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Lawmakers from the National Unity Party (NUP) on Wednesday called for modifications to the proposed spending plan for next year, urging the House of Representatives to fix their ‘serious concerns’ that impede project execution and social aid distribution in their districts.

Its members are concerned about ‘persistent reports of significant delays in the release of funds for infrastructure projects’ financed by prior budgets, while criticizing what they felt as an ‘uneven and selective’ approach by the Department of Public Works and Highways in approving construction works across districts nationwide.

‘In certain districts and provinces, projects that had been identified and funded were later declared non-implementable by the Department’s district offices, without explanation,’ the NUP said in a statement.

Release delays also hit key social welfare initiatives, including nearly P300 million for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s crisis assistance program and P120 million under the Department of Health’s medical grants for indigent patients, it added.

‘It remains our firm position that the distribution and continuity of national resources, whether during initial budget preparation or final fund releases, and whether for infrastructure or for social services, should be ensured,’ the NUP said.

Constituent support across hundreds of legislative districts nationwide is heavily tied to tangible infrastructure works and social aid, and lawmakers face pressure to deliver on those projects to maintain support in their home district.

The party’s demands underscore the leverage legislators hold during budget discussions, with friction over delayed local projects building as the House races to approve the spending bill before next week’s deadline.

The NUP put forward several ‘specific requests’ under their proposal, including the release of pending funding for infrastructure projects funded by the 2025 and 2026 national budgets and ending the practice of tagging some projects with a ‘for later release’ label.

‘On this matter, we urge that the FY 2027 GAA carry a general provision confirming that every appropriation authorized in the Act is released upon its effectivity,’ the party said, referring to the General Appropriations Act.

It also compelled for the release of classroom and education facilities funding, while also immediately discharging unreleased funds for social assistance projects.

‘Projects already authorized and underway must reach completion without administrative disruption, and social assistance funds allocated to all districts must be released immediately to the people for whom they were designated,’ the party said.

Congress must also have a say in how the Local Government Support Fund is earmarked nationwide, the NUP added.

To eliminate district disparities, the party recommended the government to distribute local funding using a transparent, metrics-based formula tied to population size, poverty incidence, and regional development needs.

Atty. Levito Baligod, legal counsel for the 18 ‘maleta boys,’ said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag is the one who needs to take a lie detector test.

Baligod made this statement when asked about the NBI chief’s remark that the bureau also asked the ‘maleta boys’-who implicated various government officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, in a ‘cash delivery’ scheme-to undergo lie detector tests when they appeared in March as part of the investigation into their testimonies.

‘He is the one who needs to take a lie detector test,’ Baligod said in a Viber message to the INQUIRER on Wednesday, pertaining to Matibag.

When further clarified if the NBI actually asked the 18 ‘maleta boys’ to undergo a lie detector test during their appearance in March, Baligod said, ‘No.’

The INQUIRER reached out to Matibag regarding Baligod’s remark, but he has yet to respond as of this writing.

In an interview on Tuesday, Matibag was asked about the 18 ‘maleta boys,’ after he said that former police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. had volunteered to undergo a lie detector test to stand by his affidavit implicating the Dutertes in his ‘cash delivery’ accusations.

Gracioso is claiming that he delivered suitcases of money amounting to over P2 billion to Vice President Sara Duterte, P1 billion to former President Rodrigo Duterte, and P100 million to Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte in tranches starting in 2018, supposedly upon the instructions of his former boss, former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.

‘We offered it to them. We asked them. But we did not come to the point where the 18 Marines took a lie detector test,’ Matibag earlier said.

The NBI director explained that a person must be willing to undergo a lie detector test, adding that ‘Gracioso voluntarily submitted himself to the [test].’

Baligod first introduced the 18 individuals in February as ‘former Marines’ who claimed they had served as ‘bagmen’ for resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co and delivered P805 billion in alleged kickbacks to various politicians and personalities from anomalous flood control projects.

In August, four of the 18 ‘maleta boys’ recanted their testimonies, alleging they signed their joint affidavit only for promised money.

