THE decline in external financial liabilities improved the Philippines’ international investment position (IIP) as of the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
Preliminary data showed the country’s IIP reflected a net external liability of $65.5 billion as of the end of December 2024. This is a 10.2-percent decline from the $72.9 billion posted in endSeptember 2024.
The BSP traced the current net liability position to the 3.4-percent contraction in the country’s external financial liabilities, which outpaced the 1.4-percent decline in external financial assets.
The IIP measures the financial assets of residents of an economy that are
claims on nonresidents or are gold bullion held as reserve assets, as well as the liabilities of residents to nonresidents.
As such, total outstanding external financial liabilities declined by 3.4 percent to $318.2 billion as of endDecember 2024, from $329.3 billion in end-September 2024. Year-on-year, this grew by 8.5 percent from $293.1 billion.
The BSP said the decline in external financial liabilities was due to the 8.2-percent drop in foreign portfolio investment (FPI) and the 2-percent decrease in foreign direct investment (FDI).
“The notable decline in net FPI was due to a 14.1-percent decrease in nonresidents’ outstanding investments in equity securities of local corporations, which fell to $37.6 billion,” the BSP said.
“This mirrored the drop in the Philippine Stock Exchange Index [PSEi], which experienced significant declines amid growing concerns over the policies of US President-elect Donald Trump, particularly the proposed import tariff hike that could lead to higher interest rates,” it added. Outstanding investments in debt securities by nonresidents also declined by 3.9 percent to $58.7 billion. This decrease was driven by foreign investors’ net selling of their holdings in debt securities issued by the national government to residents in the secondary market, and the government’s and other sectors’ net repayments of debt securities held by nonresidents.
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto @reine_alberto
cently.
Pag-IBIG Fund continues to offer significantly lower rates as the agency has held its three-year repricing period steady at 6.25 percent per annum and maintains an even lower rate of 5.75 percent per annum for its one-year repricing period. This, despite the rise in home lending rates based on market reports, with indicative rates ranging from 6.82 percent to 7.94 percent, and effective rates between 7.18 percent and 8.78 percent as of the week ending January 29, 2025.
Pag-IBIG’s Affordable Housing Program, meanwhile, also continues to provide a special 3-percent interest rate per annum for minimum-wage earners, remaining
By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan
THE Philippine government is being prodded to insert data privacy considerations in the country’s competition law, given the “highly concentrated” digital platform ecosystem in the country which is dominated by major tech firms Facebook and Google, according to the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC).
This was one of the recommendations of the PCC’s market study set to be released by the third quarter of this year. While the market study is yet
to be published, the recommendations for the market study were indicated in the Executive Summary of the study which was provided to the BusinessMirror by the PCC.
“Findings from this Study show that the digital platform ecosystem is notably highly concentrated, with a limited number of firms, such as Facebook and Google, emerging as dominant entities in the social media and search markets, respectively,” according to the Executive Summary of PCC’s market study.
This concentration, the competition watchdog noted, enables these companies to collect and process “vast amounts” of user
data, raising significant data privacy concerns. Central to the discussion of the anti-competitive effects associated with these concerns, PCC said, are the concepts of “data portability and interoperability.”
Data portability, as defined by the PCC, means allowing users to transfer their data between platforms while interoperability means the seamless exchange of data across systems.
The country’s competition watchdog underscored that while these functionalities are generally considered to be “pro-competitive,” they can be exploited by dominant platforms to further
entrench their market power, “ultimately to the detriment of platform users.”
The Executive Summary also noted that the presence of digital platforms operating across multiple jurisdictions heightens concerns regarding cross-border data transfers.
“Variations in data privacy standards and competition policy frameworks across different countries may increase the vulnerability of user data to exclusionary and exploitative practices by Big Tech firms,” the summary noted. Given this, PCC said the Study recommends the following:
The decline in net FDI, down by 2 percent to $129.3 billion, was due to downward valuation adjustments in nonresidents’ net investments in equity capital, the BSP said.
Meanwhile, the country’s total outstanding external financial assets amounted to $252.7 billion as of end-December 2024, down by only 0.78 percent from the previous quarter’s $254.7 billion. Year-on-year, this increased by 4.2 percent from $242.4 billion, with all components posting an increase except for financial derivatives.
Moreover, the country’s total stock of external financial assets contracted due to the 5.7-percent drop in reserve assets, which stood at $106.3 billion as of end-December 2024 from $112.7 billion as of endSeptember 2024.
The BSP said other factors that contributed to the increase in total external financial assets include combined increases in residents’ net investments in equity capital and debt securities.
Further, the country’s reserve assets rose to $106.3 billion from $103.8 billion. Meanwhile, residents’ net placements of foreign currency and deposits in banks abroad rose by 12.3 percent to $17.1 billion.
Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
DA eyes June timeline for gradual rice tariffs increase
By Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
THEDepartment of Agriculture (DA) wants to hike the duties levied on rice imports by June, nearly a year after the tariff cut on the staple grain came into force.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said he would recommend gradually increasing rice tariffs, raising a caveat that reinstating it immediately would jolt the market.
“Our general direction is we will be recommending a slight increase,” Laurel told reporters partly in Filipino during a press briefing on Monday.
“What I think shouldn’t happen is [for rice tariffs to go] from 15 percent
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US President Donald Trump’s recent tariff policies, including 25-per-
going back to 35 percent in one go— it’s dangerous. That will cause a shock in the market. That is my personal recommendation,” he said.
However, the DA chief noted that the percentage-point increase is yet to be determined.
Thus, Laurel said he and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan plan to meet with the President to discuss their thoughts on the matter.
cent car tariffs, have raised concerns from economists that it could lead to a potential US economic recession as it disrupts global supply chains. However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected the US
“The next review will be in June. So, by June, we will likely make a recommendation,” Laurel said.
Last year, President Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order (EO) 62, slashing rice tariffs to 15 percent from 35 percent until 2028. It took effect in July 2024.
Under EO 62, the tariff scheme is subject to a periodic review every four months from its effectivity.
Recently, an industry group urged the government to revert the duties levied on rice to its original rate of 35 percent for Asean countries and 50 percent for non-Asean countries by repealing EO 62.
Rice MSRP
MEANWHILE , Laurel said the cut on the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for imported rice to P45 per kilo would be the
economy will continue to grow despite the Trump tariff policies. In a related development, Castro lauded the result of the BSP’s Business Expectation Survey (BES), which showed the confidence index for the second quarter of the year is expected to increase to 45.4 percent from 31.2 percent in the January-March period.
last adjustment over the next two months due to the slump in farmgate prices of palay. He ex plained that this would prevent traders from speculating that the agency would further adjust the MSRP downward, thus allowing farmers to earn more.
“[Farmgate prices] are going down because traders might be afraid to buy at a high or more appropriate price, thinking that [the DA] might lower the MSRP further,” he said.
“That’s why right now, I think it is prudent that we will stop at MSRP P45 [per kilo] for the next two months until the harvest season ends.”
The DA recently announced that it will again cut the MSRP for imported rice to P45 per kilo starting March 31, owing to a steady decline in global quotations of the staple grain.
“It’s good to see that more and more people have confidence in our government, in our administration, so that investors will continue investing in our country,” she said.
BSP based its positive outlook—on inflation remaining relatively low from April to June this year—on its latest BES, which covered 1,572 firms nationwide.
(i) include data privacy considerations in the Philippine Competition Act (PCA) (ii) further research on data portability and interoperability mechanisms
(iii) international cooperation with competition authorities regarding data mobility and cross-border data flows issues, and (iv) stronger cooperation with the regulatory bodies such as the National Privacy Commission (NPC) through collaboration and legislative reform.
PCC said amid the rise of digital platforms and their “implications” on data collection and privacy, this study examines the interplay between data privacy and competition policy.
Specifically, the study focuses on two Big Tech companies, namely Facebook (under Meta) and Google. “It aims to provide insights into how data collection and digital advertising enable these platforms to consolidate data and maintain their market power within the context of Philippine digital markets and laws,” added the Executive Summary of the market study of PCC.
The study came at time that the adoption of digital innovations in the Philippines has led to the rise of online platforms that are attempting to occupy as much of the digital market as possible.
the lowest available rate in the market today.
“We recognize the importance of affordable home financing for Filipino workers. Thanks to PagIBIG Fund’s robust fiscal management, we can consistently provide our members with rates that are within their means and therefore open doors to homeownership for more members. This effort aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to address the housing needs of our countrymen,” said Secretary Jose Rizalino L. Acuzar, head of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and chair of the 11-member Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees. Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Marilene C. Acosta said the agency’s ability to retain its low interest rates is the result of the efficiencies in its operations, the surge in its performing loans ratio, and robust collections of loan payments.
“We posted a record-high per-
forming loans ratio of 93.72 percent to end last year, which means most of our members are diligently paying their home loans. This, combined with the quality of our investment portfolio, allows us to finance housing loans without the need to borrow externally, which in turn insulates our members from rising market interest rates. That is why I urge our borrowers to keep with their obligations because doing so will keep Pag-IBIG Fund—their fund—healthy. And when their fund is healthy, they can continue to enjoy low interest rates,” Acosta said.
Acosta stressed that Pag-IBIG housing loans offer members significant financial benefits, as interest rates remain lower than the dividends earned on their savings, allowing them to grow their funds even while financing their homes. “As administrators of the workers’ fund, we remain deeply committed to providing affordable home loans and competitive dividends, empowering our members to achieve homeownership and a better life. This exemplifies our Lingkod Pag-IBIG Brand of Service—Tapat na Serbisyo, Mula sa Puso,” she added.
“Essentially, digital platforms are multi-sided platforms that facilitate the interaction of two or more distinct user groups. They offer a range of online services based on a data-driven business model, allowing for targeted advertisements and enabling users to customize their experiences,” PCC explained.
The PCC and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) earlier convened a “strategic policy dialogue” to discuss the intersection of data privacy and competition policy in promoting fair competition among social media and search platforms.
The discussion revolved around the findings of the PCC market study that examined competition concerns arising from the market power of Big Tech companies, specifically Meta’s Facebook and Google, in the Philippine context.
“The study laid out fundamental concepts that are important in understanding markets where these firms operate. It also explored how digital platforms can use data collection, network effects, and economies of scale to strengthen their dominance, potentially limiting consumer choice and stifling competition as a result,” PCC said.
Key concerns identified, the competition watchdog noted, include the lack of consumer choice in data collection, as major platforms impose privacy policies that leave consumers with “little” bargaining power over their personal data.
In its month-ahead inflation forecast, the BSP said it projects inflation to settle within the range of 1.7 percent to 2.5 percent in March.
The lower end of the central bank’s estimate is below the lower bound of the government’s inflation target range of 2 to 4 percent for 2025 to 2028.
The BSP said upward price pressures for the month stem from rising electricity rates and increased prices of key food items such as fish and meat, contributing to overall inflation trends. However, the BSP said these cost increases are expected to be offset by declining prices of rice, fruits and vegetables.
The drop in prices, the BSP added, is attributed to favorable domestic supply conditions as well as the appreciation of the peso,
tempering inflationary pressures.
In February, the Philippines surprised with a 2.1-percent inflation print, down from 2.9 percent in January and 3.4 percent in February 2024. This is also the lowest recorded inflation rate since September 2024’s 1.9 percent. Notably, February’s inflation print is also lower than the BSP’s projection of 2.2 to 3.0 percent for the month.
Inflation in the Philippines is projected to have settled to 2 percent in March, with ANZ Research and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) saying the declining key commodity prices have eased inflation.
This development bodes well for the BSP to reduce key policy rates in its April 10 rate-setting meeting, according to an economist. BPI Lead Economist Jun Neri
said global oil prices have also remained stable and the peso has behaved at around the P57 level, making the timing “more appropriate” for a rate reduction. BSP Governor and Chairman of the Monetary Board Eli M. Remolona Jr. has said the BSP is still on its easing cycle, with a “good chance” of cutting rates by 25 basis points in April. If the Philippine economy continues to underperform, based on the first quarter GDP figures, then the likelihood of another rate cut in June may also increase, Neri added. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is set to release the country’s inflation data for March on April 4. The first quarter GDP data will be released on May 8. “Going forward, the Monetary Board will continue to take a measured approach in ensuring price stability conducive to balanced and sustainable growth of the economy and employment,” the BSP said.
PHL to help pro-Duterte OFWs nabbed in Qatar, but DFA tells Pinoys: follow laws
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
& Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
MALACAÑANG said the government will continue to extend aid to the 17 Filipinos detained by Qatari authorities for allegedly conducting an illegal rally in support of former President Rodrigo Duterte last week.
In a press briefing on Monday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro assured that the pro-Duterte workers will not be discriminated against by the Marcos administration even if they support the former President.
The Filipinos were detained Friday for supposedly holding a rally to commemorate the 80th birthday of Duterte without the necessary permit, violating the strict anti-protest law in Qatar.
Duterte is currently detained in the Netherlands, where he faces a crimes against humanity case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the bloody war of his administration against criminality, which killed at least 6,000 people.
“It is still the obligation of our government, of the administration, to Filipinos regardless of their [political] color, we do not discriminate against anyone...As long as they are fellow Filipinos, the administration will help them,” she said.
The decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to allow the arrest of Duterte through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) further strained his relations with the former president’s family and supporters.
After learning of the incident, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) immediately sent its Labor Attaché in Qatar to assist the detained Filipinos.
Aside from the legal aid, Castro said the government may also extend “care packages” to the detained Filipinos.
She said the Palace respects the decision of some Filipinos, including those abroad, to celebrate the birthday of Duterte.
Legislator seeks investigation into ‘anomalies’ in DepEd program
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
ASENIOR lawmaker on Monday asked the House of Representatives to look into alleged irregularities in the government-funded Education Service Contracting (ESC) program under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (Gastpe).
In House Resolution 2252, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez expressed concerns about the ESC program, which aims to provide financial assistance to students from low-income families through school vouchers.
The lawmaker explained that these vouchers, ranging from P18,000 to P22,500, are intended to partially cover tuition and other school-related expenses, such as books and miscellaneous fees, in accredited private schools. Under the program, students must enroll in participating pri -
vate high schools approved by the Department of Education (DepEd). Once granted a voucher, the government directly pays the participating school for the student’s tuition and other fees.
However, Rodriguez, citing reports, pointed out that the Department of Education (DepEd) has recently withheld some P200 million worth of school vouchers “due to questionable and unverifiable student claims.”
“Reports also mentioned that allegedly, certain private schools manipulated their enrollment date by registering non-existent students to secure voucher funding from the government, resulting in the misuse of public funds that were intended for legitimate education beneficiaries,” he said.
He said there are also reports of fly-by-night schools participating in the voucher program.
The lawmaker stated that other irregularities in the Gastpe ESC program include: some senior high
schools do not charge tuition from students, while others fail to meet the required instructional hours and DepEd standards.
To attract enrollees, he added, certain schools offer monetary incentives to principals or teachers in exchange for student referrals. Additionally, some institutions operate only for half a day or conduct classes merely twice a week.
There are also schools that lack a full roster of dedicated senior high school teachers, instead relying on part-time instructors or junior high school teachers.
Rodriguez further noted that in some areas, teachers are hired through agencies rather than directly by participating schools.
Additionally, many educators lack experience in conducting research, leading to the absence of a strong scientific culture.
“As a result, research skills are poorly taught due to unqualified teachers, and since these schools rely solely on government subsidies
DMW and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), however, urged Filipinos abroad to always comply with the local laws and customs in their host countries so they can avoid possible arrests.
DFA’s warning THE Department of Foreign Affairs has warned Filipinos overseas in countries where political demonstrations are banned to refrain from initiating or joining protest rallies.
This, after 19 Filipinos were arrested in Qatar for joining rallies seeking Duterte’s from ICC custody.
Four of the arrested are minors and were released over the week-
and do not charge tuition, they lack essential resources such as laboratories and instructional materials, to the detriment of the students,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez warned that these irregularities not only result in the loss of public funds but also deprive deserving students of muchneeded financial assistance, thereby undermining the integrity and effectiveness of the government’s education support program.
The Mindanao lawmaker emphasized the urgency of strengthening policies and guidelines governing the ESC program. He called for the adoption of stricter verification, monitoring, and accountability measures to prevent future abuses.
While he commended DepEd for withholding suspicious voucher claims, Rodriguez stressed the need for a deeper investigation into these alleged anomalies to ensure that public funds are properly utilized and deserving students receive the support they are entitled to.
He urged the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture, along with other relevant committees, to conduct a legislative inquiry into the matter.
Red Cross, partners expand wheelchair distribution
WITH a shared mission to bring hope and enhance productivity of individuals with mobility impairments, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), Rotary Club of Manila 101, Wheelchair Foundation, and Chair the Love distributed an additional 42 wheelchairs to beneficiaries in Vavite as part of the second phase of the mobility for dignity project late last week.
Established in 2021, the project aims to improve productivity among mobility-impaired Filipinos by helping them find
employment opportunities, for children to continue their studies, and encourage beneficiaries to live normal lives through the gift of mobility.
“Hope begins with us. I would like to extend my gratitude to our partners for giving us the opportunity to distribute wheelchairs to beneficiaries in many parts of the country,” said PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Oficer Richard Gordon. Ang bawat wheelchair ay may kwento ng pag-asa. Hindi lang ito basta isang upuan, kundi simbolo ng pag-asa, pagbibigay ng dignidad,
at kalayaan sa ating beneficiaries. Gaya nga ng sabi ni Chairman Gordon. “When we give mobility, we give freedom, independence, and a renewed sense of purpose,” PRC Secretary-General and Rotary Club of Manila 101 member Gwen Pang said.
The mother of a wheelchair beneficiary, Michelle Pagdanganan shared that she carries her 8-yearold son John, who was diagnosed with an inborn orthopedic disability, every day to attend school. Now that John has a brand-new wheelchair, it will help his child to
Cigarette alternatives reduce harm–expert
SMOKE-FREE technologies give the user the satisfaction that a smoker feels, but the percentage of harmful and carcinogenic substances that reach their body is dramatically reduced, according to an international expert.
David Khayat, a leading French oncologist, said scientific studies show that the number and concentration of substances produced from smoking are related to high temperatures that occur during combustion. Khayat said alternative
smoke-free methods could reduce the body’s exposure to carcinogens, and this is part of the harm reduction strategies in tobacco control.
Anton Israel, president of the Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines, welcomed the medical expert’s insights, saying this proves that smoking, not nicotine, is the primary issue of diseases.
“We have achieved new smokefree technologies that remove the harm from nicotine consumption. Products such as e-cigarettes,
heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches reduce consumers’ exposure to carcinogens substantially,” Israel said.
Khayat was quoted in the Cypriot newspaper Phileleftheros that traditional anti-smoking policies were ineffective, citing the steady one billion global smokers that existed between 1990 and 2019. He said transitioning smokers to smoke-free alternatives could lower cancer risk.
“If we look closely at the statistics, we will find that in the coming years, we will have 60 million
be more independent and driven to achieve his dream of becoming a banker someday. She added that the timing is perfect because John, also an honor student, will be attending his recognition day this month. Currently, 540 brand-new wheelchairs have been distributed to several beneficiaries in Baguio, Benguet, Caloocan, Cavite, Malabon, Manila, Pasay, Paranaque, Antipolo, Pateros, San Juan, Muntinlupa, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Valenzuela, La Union, and Occidental Mindoro.
deaths worldwide due to lung cancer. Let’s do something to prevent that,” Khayat said. He said nicotine does not cause cancer, as carcinogens come from the burning of tobacco. The combustion, which occurs in conventional cigarettes, produces thousands of substances. A percentage of these are carcinogenic.
Khayat said heated tobacco and vaping devices deliver nicotine with significantly reduced harmful substances compared to traditional cigarettes.
The expert also criticized the World Health Organization’s
end, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said.
Among the countries / territories where political rallies are banned are China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and a number of Middle East countries.
He added that Singapore laws likewise prohibit distribution of campaign materials.
In the case of Qatar, migrant workers do not enjoy freedom of assembly. They need permission every time there are public gatherings.
Last Friday, Filipinos in Qatar celebrated the 80th birthday of the former President Duterte and pressed President Marcos Jr. to bring him home.
“They were arrested because they participated in a political demonstration or what the Qataris think of as a political demonstration. Now we know they were just indicating their support for the former president and they were, I think, they were harmless.
“It was more like a picnic gathering. But they had t-shirts, they had placards or what. That’s the reason they were arrested,” De Vega said.
De Vega said the Philippine Embassy in Doha is working hard to negotiate for the release of the Duterte supporters. Participation in political rallies carries a penalty of at least three years in prison, and fines, in Qatar.
Be guided by Islamic teachings in making good decisions–Teodoro
By Rex Anthony Naval
AS Muslim communities celebrate the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, Secretary of National Defense (SND) Gilberto Teodoro Jr. expressed hope that the teachings of Islam will guide us as a people in making good decisions.
“With the ongoing challenges to our country’s security, may the teachings of Islam guide us to act with wisdom, humility, and service to others,” he said in a statement.
This, Teodoro said as the entire DND extends its greetings to all Muslim brothers and sisters on the blessed occasion of Eid’l Fitr.
“As we mark the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, a time of deep reflection, prayer, and self-restraint, we honor the important values it teaches – faith, patience, discipline, and compassion,” he added.
Teodoro also said that Eid is a time to celebrate spiritual renewal and the strength of unity in all our communities as the government continues to uphold peace and justice.
“May Allah accept our good
deeds and bless our nation with peace and prosperity. Eid Mubarak!” Teodoro said.
In a separate statement, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (Opapru) hopes that the lessons of this blessed occasion reign in their hearts and inspire them to be the best living examples of the Islamic faith.
He also expressed hopes that the devout Muslim “will serve as beacons of hope, kindness, and forgiveness.”
“Through your example, may you inspire others to lend a helping hand to everyone, especially those who are most in need. Let us all work together to achieve our shared vision: a just and lasting peace for the Bangsamoro people and all Filipinos,” Galvez said. In addition, he said that it is the Opapru’s “earnest hope that this Eid brings you and your loved ones closer to Allah.”
Aside from this, Galvez hopes that the occasion further strengthens their faith, and fills them with peace and gratitude that will last well beyond this year’s celebration.
‘Hello, Garci,’ it’s now ‘Goodbye, Garci’
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
FORMER Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano has died, the poll body confirmed on Monday. Garcillano, 85, passed away at his home in Baungon, Bukidnon, on the night of March 29.
Chairman George Erwin Garcia of the Commission on Elections extended condolences to Garcillano’s family, acknowledging his long service in the poll body.
“The Comelec is saddened. We extend our condolences to the family of former Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano,” Garcia said in Filipino.
Arroyo later admitted to calling a Comelec official during the canvassing period, acknowledging a lapse in judgment but denying any attempt to influence the election results.
Amid the controversy, Garcillano evaded public scrutiny, ignoring congressional summons to testify on the allegations.
“It cannot be denied that he served our country… for a very long time, he dedicated himself to public service, which is why we give him our respect and recognition,” he added. Garcillano served as an elections commissioner during the administration of former President Gloria Arroyo and was linked to the “Hello Garci” scandal. The controversy stemmed from the release of wiretapped recordings, which allegedly captured Arroyo instructing Garcillano to manipulate the results of the 2004 presidential elections in her favor. The tapes became the subject of heated legislative inquiries in both houses of Congress.
He resurfaced briefly in 2007 when he ran for a congressional seat in Bukidnon, but his bid was unsuccessful. Prior to being a Comelec commissioner, Garcillano held various positions within the poll body, including regional director and provincial election supervisor for years. From
DSWD bans politicians from Akap distribution
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday reiterated that no referral from politicians is required to access the Ayuda sa Kapos Ang Kita Program (Akap), emphasizing that only social workers have the authority to determine eligibility and the amount of financial aid to be provided.
In a statement, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian addressed concerns about safeguarding the Akap program from political interference, particularly during the campaign period.
