The Public Eye

Lumapag na sa bansa nitong Biyernes, Abril 24, ang pitong miyembro ng Japanese Disaster Relief (JDR) Expert Team upang magbigay ng teknikal na tulong sa pag-apula ng nagpapatuloy na sunog sa Navotas Sanitary Landfill at masuri ang epekto nito sa kalikasan.

Ayon sa Japanese Embassy in the Philippines, makikipagtulungan ang kanilang grupo sa Pilipinas upang suriin ang pinsalang naidulot ng sunog sa mga komunidad, pag-alam ng sanhi at magbigay ng technical advice pagdating sa firefighting operations at environmental response.

“The JDR Expert Team has safely arrived in Manila. [Japanese] environmental and disaster management experts will assess and provide technical advice on the Navotas Sanitary Landfill fire,” anunsiyo ng Japanese Embassy sa isang post.

Binubuo ang JDR Expert Team ng pitong miyembro mula sa Japanese Embassy in the Philippines, Fire and Disaster Management Agency, National Institute for Environmental Studies, at Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Matatandaang naitala ang “very unhealthy air quality” sa ilang bahagi ng Metro Manila mula pa noong nakaraang linggo dulot ng insidente.

Inihayag ni Agriculture Secretary Francisco "Kiko" Tiu Laurel Jr. na magpapatupad ang Department of Agriculture (DA) ng price cap sa mga imported na bigas sa bansa.

Kinumpirma ito ng kalihim sa gitna ng rollout ng P20/kilo rice program sa Makati City ngayong araw.

Inaasahang maglalaro sa P50 kada kilo ang itatakdang ceiling price para sa imported rice.

Ayon kay Laurel, kapansin-pansing mataas ang presyo ng imported na bigas sa mga palengke base sa kanyang naging monitoring.

The National Security Council (NSC) confirmed today that yellow bottles seized from Chinese "sampans," or fishing boats, near Ayungin Shoal in 2025 contained cyanide.

Laboratory analysis by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Forensic and Scientific Research Service—performed on bottles recovered by the Philippine Navy on February 20 and October 24, 2025—conclusively established that the highly toxic chemical was being used in the immediate vicinity of the BRP Sierra Madre.

In a press briefing, NSC Spokesperson ADG Cornelio H. Valencia, Jr. described the act as a form of sabotage intended to kill local fish populations and deprive food and water to Filipino soldiers stationed on board the BRP Sierra Madre.

“The use of cyanide in Ayungin Shoal is a form of sabotage that seeks to kill local fish populations, depriving Navy personnel of a vital food source," Valencia emphasized.

Cyanide is a highly toxic chemical that can cause damage to marine life, coral reefs and humans. It is often used in illegal fishing operations, Valencia pointed out.

The chemical also threatens the structural integrity of the reef, which serves as the foundation for the BRP Sierra Madre (LS 57).

The NSC has warned that destroying the ecosystem allows Beijing to fabricate an environmental crisis and shift the blame onto the Philippines.

It has described the use of hazardous chemicals by Chinese vessels as "irresponsible and unacceptable.”

According to Valencia, such actions constitute a blatant violation of Philippine environmental laws and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The NSC has directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Coast Guard to immediately heighten maritime patrols and domain awareness.

"The Philippines will not tolerate any act—whether by state or non-state actors—that endangers its personnel or the marine environment, violates its sovereign rights, or undermines peace and stability in the West Philippine Sea," the council said.

The NSC has reiterated that the Philippines remains "resolute in defending its territory and protecting its natural resources from any form of environmental sabotage."

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has officially debunked rumors of a nationwide "energy lockdown" scheduled for April 20, 2026, labeling the circulating information as fake news.

In a statement released Friday, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) urged the public to be wary of social media posts claiming that power supplies would be deliberately cut or restricted across the country. The Palace clarified that there are no such directives from the Department of Energy (DOE) or the Office of the President, and that the country’s energy grid remains under normal monitoring despite the high summer demand.

Authorities are now coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to trace the source of the misinformation, which caused temporary panic among residents and business owners. Malacañang reiterated that all official announcements regarding national security or utility services will only be released through verified government channels and mainstream news outlets.

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino motorists and commuters are bracing for a staggering increase in pump prices next week, as international oil trading from March 30 to April 2 saw a massive spike driven by the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Market data from the first four trading days of the week reveals a "mega-hike" scenario, according to the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS).

Diesel prices are expected to jump by ₱17.00 to ₱19.00 per liter starting Tuesday, April 7.

This means retail prices for regular diesel could climb to ₱165 per liter, while premium diesel is projected to exceed ₱170 by early next week.

Kerosene is also seeing a sharp rise of ₱8.00 per liter.

