‘ME war-induced crisis to make 3-M Pinoys poor’
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
drive up the prices of basic goods. In a new policy note, state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said the impact depends not only on global oil prices but also on the “passthrough” rate—or how much of the increase in fuel costs is transmitted to domestic prices such as
By Samuel P.
FOREIGNERS
are allowed to own telecommunications firms as well as retail trade enterprises with paid-up capital of less than P25 million after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the 13th Regular Foreign Investment Negative List (RFINL).
seven in 10 adults perceived that availing any type of loan is not a good idea,” the CFIS read. The source of borrowing also shifted from informal lending sources to safer and more regulated formal loans, with microfinance institutions remaining the primary source of loans. In 2025, at least 16 percent of the total adult population borrowed from formal channels such as banks, while only 10 percent relied on informal lenders. Personal loans are the most common to meet basic needs such as food, education and health expenses, followed by salary loans, multipurpose loans and business loans.
Insurance, pension and investment IN terms of insurance, 87 percent of adults with insurance have PhilHealth, while those with life insurance and micro insurance are at 10 percent and 9 percent, respectively.
“Voluntary insurance uptake remains limited, especially among lowerincome and less-educated groups,” the survey read. “Ownership of private insurance products such as life insurance, microinsurance, and HMOs remains modest, though some incremental
transport, food, and utilities. Under the first scenario, where oil prices average $105 per barrel and about 35 percent of the increase is passed on to consumers, around 1.34 million Filipinos are projected to fall into poverty, raising the poverty rate to 14.4 percent.
If oil prices rise further to $125 per barrel and the pass-through increases to 60 percent, the number of newly poor could reach 2.35 million, pushing poverty to 15.3 percent.
In a worst case scenario, where oil hits $145 per barrel and as much as 85 percent of the cost
increase is passed on, up to 3.5 million Filipinos could be added to the poverty count, driving the rate up to 16.3 percent. The estimates use a baseline poverty rate of 13.2 percent for 2025, derived from microsimulation and income projections, as official data for that year are not yet available.
The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that poverty incidence stood at 15.5 percent in 2023, equivalent to about 17.54 million Filipinos.
PIDS explained that higher pass-through rates amplify the
burden on households, as increases in fuel costs feed into the prices of food and other essentials.
“Because poor households allocate over 57 percent of their spending to food, and food supply chains are highly energy intensive, the transmission of cost increases through food prices disproportionately affects low-income households,” the study noted. Most of the “new poor,” it added, are expected to come from households just above the poverty line—those highly vulnerable to price shocks but not previously classified as poor.
IBy Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
T’S all systems go for the nationwide rollout of the transport assistance package for public utility vehicles (PUV) after local government units (LGU) committed to support concerned government agencies in its implementation, according to Malacañang.
Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto said they were able to iron out—in an interagency meeting Wednesday—the details for the implementation of the fuel subsidies for jeepneys and UV Express operators and drivers through the Pantawid Pasada Fuel Subsidy program and the Service Contracting Program (SCP) for buses and jeepneys program.
Representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB ) and other agencies attended the meeting.
“In keeping with the whole-ofgovernment approach as set by the President, the DOTr and LTFRB need to work closely with the DILG, LGUs and DOE to make sure that all target beneficiaries, namely, bus and jeepney operators and drivers on select routes in NCR [National Capital Region], are able to avail of the financial support under the SCP, and that these recipients provide the 20 percent fare discount to all of their passengers,” Recto said. LTFRB will release this week a fare matrix for those applying for the im-
plementation of the discount. SCP beneficiaries will also get a subsidy
Medenilla @sam_medenilla
The study also found the shock to be deeply regressive, with poorer households suffering far larger losses in purchasing power relative to their income, while wealthier households absorb the increase more easily.
Despite this, PIDS cautioned that cutting fuel excise taxes would not be an effective buffer.
The think tank said such a policy delivers significantly larger benefits to higher-income households, with richer families receiving about four times more in absolute peso terms than poorer ones.
“Only targeted cash transfers can reverse this regressivity by directing support specifically to those least able to absorb the loss,” PIDS emphasized.
To address this, the think tank proposed a targeted assistance program called Suplementaryong Ayuda Para sa Apektadong Tahanan (SAPAT), which would provide around P6,000 per household using existing government systems.
The program would expand current beneficiaries such as 4Ps and social pension recipients, include those on waiting lists, and extend support to other vulnerable groups like minimum-wage workers, persons with disabilities, and newly identified poor households.
PIDS said even a more limited rollout—costing about P64.6 billion after deduplication—could already reduce poverty from 16.4 percent to 15.8 percent, shielding around 754,000 Filipinos from falling into poverty.
Oil price rollback next week likely; ₧18-₧20 for diesel seen
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
ANOTHER round of fuel price cuts is expected next week, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said on Thursday.
Rules and Regulations of RA 11659. Other changes in Negative List A are the inclusion of corporate practice of profession in Architecture in no foreign equity cap; and government procurement of consulting services in up to 40-percent equity cap. The private radio communications networks sector was removed from the up to 40-percent foreign equity cap of Negative List A.
EO 113 retained the list of sectors and activities restricted from foreign equity namely, mass media, except recording and internet business; Cooperatives; Private security agency; Small-
“It seems promising. The observation is for five days but the market has only closed for three days... The three days are good, but I just don’t want to make predictions right now.
“The trend seems to be going down. Hopefully, it stays for the next two days so there will be another rollback next week. Hopefully, it won’t reverse on Thursday and Friday,” the energy chief said.
scale mining; utilization of marine resources in archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, as well as small-scale utilization of natural resources in rivers, lakes, bays, and lagoons; ownership, operation, and management of cockpits; manufacture, repair, stockpiling, and/or distribution of nuclear weapons; manufacture, repair, stockpiling and/or distribution of biological, chemical and radiological weapons and anti-personnel mines; and manufacture and retail of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices.
The 13th RFINL imposed a 25-percent foreign equity cap on the following sectors and activities: private recruitment, whether for local or overseas employment; and Contracts for the construction of defense-related structures.
A 30-percent foreign equity cap was
placed on advertising. Aside from retail trade enterprise with paid-up capital of less than P25 million and consulting services, the following sectors and activities were given a 40- percent foreign equity cap: exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources including the appropriation of water direct from a natural source except: agreements entered into with the President, involving either technical or financial assistance for large-scale exploration, development, and utilization of minerals, petroleum, and other mineral oils; and renewable energy, such as solar wind, hydro and ocean or tidal energy where full foreign participation is allowed; and ownership of private lands, except a natural-born citizen who has lost his/her Philippine citizenship and who has the legal capacity to enter into a contract under Philippine laws.
Also on the list is the operation of public utilities; educational institutions other than those established by religious groups and mission boards, for foreign diplomatic personnel and their dependents, and other foreign temporary residents or for short-term high level skills development that do not form part of the formal education system; culture, production, milling, processing, and trading, except retailing, of rice and corn, and acquiring, by barter, purchase, or otherwise, rice and corn and the government procurement of infrastructure projects; in cases where the structures to be built require the application of techniques or technologies which are not adequately possessed by Filipino entities, foreign ownership or interest is allowed up to 75 percent; operation of commercial fishing vessels; and ownership of condominium units.
For the Negative List B of the RFINL, the only change was the addition of “development, production, manufacturing, assembly, servicing or operation of materiel by an in-country enterprise under RA No. 12024.”
Materiel refers to military technology, weapons systems, arms, ammunition, combat clothing, armor, vehicles, and other similar military equipment, and materials under RA No. 12024 or the “SelfReliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act.”
A 40-percent foreign equity cap was placed on other sectors and activities included in the list: manufacture, repair, storage, and/ or distribution of products and/or ingredients requiring Philippine National Police (PNP) clearance: Firearms (handguns to shotguns), parts of firearms and ammunition therefore, instruments or implements used or intended to be used in the manufacture of firearms; gunpowder; dynamite; blasting supplies; Telescopic sights, sniper scope, and other similar devices. It also includes ingredients used in making explosives: chlorates of potassium and sodium; Nitrates of ammonium, potassium, sodium barium, copper, lead, calcium, and cuprite; Nitric acid; Nitrocellulose; Perchlorates of ammonium, potassium and sodium; Dinitrocellulose; Glycerol; Amorphous phosphorus; Hydrogen peroxide; Strontium nitrate powder; Toluene; The list also includes development, production, manufacturing, assembly, servicing or operation of materiel by an in-country enterprise; Distribution and manufacture of dangerous drugs as authorized by law; Sauna and steam bathhouses, massage clinics, and other like activities regulated by law because of risks posed to public health and morals; All forms of gambling except those covered by investment agreements with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation; and micro and small domestic market enterprises that: involve advanced technology as determined by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); endorsed as startup or startup enablers by the lead host agencies, namely the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and DOST; or with a majority of their direct employees are Filipinos, but in no case shall the number of Filipino employees be less than 15, with paid-in equity capital of less than the equivalent of US$100,000.00.
Amendments to Negative List A may be made at any time to reflect changes instituted in specific laws, while amendments to Negative List B shall not be made more often than once every two years. EO 113 updated the 12th RFINL, which was enacted on June 27, 2022.
Pinoys in Saipan reel from Super Typhoon Sinlaku
FILIPINO workers and residents in the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) are reporting widespread devastation after Super Typhoon Sinlaku tore through Saipan and Tinian on Tuesday night, flattening homes and crippling power lines.
The storm, the strongest tropical cyclone of the year, packed sustained winds of 185 mph (298 km/h) with gusts reaching 220 mph (354 km/h). For hours, fierce winds and relentless rains battered the islands, leaving communities in disarray. According to the Associated Press, cars were overturned, power poles toppled, and tin roofs ripped away. While no fatalities have been reported so far, the destruction has left many residents displaced. Philippine Consul General to Guam Rosario Lemque confirmed that power remains down in Saipan and Tinian islands, where most Filipinos reside. With communications cut, authorities are still piecing together the full extent of the damage.
“There is really widespread and grave devastation,” Lemque said, citing feedback from Filipino community leaders. “They expect a lot of Filipinos to become homeless because their houses have been flattened.” CNMI is home to about 17,719 Filipinos and Filipino-Americans, roughly a third of the Pacific territory’s population. Since the closure of the Philippine Consulate in Saipan in 2012, the Consulate in Agana, Guam has overseen consular jurisdiction in the islands.
Although Guam was spared a direct hit, Sinlaku’s outer bands still lashed the US territory with heavy rains and strong winds, forcing Philippine Airlines to cancel flights. Malou Talosig-Bartolome
Albania is not considered among the traditional destinations for OFWs in Europe.
Based on latest DMW data, only 40 OFWs were deployed in Albania in January. Of these, 23
were rehired and only 17 were new hires. The European firms with the highest numbers of deployed OFWs during the period are United Kingdom (4,655), Italy (2,183), Hungary (1,988), Germany (1,837), Ireland (1,812), Czech Republic (1,424), Croatia (1,381), Greece (1,138), and Malta (1,079). The total OFW deployment in Europe in January was 24,437— 53.14 higher compared to 15,957 year-onyear. Samuel P. Medenilla
gains were observed in selected products.” Likewise, pension participation is anchored on government schemes, with 86 percent having a pension from the Social Security System, 5 percent from the Government
In
Solon to TNVS, MC taxi operators: Have compassion on your drivers
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
TBy Lenie Lectura @llectura
HE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has formally adopted the rules governing microgrid systems, paving the way for accelerating total electrification.
Under the new framework, Microgrid System Providers (MGSPs) are required to deliver 24/7 electricity service, achieve 100 percent household electrification within their service areas, and comply with strict technical, operational, and service performance standards to ensure efficiency, power quality, reliability, and safety.
The guidelines establish a transparent tariff mechanism designed to balance consumer protection with provider viability. By utilizing the Full Cost Recovery Rate (FCRR), subject to ERC approval, providers can recoup prudent investments while maintaining fair rates.
Additionally, the ERC has strengthened oversight by standardizing Microgrid Service Contracts (MSCs), streamlining licensing through Authorities to Operate (ATOs), and implementing rigorous compliance monitoring.
These new rules operationalize the Microgrid Systems Act by establishing a regulatory framework specifically for isolated microgrid systems and grid-tied microgrid systems operating in island mode. The rules
TBy Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
HE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday urged local governments (LGUs) to expand their desks or units to provide workers assistance, especially against illegal recruiters.
With many repatriated Filipinos still hoping to work abroad amid the Middle
Tlawmakers called out ride-hailing providers for not delivering on promises they made a few days ago to reduce their commissions from their partner-riders.
During the recent LEAD hearing, the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means chairman, Mariquina Rep. Miro Quimbo, called on the LTFRB to exercise its authority over these platforms.
“We’d like to take the LTFRB to task. You have administrative supervision over all these TNVS and MC taxis. Use your power, use your sphere of influence to convince these [operators] to lower their premiums,
East crisis brought about by the United States-Israel-Iran war, the DILG urged LGUs to accelerate the creation of Migrant Advisory and Information Network (MAIN) and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) desks to help protect job seekers from illegal recruiters.
The move supports the directive of President Marcos for LGUs to assist families affected by sudden job losses caused by the Middle East crisis through financial aid and
their commissions,” he added.
Quimbo stressed that such interventions should be explored by the LTFRB, even on a temporary basis, to provide relief to both drivers and the riding public.
He emphasized that any reduction should not be limited to base fares but must extend across the entire commission structure.
“When we say lowering, there should be a cascading effect on the entire commission structure,” he said.
While recognizing the role of ridehailing platforms in improving mobility,
livelihood support.
Based on DILG data, 645 out of 1,724 LGUs nationwide have already established MAIN and OFW desks. Provincial governments posted a 64.63 percent compliance rate, followed by cities at 56.76 percent and municipalities at 34.19 percent.
The DILG said repatriated OFWs planning to seek work overseas again may coordinate with their local MAIN desks for help in identifying suspicious recruiters, reporting
Quimbo urged operators to work with the government in cushioning the effects of the oil crisis, including offering better incentives to partner drivers to keep them on the road.
“The government is appealing to you—what assistance can you extend to our fellow Filipinos?” Quimbo said.
Quimbo called on ride-hailing and motorcycle taxi operators to show “compassion” toward their partner-riders, as he pushed for lower commissions and premiums to help ease the impact of rising fuel prices.
illegal job offers, and preventing possible trafficking attempts. MAIN desks were first established to localize the implementation of Republic Act 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003. They were created to handle trafficking-related cases, conduct public awareness campaigns, and document recruitment schemes targeting residents in local communities.
Hardest hit QUIMBO stressed that riders are among those hardest hit by the continued increase in oil prices, and urged companies to prioritize their welfare.
“Because the truth is, in the end, they won’t even go out to drive if commissions are that high,” Quimbo said. The lawmaker raised concerns over complaints from riders and his constituents, who claimed that Move It’s commission had gone up to as much as 22 percent following the fuel hike.
By Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
HE Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is seeking $11.8 million to bolster the resilience of Philippine agrifood
systems amid the ongoing global oil crisis. FAO Philippines said it plans to secure funding from the organization’s 2026 Global Emergency and Resilience Appeal, which aims to raise $2.5 billion to enhance agriculture in emergencies and disasters.
This, as the organization stressed that the ongoing energy crisis is creating new pressures on Philippine agrifood systems at a time when many farming and fishing communities are still recovering from recent climate-related disasters.
“Higher fuel prices are likely to increase the cost of coping with climate stress itself, as interventions needed to sustain production under drought and extreme weather
Probable cause for Sara impeachment established?
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
LAWMAKERS said on Thursday that probable cause for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte may have already been established as early as the first clarificatory hearing of the House Committee on Justice.
Citing five key grounds, Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro said one of the strongest pieces of evidence is the Commission on Audit’s (COA) final decision affirming its notice of disallowance on P73 million in confidential funds spent by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in December 2022.
Under the ruling, Duterte and two other OVP officials named in the decision are required to return the P73 million to the National Treasury.
The OVP also continues to face notices of disallowance covering the use of confidential funds for the first three quarters of 2023.
“You know, the finding of probable cause for impeachment on the basis of confidential funds misuse – I believe that may have already been established during the recent hearing,” said Ridon, a lawyer and member of the House Committee on Justice.
The OVP also continues to face notices of disallowance covering the use of confidential funds for the first three quarters of 2023.
During Tuesday’s hearing, it was disclosed that the COA Commission Proper, in a decision dated April 10, 2026, denied the OVP’s appeal after the agency failed to justify the expenditures in accordance with the requirements of COA-DBM Joint Circular 2015-01.
“First, the finality of the COA finding carries significant weight, as it directs the Vice President to return the P73 million from the 2022 confidential funds due to improper use,” Ridon said.
NBI findings
HE also cited findings by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which showed that several acknowledgement receipts bore similar handwriting based on line strokes, alignment, and execu -
tion—despite being attributed to different individuals.
“Second, the NBI found that it appears only one or a few individuals signed the acknowledgment receipts under names such as Mary Grace Piattos, Milky Secuya, and other fictitious recipients of confidential funds,” he added.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Ridon noted, also confirmed to the Justice panel that most of the names listed as recipients had no corresponding birth, marriage, or death records in its database.
“Third, the PSA certification is significant because it indicates that individuals such as Mary Grace Piattos and Milky Secuya do not exist in official records, meaning they have no birth, marriage, or death records in the PSA database,” he said.
Ridon further pointed to earlier proceedings of the 19th Congress House Committee on Good Government, where evidence, documents, and details regarding the use of confidential funds were first presented.
“Fourth, the earlier proceedings of the House Committee on Good Government are also significant, as they initially laid out the specific evidence, documents, and details on the use of confidential funds,” he added.
Lastly, Ridon cited the testimony of alleged bagman Ramil L. Madriaga, who claimed he received duffel bags containing millions of pesos from Duterte’s personnel for delivery to various locations.
Taken together, Ridon said the evidence now before the House Committee on Justice provides a serious and substantial basis to establish probable cause for impeachment against the vice president, at least with respect to the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
Pharmally
THE House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chairman, Manila Rep. Joel R. Chua said Duterte could face an election offense if allegations that her 2022 campaign received financial support from Chinese linked to Pharmally were proven true.
Chua said the claims raise seri -
ous legal concerns, citing Section 81 of the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to a candidate’s campaign.
He noted that if validated, the alleged contributions could amount to a culpable violation of the Constitution, an impeachable offense, since Duterte had sworn to uphold the law and comply with regulations enforced by authorities such as the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Section 96 of the same law also makes it unlawful for candidates and political parties to solicit or accept such contributions, whether directly or indirectly.
Chua added that the situation may constitute an election offense, stressing the need to determine whether the individuals involved are indeed foreign nationals.
The issue stemmed from claims by alleged Duterte bagman Madriaga, who, in a supplemental affidavit, said he received millions of pesos from Pharmally financial officer Lin Weixiong and businessman Maestrado Lim, also known as Tony Yang, along with his brother Michael Yang, purportedly for Duterte’s campaign.
Chua pointed out that Lim and the Yang brothers are known associates of former President Rodrigo Duterte, with Michael Yang having previously served as his economic adviser. They have also been linked to alleged illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) activities.
According to Madriaga, the funds were channeled through Initiative for Social Justice, Innovation, and Progress Pilipinas (Isip), a non-profit organization he formed. He said the group was originally intended to support Duterte’s 2022 presidential bid and was created in 2020 upon the instruction of both Duterte and the former President.
Madriaga claimed he was later directed to solicit donations from allies and supporters, including P175 million allegedly from Wei Xiong and P100 million from Lim. The funds were supposedly used for nationwide campaign activities, including organizing chapters, producing campaign
materials, covering travel and accommodation expenses, renting offices, and providing allowances for volunteers.
Chua also raised concerns about whether these alleged contributions were properly declared in Duterte’s Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE).
Duterte has so far skipped all committee hearings on the impeachment complaints, opting instead to file petitions seeking to halt the proceedings and issuing public statements questioning the panel’s credibility.
Return
DEPUTY Speaker Paolo Ortega V on Thursday called on Duterte to return P73.287 million in confidential funds disallowed by the COA, saying such a move would demonstrate accountability in public office.
Ortega, an impeachment endorser, said the issue has gone beyond legal appeals and now requires a clear act of responsibility.
“If the Vice President truly wants to show accountability as a public servant, she should return the funds flagged by COA. She must answer for public money entrusted to her and acknowledge where lapses in the process occurred,” Ortega, who reprresents La Union, said.
The lawmaker was referring to COA’s affirmation of Notice of Disallowance No. 2024-002-100, which covers confidential expenses incurred by the Office of the Vice President from December 21 to 31, 2022.
During the April 14 hearing of the House Committee on Justice, COA officials confirmed that the appeal filed by Duterte and other OVP officials had been denied. They added that once the ruling becomes final, the disallowed amount must be refunded to the government.
The total amount includes P69.787 million in rewards and P3.5 million for equipment such as tables, chairs, computers, and printers.
Ortega emphasized that the amount involved is substantial and comes at a time when many Filipinos are facing economic hardship.
Sotto, E. Tulfo sign partial Blue-Ribbon committee report on flood control mess
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
SUPPORT is building up for the Senate Blue-Ribbon committee’s partial report on the flood control irregularities, with at least two more senators signing, and others signaling willingness to do so, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue-Ribbon chairman Panfilo M. Lacson said Thursday.
On Wednesday, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Blue Ribbon vice chairman Erwin Tulfo signed the partial report, while “at least two others” hinted they would do the same, Lacson said.
