THE slower increase in prices of food and nonalcoholic beverages, particularly vegetables and meat, led to the easing of inflation in the country to 1.5 percent in November 2025.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the inflation rate posted in November 2025 is slower than the 1.7 percent in October 2025 and the 2.5 percent in November 2024.
This brings average inflation rate from January to November 2025 to 1.6 percent, which is below the government’s 2 to 4 percent target range.
PSA Assistant Secretary Divina Gracia L. Del Prado said the main sources of deceleration of the November 2025 inflation were the slower increase in prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which posted a 0.1-percent inflation rate, compared to the 0.5 percent posted in October 2025.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages contributed an 85.3-percent share to the downtrend in inflation.
Del Prado said vegetables, tubers, cooking bananas, among others, contributed to the slower rise in the prices of food, with only 4percent inflation rate compared to the 16.4 percent in October 2025.
SC orders return of ₧60-B unused funds to PhilHealth
By Joel R. San Juan
THE Supreme Court on Friday unanimously ordered Malacañang to return the P60 billion in unutilized funds of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) that were transferred to the national treasury purportedly to bolster the government’s unprogrammed appropriations.
At a press briefing, SC spokesman Camille Sue Mae Ting said the decision was reached during the Court’s en banc decision on Wednesday. The P60-billion PhilHealth fund, according to Ting, was ordered to be returned to PhilHealth through the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Likewise, the Court permanently prohibited the transfer of PhilHealth’s P29.9-billion fund balance to the national treasury.
It may be recalled that the SC previously issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining the further transfer of the remaining unutilized funds of PhilHealth
to the national treasury. The TRO covers the last tranche of PhilHealth’s unutilized funds amounting to P29.9 billion which was supposed to be remitted on November 24, 2024.
The Court also directed PhilHealth to strictly comply with Section 1, in relation to Sections 5, 6, and 7 of Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act in managing its funds and handling its operations in order to improve the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) and achieve Universal Health Care in the country at the soonest possible time, as set forth in this Decision.
The Court’s decision stemmed from the consolidated petitions filed by former Senator Aquilino Pimentel III et al, Bayan Muna Chairman Neri Colmenares et al and the 1Sambayan Coalition assailing the said transfer of funds.
’Enough is enough’ THE SC, in its 136-page decision penned by Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier, lamented that universal health care remains a dream
THE expansion of bank lending slowed for a second month in October, with credit growth easing amid a sharper contraction in loans to non-residents, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
Preliminary data from the BSP showed outstanding loans from universal and commercial banks (UKBs) to businesses and individual consumers grew at a slower rate of 10.3 percent in October 2025 from 10.5 percent in September 2025.
After adjusting for seasonal fluctuations, outstanding UKB loans increased by 0.6 percent month-on-month in October.
“The slowdown reflects two things: lingering high borrowing costs and cautious sentiment amid uncertainty,” Jonathan Ravelas, senior adviser at Reyes Tacandong & Co., said.
“Businesses are delaying expansion, and consumers are prioritizing essentials. While BSP’s rate cuts help, confidence and liquidity matter more,” Ravelas said.
reflects
“The
adviser
To make cuts effective, Ravelas said the Central Bank must pair monetary easing with clear communication and trust-building measures. Businesses, meanwhile, should focus on resilience and efficiency, he added.
Dissecting the bank lending numbers, outstanding loans to residents held firm at 10.9 percent in October. These refer to Philippine citizens residing in the country, non-citizens permanently living in the Philippines, corporations or juridical entities
KEY DRIVERS OF FOOD INFLATION
the BSP said.
However, some upward pressures could come from potential electricity rate adjustments and higher rice import tariffs.
“Nonetheless, the risks to the inflation outlook are limited as supply-side pressures are expected to ease,” the BSP said.
slowdown
two things: lingering high borrowing costs and cautious sentiment amid uncertainty.”— Jonathan Ravelas, senior
at Reyes Tacandong & Co.
SC orders return of ₧60-B unused funds to PhilHealth
can afford to choose to live? When to live is an inalienable and sacred right enjoyed by all, regardless of capacity to pay,” the Court said.
“Why must Filipinos be forced to lie content with a dream when the law, nay, the Constitution itself commands this dream to reality? No more. Enough is enough,” it added.
The Court also criticized the government for prioritizing infrastructure projects over the health of the people.
“What use are the roads and the bridges, the infrastructure and the social programs, and any other project for that matter, when the people meant to enjoy them are sick and dying?” the SC pointed out.
“The Court will not sit idly by, not when the people look and cry to us for help, not when the Constitution charges us to be the singular indominable bastion of our people’s rights. This Court will not be deaf to the pleas of our people. We will not be blind to their plight. And we certainly will not be callous to their agony,” it added.
Executive will comply
IN a statement, former Finance Secretary and now Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said Malacañang respects the Court’s decision and will comply with its directives.
“We reiterate that the Executive simply complied with the congressional mandate under the 2024 GAA, and that the Department of Finance’s (DOF) role is solely in revenue generation and debt and deficit management. We believed then, and still believe,
that the directive was a commonsense approach to optimize government coffers without resorting to additional borrowing or new taxes,” he said. He pointed out that the PhilHealth board also approved the transfer.
Recto maintained that the transfer of PhilHealth funds to the national treasury did not impair the agency’s ability to deliver services and that no member contributions were taken.
He added that on September 20, 2025, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. already took proactive steps to restore PhilHealth’s P60billion remittance—a recognition of the agency’s stronger performance, increased absorptive capacity, and expanded benefits.
2024 GAA special provision, DOF circular void MEANWHILE , the majority of the justices voted to declare void Special Provision No. 1 (d) of XLIII of the GAA 2024, and DoF Circular No. 003-204 for having been issued and implemented with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction.
The DOF Circular directs the transfer of unused subsidies from government-owned and-controlled corporations (GOCCs), specifically PhilHealth, to the national treasury to bolster the government’s unprogrammed appropriations It was issued in line with Section 1(d) of XLIII of the GAA 2024, which the petitioners said was an “inserted” provision on unprogrammed appropriations.
Under Special Provision No. 1 (d), the Unprogrammed Appropria-
tions shall be sourced from “any remainder resulting from the review and reduction of the GOCC’s reserve funds to reasonable levels taking into account the disbursements from prior years.”
The SC nullified Special Provision No. 1 (d) of the 2024 GAA for being a rider or a provision not related to the bill’s purpose.
“The Constitution requires all provisions of the GAA to be germane to its purpose to prevent surprise or fraud upon the legislature and to fairly inform the people of the bill’s subject,” the SC said in its 136-page decision.
“A provision is considered germane if it is particular, unambiguous, and appropriate,” the SC said.
The SC also held that the said special provision is void since it repeals Section 11 of the Universal Health Care Act (UHCA) and the Sin Tax Laws.
Section 11 of UHCA requires PhilHealth to maintain reserve funds up to a ceiling equivalent to two years of projected program expenses and to set aside part of its net come each year as reserve funds.
It further stated that unused funds must be invested so that earnings are added back to these reserves.
The transfer of PhilHealth funds to the national treasury, according to the Court, would make compliance with Section 11 of UHCA impossible.
“These measures undermine the very nature of PhilHealth funds as pooled resources for social health insurance, hinder the UHCA’s goal of delivering comprehensive and universal healthcare,
and ultimately violate the people’s right to health and to an affordable, sustainable, and accessible public health insurance,” the Court declared.
The SC pointed out that Congress cannot repeal Section 11 through GAA, which may only provide appropriations consistent with existing laws.
