Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

With talks of a possible budget cut for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for fiscal year 2026, netizens and observers cannot help but recall the time when former Vice President Leni Robredo was able to effectively carry out her mandate despite a small allocation.

So how did Robredo, who was in OVP from 2016 to 2022, steer her office and even attract private sector engagement through those tumultuous years?

Integrity and credibility may be a factor, Deputy Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said on Friday.

‘During the time of former Vice President Leni Robredo, she was resourceful (with the budget). I think it also goes with the integrity and credibility of the person right?’ Adiong said, when discussing with reporters the possible budget cut on the current OVP, under Vice President Sara Duterte.

‘Vice President Leni Robredo (maximized that) because the trust rating of some of the NGOs (non government organizations) and CSOs (civil society organizations) and private sectors are so high to a point that they are willing to co-operate and assist the office, so that the plans and programs of her office before as vice president will be implemented properly,’ he added.

OVP’s budget under Robredo – which was crafted during the time of Duterte’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte – suffered several cuts, with National Expenditures Program (NEP) versions not breaching the P1 billion mark.

According to the Department of Budget and Management’s Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing for fiscal year 2023, OVP in 2021 proposed a budget of P945.4 million for Robredo’s last year in office. It was then slashed down to P713.4 million under the 2022 NEP – prompting lawmakers to ask that it be increased to at least P1 billion.

Fulfilling mandate

Robredo, several times while she was vice president, noted that a low budget would not hinder her office from fulfilling its mandate.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Robredo and OVP partnered with the private sector to deliver key services – like free bus rides for frontline workers, hot meals, quarantine facilities, mobile testing centers, and a telemedicine platform, which became an important part of triage.

In contrast, Duterte’s OVP received P2.305 billion in 2023 under the NEP – an amount which several lawmakers noted has never been given to Robredo.

In 2024, during discussions for the 2025 budget, OVP was originally allocated a P2.037 billion budget, but lawmakers from the House decided to cut this down to just P733 million due to Duterte’s behavior at hearings – skipping discussions and refusing to answer lawmakers’ questions directly – and revelations that some of its programs suffered from low budget utilization.

While Duterte showed up at the committee hearing on the OVP’s proposed budget, the Vice President and her officials skipped plenary debates. On Thursday, no OVP official appeared to assist budget sponsor and Palawan 2nd District Rep. Jose Alvarez, prompting lawmakers from the Minority bloc to call for the cut on the OVP’s proposed allocation.

House rules call for the head of agency or an undersecretary-level official to be present and assist the budget sponsor.

Instead of showing up, Duterte said she will appear only if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself appears to defend the Office of the President budget, or if lookout bulletins issued against several OVP staffers are lifted.

Retain P700-M allocation

OVP is asking for a P902.8 million budget under the 2026 NEP – slightly larger than the P744.1 million given in 2025. However, if it were up to Adiong, the P700-plus million allocation for 2025 should be retained after Duterte skipped plenary debates again.

‘I think it’s an open-ended discussion, because first of all, her non-attendance actually brought out many sentiments from the members as to why she can’t, up to now, show up at the plenary. So naturally, talagang the issue on the reduction of our budget with definite results,’ Adiong said.

‘So the budget that we had approved is P700 (million), if I’m not mistaken, P700 million. The proposal now is P900 (million). But the proposal, the one that we had approved is I guess 700 million. So I would go with 700 million,’ he added.

According to Adiong – who was the OVP’s budget sponsor in 2024 – Duterte could have defended the increase in their budget if she or an undersecretary just showed up.

‘I believe the increase of P200 million would (be) on the consultancy piece, at saka ‘yong mga additional supplies. So sayang nga lang kasi hindi siya pumunta, you could have at least defended that and explained to the plenary and convinced the members why she needed that P200 (million plus increase. Unfortunately, no explanation at all. That’s why, sa amin, my working draft would still be on the P700 (million),’ he added.

This P700 million will still be higher than ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio’s proposal to significantly reduce OVP’s budget from P902 million to just P198 million.

The alert level in Central Luzon has been raised from blue to red amid the impact of Typhoon Paolo, requiring the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMC) to ‘closely monitor, consolidate, and ensure prompt coordination with the concerned agencies and offices.’

