In its Month-Ahead inflation forecast, BSP projected July 2025 inflation to settle within the range of 0.5 to 1.3 percent. The official data will be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on August 5. BSP said that, notwithstanding increases in other food items as well as utilities and the depreciation of the peso, the decline in rice prices is enough to offset the impact of these price increases.
“Upward price pressures for the month are likely to be driven by higher meat and vegetable prices partly due to unfavorable weather conditions, increased electricity rates, elevated domestic fuel costs, and the depreciation of the peso. These price pressures, however, could be partially offset by the continued decline in rice prices,” BSP said. Rice has a weight of 8.87 percent in
By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan
MANILA is targeting to have 13 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) signed before the end of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
“So if this [FTAs signed] will happen, my calculation basically is that under the present administration, we’ll be having around 13 free trade agreements. And I think that is very important, because it gives signal to the global community that the Philippines is indeed ready. And therefore our partners
can invest in the Philippines,”
DTI Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty said during the 2025 Mid-year Economic Briefing organized by the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (BCCP) on Thursday in Makati City.
Gepty explained that the Philippines has been negotiating a lot of free trade deals with various countries as this is anchored on the administration’s commitment for the country to “advance purposive, assertive and forwardlooking” FTAs.
Gepty said the trade negotiations are ongoing with the 27-member bloc European Union (EU) and Chile or the Philippines’s first Latin American trading
Meanwhile, the Philippine negotiating team is about to start with the “Preferential” trade agreement with India, which Gepty said is a “big market.”
Moreover, the Philippines is also exploring the possibility for an FTA with Canada.
“If that happens, then that will be also another milestone that will be our link in the North American region,” said Gepty.
Just last Tuesday, the Philippines’s Trade department also made
a pronouncement to explore a possible free trade agreement with Israel. (See: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2025/07/29/philippinesisrael-eye-free-trade-agreement/)
Gepty also reported that the FTA with the United Arab Emirates is just waiting to be signed.
“We have already concluded our Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and the same is scheduled for signing. So we’re just waiting for the date of the signing,” he said.
At the regional front, the DTI’s chief for International Trade Group said Manila is “very active” in upgrading its “largest” trade
By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo
year, 2.73 million were foreign nationals, while 267,284 were overseas Filipinos, described as Philippine passport holders permanently residing abroad. This developed as Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco decried attempts to paint the tourism sector as underperforming and overspending. Going off her prepared keynote speech at a meeting with stakeholders on Thursday, she said: “[On] behalf of our stakeholders, who have invested so much this many years, [on] behalf of billions of tourism workers, who every single day expend their blood, sweat, and
seen weakening further; now
FILIPINOS can expect the Philippine peso to weaken further with the start of the imposition of higher tariffs on the country’s merchandise exports to the United States, according to local economists. On Thursday, the Philippine currency weakened to P58.32 to the US dollar. It opened at P57.86 to the greenback and traded at a high of P57.85 and a low of P58.4. Data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) showed that this is the weakest close of the peso since February 19, 2025 when the currency closed at P58.088 to the US dollar.
“That [weaker peso in the nearterm] is a possibility as other countries will try to weaken their currency to offset the impact of the tariff,” Jonathan Ravelas, senior adviser at professional services firm Reyes Tacandong & Co. told BusinessMirror Unionbank Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion also expects the peso to remain under pressure due to the upcoming release of US data such as nonfarm payrolls.
“A rebound is possible if the Fed turns more dovish or if local inflation data softens enough to ease pressure on the BSP. However, without a shift in fundamentals or sentiment, 58+ levels could persist,” Asuncion told this newspaper.
On Thursday, Ravelas said the decision of the US Federal Reserve to pause its monetary policy is also seen as a factor that further weakened the Philippine currency on Thursday.
Asuncion added that the Philippine peso weakened against the US dollar due to “robust US economic data” which encouraged a “safe-haven demand” given uncertainties surrounding global trade.
He added that the forward guidance of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. on a possible rate cut in August also added to the list of factors that weakened the peso on Thursday. “BSP Governor Remolona’s reiteration of a possible rate
MARCOS TO MARCOS: THE LONG ROAD HOME An aerial view of Edsa, the iconic artery of Metro Manila, shows vehicles crawling past the elevated MRT-3 on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Once the
Peso seen weakening…
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cut in August has added to the peso’s downside, as markets price in a narrower interest rate differential with the US. Risk-off sentiment, higher oil prices, and geopolitical noise [e.g., tariff threats] are pushing investors toward the dollar,” Asuncion told this newspaper.
Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the next important resistance level is P58.50 and the P59 record high that has been respected for nearly three years already or since September 2022.
Ricafort said the immediate support level of the peso is at the P57.50-P58 levels, while the immediate 2-month minor support level is at the P57.15-P57.65 levels.
He also said the major 2-month support level is P56.40-P56.75, which helped keep intact the underlying upward trend for more than 2 months already and also prevent a potential re-test of the P55.143 immediate low posted on May 26, 2025.
Cai U. Ordinario
Farm damage from habagat, storms breaches ₧3B–DA
By Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
THEagricultural damage due to the combined effects of the southwest monsoon (Habagat) and tropical storms has breached P3 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Thursday.
In its latest bulletin, the agency said the losses incurred by 93,070 farmers and fishers from the habagat and typhoons Crising, Dante, and Emong have reached P3 billion.
The volume of production losses in 14 regions was pegged at 74,280 metric tons (MT). This includes Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos
Frasco hits back at critics…
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tears, to support their families and to support the tourism industry, I take offense at the accusation that tourism has underperformed and
Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Bicol Region. Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Socckskargen, and National Capital Region (NCR) were also included. Rice sustained majority of the dam-
overspent.”
At Thursday’s meeting, dubbed “Love the Philippines 2025 and Beyond,” Universal Vision Solutions Communications Inc. made a presentation of how “private stakeholders can amplify the [Love the Philip -
age caused by the combined effects of the typhoons and southwest monsoon at 55,521 MT. Destroyed high-value crops, corn, and cassava reached 13,160 MT, 5,323 MT, and 252 MT, respectively.
The report said the production losses are equivalent to P1.69 billion for rice; P112.20 million, corn; P604.68 million, high-value crops; P25.29 million, livestock and poultry; P5.24 million, cassava; and P516.57, fisheries.
Furthermore, the DA noted that irrigation systems (P40.63 million), farm infrastructures (P2.77 million), and machinery and equipment (P397,000) also bore damage.
The DA said 93,258 hectares of agricultural areas were affected by the storms and habagat. Of these, 63,641 hectares have a chance to recover.
pines] branding,” said a source, who attended the event. The DOT had awarded Universal Vision a P92.7-million contract for International Media Placements through Integrated Brand Content for Philippine Destinations and Products last year. (See, “DOT awards P273-M in branding, marketing projects” in the BusinessMirror, Jan. 15, 2025.)
Sokor still top market MEANWHILE , of the total arrivals in the first half of the year, South Korea remained the top source of foreign tourists with 640,653 arrivals. This was followed by the United States with 543,819; Japan 217,365; Australia 155,207; and Canada 135,459. China, which used to be the Philippines’s second top source of tourists, prepandemic, came in sixth in the first six months of the year, with just 133,583 arrivals; followed by Taiwan 99,356; the United Kingdom 91,190; Singapore 78,341; and Malaysia 47,923.
On Wednesday, Frasco had penned a response to criticisms from two lawmakers who pointed out the poor visitor arrivals such that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. omitted any mention of the tourism sector in his recent State of the Nation Address (Sona).
The President had only cited the DOT among government agencies such as the Departments of Labor and Employment, Trade and Industry, Social Welfare and Development, and other relevant agencies, who he said, in Filipino, “are determined to look for ways and opportunities [to give jobs to] the remaining four percent of our labor force who are unemployed to this day.”
‘Congress cut DOT’s budget’ FRASCO attributed the law -
With this, the DA said it has allocated P653.01 million in agricultural inputs, including seeds, seedlings, pesticides, forage seeds, free range chicken, and fingerlings that would help those affected.
The DA said it is ready to tap the Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of affected areas and offer loans of up to P25,000 through the Survival and Recovery loan program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council. These loans come with a three-year repayment term, interest-free.
Furthermore, the agency also noted an initial amount of P478 million for the indemnification of 61,223 insured affected farmers would also be released through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC).
makers’ attacks to her vocal “support for my husband’s independent stance in the House [of Representatives],” thus, making her “fair game for attacks by certain congressmen.” Her husband, Cebu Fifth District Rep. Duke Frasco, was earlier rumored to be supporting Bacolod Rep. Albee Benitez for House Speaker but failed to get adequate numbers. Frasco said he is now forming an independent bloc in the Lower House with Benitez and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco.
Last June, the Cebu lawmaker was expelled from the National Unity Party for failing to support Leyte First District Rep. Martin Romualdez for House leadership.
In her personal note published on her Facebook account, DOT’s Frasco blamed Congress for slashing the agency’s promotions budget in 2024 by 83 percent to “just P200 million” from P1.2 billion the previous year. “In 2025, they cut it again to a mere P100 million.”
And yet, with just P200 million, she asserted, “tourism generated P3.86 trillion in international and domestic visitor receipts. Tourism employed 6.75 million Filipinos, and nearly 10 million Filipinos more in indirect and induced opportunities.”
The DOT, however, recorded just 5.95 million visitor arrivals last year, failing to reach its own conservative target of 7.7 million arrivals.
“Congress holds the power of the purse. But when that power is used to defund and punish a top economic driver like tourism, it directly harms our country and our people. To quote the President’s Sona: ‘Mahiya naman kayo’ [You should be ashamed of yourselves].”
the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of All Income Households, and as much as 17.87 percent in the CPI for the Bottom 30 percent or poorest households nationwide.
“Filipinos are still spending but cautiously. While consumer sentiment has improved slightly, households remain sensitive to price shocks,” Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Senior Research Fellow John Paolo Rivera told BusinessMirror on Thursday.
“Spending is concentrated on essentials and remittance-driven consumption, but discretionary and big-ticket purchases are still recovering unevenly,” he added.
Rivera, however, noted that there have been increases in vehicle sales, digital transactions, and revenge spending on travel and food. This indicates that middle class Filipinos are “spending again.”
The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (Campi) showed total vehicle sales from January to May 2025 reached 190,429 units, which is a 1.7-percent increase from the 187,191 units sold during the same period last year.
The private-sector led World Travel & Tourism Council sees tourism’s contribution to the Philippine economy at 21 percent, adding some $102.6 billion (P5.6 trillion/$1:P57.5) to the gross domestic product (GDP) this year. This represents an 11.8-percent change from $91.8 billion GDP contribution in 2024, although a slower growth from the 27.6-percent yoy change in 2024/2023. This year’s estimated tourism contribution is 13.5 percent higher than the prepandemic $90.4 billion recorded. (See: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2025/06/16/intl-tourismspending-in-phl-to-breach-pre-covid-levels/).
Nonetheless, Rivera said, other Filipinos have decided to maintain their belt-tightening measures due to uncertainties, high debt, and low wages.
“From a consumer welfare standpoint, low inflation is generally welcome, especially for fixed-income households. But if inflation is too low and driven by weak demand or oversupply, it can reflect sluggish economic activity. Thus, core inflation—which excludes volatile food and fuel—will be important to watch. If it also remains soft, it suggests subdued domestic consumption,” Rivera explained. Earlier, Filipinos became even more pessimistic in the second quarter, with the overall confidence index (CI) posting a steeper decline during the period, according to the BSP.
The BSP’s Consumer Expectations Survey (CES) fell to -14 percent in the second quarter, steeper than the -13 percent posted in the first quarter. However, it is still more optimistic compared to the -20.5 recorded in the same period last year.
The central bank said weaker confidence among consumers in the second quarter of 2025 was mainly due to concerns surrounding higher inflation, lower household income, and fewer available jobs. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/06/30/ phl-consumers-mood-sours-on-inflation-income-decline/).
Pinoys want firms to pay up for climate…
as much as $400 billion globally. Data gaps hinder full accountability
DESPITE growing public support, both Greenpeace and Oxfam noted that identifying the biggest fossil fuel emitters in the Philippines remains difficult due to a lack of transparency.
“A lot of these companies don’t disclose their carbon emissions, which makes it very, very difficult to actually quantify them...So there are gaps in the reporting,” Chua said.
Pagulayan added that the Philippines is only just beginning to take steps toward greater transparency. One of these is the Philippine
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Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PH-EITI), which requires participating companies to disclose their carbon emissions.
“Even those who are signatories to the initiative are limited... It mainly covers oil, gas, and mining firms, and not all companies in the Philippines are signatories. And even then, reporting is voluntary,” he said. Both groups believe that the proposed Climate Accountability Bill (House Bill No. 9609) could address these gaps.
Filed in the 19th Congress by Representatives Edgar Chatto, Jocelyn Sy Limkaichong, Fernando Cabredo, Anna Victoria VelosoTuazon, Christian Tell Yap, and Jose Manuel Alba, the bill seeks
to require companies to disclose climate-related financial information, track and reduce their emissions, mitigate negative climate impacts, and uphold human rights in their operations. It also provides a mechanism to hold businesses liable for damages arising from their contribution to worsening extreme weather or slow-onset events such as sea level rise or drought. In 2024, the Philippines retained its top spot in the World Risk Index, ranking first globally for the 16th consecutive year with a risk score of 46.91 out of 100—reflecting the country’s high exposure to natural disasters and limited capacity to adapt.
Economy
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Consensus growing in Senate to back ban on online gaming
ABy Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
GROWING consensus is forming in the Senate to back calls for a total ban on online gambling, with several senators citing anecdotal cases of students or workers committing suicide over gambling debts, or children squandering parents’ monies to feed their addiction.
The sentiment against online gaming—a key source of nontax revenue which Finance officials and State regulators said need not be banned but only tightly regulated—mounted after Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri delivered a privileged speech on Wednesday.
Replying to Zubiri’s speech, Sen. Erwin Tulfo, the newly installed chairman of the Games and Amusement committee, promised to call a meeting soon, most likely next week, to consult stakeholders and relevant agencies on the call for a ban.
Government agencies such as the Department of Finance and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) will be directed by the committee, Tulfo said, to submit: “a cost-benefit analysis on online gaming; projections on forgone revenue in case of a ban; employment implications; and the social costs” of continuing online gambling.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano urged
education agencies to speak up against the continued expansion of online gambling in the country, saying that the government should not trade children’s futures for gambling revenues.
“Shouldn’t CHED [Commission on Higher Education], Tesda [Technical Education and Skills Development Authority], and DepEd [Department of Education] weigh in?” Cayetano said during his manifestation on the Senate floor.
Cayetano questioned the silence of key education institutions on the matter, noting the stark contrast between the government’s P50-billion income from gambling and the more than P1 trillion needed to properly fund education.
“Will you be content with earning P50 billion from online gambling but you have to struggle to teach children about hard work, serious study, and avoidance of gambling?” he asked, partly in Filipino.
Cayetano recalled his refusal to calendar the franchise of e-sabong during his term as Speaker. He warned that the same risks remain today with online gaming, even as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo) have been phased out.
For his part, Sen. Francis Pangilinan expressed strong support for a Senate resolution that will urge President Marcos and Pagcor
to ban online gambling.
Citing the social costs of online gambling, Pangilinan made a manifestation during the plenary session on Wednesday.
“I share and I’m inclined to support the position taken by Senator Zubiri on the ban of online gambling rather than to regulate it,” the senator said. “In the 18th Congress, I actually voted against the taxing of Pogos precisely because of the social costs.”
After confirming that a presidential directive—and not legislation—alone is needed to revoke some 71 online gambling licenses that have so far been issued by Pagcor, Pangilinan shared that a resolution is currently being drafted to urge President Marcos and Pagcor to declare a total ban on online gambling.
E-wallets
TULFO, meanwhile, called on financial technology companies to voluntarily remove access to online gambling from their digital platforms, framing it as a matter of corporate and social responsibility.
Tulfo made the appeal ahead of the committee’s scheduled hearings on proposals seeking a total ban on online gambling operations.
“Companies shouldn’t wait for legislation. You have a social responsibility, and we’re already
facing a crisis. The online gambling problem is a crisis,” Tulfo said.
He urged major players such as GCash and PayMaya to act immediately and show accountability.
“If your business is already hurting people, maybe it’s time to reinvent. Now, we want to see what you call corporate responsibility—social responsibility. Show us. You’re big companies, aren’t you?” he said.
Tulfo said representatives from fintech companies, concerned government agencies, and other stakeholders will be summoned to the hearings.
He also raised concerns over the prevalence of online gambling advertisements on social media and internet apps.
“Common sense and morality—where do you stand? So many lives are being ruined. These are big companies, even listed on the stock exchange. You used to thrive without online gambling,” he said.
The freshman senator doubled down on his call to outlaw all forms of online gambling, arguing that the social costs outweigh any perceived benefits.
“Before, we only heard rumors that 4Ps [Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program] money was being gambled away in tong-its. But now, it’s scary to think government aid might be going straight to online gambling,” he said. With PNA
Court: Govt share in Malampaya includes income tax of contractors
By Joel R. San Juan
THE Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that the Commission of Audit (COA) committed grave abuse of discretion when it declared that the contractors of the Malampaya Natural Gas Project should be held liable for their failure to remit P53.14 billion in income taxes to the government from 2002 to 2009.
In an 18-page ruling written by Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao, the SC en banc reversed and set aside the April 6, 2015 decision and the January 24, 2018 resolution of the COA which declared that the income taxes of the contractors should not have been part of the 60 percent government share from the project’s net proceeds.
The SC declared that the COA erred when it ruled that there was no law that would support the claim of the contractors that their income taxes should be part of the 60 percent share of the government.
The Court pointed out that governing laws such as Presidential Decree 87 or the Oil Exploration Development Act of 1972, Presidential Decree 1206 which created the Department of Energy and Presidential Decree 1459 as well as Service Contract 38 State that income taxes are included in the
government’s share from the Malampaya Project’s net proceeds.
“All the above quoted laws governing oil exploration and development industry in the Philippines clearly and unambiguously state that the Government’s share includes all taxes,” the SC ruled.
“As the word include means ‘to take in or comprise as part of the whole or group’ or ‘to contain between or within’ and leaves no room for any interpretation, it becomes the duty of the Court to apply the law as it is worded,” it added.
The case stemmed from the petition for certiorari filed by Shell Exploration B.V., PNOC Exploration Corporation, Chevron Malampaya LLC, DOE Compliance Division Chief Thelma Cerdeña and DOE Financial Services Officer-in-Charge Nora Tuazon seeking to set aside the notice of charge issued by the COA against them.
However, while the petition was pending, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) issued an arbitral award upholding the validity of the tax assumption provision in the Service Contract.
The SC noted that it respects the ICC’s arbitral ruling in line with the State’s policy favoring arbitration. However, it emphasized that even
OCD ramps up relief effort to Batanes
without the ICC ruling, the SC would have reached the same conclusion based on its own review of the case.
It can be recalled that in 1990, the government signed a Service Contract with petitioner- companies for the Malampaya Project. Under the Service Contract, the contractors were responsible to execute all operations for searching and obtaining petroleum in the contract area.
They were also obliged to furnish the necessary technology and financing, including the required services for petroleum operations, and assume all exploration risks without being entitled to reimbursement even if no petroleum in commercial quantity is discovered and produced.
The service contract also provides that 60 percent of the net proceeds of the petroleum operations shall be remitted to the government.
The contractors are also exempt from all taxes except income tax, but the contract also states that the government’s 60 percent share already covers the contractors’ income taxes from 2002 to 2009.
During the conduct of a post-audit in 2004, DOE supervising auditor Dolores Barraza noted that the corporate income taxes of the contractors were deducted
THE Office of Civil Defense has prioritized relief efforts in Batanes that was hit by the three typhoons that visited the country last week.
Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito R. Alejandro IV, officer-in-charge of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), visited the strategic staging hub at Clark Air Base in Pampanga on on Wednesday to inspect the loading of relief items bound for Batanes.
Working under the directives of President Marcos and Secretary of National Defense
Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., Alejandro led coordination efforts to expedite relief operations in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong.
At Clark Air Base, Asec Alejandro led a meeting with key partners, the Philippine Air Force (PAF), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), and the United States State Department.
The meeting was aimed to ensure the timely delivery of 6,263 pending food packs
from the government’s share.
Barraza computed the total under collection of the 60 percent government share in the amount of P53.14 billion from 2002 to 2009.
As a result, she issued a notice of charge identifying the persons liable for the transactions including the contractors.
The SC, however, clarified that tax assumption is not tax exemption.
“The contractors are still liable for income tax, but the government pays it on their behalf as part of its share in the project’s income,” it explained.
Considering that the Notice of Charge was issued by COA with grave abuse of discretion, the SC held that the contractors including Cerdeña and Tuazon should be absolved from any liability.
“The Court is on all fours with COA to zealously ensure that the Government is never placed at a disadvantage and that it rightfully receives what is due it in all its transactions,” the Court said.
“Nevertheless, remaining bound by the Constitution and the laws of the land, the Government cannot be allowed to renege on its obligation, especially when such has been distinctly outlined in the contract it freely entered into and agreed to,” it added.
to Batanes, where communities remain isolated due to successive storm impacts.
The United States, through the State Department, continues to support Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations, with V-22 “Osprey” tiltrotor aircraft, as well as a MC-130J “Hercules” cargo plane on standby to support logistics. Alejandro emphasized the importance of quick coordination to meet urgent needs.
Following the site visit in Clark, Alejandro flew to Wallace Air Base in La Union, then traveled to the OCD Regional Office I to assess damage it suffered during the wake of the tropical cyclones. Despite sustaining structural damage from recent storms, the regional office continues to operate and deliver emergency services.
He assured OCD Region I that support from the central office is on the way. “Our regional offices are the backbone of disaster response,” he stated. “It is our responsibility to reinforce them and ensure they have what they need to serve the Filipino people.”
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House leaders seek to involve CSOs in budget deliberations
By Jovee Marie N. dela Ctuz @joveemarie
LEADERS of the House of Representatives have filed a resolution that seeks to institutionalize the participation of civil society organizations (CSOs) as official non-voting observers in congressional budget deliberations—an initiative they hope to implement ahead of the 2026 budget cycle.
House Resolution 94, authored by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and Tingog Party-list Representatives Yedda Marie K. Romualdez, Andrew Julian K. Romualdez, and Jude A. Acidre, aims to ensure that the people’s voice is heard from the outset of the national budget process, particularly during hearings of the Committee on Appropriations.
“We want a budget process that truly listens to the people. It’s important that the public has a voice at the beginning of the deliberations to better address their needs,” said Romualdez. “That’s why we are advocating for civil society representatives to be present during hearings—to promote transparency and accountability.”
The resolution proposes that duly accredited people’s organizations be allowed to sit as non-voting observers in all public hearings of the Committee on Appropriations and its subcommittees. The accreditation and participation guidelines will be formulated jointly by the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on People’s Participation, in accordance with House rules.
The measure draws constitutional basis from Sections 15 and 16 of Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution, which uphold the right of the people and their organizations to participate in policy-making processes. It also cites the Revised Administrative Code provision identifying the national budget as a key tool for development planning.
Vital sectors
THE authors stressed that CSOs working in vital sectors—such as education, health, agriculture, social welfare, environment,
CLARK FIELD, Pampanga—Clark International Airport Corporation (Ciac) is soaring ahead with its flagship projects that directly support President Marcos’ 2025 State of the Nation Address (Sona) agenda to strengthen infrastructure, agriculture, health, and education.
“We have made significant breakthroughs in advancing projects aligned with the President’s Sona directives, as we continue to transform Clark into the country’s premier logistics hub,” said Ciac President Jojit Alcazar. Alcazar said that the development of a modernized National Food Hub in Clark aligns with the Marcos administration’s focus on agriculture, particularly in ensuring sustainable food security and advancing the country’s aquaculture and agricultural industries.
During a visit to Clark last April, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced that 47 hectares had been designated for the food hub, with the initial 12-hectare development set to be fast-tracked.
The project aims to centralize the storage, processing, and distribution of agricultural goods while providing efficient access for
and local governance—bring valuable grassroots perspectives that can help craft more responsive and equitable budgets.
The initiative is also in line with President Marcos’ call for improved fiscal governance and the efficient reallocation of government resources toward priority programs like infrastructure development, healthcare, and digitalization.
Romualdez has consistently advocated for greater openness in the legislative budget process, including his call to open bicameral conference committee deliberations to the public.
“It’s about giving citizens a seat at the table, through civil society organizations,” said Romualdez.
For his part, Acidre called for greater transparency and stronger public accountability in the national budget process, stressing that the time for vague promises and subpar performance is over.
“That’s not just a quote. It’s a warning,” Acidre emphasized. “Every centavo misused, every project delayed, every service undelivered is a betrayal of public trust.”
Lack of clear leadership ACIDRE cited the Department of Tourism (DOT) as a striking example of how a wellfunded agency can still fall short when lacking clear leadership and urgency.
“In 2024, we only welcomed 5.95 million foreign tourists—far below our 2019 figures and lightyears behind Thailand’s 35.5 million and Malaysia’s 25 million. And it’s not just about numbers—we’re also earning less per tourist,” he pointed out.
While neighboring countries have aggressively rebuilt their tourism sectors post-pandemic, the Philippines, Acidre noted, has been hampered by missed targets, ineffective strategies, and costly missteps.
“The DOT had the money. It had the mandate. What it lacked—clearly—was direction. And that is unacceptable,” he said. Acidre warned that a budget that looks good on paper but fails to deliver real improvements in people’s lives is ultimately meaningless.
farmers, traders, and buyers.
“This project also supports the national government’s initiative to develop the Luzon Economic Corridor, positioning the Philippines as a regional hub for agribusiness and logistics in the Asia-Pacific,” Alcazar added. On healthcare initiatives highlighted in the Sona, Alcazar noted that Ciac, in partnership with the Philippine Pharma Procurement Inc. (PPPI), is establishing a pharmaceutical logistics and distribution center equipped with advanced air cargo handling capabilities.
“The Clark Pharma Hub will improve access to medicines and ensure healthcare services and affordable drugs reach remote communities nationwide. This aligns with the President’s eight-point socioeconomic agenda focused on affordable and accessible healthcare for all Filipinos,” Alcazar explained.
PPPI President Maria Blanca Kim Lokin said the partnership “provides an unparalleled advantage for PPPI’s logistics operations and medical supply distribution, enabling us to build an integrated, modern warehousing facility with cold chain solutions.”
Legislator backs call for expanded electrification
ALAWMAKER on Tuesday strongly backed President Marcos’ call for expanded electrification, as highlighted in his State of the Nation Address (SONA), emphasizing that this initiative is key to improving competitiveness, attracting investments, boosting tourism, creating jobs, and bringing genuine development to rural areas. Occidental Mindoro Rep. Leody Tarriela said electricity has long been a persistent issue in the country. “Only through this can we become competitive, attract more investments, strengthen tourism, create more jobs, and bring real progress to our rural areas,” Tarriela said.
