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The 6.9-magnitude earthquake that shook Central Visayas for about 30 seconds left a trail of destruction – highways split by deep cracks, churches reduced to rubble, a mall set ablaze, and many buildings collapsing.

At least 26 people have already died due to the powerful quake, with 147 others injured, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Its early assessment on Wednesday, October 1, showed at least 22 buildings damaged by the quake, with one road and three bridges rendered impassable. Overall, six roads and bridges in Cebu were affected:

Tabogon

Salag Hanging Bridge – not passable to all types of vehicles

Tuburan

Langoyon Bridge – not passable to all types of vehicles

Fortaliza Bridge – not passable to all types of vehicles

Brgy. Putat Bridge – passable to light vehicles

Brgy. Bagasawe Bridge – passable to light vehicles

Daanbantayan

Brgy. Poblacion Road – not passable to all types of vehicles

A dashcam video also captured the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge shaking in Cebu.

The devastation reached heritage, infrastructure and commercial spaces. The Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima in Daanbantayan, considered a cultural treasure, was toppled by the quake.

San Remigio saw damage to the Lambusan and Looc bridges and a government sports facility.

In Cebu City, fast-food chains were not spared. A McDonald’s and Jollibee branch were left in ruins, while another McDonald’s in Bogo collapsed. Housing facilities such as SM Cares Housing and Condor Lodge in Bogo also crumbled.

Communication lines were also cut in three parts of Region 7, while eight areas reported power outages. Affected localities include Daanbantayan, Bogo, San Remigio, Tabuelan, Carmen, Asturias, Catmon and Tuburan.

A total of 46 cities and municipalities declared class suspensions to focus on recovery efforts, with the Cebu provincial government declaring a state of calamity.

The earthquake also triggered a landslide in Tabuelan, Cebu, along a national highway. And around the same time the earthquake jolted Cebu, a fire broke out at SM Consolacion. It was quickly extinguished shortly after the quake.

In Asturias, Cebu, an old concrete wall at a private residence along Lapu-Lapu Street had also collapsed.

The NDRRMC has yet to assess the cost of the damage, but its regional office in Central Visayas has already raised a red alert, with Bureau of Fire Protection teams placed on standby.

Under red alert status, response agencies are placed on complete staffing, with urgent interagency coordination required to address the emergency.

The earthquake

The 6.9-magnitude earthquake was strong enough to cause widespread destruction. It struck 19 kilometers north of Bogo, Cebu, at a depth of 5 kilometers around 9:59 p.m. on September 30. The tremor was tectonic in origin and produced a total of 611 aftershocks as of 7 a.m.

Destructive shaking, Intensity VII, was reported in Cebu and Negros Occidental, as well as in parts of Eastern Visayas. This level of intensity is significantly felt by most people, driving many outdoors, as buildings are rocked by strong movement and hanging objects swing violently. Infrastructure damage, landslides and rockfalls are expected.

Weak to strong shaking was reported across several provinces, including Negros Occidental, Bohol, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Zamboanga del Norte, Albay, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Antique and Capiz.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called on LGUs to activate their emergency operations centers and incident management teams, urging chief executives to lead damage assessments and activate contingency plans.

A police team arrested an elusive criminal gang leader from Lanao del Sur on Sunday, September 28, in Midsayap, Cotabato; he was known for sharing proceeds from his illegal activities with the Dawlah Islamiya terror group.

Officials of the Police Regional Office-12 told reporters on Tuesday, September 30, that agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (CIDG-BAR) cornered in Midsayap the long-wanted Jamal Sadang, who is facing high-profile criminal cases pending in different courts in Lanao del Sur province in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Police Brig. Gen. Jaysen De Guzman, director of the Bangsamoro regional police, said on Tuesday that Sadang is now locked in the detention facility of the CIDG-BAR at the PC Hill in Cotabato City, the capital of BARMM.

Sadang is a known leader of an armed gang involved in motorcycle theft, extortion and large-scale peddling of shabu in different towns in the second district of Lanao del Sur.

Officials of Army units under the 103rd Infantry Brigade covering Lanao del Sur told reporters on Tuesday that Sadang has links with certain commanders of the now weakened Dawlah Islamiya, who provided him sanctuary in exchange for money whenever he is subjected to extensive manhunts by police teams under the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

De Guzman said it was local officials and traditional Maranao leaders in Lanao del Sur who reported to officials of the CIDG-BAR the presence of Sadang in Midsayap, enabling them to track him down in the municipality and serve the warrants for his arrest.