Retired police general Amado Corpuz, chair of the Regional DRRMC in Central Luzon, raised the alert through Memorandum No. 91.

The red alert also required 24/7 operations by RDRRMC members and local DRRMCs.

Various Central Luzon towns were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals 1-3 as Paolo’s center was estimated in Aurora province’s northern town of Dilasag.

As of 2 p.m., Pampanga has 60 flooded villages in the City of San Fernando (2), Sea. Ana (1), Apalit (2), Candaba (2), Macabebe (19), Macabebe (19), Minalin (13), and San Simon (2), according to the Pampanga DRRMC

The ongoing pest infestation currently affecting sugarcane farms in Negros Occidental and neighboring areas calls for sugar importation to avert any potential supply shortage.

This is according to Enrique Rojas, president of National Federation of Sugarcane Planters. Rojas said the group supports the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) projection of lower sugar output for crop year 2025-2026. This was attributed to the prevalence of red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI) and unfavorable weather conditions.

‘This makes it necessary to import but any importation should be judiciously managed in terms of the volume and timing of arrival, so that our farmers will not be placed at a disadvantage against these cheaper, subsidized imported sugar,’ Rojas said in a message.

Rojas also said production in the past crop years has been insufficient to meet the demand for the sweetener.

The SRA estimated that sugar production would decrease by 7.9 percent to 1.92 million metric tons (MT) in crop year 2025-2026. This would come down from the actual output of 2.09 million in the previous crop year.

In Sugar Order No. 1 for the current crop year, the SRA said the potential production decline is due to the RSSI infestation and excessive rainfall in Negros.

With this, the SRA designated all sugar production for the current season for domestic consumption.

Rojas said the RSSI ‘has undoubtedly damaged’ sugarcane crops in Negros. The island accounts for 65 percent of the country’s sugar production.

Hope for recovery

‘Hopefully, after all the RSSI-affected canes are harvested in the early months of the season, our prospective crops can recover and we can produce enough sugar to fill our domestic demand, so that there will be no need for sugar importation in the coming crop years,’ he added.

The SRA reported the first RSSI case in May affecting certain sugarcane plantations in Negros Occidental.

According to the agency, the pest attacks sugarcane leaves and reduces sugar content of infested sugarcanes by as much as 50 percent if not contained. It can cause yellowing leaves, stunted growth and shortened internodes,

In June, the Department of Agriculture allotted P10 million in financial assistance to support efforts to eliminate the pest disease.

The SRA issued an order requiring industry stakeholders to secure a permit before transporting sugarcane plants and planting materials. This is intended to prevent the spread of pests and diseases in sugarcane areas. /rwd

Looking for an all-in-one debit card? The MySSS Card, powered by RCBC DiskarTech and the Social Security System (SSS), is the ultimate game-changer for the hardworking Filipino.

More than just a card, this new 10-in-1 financial bestie can help you manage your SSS benefits while unlocking a suite of banking features. Here’s why it deserves a spot in your wallet:

Rewarding Savings – With every DiskarTech-powered MySSS account, you get to enjoy a rewarding regular savings product that helps you build your long-term goals and meet your short-term goals.

Quick Cardless or Carded Withdrawals: Forgot your card at home? No problem. Generate a QR code via RCBC DiskarTech and enjoy cardless withdrawals at RCBC ATMs nationwide. You can also use your MySSS Debit Mastercard to withdraw at any Bancnet ATMs nationwide.

Shop conveniently with QR-powered payments: Say goodbye to bulky wallets. With the MySSS Card, you can shop or pay for essentials using QRPH-powered payments at thousands of partner stores.

Insurance Options: Insurance is more accessible than ever! Skip long lines and lengthy insurance processes with affordable microinsurance products and promos in the DiskarTech app.

Easy Transportation Payments: Skip the long lines at MRT-3, LRT 1, or LRT 2 stations. The MySSS Mastercard debit card can also be tapped to pay directly for your train fares.