In his fourth Sona, Marcos announced that the government aims to bring electricity to over one million more homes within the next three years through solar power home systems. Marcos said that by the end of 2028, solar power systems will energize over one million additional households. He also revealed that the government plans to build 200 new power plants within the same period, which will provide electricity to four million households, over 2,000 factories, and nearly 7,000 commercial establishments. The Chief Executive said the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) will work to meet the targets for household electrification from now until 2028, particularly in Quezon, Camarines Norte, Palawan, Masbate, Samar, Negros Occidental, and Zamboanga del Sur. Marcos emphasized that the country is now operating several new power plants utilizing clean and advanced technologies,
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Marcos to go on state visit to India
MALACAÑANG announced on Thursday that President Marcos will go on a five-day state visit to India next week to strengthen the Philippines ties with the South Asian country.
Marcos, together with First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos, will undertake the trip in New Delhi and Bangalore from August 4 to 8, 2025 to attend meetings and events in the two cities.
“He will meet with the business sectors in both cities [New Delhi and Bangalore],” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said.
Modi extended the invitation to the Chief Executive through India External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar when he met Marcos in March 2024.
Marcos has maintained friendly ties with Modi. Last month, he expressed his condolences to the Indian prime minister following the crash of Air India Flight AI-171, which killed 242 people.
For his part, Modi authorized the export of 295,000 metric tons of non-basmati white rice to the Philippines last year to help the Philippines maintain its food supply when the
According to the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Marcos and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have a bilateral talk on August 5. It noted that Marcos will also meet with other Indian officials including Indian President Smt. Droupadi Murmu an External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. While in the Indian capital, Marcos will also meet with the Filipino community in New Delhi.
country was affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon.
The President’s state visit comes as the Philippines and India are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations this year.
The Philippines currently has partnership with India on trade and investment, defense and security, maritime cooperation, agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and digital technologies.
PCO said President Gloria Arroyo was the last Philippine Chief Executive, to go on a state visit to India in 2007, while former Indian President Ram Nath Kovind was the last Indian leader, who undertook a state visit to the Philippines in October 2019. Samuel P. Medenilla
House completes leadership of QuadCom
THE House of Representatives has officially appointed Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro as chairperson of the House Committee on Public Accounts, completing the leadership of the reconstituted “Quad Comm 2.0”—a powerful bloc of four House panels tasked with resuming investigations into extra-judicial killings, illegal drugs, and organized crime. Ridon, a lawyer who graduated from the University of the Philippines and who also studied at Harvard University, joined Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. of the Committee on Human Rights, Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano of the Committee on Public Order and Safety, and Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs.
With its full leadership in place,
QuadCom 2.0 is poised to revive high-profile congressional inquiries, including unresolved cases of state-sanctioned violence and corruption, some of which resurfaced following the mysterious disappearances of “sabungeros,” or cockfighting enthusiasts.
The House also finalized more leadership appointments: Party-list Rep. JC Abalos of 4Ps as chairman of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Aklan Rep. Florencio Miraflores as chairman of the Committee on Local Government, and Davao Oriental Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario as chairman of the Committee on Social Services.
Additional leadership appointments include Cebu City Rep. Eduardo Rama Jr. as deputy majority leader and Quezon City Rep. PM Vargas as deputy majority leader. They will support Majority Leader Sandro
Marcos in managing the flow of legislation and plenary discussions.
Vargas vowed to a legislative agenda focused on livelihood, health, and education.
Mean while, the House also completed the formal structure of its minority bloc.
Assisting Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan is Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice as Senior Deputy Minority Leader.
Deputy Minority Leaders include Reps. Presley de Jesus (Philreca), Sergio Dagooc (Apec), Kaka Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands), Stephen James Tan (Samar), Leila de Lima (ML Party-list), Perci Cendaña (Akbayan), Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers), Bong Suntay (Quezon City), Jernie Jett Nisay (Pusong Pinoy), Reynolds Michael Tan (Samar), and Cielo Krisel Lagman (Albay).
Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
New Army chief’s marching orders: Be vigilant vs threats
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
AMID high geopolitical tensions and global uncertainty, President Marcos ordered Lt. Gen. Antonio G. Nafarrete, the newly appointed 67th Philippine Army (PA) Commanding General, to keep the country’s troops vigilant against potential threats.
Nafarrete succeeded Lt. Gen. Roy M. Galido, following a change of command ceremony on Thursday morning at Fort Andres Bonifacio in Taguig City.
“I have full confidence that under your command, the Philippine Army will remain steadfast [as] a pillar of strength, integrity and professionalism,” Marcos told Nafarrete during the turnover rites.
Marcos assured Nafarrete that as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (AFP), he will continue to help in enhancing the capability of the country’s 110,000-strong troops.
The President also commended Galido for his successful leader -
ship of the PA by providing its soldiers with new tools and better equipment to enable them “to move faster, respond better, serve more effectively.”
Marcos conferred on Galido the Philippine Legion of Honor for his exceptional service to the nation.
Prior to his new designation, Nafarrete served as the commander of the AFP Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) from November 2024, and previously led the Army’s 6th Infantry “Kampilan” Division based in Central Mindanao.
Nafarrete belongs to the Philippine Military Academy “BigkisLahi” Class of 1990 together with Galido.
Human capital IN his assumption of command address to the troops, Nafarrete said he will focus on human capital development of the soldiers.
Under his command, he said PA troops will have their excellent service recognized, have access to healthcare services, be provided with formal education and technical training, and be given financial literacy.
“As we face the challenges of modern warfare—cyber threats, electronic warfare, economic sabotage, and geopolitical tensions— our response cannot only be the procurement of new systems or advanced weaponry,” Nafarrete said.
“The most important defense we can build is the resilience, intelligence and strength of our personnel,” he added.
“Our true strength does not only lie in the weapons we wield, the equipment we acquire, nor the technologies we adopt. It lies in you, our personnel. The heart of our organization is not forged in steel, but flesh and blood.The soldier who serves, sacrifices and stands steadfastly in every mission,” Nafarette said. With that in mind, Nafarrete said under his leadership focus will
See “Army,” A13
Editor: Angel R. Calso
Russian missile and drone attack hits Ukrainian capital Kyiv, killing 7 people and wounding 82
By Samya Kullab The Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine Russia attacked Ukraine’s capital with missiles and drones overnight, killing at least seven people, including a 6-yearold boy, and wounding 82 others, Ukrainian authorities said Thursday.
Ten children, the youngest being a 5-month-old girl, were among the injured, Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said. A large part of a nine-story residential building collapsed after it was struck, he said.
Rescue teams were at the scene searching for people trapped under the rubble.
nian air defenses intercepted and jammed 288 strike drones and three missiles. Five missiles and 21 drones struck targets.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Thursday that it had shot down 32 Ukrainian drones overnight.
A drone attacked had sparked a blaze at an industrial site in Russia’s Penza region, local Gov. Oleg Melnichenko said. He didn’t immediately give further details other than to say that there were no casualties.
In the Volgograd region, some trains were also halted after drone wreckage fell on local railway infrastructure, state rail operator Russian Railways said.
the town as being under Russian control.
DeepState, an open-source Ukrainian map widely used by the military and analysts, showed early Thursday that neighborhoods to the south and west of Chasiv Yar remained as so-called gray zones, or uncontrolled by either side.
The attack targeted the Kyiv, Dnipro, Poltava, Sumy, Mykolaiv regions, with Ukraine’s capital being the primary target, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.
T“It is just stress and shock that there is nothing left,” said Zhabborova, a mother of a 5-month-old infant and a 5-year-old child.
Russia fired 309 Shahed and decoy drones, and eight IskanderK cruise missiles overnight, the Ukrainian air force said. Ukrai -
Yana Zhabborova, 35, a resident of the damaged building, woke up to the sound of thundering explosions, which blew off the doors and windows of her home.
‘Worst-case
Russia’s Defense Ministry also said that its forces took full control of the strategically important city of Chasiv Yar in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
Ukrainian officials, who typically don’t confirm retreats, didn’t immediately comment.
Russian and Ukrainian troops have battled for control of Chasiv Yar for nearly 18 months. It includes a hilltop from which troops can attack other key points in the region that form the backbone of
Ukraine’s eastern defenses.
A report on Thursday from Ukraine’s Army General Staff said there were seven clashes in Chasiv Yar in the past 24 hours. An attached map showed most of
“Today, the world once again saw Russia’s answer to our desire for peace with America and Europe,” Zelenskyy said. “New demonstrative killings. That is why peace without strength is impossible.”
He called on Ukraine’s allies to follow through on defense commitments and pressure Moscow toward real negotiations.
scenario of famine’ happening in Gaza, global food watchdog predicts ‘widespread death’
By Sam Mednick & Cara Anna
The Associated Press
EL AVIV, Israel—The “worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip,” the leading international authority on food crises said in a new alert Tuesday, predicting “widespread death” without immediate action.
The alert, still short of a formal famine declaration, follows an outcry over images of emaciated children in Gaza and reports of dozens of hunger-related deaths after nearly 22 months of war. International pressure led Israel over the weekend to announce measures, including daily humanitarian pauses in fighting in parts of
Gaza and airdrops. The UN and Palestinians on the ground say little has changed, and desperate crowds continue to overwhelm delivery trucks before they reach their destinations.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, said Gaza has teetered on the brink of famine for two years, but recent developments have “dramatically worsened” the situation, including “increasingly stringent blockades” by Israel. A formal famine declaration, which is rare, requires the kind of data that the lack of access to Gaza, and mobility within, has largely denied. The IPC has only declared famine a few times—in Somalia in 2011, South Sudan in 2017 and 2020, and parts
of Sudan’s western Darfur region last year.
But independent experts say they don’t need a formal declaration to know what they’re seeing in Gaza.
“Just as a family physician can often diagnose a patient she’s familiar with based on visible symptoms without having to send samples to the lab and wait for results, so too we can interpret Gaza’s symptoms. This is famine,” Alex de Waal, author of “Mass Starvation: The History and Future of Famine” and executive director of the World Peace Foundation, told The Associated Press.
What it takes to declare famine AN area is classified as in famine when all three of the following conditions are
confirmed:
At least 20% of households have an extreme lack of food, or are essentially starving. At least 30% of children six months to 5 years old suffer from acute malnutrition or wasting, meaning they’re too thin for their height. And at least two people or four children under 5 per 10,000 are dying daily due to starvation or the interaction of malnutrition and disease.
The report is based on available information through July 25 and says the crisis has reached “an alarming and deadly turning point.” It says data indicate that famine thresholds have been reached for food consumption in most of Gaza—at its lowest level since the war began—and for
acute malnutrition in Gaza City. The report says nearly 17 out of every 100 children under the age of 5 in Gaza City are acutely malnourished.
Mounting evidence shows “widespread starvation.” Essential health and other services have collapsed. One in three people in Gaza is going without food for days at a time, according to the World Food Program. Hospitals report a rapid increase in hunger-related deaths in children under 5. Gaza’s population of over 2 million has been squeezed into increasingly tiny areas of the devastated territory.
“This is not a warning. It is a reality unfolding before our eyes,” UN secretarygeneral Antonio Guterres said in a statement
on the new report, adding that the “trickle of aid must become an ocean.”
More deaths to come THE IPC alert calls for immediate and large-scale action and warns: “Failure to act now will result in widespread death in much of the strip.”
Humanitarian workers agreed. “IF we don’t have the conditions to react to this mass starvation, we will see this exponential rise,” said Rachael Cummings, humanitarian director for Save the Children International, based in Gaza. “So we will see
RESCUERS work in a destroyed apartment building after a Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, July 31, 2025. AP/EFREM LUKATSKY
See “Gaza,” A9
See “Kyiv,” A9
Trump imposes 25% tariff
on Indian goods amid tensions over Russian oil purchases
By Josh Boak & Rajesh Roy
WThe Associated Press
ASHINGTON—The United States will impose a 25% tariff on goods from India, plus an additional import tax because of India’s purchasing of Russian oil, President Donald Trump said Wednesday.
The new tariffs were part of a flurry of trade activity that included a series of executive actions regarding Brazil, copper and shipments of goods worth less than $800, as well as a reduced 15% tax on imports from South Korea, including its autos. It was all a prelude to Friday when Trump’s new tariff regime is scheduled to start, an event the White House has portrayed as a testament to Trump’s negotiating skills even as concerns persist about the taxes hurting growth and increasing inflationary pressures.
India “is our friend,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform announcing the taxes, but its tariffs on US products “are far too high.”
The Republican president added India buys military equipment and oil from Russia, enabling Moscow’s war in Ukraine. As a result, he intends to charge an additional “penalty” starting on Friday as part of the launch of his administration’s revised tariffs on multiple countries.
Trump told reporters on Wednesday the two countries were still in the middle of negotiations on trade despite the tariffs slated to begin in a few days.
“We’re talking to India now,” the president said. “We’ll see what happens.”
The Indian government said Wednesday it is studying the implications of Trump’s tariffs announcement.
India and the US have been engaged in negotiations on concluding a “fair, balanced and mutually beneficial” bilateral trade agreement over the last few months, and New Delhi remains committed to that objective, India’s Trade Ministry said in a statement.
Trump on Wednesday also signed separate orders to tax imports of copper at 50% and justify his 50% tariffs on Brazil due to their criminal prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro and treatment of US social media companies. Trump also signed an order saying that government now had the systems in place to close the tariff loophole on “de minimis” shipments, which had enabled goods priced under $800 to enter America duty-free, largely
from China.
The South Korea agreement will impose a 15% tariff, instead of the 25% Trump had threatened. South Korea would also buy $100 billion in energy resources from the US and provide $350 billion for “investments owned and controlled by the United States, and selected by myself, as president,” Trump said.
There is also an agreement with Pakistan that includes the development of its oil reserves. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent briefed Trump on trade talks with China.
Trump’s view on tariffs
TRUMP’S announcement comes after a slew of negotiated trade frameworks with the European Union, Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia—all of which he said would open markets for American goods while enabling the US to raise tax rates on imports. The president views tariff revenues as a way to help offset the budget deficit increases tied to his recent income tax cuts and generate more domestic factory jobs.
While Trump has effectively wielded tariffs as a cudgel to reset the terms of trade, the economic impact is uncertain as most economists expect a slowdown in US growth and greater inflationary pressures as some of the costs of the taxes are passed along to domestic businesses and consumers.
There’s also the possibility of more tariffs coming on trade partners with Russia as well as on pharmaceutical drugs and computer chips.
Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, said Trump and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would announce the Russia-related tariff rates on India at a later date.
Tariffs face European pushback
TRUMP’S approach of putting a 15% tariff on America’s long-standing allies in the EU is also generating pushback, possibly causing European partners as well as Canada to seek alternatives to US leadership on the world stage.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday in the aftermath of the trade framework that Europe “does not see itself sufficiently” as a global power, saying in a cabinet meeting that negotiations with
See “India,” A9
Fed’s Powell sticks with patient approach to rate cuts, brushing off Trump’s demands
By Christopher Rugaber AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON—Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell gave little indication on Wednesday of bowing anytime soon to President Donald Trump’s frequent demands that he cut interest rates, even as signs of dissent emerged on the Fed’s governing board.
The Fed left its key short-term interest rate unchanged for the fifth time this year, at about 4.3%, as was expected. But Powell also signaled that it could take months for the Fed to determine whether Trump’s sweeping tariffs will push up inflation temporarily or lead to a more persistent bout of higher prices. His comments suggest that a rate cut in September, which had been expected by some economists and investors, is now less likely.
“We’ve learned that the process will probably be slower than expected,” Powell said. “We think we have a long way to go to really understand exactly how” the tariffs will affect inflation and the economy.
There were some signs of splits in the Fed’s ranks: Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman voted to reduce borrowing costs, while nine officials, including Powell, favored standing pat. It is the first time in more than three decades that two of the seven Washington-based governors have dissented. One official, Governor Adriana Kugler, was absent and didn’t vote.
The choice to hold off on a rate
cut will almost certainly result in further conflict between the Fed and White House, as Trump has repeatedly demanded that the central bank reduce borrowing costs as part of his effort to assert control over one of the few remaining independent federal agencies.
Powell has in the past signaled during a news conference that a rate move might be on the table for an upcoming meeting, but he gave no such hints this time. The odds of a rate cut in September, according to futures pricing, fell from nearly 60% before the meeting to just 45% after the press conference, the equivalent of a coin flip, according to CME Fedwatch.
“We have made no decisions about September,” Powell said. The chair acknowledged that if the Fed cut its rate too soon, inflation could move higher, and if it cut too late, then the job market could suffer.
Major US stock indexes, which had been trading slightly higher Wednesday, went negative after Powell’s comments.
“The markets seem to think that Powell pushed back on a
September rate cut,” said Lauren Goodwin, chief market strategist at New York Life Investments.
Powell also underscored that the vast majority of the committee agreed with a basic framework: Inflation is still above the Fed’s target of 2%, while the job market is still mostly healthy, so the Fed should keep rates elevated. On Thursday, the government will release the latest reading of the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, and it is expected to show that core prices, excluding energy and food, rose 2.7% from a year earlier.
Gus Faucher, chief economist at PNC Financial, says he expects the tariffs will only temporarily raise inflation, but that it will take most of the rest of this year for that to become apparent. He doesn’t expect the Fed to cut until December.
Trump argues that because the US economy is doing well, rates should be lowered. But unlike a blue-chip company that usually pays lower rates than a troubled startup, it’s different for an entire economy. The Fed adjusts rates to either slow or speed growth, and would be more likely to keep them high if the economy is strong to prevent an inflationary outbreak.
Earlier Wednesday, the government said the economy expanded at a healthy 3% annual rate in the second quarter, though that figure followed a negative reading for the first three months of the year, when the economy shrank 0.5% at an annual rate. Most economists averaged the two figures to get a growth rate of about 1.2% for the first half of this year.
The dissents from Waller and Bowman likely reflect jockeying to replace Powell, whose term ends in May 2026. Waller in particular has been mentioned as a potential future Fed chair.
Michael Feroli, an economist at JPMorgan Chase, said in a note to clients this week if the pair were to dissent, “it would say more about auditioning for the Fed chair appointment than about economic conditions.”
Bowman, meanwhile, last dissented in September 2024, when the Fed cut its key rate by a halfpoint. She said she preferred a quarter point cut instead, and cited the fact that inflation was still above 2.5% as a reason for caution.
Waller said earlier this month that he favored cutting rates, but for very different reasons than Trump has cited: Waller thinks that growth and hiring are slowing, and that the Fed should reduce borrowing costs to forestall a rise in unemployment.
There are other camps on the Fed’s 19-member rate-setting committee—only 12 of the 19 actually vote on rate decisions. In June, seven members signaled that they supported leaving rates unchanged through the end of this year, while two suggested they preferred a single rate cut. The other half supported more reductions, with eight officials backing two cuts, and two—widely thought to be Waller and Bowman—supporting three reductions.
The dissents could be a preview of what might happen after Powell steps down, if Trump appoints a replacement who pushes for the much lower interest rates the White House desires. Other Fed officials could push back if a future chair sought to cut rates by more than economic conditions would otherwise support. Overall, the committee’s quarterly forecasts in June suggested the Fed would cut twice this year. There are only three more Fed policy meetings—in September, October, and December.
Lithuania Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas steps down after investigations and protests
By Liudas Dapkus The Associated Press
VILNIUS, Lithuania—Lithuania
Prime Minister Gintautas
Paluckas stepped down on Thursday following investigations into his business dealings that prompted protests in the Baltic country ‘s capital calling for his resignation.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced Paluckas’ resignation to the media on Thursday morning. A spokesperson for Paluckas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Paluckas, a newly established
leader of the center-left Social Democrats, ascended to the role late last year after a three-party coalition formed following parliamentary elections in October. His entire cabinet is now expected also to resign, potentially leaving the country without an effective
government weeks before Russia holds joint military exercises with neighboring Belarus.
Lithuanian foreign policy is unlikely to change as a result of the government shakeup. Nausėda, who was elected separately, is the country’s face on the world stage and has been one of the most stalwart supporters of Ukraine in its fight against invading Russian forces.
Paluckas has recently been dogged by media investigations into his business and financial dealings. Several media outlets published investigations in July regarding Paluckas’ past and present ventures and alleged mishandlings, including ones more than a decade ago. The Baltic country ‘s anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies subsequently launched their own probes.
In a devastating blow to his reputation, the media also revealed that Paluckas never paid a significant part of a 16,500 euro
US sanctions Brazil’s Supreme Court justice overseeing trial against Trump ally Bolsonaro
RBy Eléonore Hughes The Associated Press
IO DE JANEIRO—The US Treasury Department on Wednesday announced sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes over alleged suppression of freedom of expression and the ongoing trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
De Moraes oversees the criminal case against Bolsonaro, who is accused of masterminding a plot to stay in power despite his 2022 election defeat to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
“De Moraes is responsible for an oppressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary detentions that violate human rights, and politicized prosecutions— including against former President Jair Bolsonaro,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
The department cited the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which targets perpetrators of human rights abuse and corrupt officials, as its authority to issue the sanctions.
The decision orders the freezing of any assets or property de Moraes may have in the US.
Brazil’s Supreme Court and the Presidential Palace did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Wednesday’s sanctions follow the US State Department’s announcement of visa restrictions on Brazilian judicial officials, including de Moraes, on July 18. They also come after US President Donald Trump announced a 50% tariff on Brazilian imported goods on July 9. In a letter announcing the tariff, Trump explicitly linked the import tax to what he called the “witch hunt” trial of Bolsonaro currently underway in Brazil.
Trump appears to identify with Bolsonaro, who is accused of trying to overturn the results of his 2022 loss to Lula. Similarly, Trump was indicted in 2023 on allegations that he
tried to overturn the results of the 2020 US presidential election.
Bolsonaro has been ordered to wear an ankle monitor after being deemed a flight risk.
Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo celebrated the US Treasury Department announcement on X, calling it a “historic milestone” and a warning that “abuses of authority now have global consequences.”
Eduardo Bolsonaro relocated to the US in March and is under investigation for allegedly working with US authorities to impose sanctions against Brazilian officials.
Also on Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order to implement the 50% tariff announced earlier this month. The White House said in a statement that the order was a response to “recent policies, practices, and actions” of Brazil that “constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.”
That was a shift in rationale for the tariff.
The legal basis of the threat on July 9 was an earlier executive order premised on trade imbalances being a threat to the US economy. But the US ran a $6.8 billion trade surplus last year with Brazil, according to the US Census Bureau.
In Wednesday’s order, Trump said Brazil’s policies and criminal prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro constitute an economic emergency under a 1977 law.
After the tariff was announced earlier this month, Lula said that Trump wasn’t elected to be “emperor of the world.” He has defended Brazil’s sovereignty and the independence of Brazil’s judiciary.
Lula called an emergency meeting with some ministers following Wednesday’s events, local newspaper O Globo reported.
The left-wing president had earlier sanctioned a law banning the use of live animals in laboratory testing for personal hygiene products, cosmetics and perfumes, calling Wednesday a “sacred day of sovereignty.”
In a video posted on social media, Lula said he left the event in capital Brasilia in a hurry to defend “the sovereignty of the Brazilian people in light of the measures announced by the President of the United States.”
Originally due to come into effect on August 1, Wednesday’s order said the tariffs would go into effect seven days after its signing.
Flavia Loss, an international relations professor at Foundation School of Sociology and Politics in Sao Paulo, said the sanctions against Moraes and the tariffs order marked an escalation in the tensions between the US and Brazil.
fine ($19,039) in connection with a 2012 criminal case dubbed the “rat poison scandal.”
Paluckas was convicted of
mishandling the bidding process for Vilnius’ rat extermination services while serving as the capital city’s municipality administration director. Judges for the country’s top court in 2012 ruled that he abused his official position by illegally granting privileges to the company that offered the highest price in the bid. He was also sentenced to two years behind bars, but the sentence was suspended for one year and he ultimately was never imprisoned. The Social Democratic party leader denied any wrongdoing regarding his business affairs, labeling the criticism as part of a “coordinated attack” by political opponents. He resigned before the opposition could formally launch impeachment proceedings. New coalition talks are expected to start shortly to form a new cabinet.
Concerns grow for 3 OSCE workers jailed shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
By Stephanie Liechtenstein The Associated Press
VIENNA—It was late at night when they came for Dmytro Shabanov, a security assistant in eastern Ukraine at the Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
His seizure from his home in the Luhansk region in April 2022—weeks after Moscow’s full-scale invasion—was part of a coordinated operation by proRussian forces who detained him and two other Ukrainian OSCE workers. Maksym Petrov, an interpreter, also was seized in the Luhansk region, while Vadym Golda, another security assistant, was detained in neighboring Donetsk.
More than three years later, the three Ukrainian civilians who had worked with the international group’s ceasefire monitoring efforts in the eastern regions remain behind bars. They have not been part of recent large-scale prisoner exchanges with Russia.
Their detention has raised alarm among OSCE officials, Western nations and human rights advocates, who demand their immediate release while expressing concern about their health and prison conditions amid allegations of torture.
The Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian mission to the OSCE did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press on those allegations or on OSCE personnel having immunity from prosecution as international civil servants.
Rapidly unfolding events in 2022
“He was taken from his home after the curfew took effect,” said Margaryta Shabanova, Shabanov’s wife, who lives in
Kyiv. “I had a last call with him around 20 minutes before it happened.”
After his arrest, Shabanov disappeared for three months, held incommunicado by Russian separatists and interrogated in a Luhansk prison until he was forced to sign a confession. That fateful night turned Shabanova’s life upside down.
“Every morning, I wake up hoping that today will be different -- that today I will hear that my Dima is free,” she said. “Painfully, days stretch on, and nothing changes. The waiting, the not knowing, the endless hope slowly turning into quiet despair.”
Fighting back tears, Shabanova describes life without her husband.
“The silence at the dinner table, the birthdays and holidays have been missed for over three years. People say to me that I am strong, but they don’t see the moments I collapse behind closed doors,” she said. The Vienna-based OSCE monitors ceasefires, observes elections, and promotes democracy and arms control, and Shabanov “really liked his job” at the international organization, said his wife, especially working with the foreign staff. She said her husband believed that “international service could protect lives and make the world a little more just.”
The OSCE had operated a ceasefire monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow separatists had been fighting Ukrainian government troops since 2014, with about 14,000 killed even before the full-scale invasion. The monitors watched for truce violations, facilitated See “OSCE,” A9
NEWLY elected Lithuania’s Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, speaks to the media at the Parliament in Vilnius, Lithuania, November 21, 2024. AP/MINDAUGAS KULBIS
THE President of the Supreme Electoral Court, Minister Alexandre de Moraes arrives to preside over the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro in Brasilia, Brazil, June 29, 2023. AP/GUSTAVO MORENO
Trump targets environmental reviews to fast-track AI and data center growth
By Melina Walling & Matthew Daly The Associated Press
WHEN President Donald Trump rolled out a plan to boost artificial intelligence and data centers, a key goal was wiping away barriers to rapid growth.
