Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

The Office of the President (OP) on Wednesday said it respects the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision to postpone the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections, which were scheduled to take place less than two weeks from now.

In a statement, the OP recognized the ruling as ‘a pivotal step in ensuring that the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections will be conducted on the firmest constitutional and legal foundations.’

‘The Palace underscores its unwavering commitment to safeguarding the peace process, strengthening democratic institutions, and protecting the political rights of all citizens in the Bangsamoro,’ it also said. The Marcos administration will also extend its full support to all constitutionally mandated institutions to ensure that the democratic aspirations of the Bangsamoro people are realized in accordance with the Constitution and the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the OP said.

This, it emphasized, is part of the ongoing national effort to achieve just and lasting peace in Mindanao.

In its ruling, the SC declared that the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 77 (BAA 77), along with its predecessor, BAA 58, is unconstitutional, thereby necessitating the postponement of the October 13 polls.

BAA 77, or the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Redistricting Act of 2025, is the law that redistributes the seven seats originally allocated to Sulu.

On the other hand, its predecessor, BAA 58, created the parliamentary districts in the region.

‘There can be no BARMM elections on October 13, 2025, because of the lack of a valid district law,’ the Supreme Court, through its Spokesperson, Atty. Camille Ting said.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) instructed local government units (LGUs) affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that shook several areas of Cebu province to ensure the continuity of their services.

The quake struck 19 kilometers northeast of Bogo City in Cebu province on Tuesday night.

‘LGUs are reminded to activate their contingency and public service continuity plans, conduct resource inventories, preposition emergency supplies, and coordinate with neighboring LGUs, national government agencies, and the private sector for humanitarian support,’ the DILG said in a statement on Wednesday morning.

The department also asked affected LGUs to evacuate communities and suspend small-scale mining operations in high-risk areas.

‘LGUs must ensure the structural safety of evacuation centers and public buildings, and utilize open spaces as temporary shelters where needed,’ the DILG stressed.

In a subsequent statement on Wednesday, the DILG announced that it had ordered its attached agencies, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police, to assist in the rescue efforts.

‘The DILG extends its sympathies to the families of those who died due to the earthquake in Cebu last night. We also pray for the quick recovery of the strength and health of the wounded.’

At least 26 were reported dead and 147 were reported injured due to the earthquake as of 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s latest situational report.

No casualties in Central Visayas jails – BJMP

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology – Central Visayas (BJMP 7) reported that there were no casualties among persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in jails across the region following the earthquake.

‘All persons deprived of liberty and personnel are safe and accounted for,’ the BJMP 7 said in a statement on Wednesday.

The jail bureau, however, did report that detainees and staff at its facilities in Bogo City and Medellin town were briefly evacuated before returning after confirming their safety.

Minor cracks were seen in both the Bogo City and Medellin jails, prompting the BJMP 7 to raise a red alert status over the two units.

‘The jails immediately activated Oplan Lindol, mobilized standby generators and solar lights, and placed all facilities under close monitoring,’ the BJMP explained./cb

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the improved satisfaction rating on his performance is ‘nice,’ adding that the government will just continue its job of providing service to the public.

Based on the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted from June 25 to 29, 46 percent of adult Filipinos were satisfied with Marcos’ performance.

At a brief media interview in Masbate City, Marcos was asked about where the higher survey ratings in the second quarter of 2025 can be attributed. ‘You know what? I have no idea. I don’t look so much at. It’s, of course, nice to note. I didn’t know about that. But now that you tell me, of course I’m glad that it’s that way,’ he responded.

‘I guess we just have to keep working. Whatever happens-whether there’s a typhoon, a scandal, or unrest-the people expect the government to continue its service, to continue its work at every level-at the national level, at the local level-just to keep going,’ the President added, partly in Filipino.

He added that elected public servants should not be seen as merely playing around or politicking but as working for the welfare of the people.

