Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said over 200 classrooms were damaged by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck off Cebu.

Based on a situation report, DepEd said it has so far received 54 initial reports involving the earthquake, covering 2,220 learners and 97 teaching and non-teaching personnel.

The reports showed that 198 classrooms suffered minor damage, 26 classrooms with major damage, while 34 classrooms were totally damaged by the earthquake.

Meanwhile, six water, sanitation and hygiene facilities were also damaged.

DepEd said the reports covered 11 School Division Offices, particularly, Canlaon City, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Iloilo, Bohol, Carcar City, Cebu, Lapu-Lapu City, Toledo City, and Bonogan City.

On the other hand, no injuries among learners were reported.

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off Cebu on Tuesday night, according to state seismologists.

The Office of the Civil Defense said as many as 60 individuals reportedly died due to the strong quake.

San Simon, Pampanga Mayor Abundio ‘JP’ Punsalan Jr. pleaded not guilty to graft and extortion charges before the Sandiganbayan, two months after he was entrapped by authorities at a restaurant in Clark Freeport while allegedly receiving a bag containing around P30 million.

Punsalan entered his plea as the charges were read to him during his arraignment before the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division on Wednesday.

A Sandiganbayan order dated Sept. 9 showed that the mayor surrendered and posted cash bonds of P90,000 for each case filed against him for violating Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Article 293 of the Revised Penal Code (robbery by means of extortion).

The complaint against him stemmed from the claim of San Simon-based Real Steel Corporation that the mayor demanded P80 million from the company in exchange for not overturning Municipal Ordinance No. 24-0025, which granted tax incentives to the firm.

The demand was allegedly accompanied by threats that Real Steel’s incentives would be revoked if payment was not made.

Reports also showed that Real Steel filed an urgent motion before the Office of the Ombudsman to suspend Punsalan in connection with an administrative case for grave misconduct and serious dishonesty. The motion remains pending.

The company likewise lodged a separate administrative case against the mayor before the Pampanga provincial board.

Petron Corp., part of the San Miguel group, has become the first oil firm accredited as an official training institution in the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry.

In a statement Tuesday, Petron said it had secured the certification from the Department of Energy (DOE) last week.

The accreditation shows the group’s capacity to produce LPG professionals from its refinery, terminals, haulers, dealers and retail outlets.

This is also consistent with the implementation of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Industry Regulation Act. The law seeks to improve industry standards as well as impose stronger penalties.

‘As more LPG personnel undergo proper training from qualified institutions, consumers can be more confident in the quality and reliability of the LPG products they receive,’ said Rino Abad, DOE’s Oil Industry Management Bureau director.

DOE certificate

After LPG personnel’s training with Petron, they will receive a DOE certificate, according to the firm.

‘The company has already scheduled its LPG training sessions, starting with dealers and retailers in Ormoc, Leyte,’ it said.

Petron’s flagship brands under its LPG business include Petron Gasul and Fiesta Gas.

Petron supplies about 40 percent of the total fuel requirements nationwide through its refinery in Bataan. The facility has the capability to process 180,000 barrels of oil per day.

The oil refiner’s net income in the first half of 2025 dropped 12 percent to P5.3 billion amid persistent market challenges.

Its revenues had also declined by 13 percent to P386.4 billion in the January to June period.

Petron’s weaker performance in the first semester was blamed on the rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East as well as the tariff war triggered by the United States.

The company also cited the recent decision of major oil producers to boost production, resulting in lower crude prices. INQ

Detained Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy has been in the hospital for nearly three weeks due to pneumonia, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said on Tuesday.

The BJMP told the Inquirer in a message that Quiboloy was taken out of the Pasig City Jail and rushed to a public hospital on Sept. 11 after he experienced difficulty in breathing.

‘He was later diagnosed with Community Acquired Pneumonia (Moderate Risk),’ BJMP spokesperson Jail Superintendent Jayrex Bustinera said.

The court in charge of Quiboloy’s case has already issued an order authorizing his hospital confinement after it was informed of the KOJC leader’s condition, Bustinera added.

