Happy to hear good news in the public housing sector. I agree with tackling this with the perspective of not just building houses, but sustaining and helping existing communities.

https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/opinion-mass-housing-beyond-houses/

DILG eyes 5 am to 10 pm street parking ban in Metro Manila to ease traffic @here

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is planning to ban street parking in selected roads in Metro Manila from 5 am to 10 pm starting September 1, in a bid to ease traffic congestion across the capital region.

“The intent is to make Metro Manila more livable,” DILG Secretary Remulla said. “So every month we have an initiative to make the city a better place to live in and even other cities in the country. So we start with parking.”  

Under the proposed plan, local chief executives will be tasked with identifying specific streets where curbside parking will be prohibited during most daytime hours. 

A technical working group will assist in mapping out which roads are most critical to easing traffic flow.

“This is a modification of existing rules,” Remulla said. “We’re moving toward designating more streets as no-parking zones, especially those that directly affect Metro Manila traffic.”

I hope they implement this well. I recall former president Duterte made this promise as well, to tow cars parked on streets. But that wasn’t followed.

This is a really good provision in theory , and I’ve yet to ready up on the nitty-gritty, but a lot of jeeps, trucks, TNVS, taxis park on the street because they don’t have their own garage. While I recognize that they should have designated places to park, how will this be implemented with a transition in mind?

I think one of the crucial element here is the map. Remulla promised to create a map identifying which areas are the parking and no parking zones

Here’s a photo of the Metro Manila Council. Most of them here are mayors in the Metro. Though I spotted Manila Vice Mayor Chi Atienza.

They attended a joint DILG, MMC, and Regional Development Council meeting earlier today.

oof 😬 I hope he puts his Netherlands visit to good use and bring back the protected bike lanes along San Juan

New law protects Ilocos Norte's Paoay Lake

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act No. 12230, protecting Ilocos Norte's Paoay Lake and the rich flora and fauna
in the area. The lake is the largest in the province.

The declaration of the Paoay Lake Protected Landscape under the National Integrated Protected Areas System will facilitate "better management and appropriate funding," according to a press release from the Presidential Communications Office on Tuesday, August 5.

I wonder if this is relevant to the Paoay case where the Marcoses obtained special patents so they could own parcels of land. And the Supreme Court last year said the OSG can reverse those patents if it encroached on public land --- just as long as they get permission from the President to start that proceeding 😅

Related reading: https://www.rappler.com/philippines/president-marcos-loses-ill-gotten-wealth-paoay-case-supreme-court/

HEADS UP, COMMUTERS!

Passengers with a national ID can avail themselves of free rides on the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) every Wednesday throughout August. According to the Department of Transportation, this is available from 9 am to 11 am and 6 pm to 8 pm on August 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2025.

Passengers may present any of the following to the security personnel at the service gate of the stations to get a free ride.
- Physical national ID card
- Printed copy of national ID
- Digital copy of national ID

Photo from DOTr MRT3's Facebook page

These 15 contractors cornered ₱100 billion — or 20% — of all flood control projects nationwide, President Marcos reveals https://www.rappler.com/philippines/list-top-contractors-flood-control-projects-marcos-administration/

Transport Secretary Vince Dizon says PWDs, senior citizens, and students no longer have to fill out forms to avail of the 50% discount on their train fares. Dizon announced that they will only need to present their valid student, PWD, or senior citizen ID to the counter. He added that the white beep cards (with discounted fares) for students be available on all LRT1, LRT2, and MRT3 stations starting September.

If you're a regular passenger who hasn't been able to get a Beep card, Dizon said the DOTr is expecting 300,000 Beep cards to be delivered by next week.

As towns seek lower rates, Miagao wants in on MORE Power franchise

Miagao town in southern Iloilo wants to be part of the service area of MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power), citing lower electricity rates compared to its current provider, Iloilo Electric Cooperative I (ILECO I).

Earlier this month, the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) passed a resolution urging 1st District Representative Janette Garin to file a bill expanding MORE Power’s franchise to cover the entire district, including Miagao. Janette Garin is wife to current Miagao mayor Richard Garin.

The Razon-owned company has been the sole power distributor in Iloilo City since 2020. 

The resolution said MORE Power offers “significantly lower residential electricity rates and generation charges” than ILECO I. It stressed that consumers have the right to “fair and competitive access to reliable and affordable electricity services.”

Mayor Garin said Miag-ao residents want the same upgraded infrastructure, reliable service, and competitive pricing enjoyed in areas served by MORE Power, which in July 2025 recorded the lowest residential rate in Western Visayas at P10.61 per kilowatt-hour, cheaper than ILECO I’s P12.05 per kilowatt-hour.

The push is part of a growing movement to expand MORE Power’s coverage. In 2022, Republic Act No. 11918 authorized its expansion to 15 towns in Iloilo’s 2nd and 4th districts, though implementation outside the city has yet to begin.

https://www.facebook.com/Miagao.InfoCen/posts/pfbid02f6AhvcL9nKtdvfhEhyMfkAarRtHbqdC1vy62CABFArzAj7LxwwZd7uedxo5uLCCul

MOUNT KAMUNING NO MORE? 🧗‍♂️
LOOK: Renders of the rehabilitation of the Kamuning busway station and footbridge, which includes elevators, wheelchair lifts, and a covered walkway. Groundbreaking for the two projects is set for Thursday, August 14. 📸 Department of Transportation

What do you guys think of the new station and footbridge design? And after Kamuning, which station should the DOTr rehabilitate next? 👀

Hello everyone! Here’s the latest from Bohol:

Bohol Governor Erico Aris Aumentado confirmed on Friday, August 15, that the Office of the Ombudsman had ordered the filing of graft charges against him and some mayors in relation to the controversial case of a private resort built on the foot of Chocolate Hills in Sagbayan town in 2024.

In a Facebook post, Aumentado said that they will be filing a motion for reconsideration.

Environmental groups in Geneva, Switzerland, were again met with disappointment after another round of global negotiations ended with no plastics treaty agreed upon. https://www.rappler.com/world/global-affairs/environmental-groups-react-no-plastics-treaty-august-2025/