“As of yesterday [Wednesday], two other colleagues also signed— Senate President Sotto as ex-officio and Sen. Erwin Tulfo, BRC Vice Chairman. At least two others have indicated their willingness to sign,” he said.
“One of the reasons why the other majority members have not signed or at least reluctant to do so is that they were ‘requested’ by some of their former majority bloc colleagues,” he added.
Lacson said he would not plead
with fellow Blue-Ribbon committee members to sign the partial report out of respect for their individual decisions, but noted that Sotto offered to help.
“I told SP Sotto earlier that I won’t plead with our fellow BRC members to affix their signatures on the partial committee report because I respect their individual decisions, whatever reasons they have in refusing to sign. Hence, SP Sotto promised to help in that regard,” he said. With at least six signatures so far, the partial report needs at least three more for it to be filed and reported out on the floor where it can be debated upon, amended and adopted.
On Wednesday, Lacson said he suspended further hearings of the committee on the flood control mess until he reports out and sponsors the partial committee report in plenary.
He said continuing hearings without reaching a logical conclusion in the form of a committee report that senators can debate, amend and adopt on the Senate floor would be pointless and contrary to Senate rules.
Cops press drive vs smuggling
By Rex Anthony Naval
THE National Police (PNP) Chief, Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., on Thursday said he is eyeing more “intelligence-driven operations” following the seizure of P2.7 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in Cotabato City on April 15.
In a statement, Nartatez said this successful operation stemmed from a tip provided by an informant. He added that this “tip was very critical” to the success of the operation.
“We are seeing more intelligencedriven operations, and we will continue to strengthen that capability across all units,” Nartatez noted.
The smuggled cigarettes were seized after personnel from Cotabato City Police
See “Impeachment,” A6 Has
Academy hazing incident triggers minor PNP reshuffle
THREE senior police officials have been given new assignments in the latest reorganization within the National Police (PNP) in the wake of the hazing incident at the PNP Academy (PNPA).
In an April 15 order, the PNP Chief, Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., designated Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, Central Visayas police commander, as acting director of the PNPA. Taking over as Central Visayas Regional Police Office (PRO-7) director is Brig. Gen. Arnold Evangelista Abad, while Brig. Gen. Arnold Casingal Santiago has been named acting chief of the Manila Police District, replacing Abad.
Maranan replaced Brig. Gen. Andrei Dizon as PNPA director, who was transferred to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (PHAU) following the April 3 incident in which three secondyear cadets applied a mixture of muriatic acid and liquid sosa on the backs of more than 20 cadets.
Ang nag -trigger ng reshuffle ay ang nangyari sa PNPA, kung saan ngayong araw ay may turnover sa PRO-7 at bukas naman sa PNPA [What triggered the reshuffle was the incident at the PNPA. Today, there will be a turnover at PRO-7 and tomorrow at the PNPA],” the PNP spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño, told reporters in a news briefing on Thursday.
Aside from Dizon, eight other PNPA officials were relieved from their posts and reassigned to the PHAU: one brigadier general, two colonels, two majors and three sergeants.
“ Kaugnay sa administratibong aksyon ng PNP, nagdesisyon ang NHQ [National Headquarters] sa pamumuno ni PNP chief, General
Nartatez na i -relieve s a kanilang puwesto ang siyam na opisyal [In line with administrative action, the NHQ under PNP chief Gen. Nartatez decided to relieve the nine officials from their posts],” Tuaño said.
Police personnel assigned to the PHAU typically have no specific duties.
Meanwhile, the PNP is expanding its anti-hazing crackdown beyond the PNPA to cover all training units nationwide.
“We are institutionalizing these reforms,” Nartatez said in a statement. “Hindi lang ito para sa PNPA. This will be a zero-tolerance standard for all training centers nationwide, from recruitment to specialized courses.”
Nartatez said the PNP will ensure the uniform implementation and monitoring of anti-hazing policies across all training centers.
“Consistency is key. We are strengthening our internal monitoring. Magkakaroon ng random inspections at stricter accountability for training directors,” he said. Rex Anthony Naval with PNA
Station 3 responded to a tip about a red Isuzu truck with plate number (MAJ-1273) being used to transport illicit goods in a secluded area in barangay Kalanganan 2, Cotabato City. The PNP said upon arrival, police discovered around 70 abandoned boxes containing the smuggled cigarettes. Police said the recovered boxes contained reams of BOSQU-brand cigarettes with an estimated total value of P2,747,500. And while no suspects were arrested, Nartatez assured the public that the PNP will conduct a comprehensive investigation to track down the network behind the shipment, and to determine the identities and whereabouts of the suspects and prepare charges against them.
Manila forgotten Mayor Arsenio Lacson?
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
ON April 15, Manila commemorated the death of its beloved mayor, Arsenio Lacson without much fanfare, not even the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at his tomb.
But has Manila forgotten its beloved mayor?
Lacson, a journalist-turned politician and the city’s first democratically-elected mayor, died at the age of 49 of a heart attack.
He was found dead in his private suite at the Hotel Filipinas in Ermita, Manila.
He was reportedly preparing for his weekly radio and television broadcast before he collapsed and passed away.
Lacson is buried at the Manila North Cemetery.
Lacson, more popularly known as the Fighting Mayor, is well remembered for his fiery temperament, sharp wit and wicked tongue.
He was once described as a good man with a bad mouth because of his hard-hitting stance on issues in his radio program, “In This Corner,” where he often discussed scathing social and political commentaries.
Lacson was known for his reformist leadership and was credited for saving the country’s capital from deep debt within only three years of this term, reducing the P23.5 million debt of the city government by half, and by 1959, led the city into complete financial recovery. Among his legacies in Manila are the
Manila Zoo, the Quiapo Underpass, which is now named after him – Lacson Underpass, the nation’s first underpass. He is also credited for his proposal to establish Manila’s first state university, which eventually gave birth to the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.
Lacson was reputed to have personally led police raids against
MAYOR Arsenio Lacson
A6 Friday, April 17, 2026
The World
Editor: Angel R. Calso
Pakistani army chief visits Tehran in bid to broker renewed talks between US and Iran
By Samy Magdy, Sam Metz, Munir Ahmed & Mike Corder
CThe Associated Press
AIRO—Pakistan’s army chief is set to meet with Iranian officials in Tehran on Thursday in a bid to ease tensions in the Middle East and arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran after almost seven weeks of war.
The White House said any further talks would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations.
The US naval blockade of Iranian ports continued as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would ramp up economic pain on Iran with new economic sanctions on countries doing business with it, calling the move the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.
Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator after it hosted direct talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad that authorities said helped narrow differences between the two sides. Mediators are seeking a new round before the ceasefire expires next week.
Meanwhile, Trump wrote late Wednesday on Truth Social that leaders from Israel and Lebanon would speak the next day in a renewed effort to broker a ceasefire after the countries’ first
direct talks in decades ended the previous day in Washington without a deal. It was not clear what leaders Trump was referring to. The Israeli prime minister’s office did not immediately respond for comment, which was posted before dawn in Israel and Lebanon.
The war has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region. Oil prices have fallen amid hopes for an end to fighting, and US stocks on Wednesday surpassed records set in January.
Officials say US and Iran are making progress EVEN as the US blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats strained the ceasefire agreement, regional officials reported progress, telling The Associated Press the United States and Iran had an “in principle agreement” to extend it to allow for more diplomacy. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, took part in a preliminary meeting Wednesday with Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief of staff, Iranian state media reported.
But even as mediators worked for peace, tensions simmered.
The commander of Iran’s joint military command, Ali Abdollahi, threatened to halt trade in
the region if the US does not lift its naval blockade, and a newly-appointed military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he doesn’t support extending the ceasefire.
Mediators seek compromise on sticking points
MEDIATORS are pushing for a compromise on three main sticking points that derailed direct talks last weekend — Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages, according to a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran is open to discussing the type and level of its uranium enrichment, but his country “based on its needs, must be able to continue enrichment,”Iranian state media reported.
The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen US service members have also been killed.
China calls for Strait of Hormuz to reopen CHINESE Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the window of peace was opening during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, who briefed him on the latest developments in Iran-US negotiations and Tehran’s considerations on the next step, according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry late Wednesday.
Wang told Araghchi that the situation has reached a critical juncture between war and peace, and said Iran’s sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights should be respected as a littoral state of the Strait of Hormuz, while freedom of navigation and safety through the strait should be ensured.
Since the war began, Iran has curtailed maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which a fifth of global oil transited through in peacetime. Tehran’s effective closure of the strait sent oil prices skyrocketing, raising the cost of fuel, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East, and the US has responded with a blockade on Iranian shipping.
US Central Command said Wednesday that no ships had made it past the blockade since it was imposed two days earlier, while 10 merchant vessels complied with direction from US forces to turn around and reenter Iranian waters.
The blockade is intended to pressure Iran, which has exported millions of barrels of oil, mostly to Asia, since the war began Feb. 28. Much of it has likely been carried by so-called dark transits that evade sanctions and oversight, providing cash that’s been vital to keeping Iran running.
Strikes continue in Lebanon after Washington talks MEANWHILE , Israel pressed ahead with its aerial and ground war in Lebanon. The country’s
National News Agency reported airstrikes and artillery shelling throughout southern Lebanon on Wednesday, including near Bint Jbeil, where Israeli forces have encircled Hezbollah fighters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops were about to “eliminate this great stronghold of Hezbollah” and would continue expanding control of areas in southern Lebanon.
Netanyahu said negotiations are continuing, with disarming Hezbollah a key goal.
The Lebanese Health Ministry said Israel struck three teams of paramedics Wednesday in southern Lebanon, first hitting one team and then two more that rushed to help. The attacks killed three paramedics and wounded six others, the ministry said.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Lebanon remains deeply divided over diplomatic engagement with Israel.
Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank, Ahmed from Islamabad and Corder from The Hague, Netherlands. Associated Press writers Darlene Superville, Aamer Madhani and Joshua Boak in Washington; Julia Frankel in New York and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.
He explained that the disallowance was based on COA’s finding of noncompliance with Joint Circular 2015-01, which governs the use of confidential and intelligence funds.
“When COA affirms a disallowance, it means there were deficiencies that were not adequately explained under existing rules. This is a formal finding by a constitutional body tasked with safeguarding public funds,” Ortega said. He added that confidential funds are subject to stricter scrutiny due to their sensitive nature. Ortega also noted that COA has issued additional notices of disallowance covering the first three quarters of the OVP’s 2023 confidential funds, totaling around P375 million.
“COA has already flagged a pattern. Repeated disallowances raise serious questions about how public funds are being managed. That is why these amounts must be returned,” he said.
“The public is simply asking for respect for due process, respect for COA, and respect for taxpayers’ money,” Ortega added.
A8 Friday, April 17, 2026
Taiwan chipmaker TSMC reports 58% jump in Q1 profit, warns about Iran war impacts
By Chan Ho-Him AP Business Writer
HONGKONG—Taiwan’s chipmaker TSMC, one of the world’s largest companies, reported a 58% jump in profit on Thursday for the January-March quarter, thanks to strong demand driven by the artificial intelligence boom even as the Iran war was driving up costs.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp., a key supplier for Apple and Nvidia and the largest contract chipmaker in the world, reported a record net quarterly profit of 572.5 billion new Taiwan dollars ($18.1 billion) for the first three months of the year, better than analysts had expected. Profit for the quarter was 58.3% higher compared to the 361.6 billion new Taiwan dollars ($11.5 billion) booked the same period a year earlier. It was also 13.2% higher compared with the previous quarter in October-December.
Revenue increased 8.4% in the January-March period from the previous three months to $35.9 billion, the company said. For the current April-June quarter, TSMC expected revenue to further grow to between $39 billion and $40.2 billion.
As AI-related demand continues to surge, TSMC has been expanding chip fabrication plants in the US, Japan and Taiwan, with a focus on making more advanced 3-nanometer semiconductors that are used in smartphones and AI products.
“AI-related demand continues to be extremely robust,” C.C. Wei, TSMC’s CEO and chairman, told an earnings conference on Thursday. “Our conviction in the multi-year AI megatrend remains high, and we believe the demand for semiconductors will continue to be very fundamental.”
TSMC also warned of potential impacts from the Iran war, which has not only pushed up global supply chain costs but is also disrupting the world’s supply of chemicals
and gas such as helium essential for chipmaking.
Wendell Huang, TSMC’s chief financial officer, said while rising costs stemming from the Iran war could weigh on profitability, the company has “prepared safety stock inventory on hand” including for helium and is not expecting “any near-term impact” on operations.
TSMC has pledged huge investments in expanding its manufacturing capacity in Taiwan and abroad, including $165 billion of commitments in building plants in Arizona. The company said Thursday its capital spending for the next three years will be “significantly higher” than the past three years as it ramps up capacity to meet customers’ growing demand.
The chipmaker had earlier announced plans to raise its capital expenditure budget to $52 billion-$56 billion for this year from about $40 billion in 2025. It said Thursday it now expects capital spending in 2026 to be toward the higher end of that.
www.businessmirror.com.ph
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Through these desks, LGUs can also strengthen protection for OFWs by coordinating with local Public Employment Service Offices (Peso) to detect illegal recruiters, and with city or municipal social welfare offices to provide recovery and rehabilitation services for trafficking victim-survivors and their families.
The DILG also cited its memorandum of agreement with the Department of Migrant Workers to expand OFW help desks nationwide and intensify the Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons campaign at the local level. The Department said it remains firm in the fight against trafficking and illegal recruitment, while empowering LGUs to help Filipinos pursue safer and more dignified opportunities abroad. OFW. .
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conditions such as irrigation pumping, water hauling and other emergency measures will become more expensive. This could delay planting, reduce productivity and trigger cascading livelihood losses,” the FAO said.
It explained that as these pressures escalate, certain households could resort to short-term coping strategies that could have harmful long-term consequences for natural resources and ecosystems.
With this, rising pump prices could prompt some families to shift towards cheaper and more accessible energy sources for cooking, processing and farm operations. These sources include fuelwood, crop residues and charcoal, which the FAO said is already happening on the ground as observed in some communities in Cagayan province, where households have started replacing LPG with fuelwood to cut costs.
In fisheries, the organization noted that
higher fuel costs could also push small-scale fishermen to shorten their trips and focus on near-shore areas, increasing the risk of localized overfishing.
“Over time, such coping strategies can weaken the resilience of agrifood livelihoods, deplete shared productive assets and increase vulnerability to future climate and environmental shocks.”
For FAO Representative in the Philippines Lionel Dabbadie, the current energy crisis does not exist in a vacuum, as it also ripples across other sectors.
“Today’s energy crisis is not a stand alone shock. It is colliding with climate stress and exposing once again the structural weaknesses of agrifood systems that previous crises had already revealed,” Dabbadie said.
“If shocks are no longer rare, resilience and modernization can no longer be treated as separate agendas. We must protect producers now while accelerating the transformation needed to build more efficient, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems over the long term,” he added.
The World
Pope demands ‘chains of corruption’ be broken during visit to Cameroon
By Nicole Winfield & Nalova Akua
The Associated Press
YAOUNDE, Cameroon—Pope Leo XIV arrived in Cameroon on Wednesday where he delivered a masterclass on wielding authority legitimately to President Paul Biya, who consolidated his four-decade grip on power with a contested election last year that gave him an eighth term in office.
The Vatican had said fighting corruption in the mineral-rich central African country would be one of the themes of Leo’s visit, and the American pope didn’t hold back in addressing Biya and government authorities in an address at the presidential palace.
“In order for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption—which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility—must be broken,” Leo said. “Hearts must be set free from an idolatrous thirst for profit.” Biya, who at 93 is the world’s oldest leader, sat passively as Leo read his speech in French. Cameroonian television halted its live feed for parts of Leo’s speech, but it wasn’t clear if technical issues were to blame.
The Vatican has made clear that Catholic social teaching disapproves of the types of authoritarian leaders that Leo is encountering on his four-nation African visit.
The highlight of Leo’s visit will be a “peace meeting” on Thursday in Cameroon’s northwest city of Bamenda, which has been plagued by separatist violence.
Pope calls for a ‘bold leap’ BIYA has led Cameroon since 1982 and just Tuesday signed into law a bill that reintroduces the vice president position, a move the
Grads. . .
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In preserving the significance of a graduation ceremony, we recognize the perseverance not only of our students but also of the families that have placed their hope in education. That hope, on the sole account of poverty or economic hardships, should not be taken away,” Yamsuan said. While HB 8618 prohibits educational institutions from preventing students who have completed all academic requirements from joining graduation rites due to unpaid
opposition says will further strengthen his grip on power.
Cameroon’s opposition has contested the result of the Oct. 12 election that secured another victory for Biya. His rival Issa Tchiroma Bakary claims to have won and has called on Cameroonians to reject the official result.
Leo told Biya that Cameroon needed to take “a bold leap forward” to impose transparency in public finances and integrate civil society organizations into the fabric of daily life.
Young people in general—and women in particular—had a vital role to play in bringing Cameroon into a new dawn, he said.
“Their commitment to education, mediation and the rebuilding of the social fabric is unparalleled and serves to curb corruption and abuses of power. For this reason, too, their voice must be fully recognized in decision- making processes,” Leo said.
The pope, who wrote his canon law dissertation on the wielding of authority by Augustinian religious superiors, cited St. Augustine on the correct role of political leaders that he said was relevant today.
“Those who rule serve those whom they seem to command; for they rule not from a love of power, but from a sense of the duty they owe to others,” he said, quoting Augustine.
He added: “From this perspective, serving one’s country means dedicating oneself, with a clear mind and an upright conscience, to the common good of all people in the nation.”
‘Light entering a dark room’
CHEERING Cameroonians gave Leo a raucous welcome, the first pope to visit since Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. They lined the road into the capital Yaounde from the airport, two and
obligations, it also upholds the right of schools to collect outstanding tuition and other fees.
The bill covers all public and private basic education (K-12) schools, higher education institutions, and technical-vocational institutions offering courses lasting more than one year.
To ensure proper identification of financially disadvantaged graduates, the bill provides that a social welfare and development officer of the local government (LGU) or a regional officer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) shall issue certification confirming the
three deep in places, dancing and waving palm fronds as the pope’s motorcade whizzed by.
Many women dressed in identical bright dresses and stood behind banners announcing the name of their parish, while billboards splashed posters of the pope and Biya under the banner “Land of Hope.”
Gerald Mambeh, a Catholic teacher in Yaounde, said the pope’s visit needs to spark genuine dialogue and accountability to achieve lasting peace.
“This visit feels like light entering a dark room…but peace will not come from symbolism alone,” said Mambeh. “In a country where many feel abandoned, his presence feels like God has not forgotten us. Let the pope hear this beyond the politics: Cameroonians are not asking for miracles, we are asking for fairness, dignity, and a future.”
‘Share in the national cake’ CAMEROON has significant reserves of oil, natural gas, cobalt, bauxite, iron ore, gold and diamonds. The extractive sector accounts for nearly a third of the country’s exports, according to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
But rights groups and the Catholic Church say revenues from extraction rarely reach the rural and indigenous communities that live closest to mining and drilling operations, while foreign companies and a small national elite capture most of the profits.
Leo said such a status quo cannot remain.
“Transparency in the management of public resources and respect for the rule of law are essential to restoring trust,” he said.
“It is time to examine our conscience and take a bold leap forward.”
Public official Angelica Ambe Mundi said
student’s disadvantaged status due to calamities, emergencies, force majeure, or other valid reasons.
“For many students and their parents, a graduation ceremony is more than just a formal rite. It is the most tangible symbol of a hope fulfilled. Barring them from taking part in graduation or commencement exercises solely due to unpaid obligations denies them the opportunity to witness, with dignity, the fruits of their sacrifices,” he said.
To safeguard the ability of schools to collect unpaid dues, the bill allows institutions to withhold the release of
she was touched by Leo’s message. After he finished, she stepped forward and gently touched his chair before pressing her hand to her chest. She then knelt in quiet reverence.
“He spoke about the even distribution of state resources... violence comes when people feel disgruntled, when they are marginalized,” she told The Associated Press.
For her, his words cut to the core of Cameroon’s unrest: “People get violent when they are hungry. To stop violence, every Cameroonian must feel they belong—and share in the national cake.”
Pause in fighting
ENGLISH-SPEAKING separatists launched a rebellion in 2017 with the stated goal of breaking away from Cameroon’s Frenchspeaking majority and establishing an independent state. The conflict has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced over 600,000 others, according to the International Crisis Group, a think tank.
On the eve of Leo’s arrival, the Englishspeaking separatists announced a three-day pause in fighting to allow “safe travel” for his visit.
The Unity Alliance, which includes several separatist groups, said in a statement Monday that the pause reflects the “profound spiritual importance” of the pope’s visit and is intended to allow civilians, pilgrims and dignitaries to travel safely.
Biya, who has shunned dialogue with the English-speaking separatists, spoke of a world in need of tolerance and hope as a replacement for “the voice of arms.”
“The world needs the message of peace, justice, tolerance, forgiveness, and love that you embody,” he told Leo.
diplomas and other academic documents until all financial obligations are settled. Schools may also require the submission of a promissory note, withhold student records and credentials, and pursue other legal and administrative remedies to recover unpaid fees.
Under the measure, public and private educational institutions found violating the prohibition may face administrative sanctions to be imposed by the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), or the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), as appropriate.
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However, Move It representative Wayne Jacinto clarified that the perceived increase stemmed from a “miscommunication.” He explained that the additional percentage reflected an optional “ride cover” or insurance feature paid by passengers, which costs an extra P7 per trip.