And that meant taking aim at the National Environmental Policy Act—a 55-year-old, bedrock law aimed at protecting the environment through a process that requires agencies to consider a project’s possible impacts and allows the public to be heard before a project is approved. Data centers, demanding vast amounts of energy and water, have aroused strong opposition in some communities.
The AI Action Plan Trump announced last week would seek to sweep aside NEPA, as it’s commonly known, to streamline environmental reviews and permitting for data centers and related infrastructure. Republicans and business interests have long criticized NEPA for what they see as unreasonable slowing of development, and Trump’s plan would give “categorical exclusions” to data centers for “maximum efficiency” in permitting.
A spokeswoman for the White House Council on Environmental Quality said the administration is “focused on driving mean -
OSCE.
Continued from A8
dialogue and brokered local halts in fighting to enable repairs to critical civilian infrastructure.
But on March 31, 2022, Russia blocked the extension of the OSCE mission, and separatist leaders declared it illegal the following month.
It remains unclear whether the three detained OSCE staffers had tried to flee eastern Ukraine.
Locally recruited Ukrainians like Shabanov, Petrov and Golda worked in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions to help shut down the OSCE mission. They cleared offices, safeguarded OSCE assets, including armored vehicles, drones and cameras, and oversaw evacuations of their international colleagues. That operation was completed by October 2022.
Convictions and prison sentences
THE three men were arrested despite carrying documents confirming their immunity, the OSCE said.
Shabanov and Petrov were convicted of treason by a Russian-controlled court in Luhansk in September 2022 and sentenced to 13 years in prison. Golda, 57, was convicted of espionage by a court in Donetsk, also under Moscow’s control, in July 2024 and sentenced to 14 years.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in November 2022 it believed the activities of the OSCE monitors “were often not only biased but also illegal.” Without identifying the three Ukrainian OSCE staff by name, the ministry alleged that local residents were recruited by the West to collect information for the Ukrainian military and “several” were detained.
The OSCE condemned the sentences and called for the immediate release of the three men, asserting they were performing their official duties as mandated by all of its 57 member states, including Russia.
Seven months after the invasion, Russia illegally annexed the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, despite not fully controlling them.
On March 27, 2025, Russia transferred Shabanov from a detention facility in the Luhansk region to a high-security penal colony in Russia’s Omsk region in Siberia, according to Ievgeniia Kapalkina, a lawyer with the Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group who represents the Shabanov and Petrov families.
Petrov remains at risk of being moved to Russia, she said. PENAL colonies in Siberia are known for harsh conditions, where “prisoners often lose all contact with the outside world, effectively ‘disappearing’ within Russia’s penal system,” the legal group said in March. “Given their existing health issues, the lack of proper medical care in remote regions could prove fatal,” it added.
ingful NEPA reform to reduce the delays in federal permitting, unleashing the ability for America to strengthen its AI and manufacturing leadership.”
Trump’s administration has been weakening the law for months.
“It’s par for the course for this administration. The attitude is to clear the way for projects that harm communities and the environment,” said Erin Doran, senior staff attorney at environmental nonprofit Food & Water Watch.
Here’s what to know about this key environmental law, and Trump’s effort to weaken it:
What is NEPA and why does it matter?
NEPA is a foundational environmental law in the United States, “essentially our Magna Carta for the environment,” said Wendy Park, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, another environmental group, referring to the 13th century English legal text that formed the basis for constitutions worldwide.
Signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1970, NEPA requires federal agencies proposing actions such as building roads, bridges or energy projects to study how their project will affect the environment. Private companies are also frequently subject to NEPA standards when they apply for a permit from
Allegations of beatings, psychological pressure
UKRAINIAN human rights activist Maksym Butkevych, who was in the same Luhansk penal colony with Shabanov and Petrov from March 2024 until being released in October 2024, said both men were tortured during interrogation.
Shabanov was “beaten several times during the interrogations until he lost consciousness and was subjected to extreme psychological pressure,” he said.
Butkevych said Shabanov, 38, has problems with his back and legs. “He had to lie down at least for couple of hours every day due to pain,” he added. Petrov, 45, has “a lot of health issues,” Butkevych said, including allergies worsened by his captivity, “specifically the interrogation period.”
Kapalkina said both men were “subjected to repeated unlawful interrogations during which they suffered severe physical and physiological abuse” and eventually “signed confessions under coercion.”
The allegations of torture could not be independently verified by the AP.
Bargaining chips for Russia?
BUTKEVYCH suggested the three imprisoned OSCE workers, who are not prisoners of war, are likely “bargaining chips” for Moscow, to be “exchanged for someone or something significantly important for Russia.”
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, the current chairperson of the OSCE, said in a statement to AP that imprisoning civilian officials of an international organization “is completely unacceptable.”
“Securing their release is a top priority for the Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship,” she said.
OSCE Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu is “very closely and personally engaged on this matter,” a spokesperson said, noting he traveled to Moscow in March and raised the issue with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Yurii Vitrenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to International Organizations in Vienna, called for the unconditional release of the three, saying they should “never have been illegally detained” by Russia, should “never have been put on a fake trial,” and should “never have been handed illegal sentences.”
Vitrenko suggested that other states with more influence with Russia should exert more pressure to help secure their release. He did not identify those countries.
Shabanova said she regularly asks “those who have the power” to take action.
“Do not look away,” she said, adding that the OSCE and the international community must ask themselves why their actions have not led to the release of her husband.
Her only wish, she said, is “to see my Dima walk through the door, just to hold his hand again, to look into his eyes and say, ‘You are home now. It’s over.’”
a federal agency.
In recent years, the law has become increasingly important in requiring consideration of a project’s possible contributions to climate change.
“That’s a really important function because otherwise we’re just operating with blinders just to get the project done, without considering whether there are alternative solutions that might accomplish the same objective, but in a more environmentally friendly way,” Park said.
But business groups say NEPA routinely blocks important projects that often take five years or more to complete.
“Our broken permitting system has long been a national embarrassment,’’ said Marty Durbin, president of the US Chamber’s Global Energy Institute. He called NEPA “a blunt and haphazard tool” that too often is used to block investment and economic development.
The White House proposal comes as Congress is working on a permitting reform plan that would overhaul NEPA, addressing long-standing concerns from both parties that development projects±including some for clean energy±take too long to be approved.
What’s happened to NEPA recently?
NEPA’s strength—and usefulness—can
depend on how it’s interpreted by different administrations.
Trump, a Republican, sought to weaken NEPA in his first term by limiting when environmental reviews are required and limiting the time for evaluation and public comment. Former Democratic President Joe Biden restored more rigorous reviews.
In his second term, Trump has again targeted the law.
An executive order that touched on environmental statutes has many agencies scrapping the requirement for a draft environmental impact statement. And the CEQ in May withdrew Biden-era guidance that federal agencies should consider the effects of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions when conducting NEPA reviews.
Separately, the US Supreme Court in May narrowed the scope of environmental reviews required for major infrastructure projects. In a ruling involving a Utah railway expansion project aimed at quadrupling oil production, the court said NEPA wasn’t designed “for judges to hamstring new infrastructure and construction projects.”
“It’s been a rough eight months for NEPA,” said Dinah Bear, a former general counsel at the Council on Environmental Quality under both Democratic and Republican presidents.
John Ruple, a research professor of law at the University of Utah, said sidelining NEPA could actually slow things down. Federal agencies still have to comply with other environmental laws, like the Endangered Species Act or Clean Air Act. NEPA has an often-overlooked benefit of forcing coordination with those other laws, he said.
Some examples of cases where NEPA has played a role
A botanist by training, Mary O’Brien was working with a small organization in Oregon in the 1980s to propose alternative techniques to successfully replant Douglas fir trees that had been clear-cut on federal lands. Aerially sprayed herbicides aimed at helping the conifers grow have not only been linked to health problems in humans but were also killing another species of tree, red alders, that were beneficial to the fir saplings, O’Brien said.
The US Forest Service had maintained that the herbicides’ impact on humans and red alders wasn’t a problem. But under NEPA, a court required the agency to redo their analysis and they ultimately had to write a new environmental impact statement.
“It’s a fundamental concept: ‘Don’t just roar ahead.’ Think about your options,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien, who later worked at the Grand Canyon Trust, also co-chaired a working group that weighed in on a 2012 Forest Service proposal, finalized in 2016, for aspen restoration on Monroe Mountain in Utah. Hunters, landowners, loggers and ranchers all had different opinions on how the restoration should be handled. She said NEPA’s requirement to get the public involved made for better research and a better plan.
“I think it’s one of the laws that’s the most often used by the public without the public being aware,” said Stephen Schima, senior legislative counsel at environmental law nonprofit Earthjustice. “NEPA has long been the one opportunity for communities and impacted stakeholders and local governments to weigh in.” Schima said rolling back the power of NEPA threatens the scientific integrity of examining projects’ full impacts.
“Decisions are going to be less informed by scientific studies, and that is one of the major concerns here,’’ he said. Ruple said uncertainty from NEPA changes and competing opinions on how to comply with the law’s requirements may invite even more litigation.
“And all of this will fall on the shoulder of agencies that are losing the staff needed to lead them through these changes,” he said.
Parents want more warnings after a brain-eating amoeba killed their son on a South Carolina lake
By Jeffrey Collins The Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C.—Two weeks after Jaysen Carr spent the Fourth of July swimming and riding on a boat on one of South Carolina’s most popular lakes, he was dead from an amoeba that lives in the warm water and entered his brain through his nose. His parents had no clue the brain-eating amoeba, whose scientific name is Naegleria
from A6
Plumes of smoke emanating from a partially damaged building and debris strewn on the ground. The force of the blast
thousands and potentially tens of thousands of people die in Gaza. That is preventable.” She described children digging through trash piles outside their office, looking for food.
Anything less than a ceasefire and a return to the UN-led aid system in place before Israel’s blockade in early March “is policymakers condemning tens of thousands of people in Gaza to death, starvation and disease,” said Rob Williams, CEO for War Child Alliance.
fowleri, even existed in Lake Murray, just 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Columbia. They found out when a doctor, in tears, told them the diagnosis after what seemed like a fairly regular headache and nausea took a serious turn.
Jaysen, 12, fought for a week before dying on July 18, making him one of about 160 people known to have died from the amoeba in the US in the past 60 years.
As they grieve their son, the boy’s parents said they were stunned to learn
wave was powerful enough to leave clothes hanging limply from trees.
At least 27 locations across Kyiv were hit by the attack, Tkachenko said, with the heaviest damage seen in the Solomianskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts. More than 100 buildings were damaged in Kyiv, including
“All of the children who are currently malnourished will die. That is, unless there’s an absolutely rapid and consistent reversal of what is happening,” said Dr. Tarek Loubani, medical director for Glia, based in Gaza.
‘Open every border crossing’ ISRAEL has restricted aid to varying degrees throughout the war. In March, it cut off the entry of all goods, including fuel, food and medicine, to pressure Hamas to free hostages.
Israel eased those restrictions in May but also pushed ahead with a new US-backed aid delivery system that has
on almost all its exports, India has expressed reservations on throwing open sectors such as agriculture and dairy, which employ a bulk of the country’s population for livelihood, Indian officials said.
the US will continue as the agreement gets formalized.
“To be free, you have to be feared,” Macron said. “We have not been feared enough. There is a greater urgency than ever to accelerate the European agenda for sovereignty and competitiveness.”
Seeking a deeper partnership with India
WASHINGTON has long sought to develop a deeper partnership with New Delhi, which is seen as a bulwark against China.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has established a good working relationship with Trump, and the two leaders are likely to further boost cooperation between their countries. When Trump in February met with Modi, the US president said that India would start buying American oil and natural gas.
The new tariffs on India could complicate its goal of doubling bilateral trade with the US to $500 billion by 2030. The two countries have had five rounds of negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement. While US has been seeking greater market access and zero tariff
The Census Bureau reported that the US ran a $45.8 billion trade imbalance in goods with India last year, meaning it imported more than it exported.
At a population exceeding 1.4 billion people, India is the world’s largest country and a possible geopolitical counterbalance to China. India and Russia have close relations, and New Delhi has not supported Western sanctions on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
The new tariffs could put India at a disadvantage in the US market relative to Vietnam, Bangladesh and, possibly, China, said Ajay Sahai, director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations.
“We are back to square one as Trump hasn’t spelled out what the penalties would be in addition to the tariff,” Sahai said. “The demand for Indian goods is bound to be hit.” (Roy reported from New Delhi.
The Associated Press writers Samuel Petrequin in Paris, and Darlene Superville and Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.
South Carolina, like most other US states, has no law requiring public reporting of deaths or infections from the amoeba. The lake wasn’t closed and no water testing was performed. If they hadn’t spoken up, they wonder if anyone would have even known what happened.
“I can’t believe we don’t have our son. The result of him being a child was losing his life. That does not sit well. And I am terrified it will happen to someone else,” Clarence Carr told The Associated Press as his wife sat beside him, hugging a stuffed tiger that had a recording of their middle child’s heartbeat.
homes, schools, kindergartens, medical facilities and universities, he said.
The best Fourth of July ever JAYSEN loved sports. He played football and baseball. He loved people, too. As soon as he met you, he was your friend, his father said. He was smart enough to have skipped a grade in school and to play
See “Amoeba,” A11
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he’s giving Russian President Vladimir Putin a shorter deadline—August 8— for peace efforts to make progress, or Washington will impose punitive sanctions and tariffs. Western leaders have accused Putin of dragging his feet in US-led peace efforts in an attempt to capture more Ukrainian land.
been wracked by chaos and violence.
The traditional, UN-led aid providers say deliveries have been hampered by Israeli military restrictions and incidents of looting, while criminals and hungry crowds swarm entering convoys.
While Israel says there’s no limit on how many aid trucks can enter Gaza, UN agencies and aid groups say even the latest humanitarian measures are not enough to counter the worsening starvation.
“The fastest and most effective way to save lives right now is to open every border crossing,” Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, head of Mercy Corps. the international relief agency,
Vasilisa Stepanenko contributed to this report.
said in a statement Tuesday. Aid groups call the airdrops ineffective and dangerous, saying they deliver less aid than trucks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said no one is starving in Gaza and that Israel has supplied enough aid throughout the war, “otherwise, there would be no Gazans.”
Israel’s closest ally now appears to disagree. “Those children look very hungry,” President Donald Trump said Monday.
Anna reported from Lowville, New York. Associated Press writer Fatma Khaled in Cairo contributed.
Trump’s tariffs could squeeze US factories and hike costs by 4.5%, new analysis finds
By Josh Boak & Paul Wiseman The Associated Press
WASHINGTON—As
President Donald Trump prepares to announce new tariff increases, the costs of his policies are starting to come into focus for a domestic manufacturing sector that depends on global supply chains, with a new analysis suggesting factory costs could increase by roughly 2% to 4.5%.
“There’s going to be a cash squeeze for a lot of these firms,” said Chris Bangert-Drowns, the researcher at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth who conducted the analysis. Those seemingly small changes at factories with slim profit margins, Bangert-Drowns said, “could lead to stagnation of wages, if not layoffs and closures of plants” if the costs are untenable.
The analysis, released Tuesday, points to the challenges Trump might face in trying to sell his tariffs to the public as a broader political and economic win and not just as evidence his negotiating style gets other nations to back down. The success of Trump’s policies ultimately depends on whether everyday Americans be -
come wealthier and factory towns experience revivals, a goal outside economists say his Republican administration is unlikely to meet with tariffs.
Trump has announced new frameworks with the European Union, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia and Britain that would each raise the import taxes charged by the United States. He’s prepared to levy tariffs against goods from dozens of other countries starting on Friday in the stated range of 15% to 50%.
The US stock market has shown relief the tariff rates aren’t as high as Trump initially threatened in April and hope for a sense of stability going forward. Trump maintains the tariff revenues will whittle down the budget deficit and help whip up domestic factory jobs, all while playing down the risks of higher prices.
“We’ve wiped out inflation,” Trump said last Friday before boarding Marine One while on his way to Scotland.
But there’s the possibility of backlash in the form of higher prices and slower growth once
tariffs flow more fully through the world economy.
A June survey by the Atlanta Federal Reserve suggested companies would on average pass half of their tariff costs onto US consumers through higher prices. Labor Department data shows America lost 14,000 manufacturing jobs after Trump rolled out his April tariffs, putting a lot of pressure as to whether a rebound starts in the June employment report coming out Friday.
With new tariffs in place, there are new costs for factories
THE Washington Center for Equitable Growth analysis shows how Trump’s devotion to tariffs carries potential economic and political costs for his agenda. In the swing states of Michigan and Wisconsin, more than 1 in 5 jobs are in the critical sectors of manufacturing, construction, mining and oil drilling and maintenance that have high exposures to his import taxes.
The artificial intelligence sector Trump last week touted as the future of the economy is dependent on imports. More than 20% of the inputs for computer and electronics manufacturing are imported, so the tariffs could ultimately magnify a hefty multitrillion-dollar price tag for building out the technology in the US.
The White House argues American businesses will access new markets because of the trade frameworks, saying companies will ultimately benefit as a result.
“The ‘Made in USA’ label is set to resume its global dominance under President Trump,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said. Still lots of uncertainty, but world economy faces a new toll THERE are limits to the analysis. Trump’s tariff rates have been a moving target, and the analysis looks only at additional costs, not how those costs will be absorbed among foreign producers, domestic manufacturers and consumers. Also, the legal basis of the tariffs as an “emergency” act goes before
a US appeals court on Thursday.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview last week on Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow” show countries were essentially accepting the tariffs to maintain access to the US market. “Everyone is willing to pay a toll,” he said.
But what Bessent didn’t say is US manufacturers are also paying much of that toll.
“We’re getting squeezed from all sides,’’ said Justin Johnson, president of Jordan Manufacturing Co. in Belding, Michigan, northeast of Grand Rapids. His grandfather founded the company in 1949.
The company, which makes parts used by Amazon warehouses, auto companies and aerospace firms, has seen the price of a key raw material—steel coil—rise 5% to 10% this year.
Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.
Jordan Manufacturing doesn’t buy foreign steel. But by crippling foreign competition, Trump’s tariffs have allowed domestic US steelmakers to hike prices.
Johnson doesn’t blame them.
“There’s no red-blooded capitalist who isn’t going to raise his prices’’ under those circumstances, he said.
Trump says no inflation from tariffs, but businesses see higher prices
The Trump White House insists inflation is not surfacing in the economy, issuing a report through the Council of Economic Advisers this month saying the price of imported goods fell between December of last year and this past May. “These findings contradict claims that tariffs or tariff-fears would lead to an acceleration of inflation,” the report concludes.
Ernie Tedeschi, director of economics at the Budget Lab at Yale University, said that the more accurate measure would be to compare the trends in import prices with themselves in the past and that the CEA’s own numbers show “import prices have accelerated in
recent months.”
The latest estimate from the Budget Lab at Yale is the tariffs would cause the average household to have $2,400 less than it would otherwise have.
Keeping the economy on a knife’s edge
JOSH SMITH , founder and president of Montana Knife Co., called himself a Trump voter but said he sees the tariffs on foreign steel and other goods as threatening his business.
For instance, Smith just ordered a $515,000 machine from Germany that grinds his knife blades to a sharp edge. Trump had imposed a 10% tax on products from the EU that is set to rise to 15% under the trade framework he announced Sunday. So, Trump’s tax on the machine comes to $77,250—about enough for Smith to hire an entrylevel worker.
Smith would happily buy the bevel-grinding machines from an American supplier. But there aren’t any. “There’s only two companies in the world that make them, and they’re both in Germany,’’ Smith said.
Then there’s imported steel, which Trump is taxing at 50%. Until this year, Montana Knife bought the powdered steel it needs from Crucible Industries in Syracuse, New York. But Crucible declared bankruptcy last December, and its assets were purchased by a Swedish firm, Erasteel, which moved production to Sweden. Smith beat the tariffs by buying a year’s worth of the steel in advance. But starting in 2026, the specialty steel he’ll be importing from Sweden is set to be hit with a 50% duty.
“The average American is not sitting in the position I am, looking at the numbers I am and making the decisions each day, like, ‘Hey, we cannot hire those extra few people because we might have to pay this tariff on this steel or this tariff on this grinder,’’’ he said. “I want to buy more equipment and hire more people. That’s what I want to do.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris says she will not run for California governor in 2026
By Michael R. Blood AP Political Writer
LOS ANGELES—Former Vice President Kamala Harris will not run for California governor next year, leaving open the possibility that she could mount a third run for the White House in 2028.
“Over the past six months, I have spent time reflecting on this moment in our nation’s history and the best way for me to continue fighting for the American people and advancing the values and ideals I hold dear,” Harris said in a statement released by her office Wednesday.
“I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their governor. I love this state, its people and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that will not run for Governor in this election,” she said.
Harris’ decision extends a guessing game about her political future that started after she lost last year’s presidential election to Donald Trump. Harris spent months privately considering whether to run for governor, stage another run for the White House or step away from electoral politics altogether after her bruising defeat by Trump.
She has not ruled out another run for president, after unsuccessful bids in 2020 and 2024. It’s not known when she will make that decision.
Harris didn’t mention Trump directly in her statement, but said “our politics, our government, and our institutions have too often failed the American people, culminating in this moment of crisis.”
Remaining in the fight
“FOR now, my leadership—and public service—will not be in elected office. I look forward to getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly, and sharing more details in the months ahead about my own plans,” Harris said.
“In the United States of America, power must lie with the people. And We, the People must use our power to fight for freedom, opportunity, fairness and the dignity of all. I will remain in that fight,” the statement said.
Harris would have entered the crowded contest to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom as a front-runner given her widespread name recognition, fundraising prowess and track record of winning statewide elections. Before serving as US senator and vice president, she was elected
state attorney general and district attorney in San Francisco.
But after years in Washington on the national and international stage, it was never clear if Harris was interested in returning to the less-glamorous world of statehouse politics in Sacramento.
Young voters
DEMOCRATIC strategist Sean Clegg, a longtime Harris adviser, said the former vice president was tempted to make a gubernatorial run but decided to explore other options. Among the possibilities she has considered: starting a nonprofit to engage younger voters.
“She’s been in elective office for 22 straight years, she’s been in public service since she got out of law school,” Clegg said. “Having spent her entire life inside the system, she’s more motivated, more excited by the opportunity to make change outside of the system.”
“Her decision, at the end of the day, it was just a gut decision,” Clegg added. “She asked herself, ‘Do I want to go back into the system as the top elected official in California, or do I want to try to do something completely different?’”
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Dark secrets unearthed: Excavation begins at Tuam’s infamous mother and baby home
By Brian Melley The Associated Press
TUAM, Ireland—This story begins with a forbidden fruit.
It was the 1970s in this small town in the west of Ireland when an orchard owner chased off two boys stealing his apples.
The youngsters avoided being caught by clambering over the stone wall of the derelict Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home. When they landed, they discovered a dark secret that has grown to haunt Ireland.
One of the boys, Franny Hopkins, remembers the hollow sound as his feet hit the ground. He and Barry Sweeney pushed back some briars to reveal a concrete slab they pried open.
“There was just a jumble of bones,” Hopkins said. “We didn’t know if we’d found a treasure or a nightmare.”
Hopkins didn’t realize they’d found a mass unmarked baby grave in a former septic tank—in a town whose name is derived from the Irish word meaning burial place.
It took four decades and a persistent local historian to unearth a more troubling truth that led this month to the start of an excavation that could exhume the remains of almost 800 infants and young children.
The Tuam grave has compelled a broader reckoning that extends to the highest levels of government in Dublin and the Vatican. Ireland and the Catholic Church, once central to its identity, are grappling with the legacy of ostracizing unmarried women who they believed committed a mortal sin and separating them from children left at the mercy of a cruel system.
An unlikely investigator WORD of Hopkins’ discovery may never have traveled beyond what is left of the home’s walls if not for the work of Catherine Corless, a homemaker with an interest in history.
. .
Continued from A9
several instruments in his middle school band in Columbia.
“He either loved you or he just didn’t know you,” his father said. “He was the type of person who could go to a jump park and five minutes later say, ‘This is my friend James.’”
Friends invited Jaysen and his family for the Fourth of July holiday weekend on the lake, where Jaysen spent hours swimming, fishing and riding on an inner tube that was being pulled by a boat.
“Mom and Dad, that was the best Fourth of July I’ve ever had,” Clarence Carr remembered his son telling him.
A headache suddenly gets worse A FEW days later, Jaysen’s head started to hurt. Pain relievers helped. But the next day the headache got worse and he started throwing up. He told the emergency room doctors exactly where he was hurting. But soon he started to get disoriented and lethargic.
The amoeba was in his brain, already causing an infection and destroying brain tissue. It entered through his nose as water was forced deep into his nasal passages, possibly from one of the times Jaysen jumped into the water. It then traveled along his olfactory nerve into his brain.
Harris. . .
Continued from A10
Another White House run?
OUTSIDE California, Harris’ political career has been marked by historic firsts but also disappointments.
Harris sought the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, but dropped out of the race before the leadoff Iowa caucuses—the first defeat of her political career. After Joe Biden chose her as his running mate, she made history as the first woman, Black person or person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president.
Corless, who grew up in town and vividly remembers children from the home being shunned at school, set out to write an article about the site for the local historical society.
But she soon found herself chasing ghosts of lost children.
“I thought I was doing a nice story about orphans and all that, and the more I dug, the worse it was getting,” she said.
Mother and baby homes were not unique to Ireland, but the church’s influence on social values magnified the stigma on women and girls who became pregnant outside marriage.
The homes were opened in the 1920s after Ireland won its independence from Britain. Most were run by Catholic nuns.
In Tuam’s case, the mother and baby home opened in a former workhouse built in the 1840s for poor Irish where many famine victims died.
It had been taken over by British troops during the Irish Civil War of 1922-1923. Six members of an Irish Republican Army faction that opposed the treaty ending the war were executed there in 1923.
Two years later, the imposing threestory gray buildings on the outskirts of town reopened as a home for expectant and young mothers and orphans. It was run for County Galway by the Bon Secours Sisters, a Catholic order of nuns.
The buildings were primitive, poorly heated with running water only in the kitchen and maternity ward. Large dormitories housed upward of 200 children and 100 mothers at a time.
Corless found a dearth of information in her local library but was horrified to learn that women banished by their families were essentially incarcerated there. They worked for up to a year before being cast out—most of them forever separated from their children.
So deep was the shame of being pregnant outside marriage that women were often brought there surreptitiously.
The amoeba caused an infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis.
Fewer than 10 people a year get it in the US, and over 95% of them die. The last death from the amoeba in South Carolina was in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The amoeba is fairly common. There is no science-based threshold for what level of the organism in the water would be safe or unsafe, and it would be difficult to test water regularly, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services said in a statement.
