OUTRAGED by the apparent gall of the contractor of the P55.73-million “ghost” flood control projects (FCP) in Baliwag City in Bulacan, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the filing of graft cases against the said firm--making it the first to be charged in the administration’s ongoing crackdown on anomalous public works.
He said they are now also considering pursuing economic sabotage charges against erring contractors with defective, incomplete, or non-existent FCPs, which have the highest costs, since he said it will force the government to borrow more money to address it.
On Wednesday, the chief executive visited the site where a 220-meter reinforced concrete river wall was supposed to be built in Baliwag, Bulacan after receiving a complaint
against the said project in their sumbongsapangulo.ph website.
The website was launched last week to allow the public to submit their FCP-related complaints.
Marcos said he was shocked to learn that the contractor of the project, Syms Construction, not only failed to build the said structure, but still reported it as a completed project based on the records from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Syms Construction has received full payment for the said project.
Government sanctions
THE President said he suspects the project may have been subcontracted by Syms to other firms, which were unable to build the river wall.
“We didn’t see a single—a single hollow block, a single cement block, no equipment
here. All these projects are ghost projects. No work has been done here,” Marcos told reporters in Filipino after he inspected the site.
The unbuilt FCP, he said, caused considerable harm to the community in Baliwag, which suffered from floods.
“We will not let this pass. All officials who authorized and conspired in this violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents will be charged and suspended,” Marcos said in a post in his social media page. He also ordered Syms Construction Trading to be blacklisted so it can no longer participate in other government projects.
Marcos said they will consider filing economic sabotage cases against erring contractors with the biggest FCP costs, which he said will put an additional burden on the government’s
GLOBAL WOES
PROLONG BOP DEFICIT
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto @reine_alberto
TDuring a media tour organized by the Hainan provincial government for Asean journalists, the Sanya Coral Reef Ecology Institute showcased its innovative techniques for both passive and active coral reef restoration in the South China Sea.
HE Philippine economy is poised for stronger growth in the third quarter of 2025, as the country remains “on track” to hit its growth target, according to Development Budget and Coordination Committee (DBCC) co-chair and Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 2024 Agency Performance Review (APR) Report, Pangandaman said she expects the economy to expand by 6 percent in the third quarter, faster than the previous quarter. “Maybe 6 percent, hopefully,”
Pangandaman said when asked for her growth projection.
In the second quarter of 2025, the economy grew by 5.5 percent, tempered by the slowdown in government final consumption expenditure, or the government’s total spending for the period.
The government’s infrastructure spending in the months of April and May was also muted by the election-related spending ban, according to the DBM.
“We have begun releasing the NCAs (notice of cash allocations), and the agencies have resumed procurement,” the Budget chief.
Pangandaman also said earlier that the Department of Budget
and Management (DBM) will ask agencies to submit their catch-up plans to improve their budget utilization and support growth in the second semester (See: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2025/08/15/dbm-efficient-budget-use-to-prop-upeconomy-in-h2/).
Growth target revision
WITH bolstered spending helping the economy, Pangandaman said there is no need to adjust the growth targets set by the DBCC for now.
“We’re still okay. We’ll stick with the numbers that were presented in the previous DBCC,” Pangandaman said. “I think we’re on the right track, we’re
okay.”
The DBCC trimmed its growth target to 5.5 to 6.5 percent for 2025, lower than its earlier projection of 6 to 8 percent. The reduction took into account heightened global uncertainties, such as the unforeseen escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the United States’ imposition of tariffs. For 2026 to 2028, the DBCC also reduced the growth target to 6 to 7 percent from the initial 6 to 8 percent assumption.
Despite these headwinds, Pangandaman said the DBCC remains “vigilant and ready” to deploy timely and targeted measures to mitigate their potential impact on the Philippine economy.
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said he was able to observe violations in the FCPs in both provinces.
Marcos has vowed to continue going after contractors and government officials found involved in anomalous FCPs, which were blamed for why many parts of the country were inundated during heavy rains.
Former DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson, who served under former President Benigno C. Aquino III, attributed the continuous flooding in many parts of the country to the failure of the succeeding administration to complete their P351million flood control masterplan.
In a press briefing last Wednesday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro claimed Senator Mark A. Villar, who followed Singson as head of DPWH during the Duterte administration, was not able to formally turn over the flood control masterplan to his successor, DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan.
However, in July 2024, Bonoan confirmed they were continuing the implementation of the said flood control project, which includes updating the country’s old drainage system.
Meanwhile, in the House, Bacolod Lone District Rep. Albee Benitez told Secretary Bonoan to resign. “Have some shame. Resign now.” President Marcos expressed outrage after discovering that the P55-million river wall project in Barangay Piel, Baliuag, Bulacan, was practically nonexistent despite being declared completed. “They didn’t do any work—not even a single day. Go there and you won’t see anything at all,” the president said.“What they are doing is actually causing harm to the local residents. So yes, I’m not just disappointed; I’m angry.”
Benitez argued that the principle of command responsibility demands that the secretary step down.
“If something as basic as this has been overlooked, who knows how many more critical projects are in a similar state?” asked the lawmaker.
He added that whoever replaces Bonoan must continue a thorough audit of all flood control projects and uncover questionable or substandard structures. With Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz
DICT eyes fiber backbone completion 2 years earlier
By Lorenz S. Marasigan
THE Department of Informa-
tion and Communications
Technology (DICT) is fasttracking the rollout of Phases 4 and 5 of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB), committing to finish the project before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s next State of the Nation Address (Sona)—two years ahead of schedule. During the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, ICT Secretary Henry Aguda said the final stretch of the project, which covers Mindanao, should be completed
Sans…
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and RCEF utilization. The DA wants to put in place new priority programs under the RTL amendment, including Rice Quality and Safety Assurance Services to be implemented by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), providing quality testing, food safety services, and farmer training, and the Expanded Crop Insurance Program, providing excess tariff revenues that would be used to sup-
on or before July 2026.
“We are building the national fiber backbone. Phases 1 to 3 have been completed—it means that we have a connection between Batanes and Tacloban. What’s remaining right now is Mindanao,” Aguda said. “The commitment we gave to the President is that Phases 4 and 5 of the National Fiber Backbone will be finished before the next Sona. If we finish it before the next Sona, it will be two years ahead of schedule.”
The DICT officially launched the P16.1-billion Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project (PDIP) in Butuan City last week, marking the start of construction works for NFB Phases 4 and 5.
port rice farmers under the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).
The department also recommended adjustments in the allocation of the P9 billion annual RCEF budget, including greater flexibility for PhilMech in machinery distribution, inclusion of hauling trucks, and working capital assistance for beneficiaries of Rice Processing Systems and Fabrication, Repair, and Maintenance Centers.
Policy questions
MEANWHILE, House Committee on Food Security Chairman Raymond Sal-
The Mindanao backbone will span more than 1,000 kilometers of government-owned fiber lines connecting key cities such as Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, Zamboanga, and Davao. Aguda emphasized that the rollout is not just about connectivity but about leveling the playing field for Filipinos outside major urban centers. The backbone will initially serve government offices, hospitals, local government units, and state universities before extending to barangays. DICT expects the project to translate into more
ceda (Albay, 3rd District) urged the restoration of the National Food Authority’s (NFA) power to buy palay using excess rice tariff revenues, as the panel began consolidating proposals to amend the Rice Tariffication Law.
“The simple policy question for Congress is this: Are we content with having no food security when it comes to rice?” Salceda said as he sponsored House Bill No. 48.
He explained that while rice tariffication aimed to lower prices, it also removed the NFA’s ability to shield
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According to the institute, rehabilitating just one hectare of damaged reef typically takes a minimum of three years.
“It’s like treating a wound. With the right methods, it can heal naturally,” explained the institute’s director, who has conducted extensive research on coral reefs south of Hainan Island.
Wu noted that 98 percent of China’s coral reefs are in the South China Sea, with Hainan province holding jurisdiction over their protection.
The institute has already initiated cooperation with Malaysia, another claimant in the region, and hopes to expand partnerships across Asean.
Coral bleaching, military activity
ONE of the most pressing threats to the South China Sea’s reef ecosystem is coral bleaching, driven by rising sea surface temperatures due to climate change and pollution.
Bleached corals can lead to the collapse of reef structures and a significant decline in fish populations.
Wu also raised concerns about the impact of military vessels in the region. “If a ship hits the reef, it will cause direct and irreversible damage,” he warned.
Filipino marine scientists had earlier criticized Chinese military’s building of artificial islands on atolls or rock outcrops in the Philippine-claimed West Philippine Sea. Dredging and land rec-
affordable, reliable, and faster internet in Mindanao, enabling schools to cut disruptions, businesses to scale online operations, and rural communities to access e-government services.
The initiative, backed by the World Bank, is part of the PDIP’s broader effort to expand the Free Wi-Fi for All program, strengthen cybersecurity, and improve lastmile access in underserved areas.
It is projected to connect 772 previously unserved public beneficiaries, cutting the digital divide in Regions XI and XIII from 28 percent to 20 percent.
farmers from market distortions.
“The result is devastating—palay prices have collapsed, yet retail rice prices remain controlled by cartels,” he warned.
Salceda’s bill seeks to allow NFA to use rice tariff collections beyond the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) for palay procurement; provide a P10/kg top-up on its buying price; upgrade storage, drying, and logistics facilities; and establish a Rice Market Intervention Fund to stabilize both farmgate and retail prices.
lamation, they said, had damaged the coral reefs.
Meanwhile, researchers from the Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University are conducting wave behavior studies in the South China Sea.
In Sanya City, engineers have constructed a pool platform equipped with data sensors and scale models to simulate deep-sea conditions.
Engineer Luo Hai of the institute’s Oceanographic Research group said the data gathered from these centrifuge models could help improve the resilience of offshore drilling platforms against extreme weather events.
The project is still in its early stages, but the team hopes to collaborate with oceanographers from other countries, including the Philippines.
The South China Sea is believed to be rich in oil and gas deposits. Its potential gas and oil resources is the key focal point in the broader geopolitical tension in the region.
Last March, China’s stateowned oil and gas giant China National Offshore Oil Corp. announced that is has discovered an oilfield in the deep sea of the northeastern part of the South China Sea. The Huizhou 19-6 field is to have a daily capacity of 413 barrels of crude oil and 2.41 million cubic feet of natural gas.
Editor’s Note: The Hainan provincial government, in partnership with China Media Group, invited 29 journalists from Asean to explore the cities of Sanya, Lingshui, Wanning, and Qionghai. BusinessMirror and AliwTV represented the Philippines.
2025. This also marked a reversal from the $62-million surplus recorded in July 2024. “BOP deficit may widen in the coming months, driven by a confluence of external headwinds, rising US (United States) tariffs on PH (Philippine) exports, possibility of weaker PHP (Philippine peso), and still elevated import costs due to oil and food. Export earnings may soften while financial outflows could persist, especially if investor sentiment wavers,” Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) John Paolo Rivera said. Former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Dante B. Canlas told BusinessMirror that the BOP deficit will also not help plug the current account gap. Canlas also blamed the high United States tariffs imposed on Philippine goods and what he considered a “lack of progress” in securing a trade deal with the United States. He also noted that apart from external factors, the public sector deficit is also another major factor and must be reduced to improve the BOP and the CA.
In its latest economic note, BMI, a Fitch Solutions Company, noted that the country’s current account deficit widened to 3.7 percent of GDP in the first quarter 2025 from the 1.9 percent in the same period last year. BMI said this current account deficit is expected to continue in the medium term. The deficit is projected to average 2.8 percent of GDP in the next three years, significantly faster than the 0.4-percent average between 2015 and 2019 (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/08/19/current-accountgap-impacted-by-headwinds).
The BSP noted that the deficit widened due to the national government’s (NG) drawdowns on its foreign currency deposits with the BSP to service the country’s external debt obligations.
“To mitigate the current account deficit emanating from the trade and service sub accounts , exports must increase from the trade account. Increase in overseas income remittances in the service account will also help,” Canlas said.
“Failing the above, the CA deficit will persist and the rest of the world will build up claims on the Philippines, meaning more foreign indebtedness,” he added.
Rivera also recommended that the national government should accelerate export market diversification efforts as well as strengthen tourism, IT-BPM, remittances as buffers. He added that the BSP can also support the Philippine peso through timely foreign exchange interventions that are “anchored on timely monetary policy given headwinds.” Rivera also stressed the BSP can also issue “clear guidance on rate policy to ensure stability.”
“Preliminary data indicate that the year-to-date BOP deficit was largely due to the continued trade in goods deficit. This was partly offset by the sustained net inflows from personal remittances from overseas Filipinos, foreign borrowings by the NG (national government), and foreign portfolio investments,” the BSP said.
BSP said the BOP position mirrored the decrease in the gross international reserves (GIR), which declined to $105.4 billion as of endJuly 2025 from $106 billion as of end-June 2025. The level of GIR remains an adequate external liquidity buffer, equivalent to 7.2 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income. Moreover, it covers about 3.4 times the country’s short-term external debt based on residual maturity. The GIR is made up of foreigndenominated securities, foreign exchange, and other assets including gold.
It helps a country finance its imports and foreign debt obligations, stabilize its currency, and provide a buffer against external economic shocks.
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Edcom2: 5.1-M public school pupils are ‘aisle learners’
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz’ @joveemarie
THE Second Congressional Commission on Education
(Edcom 2) has revealed that around 5.1 million students are “aisle learners,” or children seated in hallways owing to a lack of desks and space
PRC receives 180th ambulance
THE Philippine Red Cross (PRC) received its 180th ambulance on August 18, a milestone that not only boosts its nationwide emergency response, but also underscores the value of the PRC Safe Card Program.
Leading the turnover ceremony were PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard J. Gordon (4th from left) and Secretary General Gwen Pang (3rd from left), joined by Elizabeth A. Chongco, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the PRC Valenzuela City Chapter, (5th from left) along with Director Ronald Chua, Director Julie Quiroga, and his son Bong Quiroga of the Jaycees.
The newly turned-over ambulance is complete and wellequipped with essential lifesaving tools such as a defibrillator, mechanical ventilator, manual resuscitator, airway management kit, suction machine, communication devices, OB kit, portable oxygen tank, trauma kit, scoop stretcher and backboard, stair chair, and nebulizer. These ensure that
every PRC ambulance serves as a mobile emergency room capable of delivering advanced pre-hospital care during accidents, disasters, or urgent medical situations. For only P1,200 a year, SAFE CARD gives you FREE 1 ambulance service, FREE 1 bag of blood, accident coverage benefits, and the assurance that help will come when it’s needed most.
Gordon emphasized the connection between the milestone and the program: “Every new ambulance we add strengthens the promise we make to Safe Card members—that the Red Cross will always be ready to respond. With every Safe Card availed, members not only protect themselves but also help us expand our fleet and save more lives.”
With its growing ambulance fleet, the dedication of its volunteers, and the support of its Safe Card members and partners, the Philippine Red Cross continues to fulfill its mission to be always first, always ready, and always there for the Filipino people.
More than 500 RP-US military activities for ’26
THE Philippines and the United States have approved more than 500 joint military activities for 2026 during the recent Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB).
The annual MDB-SEB, held at Camp Smith, Hawaii, on August 7 and 8, was co-chaired by Gen. Romeo Brawner, Armed Forces (AFP) chief of staff, and Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander in chief of the US Indo-Pacific Command (Indopacom).
In a statement, Indopacom said the two officials signed the annual 8-Star memo and activities list, approving guidance and plans for continued collaboration, including Exercise “Balikatan” for 2026. Indopacom said the joint engagements include large-scale exercises and smaller subject matter expert exchanges.
During their meeting, Brawner and Paparo renewed commitment
At its recent hearing, the Commission highlighted the Department of Education’s estimated backlog of 165,000 classrooms, which has forced thousands of schools into double or even triple-shift schedules. This setup has been especially detrimental to Kinder to Grade 3 pupils, who are still developing independent learning skills.
Compounding the crisis, many classrooms built in the 1960s remain in use despite being condemned or repurposed as evacuation centers, the commission added.
With this, Edcom 2 urged stronger collaboration between local governments (LGU) and the private sector to accelerate classroom construction and make it more cost-effective in order to address the worsening shortage of learning spaces nationwide.
Findings also revealed significant discrepancies in construction costs. DepEd pegs the cost of a single classroom at P2.5 million, while the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) estimates P3.5 million. In contrast, locally funded classrooms average P2.1 million
each, while those built through public-private partnerships cost as little as P1.5 million. Some foundations and civic organizations have managed to build classrooms for even less—with costs ranging from P862,500 per classroom to as low as P10,000 per square meter.
To resolve the crisis, Edcom 2 is pushing for legislative measures such as the proposed ClassroomBuilding Acceleration Program (CAP) Act, which would formally authorize LGUs and private entities to construct classrooms with national government funding support.
Meanwhile, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Development Budget Coordination Committee chairman, supported the proposal to channel more funds into education.
“The Executive proposes the budget, and then we leave it to Congress whether you think it’s wise to cut the flood control budget and move it to education, but we welcome such because, again, the theme of our budget for next year will be really to increase our investment and spending in education,” Pangandaman said.
PAF, Aussie pilots in joint air combat drills
FILIPINO and Australian fighter pilots had a chance to enhance their fighting skills as they performed a variety of air combat maneuvers using their FA50PH and F-18 “Super Hornets” and EA-18 “Growler” electronic warfare aircraft as of the ongoing Exercise Alon 25.
“Alon” is short for Amphibious and Land Operations.
This year’s Alon is the second iteration of the exercise. The Royal Canadian Navy as well as US Marines joined this year’s Alon.
The Air Force (PAF) spokesperson, Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, said Filipino fighter pilots and their Royal Australian Air Force counterparts took part in “dissimi-
lar air combat tactics” (DACT) and “basic fighter maneuvers” (BFM).
“These combined air operations showcased the PAF’s advancing air combat proficiency and reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing joint interoperability with allies and partners,” she added.
Launched on August 15 and running until Aug. 29, alon is a bilateral training between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Australian Defence Force, conducted within the joint operational areas of Northern Luzon Command and Western Command.
“The exercise aims to deepen defense cooperation, enhance interoperability, and strengthen
joint capabilities in addressing shared security challenges in the region. It also underscores the growing Philippines-Australia strategic partnership, with defense and security as vital pillars,” Castillo said.
Alon 2025 saw Canberra’s largest deployment of troops to Southeast Asia since the 1999 East Timor crisis.
Some 3,600 personnel from the Philippines, Australia, Canada and the US are participating in the exercised that are centered in Palawan.
“We’re proud to conduct our largest overseas exercise with the Philippines and continue to build on our close cooperation,”
said Royal Australian Navy Vice Adm. Justin Jones, chief of joint operations, at Alon 25’s opening ceremony.
“Exercise Alon 25 is an opportunity for us to practise how we collaborate and respond to shared security challenges, and project force over great distances in the Indo-Pacific,” he added. Australia has emerged as a key backer of Philippine military training and modernization. Troops, aircraft and vessels from the Australian Defence Force have routinely joined increasingly complex and larger American-led exercises in the Philippines, such as Balikatan, in recent years. Rex Anthony Naval
Marcos ‘set to accept’ Santiago’s resignation
THE looming change of leadership in the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will not affect the ongoing probe of the agency on the missing sabungeros or cockfight enthusiasts and other cases, according to Malacañang.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro made the assurance after confirming President Marcos is set
to accept the resignation of NBI Director Jaime B. Santiago.
“There are still many people who are credible, reliable, and trustworthy, [in NBI] and they continue to work for these [cases],” she said in a press briefing last Wednesday.
Last month, Santiago offered its forensic expertise in the search of the remains of the 34 missing
sabungeros, whose remains were reported to have been disposed of in Taal Lake.
Santiago tendered his irrevocable resignation on August 15 in response to the activities of his detractors, who are bent on removing him from his post.
Castro said the resignation letter is already “for acceptance” of the President.
But she said she still has no information if the Chief Executive already talked with Santiago about the matter and if there is already a shortlist for the replacement of the resigned head of NBI.
On Monday, the Department of Justice designated Jesse T. Andres as the officer-in-charge of the NBI. Samuel P. Medenilla
Palace points out flaw in Padilla’s drug-testing bill
MALACAÑANG called on Sen. Robinhood Padilla to reconsider his bill requiring drug testing for all government elected and appointed officials since it is unconstitutional.
Citing a 2008 Supreme Court decision on the Social Justice Society v Dangerous Drugs Board case, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, a lawyer, said universal drug testing violates the rights to privacy of govrnment personnel.
to “bolster deterrence in the IndoPacific region and achieve peace through strength” by deepening cooperation and interoperability, Indopacom said. It added that US-Philippine military partnership has grown over the past year, citing the success of bilateral and multilateral maritime cooperative activities in Philippine waters. Indopacom also said the successful completion of the MDBSEB “furthers cooperation between the US and the Philippines and renews their shared commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.”
The Mutual Defense Board was created in 1958 while the Security Engagement Board was established in 2006.
The two boards serve as the framework that direct and enable defense and security cooperation between the US and Philippine militaries. PNA
Castro said currently authorities can only conduct random drug testing.
“I hope he [Padilla] has read the court’s decision regarding this,” Castro said in Filipino in a press briefing in Malacañang on Wednesday.
“So, Sen. Robin[hood] Padilla might just be wasting his time and money-funds [if he pushes through with the bill]. He should first study what he wants to make into law,” she added.
On Monday, Padilla filed Senate Bill 1200 or the Drug-Free Government Act, which will require an annual drug testing for elected and appointed government officials.
The bill also institutionalizes voluntary random drug testing for candidates 90 days before election day.
Those who will be covered by the bill will be first screened through a hair follicle drug test before undergoing a confirmatory drug urine test. Government officials, who will test positive for illegal drugs during the said tests will be subjected to administrative sanctions, which may result in their suspension or termination from the service. Padilla filed the bill after his political affairs officer, Nadia Montenegro, allegedly smoked marijuana in the Senate premises. Montenegro denied the said allegation against her, but opted to resign. Samuel P. Medenilla
Brawner: No corruption in military ranks
THE Armed Forces (AFP) does not tolerate any form of corruption.
This was said by Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., Armed Forces chief of staff, who said his anti-corruption initiative is inline with the guidance of the Commander-inChief, President Marcos Jr. “which is true with the AFP’s unwavering policy of zero tolerance for corruption.”
“The AFP stands firm in reminding every member of the organization: soliciting, asking for, or accepting money, gifts, favors, or services from contractors, suppliers, or
stakeholders has absolutely no place in military service,” he added.
Brawner also stressed that this reminder is not just a rule but a solemn reaffirmation of the sacred trust placed upon the AFP.
“Integrity and professionalism are not optional virtues; they are the very heart of what it means to be a soldier, airman, sailor, or marine. Public office is a public trust. We exist to serve the Filipino people with honor, never to use our position for personal gain,” he added.
The AFP chief also said that
any act of offering, soliciting, or receiving bribes in exchange for favors, contracts, or preferential treatment is a betrayal of the military service.
“Such acts violate not only the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials, and AFP regulations—they violate the very essence of our oath. And to this, the AFP’s answer is resolute: Swift, firm and uncompromising action,” he stressed.
Brawner also called on the people and the military’s stakeholders “to be our partners in vigilance.”
“Report any irregularities you encounter or witness,” he urged, noting that corruption has no place in the military’s ranks.
“Commanders and leaders at all levels are not just directed—but duty-bound— to enforce this policy, with accountability extending to those who turn a blind eye,” he added.
Brawner also said the AFP stands with President Marcos and the Filipino people in guarding integrity, transparency, and accountability. Rex Anthony Naval
A4
Thursday, August 21, 2025
More than 60% of online gambling illegal–Pagcor
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
MORE than 60 percent of online gambling operations in the Philippines remain illegal, while revenues from legal online gambling have grown exponentially in recent years, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) told legislators.
