Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Several Mindanao towns differed on whether to suspend or hold classes for World Teachers’ Day on Monday.

In Talakag, Bukidnon, Mayor Renato Sulatan stood firm in his decision to suspend classes in the municipality for World Teachers’ Day on Monday, making it the only municipality in the province to do so.On his personal social media page, the mayor stated that the break gives students, teachers, and school personnel time to rest, recharge, and celebrate.

Sumo-oy clarified that while a DepEd memorandum maintains regular classes at all levels, local chief executives ‘hold the executive prerogative to declare suspensions.’ He added that the lost school day in Talakag will be replenished during a make-up class scheduled in December at the end of the term block.

But in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo did not suspend classes for World Teachers’ Day.

Paredes-Bravo also cited RA 10743, noting that Section 1 explicitly classifies the observance as a ‘special working holiday’.

‘This is a national law that cannot be cancelled or overridden by an Executive Order,’ Paredes-Bravo stated in Cebuano. ‘The local government, through the mayor, cannot declare a holiday-whether working or non-working-for the celebration.’

The mayor also cited Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Opinion No. 127, Series of 2022, which affirms that the legal power to declare holidays-working or non-working-is exclusively vested in the President of the Philippines and the Congress of the Philippines. The opinion notes that neither the Local Government Code of 1991 nor other statutes grant local governments the power to declare holidays.

Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur Mayor Frederick Mellana also underscored the same principle, reminding the public that ‘only Congress and the Office of the President can declare holidays.’

The Department of Education (DepEd) is preparing to vaccinate about 4.6 million learners under its school-based immunization program for School Year 2026-2027, covering measles-rubella, tetanus-diphtheria, and human papillomavirus (HPV).

According to Jhpiego Philippines, a global health nonprofit affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, the Bakuna Eskwela program aims to vaccinate about 3.6 million Grade 1 and Grade 7 learners against measles-rubella and tetanus-diphtheria, and nearly 1 million Grade 4 girls against HPV.

DepEd’s Bureau of Learner Support Services-School Health Division (BLSS-SHD) recently held a two-day hybrid planning workshop in Quezon City with physicians, nurses and dentists from selected regional and school division offices ahead of the campaign.

The planned rollout covers Grade 1 learners aged 6 to 7 and Grade 7 boys and girls aged 12 to 13 for measles-rubella and tetanus-diphtheria vaccination, as well as Grade 4 girls aged 9 to 10 for HPV vaccination.

DepEd has been implementing school-based immunization with the Department of Health (DOH) since 2017 to protect school-age children and adolescents against vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria.

HPV vaccination is intended to protect preadolescent girls from HPV infection and reduce their future risk of cervical cancer.

Vaccination gaps

During the workshop, health personnel reviewed measles-rubella, tetanus-diphtheria and HPV vaccination coverage and school participation across provincial, component city, highly urbanized city and independent component city schools division offices.

Jhpiego Philippines said the workshop participants also examined behavioral and social factors affecting routine and HPV vaccination and worked on short-, medium- and long-term plans to address operational and logistical bottlenecks, administrative barriers, misinformation, access to immunization services, hard-to-reach and underserved areas, and parental support and confidence in vaccines.

Participants also discussed lessons from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded HPV Vaccination Acceleration Program Partners Initiative (HAPPI) and findings from behavioral and social drivers surveys and interviews on HPV vaccination supported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Enhancing Global Health Security project and implemented by Jhpiego Philippines.

Dr. Lilibeth Gonzales, officer-in-charge-chief and supervising health program officer of the DepEd School Health Division, said the workshop was intended to turn the data into concrete measures at the regional, division and school levels.

‘The success of school-based immunization depends on how well we translate data and plans into coordinated action at the regional, division and school levels. This workshop allows us to identify gaps early, strengthen coordination with our health partners and develop practical strategies to ensure that more learners can access the vaccines they need,’ Gonzales said.

Meanwhile, Jhpiego Philippines Country Program Manager Dr. Ingrid Magnata said vaccination efforts also require stronger systems and coordination among education, health and communities.

‘Protecting children and adolescents through vaccination requires more than delivering vaccines. It requires strong systems, informed communities and coordinated action across sectors. By bringing together data, behavioral insights and the experience of education and health teams, we can develop approaches that are more responsive to the realities faced by learners, parents and schools,’ Magnata said.