He assured the public that all requests for assistance are thoroughly assessed by DSWD social workers, with no external influence from politicians. “We assure everyone that only one group has the power to
determine who will receive financial assistance—DSWD social workers,” Gatchalian said.
The Akap program is intended for individuals in crisis situations who earn below the minimum wage. Qualified applicants can proceed directly to the nearest DSWD office with their identification cards and proof of need, such as medical bills, death certificates, or hospital promissory notes.
Gatchalian also clarified that politicians are strictly prohibited from entering payout centers, as stipulated in the joint Akap guidelines formulated by the DSWD, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), and the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole).
“Our guidelines—both for Akap and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS)—explicitly prohibit politicians from being present at payout centers. This means they are not allowed to be there during the distribution of aid,” he said.
Gatchalian also appealed to the
Deferring LRT-1 fare increase not an option–Malacañang
By Samuel P. Medenilla
@sam_medenilla
MALACAÑANG on Monday said deferring the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) fare increase is not an option owing to the government’s contractual obligation with its private operator.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the government’s hands are bound when it comes to the scheduled implementation of the fare adjustment for LRT-1
on April 2.
“The administration wants this to be discontinued, but that [fare increase] is what the contract states,” she said in Filipino during a press briefing on Monday.
Last month, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) finally granted the petition of Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), the concessionaire of LRT-1, to raise fares.
Under its concession agreement with the government, LRMC can adjust its rates every two years. DOTr has either denied or delayed the implementation of the fare
hike petitions of LRMC prior to the pandemic.
“But let’s also look at the situation because if this is included in the contract and the government does not fulfill it, our commuters will have even bigger problems,” Castro said.
Once the new fare rate takes effect, it is expected to raise the minimum fare for the single journey tickets of LRT-1 from P15 to P20, and for end-to-end trips, the new rate will be from P45 to P55.
Meanwhile, the rate for end-toend trip for those with stored value
Food security reforms urgent–Pangilinan
RBy Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
EMINDING that hunger is tightening its grip on millions of Filipinos, senatorial candidate Francis Pangilinan sounded the alarm over the worsening food crisis.
This, after the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed that hunger among Filipino families has surged to its highest
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level since the pandemic. Nakakabahala ito. Ibig sabihin, halos tatlong sa bawat sampung pamilyang Pilipino ang hindi nakakakain nang sapat May mga pamilyang natutulog nang walang laman ang sikmura. May mga magulang na hindi kumakain para lang may maihain sa kanilang mga anak. May magsasakang hindi makabili ng pagkaing kanila mismong inaani. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit natin isinusulong ang ‘Hello Pag -
(WHO) stance against harm reduction, suggesting a shift toward pragmatic solutions. Khayat also warned that obesity may soon
kain sa Mababang Presyo’,” Pangilinan said.
He warned that “this is alarming, It means almost three of every 10 Filipino families do not eat enough. Some families go to sleep with empty stomachs. Some parents don’t eat just so they can feed their children. Some famers cannot buy their own food, even though they grow and harvest food. This is why we are pushing the ‘Hello Pagkain sa Mababang
surpass smoking as a leading cancer risk factor. Khayat said harm reduction, as seen in the United Kingdom, acknowledges the difficulty of eliminating risky behaviors and aims to mitigate their effects.
More than 64 percent of people who smoke and develop cancer do not quit and continue, he said. “That’s why what I do and recommend now for those who don’t quit smoking is to try to reduce the harm it causes. This could
public to be vigilant against politicians issuing promises using the Akap and other programs of the department.
“Many [candidates] may promise you, ‘If I win, I will give this to you; you will receive this much,’ but let me be clear: regardless of who makes these promises, in the end, it is still the DSWD that determines who qualifies and how much assistance will be granted,” Gatchalian added.
He emphasized that the new guideline of the Akap is now focused on providing assistance to Filipinos who are earning below the minimum wage.
He added the new guidelines also provide for the posting of the names of individuals who have received financial assistance under the Akap on the DSWD official website and social media platforms.
This provision, according to the DSWD chief, ensures program transparency and reaffirms that taxpayers’ money is responsibly used and monitored.
cards will rise from P43 to P52. Castro made the remark after transport and progressive groups announced they will seek the intervention of President Marcos to stop the implementation of the LRT-1 fare increase.
Bagong Alyansa Makabayan (Bayan), one of the groups, which want to appeal the DOTr approval of the fare hike, which is expected to affect 370,000 commuters expressed disappointment at the Palace position on the matter.
“We have yet to file the memorandum on appeal againt the LRT fare hike when we saw in the news that our appeal has already been rejected. Where is due process in that?,” Bayan President Renato Reyes said in Viber message reacting to the statement made by Castro.
Presyo’].
The SWS survey, conducted in March 2025, revealed that 27.2 percent of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger—a stark reminder of the economic hardships gripping millions of households due to skyrocketing food prices.
As part of his campaign, Pangilinan has championed urgent food security reforms, including: Strengthening the Sagip Saka Act to ensure that farmers and fishermen earn more while consumers pay less for food.
potentially be achieved through alternative smoking products,” Khayat said.
Khayat cited the potential of alternative products to help smokers switch from cigarettes, urging for regulatory frameworks that balance access for smokers with preventing youth uptake.
“The goal remains smoking cessation. But because there will always be some who do not quit, we must include harm reduction in our efforts. The fewer carcinogens that enter the human body, the smaller the harm,” Khayat said.
He said if all smokers who do not quit smoking realize that there are better alternative options than cigarettes, and more people make the change, “then we will gradually see the effects on public health.”
As global discussions on tobacco control intensify, tobacco harm reduction is expected to be a key topic at the upcoming WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Conference of the
(COP 11) in Geneva in November.
Rice imports expected to decrease this year
TBy Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
HE country’s rice imports will decline in marketing year 2025-26 on the back of a projected rebound in local production, higher carryover stock, and the government’s rice initiatives, an international report said.
The United States Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultural Service in Manila (USDAFAS Manila) projects rice shipments to dip by 1.9 percent to 5.2 million metric tons (MMT) in MY 2025-26 from 5.3 MMT in the previous MY.
“[This is] due to the forecast increase in local production, higher stock carryover from MY 2024-25, and the imposition of the MSRP on imported premium rice,” its latest report read.
However, the agency forecasts that Vietnam and Thailand will remain as the major suppliers of rice to the Philippine market in MY 2025-26.
“This is due to established trade relationships, competitive prices, and geographical proximity of Vietnam and Thailand to the Philippines.”
The USDA-FAS Manila also foresees a drop in supply of imported 5-percent broken grain variety in the country in MY 2025-26
owing to the ongoing implementation of the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on imported premium rice.
Meanwhile, the agency forecasts milled rice production to increase by 2.1 percent to 12.25 MMT in MY 2025-26 from the 12 MMT in the previous MY.
The USDA-FAS Manila attributed this projected rise in production to favorable weather conditions and an increase in government funding for the rice industry through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (Rcef). The amended Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) increased the Rcef to P30 billion until 2031.
This increased funding would be earmarked for strengthening access to rice farm machinery and equipment, and seed propagation. It would also help in the training of farmers, expanding credit assistance, and improving pest and disease management.
The country’s palay output stood at 19.09 MMT in 2024, which fell short of the government’s 19.3 MMT target and was 4.85 percent lower than the record harvest of 20.06 MMT in 2023. Despite this, the Department of Agriculture (DA) expects palay harvest to breach the 20 MMTmark again this year at 20.46 MMT.
Smartphone addiction is ruining our brains
By Henry J. Schumacher
WHILE there’s been plenty of anecdotal evidence of smartphones impacting our mental health, recent medical studies are showing how smartphone addiction is literally rewiring our brains.
Why It Hurts: Expert studies demonstrating how smartphones impact our attention spans, ability to regulate our emotions, and potential for productivity have wide-ranging implications—including a growing no-phonesin-school movement, society’s relationship with social media, and the legality of endless notifications.
Between the Ears: It appears that, yes, our phones are giving us “brainrot.”
A recent study out of South Korea found that there’s a major increase in brain activity among those addicted to their smartphones—people who spend hours a day on their devices and can’t go a few minutes without checking them.
Citing the study, Brent Nelson, chief medical information officer for Newport Healthcare, said the activity shows that “the brain is working extra hard compared to a non-addicted brain when asked to do, actually, a pretty simple task.”
That level of activity makes people “less attentive and more easily distracted.” In other words, when our brains are always on overdrive, they go into meltdown mode (i.e., brainrot).
Those changes in the brain lead to behavioral issues and can cause mental-health challenges such as depression and anxiety.
While places like Newport Healthcare operate treatment centers for teens with smartphone addiction, where switching digital devices for analog hobbies has proven successful.
Some companies are giving educators the ability to transform brainrot content into education materials for the classroom. It’s a classic “if you can’t beat them, join them” mentality. If adopted, it could revolutionize how young people interact with the world…
both digitally and IRL, which stands for ‘in real life.’
Let’s go one step further: Get out from behind your keyboard! A picture is worth a thousand words, and a ten minute conversation, face to face, is worth a thousand emails. Find out where your target niche hangs out, then physically go there. It might be conferences, trade shows, even a local meetup or bar. Just show up. And be a real person—don’t just go to shove your business card in people’s hands. Be your authentic self. You will instantly stand out from the zillion cold callers! Allow me to conclude this by highlighting the importance of Critical Thinking: Without critical thinking we cannot thoughtfully process information and make reasoned decisions. We do not need smartphones and keyboards for critical thinking! With those devices we lose the ability to thoroughly analyze issues, understand different perspectives, spot logical fallacies, and weigh evidence. Critical thinking is the very foundation of a healthy democracy and an educated populace. It is also essential that young people are directed to critical thinking. When we work in groups and are forced to engage in discussions, it is a great change to expand our thinking. Minds design, build, regulate and use technology for good or ill. Minds make ethical judgements with global consequences. No algorithm can replace human wisdom and analysis and critical reading and thinking skills.
I look forward to receiving your comments to my ‘demanding’ article; please contact me at hjschumacher59@gmail.com.
Gypsum board manufacturers seek protection from cheap Thai imports
By Andrea San Juan @andreasanjuan
THE Philippines’ local gypsum board manufactur -
ing sector sees continuing threat of imported gypsum boards from Thailand as the Philippines remains to be the top export market of Thailand for the said manufactured building material, according to Knauf Gypsum Philippines, Inc.
“We have reason to believe that the threat will continue. We have reason to believe that it will continuously cause material injury into the domestic industry, because last year, Thailand also saw an impact in terms of their utilization capacity. And the Philippines is one of the major destinations, or, I think, major markets, where Thailand exports
gypsum boards to,” Mark Sergio, Managing Director of Knauf Gypsum Philippines, Inc. said during the public hearing before the Tariff Commission on Monday.
Sergio also noted that there is also an impending opening of another 40-million square meters of gypsum board capacity by BNBM, a Chinese company, in Thailand which the Knauf Gypsum official said will increase the risk of the Philippines being “further subject to products or dump products coming from Thailand.”
According to Sergio, the entry of BNBM will “deteriorate Thai industry utilization to record lows and exacerbate dumping risks.”
He explained that despite domestic growth, the entry of BNBM will lower utilization to a level not seen in the last decade.
Palace weighs travel restrictions to Myanmar to combat scam hubs and human trafficking
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
AMID the rise in the number of Filipinos who victim to scam hubs in Myanmar, Malacañang is now studying imposing “reasonable” restrictions to those who will travel in the war-torn Southeast Asian country.
Palace Press Office Claire Castro said they are open to such measures to prevent more Filipinos from becoming victims to illegal recruitment and human trafficking in Myanmar.
“So, when we see and notice that they do not need to go to any place in Myanmar and that they could become victims [in scam hubs], it would be better to investigate them before they leave,” she said in Filipino during a press briefing in Malacañang last Monday. Myanmar is currently plagued by an ongoing civil war between its junta government and pro-democracy as well as ethnic minority rebels. It is also reeling from the aftermath of a devastating magnitude 7.7 earthquake, which killed over 1,600 people.
As of Monday, Castro said the government is not considering imposing a total deployment ban for Myanmar since it will violate the freedom of movement of Filipinos.
Hundreds of Filipinos, which
IBy Bless Aubrey Ogerio
NDIGENOUS Peoples (IPs) topped the list of the country’s most impoverished sectors in 2023, even as the national poverty rate saw a slight drop, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The latest data showed that 32.4 percent of IPs lived below the poverty threshold, making them the most affected group. Fisherfolks followed with a poverty incidence of 27.4 percent, while farmers closely trailed at 27 percent.
Senior citizens, formal laborers and migrant workers, and people living in urban areas experienced the lowest poverty rates, with 7.8 percent, 8.3 percent, and 10.3 percent, respectively.
Despite these numbers, the report also showed that from 2021 to 2023, poverty incidence decreased across all sectors. Nationally, the rate dropped by 2.6 percentage points within the two-year period.
include former workers in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) and business process outsourcing firms, become victims in scam hubs in Myanmar.
This includes 176 alleged human trafficking victims (HTVs), who were rescued from a scam center in Myawaddy, Myanmar and then transferred to Bangkok, Thailand, where they were repatriated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) last Wednesday.
Upon their arrival, the affected Filipinos were given assistance by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and other concerned government agencies.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the DMW earlier reported that many of the victims used tourist visas and did not go through the legal deployment procedures when they decided to work in Myanmar.
To avoid a similar fate to the victims, Castro urged Filipinos, who would like to work in Myanmar and other countries to go through the regular procedures of the DMW.
She also urged those who come into contact with people, who are deploying Filipinos to Myanmar illegally to report them to authorities so they can be apprehended.
“Please cooperate with the government so we can avoid these kinds of situations,” Castro said.
2023
In effect, Sergio said, “Thai local manufacturers are likely to seek further export opportunities to improve utilization, likely at dumped prices.”
He also noted that Thailand capacity utilization has deteriorated in recent years—driving manufacturers to export to improve utilization. In fact, by the end of 2024, Sergio said Thailand’s utilization was only at 57 percent.
The Tariff Commission (TC) has set the public hearing schedule for the formal investigation on the imposition of anti-dumping duty against importations of gypsum board from Thailand on March 31, April 1-4, 2025.
TC said this is pursuant to Section 711 of Republic Act (RA) No. 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act), which adopts the
provision of RA No. 8572 (AntiDumping Act of 1999), and in relation to Section 19 of Commission Order No. 2021-02 (Revised Rules of Procedure for the Conduct of Formal Investigations Pursuant to Republic Act No. 8752).
This imposition of definitive anti-dumping duty against importations of gypsum board from Thailand was initiated by petitioner Knauf Gypsum Philippines, Inc. in November 2023.
In its report on the initiation of a probe on the application for anti-dumping duty on gypsum board from Thailand, Knauf Gypsum Philippines, Inc. alleged gypsum board is being imported from Thailand at dumped prices.
“There was a substantial margin of dumping of gypsum board from
Thailand for the period January to December 2022 based on the domestic wholesale and export prices as gathered by the gypsum board industry,” Knauf, the sole manufacturer of gypsum in the Philippines said in its 2023 report.
Based on the report, the industry claimed that the dumped imports of gypsum board began causing injury in 2019. The industry stated that the key impact of dumping has been in the gypsum board industry’s declining revenues resulting in lower profitability.
In November 2024, however, or a year after Knauf filed the petition for an anti-dumping duty, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) had imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty in the form of a cash bond on importations
of gypsum board from Thailand, for a period of four months commencing from the date of issuance by the Bureau of Customs of the relevant Customs Memorandum Order (CMO).
Citing Section 2 of RA 8752 or the Anti-Dumping Act of 1999, the anti-dumping case report published on the DTI website in November 2023 explained the purpose of anti-dumping duty: “It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect domestic enterprises against unfair foreign competition and trade practices.”
“Towards this end, sub-stantive and procedural remedies available to domestic enterprises shall be strengthened and made responsive to recent developments in world trade,” the report underscored.
Motorists face another price hike: Fuel costs surge over P1 per liter this week
OBy Lenie Lectura @llectura
VER P1 per liter increase in pump prices greeted motorists on Tuesday. In separate announcements Monday, oil firms said they will jack up gasoline prices by P1.40 per liter, diesel by P1.20 per liter, and kerosene also by P1.20 per liter.
Petron, Shell, Caltex, Total, Unioil, PTT, Phoenix Seaoil, and Jetti said they adjust their prices at 6a.m. of April 1. Cleanfuel will implement the new prices at 4:01 p.m.
This is the second consecutive week of price hike. Last week, oil companies implemented a price increase of P1.10/liter for gasoline and P0.40/liter for diesel and kerosene. This brought the year-todate total net increase of P3.25 per liter for gasoline and diesel while kerosene has a total net decrease of P0.30/liter.
This week’s price adjustment was brought about by the movements in the world oil market. These include US sanction on Iran, continued conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and US threat on tariffs on nations buying Venezuelan crude oil.
Dizon creates special committee to review Public Transport Modernization Program
By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan
RANSPORTATION Secre -
Ttary Vince Dizon has established a Special Committee to address concerns surrounding the Public Transport Modernization Program, formerly known as the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), following mounting pressure for its suspension.
Dizon signed Special Order No. 2025-152 on Monday, officially creating the committee to review the program, consult with stakeholders, evaluate its current status, and identify any issues that may hinder its successful imple -
Tmentation.
The committee’s primary task is to propose solutions to address the concerns raised by critics, particularly related to the program’s consolidation phase, financing schemes, and local manufacturing impact.
Chaired by the Undersecretary for Road Transport and Non-Infrastructure, the committee will include the Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure, Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Non-Infrastructure, Chairman of the Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC), and Assistant Secretary of the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
According to the DOTr, the
committee is set to present its recommendations to Dizon “next week.”
Earlier, lawmakers raised concerns about the burdens that the program has placed on operators, citing a flawed financing scheme and delays in supporting local manufacturers in comparison to foreign suppliers.
The program, which started in 2017, aims to overhaul the nation’s public transportation system, particularly focusing on jeepneys, the backbone of public transit in the Philippines.
The program’s main goal is to modernize and unify the fragmented public utility vehicle industry, emphasizing the replace -
ment of older vehicles with those meeting Euro 4 emissions standards.
The program’s objectives include changing the franchising system, introducing new routes, and providing education to drivers.
Aside from lawmakers, commuter groups and networks and driver organizations had called on the government to delay the implementation of the program, as this will result in a significant loss in transport supply, which they argue has already been insufficient to meet the current demand. Transport groups have also mounted several strikes to call on the program’s cancellation.
In contrast, those with the fewest individuals living in poverty included persons aged 15 and above with disabilities (233,000 individuals), fisherfolks (353,000 individuals), and senior citizens (837,000 individuals).
The report also highlighted the rural-urban divide. In 2023, the poverty rate in rural areas was 22.1 percent, more than double the 10.3 percent rate in urban areas. Yet, rural areas did see progress, with 2.25 million fewer people in poverty from 2021 to 2023.
The PSA’s 2023 Poverty Statistics covered 11 of the 14 basic sectors identified under Republic Act 8425 or the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act. Notably, Indigenous Peoples were included in the poverty statistics for the first time. Additionally, the newly established Negros Island Region (NIR’s) prompted adjustments to poverty data for Western Visayas (Region VI) and Central Visayas (Region VII) for previous years.
Children and women continued to make up the largest groups of individuals living in poverty, with 9.29 million kids and 8.66 million females below the poverty line. However, they were also the most improved sector, with 1.13 million fewer poor children and 1.28 million fewer poor women compared to 2021.
HE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Monday it has officially kicked off the installation of pre-stressed concrete deck girders for the long-awaited Guicam Bridge in Zamboanga Sibugay.
Public Works Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain said the recent launch of four concrete girders marks a milestone for the P1.155 billion project, which aims
to connect Olutanga Island to the mainland of Alicia, enhancing mobility and economic activities in the region.
He noted that the girders had been successfully placed between abutment A and pier 1 of the bridge. Sadain added that “other significant progress” include the completion of 115 bored piles, the fabrication of 33 out of 48 girders, and the ongoing progress on piers and abutments.
“This development marks a
major step toward the completion of the bridge this year, 2025, which will further strengthen the connectivity between Olutanga Island and the rest of Zamboanga Sibugay, improving mobility, commerce, and accessibility for residents and businesses alike,” said Sadain.
The Guicam Bridge will span 1.21 kilometers across the Canalizo Strait, a link in the Lutiman-Guicam-Mabuhay-Olutanga Road.
The bridge’s construction is funded through the Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project with an Asian Development Bank loan.
Spanning 540.80 meters in length and 6.70 meters in width, the Guicam Bridge will also feature approach roads that stretch 389.60 meters on the mainland and 277.62 meters on Olutanga Island. Lorenz S. Marasigan
Accountant-lawyer arrested for alleged human trafficking, child abuse, online sexual exploitation
GBy Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
OVERNMENT operatives have arrested an accountant-lawyer in Zamboanga City for alleged human trafficking and online sexual exploitation involving minors . T he suspect identified as lawyer Michael P. Molina, also a realtor, was during a joint operation conducted by the operatives of the the Department of Justice - Office of Cybercrime (DOJ-OOC), the National Bureau of Investigation - Human Trafficking Division (NBI-HTD), the NBI - Western Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-WEMRO),
the National Center Against OSAEC and CSAEM (NCC-OSAEC-CSAEM), and the DOJ - Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (DOJ-IACAT and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).
P rior to his arrest, Molina had been a subject of an extensive cyber-surveillance and intelligence operation which confirmed his illegal activities.
D uring the operation, authorities were able to rescue three minors from his premises and identified six additional victims, some of whom are now adults, all believed to have suffered sexual abuse.
Initial e xamination of the items seized
from Molina’s possession showed that the exploitation of children may have started in 2012 . In vestigators added that an in-depth forensic examination of his devices will be performed as data recovered suggests that his collection and production of child abuse materials may have started as early as 2002.
T he rescued minors have been placed under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Charges of multiple charges under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (R.A. No. 9208, as amended), the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child
Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act (R.A. No. 11930), and the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act (R.A. No. 7610) are set to be filed against Molina.
T he said laws impose severe penalties on individuals engaged in human trafficking, online sexual exploitation, and any form of child abuse, ensuring that those who prey on vulnerable minors are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Authorities also urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of child exploitation to the DOJ, the NBI, or local law enforcement agencies.
PSA: Poverty hits Indigenous Peoples hardest in
Editor: Angel R. Calso
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Gaza’s Eid al-Fitr marked by mourning, hunger, and loss as conflict intensifies
By Wafaa Shurafa, Mohammad Jahjouh & Tia Goldenberg
The Associated Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip—Palestinians in Gaza marked the normally festive Eid al-Fitr on Sunday with rapidly dwindling food supplies and mourning for several children killed in Israel’s latest airstrikes.
There was anger as the bodies of 14 emergency responders were recovered in the southern city of Rafah a week after an Israeli attack, which the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies called the “single most deadly attack on Red Cross Red Crescent workers anywhere in the world since 2017.”
Many Palestinians prayed outside demolished mosques to mark the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. It’s supposed to be a joyous occasion when families feast and purchase new clothes for children, but most of Gaza’s 2 million people are just trying to survive.
“It’s the Eid of sadness,” Adel al-Shaer said after attending prayers amid rubble in the central town of Deir al-Balah. “We lost our loved ones, our children, our lives and our futures.”
Twenty members of his extended family have been killed by Israeli strikes, including four young nephews a few days ago, he said and began to cry. Israel ended the ceasefire with Hamas and resumed the 17-month war earlier this month with a surprise bombardment that killed hundreds, after the militant group refused to accept changes to the truce reached in January. Israel has not allowed food, fuel or humanitarian aid to enter Gaza for a month.
“There is killing, displacement, hunger and a siege,” said Saed al-Kourd, a worshipper. “We go out to perform God’s rituals in order to make the children happy, but as for the joy of Eid? There is no Eid.”