Pagcor Chairman Alejandro Tengco, during a budget briefing, said: “Regrettably, less than 40 percent of online gaming in the Philippines is legal, while more than 60 percent remains illegal at present.”
Tengco explained that most of these illegal operators are based overseas—such as in Russia, Cambodia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and even Singapore—but target Filipino bettors.
Unlike licensed operators that follow rules, including the 21-and-above age restriction, illegal platforms allow anyone to gamble and entice players with huge bonuses that can lead to deeper addiction.
Tengco admitted that curbing illegal online gambling has been difficult despite coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the National Police (PNP).
The issue of gambling addiction was also raised during the hearing. Party-list Rep. Chel
Diokno of Akbayan questioned Pagcor’s commitment to protect the public from gambling harms, noting the absence of rehabilitation programs and consumer protection measures in the agency’s vision and mission statement.
In response, Tengco said Pagcor has a “responsible gaming group” working with rehabilitation centers and foundations like Seagulls Flock to assist families affected by gambling addiction. He cited seven cases referred for rehabilitation in the last three years, all of which were given assistance.
Tengco also reported that Pagcor has implemented a self-exclusion program, with nearly 2,000 gamblers voluntarily banning themselves from betting for at least one year. The agency is now exploring AI-powered tools to monitor player behavior and detect potential problem gambling.
Diokno, however, stressed the need for stricter regulation. “As the leading gambling authority, you have the power to even ban or prohibit online gambling,” he said, adding that Akbayan has filed a bill pushing for tougher restrictions to protect vulnerable sectors, particularly the youth.
Tengco agreed with the proposal, saying Pagcor supports legislation that would permanently tighten online gambling regulations.
“This should not just depend on the administration in power,” Tengco said. “There must be a law in place that will impose stricter regulations on online gaming.”
Exponential growth
DURING the hearing, Pagcor reported that revenues from online gambling have grown exponentially in recent years, replacing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) and e-sabong as the primary drivers of income for the agency.
The state gaming agency reported that 38 percent of its revenues come from land-based casino operations, while the remaining 62 percent are generated from online gaming.
It said the gaming industry generated P112 billion in revenues in 2024, of which P50 billion came from online gaming.
For the first seven months of 2025 alone, Tengco said revenues have already climbed by 32 percent compared to last year. Pagcor projects online gaming to generate between P65 billion and P70 billion by year-end, accounting for 60 to 62 percent of estimated gross revenues.
Currently, Pagcor has 72 licensed online gaming operators, with no new additions following a moratorium imposed in March 2024. Applications filed before the moratorium are still being processed.
Tengco also reported that online gambling transactions have plunged by about 50 percent after the Bangko Sentral (BSP) ordered e-wallet providers to cut links with online gaming platforms.
“For everyone’s information, Pagcor observed that from Sunday until yesterday [Tuesday], online gaming transactions dropped by around 50 percent following the BSP directive to temporarily delink e-payment platforms from online gaming companies,” Tengco said.
‘Tourism,
HHe added that Pagcor has been coordinating closely with the BSP, which regulates e-payment platforms. “I would like to give credit to the BSP because they are also coming up with stricter guidelines to control these platforms,” Tengco said.
Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano during the same briefing expressed strong support for a total ban on online gambling in the country, saying stricter regulation is ineffective and easily bypassed.
Valeriano, during the briefing, argued that the social costs of online gambling far outweigh potential government revenues, stressing how addiction drives people to desperate measures.
He added that regulatory safeguards have proven insufficient to protect vulnerable Filipinos, particularly the youth and low-income earners.
However, Tengco cautioned that banning online gambling altogether might not put an end to the problem.
“If we ban online gaming, I am certain it will still continue because of technology,” Tengco said. “They will still find ways since they use mule merchants to connect to merchants. That will be their next move—they will continue, and we will no longer be able to trace them because of the mule accounts they are using.”
Tengco noted that illegal gambling operators abroad can easily exploit technology to reach Filipino players. He emphasized that Pagcor has been tightening regulations on licensed platforms while working with the DICT, the BSP, and law enforcement agencies to curb illegal operators.
THE PlaySafe Alliance of the Philippines has praised ongoing debates during a recent Senate hearing on whether to ban or curb licensed domestic online gambling.
PlaySafe Alliance, founded by 18 licensees of the nation’s casino regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor), and one law firm was reacting to a public hearing held to tackle several individual bills on online gaming with the mounting call to ban online gambling because of its bad influence to both young and old internet users.
The hearing was presided over by Sen. Erwin Tulfo, chairman of the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement, who vowed that the fight against online gambling is far from over as the entities behind its operations were shifting to other mobile applications.
“We commend the Senate for surfacing the central truth in its hearing: the harms highlighted—underage access, uncontrolled betting, and financial distress—stem from illegal, unlicensed platforms, not from Pagcor-licensed operators,” a report published by GGR Asia online gaming newsletter quoted the alliance as saying.
Licensed operators are subject to oversight, audits, and sanctions by authorities and are required to implement “KYC [knowyour-customer], age verification, and responsible gaming mechanisms”
“The Senate’s work draws a clean line: where regulation exists, protection exists; where illegality thrives, protection vanishes,” PlaySafe Alliance also said.
The Bangko Sentral (BSP), has ordered providers of electronic wallets (e-wallets) and other digital payment systems to remove links to online gambling platforms on the same day.
“We share the Bangko Sentral’s objectives on consumer protection and financial integrity. As an industry alliance, we firmly believe that the most effective way to achieve both is to keep lawful activity inside the regulatory perimeter with traceable, supervised payment rails,” the Alliance said in the report.
“Delinking licensed operators from online payment platforms would not stop gambling. It risks pushing players into the dark corners of the Internet where activity is untraceable, taxes disappear, and harm is harder to detect,” the Play Safe Alliance added. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, a proponent of one of the measures being considered by the Senate, is pushing for a tougher online gambling law.
He said it would be “crucial to dismantling underground operations and protecting Filipinos from the dangers of online gambling.”
“It’s time to have stricter regulations that have real teeth. A ban alone may not be enough. Online gambling operators would likely just move underground, making it even harder for authorities to regulate operations and putting vulnerable Filipinos, especially the youth, at greater risk,” Gatchalian was quoted in the report. Jonathan L. Mayuga
Last week, lawmakers started discussing tighter regulations for the country’s online gambling sector, with three bills seeking an outright ban, while two measures proposed stricter regulations.
food themes can boost PHL books’ global presence’
AINAN, China—Philippine books remain rare in Chinese bookstores, but tourism and food-related titles could resonate with readers if stronger publishing cooperation takes root.
Phoenix Palace Bookstore manager Chen Runjue on Wednesday said that while Southeast Asian literature has started to gain ground in Hainan, Philippine works are still “relatively few.”
“In the future, I hope to strengthen cooperation and bring some Philippine cultural books to our store,” Chen told BusinessMirror in Mandarin in an interview, noting that links could be estab -
lished through the Hainan Publishing Group, which manages book distribution in the province.
“Hainan’s role as a Free Trade Port and its close ties with Southeast Asia provide an opening for Philippines titles to reach readers in China,” he said.
“For example, some books about literary works, some books about tourism, and some books about food, think they are very good to sell and interact with readers,” he explained.
The Phoenix Palace Bookstore has hosted international cultural events such as film exchanges and academic lectures, and receives
about 100,000 visitors annually, according to management.
Beijing-based OpenBook reported that the country’s retail book market reached CN¥111.9 billion in 2024 (around P899 billion), a 1.52-percent decline from the previous year.
Children’s books accounted for the largest share at 28 percent, up by nearly one percentage point from 2023.
Further, data from the International Publishers Association showed that China publishes more than half a million new book titles annually. While print still dominates, the market has been shifting toward digital platforms, further expanding readership. By comparison, the Philippines’ creative economy—of which media publishing and printing form a part—amounted to P1.94 trillion in 2024, an 8.7-percent increase from P1.78 trillion in 2023. The sector contributed 7.3 percent to the country’s gross domestic product at current prices. Chen said Filipino publishers could explore these channels through events and exchanges in Hainan, particularly during the island’s peak tourist seasons from October to March, and again in July and August. Bless Aubrey Ogerio
Kaloocan diocese calls for volunteer lawyers for legal aid ministry for the poor
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
THE Diocese of Kalookan is urging lawyers and paralegals to volunteer their services for its newly launched legal aid ministry that seeks to help the poor navigate the country’s justice system.
Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David said the “Access to Justice Ministry” was created amid the growing number of indigent individuals facing criminal charges without proper legal counsel.
“I am appealing especially to our public attorneys...The Church can help mobilize them so that the poor, who are defenseless against abusive forces, can finally gain access to justice,” David said in a press briefing.
The program was launched after Jayson Dela Rosa filed complaints against several Caloocan policemen who arrested him on July 22 for theft but later charged him with illegal gambling.
Unable to post the P30,000 bail, he remained in detention.
Unaware of his father’s whereabouts, Dela Rosa’s teenage son, Dion Angelo or “Gelo,” spent July 22 to 25 going from one police station to another, often wading through floodwaters, in search of him. He finally found his father on July 25.
The effort, however, came at a fatal cost. Gelo developed a fever the next day and died on July
27 from leptospirosis, which he contracted while looking for his father.
During arraignment, Dela Rosa entered a guilty plea while the man identified as his supposed coplayer in the “kara y cruz” game, whom he said he did not even know, pleaded not guilty.
Cardinal David said the Dela Rosa family’s ordeal underscored how poverty leaves many Filipinos defenseless in the justice system, forcing them to give up their rights simply because they cannot afford bail or the costs of a long trial.
“I know many good lawyers who feel heartbroken when their clients say, ‘Attorney, I’ll just plead guilty. I can’t afford bail or a long trial,’” David said. “It breaks your heart to hear the poor say, ‘What choice do we have?’”
In a statement, the diocese stressed that the poor continue to carry the “greatest burdens” in the justice system.
“The Access to Justice Ministry of the Diocese of Kalookan seeks to change this reality by providing timely and compassionate legal aid,” it said.
The ministry will rely on volunteer legal professionals who can dedicate several hours of free service to represent indigent clients.
Interested lawyers and paralegals may email accesstojusticeministry@dioceseofkalookan.org for more information.
No finality yet on parliament seats redistribution–Comelec
DESPITE the last-minute passage of a bill redistributing the seven parliament seats in Bangsamoro, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) clarified on Wednesday that the measure is not yet final.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia explained that the bill has yet to be signed by the interim chief minister before it can take effect.
“There is no formal law at present. Even if it has been passed
on third and final reading, it still requires the chief minister’s signature and subsequent publication,” Garcia said in a chance interview in Cotabato City.
On Tuesday evening, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) passed Parliament Bill No. 351, which seeks to reconfigure the parliamentary districts just weeks before the region’s first parliamentary polls on October 13.
See “Comelec,” A6
DPWH reports near completion of two river flood control projects in Davao City
By Manuel T Cayon @awimailbox
DAVAO CITY—Two flood control projects along the Davao River here are almost complete and the Department of Public Works and Highways has not reported any issue yet.
The DPWH reported that the two projects are located in Barangay Mandug in the northern part of the city where the Davao River has eroded the embankment and threatened some of the houses along its bank.
The two projects cost P241.25 million funded under the 2024 Regular Infrastructure Program. These were undertaken by the DPWH Davao City 3rd District Engineering Office and it said these are expected to be finished by the last quarter of 2025.
Dean I. Ortiz, regional spokesman, said the reinforcement projects in Mandug particularly the DDF Village and Bayanihan Street sections of Davao River are now 94 percent and 87 percent completed, respectively.
He said flood control works involve the installation of structural sheet piles, concrete capping, and
Sen. Go to DOH: Don’t turn Super Health Centers into ‘white elephants’
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3
CITING its significant role as it brings healthcare closer to the people, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has appealed to the Department of Health (DOH) not to make Super Health Centers (SHC) a white elephant project.
During the Public Hearing of the Committee on Health and Demography joint with Finance, Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, revealed that he received reports that there are still unfinished SHCs in some areas while others lack equipment.
Go mentioned the SHC in the municipality of Hinunangan, Southern Leyte, Hagonoy in Davao Del Sur, Mabitac in Laguna, San Enrique in Iloilo, Oton in Iloilo, and Naga City, among others.
The senator stressed that SHCs offer a wide range of services, strengthening the healthcare sector, particularly in underserved areas.
For the agency’s part, Health Undersecretary Gregorio Murillo Jr., assured Go that the SHC is not going to be a white elephant project.
Murillo disclosed that 218 SHCs have already been completed, 37 units are already functional, “and counting.”
“Marami nang nagbubukas...181 ongoing completion for licensing requirements,” Murillo said, adding that they also do an augmentation if there are no physicians in some SHCs.
The DOH official said, for this year, they alloted P1.9 billion for SHCs. and that there are still 268 SHCs undergoing completion.
“Pakiusap ko lang , please, make it [the SHCs] operational the soonest the possible [time],” Go said.
To which, Murillo agreed and responded, “Ayaw nating masayang ang pera ng gobyerno.”
embankment works to strengthen the riverbank’s defenses. It also includes the construction of concrete slope protection, retaining and parapet walls to mitigate scouring and water overflow.
DPWH Regional Director Juby B. Cordon told the Philippine Information Agency the ongoing flood control rehabilitation projects in Barangay Mandug are part of the “Build Better More” program of the Marcos administration “that aims to provide strategic and long-term solutions in strengthening river walls to protect communities and preserve ecosystems.”
Cordon said the DPWH has undertaken and completed several related projects here to optimize flood control systems in vulnerable areas of the country.
A flood control project in Calinan District was completed in December last year. It cost P86.84 million.
In November last year, the DPWH-Davao City’s 3rd District Engineering Office completed rehabilitation work in a vital section of the Lasang River. The project was funded with P49 million to protect communities in Lasang from river flooding.
Palace open to address private sector concerns as Konektadong Pinoy bill faces telco opposition
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
AMID uncertainty if
President Ferdinand Marcos will allow the passage of the Konektadong Pinoy bill, Malacañang said it is open to address the concerns of the private sector on the said piece of legislation even if it becomes a law.
It made the assurance as telecommunications (telcos) firms continued to voice their opposition against the bill, which they claim is unconstitutional, will cause regulatory imbalance and expose the public to cybersecurity risks.
In a press briefing last Wednesday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said
the government is ready to address the said issues in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the bill.
“There will be no problem if they can help [the government] and the implementation of the said law will be good. If it is passed, the President will not object [to the private sector inputs],” she said in Filipino.
Telcos said they are considering all their options to fix the gaps of the bill and or stop its implementation by questioning its constitutionality before the Supreme Court.
Among the provisions of bill telcos are against is its provisions exempting new players from securing legislative franchise and a Certificate Public Convenience and Necessity.
SBy Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
ENATOR Win Gatchalian denounced the awarding of bigticket flood-control projects to undercapitalized contractors, urging the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to identify the members of the bids and awards committee who approved the contracts.
“Submit to us the exact names. We need to know kung sino ‘yung mga taong nag-a -award ng mga proyekto . We demand accountability,” Gatchalian said during a recent Senate inquiry.
The Finance Committee Chairperson voiced his frustration, stressing that if a contractor is undercapitalized, it will obviously cut corners, leading to substandard project results.
“Meron talagang mga tao na nilalaro ang pre-qualification stage ng procurement. There is some form of collusion or corruption in awarding the contracts to contractors who are not adequately capitalized. Paano nangyari na ang isang underfunded contractor ay nakakuha ng malaking kontrata?” Gatchalian asked DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, citing how a contractor with only P1.2 million in capitalization was awarded a P1.5-billion project.
Gatchalian also pressed the DPWH to explain how it determines the minimum capitalization required for contractors to qualify for certain projects. “Who reviews
The SHCs offer a wide range of services, including database management, outpatient care, birthing facilities, isolation rooms, diagnostic services (laboratory tests, X-rays, and ultrasound), pharmacy services, and ambulatory surgical units. Other services include eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) care, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation centers, and telemedicine, which allows for the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Government agencies including the Department of Information and Communication Technology and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) support the passage of the bill since it can bring down internet service fees.
Last week, Malacañang confirmed the President already received the enrolled Konektadong Pinoy bill and is reviewing its provisions. It was reported that the piece of legislation will lapse into law this week.
The Office of the President has asked the stakeholders including telcos to submit their position on the matter.
Stakeholders including telcos were asked to submit their position on the matter.
Sen. Win wants to know bids committee members who gave awards to undercapitalized contractors
the capability and capitalization of these companies?” he asked. Sotto pitches people’s commission MEANWHILE , Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III is seeking to create an independent people’s commission to look into anomalies in all government projects.
Sotto filed Senate Bill No. 1215, entitled “An Act Creating an Independent People’s Commission to Investigate Anomalies in All Government Infrastructure Projects, Defining Its Powers and Functions, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes.” which seeks to investigate corruption in government infrastructure projects, particularly flood-control initiatives.
Sotto said “corruption is now seen, heard, and felt by Filipinos more than ever.”
“The failed flood-control projects that are supposed to protect lives, livelihoods, and properties of our countrymen, the dilapidated classrooms for our students, and the lack of quality farm-to-market roads to aid our farmers, all are engulfed in corruption, hindering the progress of the nation as a whole,” he added.
The bill creates an Independent People’s Commission (IPC), an independent body tasked to investigate anomalies in all government infrastructure projects.
The IPC conducts comprehensive investigations into reported and alleged irregularities such as
corruption, ghost projects, overpricing, and the use of substandard materials in both past and ongoing projects, with jurisdiction over infrastructure implemented by the national government, local government units, and government-owned and -controlled corporations.
The measure also empowers the IPC to identify individuals and entities involved, whether from the public or private sector, and to recommend the filing of criminal, civil, or administrative charges against those found culpable.
“While there are agencies of government which investigate corruption, they are not specializing nor focusing on anomalies of government infrastructures”, he further stated.
Under the proposal, the IPC is composed of a retired Supreme Court or Court of Appeals Justice who serves as Chairperson; a Certified Public Accountant with expertise in forensic accounting; a licensed Civil Engineer or Architect; a representative from a reputable non-governmental organization; and an academician specializing in public administration or economics.
The members serve a three-year term and may be reappointed by the President.
“We owe it to the Filipino people to ensure that public funds are utilized efficiently, honestly and transparently in the construction of all government infrastructure projects,” the Minority Leader concluded.
With the support of fellow lawmakers, local government units, and the Department of Health, funds have been allocated for more than 700 SHCs nationwide.
By Henry Empeño
UBIC BAY FREEPORT—The
SSubic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) was cited as the “Outstanding Government Agency for Special Economic Zone Management” during the Legacy Icon Awards held recently at Okada Manila in Parañaque City. The Legacy Awards recognize icons, trailblazers, and visionaries throughout the country for their accomplishments and legacies, as well as the inspiration they provide in their communities.
SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño said the citation solidifies the achievements of the SBMA as a driver of economic progress and as a stable source of employment for some 166,000 workers in the Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone.
“Our mandate has never changed. We continue to employ the Filipino masses while generating income that the national government can utilize in building a better and brighter Bagong Pilipinas,” Aliño said.
“What has changed is our desire to do more,” he added.
SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator for Support Services Ramon O. Agregado received the award on behalf of Aliño during the Legacy Awards 2025 gala night on August 15, along with OIC Deputy Administrator for Corporate Communications Armina Belleza C. Llamas.
“We accept this [award] as a constant reminder for us to improve our craft in order to provide excellent service and the best quality of life for our stakeholders,” Agregado said in his acceptance message. Agregado also said the SBMA employees, Freeport workers, and the leaders who previously shepherded the agency are the “building blocks of this achievement.”
SBM’s entry for the award evaluation was based on its 2024 accomplishment report that delved on the agency’s accomplishments in revenue generation, social services, and infrastructure development, among other initiatives.
The SBMA said it remitted some P3.07-billion dividends to the national coffers last year, the 7th largest among the top 10 remittances from government-owned and controlled corporations. It also distributed a total of P347 million in revenue shares to eight local government units contiguous to the Subic Freeport. In 2024, the Subic agency also initiated projects aimed at improving the quality of life among Subic stakeholders, including the socialized housing project Subic Bay Residencias, a workers’ dormitory, and an electric vehicles program.
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Thursday, August 21, 2025
Leyte Rep. Gomez to Magalong: Stop ‘discrediting’ Congress to look good
By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie
EYTE Rep. Richard Gomez drew at -
Ltention on social media after posting a cryptic statement that many interpreted as a jab at Baguio City Mayor Benjamin “Benjie” Magalong, who has repeatedly criticized alleged corruption in Congress. Without directly naming the mayor, Gomez questioned his motives and credibility, saying, “Why is this city mayor making so much noise?”
The lawmaker suggested that Magalong’s repeated attacks on Congress were less about corruption and more about personal or political rivalry. Gomez hinted at tensions between the mayor and Baguio’s district representative, saying the chief executive should not “drag all congressmen into his fight.”
“It doesn’t surprise me anymore that this socalled ‘clean’ mayor is throwing accusations of corruption at us congressmen,” Gomez declared. He then alluded to the friction between the mayor and the city’s own district representative,
implying that the clash may be fueling the mayor’s rhetoric against members of Congress as a whole.
“If you have a problem with your congressman, face him. Don’t drag all of us into your fight. Don’t discredit every congressman just to make yourself look good,” he added.
The Leyte representative then shifted the discussion toward the mayor’s city itself, presenting a grim picture of the local government’s challenges under Magalong.
“ You talk nonstop about corruption in
DOLE issues pay rules for August holidays
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) released guidelines on workers’ pay for the upcoming holidays this August, reminding employers to strictly observe proper computation of wages for Ninoy Aquino Day and National Heroes Day.
Congress. Why? Because it’s an easy headline?” he asked.
“Meanwhile, your own city is drowning in problems: the air quality is getting worse, there’s not enough public transport, the waste disposal system is broken, the city is overcrowded, illegal structures are all over, and the urban planning is in shambles,” Gomez pointed out.
“Maybe it’s time to fix your own house first before pointing fingers at others,” he said.
“Mahiya ka naman,” Gomez wrote.
Heroes Day.
Under the measure, the seven district seats originally allocated to Sulu will be reassigned— not added—to the remaining provinces in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
With the new apportionment, Lanao del Sur will have nine district seats; Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, five each; Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, four each; Cotabato City, three; and the Special Geographic Area (SGA), two.
Garcia said the Comelec has yet to see the final version of the bill, but they were informed by some sources that the redistribution may only take effect starting the 2028 elections.
“We want to know if that report is true. If it is, that would be a solution to our problem. At this point we can already proceed with printing the ballots. They cannot go to waste,” he added.
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Once enacted, PB 351 would complete the 80 Bangsamoro parliament seats, consisting of 40 regional political party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives.
At least 75% voter turnout MEANWHILE, the poll body is also aiming for at least 75 percent turnout from over 2.3 million registered voters in the Bangsamoro. Garcia said they are ramping up their voter education campaign starting this week until September to ensure that more voters are informed about the upcoming polls.
E mployees who will not report for work will not receive compensation unless company policy, a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), or established practice grants payment on such days.
Those who report for work on August 21 are entitled to an additional 30 percent of their basic wage for the first eight hours.
In its Labor Advisory No. 11 Series of 2025, DOLE said the “no work, no pay” principle will apply on August 21 which is declared a special non-working day to commemorate Ninoy Aquino Day.
Work rendered beyond eight hours must be paid with an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on that day.
If the holiday falls on an employee’s rest day, the worker is entitled to an additional 50 percent of the basic wage for the first eight hours, with overtime work compensated with an extra 30 percent of the hourly rate. Meanwhile, August 25 has been declared a regular holiday in observance of National
E mployees who will not work on that date are entitled to 100 percent of their daily wage, provided they report to work or are on paid leave on the day immediately preceding the holiday.
For those who will work on National Heroes Day, DOLE said employers must pay 200 percent of the employee’s daily wage for the first eight hours.
