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MINIMUM wage earners in the private sector across in Region 12 or Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos) receive a P30 to P33 daily pay increase starting November 2.

In its latest order, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) XII said the adjustment followed consultations and a review of the region’s prevailing socio-economic conditions.

‘Whereas, as a result of the review made on the prevailing socio-economic conditions of the Region, as well as the results of the consultations and public hearing and deliberations conducted, the Board has determined the need to increase the prevailing minimum wage rates for workers in private establishments without impairing the viability of business and industry,’ the order stated.

Under Wage Order RB XII-25, the daily minimum wage for non-agriculture, retail, and service workers will rise from P430 to P460, while agricultural workers will see their pay increase from P410 to P443.

The increase will be implemented in two tranches: the first on November 2 and the second on December 15.

According to RTWPB XII, the new wage rates will benefit at least 5 percent of the region’s total employed workers in the private sector.

The wage board also approved a P1,000 to P1,500 increase in the monthly minimum wage for domestic workers (kasambahays), standardizing their pay at P6,000 across all municipalities in the region regardless of classification starting November 2. The new rate applies to all household workers, whether living in or outside their employers’ homes, including househelp, nannies, cooks, gardeners, and laundry workers.

Both wage orders cover workers in the cities of General Santos, Kidapawan, Koronadal, and Tacurong, as well as in the provinces of Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and North Cotabato, excluding the 63 barangays now under the Bangsamoro region.

THE casualty toll in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ramil has climbed to seven dead, one injured, and two reported missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

Ramil, which has left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), affected a total of 37,827 families or 133,196 persons in 355 barangays in 35 cities and towns in nine provinces.

In its Situational Report issued at 6 a.m. on October 20, the NDRRMC said that because of the inclement weather, a total of 28,472 persons from Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Bicol, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas were pre-emptively evacuated.

‘The weather bureau said Ramil, the 18th severe weather disturbance to affect the country this year, further intensified outside PAR, and continues to induce scattered rains and thunderstorms over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and Palawan.

The trough and outer rainbands of Ramil and the easterlies will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Occidental Mindoro,’ the state weather bureau added.

As of 11 a.m., Ramil was spotted west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur, moving northwestward at 25 kilomeers per hour.

Pagasa said it is packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph.

THE Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Nueva Vizcaya has ordered the arrest against individuals who are blocking the exploration activities of mining firm Woggle Corporation in Dupax del Norte.

In a two-page order, Judge Paul Attobal Jr. of Branch 30 of the RTC in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya also issued a 20-day temporary restraining order (TRO) against anti-mining protesters and directed the National Police (PNP) to arrest individuals ‘who willfully disobey, obstruct, or resist’ the implementation of the TRO.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) granted exploration permit to Woggle Corp., an affiliate of FCF Minerals Corporation, last August covering 3,101.11 hectares in five barangays in Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya.

Woggle Corp., represented by Fredo Mina, employees of drilling contractor Indodrill, and a representative from the DENR were prevented from entering the exploration area on several occasions between October 6 and 7, 2025. This prompted the company to seek refuge from the court by filing a complaint with application for a TRO or a writ of preliminary injunction or both against the protesters namely Florentino Daynos, Jun Roduta and 18 others.

The trial court initially issued a 72-hour TRO in favor of Woggle Corp. on October 10, 2025 enjoining the protesters from obstructing the mining firm from conducting its lawful exploration activities within the area.

Owing to the non-implementation of the said order due to the hostile acts and resistance of the protesters who put up a barricade at the road going to the exploration site, the trial court issued another order last October 13 extending the TRO for a period of 20 days.

When the implementing sheriff again attempted to enforce the restraining order, the same group of individuals refused to lift the barricade and allegedly threatened to resort to violence against the court representatives.

‘Such defiance constitutes a direct affront to the authority and dignity of this Court,’ the trial court said.

It maintained that the TRO is a lawful order and binding that must be respected by all persons, whether parties to the case or not.

‘Willful defiance thereof not only constitutes contempt of court but also an act obstructing the administration of justice, for which those responsible may be arrested and prosecuted,’ it added.

The TRO stops the defendants from installing or maintaining a barricade along Keon Barangay Road, sitio Keon in barangay Bitnong, specifically near the area adjoining Keon Road and the National Highway Aritao-Quirino Road.

