Retards in the Government 490

It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.

 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/09/30/sandiganbayan-orders-90-day-suspension-of-tarlac-solon

The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division has ordered the 90-day preventive suspension of Tarlac 3rd District Rep. Noel Rivera in connection with graft cases filed against him.

The cases stem from allegations that Rivera had financial interests in nine government infrastructure projects awarded to Tarlac 3-G Construction and Development Corporation during his term as congressman from 2022 to 2025.

In a resolution promulgated on Sept. 29, the court ordered Rivera's preventive suspension as a member of the House of Representatives.

During the Sept. 16 hearing, the prosecution moved for Rivera's suspension, prompting the court to give him five days to show cause why he should not be preventively suspended in connection with the cases.

Rivera argued that “the facts alleged in the Informations do not charge an offense because they are bereft of allegations showing the acts constituting his intervention.”

He also argued that “the defect in the Informations cannot be cured by the evidence the prosecution intends to present during the trial.”

Rivera further said that “the malfeasance sought to be prevented by suspension has been eliminated by his divestment of his interest in Tarlac 3-G Construction and Development Corporation.”

He said he is no longer a shareholder, officer, or director of the corporation and that he cannot influence any witness or tamper with documentary evidence.

Rivera also said that, as a member of the House of Representatives, he exercises no control over the Department of Public Works and Highways.

He argued that his suspension “would deprive his constituents of representation in the House of Representatives.”

However, the court said Rivera had already been given the opportunity to challenge the validity of the Informations through his previous motions to quash.

The Sandiganbayan denied those motions on Sept. 9 for lack of merit.

“The arguments as to the validity of Informations raised by accused Rivera in his instant Comment are merely substantial reiterations of this in his previous Motions to Quash,” the court said.

“The Court already considered the same and found them to be without merit when it denied the said Motions to Quash in the said Resolutions. Thus there is no more question as to the validity of the Informations,” it added.

The court said the requirements for preventive suspension under Section 13 of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, had been met, thus “the Court must order the suspension of accused Rivera.”

The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division has ordered the 90-day preventive suspension of Tarlac 3rd District Rep. Noel Rivera in connection with graft cases filed against him.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2315110/ex-dswd-official-found-guilty-of-graft-malversation-over-pdaf-misuse

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division found a former Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) official guilty of graft and malversation over the misuse of P5 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in 2007.

In a decision promulgated on Oct. 1, the court found former DSWD-National Capital Region (NCR) Regional Director Honorita Bayudan guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and of malversation of public funds.

Bayudan was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison for graft and a maximum of 18 years for malversation. She was also ordered to pay P5 million, representing the amount malversed.

The case stemmed from the misuse of PDAF allocated to former Pasay Rep. Consuelo Dy.

According to the court’s decision, Dy had a PDAF allocation of P8 million for the first tranche of fiscal year 2007. The amount was released to the DSWD-NCR for the implementation of its Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services project.

The court said the DSWD-NCR, represented by Bayudan, and Dy entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Unlad Pinoy Organization, Inc. (UPOI) to implement the project in Pasay City.

The project aimed to provide various skills training and livelihood assistance to indigent residents from January to March 2007, with a total funding of P5 million.

Under the MOA, the P5-million budget was supposed to be released in two tranches: 30% upon approval and signing of the agreement, and 70% upon submission of an accomplishment report or inspection by the DSWD-NCR.

However, the court said the DSWD-NCR, with Bayudan’s approval, released the entire P5 million to UPOI on the same day.

The field investigation office of the Office of the Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit (COA) then conducted validation and verification of the transactions involving the P5-million fund. They found that its transfer to UPOI violated the MOA and the rules on the transfer of funds to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

The Ombudsman and COA also found the “legal and physical existence of UPOI as well as its suppliers,” and the “reported distribution of financial assistance and conduct of trainings” questionable.

Following these findings, the Ombudsman filed graft and malversation charges against Bayudan.

In its ruling, the court said Bayudan “committed glaring irregularities that reflect manifest partiality and evident bad faith on her part, or at the very least, gross inexcusable negligence” in her involvement in the execution of the MOA, transfer of funds, and implementation and monitoring of the CIDSS project.

The court questioned why UPOI was chosen to conduct the project, noting that it was not an accredited NGO under Section 3.3 of COA Circular No. 96-003 and had been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission only a few days before the MOA was executed.

The court added that the execution of the MOA was “procedurally infirm” because only Bayudan’s name and signature appeared on the agreement. It was not signed by the PDAF focal person and the officer in charge of the DSWD-NCR Standards Unit.

Moreover, the court said the transfer of funds to UPOI was “not in accordance with COA Circular 96-2003 and the MOA.”

The court also found the project’s implementation “questionable,” with several barangay officials testifying that no workshop program or training had been conducted in their areas.

Several barangay officials also testified that some individuals on the beneficiary list were not residents of their respective barangays.

Former DSWD-National Capital Region Regional Director Honorita Bayudan has benn found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and of malversation of public funds.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/10/02/village-dad-held-for-p35-m-shabu

Police arrested a barangay councilor after suspected shabu was found in his possession in Barangay Poblacion 7, this town, on Thursday, Oct. 1.

The Catanauan Municipal Police Station (MPS) enforced a search warrant search issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 96, Catanauan, Quezon against the 36-year-old suspect.

Recovered from the suspect was 517 grams of shabu valued at P3.5 million.

The suspect is in the custody of the Catanauan MPS and faces cases for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Meanwhile, three rape suspects were arrested in Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon on Oct. 1.

The Police Regional Office 4-A identified the suspects as Ali who was apprehended by the San Pablo City police in Barangay Cahilan 1, Lemery, Batangas; Mark Joe, who was arrested in Barangay Escribano, San Juan, Batangas, and Wilfredo, who was nabbed in Barangay Poblacion, Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro.