Meanwhile, Gasoline is also expected to climb by ₱3.00 to ₱5.00 per liter. This would bring the prices to ₱120/liter for super premium, ₱117 for premium, and ₱110 for regular variants.

War-Driven Supply Woes

The surge is directly attributed to the ongoing war in Iran and renewed maritime tensions. Industry analysts note that the restricted access to the Strait of Hormuz—a critical artery for 20% of the world’s petroleum—has sent shockwaves through global energy markets. 

The Department of Energy (DOE) warned that as long as the geopolitical instability persists, the Philippines, which relies heavily on imports from Saudi Arabia, will remain vulnerable to these volatile price swings.

Gov’t Activates ₱2.5-B Fuel Subsidy

To cushion the blow, the national government has accelerated the rollout of its ₱2.5-billion Fuel Subsidy Program. The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the LTFRB already fast tracked the distribution of cash aid to over 240,000 transport workers. 

Key beneficiaries include:

Jeepney & Taxi Drivers: Receiving ₱1,500 to ₱5,000 in direct aid via e-wallets or fuel cards.

Bus Operators: Eligible for up to ₱10,000 per unit to maintain operations amid soaring costs.

Transport Network Vehicles (TNVs) & Delivery Riders: Payouts for ride-hailing and delivery partners have been prioritized to prevent a spike in delivery surcharges.

DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the P2.5 billion subsidy will cover about 1,181,000 units nationwide.

“Ang utos naman sa atin ng Pangulo kung kailangan namin dagdagan ang ating mga subsidiya either in the form of this existing program, gagawin po natin yan or in the form of other programs tulad ng libreng sakay natin na makikinabang naman po talaga are the existing tsuper and yes, contracting, libreng sakay service contracting natin, kasama ang commuters din natin,” Lopez said.

Lopez noted that the government is moving as quickly as possible to get this aid into the hands of our drivers. "Our goal is to prevent a surge in fares that would further burden the commuting public," he added.

Economic Ripple Effects

The fuel shock is already being felt beyond the gas station. Economists warn that if Brent crude remains above $100 per barrel, the Philippine peso could weaken further, potentially breaching the ₱61:$1 mark by the end of the quarter.

The OCTA Research Group recommended a stricter mandatory quarantine for returning overseas Filipinos and travelers after the discovery of a new COVID-19 variant undetected by PCR tests.

"May bagong variant na hindi na-dedetect ng PCR test...Kung ganun ibig sabihin ayusin natin ang international travel protocols natin," OCTA Research fellow Guido David.

"Dapat pag may papasok na returning Filipinos o tourists dapat mandatory na ang quarantine period,” he added.

The new variant was discovered by French authorities in mid-March and appears undetectable by PCR tests, the gold standard for COVID-19 tests.

The French Health Ministry on Monday said the variant is not more dangerous or transmissible compared to other variants.

The World Health Organization (WHO) categorized the new variant as a "variant under investigation" (VUI).

Meanwhile, the Philippine government is also urged to expand its contact tracing and testing capabilities.

The independent group said the accelerating vaccine rollout will bring down the COVID-19 cases especially in NCR Plus areas.

The Department of Health on Saturday allayed concerns that a new COVID-19 variant detected in France appears to be difficult to be detected even by polymerase chain reaction testing.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire maintained that the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test remains as the gold standard in detecting SARS-CoV-2.

"Ito pong article na lumabas na ito ay napakaliit noong population na nakitaan nila na hindi nadetect apparently sa RT-PCR,” she said adding that this was already rectified by experts coming from Johns Hopkins, Stanford, and other credible institutions.

Vergeire added that more studies are needed for the new variant that was first detected in Brittany France.

According to French health officials, the new variant currently "does not appear to be more dangerous or contagious."

“RT-PCR not only uses the S gene, mayroong iba't ibang genes na ginagamit for us to detect the virus so 'yong nakita nila na nag-fail sa S gene o ano pang gene na ginamit, sa ibang gene hindi naman daw nakita 'yong ganyang pagbabago so bottomline would be pag-a-aralan pa,” she pointed out.

However, Vergeire also recognized the need to further develop current tests to adapt to the new and emerging Covid-19 variants.

She said other information is needed to be validated if the Philippines will have to recalibrate its testing and quarantine protocols.

OCTA Research Group earlier urged the government to impose stricter mandatory quarantine for returning overseas Filipinos,

The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday logged 10,098 additional COVID-19 cases bringing the country’s total to 936,133.

Active cases in the Philippines went down to 141,089 after the health agency implemented the mass healing of mild and asymptomatic cases .

The total number of survivors climbed to 779,084 after 72,607 were recorded.

