Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The poor, or the bottom 30 percent of the population, spend most of their limited resources on everyday essentials such as food, house rent, and education.

This was pointed out by Dr. Rogelio Alicor Panao, INQUIRER Metrics data scientist and associate professor at the University of the Philippines, who said that latest data on consumer spending ‘challenges long-held beliefs about Filipino spending habits.’

Panao, in his analysis of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ 2021 Consumer Finance Survey, stated that among the bottom 30 percent, almost three-fifths of every peso, or 58.2 percent is swallowed by essential food.

‘[This is] proof that survival still dictates daily choices,’ he said.

Even the richest 30 percent and middle 40 percent spend half their resources on food. However, ‘the gradual drop’ – 51 percent and 57 percent – ‘shows how rising incomes slowly loosen the grip on the dining table.’

RELATED STORY: Fighting poverty, bridging inequality

‘As earnings climb, families channel more to housing, utilities, and transportation, upgrading homes and gaining mobility,’ he explained, stressing that the wealthiest spend the most on furnishings and maintenance, a quiet signal of comfort and stability.’

Yet education flips the script: the poorest devote 5.7 percent of their budget to schooling – over twice what the richest spend – suggesting that among the poor more particularly, education is the surest escape from poverty.

‘The biggest surprise though appears to be in the pesos spent on life’s little luxuries,’ Panao said, pointing out that contrary to the cliché that the poor waste spare pesos on vices, they actually spend the least on non-essential food and alcohol, just 1 and 1.4 percent respectively.

Middle and upper groups indulge more at 1.9 percent and 2.4 percent respectively.

‘For policymakers, the message should be clear-make food affordable, housing livable, and education accessible. The poorest are not squanderers-they are disciplined survivors fighting to get through,’ he said

Public satisfaction with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s performance rose in the second quarter of 2025, according to the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Tuesday.

The survey, conducted from June 25 to 29, 2025, indicated that the President received the highest gain from those in Balance Luzon and among the 55-year-old and older age group, but his rating remained ‘poor’ among those in the 18- to 24-year-old bracket.

It showed that nearly half, or 46 percent, of adult Filipinos were satisfied with Marcos’ performance, up from 38 percent in April 2025. Thirty-six percent, on the other hand, were dissatisfied, down from 48 percent in the same period. Those who were ‘undecided’ accounted for 19 percent, an increase from April’s 14 percent.

This result translated into a net satisfaction rating of +10 (satisfied minus dissatisfied), which the SWS classifies as ‘moderate.’ It marks a 20-point improvement from the ‘poor’ -10 recorded in April 2025, reversing the steady decline from ‘very good’ +32 in September 2024 to ‘neutral’ +1 in February 2025.

Not numbers alone

Asked for his comment, Marcos appeared to be surprised, saying he was not aware of the improvement in his trust ratings.

‘It’s, of course, nice to note. I didn’t know about that. But now that you tell me, of course I’m glad that it’s that way,’ he told reporters during his visit to Masbate City on Wednesday to lead the distribution of assistance to families affected by Typhoon Opong last week.

‘I guess we just have to keep working. Whatever is happening-whether there’s a storm, a scandal, or unrest-the people always expect the government to continue delivering services, to keep doing its work at every level, both national and local,’ he added.

As public servants, Marcos said, they should be simply working to serve the people, and not be seen as playing games, or engaging in nonsense or politicking.

Gains in all areas

An improvement in the President’s satisfaction ratings was driven by gains across all areas, with the highest recorded in Luzon outside Metro Manila at ‘moderate’ +28, representing a 21-point jump from ‘neutral’ +7 in April 2025.

This was followed by Metro Manila at +1, the Visayas at -2, and Mindanao at -9, all classified as ‘neutral.’ Compared to the previous survey, these reflect increases of seven points from ‘neutral’ -6, nine points from ‘poor’ -11, and 35 points from ‘bad’ -44, respectively.

Marcos’ net satisfaction also improved across both rural and urban areas. In rural areas, it rose by 11 points from -4 to +7, both ‘neutral,’ while in urban areas it climbed by 27 points from ‘poor’ -14 to ‘moderate’ +13.

The President’s net satisfaction rating also rose among all age groups except for those between 18 and 24 years old.

‘Poor’ for Gen Z

Compared to April 2025, net satisfaction with the President among those 55 years and older rose by 23 points from ‘neutral’ +9 to a ‘good’ +32 in the latest survey. It rose six points to ‘neutral’ +5 compared to ‘neutral’ -1 among 45- to 54-year-olds.

