FIVE THINGS TO KNOW…

Short explainers published throughout the day.

1:18 PM7-minute read

ABOUT THE NEW SWS POVERTY NUMBERS

Self-rated poverty and food poverty declined in June, but the figures also show how many Filipino families remain under pressure and why lower household budgets do not necessarily mean life became cheaper.

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2:02 PM11-minute read

ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY ACT

House Bill No. 9965 would bar children below 13 from having social media accounts, require parental consent for users aged 13 to 17, regulate platform algorithms, and impose fines reaching P50 million. It is still being deliberated in the House.

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12:02 PM7-minute read

ABOUT THE SEALED BIR BOX

Marcos authorized the BIR to comply with the Senate subpoena. That did not open the records to the public or prove the unexplained-wealth allegation.

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MCT READER PULSE · MCT-PULSE-2026-007

MCT READER SURVEY

House prosecutors are considering whether to stop presenting evidence on the bribery article against Vice President Sara Duterte and move directly to the unexplained-wealth charge. Do you agree with that strategy?Pinag-iisipan ng mga prosekutor ng Kamara kung ititigil ang paghaharap ng ebidensiya sa artikulo tungkol sa panunuhol at tututok sa kasong hindi maipaliwanag na yaman laban kay Bise Presidente Sara Duterte. Sang-ayon ka ba sa estratehiyang ito?

Some prosecutors want to move directly to the unexplained-wealth charge; others want to proceed with all four articles. No final decision had been announced when this survey opened. The question is about prosecution strategy, not guilt.

Background: The Philippine Star and Daily Tribune.

This is an informal survey of verified MCT readers who choose to participate. It is not nationally representative.

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August 24, 2026 · 8:40 AM4-minute read

ABOUT DEPED'S CANCELLED SCHOOL SAFETY DRILL

DepEd cancelled the nationwide active-attack drill after mental-health specialists raised concerns. The need for safer school planning remains.

An empty Philippine public-school classroom with a safety folder, radio, whistle, attendance sheet and floor plan on a teacher desk.

The nationwide active-attack drill that schools were supposed to conduct on August 25 will no longer proceed. Education Secretary Sonny Angara told DZMM TeleRadyo that it had been cancelled after mental-health specialists publicly urged DepEd to reconsider the live exercise.

The decision changes Tuesday's exercise while leaving the need for school-security planning in place.

1

DEPED HAD ORDERED A NATIONWIDE EXERCISE

The original directive covered public and private elementary and secondary schools. Each school was expected to use a localized contingency plan and test what students and personnel should do during an attack, including how children would later be reunited with their families.

That nationwide scale was one reason the order drew attention. A drill involving children of different ages, circumstances, and levels of understanding cannot be treated like an ordinary evacuation exercise.

WHAT TO WATCH

DepEd should issue a written cancellation or replacement order before the original August 25 schedule so every school receives the same instruction.

2

PSYCHIATRIC GROUPS OBJECTED TO THE LIVE SIMULATION

The Philippine Psychiatric Association and the Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry called for the live drill to be deferred. They supported stronger school security but warned that a realistic simulation could cause fear or distress, particularly when children had not been properly prepared or supported.

Their position pointed toward less dramatic but useful measures: controlled entry points, working locks, clear communication procedures, trained personnel, advance notice, and the participation of counselors and mental-health professionals.

WHAT TO WATCH

Any revised DepEd guidance should identify which mental-health and child-development specialists were consulted and how their recommendations changed the exercise.

3

OTHER SCHOOL-SAFETY WORK MUST CONTINUE

Schools still need plans for violent threats. They need to know who calls the police, who communicates with parents, where students can shelter, how access to the campus is controlled, and how children are accounted for afterward.

The disagreement was over how to test those plans without creating another risk. A tabletop exercise for adults, staff training, inspection of school facilities, and carefully designed age-appropriate activities can expose weaknesses without forcing every child through a frightening simulation.

WHAT TO WATCH

Schools need a replacement timetable for staff training, facility inspections, parent communication, and age-appropriate preparedness activities.

4

CHILDREN ARE NOT SMALL ADULTS

A procedure that adults can understand as pretend may feel real to a young child. Age, prior trauma, disability, mental-health condition, and the way adults explain the activity can change how a student responds.

This is what “trauma-informed” planning requires. Planners must measure possible gains in response time against the fear, confusion, or harm the exercise may cause.

WHAT TO WATCH

Revised protocols should separate procedures for younger children, older students, learners with disabilities, and students who may need mental-health support.

5

DEPED NOW NEEDS A BETTER SAFETY PLAN

DepEd should clarify what replaces the cancelled exercise. Schools and parents need to know whether the department will issue revised guidance, require staff-only exercises, consult mental-health specialists, inspect physical security, or pilot a safer model before trying another nationwide activity.

Cancelling the live exercise was responsible given the objections. DepEd must now turn the correction into a school-safety program that is practical, properly supported, and safe for children.

WHAT TO WATCH

The department should announce whether it will pilot a revised exercise in selected schools before considering another nationwide activity.

BOTTOM LINE

The cancelled drill exposed a gap between the need for stronger school security and the way preparedness is tested. DepEd can correct that gap by consulting specialists, improving school facilities and communication, and using exercises designed around the age and condition of the children involved.

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