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The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has reaffirmed its unwavering opposition to mining and aggressive development, announcing plans to establish a commission dedicated to ecology as part of its intensified advocacy for environmental preservation.

Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo pointed out the church’s long-standing resistance to destructive projects through its Social Action Ministry, declaring that its position remains resolute.

‘Our advocacy on ecology is very strong, especially our stand on mining and aggressive development. We are very clear on this – we do not waver,’ Bagaforo said at a recent press conference in Misamis Occidental.

He revealed that the CBCP will create an Integral Ecology Ministry, a commission solely tasked with environmental concerns.

‘At present, ecology is under the Social Action Commission, but by next year we will appoint someone in charge to make our network stronger and our advocacy wider,’ Bagaforo explained.

The bishop stressed that the Church’s position is unchanged: ‘We are against aggressive development and mining.’

The move signals a renewed push to integrate ecological justice into the Church’s pastoral mission, aligning with Pope Francis’ call for care of creation under the framework of integral ecology.

It comes at a time when government agencies are advancing policies on mineral governance.

On Thursday, July 30, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region 9 (DENR-9) highlighted its commitment to responsible mineral development during the Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s (MGB) annual stakeholders’ forum.

Marie Angelique Go, DENR-9 regional executive director, said DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna’s directive is clear: mineral policies must support sustainability.

‘Our approach must be ‘as one,’ ensuring that policy recommendations on development comply with existing rules and regulations,’ Go emphasized.

Hernane Abdon, MGB-9 regional director, reminded stakeholders that mineral resources, though finite, must be managed wisely.

‘Every decision we make must strike a balance between economic growth, environmental protection, and the welfare of the communities we serve,’ he said, stressing that ‘responsible development is a shared responsibility.’

The forum, themed ‘Empowering Stakeholders for a Greener Future through Sustainable Mineral Development,’ showcased industry performance, regulatory updates, and integration of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into mining programs.

In 2025, the Zamboanga Peninsula’s mineral industry generated P13.06 billion in production value, with companies committing over P131.67 million for environmental programs and P60 million for social development projects.

Among the highlights were new DENR administrative orders integrating SDGs into community programs and guidelines for interim small-scale mining contracts.

Region 9 marked a milestone with the signing of an interim contract with the Lacnapan Small-Scale Mining Association, Inc. in Kabasalan , Zamboanga Sibugay, reflecting collaborative governance between DENR, local governments, and miners.

Twenty of the 118 overstaying refrigerated containers carrying agricultural products here have been condemned, while five more are scheduled for pullout this week, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said on Thursday.

According to the BOC, condemnation proceedings are underway to allow the disposal of the frozen cargo in accordance with existing regulations.

The remaining overstaying containers are still undergoing the required legal and administrative procedures before they can be removed.

The 118 refrigerated containers have been the subject of complaints from All Hands Beach Resort, which earlier filed a lawsuit against the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), alleging that foul odors from the cargo disrupted resort operations, drove away guests and caused financial losses.

The latest development came after personnel at the resort again reported a foul-smelling, floating substance near the shoreline, prompting the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the SBMA to conduct separate inspections.

Last week, the PCG’s Marine Environmental Protection Unit identified leachate as the pollutant that repeatedly surfaced off the resort’s shoreline and said the discharge allegedly originated from the SBITC drainage system.

The PCG, also said the leachate was allegedly coming from the refrigerated containers under BOC custody, although it emphasized that its conclusions remain subject to further verification and validation.

The SBMA Ecology Center has directed interim mitigation measures, including preventing further wastewater discharge, installing filtration systems at the drainage outlet, deploying floating containment barriers and recovering the floating scum for proper disposal.

The SBMA is also awaiting laboratory results, expected to be released next week, from seawater samples to determine the extent and nature of the contamination.

San Miguel Beer star June Mar Fajardo is looking at the bright side of coach Leo Austria’s recent medical procedure.

For the ongoing 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup, Austria has been relegated to the sidelines after undergoing an angioplasty to clear blocked arteries.

As someone close to the veteran tactician, Fajardo shared encouraging words following Austria’s successful procedure.