For 35 to 44-year-olds, his net satisfaction was at ‘neutral’ +5, up by 18 points from ‘poor’ -13 in April 2025. It also rose by 43 points to ‘neutral’ +4 from ‘bad’ -39 among 25 to 34-year-olds.

Meanwhile, it hardly moved at ‘poor’ -18 from ‘poor’ -19 among the 18 to 24-year-olds, or those from Generation Z.

The survey was conducted among 1,200 adults using face-to-face interviews and had a sampling margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percent for national percentages and plus-or-minus 6 percent for Metro Manila, Visayas, Mindanao, and Luzon outside Metro Manila.

Because no official from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) showed up again for budget discussions at the House of Representatives, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio vowed to push for a significant reduction of the agency’s budget – from P902 million to just P198 million.

Tinio, in his manifestation during Thursday’s session, said that Vice President Sara Duterte’s insistence on not showing up or sending an undersecretary-level official to assist the budget sponsor is an indication that the OVP is not interested in defending their proposed allocation for 2026.

According to Tinio, the move to ask for Duterte’s presence is not about politics, but rather to raise questions and concerns about allocations in OVP – which are also asked of other agencies. And because of this, Tinio said he will move to just give the OVP its proposed personal services (PS) or the allocation for salaries.

‘Again, the point of these discussions is not for politicking; our goal here is to ask legitimate questions, points which we also raised with other agencies. But with this treatment – again, we condemn the disrespect shown by the Vice President to the people, she is seeking a bigger budget for 2026 but the agency chose not to show up to stand and explain their allocation,’ Tinio said in English.

‘That’s why at the proper time Mr. Speaker, I will move to reduce the budget of the [OVP] for 2026, they are asking for a total of P902.895 million for 2026, I will move that it be cut only to the PS component – only the salaries of its personnel. So I will move that the budget be reduced merely to the PS of P198.8 million, at the proper time, since the head of office herself has not deemed it necessary to defend the budget proposal of her office,’ he added.

Tinio said the new figure is based on the belief that OVP personnel are good, but are unlucky to have Duterte as their head of office.

‘Why so? Because the government is obligated, as they remain government employees, to allocate for their salaries, and we also considered the welfare of our OVP employees, we believe that they are honest public servants but they are dragged into the issue because of their head of office’s behavior,’ he added.

Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said that because of Duterte’s actions, she initially thought of proposing to cut OVP’s budget to zero, but she said thinking of the employees prompted her to just push for a budget cut.

‘If she can afford to be showing herself up to the Senate, including being there and applauding the former Senate president in his privilege speech [.] why can she not spare a few moments of her time attending to her official function as Vice President, to defend the budget of her office? Enough is enough, enough of her brattiness,’ de Lima said.

‘So I rise today to manifest my extreme displeasure about the behavior of our Vice President. And in due time, I will move for the decrease in the budget of the [OVP]. I actually intended initially to move for zero budget for the [OVP] [.] but after some mulling, after some reflection, and out of courtesy also and consideration to the personnel and staff of the [OVP], I’m just now thinking of moving for the decrease,’ she added.

De Lima, meanwhile, said that her proposal may be to retain OVP’s PS and the maintenance and other operating expenses.

Before Tinio and de Lima’s manifestations, the proposed OVP budget was once again brought up, as the House seeks to end debates on House Bill (HB) No. 4058 or the General Appropriations Bill (GAB). However, budget sponsor and Palawan 2nd District Rep. Jose Alvarez admitted that no one from the OVP is present to assist him.

Instead, Alvarez showed three letters from Duterte – first, assigning staffers like Assistant Secretary Lemuel Ortonio and others to attend in her behalf; second, notifying the House committee on appropriations that Ortonio has been designated as officer-in-charge due to the leave of absence of Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez; and a set of demands for her appearance at the House plenary.

Part of Duterte’s demands is for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to also show up at the House to defend the Office of the President’s budget.

Best response possible

House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Caloocan City 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice, meanwhil,e believes that not giving a response to Duterte’s hateful messages may be the best response possible.

‘The letter of Vice President Sara Duterte with all due respect reeks of hate and impropriety, considering that the subject matter is simply the proposed budget of her office. Instead of addressing the issue with sobriety and professionalism, the letter reflects the lingering bad blood between her and the House, particularly the 19th Congress,’ Erice said.

