Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Although the magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck near La Union did not cause any reported structural damage, several towns have suspended classes and government work as a precautionary measure, authorities confirmed on Thursday. As of noon, the Ilocos Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that classes and government work at all levels were suspended in the towns of Tubao, Naguilian, Caba, Pugo, Burgos, and Agoo.

In addition, classes in all levels were also suspended in Bauang, Rosario, Sto. Tomas, Aringay, and Bagulin, while in Santol, officials suspended classes at the elementary level.

The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (RDRRMO) is monitoring and assessing the affected areas. On the other hand, the Office of Civil Defense remains in close coordination with local DRRMOs to track possible effects of the earthquake or respond to any untoward incidents./coa

Calvin Abueva pounded the center court of Ynares Center on Wednesday before raising his finger up in the sky after a performance that propelled Titan Ultra to a winning start to its PBA voyage.

Beyond giving the league’s newest ballclub a 100-96 victory over the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Cup here, Abueva also showed there’s still more left in the tank for the energetic and colorful veteran known as ‘The Beast.’

‘I still have more to give,’ Abueva said after finishing with a career-high 41 points plus seven rebounds for the Giant Risers.

Abueva is coming off a season in which his time with the Magnolia Hotshots came to an end via a trade that sent him to NorthPort Batang Pier for the younger William Navarro, who eventually took his act to South Korea.

NorthPort eventually sold its franchise to Titan, and as the transition began, Abueva found himself as one of the leaders of a roster teeming with new players, young and old, and eager to start the Giant Risers off on the right foot.

‘We really pushed ourselves in this game, especially myself,’ said the 37-year-old forward. ‘I really need to push myself, especially being with younger players. It turned out I put more effort than those guys.’

Struggling start

It looked as if Abueva revived his good old days in college when his energy, hustle and mind games brought San Sebastian to the 2009 NCAA title, while also opening the door for his entry to the PBA.

Titan Ultra won despite a flat start to its league debut, missing its first eight shots, including some easy ones, that enabled Meralco to race to an 11-0 lead in the first five minutes.

But the Giant Risers were able to shake off their eagerness, eventually keeping the game close before Abueva’s 16 in the third allowed the new kids on the block to break loose.

‘We took advantage of Calvin,’ said Titan Ultra coach Johnedel Cardel, also a winner in his PBA return after a long stint handling Terrafirma came to an end last year. ‘We all know how strong he is and how he plays with a lot of heart. That’s why he’s ‘The Beast.”

Joshua Munzon, coming off a season in which he claimed Most Improved Player honors and made the All-Defensive Team, added 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks for the Giant Risers.

Cade Flores and Fran Yu were also instrumental for Titan Ultra, which now set its sights on win No. 2 against a talented Converge side on Saturday in Montalban.

CJ Cansino scored 22, but Meralco fell short in its comeback from 19 down during the tail end of the fourth.

Is corruption to be understood as part of the system and not the exception? Corruption is not simply the misconduct of individuals, but a necessary consequence of the logic of the decades-long tradition of family clans, interdependencies, and not least of capital, which seeks influence everywhere to secure profits.

When corrupt politicians or corporations circumvent environmental regulations, or politicians accept payments from the private sector, in my view, this is not just an ‘outlier,’ but Philippine ‘normality’ or, in scientific terms, inherent in the system.

Family interests and politics show how political power is intertwined with economic power. Corruption increases inequality: the rich buy influence, while the majority can barely assert their interests. Debates about ‘dynasties vs. democracy’ or about oligarchs can be analyzed well academically. Ideology and concealment go hand in hand.

The politicians in question say they are patriots and are doing everything for the people. This is of course, nonsense; they are doing it for their own pocketbooks. Who from abroad would want to invest in a country like this?

Corruption often remains hidden. Politicians try to conceal their true power interests with ideologies (‘we act in the name of progress,’ ‘free markets benefit everyone’). Political PR and lobbying often make power interests appear to be a ‘factual necessity’ precisely what political scientists have long warned against.

Lesson for today: Instead of viewing corruption only in moral terms (evil politicians), I encourage us to analyze the structural causes. In other words, to get to the roots and not just look at the surface. What economic conditions make corruption almost inevitable?