Classes at all levels in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro, were cancelled Wednesday following a magnitude 5 earthquake struck the municipality, according to a local government announcement.

Mamburao officials said the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) recommended the class cancellation.

‘We are expecting aftershocks,’ said Mamburao Mayor Glicerio S. Almero, in a public post, explaining that authorities would first need to complete inspections of schools in the municipality.

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck at 9:34 a.m. on Sept. 30, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Phivolcs placed the earthquake’s epicenter at 13.19°N, 120.38°E, or about 23 kilometers southwest of Mamburao, at a depth of 10 km.

The earthquake was measured at Intensity IV in Mamburao and Sablayan, both in Occidental Mindoro.

Phoenix has tapped Marcellus Earlington as a replacement import for BJ Johnson ahead of next week’s resumption of the PBA Governors’ Cup.

Coach Charles Tiu said Earlington arrived last week to take the place of Johnson, who left the Fuel Masters during the break to join Russian club Parma BC.

Earlington saw action when the Fuel Masters lost to Mongolian side Omni Erdenet Miners, 83-80, in Wednesday’s tune-up game at Activate Hoop Arena in Mandaluyong City.

‘We just saw him online [and we feel like he] plays good basketball. He’s alright,’ Tiu said. ‘Hopefully, he can get into better shape and he gets integrated with us quickly.

The 26-year-old Earlington played for St. John’s University and University of San Diego in the US NCAA Division I before having professional stints in Israel and Italy.

Earlington played high school basketball at Don Bosco Preparatory School in New Jersey where he was a teammate of Fil-Am NBA player Ron Harper Jr. of the Boston Celtics.

Tiu said Earlington has a different style compared to Johnson, which he showed during the exhibition contest with the Miners.

‘BJ is a scorer and a winger. I really like a scorer and we did see that during his stint here,’ said the Phoenix mentor. ‘Earlington is more of an inside presence, and hopefully he can give that to us.’

Police have recorded a sharp rise in online threats following the Sept. 18 shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato, with authorities arresting about 40 people in connection with such cases.

Brig. Gen. Allan Manibog, Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 director, said 65 online threats were recorded from Sept. 18 to Sept. 27, or a span of only 10 days.

In comparison, police recorded only 13 such threats during the 73 days from July 7, when PRO-12 logged its first online threat this year, to Sept. 17, a day before the Banga shooting.

‘There has been a significant increase in reports of online threats since the incident in Banga,’ Manibog said in a radio interview on Monday.

At a press briefing on Monday, South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said police authorities had apprehended about 40 people – 20 in South Cotabato and another 20 in nearby Sultan Kudarat – as local governments and police stepped up their response to threats circulating online.

Tamayo said some of those apprehended were adults placed in the custody of authorities, while minors were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

He credited the coordination between local government units and the police, particularly PRO-12 under Manibog, for the arrests.

Just a joke?

‘We immediately took action. That is why the number of those apprehended has reached 40, through the partnership between the local government units and the PNP (Philippine National Police),’ Tamayo said.

Manibog noted most of the individuals rescued or traced in subsequent cases were minors who later told police that they were only joking or trying to scare others.

Based on police assessments, including interviews and examination of their cell phones, authorities found no indication that most of the minors actually intended to carry out the threats they posted online, he said.

Manibog described many of the cases as apparent ‘copycat’ behavior following the Banga shooting.

‘They don’t understand what they are doing, these children,’ he said. ‘But on the part of the PNP, we take this seriously and act on it immediately.’

Tamayo said authorities were also able to trace people allegedly using fake Facebook accounts to post threats.

‘We have found ways to identify those posting on Facebook. Even fake accounts, we are able to trace them,’ the governor said. Tamayo said authorities were prepared to take necessary steps to identify those behind online threats, including measures involving information normally protected by privacy rules.

‘If necessary, even when it involves your privacy, just to make sure that we catch these people, we will do it,’ Tamayo said. ‘Even fake accounts, we can trace them and dig them up.’

