Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Wednesday urged Congress to act on the proposed measure that seeks to grant small fisherfolk ‘absolute access’ to municipal waters that have long been their traditional fishing grounds.

House Bill No. 5606, or the ‘Atin ang Kinse Kilometro’ bill, which was filed on Oct. 20, also seeks to reverse the December 2023 ruling of a Malabon Regional Trial Court (RTC) that declared as unconstitutional the preferential rights and access of small-scale fishers over waters within 15 kilometers (km) from the shore, the activist group said.

‘The Atin ang Kinse Kilometro Bill is seeking to uphold the exclusive rights of the small fishers over the municipal waters that commercial fishers have been trying to exploit,’ Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a statement.

The bill, he added, would also address the ‘unregulated and often destructive’ operations of commercial fishing vessels in municipal waters by banning large-scale fishing activities within the 15-km area.

Loss of exclusive access

To formally lobby for the proposed measure, Pamalakaya said that it would file a position paper before the House panel on aquaculture and fisheries resources.

The group said that several fisherfolk organizations based in various regions and provinces, including Zambales, Panay Island, and Bicol region, have also expressed support for the bill.

Small-time fishers have lost exclusive access to the 15-km zone of municipal waters since the Malabon RTC in December 2023 ruled in favor of Mercidar Fishing Corp., which filed a petition for declaratory relief to challenge the legality of parts of the Philippine Fisheries Code.

The fishing company specifically questioned the definition of municipal waters and why fishing privileges were given exclusively to small-time fisherfolk. INQ

The RTC decision also stripped local governments of their power to issue permits and limit the access of commercial fishing operators to municipal waters to ensure that the livelihood of small fishers is protected.

Kanlaon Volcano emitted ash twice on Thursday morning, generating plumes that reached 600 meters above the crater, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The ash emissions lasted over two hours and 20 minutes, with the first occurrence observed from 5:30 a.m. to 7:29 a.m., and the second discharge from 7:39 a.m. to 8:05 a.m., Phivolcs recorded.

‘These events generated grayish plumes that rose up to 600 meters above the crater before drifting west-southwest,’ Phivolcs added.

Meanwhile, from Wednesday midnight to Thursday midnight, Phivolcs detected 10 volcanic earthquakes affecting Kanlaon.

Phivolcs also said Kanlaon degassed 2,058 tons of sulfur dioxide on Wednesday.

With this, Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 2, according to Phivolcs.

Last Monday, Kanlaon had three ash emissions within 12 hours.

On October 17, nearly 100 earthquakes were detected within the volcano’s vicinity.

With Cignal desperate for a spark, Ishie Lalongisip delivered.

The 23-year-old outside hitter came off the bench and seized her moment, powering the Super Spikers to their first win in the PVL Reinforced Conference an emphatic 25-17, 25-22, 25-21 upset of PLDT on Tuesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

It ended Cignal’s 0-2 start and halted the High Speed Hitters’ 15-game winning streak.

Without injured Vanie Gandler and following the departure of Greek import Eva Chantava released after a management-coaches meeting deemed it ‘best for both sides to part ways’ Cignal turned to its locals to deliver.

Erika Santos, the PVL On Tour MVP, led the charge with 17 points. But it was Lalongisip who provided the game-changing energy with 15 points, 11 excellent receptions and eight digs.

‘Every day, I’ve been trying to get my game back because I know I wasn’t playing at my real level,’ said Lalongisip in Filipino. ‘In training, we started just enjoying the game again. That carried over today.’

Lalongisip had been quiet in the first two matches, but against a powerhouse PLDT squad that had swept the PVL On Tour and Invitational, the sophomore stepped up just as she did in the last All-Filipino Conference when Cignal lost stars Ces Molina and Ria Meneses.

‘I think we were too focused on the negatives, and it took a toll on us,’ she said. ‘We just kept working hard every day to get back on track.’

Cignal coach Shaq Delos Santos, who missed their previous loss to Farm Fresh due to hospitalization, said the early struggles and Chantava’s exit were a wake-up call. ‘What we’re most happy about is it woke everyone up including me,’ said Delos Santos.

A 50-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy died while five others were injured and at least 13 houses were destroyed after a makeshift firecracker factory in Barangay Partida here exploded on Wednesday, local officials said.

Jerry Sumbillo, head of the Norzagaray Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), identified the fatalities as Geraldine Mayo, a resident of Gardenville in nearby Sta. Maria town, and Ivan Bati-on of Barangay Partida.

Mayo had just started work at the factory and was on her third day when the explosion happened, Sumbillo said.

