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Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the city has no outstanding debt, highlighting the local government’s financial standing in her eighth year as local executive.

Belmonte, in her State of the City Address on Monday, Oct. 19, declared that since the start of her stint in 2019, ‘we have continuously strengthened our city’s financial position.’

This year, the local government’s budget reached P45.5 billion. More than half of which ‘has been allocated to services that directly benefit every QCitizen-from education, health care, and housing to social welfare,’ she said.

Belmonte pointed out that despite the budget increase, ‘our city is debt-free, and we have not raised taxes.’

Quezon City’s economy recorded a 5.4 percent growth in 2025 from its level in 2024, faster than the 4.3 percent in the previous year. The gross domestic product (GDP) of Quezon City was estimated at P1.40 trillion in 2025.

Moderate to heavy rainshowers with lightning and strong winds are expected over parts of Batangas, Quezon, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal on Monday morning, the state weather bureau said.

In a thunderstorm advisory issued at 7:10 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the weather conditions could affect the following areas within the next two hours:

Batangas

Rosario

San Juan

Nasugbu

Padre Garcia

Lipa

Santo Tomas

Cavite

Naic

Maragondon

General Emilio Aguinaldo

Magallanes

Alfonso

Ternate

Tanza

Indang

Trece Martires

Rosario

Laguna

Santa Rosa

Cabuyao

Calamba

Los Baños

Bay

Calauan

Victoria

Pila

Santa Cruz

Siniloan

Pangil

Pakil

Paete

Kalayaan

Lumban

Pagsanjan

San Pablo

Rizal

Nagcarlan

Liliw

Majayjay

Luisiana

Cavinti

Magdalena

Alaminos

Famy

Santa Maria

Mabitac

Quezon

Lucena

Tiaong

San Antonio

Dolores

Lucban

Pagbilao

Mauban

Real

Infanta

Sampaloc

Polillo

Patnanungan

Jomalig

Burdeos

General Nakar

Pagasa said similar conditions were already affecting Sariaya, Candelaria and Tayabas in Quezon and could persist within two hours.

The agency advised residents to take precautions against possible flash floods and landslides.

Meanwhile, in its separate 5 a.m. weather forecast, the state weather bureau said that Typhoon Champi is approaching the Philippine area of responsibility and is expected to enter the country by Tuesday. It will be given the local name ‘Rosal.’

However, the typhoon is not yet directly affecting the country on Monday as easterlies and intertropical convergence zone are the weather systems prevailing in parts of the country.

Supertyphoon Champi may enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday and will be locally named Rosal, bringing potentially destructive winds and heavy rains to northern Luzon later this week, according to the weather bureau.

In its update as of 5 p.m. on Sunday, Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) said Champi was spotted 2,000 kilometers (km) east of southeastern Luzon. It was moving westward at 20 km per hour (kph), with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph near the center and gusts of up to 230 kph.

The weather disturbance is expected to move west-northwestward toward the Philippine Sea and could make its closest approach to the country on Friday, according to Pagasa weather specialist Grace Castañeda-Carpio.

Although Champi may weaken from a supertyphoon to a typhoon as it traverses the Philippine Sea, it could still bring strong winds to northern Luzon, particularly its northernmost areas.

Pagasa said the highest possible tropical cyclone wind signal for the approaching storm was Signal No. 3 or 4.

Wind signals could be raised over the northern and eastern sections of northern Luzon and the eastern portion of the Bicol Region, particularly Catanduanes, as early as Monday evening or early Tuesday morning, Castañeda-Carpio said.

The strong winds are expected to begin affecting these areas on Wednesday onward, with the potential to topple trees and disrupt telecommunications and electricity services.

The storm could also bring heavy rainfall to parts of northern Luzon, with its effects expected to peak on Thursday and Friday.

Cagayan and nearby areas in extreme northern Luzon could begin experiencing heavy rains as early as Wednesday evening, Castañeda-Carpio said.

By Thursday and Friday, heavy rainfall is expected particularly over Batanes, Cagayan, Apayao and Ilocos Norte. Other parts of northern Luzon may also experience scattered rain showers.

Pagasa warned that the rains could trigger flooding and landslides.

Champi’s trough, or extension, may also bring scattered rain showers to the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Caraga and Northern Mindanao on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Rough seas and strong winds are also possible along the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon beginning Wednesday. Pagasa may issue a gale warning for these coastal waters as early as Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning.

As of Sunday evening, however, Champi still had no direct effect on any part of the country.

The intertropical convergence zone continues to affect Palawan and the western section of Mindanao, bringing scattered rain showers to Palawan, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi.

Meanwhile, the easterlies affecting most of Luzon and the Visayas are bringing scattered rain showers, thunderstorms and lightning to Quezon, the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas.

An alleged former communist rebel leader wanted for multiple offenses was arrested in Butuan City on Saturday, Oct. 17, following a joint police and military manhunt, authorities reported on Monday.

The suspect, known by the aliases ‘Kenny’ and ‘Tikoy,’ ranks fourth on the list of most wanted persons in Surigao del Sur.

