Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release P150 million from the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) for the province of Cebu, in addition to P74 million allocated for the municipalities of San Remigio, Medellin, and Bogo City, which were severely affected by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck on September 30.

The President stated that the funds are part of an ‘initial release,’ noting that a full assessment is still being conducted to determine the additional financial support needed in the province’s recovery.

On top of the DBM allocation, the Office of the President will provide P50 million in direct aid. Of this amount, P20 million each will go to Bogo City, San Remigio, and Sogod, while Daanbantayan, Madridejos, and Tabuelan will receive P10 million each.

Marcos visited Bogo City on Thursday to inspect the extent of the destruction and to assure quake-hit communities of immediate government support.

The September 30 earthquake, which registered a magnitude of 6.9, left at least 72 people dead and injured dozens more. The tremor also caused widespread damage to homes, schools, churches, and public infrastructure across northern Cebu.

It was strongly felt in neighboring provinces, including Negros Oriental, Bohol, and Leyte, and prompted thousands of residents to rush out of homes and establishments.

Authorities continue to conduct rescue and relief operations while structural assessments are being carried out to ensure public safety.

Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation, Inc. (CLFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of Cebuana Lhuillier, once again brought disaster preparedness to the forefront through the Disaster Resilience Forum (DRF) 2025. With the theme ‘#ResilientPilipinas, #LahatHandaAtLigtas: A Vision Forged by Action, Fueled by Collaboration,’ this year’s forum served as a national platform to elevate awareness, shape policy dialogue, and mobilize collective action for a more resilient Philippines. The introduction of the ‘Big Wave’ framework is CLFI’s bold move to spotlight emerging threats such as storm surges, sea-level rise, and Manila Trench tsunamis. These hazards, often overshadowed by the ‘Big One,’ now demand equal urgency and coordinated response. Through this initiative, CLFI reaffirmed its commitment to empowering communities and driving proactive preparedness.

At the helm of this advocacy is Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier, emphasized the critical role of barangays in disaster resilience. ‘Resilience begins in every barangay. To truly build a Resilient Pilipinas, we must empower local communities with the tools, knowledge, and partnerships they need to withstand the Big One, the Big Wave, and every challenge in between. Our vision is simple but urgent: lahat ligtas at handa,’ Lhuillier said.

The forum unfolded in three dynamic sessions:

Vision: Shaping a Resilient Future – Led by DOST, PHIVOLCS, DILG, and ARISE, this session called for stronger leadership and barangay-level capacity building.

Action: Empowering Local Champions – Featuring MMDA, OCD-NDRRMC, DSWD, and grassroots leaders, it showcased scalable, life-saving community solutions.

Collaboration: Strengthening Solidarity for Impact – A convergence of voices from the government, academe, NGOs, and the private sector, reinforcing the need for unified efforts.

CLFI Executive Director Jonathan Batangan highlighted the forum’s purpose: ‘More than just heightening awareness and networking among stakeholder-participants, the DRF2025 is a call to action. By placing the ‘Big Wave’ on the agenda, we challenge communities and leaders to look beyond immediate risks and prepare for the realities ahead. True resilience happens when vision, action, and collaboration come together.’

To translate advocacy into impact, CLFI launched a nationwide donation campaign under its Tulong sa Pagbangon program, enabling Filipinos to contribute via digital wallets, QR codes, and coin canisters. CLFI also donated E2G food bars to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), reinforcing its commitment to humanitarian aid. The donation was made possible through Lhuillier’s role as Philippine Ambassador of E2G, a global partner known for its ready-to-eat, nutrient-packed food bars for crisis response.

By sparking dialogue and delivering tangible support, the Disaster Resilience Forum 2025 advanced one shared goal: a #ResilientPilipinasand#LahatHandaAtLigtas.

Not only does Phoenix await the Aces in the WNBA Finals, but so does history.

Las Vegas has the opportunity to become champions for the third time in four years, a feat surpassed only by the Houston Comets, who won the league’s first four titles in 1997-2000 The second-seeded Aces, who won championships in 2022 and 2023, open the best-of-seven Finals by hosting the No. 4 Mercury on Friday.

But minutes after getting past No. 6 Indiana 107-98 in overtime on Tuesday night, coach Becky Hammon wasn’t ready to think about the potential history the Aces can make.

