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Zsa Zsa Padilla donated ready-to-eat food packs to victims of the 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Cebu which struck on Tuesday night, Sept. 30.

Photos of Padilla at the provincial relief center were shared on Cebu Province’s Facebook page on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

‘Zsa Zsa Padilla dropped by the Capitol command center this afternoon to turn over ready-to-eat food packs and bottled water for families affected by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake,’ read the caption.

The province’s local government added that the veteran actress’ donation shows ‘solidarity with the Cebuano people during difficult times and hardships.’

It was not immediately known if Padilla was already in Cebu when the earthquake happened or if she flew in to offer help.

However, in the comments section of her posts, netizens are reminding the actress-singer to take care during her taping amid the incident.

Padilla also took to her Instagram page to ask for more donations, including food, water and tents, for the affected individuals.

‘Please help Cebu. Let’s pray for Cebu,’ read her post alongside the art cards about the donation.

As of this writing, the death toll in Cebu has climbed to 61. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing. The Cebu provincial government has also called for medical volunteers.

Meanwhile, Slater Young, Manilyn Reynes and Ellen Adarna expressed concern for their fellow Cebuanos affected by the earthquake.

Heart Evangelista also extended her prayers for the Cebu victims as well as for those in surrounding areas. /ra

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will provide financial assistance and cover the burial expenses of families of the victims killed during the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu on Tuesday.

‘The DSWD’s Field Office Central Visayas is now accounting the number of casualties and their location. Our social workers will also talk to the concerned families to inform them that the DSWD will shoulder the burial expenses of their loved ones,’ the agency’s spokesperson Irene Dumlao said in a statement on Wednesday.

Dumlao also shared that the DSWD’s Central Visayas office will give P10,000 in cash assistance to the families of the deceased. On Wednesday morning, at least 61 individuals were confirmed dead while at least 147 individuals were injured during the quake, prompting the Cebu provincial government to place the entire province under a state of calamity.

The earthquake struck Central Visayas on Tuesday evening, but the number of casualties continues to rise, the Cebu Provincial Disaster Response and Risk Reduction Management Office said. The provincial government reported that a commercial building and a school collapsed, and several village roads were damaged.

Some power lines were also tripped, according to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned of aftershocks and earthquake-induced mass movements, such as landslides.

Furthermore, Phivolcs said the earthquake was caused by the movement of an offshore active fault northeast of Cebu Island.

Many people go to Iceland to chase the breathtaking but elusive Aurora Borealis.

Or they go to New Zealand for the stunning landscapes, maybe visit Hobbiton, the famous movie set of ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit.’

Not the technical people from Energy Development Corp., whose parent firm First Gen Corp. is awash with P50 billion in cash from the sale of its gas business to tycoon Enrique Razon Jr.

If they are traveling to Iceland, New Zealand or even the United States, they are on the prowl for opportunities in geothermal energy.

EDC recently firmed up its debut in Indonesia. But the Lopez group’s investment horizon goes far beyond Southeast Asia.

‘Aside from Indonesia, there are very, very early stages of research. I don’t call it exploration. It’s research [first]-technical, commercial, legal, in the US, Iceland, New Zealand,’ Allan Barcena, EDC assistant vice president and head of corporate support group, told Biz Buzz on the sidelines of an energy forum organized by the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines.

These countries have vast geothermal areas harnessed for energy production, not just to showcase geysers and hot springs.

At the very least, EDC would like to bring home new technologies.

‘It’s not only the resource itself but sometimes the technology,’ Barcena said.

‘Also, we’ll go to other countries to explore carbon storage technologies. Even if we are very low in emission in geothermal (operations), we’d like to really bring it down by capturing our CO2 (carbon) emissions in our power plants.’

EDC is exploring these technologies because they are not yet available in the Philippines, he added.

‘The technology is still new but we’d like to pilot these in EDC.’ -Doris Dumlao-Abadilla

Security Bank’s Vohra passes the torch

One pandemic and a flood control crisis later, Security Bank Corp. is welcoming a new chief as part of its succession plan, and he’s another veteran banker.

Security Bank on Tuesday announced its appointment of Victor Lee Meng Teck as the company’s new president and CEO, effective in early January 2026.

The former CEO of CIMB Singapore succeeds Sanjiv Vohra after more than six years. Although leaving his post, Vohra will remain the bank’s senior advisor to the board.

‘We’re grateful to Sanjiv for his steady leadership during one of the most challenging periods in recent history,’ Security Bank chair Cirilo Noel said in a statement.

