Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Rere Madrid and Kai Sotto have officially welcomed parenthood as they announced that the actress has given birth to their first child, a baby boy.

Madrid made the announcement through her Instagram Stories on Tuesday, Sept. 29, showing the Gilas Pilipinas player at a hospital room, all-smiles while carrying the newborn.

‘A blessing I will love, nurture, and protect with everything I have,’ the actress said in the caption.

Sotto, for his part, expressed gratitude for Madrid’s safe delivery of their baby while sharing a photo of the actress lying in a hospital bed, with her face partly covered by a towel.

Further details about the child, including his name and date of birth, have yet to be revealed to the public as of this writing.

Madrid and Sotto first made their relationship public in 2024. They announced last May that they tied the knot in an intimate garden ceremony. A month after their wedding, the couple revealed their pregnancy.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday commended Filipino pole vaulter Ernest John ‘EJ’ Obiena for winning the gold medal at a recent competition in Germany.

In a voice vote, lawmakers adopted House Resolution No. 1480, titled ‘Resolution Commending and Congratulating Filipino Pole Vault Athlete Ernest John ‘EJ’ Uy Obiena for Winning the Gold Medal at the Halberstadter Hohenflug International Pole Vault Meeting Held at the Historic Cathedral Square (Domplatz) in Halberstadt, Germany.’

The resolution was filed by House Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III, Majority Floor Leader Sandro Marcos, and Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan.

Obiena earned his sixth gold medal of the year at the Halberstadter Hohenflug competition on Aug. 1 (Philippine time).

He cleared 5.76 meters to beat Seifeldin Abdelsalam of Qatar and Cole Walsh of the United States, who won the silver (5.66 meters) and bronze (5.56 meters), respectively.

Obiena later won his second gold medal at the Asian Games last Tuesday at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.

Here are INQToday’s top stories this afternoon: Sens. Panfilo Lacson and Alan Peter Cayetano continue to trade barbs over allegations surrounding ghost flood-control projects, with Lacson questioning Cayetano’s credibility after he raised concerns about the former’s alleged influence over Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon; former DPWH official Brice Hernandez and six others plead not guilty to graft charges linked to the flood-control controversy; and EJ Obiena successfully defends his Asian Games pole vault title, clearing 5.91 meters to win gold and set a new Games record./

A bomb threat disrupted the operation at the Hall of Justice here shortly after lunch on Wednesday.

Members of the police bomb disposal unit immediately arrived and ordered all employees to vacate the building, as security guards prevented people from entering the premises.

Employees said the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 3 received the bomb threat and immediately reported the incident to the police.

At 2:07 p.m., Executive Judge Richard Paradeza ordered employees who had gathered in front of the building to move at least 50 meters away.

Shortly after, Paradeza announced a suspension of work.

The National Food Authority (NFA) is expanding its storage capacity in Tarlac to buy more palay (unmilled rice) from local farmers and bolster its buffer stocks.

The grains agency said in a statement on Wednesday that it leased 1,782 square meters of warehouse space from SL Agritech Corp. in Barangay Masalasa, Victoria.

An entity under the Sterling Paper Group, SL Agritech develops, produces, and distributes hybrid rice seed, as well as trading and milling rice grains. It currently operates a 10,000-metric-ton rice mill and three production hubs.

The warehouse forms part of a 3,382-square-meter facility, with an effective capacity of about 166,000 bags. The facility houses a rice mill, five mechanical dryers, a conveyor, and a truck scale, which enable the storage and processing of palay in one location.

NFA said the facility will increase storage capacity for approximately 100,00 bags of palay. It will serve around 874 farmers in Victoria and nearby municipalities.

At present, NFA’s current absorption rate in Tarlac stands at only 4.30 percent.

Government data provided by the DA showed that Tarlac produced 445,553.50 metric tons (MT) of palay during the 2026 main crop, with Victoria contributing a record 45,642.85 MT of palay.

NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said they are maximizing available storage, including space from newly rented facilities, to procure as much freshly harvested palay as possible.

‘With the additional rented warehouses and the space we freed from our storage facilities by clearing our existing inventory, we are looking at buying as much as 500,000 metric tons of palay,’ Lacson said.

NFA earlier said it is optimistic about purchasing up to 500,000 MT of palay during the wet harvest season amid a developing El Niño condition.

However, the grains agency would fall short of its full-year palay procurement target of 790,000 MT for 2026 in a severe El Niño.