 A barangay councilor has been busted for drugs. 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/10/02/caloocan-cop-relieved-over-alleged-groping

A police master sergeant assigned in Caloocan City was relieved from his post after he was accused of groping a woman at a sari-sari store in Barangay 171, Bagumbong on Sept. 8.

The incident occurred at around 8:20 p.m. and was caught on CCTV, reportedly showing the policeman touching the woman’s buttocks while she was inside the store.

The policeman was also disarmed and placed under restrictive custody pending the appropriate disposition of the criminal and administrative complaints.

Caloocan City Police Station chief Col. Joey T. Goforth ordered immediate action upon learning of the incident.

Goforth also ordered a full and in-depth investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The suspect faces charges of acts of lasciviousness and violation of Republic Act No. 11313, the Safe Spaces Act.

The police said any violation or administrative lapse established through the investigation will be dealt with in accordance with the law and applicable PNP rules and regulations.

A police master sergeant was relieved from his post after he was accused of groping a woman at a sari-sari store.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/772142/coa-flags-cebu-city-over-unserved-typhoon-tino-relief-goods

The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Cebu City government over substantial quantities of donated relief goods for Typhoon Tino victims that remained undistributed.

The finding was disclosed in COA’s audit report on Cebu City’s 2025 accounts and operations, released on September 29, 2026, which reviewed the city government’s handling of donated relief goods following the typhoon.

Among the donated supplies that remained in storage were canned goods, rice, bottled water, modular tents, hygiene kits, tool kits and other essentials intended for residents affected by the Nov. 4, 2025 typhoon.

COA said its review of the Report on Physical Count of Inventories (RPCI) submitted by the Department of General Services (DGS) showed that significant quantities of donated relief goods remained undistributed as of Dec. 31, 2025, nearly two months after the typhoon struck the city. 

The inventory included 4,800 cans of NR Virginia Beef Loaf and 4,800 cans of Vinta Sardines, along with 160 boxes of Nutri Star Meats, 100 boxes of Don Primo Tuna Flakes, and other canned goods. 

The list also included 160 sacks of 50-kilogram rice, 125 sacks of 50-kilogram white rice, 20 packs of 5-kilogram Lion Ivory Rice, as well as smaller quantities of other rice products. There were also 128 bottles of 6.6-liter Nature Spring water and 97 bottles of 1.5-liter water. 

For non-food supplies, the inventory listed 368 small modular tents, 221 big modular tents, 358 hygiene kits and 220 tool kits, along with corrugated GI sheets, tarpaulins and sando bags. 

COA’s Audit Team also conducted a warehouse inspection on Jan. 29, 2026, and found that a considerable number of donated relief goods were still stored despite the lapse of what it considered a reasonable period for relief operations.

COA said the non-distribution ran counter to the intent of donors who entrusted their contributions to the city government. It also said the delay deprived affected residents of timely relief that could have been provided through the donations.

The audit team cited Section IV.C.8 of COA Circular No. 2014-002, which provides that donated relief goods should be sorted, inventoried or counted and recorded upon receipt and before repacking. It also states that distribution should be undertaken immediately, particularly for perishable goods or items. 

COA said the DGS Warehouse Office explained that the donated goods were being kept in the warehouse pending their eventual disposition or distribution.

Several of the non-food supplies, it noted, had been donated by external partners, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other foundations. 

Still, COA said the goods should have been distributed promptly when the need arose to minimize the risk of loss, wastage or possible misappropriation. It added that prolonged storage could undermine public trust and confidence in the city government’s stewardship and management of donated resources. 

COA recommended that the city management, through the City Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer and in coordination with the City Social Welfare Services Officer and City General Services Officer, submit a written explanation identifying the reasons and factors behind the non-distribution of the donations.

It also recommended the immediate issuance and distribution of the donated relief goods to their intended beneficiaries, with the process properly documented in accordance with COA Circular No. 2014-002. 

In response, the DGS said its inventory records had been updated to reflect actual withdrawals from the warehouse based on duly approved requests from concerned offices.

The office also said it would maintain coordination with concerned offices and release goods only upon receipt of duly approved requisition and issuance documents. 

During the April 8, 2026 Exit Conference, the Department of Social Welfare Services (DSWS), which was assigned to distribute the relief goods, explained that delays in the distribution of the donated items were caused by its delayed arrival. By then, the initial distribution to affected victims had already been completed, according to the DSWS. 

For the remaining tools and goods, the DSWS said it was consolidating the supplies and identifying appropriate beneficiaries, with priority given to severely affected individuals. 

COA, however, said the quantities of donated goods that remained in storage during its inspection indicated a need for more timely coordination, beneficiary identification and distribution planning.

The Audit Team requested supporting documents and a corresponding distribution timeline for validation and verification. 

The Commission on Audit has flagged the Cebu City government over substantial quantities of donated relief goods for Typhoon Tino victims that remained undistributed.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/772163/₱413-7m-cbrt-funds-unused-after-eight-years-amid-project-delays-coa-says

More than ₱413.7 million released for the Cebu City Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project remained unused after more than eight years, with the Commission on Audit (COA) citing planning and operational inefficiencies that delayed the project’s implementation.

Of the ₱460.26 million released to the Cebu City government in April 2017 as the first tranche for the project’s road right-of-way and site acquisition, only ₱46.55 million, or 10.11 percent, had been disbursed as of Dec. 31, 2025. This left an unutilized balance of ₱413.71 million. 

COA said the prolonged underutilization was linked to the absence of clear timelines, lack of prioritization and inadequate manpower, alongside delays in key project components.

These conditions, the audit said, significantly impeded the implementation of the CBRT project and delayed the acquisition of road right-of-way and project sites. 

The ₱460.26-million allocation covered several components under the CBRT’s Phase I program of works, namely:

• ₱231.70 million for land acquisition
• ₱62.87 million for structures and improvements
• ₱42.73 million for transaction costs
• ₱29.73 million for resettlement and development
• ₱5.97 million for livelihood and capability development
• ₱27.22 million for income restoration and 
• ₱60.03 million for contingency expenses.