‘Our task is to serve the people, not to be distracted by personal grievances or political animosities. The best way forward is simply to ignore the letter, and proceed with the more important task at hand – the approval of the national budget. To ignore the letter and treat it as unimportant is in fact the most professional and dignified way of addressing this matter,’ he added.

OVP’s budget was originally scheduled to be discussed last Tuesday, but it was deferred to Wednesday, due to the absence of an undersecretary-level official to assist the budget sponsor.

This is not the first time that the OVP sent an official that is not of an undersecretary level. Last September 12, at the initial budget hearing before the House committee on appropriations, the panel was forced to reschedule the discussions as Ortonio was the highest-ranked official that Duterte sent.

Budget sponsor and Palawan 2nd District Rep. Jose Alvarez said that Vice President Duterte will eventually show up on September 16 – a promise that she fulfilled.

During the committee hearing, both the Minority and the Majority accorded parliamentary courtesy to Duterte, sparing her from questions by the panel’s members. It was Erice who moved to give Duterte parliamentary courtesy.

Duterte however, waived the parliamentary courtesy given, answering some questions from the Minority solons.

This allowed ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio and Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co to raise questions regarding low obligation rates and the disallowed OVP confidential funds.

Several flights at the Laoag International Airport in Ilocos Norte have been canceled on Thursday due to bad weather conditions brought about by Tropical Storm Paolo, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap).

In its advisory, Caap said the following flights, which are bound from and to Manila, were canceled this Thursday:

Philippine Airlines

PR 2196

PR 2197

PR 2198

PR 2199

Caap noted that a total of 425 passengers were affected by the flight disruption.

‘Affected passengers are urged to coordinate directly with their respective airlines for the latest flight updates and rebooking assistance,’ Caap said.

The aviation authority assured the public that it is ‘closely monitoring the situation and is in constant coordination with airline operators and airport authorities to uphold the safety, security, and welfare of the traveling public.’

Based on the 11 a.m. update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Ilocos Norte, was placed under Signal No. 1 due to Paolo, which was packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 90 kph.

Paolo is forecast to make landfall over Isabela or northern Aurora by Friday morning before crossing Northern Luzon and emerging over the West Philippine Sea.

Though we wish that our country can enable all Filipinos to make a decent living locally, it is nevertheless good to know that the government of the territory nearest us, Hong Kong, recognizes that Filipino domestic helpers provide essential services to its citizens.

Early this week, the HK government announced a welcome raise of 2.2 percent in its minimum allowable wage (MAW) for foreign domestic helpers (FDHs), from HK$4,990 to HK$5,100 monthly.

The law further stipulates that employers provide helpers free food, either in their household or through a monthly allowance of at least HK$1,236 (unchanged from last year).

‘The Government regularly reviews the MAW for FDHs to ensure its level is commensurate with Hong Kong’s economic and labor market conditions,’ says a spokesman.

‘In this year’s review, we comprehensively considered a basket of factors in accordance with the established mechanism, including Hong Kong’s general economic performance and labor market conditions over the past year, near-term economic outlook, affordability of FDH employers, basic living needs of FDHs and views of different stakeholders. Taking into account all the relevant factors in a holistic manner, the Government has decided to increase the MAW.’ Rising wages

The dynamics of employer-employee relations were analyzed in a survey by HelperChoice, a recruitment company connecting both parties, through 1,549 job postings published on its site between August 2024 and August 2025, with the objective of analyzing salary and hiring conditions in the territory.

The mandated minimum wage is one thing, but according to HelperChoice, the average monthly salary in 2025 is HK$5,722, which is a 7.9-percent increase from 2024.

The New Territories gives the highest average monthly wage at HK 5,886, followed by Hong Kong Island at HK$5,807, and Kowloon at HK$5,158.

‘This continued upward trend reflects employers’ growing willingness to offer competitive salaries to attract experienced domestic workers, particularly those already based in Hong Kong, whose paperwork processing is faster and who can often extend their contracts without returning home,’ says HelperChoice.

‘What families value most’

By law, FDHs must live with their employers. HelperChoice’s survey shows that 73.7 percent of employers provide a private room for them, 12.9 percent a shared room with a child, 8.3 percent shared space with another domestic worker, and 5.1 percent shared space with another adult family member, such as an elderly relative.

These signal the increasing trend towards more private living space for FDHs.