We need impetus for systemic reforms and innovations (e.g., transparency, limiting lobbying, democratization of economic power), not just for ‘more penalties.’ You have to change the system to change corruption. You have to pull out the roots and plant new seeds that’s how a new political generation grows.

This generation should learn from the mistakes of the older generation. Of course, we all make mistakes, and the new political generation will too, but remember, nobody is perfect. We’re only human.

‘Man will set himself the goal of becoming master of his own feelings, of raising his instincts to the height of consciousness, of making them transparent, of laying the wires of his will into the subliminal and subterranean, and thus of climbing to a new level of creating a higher social-biological type, a if you will superman. – Übermensch.’ (Friedrich Nietzsche)

Don’t be ashamed of being Filipino, just be ashamed of the corrupt politicians who call themselves Filipino.

Jrgen Schöfer, Ph.D.,

A magnitude 4.1 earthquake was recorded early Thursday, Oct. 9, in the island town of Panukulan, Quezon province.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the tectonic tremor struck 25 kilometers northeast of the municipality at a depth of 10 kilometers around 2:51 a.m.

A tectonic earthquake is caused by the sudden movement of rocks along faults and plate boundaries.

Instrumental Intensity I was recorded in the coastal town of Infanta on the mainland part of northern Quezon. Instrumental intensities are determined using an intensity scale.

Phivolcs said it does not expect any damage or aftershocks from the quake.

Panukulan and two other municipalities Polillo and Burdeos are located on Polillo Island off Lamon Bay, facing the Pacific Ocean in the northern part of the province.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday announced that it will also examine the luxury vehicles surrendered by former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Bulacan Assistant District Engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

At the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing, lawyer Chris Bendijo, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Office of the Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), said that aside from the former Bulacan official, they will also investigate other DPWH employees, whom he did not identify.

‘Regarding the details, we are looking into something – the ones that have been surrendered to ICI, the vehicles of Brice Hernandez, the Commissioner is also looking into the taxes that have been paid here, and in addition to that, we have something else, some other DPWH employees who have reports, the BOC is also looking into that,’ Bendijo added.

He also reported that the BOC is currently evaluating the responses of some bureau employees who have been issued show-cause orders regarding the ongoing investigation into luxury vehicles linked to the flood control mess.

‘Apart from that, the Commissioner (Ariel Nepomuceno) has also mentioned that we have issued show cause orders to the BOC employees who appear in the document that was part of the entry of the smuggled items, so we are asking them to explain,’ Bendijo said.

‘As far as I know, some of them have already submitted their explanations and they are currently being evaluated because what the commissioner said is very clear, we will not spare anybody from this. We regret that they are part of the Commission, but we need to do something to restore the public’s trust in the BOC,’ he added.

The BOC official also clarified that they are only investigating items that involve importation.

‘Those covered by our investigation are only those goods that are going through importation and not the total ill-gotten wealth of the personalities mentioned in the investigations,’ he said.

Last month, Hernandez turned over to the ICI two luxury vehicles a black GMC Yukon Denali sport utility vehicle (SUV) and a Lamborghini Urus worth millions of pesos.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. established the ICI to investigate allegations of corruption in flood control projects.

Meanwhile, Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD) Chairperson Emeritus Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia praised the Chief Executive for taking a firm and fearless stand against corruption and inefficiency, calling his actions a ‘renewal of moral governance’ that restores confidence in public institutions.

‘The President’s message is simple but powerful. No money should go to waste, and no one should be above the law. That kind of leadership earns the trust of the people,’ he said.

Goitia said these reforms are not mere words but concrete steps toward genuine reform.

He said simplifying government processes and improving coordination among agencies will reduce duplication, red tape, and waste.

‘This administration isn’t just talking about change. It’s doing the work. For the first time in years, there’s a clear sense of direction and discipline. Every project is now measured by how much it helps ordinary Filipinos,’ he added.

On Tuesday, the BOC submitted to the ICI documents relevant to the commission’s ongoing investigations, including the case involving the Discaya family.

