Abbey M.

Good news for travelers!

The fuel surcharge imposed on air passengers will decrease starting June 1 to June 15, bringing relief to travelers ahead of the mid-year period.

The Civil Aeronautics Board announced that the fuel surcharge will be reduced from level 15, which was in effect from May 16 to May 31, 2026, to level 13 effective June 1 to June 15.

Under level 13, domestic passengers will pay a fuel surcharge ranging from P423 to P1,237, while international travelers will be charged between P1,396 and P10,385.

The CAB also temporarily shortened its fuel surcharge adjustment period from one month to 15 days, citing the volatile movement of jet fuel prices in the international market.

To further widen the reach of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s flagship Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino, or Expanded 4PH Program, and help address the oversupply of available housing inventory, Pag-IBIG Fund has raised its maximum housing loan amount per borrower to ₱10 million, providing middle-income and higher- earning Filipino workers access to affordable long-term home financing, particularly in Metro Manila and other highly urbanized areas, top officials announced on May 26.

The higher loan ceiling complements the program’s ongoing subsidized 3% housing loan rate for qualified buyers of socialized housing, enabling Pag-IBIG Fund to serve more members seeking homes beyond the socialized housing segment through affordable long-term financing.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling, who also chairs the Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees, said the increase is part of the government’s broader effort to make homeownership more accessible to Filipino workers across income segments.

“With the higher ₱10-million loan ceiling, Pag-IBIG Fund can now serve more members, especially Filipino workers who seek homes in higher price segments but still require long-term and affordable financing to own homes near their workplaces, schools and sources of livelihood. 

This move allows Pag-IBIG Fund to widen access to home financing across more income segments, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to make decent and affordable housing more inclusive and accessible to more Filipino families,” Aliling said.

Aliling said the move also supports efforts to improve the take-up of available housing units, particularly in Metro Manila and other urban centers where there is an oversupply of ready-for-occupancy condominium units. He said the higher loan ceiling, combined with Pag-IBIG Fund’s long-term home financing, can make the purchase of these units more affordable for qualified members.

“This is also our call to developers: let us make the numbers meet. Pag-IBIG Fund is expanding the financing available to qualified borrowers. We urge our developer-partners to recalibrate their prices, offer reasonable packages and help bring their available units within the reach of Pag-IBIG Fund members. 

When housing prices,borrower capacity and affordable financing meet, more Filipino workers can finally own homes of their own,” Aliling said.

Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Marilene C. Acosta said the increase in loan ceiling reflects Pag-IBIG Fund’s mandate to serve Filipino workers from all income segments.

“At Pag-IBIG Fund, our mandate is to serve all Filipino workers. This means serving first-time homebuyers and members who need subsidized support, as well as middle-income and higher-earning members who also need affordable long-term financing to buy homes for their families. 

Because of our strong financial position, we are able to offer a higher loanable amount while keeping our housing loan rates not only affordable, but among the lowest in the market. With the higher loan ceiling, qualified borrowers now have even better access to home financing payable for up to 30 years, with interest rates that may go as low as 5.75% a year depending on their chosen fixing period. 

More importantly, this allows us to widen the reach of the Expanded 4PH Program so that more members, across more income segments, can gain access to decent and affordable homes, while eligible socialized housing borrowers continue to benefit from the 3% subsidized rate,” Acosta said.

Acosta said the broader Pag-IBIG Housing Loan Program is intended to make homeownership a practical alternative to renting for more Filipino workers, especially when available housing units are offered at prices that match members’ income and borrowing capacity.

“For many families, rent is already one of their biggest monthly expenses. Through Pag-IBIG Fund’s affordable housing loan terms, monthly amortizations for reasonably priced homes can be lower than rent in many urban areas. This is the value we want to give our members: instead of paying rent month after month, they can use their hard-earned income to pay for a home they can eventually call their own,” Acosta added.

Pag-IBIG Fund emphasized that the higher maximum loan amount remains subject to credit evaluation, capacity-to-pay requirements, collateral appraisal and other housing loan guidelines to ensure that borrowing remains responsible and sustainable for members.

Officials said the higher loan ceiling strengthens Pag-IBIG Fund’s role in bridging available housing supply to actual homebuyer capacity, while encouraging developers to offer homes at prices that better match the income and financing ability of Filipino workers.

Senator Imee Marcos said the Senate majority bloc remains solid and called on the minority to accept the recent leadership shakeup and return to work.

Marcos stressed that the 11-member Senate minority bloc must respect the outcome of the vote for chamber leadership, where they were defeated by the 13-member bloc now led by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

She also recalled that her group did not stir any commotion when Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III was designated Senate President in September 2025, even after losing their committee assignments.

"Noon naman natalo kami. Hindi kami bumoto kay Senator Tito Sotto. Wala naman umalma eh. Quiet lang kami. Kahit tinanggal lahat ng aming committee. Ayos lang. Nagpasalamat pa rin kami kasi naniniwala kami sa proseso. Hindi kami kapit tuko sa posisyon. Pero ngayon bakit ganito? Hindi naman nangyari ito dati. Ang maliwanag kung wala kang boto eh tahimik muna. Trabaho muna. Walang ganito na sungkitan, sulutan kung ano-anong announcement sa media," Marcos said. 

(Before, we also lost. We did not vote for Senator Tito Sotto. No one protested. We were just quiet. Even when all our committees were taken away. It was fine. We still gave thanks because we believe in the process. We are not clinging to position. But now, why is it like this? This did not happen before. It is clear — if you don't have the votes, you stay quiet first. Work first. There shouldn't be this kind of grabbing, snatching, and all sorts of announcements in the media.)