Overtime work shall be compensated with an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate.
Garcia
Justine Xyrah
The poll chief stressed that Comelec is pressed for time, as implementing the new distribution for this year’s polls would mean reopening the filing of certificates of candidacy for one week—pushing back their already tight deadline.
Despite the uncertainty over the total number of contested seats, Garcia assured that the parliamentary polls will push through as scheduled.
“Whether it is 73 or 80 seats, what our people should expect is that they will be able to go to their voting precincts on October 13,” he said.
“Our goal is to reduce the number of citizens who have little or no knowledge about the October 13 elections. It is also a way to encourage other groups to help Comelec in expanding the voter education drive,” he said. The campaign will cover new election features such as candidate photos and regional political party logos on the ballots, as well as a “none of the above” option for those who choose not to support any candidate. It will also stress the importance of voting, explain who can be elected, outline the differences between posts, and demonstrate the use of automated counting machines (ACMs).
The first leg of the campaign was held in Cotabato City on Wednesday, followed by Zamboanga City on August 29. The Comelec will return to Cotabato City in September for sessions with residents of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and the SGA. Justine Xyrah Garcia
Editor: Angel R. Calso
The World
Israel readies military offensive in Gaza City amid ceasefire efforts, humanitarian crisis
By Melanie Lidman & Sam Metz
The Associated Press
JERUSALEM—Israel is preparing to launch an expanded military operation in Gaza City, possibly in the coming days, even as negotiators scramble to bring Israel and Hamas to a ceasefire to end 22 months of fighting.
The Israeli military said Wednesday that the country’s defense minister has approved plans to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gaza’s most densely populated areas, and that it would call up 60,000 reservists and lengthen the service of an additional 20,000 reservists currently serving.
It comes as human rights groups warn that a humanitarian crisis could worsen in Gaza, where most residents have been displaced, vast neighborhoods lie in ruins, and communities are facing the threat of famine.
A military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said that the military will be operating in parts of Gaza City where the
Israeli military has not yet operated and where it believes Hamas is still active.
The official said that Israeli troops are already operating in the Zeitoun and Jabaliya neighborhoods of Gaza City to prepare the groundwork for the expanded operation, which is expected to receive approval from the chief of staff in the coming days.
Gaza City is Hamas’ main military and governing stronghold and Israeli troops will be targeting Hamas’ vast underground tunnel network, the official added.
Although Israel has targeted and killed much of Hamas’ senior leadership, parts of the militant group are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks, including launching rockets towards Israel, the official said.
Gaza City operation could begin within days IT remains unclear when the operation will begin, but it could be a matter of days. The official said 50,000 reservists will be called up in the coming month, one of the largest mobilizations in months.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently said objective of the war is to secure the release of the remaining hostages and ensure Hamas and other militants can never again threaten Israel.
The planned offensive, first announced earlier this month, has heightened international condemnation of Israel and fueled fears of another mass displacement among Palestinians.
Netanyahu said on Aug. 9 that it would span parts of Gaza City and the central camps. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are sheltering in the city and it holds some of the last remnants of critical infrastructure.
AP journalists saw small groups heading south from the city this week, but how many will voluntarily flee remains unclear. Some said they were waiting to see how events unfold before moving yet again, and many insist nowhere is safe from airstrikes.
Some exhausted reservists question war’s goals
THE call-up comes as a growing campaign of exhausted reservists is accusing the government of perpetuating the war for political reasons and failing to bring home the remaining hostages.
The families of the hostages and former army and intelligence
chiefs have also expressed opposition to the expanded operation in Gaza City. Most of the families of the hostages want an immediate ceasefire and worry an expanded assault could imperil bringing the 50 hostages still in Gaza home. Israel believes that 20 are still alive.
The former chiefs are skeptical the goal of completely destroying Hamas is attainable. Former Shin Bet head Yoram Cohen called it a “fantasy,” saying that “if anyone imagines that we can reach every terrorist and every pit and every weapon, and in parallel bring our hostages home—I think it is impossible.”
Hamas-led militants started the war when they attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Hamas says it will only free the rest in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal.
Mediation is underway in Cairo as worries grow about humanitarian crisis
MEDIATORS and Hamas both said this week that Hamas leaders had
agreed to cease-fire terms, though similar announcements have been made in the past that did not lead to ceasefires.
An Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media said that Israel is in constant contact with the mediators in an effort to secure the release of the hostages.
Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will oppose a deal that doesn’t include the “complete the defeat of Hamas.”
More than 62,000 people have been killed during Israel’s 22-month offensive, Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Monday. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The ministry does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half of them.
In addition to that toll, 154 adults have died of malnutritionrelated causes since late June, when the ministry began counting such deaths, and 112 children have died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began.
ISRAELI soldiers use binoculars to survey damaged buildings in the Gaza Strip from southern Israel, Wednesday, August 13, 2025. AP/ARIEL SCHALIT
Japan faces sharpest export decline in over 4 years as tariff pain deepens
By Erica Yokoyama
JAPAN’S exports sustained their steepest drop in more than four years as US tariffs continued to weigh on global commerce, clouding the outlook for economic growth at a time when personal spending remains unsteady.
Exports fell 2.6% in value in July from a year earlier, sliding more than the median forecast of a 2.1% decline, the Ministry of Finance reported Wednesday. The downturn, led by cars, auto parts and steel, was the biggest since February 2021. Export volumes rose by 1.2%, suggesting exporters are continuing to absorb US tariff costs by cutting selling prices to preserve market share.
Imports decreased 7.5% as inbound shipments of crude oil, coal and liquefied natural gas all shrank by double digits, but the trade balance still flipped to a deficit of ¥117.5 billion.
The latest slide in exports may strengthen concerns over whether Japan’s economy can continue to expand as US President Donald Trump’s tariffs weigh on global trade. While
the economy has so far managed to eke out growth in the last five quarters despite weakness in domestic consumption, further drops in exports could drag the economy into reverse.
Continued falls in exports may also encourage Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda to adopt a cautious stance. The ability of the economy to show resilience in the face of the US duties is a factor in the calculus for the BOJ as it considers the best timing for its next interest rate hike. The BOJ is expected to stand pat when it next sets policy on Sept. 19.
“Car shipments to the US have started to decline in volume, suggesting that the impact of tariffs is finally starting to show,” said Taro Saito, head of economic research at NLI Research Institute. “In the US, prices of Japanese exports began rising around June or July, so we’re now seeing the effects of Japanese goods gradually losing their price competitiveness.”
The report showed that exports to the US dropped by 10.1% last month from a year earlier, with the value of shipments of vehicles and auto parts plunging 28.4% and 17.4%, respectively. In terms of volume, exports of vehicles to the US fell by 3.2%, a clear indication that carmakers are absorbing a portion of the tariffs to support sales.
In April the US imposed a 25% tariff on imports of Japanese cars and auto parts and a 10% duty on most other goods. A levy on imports of steel was doubled to 50% in early June.
Automobiles and parts account for around a third of Japan’s exports to the US, and earlier this month Toyota Motor Corp. warned of a ¥1.4 trillion ($9.5 billion) hit to its bottom line from the US levies.
The levies on cars and broadbased goods will be assessed at 15%
under a trade deal reached in late July, although it may take some time for that deal to be implemented. Written documentation on the trade deals agreed to with Japan and South Korea are “weeks away,” US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Tuesday in an interview with CNBC.
“The timing for implementing lower auto tariffs was never clearly set,” said Saito at NLI Research Institute. “If they’re reduced sometime in September, which is the general consensus, that would come as a relief, but if they don’t go down, the negative impact will be even greater.”
Saito added that even if the acrossthe-board levy comes down from the level imposed from April, US tariffs would still be more than 10% higher than they were at the beginning of the year, so the impact will continue to reverberate.
Beyond the US, exports to China fell 3.5%, led by a drop in shipments of vehicles, auto parts and nonferrous metals. Goods going to Europe declined by 3.4% as steel shipments fell 53.1%.
The yen averaged 145.56 per the dollar in July, 8.9% stronger than a year earlier, according to the Finance Ministry.
Looking ahead, economists largely expect Japanese exports to stagnate as firms adjust to the new trade environment. The Japanese government earlier this month slashed its economic outlook, citing the rising toll from US trade measures. Mounting profit pressures may also limit companies’ ability to continue raising wages — potentially threatening Japan’s fragile virtuous cycle of wage and price growth.
“The economy will likely contract in the third quarter due to a decline in exports,” Saito said. “As for the tariffrelated uncertainty that Governor Ueda mentioned, I think it will take quite a while before the fog clears.”
Bloomberg News
Mexico says there’s no agreement with DEA for new border enforcement collaboration
By María Verza Te Associated Press
EXICO CITY—Mexico’s
Mpresident denied on Tuesday that her administration had an agreement with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, a day after the US agency announced “a major new initiative” to collaborate in the fight against drug cartels.
President Claudia Sheinbaum was referring to “Project Portero,” an effort announced Monday by the DEA, which called it a “flagship operation” against smuggling routes that move drugs, guns and money across the border.
“The DEA put out a statement yesterday saying that there is an agreement with the Mexican government for an operation called Portero,” Sheinbaum said during her morning news briefing.
“There is no agreement with the DEA,” she stressed. “The DEA puts out this statement, based on what we don’t know. We have not reached any agreement, none of the security institutions (have) with the DEA.”
Sheinbaum said the only thing that was happening was a workshop in Texas attended by four members of Mexico’s police force.
Later, without addressing Sheinbaum’s criticism, the DEA said coordination with its Mexican counterparts on the training was “a significant step forward in advancing and strengthening law enforcement and intelligence sharing with partners regarding an issue that has positive implications on both sides of the border.”
Monday’s DEA statement mentioned that workshop, saying it had brought Mexican investigators to one of its intelligence centers to train with US prosecutors, law enforcement, defense officials and members of the intelligence community.
Mexico’s visibly annoyed president made her comments just days after generally positive exchanges between the two governments following another extension to ward off threatened US tariffs and anoth-
er shipment of 26 drug cartel figures to the United States from Mexico.
Mexico had seemed to be repairing the security relationship with the US after six years of tension under Sheinbaum’s predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who had reined in DEA agents operating in Mexico and accused the agency of wholesale fabrication when it arrested Mexico’s former defense secretary.
Sheinbaum’s administration had taken a more aggressive stance toward pursuing Mexico’s drug cartels and sent dozens of cartel figures sought by prosecutors to the US.
Sheinbaum did say that members of her administration had been working for months with US counterparts on a broader security agreement that was practically finished. She said that agreement was based on four principles her administration has stressed for months: sovereignty, mutual trust, territorial respect and coordination without subordination.
The thing that seemed to have her bristling Tuesday was the DEA sending out a statement without proper coordination.
Sheinbaum said she asked the DEA to respect Mexico, to follow agreed-upon protocols for such announcements, and emphasized that Mexico only signs agreements with the US government, not with individual agencies.
The DEA statement included a comment from agency administrator Terry Cole, who was recently tapped to lead the Trump administration takeover of the Washington D.C. police.
“Project Portero and this new training program show how we will fight—by planning and operating side by side with our Mexican partners, and by bringing the full strength of the US government to bear,” Cole said in the Monday statement.
The Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed to this report.
Humanitarian aid cuts leave victims of sexual violence in global conflicts without help–UN
By Edith M. Lederer
Associated Press
The
UNITED NATIONS—Major
cuts in humanitarian aid
have left victims of sexual violence in conflicts around the world without lifesaving help as clinics and shelters close, a senior UN official warned Tuesday.
Pramila Patten, UN special representative on sexual violence in conflict, lashed out at the UN Security Council and the broader international community for making essential services for survivors the “least accessible at the very moment they are needed most.”
In conflict-torn eastern Congo, clinics are forced to turn away rape survivors because they aren’t able to provide basic care, she said. And in conflicts in Sudan,
Ukraine, northeastern Ethiopia and Gaza, “health care systems have been decimated” and humanitarian groups are having to do more with less to help victims, Patten said.
She decried humanitarian assistance being slashed without naming any countries, but she was clearly referring to the United States and other major donors.
President Donald Trump has decided to pull the US back from its position as the world’s single largest aid donor, drastically curtailing funding that kept millions of people alive around the world. Even before his move, many other donor nations had reduced humanitarian spending.
Acting US ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea stressed Trump’s commitment to eliminating sexual violence in conflicts globally and
expressed support for the work of Patten’s office—but her remarks to the council made no mention of funding.
Patten warned that as “militarism is on the march and the clock is being turned back on women’s rights,” organizations helping women affected by conflict “are going from underfunded to unfunded.”
“We are told there is no money for lifesaving aid, even as military expenditure soars, and the world spends more in 24 hours on arms than it does in a year on addressing gender-based violence in conflict,” she said.
Patten was presenting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ annual report on sexual violence in conflicts, which was released last week and showed a 25% increase in cases last year.
The UN chief reported that more than 4,600 people survived sexual violence in 2024, with armed groups carrying out the majority of the abuse but some committed by government forces.
The highest number of cases were in the Central African Republic, Congo, Haiti, Somalia and South Sudan.
Patten stressed the unseen faces behind the figures, citing as one example a young woman who boarded a bus in Sudan’s capital to collect her college diploma and was dragged off by four members of a paramilitary force, gang-raped and left unconscious in a dark alley. She became pregnant and is struggling to care for her baby and deal with her trauma.
Patten said she wished she could say the UN Security Council and international community
New malaria drug for babies offers hope to health workers in Uganda
By Patrick Onen & Rodney Muhumuza
The Associated Press
KAMPALA, Uganda—Alice Nekesa did not know she was infected with malariacausing parasites until it was too late.
She was in the fourth month of pregnancy last year when she started bleeding, a miscarriage later attributed to untreated malaria in her.
The Ugandan farmer said recently that she regretted the loss of what would have been her second child “because I didn’t discover malaria and treat it early.”
Variations of such cases are commonly reported by Ugandan health workers who witness stillbirths or feverish babies that die within days from undiagnosed malaria. The deaths are part of a wider death toll tied to the mosquito-borne disease, the deadliest across Africa, but one easily treated in adults who seek timely medical care.
Until recently, a major gap in malaria treatment was how to care for newborns and infants infected with malaria who weren’t strong enough to receive regular medication. That changed last month when Swiss medical regulators approved medicine from the Baselbased pharmaceutical company Novartis for babies weighing between 2 and 5 kilograms (nearly 4½ to 11 pounds).
Swissmedic said the treatment, a sweettasting tablet that disperses into a syrup when dropped into water, was approved in coordination with the World Health
Organization under a fast-track authorization process to help developing countries access much-needed treatment.
Africa’s 1.5 billion people accounted for 95% of an estimated 597,000 malaria deaths worldwide in 2023, according to the WHO. More than three-quarters of those deaths were among children. In Uganda, an east African country of 45 million people, there were 12.6 million malaria cases and nearly 16,000 deaths in 2023. Many were children younger than 5 and pregnant women, according to WHO. Nigeria, Congo and Uganda—in that order—are the African countries most burdened by malaria, a parasitic disease transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes that thrive and breed in stagnant water.
The drug approved by Swiss authorities, known as Coartem Baby in some countries and Riamet Baby in others, is a combination of two antimalarials. It is a lower dose version of a tablet previously approved for other age groups, including for older children. Before Coartem Baby, antimalarial drugs designed for older children were administered to small infants with careful adjustments to avoid overdose or toxicity.
Ugandan authorities, who have been working to update clinical guidelines for treating malaria, say the new drug will be rolled out as soon as possible. It is not yet available in public hospitals.
would take responsibility for the suffering and stand with survivors and the organizations that help them.
“I wish I could say that the do -
nor and diplomatic community will uphold its values and hold the line on funding for protection and assistance,” she said. “But we shall see.”
A10 Thursday, August 21, 2025
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
PHL optimistic on prospects for gene editing
WBy Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
ITH roadblocks hindering the commercial use of more genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the Philippines, scientists are banking on genome editing to prop up farm production and enable the country to achieve food security.
Reynante Ordonio, Scientist I of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), said geneediting technology could thrive in the Philippines.
“Gene editing will play a significant role in the Philippines, especially since there are issues and setbacks with GMO products,”
Ordonio told the BusinessMirror on the sidelines of a recent biotechnology workshop organized by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) and Bayer Philippines in Manila. Currently, he said several institutions in the country have started
to develop gene-edited crops, including pest-resistant rice varieties and non-browning eggplant.
Ordonio also noted that a drought-resistant rice variety is also in the pipeline of the agency’s Crop Biotechnology Center, which could be released in around three years following a clearance that certifies the product as non-GMO.
The government defines nonGMOs or conventional products as those that do not contain a novel combination of genetic material, whereas GMOs comprise a genetic combination that would be impossible through conventional breeding.
Under the law, products determined as non-GMO would be issued a certificate of non-coverage (CNC) from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), which exempts them from the GMO regulatory process.
“There’s opposition to GMOs just for being GMOs. But when it’s gene-edited, there’s an opportunity for it to be non-GMO,”
Ordonio said. “This means it’ll be the same as other ordinary varieties we currently have...There’s no issue, and it’ll be easier to release as a variety.”
However, he said biotechnology will remain “a critical tool” despite the opportunities presented by gene editing.
“It’s true that gene editing is currently flourishing, but we cannot shun the GMO technology or make it obsolete because it can never be replaced by gene editing.”
ISAAA Executive Director Rhodora Romero-Aldemita expects biotechnology crops to increase in hectarage over the next decade.
For one, she noted that 32 countries planted GM crops in 2024 from 29 in 2019, owing to growing reliance on biotechnology for food security and climate change solutions.
“That’s a lot of ammunition for all of us to feed our world because our population is not (declining).
‘Supreme Court ruling poses threat to PHL tuna exports’
THE country’s tuna exporters risk losing their sustainability certifications due to a Supreme Court ruling that allowed commercial fishing vessels access to municipal waters, according to environmental group Oceana.
Oceana noted that such a move stoked worries over industry stakeholders, citing their concerns that the High Court’s decision could jeopardize the country’s access to crucial export markets, where traceability and sustainability of fish products are required.
“Allowing commercial vessels in municipal waters raises serious questions about stock management and environmental enforcement,” Veronica Rabano of Jarla Trading, a member of the Philippine Association of Tuna Processors Inc. (PATPI) said.
She noted that industry players share the same concerns on the potential risk of losing specific sustainability certifications.
“Maintaining our certifications is not just about brand reputation; it’s a matter of survival for our business. If we lose them, we risk losing access to our key markets.”
TBy Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
HE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad) are strengthening efforts to implement the P8-billion Value Chain Innovation for Sustainable Transformation in Agriculture (VISTA) Project in the Cordillera and SOCCSKSARGEN Regions.
The project, which highlights coffee and cacao as flagship crops, is designed to raise farmers’ incomes, open access to markets, and build more resilient agricultural communities.
With its implementation in the Cordillera and Soccsksargen, upland farmers are expected to greatly benefit from greater livelihood opportunities, the DAR said. During a three-day implementation support mission in Baguio City, DAR and Ifad leaders reviewed progress, identified pilot sites, and outlined strategies to help transform upland farming into a competitive and sustainable livelihood.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Oceana noted that shipments from the tuna sector surpassed $500 million in 2024. Of this, $284.26 million worth of canned tuna were exported to EU member-countries.
Aside from the EU, the other primary markets for such commodity include the United States and Japan, all of which
DAR-CAR Regional Director Rodrigo O. Realubit acknowledged that both regions face similar challenges in the project’s early stages but emphasized the importance of collaboration.
“With Ifad’s support, we can make a difference. Innovation means working together, linking farms to markets, and ensuring no one is left behind,” Realubit said.
Pilot site
THE municipality of Tublay, Benguet, was selected as one of the first VISTA pilot areas due to its strong potential for coffee and cacao expansion.
Community discussions surfaced both challenges and opportunities, including water access, fire prevention, youth involvement, and the need to expand the Arabica coffee supply. Women farmers—who comprise over half of the local agricultural workforce—stand to play a vital role in the project’s success.
Tublay Vice Mayor Juan Esnara welcomed the initiative, saying the project could be a “game-changer” for local farmers and
demand proof of sustainability through third-party ecolabels, such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Friend of the Sea (FOS) labels.
“Obtaining these certifications enables exporters to enter more lucrative segments, command higher prices for certified products, and maintain access as regulatory standards evolve,” the group explained.
the municipality’s agricultural industries.
Ifad Country Program Officer for Targeting and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Mags Catindig-Reyes emphasized the importance of understanding on-theground realities.
“We are here to identify concerns at different levels and determine where we stand in terms of project understanding.”
VISTA will primarily benefit upland communities—indigenous and nonindigenous—living at least 100 meters above sea level. Target beneficiaries include some of the poorest households under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who are engaged in coffee or cacao farming.
DAR-CAR Assistant Regional Director for Operations Nelson D.C. Palaris said VISTA’s impact goes beyond economics. “This project is a spark to restore livelihoods, strengthen communities, and bring back the world’s recognition of Philippine coffee and cacao.”
“VISTA focuses on upland areas. This
Agusan del Sur planters get aid from govt
For Oceana Vice President Von Hernandez, the SC ruling has “wide-reaching and increasingly evident impacts” that negatively affect fishing associations and small-scale fisherfolk.
“As duty bearers, it is essential for the government to assess how this ruling weakens and jeopardizes the entire framework that sustainability certifications rely on, particularly traceability, fairness for artisanal fishers, and compliance to environmental standards.”
Citing data from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the group noted that around 70 percent of tuna caught in municipal waters is harvested by small-scale fishers.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and BFAR had appealed the court’s decision, stressing the critical importance of protecting fish stocks and the livelihoods of small-scale fishers.
In a latest development, a recent petition for certiorari filed with the SC en banc last April 24, seeks to overturn the lower court’s judgment. Ada Pelonia
mission is a moment to take stock of our progress and deepen our commitment to our farmers,” Assistant Regional Director for Administration, Virginia D. Aycud said.
Since January, the CAR VISTA team has established its regional and provincial project management offices, finalized procurement plans, conducted community information drives, and begun onboarding field staff.
The P8-billion VISTA Project is a partnership between the Philippine government and Ifad to develop sustainable, market-driven agricultural value chains. By prioritizing coffee and cacao, the project aims to revitalize rural economies, expand market opportunities, and secure a better future for upland farmers and their families.
The project will cover 86 agrarian reform communities (ARCs) in two regions: the Cordillera Administrative Region (comprising Benguet, Apayao, Ifugao, Abra, Mt. Province, and Kalinga) and the SOCCSKSARGEN region (encompassing Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato, and South Cotabato).
We need biotechnology to feed the world.”
‘Lost opportunity’
THE Philippines is considered a pioneer in biotechnology in Asia after it commercialized Bt corn, a crop that is resistant to insects like corn borer.
The country could have introduced more GM crops in the market, but court cases lodged against Bt eggplant and Golden Rice prevented their commercial use.
In 2024, the Court of Appeals (CA) halted the commercial propagation of Bt eggplant and Golden Rice. The Department of Agriculture filed a motion for reconsideration.
Currently, Aldemita said the industry is awaiting the final ruling on the cases filed against the GMO crops.
“We’re still waiting for them to give the final verdict so that we can continue on with the research,
with the redeployment of seeds so the farmers can have [them].”
Ordonio sees the filing of cases against the GM crops as “a lost opportunity” to prop up food output.
“It’s a lost opportunity because time is very precious, and every biotech crop out there has a problem that it is targeting. It would like to benefit society in the long run.”
Geronima Eusebio, OIC-Head of the Bureau of Plant Industry’s (BPI) Biotechnology Office, said the legal challenges to the two GMO crops also affect the regulatory process.
“The (rules involving the propagation of GM crops) become more stringent,” Eusebio said. She noted that the court requires the agency to put in place a mechanism that would allow the public to immediately report the adverse effect of a GM crop while the DA is required to monitor non-target organisms and the environment.