As of Dec. 31, 2025, only ₱30.51 million had been disbursed for land acquisition, while the allocation for structures and improvements, transaction costs, resettlement and development, livelihood and capability development, and income restoration had recorded zero utilization.

The contingency fund had recorded ₱16.04 million in expenses, bringing total disbursements to ₱46.55 million and the overall utilization rate to 10.11 percent. 

According to COA’s inquiry with the Cebu BRT Office, several events contributed to the minimal utilization of the funds.

These include changes in the project’s alignment or route in 2019, restrictions brought by the covid-19 pandemic in 2020, securing permits for the demolition of existing skywalks from 2023 to 2024, continuing public consultations and validation of affected properties and establishments in 2024, approval of the Resettlement Action Plan in 2024, and the election period in 2025. 

COA acknowledged that these issues contributed to delays in completing the project’s road right-of-way and site acquisition.

However, the audit team noted that some identified work items could still have been acted upon despite these challenges, particularly since more than eight years had already passed since the release of the first tranche. 

COA also noted the absence of clear timelines for accomplishing the work items, coupled with a lack of prioritization and manpower, which it said greatly contributed to the project’s delay and continued non-completion. 

The audit identified 120 properties affected by the CBRT project, with 39 properties under negotiated sale and 81 subject to expropriation. 

Of the 39 properties under negotiated sale, only eight lots had been released in 2025, with payments totaling ₱30.51 million. COA noted that payments for land acquisition only began in 2025, with eight of the 24 lots under the negotiated-sale category acquired. 

For properties that remained unpaid under negotiated sale, the CBRT Project Management Office said disbursements were stopped in 2025 because of the election ban.

The office also said documents for the remaining lots and structures needed revisions to reflect the current city officials as official signatories. 

Meanwhile, documents covering the 81 properties subject to expropriation were only endorsed by the CBRT Project Management Office to the Department of Transportation on March 10, 2026, for review of their documentary requirements. 

The audit also found that the ₱42.73 million allocation for transaction costs had zero utilization as of Dec. 31, 2025. 

The CBRT Project Management Office said payments had already been made to eight lot owners, but the related transaction costs remained unpaid pending notarization of the Deeds of Absolute Sale. COA said these transactions had not yet been processed because of a lack of prioritization. 

For the ₱29.73 million resettlement and development allocation, the Cebu City Sangguniang Panlungsod approved the Resettlement Action Plan in October 2024, more than seven years after the city received the funds.

The CBRT Project Management Office later explained that the Department of Transportation would assume responsibility for the resettlement site, meaning the city would no longer utilize the allocation for that component. 

The ₱5.97 million livelihood and capability development allocation and ₱27.22 million income restoration allocation also remained unused as of the audit date.

The CBRT Project Management Office said it had recently conducted another joint revalidation survey with the City Transportation Office and the DOTr to identify affected business establishments. 

While most of the project funds remained unused, the audit noted that the contingency fund had recorded ₱16.04 million in expenses.

These included:

• ₱11.53 million for salaries and wages of job-order workers assigned to the CBRT Project Management Office from 2021 to 2025
• ₱2.79 million for appraisal services
• ₱1.58 million for equipment
• ₱121,500 in honoraria for the Technical Working Group and Secretariat and 
• ₱21,313 for office supplies. 

COA noted that despite these expenses, the accomplishment of the CBRT Project Management Office had not been substantial compared with the different work items in the approved program of works.

The CBRT Project Management Office also cited limited personnel at times, saying the office was handling complicated legal matters and other responsibilities that required additional competent personnel. The audit said this situation slowed the office’s overall efficiency. 

COA said the conditions showed that the CBRT project had been significantly delayed by planning and operational inefficiencies despite the availability of funds.

The audit team said the continued idleness of ₱413.71 million did not align with the intended purpose of the funds and undermined the timely delivery of the project’s expected benefits. 

The CBRT Project Management Office, in a letter dated April 20, 2026, also cited changes in administration as a significant factor in the project’s continued non-completion, saying each change resulted in changes in office heads and the prioritization of programs, projects and activities. 

It also identified other factors, including the failure to include protection of historical buildings in the feasibility study, removal of two skywalks, changes in project alignment and increased project costs, delayed approval of the Resettlement Action Plan, issues involving the Tejero resettlement site, and insufficient manpower and equipment. 

The CBRT Project Management Office nevertheless concurred with COA’s final recommendations.

COA recommended that the CBRT Project Management Office establish and strictly implement clear timelines and milestones for all remaining work items, while concerned offices provide adequate technical and administrative support, including additional competent personnel. 

It also called for stronger coordination with the DOTr and the creation of an oversight or monitoring committee to regularly assess the project’s progress and performance. 

COA said several critical activities, including land acquisition, transaction cost processing, livelihood restoration and income restoration, remained substantially unimplemented despite the availability of funds and the considerable period that had elapsed since the first tranche was released in 2017. 

It reiterated that the prolonged inactivity in several work components highlighted the need for stronger project management, clearer implementation schedules, enhanced coordination and adequate staffing to facilitate the timely utilization of the funds and realization of the CBRT project’s intended objectives and benefits. 

Over ₱413.7 million for the Cebu City BRT project sat unused for more than eight years due to planning and operational inefficiencies, COA found.

https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/10/6/barangay-chairman-wife-shot-in-isabela-ambush-1547

A barangay chairman and his wife were seriously wounded after being shot in San Juan, Isabela, on Saturday, October 3.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Information Office chief Col. Allen Rae Co said the victims were reportedly on their way home after attending a wake when they were ambushed.

Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the attack, while two suspects have been arrested in connection with the shooting.

"We are investigating and looking at this. We are doing our own police investigative work, not just relying on what they are saying. We are looking at their connection with other people in the area," Co said.

