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4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan

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Communities urged to tap P1-billion People’s Survival Fund for rainwater harvesting projects

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HOUSE Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan has urged local government units (LGUs) and community organizations to brace for the looming El Niño-induced dry weather conditions by tapping the P1-billion People’s Survival Fund (PSF) for practical climate adaptation projects, including rainwater harvesting systems.

“In the 2026 General Appropriations Act, Congress allocated P1 billion for the People’s Survival Fund to help finance climate adaptation initiatives, including the installation of functional rainwater collection and storage systems that can strengthen communities’ resilience against potential freshwater shortages,” Libanan said.

The lawmaker stressed that both LGUs and community organizations may access PSF financing for eligible projects aimed at reducing communities’ vulnerability to climate-related risks.

Libanan issued the call as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned that Metro Manila and 47 provinces could experience below-normal rainfall in the coming months as El Niño develops.

“We should make rainwater harvesting a regular practice so communities can build up additional freshwater reserves before severe dry periods set in,” Libanan said.

“Every liter of rainwater captured and stored today can help cushion households and communities from water shortages tomorrow. Investing in rainwater harvesting is one of the simplest, most practical, and most cost-effective climate adaptation measures available to us,” he added.

PAGASA forecasts that Metro Manila and the following Luzon provinces may be under “dry condition” by November: Abra, Albay, Apayao, Aurora, Bataan, Batangas, Benguet, Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Cavite, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Kalinga, La Union, Laguna, Marinduque, Masbate, Mountain Province, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Sorsogon, Tarlac, and Zambales.

PAGASA defines “dry condition” as two consecutive months of below-normal rainfall, equivalent to a 21 percent to 60 percent reduction from average precipitation.

Meanwhile, PAGASA projects that Camarines Sur may be under a “dry spell” by November. A dry spell is defined as three consecutive months of below-normal rainfall, equivalent to a 21 percent to 60 percent reduction from average precipitation.

In the Visayas, the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Iloilo, Northern Samar, Samar, and Southern Leyte are likewise expected to be under dry condition by November.

In Mindanao, the provinces of Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte are also projected to be under dry condition by November.

The People’s Survival Fund is administered by a board composed of the secretaries of the Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Department of Economy, Planning and Development; the chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Women; the vice chairperson of the Climate Change Commission; and representatives from the scientific community, business sector, and non-governmental organizations.

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Business

Lawmaker sees new regional wage hikes starting June amid escalating fuel-driven inflation

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HOUSE Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan on Sunday said he expects the country’s 17 regional wage boards to roll out a fresh round of minimum wage increases starting this June, amid mounting fuel-driven inflationary pressures.

“There’s no question that a new round of regional wage hikes is now fully justified, mainly due to the inflationary impact of elevated fuel prices linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” Libanan said in a statement ahead of the country’s celebration of Labor Day on Friday.

Libanan stressed the urgency of restoring workers’ purchasing power to sustain consumption spending and economic growth.

“We have to restore the lost buying power of the country’s 5.2 million minimum wage earners if we want to revive and sustain consumption spending—and, by extension, the broader economy,” Libanan said.

“Persistent price increases have steadily eroded real wages. Many workers are effectively earning less in real terms today than they did before, despite previous nominal pay adjustments. This wage erosion must be reversed through timely and meaningful wage increases,” Libanan added.

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the National Capital Region (NCR) is expected to lead the next cycle of wage adjustments.

“We are counting on the NCR wage board to kick off the series of regional wage adjustments this June,” Libanan said.

The NCR wage board last issued a wage order on June 24, 2025, raising the daily minimum wage by ₱50—from ₱645 to ₱695—effective July 18, 2025.

The 16 other regional wage boards then followed suit, implementing their own adjustments one after the other within 10 months after the Metro Manila pay increase.

Under existing law, wage boards may increase the minimum wage only once every 12 months, unless supervening conditions warrant an earlier adjustment.

Libanan also noted that minimum wage hikes tend to ripple across pay structures within firms.

“Regional minimum wage increases are also likely to benefit higher-paid workers, as employers move to correct wage distortions,” he pointed out.

Wage distortion occurs when mandated increases in minimum pay narrow or eliminate the gap between entry-level and more senior positions, according to the Department of Labor and Employment. Employers typically address this by granting proportional adjustments to higher-ranked employees.

Recent economic data underscore the need for wage intervention.

Headline inflation accelerated to a 20-month high of 4.1 percent in March, driven largely by a 9.9 percent surge in transport costs due to fuel price shocks, alongside rising food prices.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has also flagged a worsening inflation outlook.

“The inflation outlook has deteriorated amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Higher global oil and fertilizer prices have begun feeding through to domestic fuel and food prices,” the BSP said in a statement on April 23.