Lacson said the NFA has P11 billion remaining in palay procurement funds for the year. The Department of Agriculture (DA) committed an additional P10 billion in standby funds to purchase more palay if necessary.

At the same time, NFA has been clearing up warehouse space by selling aging rice stocks and moving inventory through government programs.

Lacson also stated that the increased capacity will enhance the government’s subsidized rice program by providing more locally sourced rice, which will then be milled and sold through Kadiwa or other authorized rice outlets.

‘NFA is expanding storage and procurement infrastructure as the government seeks to support farmer incomes, build rice reserves, and sustain affordable rice distribution,’ it said.

It will be a loss for Vice President Sara Duterte if lawyer Michael Poa will be the one sacrificed after an internal squabble, as he is the most capable and kindest member of the defense panel, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said on Wednesday.

Ridon, a member of the public prosecution team, was asked in a press brifing if he feels Poa is out of place in the defense panel as they always hold Poa in high regard compared to other Duterte lawyers.

‘Well siya na nga ‘yong pinaka-magaling do’n eh, siya na ‘yong pinaka-mabait do’n. So tingin ko, I think it will serve the vice president well for him to continue being part of the defense,’ he said.

(Well he is the most capable of the lawyers there, he is also the kindest. So I think it will serve the vice president well for him to continue being part of the defense.)

The question was raised after Ridon and other lawmakers supportive of the prosecution were quizzed about the seemingly internal discord between Poa and Duterte spokesperson Atty. Paolo Panelo Jr.

On Wednesday, Poa denied sharing the views of Panelo, who said that the impeachment court’s ruling allowing a lower minimum number of votes for conviction was mere nonsense.

According to Poa, he has always ‘maintained respect for the court’ and that he believes that any disagreement with the Senate Impeachment Court would be resolved through petitions.

Ridon, meanwhile, asked whether members of Duterte’s camp do not have a group chat as Poa’s opinions were way different from what Panelo said.

‘You know, in so many words and with respect to Michael Poa of course, wala ba silang GC? ‘Di ba? I don’t think it serves the defense well kung nagbabarahan sila in the full view of the public,’ he noted.

(You know, in so many words and with respect to Michael Poa of course, don’t they have any GC? Right? I don’t think it serves the defense well if they contradict each other in the full view of the public.)

On the other hand, prosecution spokesperson Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong and Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega said that the differences between Poa and Panelo’s behavior are evident.

‘I think the position of Atty. Poa is because he’s been part of the defense, panel of the respondent, so he’s more cautious, careful about describing anything that would insult the integrity of the court. So naintindihan natin ‘yong position niya, that’s why hindi siya nag-agree sa mga gano’ng utterances,’ Alonto Adiong said.

(I think the position of Atty. Poa is because he’s been part of the defense, panel of the respondent, so he’s more cautious, careful about describing anything that would insult the integrity of the court. So we understand his position, that’s why he does not agree with such utterances.)

‘Well contrasting ‘yong personalities kasi nila eh, like kami, may interaction kami with Atty. Michael Poa, talagang halata mo na nangingibabaw ‘yong paggalang niya sa korte, saka kung anumang proceedings ang ginaganap, eh ‘yong isa medyo ah eh, parang iba rin ‘yong approach,’ Ortega added.

(Well their personalities are contrasting, because like us, we have interactions with Atty. Michael Poa, it is evident that his respect for the court takes precedence, whatever happens to the proceedings, but the other one seems to have a different approach.)

This is not the first time that members of the prosecution team praised Poa for his demeanor inside and outside the court. Even Presiding Officer and Senator-Judge Francis Escudero praised Poa and public prosecutor and Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno for engaging in discussions through a gentle and respectful manner, during the oral arguments on the request to subpoena Duterte’s bank records.

After the oral arguments, Poa was seen approaching Diokno to shake his hand.

Ridon also noted that there was no drama when it was Poa conducting the cross-examination for the defense side – referring to heightened tensions between counsel for the prosecution Lorna Kapunan and counsel for the respondent Kristine Ferrer last August 12.

Poa was also the defense counsel who cross-examined state auditor Roderick Wamil. He made objections during the course of Kapunan’s direct examination of Wamil – like when Kapunan poked fun at the names who signed acknowledgment receipts for the confidential expenses made by Duterte’s offices.