According to Co, the suspects have previous cases, some of which were dismissed while others remain under investigation.

One of the suspects had a murder case filed in October 2014, but this was dismissed for lack of probable cause.

He was also linked to another murder case filed in January this year, but the case did not push through after the victim refused to file charges.

"The other one had a murder case in February 2019. Again, dismissed due to insufficiency in evidence and a serious physical injury case," Co added.

Police are also looking into the possibility that the attack was a case of gun-for-hire.

Authorities are also investigating who may have ordered the attack and whether the suspects have links to other individuals in the area.

Police are also checking whether the couple had received threats prior to the incident.

"We are still looking at this. They are still recovering from their injuries and are still recovering," Co said.

A barangay chairman and his wife have survived an assassination attempt. 

Coronavirus Lockdown: Filipino Shoppers, Anti-Vax Posts, and More!

More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government. 

Anti-vaccine claims circulating during a Philippine child immunization drive recycled conspiracy theories such as vaccines containing harmful substances or being tools for depopulation—that gained widespread traction globally during the Covid-19 pandemic. These narratives, amplified on social media, compounded existing distrust in public health institutions that had already been strained by the pandemic and earlier vaccine controversies.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/771692/viral-anti-vax-posts-weaponize-philippine-inoculation-fears

When Jenette Torres Odena’s three-year-old son fell ill days after receiving a jab as part of a Philippine vaccination drive, his photograph quickly spread on Facebook alongside claims the inoculation had killed him.

Doctors found no link between the boy’s condition and the measles-rubella vaccine, and he went on to fully recover, but by then his image had appeared in anti-vaccine videos viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

“I felt like crying,” Odena told AFP.

“I kept praying for my son to recover and suddenly they were killing him on Facebook.”

The videos were part of a wave of misinformation that accompanied a child vaccination campaign this year that saw more than seven million Filipinos inoculated. Some 230,000 declined the jab.

The Department of Health said concerns about side effects accounted for 66 percent of refusals and called misinformation spread by social media influencers a “major driver” of vaccine fear.

The Philippines has struggled to restore routine childhood immunization rates after years of plummeting coverage, which contributed to a polio resurgence in 2019 and recurring measles outbreaks.

The claims circulated on social media recycled conspiracy theories that gained traction globally during the Covid-19 pandemic while tapping into lingering fears about vaccine safety after the botched rollout of a dengue vaccine in the Philippines a decade ago.

“Vaccine hesitancy should not simply be understood as a lack of scientific knowledge among the public,” Daniel Fritz Silvallana, a health communication researcher at Deakin University, Australia, told AFP.

“In the Philippine context, it is also connected to questions of trust, politics, and people’s previous experiences with vaccination and public health institutions,” he said.

Within days of the photo of Odena’s son being shared online, Facebook content creator Maharani Sona Shiloh had incorporated it into a video, framing it as evidence the vaccination campaign was harming children.

To bolster her claims, Shiloh cited Trump’s recent controversial move to reduce the number of vaccine doses administered to American children.

The video viewed hundreds of thousands of times paired the child’s image with a photograph of US President Donald Trump and the words “Everyday slaughter”.

Facebook, which did not reply to AFP requests for comment, eventually took down the page.

Three affiliated pages remain active.

Shiloh rejected suggestions she was spreading harmful misinformation, describing herself as a human rights advocate.

“People call us crazy,” she told AFP. “Why is it that human beings don’t have the right to challenge these things?”

The 44-year-old said she became involved in anti-vaccine advocacy years before the pandemic, later connecting with church groups and “advocacy circles” that also campaign against SIM card registration and other policies they associate with a treacherous “New World Order”.

Videos posted by Shiloh, some with millions of views, claimed vaccines contained harmful substances including “human placenta” and “formalin”, while warning the World Health Organization was trying to depopulate the planet.

One mother, who asked to speak anonymously to protect her children, told AFP she decided to hold off on vaccinating them after watching the videos.

“I watched Ms Maharani’s videos because I was looking for more information. They gave additional knowledge… so it helped me to think more carefully,” she said.

A week after the Facebook page was shuttered, she said she remained undecided about vaccinating her children, explaining that she and her husband worried about possible side effects.

– Rebuilding trust –

While Shiloh’s claims quickly collapse under scientific scrutiny, vaccinologist Helen Petousis-Harris of the University of Auckland said such videos rely on fear rather than compelling evidence.

“Recognised vaccine ingredients become mysterious contaminants. Rare adverse events become brain damage, epilepsy, organ failure and death,” she told AFP.

For health workers on the frontlines, however, the videos are increasingly difficult to ignore.

“They get scared because the vlog said vaccines are fatal,” said Wenna Mae Belen, a rural health worker in Sorsogon province.

Conversations with some parents have also become hostile, Belen added.

“They tell me if something bad happens, they’ll make me suck the vaccines out of their kids’ bodies.”

While the 25-year-old said Facebook bore “major responsibility” for the spread of vaccine misinformation, she cautioned that picking fights with content creators like Shiloh and their followers was a losing battle.

Rebuilding trust will take time and patience, she said, calling for open, non-judgmental conversations with parents.

“It isn’t enough for us to just say: ‘We’re the experts, so trust us’.”

As for trusting the experts, sudden deaths related to myocarditis, miscarriages, and other injuries occurred that were directly related to the experimental mRNA vaccine.  On the social front it turned out masking was ineffective, social distancing was ineffective, the death rate from actual covid was inflated as those deaths were due to various  co-morbidities, and shutting down society was a gravely mistaken plan of action from which the world is still recovering. Why should anyone "trust the experts?"

At least 500 GMA Network employees are entitled to P240.6 million in hazard pay for working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Court of Appeals upheld the NLRC’s decision, ruling that GMA was given due process and that the payment was validly ordered.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2316387/ca-affirms-covid-pay-for-gma-workers

At least 500 employees of GMA Network are entitled to P240.6 million in total hazard pay for rendering work during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Court of Appeals (CA) ruled in a decision dated Sept. 16.

