INQToday: Consolidation of jeepney drivers, operators is non-negotiable, says Bautista

Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:

Bautista: Consolidation of jeepney drivers, operators is non-negotiable

Amid a week-long transport strike, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday said that the consolidation of jeepney drivers and operators is a “non-negotiable” component of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

“One very important issue that is non-negotiable is industry consolidation because we really need the players to consolidate into cooperatives or corporations,“ said Bautista on the sidelines of the Stratbase ADR Institute Pilipinas Conference on Wednesday.

Over 300K affected by rains due to shear line in 5 regions

As many as 307,087 people were affected by relentless rains induced by the shear line, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

According to NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal, five regions are hit by the shear line rains: Calabarzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga.

Prices up among ‘noche buena’ items

Prices of several food items Filipinos put on their dining tables during Christmas are rising ahead of the holidays, with several brands of ham and fruit cocktail, among others, becoming more expensive by as much as a fifth of their price tags last year, according to the “noche buena” price guide to be released by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) today.

The price guide includes 240 shelf keeping units (SKUs)—which manufacturers use to identify and track their inventory—such as ham, fruit cocktail, pasta, spaghetti sauce and queso de bola.

Magnitude 6.1 quake strikes waters off Balut Island in Sarangani

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit the waters near Balut Island in Sarangani municipality, Davao Occidental on Wednesday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The tectonic temblor happened at 10:48 a.m. and has a depth of focus of 173 kilometers (km), it added.

Roque seeks worse penalty vs recanters amid De Lima witnesses flip-flops

Former presidential spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque on Wednesday said that witnesses who recant their testimonies deserve worse punishment.

Roque’s statement was made in reaction to seven more Bilibid inmates’ recantation of their testimonies against Former senator Leila De Lima.

Imee says Marcoses and Dutertes on good terms, hits political agitators

Senator Imee Marcos said that her family and the Dutertes are on good terms as she blasted political troublemakers amid talks of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.

“We have so many problems. Have mercy on the administration,” she said in Filipino during an ambush interview in Navotas, where she distributed boats to fishermen on Wednesday.

Boy Abunda confirms he was invited to Miss Universe as judge

Boy Abunda disclosed that the Miss Universe Organization initially considered him to be one of the judges in the 2023 pageant, but that he was later disqualified after he did an interview of the Philippines’ bet Michelle Dee.

During the Nov. 21 episode of his talk show “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” the King of Talk confirmed a Philippine Entertainment Portal report saying Abunda was invited to judge the global tilt.