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The massive protest rallies in September said it all: people are clamoring for accountability for the substandard and ghost flood control projects that had submerged entire provinces in murky waters after several typhoons. Enough! People raged, demanding an end to the corruption abetted by complicit officials and greedy contractors.

That such unconscionable misuse of public funds was shielded from public scrutiny for so long-no thanks to opaque budget deliberations and congressional insertions-has now pushed enraged citizens to demand more transparency in government affairs.

This includes the ongoing investigation by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which was created to investigate anomalies in multibillion-peso public works projects.

Unlike the Senate and House hearings on corruption, the ICI deliberations will not be live streamed, maintained its executive director Brian Hosaka. ‘The ICI is avoiding trial by publicity and will not allow itself to be used for any political leverage or agenda by any individual or group,’ he explained.

The commission’s initial hearings, Hosaka added, ‘are for purposes of case buildup for criminal, civil, and administrative action’ from the appropriate government agency. The ICI has so far submitted its first interim report to the Office of the Ombudsman, recommending the possible filing of graft, malversation, and falsification charges against former Ako Bicol party list Rep. Zaldy Co and several public works officials over a failed dike project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

Huge conspiracy

But while the congressional hearings have indeed been used by unscrupulous politicians for grandstanding to advance and protect their personal interests, the ICI’s stance has been slammed by some quarters who believe that transparency would help build trust in the newly formed body. ‘How else would we know if the details gathered during the initial congressional hearings match those gathered by the ICI? How would Filipinos be assured that this won’t be a cover-up and that its investigation would not protect anyone?’ Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima asked.

‘Now that Filipinos are aware of a huge conspiracy and corruption in flood control and other government projects, we should not deprive them of the chance to understand details and join the discussions,’ she pointed out.

Added Akbayan party list Rep. Percival Cendaña: ‘There’s no real accountability without transparency. Let the people in. It is the right of the people whose funds worth billions have been stolen to watch the proceedings of the ICI,’ he said. As for the risk of ‘trial by publicity,’ People’s Budget Coalition co-convener Ken Abante suggested that ‘well-organized hearings with clear questions [could] prevent witch hunts or politicking by rival camps.’

Heavy cloud of doubt

With the anticorruption hearings stirring up widespread public interest, a more accessible ICI probe would also allow people to focus not just on the accused but on the investigators as well, De Lima said.

The ICI is headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr., an appointee of former President Rodrigo Duterte, under whose term most of the dubious contracts were signed. Similarly laboring under a heavy cloud of doubt, ICI special adviser Benjamin Magalong recently resigned over a possible conflict of interest in his dual role in the ICI and as concurrent mayor of Baguio City, where a tennis court project was found to have been awarded to a Discaya-owned firm. The Discayas are among the contractors being probed for their alleged involvement in defective government projects.

Making ICI proceedings accessible to the public could de-escalate matters as well, said Sen. Kiko Pangilinan. ‘Do not test the people’s desire to know the truth, lest ICI members wake up to find protest rallies in front of their homes,’ he warned.

Piecemeal revelations

The ICI is unfazed by the misgivings, it seems. Its investigation is a ‘process’ that cannot be defined by piecemeal revelations, Hosaka said, adding: ‘We want the people to trust the system and (know that) in the independent commission, we will be doing our jobs fairly, objectively, and independently.’

While livestreaming may be out of the question at the moment, Hosaka said the ICI will look for a solution that would ‘both balance the request for more transparency and the protection of individual rights.’ Surely, the ICI can consider giving regular media briefings or allowing a pooled coverage of its hearings.

While the public should give the ICI the benefit of the doubt and ‘trust’ its proceedings, transparency will help make their investigations more credible.

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), in partnership with Netflix, on Thursday, Oct. 2, hosted a seminar amid rising risks of inappropriate content consumption online and excessive screen time among young children.

MTRCB Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Diorella Maria Gamboa Sotto-Antonio led the seminar, which was attended by over 100 parents, educators, child protection advocates, and industry leaders, and which aimed to empower families in guiding children toward safe and responsible media consumption while ensuring an enriching digital experience.

Sotto-Antonio reaffirmed the Board’s longstanding mandate to protect children, empower parents and promote responsible viewing through the seminar with the theme ‘Stream Smarter: Responsible Parenting in the Age of Digital Media.’