‘I haven’t thought about it,’ Hammon said. ‘We’re just trying to make it through a quarter at a time. Look, we have a special group here. I’m not surprised that they’re here because I know who they are. I know how they’re built.’

The Aces beat the Mercury in three of their four meetings this season, including both in August when Las Vegas was in the midst of compiling its 16-game winning streak to close the regular season. It’s tied with the second-longest streak in league history with the 2014 Mercury. The Aces are making their fourth Finals appearance in six years. They lost to Seattle in the COVID-19 bubble Finals of 2020, but then defeated Connecticut in 2022 and New York in 2023, securing both clinching victories on the road.

In defeating the Liberty, the Aces became the first team since Los Angeles in 2001-02 to win back-to-back titles.

Then this year, A’ja Wilson became the first four-time MVP. She was key to lifting the Aces out of a rut with that late charge in the regular season.

‘When you’ve been in the trenches and you really don’t know what is the problem or you don’t know what’s wrong, you’re trying to figure out answers,’ Wilson said. ‘At the beginning of every season, we write out our goals and our goals are always to win a championship. That’s everybody. But to get there, the road, we weren’t expecting it to look like it is.

As Congress finishes deliberations on the 2026 budget, Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste is proposing that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) cancel or re-price P1.6 trillion of ongoing and upcoming projects to save P400 billion or over P1 billion per day so the government can fund its priority health and education programs.

Leviste’s suggestion arises as DPWH Regional Office IV-A has terminated a P95.99 million flood control contract in Lemery, Batangas that was awarded to Omnicon Builders in June 9, 2025. DPWH Regional Director Jovel Mendoza wrote that the contract ‘is hereby terminated due to change in government policy on the implementation of flood control-related projects,’ and said the contractor would not be paid since it was only recently awarded and the budget could be used for other projects. In August, Leviste and the Lemery local government unit (LGU) questioned the fact the project had no coordination with the LGU, had no building permit, and was not aligned with Lemery LGU’s flood control master plan. Leviste and Lemery LGU found that certain of the project’s sheet piles that were supposed to be 12 meters measured only 6 meters. After this audit, the sheet piles were transported away from the site and the contractor abandoned the project.

The Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184) and DPWH contracts allow for ‘Termination for Convenience’ if the project has become ‘economically, financially, or technically impractical and/or unnecessary, such as, but not limited to, fortuitous event(s) or changes in law and national government policies,’ without any penalty to the government. DPWH contracts also allow for ‘Termination for Unlawful Acts’ if the contractor has committed unlawful acts including ‘corrupt, fraudulent, collusive and coercive practices; drawing up or using forged documents; using adulterated materials, means or methods, or engaging in production contrary to rules of sincere or the trade.’

Leviste points out that DPWH can invoke ‘Termination for Convenience’ as DPWH Regional Office IV-A did in the case of the Lemery flood control project, or ‘Termination for Unlawful Acts’, citing the testimony of former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo that ‘almost 100%’ of DPWH bids are rigged, and the testimony of former DPWH District Engineer Brice Hernandez that ‘all’ DPWH projects in his district need to be substandard because of 25-30% kickbacks that contractors pay to win rigged bids. Leviste has also previously advocated for DPWH to recompute the Detailed Unit Price Analysis (DUPA) to decrease the approved unit prices for future DPWH projects. DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon has committed to reviewing the DUPA and has agreed that the DUPA can be decreased by ‘at least 10 percent,’ with others estimating that larger decreases are possible.

Citing the example of the Lemery flood control project, Leviste suggests that DPWH Secretary Dizon can invoke the applicable grounds for termination on the over P1 trillion of DPWH projects ongoing in 2025, and lower the DUPA for new projects including the over P600 billion of DPWH projects planned for 2026. Leviste estimates that if the government saves an average of 25%, the government could save P400 billion on P1.6 Trillion in projects.

Leviste said: ‘After all the hearings and protests against corruption in DPWH, we must remember there are over P1 trillion ongoing projects and another P600 billion in upcoming projects that DPWH can still do something about: use its grounds to terminate contracts, and lower the DUPA, to save P400 billion from P1.6 trillion in projects. DPWH is continuing to spend on overpriced projects every day, losing over P1 billion per day or P30 billion per month, and it is within DPWH’s power to stop these losses now.’

