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After public works employees, workers at the House of Representatives have also reportedly stopped wearing their uniforms to office to avoid public humiliation amid outrage against the chamber over flood control anomalies.

Speaker Faustino Dy III revealed during yesterday’s flag-raising ceremony that some employees chose to remove their uniforms before commuting to avoid being confronted or ridiculed by angry citizens.

The Speaker admitted that the House faces an enormous challenge in regaining the people’s confidence following corruption reports involving government projects.

‘While this is something that is very difficult to accept, trust ratings in our institution are at its lowest because Filipinos have lost their trust in us. But this should also serve as a reminder that we really need to do better in order for us to regain their trust – genuine public service,’ Dy said.

The Speaker called for solidarity and emphasized that restoring faith in Congress requires collective effort, integrity and transparency from both legislators and staff.

‘Let us all remember: after every storm, the sun will shine again. After every dark night, there is light that will come. There is always light at the end of every tunnel,’ he said in Filipino.

The House of Representatives became embroiled in the flood control anomalies after reports surfaced that some lawmakers, such as now resigned congressman Zaldy Co and former House speaker Martin Romualdez, had allegedly endorsed or received kickbacks from flood control and other infrastructure projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Meanwhile, the chamber is expected to approve the proposed 2026 General Appropriations Bill on second reading this week and pass it on third and final reading by Oct. 13.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) is expanding its investigation into alleged corruption in flood control projects to cover foreign-based assets of individuals linked to the controversy, while also warning domestic banks that they could face liability for failing to detect suspicious transactions.

AMLC executive director Matthew David said the council is now coordinating with foreign counterparts to identify and recover assets abroad that may have been acquired through illicit funds.

These include offshore bank accounts, real estate and other properties.

‘Part of our financial investigation are all assets related to corruption. That includes foreign assets of our respondents, such as offshore bank accounts, real properties or other properties they may have acquired abroad,’ David said in a radio interview.

Under mutual legal assistance treaties, the Philippines can request foreign jurisdictions to pursue petitions for civil forfeiture, paving the way for repatriation of assets once ownership links to corruption are established.

‘If these are seized abroad, they can be returned to the Philippine government,’ David added.

Locally, the AMLC official said banks remain the ‘first line of defense’ against money laundering, stressing their obligation to flag and report unusual fund movements.

His comments come as state-owned Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines face scrutiny for allowing large withdrawals tied to flood control accounts.

‘Banks are the first to see these transactions, not the AMLC. They are the first to detect and even prevent unlawful activities,’ David said.

‘If they fail to file suspicious transaction reports with the AMLC, we will not know about them.’

He warned that bank employees found complicit in concealing transactions could face administrative cases, enforcement action or even criminal liability for facilitating money laundering.

Aside from banks, AMLC is also examining casinos in coordination with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to determine compliance with the Anti-Money Laundering Act and its implementing rules.

The AMLC has so far secured four freeze orders from the Court of Appeals covering assets linked to the flood control probe, including 1,620 bank accounts, 163 vehicles, 40 real properties, 54 insurance policies and 12 e-wallets.

The value of immobilized assets has reached P4.2 billion, with officials expecting the figure to rise as the financial investigation widens.

Freeze orders are initially valid for 20 days but can be extended up to six months. During this period, the AMLC is expected to file petitions for civil forfeiture before the Regional Trial Court, which could allow the government to take permanent possession of the assets.

David said the council remains focused on tracing both domestic and overseas financial links.

‘We continue to investigate,’ he said, adding that the effort targets not only named account holders but also beneficial owners behind dummy accounts.

The probe is being coordinated with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which consolidates government investigations into high-profile corruption cases linked to the flood control probe.

Discayas’ cars

Meanwhile, the heads of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) should be summoned by the ICI to shed light on how the Discaya couple managed to acquire and register so-called hot cars, according to a lawmaker.

‘Both BOC and LTO’s liability should be determined by the ICI as to how these vehicles were able to be imported, registered and used in the country,’ House public accounts committee chair and Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said, after news reports that at least eight luxury cars owned by the Discaya couple were smuggled.