Brazil probes soy traders as Amazon pact raises cartel worry
BRAZIL’S antitrust regulator opened a probe into major soybean traders, saying an agreement focused on preventing deforestation in the Amazon forest raises the possibility of a purchasing cartel in the grain-export market.
The investigation directed at 30 soybean traders and two industry associations follows increasing pressure from farmers groups against the soybeans moratorium — a public commitment by traders to avoid sourcing soybeans from land deforested in the Amazon after 2008.
Among the traders included in the probe are units of Cargill Inc., Archer-DanielsMidland Co., Bunge Global SA and other companies that comprise the so-called Soybean Working Group, the agency Cade said on its website Monday.
The move is a significant environmental risk as Brazil prepares to host the COP30 climate summit in Belém in November.
The agricultural powerhouse, whose top product is soybeans, is facing international pressure as farming and cattle breeding are the main causes of deforestation in the country.
The antitrust body ordered that work on auditing farmers and sharing information on compliance should be suspended, effectively putting the moratorium on hold.
“The suspension of the moratorium is the result of pressure from agribusiness lobby groups that threaten nearly two decades of progress and favor precisely those who profit most from the destruction of the Amazon,” said Cristiane Mazzetti, Greenpeace Brazil’s forest campaign coordinator.
While the companies say the agreement seeks to protect the rainforest, Cade said it constitutes an “anti-competitive agreement.” Potential fines for the associations targeted could reach up to 2 billion reais ($365 million), according to Cade’s announcement. For the companies, it could be up to 20 percent of gross revenue from the last fiscal year.
With group works put on hold, companies are still allowed to proceed with their own checks, said Lisandro Inakake, a manager at consultancy Imaflora who is also part of the soybeans working group.
Cargill didn’t immediately reply to emails seeking comment, while ADM and Bunge directed comments to industry as -
ensure that we are no longer dependent solely on traditional methods. From land preparation to harvest, our production will be more efficient and less costly. We are proud to be the first beneficiaries in Caragas,” Suan said.
the livelihood of the ARBs.
“The solar multi-power station will
DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III said the government is committed to empowering farmers not only as landowners but also as modern producers equipped with technology and sustainable solutions.
sociation Abiove, which was also listed in the probe.
Abiove said in a statement the moratorium is a pact that has been “recognized as a public environmental policy by the Federal Attorney General’s Office.” It added it would “collaborate fully and transparently with the competent authorities.”
Farmers have long disputed the socalled Soy Moratorium because they believe the agreement between traders imposes stricter rules than the country’s own legislation, which allows landowners in the Amazon to grow crops on up to 20 percent of their land.
The antitrust process started after requests by Brazil’s Lower House and Senate, the national agriculture confederation known as CNA, and the soybean farmers association of the largest grains producer state Mato Grosso, known as Aprosoja.
“For years, a private agreement with no legal backing had been imposing unfair trade barriers on producers, especially small and medium-sized ones, preventing the sale of crops grown in regular and licensed areas,” Aprosoja Mato Grosso said in a statement.
US farmers
SOYBEAN farmers in the United States are near a “trade and financial precipice” and cannot survive a prolonged trade war with China. That’s the warning from Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association. In a letter to President Donald Trump dated Tuesday, he urged the administration to reach a deal with China to remove duties and, if possible, include significant soybean purchases.
“US soybean farmers cannot survive a prolonged trade dispute with our largest customer,” he said. “Soybean farmers are under extreme financial stress. Prices continue to drop and at the same time our farmers are paying significantly more for inputs and equipment.”
In an email statement to Bloomberg News, the White House said the president cares about farmers.
“President Trump will continue to open markets and level the playing field for American farmers to ensure they can sell as many made-in-America products as possible,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly wrote. Bloomberg News
“By providing farm machinery, inputs, and innovative technologies, we enable our ARBs to maximize their land, boost produc
A FISHERMAN carries tuna over his shoulder to the shoreline. Markets across the world source their seafood from the Philippines. WWF-PHILIPPINES
Exposing the ghosts: Corruption and flood control failures in PHL
THE recent revelation of alleged ghost flood control projects serves as a glaring reminder of the widespread corruption that still afflicts the Philippines. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada’s exposé, during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Tuesday, implicates Wawao Builders in these non-existent projects. This alarming discovery underscores the urgent need for a thorough investigation and decisive action to hold those responsible accountable. (Read the BusinessMirror story, “‘PHL under water’: Blue Ribbon opens hearings on flood-control projects,” August 20, 2025).
The fact that Wawao Builders, a company reportedly awarded P5.971 billion worth of flood control projects in Bulacan alone, could allegedly get away with implementing “ghost projects” speaks volumes about the lack of oversight and the potential complicity within the Department of Public Works and Highways. While DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan’s assurance to file charges against those involved is a welcome step, it remains to be seen whether this commitment will translate into concrete action and successful prosecution.
Senator Rodante Marcoleta, chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, fittingly characterized the situation as “The Philippines Under Water.” He pointed out, with a touch of sarcasm, that as an archipelago, the country’s “waters should be between these islands, surrounding our lands – not inside our homes.” His comparison to the Netherlands, a nation primarily below sea level but adept at flood control, highlights that effective solutions are achievable through careful planning, execution, and, above all, integrity.
The Blue Ribbon Committee’s inquiry must go beyond simply identifying the culprits. It must delve into the systemic weaknesses in government procurement, project monitoring, and enforcement of existing laws. As Senator Bam Aquino pointed out, the staggering amount of funds allocated to flood control dwarfs the needs of other critical sectors like education, where thousands of classrooms are affected by floods.
The investigation must establish the extent of the ghost projects. A comprehensive audit of all flood control projects awarded to Wawao Builders and other top contractors is crucial to determine the true scale of the problem.
It is important to assess the government’s procurement system. Analyzing the bidding processes, technical specifications, and project awards is crucial for detecting any irregularities or violations of procurement laws.
It is essential to enhance oversight mechanisms. Establishing more rigorous monitoring and evaluation systems is crucial to avoid future occurrences of ghost projects.
The potential violations of the Government Procurement laws, Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and the Code of Conduct for Public Officials must be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. The focus should not only be on punishing the guilty but also on reforming the system to prevent such abuses from happening again.
Our flooding problem is not solely a matter of climate change or geographical vulnerability. It is a crisis exacerbated by corruption, negligence, and a lack of accountability.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation presents an opportunity to expose the rot within the system and pave the way for a more transparent, efficient, and effective approach to flood control. The battle against corruption in flood control projects goes beyond merely protecting public funds; it aims to preserve lives and secure a future where floodwaters do not drown our homes.
BusinessMirror
From oil’s retreat to the renewable race
GDionisio L. Pelayo Ruben M. Cruz Jr.
Eduardo A. Davad Nonilon G. Reyes
John Mangun
OUTSIDE THE BOX
LOBAL capital is no longer debating the exit from oil—it is executing it, redeploying billions into clean energy markets that can turn signed contracts into operating gigawatts before the current market cycle closes. In seven of the past nine months, traders have shorted crude oil with the conviction of a sector in structural retreat.
The shift is not moral but mathematical: Opec’s spare capacity has crushed scarcity premiums, China’s industrial recovery is limping, and EV adoption plus efficiency gains are eroding long-run demand curves. Hedge funds, infrastructure players, and sovereign-backed developers are scanning for jurisdictions where gigawatts can be banked within five to seven years—not debated for a decade.
The Philippines has been offered a foothold in that race through a $15 billion alliance with Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy flagship. Founded in 2006 and backed by sovereign capital, Masdar builds solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects in over 40 countries. Its Philippine pledge—1 GW by 2030 and 10 GW by 2035, nearly a quarter of today’s national capacity—grabs headlines. Yet Vietnam added 9 GW of solar in a single year, and Indonesia links investments to guaranteed utility
offtake; by that yardstick, the promise is an opening bid, not a finished scorecard.
Unless Manila moves to de-risk permitting, secure grid access, and lock in credible buyers, this agreement will remain a framework, not a pipeline.
Right now, regional peers are winning on velocity. Vietnam’s 2019 solar surge was powered by feed-in tariffs and grid priority. Indonesia’s PLN offers guaranteed payment schedules that bank lenders trust. Both markets have stumbled—Vietnam with curtailment, Indonesia with delayed payments—but they understood that capital chases cash flow, not potential. The Philippines has yet to prove it can compress timelines without sacrificing contract integrity or grid stability.
PSE-listed and private renewable firms show ambition but are climbing different slopes. ACEN, the Ayala Group’s platform, runs
4.8 GW regionally, 1.6 GW of it at home—about 4 percent of national capacity—positioning it as both a domestic anchor and a regional growth story. Energy Development Corp. commands 1,480 MW of geothermal, roughly 20 percent of the country’s renewable base, prized for dispatchable baseload that hedge funds and utilities both value. First Gen’s 3,600 MW mix of geothermal, hydro, and gas gives it transition optionality, but gas’s “bridge fuel” status could turn from asset to liability.
AboitizPower, still coal-heavy, earmarked nearly half of its P153 billion 2024 capex for renewables, targeting 4,600 MW by 2034. SP New Energy is betting its future on Terra Solar, a mega-project that could match today’s total solar fleet, but without resolved permitting, grid guarantees, and a creditworthy offtaker, scale is just a number on a PowerPoint slide.
The obstacle is not vision—it is bankability. Geothermal’s 5-8-year development cycle, solar and wind’s interconnection bottlenecks, community resistance to gas, and coal’s rising financing costs all erode the probability of hitting investor timelines. The Philippine grid’s fragmentation— Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao—means surplus power in one region cannot simply offset shortages in another. Transmission upgrades lag renewable buildouts, storage remains minimal, and climate resilience standards are inconsistently applied despite typhoon and flood risks.
Capital flows into renewables are not sentimental. Hedge funds
Bessent says China tariff status quo ‘working
TREASURY Secretary Scott Bessent indicated the US is satisfied with the current tariff set up with China, a signal the Trump administration is looking to maintain calm with its economic rival before a trade truce expires in November.
When asked in a Fox News interview when progress in negotiations would be seen and if the US needed a trade agreement because of how tariffs were going, Bessent said that “we’re very happy” with the situation with China. “I think right now the status quo is working pretty well,” he said.
“China is the biggest revenue line in the tariff income — so if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” he said in the interview on Tuesday. “We have had very good talks with China. I imagine we’ll be seeing them again before November.”
Bessent’s remarks indicate that an easing of tensions between the two sides remains in place, potentially creating an opening for President Donald Trump to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The Trump administration has generally dialed down its confron-
tational tone with Beijing recently to get a summit with Xi and a trade deal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said a meeting between the two leaders is likely, though no date has been set.
Last week, Trump extended a pause on higher tariffs on Chinese goods for another 90 days into early November, a move that stabilized trade ties between the world’s two largest economies.
That was possible because the US and China agreed to reduce titfor-tat tariff hikes and ease export restrictions on rare earth magnets and certain technologies. S&P Global Ratings has said revenues from Trump’s tariffs would help soften the blow to the US’s fiscal health from the president’s tax cuts, enabling it to maintain its current credit grade.
Still, the trade dispute with China
Bessent’s remarks indicate that an easing of tensions between the two sides remains in place, potentially creating an opening for President Donald Trump to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The Trump administration has generally dialed down its confrontational tone with Beijing recently to get a summit with
is causing some pain for the US. Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association, said in a letter to Trump dated Tuesday that American soybean farmers are near a “trade and financial precipice” and cannot survive a prolonged dispute.
Trump said last week that he hoped China would massively step up its purchases of American soybeans. China hasn’t bought a single cargo of soybeans from the next harvest, which starts in September.
And in a move that’s likely to irk Beijing, the Trump administration is set to step up scrutiny of imports of steel, copper, lithium and other mate-
may move first, but the bulk of the money comes from pension funds and infrastructure investors who demand certainty: enforceable contracts, standardized tariffs, credible offtakers, and guaranteed grid integration. These are not “nice to haves”; they are gate passes to the global funding pool. The fix is structural and urgent. The Department of Energy should stand up a Renewable Energy Facilitation Office to cut permit timelines. The Energy Regulatory Commission must unify tariff and interconnection rules. National Grid Corporation of the Philippines needs a 10-year transmission plan tied to renewable energy zones, not just to the demand centers. Local Government Units must have revenue-sharing incentives, and community buy-in must be earned through transparent benefit-sharing, not box-ticking consultations. Oil’s decline is structural but incomplete—petrochemicals, aviation, and geopolitics will keep it alive. However, the map of growth is being redrawn toward clean power. In a nation of 110 million, where rolling blackouts can halt economic momentum overnight, energy security will belong to those who can turn capacity targets into bankable, grid-ready megawatts. The clock is not only ticking—it is measuring execution speed. And there are no prizes for “almost.”
E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.
pretty well’
rials from the world’s No. 2 economy to enforce a US ban on goods allegedly made with forced labor in the country’s Xinjiang region. The plan dovetails with Trump’s broader trade goals, given he wants to lower the US trade deficit with China and put pressure on Beijing to curb shipments of fentanyl and precursor chemicals.
Earlier this month Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, saying the hike was punishment for India’s purchases of discounted oil from Russia, which he argues helps fund President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine.
There’s been concern that the US may also target other nations— China is the largest overall buyer of Moscow’s crude—but so far India has been the only major economy to be hit with such “secondary tariffs.” Bessent defended the administration’s lack of secondary tariffs on China in an interview with CNBC, saying India only ramped up its purchases after the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Bloomberg
Intel’s $24 billion rally sends valuation to Dot-Com levels
By Ryan Vlastelica
AFTER months of turbulence, Intel Corp. bulls are finally being rewarded for their patience. But the stock’s sudden rebound comes with a worrying side effect: a valuation so high its most recent precedent is from the dot-com era more than two decades ago.
Shares of the struggling chipmaker have rallied 28 percent this month, adding about $24 billion in market value, on reports that the US government is in talks for a potential equity stake, as well as plans for a $2 billion investment from Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp. The jump has Intel trading at 53 times profits projected over the next 12 months, the highest since early 2002, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
“The stock looks incredibly expensive here,” said Wayne Kaufman, chief market analyst at Phoenix Financial Services. “That kind of multiple is a bet that the government will push Intel so hard on customers that it becomes a winner.”
The surge in Intel this month followed a slump in the wake of a disappointing earnings report on July 24 and criticism of Tan earlier by President Donald Trump, who called for the CEO to step down, citing conflicts of interest. After meeting with Tan on August 11, Trump changed his tune, saying Tan’s “success and rise is an amazing story.”
Since then, reports have circulated that the Trump administration is in discussions to take a stake of about 10 percent in the company. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a CNBC interview on Tuesday that the talks are aimed at converting US grants already made to Intel under the Chips and Science Act into non-voting equity. Intel shares slid 1.2 percent in after-hours trading.
Of course, the US’s plans regarding Intel haven’t been finalized and could still change. Intel declined to comment on Lutnick’s remarks.
For Paul Nolte, market strategist and senior wealth manager at Murphy & Sylvest Wealth Management, the potential government involvement could benefit Intel in the short-term but may pose a risk in the long term.
“This strikes me as an easy road to get onto, but a hard one to get out of,” Nolte said. “At the end of the day, this raises so many more questions than it answers.”
Meanwhile, Intel’s premium valuation is largely a reflection of just how much its profitability has collapsed in recent years.
Intel is projected to generate more than $1 billion in adjusted profit over
Intel is projected to generate more than $1 billion in adjusted profit over the next four quarters, after losing about $1.3 billion in the previous four, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. From 2018 to 2021 the company generated more than $20 billion in annual profits on average.
the next four quarters, after losing about $1.3 billion in the previous four, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. From 2018 to 2021 the company generated more than $20 billion in annual profits on average.
“We have no idea what Intel can deliver in earnings growth since it is so behind on tech and because you can’t cost-cut your way to growth,” said Nancy Tengler, chief executive officer of Laffer Tengler Investments. “It’s hard to have confidence in the estimates, which makes it difficult to assess the valuation. I think it’s overvalued, but I also think the picture is so uncertain that it wouldn’t be attractive at any price.”
Wall Street largely echoes her caution. Fewer than 8% of the analysts tracked by Bloomberg recommend buying the stock, while nearly 80 percent have the equivalent of a neutral rating. In addition, at its Tuesday close of $25.31, Intel trades notably above the average price target of about $22, representing the weakest return potential among components of the Nasdaq 100 Index. Still, there is optimism that Chief Executive Officer Lip-Bu Tan will be able to turn things around. Much of his focus has been on cost cutting, which has improved Intel’s outlook to return to profitability but raised concerns the chipmaker may be bowing out of the race for technological leadership. Part of his effort has also been centered on a costly build out of its foundry operations undertaken by his predecessor, Pat Gelsinger.
“Clearly it’s going to take a number of years for it to really start operating on a smooth basis,” said Gerrit Smit, lead portfolio manager of the Stonehage Fleming Global Best Ideas Equity fund. “We’ve got trust in him, but we think he’s got a long slog ahead.” With assistance from Subrat Patnaik and Dina Bass/Bloomberg
Modi hails China ties as Bessent swipes at India’s rich families
By Sudhi Ranjan Sen & Chiranjivi Chakraborty
INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed improved ties with China as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent escalated criticism of the South Asian nation over its purchases of Russian oil.
Modi said he’s looking forward to visiting China later this month— his first trip to the country in seven years—and meeting President Xi Jinping. The Indian leader met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday in New Delhi. Wang was visiting India for the first time in three years.
“India-China relations have made steady progress guided by respect for each other’s interests,” Modi said in a post on X on Tuesday. “Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity.”
India has been recalibrating its foreign policy more toward China and other members of the BRICS group after US President Donald Trump threatened to boost tariffs unless New Delhi stops importing Russian oil. Trump administration officials have singled out India for the oil purchases, accusing it of aiding Russia’s war in Ukraine and undermining US efforts to end the conflict.
Bessent on Tuesday intensified the criticism, saying India was “profiteering” off the oil purchases.
“We have planned to up the tariffs on India—these are secondary tariffs for buying the sanctioned Russian oil,” Bessent told CNBC. “They
are reselling, they made $16 billion on excess profits—some of the richest families in India,” he added.
Ambani swipe
BESSENT also defended the administration’s lack of secondary tariffs on China, which buys more crude oil from Russia, saying India only ramped up its purchases after Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. China was importing 13% of its oil from Russia before the 2022 invasion, and now it’s 16 percent, “so China has a diversified input of their oil,” Bessent said.
The comments amount to an indirect swipe against Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest billionaire. Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd., which runs the world’s largest petroleum refining complex in western India, has been among the buyers of Russian crude, purchasing cargoes under long-term contracts.
Reliance shares fell as much as 0.7 percent in early trade on Wednesday before reversing losses to trade little changed. Reliance is the nation’s most valuable company and an index heavyweight. The benchmark NSE Nifty 50 Index was flat.
India’s government has repeatedly defended its right to buy oil from the cheapest source, and has called
India has been recalibrating its foreign policy more toward China and other members of the BRICS group after US President Donald Trump threatened to boost tariffs unless New Delhi stops importing Russian oil. Trump administration officials have singled out India for the oil purchases, accusing it of aiding Russia’s war in Ukraine and undermining US efforts to end the conflict.
the US’s threat of higher tariffs “unreasonable.” On Monday, Modi spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him a “friend.”
In meetings in New Delhi this week, India and China agreed to facilitate bilateral trade and investment flows, resume direct flights and process more visas to boost exchanges between people in the world’s most populous nations, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry in Beijing. China has also assured India of supplies of rare earth minerals, fertilizer and tunnel-boring machines, an official in New Delhi told reporters, asking not to be identified because discussions are private.
India said separately that both sides had a “candid” exchange on border issues that led to the deterioration in ties following a deadly 2020 clash. They agreed to “jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas through friendly consultations,” according to a state-
Trump embarks on $104 million
bond-buying
spree while in office
By Bill Allison
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has bought hundreds of bonds since he returned to office, including those sold by US companies affected by the sweeping changes to federal policies he’s championed.
The 690 transactions, the first of which was made the day after his inauguration, total at least $103.7 million, according to a document released by the White House on Tuesday that disclosed the billionaire’s investing activity this year through early August.
In addition to municipal bonds issued by local governments, school boards, airport authorities and gas districts, Trump bought corporate debt in tranches of at least $500,000 each from Qualcomm Inc., Home Depot and T-Mobile US Inc. on Feb. 10. He also purchased at least $250,000 of debt from Facebook owner Meta
Platforms Inc. later that month.
The report, which all federal elected officials and appointees who trade must submit, doesn’t provide exact amounts or prices, since only broad ranges of transactions involving stocks, bonds, commodity futures and other securities are required. Trump reported no sales.
The investments provide another example of how the president, whose net worth is pegged at $6.4 billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, continues to pursue wealth accumulation while in office. Unlike his predecessors, Trump didn’t divest or move
The investments provide another example of how the president, whose net worth is pegged at $6.4 billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, continues to pursue wealth accumulation while in office. Unlike his predecessors, Trump didn’t divest or move his assets into a blind trust with an independent overseer.
his assets into a blind trust with an independent overseer. His sprawling business empire is managed by two of his sons and operates in several areas that intersect with presidential policy.
Trump has held meetings with leaders of businesses whose supply chains have been upended by his implementation of the highest tariffs in decades as well as technology industry executives.
Wager for half-point rate reduction faces test of Powell remarks
By Edward Bolingbroke
TRADERS are piling into one specific options wager that relies on a dovish Federal Reserve slashing interest rates by over a quarter-point next month.
The intensifying bet comes days ahead of the central bank’s annual gathering in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where Fed Chair Jerome Powell is set to deliver pivotal remarks that could validate or nullify investors’ expectations for monetary easing. It also follows a hotter-thanexpected read on inflation that caused some traders to dial back their rate-cut expectations. Despite the brief pullback, traders so far appear to be sticking to the notion that rates will be lowered next month with Treasuries snapping a three-day selloff that pushed yields lower across tenors on Tuesday.
“As the market readies for Powell’s speech at Jackson Hole, we’ll argue that the biggest risk for Treasuries is if the Fed Chief chooses to throw cold water on
the widely anticipated September rate cut,” Ian Lyngen, head of US rates strategy at BMO Capital Markets, said in a note.
Demand for a position in the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), which closely mirrors policy expectations, has been insatiable since the start of the month. This week, traders ramped up that wager again as open interest, or the amount of risk held by investors, surged in strikes targeting a half-point rate reduction.
Currently, a position of around 325,000 options, costing roughly $10 million, stands to profit by as much as $100 million should investors price in the Fed lowering rates by a half-point at the September policy meeting, a Bloomberg analysis shows. Even after last week’s producer
price index for July climbed the most in three years, signaling that tariffs are increasing companies’ costs, the mounting options position did not subside. The data, however, put a pause on a bond rally, sending yields on short-term Treasuries higher and prompting traders to scale back expectations for the Fed to ease rates over the remaining three policy meetings this year. Traders are now pricing in about an 80 percent chance of a quarter-point reduction at the Sept. 16-17 meeting.
“It’s worth acknowledging that the front-end of the curve is vulnerable to a bearish correction if Powell doesn’t deliver on the degree of dovishness that the market is currently anticipating,” said Lyngen.
Meanwhile in the cash market, the latest read from JPMorgan’s survey of Treasury clients has shown investors switching out of short positions and into neutrals, which are now the most elevated in about a month.
Here’s a rundown of the latest positioning indicators across the
The intensifying bet comes days ahead of the central bank’s annual gathering in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where Fed Chair Jerome Powell is set to deliver pivotal remarks that could validate or nullify investors’ expectations for monetary easing. It also follows a hotter-than-expected read on inflation that caused some traders to dial back their rate-cut expectations.
rates market:
JPMorgan Treasury client survey IN the week ended August 18, JPMorgan Treasury clients’ outright short positions dropped 4 percentage points, shifting into neutral, the survey showed. The outright short and neutral percentages now respectively sit at the lowest and highest levels since July 14.