Researchers are still trying to figure out why the infections are so rare. Some people have been found to have had antibodies, signaling they may have survived exposure. Others may die from brain swelling and other problems without the amoeba ever being detected.
Last year, the CDC started a pilot program of giving infected patients an antibiotic approved for use in Europe that has killed the amoeba in lab studies.
The amoeba is found in warm water and the infection is almost always fatal
The amoeba becomes dangerous in water that stays over 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) and for years has been seen almost exclusively in the summer in the southern part of the country. But a few recent cases have popped up in Maryland, Indiana and Minnesota, scientists said.
The CDC said 167 cases of the infection have been reported in the US between
In 2024, Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee after Biden left the race months before Election Day and endorsed her. She lost that race to Trump, who won every swing state. Harris faces some uncertainty if she chooses to make another White House run. Harris would have to convince national Democrats that she’s the face of the party’s future, despite losing to Trump last fall. She also carries the baggage of being tied to Biden, whom Democrats have increasingly criticized for seeking a second term rather than stepping aside. Biden’s legacy was tarnished as he left office, and since then new questions have swirled about his physical and mental abilities as his term ended. The 2028 presidential contest is expected to attract a large field, which could potentially include Newsom. Any candidate will have to unify a fractious Democratic Party with low approval ratings
Peter Mulryan, who grew up in the home, learned decades later that his mother was six months pregnant when she was taken by bicycle from her home under the cover of darkness. The local priest arranged it after telling her father she was “causing a scandal in the parish.”
Mothers and their children carried that stigma most of their lives.
But there was no accountability for the men who got them pregnant, whether by romantic encounter, rape or incest.
More shocking, though, was the high number of deaths Corless found.
When she searched the local cemetery for a plot for the home’s babies, she found nothing.
Long-lost brothers
AROUND the time Corless was unearthing the sad history, Anna Corrigan was in Dublin discovering a secret of her own.
Corrigan, raised as an only child, vaguely remembered a time as a girl when her uncle was angry at her mother and blurted out that she had given birth to two sons. To this day, she’s unsure if it’s a memory or dream.
While researching her late father’s traumatic childhood confined in an industrial school for abandoned, orphaned or troubled children, she asked a woman helping her for any records about her deceased mom.
Corrigan was devastated when she got the news: before she was born, her mother had two boys in the Tuam home.
“I cried for brothers I didn’t know, because now had siblings, but I never knew them,” she said.
Her mother never spoke a word about it.
A 1947 inspection record provided insights to a crowded and deadly environment.
Twelve of 31 infants in a nursery were emaciated. Other children were described as “delicate,” “wasted,” or with “wizened limbs.”
1962 and 2024, and only four people have survived.
One infection in a body of water doesn’t increase the chances of another infection in the same body of water, the CDC said.
The amoeba cannot move from one person to another.
Boys seem most susceptible, but researchers don’t know if that is simply because they are more likely to jump and dive into the water or play in sediment at the bottom of lakes.
The amoeba can show up in hot springs, rivers and, on rare occasions, in tap water. That’s why doctors recommend using sterile water for cleaning nasal passages with a neti pot.
The only way to be completely safe is to not swim in lakes or rivers and, if you do, keep your head above water. Pinching your nose or using nose clips when diving or swimming can keep water out of your nose.
Parents want others to know the danger from the braineating amoeba
AS he sat in an intensive care hospital room with his son, Clarence Carr couldn’t help but think of all the people on the lake.
He wondered if any of them had any clue about the microscopic danger in that water.
“There are entire families out there on pontoon boats, jumping off, just like our kids were having the time of their lives,” he said. “It very well could be their last moments, and they are unaware of it.”
that is struggling to slow Trump’s agenda in Washington.
In her most extensive public remarks since leaving office in January, Harris said in a San Francisco speech that Trump’s leadership represented a “ wholesale abandonment “ of American ideals. Harris’ decision not to seek the governorship keeps the contest to replace Newsom wide open. The Democratic field includes former US Rep. Katie Porter, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Biden administration health secretary Xavier Becerra and a handful of state officeholders.
In a statement, Villaraigosa speculated that Harris’ political career was not over. Her decision, he said, “reflects her continued commitment to serving at the highest levels of government.”
Corrigan’s brother, John Dolan, weighed almost 9 pounds when he was born but was described as “a miserable, emaciated child with voracious appetite and no control over his bodily functions, probably mental defective.” He died two months later in a measles outbreak.
Despite a high death rate, the report said infants were well cared for and diets were excellent.
Corrigan’s brother, William, was born in May 1950 and listed as dying about eight months later. There was no death certificate, though, and his date of birth was altered on the ledger, which was sometimes done to mask adoptions, Corrigan said.
Ireland was very poor at the time and infant mortality rates were high. Some 9,000 babies—or 15%—died in 18 mother and baby homes that were open as late as 1998, a government commission found.
In the 1930s and 1940s, more than 40% of children died some years in the homes before their first birthday.
Tuam recorded the highest death percentage before closing in 1961. Nearly a third of the children died there.
In a hunt for graves, the cemetery caretaker led Corless across the street to the neighborhood and playground where the home once stood.
A well-tended garden with flowers, a grotto and Virgin Mary statue was walled off in the corner. It was created by a couple living next door to memorialize the place Hopkins found the bones.
Some were thought to be famine remains. But that was before Corless discovered the garden sat atop the septic tank installed after the famine.
She wondered if the nuns had used the
tank as a convenient burial place after it went out of service in 1937, hidden behind the home’s 10-foot-high walls.
“It saved them admitting that so, so many babies were dying,” she said. “Nobody knew what they were doing.”
A sensational story
WHEN she published her article in the Journal of the Old Tuam Society in 2012, she braced for outrage. Instead, she heard almost nothing.
That changed, though, after Corrigan, who had been busy pursuing records and contacting officials from the prime minister to the police, found Corless.
Corrigan connected her with journalist
Alison O’Reilly and the international media took notice after her May 25, 2014, article on the Sunday front page of the Irish Mail with the headline: “A Mass Grave of 800 Babies.”
The article caused a firestorm, followed by some blowback. Some news outlets, including The Associated Press, highlighted sensational reporting and questioned whether a septic tank could have been used as a grave.
The Bon Secours sisters hired public relations consultant Terry Prone, who tried to steer journalists away.
“If you come here you’ll find no mass grave,” she said in an e-mail to a French TV company. “No evidence that children were ever so buried and a local police force casting their eyes to heaven and saying, ‘Yeah, a few bones were found—but this was an area where famine victims were buried. So?’”
Despite the doubters, there was widespread outrage.
Corless was inundated by people looking for relatives on the list of 796 deaths she
compiled.
Those reared with the stain of being “illegitimate” found their voice.
Mulryan, who lived in the home until he was 4½, spoke about being abused as a foster child working on a farm, shoeless for much of the year, barely schooled, underfed and starved for kindness.
“We were afraid to open our mouths, you know, we were told to mind our own business,” Mulryan said. “It’s a disgrace. This church and the state had so much power, they could do what they liked and there was nobody to question them.”
Then-Prime Minister Enda Kenny said the children were treated as an “inferior subspecies” as he announced an investigation into mother and baby homes.
When a test excavation confirmed in 2017 that skeletons of babies and toddlers were in the old septic tank, Kenny dubbed it a “chamber of horrors.”
Pope Francis acknowledged the scandal during his 2018 visit to Ireland when he apologized for church “crimes” that included child abuse and forcing unmarried mothers to give up their children.
It took five years before the government probe primarily blamed the children’s fathers and women’s families in its expansive 2021 report. The state and churches played a supporting role in the harsh treatment, but it noted the institutions, despite their failings, provided a refuge when families would not. Some survivors saw the report as a damning vindication while others branded it a whitewash.
Prime Minister Micheál Martin apologized, saying mothers and children paid a terrible
See “Tuam,” A12
Amoeba.
Growing number of American Jews urge Israel to increase Gaza humanitarian aid
By David Crary & Tiffany Stanley The Associated Press
FOR most Jewish Americans, whatever their political persuasion, support for Israel has been a bedrock principle. Thus, it’s notable that a broad swath of US Jews— reacting to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza—have been urging the Israeli government to do more to ensure the delivery of food and medicine.
There is no overwhelming consensus. On the left, some US Jews contend that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is guilty of genocide. On the right, some conservative Jewish news outlets have suggested that the widely verified food crisis in Gaza is a hoax.
What is clear is that the ranks of American Jews alarmed by the current conditions in Gaza have swelled and now include major organizations that customarily avoid critiques of Israeli policies.
What are major Jewish organizations saying?
THE American Jewish Committee—a prominent advocacy group that strives to broadly represent Jews in the US and abroad— stressed in its statement that it “stands with Israel in its justified war to eliminate the threat posed by Hamas.”
“At the same time, we feel immense sorrow for the grave toll this war has taken on Palestinian civilians, and we are deeply concerned about worsening food insecurity in Gaza,” said the AJC, urging Israel and other key parties “to increase cooperation and coordination in order to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches Palestinian civilians in Gaza.” The Rabbinical Assembly, a New York-based organization representing rabbis of the Conservative Movement, sounded a similar note.
“Even as we believe Hamas could end this suffering immediately through the release of the hostages and care for its civilian population,
Tuam. . .
Continued from A11 price for the nation’s “perverse religious morality.”
“The shame was not theirs—it was ours,” Martin said.
the Israeli government must do everything in its power to ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in need,” the assembly said. “The Jewish tradition calls upon us to ensure the provision of food, water, and medical supplies as a top priority.
Rabbi Moshe Hauer, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union, told The Associated Press he and his colleagues “are proud, sad, and angry. “
“We remain proud of Israel and its army, the only moral fighting force in the region striving to abide by internationally accepted laws of war,” he said via e-mail.
“We are genuinely sad about the mounting human costs which— as intended by Hamas—this war is inflicting on Israelis and innocent Palestinians. And we are angry at those who only ascribe to Israel the worst intentions and all responsibility while ignoring Hamas’ inhumanity.”
Of major nationwide organizations, perhaps the most vehement statement came from the Reform Jewish Movement, which represents the largest branch of Judaism in the US.
“Hamas has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to sacrifice the Palestinian people in its pursuit of Israel’s destruction, but Israel must not sacrifice its own moral standing in return,” the Reform statement said.
“No one should be unaffected by the pervasive hunger experienced by thousands of Gazans,” it continued. “Nor should we accept arguments that because Hamas is the primary reason many Gazans
The Bon Secours sisters offered a profound apology and acknowledged children were disrespectfully buried.
“We failed to respect the inherent dignity of the women and children,” Sister Eileen O’Connor said. “We failed to offer them the compassion that they so badly needed.”
are either starving or on the verge of starving, that the Jewish State is not also culpable in this human disaster.”
Rabbis share their thoughts OVER the past few weeks, as images and reports of starvation and violence in Gaza dominated the news cycle, Rabbi Jon Roos felt a shift in how the Israel-Hamas war is discussed in Jewish circles.
“There was a real change in the tone of the conversation, but also in the depth and content of it,” said Roos, who leads Temple Sinai, a Reform synagogue in Washington, D.C. “I felt it from members of the congregation. I’ve felt it in the Jewish communal world.”
The clergy of Temple Sinai signed onto a letter with more than 1,000 Jewish clergy calling on the Israeli government to “allow extensive humanitarian aid” to enter Gaza. It stated that “we cannot condone the mass killings of civilians … or the use of starvation as a weapon of war.”
Roos said the Jewish community can hold two truths at once: that October 7 was deplorable and so is the situation in Gaza.
“One of the critical parts of Judaism is that we really value that ability to hold nuance and two truths, even if they’re both incredibly challenging and self-critical,” Roos said.
Rabbi Aaron Weininger in Minnetonka, Minnesota, also signed the clergy letter. He leads Adath Jeshurun, a Conservative Jewish congregation.
“Zionism is big enough and strong enough to care about the safety, wellbeing, and dignity of Israelis and Palestinians. Naming their suffering doesn’t weaken Zionism nor does calling on members of the government not to occupy Gaza. Signing the letter honors Zionism as compassionate and just,” he wrote in an e-mail.
The response of his community has been largely positive, with some disagreement—“both with the idea of publicly disagreeing with the Israeli government and with the characterization of suffering in Gaza,” he wrote. “But taking moral stands and holding disagreement have always been part of what it means to be a faith community.”
Voices of protest ON Tuesday, more than two dozen rabbis were arrested in the office
The dig
WHEN a crew including forensic scientists and archaeologists began digging at the site two weeks ago, Corless was “on a different planet,” amazed the work was underway after so many years.
It is expected to take two years to collect bones, many of which are commingled, sort
of the Senate majority leader, John Thune, R-S.D., while demanding action by Congress to provide food aid for Gaza.
“All life is sacred, but Palestinian lives are not treated as such, and that is a blot on our collective humanity,” said one of the protesters, Alissa Wise, who is founding director of Rabbis for Ceasefire. “We are here to insist on the sanctity of life of every Palestinian, of every Israeli, of all of us.”
Also arrested was a New Yorkbased rabbi, Andrue Kahn. He is executive director of the American Council for Judaism, which rejects the concept of Zionism.
In an e-mail, Kahn said an increasing number of US Jews, including rabbis, are now more willing to speak out about Gaza’s plight and demand policy changes from Israel.
“The horrors of starvation of so many people…has led to the dam bursting for many people, and the political spectrum of those speaking out has broadened,” he wrote.
Defenders of Netanyahu’s policies
A JEWISH member of Congress, Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., incurred criticism after suggesting in a post on X last week that the reports of a Gaza food crisis were false.
“Release the hostages. Until then, starve away. (This is all a lie anyway. It amazes me that the media continues to regurgitate Muslim terror propaganda.),” his post said.
Two US-based Jewish news outlets also have depicted the food crisis as exaggerated.
“The reality is clear—food and medicine are entering Gaza, but Hamas seizes them for its own purposes. The international community’s fixation on blaming Israel ignores this fundamental truth,” said an article in The Jewish Voice.
Supplementing its news articles making similar points, the Jewish News Syndicate on Wednesday ran a column by Mitchell Bard, executive director of the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise.
“True supporters of Israel are not fair-weather friends who abandon their ally out of fear of what their friends will think of them or the need to feign moral superiority,” he wrote. “Israelis are not children in need of a public scolding from the Diaspora. They need solidarity, not sanctimony.”
them and use DNA to try to identify them with relatives like Corrigan.
Dig director Daniel MacSweeney, who previously worked for the International Committee of Red Cross to identify missing persons in conflict zones in Afghanistan and Lebanon, said it is a uniquely difficult undertaking.
The beauty industry loves argan oil, but demand and drought are straining Morocco and its trees
By Sam Metz The Associated Press
SMIMOU, Morocco—Argan oil runs through your fingers like liquid gold— hydrating, luscious, and restorative. Prized worldwide as a miracle cosmetic, it’s more than that in Morocco. It’s a lifeline for rural women and a byproduct of a forest slowly buckling under the weight of growing demand.
To make it, women crouch over stone mills and grind down kernels. One kilogram— roughly two days of work—earns them around $3, enough for a modest foothold in an economy where opportunities are scarce. It also links them to generations past.
“We were born and raised here. These traditions come from nature, what our parents and grandparents have taught us and what we’ve inherited,” cooperative worker Fatma Mnir said.
Long a staple in local markets, argan oil today is in luxury hair and skin care products lining drugstore aisles worldwide. But its runaway popularity is threatening argan forests, with overharvesting piled on top of drought straining trees once seen as resilient in the harshest of conditions.
Hafida El Hantati, owner of one of the cooperatives that harvests the fruit and presses it for oil, said the stakes go beyond the trees, threatening cherished traditions.
“We must take care of this tree and protect it because if we lose it, we will lose everything that defines us and what we have now,” she said at the Ajddigue cooperative outside the coastal town of Essaouira.
A forest out of time
FOR centuries, argan trees have supported life in the arid hills between the Atlantic Ocean and the Atlas Mountains, feeding people and animals, holding soil in place and helping keep the desert from spreading. The spiny trees can survive in areas with less than an inch of annual rain and heat up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). They endure drought with roots that stretch as far as 115 feet (35 meters) underground. Goats climb trees, chomp their fruit, and eventually disperse seeds as part of the forest’s regeneration cycle.
Moroccans stir the oil into nut butters and drizzle it over tagines. Rich in vitamin E, it’s lathered onto dry hair and skin to plump, moisturize and stave off damage. Some use it to calm eczema or heal chicken pox.
But the forest has thinned. Trees bear fewer fruit, their branches gnarled from thirst.
In many places, cultivated land has replaced them as fields of citrus and tomatoes, many grown for export, have expanded. Communities once managed forests collectively, setting rules for grazing and harvesting. Now the system is fraying, with theft routinely reported.
What’s wrong with the forest BUT a forest that covered about 5,405 square miles (14,000 square kilometers) at the turn of the century has shrunk by 40%. Scientists warn that argan trees are not invincible.
“We cannot underestimate the complexity of the task before us, the challenging nature of the site as you will see, the age of the remains, the location of the burials, the dearth of information about these children and their lives,” MacSweeney said.
Nearly 100 people, some from the US, Britain, Australia, and Canada, have either provided DNA or contacted them about doing so.
Some people in town believe the remains should be left undisturbed.
Patrick McDonagh, who grew up in the neighborhood, said a priest had blessed the ground after Hopkins’ discovery and Masses were held there regularly.
“It should be left as it is,” McDonagh said. “It was always a graveyard.”
A week before ground was broken, a
“Because argan trees acted as a green curtain protecting a large part of southern Morocco against the encroaching Sahara, their slow disappearance has become considered as an ecological disaster,” said Zoubida Charrouf, a chemist who researches argan at Université Mohammed V in Rabat. Shifting climate is a part of the problem. Fruit and flowers sprout earlier each year as rising temperatures push the seasons out of sync. Goats that help spread seeds can be destructive, too, especially if they feed on seedlings before they mature. Overgrazing has become worse as herders and fruit collectors fleeing drier regions encroach on plots long allocated to specific families. The forests also face threats from camels bred and raised by the region’s wealthy. Camels stretch their necks into trees and chomp entire branches, leaving lasting damage, Charrouf said.
Liquid gold, dry pockets TODAY, women peel, crack and press argan for oil at hundreds of cooperatives. Much makes its way through middlemen to be sold in products by companies and subsidiaries of L’Oréal, Unilever, and Estée Lauder. But workers say they earn little while watching profits flow elsewhere. Cooperatives say much of the pressure stems from climbing prices. A 1-liter bottle sells for 600 Moroccan dirhams ($60), up from 25 dirhams ($2.50) three decades ago. Products infused with argan sell for even more abroad. Cosmetics companies call argan the most expensive vegetal oil on the market. The coronavirus pandemic upended global demand and prices and many cooperatives closed. Cooperative leaders say new competitors have flooded the market just as drought has diminished how much oil can be squeezed from each fruit. Cooperatives were set up to provide women a base pay and share profits each month. But Union of Women’s Argan Cooperatives President Jamila Id Bourrous said few make more than Morocco’s minimum monthly wage.
“The people who sell the final product are the ones making the money,” she said. Some businesses say large multinational companies use their size to set prices and shut others out.
Khadija Saye, a co-owner of Ageourde Cooperative, said there were real fears about monopoly.
“Don’t compete with the poor for the one thing they live from,” she said. “When you take their model and do it better because you have money, it’s not competition, it’s displacement.”
One company, Olvea, controls 70% of the export market, according to data from local cooperatives. Cooperatives say few competitors can match its capacity to fill big orders for global brands. Representatives for the company did not respond to requests for comment.
Islam Aatfaoui contributed reporting.
bus delivered a group of the home’s aging survivors and relatives of mothers who toiled there to the neighborhood of rowhouses that ring the playground and memorial garden.
A passageway between two homes led them through a gate in metal fencing erected to hide the site that has taken on an industrial look.
Beyond grass where children once played—and beneath which children may be buried—were storage containers, a dumpster and an excavator poised for digging.
It would be their last chance to see it before it’s torn up and—maybe—the bones of their kin recovered so they can be properly buried.
Corrigan, who likes to say that justice delayed Irish-style is “delay, deny ‘til we all go home and die,” hopes each child is found.
“They were denied dignity in life, and they were denied dignity and respect in death,” she said. “So, we’re hoping that today maybe will be the start of hearing them because I think they’ve been crying for an awful long time to be heard.”
The Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from
BOC seizes ₧40.5 million smuggled vapes at MICP
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
A@reine_alberto
TOTAL of P40.5 million worth of smuggled vape products and other goods from China was seized by operatives from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
In a statement on Thursday, the BOC said its key officials inspected the three container vans loaded with seized, smuggled vape products and other goods falsely declared as kitchenware. This comes after the BOC issued hold orders as early as January 2025, following the derogatory information received by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS).
On July 14, 2025, a 100 percent physical inspection was conducted, which revealed 81,000 pieces of assorted vape products, sacks of fully refined paraffin wax and other misdeclared goods.
As a result, Warrants of Seizure and Detention were issued on July 23, 2025. Currently, the shipments are undergoing forfeiture proceedings for violations of several laws, including Sections 117, 1400, 1401, and 1113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA); Republic Act No. 11900
or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act; and applicable Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regulations.
The BOC said it is also undertaking a case build-up to identify and prosecute those responsible to ensure full accountability under the law.
“Our operations are anchored on a whole-of-agency approach that prioritizes intelligence, swift execution, and legal action against those who attempt to evade customs laws,” Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said. Meanwhile, MICP District Collector Rizalino Jose C. Torralba said the port remains committed to enforcement. “Smuggling operations involving vape products pose significant health and economic risks. The MICP fully supports Commissioner Ariel in safeguarding our borders and ensuring that only lawful and properly declared goods enter the country.”
In the first quarter of the year, the BOC said it intercepted about P483.117 million worth of illegal vape products in the country.
This, the BOC said, contributes to its larger anti-smuggling campaign, which resulted in 48 operations in 2024, seizing P6.658 billion worth of illicit goods.
Pogo pullout still weighs on office market recovery
THE exodus of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) continues to cast a long shadow on Metro Manila’s office market, with vacancies still elevated and the impact expected to persist through the end of 2025, according to real estate consultancy firm Colliers.
In its Second Quarter 2025 Property Market Briefing on Thursday, Colliers reported a 27 percent drop in total vacated spaces in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous semester.
Pogo accounted for more than half, or 53 percent, of all vacancies, which is about 174,000 square meters (sqm). This follows the sharp 260,000 sqm vacated in the second half of 2024, when the Pogo withdrawal began in full swing.
Regarding Metro Manila’s office vacancy rate, it stood at 20 percent as of the first half of 2025, and is forecast to rise slightly to 21.4 percent by the end of the year.
Moreover, the market recorded a net take-up of 96,000 sqm in the first half, on track toward Colliers’ year-end forecast of 150,000 sqm. Transaction volume increased by 33 percent to 446,000 sqm from the second half of 2024, driven by expansion and new setups, particularly among outsourcing firms.
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including solar, wind, and natural gas. During his first three years in office, electricity was provided to around 2.5 million of the five million households that lacked power when he assumed office in 2022.
He also noted that the Philippines has gained international recognition for its commitment to renewable energy.
The President further directed the concerned agencies to fast-track efforts to resolve the ongoing power crisis in Siquijor.
“Like Siquijor, Occidental Mindoro is an off-grid province and is not connected to
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be centered on human capital development.
“A mission within our vision, to invest not just in what we fight, but in who fights.”
Most deals, however, were small, with 56 percent involving areas of less than 1,000 sqm.
Larger leases remained concentrated in newer buildings in business hubs, led by Quezon City (96,000 sqm), Bonifacio Global City (82,000 sqm) and Makati Central Business District (59,000 sqm).
Outside the capital, the expansion of major Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) spurred office demand in the provinces, with occupiers eyeing locations beyond Tier 1 cities. By tenant class, non-BPOs accounted for 28 percent of vacated space, followed by thirdparty outsourcing firms (3POs) at 14 percent and shared services at 5 percent. The motivations behind space exits ranged from pre-termination and non-renewal to cancelled letters of intent and rightsizing. Despite the sector’s ongoing adjustments, Colliers said expansion still dominated activity, with 70 percent of take-up driven by growth or new setups, and only 30 percent by relocations.
The capital’s office pipeline continues to grow, with Metro Manila’s annual supply at 14.65 million sqm in the first half of 2025.
About 359,000 sqm are expected in the second half, and another 277,000 sqm are projected for 2026. Bless Aubrey Ogerio
the main NGCP [National Grid Corporation of th Philippines] grid. The few existing power plants are overused and prone to breakdowns. Moreover, the cost of fuel is high, leading to expensive electricity rates despite subsidies from Napocor [National Power Corp.],” Tarriela explained.
“I fully support the President’s push for more renewable energy power plants. These are quicker to build and offer clean and affordable electricity. What’s needed now is for the DOE and Energy Regulatory Commission [ERC] to simplify their policies to encourage the development of more solar and wind farms, especially in off-grid provinces,” he added.
Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
China accuses PHL of ‘provoking’ tensions in South China Sea dispute
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
CHINA’S Ministry of National Defense labeled the Philippines a “source of trouble and danger” in the disputed South China Sea, following Manila’s recent shift toward a more assertive external defense strategy and strengthened regional alliances.
Beijing blames Manila for maritime provocations
SENIOR Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Chinese defense ministry, accused the Philippines of “illegally occupying” the Kalayaan Island Group—known in China as Nansha Qundao—and provoking tensions through maritime patrols and military partnerships with foreign powers.
“The relevant remarks of the Philippine side misrepresent the facts and attempt to cast itself as
the victim,” Zhang said during a routine press briefing. “China’s Nanhai Zhudao is beyond the limits of the Philippine territory, which has long been defined by a series of international treaties.”
What Is Nanhai Zhudao?
CHINA uses Nanhai Zhudao to refer to four key archipelagos it claims in the South China Sea: Dongsha, Xisha, Zhongsha, and Nansha Qundao. These areas are at the heart of escalating regional maritime disputes.
Philippines claims backed by law and Constitution
IN contrast, the Philippines asserts its territorial rights based on historical treaties—including the 1898 Treaty of Paris, 1900 Treaty of Washington, and 1930 U.S.–U.K. Convention—as well as Article I of the 1987 Philippine
Constitution, which defines the national territory to include areas over which the country exercises sovereignty or jurisdiction.
Teodoro cites Chinese aggression strengthens regional ties ZHANG’S remarks were in response to Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who announced the AFP’s shift from internal security to external defense amid rising concerns over Chinese “aggressive behavior” in the West Philippine Sea.
Teodoro has described China’s nine-dash line claim as “totally unacceptable and illegal,” emphasizing that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration will not waver in asserting the country’s maritime rights.