Independent ICI bill not a LEDAC priority

House deputy minority leader and ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima is doubtful of President Marcos’ seriousness in cleansing the bureaucracy of deep-rooted corruption, after the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council excluded in its 44 priority bills the pet bill of the House minority bloc – House Bill 4453, which seeks to create an ‘Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption.’

‘We are disappointed that a very crucial measure is missing – our proposed bill to create a stronger, transparent and truly independent commission to probe the anomalous flood control and other infrastructure projects and hold accountable all those involved,’ she said.

Opposition lawmakers, led by Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan Jr., wanted to institutionalize an independent body that will have more teeth than the three-member ICI led by retired Supreme Court justice Andres Reyes Jr.

‘The composition is OK, but it’s not enough. Our bill (HB 4453) is more complete,’ De Lima previously said, referring to Marcos’ ICI.

Integrity pledge

At the same time, Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos called on Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon to immediately reinstate the ‘Integrity Pledge,’ a policy first introduced under former secretary and now ICI member Rogelio Singson to strengthen transparency and accountability in the agency.

‘It’s not yet too late. The Integrity Pledge was not a symbolic document – it was a safeguard against corruption and collusion in government projects,’ he said.

‘Reinstating it will restore public confidence and ensure that only legitimate and transparent contractors can do business with the DPWH,’ he noted, adding this is an ‘anti-corruption tool that required all prospective suppliers and contractors to sign a written commitment to reject corruption.’

In 2013, Singson issued a department order institutionalizing the Integrity Pledge, making it a mandatory requirement for contractors seeking to engage with the DPWH. It served as a clear commitment to uphold ethical practices and accountability in public procurement.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) will continue to keep its hearings on alleged irregularities in flood control and other public works projects behind closed doors despite mounting calls for transparency from lawmakers and the public.

ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka said the commission’s policy ‘remains the same’ even after appeals to livestream or open the hearings to the public.

‘The commission is very much aware of the request and the position of some people asking for more transparency,’ Hosaka told reporters yesterday at the ICI office. ‘But the position or the policy of the commission still remains the same based on the reasons that I already explained before.’

Hosaka reiterated that the ICI prefers to keep its proceedings private to prevent ‘trial by publicity’ and avoid any undue political influence.

When asked if there were any moves within the commission to revisit its policy, Hosaka replied, ‘Right now, there’s none.’

He explained that the ICI’s investigation is a ‘process’ that cannot be defined by ‘piecemeal revelations,’ noting that publicizing ongoing discussions could compromise the integrity of the proceedings.

Earlier, Senate President Tito Sotto urged the commission to livestream its hearings to ensure accountability and uphold public confidence.

Echoing this sentiment, actress Agot Isidro also called on the ICI to open its sessions to the public, stressing that taxpayers fund the inquiry.

‘They’re the ones fighting among themselves while we’re left as mere spectators. That shouldn’t be the case. We deserve to have a say in what’s happening since it’s our money funding their work,’ Isidro said. ‘They should open the discussions to the public, release the documents and evidence, and allow the media to cover the meetings.’

Hosaka, however, pointed out that the ICI has been transparent about completed cases and findings that have been submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman.

‘As far as releasing documents or records of the cases, or those that we’ve filed before the ombudsman – as far as our reports and recommendations are concerned – we have in fact shared those with the public and the media. That’s what we are trying to do,’ he said.

The ICI holds hearings every Tuesday and Wednesday to review administrative matters and evidence related to alleged ghost and substandard projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Villar is set to appear before the ICI today, along with contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya.

Villar headed the DPWH from 2016 to 2021, a period when irregularities were reportedly committed in several infrastructure projects, particularly those involving flood control.

Former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo is also expected to face the commission on Wednesday.

Invitations are likewise being prepared for former House speaker Martin Romualdez.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cebu Province made clear that there are no missing persons reported in Bogo City following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake, contradicting an earlier situational report released by the Cebu Provincial Government.

DILG provincial director Jesus Robel Sastrillo Jr. said the supposed report of three missing individuals was based only on a request for verification from the consul general of the Philippine Embassy in Paris, France.

