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Military units based in southern cities and provinces honored, via special rites on Saturday, October 17, the soldiers and policemen killed in action during the bloody 2017 siege of 12 barangays in Marawi City by the now-defunct Maute and Abu Sayyaf terror groups.

Among the Army units in Mindanao that initiated similar ceremonies, commemorating the 9th anniversary of the liberation of Marawi City from terrorists behind the May 23 to October 17, 2017 conflict in the area, is the 10th Infantry Division, whose commander is Major Gen. Alvin Luzon.

The 10th ID covers cities and provinces inside Region 11, also known as the Davao Region, and also has units in certain areas in Regions 10 and 13.

Records kept by local executives in Lanao del Sur province and units of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region indicate that the hostilities in Marawi City, instigated by the allies Maute and Abu Sayyaf terror groups, now both defunct, exacted up to 168 fatalities from the Philippine Army, the Philippine Marine Corps and the Philippine National Police and also left 87 innocent civilians dead.

Terrorists armed with assault rifles, grenades and B40 rocket launchers, machine guns and mortars, together led by Omarkhayam Romato Maute and his older brother, Omar, and the emir, or ruler then of the Abu Sayyaf, Isnilon Totoni Hapilon, laid siege to 12 of the 91 barangays in Marawi City, capital of Lanao del Sur, in a deadly and destructive religious adventurism that shook the nation to its core and caught international attention.

All three of them were known violent religious extremists who had fomented hatred for non-Muslims and talked so much about the need for Muslims in Southern Mindanao to unite and together create a puritan Islamic state for them.

The trouble in Marawi City that they planned and provoked ended on October 17, 2017, two days after all three of them were killed one after another in gunfights with pursuing soldiers.

Luzon, still a colonel then, was involved extensively in operational planning and intelligence coordination efforts essential to the government’s anti-terror campaign during the five-month hostilities in Marawi City, the capital of Lanao del Sur.

Lanao del Sur was one of the four provinces then of the 27-year and now defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, replaced in 2019 with a more empowered Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, a product of a 22-year peace overture between the national government and the southern Moro communities.

‘We in the 10th Infantry Division value so much the hardships of the military personnel and members of the Philippine National Police who worked together in driving those terrorists away from Marawi City. We shall never forget the supreme sacrifices, in the line of duty, of the men in uniform who perished in that conflict,’ Luzon told reporters on Sunday.

Luzon led their commemoration on Saturday of the 9th anniversary of the government’s having cleared Marawi City of Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorists, capped off with a wreath-laying event, in honor of the soldiers and police personnel killed during the five-month conflict, at the Heroes Memorial Park in Camp General Manuel Yan, Sr. in Mawab town in Davao de Oro province, where the 10th ID’s headquarters is located.

Business group Makati Business Club (MBC) has expressed support for concluding the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte within the year to allow the Senate to thoroughly review the budget that will support economic growth next year.

Edgar Chua, chairman of the MBC, told reporters that the group is hopeful the impeachment trial would not drag on to 2027.

‘It’s a distraction. Our Senate should be doing a lot like the budget,’ he said.

He said the Senate should review the proposed 2027 budget passed by the House of Representatives, citing concerns on realigned funds from education, health and transportation toward short-term social assistance.

‘That’s wrong because that’s patronage politics,’ he said.

He also said that more funds are needed to support the education, health and transportation sectors.

While MBC wants the impeachment proceedings to wrap up within the year, the group also wants to ensure it is done fairly.

With less than two years left in the current administration, he said that the 2027 budget would play a critical role in driving meaningful economic growth, hence the need to closely monitor how it will be spent.

Economic growth slowed to 2.3 percent in the second quarter, the weakest in five years.

From January to June, average economic growth was at 2.6 percent, below the government’s 3.5 to 4.5 percent growth target.

While the country’s slower economic growth is attributed to the Middle East crisis and high cost of goods, Chua said that the slower government spending is also a factor.

The tighter screening of infrastructure projects following the flood control controversy last year has led to slower government infrastructure spending.

‘A big component of economic growth is government spending,’ Chua said.

While infrastructure spending needs to accelerate, he also said this should be done right.

Presently, the Senate impeachment court is on break as senators focus on deliberations of the proposed 2027 budget. It will resume proceedings on Nov. 9.

