Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

As Typhoon Tino continues to move westward toward Palawan, the city government reported its widespread impact across the city but said no casualties have been recorded as of Wednesday morning.

In an update released by the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), it said that coordination meetings are ongoing among all response clusters to assess the damage and plan for recovery operations.

The latest report from the Iloilo City Operations Center showed that 121 barangays were affected, with 5,182 families or 18,066 individuals currently taking shelter in evacuation centers.

The overall number of affected residents has reached 5,231 families or 18,216 individuals, including those who did not evacuate but experienced flooding or property damage due to strong winds and heavy rains.

A total of 266 houses have been reported damaged – 243 partially damaged and 23 destroyed – across 40 barangays. Most of these damages were attributed to the powerful winds brought by Typhoon Tino late Tuesday night and early Wednesday.

The city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) also recorded 133 uprooted or fallen trees and 20 damaged utility posts in various districts. Clearing operations are ongoing, with 15 trees already removed, while others have been lined up for clearing to restore access roads and power lines.

The city government has deployed additional teams to ramp up restoration work, particularly in Mandurriao, Molo, and Jaro districts, where fallen posts blocked major roads.

Mayor Raisa Treñas expressed gratitude that Iloilo City recorded no fatalities or major injuries despite the scale of destruction. ‘We are thankful that there are no casualties in Iloilo City as of this reporting,’ he said, urging residents to continue cooperating with authorities as clearing and relief operations continue.

Distribution of food packs and essential supplies is ongoing in evacuation centers and will continue until all evacuees have returned safely to their homes. ‘Let us continue to help each other, my beloved Ilonggos. Please remain vigilant and always coordinate with your barangay officials for any assistance you may need,’ Treñas added.

As of Wednesday morning, power interruptions persisted in several barangays, while the Iloilo City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and City Engineer’s Office are conducting damage assessments.

Pagasa warned that localized thunderstorms and residual rains may still affect parts of Western Visayas even after Tino’s center moved closer to El Nido, Palawan, on Wednesday morning.

Authorities reminded the public to stay alert for potential flash floods and to monitor official advisories from Pagasa and the Iloilo City government.

‘Let us continue to stay safe and protect one another,’ the mayor said

The Ligao National High School Voice Chorale brought pride not only to Albay province but also to the entire country after winning gold and silver awards in the 2025 Busan Choral Festival and Competition held at the BEXCO Auditorium Busan Cinema Center in South Korea.

The 24-member group, under the baton of conductor Celger Venzon, emerged as the 1st Prize (Gold) Winner in the Youth Choir Category for their performance of Atsalums by J. Jancevskis, along with a cash prize of 5 million Korean Won (around P200,000).

They also placed 2nd (Silver) in the Ethnic Category, bagging 3 million Korean Won (around ?120,000) for their rendition of Kayao by Normita Rio-Pabilco and Ayug Ti Amianan by Fidel G. Calalang Jr. The group likewise received Gold Diplomas in both categories.

Venzon said the competition, held from October 30 to November 2, gathered 56 choirs from Japan, South Korea, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

‘The secret to winning lies in passion, perseverance, and purpose – guiding the choir with love, discipline, and faith, while making every performance an expression of heart and artistry,’ Venzon told the Inquirer in a private message on Tuesday. ‘We are deeply grateful to everyone who supported us throughout this journey.’

He added that returning to the international stage with new members carried the same spirit of excellence and dedication that has long defined the group.

Principal Jessica Sayson, in a separate interview via private message, credited the victory to the choir’s teamwork and shared values.

‘Competence, commitment, and core values honed them to be resilient and responsible as a team. Their integrity to stand as one, together with the support of stakeholders in our community, shaped their willpower to compete as one voice. Their showmanship made a difference amid challenges, as their rigorous rehearsals strengthened their unity and sense of purpose,’ she said.

The City Government of Ligao, led by Mayor Fernando Gonzalez, lauded the chorale for bringing honor not only to the city and province but to the entire nation, saying their passion for music continues to inspire Filipino youth to aim high and sing with one voice

At least 31 people were confirmed dead and 59 others remain missing across Negros Island in the aftermath of Typhoon Tino, which brought torrential rains and flash floods earlier this week.

Most of the fatalities drowned as rivers and waterways overflowed, submerging several low-lying villages.