This is the highest single-day tally on increase of recoveries since the pandemic started.

DOH also tallied 150 new deaths raising the death toll to 15,960.

It also said 48 patients initially tagged as recovered were reclassified as deaths following validation.

Rappler Photo

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Sunday denounced the rumors spreading that active and retired members of the military are withdrawing their support for President Rodrigo Duterte calling it irresponsible propaganda.

"It's fake news! I am not and I will never be part of such a group," he said in a statement.

The statement came following reports that the military is planning to withdraw their support for the Commander-in-Chief due to his inaction on Beijing’s aggressive moves in the West Philippine Sea.

Lorenzana added that neither officials of the Department of National Defense were part of the said group.

The Defense chief dismissed the so called propaganda that he claimed came from critics and enemies of the President

“Such disinformation is an act of reckless agitation from detractors, who have a limited or myopic appreciation of issues,” he said.

He also called on the destabilizers to refrain from propagating malicious statements at a time when the people should all be coming together.

“You are not helping the country not at all,” he stressed.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Sunday belied claims that an “imminent” withdrawal of support to President Duterte is brewing following his silence and inaction on China’s incursion in the West Philippine Sea.

In a statement, AFP Chief-of-Staff General Carlito Sobejana dismissed the existence of alleged Viber group that was composed of active and retired junior and senior members of the military.

The said group claimed that there is a dissatisfaction among military over President Duterte's deafening silence over issues on the West Philippine Sea.

Sobejana said that if they will create such group in the future, he disavows the presence associations of officers and enlisted personnel to such mindset.

"The AFP is a professional organization committed to safeguard democracy and protect its democratic institutions," the statement read.

The news came after a message went viral on social media claiming that warplanes and aircraft of various countries landed at Clark Airbase.

The AFP dispeled rumors of foreign warplanes landing in PH soil adding as fake news adding that the military is "on normal alert as oppose to the claim of that spurious sender."

"It is obvious that the motive of these malicious post is to create panic and confusion" the statement read.

"We advised the public to remain calm and dismissed them as  another disinformation," it added.

AFP maintained that it will focus on its mission abc continue to perform its constitutional mandates than be distracted by people, groups and associations advancing their own agenda.

"We will veer away, as we appeal to all quarters to spare AFP from partisan politics," it said adding that the nation is already saddled with various challenges.

The Department of Health on Saturday recorded 12,674 new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number to 853,209.

Active cases stood at 190,245, the highest since the start of the pandemic.

The Philippines toped the countries with highest numer of active cases in Southeast Asia.

It also tallied 593 survivors, raising the total number of recoveries to 648,220.

The death toll climbed to 14,744 after 225 new deaths were recorded.

The latest tally excludes three labs that failed to submit data on time, according to DOH.

The agency noted that 19 duplicates were removed from the total case count, including 7 recoveries and 1 death.

Moreover, 49 cases that were previously tagged as recoveries were reclassified as fatalities after final validation.

The OCTA Research Group recommended the extension of Enhanced Community Quarantine in Metro Manila and nearby provinces following the record-breaking number of deaths reported on Friday.

The OCTA Research Group on Saturday recommended another week-long extension of Enhanced Community Quarantine in Metro Manila and adjacent provinces.

The recommendation came after the record-breaking number of deaths reported in the daily COVID-19 bulletin of the Department of Health.

While the independent panel of researchers noted improvements on virus reproduction rate it also warned that daily new deaths will reach 200 if infections continue to rise by around 10,000 daily.

"Of course, if public health [and] hospitals are our primary consideration, our recommendation is to extend the ECQ so that we can lower the reproduction to less than 1," Professor Guido David told ABS-CBN News.

Another possible scenario according to David is gradually easing the lockdown from ECQ to modified ECQ or MECQ.

Virus reproduction rate in Metro manila has slowed down 1.43 to 1.24 on Wedneday. April 7.

The National Capital Region and its adjacent provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, collectively known as NCR Plus Bubble is currently under ECQ.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday eased the public’s fear over safety of COVID-19 vaccines, particularly the doses developed by Chinese drug manufacturer Sinovac.

"Hindi po dapat mabahala ang public regarding this matter. Kailangang maintindihan natin ang sitwasyon,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual briefing.

The statement came after reports of individuals contracting COVID-19 despite getting inoculated and a case of a member of Manila Police District who died after receiving a vaccine shot.

"Sila ay nag-expose at nag-manifest ang kanilang symptoms pagkatapos na mabakunahan,” she explained.

When asked about adverse effects, Vergeire stressed that there’s no indication that Sinovac doses would led to contracting COVID-19.

