With storms, controversies, and problematic figures, September 2024 set foot with a bit of spice. What adds more is the sprinkled goodness that comes with it; we simply don’t know where to turn our heads to. It's madness, a whirlwind that sways us in any direction with no destination in mind.

Nonetheless, here are the notable happenings of this krazy month that made us either nod our heads in approval or sway in hesitation:

1. Super typhoon ‘Enteng’

(Photo from Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA))

September started all windy and stormy as Enteng (Yagi) intensified while exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), turning into a super typhoon on Sept. 5.

The Department of Agriculture [has recorded](Photo from Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) ) over 600 million pesos worth of agricultural damages caused by the typhoon. Highly affected areas like Central Luzon and some parts of Metro Manila cancelled classes that lasted a week, from Sept. 2 to Sept. 6.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, over 500,000 individuals in 695 barangays were affected by Enteng and the southwest monsoon (habagat).

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. proposed studying the possibility of installing dams or weirs in waterways to prevent flooding during typhoons.

2. The much anticipated UAAP season

(Photo by Selyn Santos/TomasinoWeb)

The University held its annual Kickoff Party at the Quadricentennial Pavilion, along with a parade of athletes and Tigers Fair, to officially kickstart the UAAP Season 87 on Sept. 6.

Thomasians showcased their full support for the competing Thomasian athletes by wearing yellow for the “Grand Yellow Day.”

On the same day, the UST Golden Tigresses faced the Kurashiki Ablaze in a volleyball exhibition game, with the Kurashiki reigning in the Tigresses’ home court.

3. UST-Manila campus as host for 2024 Bar Exams

(Photo by Justine Rentoza/TomasinoWeb)

Aspiring lawyers flocked to the UST-Manila campus — one of the six Metro Manila testing centers — for the 2024 Bar Exam held on Sept. 8, 11, and 15.

According to the memorandum released by the Office of the Secretary-General, four academic units shifted to enriched virtual mode of instruction on Sept. 4 to 7, 9 to 14, and 16 to 17 in preparation for the examinations.

The four academic units that shifted to online classes and remote work were College of Information and Computing Sciences, College of Commerce and Business Administration, Faculty of Arts and Letters, and UST Junior High School.

Bar Chairperson and Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario Lopez said the results will be tentatively released by early December, while the oath-taking ceremony and signing of the Roll of Attorneys are scheduled to happen on Jan. 24, 2025.

4. Balay Dako drew flak over aspin issue

(Screenshot from Lara Antonio/Facebook)

Balay Dako, a restaurant in Tagaytay City, received backlash after barring a customer’s pet aspin (asong Pinoy) from entry.

Lara Antonio, a customer of the restaurant, took to social media on Sept. 8 recounting how the establishment turned away her aspin, Yoda.

The restaurant eventually issued an apology regarding the incident, but pet advocates and netizens were quick to spot it as a non-apology statement.

In a statement about the issue, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society urged businesses who identify as “pet-friendly” to “be mindful of their practices” and “ensure that their policies reflect genuine inclusivity.”

5. Quiboloy, five others, now in custody

(Photo by Jam Sta Rosa/AFP)

After months of hiding and weeks of manhunt, fugitive founding leader of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) Apollo Quiboloy is now in the custody of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sept. 8.

According to PNP spokesperson PCol. Jean Fajardo, Quiboloy and his co-accused Jackielyn Roy, Ingrid Canada, Cresente Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes surrendered “peacefully” on the night of Sept. 4.

“Binigyan po natin sila ng ultimatum na within 24 hours po ay kailangan nila sumuko at nagkaroon po ng negotation. Ito po ay joint efforts po ng PNP and AFP,” Fajardo said.

The appointed son of God and his fellow suspects, along with Pauleen Canada, pleaded not guilty to charges of qualified human trafficking and child abuse before the Pasig City and Quezon City courts.