Vohra’s appointment in 2019 came just months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which paralyzed economies across the globe and certainly was a challenge even for banks.

‘His vision and dedication have left the bank stronger, more resilient and well-prepared for the future,’ Noel added.

For his part, Lee was lauded for spearheading the growth of CIMB Singapore and doubling the bank’s revenue and raising return on equity to nearly 20 percent.

‘As we welcome Victor, we’re confident this seamless transition will allow us to sustain momentum and capture new opportunities,’ Noel noted.

This is a timely development, especially since former Security Bank chief financial officer Eduardo Olbes just retired. He’s also staying on board as senior advisor to the president and CEO.

Is this a new era for Security Bank? Abangan! -Meg J. Adonis INQ

The Department of Health (DOH) is seeking to expand the implementation of its zero balance billing program as it seeks to address the inadequate number of beds and provincial government hospitals in the country.

‘The DOH is proposing for a new line item in the GAA (General Appropriations Act), which we will call ‘Zero Balance Billing support for Level 2 and Level 3 LGU (local government unit) hospitals,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said on Wednesday.

Herbosa said during the hearing of the Senate committee on finance regarding the 2026 proposed budget of the DOH that he had sent a letter to finance committee chair Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian regarding the proposal.

‘This is so [the zero balance billing policy] will not just be for DOH hospitals. It would be very helpful if this is funded,’ Herbosa explained.

According to him, the fund will be used to support local government units that currently have no DOH hospital in their area, as well as lower-class municipalities that may not have a lot of budget to implement the zero balance billing policy.

He also explained that the DOH is focusing on Level 2 and Level 3 LGU hospitals as these handle more serious cases compared to Level 1 facilities. Under the zero balance billing policy of the government, patients no longer have to pay any fees when admitted to the basic or ward accommodation of the 83 DOH-run hospitals in the country.

Herbosa, however, said in the same hearing that these DOH hospitals are currently located in only 42 provinces, with 40 others lacking such a facility.

This means that some Filipinos would have to travel to another city or municipality just to avail of the zero balance billing.

Herbosa also pointed out in an earlier hearing that the country’s bed-to-population ratio as of 2024 was at 1.005 beds per population of 1,000, which was lower than the ideal 1.5 per 1,000.

Gatchalian noted during the hearing on Wednesday that ‘because of the zero balance billing, we have had unintended consequences, one of which is the bed occupancy rate.’

In his presentation, Gatchalian pointed out that based on 2024 data from the DOH, the average annual bed occupancy rate of hospitals in Metro Manila was at 96.83 percent, while for regional hospitals and other health facilities, the bed occupancy rate was at 151.29 percent.

This was higher than the recorded rates in 2023, which was 78.47 percent for Metro Manila hospitals and 115.68 percent for regional hospitals and other health facilities. ‘We can see that we have a lot of hospitals that are overcapacity. The same with regional hospitals,’ Gatchalian said.

‘In other words, with the zero balance billing, we will see this type of scenario moving forward.’

Based on his presentation, several Metro Manila hospitals had an average bed occupancy rate higher than 100 percent in 2024. This includes Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Santa Cruz, Manila, which was at 169.74 percent; Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, with 150.17 percent; and Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, also in Santa Cruz, with 120.34 percent.

Enraged by reports of corruption in the country’s flood control and infrastructure projects, students, faculty, and the union of Brokenshire College here gathered at the school grounds on Tuesday to express their indignation and outrage.

‘As a Christian institution devoted to preparing the next generation of medical and health professionals, we condemn the outright theft of public resources that ought to fund life-saving health services,’ said United Church of Christ of the Philippines Bishop Hamuel Tequiz, president of Brokenshire College Inc., in a statement read by college chaplain Rev. Grace Alquiza-Bangisan.

‘Under the auspices of the (UCCP), Brokenshire College stands firmly rooted in the Christian faith and refuses to remain silent in the face of state corruption and the flagrant mockery of justice that haunts our nation,’ said Tequis, in a statement read during the rally at the school grounds. ‘Scripture unequivocally calls us to protect the vulnerable,’ he added, quoting Proverbs 31:8-9, ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.’

The students and teachers were joined by the bishops of four major religious groups who convened the Panaw Mindanaaw, a faith-based alliance committed to justice, peace, and human dignity, and vowed to fight corruption.