Cayetano secured the Senate presidency on May 11 in a controversial and dramatic leadership shakeup, which also marked the reappearance of Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa after six months of absence from the chamber.

Marcos also rejected the proposal to back Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President in the name of institutional unity.

She added that negotiations and backchannel talks have continued in what she described as efforts to dismantle their bloc.

"Palagay ko hindi naman sang-ayon yung nakararami. Labing-tatlo kami, solid kami. Yung labing-isa, iba naman 'yun. Kung ano yung kandidato nila, minority pa rin yun. Palibasa nga buo kami siguro may nagnanais na buwagin. May mga kinakausap. Maraming nakikiusap, hindi lang senador, hindi lang kapwa senador, maraming opisyal sa gobyerno na nakikialam, marami pang kung sino-sino na mga nakaupo sa palasyo na nakikisuyo, talagang marami," Presidential sister added.

(I think the majority is not in favor. We are thirteen, we are solid. The eleven, that's different. Whatever candidate they have, that is still the minority. Because we are intact, perhaps there are those who want to break us up. There are people being talked to. Many are pleading — not just senators, not just fellow senators, many government officials are getting involved, and there are still others sitting in the palace who are making requests; there are really many.)

Despite the political tension, Marcos expressed hope that the issue will soon be resolved so the Senate can return to its regular work and the passage of legislation.

"Well, inaasahan ko na kumalma na at makapagtrabaho na kaming lahat. Kaya ito nga sana magkasundo na 'yung dalawang panig. Titiisin, magtitiisin na namin sila. Tiisin na rin nila kami," Marcos said. 

(Well, I am hoping that things calm down and that we can all get back to work. So I hope the two sides come to an agreement. We will endure them. They will also have to endure us.)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued a directive to members of his Cabinet regarding the steps that must be taken to address the threat of a Super El Niño.

On May 27, the President convened concerned government agencies that are primarily tasked with responding to the effects of the phenomenon.

In a statement, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the administration is now studying the government's response to the looming El Niño.

"Ang Pangulo pinag-aaralan na rin natin 'yong response ng ating pamahalaan pagdating sa El Niño. Dahil, we might have a severe El Niño. So we looked at the past, what did Government do, what worked. And nagpaplano na tayo diyan para maibsan 'yong epekto ng El Niño sa ating lahat," Recto said. 

(The President — we are also studying the response of our government when it comes to El Niño. Because we might have a severe El Niño. So we looked at the past, what did the Government do, what worked. And we are now planning so that we can mitigate the effects of El Niño on all of us.)

Meanwhile, several farmer groups have raised concerns over the apparent lack of government action on the impact of El Niño on their livelihoods.

The groups stressed that the government should already detail the necessary preparations for the agriculture sector.

Federation of Free Farmers Chairman Leonardo Montemayor said farmers need clearer direction from both national and local government units.

"Halimbawa sa agrikultura, isa sa sector na pinaka-affected itong parating na El Niño ay ating agriculture fisheries sectors, pero until now hindi maliwanag sa amin sector kung ano dapat gawin nila. Kailangan nila diyan direksyon o information, guidance mula sa ating pamahalaan, both at the national as well as the local government levels," Montemayor said. 

(For example, in agriculture — one of the sectors most affected by this upcoming El Niño is our agriculture and fisheries sectors, but until now it is not clear to us in the sector what they should do. They need direction or information, guidance from our government, both at the national as well as the local government levels.)

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III has officially set the start of the trial in the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte on November 30.

ICC Trial Chamber III Presiding Judge Joanna Korner announced the start date of the trial.

"As regards first of all the then to the decisions we've come to the start of trial. We are prepared to exceed to the prosecution's application of the 30th of November as the start of trial. The trial will run on a daily basis until the judicial recess, or thereabouts," Korner said.

The November 30 schedule was the date proposed by the prosecution.

The defense, however, had initially sought to delay the start of the trial beyond this year.

Counsel for FPRRD Peter Haynes argued that the defense needed more time to prepare following the prosecution's disclosure.

"That the start of the trial could not be this year. We will be ready whenever you want it to start, but our anxiety is that should not be a date which leaves us perhaps one or two months after the end of the prosecution disclosure it should be a minimum of three," Haynes said.

Meanwhile, the Office of Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV) expressed openness to the November 30 schedule.

OPCV Counsel Paolina Massidda said the proposed schedule is acceptable, but a later start would be too long.

"We had further consultations with our client. They are amenable to start 30 of November since to then at a reasonable period of time. January 2027, no. The time is too long," Massidda said.

Based on the court's ruling, hearings will be held daily, up to five days a week, before the scheduled judicial recess during the long holiday in December.

Several key deadlines must also be observed before the formal opening of the trial.

August 31 is the deadline for the prosecution to submit its final list of witnesses, evidence, and trial brief.

September 28 is the deadline for the submission of the trial brief of the legal representatives of the victims.

October 30, meanwhile, is the deadline for the defense to provide its indication of issues and the defenses it will use.

The court also emphasized the importance of the accused's fitness to stand trial.

The parties were directed to submit a joint letter on the matter of experts by June 3 to assess the health of the former President.

Presiding Judge Joanna Korner noted that the schedule may need to be adjusted depending on the condition of the accused.

"The chamber would obviously like to sit, subject to witness problems, 5 days a week, but we note the recommendations that were made for the confirmation, hearing, and so it may well be that, we'll have to adjust it if we have to have a day, for the accused not to be in court, each week," Korner said.

As part of the preparations, two more status conferences are scheduled on June 23 and July 14.

The ICC also assured that interpretation will be provided for the opening statements at the end of November to ensure that Filipino citizens will be able to understand the proceedings.

In addition, the use of household forms for victims was also permitted to make their participation in the process easier.