According to Jacinto, this amount is not part of the riders’ earnings and is not deducted from their base fare.
The company also noted that its base commission currently stands at around 21 percent.
Despite this clarification, Quimbo emphasized that explanations alone are not enough if riders do not feel any real relief in their income. He pointed out that commissions have a direct impact on riders’ take-home pay.
“Commissions are direct…you look at the bottom line, the impact is direct,” he said.
Quimbo then urged Move It and other TNVS operators to consider reducing their base commission—even incrementally— to help riders cope with rising expenses.
“A little compassion—let’s all work together here,” he said, stressing that the oil crisis requires a collective response from both the government and the private sector to protect the livelihood of riders.
Incentives
“INCENTIVES are important because the last thing we want is for drivers to stop operating at a time when the public urgently needs transportation,” he added.
Party-list Rep. Brian Poe of FPJ Bayanihan criticized ride-hailing providers for failing to fulfill their recent commitments to reduce commissions charged to partner drivers.
Poe said several platforms had pledged to lower their commission rates: Angkas from 20 percent to 15 percent, Grab from 20 percent to 18 percent, JoyRide from 20 percent to 15 percent, Move It from 20 percent to 15 percent, and InDrive from 10 percent to 1 percent.
“We didn’t mandate these price cuts. You voluntarily stated under oath that you would implement them for the public good, and we accepted that,” Poe told TNVS representatives.
Poe said he immediately shared the companies’ commitments on social media, but the post drew around 1,900 comments disputing the claims.
“People were saying it wasn’t true,” he said, adding that users sent photos and screenshots showing that commissions had not decreased.
The lawmaker admitted the feedback made him appear misleading and presented sample screenshots to fellow legislators. In one case, a JoyRide trip that cost P162 showed the rider receiving P129 while the platform took P32.40—equivalent to a 20 percent commission.
He added that other data showed even higher rates, with Move It recording commissions of 20.8 percent, 23.4 percent, and 23.1 percent, while Grab transactions reflected 22 percent and 21 percent. InDrive, he noted, remained at 10 percent, as previously stated.
Poe urged ride-hailing companies to make good on their commitments, saying he expects each platform to explain the discrepancies.
He clarified that the promised commission cuts are meant to increase drivers’ take-home earnings and do not translate into lower fares for passengers.
Institutionalize
THE lower chamber, under the leadership of Speaker Faustino Dy III, has given its assurance that the long-delayed Motorcycle Taxi Law will finally be passed during the 20th Congress.
Quimbo said institutionalizing motorcycle taxis and TNVS is part of a broader effort to provide long-term, structural solutions rather than temporary relief.
Citing the directive of Dy, Quimbo assured stakeholders that the measure would be completed within the current Congress. The lawmakers’ commitment followed an emotional appeal from motorcycle taxi leader Romeo Godoy Maglunsod, who urged Congress to finally pass the measure after years of delays across multiple Congresses. Maglunsod said the proposed law has been pending since the 17th Congress, leaving more than 200,000 riders in legal uncertainty.
He emphasized that riders are not asking for financial aid but for reforms that would allow them to earn fairly, including lower fuel costs, reduced platform commissions, and a stable regulatory environment.
He also highlighted the lack of access to basic social protections such as SSS, Pag-IBIG, and PhilHealth, underscoring the urgency of formalizing the sector through legislation.
The proposed Motorcycle Taxi Law aims to formally recognize and regulate motorcycle taxis as a legitimate mode of public transportation, setting standards for accreditation, safety, fares, insurance, and working conditions.
For years, motorcycle taxis have operated under pilot programs overseen by the LTFRB, serving millions of commuters, particularly in congested urban areas.
clearly define how these systems are to be developed, operated, and regulated in unserved and underserved areas.
Overall, the rules will encourage private sector participation and ensure that off-grid communities receive reliable, sustainable, and high-quality electricity service.
“These Rules Governing Microgrid Systems are a crucial step in ensuring that no Filipino community is left behind in our electrification efforts. By establishing a clear, transparent, and investor-friendly regulatory framework, we are enabling the delivery of reliable and affordable electricity to unserved and underserved areas while upholding the highest standards of consumer protection,” said ERC Chairperson Francis Saturnino C. Juan. For those in remote and underserved communities, the rules prioritize the use of renewable and indigenous energy sources, helping stabilize electricity costs and reduce dependence on expensive fuel-based generation.
The ERC also said that the inclusion of Subsidized Approved Retail Rates (SARR) and access to the Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification (UC-ME) to the new rules ensure that electricity remains affordable, bridging the gap between actual costs and consumer rates.
Mother meted out prison term for selling child online
TDevelopers to DHSUD: Speed up approval of licenses to sell
By Carmel Pedroza
CEBU CITY—Property develop -
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
HE Regional Trial Court in Quezon City has sentenced a mother to four to six years imprisonment after finding her guilty beyond reasonable doubt of child abuse for selling her child online.
In a three page decision, Judge Roslyn Rabara-Tria of Branch 94 of the RTC in QC also ordered the mother to pay damages to the victim, amounting to P20,000 each for moral, exemplary, and temperate damages which will earn 6 percent interest per year from the finality of judgment until full payment. In addition, she was ordered to pay a fine of P15,000.
The trial court issued the judgment after the mother pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of violation of Section 10 (a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act instead of Section 10 (a) of RA 7610 in relation RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
“When queried, the accused and her counsel informed the court that the accused fully understands the nature and consequences of her entering a plea of guilty,” the judgment stated.
The DOJ welcomed the trial court’s ruling which it attributed to the efforts of the prosecution panel composed of Assistant State Prosecutor Gino Angelo P. Yanga, Assistant State Prosecutor Criselda B. Teoxon-Yanga, and Prosecution Attorney Angelica H. Sy. It noted that the prosecution panel “ensured the swift and effective resolution of the case while safeguarding the interests of the child victim-survivor.”
“This case underscores the DOJ’s firm commitment to upholding the rights of children and protecting them from abuse and exploitation. The DOJ remains resolute in its duty to pursue justice and will continue to exert its utmost efforts to ensure that offenders are held accountable in accordance with the law,” the DOJ said.
ers are calling on the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to accelerate the issuance of Licenses to Sell (LTS), warning that prolonged delays are disrupting project rollouts and constraining housing supply all over the country.
Industry stakeholders say the slowdown in approvals has become a growing concern, particularly as some developers report waiting months despite having completed all requirements.
Anthony Leuterio, founder of Filipino Homes, pointed to the shift of LTS processing from regional offices to a centralized national system as a key factor behind the backlog.
“No LTS for so many months. Approval is super delayed,” Leuterio said. He explained that centralizing the approval process may have unintentionally
created bottlenecks, with the national office now burdened by the volume of applications it may be struggling to process efficiently.
As a result, timelines for project launches have been pushed back, affecting both developers and buyers.
The slowdown is particularly significant in the primary real estate market, where pre-selling plays a crucial role in financing and sustaining new developments.
“Primary sales are very vital in the development of a city. These are projects that offer five- to six-year payment terms, which most buyers prefer so they can afford to own property,” Leuterio said.
Without the required LTS, developers are legally barred from selling pre-selling units, effectively putting planned launches on hold.
Projects initially slated for rollout in March and April have yet to move forward, adding pressure on developers
managing multiple pending approvals.
“Developers are crying now. All are delayed,” he added.
The ripple effects extend beyond developers to real estate brokers and agents, many of whom depend on a steady pipeline of new inventory to sustain their business.
Key growth areas—including Ormoc, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and General Santos cities—are experiencing delays, alongside established property hubs such as Cebu, Bacolod, Manila, Dumaguete, and Bohol.
Leuterio also warned that the slowdown could limit access to affordable housing, especially for overseas Filipino workers, who often rely on flexible, long-term payment schemes offered through pre-selling developments.
“Philippines needs new projects. These are affordable and designed for long-term payments, especially for OFWs,” he said.
Although official timelines exist for processing LTS applications once requirements are completed, Leuterio noted that approvals ultimately hinge on the agency’s prioritization.
He urged DHSUD to act swiftly, particularly for compliant developers, to prevent further disruptions to the property sector.
“DHSUD must expedite the approval. Developers are now at the mercy of waiting,” he said.
Under current regulations, developers must secure LTS from DHSUD before they can legally market and sell subdivision lots or condominium units, particularly in the pre-selling stage.
The LTS serves as a consumer protection measure, ensuring that projects meet regulatory standards before being offered to buyers.
To obtain an LTS, developers are required to first register their project and submit a comprehensive set of documents.
These typically include approved development plans, proof of land ownership or development rights, zoning clearances, building and environmental permits, and financial documents demonstrating the project’s viability.
A key prerequisite is the development permit issued by the local government unit, which certifies that the project complies with land use and planning regulations.
Only after securing this permit can developers proceed with their LTS application.
Once submitted, the application undergoes technical and legal evaluation by DHSUD.
Authorities review whether the project adheres to national standards on land development, infrastructure provision, and buyer protection measures.
Developers may also be required to post performance bonds or guarantees to ensure project completion.
Local govt councils cannot hold sessions outside jurisdiction
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday reminded all local governments (LGUs) that regular and special council or sanggunian sessions cannot be conducted outside their territorial jurisdiction.
Sanggunians are the legislative
body of local governments. They can be Sangguniang Panlalawigan or provincial board, and in the case of cities or towns, city or municipal councils.
The DILG stressed that local legislation must remain accessible to the people it serves.
Sanggunian sessions are official legislative proceedings of the LGU and, as a general rule, must be held within the locality, as mandated by the Local Government
Displaced families get permanent houses
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
AT least 377 families displaced by previous natural disasters in Mindanao have received permanent housing units from the government, according to the National Housing Authority (NHA).
In a statement, the NHA said the housing units were turned over in Tulunan, Cotabato, covering beneficiaries whose homes were destroyed or deemed unsafe following a series of strong earthquakes that struck parts of the province in 2019.
The 377 units were built in four project sites in Tulunan, with 140 units in barangay Paraiso, 122 in Magbok, 63 in Batang, and 52 in New Caridad.
These were developed under the NHA’s Housing Assistance Program for Calamity Victims (HAPCV), which provides permanent shelter to families affected by natural disasters.
According to the agency, each unit consists of a 27.5-square-meter singledetached structure with a basic layout that includes a living area, bedroom, kitchen, and toilet and bath.
The houses are also equipped with water and electricity connections, in line with minimum livability standards set by the government.
Certificates of award were issued to qualified beneficiaries, formalizing the transfer of the housing units to recipient families.
The NHA said the turnover forms part of its continuing efforts to address housing needs of disaster-affected communities, particularly those displaced by major calamities.
Code. Conducting sessions elsewhere undermines public access to deliberations and decisions that directly affect residents. Sessions held beyond an LGU’s jurisdiction may be questioned before the courts and could expose responsible officials to aadministrative liability, the DILG said.
The DILG, however, recognized limited exceptions in extraordinary and compelling circumstances, including force majeure, natural or human-induced calamities, public
emergencies, and serious threats to safety or security within the LGU. In such cases, any temporary alternative venue must remain open and reasonably accessible to the public and all sanggunian members. Proceedings must also be properly recorded, documented, and reflected in the official minutes.
In a separate reminder, the DILG emphasized that the vice governor or vice mayor, as presiding officers of their respective sanggunian bodies, must be counted in determining quorum to avoid legal questions on the validity of deliberations and enacted measures. At the barangay level, the punong barangay, as presiding officer of the Sangguniang Barangay, must likewise be included in determining quorum. The Department said these rules uphold transparency, legal order, and the people’s right to witness how local decisions are made.
Meralco warns vs meter tampering
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
THE Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has filed a criminal complaint against individuals allegedly involved in the unauthorized removal of an electric meter.
“We would like to emphasize once again that electric meters are property of Meralco and any unauthorized removal or damage is illegal and subject to legal action,” said Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga said.
He further enjoined the public to remain cautious of individuals falsely posing as Meralco personnel. “We once again remind the public that all legitimate Meralco employees and contractors are in uniform with company ID, carry official field orders, and use clearly marked vehicles,” added the Meralco official.
The incident, which happened on April 8, in a subdivision in Rodriguez, Rizal, involved a man who allegedly forcibly removed a resident’s electric meter despite the homeowner’s objections and without presenting any proof of identity or authorization.
Meralco immediately responded to the incident and found out that the individual was acting on orders of the property owner.
The utility firm immediately acted to restore the electricity service of the customer and conducted an investigation.
Meralco filed the criminal complaint for malicious mischief before the Rizal Provincial Prosecution Office against two individuals, citing deliberate damage to
Meralco’s property. “We also urge the public to immediately report these illegal activities to us and to the proper authorities. We will continue to work closely with authorities to address illegal acts and protect the welfare of our customers,” said Zaldarriaga.
Friday, April 17, 2026
Govt releases ₧15-B rice subsidy as Marcos launches aid program amid rising prices
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
THE national government has released P15 billion of the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF)
to finance the rice subsidy program, which was finally launched in Manila by President Ferdinand Marcos last Thursday as more Filipinos struggle with the effects of the Middle East conflict.
The roll-out of the program comes two months after the Chief Executive announced that P58-billion of the LGSF will be distrib -
PSA: Palay
Tuted to local government units (LGU) so they can provide free rice to their constituents.
The program is part of government initiatives to reduce incidents of involuntary food hunger and boost local production of rice.
“As of April 15, the national government has released almost 15 billion pesos for this program,” he said in Filipino.
The President said the recent implementation of the program is timely as the Middle East conflict resulted in higher prices of oil and other basic goods and services.
“We know that when the price of oil increases, the price of other commodities
and corn output seen
also increase, especially food. That’s why we are watching closely what measures we can implement to lessen its impact to the people,” Marcos said.
The Chief Executive was joined by Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso during the under the city’s Biyayang Bigas para Maynila program, which was held in SM City Manila.
Marcos personally helped in handing out the sacks of rice, each weighing 10 kilos, to some of the initial 1,000 beneficiaries to demonstrate his good health to disprove rumors he is sick and bed-ridden.
Last Monday, the President also jogged and did some jumping jacks in Malacañang before the media to end rumors of his alleged illness.
The rice subsidy program in Manila is expected to help reduce the food expenses of an estimated 80,000 families. The distribution of the sacks of rice will be held monthly for six months.
The program will also benefit transport and service workers, who are currently vulnerable from the rising prices of oil and other basic goods and services caused by the Middle East crisis. Farmers will also benefit
from the program by increasing demand for domestically sourced rice.
It is funded by the P286 million released by the Office of the President to the City government of Manila under its Financial Assistance to Local Government Units initiative.
Marcos assured other LGUs will also soon launch their own Biyayang Bigas program in the coming weeks.
“As Yorme [Moreno] said, this is not just in Manila. We will do this nationwide. Manila was the first [to implement the program] because the Office of the Mayor moved quickly here in Manila,” he added.
falling in Q1 as harvest area and yield contract
New National Security Adviser Oban fit for the job - Lacson
By Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
HE country’s palay output likely fell in the first quarter on the back of a contraction in harvest area and yield, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Palay harvest from January to March is projected to decline by 6.9 percent to 4.37 million metric tons (MMT), from the 4.7 MMT posted in the same period last year. The latest paddy rice production estimate was also 1.7 percent lower than the agency’s initial forecast of 4.45 MMT as of January 1. Furthermore, PSA said the estimated harvest area might shrink to 1.08 million hectares in the reference period, a 6.1 percent contraction from the previous year’s 1.15 million hectares.
The state statistics agency said yield per hectare could also dip by 0.7 percent to 4.06 metric tons (MT) from last year’s 4.09 MT.
As of March 1, some 567,090 hectares or 52.6 percent of the updated harvest area had been harvested. This yielded 2.2 MMT of unmilled rice.
The PSA also reported that of the total 1.26 million hectares of standing palay as of March, 35.6 percent were at the maturing stage, 33.7 percent were at the vegetative stage, and 30.8 percent were at the reproductive stage.
“Of the farmer’s planting intentions for January to March 2026 at 1.01 million hectares perceived area, 750.13 thousand hectares or 74.3 percent have been actually planted.
Corn
IN the same report, PSA said corn output in the first quarter could also slid by 3.9 percent to 2.31 MMT from the 2.4 MMT recorded in the previous year. Its updated estimate of corn production also posted a 2.1 percent drop from the recorded 2.36 MMT as of January 1.
Harvest area for corn is forecast to decline by 5.2 percent to 612,820 hectares from 646,650 hectares in the same period last year.
Despite this, PSA said its yield per hectare could inch up by 1.3 percent to 3.77 MT from the previous year’s 3.72 MT. As of March 1, around 377,050 hectares or some 61.5 percent of the 612,820 hectares of updated harvest area had been harvested, which translates to 1.37 MMT.
Of the total area of 508,680 hectares of standing corn, PSA said 40.9 percent were at the maturing stage, 33.1 percent were at the reproductive stage, and 26.0 percent were at the vegetative stage. “Of the farmer’s planting intentions for January to March 2026 at 437.12 thousand hectares perceived area, 272.91 thousand hectares or 62.4 percent have been actually planted.”
foreign policy matters.
₧30 wage hike to hardly impact Zambales agri workers
By Henry Empeño
MASINLOC , Zambales — The new round of daily wage increase for minimum wage earners in Region III would barely benefit workers in the agriculture industry, which is one of the sectors targeted by the wage adjustments, a fisherfolk leader here said.
The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Luzon (RTWPB-3) announced on Monday the implementation of the second tranche of Wage Order No. RBIII-26 that will provide higher daily wages for private sector workers in the region starting April 16. However, majority of those working in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing (AFF) sector won’t profit from the wage hike at all because they are not formally employed as wage earners, said Leonardo Cuaresma, president of the New Masinloc Fishermen’s Association and an officer of the Zambalesbased “Bantay Karagatan.”
“The farmers here mostly earn their keep as sharecroppers, while fishermen get their share on a commission basis, so they won’t feel the impact of this wage increase,” Cuaresma told BusinessMirror on Wednesday.
He pointed out that only a few AFF
workers such as fishing boat captains and operators of mechanized farming equipment are regularly employed, while the rest are contracted out on a per-job basis.
“Even the regular crew of commercial deep-sea fishing boats only get their share from 30 percent of the gross income per fishing trip after all the expenses and the share of the boat operator have been deducted,” Cuaresma explained.
“In farming, 10 percent of the harvest is shared by the contracted laborers,” he added.
Wage Order No. RBIII-26, which was approved in October 2025, set two tranches of wage increase for minimum wage earners in the private sector, with the first tranche amounting from P20 to P40 made effective last October 30.
The RTWPB-3 said the P30 wage adjustment under the second tranche will increase the daily rates for agriculture workers from the current P540 to P570 in the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.
Wages in the non-agriculture sector, meanwhile, will increase from P570 to P600, whereas rates in retail and service sector will rise from P560 to P590.
See “Zambales,” A13
₧5.27B Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay Transmission Line Project completion rate hits 93.16%
THE P5.27 billion Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay Transmission Line Project (NCBTLP) had reached an overall completion rate of 93.16 percent, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). Once fully completed this August, the NCBTLP will help address rising electricity demand, improve system reliability, encourage energy investors to develop renewable energy plants, and reinforce the grid against technical and environmental vulnerabilities that have long affected power stability in the area.
The NCBTLP is expected to benefit around 155,474 residential, 13,388 commercial, and 27 industrial customers by providing a more reliable and stable power supply across the province.
The DOE said it continues to closely monitor the progress of the project construction to help ensure that the long-term power requirements of Boracay and Aklan are met through reliable, resilient, and well-executed transmission infrastructure.
The DOE, Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) inspected the project last April 14.
“We are fast-tracking the completion of this critical project because reliable power is fundamental to economic growth, public service, and the continued development of Boracay and the rest of Aklan,” said DOE Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara. “Our inspection confirms that substantial progress has been made, and the Department remains fully committed to ensuring that this infrastructure is completed on schedule and built to the highest standards of safety, quality, and long-term reliability.”
The site inspection covered key project components, including the Boracay GIS Substation,
and
and Boracay
The Boracay GIS Substation is now 80.25 percent complete, while
DepEd, DPWH step up school construction to close 144,000-classroom gap nationwide
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3
TO directly address the current classroom shortage of over 144,000 units, the Department of Education (DepEd), in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), is intensifying the construction and upgrading of school facilities nationwide, following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo
FedEx volunteers plant 2,000 malunggay trees
in Sierra Madre
EDERAL Express Corporation (FedEx),
Fone of the world’s largest express transportation companies, marked Earth Month with a community-based tree-planting initiative in the Sierra Madre mountain range on April 11.
The activity reinforces the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and reforestation after more than 100 FedEx volunteers collaborated with the GreenEarth Foundation to plant 2,000 malunggay (moringa) trees in San Miguel, Bulacan, covering an estimated 5,000 square meters. Native to the Philippines, the malunggay tree was selected for its resilience, rapid growth, and nutritional and environmental benefits, making it ideal for long-term forest restoration and community livelihood support.
“Environmental stewardship is a shared responsibility,” Maribeth Espinosa, managing director, FedEx Philippines, said in a statement. “Through volunteering, our team members are helping rebuild forest cover, support biodiversity, and strengthen the natural ecosystem that helps surrounding communities thrive.”
The Philippines continues to face significant deforestation challenges, having lost more than a million hectares of tree cover over the past two decades, increasing pressure on ecosystems and climate resilience.
Reforestation efforts such as this initiative help restore vegetation, prevent soil degradation, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for surrounding communities.