‘Corruption is not only a violation of the law, it is also a serious transgression against life,’ said the statement signed by Panaw Mindanaw conveners Bishop Dente R. Palicte of the UCCP; Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) Bishop Romeo Tagud, president of the Mindanao-West Bishop Conference, United Methodist Bishop Israel Painit, and Fr. Raymund Ambray of the Roman Catholic Church.

Panaw Mindanaw said that resources for education, health, housing, sustainable livelihood, and other basic social services are siphoned into the pockets of unscrupulous leaders, deepening poverty, weakening democratic institutions, and fueling violence and injustice in the land.

‘Every centavo stolen is a betrayal of the people’s trust and a denial of God’s justice,’ said the Panaw Mindanaw statement distributed during the rally. ‘Corruption is a direct assault on the poor-the anawim-who are already most vulnerable to exploitation, neglect, and oppression. Leaders are called to servant leadership, not to self-enrichment at the expense of the people.’

Carrying huge streamers that read, ‘Never again to Tyranny!’ ‘We demand justice, accountability,’ ‘Ibagsak ang Burukrata Kapitalismo,’ students, teachers, and union members marched outside the gate of the university, where they prayed and lit candles with the bishops./coa

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will meet with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Friday to submit documents to help with investigations.

BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno made this pronouncement on Wednesday after the agency issued a warrant of seizure and detention for 13 luxury cars owned by contractor couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya after it found sufficient grounds for seizure due to improper documentation of vehicles. The couple had been implicated in the anomalous flood control projects. ‘My objective for my request to meet the ICI, [headed by retired] Justice Andres Reyes, is to submit the documents and information that we have to help in their investigations,’ Nepomuceno told reporters in an interview.

Nepomuceno said that the agency’s findings on the Discayas’ luxury cars will be the first documents they will submit to the independent probe body. He also said that they will relay other findings aside from the Discayas.

With this, Nepomuceno recognized the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to all government agencies to coordinate with the ICI on its investigation on anomalies in national infrastructure projects.

‘We will also ask how else we can help and if they have directions that they want to share, and we assure them of our full cooperation,’ he added. As the contractor couple attended on Tuesday the hearing of the ICI in connection with anomalous flood control projects, their lawyer Atty. Cornelio Samaniego III said that the couple gave a ‘tell-all’ testimony at the probe.

Meanwhile, Nepomuceno shared that the issuance of the warrant of seizure and detention came after the agency found out that from the 13 vehicles, seven have no import entry records and certificates of payment. Meanwhile the remaining six may possess import entry documents but have dubious COP or no COP at all.

Nepomuceno also said that the issuance is a formal avenue for the Discayas to prove for one last time the legitimacy of the purchases. He explained that if the family fails to do so, the vehicles will be forfeited and may be auctioned by the government. In a previous Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on flood control mess, Sarah admitted to owning 28 luxury vehicles. The BOC earlier secured these cars, with 12 of these being initially covered by a search warrant while the 16 were voluntarily surrendered by the family.

For older residents of low-lying, centuries-old Pampanga towns of Macabebe and Masantol, they had accepted floods as a way life and floodwaters were used to irrigate rice fields, refresh rivers, and flush out saltwater.

But over the past two decades, flooding has become more frequent and persistent-often taking months to subside and residents adapted without protest.

But that silence will finally break on Thursday.

The Saingsing People’s Rally (Lament of the People’s Rally) on that day will mark the first collective protest by Macabebe and Masantol residents against corruption, said Rey Yumang, one of the organizers, along with leaders from local religious and civic groups.

A march from Sta. Lucia Bridge in Masantol to Macabebe Plaza is scheduled for 12:30 p.m., while another from San Gabriel Chapel in Macabebe will begin at 1:30 p.m. Both groups will walk through flooded roads and converge at San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish in Macabebe.

In an invitation posted online, the organizers declared: ‘The national government failed us! The system has been corrupted! We are slowly being killed by drowning! We are gradually losing our future!’

Affected communities

They condemned widespread corruption-particularly in flood control projects-and demanded long-term, concrete solutions and the prosecution of those responsible.

As of Sept. 27, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported 82 flooded barangays across 14 towns and cities in Pampanga.

Macabebe had 19 flooded barangays, and Masantol, 26. Floodwaters-rising from 0.3 meters to 1.5 meters (1 feet to 5 feet)-were caused by high tides, monsoon rains, Supertyphoon ‘Nando’ (international name: Ragasa) and Severe Tropical Storm ‘Opong (Bualoi).