‘In his 10 years as a coach [for San Miguel], he hasn’t been absent in practice. That’s just how coach Leo is,’ Fajardo told the Inquirer in Filipino after their win over Titan Ultra on Wednesday. ‘I told him, maybe that’s his body’s way of telling him to rest. Fortunately, they saw it early because that’s not easy.’

‘I told him, take it as a blessing in disguise. What if they didn’t see that in the X-ray? We don’t want that to happen.’

The Beermen played without Austria in their first three games in the season-ending conference.

He returned during San Miguel’s game against NLEX on Sunday but did not take his usual spot on the bench.

For Fajardo, that was a welcome sign that Austria is on the road to recovery.

‘That was probably his body’s way of saying he needs to rest… Our body’s our foundation. If we don’t give it enough rest, it will cost us,’ Fajardo said.

The reigning MVP also poked fun at Austria constantly screaming on the sidelines during some of the Beermen’s mishaps against the Giant Risers.

‘Sumisigaw pa nga ‘yan kanina, e,’ he said with a laugh. (‘He was even shouting earlier.’)

‘He’ll be back fully. He’s just there. You guys see him even screaming on the sides. That’s no joke. He still screams, even in practice, but thankfully, he’s recovering now.’

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Thursday said it will start the accreditation of motorcycle taxi platform providers (MTPP) and issuance of applications for motorcycle taxi riders on August 5, 2026.

According to the LTFRB, the acceptance of the application will cover the issuance of a Provisional Authority to Operate as Motorcycle Taxi Rider.

The agency also said that no new players will be given slots for the MTPP accreditation and issuance of application as the slots were limited to those approved by the Technical Working Group.

‘Chairman Vigor [Mendoza], however, explained that the accreditation for MTPP and the issuance of the Provisional Authority for taxi riders will be based on the rider cap allocated by the Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group per MTPP,’ the LTFRB said.

Mendoza also said that the LTFRB will ensure that there will be a reliable public transport system everyday, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr to improve the public transportation in the country.

‘We have implemented measures not only to ensure that the process will be smooth and comfortable for the motorcycle taxi community but also to achieve our main goal of coming up with an orderly and systematic way of public transportation,’ Mendoza said.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) earlier ordered the LTFRB to suspend the onboarding of new transportation network vehicle services drivers and motorcycle taxi drivers.

The DOTr said this came after reports that some companies ‘have exceeded their allocated limits for the number of drivers and riders.’

However, the onboarding suspension did not cover transportation network companies and MTPPs who were already granted valid franchises or provisional authorities.

After claiming that hiring a hitman is as easy as paying P5,000 per kill, Vice President Sara Duterte was asked by prosecutors whether that was the amount she paid when she threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his relatives assassinated.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said this question must be asked of Duterte after she mentioned during a rally in The Netherlands – where her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, is incarcerated – that it is wrong to think of drug war deaths as extrajudicial killings (EJKs) when having someone gunned down is as easy as paying P5,000.

‘Is this the price placed by our vice president when she threatened the life of the president and his family? Is the price of the life of the president [worth] P5,000 only?’ Ridon asked.

‘Is that the exact mechanism for how she was able to make the threats against the President and his family?’ he added.

According to Ridon, a member of the prosecution team for Duterte’s impeachment trial, it seems that Duterte has a ‘violent mind.’

The lawmaker explained that the last thing anyone being prosecuted for threats would do is explain their knowledge of how threats can be carried out.

‘And that exactly is why we are talking about this again, contracting a killer for P5,000,’ he added.

Prosecution panel spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said it is unacceptable to think that Duterte even knows how killings can be carried out.

‘I do not want to consider or even think that our vice president seems to have a mastery over these kinds of issues. I don’t want to accept that our vice president has mastery of killings on the street,’ he said.

‘But the opposite speaks otherwise. She herself gave this description, and the first question that would enter our people’s minds is how she was able to know this matter to the point that her illustration was so detailed,’ he added.