Olsen Racela expected Perpetual Help to be competitive in the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament. It didn’t matter that he missed out on keeping the best player of the Altas’ powerhouse high school program six players did stick around to join the seniors squad.

‘And that was huge for us,’ the legendary PBA playmaker and now Perpetual coach said, ‘because we had a continuity to build on.’

But being hopeful and expecting success is far different from watching that hope translate into actual success.

The Altas are 3-0 (win-loss) after Wednesday’s stunning 76-65 victory over Mapua and while it is a welcome surprise, Racela hopes nobody misses the point.

‘It’s not the 3-0 that’s big; we’re just a week into the season and there’s a long way to go,’ Racela said in a late afternoon chat with the Inquirer. ‘It’s the fact that we beat a program as noted and accomplished as Mapua.’

‘For a team like us, who nobody else outside of us expected to be competitive, that is huge especially for our confidence.

St. Benilde capped a day of surprises at Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, hammering out a 95-80 victory over Letran to send the Knights who, in contrast to the Altas, everyone expected to figure strongly this season to a third straight defeat in as many games.

No luxury

Racela made sure Perpetual didn’t just win; the Altas dictated the game. JP Boral scored 15 points on an efficient 5-of-10 clip, while LA Casinillo and Patrick Sleat combined for 25 points and nine assists. Mark Gojo Cruz chipped in 12.

The Altas shot 42.4% from the field and outscored Mapua’s starters 40-26. More tellingly, they forced 18 turnovers and scored 18 fastbreak points punishing Mapua for every lapse.

And Racela credited that relentlessness to the team’s approach to the season.

‘Unlike the more established programs, we don’t have the luxury of staying in elimination-round mode and then just kick things up in the playoffs,’ the San Miguel Beer legend said.

‘Every game for us is a playoff game.’

It’s a mindset that makes the Altas vulnerable to mental exhaustion, but Racela isn’t worried about that.

‘Us coaches will handle that and make sure they recover, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, after every game,’ he said. ‘But these kids are young and they haven’t been to a Final Four in a long while. So they’ll always be excited and prepared every game.’

The Altas lost high school star and junior MVP Lebron Jhames Daep to La Salle but managed to keep most of the core of its high school program and maintain a homegrown vibe in the senior squad.

Count them out of politics, said Jericho Rosales and Mon Confiado, who both rejected the idea of running for president in the future.

The fact that Rosales and Confiado both played the roles of the country’s first Chief Executives in the upcoming biopic, ‘Quezon,’ is not lost on them. However, when asked if they are open to the idea of being the top officials of the land, the answer was a firm ‘no.’

‘The [short] answer is no,’ Rosales said during the film’s grand media con in Manila on Tuesday, Oct. 7. ‘The long answer is, I came from [a trip] where there is a free walking tour. The tour guy said at the end, we just need leaders who care. Generally, sincerely, care. That’s all we need.’

Rosales, who portrays Manuel L. Quezon, said while everyone is privileged to learn from different platforms, it is all about prioritizing the country at all costs, noting that it’s a ‘genuine’ intention that comes from the heart.

‘I never graduated. I never went to college. Natuto ako mag-Ingles dahil sa telebisyon. Ang dami mong pwedeng pag-aralan online or sa libro, lahat kaya mo. Pero wag wala sa puso mo at hindi genuine sa’yo ang pag-care at pag-silbi sa isang tao, hindi mangyayari ‘yan. Paano pa kaya kung isang bansa?’ he said.

(I never graduated. I never went to college. I learned how to speak English because of television. You can learn from various online platforms or through books. You can learn everywhere. However, if it doesn’t come from the heart, or if your care and service to the public are not genuine, it will never happen. What happens if the country is at stake?) ‘Ang pinakamahal ko sa buhay ay sining, paano ko ipagpapalit ang sining sa posisyon? Paano ko pagsasabayin ang sining at ito? At iba pang bokasyon at pamumuno ng bansa?’ he said. ‘Hindi madali maging [mamumuno ng isang] bansa, so ang hinihiling namin ay puso ng isang presidente.’