The floods have affected 52,056 families, or 169,405 people, most of them in Macabebe (54,586) and Masantol (80,524).

‘Since July, ali na melangi (the villages haven’t dried),’ said Jomel Cruz, head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

Around 10,000 families in both towns have been displaced since 1992, when the government widened the mouth of Pampanga River from 250 meters to 750 meters using Japanese loans, as part of the Pampanga Delta Development Project. Nearly 300 chapels and schools were relocated.

According to Masantol former Vice Mayor Bajun Lacap, over 2,000 families-whose livelihoods depend on fishing and aquaculture-chose to remain in seven villages along the widened channel, building homes on high-risk areas despite being paid for their land.

A P600-million bridge project connecting Masantol’s left bank to Calumpit, Bulacan, has been delayed for five years, despite the funding awarded to Eddmari Construction and Trading Co.

In August 2022, President Marcos Jr. inaugurated the Korean-funded Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Project-Stage 1 in Masantol. However, locals said rising sea levels have rendered the project’s check gates almost ineffective

Over 4.7 million individuals were affected by the recent weather disturbances as of Wednesday morning, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

In a situational report, the DSWD bared that the southwest monsoon (habagat) and tropical cyclones Mirasol, Nando, and Opong have so far affected a total of 4,734,851 individuals or 1,305,842 families.

Of this figure, 63,687 persons (17,011 families) are currently in 844 evacuation centers nationwide, while 55,701 individuals (13,305 families) took shelter elsewhere or received assistance outside evacuation centers.

Based on the report, the affected persons reside in 11,211 affected barangays in Metro Manila, Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol region, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

To aid flood-hit or affected communities, the DSWD said it has so far distributed over P307 million worth of assistance.

The death toll due to the recent tropical cyclones and habagat reached 27, with four confirmed, while the rest are up for validation, according to a report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

NDRRMC also revealed that 33 people were reportedly injured and 16 remain missing.

The death toll in the devastating 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on Tuesday night has further risen to 53, with at least 175 persons reported injured, according to the latest report collated by the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO).

As of noon, the 53 fatalities were broken down as follows: Bogo City – 30; San Remegio – 11; Medellin – 10; Sogod – 1; and Tabuelan -1.

Bogo City, about 98 kilometers north of Cebu City, was the epicenter of the strong quake, while the other towns with reported fatalities were all in northern Cebu./coa

Senator Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday accused the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of favoring and accepting bribes from multinational pharmaceutical companies, resulting in the continued sale of unregistered products and shutdown of smaller pharmaceutical firms. Tulfo made the pronouncement during a Senate panel hearing on the proposed budget of the Department of Health for 2026.

During the hearing, Tulfo questioned why despite continuously releasing advisories and warnings on harmful medical products, the FDA does not seem to actually enforce it.

FDA Director General Paolo Teston, for his part, said that the advisories already include an order for law enforcement agencies to prevent such products’ sale, adding that the FDA does not have enough capacity to do it by itself as it only has 890 plantilla and 300 contract of service personnel.

But Tulfo pointed out that even just one or two researchers can check if their advisories are being enforced.

‘I only have four plantilla researchers, and yet we were able to investigate this,’ said Tulfo speaking in Filipino, adding that they found one of the banned products in online shopping apps and even mainstream pharmacies.

‘Don’t use that excuse on me about having 800 personnel . that’s already more than enough. If there’s a will, there’s a way; if there’s none, there will always be excuses,’ he added in a mix of Filipino and English.

Teston then responded that the agency is already coordinating with pharmacies and online shopping platforms to curb the illicit sale, but Tulfo interjected, insisting that the real reason it persists is due to the bribes the FDA allegedly receives from manufacturers and suppliers.

‘One of the most corrupt agencies in the Philippines is the FDA, and many pharmaceutical companies can attest to that,’ said Tulfo in Filipino.

‘So many small pharmaceutical companies are being forced to close because you favor these multinational firms,’ he added.

Tulfo then went on to cite a case he previously encountered where a smaller pharmaceutical firm introduced a mosquito spray that rivaled a popular brand.

The senator alleged that the FDA deliberately withheld the smaller firm’s license renewal over the flimsiest grounds-such as a typographical error in the address-to protect the larger competitor.

‘You withheld the license, you withheld the renewal because you were bribed,’ said Tulfo.

Tulfo then pressed the FDA chief on what concrete actions he will take to stop the continued online sale of banned products, warning that if the FDA continues to be ineffective, he would challenge Teston to step down.