“It cannot amend or overturn substantive policy. Any changes affecting the UHCA, particularly PhilHealth’s reserve funds, must be enacted through separate legislation,” the SC said.
The SC further held that Special Provision 1(d) contradicts the Sin Tax Laws, which earmark specific percentages of excise taxes on sweetened beverages, alcohol, and tobacco products exclusively for the UHCA.
The Bureau of the Treasury must set aside these amounts for the UHCA’s implementation, and Congress must fully allocate them to PhilHealth through the GAA.
“Congress cannot reduce, suspend, or withhold these earmarked funds,” the Court said.
The SC also ruled that the President did not commit grave abuse of discretion when he certified as urgent House Bill No. 8980, now the 2024 GAA, which dispensed with the requirement of reading on three separate days and the printing and distribution of copies in advance.
“Except in cases of grave abuse of discretion, the authority to decide whether a certification of urgency is valid rests solely with Congress. In this case, Congress approved the President’s certification to expedite the passage of the bill,” the Court noted.
The SC also denied the petitioners’ request to determine the liability of the DOF Secretary for technical malversation and/or plunder.
Ting said the High Tribunal ruled that such matters are improper for resolution in this case.
“The only issue properly before it is the validity of the issuances and whether they were issued with grave abuse of discretion amounting to a lack or excess of jurisdiction,” Ting announced.
However, the SC spokesperson said this does not mean that the Court has exonerated government officials responsible for the illegal transfer of PhilHealth funds to the national treasury.
Nov inflation at 1.5%, 11-mo average is 1.6%
She added that meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals also contributed to the slowdown, with 4.2-percent inflation compared to the 5.2 percent in October 2025.
Stabilized food supply
SOCIOECONOMIC Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan attributed the moderation of inflation to the government’s efforts to stabilize food supply.
To continue to manage price pressures, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said the government will implement various measures such as opening more sites for the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! across all 81 provinces before yearend “to bring affordable rice to vulnerable households by 2026.”
“The Department of Agriculture (DA) has also issued guidelines to strengthen safeguards against African Swine Fever (ASF) while facilitating safe pork imports, allowing regionalization by recognizing “ASF-free zones” within DAaccredited exporting countries, permitting imports from these specific areas,” added the country’s socioeconomic planning body.
Meanwhile, PSA also pointed to the slower inflation of furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance with 2 percent inflation, slower than the 2.4 percent posted in October 2025. The main contributors to the deceleration of the said category were the slower increase in the prices of domestic services by paid staff, with 3.4-percent inflation rate; other non-durable household goods such as aluminum foil, with 1.2 percent and major kitchen appliances, with 0.9-percent inflation rate.
In contrast, main contributors to the increase in the prices of goods in November 2025 were: Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with 2.9-percent inflation rate and 38.6 percent share.
In particular, rentals (2.6 percent), electricity (5.6 percent) and water supply (5.6 percent) drove the increase in prices in this segment.
Other major contributors to
the November 2025 inflation were Restaurants and Accommodation Services with 2.6-percent inflation and Transport, with 1.7 percent.
Inflation in NCR MEANWHILE , the headline inflation rate in the National Capital Region was at 2.8 percent in November 2025. This is slower than the 2.9 percent in October 2025 but faster than the 2.2 percent in November 2024.
Areas outside NCR saw a 1.2-percent inflation rate, slower than the 1.3 percent in October 2025 and the 2.6 percent in November 2024.
The region which posted the highest inflation rate was Central Visayas, with 3.3 percent.
Inflation among the country’s poorest households saw a -0.2 percent inflation in November 2025, slightly higher than the -0.4 percent in October 2025 and lower than the 2.9 percent in November 2024.
This brings the average inflation for the poorest households in the country to 0.2 percent as of November 2025.
Looking ahead, DEPDev revealed the steps that the government would take to cushion the impact of rising electricity prices.
“The government is automating the registration of qualified 4Ps beneficiaries for the Lifeline Rate Subsidy to extend electricity bill discounts to more households,” DEPDev said in its statement.
In the long term, the country’s socioeconomic planning body said the proposed Wasteto-Energy Bill, once passed, will enable the establishment of facilities that will simultaneously help manage residual solid waste and contribute to the country’s energy mix by utilizing waste as a feedstock for energy production.
“The sustained moderation in inflation reflects our commitment to protect consumers and strengthen our economic resilience against global and domestic headwinds,” Balisacan said.
The country’s chief economist added: “We will continue implementing timely, well-coordinated policies to keep prices stable and ensure progress is felt by every Filipino.”
Bank lending growth slows anew in October
organized under Philippine law, and branches or similar units of foreign corporations operating locally, excluding Offshore Banking Units.
Loans supporting business activities also posted stable growth at 9.1 percent in October, driven by increased lending in real estate (9.9 percent); electricity, gas, steam, and airconditioning supply (24.8 percent); wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (11.7 percent); financial and insurance (8.5 percent); information and communication (8.2 percent); and transportation and storage (13.0 percent).
Consumer loans to residents, which include credit card, motor vehicle, and general-purpose salary loans, expanded at a slightly slower rate of 23.1 percent in October from 23.5 percent in September.
“Looking ahead, the BSP will ensure that domestic liquidity and bank lending conditions are consistent with its price and financial stability mandates,” the Central Bank said.
The BSP monitors bank loans because they are a key transmission channel of monetary policy.
Domestic liquidity
THE BSP also reported that domestic liquidity, or the amount of money circulating in the economy, expanded by 8.3 percent year-on-year to P19.1 trillion in October 2025.
Growth of domestic liquidity, also known as M3, was faster in October than the 7.6-percent increase in September, the BSP said.
After adjusting for seasonal fluctuations, M3 rose by 1.0 percent month-on-month in October.
Claims on the domestic sector, which cover private and government entities in the country, grew by 10.5 percent year-onyear in October from 10.6 percent in September.
Claims on a sector represent that sector’s liabilities to depository corporations, such as banks and the Central Bank.
Meanwhile, claims on the private sector alone climbed by 11.0 percent in October from 10.7 percent in the previous month, as bank lending to non-financial private corporations and households continued to expand.
Net claims on the central government also increased by 10 percent in October from 10.3 percent in the previous month, driven mainly by its higher borrowings.
M3 is a broad measure of money supply that includes currency in circulation, bank deposits and other financial assets that are easily convertible to cash.
Moreover, net foreign assets (NFAs) in peso terms recorded a 2.1-percent year-on-year increase in October from 3.3 percent in September.
NFAs represent the difference between claims on nonresidents and liabilities to nonresidents of depository corporations.
BSP’s NFAs decreased by 0.4 percent, while NFAs of banks alone grew as their foreign currency-denominated bills payable declined.
“The BSP will continue to ensure that domestic liquidity conditions remain consistent with its price and financial stability objectives,”
Continued from A1
MB: Outlook for domestic economic growth weakened REGARDING economic growth, the Monetary Board, the highest policy-making body of the BSP, noted a “weakened” domestic growth outlook.
This is due to the impact of governance concerns about public infrastructure spending on business confidence, as well as “lingering uncertainty” from the external environment, they said.
“Going forward, the Monetary Board will continue to review newly available information and reassess the impact of prior monetary actions in light of evolving economic conditions and their implications for inflation and growth,” it said.
www.businessmirror.com.ph
DA imposes MSRP on pork in NCR to keep prices stable
By Ada Pelonia
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday imposed a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on pork in Metro Manila anew to stabilize retail prices ahead of the holiday season.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed Administrative Circular (AC) 15, which placed a price cap on local pork products sold on wet markets in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Under the circular, the ceiling on pork liempo stands at P370 per kilo, while kasim and pigue are worth P330 per kilo.