Unlicensed

Bati-on, meanwhile, was attending the wake of his 10-year-old brother in their home one of over 20 small wooden houses in a compound in Barangay Partida when the impact of the blast ripped through the area.

According to Fire Senior Inspector Francis Rosales, chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Norzagaray, five others were injured and were taken to Bulacan Medical Center in Malolos City.

The explosion occurred at past 11 a.m., quickly engulfing the shanty and destroying 13 nearby homes, Rosales said.

Fire Officer 1 Christine Jane de Rama told the Inquirer in a phone interview that their records showed that Norzagaray has no licensed firecracker manufacturers.

‘Our records only show retailers and dealers who source their products from Baliwag and Sta. Maria,’ she said.

Sumbillo said the existence of the makeshift factory in Barangay Partida caught authorities by surprise, as it blended in with the surrounding wooden houses.

‘No one suspected it was a factory. It looked like just another house in the compound,’ he said.

Norzagaray Mayor Merlyn Germar has since ordered the MDRRMO, the BFP, and the local police to conduct thorough inspections in all villages to uncover unlicensed firecracker manufacturing operations.

The explosion occurred at a time when firecracker and pyrotechnics production in Bulacan traditionally intensifies beginning in the ‘ber’ months to prepare for the holiday season, especially for Christmas and New Year sales.

The fire at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bureau of Research and Standards in Quezon City on Wednesday afternoon was caused by a short circuit, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

The blaze began at 12:30 p.m., reached the third alarm, and was extinguished by 1:49 p.m.

‘Based on the initial spot report, the fire was caused by electrical ignition due to a short circuit in the ceiling of the Records Section located on the third floor of the building,’ the BFP National Capital Region said in a statement Wednesday night.

‘The incident remains under investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the case,’ it added.

Earlier, the DPWH said initial findings showed the blaze started when a computer unit at the Materials Testing Division reportedly exploded.

The department stressed that no documents related to the flood control scandal were in the affected building.

It added that no personnel were harmed during the incident. /mr

A bill seeking the provision of scholarships for law students in exchange for two years of government service has been filed at the House of Representatives, in an attempt to address the shortage of public attorneys.

Parañaque 2nd District Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan, in a statement on Tuesday said that he has filed House Bill (HB) No. 5242 last October 7 to help law students cope with expenses and at the same time help the government get its much-needed legal workforce.

Yamsuan said that there are many deserving law students who do not get the assistance that they get – which HB No. 5242 or the proposed Abogado Para sa Bayan Act can address.

‘Pursuing a legal education is not easy nor is it cheap. There are many deserving students who want to become lawyers but are hindered by financial constraints,’ the lawmaker said.

‘It is the goal of our Abogado Para Sa Bayan Act to help them reach their dreams while also helping ensure that the government would have a steady pool of competent and committed lawyers at the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) and other government institutions providing legal services to indigent clients and other underserved sectors,’ he added.

According to Yamsuan, PAO was able to serve 15,069,235 clients and handle 847,317 cases just in 2024.

PAO, however, has only 2,676 public attorneys to handle these cases – which Yamsuan said results in a ratio of 5,631 clients and 317 cases per lawyer.

If the bill is approved by Congress and signed into law by the President, a Legal Scholarship and Return Service (LSRS) Program for deserving students who intend to pursue a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws degree in state universities and colleges or partner tertiary educational institutions will be established, which potentially addresses the lawyer shortage in PAO.

Students admitted into the LSRS program will receive the following benefits:

Free tuition and other school fees, including but not limited to, student registration fees, library fees, and publication fees

Allowance for prescribed books and supplies

Allowance for review fees for the government-mandated bar exam

Allowance for licensure fees

If a student is admitted into the program, he or she will be required to render mandatory service for two years with government offices within five years after his admission to the bar or after the start of the practice of law.

‘Within five (5) years from admission to the practice of law, a scholar shall render mandatory return service for two (2) years in government agencies [.] or in government agencies and instrumentalities that provide legal services to: (i) poor and marginalized individuals and communities, and (il) public school teachers, public health workers, and military and uniformed personnel involved in cases arising from or in connection with the performance of their duties and functions,’ Section 7 of the proposed measure stated.

Among the offices mentioned as an example are the PAO, National Prosecution Service, Department of Education, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, Department of Justice, Department of National Defense, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Judiciary itself.

However, those who fail to render service after three years from admission to the bar will have to either pay the full cost of scholarship and related benefits received or ‘undertake alternative compliance program to be formulated by the LEB (Legal Education Board).’