He was cornered by operatives in Purok 5, Barangay Villa Kananga, according to Brig. Gen. Rolindo Suguilon, director of Police Regional Office 13 (PRO-13).

The operation was carried out by tracker teams from the Cagwait Municipal Police Station and troops from the Philippine Army’s 36th Infantry Battalion under the 4th Infantry Division.

Operatives served three outstanding arrest warrants issued by Branch 28 of the Regional Trial Court in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, under the 11th Judicial Region.

The suspect faces charges of frustrated murder, with recommended bail of P200,000; attempted murder, with bail set at P120,000; and robbery, with bail fixed at P48,000.

Intelligence dossiers show that the suspect first joined the communist underground movement in February 2002.

Over the years, he rose through the ranks to become the vice commanding officer of the Regional Operational Command, a political adviser and a member of the Regional Sentro de Grabidad under the New People’s Army’s North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee. The rebel front operates across the Caraga provinces of Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Agusan del Norte.

Suguilon commended the joint security teams for arresting the fugitive, noting that tracking down remaining rebel personalities remains a priority in preserving the region’s hard-won stability.

The suspect is currently detained pending his formal presentation before the issuing court in Lianga.

Taal Volcano showed renewed unrest after two minor phreatic eruptions and a spike in seismic activity were recorded within a 24-hour period, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported on Monday (Oct. 19).

In its morning bulletin, Phivolcs said the steam-driven eruptions, locally called ‘pusngat,’ occurred at 7:31 p.m. and 7:36 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18, generating a plume that rose about 300 meters above the main crater lake on Taal Volcano Island, at the center of Taal Lake.

The eruptions were captured by the volcano’s surveillance camera and lasted seven minutes, according to the bulletin.

Phivolcs also recorded a five-minute phreatomagmatic eruption at Taal Volcano on Oct. 8.

A phreatic eruption is a steam-driven explosion that occurs when water is heated by magma, hot rocks, or volcanic deposits beneath or on the surface, the agency explained, while a phreatomagmatic eruption occurs when rising magma interacts explosively with water.

Alongside the eruptions, Phivolcs recorded 43 volcanic earthquakes-the highest daily total so far this month-and 10 episodes of volcanic tremor, each lasting one to four minutes.

Volcanic earthquakes may be associated with the movement of magma beneath or near a volcano, while volcanic tremors are continuous seismic signals that may indicate activity beneath the surface.

Phivolcs also measured weak sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions totaling 407 metric tons during the monitoring period.

No volcanic smog, or vog, or upwelling of hot fluids in the main crater lake was observed.

Despite the eruptions and increased seismic activity, Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 1, indicating low-level unrest. Phivolcs, however, warned that sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions remain possible.

The agency reiterated that entry to Volcano Island, boating on Taal Lake and flying aircraft near the volcano are strictly prohibited.

A prosecution witness told the Sandiganbayan Third Division on Monday that he saw up to 60 ‘maleta’ moved in and out of the luxury condominium of former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, and was told by colleagues that it contained cash.

Maj. Alvin Nuguid, who served as close-in security of Co, made this testimony as he took the witness stand to testify on the plunder bail hearing of former Speaker Martin Romualdez stemming from alleged P7.44-billion kickbacks from infrastructure projects.

Co, who was the chairman of the powerful House committee on appropriations before resigning as Ako Bicol representative in September last year, is one of the co-accused in this case.

Nuguid, who became a close-in security of Co from March 2024 to July 2025, said he first heard of the delivery, which was called ‘special tasking’ in April 2024.

According to Nuguid, he underwent police schooling from May to July before he came back to work for Co in the middle of August, after which he saw the suitcases.

‘In the succeeding months, it was when I saw the maletas,’ Nuguid told the court.

Based on his estimates, Nuguid said he personally saw around 50-60 suitcases being brought in and out of Co’s property.

He said he saw this ‘in front of the door’ of Co’s units inside Horizon Homes in Bonifacio Global City.

Nuguid said Co’s supposed executive assistants John Paul Estrada and Mark Ticsay are coordinating with him through phone calls whenever there is a ‘special tasking.’

‘They will just tell me that there is a ‘tasking,’ that boss (Co) has orders,’ Nuguid said of Estrada and Ticsay.

Nuguid said Estrada and Ticsay coordinated with him ‘two or three times’ per week during his time as Co’s security aide.

According to the witness, he ‘heard’ from Estrada and Ticsay that the ‘maletas’ supposedly delivered during the ‘special taskings’ contained cash.

He also said he ‘heard’ this information from four of Co’s former bodyguards, including Rodante Orbillo, Benny Boluntate, and Belnard Tube, who are part of the so-called ‘maleta boys.’

Typhoon Champi is approaching the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) but is not yet affecting the country, the state weather bureau said Monday.

In its 5 a.m. forecast, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Champi was last spotted 1,720 kilometers east of Southern Luzon as of 3 a.m.

Weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said Champi weakened into a typhoon on Sunday night, packing maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 215 kph.

‘Kumikilos ito papalapit sa PAR pero ang bagyong ito ay wala pang direktang epekto sa ating panahon ngayong araw,’ Aurelio said.