“Pero ayon sa pag-aaral ng ating mga eksperto, walang direct link ng pagkakaroon ng COVID-19 with the vaccines that is Sinovac,” the health official said.

Vergeire noted that the full effect of the Sinovac’s CoronaVac dose in our immunity would be felt three to four weeks after you get your second dose.

“So halimbawa nakakuha ho kayo ng first dose, hindi pa ho ganoon kataas ang antibody titers natin to give or to receive the full protection of the vaccine,” she said.

The health official also reminded the public not to let their guard down despite getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Kahit na nabakunahan na tayo, kailangan pa rin nating magtuluy-tuloy mag-ingat dahil puwede pa rin ho natin makuha ang sakit at maaring iyong epekto nga noong bakuna ay hindi pa rin tumatalab sa ating katawan dahil first dose lang at maari pa rin ho tayong magkaroon ng mga ganitong incidents,” she said.

Meanhwile, Vergeire said the suspension of the rollout of AstraZeneca jabs will only last for two weeks.

“Iyon pong mga nabakunahan na ng AstraZeneca, hindi naman po kailangan mangamba. Unang-una, iyong adverse event na ito, wala pa ho tayong nanu-note na ganiyan dito po sa ating country kaya nga sinasabi natin precautionary measure lang ‘to,” she pointed out.

The enhanced community quarantine in NCR Plus areas should not be lifted until the hospital admissions of COVID-19 patients drop, a medical expert recommended on Sunday.

Special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19 Dr. Teddy Herbosa said the extension of the strictest lockdown is a must as hospitals in Metro Manila continue operating “over capacity”.

“Tinitingnan ko rin yung hospitals. Kapag hindi kaya ng hospitals, hindi muna natin dapat i-lift yung ECQ,” he told GMA News.

Herbosa also pointed out that the lockdown is not just aimed to curb the spread of the pandemic but also preventing the health care system from getting overwhelmed.

“May mga kwento na tayong nadidinig na naghihintay ng ilang araw, namamatay sa tent sa labas,” he said citing reports that patients are waiting in tents for days before admission.

One of the factors being considered by the IATF is the reproduction rate, which currently stands between 1.4 and 1.8.

To lift the ECQ, Herbosa said COVID-19 reproduction rate should drastically decrease below 1 while the test positivity rate should also go down ideally below 5% from the all time high 24%.

“Yung test positivity rate, bababa yan kapag naa-isolate mo yung super spreader. Kapag naa-isolate mo sila, siyempre makakapagbaba ng hawaan. So ang hinahanap natin diyan is nasa below 5% para tumigil yung pagkalat,” he said.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday recorded 11,028 additional COVID-19 cases bringing the cumulative total to 795,051.

Active cases in the Philippines dropped to 135,526 or 17 percent of the cumulative total after DOH mass reported over 41,000 recoveries.

Despite this, the country still holds the highest number of COVID-19 in Southeast Asia.

DOH tallied an all-time high record of 41,205 new recoveries, the highest since August 16 when the agency logged 40,397 patients cleared from COVID-19.

The total number of recoveries stand at 646,100 or 81.3 percent of the total number of infections.

The agency said two new fatalities were reported, raising the death toll to 13,425.

The latest tally does not include the five laboratories that failed to submit their report, according to DOH.

The daily positivity rate now stands at 22.7 percent which means 1 out of 5 who were tested for COVID-19 was found positive for the disease.

The DOH said two recoveries were reclassified into fatalities after final validation while 20 duplicates, including eight recoveries, were removed from the COVID-19 data drop.

The Php22.9-billion ayuda or assistance for residents affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine in NCR Plus area will be distributed to local government units (LGUs) beginning on Monday.

Interior Undersecretary Bernardo Florece, DILG officer-in-charge, said the Bureau of Treasury will release it directly to the concerned LGUs.

Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya also confirmed this and added that he expects LGUs would start the distribution of ECQ ayuda to their constituents by Tuesday or Wednesday.

Inquire reported that the DILG ordered LGUs to issue an executive order (EO) detailing the process of distribution of assistance to their constituents.

The aid must be given “15 calendars days upon receipt of the funds if the assistance is in cash or within 30 calendar days if assistance is in-kind” according to DILG.

Earlier, the DILG and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) issued the guidelines for the distribution of financial assistance worth PHP1,000 per individual, with a maximum of PHP4,000 per family to residents of Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna and Bulacan.

The Philippines extended the Enhanced Community Quarantine by a week in areas under the NCR Plus bubble.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Saturday that IATF recommended another one-week extension of enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan beginning April 5.

"Karagdagang linggo, minimum of one additional week beginning on the 5th," Roque said.

The announcement came after the Department of Health and the OCTA Research Group separately proposed the extension of ECQ.