Mobile Loading with Rewards: Load your phone and get rewarded! For every ?50 load purchase, you’ll receive a ?5 cashback. Diskarte meets sulit! Claim rewards too for every successful daily log-in and bills payment.

Upcoming Loan Products and Services: Loan services and products will be on your way! DiskarTech has been offering loan and credit options since its launch, and with MySSS integrated – users are set to enjoy the same experience very soon!

Affordable Bank Transfer Fees: Say goodbye to expensive bank transfer fees. With just Php 8.00 you can send money to any bank and digital wallet in the Philippines, making digital payments part of your everyday routine.

One-Stop-Shop for your SSS Benefits: No more juggling multiple platforms that can be overwhelming. You can access and withdraw your SSS benefits and proceeds all in one place.

Convenient Bank Onboarding: To avail the MySSS card powered by RCBC DiskarTech, applicants must update their MySSS contact details and ensure they have no existing UMID ATM, Pay Card, or DiskarTech account. Onboarding takes only about 5 minutes through the MySSS portal.

The new MySSS card powered by RCBC DiskarTech makes managing your SSS benefits and digital banking easier than ever.

More than these rewarding banking services, your one-stop-shop MySSS card is truly your diskarte bestie in achieving financial wellness.

Check if you are eligible:

MySSS members who are registered in PhilSys and own a PhilSys Number

A qualified SSS member with a MySSS account

MySSS members who have updated their contact details in the SSS portal

MySSS members have no existing UMID ATM/Paycard enrolled in SSS

No active Diskartech account

Must also be 18 years of age, be a Philippine citizen, and hold no U.S. citizenship or residency.

Nicole Scherzinger could not hide her amazement at Palawan’s beauty and expressed how proud she is to have Filipino blood that connects her to such a place.

The Filipino American singer took to Instagram on Thursday, Oct. 2, to share a clip in which she is seen swimming through the island’s clear turquoise waters.

‘Imagine having blood that ties you to a place this breathtaking,’ she captioned the post, tagging it with #Philippines.

In the comments section, the global singer’s celebrity friends expressed how amazed they were by Scherzinger and Palawan’s ‘combined beauty.’

‘Unwritten’ hitmaker Natasha Bedingfield commented, ‘Wow,’ while Kakai Bautista wrote, ‘The Philippines love you.’

Scherzinger, whose father is Filipino and mother is Hawaiian, has long spoken about her pride in her roots.

In past interviews, the former Pussycat Dolls frontwoman said she considers her Filipino side an important part of her identity.

Last year, Scherzinger delighted fans when she casually broke into her hit ‘Hush Hush’ at a dinner, quipping, ‘Tell me you’re a Filipino without telling me you’re a Filipino.’

The 47-year-old performer and actress first made her mark in stardom as the lead vocalist of The Pussycat Dolls, behind chart-topping singles such as ‘Don’t Cha,’ ‘Stickwitu’ and ‘Buttons.’

In June this year, Scherzinger earned critical praise for her powerhouse performance as Norma Desmond in ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ which won her a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. The revival also bagged Best Musical Revival.

Scherzinger previously played Penny (originally played by Cynthia Rhodes) in the 2017 remake of ‘Dirty Dancing,’ the 1987 movie that starred Jennifer Grey and the late Patrick Swayze.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Thursday reported that it has already handed out millions worth of evacuation kits and relief goods to families impacted by Typhoon ‘Opong’ in Masbate, and the devastating 6.9 magnitude earthquake in Cebu. 6

Covering daily deliveries through C130 flights, and the Philippine Coast Guard vessel ‘Gabriela Silang,’ a larger wave of assistance is set to follow by land with a PCSO caravan scheduled to leave Manila Sunday morning on October 5, delivering further aid to both regions.

The caravan will transport substantial quantities of relief supplies to the affected provinces.

Among the resources being dispatched are 11 patient transport vehicles (PTVs) for Cebu, alongside five dump trucks from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) dedicated to carrying essential relief items.

To ensure a steady supply of aid, the convoy will also include at least five wing vans and one bus filled with crucial necessities for the families in need.

Masbate is currently under a state of calamity as it grapples with the aftermath of the typhoon, which has displaced thousands, destroyed homes, and severely impacted agricultural lands.