Arab mediators are trying to get the truce back on track. Hamas said Saturday it had accepted a new proposal from Egypt and Qatar. Israel said it made a counter-proposal in coordination with the United States, which has also been mediating. Details were not immediately known.
Emergency workers’ bodies found
THE Palestinian Red Crescent Society said the bodies of eight of its emergency medical technicians, and five members of Gaza’s Civil Defense, were recovered a week after they and their ambulances vanished in Rafah during heavy fire.
The PRCS said a ninth colleague was still missing, adding that the targeting of medics “cannot be seen as anything other than a war crime.”
Gaza’s Health Ministry asserted that some of the bodies had been bound and shot in the chest, and it called on the United Nations and other international organizations to investigate and hold Israel accountable.
Israel’s military on Sunday said its troops had opened fire on vehicles “advancing suspiciously” without emergency signals or movement coordinated in advance. It asserted that nine “terrorists” had been killed.
Netanyahu lays out conditions for ending the war
ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would continue military operations while negotiating. He rejected claims that Israel does not want to end the war, while laying out conditions that go far beyond the ceasefire agreement and have been rejected by Hamas.
“Hamas will disarm. Its leaders will be allowed out. We will look out for the general security in the Gaza Strip and allow for the realization of (President Donald) Trump’s plan,” Netanyahu told a Cabinet meeting.
Trump has proposed that Gaza’s population be resettled in other countries so the US can redevelop Gaza for others. Palestinians say they do not want to leave their homeland. Human rights experts say the plan would likely violate international law.
Israeli strikes on Sunday morning killed at least 16 people, including nine children and three women, according to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis.
Two girls appeared to be wearing new clothes purchased for the holiday, according to an Associated Press cameraman, including spotless sneakers.
On Sunday evening, a strike hit a tent in Deir al-Balah and killed at least two people, according to an AP journalist at the hospital.
Myanmar earthquake disaster: Death toll surges to 1,700, thousands more feared dead or injured
By David Rising The Associated Press
BANGKOK—The death toll from the earthquake that hit Myanmar has risen to more than 1,700 as more bodies have been pulled from the rubble, the country’s military-led government said Monday.
Government spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun told state-run MRTV that another 3,400 have been injured and more than 300 were missing. The military had previously reported 1,644 dead but did not provide specific figures in its update.
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit at midday Friday, causing widespread damage, including in the capital Naypitaw and the second largest city, Mandalay.
It was the time of Friday prayers for the country’s Muslim minority during the holy month of Ramadan, and some 700 worshippers were killed when mosques collapsed, said Tun Kyi, a member of the
The war began when Hamasled militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Hamas is still holding 59 captives—24 believed to be alive. Israel’s offensive has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence, and blames civilian deaths on Hamas because it operates in densely populated areas.
Israel approves controversial project in West Bank NETANYAHU’S security Cabinet approved the construction of a road for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Critics say it will open the door for Israel to annex a key area just outside Jerusalem, further undermining the feasibility of a future Palestinian state.
Netanyahu’s office said the project is meant to streamline travel for Palestinians in communities near the large Jewish settlement of Maaleh Adumim.
Peace Now, an Israeli antisettlement watchdog group, said the road will divert Palestinian traffic outside of Maaleh Adumim and the surrounding area known as E1, a tract of open land deemed essential for the territorial contiguity of a future state. That will make it easier for Israel to annex E1, according to Hagit Ofran, a settlement expert with the group, because Israel can claim there is no disruption to Palestinian movement.
Critics say Israeli settlements and other land grabs make a contiguous future state increasingly impossible. Several roads in the West Bank are meant for use by either Israelis or Palestinians, which international rights groups say is part of an apartheid system, allegations Israel rejects.
Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three for their future state. A two-state solution is widely seen as the only way to resolve the decades-old conflict.
Jahjouh reported from Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, and Goldenberg from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Fatma Khaled in Cairo and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.
movement around the country, little is known about the damage in many areas.
steering committee of the Spring Revolution Myanmar Muslim Network. It was not clear whether they were already included in the official count of casualties.
Tun Kyi said some 60 mosques were damaged or destroyed when the earthquake struck, and videos posted on The Irrawaddy online news site showed several mosques toppling during the quake, and people fleeing from the areas.
In Mandalay, 270 monks were taking a religious exam at the U Hla Thein monastery when the quake hit, crumpling the building.
Rescue workers at the scene Monday said 70 were able to escape, but 50 have already been found dead and 150 are still unaccounted for.
Little is known about the damage in many places
THE true number of people killed and injured across the regions hit is thought to be possibly many times the official figures, but with telecommunication outages and extreme challenges to
“We’re really not clear on the scale of the destruction at this stage,” Lauren Ellery, deputy director of programs in Myanmar for the International Rescue Committee, told The Associated Press.
There is a state of emergency in six regions, and Ellery said her teams on the ground and their local partners are currently assessing where needs are the greatest, while providing emergency medical care, humanitarian supplies and other assistance.
“They were talking about a town near Mandalay where 80 percent of the buildings were reportedly collapsed, but it wasn’t in the news because telecommunications have been slow,” she said.
“Even in areas where there isn’t so much impact, our partner reported to us on Saturday that there were landslides stopping them reaching one of the villages.”
The earthquake, centered near Mandalay—a city of some 1.5 million, brought down buildings and damaged
See “Myanmar,”
Trump lashes out at Putin, Zelenskyy as he tries to push for deal to end war in Ukraine
By Chris Megerian The Associated Press
WASHINGTON—President
Donald Trump lashed out at both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday, expressing frustration with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders as he struggles to forge a truce to end the war.
Although Trump insisted to reporters that “we’re making a lot of progress,” he acknowledged that “there’s tremendous hatred” between the two men, a fresh indication that negotiations may not produce the swift conclusion that he promised during the campaign.
Trump began voicing his criticisms in an early morning interview with NBC News while he was at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida. He said he was “angry, pissed off” that Putin questioned Zelenskyy’s credibility.
The Russian leader recently said that Zelenskyy lacks the legitimacy to sign a peace deal and suggested that Ukraine needed external governance.
Trump said he would consider adding new sanctions on Russia, which already faces steep financial penalties, and using tariffs to undermine its oil exports.
The Republican president rarely criticizes Putin, and he’s previously attacked Zelenskyy’s credibility himself. For example, Trump has suggested that Ukraine caused the war that began with a Russian invasion three years ago, and he’s insisted that Zelenskyy should hold elections even though it’s illegal
other infrastructure like the city’s airport.
An artificial intelligence analysis of satellite images of Mandalay by Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab showed 515 buildings with 80 percent-100 percent
under Ukraine’s constitution to do so during martial law.
On his flight back to Washington on Sunday evening, Trump reiterated his annoyance toward Putin but somewhat softened his tone.
“I don’t think he’s going to go back on his word,” he said. “I’ve known him for a long time. We’ve always gotten along well.”
Asked when he wanted Russia to agree to a ceasefire, Trump said there was a “psychological deadline.”
“If I think they’re tapping us along, I will not be happy about it,” he said.
Trump soon pivoted to criticize Zelenskyy.
“He’s trying to back out of the rare earth deal, “ Trump said, referring to negotiations over US access to critical minerals in Ukraine.
“And if he does that, he’s got some problems. Big, big problems.”
Trump and Zelenskyy were supposed to sign the deal when the Ukrainian leader visited the White House. However, their meeting ended with acrimony that played out in front of television cameras in the Oval Office.
Trump suggested on Sunday
damage and another 1,524 with between 20 percent and 80 percent damage. Another 180,004 buildings had between 0 percent and 20 percent damage, and the AI4G Lab noted that the assessment was a “preliminary guide and will require on-the-ground verification.”
The World Health Organization said it has reports of three hospitals destroyed
that Zelenskyy wanted to “renegotiate the deal” to get better security guarantees.
“He wants to be a member of NATO,” he said. “Well, he was never going to be a member of NATO. He understands that.”
The US has been pushing for a comprehensive ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine to peacefully end their 3-yearold war.
Russia has effectively rejected a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting, and the feasibility of a partial ceasefire on the Black Sea was thrown into doubt after Kremlin negotiators imposed far-reaching conditions.
Trump’s comments on Putin come after weeks of intense pressure on Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire.
Russian drones hit Ukraine’s 2nd largest city Kharkiv
MEANWHILE , Russian drones hit a military hospital, shopping center and apartment blocks in Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv, killing two people and
and 22 partially damaged in the region.
“The scale of deaths and injuries is not yet fully understood and the numbers are expected to increase,” the UN agency said in a report.
“The earthquake’s devastation has overwhelmed healthcare facilities in the affected areas, which are struggling to manage the influx of injured individuals.
wounding dozens.
Ukraine’s General Staff denounced the “deliberate, targeted shelling” of the military hospital late Saturday. Among the casualties were service members who were undergoing treatment, it said. Regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said those killed were a 67-year-old man and a 70-yearold woman.
According to Ukrainian government and military analysts, Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in the coming weeks to maximize pressure on Kyiv and strengthen the Kremlin’s negotiating position in ceasefire talks.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia fired 111 exploding drones and decoys in the latest wave of attacks overnight into Sunday. It said 65 of them were intercepted and another 35 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed.
Zelenskyy said Sunday that over the past week “most regions
See “Ukraine,” A9
There is an urgent need for trauma and surgical care, blood transfusion supplies, anesthetics, essential medicines, and mental health support.”
Iran has rejected direct negotiations with US in response to Trump’s letter
By Jon Gambrell & Amir Vahdat The Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—Iran’s president said Sunday that the Islamic Republic rejected direct negotiations with the United States over its rapidly advancing nuclear program, offering Tehran’s first response to a letter that US President Donald Trump sent to the country’s supreme leader.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran’s response, delivered via the sultanate of Oman, left open the possibility of indirect negotiations with Washington. However, such talks have made no progress since Trump in his first term unilaterally withdrew the US from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.
In the years since, regional tensions have boiled over into attacks at sea and on land. Then came the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, which saw Israel target militant group leaders across Iran’s selfdescribed “Axis of Resistance.” Now, as the US conducts intense airstrikes targeting the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen, the risk of military action targeting Iran’s nuclear program remains on the table.
“We don’t avoid talks; it’s the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far,” Pezeshkian said in televised remarks during a Cabinet meeting. “They must prove that they can build trust.”
The US State Department, responding to Pezeshkian, said that “President Trump has been clear: the United States cannot allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.”
“The president expressed his willingness to discuss a deal with Iran,” it added. “If the Iranian regime does not want a deal, the president is clear, he will pursue other options, which will be very bad for Iran.”
A lack of heavy machinery has slowed search and rescue operations, forcing many to slowly search for survivors by hand in the relentless heat, with daily temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
Myanmar’s neighbors and allies are among those lending aid
INTERNATIONAL rescue teams from several countries are now on the scene, including from Russia, China, India and several Southeast Asian countries.
On Sunday, an Indian team jackhammered through slabs of fallen concrete at one site in Mandalay, cutting rebar reinforcement with an angle grinder powered by a portable generator as they sought to reach lower levels.
They could be seen bringing out one covered body and loading it into an ambulance.
The European Union, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and others have announced millions of dollars in aid, either directly or through local partners and international organizations.
US President Donald Trump has said Washington would help, but so far there has been no known assistance to Myanmar.
A small number of American military personnel were sent to assist in Bangkok, where the earthquake shook the Thai capital and killed at least 18 people, many at a construction site where a partially built high-rise collapsed.
Another 33 have been reported injured and 78 missing, primarily at the construction site near the popular Chatuchak market.
Heavy equipment was shut down and authorities urged onlookers to be silent as they used machines to try and detect any signs of life from under the rubble.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt told reporters at the scene that signs had been detected Sunday night, though experts could not determine whether it had been machine error.
Nonetheless, he said he still had hope survivors would be found.
Trump talked about dealing with Iran while flying from Florida to Washington on Sunday evening. “We’ll see if we can get something done,” he told reporters. “And if not, it’s going to be a bad situation.” “I would prefer a deal to the other alternative which I think everybody in this plane knows what that is, and that’s never going to be pretty,” he said.
Iran’s position hardens after Trump’s letter Having Pezeshkian announce the decision shows just how much has changed in Iran, since his election a half-year ago after he campaigned on a promise to reengage with the West.
Since Trump’s election and the resumption of his “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran, Iran’s rial currency has gone into a freefall. Pezeshkian had left open discussions up until Iran’s 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei came down hard on Trump in February and warned talks “are not intelligent, wise or honorable” with his administration. The Iranian president then immediately toughened his own remarks on the US. Meanwhile, there have been mixed messages coming from Iran for weeks. Videos from Quds, or Jerusalem, Day demonstrations on Friday had people in the crowds instructing participants to only shout: “Death to Israel!” Typically, “Death to America” was also heard.
A video of an underground missile base unveiled by Iran’s hardline paramilitary Revolutionary Guard also showed its troops stepping on an Israeli flag painted on the ground—though there was no American flag as often seen in such propaganda videos.
See “Iran,” A9
Beyond the earthquake damage, rescue efforts are complicated by the bloody civil war roiling much of the country, including in quake-affected areas. In 2021, the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, sparking what has since turned into significant armed resistance. Government forces have lost control of much of Myanmar, and many places are dangerous or impossible for aid groups to reach. More than 3 million people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations.
Ellery, of the International Rescue Committee, noted that the area worst hit by the earthquake was already seriously damaged by flooding last year in which many lost homes, and is also where many of the country’s internally displaced people have sought refuge. Since the earthquake, many people have been sleeping outside, either because their homes have been destroyed or they are worried that the continuing aftershocks might bring them down. With the monsoon rains starting in May, finding people shelter was going to be a major challenge going ahead, she said. “But right now, we’re focused on the immediate response,” she said.
“Even if one life is saved, it is worth all the effort,” he said. Myanmar, also known as Burma, sits on the Sagaing Fault, a major north-south fault that separates the India plate and the Sunda plate. The earthquake occurred when a 200-kilometer (125-mile) section of the fault ruptured, causing widespread damage along a wide swath of territory down the middle of the country, including Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway and Bago regions and Shan State.
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Pakistan to deport 3 million Afghans as crackdown on foreigners intensifies
By Riaz Khan & Riazat Butt
Pakistan—Pakistan
ESHAWAR,
Pplans to expel 3 million Afghans from the country this year, as a deadline for them to voluntarily leave the capital and surrounding areas expired on Monday.
It’s the latest phase of a nationwide crackdown launched in October 2023 to expel foreigners living in Pakistan illegally, mostly Afghans. The campaign has drawn fire from rights groups, the Taliban government, and the UN. Arrests and deportations were due to begin April 1 but were pushed back to April 10 because of the Eid al-Fitr holidays marking the end of Ramadan, according to government documents seen by The Associated Press.
About 845,000 Afghans have left Pakistan over the past 18 months, figures from the International Organization for Migration show.
Pakistan says 3 million Afghans remain. Of these, 1,344,584 hold Proof of Registration cards, while 807,402 have Afghan Citizen Cards. There are a further 1 million Afghans who are in the country illegally because they have no paperwork.
Pakistan said it will make sure that Afghans do not return once deported.
Authorities wanted Afghan Citizen cardholders to leave the capital Islamabad and Rawalpindi city by March 31 and return to Afghanistan voluntarily or be deported.
Those with Proof of Registration can stay in Pakistan until June 30, while Afghans bound for third-country resettlement must also leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi by March 31.
Authorities have said they will work with foreign diplomatic missions to resettle Afghans, failing which they will also be deported from Pakistan.
Tens of thousands of Afghans fled after the Taliban takeover in 2021. They were approved for resettlement in the US through a program that helps people at risk because of their work with the American government, media, aid agencies, and rights groups.
However, President Donald Trump paused US refugee programs in January and 20,000 Afghans are now in limbo.
The Taliban want Afghan refugees to return with dignity “NO Afghan officials to be made part of any committee or formal decisionmaking process,” one of the documents said about the expulsion plans.
But Press TV, the English-language arm of Iranian state television, published an article last week that included listing US bases in the Middle East as possible targets of attack. The list included Camp Thunder Cove on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, where the US is basing stealth B-2 bombers likely being used in Yemen.
“The Americans themselves know how vulnerable they are,” warned Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on Friday. “If they violate Iran’s sovereignty, it will be like a spark in a gunpowder depot, setting the
The World BusinessMirror
A spokesman for Afghanistan’s Refugee Ministry, Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, told The Associated Press that Pakistan was taking decisions arbitrarily, without involving the U.N. refugee agency or the Taliban government.
“We have shared our problems with them, stating that unilaterally expelling refugees is neither in their interest nor ours,” said Haqqani. “It is not in their interest because expelling them in this way raises hatred against Pakistan.
“For us, it is natural that managing so many Afghans coming back is a challenge. We have requested they should be deported through a mechanism and mutual understanding so they can return with dignity.”
Two transit stations will be set up in the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to help with deportations. One will be in Nasir Bagh, an area in the Peshawar suburbs. The second will be in the border town of Landi Kotal, some 7 kilometers from the Torkham crossing.
Afghans are unsure of their future in a country they don’t know IT is not clear what will happen to children born in Pakistan to Afghan parents, Afghan couples with different document types, and families where one parent is a Pakistani citizen and the other is Afghan. But officials indicated to the AP that social welfare staff will be on hand to help with such cases.
Omaid Khan, 30, has an Afghan Citizen Card while his wife has Proof of Registration. According to Pakistani government policy, he has to leave but his wife can stay until June 30. Their two children have no documents, including passports or identity cards from either country.
“I am from Paktia province but I have never been there and I am not sure about my future,” he said.
Nazir Ahmed was born in the southwest Pakistani city of Quetta and has never been to Afghanistan. His only connection to the country was through his father, who died in Quetta four years ago.
“How can we go there?” said Ahmed, who is 21. “Few people know us. All our relatives live in Quetta. What will we do if we go there? We appeal to the Pakistani government to give us some time so we can go and find out, at least get some employment.”
The Associated Press writer Abdul Sattar contributed to this report from Quetta, Pakistan.
entire region ablaze. In such a scenario, their bases and their allies will not be safe.”
However, Tehran’s two recent direct attacks on Israel with ballistic missiles and drones caused negligible damage, while Israel responded by destroying Iranian air defense systems.
Iran’s rejection is the latest in tensions over nuclear program
TRUMP’S letter arrived in Tehran on March 12. Though announcing that he wrote it in a television interview, Trump offered little detail on what he exactly told the supreme leader.
“I’ve written them a letter saying, ‘I hope you’re going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, it’s
made Thursday in Paris that Russia is prolonging ceasefire talks “just to buy time and then try to grab more land.”
Dampened Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Indonesia amid economic woes
By Niniek Karmini The Associated Press
JAKARTA,
Indonesia—The usual festive mood of Eid al-Fitr holiday to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan has been subdued in Indonesia this year as people grapple with soaring prices for food, clothing and essential goods.
Consumer spending ahead of the biggest religious holiday for Muslims, which was celebrated on Sunday in Indonesia, has declined compared to the previous year, with a predicted slowdown in cash circulation due to fewer travelers.
Each year in Indonesia, nearly three-quarters of the population of the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country travel for the annual homecoming known locally as “mudik” that is always welcomed with excitement.
People pour out of major cities to return to villages to celebrate the holiday with prayers, feasts and family gatherings. Flights are overbooked and anxious relatives weighed down with boxes of gifts form long lines at bus and train stations for the journey
But this year the Transportation Ministry said Eid travelers reached 146 million people, a 24 percent drop from last year’s 194 million travelers.
The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry projects that money circulation during Eid will reach 137.97 trillion rupiah ($8.33 billion), down from 157.3 trillion last year. The weakening purchasing power is also reflected in Bank Indonesia’s Consumer Confidence Index which dipped to 126.4 in February from 127.2 in January.
Bhima Yudistira, executive director of the Center for Economic and Law Studies, or Celios, said those trends indicate the economy is under strain, driven by economic hardship, coupled with currency
going to be a terrible thing,’” Trump said in the interview.
The move recalled Trump’s letter-writing to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in his first term, which led to face-to-face meetings, but no deals to limit Pyongyang’s atomic bombs and a missile program capable of reaching the continental US.
The last time that Trump tried to send a letter to Khamenei,
depreciation and mass layoffs in manufacturing.
“These have weakened both corporate earnings and workers’ incomes that suppress consumer spending,” Yudistira said, adding he “expects a less vibrant festive season.”
He said the festive spirit has been stifled by harsh economic realities, as soaring prices and dwindling incomes force residents to prioritize survival over celebration.
Traditionally household consumption is a key driver of Indonesia’s GDP. It contributed over 50 percent to the economy last year, helping push annual growth to 5.11 percent. However, consumer spending in 2025 is expected to be more subdued, Yudistira said.
Despite the downturn, the government remains optimistic that the Ramadan and Eid momentum will support economic growth in the first quarter of 2025.
“Eid usually boosts the economy through increased spending,” Chief Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said ahead of the Islamic holiday.
The government recently introduced incentives to stimulate economic activity, including airfare and toll road fee discounts, nationwide online shopping events, direct cash assistance for 16 million households, electricity bill reductions for low-consumption customers, and tax exemptions for labor-intensive sectors.
“With these programs in place,
through the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2019, the supreme leader mocked the effort.
Trump’s letter came as both Israel and the United States have warned they will never let Iran acquire a nuclear weapon, leading to fears of a military confrontation as Tehran enriches uranium at near weapons-grade levels of 60 percent purity—something only done by atomic-armed nations.
the government hopes to sustain consumer spending and support economic stability,” Hartarto said.
The situation has also affected Endang Trisilowati, a mother of four, who said her family had to scale down their festivities budget.
“Honestly, the economic hardship is affecting us,” Trisilowati said. She described how she used to cook different dishes every Eid and invite neighbors, but now she can only afford a simple meal for her family.
“Many have resorted to just finding a way to eat on that festivity, but the spirit is low,” she said.
Muslims in India grapple with discrimination
In India, Muslims are marking the celebration of Eid with special prayers, family gatherings and festive meals.
The holiday comes as the minority community faces vilification by hardline Hindu nationalists.
Muslim groups are also protesting against a proposal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to change laws governing Muslim land endowments.
The government says it wants to weed out corruption and misman -
Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes, even as its officials increasingly threaten to pursue the bomb. A report in February, however, by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, said that Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium.
Iran’s reluctance to deal with Trump likely also takes root in his
agement in hundreds of thousands of Muslim land endowments. But Muslim groups say the proposal pending approval in India’s parliament is discriminatory. Muslims, who comprise 14 percent of India’s 1.4 billion population, are the largest minority group in the Hindu-majority nation. Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party launched a nationwide initiative called “Saugat-e-Modi,” or “Modi’s gift,” during Ramadan that is expected to provide food and clothes to over 3 million underprivileged Muslims to celebrate Eid.
In New Delhi, thousands assembled in the Jama Masjid, one of the country’s largest mosques, to offer Eid prayers. Families came together early Monday morning and many people shared hugs and wishes.
“This is a day of giving and receiving love. Even if you meet an enemy, meet them with love today,” said 18-year-old student Mohammed Nooruddin.
The Associated Press writers Aijaz Hussain in Srinagar and Rishi Lekhi in New Delhi, India, contributed to this report.
ordering the attack that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in a Baghdad drone strike in January 2020. The US has said Iran plotted to assassinate Trump over that prior to his election this November, something Tehran denied though officials have threatened him.
Vahdat reported from Tehran, Iran. Associated Press writer Chris Megerian in Washington contributed.
of Ukraine” came under Russian attack. Writing on X, he said “1,310 Russian guided aerial bombs, over 1,000 attack drones—mostly ‘Shaheds’—and nine missiles of various types, including ballistic ones” had been launched against Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also repeated his assertion that “Russia is dragging out the war,” echoing comments he
Russia’s Ministry of Defense, meanwhile, said its air defense systems shot down six Ukrainian drones. It also claimed Sunday that its troops had taken control of a village in Ukraine’s partly occupied Donetsk region. The Russian claim could not be independently verified, and Ukraine did not comment. With reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine.