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Business

LIBANAN: Luzon–Visayas bridge feasibility study set for this year; Visayas–Mindanao crossing eyed next

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A LONG-ENVISIONED fixed link connecting the Philippines’ three main island groups is moving closer to reality, with a feasibility study for a proposed Luzon–Visayas long-span bridge or undersea road tunnel scheduled this year and a separate study for a Visayas–Mindanao crossing planned for 2027.

House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan said the two studies would be conducted sequentially as part of efforts to establish permanent land links between Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao

“The feasibility studies for the twin projects will be carried out one after the other,” Libanan said.

Libanan issued the statement after members of Congress and provincial governors from Eastern Visayas met with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon.

“Secretary Dizon assured us during the meeting that the proposed Luzon–Visayas bridge or undersea motor vehicle tunnel will undergo a feasibility study this year after Congress allocated P130 million to fund it,” Libanan said.

“We in Congress are firmly committed to pursuing these transformative projects that will link Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao through fixed and permanent structures,” he added.

Also present at the March 10 meeting with Dizon at the DPWH regional office in Tacloban City were Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales, Eastern Samar Gov. RV Evardone, Northern Samar Gov. Harris Ongchuan, Northern Samar Rep. Edwin Ongchuan, Samar Rep. Stephen James Tan, Samar Rep. Reynolds Michael Tan, Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan, and Leyte Gov. Jericho Petilla. 

Libanan is the principal author of House Bill No. 4589, which proposes the construction of a bridge or undersea tunnel connecting Sorsogon and Northern Samar.

He also authored House Bill No. 4950, which calls for a similar crossing between Southern Leyte and Surigao del Norte.

“We envision the projects paving the way for the full economic integration of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao,” Libanan said.

“By creating a direct, safe, and dependable land passage between the country’s three main island groups, these links will transform the movement of people, goods, and services nationwide,” he said.

The projects are expected to boost trade, stimulate local economies, and enhance the country’s overall business competitiveness, according to Libanan.

“They will also strengthen domestic tourism by opening vital gateways for direct land travel,” he added.

“These connections will also enable faster disaster response, improve national defense mobility, and promote stronger territorial cohesion,” Libanan pointed out.

“These are strategic investments in the country’s long-term development and will help ensure balanced economic growth across all regions, as mandated by the Constitution,” he added.

At present, transportation between Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao relies heavily on roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ferry services that are vulnerable to capacity limits, weather disruptions, and delays, affecting the efficient movement of passengers and cargo.

Currently, ferries connect Luzon and the Visayas mainly through routes from Matnog in Sorsogon to Allen in Northern Samar across the San Bernardino Strait.

Ferries also connect the Visayas and Mindanao primarily via routes from Liloan in Southern Leyte to Surigao City across the Surigao Strait.

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EducationNews

₱41-B in tuition subsidies to support 2.58-M poor students in private high schools – Libanan

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CONGRESS has allocated ₱41 billion this year to cover the tuition fees of underprivileged students who are compelled to attend private high schools in areas where public schools are either unavailable or severely overcrowded, House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan said on Monday.

“This allocation will enable an estimated 2.58 million students from low-income households, as well as those in overcrowded public schools, to pursue and complete their secondary education in private schools,” Libanan said.

“The funding will help ensure that more students stay in school, especially at a time when many families are under significant economic pressure, and students face a heightened risk of dropping out to seek immediate gainful employment,” he added.

Libanan said the ₱41 billion allocation for high school education subsidies is distributed as follows:

·      ₱12.3 billion for the Junior High School Educational Service Contracting Program (JHSESC);

·      ₱26.5 billion for the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHSVP); and 

·      ₱2.2 billion for the Joint Delivery Voucher Program (JDVP).

Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education indicate that a substantial number of senior high school students drop out.

For example, in the school year 2024-2025, a total of 2,041,601 students were enrolled in Grade 11. Of these, 169,836 students—representing 8.3 percent—dropped out and did not advance to Grade 12.

“Keeping more students in school is not just an education policy — it is an economic safeguard for our families and our future workforce,” Libanan said.

“When we support students through financial hardship, we give them a real chance to finish their studies and break the cycle of poverty,” he added.

The JHSESC allows grantees — primarily graduates of public elementary schools — to enroll in Grades 7 to 10 in private high schools contracted by the Department of Education (DepEd).

The SHSVP provides tuition grants to enable qualified Grade 10 completers, as determined by the DepEd, to enroll in Grades 11 and 12 in participating private high schools.

The JDVP extends tuition grants to senior high school students in the technical-vocational-livelihood track, enabling them to enroll in private institutions or non-DepEd schools offering specialized courses.

The DepEd and the Private Education Assistance Committee jointly manage the SHSVP and the JHSESC, while DepEd solely administers the JDVP.

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