The appellate court ruled that the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) did not commit grave abuse of discretion when it ordered GMA and its chairman and CEO, Felipe Gozon, to pay 500 employees their hazard pay and cover the legal expenses they incurred in pursuing their unfair labor practice case against the broadcasting network.

It dismissed the petition for certiorari filed by Gozon to overturn the NLRC’s multiple rulings in 2023 in favor of the employees, who were members of GMA Channel 7 Employees Union, and the award of their hazard pay covering Mar. 17, 2020, to Mar. 31, 2021.

After these rulings became final and executory in October 2023, GMA workers filed a motion for execution and recomputation more than three months later, this time asking that they be entitled as well to hazard pay for the period April 1, 2021, to July 20, 2023.

This covers the period that the country remained under a public health emergency due to the pandemic. President Marcos lifted the emergency status on July 21, 2023.

The recomputation was also granted by the labor arbiter, which brought the total hazard pay due the employees to P240.6 million. 

This prompted the company to file a motion to quash writ of execution, claiming that they were not notified of the final recomputation nor given the chance to comment on the matter.

But the CA, in its ruling, said the execution writ by the NLRC was “validly issued.”

“The NLRC aptly ruled that the petitioners failed to establish that the writ of execution was improvidently issued, much less to show that the amount of the judgment award as indicated in the said writ of execution was erroneously computed,” the appellate court said in a decision written by Associate Justice Carlito Calpatura.

Contrary to the network’s claim, CA said it was not deprived of due process because it had the opportunity to counter the recomputation of the judgment award during the mandatory pre-execution conference conducted by the labor arbiter.

“The court has consistently held that the essence of due process is the opportunity to be heard. In other words, there is no denial of the right to due process if there was an opportunity for the parties to defend their interests in due course,” CA said.

It said that GMA was aptly notified of the recomputed award because it did not complain when the new amount was attached to the court documents sent to it as party to the case, and the company’s lawyers did not point out any specific errors in the computation by the NLRC.

The broadcast giant also lost a labor case last year when the Supreme Court upheld that 94 members of the Talents Association of GMA were regular employees—not just independent contractors—who were thus entitled to monetary benefits. This covers individuals who were hired from 2003 to 2013.

The same ruling affirmed that about half of them were illegally terminated and were entitled to reinstatement and privileges, including back pay and allowances.

 The hazard pay covers the period from March 17, 2020, to July 20, 2023. The decision follows another labor ruling in which GMA talents were recognized as regular employees entitled to benefits and, for some, reinstatement and back pay.

The Philippines borrowed a record $4.1 billion from the World Bank in FY 2026, exceeding the $3.068 billion it secured in FY 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that pandemic peak, the country ranked as the World Bank’s top borrower, with the loans primarily directed toward combating the virus and addressing its severe economic fallout. 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/10/05/philippine-world-bank-loans-hit-41-billion-in-fy-2026-surpass-pandemic-era-borrowings

The Philippines borrowed a record $4.1 billion from the World Bank during its fiscal year (FY) 2026, exceeding even the loans the country secured at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and making it the fifth-largest borrower from the Washington-based multilateral lender.

The World Bank Group’s (WBG) annual report for FY 2026, which covered July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, showed that Philippine borrowings from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) jumped 43.6 percent from $2.855 billion in FY 2025. IBRD is the WBG’s lending arm for developing countries like the Philippines.

Only India, with $5.984 billion; Türkiye, $5.615 billion; Brazil, $4.546 billion; and war-torn Ukraine, $4.21 billion, borrowed more from IBRD than the Philippines in FY 2026, allowing the country to maintain its position as the fifth-largest IBRD borrower for the third straight FY.

But unlike in the previous two FYs, when the Philippines ranked seventh overall after borrowers from the WBG’s International Development Association (IDA), which lends to the world’s poorest countries, were included, the country climbed to fifth overall in FY 2026. Ethiopia was the largest IDA borrower in FY 2026, with $3.85 billion in loans, but still ranked below the Philippines overall, the report published last Sept. 25 showed.

The latest Philippine borrowings also surpassed the $3.068 billion across eight loans secured in FY 2021, or from July 2020 to June 2021, when the country was the WBG’s No. 1 borrower at the height of the pandemic.

Those low-interest loans had been mainly spent to fight Covid-19, which inflicted on the Philippines the largest pandemic-induced output gap in the region.

After the pandemic-era surge in IBRD borrowing, World Bank-approved Philippine loans fell to $1.578 billion in FY 2022, the last FY under the Duterte administration, before picking up to $2.336 billion in FY 2023, the first full FY under the current Marcos Jr. administration, and rising further to $2.35 billion in FY 2024.

The Philippines moved to upper-middle-income country (UMIC) status last July, at the start of the current FY 2027, which means it will have less access to concessional financing from multilateral development banks (MDBs) like the World Bank in the future.

The WBG’s latest annual report also showed that the Philippines received capacity-building assistance to strengthen its management of financial risks arising from interest rate, currency, and commodity price volatility.

The country was among eight economies that received such assistance in FY 2026, while the WBG executed $5.4 billion in risk-management transactions across 53 countries.

Meanwhile, the WBG annual report likewise disclosed that the Philippines was among nine countries whose World Bank-funded projects were the subject of new complaints processed by the lender’s Inspection Panel in FY 2026.

The Inspection Panel is part of the World Bank Accountability Mechanism, which allows people and communities who believe they have been or could be harmed by a World Bank-funded project to raise concerns independently of the lender’s management.

The panel processed 10 new complaints involving projects in the Philippines, Ecuador, Indonesia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda during FY 2026.