CITING evidence that maternity protection leads to numerous positive outcomes—not only for mothers and their children, but also for society and the economy as a whole, a lawmaker has called on the 20th Congress to prioritize the passage of a measure providing maternity cash benefits to women in the informal sector.
In filing House Bill 2240, Parañaque Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan seeks to provide direct maternity support to female workers in the informal economy who are not covered by the Social Security System (SSS), either as regular or voluntary members. These include freelancers, home-based workers, own-account workers, and those in unregulated or unrecognized employment arrangements.
The bill, also known as the Equal Maternity
Protection Act, seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11210, or the Expanded Maternity Leave Law, which currently limits maternity benefits to women enrolled in the SSS.
Under HB 2240, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will be tasked with determining the eligibility and documentation requirements for the maternity cash grant.
If enacted, an informal sector worker residing in Metro Manila—where the minimum daily wage is P695—will receive P15,290 in maternity assistance from the DSWD per childbirth.
Funding for the program will come from excise taxes collected from sweetened beverages, alcohol, tobacco, and vapor products, with additional funding to be allocated through the General Appropriations
Kiko: Senators discussing reso
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
SENATOR Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan admitted that he had been in talks with senators since the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 28 about signing a Senate resolution he drafted with Sen. Risa Hontiveros and Bam Aquino about how they can proceed with Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
The three earlier issued a joint statement opposing the Supreme Court (SC) decision halt-
PHL’s.
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agreements with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
“So we just concluded the Asean China Free Trade Agreement 3.0. We are already done with the Asean-Australia, New Zealand FTA, also the Asean-Hong Kong FTA, and, of course, the ongoing Asean-Canada FTA,” added Gepty.
“Each and every soldier, remember this, you are not just part of the force, you are the force. You are not just defending the nation, you are the nation.”
With Rex Anthony Naval
“We are entering an era where wars are not only fought with bullets, but also with bytes. Where borders are tested not just by battalions, but by bandwidths. Where battles can be won or lost through morale, awareness and unity,” he added.
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sector are focused on enhancing governance reforms, fiscal management, and institutional development.
On top of these trade deals, Gepty said the Philippines is set to submit its formal application for membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) this year.
He explained that CPTPP would be a “major framework” for the Philippines’ engagement with the United Kingdom.
Social reform and community development represented the third largest share with $5.4 billion or 13.5 percent of the total for 113 loans and grants allocated in health, education, social protection, and human capital development programs. In
China pledges countermeasures
THE Chinese official warned that Beijing will “take resolute countermeasures” in response to any provocations, reiterating its stand on defending national territorial sovereignty and maritime interests.
South China Sea: A geopolitical flashpoint
THE South China Sea continues to be a focal point for regional disputes involving multiple claimants, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. The Philippines frequently invokes the landmark 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping maritime claims—an outcome Beijing refuses to acknowledge.
Teodoro also confirmed enhanced military cooperation with the United States, Australia, Japan, and India, and reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Lawmaker pushes for maternity cash benefits for informal sector workers
Act if necessary.
“A big chunk of our informal workers who contribute to energizing our economy are women, and many of them do not receive any benefits from the government. Our bill aims to change this unfair treatment of them,” he said.
Under the bill, qualified women workers will receive a one-time maternity cash benefit for each childbirth equivalent to 22 days’ worth of the prevailing minimum wage in their region of residence.
Yamsuan emphasized that the bill supports President Marcos’ renewed commitment— highlighted in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA)—to uplift low-income Filipinos, particularly women, by expanding opportunities for entrepreneurship and livelihood.
In his district, Yamsuan noted that the
majority of beneficiaries in his livelihood assistance initiatives—Bigay Negosyo and Dagdag Pangkabuhayan—are women. Recent data from his office shows that 80 percent of recipients of the Dagdag Pangkabuhayan program and 72 percent of Bigay Negosyo beneficiaries are women, most of whom work informally or are aspiring entrepreneurs.
“Working in the informal sector leaves women without any form of social benefits. They do not have health insurance or vacation and sick leave. They have to continue to work while nurturing themselves back to health and providing for their newborn infant and their family because they are deprived of the most fundamental social protection—maternity benefits,” Yamsuan said.
Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz
on impeachment; 4 have signed
ing the impeachment trial of the Vice President.
“After we had that statement, we brought it [resolution] to the attention of the majority in the caucus. But before that, I presented it during the SONA to some of the other senators, who said they would review it,” Pangilinan said in an interview on Rappler’s “In The Public Square” on Wednesday, July 30.
So far, the resolution was signed by Pangilinan, Aquino, Hontiveros, and Senate Minority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III. The resolution has yet to be filed and it is currently being reviewed by other senators.
“In fact, I always say that one big reason why there is a compelling need for the Philippines to join CPTPP is UK’s accession, because without UK in terms of market access, the Philippines will just gain market access in the markets of Mexico, Peru, Chile and Canada, among others,” said Gepty.
However, he explained, the entry of UK in the CPTPP “basically signals that that will give the Philippines better market access with one of its major trading partners.”
“So we hope that we can already start the process early next year, once we have submitted that application,” added Gepty.
Gepty explained the importance of trade agreements, saying “they are more than balance sheet exercises.”
These deals, he said, serve as platforms for reform that “stabilize” policies, promote good governance and keep national com -
agriculture, and renewable energy. “Our whole-of-government approach aims to maximize assistance from our development partners by strategically aligning development financing with spending priorities that will accelerate our progress in attaining
Based on the observations by former Supreme Court Justice Adolf Azcuna, the senator explained that the resolution is urging the High Court “to harmonize what appears to be conflicting provisions of the Constitution” because “you don’t use one provision of the Constitution to defeat another.”
He argued that the House of Representatives, in impeaching Duterte and transmitting the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate in February, operated based on a previous ruling that said an impeachment proceeding is “initiated”by a verified complaint referred to the House
mitments firm even when administrations change.
FTAs have the power to lower barriers and create predictable rules, he underscored.
Moreover, Gepty underscored the economic gains from forging these deals, as he continued to explain: “They translate into better jobs, competitive prices and wider consumer choices that directly uplift Filipino households and enterprises.”
The Trade undersecretary for International Trade Group also emphasized that FTAs go beyond trade in goods or the export and import of commodities.
“The general public is not aware that when you talk about free trade agreements, there are two major aspects that you have to bear in mind. One is market access, and the second one is rules and disciplines,” Gepty pointed out.
socioeconomic outcomes. To fully realize the benefits of these financial commitments and ensure the timely delivery of results that benefit the ordinary Filipino, we urgently need to improve public-sector capacity for project preparation, coordination, and execution,” Balisacan said. Under Republic Act No. 8182, or the ODA Act of 1996, the DEPDev—previously the National Economic and Development Authority or Neda—is mandated to conduct the annual ODA Portfolio Review and submit its report to Congress.
Committee on Justice.
The SC ruled that the non-referral of the first three impeachment complaints was an act of dismissal, so an impeachment based on the fourth complaint violated the oneyear bar rule.
“The House was guided by the Francisco ruling, so that should be valid. And then for the future, if you want the new definition to apply, [it’s for future cases,” Pangilinan said. The Senate is scheduled to convene on August 6 to discuss the impact of the Supreme Court ruling on Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Market access is about the exchange of goods and services, as well as attracting investments.
The second aspect of FTAs is the rules and disciplines, which Gepty said are the “rules and disciplines” that serve as a “stable platform to establish an enabling environment for businesses and investments to thrive.” He added: “That is why you will note that we negotiate rules on intellectual property protection, competition, government procurement, and also other areas like environment, labor protection, sustainable development, good governance, among others.”
On top of the 10 trade deals in the works, the Philippines has implemented these trade deals under the current administration: the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the PhilippinesKorea FTA.
The review aims to assess the status of ODA-financed projects, identify implementation issues and concerns, and highlight results and outcomes to ensure strategic alignment with the Philippine Development Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals. The review also aims to provide recommendations based on past performance and lessons learned to improve overall ODA utilization.
The $26 hurdle: Can the Philippines finally achieve UMIC status?
THE Philippines stands at a pivotal moment in its economic journey, tantalizingly close to achieving upper middle-income country status. With a gross national income (GNI) per capita of $4,470, just $26 short of the UMIC threshold, the nation’s aspirations for increased wealth and improved living standards for its citizens are within reach. However, this milestone, which has eluded the country for 38 years, brings with it not only optimism but also significant challenges and responsibilities. (Read the BusinessMirror story, “The PHL UMIC dream turns dilemmatic,” July 26, 2025).
Achieving UMIC status is often seen as a badge of honor, a recognition of progress that can enhance a country’s standing on the global stage. Yet, as former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Dante B. Canlas aptly noted, this status is not merely a statistical construct; it reflects the fiscal health and macroeconomic stability of a nation. The transition to UMIC will limit the Philippines’ access to concessional financing, making it imperative for the government to adopt more judicious spending practices. This calls for a shift in focus towards maximizing the efficiency of public expenditures, especially in key areas like infrastructure and education.
Economist and former Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda rightly points out the political difficulties surrounding traditional tax reforms. With public sentiment leaning against new taxes, the emphasis must shift to optimizing existing resources. This presents an opportunity for government agencies to enhance their procurement processes and accelerate critical projects, particularly those funded through public-private partnerships (PPPs). The urgency for effective governance is underscored by the need for transparency and accountability in public finances, as highlighted by Speaker Martin Romualdez’s Budget Modernization Act.
The proposed reforms aim to create a results-oriented budgeting process that prioritizes efficiency and timely delivery of public services. This is not merely about reaching UMIC status; it’s about ensuring that the advancements are sustainable and beneficial for all Filipinos. As Ateneo de Manila University economist Leonardo Lanzona Jr. emphasizes, the goal should not only be to attain UMIC status but to solidify it against potential economic downturns.
Moreover, the path to sustainable development must include comprehensive reforms across various sectors. From food security initiatives to healthcare resilience and educational reforms, each piece of legislation must be aimed at long-term impacts rather than short-term gains. The proposed measures, including the PhilHealth Protection Bill and the National Quality Infrastructure Act, reflect a holistic approach to economic development that prioritizes stability and growth.
However, the success of these initiatives hinges on effective implementation. University of the Philippines Professor Emeritus Epictetus Patalinghug reminds us that simply passing new laws is insufficient. The focus must be on monitoring and enforcing existing regulations to ensure they meet their intended goals.
Reaching UMIC is not just about numbers; it is a challenge to govern smarter, to innovate, and to lift more Filipinos toward a future filled with promise. The journey ahead requires collective effort and unwavering commitment from all sectors of society. If the Philippines can navigate this transition wisely, it may not only rise to the occasion but also set a precedent for sustained economic growth and social progress in the years to come.
BusinessMirror
The economic channels of the Trump tariff
AGeoffrey Ducanes
EAGLE WATCH
FTER nearly four months of waiting and following the recent visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the US, the Trump tariff on the Philippines has finally settled at 19 percent effective today, August 1.
The good news is that the announced rate is lower than the interim tariff of 20 percent the US currently imposes on Philippine goods and removes business uncertainty over the issue. The bad news is that it is much higher than what it was (estimated at 6 percent) before the reciprocal Trump tariff was first threatened on April 2, and even higher than the initially threatened tariff rate of 17 percent against the Philippines.
A tariff is a tax on imports. A tariff on a good makes it more costly for an importer to purchase that good. If the importer continues to purchase the good despite the higher price, that importer will have to sell that good at a higher price to a trader, possibly
by the amount of the tariff, but also possibly by less if the importer is willing to accept a smaller margin.
At least some of that tariff, and possibly most of it, will be passed on by the trader to consumers.
Because of the worldwide scope of the Trump tariffs, the expectation is that the US will reduce imports from the Philippines and every other country in the world.
For many countries in the world that are highly dependent on trade in goods, this is expected to have a significant negative impact on GDP. Both the IMF and the Word Bank, for instance, downgraded their forecast for world GDP growth by about half a percentage point for this year, when the tariffs were first threatened.
The tariffs are expected to lower US GDP and also the GDP of its main trading partners, like China, Japan, and the EU, significantly. These happen to be also our main trading partners. As a result, we expect demand for our exports to decline via this channel.
Both institutions also expect US GDP to shrink because of the tariffs. How will Philippine economy be affected?
The economy or economic wellbeing is a broad concept and includes not just how much the country produces, but also the choices available to people, the quality of those choices, and subjective wellbeing, among others.
But we can just focus on economic output, which is usually measured by GDP. In introductory economics, one of the first things learned is that GDP = C + I + G + X – M. Or GDP is equal to Consumption plus Investments plus Government spending + Exports – Imports.
Using this simple framework, we can see that the effect of the tariffs on economic output can go through various channels.
First, of course, is the export
channel. Our exports are the goods and services we sell to other countries. The level of our exports will depend mainly on the price of our exports, the price of our exports relative to the price of our competitors for the same goods or services, and the income level of our export markets. The US is our biggest export market. Everything remaining the same, the higher tariffs on Philippine goods will lead to a higher price and lower quantity demanded for Philippine exports in the US. We can call this the absolute price effect. The tariffs are expected to lower US GDP and also the GDP of its main trading partners, like China, Japan, and the EU, significantly. These happen to be also our main trading partners. As a result, we expect demand for our exports to decline via this channel.
In April, it was believed that the tariff on the Philippines will be much lower compared to our Asean neighbors. To the extent that we export the same goods to the US as these countries, it was hoped that this can possibly result in a shift to our goods and thus an increase in exports, or what can be termed a relative price effect. But with the recent agreements of the US with Indonesia and Vietnam, See “Eagle Watch,” A15
The world is far off from a landmark goal to triple renewables
AM. Lomibao
Gerard S. Ramos
Lyn B. Resurreccion, Dennis D. Estopace Angel R. Calso, Dionisio L. Pelayo
Ruben M. Cruz Jr.
Eduardo A. Davad Nonilon G. Reyes
D. Edgard A. Cabangon Benjamin V. Ramos Aldwin Maralit Tolosa
Rolando M. Manangan BusinessMirror is published daily by the Philippine Business Daily Mirror Publishing, Inc., with offices on the 3rd floor of Dominga Building III 2113 Chino Roces Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Makati City, Philippines. Tel. Nos. (Editorial) 817-9467; 813-0725. Fax line: 813-7025. (Advertising Sales) 893-2019; 817-1351, 817-2807. (Circulation) 893-1662; 814-0134 to 36. E-mail: news.businessmirror@gmail.com www.businessmirror.com.ph
By John Ainger
LANDMARK pledge made by countries less than two years ago to triple the world’s renewable capacity by 2030 already looks in danger of not being met, a new report finds.
Targets put forward by national governments for the rollout of technologies like wind and solar will bring global installations far short of what countries committed to at the United Nations COP28 summit in 2023, according to Ember, a climate think tank. The renewable goal was agreed in Dubai as part of a hard-fought deal to commit to a transition away from fossil fuel.
Ember calculated the world will hit just 7.4 terawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030, a little more than double the 3.4 terawatts installed in 2022, based on national targets. The world needs 11 terawatts in order to meet the tripling goal.
“There is a real disconnect between the sort of high level agreement to sign pledges at COP and then the reality of how electricity planning is done,” said Katye Altieri, global electricity analyst at Ember. “National targets send policy signals to the market and I think countries have lost sight
of that.”
The findings underscore the key issue facing international climate talks, and one that will likely dominate the COP30 summit in the Brazilian city of Belem this November: Countries are very good at talking the talk once a year, but bad at actually implementing the promises they’ve made.
Since Dubai in 2023, there are few signs the world is transitioning away from fossil fuels. Scaling up renewables was supposed to help tackle the demand-side of the equation: the more wind and solar can meet the world’s energy needs, the less countries will need to extract gas, oil and coal.
Ember’s research found only 22 countries have revised their renewable targets since Dubai, and most of those nations are in the European Union, which campaigned for the renewables pledge and have put new laws in place to achieve its objective to cut emissions by 55 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels.
The findings underscore the key issue facing international climate talks, and one that will likely dominate the COP30 summit in the Brazilian city of Belem this November: Countries are very good at talking the talk once a year, but bad at actually implementing the promises they’ve made.
Group-of-20 nations like China and South Africa are expected to still come forward with more ambitious climate targets this year, but others like Canada, Russia and Turkey have yet to do so, and probably won’t before the summit in Belem, according to Ember.
The US, which hasn’t put forward a 2030 renewable target, is very unlikely to do so. President Donald Trump is withdrawing the US from the Paris Agreement and rolling back many of the clean energy programs put in place under Joe Biden, such as the Inflation Reduction Act.
Altieri noted China alone could make a sizeable difference in the global renewable goal, but it won’t be enough to make up for shortfalls elsewhere. Among some glimmers of good
news: India hasn’t updated its ambition, but Delhi’s 2030 target of 500 gigawatts of fossil fuel-free energy is aligned with the tripling goal, the report found. Perhaps surprisingly, Saudi Arabia is also on track for meeting its share, too. Brazil’s COP30 summit comes 10 years after the Paris Agreement and is seen as the first that will herald a new age of climate diplomacy, one that will focus on implementing the promises made instead of writing the rules to do so. A few days before the conference, the UN will publish its synthesis of countries’ national climate plans and how far off the world currently is from the 1.5C goal. It will be up to Brazil to steer negotiators on the best way to close that gap, including by scaling up clean energy. For Ember’s Altieri, it won’t take much to get the clean energy transition to snowball, but targets are needed to make sure that countries think about where they place renewables and the kind of infrastructure, like grids and battery storage, that’s needed to accompany it.
“It’s not about target setting for the sake of target setting,” she said. “The economics are there for every country in the world.” Bloomberg
Canada to recognize Palestinian state, joining France and UK
By Thomas Seal
PRIME Minister Mark Carney said Canada plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations summit in September, following France while setting up a clash with the US and Israel.
Carney said Canada’s long-favored approach of a two-state solution through a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority was “no longer tenable.” He said that process had been “gravely eroded” by Hamas terrorism and its rejection of Israel’s right to exist, as well as recent Israeli actions such as accelerated settlement building and a Knesset vote calling for the annexation of the West Bank.
“The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable—and is rapidly deteriorating,” Carney said in Ottawa on Wednesday. Carney said the declaration relied upon commitments made by the Palestinian Authority, and that its president, Mahmoud Abbas, had committed to reforms and to holding elections in 2026 in which Hamas can play no part. He also said the Palestinian state must be demilitarized. Carney and Abbas spoke Wednesday, with the prime minister informing him that “Canada will increase its efforts to promote peace and stability in the region, and work closely with regional allies toward this goal,” according to a statement from his office.
Canada is the third Group of Seven country to pivot on the central question of Palestinian statehood in the last several weeks. Earlier in July, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would would recognize a Palestinian state at the UN in September. A few days later, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK would follow suit, if Israel won’t stop its war in Gaza and commit to a two-state solution. Both Starmer and Macron also said Hamas must release all hostages and disarm.
Israel quickly said it rejected the move.
“Let us be clear: Israel will not bow to the distorted campaign of international pressure against it,” Iddo Moed, Israel’s ambassador to Canada, said in an emailed statement. “We will not sacrifice our very existence by permitting
Memorializing memories of disaster
Wthe imposition of a jihadist state on our ancestral homeland that seeks our annihilation.”
Canada’s Conservative Party also said the unilateral declaration “sends the wrong message to the world: that violence and terror are effective tools for achieving political objectives.” The opposition also said it’s “impossible” that, at this moment, Hamas wouldn’t play a central role in any validated Palestinian state.
The US, Israel’s top ally, has rejected the growing recognition movement.
President Donald Trump dismissed France’s plan for recognition last week, saying it wouldn’t change anything. Secretary of State Marco Rubio went further, deriding the growing statehood push as “reckless” and one that “sets back peace.”
International concerns have mounted in the wake of Israel’s military response to Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying Gaza is now on the brink of famine and that Palestinians there are “enduring a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions.”
Ceasefire talks faltered last week. The United Nations has been holding a special conference this week on settling the conflict, which the US boycotted.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called international pressure a “distorted campaign” and that demands to end the war now mean leaving Hamas in power in Gaza. Establishing such a state at this time means creating a “Jihadist terror state” a few kilometers away from Israel, and this “ain’t gonna happen,” he added.
Hamas is designated as a terror organization by the European Union, Canada, the US and others.
Trump, typically a staunch defender of Israel, said the US would work on a new effort to provide food aid to alleviate starvation in Gaza—at odds with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has said there’s no starvation. With assistance from Brian Platt/Bloomberg
China summons Nvidia over H20 chip security days after US talks
HINESE authorities summoned
CNvidia Corp. to discuss alleged security risks related to its H20 chips, casting doubt over the domestic business of the world’s most valuable company weeks after co-founder Jensen Huang met senior officials in Beijing.
The Cyberspace Administration of China called company representatives into a meeting to discuss what it deemed serious security vulnerabilities with the artificial intelligence chip. In a statement, the Internet watchdog cited comments by US lawmakers about the need to install tracking capabilities into advanced chips sold to other countries. The agency asked staff to explain potential risks and provide documents as needed, the CAC said without elaborating.
The revelation came just days after US and Chinese officials met in Stockholm to extend their tariff truce, talks Chinese state media said had “deepened mutual trust.” Huang himself recently concluded a high-profile visit to Beijing, where he feted national Chinese champions such as DeepSeek and celebrated the country’s rising prowess in AI. The billionaire had denied Nvidia installed backdoors in its product, saying that wouldn’t make business sense.
The Trump administration had only recently pledged to drop export restrictions on the H20 to China, reversing its earlier stance on the AI chip. On Thursday, shares in chipmakers including Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. and Cambricon Technologies Corp. rose more than 5% after the CAC’s notice. Nvidia didn’t respond to a request for comment outside of regular business hours. Its stock rose 2.5 percent on Germany’s Tradegate, boosted
in part by positive earnings from Meta Platforms Inc. and Microsoft Corp.
“The CAC’s scrutiny over H20 security risks could further erode Nvidia’s Chinese market share amid rising domestic competition, and immediate H20 sales resumption may face delays due to regulatory uncertainty,” Forrester’s Principal Analyst Charlie Dai said. “It also aligns with China’s broader push to accelerate domestic semiconductor alternatives for technological self-reliance amid US export controls. In addition, the timing amplifies China’s leverage in ongoing US trade talks.” Washington in recent weeks had lifted a spate of export controls — including on chip design software, imposed ahead of last month’s trade talks in London. That’s in return for China allowing more sales of rare-earth minerals needed to make a range of high-tech products, something US negotiators thought they’d achieved during prior talks in Geneva.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had touted the resumption of sales of the H20 as a breakthrough that came from discussions in London, framing it as a concession to Beijing. Thursday’s revelation however may send a signal that China doesn’t view the H20—a less-advanced chip originally designed to comply with US sanctions — as a valuable offering.
Chinese agencies have previously singled out major American companies for scrutiny. In the past, they’ve announced probes into acquisitions by US firms— including Nvidia—an arena in which regulators wield approval powers. With assistance from Jenni Marsh, Colum Murphy and Jing Li Bloomberg
Tito Genova Valiente
ANNOTATIONS
E are in awe again of what is happening around us: the unpredictability of weather, the surges of waves and the flood that, according to TV reports, has paralyzed Metro Manila.
Is it better to be enchanted by storms and regale generations with our ill-placed courage or be smug and embrace that ugly trait called “resilience”? The truth of the matter is while we quarrel among ourselves whether we were born to a waterworld, our politicians, as usual, have grown quiet amidst the disaster that they should be addressing themselves.
Each time the water rises, you always have this sense that the archipelago is being introduced to a new knowledge. The implication of this is a receptivity that is filled with guilelessness and gullibility, a freshness that has nothing to do with innocence but with a dangerous dumbness. Credit—or the lack of credit—goes to how we report disasters, the manner with which we document our understanding of storms and typhoons.
If we go by histories or by cultures of remembering and contending with disasters, we should be experts already with anything that resembles a massive rain. But it seems we never learn. And those we rely upon for systematic responses to disaster and calamities are themselves innocuously uneducated in their own grasp of the phenomenon.
Can we learn from the past? Does history have a place in the study of disaster?
James Francis Warren in an abstract of his paper “Philippine typhoons, sources and the historian,” states “the pre-requisite for investigating the impacts of cyclonic storms and climatic change in Philippine history is adequate meteorological records and information on how weather and climate fluctuate and change in the Philippines across
as the seventeenth century, and the early histories and travel accounts of the Spanish friars.” For the historian, “in order to trace climatic patterns and the impacts of typhoons, floods and storm surges in the era of pre-instrument observation, the historian must start with the Spanish records held in various civil and ecclesiastical archives and repositories in Spain and the Philippines.”
Warren also talks about various records and catalogues found in the National Archives. He mentions the numerous and varied reports made by the Bureau of Insular Affairs under the American occupation. Then, there are personal accounts contained in old and recent photographs capturing vividly how the flood or typhoon was part of the Filipino quotidian, the everyday existence.
There are photographs preserved for posterity showing how Manila has always been prone (pardon the
time. Admitting how the reconstruction of the history of the typhoon’s impacts, climate variability and human-environment interactions on Philippine society and culture is difficult,” it is still possible to “reconstruct the record of the weather and cyclonic storms over long periods, for example the records produced by provincial parish priests from as early
irresponsible modifier) to flooding.
One comes from an album credited to a certain George Howatt who worked for the Board of Education.
The photographs are dated 19101913. It is not certain if the years pertained to his stay in the country although the images are clear: a carromata plies the flooded street as it faces the camera man; away
from the photographer, one could see well-dressed men and women, including children going about their way. Interestingly, on the left side, one could see a small billboard that appeared to carry an announcement. There is also a wooden crossing sign lifted up, perhaps to signal that because of the flood an electric car or tranvia has stopped its operation for the day. The photograph is part of the magnificent John Tewell collection.
Another photo indicates a posed photo of two men standing by the calesa. The title says: “Street flooding after a Typhoon, Manila, Philippines, 1905 or before.” The photo has been lifted from the book The Philippine Islands by Fred W. Atkinson, which was published by Ginn and Company, 1905, in Boston. A photo shows two modes of transportation: a horsedrawn cart and one pulled by a carabao, a water “buffalo” seemingly at ease in the water. And children swimming in the flood.
The Philippine General Hospital is featured almost in an optical illusion as a grand villa floating near a body of water as a banca glides in front of its symmetry.
My favorite photo though has three women in a wide “batya” or basin, one carrying an umbrella, being pushed by three men, I suppose, for a fee. You see, this is happening as well at present in flooded streets of Sampaloc, Navotas or Makati. Nothing has changed. We only need to remember, like the old man pointing to the line formed by the water that has, by the time of the documentation, already receded. We should remember all this so that when we approach mothers in evacuation centers, we should not ask them, “Bakit ho kayo naiyak?” We should know. They, more than ever, should know.
E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com
Japan’s factory output gain shows firms’ resilience amid tariffs
By Yoshiaki Nohara
JAPAN’S
factory output unexpectedly rose in June, as manufacturers showed resilience even as US tariffs weigh on the nation’s exports.
