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Biyaheros, get ready for an earlier Sunday adventure!

Beginning on September 28, popular travel show Biyahe ni Drew can now be seen on a new timeslot, promising more thrilling and captivating adventures that viewers should not miss. Hosted by award-winning host and ‘ultimate biyahero’ Drew Arellano, the program airs every Sunday at 6:10 pm on GTV.

Last week, Biyahe ni Drew kicked off its new schedule with an adventure to the breathtaking province of Sarangani, known for its stunning landscapes and rich culture. Drew was joined by Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre’s Ashley Rivera.

The pair took on the exhilarating challenge of white-water tubing on the Pangi River, recognized as one of the cleanest rivers in Mindanao. Known for his adventurous spirit, Drew put his skills to the test, with Ashley right there with him ready for the action.

The friendly rivalry continued in the kitchen as Drew and Ashley faced off in a cooking showdown. Using vannamei shrimp, they competed to see who could whip up the most delicious dish. They also tried tinagtag, a local delicacy prepared using a unique cooking method.

Biyahe ni Drew airs Sundays at 6:10 pm on GTV. Global Pinoys can also tune in via the GMA International channel, GMA Life TV.

A GRAND party kicks off a season-long celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

The league gets the ball rolling at the Green Gate of the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday where it will hold a four-hour Fans Day in honor of what the PBA calls its lifeblood.

Players will be interacting with the different fans club in a meet-and-greet event that also features performances by some of the country’s top bands.

Various PBA merchandises are also on sale in the venue.

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

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

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

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

‘We’re inviting all of you to the PBA 50th year reunion where we will honor everyone who’s been involved in the league for the past 50 years,’ said Marcial as he urged everyone to extend the invitation in behalf of the league.

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

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

With over 19,000 learners affected by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struct northern Cebu, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara assured parents and teachers that education will continue as immediate emergency measures are being addressed.

Angara stressed that the Department of Education (DepEd) will rely primarily on modular learning, the most practical mode for communities with damaged classrooms or limited connectivity.

Policies on lesson packets and the Dynamic Learning Program are also set to be finalized next week, with emergency funds for learning materials to be released right after, the DepEd said.

The DepEd Learning Systems Strand (LSS) is also coordinating with Schools Division Superintendents for context-specific interventions once immediate emergency measures are addressed.

To minimize lost school days, estimated at about one month in the hardest-hit areas, DepEd will also establish Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) in Bogo and nearby Cebu towns to prioritize early grade learners and resume limited face-to-face classes sooner.

‘Bayanihan ang susi. Dapat mabilis ang aksyon ng lahat para mas mabilis din makakabalik ang ating mga guro at mag-aaral sa normal na klase,’ Angara said.

On Thursday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Angara, and other national government officials on visited Bogo, Cebu to provide immediate assistance and assess the impact of the earthquake that damaged thousands of classrooms and communities.

Marcos led the situation briefing together with Angara and other Cabinet Secretaries, including Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Public Works Vince Dizon, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, and Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa. They also assessed the City of Bogo Science and Arts Academy, one of the hardest-hit campuses, where at least three buildings were not declared safe for occupancy.

Damaged classrooms

As of 11 p.m. on October 1, the DepEd reported 5,587 classrooms sustained minor damage, 803 major damage, and 1,187 were totally destroyed in Cebu schools. There were 950 teaching and non-teaching personnel affected.

‘Sa gitna ng trahedya, kailangan mas maagap tayong tumulong para hind rin maputol ang pag-aaral ng ating mga mag-aaral. Habang inaayos ang mga paaralan, agad tayong maghahatid ng alternatibong paraan upang may gabay, pag-asa, at direksyon silang mahahawakan,’ Angara said.

Subject to further validation by field offices, a vetted list will then be endorsed for joint DepEd-Depatment of Public Works and Highways validation to determine costs.

The department noted that reconstruction funds will be downloaded immediately.

Recovery kit

The DepEd chief also distributed nearly 90 EduKahon teaching and learning recovery kit.

DepEd also said that those in affected areas declared under a state of calamity may avail of Special Emergency Leave under CSC rules.

The DepEd added that unaffected regions are mobilizing resources to extend support, including financial aid, to affected teachers.

