Abbey M.

MANILA — Search and rescue operations continued Friday for 84 people still missing after passenger vessel MV June Aster caught fire off Coron, Palawan.

As of September 11, authorities have confirmed 43 survivors and five fatalities following the Sept. 9 fire.

The number of missing was reduced from 86 to 84 after two people listed on the vessel’s manifest confirmed that they had not boarded the ship.

The manifest initially listed 117 passengers and 17 crew members, or 134 people in total.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) conducted an aerial survey over the waters of Coron at around 10:16AM on September 11 as search operations continued in the area.

Some responders were also able to enter portions of the damaged vessel, although smoke and flames remained visible in some areas and firefighting operations continued.

MV June Aster caught fire while sailing in waters off Coron on the evening of Sept. 9.

After receiving the report, the PCG coordinated with Coast Guard units, the Bureau of Fire Protection, Coron Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the local government, and nearby vessels to conduct rescue operations.

PCG personnel from the Maritime Environmental Protection Unit and Coast Guard Special Operations Group were deployed to assist in the response.

BRP Suluan was also sent to the incident area to provide additional assistance.

Authorities continue to search the surrounding waters and coastal areas for the missing passengers and crew.

The official cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

The PCG earlier said an initial account from a surviving crew member indicated that the fire may have started in the vessel’s cargo hold before spreading to other parts of the ship. Authorities have not yet confirmed this as the official cause.

Search, rescue, and firefighting operations remain ongoing as authorities work to locate the 84 people still missing.

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has created the Education Philippines or EduPhil Program, a national initiative aimed at attracting more international students and strengthening the Philippines’ position as a destination for higher education, research, training, and academic exchange.

Marcos signed Executive Order No. 124 on Sept. 8, designating the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as the lead agency in implementing the program.

The order seeks to establish a more coordinated and digitally enabled system for international education, including the processing of student visas, institutional endorsements, and other government requirements for foreign students.

Under EduPhil, the government will promote academic cooperation, research collaboration, innovation partnerships, knowledge exchange, and stronger global engagement among Philippine higher education institutions.

The program also aims to make it easier for international students to enter, stay, and study in the Philippines by improving coordination among government agencies involved in immigration, education, tourism, and other related services.

EO No. 124 also reorganizes the Inter-Agency Committee on Foreign Students into the EduPhil Task Force, which will serve as the main inter-agency body overseeing the promotion and development of international education in the country.

CHED will chair the task force, with the Department of Foreign Affairs serving as vice chair. Its members include the Bureau of Immigration, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Tourism, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and Professional Regulation Commission.

Among the task force’s key responsibilities is the development of a five-year international education promotion strategy.

It will also oversee the creation of the EduPhil Portal, a secure digital platform that will serve as a centralized system for international student documentation, institutional endorsement tracking, and referrals among government agencies.

The task force may recommend measures to streamline visa processing and other government services for foreign students, as well as policies supporting the reciprocal recognition of academic degrees, qualifications, and credentials between the Philippines and other countries.

The government said the initiative recognizes the growing role of international education in economic growth, innovation, cultural diplomacy, human capital development, and international cooperation.

Relevant government agencies have been directed to provide full support for the program. Initial funding will come from the existing appropriations of CHED and other concerned agencies, while future requirements will be included in their respective budget proposals.

The EduPhil Task Force is also required to submit an annual report to the President through the CHED chairperson.

EO No. 124 takes effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

MANILA — Nearly half of Filipinos expect their quality of life to improve over the next 12 months, with public optimism rebounding sharply from earlier this year, according to a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The June 20 to 29, 2026 survey found that 48 percent of Filipinos believe their quality of life will improve, while 31 percent expect it to remain unchanged.

Only 8 percent said they expect their living conditions to worsen, while 12 percent did not give an answer.

These results produced a net personal optimism score of +40, which SWS classifies as “excellent.”

The latest score was 17 points higher than the +23 recorded in March 2026 and slightly above the 2025 average of +39.

SWS said the June result was also the highest net personal optimism score since the +41 recorded in June 2025.

Net personal optimism measures the difference between the percentage of respondents who expect their quality of life to improve and those who expect it to worsen.

SWS classifies scores of +40 and above as excellent, +30 to +39 as very high, and +20 to +29 as high.

The survey showed that optimism improved across urban and rural areas, among men and women, and across all age groups.

The biggest increase was recorded in Balance Luzon, where net personal optimism rose by 27 points from +22 in March to +49 in June.

Metro Manila improved from +28 to +36, while the Visayas climbed from +27 to +33. Mindanao rose from +20 to +31.

Despite stronger optimism about the future, Filipinos remained divided when asked about how their lives had changed over the past year.

About 33 percent said their quality of life had improved compared with 12 months earlier, 34 percent said it stayed the same, while another 33 percent said it had worsened.

SWS has tracked personal optimism since 1984. The measure has turned negative only 11 times, including a record low of -19 in May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest results show personal optimism has returned to pre-pandemic levels after dropping to +23 in March before rebounding in June.

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MANILA — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the Philippines should expect continued assertiveness from China and strengthen the way it responds to developments in the West Philippine Sea.

Speaking at the 2nd Manila Strategy Forum on Thursday, Teodoro said he expects China’s current behavior to continue and stressed the need for the Philippines and its partners to adjust their response.

“I think we will see more of the same. We should not expect any change in their behavior; what we should change is the way we react,” Teodoro said.

He cited increasing Chinese activities in the West Philippine Sea, including the reported harassment of Philippine Coast Guard and naval vessels and aircraft, as well as China’s announcement of plans to establish a marine observatory in Bajo de Masinloc.

Teodoro said the maritime situation would not be resolved immediately and stressed the need for the Philippines to remain resilient and firm in asserting its position.

He said this applies not only to the West Philippine Sea but to the country’s wider maritime domain, including its extended continental shelf.

Teodoro also linked China’s actions in the region to what he described as its growing assertiveness and said other countries have also raised concerns over cyber and maritime threats.

The defense chief likewise renewed his criticism of China following a written-note incident during the Seoul Defense Dialogue 2026 earlier this week.

Teodoro said the international community had been too accommodating toward China and criticized what he described as Beijing’s “wolf warrior diplomacy.”

He said similar behavior could also be seen in China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea.

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — Quezon City residents and business owners planning to install rooftop solar panels may now get free technical guidance from licensed electrical engineers through the city government’s Helpline 122.

The service is open to households, condominium owners and commercial establishments looking to shift to solar energy but needing guidance before investing in a system.

By calling 122, interested QCitizens may consult engineers from the City Engineering Department about the appropriate size of a solar photovoltaic system based on their electricity consumption.

The consultation also covers technical requirements for safe installation, permit requirements through the Department of the Building Official, and solar service providers accredited by the Department of Energy.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the initiative is intended to help residents understand the installation process and avoid fraudulent or unlicensed solar installers.

The city government said rooftop solar may help property owners reduce dependence on the power grid and potentially lower electricity expenses, depending on their system and power consumption.

Quezon City has also installed solar systems in seven City Hall buildings, three city government hospitals and 25 public schools. The city said these facilities generated more than ₱8 million in electricity savings from January to June 2026.

Residents interested in installing rooftop solar are advised to call QC Helpline 122 before proceeding with installation to get technical information and understand the necessary requirements.

The service provides free consultation and technical guidance only. It does not mean that solar panels or private installation costs are being provided for free by the city government.