Manibog, meanwhile, said PRO-12 continues to conduct cyberpatrolling to detect threatening posts and respond to reports from the public.

The surge in online threats, he said, also underscored the need to strengthen the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and similar units in other law enforcement agencies as more security concerns emerge online.

‘The trend has changed. Incidents are now more on the internet, in cyberspace,’ Manibog said. ‘We really need to strengthen our Anti-Cybercrime Unit, not only in the PNP but also in other law enforcement agencies with the same mandate to look into this kind of problem.’

High alert

The increase in reported threats came in the wake of the Sept. 18 Banga National High School shooting, which prompted authorities and schools across the region to tighten security and closely monitor threats circulating on social media.

In Iloilo City, the city government and the Iloilo City Police Office (Icpo) intensified security measures following reports of online threats targeting at least two public schools last week, prompting a swift response to ensure the safety of students and school personnel.

On Monday, Mayor Raisa Treñas immediately convened an emergency meeting with representatives from 26 private schools offering high school and senior high school programs, alongside the police officials and other partner agencies, to address the situation and establish concrete security protocols.

Icpo assured the public that they are taking the threats seriously. Police visibility has been heightened around school premises, and close coordination with school administrations and the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 6 is ongoing to trace the source of the threats and identify the individuals responsible.

Authorities from both the city government and Icpo are appealing to the public to remain calm and to avoid sharing unverified information, screenshots, or speculation online, which they said only causes unnecessary fear and panic.

A picture is worth a thousand words, but the picture also depends on the angle at which it was taken. Last August, Momentum Research (Cleve Arguelles’ firm after he left) asked people two questions about partisanship.

The first was, how would you picture yourself: a supporter of the administration, opposition, or an independent? The biggest portion-67 percent-pictured themselves as independents, or not a supporter of either the administration or the opposition. As for picturing themselves as supporting the administration, 17.5 percent self-identified as such; on the other hand, those who pictured themselves as supporting the opposition comprised 10.4 percent. There were 4.2 percent who said they didn’t know or were unsure, while 0.9 percent declined to answer.

The second question was, some people describe themselves as supporters of the Marcoses, supporters of the Dutertes, and some also describe themselves as supporters of the opposition. How do you describe yourself? The biggest group was those who described themselves as independents or who didn’t support any of the groups mentioned: 45.5 percent. The next biggest group described themselves as supporters of the Dutertes and their allies: 28.9 percent. Those identifying themselves as supporters of the Marcoses and their allies comprised 11.6 percent, while those who described themselves as supporters of the opposition, such as former Vice President Leni Robredo, Sen. Bam Aquino, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, and their other allies, comprised 9.6 percent, with those saying they didn’t know or weren’t sure amounting to 2.9 percent and those refusing to answer, 1.4 percent.

The contrast between the two should lead to interesting discussion on the difference between party politics and personality politics: the ‘none of the above’ cohort, based on the August snapshots, anyway, being enormous. The relatively small numbers for both ‘administration’ and ‘opposition’ sort of match the other, personality-based question, but the Duterte cohort for its part seems to have melted into the ‘none of the above’ segment, which might also be a clue as to their thinking.

In terms of personalities, however, the way most people think is a snapshot of eroded cohorts, at least when it comes to the Dutertes and the Marcoses, though the ‘opposition’ has remained remarkably consistent over time. It is also showing a near-majority that considers itself unaffiliated with the three major groupings they read, hear, or watch about whenever politics is discussed.

I often tell people that if Vice President Sara Duterte ends up convicted in an impeachment trial, one unintended consequence would be the first election in 42 years that wouldn’t be about, one way or another, the Aquinos (in truth, the Edsa Coalition) and Marcoses (in truth, the Marcos-Macapagal-Estrada coalition) or their proxies. Nor would it be exchanging that decades-old dynamic for a Marcos-Duterte confrontation, spanning the next couple of decades at least, because neither of the two dynasties has an heir capable of leading, nationally, at this point.