The Philippines has always lived in rhythm with fire and water. Storms cross our seas each year, earthquakes pulse beneath our feet, volcanoes remind us that the earth here never fully sleeps. Yet lately, nature’s restlessness feels sharper, as if something heavier presses down on the land. It is not only corruption or division that weighs us down, but also poverty, millions enduring hardship in fragile homes, daily survival always one disaster away.

This is a feedback loop we have created. The choices made by leaders, the neglect of basic needs, and the exploitation of land and resources build up like pressure in the soil. When rivers are clogged with garbage, they spill over. When forests are cut and mountains mined, the ground softens and collapses. When urban growth outpaces planning, floods arrive even with ordinary rain. The unrest of society is written into the environment, and the environment answers back.

Symbols matter. The flood that drowns a barangay is more than rainfall; it is the weight of unkept promises. The quake shakes more than houses; it shakes the fragile confidence of communities left to rebuild alone. Taal’s rumble is not just magma rising; it is the reminder that imbalance beneath the surface will always find release. These disasters are natural, yes, but their impact grows heavier when human neglect, inequality, and poverty feed them.

Consider the pattern. Metro Manila floods with rains that no longer need to be historic. Taal rumbles in Batangas, a reminder that the volcano’s fire is never truly dormant. In Cebu, a recent earthquake shook communities still piecing together stability after years of storms and economic strain. Each event has scientific explanation, but they also form a phenomenon: a mirror showing us what happens when a nation ignores its own fractures.

And yet, even in the cycle of collapse, renewal is possible. After every storm, we see neighbors carrying one another to safety. After every quake, families share food and light with strangers. Communities rise from rubble with little more than determination. These gestures shift the current. They remind us that resilience, while often romanticized, is real; and it is the nation’s truest strength.

But even as disasters repeat, the cycle of blame feels just as relentless. Each time, officials deflect responsibility; some leaving the country temporarily, others permanently, as if distance absolves them. Agencies point fingers at one another, investigations stretch into years, litigation drags on without convictions. We have witnessed this before: stories buried by the next great breaking news, accountability dissolved by the sheer pace of crisis. In this endless carousel of blame, guilt is diluted, and the people remain stranded in the floodwaters, standing on cracked soil, breathing ash.

Healing is not only material but spiritual. A country constantly bracing for the next flood or tremor cannot heal if its people never pause. To pause is to reclaim breath, to sit in silence long enough to hear what the land is telling us. Reflection does not erase poverty or corruption, but it steadies the spirit, creating space for clarity and compassion. Better this pause, this prayer, than the chaos of anarchy; for we are, at our core, a nation of prayer.

When a nation learns to pause, it changes its vibration. The energy of panic and bitterness softens into the energy of resilience and care. The earth, too, feels this shift. A people that breathes together, reflects together, and prays together sends a signal to the land: we are ready to heal with you, not against you.

Maybe it is time for the people to pause, to breathe, and to join in healing the nation-so that the land, too, can finally rest.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday formally proclaimed the first nominees of Abono, Ang Probinsyano, and Murang Kuryente to take over the three party-list seats in the House of Representatives once reserved for Duterte Youth.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the proclamation capped the poll body’s monthslong deliberations after Duterte Youth lost its bid to stop the cancellation of its registration.

On September 30, the clerk of the commission issued a Certificate of Finality and Entry of Judgment, affirming that the August en banc decision voiding the group’s registration was final and executory.

‘They will fulfill the three seats supposedly to be awarded to the Duterte Youth after the en banc decision disqualifying them became final and executory,’ Garcia said in a press conference.

Abono’s Robert Raymond Estrella, Ang Probinsyano’s Alfred delos Santos, and Murang Kuryente’s Arthur Yap received their certificates of proclamation after their groups each secured one seat in the May 2025 polls.

Abono garnered 254,474 votes, Ang Probinsyano 250,886 votes, and Murang Kuryente 247,754 votes.

Chairman Garcia said the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) followed the same formula applied in the disqualification of An Waray, where the next party-list in line was proclaimed to fill the vacancy.

‘The decision of the NBOC is based on the recommendation of the Commission’s Law Department and Supervisory Group.At the same time, we also applied Banat vs. Comelec. The Supreme Court said an integer cannot be treated as a person. That’s why we went down to three, consistent with what we did in the An Waray case,’ he explained.

Duterte Youth had won 2.33 million votes, the second-highest tally among party-list groups in the May elections, which would have entitled it to three seats.

