HABAGAT WILL BRING RAIN TO MUCH OF THE COUNTRY

The southwest monsoon, or habagat, will bring rain to much of the Philippines today, according to PAGASA’s forecast carried by the Philippine News Agency.

Occasional rains are expected in Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales and Bataan. Metro Manila and several provinces in Northern and Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Mindoro may experience scattered rains and thunderstorms. Moderate to heavy rainfall can cause flash floods or landslides.

The rest of Luzon and the Visayas may experience isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the habagat. Localized thunderstorms may affect Mindanao.

PAGASA was also monitoring a low-pressure area about 1,075 kilometers east of Northern Luzon at 2 a.m. It had a medium chance of developing into a tropical cyclone within 24 hours. That assessment can change as the weather system moves.

For households, the immediate concern is not only whether it will rain. Roads can become impassable, travel times can lengthen and classes or work arrangements may change at short notice. People in flood- and landslide-prone areas should follow PAGASA and local-government advisories rather than rely on old screenshots circulating online.

THE PROPOSED LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FUND HAS REACHED ₱58.32 BILLION

The proposed 2027 national budget contains ₱58.32 billion for the Local Government Support Fund, or LGSF. It would be the largest amount proposed for the fund.

The LGSF is separate from the ₱1.32 trillion National Tax Allotment that local governments are entitled to receive. The largest proposed component is ₱37.49 billion in financial assistance to local government units. The remaining money is described as support for the Growth Equity Fund, the Barangay Development Program and participatory budgeting.

A published breakdown of the four components does not arithmetically match the stated ₱58.32-billion total. MCT is therefore not treating the remaining component amounts as settled until they can be checked against the detailed 2027 National Expenditure Program table.

The fund can support health, education, food assistance, infrastructure, livelihoods and other local needs. Those are legitimate public purposes. The concern raised by former Finance undersecretary Cielo Magno and budget watchdogs is that unclear selection rules can allow national officials to favor particular local governments.

The amount is still part of a proposed budget. Congress can change it before the General Appropriations Act is approved, and the President can veto individual provisions.

For residents, the important question is not simply whether their town receives a project. The public should be able to see why that project was selected, how much it costs, who implements it and whether local governments with greater need receive a fair share.

THE SENATE SAYS CIVILIAN AGENCIES WILL NOT RECEIVE CONFIDENTIAL FUNDS IN ITS 2027 BUDGET VERSION

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian says the Senate will maintain its position that civilian agencies should not receive confidential funds in the 2027 national budget.

He cited agencies such as the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Department of Transportation as offices that should not receive these funds. He said confidential and intelligence funds should be limited to agencies with clear law-enforcement or national-security responsibilities, including the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine Coast Guard and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.

Confidential expenses are used for surveillance and related activities in civilian agencies. Some operational details are not disclosed publicly, which makes legislative limits and strict auditing especially important.

This is the Senate leadership’s stated position while the budget is still being prepared and reviewed. It is not yet the final 2027 appropriations law. The House may propose different amounts, and the two chambers would have to reconcile their versions.

For taxpayers, the issue is whether an agency genuinely needs secrecy to perform its legal mandate. A civilian office should not receive confidential funds merely because its work involves sensitive problems.

MAHARLIKA’S PLANNED ₱19.7-BILLION GRID INVESTMENT IS STILL BEING NEGOTIATED

The Department of Energy hopes the Maharlika Investment Corporation can complete its proposed ₱19.7-billion investment connected to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines before the end of the year.

The plan is for Maharlika to acquire a 20 percent stake in Synergy Grid and Development Philippines Inc., or SGP. SGP holds 60 percent of the voting rights in NGCP, the private company operating the country’s power-transmission grid. China’s State Grid Corporation holds the remaining 40 percent of NGCP.

If completed under the terms previously announced, Maharlika would receive two board seats in SGP and two in NGCP. Maharlika chief executive Rafael Consing has said the objective is to gain visibility and influence, not control daily operations.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said negotiations had improved and that some terms were being modified. No completed transaction has been announced.

For electricity consumers, board representation could give the government better access to information about grid finances and planning. It does not automatically solve transmission delays, prevent power interruptions or give Maharlika control of NGCP. The public also needs to know whether the expected benefits justify investing ₱19.7 billion in public funds.

AFRICAN SWINE FEVER HAS BEEN CONFIRMED IN PARTS OF CAMARINES SUR

African swine fever has been detected in Iriga City, Naga City and the municipality of Nabua in Camarines Sur.

Provincial authorities reported that six hog raisers were affected and 10 pigs were culled. The cases were detected between July 28 and August 7 and confirmed through laboratory testing. Local governments have begun surveillance, disinfection, movement restrictions and other containment measures.

African swine fever does not infect people, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry. It can spread quickly among pigs and cause serious losses for farmers. Uncontrolled outbreaks can also reduce supply and add pressure to pork prices.

Authorities separately seized 94.9 kilograms of undocumented or improperly handled meat in Bula on August 12. That enforcement action should not be read as proof that all pork from the province is unsafe. Consumers should buy meat bearing the proper inspection marks and avoid products from unknown sources.

For backyard raisers, early reporting is essential. Hiding sick or dead pigs can allow the virus to spread to neighboring farms and make the eventual losses larger.