DEPED CANCELS THE NATIONWIDE ACTIVE-ATTACK DRILL

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in an interview with DZMM TeleRadyo that the nationwide active-attack drill planned for August 25 has been cancelled.

The Department of Education had directed public and private elementary and secondary schools to test their response plans at the same time. The Philippine Psychiatric Association and the Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry later urged the department to defer the live exercise. They supported stronger school security while warning that a poorly designed simulation could frighten children, cause distress, or expose them to unnecessary psychological harm.

The cancellation does not settle the larger school-safety problem. Schools still need clear emergency procedures, controlled access, trained personnel, reliable communication with parents, and plans suited to the age and needs of their students. Preparedness must protect children physically without carelessly harming them psychologically.

BARMM PREPARES FOR ITS FIRST PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION

About 2.4 million voters in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are scheduled to elect an 80-member parliament on September 14. The vote will end a seven-year transition during which the regional parliament was composed of presidential appointees.

Forty seats will be distributed among regional political parties according to their share of the vote. Thirty-two will be decided in parliamentary districts, while eight are reserved for sectoral representatives. Voters will not directly elect the chief minister. The new parliament will choose that official from among its members.

The election will test whether the Bangsamoro political settlement can produce a representative government while managing clan influence, security concerns, and the unfinished work of the peace process.

DIGITAL BANK TRANSFERS PASS ₱19 TRILLION

Transactions made through InstaPay and PESONet reached a combined ₱19.16 trillion from January to July, based on Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data reported by the Manila Times. That was 44.8 percent higher than the ₱13.23 trillion recorded in the same period last year.

The figures show how quickly money transfers are moving away from cash and checks. They also raise practical questions about transfer fees, fraud protection, service interruptions, and what happens to users who have weak internet access or limited digital skills. Bigger transaction numbers are useful, but the quality and cost of the service still count.

BOHOL PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE DROUGHT

Bohol remains vulnerable to dry conditions as officials monitor the possible effects of El Niño. The provincial government reactivated its El Niño task force earlier this year and prepared measures covering water supply, agriculture, health, power, and emergency response.

The province has discussed drought-resistant crops, irrigation support, water conservation, planting materials, farm reservoirs, and possible cloud-seeding operations. Drought can affect farms, food prices, household income, and public health before taps run dry.

HABAGAT STILL BRINGS RAIN TO PARTS OF LUZON

PAGASA said the southwest monsoon would bring cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms over the Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro on Monday. The rest of the country may experience isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, especially in the afternoon or evening.

After weeks of damaging weather, saturated ground, damaged roads, and swollen waterways can remain dangerous after the heaviest rain has passed. Residents in affected areas should continue checking local advisories rather than relying only on the weather outside their windows.