Abbey Macalanda

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing to strengthen the authority of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to impose heavier and more proportionate penalties on power sector players that fail to meet project deadlines.

During a joint Senate hearing of the Committee on Energy with the Committees on Public Services; Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation; and Finance, on November 6, 2025, the Transmission Corporation (TransCo) and Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) presented their findings on delays in numerous transmission projects.

According to TransCo’s assessment, 56.63% or 141 out of 249 transmission projects did not meet their target completion dates. Of these, 100 were finished beyond schedule, while 41 remain ongoing and delayed. TransCo also noted that some projects remain unassessed because of their limited access to records, as NGCP only allows reviews of financial-related documents.

NGCP’s legal counsel, Atty. Lally Mallari, defended the company, saying they have “extensively addressed the allegations” of non-compliance with their concession agreement. She explained that unassessed projects are still under contractors and, therefore, not yet considered transmission projects.

However, TransCo disagreed, emphasizing that ongoing transmission projects are already part of NGCP’s obligations under the concession agreement.

“The bulk [of projects] are delayed — ganun na lang ba talaga ang buhay?” Senator Pia Cayetano remarked, expressing frustration over the recurring issue of project delays.

Senator Gatchalian echoed this concern, highlighting that existing penalties are too small to deter large companies. He cited that in 2024, the ERC fined NGCP ₱15 million for 34 delayed projects — a minimal amount compared to its ₱17 billion net profit that year.

“Yung mga ganitong kumikita ng bilyon, dapat ang penalties hindi 15 million. Dapat hundreds of millions, at least, para maramdaman nila,” Gatchalian said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. presided over a situation briefing at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) headquarters on November 6, 2025, where he announced the approval of a recommendation to declare a State of National Calamity in response to the widespread damage caused by Typhoon Tino.

The declaration enables the government to accelerate its response to affected areas and prepare for the anticipated arrival of Typhoon Uwan, which meteorologists warn could intensify into a super typhoon.

During the briefing, PBBM emphasized that the declaration would significantly expedite government assistance to typhoon victims across the country.

"This gives us quicker access to emergency funds, and secondly, it accelerates procurement processes. We will not need to go through usual bureaucratic procedures to immediately provide assistance to the victims of the storms," the President stated.

The State of National Calamity designation allows government agencies to bypass standard procurement procedures and immediately access emergency funds for relief operations, ensuring faster delivery of aid to affected communities.

The President personally assessed the situation in areas severely impacted by Typhoon Tino, with particular attention to the devastation in Cebu province. 

The scope of the disaster influenced his decision to approve the NDRRMC's recommendation.

"Because of the scope of problem areas that have been hit by Tino and will be hit by Uwan, there was a proposal from the NDRRMC, which I approved, to declare a national calamity. Almost 10 regions have been affected, so with that many areas and such scope, it constitutes a national calamity," President Marcos explained.

As the nation grapples with Typhoon Tino's aftermath, the President has directed all government agencies to prepare for Typhoon Uwan's anticipated landfall. 

Weather authorities have warned that Uwan could potentially strengthen into a super typhoon, posing an additional threat to regions already reeling from Tino's impact.

The declaration comes as disaster response teams continue rescue and relief operations in the hardest-hit areas, with the government mobilizing resources to provide immediate assistance to displaced families and communities affected by flooding and infrastructure damage.

The NDRRMC continues to monitor the situation closely and coordinate with local government units to ensure comprehensive disaster response measures are in place before Typhoon Uwan makes landfall.

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On November 5. 2025, Nawat Itsaragrisil, National Director of Miss Universe Thailand, apologized to Miss Universe delegates including Miss Philippines Athisa Manalo and over 120 other contestants after confronting Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch the previous day.

During the grand opening ceremony of the 74th Miss Universe pageant at Bravo BKK, Itsaragrisil publicly apologized for an incident where he had confronted Bosch about missing a sponsor shoot, causing her and several other delegates including reigning Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Theilvig to walk out of the November 4 sashing ceremony.

The opening ceremony took place at Bravo BKK in Bangkok, Thailand, where the pageant activities are being held before the final coronation at Impact Arena in Muang Thong Thani on November 21.

Itsaragrisil cited intense pressure from organizing the event and assured delegates he would strive to be the best host for this year's competition, aligning with the pageant's theme "The Power of Love." 

The Miss Universe Organization's President Raúl Rocha condemned the incident and restricted Itsaragrisil's future participation in official events.

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Today, as you race for the MRT, chase another deadline, or stretch your salary to the next cutoff, let's name what we rarely say out loud. The weight you carry is real.