“We have to restore some sanity in the retail price of pork, a favorite protein source among Filipinos that is in high demand especially during the Christmas season,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
He stressed that the new price levels were ironed out following consultations with meat retailers and other players throughout the pork value chain.
Latest price monitoring reports showed that retail prices of pork products surged to “unusually high levels” in recent weeks, with liempo reaching as much as P480 per kilo in early November.
The DA noted that this heightened consumer anxiety ahead of the peak holiday buying period.
“Those prices are absurd given how farm gate prices have fallen recently, threatening the viability
of small and medium-sized hog raisers,” Tiu Laurel said.
He noted that DA Undersecretary Danta Palabrica has recommended the MSRP after a detailed supply-and-demand assessment showed that local production is sufficient to meet Metro Manila’s requirements.
The conclusion was reinforced during a November 22, 2025 online consultative meeting with pork industry stakeholders, where concerns over holidaydriven volatility were aired.
The agency noted that its Bantay Presyo Technical Committee, working with the livestock office and AMAS, drew up the recommended MSRPs based on historical trends in liveweight hog prices, as well as, wholesale and retail movements.
The DA said it invoked a law that empowers the agency to issue suggested retail prices to stabilize markets for essential food commodities.
“For consumers bracing for holiday expenses—and hog growers seeking predictability—the DA’s move aims to bring order to one of the season’s most sensitive staples.”
Earlier, the DA and local producers agreed to set a minimum farmgate price for live hogs at P210 per kilo as the liveweight price plunged to the break-even point
This move would protect growers’ margins after a period of depressed buying prices that threatened to push backyard and commercial raisers into losses.
Hotel101 Global tops off Hotel101 Niseko
HOTEL101 Global Holdings Corp. (Nasdaq Ticker: HBNB) (“Hotel101” or “Hotel101 Global”), a leading asset-light, prop-tech hospitality platform pioneering a global standardized “condotel” business model listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange and a subsidiary of Philippine-listed DoubleDragon Corporation (PSE Ticker: DD), has just topped off its 482-room Hotel101-Niseko, set to be the largest hotel in Hirafu by room count.
Set to open in December 2026, the property is timed to welcome guests for the 2026– 2027 winter season in one of the world’s most celebrated ski destinations.
More than just a hotel, Hotel101-Niseko introduces an innovative “condotel” model that combines exceptional value with world-class amenities and unmistakable Filipino warmth.
Every one of the 482 identically designed, efficiently laid-out rooms offers practical comfort tailored to the needs of modern travelers—whether families, couples, or groups of friends chasing powder in Niseko.
In addition, guests can look forward to unparalleled amenities for the value segment such as:
n All-day dining restaurant
n Dedicated meeting spaces and business center
n Indoor swimming pool and hot mineral onsen bath
n Sauna and wellness facilities
n 24-hour front desk and concierge
n Ski lockers and ski-in/ski-out convenience
n On-site convenience store
n Complimentary shuttle service to Grand Hirafu lifts
Located in the vibrant heart of Hirafu, Hotel101-Niseko places visitors steps away from Niseko’s legendary powder snow, renowned restaurants, and lively après-ski scene, while offering a welcoming sanctuary that reflects the heartfelt hospitality the Philippines is famous for worldwide.
Niseko, a small mountain village that now attracts more than two million international visitors annually from over 30 countries, continues to solidify its reputation as Asia’s premier alpine destination. With the rise of Hotel101-Niseko, a bold new landmark joins this global playground— proof that Filipino innovation and hospitality have earned their place among the very best in the world.
Construction remains on schedule, with the property counting down to its grand opening in time for the 2026 winter season.
Listed on Nasdaq (HBNB) with a market capitalization of approximately US$1.9 billion as of November 27, 2025, Hotel101 is an asset-light, prop-tech hospitality platform pioneering a global standardized “condotel” business model.
Hotel101 aims to disrupt the global hotel and hospitality sector through its unique tech-enabled business model that positions it to generate revenues twice: first from the advance sale of individual hotel units during the construction phase; and second, from long-term recurring revenue derived from day-to-day hotel operations.
Hotel101 and its affiliates have nine Hotel101-branded properties in the Philippines in various stages of operations and development, as well as three projects under development overseas in Hokkaido (Japan), Madrid (Spain), and Los Angeles (United States). In May 2025, Hotel101 signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Horizon Group to, subject to additional contract, establish a joint venture for the development of up to 10 hotels in Saudi Arabia. Hotel101 aspires to operate 1 million rooms across 100 countries worldwide, with an initial 25 identified priority countries for the medium term. Hotel101 is a subsidiary of Philippine-listed DoubleDragon Corporation (PSE Ticker: DD).
New agri investment options, EODB to sustain low inflation
By Samuel P. Medenilla
TO help sustain low inflation, which is driven by basic food commodities, Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto said the Marcos administration will unveil new investment opportunities in the agriculture sector and implement more business-friendly policies including its ongoing campaign against corrupt practices.
“The government will reduce regulations and processes that hamper investments, and will soon announce new initiatives and investment opportunities for the private sector, particularly in the agriculture sector,” the Palace official said in a statement on Friday.
Among the “game-changing investment reforms” of the Marcos administration, he said, are the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code, the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the
Economy (CREATE MORE Act), the Enhanced Fiscal Regime for Large-Scale Metallic Mining, the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act (CMEPA), and the Investors’ Lease Act.
He is also confident the ongoing efforts of the Marcos administration to maintain good governance, transparency, and accountability through its ongoing anti-corruption drive in public works will also help draw more investors in the country’s food sector.
“The government continues to arrest those responsible for the flood control anomaly—with more personalities expected behind bars by year-end,” Recto said.
The administration is also fasttracking the rebuilding of critical infrastructure calamity-hit communities, which will boost government spending and contribute faster economic growth, according to Recto.
He assured the government the utilization of public funds, includ -
ing the P6.793-trillion proposed 2026 national budget, will remain efficient and transparent.
The Executive Secretary made the announcement after state statisticians announced headline inflation rate slowed to 1.5 percent in November, which brings down year-to-date inflation rate to only 1.6 percent—below the government’s 2 percent to 4 percent target range.
Recto attributed the development to the government efforts “to stabilize prices and secure the nation’s food supply.”
He said the recent development will give the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) “more room to adjust policy rates” to further stimulate household spending and economic activity.
“Lower prices, combined with a strong labor market, are expected to boost domestic demand, drive consumption, and support the Philippines’ above-average growth relative to its regional peers,” Recto said.
DOT brings back private sector role in marketing PHL tourism
By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo Special To The Businessmirror
THE Department of Tourism (DOT) is reinstating an industry-driven approach to tourism promotions, an effective public-private strategy halted in mid-2022.
In her address at the 2025 Annual National Meeting of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) held recently at Lanson Place Manila, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco confirmed the Senate’s approval of its P1-billion branding campaign budget for 2026. “We wish for this budget infusion into the Department of Tourism to be one that is driven almost entirely by industry insight. We wish to hear from you,” she said, urging TCP members to share their priority markets, products, and promotional strategies, “so that government spending results in tangible benefits for [tourism] enterprises and destinations.”
She described the additional funds as a “people’s budget,” stressing that, “what the TCP can expect henceforth is for us to consult with you, and what I expect from the TCP is—please—to be very, very vocal and judicious in submitting to us your wish list, so that we can act on it and we can make sure that these aspirations of yours are reflected in our executions for 2026.”