Most active SOFR options IN SOFR options across Sep25, Dec25 and Mar26 tenors over
ment from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
“I am very happy that in the last nine months, there has been an upward trend” in bilateral ties, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who met with Wang, said Tuesday. “Borders have been quiet, and there has been peace and tranquility.” Efforts to improve India-China ties have gained new urgency following Trump’s tariff policy. Trump has imposed 25 percent tariffs on Indian exports to the US and threatened to double that to 50 percent by August 27 to penalize New Delhi for buying oil from Russia.
Beijing has loosened curbs on urea exports, India has reinstated tourist visas for Chinese nationals, and a growing number of Indian businesses have been seeking partnerships with Chinese companies for deals including technology transfers, Bloomberg News has reported. Despite the thaw, however, thorny issues remain, including China’s close relationship with Pakistan, India’s neighbor and rival. China announced that Wang will be heading to Pakistan on Wednesday.
“Our policy is to develop friendly and cooperative relations with both India and Pakistan,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Tuesday at a regular press briefing in Beijing. China hopes the two nations can find a “proper solution” and is “willing to play a positive role,” she added. With assistance from Colum Murphy, Ruchi Bhatia, Diksha Madhok, Jenni Marsh and Ravil Shirodkar/Bloomberg
the past week there has been a jump in demand for the 96.125 and 96.25 strikes, which has shown new risk via a popular call spread position. Meanwhile, there has been a large amount of liquidation over the past week seen in the 95.625 strike via decent open interest reductions in the Dec25 puts and Mar26 puts.
SOFR options heatmap
IN SOFR options across Sep25, Dec25 and Mar26 tenors, the 96.125 and 96.25 strikes have moved up to the third and fourth most populated strikes due to heavy demand over the past week for the SOFR Sep25 96.125/96.25 call spread, while the SOFR Sep25 96.00/96.125/96.25 call fly has also been a popular play and traded again on Monday. The aggressive positioning and elevated open interest around these call strikes in the September SOFR options looks to target pricing of additional Fed rate cut premium into the September FOMC beyond a standard 25
The White House didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on the 33-page filing, which was dated Aug. 12 and provided to the Office of Government Ethics. In an earlier financial disclosure report spanning his activity in 2024, Trump listed hundreds of bonds held in personal investment accounts that are separate from his business empire. The latter encompasses properties like his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago, his stake in Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. and crypto ventures that have added at least $620 million to his fortune in recent months, according to the Bloomberg index. Under federal ethics law, presidents aren’t required to divest assets that may pose conflicts of interest, but they have done so anyway. Trump is the first president to buck that since the law was passed in 1978. Bloomberg
basis-point move. Treasury options skew TREASURY options skew in the long-end of the curve has drifted toward favoring puts over the past week, indicating traders paying a higher premium to hedge a selloff in long-bond futures. Options skew in the frontend out to the intermediates, however, slightly favors call premium, indicating traders paying up to hedge a rally in this part of the curve. The options skew signals demand for steepener positioning via the options market.
CFTC futures positioning IN the week ended Aug. 12, CFTC data shows asset managers added to net long positions across most of the bond futures strip. Notable net long extension was seen in the long-end via long-bond and ultra-long bond futures. For hedge funds, they added to net short positions in 10-year note futures, while covering short positions in the long-bond contract. Bloomberg
Thursday, August 21, 2025
BusinessMirror
Sans revisions, tariff law to hurt rice production—DA
By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz and Ada Pelonia
THEDepartment of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday laid out its proposed amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), warning that the Philippines risks permanently weakening its own rice production capacity if the law remains unchanged.
During a hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. presented the recommendations, which seek to restore regulatory powers to the National Food Authority (NFA), give the government more control over rice importation, and strengthen measures to stabilize supply and prices for consumers while ensuring better protection for local farmers.
Without these revisions, he said the RTL could cause “long-term harm to local rice production.”
Under the proposed changes, rice importation would be regulated by
By Cai U. Ordinario
MORE Filipinos and other nationals from across Asia and the Pacific (APAC) are “drinking less” these days, according to the latest research from Nielsen IQ (NIQ).
In the Philippines, Filipinos who are drinking less increased to 42 percent of respondents. This is significantly higher than the 30-percent average recorded across APAC consumers.
Apart from the country, Australia and New Zealand also recorded higher rates of reduced drinking at 34 percent and 38 percent, respectively.
“APAC consumers are no longer drinking out of habit—they’re drinking with purpose. The shift toward mindful consumption is not a passing trend, but a cultural reset that’s redefining how, when and why people drink,” James Phillips, CGA by NIQ’s Head of On Premise, APAC, said in a statement. Phillips said the question now is whether this shift to moderation is going to be the new normal. If this is the case, he expressed concern for suppliers and manufacturers that are dependent on habitual drinking.
“It presents big challenges for suppliers, manufacturers and operators, including the need to cater for moderating guests without alienating core consumers. Brands that can gain a deep understanding of this complex recalibration and adapt nimbly will be the ones that stay relevant in the months and years ahead,” Phillips said. Apart from “drinking with purpose,” other motivations to moderation in drinking include the prioritization of wellbeing. The data showed 41 percent of those who said they are drinking less had listed a desire to be healthier.
Another reason is to reduce spending. NIQ noted that a “cost-of-living crisis” has prompted 25 percent of consumers who reduced their alcohol consumption to save money for a rainy day by drinking less. Further, among those drinking less alcohol, many are “turning to soft or hot drinks” as alternatives to alcoholic options.
This, NIQ said, is now creating new opportunities for suppliers, manufacturers and operators in no- and low-alcohol categories.
“While some are abstaining completely, the large majority continue to enjoy the unique social occasions of bars and restaurants. Nearly a third (31 percent) of those who are moderating consumption say they are now only drinking alcohol on special occasions—a figure that is higher in South Korea (38 percent) and Japan (41 percent),” NIQ said in a statement.
CGA, an international data and insight consultancy firm, said the research highlights the best ways to attract more consumers towards no or lowalcohol drinks.
It added that more competitive pricing, creative flavors and serves, menu visibility and recommen-
an Inter-Agency Council tasked with quarterly assessments of domestic and international trade trends. The council would determine the timing, volume, and variety of rice imports.
The DA chief said there is a need to tweak the country’s rice import strategies to prevent a glut, which pulls down farmgate prices.
Such a move is likened to the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) current import system, wherein allocations for eligible entities are based on the raw sugar volume they purchased from local farmers at a premium price. The initiative was part of the agency’s efforts to prop up farmgate prices
of the sweetener as well as the income of cane farmers.
“Rice importation shouldn’t be arbitrary. Allocation for shipments would be provided after they buy local palay,” he said during the hearing on Committee on Agriculture and Food.
Local government units (LGUs) would also be prohibited from purchasing imported rice in domestic markets and instead be encouraged to buy directly from local farmers under the Sagip Saka Act.
Other proposals
THE DA is pushing to restore the NFA’s regulatory authority, allowing it to register and maintain a national database of grain warehouses, conduct inspections, order seizures, impose administrative fines, and issue subpoenas. The agency would also regain the power to register, license, and collect fees from industry players.
The NFA would further be integrated into the Enforcement Group under the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act to act against rice-related violations.
To ensure stable supply and prevent quality deterioration, the NFA would be mandated to dispose of one-fourth of its rice stocks every month while
maintaining optimal buffer levels. This mechanism aims to reduce storage costs, replenish stocks regularly, and keep rice affordable for low-income consumers.
The proposal also requires maintaining at least nine days’ worth of rice inventory to sustain disaster relief programs and ensure food security during crises. NFA may also contract milling services from DA Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) recipients without public bidding.
Another key reform is the establishment of a palay floor price that reflects the actual buying price paid directly to individual farmers. This seeks to guarantee farmers fair compensation and shield them from market price manipulation.
The NFA would be given funding support to expand its personnel and modernize post-harvest facilities and logistics systems.
In addition, the proposal includes the establishment of a Rice Industry Development (RID) Office to coordinate all rice-related programs and policies. The RID Office would also serve as the secretariat of the Inter-Agency Council on Rice, overseeing import regulation, buffer stock management,
TBy Lenie Lectura @llectura
HE Department of Energy (DOE) has identified potential sites in Palawan where exploration activities of native hydrogen could be possible.
The agency said on Wednesday that it completed a reconnaissance survey in the Province of Palawan last August 12 to 15, marking the second leg of its nationwide initiative to assess the Philippines’ potential for native hydrogen.
A joint technical team from the Energy Resource Development Bureau (ERDB) and the Energy Research and Testing Laboratory Services (ERTLS) were deployed to investigate potential sites across Palawan.
The team collected critical water, gas, and rock samples from hot springs and outcrops in the Municipalities of Sofronio Española and Narra, and the City of Puerto Princesa.
Initial fieldwork results from sites such as Kay’s Hot Spring in Brgy. Sta. Lourdes, Puerto Princesa City, and Bato-Bato Hot Spring in Brgy. Calategas, Municipality of Narra revealed promising indicators of naturally occurring hydrogen.
The survey was conducted
with the support of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Mimaropa, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), and the Provincial, Municipal, City, and Barangay governments of Palawan. The samples will undergo laboratory analysis by the DOE to determine their potential and to guide the country’s broader strategy for harnessing indigenous clean energy resources. This activity follows the DOE’s first reconnaissance survey conducted in Zambales and Pangasinan in the past months which covered areas under the predetermined contract blocks offered in the 2024 Philippine Bid Round. The survey sites included the Mangatarem Hot Spring in Pangasinan and the Botolan Hot Spring. The initial survey provided baseline geological and environmental data to support service contractors in guiding exploration activities, helping determine priority areas and appropriate methodologies for clean energy development.
The Palawan, Zambales and Pangasinan surveys also serve as preparatory groundwork for the country’s first-ever specialized training on native hydrogen exploration, which will gather local and international technical experts later this year.
dations are among the factors most likely to generate extra orders.
CGA by NIQ works with food and beverage suppliers, consumer brand owners, wholesalers, government entities, pubs, bars, and restaurants to protect and shape the future of the On Premise experience. Using the most complete and clear understanding of measurement and insights, CGA by NIQ provides a competitive edge to guide winning strategies for On Premise businesses.
Filipino vice BASED on the National Income Accounts released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), household consumption of alcoholic beverages and tobacco contracted 1.5 percent in the second quarter of 2025.
This was a reversal from the 7.2 percent recorded in the first quarter of 2025 and the 4.8 percent posted a year ago or in the second quarter of 2024. Over a 25-year period, the peak of Filipino household’s consumption of alcoholic beverages and tobacco was recorded at 15.4 percent in the first quarter of 2025, three years after the enactment of Republic Act No. 10351 or the Sin Tax Law. The liquor ban that accompanied the lockdowns at the height of the pandemic brought the steepest decline in the consumption of alcoholic beverages and tobacco at a contraction of 41.2 percent in the second quarter of 2020. In January 2025, the Department of Finance (DOF) said given the decline in collections, it is willing to listen to all sides amid a clamor against suspending the annual increase of excise tax rates on tobacco.
Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said the DOF is open to listening to both the House and the Senate. House Bill (HB) 11279 seeks to temporarily suspend the 5-percent annual tax rate hike on cigarettes and other tobacco products until 2026. The legislation also proposed to unify the excise tax on all vapor products—regardless of nicotine content or formulation—to P60 per milliliter. A separate ad valorem tax of 20 percent will be imposed on electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery systems sold without accompanying liquid solutions. Sin Tax Coalition convenor Dr. Antonio Dans estimated that the proposed measure lowering tobacco taxes will result in P27.5 billion in foregone revenues from 2026 to 2030 if implemented. The reduced taxes will also increase the prevalence of smoking, adding 400,000 more smokers by 2030. The total number of cigarettes smoked will also go up by 4.8 percent and a 2.4 percent increase in smoking intensity (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/01/17/dofwilling-to-listen-to-all-sides-in-debate-on-halt-to-sin-tax-hikes/).
Fish unloading falls 13% in Q2
THE country’s fish unloading volume fell by around 13 percent in the second quarter as weather-related shocks hit fish ports nationwide.
According to the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), regional fish ports (RFPs) delivered 161,087.39 metric tons (MT) to consumers in April to June. This was lower than the 186,557.96 MT recorded in the same period last year.
“The decline can be attributed to adverse weather conditions, such as the extended northeast monsoon season,” PFDA told the BusinessMirror via email on Wednesday.
“In addition, several typhoons that struck the country during the said quarter may have disrupted fishing
operations and limited sea activities, further contributing to the decrease in fish unloading volume.”
The PFDA said the landed catch during the reference period was equivalent to an average daily unloading of 1,770.19 MT.
On a quarterly basis, the agency said the first quarter’s volume was 35.3 percent higher than the 119,063.77 MT posted in January to March 2025.
The PFDA also said the ports opened their doors to 19,548 vessels and serviced 8,834 clients and port users throughout the reference period. The RFPs recorded ice production of 10,045 MT in the reference period.
Furthermore, the agency noted that the volume of fishery and non-
fishery products processed reached 344.70 MT in the second quarter.
Output
MEANWHILE , the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) earlier noted that the country’s fisheries output dipped by 2.6 percent in the second quarter. Data from the PSA indicated that the volume of fisheries production in April to June reached 994,047 metric tons (MT), lower than the 1.02 million metric tons (MMT) in the previous year.
The state statistics agency noted that
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
Megawide H1 earnings dip on weak Apr-June results
By VG Cabuag @villygc
MEGAWIDE Construction
Corp. on Wednesday said its income slid to P436.41 million in the first half from the previous year’s P437.58 million due to its weak financial performance in the second quarter.
Consolidated revenues for the period fell 23 percent to P8.77 billion from the previous year’s P11.49 billion, as projects under construction enter the tail-end of the life cycle.
“Based on our performance in the first six months of the year, we are on track to outpace our net income from the previous year. This is also partly driven by the increasing contribution from our real estate business, which is steadily emerging as a new growth driver.
Other business segments are expected to complement our consolidated overall performance as we replenish our order book for EPC and precast and construction solutions from both external and internal cli-
ents,” Megawide chairman and CEO Edgar Saavedra said. For the second quarter alone, its income posted a steeper decline of 10 percent to P227.19 million, from the previous year’s P254.16 million, while revenues plunged 28 percent to P4.45 billion from P6.21 billion recorded in 2024.
In terms of segment, construction operations contributed P7.3 billion in the first half of the year and accounted for 85 percent of total consolidated revenues. The performance was traced to the winding down phase for a number of ongoing projects, which generally churn in lower revenues based on the S-Curve but deliver higher margins. Revenue from real estate opera-
tions amounted to P1.1 billion, more than 3 times from last year, due to ongoing projects, such as My Enso Lofts, The Hive, Northscapes, Modan Lofts, One Lancaster Park and Lykke Condo. Healthy sales at P1.7 billion for the first half, which were 64 percent higher year-on-year, brought unbooked revenues to a healthy level of P8.8 billion.
Landport operations, meanwhile, delivered P217 million in revenues, 6 percent more than the previous year, and contributed 3 percent to the total consolidated revenues. The segment benefitted from the steady influx of passengers in the terminal, which averaged 164,000 by endJune and translated to a higher spend per passenger at P34.7.
Commercial occupancy remained healthy at 98 percent while signed contracts for office spaces were at 47 percent.
As of end-June, Megawide’s construction order book ended at P37.7 billion, with new contracts amounting to P2 billion from Towers 2 and 3 of PH1 World Developers Inc.’s Modan Lofts Ortigas Hills and Citicore’s Lucanin Solar Power Plant, together with Battery Energy Storage Systems for Bolbok and Lumbangan solar plants.
The company said it is committed to venture into more scalable and socially responsive business platforms, such as the government’s flagship Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program, to leverage on its engineering and construction DNA and PCS advantage.
“Our foray into the 4PH is expected to help address the six million housing backlog and further harness synergies within the Group, by boosting the order book for both EPC and PCS from the internal front. Specifically, we broke ground for 4 new locations under the 4PH--two each in Bacoor and Dasmarinas. Together with our maiden project Avesta in Imus, PH1 is expected to deliver approximately 7,000 housing units from these projects in the next 2-3 years, in Cavite alone,” Saavedra said.
The company also recently broke ground for the Caticlan Airport Terminal last July, which it hopes to serve as springboard for other transport infrastructure projects in the future.
Megawide is currently bidding for high-value projects estimated at P20 billion, which will shore up its yearend order book to P50 billion.
Hotel101 to develop 2 Cambodia sites
HOTEL101 Global Holdings Corp., a unit of DoubleDragon Corp., has entered into definitive binding agreements to develop two sites for the hotel brand in Cambodia—in Phnom Penh and in the coastal city of Sihanoukville.
Hotel101 Phnom Penh is set to have about 700 rooms with 30 floors to rise in a prime 2,033 square meters commercial land at Tonle Bassac, a riverfront economic and cultural hub near the popular upscale Boeung Keng Kang District. Hotel101-Sihanoukville Cambodia, meanwhile, is set to have about 680 rooms to rise in a prime 4,623 square meters commercial land right beside the proposed international convention and exhibition center
within the master-planned Bay of Lights coastal development. The two sites are expected to generate $109.55 million in sales for Hotel101.
Cambodia is seen as a lucrative market for Hotel101 as the country was reported to have received a total of over 6.7 million international visitors in 2024, and is expected to further grow with the upcoming opening on September 9 of a brand new Techno International Airport (KTI) in Phnom Penh. Hotel101 in Cambodia is the sixth country entered by Hotel101 after the Philippines, Japan, Spain, United States and Saudi Arabia. This will form part of the long term goal of Hotel101 Global to
build a portfolio of 50,000 operating rooms in the Philippines, as part of the overall vision of 1 million operating Hotel101 rooms worldwide spread out across 100 countries globally.
Last May, DoubleDragon said its income more than tripled to P2.04 billion in the first three months of the year from the previous year’s P592.91 million.
The company said the increase was mainly a result of unrealized gains arising from changes in the fair values of investment properties during the period.
Gross revenues doubled to P4.45 billion in the first quarter from the previous year’s P2.05 billion. It booked unrealized gains from chang-
es in fair values of investment property of P1.9 billion due to the completion of projects during the period.
Rental revenues rose by 5 percent to P964.04 million from the previous year’s P919.27 million due to increase in occupancy and rental contributions from new properties.
Real estate sales, meanwhile, grew by 69 percent to P417.35 million from P247.13 million last year due to additional sales from Hotel101 and residential projects of the group especially real estate sales from Hotel101-Madrid and Hotel101-Niseko.
Hotel revenues inched up by 12 percent to P221.23 million from last year’s P197.34 million due to the increase in the occupancy rate of hotel properties. VG Cabuag
Pop Mart shares hit record as CEO announces new mini Labubu
SHARES of Chinese toy maker
Pop Mart International Group Ltd. rose the most in nearly four months on Wednesday, after Chief Executive Officer Wang Ning said the company could easily surpass its annual sales projection and announced plans to launch a new mini Labubu doll.
The stock climbed as much as 14 percent to HK$319.4, the highest level since the company went public in December 2020, and closed at HK$316. That reversed earlier losses of up to 4.7 percent, as some analysts flagged concerns about longer-term demand for Pop Mart’s popular characters.
Wang told an earnings call that even he’s been unable to accurately predict earnings growth amid a global collecting frenzy for Labubu dolls. He said that while earlier this year Pop Mart hoped sales to hit 20 billion yuan ($2.8 billion), he now feels 30 billion yuan “would be quite easy.” A new mini version of Labubu will be launched as soon as this week, Wang added, saying consumers can hang it on the mobile phone expecting it to be “a blockbuster,” without giving further details.
revenue increased 204 percent year-on-year to 13.88 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, according to a company statement Tuesday. That beat the average analyst estimate of 13.76 billion yuan and compared with 62 percent growth in the same period a year ago. Net income jumped 397 percent to 4.57 billion yuan.
stores
Govt sets sights on turning S. Cotabato into investment hub
facilitation and aftercare services.
TPop Mart is rac -
ing ahead with its global expansion plan, leveraging the worldwide craze over Labubus — plush toys that have turned into a pop culture phenomenon in Western markets, particularly the US. Its overseas revenue grew 440 percent to 5.6 billion yuan during the first six months of the year. Pop Mart expects total foreign store numbers to exceed 200 by year-end, up from its current 140, Co-Chief Operating Officer Moon
Duk II told the earnings call. Store expansion will remain fast in the US market in the next one to two years, fellow co-COO Si De said. Besides new products, the company is exploring other ways to lure consumers, including the design and plan for phase-II of its theme park Pop Land to animations and bakery stores, the company said during the briefing.
“We believe Pop Mart’s strong capability in IP incubation and operation and overseas expansion will continue to underpin its solid growth momentum” in the second half, Citigroup Inc. analysts including Lydia Ling wrote.
Others took a more cautious view. Pop Mart’s top intellectual property, including its Labubu dolls, “still see high uncertainties on long-term popularity,” Morningstar Inc. analyst Jeff Zhang said.
Net store growth in mainland China won’t exceed 10 this year, according to Wednesday’s call, as the company wants to focus on improving each existing store’s operations instead of aggressively expanding. Bloomberg News
By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan
HE Board of Investments (BOI) has forged its first-ever provincial partnership in Mindanao to help draw investments into South Cotabato, particularly in agribusiness and agro-industrial, manufacturing, and responsible mineral processing.
Last week, the investment promotion agency attached to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Provincial Government of South Cotabato (PGSC) have sealed a “landmark” Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to fasttrack strategic investments and position the province as a “premier” investment hub in Soccksargen.
Under the agreement, the BOI will provide technical and promotional support, including investor matching activities, assistance in enhancing the Local Investment Incentives Code (LIIC), and specialized training programs for “capacity building.”
In return, South Cotabato will maintain “updated investment data” and designate focal persons to ensure seamless coordination with BOI’s One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments (OSAC-SI).
According to BOI, the MOA signed is a “comprehensive” partnership focused on the implementation of the Green Lane Initiative under Executive Order 18, joint development and promotion of investment opportunities, and strengthening the role of local government units in investment
BOI Director for Investments Assistance Service (IAS) Ernesto C. Delos Reyes Jr. said this partnership signals the province’s commitment to enhancing its investment readiness and promoting sustainable, strategic economic growth.
The agency said South Cotabato’s investment landscape spans agribusiness and agro-industrial ventures, sustainable ecotourism, manufacturing, renewable energy, ICT, healthcare infrastructure, and responsible mineral processing.
Moreover, the province hosts global industry leaders like Dole Philippines Inc. and Biotech Farms Inc., and holds “substantial” mineral resources such as 2.2 billion tons of copper reserves and 2.4 million tons of gold deposits which “presents opportunities for responsible mining development aligned with sustainable practices.”
Meanwhile, South Cotabato’s tourism sector is home to “internationally recognized” attractions such as Lake Sebu and the Seven Falls Zipline, the highest in Southeast Asia, BOI noted. For his part, BOI Investments Assistance Center Executive Director Bobby G. Fondevilla said with the province’s “abundance of natural resources, strategic location in Mindanao, supportive local leadership, and steadily growing business climate, the province continues to position itself as a truly investmentready destination.”
POP Mart Park in Beijing, China, Friday, June 27, 2025. PHOTOGRAPHERBLOOMBERG/NA BIAN
Banking&Finance
‘Pamahiin’ in Banking
SUPERSTITIOUS belief (pama-
hiin) in banking: Is there such a thing? In this day of digitalization, do we “feeliennials”—I am a Gen Xer who feels like a millennial— still practice pamahiin?
Superstitions have long been an integral aspect of human culture, shaping behaviors and customs. Rooted in fear and mystery, these beliefs often reflect the desire to influence fate or avoid misfortune. Examining common superstitions can offer insights into cultural histories and shared human experiences.
With the arrival of August, it becomes pertinent to remain vigilant regarding any potentially ominous presences, as this period marks the observance of “Ghost Month.”
