Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Jaja Santiago-Minowa finished with 19 points in her debut with Creamline in the PVL Invitational Conference on Monday. She scored 17 from 30 attacks and also had a block and an ace.

A warning to the rest of the field: She’s still adjusting to her team’s system.

‘I’d say I’m around 70 percent. It’s really me who needs to adjust because this is their system and I’m the one who came into the team. I still need to learn more about our blocking system and defense,’ said Minowa in Filipino. ‘But I don’t think it’s that difficult because I’ve been training with them for about two months now. I think we’re getting there, and hopefully throughout this Invitational, everything will connect.’

When that everything connects, Santiago-Minowa expects the Cool Smashers to be better than they were when they fended off Nxled, 25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

One of the things the 6-foot-5 ace hopes to improve is her connection with setter Kyle Negrito, who dished out 31 excellent sets on top of six points.

‘I think with Kyle, we’re getting there. We’re finding the connection that we’re looking for. In crucial moments, though, it’s not only her who needs to adjust. Sometimes her sets go lower, but sometimes I also get too close to the net. So both of us really need to work on that connection, especially in crucial moments,’ said the Filipino-born, Japanese citizen.

‘And it’s not just me and the setter. Everyone needs to adjust and connect with Coach Sherwin’s system. I think we just fell short in the crucial moments today, especially in stopping our errors.’

The 6-foot-5 middle blocker is just honored to be on the same team as her fellow PVL MVPs Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza, Tots Carlos, and Michele Gumabao under eight-time champion coach Sherwin Meneses.

‘Joining Creamline wasn’t really difficult for me because, like Coach Sherwin said, we all practice and perform together. What’s good about this team is that no one is above anyone else. Everyone is equal on the court,’ said Minowa.

‘They’re also very good at handling new and old players. They adjust quickly, and no one gets left behind. When I joined Creamline, it wasn’t difficult for me to adjust. And as an experienced player, I would never look down on them because I’m still learning too. I always say I’m not a perfect middle, so whatever they can teach me and whatever I can share with them, it’s give and take.’

Galanza backstopped Minowa with 17 points, 14 digs, and 11 excellent receptions. Tots Carlos had 14 points, while Alyssa Valdez had 13 points and 12 receptions.

The Cool Smashers eye their second win against Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

Jonah Sabete-Escamillan and EJ Cariño led the Chameleons’ win in the third set, as they continued to miss Brooke Van Sickle due to a shoulder injury.

Escamillan had 20 points, 25 receptions, and 11 digs. Cariño had 18 points, while MJ Phillips added 11.

Nxled seeks a bounce-back against defending champion PLDT on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has refunded P19 billion in loan payments to more than 700,000 members as of end-August, putting it on track to breach the P20-billion mark ahead of the program’s deadline next month.

In a statement on Tuesday, GSIS said the refunds under the Balik Ginhawa programs covered nearly 1.3 million loan contracts.

The initiative released P19 billion in total, with P8.9 billion from Balik Ginhawa 1 and P10.1 billion from Balik Ginhawa 2.

The latest figure came nearly a month after GSIS said it had returned more than P18 billion in loan amortizations to qualified members and pensioners under the two programs.

GSIS first launched the program in April covering December 2025 to February 2026 payments, then expanded it in July to include March to May 2026. The program allows qualified members and pensioners to receive refunds for up to six months of eligible loan amortizations.

The enhanced program will remain open for applications until Oct. 31.

Unlike a traditional loan moratorium, regular loan deductions continued under the program, with qualified borrowers receiving refunds for eligible payments instead.

For instance, a government employee paying P20,000 a month in loan amortizations could receive the equivalent of up to P120,000 in refunds for six months of covered payments.

‘Balik Ginhawa is about putting money back into the hands of our members and letting them decide where their families need it most. That can make a real difference in a family’s life,’ GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso said.

‘We want every qualified member to benefit. There is still time to apply for Balik Ginhawa 2, and we encourage our members not to wait until the last minute,’ Veloso added

POCO, a leading technology brand among young tech enthusiasts, today unveiled POCO F9 Ultra and POCO F9 Pro, continuing the F Series’ legacy in the premium flagship market. Built for ultimate performance, POCO F9 Series delivers a major technological leap in gaming and brings all-round upgrades in display, imaging, and battery life, showcasing flagship excellence on every front. During the launch, POCO also announced the next chapter of its partnership with Bose, a global leader in audio, to deliver clear, immersive, and high-quality mobile audio experiences to users worldwide.