In a Viber message to the BusinessMirror, TCP President James Montenegro said his group was eager to “bring that back [i.e., giving inputs to government tourism marketing initiatives].” He added that a platform for private sector inputs “is still for discussion.”
The TCP is the legally mandated representative of private tourism stakeholders, which should be consulted by the DOT regarding tourism policy and programs.
When the private sector spoke out UNTIL the term of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat, the TCP and other private tourism groups had a seat in discussions on branding campaign enhancements, allocation of marketing funds, and which domestic regions or DOT offices abroad should be prioritized in budget allocations. Under Frasco, however, these discussions and meetings were terminated, and the private sector virtually sidelined in major decisions on marketing priorities and programs.
For instance, one of the main
appeals of private sector tourism groups when she assumed her post, was for DOT to keep the awardwinning “It’s More Fun In the Philippines” branding slogan. Frasco, however, went ahead and changed it to “Love the Philippines,” which was later heavily lashed for using foreign scenes to depict local destinations and activities in its launch video. (See, “Tourism leaders to DOT: ‘Let’s keep having fun’,” in the BusinessMirror, Aug. 11, 2022.) In another example, tourism groups had to call out the DOT for forging a partnership with ride-hailing app Grab Philippines, whose drivers were not accredited tour guides, but were going to perform the service for foreign tourists. The DOT eventually had to drop the poorly conceived project,
consulting stakeholders only after they complained about the partnership. (See, “Tourism players hit choice of Grab ‘guide’,” in the BusinessMirror, June 7, 2023.)
Bicam to OK final budget FOR another, the sluggish arrivals of Chinese tourists due to the ongoing diplomatic tensions between Manila and Beijing had already pushed the private sector to recommend that DOT strengthen its promotions to other foreign markets. The DOT, however, didn’t make that pivot until mid-2024. (See, “DOT tweaks promotion tack to fill Chinese arrivals gap,” in the BusinessMirror, June 24, 2024.)
At the TCP annual meeting, Frasco extended her hand to the private sector to encourage more collaborations and partnerships. “Don’t hesitate to let me know how better we can improve tourism in the Philippines. We’re here to work with you, and we’re here under the common aspiration and desire to see Philippine tourism elevate its rightful status in the Asean and the world.”
The DOT is targeting the arrivals of some 6.7 million foreign tourists in 2026. In a plenary hearing on November 21, the Senate OK’d the increase in DOT’s budget to P4.158 billion from the original allocation of P3.65 billion under the National Expenditure Program. The budgets of each government agency will be finalized in the bicameral conference committee between the Senate and the House of Representatives, before being submitted to Malacañang for his approval.
Meghan Markle’s dad Thomas gets life-saving leg amputation in Cebu
By Carmel M. Pedroza
CEBU CITY—Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, 81, had his left leg amputated below the knee in a life-saving operation at a hospital in Cebu, his son Thomas Jr. said. The three-hour surgery on Wednesday removed a blood clot that had cut off circulation to his leg, causing the tissue to turn black. According to Thomas Jr., in a report by Daily Mail, he rushed
his father to the hospital after the clot threatened his life.
The retired Hollywood lighting director was initially taken to a smaller hospital near their home, but it could not perform the procedure. Doctors treating Thomas Markle have said the next two days will be critical for his recovery, speaking to the Daily Mail with his permission. They noted that while the wound from his recent leg amputation is healing, the next
24 to 72 hours are crucial.
Medical staff emphasized the importance of ensuring the wound does not become infected. They added that Markle is currently in stable condition and doing well, but cautioned that at his age, his condition could change quickly.
In a livestream update on Thursday, December 4, 2025, Thomas Jr. said doctors remain optimistic about his father’s condition.
“Dad’s going to be okay,” he
said, adding that when he saw him earlier that afternoon, his father “looked like he was on a threeday binge from a frat party,” but stressed that he is comfortable and
“not in pain.”
“He is a fighter, and he is doing good,” he added. He said arrangements have already been made for a regular room once his 81-year-old father is cleared to leave the ICU.
See “Markle,” A5
TOURISM
Frasco urged members of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines to help her agency in forming an effective marketing campaign for the Philippines, during the private stakeholders group’s recent annual membership meeting at Lanson Place Manila. COURTESY DOT
PNP sees more security ties with South Korea
By Rex Anthony Naval
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday said it is eyeing more cooperation with South Korea as part of its ongoing efforts to modernize the service and enhance public safety across the country.
This, after acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. met with Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) vice president Lee Yun-Young last Dec. 3 in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
“Our meeting focused on the continuation and strengthening of the PNP–KOICA partnership. We discussed current capacitybuilding programs, potential new areas of cooperation, and technology-driven initiatives that can enhance our policing capabilities. KOICA also reaffirmed its commitment to sup -
port our ongoing reforms under the ‘Bagong PNP para sa Bagong Pilipinas’ initiative,” he added.
KOICA is the South Korean government’s central agency for providing grant aid and technical cooperation to developing countries.
Through collaboration with KOICA, Nartatez said the PNP is implementing programs that improve training, integrate modern technology, and adopt global best practices in the country’s law enforcement.
He emphasized that international cooperation is key to building a police force that is efficient, professional, and truly responsive to the needs of the public.
“KOICA’s support allows us to develop personnel, adopt new technologies, and expand programs that make policing more
effective and citizen-centered,” the acting PNP chief said.
“The partnership with KOICA directly supports these objectives by providing technical assistance, training opportunities, and strategic guidance for modernization initiatives,” he added.
Among the key areas of cooperation are programs aimed at protecting Korean nationals and other foreign communities in the Philippines, strengthening coordination on crime prevention, and implementing measures to address transnational and cybercrime.
Nartatez also highlighted opportunities for PNP personnel to participate in exchange programs and specialized training in South Korea, which will further enhance the professionalism and capabilities of the force.
SMC resumes flood-mitigating major river cleanups in Bulacan
SAN Miguel Corporation (SMC) is back cleaning rivers in Bulacan province, after completing a massive effort from October 2022 to September 2024, that removed over 4.15 million metric tons of flood-causing silt and waste from 74 kilometers of rivers, at no cost to government and with no commercial benefit to the company.
This time, SMC is undertaking maintenance cleanups of major rivers draining out to Manila Bay that surround the country’s future largest and most modern international gateway.
SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang said that over the last 10 months, the company’s Better Rivers PH cleanup crews have removed over 500,000 tons of silt
and waste from a nine-kilometer stretch of the Maycapiz-Taliptip River and Bambang River. This has further deepened the river channels, which used to be mostly knee-deep prior to any dredging. Today the rivers
are more than three meters deep, equivalent to the height of two persons, one standing on top of the other.
SMC has also extended its river cleanup efforts to the Bagumbayan River within the town of Bulakan, Bulacan where it has so far removed over 91,000 tons of silt and waste from 3.3 kilometers of the river.
Ang said that regular maintenance cleanups of these rivers are needed to ensure that gains made through the company’s years-long flood mitigation efforts—primarily, the increased flood-carrying capacities and improved flow of these rivers—are preserved.
“Rivers that surround the New Manila International Airport project have a vital function—to drain waters from eastern Bulacan rivers, out to Manila Bay. That is why it’s critical that we continuously clean them, and even deepen and expand where needed, to ensure better flood protection and mitigation, not just for the airport, but for eastern Bulacan municipalities in the Bulacan sub-river basin,” Ang said.
He explained that before SMC’s Bulacan rivers cleanup initiative, decades of accumulated silt and waste coming from upstream areas
of Bulacan had significantly shallowed and clogged the MaycapizTaliptip River, Bambang River, and Meycauayan River in the low-lying coasts—resulting in increased flooding.