‘As of 30 September 2025, he is stable and recovering in a public hospital, in line with BJMP policies on medical care for PDL (persons deprived of liberty),’ the BJMP spokesperson said.

Multiple charges

The televangelist leader and spiritual adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte-who is also detained in The Hague, the Netherlands over the thousands of killings under his drug war-has been charged with child abuse and human trafficking cases before courts in Quezon City and Pasig, respectively.

These are in addition to the criminal charges he is facing in the United States, which include conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.

On Nov. 8 last year, Quiboloy was taken to the Philippine Heart Center for a routine check, but it led to his confinement for an ‘irregular heartbeat.’

He was brought back to the detention center at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Quezon City on Nov. 16 after the Pasig court denied his request for hospital arrest.

Previous confinement

On Jan. 23, the KOJC leader, who calls himself the ‘Son of God,’ was hospitalized for pneumonia. He was transferred to the Pasig City Jail on Feb. 12.

Quiboloy was arrested in September 2024 after hiding for 16 days in the 30-hectare KOJC compound in Davao City as he tried to evade arrest by authorities.

The operation to take him in involved 4,500 police officers and cost the government P35 million, according to then Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, who led the hunt for the religious sect leader. At the time, Torre headed the Davao Police Regional Office. He later became acting director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and then PNP chief.

As CIDG chief, Torre also spearheaded the arrest of Duterte on Mar. 11 based on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity over his crackdown on drugs as Davao City mayor and then as president.

More than a year after it was completed, the first span of the Tuganay Bridge along the Maharlika National Highway in Carmen, Davao del Norte, already showed cracks on its pavement and bridge approach, an inspection team who visited the site noted.

In its Sept. 25 31-page report, the Davao del Norte infrastructure and social services delivery inspection team noted that the six-lane 420 meter-long Tuganay Bridge 1 along Maharlika Highway, the road that links Davao del Norte’s capital Tagum City to Davao City, was reported to have been completed on Feb. 20 last year but was already showing cracks.

The engineers noted that the P516-million bridge was also priced 38 percent higher for every linear meter than the two-lane and 30-meter-long bridge that the provincial government built.

For transparency

Davao del Norte Gov. Edwin Jubahib had sent copies of the report to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and other concerned government agencies to add to the growing number of infrastructure projects being investigated by the Senate blue ribbon committee for questions and alleged irregularities.

Jubahib said he endorsed the report in the interest of transparency and accountability. The province, through the Provincial Development Council and the Provincial Peace and Order Council earlier passed a resolution creating the infrastructure and social services delivery inspection team to go over infrastructure and other government projects in the province, in the light of the irregularities uncovered in infrastructure projects at the national level.

The team also noted that the second span of Tuganay Bridge 2, which was started in April this year and still ongoing, also showed some cracks on its approach. Engineers also noted signs that substandard materials were allegedly being used.

The Inquirer tried to reach the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the region for comment but the office still had to reply to the text and phone messages.

DA’s findings

Tuganay Bridges 1 and 2, which figured in the worst flooded areas of Davao del Norte last year, were only two of the 11 projects worth more than P1 billion that the inspection team visited in the province.

The team also noted among others, the P150.28-million concreting project of the Tagum to Panabo Circumferential Road; and the section connecting Malitbog, Kasilak and Consolacion in Davao del Norte, which also showed several defects barely three years after it was completed on Dec. 15, 2022. Some of the projects had suffered delays because of road right-of- way problems.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has also flagged P75 million worth of alleged ‘ghost’ farm-to-market road (FMR)projects in Mindanao.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the alleged ‘ghost’ FMR projects spanning 5 kilometers are located in Davao region and Zamboanga City.

‘So far, these are just initial reports and the amount is not that significant in terms of the overall FMR road projects,’ Tiu Laurel said in an interview with dzBB in Metro Manila on Tuesday.

Digging deeper

Tiu Laurel said these FMR projects were implemented before his term, but the DA was ‘digging deeper’ into the issue given the involvement of ‘very small’ contractors.

The agriculture chief said the FMR review was triggered by a report from the DA’s regional office in Davao submitted at the end of July.

However, Tiu Laurel did not provide additional information about the identity of these contractors or the exact project sites.