Despite the objection, tensions did not rise between Kapunan and Poa, with the brief exchanges even providing a light moment between the two litigators.

Then last August 21, Ridon said he will coordinate with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) to check on the social media posts which used fake quotes attributed to lawyer Michael Poa where he seemed to criticize the lawmaker.

A social media quote card from Facebook page Central Luzon News Update claimed that Poa called out Ridon by saying that empty cans are usually the loudest.

APO Production Unit Inc., the printing agency for Philippine passports, clarified on Wednesday that it did not request an increase in passport fees.

Instead, its president, Atty. Gil Carlos Puyat, told the Senate finance subcommittee that the agency had asked for a government subsidy to offset passport printing costs without passing the burden on to the public.

Senate finance panel chairperson Sen. JV Ejercito inquired about the reported passport fee increase, expressing concern over the public’s expenses as well as the cost of producing passports.

He was referring to talks of increasing the passport fee from P950 to P1,500 after it had remained unchanged for the past decade.

‘Just to be clear, we are not asking for the increase of the price to the public, but what we’re really asking for is a subsidy that the DFA includes in their budget,’ Puyat said.

‘The reason for this is because the price has been frozen since 2016. And with the recent war in Iran, the prices of raw materials and logistics have gone up and so has our foreign exchange. Also, inflation has been affecting us and we’re just hoping that the discussion will move forward,’ he added.

Puyat also said that the extension of passport validity from five to 10 years had affected its production costs.

Ejercito then asked Puyat to submit its request for a subsidy for the finance panel’s consideration, saying it would be a ‘nightmare’ for Filipinos and overseas Filipino workers if there were no passports supplied.

A bill establishing a national geriatric center moved closer to enactment after being ratified by the Bicameral Conference Committee on Tuesday.

According to House Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ G. Dy III, the ratification is a step forward in fulfilling a promise made during the necrological service for the late Batanes Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr., who chaired the House Committee on Health.

‘Congress will continue what you started when we passed during the 20th Congress the proposal to establish the Dr. Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center of Geriatric Health and Research Institute (DEMM-NCGHRI), an institution that will provide specialized healthcare for the senior citizens of our country,’ Dy said in his eulogy for Gato.

Dy added that getting the bill enacted would be among Gato’s important legacies as a legislator and physician – ‘to make sure that when a Filipino needs care, health is there.’

‘We will ensure that once the DEMM-NCGHRI is established, it will be able to provide the health needs that our senior citizens deserve,’ he said.

The DEMM-NCGHRI is envisioned to have medical facilities and equipment for senior citizens requiring acute and sub-acute care, geriatric palliative care, outpatient care, and transitional care services.

It would also provide specialized clinical, public health, operations research, and training programs using a multidisciplinary or multicenter approach.

Rep. Mila Aquino-Magsaysay of the United Senior Citizens Party-list, one of the House members appointed to reconcile differing provisions in House Bill No. 6739 and Senate Bill No. 1509, said the measure would respond to the growing number of senior citizens in the country.

‘The longitudinal study on ageing and health … confirmed that the country’s elderly population continues to increase with longer life expectancy… Foremost among Filipino citizens’ concerns is their health status and well-being,’ Aquino-Magsaysay said.

Quezon City Rep. Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar and Leyte Rep. Christopher ‘Coco’ Yap both pointed to the growth of the senior population as a demographic shift that requires the government to prepare for the changing healthcare needs of Filipinos.

‘Projections suggest that by 2030, one in every five Filipinos will be a senior citizen,’ Co-Pilar said, adding that such a shift would require a public health infrastructure equipped to care for this segment of the population.

Co-Pilar described the measure as a forward-looking and compassionate response to the evolving needs of senior citizens and an affirmation of the government’s commitment ‘to ensure that Filipino senior citizens age with health, care and respect.’

For Yap, ratifying the measure is a critical step toward building an age-ready and equitable health system.

The Philippine Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Pidsog) is pushing three policy measures to improve access to maternal care, including the inclusion of recommended vaccines in Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth’s) antenatal care package.

The group plans to develop a policy brief seeking the inclusion of tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) and, pending evidence review, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines in the PhilHealth antenatal care benefit package.

According to Pidsog Vice President Dr. Analyn Fallarme, adding Tdap is part of their goal of protecting mothers and newborns from potential infections.

‘If we do not give the mother the vaccine during pregnancy and the mother gives birth to a baby with tetanus, almost 100 percent mortality rate. Almost 100 percent, the baby will die,’ she added.

