Government buys 300,000 barrels of dieselA motorcycle rider refuels at a gasoline station in Quezon City yesterday as higher fuel prices are expected next week. MANILA, Philippines — A shipment of 300,000 barrels of diesel is set to arrive next week, the Department of Energy (DOE) said, as it works to secure supplies amid the global oil crisis. The Philippine National Oil Co. bought the diesel from a Southeast Asian nation, which Energy Secretary Sharon Garin did not identify. If it goes up to $200 per barrel, then it’s another jab for the pump prices,” Garin said. “The small and the micro businesses have very little resources or breathing room when it comes to an uptick in fuel prices,” Ferrer said.

40 million Pinoys lack access to reliable water supplyResidents of several barangays in Tondo, Manila line up for free water rations from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) on June 8, 2025. MANILA, Philippines — Around 40 million of the country’s 115 million population lack access to reliable water supply, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. We want to build them a resilient system wherein they have continuous access to water,” he said yesterday. DENR chief Juan Miguel Cuna admitted that the country is facing a crisis of potable water access. He said that investments in water systems are not enough, especially for long-term solutions.

NBI flags 50,000 fake birth certificatesThe NBI said high-risk areas include Pikit and Aleosan towns in North Cotabato, where cases have already been filed against several civil registry officials and other people involved in the scheme. MANILA, Philippines — More than 50,000 suspected fake birth certificates have been recorded in over 1,600 civil registry offices nationwide, according to the National Bureau of Investigation. The NBI said high-risk areas include Pikit and Aleosan towns in North Cotabato, where cases have already been filed against several civil registry officials and other people involved in the scheme. Authorities said the suspects failed to follow legal protocols in processing late birth registrations, using falsified documents. The NBI said foreign nationals, mostly Chinese, were among the primary beneficiaries, using fake identities to obtain Filipino civil status and citizenship.

MWO warns OFWs vs repatriation scamMANILA, Philippines — As reports of people and groups offering assistance in the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers surfaced, the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Dubai and the Northern Emirates urged OFWs to remain vigilant against fraudulent schemes. In its latest advisory, the MWO said scammers ask for a fee or the personal information of an OFW and would cite the Department of Migrant Workers repatriation assistance program in their scheme. “We have received reports of people and groups falsely offering assistance for OFW repatriation in exchange for fees or personal information,” the advisory read, as it stressed that legitimate repatriation assistance is processed only through official government channels. The MWO urged Filipinos affected by the Middle East crisis to verify information on official websites and social media pages to avoid dealing with unauthorized people. Repatriation requests can be filed directly through the MWO Assistance to Nationals section, official hotlines or email addresses as well as through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in Dubai.

Building champions through local universitiesI have pointed out in my previous columns the governance dysfunctions and the lack of organized tertiary sports development, which hinder the growth of world-class Filipino athletes. The DepEd Palarong Pambansa covers basic education, while the Philippine Sports Commission hosts the Philippine National Games for top-tier and national athletes. But the most surprising development coming out of the SEA Games was the contribution of a local university – University of Makati (Umak) – to the Philippine contingent. David William Peliño represented the country in international squash competitions at both the Asian Games and SEA Games. In archery, Paul Marton dela Cruz and Rachel Cabral dela Cruz represented the Philippines in the SEA Games, Asian Games and the Olympic Games.

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday joined the Muslim community in the celebration of Eid’l Fitr as she offered a prayer for world peace amid the Middle East crisis. Malacañang had declared March 20 a regular holiday nationwide in observance of Eid’l Fitr, the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. “As you mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan, we celebrate a journey defined by prayer, sacrifice and deep spiritual reflection. Eid’l Fitr, or the “festival of breaking the fast,” is celebrated by Muslims for three days after the end of the month of fasting. Police securityThe Philippine National Police has assured the public of a safe and peaceful observance of Eid’l Fitr as it extended greetings to Filipino Muslims marking the end of Ramadan.

ICI finds Romualdez not liable in flood control mess – AcidreMANILA, Philippines — The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) found no liability on the part of former House speaker Martin Romualdez over the flood control anomalies, Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre maintained yesterday, as he debunked accusations made by Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco. “The ICI referral itself, signed by retired Supreme Court justice Andres Reyes, explicitly states: ‘This referral is issued without any finding or conclusion of guilt or liability on the part of former speaker Martin Romualdez,’ ” Acidre said in a statement. That is the Commission’s own language.”It was unclear how Acidre got hold of the ICI report, which was submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman and has not yet been made public. Acidre, a party-list mate of Romualdez’s wife Yedda Marie, also urged Tiangco to “stop misleading the public” on the impeachment complaints filed against Vice President Sara Duterte. Tiangco earlier accused colleagues of receiving financial aid and project allocations in exchange for impeachment support.

