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Taal Volcano erupted early Wednesday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

According to Phivolcs’ bulletin, the eruption ended at 2:15 a.m.

Alert Level 1 remains raised at Taal Volcano.

‘ATM: Ongoing eruption at Taal Volcano. Details to follow. Alert Level 1 prevails over Taal Volcano,’ Phivolcs said on its social media accounts.

‘UPDATE: The eruption has ended at 02:15 AM,’ it added.

In its 8 a.m. report, Phivolcs added that the eruption produced a 2,500 meter-high plume that drifted northwest. Alert Level 1 or low level of unrest remains raised in the area.

According to the state seismologists, sudden steam or phreatic eruptions, volcanic earthquakes, thin ashfall and emission of poisonous gases are still possible under Alert Level 1.

Residents are urged to stay at homes unless absolutely necessary, to wear face masks and eye protection when going out and to follow the advice of authorities. /mcm

The entire province of Cebu has been placed under a state of calamity following the strong earthquake that struck the island late Tuesday night, which caused widespread destruction and a death toll now confirmed to be at 36.

The Cebu Provincial Information Office said that 36 fatalities have been recorded as of 7 a.m. Wednesday, of whom 27 were reported in Bogo City, the epicenter of the 6.9 magnitude quake that struck at 10 p.m. on Tuesday.

In an emergency online session early Wednesday presided over by Cebu Vice Governor Glenn Soco, the 17th Sangguniang Panlalawigan unanimously approved the state of calamity declaration to enable a faster and more efficient response to the growing needs on the ground.

‘This declaration is necessary to give our provincial government the ability to respond quickly and effectively. It allows us to mobilize resources, extend immediate assistance to affected families, and implement rehabilitation measures as we begin our recovery,’ Soco said in an official statement.

The Provincial Board members attended the session on Wednesday morning remotely, as many are stationed in their respective districts to monitor the situation and assist constituents

As the NCAA begins a journey to its second century, two goals have emerged for the country’s oldest varsity league: Go home and fly off to the world.

Season 101 opens Saturday with the NCAA hoping to build a grassroots base for potential Olympians, even as it treks back to the place where everything began.

League officials announced on Tuesday that the new season will introduce four Olympic sports that will be played in the second semester of this school year-weightlifting, boxing, gymnastics and golf. The sports will be played as demonstration events for now.

‘We want to farm out the focus into those sports,’ said Paul Supan, the Jose Rizal U athletic director who is the school’s representative to the NCAA management committee. ‘The past 100 years, the NCAA has been contributing to the national training pool; in basketball, swimming, track and field.

‘If one of our students can get into the national team, represent the country and bring glory to the country, then it’s mission accomplished for us,’ he added.

Supan said the four sports will go through the regular process before they can become part of the official calendar of events, including getting consistent representation from all member-schools for three years.

‘The important thing is to get it started, bring [schools and athletes] together and see how we can develop [national athletes],’ he said. ‘The NCAA is [focused on] grassroots and we want to ferry [athletes] to the elite level. Whatever we can start, we will start.’

‘We want to give a chance to student-athletes who want to represent the national team,’ said lawyer Lorenzo Lorenzo, the representative of Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC).

Meanwhile, Lorenzo, EAC’s vice president for administration, said the NCAA is slowly finding its way home to Rizal Memorial Coliseum, its former hotbed that was home to some of the fiercest collegiate rivalries in the past.

‘For now, the availability [of Rizal Memorial Coliseum] is still limited, but we are moving toward the direction of holding more games there,’ Lorenzo said.

Coming home

‘Bringing back games [to Rizal Memorial] will be nostalgic,’ Supan added. ‘Old-timers will be able to reminisce the games that were played here.’

Season 101 will kick off with the men’s basketball tournament at Smart Araneta Coliseum with host Mapua taking on Lyceum at 2 p.m. and San Beda battling St. Benilde after.

The four demonstration sports have had a lot of success in the international field, with weightlifting, gymnastics and boxing producing medals in the Summer Games.

Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, incidentally a product of NCAA school St. Benilde, won the country’s first Olympic gold medal when she ruled her division in the weightlifting competition of the Tokyo Olympics. Three years later, Carlos Yulo became the first double-gold winner of the Philippines when he ruled two events in the Paris Games.

Petron Corp., part of the San Miguel group, has become the first oil firm accredited as an official training institution in the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry.

In a statement Tuesday, Petron said it had secured the certification from the Department of Energy (DOE) last week.

The accreditation shows the group’s capacity to produce LPG professionals from its refinery, terminals, haulers, dealers and retail outlets.

This is also consistent with the implementation of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Industry Regulation Act. The law seeks to improve industry standards as well as impose stronger penalties.