‘As POCO continues to strengthen its position in the premium flagship segment, we remain focused on challenging conventions through technologies and innovations,’ said Kang Lou, Senior Product Marketing Manager and Spokesperson at POCO Global. ‘With POCO F9 Ultra, we’re delivering ultimate performance through cutting-edge technologies and gaming innovations, while POCO F9 Pro brings together flagship gaming power and a well-balanced, versatile experience for more users. Together, POCO F9 Series is designed to meet the expectations of a more demanding and diverse audience, delivering peak performance and exceptional value.’

Ultra Performance Unleashes 185FPS Gaming Dominance

Performance stands at the core of POCO F9 Series, with its flagship dual-chip architecture raising the performance bar for all-round flagships. Both devices are built on Qualcomm’s latest flagship mobile platforms, delivering unmatched performance and speed across intensive multitasking, demanding workloads, and gaming. Leading the lineup, POCO F9 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon® 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform and delivers an impressive AnTuTu score of 4,165,108-the highest ever recorded on a POCO smartphone. Taking charge of visual processing, for the first time in F Series, both models pair their flagship processors with the dedicated VisionBoost D8 chipset, enabling Smart frame rate at up to an industry-leading 185FPS. Moreover, Smart frame rate and AI Super resolution can run simultaneously, delivering smoother motion and sharper detail for a more lifelike gaming experience. POCO F9 Ultra also features ultra storage up to 1TB, providing ample space for all the games, apps, and media content without compromise.

Beyond hardware, POCO F9 Series integrates WildBoost Engine to further elevate the gaming experience. A standout capability is support for gaming at an ultra-high 185FPS. Compared with 120FPS, it delivers 65 more frames per second, and a refresh interval shortened by 3ms, allowing users to spot enemies earlier and react faster. This extreme fluidity is available natively across over 20 titles, while 5 additional games can reach 185FPS³ through Smart frame rate. Complementing this, Game Color Enhancement further enables precise tuning of game visuals for vivid graphics and enhanced scene details. Matching these visuals, a 4,800Hz instant touch sampling rate, 480Hz 10-point touch sampling rate, and an ultra-high 200Hz gyro sampling rate translate every tap, swipe, and tilt into fast, precise control.

POCO 3D IceLoop cooling system rounds out the performance experience, helping the entire lineup remain smooth and stable for longer-even during demanding gaming sessions.

Immersive Visuals, Refined by Design

POCO F9 Series features ultra-high 185Hz POCO HyperRGB AMOLED displays, delivering exceptionally fluid visuals across various scenarios. POCO F9 Ultra opens up the experience on an expansive 6.9-inch screen, while POCO F9 Pro packs the same flagship display technology into a more compact 6.59-inch form factor for comfortable handling. At the heart of both displays is POCO HyperRGB technology. Its full RGB subpixel structure makes full use of every red, green, and blue subpixel to deliver crisp, vibrant visuals comparable to a 2K display, while consuming less power. The lineup also marks the global debut of the new M11 luminescent material, enabling up to 4,500 nits of peak brightness across multiple scenarios and 10,000 nits for HDR content, bringing dazzling highlights, deeper contrast, and finer detail to every scene.

Comfort matters as much as clarity. POCO F9 Series introduces Xiaomi Vision Care, POCO’s first comprehensive eye care solution, achieving TÜV Rheinland Quadruple Eye Care certification. Whether it’s a long reading session, back-to-back videos, or a late-night scroll, POCO F9 Series helps to ease eye fatigue.

Both models embrace a refined, premium design language with a sophisticated look and feel. POCO F9 Ultra introduces a dynamic light on the back, offering personalized effects for incoming calls, notifications, gaming, and music, while giving the device a distinctive visual signature. POCO F9 Pro brings POCO’s first full-panel luminous design to the Aurora Green variant, producing a soft, even glow in darkness after exposure to sunlight or indoor lighting, and allowing users to create their own luminous patterns with a blue-violet laser pointer.