Industrial production gained 1.7 percent from the previous month, the Industry Ministry reported Thursday. Output of transport equipment excluding cars, up 14.8 percent, and electronic parts and devices drove the gains. Economists had expected a 0.8 percent loss. Output increased 4 percent from a year earlier, topping expectations of a 1.3 percent gain.
Output of autos, which faced tariffs totaling 27.5 percent on shipments to the US during the period, nudged 0.1 percent higher from the prior month. Output for steel and non-ferrous metals declined by 0.5 percent after US President Donald Trump doubled the duty on US imports of steel and aluminum to 50 percent in early June.
“I think production increased in some areas to respond to rush demand in anticipation of the tariff hike,” said Yuichi Kodama, econo -
Eagle Watch. . . continued
from A14
this does not seem to be the case anymore. The US appears to be setting tariff at 20 percent for Southeast Asian countries.
On the balance, Philippine exports are likely to decline. There is also the consumption channel. Consumption (C) depends mainly on our disposable income, which largely depends on our economic output. If our economic output declines as a result of the tariffs, such as if there is less manufacturing, this would mean fewer people will have jobs or some will work less hours. This would reduce C and have a negative effect on our GDP. There is also the investment
mist at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute. “The trend is difficult to grasp due to such demand, but I think production largely remained flat on a quarterly basis.”
Seasonally-adjusted production advanced by 0.3 percent in the quarter through June from the previous period, reducing the risk that the economy may have fallen into a technical recession in the period.
“The solid production print may prompt central bankers to reassess their cautious stance on US trade policy risks to Japan’s growth. In our baseline scenario, the central bank will proceed with a 25-basis-point rate hike in October,” said Bloomberg economist Taro Kimura.
The gains are forecast to continue after the US and Japan reached a trade agreement with terms considered more favorable to Japan than had been feared. Last week’s surprise
channel. Investment (I) depends mainly on interest rate and expectations about business prospects in the future, especially as to how such prospects will affect disposable income. If Philippine economic output is expected to decline as a result of US tariffs, this should make investments less attractive, because they are less likely to be profitable, and thus reduce I.
Additionally, the tariffs can add to US inflation and higher inflation usually leads to higher US interest rates. To the extent that Philippine interest rates follow movements in US interest rates, this adds more downward pressure on I because many investors borrow money to finance their investments.
There is also the import channel. Imports (M) depends mainly
The gains are forecast to continue after the US and Japan reached a trade agreement with terms considered more favorable to Japan than had been feared. Last week’s surprise deal will cut tariffs on US imports of Japanese cars to 15 percent and apply the same rate on other products.
deal will cut tariffs on US imports of Japanese cars to 15 percent and apply the same rate on other products.
Inventories fell 0.4 percent in June, the third straight month of month-on-month declines, bringing the index down to 99.1, the lowest in just over three years. That indicates that manufacturers have room to add product in months ahead. Manufacturers estimated monthly production will rise 1.8 percent in July and gain 0.8 percent in August, according to Thursday’s release.
Separately, retail sales exceeded estimates, rising 1 percent in June from May and increasing 2 percent from a year ago. Persistent inflation has kept consumer spending from
on our income level and the price of imports. If Philippine economic output declines as a result of the US tariffs, this should reduce M and have a positive effect on our GDP. However, part of the agreement was to reduce tariffs on US goods. This could increase imports from the US and have a negative effect on our GDP. In totality, the net effect of the higher US tariffs is almost certain be negative on the Philippine economy. Philippine GDP growth will likely be lower this year with the higher US tariffs compared to its absence. But the effect on the Philippine economy will likely be lower than for many trading partners of the US, especially other Asean members, as net exports is a smaller part of our GDP. Government spending (G) is
posting sustained gains as households contending with higher costs for essential goods trimmed discretionary outlays.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, under pressure to do more to help households cope with inflation, has pledged cash handouts to spur consumption and undertaken steps to reduce utility costs. Ishiba’s position was weakened substantially by his party’s historic upper house election defeat earlier this month. He’s said he’d like to remain in office to ensure the implementation of the trade deal. The production data come hours before the Bank of Japan’s board concludes its latest policy meeting, where authorities are widely expected to keep the benchmark interest rate unchanged. A focus will be Governor Kazuo Ueda’s assessment of the recent trade deal with the US. Officials see the possibility of mulling another interest rate hike this year after that agreement, people familiar with the matter said last week. “It will take more time for the impact of tariffs to be confirmed in hard data, so the BOJ is unlikely to raise interest rates today,” Kodama said. Bloomberg
where adjustments can be made to offset the effect of the Trump tariffs on GDP. For instance, by providing targeted support to those who might be directly affected by higher tariffs, or just by further increasing government spending on infrastructure and social services. Longer term, broadening the export market so that there is less dependence on any one country, and broadening the domestic market by continuing to expand the middle class, would make us less vulnerable to similar events. This
Friday, August 1, 2025
BusinessMirror
₧13-B infra projects tagged ‘critical’ due to problems
By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
THEDepartment of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev) said P13.3 billion worth of infrastructure projects are classified as “”critical” due to delays and other problems.
On Thursday, DepDev Investment Programming Group Undersecretary Joseph J. Capuno said this amount covered 43 projects. The bulk of these projects are being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department Transportation (DOTr).
Capuno said 41 of these projects have a collective value of P2.5 billion and two projects, which are on the early warning stage, have a joint price tag of P10.8 billion.
well as a lack of or delay in securing counterpart funding.
“[Our recommendation is to] align funding requirements with budget cycles and improve coordination with DBM [Department of Budget and Management],” Capuno said in his presentation.
Capuno also said 26 projects are having problems with site conditions and availability. This includes those that are experiencing prolonged land acquisition and ROW clearance.
project delays.
The total value of the Philippines’s active ODA-funded projects grew by 6 percent to $39.6 billion in 2024 from $37.3 billion in 2023, spread across 426 loans and grants, according to the 2024 ODA Portfolio Review Report.
New loan commitments on infrastructure drove the increase, with nine of the 17 fresh loans worth $8.2 billion supporting the Marcos Administration’s Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFPs).
THE Social Security System (SSS) will raise pensions annually for three straight years starting September 2025—without increasing member contributions—to help pensioners keep up with inflation.
The pension fund announced on Thursday that the pension hike will be implemented in three annual tranches every September, beginning in 2025 to 2027.
This move will benefit over 3.8 million pensioners, including 2.6 million retirement and disability pensioners and 1.2 million survivor pensioners.
Under the reform, retirement and disability pensioners will receive a 10-percent increase, while death or survivor pensioners will get a 5 percent boost.
SSS said the pension hike will not result in any increase in members’ contributions, unlike the P1,000 additional benefit granted to all pensioners starting 2017, which promptly led to contribution increases to restore financial stability to the pension fund.
SSS
By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan
MANILA is still negotiating with Washington on some set of rules and conditions beyond market access ahead of the August 1 deadline for the implementation of the 19 percent reciprocal tariff on Philippine goods entering the US.
“We’re working on the details which cover other terms and conditions of the agreement because this is not just about market access. So there are set of rules that we are negotiating,” Allan B. Gepty, DTI Undersecretary for International Trade Group and chief negotiator for the US-Philippines Reciprocal Trade deal told reporters, speaking partly in Filipino.
While the details of the negotiations are covered by a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), Gepty dropped a few hints on the details that may be contained in the deal which are still being threshed out.
“If you will read the pronouncements of the US, more than market access, they are also interested in measures that basically affect trade. So that’s why we have to address also those measures like non-tariff barriers,” Gepty told reporters.
Gepty pointed to the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) 2025 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers as a “good reference” for these non-tariff barriers. According to the USTR’s 2025 NTE Report, some of the quantitative restrictions under the nontariff barriers outlined for the Philippines are: the regulated importation of used motor vehicles; the Philippine Secretary of Agriculture’s authority to prescribe the type of fish species to be imported and volume to be imported; and the Philippine Department of Agriculture’s (DA) power to set allowable import quota of sugar, typically at the beginning of each marketing year.
Under customs barriers and trade facilitation, Washington
Apart from these critical projects, Capuno said infrastructure projects funded through Official Development Assistance (ODA) continue to be plagued by budget issues as well as Right Of Way Acquisition (ROWA) and procurement problems.
Capuno said the 29 projects are suffering from budget and fund flow problems. These problems include exclusion from the 2024 national budget or reclassification to unprogrammed appropriations as
“So, the new sort of market master list of the at-risk projects, based on the alert mechanism tool that we use, is around 43,” Capuno said. “Mostly, 60 percent are from DPWH and the DOTr.”
Other projects are experiencing unresolved expropriation cases; resistance from programs and projects (PAPs), and obstruction of utilities.
“[Our recommendation is to] secure timely site readiness and strengthen ROW management,” Capuno said.
Meanwhile, 25 projects are experiencing procurement issues such as delays in bid preparation; failed bidding or the lack of bidders; and weal procurement planning, according to Capuno.
He said the DepDev recommended the enforcement of timely procurement planning and early engagement of bidders to avoid
Among the projects that benefitted from these loan commitments include the Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project, the Dalton Pass East Alignment Road Project Phase I, new funding for the BataanCavite Interlink Bridge Project and the Metro Manila Subway Project, and the Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools Project.
“The Philippine government has long recognized the importance of transformative investments, particularly those aimed at easing mobility constraints and advancing regional integration. Projects such as the North-South Commuter Railway can support and
By the end of 2027, monthly pensions will climb by 33.1 percent for retirement and disability pensioners and 15.8 percent for survivor pensioners.
For example, a retirement pensioner receiving an average current pension of P5,120 will see it rise to P5,632 in 2025, P6,195 in 2026 and P6,814 in 2027, under the annual 10 percent increase.
Survivor pensioners with an average current pension of
cited, among others, the “widespread” corruption and irregularities in customs processing including incidents of “undue and costly” delays, 100 percent inspection and testing of some products, and “inconsistent” assessment of fees.
Meanwhile, when asked if the 19-percent reciprocal tariff can still be changed beyond the August 1 deadline, Gepty said: “I don’t want to preempt but it’s important that we engage with the US because of course, the US is a major trade and investment partner of the country, and of course, we’re really advocating actually for a free trade agreement.”
In a separate interview, Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina A. Roque confirmed to reporters that the list of concessions offered to Washington will no longer be expanded.
“It won’t be expanded. Because whatever we declared, that’s it, that’s the reason the tariff was not brought down,” Roque told reporters on the sidelines of the 2025 Post-Sona discussion last Tuesday, adding that the Philippines, unlike other countries, did not pledge to open manufacturing facilities for the US.
In securing the 19-percent country reciprocal tariff with the US, the Philippine negotiating team had to offer certain goods to Washington, therefore allowing US-made products to enter the Philippines at zero-tariffs. These include automobiles, soy products, wheat products, and medicines.
Last week, Roque told reporters that Washington asked the Philippine side to offer all products to US, meaning to allow entry of USmade goods to Philippine borders at zero-tariffs.
However, the Trade chief said the Philippines did not agree to grant the US full access as this might hurt local producers, particularly the agriculture sector.
EIGHT in 10 Filipinos believe that corporations responsible for high levels of pollution should be taxed for the environmental damage they cause, according to a new survey released Thursday by Oxfam Pilipinas and Greenpeace Philippines.
Based on a nationally representative survey of 1,200 Filipinos, the groups found that 84 percent (1,004 individuals) believe that oil, gas, and coal corporations should be held accountable for the floods, droughts, extreme heat, and other environmental impacts they contribute to in the country.
The survey also showed that 88 percent or 1,056 respondents support using tax revenues from busi-
nesses to aid victims of climateinduced disasters.
An even higher 89 percent or 1,068 individuals back the proposal to increase taxes on oil, gas, and coal companies, with the proceeds directed to communities affected by the climate crisis.
The survey was also conducted in 12 other countries, including Brazil, Canada, India, and South Africa.
Globally, 81 percent of respondents believe major climate polluters should be held accountable—a figure slightly lower than in the Philippines.
According to Cheng Pagulayan, Climate Justice Portfolio Manager of Oxfam Pilipinas, this suggests that support for climate justice is especially strong among Filipinos.
“Filipinos have a strong sense of justice. The overwhelming support for taxing climate polluters to compensate for the damages they’ve caused clearly shows how Filipinos are demanding a polluter’s profit tax and accountability, both from our government and from climate polluters,” Pagulayan said during a press briefing in Quezon City.
As for how companies should be taxed, Pagulayan clarified that only a portion of their profits would be subject to the proposed climate tax—not the entirety.
“There’s a certain threshold based on the return on assets of the mega-rich fossil fuel corporations. That’s all we’re asking for. If they exceed that threshold, then that portion will be taxed. And this will only apply to the fossil fuel
ments of their operations, on top of existing corporate taxes,” he said. Under the proposal, profits amounting to 3 percent of a company’s
THE Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has cleared the proposed joint venture between Ayala Corp. and Mitsubishi Corp., which will be implemented through Mitsubishi’s acquisition of a 50-percent stake in Ayala’s AC Ventures Holding Corp. (ACV).
This, after the country’s competition watchdog determined that Mitsubishi’s investment in AC Venture “would not significantly reduce competition” in the relevant market for the provision of Quick Response (QR) code-based digital payments to merchants.
AC Ventures is Ayala’s venture capital arm, which holds investments in Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), the parent company
of GCash operator G-Xchange Inc. and tech-based microlender Fuse Lending.
PCC cited in its decision the small market share held by GCash in the provision of QR-based person-to-merchant payments, as well as the strong governmental push for interoperability in QR-based payments across the country.
While Mitsubishi indirectly owns convenience store chain Law-
MGen plant to use
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
MERALCO PowerGen Corp.
(MGen) on Thursday said its 1,200-megawatt (MW) ultra supercritical pulverized coalfired power plant of its subsidiary Atimonan One Energy Inc. is beneficial not only to consumers and the local government, but also to the environment.
MGen said the Atimonan Energy power plant will be constructed using the high efficiency, low emission (HELE) technology that utilizes high temperatures and pressures to maximize energy production while minimizing fuel consumption.
The company said HELE is one of
the latest technologies in the world that is critical in achieving lower carbon emissions from thermal plants. These thermal plants provide enhanced plant efficiency and have been used world-wide as well as in other Asian countries including South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, and China. Once completed, the thermal plant will ensure sufficient supply of reliable and affordable baseload energy for the Philippines. It will generate enough power supply to cater to at least 5 million households—based on an average monthly consumption of 150-kilowatt hour—or the equivalent energy needs of approximately 1000 hospitals. The new power source will ac -
son Philippines, which accepts QR code-based payments from consumers, the commission said it has “limited presence” and that the transaction would not result in substantial lessening of competition.
Person-to-merchant payments, through the use of QR codes, enables businesses to accept digital payments from consumers for goods and services that the business sells, according to PCC.
Ayala is a Philippine conglomerate with diverse interests, including banking, real estate, and telecommunications while Mitsubishi is Japan’s largest trading company, with global operations spanning energy, urban development, and various other industries.
The Philippine Competition Act mandates the PCC to review mergers and acquisitions to ensure transactions do not lead to a “substantial lessening” of competition in relevant markets.
In October 2024, Ayala, which owns 100 percent of ACV, has agreed to effectively sell 50 percent
of ACV to Mitsubishi for a minimum of P18.4 billion.
The statement published on Ayala’s website noted that ACV owns 13 percent of Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt).
Mynt has two fintech companies: G-Xchange Inc., the mobile wallet operator of GCash and Fuse Lending, a tech-based microlender.
Ayala noted that this transaction is subject to conditions precedent including regulatory approvals.
The conglomerate said Mitsubishi, Japan’s largest trading company, can help Mynt grow overseas and within its own significant Japan-based ecosystem, and in areas like cloud-based payments and new credit algorithms.
“We believe Mitsubishi can add meaningful value to Mynt, which will allow Mynt to deliver significant value to its over 94 million registered users,” Cezar Consing, president and CEO of Ayala, said in October 2024.
HELE technology
count for approximately 7 percent of Luzon’s total energy demand, playing a crucial role in bolstering the country’s energy security and ensuring a reliable power supply for the future.
“The plant will also enable lowering the electricity cost by approximately P12 billion annually and achieve the objective of bringing efficient baseload power for the country.”
Moreover, MGen said the Atimonan Energy Power Plant is set to deliver significant benefits to the local community, with an estimated annual economic contribution exceeding P1 billion. This includes revenue from real property taxes and funding for various community development initiatives.
During the construction phase, the project is expected to create up to 6,000 local jobs, with an additional 300 permanent positions once the plant is operational.
On top of the project’s full compliance with all applicable DENR environmental laws, rules, and regulations, MGen will also supply up to 5 million tree seedlings by 2035 for use of government agencies in their sequestration efforts.
The Department of Energy has confirmed that the project remains outside the coverage of the 2020 Coal Moratorium Policy. With this, the power firm can proceed with the processing of the required further permits through the Energy Virtual One Shared System.
Shell profit beats estimates in wild quarter for oil markets
SHELL Plc reported secondquarter profit that dropped by 32 percent but beat analyst expectations, which had been lowered after a bearish trading update earlier this month.
Shell’s shares were up 2.7 percent in London on Thursday morning, after the company reported the earnings beat and maintained its pace of buying back $3.5 billion of shares in the quarter. Analysts noted that Shell’s cash flow from operations of $12.3 billion was well ahead of consensus expectations of $10.1 billion. The drop in profit from a year earlier reflected lower oil and gas prices, as well as weaker performance from the company’s oil traders. Shell CEO Wael Sawan has spent the past two years seeking to cut costs, improve reliability and shed underperforming assets in an effort to close a valuation gap with Shell’s US rivals. The “sprint” has begun to pay off, as the company has outperformed its Big Oil peers so far in 2025.
Maintaining the buyback level “should be well-received,” said Jefferies analyst Giacomo Romeo said.
“It’s been quarter after quarter of just steady delivery,” Sawan said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “That’s 15 quarters in a row where we are delivering 3 or more billion dollars per quarter buybacks
RTO mandates lift office leasing in Jan-June–JLL
By VG Cabuag @villygc
OFFICE rentals may have improved in the first half, but property consultant Jones Lang LaSalle Philippines Inc. (JLL) noted the persistent move-outs of business process outsourcing (BPO) firms and corporate occupiers during the period.
Janlo de los Reyes, JLL Philippines head of research and strategic consulting, said office leasing rose by 80 percent to about 582,000 square meters from the previous year, but mainly due to the strong takeups in the first quarter.
For the second quarter alone, office leasing fell by 18 percent to 262,000 square meters from the previous quarter’s 320,000 square meters.
“In the first quarter of the year, we saw significant takeup from both BPO occupiers and corporate occupiers. Meanwhile, in the second quarter of the year, this where we saw corporate demand weaken,” de los Reyes said.
JLL’s Workforce Preference Barometer Survey 2025 revealed that 76 percent of Filipino office workers prioritize work-life balance while maintaining an average of 3.35 days per week in the office. Some 68 percent expect more flexibility in working hours when returning to office environments.
“What we’re seeing is there will still be demand for office spaces in the future, particularly as companies implement return-to-office [RTO] mandates,” de los Reyes said.
He said leasing volumes in the next quarters will remain stable and may reach around 800,000 to 900,000 sq.m. in gross leasing volumes by yearend.
and that’s key for us.” Shell reduced its structural costs by a further $800 million in the first half, bringing the pre-tax total since 2022 to $3.9 billion, it said. Net debt rose to $43.2 billion from $41.5 billion in the first quarter. Analysts had cut their forecasts for earnings after Shell warned July 7 that earnings from its fabled trading division would be “significantly lower” than the prior quarter. Shell’s traders are often one of its biggest profit boosters, and Sawan said in March that its traders haven’t lost money in a single quarter over the past decade. Shell doesn’t break out its trading results separately. Adjusted net income for the sec-
ond quarter was $4.26 billion, the London-based company said in a statement on Thursday, compared with $6.29 billion a year earlier. That beat the average analyst estimate of $3.74 billion.
Europe’s largest energy major faced whipsawing markets in the three months ended June, from US President Donald Trump’s escalating trade war to OPEC+’s shock decision to accelerate production increases, capped by the brief war in the Middle East. Crude prices ultimately ended the quarter about 10 percent lower.
While commodity traders usually thrive on volatility, Sawan is the latest in a string of energy executives who have complained in recent weeks
that the erratic nature of the recent price swings has made them harder to trade on. Shell had already warned earlier this month that earnings from both oil and gas trading in the quarter were “significantly lower” than the previous three months.
“We saw the oil prices go up and down with very little impetus for supply-demand imbalances or changes in physical flows,” Sawan said. “This was really paper based volatility. We are much more of a fundamentalsbased trader so we chose to be a bit more risk-off.”
Oil prices have recovered 8 percent since the end of June, as strong northern hemisphere summer demand helps offset the impact of added OPEC+ supply and slowing global economic growth. However, expectations are mounting for a significant surplus in 2026.
Shell reiterated plans to spend between $20 billion and $22 billion this year. The company has stood out from its peers by sticking to plans for capital spending this year even as oil prices entered a prolonged period of uncertainty. In its first-quarter earnings report in May, the company said that it had the financial strength to weather any weakness in energy markets. At the time, rivals BP Plc and Eni SpA chose to trim capital investments. Bloomberg News
The company saw move-outs in January to June, including some 3,000 sq.m. of BPOs and 2,000 sq.m. of corporate occupiers mostly from Taguig.
Makati, however, led the movements, which came from older developments, as tenants sought for new spaces within newer buildings with
more competitive rentals, he said. Rentals remained flat at P973 per square meter for headline rents and P875 per square meter for transacted rents.
“The market is also still quite soft in terms of the rental market, and that’s the reason why a lot of occupiers are seeking new options in other parts of the metro. In terms of vacancy levels, it remained relatively steady due to stable leasing volumes,” de los Reyes said.
“So, what has happened is that landlords continue to maintain competitive rentals to near end tenants, especially for those who have prolonged vacancy levels, they’re the ones who are lowering their rentals to attract tenants. Meanwhile, for those who have strong portfolios in the market, to those that have strong occupancies, they’re the ones who are testing new thresholds with regard to rentals.”
He also noted that the supply of new office space has been tapering off in the past three quarters as only 7,000 sq.m. was added in Metro Manila.
“What we expected, though, for the remainder of the year is that overall vacancy to remain elevated around 18 percent still within that range, owing to the large volume of new stock coming in.”
JLL expects around 568,000 square meters of new stock by the second half of the year within Metro Manila alone, which could exacerbate elevated vacancy levels across districts and cities.
“So, (vacancies are) still at double-digit levels, except for Bonifacio Global City, which is just at 9.6 percent. BGC and Makati CBD still recorded the lowest vacancies during the quarter, again owing to solid demand and interest from both BPOS and corporate occupiers,” de los Reyes said.
Meanwhile, the Bay Area—which comprises Paranaque, Manila and Pasay—continues to see high vacancies from previously vacated spaces by offshore gaming licensees, as well as tepid takeup in general, from both BPOs and corporate occupiers.
A SHELL gas station in Emeryville, California, US, on Thursday, May 1, 2025. PHOTOGRAPHER: DAVID PAUL MORRIS/BLOOMBERG
PHOTO FROM WWW.CCAP.PH
Govt eyes ₧30B via RTB sale to small investors
HE Bureau of the Treasury
T(BTr) is set to sell its fiveyear retail Treasury bonds (RTBs) on August 5 to raise at least P30 billion from small investors.
In a notice of offering posted on its website, the Treasury said it will issue its 31st tranche of peso-denominated five-year fixedrate RTBs maturing on August 20, 2030.
The auction will begin on August 5 and will run until August 15, or any earlier date within the offer period as determined by the Treasury. The issue date will be on August 20.
The RTBs will be sold in a minimum denomination of P5,000 and increments of the same amount.
Interested government securities eligible dealers shall submit their bids electronically through their respective National Registry of Scripless Securities Terminals on or before 1:00 p.m. during the auction date.
In addition to the new RTBs, the Treasury will also exchange fresh RTBs for earlier-issued bonds maturing in September 2025 and February 2026.
“The Exchange Offer is likewise
Banking&Finance Insurance Commission puts HMO under conservatorship
intended to manage refinancing risk in the debt portfolio of the Republic and is an integral part of its overall liability management program,” the Treasury said.
These RTBs will be made available through online channels, including the Treasury’s website, BONDS.PH, mobile banking applications of the Overseas Filipino Bank and Land Bank of the Philippines and the newly launched GBonds.
The bond issuances form part of the government’s borrowing plan for the year, which seeks to generate P2.545 trillion. Majority, or P2.036 trillion, of the borrowings will come from domestic sources, while the remaining P509 billion will come from foreign lenders.
Last year, the government raised a total of P584.86 billion from its issuance of 5-year RTB30, with an interest rate of 6.25 percent per annum, offered for 10 days.
The government borrowed a total of P1.591 trillion in the first half of the year, with local borrowings amounting to P1.189 trillion, while P402.351 billion was owed to external lenders. Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
‘RICH’ Traits of Association Professionals
IWAS preparing questions to interview a candidate for a position in the secretariat of our association when I came up with the acronym “RICH” to tell the interviewee what I was expecting as essential traits that our organization looks for.
In today’s complex and rapidly evolving association landscape, technical knowhow alone is not enough. Association professionals must lead with integrity, serve with purpose, and adapt with agility. The demands of association management— i.e., navigating member needs, balancing diverse stakeholder interests, and delivering mission-driven impact—require, not just skills, but character. This is where “RICH” becomes a guiding compass, encapsulating four essential traits every association professional must embody.
“RICH” stands for:
Reliability. Reliability forms the bedrock of trust in any association. Members, volunteers, partners, and boards must feel confident that association professionals will deliver on promises and follow through on commitments. Reliability means showing up, being dependable, and performing consistently even under pressure. In association management, where continuity and member engagement are paramount, being reliable reassures stakeholders the organization is in steady, capable hands. It also fosters a culture of accountability and mutual respect within teams and with external partners.
Initiative. Associations thrive on innovation, responsiveness, and proactive leadership, especially in the face of change or uncertainty. Professionals who demonstrate initiative are self-starters who anticipate needs, seek solutions, and take action without waiting to be told. Whether it’s launching a new member service, identifying a funding opportunity, or improving internal systems, initiative drives momentum and relevance. For association leaders, this trait is especially vital in navigating disruption, seizing emerging trends, and staying ahead of member expectations. Competence and Confidence. Competence is the mastery of one’s professional duties whether in governance, advoca -
cy, events, membership, or communications. But competence alone is not enough; it must be coupled with confidence. Confidence empowers association professionals to assert their expertise, make informed decisions, and represent the organization effectively. Competence earns respect; confidence inspires followership. Together, they enable professionals to lead decisively, communicate clearly, and engage meaningfully with stakeholders at all levels.