Dr. Anthony Calibo, immunization technical adviser of Jhpiego Philippines, also said combining vaccination data with behavioral and operational information could help identify practical responses to gaps.

‘The value of this planning process is in helping teams move from simply knowing their coverage numbers to understanding what those numbers mean and what can be done about them,’ Calibo said.

‘By combining vaccination data with behavioral insights and operational experience, regions and divisions can identify practical solutions to improve access, participation and vaccine confidence,’ he added.

The workshop ended with participating DepEd regional and schools division offices reaffirming their commitment to strengthen schools as healthy settings and platforms for preventive health services, consistent with the principles of the Universal Health Care Law. The 2026 preparations build on the continuing DepEd-DOH effort to improve school-based vaccination and reach eligible learners with essential vaccines. Current DepEd guidance covers measles-rubella and tetanus-diphtheria vaccination for Grade 1 and Grade 7 students and HPV vaccination for Grade 4 female students.

House prosecutors will drop the bribery charge against Vice President Sara Duterte, ending weeks of deliberations as they seek to shorten her impeachment trial and focus on evidence they believe is sufficient to secure her conviction on other allegations.

Manila Rep. Joel Chua said on Sunday the team would formally inform the Senate impeachment court on Monday of its decision to abandon Article 3 of the impeachment complaint, which accuses Duterte of bribing Department of Education (DepEd) officials to circumvent procurement rules during her tenure as education secretary.

‘We believe that the evidence presented is already sufficient,’ Chua said, denying that the decision stemmed from weaknesses in the bribery case.

In a statement later in the day, lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro said: ‘Our responsibility remains clear: to follow the evidence and bring a focused, well-supported case to its conclusion. That responsibility guides every decision we make.’

The trial, which began on July 6, enters its 14th week as prosecutors race to complete their presentation amid delays and the Senate’s legislative obligations.

The prosecution expressed confidence in its remaining allegations: Duterte’s alleged threats against President Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez; misuse of millions of pesos in confidential funds; and unexplained wealth.

‘As far as the prosecution panel is concerned, the prosecution has already established the facts needed for conviction,’ Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, a prosecution spokesperson, told the Inquirer.

Cash envelopes

The decision followed weeks of discussions that began in September, after prosecutors completed presenting evidence on the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and DepEd.

The bribery charge relied on testimony from former DepEd officials who said they received cash envelopes through Duterte’s subordinates.

Former DepEd procurement chief Gloria Jumamil-Mercado testified during a 2024 House inquiry that she received monthly envelopes containing P50,000 for nine months. Former bidding committee chair Resty Osias recalled receiving P12,000 to P15,000 from April to September 2023.

Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, who headed the team assigned to present the charge, said the witnesses were prepared to testify that the money came from people under Duterte’s supervision and that they had been told it came from the Vice President.

‘These are people who actually received money. They [would have] testified that it came from the person being charged in this particular case,’ Flores told the Inquirer. ‘What was the reason they were given cash?’

Flores said the charge was among the easiest to prove, but prosecutors agreed to streamline the trial because of ‘unforeseen events and delays.’

Former Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, a prosecution adviser, said he initially opposed dropping the charge, especially because surveys indicated that many Filipinos considered bribery the most serious allegation against Duterte.

‘Although now, I realize that to abbreviate the proceedings, there’s logic to dropping it,’ he said, adding that the remaining case was ‘strong enough already’ to secure a conviction.

Prosecutors aim to finish presenting their evidence by mid-October, according to panel spokesperson Benjamin Tolosa Jr.

‘Shortchanging Filipinos’

Malacañang warned that dropping the bribery charge could deprive the public of a fuller accounting of the allegations against Duterte.

‘If they withdraw the bribery allegation against the Vice President, wouldn’t that shortchange or disadvantage Filipinos who want to know the whole truth about this?’ Palace press officer Claire Castro said.

Castro said the Palace respected the prosecution’s discretion but questioned why it would abandon a charge included in the articles of impeachment.

‘But they included it in the articles of impeachment, which means they have sufficient evidence to discuss this bribery issue in the impeachment court,’ she said.

Ultimately, Castro added, ‘It is up to the prosecution to decide’ whether dropping the charge was the right strategy.