Sound by Bose Technology: Deepening the Partnership for Premium Mobile Acoustics

POCO F9 Series takes the premium audio experience further through state-of-the-art hardware and software, as well as joint acoustic tuning powered by Sound by Bose technology. POCO F9 Ultra combines dual symmetrical 1115D master-grade stereo speakers with an ultra-large 1620 independent subwoofer to create a true 2.1-channel audio experience, delivering a more stable sound image, deeper bass, and a wider soundstage. Alternatively, POCO F9 Pro features dual symmetrical 1115F super-linear stereo speakers paired with a Sealed Cavity Design, producing rich midrange, crisp high frequencies, and finely rendered detail across the full frequency range.

Beyond hardware, two professionally tuned sound profiles are available across the lineup, offering distinct listening experiences: ‘Dynamic’ for authentic and full bass character, and ‘Balanced’ for overall balanced and pure vocals. Furthermore, Sound by Bose powered tuning delivers detailed sound at low volumes and distortion-free sound at high volumes, restoring an authentic listening experience at every volume level.

This collaboration also brings a new mobile gaming experience to both devices with the all-new Game audio mode. It increases footstep loudness for clearer directional awareness, while retaining the layered detail of gunfire, voices, and other in-game effects. As a result, players can identify critical audio cues more easily, pinpoint their direction more accurately, and stay fully immersed in the game.

Ultra Battery Capacity Meets Full-Speed HyperCharge

POCO F9 Series delivers exceptional real-world endurance engineered for power users. POCO F9 Ultra features the largest battery ever in the POCO F Series-a class-leading 8,050mAh (typ) battery with 16% silicon-carbon content that ensures high energy density in a streamlined form factor, providing reliable 2-day battery life. POCO F9 Pro houses a substantial 6,330mAh (typ) battery, ensuring all-day battery life while maintaining a compact profile.

The versatile HyperCharge system combines 100W wired and 50W wireless HyperCharge across the entire lineup, delivering rapid power recovery. Both models also support industry-leading 27W wired and 22.5W wireless reverse charging, turning the phone into a convenient power source for other devices.

POCO’s First 200MP Ultra-Clear Imaging with Flagship Versatility

Taking a major step forward in imaging, POCO F9 Series introduces POCO’s first-ever 200MP ultra-clear camera system, equipped with OIS across both models. A dedicated 200MP mode captures exceptional detail, unlocking greater creative freedom in cropping, reframing, and post-capture editing. Complementing the rear setup, a crisp 32MP front camera ensures every self-portrait remains sharp and refined.

For long-range shooting, POCO F9 Ultra features a flagship 5x periscope telephoto camera that brings distant subjects into sharp, effortless focus. Together with 10x lossless zoom and 20x AI Ultra Zoom, it captures sharp, jitter-free detail across every scenario. Alternatively, POCO F9 Pro features a 50MP 2.5x floating telephoto camera that focuses from as close as 10cm, moving effortlessly from super macro close-ups to faraway landscapes. Across the entire lineup, Live cinematography brings a cinematic touch to video with 4K ultra HD capture, automated focal transitions, and fluid lens shifts that turn everyday moments into compelling visual stories.

Product availability

The POCO F9 Series is available through Shopee, with the Early Bird promo running from September 1-16, 2026, which comes with a FREE REDMI Buds 8 Active, 1+1 Years Warranty and up to 6 months screen replacement when you go to any Xiaomi Service Center. On top of the Early Bird Promo, users may avail of the Shopee Rebate and get save even more.

POCO F9 Ultra is available in two colors: Dark Cherry and Black, and comes in three variants:

12GB+256GB: Php 55,999 SRP | Php 45,999 Early Bird Price | Php 41,920 with Shopee Rebate

16GB+512GB: Php 59,999 SRP | Php 48,999 Early Bird Price | Php 44,600 with Shopee Rebate

16GB+1024GB: Php 89,999 SRP | Php 79,999 Early Bird Price | Php 73,600 with Shopee Rebate

POCO F9 Pro is available in three colors: White, Aurora Green, and Black, and comes in two variants:

12GB+256GB: Php 49,999 SRP | Php 33,999 Early Bird Price | Php 30,600 with Shopee Rebate | Php 29,300 with Lazada Rebate

12GB+512GB: Php 54,999 SRP | Php 35,999 Early Bird Price | Php 32,400 with Shopee Rebate | Php 31,500 with Lazada Rebate

*Availability may vary by countries/regions, you may consult third-party shopping websites for more purchasing options.