A deep 27-player field, easily one of the biggest casts in recent years on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, gears up for a fierce battle for supremacy as the ICTSI South Pacific Championship gets going Tuesday, October 20, with momentum, home-course familiarity, and a hunger for redemption fueling a compelling mix of contenders.

Tiffany Lee rides the confidence of a long-awaited victory, local ace Yvon Bisera banks on her familiarity with the South Pacific layout, while Chanelle Avaricio seeks to reclaim the spotlight and strengthen her bid for the season’s honors in the P1.25-million championship.

Lee’s victory, which ended a two-year title drought, meant far more than another trophy. It was a reward for the quiet persistence that carried her through a difficult stretch and restored her belief in her game.

‘That win means a lot. It’s a great reward for all the days that I’ve silently and continuously fought for,’ said Lee, who secured a hard-fought two-shot victory over Bisera at Pueblo de Oro last week.

Beyond the personal breakthrough, Lee also credited the camaraderie among LPGT players for helping her navigate the demands of professional golf. Though they compete fiercely for the same titles, she said the tour’s welcoming atmosphere has made the journey more rewarding.

‘The LPGT members made me feel like family and accepted me as I am on this tour. They helped me a lot, and they make it feel like home. So, even though we’re enemies on the course, outside they’re very friendly and they make the course feel like a happy place,’ she said.

The friendly atmosphere, however, will give way to fierce competition once the championship gets underway.

Bisera will be eager to capitalize on her home-course advantage and avenge her narrow loss at Pueblo de Oro. Avaricio, coming off a stint on the China Tour, is out to break away from Bisera in the season’s win race by adding a third victory to her tally, while Sarah Ababa, Princess Superal, Mafy Singson and the rest of the title-hungry field are determined to press their bids from the opening tee shot.

‘Knowing the course is a big advantage for any player. Familiarity with the layout and greens will also help a lot. I really want to win this time after losing by just one stroke last year, but I’ll trust God’s plan and do my best,’ said Bisera, who narrowly missed out on the title to Ababa the last time out.

Meanwhile, Avaricio is keeping her expectations in check, opting to focus on her game and maintain a steady approach as she looks to contend for another title.

‘No expectations for the week. I’ve used the time to reset, take it one shot at a time and do my best,’ said Avaricio, who stressed the importance of patience, consistency and trusting her game as she seeks to put herself in a strong position to contend for the title.

‘I’m grateful for my two wins this season, and I’ll just focus on my game and give my best. Hopefully, I can get another chance to win,’ added Avaricio, who triumphed at Pinewoods and Summit Point before competing in the China Tour.

But the three headline acts face a formidable challenge from a talent-laden field determined to make its own mark in the 54-hole tournament.

Harmie Constantino hopes to recapture the form that powered her dominant triumph at Caliraya Springs, while reigning Order of Merit champion Ababa remains eager to nail another victory as the season winds down. Proven winners Superal, Singson, Daniella Uy and Chihiro Ikeda, meanwhile, are primed to mount their own title bids.

The depth of the field underscores the challenge awaiting the favorites. Martina Miñoza, Pamela Mariano, Apple Fudolin, Velinda Castil, Marvi Monsalve, Monica Mandario, Kayla Nocum, Gretchen Villacencio, Rev Alcantara, Korean Eunhua Han, Angela Mangana, Samantha Beltran and Eva Miñoza are likewise out to contend for their maiden victories, adding further intrigue to what shapes up as an open and fiercely contested title chase.

Five amateurs, including standout campaigners from the Junior PGT, will also test their mettle against the professionals. Ace Superal, Brittany Tamayo, Rafella Batican, Isabella Tabanas and Johanna Uykiing complete the 27-player cast, each hoping to spring a surprise in the season-ending stretch.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not signaled any intent to declare China’s ambassador persona non grata, the Palace said on Monday, October 19, though the Chinese diplomat today has been officially summoned by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

‘We know the president’s view. He would not want this kind of declaration, against any representative of another country here in our country,’ Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters in Filipino at a briefing. She was asked about calls from senators and congressmen to expel Ambassador Jing Quan.

On the same day, Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro formally summoned Jing and told him his October 15 remarks, said at a chance interview, were ‘provocative and unacceptable,’ the DFA said in a statement.