In Cebu, the magnitude 6.9 earthquake has left over 20,000 individuals displaced, with Bogo City, Medellin, and San Remigio among the most severely affected areas.

Thousands of residents remain in evacuation centers or have been forced to sleep outdoors due to ongoing aftershocks, highlighting the urgent need for immediate assistance.

‘We can not turn away from the suffering of our fellow Filipinos in Masbate and Cebu,’ stated PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles.

‘Our duty is clear: to respond and continue helping until aid reaches every corner of these communities.’

He added that they are committed to supporting those affected by these calamities.

‘Through these efforts, we uphold our principle of ‘Hindi Umuurong sa Pagtulong.’

Pump prices for diesel products show no signs of easing as industry sources estimate another round of hikes on Oct 7.

In an advisory, Jetti Petroleum president Leo Bellas said the diesel prices might go up by 80 centavos to P1 per liter.

Meanwhile, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) estimate for diesel is an increase of about 50 centavos per liter.

For the previous six consecutive weeks, diesel prices had already increased by a total of P5.10 per liter.

Meanwhile, the DOE expects a potential rollback of more or less five centavos per liter of gasoline.

Bellas, on the other hand, sees either an increase or a decrease of 10 centavos for gasoline.

Kerosene prices are also expected to inch up by 25 centavos a liter.

‘Crude oil prices have declined sharply this week due to concerns about a market glut from the prospect of higher OPEC+ production output,’ Bellas said.

‘However, despite the bearish sentiment, Asian diesel market fundamentals remain supported due to shifting of regional flows to the West to meet the demands from the US and Europe as the ongoing autumn refinery maintenances, peak harvest season demand, and Russia’s partial diesel export ban have raised the risk of supply shortfalls,’ he added. /rwd

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the environmental rehabilitation efforts in El Nido, Palawan, were ‘on track’ with its Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recommendations.

Last July, the DILG urged the local government units of El Nido and Coron in Palawan; Siargao, Surigao del Norte; Panglao, Bohol; and Boracay, Aklan, to submit six-month rehabilitation plans for waste management, tourism development, and handling security and health-related issues.

‘The DILG commended the Municipality of El Nido for remaining on track with its comprehensive environmental rehabilitation program, closely aligning with the targets and recommendations set by the DENR,’ the DILG said in a statement on Friday.

The department particularly touted water infrastructure and solid waste management projects in El Nido, including nine communal septic tanks and a sanitary landfill for Barangay New Ibajay.

It further noted that 444 out of 894 commercial establishments in the municipality were now connected to the local sewage treatment plant, with 91 businesses pending application to be connected.

The DILG added that it issued 97 notices of violations for failing regular testing to ensure water quality as part of its rehabilitation measures. (By Janicca Bunao, INQUIRER.net intern)

Flooding is imminent in several parts of Luzon as Typhoon Paolo continues to bring heavy rain this Friday, Oct. 3.

In its 11 a.m. heavy rainfall warning, Pagasa placed Zambales and Bataan under the Orange Rainfall Warning, which means flooding is threatening and residents should be ready to evacuate if needed.

Batangas, Cavite, and several towns in Quezon-Tayabas, Atimonan, Pagbilao, Lucena, Tiaong, San Antonio, Dolores, Sariaya, Candelaria, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Calauag, Lopez, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Buenavista, Mulanay, San Narciso, Catanauan, General Luna, Macalelon, Gumaca, Pitogo, Unisan, Plaridel, Agdangan, Padre Burgos, Polillo, Burdeos, Panukulan, Jomalig, Patnanungan, San Francisco, and San Andres-were under a Yellow Rainfall Warning, indicating possible flooding in flood-prone areas.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila, Rizal, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, and Tarlac, along with other parts of Quezon province, were experiencing light to moderate rain with occasional heavy rain that could persist throughout the day.