He clarified that such projects were part of the DA’s budget allocation under the 2025 General Appropriations Act and no budget insertions were made.

At a briefing on Tuesday, Palace press officer Claire Castro affirmed that Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon was already doing his investigation about the FMRs implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

While lodged under the DA, the FMRs-agricultural infrastructures designed to connect agricultural production areas to markets and major roads for efficient delivery of goods, and reduced transportation costs-are under the DPWH. It is in charge of the commissioning, bidding, and construction of FMRs identified and validated by the DA.

For 2026, the DA proposed a budget of P16 billion for FMRs.

Last month, the DA announced a ‘sweeping’ audit of FMR projects covering the years 2021 to 2025 to check and resolve possible irregularities in their implementation. Tiu Laurel initiated the comprehensive review following congressional investigations involving government-funded flood control projects.

The DA chief wanted the audit of the FMRs to be completed before the end of the year, with its findings to be forwarded to the Office of the President.

‘We must make sure they are done properly, that taxpayers’ money was spent to provide farmers with market access and not squandered for farm-to-pocket projects,’ he said.

Tiu Laurel said no DA official or employee was involved based on their preliminary findings but vowed to immediately suspend any personnel found guilty of engaging in such illicit activities.

The government aims to construct 131,000 kilometers of farm-to-market roads designed to link agricultural areas with markets.

Approximately 70,000 km of these projects had been completed as of July. However, the government has around 61,000 km in backlog or pending validation.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will meet with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Friday to submit documents to help with investigations.

BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno made this pronouncement on Wednesday after the agency issued a warrant of seizure and detention for 13 luxury cars owned by contractor couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya after it found sufficient grounds for seizure due to improper documentation of vehicles. The couple had been implicated in the anomalous flood control projects. ‘My objective for my request to meet the ICI, [headed by retired] Justice Andres Reyes, is to submit the documents and information that we have to help in their investigations,’ Nepomuceno told reporters in an interview.

Nepomuceno said that the agency’s findings on the Discayas’ luxury cars will be the first documents they will submit to the independent probe body. He also said that they will relay other findings aside from the Discayas.

With this, Nepomuceno recognized the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to all government agencies to coordinate with the ICI on its investigation on anomalies in national infrastructure projects.

‘We will also ask how else we can help and if they have directions that they want to share, and we assure them of our full cooperation,’ he added. As the contractor couple attended on Tuesday the hearing of the ICI in connection with anomalous flood control projects, their lawyer Atty. Cornelio Samaniego III said that the couple gave a ‘tell-all’ testimony at the probe.

Meanwhile, Nepomuceno shared that the issuance of the warrant of seizure and detention came after the agency found out that from the 13 vehicles, seven have no import entry records and certificates of payment. Meanwhile the remaining six may possess import entry documents but have dubious COP or no COP at all.

Nepomuceno also said that the issuance is a formal avenue for the Discayas to prove for one last time the legitimacy of the purchases. He explained that if the family fails to do so, the vehicles will be forfeited and may be auctioned by the government. In a previous Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on flood control mess, Sarah admitted to owning 28 luxury vehicles. The BOC earlier secured these cars, with 12 of these being initially covered by a search warrant while the 16 were voluntarily surrendered by the family.

Acting Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered the agency to help speed up the validation of casualties resulting from the onslaught of Tropical Depression Opong (international name: Bualoi).

‘Challenges remain in accessing remote and heavily impacted areas due to damaged infrastructure, as well as in the identification of remains in advanced stages of decomposition,’ the PNP said in a statement on Wednesday.

‘[Nartatez] instructed police responders to help speed up the validation of casualties related to Typhoon Opong,’ it added.

At least 37 were reported dead, 41 were reported injured and 14 were reported missing due to the combined effects of Opong, Super Typhoon Nando (Ragasa) and Tropical Depression Mirasol (Mitag) as of Wednesday, according to the NDRRMC’s latest situational report.

Of the casualties, 33 deaths, 27 injuries and 14 missing persons have yet to be validated by the authorities, the NDRRMC noted.