MUSLIMS perform Eid al-Fitr prayers, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, March 31, 2025. AP/ACHMAD IBRAHIM
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen barred from seeking public office for embezzlement
By Sylvie Corbet The Associated Press
PARIS—French far-right leader
Marine Le Pen strode out of a French court as the chief judge on Monday barred her from seeking public office after she was found guilty of embezzling EU funds.
The judge hasn’t yet said how long Le Pen will be ineligible for running for public office—a decision that could derail the far-right leader’s career and infuriate her millions of supporters.
Le Pen didn’t wait around to find out. In a moment of high drama, the politician picked up her bag, slung it over her arm and strode briskly out of the courtroom, her heels click-click-clicking on the hardwood floor, leaving disbelief in her wake.
The chief judge looked up at Le Pen but carried on reading out the sentence.
Le Pen left the high-rise Paris courthouse without stopping to speak to reporters and climbed into a car that drove her away.
Earlier Monday, from the front row of the court, Le Pen showed no immediate reaction when the judge declared her guilty. But she grew more agitated as the proceedings continued. She repeatedly nodded her head in disagreement as the judge went into greater detail with the verdict, saying Le Pen’s party had illegally used European Parliament money for its own benefit. “Incredible,” she whispered at
one point. The judge also handed down guilty verdicts to eight other current or former members of her party who, like her, previously served as European Parliament lawmakers.
Le Pen and her co-defendants face up to 10 years in prison. They can appeal, which would lead to another trial.
‘A political death’ scenario THE sentence, even if she appeals, could prevent her from running for president in 2027. She has described such scenario as a “political death.”
The verdict was shaping up as a resounding defeat for Le Pen and her party. As well as finding her and eight other former European lawmakers guilty of embezzling public funds, the court also convicted 12 other people who served as parliamentary aides for Le Pen and what is now the National Rally party, formerly the National Front.
The judge said Le Pen had been at the heart of “a system” that her party used to siphon off EU parliament money. The judge said Le Pen and other co-defendants didn’t
enrich themselves personally. But the ruling described the embezzlement as “a democratic bypass” that deceived the parliament and voters.
Le Pen and 24 other officials from the National Rally were accused of having used money intended for EU parliamentary aides to pay staff who worked for the party between 2004 and 2016, in violation of the 27-nation bloc’s regulations. Le Pen and her codefendants denied wrongdoing.
Le Pen has enjoyed growing support LE PEN , 56, was runner-up to President Emmanuel Macron in the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections, and her party’s electoral support has grown in recent years.
During the nine-week trial that took place in late 2024, she argued that ineligibility “would have the effect of depriving me of being a presidential candidate” and disenfranchise her supporters.
“There are 11 million people who voted for the movement I represent. So tomorrow, potentially, millions and millions of French people would see themselves de -
prived of their candidate in the election,” she told the panel of three judges.
If Le Pen cannot run in 2027, her seeming natural successor would be Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s 29-year-old protégé who succeeded her at the helm of the party in 2021.
Le Pen denied accusations she was at the head of the system meant to siphon off EU parliament money to benefit her party, which she led from 2011 to 2021. She argued instead that it was acceptable to adapt the work of the aides paid by the European Parliament to the needs of the lawmakers, including some political work related to the party.
Hearings showed that some EU money was used to pay for Le Pen’s bodyguard—who was once her father’s bodyguard—as well as her personal assistant.
Prosecutors requested a twoyear prison sentence and a fiveyear period of ineligibility for Le Pen.
Le Pen said she felt they were “only interested” in preventing her from running for president.
Trump says he’s considering ways to serve a third term as president
By Chris Megerian The Associated Press
Fla.—President
EST PALM BEACH,
WDonald Trump said Sunday that
“I’m not joking” about trying to serve a third term, the clearest indication he is considering ways to breach a constitutional barrier against continuing to lead the country after his second term ends at the beginning of 2029.
“There are methods which you could do it,” Trump said in a telephone interview with NBC News from Mar-a-Lago, his private club.
He elaborated later to reporters on Air Force One from Florida to Washington that “I have had more people ask me to have a third term, which in a way is a fourth term because the other election, the 2020 election was totally rigged.” Trump lost that election to Democrat Joe Biden.
Still, Trump added: “I don’t want to talk about a third term now because no matter how you look at it, we’ve got a long time to go.”
The 22nd Amendment, added to the Constitution in 1951 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times in a row, says “no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”
Any attempt to remain in office would be legally suspect and it is unclear how seriously Trump might pursue the idea. The comments nonetheless were an extraordinary reflection of the desire to maintain power by a president who had violated democratic traditions four years ago when he tried to overturn the election he lost to Biden.
“This is yet another escalation in his clear effort to take over the government and dismantle our democracy,” said a statement from Rep. Daniel Goldman, a
New York Democrat who served as lead counsel for Trump’s first impeachment.
“If Congressional Republicans believe in the Constitution, they will go on the record opposing Trump’s ambitions for a third term.”
Steve Bannon, a former Trump strategist who runs the right-wing “War Room” podcast, called for the president to run again during a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference last month.
“We want Trump in ‘28,” he said. Kayla Thompson, a 30-year-old former paralegal in Wisconsin, said she would “absolutely” like Trump to serve another term.
“America needs him. America is headed in the right direction and, if he doesn’t do it, we’re probably headed backwards,” said Thompson, who was attending a campaign event Sunday with Elon Musk in Green Bay for a state Supreme Court race.
Jeremy Paul, a constitutional law professor at Boston’s Northeastern University, said “there are no credible legal arguments for him to run for a third term.”
NBC’s Kristen Welker asked Trump if one potential avenue to a third term was having Vice President JD Vance run for the top job and “then pass the baton to you.”
“Well, that’s one,” Trump responded. “But there are others too. There are others.”
“Can you tell me another?” Welker asked.
“No,” Trump replied.
Vance’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Derek Muller, a professor of election law at Notre Dame, noted that the 12th Amendment, which was ratified in 1804, See “Trump,” A11
Musk hands out $1 million checks in Wisconsin, stokes controversy ahead of Supreme Court race
By Thomas Beaumont & Scott Bauer
The Associated Press
GREEN BAY, Wis.—Elon
Musk gave out $1 mil -
lion checks on Sunday to two Wisconsin voters, declaring them spokespeople for his political group, ahead of a Wisconsin Supreme Court election that the tech billionaire cast as critical to President Donald Trump’s agenda and “the future of civilization.”
“It’s a super big deal,” he told a roughly 2,000-person crowd in Green Bay on Sunday night, taking the stage in a yellow cheese head hat. “I’m not phoning it in.
I’m here in person.”
Musk and groups he supports have spent more than $20 million to help conservative favorite Brad Schimel in Tuesday’s race, which will determine the ideological makeup of a court likely
to decide key issues in a perennial battleground state. Musk has increasingly become the center of the contest, with liberal favorite Susan Crawford and her allies protesting Musk and what they say is the influence he wants to have on the court.
“I think this will be important for the future of civilization,” he said. “It’s that’s significant.” He noted that the state high court may well take up redistricting of congressional districts, which could ultimately affect which party controls the US House.
“And if the (Wisconsin) Supreme Court is able to redraw the districts, they will gerrymander the district and deprive Wisconsin of two seats on the Republican side,” Musk said. “Then they will try to stop all the government reforms we are getting done for you, the American people.”
A unanimous state Supreme Court on Sunday refused to hear a last-minute attempt by the state’s Democratic attorney general to stop Musk from handing over the checks to two voters, a ruling that came just minutes before the planned start of the rally.
Two lower courts had already rejected the legal challenge by Democrat Josh Kaul, who argues that Musk’s offer violates a state law. “Wisconsin law prohibits offering anything of value to induce anyone to vote,” Kaul argued in his filing. “Yet, Elon Musk did just that.”
But the state Supreme Court, which is currently controlled 4-3 by liberal justices, declined to take the case as an original action. The court gave no rationale for its decision.
Kaul had no immediate comment on the court’s order.
Musk’s attorneys argued in fil -
ings with the court that Musk was exercising his free speech rights with the giveaways and any attempt to restrict that would violate both the Wisconsin and US constitutions.
The payments are “intended to generate a grassroots movement in opposition to activist judges, not to expressly advocate for or against any candidate,” Musk’s attorneys argued in court filings.
Musk’s political action committee used a nearly identical tactic before the presidential election last year, offering to pay $1 million a day to voters in Wisconsin and six other battleground states who signed a petition supporting the First and Second amendments.
A judge in Pennsylvania said prosecutors failed to show the effort was an illegal lottery and allowed it to continue through Election Day.
Liberals currently hold a 4-3 majority on the court. All four lib -
eral justices have endorsed Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, the Democratic-backed candidate.
Musk’s attorneys, about four hours before the rally was to begin, asked that two liberal justices who have campaigned for Crawford— Jill Karofsky and Rebecca Dallet— recuse themselves from the case.
His attorneys argued their work for Crawford creates “the specter of inappropriate bias.” If they did recuse, that would leave the court with a 3-2 conservative majority.
Both justices rejected the request and said they would spell out their reasons why at a later date.
One of the court’s conservative justices has endorsed Schimel, who wore a “Make America Great Again” hat while campaigning Sunday.
Schimel said in a national television interview that he does not control “any of the spending from any outside group, whether it’s
Elon Musk or anyone else” and that all Trump asked was whether he would “reject activist judges” and follow the law.
“That’s exactly what I’ve committed to anybody, whether it’s President Trump, Elon Musk or any donors or supporters or voters in Wisconsin. That’s my commitment,” Schimel told “Fox News Sunday.”
The contest has shattered national spending records for a judicial election, with more than $81 million in spending. It comes as Wisconsin’s highest court is expected to rule on abortion rights, congressional redistricting, union power and voting rules that could affect the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election in the state.
The Associated Press writer Gary Fields in Washington contributed to this report.
Deadly US airstrikes pound Yemen’s rebel-held capital, killing at least 3
By Jon Gambrell
The Associated Press
UBAI, United Arab Emirates—
DSuspected US airstrikes struck around Yemen’s rebel-held capital overnight into Monday morning, attacks that the Iranian-backed Houthis said killed at least three people. The full extent of the damage wasn’t immediately clear. The attacks followed a night of airstrikes early Friday that appeared particularly intense compared to other days in the campaign that began March 15. The strikes around Sanaa, Yemen’s capital held by the Houthis since 2014, and Hajjah governorate also wounded 12 others, the rebels said.
Continued from A10
says “no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.”
Muller said that indicates that if Trump is not eligible to run for president again because of the 22nd Amendment, he is not eligible to run for vice president, either.
“I don’t think there’s any ‘one weird trick’ to getting around presidential term limits,” Muller said.
In addition, pursuing a third term would require extraordinary acquiescence by federal and state officials, not to mention the courts and voters themselves.
He suggested that Trump is talking about a third term for political reasons to “show as much strength as possible.”
“A lame-duck president like Donald Trump has every incentive in the world to make it seem like he’s not a lame duck,” he said.
Trump, who would be 82 at the end of his second term, was asked whether he would want to keep serving in “the toughest job in the country” at that point.
“Well, I like working,” the president said. Trump suggested that Americans would
go along with a third term because of his popularity. He falsely claimed to have “the highest poll numbers of any Republican for the last 100 years.”
Gallup data shows President George W. Bush reaching a 90 percent approval rating after the attacks on September 11, 2001.
His father, President George H.W. Bush, hit 89 percent following the Gulf War in 1991.
Trump has maxed out at 47 percent in Gallup data during his second term, despite claiming to be “in the high 70s in many polls, in the real polls.”
Trump has mused before about serving longer than two terms before, generally with jokes to friendly audiences.
“Am I allowed to run again?” he said during a House Republican retreat in January.
Representatives for the congressional leadership—House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York—did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the AP.
The Associated Press writers Tom Beaumont in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Gary Fields in Washington contributed to this report.
Their Al-Masirah satellite news channel aired footage of broken glass littering homes in Sanaa after the concussive blast of the bombs, but continued not to show the targets of the attacks—suggesting the sites had a military or intelligence
function. Strikes there killed one person, the rebels said.
Another strike targeting a pickup truck in Hajjah killed two people and wounded a child, the Houthis said. It marked the first, publicly known time the American strikes targeted a vehicle in this campaign.
An Associated Press review has found
the new American operation against the Houthis under President Donald Trump appears more extensive than those under former President Joe Biden, as the US moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel as well as dropping bombs in cities. The new campaign of airstrikes,
which the Houthis now say have killed at least 61 people, started after the rebels threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels in the past loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning other vessels could be targeted.
Trump. . .
SMOKE billows from a location reportedly targeted by US airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, March 30, 2025. AP
NLEX collision: Height restrictions and the high cost of ignoring them
IN mid-March, an alarming incident on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) underscored a critical issue that affects not only the flow of traffic but also the safety and efficiency of our roads. A tanker truck, towering at 4.9 meters, collided with a 4.7-meter interchange bridge in Marilao, Bulacan, resulting in significant structural damage and a massive traffic jam that stretched from the Balintawak toll plaza to Bocaue.
The NLEX operator acted swiftly and responsibly in its response, quickly mobilizing emergency crews, assessing the bridge damage, and implementing partial closures to ensure safety. The bridge is part of the local road network in Marilao and is not owned or maintained by NLEX. However, the company promptly initiated repairs on the bridge. Within a week, they were able to complete repairs and reopen all lanes, minimizing the inconvenience to motorists. This demonstrates the company’s commitment to providing a smooth and efficient travel experience for all. However, the question remains: how can we prevent such incidents in the future?
NLEX has undertaken numerous measures to ensure compliance with vehicle height regulations. Height sensors, directional signs, and dedicated truck lanes are in place to guide drivers and prevent oversized vehicles from using inappropriate lanes. Yet, despite these precautions, the truck driver involved in the incident blatantly ignored multiple warnings and regulations. This negligence not only resulted in inconvenience for thousands of motorists but also posed serious safety risks.
The road signs are easily visible and clear: “Bawal ang trucks dito” (Trucks not allowed here) and “Trucks manatili sa kanan” (Trucks stay on the right lane). The driver’s choice to ignore the signs highlights a broader issue regarding the enforcement of traffic rules and the accountability of drivers and their operators. It begs the question: are we doing enough to educate and train those behind the wheel, particularly in sectors that carry the responsibility of transporting goods?
This incident also brings to light the need for a more robust dialogue around vehicle regulations and the standards upheld by truck owners and operators. Ensuring that vehicles are safe and compliant is a shared responsibility that extends beyond individual drivers to regulatory bodies like the Land Transportation Office and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
While NLEX acted quickly to address the aftermath of the incident, including offering toll relief to affected motorists, the burden of road safety cannot rest solely on infrastructure providers. It is a two-way street: road safety depends equally on the diligence of drivers in following established regulations. The need for better education and training programs cannot be overstated; these initiatives must be prioritized to ensure that all road users are aware of their responsibilities.
Adhering to vehicle regulations and traffic rules is not merely a legal obligation; it is a moral imperative that safeguards the lives of countless individuals on our roads.
The Marilao Bridge incident is a wake-up call for all stakeholders involved in road safety. It is an opportunity to re-evaluate our practices, enhance education and training, and reinforce the importance of compliance with traffic regulations. By working together, we can create a safer and more efficient travel experience for everyone on the road.
Opinion
Ignorance spawns experts, knowledge slays them
TOUTSIDE THE BOX
HE Dunning-Kruger effect exposes a stark reality of human behavior: individuals with inadequate knowledge often strut with unshakable confidence, while those with truly deep expertise tend to question their own abilities. Psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger documented this “mental glitch” in 1999, finding that low performers consistently overestimated their skills, unaware of their deficiencies. High achievers, conversely, assumed others shared their proficiency and that they were not special.
Your cousin thinks he is a genius after skimming a blog, but the PhD next door shrugs off her mastery. Ignorance fuels bold certainty; competence nurtures quiet doubt.
Economics offers a prime example; a domain many people ponder over yet only few understand. Healthcare follows the same path, two topics that touch all our lives. Every person counts cash and feels a pulse, convincing themselves they can figure out both. The crowd assumes they can see beyond their own misplaced flawed ideas, blaming presidents for inflation or chasing empty health sup-
T.
plements. The “mental glitch” trips up real decisions like depending on bad policies or useless pills. Blaming “The President” forgets the central bank’s role. Worthless supplements waste hope and money.
But do the “experts”—and their enabling politicians shielded by the press—want the public lost in the information shadows?
Consider the incentive. An enlightened populace asks hard questions, probes policies, scrutinizes decisions, and demands accountability. An ignorant public hands the experts their bank account PIN. “The most dangerous man to any
Experts may overrate their skill, and the masses their gut feeling. But those who equip themselves with real insight can survive and thrive during the chaos. Start now: lock down one solid asset, read one clear chapter, track one key trend. Competence grows slowly step by step, outlasting the clamor of confusion and the noise of delusion.
government is the man who is able to think things out for himself,” H.L. Mencken observed.
During Covid-19, health authorities rolled out mandates—masks, shots, lockdowns—with big promises of safety, if not victory over the virus. “The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease,” Voltaire quipped centuries ago.
Monetary policy tells a similar tale. Post-2020, central banks slashed interest rates and flooded markets with cash, vowing stability. Guess again. Inflation roared, hitting 9 percent in the US by 2022, killing the public at the supermarket. Jean-Paul Kauffmann noted: “The economy depends about as much on economists as the weather does on weather forecasters” and
Prolonging war in Ukraine–for national interest or keeping Zelenskyy in power?
Ruben M. Cruz Jr.
Eduardo A. Davad Nonilon G. Reyes
D. Edgard A. Cabangon Benjamin V. Ramos Aldwin Maralit Tolosa Rolando M. Manangan
RLITO GAGNI
ECENTLY, an increasing number of articles in the world media have focused on the premise that for Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelenskyy, the ongoing conflict in the country is the only chance to retain power. It is noteworthy that the world noticed this fact after US President Donald Trump made a statement along these lines, after which, one by one, representatives of the MAGA team began to report data on the corruption of the Kiev regime, the ban on free media in Ukraine, and the deaths of journalists and oppositionists there.
For European and American audiences, many facts really become a sensation, since such discussion was previously deemed Kremlin propaganda.
Notably, Zelenskyy should have held elections a long time ago and, accordingly, has been in office illegally for a year now. Taxpayers in the West
suddenly found out that all this time their money, under the pretext of “fighting for democracy,” was being sent to support a dictatorial regime that has little to do with the values that Democrats avow.
Trump’s quote that Zelenskyy is a “dictator without elections” was published by many media outlets,
Zelenskyy and his team want to save their power in the country. That is why, against the background of the peace talks initiated by Trump and despite the positive sentiments among the Ukrainian population from the expectation of an early end to the war, Kiev continues to make every effort to ensure that the war continues.
while attempts were immediately made to challenge Trump’s main claims regarding the illegality of the cancellation of elections in Ukraine. However, it also turned out that Zelenskyy’s term of office actually expired in May 2024. News outlets believed controlled by the Zelenskyy administration began to actively claim that elections in Ukraine could not be held under martial law. Not a single newspaper mentioned that the Constitution of Ukraine does not provide for extending the powers of the president
we pay the bill. A well-informed sharper public might have asked questions, challenged the decisions, and pushed back. Instead, ignorance lets experts steer the ship of state unchallenged. Do the experts want increased chaos and failure? Not openly but it is very convenient for them. John Kenneth Galbraith reflected: “The study of money, above all other fields in economics, is one in which complexity is used to disguise truth or to evade truth, not to reveal it”. Experts might not conspire, but a confused public creates a fog hiding “mysterious agendas.”
David Burchell’s sting fits: “Give an economist a result you want, and he will find the numbers to justify it.” Experts thrive when you stay confused.
The crowd’s overconfidence, paired with blind spots, keeps them at the experts’ mercy. Knowledge breaks that grip and shifts that balance. Yet, a path forward exists. You can shield yourself from these overconfident policymakers and grow wiser in the process.
Reading Thomas Sowell’s “Basic Economics” offers a clear entry point. Then skip the headline circus relying on sensational news and seek primary sources. There is a massive amount
See “Mangun,” A13
of the country, even under martial law. Indeed, this would be illogical, given the fact that the president can extend this regime by decree as long as he wants, and therefore have the constitutional opportunity to rule forever, without any restrictions or elections.
Moreover, Western newspapers do not mention another obvious fact: elections in Ukraine have already been held in a special situation (even if it is widespread in the uncontrolled territory of the so-called “anti-terrorist operation”).
Zelenskyy himself was elected in these conditions. The fighting in Donbass did not affect the legitimacy of his election. At the same time, the leader of the Kiev regime himself, speaking in Munich, cited two contradictory theses—that all Ukrainians do not want elections, and that those who wish to hold these elections should renounce Ukrainian citizenship. That is, there are those who want democracy, but they are not worthy
Putting policy in action: Why edtech is necessary for lifelong learning
By Melissa Loble
FOR millions of Filipinos, the dream of a college degree has often felt out of reach, a distant aspiration overshadowed by the demands of work and life. But what if that dream could become a reality—not by abandoning their careers, but by leveraging the very real-life experience they’ve gained?
Recently, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act 12124, also known as the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) Act. This law enables working professionals to earn academic degrees by recognizing prior learning and work experience. By providing an alternative pathway to formal education, the law aims to make higher education more accessible to Filipinos who may not have had the opportunity to complete traditional degree programs yet.
The importance of this law is underscored by the findings from Instructure’s recent report, 2025 State of Higher Education—Philippines, conducted with Times Higher Education. This report reveals that 83 percent of educators consider lifelong learning a strategic priority, a sentiment that echoes the ETEEAP Act’s goals.
However, robust technological and institutional support systems must be in place to support the promise of this legislation.
The SoHE report also highlights that 93 percent of educators believe enhanced technology support is crucial for scaling lifelong learning initiatives. Learning management systems (LMS) in the cloud, like Canvas, play a crucial role in bridging the gap between traditional education and the evolving needs of lifelong learners.
A cloud-based LMS empowers institutions to personalize learning experiences, streamline administrative processes, and facilitate remote learning, making education more adaptable to students’ varying needs. As demand for lifelong education grows, integrating these technologies across institutions will be key to ensuring accessibility and efficiency.
Opinion
CREATE MORE questions
TWhile we wait for the full benefits of RA 12124 to manifest, institutions must focus on the immediate actions they can take to ensure no learner is left behind. We should aim to make lifelong learning accessible by ensuring institutions are equipped with the edtech tools and flexible learning models necessary to support every Filipino.
Balancing work, family, and education is a constant challenge for non-traditional learners, making accessibility and flexibility non-negotiable. As highlighted in the report, 71 percent of learners who prefer flexible learning value the ability to study anytime and anywhere. A technology-enriched learning approach, supported by fully-featured LMS platforms during both in-person and online classes, enables learners to access course materials and complete assignments at their own pace, fitting education into their complex schedules.
Mangun. . .
Continued from A12
of not-so-difficult data available that you can learn to understand. And if you do not, ask Grok, or any of the other readily available useful AI platforms.
Next, trace the flow of policy decisions and ask yourself who you think benefits from interest rate shifts or tax changes, and rarely will the answer favor the common worker. Knowledge stands as an armed guard; ignorance opens the door to being used. This takes work—reading, digging, verifying—but the payoff is strength. Personal strength against
. . Continued from A12
of being called Ukrainians. Those trying to find logic in these “arguments” of Zelenskyy do not even realize that they themselves are proving the lack of democracy in the territory under his control. This is how the British magazine The
However, Filipino institutional offerings have yet to fully meet this demand. While 66 percent of institutions still prioritize face-toface learning, only 42 percent have adopted hybrid models and just 7 percent offer fully online programs. Instructure’s report also reveals that 66 percent of learners in the Philippines are interested in blended learning, microcredentials, and short courses, highlighting a clear preference for alternative learning pathways.
