Philippines has once again topped the WorldRiskIndex 2025

 MANILA BULLETIN

Amid scrutiny of flood control projects over alleged irregularities, the Philippines has once again topped the WorldRiskIndex 2025, ranking as the world’s most disaster-prone nation due to high risks from floods, storms, droughts, and earthquakes.

READ: https://mb.com.ph/.../philippines-tops-worldriskindex...

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362Chito A. Fuentes, Katrina Angela and 360 others

P9-M smuggled cigarettes intercepted

By Liza Jocson

Published Sep 26, 2025 10:24 pm

CIGARETTE smuggling was foiled in Sulu.

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Smuggled cigarettes worth P9 million bound for Ipil municipality, Zamboanga Sibugay province were intercepted by Naval Command forces in the sea of Panamao, Sulu on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

Naval Command personnel were conducting seaborne patrol on board the BRP Hermenegildo Yurong (PG906) when they intercepted the motorized banca MFB Ghazi.

The boat was found to be loaded with 160 master cases of undocumented foreign-brand cigarettes valued at P9 million.

The vessel was manned by five individuals from Olutanga, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Isabela City, Basilan.

The vessel and contraband were secured by PG906 and escorted to Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Bagong Calarian, Zamboanga City, for documentation, investigation, and turnover to concerned authorities.

Asian shares tumble

 

Asian shares tumble after Trump announcement on new tariffs; PSEi marks weeklong decline

Asian shares fell on Friday after President Donald Trump announced plans for new tariffs including 100% import taxes on pharmaceutical drugs starting Oct. 1. Read more

Meanwhile, the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSEi) stayed in the red on Friday, Sept. 26, marking a whole week of daily declines, as developments in the United States (US) dampen hopes of aggressive rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Read more

'Opong' leaves death, displacement and damage in its aftermath

 

Satellite image of STS Opong (Image courtesy of PAGASA)

Severe Tropical Storm Opong (international name: Bualoi) accelerated on Friday evening, Sept. 26, and is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) between Saturday morning and noon, Sept. 27, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said. Read more

“Opong” has killed 10 individuals in Eastern Visayas (Region 8) and Bicol (Region 5), but Masbate bore the brunt of the storm, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported on Friday night, Sept. 26. Read more

Philippine Army Spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said 10,961 families or 38,521 individuals were evacuated across Southern Luzon, Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas by different Army humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) teams. Read more

In Cavite, more than a thousand families have been evacuated on Friday, Sept. 26. Read more

The Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (Antique PDRRMO) reported widespread flooding, landslides, and mudslides on Friday. Read more

Meanwhile, the province of Cagayan and the town of Ibajay in Aklan province are put under a state of calamity due to widespread damage from tropical cyclone "Opong."

Erste Regionen unbewohnbar: Halber Inselstaat muss umgesiedelt werden – deutsche Studie offenbart Folgen

Stand:26.09.2025, 18:18 Uhr

Von: Moritz Bletzinger

Flucht vor dem Klimawandel. Ein deutsches Forschungsteam untersucht Teilumsiedlungen auf den vom Meeresspiegel bedrohten Fidschi-Inseln.

Fidschi – Wenn das Meer die Heimat verschlingt. Der fortschreitende Klimawandel bedroht immer mehr Regionen akut. Der steigende Meeresspiegel und vermehrte Extrem-Wetter-Ereignisse machen vielerorts Teilumsiedlungen notwendig. Doch nicht immer kann oder will eine ganze Dorfgemeinschaft umziehen. Eine neue Studie der Philipps-Universität Marburg offenbart nun erstaunliche Erkenntnisse über diese Teilumsiedlungen.    

Inselstaaten wie Fidschi sind vom Klimawandel enorm bedroht. © YAY Images/Imago

Entgegen allen Erwartungen berichten viele Betroffene von positiven Erfahrungen mit der Teilumsiedlung. Die Geografin Ann-Christine Link von der Universität Marburg und ihr internationales Forschungsteam untersuchten zwei Gemeinden auf den Fidschi-Inseln und kamen zu einem überraschenden Ergebnis: Umsiedlungen bedeuten nicht automatisch Verlust und Leid. Dabei hilft sicherlich, dass die Fidschi-Inseln mit internen Umsiedlungen reagieren können, auf dem bedrohten Inselstaat Tuvalu ist das nicht möglich.   

