Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Dianne Medina received an early birthday gift after she and her husband Rodjun Cruz acquired a new property for their house rental business.

The actress-businesswoman shared their new investment through her Instagram page on Monday, Nov. 3, showing her, Cruz, their two children Joaquin and Isabella all smiles while standing in front of the property.

The house, which is located in Quezon City, is now up for rent, as per Medina.

‘Early birthday gift from our Lord Jesus Christ!’ said the celebrity mom who turned 39 on Wednesday, Nov. 5. ‘Thank You, Lord Jesus, for all the blessings!’

Addressing Cruz, Medina continued, ‘Teamwork makes the Dream work! Let’s work harder! More and more work, in Jesus’ name! Looking forward to our next investment, all for God’s glory.’

Medina also regarded her grandparents as her inspiration as to why she started her real estate business, saying she hopes to be like them and follow their success.

Medina and Cruz started their house rental business in 2022, showing at the time their property in Parañaque City.

Aside from this, the couple also acquired land investments for Joaquin, 5, and Isabella, 1

Megaworld Corp. continued booking significant gains as its core businesses saw a 14-percent growth in the first nine months of 2025.

The Andrew Tan-led real estate developer said its earnings in the January to September period reached P17.9 billion from a year ago’s P15.69 billion.

Net income attributable to the parent company also jumped by 16 percent to P15.93 billion from P13.73 billion.

‘Our year-to-date performance continues to reflect the strength of our recurring income portfolio and the sustained demand across our residential and hotel offerings,’ Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso, president of Megaworld Corp., said in a statement on Tuesday.

‘Even as we navigate mixed market conditions, we remain focused on delivering long-term value through innovation, operational efficiency and township-led growth,’ she added.

Revenue drivers

Consolidated revenues also improved by 7.75 percent to P64.41 billion from P59.78 billion.

The property giant said real estate sales continued to be the main contributor to its top line, accounting for 62.48 percent of the total.

The firm said revenues from this business rose by 6.33 percent to P40.24 billion from P37.85 billion. Megaworld logged healthy demand for housing not just in the capital region, but also in key provincial areas.

Leasing revenues, meanwhile, kept their double-digit growth, jumping by 14.7 percent to P16.24 billion.

Office leasing booked a 15.6-percent growth to P11.14 billion from P9.63 billion.

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls also pitched in P5.1 billion, 12.7 percent higher than a year ago’s P4.52 billion, as the segment witnessed stronger foot traffic and tenant expansion.

Hotel revenues likewise saw a 13-percent rise, reaching P4.13 billion from P3.64 billion.

Expenses

Costs and expenses, on the other hand, increased by 5.4 percent to P46.48 billion.

Currently, Megaworld has 36 township developments across the country and a land bank covering around 7,000 hectares. INQ

Around 1.4 million households, mostly residing in the Visayas, experienced power interruptions on Wednesday due to heavy rains and winds brought by Typhoon Tino.

This is according to data from the National Electrification Administration and National Power Corp., Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said during a virtual briefing.

The official said they were still waiting for more information from private distribution utilities.

The DOE, however, could not provide an estimate on how soon electricity services could be restored.

‘We’re asking the public, especially those who were badly affected, to please wait until the roads are cleared for our personnel or linemen to restore the power lines,’ DOE Secretary Sharon Garin said.

Government data as of Wednesday afternoon showed that 66 had died dead, with 26 more missing.

The Cebu province, in particular, was hardly hit, as it suffered widespread flooding and property destruction.

Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez has ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached offices to avoid ‘lavish’ year-end parties in ‘solidarity with victims of successive calamities.’

In a memorandum issued last October 30 and publicized on Wednesday, Lopez noted that year-end gatherings foster office morale and unity between members of agencies.

Meanwhile, he also said that the gatherings ‘entail the use of government funds and the time and effort of the offices involved in the preparation.’

‘In recent months, many fellow Filipinos from several regions of the country have been severely affected by natural calamities, including earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and volcanic eruptions,’ Lopez said.

‘It is deemed prudent and sensitive to forego large-scale celebrations this year,’ he added.

Lopez said the directive came following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to keep Christmas and year-end gatherings simple.

Recently, different parts of the country were hit by calamities, such as earthquakes in Cebu and Davao Oriental, and cyclones, such as Typhoon Tino, which has already killed 66 individuals in Cebu and other parts of Visayas.

Nearly 1,000 houses in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, were either destroyed or damaged after Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) battered the town early this week.

Based on a report from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC), chaired by Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan, 126 houses were destroyed while 818 others sustained damage.

The hardest-hit areas were the island barangays of Cagusuan, Casuguran, and Culasi, located in the historic Homonhon Island, where Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan first landed in 1521.

In Cagusuan, 21 houses were reported totally destroyed while 203 others suffered partial damage. Casuguran recorded 98 homes completely flattened, while Culasi saw 237 houses partially damaged as strong winds and heavy rains pummeled the town from midnight on Monday until early Tuesday.

