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

7:47 AM3-minute read

ABOUT WHAT BANK SECRECY PROTECTS IN AN IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

The arguments over bank records in Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial involve several protections. The privacy of a peso deposit, the protection of a foreign-currency deposit, and the confidentiality of a report sent to the AMLC come from different rules. Understanding those differences helps explain what the court has allowed and what remains in dispute.

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8:43 AM8-minute read

ABOUT THE AMLC RECORDS IN SARA DUTERTE’S IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

₱4.4 billion is a figure that can dominate a conversation before anyone asks what it counts. AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura presented that approximate total in the Senate impeachment court on October 5, covering reported transactions involving Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio. He also explained that a bank correction had reduced the earlier figure of ₱6.7 billion.

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6:44 PM5-minute read

ABOUT THE COINS.PH CASH-IN RESTRICTION AND WHAT USERS SHOULD CHECK

If you use Coins.ph to receive money or pay bills, a failed cash-in can disrupt plans for the day. Coins.ph has announced that some incoming peso services are temporarily unavailable following a BSP directive to improve its internal controls. Its advisory also identifies services that existing customers can still use.

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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

If the Philippine presidential election were held today, who would you vote for as President and Vice President?

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August 23, 2026 · 9:16 AM5-minute read

ABOUT THE EV CHARGING RULE FOR PARKING LOTS

The five-percent EV parking rule is already law. The detailed charging rules for older and new properties are still being finalized.

A generic electric car charging inside an older condominium parking garage.

The parking rule is easy to misread. Republic Act No. 11697, or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, already requires dedicated electric-vehicle parking in covered buildings. A new Department of Energy circular now being prepared deals with when charging equipment must be installed and which establishments will be covered.

The distinction affects malls, offices, schools, hotels, factories, condominiums, apartment buildings, transport facilities, and many other properties. It also raises immediate questions for older buildings: Is there enough electrical capacity? Who pays for the equipment? What happens when a charger cannot fit safely on the property?

The DOE document available during this research is still a draft. Its final wording, publication date, and compliance calendar can change.

1

THE FIVE-PERCENT RULE IS ALREADY IN THE LAW

Buildings and establishments constructed after the law took effect must reserve parking spaces for electric vehicles. When a property has 20 or more parking spaces, at least five percent of the total must be dedicated to EVs.

Existing buildings are also covered, with their timetable tied to the government's electric-vehicle roadmap. This means an older condominium is not automatically exempt simply because it was built before the law.

A reserved EV space and a charger-equipped space are separate requirements. Drivers may therefore see EV-only parking markings at a property before charging equipment appears there.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch for the final DOE circular and its official publication date. That document should state when each group of existing properties must move from reserved parking to working chargers.

2

THE DOE DRAFT COVERS FAR MORE THAN MALLS

The draft's list includes condominiums, apartment buildings, offices, schools, hotels, factories, restaurants, banks, stores, parking garages, airports, seaports, resorts, and several other types of property. Government offices, public transport terminals, gasoline stations, and expressways have separate proposed requirements.

Parking size would help determine the number and power of chargers. The draft reaches some establishments with fewer than 20 spaces and proposes higher minimum charger ratings for properties with larger parking areas.

This could bring chargers closer to where people live and work. Property owners will need the final annex before ordering equipment because a charger that falls below the required rating may receive only partial credit under the draft formula.

WHAT TO WATCH

Read the final Annex A when the DOE issues the circular. Check whether your type of property is named, how parking spaces are counted, how many chargers are required, and what power rating receives full compliance credit.

3

OLDER CONDOMINIUMS MAY HAVE OTHER WAYS TO COMPLY

Republic Act No. 11697 directs existing buildings to comply within the timetable set through the government roadmap. The DOE draft proposes several routes when installation on the property is infeasible because of limited space or an inadequate power supply.

An establishment may seek approval to use a nearby designated EV route or corridor, join a shared charging facility with neighboring properties, or work with an accredited third-party or mobile charging provider. A combination of approved methods may also be allowed.

The draft proposes a two-year compliance period counted from the final circular's effectivity. No countdown should begin while the circular remains unsigned and unpublished, and later implementing guidelines will still have to explain the approval process for alternative sites.

WHAT TO WATCH

Older condominium corporations should look for the final procedure covering electrical limitations, shared facilities, third-party agreements, and DOE approval. A clear engineering assessment will be needed before a board can tell residents which option is workable.

4

THE RULE DOES NOT SET ONE PAYMENT FORMULA FOR EVERY PROPERTY

The law gives the building or establishment owner first priority to install, operate, or maintain a charging station. An accredited charging provider may also be engaged under an agreement with the owner.

An own-use charger cannot collect a charging fee. A commercial charging station may collect fees, subject to DOE rules that require the amount to be broken down so users can see what they are paying for.

No universal condominium-dues formula appears in the law and draft reviewed for this article. Residents should ask whether the proposed equipment will be owned by the condominium corporation, run by an outside operator, or shared with another property, since the contract can affect installation costs and charging fees.

WHAT TO WATCH

Check the final circular for the treatment of mandated chargers as commercial stations, public-access rules, fee disclosure, and any provision on cost allocation. Condominium boards should also disclose the proposed contract before asking owners to approve capital spending or changes in dues.

5

ELECTRICAL AND FIRE-SAFETY CHECKS COME BEFORE INSTALLATION

The DOE draft calls for minimum power ratings, approved connector types, and technical plans signed by a licensed professional engineer. The permit package includes an electrical plan with a load schedule, an electrical permit, and a fire-safety clearance.

These checks help determine whether an old building's panel, wiring, transformer connection, and parking layout can support the equipment. A property may need an electrical upgrade before a charger can be used safely.

The draft also allows off-site or shared compliance when limited power makes installation on the property infeasible. Approval and technical standards will still come from the DOE, local permitting offices, fire authorities, and the distribution utility involved.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch for the final power ratings, connector rules, permit checklist, and distribution-utility instructions. Property owners should compare those requirements with a signed electrical assessment before buying equipment or announcing a completion date.

BOTTOM LINE

The EV parking requirement is already law. The detailed rules that would convert more reserved spaces into working chargers are still being finalized. For older condominiums, the main questions are physical feasibility, electrical capacity, contracts, and the final compliance timetable. Claims that every parking lot must immediately install chargers go beyond the official record available today.

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