Alonto Adiong also noted that Duterte’s statements only show that she has an idea of how these threats can be carried out, which runs contrary to her defense for Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which tackles Duterte’s threats against Marcos, his wife, and his cousin, former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

‘But you know, coming from the vice president herself, people cannot help but have questions – again, considering that we just concluded Article IV, which is grave threats, this only proves that when it comes to threats or incidents of violence on the streets, she seems to know about them,’ the lawmaker said.

Duterte, in condemning her father’s continued detention at the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) detention center in The Hague, Netherlands, said the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) attributed to the former president could instead be linked to the country’s rampant gun violence.

She said during a rally in front of the ICC that the EJKs cannot be immediately attributed to former President Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign, since it is unclear whether all those deaths occurred during legitimate operations.

‘I have a husband. My husband has a mistress. I can hire a gunman for 5,000 pesos to kill the mistress. That is how bad gun violence in the Philippines is. And that is, again, yes, EJK,’ she said.

‘So how can you say that all your listed victims, all your listed complainants are supposed victims of the drug war? How can they say now that all the victims there are victims of the drug war? That is supposed to be a crime against humanity,’ she added.

Duterte is facing an impeachment case before the Senate Impeachment Court. Just recently, the prosecution panel finished presenting its evidence and witnesses for Article IV, which deals with the threats mentioned in a November 23, 2024, online press briefing.

As she criticized the House for detaining her chief of staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, Duterte went online for a briefing to berate the First Couple and Romualdez.

In the same briefing, Duterte was asked by a vlogger to take care, as she may be in danger. She replied by urging people not to worry, as she had talked to a person about killing the Marcos couple and Romualdez if she herself were killed

Six violent extremists (FVEs) yielded, and 24 high-powered firearms were formally surrendered to the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion in Maguindanao del Sur on Wednesday, as authorities intensified the campaign against loose firearms in the wake of the campaign period for the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) slated on September 14.

The six FVEs, who were former members of the Dawlah Islamiyah (DI) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), turned over six high-powered firearms to battalion commander Lt. Col. William Sabado as a symbol of their abandonment of the armed struggle and return to peaceful civilian life.

In addition, 18 more loose firearms were voluntarily surrendered by residents of the municipalities of Talayan, Guindulungan, and Datu Anggal Midtimbang. This brought to 24 the total number of surrendered firearms.

Of the total firearms surrendered, seven came from Talayan, seven from Guindulungan, four from Datu Anggal Midtimbang, and the remaining six from the former militants.

Sabado presented the surrenderees and the firearms to Brig. Gen. Edgar L. Catu, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade, during ceremonies held at the battalion headquarters in Talayan town.

The activity forms part of the intensified campaign of the 601st Infantry Brigade, local government units, and other government agencies to achieve the declaration of ‘Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS)’ in the municipalities of Guindulungan, Talayan, and Datu Anggal Midtimbang.

To assist the surrenderees in rebuilding their lives, several government agencies extended various forms of assistance.

Catu said the surrender of the violent extremists and their firearms demonstrates that more people are now choosing peace, unity, and development over violence.

‘Every firearm voluntarily surrendered, and every individual who returns to the fold of the law represents another important step toward strengthening security, stability, and unity in the communities of Maguindanao del Sur,’ Catu said

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla maintained that the Philippine National Police (PNP) only used the ‘minimum amount of force’ to arrest 51 individuals taking part in a protest rally related to the State of the Nation Address (Sona) last week.

‘The 51 who were arrested, they were spraying graffiti on government property, and that’s a law broken in itself. To stop them, we asked them to stop. They resisted,’ Remulla said during a La Salle Institute of Governance forum in Manila on Thursday.

‘Then, we used the minimum amount of force in order to stop them from doing the graffiti and defacing government property,’ he added.

The 51 individuals were apprehended during a rally mounted by progressive groups along Commonwealth Avenue ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth Sona.

Nine of the individuals were held under Quezon City Police District (QCPD) custody, of whom seven face charges for vandalism, malicious mischief and disobedience to a person in authority, while two more face charges for obstruction of justice, according to the PNP.

Meanwhile, 42 were released from police custody, of whom 12 were confirmed by social workers to be minors.

‘You may not agree with the tactics we’ve used, but no one was grievously hurt,’ Remulla said.