‘In 2025, we’re seeing a noticeable shift in what families value most,’ says Raymund Sze, the company’s general manager.

‘Employers are no longer just hiring based on cost, they’re willing to offer higher salaries for helpers with prior Hong Kong experience, child care or elderly care expertise. Convenience and reliability have become top priorities, especially in dual-income households where domestic workers play an essential role in day-to-day family life. Employers are typically willing to increase the salary when renewing the contract with a reliable domestic helper.’

Room for improvement

However, a March 2024 HelperChoice survey found areas for improvement. In interviews with FDHs, ‘several reported that they are ill-treated by the children: they lose credibility when their employer put into question their way of doing in front of the children; some housemaids are admonished because of the children’s behaviors or are held responsible in case the children complain to their parents.’

‘Less than a quarter of the domestic workers are taking care of pets but bites from dogs are unfortunately quite common among pet sitters.’

A third of interviewees said that their employers treated them disrespectfully, shouting at them, making them work long hours, giving them only little or leftover food.

Aside from sufficient wages, FDHs have the right to decent treatment as well.

National University arrived at University of Santo Tomas’ own home floor with something that two previous Tigers opponents didn’t have: familiarity with one Collins Akowe.

For two games, the 6-foot-8 Nigerian-a product of the NU high school program-had bulldozed his way to an average of 24.5 points and 18 rebounds, powering the Growling Tigers to upset wins over defending champion University of the Philippines and last season’s finalist La Salle. But on Wednesday at the Quadricentennial Pavilion, the Bulldogs smothered him into irrelevance.

Akowe finished with just five points on 1-of-7 shooting-his lowest output of the season-and eight rebounds. Without their anchor, UST struggled to sustain its hot start to UAAP Season 88.

It was the Bulldogs that did just that, roaring to a share of the lead with a 76-69 victory, the team’s third straight win.

‘The players really worked hard to get this,’ NU coach Jeff Napa said. ‘I’m happy because they really followed the game plan. They are disciplined to do it, the effort is there-that’s what I always remind them.’

And while the defense was suffocating, it was Jake Figueroa who delivered the clutch blows.

Cold-blooded triple

With UST ahead by one late in the fourth, Gelo Santiago put NU back in front with a layup. Then Figueroa rose for a step-back jumper to make it 70-67 with under two minutes left.

Nic Cabañero kept UST alive with a basket, trimming it to 70-69. But Figueroa wasn’t finished. Off a Tigers turnover, he buried a cold-blooded triple with 38.2 seconds left, the dagger that sealed the triumph.

‘I just took advantage of the responsibility coach gave me,’ Figueroa said. ‘It was something I had to own, so I did my part and it worked out.’

Figueroa finished with 22 points, including nine in the fourth, while also grabbing nine rebounds. Omar John provided muscle inside, posting 10 points, 12 boards, three blocks, three assists and two steals in his battle with Akowe.

The win tied NU with idle Ateneo at the top of the standings at 3-0 (win-loss).

For UST, the defeat marked the end of its perfect start. Cabañero paced the Tigers with 19 points on 8-of-19 shooting, while Amiel Acido broke out with a career-high 18. Mark Llemit added 12 points, five rebounds and two steals, and Forthsky Padrigao chipped in 10 points and six assists.

But without Akowe’s usual dominance, the Tigers lacked the finishing punch against a well-drilled NU squad.

Both teams return to action on Saturday, still at UST’s QPav. The Bulldogs face UP in a battle of contenders at 4:30 p.m., while UST looks to bounce back at 1:30 p.m. against winless UE.

A grand party kicks off a season-long celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Philippine Basketball Association.

The league gets the ball rolling at the green gate of Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, where it will hold a four-hour fans’ day in honor of what the PBA considers its lifeblood. Players will be interacting with the different fan clubs in a meet-and-greet event that also features performances by the PBA’s All-Star band.

Various PBA merchandise is also on sale in the venue.

From Araneta Center, the festivity then shifts to Ortigas later in the night when the league hosts a first-ever fellowship that traces the 50-year history of Asia’s pioneering pro league.

Former and current players have been invited to the celebration at the Meralco Theater along with officials, managers, team staff, members of the press, and PBA employees – all past and present.

Entertainment will be provided by Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, APO Hiking Society, Bituin Escalante, and a host of others as they serenade the guests with songs from 1975 onwards-representing five decades of the PBA’s existence.