This aligns with the objectives of RA 12124, as microcredentials offer a way to recognize specific, work-relevant skills while providing flexible, accessible educational opportunities. Bite-sized qualifications validate expertise gained through experience—a key principle of the ETEEAP Act—and can also contribute toward degree requirements, offering a modular approach to higher education.
While we wait for the full benefits of RA 12124 to manifest, institutions must focus on the immediate actions they can take to ensure no learner is left behind. We should aim to make lifelong learning accessible by ensuring institutions are equipped with the edtech tools and flexible learning models necessary to support every Filipino.
We must strive to provide flexible, affordable learning opportunities, empowering individuals to upskill, adapt, and thrive, regardless of their circumstances. By adopting a technology-enriched approach to education, we can build an educational ecosystem where everyone has the chance to learn, grow, and contribute.
Melissa Loble is the Chief Academic Officer at Instructure, the maker of Canvas LMS.
exploitation and the haze of doubt. Bob Dylan wrote “Because something is happening here, but you don’t know what it is, do you, Mr. Jones?” Experts may overrate their skill, and the masses their gut feeling. But those who equip themselves with real insight can survive and thrive during the chaos. Start now: lock down one solid asset, read one clear chapter, track one key trend. Competence grows slowly step by step, outlasting the clamor of confusion and the noise of delusion.
E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.
Spectator describes it: “In order to hold elections now, Ukraine would have to lift martial law. The borders would have reopened, allowing the men to escape, making Ukraine more vulnerable to a Russian attack.” It turns out that elections cannot be held, because the “heroic defenders of Ukraine” will immediately run away if they are held. A logical question arises: so who wants to continue the
Atty. Irwin C. Nidea Jr.
TAX LAW FOR BUSINESS
HE recently released Implementing Rules and Revenue Regulations aim to clarify the provisions of CREATE MORE. However, some of these issuances introduce new concepts and procedures that appear inconsistent with the law. I hope the Bureau of Internal Revenue will address the following concerns, which have raised questions among many stakeholders:
First, the introduction of the Motion for Reconsideration (MR) in refund claims is a significant shift under CREATE MORE. Previously, taxpayers had no option but to file an appeal with the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) if their refund claim was denied. Now, for VAT and excise tax refunds on petroleum, the BIR has the opportunity to reconsider its decision—though only on very limited grounds.
An MR is only allowed if the issue raised is a matter of law, not fact. Additionally, taxpayers cannot introduce new evidence or documents, nor can they revisit legal issues already addressed in the Notice of Denial. This raises an important question: What happens if a taxpayer has no
new legal issues to present? Must they proceed directly to the CTA? If so, could the CTA rule that the appeal is premature due to the absence of the required MR?
This situation creates uncertainty. While the BIR enforces the new regulations, the CTA will also consider the law itself, which does not impose the same limitations. Taxpayers could face jurisdictional challenges from both the BIR and the CTA, leading to potential procedural roadblocks regardless of the path they take.
The BIR is given only 15 days to decide on an MR. In an ideal setting with ample resources, taxpayers could be assured of a thorough review. However, given the realities
of administrative capacity, the effectiveness of this new procedure remains to be seen.
Second, the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of CREATE MORE state that Registered Business Enterprises (RBEs) that were already enjoying duty exemption on imports, VAT exemption on imports, and VAT zero-rating on local purchases before the original CREATE Law took effect—regardless of market orientation—may continue to do so until December 31, 2034.
This raises an important question: Does this mean that the provisions of CREATE MORE regarding the imposition of VAT on local purchases by Domestic Market Enterprises (DMEs) will not apply to those registered with an Investment Promotion Agency, such as PEZA, before the original CREATE law’s implementation? In other words, should there be a distinction in VAT treatment between DMEs registered before the CREATE and those registered afterward?
Third, as Atty. Fulvio Dawilan discussed in this space last week, why is the BIR imposing different VAT payment methods on local sales by RBEs?
If an RBE sells to a local entity, it must first determine whether the buyer is a business or an end consumer. If the RBE is selling to a business, the buyer
is required to withhold and remit the VAT. However, if the RBE is selling to an end consumer, the RBE itself is responsible for remitting the VAT. Wouldn’t it be more practical to apply the same VAT rules as ordinary local sales in both cases, especially since the cross-border fiction has already been abandoned? Requiring the use of BIR Form 0605 for each transaction, along with quarterly VAT returns, could lead to confusion and unnecessary administrative burdens for both the BIR and taxpayers.
There are undoubtedly many more questions surrounding the Revenue Regulations recently issued by the BIR. Ideally, these concerns will be addressed through amended regulations or revenue memorandum circulars. A tax system that is clear and efficient benefits not only taxpayers but also the BIR itself.
The author is a senior partner of Du-Baladad and Associates Law Offices (BDB Law) (www. bdblaw.com.ph), a member-firm of WTS Global. The article is for general information only and is not intended, nor should be construed as a substitute for tax, legal or financial advice on any specific matter. Applicability of this article to any actual or particular tax or legal issue should be supported therefore by a professional study or advice. If you have any comments or questions concerning the article, you may e-mail the author at irwin.c.nideajr@ bdblaw.com.ph or call 8403-2001 local 330.
Global equities investors gird for Trump’s next tariff body blow
By Esha Dey, Kit Rees, Sangmi Cha & Abhishek Vishnoi
PRESIDENT Donald Trump says he’s looking forward to April 2. Global equities investors, not so much.
The administration is expected to unveil a broad slate of socalled reciprocal tariffs against US trading partners on Wednesday, and it’s looming as the next potential body blow for markets.
The president has said the levies will be “lenient,” but money managers are on guard given the lack of specifics around what the next package of tariffs may include. In a hint of the potential volatility ahead, last week’s announcement of auto tariffs rattled shares in the industry worldwide.
Depending on the scale of what’s announced, Bloomberg Economics sees scope for a hit to US GDP and a jolt to prices over the coming years, given the possibility of massive tariff hikes on imports from some countries. A Goldman Sachs Group Inc. index of stocks that thrive during stagflation—a time of low growth and high inflation—has been soaring.
“Everything is at stake, everything,” said Mark Malek, chief investment officer at Siebert. “Inflation is on the rise, consumption is showing signs of weakness, consumer sentiment is slipping, all stemming from the administration’s tariff policy.”
April 2 should set the tone for the next few months in markets, Barclays Plc strategists said last week. A wide-ranging set of steep tariffs bodes poorly for risk assets as the second quarter gets underway, they wrote in a report. But with big enough exemptions or a delay, investors should get ready for “a relief rally.”
There’s also the threat of retaliation from US trading partners that boosts volatility, said Solita Marcelli, chief investment officer at UBS’s American wealth management arm.
In preparation for it all, traders have been exiting segments that may get caught in the crosshairs. Baskets that follow shares most at risk have plunged this year, significantly trailing broader indexes in the US and Europe.
Following is a breakdown of sectors and stocks to watch by region:
death of Ukrainians, and for what, if not themselves?
The answer is obvious, Zelenskyy and his team want to save their power in the country. That is why, against the background of the peace talks initiated by Trump and despite the positive sentiments among the Ukrainian population from the expectation of an early end to the war, Kiev continues to make every effort
US
The auto industry—including carmakers, parts suppliers and dealers—remains at the center of the tariff-related turmoil, especially after the 25 percent levies announced last week. General Motors Co. is expected to face sharply higher costs, and while Ford Motor Co. produces a larger share of its US sales domestically than its Detroit peers, it won’t be spared. An index of automakers and components has sunk 34 percent since Trump took office.
Reciprocal tariffs could add to the pain for autos. There could also be sectoral tariffs on semiconductor chips, drugs and lumber. Chipmakers, which like car companies have a global supply network, are vulnerable at a time when the sector is already struggling with signs of trouble with data-center growth and the pace of capital expenditure. Shares such as Nvidia Corp., Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and Intel Corp. will be in focus. Pharmaceutical giants such as Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co. and Bristol Myers Squibb will be exposed as any reciprocal tariffs may impact everything from drug sourcing to distribution.
Last week, reports said US tariffs on copper imports could be coming within several weeks. The price of copper has soared recently. Even if these levies aren’t unveiled on April 2, this group overall can be volatile, including copper miners, as well as steel and aluminum companies. Stocks to watch include FreeportMcMoRan Inc. and Southern Copper Corp.
The Trump administration plans to almost double duties on Canadian softwood lumber to 27 percent, with the possibility of additional levies. If any tariffs announced on April 2 impact this group, stocks such as
to ensure that the war continues.
Despite the agreements reached to stop attacks on the energy infrastructure, the armed forces of Ukraine attacked the Glebovsky underground natural gas storage facility with drones. In addition, energy facilities in the Bryansk and Kursk regions were attacked, leaving many civilians without electricity.
The worst thing is that despite the
Weyerhaeuser Co. can be volatile.
Other sectors that may be caught in the fray include industrial manufacturers and consumer companies with suppliers worldwide. Some names that often are used as a proxy for such trade tensions and economic angst include Caterpillar Inc., Boeing Co., Walmart Inc. and Deere & Co.
Europe
The European Union is identifying potential concessions to get some levies removed, although officials from the bloc were told that there was no way to avoid new US auto and reciprocal tariffs expected this week.
The region’s car stocks have been seeing an impact, with the Stoxx Auto & Parts Index down about 12 percent from this year’s peak.
German carmakers are in focus as they send more vehicles to the US than to any other country, including some higher-margin models from Porsche AG and Mercedes-Benz Group AG. The auto levies could erase about 30 percent of those companies’ projected 2026 operating earnings, Bloomberg Intelligence estimates.
Manufacturers may boost prices— Ferrari NV plans to do so for some models—or shift more production to the US.
Trump’s threat of a 200 percent tariff on alcoholic products shipped from the EU is already a headache for the region’s producers of wines and spirits. Aperol maker Davide Campari-Milano NV has said that even a 25 percent tariff would result in losses of at least €50 million ($54 million).
European miners, especially aluminum and steel producers, have been in focus amid Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on the metals. Following Europe’s countermeasures, eyes now are on whether the US president will respond. Among companies to watch, Rio Tinto Group, with dual listings in Australia and London, is the biggest supplier of aluminum to the US market, with about half of production manufactured last year in Canada.
As one of Europe’s largest listed companies, the fortunes of weightloss drug maker Novo Nordisk A/S
have big implications for the region’s stock market. That’s why threats of a 25 percent levy on the EU, with pharmaceuticals as an industry of focus, are a concern. The maker of Ozempic and Wegovy has said it isn’t “immune” to tariffs.
Asia
Despite China’s massive trade surplus with the US, the nation’s companies are less vulnerable to tariffs than during Trump’s first term. That’s because China’s share of US goods imports dropped almost 8 percentage points from 2017 to 2023, according to data from US Census Bureau. Still there are some stocks worth watching. In Hong Kong, shares of power-tool maker Techtronic Industries Co., for which the US is a top market, according to BI— have dropped about 8 percent since Trump’s inauguration due to tariff threats. Japan’s carmakers, household names in the US, may see their stocks come under pressure on April 2 if any reciprocal tariffs are seen worsening the outlook for this group. Automobiles and auto parts are Japan’s biggest export products to the US. Stocks to watch include Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s largest carmaker by delivery; and Honda Motor Co., which gets more than half its revenue from North America. The world’s chipmaking powerhouses—South Korea and Taiwan— will be in focus, with all eyes on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Samsung Electronics Co. TSMC—nearly 70 percent of whose revenue comes from the US—plans to invest an additional $100 billion in US plants, on top of a previous $65 billion commitment. For South Korea, Trump’s 25 percent auto tariffs weigh on carmakers and their suppliers, including Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. In Southeast Asia, Thailand stands out as a potential major casualty, with its substantial dependence on agriculture and transportation. With assistance from Matthew Griffin /Bloomberg
difficult situation on the battlefield, the mass desertion of Ukrainian soldiers, and the need to tighten forced mobilization, Zelenskyy continues to send the male population of Ukraine to certain death. No attempts by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to improve the situation on the battlefield have been successful. In a matter of weeks, Russian troops conducted an operation during which they destroyed the entire group of Ukrainian troops holding the Kursk region. Further losses of Ukrainian territories and new victims and sufferings are seen to follow. The conditions for concluding a peace treaty are also only being tightened by both Russia and the United States. Is all this being sacrificed just to prolong Zelenskyy’s chance to remain in power? Only time will tell.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Beware global headwinds: Palace braces for US fallout
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto and Samuel P. Medenilla
DESPITE
inflation seen to have settled to 2 percent in March, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) warned that global headwinds could drive commodity prices beyond the government’s 4-percent target limit in the second half of the year.
In a statement on Monday, BPI
Lead Economist Jun Neri said the inflation print in March likely moderated to 2 percent year-on-year with an implied month-on-month change of 0 percent.
“If this materializes, it will likely mark the bottom—if not close to it— or the year as global inflation risks begin to build alongside fading favorable domestic base effects,” Neri said. The improved supply conditions, supported by favorable weather, increased imports and a relatively stable peso pushed down prices of key food items such as rice and vegetables as well as outside meat, ac-
cording to Neri. The stability of commodity prices has also helped ease overall price pressures, balancing out rising electricity costs, he added.
Headwinds flagged STILL, concerns on certain risks, such as supply chain disruptions resulting from Donald Trump’s trade war, low base effects and unfavorable weather conditions were raised.
Neri said these threats could potentially push inflation to breach the 4-percent inflation target in the latter half of the year. The government has set the infla-
ABy Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
NOTHER petition was filed Monday before the Supreme Court seeking to declare as void for being unconstitutional the Republic Act No. 12116, otherwise known as the General Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 2025. The new petition was filed by the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), Freedom From Debt Coalition and the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates. They named President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, the Senate and the House of Representatives as respondents. So far, three petitions have already been filed before the High Tribunal seeking to strike down the 2025 GAA. The first petition was filed by former Executive Secretary and 2025 senatorial candidate Victor Rodriguez and Davao City Third District Rep. Isidro Ungab. The second petition was filed by 1Sambayan Coalition, Sanlakas, Advocates for National Interest, and several individuals.
The TDC et al and Rodriguez et al petitions both sought the Court’s nullification of the entire 2025 GAA; while the 1 Sambayan et al petition specifically sought to nullify three provisions of the 2025 GAA.
In their 19-page petition, the TDC through their lawyer Jose Aaron Pedros Jr. and co-petitioners asked the Court to declare and strike down RA 12116 as void for being in violation of Section 5 (5) of Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution, which mandated the government to “assign the highest budgetary priority to education.”
The TDC et al petition noted that the current budget of P737 billion for the Department of Education (DepEd) is much lower than the Department of Public Works and Highway’s P1.1-trillion allocation.
The petitioners said the budget allocation for the education sector was substantially increased by the respondents through aggregation of non-traditional education-related funds from various agencies and offices, such as the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) under the Department of National Defense (DND), the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) under the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG),
Local Government Academy (LGA) under the DILG, National Defense College of the Philippine (NDCP) under the DND, Philippine Science High School System (PSHS) under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Science Education Institute under the DOST.
“Worse, respondents made it appear that in the 2025 GAA, the education budget cornered the biggest share of public funds when in reality and by creative budgeting, budget items that were not in the universe of education spending were included,” the petitioners said.
The petitioners also sought the issuance of a writ of prohibition, and a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining the respondents from enforcing RA 121116.
The 1Sambayanan et al petition, on the other hand, sought to declare “partially unconstitutional” the provisions in the 2025 GAA allotting a lower budget allocation for the DepEd as compared to the DPWH, the zero subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) from the budget, and the Ayuda sa Kapos and Kita Program (Akap) for being a congressional “pork barrel.”
The Rodriguez-Ungab petition argued that the 2025 GAA is unconstitutional for failing to allocate mandatory funding for PhilHealth, unlawfully increasing appropriations beyond the President’s recommendations and allocating the highest budget to infrastructure over education.
The petitioners argued that the 2025 GAA violated Article XIV, Section 5 (5) of the Constitution as the budget appropriations to the education sector were merely bloated to give the impression of a “superficial adherence to the constitutional mandate” to assign the highest budgetary priority to education.
The 2025 GAA also violated Article VI, Section 25 (1) of the Constitution when the respondents aligned the proposed appropriations under the 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP), which in effect increased the proposed budget appropriations for Congress and other line agencies.
The 2025 budget, according to the petitioners, also violated Article VI, Section 27 of the Constitution when the Bicameral Conference Committee submitted a report with blank items on the GAA Bill.
The Court has set Rodriguez’s and Ungab’s petition for oral argument on May 19, 2025, and is expected to order the consolidation of the three petitions.
tion target range from 2 to 4 per-
cent for 2025 to 2028.
The country’s current account deficit, which widened to $17.5 billion in 2024, makes the peso prone to external forces.
The currency is also faced with uncertainty on the US Federal Reserve’s policy stance as well as the US trade policy, which Neri said could exert downward pressure on the peso and drive inflation expectations.
“Aggressive action may not be prudent given this environment,” Neri said.
These are the reasons, Neri said, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) could only reduce key policy rates by just 50 basis points this year.
A rate cut in the second half of the year could “prove more challenging” as external headwinds continue to escalate, Neri said.
“Supply shocks can shift the outlook for inflation quickly, making a cautious approach to rate cuts more suitable to maintain stability,” Neri added.
Palace braces for risks
THE Marcos administration is now bracing for the projected inflationary impact of the economic crisis in the United States as well as geopo -
litical instability in Europe and the Middle East to mitigate its effect on the public.
In a press briefing in Malacañang on Monday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) hadraised the issue during its meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos and other Cabinet officials.
“It was already discussed [during the BSP meeting] and its effect from what is happening in the US to inflation,” Castro said in Filipino.
The inflation rate slowed down to 2.1 percent last month compared to 3.4 percent in the same period in 2024.
Last month, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said aside from inflation, it is also closely monitoring the effects of the Trump tariff policy on exchange rates.
Castro said the President wants concerned government agencies to provide immediate relief to those who will be affected by higher inflation.
“From what we heard in the meeting, the President said there should be immediate relief for those who will be affected by the potential impact [of inflation],” Castro said.
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio
TOTAL domestic trade in the Philippines soared to P1.31 trillion last year, 23.1 percent higher than the P1.07 trillion recorded in 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Food and live animals were the most traded commodities in the country in 2024, according to PSA data. The agency defines domestic trade value as the outflow value of commodities transported from one region or province to another.
The quantity of domestic trade also saw growth, reaching 30 million tons in 2024, up 8.4 percent from 27.66 million tons in 2023. This followed a notable 15.4 percent increase in 2023.
A vast majority of commodities in 2024 were moved via water transport, at 99.8 percent by value and 99.9 percent by quantity. Other commodities were delivered via air transport.
Food and live animals topped the list of traded commodities by value, amounting to P466.65 billion or 35.6 percent of the total. Machinery and transport equipment followed at P308.23 billion (23.5 percent), while manufactured goods classified chiefly by material reached P175.50 billion (13.4 percent). By quantity, food and live animals also led with 8.55 million tons (28.5 percent). Mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials followed at 5.02 million tons (16.7 percent), and unclassified commodities and transactions at 3.99 million tons (13.3 percent). The National Capital Region (NCR) recorded the highest favorable trade balance
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
STA. ROSA, Laguna—The Commission on Elections will begin the month-long deployment of automated counting machines (ACMs) to municipalities and provinces this week, ensuring all necessary equipment reaches its destination before election day.
Following an inspection of the Comelec warehouse in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia announced in a press briefing that deliveries will start on April 4 and continue until May 5. Priority will be given to remote areas, including Batanes, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Garcia emphasized that all ACMs will be transported by land, as the lithium batteries used in the machines cannot be loaded onto airplanes.
“These locations are the farthest, so they need to be prioritized. Other election paraphernalia have already been deployed and are now
stored in designated hubs, which will handle distribution to the provinces for faster deployment,” Garcia said.
Comelec has leased a total of 110,000 ACMs from Miru, with 94,000 allocated for voting precincts and the remaining 16,000 reserved as contingency units in case of malfunctions.
To ensure reliability, 47,000 machines have already undergone pre-election logic and accuracy tests.
These tests check if the machines are compatible with ballots and can withstand extreme temperatures and other external conditions.
Apart from the ACMs, ballots will be distributed starting April 20. These will be delivered directly to city and municipal treasurers, as required by the Omnibus Election Code.
For the first time, treasurers will be allowed to inspect the delivered ballots through a viewing window on the ballot boxes to prevent discrepancies.
Comelec said this must be strictly conducted in the presence of election officers, media, and political party representatives.
Garcia stressed that ballots cannot be deployed too early, as the risk of loss or tampering increases with premature distribution.
To maintain security, the deployment schedule will follow the same priority system as the ACMs, with remote regions receiving their ballots first.
“At all costs, all ballots and machines must arrive on or before May 5 because final testing and sealing will begin on May 6,” Garcia added.
During the final testing and sealing, actual election officers and voters will use official ballots to verify whether the machines and election system are fully operational before voters head to the polls.
Overseas voting updates WHILE preparations for local voting continue, Comelec is also ramping up efforts for overseas voters. The commission reported that 17,000 Filipinos have enrolled for the first-ever online voting system for
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
Villar-led Golden MV profits soar to nearly ₧1T in 2024
By VG Cabuag @villygc
PROFITS of Villar-led Golden MV Holdings Inc. reached almost P1 trillion last year after the infusion of companies that owns tracts of land into Villar City, a development south of Metro Manila.
In its disclosure, the company said it recorded P999.72 billion in net profits last year, a big leap from P1.46 billion recorded in 2023. The company said the fair value gains on its investment properties soared to P1.33 trillion last year, primarily due to the value appreciation of the assets.
ed in the books as investment properties and accounted for using the fair value method,” the company said.
Revenues for the period, meanwhile, fell 25 percent to P3.57 billion from the previous year’s P4.75 billion.
The company said it real estate sales fell by 26 percent to P3.31 billion last year from P4.45 billion recorded in 2023 because of lower residential unit sales.
as Golden Bria Holdings Inc., holds the deathcare and socialized housing arms of the Villar Group.
The company’s deathcare business operates under the Golden Haven brand. It has more than 30 developments across the country and eight columbarium facilities with a total of 33,172 vaults all over the country.
In September 2024, the company acquired Althorp Land Holdings Inc., Chalgrove Properties Inc. and Los Valores Corp.
These companies collectively own 366 hectares of prime land within Villar City, a 3,500-hectare development South of Manila. “These properties were record -
Total assets were recorded at P1.37 trillion as of the end of December 2024, higher than the P28.64 billion recorded in 2023.
Cost and expenses of the company declined by 23 percent to P2.36 billion from P3.04 billion mainly attributable to a decrease in residential units sold.
Total liabilities, meanwhile, went up to P355 billion from P14.03 billion in 2023, primarily driven by the increase in deferred tax liabilities arising from fair value gains.
The company, formerly known
For its residential development business, it operates through Bria Homes Inc. with housing projects located in over 30 cities and municipalities in the country.
The company is changing its name to Villar Land Holdings Corp. It already secured board approval for the move, which was meant “to align with the recent developments in the company specifically with the acquisition of companies owning land in Villar City.”
As a result, its stock symbol will also change to VLC from HVN.
NTTWEM keen on PHL telco sector
By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan
NTT World Engineering Marine Corp. (NTTWEM), a Japanese submarine cable engineering company, is setting its sights on bigger opportunities in the Philippines’s fast-growing telecommunications sector.
In an interview, NTTWEM President and CEO Mamoru Watanabe said the company sees the Philippines as a key market in its regional operations, launching its newest submarine cable-laying vessel, CS VEGA II, just last week.
“There’s a lot of opportunity in the Philippines and I’m positive about it.
