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President Marcos presided over the orientation of 165 Bagong Pilipinas Presidential Scholars in Lucena City today, with each scholar receiving educational grants under the programme, a Palace spokesperson said at the briefing.

Also highlighted was the Social Civic Projects Fund, under which each barangay is allocated ₱200,000 — intended not only for education but for priority programmes and projects in their communities, according to the briefing.

The scholars orientation was among several events the President attended during his Lucena visit alongside the rice distribution and port inspection.

Wrapping up his visit to Lucena City, President Marcos ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTR) to modernise the country's ports to cope with growing passenger traffic, the Palace briefing reported.

The Port of Lucena — a key gateway connecting Quezon province to Marinduque, Masbate and Romblon — has already seen its passenger terminal upgraded. Seating capacity has risen from 607 to 928 passengers, the spokesperson said, with a wider and better-ventilated waiting area among the improvements.

The port visit capped a day in Lucena that also included a rice distribution programme reaching 52,439 beneficiaries and an orientation for 165 Bagong Pilipinas Presidential Scholars.

The Palace moved to squash reports that President Marcos would halt the new Wage Order in the National Capital Region, telling reporters at the briefing: "Wala pong suspension, wala pong pag-ihinto po ito. Tolay, tolay po ito" ["There is no suspension, there is no stopping it. It will proceed, it will proceed."].

Asked by Business Mirror reporter Samuel Medanilla whether any private-sector group had formally requested a suspension or reconsideration, the Palace spokesperson said no such request had been officially taken up — and that no order to suspend has been issued.

Details on spending under the related ₱2.5 billion budget are still being gathered, the spokesperson said, promising to share a full breakdown once available.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. traveled to Quezon province today, leading a rice distribution in Lucena City under the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program. According to the Palace briefing, 52,439 beneficiaries from Lucena will each receive 30 kilograms of rice every two months from the Local Government Support Fund.

Marcos also attended the orientation of 165 Bagong Pilipinas Presidential Scholars, each of whom received ₱20,000 in education support under the Social Civic Projects Fund — a programme under which every barangay receives ₱200,000 for education and community priority projects.

A journalist from Surigao City put a pointed question to the Palace briefing, citing what she described as a severe water shortage and watershed siltation in Surigao del Norte caused by mining operations — and asking how the administration would use new audit and oversight frameworks to hold mining companies accountable.

The Palace spokesperson, citing records from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Regional Office No. 13 and the DENR, pushed back: current environmental monitoring data, she said, show no evidence that the water supply shortage in Surigao City is caused by mining activity in the area, and no recorded siltation of watersheds in Surigao del Norte attributable to mining.

The spokesperson added that under Republic Act 7942 (the Philippine Mining Act of 1995), mineral agreements inside proclaimed watershed forest reserves are prohibited — and MGB records show no mining activity inside the Surigao watershed reserve. She said DENR welcomes any evidence the journalist or her community can provide: "Kung may ibedensya at kulpo dito, inaanyayahan po kayo ng DENR na magbigay ng datos at ebidensya para matugunan ang inyong mga isyu." ["If you have evidence and a culprit here, the DENR invites you to submit data and evidence so your concerns can be addressed."]

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A reporter at the Malacañang briefing raised a fresh maritime casualty: she said the new Secretary reported the previous day that two Filipino seafarers were killed when their ships were attacked in the northern Black Sea.

The reporter asked what the government is doing to ensure the safety of Filipino crew members operating in conflict zones. The briefing was still in progress as the question was put; no Palace response had yet been given at the time of this post.

The DFA earlier said any violence against Filipino navy personnel "will merit appropriate diplomatic action" — though that statement was directed at a separate incident involving China.

Senator Robinhood Padilla on Tuesday called on the Philippine government to take "stronger and concrete steps" to defend the country's maritime rights after China Coast Guard personnel struck a Philippine Navy serviceman on the head with a wooden baton near BRP Sierra Madre on Monday, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

"When a Filipino is harmed, the Philippines cannot remain silent. When our soldiers are attacked while performing their legitimate duties, we must take a stand," Padilla said. He described the assault as a "clear escalation of aggression" and said those responsible must be held accountable.

Padilla stressed that the Philippines has "repeatedly chosen restraint" but that "our restraint is being met with even more harassment and violence." He praised Philippine troops for remaining disciplined despite being outnumbered and unarmed, using only shields to protect themselves. "How long will we endure this?" he asked, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.

A reporter pressed the Palace on Tuesday over whether the Philippines should overhaul its approach to China after a string of incidents — including a video widely seen as depicting Filipinos as monkeys and the latest alleged assault on Philippine Navy personnel — arguing that diplomatic dialogue appears to be failing.

The Palace spokesperson pushed back, saying the President believes no territorial or rights dispute should be resolved through force. "Hindi nadadaan sa dahas ang anumang pakipaglaban sa karapatan," the spokesperson said ["No fight for one's rights is won through force"], adding that the scale of China's territory or military strength is not the point — what matters is truth and legal right.