The various players might retreat to their respective bailiwicks and hold them, but there would be the chance that 2028 would be, for once, about tomorrow and not yesterday. And in the nick of time, too, considering the piled-up problems begging for some sort of attention, if not resolution, before we revert to being a basket case.

What would happen were the Veep convicted in an impeachment would be to turn the 2028 election into a real contest, considering the old alignments are all, in one way or another, either exhausted or directly implicated in the mess the country’s consistently been in since the pandemic. To be sure, the old players, plus the most organized parties (three of which are subsidiaries of the largest corporations), will all play a role, and they will be among the first to shift their attention from the current confrontation to finding a horse to back in 2028 now that the field’s been wiped clean.

Either someone will emerge from left field, shaking things up, or there will be status quo candidates possibly different from what came before in being less extreme, less able to promise big while giving little detail, than those who’ve come before.

While I personally wish for the administration to achieve the ultimate disruption by including an election for a constitutional convention in the 2028 polls, a shift to problem-solving instead of score-settling would be wonderful in and of itself. It would be like pressing the reset button; as I said, a means to look forward and not backward, for once.

Premised, of course, on a conviction in the impeachment, itself based on the assumption that the evidence in at least one of the articles of impeachment is solid enough to result in the Veep’s removal and permanent disqualification from office. There is a remarkably large-even huge-percentage of citizens who seem primed to keep an open mind, without wearing blinders based on partisanship.

Track and field wrapped up on a rainy Tuesday at the Asian Games with the two powers in the sport in the region – China and Japan – going head to head in the final race, the men’s 4×400 relay.

Japan took gold in the final in 3 minutes, 00.75 seconds with silver for Qatar (3:00.93) and bronze for India (3:01.61). China was fifth.

Two other relays also helped cap off the night. The 4×100 mixed relay went to China (40.78), and India won the women’s 4×400 (3:29.69).

The women’s 4×400 is one of the oldest world records still on the books, set by the Soviet Union in 1988 (3:15.17).

China topped the medal table with 17 gold and 39 overall. Japan had 10 gold and 32 overall during the seven days on the track. Bahrain won nine gold and 13 overall to take the next spot on the table.

Filipino pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena won his event on the final night with vault of 5.91 meters. He holds the Asian record (6.00), not far off the world record of Armand Duplantis (6.30) of Sweden.

Sibol kissed its gold medal hopes goodbye in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports event of the Asian Games 2026 after a shocking quarterfinal loss to Indonesia, 1-2, on Wednesday at Aichi Sky Expo.

The Philippines, represented by the core of four-time Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) Philippines champion Team Liquid, struggled to establish its footing as Indonesia’s aggressive start repeatedly disrupted Sibol’s plans throughout the series.

Despite dropping the first game, Sibol bounced back strong in Game 2, weathering the early-game pressure that had hounded them throughout the series to force a decider.

However, Indonesia once again seized the initiative from the opening minutes of Game 3 and close out the series, 22-18, in 17 minutes.

Karl ‘KarlTzy’ Nepomuceno, who had been stellar throughout the series, was neutralized by Indonesia’s suffocating jungle control in Game 3, with his Nolan pick struggling to find farm and falling behind in levels.

‘I feel like we made a lot of mistakes, and I don’t think we played our game at all. I don’t even know why we lost. I didn’t expect us to lose because of how we played. They just played better,’ Nepomuceno told local broadcaster Cignal in Filipino.

‘I still think the Philippines is on top. Maybe we just don’t play well enough internationally. I feel like the Philippines is still the best; we just struggle when we play internationally.’

By the 10-minute mark, Sibol had been stripped of nearly all its resources, with the opposing side claiming six turrets, three Turtles, and a Lord to build a 7,000-gold advantage and leave the Philippines with little room to mount a comeback.