Economic execs approve school trimesterA parent accompanies a student as classes open for the new school year at an elementary school in Manila on June 16, 2025. MANILA, Philippines — As part of efforts to improve learning outcomes, the Economy and Development (ED) Council has approved the implementation of a trimester school calendar. Under the new system, the school year will have 201 days divided into three terms. By shifting from a four-grading period system to a three-grading period system, DEPDev said there would be longer, uninterrupted instructional blocks to stabilize learning pace and recovery in each term. The new school calendar would also enable teachers to pursue professional development opportunities and provide a dedicated period for catch-up initiatives.

SC outlines AI use in court operationsIn a resolution dated Feb. 18, 2026 and posted online on March 19, the SC laid down the “Governance Framework on the Use of Human-Centered Augmented Intelligence in the Judiciary.”MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has approved the use of artificial intelligence (AI) across all levels of courts in the Philippines. Any member of the judiciary, from the SC to the lower courts, as well as court users, vendors or third-party contractors involved in designing, developing or using AI tools for the judiciary, should be disclosed mandatorily. The SC emphasized in its guidelines that AI is meant to assist human decision-making, not replace it. AI tools or their outputs must not be the sole basis for any adjudicatory decision. In addition, the SC will hold consultations with stakeholders to test AI tools, as well as enhance its own monitoring, auditing and cybersecurity to avoid over-reliance on external parties and safeguard against potential attacks.

Sara receives House invite for impeachment hearing – counselMANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has received an invitation from the House committee on justice to attend its March 25 hearing on the impeachment complaints filed against her, her counsel confirmed yesterday. “Yes, the invitation was received yesterday,” Michael Poa, spokesman for Duterte’s 16-member defense team, said. Poa, however, did not say whether Duterte would attend the hearing, raising concerns about the defense’s ability to challenge the complainants’ evidence. Bribery deniedAmid the scheduled proceedings, House leaders pushed back against allegations that lawmakers were bribed to support the impeachment. Toby Tiangco in exchange for our judgment, decision or position with regard to this impeachment complaint.

‘Extreme caution’ heat index logged in several areasUnder the “extreme caution” index, which ranges from 33 to 41 degrees Celsius, people may experience heat cramps and heat exhaustion and continuous physical activity may lead to heat stroke. MANILA, Philippines — After the cold snap, several areas have reached border “extreme caution” heat index temperatures following the continued weakening of the northeast monsoon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday. Under the “extreme caution” index, which ranges from 33 to 41 degrees Celsius, people may experience heat cramps and heat exhaustion and continuous physical activity may lead to heat stroke. Cotabato City and Zamboanga City are near peak and may reach 40 degrees Celsius heat index. ?In Mindanao, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or localized thunderstorms are forecast.

54 congressmen now under Marcos PFPMANILA, Philippines — The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas has strengthened its foothold in the House of Representatives after membership grew from 38 to 54 members, PFP president and South Cotabato Gov. Presidential son and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, along with Speaker Faustino Dy III, are also members of the PFP. Pleyto heads the committee on government reorganization, while Violago serves as a committee vice chair on games and amusement. Suansing chairs the appropriations committee, while Villa holds vice chairmanships in panels covering agriculture and food, energy, tourism and trade and industry. New deputy speakersMeanwhile, last Wednesday, Reps. Rachel Arenas (Pangasinan), Duke Frasco (Cebu) and Albee Benitez (Bacolod) were elected deputy speakers.

Budget surplus climbs to P165.4 billion in JanuaryLatest data from the BTr showed that the budget surplus at the start of the year was a turnaround from the P313.17-billion deficit in December. Latest data from the BTr showed that the budget surplus at the start of the year was a turnaround from the P313.17-billion deficit in December. A budget surplus occurs when revenue collections exceed government expenditures, meaning the state generated more money for the period than it spent. The government jacked up its interest payments by 22.4 percent to P127.8 billion from P104.4 billion a year ago. Meanwhile, total revenue collection in January inched up to P468.9 billion from P467.1 billion a year ago.

Transport strike endsDrivers, operators, and supporters from the transport group PISTON, together with members of other sectoral organizations, gather at Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City on March 20, 2026. Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro made the appeal as various transport groups, including Manibela, Piston and Laban TNVS, were organizing nationwide transport strikes. On Tuesday, Marcos led the rollout of the P5,000 fuel subsidy for public transport drivers. Marcos, however, assured transport operators and drivers of additional support from the government. If oil prices continue to spike, he warned that the transport system will be disrupted, especially in provincial areas.

70 percent of a heartThe passing of The STAR’s original sports editor, boss Lito Tacujan, gave us pause. Funnily, for the longest time, I used to fax in my columns, not realizing that someone still needed to transcribe there, until boss Lito straightened me out. After my heart surgery, doctors said that my heart would never fully recover, and would peak at 35 percent function. By some miracle, that fist-sized muscle in my chest has held steady at 70 percent. Thanks, boss Lito, for everything.