The defendants were also ordered to stop preventing vehicles, personnel, employees, contractors, representatives and agents of Woggle Corp. from passing or entering Keon to access the exploration area.

In granting the TRO, the court agreed with Woggle Corp. that it would suffer irreparable damage if the protesters were not restrained as the barricade would cause significant disruption to its exploration, resulting in substantial losses.

‘The court finds that the plaintiff has shown a clear and unmistakable right that is being threatened or violated where they will suffer grave injustice and irreparable injury if the TRO is not issued immediately,’ the court said.

The TRO will enable Woggle and FCF Corp. to determine the full potential of mineral resources that can be developed as a major economic driver that will benefit the province of Nueva Vizcaya.

FCF Minerals, incorporated in 2001, operates the Runruno Gold Project in Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya, which has been producing gold since 2016.

It has generated over P5.71 billion in taxes, fees, and duties since commercial operations began in 2017.

THE chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations on Monday assured the public that the 2026 national budget contains no pork barrel funds, emphasizing that all appropriations were itemized, transparent, and free from post-enactment congressional intervention.

Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela B. Suansing made the assurance following persistent claims from the chamber’s Makabayan bloc and some civil society groups that the national budget allegedly contains more than P600 billion in pork barrel-type allocations.

‘We assure the public that there are no pork barrel allocations in the 2026 budget,’ Suansing said in a news conference.

‘The programs often cited-such as AICS [Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations] under DSWD [Departmet of Social Welfare and Development], MAIP [Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients] under DOH [Department of Health], and Tupad [Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged-Displaced Workers] under DOLE [Department of Labor and Emplooyment]-are all implemented directly by their respective agencies. Congress has no post-enactment role in how these are implemented,’ she added.

Suansing clarified that once the General Appropriations bill is enacted into law, the authority and discretion to disburse funds rest solely with the implementing agencies-not with lawmakers.

‘Congress never engages in post-enactment interventions,’ she said. ‘Each agency has its own guidelines and internal procedures for releasing funds. There are no lump-sum appropriations, no hidden funds, and no embedded projects.’

She underscored that the 2026 national budget is fully itemized, detailing all allocations to ensure transparency and accountability in government spending.

Suansing assured that the proposed national budget for 2026 will be transparent, corruption-free, and responsive to the needs of Filipinos.

She emphasized that Congress remains committed in ensuring that every peso in the 2026 budget will directly benefit the people and address the country’s most urgent priorities.

‘The assurance that we can give to our fellow Filipinos is that our budget for 2026 will truly respond to the needs of our people and our nation. It will be clean, it will be transparent, and most importantly, it will be a budget that our citizens can trust,’ Suansing said.

She underscored that transparency and accountability will remain at the core of the budget process, ensuring that funds are allocated efficiently and free from misuse.

The Makabayan bloc earlier rejected the approval of the proposed P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2026, denouncing it as a continuation of the ‘corrupt pork barrel system’ despite the ongoing trillion-peso flood control scandal.

According to the bloc, the ‘presidential pork’ alone amounts to P281 billion, including P243 billion in Unprogrammed Appropriations-a funding mechanism that ballooned in previous years and allegedly became a major source of funds for ghost and overpriced projects.

They added that the P10.9-billion Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIF) remain ‘grotesquely inflated,’ with the Office of the President keeping the largest share at P4.5 billion, while the NTF-ELCAC’s P8.08-billion Barangay Development Fund also remains intact.

Makabayan also alleged that P415 billion constitutes ‘legislative pork,’ coursed mainly through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and other agencies.

The bloc said that through the DPWH’s district offices, P174.6 billion will be distributed as ‘allocables,’ roughly P230 million per congressional district and P3.2 billion per senator.

Other allocations allegedly open to congressional discretion include P32.6 billion for farm-to-market roads, P35.1 billion for school buildings, P20.2 billion for health facilities, and P9.6 billion for irrigation projects.

Assets of Philippine banks expanded by 6.69 percent in August 2025, according to the latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed bank assets reached P27.73 trillion as of end-August. This was higher than last year’s P25.99 trillion but was a .04-percent contraction from the P27.74 trillion posted in the period ending July 2025.

The growth of bank assets was driven by net total investments, which grew 10.26 percent to P8.17 trillion as of August this year from P7.41 trillion in the same period last year.

