Abbey M.

Labor groups have opposed a planned executive session for the substitute bill on the legislated wage hike, saying the move lacks transparency.

The House Committee on Labor and Employment approved a motion to convene an executive session for the substitute bill covering the pending measures on the legislated wage hike. This will take place after the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 27, 2026.

Several bills are currently pending in the House of Representatives seeking a wage increase for workers, including proposals ranging from a 100-peso to a 1,200-peso increase.

During the hearing, Rep. Johanne Monich Bautista, Senior Vice Chairperson of the House Committee on Labor and Employment and representative of TRABAHO Partylist, moved to convene the executive session:

"Mr. Chair, may I move to convene an executive session after the SONA to decide on the substitute bill for these proposed measures on legislated wage hike."

Rep. Ramon Jolo Revilla, Chairperson of the House Committee on Labor and Employment and representative of Cavite's 1st District, approved the motion:

"There's a motion to convene an executive session to decide on substitute bill on wage. Any objection? The motion is seconded, the motion is hereby approved."

President of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, Atty. Luke Espiritu opposed the move, saying it lacks transparency.

"Na gagawin lang na parang pribado, na hindi open sa publiko na pinasa kanina ng house committee on labor, tingin ko yan ay walang ka-transpa-transparency. Ang ayaw nating mangyari ay parang tulad sa bill ng anti-dynasty law. Na ang dami-daming bills na anti-dynasty law na mas maganda, tapos maraming versions na mas deserving na ipasa, tapos ito ay ni-reduce lamang sa so-called consolidated version na yan ay version lamang ng iisa, yung bill na pabor sa mga dinastiya. Yan ang ayaw nating mangyari at maging resulta ng wage bills na ito."

(For this to be done privately, not open to the public, what was passed earlier by the house committee on labor — I think that lacks transparency. What we don't want to happen is similar to what happened with the anti-dynasty law bill. There were so many anti-dynasty law bills that were better, and many versions that were more deserving of passage, but it was just reduced to a so-called consolidated version, which turned out to be just one version — the bill favorable to political dynasties. That is what we don't want to happen and become the result of these wage bills.)

Meanwhile, some legislators said the process should be made public.

"Ang position namin is mas maganda nga kung public dun sa komite mismo para kung mayroong mga oposisyon dito, una yung mga business at stakeholders, publicly din malaman ng mga manggagawa, malaman, so better mapag-usapan publicly." Rep. Eli San Fernando of Kamanggagawa Partylist said.

(Our position is that it would be better if it were public at the committee level itself, so that if there is opposition to this — first from businesses and stakeholders — the workers would also know publicly, so it's better discussed publicly.)

"In the end, ipe-present pa rin yan sa committee. Kaya hindi pa rin makakalampas ang bill na ito at di maaprubahan kung di dadalhin sa komite, unfortunately executive session pa yung ginawang paraan pero in the end aabot din ito sa komite." Rep. Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers Partylist stated.

(In the end, it will still be presented to the committee. So this bill still cannot pass and be approved without being brought to the committee — unfortunately, an executive session was the method used, but in the end, it will still reach the committee.)

The groups also challenged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to certify as urgent the pending bills seeking a wage increase for workers.

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There is no perceived threat to the security of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. from the protest staged by a religious group at Edsa.

The Palace also responded to Vice President Sara Duterte's criticisms of the administration.

The Palace emphasized that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. respects the rights of every Filipino, particularly when it comes to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. 

However, according to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, it becomes a different matter when laws are violated.

"Ang Pangulo naman ay nirerespeto ang karapatan ng bawat tao, ang freedom of expression, ang freedom of assembly pero hindi kinikilala ng Pangulo ang mga pang-aabuso na kaakibat dito." 

(The President respects the right of every person, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, but the President does not recognize the abuses that come with it.)

According to Malacañang, because of the surprise rally held yesterday at EDSA in the White Plains area of Quezon City, many people were inconvenienced on their way to work and school. 

This was because a large portion of EDSA was blocked due to the protest.

The rally staged by the religious group was not seen as posing any threat to the President's security.

"Wala pong nakikitang threat dahil alam naman po ng Pangulo na ang kaniyang ginagawa ay para sa taumbayan. So, kung mayroon lang po sigurong mga ibang interes o interes ng ibang grupo, interes ng iilang tao, hindi po siya dapat na maging hadlang sa pagpapatupad ng Pangulo at ng administrasyong ito ng batas." 

(There is no threat seen because the President knows that what he is doing is for the people. So, if there are perhaps other interests or the interest of other groups, the interest of a few people, that should not become a hindrance to the implementation of the law by the President and this administration.)

The Palace also countered the accusation made by Vice President Sara Duterte against the Marcos administration, following recent events which she claimed were the result of poor governance.

Usec. Castro maintained that the cases filed against several personalities are the result of law enforcement and not persecution of the administration's critics. 

She said the government is now more active in investigating irregularities, including the flood control projects anomaly, which she claimed was not given attention by the previous administration.

"Hindi maaaring magturo basta ang Bise Presidente dahil ngayon lang po nagpaimbestiga nang ganito ang Pangulong Marcos Jr. Iyong mga nakaraan na nagkaroon ng pang-aabuso sa pondo, maybe through Build, Build, Build, nag-crossover pa sa panahon ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. Kaya nga po noong napansin, nakita, nagpaimbestiga." 