The coastal area’s low elevation, at below sea level, had also made the municipalities inherently prone to flooding.
In fact, the NMIA project site, an island surrounded by the three rivers, was also submerged over time by shallow waters. Thus, for many decades, the site was used for commercial fish pond operations by previous land owners.
Apart from clearing the three major rivers, which yielded over 1.5 million tons of silt in 2024, SMC also cleaned upstream rivers and tributaries in Bulacan to help ensure efficient water flow towards the three rivers.
The effort has helped mitigate flooding for Guiguinto, Marilao, Balagtas, Bocaue, and Meycauayan. But while the initial cleanup of the three main rivers restored their natural depth of three meters, recent water level monitoring showed that the rivers were again being shallowed by siltation.
This was caused by numerous typhoons and heavy rainfall experienced last year, which necessitated the reactivation of clean-up operations.
“Keeping the rivers clean and flowing is our long-term commitment, and is integrated into the development and eventual operations of the NMIA. This means that continuous flood risk mitigation efforts for the airport will greatly benefit neighboring municipalities and the rest of eastern Bulacan,” Ang said.
With Singson exit, passing IPC Law becomes more urgent–Kiko
THE recent resignation of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) underscores the urgent need to pass the proposed measure creating the Independent People’s Commission (IPC), Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said.
In an ambush interview on Thursday, the senator pushed anew for the passage of the IPC law, acknowledging that Singson himself had said the ICI needs more power.
“It has become more important to pass this IPC—Independent People’s Commission—to respond directly to some of the issues that led to his resignation,” he stressed, speaking partly in Filipino.
“They need more teeth, they need more authority so they can do their job effectively. It’s no joke facing these issues because this is such a controversial case, such a controversial scandal,” he added.
The senator, as chair of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, is the sponsor of the proposed measure.
“It’s really important to give them full support and the Independent People’s Commission will give them the support that they need to be able to do the job right,” Pangilinan said.
The measure aims to create a fact-finding body that has the power to issue subpoenas, the power to suspend and freeze assets and follow the money trail, the power to cite individuals and entities in contempt, the power to
cancel licenses of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the power to grant witness immunity and protection, and the power to issue look out orders and recommend hold departure orders to proper authorities.
The bill also gives the IPC the power to suspend and blacklist contractors and remove them from the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System, the power to recommend to the President policy measures, the power to temporarily issue closure orders, the power to sequester assets temporarily, the power to deputize the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and other law enforcement agencies in the conduct of its investigation.
“We want to give all of that to them,” the senator assured, adding that the IPC will eliminate allegations that there are “sacred cows” in the investigation.
“Well, if you give them the powers, the chances of having sacred cows will be diminished largely. As it is now, they cannot even cite for contempt those that refuse to recognize them. Once they are given the proper authority, the situation of sacred cows will no longer arise,” Pangilinan explained. He added that public trust will be restored once those behind the massive corruption in government infrastructure projects are jailed.
The senator expressed hope that President Marcos would certify the bill as urgent, so Congress could pass the measure before the year ends. Butch Fernandez
DepEd touts modest gains in literacy, feeding services
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
THE Department of Education
(DepEd) noted the improvements of two schools for significant gains in literacy and strong delivery of feeding services—items that will be supported and scaled under the proposed 2026 budget.
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo
“Sonny” Angara recently inspected the rollout of the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) and the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) initiative in Moonwalk Elementary School and Talon Elementary School in Las Piñas City.
The visit forms part of DepEd’s nationwide monitoring effort under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to accelerate reading recovery and strengthen support for vulnerable learners.
During the visit, Angara assisted in distributing hot meals, observed ARAL sessions, and held dialogues with teachers to gather ground-level insights on interventions that can be scaled across divisions.
“We need to hear the stories of every school. If the data are clear from the ground, support from above is much better. Then we can see what really works for the children,” Angara said, partly in Filipino.
Moonwalk ES, cited as the division’s 2nd Best SBFP Implementer, has 789 feeding beneficiaries this school year and launched ARAL tutorials in September, where it demonstrated strong program innovation through a reading initiative integrated into feeding sessions.
With 1:11 tutors-learner ratio in the said school, teachers said feeding and tutorial pairing helped improve attendance and reading stamina for the most vulnerable learners.
Meanwhile, Talon ES ranked 1st in Las Piñas Schools Division Office in the National Achievement Test, posted strong ARAL outcomes. The school’s ARAL cohort fell from an initial 575 learners at the beginning of the School Year to 233 after the middle of school year assessment, meaning 342 learners — or about 71 percent — exited the program after reaching grade-level reading expectations.
Talon’s gains were credited to structured morning and midday ARAL sessions, consistent progress monitoring, and dedicated learning spaces that support uninterrupted literacy work.
Angara said these improvements will be supported and scaled under the proposed 2026 budget.
The Senate-approved General Appropriations Bill raises the School MOOE to P60.89 billion, up from P49.76 billion in the 2025 GAA, to bolster day-to-day school operations and provide localized interventions.
The SBFP, on the other hand, is set at P 28.66 billion, enough to make Kindergarten and Grade 1 feeding universal for the first time. Feeding duration will also extend to 200 days, while targeted feeding will support junior high school and senior high school severely wasted and wasted learners, and adolescent pregnant learners.
The expanded SBFP in the 2026 budget boosts learner nutrition while strengthening local agriculture. Milk is now sourced from local farmers, and food products come from DOST-FNRI–certified suppliers, ensuring demand from homegrown producers and cooperatives. Angara also renewed his call to amend the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act (RA 11037) to expand beneficiary coverage and feeding days, establish Central Kitchens, and secure steady supplies. These program directions align with the Tatak Pinoy Law (RA 11981), which raises the value of Philippine products by expanding and upgrading domestic industries. Angara noted that this direction stands on the foundation of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (RA 8435) authored by his father, the late Senator Edgardo Angara, which modernized local food systems and strengthened the producers now powering programs like the SBFP. ARAL expansion will be backed by strengthened allocations for learning resources, tutor training and compensation, and monitoring.
Angara also emphasized that LGU collaboration is vital to sustain gains, pointing
MAYCAPIZ-TALIPTIP River Maintenance cleanup under SMC’s long-running Better Rivers PH river rehabilitation initiative. SMC PHOTO
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Qatar biz group to send delegation for cursory look at BARMM–MinDA
By Manuel T. Cayon
AVAO CITY—Oil-rich Qa -
Dtar warmed the hearts of a Mindanao government delegation whose government and business groups have assured the latter that they were interested in helping develop the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and that a business delegation would be coming soon to take a good look at the region for possible investment.
Secretary Leo Tereso Magno, chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), said
Hospital ordeal
THOMAS Jr. recounted a stressful sequence of events at a hospital near their home before his father was transferred to a larger facility in the city center. He claimed the first hospital “didn’t do a goddamn thing” and was unable to perform the necessary procedure.
“The hospital now is a hundred times better,” he said, describing it as “a little different” from facilities he has encountered in the United States and other countries, but praising it for “top-shelf care guaranteed.”
He said the situation took a toll on him emotionally and physically.
“I’m sicker than a dog again,” he said, adding that he was surprised he wasn’t arrested for what he described as “disorderly conduct and irrational behavior in a hospital setting.”
Thomas Jr. said he later apologized to staff.
“I was out of line and rude to a lot of people, but if you’re not used to it and you don’t know how it is under duress and circumstances, it can be frustrating. It was very frustrating. I
the Qatari business group was expected to send its delegation by January or February to go around the BARMM, created to accommodate Filipino Muslims in the south. “They want to look at renewable energy, developing the ports and agricultural production,” Magno said during the yearend news conference at NCCC Victoria Plaza on Friday.
