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DAILY BRIEF
Trial Pauses; Transport Strike Continues; Changes to Power Bills, Telco Penalties, and Government Borrowing
The impeachment court is taking a one-day break, while commuters face another day of transport protests. There are also developments affecting electricity bills, mobile internet service, and government borrowing.
1
Impeachment hearing canceled today; proceedings resume October 1
The Senate impeachment court canceled its September 30 session in Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial. Proceedings are scheduled to resume on Thursday, October 1, at 10 a.m.
Court spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol said the break would give both sides time to prepare for the next stage, which involves financial records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council. He described it as a planned procedural pause.
The announcement followed Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s September 29 testimony about the city government’s transactions with GenCorp Industries Inc. The pause leaves the questions raised during that testimony open as the court prepares to hear further evidence.
WHAT TO WATCH
Which financial records are presented when proceedings resume, what they actually establish, and how the defense responds.
2
PISTON continues its strike as Manibela returns to the road
PISTON’s two-day transport strike, scheduled for September 29 and 30, continues today. Manibela has ended its separate strike and returned to serving passengers, although it continues to raise its demands.
The groups have been seeking relief from fuel costs and changes to fares. Their different decisions mean the availability of rides can vary by route. A nationwide strike announcement does not mean every jeepney operator has stopped working.
For commuters, the immediate concern is getting to work or school without paying much more for an alternative ride. Drivers are also weighing the cost of joining the protest against the income they lose while their vehicles remain parked.
WHAT TO WATCH
Actual transport availability in your area, local class announcements, and any government action on the groups’ demands.
3
New electricity bill format will separate charges excluded from VAT
The Energy Regulatory Commission has adopted a new billing format that will separately show government-mandated charges excluded from value-added tax, including allowable system-loss charges.
System loss refers to electricity lost before it reaches customers. The change removes VAT from the allowable charge under the relevant rules. Customers can still be billed for the allowable system-loss cost itself.
The revised format should make it easier to see which charges carry VAT and which do not. It also gives households a clearer basis for questioning a bill that appears to apply tax incorrectly.
WHAT TO WATCH
Your distribution utility’s implementation notice and the breakdown on your next bill. The VAT change alone does not establish how much your total bill will fall, since other charges can also change.
4
NTC says its weak-signal checks cover the whole country
The National Telecommunications Commission says its monitoring of mobile broadband service extends beyond Metro Manila through its regional offices.
The regulator has imposed daily penalties on DITO, Globe, and Smart over service problems identified in parts of the capital region. It is also completing its September revalidation and preparing further enforcement action in areas with persistent weak or absent signals.
Globe has disputed the regulator’s assessment. The companies’ responses and the results of repeat testing will therefore be important in assessing what happens next.
For people who depend on mobile data for work, school, payments, or contact with family, the practical test is whether service improves where they use it.
WHAT TO WATCH
Published retest results, the locations covered by enforcement orders, and the operators’ responses.
5
Government raises an initial ₱84.9 billion through retail Treasury bonds
The national government raised approximately ₱84.9 billion in the initial auction of its latest retail Treasury bond offering.
These bonds allow investors to lend money to the government in exchange for interest. The new offering has a term of two and a half years.
Money raised through borrowing comes with future repayment and interest obligations. Strong demand for the bonds shows investor interest, while the public still needs to follow how government funds are spent and how the debt will be serviced.
WHAT TO WATCH
The final amount raised and the government’s borrowing and repayment reports.
BOTTOM LINE
Today’s developments reach into daily life through transport, electricity, and internet service. In the impeachment trial and in government borrowing, the next documents and decisions will help show what officials can support with evidence and what remains unanswered.
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