In the Philippines, earlier World Bank documents seen by Manila Bulletin showed that the Inspection Panel received a request last March concerning the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project being implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

The $473.56-million project, approved back in 2020, is backed by a $370-million World Bank loan and aims to improve land tenure security as well as stabilize the property rights of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

The complaint was filed by two individuals, one residing in Australia and the other in South Cotabato province, who identified themselves as legal heirs to land they claimed was being affected by the project.

The complainants alleged that SPLIT failed to comply with the World Bank’s environmental and social standards on land acquisition, restrictions on land use, as well as involuntary resettlement by disregarding a 1997 DAR order that they said excluded their property from the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Also, the complainants alleged violations of the lender’s standard on stakeholder engagement and information disclosure.

However, the Inspection Panel decided not to register the complaint after finding that one of its admissibility requirements had not been met, as the issues involving the alleged non-compliance had not first been brought to World Bank management’s attention.

The panel stressed that its decision did not prevent the complainants from filing another request for inspection concerning the project in the future, World Bank documents showed.

COVID-19 inflicted the largest pandemic-induced output gap in the region on the Philippines, driving the earlier surge in emergency financing. After borrowings fell sharply in the immediate post-pandemic years, the new record shows that recent lending has now surpassed even those crisis-era levels.

Filipino grocery shopping habits in 2026 reflect a more selective and value-driven approach, with consumers prioritizing essentials and cost-effective options amid rising prices, according to a USDA report. Food and beverage retail sales are projected to grow only modestly by 1.7 percent this year, a slowdown consistent with the lingering caution many households adopted after the economic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/10/05/filipino-shoppers-changing-the-way-they-buy-groceries-in-2026

The country’s food and beverage retail sales are projected to remain relatively flat this year as consumer spending grows more selective amid rising costs, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In a report dated Oct. 2, the USDA said food and beverage retail sales are on track to total $123 billion this year, a modest 1.7 percent improvement from the $121 billion recorded last year.

The international agency noted that this year's muted growth forecast reflects the country’s subpar second-quarter economic expansion, which slowed to a post-pandemic low of 2.3 percent.

This reinforced softened household consumption and widening price sensitivity, especially as prices for key products remain elevated amid rising transportation costs, peso depreciation, and elevated inflation.

“Consumers are opting for cost-effective alternatives and focusing on essentials while others prioritize value over volume,” the USDA said.

Despite this year’s setback, the USDA said the country’s food and beverage retail sales are expected to grow five percent year-on-year to $129 billion in the coming year.

Apart from rising incomes and its large youth population, the growth is projected to come from the entry of new retailers, the expansion of modern retail chains, and the continued consumer shift toward e-commerce.

“Modern retailers are rapidly expanding to rural areas, offer variety of product options including imported products, and better value offers to consumers,” the USDA said.

“Some warehouse clubs, hypermarkets, supermarkets, and convenience stores are expanding into cities with high income communities offering more imported selections while offering lower-priced products,” it added.

In terms of modern retailers, the USDA said convenience stores are poised to achieve a seven-percent year-on-year growth to $2.67 billion this year from last year’s $2.49 billion.

Supermarkets are estimated to end the year with total sales amounting to $13.61 billion, slightly higher than the $13.57 billion recorded last year.

Hypermarkets, on the other hand, are projected to grow by nearly six percent to $5.6 billion within the year from $5.29 billion a year ago.

Further, sales from warehouse clubs are seen to grow by 11 percent to $2.07 billion this year from the previous year’s $1.86 billion.

The USDA said traditional food and beverage retailers remain the largest retail channel in the country, with sales estimated to expand to $39.47 billion this year from $39.02 billion last year.

Meanwhile, the agency said the Philippines remains the largest market for US exports in Southeast Asia, which shows that there is still growth potential for American food and beverage products.

Among the “best product prospects” for American exports include pork, poultry, and beef products, as well as milk, instant coffee, seasonings, frozen fries, butter, and cooking oil, among others.

The Philippines stood as the eleventh-largest market for US agricultural and related products in 2025, surpassing $3.4 billion, according to the USDA.

US exports accounted for 16 percent of the total agricultural exports to the Philippines, maintaining its status as the country’s largest single-country exporter.

The continued shift toward e-commerce and modern retail formats builds on the rapid digital adoption that accelerated during lockdowns, when online grocery purchases became a necessity for many. Even as sales are expected to rebound more strongly next year, the emphasis on value over volume shows how pandemic-era pressures have lasting effects on how Filipinos manage household food budgets.

Residential Fires September, 2026

This is a reported list of residential fires in the Philippines for September, 2026. The Bureau of Fire Protection is on record saying the fire codes does not apply to residential areas which is why so many of them go up in flames during a fire. Being made of light materials all it takes is one spark to cause massive devastation. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2297735/fire-displaces-19-families-in-iloilo-city

Nineteen families, or 83 individuals, were affected by an hour-long fire that hit a residential area in Veterans Village in this city late Tuesday night.

The Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center (EOC), in its first situation report issued at 9 a.m. Wednesday, said 12 houses were affected by the blaze, five of which were totally damaged while seven were partially damaged.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said there were no casualties.

The fire broke out at around 10:05 p.m. in Veterans Village, City Proper. Firefighters declared the blaze under control at 10:45 p.m. and declared it out at 11:03 p.m.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation as of Wednesday.

Personnel from the BFP-Iloilo City Fire Station, Iloilo City Police Office, ICAG and Federation Iloilo Volunteer Fire Brigade, along with other volunteer groups, responded to the incident.

The affected families were brought to a day care center identified by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) as an evacuation site.

The CSWDO assessed the affected residents and damaged houses and distributed food and non-food assistance.

Relief assistance included rice, canned goods, drinking water, hygiene kits, sleeping kits, and water containers. The affected families were provided a hygiene kit, sleeping kit, and jerry can, the EOC report said.

The BFP continued mapping and investigating the fire site to determine the cause of the blaze.

Meanwhile, the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office coordinated with barangay officials and the CSWDO and disseminated updates to the city’s disaster response clusters and the public.