He said MinDA visited Qatar last week to explore business opportunities.
In its presentation to Qatar, MinDA said the BARMM posted a gross regional domestic product of
was like a ping pong ball.”
Ongoing challenges
THOMAS Jr. also reflected on caring for his father after he suffered a stroke three years ago. “That has not been an easy route,” he said. He added that he will continue to post updates on his YouTube channel, noting that all proceeds will go toward his father’s care and related needs.
He said his father’s insurance does not cover treatment at the current facility, leaving the family to shoulder all expenses out of pocket.
Thomas Jr. said they plan to set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover mounting medical costs.
Thomas Markle and his son reportedly moved to the Philippines this year. Thomas Jr. said he initially advised his father against the transfer but ultimately respected his decision, saying it was his father’s “own show.”
Earlier this October, Meghan’s father made headlines after it was initially reported that they were stuck on the 19th floor of a building in Cebu after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake on September 30, 2025.
Thomas Jr. clarified they were not stuck and were safe.
P299.48 billion last year, with Maguindanao del Norte, part of the Cotabato rice plains, with GRDP of P85.16 billion, and Lanao del Sur with P78.2 billion.
The two provinces are the central Mindanao component provinces of the BARMM, with the other components located as southwestern Mindanao islandprovinces of Basilan and TawiTawi.
Magno said Qatar has included other areas of Mindanao that may be deemed appropriate by its business groups. As a whole, Mindanao, contributed 17.1 percent to the
ADEQUATE security measures are now in place to secure delegates of the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations Senior Officials’ Meeting (ASEAN SEOM) Retreat in Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan next week, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Friday.
national gross domestic product valued at P3.8 trillion.
Mindanao has a population of 27.4 million, with 15.67 million in the labor force, which translates to a labor participation rate of 64.4 percent.
As of 2023, the Board of Investments recorded a total approved investment of P21.8 billion.
The presentation said all regions in Mindanao have exhibited high growth in investment and would be an ideal investment site for additional energy generation, including renewable energy production. The MinDA said that
Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., in a statement, said that he had already ordered the police forces involved, particularly the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6, to constantly supervise and update the security measures for the event from Dec. 10 to 13.
“We are implementing a comprehensive
there were already biomass energy production and carbon credit trading and solar and hydroelectric generation were in their various development stages.
For Qatari businesses, the MinDA said Mindanao is the ideal place due to its traditional role as the country’s food basket. Currently, the Soccsksargen, Caraga and the BARMM regions have produced surplus production in rice, the Filipino own staple crop.
MinDA added that there were food processing and packaging activities in many areas and cold chain logistics and storage were
security plan that covers all critical areas of Boracay including ports, beaches, and hotels,” he added.
These include checkpoints, CCTV monitoring and deployment ng highly trained personnel in key locations.
“The safety of our delegates and tourists is our top priority and we are
also existing. The BARMM particularly, has been developing and refining halal certification to cater not only to Filipino Muslims but also to visiting Muslims around the world.
“Halal is a 3-trillion-dollar industry worldwide,” Magno said. He said the BARMM was ready for the Qatar visit saying that “in many places in the BARRM, they have been practicing good governance already and that the former enemies of government are now the ones managing the affairs of the BARMM.”
coordinating closely with local government units and other law enforcement agencies,” he added.
Approximately 1,500 personnel from PRO-6 will be stationed at key locations to ensure the security of roughly 200 delegates visiting the island. Rex Anthony Naval.
Risa reminds: Give ₧53B govt owes to PhilHealth, besides returning ₧60-B
WHILE hailing as just the Supreme Court decision striking down the order to transfer PhilHealth’s funds to the national treasury, Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Friday urged health advocates to keep their sights on two more vital courses of action: ensure that the P60 billion to be returned to PhilHealth via the 2026 budget is treated not as augmentation; and that the government returns the P53 billion it did not give the health insurer as subsidy in 2025.
“The Supreme Court decision is clear: the transfer of the reserve funds of PhilHealth was illegal. I thank the SC for correcting a grievous error of this government. With this decision, our institutions can be sure to provide the correct service to all Filipinos as mandated by universal health care,” she said in Filipino. She noted that even before the court decision, Congress had already set aside P60 billion for PhilHealth. “But it must be made clear that this is not an augmentation, these are funds rightfully returned to PhilHealth.”
“As we enact the 2026 budget, the P60 billion that was returned to PhilHealth must stay there, and we will continue to demand the P53 billion that the government owes when it did not give any subsidies to PhilHealth for 2025,” the senator added. Butch Fernandez
Meanwhile, in the western part of the Bulacan—in entirely separate and faraway river basins from the airport project in the east—towns like Hagonoy and Malolos remain prone to flooding whenever the Angat Dam overflows.
For these municipalities, SMC had also previously cleaned up the downstream portions of Malolos Rivers, the Angat-Labangan River, and Pampanga River. However, these areas continue to be flood-prone when water overflows or is released from Angat Dam. SMC noted that flooding in Bulacan is a complex issue shaped by many factors, among them: the natural rise of sea levels, land subsidence caused by over-extraction of groundwater, inadequate drainage systems, and rapid urbanization in upstream areas.
to the updated Joint Circular on the Special Education Fund (SEF) that permits LGU support for early-grade literacy, feeding, and academic recovery interventions.
For a permanent and holistic flood solution to be successful, sustained cooperation among the national and local governments, private sector, and communities will be necessary.
“The areas which LGUs can fund are growing. They don’t have to wait too much for the response of the national-level; at the local level alone, people can already expect proper and fast service and action from the schools,” he said. With a positive outlook heading to 2026, Angara noted that the agency will continue to assess program implementation, ensure accurate ground-level data informs policy, and make sure more schools receive the targeted support needed to sustain improvements in attendance, nutrition, and foundational skills.
SIGNIFY Philippines plans to drive business growth in 2026 by bringing lighting in the conversation on smart buildings, factories, and office; and offering more products that drive value to end-users.
The company continues to increase investments in research and development to pioneer nextgeneration lighting and digital solutions.
Other strategies include grabbing market share via Philips NPIs and Ecolink, investing in unlocking strategic partnerships, prioritizing segment focus for Road and Street, Office, and Warehouse, and improving value proposition on System Architecture and Connected Lighting.
At the
“Signify Race To Growth Partner YearEnd Gathering,” Raghuraman Chandrasekhar, country leader for Professional Business of Signify Philippines, said more professional lighting products will be introduced under the Signify brand in the coming year.
“Signify is our leading brand for sustainable innovations. For 2026, we are pushing for streetlights and floodlights. We introduced ActiStar,
The GreenVision Xceed Pro, meanwhile, is road lighting designed for sustainability and flexibility.
“With data-driven insights, Signify aims to meet the evolving needs of customers in both emerging and established markets,” said Chandrasekhar.
Signify is making great strides is smart lighting.
Chandrasekhar said the trend is toward end-users looking for smarter lighting solutions so they would pay less money but get more in terms of efficiency.
“Smart lighting plays a very important role in these conversations,” he said.
The Philips LED SmartBright Highbay Light BY229 Series, for example, offers up to 67 percent energy savings compared to HPI-P systems. It offers comfortable light quality and easy maintenance.
Also high efficacy and energy saving is the Philips LED SmartBright GreenUp Deep Recessed Downlight DN035 Series.
In 2025, Signify also plans to expand its Solar Lighting portfolio. It will double-down on reach improvement and price competitiveness for its Solar Trade portfolio and also capture LGU and Private Township Off-Grid Road and Street.