The department also rebuked the Chinese embassy for its public attacks on lawmakers. It was ‘not the place of a foreign mission to publicly criticize or taunt Philippine officials and legislators who are acting within their mandates,’ the DFA said. It reserved the right to take further diplomatic action, but did not say what that could involve or how Jing responded.

Castro said the Palace respected the views of lawmakers seeking Jing’s expulsion, but that Marcos would not go down this road as of yet.

‘Everything he says can affect our country and our people,’ she said.

The DFA has previously described declaring a diplomat persona non grata as an ‘option of last resort’ that carries heavy diplomatic consequences.

Filipino street dance team Legit Status Varsity made history after becoming the first Filipino team to win the 18-and-Under Advanced Category at the UDO World Finals in Blackpool, United Kingdom.

Founded in 2009 by coach and artistic director Vimi Rivera, the team is composed of 24 young dancers who train at GC Dance Studios in Cubao, Quezon City.

The victory adds to the team’s recent international achievements, including gold in the Under-16 category and silver in the Adult Mega Crew Division at the SOAR Street Dance Championships World Finals in Manchester.

Rivera said preparation and discipline are key to competing internationally.

‘I’ve always been very competitive, but the confidence always comes from proper preparation,’ he said.

Team member Lianna Litan described competing at the world finals as the fulfillment of a childhood dream, while fellow dancer Cheska Uy said the experience taught her to become more resilient and trust her teammates.

Rivera said he hopes the team’s success will help earn greater recognition for Filipino artists and creativity.

‘More than anything, I want them to respect Filipino artists and Filipino creativity,’ he said.

Following the victory, Legit Status Varsity plans to prepare for future competitions while exploring corporate and television projects.

This October, Fuego Costa Pacifica invites guests to experience Halloween by the sea with a celebration that brings together a thoughtfully designed atmosphere, good food and a touch of mystery-offering a more refined take on Halloween festivities in Baler.

Set for October 31, the Halloween celebration at Fuego Costa Pacifica is designed primarily for in-house guests, while walk-in guests are also welcome to join the festivities. Rather than a typical large-scale party, the resort is creating an intimate and engaging experience where guests can enjoy Halloween in a comfortable and welcoming setting.

Guests can look forward to a carefully curated Halloween setup, delicious food, and an atmosphere filled with just the right amount of mystery and excitement.

Adding to the evening’s character will be a Tarot Reader, who will offer guests an intriguing and mystical experience throughout the celebration-perfect for those who want to discover what the cards may have in store.

The Halloween event is part of Fuego Costa Pacifica’s continuing effort to create meaningful experiences for guests, where celebrations are complemented by the resort’s distinctive setting, warm hospitality and the natural charm of Baler. But Halloween is only the beginning.

As the final quarter unfolds, Fuego Costa Pacifica is preparing a series of experiences designed to give guests more reasons to visit, celebrate and create memorable moments in Baler.

Following Halloween, the resort will turn the spotlight to love and celebrations with the upcoming Fuego Costa Pacifica Wedding Expo, which aims to reintroduce the resort’s Pavilion as a wedding venue.

Wedding planners, bridal suppliers, and couples will be invited to explore the venue, meet participating wedding partners, and enjoy a special food tasting experience featuring Costa Pacifica’s offerings. Couples who book their wedding during the expo will also receive special discounts.

The festive spirit will continue into December with a lineup of holiday dining experiences, including a Christmas Eve Dinner on December 24, a Seafood BBQ Dinner on December 25, and a New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner on December 31, culminating in a countdown to welcome 2027.

More details on the holiday celebrations and booking arrangements will be announced soon.

From a mysterious Halloween night to celebrations of love, Christmas gatherings, and a spectacular New Year’s Eve countdown, Fuego Costa Pacifica is preparing a season filled with experiences worth looking forward to.

The Department of Education is asking the Senate for an additional P8.18 billion in its 2027 budget to hire security guards and install metal detectors and perimeter fences in public schools, following three deadly school shootings since June.

About 39% of DepEd schools have security guards as of October 11, according to the agency’s safe school environment audit, which it presented at a Senate budget hearing on October 16. That leaves roughly three in five schools without one. DepEd’s presentation did not say how many guards are currently deployed.