Independent directors may soon be barred from seeking a longer term beyond nine years as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed a circular setting term limits.

SEC chair Francis Lim on Wednesday told reporters that setting the term limit in stone would allow opportunities for ‘true, meaningful independent directors.’

Under the draft memorandum, independent directors will be elected for a three-year fixed term, meaning they will have security of tenure.

This is to ensure that independent directors ‘with different views’ are protected from sudden removal.

‘To make the independent directors truly independent, we’re giving them a three-year security of tenure . Once voted, they are elected for three years, not just one,’ Lim said on the sidelines of the Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines’ digital library launch. There’s a way out currently

At the same time, however, the chair clarified that they may only be elected for a maximum of three consecutive terms totaling nine years.

After that, they are barred from reelection in the same company.

Current rules state that independent directors are only elected for a one-year term. They may serve as independent directors for up to nine years, although companies may apply for exemptive relief for extraordinary cases.

But once the proposed rules are approved, the term limit would be firm and the SEC would no longer grant extensions, Lim noted.

The circular will take effect immediately, meaning independent directors serving their ninth year in 2026 may not be reelected, and their term will not be extended.

Possible penalty

Companies that fail to adopt the three-year security of tenure and the nine-year term limit may be fined P1 million.

The draft circular is available for public comment until Oct. 15.

Lim earlier pointed out that independent directors whose terms have expired in one company can move to smaller firms and share their expertise while also giving opportunities to other leaders.

The decline in the price of palay (unmilled rice) is a serious issue faced by our farmers. Currently, the price of palay is only ?8/kg, resulting in a massive loss of income for farmers-amounting to over ?250 billion.

This is four times greater than the damage caused by the Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2012. This is not merely a market failure; it is a policy-induced disaster rooted in the structural flaws of the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).

Enacted in 2019, RTL dismantled the National Food Authority’s (NFA) market intervention powers, liberalized rice imports, and exposed Filipino farmers to global price shocks without adequate safeguards.

Despite amendments tripling the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to ?30 billion, the law remains irreparable. Its design privileges importers, weakens domestic production incentives, and undermines national food sovereignty.

A new law is urgently needed-one that restores the dignity of farmers, embeds climate resilience, and reclaims rice as a pillar of Filipino self-reliance.

That law is the proposed Rice Industry Sustainable Development Act (RISDA).RISDA is not a mere policy tweak; it is a systemic overhaul.

It integrates economic, ecological, and institutional reforms to rebuild the rice sector from the ground up. At its core is a commitment to guaranteed procurement, price stabilization, and farmer empowerment.

Under RISDA, the government shall purchase a minimum of 20% of the national palay harvest at a floor price of ?25/kg-adjusted annually to ensure a 30% net return above production cost.

This procurement mandate is not symbolic; it is a strategic intervention to dismantle rice trader cartels and restore market fairness. Drawing lessons from India’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) system and Thailand’s farmer price support schemes, RISDA repositions the NFA as a proactive market stabilizer, not a passive logistics agency.

Beyond procurement, RISDA institutionalizes a robust price support mechanism. It mandates the establishment of a dynamic floor price calibrated to grain yield, inflation, and production costs.

This ensures that farmers earning 5 tons per hectare receive a net income of ?50,000 per hectare per crop-an income floor that reflects both dignity and viability. The NFA is empowered to intervene during harvest seasons, buying palay when market prices fall below the threshold, thereby shielding farmers from predatory pricing.

Moreover, RISDA introduces a rice import parity clause: importers must purchase 60% locally grown rice for every 40% of their import volume.This creates competitive demand for domestic palay and curbs speculative importation.

To prevent price manipulation and hoarding, RISDA enforces strict penalties on profiteering, price gouging, and artificial scarcity. Licensed traders must submit periodic inventory reports, and the NFA, in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), will conduct regular market surveillance.

Public price bulletins and digital reporting platforms will empower consumers to monitor rice prices and report violations, democratizing market oversight.

RISDA also revives the quedan system-a warehouse receipt mechanism that allows farmers to deposit palay in accredited warehouses and use the receipts as collateral for low-interest loans. This delays market disposal until prices improve, reducing vulnerability to post-harvest price crashes.

Cooperatives will manage community warehouses, strategically located near production zones, and participate in buffer stock programs. Blockchain-based tracking and third-party audits will ensure transparency and accountability.