The “Ghost Month” is rooted in Taoism and Buddhism and occurs in the seventh month of the lunar calendar. This year, it runs from August 23 to September 21, with the “Ghost Festival” on September 6, marking the fifteenth day. Astrologer and Feng Shui Consultant Jean Yu Chua explains that this month is dedicated to honoring deceased loved ones, believed to become wandering spirits during this time. To avoid misfortune from these spirits, it’s important to show them respect.
In the Philippines, the “Ghost Month” is fervently observed, especially by businesses of all sizes, including financial institutions, which are often owned by Filipino-Chinese individuals. Traditionally, August is a month during which people tend to steer clear of:
n Making significant purchases, such as cars or houses
n Starting new businesses
n Hosting weddings or large celebrations
n Traveling long distances from home
Many businesses even choose to delay signing major contracts or launching new products during this period.
One of the most notable restrictions during this period is the prohibition of engaging in any financial transactions, including investing in stocks or initiating new business ventures.
Recto’s office among agencies warned by DBM of budget cuts
By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
WHowever, one may question whether this truly represents an unfavorable period for investors and businesses.
Historically, stock markets, including the Philippine market, have shown a downward trend with expected further declines. Many cultures, such as the Chinese, believe investing during this season is unwise and unlikely to bring luck or prosperity.
Kontrahin ang kamalasan (Defy fate)
A period of reduced business activity does not necessarily equate to a halt in progress. It is imperative to utilize this time for growth by implementing the following strategies:
n Reevaluate business strategies. Conduct a thorough assessment to identify effective and ineffective aspects of your operations. This midyear review is essential for optimizing business practices.
n Plan for the future. Develop strategic plans for the forthcoming peak season. Utilize this time to allocate necessary resources and specifically prepare holiday marketing initiatives.
n Strengthen employee engagement. Shift the focus from immediate deadlines to fostering connections within your team. Valuable insights are often derived from diverse perspectives, which can enhance overall performance.
n Craft your luck. Respecting the Management’s or business partners’ beliefs and practices is key to fostering good relationships, but don’t let that hinder your growth during this so-called “sluggish” period. Focus on acquiring new skills and exploring innovative tools to facilitate your growth as an entrepreneur.
For more information, visit www.bmap.org. ph or https://facebook.com/BankMarketingAssociationPH.
Judith C. Songlingco is the Head of Corporate Affairs and Brand Marketing at Philippine Business Bank (PBB) and the Secretary of the Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines (BMAP). She can be reached via judith.songlingco@yahoo.com. The writer’s views and her written piece do not necessarily reflect those of the BusinessMirror the PBB and the BMAP.
Japan’s Sumitomo unit buys into RCBC’s leasing arm
JBy Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
APAN-BASED Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co. Ltd. (SMFL) has acquired a 30-percent equity stake in RCBC Leasing and Finance Corp. (RLFC). A disclosure to the local bourse by RLFC parent Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC). The equity stake was acquired through a thirdparty share issuance.
“This new partnership brings together SMFL’s knowledge and expertise from its global presence with RLFC’s operations and RCBC’s local network to more effectively capitalize on the various opportunities arising from the Philippines’ strong economy,” read a statement issued by the RCBC. According to the Yuchengco-led lender, the transaction “aligns with the multi-franchise strategy” of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. (SMFG), which seeks to increase its presence in high-growth areas in the region.
The Japanese multinational financial services group identified the economies of India, Indonesia,
Vietnam, and the Philippines as growth areas for its new business bases. SMFG’s wholly-owned subsidiary Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC) its stake in RCBC two years ago. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/08/01/ japans-smbc-completes-purchase-ofrcbc-shares).
Earlier, Moody’s Ratings on affirmed the Baa3 credit ratings and ba1 Baseline Credit Assessment (BCA) of the RCBC (See: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2025/07/01/ rcbc-names-new-ceo-as-moodys-flagsasset-quality).
The debt watcher said as of March 2025, RCBC reported gross nonperforming loans (NPL) ratio increased to 4.3 percent from 3.5 percent a year earlier on the back of higher delinquencies in the small and medium enterprises (SME) borrower segment, as well as the bank’s credit cards portfolio.
Moody’s Ratings also said RCBC’s loan loss reserves as a percentage of stage 3 loans declined to 57.7 percent as of December 2024 from 64.1 percent a year earlier, lower than the average of 97 percent for rated Filipino banks.
HILE most government agencies performed very satisfactorily in 2024, a few posted unsatisfactory results that could lead to budget reductions if underperformance persists, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Based on the DBM’s 2024 Agency Performance Review (APR) Report, 181 out of 308 government agencies assessed obtained a “very satisfactory” rating. Of the total, however, 16 agencies registered an “unsatisfactory” performance last year.
These agencies include the Department of Finance’s Office of the Secretary, under Ralph G. Recto, and the Bureau of Customs. Others were the National Nutrition Council, the Department of Tourism’s Office of the Secretary, the Commission on
Higher Education, the Mindanao Development Authority and the Philippine Racing Commission.
Meanwhile, state universities and colleges (SUCs), such as the Philippine State College of Aeronautics, Rizal Technological University, Technological University of the Philippines, Apayao State College, Marinduque State College, Bicol University and Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology were also among those with “unsatisfactory” performance.
The Romblon State University posted a “poor” performance rating across all departments and agencies assessed.
Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman told reporters on the sidelines of the APR’s launch that the DBM reduces the budget of underperforming agencies.
“In our framework, when preparing the budget, one of the components is the agencies’ absorptive capacity,” Pangandaman said.
However, the Budget chief said that it would be better to sit down first with underperforming agencies and help them craft their catchup plans.
“If they cannot keep up, perhaps their existing projects could be removed, or they can identify other programs and projects that they can actually perform well in, or maybe those they know how to implement better,” Pangandaman said.
“We are here and ready to capacitate these agencies, offices and SUCs,” she added.
Despite several agencies being found to be underperforming, 14 government agencies were able to achieve an “outstanding” perfor -
mance in 2024. The Civil Service Commission (Proper), Foreign Service Institute, Games and Amusements Board, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, National Labor Relations Commission, National Wages and Productivity Commission, News and Information Bureau, Philippine Information Agency and Public Attorney’s Office were among those that received an “outstanding” rating. Four SUCs also displayed exceptional performance, such as Biliran Province State University, Cagayan State University, Davao del Sur State College and President Ramon Magsaysay State University. Building on the results of the report, the DBM urged agencies to strengthen their procurement systems, enhance submission reports and invest in program-level strategic planning to help in setting realistic targets, align resources and anticipate risks. The APR is an annual report by the DBM assessing the utilization of allocated funds to government agencies and performance of programs, activities and projects that are part of the National Expenditure Program.
GCash operator flags misrepresentation, illegal use
By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan
G-XCHANGE Inc., the operator of mobile wallet GCash, issued a warning last Wednesday against the misuse of fake and illegal payment accounts, particularly those linked to online gambling operators and other illicit activities.
A statement issued by the subsidiary of Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations Inc.) read that the company has no connection with illegal gambling entities. G-Xchange also cautioned that any site or group claiming otherwise is either “misrepresenting” GCash or “illegally” using its services.
“Illegal online gambling under-
mines financial integrity and public welfare. GCash has no links to illegal gambling operators, anyone connecting our brand to these sites is either misrepresenting us or illegally using our platform,” G-Xchange President and CEO Oscar Enrico A. Reyes Jr. was quoted as saying in the statement.
Reyes added that the company is employing “a zero-tolerance” policy against the unlawful use of its platform.
“We are working hand-in-hand with regulators and law enforcement to shut down illicit activity and protect our users,” he added.
The company reminded the public to be wary of QR scans shared through
random links, chat apps, or social media platforms, as well as “too-good-tobe-true” offers such as gaming credits or quick-cash schemes.
Users should also take caution if payment codes fail to display official merchant names or if transactions show a personal name instead of a verified merchant.
GCash advised customers to only scan QR codes from trusted merchants, double-check payment details before confirming transactions, and report suspicious activity through the in-app Help Center, hotline 2882, or the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s Consumer Protection channels. Reports may also be filed with the Police AntiCybercrime Group.
BIR files criminal cases vs vape traders for
THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has once again filed criminal cases before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against illicit vape traders who have evaded a total of nearly three-quarters of a billion pesos in taxes.
The BIR announced last Wednesday it had filed a total of 75 criminal complaints against various individuals and businesses involved in the illicit trade of vape products with a total tax liability of P711.3 million.
According to the BIR, the filing of cases arose from a series of enforcement operations it conducted nationwide, after these raids and
inspections revealed the rampant selling of untaxed vape.
The significant volumes of illicit vape products seized and confiscated from these operations do not carry the required internal revenue stamps and have no proper BIR registration.
Aside from the filing of cases in Manila, the BIR said 18 Revenue Regions in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao also simultaneously filed their own local criminal cases.
The BIR said this is part of the bureau’s “relentless campaign” against tax evasion and its “commitment” to ensure compliance of all establishments engaged in the vape trade.
The criminal complaints filed covered multiple violations of the Tax Code, including tax evasion, unlawful possession or removal of articles subject to excise tax without payment of the tax and failure to file excise tax returns. “The BIR has proven that it will file cases after the biggest illicit vape sellers such as the “Flava,” “Denkat,” “Flare” and “Tap Fog” brands. Today, due to the continuing disobedience of illicit vape retailers, they will suffer the same fate,” Lumagui was quoted in the statement as saying.
As part of its campaign, GCash said it immediately suspends accounts linked to illegal transactions, blocks the misuse of payment QR codes, and coordinates with regulators including the BSP, the AntiMoney Laundering Council, and law enforcement agencies. Since 2023, the platform has taken down more than 57,000 phishing sites and reported 916 illegal online gaming sites to authorities.
“GCash is committed to ensuring that Filipinos can transact with confidence and peace of mind. We will continue to strengthen our security systems and work closely with regulators and law enforcement to keep our platform safe,” the company said.
tax evasion
This latest set of filings follows previous enforcement efforts by the BIR against major players in the illicit vape trade. In April 2025, the bureau filed P8.7 billion worth of tax evasion cases against multiple large-scale illicit vape businesses, including brands Flava, Denkat, and Flare. Prior to this, in February 2024, courts issued warrants of arrest against big-fish vape seller Tap Fog and its conspirators, with an estimated tax liability of P1.2 billion.
“These landmark cases demonstrate the BIR’s commitment to holding big offenders accountable and protecting law-abiding businesses from unfair competition,” it said. Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
MUMBAI, India-based NTT Data Payment Services India Ltd. launched last Tuesday its digital payment solutions “Adaptis” targeting the Philippines’s local micro-sized, small-scale and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). “A significant portion of our actions, a main focus of our acceptance business, is essentially what percent of the companies that we approach are in the MSME category, and about 70 percent of them are new to cash, new to electronic payments,” NTT Data Payment Services Philippines Inc. CEO Jay Tirona said during the official launch in Makati City. By using “Adaptis,” Tirona said Philippines-domiciled MSMEs can have “the adaptability and flexibility” in dealing with their clients. He admitted to reporters they have yet to reach out to MSMEs outside Metro Manila as majority of them are still using the cash payment system. “Part of our mission is to educate
and, in educating, transform; and, as we transform, we partner,” Tirona told reporters. “It is also very important that the small and medium enterprises have access to these payment services, especially adoptees, because 99.5 percent of registered businesses are all MSMEs; and this is where the growth is.” NTT Data Services executives explained that the “Adaptis” suite of services includes five sub-brands: “In-Store,” for retail transactions; “e-Commerce,” for online payments; “Financing,” to support business growth; “Enterprise,” for scalable payment infrastructure; and, the “Adaptis VAS” to optimize business operations.
NTT Data Payment Services Group CEO Sean Hesh said they envisioned “Adaptis” as “a brand that is agile, inclusive, and built for the merchants of tomorrow.” Hesh claims the software suite “integrates our in-store, online, enterprise, and financing solutions into one powerful ecosystem, designed to grow with businesses, from sari-sari stores to
large enterprises.” Hesh told reporters they were inspired to create “Adaptis” by thousands of merchants from the MSME segment as well as multinational firms. He added tjat the key to their success and to the success of “Adaptis” would be for the company to listen to the clients and to deliver to them what is asked of NTT Data as a trusted partner.
“Like I said during my talk, it takes more than being a simple payment processor,” Hesh said. “We’ve got to be a trusted partner, and I think our clients would attest to the fact, and that’s the key idea to the success or providing payments to hundreds of companies.” Shinichiro Nishikawa, head of global payments and services division, NTT Data Japan, said in the panel discussion the company entered the local market because it is one of the most dynamic and fast-growing digital economies in Southeast Asia. Through “Adaptis,” he said the company is combining local insights with global standards and innovation from
NTT Data.
“This isn’t just a rebrand, it’s a reimagining of how payments can better serve banks, merchants, partners, and consumers across the country,” Nishikawa noted. Mynard Bryan R. Mojica, director of financial inclusion office of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), said the state of financial inclusion in
for Financial Inclusion,’ which is the roadmap to achieve financial inclusion in the Philippines.” He pointed out that the company’s solutions will help the MSMEs, especially the micro-sized businessmen and the small-scale entrepreneurs, in having a merchant account instead of using their personal account for their business transactions.
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Envoys&Expats
PHL, India ink Strategic Partnership alongside 13 landmark agreements
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
THE Philippines and India have officially strengthened their linkages into a Strategic Partnership, marking a major milestone as both countries mark 75 years of two-way ties.
On August 5, Foreign Affairs
Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro and Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar signed the Declaration on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership, witnessed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a statement released on the second day of President Marcos Jr.’s state visit to India from August 4 to 8, Lazaro and S. Jaishankar welcomed the steady growth in bilateral trade, which reached $3.3 billion in 2024 to 2025.
Both sides committed to expanding the basket of traded goods and services, facilitating two-way investments, and accelerating negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement or PTA.
To bolster these goals, senior officials will convene regular meetings that will resolve market access issues and strengthen integration with global supply chains.
Emerging sectors cited for collaboration are renewable energy and critical minerals; electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, robotics, as well as information and communications technology (ICT); biotechnology, creative industries, and startups; and also construction, shipbuilding, agriculture, and tourism.
India’s direct investments in the Philippines total $1.2 billion, with about $5 billion when routed through third countries. Key sectors include ICT services, healthcare, agriculture, textiles, fast-moving consumer goods, and chemicals.
The Strategic Partnership is anchored on a Plan of Action (2025–2029), covering political and defense cooperation; maritime security and regional stability; healthcare and pharmaceuticals; science, technology, and space; digital economy and financial technology or “fintech;” as well as culture, tourism and peopleto-people exchanges.
India is now the fifth country with which the Philippines has a Strategic Partnership, joining Japan, Vietnam, Australia, and South Korea.
Deepening two-way ties
MARCOS JR. and Modi witnessed the signing of 13 landmark agreements, including: mutual legal assistance and transfer of sentenced persons, terms for preferential trade agreement negotiations, military service staff talks, coast guard cooperation, space collaboration and cultural exchange, science and technology programs, plus digital innovation and tourism cooperation.
A joint declaration will reaffirm shared values and strategic alignment. Both countries pledged to promote a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific; uphold the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS and peaceful dispute resolution; strengthen cooperation on climate action, disaster resilience, and sustainable development, and support Asean centrality and multilateral engagement
For his part, the president announced the resumption of direct flights between Manila and Delhi
starting October 2025, aimed at boosting tourism and business travel.
India will grant free e-tourist visas to Filipino travelers, while the Philippines will offer visa-free entry to Indian nationals for up to 14 days.
To mark 75 years of diplomatic ties, both countries unveiled a joint stamp featuring the sampaguita and lotus, symbolizing friendship and shared heritage.
Health, space, infra, agriculture
THE Philippine leader also met with Indian Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda to explore collaboration in healthcare and pharmaceuticals.
India will assist the Philippines in developing a sovereign data cloud and expanding Digital Public Infrastructure. The Philippines’ PhilSys ID system, covering over 86 million Filipinos, currently uses India’s Mossip platform.
In space cooperation, Marcos Jr. expressed interest in India’s costeffective satellite programs for agriculture, disaster relief, and weather forecasting. India invited the Philippines to join the Information Fusion Center IUR for maritime domain awareness.
Meanwhile, India is implementing six Quick Impact Projects or QIPs in the Philippines, and has trained
over 1,000 Filipino officials under its capacity-building programs.
Discussions also covered Indian participation in regional airports, railway networks, and infrastructure development.
In agriculture, India presented an ultra-low glycemic rice variety developed at the International Rice Research Institute-South Asia Regional Center in Varanasi, first shared with Marcos Jr. in 2023.
Shared vision for regional stability, innovation INDIA reiterated its position on the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea, supporting freedom of navigation and adherence to international law. Marcos Jr. echoed the host nation’s stance on counterterrorism and defense modernization, including interest in platforms like the BrahMos missile.
For his part, Modi proposed a joint youth hackathon and offered India’s Gati Shakti platform for coordinated infrastructure planning. Both sides also discussed cooperation in green hydrogen, biofuels, waste management, and energy security.
The Chief Executive described his state visit to India as “one of the most productive and constructive,” confident that the Strategic Partnership will unlock new avenues for cooperation and inclusive development.
US-Asean Business Council leads largest-ever delegation to Manila
THE US-Asean Business Council (USABC) successfully held its 2025 Philippines Business Mission—its annual flagship business-to-government engagement program—from August 11 to 14. With a total of 35 US companies, this marked the largest ever USABC business mission to the Philippines. It was jointly led by Ambassador Ted Osius (ret.) who is the council’s senior vice president and regional managing director, as well as its Philippines Committee co-chairs represented by Stephen Braim who is the vice president for Government & Regulatory Affairs-Asia Pacific at IBM, and Paul Favila who is the managing director and CEO of Citi Philippines.
According to USABC, this year’s business mission was “built on a pivotal moment in US-Philippines relations, marked by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s
recent visit to the White House.”
T he council conducted the event back-to-back with an Aerospace, Defense, and Security Mission to the Philippines from August 14 to 15 also in Metro Manila. The industry mission marked the USABC’s largest-ever ADS delegation to the country, represented by 26 leading US firms across the defense and security sectors. With close to 60 companies joining this historic back-to-back business missions, the US private sector demonstrates its steady, deep and enduring commitment to the Philippines as a key partner in the region” said Osius. “[The relationship of both countries] is a unique one, and our delegation reflects our collective commitment to supporting the Philippines’ long-term economic growth, innovation, and regional competitiveness.”
T he delegation began its mission with a meeting at the Malacañan Palace with Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick D. Go, alongside Trade and Industry Secretary Ma. Cristina Aldeguer-Roque. US business executives reaffirmed their commitment to expanding investments and upskilling efforts in the Philippines.
We are pleased to welcome the record turnout of the USABC mission to the Philippines, which affirms the strength of our economic partnership and the confidence of US businesses in the country’s investment climate,” said Go. “This engagement opens new avenues for strategic public-private partnerships that leverage our countries’ complementary strengths in key industries: electronics and semiconductors, food and agriculture,
Philippines, Lao PDR mark 70 years of ties with renewed JCBC commitments
People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepen cooperation in defense, security, trade, and economic relations during their meeting in Manila on August 13 for both countries’ Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation.
Highlighting a common vision for a stronger, more resilient, and forward-looking Southeast Asian region, they discussed a wide range of collaborative areas. Central to their dialogue was the mutual goal of boosting trade and economic ties while jointly addressing pressing regional security challenges.
As a long-standing development partner of Lao PDR, the Philippines
reiterated its commitment to support the country's national development priorities. This includes continued cooperation in human resource development, promotion of gender equality and women empowerment, and elevated trade and investment relations.
For its part, Lao PDR pledged closer collaboration with the Philippines in combating transnational crimes and addressing the alarming rise in human trafficking across the region. The agenda also included discussions on cooperation in energy, agriculture, information and communications technology, and education.
The meeting concluded with the launch of a commemorative logo marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Lao PDR, established on January 14, 1955.
THE Philippine version of Spectee Pro was successfully launched on August 14, co-hosted by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and Spectee Inc.
pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, and digitalization. We stand ready to assist US companies expand their presence in the Philippines and participate in the country's promising growth story.”
Ambassador MaryKay Carlson also hosted the delegation at a reception in the US Ambassador’s residence, with more than 155 leaders from government, business, and the diplomatic community in attendance.
Gu ided by the theme “Advancing Inclusive Growth Through Strategic and Resilient Partnerships,” the delegation demonstrated its commitment to supporting the Philippines through public-private collaboration in key areas such as regulatory reform, workforce development, navigating global trade dynamics, and preparations for the country’s Asean chairmanship in 2026.
The event gathered key government officials, local government unit representatives, media, and technology experts as it marked a new milestone in disaster risk management in the Philippines, and brought Japanese Innovation to LGUs and national agencies.
In his opening remarks, Spectee Inc. founder and CEO Kenjiro Murakami reflected on the company’s journey since its founding in 2011, inspired by the Great East Japan Earthquake. He spoke of Spectee’s evolution from being a domestic service to its global expansion, as the launch symbolized a major step in bringing cutting-edge Japanese disaster management technology to the Philippines.
As an artificial intelligence (AI)powered real-time disaster-risk management platform, Spectee Pro, is currently in free trial subscription by 120 users from Philippine government agencies and LGUs. Case studies were presented by the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD), Quezon City, Caloocan City, Pasig City and LapuLapu City, highlighting its effectiveness in rapid information gathering and decision-making. The program also featured messages of support from JICA Philippines’ Chief Representative Takashi Baba, the Embassy of Japan’s Minister for Economic Affairs Naobumi Yokota and Asec. Miguel Luis Planas of DICT.
A highlight of the event was the discussion on JICA’s new approach to partnering with Japanese startups possessing advanced problem-solving technologies. Unlike traditional government-based official development assistance or ODA projects, business-driven collaborations are expected to keep providing value to society with sustainability. With a mission to "visualize crises," Spectee Inc. provides an AI-driven, real-time disaster and crisis management service in Spectee Pro. It analyzes vast amounts of data from social media, weather reports, car-navigation systems, and live road/river cameras to collect, visualize and predict disaster and risk information globally. Such capabilities allow for swift and informed responses to a wide range of crises, according to the company’s officials.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos (right) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi FB: PCO
JICA Philippines’ Chief Representative Takashi Baba (from left), Spectee Inc. founder-CEO Kenjiro Murakami and COO Satoshi Negoro MIKE POLICARPIO
MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane and Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro
ECRETARY of Foreign Affairs
Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro and Lao
THE delegation with Secretary Frederick Go (seventh from right)
Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz
Batangas battles alarming heart attack mortality with first-of-its-kind response system
By Anne Ruth Dela Cruz
LIPA CITY—In Batangas, a heart attack is not just a medical emergency; it is often a fatal race against time. The province currently holds the highest mortality rate from heart attacks in Region 4A, with coronary artery disease accounting for nearly one in three deaths. This figure is higher than Metro Manila’s and underscores a silent crisis that has claimed thousands of Batangueños.
The deadly reality is rooted in access. With only one hospital in the province equipped with advanced cardiac care facilities, patients often spend precious minutes, sometimes hours, before reaching the right treatment center. Those lost minutes can mean irreversible damage or death.
The urgency is further amplified by national data. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the Philippines, claiming 85,868 lives in 2024, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. But in Batangas, the toll is disproportionately higher, making it a hotspot for cardiac-related mortality in Southern Luzon.
It is against this backdrop that Mary Mediatrix Medical Center (MMMC), through the vision of Dr. Ariel A. Miranda, adult interventional cardiologist, together with Dr. Joselito Ramos, Dr. Charlies Esteban, Dr. Romula Rosita, and Dr. Charles Tabora, launched the Code HB (Heart of Batangas STEMI Network). This pioneering program is the first of its kind in the Philippines and is designed specifically to cut through the province’s deadly odds.