US
UThe foundation of economic development is communication, so there’s a lot of opportunity and the demand for submarine cable is increasing,” he said.
CS VEGA II, set to begin operations in April 2025, is designed to support both domestic and international submarine telecommunications cable maintenance, particularly in Philippine and nearby waters. Watanabe said this bolsters the country’s capacity to maintain and expand its undersea cable systems, which are considered vital to its digital infrastructure.
He emphasized that the company’s top priority is to secure more maintenance contracts for interna-
tional submarine cables.
“We are ready to contribute further to the Philippines. The most priority for us is to receive the order of the maintenance business of the international submarine cable.”
Watanabe said the company is bullish about the submarine cable business in the Philippines, citing the country’s economic expansion and the rising importance of digital infrastructure in an increasingly unstable global security landscape.
“The opportunity is even more now because global security is very unstable and a lot of unexpected things [are happening], so demand for submarine cable is increasing.”
Since establishing its Philippine
employers hit brakes as tariff policy
S employers probably tempered their hiring in March, just as consumers grow increasingly cautious and the economic outlook dims on concerns about the fallout from higher tariffs.
Payrolls rose by 138,000, below the 151,000 increase a month earlier, according to the median projection of economists surveyed by Bloomberg. That would leave average job growth over the past three months at the slowest pace since October. The unemployment rate is seen holding at 4.1 percent.
The latest report card on the labor market follows data that indicate a notable first-quarter slowing in the economy. Personal spending barely rose last month after a January slump, disposable income growth remained soft, and March consumer sentiment sank on fears of mounting inflationary pressures.
Shortly after Friday’s jobs data, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will discuss the economic outlook. Other Fed governors, including Adriana Kugler, Philip Jefferson, Lisa Cook and Michael Barr, are also due to speak in the coming week. Anxiety is building among households and businesses about President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade posture. Trump on Wednesday is expected to unleash his biggest tariff salvo to date—a package of blanket increases in duties on foreign imports.
The US administration is seeking to reverse trade imbalances, spark
office in 2000, NTTWEM has helped local telcos in building and maintaining the country’s submarine cable infrastructure.
Watanabe said the company is currently in talks for additional cable-laying projects and has proposed several business options to local stakeholders.
“There’s demand from the Philippine side for us to do the laying of submarine cable. We also propose several options and potential business. There’s a big chance for us because there’s a lot of opportunity coming into the Philippines,” he added.
The launch of CS VEGA II coincided with NTTWEM’s 25th anniversary in the Philippines.
dims outlook
investment in the US, and spur the domestic output of critical goods and materials.
Trump told NBC News in an interview on Saturday that he “couldn’t care less” if automakers raise car prices in response to the planned tariffs on imported vehicles. With consumer spending and confidence sliding, any notable weakening in job growth would raise additional concerns about the economy’s prospects. Economists are also parsing business survey data for signs that more companies are putting expansion plans on ice until there’s greater clarity on policy. On Tuesday, the Institute for Supply Management will issue its March
manufacturing survey, followed two days later by its report on services activity. S&P Global will put out similar releases. Meanwhile, still-elevated inflation and the risk of a tariff-related increase in goods prices explains why Fed policymakers are in no rush to resume lowering interest rates.
In Canada, with an election campaign underway and the full brunt of Trump’s tariffs about to be felt, data for February may show exports to the US starting to slow after a surge in December and January as exporters tried to front-run those measures.
Even if the momentum continued into February, the Bank of Canada expects this pull-forward in exports
to foreshadow weakness ahead. The labor force survey for March will also offer insight into the fallout on hiring.
The upcoming ballot has prompted a raft of campaign pledges, with Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative leader on Sunday promising to scrap capital gains taxes if proceeds from an asset sale are reinvested in Canada.
Elsewhere, policymakers around the world will be watching for Trump’s tariff announcements. Central-bank decisions from Australia to Colombia may result in unchanged rates, while crucial inflation data in the euro zone will be a highlight. Bloomberg News
GLOBE Telecom Inc. said on Monday it has introduced a green technology solution aimed at expanding mobile connectivity in remote and underserved communities.
Joel Agustin, Globe Head of Service Planning and Engineering, said the tech—called RuralLink—aims to address the long-standing challenges in delivering reliable telecom services to rural areas, where infrastructure investments have traditionally been high and cost-prohibitive.
RuralLink merges multiple antenna capabilities into a compact unit, reducing both capital expenditure and operational costs, while simplifying the installation process. Agustin said this compact design allows Globe to deploy the technology in more remote locations, increasing coverage with significantly less infrastructure.
“Providing connectivity to all Filipinos demands solutions that are both cost-efficient and eco-friendly. Through our strategic partnerships, we are pushing the boundaries of network technology. RuralLink enables us to reduce our carbon footprint and power consumption while ensuring that no community is left behind in the digital age.”
Weighing 101 kg less and occupying 48 liters less volume than traditional macro cell sites, it reduces material usage and structural load, allowing for quicker and more affordable installations.
The new tech likewise consumes 65 percent less power compared to conventional setups and can reduce approximately 4,800 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions annually per site.
With its initial rollout covering 20 locations, Agustin said Globe plans to expand the deployment of RuralLink to bring connectivity to even more underserved communities.
Last February, Globe said it will lower its capital expenditures (capex) to “below $1 billion” in 2025, as it aims to sustain positive cash flow.
Globe President Ernest L. Cu said through a statement that the sustained capex reduction follows a strategic shift toward optimizing existing network assets and improving operational efficiencies.
“Our focused approach to capex, coupled with the ongoing optimization of our network, has enabled us to achieve strong income growth and improved free cash flow. We are excited to continue building on this momentum in 2025.”
The Ayala-led telco reported that its capex for 2024 reached P56.2 billion, reflecting a 20-percent decrease from the previous year and aligning with its full-year spending guidance.
A significant portion—90-percent of Globe’s capex—was allocated to data-related investments, enhancing its digital infrastructure as mobile and broadband consumption continues to surge. Lorenz S. Marasigan
Field gas terminal is back online
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
THE Department of Energy
(DOE) on Monday reported that the gas terminal of Linseed Field Corp. (LFC) is now back online, but it could not yet send out gas to Excellent Energy Resources Inc.’s (EERI) 1,320 megawatt (MW) combined cycle power facility.
LFC and EERI conducted a shutdown over the weekend to facilitate mechanical activities at LFC’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, a crucial step towards completing its first onshore LNG storage tank by the end of April this year.
As of press time, however, EERI’s facility has yet to resume operations.
“Linseed Field LNG terminal is now back online, resuming gas send-out operations with a capacity of 1,350 MW, a key development in ensuring energy security and supply stability in Luzon. However, EERI remains offline due to ongoing technical issues with its 500 kV gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), delaying its return to service,” the agency said.
South Premiere Power Corp. (SPPC), which operates the 1,278 MW Ilijan power plant, also went on scheduled shutdown over the week-
end but is now back online and was synchronized to the grid on Monday afternoon.
As of press time, there is no development yet on EERI and that LFC can only send out gas to SPPC. The temporary shutdown of these facilities—jointly owned by Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen) San Miguel Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMGP), and Aboitiz Power Corp.—was part of broader infrastructure enhancements, including the completion of LFC’s first onshore LNG storage tank.
Chromite Gas Holdings Inc. (CGHI), which is 60-percent owned by MGEN and 40 percent owned by Therma NatGas Power Inc. (TNGP) of Aboitiz Power Corp., and SMGP acquired LFC to operate an LNG import and regassification terminal in Batangas City.
CGHI also acquired a 67-percent equity interest in SPPC, EERI and Ilijan Primeline Industrial Estate Corp. The remaining 37 percent in these three entities is owned by SMGP. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) coordinated the shutdown schedule to align with lower system demand, mitigating potential supply disruptions. There were no yellow or red alerts occurred during this period.
A CUSTOMER uses a mobile phone application to purchase goods in a cafeteria in Taguig City, Philippines October 23, 2017. PHOTOGRAPHER VEEJAY VILLAFRANCA/BLOOMBERG NEWS
B2 Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Dusit International
9 PHL hotels in portfolio
By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror
INTERNATIONAL hospitality
chain Dusit International will continue to expand its presence in the country, starting with the opening of a new hotel in San Juan City by the end of 2026.
In a statement, the Bangkokbased hotel and property development company announced that it had signed an agreement with Primex Realty Corp., to manage the latter’s hotel to be named Dusit Greenhills Manila. Primex Realty is a wholly owned subsidiary of Primex Corp., a property developer listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange.
Gilles Cretallaz, Chief Operating Officer of Dusit International, said: “With nine more properties in the pipeline set to open in the Philippines over the next five years, this signing reinforces the country’s status as Dusit’s second-largest destination outside of Thailand. We remain committed to expanding our presence and delivering exceptional guest experiences across the nation while setting new benchmarks in hospitality.”
Dusit Greenhills will occupy the top 10 floors of Primex Tower, a landmark 50-story mixed-used building at the corner of Edsa, Connecticut, and Florida Streets. Constructed at a cost of P5 billion, Primex Tower will primarily consist of leasable office and commercial spaces, and is
designed to be the tallest building in the area.
For his part, Karlvin Ernest L Ang, executive vice president and director of Primex Realty, said, “We are pleased to collaborate with Dusit International to bring a world-class hotel experience to Primex Tower. Dusit’s reputation for luxury hospitality, combined with our vision for this landmark development, will create an outstanding destination in San Juan. We are confident that this partnership will add significant value to our flagship project, and we look forward to its success.”
In a statement released in 2020, Primex had announced that its hotel would be managed by the Accor Group under its luxury Pullman brand.
Meanwhile, Dusit Greenhills will consist of 200 guest rooms, offering a sophisticated upper-upscale urban retreat with world-class cities. Along with Dusit’s signature Thai-inspired gracious hospitality, guests will have the opportunity to savour awardwinning Thai cuisine at Benjarong, enjoy international favorites at the all-day dining restaurant, take in
Arthaland to develop 3 residential projects
GREEN upscale property developer Arthaland Corp. on Thursday said it is planning to develop three residential projects this year and is putting on hold the construction of new office buildings due to the slump in the leasing market.
Arthaland Executive Vice President Christopher Narciso said that while the firm is into both residential and office developments, the company is focusing on the residential segment in the medium-term, given that the office market is still “soft and unpredictable.”
After completing three office projects, he said Arthaland will be developing middle-income residential projects in Laguna and Quezon City as well as high-end, high-rise project in Makati.
Arthaland has not lined up its next development under the ultraluxury segment. While the ultra-luxury market continues to grow, Narciso said “this is a very small base.” It has few products in the market and usually developers venture into it only when there are rare opportunities in terms of demand and location.
Arthaland said its ultra-luxury partnership with Arch Capital, Eluria in Legazpi Village, Makati was topped off on schedule and they anticipate its completion six months ahead of schedule in the fourth quarter of 2025. With only 1 to 2 units per floor and a total of 37 purposely built limited edition residences, this low-density, multicertified residential condominium is designed for a select few. VG Cabuag
breathtaking skyline views from the rooftop bar, unwind by the rooftop swimming pool, and stay active at the gym.
The hotel will also feature a ballroom with spectacular city views and fully equipped meeting rooms, providing an ideal setting for business and social events. For added convenience, guests will enjoy easy access to Greenhills Mall, San Juan’s premier shopping and dining destination.
Dusit’s existing portfolio in the Philippines includes Dusit Thani Manila, Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort, Dusit Thani Residence Davao, dusitD2 Davao, and Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort.
The hospitality firm’s lease contract with Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) for Makati is set to expire in 2027, however. It is still in negotiations with ALI to keep owning hotel. The property developer is in the midst of “revitalizing the [Makati Central Business District] to create a dynamic and responsive urban landscape.”
(See, “Dusit International seeks continued ownership of Makati hotel,” in the BusinessMirror, Nov. 20, 2024.)
Dusit International currently operates 296 properties across 18 countries, including 57 operating under Dusit Hotels and Resorts and 239 luxury villas under Elite Havens. With more than 60 new Dusit-branded properties in the pipeline globally, including several key developments in the Philippines, the hospitality firm said it continues to strengthen its footprint in both established and emerging destinations.
Primex Tower is just 45 minutes by car from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City. Along with premium retail and office spaces, and the relaxing retreat provided by Dusit Greenhills, Primex Tower further enhances its appeal as a premier destination for business and leisure travellers.
“We are delighted to partner with Primex Realty Corp. to bring our unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality to the heart of San Juan City,” added Cretallaz.“With its prime location and seamless access to shopping, dining, and business hubs, Dusit Greenhills Manila will be ideally positioned to serve discerning travelers and local residents alike.”
Banking&Finance
Foreign currency loans grew 4.3% in 2024
By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
FOREIGN currency-denominated loans extended by banks grew year-on-year as of the end of December 2024, as disbursements outpaced principal repayments, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
The uptick in loans to exporters and importers was amid an average peso depreciation of 2.90 percent and an annual decrease of 1.9 percent in the country’s total external trade in goods.
The road less travelled in finance
IN the digital age that we are living now, many people are into flexing success. We can definitely see that there’s progress in our lives as Filipinos.
Nowadays, many people can travel local and overseas to enjoy nature, culture and the architecture of top destinations like Japan, Thailand and Europe, to name a few. Many years ago, usually only families with large surplus of income can travel for leisure and/or vacation.
The trends are really changing despite the high cost of living in major cities in the Philippines or even globally specially in developed countries. On the other hand, an angle that we need to consider is really the road less traveled in personal finance. With the hustle culture among younger generation, are we really hitting the right path or are we drifting away from what really matters?
According to surveys of various financial institutions, half of today’s retirees as of 2024 regret past financial decisions. The aspects are not saving enough, which can be attributed to majority of the population.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that five years ago, there were 7.6 million Filipinos aged 60 and above, of which only 20 percent are covered by either the Social Security System or the Government Service Insurance System.
With the concerns I’ve stated, I would like to share that we should change the road from less travelled to be the most travelled road, which is preparing for retirement. Here are some strategies on how we can effectively prepare despite the numerous challenges in front of us:
1. Start small and be consistent. If you’re an employee, setting aside a portion of your income can change the direction of your finances. Save 10 percent; or more, if possible. We need to be intentional on this; otherwise, time will fly so fast and we will be surprised that we’re old already. If your income is insufficient, we need to boost it with extra income. Identify a sideline that is aligned with your core strength and passion.
2. Prioritize needs over wants. With access to digital finance, it is tempting to spend beyond our income. For example, eating in fancy restaurants frequently can cost 20 percent of our monthly household income. If we are not careful, it will eat a big chunk of our budget. We need to boldly discuss this with our family members as deciding to limit lifestyle inflation is a collaborative effort among our parents, siblings
Latest central bank data showed foreign currency deposit units (FCDU) loans reached $15.82 billion as of end-December 2024. This increased by 4.3 percent or $658.56 million from the $15.16 billion recorded in end-December 2023.
On a quarterly basis, FCDU loans granted were almost flat, up by only 0.5 percent or $72.43 million from the $15.75 billion posted in endSeptember 2024.
FCDUs are units of local banks or branches of foreign banks, authorized by the central bank to handle foreign currency transactions, primarily accepting deposits and issuing loans. As such, FCDU loans granted to Philippine residents stood at $9.91
and children.
3. Get insured to protect savings. Securing the right health and life insurance to avoid draining your savings in case of emergencies will protect our family members in incurring debts due to medical related expenses or sudden loss of income.
4. Invest for long-term growth. While, investing may be complex for many of us, developed countries like Singapore has majority of the population understanding investing. According to the Singapore Business Review, 5 out of 10 Singaporeans three years ago have accounts in their stock market, showing they value investing. As Filipinos, we can change the narrative of not being prepared for retirement to a country who prepared well for it with a bigger vision of having a more financially-literate society.
5. Study the right platform and create a diversified portfolio. Building our wealth is not an overnight success. Likewise, with rising online scams, Filipinos need to be diligent in investing. Choose the right platform that works for you. Check the type of investment where you are placing your hardearned money and align it with your risk appetite and timeline. These will be the foundations in creating a healthy portfolio to manage risks and maximize returns.
n n n
IF you’re interested in learning more about managing your money and improving your financial security, save the date for the “13th Financial Fitness Forum” this coming Saturday, April 5. The forum will bring together top registered financial planners who will share their valuable insights, strategies and tips to shape your financial well-being.
The event is supported by the International Marketing Group, the Kaiser International Health Group, Manila Bankers Life Insurance, Rampver Financials and Atram. The event also offers a fantastic opportunity to learn from industry leaders and get practical guidance on effective financial management.
Karlo Biglang-Awa is a Registered Financial Planner of RFP Philippines. The writer’s views and his written piece do not necessarily reflect those of the BusinessMirror To learn more about personal financial planning, attend the 111th RFP program this May 2025. Please email info@rfp.ph for more details.
billion or 62.7 percent of total outstanding.
The bulk, or 15.9 percent, went to the following: merchandise and service exporters at $2.52 billion; towing, tanker, trucking, forwarding, personal and other industries at $2.24 billion or 14.1 percent; and, power generation companies at $1.93 billion or 12.2 percent.
The remaining 37.3 percent were granted to non-residents with loans amounting to $5.91 billion.
The BSP said the maturity profile of the FCDU loan portfolio in the fourth quarter remained predominantly medium-term to long-term or those payable over a term of more than one year. These loans have a
weighted average interest rate of 5.8040 percent, according to the BSP. These loans comprised 77.1 percent of total, slightly lower than 77.3 percent from the previous quarter.
The remaining 22.9 percent were short-term loans amounting to $3.618 billion, with a weighted average interest rate of 5.1110 percent.
Meanwhile, FCDU deposit liabilities reached $55.46 billion as of endDecember 2024, which inched up by 1.91 percent from $54.41 billion in end-December 2023. Compared to the previous quarter, FCDU deposit liabilities declined by 3.48 percent from $57.46 billion posted in end-September 2024.
The BSP said the majority, or
$54.14 billion, of these deposits continued to be owned by residents “essentially constituting an additional buffer to the country’s gross international reserves.” Gross disbursements of FCDU loans dropped by 54.9 percent to $9.81 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024 from the previous quarter’s $21.77 billion. The central bank said this is due to a foreign bank branch’s adjustments in its funding strategy for its affiliate. The BSP didn’t identify the lender. Loan repayments, likewise, sank by 55.3 percent to $9.70 billion from the $21.68 billion recorded in the third quarter, which the BSP said resulted in overall net disbursement of FCDU credit in the fourth quarter.
‘Cautiously optimistic’ Manulife bets on rate cut in H1
By VG Cabuag @villygc
REMAINING “cautiously optimistic” on the country’s equities market, the Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corp. (MIMT) is betting that monetary authorities could soften its stance before July.
Mark Alan Canizares, the company’s head of equities, said in a market comment that a lower-than-expected inflation rate of 2.1 percent in February could push the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to cut key policy rates within the first half of the year.
This could “potentially supporting weak markets seen in early 2025. With the PSEi (the benchmark index) trading at a P/E (price to earnings) ratio of around 9.5 times, we remain selectively cautious on stocks until more positive catalysts emerge, possibly in the second half of 2025,” Canizares said, He added that key developments to watch include a recovery in domestic demand and peso stability against the greenback.
“Additionally, we are watchful of crucial developments, such as midterm elections and how new set of lawmakers will support the current administration’s growth agenda,”
Canizares said. “We expect continued emphasis on inclusive long-term growth and positioning the country as a prime investment destination in ASEAN, with priority sectors likely including mining, infrastructure and manufacturing.”
The MIMT executive recommends “defensive plays” first during the first half of the year, at least, buying banks, utilities and telcos. The latter, he added, are all favored due to uncertainty on the path of interest rates and the upcoming midterm elections.
“The second half of the year might see a shift towards beneficiaries of lower rates, lower inflation and higher incomes, such as consumer staples and consumer discretionary names. Midterm elections are also expected to boost consumer spending in the latter half of the year,” Canizares said. For the longer term, investors are closely monitoring key developments such as domestic demand recovery, the stability of the peso relative to the U.S. dollar and the country’s growth trajectory, he said. As of last week, the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index was down by almost 6 percent or 381.35 points year-to-date to 6,147.44 points.
Makati woos more investments by lowering tax rates
By Claudeth S. Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3
THE local government of Makati is betting lower real property tax rates on all classes of land could lure more investors, startups and small entrepreneurs to the city. has officially approved a landmark ordinance lowering existing real property tax rates on all classes of land in the city, expecting to provide relief to residents, and boost Makati’s competitiveness as a premier investment destination for large corporations.
“Following a comprehensive review of current tax rates and prevailing economic conditions, we have proceeded with our plan to lower tax rates for all classes of land in the city,” Mayor Marlen Abigail “Abby” S. Binay said after signing City Ordinance (CO) 2025-047.
“Residents and property owners in the city will now enjoy substantial savings from the biggest tax reduction and lowest assessment levels implemented by the city government to date.”
The ordinance amends sections of the Revised Makati Revenue Code, or CO 2004-A-025, which pertain to the imposition of basic real property tax and assessment levels on March 24, 2025. By easing the tax rates, Bi-
nay said, the city hopes to encourage more investments, fostering long-term growth and sustainability.
Lowering the city’s RPT rates was timely and sensible, with its long-term gains outweighing the expected attrition in revenue collections in the next few months, the mayor said.
“I believe we can manage very well even with lower RPT collection. As more businesses choose to locate in Makati, our revenue from business tax and relevant fees will increase as well. More importantly, more jobs will be created for our residents,” Binay added.
The mayor said the city’s substantive savings from the removal of subsidies to 10 “Embo” barangays that were transferred to the jurisdiction of Taguig—estimated at P7.9 billion a year—could further enhance Makati’s capacity to absorb any potential losses in revenue.
As amended by the new ordinance, Section 2A.02 sets the revised rates of levy percentages applicable to lands, whether residential, commercial, industrial, or special, located in Makati.
The tax rate for Residential properties has been reduced to 1.0 percent from 1.5 percent; Commercial properties to 1.5 percent from 2.0 percent; Industrial properties to 1.5 percent
from 2.0 percent; and, Special properties to 0.5 percent from 1.5 percent. Moreover, the additional tax rate for properties classified as Residential/ Commercial has also been reduced to 0.125 percent from 0.25 percent.
The tax rates for Buildings, Machineries and Other Improvements remain the same, as follows: Residential, 1.5 percent; Commercial, 2.0 percent; Industrial, 2.0 percent; and, Special, 0.5 percent.
Under the amended Section 2A.07 of the revenue code, the assessment levels applied to the fair market value of real property to determine its assessed value have also been significantly lowered.
For residential properties, the assessment level per classification has been adjusted as follows: R-1 from 12 percent to 0.65 percent; R-2 from 12 percent to 0.30 percent; and R-3 from 12 percent to 0.25 percent.
Commercial and Industrial properties, previously assessed at 40 percent, are both assessed at lower rates. For commercial properties, C-1 is now assessed at 2.0 percent; C-2 is now at 0.70 percent; and C-3, at 0.60 percent. For industrial properties, I-1 is assessed at 2.0 percent; I-2 at 0.70 percent; and I-3 at 0.60 percent.
Under Special Classes, assessment levels have been retained for lands located in predominantly Commercial/ Industrial areas at 0.70 percent, and lands situated in predominantly Residential areas, 0.30 percent. For buildings, machineries and other improvements, assessment values based on actual use remain as follows: Cultural, 15 percent; Scientific, 15 percent; Hospital, 15 percent; and, local water districts, government-owned or controlled corporations engaged in the supply and distribution of water and/or generation and transmission of electric power, 10 percent.
Under Section 4, any excess that may result from the application of the ordinance with respect to real property tax assessments that have been paid before the approval of the ordinance, covering the period January 1, 2025 onwards, shall be considered as a tax credit that may be applied to succeeding real property tax assessments. This landmark ordinance highlights the Makati city government’s commitment to a fair, efficient, and transparent tax system, while ensuring fiscal stability and adaptability to changing economic conditions, read a statement by the local government.