Mayor Gonzales-Kwan said most of the affected houses were made of light materials such as nipa shingles and bamboo, which easily gave way to the typhoon’s intensity.

Following the damage assessment, the Guiuan municipal council placed the entire town under a state of calamity on Tuesday to allow the release of emergency funds for immediate relief and recovery efforts.

The local government, with support from the provincial government of Eastern Samar under Governor Ralph Vincent Evardone, has started distributing housing materials to families who lost their homes.

Despite the widespread destruction, the mayor said no casualties or missing persons were reported. However, seven individuals sustained minor injuries, according to the Rural Health Unit.

She added that no major roads or bridges were damaged, allowing relief operations to reach affected communities quickly.

During the height of Typhoon Tino, authorities carried out preemptive evacuations, moving 2,579 families or 9,083 individuals to safer areas to avoid casualties.

‘While the extent of damage to homes is significant, we are thankful that no lives were lost,’ Mayor Gonzales-Kwan said, adding that the local government remains focused on helping residents rebuild

Senate President Vicente Sotto III is confident of keeping his leadership even with the return of Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson as chair of the powerful Blue Ribbon committee.

‘Maybe not, because our colleagues also want him (to return as Blue Ribbon chair),’ Sotto said when asked if he’s concerned that Lacson’s return might cause unrest among the senators.

‘And if ever there is, no problem with that. I always serve at the pleasure of my peers. Maybe being a senator is much easier than being an official,’ he added.

Last month, Lacson announced that he would resign as chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee after his colleagues expressed ‘disappointment’ regarding his handling of the inquiry into flood control projects.

Some sectors viewed Lacson’s previous departure from the panel as a sign of an ‘unstable’ Senate.

They said Lacson’s quitting his position as chair of the powerful panel was a bid to ‘appease his majority colleagues’ so the presidency of Sotto could be ‘preserved.’

Lacson is set to be reelected as Blue Ribbon committee chair next week.

Meanwhile, Sotto said he is eyeing to meet with former Speaker Martin Romualdez to possibly invite him to the next flood control hearing.

‘I’ve already set up a meeting. It might be later or tomorrow. Within the next few days, we’ll be able to talk,’ the Senate leader said.

The Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges will adopt a ‘first in, first out’ approach in hearing all ethics complaints that are pending before the panel, its new chair, Senator JV Ejercito, said on Wednesday.

‘In keeping with fairness and transparency, the Committee intends to deliberate on the four pending complaints filed against individual senators in the order they were received, following a ‘first in, first out’ approach,’ he said in a statement.

Ejercito did not divulge information on the identities of the senators, saying ‘it might not sit well with those who have a case.’

‘I have to get the consent of the members. Unfortunately, committee members haven’t been constituted,’ he noted.

Ejercito issued the statement after lawyer Marvin Aceron questioned the senator’s alleged failure to give a formal response to his complaint about Sen. Francis Escudero’s alleged receipt of campaign donation in 2022 from Lawrence Lubiano, the owner of a construction firm that won government projects in Bicol.

Aceron submitted his complaint to Ejercito’s office last October 2, and followed it up with an Omnibus Motion on Oct. 20.

As of November 5, the lawyer said he has yet to receive a formal response from the Senate Ethics Committee – a violation of Section 5 (a) of Republic Act 6713 that orders all public officials and employees to respond to communications sent by the public within 15 working days from receipt.

Ejercito, in his remarks, explained that they were appointed just days before the adjournment of sessions.

‘Please note that the Committee is not yet fully constituted and, therefore, cannot hold meetings or hearings. Membership is yet to be manifested and completed during resumption of plenary session next week,’ the senator said.

‘We will proceed immediately after the Committee is organized and its internal rules are adopted. We are committed to carrying out our mandate with integrity, impartiality and full respect for due process,’ added the senator.

Rebutting claims by the lawyer of former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, an official of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Wednesday emphasized that the investigative work into the anomalies in flood control projects has been based on evidence and testimonies from personalities, who themselves admitted involvement.

According to Brian Hosaka, executive director of the ICI, all the recommendations for the filing of charges that the three-man fact-finding panel had submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman were ‘on the basis of the testimonies and on the basis of the evidence given to us.’

‘As far as the ICI is concerned, whenever we make our referrals, it is based on our evidence gathering. It’s based on the facts that we’ve accepted or discovered,’ he told reporters.

Hosaka was reacting to a remark by Ruy Rondain, lawyer of Co, who faced reporters earlier on the same day.

During the press conference, Rondain had dismissed as ‘hearsay and speculation’ the past and present probe into the massive corruption in public infrastructure projects that implicated Co in various kickback schemes.

‘I’m telling you now, there’s no evidence and no (cases) should be filed. No crime was committed by my client,’ Rondain said.

Co’s lawyer said that he answered questions from the media on behalf of Co to ‘realign and redirect the narrative’ against Co.

‘Let’s refrain from using hearsay and speculation because it will not stand in a court of law,’ he added.

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