Meanwhile, the PNP is working to file charges against suspected individuals for harboring Quiboloy for obstruction of justice.

The United State authorities have not yet filed an extradition request of Quiboloy, who is also facing labor and sex trafficking charges before a federal court in California.

6. Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS Tour in Manila

(Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

Good 4 the Filipino Livies as pop icon Olivia Rodrigo announced on Sept. 10 her very first concert in the Philippines set for Oct. 5 at the Philippine Arena, as part of her GUTS World Tour.

The concert will be a Silver Star Show with all tickets priced at P1,500, including taxes and a limit of four tickets per purchaser.

Seats for the show will be at random and were revealed upon in-person pick up of the tickets on Sept. 28.

All net proceeds from tickets will go to Olivia’s Fund 4 Good, which will support all women and girls’ education, reproductive rights, and prevent gender-based violence.

7. The 76th Emmys

(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Hollywood’s biggest and rising stars sashayed down the red carpet for the 76th Emmy Awards held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California on Sept. 16 (Philippine time).

Historical epic Shogun bagged the prestigious drama award, while Hacks won the best comedy series and Baby Reindeer for best anthology series.

Shogun continued to rake awards after Anna Sawai, who played the mysterious Lady Mariko, and Hiroyuki Sanada, who portrayed warlord Yoshii Toranaga, snagged the best actress and best actor awards, respectively.

8. VP Duterte and her dubious use of public funds

(Photo from the House of Representatives of the Philippines/Facebook)

Vice President Sara Duterte denied any misuse of funds during the House hearing on Sept. 18 after the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the Office of the Vice President for secret expenditures amounting to P164 million in 2023.

House Assistant Majority Leader Suansing enumerated the expenditures flagged by COA: P67 million out of P125 million in confidential expenses questioned for the first quarter of 2023; P62 million out of P125 million in confidential expenses questioned for the second quarter of 2023 and; P35 million out of P125 million in confidential expenses questioned for the third quarter of 2023

Duterte, who made a surprise appearance during the Sept. 18 proceedings, also refused to take oath during the inquiry, stating that she is a resource person, not a witness, which was then backed up by former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The vice president claimed that the hearing is a “well-funded political attack” to impeach her, derail her name, and impede her from seeking the presidency in 2028.

9. Netflix debuts first Filipino zombie film

(Screenshot from Outside (2024))

Netflix released on Sept. 19 the trailer for its first Filipino zombie film, Outside (2024), starring Sid Lucero and Beauty Gonzales.

The trailer showed a family trying to survive a zombie outbreak by finding their way to the patriarch’s childhood farmhouse.

The movie will be streamed on the platform on Oct. 17.

10. Alice Guo, pleads not guilty over non-bailable trafficking charges

(Photo by Angie de Silva/Rappler)

The Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) ordered the issuance of warrants of arrest against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and other involved parties over non-bailable qualified trafficking charges on Sept. 20.

Guo, however, pleaded not guilty over such charges.

Pasig City RTC Branch 167 Judge Annielyn Medes-Cabelis also ordered the issuance of warrants of arrest to 15 others, including the former mayor’s Chinese business owners and former government official Dennis Cunanan, who played as the consultant for raided POGO hubs in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga.

Government’s year-worth of investigation revealed evidence of criminal operations that can generate tens of millions of pesos daily per scamming center.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council, National Bureau of Investigation, and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission jointly filed 87 counts of money laundering amounting to seven billion pesos against Guo and 35 others.

After two months of her escape from the country, the 33-year-old dismissed mayor was arrested in Indonesia on Sept. 3, after her alleged sister Sheila Guo and business associate Cassandra Ong were apprehended by Indonesian authorities on Aug. 21.

We are all soaked up from this month’s events. Even its smidge of goodness did not make up for the heavy whirlpool that stunned us.

As the pumpkin spice season slowly settles in, we hope it will warm us up and atone for September’s madness.