She underscored the importance of media literacy and parental involvement, noting that while technology provides tools, active guidance from families ultimately makes the difference.

‘We remain committed to promoting and strengthening media literacy, digital responsibility and parental empowerment, helping families make informed choices in the digital age,’ she said.

As part of its flagship Responsableng Panonood campaign, the MTRCB introduced PROTECT, a simple framework to help parents manage children’s media use. The acronym stands for:

P – Provide guidelines on age-appropriate content, starting media education at home;

R – Regulate screen time and set healthy limits to balance digital and recreational activities;

O – Observe co-viewing to create opportunities for discussion and critical thinking;

T – Teach media literacy to help children verify facts and think critically;

E – Educate on both the positive and harmful effects of media;

C – Create a family viewing plan that supports holistic development;

T – Take the lead by modeling responsible media habits.

Netflix Global Affairs Southeast Asia Director Ruben Hattari expressed support for the initiative, stressing the shared responsibility of parents, educators and industry leaders.

‘This initiative is a timely reminder that our role is not only to provide access to entertainment but also to ensure that families are equipped to make informed and responsible choices in today’s digital age,’ Hattari said.

He said Netflix has features that help parents manage what children watch through their service.

‘Learn it, share it to all your friends, and also discuss it with your kids as well. Please do not use these features as punishment tool, because they need to understand your reason and rationale,’ he added.

The event also featured a panel discussion titled ‘From Screen Time to Smart Time,’ with representatives from MTRCB, Netflix, Stairway Foundation, Safe Schools Philippines and the National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT).

The dialogue tackled parental controls, content classification and collaborative efforts to make digital media safer and more beneficial for Filipino families.

NCCT Chairperson Luis Gatmaitan advised parents and guardians to let their children watch general patronage-rated films, programs or online content.

‘I will also recommend films or TV series adapted from books, children books, because you know these materials have already been vetted so you are sure that contents are age-appropriate,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Stairway Foundation Child Protection specialist Ysrael Diloy told parents and guardians that they need not be tech-savvy to monitor and guide their children’s online activities.

‘You are a parent regardless of the technology platform, thus, what we teach children is not technology, it’s about the main skills, social intelligence in navigating this digital space, you just need to impart the same values that you want to create even if you’re not around them,’ he added.

Sotto-Antonio encouraged parents and guardians to remain at the forefront of responsible parenting -overseeing what their children, see, learn and absorb in every stage of their lives.

‘With collective effort from government, industry and families, we can ensure that digital media becomes not only a source of entertainment but also a tool for learning, creativity and positive growth,’ she said.

The ongoing pest infestation currently affecting sugarcane farms in Negros Occidental and neighboring areas calls for sugar importation to avert any potential supply shortage.

This is according to Enrique Rojas, president of National Federation of Sugarcane Planters. Rojas said the group supports the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) projection of lower sugar output for crop year 2025-2026. This was attributed to the prevalence of red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI) and unfavorable weather conditions.

‘This makes it necessary to import but any importation should be judiciously managed in terms of the volume and timing of arrival, so that our farmers will not be placed at a disadvantage against these cheaper, subsidized imported sugar,’ Rojas said in a message.

Rojas also said production in the past crop years has been insufficient to meet the demand for the sweetener.

The SRA estimated that sugar production would decrease by 7.9 percent to 1.92 million metric tons (MT) in crop year 2025-2026. This would come down from the actual output of 2.09 million in the previous crop year.

In Sugar Order No. 1 for the current crop year, the SRA said the potential production decline is due to the RSSI infestation and excessive rainfall in Negros.

With this, the SRA designated all sugar production for the current season for domestic consumption.

Rojas said the RSSI ‘has undoubtedly damaged’ sugarcane crops in Negros. The island accounts for 65 percent of the country’s sugar production.

Hope for recovery

‘Hopefully, after all the RSSI-affected canes are harvested in the early months of the season, our prospective crops can recover and we can produce enough sugar to fill our domestic demand, so that there will be no need for sugar importation in the coming crop years,’ he added.

The SRA reported the first RSSI case in May affecting certain sugarcane plantations in Negros Occidental.