Programs for farmers under RISDA go far beyond input subsidies. The proposed law mandates the construction and rehabilitation of irrigation systems, prioritizing rainfed and drought-prone areas.

Solar-powered and gravity-fed networks will be developed, especially in upland and indigenous communities. Post-harvest modernization is central: drying centers, milling facilities, and climate-controlled storage hubs will be built in strategic municipalities, with cooperatives given priority access to equipment grants.

Farm-to-market roads will be geospatially planned, with 10% of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget earmarked for rice-producing regions.

RISDA embeds climate resilience through agroecological transitionIncentives will be provided to farmers who regenerate soil carbon, adopt low-emission practices, and manage local seed banks.

A national hybrid rice seed independence program will be launched, targeting 50% local seed production coverage within four years. Research institutions and state universities will collaborate with farmer-led organizations to develop climate-resilient varieties, biological pest control systems, and diversified cropping models.

Innovation hubs will be established in major rice provinces to support decentralized, participatory research.

To ensure strategic foresight and policy coherence, RISDA creates the National Rice Sustainability Council (NRSC)-a multi-sectoral body composed of government agencies, farmer cooperatives, academics, civil society, and local governments.

The NRSC will develop a National Rice Industry Roadmap, harmonize efforts across stakeholders, and monitor rice production, supply, and food security status.

Subcommittees on agroecology, seed systems, market development, and data systems will provide technical depth and ensure evidence-based policymaking.

RISDA’s buffer stock policy is aligned with international best practices. A 90-day rice reserve will be maintained to safeguard against supply disruptions, price volatility, and emergencies.

Regional reserves will be established in disaster-prone areas, and replenishment will prioritize domestic procurement. Responsible importation may supplement stocks when necessary, but never at the expense of local farmers.

Funding for RISDA will be sourced from the General Appropriations Act (GAA), with a recommended allocation of 10% of the national budget for rice sufficiency, as advised by the UN FAO.

Government corporations will be mandated to buy palay at the guaranteed floor price, ensuring a minimum 30% net return above production cost.

Investments in agricultural RandD, climate-resilient infrastructure, and cooperative capacity-building will be scaled up to secure long-term food sustainability.

In sum, RISDA is a forward-looking, systems-based reform that redefines rice governance in the Philippines. It corrects the structural failures of RTL, restores the procurement mandate of the state, and embeds farmer dignity, youth empowerment, and climate resilience into national policy.

It draws lessons from Asia’s leading rice producers-Vietnam, Thailand, India, Pakistan, and China-while rooting its architecture in Filipino realities. RISDA is not just a legislative proposal; it is a moral imperative and a strategic necessity. The time to act is now.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday said that there are efforts from the camp of Sen. Mark Villar to set up a meeting, but added that he has yet to respond, saying that his preference for all official communications and proceedings to be handled ‘transparently, officially, across the board.’

‘I still don’t have a response, as I’d rather everything be done through official channels. This ensures it’s handled transparently, officially, and consistently across the board, leaving no room for accusations,’ Remulla told reporters.

Remulla said there is a necessity to thoroughly review documents related to whatever issues the senator’s camp wants to discuss.

‘We have to get all the records.You know we have a lot of work here, and we have to deal with each one of them carefully,’ Remulla said, stressing the need to exercise due diligence.

Remulla earlier stated that a preliminary probe is being conducted into Villar’s connection to the P18 billion infrastructure contracts awarded by the government to his cousin.

Villar already denied his link to the P18 billion contract.

‘Let me be unequivocal: I have no direct or indirect ownership or controlling interest in any company participating in DPWH projects. The official record will confirm that none of my relatives acquired any contracts from 2016 to 2021, during my tenure as Secretary,’ the senator said.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) continues its investigation into the anomalous flood control projects.

On Thursday, DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara returned to the DOJ for further interview.

Five ships and 10 K9 teams have been deployed to Cebu to assist in search and rescue operations for victims still missing after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province on Sept. 30, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan said ships carrying doctors and medics have been dispatched to Cebu since the quake occurred.

‘We sent responders, five ships, and 10 K9 teams to assist in search operations for those who are missing. We also deployed desalinator machines to evacuation centers in Cebu,’ Gavan told reporters aboard the BRP Gabriela Silang on Thursday.