The consul general had asked for updates on the whereabouts of Gemma Largabo, Ledito Largabo, and Eriana Largabo, allegedly residents of Barangay Binabag, Bogo City, after their relatives in Paris raised concerns that they could not be contacted.

According to Sastrillo, the request was forwarded by police attaché Colonel Rodolfo Castro Jr. to the DILG for proper validation on the ground.

‘This is not about missing. This pertains to the request,’ Sastrillo stressed during a media interview.

He said the confusion may have stemmed from the initial situational report that treated the request as if it were a verified report of missing persons.

To settle the matter, DILG field officers immediately conducted verification with barangay officials and through the Registry of Barangay Inhabitants (RBI).

The field validation showed that the three names were not listed as casualties or as residents of Bogo City.

Barangay captains and officials of Bogo also confirmed that no family with the surname ‘Largabo’ lives in their communities.

‘All barangay captains were asked, and no such names exist in their RBI. This means there is no such case of missing persons in Bogo City,’ Sastrillo explained.

He also pointed out that the consul general’s inquiry may have involved distant relatives who had already moved to another local government unit and were no longer residents of Bogo.

Sastrillo emphasized that this incident highlights the need for situational reports to be carefully verified with the DILG and barangays before being made official to avoid public confusion.

‘The situational report was unofficial and partial. It should have been validated first. That’s why I stressed this during our council meeting yesterday,’ he said.

Meanwhile, the verified death toll in Cebu Province due to the earthquake has climbed to 72 as of October 6, according to DILG.

The fatalities were 32 in Bogo City, 14 in Medellin, 15 in San Remigio, five in Tabogon, two in Borbon, two in Tabuelan, one in Sogod, and one in Oslob. The Oslob casualty, though far from the epicenter, was declared earthquake-related after the victim lost balance and fatally struck his head.

With the clarification, the DILG assured that all future reports will be subject to strict cross-checking with barangay officials and field officers to ensure accuracy in disaster response information.

At least one million rice farmers will get P7,000 each next year as earmarked by the Marcos administration in the P6.973-trillion national budget for 2026, Speaker Faustino Dy III said yesterday.

‘Aid is ensured for our farmers. The P7,000 cash aid will be given to them to address their losses due to low farmgate prices of palay,’ Dy said during the joint hearing of the House of Representatives committees on agriculture and food and on ways and means. ‘Cash incentives like this give farmers a direct benefit, which they can use in farming.’

He noted that many farmers in his home province of Isabela sell palay for as low as P8 per kilo, far below the P16 to P18 needed to recover production costs.

‘If the farmers are not earning anything, then this is a threat to our food security,’ he said.

Broadcaster-host Gretchen Ho expressed her disappointment at a family member being denied to exchange money at the Oslo Airport, Gardermoen in Norway.

In a Facebook post last October 6, Grechen shared a family member’s encounter at the airport’s foreign exchange station, where the lady behind the counter refused to accept their money after alluding to Philippine corruption.

“You came from the Philippines? We cannot exchange your dollars because of the corruption and money laundering in the Philippines,” Gretchen quoted.

The said family member and their companions were told to exchange their cash elsewhere beyond the airport. Gretchen added that her family member was trying to exchange $300 (P17,500 or 3,000 Norwegian krone).

“Terrible. What are we going to do about this, Pilipinas?” the broadcaster lamented.

Gretchen later updated her post, saying she submitted a report to the Philippine Ambassador to Norway, Enrico T. Fos, and that she was posting from her personal Facebook account.

The broadcaster-host shared in her post’s comments section a photo of the airport forex counter that her family member attempted to approach, and two individuals replied, sharing similar experiences.

One said, during a 2022 trip, they were denied exchanging their American dollars as they were told the Philippines was “a COVID hotspot country.”

The other individual, meanwhile, went there in March 2024 and tried to exchange euros but wasn’t attended to as the Philippines was on a “red list.” Both individuals managed to exchange their cash elsewhere.