Halb Fidschi wegen Klimawandel umgesiedelt – Deutsche Forscherin für Feldstudie auf Archipel

110 der 332 Inseln von Fidschi sind bewohnt. „Inzwischen wurden 50 Gemeinden identifiziert, die aufgrund klimatischer Veränderungen – insbesondere durch den Meeresspiegelanstieg und wiederkehrende Sturmfluten – umgesiedelt werden müssten“, berichtet Link, die im September 2024 für ihre Feldstudien auf dem Archipel war.

Das Forschungsteam untersuchte Vidawa auf der Insel Taveuni, wo derzeit eine von der Gemeinde initiierte Umsiedlung stattfindet. Und Denimanu auf der Insel Yadua, wo bereits vor zehn Jahren eine von der Regierung unterstützte Teilumsiedlung erfolgte. In Vidawa reagieren die Bewohner auf zunehmende Sturmfluten und Erosion, indem sie auf eine 800 Meter entfernte Erhebung umziehen. In Denimanu verließen nach Zyklon Evan 2013 insgesamt 19 Haushalte mit 150 Menschen ihre ursprüngliche Heimat.   

Tornados, Wüstenstürme, Zyklone: Wetterphänomene, die Sie kennen sollten

Fotostrecke ansehen

Welche Folgen hat Klima-Flucht für Betroffene?

Aber wie wirkt sich die Klima-Flucht auf das Wohlbefinden der Betroffenen aus? Die Studie, veröffentlicht in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, nutzte eine besondere Methode: die sogenannte Q-Methode, die qualitative Geschichten mit statistischer Auswertung verbindet. „Bei der Untersuchung des Wohlbefindens orientierten wir uns bewusst an der fidschianischen Tradition des Geschichtenerzählens“, erklärt Link.   Ein besonders bemerkenswertes Ergebnis: „Auch zehn Jahre später bleibt die Umsiedlung ein tief einflussreicher Faktor dafür, wie Menschen ihr Wohlbefinden bewerten“, sagt Link. „Das sind keine einmaligen Ereignisse. Es sind Prozesse mit langfristigen persönlichen und gesellschaftlichen Folgen.“

Manche finden „zweiten Himmel“ nach Umsiedlung

In Vidawa fühlten sich die Umgesiedelten sicher und sprachen von ihrem neuen Zuhause als „zweitem Himmel“, während die Zurückgebliebenen unter Angst und Sorgen leiden. In Denimanu zeigten sich komplexere Muster: Manche berichteten von gestörten Gemeinschaftsbeziehungen, andere von verbesserter Lebensqualität.  

Ein Schlüsselfaktor für positive Ergebnisse ist die Art der Entscheidungsfindung. Während in Vidawa die Gemeinde selbst die Umsiedlung organisiert, wurde in Denimanu die Regierung aktiv. Dies spiegelt sich in den Erfahrungen wider: Gemeinschaftlich organisierte Umsiedlungen führten zu besseren Ergebnissen für das Wohlbefinden der Betroffenen.

Umsiedlungen könnten Millionen Menschen treffen – „Studie liefert wichtige Impulse“

Geteilte Narrative können strategische Werkzeuge sein, helfen, Erfahrungen besser zu verstehen und fundierte, menschenzentrierte Umsiedlungspolitik zu gestalten, betont Link. „Die Studie liefert damit wichtige Impulse für künftige Umsiedlungsstrategien, die nicht nur effektiv, sondern auch gerecht und nachhaltig sein sollen.“  

‘Bahay kubo’ in a bite

BY JUANA YUPANGCO

Photos by Jaime Morados

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AI-backed robot painting aims to boost artist income

When I first started my advocacy Mesa ni Misis, it was to help address issues that plagued Filipinos. After all, what we eat is directly connected to our health and wellness. But the price of food is a constant deterrent to eating healthily.