A separate local report early Wednesday initially placed the number of affected houses at 10, four of which were destroyed.  The subsequent EOC situation report placed the official initial count at 12 houses, 19 families, and 83 individuals as of 9 a.m.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2297882/fire-leaves-18-families-homeless-in-bohol-town

At least 12 houses were destroyed and 18 families were left without homes after a fire broke out in Barangay Napo

in Loon town, Bohol, on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The fire started shortly after 7 a.m. in Purok 3, according to Senior Fire Officer 3 Gregorio Langcamon Jr., fire marshal of the Loon Fire Station.

The fire started at a house owned by a certain Neria Buna, which was being rented by a female student of Bohol Island State University (BISU)-Calape.

Strong winds brought by the southwest monsoon, or habagat, and the close spacing of houses contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. Many of the affected houses were also made of light materials, according to the fire marshal.

Firefighters from the Loon Fire Station responded to the blaze, with personnel from the Calape Fire Station joining the firefighting operation. Local residents also helped in efforts to contain the flames.

The firefighting operation lasted nearly three hours before the fire was completely put off.

The BFP-Loon is still investigating the cause of the fire. Authorities are looking into the possible involvement of a lampshade and other electrical equipment that were reportedly left plugged in.

The total amount of damage is still being assessed.

No fatalities or injuries were reported.

Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado immediately directed the provincial government to extend assistance to the families affected by the fire.

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office distributed food and non-food essentials to help address the immediate needs of the displaced families.

Aumentado said it would continue to support the affected residents as they recover and rebuild following the fire.

 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/09/02/19-houses-razed-by-fire-in-bacolod-22-families-left-homeless

A total of 22 families were left homeless in a fire that damaged 19 houses in Bagong Dalan, Purok San Jose 2, Barangay Sum-ag here on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Fire Officer 2 Anthony Val Isansa, arson investigator of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Bacolod, said the fire broke out at 9:20 p.m., originating from the bedroom of a female renter of a house owned by a security officer.

It immediately spread to neighboring houses mostly made of light materials, due to the prevailing winds, he added.

Of the damaged houses, 14 were destroyed, and five others were partially damaged.

Isansa said the challenging part during the firefighting operation was the pathway to the fire scene, as they had to cross a bamboo bridge to be able to reach the area.

The bamboo bridge was later damaged and people now uses the main road far from the area.

He said the fire was initially caused by electrical ignition due to arcing after the house owner just reportedly tapped power supply with his neighbor.

An extension cord plugged from the main outlet was used by the lady renter in charging her cellular phone and when using a ceiling fan in the bedroom.

Nobody was inside the house when the incident happened.

Isansa said the area is considered a red zone due to the congestion of the houses, which is situated beside each other.

Fire out was declared at 9:50 p.m., leaving an estimated P120,500 worth of damage. No injuries were reported.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/09/04/3-kids-die-in-mandaluyong-fire-while-parents-at-work

Three children died in a fire that broke out at a four-story house in Block 39, Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City, on Thursday night, Sept. 3, while their parents were at work.

SF01 Maelbert Abueg of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Mandaluyong said the blaze started around 7:30 p.m. on the fourth floor, where the victims -- aged two, four, and seven -- were inside a room.

The two younger children were found dead inside the room when responders arrived. The seven-year- old managed to crawl out but was later declared dead at the hospital.

The victims' parents were reportedly at work at the time of the incident, while their grandmother was on the first floor of the house.

Residents helped put out the fire, which was extinguished at around 7:41 p.m.

The BFP said the blaze did not spread to nearby houses and no fire alarm level was raised.

Damage was estimated at P220,000, while investigators are still determining the fire’s origin and cause.

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1283852

An estimated PHP4.5 million in properties were destroyed by a fire at dawn on Friday in this city, with authorities suspecting it was arson.

In an interview, Fire Officer-2 Angelou Daisog said 397 individuals or 106 families were affected in Sitio Santa Cruz, Barangay Lapasan, where 92 houses were razed. The damaged area covered at least 3,000 square meters.

"We are looking into the possibility of arson, as there were reports that some witnesses allegedly saw an individual who quarreled with one of the homeowners," he said.

However, Daisog said they are still investigating the incident and weighing the evidence on that angle in coordination with the police.

No injuries or casualties were reported by the Bureau of Fire Protection in connection with the blaze.

Barangay Chairperson Julito Ogsimer provided temporary shelter to affected families at the barangay covered court and distributed food and clothes.

Barangay Lapasan is one of the city's most populous villages with more than 60,000 residents. This year alone, some of its sitios were razed by fire several times, displacing families and destroying properties worth at least PHP1.5 million.

In response, the barangay council deputized women to become auxiliary fire responders in the community.

Barangay Councilor Mark Anthony Bustamante said the women, trained with the Bureau of Fire Protection, were mostly housewives left to tend their households.

"In every zone, we also provided fire extinguishers so that they will be the first to respond while fire trucks are underway," he said.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/766120/talisay-fire-leaves-42-families-homeless-man-hurt

A morning fire left 42 families homeless after it swept through Sitio Verde, Barangay San Isidro, Talisay City, on Saturday, September 12.

According to the Talisay City Fire Station, the blaze started around 8 a.m. at the residence of a certain Antonio Saberon.

The fire quickly escalated, reaching a 3rd alarm before firefighters managed to bring it under control around 9:02 a.m.

Authorities reported that 37 houses were razed while five others sustained partial damage.

The incident left an estimated ₱1.3 million in property damage.

Meanwhile, a 41-year-old man sustained minor burns and was immediately given first aid and medical attention.

Investigators from the Bureau of Fire Protection are still conducting a probe to determine the exact cause of the fire.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/09/13/more-than-100-homes-razed-in-separate-fire-incidents-in-pagadian-city

More than 100 houses were burned in separate fire incidents in Pagadian City last Saturday, September 12.