A race against time
BATANGAS was chosen as the pilot site precisely because of its high heart disease mortality rate and the difficulties patients face in accessing specialized care,” Dr. Miranda explained during the program launch.
The Code HB program adopts the “hub-and-spoke” model used in coun -
AT the MOA signing were, standing from left, Christo Rey Taño, MMMC Corporate Affairs Director; Dr. Donna Ricca Hornilla, Dr. Ariel Miranda, Dr. Charlies Esteban, Dr. Joselito Ramos-MMMC Interventional Cardiologists; Dr. Aileen Reyes, CTSMC Medical Director and Dr. Liberty Bagting, Christ The Savior Medical Center Hospital Administrator. Seated are, from left, Dr. Edna Laroza, Bauan Doctors General Hospital Hospital Administrator; Dr.
of Nazareth Hospital Hospital Administrator; Dr. Loralie Evangeline Perez - Miranda, St. Patrick’s Hospital and Medical Center
MMMC Medical Director; Allan Almazar, MMMC Senior Vice President for Operations; Lipa City Mayor Eric Africa; Dr.
Director; Luisa Liza Bagsit, Christ The Savior Medical
tries such as Thailand and Malaysia. In this system, smaller hospitals (the spokes) are trained and equipped to recognize and immediately stabilize heart attack patients before transferring them to the central hub, MMMC, where advanced interventions can be performed.
MMMC is home to Batangas’ only state-of-the-art Heart Institute, complete with two cardiac catheterization laboratories. In 2024 alone, its specialists performed 1,200 angiograms and 600 angioplasties, cementing its role as the primary cardiac hub for the province.
Early results, tangible gains
THE model is already showing encouraging outcomes. Before Code HB, only about 30 percent of patients nationwide were able to undergo reperfusion—the critical procedure to restore blood flow during a heart attack. In Batangas, Code HB raised this rate to 50 to 60 percent in its first five years, and, after PhilHealth revised its case rates, the number soared to 90 percent.
This leap was made possible after years of lobbying led to PhilHealth Circular No. 2024-0032, which dramatically increased financial support for cardiac interventions. Coverage for percutaneous coronary intervention
Dr.
rose from P30,300 to P524,000, removing one of the biggest barriers for patients in Batangas—affordability.
“With this in place, MMMC can now work closely with other hospitals to ensure no patient is left behind simply because they cannot afford treatment,” Dr. Miranda said.
Building a network of lifesaving care ON August 11, 2025, MMMC formalized partnerships with six hospitals in Batangas: Bauan Doctors General Hospital, Jesus of Nazareth Hospital, St. Patrick’s Hospital Medical Center, Christ the Savior Medical Center, Sto. Rosario Hospital, and Ospital ng Lipa. These partnerships represent the formal rollout of the Code HB huband-spoke model across the province most in need.
Dr. Miranda emphasized that MMMC will serve as a “big brother” to its partner hospitals. “We will help them diagnose, stabilize, and facilitate treatment, so patients no longer lose critical hours in the wrong facility,” he said.
But expanding access is only half the battle. Raising awareness is equally critical. Allan Almazar, Senior Vice President for Operations of MMMC, shared the story of a man who lost his uncle to a heart attack because he did
Breastmilk is still best for baby–WHO, DOH
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
BREASTFEEDING has numerous health benefits for both the baby and the mother.
Pursuant to Republic Act 10028 otherwise known as the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009, August has been declared as National Breastfeeding Month.
The Department of Health (DOH) has been actively promoting breastfeeding as the ideal way to nourish infants. Mula kay nanay, kay baby, sa pami -
CSMC,
Tlya, hanggang sa komunidad—may hatid na benepisyo ang eksklusibong pagpapasuso [From mother to baby, family to community—exclusive breastfeeding brings benefits.],” the DOH said.
Breastfeeding initiation
DATA from the DOH, however, revealed that breastfeeding initiation in the country is at 57 percent.
Meanwhile, exclusive breastfeeding is at 60 percent.
The DOH has adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) guidance recommending exclusive breast -
feeding for the first six months of an infant’s life.
It is recommended breastfeeding should continue beyond six months, alongside the introduction of appropriate solid foods.
Ideal food
WHO stressed that breastmilk is the ideal food for infants—safe, clean, and contains antibodies which help protect against many common childhood illnesses.
“Breastmilk provides all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for
Archdiocese of Manila extend lease agreement
By Candy P. Dalizon Contributor
HE Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila (RCAM), through its property management arm Philippine Realty Corporation (Philrealty), and Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC), through the Colinas Verdes Hospital Managers Corporation, have officially extended their lease agreement for 15 more years. The new agreement moves the expiration date from 2029 to 2044. The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement coincided with CSMC’s 51st anniversary celebration, held on August 14, 2025.
Exceptional healthcare
THE new agreement secures CSMC’s long-term sustainability, allowing the hospital to continue providing exceptional, innovative, and first-rate healthcare services to its patients.
“Rooted in service, rooted in values, built on trust, and strengthened by time.
&
not know MMMC had a Cathlab. “Some patients still ask to be brought to the nearest hospital with an ICU instead of a Cathlab, not realizing that delays cost lives. The critical window for reperfusion is only 180 minutes, and many lose that chance,” Almazar said.
A vision beyond Batangas
THE roots of Code HB trace back to the vision of MMMC founder Dr. Vicente Magsino and his colleague Dr. Homobono Calleja, both renowned cardiologists who foresaw the urgent need for a cardiac-focused hospital in Southern Luzon. Their progressive vision has now blossomed into a lifesaving network that could soon extend beyond Batangas.
MMMC is already laying the groundwork to expand Code HB to neighboring provinces such as Laguna, Quezon, and Mindoro. The hospital is also planning a provincewide public information campaign to educate communities on recognizing early signs of a heart attack and knowing where the nearest Cathlab is located.
“Our vision is simple,” Dr. Miranda said. “No Batangueño—and no Filipino in Southern Luzon—should die from a heart attack simply because they couldn’t get the right care in time.”
the first months of life, and it continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one third during the second year of life,” WHO said.
Also, WHO added, breastfed children perform better on intelligence tests, are less likely to be overweight or obese and less prone to diabetes later in life.
Some of the benefits of breastfeeding include:
n Reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer for the mother n Baby will be protected against illnesses
n Savings for the family
n Healthy community
Manila, led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), which formalized the new lease. They were joined by other top officials from both organizations.
Rainy season brings about its share of skin ailments–expert
By Rory Visco | Contributor
THE rainy season not only brings about floods and heavy traffic; it also brings about itchy rashes and dangerous skin infections.
“People often focus on staying dry to avoid colds or dengue, but skin health is just as vulnerable during the rainy season,” says Dr. Maria Jasmin Jamora, President of the Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS), in an email interview with the BusinessMirror . “Many don’t realize that wet conditions can create the perfect environment for fungal infections to thrive.”
Dangers of dampness
AMONG the most common skin concerns during the wet season is tinea pedis, or athlete’s foot. According to Dr. Jamora, “this is especially common among people who have walked through floodwaters or whose feet are chronically exposed to wet environments.” Athlete’s foot may seem minor, but it can lead to skin fissures that become entry points for bacteria, and in the Philippines, that includes the serious bacterial infection leptospirosis.
The environmental factors are all too familiar, like high humidity, standing water, and prolonged exposure to wet surfaces. “People who are regularly in contact with water like farmers, athletes, laundry workers, and anyone who wears thick socks or closed footwear for long hours are particularly prone,” she noted.
Other fungal-related conditions triggered by these damp conditions include ringworm and fungal acne (often referred to as “backne”). These thrive on sweaty skin and often go unchecked until they become harder to treat.
So, what can Filipinos do to protect their skin during the wet season? “The most basic approach to common conditions like athlete’s foot, ringworm, or fungal acne is hygiene,” Dr. Jamora advises. “A good way to approach this is to bathe when you get home before sleeping. Don’t allow sweat to stay on your body overnight—it gives fungus a chance to grow on the skin, especially the feet and back.”
She recommends bathing twice daily with mild soap and keeping skin and especially the feet to be clean and
dry. “Clean well between toes and make sure your feet are dry before going to bed,” she adds. For those dealing with excessive sweating, over-the-counter (OTC) solutions can help. “Try antiperspirants or powders to keep the back dry. For athlete’s foot and ringworm, there are many OTC anti-fungal creams available. Apply them twice daily for two weeks. But if there’s no improvement, consult a licensed physician or, ideally, a board-certified dermatologist.” Floodwaters and Fungal Acne A PARTICULAR concern during rainy season is fungal acne, which often gets mistaken for traditional acne. “Traditional acne affects the face, particularly the T-zone, and is common among teens,” Dr. Jamora explains. “Fungal acne, on the other hand, is caused by the Malassezia fungus. It usually appears on the shoulders, neck, chest, and back as small papules and pustules. It’s usually triggered by sweat that isn’t washed off in time and doesn’t typically affect the face.” While fungal acne may look harmless, leaving it untreated can worsen the infection and lead to discomfort.
Preventing these conditions is all about everyday habits. Dr. Jamora shares a few rainy season musts like avoiding walking through floodwaters or wearing of high-cut rubber boots. If exposed to floodwaters, consult a doctor first about taking doxycycline prophylaxis to prevent leptospirosis. She also advised to keep cool and dry in humid areas like carrying a personal fan or staying in shaded areas, and it’s totally okay to shower again after sweating. “Bathing at night is essential to remove sweat accumulated during the day.” If heading out in the rain, bring a raincoat, umbrella, small towel, and a change of clothes to avoid prolonged wetness.
“Healthy skin isn’t just about appearance,” Dr. Jamora emphasized. “It’s about protecting yourself from infections and improving your quality of life, especially during seasons when the risk is higher.”
And when in doubt? “The best thing you can do for your skin,” Dr. Jamora says, “is to see a board-certified dermatologist. Don’t self-diagnose or wait too long—early treatment is always best.”
Services provider launches own integrated health hub for employees
By Rizal Raoul Reyes Contributor
GLOBAL technology and services provider Concentrix recently launched KALIX, a company-built and fully managed integrated health hub designed to serve its people and eligible dependents.
“We take this responsibility, this partnership, seriously. And we remain committed to upholding the ideas and values that guide both our institutions,” he added. Founded before World War II by the Maryknoll Sisters as St. Paul’s Hospital of Manila, CSMC was rebuilt after being destroyed during the war. Financial aid was initially provided by the US-Philippines War Damage Commission and was later supplemented by the RCAM, led by Archbishop Rufino Cardinal Santos, to counter post-war inflation.
Reopening, renaming THE hospital reopened as Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital on August 15, 1974, in honor of the country’s first cardinal. On August 1, 1988, it was renamed Cardinal Santos Medical Center and was managed by Hospital Managers, Inc. (HMI) for over two decades. The hospital’s management was then handed over to the Colinas
I would like to thank his eminence, Cardinal Advincula, for his continued trust and support. Our gratitude, as well, goes to the Archdiocese of Manila for choosing once more to walk with us, with all of you, on this journey,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan, Chairman of Colinas Verdes Hospital Managers Corporation.
Verdes Hospital Managers Corporation (CVHMC) on August 15, 2008, under the leadership of Pangilinan.
For his part, Cardinal Jose Fuerte Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, said under Colinas Verdes’ management, the hospital has become one of the premier hospitals not only in the country but also in the region.
“Through the division of Cardinal Santos, the developments have also focused on those most in need of proper healthcare, the indigents. Colinas Verdes has significantly improved services for this vulnerable population.”
“It has also provided excellent care for our bishops, clergy, persons in consecrated life, catechists, and lay employees. Let me express our heartfelt gratitude to Colinas Verdes for all they do for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila and for the donation which greatly helps sustain our mission,” said Cardinal Advincula.
MOA signing CARDINAL Advincula, Pangilinan, CSMC President and CEO Raul C. Pagdanganan, and Msgr. Reginald R. Malicdem, Vicar General and Moderator Curiae of the Archdiocese of
Pagdanganan said the extension agreement serves as an affirmation of the Archdiocese of Manila’s continued commitment to supporting institutions that provide vital services to the people and community.
“We stand humbled, honored, and deeply grateful to the Philippine Realty Corporation and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila. Your trust and partnership empower us to pursue sustainable innovations that elevate Cardinal Santos Medical Center,” he said.
“We are thankful, too, for the affirmations we receive every day from our stakeholders, the patients, our doctors, and our community. Their words of grace like, I can still vividly remember, Cardinal Advincula even said one time to me, Umayos, gumanda, magaling. They are just more than compliments. They are blessings and reminders that our commitment is bearing fruit,” said Pagdanganan.
He shared that the renewed agreement is more than just a formal commitment; it is a sacred testament to their mission of serving the unserved and underserved with unwavering love and compassion.
Amit Jagga, EVP and CEO of Concetrix Philippines said the establishment of the P123 million KALIX is designed to provide quality healthcare for eligible employees, called game changers, as well as their families. A new and innovative strategy, Jagga said KALIX is a fully integrated health hub that will offer primary care, multi-specialty consultations and clinic services, diagnostics, physical therapy, and heart screenings.
Inspired by the Filipino words “kalusugan” health and “kalinga (care), combined with “ix” for intelligent experience, the center, which is located in Exxa in Bridgetown, is designed to provide fully integrated and free primary healthcare to about game changers and their dependents.
“Like any other investment, you want to see the success of the investment by opening the first KALIX clinic or the primary clinic in the Bridgetown campus, where we have lots of staff members being changed and their dependents,” Jagga said in a press briefing during the launch of KALIX in Bridgetowne.
“KALIX, as a first-of-its-kind initiative, demonstrates that challenging the status quo makes a difference. We know that health and wellness are big priorities and potentially financially challenging for our eligible game changers and their dependents, so KALIX providing free, centralized, fast but personal care is empowering for everyone. It’s truly a holistic wellness
initiative,“ said Concentrix Philippines vice president for People Solutions Hazel Banas. Fundamental DNA JAGGA said looking out for the well-being of the staff has been part of the company’s fundamental DNA. He said putting up KALIX is timely since “we were struggling a little bit because of the fragmented experience of our game changers.” Banas said KALIX will also be putting a lot of focus and attention in driving mental wellness as well. She added the company has been hiring a lot of psychiatrists and psychologists to provide a better mental well-being situation for their game changers. Jagga said Concentrix plans to expand KALIX but it wants initially to assess and evaluate the performance of the first KALIX.
“Our plan is definitely to expand, but we want to test out the idea first and also learn through the business process because it’s important for any new initiative that you first get your lessons learned and then understand,” said Jagga. “And that’s why we have started with one. But once we create the business case and the success of the first one, we will expand very quickly to motor projects as well, and outside of Metro Manila,” Jagga added. Banas said there are future plans to offer virtual services. Although it is not part of their services in the current setup, Banas said offering virtual services can be an option in the future. “Actually, we wanted to make sure that we go live first, secure all the necessary requirements input and ensure that our operation would run,” she said. Overall, KALIX will serve about 20,000 end-users. If it includes the family
Rachel Dominguez, Jesus
President
CEO; Dr. Rommel Lojo,
Imelda Siasoco, Ospital ng Lipa Medical
Center President; and
Donna Maderazo, Sto. Rosario Hospital Assistant Hospital Administrator.
Maybank, Microsoft partner to Accelerate Digital Transformation, AI-Driven Innovation
Maybank, Malaysia’s leading financial services group, has entered into a strategic partnership with Microsoft, to accelerate its digital transformation journey and reinforce its commitment in enhancing customer experience. This will see Maybank embracing the power of Microsoft’s collaboration suite, cloud, AI, and security capabilities to drive customer centricity, enhance operational agility, and foster a culture of continued innovation. This partnership is for a value of approximately RM1.0 billion over five years, which would include upgrade of existing capabilities to Microsoft 365.
At the heart of this partnership, Maybank will adopt Microsoft Azure as one of the main cloud platforms for some of its most strategic systems, functions and data workloads. This move provides Maybank with a state of the art scalable, resilient, and secure foundation, enabling real-time data analytics, faster deployment of new services, and significant operational efficiencies.
To further amplify productivity and intelligence, Maybank will rollout Microsoft 365 Copilot across all its 44,000 employees. This integration will empower Maybank personnel with expansive AI-powered capabilities. Out of the box, Microsoft 365 Copilot
Sunshine Place conducts Watercolor Masterclass Series on Food Still Life
This workshop progresses your watercolor skills by focusing on depicting food subjects, enhancing your artistic journey with this versatile medium.
You will be guided through a series of lessons designed to enhance your skills and creativity in capturing the beauty of food through the versatile medium of watercolor. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artist looking to refine your technique, this class will provide you with the essential knowledge and hands-on experience needed to create stunning food still life paintings.
Jen Consumido, a professional watercolor artist will share his insights, tips, and techniques to help you create vibrant, realistic, and visually appealing compositions using large format watercolor paper (half imperial size 15” x 22”). Consumido is a self-taught artist who does his work in every medium available, but is presently seriously attached into watercolor painting. Through the years he strived to learn and hone his visual skills by continuously exploring and practicing every technique there is.
And up to these days he keeps on exploring and experimenting as he believes that the art is a continuous learning process, as in any other field of practice.
Open to individuals of all skill levels but with basic drawing skills will be helpful to the class.
CLASS SCHEDULE
9 Sessions Saturdays, August 16 – Oct 11, 2025
2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
9 Sessions Full Course Rate: * Senior Rate: P 9,600.00
acts as an intelligent assistant that can offload complex tasks from the employees. Microsoft 365 Copilot will also enable Maybankers to innovate further and drive improvement in the overall customer experience, in efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
Recognizing the paramount importance of trust and security in the financial sector, the partnership also involves leveraging Microsoft’s advanced security tools. Maybank will enhance its existing cybersecurity posture with Microsoft’s industry-leading solutions and ensure robust data protection.
Beyond technological adoption, this collaboration is a strategic investment to further empower Maybank’s most valuable asset: its people. The partnership will explore the establishment of a Center of Excellence for both companies to collaborate on developing cloud and AIpowered innovation, and in nurturing inhouse talents in these areas.
Dato’ Sri Khairussaleh Ramli, President & Group CEO, Maybank said, “This strategic partnership with Microsoft is a leap forward in our digital transformation journey beyond
Honda Philippines Inc.
our M25+ strategy. It’s not just about technology; it’s about thinking ahead on how we can better serve our customers, improving our ways of working, and accelerating innovations. With the right technology strengthening our core parts of our business, we are building a truly agile, faster, and more competitive environment for sustainable growth and long-term value creation for all our stakeholders and customers.”
Mayank Wadhwa, President, Microsoft ASEAN, shared, “Malaysia stands at a pivotal moment in its digital journey, and Maybank is leading by example. By embedding intelligence into the core of financial services, Maybank is transforming how it serves its customers while setting a powerful example for the industry across ASEAN. At Microsoft, we are committed to supporting this bold vision, one that humanises innovation, empowers people, and accelerates inclusive economic growth for the region.”
This partnership will cover Maybank’s presence across ASEAN and beyond, and further underscores Maybank’s commitment to drive digitalisation and AI adoption in ASEAN.
Celebrates 9-Millionth Unit of Motorcycle Production Milestone
Honda Philippines, Inc. (HPI) reinforces its leadership in the industry as the company celebrates an important milestone. This year, HPI marks the production of its 9 millionth motorcycle unit through a ceremony that was held at HPI Batangas. The event was presided by Takeshi Kobayashi, President of Honda Philippines Inc. attended by members of HPI’s Executive Committee and special guests Akira Koimai, Executive Vice President of Asian Honda Company Ltd.
As the leading motorcycle manufacturer in the country, Honda’s 9-million-unit production milestone strengthens its mission of bringing the joy of mobility and riding comfort to every Filipino as well as its commitment to providing high quality, reliable and environment friendly motorcycles that have become a cornerstone of Filipino transportation. The company’s motorcycles cater to various needs, including commuting, solo use and leisure for those seeking a user-friendly riding experience.
“HPI achieved the highest monthly wholesale record of 97,600 units last July 2025. Considering the positive momentum, we are confident that we can achieve more than 1 million units this year,” said Kobayashi.
HPI’s 9 millionth units produced further strengthens the company’s impact on the Filipino’s mobility further underscoring the Filipino’s strong brand loyalty. The ceremony also highlights the contribution of the XRM125 DS model. This motorcycle is the ultimate in extreme performance and is engineered to dominate all road conditions, from rugged terrain to city streets. It has been in production since 2007 proving to be a popular product among its customers both here and abroad.
The Philippine motorcycle market is expected to grow with the continuous demand for Honda products. Thus, HPI aims to go beyond one million sales and production volume through a proactive and aggressive response with production efficiency and capacity.
TP links up with COMELEC
515-5656
E. hello@sunshineplaceph.com
The nine millionth production milestone was a testament to Honda’s success, highlighting its strong business partnerships, stakeholders, and most importantly, its
TP, COMELEC partner to empower voters through inclusive registration
TP, a global leader in digital business services, partners with the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to implement the latter’s Special Register Anywhere Program (SRAP). TP hosted an on-site voter registration drive at TP Aura, successfully processing hundreds of TP employees along with their family members.
In preparation for the December 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, SRAP is helping bring voter registration closer to qualified individuals, particularly those working in round-the-clock schedules, by setting up satellite registration activities in select institutions.
This initiative aims to encourage broader participation in the electoral process, and helps reinforce the organization’s top spot as one of the most preferred employers in the IT-BPM industry, which is substantiated further by TP’s eighth consecutive Great Place
to Work® certification.
“This partnership with COMELEC is aligned with our people-first culture at TP. We are proud to provide opportunities that go beyond the workplace, enabling our employees and their families to take part in civic activities that truly matter. It’s initiatives like these that reinforce our role not just as an employer of choice, but as a committed community partner,” Jeffrey Johnson, Chief People Officer of TP in the Philippines.
“We at TP are proud to be part of this endeavor, and we extend our support to COMELEC and all participating partners for the successful implementation of the SRAP. May this initiative strengthen our democratic institutions and encourage a new generation of voters to be active stakeholders in our nation’s future,” TP in the Philippines Vice President of Human Resources Rachel Cacabelos added.
NUSTAR Resort & Casino Cebu sets the rhythm for Wellness in Cebu this September
NUSTAR Resort & Casino Cebu proudly unveils “Rhythms of Wellness,” a monthlong celebration throughout September 2025 dedicated to holistic well-being. With the vision to establish NUSTAR as a leading wellness and lifestyle destination and a key driver for sports tourism in Cebu, this campaign aims to unite Cebu’s diverse wellness, sports, and lifestyle communities through meaningful partnerships and experiences.
For more information, 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.
In the photo are, from left, Maria Fe Quijano, HPI Assistant Vice President-Finance Division; Motomasa Komori HPI Vice President-Finance Division; Kohei Yamamoto, HPI Executive Vice President-Manufacturing Division; Akira Koimai, Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd – Executive Vice President; Takeshi Kobayashi, HPI President; Jomel Jerezo, HPI Vice President-MC Sales & Marketing Division; and Juan Gerry Datario, HPI Assistant Vice President Administration Division valued and loyal Filipino customers. Honda’s commitment to providing the joy of mobility and comfort to all its customers remains unwavering. Honda Philippines, Inc. Production Milestones:
“The theme ‘Rhythms of Wellness’ reflects how wellness takes many forms,” said Sean Knights, Chief Operating Officer of NUSTAR Resort & Casino Cebu. “Some days call for stride and energy, others for stillness and reflection, and others for strength and perseverance. Each weekend in September highlights a different rhythm, giving guests the chance to explore activities that match their own pace and path to well-being.”
Rhythm of Stride: NUSTAR Run Club
The wellness activities taking place over the month open on September 7, 2025, with the launch of the NUSTAR Run Club, the integrated resort’s running community set to create a new pace -- and space for fitness and fun. The inaugural activity will be for the first two sign-ups. Runners will experience scenic coastal paths in and around the resort, with opportunities to connect over post-run coffee and enjoy an upbeat day-club atmosphere with music at the Lighthouse.