‘As more LPG personnel undergo proper training from qualified institutions, consumers can be more confident in the quality and reliability of the LPG products they receive,’ said Rino Abad, DOE’s Oil Industry Management Bureau director.

DOE certificate

After LPG personnel’s training with Petron, they will receive a DOE certificate, according to the firm.

‘The company has already scheduled its LPG training sessions, starting with dealers and retailers in Ormoc, Leyte,’ it said.

Petron’s flagship brands under its LPG business include Petron Gasul and Fiesta Gas.

Petron supplies about 40 percent of the total fuel requirements nationwide through its refinery in Bataan. The facility has the capability to process 180,000 barrels of oil per day.

The oil refiner’s net income in the first half of 2025 dropped 12 percent to P5.3 billion amid persistent market challenges.

Its revenues had also declined by 13 percent to P386.4 billion in the January to June period.

Petron’s weaker performance in the first semester was blamed on the rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East as well as the tariff war triggered by the United States.

The company also cited the recent decision of major oil producers to boost production, resulting in lower crude prices. INQ

The low-pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) intensified into Tropical Depression Paolo at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, the state weather bureau said.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) announced it will begin issuing bulletins on the tropical cyclone at 11 a.m.

In its 5 a.m. forecast, it said the then-LPA (designated as 09g) was last spotted 1,080 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon.

The LPA entered the PAR on Tuesday night.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday said that all airports and seaports remain ‘safe and fully operational’ after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake jolted Cebu Tuesday evening.

Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez, in a statement, said that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) and the Philippine Ports Authority immediately conducted inspections at airports and ports in the Visayas following the major earthquake.

The Office of Civil Defense reported that the death toll as of posting time is 69.

‘So far, no damage has been reported, so our service to passengers continues,’ Lopez said in Filipino.

Lopez added that they will continue to monitor all DOTr facilities.

Aid for quake victims

According to the DOTr, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will deploy BRP Teresa Magbanua, along with doctors, nurses, medics, and basic emergency equipment, to assist residents in affected areas in Cebu.

‘The PCG will also deploy a total of eight search-and-rescue K9 units, as well as water desalinators to help with water supply issues, especially in hospitals and evacuation centers,’ the DOTr said.

The DOTr said it will continue monitoring the situation and is ‘in constant coordination with concerned local authorities and relevant agencies to ensure the safety of the riding public.’

Earlier this Wednesday, Caap said Mactan-Cebu International Airport and other airports in Visayas did not incur damage after the said Cebu-hit earthquake.

Two of the five accused of murder of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga voluntarily surrendered to authorities, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Wednesday.

According to the NBI, the two suspects, Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza and former police officer Nelson Mariano ‘expressed their intention to surrender to the NBI’ after they learned about the arrest warrant issued by a Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court.

Mariano voluntarily surrendered to the NBI’s Organized and Transnational Crime Division in Manila on September 29, while Mendoza did the same upon the implementation of his arrest warrant in Bacolod City on September 30.

The arrest warrants were issued after corroborating the details of a House quad committee hearing and the findings of the NBI and Philippine National Police joint (PNP) investigation.

In the quad committee hearing on September 27, Mariano and Mendoza confessed to their involvement in the murder of Barayuga in July 2020.

While on his way home from the PCSO headquarters, police reported that Barayuga was shot by gunmen on a motorcycle around 3:30 p.m. at the corner of Calbayog and Malinaw Streets in Brgy. Highway Hills.

In the hearing, Mendoza said that it was PCSO General Manager Royina Marzan Garma and National Police Commission (Napolcom) Chairman Edilberto dela Cruz Leonardo who ordered the assassination of Barayuga.

Shortly after, a recommendation to charge Garma, Leonardo, Mendoza, Mariano, and Jeremy Zapata Causapin, alias ‘Toks,’ of murder and frustrated murder were made. This is where the arrest warrants are based.

The PNP, on Tuesday, formed teams to track down the three remaining suspects

The Department of Health (DOH) has deployed medical teams to Bogo City in Cebu, following a call for medical volunteers by the province after a strong earthquake struck the city on Tuesday night.

In a Facebook post, the DOH said that Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa sent medical teams last night for emergency response in Bogo City.

‘Doctors, nurses and staff of the DOH Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) and the DOH Cebu South Medical Center (CSMC) have reported back on their safety and are now deploying medical teams to nearby areas, especially in Bogo City itself,’ DOH Spokesperson Dr. Albert Domingo said in a separate statement.

Domingo also said that DOH centers for health development in Central and Eastern Visayas are coordinating with the regional counterparts of the Office of Civil Defense.

‘The DOH advises all in affected areas to heed all instructions and advice from their local government units and to brace for possible aftershocks,’ Domingo added.

In a separate post, the provincial government of Cebu said that the province needs medical volunteers ‘to augment manpower, especially in the north.’ Interested volunteers may contact 0915-330-3293.