Another Filipino from a more recent trip, just last August, shared his own experience, which was similar to the ones above, adding he experienced the same in other European countries and Australia.

A Filipino based in Oslo commented that he called up the airport’s foreign exchange station and confirmed the interaction took place.

He added that the counter doesn’t exchange money from travelers with Philippine passports that happen to reside in the Philippines “due to the strict anti-money laundering rules that they follow, ordered by the EU and NATO,” a rule that applies to other countries considered high-risk places.

Gretchen responded to the latter comment, saying she’s waiting for official word from the Embassy who will soon be meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“AFAIK (as far as I know), we have been removed from the list of high-risk countries as released in reports on August 2025. Does that mean we are back? It would be good to know,” she added.

The same individual repeated his comment to clarify the incident wasn’t discriminatory, explaining the employees were only following orders and may have been talking directly as Norwegians often did.

“Hindi daw sila pwede magpalit ng USD sa mga pinoy na nakatira sa Pilipinas. Kung Pinoy na nakatira sa Norway or ibang bansa, ok lang po. Kaya hindi po ito discrimination or racism. Blame our government,” he ended.

Two-time Olympian weightlifter Elreen Ann Ando is fast turning out as a legitimate medal contender for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The 26-year-old Cebu native showed a glimpse of her potential by copping a bronze in the women’s 63-kilogram class of the IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway Sunday.

The Southeast Asian Games gold winner and Asian Games bronze medalist lifted 131kg in the clean and jerk to claim the country’s first and only medal in Forde so far.

She missed a second bronze in the total to Colombian Yenny Sinisterra, who had identical 231kg lift but took it on tiebreaks, being the first one to reach that mark.

Sinisterra had only 128kg in clean and jerk but had 103kg in the snatch.

Ando, who had 100kg in snatch, wound up fourth.

North Korean Ri Suk swept all three golds with a 253kg total on 111kg in snatch and 142kg in clean and jerk.

Inflation is expected to settle within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)’s two to four percent target band by year-end, but lingering upside risks from food supply shocks and a weaker peso could keep monetary authorities cautious in the coming months, according to Manulife Investment Management.

Jean de Castro, head of fixed income for Manulife Investment Management, said the BSP’s forecast of 1.5 to 2.3 percent for September signals a return to target after six months of below-range inflation.

‘Supported by lower rice import tariffs and subdued global oil prices, inflation is expected to return to the two to four percent target band by the end of 2025,’ De Castro said.

Inflation in the Philippines eased to 3.2 percent in 2024 from an average of six percent in 2023. This year, consumer price growth has been muted, with inflation hovering below target for six straight months.

However, De Castro warned of lingering upside risks, citing ‘sticky food prices due to supply shocks stemming from typhoons and the extended rice import ban,’ as well as peso weakness beyond the 58-per-dollar level.

Against this backdrop, September inflation is widely expected to pick up from the 1.5 percent print in August as the effects of higher food prices begin to filter through. The Philippine Statistics Authority is scheduled to release the inflation data today.

Looking ahead to the Monetary Board’s policy meeting on Oct. 9, De Castro said the BSP is widely expected to keep the key rate unchanged at five percent, following three cuts earlier this year.

‘Given the impact of typhoons on food supply, and the peso’s recent breach of 58 to $1, we can expect the Monetary Board to adopt a cautious stance and pause at the upcoming Oct. 9 meeting,’ she said.

Still, she added that another cut remains possible in December if growth momentum weakens or if the US Federal Reserve eases further.

De Castro noted that a pause would likely keep the yield curve stable, with short-term yields anchored and longer tenors supported by contained inflation expectations.

‘On the other hand, a surprise cut could result in a flattening of the yield curve, encouraging more demand for longer-dated bonds and supporting loan growth, but may also heighten sensitivity to the currency and food price risks,’ she said.

For investors, she recommended a ‘dual approach’ of holding short-term tenors for flexibility amid policy uncertainty while selectively adding longer tenors to lock in current yields.

‘With short-term yields at multi-year lows and long-term yields near one-year lows, maintaining a defensive duration stance is advisable until inflation risks – especially from food and the currency – are better contained,’ she added.

