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FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

10:45 PM7-minute read

ABOUT THE OCTOBER WATER-RATE INCREASES

Metro Manila households served by Maynilad and Manila Water will see slightly higher water charges beginning October 1. The announced increases are small for many residential customers, but the figures vary by concessionaire and consumption level. That makes it easy to misunderstand a notice expressed only in centavos per cubic meter.

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7:21 AM6-minute read

ABOUT THE NOTE HANDED TO GIBO TEODORO IN SEOUL

Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. was answering questions at the Seoul Defense Dialogue on September 8 when a man handed him a note. He read it aloud, challenged its rejection of the 2016 South China Sea ruling and objected to being interrupted that way.

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9:55 AM8-minute read

ABOUT EL NIÑO AND PREPARING FOR LESS RAIN

It can be raining outside while PAGASA warns about El Niño. That can sound confusing when the immediate problem is a wet road or a flooded field. The two warnings describe different periods: the weather happening now and the rainfall conditions that may develop over the coming months.

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5:30 AM8-minute read

ABOUT THE NEW ARREST WARRANTS AGAINST ZALDY CO, MARTIN ROMUALDEZ AND TWO OTHERS

The Sandiganbayan has ordered the arrest of Zaldy Co, Martin Romualdez and two other accused in the plunder case filed on September 7. By Monday evening, authorities had served Romualdez's warrant and carried out booking procedures at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan. His arrest is a confirmed development; it does not establish that his three co-accused are also in custody.

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3:15 PM8-minute read

ABOUT THE PLUNDER CASE AGAINST MARTIN ROMUALDEZ

The Office of the Ombudsman filed a plunder case against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez at the Sandiganbayan on September 7 over his alleged involvement in flood-control kickbacks. The accusations have now reached the court that will handle the criminal case. Romualdez denies wrongdoing and remains presumed innocent.

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1:18 PM7-minute read

ABOUT THE NEW SWS POVERTY NUMBERS

Self-rated poverty and food poverty declined in June, but the figures also show how many Filipino families remain under pressure and why lower household budgets do not necessarily mean life became cheaper.

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2:02 PM11-minute read

ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY ACT

House Bill No. 9965 would bar children below 13 from having social media accounts, require parental consent for users aged 13 to 17, regulate platform algorithms, and impose fines reaching P50 million. It is still being deliberated in the House.

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12:02 PM7-minute read

ABOUT THE SEALED BIR BOX

Marcos authorized the BIR to comply with the Senate subpoena. That did not open the records to the public or prove the unexplained-wealth allegation.

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MCT DAILY BRIEF

AI-generated illustration of a Philippine gas-station attendant refueling a jeepney carrying passengers.

Higher fuel costs greet motorists this Tuesday, while the impeachment court returns to corporate records. In the Visayas, a power-plant outage strained electricity reserves yesterday. Manila's Martial Law anniversary protests also renewed demands for accountability over corruption.

1

WHAT GASOLINE COSTS AFTER TODAY'S INCREASE

Shell and Petron announced increases of ₱4.80 per liter for gasoline, ₱7.80 for diesel, and ₱6.40 for kerosene effective 6 a.m. today. Their diesel adjustment is staggered: another ₱1 per liter follows on September 23.

For a gasoline price guide, the latest DOE Metro Manila monitoring for September 15 to 21 listed common prices of ₱83.10 per liter for RON 91 and ₱91.40 for RON 95. Adding today's announced ₱4.80 increase gives estimated benchmarks of ₱87.90 per liter for RON 91 and ₱96.20 for RON 95.

Those are calculations from last week's monitored prices, not a fresh survey of today's pumps. Actual prices vary by station, brand, grade, and location. At a station applying the ₱4.80 increase, buying the same 20 liters of gasoline costs ₱96 more than before the adjustment.

WHAT TO WATCH

Check the posted price and fuel grade before filling up. Diesel users should also check whether their station is applying the increase in stages, with a further adjustment tomorrow.

2

THE SEC WITNESS RETURNS; BASTE'S APPEARANCE MOVES TO NEXT WEEK

Securities and Exchange Commission official Gerardo del Rosario is scheduled to return to the impeachment court today for further questions. The proceedings concern Article II and allegations involving Vice President Sara Duterte's wealth, disclosures, and business interests. Those allegations remain subject to the court's evaluation.

The court has reset the subpoena dates for Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, lawyer Gary Samonte, and Police Major Jerickson Sangalang to September 28 to 30. Oral arguments on the voting threshold are scheduled for September 23.

For readers following the records, the useful question today is what the witness can establish from documents, and what remains an inference or a disputed interpretation. A recorded company position and a conclusion about a constitutional violation require separate consideration.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch for the court's actual rulings, the questions answered by the SEC witness, and any change to the September 23 and September 28 to 30 schedules.

3

PLANT OUTAGE STRAINS VISAYAS POWER RESERVES

The Visayas grid was placed under yellow alert on Monday, September 21, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. after a generating unit tripped. NGCP reported available capacity of 2,500 megawatts against a peak demand of 2,426 megawatts in its afternoon advisory.

A yellow alert means electricity reserves are insufficient to meet the grid's contingency requirement. It does not automatically mean rotating power cuts. The narrow margin leaves less room to cope when another generating unit fails or demand rises.

For households and small businesses, any interruption notice from their electricity distributor will identify the affected areas and hours. Yesterday's alert covered a specific four-hour period; it was not an announcement of power cuts for today.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch for the return of unavailable generating units and any local notice of scheduled or emergency power interruptions, especially during the late-afternoon and evening hours covered by yesterday's alert.

4

MARTIAL LAW ANNIVERSARY RALLIES RENEW CALLS AGAINST CORRUPTION

Progressive groups rallied in Manila yesterday, September 21, marking the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law and renewing demands for accountability over corruption. Sanlakas linked the remembrance of Martial Law abuses to continuing anger over the flood-control scandal.

There was tension between police and some participants. News5 reported that two student protesters accused of spray-painting a center island were briefly held and released after talks with organizers. Police disputed describing the incident as an arrest, saying those involved were restrained and then immediately released.

NCRPO described the protest as generally peaceful. The incident should be understood alongside the demonstrators' stated demands: remembering abuses under Martial Law and holding those responsible for corruption accountable.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch for any formal complaints arising from the police-protester encounter, and for concrete action on the corruption cases raised by demonstrators, including filed charges, court rulings, or recovered public funds.

5

PLAN FOR RAIN, THEN CHECK THE LOCAL ADVISORY

PAGASA's selected-cities outlook for Tuesday gives Metro Manila an 80 percent chance of rain, with temperatures of 25 to 33 degrees Celsius. Puerto Princesa has a 60 percent chance of rain and a temperature range of 26 to 31 degrees Celsius.

Those forecasts are useful for planning a trip or an outdoor errand. They do not say that rain will fall continuously, or that every neighborhood will receive the same amount. A city forecast also cannot replace a later, more specific thunderstorm or heavy-rainfall warning.

Bring rain protection and check conditions near your departure time, especially if your route includes roads that flood easily.

WHAT TO WATCH

Check the latest PAGASA rainfall and thunderstorm advisories for your actual location, along with any local road or class announcements. Use the advisory's issue time and affected areas.

BOTTOM LINE

The fuel increase adds to today's household and transport costs. Tight power reserves and possible rain also affect daily plans. Yesterday's rallies brought demands for accountability back into the streets; the next test is what happens in investigations, prosecutions, and the recovery of public money.

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