Singaporean fintech sees inclusion gaps, touts AI product as bridge
ABy Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio
SINGAPOREAN financial technology (fintech) firm still believes that financial inclusion remains a huge obstacle in empowering a huge majority of the country’s population. Hence, Surfin Meta Digital Technology Pte. Ltd. CEO and Chairman Dr. Yanan Wu underscored the urgent need for inclusive, technology-driven solutions to close this gap.
“Many young Filipinos lack access to basic banking, credit and affordable remittance options. Technology holds the key to scaling these services and making them truly inclusive,” Wu said in a recent forum held at the Bonifacio Global City. Wu used this viewpoint to promote his company, which he said is focused on underserved middle-income markets working to address this gap by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI)
technology. He said the platform currently serves 60 million users across ten markets and has processed over $3 billion in transactions.
One of Surfin’s key initiatives is the Surfin Score, a proprietary AIpowered credit rating system that provides financing opportunities for individuals with limited or no formal banking history.
“Everyone deserves a credit score, whether they’re wealthy or just beginning to build their financial future,” Wu said.
Aside from credit scoring, Surfin offers microcredit products “designed to meet the everyday needs of users, delivering accessible and user-friendly financial services.”
The company is also enhancing its remittance and payment services to better serve overseas Filipino workers.
“Millions of migrant workers support families back home. We’re working to make that experience smoother and more secure,” he added.
“Our bottom line is to use AI to understand our customers and analyze their behavior. From there, we can personalize Surfin’s products,” Wu said. Meanwhile, Hemant Gaule, director of the School of Communications & Reputation (SCoRe), said legislators and government officials are always facing the constant challenge of keeping pace with the rapid changes of technologies such as AI.
“They have to step up very fast,” Gaule told the BusinessMirror. “I mean, by the time they create something into law and codify it, things have changed so fast that some new definitions have come in; new concepts have come in.
The best thing that we can hope for right now is self regulation by the industry.”
He added that AI organizations need to “give the lawmakers enough confidence that self-regulatory frameworks are airtight.”
Gaule emphasized that while AI models are evolving rapidly, their true
potential can only be unlocked through human expertise. In the future, content’s success will depend less on whether it’s created by AI or humans, and more on how well it resonates with the audience.
He also highlighted how AI boosts productivity, reduces costs, and drives smarter business decisions.
“By 2030, AI is expected to contribute up to $6 trillion in global productivity gains,” Gaule said. He also sees AI becoming “more human-like.” He said he sees AI models can learn emotional intelligence and adapt to communication styles, making them an “invaluable tool for building meaningful relationships with audiences.”
In addition to exploring the technological potential of AI, Gaule also addressed the importance of ethical AI use, urging communications professionals to consider data security and transparency in AI’s training and application
PERSONAL FINANCE
Karlo Biglang-Awa
Art BusinessMirror
Remembering Sansó and his vibrant relationship with �lowers
“You cannot replace an artist, the person behind the art...There must be that personal impact of an irreplaceable human life.”
SANSÓ
THE local and global art community suffered a tremendous loss last week, March 28, with the passing of Spanish-born Philippine artist Juvenal Sansó. He was 95. Throughout his storied 70-year career, the multiawarded, multi-disciplinary art titan has established an oeuvre as expansive as it is impressive. Sansó’s artworks are characterized by the boldness of his colors and spirit, which, perhaps, best present itself in his iconic series of flower paintings. While critics like Rod Paras-Perez and Alfredo Roces have regarded the collection as among his most elegant and significant creations, Sansó’s relationship with flowers had not always been roses.
“He didn’t like flowers,” said Ricky Francisco, director of Fundacion Sansó, the not-for-profit institution established in 2014 with the intent of protecting, preserving and promoting the artistic legacy of its namesake. Francisco was alluding to the time when Sansó pursued further Fine Art studies in Paris. The artist took classes at the prestigious École Nationale des Beaux Artes, where he trained under Édouard Goerg, a leading light in French Expressionism. According to Francisco, the two shared war trauma, with Goerg serving as a soldier in the first World War and Sansó
‘CUARESMA,
LENTEN IMAGES EXHIBIT’ ONGOING UNTIL APRIL 6
ARANETA City invites the faithful to visit the Cuaresma, Lenten Images Exhibit at the MacArthur Activity Area in Ali Mall ongoing until April 6. Cuaresma, Lenten Images Exhibit features nearly 70 holy images from all over Metro Manila and nearby provinces: Bulacan, Pampanga, Rizal, Laguna and Tarlac.
Featured images include that of the Santo Entierro (Dead Body of Christ) from Taytay Rizal, the image of Mater Dolorosa (Sorrowful Mother) from Marikina City, and the image of San Juan Evangelista y Apostol from Malabon City. Also featured in the exhibit are the mini images of Lent with their miniature “caroza” or “caru caruhan” a cultural treasure and religious tradition in Rizal, Laguna and Marikina.
almost dying twice in the second.
During one session, Francisco recounted that Goerg asked Sansó to paint flowers. The student was appalled, like it “was the most absurd thing because he thought flowers were so overused.” Georg responded by telling Sansó to just make flowers his own way, and he did.
“At first, the earliest flowers he made were bouquets of tortured faces—faces in anguish. Later on, they evolved into something like mushroom clouds,” Francisco said.
Tomas. He garnered awards for his student works and pursued further studies in Italy and Paris. Soon after, his long and successful artistic career took off. Sansó exhibited in Europe and was represented in prestigious museums and institutions here and abroad. He also headlined countless one-man shows, and was celebrated in major retrospectives leading to his 70th year in art in 2016.
By Eugenia Last
your skills and how you market yourself to suit today’s economy and needs. ★★★★
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep adding to your qualifications, and maintain technological savvy to ensure your job safety and prospects. Stay in the loop by joining interest groups and participating in activities that help you build solid relationships with those who share your mindset. ★★
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Invest more time and money into getting ahead, setting trends and doing the most with your skills, connections and prospects. Market yourself for success, whether it’s personal, creative or financial gains you want to achieve. ★★★★★
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A break will give you the boost you need to bring about positive change. A journey, reunion or conversing with an expert will offer insight into situations that are taxing or need an adjustment. Setting up a space to do something you enjoy will give you the boost you need to excel. ★★★★★
“We continue to bring the story of sacrifice and the passion of Christ closer to the faithful to remind them to reflect on their faith, repent for their sins, and prepare for the celebration of Jesus’s resurrection at Easter,” said Arlie Alday, property manager of Ali Mall.
Over time, Sansó’s flowers blossomed, gaining color and taking more form. Francisco says the artist studied plants, but not to depict flowers as they are. Rather, he wanted to see how flowers “were made in a way, their architecture,” to create his own version. The product would be known as the patented Sansó flower, featuring dark centers and ruffled petals, which comprises many of his signature paintings that propelled him to becoming one of the foremost Philippine modernist artists.
Art had always been a means of personal expression for Sansó. He tested the limits of different disciplines and used his talents to convey his narratives of personal pains, quiet healings, and public triumphs.
Cuaresma, Lenten Images Exhibit can be viewed until April 6 at Ali Mall, Araneta City.
Sansó was born in Reus, Spain, on November 23, 1929. He emigrated with his family to the Philippines in 1934 to escape civil unrest, settling in Manila. They lived a peaceful and comfortable life until World War II broke out. Horrific wartime experiences later influenced Sansó’s art, with the trauma reflected in his early works showing dark and grotesque subjects. Later on, the works showed peace and happiness that the artist was able to achieve through art.
After the war, he took up Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines and was taught by National Artists Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo Tolentino. Sansó then discovered modernism sitting in classes under Cesar Legaspi, Galo Ocampo, and Antonio Garcia-Llamas at the University of Santo
Aside from his more famous floral and expressionist paintings and landscapes, Sansó’s body of work spans illustration, printmaking and etching, textile design, costume and stage design, and photography. His career is also decorated with several awards and recognitions, including the Presidential Medal of Merit from the Republic of the Philippines in 2006, the Distinguished King’s Cross of Isabela by King Juan Carlos I of Spain in 2007, and the conferment of the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Republic of France in 2008.
In 2014, the artist fulfilled his desire to create an institution that would not only conserve his artistic contributions but support emerging young artists with the establishment of Fundacion Sansó. The non-profit art organization protects, preserves and promotes the artistic legacy of its namesake, while helping the cultural sector through the development of multifaceted projects, scholarships and grants.
According to Francisco, who has worked with the artist for 10 years, he is “deeply grateful and in awe” of Sansó’s “genius and humanity.”
“Mr. Sansó’s art and humanity cannot be removed from each other; they’re inextricably intertwined,” he said. “He was a genius as an artist and was always curious. He was living life and really getting to the marrow of things. On top of it, he was able to do a lot of good without bells and whistles.”
As we remember the legacy of the late great Señor—who as an artist created a quintessential floral series and as a humanitarian helped the life of others bloom beyond their imaginations—this time, for the final time, let’s honor him with all the flowers. ■
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Refuse to let anyone deter you from doing the things that bring you the most joy with those you love and respect. Call the shots instead of letting someone else dictate what you can and cannot do. Change begins with you; if you want something, go after it wholeheartedly. ★★★
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Only open doors that have meaning to you. Your time is precious, so let those who try to take advantage of you know it isn’t going to happen. Turn the tables by doing what’s best for you. Take advantage of an opportunity to improve your living arrangements and relationships. ★★★
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Honesty is the best policy, especially when it comes to being truthful with yourself. Adjust your living space to lower your overhead or encourage better conditions for productivity and achieving your personal and professional goals. Put greater emphasis on relationships, equality and the time you want to spend with others. ★★★★★
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Channel your energy into learning something new through communication, conferences and research. It will change your plans and perspective regarding how you use your time, energy and skills to fulfill your needs and dreams better. Thinking about the future will help you diversify and utilize your skills to suit what’s current. ★★
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): An emotional matter will change your perspective and offer insight into your next move. Don’t sell yourself short; market what you love to do and strive for a better lifestyle and personal satisfaction. Don’t sit back when you should
Steinberg/Anna Gundlach/Adrian Johnson/Jared Goudsmit/Taylor Johnson
Show
Veteran actor Rody Vera joins cast of ‘Into the Woods’
THEATRE Group Asia (TGA) has announced veteran playwright, screenwriter, actor and singer Rody Vera as the Narrator/Mysterious Man in its production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods this coming August, to be held at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater (S-PAT).
Vera has been performing on stage since the 1990s in local and international plays and musicals, such as Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas, 1896, Noli Me Tangere, Mardi Gras, Top or Bottom, Good People, The Year of No Return, The Crucible, The Dawn Musical, Stageshow, Rak of Aegis, Old Gaze, and Tiny Beautiful Things, to name a few.
Vera has also appeared in the TNS production of godeatgod, which toured several theater festivals in Hong Kong, Romania and Hungary. His acting career began in the 1980s with Mike de Leon’s Sister Stella L., Lino Brocka’s Ora Pro Nobis, and Mel Chonglo’s Lucia Into the Woods is based on the book by James Lapine, who also directed the original Broadway run. The plot intertwines several fairy tale characters and dramatically portrays the impact of human choices and actions.
Behind this production of Into the Woods is Tony Award-winning visionary Clint Ramos, who serves as overall artistic and creative director alongside co-producers John and Joanna Echauz, and S-PAT Executive Director Chris Mohnani.
More information can be found at www. theatregroupasia.com, or its various social media sites.
Alden Richards accelerates his business acumen
POPULAR and well-loved actor Alden Richards is on the brink of becoming a very successful businessman.
Richards just announced that he has sealed a “big deal” with the Del Rosarios of the Viva Communications empire for numerous partnership ventures.
“We started talks quietly two years ago and I’m glad that these led to more concrete plans and clearer visions,” Richards said, sharing that it was a movie project, titled Out of Order, where he is both actor and director, which paved the way for bigger doors to open.
“I consider the Del Rosarios as my mentors, especially in business, not just because they have been in the industry for decades but because they understand me as an artist who wants to venture into other businesses. I am confident they will make sure I will be spreading my wings right and soar to very good directions and reach higher destinations.”
Richards is the man behind Myriad Entertainment, which he founded three years ago. “I’m very grateful to join forces with a giant conglomerate like Viva. It’s about time we share with you what has been going on behind the curtains.”
Also in the pipeline is the Philippine adaptation of the Thai blockbuster movie Pee Mak, where Richards has handpicked Viva contract artist Julia Barretto for his leading lady.
Aside from movies, Myriad Entertainment will also go into concert and music production with VAA Live and Viva Records. An all original album for Richards is in the works, and the selection process from compositions of highly respected composers have already started.
mentioned that he wanted to be a man for others, His mind is amazing. He is constantly reinventing himself. And that’s very good for an artist. We at Viva are very happy to have him as our partner, and we look forward to his many successes in the future, both as an artist and as a businessman.”
This early in his life, Richards is keen on having a legacy.
education and that fuels me to do more for them. The Lord has been blessing me so much and that’s why I want to be a vessel. Everything I have right now is temporary, and I am aware that we are living on borrowed time, that’s why any good thing that I can do, I gladly do it.”
He continued, “I am at the stage of my life where I am able to share whatever I can, and I wont be Alden Richards forever. I’m not sure how long this popularity will last, because nothing is assured especially in this industry. That’s why I need to establish safety nets for security.“
Richard’s Concha restaurant will also undergo some major spicing up with the Viva International Food and Restaurants group headed by VR del
Vincent del Rosario, president and chief operating officer of Viva Communications Inc., shared that after their early talks, “there were so many realizations
“His heart is definitely in the right place. He always
Richard
THE country’s leading media company, GMA Network continues to solidify its digital leadership, rising to No. 16 in the Tubular Leadership Worldwide Rankings for February 2025, according to data from global video analytics company Tubular Labs.
Previously ranked No. 18, GMA remains the highest-ranking media company in the Entertainment and Media category in Southeast Asia. GMA Network’s steady ascent reflects its commitment to delivering compelling and engaging content, cementing its growing global digital influence.
In February, GMA’s official creator properties across social media platforms generated over five billion video views—over 2.07 billion on Facebook, 2.2 billion on TikTok, and 716 million on YouTube.
As GMA Network celebrates its 75th year, its sustained digital growth highlights its dedication to innovation and producing impactful content that resonates with global audiences.
Netizens can enjoy their favorite GMA Network programs through Kapuso Stream (tinyurl. com/3882rnpe).
“I am constantly blessed and I have decided to live a life of purpose, to become a man of purpose and a man for others. Call me idealistic, but I want to be an instrument for others, to help others, to help change the life of as many I possibly can.”
Many years ago, we were one of the first to know about Richard’s foundation that quietly helps send deserving students to school. He has been very vocal about not being able to finish school and he strongly believes that education helps change lives.
“I want to break the cycle where I was before. I feel a different kind of joy to be able to quietly help fulfill the dreams of deserving students to get a good
All these years, Richards has acquired many learnings but one that stays close to his good heart is: Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want be.
Alden Richards knows that nothing is scarier than avoiding one’s full potential, and with his newlyformed collaboration and partnership with the Del Rosarios of the Viva Communcations empire, he is confident that his small steps will turn into big steps to success in no time at all. n
Chamberlain, TV actor who starred in ‘Dr.
By Bob Thomas The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES—Richard Chamberlain, the handsome hero of the 1960s television series Dr. Kildare who found a second career as an awardwinning “king of the miniseries,” has died. He was 90.
Chamberlain died on Saturday night in Waimanalo, Hawaii, of complications following a stroke, according to his publicist, Harlan Boll.
“Our beloved Richard is with the angels now. He is free and soaring to those loved ones before us,” Martin Rabbett, his lifelong partner, said in a statement.
“How blessed were we to have known such an amazing and loving soul. Love never dies. And our love is under his wings lifting him to his next great adventure.”
Tall, with classic good looks and romantic style, Chamberlain became an instant favorite with teenage girls as the compassionate physician on the TV series that aired from 1961 to 1966. Photoplay magazine named him most popular male star for three years in a row, from 1963-1965.
Not until 2003 did he acknowledge publicly what Hollywood insiders had long known, that he was gay. He made the revelation in his autobiography Shattered Love.
The actor became known as “king of the TV miniseries” in 1978 when he landed the starring role in Centennial, an epic production 24 hours long and based on James Michener’s sprawling novel. He followed that in 1980 with Shogun, another costly, epic miniseries based on James Clavell’s period piece about an American visitor to Japan.
He scored his greatest miniseries success in 1983 with another long-form drama, The Thorn Birds, based on Colleen McCullough’s best-seller. He played
Father Ralph de Bricassart, a Roman Catholic priest in Australia who falls in love with beautiful Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward). The ABC production, which also starred Barbara Stanwyck, reportedly attracted 100 million viewers.
Chamberlain won Golden Globes for his work in Shogun and The Thorn Birds. Years earlier, he received one for Dr. Kildare.
Chamberlain’s hunky, all-American appearance made him an overnight star. Another medical show that debuted the same season, Ben Casey, also was a smash and made its leading man, the darkly handsome Vince Edwards, a star, too.
The “Ben Casey shirt” became a fashion item, both shows’ theme songs made the pop Top 40 (the Kildare song performed by Chamberlain himself) and there was even a pop song called “Dr. Kildare! Dr. Casey! You Are Wanted for Consultation.”
Kildare,’ dies at 90
But in his book, Chamberlain recounted how he was forced to hide his sexuality. He would escort glamorous actresses to movie premieres and other public events at the request of studio executives and dodge reporters’ questions about why he had never married with a stock reply: “Getting married would be great, but I’m awfully busy now.”
“When I grew up, being gay, being a sissy or anything like that was verboten,” he said in an NBC interview. “I disliked myself intensely and feared this part of myself intensely and had to hide it.”
The book also described a troubled childhood and an alcoholic father, and Chamberlain said that writing it finally lifted a heavy emotional burden. He also expressed relief that he was no longer hiding his sexuality.
“I played a cat-and-mouse game with the press. Game over,” said Chamberlain.
Born George Richard Chamberlain in Beverly Hills on March 31, 1934, the actor originally studied at Pomona College to be a painter. He studied voice and drama, and after appearing in guest roles in a handful of TV shows and in the 1960 film The Secret of the Purple Reef, he won the Dr. Kildare role.
When Dr. Kildare was canceled he initially found it difficult to shake the image of the handsome young physician. He moved to England for a time to find work and hone his acting skills. In 1969, Chamberlain played the title role in Hamlet at England’s Birmingham Repertory Company and repeated it in a TV adaptation that appeared on NBC in the United States. He also appeared as Octavius in a film version of Julius Caesar, which co-starred Charlton Heston and Jason Robards.
He continued to act well into the 21st century, appearing on such television shows as Will & Grace, The Drew Carey Show and Touched by an Angel.
ALDEN RICHARDS with Vic del Rosario and Vincent del Rosario of Viva Communications
Guest of Honor Philippines Unveils Key Initiatives for Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025
AS Guest of Honor at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025, the Philippines announced its key initiatives, major programs and activities during a press talk in Berlin recently.
These developments include new German editions of Philippine books and the initial lineup of authors set to participate in literary and cultural events at both the National Stand and the Philippine Pavilion, and around Frankfurt during FBM 2025. The country also announced its first-ever national stand and official presence at the Leipziger Buchmesse. Additionally, it will launch its inaugural cultural program, “Oculus.”
At the press talk, the Philippine Guest of Honor delegation was represented by Karina Bolasco, curator of books and head of the literary program, alongside acclaimed Filipino authors Daryll Delgado, who introduced the new German edition of her climate fiction novel “Remains,” and J. Philip Ignacio, presenting his compelling historical graphic novel “Alandal.” The discussion with the authors was moderated by Frankfurter Buchmesse’s Director Juergen Boos.
Senator Loren Legarda, the driving force behind this initiative, reflected on its deeper meaning, stating, “The Philippines’ presence in Germany is more than a literary offering— it is a call to journey through stories that sail across oceans, voices that weave connections between cultures, and ideas that know no boundaries.”
Juergen Boos added, “At a time of global division, literature remains a powerful tool for connection. Our Guest of Honor program enhances the visibility of the guest country’s literature and the expansion of the international network of publishers, authors and cultural institutions, which are important players for the democratic civil society.”
The Philippines Guest of Honor presentation (PHLGoH2025) at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025 is a collaborative undertaking of the National Book Development Board (NBDB), National Commission for Culture and the Arts
(NCCA), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda. Inspired by a line from Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, the country’s theme “The Imagination peoples the air” encapsulates the profound intersection of Philippine literature, vibrant culture, and rich history. It invites the global audience to experience the nation’s literary heart.
The PHLGoH2025 Translation Subsidy Program for Foreign Publishers, led by the NBDB, has facilitated the translation of more than 120 Filipino books into foreign languages. By supporting Filipino writers working in both Philippine languages and English, the program amplifies their voices and connects them with readers worldwide.
A total of 27 titles have been translated into German, including the highly anticipated “Aswanglaut” by Allan Derain, “Tiempo Muerto” by Caroline Hau, “The Collaborators” by Katrina Tuvera, “The Singing Detainee and the Librarian with One Book: Essays on Exile” by Michael Beltran, “Second Opinion” by Gideon Lasco, “Essays on Philippine Cinema” by Nick Deocampo, and graphic novels such as “mga walang pangalan pero andyan” by Archie Oclos, “Death Be Damned” by Mike Alcazaren, Noel Pascual, and AJ Bernardo, “Depikto” by Ruvel Abril, and “Josefina” by Russell Molina and Ace Enriquez.
More titles are set for release in 2025, including “Kites in the Night” by Blaise Campo Gacoscos, “Some People Need Killing” by Patricia Evangelista, and “Trese Vol. 3” by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo. March 2025 will also see the release of “Remains” by Daryll Delgado and “The Age of Umbrage” by Jessica Zafra.
More than expanding readership, this initiative strengthens the Philippines’ literary presence on the global stage, opening doors to wider recognition and international publishing partnerships. Kristian Sendon Cordero, co-head of the translation committee with Flor Marie Sta. RomanaCruz, highlights its significance, “Translation allows our literature to break beyond
local languages and enter a global dialogue. Philippine writers contribute to the world, and in turn, our literature is enriched by engaging with other cultures.”
Aside from the products of the translation subsidy, the Philippines will also feature existing translated works, as well as German editions that have been translated through the initiative of foreign publishers who have shown interest in Filipino books. The complete list will be announced before October.
The Philippines has unveiled its initial lineup of authors for the program at the Pavilion and National Stand at the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025, presenting the nation’s rich literary diversity. This selection features both established and emerging voices, including award-winning novelists, poets, indie authors, and publishers who are shaping the future of Philippine literature.
The lineup spans a wide array of genres, including climate fiction, new adult, science fiction, poetry, graphic novels, children’s and young adult literature, and contemporary fiction.
Five National Artists—the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts—lead the roster of creatives, namely, Virgilio S. Almario (Literature, 2003), Resil B. Mojares (Literature, 2018), Kidlat Tahimik (Film, 2018), Gemino H. Abad (Literature, 2022), and Ricky Lee (Film and Broadcast Arts, 2022).
Notable multi-awarded authors include Jose Dalisay—acclaimed for “Last Call Manila” and the recent German translation of his “Killing Time in a Warm Place,” a novel set during martial law—and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, trauma journalist Patricia Evangelista, alongside poets and novelists Luna Sicat Cleto, Luisa Igloria, Marjorie Evasco, and Merlie Alunan.
The lineup also includes award-winning authors such as children’s book writer Luis Gatmaitan, novelists Sarge Lacuesta and Ronaldo S. Vivo Jr., and leading graphic novelists Budjette Tan (Trese), Manix Abrera (Kikomachine), and Mervin Malonzo (Tabi
THE Rotary Club of San Mateo Highlands (RCSMH) has flourished with stand-out 41 club service projects and 11 joint projects aimed at addressing a broad spectrum of social concerns.