In Negros Occidental, 10 deaths were reported in La Castellana, 4 in La Carlota City, 3 each in San Carlos and Bago, and 2 in Murcia, according to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and La Castellana Vice Mayor Rhummyla Mangilimutan.

At least 41 residents remain missing in the province – 23 from La Castellana, 11 from La Carlota City, and 7 from Bago City.

In Negros Oriental, police reported nine deaths – eight in Canlaon City and one in Vallehermoso – with 18 others still unaccounted for, said PLt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office.

The typhoon affected 39,102 families, or 134,718 individuals, in 375 barangays across 29 of the province’s 31 local government units. Of these, 54,783 people remain in evacuation centers as of Wednesday.

Initial reports showed 10 houses destroyed and 127 others damaged by strong winds and flooding.

In Bacolod City, about 6,405 families or 24,000 residents were affected.

Power outages continue to plague the island, with the Negros Electric and Power Corp. (NEPC) reporting that only 14 percent of electricity in Central Negros has been restored. Full power is expected to return to Bacolod and nearby towns by the weekend, said NEPC Chief Operations Officer Engineer Bailey Del Castillo.

Many areas in both northern and southern Negros remain without electricity as clearing and repair operations continue

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III led the formal turnover of a fully equipped Mobile Clinic at the Senate Grounds on Wednesday.

The Mobile Clinic, equipped with an X-ray machine, blood testing facilities, and other diagnostic tools, will serve as a medical unit on wheels under the Senate Public Assistance Office (SPAO) to provide healthcare services to communities in need.

Also present were Mrs. Kathryna Yu-Pimentel, representing former Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III, who initiated the project’s funding through the Department of Health, Senate Spouses Foundation Executive Director Kath Pimentel, SPAO Director General Lino Ong, Senate Medical Bureau Chief Dr. Renato Sison, and DOH Director Dr. Lester Tan.

‘This project embodies our commitment to public service that goes beyond the walls of the Senate. The Senate Mobile Clinic will bring healthcare closer to the people-bringing hope, compassion, and assurance that public service is alive and mobile,’ Senate President Sotto said.

Lao family-led DandL Industries Inc. saw an 8-percent growth in its January to September bottom line despite the recent price spikes in coconut oil, a key material for the group.

In a virtual briefing, DandL president and CEO Alvin Lao said the firm’s net income reached P1.95 billion, higher than the P1.81 billion booked in the same period last year.

Sales likewise jumped 40 percent to P41.29 billion from P29.48 billion.

‘We do see 2025 being a challenging year, but because of the foundation that we have, investments in RandD (research and development) and a new plant in Batangas, we are able to weather the storm,’ Lao told reporters.

Volume growth

Although coconut oil prices hit its record-high of nearly $3,000 per metric ton in the third quarter, the executive said DandL’s overall volume growth ‘remained resilient.’

During the January to September period, total volume climbed 11 percent year-on-year, helped by both high-margin specialty products and commodities.

The group’s export business had also lifted DandL’s performance, with its revenues increasing by 20 percent to P11 billion.

DandL reiterated that its export business would continue to fuel its growth despite the controversial tariff policies of the United States.

Filipino-Australian singer Justin Vasquez opened up about wanting a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ kind of love that feels peaceful in his new single ‘Yours,’ which showcases his RandB roots.

‘Yours’ – which talks about the beauty of a love that endures – is meant to be the singer-songwriter’s way of ‘ending the year’ in a song that hits in an ‘intimate and universal way.’

”Yours’ is really special to me. It’s about that calm kind of love – the one that feels safe, certain, and forever. I wanted to end the year with something that feels intimate but still universal. I hope people find themselves in it,’ he said in a press statement.

The singer-songwriter also described ‘Yours’ as a song that captures his love for ‘old-school soul and modern RandB.’

‘With its gentle, sincere lyrics and classic RandB melody, ‘Yours’ feels like a late-night confession whispered to someone who means everything. Whether you’re on a slow drive, lost in a quiet dance, or just vibing alone, this song is for every moment you’ve ever thought, ‘I’m never leaving,” he said.

Prior to ‘Yours,’ Vasquez also released the songs ‘What U Need’ and ‘Home’ in November 2024 and July 2025, respectively.

Vasquez, who started his music career by posting covers, currently has 1.2 million followers on TikTok

In most parliaments around the world, ‘disorderly behavior’ is a narrow concept. It refers to acts that disturb proceedings-shouting, defying the presiding officer, using offensive language, or staging walkouts. It is not a catchall term for corruption, abuse of power, or violations of criminal law.