While historically Filipinos did not seem to eat a lot of vegetables, the changing times demand that we start to do so. With an abundance of inexpensive vegetables that grow in our country, it should not be hard. In spite of this, Filipinos suffer from one of the highest rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension—diseases that can all be cured by a change of lifestyle and diet.

And diets that are plant-forward have been shown to be beneficial to health, alleviating the most common symptoms of these non-communicable diseases.

12 Important Truths People Often Forget Until It's Too Late

1. Not Everyone is Watching You: Most people are busy with their own lives. It's okay! Just focus on what makes you happy.
2. You Can't Control Everything: Some things are beyond your control. Deal with what you can and don’t worry about the rest.
3. Money Doesn’t Equal Happiness: After you have what you need to live, having more money doesn’t always make you happier.
4. You Are Like Your Friends: The friends you choose can lift you up or hold you back. Choose wisely!
5. Time is Precious: You don’t have endless time. Spend it on what really matters to you.
6. You Can’t Change Other People: You can only change how you act. Work on becoming a better version of yourself.
7. Perfect Isn’t Possible: Trying to be perfect can stop you from making progress. It’s okay to take risks and grow.
8. Your Thoughts Aren’t Always True: Just because you think something doesn’t mean it’s real. Be kind to yourself and challenge bad thoughts.
9. Happiness Takes Practice: You can learn to be happier by being thankful, staying present, and taking care of yourself.
10. Mistakes are Normal: Everyone makes mistakes while learning and growing. Be gentle with yourself.
11. Your Value Isn’t What Others Think: Don’t let other people’s opinions decide your worth. Focus on loving and accepting yourself.
12. Today is What Matters: Live in the present moment. Don’t get stuck worrying about the past or future.

The world of spirits

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

ON the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, celebrated on September 29, we are reminded of this mostly overlooked world of spirits, mainly composed of angels and demons. What is even more disturbing is the personal impression that more people seem to be more aware and concerned about demons than about angels.

We need to strengthen our belief and awareness of the great help angels can offer us. They actually are powerful and very benevolent beings who play a very significant role in our life, providing us with protection, guidance and even communication with the divine. They make themselves effective intermediaries or messengers who carry out the divine will for our own good, offering us support in our earthly sojourn.

Angels are always attentive to our needs, even when we are unaware of them. They help us to face challenges, trials and difficulties in our life. They can inspire acts of love, compassion and forgiveness, especially in those moments when we find it hard to do them.

Regarding the archangels, our Christian faith considers them as powerful intermediaries between God and man. They are made as messengers of God for a specific purpose, playing a crucial role in guiding, inspiring and safeguarding individuals and the world in general.

The Archangel Gabriel, for example, was made to deliver a very important message of God to the Blessed Virgin that occasioned the very conception of the Son of God, our Redeemer, in the virginal womb of Our Lady.

The Archangel Michael is made as our powerful protector against evil spirits. He is actually seen as the warrior who leads the heavenly hosts against the forces of evil. He is considered a protector of the Church. He is also regarded as the angel of death who guides souls to the afterlife.

The Archangel Raphael, whose name means “God’s remedy,” was the one who helped the youth Tobias to carry out the errand of his father and to meet his wife and rid her of demonic possession, as well as healed the blindness of Tobit, Tobias’ father. (cfr. Tobit 12) We can just imagine what he can do for us! Thus, he is often associated with healing and often invoked for physical and emotional well-being.

It’s important that we be aware of the existence of these very powerful archangels who, for sure, would be most willing and most happy to help us in their own way. We just have to enliven our faith in them and develop the appropriate devotion.

Many great saints have benefited from the help of these archangels. For one, St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, entrusted to them the tremendous apostolic work he and the faithful of Opus Dei have to carry out till the end of time.

It would be good if we train ourselves to develop an intimate relationship with them. To be sure, only good things can come out of such a relationship! They definitely would be a great help in our most important duty of seeking holiness and of cooperating with Christ in the on-going work of human redemption.

We cannot overemphasize the tremendous challenges we face in these areas and we should just seek the help of these very powerful allies who are all too willing to help us. We should just grow in our faith in them, supporting it with the appropriate acts of piety and devotion.