According to the agency, the pest attacks sugarcane leaves and reduces sugar content of infested sugarcanes by as much as 50 percent if not contained. It can cause yellowing leaves, stunted growth and shortened internodes,

In June, the Department of Agriculture allotted P10 million in financial assistance to support efforts to eliminate the pest disease.

The SRA issued an order requiring industry stakeholders to secure a permit before transporting sugarcane plants and planting materials. This is intended to prevent the spread of pests and diseases in sugarcane areas. /rwd

Typhoon Paolo (international name: Matmo) made landfall in Dinapigue, Isabela, at 9 a.m., the state weather bureau reported Friday, Oct. 3.

In its latest update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Paolo’s center was near San Guillermo, Isabela.

The typhoon packed maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, with gusts up to 215 kph and winds extending 350 kilometers from the eye. It was moving west-northwest at 25 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals were raised for the following areas:

Signal No. 4

The extreme northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran)

The southern portion of Isabela (Dinapigue, San Mariano, Palanan, Roxas, Burgos, Gamu, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, San Manuel, Cabatuan, Aurora, Luna, Reina Mercedes, City of Cauayan, San Mateo, Alicia, Ramon, City of Santiago, Cordon, San Isidro, Echague, Angadanan, San Guillermo, Jones, San Agustin)

The northern portion of Quirino (Diffun, Aglipay, Saguday, Cabarroguis, Maddela)

The northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Solano, Villaverde, Bagabag, Diadi, Quezon, Ambaguio, Bayombong)

Mountain Province

Ifugao

The southern portion of Abra (Tubo)

The northern portion of Benguet (Bakun, Mankayan, Buguias, Kibungan, Kapangan, Atok, Kabayan)

The southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Cervantes, Quirino, Gregorio del Pilar, Sigay, San Emilio, Salcedo, Burgos, Lidlidda, Banayoyo, San Esteban, Santiago, Galimuyod, City of Candon, Santa Lucia, Santa Cruz, Suyo, Alilem, Tagudin, Sugpon)

The northern portion of La Union (Luna, Bangar, Balaoan, Sudipen, Santol, San Gabriel, BSignal No. 4 Raisedacnotan, San Juan)

Signal No. 3

The northern portion of Aurora (Dinalungan, Dipaculao)

The rest of Isabela

The rest of Quirino

The central portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Bambang, Kayapa, Aritao, Dupax del Norte, Dupax del Sur, Santa Fe)

Kalinga

The central portion of Abra (Boliney, Daguioman, Sallapadan, Bucloc, Licuan-Baay, Malibcong, Lacub, La Paz, San Juan, Lagangilang, Danglas, Lagayan, Tayum, Bangued, Langiden, Pidigan, San Quintin, Pilar, Luba, Manabo, Villaviciosa, San Isidro, Peñarrubia, Bucay, Dolores)

The rest of Benguet, the rest of Ilocos Sur, and the rest of La Union

Signal No. 2

The southern portion of Cagayan (Peñablanca, Tuguegarao City, Solana, Iguig, Tuao, Piat, Rizal, Santo Niño, Alcala, Amulung, Enrile, Baggao)

The rest of Nueva Vizcaya

The southern portion of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao)

The rest of Abra

The southern portion of Ilocos Norte (Nueva Era, Badoc, Pinili, City of Batac, Paoay, Currimao, Banna, Laoag City, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Dingras, Solsona, Marcos, Bacarra, Piddig)

The northern portion of Pangasinan ( San Fabian, Sison, Pozorrubio, Umingan, San Jacinto, Laoac, Binalonan, San Nicolas, Natividad, Tayug, San Manuel, Asingan, Santa Maria, San Quintin, Dagupan City, Mangaldan, Manaoag, Bolinao, Anda, Bani, City of Alaminos, Sual, Labrador, Lingayen, Binmaley, Calasiao, Mapandan, Santa Barbara, City of Urdaneta)

The central portion of Aurora (Baler, Maria Aurora, San Luis)

The northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Bongabon, San Jose City, Pantabangan, Rizal, Lupao)

Signal No. 1

The rest of mainland Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands

The rest of Aurora

The northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta), including Polillo Islands

Camarines Norte

The rest of Apayao

The rest of Ilocos Norte

The rest of Pangasinan

The rest of Nueva Ecija

The northern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, Norzagaray, San Rafael, Angat)

Tarlac

The northeastern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba, Mabalacat City)

The northern portion of Zambales (Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz)

Pagasa also warned of storm surges up to three meters in coastal areas of northern and Central Luzon.