But the Comelec en banc declared its registration void ab initio for failure to comply with mandatory requirements of publication and hearing when it first sought accreditation in 2019.

The Supreme Court did not act on its petition for a temporary restraining order within the 30-day period, effectively sealing its disqualification.

Estrella, delos Santos, and Yap will now join the House as party-list representatives for a full three-year term ending June 30, 2028.

THE country’s fish unloading volume rose by over 9 percent in August, the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) reported.

In its latest briefer, the PFDA said the fish unloading volume in the reference month grew by 9.7 percent to 46,458.20 metric tons (MT) from the 42,354.45 MT posted in the same period last year.

The General Santos Fish Port Complex held the lion’s share of the total unloading record delivered to consumers in August at 23,716.08 MT. This was higher than the 19,718.79 MT recorded in the previous year.

PFDA noted that the Navotas Fish Port Complex, the largest RFP in the country, trailed behind as it unloaded 16,211.08 MT of fish, higher than the 15,809.70 MT of fish products delivered to consumers in the same period last year.

For its Luzon ports, the agency said the Lucena Fish Port Complex unloaded 1,752.3 MT of fish products in August, up from the previous year’s 1,669.05 MT.

The Bulan Fish Port Complex in Sorsogon delivered 860.9 MT of fish in the reference month, according to the agency. It was lower than the 1,328.10 MT last year.

The PFDA said the sole port in the Visayas-Iloilo Fish Port Complex-managed to supply 2,843.4 MT of fish to consumers in August, from 2,724.86 MT.

Meanwhile, the country’s Mindanao ports-Zamboanga Fish Port Complex and Davao Fish Port Complex-supplied 704.55 MT and 360.57 MT of fish, respectively.

The agency also said the Sual Fish Port delivered 9.31 MT of fish products in the reference month.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier issued memorandum orders that allowed the Philippines to import fish and aquatic products.

Such a move is aimed at ensuring a stable supply amid successive typhoons and the upcoming closed fishing season.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed MO 47, which stipulated the guidelines on the implementation of the certificate of necessity to import (CNI) 55,000 MT of frozen fish for wet markets covering the period of October to December.

Only registered importers under Fisheries Administrative Order 259 can participate in the importation program under CNI 55,000 MT.

In a separate document, Laurel also issued MO 46, authorizing the importation of 22,000 MT of various frozen seafood. The CNI covers the period September to December.

Such an import order followed the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) recommendation to ‘provide a wider range of choices of affordable fish’ and ‘cater to the market demand.’

Starting next year, overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan will benefit from the pending decision of Taiwan to raise the monthly minimum wage to NT$29,500 (P56,381.85), according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

It will be a 3.18 percent increase to the prevailing monthly minimum wage NT$28,590 (P54,642.61) in Taiwan. The Taiwanese government also raised the hourly rate from NT$190 (P363.14) to NT$196 (P374.60).

The higher rates, will take effect on 1 January 2025 once it is approved by the Executive Yuan-the highest administrative body in the self-governing island. It is the 10th successive year Taiwan implemented such an increase.

DMW Secretary Hans J. Cacdac welcomed said wage hikes in Taiwan, which he said will help thousands of OFWs cope with rising cost of living.

‘We are very grateful to the Taiwanese government and labor organizations for their efforts to implement this wage hike,’ he said in Filipino in a statement.

‘This news is a victory for all workers in Taiwan, especially for our OFWs,’ he added.

The DMW chief assured that they will ensure that OFWs will benefit from the said increase.

Based on the latest government data, of the 200,000 Filipinos in Taiwan, 170,000 are workers.

THE government has directed its housing agencies to suspend amortization payments in areas severely affected by the recent earthquake in Cebu and the twin typhoons that battered the Bicol Region.

In a memorandum issued last Thursday, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) ordered the agencies under its tutelage to implement a moratorium on monthly housing amortization for members whose homes were damaged or destroyed.

The order covers the Home Development Mutual (Pag-IBIG) Fund, the National Housing Authority (NHA), the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. (NHMFC) and the Social Housing Finance Corp. (SHFC).

Regional offices of the DHSUD in Bicol and Central Visayas were also directed to inspect sites to determine the extent of destruction and identify beneficiaries eligible for assistance.