The MLBB Philippine squad, composed of Nepomuceno, Sanford ‘Sanford’ Vinuya, Alston ‘Sanji’ Pabico, Jaypee ‘Jaypee’ Dela Cruz, Dave ‘Teddy’ Viana, and Duane ‘Kelra’ Pillas, swept Pool C through convincing wins over Jordan and Kazakhstan before its campaign came to a sudden halt against Indonesia.

‘I feel like I didn’t learn anything. This run feels pointless to me because we knew we had the advantage in every aspect, but I don’t know how we still lost,’ Nepomuceno said. ‘Maybe the mindset is just to bounce back. That’s always how I approach it.’

The loss marked the end of Sibol’s campaign in the Asian Games, with the Philippines’ esports delegation delivering bronze medals in both Honor of Kings and Pokémon Unite.

Earlier in the day, Sibol’s Identity V squad also saw its Asian Games campaign come to an end in the quarterfinals after a 0-2 loss to Malaysia.

The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) regional office in Mimaropa and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) signed an agreement to undertake P430 million worth of farm-to-market road (FMR) projects in the region.

Under the accord, the DA’s regional office in Mimaropa and the DPWH will collaborate to implement 29 FMR projects across the region, designed to enhance connectivity between agricultural production areas, markets, and major road networks.

The DA will fund FMR projects from its budget under the 2026 General Appropriations Act.

The DPWH will receive funds based on approved project milestones after they submit, validate, and accept the required technical, physical, and financial reports.

‘The MOA states that we will release funds in at least three tranches to ensure proper monitoring and utilization,’ the DA said in a statement on Wednesday.

DA-MIMAROPA Regional Executive Director Christopher Bañas said the accord will improve the transportation of agricultural produce from farms to markets.

‘Farm-to-market roads directly benefit our farmers by making it easier and faster for them to transport their produce to markets. Through our partnership with DPWH, we want to ensure that these projects are properly implemented and that our agricultural communities truly benefit from them,’ Bañas said.

Before these projects in Mimaropa, the DA recently inaugurated the P310.9 million FMR project in Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya, which will improve logistics in the area driven by high-value crops, organic farming, andagroforestry.

The 10.86-kilometer project, covering a 4,191-hectare area featuring high-value vegetables and coffee plantations, and will reduce travel times and transport losses by at least 50 percent.

The World Bank supports the project with a P248.7 million loan through the Philippine Rural Development Project Scale-Up project. The national government contributes P31.1 million in funding, and the local government unit provides a P31.1 million equity share.

Starting this year, the DA will lead the development of FMR projects nationwide, a responsibility previously held by the DPWH.

The provincial government of Zamboanga del Sur launched its tourism website as it activated its Tourist Police Unit on Tuesday to boost local tourism and enhance visitor security.

The dual initiatives were formally launched during the World Tourism Day celebration at the Pavilion Hall, Provincial Government Center in Barangay Dao here.

The digital platform, accessible via visitzambosur.com, serves as the first official tourism website in the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9).

Gov. Divina Grace Yu said the website functions as a digital gateway showcasing the province’s destinations, travel experiences, local products, and tour packages.

Yu highlighted the growing interest from both domestic and foreign visitors, noting that tourist arrivals in Zamboanga del Sur surpassed one million in 2025.

Dara May Cataluña, Department of Tourism-Region 9 (DOT-9) director, emphasized the digital platform’s crucial role in expanding the province’s visibility to international and local travel markets.

Alongside the digital launch, local officials signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to activate the provincial Tourist Police Unit, aimed at strengthening security measures and support services for travelers and tourism stakeholders.

The agreement was signed by Yu, Cataluña, and Police Regional Office 9 (PRO-9) deputy regional director for administration Brig. Gen. Leonard Luna, who represented PRO-9 regional director Brig. Gen. Elmer Ragay.

In a statement, Luna reaffirmed the Philippine National Police’s commitment to ensuring a safe environment for tourists, noting that the partnership establishes stronger coordination between law enforcement and tourism authorities to maintain the province’s reputation as a secure and welcoming destination.

Municipal mayors, police chiefs from various municipalities, and representatives from partner government agencies attended the ceremony.