Opong left the Philippine area of responsibility last Saturday, after making landfalls in Eastern Samar, Masbate, Romblon and Oriental Mindoro.

Who says everyday essentials have to come with everyday high prices? Not at MR.DIY! This September, the country’s favorite one-stop Familyhan store is turning the dial on savings with its first-ever DIYscounted Exclusives promo. Running from September 1-30, 2025, the promotion gives shoppers the chance to enjoy up to 50% off on a wide selection of home must-haves-making everyday living not just simple and joyful, but even more affordable. And here’s the best part: these aren’t just random finds. They’re from MR.DIY BRAND-the retailer’s very own private label, designed with Filipino families in mind. Directly sourced and produced to meet MR.DIY’s quality standards, these products deliver the perfect balance of value, affordability, and everyday convenience-all while staying true to the promise of ‘Always Low Prices.’

Top 5 Must-Buys You Can’t Miss

If you’re wondering where to start, we’ve rounded up five steals from this September”s DIYscounted Exclusives:

Stainless Steel Water Bottle – Stay hydrated on the go with a sleek, durable bottle perfect for school, work, or workouts.

MR.DIY Microfiber Cleaning Cloth – Say goodbye to dust and grime with these household cleaning heroes that make chores a breeze.

Multipurpose Storage Box with Lid – Declutter in style with spacious organizers ideal for keeping your Familyhan neat and tidy.

LED Bulb – Brighten up your home while saving energy-because good lighting doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Travel Neck Pillow – Comfort meets affordability, making this a must-buy for commuters, road trippers, and jet-setters.

With hundreds of items included in the promo, these five are just the tip of the iceberg. Whether you’re stocking up on home basics, school supplies, or lifestyle accessories, MR.DIY BRAND has something for every member of the family.

Shop, Save, and Smile

The DIYscounted Exclusives promo is available in all participating MR.DIY stores nationwide. So the next time you step into MR.DIY, get ready to fill your basket with practical, high-quality finds-all at prices that will make you smile.

Don’t miss it-because at MR.DIY, Always Low Prices just got even lower!

Maynilad Water Services Inc. has cut the maximum offer price for its initial public offering (IPO) to P15 per share from P20 per share after locking in cornerstone investors.

This values the prospective equity deal at P34.33 billion at the most, down from P45.8 billion previously.

It follows the commitment of International Finance Corp. and Asian Development Bank to invest up to $245 million in the concessionaire’s IPO. Maynilad president Ramoncito Fernandez confirmed there were other cornerstone investors, although he stayed mum on the details.

Offer period

Maynilad will announce its final offer price on Oct. 20.

The offer period will run from Oct. 23 to Oct. 29. The shares will be listed on the main board of the Philippine Stock Exchange on or before Nov. 7 under the ticker ‘MYNLD.’

This is the second time that Maynilad has adjusted its IPO timetable, citing the need to give investors more time to assess the company’s business model in order for them to make ‘informed investment decisions.’

The West Zone concessionaire is required to offer to the public at least 30 percent of its outstanding capital stock on or before January 2027 as part of its agreement with the government. /dda

Alex Eala survived a grueling battle against Greet Minnen of Belgium, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 7-5, on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Suzhou Open WTA 125.

Eala, seeded fourth, closed out the marathon round-of-16 match in three hours and 18 minutes after breaking Minnen’s serve for the first time in the deciding set. The Filipino tennis ace struggled to shake off Minnen, who pulled even five times in the third set before Eala strung together back-to-back games to secure the win.

It marked Eala’s second straight long outing in Suzhou. She also needed three sets to beat Katarzyna Kawa of Poland in her opening-round match on Tuesday. Eala raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set, but that proved to be the largest gap for either side as the opening two sets went down to tiebreaks.

In the first-set tiebreak, Eala rallied from a 4-2 deficit, pulled even at 5-all, then won the next two points to take the set.

Eala is seeking a deeper run in Suzhou after her semifinal exit in last week’s Jingshan Tennis Open, where she lost to eventual champion Lulu Sun.

The current World No. 58 faces Viktorija Golubic in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Eala is eyeing a second WTA 125 crown after winning the Guadalajara Open 125 last month.