 p.m., marking the first voyage after the typhoon.

On Thursday, the crowd of ships anchored at Panguil Bay to seek shelter from Tino had thinned, as many resumed their voyages to the Visayas.

Before Tino barreled through Cebu on Tuesday, at least 60 ships had sailed to Misamis Occidental to avoid the storm’s fury