Another driver was net total loan portfolio (TLP), which rose by 9.91 percent to P15.19 trillion as of August 2025 from the P13.82 trillion posted in the period ending August 2024.

Meanwhile, data also showed that net real and other properties acquired (ROPA) posted a double-digit growth of 17.93 percent to P130.94 billion as of August 2025 from P111.03 billion in August 2024.

BSP data showed that there was a steep decline of 73.43 percent in derivatives with negative fair value for hedging to P6.67 billion from the P25.10 billion in August 2024.

Liabilities grew 6.34 percent to P24.17 billion in August 2025 from the P22.73 billion in August 2024.

Banks’ total capital accounts, meanwhile, slightly grew by 9.20 percent to P3.56 trillion from the P3.26 trillion in August 2024.

Meanwhile, BSP data showed that unsecured subordinated debt declined by 77.12 percent to P1.86 billion August 2025 from the P8.13 billion in the same period last year.

Economists had said the growth of bank assets could moderate in the coming months as the BSP continues its easing cycle.

Alongside the rising cost of basic commodities, public concern over government corruption has soared to its highest level on record, breaking into the top five most urgent national issues for the first time, according to the latest Tugon ng Masa (TNM) survey conducted by OCTA Research.

The nationwide survey, conducted from September 25 to 30, 2025, found that 31% of adult Filipinos now consider corruption an urgent national concern-an 18-point jump from 13% in July 2025. The unprecedented rise indicates a major shift in public priorities from purely economic issues to questions of integrity and accountability in governance.

‘This is the first time that corruption has entered the top five national concerns,’ OCTA said, noting that the surge reflects a growing public demand for honesty and transparency in government.

Despite the rise in corruption concerns, controlling the prices of basic goods and services remains the top national issue, cited by 48% of respondents-down slightly from 50% in July.

This was followed by fighting corruption (31%), access to affordable food (31%), improving wages (27%), and reducing poverty (23%).

Concern over job creation, which previously ranked among the top five, fell sharply to 19% this quarter-a seven-point decline from 26% in July. OCTA said the drop may suggest ‘a perceived improvement in employment conditions or a redirection of public focus toward governance issues.’

The call to fight corruption is strongest in the National Capital Region (53%), while Mindanao (18%) registers the lowest concern. The issue resonates most among Class ABC (40%), compared to Class D (31%) and Class E (24%).

Meanwhile, concern over rising prices remains highest in Mindanao (53%), butleast cited in NCR (17%), while access to affordable food is most pressing in Balance Luzon (36%).

The call to increase wages is most pronounced in NCR (33%), the Visayas (29%), and Balance Luzon (28%), with Class D (29%) leading this concern.

Reducing poverty, on the other hand, is most often cited in Balance Luzon (27%) and among Class E respondents (28%), reflecting continuing struggles among lower-income households.

Personal concerns

Despite changing national priorities, Filipinos’ personal concerns have remained stable.

The most urgent personal concern continues to be staying healthy and avoiding illness (63%), followed by having enough to eat every day (49%), finishing schooling or providing education for one’s children (49%), having a secure and well-paying job (46%), and avoiding being a victim of crime (38%).

‘While national anxieties are shifting toward governance, everyday worries-health, food, and education-still define the lived reality of most Filipino families,’ OCTA said.

Health concerns remain highest among Class ABC (80%), while food security is most pressing in Mindanao (56%) and Visayas (55%).

‘Overall, these results indicate that personal priorities among Filipinos have mainly remained stable through the third quarter of 2025, with only minor shifts across categories. While national concerns have shifted toward issues of governance and corruption, personal concerns continue to center on health, food security, and education-core pillars of family welfare and daily stability,’ OCTA added.

Sales and registration of electric and hybrid vehicles may be rising, but infrastructure gaps, such as the availability of charging stations for EVs, remain a key challenge.

Leoncio A. Palanca Jr., country manager of ING Philippines, said the problem is creating demand for new financing solutions to accelerate the transition to EV and unlock broader market potential.

‘Globally, ING actively addresses this through its Amsterdam-based Transition Accelerator team-designed to incubate promising innovations, scale early-stage technologies and forge cross-value chain connections for systemwide change,’ Palanca said.

The team has engaged over 300 prospects across four focus areas. These are clean mobility services, which include EV charging infrastructure, sustainable materials, industrial innovation and nature-based infrastructure, he said.