The operation that led to his arrest was assisted by officials from the Midsayap Municipal Police Station and the Cotabato Provincial Police Office, both under PRO-12’s director, Brig. Gen. Arnold Ardiente.

Kapuso actress Shuvee Etrata made a public call for medical volunteers in Cebu after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the province last night.

On her Instagram broadcast channel, the “Pinoy Big Brother” alum shared an art card calling for help.

“Cebu Province is in need of MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS to augment manpower especially in the north. If you want to volunteer now and in the next days please call 0915-330-3293,” the art card read.

Shuvee said that help is on the way for quake victims. She also reminded fellow Cebuanos to take care as aftershocks are expected.

Meanwhile fellow Cebuano “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate Slater Young shared that his family is safe following the earthquake.

“Thank you for the messages and well-wishes. The family is all okay from the quake last night,” the Cebu-based Slater said via his Instagram Stories. “Praying for our fellow Cebuanos and everyone else affected from the quake.”

Other Cebuano celebrities that expressed concern were Ellen Adarna, Manilyn Reynes, Kaye Abad, and beauty queens Bea Luigi Gomez and Gazini Ganados.

Gunmen beheaded a Teduray chieftain in another attack in a state-recognized non-Moro tribal domain in Datu Hoffer, Maguindanao del Sur, on Tuesday afternoon, September 30.

Teduray representatives to the 80-seat Bangsamoro parliament and officials of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region told reporters on Wednesday, October 1, that Ramon Lupos, a timuay, or chieftain, was to harvest bananas in his farm in Sitio Kulab in Barangay Limpongo when gunmen flagged him down, hit him with pieces of wood on the head and then one of them cut his neck with a machete.

Citing reports by his subordinate officers in Maguindanao del Sur, Brig. Gen. Jaysen De Guzman, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said the armed men behind the atrocity immediately escaped, now the subject of an extensive manhunt.

Lupos was the 87th Teduray tribal leader killed brutally in Maguindanao del Sur since 2019, all unsolved.

A Teduray member of the Bangsamoro parliament, Froilyn Mendoza, and tribal leaders in two towns where they have bastions, Upi in Maguindanao del Norte and South Upi in Maguindanao del Sur, have urged the Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police Office and PRO-BAR to exhaust all means of identifying the assailants of Lupos for prosecution.

He was the second tribal leader in Datu Hoffer, killed and decapitated by gunmen within just 11 months. Three others were killed in gun attacks in different areas in the municipality in the past three years.

The Miss Asia Pacific International 2025 candidates were in the Queen City of the South, Cebu City, for one of its pocket events when a deadly earthquake struck at about 9 p.m, Tuesday, September 30.

All 43 candidates, including Philippine bet Anita Rose Gomez, and the current titleholder, Janelis Leyba of the United States, are safe.

The organization released a statement shortly afterwards:

‘Following the 6.7 magnitude earthquake in Cebu, we would like to assure everyone that all Miss Asia Pacific International 2025 candidates and the MAPI Organization team are safe and well.

‘We extend our deepest gratitude to Radisson Blu Cebu for their swift and professional response in implementing safety measures during the tremor.

‘Our thoughts and prayers remain with the people of Cebu and all those affected by this incident.’

The evening’s festivity was a charity event of the organization with Operation Smile as beneficiary.

‘It’s a project of [Cebu philanthropist] Dame Mariquita Yeung. There was a presentation of candidates dressed by different Cebuano designers in Terno,’ said Philip Rodriguez, Cebu’s pillar of fashion design.

His creation, worn by Miss Belgium Jana Jansens, was a fuchsia Thai silk gown with oriental yellow chrysanthemums embroidery on the side, highlighted with a peplum that fell into a train in origami style.

It was awarded Best in Terno by haute couturier Cary Santiago.

‘I just gave the award for Best in Terno when the earthquake happened,’ Santiago recalled. ‘People were running scared, bulbs from the chandelier fell and a part of the ballroom ceiling collapsed.’

The activities of the pageant scheduled today, October 1, are canceled.

Based in the Philippines, Miss Asia Pacific International is ‘a pedestal for women who want to be the voice of celebrating beauty and harmony in diversity. May it be in the form of culture, race, belief, or opinion, we believe that all women are distinctly beautiful and one of a kind.’