Honesty. Honesty is the cornerstone of ethical leadership. In the association world, where trust and transparency are vital, honesty builds credibility and sustains reputational integrity. This includes being truthful about capabilities, open about challenges, and fair in dealing with members and colleagues. An honest professional fosters a safe environment for dialogue, collaboration, and continuous improvement. In governance and financial matters especially, honesty ensures that associations uphold their fiduciary and moral obligations.
To be “RICH” in the association profession is not about material wealth; it’s about values that enrich your leadership and service. These “RICH” traits are foundational to building resilient, impactful associations. They shape how professionals show up, earn trust, and create lasting value for their members and communities.
Whether you are a new practitioner or a seasoned executive, embracing the “RICH” mindset can elevate your effectiveness and influence. In an environment that often demands more with less, professionals “RICH” in character and capability will stand out, not just for what they do, but for how they lead.
Octavio Peralta is founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, the “association of associations.” PCAAE will hold its 13th Annual Associations Summit on November 6, 2025 at the Clark Freeport Zone. The views he expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the B usiness M irror . E-mail: bobby@pcaae.org.
FBy Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
OR failing to comply with the guidelines on product approval, the health maintenance organization (HMO) Medocare Health Systems Inc. (MHSI) was placed under conservatorship by the Insurance Commission (IC).
In a notice by the regulator, Commissioner Reynaldo A. Regalado informed the public that a cease and desist order was issued against
MHSI, prohibiting it from taking any new HMO business of any kind or character. The IC said this is due to MHSI’s
Chinabank posts
THE China Banking Corp. announced last Thursday of having posted double-digit growth in net income in the first six months of the year.
Through a statement, Chinabank wrote that its bottomline in the January-to-June period reached P13 billion, a 14-percent increase from the same period last year.
According to the country’s fourthlargest private universal bank, profits translated to a 15.2-percent return on equity and a 1.6-percent return on assets, among the highest in the industry.
“We continue to deliver strong operating results in the first semester while supporting the needs of our customers and contributing to the growth of our economy,” Chinabank
“continued noncompliance” with the product approval requirements under Circular Letter 2017-19. The guidelines seek to ensure that products offered to the public meet minimum standards to protect policyholders and promote transparency within the industry.
With the order, the IC would be involving itself in MHSI’s operations to protect the interests of its members and stakeholders until the company adheres to existing regulations.
As such, IC designated lawyer John A. Apatan, the Division Manager of Conservatorship, Receivership and Liquidation (CRL) Division, as interim ex-officio conservator of MHSI. Under Republic Act 10607, other-
income growth of 14% in 1st half
President and CEO Romeo D. Uyan Jr. was quoted in the statement as saying.
The bank said its revenues surged by 34 percent year-on-year to P38.9 billion on the back of net interest income which grew by 15 percent to P34.9 billion on higher asset yields and loan volume.
Chinabank also said its net interest margin also improved by 13 basis points to 4.57 percent.
Meanwhile, the bank said it extended credit for consumers and firms rose by 18 percent to P964.7 billion amid the accelerating economic activities and increasing consumer confidence.
The bank said that its non-performing loans (NPL) ratio was at 1.6 percent, well below the industry
GoTyme opens credit window in TikTok Shop
By VG Cabuag @villygc
GOTYME Bank Corp. an-
nounced last Thursday the launch of a financing solution for entrepreneurs using the “TikTok Shop” in partnership with local TikTok platform operator ByteDance Philippines Inc.
“Through this partnership, pre-qualified TikTok Shop sellers can secure customized loan offers in just minutes, with disbursement completed within one business day,” the digital bank’s statement read.
Loan amounts are based on a seller’s transaction history on the platform, allowing for a seamless, data-driven process. Sellers may choose their preferred loan amount and repayment terms and repay via bank transfer or QRPh in manageable installments.
Nate Clarke, CEO of GoTyme Bank, said a pilot test is already running, which the digital bank is already processing hundreds of thousands pesos worth of loans.
“Obviously, we’ll scale it up depending on how our performance goes. But as much as possible, we’re going to get as many merchants to be able to have the product also by the end of the year. To add to the loan amount, right, as what Nathan and Abbot have already highlighted. It really depends on the performance of the merchant and what they need and their trajectory for it,”
Clarke said.
Clarke said the bank started with 16 merchants, and expects first repayment soon.
“But I think overall feedback has been good so far. And it will slowly also start to increase in
the next couple of weeks also. Obviously, you know, different merchants also will have different rates. So, we start at 1.5 percent (interest) for most of these merchants. It can go up to around 2.5 percent,” Clarke said.
Access to timely and flexible financing remains one of the biggest challenges for small and medium enterprises in the Philippines, the bank said.
With GoTyme-backed loans for TikTok Shops, MSMEs now have a tailored solution that meets them where they are. It will use their sales performance on TikTok Shop to unlock funding opportunities, according to GoTyme.
This initiative not only addresses a critical gap in access to capital, but also empowers sellers to reinvest in inventory, operations, and growth without the lengthy processes or rigid requirements of traditional loans, the bank added.
“We believe that fast and flexible financing enables sustainable growth and empowers MSMEs to thrive in the dynamic digital landscape,” Franco Aligaen, marketing lead of the “TikTok Shop” in the Philippines, said.
“At GoTyme Bank, we believe MSMEs are the backbone of the Philippine economy, and they deserve financial solutions that not only empower their business but are also thoughtfully designed around their needs. Partnering with TikTok Shop expands our mission to make banking beautiful for all Filipino entrepreneurs” Albert Tinio, Co-CEO of GoTyme Bank, was quoted in a statement as saying.
average of 3.5 percent.
Chinabank said it has been proactive in setting aside higher credit provisions of P6.5 billion for an NPL coverage at 125 percent, higher than the industry average of 95 percent.
“We are sustaining our growth momentum as we execute our strategy and focus on delivering quality service and value to our clients and stakeholders,” Uyan said.
In the 6-month period, Chinabank said operating expenses reached P16.6 billion on higher technology, manpower, and business volumerelated costs.
With revenue growth outpacing rising expenditures, the bank said it recorded a healthier cost-to-income ratio of 43 percent.
briefs
Total consolidated assets reached P1.7 trillion, marking an 8 percent increase from the same period last year. Total equity grew by 15 percent to P174 billion.
The 105-year-old bank’s capital adequacy ratio (CAR) stood at 15.62 percent, well above the minimum regulatory requirement. Book value increased by 15 percent to P64.65 per share.
“Our robust performance was driven by our commitment to addressing client needs while effectively managing risks and promoting efficiencies,” Chinabank Chief Finance Officer Patrick D. Cheng said through the statement. “We have ensured that our balance sheet remains strong.”
Cai U. Ordinario
➔ Unionbank deploys FICO Platform
recently beefed up its customer relations management by acquiring the customer onboarding and credit decisioning process using the “Fico Platform” of the Fair Isaac Corp. Following its acquisition of the local consumer banking business of Citibank N.A. Manila Branch in 2022, UnionBank said it deployed the Fico Platform to integrate Citibank’s IT systems and launch its “credit decision engine” (CDE). The transformation has enabled the bank to process more than 80 percent of applications straight-through, reducing onboarding times to just 5–15 minutes and expanding credit access to underserved populations. Rizal Raoul Reyes
➔ PDIC issues rules with new MDIC
THE Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) recently issued Regulatory Issuance (RI) 202501 on the “Revised Rules and Regulations on Advertisements and Proper Use of the PDIC Seal, Insurance Statement and Signages,” which took effect July 15, 2025. The new RI was issued in view of the new PDIC Insurance Statement: “Deposits are insured by PDIC up to P1 Million per depositor.” This is aligned with the new maximum deposit insurance coverage of P1 million per depositor, per bank, which became effective on March 15, 2025. Prior to the RI’s effectivity, banks have been informed of its provisions so they can also update their clients accordingly. The new RI states that the PDIC Insurance Statement shall be used by banks in their general advertisements and in advertisements pertaining to their deposit products, the regulator said through a statement.
➔ Security Bank bares exec movements
THE Security Bank Corp. announced last Tuesday key leadership appointments beginning with the early retirement of Eduardo M. Olbes, its executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO), effective September 15. Starting August 11, Olbes will serve as Senior Advisor to the President and CEO, the lender said through a statement. The bank said Allen Alexander P. Reyes will assume the role of CFO. Olbes, who has been with Security Bank for 15 years, served as CFO for the past five years. He also held key leadership roles across the bank’s subsidiaries. Prior to his CFO role, he served as Head of the Wholesale Banking Segment until January 2020. The lender also announced the formal establishment of its “Wealth Segment,” effective August 1, with Jefferson T. Ko as Senior Vice President and Head.
➔ PDIC to conduct e-bidding of properties
THE Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) announced that it will sell 97 corporate and closed bank properties through electronic public bidding. Bids will be accepted through the PDIC e-bidding portal starting at 9:00 a.m. on August 27, 2025, until 1:00 p.m. on August 28, 2025, and will be opened at 2:00 p.m. on August 28, 2025, read a statement issued by the agency. To be sold on an as-is-where-is basis are 31 vacant residential lots, 25 residential lots with improvements, 24 vacant agricultural lots, five agricultural lots with improvements, five memorial lots, three mixed residential/agricultural lots with improvements, two mixed vacant residential/agricultural lots, and two commercial lots with improvements. With lot area reaching up to 11 hectares, the properties are located in 20 provinces including Aklan and Zambales.
Octavio Peralta
A ssociation World
TAGAYTAY has always been about magnificent unparalleled views of an historic volcano and lake on clear days, or chilly sweater-weather with the fog quietly rolling across the horizon, once the monsoon season starts.
In the last few years, the city has also meant hot passion projects of the country’s most celebrated chefs, serving up their personal favorites amid the intimate, cozy settings of their restaurants. Not all survived the pandemic and the admitted current tenuous economic conditions brought on by distance, the slow influx of travelers especially when the rains come, and the rising cost of food ingredients and imported raw materials.
Those who have decided to stay and continue operating their establishments offered their exceptional dishes at the Grand Tasting of the Tagaytay Food Festival, founded by the husband-andwife team of Chefs Jayjay (The Fatted Calf) and Rhea SyCip (Flourpot), with this year’s main host, the Taal Vista Hotel (TVH).
Outside the TVH’s grand ballroom, there was a farmer’s market where tables groaned, though happily so, under the weight of Cavite’s best: pineapples heralded by their sweet summery scent, dragonfruits with the most vibrant red flesh, frilly lettuce that were sold in small pots which have lasted even a week after on my window sill, as well as juicy cherry tomatoes in all stages of ripeness that would later go into my pasta pomodoro.
At the same area, there were also tastings of the most tender rib-eye steaks from the United States and Australia by PYC Corp. and interesting pork offerings
from Kurobota Meats by Esguerra Farms.
Like last year’s event, my method to this food madness went by courses—as I tasted a wide array of dishes across the ballroom from appetizers, main entrees and desserts, including bevvies. (A special shoutout to Papa Bolo’s classic pale on tap, which was a thirst quencher and paired well with the grilled meats, as well as Destileria Limtuaco’s super tasty Easy Piñacolada which used its soon-to-be-launched Cocohogo Philippine Coconut Cream Liquer—one part of that with one part pineapple juice. “Super easy!” says Destileria Limtuaco’s key mixologist Aaron Limpe-Aw.)
For starters, I savored the decadent Pastry Barquette filled with Duck Liver Paté and topped with Age-Smoked Duck Breast and Pineapple Gel from Chef Chris Leaning (Anya Resort).
As mains, one cannot go wrong with Chef Binggoy Remedios’ (Asador Dos Mestizos) Paella Negra with its intense seafood flavor, and the slightly salty-sweet notes of his Bacalao Asado, a stripped-down version of his usual rich Bacalao Vizcaina.
Another winner for me is the Ribchon’s Original Baby Back Lechon Ribs Slow-cooked in their Special Tanglad Marinade. So tender and succulent. If only I had enough space in my tummy, I could devour more
in the stars. ★★★★★
of this with some good old garlic fried rice.
TVH’s Chef Jayme Natividad also produced a worthy spread, of which my favorite had to be the intricately prepared Duck Ravioli using imported duck, which lent a tender bite, with a mild aromatic flavor.
Chef Jayme is also responsible for TVH’s weekend Heritage Lunch at its Veranda restaurant. I loved its meaty Sagitsit Fish topped by a typical Chinese mayonnaise-chopped veggies sauce, as its Crispy Lechon Belly, along with the healthy array of fresh lettuce with several salad toppings and sauces. What’s more, I love how TVH has kept the presentation of traditional Filipino dances during these weekend lunches, which has always been a sure hit among balikbayan diners.
Binolo had tasty skewers of fried frog legs, which I was only too excited to taste. I haven’t had frog legs since our favorite neighborhood Chinese restaurant closed, unfortunately, so this was real treat.
Despite the overwhelming amount of dishes on hand, I reluctantly moved on to the desserts, which represented a whole other level of inspired creations. My favorite had to be Chef Rhea’s luscious strawberry-
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Pay attention to detail and avoid criticism. Keeping things simple, accurate and within budget will put your mind at ease and encourage others to appreciate your skills. Make simple changes if they will improve your position or help you gain interest in
and discipline guide your actions. Home improvements will lift your spirits and encourage you to focus more on what makes you feel complete. ★★★
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Relax; don’t let what others do annoy you. Concentrate on expanding your mind, quality of life and skills to meet your needs and the market’s demands. Don’t spend trying to impress someone or win favors. If you must pay for love, you are with the wrong partner. ★★★
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Possessions, investments, property and making your money grow will offer comfort, convenience and peace of mind. Consider upgrading your skills to ensure you continue to meet demands and can climb the professional ladder. Focus your energy on networking, negotiations and making home improvements that lower your overhead. ★★
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
Show BusinessMirror
HONEST MISTAKE OR CARELESSNESS?
CELEBRITIES who endorse certain phone brands make sure to be seen using them in public as it is part of their contracts. Some celebrities, however, have been spotted holding phones that they should not be holding in public. It’s particularly weird if this moment is captured during their private time and they themselves posted it on social media. This happened to a male celebrity. You’d think he’d be more careful but then he has a reputation for being careless and reckless. He is that way even with his private life. It’s as if he doesn’t care what happens and what his fans think of his actions.
FRIENDSHIP OVER
THEY used to be best friends and known as their network’s mean girls. You’d usually see them together and their contemporaries were intimidated by them. At the time, their stars shone brightly. Through the years, something happened to change that friendship. They did not just drift apart. They stopped being friends altogether. No one badmouthed the other. If they needed to be in one place together, it was as if they didn’t know each other. So, did they fight over the other girl’s screen partner who became the boyfriend of her best friend? Sources say the break-up of their friendship was caused by many things, including that screen partner. It’s sad that the friendship ended but it happens. Will they ever renew the friendship? No one really knows and only time will tell.
SUSPICIOUS WIFE
THE actress does not seem to be the jealous type but there was a time when her marriage went through a crisis because of jealousy. Once upon a time, the husband was working with a beautiful lady on a TV show. Someone told the actress to watch over her husband because he and the beautiful lady were being flirty with each other. She thought there was basis for this so she started accompanying her husband to work. There was even a point when she stopped accepting projects just so she could accompany him. Pretty soon, the flirtatious behavior of her husband and his co-worker stopped. The actress wanted to dump him but she thought of their kids and so she allowed him to woo her again. Their marriage is now once again peaceful.
LIVING HER LIFE
NOW that the actress seems to be living her life the way she wants to, she is being talked about badly by people who seem to have an ulterior motive. They are, for example, circulating blind items about her being an undesirable person when everyone knows that while she may not be perfect, she tries to be kind and considerate. They are also talking about how she lied to her supporters when she did not. She just kept things private as she should. Her fans wanted the actress to hook up with an actor but she chose not to. She’s also been unusually quiet. Meanwhile, her ex and his family are quite active and so her fans can’t help but make comparisons.
Five pianos and a university president collaborate with the Orkestra ng Bayan
By Karlyne Kimberly K. Tan
OVER 120 performers led by the 65-piece University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) presented Alay sa Pamantasan ng Sambayanan recently at the University Theater in UP Diliman to mark the university’s 117th founding anniversary and the 127th Philippine Independence Day.
The expansive program featured works by seven National Artists for Music, a narration delivered by UP President Angelo Jimenez, and a rare five-piano collaboration. Adding to the grand production were the UP Carillon bells and live cannon fire.
Conceptualized by UPSO musical director and conductor Josefino Chino Toledo, the concert explored themes of “freedom, love, patriotism, and hope.”
Six of the nine pieces were by Filipino composers, reinforcing UPSO’s dedication to local symphonic works.
Maestro Chino Toledo began the evening with his majestic arrangement of Nicanor Abelardo’s “UP Beloved.” An already heart-rending anthem was lifted to new heights by his choral-orchestral score. I’ve always known and sung the UP hymn as “UP Naming Mahal.” It was therefore refreshing to hear parts of the English lyrics written by liberal arts student Teogenez Velez in 1917.
The UPSO followed with Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture” which symbolized defiance against oppression. Ramon Pagayon Santos’ “Awit ng Pagdiriwang” (Song of Celebration), first premiered in 1984 during UP’s diamond jubilee, was impressively brought to life by soprano Maria Charezka DawalGranda, tenor Kelbert Sinfuego, and a choral version by Alexander John Villanueva interpreted by the UPSO Symphonic Chorus led by Noemi Binag.
One of the concert’s defining pieces was Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait” with the UP president himself providing background narration. Standing amid the different orchestra sections, President Jimenez delivered fervent excerpts of speeches by the great statesman Abraham Lincoln meant to spur his countrymen towards a boundless and emancipated future. It was another first for me to watch a narrator and orchestra together onstage. Even minus the gravitas of his university position, Jimenez I think gave a powerful and convincing performance, underscoring his role as a champion of UP’s artistic and innovative pursuits.
Another highlight was “Tikladong Hirang,” a tapestry of Filipino themes for five pianos and orchestra created for the UP centennial in 2008. It included excerpts from Jose Maceda’s “Music for Five Pianos,” Abelardo’s “Piano Concerto in B-flat Minor,” Felipe de Leon’s “Sayaw ng Igorot,” Juan de S. Hernandez’s “Piano Concerto in D Minor,” Toledo’s own piano concerto “Ekontra: Kongruo: lunktum,” and Santos’ “K’lntang.”
Pianists and UP music professors Ena Maria R. Aldecoa, Luci Magalit, Gema Gonzales, Albert Napoleon Jola Roldan and Michelle Nicolasora performed on five grand pianos introduced via the theater’s impressive stage lift. The Kayserburg
pianos provided by Sounds Kradle — a company led by College of Music alumnus Reginald Tan — rose from beneath the stage in less than 20 seconds. The Kayserburgs later retracted as discreetly as they were brought up, allowing many like me to experience this amazing feature of the university theater.
The concert climaxed with Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” considered as one of the premier symbols of Russian identity and national pride. He wrote it to commemorate the country’s defense that year against Napoleon’s Grande Armée. To portray the pealing of church bells, the Carillon was played from its tower next to the UP Theater, while university personnel fired an actual cannon multiple times outside (as Tchaikovsky had wanted for every performance). I wasn’t expecting the execution to get that close to the composer’s original idea, but the UPSO marvelously delivered, thus earning from the 2,000-strong theater audience a standing ovation louder than the cannon blasts.
Two encores followed: “Mga Awit Mula sa Sigwa ng Unang Sangkapat,” a medley of protest songs heard during massive street rallies in 1970 known as the First Quarter Storm which many UP students joined; and “Kayumangging Malaya” by San Pedro.
In sum, the concert’s scope, artistry, and reverence for history successfully reflected UP’s pride and purpose.
n The author is an alumna of the UP College of Music, where she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice in 2009.
AMERICAN EAGLE’S ‘GOOD JEANS’ ADS WITH SYDNEY SWEENEY SPARK A DEBATE ON RACE AND BEAUTY STANDARDS
NEW YORK—US fashion retailer American Eagle Outfitters wanted to make a splash with its new advertising campaign starring 27-year-old actor Sydney Sweeney. The ad blitz included “clever, even provocative language” and was “definitely going to push buttons,” the company’s chief marketing officer told trade media outlets.
It has. The question now is whether some of the public reactions the fall denim campaign produced is what American Eagle intended.
Titled “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” the campaign sparked a debate about race, Western beauty standards, and the backlash to “woke” American politics and culture. Most of the negative reception focused on videos that used the word “genes” instead of “jeans” when discussing the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actor known for the HBO series Euphoria and White Lotus.
Some critics saw the wordplay as a nod, either unintentional or deliberate, to eugenics, a discredited theory that held humanity could be improved through selective breeding for certain traits.
Marcus Collins, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, said the criticism could have been avoided if the ads showed models of various races making the “genes” pun.
filled donuts. In my mind’s eye as a child, this dessert would be the equivalent of heaven—a place where all wishes of goodness are fulfilled. Also not to be missed was Chef Kalel Chan’s (The Raintree Group) lovely Buco Pie topped with Polvoron. It was both traditional and elevated, with a touch of whimsy added to the usual pasalubong from Cavite. (The next day, Chef Kalel also demonsrated how to cook a Black Cod Miso Saikyo using fish supplied by Cold Storage, to the festival’s Food Talks participants which included young culinary students.)
Meanwhile, Chef Jayjay tells me one of the common challenges Tagaytay restaurants also grapple with are the frequent turnover of staff. “I work so hard for my staff. We have a nice service charge, higher-than-provincial [wage] rate, we train them, but after three months, they leave us. So I don’t know what will happen beyond six months.”
Yet he explains the motivations of the restaurant owners who remain despite the seasonal revenues and challenging economy: “If you look at all the restaurants here, Reynaldo’s for instance, that’s all heart. Morgana, that’s all heart. Sunod d’yan, Florita’s...puso lahat ‘yan eh. When we sit down and talk, there are struggles, there are complaints, but at the end of the day, we’re here because we love it. So tonight, this is a testament of them giving it all out.”
SOFRONIO VASQUEZ TO HEADLINE WITH OPM POWERHOUSES JED AND BITUIN IN ‘BRAVO! MANILA’
By Patrick Villanueva
WITH his talents now globally recognized after winning the 26th season of The Voice US, and pairing up with Canadian singer-songwriter Michael Bublé, singer Sofronio Vasquez III will now share the stage with OPM powerhouses Jed Madela, Bituin Escalante and other Filipino artists for the upcoming grand celebration of Filipino talents—Bravo! Manila, produced by ABS-CBN. While he is happy that he got his well-deserved appreciation, Sofronio makes it a point that Filipino talents, whether in singing, dancing, and even sports, have always been world-class. And on this one night on Bravo! Manila, that will be evident to those who will witness.
Taking on Bravo! Manila is another stage that Sofronio looks forward to, especially that he gets to join with world champion Jed Madela and theater phenom Bituin Escalante. When asked about what was his approach in collaborating with them, he ultimately said it was a matter of “respect.”
Kasi before I became the Sofronio that you know right now, I was a fan. Ini-idolo ko sila,” he said. “I think
most Filipinos know them na as Jed Madela and Ms. Bituin Escalante. I think it should come from me, I think it should come from respect,” he added. He is also no stranger from learning from his idols, even wholeheartedly taking advice from Michael Bublé. It is no different this time, as Sofronio approached this upcoming concert with an attitude of learning from the OPM greats.
“Even just ‘pag nasa conversations kami, may mga nuances akong napapansin na ‘ah, so that’s how they do it pala,’ that’s why they are the names we know right now—Jed Madela and Bituin Escalante,” Sofronio shared. What fans can expect from Sofronio at this concert is his powerful voice in pop, R&B, and soul. Still, he teased that fans will get to hear him sing songs that are different from his current playlist. Siguro ‘yung mga songs na hindi pa nila masyadong naririnig sa ’kin,” he said.
Don’t miss your chance to witness him and other OPM talents in this star-studded night of Filipino excellence at Bravo! Manila this August 23 at The Theater at Solaire. Tickets are available at premier. ticketworld.com.ph.
“You can either say this was ignorance, or this was laziness, or say that this is intentional,” Collins said. “Either one of the three aren’t good.” Other commenters accused detractors of reading too much into the campaign’s message. “I love how the leftist meltdown over the Sydney Sweeney ad has only resulted in a beautiful white blonde girl with blue eyes getting 1000x the exposure for her ‘good genes,’” former Fox News host Megyn Kelly wrote Tuesday on X. American Eagle didn’t respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.
The ad blitz comes as the teen retailer, like many merchants, wrestles with sluggish consumer spending and higher costs from tariffs. American Eagle reported that total sales were down 5 percent for its February-April quarter compared to a year earlier.
A day after Sweeney was announced as the company’s latest celebrity collaborator, American Eagle’s stock closed more than 4 percent up. Shares were volatile this week and trading nearly 2 percent down Wednesday.
Like many trendy clothing brands, American Eagle has to differentiate itself from other mid-priced chains with a famous face or by saying something edgy, according to Alan Adamson, co-founder of marketing consultancy Metaforce. Adamson said the Sweeney campaign shares a lineage with the Calvin Klein jeans ads from 1980 that featured a 15-year-old Brooke Shields saying, “You want to know what comes in between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” Some TV networks declined to air the spots because of its suggestive double entendre and Shields’ age.
“It’s the same playbook: a very hot model saying provocative things shot in an interesting way,” Adamson said. While remarking that someone has good genes is sometimes used as a compliment, the phrase also has sinister connotations. Eugenics gained popularity in early 20th century America, and Nazi Germany embraced it to carry out Adolf Hitler’s plan for an Aryan master race. Civil rights activists have noted signs of eugenics regaining a foothold through the far right’s promotion of the “great replacement theory,” a racist ideology that alleges a conspiracy to diminish the influence of white people. AP
UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, as narrator of Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portraits with the UP Symphony Orchestra, performed excerpts from memorable speeches and writings of US president Abraham Lincoln.
AFP, Ayala launch new Career Assistance Program
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Ayala Corporation marked a new milestone in their partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the official launch of the Saludo sa Serbisyo Career Assistance Program on July 15, 2025 at Ayala Triangle Gardens Tower 2, Makati City.
The collaboration is part of Ayala’s Saludo sa Serbisyo, a comprehensive program that helps uplift the lives of active and retired uniformed personnel, civilian employees, and their
dependents through easier access to the Ayala Group’s products and services. These include housing, car ownership, healthcare, livelihood and career assistance.
AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo S. Brawner Jr., along with Defense Undersecretary Angelito De Leon, Ayala Corporation Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, President and CEO Cezar
P. Consing, Chief Human Resources Officer Francisco Romero Milán, and Chief Legal Officer Atty. Franchette M. Acosta, graced the event, which also gathered the first batch of participants in the career assistance program.
In his remarks, Gen. Brawner expressed his gratitude to Ayala Corporation for its sustained support, noting that, “This program is both timely and meaningful. It reminds every transitioning soldier that their story does not end with the uniform. Through this initiative, Ayala opens doors for our personnel to pursue new careers and continue serving the nation in meaningful ways.”