In the first half of 2025, ING closed four major EV charging transactions, including a pound 433-million green financing deal with Electra to deploy 15,000 charging points across nine European countries by 2030, and financing for EVgo to roll out about 2,100 fast-charging stalls across major US metropolitan areas.

Palanca said the bank is continuing support for clean energy projects in the Philippines, as well as sustainable infrastructure development and innovative financing solutions for businesses and communities.

This positions the country as a key player in Southeast Asia’s clean energy transition, Palanca said.

Transport contributes about 23 percent of the Philippines carbon emissions. To combat this, the government drives the adoption of electric vehicles through incentives and the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act.

The Philippines has committed to a 75-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 under its nationally determined contribution. The country’s power development plan also targets a power generation mix of 35 percent comprising of renewable energy by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.

‘These ambitions are supported by a strengthening green finance ecosystem, including the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Sustainable Finance Framework and Taxonomy Guidelines,’ Palanca said.

‘In the Philippines, there’s huge potential across multiple sectors-particularly in renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure and emerging areas like electric transport,’ he said.

To prepare its residents for the strong quake expected to hit Metro Manila or what was dubbed as ‘The Big One,’ the local government of Marikina City held on Monday, October 20, a city-wide simultaneous earthquake simulation drill participated by around 150,000 residents.

‘The Big One’ refers to a projected magnitude ~7.2 (or higher) earthquake along the West Valley Fault near Metro Manila-a high-impact hazard scenario that scientists say could cause widespread destruction.

Aligned with Mayor Maan Teodoro’s commitment to safeguard the city’s people, the local government focused on a ‘family-based’ and ‘community-based’ earthquake drill wherein everyone in the city -government offices, schools, homes, businesses, and other establishments-took part in the activity that seeks to strengthen community-building and resilience among the people.

Mayor Maan said that approximately 100,000 individuals joined from schools, and an additional 50,000 participants represented communities and the private sector.

‘Nasa 150,000 ang total ng nag-participate sa ating city-wide earthquake simulation drill-100,000 mula sa schools, samantala nasa 50,000 naman sa communities and private sector,’ she said.

‘Ang kaligtasan ng lahat ay tungkulin ng bawat isa. Dapat lagi tayong sama-sama at tulong-tulong at buong komunidad. Ito ang tinatawag natin na whole-of-community approach sa iisang layunin-alagaan ang buhay at kaligtasan ng bawat taga-Marikina.’

She stressed that it is vital to conduct these citywide earthquake drills, not only to inform, but to help instill a sense of urgency, discipline, and bayanihan among the people, especially since parts of the city rest on the West Valley Fault Line-a major hotspot for possible earthquake impacts.

‘Ang number one priority ng lokal na pamahalaan ay ang kaligtasan at kapakanan ng lahat ng taga-Marikina. Every year naman tayong nagsasagawa ng mga earthquake drill sa pamahalaang lungsod, at mga paaralan. Pero dahil sa sunod-sunod na earthquakes na nararamdaman sa bansa, mahalagang mas lalo pang palakasin ang kultura ng kahandaan, disiplina, at pagtutulungan ng mga komunidad sa oras ng sakuna,’ said Mayor Maan.

As part of the earthquake drill, Mayor Maan inspected the city’s assets to be used in the event of a disaster, including ambulances, fire trucks, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) vehicles, as well as the Command Posts and Field Hospitals that will be set up.

The mayor also assured that the city is equipped with adequate manpower and urban search and rescue tools and equipment in the event of a disaster such as a vibroscope (an instrument used for observing and tracing vibrations) that can aid in detecting victims trapped under rubble.

The Marikina City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) has identified some of the following safe zones in the city in case of calamities like earthquakes:

District 1:

Brgy. Barangka – UBB-FVR Road, Barangka Baseball Field, Loyola Cemetery

Brgy. IVC – C5 Access Road corner E. Abello, Major Dizon Road

Brgy. Jesus Dela Peña – Manila Bay, Provident Riverside

Brgy. Kalumpang – Ground Golf Area, Barangay Hall Grounds

Brgy. Malanday – Golden Valley Open Space, Park Land Open Space

Brgy. Sta. Elena – River Park, Freedom Park, Plaza delos Alcaldez, SNR Access Road