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(What I love most in the world is the arts. How will I exchange it for a government position? How will I balance my responsibilities in art and politics, as well as other vocations, and serve the nation? It’s not easy to lead the nation. So what I ask for is for someone to have the heart of the president?)

Meanwhile, Confiado, who plays Emilio Aguinaldo in the movie, said that taking on a government position never crossed his mind.

‘Ako, hindi. Wala akong kahilig-hilig sa pulitika. Ni minsan, hindi pumasok sa isip ko na pumasok sa pulitika. Aminado ako na hindi ko kakayanin at wala akong alam (Me, no. I am not fond of politics at all. Entering politics never crossed my mind. I know that I can’t handle it and I don’t know anything about it),’ he said.

Solving corruption

Since ‘Quezon’ is described as a film that traces the roots of the country’s political landscape, Rosales was also asked about how the Philippines and its countrymen can solve corruption.

The question stems from the ongoing probe into the alleged corruption of flood control funds involving officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), lawmakers and private contractors.

Don Trollano took responsibility for San Miguel Beer’s narrow 85-84 loss to NLEX that got their quest to defend the PBA Philippine Cup off to a rough start.

Trollano had a chance to save the Beermen from the jaws of defeat on Wednesday at Ynares Center in Antipolo City in the final seconds, but made an errant decision to go for a pass instead of taking a shot before the buzzer, allowing the Road Warriors to complete a comeback win. ‘That’s on me. It’s my mistake,’ Trollano said. ‘I guess I didn’t calculate how much time was left.’

The Beermen guard was actually leading San Miguel’s bid to preserve the victory with some outside shots in the fourth quarter, and had knocked down a four-pointer in the final seconds that cut the Road Warriors’ lead to one.

JB Bahio’s two missed free throws gave San Miguel a chance to take the victory, but to no avail.

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‘There were no specific instructions for me to be the first option. The only instruction was for the open man to take the shot,’ said Trollano, who finished with 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting with five assists and three steals.

A silver lining is that it was only San Miguel’s first game of the conference, and there’s plenty of chances for Trollano to atone for his late-game miscue.

‘I’ll make up for it next time,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Trollano was chosen by the PBA Press Corps as its Mr. Quality Minutes for Season 49 for his impact in the Beermen’s run to the all-Filipino title. The award is equivalent to the Sixth Man of the Year.

It’s a bittersweet stretch for TJ Monterde, KZ Tandingan, and concert director John ‘Praty’ Prats, who are all nursing what they jokingly, but genuinely, call sepanx (separation anxiety).

After almost a year on the road, the ‘Sarili Nating Mundo’ world tour is down to its final few shows. ‘It’s super overwhelming,’ Monterde admitted. ‘We’re down to our last five shows. Almost every weekend we have a show-if not abroad, here in the Philippines. A lot has happened this year, pero si Direk ayaw muna niya pag-usapan kasi sepanx na siya.’

Sepanx describes the unease or longing one feels when parting from something meaningful. For the ‘Sarili Nating Mundo’ team, it’s the pain of saying goodbye to a project that’s been their life for months.

‘Even if we only started the show last February, the brainstorming and concept planning started last year,’ Tandingan shared. ‘Even just talking about it now, ‘five shows na lang,’ it makes me sad. But I’m grateful I got to do this with them and the entire team.’

What began as a three-night sold-out concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum grew into a 40-show global tour, with stops across the U.S., Canada, the Middle East, and the Philippines. From small provincial arenas to massive venues like Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, fans found their own stories in Monterde and Tandingan’s songs.

‘We didn’t expect it to turn out like this,’ said Prats. ‘I remember telling TJ after Araneta, ‘Three days lang natin ‘to ginawa!’ And he said, ‘Don’t worry, Direk. Lilibutin pa natin ang mundo.’ Looking back, it really happened-we toured the world with SNM.’

For Prats, who helmed his first major tour, it was both grueling and gratifying. ‘Grabe ang hirap ng tour. We were such a small team], and we had to multitask to deliver that experience to our fellow Filipinos. Monterde and Tandingan are easy to work with. Walang reklamo even with three back-to-back cities, all smiles lang. That’s why we don’t want it to end.’