The biggest demand for solar lighting will come from public spaces, from barangays to streets and roads. Demand is also seen to come from houses in the provinces, factories, end-users who live sustainably, and homeowners who need reliable sources of light when there is no power.
“We have done some surveys and spent time with actual users on what kind of products and price points they are looking for and we’re working backwards with our factory R&D. We will be launching new products by Q2 of 2026 and these products will be tailored toward the market needs,”
By Rizal Raoul Reyes
QUBE Smart Technology Corp. has recently developed game-changing storage and retrieval solutions with its smart locker technology, which is key to its Smart City Ecosystem.
Alexander Que, chief executive officer of QUBE Smart Technology Corp., said the technology offers a seamless and secure access experience through multiple modern methods, including mobile apps or unique digital codes. For businesses and institutions, Que said this transition is more than just convenience; it streamlines complex logistics, drastically reduces costs, and provides vital realtime auditing and monitoring capabilities. He said QUBE’s smart locker network is quickly becoming a crucial component for secure assets and parcel management. Que said a core benefit of the smart lockers is their commitment to enhanced convenience and 24/7 accessibility. “They operate around the clock, allowing users to drop off or pick up items—be it parcels or laundry—at their complete convenience, entirely independent of building staff or concierge hours,” he said.
He said QUBE’s true power lies in its multiservice platform capability, all managed within one integrated system. This single platform supports a wide array of services:
WASH: Contactless laundry drop-off and pickup. DROP: Convenient drop-off and pick-up services for parcel deliveries.
KEEP: Secure storage of personal belongings. PAY: Instant services, such as top-ups for beep cards or purchases.
Key locations for QUBE Smart Lockers include the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), Serendra Tower Mall, Manila Padel Club. and Enchanted Kingdom in Laguna.
Commuters passing through PITX can rely on PAY and KEEP Services for a lighter, hassle-free travel experience.
Meanwhile, individuals with active lifestyles and theme park visitors can enjoy the convenience of KEEP Service at Serendra, Manila Padel Club, and Enchanted Kingdom for worry-free leisure.
He said Access and transactions are primarily managed through the QUBE App or secure PINs/QR codes, minimizing physical contact for a safer, more hygienic interaction, receiving instant notifications when their item arrives or is ready, eliminating the uncertainty and delays associated with traditional delivery methods. The automation, powered by a seamless digital interface, makes the entire process of booking, dropping off, and collecting remarkably simple. It is currently under development and will be available to the public next year. Que said the security component has unique and secure authentication methods, ensuring that only the intended recipient can access the locker. “This is complemented by a powerful real monitoring component that logs every transaction and interaction, “ Que said. Que said the system provides full transparency and tracking over who accessed an item
Furthermore, the entire smart locker infrastructure is an IoT-based system (powered by PANDORA). It intelligently collects data on usage patterns, enabling businesses and property managers to optimize locker placement and refine service offerings based on real demand. QUBE will soon update its PANDORA system by
AND just like that, it’s that time of the year again—when Christmas bonuses finally appear, wishlists start growing, and you begin ticking off the names of people who’ve been especially nice to you this year. And much like puto bumbong, bibingka, and Jose Mari Chan’s Christmas songs drifting through the streets, our column also brings back a tradition readers look forward to every holiday season: the JBL Holiday Gift Guide. Audio is one of the easiest and most meaningful gifts you can give. Everyone enjoys sound in one form or another—music during long commutes, the soundtrack of a favorite game, a late-night series binge, background playlists during long drives, or a quick videoke showdown on Christmas Eve. JBL has spent years perfecting devices that fit every lifestyle, price point, and personality, which is why our annual roundup has become a familiar, festive favorite. It’s always filled with great finds worth giving (or keeping for yourself). For this first part, we’re focusing on the latest JBL releases—earbuds, headphones, and compact speakers built for people who want sound woven seamlessly into their daily routines. Whether you’re shopping for family, officemates, your ride-or-die barkada, or even yourself, these JBL picks are the perfect way to start your Christmas list.
n JBL BANDBOX SOLO: There’s always that aspiring musician in every family—a nephew, a son, or even that Tito/Tita who still believes their big break is just one chorus away. The JBL BandBox Solo is the kind of Christmas gift which fuels that passion and builds
confidence. It turns any bedroom into a mini practice studio, giving future singers and guitarists a place to rehearse and experiment with real tools. Its AI-powered stem separation lets them remove vocals or instruments from any song, so they can perform with clean backing tracks—an exciting way to practice like a pro. The built-in amp models, effects, tuner, and looper help them shape their sound and discover their musical style without needing bulky or expensive gear. With Bluetooth streaming, USB-C recording, and a portable battery-powered design, it’s easy to bring along to school rehearsals, jam nights, or family gatherings. The JBL BandBox Solo isn’t just a speaker; it’s encouragement, creativity, and a gentle push toward their dreams—all wrapped as a gift.
n JBL GRIP: There’s something charming about a speaker that feels made for everyday life. The JBL Grip, one of the latest additions to the lineup, is exactly that kind of gadget. Compact and lightweight, it slips into a bag, hooks onto a bike or backpack, and goes wherever your day takes you. Despite its size, the Grip delivers bold JBL Pro Sound with clear highs, punchy mids, and bass that feels far bigger than its frame.
It also stands out for durability. With an IP68 rating, the Grip is fully waterproof and dustproof—ready for beach trips, hikes, gym bags, and unpredictable holiday weather. The ambient light feature at the back adds a playful touch, glowing softly during evening gatherings or quiet nights outdoors. Battery life reaches up to 14 hours, and Playtime Boost helps squeeze out even more. JBL’s Auracast support lets it link with other compatible speakers—perfect for spontaneous reunions when someone inevitably says, “Turn up the volume!”
n JBL SOUNDGEAR CLIPS: Another new release is the JBL Soundgear Clips that offer a stylish, lightweight take on open-ear audio. Instead of traditional earbuds, these clip-on pieces rest gently around the ear using air conduction to deliver sound— keeping your surroundings clearly audible. They’re ideal for joggers, bikers, and commuters who want safety and sound at the same time. They’re also great for parents working from home who still need to hear what’s happening around the house. Up to 32 hours of
total listening time and a smart AI-powered microphone system make calls clearer, even in noisy environments. The Bass Boost algorithm enhances audio depth without causing distracting sound leakage, and the translucent finishes add a modern aesthetic. For styleforward friends who want something lightweight and different, the JBL Soundgear Clips are a great pick.
n JBL SENSE PRO: This one is a fresh makeover of the JBL SoundGear Sense. The JBL Sense Pro also caters to people who want premium sound without sealing off their ears. Comfort plays a huge role here—the titanium memory wire hooks secure the earbuds without pressing deep into the ear canal, making them perfect for long hours of wear. Adaptive Bass Boost smartly adjusts low frequencies depending on your listening volume. It has Hi-Res Audio Wireless (LDAC) and large 16.2mm drivers that deliver crisp highs, clean mids, and balanced bass with an open, natural feel. With four microphones, a Voice Pickup Sensor, and wind noise reduction, calls stay clear even in crowded malls or holiday markets. Up to 38 hours of total playback and wireless charging complete the package. For fitness lovers, audiophiles, or anyone who dislikes in-ear sealing, the Sense Pro is a standout gift.
n JBL SOUNDGEAR FRAMES: I love these so much that I got one in each style and color. The JBL Soundgear Frames are eyewear that doubles as a personal audio device—regular-looking glasses with ultra-thin speakers embedded in the temples, directing sound toward your ears while keeping your surroundings audible. They’re light, flexible and comfortable enough for long use. I often wear mine while driving so I can listen to music or take calls without reaching for my phone. Touch controls on the frame make adjusting volume or skipping tracks effortless, and the IP54 rating protects them from dust and light splashes.