The preliminary competition will be on October 3 at Lanson Place Mall of Asia Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, Philippines. The grand coronation night will be on October 7 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, Pasay City.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is expecting to have former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, former Rep. Elizaldy Co and Sen. Mark Villar in its next hearings.

In an ambush interview on Wednesday, October 1, ICI Executive Director Brian Hosaka said that Romualdez, Co and Villar will be receiving subpoenas to shed light on the controversy surrounding the budget insertions and kickback scheme in infrastructure deals.

‘Yes, I believe he will be invited, or in fact, I think according to our secretariat, he was invited already. I just have to find out if the summons or the subpoena was actually received,’ Hosaka said, referring to Romualdez.

He later confirmed to reporters that Co and Villar will also be invited.

Villar, an ex-DPWH secretary

He explained that Villar will be invited simply because he served as the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) secretary during the Duterte administration, which is well within the ICI’s 10-year scope.

Both the House and Senate hearings into the anomalous flood control projects have mentioned Villar’s name, especially as he was the one who appointed the dismissed Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara in 2019.

In an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla also said that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into Villar and his family over a potential conflict of interest case due to the reported P18 billion worth of government infrastructure contracts awarded to Villar’s cousin.

Remulla said that the DOJ is scrutinizing Villar’s actions in two capacities: as a current lawmaker and, significantly, as the former DPWH secretary.

‘First cousin niya ang contractor sa lugar nila, that’s a prohibited interest,’ Remulla said. (His first cousin is a contractor in their province, that’s a prohibited interest.)

When asked if Sen. Camille Villar, who is a former member of the House of Representatives, will be included, he said: ‘Siyempre kasama iyan, kasama rin iyan, it really has to stop, isa lang iyan, pero ano iyan it’s all over the Philippines, people know it.’

(Of course she’s included, she’s included. It really has to stop, and that’s just one, what more if you look all over the Philippines? People know it.)

ICI out for Co

Co, meanwhile, is the former House appropriations chair and a key figure in the flood control investigations, with several resource persons accusing him of allegedly manipulating the 2025 budget and seeking commissions from flood control projects.

Alcantara claimed that Co padded the national budget with P35 billion worth of infrastructure projects for Bulacan’s First District from 2022 to 2025. He said the former lawmaker sought 20% in kickbacks, citing one instance in 2022 where Co was given P519 million.

Meanwhile, dismissed DPWH district engineer Brice Hernandez claimed he delivered P1 billion in 20 suitcases, transported in as many as seven vans by one of Co’s staff, to a hotel in Taguig City.

Former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, on the other hand, said Co asked for a 25% commission from public works deals through Alcantara.

The ICI has already recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against Co for his ties to top contractor, Sunwest Inc., which he co-founded in 1997. Sunwest had bagged over P86 billion in government infrastructure deals from 2016 to 2025. It was also the contractor behind the anomalous P289-million Oriental Mindoro flood control project.

Why Romualdez?

While the ICI’s initial report did not name Romualdez or recommend charges against him, testimonies at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee have since referenced him in receiving alleged kickbacks.

One of Co’s former security aides alleged that 35 suitcases of cash were delivered to Romualdez’s Taguig property, with 11 reportedly left with Co – each containing an estimated P48 million. According to Orly Guteza, Co regularly received such luggage.

The Discayas, also known as the super contractor family, also implicated Romualdez in their initial testimony at the Senate hearing.

But during a House hearing, Curlee Discaya said Romualdez’s name was probably being used by others to secure kickbacks from projects they handled. He said he had no direct transaction with him.

Remulla also noted that appointing Co as the appropriations chair of the 19th Congress was the “speaker’s choice,” linking Romualdez in the DOJ’s case build-up.

Repeatedly denying the allegations, Romualdez stepped down as House speaker, while Co resigned as a member of the House of Representatives.

Despite Co’s resignation, he has yet to return to the Philippines to attend the hearings he was invited to, which now also include the Senate.

Ukraine and the Philippines are moving to revive a dormant agreement between their parliament and the Philippine Congress following the first major Ukrainian delegation visit to Manila, Ukraine’s ambassador said.