‘The crime was stopped. The protests were peaceful.’

On Wednesday, human rights group Karapatan accused the QCPD of ‘psychologically torturing’ the nine detainees.’

In an interview on DZMM on Wednesday night, QCPD spokesperson Maj. Jennifer Gannaban said, ‘Maayos naman lagay nila… In the first place, nung unang araw pa lang, nung maaresto sila, may mga lawyers na nag-aassist sa kanila.’

(They are in good condition… In the first place, from the very first day, when we arrested them, there were lawyers assisting them.)

‘Welcome naman sila kung mayroon silang mga reklamo o complaint sa ating mga kapulisan. Karapatan nila na mag-file ng complaint. Sa atin, ginagawa lang naman natin ang trabaho natin na under investigation sila,’ she added.

Ask ten Filipinos how adobo should be cooked, and you’ll probably get ten different answers.

Some swear by more vinegar than soy sauce. Others insist on adding potatoes, coconut milk, or pineapple. Every family has its own recipe, passed down through generations, along with the quiet confidence that theirs is the best.

Perhaps that’s what makes adobo more than the country’s unofficial national dish. As a living tradition, it continues to evolve while remaining unmistakably Filipino.

Long before it became known by its Spanish name, Filipinos were already preserving meat by simmering it in vinegar. Over time, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper found their way into the pot, giving rise to the adobo enjoyed in homes today. There has never been a single ‘correct’ recipe, only countless family versions shaped by history, geography, and personal taste.

While the recipe has continued to evolve, so has the way Filipinos learn to cook. Some still learn by watching their parents or grandparents in the kitchen. Others save recipes from TikTok or YouTube, replaying videos while cooking in their first apartment or condominium. Many have found themselves calling home midway through preparing dinner just to ask, ‘Tama na ba ‘yung timpla?’

Today’s home cooks are also balancing busier schedules than ever before. Between work, school, and everyday responsibilities, convenience has become an important part of home cooking, but not at the expense of the flavors that remind people of home.

As Filipino kitchens have changed through the decades, some names have remained constant. One of them is Datu Puti. A product of NutriAsia, Datu Puti was founded in 1975 by Hernan Reyes, pioneered the Philippine vinegar category, and has since become the country’s leading vinegar brand.

Over nearly five decades, Datu Puti has grown alongside Filipino families. What began with the vinegar that gives adobo its signature tang has expanded into a wide range of kitchen staples, including soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and barbecue marinades. These are products that generations of Filipinos have relied on to prepare everyday meals. That long history in Filipino kitchens gives Datu Puti a unique understanding of how culinary traditions are preserved, even as the way people cook continues to evolve.

Building on that heritage, Datu Puti introduced the Adobo Series, a ready-to-use line of cooking sauces designed to simplify one of the Philippines’ best-loved dishes without compromising the flavors Filipinos know and love.

Available in Classic Adobo, Spicy Adobo, Pininyahang Adobo, Adobo sa Gata, and Humba variants, the lineup makes preparing adobo as simple as Pour. Cook. Serve. Whether it’s recreating a childhood favorite, preparing baon for the week, or trying adobo for the very first time, the Adobo Series gives today’s home cooks an easier way to keep a beloved tradition alive.

Believing that traditions remain meaningful when they are passed on to the next generation, Datu Puti partnered with P-pop phenomenon SB19 for the ‘Adobo Series Natin ‘To!’ campaign. Known for bringing Filipino music to the global stage while proudly embracing their roots, Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin have become cultural icons for many young Filipinos. Through the campaign, they encourage fans to rediscover adobo not only as a beloved dish but also as a meaningful part of Filipino heritage that deserves to be shared and carried forward.

‘At Datu Puti, we’ve always believed that food is one of the strongest ways Filipino traditions are passed from one generation to the next. Through the Datu Puti Adobo Series and our partnership with SB19, we hope to inspire more young Filipinos to discover the joy of cooking adobo and continue sharing this beloved tradition in their own homes,’ said Joana Lagurin, Brand Manager of Datu Puti.