Tactical advantage

The move raises questions about whether abandoning a serious allegation could affect public confidence in the case. Prosecutors insist they want to focus on the remaining charges rather than prolong proceedings with additional witnesses.

University of Makati public administration professor Ederson Tapia said streamlining the case could offer a tactical advantage if prosecutors were confident in the evidence presented. However, they would need to explain why the bribery allegation was included in the first place if they no longer intended to pursue it.

‘The people may ask why a serious allegation was included in the first place if it will ultimately not be pursued,’ he said.

‘At some point, more witnesses and more allegations do not necessarily make a case stronger,’ Tapia added, saying a tighter presentation could clarify the issues for the Senate and the public.

Financial records

The coming week is expected to be crucial to the prosecution’s remaining case, particularly the allegation that Duterte accumulated wealth not adequately reflected in her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) official was expected to testify on Monday, followed by representatives from banks, insurance companies and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

‘These witnesses or personalities are very important in providing clarity to the unexplained wealth allegation,’ Gatchalian said in a radio interview on Sunday.

He said the witnesses could authenticate financial documents held by their institutions and explain their contents based on direct knowledge.

The AMLC witness’ appearance was postponed after the defense sought more time to address concerns involving the Anti-Money Laundering Act and financial confidentiality.

The Supreme Court, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), and my column last week agreed that political dynasties should be reformed. However, while the Court and the CBCP likewise agreed with the Constitution that political dynasties should be prohibited, I maintain, with due respect to the Constitution’s framers, that they should be merely regulated, not prohibited.

TO RECALL, THE COURT UNANIMOUSLY DIRECTED CONGRESS-‘with utmost urgency’-to enact an anti-political dynasty law (Kapatiran Party v. Congress, Aug. 26, 2026, per J Ramon Paul L. Hernando, en banc). Moreover, the Court proposed-but did not require-that (1) The ban should extend to the fourth civil degree; (2) Covered relatives should be barred from running simultaneously and/or successively; (3) The ban should encompass local and/or national elective positions; and (4) The ban should apply within the same administrative region.

On the other hand, the CBCP, in its Sept. 25 Pastoral Statement, stressed that: (1) The concentration of dynastic power stifles competition and accountability; (2) Public office is a public trust that must remain accessible to all competent Filipinos; and (3) The laity should courageously ask difficult questions about dynastic rule.

As for me, the dynastic prohibition up to the fourth civil degree is contrary to human nature. It is natural for parents to want their children to succeed them in their work, profession, wealth, or business. To attain this succession in public offices, systemic solutions are needed. Let me offer three.

The first is voter education. Even if likened to a perfectly engineered car, our democratic machinery will inevitably crash if entrusted to the hands of an untrained or careless driver. Thus, voters must be properly trained to choose competent leaders of integrity. In fact, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting-organized in 1991 by Ambassador Tita de Villa-deserves the continuing support of the CBCP. I believe a new wheel need not be invented, as the lay faithful already have an existing cart to steer the electorate away from the toxic culture of the three Ps-payoff, personality, and patronage and the three Gs-guns, goons, and gold.

My second suggestion is to encourage competent and honest men and women to run for public office to give the educated voters fair choices. As such, the dynasts need not be prohibited from joining the election given that the electorate is already equipped to choose the best regardless of patrimonial roots.

OUR POLITICAL HISTORY PROVES THAT PEOPLE OF COMPETENCE AND HONESTY can transcend their political lineage. The late President Cory Aquino, despite belonging to a powerful dynasty, championed the 1987 Constitution that ironically prohibits political dynasties.

Similarly, the late Sen. Jose W. Diokno-himself a son of a senator and Supreme Court justice-proved his competence and brilliance by topping both the CPA and bar exams and demonstrated unyielding integrity by resigning as justice secretary rather than compromise during the Stonehill scandal. Likewise, my guru, former Senate President Jovito R. Salonga, an intellectual of the highest order, earned the masses’ trust through his selfless and tireless advocacy for the marginalized.

My third suggestion is to strengthen our civil service to insulate the bureaucracy from political patronage. To become a part of the professional civil service, one must pass different levels of examinations, possess formal education, and undergo training. These civil service eligibles should occupy permanent appointments to positions up to the rank of undersecretaries and should be removable only for cause and after due process, unlike in the present when they are removable at the whim of the President.