(Champi is moving toward the PAR but has yet to directly affect the country’s weather today.)

Aurelio said Champi is expected to enter the PAR on Tuesday and will be given the local name Rosal.

Aurelio added that Champi may regain its strength as a super typhoon while it is over the Pacific Ocean this week.

It may bring heavy rains and winds over parts of Northern Luzon by Thursday and Friday.

Meanwhile, Aurelio said that easterlies will bring cloudy skies and scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over Bicol Region, Quezon, Romblon, Marinduque, and Oriental Mindoro on Monday.

The intertropical convergence zone will prevail over Palawan, Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi. These areas will experience cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms.

The rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao will see fair weather conditions except from isolated rainshowers due to localized thunderstorms.

Temperature forecast of the following areas: Metro Manila: 24°C to 32°C

Laoag: 24°C to 34°C

Baguio: 17°C to 24°C

Tagaytay: 22°C to 29°C

Tuguegarao: 24°C to 33°C

Legazpi: 25°C to 32°C

Kalayaan Islands: 25°C to 31°C

Puerto Princesa: 25°C to 32°C

Iloilo: 26°C to 32°C

Cebu: 26°C to 32°C

Tacloban: 25°C to 32°C

Zamboanga: 24°C to 33°C

Cagayan de Oro: 25°C to 31°C

Davao: 25°C to 33°C

Amid continuing reports of harassment and government interference, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Cagayan de Oro Chapter has launched a campaign to protect media workers and push for local legislation safeguarding press freedom.

To strengthen the campaign, the NUJP chapter urged local news outlets to report any press freedom violations they may have encountered.

‘Sending an email communication to Cagayan de Oro-based news outlets and journalists and urging them to report any press freedom violations is just one of our initiatives to strengthen the campaign, as we believe that there were unreported cases,’ NUJP Cagayan de Oro Chapter Chairman Franck Rosete told the Inquirer on Monday.

The local chapter has documented several cases of verbal attacks, the weaponization of laws, and harassment against news organizations and media workers.

The group warned that these incidents take a significant toll on journalists’ well-being, ultimately affecting their ability to deliver vital information to local communities.

The group is rolling out its ‘Uphold Media Freedom Campaign,’ an initiative initially planned after a training and workshop organized by the NUJP National Directorate in September.

A primary goal of the campaign is to secure a local legislative measure urging government offices and the public to actively uphold independent journalism.

The campaign aligns with the Unesco-led United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, which seeks to sensitize key stakeholders to the need for a free press in a democratic and participatory society.

‘We call on the media community in Cagayan de Oro to report cases affecting the freedom of journalists, media workers, and news organizations to NUJP for us to present the real press freedom situation in the city,’ Rosete said.

The National Irrigation Administration Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) has instructed its personnel to implement crop diversification strategies and administrative reforms to cushion farmers from the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.

Engr. June Nathaniel Plaza, NIA-9 regional manager, on Monday urged personnel to take proactive measures to help farmers diversify their food sources and income amid dry conditions.

‘A hero is not always someone in a position of power, but can be any person who helps improve the lives of others,’ Plaza said, urging employees to use their official positions to assist agricultural workers rather than impede their progress.

Under the directive, field officers, particularly irrigator development officers, were tasked with expanding the implementation of the Gulayan sa Palayan initiative and the Kadiwa program.

The measure encourages farming households to cultivate high-value crops along rice field dikes and on available residential lots to supplement their staple crop production.

To improve market access and provide logistical support, Plaza ordered regional teams to coordinate these local planting initiatives with the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) program.

Field personnel were directed to coordinate with local government units to secure transportation assistance, market venues, tents and other supply chain support.

Additionally, the Engineering and Operations Department was directed to incorporate freshwater fishponds into every solar-powered irrigation project across the region.

The aquaculture facilities are intended to provide irrigators’ associations with additional income and a local food source during extended dry spells.

Along with these field interventions, Plaza directed personnel to observe lawful conduct, conduct self-assessments and deliver public services promptly.

Councilor Blesildo Sumera assumed the mayoralty seat of Urdaneta City on Monday after taking his oath of office on Friday.

Sumera’s ascension to mayor followed the Office of the Ombudsman’s dismissal of Mayor Julius ‘Rammy’ Parayno and Vice Mayor Jimmy Parayno for ‘grave misconduct.’ They defied a 2025 Palace suspension order that stemmed from the indefinite suspension of the president of the Liga ng mga Barangay.

Vice Mayor Rico Esteves also took the oath of office last Friday, replacing Jimmy Parayno.

Their respective offices refused to receive Parayno’s suspension orders issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and later questioned their enforcement.

The Ombudsman also dismissed six Urdaneta councilors in the same decision dated April 15, which City Hall received on Oct.15.

Sumera attended his first flag-raising ceremony as mayor on Monday, where he assured employees that their jobs were safe

‘I will listen to everyone, whether low or high (ranking), which will be the basis of my decisions for the city,’ he said.

Sumera said former Mayor Parayno is preparing to file a motion for reconsideration regarding his dismissal from office.