*Available storage and RAM are less than the total memory due to storage of the operating system and software pre-installed on the device.

Price and availability vary between markets and sales channels. Please refer to mi.com for product availability and detailed regional sales information.

House Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ G. Dy III rallied members and employees of the lower chamber on Tuesday to continue working together to build a ‘Bagong Kongreso,’ a better Congress that would restore public trust in the institution.

Dy made the statement during a surprise birthday activity organized by House leaders, officials, and employees.

‘Mapalad po ako sapagkat ang mga naging kasama ko ay hindi tayo sumuko – lumaban tayo. Lumaban tayo ibangon ang Kongreso. Salamat sa tiwala,’ Dy said.

(‘I’m lucky for having you with me, and we did not surrender – we fought. We fought to lift Congress. Thank you for your trust.’)

The speaker, who turned 65 on Aug. 31, stressed that much work remained to be done and urged everyone in the House to remain committed to doing what is right and rebuilding confidence in Congress.

‘Mahaba pa ang laban natin. Nakakapag-umpisa pa lang tayo. Pero dapat lalo nating ipaglaban ang tama at ipaglaban natin na ibangon ang Kongreso sa tulong ng bawat isa,’ said the House chief.

(‘We have a long battle ahead. We have just started. But we have to fight more for what is right, and we have to help each other fight to raise Congress.’)

‘Palakasin pa natin yung ating paniniwala na kayang-kaya nating ibangon ang Bagong Kongreso,’ he said.

(‘Let’s strengthen our trust in each other that we can raise the New Congress.’)

Since assuming the speakership, Dy has pushed for a ‘Bagong Kongreso’ anchored on transparency, accountability, institutional reform, and concrete results for the Filipino people.

He has consistently stressed collective responsibility for strengthening Congress, calling for members and employees to put public service and the welfare of the people above political and personal differences.

Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda asserted that she is ‘focused on disaster response’ instead of minding criticisms over her wearing a branded raincoat while inspecting a damaged dike in Lubao town.

She made known her priority after apologizing in a television interview on Monday night.

‘Kung nagkamali kami sa ganoong attire namin, sorry,’ the governor said, referring to herself and her son, Vice Gov. Dennis Pineda.

(If we made a mistake in wearing such attire, sorry.)

She said she respected her critics’ opinions, adding that their comments were a ‘wake-up call to me.’ She added that she and her son do not wear branded clothes every day.

On social media, several netizens accused the Pinedas of being insensitive to the poverty around them. Some comments were disrespectful and below the belt.

Supporters of Pineda, called by locals ‘Governor Nanay,’ took to social media to defend her, citing her programs on health, education, agriculture and job creation.

‘It is my mandate to focus now on disaster response. I cannot be distracted. I need to prioritize the delivery of services to 296 flooded villages in 19 local towns and the capital and 1.2 million people,’ the governor told the Inquirer in a phone interview.

The Pampanga Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported P1.3 billion in losses to crops, fisheries, machinery and facilities.

Paul Pangilinan Corpus, an educator who finished his degree under the Capitol’s scholarship program, posted his observation that ‘trolls were at work’ against the Pinedas because they had ‘almost uniform content,’ referring to a common pubmat (card) and captions. ‘Some showed to be valid remarks,’ Corpus said.

Reached by phone in San Simon, where a flood retention wall was breached, Vice Gov. Pineda declined to comment on the criticisms.

‘Nagseserbisyo po kami ni Governor Nanay sa mga Kapampangan. Sana yun po ang makita nila,’ he said.

(Governor Nanay and I are serving our fellow Kapampanga. I hope that’s what they see.)

Pampanga was the ‘hardest hit’ province by the monsoon rains and recent typhoons, according to Office of Civil Defense Administrator Undersecretary Harold Cabreros, who conducted an aerial inspection on Monday.

The Senate finance committee may reassign the agencies currently under the watch of Sen. Loren Legarda to other vice chairpersons if she remains on extended medical leave for the remainder of the budget hearings, panel chairperson Sen. JV Ejercito said Tuesday.