The exchange came as reporters also asked what President Marcos's personal reaction was when he learned of the latest incident involving Philippine personnel.

The Palace offered a new constitutional rationale on Tuesday for why President Marcos has not asked the Senate impeachment court to release Vice President Sara Duterte's bank and tax records — even as his allies consider elevating the matter to the Supreme Court.

The spokesperson argued that the impeachment court alone has the mandate to issue such orders, adding that the President's own status as an impeachable officer makes it inappropriate for him to intervene. "Ang pangulo, ang puesto niya bilang Presidente, ay isa rin pong impeachable officer," the spokesperson said ["The president, in his position as President, is himself also an impeachable officer"] — implying that if Marcos were to direct the release of a co-impeachable official's records, a future impeachment court could similarly order a sitting president's records without his consent.

On whether the Office of the President had formally made any request, the spokesperson said: "Wala pa" ["None yet"].

A Palace spokesperson, responding to a reporter's question, read out the Chinese Embassy's sharply divergent account of the incident involving Philippine Navy personnel.

The embassy statement alleged that — "ignoring repeated warnings from the Chinese side, Philippine personnel continued their provocations, deliberately stirred up trouble, and maliciously attacked Chinese law enforcement officers with paddles."

The spokesperson pushed back, saying: "Kung ano lang po ang datos ng ating mga opisyal, ng ating mga Filipino personnel, yun naman po ay naaayon sa ating karapatan at naaayon sa ating batas" ["Whatever our officials and our Filipino personnel have reported is consistent with our rights and consistent with our laws"]. The claim from the Chinese Embassy has not been independently verified.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has weighed in on the assault on Philippine Navy personnel, with a Palace spokesperson reading its statement at the Malacañang press briefing.

"Any act of violence against Filipino personnel is unacceptable," the statement read. "[It] will merit the appropriate diplomatic action. The DFA is committed to upholding the safety and well-being of Filipino personnel in BRP Sierra Madre who are lawfully performing their duties."

The DFA statement adds to earlier condemnations from the Department of National Defense secretary and AFP leadership, which were published earlier. A Palace spokesperson said President Marcos likewise does not welcome such incidents and that the administration's policy is to respond through diplomatic means.

A reporter at the Malacañang press briefing raised an incident in which a guard allegedly assaulted a member of the Philippine Navy, asking for the Palace's reaction.

The press officer said the Department of National Defense Secretary and the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines had already condemned the incident. "Hindi tayo pa CCIL," the officer said — a phrase partially garbled in the broadcast — before adding that at least one other agency had also issued a statement, which the officer said she would read into the record.

*The Guerrilla Podcast Syndicate live desk is monitoring for the full text of those statements.*

The Malacañang press officer told reporters that as of the briefing, the Office of the President had not yet sent any request regarding the Senate impeachment court's subpoenas for Vice President Sara Duterte's bank and tax records.

Asked whether a Supreme Court petition by the VP's allies could render the subpoenas moot, the Palace offered a firm position: "Ang Senado ay pumakatawan at umapapel bilang impeachment court at sila ang mayroong karapatan at mandato, kung paano nila ipatutupad ang kanilang proseso" ["The Senate is acting and sitting as an impeachment court and they have the right and mandate as to how they implement their process."].

The Palace added that impeachable officers — including a sitting president — can be subject to court-ordered records requests, arguing the impeachment court's authority to issue subpoenas should not depend on the accused's consent.

A former congressman referred to on screen only as Joey has been confirmed as the new head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO), according to a slide shown during the Malacañang press briefing.

The screen read: "Mahuad is the official word — former Congressman Joey [surname not clearly audible] has been appointed PLLO chief. Confirmed." No further details on the appointment were given at the briefing.

The Senate impeachment court has approved the issuance of subpoenas for Vice President Sara Duterte's bank and tax records, including records held by the AMLC and the BIR, according to a question put to a Palace spokesperson during the briefing.

The spokesperson noted that the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, has the mandate and authority to determine how it conducts its process. A subpoena in such a case, the spokesperson said, can be issued through a court order — and the records could be used to substantiate claims of unexplained wealth.

The VP's camp is reportedly preparing to bring the matter before the Supreme Court. Reporters at the Malacañang briefing also asked whether any request has been sent to the Office of the President on the matter; a clear answer had not yet been given at time of filing.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally led the distribution of Certificates of Entitlement (COE) to 100 beneficiaries this morning under the government's expanded 4PH (Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino) programme, according to a Palace press officer.

The programme aims to formalise land rights for socialized housing beneficiaries. The Palace said the target is to issue COEs to a total of 1,119 beneficiaries in the city — 185 families have already received theirs in an earlier round, with the remainder to follow with support from local government and other agencies.

Housing Secretary Jose Ramon Aliño joined the President at the ceremony. Marcos urged recipients to treat the certificates as "the foundation of a more stable future" for their families, the Palace said.

The Malacañang press briefing has shot down speculation that President Marcos could pause the newly implemented wage order in the National Capital Region.

