Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Philippine peso opened the shortened trading week at a new record low as broad strength in the US dollar pressured the currency.

On Tuesday, the peso opened at 62.25 per dollar, dropping to a low of 62.35, exceeding the previous record of 62.27 from Aug. 28.

Local markets were closed on Monday due to a public holiday.

On Friday, the Philippine peso fell to a record low, dropping below 62 per dollar for the first time, as rising oil prices and a stronger US dollar outweighed the effects of the central bank’s recent interest-rate hike

No bettor won the jackpots in the Ultra Lotto 6/58, Super Lotto 6/49 and Lotto 6/42 draws on Tuesday, Sept. 1, according to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

The Ultra Lotto 6/58 winning combination was 32-25-23-22-01-41 for a jackpot of ?258.47 million. No ticket matched all six numbers.

The Super Lotto 6/49 combination was 45-22-41-08-36-02, with the jackpot at ?25.18 million. There was no jackpot winner.

For Lotto 6/42, the winning numbers were 17-24-08-33-37-01 for a jackpot of ?21.86 million. No bettor won the top prize.

Minor games

PCSO also released the results of the day’s minor lotto games:

6D Lotto: 3-6-7-7-9-6 – ?1.14 million; no winner

3D Lotto 2 p.m.: 3-1-3 – ?4,500; 202 winners

3D Lotto 5 p.m.: 9-2-7 – ?4,500; 232 winners

3D Lotto 9 p.m.: 3-3-2 – ?4,500; 232 winners

2D Lotto 2 p.m.: 11-04 – ?4,000; 190 winners

2D Lotto 5 p.m.: 05-07 – ?4,000; 473 winners

2D Lotto 9 p.m.: 16-23 – ?4,000; 823 winners

Draw schedule

Ultra Lotto 6/58 draws are held every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Super Lotto 6/49 draws take place every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, while Lotto 6/42 draws are held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Presiding Officer Francis Escudero clarifies during Day 20 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial that a viral image showing Office of the Vice President (OVP) Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio allegedly wearing an earpiece during the trial was fake.

Escudero says verification showed that the image was AI-generated and ‘simply false.’

He also reminds witnesses that they must testify based solely on their own knowledge and without coaching or influence from their lawyers or any other person

Conservation officials are stepping up efforts to protect one of Samar’s rarest treasures after signs of possible illegal timber poaching and other human disturbances near areas where the endangered Samar rafflesia grows.

The Protected Area Management Office-Samar Island Natural Park (PAMO-SINP), in partnership with the local government unit of Basey, recently conducted a communication, education, and public awareness campaign to encourage residents to help protect Rafflesia manillana and its remaining habitat, which is mainly located in Barangay Guirang.

The Samar rafflesia is classified as endangered under Administrative Order No. 2026-20 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which places greater urgency on protecting both the species and the forest environment where it occurs.

The community campaign was conducted after conservation personnel saw signs of possible illegal timber poaching and other disturbances in and around areas known to support Rafflesia.

Officials explained to residents that protecting the plant is particularly challenging because the rafflesia has an unusual life cycle. Unlike ordinary plants, rafflesia has no stems, leaves, or roots, and cannot survive independently. It depends on a specific host vine for nutrients and requires an intact forest environment to complete its life cycle.

This makes the species especially vulnerable to activities that disturb or destroy its forest habitat. Even when the Rafflesia is not directly collected or damaged, removing trees and vegetation around its habitat can affect the conditions for the plant to survive and reproduce.

PAMO-SINP personnel pointed to the ecological importance of R. manillana, its endangered status, and the community’s role in protecting the forest ecosystem that supports it.

Residents were also encouraged to monitor their surroundings and report suspected illegal activities that could threaten the rafflesia or its habitat.

The orientation included discussions on Republic Act No. 11038, or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018, which covers ecosystems and biodiversity within protected areas and prohibits unauthorized activities that damage, alter, or destroy protected habitats and wildlife.