Every stop became its own story. ‘There’s usually something special that happens at our concerts,’ Monterde said. ‘Out of 35 shows, isa lang ang walang marriage proposal-sa Jeddah! In Cagayan de Oro, there was even a gender reveal. Each city becomes special, not just for us but for the audience, too.’

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John Prats is the director of the 40-show global tour. Image: Marinel Cruz/INQUIRER.net

Tandingan added: ‘Ang ginagawa ko sa set ko, palaging customized. The spiels depend on the crowd’s energy. Every show feels different because of that interaction. And on the production side, si TJ, si Direk Praty, and the team-they never settle. Laging may pasabog.’

But perhaps the most unforgettable moment came not from spectacle, but from vulnerability. Monterde recalled a two-night show in Laguna that nearly didn’t push through. ‘On the first night, in the middle of my set, I lost my voice-completely gone, zero. It was my first time experiencing that. After KZ’s set, I still tried to sing ‘Harana.’ She heard me from the dressing room, grabbed a mic and sang with me.’

He almost canceled the next night but decided to go on. ‘I had to be honest with the audience. I said, ‘siguro napapansin n’yo iba ang voice ko ngayon. Pero it’s still going to be special,” he said. ‘After the last line of ‘Palagi,’ my voice was completely gone-KZ carried the rest. She finished the song for me.’

That raw, unscripted moment sums up ‘Sarili Nating Mundo’: a shared experience built on love, music, and teamwork. ‘Because I have a fan base that’s really there to listen and support, I’m very thankful,’ said Monterde. ‘Every time feeling ko kulang ang nabibigay kong boses, they clap and cheer me on. Feeling ko nga dapat hati kami sa TF (talent fee),’ he joked.

As they gear up for the last leg of the tour produced by Cornerstone Concerts-with shows in Australia, New Zealand, and the finale in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 2-the SNM family feels both grateful. ‘We try to push as much as we can to increase production value,’ said Prats. ‘We’re grateful to all the producers who believed in our goal to bring the SNM experience to people. Every after the concert, grabe ang positive posts nila. They feel their tickets were worth it. That’s the best feeling.’ During the press conference, the couple also announced that they’ll return to the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Feb. 6 and 7 for a back-to-back concert, again directed by Prats. Monterde teased: ‘This time, it will be all about KZ’s world. That’s what makes it exciting-how we’ll both shine, and what kind of magic will happen when our two worlds combine.’ /edv

Sen. Camille Villar, the youngest member of the 20th Congress, has filed a bill seeking stronger protection for business process outsourcing (BPO) workers.

The earthquake that hit Cebu province last week underscored the urgency of the measure, as she called out Cebu-based firms that forced employees back to work amid the disaster.

Cebu-based BPO workers decried unsafe return-to-work policies, harassment and threats of job loss for prioritizing their safety after they were required to report back to work shortly following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake.

‘No worker should ever have to choose between their safety and their job. The welfare of our BPO employees must always come first,’ Villar said, reiterating her call for swift passage of the measure.

Senate Bill 1401, or the BPO Workers’ Welfare and Protection Act, seeks to institutionalize comprehensive safeguards for employees in the outsourcing sector.

A key provision directs the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to establish and strictly enforce Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS) for BPO work, aligned with International Labor Organization (ILO) recommendations.

These standards must be reviewed annually and applied in all establishments, with compliance subject to regular inspections.

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Villar said these events emphasize why her measure is crucial: ‘BPO workers are at the frontline of our global service industry. Protecting their welfare means protecting the dignity of Filipino labor and ensuring shared prosperity.’

The bill also requires each company to craft its own Workplace Occupational Safety and Health (WOSH) policy, consistent with national standards but adaptable to local conditions.

Employers must review these policies annually with input from a designated Workplace Occupational Safety and Health Officer (WOSHO), enforcement officers and other authorized representatives, ensuring safeguards evolve with emerging risks and workplace realities.

Beyond workplace safety, the proposed measure prohibits the imposition of excessive company bonds and fees on employees who leave before a set period and explicitly protects them from discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability or any other status recognized under human rights standards.