A Palace official said there is no order to suspend the measure — which includes an ₱85 wage hike — and no such directive has been issued. "Wala pong suspension, wala pong pagihinto po ito. Tuloy, tuloy po ito," the official said ["There is no suspension, there is no stopping this. It will proceed."].

The official also said no request from the private sector for a suspension or reconsideration had been acted upon, though acknowledged such requests may have been received.

The state department, through spokesman Tommy Pigott, condemned what it called "dangerous and aggressive" action by China, whose personnel are accused of injuring a Filipino sailor at Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed South China Sea on July 20, according to Agence France-Presse.

"China's troubling pattern of provocation against lawful Philippine maritime operations undermines regional peace and stability," Pigott said in a statement, calling on Beijing to "immediately cease its destabilizing conduct."

The Philippine military has accused the China Coast Guard of clubbing a Filipino sailor with a baton as they approached the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded vessel that serves as a Philippine garrison on the shoal in the Spratly archipelago. The clash occurred after two Philippine rubber boats were sent to drive away a Chinese group that had circled and photographed the ship.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Manila on Tuesday to attend foreign ministers' talks with Asean, and said before departing Washington he was open to a sideline meeting with China's top diplomat Wang Yi, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.

The National Bureau of Investigation director, Melvin Matibag, is expected to testify on Monday as the final witness in the House prosecution's presentation of evidence on Article IV of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial, GMA News reports.

Article IV concerns Duterte's alleged assassination threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and allegations she incited sedition through public statements. The House prosecution spokesperson, Zia Alonto Adiong, said Matibag would provide "information and facts surrounding this preliminary investigation conducted by the NBI."

Lawyer Benjamin Tolosa Jr., the House prosecution's legal spokesperson, said Matibag's testimony would corroborate earlier NBI witness accounts and "provide the impeachment court with new information."

The National Bureau of Investigation director, Melvin Matibag, is scheduled to take the witness stand on Tuesday as the prosecution concludes its case under Article IV of the impeachment charges against Vice President Sara Duterte, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports. Matibag will testify on the NBI's investigation into Duterte's alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The eighth day of the Senate impeachment trial comes after the court on Monday granted the prosecution's request to subpoena Duterte's bank, tax and Anti-Money Laundering Council records — a significant ruling on the unexplained wealth charge under Article II. The prosecution earlier withdrew eight other witnesses for Article IV, citing redundancy.

The Department of National Defense announced on Tuesday that Lieutenant General Antonio Nafarrete has been appointed chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, replacing General Romeo Brawner Jr., who is retiring after three years in the role. Brawner is the first military chief to complete a fixed three-year term under a law passed in 2023.

Nafarrete, who was the Philippine Army's chief, will serve until July 2029 unless dismissed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. or his successor. Lieutenant General Donald Gumiran, currently commander of the Western Mindanao Command, has been appointed to replace Nafarrete as Army commander, Rappler reports.

The Senate Impeachment Court on Monday granted the House prosecution's request for subpoenas of Vice President Sara Duterte's peso bank accounts, tax records, and financial documents from 20 corporate entities and one law partnership, Reuters reports. The court denied requests to inspect foreign currency deposits and unlinked corporate entities, citing concerns about overreach. The documents, which relate to Article II charges of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust involving allegations of undeclared wealth, are due to be submitted by July 30.

The court ruled the prosecution had established a prima facie connection between Duterte and the 20 entities through corporate filings and her own asset declarations, according to Senate Impeachment Spokesperson Reginald Tongol. Historical bank and tax records from 2007 to 2021 were also approved but strictly limited to use as a "factual comparative baseline" to determine if accumulated wealth is disproportionate, with no new independent charges permitted, the Philippine Star reports.

The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte continued on Tuesday, July 21, with the Senate impeachment court approving most of the prosecution's requests to subpoena Duterte's and her husband Man Carpio's bank, tax, and corporate records, covering at least 20 Duterte-linked companies.

Duterte is the first Philippine public official to be impeached twice by the House of Representatives. The trial, which began July 6, involves four articles of impeachment: alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery of Department of Education officials, and grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family. Only 21 of 24 senator-judges are physically present; three senators face ICC or plunder charges, Rappler reports.

Teodoro is pushing back against the traditional passive role of defense attachés, arguing they should operate more assertively as strategic assets rather than merely liaison officers.

"I wish we really need to view defense attachés in a more proactive manner and not just as a support side or liaison alone," he said, signalling a shift in how the Philippines deploys military diplomacy.

The comment suggests the defense establishment is considering how to leverage defense attaché networks more actively to counter China's diplomatic and military messaging in the region.

Teodoro is pushing back against the traditional passive role of defense attachés, arguing they should operate more assertively as strategic assets rather than merely liaison officers.

"I wish we really need to view defense attachés in a more proactive manner and not just as a support side or liaison alone," he said, signalling a shift in how the Philippines deploys military diplomacy.

The comment suggests the defense establishment is considering how to leverage defense attaché networks more actively to counter China's diplomatic and military messaging in the region.