‘There is a moderate to high risk of life-threatening storm surge, with peak heights reaching 1.0 to 3.0 meters within 24 hours, over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, and Quezon,’ the agency said.

Metro Manila, Batanes, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, the Bicol Region, Panay Island, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and Northern and Eastern Samar are expected to experience strong to gale-force gusts due to Paolo’s periphery on Friday.

The same conditions are expected for Batanes, Cagayan-including the Babuyan Islands-the Ilocos Region, Zambales, and Bataan on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Paolo is forecast to cross the northern Luzon landmass on Friday and emerge over the West Philippine Sea by afternoon or evening. It is expected to continue moving west-northwestward until it exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday morning./mcm/abc

Continuous rains from Typhoon Paolo caused the collapse of a portion of a riprap beside a house in Sitio Oit, Barangay Sta. Fe, San Marcelino town, on Friday.

The San Marcelino Public Information Office reported that no one was injured, but large rocks and mud spilled onto the road, rendering it impassable.

The Municipal Engineering Office immediately deployed a backhoe to assist in clearing operations.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Paolo intensified into a typhoon as it made landfall in Dinapigue, Isabela.

Since Friday morning, nonstop rains have drenched the whole of Zambales and nearby Olongapo City, prompting the issuance of an orange rainfall warning.

An orange warning is raised in areas where intense rainfall-typically 15 to 30 millimeters per hour-is observed or expected to persist for at least two hours./coa

Friday was a whirlwind for Letran big man Mark Omega.

First, his Knights fell to Jose Rizal University, 73-69, in their opening game of the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament at San Juan Arena.

Earlier that day, he found out that Rain or Shine, which drafted him in the 2025 PBA Rookie Draft, dealt his rights to Converge for a future pick before even signing a contract.

If you ask him, though, he’s not even thinking about the PBA just yet.

‘For me, I’m not even thinking about that. I’m not even there yet. My focus is here in the NCAA,’ said Omega, who actually made his debut for the Knights from Perpetual.

‘I just found out about it earlier too. Our cellphones are hidden every night and one of my coaches just told me about it when I woke up.

Omega’s NCAA debut was cut short after running into foul trouble. He picked up three fouls in just five minutes of play and finished with only two points and three rebounds.

The Knights’ center hopes to bounce back and make a bigger impact when Letran faces longtime rival San Beda on Sunday at the same venue.

A magnitude 5.1 aftershock struck northern Cebu, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported on Friday, October 3.

In its Facebook update, Phivolcs said the aftershock occurred at 5:39 a.m., with a magnitude of 5.1, located 18 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, Cebu, at a depth of 10 km.

The quake was felt with varying intensities across northern Cebu and nearby areas:

Intensity IV (moderately strong)

City of Bogo, Cebu

Villaba, Leyte

Tabango, Leyte

San Isidro, Leyte

This level is generally felt by people indoors and some outdoors, often causing windows to rattle and hanging objects to sway slightly.

Intensity III (weak)

Tabuelan, Cebu

Calubian, Leyte

Palompon, Leyte

This level is slightly weaker, but the tremor remains noticeable and may cause dizziness or nausea in some people.

Intensity II (slightly felt)

Argao, Cebu

This level is barely perceptible, usually felt only by a few people at rest indoors.

Instrumental intensities were also detected in other areas, particularly:

Intensity III

City of Cebu

Hilongos, Leyte

Ormoc City, Leyte

Intensity II

Kawayan, Biliran

Talibon, Bohol

Danao, Cebu

Asturias, Cebu

Lapu-lapu City, Cebu

Talisay, Cebu

Abuyog, Leyte

Leyte, Leyte

Hinunangan, Southern Leyte

The aftershock follows the magnitude 6.9 offshore earthquake that struck Cebu on Sept. 30. As of 4 a.m., Phivolcs reported 3,685 aftershocks. /mcm

Transport group Manibela has opposed the call by its co-transport group, the Magnificent 7, for Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chair Teofilo Gaudiz III to resign from his post.

Magnificent 7 earlier said that Guadiz must step down from the LTFRB’s top post, emphasizing that he did not do better to implement the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).