Some 120 houses were destroyed when a  fire broke out at 3 a.m. in Purok Masanagon in Barangay San Pedro.  

Flames quickly spread to adjoining houses made of light and semi-concrete materials, forcing residents to escape the raging flames.

The fire was finally controlled at 4:44am.  Initial report from the Pagadian Disaster Risk Reduction and Management office reports one person missing.

Meanwhile, another fire incident was reported at Purok Fatima, Barangay Dao in Pagadian City at 9:15am on the same day.

Pagadian social welfare officials and personnel are conducting profiling and assistance distribution for the victims. 

 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/09/16/woman-dies-in-lucena-city-fire

An elderly woman died in a fire that broke out at a residential area near the Dumacaa River bridge at Purok Atin-atin, Barangay MarketView, on Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 15, here.

Lucena City police identified the victim as Editha De Castro, 74. Firemen found her body inside the comfort room.

Also damaged by the fire were nearby houses mostly made of light materials and situated near the Dumacaa River bridge

The BFP Lucena raised a fire alarm at about 4 p.m. and declared fire out at 5:38 p.m.

According to the report, the fire started at 3:30 p.m., but it was reported at about 4:50 p.m., when fire brigades, the Lucena police, and members of city rescue teams responded.

Arson investigators are still determining the cause of the fire. Damage to property was estimated at P300,000.

The affected 34 families were temporarily sheltered at the evacuation center and are being provided with relief assistance by the local government.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/767976/mambaling-fire-101-families-affected-p1-2m-damage-logged

At least 101 families or 375 individuals were affected by a residential fire that hit Sitio Lawis in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, on Friday, September 18, with initial property damage estimated at ₱1.2 million, according to the Cebu City Government and the Cebu City Fire Station.

The city government’s initial assessment recorded 58 houses affected, including 52 that were totally burned, four partially burned and one classified as slightly affected.

The assessment also listed 41 sharers, four renters and four lodgers among the affected households.

The affected families and individuals were brought to the Viking Gym, which served as the designated evacuation site.

The city government registered the fire victims and internally displaced persons (IDPs) following the incident and scheduled verification and validation on the first and second days after the fire.

It also provided hot meals to the affected residents.

The city government recommended financial assistance for the affected IDPs, as well as relief assistance for families and individuals, including housing materials, rice and assorted goods.

According to the Cebu City Fire Station, the fire was reported at 3:26 p.m. on Friday, September 18, in Sitio Lawis, Barangay Alaska Mambaling.

The first fire engine departed at 3:27 p.m. and arrived at the scene at 3:32 p.m., recording a five-minute response time over a distance of 1.5 kilometers.

A report from the Bureau of Fire Protection recorded 33 structures burned over an estimated affected area of 800 square meters.

Authorities said the fire involved homes with light materials.

The fire was placed under control at 4:34 p.m. and declared fire out at 5:30 p.m.

Eleven BFP fire trucks and response units were deployed. Two ambulances and eight auxiliary personnel also responded.

The incident was initially placed under first alarm at 3:32 p.m.

The fire station recorded two injuries and no fatalities, with estimated property damage of ₱1.2 million.

As of Saturday, September 19, fire investigators had yet to determine the initial cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding it.

 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/09/21/sexagenarian-killed-in-quezon-house-fire

A 65-year-old Person with Disability (PWD) was killed in a fire in Sitio Delantar, Barangay Lutucan Bata, this town, on Sunday morning, Sept. 20.

Police identified the victim as Maria, single.

Investigation said the victim was living alone in her house when the fire started.

Leo, 56, the victim’s relative, said the victim burned her own house and failed to rescue her due to the fire's intensity.

The fire was already out when the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) arrived.

An arson investigator said damage to property was P40,000.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2313823/3-injured-14-families-affected-by-baguios-new-lucban-fire

Fire struck at Baguio’s New Lucban Extension on Tuesday morning (Sept. 29), injuring three people and displacing 14 families (56 individuals).

The fire broke out at around 8:28 am, engulfing several residential units and business establishments, according to Baguio City Fire Marshall F/Supt. Mark Anthony Dangatan.

Dangatan said two civilians, who assisted in supressing the blaze, and a firefighter were hurt. 

The Baguio City Fire Station is investigating the cause of the fire.

The fire was placed under control at 9:10 a.m. and declared out at 9:25 am. Firefighters continued mopping-up operations after the blaze was extinguished.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/771385/consolacion-fire-destroys-several-houses-displaces-170-individuals

A late-night residential fire struck Barangay Pitogo in Consolacion town in northern Cebu on Wednesday, September 30, affecting 47 families made up of 170 individuals.

According to the Consolacion Fire Station, the blaze broke out at 10:32 p.m., prompting an immediate response from firefighters and other emergency responders in the area.

The fire, which lasted for nearly an hour was called in at past 10 p.m. Fire trucks and emergency responders were then dispatched to the fire scene. The firefighters arrived at the area seven minutes later, the time needed for them to cover at least 3 kilometers.

According to a report from the Consolacion Fire Station, the second alarm was raised at 10:44 p.m. and firefighters battling the blaze put it under control at 10:50 p.m.

The blaze was declared fire out at 11:115 p.m.

Initial assessment of fire investigators, FO3 Jaypee Ango and FO1 Kyle Castillon, several houses were razed and displaced 47 families made up of 170 individuals.

The fire victims were evacuated to a Consolacion evacuation center in Barangay Pitogo, according to a Consolacion Municipality Facebook post.

The victims were then given food and water and a place to sleep at the evacuation center.

As of this posting, fire investigators continue to investigate the cause of the fire and the estimated cost of damage to property destroyed by the fire.

That is 13 reported incidents for September. Remember, these are only the major fires reported in the national media. Residential fires are up all across the nation and they do not all make the news. This is the tip of the iceberg concerning the real situation in the Philippines.