NEW FROM MCT · CONTINUING RECORDThe Sara Duterte Impeachment TrialFollow the hearing day by day, read the documents in plain language and see what each side says, what remains disputed and what the courts have actually decided.I’m still working through parts of the record. Published material is based on documents already reviewed, and anything awaiting confirmation is clearly marked.Open the tracker →

LATEST COMMENTARY

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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

MCT READER SURVEY

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MCT DAILY BRIEF

A worn Philippine kitchen with an LPG cylinder safely placed beneath the counter and a stove above it.

Cooking gas is getting more expensive, small businesses are being offered temporary help with wage increases, and lawmakers are proposing more money for hospital assistance. Here are five developments to follow today, including what has been announced, what still needs approval, and what people should expect next.

1

LPG increases begin today under an announced staggered schedule

LPG Marketers Association founder Arnel Ty announced a proposed ₱18 per kilogram increase spread across October: ₱10 on October 3, another ₱5 on October 10, and ₱3 on October 17. GMA reported that Regasco would implement the first ₱10 increase today.

For an 11 kilogram refill, a ₱10 per kilogram increase means an additional ₱110. If the full ₱18 increase is implemented, the added cost would reach ₱198 compared with the price before these adjustments. These are calculations of the increase, rather than a single selling price for every brand and retailer.

Families who cook with LPG will feel this directly. Small eateries also need to account for a higher cooking cost. Before buying, ask your dealer for the price of your usual brand and cylinder size, since the announced schedule does not establish one price for every seller.

WHAT TO WATCH

Check your dealer’s actual October 3 price, then watch for company announcements confirming whether the October 10 and October 17 increases will proceed.

2

Qualified small businesses can seek temporary help with wage increases

DOLE’s Sagip-Trabaho program offers qualified micro, small and medium enterprises a wage subsidy covering the required salary increase for eligible workers for up to 90 days. DOLE gives the ₱60 Metro Manila wage adjustment as an example. The program can cover up to 35 registered workers per employer.

A business has to apply and undergo assessment. DOLE requires a plan showing how the employer will preserve jobs and keep the business going, along with an agreement involving the department and workers. Employers must continue complying with labor rules and maintaining required worker benefits.

For employees, this assistance supports the employer’s ability to pay the wage adjustment while preserving jobs. It does not excuse a business from paying the required wage. Owners who are struggling should ask their DOLE regional or field office about qualification and requirements before assuming they will receive support.

WHAT TO WATCH

Follow the applications approved by DOLE and whether participating employers retain their workers after the subsidy ends.

3

More hospital assistance is proposed while unfinished health projects face scrutiny

The House Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee has approved proposed additions of about ₱28.36 billion for DOH programs in the 2027 budget. The largest addition is ₱24.965 billion for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients program, or MAIFIP, which helps patients who cannot afford their medical expenses.

The panel also proposed another ₱1.549 billion for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program. During its discussions, lawmakers raised concerns about unfinished projects, low use of earlier allocations, and health centers that still lack equipment. They requested a catch-up plan for projects funded in 2025 and 2026.

These are budget proposals at the subcommittee stage. The amounts are not yet a final law or money already released to patients and facilities. For families, the useful test will be whether assistance reaches eligible patients and whether funded health centers can actually provide the services people need.

WHAT TO WATCH

Check which additions survive the remaining budget process and whether DOH’s catch-up plan identifies unfinished facilities, completion dates and the equipment needed to open them fully.

4

Trillanes questions his treatment after asking to withdraw as a witness

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said at an October 2 press conference that he was not welcome at the Senate impeachment court. His complaint followed the court’s refusal to issue a subpoena for him and the withdrawal of his name from the prosecution’s witness list.

The sequence is important. On October 1, Trillanes said he had asked the House prosecution to withdraw his name to ease pressure on its members. Prosecution spokesperson Gerville Luistro confirmed the withdrawal. Senate President Francis Escudero had also said Trillanes could appear voluntarily despite the refusal to issue a subpoena.

That leaves separate questions about the witness list, his own withdrawal request, and whether any material he presents will be introduced in court. Claims made at a press conference still have to pass through the trial’s process before they can be treated as evidence admitted by the impeachment court. The dispute over his appearance does not settle the allegations against Vice President Sara Duterte.

WHAT TO WATCH

Follow any formal request for Trillanes to testify and the court’s action on it, as well as which documents are actually offered and admitted into evidence.

5

TUPAD adds routes into training and longer employment

DOLE’s enhanced TUPAD guidelines connect its temporary employment program with skills training, livelihood support and work experience. SkillPass is intended to help beneficiaries move into training, assessment and certification with TESDA. Tropa Negosyo Trabaho supports groups of at least five beneficiaries who want to build a livelihood together.

Another track, KaHANAP, provides up to 90 days of supervised work experience with small businesses that have hiring needs. Employers are encouraged to hire participants based on their performance and available positions. A permanent job is therefore possible, but it is not guaranteed to every participant.

For workers, the practical question is what becomes available after the temporary wages stop. Training should lead to a usable skill, work experience should connect people with real vacancies, and livelihood support should help a group run something that can continue earning. Beneficiaries can ask their local DOLE office which tracks are being implemented and how they can qualify.

WHAT TO WATCH

Look for actual training enrolments, completed certifications, functioning livelihood groups and participants hired after their work experience ends.

BOTTOM LINE

Today’s developments reach into the household budget, the workplace and the hospital bill. The next step is to follow the actual LPG prices, approved assistance, completed facilities and jobs that last beyond temporary support. In the impeachment trial, keep track of what reaches the court through its formal process.

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