The latest SWS survey also showed that 36 percent were dissatisfied with the President’s performance, and 19 percent were undecided, producing a net satisfaction score of ‘moderate’ +10.

This showed a 20-point improvement from the ‘poor’ -10 net rating recorded in April 2025.

I attended the 2025 Speak Dating last weekend, an event celebrating European languages. It came in the form of a fair featuring 18 booths, where you could explore different languages, whether you wanted to learn basic phrases or converse with native speakers.

I thought it would be sparsely attended, and only by language nerds finally finding each other after years of isolated practice. Instead, I was treated to the most heartwarming sight.

Crowds of high school students lining up to go for quick Slovenian and Hungarian lessons, with neither shyness nor timidity; herds of college students speaking in halting French or Spanish after their semester of studying the language; adults gathering in newly formed circles of friends, bonding over the challenges that come with learning a new language as a professional.

The lines were long, but the wait was worth it. At the Ukrainian booth, the instructor called me ‘my best speaker of the day’ after he drilled me on words and sentences in Cyrillic script. I confessed that I had studied the language on the Duolingo app because I wanted to support Ukraine.

This prompted our little group to chorus ‘Slava Ukraini!’ which made him beam with both pride and surprise.

At the Italian booth, I went straight into fangirl mode and had a conversation on travels to Italy, green spaces, and museums with a lovely Italian woman who had lived in the Philippines for decades. At the French booth, we had mere minutes before the event ended, so we breezed through basic greetings while we laughed with the teachers.

The venue had been too cramped, the waits were long, and yet it was an event that made everyone want more. For my part, I wanted to practice my German, try simple phrases in a Nordic language, and twist my brain around Irish. But there were just too many people, too many eager, excited students.

What a nice problem to have.

Anecdotal evidence and intuition say that Filipinos are natural language learners: they grow up bi or trilingual, as they have to learn English, Filipino, and even their provincial language. Learning a language is not simply a skill; it is a gateway to a culture, and achieving fluency in a language means seeing the world from a new pair of eyes.

I bring this up in my research classes when we discuss the constructivist paradigm. There are branches of constructivist thought that contradict the idea of an objective reality: that is, they contest the notion that we can all see reality without fail, and that sharing across cultures simply means translating information into local languages.

There is a brand of constructivism, however, that says that our reality is dictated by the language in which we were raised. If we have no word for an emotion, situation, or thing in our language, then we will never feel, experience, or see it, even when the word is translated. It will never be real to us.

For example, the concept of kilig, which has no exact equivalent in other languages, is real only to those who have been raised speaking Filipino. Try to explain the concept to another culture, and they might understand the concept as butterflies in one’s stomach, or uncontrollable giggles-but they will never truly imbibe the experience in its entirety.

The opportunity to learn a language, therefore, is one that has to be taken when presented. It is a chance to partly unlock realities to which we might be blind. Like travel, it is a chance to see the world so that one knows both the strengths and shortcomings of one’s native culture.

Last weekend’s fair was one such opportunity that would have benefited so many students had it been held in a wider space outside the mall, a place that reflects privileged learning rather than education for all.

Several days of the event, perhaps, in different universities? A park tour? A round of elementary or high schools to get students to say bonjour, buongiorno, buenos dias, or bom dia? Such an event could be carried out more frequently if the government is truly devoted to education that broadens people’s horizons rather than turning them into mere obedient sheep. Such an event could be mounted in more places if we had good infrastructure that ensures that learning can happen both inside and outside the classroom.

This includes constructing parks conducive to out-of-school activities, regardless of weather; streets that don’t flood and descend into traffic chaos at the slightest rain; fast, reliable internet that can support language learning anywhere, regardless of sunshine or thunderstorms. Corruption stifles learning, discourages mobility, and halts activities that would otherwise benefit us all.

Weeding out corruption isn’t just a money issue. It ensures that we invest in a future that allows us to keep learning, to keep questioning, to make the next generation better than we ever were.