‘We also sent doctors, nurses, medics, and communication specialists to help local government units recover more quickly and provide assistance for ongoing activities,’ he added.

According to the latest data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), 72 people have died due to the magnitude 6.9 earthquake.

The agency also reported 294 injuries, although all figures remain subject to verification. No missing persons have been recorded.

The NDRRMC added that assessments of damaged infrastructure are ongoing as search and rescue operations continue.

As of 7 a.m. Thursday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded 2,613 aftershocks.

At least 34 police stations and two police headquarters in Cebu were damaged in the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

Although the PNP could not specify all the affected stations and headquarters, PNP Community Affairs Division Chief Col. Esmeraldo Osia Jr. said in a briefing at Camp Crame on Thursday that the stations were in northern Cebu, near the quake’s epicenter.

The tremor hit 19 kilometers northeast of Bogo City on Tuesday night, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Osia said one of the damaged headquarters was the Cebu Provincial Police Office in Cebu City.

Osia said the stations and headquarters had ‘cracks in their walls,’ while the Directorate for Police Community Relations Deputy Chief Brig. Gen. Antonio Marallag Jr. noted ‘varying degrees of damage.’

‘We are deploying teams of PNP civil engineers supported by experts from the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers to conduct a detailed and comprehensive assessment. The assessment is scheduled to begin tomorrow,’ Marallag said.

He added that six PNP mobility assets were damaged but that communication equipment remained operational.

Marallag further said 36 uniformed PNP personnel and one non-uniformed personnel from the Police Regional Office Central Visayas (PRO 7) reported that their homes were affected by the tremor.

He added that the PNP has not received any reports of violence or looting following the earthquake and that Central Visayas police increased their deployment from 1,356 to 2,250 officers to support relief and rehabilitation efforts.

At least 72 individuals were reported dead and 294 were reported injured, according to the latest National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) situational report on Thursday morning.

However, the NDRRMC noted that these casualties have yet to be validated.

The Land Transportation Office in Western Visayas (LTO-6) has relieved two of its traffic enforcers after a viral video showed them overtaking on a double solid yellow line at a bridge in Barangay Balantang, Jaro, Iloilo City.

The video, uploaded on Facebook by radio station manager Jay Balnig, quickly spread online, drawing more than 300 reactions, 201 shares, and 110 comments as of press time. Netizens blasted the officers for violating the traffic rules they are sworn to enforce.

‘They catch violators, but they themselves are worse,’ one commenter wrote in Hiligaynon. Another said, ‘There should also be a show-cause order for the driver. If he can’t explain, his license should be revoked. That’s only fair.’

Some expressed frustration over claims that the enforcers were in a blinker vehicle.

‘If an ordinary person commits a violation, it’s considered wrong. But for them, it’s not-because they are supposedly protected by the law,’ another user commented.

According to the LTO, a double solid yellow line means that overtaking or lane changing is strictly prohibited. The markings, often placed on bridges and highways, are designed to prevent accidents and separate vehicles moving in opposite directions.

An LTO 6 vehicle veers through a no-crossing lane, prompting questions about traffic enforcement. (Photo: Jay Balnig)

LTO-6 regional director Atty. Gaudioso P. Geduspan II confirmed on Wednesday that the two officers had been relieved from their posts pending investigation.

‘Obviously, as shown in the video, there is a clear lapse of judgment when they maneuvered an illegal overtaking on roads with pavement markings such as solid yellow lines, which indicate no overtaking,’ Geduspan said.

He added that a Show-Cause Order will be issued, requiring the two to explain their actions as part of due process. The agency’s Intelligence and Investigation Unit will conduct a full probe and recommend appropriate sanctions.

‘If culpability is found, the appropriate administrative penalties will follow,’ Geduspan emphasized.

‘No one is above the law’

While withholding the officers’ identities, Geduspan underscored that the LTO will not shield erring personnel from accountability.

‘No LTO personnel are exempt from enforcement of traffic rules,’ he said. ‘Our enforcers must uphold them first before they can expect the public to comply.’

He added that internal monitoring is being tightened to prevent similar lapses, stressing that discipline within the ranks is crucial to credible law enforcement.

‘The rules apply to everyone,’ Geduspan said. ‘No one is above the law