Consumers call for protection from high power rates in Energy Transition Bill

 

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Metro Manila (February 13) – Electricity consumers on Thursday urged the House Committee on Energy to ensure that their rights will be protected in the country’s transition to clean energy sources. 

During the Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting on House Bill 4299 or the Energy Transition Bill, electricity consumer welfare group Kuryente.org strongly proposed that the bill's Declaration of Policy explicitly include the protection of consumers from any adverse effects of the transition, such as increases in electricity prices. 

“As we recall, ordinary consumers have no protection from market events that cause price hikes, such as foreign exchange fluctuations, wars, and other external factors,” says Kuryente.org National Coordinator Bas Umali. “Even before the just energy transition became  national discourse, consumers in our country had been suffering for decades from high electricity prices and the constant fear of supply shortages.”

The objective of the proposed law is to lay down policies for implementing the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources as well as to ensure that the process is just, meaning small sectors will have their interests protected. 

Umali says the protection of consumers from fluctuating prices is a must, since, despite the country already having one of the highest power rates in Southeast Asia, it continues to experience consistent increases in power bills. 

The latest price increase was announced for the month of February due to the cost of transmission and the Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification. The Energy Regulatory Commission also allowed additional charges such as the Green Energy Auction allowance (GEA-ALL).

Kuryente.org requested the Committee and TWG members to craft specific provisions detailing exactly how consumers will be protected in relation to these issues.

The group also proposed that Republic Act 7394, or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, be included as a reference in the bill, particularly in institutionalizing consumer participation in the development of plans and consultations.

“The government should begin with this data in crafting whatever legislation it intends to pass,” says Umali. “Although the measure is still at the TWG level, we hope that the consumers’ strategic interests will be accommodated.”

EcoWaste Coalition to Good Luck Seekers: Be Cautious of Toxic Charms

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

(Watchdog group finds cadmium in some lucky charm bracelets)

13 February 2026, Quezon City.  As many citizens go to Binondo, Manila, and other Chinatowns across the country to buy tikoy (glutinous rice cake) and other Chinese New Year favorites, the EcoWaste Coalition reminded consumers to watch out for lucky charm bracelets with toxic metallic components.

The watchdog group on waste and pollution issued the timely reminder as luck seekers look for items to activate good luck, health, and fortune to usher in the Year of the Fire Horse, which is associated with immense energy, passion, and burning drive for success.

To show the health risks of some luck activators, the group purchased 22 bracelets sold for P35 to P150 each from sellers in Binondo, Quiapo, and Santa Cruz districts, and screened them for heavy metals, cadmium in particular, using an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer. 

While no chemicals of concern were detected on the beads, the Pi Yao (aka Pi Xiu) and other metallic components,  including a unicorn (a mythical animal resembling a horse), of the bracelets were found laden with high levels of cadmium.

Of the 22 lucky charm bracelets purchased and analyzed, nine were found to contain Pi Yao and other auspicious symbols with cadmium levels exceeding 100 ppm, the European Union’s limit for cadmium in jewelry.

Of these nine bracelets, seven had metallic components with cadmium above 100,000 ppm.  The other two had cadmium levels of 2,170 ppm and 4,257 ppm.  

The presence of cadmium in the nine bracelets indicates that some jewelry manufacturers use this highly toxic metal to add mass and weight to the product and make a lustrous finish.  On the other hand, the absence of cadmium in the 13 bracelets shows that it can be replaced with non-toxic materials.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed cadmium among the 10 chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern.  It has recommended the “elimination of use of cadmium in products such as toys, jewelry, and plastics” as one of the interventions to reduce cadmium releases and occupational and environmental exposure.

According to the WHO, “cadmium exerts toxic effects on the kidneys as well as the skeletal and respiratory systems (and) is classified as a human carcinogen.”

While swallowing jewelry poses the highest risk of cadmium exposure, chronic exposure may occur through habitual oral contact. Children can absorb the metal by chewing, sucking, or mouthing these items. Because children under six frequently put objects (and their hands) in their mouths, they are at a higher risk.

To address this threat to public health, the EcoWaste Coalition called for a comprehensive review of existing regulations to fix the loopholes that allow high-cadmium jewelry to enter the local market.

Since ordinary consumers cannot visually distinguish safe metallic components from those containing cadmium, the group pushed for mandatory labeling that details chemical ingredients and potential health or ecological risks.

These actions, the EcoWaste Coalition said, will help advance the Filipino people's right to health, as guaranteed by the Constitution, as well as promote the Global Framework on Chemicals - For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste," which aims "to prevent or, where prevention is not feasible, minimize harm from chemicals and waste to protect the environment and human health, including that of vulnerable groups and workers."

DepEd proposes trimester system under holistic school calendar reform

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 






MAKATI CITY, 13 February 2025 — The Department of Education (DepEd) is advancing reforms to the school calendar, including the proposed transition to a trimester system, as part of a holistic approach that ensures strategic curriculum implementation through the appropriate distribution of learning blocks covering academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara noted that the proposal aimed at allowing longer and more flexible instructional periods, reducing teacher workload, and promoting higher-quality instruction through improved organization of the academic year.

“Itinutulak natin ito upang magkaroon ng mas mahahabang, tuloy-tuloy na panahon ng pagkatuto, mas maayos na pacing ng mga aralin, at mas mababang administrative burden para sa ating mga guro. Sa ganitong paraan, napapangalagaan natin ang kalidad ng edukasyon,” Angara said, citing findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2).



The trimester system will divide the school year into three academic terms with longer instructional and enrichment blocks, enabling teachers to sustain lesson delivery without frequent interruptions.



Under the proposed trimester calendar for School Year 2026-2027, the 201 school days will be distributed across three terms, each providing longer uninterrupted teaching periods and allowing better pacing of lessons. Scheduled breaks between terms will also provide teachers with time for planning, assessment, and professional tasks, helping improve overall instructional delivery.



Based on the proposed calendar framework, classes will open in early June. The first trimester will run from June to September. The second trimester will cover September to December while the third trimester will run from January until late March, completing the 201 school days for the academic year.





Per term, there will be an instructional block (54-61 days), dedicated to quality teaching and learning time, with minimal disruption of non-academic activities, and an enrichment block, alloted for remediation and enrichment, grade computation, preparation and checking of school forms, and wellness break, among others. An opening block will also be implemented for Term 1 only for opening of school year activities.




Integration of observances in lessons



The reform will also promote “low-disruption alternatives,” where mandated celebrations and observances are integrated into classroom instruction rather than requiring separate programs that interrupt lessons.



DepEd data show that the current calendar structure has contributed to compressed instructional time, as schools must accommodate numerous mandated observances, reporting requirements, and administrative tasks. These disruptions often break lesson continuity and increase workload demands on teachers, forcing them to prioritize compliance over sustained instruction.




Examples include incorporating national and cultural observances into reading materials, writing exercises, science discussions, and project-based learning, allowing students to engage with civic themes while continuing their regular lessons. Schools may also conduct shorter in-class reflection activities, thematic discussions, or curriculum-linked projects instead of holding whole-day events that suspend academic instruction.



Formal policy guidelines on the trimester calendar are expected to be issued following consultations with teachers, school leaders, and other education stakeholders.