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FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

12:00 PM5-minute read

ABOUT THE PROPOSED RULES ON SECONDHAND PHONES

A secondhand phone can put a useful device within reach of someone who cannot afford a new one. The problem comes when the buyer has no clear information about where it came from, what condition it is in, or who will fix it if it fails.

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8:35 PM6-minute read

ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT’S DECISION ON THE IMPEACHMENT VOTE THRESHOLD

The Supreme Court dismissed three petitions on September 30 challenging how the Senate impeachment court would count the votes needed to convict Vice President Sara Duterte. The dismissal leaves the Senate’s September 23 ruling in place, but it needs to be read carefully. A case can be dismissed because it does not meet the requirements for the Court to hear it, without settling whether the challenged action is constitutional.

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6:12 AM6-minute read

ABOUT WHAT BASTE DUTERTE SHOULD HAVE CHECKED AS MAYOR

Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte told the Senate impeachment court on September 29 that he had been unfamiliar with GenCorp Industries Inc. before it came up in the proceedings. He also said he did not know about Vice President Sara Duterte’s declared business interest in the company.

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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 READER PULSE · MCT-PULSE-2026-010

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MCT DAILY BRIEF

Senate impeachment court proceedings. Photo: Joseph Vidal / Senate of the Philippines.

The impeachment trial is moving toward testimony from banks and financial firms, while a dispute over ride-hailing fares puts drivers and passengers in the middle. Elsewhere, the government is preparing for a stronger El Niño, the Coast Guard is challenging a Chinese research vessel near Batanes, and new fish-import rules raise questions about supply and prices.

1

BANKS AND FINANCIAL FIRMS SUMMONED IN SARA DUTERTE TRIAL

The Senate impeachment court has ordered representatives of seven banks and seven insurance and financial firms to appear in Vice President Sara Duterte's trial on October 6. The October 1 order followed the prosecution's request to present financial evidence.

The court also canceled the October 2 hearing and moved the appearance of Anti-Money Laundering Council executive director Ronel Buenaventura to October 5. The defense was given more time to prepare for his testimony and the large volume of records involved.

A subpoena is an order to appear or produce records. It does not establish that Duterte or any of the institutions committed wrongdoing. The witnesses' explanations, the documents they identify, and the defense's questions will help the court decide what the records actually prove.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch the AMLC testimony scheduled for October 5 and the bank and financial-firm appearances scheduled for October 6. Pay attention to what the witnesses can establish from their records and which claims remain disputed.

2

LTFRB ASKS 19 RIDE-HAILING FIRMS TO EXPLAIN FARE COMPLAINTS

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has issued show-cause orders to 19 transport network companies following complaints that they failed to fully implement the approved fare increase. The firms have been asked to explain why their authority to operate should not be suspended or canceled. A hearing is scheduled for October 7.

The approved base fares are ₱65 for sedans, ₱75 for AUVs and SUVs, ₱55 for hatchbacks, and ₱165 for premium vehicles. Each is ₱20 higher than the previous base fare. These are starting charges, so they should not be mistaken for the full cost of a trip.

Drivers pay for the fuel used during trips. The dispute affects how much they receive and how much passengers are charged. The orders begin a process in which the companies must answer the complaints; they do not mean the firms have already lost their operating authority.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch the companies' explanations and the October 7 hearing. Passengers and drivers should keep trip receipts showing the fare breakdown if they need to question how a charge was calculated.

3

EL NIÑO PREPARATIONS NEED TO REACH HOUSEHOLDS AND FARMS

Malacañang said on October 1 that government agencies are preparing assistance for farmers and fisherfolk and coordinating measures for water supply, irrigation, and food production. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the lead agency for the El Niño task force was still under discussion.

Castro identified ₱6.2 billion for agriculture assistance. Separately, the 2026 budget contains a ₱39.82-billion national disaster fund that can support responses to climate-related events. Adding those amounts together should not suggest that the entire sum is a new fund devoted only to El Niño, or that it has already reached beneficiaries.

PAGASA says a strong El Niño is already active and is expected to intensify into a very strong event between September and December 2026, with conditions persisting into the first half of 2027. This raises the risk of below-normal rainfall and drought in affected areas.

For families, the practical questions are whether water service remains dependable and whether farms have enough water to keep producing food. Announced funding and preparations need to lead to working irrigation, clear water advisories, and assistance that reaches the people who qualify. A budget announcement alone cannot show that those services have been delivered.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch PAGASA's area-specific outlooks, water-provider advisories, and the DA's assistance schedules. These will show where the risks are growing and when affected farmers can actually receive help.

4

COAST GUARD CHALLENGES CHINESE RESEARCH VESSEL NEAR BATANES

The Philippine Coast Guard deployed BRP Teresa Magbanua and an aircraft on October 1 to challenge the Chinese research vessel Jia Hai Ke 7 off Itbayat, Batanes. The PCG said the vessel was conducting marine scientific research without Philippine consent inside the country's exclusive economic zone.

According to the PCG, the vessel began moving away from its position late that morning, and the Philippine patrol ship continued to follow it. Movement away from that position should not be read as confirmation that it had already left the Philippine EEZ.

The dispute concerns research activity in waters where the Philippines has rights over resources and jurisdiction over marine scientific research. Those rights differ from full sovereignty over territorial waters. Keeping that clear helps readers understand what the Coast Guard is challenging without treating every foreign vessel's passage through the EEZ as unlawful.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch for the PCG's confirmation of the vessel's subsequent location and any response from China. Claims about the purpose of the research should be weighed against evidence, rather than treated as established espionage.

5

NEW RULES TIGHTEN CONDITIONS FOR FISH IMPORTS

The Department of Agriculture has issued additional rules for the 250,000-metric-ton fish-import program covering the off and closed fishing season. Department Circular 53, dated September 29, sets conditions for the portion assigned to Kadiwa and for additional allocations to qualified importers.

The program reserves 10,000 metric tons for Kadiwa. Fish imported under that allocation must go through authorized Kadiwa centers or stores unless the DA gives written permission for another distribution channel. Importers and participating stores must keep records of where the fish goes and how it is sold.

The circular also links additional import allocations to verified arrivals and use of earlier allocations. Import permission alone does not mean fish has arrived in the market. For consumers, the useful results will be available supply and affordable prices. For local fishers, the timing and volume of imported fish deserve close attention because they may affect the prices buyers offer for local catch.

WHAT TO WATCH

October 31 is the reference date for the circular's performance-based incentives. Watch actual arrivals, Kadiwa availability, and market prices to see whether the program is helping consumers while protecting local livelihoods.

BOTTOM LINE

The coming week brings scheduled testimony, a fare hearing, and decisions that can affect household expenses. Each deserves follow-through: what the financial records establish, how fares are applied, and whether preparations for food and water shortages produce services people can use.

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