OpinYon

03/10/2025

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he will ask Congress for additional emergency funds to boost the government’s Quick Response Fund (QRF) after a series of disasters recently battered the country.

Marcos made the announcement during a situation briefing in Bogo City, Cebu, days after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the province on September 30.

According to Marcos, many government agencies’ QRFs are almost depleted after immediately extending aid to areas devastated by Super Typhoon Nando, Typhoon Opong, and now the Cebu quake.

To speed things up, he ordered Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman to arrange the release of fresh funds for affected communities.

The President also announced that the Office of the President (OP) will provide:
P50M for the Cebu provincial government
P20M each for Bogo City, Sogod, and San Remigio
P10M each for Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Medellin, Sta. Fe, Tabogon, and Tabuelan

On top of that, OP will release:
P20M each to Department of Health hospitals
P5M each to provincial hospitals

Plus, DBM will release P150M in Local Government Support Fund for Cebu province, and P75M each for Bogo City, San Remigio, and Medellin.

The QRF serves as the government’s standby disaster fund, replenished once depleted upon the approval of the President or DBM.

OpinYonistas, another round of emergency funds is on the way. But will it truly help our kababayans, or fund the lavish lifestyle of a few?

03/10/2025

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has announced that starting November 1, 2025, it will no longer allow improvised or temporary vehicle plates.

LTO said there’s no reason for motorists to keep using makeshift plates anymore since the agency has already cleared its backlog of official license plates for both cars and motorcycles.

👉 What happens if you’re caught?
🚫 Your improvised/temporary plate will be confiscated
💸 You’ll be fined P5,000

Mendoza also reminded motorists to claim their official plates this October to avoid any hassle once the strict implementation begins. He added that temporary plates won’t be accepted anymore for vehicle registration renewal.

Improvised plates will be allowed only if they are authorized and signed by the LTO.

What do you think, OpinYonistas? Is this a fair move to fix the plate mess once and for all or will it just add to our headaches?

03/10/2025

Actress Kim Chiu showed her generosity as she personally bought construction materials to help families in her home province of Cebu rebuild their houses after the devastating 6.9-magnitude earthquake earlier this week.

Her noontime show ASAP shared photos of Kim shopping for supplies, saying the materials were intended for quake-hit communities in Bogo City and San Remigio.

“Queen move, indeed!” ASAP wrote in its caption, applauding Kim for stepping up to help her fellow Cebuanos.

03/10/2025

Jericho Rosales celebrates b-day in Africa

Read more
https://opinyon.net/national/jericho-rosales-celebrates-b-da

It's a tradition.

03/10/2025

The Stakes for the Bangsamoro People and What Lies Ahead

Read more
https://opinyon.net/opinion/the-stakes-for-the-bangsamoro-people-and-what-lies-ahead

03/10/2025

Between drift, danger and dictatorship: The unpalatable options

Read more
https://opinyon.net/opinion/between-drift-danger-and-dictatorship-the-unpalatable-options

03/10/2025

The Legal Tangle of the Bangsamoro Autonomy Acts

Read more
https://opinyon.net/opinion/the-legal-tangle-of-the-bangsamoro-autonomy-acts

(Second of a series)

03/10/2025

Adverse weather conditions resulted in the cancellation of flights by Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific (CEB), leading to 1,708 passengers being unable to board their scheduled flights, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced on Friday, October 3.

PAL has canceled its flights to Tuguegarao, Cauayan, and Laoag, while CEB has suspended its flights to Tuguegarao and Cauayan.

The canceled flights are:

Philippine Airlines

PR2014 (Manila-Tuguegarao)
PR2015 (Tuguegarao-Manila)
PR2018 (Manila-Cauayan)
PR2019 (Cauayan-Manila)
PR2196 (Manila-Laoag)
PR2197 (Laoag-Manila)
PR2198 (Manila-Laoag)
PR2199 (Laoag-Manila)

Cebu Pacific

5J504 (Manila-Tuguegarao)
5J505 (Tuguegarao-Manila)
5J506 (Manila-Tuguegarao)
5J507 (Tuguegarao-Manila)
5J508 (Manila-Tuguegarao)
5J509 (Tuguegarao-Manila)
5J196 (Manila-Cauayan)
5J197 (Cauayan-Manila)

The flight cancellations impacted a total of 886 CEB passengers and 822 PAL passengers.

(Benjamin Lim)

02/10/2025

The Senate has approved a resolution urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to allow former President Rodrigo Duterte to be placed under house arrest instead of regular detention, citing humanitarian reasons.

In a vote of 15-3-2, senators backed the measure, stressing that Duterte’s medical condition should be carefully assessed. The resolution, authored by Senators Miguel Zubiri and Alan Peter Cayetano, asks the ICC to assign a doctor to examine Duterte’s health and determine if regular detention could worsen his condition.

If doctors find that jail time would be harmful, the Senate suggests that the ICC permit house arrest or a similar arrangement, provided it won’t affect the ongoing trial.

How The Senators Voted:
✅ In Favor (15): Zubiri, A. Cayetano, Dela Rosa, Ejercito, Estrada, Gatchalian, Go, Lacson, Legarda, Marcoleta, Marcos, Padilla, E. Tulfo, Villanueva, M. Villar
❌ Against (3): Aquino, Pangilinan, Hontiveros
➖ Abstained (2): Sotto, R. Tulfo
⛔ Absent (4): C. Villar, P. Cayetano, Lapid, Escudero

Duterte is currently detained at The Hague, facing crimes against humanity charges over his controversial war on drugs.

OpinYonistas, should Duterte be granted house arrest or face regular detention?

02/10/2025

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) revealed that more than 2,329 aftershocks have been recorded so far following the powerful magnitude 6.9 quake that struck Cebu last Tuesday night.

According to Phivolcs, the aftershocks ranging from magnitude 1 to 5 are expected to continue for several days or even weeks. The good news: they are likely to be weaker than the main quake.

At least 72 people died due to the tremor.

OpinYonistas, are your go-bags ready?

02/10/2025

22 Provinces Under Signal No. 1 Due to 'Paolo'

Tropical Depression Paolo has now intensified into a tropical storm, PAGASA reported early Thursday.

As of 4 a.m., Paolo was spotted 705 km east of Infanta, Quezon, carrying maximum winds of 65 kph near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph. It’s moving west-northwest at 20 kph.

⚠️ Signal No. 1 is currently raised in 22 provinces:
Mainland Cagayan
Isabela
Quirino
Nueva Vizcaya
Apayao
Abra
Kalinga
Mountain Province
Ifugao
Benguet
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Sur
La Union
Pangasinan
northern Zambales
Tarlac
Nueva Ecija
Aurora
Northern Bulacan
Northern Pampanga
Northern Quezon including Polillo Islands
Northern Catanduanes

🌧️ The storm is expected to make a landfall over Isabela or northern Aurora on Friday morning.
It will also bring heavy rainfall across Northern and Central Luzon. Paolo is forecast to cross Northern Luzon and move into the West Philippine Sea by Friday afternoon or evening, exiting the PAR by Saturday morning.

02/10/2025

Two Filipinos just made us proud on the global stage. 🙌

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto have been named in TIME magazine’s 2025 TIME100 Next list, which celebrates emerging leaders and changemakers shaping the future.

🗳️ Vico Sotto (36) was included in the Leaders category.
🎬 Manny Jacinto (38), on the other hand, landed in the Artists category.

Launched in 2019, TIME100 Next list spotlights rising stars in politics, arts, advocacy, and business.

OpinYonistas, what do you think about Vico and Manny making it to TIME’s most influential rising stars?