Law students who meet these criteria can qualify for the scholarship:

Filipino citizen residing in the Philippines

has not completed a Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor degree from any higher educational institution offering legal education

should be a graduating student or a graduate of an undergraduate degree program

should have passed the entrance examination and complied with other requirements for admission into the Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws degree program

Currently, Yamsuan said the Department of Budget and Management has approved the creation of 178 new Public Attorney positions in 2024.

Twenty days after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Cebu, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported that 3,605 schools in different regions, even those outside the province, sustained damage worth an estimated P1.67 billion.

The earthquake, which struck Bogo City on September 30, sent widespread tremors across the Visayas and parts of Luzon, causing significant structural damage to school buildings and other public infrastructure. This left many students displaced and severely disrupted school operations.

The DepEd, however, said rehabilitation efforts were ongoing. Engineering teams were assessing the stability of the damaged facilities, and proposals for reconstruction are being prepared in cooperation with the Department of Public Works and Highways and other government agencies, it added.

Impact on students

The quake also killed 75 people, mostly in northern Cebu; displaced hundreds of residents whose houses crumbled or were damaged by the ground shaking, forcing them to live in tents or modular shelters set up by the government; and caused major structural damage to roads, bridges, and other facilities, both public and private.

Moreover, the quake affected over a quarter of a million students.

The DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS), in a situation report on Monday, said the earthquake affected 256,578 students and 15,028 teachers in 30 provinces. Of these, 1,736 students and 227 teachers were reported to have been hurt, in varying degrees of injury.

In-person classes remained suspended in 17.2 percent of the affected schools, primarily due to structural damage or ongoing safety inspections.

Rehabilitation

To ensure the continuity of learning, the DepEd has shifted to alternative modes to deliver classroom lessons. A total of 2,690 schools have adopted modular distance learning, while 123 schools are using blended learning. Additionally, 105 schools have opted for flexible learning, and 107 schools are offering online distance learning.

The hardest-hit region was Central Visayas, mainly Cebu, where the earthquake’s epicenter was located. This region reported the most damage, with 2,113 affected schools. Of these, 2,912 classrooms were assessed to be heavily damaged, while 2,501 classrooms were destroyed.

Other affected regions include Western Visayas (Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, and Antique provinces), which saw 746 schools damaged; Central Luzon (Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales provinces) with 207 affected schools; and Zamboanga Peninsula (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, and Sulu provinces), where 193 schools were damaged.

Across all affected areas, the DepEd reported that 14,142 classrooms had minor damage, 4,025 had major damage, and 3,985 were destroyed. In addition, 762 water and sanitation facilities were also damaged.

In response to the disaster, the DepEd deployed its Rapid Needs and Damage Assessment teams to conduct detailed assessments of school structures and revalidate the extent of the damage.

This will ensure that the data used for rehabilitation planning is accurate and updated.

In addition to structural assessments, psychological first aid was being provided to teachers and students to help them cope with trauma and mental health issues following the disaster.

The DepEd said it was also coordinating with the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, local governments, and regional response clusters to facilitate immediate assistance and mobilize resources. The joint efforts focused on areas with the most severe structural damage, and temporary learning spaces are being set up where necessary.

Call for preparedness

In its advisory, the DepEd-DRRMS noted the importance of improving earthquake preparedness and disaster risk reduction measures in schools.

It urged all educational institutions to revisit their contingency plans, regularly conduct safety drills, and ensure the structural integrity of classrooms and facilities.

The report also reaffirmed the DepEd’s commitment to maintaining learning continuity despite the disruptions caused by the disaster.

‘Education cannot wait, even during emergencies. Our priority is the safety and welfare of our learners and personnel while ensuring that learning continues,’ the report said.

The Department of Health (DOH) does not see the need for now to make the usage of face masks mandatory amid a rise in cases of influenza-like illnesses (ILI), with the country in the middle of the flu season.

‘Not yet. Among the things we look at when we’re considering a new mandate is the rise in hospital admissions involving severe cases. We look at whether intensive care units are getting full, and so far, we have yet to see that,’ Health Assistant Secretary and DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo said in an interview with dzMM Teleradyo.

He added that the country is still in the middle of the flu season, although he emphasized that there is no outbreak of the disease.

The DOH earlier reported that it logged a total of 6,457 ILI cases nationwide from September 28 to October 11. It noted that the figure was lower than the 10,740 cases recorded during the previous two-week period from September 14 to September 27.

Ready for surge

‘What we’re saying here is that there is no reason to say that there is an outbreak because the data would show that. But we also don’t want to be complacent because we know that we’re in the middle of flu season, so the cases may go up if we are not careful,’ Domingo added.