This initiative is part of FedEx Cares, the company’s global community engagement program that focuses on making the world a better place through in-kind shipping, volunteerism, and charitable giving. Through FedEx Cares, FedEx continues to support initiatives that create positive social and environmental impact across the communities it serves. Jonathan L. Mayuga
Continued from A12
“Sonny” Angara and Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon led the ceremonial signing of the agreement, which establishes a unified framework for the planning, design and construction of basic education facilities nationwide.
Dahil sa malinaw na layunin ni President Bongbong Marcos na palakasin ang edukasyon, pinapabilis natin ang pagpapatayo ng dekalidad na classrooms. Target nating matugunan agad ang kakulangan at masiguro na may ligtas na espasyo para sa bawat mag-aaral,” Angara said, noting
that it is part of streamlining the implementation of the Basic Education Facilities Program (BEFP).
“Mas pinalakas din natin ang ugnayan ngDepEdatDPWH.Tinitiyaknatingbawat proyekto ay mabilis, maayos, at talagang nakatutok sa tunay na pangangailangan ng mga paaralan,” he added.
The MOA covers the construction, replacement, repair, and rehabilitation of school buildings from kindergarten to senior high school. This includes technical vocational laboratories, facilities in Last
Visayan Electric raises April power rates amid global energy pressures
By Carmel Pedroza
CEBU CITY — Visayan Electric has announced a slight increase in residential electricity rates for April 2026, setting the price at P12.57 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
This marks a P0.21 uptick from March’s rate of P12.36 per kWh.
In a statement sent to members of Cebu media, the private electric utility company explained that the adjustment comes as global energy markets continue to experience instability, influencing local power costs.
Despite these external pressures, the utility said it has taken steps to minimize the impact on consumers by reviewing its power supply agreements and sourcing electricity from more cost-effective options.
“These conditions are largely driven by external factors beyond our control, but our priority has always been to protect our customers from sudden and significant increases,” said Mark Anthony B. Kindica, Visayan Electric’s president and general manager.
“Through disciplined contract management and close coordination with government partners, we have managed this month’s adjustment while ensuring reliable service,” he added.
The company emphasized that these efforts are part of its broader strategy to soften the effects of global energy fluctuations on electricity prices in Cebu City and nearby areas.
For households consuming around 200 kWh monthly, the rate increase will result in an estimated additional P42 on their electricity bills.
With global energy conditions still uncertain, Visayan Electric noted that future rate movements remain possible.
Consumers are advised to adopt energysaving practices, which the company described as the most effective way to manage rising electricity costs.
The utility reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, responsible cost management, and collaboration with government and industry stakeholders, aiming to maintain reliable service while supporting consumers through ongoing market volatility.
Ombudsman orders Quilala to explain within 48 hours Madriaga’s claim that he received money from VP’s confidential funds
TMile Schools, and Learning Continuity Spaces (LCS).
“It’s a testament, I think, to what the President has instructed Sec. Sonny and I to do, which is really to act fast. ‘ Yon naman ang objective naman nating lahat dito. Bilisan natin,” Dizon emphasized.
To ensure inclusivity, the initiative integrates disability access features in addition to water and sanitation facilities.
Under the agreement, DepEd’s responsibilities include providing the school infrastructure master list by the end of May
2026 to identify priority schools, ensuring site readiness, and securing necessary environmental clearances.
DPWH will manage all bidding and construction activities, conduct joint site validations, and ensure all buildings are fully functional and safe, including rectifying any non-conformities reported by DepEd.
To ensure project efficiency, DepEd will transfer funds to DPWH Regional Offices in three tranches: an initial 50% of the budget upon approval of the MOA and Program of
Works (POW), followed by 30% after 75% disbursement of the first release, and the final balance upon further progress and contract submission.
To maintain transparency, DPWH is required to submit monthly status reports to Schools Division Offices and quarterly progress updates to the DepEd Central Office. Through coordinated planning and implementation, DepEd and DPWH aim to deliver fully operational school buildings on time while strengthening accountability across all stages.
Interpol issues red notice vs Atong Ang
ARED notice has been issued by the International Police Organization (Interpol) against fugitive-businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang who is being accused of masterminding the disappearance of more than 30 sabuñgeros or cockfighting enthusiasts four years ago.
An Interpol red notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.
Ang has gone into hiding after several local court issued arrest warrants against him and his co-accused in connection with the various criminal charges filed against them over the missing sabuñgeros case.
The issuance of an Interpol red notice against Ang was requested by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) following the issuance of the arrest warrants.
On Thursday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed to the media the issuance of a red notice against Ang.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) earlier said its database has no record showing Ang had left the country. Earlier, Remulla said intelligence reports indicated that Ang could be hiding in Vietnam.
It may be recalled that the Sta. Cruz Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued an arrest warrant against Ang and 17 other individuals on January 14 in connection with the disappearance of more than 30 cockfighting enthusiasts or sabuñgeros four years ago.
The arrest warrants issued by the Sta. Cruz court covers four counts of kidnapping with homicide and 15 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges filed by the DOJ.
Another warrant was issued by the Lipa City, Batangas RTC against Ang and 20 police
officers for six counts of kidnapping with homicide also in relation to the missing sabuñgeros.
A third arrest warrant was issued last February 12 against Ang six others for kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges in connection with the disappearance of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts four years ago. The arrest warrant was issued by RTC of San Pablo, City Branch 29 Presiding Judge Luvina Padolina Roque on February 6. All the charges against Ang are considered non-bailable offenses. Ang’s camp has filed motions to quash the information and arrest warrants against these courts.
Lawyer Gabriel Villareal, Ang’s counsel, has called the order for Ang’s arrest as “legally questionable,” insisting that it failed to meet the constitutional standards that should have been observed under the circumstances. Joel R. San Juan
In Aurora province, daily minimum wage in the agriculture sector will increase from P515 to P545, and in the non-agriculture sector from P530 to P560. The highest wage hike in the region will be for Aurora’s retail and service sector, which will increase from P475 to P515, or by P40.
RTWPB-3 board secretary Kenneth D. Liza said the second tranche wage adjustments were formulated based on inputs gathered in last year’s public hearings and a review of the socio-economic conditions in Central Luzon.
“The Board recognizes the day-to-day realities now being faced by our workers, as well as the operational pressures on enterprises. This calibrated increase in a way [reassures] that support is extended [to] both sides, to protect jobs and sustain business operations,”Liza added.
Cuaresma, however, lamented that a lot of the supposed beneficiaries would be left out because of apparent gaps in understanding the situation of the AFF sector, which contributes more than 10 percent of the gross domestic product in Region III.
“The wage hike will clearly benefit those who work in factories and offices and commercial establishments, but what about the farmers and fisherfolk who produce our food? Kawawa na naman sila,” Cuaresma said.
The AFF sector counted 10.06 million workers, or 20.6 percent of the country’s total employment as of 2024, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Zambales.
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
HE Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday issued a show-cause order directing Assistant Special Prosecutor Ryan Quilala II to explain his alleged involvement in the allegations of corruption made by alleged kidnapfor-ransom syndicate accused Ramil Madriaga against Vice President Sara Duterte during House Committee on Justice’s impeachment proceedings last Tuesday.
The show-cause order was issued by Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Dante Vargas, chairperson of the OMB-Internal Affairs Board.
The order gave Quilala 48 hours to explain why no disciplinary action should be taken against him.
“This concerns your alleged involvement with Mr. Ramil Madriaga, regarding matters set forth in his notarized affidavit endorsed to this Office by his counsel… for investigation, evaluation, and appropriate disposition,” the order read.
“You are reminded that any proof of your participation in the alleged illegal activities with Mr. Madriaga may subject you to administrative and criminal prosecution,” it added.
The order further noted that charges of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) and the Code and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (RA 6713) may be filed against him if Madriaga’s allegations are proven.
Madriaga claimed before the House Committee on Justice that he was a former aide of the Vice President and acted as her bagman.
He confessed to have delivered cash to various individuals upon the order of the vice president amounting to P125 million in cash drawn from her confidential funds during her term as concurrent education secretary. Madriaga said he was able to dispose the money to various individuals in less than 24 hours, which include Quilala.
The OMB-IAB said Quilala’s failure to submit his explanation within the required period would be construed as admission of the alleged illegal acts. Meanwhile, Assistant Ombudsman Jose Dominic Clavano IV said Quilala should answer the show cause order, since Madriaga’s allegations are “grave” and serious.
However, Clavano said the Ombudsman would defer its judgment on Madriaga’s credibility until they are able to have a face-to-face meeting with him.
Madriaga’s credibility as a witness in the impeachment complaints against Duterte is now being questioned after several individuals have come out with statements contradicting some of his specific allegations.
“I believe that the Ombudsman needs to have an opportunity to observe his demeanor when the time comes. Right now, he’s showing up at the House, and we’ll allow them to do their own questioning there first before we come in,” Clavano said when asked to assess Madriaga’s credibility.
“I believe the credibility will be seen more when we’ll be able to have a face-toface,” he added.
Madriaga’s affidavit is part of the verified complaint for graft and corruption filed by former senator Antonio Trillanes IV before the Ombudsman against Duterte.
Evaluating the strategic shift to electric vehicle manufacturing in PHL
TWO weeks after President Marcos declared a national energy emergency, the Department of Trade and Industry’s announcement of a full-scale switch to electric vehicle (EV) development should be met with both applause and sobriety. Yes, this shift is long overdue. And yes, it has not come too late. But the path ahead is strewn with challenges that no single policy—however ambitious—can easily resolve. (Read the BusinessMirror article— Electrifying the archipelago: Promise and pitfalls of PHL’s EV push, April 15, 2026).
The urgency is undeniable. With over 90 percent of the country’s oil supply sourced abroad, every geopolitical tremor or global price spike lands squarely on Filipino shoulders. Since the war broke out in late February, diesel prices have more than doubled—from under P60 to over P150 per liter. Fishermen have abandoned their boats. Jeepney drivers are contemplating surrender. This is not an energy abstract; this is a daily survival crisis. Against this bleak backdrop, the partnership with Mitsubishi Motors to manufacture hybrid EVs in the country offers a genuine lifeline. Finance Secretary Frederick Go rightly called it “a landmark investment that will redefine the future of our automotive industry.” Electrifying transport could reduce fossil fuel dependence, leverage domestic energy sources—geothermal, solar, wind, hydropower—and accelerate grid modernization across the archipelago. There is also the deeply personal benefit of cleaner air for those who cycle through Metro Manila’s soot-choked streets.
But let us not mistake this initiative for a panacea.
First, infrastructure lags dangerously behind ambition. Fewer than 1,000 public charging stations exist nationwide. Range anxiety is not a psychological quirk; it is a practical barrier. Charging networks must span urban centers, highways, and provincial areas—in tandem with vehicle production, not as an afterthought.
Second, EVs only make economic sense if electricity is affordable. The Philippines has among Asia’s highest electricity rates—Meralco’s April 2026 rate stood at P14.35 per kilowatt-hour, compared to roughly P5 to P8 in Vietnam and Indonesia. Charging EVs with expensive, coal-dependent power merely swaps one fossil fuel addiction for another. Locally generated renewable energy is not a complement to the EV transition—it is a prerequisite.
Third, EVs do not solve traffic congestion. Lower operating costs could inadvertently encourage more private vehicle ownership, worsening Metro Manila’s gridlock. The real solution remains low-carbon public transportation: dedicated bike lanes, efficient train systems, and modernized jeepney fleets. EVs must complement mass transit, not delay it.
Finally, supply chains demand scrutiny. The Philippines possesses rich nickel reserves—critical for EV batteries. But a November 2025 report by Climate Rights International, alongside investigations by Amnesty International and Electronics Watch, documented severe deforestation, water pollution, and human rights abuses in Caraga and Palawan. Some automakers have lagged in responsible sourcing. As we enter this industry, strong regulatory frameworks, transparency, and adherence to environmental and human rights standards are non-negotiable.
The EV transition is not a silver bullet. It is a lever—one that requires three pillars: a shift toward public-oriented, low-carbon transport; a decisive push for locally generated renewable energy to lower electricity costs; and the establishment of green, transparent supply chains aligned with global best practices.
If approached thoughtfully, this initiative could position the Philippines as a model for sustainable development among archipelagic nations—reimagining how energy, mobility, and industry intersect for the 21st century. The fossil fuel crisis has cracked open a window of opportunity. Let us seize it wisely, strategically, and with eyes wide open.
PHL’s high fuel prices closely linked to the Oil Deregulation Law
THE persistently high fuel prices in the Philippines are closely tied to the Oil Deregulation Law. Fuel prices in the Philippines are high because the government has chosen to surrender price-setting to private oil firms,” research group IBON Foundation Executive Director Sonny Africa said.
The implications of the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are immediate for the Philippines as one of the most energy-sensitive economies in Asia.
The Philippines sources over 96 percent of its crude oil imports from the Middle East, making it highly vulnerable to global price swings.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Oman and Iran, connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is the primary route for oil from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Iraq, and Qatar and provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.
The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most important oil chokepoint because large volumes of oil flow through the strait, estimated in 2025 to be around 15 million barrels (2.4 million cubic meters) of oil per day.
Chokepoints are narrow channels along widely used global sea routes that are critical to global energy se-
curity. The inability of oil to transit a major chokepoint, even temporarily, can create substantial supply delays and raise shipping costs, increasing world energy prices.
On March 2, 2026, the Strait of Hormuz was closed with warnings from the Iranian armed forces that any ship that entered the strait will be set on fire.
As of April 2026, shipping is severely disrupted by the US-Iran war, with daily traffic falling to about seven ships compared to over 130 previously, raising fears of massive oil price spikes.
IBON noted that countries in the region with stronger state participation and vertically integrated oil industries are better able to stabilize domestic prices and protect consumers.
In contrast, the Philippines, along with Singapore, has minimal state intervention, with government response limited to adjusting taxes while leaving pump prices to so-
called market forces.
IBON noted that the fuel prices in the Philippines are now among the highest in ASEAN and a major driver of higher inflation.
“Oil isn’t a simple commodity but an input used widely across the economy, yet the Oil Deregulation Law allows oil companies to price freely according to whatever maximizes their profits. This is made worse by high fuel taxes which just further amplify imported price shocks,” Africa added.
Due to Republic Act 8479 entitled “Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998” approved on February 10, 1998, the Philippine government effectively reduced its control on oil-related pricing activity and trade restrictions.
Prior to RA 8479, the Energy Regulatory Board took into account the dollar cost of imported crude oil and the foreign exchange rate, and fixed prices of petroleum products.
A budgetary allocation maintained by the national government called the Oil Price Stabilization Fund (OPSF) automatically absorbed any price change incurred by the oil companies in importing crude oil, which is not reflected in the selling price.
Deregulation generally means the lifting of government control and letting market forces work in the business.
There are four major reasons why the oil industry was deregulated: to stabilize and provide reasonable prices; to encourage competition; to encourage investments; and to re -
move cross product subsidies.
For the local oil downstream industry, the concept of deregulation covers: a) price decontrol; and b) removal of restrictions on the establishment and operation of facilities as well as the importation and exportation of crude oil and petroleum products.
Higher oil prices feed directly into inflation, local currency and interest rate expectations, which manifest in the increasing transport, utilities and food prices.
IBON pointed out that oil firms’ use of “replacement cost” pricing has enabled substantial windfall profits, estimated at around P46.5 billion in March alone, or roughly P1.5 billion daily.
These gains come at the expense of the 21.1 million poorest, low-income, and lower middle-class Filipino families already struggling with rising costs of living even before the oil shocks.
IBON warned that rising fuel costs will further drive inflation, with March inflation already accelerating to 4.1 percent, and hitting the poorest households even harder.
IBON called on the Marcos administration to take decisive action, including asserting public control of the oil industry, removing fuel taxes, and establishing stronger state mechanisms to manage oil supply and pricing in the public interest.
Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez. com, or call 0908-8665786.
The adobo index and how inflation hits Filipino tables
WHAT could your P50 get you? Fifteen years ago, you could get a Jollibee burger steak meal for just P39. Add P10 for a drink, and you had a complete meal for under P50. Today, the cost of the same burger steak approaches P100, depending on the branch. This is an instance of inflation, which is the general increase in prices over time.
How exactly do we measure inflation, and what does it mean for Filipinos?
Inflation is primarily measured using changes in the consumer price index (CPI), which tracks the weighted price of a market basket of goods and services typically consumed by Filipino households. Although the CPI is a standard economic indicator, its changes are not always intuitive and can be difficult to interpret
for the common Filipino household. To reflect how consumers experience inflation, it has been common to develop informal price indices, particularly in measuring the rising cost of food products. For instance, in 1986, The Economist introduced the Big Mac Index, a measure of purchasing power that tracks the price of the McDonald’s signature hamburger in different countries. For coffee lovers, the Starbucks Latte Index offers a
similar measure and may be more intuitive. In the Philippines, we have our own version of an informal price index: the Adobo Index.
Introduced by Filipino food writer Ige Ramos, the Adobo Index tracks the purchasing power of the minimum wage in NCR by analyzing the price of a standard carinderia ulam or meal. Based on data from a sample of carinderias and government data for minimum wage, Ramos presents a measure of inflation that reflects Filipinos’ economic access to food. The index shows that between 2015 and 2025, the price of a carinderia meal rose from P35 to P75 (114 percent), while the minimum wage for non-agricultural workers increased from just P481 to P645 (34 percent).
By comparison, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) show that food inflation over the same period was 47 percent, far below the 114 percent rise in carinderia meal prices. Overall inflation was lower still, at 41 percent. The Adobo Index reveals a harsher reality of inflation in the Philippines. In the past decade, meal prices have
doubled while wages have lagged behind, magnifying the loss in purchasing power for minimum-wage earners. Poorer households are hit harder by rising food prices, reflecting a well-known empirical economic regularity given the name Engel’s Law (after the German economist Ernst Engel), which states that as household income rises, the proportion spent on food decreases even as total food expenditure increases. Alternatively stated, this means that food expenditure eats up a much greater share of the income of low-income households compared to higher-income
EAGLE WATCH
Daniel Isaac Fabella
Amicus Cuariae
Dennis Gorecho
US and Iran
weigh
truce extension with Hormuz still shuttered
TBy Salma El Wardany, Eric Martin & Alisa Odenheimer
HE US and Iran are considering a two-week ceasefire extension to allow more time to negotiate a peace deal, according to a person familiar with the matter, reducing the risk of renewed fighting despite an intensifying standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.
With the initial truce due to expire next week, mediators are seeking technical talks to overcome the most contentious issues preventing a longer-term agreement, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive matters. Those include reopening Hormuz and the future of Iran’s nuclear program.
Tensions remain high over the strait, a critical waterway for oil and gas that’s been effectively shuttered since the start of the war almost seven weeks ago. The US has set up a naval blockade to cut off Iranian shipments, and said Wednesday that 10 vessels have been forced to turn around. Tehran is keeping the strait closed to most other traffic.
The standoff has reduced transit to a trickle, exacerbating an energy supply crisis that threatens the global economy.
Fighting between the US and Iran has been on hold since about April 8, shortly after a two-week ceasefire was announced by President Donald Trump the previous evening. An initial round of peace talks was held in Pakistan last weekend, though participants including US Vice President JD Vance departed without a deal.
The US hasn’t “formally requested an extension of the ceasefire,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday. But she acknowledged “we remain very much engaged in these negotiations.”
The US is sending thousands of additional troops to the Middle East in the coming days to pressure Tehran into making a deal or to prepare for strikes if the ceasefire ends, the Washington Post reported, citing current and former officials it didn’t name. The forces include about 6,000 troops on the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and in its strike force.
Pakistan’s military said a delegation from the country arrived in Iran on Wednesday, with Islamabad continuing to mediate between the sides.
Iran sees a prolonging of the US blockade as “a prelude to a breach of the ceasefire,” said Ali Abdollahi, the commander of Iran’s joint military headquarters, according to state TV. Iran’s armed forces “will not permit any exports or imports to continue in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman or the Red Sea” if the blockade continues, he said. Oil steadied on signs the US and Iran may restart talks. Brent was stable below $95 a barrel after ending Wednesday barely changed — well below last month’s peak of nearly $120.
While Israel joined the US in halting attacks on Iran last week, its military has kept up the campaign against Tehran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, complicating the broader push for peace.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he told the Israeli military—which invaded Lebanon last month—to expand the buffer zone it’s seeking to establish inside the country.
Negotiations are taking place about a potential ceasefire, Israel’s state-owned Kan News reported earlier Wednesday, citing an unnamed official, who added no decision has been made. The leaders of Israel and Lebanon will hold talks Thursday, Trump said in a post on social media. “It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years,” he said, without giving details on the
UK aid budget threatened by funding deal for housing refugees
By Philip Aldrick
HUNDREDS of millions of pounds of aid spending are at risk under the terms of a funding settlement to manage the cost of housing people seeking asylum in the UK.
The deal struck last year will see the Home Office receive around £2 billion ($2.7 billion) a year to support refugees—about a fifth of the total foreign development budget.
Tensions remain high over the strait, a critical waterway for oil and gas that’s been effectively shuttered since the start of the war almost seven weeks ago. The US has set up a naval blockade to cut off Iranian shipments, and said Wednesday that 10 vessels have been forced to turn around. Tehran is keeping the strait closed to most other traffic.
format of the discussions.
Talks between Israel and the government in Beirut—which has little sway over Hezbollah—began Tuesday in Washington. The conflict has killed more than 2,000 people and displaced a million, according to Lebanese authorities.
Those negotiations aren’t linked to the US-Iran talks, according to a senior American official. The US wants a durable peace in Lebanon but did not demand an immediate ceasefire, the official said.