By retaining their posts across changing administrations, a permanent civil service guarantees operational continuity. This explains why progressive nations like Japan and Great Britain function efficiently regardless of who is elected at the top and regardless of rapid changes of political leaders.

AT BOTTOM, THE SUPREME COURT HAS ALREADY SPOKEN WITH URGENCY, and the CBCP has wisely placed the issue before the conscience of the nation. But the task ahead is far larger than enacting a law to prohibit what is human nature. Instead, we must educate voters, encourage a pool of competent candidates of unyielding integrity, and strengthen our civil service to guarantee continuity in governance.

Truly, there is no law-no matter how perfectly defined-that cannot be violated, manipulated, or circumvented by malevolent officials. Therefore, the ultimate solution does not lie merely in passing legislation or dismantling a political system, but rather, in metanoia-a conversion of mind and character forged through education and training of the men and women who seek to hold the sacred trust of public office, and the electorate equipped to make the right choices.

Only through such transformation can we secure an inclusive democracy steadfastly navigated by officials selected by the informed choice of the people for their truthfulness, fairness, integrity, and competence.

Agriculture officials in Quezon province have strengthened coordination to prepare for El Niño and ensure continued support for farmers and fisherfolk.

The Quezon chapter of the League of Municipal Agriculture Officers, Municipal and City Agriculturists of the Philippines, Inc. (LEMMCAP) met in Lucena on Oct. 1 and 2 to tackle potential projects and interventions to help mitigate the effects of El Niño, the provincial government’s Public Information Office (PIO) reported.

The phenomenon is now affecting 14 of the country’s 18 regions, with the agriculture sector sustaining an estimated P6.87 billion in damage, according to a DA report in late September.

Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Liza Mariano assured local governments that the provincial government would remain a committed partner in implementing programs to promote the welfare of farmers and fisherfolk and help them cope with the effects of the weather phenomenon.

Participants also discussed upcoming activities of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), concerns and issues raised by LGUs, and possible solutions.

‘Through collective planning and cooperation, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and LEMMCAP Quezon chapter continue to promote a more proactive and coordinated response to the needs of the province’s agriculture and fisheries sectors,’ the PIO said.

A representative of the Department of Agriculture (DA) central office joined the meeting via Zoom and provided updates on national government programs and projects designed to mitigate El Niño’s effects.

El Niño is expected to increase the risk of prolonged dry conditions, reduced water availability, and extreme heat in parts of the country.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the phenomenon began affecting the country in June and is expected to intensify toward the end of the year. Its latest forecast indicates that El Niño could persist until the first half of 2027.

A tabular summary of Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) reports presented on Monday at Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial showed 666 covered transaction reports (CTRs) and 55 suspicious transaction reports (STRs) involving Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, totaling P4.4 billion.

The document was presented before the court as AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura took the witness stand on the 33rd day of Duterte’s impeachment trial.

Covered transactions refer to bank deposits of over P500,000 made within a single day, which banks automatically report to the AMLC.

Suspicious transactions, meanwhile, are those flagged by banks because of red flags or doubts about their legitimacy, including possible links to unlawful sources, regardless of the amount.

Of the 666 CTRs, 373 involved Duterte while 363 involved Carpio, with 70 reports appearing in both extracts and thus deducted from the combined total.

For the 55 STRs, 34 involved Duterte and 30 involved Carpio, with nine appearing in both extracts. The table also showed combined inflows of P1.63 billion and outflows of P1.31 billion, while P1.46 billion was classified as undetermined as to whether it was an inflow or outflow.

When Buenaventura first sat as a resource person at the clarificatory hearings of the House Committee on Justice on April 22, Buenaventura said banks flagged 33 suspicious transactions and 630 covered dealings worth P6.77 billion.

However, during the offer of testimony at the impeachment court this Monday, prosecution counsel Mae Divinagracia said a bank corrected its own error bringing the total to P4.4 billion in aggregate transactions.

Although she emphasized, ‘The AMLC reported P6.77 billion to the House in April 2026. Despite BPI’s correction regarding an alleged error in its own system, P4.4 billion in suspicious transactions still remains.’

Asked later by Divinagracia to explain further the difference, Buenaventura clarified that the initial coverage of the summary presented before the House was for years 2006 to 2025 and only covered reports from banks.

For the proceedings before the Senate, however, the summary covers 2007 to 2025 and includes all covered persons, not merely banks.