Pidsog will also work on an updated Clinical Practice Guideline on Immunization for Women and a formalized pathway linking recommendations of the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) with the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (Nitag), the Omnibus Health Guidelines and the PhilHealth Benefits Package.

‘Our goal is to ensure expectant mothers have equitable access to comprehensive maternal care,’ Dr. Fallarme said.

‘Achieving this requires better alignment between clinical recommendations, healthcare guidelines, financing, and service delivery so mothers can receive the care they need throughout pregnancy,’ she added.

The proposals came after a multistakeholder workshop led by PIDSOG, which identified 12 priority recommendations to address gaps in maternal care policy and implementation.

Pidsog said the measures support the country’s goal of reducing maternal deaths and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.

Navigation, vaccination

Beyond policy changes, healthcare providers also called for improvements in how pregnant women navigate maternal services.

Dr. Alex Baniqued, medical director of Healthway Medical Network Clinics, said access is not only about the availability of services but also how easily patients can move through the care they need during pregnancy.

‘At Healthway, we see three important things in the patient journey: first, having care coordinators who can guide patients through each step of their care; second, ensuring that the entire healthcare team understands their role in the patient journey so care is better connected; and third, designing services around what patients need,’ Dr. Baniqued said.

He added the importance of ensuring that a patient care should be best suited for the mother, and should not rely on a ‘one-size-fits-all’ care.

Dr. Lorina Quimio-Esteban, an obstetrics and gynecology infectious disease expert at Healthway Medical Network, meanwhile, emphasized the role of vaccination in protecting pregnant women and newborns.

‘Pregnant women need protection from vaccine-preventable infections that can cause complications for both mother and baby, especially as newborns are particularly vulnerable,’ Quimio-Esteban said.

‘That is why recommended vaccines such as Tdap, influenza, and RSV should be integrated into PhilHealth’s maternal care package,’ she added.

At the provider level, Healthway is also making vaccination available within its maternal care services through its VaxHub, which provides screening, vaccination and post-vaccination observation.

The Supreme Court has dismissed three petitions challenging the Senate Impeachment Court’s interpretation of the two-thirds vote required to convict Vice President Sara Duterte.

Voting unanimously, with acting Chief Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen presiding, the high court said the petitions filed separately by former Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, Berteni Cataluña Causing and lawyer Ernesto Francisco Jr. were dismissed on procedural grounds.

‘The SC dismissed the petitions on procedural grounds including lack of standing and prematurity,’ the Supreme Court said in its briefer.

On Sept. 23, the Senate Impeachment Court ruled that the phrase ‘all the Members of the Senate’ under Article XI, Section 3(6) of the Constitution refers only to senators who are legally and actually able to participate in the impeachment proceedings at the time of the vote.

Rodriguez argued that the impeachment court effectively amended the Constitution by adding a qualification not found in its text.

He asked the Supreme Court to nullify the ruling and declare that any change to Article XI, Section 3(6) must go through the constitutional process for amendment or revision. He also sought a temporary restraining order against the implementation of the ruling.

Causing argued that senators who remain in office should still be counted even if they are in hiding, detained or medically unable to attend.

He asked the Supreme Court to issue a status quo ante order and/or TRO to stop any final vote on Duterte’s conviction while his petition was pending.

Causing also sought to compel Sens. Jose ‘Jinggoy’ Estrada Jr., Rodante Marcoleta and Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa to participate in the impeachment trial and the Senate to take steps to secure their attendance.

Francisco likewise argued that because the Constitution provides for a 24-member Senate, conviction requires the concurrence of at least 16 senator-judges.

He maintained that senators who are detained, on medical leave or temporarily absent remain members of the Senate and should therefore be counted. He also sought a status quo ante order pending the resolution of his petition.

The Sept. 23 ruling came after members of the Senate Impeachment Court voted 13-1 to sustain an appeal filed by Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Sept. 8.

The vote reversed an earlier July 6 ruling by Presiding Officer Sen. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero that set the conviction threshold at 16 votes based on the full 24-member Senate.

Under the adopted rule, the phrase ‘two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate’ will be calculated using a reduced denominator consisting only of senators deemed legally and factually capable of participating at the time of the vote.

The calculation excludes members who are detained, suspended, in hiding, medically incapacitated or beyond the Senate’s coercive processes.