The Ukrainian parliamentary delegation, which includes lawmakers, members of Ukrainian media and think tanks, was on a three-day visit to the Philippines from September 22 to 24 to strengthen bilateral relations.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the Philippines Yuliia Fediv told Philstar.com in an interview on Monday, September 29, that the ‘most valuable’ part of the delegation’s visit was the talks between both countries’ lawmakers for trade ties.

‘We had several meetings, but I think the most valuable one was the meeting between the MPs and the House of Representatives of the Congress,’ Fediv said.

‘We were pretty lucky to join the session at the House and also to have a meeting with the Speaker before his first speech at the House,’ the ambassador said.

Members of Ukraine’s Parliament also met with the House Inter-Parliamentary and Foreign Policy Committee on September 23 to discuss renewing a memorandum of understanding signed in the 1990s between the Ukrainian Parliament and the House.

The panel is chaired by Rep. Georgina de Venecia (Pangasinan, 4th District).

‘We talked about renewing the text of this memorandum and making it more active now, and to sign maybe the new MOU or the action plan with deliverables for the next years,’ the Ukrainian ambassador told Philstar.com.

Lawmakers from both countries spoke of potential cooperation in trade and investment, with Ukrainian officials saying they see room to strengthen export-import ties.

Other areas discussed include science and technology, people-to-people exchanges, and coordination at international forums on maintaining rules-based international order.

The ambassador said the next steps include renewing the MOU and encouraging more exchanges between Ukrainian and Philippine legislators in the coming years.

Broader diplomatic push

Ukraine is finalizing several agreements with the Philippines, including memoranda on a joint commission for trade and investment, agriculture, security and cybersecurity, the Ukrainian ambassador said.

The embassy is also working with Ateneo de Manila University and other schools to establish Ukrainian studies programs, with Ukrainian universities planning reciprocal courses on Filipino history and ASEAN issues.

The ambassador said Ukraine wants direct communication between the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Ukraine’s Ministry on culture and information policy.

A cybersecurity memorandum focused on countering disinformation is also in the works.

Manila is expected to open an embassy in Kyiv, though no timeline was given.

For now, Ukraine coordinates with the Philippine ambassador to Warsaw, Poland, who also covers Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Manila in June, where he met President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and vowed to strengthen both nations’ diplomatic ties, which have spanned over three decades.

La Salle held on to a 74-72 triumph against the listless Far Eastern University to bounce back from its deflating defeat to University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament Wednesday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.

The Green Archers banked on their defensive fangs in the clutch after going scoreless in the final minute and nearly losing a five-point lead as Jorick Bautista muffed a game-tying lay-up in the last seven seconds for the win.

La Salle, which beat Adamson, 60-58, but wasted a 12-point lead against the host and dark horse UST, 93-84, thus improved to 2-1. It is behind for solo fourth place unbeaten Ateneo, UST and National University nearing the halfway mark of the first round in its title redemption bid.

Doy Dungo led the way with 17 points on three triples, while Mason Amos, Jacob Cortez and EJ Gollena churned out 14 points each for La Salle, which made it up for the quiet scoring team captain Mike Phillips with only six points on 1-of-7 clip.

Phillips bounced back in other departments though, collaring 13 rebounds and dishing nine assists as the Green Archers almost squandered a lead as high sa 58-44 in the third quarter.

“You really want to win coming off a loss and we had parts in the game where we’re playing really well for that bounce back win but you cannot say that you’re gonna have an easy win in the UAAP,” said assistant coach Caloy Garcia. “FEU came back in the fourth and we just had to figure out our struggles from there.”

Like its last match against the Growling Tigers with a 12-point lead in the third quarter, the Green Archers appeared headed into a blowout but their inexperience with a young core following the departure of two-time UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao showed down the stretch.

La Salle was outscored by FEU, 21-10, in the fourth but its 74-69 cushion on Dungo’s jumper in the 1:22 mark proved to be enough for still a good momentum entering a gigatic duel against archrival Ateneo that’s been on tear at 3-0 after a Final Four miss on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Janrey Pasaol’s 25 points along with the efforts of Mo Konateh (14), Kirby Mongcopa (13) and Jorick Bautista (10) went for naught anew as the Tamaraws slid to 0-3 for a tie at the cellar with University of the East.

Meanwhile, FEU (1-1) scraped past La Salle (1-1), 73-72 in women’s basketball behind MG Manguiat and Amyah Espanol with 15 and 14 points, respectively.