Trump has vacillated between declaring the conflict with Iran nearly won and threatening escalation, while questions remain about what drove the US and Israel to launch the latest bombardment— chief among them concerns over Iran’s nuclear program. Trump told the New York Post he’s unhappy about reports that the US proposed a two-decade moratorium on enrichment, saying Iran must never be allowed to have nuclear weapons.
The whereabouts of Iran’s uranium have been unknown since the US and Israel bombed the country’s nuclear facilities in June last year, and International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have been barred access since then.
Iran has always said it isn’t pursuing a weapons program. The country’s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy “cannot be revoked,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told reporters Wednesday. However, the level and type of enrichment are “negotiable,” he added.
Trump pulled out of a global accord to limit Iran’s nuclear program during his first term. In the past year, his envoys held several rounds of meetings with Iranian counterparts to discuss a potential replacement. In February, Iran made offers that went beyond the 2015 accord, according to Omani officials mediating those talks—which were broken off when the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
John Kerry, who as secretary of state in the Obama administration was a key player in Iran nuclear negotiations in the 2010s, told Bloomberg TV that Trump’s blockade could be a “smart decision” to pressure Iran, but only if the US is prepared to compromise. From Iran’s perspective, he said, “they’d love it if people who make an agreement with them were to keep the agreement. And that’s part of their fear here, that there is no trust.”
Even with a deal, restoring Gulf energy flows may take time, adding to fears of global inflation. There are also concerns about disruptions to other supplies, particularly fertilizer, where shortages could hurt food output and raise prices.
The United Nations is ready to set up a corridor to move fertilizer through Hormuz in time for planting, though it hinges on a political agreement, according to a top UN official. With assistance from Patrick Sykes, Jeff Mason, Jon Herskovitz and Chelsea Mes/ Bloomberg
However, the independent body that scrutinizes UK aid spending revealed last month that any savings the Home Office makes can be recycled into domestic priorities, such as policing or counter terrorism, rather than aid.
The arrangement threatens to pile further pressure on an already stretched aid budget and jeopardize a government commitment to spend 0.3 percent of GDP on official development assistance, with consequences for some of the world’s poorest and most unstable countries.
Last month, the Independent Commission for Aid Impact warned that the deal poses a “real risk” of undershooting the target. It said it has seen a document that confirms “the Home Secretary can keep any ODA asylum underspends and recycle
them into the regular Home Office budget.” The ICAI did not name the source of the document.
The Home Office declined to comment but the Foreign Office, which oversees ODA, confirmed the Home Office will manage any change to spending on asylum housing within its own wider budget.
ODA is due to be cut from 0.5% of national income to 0.3 percent in 2027, around £10 billion, to pay for an equivalent increase in defense spending as Britain and other European nations try to reduce their reliance on US military support.
The reduction, to less than half the 0.7 percent of GDP spent seven years ago, has prompted opposition from several lawmakers, including former development minister Anneliese Dodds who resigned in protest last year.
Sarah Champion, a fellow Labour MP and chair of the International Development Committee, told Bloomberg she “would be concerned to see
aid spending fall below 0.3%” and urged Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to ensure any Home Office savings are used on “crucial development spending.” So-called in-donor refugee costs cover spending to support asylum seekers, including food and shelter, during the first 12 months of their stay. They peaked at over £4 billion in 2023 as rental contracts in over 400 hotels soared to almost £7 million a day at one stage.
The issue has become a flashpoint in British politics, sparking community tensions and fueling support for Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party. Around 31,000 asylum seekers were living in hotels at the end of December.
That figure is down a fifth on the year, and the government plans to phase out the use of migrant hotels entirely by 2029. This week it announced 11 closures to “accelerate” the program. Official figures last week showed that in-donor refugee costs totaled £2.4 billion in 2025.
The Home Office was given IDRC allocations at the Spending Review last June for the three years to 202829 but has not disclosed them. However, Bloomberg calculations from the tables show the allocations total just over £2 billion in 2026-27, £1.8
billion in 2027-28 and £1.6 billion in 2028-29. The Foreign Office did not dispute the numbers.
Britain was already facing deep aid cuts. The overall budget will drop to £9.4 billion in 2028-29 from £13.3 billion last year, funding for humanitarian emergencies will be reduced by 15 percent and countries including Afghanistan, Somalia, Mozambique and Pakistan will lose direct support. Alongside the Home Office deal last year, David Lammy, foreign secretary at the time, decided to fix the Foreign Office budget in cash terms to “provide greater certainty in spending plans.” That decision has already cost about £200 million because the March 2025 forecasts on which the settlement was based have been revised higher. However, the Iran war is likely to hit growth, which makes the cash settlement look prudent.
“The certainty the cash settlement provides for UK aid spending over the next three years is especially welcome given the likely negative economic impact of the US-IsraelIran war,” Champion said.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We have fixed the ODA budget in cash terms from 2025-2026 onwards in order to improve budget stability.” Bloomberg
China’s economy revs up despite war as growth tops forecasts
CHINA’S economic growth rebounded more than expected in the first quarter of 2026, suggesting limited spillovers so far from the war in Iran but revealing few signs of turnaround in weak consumer spending.
Powered by strong manufacturing and exports, gross domestic product expanded 5 percent from a year ago, the fastest in three quarters, according to a statement from the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. GDP also saw the quickest sequential growth since the final three months of 2024, with a gain of 1.3 percent from the prior quarter on a seasonally adjusted non-annualized basis.
Highlighting the divergence between major parts of the economy, industrial output grew a more-thanforecast 5.7 percent in March from a year ago. By contrast, retail sales fell short of expectations and increased 1.7 percent, weakening from the 2.8 percent expansion in the first two months.
“The manufacturing side of the economy remains resilient and is still a key near-term growth anchor,” said Hao Zhou, chief economist at Guotai Junan International in Hong Kong. “Looking ahead, China’s macro agenda is likely to center on two intertwined priorities: reflation and boosting domestic demand.”
The war, now in its seventh week, has yet to threaten the momentum that built at the start of 2026, thanks in part to China’s moves in past years to strengthen energy security and insulate its economy from global turmoil. Years of deflationary pressure have also blunted the potential for an immediate impact on consumer prices from higher oil costs.
Despite little evidence of improvement in domestic demand, the latest official assessment of the economy will likely reduce the urgency for additional stimulus, especially after Beijing adopted a more flexible approach toward growth by lowering its GDP goal to a range of 4.5 percent to 5 percent—the lowest since 1991.
The GDP expansion pace stands out especially because growth was
Eagle
Watch. . . continued from A14
decile. Furthermore, the bottom decile earns P12,000 a month on average, allocating slightly more than P6,000 a month for food—roughly P200 per day.
P200 can only buy about two and half carinderia meals, based on the Adobo Index, whereas the average family size for households in the poorest income decile is close to 6, which means P200 is not even enough for one full carinderia meal
particularly strong a year ago due to a rush of exports before US tariffs kicked in. That created a high base of comparison, and prompted Mao Shengyong, deputy commissioner at the NBS, to describe the result as “precious” given the “severe” external environment.
“Overall, the main macro indicators rebounded in the first quarter, and new drivers are growing rapidly,” Mao said at a briefing in Beijing. “But we also need to see that the external situation is more complex and volatile, and the imbalance between strong domestic supply and weak demand is still stark.”
Rapid growth in tech sectors continued to drive industrial production as well as exports, which surged 15 percent in the first quarter from a year ago.
High-tech output expanded 12.5 percent in the first quarter, much faster than the 6.4 percent gain in manufacturing as a whole. Industrial robots and integrated circuits surged 33 percent and 24 percent respectively. Overall, manufacturing contributed nearly a third of economic growth in the quarter, according to Mao.
“The good news in China’s GDP report—a sharp acceleration in growth marks a strong start to the year. Less good—it’s on a shaky foundation. Domestic drivers sputtered, with retail sales and investment slowing,” said Bloomberg economists Chang Shu and David Qu.
In a sign of ripples from the energy crisis stemming from the war in Iran, the output of refined oil fell 2.2 percent in March. That showed refiners cut run rates to conserve supplies snarled by conflict in the Middle East.
Contrasting with the strong gains made by factories, consumer spending and private investment
for all members. Given the current oil crisis driven by the conflict in Iran, the inflation outlook is worsening for families living on P200 a day for food. The surge in oil prices is already pushing up transportation and electricity costs, and with higher shipping and production costs, food prices are likely to follow. Efforts are underway to ease the impact, from local government fuel subsidies to coordination between national agencies and strategic partners. But given the uncertainty of the conflict, rising food prices continue to threaten
The war, now in its seventh week, has yet to threaten the momentum that built at the start of 2026, thanks in part to China’s moves in past years to strengthen energy security and insulate its economy from global turmoil. Years of deflationary pressure have also blunted the potential for an immediate impact on consumer prices from higher oil costs.
continued to cool, resulting in an increasingly lopsided economy. The surveyed urban jobless rate unexpectedly climbed in March to 5.4 percent, the highest in a year.
Fixed-asset investment gained 1.7 percent in the first three months of the year, slightly weaker than the 1.8 percent increase in the first two months. Property investment slumped 11.2%. Private investment declined in the period for the first time on record, outside the pandemic year of 2020.
“It’s too soon to call China out of the doldrums,” said Carlos Casanova, senior Asia economist at Union Bancaire Privee in Hong Kong. “Weakness in the private sector is feeding into rising unemployment—an increasingly sensitive political issue likely to prompt targeted stimulus, especially given the private sector’s outsized role in job creation.”
A major drag on retail sales came from purchases of cars, furniture and home appliances, which led declines in March by dropping 12 percent, 9 percent and 5 percent, respectively. That reflected a diminishing impact of the government’s trade-in subsidies, a program that was scaled back for cars this year. The Communist Party’s ruling Politburo is set to hold a meeting focusing on the economy at the end of April, where it will provide clues about future policies.
Some economists are expecting only targeted policy help. Officials will likely hold off on major stimu-
food security for Filipinos. The Philippine Statistics Authority recently reported that inflation rose from 2.4 percent in February 2026 to 4.1 percent in March 2026, exceeding the BSP projection of 3.1 to 3.9 percent. Food inflation for the bottom 30 percent income households was slightly higher, at 4.2 percent. Addressing inflation, then, is not only a matter of monetary policy, but of ensuring food remains accessible.
lus until the economy encounters a major speed bump.
“We expect the policymakers to focus on implementing existing policy easing measures,” said Xiaojia Zhi, an economist at Credit Agricole CIB. “They will likely introduce targeted fiscal support and relief measures to manage the energy price shocks and alleviate cost pressures.”
Zhi also expects public spending on strategic investment projects to accelerate, since the Iran conflict will reinforce China’s determination to strengthen national security. This would also help cushion any nearterm growth pressures if external demand deteriorates, she added.
A rising number of economists is forecasting the People’s Bank of China won’t cut interest rates this year, because the oil shock pushed up inflation expectations.
Still, Bloomberg Economics predicts the PBOC will loosen policy this quarter by lowering the reserve requirement ratio by 25 basis points, followed by additional fiscal stimulus from the government later in the year, in an effort to “turn up support” and maintain China’s easing stance. Economy-wide prices didn’t rise in the first quarter as some analysts had expected, even though their decline narrowed as a result of the oil shock. Producer prices turned positive in March for the first time after three and a half years of deflation. The GDP deflator, a measure of price changes across the economy, fell 0.1 percent in the first quarter, according to calculations by Bloomberg based on official nominal and real growth numbers. That’s the 12th straight quarter of decline.
“Weak labor demand is weighing on consumption,” said Raymond Yeung, chief economist for Greater China at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. “The momentum remains manufacturing-driven. Given the Middle East conflict and potential disruption to energy supply, we see the downside risk to growth.” With assistance from Jacob Gu, Jing Li and Qianwei Zhang/Bloomberg
help affected families afford basic needs, ensure supply chains run efficiently to prevent unnecessary price spikes, and design wage policies that keep up with the rising cost of living. We often talk about inflation in percentages, but for millions of Filipinos, it is measured in meals missed. Sometimes, the best economic indicator is the price of dinner.
to
It is important that policymakers continue to implement and enhance programs that target
2nd Front Page
BusinessMirror
PCCI: Job loss, closures real risks as fuel hikes hurt firms
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio @blessogerio
RISINGfuel prices are tightening margins across Philippine businesses, forcing some to consider cutting jobs or risk shutting down, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said, as it renewed calls for temporary tax relief and policy adjustments to cushion the impact.
The group said fuel remains a “non-negotiable” cost for most enterprises, particularly for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which account for about 99.5 percent of registered businesses in the country.
For many of these firms, energy and transport expenses already make up a substantial share of total overhead, it said.
“Meanwhile, our country already has some of the highest logistics costs in the Asean region. Adding high fuel taxes to these costs further erodes the competitiveness of Philippine-made products in the global market,” the PCCI said. Under the current setup, the group said businesses are grappling
with elevated operating costs, with energy and fuel accounting for an estimated 30 percent to 40 percent of total expenses.
The PCCI said a proposed relief measure, anchored on redirecting revenues from the Malampaya gas field, could reduce overall overhead by 10 percent to 15 percent. They also warned that sustained fuel price increases could trigger “second-round” effects, including higher food prices and transport fares, which would feed into inflation.
In contrast, it said the proposed policy mix could help stabilize the Consumer Price Index by easing cost pressures across supply chains.
On the fiscal front, the PCCI noted that the government currently relies
heavily on taxes imposed on consumers to manage the deficit.
It argued that tapping Malampaya royalties as an alternative funding source for temporary tax relief would ease the burden on both businesses and households.
Further, the chamber said the current environment has pushed firms to adopt a cautious stance, with many delaying expansion plans and freezing hiring. Lower input costs under the proposed measures, it added, could encourage a rebound in capital expenditures.
On the other hand, consumer spending has also been constrained, with households focusing largely on essential goods. The PCCI said easing fuel costs could increase disposable income and help revive retail activity.
“Government must prioritize the
’25 GAMING REVENUE UP 6.39%, BUT Q4 REVENUE DOWN 18.65%
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
Gproductivity of the private sector as the primary engine of recovery,” the group said, warning that while a projected P136-billion revenue loss from tax relief is significant, a stagnant economy marked by business closures and weak demand would be more damaging over time.
The group also urged policymakers to treat the current situation as an opportunity to strengthen long-term energy security. It proposed using Malampaya dividends to fund tax relief while accelerating domestic energy exploration.
Among its other recommendations are the temporary suspension of fuel excise taxes under Republic Act 12316, a time-bound value-added tax holiday on fuel and the creation of an Energy Sovereignty Fund sourced from Malampaya revenues.
It also called for stricter enforcement against fuel smuggling, faster approvals for energy projects, and targeted subsidies for transport and agriculture to ensure savings reach consumers.
ROSS gaming revenues (GGR) generated by the Philippine gaming industry rose to P396.14 billion last year, but fourth-quarter revenues declined by 18.65 percent.
The Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) announced on Thursday that the country’s GGR grew by 6.39 percent from P372.33 billion in 2024.
“The 2025 GGR performance underscores the importance of regulatory balance as the industry evolves,” Pagcor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro H. Tengco said in a statement.
Pagcor data showed that the electronic and online gaming segment brought in half or P201.115 billion of the total industry’s gaming revenues in 2025, higher by 30.04 percent from P154.66 billion in 2024. This segment, consisting of the e-bingo, e-games, bingo grantees and onsite and offsite poker, has overtaken licensed casinos as the biggest GGR contributor.
Licensed casinos posted fullyear revenue of P182.50 billion, down by 9.58 percent from P201.84 billion in 2024. Likewise, Pagcor-operated casinos posted a 20.95-percent de -
Pag-IBIG Fund, CHED push affordable rental housing for SUCs nationwide
PAG -IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Marilene C. Acosta addresses participants during the consultative meeting for Project BALAY: Bridging Access to Learning, held on April 15, 2026, at the CHED Auditorium in Quezon City. The initiative, a strategic partnership between Pag-IBIG Fund and the Commission on Higher Education, seeks to expand access to affordable rental housing for educators, students, and non-teaching personnel in state universities and colleges nationwide.
During the meeting, Pag-IBIG Fund presented its Rental Housing Construction Loan program, which offers state universities and colleges financing at a subsidized interest rate of 3 percent per annum for the first 10 years, payable for up to 30 years. Pag-IBIG Fund has allocated P6.3 billion to support the develop -
ment of dormitories and rental housing facilities within or near campuses. Also present were Pag-IBIG Fund Deputy Chief Executive Officer Alexander Hilario G. Aguilar, Commission on Higher Education Commissioners Dr. Ricmar Aquino and Dr. Myrna Mallari, Officer-inCharge Deputy Executive Director Ian Evangelista, and Director Aline Magalong. Discussions focused on practical and sustainable housing solutions tailored to the needs of the academic community. The consultative meeting gathered more than 30 state universities and colleges, with participants providing inputs on site development, financing, and implementation. To date, 11 state universities and colleges have already engaged with Pag-IBIG Fund, reflecting strong momentum for the program’s nationwide rollout.
Tengco said the 2025 GGR shows the increasing significance of online gaming to the industry’s overall performance. Tengco said the changes in digital payment systems were implemented to improve transaction traceability, protect players and strengthen confidence in regulated online gaming.
Despite the modest yearon-year growth, GGR in the fourth quarter alone dropped to P86.867 billion, an 18.65-percent decline from P106.785 billion in the same period in 2024. This was due to the slump in both the electronic and online gaming segments and licensed casinos. To recall, e-wallets were delinked from online gambling sites in August last year, which resulted in a decline in activity, in the government’s bid to protect players from financial ruin as online games rose to popularity in the country.
“Our objective is not simply to grow revenues, but to ensure that growth is sustainable, transparent, and compliant because of a stronger regulatory environment that supports the long-term stability of the gaming industry,” Tengco said.
More jobs for Pinoys seen in Albania, says DMW
ORE overseas Filipino workers (OFW) may soon find employment opportunities in Albania after the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said it is now strengthening its bilateral labor ties with the European country.
This as Albania is eyeing to recruit 20,000 jobs foreign workers to address its labor shortage in its tourism, hospitality, and service sectors.
On Wednesday, DMW Undersecretary Felicitas Q. Bay and Assistant Secretary Levinson C. Alcantara met with Non-Resident Ambassadordesignate of Albania to the Philippines, Ermal Muça to discuss how to better facilitate the deployment of OFWs in Albania.
“During their discussions, both sides agreed to strengthen labor mobility arrangements further and improve systems to support the safe and orderly deployment of workers,” DMW said.
Muça noted the arrangement may pave the way for better access for OFWs in Albania, while ensuring they have fair working conditions, and protection against illegal recruitment.
DMW also welcomed the development since it will provide OFWs with “greater access to livelihood opportunities that will ensure a better future for their families.”
cline in revenues, from P15.83 billion in 2024 to P12.52 billion in 2025.
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
Shakey’s earnings slide on weak consumption in 2025
By VG Cabuag @villygc
SHAKEY’S Pizza Asia Ventures
Inc. on Thursday said its net income last year fell 32 percent to P816 million from the P1.19 billion recorded in 2024, partly due to its lackluster performance in the fourth quarter.
Excluding one-off items recognized in second quarter, its core income fell 20 percent to P952 million.
Systemwide sales reached P24.8 billion in 2025, 14 percent higher than the previous year.
Revenues reached P16.04 billion, up 11 percent from the previous P14.45 billion.
In 2025, the company said both Shakey’s and Potato Corner brands reinforced their market leadership
positions, gaining share in their respective categories.
The other brands include PeriPeri Charcoal Chicken, R&B Milktea and Project Pie. This diversified portfolio allows the group to serve a range of consumer occasions and price points, providing a degree of resilience to the business across economic cycles, it said. Last year, Shakey’s opened 351 new stores and outlets, ending the
year with a total of 2,970 units in its global network. Approximately 16 percent of these stores are international stores.
Meanwhile, against a backdrop of soft consumer confidence and operating headwinds, the group saw same-store sales growth at 1 percent.
Fourth quarter systemwide sales growth mirrored the fullyear level at 14 percent.
During this period, the group doubled down on new store openings with 163 new units. However, continued weakness in consumption led to a muted holiday season, and same-store sales remained flattish for the quarter.
“2025 proved to be a challenging year but one that we didn’t take lying down. Efforts were implemented to unlock more efficiencies in our business model, from improving store-level profitability to tightening cost management across our supply chain and expan -
sion program. At the same time, we needed to stimulate demand amid a strained consumer environment,”
Vicente T. Gregorio, the company’s president and CEO, said.
“Entering 2026, our operating landscape has become even more complex, muddied by geopolitical tension and its impact on the macroeconomic environment. Hence, we place our focus on what we can control: reinforcing business resilience. This means keeping our core brands relevant, optimizing our network while pursuing sustainable expansion, and driving cost discipline.”
While the group saw a lackluster holiday season in the fourth quarter, Gregorio said the company’s multi-brand portfolio gave business flexibility to capture demand.
In this environment, casual dining saw softer demand for group occasions, while value-oriented formats like Potato Corner kiosks bucked the trend and performed well.
First Gen clarifies leadership clause
FBy Lenie Lectura @llectura
IRST Gen Corp. on Thursday
clarified that the Change of Management Control (CMC) provisions in its agreements with Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. (Prime Infra) are meant to protect its business partners.
“It is recognized as a relatively standard provision often in contracts for projects in industries such as energy and infrastructure which involve huge investments,” the company said in a statement.