(The Vice President cannot simply point fingers just because President Marcos Jr. is only now investigating like this. Those past cases where there was abuse of funds, maybe through Build, Build, Build, even carried over into the term of President Marcos Jr. That is why, once it was noticed, seen, an investigation was conducted.)

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Malacañang said it is open to studying any proposed measure seeking to amend existing laws toward stricter gun ownership regulations in the country.

This came in the wake of the shooting tragedy at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, where three students were killed.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said that if gun owners cannot be responsible with their firearms, then tighter regulations are warranted.

"Depende sa magiging proposal kung ito naman ay makakabuti talaga sa lalong proteksyon at seguridad, hindi naman kailangang sobrang mabigyan ng leeway sa pagbibigay ng armas lalo't di ka naman responsable," Castro said.

("It depends on what the proposal will be — if it will truly be beneficial for greater protection and security, there is no need to be overly lenient in granting the privilege of bearing arms, especially if you are not responsible.")

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The Department of Education (DepEd) has cleared the teachers and principal of San Jose National High School in Tacloban City of any liability in connection with the shooting incident that took place on the school grounds.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara visited the school on Monday and emphasized that the primary accountability for the violence should fall on whoever supplied the firearm used by the two student-shooters.

"Well sinabi rin naman ng PNP 'to, papanagutin kung kanino nanggaling ang baril, hindi naman natural na may baril ang mga bata," Angara said.

["The PNP also said this — whoever the gun came from will be held accountable. It is not natural for children to have guns."]

This came amid mounting calls from various sectors urging authorities to hold the school's teachers and principal accountable, citing alleged negligence that allowed the firearms to be brought onto campus.

Angara, however, stood firm in his position, noting that the teachers' swift actions may have in fact prevented a higher death toll.

"Kasi kung hindi dahil sa mga guro mas maraming namatay dito, yung principal hindi rin siguro," he said.

["Because if not for the teachers, more people would have died here — and probably the principal too."]

The secretary also expressed his desire to speak directly with the student-suspects to understand their mindset at the time of the incident.

"Hindi pa po. I'd like to talk to them just to... with the view to understand ano yung mindset nila," Angara said when asked if he had already spoken with the suspects.

["Not yet. I'd like to talk to them just to... with the view to understand what their mindset was."]

Angara also disclosed that DepEd is currently reviewing emergency protocols on how students should respond in the event of a shooting, noting that such protocols were previously not considered necessary.

"I think what we have now is yung ano yung protocol which we never have before, ano yung protocol kapag may namamaril na. It's something we never thought applicable pero meron palang ganyan. Si Sec. Herbosa nagsabi sa akin, so ano yung da-drop na kayo, ano yung behavior to minimize yung loss and deaths," Angara said.

["I think what we have now is a protocol we never had before — a protocol for when there is a shooting. It's something we never thought applicable, but it turns out there is one. Secretary Herbosa told me about it — so what you need to do is drop, and what behavior minimizes losses and deaths."]

Earlier in the day, Angara met with the teachers of San Jose National High School and pledged psychosocial support for them. He also visited the students recovering at Leyte Provincial Hospital.

Meanwhile, the Cavite provincial government announced it will be providing metal detectors to both public and private schools in the province, following a series of stabbing incidents on school grounds recorded there last week.

According to Police Lieutenant Sara Jane Drio, chief of the Cavite Police Provincial Office Public Information Office, the initiative aims to further strengthen security and ensure the safety of students, teachers, and other school personnel.

"Layunin po nito na higit pang mapalakas ang seguridad at matiyak ang kaligtasan ng mga mag-aaral, mga guro, at iba pang mga kawani ng paaralan," Drio said.

["The goal is to further strengthen security and ensure the safety of students, teachers, and other school personnel."]

Once the metal detectors are procured and delivered to the schools, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will conduct seminars to train guards on how to properly operate the equipment.

"Ise-seminar po siguro ng PNP lahat po ng mga guards na nandoon sa mga eskwelahan para lalo po nating maisaayos ang seguridad ng mga paaralan," Drio added.

["The PNP will likely conduct seminars for all guards assigned to schools so that we can further improve school security."]

Angara likewise called on the police to ensure security both inside and outside school premises to prevent future incidents of violence.

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A purported shooting threat targeting students at Batangas City Integrated High School (BCIHS) prompted the school to suspend all classes and on-site activities beginning Monday, June 29, 2026, until further notice.

The threat was received through the school's official social media page late Sunday night, according to Philippine National Police (PNP) public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co, who disclosed details during a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday.

Co said the message came from an individual who identified themselves as a Grade 10 student claiming to have been bullied by peers.

"I will shoot or stab you all in Grades 7, 8, 9, 10. I'm a Grade 10 student. You don't know me, but you bully me," Co paraphrased the threat during the briefing.

Investigators initially identified the sender as an unidentified individual, but Co noted that authorities were not ruling out the possibility that the account used a fictitious name.

In response to the threat, the BCIHS School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (SDRRM) Coordinator issued an urgent announcement suspending all classes and advising learners, teaching and non-teaching personnel, and parents not to enter or proceed to school premises while the suspension remains in effect.

The school administration said it was coordinating with law enforcement authorities regarding the matter, and urged the school community to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information, and rely only on official communications from BCIHS.

Co said the decision on how long the school would suspend classes would be left to the Department of Education (DepEd).

Further updates on the resumption of classes will be issued once the situation has been assessed and the safety of the school community has been ensured, the school said.

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