Rhythm of Stillness: NUSTAR Serenity in Motion
The second weekend shifts the focus inward with NUSTAR Serenity in Motion, happening September 12 to 14, 2025 in partnership with Dawata Wellness. Dawata is a highly regarded and widely popular yoga and wellness community, known for its expertise and commitment to holistic well-being. This three-day retreat is designed to promote mental wellness through guided activities. Guests can take part in tea rituals, meditation circles, sunrise yoga, sound baths, group healing workshops, and ocean breathwork paired with an ice bath experience and more. Participants who register on or before August 15, 2025, can take advantage of an Early Bird rate of P1,750 per day. Starting August 16, regular rates will apply: P2,000 for the first and third days, P2,500 for the second day, or a special bundled rate of P5,000 for full threeday access, per participant.
Rhythm of Strength: NUSTAR Dragon Boat Regatta
The month concludes with a show of teamwork and endurance at the NUSTAR Dragon Boat Regatta 2025 on September 20 to 21, 2025. In collaboration with Philippine Accessible Disability Services, Inc. (PADS) Foundation, the regatta will feature a 200-meter course set along the NUSTAR Boardwalk. Teams will compete in a range of categories, welcoming paddlers of all levels at a registration fee of P2,500 per person. Another NUSTAR Signature, this event aims to support and promote Sports Tourism here in Cebu.
“Wellness means something different for everyone and that’s why we created Rhythms of Wellness,” said Katrina Mae de Jesus, Assistant Vice President for Business Development of NUSTAR Resort & Casino Cebu. “It’s about offering choices, from active pursuits to quiet retreats, so guests can engage in the way that suits them best. As a premier destination, we strive to innovate ethically, engage our communities meaningfully, and design events and activities that not only entertain, but endure.”
NUSTAR aims to set the tone for wellnesscentered events in Cebu by combining world-class facilities with strong community partnerships. This September, NUSTAR invites everyone to discover their own rhythm of wellness.
For more details, visit www.nustar.ph or contact (032) 888 8282.
Arwin Serrano. Also present
(not
photo)
Teopisto Elnas, Jr.
Keeping your food and drink safe from prep to plate
FOOD poisoning may be associated with the hot summer months, given how bacteria thrive in oppressive temperatures. But in reality, consuming contaminated food and drink can happen anytime, anywhere—including at home.
“First off, many germ-laden dishes taste no different from unspoiled food, so there’s no way of telling if you have food poisoning until you experience the classic symptoms— nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, headache, and even a fever,” says Mark Paul S. Castillo, MD, from the country’s top hospital Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed, www. makatimed.net.ph).
“Secondly, these symptoms don’t always present themselves immediately. Certain bacteria can trigger symptoms 30 minutes to eight hours after consuming contaminated food. Others, like the virus behind Hepatitis A, take days, weeks, and even months before symptoms appear.”
Food poisoning resolves within 24 to 48 hours, and requires nothing more from you but to ride out the vomiting and bum stomach. It’s best to hydrate with electrolytes and broth soup. Still, more serious cases could land you in the hospital for kidney failure, nerve and brain damage, and in rare but still possible situations, even death. Prevention is crucial to avoiding this most unpleasant yet avoidable condition. For MakatiMed, the goal is to ensure your food and drink are free of contaminants from start to finish. n PREP. “It’s all about cleanliness,” reminds Castillo. “Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before handling ingredients and cooked food. Wear disposable gloves if you have a rash or wound on your hand and need to handle raw ingredients. Chopping boards, knives, plates, pans, and other cooking utensils must also be thoroughly washed with soap and warm water, then wiped dry with a paper towel, before using them for the first time, then again on other ingredients, and just before you put them away.” Raw ingredients like meat, poultry, fish, and seafood need to be rinsed well too, and separated instead of sharing a single plate. “Use a brush to gently scrub some fruits and vegetables like apples, cucumbers, root crops, and squash and thoroughly rid them of dirt,” shares Castillo. “For leafy vegetables, rinse them under running water and use a salad spinner or paper towels to dry them.”
Castillo also advises keeping your kitchen countertop and sink clean with soap and water, then wipe with a paper towel or a clean dry rag. “Replace sponges at least once a week, as they can be home to E. coli and other bacteria. Washing them completely at the end of each day also helps.”
n PLATE. Make sure food is cooked following the recommended time and temperature, and if you can, keep food constantly warm with chafing dishes. According to Castillo, “Consume hot food immediately, as leaving it in room temperature for two hours or more allows bacteria to grow.” Serve cold dishes in small amounts and only when they’re ready to be eaten. Keep the cold dish in the fridge or maintain its cool temperature with bowls of ice. Make sure dishes, bowls, glasses, and utensils are clean or have been properly washed and dried before use. “And no double-dipping,” says Castillo. “Assign specific serving spoons, forks, tongs, and knives to dishes to avoid crosscontamination.”
n KEEP. Place leftovers in clean covered containers, keep in the freezer, and re-heat before serving. “Most people think that leftovers can live in the fridge forever. Best to consume them within 3-4 days,” notes Castillo. Indeed, food in the fridge doesn’t always guarantee it’ll remain as fresh (or safe to eat) as the day you cooked it. “Check for molds and weird smells,” Castillo points out. “Or better yet, when in doubt, throw it away. It’s better safe than sorry.”
The role of extracurricular activities in your child’s development
IN my last column, we defined a growth mindset as the belief that abilities grow with effort, good strategies, and feedback.
Extracurricular activities are the daily practice field for that belief. Extracurricular activities play a crucial role in your child’s overall development, particularly in fostering a growth mindset—a belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and effort. Participation in extracurricular activities offers children valuable opportunities to face challenges, learn from mistakes, and build resilience—all essential elements of a growth mindset.
According to Carol Dweck, a pioneering psychologist in this field, a growth mindset encourages children to view effort, perseverance, and learning from setbacks as pathways to success. Extracurriculars such as sports, music and arts provide regular contexts where children are motivated to improve, receive constructive feedback, and celebrate progress over perfection. These experiences help them understand that failure is a stepping stone, not a dead end, reinforcing the idea that intelligence and skills evolve with persistence and practice.
Research indicates that children immersed in extracurricular activities exhibit enhanced selfconfidence, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities. For instance, team sports teach collaboration
and coping with losses, while creative pursuits like music or theater encourage experimentation and risk-taking in a supportive environment. This blend of experience aligns perfectly with fostering a growth mindset, enabling children to embrace challenges and develop grit—a combination proven to benefit academic and life success.
When should children start participating in extracurricular activities? As early as play is safe and joyful. In the early years, unstructured play is not a luxury—it’s a developmental engine for thinking, social skills, and emotional health. Before formal teams, protect free play. When your child shows readiness (attention, basic coordination, interest), begin sampling short, low-pressure classes. Remember: “sport readiness” depends on physical, mental, and social maturity—not birthdays—so match the activity to the child. From late primary to early teens, gradually increase structure and commitment as your child chooses, without crowding out rest and family time.
Below is a guide on how to choose Extracurricular Activities by age stage:
n Early childhood (3–6): Pick play-rich, movement-heavy options—music & rhythm, swim, tumbling, nature clubs. Look for short sessions, warm coaching, and lots of imagination. Goals: joy, coordination, sharing.
n Primary (7–10): Sample widely—team sports, art, coding, choir, scouts, service. Favor coaches who teach process (practice plans, feedback, reflection) over trophies. Goals: effort, friendship, simple routines (pack the bag, stretch, review).
n Tweens/early teens (11–14): Begin to “major and minor.” Keep at least one physical activity for health and stress relief; deepen one passion (ensemble, robotics, debate) while keeping a second for exploration to avoid burnout. Goals: resilience after setbacks, time-management, identity.
n Mid–late teens (15–18): Support deliberate practice and leadership (captain, section leader,
assistant coach). Guard against overscheduling— quality beats quantity. Align commitments with emerging purpose and post-secondary plans. Goals: self-advocacy, mentorship, contribution.
Across all ages, be cautious about early singlesport specialization and excessive training loads; diversified play and seasonal breaks support longterm skill and well-being.
Below are ways for us to support them as parents:
n Use growth language. Less “You’re talented,” more “Your plan and practice are paying off.” Normalize mistakes and feedback: “What did you try? What will you tweak?” (Dweck’s core idea).
n Partner with the adults. Ask teachers and coaches about playing-time philosophy, safety, and how they frame mistakes. Pick programs that value learning over labels.
n Protect balance. Follow pediatric guidance: keep sleep, nutrition, and mental health nonnegotiable; watch for stress signals; build in rest days. Keep one screen-light evening for recovery and family connection.
n Let kids own the journey. Offer choices, set shared expectations, and help them revise goals when motivation dips—refine the plan rather than quit on a tough week.
In summary, extracurricular activities are much more than fun add-ons to school life; they are dynamic platforms for children to develop vital life skills including resilience, curiosity, and a growth mindset. Starting early with appropriate activities, choosing wisely according to age and interest, and providing thoughtful parental support lay the pathway not only to better academics but to wellrounded, confident young individuals who embrace lifelong learning.
By nurturing these experiences thoughtfully, parents empower their children to unlock their full potential—fueled by belief in growth through effort, a mindset that will serve them well far beyond childhood.
Senior citizens, community leaders, and the youth explore their creativity in workshops
INDIGENT individuals from various barangays in the cities of Pasay and Manila unleashed their imagination and channeled their creative passion in a series of free art workshops.
Organized by the Center for Social Action (CSA) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), together with institutional partners from non-government organizations (NGOs), the festival was first launched online during the height of the pandemic lockdown to provide educational activities to community members in the safety of their homes.
The initiative has since become an annual institutional outreach program, wherein volunteering faculty members and student-artists from Benilde share their knowledge and skills.
This year’s edition featured a lineup of interactive lectures and fun-filled sessions. In
addition to participants from various barangays, it likewise welcomed beneficiaries from partner organizations, to include Unbound Manila Foundation Inc.; Self-Reliance and Development Konkokyo Center Inc.; and Our Lady of Sorrows Outreach Foundation, Inc.
A group of comic book illustrators from the DrawINK association guided the youth on how to transform line art images into vibrant pictures through coloring. Meanwhile, budding visual artists from the Artelier org assisted pairs of parents and children to translate their whimsical ideas into watercolor paintings. Multimedia Arts students from Media Max, on the other hand, invited kids and teens alike into an aquatic adventure as they handcrafted beautiful marine animals using the provided art supplies. Storytellers from other mediums likewise
imparted their skills in a series of hands-on classes. Meanwhile, volunteers from the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) and studentartists from LIKHA led children aged 6 to 12 in the creation of playable maze puzzles, eco-friendly felt flower mobiles, and dainty jewelry pieces from recycled materials.
In a workshop for basic music, mentors Jocelyn Lao from the Theater Arts and Coach Mycs Villoso from the Dance program aided the participants to find their melody, form and rhythm as they discovered their inner performance artists. They were joined by young creatives from the School of Arts, Culture, and Performance (SACP) in facilitating the event.
In the food and beverage department, Chef Richmond Ingco, together with the students from Chefs in Progress (CHIP) of the Culinary
Arts Management of the Benilde School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (SHRIM), guided the guests in the preparation of artsy sandwiches which are pleasing to both the eyes and the palate.
Bar expert Gioseppe Racelis, on the other hand, together with the volunteers from World-Class Hoteliers in Progress (WHIP) of the Hospitality and Luxury Management (HLM) Program, welcomed the guests to the newly renovated Salle De Bordeaux Bar Laboratory to introduce the craft of mixology and inspire them to create their own stunningly delicious drinks.
The day introduced the constituents to diverse art forms and encouraged them to foster their ingenuity, as they showcased their newfound talent. More information can be found at www.facebook. com/centerforsocialaction.
ASM City Laoag. Block Builders, Laoag MVT, PSQ and NWU battle for honors in the tournament at the Dap Ayan Park to help highlight one of the major activities for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025, according to Faivo Bartolome, a charter member of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) as president of Ilocos Norte Volleyball and Ilocos Norte Sports Sports Consultant.
It will also be a landmark day as the first major activity at SM City Laoag, which opened only last May.
Bartolome said invitations were already sent to Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Marcos and Vice Governor Matthew Manotoc, as well as Laoag City Mayor James Bryan Alcid and Vice Mayor Rey Carlos Fariñas, for the event that starts at 10 a.m. and culminates with the formal program at 6 p.m. T he three-city “Set Na Natin ’To” Trophy and Mascot Tour started last Saturday at the SM Seaside in Cebu City and will wrap up next Saturday (August 30) at SM Downtown in Cagayan de Oro City.
PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, meanwhile, revealed that Alas Pilipinas is well on track in its threecountry European training camp and is currently in Santo Tirso, Portugal, for the final phase of preparation for the world championship set September 12 to 28 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Dungca tops John Hay to reach Jr PGT Finals
and develop young talent from across the country’s provinces.
Dungca, Espedido and two others will square off with the top qualifiers from the Visayas-Mindanao swing in a Ryder Cup-style showdown set for Oct. 7-10 at The Country Club in Laguna.
RONEE DUNGCA barged into the Junior Philippine Golf Tour (JPGT) Elite Finals the hard way, but did so in emphatic fashion—sharing the top spot in the girls’ 7-10 age group category with a 71 at the close of a raindisrupted John Hay JPGT Championship on Wednesday in Baguio City.
D espite missing the first four legs of the seven-stage regional tour, Dungca made a stunning lateseason charge.
The nine-year-old swept the last three legs, matching Mavis Espedido’s three-leg sweep worth 45 points each to advance to the finals of the seasonlong, course-hopping series organized by International Container Terminal Services Inc. to discover
Dungca’s closing two-over card gave her a 36-hole total of 143 for a 12-shot victory over Tyra Garingalao of Carmona, Cavite, who posted a 75 for a 155. Amiya Tablac of Baguio City finished third with a 163 after an 80. Venus de los Santos, who was in third place in the overall standings before the final leg, recovered from a disastrous openinground 92 with a 74. But Dungca’s spectacular fin-
ish ultimately denied the Bulacan native a place in the finals.
Winter Serapio seized the third finals berth with 37 points, while Garingalao clinched the fourth and final slot with 36 points—buoyed by the crucial 12 points she earned for her second-place finish.
Delos Santos wound up with 34 points.
Dungca began the final round with the same fiery form that marked her opening performance, again carding three birdies early on. However, she also replicated her struggles—doublebogeying the fourth and dropping strokes on Nos. 6 and 9.
layout into a test of endurance and mental focus, with puddles forming on fairways and greens, and visibility sharply reduced. Despite these tough conditions, Dungca held her nerve to complete her round, bogeying the last hole but securing her place at the top of the leaderboard.
PHOTO
Bugna scores straight-sets wins in three jr tennis finals matches
ATHLYN BUGNA further
Kcemented her status as the rising star of Philippine tennis after pulling off a rare and remarkable three title sweep at the Dr. Pablo Olivarez Sr. National Juniors Championships held over the weekend at the Olivarez Sports Center and Parañaque City courts. Displaying athleticism, composure and championship pedigree well beyond her years, the 14-year-old prodigy from La Carlota City delivered another MVP performance by dominating not only her age group, but conquering older divisions to underline her growing supremacy on the junior circuit presented by Dunlop. Bugna, already top-seeded in both the girls’ 14- and 16-and-under categories, lived up to expectations by sweeping through both with clinical efficiency—
Q.E.D., QMB
she beat second seed Shaner Gabaldon, 6-1, 6-3, to clinch the 14-under title and breezed past fourth seed Astrid Cablitas, 6-2, 6-2, to rule the 16-under division. But it was her fearless run in the 18-and-under class turned heads. After crushing second seed Dania Bulanadi with a commanding 6-1, 6-0 semifinal win, Bugna fended off the in-form Melatiah Pascua, who had earlier ousted top seed Izabelle Camcam, 6-0, 6-2, with a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 victory in the final.
Still, the Angeles City prodigy rebounded with birdies on Nos. 10 and 12. But the par-5 16th proved to be her nemesis once more, as she dropped two shots there for the second straight day. Then came the weather.
As Dungca approached the par3 finishing hole, heavy rains swept through the John Hay course, prompting organizers Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. to suspend play in the 11-14 and 1518 age group divisions for over an hour and a half.
In the boys’ 7-10 division, Zoji Edoc emerged as the winningest player, securing four leg victories. He capped his campaign with a second straight 71 for a 142 total—10 strokes ahead of local favorite Marco Angheng, who ended with a 152 after a 78.
M ichael Matias of Quezon City finished third at 175, followed by Samuel Ababa (100-182) and Jethro Bayron (106-205).
Suzara said he is also relieved that veteran players Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo have recovered from their injuries. Tickets to the are available via the official website website https://www. philippineswch2025.com/--before. and Chery Tiggo clash to kick off another possible championship showdown as the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference unfolds on Thursday at the Philsports Arena
YThe victory marked another impressive run following back-to-back conquests in the Rep. Eric Olivarez National Open where she also ruled the 14- and 16-and-under events. Her domination now spans 10 titles in the Iloilo, Bacolod, Roxas, Kalibo and Cebu legs of the series.
THE success of Quentin Millora Brown’s legal team to secure FIBA recognition as a local for the young big man will go down in Philippine basketball history as a pivot point. From here on in, a new path has been carved out of the FIBA regulatory jungle with machete hacks that have cleared away obstructive vegetation.
Not with one fell swoop but with methodical, persistent and thorough maneuvers to get through the complex requirements, QMB’s legal eagles found and filed the necessary documents and argued his case convincingly.
They pleaded with FIBA to reconsider their earlier decision that classified him as a naturalized player. They succeeded at convincing FIBA that the young big had secured clearance well before he turned 16, per FIBA requirement.
But are QMB’s lawyers the only heroes of this story? Actually it took a village to pull this one off.
A talk with the University of the Philippines’ Office of Athletic and Sports Development (OASD) Director Coach Bo Perasol showed the small but crucial roles others played in this stunning reversal of fortune.
Our desire to have Quentin set his sights on the national
The sudden downpour turned the already-challenging
Edoc, a bronze medalist in the recent Junior World Championships in San Diego, also shared the top finals seeding with Zach Guico, both earning 45 points. Asher Abad and Halo Pangilinan completed the list of finalists, each collecting 34 points. The players’ top three results from the seven-leg Luzon series determined their final rankings. The final race for spots in the 11-14 and 15-18 divisions was still ongoing at press time.
Early duel for High Speed Hitters, Crossovers as PVL
With the Invitational set to run for only two weeks, every match carries added weight, with little room for error.
The finalists of the recent PVL On Tour enter the competition on short rest, yet eager to ride the momentum and fire of their two-month campaign. one more so than the High Speed Hitters, who outlasted and outhustled Chery iggo in a five-set classic to claim their maiden PVL crown in the On Tour finale.
e short break is part of the job. That’s just how it is,” PLDT head coach Rald Ricafort said. “You celebrate, rest a bit, and then it’s back to work. We’ll try
ANI ALEXII LOPEZ displayed exceptional skills and power in overpowering Maya McKee of Team Niagara BJJ Cicero Costha Canada, 20-0, to win the girls’ gi teen 14-15 white grey belt championship in the Great Lakes Jiu Jitsu Open-Canada in Ontario recently. “I ’m so thankful that I’ve been given this opportunity to compete in Pan Kids here in Ontario,” said the 14-year-old Lopez.
team has been quite a long process. The initial spark of his Gilas journey happened during the pandemic when we first went to Tennessee to ask him to come play for the University of the Philippines. Even back then, with his NCAA Division 1 experience, his size and his talent I had no doubt he would be a good addition to the national team,” Coach Bo said.
After he committed (to UP), we immediately put his papers in order. His documents showed he had applied for a passport in 2005 and was able to get one before he was 16 years old—proof that he had complied with the FIBA requirement. But what was needed was DFA certification.”
L opez earlier subdued another Team Niagara bet, Mackenzie Cloutier, via submission with a cross-collar choke in the third minute before facing McKee. Lopez was comfortably ahead, 13-0, lead over Cloutier, before she gave her all to essay the victory. “In the first round, I was up 13-0 then I submitted her via cross collar choke in the third minute,” she said.
Invitational opens
to recover, then it’s grind time again.”
The PVL On Tour semifinal results between PLDT and Creamline and the Chery Tiggo-Cignal match will be carried over to the PVL Invitational. Due to the tight schedule and the league’s aim to conclude the tournament before September, the league and participating teams mutually agreed to a one-day rest instead of having an additional match day.
The semis outcomes will count toward the Invitational standings.
PLDT and Chery Tiggo will begin the Invitational with 1-0 records, while Creamline and Cignal will start at 0-1.
K im Dy, a key force behind PLDT’s title run, echoed the mindset of a team hungry for more.
“There’s no added pressure. This is a new conference with new teams, so we’re going to go back to training, work hard, and bring the same confidence we had from the On Tour. It’s a fresh start, and we’re focused on showing up strong.”
T he Invitational gets a major international boost with the return of Japan’s Kurashiki Ablaze, the 2023 champions hungry to reclaim their crown, and the debuting Kobe Shinwa University squad.
L opez was entered in the 95 lb division, but her dad decided that she competes at 105 lbs because of lack of any opponent, but organizers, however, moved her further to 115 lbs because, again, of low turnout of entries.
T he final decision was for Lopez to compete at 125 lbs against McKee and Cloutier, who didn’t make the lighter weight categories.
After the initial FIBA ruling, we racked our brains on how to mount the appeal. The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas—Al Panlilio, Executive Director Erika Dy, Alfrancis Chua—expressed concern and discussed options. (Philippine Sports Commission Chairman) Pato Gregorio, in his own capacity, wrote to FIBA Asia to reconsider their earlier decision on Q. We even consulted (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla on proper approaches to government offices. Finally, we received DFA certification on the authenticity of Q’s passport. It was that certification that Q’s lawyers submitted to FIBA and it was crucial to the decision to consider him as local Sidney Ventura, editor-in-chief of The Game says, “QMB’s team has provided a blueprint for others seeking classification as a local under FIBA. If you have the resources you don’t need to solely rely on the NSA. I wouldn’t be surprised if other Fil-foreigners hire his legal team…Of course, Gilas will almost certainly get QMB, maybe as early as the November window of the Asian qualifiers. Japeth Aguilar is getting up there in years while Kai Sotto is still on the mend. They definitely need someone like
a tournament—it is a celebration of resilience and excellence, values that every Filipino athlete carries with pride.” Throughout its history, PHLPost has honored the nation’s sporting icons through stamps that travel the world, immortalizing champions such as Manny Pacquiao, Olivia “Bong” Coo, Paeng Nepomuceno, Efren “Bata” Reyes, Hidilyn Diaz and Carlos Yulo, among others. T he tradition continues with the FIVB Men’s World Championship, where stamps serve not only as collectibles but as symbols of national pride, cultural diplomacy, and the boundless Filipino sporting spirit. This special issuance also pays tribute to the PSC for its decades-long contribution in developing Philippine sports—from grassroots programs to international competitions—uplifting national pride and inspiring future generations to pursue greatness.
to Gilas Pilipinas, which is lacking size. More pointedly, it is lacking a young big, as Kai Sotto is still recovering from his ACL tear,” muses Spin.ph’s Norman Riego. “That’s why national team coach Tim Cone likened QMB’s entry to Gilas to getting the top pick in the draft. He acknowledges the big boost the 6-10 Fil-Am will provide alongside fellow young big AJ Edu, especially since longtime pillars June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar are way up there in
MEMBERS of the Alas Pilipinas Men huddle around Italian head coach Angiolino Frigoni in training camp at the Santo Tirso Sports Facility in Portugal. PNVF COMMUMICATIONS
RONEE DUNGCA finishes at 143 for a 12-shot victory.
KIM KIANNA DY and the PVL on Tour-winning High Speed Hitters are hungry for more.