Meanwhile, fewer than half of DepEd schools, or 48%, had active CCTV cameras, and about one in five lack a perimeter fence. Functional metal detectors are in 51% of schools, an improvement from June, when the detectors were only in 11% of schools, according to DepEd data.

The proposed 2027 budget in its current version sets aside just P500 million for school security guards, enough to hire 1,667. Testifying before a Senate finance subcommittee last week, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the agency was seeking money “for security guards, for metal detectors, for perimeter fences… which were not really included in the budget previously.”

Of the P8.18 billion, DepEd is seeking P4.55 billion to hire 15,155 more guards, P2.13 billion for metal detectors and walk-through scanners, and P1.5 billion for perimeter fences, according to its presentation to the panel.

DepEd’s own figures put the cost of a guard at roughly P300,000 a year. At that rate, the request would fund about nine times as many guards as the budget bill currently covers.

Campus security has moved up DepEd’s priorities after shootings at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22, at Ateneo de Zamboanga on August 18 and at Banga National High School in South Cotabato on September 18.

DepEd has since issued Order No. 006, series of 2026, which tightens campus security and gadget control, sets proportional sanctions for students and simplifies how cases are reported and referred.

The request for additional funds for security and equipment is part of a P147.93-billion wish list that DepEd hopes to add to its 2027 allocation.

Under the House-approved General Appropriations Bill, DepEd and its attached agencies would receive a total of P969.79 billion, which is P45.52 billion, or 4.48%, less than this year.

Angara, however, conceded that getting the full amount on its wishlist was “medyo suntok sa buwan (a bit of a long shot).”

Sen. Bam Aquino, chair of the Senate basic education committee who presided over DepEd’s budget hearing on October 16, said senators shared the goal of bringing education spending back to 4% of gross domestic product, despite many “competing interests” for public funds.

Angara noted that 4% is only the floor and that UNESCO recommends 4 to 6%.

DepEd had been caught off guard by the presence of “nihilistic violent groups” manipulating students, Angara admitted during the hearing. He said officials first learned about them only after the Tacloban shooting. “We didn’t realize how wide they were, how organized they were,” he said.

The DepEd chief also admitted the agency was unprepared for the aftermath as some of its personnel had not been trained to respond to campus violence of this scale. “After Tacloban alone, on the first day, there were 400 people who needed psychological first aid,” Angara said.

Aquino urged DepEd to prioritize which schools need security equipment more than other smaller campuses.

Aquino urged DepEd to identify which schools need security equipment most, rather than aim to cover every campus. Large schools clearly need CCTV, he said, but some schools outside city centers have perhaps 200 students. In those areas, ‘the need for a CCTV is not as much,’ and a security guard may not be necessary, he said.

The senator asked DepEd to list the specific schools that need CCTV, metal detectors, perimeter fences and guards, and to show how far it is from covering them, before the proposed 2027 budget reaches plenary debate.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) may spend more than the planned P7 billion investment for hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) production under the EV Incentive Strategy (EVIS), even as it keeps the door open to the government’s proposed incentives for traditional fuel-powered car manufacturing.

Ritsu Imaeda, president and CEO at MMPC told reporters that the firm’s investment plan is fluid and hinges on government policy and support for local manufacturing.

He said the planned investment for HEV production at the Santa Rosa plant in Laguna may exceed the P7 billion announced earlier.

‘The details of the EVIS have not been announced yet. So alongside that, we also have to think about our investment. So we are just still undergoing the studies,’ he said.

While President Marcos issued the executive order for the EVIS last July, the government has yet to release the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the program.

After missing its target to issue the IRR last month, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said that the government aims to finalize the rules within this month.

Even as MMPC has announced its intent to participate in the EVIS by producing an HEV, Imaeda said that the firm is also open to joining the government’s proposed Revitalizing the Automotive Industry for Competitiveness Enhancement (RACE) program, which aims to incentivize the local production of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

‘At this moment, for the Philippines, EVIS is the one that we are jumping on, which doesn’t mean we are denying the possibility of the RACE program,’ he said.

If the RACE program would support MMPC’s next plan, he said that the firm would be open to taking part in it.

For now, he said MMPC’s focus is on the EVIS.

But at the same time, he said MMPC needs to be flexible with its investment plans for the next four to five years, citing policy changes that may take place under the next administration.

‘Are we going to develop more for EVs? Or are we going for ICE? It’s still under discussion right now because we have plan A, B, C, D, E and F,’ he said.