According to Ejercito, Legarda was informed of her assigned agencies and departments, which primarily concern culture, history, and the environment.

‘I did get a response from her, but we will see. She’s on extended medical leave. But if it really can’t be managed, then we will just make the proper adjustments,’ he said in a press briefing.

Legarda is among the eight vice chairpersons of the finance committee, which is tasked with scrutinizing the proposed 2027 national budget.

Legarda first filed a medical leave on Aug. 3, days after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced that she, her son, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, and former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi were being investigated for plunder and graft.

The investigation concerns projects that Leviste’s solar power company committed to undertake but allegedly failed to accomplish under the franchise awarded by the government.

Since then, Legarda has filed medical leaves on Aug. 3 to 5, Aug. 11 to 12, and Aug. 17 to 19, later extending the last one until Sept. 2.

She just said ‘Thank you’

When asked whether Legarda had communicated when she would return, Ejercito said he had no additional information.

‘When I last texted her, when I sent her the agencies and departments assigned to her, she just said thank you. She didn’t mention anything else for now. All I know is that she’s on extended medical leave,’ he said.

Ejercito said the committee would make the necessary adjustments if Legarda is unable to participate in the budget hearings.

‘Perhaps we will have to divide the agencies among the different vice chairmen just in case she is unable to attend because of her medical leave,’ he added. ‘If there really is no choice, and if I am not the one to handle them, I will ask the other vice chairpersons to take on some of the agencies because it really won’t be manageable.’

Schedule of budget hearings

The possible reassignment comes as the Senate prepares for the September-October budget season, with the finance committee set to hold hearings throughout the two months, possibly simultaneously with plenary sessions, Ejercito said.

For the duration of the hearings, Senate rooms will be largely reserved for the panel’s proceedings.Other Senate committees would hold their hearings at the Philippine International Convention Center.

By November, the finance panel aims to have begun drafting its committee reports, Ejercito said.

The Inquirer sought comment from Legarda’s camp regarding the matter but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

Around 500 residents, farmers and fisherfolk in Bulacan on Monday waded through floodwaters to protest corruption in ‘flood-control projects.’

They are also opposing the reclamation initiative that reportedly ‘worsened’ the flooding in the province.

The flooding in Bulacan-known as one of the most flood-prone areas in the country-as well as in other provinces, is caused by the southwest monsoon, or ‘habagat,’ which is being enhanced by Tropical Depression Pilandok.

Led by the anti-corruption alliance Kilos Bulacan, members of the fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), the farmers’ group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), and the rural-based group Anakpawis marched through the City of Malolos to hold the protest on Monday.

Their action coincides with National Heroes’ Day.

According to KMP Chairperson Danilo Ramos, also a Malolos resident, the province’s residents ‘have long endured the repeated flooding caused by these useless, anomalous flood-control projects.’

‘While corrupt officials and big corporations plunder the public funds and our environment, ordinary people suffer,’ Ramos emphasized in a statement.

‘We demand justice in the form of genuine mitigation measures, accountability, and appropriate compensation for this systematic disaster that caused unmeasurable losses,’ he noted.

Meanwhile, Pamalakaya Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo noted that the reclamation project, New Manila International Airport (NMIA), in Barangay Taliptip, Bulakan, Bulacan, has led to ‘critical risks of flooding and subsidence, threatening its long-term viability.’

Pamalakaya cited a study by the nongovernment organization Global Witness, which warns that ‘rising sea levels and storm surges could render the airport unusable within decades.’

The group also pointed out that the 2,500-hectare project displaced almost 1,000 fishing families in Barangay Taliptip and uprooted over 600 mangrove trees.

‘The protest launched by residents, farmers, and fishermen in Bulacan is timely. We once again call for justice and accountability for all those involved in the anomalous and botched flood control, as well as the widespread plunder of nature that is submerging communities,’ Arambulo remarked.

Echoing these sentiments, Anakpawis Coordinator Glo Fernandez urged the Bulacan provincial government to heed their constituents’ call for an ‘immediate solution’ against flooding.

‘It has been more than a year since the anomaly in flood control broke out. But until now, many sectors remain vulnerable to flooding,’ said Fernandez.

‘Both politicians involved in the anomalous flood control and the big corporations that destroyed the environment must be held accountable,’ she stressed.