The scores:

First Game

DLSU 74 – Dungo 17, Amos 14, Cortez 14, Gollena 14, Phillips 6, Marasigan 5, Pablo 2, Abadam 2, Daep 0, Melecio 0.

FEU 72 – Pasaol 25, Konateh 14, Mongcopa 13, Bautista 10, Owens 6, Daa 2, Ona 2, Bagunu 0, Montemayor 0, Salangsang 0, Amos 0.

Quarterscores: 21-14, 37-30, 64-51, 74-72

Before plenary debates took place, the House appropriations committee’s subcommittee approved the realignment of over P255 billion from the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) flood control funds.

The task of reviewing amendments fell to the budget amendment review subcommittee (BARSc), which replaced the traditional and severely criticized small committee.

Sector-wise, the subcommittee under the appropriations panel prioritized allocations for health, agriculture, education and government assistance, significantly increasing the budgets of the agencies concerned.

Here’s how 27 government agencies and fund items benefited from the flood control fund realignment.

Health (DOH, PhilHealth)

One of the largest allocations went to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), which received a P60-billion increase – nearly a fourth of the P256.5 billion realigned funds.

In the National Expenditure Program (NEP), the executive branch had proposed P53.26 billion for PhilHealth’s 2026 budget. Congress previously stripped off government subsidies from the state insurer in 2025, citing ‘excess’ or ‘surplus’ reserves PhilHealth failed to utilize.

The funds allocated to PhilHealth, a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC), are largely dedicated to supporting indirect contributors by serving as their premium contributions. Indirect contributors are composed of indigents, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and solo parents.

With the additional P60 billion, PhilHealth’s budget would rise to at least P113.26 billion to support the country’s universal health care program and expand benefit packages and case rates available to Filipinos.

The state insurer also funds the zero-balance billing program promoted by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., which allows PhilHealth members to receive free services and admission when confined in basic or ward accommodations of Department of Health (DOH) hospitals.

The DOH also received a P29.28-billion increase – well above its P16.58-billion request – bringing its proposed 2026 budget to around P289.47 billion. The amount also covers additional funding for the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC).

In the NEP, P260.19 billion was earmarked for the DOH, excluding the attached corporations and agencies.

DOH, PCMC get P29.28 billion from flood control funds

Combined allocations to the DOH and PhilHealth make health the sector with the largest share of the rechanneled flood control funds, surpassing a third of the total realignment.

Agriculture (DA, NIA, DAR)

After health, agriculture emerged as the next major priority, with P44.97 billion realigned to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

This represents roughly 17.5% of the realigned funds.

The BARSc proposed a P39.37-billion increase for the DA, much of which would go to farm-to-market roads, rehabilitation of post-harvest facilities and financial subsidy for farmers and fisherfolk.

This allocation is about P9 billion higher than the DA’s request for P30.44 billion in additional funding, bringing the House-proposed budget to P174.31 billion in new appropriations.

Meanwhile, the NIA and the DAR received far less than what they sought, with the committee granting them a P5 billion and P600 million increase, respectively.

Agriculture receives P44.97 billion from flood control funds

While less than its 2025 budget, the augmentation would bump up NIA’s budget for 2026 to P50.07 billion. The DAR’s budget was also increased to nearly P18 billion, around P7 billion more than its 2025 budget.

Education (DepEd, DOST, CHED, TESDA)

With an expected budget exceeding P1.224 trillion, education – spanning basic and higher levels and related programs – received the third-highest share of the flood control fund realignment (14.5%).

The Department of Education (DepEd) is set to receive more than twice the additional funding it requested, with P26.55 billion realigned from flood control funds, largely for classroom construction and rehabilitation, facility improvements and the school-based feeding program.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED), meanwhile, was granted P9.31 billion more funds, exactly how much it requested to fund the tertiary education subsidy and Tulong Dunong programs for universities and colleges.

To also settle the three-year funding gap of the Free Higher Education program, the committee agreed to allocate P12.3 billion from CHED’s budget and Congress’ funds during the plenary debates.

However, several state universities and colleges (SUCs) are expected to receive reduced funding if their proposed budgets in the 2026 NEP are retained in the executed budget.

Included in the education sector, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) was given P450 million, significantly lower than its requested amount of P763.8 million.