Members of the PBA’s 50 Greatest Players and Hall of Famers will also be recognized during the program, according to Commissioner Willie Marcial.

The celebration continues on Sunday when the league holds the annual Leo Awards at Novotel Manila, followed by the ushering in of Season 50 at the Big Dome where the lone opening game between long-time rivals Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia is set.

Marcial said more former players are expected to attend the Sunday gathering.

MANILA, Philippines-Pureblends Corporation said it has all the intentions of putting up a competitive roster in due time for its PBA team that will be known as the Titan Ultra Giant Risers.

Team governor Emil Tiu admitted that Titan Ultra will be up for a tough task ahead of the upcoming season, but plans to build from what it can gain once it treads the difficult waters of the PBA. ‘We know we are a new team and you can’t be a champion team in one year,’ Tiu said during Wednesday’s press conference at Shangri-La The Fort in Bonifacio Global City. ‘But we will look to develop good players within two to three years.’

Titan Ultra does have a solid core led by veteran Calvin Abueva, Joshua Munzon, Cade Flores and Von Pessumal, while also having Ateneo product Chris Koon, taken fourth in the Draft when NorthPort had to take part in the Rookie Draft while the sale was pending approval.

Former Terrafirma coach Johnedel Cardel returns to the sidelines to call the shots for Titan Ultra’s rookie campaign.

The Giant Risers were officially welcomed into the PBA fold during the press conference, a month after Pureblends agreed to purchase NorthPort’s basketball assets for a reported P90 million.

The team was still called NorthPort during tune-up matches, while its players had to wear white shirts during Media Day activities as the Pureblends purchase had yet to be approved.

‘It was approved during the annual meeting [in Las Vegas], they just had to complete some documentary requirements,’ explained league treasurer and Phoenix team governor Raymond Zorrilla.

‘But between NorthPort and Pureblends, they had to agree within themselves. We just needed formality,’ added Zorrilla.

Meanwhile, Titan Ultra is set to make its first official deal with guard James Kwekuteye set to be traded to Phoenix for center Ato Ular.

Cebu officials appealed for help on Wednesday, as food, water, and medical supplies were running dangerously low following a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the northern part of the province.

Hundreds of Cebuanos responded to the call and showed up at the Capitol complex in uptown Cebu City, carrying donations and signing up to help, while the national government and several local governments have also started sending aid.

The province has been placed under a state of calamity, with officials saying they do not know the extent of the damage because many areas, particularly remote villages, have yet to be accessed.

At least 65 were confirmed dead, including three Philippine Coast Guard personnel and a Bureau of Fire Protection officer who perished in San Remigio after they were buried inside a gym that collapsed during a basketball league.

Almost 300 people were reported injured and dozens were feared missing, with these figures expected to rise as rescue operations continue, the Cebu Provincial Information Office said.

The tremor, which struck at 9:59 p.m. on Tuesday, was 17 kilometers northeast of Bogo City-the epicenter of what is now one of the deadliest natural disasters to hit the province in recent memory. It tore through northern Cebu, turning homes to rubble, toppling buildings, and plunging much of the Visayas into darkness, and was felt as far as Camarines Sur in Luzon and Davao del Sur in Mindanao.

Structural damage was reported in hospitals, gyms, and public buildings, prompting safety inspections and mass evacuations. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a full government response and ordered the heads of front-line agencies to immediately go to Cebu to assess the damage and identify the needs of affected communities.

‘Our Cabinet secretaries are already in the affected areas to provide assistance and assess the damage caused by the earthquake and its aftershocks,’ Marcos said in a statement on Wednesday. ‘Dire’ situation

The entire province of Cebu was placed under a state of calamity on Wednesday morning.

‘This declaration is not just a formality. It is a lifeline for thousands. We need to mobilize all available resources immediately,’ Vice Gov. Glenn Soco said.

Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, who was leading disaster response efforts from the ground in Bogo City, described the situation as dire.

‘Many homes and establishments have been destroyed here, especially in Bogo City,’ she said. ‘What we need from the private sector is your help. Things like cooked meals or prepared food for the victims . The most urgent needs right now are food and clean drinking water. Many communities are running out,’ she said.

‘This is a tragedy of unprecedented scale in recent memory,’ Baricuatro said. ‘But we will rise again-together.’

‘Still counting’

Rescuers on Wednesday continued digging through collapsed buildings in Bogo, Medellin and San Remegio, with emergency responders saying they were overwhelmed.