Heavy rainfall is expected in 18 provinces in Luzon on Monday due to the southwest monsoon, or ‘habagat,’ which is being enhanced by Tropical Depression Pilandok, the state weather bureau reported.

Based on its 5 a.m. heavy rainfall outlook, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said heavy to intense rains, or around 100 to 200 millimeters (mm) of rainfall, is expected to drench the following areas this Monday:

Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Sur

La Union

Abra

Pangasinan

Benguet

Zambales

Bataan

Tarlac

Pampanga

‘Numerous flooding events are likely, especially in areas that are urbanized, low-lying, or near rivers. Landslide likely in moderate to highly susceptible areas,’ Pagasa said.

Meanwhile, moderate to heavy rains, or around 50 to 100 mm of rainfall, are expected over the following areas:

Batanes

Apayao

Kalinga

Ifugao

Mountain Province

Nueva Vizcaya

Nueva Ecija

Bulacan

Under this condition, localized flooding is possible mainly in urbanized, low-lying or riverside areas, and landslides may occur in highly susceptible areas.

‘Forecast rainfall may be higher in mountainous and elevated areas, the weather bureau said, noting that impacts in some areas may be worsened by significant antecedent rainfall

Pagasa advised the public disaster risk reduction and management offices in the mentioned areas to take all necessary measures ‘to protect life and property.’

In a separate weather advisory on Monday morning, Pagasa reported that Tropical Depression Pilandok had slightly intensified while moving almost stationary over the Philippine Sea east of extreme Northern Luzon.

The tropical depression is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has relieved a maintenance chief following reports of delayed response to calamities, as heavy rains continued to trigger flooding across Metro Manila and several other parts of Luzon.

In an Aug. 29 memorandum, Dizon ordered engineer Loreto Balena Jr. relieved as maintenance chief of the Las Piñas-Muntinlupa District Engineering Office.

Dizon cited Balena’s ‘unsatisfactory performance, lack of urgency, and delayed response to calamities’ as grounds for his removal.

Balena was directed to complete an inventory of his office’s properties, finish and sign pending documents and deliverables, and turn over official records and other papers.

Sen. JV Ejercito, meanwhile, urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to complete unfinished flood control projects before starting new ones, saying incomplete infrastructure could worsen the country’s vulnerability to flooding.

‘For practical reasons, we need to close the gaps so that mitigating or solving flood control would be effective,’ Ejercito, chair of the Senate finance committee, told DZBB on Sunday.

‘Close the gaps, complete the unfinished flood control projects. No new projects. Finish what needs to be finished,’ he added.Ejercito’s call came amid renewed scrutiny of the government’s multibillion-peso flood control program and concerns over unfinished or poorly implemented projects.

He also pushed for the proposed Masterplan for Infrastructure National Development, which he said would provide a long-term framework for infrastructure planning that would survive changes in administrations.

The proposed measure would integrate flood control with transportation, housing, water, energy, utilities and other major infrastructure, rather than allowing projects to be planned and implemented separately.

Ejercito said the government should prioritize the country’s 10 most flood-prone areas and use a 30- to 50-year framework to guide major infrastructure investments.

He said long-term planning could also strengthen accountability by giving projects clear objectives, timelines, and costs, and help prevent corruption by ensuring that projects form part of a coherent national plan.

Rain volume

The warnings came as Metro Manila was placed under a red rainfall warning by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) at 12:10 p.m. on Sunday.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said the metropolis had 186 millimeters of rain in 23 hours from 9 a.m. on Saturday to 8 a.m. on Sunday, based on data from the Pagasa Science Garden Station in Quezon City. A millimeter of rain amounts to a liter of water on a flat area.

Serious flooding remained possible in low-lying and flood-prone areas.

The MMDA said it was deploying mobile pumps, clearing clogged drains and waterways, and dredging and removing debris and garbage from drainage inlets as part of its flood mitigation efforts.

Classrooms damaged

The prolonged rains have also taken a toll on schools.

The Department of Education said 9,869 classrooms had been damaged by the combined effects of the ‘habagat’ (southwest monsoon) and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, Neneng, and Obet.

Of the total, 5,731 classrooms sustained minor damage, 2,055 suffered major damage, and 2,083 were totally damaged, according to the latest DepEd situation report as of 8 a.m. Sunday.