Brgy. San Roque – Chestnut Open Space; Midtown Phase 1, 2, 3 Open Space; San Roque Elementary School Open Space

Brgy. Sto. Niño – Sto. Niño Baseball Field, Federal Land Open Space, Marikina Sports Park, Robinsons Open Space, Gil Fernando Highway, Homeowners Drive corner JP Rizal Open Space

Brgy. Tañong – Provident River Side, Loyola Cemetery

District 2:

Brgy. Concepcion Uno – Trevi Open Space, Bayan Bayanan Avenue, Soliven Street Greenheights

Brgy. Concepcion Dos – Marikina Hotel, Katipunan Street; Rancho Estates 1, 2, 3, 4 Open Space

Brgy. Fortune – Red Cross Open Grounds, Boys Town Open Grounds

Brgy. Marikina Heights – Liwasang Kalayaan, Marist Open Space, St. Scholastica’s Academy Inside Parking Space

Brgy. Parang – Parang Play Grounds, Parang Elementary School Open Grounds

Brgy. Tumana – Farmers I, Iwahig, Woodrich Village Open Space, LGV Open Space

Brgy. Nangka – St. Mary Open Space, Bagong Sibol Open Space, Kabayani Road

Marikina CDRRMO Chief Dave David said that the safe zones identified by their office are merely general areas that the public can access when an earthquake hits. However, residents are urged to identify other safe zones that are nearer to their places of residence.

‘Bawat pamilya, i-identify na ang pinakamalapit na open spaces. Ang mga in-identify namin na safe zones, general areas sila. Hindi naman obligado pumunta kung malayo,’ he said.

Prior to the earthquake drill, Mayor Maan led a coordination meeting on October 16 with representatives from the local government’s various offices and departments, national agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure that the activity is done safely, effectively, and in an organized manner.

THE state-run Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) reported that its net income as of August surged to over P100 billion, almost half of which came from investments.

According to the GSIS, its net income reached P100.02 billion as of the reference month; its fund’s total assets also climbed to a record P1.92 trillion.

GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo A. Veloso was quoted in a statement the agency issued over the weekend, this performance showed that members’ funds are secure and continuously growing.

GSIS financial records in August indicated that half of its total income now comes from investments.

‘This means that [the] GSIS is not only protecting our members’ contributions but also growing them through strategic and responsible investing,’ Veloso said through the statement. The GSIS noted that its ‘strong performance’ translates into benefits for its 1.7 million members and pensioners.

‘Behind every number are teachers and other government workers, whose trust we hold sacred,’ Veloso said. ‘We will continue to make every peso count and deliver true Ginhawa for All.’

‘Baseless’

MEANWHILE, the GSIS denied the circulating claim that the agency incurred P8.8 billion in losses, calling it a ‘baseless’ allegation.

‘The alleged ‘P8.8-billion loss’ is baseless. This number does not exist in any official financial records of GSIS,’ the agency said.

According to the GSIS, its investment process is ‘strict and careful,’ adding that each investment would undergo thorough scrutiny and risk assessment, and complies with all laws and regulations.

‘Our performance is stable and our funds are safe. Market fluctuations are normal, but our portfolio is designed for stability and long-term growth. Official figures prove this.’

The agency noted that its fund grew to P1.92 trilling as of August, from P1.53 trillion when it started in July 2022.

‘The proof of our financial health is our continuous and uninterrupted service. We continue to provide all benefits and loans to our members on time and without fail,’ read a statement the GSIS issued. ‘We will remain steadfast in our duty to maintain the integrity of the fund and ensure it is always strong and stable for future generations.’

PAYING for government housing will be easier as the National Housing Authority (NHA) brings in GCash and ECPay as new online channels for beneficiaries to settle their monthly dues.

The partnership will allow NHA’s residential account holders to make real-time payments through GCash, with ECPay handling the transaction link between the mobile wallet and the agency’s billing system.

According to the NHA, the move is part of its plan to widen payment options under its ‘online payment gateways’ program, giving families ‘more convenient ways’ to keep up with their amortizations without lining up at district or regional offices.

The agency added that the effort also supports the government’s push for digital transactions under the Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 and the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, which both require agencies to modernize their processes.

The new service is expected to go live later this year, alongside plans to set up payment kiosks near resettlement sites for easier access.

The partnership adds to NHA’s existing tie-ups with other digital payment platforms and over-the-counter partners.