“Ayala builds businesses that allow people to thrive. Few are more deserving of the chance to thrive than the people who keep our country safe from internal and external threats. Ayala’s commitment to our country’s uniformed personnel is part and parcel of our objective demonstrated for over 190 years to help build this country that we call home,” said Consing in his remarks.
The career assistance program, which expands the scope of Saludo sa Serbisyo, supports retiring and transitioning personnel with training, job matching, and career counseling—further enhancing the program’s goal of empowering those who serve the nation.
“To every soldier who has ever wondered what comes next, this program can be their answer. To every civilian who has ever asked how they can serve, this partnership is their chance. Together, we will prove that in the Philippines, service is not forgotten, and heroes are not left behind,” General Brawner said.
Honda Philippines, Inc. to enter into strategic merger
TO further elevate its role in the Philippine mobility industry, Honda Philippines, Inc. (HPI) today announced plans for a strategic merger with Honda Parts Manufacturing Corporation (HPMC). The proposed merger aims to consolidate the strengths of both organizations, enabling Honda to evolve into an even more integrated, efficient, and sustainable organization in the country.
The organizational integration is part of Honda’s long-term vision to secure the unwavering No. 1 market share in the Philippines.
“This initiative is a strategic step towards maximizing our production capabilities and
Ienabling Honda to contribute more significantly to Philippine society,” said Honda Philippines, Inc. President Takeshi Kobayashi. “The Philippine motorcycle market is growing rapidly, and we believe this merger will allow us to better respond to demand and strengthen our presence as a mobility solutions provider.”
HPI and HPMC will secure approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the Plan of Merger. Once approved, the merged entity will combine the robust manufacturing
N celebration of its 31st year in the real estate industry, premium property developer Empire East Land Holdings, Inc. successfully held its first-ever Empire East Fun Run on July 15, 2025, transforming the roads of its flagship township project, Empire East Highland City, into a vibrant venue for movement, unity, and wellness.
“The Empire East Fun Run is a unique way to celebrate our journey—not just as a company, but as individuals and teams who continue to move forward together,” said Empire East President and CEO, Atty. Anthony Charlemagne C. Yu. “It also allowed us to showcase Empire East Highland City’s potential to become a go-to destination for jogging, biking, and active urban living.”
Exclusively organized for Empire East employees and salesforce, the event brought together hundreds of participants clad in colorful team shirts, grouped by team and department, creating a festive atmosphere of camaraderie and corporate pride.
The 3.1-kilometer race, a symbolic nod to the company’s 31 years, coursed through the wide, paved roads of the 22-hectare township along Felix Avenue, currently under construction and set to become the next lifestyle destination in the East of Metro Manila.
Participants ran along spacious four-lane and six-lane roads, flanked by wide sidewalks and designated bike lanes,
capabilities of both companies, creating a more integrated and flexible organization. This will reinforce Honda’s capacity to serve the increasing demand for both motorcycles and power products in the country and marks the beginning of a stronger, more unified Honda, geared to deliver greater value to all our stakeholders.
For more updates, visit www. hondaph.com. Stay updated on Honda’s newest products and promos by following Honda Philippines, Inc. on Facebook at facebook.com/hondaph, Instagram at instagram.com/hondaph_mc/, YouTube at Honda Philippines_Motorcycle, and TikTok at tiktok.com/@hondaphilippines. For inquiries, contact (02)-8581-6700 to 6799, and 0917-884-6632.
highlighting the township’s future as a walkable, wellnessfriendly community.
More than just a race, the Fun Run was a celebration of health, sustainability, and community spirit. Staying true to Empire East’s commitment to eco-conscious living, the event was proudly zero-waste—runners were encouraged to bring reusable water bottles, and were given snack boxes with healthy refreshments after the run. No trash was left behind, thanks to the collective effort of all participants.
To commemorate the milestone, the first 31 finishers received custom-designed medals, honoring their achievement and symbolizing the company’s 31-year legacy of shaping tomorrow’s communities.
“This was more than just a run—it was a chance to reset, connect with colleagues, and be reminded of what makes Empire East such a strong community,” shared Elmer Torres of the Documentation Management Group, who clinched first place in the Empire East Fun Run.
“It felt great to break a sweat, have fun, and be part of something meaningful,” added Dion Vidal, a Real Estate Salesperson who finished second in the race.
As Empire East continues to build innovative, lifestyledriven communities, this year’s anniversary celebration stands as a reminder of the company’s dedication to promoting sustainable living, healthy habits, and stronger communities.
TRadenta Inks Deal with Vantiq for real-time intelligence
RADENTA Technologies, one of the country’s premier solutions integrators, recently signed an agreement with Vantiq, a global leader in real-time AI, orchestration, and intelligent system development. This marks Vantiq’s entry into the Southeast Asian market with its millisecond GenAI decisionmaking technology.
The partnership makes use of Radenta’s strong foothold in the country’s numerous industries as well as in the public sector to rollout event-driven applications that automate GenAI for orchestrating workflows within healthcare, government, emergency response and organizations nationwide. This enables enterprises to sense, decide and act within milliseconds, whether workloads run in the cloud, at the edge, or in disconnected field locations.
Vantiq prides itself on its real-time intelligence.
When every second counts, Vatiq’s software platform builds, deploys, and scales AI-powered systems that run anywhere, connect to anything and act not in days, hours or even minutes but in real-time.
Real-time intelligence cuts time-to-value by up to 90 percent. It generates prompts and responses automatically on the fly. It unifies AI, IoT, systems, and people in one workflow. It responds to live data in real-time. It runs seamlessly across cloud, edge and hybrid environments, and its built-in governance ensures safe, auditable decisions.
Vantiq boasts solid track records in public safety, defense, cybersecurity, healthcare, energy, smart spaces, and telecom.
“Over the years, Radenta has stood at the center of every major modernization push in the Philippines, including migrating ministries to the cloud, securing national networks and now preparing the country for AI-driven operations,” said Vantiq co-founder and CEO Marty Sprinzen.
“Marrying that ground-level expertise with Vantiq’s realtime orchestration will collapse decision-making from minutes to moments, elevating public services, sharpening operational insight and powering the nation’s next wave of digital growth.”
Vantiq Vice President of Business DevelopmentAPAC, Sameer Bhandari sees the agreement as a significant
milestone in Vantiq’s expansion, particularly in Southeast Asia. It is rare for two enterprises to have clearly aligned strategic and business goals. “We are absolutely honored to have
In the photo are, seated from left, Ayala Corporation Chief Human Resources Officer Francisco Romero Milán, Defense Undersecretary for Defense Affairs Angelito De Leon, AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo S. Brawner Jr., and Ayala Corporation Chief Legal Officer Atty. Franchette M. Acosta. Behind them standing as witnesses are, from left, Ayala Corporation’s Head of Security Management Gen. Emmanuel T. Bautista (retired); AFP Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Rommel P. Roldan; Ayala Corporation Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala; Ayala Corporation President and CEO Cezar P. Consing; and AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, J1 Brig. Gen. Ramon P. Flores.
Radenta Technologies President Randall Lozano
www.businessmirror.com.ph
• Editor: Tet Andolong
MG Philippines recently launched the all-new ZS available in four variants.
Aside from the Turbocharged Sport, Luxury, and Comfort variants, the model lineup has expanded with the addition of the top-spec Hybrid+. Now in its second generation, the brand’s best-selling model presents itself in an entirely revamped design, both inside and out.
The new look is an absolute departure from its predecessor. The latest design is reminiscent of the MG 3, particularly in its front grille, indicating a new design language that will be applied across the board.
New look
MG claims that the latest generation was built from the ground up. Also, it showcases the brand’s latest global design language and engineering. Dimension-wise, the all-new ZS now measures 4,430mm in length, 1,818mm in width, and 1,635mm in height, riding on a 2,610mm wheelbase.
However, the main highlight is the new wide front grille, which completely revamps the previously pronounced hexagonal-shaped design. Even the new signature “Connected Hunter Eyes” LED headlamps, with Intelligent Headlight Control (IHC) and Auto High/Low Beam flowing to their sculpted sides. To differentiate from the MG 3’s look, a gap and metallic line trim above the grille seemingly unite the headlamps.
Other enhancements include angular lines, improved aerodynamics, a rear spoiler, and silver roof rails. The dark plastic body cladding around the underside features silver finishes on the front chin, side skirts, and rear exhaust diffusers. Even the tailgate has a new design with a fresh set of taillights. Exclusive to the Hybrid+
variant are the 18-inch two-tone alloy rims wrapped in 215/50 R18 series tires.
Refined with thoughtful functionality
HIGHLIGHTED in the center dash is the 12.3-inch touch-operated HD infotainment screen (Hybrid+) with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto connectivity. The Luxury and Comfort variants have a smaller 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen.
Other features are a Tilt & Telescopic (Hybrid+), leather-wrapped, sportyshaped steering wheel featuring multifunction controls, dark panels, metallic detailing, and glossy and brushed finishes, among others, providing a monochromatic ambiance, except for the light-colored ceiling cover. But the panoramic sunroof blends well with the ceiling cover. All the seats are leather-wrapped with a perforated design. The driver has a 6-way electric seat with lumbar adjustment (Hybrid+ and Sport), while the front passenger has a 4-way manual seat. Visible through the steering is the 7-inch digital cluster, which provides essential driving information with a vivid display. Other function buttons, including the automatic single-zone aircon (Hybrid+), are clustered below the infotainment screen.
Thanks to increased overall dimensions, the cabin offers more space, legroom, and cargo flexibility. The second row alone now has a noticeable increase in space (+18mm in headroom, +23mm in elbow room, and +3mm in legroom). Even visibility has been improved, with reduced blind spots. Boarding is easy thanks to the Keyless Entry System, which features One-Push Start System functionalities.
Hybrid, turbo, and all-motor
THE top-spec Hybrid+ is powered
by a hybrid system comprising a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine that generates 100 hp and 128 Nm of torque, as well as a single electric traction motor producing 134 hp (100 kW) and 250 Nm of torque. The combined (engine + electric motor) power is 194 hp and 343 N-m of torque. Electric juice is provided by a 1.83-kWh battery. Unique to the MG electrified models is their paired 3-speed hybrid transmission. With three intelligent driving modes (EV, Hybrid, and Engine Drive), the system automatically adapts to the driving needs.
On the other hand, the Sport variant is fitted with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine
generating 167 hp and 275 N-m of torque. It is paired with a highperformance CVT280 transmission.
As for the Luxury and Comfort versions, the two received a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine generating 105 hp and 142 N-m of torque. The engine is also paired with a CVT180 transmission.
Convenience
FIRST, MG calls its power steering system “C-Electric Power Steering.”
The sporty-shaped, leather-wrapped, perforated steering wheel has integrated multifunction. These controls are for audio, hands-free telephony, instrument cluster display browsing, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Keep Assist controls, and more. The front center console features two USB ports (A and C) and a 12-volt socket. Aside from the usual side aircon vents, two central vents are above the infotainment display area. Also, there are rear air vents with a single USB-A port. Aside from offering up to 1,457 liters of boot space (with the 60/40 second row folded), there is clever storage throughout, including adjustable cup holders and a front armrest tray. The heated front seats also have an anti-whiplash function.
(HHC), Active Rollover Protection (ARP), Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with EPB, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Passenger Traction Control System (TCS), Seat Material Fabric Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC),
Safety and Security IN terms of safety, the all-new ZS model is built to meet European
Tamaraw to race in TGR Philippine Cup at Clark
AFTER that smashing success at Villar City in Cavite for its second Weekend Race, the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Philippine Cup returns this month to its original home, the Clark International Speedway (CIS) in Clark Freeport, Pampanga. The third and concluding edition is set on August 8-10, with August 9 chosen to stage the exciting races that will feature the iconic Tamaraw for the first time.
Gates open at 8:30 a.m. AS usual, the event is open to the public in keeping with Toyota Motor
Philippines’ (TMP) cherished tradition of offering free entertainment to race buffs, sports car enthusiasts and families wishing to frolic outdoors in a weekend of fun, surprises and endless thrills.
That has been the event’s established template zealously initiated by TMP top guns led by executive vice president Jing Atienza and backed up by Toyota bigwigs like Sherwin ChuaLim, Josephine Villanueva, Masa Haoka, Danny Santos, Dino and Tini Arevalo, Elijah Marcial, Elvin “The Big E” Luciano, Jade Sison-Mendoza and Lexus Manila president Carlo Ablaza. Here once more is Allana Faith Rufo, PR chief Mixie Flavier’s lead racing writer:
Race leaders
“LEADING the standings in the Super Sporting Class is Russel Cabrera of Toyota Cebu-Standard Insurance, followed by Alain Gabriel Alzona of
Toyota GenSan-Smart Communications Racing and Michael Bryan Co of R Garage-Toyota Dagupan.
“In the Sporting Class, Jesse Garcia of Obengers Racing- Toyota Balintawak leads the pack, followed by Russel Reyes of Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines and Raymond Cudala of R Racing-MADkart.
“Meanwhile, Luis Moreno of Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines-Novice Team paces the Novice Class, with teammates Pablo Salapantan and TMP President Masando Hashimoto in second and third places, respectively.
“Sprint races is topped by the comebacking Endurance Race, a 1.5-hour circuit contest of wits and grit.
“Debuting is the much-awaited Tamaraw Sprint Race Exhibition, a thrilling showdown among Tamaraw one-make-race cars (OMR).
“This was introduced as the Tamaraw Racing Concept during Race Weekend 2 at Villar City.
“Driving the Tamaraws will be former Vios Cup Super Sporting Class champions Allan Uy [2016], Daniel Miranda [2017], Estefano Rivera [2021] and John Dizon [2023], and previous Vios OMR Test Driver Tyson Sy.
“The Next Generation Tamaraw will also be showcased in an exhibition Drag Race to further test its capabilities as a racing vehicle.
Drifting
“T H E Club Race for a 5-lap circuit run will feature the GR Yaris, GR Supra and GR 86, to be capped by the Drifting Exhibition.
“Fans can visit the Activity Area, where freebies and prizes will be up for grabs at the Sponsors’ Booths and Game Booths.
“There will also be Sim Racing Rigs for those who would like to test their skills at the virtual tracks.
“As a teaser to the upcoming TGR Philippines eSports GT Championship
2025, TMP will also hold qualifying rounds for interested sim hopefuls. Participation is free.
“Also on display are Toyota’s GR and GR-S lineups, and various Toyota Car Club vehicles.
“Original GR merchandise, including shirts, caps and umbrellas, are available for sale.”
Over October
“PROVIDING live music is the alternative rock band Over October.
“Capping the day’s events is the awarding ceremony to acknowledge and celebrate the winners of Race Weekend 3.
“‘It’s the final race weekend of the year, so we want to end on a high note with new activities such as the Tamaraw Sprint Race, and the return of the Endurance Race,’ said Andy Ty, the TMP assistant vice president for marketing services.
“The Weekend Race 3, like the first
two editions, is sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Petron and GT Radial. It is also supported by Seiko, Toyota Financial Services Philippines, Tuason Racing, AVT, 3M, Denso, OMP, ROTA, Autoplus, PIAA, Vinyl Frog Premier Vehicle Wraps, AutoQuix, Bebang Halo-Halo, myTOYOTA Wallet and Kinto One.
“For more information, visit https://toyota.com.ph/tgrphilippines
Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino
THE all-new MG ZS Hybrid+ variant in Diamond Red Metallic.
The tailgate also received a new design with a fresh set of taillights.
Cone plays ‘original 12’
By Josef Ramos
ATIONAL
We
T he original 12 are naturalized player Justin Brownlee, June Mar Fajardo, Calvin Oftana, Dwight Ramos, Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, Jamie Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Carl Tamayo, AJ Edu, Kevin Quiambao, and CJ Perez.
Oftana, however, won’t be 100 percent as he nurses sprain in both ankles. “ We were given medical records from his [Oftana] camp and we’re not sure if he’s going to be available for the whole tournament,” Cone said. “He’s still 50-50.” Team doctor Randy Molo will assess the 6-foot-5 Oftana’s condition on a daily basis.
In other developments:
n M eralco consultant Norman Black will coach the national team to the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December, according to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio, and n Jamie Malonzo is leaving Barangay Ginebra after he signed up with Kyoto Hannaryz for the 2025 to 2026 season,
the Japanese B.League announced on its social media page on Thursday.
Gilas Pilipinas will play another tune-up game against Jordan on Saturday before facing Chinese-Taipei at the start of the group stage in Pool D on August 6.
The Philippines then faces New Zealand on August 7 and Iraq on August 9.
Cone stressed that they are after the gold medal in the 16-team Asia Cup.
“I will say it again—our goal certainly right now is to win a gold medal,” Cone said. “We are going to go out there and try to win the gold.”
T he last time the Philippines won the Asia Cup gold was in 1985 in Kuala Lumpur—the country’s fifth—and wound up second four times—including in 2013 when it qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Spain—and third once.
C one thanked RJ Abarrientos and Troy Rosario—who ar e also in Jeddah—for supporting the team.
“They were absolutely crucial to our preparation, but we could only bring 12 players, so we are going with the originals,” Cone said. “We are very thankful for their incredibly hard work.”
Qatar, Australia, South Korea and Lebanon are in Group A; Guam, Japan, Syria and Iran are in Group B and Jordan, China, India and host Saudi Arabia are in Group C.
Tambalque, Sison prevail in JPGT Riviera
ATRICK
PTAMBALQUE capitalized on Shinichi Suzuki’s mid-round meltdown and held on amid a turbulent finish in blustery conditions to save a 78 and secure a dramatic one-stroke victory in the boys’ 15-18 division as Gabriela Sison stamped her class in the girls’ side despite a shaky round in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Riviera Golf Junior PGT Championship on Thursday in Silang, Cavite.
Tambalque, coming off victories at Sherwood Hills and Caliraya Springs, struggled early with three bogeys in the front nine of Riviera’s Couples course but steadied himself with a string of pars starting on No. 7 stay in front as Suzuki closed in with a gritty 37 at the turn.
Marchand breaks record in swimming worlds
SINGAPORE—Léon Marchand broke the world record in the 200-meter individual medley on Wednesday at the world championships in Singapore, clocking one minute and 52.69 seconds to surpass the 1:54.00 set in 2011 by American Ryan Lochte.
T he Frenchman set the mark swimming in the semifinals and, in theory, could break it again in Thursday’s finals.
Marchand won four Olympic gold medals a year ago in Paris, but he’s swimming only the 200 and 400 medley—and relays—in Singapore. Planning the lighter schedule in what he calls a “transition year” keeps him fresh to chase the world marks. Marchand didn’t just break the 14-year-old record, he shattered it.
What’s crazy is that it’s a whole second—and it’s still hard to believe,” he said. “That 1:52 on the 200 meters— that’s insane.”
M archand will swim the 400 IM on Sunday, the final day of the world championships—he holds that record of 4:02.50 set in the 2023 worlds in Fukuoka, Japan, and it seems likely to go.
“ Today I felt really good before the race,” he said. “In the water, I felt light, I was taking in a lot of water and technically everything felt clean.”
A sked about swimming a lighter schedule he replied in an understatement: “It was probably the right decision.”
M archand was about 1.8 seconds under the world record after 150 meters and powered home with the final freestyle leg.
T hough this race did not yield a world title—that came on Thursday in the final—it did win Marchand a check for $30,000.
“In the end I went out hard from the start,” he said. “But I stayed superrelaxed. I didn’t make many mistakes. I didn’t realize I was going that fast but I gave it absolutely everything. Arms at full speed all the way to the wall. At that point I wasn’t even thinking about technique anymore.”
Despite being only a semifinal, Marchand overshadowed the five finals on Day 4 of the worlds—the halfway mark with four days more to go. Those finals produced medals for the United States, Australia, Italy, Tunisia, and the Neutral Athletes.
American Luca Urlando picked up the third gold medal for the United States in the championships, winning
in
The title duel turned into a virtual match play down the stretch.
Suzuki, who trimmed the gap to one at the turn, suddenly crumbled with a three-bogey slide from Nos. 11, enabling Tambalque to regain a threeshot lead with five holes to play.
But just when he looked poised for a comfortable finish, Tambalque wobbled again with bogeys ib Nos. 17 and 18 that opened the door for a potential playoff as Suzuki closed out with five straight pars, but missed birdie chances in the final two holes that could have forced sudden death.
Tambalque’s closing six-over card and 10-over 226 total proved just enough to fend off Suzuki’s final-round 76 and 227 aggregate, giving him his third win in the series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
“I g ot nervous stepping onto the 18th tee. There was noise behind me as I took my shot and it went into a hazard,” said Tambalque, whose 15-point haul boosted his total to 45 points, virtually assuring him of a spot in the Elite Junior Finals set October 7 to 10 at The Country Club in Laguna.
standings with 40 points after finishing fourth here with a 79-237 and earning eight points.
In the girls’ division, Sison overcame an 85 to complete her breakthrough victory in the ICTSI-backed series, outlasting her rivals in a final round that turned into a test of nerves and resilience.
After carding 89 and 93, the 16-year-old Kingwood High School (Texas) student closed out with an 85, completing a runaway 10-shot victory over Chloe Rada with a 266 total.
R ada faltered with an 89 but still secured second place with a 276 total, as early contenders Angelica Bañez and Tiffany Bernardino skipped the final round. Their absence paved the way for Ayesha Salino to claim third place with a 365 after a 123.
“My woods and short game were really good today, a big improvement from the first day, which gave me a lot of trouble,” said Sison, whose win, however, will be her last for now as she returns to the US this August to resume her studies.
stroke cushion.
FRENCH star Léon Marchand swims what he calls a lighter schedule in
the 200 butterfly in 1:51.87. Krzysztof Chmielewski of Poland was second in 1:52.64 with bronze for Harrison Turner of Australia in 1:54.17. Urlando has battled back from several surgeries for his first big title on the world stage.
“It was a great race—all great—a great moment,” he said. “I’m trying to have as much fun as I can with it.” He was asked how he overcame the setbacks and he replied: “The belief that I could get back to a moment like this. Internal belief.”
Mollie O’Callaghan of Australia, the defending Paris Olympic champion in the 200 freestyle, repeated her title in the worlds, pulling away in the last 50 to finish in 1:53.48. Li Bingjie of China was the silver medalist in 1:54.52, with bronze going to American Claire Weinstein in 1:54.57.
O ’Callaghan has had a difficult time coming back after the Olympic victory, dealing with the stress and the post-games letdown.
“I’ve had an amazing coach Dean [Boxall] to guide me through this difficult time,” O’Callaghan said. “It’s hard for a lot of people to come back after the Olympics.” Weinstein, like many of the Americans, has been dealing with what team officials call “acute gastroenteritis” picked up at a training camp in Thailand before arriving in Singapore.
Ahmed Jaouadi of Tunisia won the 800 free, clocking 7:36.88—the third fastest time ever swum in the event. Sven Schwarz of Germany claimed silver in 7:39.96 with fellow German Lukas Martens taking bronze in 7:40.19. AP
With Suzuki hitting a solid drive and lining up a 20-yard approach on the par-4 finishing hole, Tambalque, who held on to a two-stroke lead after a bogey on the 17th, felt the pressure mount and overshot his third shot. But when Suzuki missed his birdie putt from just pin-high, Tambalque regained his composure and
Suzuki, the Splendido leg winner and runner-up at Eagle Ridge, rued his costly stretch of miscues at the back but remained upbeat, having nearly pulled off a stunning comeback.
Suzuki remained at third in the overall rankings with 39 points.
Kristoffer Nadales, meanwhile, kept his Finals hopes alive despite missing the first three legs. He turned in a 75 to finish third at 233, hiking his total to 22 points, including a runner-up finish at Caliraya Springs. With two legs remaining—Pradera Verde in Pampanga and Pinewoods in Baguio—Nadales remains in the hunt for a backdoor entry.
S ison said she’ll treasure her second stint competing in the country, though she expressed some regret over not getting to play alongside Rada and Bernardino.
“I like staying in my own head most of the time, but I did miss them. I really wished they had played with us,” she said. “But honestly, it was a little bit easier without them,” she added, referring to her runaway victory.”
Z achary Villaroman, who led the division entering the Riviera leg, slipped to second in the overall
A s for her takeaway from the tournament: “Just keep a positive mindset, and adjust to the wind—it’s not as windy back in the US.” Tambalque and Sison thus joined the Edoc siblings—Zoji (7-10) and Zianbeau (11-14)—along with Ronee Dungca (7-10) and Mona Sarines (11-14) on the winners’ podium in the fifth leg of the seven-stage Luzon tour of the ICTSIsponsored series which will culminate in the Ryder Cupstyle finale. There, the top four performers from each Luzon age-group category will battle the best from the Visayas-Mindanao series in a highly anticipated showcase of the country’s top young talents and up-and-coming stars.
World Athletics puts to work rule on trans
MONACO—Clarifying promised rules on female eligibility, track and field’s governing body set a September 1 deadline Wednesday for athletes to pass a gene test for competing at the world championships.
World Athletics said in March it would require chromosome testing by cheek swabs or dry blood-spot tests for female athletes to be eligible for elitelevel events.
The next worlds open September 13 in Tokyo and September 1 is “the closing date for entries and the date the regulations come into effect,” World Athletics said in a statement.
The latest rules update gives certainty for the 2025 championships in an issue that has been controversial on the track and in multiple courts since Caster Semenya won her first 800 meters world title as a teenager in 2009.
Semenya won a ruling at the European Court of Human Rights three weeks ago in Strasbourg, France, in the South Africa star›s years-long challenge to a previous version of track and field’s eligibility rules affecting athletes with medical conditions known as Differences in Sex Development. That legal win because she did not get a fair hearing at the Swiss supreme court did not overturn track’s rules.
World Athletics has combined its eligibility framework for DSD and transgender athletes, with transitional rules that let “a very small number of known DSD athletes” continue competing if they are taking medication to suppress natural testosterone.
“The transitional provisions do not apply to transgender women as there are none competing at the elite international level under the current regulations,” World Athletics said. Now age 34, and her track career effectively over, Semenya should now see her legal case go back to the Swiss federal court in Lausanne, where she lost her original appeal against track and field’s rules at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. AP
World Athletics drew up rules in 2018 forcing two-time Olympic champion Semenya and other athletes with DSD to suppress their elevated natural testosterone levels to be eligible for international women’s events. Semenya refused to take medication. Now, the Monaco-based track body requires a “once-in-a-lifetime test” to determine athletes it says are biologically male with a Y chromosome. We are saying, at elite level, for you to compete in the female category, you have to be biologically female,” World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said. The governing body is covering up to $100 of the costs for each test with the protocol overseen by its member federations at national level. Test results should be ready within two weeks. The SRY test is extremely accurate and the risk of false negative or positive is extremely unlikely,” World Athletics said.