Pagasa noted that rainfall could be higher in mountainous areas, with impacts worsened by earlier downpours. /abc

The few holdouts who prefer the paper edition of the Inquirer over the digital version are romantics who like the smell of paper, the smudge of ink on their fingers. While there is a tactile pleasure in reading a newspaper, I prefer digital in my research because I am allergic to book dust. Digital formats can magnify, allowing me to read without my glasses, and it can zoom in to focus on details. Scrolling is faster, more so if a scanned document has optical character recognition. Simply type out a keyword, and everything you need from the text is highlighted.

I have been on the trail of Santiago Artiaga, educated at the University of Michigan and a prewar Manila city engineer, who was later appointed mayor of Davao. City engineers don’t usually make the news these days, unless they are corrupt or a building they approved has collapsed. Artiaga may have lived in the past, but his many trials are issues we see and endure in the present. Artiaga’s misfortune was being earnest; he proposed construction projects that would benefit the greater number but inconvenience a minority who conspired to thwart him. When he proposed to widen streets for the public good, it required a portion of private or commercial land. Lawyers grilled him at public hearings and wore him out in litigation.

City councilors could also create problems; one proposed elevating streets to address flooding. This was in 1931, and the streets chosen were Dapitan and Dimasalang (in the Sampaloc district whose street names made reference to Rizal’s life and works), Trabajo (in a district with street names that reflected Filipino values), Cavite (hotbed of the Philippine Revolution), and finally Washington (hero of the US colonial government). Artiaga opposed the plan because it would prejudice thousands of citizens. Flooding was in the news then and now.

On Aug. 14, 1931, the headline of the Spanish-language newspaper ‘La Vanguardia’ screamed: ‘LA INUNDACION EN ESTA CIUDAD SE EXTIENDE (The flood in this city [Manila] spreads).’ The issue carried photos of flooding from different parts of the city: Escolta, Herran, Jones Bridge, Dasmariñas, etc., where floods were knee-deep. Help was needed in Tondo, and the train service in Luzon was suspended. Former Sen. Sotero Baluyut proposed a great national project against flooding. Baluyut’s plan included the building of dams to contain overflow from rivers. Dams could also channel water for agricultural, commercial, and industrial use. They were talking of a flood control master plan in 1931. We are still talking about it in 2025!

Artiaga was in the news for a sensational trial that eventually acquitted him on the charge of accepting a bribe of P600. Peanuts compared to the billions stolen by crooks in the Department of Public Works and Highways these days. The evidence against Artiaga was an envelope with typewritten text that reads ‘Contiene P600 (contains P600),’ and across it the engineer’s disputed signature. Prosecution rested on the expert opinion of Lieutenant (Lt.) Edwin Andrews, handwriting expert of the Philippine Constabulary. A photo of Andrews in Washington, with Bert C. Farrar, examiner of questioned documents for the US Federal government, was published in the newspapers to bolster his reputation. Artiaga hired the anthropologist H. Otley Beyer of the University of the Philippines, who, on the side, provided expert advice on disputed handwriting to Philippine courts. Beyer maintained that the signature on the bribe envelope was forged. The prosecution argued that Andrews was an impartial expert, while Beyer, who was commissioned by the defendant, was biased.

Beyer’s typed analysis made a dig at the prosecution expert as follows:

‘I may state further that I considered Lt. Andrews a well-trained young man whose qualification to give testimony in handwriting cases need not be questioned. He is, however, still rather young, and perhaps lacks a little of the caution which many years of experience develops in one who handles a large number of these cases. It is quite possible to make mistakes where a single signature-especially a penciled one is involved, as I have myself learned by experience on various occasions.’

I had always known Beyer as an anthropologist and prehistorian, so it was a surprise to find a whole box in the National Library of Australia containing his notes and certifications on forged signatures. I did not know he was a court-recognized handwriting expert, and practiced this sideline until the University of the Philippines got wind of it and forbade him from appearing in court. Beyer’s examination was thorough, commenting on paper, ink, hand pressure, and the distinct ways a person crossed their t’s or dotted their i’s, etc. Comparing questionable signatures with authentic ones, he used both his naked eye and a microscope. It was not the court cases I was interested in. I hoped that this box would contain Beyer’s notes on the disputed Rizal retraction document. Beyer certified the document and signature to be authentic. If Beyer’s case file is hiding in Canberra, I must go back to find it.