First Gen said the provision is also known as the “Key Man Clause,” because the success of projects under contracts with this provision depends heavily on the competence, relationships or reputation of certain key individuals whose continued active involvement is deemed essential by the party requesting the clause.
In the case of First Gen’s agreement with Prime Infra subsidiary Prime Hydropower Energy Inc. (PHEI), it is First Gen Chairman Federico “Piki” R. Lopez and his designees that Prime Infra recognizes as
Topline ties up with Robinsons Retail
LISTED fuel distributor and retailer Top Line Business Development Corp. (Topline), through its affiliate, Topline Properties and Development Corp., has partnered with Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (Robinsons Retail), naming its convenience store brand Uncle John’s as the anchor tenant for all Tier 1 Light Fuels stations. Under the partnership, Uncle John’s stores will be integrated into Topline’s full-service Tier 1 Light Fuels stations, enhancing customer convenience while expected to strengthen the Company’s non-fuel revenue streams through commercial leasing.
“Our partnership with Robinsons Retail elevates the Light Fuels experience by combining mobility and everyday convenience in one location. Having Uncle John’s as our anchor tenant strengthens customer traffic across our stations while allowing us to diversify revenue through non-fuel sales and leasing income. This supports our strategy of building service-oriented stations that generate multiple income streams,” said Eugene Erik Lapasaran Lim, chairman, president, and CEO of Topline.
For Uncle John’s, the expansion allows their brand to reach more high-traffic corridors and community hubs, bringing its signature ready-to-eat meals
and everyday value offers closer to provincial consumers.
“Many of our stations are located in underserved areas in the provinces. Through this collaboration, we are making everyday essentials, both fuel and convenience retail, more accessible to consumers across Visayas,” Lim added.
Tier 1 Light Fuels stations are full-service sites designed with dedicated commercial spaces that accommodate convenience stores, food operators, and other retail tenants. These stations are positioned along key transport routes and high-traffic areas, enabling both fuel and non-fuel businesses to benefit from steady customer flow.
Topline currently operates a total of 18 service stations and 32 more are undergoing construction or renovation, which are expected to be completed in phases by the end of 2026. The rollout of Uncle John’s across these stations is expected to be implemented progressively as sites become operational.
people from First Gen who play these key men roles.
Piki and his team will help assure the joint development with PHEI of 2,000 megawatts (MW) of capacity in two pumped storage hydro projects-the 600-MW Wawa in Rizal and 1,400-MW Pakil in Laguna.
If a CMC with respect to First Gen occurs during the construction period of the Wawa and Pakil projects and until the first anniversary of their commercial operations date, Prime Infra shall have the right to cause First Gen to sell its PHEI shares to Prime Infra at a discount.
It was not First Gen but Prime Infra that requested the inclusion of the CMC provisions, First Gen said. This request merely shows the level of trust and confidence that Prime Infra has in Lopez and his management team, the company said.
Prime Infra described First Gen as a “seasoned local energy player” and a “trusted partner with a strong track record in power generation.” Prime Infra said that First Gen’s track record will “help execute these critical energy projects safely, efficiently and on schedule.”
JOLLIBEE Foods Corp. (JFC) on Thursday said it will open its first Compose Coffee branch in the Philippines later this year after launching the brand in Taiwan.
Compose Coffee, a South Korean brand, forms part of the Jollibee’s expanding coffee and beverage portfolio.
Its Vietnamese Highlands Coffee brand delivered strong unitlevel performance, with revenues growing at a high double-digit rate last year reflecting sustained demand and disciplined execution.
It did not provide actual figures.
On a like-for-like basis, this translated into high single-digit same-store sales growth in the first quarter of 2026 versus the prior year, the company said.
Highlands Coffee continues to deliver best-in-class store-level profitability, supported by disciplined cost management and a streamlined operating model.
The network remains predominantly company-owned, enabling
continued refinement of operating standards and unit economics and providing a foundation for future expansion through more capital-efficient formats, while maintaining disciplined capital deployment and targeted returns. Digital channels continue to support incremental demand and improved customer insight.
“Highlands Coffee’s market leadership and continued strong performance are a strong validation of our brand and business model. We’re seeing robust and improving store performance and continued traction across channels, supported by disciplined execution and compelling unit economics,” Highlands Coffee founder and CEO David Thai said.
“As we scale, our priority is to keep raising the bar on consistency and customer experience— while investing in the capabilities that will sustain long-term growth, including product innovation, operational excellence and digital.”
PHOTO FROM WWW.JOLLIBEEGROUP.COM
Banking&Finance
after ₧4.625T disbursed
BUDGET releases slowed yearon-year in March, as 68.1 percent of this year’s P6.793trillion national budget has been disbursed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Latest DBM data showed that it has released a total of P4.625 trillion as of end-March, lower than the 80.7 percent or P5.107-trillion budget released in the same period last year.
As of March 30, line departments had been allotted P2.771 trillion or 75.4 percent of their P3.677-trillion allocation. This includes funds released to agencies in the Executive branch, the Upper and Lower Houses of Congress, the Judiciary and other constitutional offices.
Of the programmed P529.595 billion earmarked for Special Purpose Funds (SPFs), the DBM has issued 46.6 percent of the allotments amounting to P246.764 billion. SPFs are budgetary allocations in the GAA allocated for specific socio-economic purposes such as budgetary support to government corporations, allocation to local government units, contingent fund, miscellaneous personnel benefits fund, national disaster risk reduction and management fund and pension and gratuity fund. Meanwhile, allotment released for automatic appropriations, or appropriations already prescribed by laws other than the General Appro -
SBy Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
ENATOR Joel Villanueva called as timely the recent guidance by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for banks to waive digital fund transfer fees and to provide loan relief measures for borrowers hit by the ongoing energy crisis. The chairman of the Senate Committee on Banks also called both initiatives “a preview of what permanent policy reform should look like.”
“The BSP is doing exactly what a responsible central bank should do in
SENATOR Sherwin T. Gatchalian wants payments to loans given by the Social Security System (SSS) and the Home Mutual Development Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) stopped after government data showed the adverse impact of the war in Iran.
According to Gatchalian, the SSS should do a Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to implement a moratorium on loan payments. He said the Pag-IBIG Fund, which has granted a three-month housing loan moratorium without interest or penalties to returning OFWs affected by the conflict, to extend the relief to all its member-contributors.
“We also need to reach out to the middle-class, who are also feeling the pinch right now. We want to do this because the reduction in purchasing power is a reality,” Gatchalian said.
Using Senate Economic Planning Office estimates, the lawmaker pointed out that the March inflation’s spike to 4.1 percent likely cut monthly purchasing power by P1,138 to P2,275 for about 9.158 million lower middleincome households, and by P2,274 to P3,982 for around 3.416 million mid-
priations Act, reached P1.385 trillion or 65.8 percent of the P2.105-trillion programmed amount.
During the month, the DBM has disbursed the full P480,000 worth of pensions of former presidents or their widows and P36.466 billion in special account in the general fund.
The DBM likewise released 18.6 percent or P176.748-billion worth of interest payments and 16.4 percent or P2.379 billion in tax expenditure fund/customs duties and taxes.
As early as January, the DBM has released the entire P1.190-trillion national tax allotment and P93.982billion block grant.
Moreover, P73.137 billion had been released from the 2025 continuing appropriations for line departments and SPFs as of end-March.
As for unprogrammed appropriations, the DBM released an additional P45.228 billion in March, bringing the total releases to P54.781 billion.
This includes P44.901 billion for the Department of Transportation and P326,048 to the Philippine Competition Commission.
Unprogrammed appropriations are standby appropriations which authorize additional agency expenditures for priority programs and projects when revenue collections exceed the resource targets or when additional grants or foreign funds are generated. Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
a crisis, making it easier, not harder, for ordinary Filipinos to move money,” Villanueva said. “We cannot keep relying on emergency waivers and moral suasion. Consumers deserve protection that does not disappear when the crisis passes.”
Under Monetary Board Resolution 296 dated April 8, 2026, the BSP authorized banks to extend loan payment grace periods of up to six months for borrowers materially affected by the State of National Energy Emergency declared on March 24, 2026. (See https://businessmirror.com.ph/2026/04/15/bspeases-rules-as-financial-system-
dle middle-income households.
The senator also cited a Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) study highlighting the vulnerability of emerging middle-class households to temporary shocks such as health emergencies, job losses, and price hikes.
The SSS raises money primarily through using mandatory monthly contributions from members for investments into diversified, low-risk f inancial instruments, including government securities, equities, and corporate loans. Citing high investment returns and increased collection efficiency, the SSS said its Reserve Fund surpassed P1 trillion this year.
Emergency loan
LAST Thursday the SSS announce it has set aside P60 billion after tweaking its loan program almost two months after the government declared a state of national energy emergency.
A statement issued read the SSS has relaxed eligibility requirements for its Emergency Loan Program (ELP). Members with 18 months of posted contributions, from 18 months previously,
By VG Cabuag @villygc
Transfer of large-value funds hits optimal speed in ’25—BSP
By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
THE Peso Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) Payment System of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recorded a 99.96 percent efficiency in 2025, sustaining economically critical large-value funds transfers.
According to the BSP’s 2025 Peso RTGS Payment System Report, this is well above the 95.00 percent internal acceptable rate, equivalent to an average of less than a second speed of settlement.
“Despite connectivity issues encountered in the first semester of 2025, the speed of settlement remained optimal, ensuring near-instantaneous settlement throughout the year,” the report read.
The Peso RTGS Payment System processes large-value funds transfers between financial institutions and facilitates the settlement of fixedincome security trades, foreign ex-
soldiers-on-in-crisis/)
Agricultural borrowers get even greater breathing room as loan payments may be deferred for up to one year, subject to bank assessment. To prevent a wave of technical defaults, affected loans may also be temporarily excluded from past due and nonperforming loan classifications for up to one year.
Alongside the loan relief, the BSP urged banks and e-money service providers to temporarily suspend fees and charges on online banking platforms, including InstaPay and PESONet electronic fund transfers, noting that lower-cost digital
with at least six contributions posted within the last 12 months, can avail of the program.
Aside from overseas Filipino workers, the ELP also now covers members with minimal past-due loans of up to three monthly amortizations.
Members may borrow up to P20,000 at an interest rate of 7 percent per annum, with a six-month repayment moratorium.
The program has an allocation of P27 billion and is expected to benefit about 2.24 million members.
The SSS plans to offer short-term loans ranging from P1,000 to P20,000, with an interest rate of 8 per annum, payable within 15 to 90 days.
The program will be delivered through digital platforms and partner financial institutions for faster and more convenient access to funds, SSS said. The program targets a loan portfolio of up to P40 billion over the next two years.
Moreover, members with past-due loans may apply for the Consolidation of Past Due Short-Term Member Loans with Condonation of Penalty Program. Penalties for unpaid loans will be
change (FX) trades and other financial market transactions.
Near-real-time settlement was attained through the adoption of PhilPaSSplus, designed to accommodate the growing number of settlements between financial institutions and the demand for longer strings of information in payment messages.
PhilPaSSplus processed P601.32 trillion in 2025, up by 15.84 percent from P519.08 trillion in 2024, with the volume of transactions increasing to 1.73 million from 1.59 million.
This was on the back of US dollar-
transactions reduce the need for consumers to physically travel to banks and payment centers during the emergency.
It was that last measure that drew Villanueva’s sharpest reaction. The senator said the BSP’s appeal to banks, which the regulator framed as an urgent but voluntary gesture, exposed exactly the gap that existing policy has never closed.
“Every time there is a crisis—a pandemic, an oil shock—the BSP scrambles to convince banks to waive transfer fees, and banks treat it as optional. That is the gap we need to close,” Villanueva said.
fully waived upon settlement of the principal and interest. Payment options include a lump sum or installments of up to 60 months, with a minimum 10-percent down payment.
For employers, SSS will provide relief through penalty condonation and restructuring programs, enabling them to settle contribution obligations through structured payment arrangements without additional penalties.
These include the “Contribution Penalty Condonation, Delinquency Management, and Restructuring” program for businesses and the “Contribution Penalty Condonation and Restructuring” program for household employers. The SSS also said it will still implement the scheduled 2026 pension increase under the SSS Pension Reform Program.
Retirement and disability pensions will increase by 10 percent, while death and survivor benefits will increase by 5 percent.
About P6.5 billion in additional benefits will be released from June to August 2026, directly supporting millions of pensioners and their families. Butch Fernandez and Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
Philippine peso FX and government securities trades, including exchange rate movements mostly in favor of the dollar, large GS issuances and improved liquidity.
Monetary activities and USDPHP trades have contributed the most in terms of value, making up roughly 78 percent or P433 trillion a year.
From 2021 to 2024, customer/corporate payments consistently ranked among the top three contributors to total value.
However, general financial institution-to-financial institution transfers grew gradually and surpassed customer/corporate payments by 2025, indicating that participants’ proprietary transactions accelerated more quickly than clients’ payments.
Meanwhile, the increase in value was due to higher bank placements in the BSP’s Overnight Deposit Facility and the faster transfer of wholesale funds enabled by its enhanced Intraday Settlement Facility (ISF).
Daily availment of the ISF averaged P50.60 billion, reflecting the facility’s effectiveness in addressing intraday liquidity needs within the payment system and ensuring the
smooth processing of high-value transactions, the report said. In 2025, the BSP also introduced new governance policies that clarified participant obligations, strengthened compliance monitoring and aligned domestic practices with international standards.
“Ahead lie transformative milestones - extending operating hours to near-continuous availability, harmonizing local payments data with global standards, and building cross-border interlinkages,” BSP Senior Assistant Governor Edna C. Villa said. To advance operational efficiency, BSP plans to extend the operating hours of the Peso RTGS Payment System to near-continuous availability due to rising demand for alwaysavailable payment services.
The BSP’s near-continuous RTGS operations project aims to enhance cross-border payments and offshore trade flows, stimulate the growth of local capital markets and strengthen liquidity and risk management.
The PhilPaSSplus onboarded 16 new institutions, consisting of 12 rural/cooperative banks, two thrift banks and two electronic money issuers—bringing the total to 265.
Sustainability as an Association Strategy
IN a recent episode of the PCAAE podcast “Association Matters,”
I had the opportunity to speak with Dave Jesus Devilles, founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of Sustainability PH, whose work is helping reshape how organizations think about long-term impact. Our conversation carried a simple but powerful premise: sustainability should not be treated as an ancillary project. For associations in particular, it must be embedded into strategy, governance and member value.
One of the first points Dave raised addressed a common misconception. When people hear the word “sustainability,” they often think of environmental actions, e.g., planting trees, installing solar panels, or recycling waste. While these are important, he explained that such a view is incomplete. Sustainability is broader and deeper. It is about people, institutions and systems that ensure long-term resilience.
In the association context, Dave reframed sustainability in a way that resonates strongly with membership organizations. Instead of the traditional “triple bottom line” (people, planet and profit), he suggested an association-focused lens: members; mission; and, institutional strength. In other words, sustainability means ensuring that an association remains relevant, trusted and valuable not just today, but for the long term.
The story behind Sustainability PH illustrates how this philosophy can come to life. The organization was founded during the Covid-19 era lockdowns when mobility was restricted and many professionals were working in isolation. Dave and fellow sustainability advocates Koleen Palaganas, Shawntel Nieto and Mai Baticulon asked a simple question: “What if sustainability champions across the Philippines had a common home where they could collaborate, learn and support each other?”
Philippines, the Securities and Exchange Commission has introduced new environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure requirements that include climate reporting and supply chain emissions. These developments place new responsibilities on organizations and their leaders. Associations can play a vital role in helping members understand and navigate these changes. Second is risk intelligence. Sustainability risks, particularly climate and ESG risks, are increasingly becoming boardroom concerns. In sectors such as banking and finance, regulators now expect institutions to disclose climate-related exposures. Associations that provide foresight, guidance and practical insights can position themselves as trusted intelligence hubs rather than simply event organizers.
Third is mission alignment. Increasingly, professionals, particularly younger generations, are seeking purpose in their work. Associations that embed sustainability into their programs and activities can help members feel connected to something larger than themselves.
Sustainability PH demonstrates how associations can lead these conversations. The organization hosts initiatives such as the Sustainability Summit, leadership training programs like “Learn to Lead Sustainability,” and recognition platforms that celebrate emerging sustainability champions across the country. These programs do more than raise awareness, they build real capability and community.
“The continuous improvement of its My CBC mobile ecosystem, including the pioneering implementation of FIDO 2 Passkey authentication, as well as the recent launch of CAI, the bank’s AI-driven customer support
Chinabank’s closing stock price of P62.70 as of April 15. The 2026 dividend declaration comes on the heels of a transformative year for the bank.
assistant, are part of Chinabank’s broader roadmap to deliver customer-centric innovations while simultaneously investing in the future of Philippine banking,” the bank said. Moody’s Investor Services affirmed Chinabank’s investment grade credit rating of Baa2 with a stable outlook driven by the bank’s strong capitalization and profitability.
From this question emerged a community-driven platform that now connects about 500 sustainability practitioners across sectors from corporations and NGOs to universities and young professionals seeking to create meaningful change. For associations, Dave highlighted three ways sustainability can create tangible value for members. First is relevance. Sustainability is no longer optional. Regulatory frameworks are evolving rapidly and organizations must respond. In the
Perhaps the most important lesson from my conversation with Dave is this: associations must move beyond talking about sustainability. They must model it. For associations seeking to remain meaningful in a rapidly changing world, this may be the most sustainable strategy of all. Octavio
Octavio Peralta
A ssociation World
How ‘Yellowstone’ lassoed my ass to the couch
I’VE never been a fan of Western-genre movies nor even country music.
The last time I watched one of those cowboyand-Indian flicks was probably Dances with Wolves, starring Kevin Costner, sometime in the 1990s. Not being an American, I suppose, I had no real interest in the history of the United States, and the building of its foundation.
But on egging by friends whose reviews I trust, I became hooked on Yellowstone. When I started watching it, only three seasons had come out, with each episode saved on a USB stick and shared by our Rockstar friend. Since late December, though, when the family finally had access to Amazon Prime, I’ve streamed all five seasons, and started from the beginning. It is that engaging.
Like Iris describes it, when she was convincing me to watch the series, Yellowstone is pretty much like Succession except it’s a Western. We had also been fans of Succession, an HBO Original series where a media magnate is having a tough time deciding which of his three complicated children should inherit his business empire.
“Logan Ray” in Yellowstone’s case, is John Dutton, and played by hello! nice to see you again! Kevin Costner. Dutton owns Yellowstone, the largest cattle ranch in Montana, and his children are Jamie (Wes Bentley), Beth (Kelly Reilly), and Kaycee (Luke Grimes). The latter is married to a Native American, Monica (Kelsey Asbille), with whom he has a son, Tate. (Spoilers alert now.) Throughout the five seasons, there are threats on the ranch’s existence and the ranchers’ way of life from property developers
THE Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) has bestowed a grant to the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) to authenticate, modernize, and preserve traditional Filipino fine jewelry through systematic tools and advanced digital technologies.
This was formalized through a ceremonial signing between Benilde and DOST-PCIEERD, which marked the cooperation between the government, academe and industry to foster cultural preservation, innovation and global competitiveness.
Aimed at promoting local creative industries and technology-driven heritage research, the grant awardee spearheaded the cultural mapping and digitalization of Philippine heirloom fine jewelry as part of the institution’s efforts to offer jewelry-making courses and workshops.
The grant will likewise document heirloom jewelry forms, regional design motifs, and production techniques across key jewelry-producing regions in the Philippines while integrating 3D visualization, computer-aided design (CAD), and 3D printing.
Target outcomes for the initiative are: standardized specifications for tamborin and filigree jewelry, formulation of
seeking to put a hotel and other entertainment establishments nearby, from the Native Indian reservation seeking their right to reclaim their land, and from corporate sharks.
All the characters are impeccably fleshed out by the actor-turned-writer Taylor Sheridan, with each battling their own inner demons as they try to protect the ranch or take it over, as in Jamie’s case. Each one wants to be there for the family, but sometimes political ambition and greed gets in the way. No one is truly good, but viewers still end up rooting for key characters, many of whom are quite the amoral sort. I, for one, just love Beth—a smoking, drinking, loud financial whiz, who is suddenly dumped by the financial investment firm for which she works, after having had an abrasive history with the company’s new owners. She is ruthless and, well, emotionally unstable, but will go to the ends to protect the people she loves.
And in Beth’s case, the one she loves the most, other than her father, is Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), the sometimes scary ranch manager who literally
authentication measures for Philippine heirloom fine jewelry, training of artisans, educators and industry stakeholders; and the creation of digital archives. It, likewise, hopes to bolster the “Made in the Philippines” identity in fine jewelry markets.
knows where the bodies are buried. She and Rip have known each other since they were teens, and while their relationship has been stormy over the years, they finally end up with each other.
It is through their interactions we finally see that Beth maybe has a heart of gold, having subsequently picked up an orphan boy who ends up staying with them, and working for the ranch.
The great thing about Rip is how he fully accepts Beth, warts and all. He knows what makes her tick, and can deftly “handle” her with words of affirmation and affection. Despite a few character flaws, Rip is generally a lovely man who is loyal to the Duttons, and will fight to the end to save them, especially Beth.
(Sheridan has written a spin-off series for the Wheelers called Dutton Ranch, which premieres in May. I can’t wait to see more of the adventures of this couple, and see how their relationship will evolve now that they are firmly a family with their adopted son, Carter. Early reviews have dubbed Dutton Ranch the Season 6 of Yellowstone, which ended in 2024.)