In the Philippines, however, the Senate has stretched that term to shield its members from accountability. When the Office of the Ombudsman under Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the dismissal of Sen. Joel Villanueva in 2016 for the misuse of P10 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund, the Senate refused to enforce the order. Its justification: only the Senate may discipline its members for ‘disorderly behavior’ under Article VI Section 16 (3) of the 1987 Constitution. The Senate’s legal counsel even invoked Section 21 of Republic Act No. 6770 (The Ombudsman Act of 1989) to argue that the Ombudsman’s decision had no binding effect on the chamber-a provision that, upon closer inspection, is constitutionally infirm.

This was not an assertion of legislative independence but a misapplication of parliamentary privilege. The Senate redefined disorderly behavior to cover even acts of corruption, thereby insulating itself from a constitutional mechanism of accountability. The irony is stark: the body that should exemplify obedience to law invoked its own rule to evade it.

Under Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, the Office of the Ombudsman was established as the protector of the people, empowered to investigate and discipline all public officials and employees except those removable only by impeachment. That exception list is short and explicit-the president, vice president, members of the Supreme Court, the constitutional commissions, and the Ombudsman. Members of Congress are not among them. The Constitution thus draws a clear line: while each chamber may punish its members for internal misconduct, crimes such as graft or malversation fall squarely within the Ombudsman’s investigatory and disciplinary jurisdiction.

A violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act is not, and can never be, an ‘internal affair.’ It is a criminal act against the state, not a breach of parliamentary decorum. The Senate may censure a member for unruly speech or contempt of its rules, but it cannot, in the name of autonomy, override a lawful dismissal or prosecution for corruption. To do so is to invert Article XI’s command that public office is a public trust.

Yet through Section 21 of RA 6770, Congress quietly rewrote the constitutional design. It declared that the Ombudsman’s disciplinary authority does not extend to ‘Members of Congress.’ By passing this clause, legislators effectively exempted themselves from the Ombudsman’s reach-a move that contradicts both the text and spirit of Article XI.

This self-serving exemption came to life in the Villanueva case. The Senate’s refusal to implement the Ombudsman’s dismissal order-citing its supposed exclusive authority to punish ‘disorderly behavior’-was the direct result of RA 6770’s constitutional defect. In doing so, the Senate conflated two very different concepts: internal discipline and public accountability. The Supreme Court has long clarified in Sanchez v. Ombudsman (1996) and Pimentel v. Aguirre (2000) that autonomy and separation of powers do not shield legislators from investigation or prosecution under general law. The Ombudsman’s reach extends to all public officials, regardless of branch.

In the United States, whose constitutional framework closely mirrors ours, each chamber of Congress also has the power to punish members for disorderly behavior and to expel them with a two-thirds vote. Yet this authority has always been confined to parliamentary misconduct-breaches of decorum, abuse of privilege, or conflicts of interest-not to corruption or criminal acts.

By contrast, the Philippine Senate’s invocation of ‘disorderly behavior’ to defy a lawful dismissal order from the Ombudsman has no parallel in the US system. This distortion is not harmless. If the Senate can simply reinterpret ‘disorderly behavior’ to shield its members from dismissal, and if RA 6770’s exemption remains unchallenged, the Ombudsman’s constitutional mandate is hollow. The legislature, in effect, becomes the judge of its own corruption-a mockery of the principle that no one should be above the law.

The Constitution never intended that. The Ombudsman was created as a check on all branches, independent of political influence. Congress cannot amend that by stealth. The Supreme Court, should it be called upon, must confront this constitutional defect directly: the exemption of members of Congress in RA 6770 is void for being repugnant to Article XI.

Until that infirmity is struck down, ‘disorderly behavior’ will remain what the Senate has turned it into-a shield for the disorder of impunity.

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III led the formal turnover of a fully equipped Mobile Clinic at the Senate Grounds on Wednesday.

The Mobile Clinic, equipped with an X-ray machine, blood testing facilities, and other diagnostic tools, will serve as a medical unit on wheels under the Senate Public Assistance Office (SPAO) to provide healthcare services to communities in need.

Also present were Mrs. Kathryna Yu-Pimentel, representing former Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III, who initiated the project’s funding through the Department of Health, Senate Spouses Foundation Executive Director Kath Pimentel, SPAO Director General Lino Ong, Senate Medical Bureau Chief Dr. Renato Sison, and DOH Director Dr. Lester Tan.