For conservation officials, protecting Samar rafflesia is not simply about preserving a rare flower. Because the species is closely tied to its host vine and forest environment, its survival indicates the health and integrity of the wider ecosystem.

The forests of Samar provide habitat for numerous plant and animal species while also supporting communities that depend on forest resources. Protecting remaining Rafflesia habitat therefore forms part of a broader effort to conserve the island’s biodiversity.

Vice President Sara Duterte’s spokesperson could emerge as a pivotal witness when the Senate impeachment trial enters its ninth week on Tuesday, as prosecutors turn to the paper trail behind the alleged misuse of P112.5 million in confidential funds at the Department of Education (DepEd).

Michael Poa, now also one of Duterte’s defense lawyers, is expected to face questions about military certifications he helped obtain for DepEd, where Duterte served as secretary for two years until June 2024.

Poa will be called to the witness stand after retired Col. Manaros Boransing II and Col. Magtangol Panopio, who are expected to shed light on certifications cited by DepEd in responding to Commission on Audit (COA) findings.

House prosecution adviser Robert Ace Barbers said prosecutors would examine certifications used to justify fund releases, including those tied to youth summits organized by DepEd.

Why Poa matters

The House prosecution team views Poa, who also served as an undersecretary and chief of staff at DepEd, as crucial because he figured in the agency’s response to the audit findings.

During a 2024 House inquiry, DepEd Undersecretary Nolasco Mempin testified that Poa requested military certifications for the agency’s response to a COA audit observation memorandum.

Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V described Poa as a ‘central figure’ in the impeachment case, saying the Senate proceedings could clarify his earlier statements.

‘His statements to the good government [committee] when he was a resource person are still incomplete … Now we are in the impeachment court and I believe this is the proper forum to clarify the questions,’ Ortega said in Filipino.

Poa said last week he was ready to testify and did not intend to invoke attorney-client privilege unless necessary. Ortega said prosecutors were prepared for whatever Poa might say or invoke.

‘He is the mouth of the Vice President and you cannot speak, you cannot defend, you cannot honor your words if you don’t know … all the details and you don’t know the whole process. That’s how important he is to the trial,’ Ortega said.

Poa’s testimony could help establish who sought the military certifications, why they were obtained and how they were used to support the release and liquidation of confidential funds.

Fajarda sidelined

The prosecution’s original witness for the DepEd transactions, special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda, will not testify Tuesday after suffering a stroke. His appearance has been reset to Sept. 7.

Fajarda was supposed to testify on his role in disbursing and liquidating P112.5 million in confidential funds from the first to third quarters of 2023.

At least six people were killed, and several others were wounded in a road accident at midday Tuesday in Barangay Paglaum, Dumalinao town, Zamboanga del Sur.

Authorities initially reported that the road crash involved a van and a motorcycle.

The ill-fated van reportedly came from Zamboanga Sibugay before it crashed upon reaching Barangay Poblacion, Dumalinao.

Bodies were seen lying on the road covered with cartons or plastic sheets.

Clearing operations are ongoing as emergency responders continue to assist victims.

Local officials have yet to release the identities of the casualties pending notification of their families.

They also have yet to release an official report on how the accident transpired.

Agricultural damage from the enhanced southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay and Neneng nears P3 billion

In its latest bulletin, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported that the farm sector sustained P2.84 billion in losses as of Tuesday.

The figure is 22.4 percent higher than the P2.32 billion recorded by the agency on Aug. 27.

The weather disturbances affected 72,803 farmers and fishers in the regions of Cordillera, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and Western Visayas.

Typhoons damaged 63,921 metric tons (MT) of farm produce spanning 64,234 hectares of agricultural land.

Of the total, rice accounted for nearly 50 percent or P1.42 billion. High-value crops followed with 26.8 percent (P761.43 million) and fisheries with 14.53 percent (P412.84 million).

‘Further damage and losses are expected in affected regions as assessment and validation are ongoing,’ the DA said.

More than 20,000 kilograms of tilapia and bighead carp have died in another fish kill in Laguna de Bay, affecting more than 30 fish cages covering over 7 hectares in Jala-jala, Rizal.

Fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said Tuesday that initial losses were estimated at P700,000, while local fishers and fish cage operators suspected chemical waste may have contributed to the ‘sudden and massive’ fish kill.

Ronnel Arambulo, Pamalakaya vice chairperson, said operators and fishers noticed that the lake’s water had turned rusty in color before the fish began dying.

‘Operators and fishers themselves said that the fish kill was unusual. Similar incidents have occurred in previous years, but what happened recently was more rapid and widespread,’ Arambulo said.

‘The affected fishers could not point to any other possible cause except the change in the color of the lake’s water that they had observed,’ he added.

Pamalakaya described Tuesday’s incident as the second fish kill in Laguna de Bay, saying a similar incident occurred in Binangonan, Rizal, in July.

‘Last July, the same incident happened in Binangonan town following the release of wastewater by a water concessionaire,’ Pamalakaya said.

During its initial investigation in July, the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) said it was still too early to determine the exact cause of the fish kill.

The agency noted that Laguna de Bay was experiencing a widespread algal bloom and that most of the affected fish came from commercial fish pens and cages.

The latest incident also came days after the LLDA warned of a continued risk of algal blooms and possible fish kills in the lake.

On Aug. 25, the agency said changes in weather and water conditions could trigger or intensify algal growth. It also explained that when algae die and decompose, they can reduce oxygen levels in the water, potentially stressing or killing fish.

The LLDA also urged residents and local officials to report unusual water discoloration, heavy bubbling or foaming, and foul odors that could indicate water contamination. The agency said such reports could help investigators trace pollutants to their source.

Pamalakaya called on the LLDA to investigate the latest incident, determine whether any companies discharged wastewater into the lake and hold those responsible accountable.

‘Some companies must have discharged wastewater into the lake that caused the fish kill,’ Arambulo said.

‘We call on the concerned government agencies, especially the Laguna Lake Development Authority, to look into this matter, hold accountable the companies responsible, and compensate the affected fisherfolk and fish cage operators,’ he added

Naomi Osaka channeled Allen Iverson as part of her US Open debut, and the former NBA superstar liked the look.

Osaka made her usual fashionable entrance for her match against Anastasia Zakharova on Monday night in the first round. The two-time US Open champion emerged from the tunnel onto the court in Arthur Ashe Stadium wearing a long, white skirt and a gray, hooded robe featuring newspaper clippings about her.

She had the hood on when she entered. When she removed it to reveal her black outfit, Osaka had her hair done in cornrows, just as Iverson did when he was the NBA MVP while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Osaka wore a shirt with Iverson’s picture when she met with the media on the eve of the tournament and called him a trailblazer.

‘I think he’s also someone that I look up to a lot, because he’s kind done a lot in fashion, whether it’s on purpose or not, but he’s shifted the way that NBA players dress,’ Osaka said Saturday. ‘I also think the whole conversation around clothes in sports and also just expressing yourself through style, I feel like he’s someone that I look up to in that regard.’

She added that they’d never communicated, but Iverson posted a message to Osaka on his Instagram page Monday, writing: ‘Wow, what a honor!! BIG FAN can’t wait to meet you.’

Residents in several parts of Occidental Mindoro were advised to limit outdoor activities after thick haze was observed in the province on Tuesday.

The Occidental Mindoro Provincial Information Office said the haze may be linked to widespread forest and land fires in Indonesia, particularly in Sumatra and Kalimantan, which have generated smoke that winds could carry to other parts of Southeast Asia.

The public was urged to avoid prolonged outdoor exposure, particularly in areas where smoke or haze is noticeable.

Those who need to go outside were advised to wear face masks to help reduce the inhalation of smoke and fine particulate matter.

Children, older adults and people with sensitive respiratory systems were advised to take extra precautions and, if possible, remain indoors while the haze persists.

The advisory cited information from the Environmental Management Bureau central office.

Residents were also encouraged to monitor official advisories for further updates on air quality and health precautions