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Cebu on Tuesday night, killing more than 70 people and injuring hundreds. According to disaster officials, the tremor affected over 47,000 families, many of whom lost their homes after strong ground shaking and secondary landslides.

Last week, typhoons ‘Nando’ (international name: ‘Ragasa’) and ‘Opong’ (international name: ‘Bualoi’) swept across the Bicol Region, toppling structures and flooding towns in Masbate, where thousands of shelters were reported either damaged or completely destroyed.

According to a statement, the DHSUD is coordinating with other government agencies and the private sector to ‘streamline’ housing assistance and rehabilitation efforts.

THE Department of Energy (DOE) is considering setting up an auction for nuclear energy in a bid to deliver the country’s first nuclear-generated kilowatt hour (kWh) by 2032.

The auction could be patterned after the green energy auction program (GEAP), but since nuclear energy is not renewable energy (RE), then there is a need to conduct a separate auction.

‘We’re always saying it’s a low-carbon option. We are studying to have an auction for it. But we are looking at the legal framework,’ said DOE Director and Technical Secretariat Head of the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee (NEP-IAC) Patrick T. Aquino.

The DOE would have to issue a circular for the planned nuclear auction. ‘Any DOE policy is studied carefully so that when we hold consultations involving auction for nuclear, it means that we have hurdled their legal proposition. It can be treated as the same as any technology,’ added Aquino.

During the Philippine International Nuclear Supply Chain Forum (PINSCF) 2025 held Thursday, Aquino cited the significant progress the Philippines has made in preparing for its nuclear energy future, highlighting key milestones and strategic priorities needed to meet its 1,200 megawatt (MW) target of nuclear power generation by 2032. The DOE is also aiming to increase this to 2,400MW by 2035 and 4,800MW to 2050.

‘The NEP-IAC aims to transition from preparatory activities to implementation-ready frameworks,’ Aquino said. ‘In order to establish the groundwork for a safe, secure, and sustainable nuclear energy future, 2026 will be crucial in reinforcing institutional readiness, technical credibility, and public trust,’ he added.

A historic milestone in the country’s nuclear energy goals is the recent enactment of Republic Act No. 12305 or the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority or PhilATOM Act, which serves as the legal backbone for nuclear energy governance.

Aquino said the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the PhilATOM law will be out within the year. ‘Our law will be effective before the end of October. What we expect is that we, at the DOE, are not part of the ones who will write the implementing rules and regulations. But in our NEP-IAC, we will provide support to our PhilATOM so that we can help accelerate and establish their agency,’ Aquino said.

The high-level forum gathered global nuclear technology leaders, policymakers, regulators, industrial partners, academia and development agencies from the United States, South Korea, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Argentina and the Philippines to exchange insights and collaborate on fortifying a robust and resilient nuclear ecosystem for the country.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been closely assisting the Philippines in addressing 19 infrastructure issues, currently handled by six NEP-IAC subcommittees. Last December, the IAEA conducted a follow-up Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission-a specialized review designed to prepare the country for the second phase of its nuclear development under the agency’s milestone approach.

In its 2018 INIR mission, the agency issued 14 recommendations, nine of which have now been fully addressed by the Philippines while five are in progress.

Just recently, the DOE released a nationwide Social Weather Stations survey showing that over 70 percent of Filipinos believe nuclear can deliver reliable electricity, reduce dependence on imported fuels, create jobs, and mitigate climate change.

‘Flawed’ survey

The Nuclear-Free Bataan Movement (NFBM), meanwhile, said the ‘flawed’ survey and the PhilATOM law are being used as a tandem strategy to fast-track the revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) and build new nuclear plants.

‘We are being rushed into a nuclear future based on a poll that highlighted only the benefits and downplayed the catastrophic risks of operating a nuclear plant. The ghost of the BNPP and the tragedies of Chernobyl and Fukushima are being obliterated by a marketing campaign,’ said Atty. Dante Ilaya, NFBM Chairperson.

The NFBM said the survey failed to present the consequences of nuclear accidents, long-term radioactive waste, and the immense financial costs.

Baseload facility

The DOE, meanwhile, said the country’s first nuclear power plant will be treated as a baseload facility, granted priority dispatch, and automatically certified as an Energy Project of National Significance (EPNS).