‘It is very difficult how the Philippines is going to change in the next government shift. Are they going to encourage the economy in the manufacturing industry or auto industry? Are they still going to support the BPO (business process outsourcing), the service industries? So we also have to be flexible,’ he said further.

Earlier, MMPC took part and enrolled the Mirage in the government’s Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy program, which provided fiscal support for investments in local vehicle manufacturing.

Almost a year after Typhoon Tino altered the rivers and streams in Cebu City’s upland barangays, the City Council has ordered several government offices to step in and protect the affected waterways from unlawful encroachment.

In an approved resolution authored by Councilor Alvin B. Arcilla, the City Council directed the Office of the Building Official and the Department of Engineering and Public Works to inspect, identify, and secure rivers and riverbanks affected by the storm.

The measure makes clear that no filling, reclamation, diversion, or construction should be permitted if it alters the post-typhoon condition of these waterways.

Arcilla stressed that unauthorized alterations could obstruct water flow, worsen flooding, and endanger surrounding communities.

Typhoon Tino struck Cebu nearly a year ago, leaving behind collapsed riverbanks, shifted river courses, and disrupted drainage systems in mountain barangays.

The storm’s impact was not only destructive but also reshaped the landscape and exposed vulnerabilities that continue to threaten residents.

Meanwhile, fellow Councilor Mikel F. Rama has filed a broader ordinance seeking to reclaim and protect the three-meter public easement along inland waterways, as mandated by the Water Code of the Philippines.

His proposed ‘Cebu City Riverside Greenway and Linear Parks Ordinance’ aims to transform recovered riverbanks into a network of greenways and parks that serve as flood buffers, ecological corridors, and recreational spaces.

The proposed ordinance outlines a phased approach that requires a GIS-based inventory of easements, humane relocation for affected settlers, and barangay stewardship to prevent renewed encroachment.

Recovered areas would be secured within 30 days and opened for interim public use, ensuring that they remain accessible to the public rather than slipping back into private occupation.

A waste disposal corporation has moved to defend itself amid mounting scrutiny over why its waste processing proposal for Cebu City nearly doubled in cost.

In its October 6 clarification letter to Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, Suki Trading Corporation explained that the earlier ?250 million quotation covered only two pyrolysis units paired with manual segregation lines, while the revised P470 million package added two Automatic Garbage Segregation Machines (AGSM), priced at P110 million each.

The firm stressed that the increase was not arbitrary but reflected a shift from labor-intensive sorting to mechanized segregation capable of handling up to 500 tons per day.

‘The principal distinction is the method and scale of segregation,’ the letter stated, noting that manual setups could process only about 4.16 tons daily under illustrative productivity assumptions, far below Cebu’s 700-ton daily waste stream.

The supplier emphasized that pyrolysis technology differs from incineration, operating under oxygen-limited conditions to convert waste into gas, liquid, and char. It also pledged to implement odor control measures, sanitation protocols, and proper housekeeping to minimize unsanitary conditions.

Mechanization, Suki Trading said, would reduce worker fatigue, direct exposure to mixed waste, and the risk of piled-up unsorted garbage that contributes to odors and pest infestations.

Earlier, the sudden price jump had raised concerns at the City Council.

Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who had earlier secured a ?250 million quotation from the same supplier, questioned why the figure had nearly doubled after City Hall’s involvement.

‘Why did the price increase so much?’ he asked, warning of possible anomalies and stressing his duty to defend the original deal.

Archival, for his part, clarified that the proposal did not originate from his office but was submitted after proponents visited a similar facility in Manila.

Meanwhile, Councilor Harry Eran, whose name had earlier been dragged into the controversy but who denied any role in the price increase, has sought to redirect attention toward community discipline in waste disposal while the proposal awaits deliberation.

In a resolution filed before the council, Eran urged residents, households, establishments, and barangays to refrain from dumping garbage into canals, rivers, esteros, drainage systems, and other unauthorized areas.

He cited recent flooding in Cebu City, which was aggravated by garbage buildup near waterways such as the T. Padilla Bridge, and stressed the need to comply with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 and other relevant laws.

His measure calls for intensified clearing operations, coordination with barangays to unclog waterways, updated collection schedules, and sustained information campaigns on waste segregation and flood prevention.