“These activities are aligned with the Rotary International’s Seven Areas of Focus that guarantee a lasting and meaningful impact,” according to Mark Jay Dagat, president of the RCSMH, a non-stock, nonprofit, service organization based in Silangan, San Mateo, Rizal.
“With these undertakings, we hope to provide and sustain a beacon of hope and service in the community,” said Dagat of the RCSMH, a dynamic member of Rotary International, District 3800.
The club, Dagat said, has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to Service Above Self, making significant contributions to local and national development through impactful service projects.
“Since its inception, the club has been at the forefront of humanitarian service, dedicating time, resources, and expertise to uplift the lives of many,” he said. “With a strong membership of devoted Highlanders,
the club actively supports poor communities in Marikina, Rizal and Rodriguez in Rizal, and extends its reach to various provinces across Luzon, including Pangasinan, Mindoro and Batangas.”
Dagat said emphasis as always been on Rotary International’s seven Areas of Focus—Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention; Disease Prevention and Treatment; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene or WASH; Maternal and Child Health; Basic Education and Literacy; Community Economic Development; and Supporting the Environment.
The members of the RCSMH, known as Highlanders, embody the true spirit of Service Above Self, said Dagat adding: “Their tireless dedication goes beyond charity—they work toward empowerment, sustainability and long-term community development. Every project they undertake deeply embeds Rotary’s motto.”
“By addressing real-world problems and providing lasting solutions, the club ensures that communities become self-sufficient rather than dependent on aid,” Dagat said. “Their holistic approach to service has created a ripple effect,
inspiring individuals and other organizations to contribute to meaningful change.”
The RCSMH’s extensive reach across Marikina, Rizal, Rodriguez, Pangasinan, Mindoro and Batangas highlights the necessity of collaborative action.
“By working with local governments, businesses and other Rotary clubs, they maximize impact and create sustainable solutions for various social issues,” he said.
Future projects include building more water lines and filtration systems in the Mangyan Tribe in Mindoro, launching additional literacy programs for children in mountainous areas of Rizal, expanding medical missions to underserved communities in Visayas or in Mindanao and strengthening partnerships with local and international organizations.
The RCSMH, he added, sets an example of volunteerism and selflessness, encouraging more individuals to engage in humanitarian efforts.
“Their dedication inspires people from different walks of life to be part of the change, whether through donations, active participation, or spreading awareness,” Dagat said.
translation committee.
Po). More authors will be revealed at the Frankfurt press conference on June 26, 2025. The country’s publishing industry strongly supports its literary talents, with contributions from leading academic institutions such as Ateneo de Manila University Press, The University of the Philippines Press, and University of Santo Tomas Press. Major commercial publishers like Anvil Publishing, Vibal Publishing House, and Adarna House, along with independent publishers—19th Avenida Publishing House, Milflores Publishing, Komiket, Balangay Books, and Exploding Galaxies—bring fresh perspectives to the literary scene. Additional publishing houses will be announced in June.
“This selection underscores the Philippines’ commitment to engaging the world in meaningful conversations on identity, history, imagination, and today’s pressing issues,” said Karina Bolasco.
For its Guest of Honor role at Frankfurt 2025, the Philippines made its debut at the Leipziger Buchmesse (March 27 to 30, 2025), presenting German-translated Filipino works at Hall 4, C402 and 11 events on different stages at the fairgrounds and in the city of Leipzig.
The Philippine stand featured 150 titles, including 14 German editions, six of which
PhilHealth reminded all of its members that they can can already avail of the Outpatient Emergency Care Benefit (OECB) package at all Levels 1 to 3 PhilHealthaccredited hospitals starting February
are new releases. The delegation included both award-winning and emerging authors. Representing the country’s thriving graphic novel and comic scene are Renren Galeno, J. Philip Ignacio, and Paolo Herras. Celebrated authors Daryll Delgado, Jessica Zafra, and Stephanie Coo discussed themes like climate change, colonialism, globalization, and social inequality. Translators Kristian Cordero, Annette Hug, and Monica Fröhlich gave vivid impressions on the art of literary translation. The Philippines’ Guest of Honour participation extends beyond literature with “Oculus,” an exhibition exploring how we “see things.” Hosted at the Heidelberger Kunstverein, “Oculus” reflects on the intersections of science, art, and imagination–where the line between real and spectral blurs.
Curated by Patrick Flores (also the curator of the Philippine Pavilion, FBM 2025), the exhibition references José Rizal’s ophthalmological studies in Heidelberg and his novel Noli Me Tangere, which he partly wrote in the city. Artists Stephanie Misa and Joscha Steffens worked out how seeing, shaped by both ecology and imagination, can give rise to visions.
“Oculus” opened on March 15 and runs until May 18, 2025.
IN the photo are, from left, Daryll Delgado, author of “Remains;” Frankfurter Buchmesse’s Director Juergen Boos; Karina Bolasco, Philippines Guest of Honor (PhlGoH) curator of books and head of the literary program; Ambassador Irene Susan Natividad, Philippine Ambassador to Germany; Paolo Herras, author of the “Strange Natives” series and co-founder of Komiket; J. Philip Ignacio, author of “Alandal;” and Kristian Sendon Cordero, co-head of the PhlGoH’s
Rotary Club of San Mateo Highlands: Transforming lives through ‘Service Above Self’
THE Rotary Club of San Mateo Highlands has made significant contributions to local and national development through impactful service projects.
Million-dollar US levies on Chinese ships to disrupt global trade and supply chains
By Laura Curtis, Weilun Soon & James Attwood
FOR a symbol of the chaos engulfing world trade since the Trump administration walked into the White House, look no further than a pile of 16,000 metric tons of steel pipes. Stevedores in Germany should be preparing to load the first batch on a container ship bound for a massive energy project in Louisiana. Instead, the cargo is sitting in a German warehouse after Washington proposed putting million-dollar levies on Chinese ships docking in the US.
Talks over the terms for shipping the pipes were put on hold until there’s more clarity, said Jose Severin, a business development manager for Mercury Group, the logistics provider for the deal. For that particular route across the Atlantic, 80 percent of the ship owner’s vessels were built in China, meaning a shipment would be subject to a surcharge of between $1 million and $3 million. Depending on how the measure is applied, that could amount to double or triple the current cost of shipping the steel pipes from Germany.
It’s one of countless deals caught in the crossfire sparked by a proposal from the Office of the US Trade Representative aimed at curbing China’s dominance of the shipbuilding, logistics and maritime industry.
China now produces more than half of the world’s cargo ships by tonnage, up from just 5 percent in 1999, according to the USTR, with Japan and South Korea the other shipbuilding powers. Last year US shipyards built just 0.01 percent, and the USTR has an eye on reviving the fortunes of the long dormant US merchant shipbuilding industry.
China’s dominance gives it “market power over global supply, pricing, and access,” the USTR said on Feb. 21 when it unveiled the proposal. In response, the China State Shipbuilding Corp., which has the largest order book of any shipbuilding group in the world, described the measures as a breach of World Trade Organization rules. The subject will be at the heart of a USTR hearing in Washington. The entire supply chain will be represented, from soybean growers to shippers to Chinese shipbuilders. Dozens of business owners and trade groups will explain why they fear the proposals would disrupt global trade more than President Donald Trump’s approach to tariffs.
“They see this as more of a threat than the tariffs, because of the impact it’s going to have on the supply chain,” said Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chains and customs policy at the National Retail Federation. “Carriers have said they’re not only going to pass along the cost, but they’re going to pull out of certain rotations, so the smaller ports, Oakland, maybe Charleston, Delaware, Philly. They’re all going to suffer
as a result.” In letters to the USTR and interviews with Bloomberg News, business owners and industry officials said the proposals don’t make sense if the goal is to revive the domestic shipbuilding industry, and would potentially be devastating for the US economy. They argue it would make American goods too expensive internationally, divert trade away from US regional hubs to Canada and Mexico, overwhelm major US ports, and force up global freight rates and inflation at home.
The levies could theoretically generate between $40 billion and $52 billion for US coffers, according to Clarksons Research Services Ltd., a unit of the world’s largest shipbroker. But, already roiled by uncertainty over the escalating tariffs on Chinese goods, steel and aluminum, and with a fresh round of reciprocal measures expected on April 2, some American companies and others in the industry are anxious.
“What the USTR has proposed—a backward-looking, retrospective, multi-million dollar per port call fee—won’t work,” said Joe Kramek, chief executive officer of the World Shipping Council, who is set to testify on Monday. “It will only serve to penalize US consumers, businesses, and especially farmers, raising prices and threatening jobs.”
John McCown, a veteran of the maritime transportation industry and author of a history of cargo shipping, put it more starkly: “If you wanted to take a sledgehammer to trade this is what you would do. You take it all together—it’s like an apocalypse for trade.”
‘Make shipping great again’ THE USTR investigation began last year under the Biden administration after a request from five major labor unions. The resulting report, delivered just days before Trump was inaugurated in January, determined that China had targeted the global maritime sector to dominate it. It left it to the new administration to come up with ways to address Beijing’s commanding position. The imposition of levies and additional export requirements are designed “to create leverage to obtain the elimination of China’s targeting of these sectors for dominance,” according to the initial proposals
issued by the USTR on February 21. Firms would be penalized using a formula based on their fleet’s existing share of Chinesebuilt ships, as well as others on order. Some vessels could attract fees of up to $3.5 million per port call if they are Chinesebuilt with a Chinese operator which also has a ship on order from a Chinese manufacturer, according to Clarksons.
An estimated 83 percent of container ship visits to the US last year would have been hit with fines under the proposed rules, as well as two-thirds of car-carrier calls and nearly a third of crude tankers, according to Clarksons.
The proposal also requires a share of US products—including agricultural, chemical, energy and consumer goods—to move on US-flagged, crewed, and built ships in coming years.
Many carriers and operators say they would happily buy or hire US-built merchant ships, but that it would take decades for US shipyards to meet capacity demands and there’s already a shortage of American mariners. At the same time, the port fees would punish carriers for investments they’ve already made in Chinese-built ships.
When Atlantic Container Line AB, which carries more than half of US exports of construction and agricultural equipment to Europe, needed to source “container-roll-on-rolloff” vessels in 2012, Japanese and Korean shipyards wouldn’t build just five of the specialized ships. American shipyards said they wouldn’t be able to deliver them for at least seven years, wrote CEO Andrew Abbott in a submission to the USTR. Instead ACL found ships in China, where they could get the vessels quickly and at a “competitive price.”
“The proposed action will put us out of business for a commercial decision taken 13 years ago,” wrote Abbott of the USTR proposal, “at a time when US shipyards were flush with US Navy orders and could not build our vessels, and when the Chinese shipbuilding industry was a minor player in the world.”
Many of the commenters expressed support for curbing China’s maritime might, while urging the USTR to rethink its approach. There were, however, a handful of comments in support of the proposed measures among the more than 250 submissions.
“China’s unfair production practices have made it impossible for American shipbuilders to compete on an even playing field,” said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, who is scheduled to testify on Monday. “If fully implemented, these remedies will help to restore American economic security, push back against China’s unfair trade practices, and revitalize shipbuilding in America.”
Several industry executives believe the proposal is likely to be watered down given how disruptive it would be to world trade. Adjustments to the fees and export requirements could certainly be made. They could even be scrapped, given the mercurial character of some administration decisions. Yet, industry lobby groups insist there is good reason to think at least some of this will stick.
The idea of restoring a US shipbuilding industry to firm up US influence at sea has captivated Trump and fits with his wider push for a return to the halcyon days of US manufacturing. He has
In letters to the USTR and interviews with Bloomberg News, business owners and industry officials said the proposals don’t make sense if the goal is to revive the domestic shipbuilding industry, and would potentially be devastating for the US economy. They argue it would make American goods too expensive internationally, divert trade away from US regional hubs to Canada and Mexico, overwhelm major US ports, and force up global freight rates and inflation at home.
already staffed a new maritime directorate office inside the National Security Council.
Across Washington, the maritime sector is now cast as an essential pillar of national security, a shift that is still gaining momentum.
The USTR investigation echoes elements of a bipartisan bill introduced in December to address a shortage of merchant mariners using expanded training programs and tax incentives for companies looking to invest in US shipbuilding.
The USTR proposal also shares some DNA with a draft executive order seen by Bloomberg that would funnel tariff or tax revenue to a fund to support the domestic shipbuilding industry.
The draft document—“Make Shipbuilding Great Again”— also suggests that the US will pressure other countries to align against China’s maritime dominance, or face retaliation.
The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment about the draft executive order.
Major carriers have said they could adapt to the fees by skipping smaller ports along US routes, which might potentially damage local economies and specific industries that rely on them. Operators of container ships discharging at one port might be able to share the cost across thousands of containers, minimizing their exposure.
But million-dollar plus fees for each port call could devastate smaller operators, as well as low-margin agricultural and commodities exporters reliant on smaller ports like Oakland or Charleston.
“It’s going to be immensely economically harmful,” said Philip Luck, economics director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “It’s not going to address the basic challenge they said they want to solve: increasing capacity of the US shipbuilding industry.”
“If it’s a pure security issue,” he added, “we should be incentivizing investment by allies like South Korea, Japan and Finland, who are very good at building ships.”
Two-tier shipping THE shipping sector has recent experience of the chaos that Washington’s scrutiny of China can bring. After the US Department of Defense blacklisted China’s largest shipping line Cosco Shipping Holdings Co. in January, over alleged links with the People’s Liberation Army, some shipbrokers were asked not to offer Cosco’s vessels for charter, according to people familiar with the matter. The suspension was lifted after a few days when it became clear that the blacklist would not impact charterers of Cosco’s ships financially or legally. If the USTR implements its proposal as written, shipping executives and brokers say a gradual split of the market is likely, where China-built ships are treated differently to those constructed elsewhere. In the tanker market where Chinabuilt vessels make up a third of all ships, it already appears to be happening. Charterers are starting to shy away from leasing China-linked tankers for long-term engagements, according to shipbrokers, because they expect that the vessels will need to call at US ports in the future, exposing them to tariffs.
Shipowners keen to expand their fleet while avoiding the penalties would also find themselves in a bind. Yards are near capacity in South Korea and Japan with the next slot for n ew ship orders only available around 2028, shipbrokers said. But not acquiring new ships at a time when the age of the global fleet is rising means that they would be stuck with deteriorating vessels.
Jose Severin will watch the outcome of the USTR decision—which is expected in the coming weeks—closely. A lack of domestic supply means those 16,000 metric tons of steel pipes are still needed for the Louisiana project, “it still needs to happen,” he added. With assistance from Alaric Nightingale, Alex Longley, Brooke Sutherland and Joe Deaux/Bloomberg
CHINA now produces more than half of the world’s cargo ships by tonnage, up from just 5 percent in 1999. QILAI SHEN/BLOOMBERG
B8 Tuesday, april 1, 2025 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph
Editor: Jun Lomibao
stunned the defending champion Creamline, 25-23, 25-22, 2125, 25-16, and Akari clawed past Choco Mucho, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, 22-25, 16-14, last Saturday in the round-robin race-to-two semifinal series.
T he Angels and Chargers are now on the verge of a finals collision no one saw coming.
“I told my players before the fourth set [against Creamline] that we are the challengers. Next game also, we will be the challengers,” Petro Gazz head coach Koji Tsuzurabara said. “I know what level Choco Mucho plays. I know, we also lost to them [eliminations].”
T he Angels will again rely on their offensive weapons Brooke Van Sickle, Myla Pablo, Jonah Sabete and MJ Phillips. Akari, meanwhile, must maintain its aggressive, fearless approach that has defined its campaign.
Eli Soyud, coming off a career-high 34-point performance against the Flying Titans, will lead the charge, with Faith Nisperos, Ivy Lacsina, Ced Domingo, Grethcel Soltones and Camille Victoria ready to step up and deliver.
We just had two days. We just needed to focus on the condition,” Akari head coach Taka Minowa said. “We need to control the injuries, and Eli also, she’s hitting like 58 attempts, so she needs to rest.”
C reamline will lean on its vast championship experience behind the offensive firepower of Tots Carlos, Bernadeth Pons, Jema Galanza and Alyssa Valdez.
C hoco Mucho, led by the high-flying, high-scoring Sisi Rondina, aims to force a sudden-death scenario and prove its resilience despite injuries to key players.
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio
WHEN Alexandra Eala walked onto the Miami Open courts, she did so with determination and the support of the Philippines behind her.
T he 19-year-old’s remarkable journey at the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 event came to a close on Friday.
“ Wow, this year’s Miami Open has left me speechless and so full of emotion, mostly pride and gratitude,” Eala stated on her Facebook post.
“I’m proud of myself for pushing through those tough moments, as well as to have been able to make a statement for the Philippines in one of the biggest stages of tennis,” she added. The prodigy also extended her gratitude to those who supported her throughout the tournament.
Uh-oh, don’t look now, but JB’s in trouble again
JUSTIN BROWNLEE is at the risk of being suspended again for the positive test.
W ith support from Royse Tubino, Isa Molde, and Lorraine Pecana, the Flying Titans are determined to keep their title hopes alive.
Jerusalem wants unification fight against Collazo T HE championship’s
MELVIN JERUSALEM beat via unanimous decision Yudai
Shigeoka the Japanese’ countrymen in Nagoya on Sunday to keep his World Boxing Council (WBC) minimum weight title and focus on a unification fight with Puerto Rica’s Oscar Collazo
“That is what we’ve been planning— I’m coming for Oscar Collazo, I’m coming for his belt,” Jerusalem told BusinessMirror on Monday, a day after prevailing over his rematch with Shigeoka at the Aichi Sky Expo. Jerusalem was in the zone and won in all of the judges’ cards—118-110, 116-112, and 119-109 to improve to a 24-3 win-loss record with 12 knockouts. Sun day’s victory validated the 31-year-old Bukidnon fighter’s split decision win in March 2024 over Shigeoka. His camp wants to challenge Collazo, the World Boxing Organization champion, in the US probably in New York.
“My team wants to establish training camp early in the US,” Jerusalem said. “I really need to get my WBO belt back.” Jerusalem lost his WBO minimum weight belt to Collazo on May 28, 2023, in Indio, California, via seventh round technical knockout. He didn’t answer the bell for the eighth round.
“I o nly had a few days there [to rest, recover and train] in the US before fight night. But there’s no excuse about that loss,” he said.
“When we return to the US, we’ll make sure we’re going to bring home two belts.” Collazo, undefeated in 12 fights with nine knockouts, already called out the Filipino for a unification bout. A gainst Shigeoka, Jerusalem said the strategy was to take the fight one round at a time. Josef Ramos
TBy Josef Ramos
JUSTIN BROWNLEE’S in a predicament—he received notice of an adverse analytical finding— from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)—a good five months away from the FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) confirmed on Monday that the men’s national team’s naturalized player tested positive of a banned substance and could, again, potentially serve another suspension by the WADA.
“The SBP is aware that Gilas Pilipinas player Justin Brownlee has received notice of an adverse analytical finding,” the SBP said in a statement relayed by executive director Erika Dy. “Brownlee is currently dealing with the situation aided by his US-based lawyers.”
A notice of an adverse analytical finding is tantamount to a doping violation, but the SBP did not go into any details.
“The SBP wishes to clarify that FIBA has not issued any official ruling as of date,” the statement added.
Brownlee was Gilas Pilipinas’s naturalized player in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga where they stunned host Latvia, 89-80, last July and led Gilas Pilipinas to the semifinal before losing to Brazil, 60-71.
National team manager Richard del Rosario and coach Tim Cone opted not to comment.
B rownlee was suspended three months after the country’s gold medal-winning performance at the Hangzhou 19 th Asian Games in October 2023, where he tested positive for Carboxy-THC which could be traced to consumption of cannabis.
B rownlee is coming off an unsuccessful campaign with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup Finals which TNT Tropang Giga won last Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
In M ay 2018, then NLEX guard Kiefer Ravena was suspended for 18 months after testing positive for 4-methylhexan-2-amine, 1,3 dimethylbutylamine and higenamine.
R avena claimed he inadvertently consumed an energy drink before Gilas Pilipinas game against Japan in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in February 2018.
He was banned by the PBA and didn’t play in any FIBA-sanc tioned tournament until June 2019.
Milestone for junior netfest series
HE MAC’s Crankit
Foundation National Juniors
Tennis Championships that starts Wednesday at the Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig City marks a milestone in the long-running Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) nationwide circuit.
T he event has not only attracted a record number of 256 participants but has also earned international accreditation from the Modern Tennis Methodology Coaches Association (MTMCA).
Seven of the nine age group categories will feature 32-player draws, highlighting the increasing popularity of the sport, particularly among young players inspired by Alex Eala’s historic
feat in the Miami Open. The tournament, presented by Dunlop, is expected to fuel the aspirations of its participants, providing them with a platform to showcase their skills and pursue success on the world stage.
Tournament organizer and PPS-PEPP program director Bobby Mangunay confirmed the event’s international accreditation, featuring Philippe Matta as the guest of honor.
Another notable MCF NTC UTR—the Semana Sang Iloilo Open tournament—is set April 8 to 13. Matta, a renowned resource educator and examiner, is sponsored by coach Pat Matet Puzon of MAC’s CrankIt Foundation. He will conduct an International
Tennis Coaches Course seminar from April 4 to 6 on the latest coaching techniques, tactical drills and best practices from the world’s leading tennis academies.
For inquiries and details, contact Matta at +357-95517424 or Mangunay at 0915-4046464.
T he tournament, sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association and supported by Dunlop, Universal Tennis and ICON Golf & Sports, will feature singles events in the 10-andunder unisex and 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-and-under categories for boys and girls.
“I ’m thankful for all the positivity coming my way, and I pray you continue sending your support through all the highs and lows. Salamat sa lahat ng pagdadasal at magagandang mensahe,” she wrote. Eala acknowledged that the experience had provided her with significant opportunities.
“I recognize that these two weeks have opened the door to so many opportunities for me, but along with those opportunities come a whole new set of obstacles I will have to navigate through,” she said.
Eala faced tough competition as a tournament wildcard. In the round of 128, she defeated American Katie Volynets and continued her strong performance by beating Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko next. T he Filipina achieved a major milestone in the round of 32 by defeating world No. 5 Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion. The victory marked her first win against a top 10 player.
S he was set to face World No. 11 Paula Badosa of Spain in the next round, but Badosa withdrew due to injury, thus a free ride to the quarterfinals.
In th e quarterfinals, Eala earned her most significant victory yet by defeating World No. 2 Iga Świątek of Poland—the win against the highlyranked player further established Eala as a formidable competitor on the WTA circuit.
Her tournament run concluded in the semifinals after a challenging threeset match against world No. 4 Jessica Pegula of the United States. By reaching the semifinals, Eala became the first Filipino player to achieve this milestone in a WTA 1000 event. Her achievement has brought attention to Philippine tennis on the international stage. “The real work starts now,” she concluded on her post. Ranked No. 140 before the tournament, Eala’s projected new
Mission accomplished for Isla Cup golf for ‘Alab Kalinga’
funds for Alab Kalinga. Alab Kalinga is the corporate social responsibility arm of the Isla LPG
Corporation (ILC), which annually organizes the event. We’re very happy that the eighth edition of the tournament was very successful and we really appreciate the participation of all our customers” said TomoAki Asai, Chief Executive Officer of Isla Petroleum and Gas Corporation.
“In the past, the tournament was a means for our customers and partners to have fun and get together, but now, we also enjoin them to be part of our CSR which is Alab Kalinga,” Asai added. Jose Ricardo Delgado, chairman of the Isla Group Petroleum and Gas Corporation, thanked the participant for their support.
BROOKE VAN SICKLE and Petro Gazz are on the verge of making the finals, but Jema Galanza and Creamline are fighting for survival.