If your government is holding you back from this kind of future, then it’s afraid of the best version of you. It’s afraid of the strength of the generation to come.

With Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia set to open the PBA’s 50th season this Sunday, fans are left to wonder if LA Tenorio will pull double duty as player and coach in his Hotshots debut.

But Magnolia team governor Jason Webb said he and Tenorio plan to discuss things in the coming days, though he admitted the possibility of the former Ginebra guard calling the shots on the sidelines and manning the backcourt at the same time is remote. ‘It’s something that LA and I have not discussed yet,’ Webb told Inquirer after the league’s press conference at Shangri-La The Fort in Bonifacio Global City on Wednesday.

‘But I think if you’re looking at the probabilities, I think there’s a greater probability that he’ll be starting in the injured reserve. He started practice late because he was so busy training the boys.’

The Hotshots have until noon Saturday, the eve of the ‘Manila Clasico’ to decide if Tenorio will place himself in the active roster.

Otherwise, Tenorio will put his focus on trying to outcoach Cone and open his tenure on a winning note.

‘It’s exciting,’ Webb said. ‘I’m not sure for the Ginebra fans if it’s exciting for them or not. It’s their first time seeing LA without a red jersey. But we’ll have a final decision come Saturday afternoon, Saturday noon.’

The PBA decided to place the Ginebra-Magnolia encounter to add spice to the start of its landmark golden season.

Tenorio was appointed to replace Chito Victolero as Magnolia coach in late July, but Magnolia had to go through the proper procedure to make sure he could also play for the Hotshots as well.

Webb said Tenorio was placed by Ginebra on the unrestricted free agent with the right to receive salary before moving to Magnolia when no other team expressed interest in acquiring the veteran after five days.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned of moderate to heavy rain showers over Metro Manila and nearby provinces within the next two hours.

In a thunderstorm advisory, Pagasa said Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas and Nueva Ecija may also be affected.

Thunderstorms were already observed in Cabangan and San Felipe, Zambales, as well as in Tagkawayan, Quezon, and may persist while spreading to nearby areas.

In its earlier forecast, Pagasa said Tropical Depression Paolo, now inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, is not yet affecting the country. The rain showers and thunderstorms are caused by the easterlies, or winds blowing from the east, which will soon signal the transition from the southwest monsoon (habagat) to the northeast monsoon (amihan).

But by Friday, Paolo is forecast to bring heavy rains and make its landfall over Isabela and Aurora. It is likely to develop into a severe tropical storm, according to the weather bureau.

Two House of Representatives lawmakers on Wednesday called on Commissioner Mario Lipana of the Commission on Audit (COA) to resign, amid the discovery that his wife is a contractor doing business with the government and allegations that he received funds from flood control projects.

During the discussions on COA’s proposed 2026 budget at the plenary, Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio called on the current COA leadership to ask Lipana to tender his voluntary resignation.

Lipana was named by former Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as among those who allegedly took cuts from allocations intended for infrastructure projects.

‘So how then do we reconcile the sacred mandate with the testimonies made during the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing directly implicating a sitting COA commissioner – Mario Lipana – in the 25 percent commission scheme involving DPWH flood control projects?’ de Lima asked.

‘Of course, there is still the presumption of innocence, this remains to be allegations, but given the fact that he’s supposed to be a high official in the commission, supposed to be the independent fiscal watchdog of our country, and we cannot afford to have that particular issue surrounding a commissioner taint the Commission,’ she added.

According to de Lima, she had asked COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba to talk to Lipana, who is on a medical leave from August 1 to October 31, to just resign.

If Lipana does not resign, de Lima said there will be no other choice but to initiate impeachment proceedings against him, as the official is supposedly dragging down COA’s reputation.

‘I have told Chairperson Cordoba, actually urged him to talk to him and convince him to tender his resignation given the conflict of interest situation borne out of the reports about the fact that his wife appears to be, or has been confirmed to be, a contractor,’ de Lima said.