After all, every generation finds its own way of cooking adobo. Some learn from handwritten family recipes. Others follow online tutorials. Some measure every ingredient carefully, while others cook by instinct.

Recipes may change. Kitchens may look different. But as long as adobo continues to be cooked, shared, and enjoyed around the table, one of the Philippines’ most cherished food traditions lives on, one home-cooked meal at a time.

SB19 turned a dream into a reality as they conquered the stage of Grammy Museum’s ‘Global Spin Live,’ performing their hits ‘Gento’ and ‘Wakas.’

The P-pop powerhouse gave a glimpse of their appearance on the online series, through their Instagram page on Wednesday, July 29. The quintet-composed of Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin-first held a question-and-answer segment where they discussed their ‘creative journey as a group and the stories behind [their] music.’

‘A dream that once felt out of reach is now a reality. This is the Filipino artistry we envisioned for the world,’ the group said.

SB19 concluded their performance by singing ‘Wakas,’ describing it as a ‘heartfelt ending to a milestone moment.’

‘From the Philippines to the world! We’re just getting started,’ they exclaimed.

‘The Grammy Museum gave us more than a stage. It gave us another reason to keep dreaming bigger,’ they said in a separate post. ‘Last night was proof that our journey continues and that our mission to bring Filipino music to the world is far from over. See you on the next global stage.’

After their Grammy Museum performance, SB19 member Josh attended the Chicago White Sox vs. New York Yankees game at Rate Field in Chicago and threw the ceremonial first pitch while their song ‘Gento’ played.

SB19 is set to perform at the Lollapalooza festival on Friday, July 31 (July 30 in the United States), making history as the first Filipino homegrown act to perform at the Chicago-based music festival. The group will also release a new song entitled ‘Lawless’ on Friday.

SB19 was earlier announced as the newest tourism ambassador of the Philippines, being recognized as one of the country’s ‘finest representatives of Filipino culture.’

Malacañang on Thursday branded as ‘baseless, pointless, and useless’ Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim that the Inernational Criminal Court (ICC) is a lapdog of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

In a speech during a rally held outside the ICC detention center in The Hague, Netherlands, Duterte claimed that Marcos and former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV paved the way for the international court’s arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

‘And so, how do we characterize Trillanes and Marcos in relation to ICC? Yes, they are traitors to the Filipino and to the country. But more than that, ang ICC, ay tuta ni (the ICc is a lapdog of) Trillanes at ni (and) Marcos,’ the vice president said during the rally.

Palace press officer Claire Castro, in a briefing, said Duterte’s statements may be triggered by frustrations about her father’s arrest.

‘Ang lahat po halos ng sinasabi ng Bise Presidente sa ngayon ay walang basehan, walang saysay, useless at nonsense. Maaaring ito ay kaniyang nasasabi out of frustration dahil ang kaniyang ama ngayon ay nililitis sa ICC,’ said Castro.

(Almost everything that the Vice President is saying at the moment has no basis, has no substance, is useless, and is nonsense. It may be that she is saying these things out of frustration because her father is currently being tried at the ICC.)

Reiterating her previous statements, Castro said the case against the elder Duterte was initiated in 2017, when Marcos was still a private citizen.

‘Hindi ito kasalanan ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. Tumutupad lang ang Pangulo sa batas. Kung mayroong dapat sisihin, walang iba kung hindi ang kaniyang sariling ama dahil sa mga pag-amin nito na siya mismo ay pumatay at nagpapatay, kasama ang ibang mga co-perpetrators,’ said Castro.

(This is not the fault of President Marcos Jr. The President is merely upholding the law. If there is anyone who should be blamed, it is none other than her own father because of his own admissions that he personally killed and ordered killings, along with other co-perpetrators.)

In further dismissing Duterte’s statements, Castro said the vice president was likely upset because the ICC is an independent court that cannot be influenced or intimidated by threats of harm or any form of violence.

Meanwhile, Castro said there has been no discussion yet regarding the Philippines’ possible return to the ICC.

Castro also dismissed Duterte’s remarks about the country’s gun violence situation after the vice president claimed that a gunman could be hired for P5,000.

According to Castro, the vice president should be among those working to prevent such acts rather than encouraging them