Instead of scholarship augmentation, the BARSc focused on funding the construction and rehabilitation of the Philippine Science High School in Quezon City. Only P100 million was allocated for S and T scholarships, as opposed to the requested P413.8 million.

Two programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) focused on work training and scholarship are expected to receive P991.2 million in total from the DPWH funds. This, however, is less than a tenth of the requested P14.35 billion.

Education gains P37.3 billion from flood control funds

Social aid programs

Other than the health, agriculture and education sectors, the BARSc also proposed to augment the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) financial assistance programs with P35.91 billion from the DPWH’s budget cut.

The largest share was allocated to the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), with an additional P32.06 billion to support a specific number of beneficiaries. It is slightly below the DSWD’s P37.07-billion request.

AICS provides medical, burial, transportation, education, food and financial assistance to Filipino families during emergencies, ensuring aid reaches those most in need.

The DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program, a capacity-building initiative for marginalized households, received the second-largest boost with P3 billion – still falling short of the agency’s P17-billion request by roughly P14 billion.

Despite the executive branch cutting funds for the controversial Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP) Program, the BARSc has not proposed restoring its 2026 budget.

AKAP, which is former House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s pet project, is primarily implemented by the DSWD. It has faced criticism for overlapping with the AICS program and being perceived as a potential pork-barrel tool for lawmakers.

Cash dole-out programs get P35.9 billion from flood control funds

After the flood control fund adjustments, the DSWD may have a 2026 budget of roughly P257 billion.

Not yet final

The House continues plenary debates, where lawmakers scrutinize agency budget utilization and key programs, while budget sponsors from the appropriations committee defend allocations or pledge adjustments during the period of amendments.

This amendment period allows for revisions to line items in the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

For example, appropriations chair Rep. Mikaela Suansing (Nueva Ecija, 1st District) promised to realign P12.3 billion to cover the free tuition law deficit as requested by concerned agencies.

Although over P255 billion has been approved for realignment to specific projects and agencies, final allocations may still be adjusted.

The BARSc, a 23-member subcommittee, reviews budgetary revisions from agencies, known as ‘institutional amendments.’ Should lawmakers seek additional funding or cuts to specific programs, Suansing said they would have to coordinate with the agencies for their requests to be considered.

Once the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) passes second reading – after institutional amendments have been reviewed by the BARSc, approved by the appropriations panel, and voted on by the plenary – no further amendments should be made.

Any more changes are expected to occur instead during the bicameral conference committee, where the House and Senate reconcile differences in the versions they approved.

Jake Figueroa showed why he is the top dog of National University.

Figueroa scored nine of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to tow the Bulldogs past the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 76-69, in their UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament matchup Wednesday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.

The small forward shot 6-of-12 from the floor, including the dagger triple, while hauling down nine rebounds and dishing out two assists.

NU thus remained spotless through three games, joining the Ateneo Blue Eagles on top of the standings.

After Gelo Crisostomo’s short stab gave UST a 65-62 lead with 7:22 remaining, NU’s Gelo Santiago and Figueroa teamed up and scored four straight points to push the Bulldogs 66-65.

Mark Llemit then put UST up front anew, 67-66, before the two squads went on a dry spell.

Santiago and Figueroa broke the drought with back-to-back shots to give NU a 70-67 lead.

Nic Cabanero hit a jumper to inch the Tigers, playing in their own stomping grounds, closer.

But on the other end, Figueroa sized up Collins Akowe and hit the dagger 3-pointer to push NU ahead for good, 73-69.

In the next possession, UST point guard Forthsky Padrigao hoisted up an off-balanced triple that missed everything.

Free throws by Paul Francisco and Steve Nash Enriquez iced the game.

Omar John and PJ Palacielo chipped in 10 markers for the Bulldogs.

Cabanero paced UST with 19 points, six rebounds and an assist, but shot 8-of-19 from the floor. Amiel Acido backstopped with 18 points while Mark Llemit had 12.

Collins Akowe, a product of the NU Bullpups program where he won the UAAP Most Valuable Player and Best Foreign Student-Athlete awards, was held to just five points and eight rebounds after dominating in his first two collegiate games.

Before the contest, Akowe averaged 24.5 points and 18 rebounds per game.

UST now dropped to 2-1 this season. It will try to bounce back as it takes on still-winless University of the East Red, while NU will aim to keep its streak against defending champion University of the Philippines.

Both games will be held this Saturday, October 4, at the same venue.