‘Then I would just like to note that there was a request for correction from a covered person regarding 13 CTRs. We conducted a validation in relation to that, so when we submitted the report to this Honorable Court on July 13, we had already corrected those entries,’ he explained.

This was later reflected in Table 1 of the summary presented on Monday which Buenaventura confirmed before the court he helped make.

‘Based also on this summary, how many CTRs that pertain to Vice President Sara Duterte are in AMLC’s records?’ Divinagracia asked.

‘Based only on this summary, it’s 373, your honor,’ Buenaventura answered.

Asked how many involved Carpio, Buenaventura said 363.

As for the STRs, he reiterated that the total was at 55 for the couple.

Meanwhile, asked again how much the corrected total was, Buenaventura said ‘So the total amount, the combined total as indicated here, Your Honor, is 4,400,089,940.70.’

‘This is all CTRs and STRs involving Vice President Sara Z. Duterte and Attorney Manases R. Carpio, 2007 to 2025, Your Honor,’ he added.

Transport groups urged six Metro Manila local government units to defer the reimplementation of the Non-Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP), saying their motion for reconsideration remains pending before the Supreme Court (SC).

Transport leaders Boy Vargas of ALTODAP, Obet Martin of Pasang Masda, and Liberty de Luna of ACTO, said the local governments of Manila, Quezon City, Valenzuela, Parañaque, Muntinlupa, and San Juan should await the SC’s final ruling on the legality of the NCAP implementation.

The groups said that NCAP violates due process, with some of its provisions being unreasonable, particularly for public utility vehicle operators.

‘I am not a lawyer, but my understanding of the law is that it should not be implemented yet because our group still has an appeal pending on the matter,’ said Vargas in a joint statement on Monday.

The SC dismissed their consolidated petitions in June, but the transport groups filed a motion for reconsideration on Aug. 5.

Vargas said that transport groups would comply if the SC orders the implementation of NCAP, but asked the local government to wait for the final resolution.

‘Our dismissal of the Petitions is confined to the determination that petitioners failed to overcome threshold issues, and that the supervening adoption of a uniform regulatory framework has rendered the Petitions moot,’ the SC decision on NCAP read.

‘There is no explicit determination regarding the prior issuances, nor a resolution of grievances based on specific facts,’ it added.

Martin said he consulted their lawyer after learned that some local governments planned to resume NCAP.

‘The explanation given to us is that the Supreme Court’s decision does not state that the dismissal of our petition is already final and executory,’ said Martin.

De Luna likewise appealed to the concerned local government to defer NCAP implementation and urged them to respect the pending legal process and consider the concerns of public transport operators.

Koronadal was officially converted from a municipality into a component city of South Cotabato through a plebiscite that ratified Republic Act No. 8803, signed by then President Joseph Estrada on Aug. 16, 2000. The area was formerly called ‘Marbel,’ by the natives, which comes from the B’laan word meaning ‘murky waters.’ Its present name, Koronadal, was derived from two B’laan words: ‘koron’ or ‘kolon,’ which meant cogon grass, and ‘nadal’ or ‘datal,’ meaning plain. The city was designated as the regional center and seat of the region of Soccsksargen by virtue of Executive Order No. 304, signed by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on March 30, 2004. Today, Koronadal is a first-class city with a population of 201,844, as of the 2024 Census.

Oct. 8, 2025

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines unveiled a historical marker at Mayoyao, Ifugao, titled ‘Alimit: Landas ng Pagkabansang Pilipino, 1899-1900,’ as part of a series of marker unveilings in the province in observance of the 125th anniversary of Philippine Independence and Nationhood. The marker commemorates the stay of Emilio Aguinaldo, president of the first Philippine Republic, and his troops in this community, now part of Mayoyao, Ifugao, while defending Philippine independence and nationhood from Dec. 31, 1899, to Jan. 1, 1900.

The Zamboanga Hermosa Festival, locally known as Fiesta Pilar, is an annual celebration in the city of Zamboanga. It pays tribute to the city patroness, Our Lady of the Pillar, or ‘Nuestra Señora de la Virgen del Pilar,’ whose image is enshrined at the historic and venerated Fort Pilar. While the feast day falls on Oct. 12, the festival spans more than a month, featuring city-led activities, private events, sports competitions and religious observances. These include beauty pageants, fashion shows, a vinta display, an arts exhibit, a pet parade, fun run, marathon, novenas and more.