‘And that’s why I was urging the Chairperson to talk to the Commissioner to, if he can tender his resignation or apply for early retirement, because his scheduled retirement would be in 2027. This is better than forcing us to initiate impeachment proceedings against him, because as an impeachable official, he can only be removed via impeachment proceedings,’ she added.

Tinio, on the other hand, stressed that Lipana violated provisions of the 1987 Constitution – specifically Article IX, Section 2 – states that no constitutional commission member should be directly or indirectly in contract with franchises or privileges granted by the government.

‘It is clear, again, under the constitution, no member of a constitutional commission shall during his tenure hold any other office or employment, neither shall he engage in the practice of any profession or in the active management or control of any business which in any way be affected by the functions of his office, nor shall he be financially interested directly or indirectly in any contract with, or in any franchise or privilege granted by the government,’ Tinio said.

‘So again, what I am saying is, there should be no direct or indirect financial interest for any commissioner of a constitutional commission, and this includes COA,’ he added.

According to Tinio, Lipana should consider the welfare of COA as an institution.

‘My point is that it is clear that there is a constitutional violation, we prohibit this, and yet Commissioner Lipana is still there. So once again, Mr. Speaker, we strongly call on the commissioner to consider the status of COA as an institution, because its credibility has been badly damaged as we have a commissioner whose wife is one of the flood control contractors,’ he said.

‘That’s why again, our call is that Commissioner Lipana should resign immediately so that we can regain and restore the credibility and reputation of COA,’ he added.

Medical leave

De Lima also asked the budget sponsor, Davao del Sur Rep. John Tracy Cagas, if Cordoba has discussed with Lipana her advice – that Cordoba talk with Lipana about the voluntary resignation.

In response, Cagas said that Cordoba has yet to discuss the issue with Lipana because the latter cannot speak due to his medical condition.

‘So has the Chairperson done that already? Talked to him about it, the possibility of tendering resignation or early retirement?’ de Lima asked.

‘Mr Speaker, the Chair has not conversed with the mentioned commissioner, Mario Lipana, for the reason that Commissioner Lipana cannot talk, the cause of which is stated in a medical certificate,’ Cagas replied.

‘He cannot talk. So is he in the hospital? He does not have someone to watch over him? Can’t we do it through a written communication or an exchange of communication with him?’ de Lima asked again.

De Lima said she does not want to sound insensitive as it seems that Lipana is facing a serious medical issue, but public interest should be upheld at all times.

The spotlight on flood control projects came after Marcos’ speech at his fourth State of the Nation Address, where he condemned government officials and firms who allegedly earned kickbacks at the expense of people suffering from heavy flooding even during mild rain showers.

Marcos said these officials and contractors should be ashamed of themselves.

Eventually, Marcos inspected different flood control projects that were labeled completed – which he later found out to be either substandard or completely non-existent.

Both the House and the Senate investigated the issue, but eventually, senators and House members were dragged into the discussions.

At the Senate blue ribbon committee hearings, several lawmakers were name-dropped by contractor-couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ Discaya and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya for allegedly receiving kickbacks from the projects.

Then during the House tri-committee hearing, former Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez said that Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada brought funds to Bulacan’s first district for anomalous flood control projects, where the two senators asked for a 30 percent cut from the project cost.

Lawmakers, along with Villanueva and Estrada, separately denied these accusations.

But eventually, former Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara tagged Villanueva, former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co, former senator Bong Revilla, and Bernardo as allegedly involved in the kickbacks scheme for infrastructure projects.

The police have released all of the minors who were arrested after violence broke out following the Sept. 21 anticorruption rally in Mendiola, Manila Police District (MPD) spokesperson Maj. Philipp Ines told the Inquirer on Tuesday.

‘We don’t have any more minors in custody since Sept. 24,’ Ines said in a Viber message. ‘What we have [detainees] are those of legal age who have not yet posted bail.’

Ines added that he was still waiting for an update on the number of remaining detainees so far.