Maybe you're the breadwinner calculating how to split your pay between bills, tuition, and your parents' maintenance medicine. 

Maybe you're a student drowning in requirements while working part-time to help at home. 

Maybe you're at the office, pretending everything's okay while your mind races about your family's needs, your future, and that promotion you desperately need but might not get.

We Filipinos are experts at pushing through. 

"Kapit lang," we tell ourselves. "Para sa pamilya." We wear our exhaustion like a badge of honor, as if suffering in silence makes us better providers, better children, better students. 

We joke about being "okay lang ako,” or “kaya pa ‘yan” when we're clearly not, because admitting we're tired feels like admitting defeat.

But the truth is, that chest pain during meetings isn't normal. Crying in the CR between classes isn't just part of student life. 

Working yourself sick won't make you a hero to your family if you're too burned out to be present for them. 

Your siblings need a kuya or ate who's alive and well, not just a walking ATM. 

Your parents need a child who'll be around for years, not someone who collapses at 35 from stress.

Taking a break isn't being "tamad." It's not "mahina." It's not betraying your family's sacrifices. 

When you rest, you're not wasting the opportunities your parents worked hard to give you. You're making sure you'll be strong enough to make the most of them.

So today, give yourself permission to breathe. Not after you've sent that last remittance. Not after finals week. Not after you've proven yourself worthy. 

Right now.

Start small. Take your full lunch break instead of eating at your desk. Walk around the block instead of scrolling through social media. Tell your family you need 30 minutes of quiet time after work. 

Say no to that “side hustle” if your body is begging for sleep. These aren't luxuries. They're necessities.

To every breadwinner reading this: Your family needs you healthy more than they need that extra thousand pesos from overtime.

To every student: Your dreams won't disappear if you take one evening off from studying.

To everyone struggling: You're not alone. We're all fighting battles nobody else sees.

The work will still be there tomorrow. The responsibilities won't disappear. But neither should you. 

You deserve to exist as more than just someone who provides, achieves, or endures. You deserve rest, peace, and moments of joy.

Today, choose yourself too. Because taking care of yourself isn't abandoning your responsibilities. It's making sure you'll be around long enough to see them through.

Kaya mo ‘yan, Kabayan! But you don't have to do it all today.

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50% of Filipino families consider themselves poor, according to the Social Weather Stations survey released last October 30, 2025, marking a one percentage point increase from 49% in June 2025.

The September 2025 survey results translate to approximately 14.2 million households nationwide, up from 13.7 million families in June. Meanwhile, 12% of families classify themselves as borderline poor, rising two points from June, while 38% say they are not poor, down three points from 41% in the previous quarter.

Malacañang downplayed the survey findings on Tuesday, calling the study a "subjective indicator of well-being" while highlighting government achievements in poverty reduction programs.

"Unang-una po, alam naman po natin ang survey ng SWS ay subjective indicator of well-being,” [First of all, we know that the SWS survey is a subjective indicator of well-being,"] Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters.

“Aalamin po, aaralin po kung saan ito nanggagaling, kung may kakulangan at kung saan may kakulangan at aalamin din po ang pinaka-official data mula sa PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority) na siyang gumagamit ng objective and income-based measure,”

["We will study where this is coming from, if there are shortcomings and where there are shortcomings, and we will also look at the most official data from the PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority), which uses an objective and income-based measure."]

Castro emphasized that the government would not ignore the survey results.

“But still, hindi po naman ito magbibingi-bingihan ang gobyerno at lahat naman po ng ating madidinig ay papakinggan po para mas maging maganda pa po ang serbisyo ng pamahalaan sa ating mga kababayan,” she said.

["Still, the government will not turn a deaf ear and everything we hear will be listened to so that government service to our countrymen can be improved."]

The Palace spokesperson pointed to other government reports showing positive economic indicators. Castro noted that the Philippines has recorded a 96.1% employment rate in recent months, while inflation has remained within the government's target at 1.7%.

She also highlighted various social welfare programs currently being implemented. 

Castro also noted that 860,471 members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) have graduated from the conditional cash transfer program. 

Despite the survey results, Malacañang expressed confidence that the Philippines can overcome economic challenges, including the weakening peso. The Palace cited an expected increase in remittances during the holiday season and strong tourism as positive factors for the economy.

The Palace indicated it would provide additional comments once President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s economic managers issue a statement on the poverty survey results.

The SWS survey, conducted from September 24 to 30, interviewed 1,500 adults nationwide through face-to-face interviews. The sample included 300 respondents from Metro Manila, 600 from Balance Luzon, 300 from the Visayas, and 300 from Mindanao, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points for national figures.

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