(Oct. 1 – Oct. 31)

The Inug-og Festival in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental, is an ethnic festival that celebrates the culture of the Suban-on. One of the most awaited highlights of this year’s monthlong festival is the street dancing and ritual competition on Oct. 14. The event features performers presenting their tribal dance as a tribute to the city’s patroness, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, whose feast day is celebrated on Oct. 16. Other major events include a fluvial procession, parade, a musical fireworks display, food bazaar, an agro-trade fair and ‘diskwento’ caravan, a job fair, and various competitions, among other activities.

After its sold-out concert on Friday night, Oct. 2, BenandBen is still processing how it was able to mount such a humongous crowd at one of the country’s biggest concert stages, much more, to last almost a decade in this fickle entertainment industry.

The indie folk-pop band celebrated nine years of music, friendship, and growth with ‘Saranggola: The Concert,’ taking Liwanag fans through the band’s three-album discography while marking the end of its nine-piece era at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The concert was also a surprise for fans who came without a prior setlist released. Rather than focusing solely on songs from its recent ‘Nine’ anthology album, the band revisited music from The Traveller Across Dimensions, Pebble House, and Limasawa Street, allowing the audience to look back on the different chapters of BenandBen’s career alongside the members themselves.

The band also performed reimagined versions of classic hits ‘Lifetime’, ‘Autumn,’ and ‘Leaves’ alongside new releases from 2026, bringing both familiar favorites and newer material into the celebration.

The nine-piece lineup – Paolo and Miguel Benjamin Guico, Poch Barretto, Jam Villanueva, Agnes Reoma, Patricia Lasaten, Toni Muñoz, Andrew de Pano, and Keifer Cabugao – opened the show with ‘Ride Home,’ ‘Paninindigan Kita,’ and ‘Sunrise,’ immediately setting a celebratory tone inside the Big Dome.

Milestones

The show was divided into segments dedicated to each of the band’s three albums. Between performances, the members shared stories from their years together, reflecting on career milestones, personal experiences, and how their relationship had grown beyond simply being bandmates.

BenandBen’s history as friends and chosen family became one of the concert’s central themes. Instead of treating its nine-year journey as a straightforward retrospective, ‘Saranggola’ gave each member room to revisit the moments that shaped them and the music they created together.

Departure

The concert, however, carried a bittersweet undertone. Last year, drummer Villanueva announced in a video posted on BenandBen’s social media accounts that 2026 would be her final year with the group. Her departure was also linked to an arm injury that has affected her ability to continue performing as a drummer.

In one segment, the band gave the audience the chance to request songs, selecting three from the suggestions: the perennial ber-month favorite ‘Bibingka,’ along with ‘Dahilan’ and ‘Courage.’

The members later introduced themselves one by one as a nine-piece band for the last time, before launching into ‘Araw-Araw.’ More than an introduction, the moment marked the final time fans would see the nine-piece lineup take the stage together.

Towards the end, Villanueva took the stage for a heartfelt message to her bandmates and the fans who had been part of her journey with BenandBen. She shared that she would not be the person she is today if it were not for her bandmates, thanking them for the years they had spent growing and making music together. The emotion in her words was felt across the stage as her fellow band members shed tears.

BenandBen then closed the concert with ‘Maybe the Night’ and ‘Saranggola.’ During the latter, Villanueva took to the drums for one final performance with her bandmates. After the song, the nine-piece lineup took its final bow together, marking the end of an era for the band.

A joint search and rescue team recovered Sunday the body of one of two passengers who went missing after a jeepney was swept away by strong river currents in Rosario, Batangas, on Saturday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

The PCG Southern Tagalog District said the body was spotted by an aerial drone at 8:57 a.m. along the river channel, about 3 kilometers downstream from the spillway crossing in Barangay Colongan where the incident occurred.

Rescuers continued searching for the other missing passenger, a man last seen wearing a black printed shirt and royal blue shorts.

The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. Saturday when the passenger jeepney, carrying 14 people, attempted to cross a spillway over the Paninsingin River. Strong currents swept the vehicle off the crossing and completely submerged it.

Residents rescued 12 passengers, while the other two were initially reported missing. News reports identified them as a couple.