In a separate statement, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) reported that 91 minors were initially processed by the Women and Children Protection Center of the Philippine National Police and the Department of Social Welfare and Development before they were transferred to the Manila Social Welfare Office.

Of the 91, 68 were later released to their parents, while the rest were either sent to their respective local government units or a youth facility.

While acknowledging the Manila government’s efforts to uphold children’s rights by focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment, the CHR stressed the public’s right to peaceful assembly. But it also denounced acts of violence and destruction of property.

The Sept. 21 protests saw huge gatherings across the country, particularly in Metro Manila, with attendees denouncing corruption surrounding billions of pesos worth of flood control projects.

Outbreak of violence

While demonstrations at Luneta and Edsa remained peaceful, riots broke out in Manila, particularly in Ayala Bridge, Recto and Mendiola as a group of men set fire to a trailer, streetlights and other public property. They also threw rocks and Molotov bombs at police. Over 200 individuals, including minors, were detained afterward.

In a statement released on Sept. 29, the MPD, meanwhile, denied allegations of keeping detainees in appalling conditions.

Alessandra De Rossi was revealed as the director of ‘Everyone Knows Every Juan,’ a dark comedy film in which she will take on multiple hats as actress and producer.

The De Rossi-helmed ‘Everyone Knows Every Juan’ was revealed by Viva Films in a media con on Tuesday, Sept. 30, where an ensemble cast will join her.

Joining the actress-director are Jaime Fabregas, Kelvin Miranda, Ronnie Lazaro, Angeli Bayani, Ruby Ruiz, Empoy Marquez, JM de Guzman, Gina Alajar, Joel Torre, Liza Lorena and Edu Manzano.

The film tells the story of siblings – portrayed by De Rossi, Manzano, Ruiz, Alajar and Torre – who reunited on the first death anniversary of their mother Juaning Sevilla (Lorena). De Rossi said she considers the film a deep dive into ‘adulting,’ showing events that happened in a single night. She also shared that she and her co-stars underwent a series of rehearsals since filming happened all at once.

‘Adulting kami, kasi senior yung mga stars ko. Kami yung adult version. Parang gan’un yun, one night lang kasi nangyari [‘yung kwento]. Wala kasing preview. Yung ‘My Amanda’ kasi, after every take, preview ka,’ she said.

(It’s adulting in a way because I’m working with senior actors. We’re the adult version, something like that. The story tells the story of events happening in one night. There is no preview. When I did ‘My Amanda,’ I would do a preview after every take.)

De Rossi marked her directorial debut with the 2021 film ‘My Amanda,’ which also starred Piolo Pascual.

The task force that would address electricity woes in earthquake-hit Cebu would arrive in the area by Thursday or Friday, according to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin.

Garin made the statement during the Commission on Appointments’ confirmation hearing on her appointment as energy chief on Wednesday.

This came after Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros said that a task force needs to be deployed in Cebu and earthquake-affected provinces and cities.

‘Cebu happened last night. We have to call on them. They have to prepare, they have to create a team [and] all their heavy equipment has to be transported. It takes them a day or two just to get to the area,’ said Garin.

With this, Hontiveros said quake-affected Filipinos could expect or hope that by Thursday or Friday, DOE’s task force would already be in the area- which Garin agreed upon.

According to Garin, whenever a ‘disaster of this kind’ happens, the DOE activates the Task Force on Energy Resiliency.

‘Once it is activated, all the stakeholders are gathered in order for us to have information and act on the problems-so that includes the National Power Corporation, National Electrification Administration, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, National Transmission Commission, all the oil companies for the gas stations, [and] DOE. So once it is activated, all these activities-similar to what we are doing to Masbate are being done also,’ she said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Wednesday morning reported 26 deaths linked to the destructive 6.9 quake that struck Cebu on Tuesday evening.

NDRRMC said the deaths have yet to be validated, adding that 147 were reported injured, while no one was reported missing so far