According to him, the DOH is ready for a surge in ILI cases, saying this scenario is included in their surge capacity, with DOH hospitals allocating an additional 10 percent of bed capacity to accommodate patients.

At the same time, Domingo said that while the DOH has not mandated the use of face masks, anyone can wear one as a precautionary measure to protect themselves and their loved ones from sickness. However, he noted that the wearing of face masks is mandatory in hospitals to avoid contracting different kinds of diseases.

Citing a spike in influenza-like illnesses in the province, Quezon Gov. Angelina Tan has reinstated the mandatory wearing of face masks.

‘Due to the increasing number of cases of illnesses such as colds, coughs, influenza-like illness, and severe respiratory infections like community-acquired pneumonia, and in accordance with Executive Order No. DHT-60-the wearing of face masks is hereby strictly mandated in all indoor settings, as well as in outdoor areas where physical distancing cannot be observed,’ Tan, a medical doctor, said in a Facebook post on October 19.

Since taking over as Far Eastern University head coach last year, Sean Chambers has had Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin’s number in the UAAP.

Chambers chalked up another win over Baldwin and the Blue Eagles on Wednesday, steering the Tamaraws to a 75-68 win at the start of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball second round.

Chambers is up 3-1 over Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin since taking the post as FEU’s head tactician. #UAAPSeason88 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/NxsuHykuAM

– Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) October 22, 2025

‘I’m coaching against a very talented and well-known national team coach in a stage where not a lot of people get the opportunity,’ Chambers said.

‘I felt very comfortable going into the game knowing I’ll be going up against Tab.’

The PBA legend improved to 3-1 in his head-to-head matchup against Baldwin and Ateneo.

The only time Baldwin and the Blue Eagles beat Chambers’ Tamaraws was during last month’s season-opener. That game saw Ateneo rally from six points down late in overtime.

Chambers said there’s always pressure going up against the caliber of Baldwin, where every game feels like a chess match.

‘At the end of the day, pressure is a privilege so to get the pressure to win is a privilege and we must embrace it while continuing to do our own things,’ he said after steering FEU to a 3-5 card.

The Tamaraws posted their second straight win and sent the Blue Eagles to their fourth consecutive defeat after opening their campaign at 4-0.

For years, two premier rivalries have dominated Philippine collegiate basketball.

In the NCAA, it’s San Beda vs. Letran. In the UAAP, La Salle vs. Ateneo.

Now, a new rivalry is emerging-La Salle vs. University of the Philippines-and Jacob Cortez has already left his mark on all three.

‘Every basketball fan wants to experience this,’ Cortez told the Inquirer after La Salle edged UP, 72-69, in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.

‘Growing up, I loved watching games like Lakers-Celtics. Now, I’m finally part of one. It feels good. I’m having fun and loving the game-and I think that’s what it’s all about.’

Cortez backed up his words with 12 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals against the Fighting Maroons.

Though La Salle stumbled earlier against longtime rival Ateneo, losing 81-74, Cortez still logged 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal in that duel.

But his knack for rising in rivalry games traces back to his NCAA days.

In his final San Beda-Letran game before transferring to the UAAP, Cortez powered the Red Lions to a 77-68 win in November 2023 with 16 points and three assists.

Not long after, the ‘Cool Cub’ led San Beda to the NCAA crown.

Whether he can replicate that success in Taft isn’t top of mind. For Cortez, the focus is personal growth in what’s been a turbulent season for La Salle.

‘That’s what I love about this game,’ he said. ‘I learn more about myself every time. I’d say we’re good, but we know everyone’s going to bounce back, and we have to stay ready for that.’

‘UE almost beat us. Any team can. So we just have to stay ready, control what we can control, and play.’

By the end of the first round of eliminations, Cortez and the Archers found themselves in a three-way tie for third with UP and Ateneo, all sporting identical 4-3 records.

Games today

The Maroons and the Eagles will get first cracks at moving above that fray. Ateneo takes on dangerous Far Eastern U at 2 p.m. at Mall of Asia Arena to kick off the second preliminary round, with UP squaring off against league leader National University immediately after.

The Archers kick off their second round on Saturday, also at Mall of Asia Arena, hoping to get payback against University of Santo Tomas in a match that follows the 1:30 p.m. duel between Adamson and University of the East.

In just three seasons, Cortez has become a central figure in some of college basketball’s most storied and evolving rivalries. And he’s thriving under some of the harshest collegiate basketball spotlights. INQ