Since finishing Yellowstone, I have gone on to watching more of Sheridan’s drama series, which are essentially prologues to the cattle ranch piece. 1883 is the story of John’s ancestors—led by James Dutton (Tim McGraw), a farmer from Tennessee—and their travails as they travel from Texas. It will show how the Duttons finally end up owning a ranch in Montana. James’ family is composed of Margaret (Faith Hill), daughter Elsa (Isabel May), and John (Audie Rick) and accompany newly arrived immigrants, trying to escape poverty from Germany. The wagon train’s arduous journey is led by Pinkerton agent Shea Brennan (the great Sam Elliot), and along the way, they are attacked by bandits. They also meet two different tribes of Native Americans—one who assists them, and another who are not so friendly. Frankly, I’m very much impressed with McGraw and Hill, long-time country music artists who are apparently competent actors as well, conveying the often complicated relationship of married couples. Margaret loves her husband James, and trusts him implicitly as they make the perilous journey to Oregon and Montana. But with all the tragedy befalling them, she sometimes can’t help but doubt his beliefs. And then there is the problem child Elsa, who is headstrong and falls in love easily. But boy, is she a skilled cattle herder! (Elsa is the narrator of the series.)
Another prequel, which takes place in the early SEE “YELLOWSTONE,” B5
to source proper protocol and information to ensure you get the optimum results. Refuse to let your emotions or the changes others make lead you astray. Facts and communication are your tickets to better understanding and choices. ★★★
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Interacting with others will bring out the best in you. Socialize, participate in events or activities that interest you, and learn from the experience and the talks you encounter. A shift in how you feel about someone will make or break your relationship. Express your thoughts and implement your intentions. Romance is in the stars. ★★★★★
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Set your pace, and move forward with enthusiasm. How you treat others will factor into what you get in return. Put thought and consideration into how to help others, and momentum will grow along with your plans and the support you receive. A partnership will encourage taking a unique approach to life, love and achieving happiness. ★★★
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Talks will lead to a change of heart. Embrace what makes you feel good about yourself and whoever you spend the most time with. Sharing your interests and intentions with loved ones will help you decipher what’s best for you. Be open to suggestions and trying something new, but also be honest about your reservations and the outcome. ★★★
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Get your house in order and the changes you desire behind you. Creating a space that you find uplifting and convenient will encourage you to spend more time at home and to entertain more. An opportunity to make extra cash is on the rise, and investing more time and money in yourself and your future looks promising. ★★★
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Put a halt on everything. Rethink your motives, the cost of changes you desire and who you trust to give you an honest appraisal. Problems while traveling or trying to acquire legitimate information will surface, making it vital for you to verify and fact-check people, facts and possibilities before you move forward. Implement
PISCES (Feb.
‘Yellowstone’...
days of Yellowstone Ranch, is 1923 (also narrated by Elsa/ Isabel May). It tracks the beginnings of takeover attempts on the ranch, as patriarch Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford), older brother of 1883 ’s James, tries to assert his continued control and defense of his property.
Jacob is married to Cara (the always outstanding Helen Mirren), who is childless but raises James’s children with Margaret—John Sr. and Spencer—like their own. She is fearless, and can handle a rifle like nobody’s business. There are guest appearances by Tom Hanks, his wife Rita Wilson, and Billy Bob Thornton.
In 1923, the viewer is taken outside the ranch and into Africa, Marseille, London, and aboard a steamer ship on the way to New York. Spencer (Brandon Sklenar), a veteran of World War I, stays in Kenya hunting big game for the British Protectorate, now attracting tourists from London. He meets the flirty and rebellious Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer), a member of the British upperclass, and engaged to be married. Of course, they end up together instead.
An interesting subplot in 1923 is about how young Native American teens were forced to study in Catholic boarding schools, and treated horribly by the nuns and priests. One of them, Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves), finally fed up with the abuse (both physical and sexual), runs away after giving the nuns a taste of their own medicine. She is then hunted down by priests and a federal agent.
Needless to say, the one constant character in all of these series, is the big, bold, beautiful open country of the West.
In Montana, where most these series were filmed, there is a wide expanse of grazing land as well as forests with virgin trees that compose the wilderness in which animals abound. There are also snow-capped mountains, clear lakes, and pristine rivers where trout thrive, with gorgeous blue skies and white cloud drifting above. (Until of course, the cold harsh winters set in.)
Not interested in Western-themed movies and series before, I am grateful for some education I’ve received on this particular era of America’s heritage from having subsisted on a diet of Yellowstone and its franchises.
I guess it just took the right story, told in a creative way, set against breathtaking vistas, against to make me look past the cowboy hats, wide-open plains, and smelly cattle. What I once dismissed as a genre not meant for me, turned out to be something far more universal. It is about family, loyalty, power, and, yes, the sometimes brutal or violent choices people have to make to protect and defend who (or what) they love.
n Other creations of the prolific Sheridan that readers may want to indulge in, include Mayor of Kingstown starring Jeremy Renner, and Landman with Thornton, also playing on Amazon Prime. More amazing examples of this writer’s brilliance!
GMA PICTURES, MENTORQUE
UNVEIL CHILLING HORROR FILM
‘HUWAG KANG TITINGIN’
THIS summer, GMA Pictures and Mentorque Productions bring a terrifying new Filipino horror experience to the big screen with Huwag Kang Titingin, a chilling story that fuses modern internet culture with deep-rooted folklore.
From the producers of the box-office films KMJS’ Gabi ng Lagim The Movie and Mallari the film opens in theaters nationwide on April 15 and delivers a Gen Z horror tale filled with jump scares, mystery, and emotional depth.
In an age where viral challenges dominate social media, Huwag Kang Titingin explores the frightening consequences of curiosity taken too far. An old ritual meant to communicate with the dead resurfaces online and becomes a viral video challenge. But those who attempt it unknowingly awaken something far more sinister—an entity that feeds on the souls of the living. The story unfolds in San Antonio, a remote town filled with eerie traditions, candlelit rituals, and an old rest house surrounded by shadows and buried memories—where every mirror, flickering light, and dark corner may become a doorway for something waiting to be seen. Leading the film is Sofia Pablo as Selene, the quiet and responsible sister burdened by guilt and the need to protect her younger brother. As the terrifying events unfold, Selene is forced to confront the truths she has long kept hidden and face the cost of silence. Allen Ansay co-stars as Badong, the reserved kasambahay who keeps to himself but carries unsettling knowledge he refuses to reveal.
Joining the film’s young ensemble are Marco Masa, Charlie Fleming, Michael Sager, Kira Balinger, Josh Ford, Sean Lucas, Anthony Constantino, with the special participation of Shuvee Etrata. Completing the cast are Lui Manansala, Sherilyn Reyes, Alchris Galura, Michael Flores, Bernadette Allyson, David Domanais, and Christian Kimp Atip. At the center of the terror is the “Umaaaligid,” a malevolent entity born from ritual, pain and unfinished vengeance. It does not kill quickly—it stalks its victims, creeping into dreams and dragging them slowly into its nightmare.
Helming the film is director Frasco Mortiz, alongside creative producer and screenwriter Ays De Guzman, the team behind another box office teen horror movie Pagpag: Siyam na Buhay. With its mix of supernatural terror, viral culture, and emotional storytelling, Huwag Kang Titingin aims to deliver a fresh Filipino horror experience that feels both frighteningly modern and ancestrally familiar.
Produced by GMA Pictures and Mentorque Productions, Huwag Kang Titingin is now in theaters everywhere.
Show BusinessMirror
This AI (almost) revolution in music
FOR a long while, I have been introspective about the growing impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on sound, specifically in the domain of music. A great part of this focus was driven by the popular interest on a beat that’s been hogging the nation noted for its obsession, interest and recognized acumen on music.
Further immersion online has yielded greater and more varied data, among which is the fact that like all technological shifts, the west has always, except for minor exceptions, been ahead of other regions. To my search therefore for the presence of AI in music, the wider net cast presented more samples.
The blues and gospel surfaced as some kind of defacto musical genre lending its quirky and barreling contours to the demands of AI. The rock star is a given. A certain type of voice appears to seduce the manipulation a technician (not the singer) can effect on a song. Amy Winehouse, with her unpredictable, quirky vocal styling, is almost the rhythmic dominatrix at this point. The happy news is that, even as I see Winehouse’s name on the post, the AI tools do not attempt to replicate the eccentricity of the singer; the singer is already noted for her throaty distortion. What we are offered instead are songs done in the style of Amy Winehouse labeling them as “Amy Winehouse-inspired Jazz and Blues reborn.” If one has doubts about the origin of the music in front of you, you could check the hidden info, which clarifies them as an AI-powered music project “with soulful edge.” The notes state a nostalgic, melancholic sound reminiscent of 1960s blues and jazz. These modifiers become the handle for AI aficionados.
Those who deathly miss the unique drawl and rasp of Winehouse will be in for disappointment because the AI iterations of the singer employ other voices. Take it or leave it, the AI-mediation can produce sounds that are seductive and yet different from what your heart dearly misses. There is, for example, a song in tribute to Winehouse, which turns out to be a really bluesy and brassy presentation from Madison Beer. It’s moving, alright, but it’s no Amy Winehouse. Is this technology pluperfect? Does it render flawless results? The field out there is vast; the catalogue of compositions is almost overwhelmingly numerous and diverse. Already, I have experienced disappointments. Being personal because they have to do with individual tastes, which echo childhood and one’s past and present status, the disappointment is intense.
I assumed early on that the period-bound music of Neil Sedaka would easily translate to AI ministration.
I was wrong: two of this 1950s idol’s hits—“One-way Ticket to the Blues” and “You Mean Everything to
Me”—were beyond recognition in a bad way. It was as if you were listening to different songs and no amount of attribution could save the legacy of Sedaka. The other examples were the Boleros: if they could be faulted, it was in the pronunciation of the Spanish words. Overall though, the Latin beats which are present in the AI-induced arrangement of many songs ensure fervid and passionate reinterpretation of old, popular hits. What passion and charm does AI bring to music of whatever persuasion?
According to Sonarworks blog, “AI voice tools can process vocal samples by analyzing, transforming, and enhancing recorded audio using advanced machine learning algorithms.” The site continues: These tools can change pitch, tone and even transform voices into different characters or instruments whilst maintaining natural sound quality.” Apparently, this was not true years ago. The world has rapidly changed, bringing in “modern voice processing,” which “works with various audio formats and can handle everything from simple pitch correction to complex voice transformation and vocal isolation tasks.”
We are given a dose of this in an enterprise offering reggae versions of “Waray-Waray,” musical warhorses, like “Dandansoy.” While a version I came upon online does not explicitly embrace an AI birthplace, it does have information leading us to an engaging feed. Inspect the video post or reel and look for the word (usually in fat fonts) ASK. Below it you will find framed in a rectangular box the words “Summarize the video” that opens up to sets of massive information about the musical piece. I call this the liner notes or music media notes common during the era of vinyl records and compact discs. The similarity ends there because in the case of video reels, the listener or researcher can proactively
inquire what’s not there.
Viewing “Dandansoy,” a folk song common among the provinces in the Panay region, I queried if the flag-waving and rambunctious song I was hooked on to was created with AI tools. This was “its” response: “Yes, it is highly likely that this rendition is produced using AI tools.” The citation goes on to mention “the growing trend of using generative AI platforms” to create “a blend of original folk melodies with synthesized reggae-style instrumentation and vocals.” The information goes on expressing how “AI music tools are frequently used to generate the rhythmic beats and vocal arrangements.”
What remains remarkable about this “Dandansoy” is its nearly impossibly sustained high notes, a high “G” at certain points. The response to my disbelief came via this explanation: “AI music generators often use pitch-shifting algorithms that can result in synthetic-sounding vibrato or unnatural stability (the notes scaling a musical heaven), which differs from the organic airflow and resonance of a human vocalist.”
Anticipating perhaps the legal squabble that could follow said musical presentations, we cannot ignore the notes that follow the reels. They are warm greetings and rather emotional positioning given how these concerns are basically about technologies. For example, the restatement, which I highlighted in this column dated March 10, 2026, of the song “Bakas ng Lumipas” admits the recording “as a fan-made cover of the song.” It touches on what we generally fear about intellectual property by embracing the idea that the “original composition”—including its music, lyrics, and melody—belong exclusively to their respective owners. It then closes with this very human plea that “encourages [viewers to] support the original artists and composers by streaming and listening to the official release.”
MADONNA ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM, A SEQUEL TWO DECADES LATER, ‘CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR: PART II’
TOM HOLLAND SAYS NEW ‘SPIDER-MAN’ IS THE MOST EMOTIONAL, MOST MATURE, YET LAS VEGAS—Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is dealing with the reality of making his friends forget his identity in the upcoming Spider-Man movie.
Sony Pictures unveiled new footage from Spider-Man: Brand New Day Monday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, in which Zendaya’s character MJ apparently has a boyfriend. Five years after Spider-Man: No Way Home became a sensation in theaters, earning over $1.9 billion worldwide thanks in part to the appearance of past SpiderMen Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, the webslinger’s fourth standalone movie is one of the most hotly anticipated of the summer. Its trailer already broke records, with over 1 billion views in its first four days.
Tom Holland, in a video message, told the exhibitors in the audience that it’s the most emotional Spider-Man movie yet, and “the most grown-up.” He introduced an early scene in the new film showing the aftermath of his decision at the end of No Way Home AP
NEW YORK—As Madonna sang in her 2005 hit, “Hung Up,” time goes by so slowly. But it continues to move. On Wednesday, the pop superstar announced she’ll release a new album, Confessions on a Dance Floor: Part II, on July 3 via Warner Records—21 years after the original.
It’s exciting for a number of reasons: The album is a sequel to her 2005 release, Confessions on a Dance Floor, and her first full-length in seven years, since 2019’s Madame X The Associated Press characterized the latter album as a misstep; however, the original Confessions has been widely regarded as a return to the top of her pop powers. The critically acclaimed release, which produced such hits as “Hung Up,” “Sorry,” “Get Together” and “Jump,” was dance-pop disco for a new era of clubgoers. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and won a Grammy for best electronic/dance album in 2006. Madonna has previously teased a second Confessions work. In December 2024, she shared an Instagram video of herself in the studio with the original album’s producer, Stuart Price. In the official press announcement, Madonna shared a manifesto that she and Price had for the album.
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies. These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years—they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect—with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” she wrote. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions, pulling us into a trancelike state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.” AP
Mastercard, FinVolution Group launch Luvit Card to expand access to digital credit in PHL
Mastercard and FinVolution Group have launched the Luvit Card, marking the latter’s expansion into card-based lending and bringing flexible, installment-based credit to more Filipinos through a widely accepted payment solution.
Available as both a virtual and physical card, the Luvit Card allows users to make purchases across Mastercard’s global network of merchants and repay in installments.
The card is integrated within the Luvit app, enabling a streamlined application and payment experience for users who may not have access to traditional credit products.
The launch comes as more Filipinos adopt digital financial services and explore alternative ways to manage spending. Digital payments continue to grow in the country as part of broader efforts to increase financial inclusion and shift more transactions into formal channels. As payment behaviors evolve, consumers are seeking options that offer greater control over how and when they pay, particularly for everyday transactions and planned purchases.
From online shopping and bill payments to travel bookings and essential expenses, installment-based payment options are becoming part of
how consumers manage their cash flow.
The Luvit Card supports these needs by offering a card-based experience that can be used across a wide range of merchants, both locally and internationally.
By combining FinVolution’s digital lending expertise with Mastercard’s global acceptance network, the Luvit Card enables users to transact across millions of merchants worldwide. It also supports individuals accessing formal credit for the first time, including younger consumers and those outside traditional banking systems, helping them engage more confidently in digital commerce.
“The Philippines has one of the most dynamic digital economies in Southeast Asia, yet millions of Filipinos still lack access to formal credit,” said Jason Crasto, Country Manager, Philippines, Mastercard. “The Luvit Card addresses this by giving users an access card accepted by millions of merchants globally, backed by a lending experience designed around how they manage money. That combination of access and flexibility
makes it meaningful.”
Francisco Roberto Mauricio, CEO of WeFund, a subsidiary of FinVolution Group, said, “Luvit is an access card that provides financial access to underserved yet creditworthy Filipinos. Powered by Finvolution’s proprietary AI, users can be approved in minutes with minimal requirements. Luvit makes Filipino aspirations a reality: a reliable payment tool for their daily lives, from online shopping and bill payments to even larger purchases. This encourages fiscal discipline and confidence, leading to financial empowerment and enhanced quality of life.”
The Luvit Card forms part of ongoing efforts to broaden access to formal financial tools and support participation in the digital economy, particularly for consumers building their financial footprint for the first time. Users can apply for the Luvit Card through the Luvit app, available for download on major app stores.
To learn more about the Luvit Card and how it works, visit www.luvit.ph.
MindNation Offers 50% OFF Anxiety Support for Stress Awareness Month
STRESS is no longer occasional; it’s constant. From endless notifications to everyday pressures, many Filipinos are navigating a level of mental “noise” that affects focus, decisionmaking, and overall well-being. Yet despite rising stress levels, many individuals still hesitate to seek professional mental health support, with many delaying care until challenges escalate.
This April, in line with International Stress Awareness Month, MindNation is inviting individuals to take control of their mental clarity through its campaign, “The Future Is Clear.”
Running until April 30, 2026, the campaign offers 50 percent OFF the Anxiety Control Bundle, making structured, expert-led support more accessible at P2,550 (from P5,100). The bundle includes three one-onone sessions with a licensed psychologist, designed to help individuals manage anxiety, process stress, and regain focus in a fast-moving world.
Eiza Fusingan-Lappay, LPT, RPm, RPsy, PhDc, Chief WellBeing Officer at MindNation emphasizes that early intervention plays a key role in preventing stress from escalating into more serious concerns such as anxiety disorders. Individuals who engage in professional support report improvements in emotional regulation, focus, and overall well-being, key factors in navigating daily life more effectively.
MindNation’s Anxiety Control Bundle is designed not just for crisis support, but as a proactive investment in mental well-being, equipping individuals with tools to manage thoughts, regulate emotions, and sustain clarity over time.
The Anxiety Control Bundle which costs P2,550, 50 percent off its original price of P5,100 includes:
Three sessions with a Licensed Psychologist Personalized, one-onone guidance to navigate stress, anxiety, and overthinking.
MindED (Self-care) Toolkit which includes self-guided exercises and worksheets provided after each session to reinforce learning and build sustainable coping strategies.
All sessions are 100 percent confidential and conducted via a secure online platform. To ensure meaningful progress, sessions must be completed within three months.
Beyond immediate relief, the campaign positions mental health care as a long-term investment, one that enables individuals to think clearly, respond intentionally, and build a more stable future.
The offer is also available as a giftable therapy bundle, making it a thoughtful way to support loved ones who may be silently navigating stress.
“Taking care of your mental health isn’t a luxury; it’s a foundation,” Fusingan-Lappay added. “When you have clarity, everything else follows.”
The promo mechanics are as follows:
Promo Code: CLEAR
Promo Period: Until April 30, 2026
Offer: 50% OFF Anxiety Control Bundle (P2,550 from P5,100)
Booking: Via email at book@mindnation.com or through MindNation’s official Facebook and Instagram pages
Eligibility: Open to individuals aged 18+ (minors may avail with guardian consent)
Validity: Sessions must be used within three months
Transferability: Transferable as a full bundle; non-refundable
Exclusions: Cannot be combined with other discounts (e.g., Senior Citizen/PWD)
Beyond the hour, PNB Holdings drives year-round impact
PNB Holdings Corporation (PHC) joined the Earth Hour 2026
GPCCI elects new President, Board of Directors at 2026 AGM
THE German–Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (GPCCI) proudly announces the election of its new President and Board of Directors during its Annual General Meeting of Members held on April 8, 2026, at Raffles and Fairmont Makati.
Dr. Christian Scheld, Country Director of Konecranes (Philippines), has been elected as the new President of GPCCI, leading the chamber’s newly constituted Board of Directors. Supporting him in this role are Kumar Joseph Gross, President and CEO of Allianz PNB Life Insurance, who serves as Senior Vice President and Treasurer, and Tobias Rast, Chief Executive Officer of Pegotec Pte. Ltd., who serves as Vice President.
Dr. Scheld is an experienced executive with a strong background in corporate management, international sales, and business development across global companies in the construction and material handling industries. He has led transformation initiatives in complex business environments, combining technical expertise with a strategic approach to organizational development. Dr. Scheld holds a doctorate degree in applied mechanics and is a certified business coach.
“As the business environment continues to evolve, it is important to maintain a clear and consistent framework for cooperation between Germany and the Philippines.” says Dr. Scheld. “GPCCI will continue to support this by facilitating structured dialogues, enabling practical collaboration, and contributing to areas where German expertise can complement local priorities, including within the broader ASEAN context.”
The newly elected Board of Directors is composed of leaders from a diverse range of industries, reflecting the breadth and strength of the German-Philippine business
community. Alongside Dr. Scheld, Gross, and Rast, the Board includes Brenda Baylon, President and General Manager of PV2 Energie Philippines, Inc.; Holger Beck, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa Technik Philippines Inc.; Matthias Koehler, Chairman of EMTS Group; Stefan Kolbe, Managing Director of Melchers Philippines Inc.; Roland Metelmann, Managing Director of Fuchs Lubricants (Philippines), Inc.; Hendrik Mollenhauer, Consulting Manager of PwC Philippines Inc.; and Dr. Bin Wang, General Manager of Boehringer Ingelheim (Philippines), Inc. Christopher Zimmer continues to serve as Executive Director of GPCCI. With the new leadership in place, GPCCI reaffirms its commitment to fostering closer economic ties between Germany and the Philippines. The chamber will continue to support its members through its core areas of policy advocacy, industry engagement, and business services, while facilitating collaboration with key stakeholders across both countries.