Under Department Circular No. 2005-10-0019, signed on October 2, 2025 by DOE Secretary Sharon S. Garin, the agency established the policy foundations for the Philippines’ first commercially developed and operated nuclear power plant (NPP), designated as a Pioneer NPP.

The Pioneer NPP will serve as a cornerstone project, not only by diversifying the country’s energy mix but also by creating a robust framework that is attractive to both local and international investors.

Within 90 days upon the Circular’s issuance, the DOE will explore government participation models and financing options in collaboration with the Department of Finance, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, the Maharlika Investment Corporation, and other relevant agencies.

At the same time, grid readiness will be prioritized to ensure seamless integration of nuclear power into the transmission system.

To support long-term financial viability, flexible contracting mechanisms such as auctions, direct contracting, or aggregation for industrial and economic zone use will be introduced. In parallel, the Energy Regulatory Commission, in consultation with stakeholders, will implement a Regulatory Asset Base (RAB)-type model or a similar capital recovery mechanism, anchored on minimum contract terms of 25 years, extendable for another 25 years.

Two senators took the cudgels for erstwhile backwater destinations down south in eastern Mindanao when they argued for funding to upgrade its small airport and usher in wider recognition and interest to its water bodies described as untapped world-class destinations.

A communication dispatch from the Office of Senator Lawrence Christopher ‘Bong’ Go said the senator from Davao City called for support to allocated funds to the airport in Mati City, the capital of Davao Oriental, now increasingly known for its open seven-kilometer white sand beach and where three water bodies around this Pacific Ocean-side city have been listed in the in the Most Beautiful Bays in the World.

Go said he was manifesting in the recent Senate hearing to allocate funds to develop the Mati Airport through the proposed 2026 budget of the Department of Transportation (DOTr). The hearing was held Monday.

He has urged the national government to continue current development works at the airport that were initiated last year to make it operational on its target date of November this year.

‘Transportation has always been the backbone of our economy,’ citing this and other infrastructure projects that were started during the previous administration that he said must be continued.

He said former DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade completed and enhanced aviation infrastructure across the country. ‘The DOTr, led by Sec. Tugade, constructed new airports and improved existing ones. They were able to complete more than two hundred airports including those in Albay, Legaspi, Clark International Airport, Bohol-Panglaw and Mactan-Cebu International Airport.’

How does this Mati Airport be made operational? He said the project was supported by Sen. JV Ejercito to help decongest the Davao Airport and improve tourism.

Sen. Loren Legarda supported Go’s call as she emphasized that ‘leaving runways idle wastes existing infrastructure and even leads to safety issues, such as animals straying onto airstrips’. She said she has supported the move to secure funds to make Mati Airport and similar facilities and make them operational.

Early this year, Mati Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat announced that ‘collaborative efforts’ with the Department of Transportation, contractors, and local government officials would accelerate the development of the Mati Airport to be finally opened next month.

She said the 1,628 meter-long airstrip was once called Imelda Marcos Airport when it was constructed and operated in the 1980’s and later renamed Mati Airport. ‘This will be back on tract after a long lull and will operate beginning in November this year,’ she said.

The DOTr and the provincial government also jointly announced that they will sign an agreement that time on the expansion and development of the airport runway, and that the approved construction scope of the DOTr includes the terminal, fire station, and parking area. Contractors O.G. Santos Construction and Rakki Corporation reaffirmed their commitment to delivering the project on schedule.

Engr. Zenaida Loon, head of the Office of the Building Official (OBO), will oversee the electric plan and coordinate with Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative (Doreco). Joseph Progatorio, head of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), will handle the zoning requirements to ensure the project’s seamless integration into the city’s master plan.

They also disclosed that expansion works has a budget of P90 million, to be taken from the P100 million budget previously secured in 2019 by former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo and her brother, Congressman Erwin Tulfo. This money jumpstarted the airport development, the information office said, although it was halted when the Covid 19-pandemic set in the following year.

Mati City boasts of untapped natural wonders like the seven-kilometer white-sand Dahican Beach fronting the Pacific Ocean, the tranquil and marine-resource rich Pujada Bay and the Unesco

Heritage site Mount Hamiguitan. Also just around its corners are its three water bodies, including Pujada, which were listed in the Most Beautiful Bays in the World by the MBBW Association.

Outside Mati City is Pusan Point in Caraga town, which was marked as the site of the first millennium sunrise in the Philippines.