LATEST COMMENTARY

View all commentary →

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.

Read the explainer →
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.

Read the explainer →
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.

Read the explainer →
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.

Read the explainer →
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.

Read the explainer →
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.

Read the explainer →
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.

Read the explainer →
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.

Read the explainer →
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.

Read the explainer →
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.

Read the explainer →
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.

Read the explainer →

MCT READER PULSE · MCT-PULSE-2026-010

MCT READER SURVEY

Who would you like to see run for president and vice president of the Philippines in the next election?

Nominate now →

This is an informal survey of people who choose to participate. It is not a scientific or nationally representative sample.

View previous survey results →
October 2, 2026 · 8:14 AM5-minute read

ABOUT NCAP'S RETURN AND WHAT DRIVERS SHOULD CHECK BEFORE OCTOBER 5

No Contact Apprehension Policy enforcement is returning to six Metro Manila cities on Monday, October 5. A camera can record a possible violation even when no enforcer stops the vehicle, so drivers and registered owners need to know where notices come from, how to check the evidence, and how to question a mistake.

Traffic on a Philippine road. File photo: Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR.

The cities' return also needs to be separated from the MMDA's existing NCAP system. A ticket issued by a city may require a different website and appeals office. Checking the wrong system can leave you thinking there is no violation to address.

1

SIX CITIES ARE RETURNING TO NCAP ON OCTOBER 5

Manila, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Quezon City, San Juan, and Valenzuela are covered by the announced October 5 return. Quezon City's official advisory also carries the six cities' seals and directs motorists to local government portals for notices, payments, and protests.

This does not mean NCAP is starting for the first time across Metro Manila. The MMDA already operates its own system. Drivers need to identify which authority issued a notice and which road or intersection the alleged violation concerns.

The same vehicle may pass through several cities during a single trip. Before Monday, check the official advisories for the places you regularly drive through, particularly if your route crosses city boundaries.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch each city's October 5 rollout instructions, including covered roads, official portal links, and contact details. Use those instructions to identify where a particular ticket should be checked.

2

A RECORDED VIOLATION CAN LEAD TO A NOTICE WITHOUT A ROADSIDE STOP

NCAP uses camera footage to document traffic violations. The vehicle's registration details help connect the recorded plate to its registered owner, who may receive a notice even if someone else was driving.

When checking a notice, compare the plate number, vehicle description, date, time, location, and alleged offense with the available photo or video. A clear record should let you understand what conduct is being cited. If the vehicle or circumstances do not match, preserve that evidence for a protest.

The lack of a roadside stop does not settle whether a violation was recorded. Equally, the arrival of a notice does not remove the owner's opportunity to question an incorrect citation through the proper process.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch for notices and check their details promptly. Save the notice and any relevant dashcam recording before it is overwritten, especially when the footage could explain what happened.

3

CHECK THE ISSUING AUTHORITY BEFORE OPENING PAYMENT LINKS

For an MMDA notice, the agency's May Huli Ka service allows motorists to check its NCAP records. MMDA NCAP services are also available through the eGovPH app. City notices should be checked through the official channels identified by the issuing local government.

A result showing no record in the MMDA system does not clear every possible city-issued ticket. The MMDA portal covers its own NCAP records, so a notice from a city needs to be checked with that city.

As a precaution, reach the service through the agency's official website or the official app rather than following an unexpected payment link. Match the ticket to an actual record before giving payment details. If you cannot confirm it, contact the issuing authority through contact information you found independently.

WHAT TO WATCH

Check whether the notice, vehicle details, and record in the official system agree. A payment demand that you cannot match to a verified record needs clarification before you act on it.

4

YOU CAN CHALLENGE AN INCORRECT TICKET

The cities' published NCAP guidance includes online protests through local government portals. The MMDA separately offers an E-Contest service for its own NCAP tickets, allowing users to submit details and supporting documents for review by its Traffic Adjudication Division.

Start with a short explanation of what is wrong. For example, the recorded vehicle may not be yours, or a dashcam recording may provide context missing from the image. Keep the notice and gather documents that support your explanation, then follow the requirements of the authority that issued it.

Read the applicable deadline and keep proof of submission. Different authorities may have different instructions, so an appeal period found in an old post should not be assumed to apply to every ticket. Filing a protest also does not guarantee that the ticket will be canceled.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch for acknowledgment of your protest, requests for additional documents, and the written decision. If the deadline or procedure is unclear, ask the issuing authority promptly rather than letting the notice sit unanswered.

5

CHECK OWNERSHIP RECORDS, ESPECIALLY FOR BORROWED OR SOLD VEHICLES

If a vehicle is registered in your name, take notices seriously even when another person uses it. Families who share a car should know who was driving at the time of a cited incident and make sure the registered owner receives any relevant notice.

For a sold vehicle, keep the deed of sale and other transfer documents and check whether the ownership transfer has been completed with the LTO. A sale does not mean every government record has automatically changed. If a notice arrives after the sale, contact the issuing authority and submit the relevant documents through its prescribed process.

Before Monday, check your registration details, the contact information associated with official services, and the advisories for your usual route. On the road, follow signs, lane markings, and traffic signals throughout the trip, including places where you do not see a camera.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch whether ownership updates have actually been recorded and whether the correct person can receive notices. For unresolved transfers, ask the LTO what remains to be completed and keep copies of its instructions.

BOTTOM LINE

Know who issued the ticket, check the evidence, and use that authority's payment or protest process. NCAP's return makes those basic checks worth doing now, especially for families sharing a vehicle and owners who have sold one but still appear in its registration records.

GOOGLE PREFERRED SOURCES

FOLLOW MCT ON GOOGLE

Google’s Preferred Sources feature lets you choose publications you want Google to prioritize for you. Select “Add to Preferred Sources” to make MCT easier to find in Top Stories and other eligible Google results. This does not subscribe you to email.

← Back to MCT home

SUPPORT MCT

HELP KEEP INDEPENDENT POLITICAL WRITING GOING.

Morning Coffee Thoughts is reader-supported. Contributions help pay for research tools, hosting, and the work required to verify and explain each development.

Choose the monthly support amount you are comfortable with.Continue through PayPal
Send support through GCash or Maya0969 314 4839