‘We are still counting the dead,’ said Raymond Frasco of San Remegio’s disaster response office.

‘Some areas remain unreachable. We fear more bodies are under the rubble,’ he added.

Some barangays have been rendered inaccessible due to damaged roads and collapsed bridges.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has warned the public to expect aftershocks in the coming days, urging continued caution and adherence to safety protocols.

It has so far recorded at least seven aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 4.1 to 5.1, all centered near Bogo City.

Widespread blackouts

The quake disrupted power and communications across Cebu, Leyte, Samar, Biliran, Bohol, and Iloilo, triggering widespread blackouts.

According to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), 27 transmission lines and substations were damaged, knocking out 1,444 megawatts from the Visayas grid. The Daanbantayan substation near the quake’s epicenter sustained significant structural damage.

The earthquake caused a landslide in Leyte town, cracked bridges in Biliran and Samar, and even forced the evacuation of hospital patients and BPO workers as aftershocks continued into the early hours of Wednesday.

Volunteers needed

Aside from relief goods, Baricuatro said they needed medical personnel to assist in overcrowded health stations and emergency operations.

‘We are calling on medical volunteers-doctors, nurses, anyone who can help-to assist in treating the injured,’ Baricuatro said.

In a Facebook post, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said the Department of Health (DOH) had already deployed medical teams on Tuesday night.

‘Doctors, nurses, and staff of the DOH Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) and the DOH Cebu South Medical Center (CSMC) have reported back on their safety and are now deploying medical teams to nearby areas, especially in Bogo City itself,’ DOH spokesperson Dr. Albert Domingo said in a separate statement.

The Bohol provincial government also committed to sending a 16-member medical and rescue team, two ambulances, and a rescue vehicle, while South Cotabato said it was sending relief goods, hygiene kits, and a medical team from General Santos City.

Bohol Gov. Aris Aumentado also announced on Wednesday that Bohol was donating P5 million in financial assistance. Bohol sustained minimal damage from the earthquake.

‘Bayanihan’ in action

Baricuatro also appealed for manpower in packing, transporting, and distributing relief goods, especially in far-flung barangays that remain difficult to access.

Hundreds of Cebuanos have gathered at the Capitol, among them over 100 medical students from various schools, as well as ordinary citizens without medical backgrounds, offering to help however they can.

Several volunteers have already been deployed to the north to assist with both medical response and logistics.

‘This is what bayanihan means,’ said Capitol staffer Mark Gallarde. ‘People are not waiting to be asked-they are showing up, ready to work.’

‘Adopt-a-parish’

Newly appointed Cebu Archbishop Alberto ‘Abet’ Uy also launched the archdiocese’s ‘Adopt-a-Parish’ initiative on Wednesday, just a day after his installation.

‘As your Archbishop of Cebu, I am appealing to everyone to help however they can for the good of our earthquake survivors,’ Uy said in the local dialect.

The initiative calls on parishes that were spared by the quake to ‘adopt’ and support affected parishes, especially those in isolated northern towns.

‘The Church can help in three ways-through prayer, listening, and financial support,’ Uy said. He also ordered all northern parishes to refrain from holding Masses until buildings have been inspected by engineers.

Three Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel died following the collapse of the San Remigio Sports Complex in Cebu amidst the magnitude 6.9 earthquake on Tuesday evening.

The PCG identified the fatalities as Seaman Second Class Lawrence Palomo PCG, Apprentice Seaman Jujay Mahusay PCG, and Apprentice Seaman Ert Cart Dacunes, PCG.

According to the PCG, the three were brought to the Bogo General Hospital, but were declared dead despite efforts to revive them.

‘We extend our sincere condolences to the families of our fallen personnel. Their dedication to the service and camaraderie with our fellow uniformed men and women will always be remembered. The PCG stands in full solidarity with their loved ones and will ensure that they receive the utmost support,’ PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said. ‘Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez likewise extended his condolences to the officers’ families.

‘Our thoughts and prayers are with Seaman Second Class Palomo, Apprentice Seaman Mahusay at Apprentice Seaman Dacunes. The entire DOTr family commiserates with their families and the PCG family, losing 3 promising personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard.We join you in our sincere prayers,’ Lopez said.

He also recognized the service of the coast guard officers.

‘We are grateful for their faithful service to the people and their duty. [Their families] can be assured of continued support and assistance,’ Lopez added.