The provincial government also said that the following medical teams are now in Bogo City:

Sotto Trauma Team led by Dr. Aquino

Provincial Health Office led by Dr. Arsenal

Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation led by Dr. Don Rosello

The following teams are expected to arrive in a few hours:

Argao District Hospital

Barili District Hospital

Ricardo L. Maningo Memorial Hospital (Camotes)

‘The neighboring province of Bohol will also send medical staff to support Cebu’s operations. Meanwhile, South Cotabato governor has confirmed to Governor Pamela S. Baricuatro that relief goods, hygiene kits, and a medical team are already on their way from General Santos City to Cebu,’ the province said.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology initially measured the earthquake’s magnitude at 6.7 before upgrading it to 6.9. The earthquake occurred at 9:59 p.m. (Sept. 30) with its epicenter located 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City in Cebu.

In an interview with ANC, the Cebu Provincial Information Office on Wednesday reported 27 fatalities and 37 injuries, with figures expected to rise as rescue operations are currently ongoing

The Philippine government’s debt burden eased in August after it settled its largest local bond of the year. This gives policymakers some breathing room in managing public finances.

Data from the Bureau of the Treasury showed total obligations stood at P17.47 trillion. This was a decrease of 0.5 percent or P95 billion from July’s level.

Still, borrowings have surged 8.8 percent or P1.42 trillion since the start of the year.

The Treasury said it fully repaid P516.34 billion in maturing peso bonds last month, reducing the debt pile. A stronger local currency also helped, reducing the peso value of foreign-denominated obligations.

Broken down, domestic debt edged down 0.2 percent to P12.09 trillion in August.

Local creditors

The government repaid billions owed to local creditors during the month. But it also raised P425 billion through retail Treasury bonds maturing in 2030. These were made available on the e-wallet platform GCash.

The mammoth fundraising activity nudged the share of domestic debt to total obligations to 69.2 percent from 68.9 percent. This indicates a ‘generally more favorable debt position, given that domestic debt is less vulnerable to shifts in foreign exchange movements,’ the Treasury said.

‘In addition, domestic borrowing is largely owed to Filipinos themselves, providing a safe and secure investment vehicle for wealth growth while also ensuring that the money circulates back into the local economy,’ it added.

External debts, meanwhile, edged down by 1.4 percent, or P73.68 billion, to P5.38 trillion.

The government had to continue borrowing money from lenders to plug a projected budget deficit of P1.6 trillion. This is equivalent to 5.5 percent of gross domestic product. The drive was expected to push the debt stock to P17.36 trillion by year’s end.

Exposure

Fiscal planners say they will continue to favor onshore borrowing to limit exposure to foreign exchange risks.

The Marcos administration has also made clear it is seeking an upgrade to an A-level credit rating. This is a distinction it hopes to achieve by keeping debt metrics in check while sustaining economic growth.

‘The Bureau reaffirmed its commitment to prudent debt management and responsible borrowing, ensuring that financing activities remain aligned with the country’s high and inclusive growth agenda, while safeguarding the welfare of future generations of Filipinos,’ the Treasury said. INQ

Maynard Ngu, the tech billionaire behind Cherry Mobile now linked to the billion-peso flood control scandal, has resigned from his post as independent director of Altus Property Ventures Inc.

In a regulatory filing on Tuesday, Altus, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gokongwei-led Robinsons Land Corp., said its board of directors had accepted Ngu’s resignation.

It noted that Ngu had resigned ‘due to personal reasons,’ although his exit from Altus comes just days after he was linked to the corruption allegations surrounding anomalous flood control projects being investigated at Congress.

Kickbacks

Last week, former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo alleged that he had coursed P160 million in kickbacks through Ngu.

This, Bernardo said, was supposedly meant for Sen. Francis Escudero.

The former Senate President has since denied his involvement, saying Bernardo’s claims were part of a ‘well-orchestrated plan to attack the Senate and its members,’ and to ‘divert the public’s attention from the real perpetrators.’

As a result, Ngu is among the 21 individuals, including senators, a congressman and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways, that may face charges of graft, bribery and malversation of funds, among others, according to the National Bureau of Investigation. He joins Escudero, Sen. Joel Villanueva, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co.

Independent director

Ngu, who is currently Malacañang’s special envoy to China for trade and investment, had been serving as Altus’ independent director since 2019.

The 46-year-old businessman is the CEO of Cosmic Technologies Inc. and president of Cherry Mobile, Cosmic Mobile Advertising Inc., Versatile Customer Care Solutions Inc., Kosmos Technomobile Inc. and Fimobile Technoloby Inc.

He is likewise the CEO of Land Traders Properties and Development Co. Inc. and Starway Piping Technology Inc.

Ngu, a management and finance graduate of De La Salle University, holds director positions in several other companies.