Manibela, in an earlier Facebook post, reacted to the said appeal, saying in Filipino: ‘We are with Guadiz.’ It then criticized Magnificent 7 for allegedly only slamming the LTRFB chair now that they did not get what they personally wanted.

Explaining their remark in support of Guadiz, Manibela chair Mar Valbuena said in an interview with INQUIRER that they do not support the call for the LTFRB chair to resign simply because he is set to push the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).

‘We support humane modernization that leaves no one behind and does not include units made in China, and will not be included in consolidation as long as they are single franchise owners,’ Valbuena said, adding that they expect Guadiz to implement the PTMP that way.

Ongoing dialogue

He noted that Manibela is currently in ongoing dialogue with the LTFRB and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) regarding their calls to reinstate their franchises and provide provisional authority for jeepneys.

‘Your call is so that we can better serve the people, the passengers,’ he said.

The Manibela chair also mentioned that their dialogue with the transportation agencies started in April this year, under the leadership of former DOTr chief and now Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon.

‘We are in the middle of the dialogue between the DOTr and LTFRB,’ Valbuena said.

‘If everything is replaced again, it will be difficult because the conversation that started now is back to zero, at least we are being heard,’ he emphasized. ‘If they fail us, we’ll back at streets.’

Valbuena pointed out that, as their dialogue is still in progress, they decided to trust Guadiz and hope that their calls will be granted in the end.

But, according to him, if the LTFRB chair also fails them after the series of talks, the transport group will return to the street, as they themselves will call for his resignation.

‘We need to test to see if they are sincere. And if the day comes when we can only hope, we will go back to the streets and once again call for the resignation of everyone in the agency,’ said Valbuena.

A resolution expressing condolences to the families who lost their loved ones after a powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the northeastern portion of Cebu province last Tuesday has been adopted by the House of Representatives.

During the session on Thursday, which lapsed into early Friday morning, House Resolution (HR) No. 325 authored by Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III, Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos Jr., and Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan was adopted via viva voce (communicated orally rather than in written form).

‘Whereas, the House of Representatives extends its heartfelt condolences and profound empathy to the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragedy, and stands in unwavering solidarity with the Province of Cebu and all other stricken communities in their time of great need and collective recovery,’ HR No. 325 said.

‘Resolved, further, that the Members of the House of Representatives collectively and individually rise up to meet the challenges of relief and rehabilitation in the earthquake-stricken areas for the purpose of providing any form of assistance to the earthquake victims,’ it added.

Late Tuesday night, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck waters northeast of Bogo City, Cebu, damaging heritage churches and other structures, and knocking out power in parts of the central Philippines.

Latest reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) showed that the death toll from the Cebu earthquake is at 68.

Initially, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) measured the quake at magnitude 6.7 before upgrading it to a 6.9. The movement was tectonic in nature, and was recorded at a shallow depth of five kilometers below the ground.

Phivolcs then warned of a possible ‘minor sea-level disturbance’ and urged residents of Leyte, Cebu and Biliran to stay away from the coast. The warning was eventually lifted.

Previously, Dy assured the public that the House leadership is also discussing with district representatives how assistance can be provided for residents in quake-stricken areas. Dy also said the House extends its sympathies to families who lost their loved ones.

‘We are currently conducting coordination talks with agencies and local government units to ensure that the assistance needed would be immediately provided, particularly quick medical service and basic needs for areas hard hit by the earthquake,’ Dy said.

‘We are currently coordinating with the representatives of affected districts to support their goal of bringing help to their constituents,’ he added.

Just a day after a powerful earthquake struck northern Cebu, Valencia City conducted a surprise simultaneous earthquake drill across its barangays on Thursday.

City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief June Ray Valero said the drill was part of the city’s initiative to emphasize the importance of building disaster-resilient communities and ensuring that residents are always prepared for emergencies such as earthquakes.

Participants included city employees, students, teachers, and barangay officials, even as Valencia-the center of Bukidnon’s economic hub-continues to recover from the September 17 flash floods that devastated several areas of the city. The floods killed five residents, while three others remain missing as of October 2. Search and retrieval operations are still ongoing.

The country, with over 7,000 islands and many coastal cities, is considered one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world.

It experiences around 20 typhoons annually, some of which intensify into destructive storms.

The country is also highly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location along the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire.’/coa