Meanwhile, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows continue to pose a challenge. Net inflows dropped by 17.8 percent year-on-year to $376 million in June, the smallest since December 2024, bringing first-half inflows to just $3.4 billion.

‘For fixed-income securities, persistent FDI weakness may keep yields elevated, but a recovery, specifically if infrastructure and reforms gain traction, could enhance liquidity, lower long-term rates and improve the relative attractiveness of Philippine bonds,’ De Castro said.

With the country hit regularly by typhoons, torrential floods, killer landslides, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, by now there should be a high level of preparedness and mitigation protocols for disasters.

The scenes in Cebu following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province on Sept. 30 show that this has not been so.

A week after the earthquake, many of the affected communities continue to lack the most basic needs, particularly safe water and emergency shelters. The earthquake caused heavy damage to water pipes and electrical and telecommunications networks. With no electricity to run pumps, small suppliers of filtered drinking water could not resume operations.

Among the most telling illustrations of weak emergency response were the images of people sleeping inside plastic bags in Medellin town to keep out the rain. Continuing aftershocks made people fear further damage to their homes. They opted to stay outdoors, but it was clear that there was an acute lack of waterproof tents for outdoor emergency shelter.

In San Remigio town, over a dozen sinkholes have appeared including in portions of the town proper, damaging homes and infrastructure and raising fears of further ground collapse. Emergency responders are just starting to set up tent communities amid the possibility of long-term reconstruction.

The Philippine Red Cross was among the first to provide waterproof outdoor tents with roofing to the quake-hit areas. As of yesterday, so-called tent cities had taken shape, but still inadequate for the many families that have either lost their houses or remained fearful of returning to their homes.

In 2013, such tent cities sprung up across Eastern Visayas following the apocalyptic destruction unleashed by Super Typhoon Yolanda. If the tents, mostly donated by the international community, had seriously deteriorated over the years, shouldn’t at least some of them have been replaced for emergencies, especially since Cebu and neighboring provinces have been hit by destructive earthquakes, typhoons and floods in recent years?

Many evacuation centers in the country are woefully inadequate – in space, sanitation and health facilities and other basic creature comforts. The sorry state of evacuation centers is among the reasons why people are reluctant to leave their homes for safer ground even with the approach of powerful typhoons.

This shouldn’t be the case, considering that the country has been ranked at the top of the global disaster risk index and is among the most vulnerable to climate change. The dire situation in the quake-hit areas of Cebu should lead to better disaster preparedness.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada filed perjury complaints against former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez over his statements implicating the senator in the flood control anomalies.

Estrada filed four counts of perjury complaints against Hernandez before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, October 7.

‘Talagang makikita mo na habitual liar itong si Brice Hernandez,’ Estrada said. (You can truly see that Brice Hernandez is a habitual liar.)

The complaints filed by Estrada covered four specific allegations, which were said by Hernandez in his statements during congressional investigations.

One of these is Hernandez’s claim that Estrada allegedly received a 30% kickback from anomalous flood control projects.

Another complaint concerns the matter of Beng Ramos being claimed as a staff member of the senator.

The third complaint involves the fake ID allegedly used in Manila and other casinos.

The fourth complaint is about Hernandez’s denial of involvement in the flood control projects.

The complaint filed is under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, which states:

‘Article 183. False testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn affirmation. – The penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any person, who, knowingly makes untruthful statements and not being included in the provisions of the next preceding articles, shall testify under oath, or make an affidavit, upon any material matter before a competent person authorized to administer an oath in cases in which the law so requires.

Any person who, in case of a solemn affirmation made in lieu of an oath, shall commit any of the falsehoods mentioned in this and the three preceding articles of this section, shall suffer the respective penalties provided therein.’

On September 9, Hernandez implicated Estrada and Sen. Joel Villanueva, along with sacked public works district engineer Henry Alcantara and former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.

Hernandez alleged that Estrada received kickbacks in anomalous flood control projects worth P355 million in Bulacan, stating Estrada’s share of the proceeds was 30%.