Central Luzon had the highest number of affected classrooms and schools, with 3,732, followed by Region I with 2,746 and the Cordillera Administrative Region with 1,266.

DepEd estimated that P280 million would be needed for minor repairs, P1 billion for major repairs, and P5.2 billion for reconstruction.

Cordillera technocrats are pushing to revive a regional governing body for the preservation of the country’s rice terraces, as calls grow for a comprehensive master plan to protect the World Heritage-listed landscape from abandonment, climate change and deteriorating infrastructure.

The Cordillera Regional Development Council is studying a draft resolution urging President Marcos to establish a Cordillera Rice Terraces Commission, which would oversee the conservation of rice terraces across the region.

The proposed commission would replace the Ifugao Rice Terraces Commission, which was created in 1994 to oversee the preservation and restoration of the terraces but was abolished in 1999. Its responsibilities were later transferred to the Banaue Rice Terraces Task Force, which was dissolved in 2002, leaving the provincial government of Ifugao to take the lead in conservation efforts.

The proposed body would also cover rice terraces outside Ifugao, including those in Mountain Province.

The Batad, Bangaan, Mayoyao, Hungduan and Nagacadan rice terraces in Ifugao were collectively inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage List in 1995.

The terraces remain notable for their indigenous engineering, in which water collected from forested areas at the upper portions of the mountains is channeled through traditional irrigation systems to successive rice paddies, locally called ‘payao.’

‘The establishment of the Cordillera Rice Terraces Commission is crucial for stopping the deterioration of the terraces,’ the draft resolution says. It adds that the body could help revitalize indigenous knowledge and sustainable farming practices while enabling younger generations to continue traditional agriculture.

The proposal comes as urban planner and architect Felino Palafox recently pitched to Malacañang a comprehensive master plan for Banaue and other municipalities where the Ifugao rice terraces are located.

During a meeting with Marcos last week, Palafox offered to prepare a Comprehensive Urban, Environmental, Infrastructure, and Economic Development Master Plan for Banaue and the Rice Terraces Municipalities of Ifugao.

His proposal goes beyond repairing damaged terrace walls and irrigation systems, focusing also on the terraces’ role in the local economy and the engineering interventions needed to preserve them.

It argues that the terraces are deteriorating partly because the communities maintaining them can no longer earn enough from farming to sustain their livelihoods.

Palafox estimated that 25 percent to 35 percent of the terraces have been abandoned or irreversibly damaged, citing population decline and environmental pressures, including extreme weather that has damaged the ancient stone and earthen terrace walls.

The proposal, cosigned by the Ifugao provincial government and Polish entrepreneur Maciej Podhajski, also cited low farm incomes as a reason residents leave the province, threatening the workforce needed to maintain the terraces.

Palafox placed the typical farmer’s annual income at about P50,000, which he described as insufficient to sustain a livelihood.

Ifugao officials have been reviewing the proposal and have yet to make their comments public.

Protecting culture

Former Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. said any master plan must address the needs of the communities that continue to maintain the terraces and grow heirloom rice.

‘We must protect and nurture the watershed,’ Baguilat said.

He said the government should subsidize farmers and provide livelihood support, rehabilitate irrigation systems and strengthen programs that preserve indigenous knowledge.

Ifugao communities follow a traditional rice culture that governs planting schedules and the maintenance of the terraces.

Baguilat also called for mechanisms that would allow farmers and local communities to benefit from tourism revenues generated by the terraces.

Often described as 2,000 years old, the Ifugao terraces have been the subject of archaeological research suggesting that some of the structures may have been built or significantly expanded only several hundred years ago, possibly in response to pressures brought by Spanish expansion into the Cordillera.

The terraces remain a living agricultural landscape, sustained not only by stone and earth structures but also by indigenous knowledge and communal practices passed down through generations.

Ifugao had a population of 208,668, according to the latest available census data. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that in 2024, the province was the second-fastest growing economy in the Cordillera, accounting for 7.5 percent of the region’s gross domestic product, estimated at P28.24 billion.

The proposed commission and master plan are aimed at addressing the intertwined challenges of conservation, livelihood, tourism and climate resilience-while keeping the terraces a living part of Ifugao culture rather than simply preserving them as a heritage site.