‘This project embodies our commitment to public service that goes beyond the walls of the Senate. The Senate Mobile Clinic will bring healthcare closer to the people-bringing hope, compassion, and assurance that public service is alive and mobile,’ Senate President Sotto said.

Four groups of business executives and justice advocates condemned the lack of transparency in the former Ombudsman’s ‘secret’ decision to reverse a 2018 dismissal of now-Senator Joel Villanueva from public service.

In a joint statement released Wednesday, the groups said that the 2019 decision by then Ombudsman Samuel Martires cast doubt on the integrity of the Philippine justice system and dampened public hopes for accountability.

‘In this case, public disclosure was clearly warranted. Not doing so deprived the public of access to vital information, and the parties involved of their lawful remedies,’ read the joint statement by the Makati Business Club, the Justice Reform Initiative, the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and the Management Association of the Philippines.

‘Such secrecy undermines confidence in the justice system and sends a dangerous signal that decisions affecting public accountability may be quietly undone, and the people can be kept in the dark,’ it continued.

Call for action

To promote transparency within the government, the groups also pushed for the creation of a public registry of decisions and resolutions that involve public officials.

‘Democracy and public accountability can only work if there are consequences to violating the law. The Ombudsman, by standing by its sworn duty, can stop the impunity of corruption, be a champion of justice, and deliver on the promise of a government for the people,’ they said.

The dismissal that Martires had overturned pertained to Villanueva’s alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in 2008, when he was still a member of the House of Representatives.

The reversal was only made public when the new Ombudsman, Jesus Crispin Remulla, took office.

Priscilla Merielles and Drita Ziri have won Miss Earth close to two decades apart, but the two queens share a common belief for the international pageant that aims to help protect the planet.

Speaking with Inquirer Entertainment at a recent event with the reigning queens, Meirelles shared how amazed she was to see how the candidates get better every year.

‘We can see that the level goes up, and up, and up. I honestly don’t know where it’s gonna stop,’ said the first Miss Earth winner from Brazil, who was crowned 21 years ago in Manila in 2004.

‘When it comes to speaking your mind, and have a beautiful heart, I think that’s a universal language. And I do think that all the Miss Earth winners, and majority of the candidates do carry that kind of trait,’ Meirelles continued.

Ziri, Albania’s first Miss Earth winner who was crowned in Vietnam in 2023, is back in Manila and talked about the pageant’s legacy at the recent preliminary judging.

‘I think that each queen has brought someting different, but every queen stood to the core of Miss Earth, which is environmental awareness,’ the host and model told Inquirer Entertainment.

She also said that the Miss Earth pageant has held onto its purpose ‘in the best way possible,’ contributing its platform for the ladies to serve as ‘beauties for a cause.’

Meirelles shared the same sentiment when she said, ‘The most significant legacy of the Miss Earth pageant is actually to empower women with brains to come forward and advocate for what matters, which in my opinion is really Mother Earth.’ She looked back on her childhood in Brazil, growing up surrounded by greeneries and breathing fresh air, and how today’s reality no longer reflect that environment.

‘The way that it can actually make an impact being a beaty pageant, being this kind of platform that attracts a lot of eyes because of the beauty of the girls, but what they bring home are much more than that. It really is the power of changing people’s hearts, and make them act and do something about it,’ Meirelles explained.

She also expressed her gratitude to Carousel Productions, the organizer of the Miss Earth pageant, for treating her like family. ‘Thank you for embracing me, for believing in me. It’s very important as a reigning queen that you have that support, and you have kindness around you. And that’s what made it possible for me to stay in this country, to love this country,’ she said.

After relinquishing her crown to Venezuela’s Alexandra Braun in Manila in 2005, Meirelles embarked on a career in the Philippine entertainment industry and later established her own family in the country.

The Miss Earth pageant is marking its 25th year of promoting environmental awareness. Reigning queen Jessica Lane of Australia is set to crown her successor tonight, Nov. 5, at the Cove Manila club of Okada Manila in Parañaque City.

Event host and development consultant Joy Barcoma is hoping to post the Philippines’ fifth Miss Earth victory, following Karla Henry (2008), Jamie Herrell (2014), Angelia Ong (2015) and Karen Ibasco (2017).