In the coming years, GPCCI will align its initiatives with key regional and national priorities, including the Philippines’ role in ASEAN this year. The chamber aims to contribute to discussions and activities in areas such as the digital economy, energy, infrastructure, sustainable technologies, and healthcare, further positioning the German-Philippine partnership within the broader regional context.
“We look forward to working closely with our newly elected Board and our partners in both the public and private sectors.” said Zimmer. “Through our joint efforts, we aim to further strengthen German-Philippine economic relations and create more opportunities for our members and stakeholders,”
Boehringer Ingelheim launches kidney health screening efforts in communities
CHRONIC Kidney Disease (CKD) often goes unnoticed until it reaches an advanced stage, when kidney function has already significantly declined. By this point, many patients require dialysis, bringing substantial financial strain and emotional burden to families.
In the Philippines, an estimated 13 million Filipinos or 11.2 percent of the population are living with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Currently, one out of three patients are already in Stages 3 to 5, where the cost of care can increase up to 11 times compared with timely detection and early intervention.
To help address this growing health challenge, Boehringer Ingelheim launched “Iwas Dialysis, Ligtas Kidneys: Get CheCKD Habang Maaga Pa!” an initiative aimed at improving early detection and increasing kidney health awareness at the community level. The program officially kicked off with a pilot run in District 1, Quezon City, followed by a city-wide rollout in Antipolo City.
Iwas Dialysis, Ligtas Kidneys: Get CheCKD Habang Maaga Pa! falls under Boehringer Ingelheim’s Sustainable Development for Generations (SD4G) commitment to improve health equity and outcomes for 50 million people in underserved communities worldwide. By working directly with barangay health centers, the program ensures that kidney health services such as screening and education are accessible to all residents.
“Our SD4G commitment guides us to work where the needs are greatest,” shared Dr. Bin Wang, General Manger, Boehringer Ingelheim (Philippines), Inc. “By partnering with barangay health centers and equipping community health workers, we help bring essential kidney health services closer to families who may otherwise have limited access. Early detection can make a real difference in people’s lives, and we are proud to support these efforts.”
Key program components include kidney health screenings, community education sessions, and practical guidance to help residents better understand their health and reduce long-term risks. Patients with abnormal screening results are guided towards timely referrals to appropriate healthcare facilities. To date, more than 1,500 Filipinos have received kidney health screening through the initiative.
“Symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, or skin irritation are often overlooked or mistaken for minor concerns,” shared Dr. Greta Cortez, Head of Medicine at
Boehringer Ingelheim (Philippines), Inc.
“As a result, many patients only receive a diagnosis during an emergency or when managing conditions. Early screening, especially with individuals with diabetes or hypertension, allows us to intervene and help prevent progression to end-stage renal disease.”
“When one family member has CKD, the entire family suffers emotionally and financially. We want to break that cycle. By bringing kidney health screenings directly to our barangays, we are giving our parents and grandparents a chance to stay healthy and present for their loved ones. Alagaan natin ang ating mga bato, para sa kinabukasan ng ating pamilya (Let’s take care of our kidneys to safeguard our family’s future),” urged Antipolo City Mayor Casimiro “Jun” A. Ynares III, M.D.
A central element of the program is the empowerment of barangay health workers (BHWs). Through targeted training, BHWs are given training and tools that empower them to become community kidney health advocates. BHWs are equipped to perform initial health assessments, master effective patient communication, and assist in conducting urine albumin-tocreatinine ratio (uACR) tests. The program has trained over 200 healthcare providers (doctors and barangay health workers), representing 20 barangays.
Albumin, a specific type of protein, in the urine is an important early indicator of kidney damage. With portable and userfriendly technology, BHWs support nurses in conducting uACR tests that deliver quick results and enable earlier identification of at-risk individuals – often before symptoms appear.
While diabetes and hypertension remain the leading causes of CKD, additional factors such as age, smoking, obesity, and family history also increase risk. Lifestyle habits, particularly high-sugar and high-sodium diets, chronic stress, and physical inactivity, further contribute to the disease burden.
“Early detection is life-saving. We welcome efforts that strengthen early kidney screening and raise awareness across our barangays about the importance of renal health,” stated Quezon City Councilor Dorothy Delarmente. “With the support of our health partners and dedicated barangay officials, more residents will now have access to free check-ups, proper medical knowledge, and essential services.”
For more information on Chronic Kidney Disease, please visit ItStartsWithYou.com.ph.
In the photo, from left, are Qian “Cecily” Zhang (Project Head of Luvit), Francisco “Coco” Mauricio (President and CEO of Wefund Lending Corporation), Jason Crasto (Country Manager of Mastercard Philippines), and Kent Tsang (Mastercard Account Director).
Barangay health workers (BHWs) of Antipolo City attend a city-wide orientation and training for Iwas Dialysis, Ligtas Kidneys: Get CheCKD Habang Maaga Pa!.
Motoring
Continental Tires raises the bar with ‘Total Confidence Plan’
BY RANDY S. PEREGRINO
JM Far East Inc., the official distributor of Continental Tires in the Philippines, has rolled out the Total Confidence Plan (TCP)—a comprehensive warranty program that redefines tire ownership for Filipino motorists. Effective April 6, 2026, the initiative covers all eligible Continental passenger, SUV/4x4, and light truck tires purchased on or after that date, offering protection beyond the usual manufacturing defect coverage. In a market where warranties are often limited, Continental distinguishes itself by offering road hazard protection—a rare benefit among local tire brands. This move underscores the brand’s commitment to addressing the everyday risks of driving in the Philippines, from potholes to road debris.
DUAL-LAYER PROTECTION
AT the heart of TCP is a two-tier warranty system that combines road-hazard coverage with manufacturing-defect protection.
1. Road Hazard Protection (Year 1). For the first 12 months—or until the tire reaches 5mm remaining tread depth— customers are safeguarded against irreparable damage caused by real-world road conditions. Covered scenarios include severe punctures, sidewall cuts, pothole impact damage, debris-related harm, and validated run-flat damage. Each registered tire is entitled to a one-time free replacement with a brand-new Continental tire of the same specification or nearest equivalent. This ensures motorists can continue driving with confidence, even after encountering unexpected hazards.
2. Manufacturing Defect Warranty (Up to 5 Years). Beyond the first year, TCP extends Continental’s standard defect warranty. Coverage is structured as follows:
■ Tires up to 6 years old: Year 1 includes both road hazard and defect coverage; Years 2-5 cover manufacturing defects on a pro-rated basis.
■ Tires aged 7-9 years: Year 1 includes dual coverage; subsequent claims are processed under standard guidelines with pro-rated adjustments. This layered approach ensures long-term protection while maintaining fairness and transparency.
BUILT FOR FILIPINO DRIVING
TCP is tailored for the realities of local motoring—daily commutes, family trips,
and personal mobility. Eligibility requires customers to purchase at least two brand-new Continental tires in a single transaction from authorized dealers or official online platforms. Registration must be completed within seven days via the TCP portal, with each tire individually linked to the customer and vehicle for accurate validation.
STREAMLINED DIGITAL CLAIMS
ONE of TCP’s standout features is its simple, digital claims process. Customers can file and track claims online by:
■ Uploading photo and video evidence of the damaged tire
■ Completing a live video inspection with JMFEI’s technical team
■ Receiving claim results within 2 to 4 business days
Approved replacements are fulfilled nationwide, with timelines varying by region: NCR within 5 business days, Luzon within 7, and Visayas/Mindanao within 14 business days. This system ensures transparency and efficiency, minimizing downtime for motorists.
THE successive astronomical spikes in diesel/gas prices caused by the Middle East conflict has seemingly sparked a buying frenzy for electric vehicles (EV), if not hybrid cars (a combination of fossil fuel, battery and motor). Well and good.
But while this development is a definite boon to the EV business, it is my fervent prayer that charging stations (CS) for such mobility platform be given serious attention. Now. Otherwise, a bubble burst syndrome can easily ensue, creating a wide spectrum of dismay among our motorists—if not a downright collapse to electrification initiatives.
Thus, if there is a gas station in the neighborhood, a charging station shouldn’t be far behind?
Paging enterprising entrepreneurs.
CHANGAN CHARGE
MANILA, Philippines—Inchcape Philippines, the exclusive distributor of Changan in the Philippines, has unveiled 6 models during the recent 2026 Manila International Auto Show. Arianne Colene Jalalon said visitors also test-drove the All-New Changan Eado Plus, All-New Changan CS35 Max, Changan Nevo Hunter 4x2 REEV, CS55 Plus, Lumin BEV and Changan Nevo Q05 iD PHEV, gaining a first-hand experience of the innovative features and performance that the Changan models are globally known for.
“The brand’s newest campaign, “Drive Smart, Drive Changan,” underscores Changan’s promise to empower Filipinos with a reliable vehicle that delivers an intelligent, forward-thinking, practical, and safe driving experience,” Jalalon said.
All the best, fellas!
CLEAR
BOUNDARIES, FAIR USE
WHILE TCP offers robust protection, it also sets clear limits to maintain fairness.
Exclusions include repairable punctures, cosmetic damage, improper use (such as racing or off-road use), poor maintenance, installation-related damage, taxis and rental vehicles, and external events such as accidents, fire, or flooding. These boundaries ensure the program remains focused on genuine road hazards and
MITSUBISHI OLYMPICS HERE is a shout out from Nelda Castro of Mitsubishi:
“Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) successfully concluded the 24th Mitsubishi Skills Olympics (MSO), with Union Motor Corp. (UMC) emerging overall champion.
“This annual event reaffirms MMPC’s commitment to continuously elevate the skills and professionalism of its nationwide dealership network, providing an exceptional overall customer experience to Filipinos.
“The Mitsubishi Skills Olympics serves as a platform not only to showcase but also to sharpen the competencies of Mitsubishi Motors’ front liners, who play a critical role in delivering remarkable customer experiences to Mitsubishi vehicle owners.
“This year’s theme was Mitsubishi Forward: Beyond the Sale, Beyond the Service. “The winners by category:
SALES EXECUTIVE
manufacturing defects.
RAISING THE STANDARD
WITH the launch of TCP, JM Far East Inc. reinforces Continental’s positioning as a premium tire brand that delivers not only performance but also peace of mind. By offering a warranty program that addresses real-world risks, Continental elevates the ownership experience—providing Filipino motorists with confidence that few competitors can match.
“Filipino motorists deal with unpredictable road conditions every day. The Total Confidence Plan is designed to give them added assurance that their investment is protected—not just against defects, but against the realities of the road,” said Winston Manabat, JMFEI president.
NATIONWIDE AVAILABILITY
THE Total Confidence Plan is available nationwide through Continental’s authorized dealer network and official online platforms.
Filipino motorists purchasing eligible
■ Champion: Jonathan Elvis Obispo (Union Motor Corp.)
■ 1st Runner Up: Rosemarie Padagdag (Gateway Motors Cebu Inc.)
■ 2nd Runner Up: Lestant Ian Apilasok (Avescor Motors Inc.)
SERVICE TECHNICIAN
■ Champion: Jan Erik Uriarte (Maximotors Corp.)
■ 1st Runner Up: Rhomel Adorador (Diamond Motor Corp.)
■ 2nd Runner Up: Gian Carlo Garcia (Union Motor Corp.)
SALES CUSTOMER RELATIONS OFFICER
■ Champion: Michelle Ann Cariño (Motorplaza Inc.)
■ 1st Runner Up: Alliana Padohinog (Grand Canyon Inc.)
■ 2nd Runner Up: Rose Ann M. Lauyon (Union Motor Corp.)
SERVICE CUSTOMER RELATIONS OFFICER
■ Champion: Maridin Andrei Peña (Union Motor Corp.)
■ 1st Runner Up: Hazel A. Ylagan (Mindanao Integrated Commercial Enterprises Inc.)
■ 2nd Runner Up: Jenifer Cruz (Evolander Motor Corp.)
SERVICE ADVISOR
■ Champion: Ronnel Rebancos (Diamond Motor Corp.)
■ 1st Runner Up: Leon Ebitner III (Union Motor Corp)
■ 2nd Runner Up: Joseph Anthony Carmelotes (Carworld Inc.)
PARTS OFFICER
■ Champion: El Richard Tabirao (Jabez Motors Corp.)
■ 1st Runner Up: Danielle Ramos (Amcar Automotive Corp.)
■ 2nd Runner Up: Goerge Kevin Roxas (Freeway Motor
tires from April 6, 2026, onward can register and enjoy the benefits of this enhanced program. In essence, TCP is more than a warranty—it’s a promise of reliability, protection, and convenience. By combining road hazard coverage, defect warranty, and a digital claims process, Continental sets a new benchmark for tire ownership in the Philippines.
A DECADE OF CONFIDENCE
MEANWHILE, Continental Tire the Americas marked the 10th anniversary of its Total Confidence Plan (TCP) in September 2025, a milestone that highlights the brand’s enduring commitment to customer support. First introduced in 2015, TCP reflects Continental’s confidence in product quality while acknowledging the unpredictable realities of the road.
Designed to keep motorists secure whether commuting or traveling, the program has become a cornerstone of Continental’s customer-first philosophy—pairing advanced tire technology with real-world protection so drivers can focus on the journey ahead.
Sales Of Baliuag Corp.) WARRANTY OFFICER
■ Champion: Albert Castro (Freeway Motor Sales Of Baliuag Corp.)
■ 1st Runner Up: Allan Santiago (Carworld Inc.)
■ 2nd Runner Up: Cedrick D. Dela Cruz (Union Motor Corp.)
“Winners received
STO�Y
Vito and Rafa deliver when it matters most
capture his first JPGT crown. Holding a shaky two-shot edge over Korea’s Taeyang Yun after the opening round, Leonio pulled away with a secondround 73 to build a six-shot cushion.
He capped his performance with a 42-36 card in the final round, finishing with a 227 total.
Yun failed to mount a challenge after a series of miscues, closing with an 84 to finish at 239, while Bien Fajardo secured third place with a 240 following a 78. Still haunted by a one-shot setback to the same rival at Mount Malarayat just a week ago, Sarines appeared headed for a similar fate.
Despite a frontside 34 in the final round of the 36-hole tournament late Wednesday, he remained five shots adrift, with Anh firmly in control and the title seemingly slipping away once more. But the momentum shifted dramatically on the back nine.
real cushion of the round – before calmly parring the last hole, which Anh bogeyed, to seal a remarkable comeback victory. His closing sevenunder round capped a two-day total of two-under 142.
NAnciano,
a bogey.
Anciano sealed her remarkable comeback victory at 239, highlighted by a gritty 74, as Garingalao limped with an 80 for a 240, with Levonne Talion finishing third at 246 after a 77. In the men’s premier division, Rafael Leonio cruised to a commanding 12-shot victory despite a closing 78, dominating the field over the final two rounds of the 54-hole tournament to
In a breathtaking display of composure and firepower, Sarines ignited his charge with a four-birdie blitz from No. 11, erasing the deficit in a matter of holes and catching Anh at one-under overall.
The pressure began to mount on the Korean standout, who faltered with a costly double bogey on the par-3 13th and dropped another shot on No. 15. Sensing opportunity, Sarines refused to let up.
He delivered the clincher on the par-3 17th, draining another birdie to seize a two-shot advantage—his first
By Josef Ramos
LEX takes on Meralco in a battle for solo second place at the resumption on Friday of the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Montalban.
The Road Warriors and Bolts— both sporting 5-1 win-loss records— tangle at 7:30 p.m. after the first game between Phoenix Super LPG and Blackwater at 5:15 p.m.
Rain or Shine is atop the standings with seven straight wins.
Bugna runs away with two crowns in Bacolod meet
KATHLYN BUGNA overcame a slow start to pull off a gritty 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Saze Nillama and fuel a remarkable two-title run in the Verde Aces Juniors Age Group Tennis Championships in Bacolod City recently. The second-seeded Bugna initially struggled after a tournament break, needing a deciding super tiebreak to edge unranked Christine Palomares, 6-3, 5-7, 10-3, in the quarterfinals. She regained her rhythm in the semifinals, dispatching Isobel Alipo-on, 6-2, 6-1, before recovering from a shaky opening set to outlast No. 3 Nillama in the 18-and-under final.
Nillama had earlier stunned top seed Tori Deocampo with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 win in the semis.
By Greg Beecham The Associated Press
INGLEWOOD, California—Stephen Curry hit seven 3-pointers while scoring 35 points, holding every fan at Intuit Dome in his thrall with another dazzling display of his unmatched shooting skill. In the fourth quarter of an elimination game, Draymond Green bodied up to Kawhi Leonard and utterly shut down one of the greatest scorers of their generation. Curry and Green have already done it all and won it all during their 14 years and four championships together.
The Golden State Warriors’ visit to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night was merely a play-in game for the right to travel to Phoenix after a trying
knows Meralco coach Luigi Trillo’s team has the ability to score at will especially with his guards.
“Meralco has great guards who can score and big men who can deliver in several ways so we will see how we will defend them,” said Uichico, referring to Chris Banchero, CJ Cansino, Chris Newsome, Aaron Black, Bong Quinto and rookie Jason Brickman who’s been doing the spinning for the Bolts.
That means, according to Uichico, Robert Bolick will have to be in top form from all angles—the starting combo guard has been averaging 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 8.8 assists.
“This will be a good test for us— they play hard and fast. We must control the game and slow them down,” added Uichico, who will rely on his import Cady Lalanne who’s been churning in 26.0 points and 15.0 rebounds highlighted by a 28-points and 18-re -
bound night against Macau. Meralco, on the other hand, has a tough schedule ahead—after NLEX, the Bolts take on San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel— thus, Marvin Jones, one of the most hard working imports in the conference, has to stay within range of the 32 points and 14 rebounds he made in Meralco’s 115-110 win over Macau. Phoenix head coach Charles Tiu, meanwhile, battles his high school coach, Blackwater Pat Aquino, for the first time in his career. Phoenix went 3-0 only to lose its next three games, while Blackwater has yet to recover also from a threegame skid to improve on its 1-5 card.
“It’s a matchup problem. So aside from outrunning them, we must take them strong defensively,” said Tiu, who played under Aquino in high school at Xavier in 2005 and 2006.
MORE than 500 athletes from 29 countries will see action in the Asia and Oceania Sambo Championships the country is hosting for the first time from June 23 to 28 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Powerhouse Uzbekistan—which won 18 medals (three golds, eight silvers and seven bronzes) in the World Sambo Cup last year in Kyrgyzstan—Australia and New Zealand lead the cast which will compete in 72 events, including in the juniors and cadet categories. Pilipinas Sambo Federation Inc. (PSFI) president Paolo Tancontian launched the event with Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and secretarygeneral Atty. Wharton Chan and Philippine Sports Commission (chairman Patrick Gregorio and commissioner Fritz Gaston on Thursday at the Century Park Hotel in Manila.
Bugna, the 15-year-old standout from Batang Onay Tennis Club in La Carlota, also dominated Deocampo, 6-2, 6-0, to capture the 16-and-under crown at the Verde Aces and NOTA courts in the Group 2 tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association and Universal Tennis Ranking. Dumaguete City’s Matthew Morris matched Bugna’s feat, sustaining his title run at home last week by beating doubles partner Andrian Rodriguez twice in the boys’ division to share MVP honors in the tournament, the second of four top-ranking junior events in a nationwide talent search or-
regular season that ended with Golden State sitting eight games below .500 and in 10th place in the Western Conference. And yet both the style and substance of the 126-121 comeback victory indelibly evoked the brilliance of the Warriors’ golden era. The few remaining men who have been around for the whole ride were thrilled to travel back in time.
“For one night, we’re us. We’re champions again,” coach Steve Kerr said. “And I know that may sound crazy to everybody out there. It’s a play-in game. I don’t care. Just absolutely beautiful to watch.”
Curry put it even more simply: “That’s what you live for right there.”
“In our 10 years as an association, we at sambo have produced a world No. 1 and Asian champion in Sydney Tancontian and we hope she would inspire young athletes,” Tancontian said. Former world No. 1 and three-time Asian champion Sydney Tancontian, also a gold medalist in women’s -80 kgs in last year’s Asia-Oceania championships, lead a 30-athlete Philippine team in the tournament.
“Sambo is a sport that needs exposure in the Philippines so here we are,” Gregorio said. “Although it’s not an Olympic sport, sambo is included in the World Games and Asian Games and we are hoping that they identify their grassroots so their sport will grow.”
“If not for the PSC, sambo will not have this big event, so we thank the PSC for being aggressive in supporting hosting international events like this one,” Tolentino said. Josef Ramos
ganized by Palawan Pawnshop through president and CEO Bobby Castro. Morris was in commanding form, dropping just six games across four matches, to cap his 16-and-under campaign with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Rodriguez, then asserted his dominance anew with a 6-1, 6-0 rout in the 18-and-under final. Other winners in the five-day tournament, supported by Dunlop, ICON Golf & Sports and the Palawan Group of Companies, were Theriz Zapatos of Kalibo, Drig Escobar of Bacolod City, Kate
VITO SARINES and Rafa Anciano book come from behind victories in the Junior Philippine Golf Tour at Summit Point. ROY DOMINGO
PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino (center) lock hands with (from left) Sydney Sy-Tancontian, Pilipinas Sambo president Paolo Tancontian, Philippine Sports Commission
STEPHEN CURRY shows