With up to eight hours of playtime and multiple frame styles, the JBL Soundgear Frames are a practical yet stylish gift—perfect for trendsetters, multitaskers, and anyone who loves clever wearable tech.
n JBL TUNE 730BT: If there’s one thing everyone asks for during the holidays, it’s a pair of headphones that sound great and last long. The JBL Tune 730BT delivers both with confidence. Powered by signature JBL Pure Bass and
40mm drivers, these over-ear headphones produce warm, immersive audio ideal for music, movies, and podcasts. Its best feature? Battery life. The JBL Tune 730BT can run up to 76 hours on a single charge— enough for a full week of commuting, long flights, or holiday road trips. A quick charge of just a few minutes gives several hours of playback.
Multipoint Bluetooth allows seamless switching between devices, and the lightweight, foldable design with soft ear cushions makes them comfortable for extended use. For students, professionals, and heavy listeners, the JBL Tune 730BT is one of the season’s most dependable and practical gifts.
n JBL QUANTUM 250: Gaming sound is one of the most overlooked parts of the whole experience. People often focus on graphics, storage, or accessories, but the truth is: audio is where immersion—and competitiveness—really begins. The JBL Quantum 250 is built exactly for that purpose.
Its 50mm drivers are tuned with JBL Quantum Sound, producing detailed, accurate audio that helps players hear important cues: footsteps, direction shifts, ambient effects, and environmental details that regular speakers or cheap headsets usually miss. For story-driven games, it adds richness and depth. For competitive titles, it gives gamers an edge.
The wired connection means zero latency, while compatibility across PC, consoles, and mobile devices makes it flexible for different setups. A noise-canceling boom mic keeps communication clear, and the lightweight build with soft padding makes it easy to wear during long sessions.
So that’s it for the first set of JBL devices that cover a wide range of listeners—students, commuters, creatives, fashion-forward users, athletes, and gamers—and budget. And while they’re perfect for day-to-day use, we’re just getting warmed up. Because what’s Christmas without big parties, bigger reunions, and even bigger sound?
In Part 2 of our JBL Holiday Gift Guide, we turn up the volume with the heavy-hitters: the powerhouse speakers built for celebrations, outdoor gatherings, and full-on family fiestas. Stay tuned—your Christmas soundtrack is about to get louder.
Step into tomorrow: Globe unveils Asia Pacific’s first AI-powered solar home
GLOBE AT HOME proudly leads the region in innovation by becoming the first telco in Asia Pacific (APAC) to launch a partnership with FusionSolar, ushering in a new era of green home AI ecosystems. FusionSolar provides a one-fits-all solution from power generation and storage, to charging and power consumption.
To date, FusionSolar has maximized efficiency and safety to power over 3.9 million households across 170 countries for a better, more intelligent, and more sustainable future. According to the Bangkok Post, over 80,000 Thai households have adopted FusionSolar intelligent solar solutions which can provide up to 70% of their electricity supply.
This exclusive partnership delivers a transformative blend of sustainability, connectivity, and digital living, which aims to make Filipino homes more digitally sustainable, efficient and future-ready. Furthermore, Globe AT HOME makes digital power more accessible for Filipino households by offering FusionSolar to its customers.
This advanced setup delivers three key benefits: First, a resilient always-on connection that protects your internet and essential devices from power interruptions, thanks to AI-managed Backup Batteries that instantly activate when the main power grid fails; Second, consistently fast speeds powered by green, stable electricity that protects fiber delivery
sustainability, and purposeful connectivity. Globe AT HOME’s GFiber Postpaid plans deliver wonderful experiences through superior fiber connectivity with speeds of up to 2.5Gbps, enabling families to elevate their digital lifestyle, make empowered choices,
DSWD to expand PWD employment with new inclusive hiring guidelines
By Jose Cielito Reganit
DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Wednesday vowed to expand employment opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs) following the launch of the new DSWDwide guidelines that guarantee inclusive hiring within the agency.
“We have been doing this for quite some time. But it is still not enough. We will intensify the recruitment of persons with disability so that the number of regular and non-regular positions in the department will not remain at 1 percent,” Gatchalian said during the celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City. One of the highlights of the celebration is the launching of DSWD’s Administrative Order (AO) 11, series of 2025, or the Guidelines on Inclusive Employment for Persons with Disability. AO 11 institutionalizes inclusive employment at the DSWD’s Central and Field Offices, as well at its centers and residential care facilities (CRCFs). Gatchalian said the effort is an-
chored on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to not leave anyone behind in the nation’s development.
“This is not tokenism, symbolic gesture, or just a simple compliance. These are real positions carved for them because we believe that persons with disabilities deserve a rightful place in the government workforce —because they are living proof that disability is never a hindrance to public service,” he said.
Under the newly launched guidelines, the DSWD will ensure that at least 1 percent of all positions in DSWD as a government agency shall be reserved for persons with disability, thereby, promoting equal access to employment opportunities and fostering an inclusive work environment.
Dreaming of a noche
The 1 percent compliance is in accordance with Republic Act 10524 or An Act Expanding the Positions Reserved for Persons with Disability, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act 7277, as Amended, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Persons With Disability.
Gatchalian noted that 411 “Angels in Red Vests” or 1.01 percent of the DSWD’s 40,828 personnel nationwide are persons with disabilities.
Also stipulated in the guidelines is the capacity building for the Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Committee members and all HR officers on inclusive hiring, and training on basic sign language, as well as the proper use of auxiliary and assistive devices, among others.
buena
‘ANG pagkain na walang kuwento ay walang kwenta.”
This witty quip was uttered by celebrated chef Claude Tayag during his animated exchange with Kuya Kurt, an American vlogger, in a video blog uploaded on a digital platform which I enjoyed watching recently. It resonated with me I because that’s what my wife Aurit and I do every morning. We like to linger at the table during breakfast. Many times, our meandering small talk veers towards food. Aurit would recall the dishes her parents used to whip up when they were still alive. Her father, Bienvenido and her mother, Amparo, now both deceased, were great cooks.
Recalling a simple everyday dish such as adobo, afritada, or munggo would trigger a flood of delectable memories such as her father’s awesome soup made from ham scraps, her mother’s to-die-for arso leche, ginataang bilo-bilo and other kakanin, her paternal grandmother’s homemade jellies and atchara, the yummy hot pandesal bought from the neighborhood panaderia, the cheap yet tasty pancit bihon she bought during recess from am -
bulant food peddlers outside the school grounds, and many other remembered anecdotes.
Sipping hot coffee while munching on soft malunggay pandesal, these conversations make our morning breakfasts that much more satisfying, especially for me because I am a walking sponge for stories.
This is why I was hooked to the food talk between Claude and Kuya Kurt. That’s the kind of engaging, meaty conversation I love to have with someone while relishing a good meal.
To be honest, I don’t have a talent for cooking. I’m neither a food dilettante nor a culinary artist. I’m not even a food vlogger. But I do love to eat, and I’m in fact adventurous when it comes to food. However, beyond food, I have a late-stage keen interest in the wellsprings of Filipino culture and I believe authentic Filipino food is a living part of Filipino-ness.
So, on top of enjoying Filipino dishes, I love to talk about them with people who have some knowledge about Filipino food and share my cultural interest, hoping to get some delicious tidbits of cultural trivia and historical factoids out of
“We are preparing our entire hiring ecosystem, not just to hire persons with disabilities but to support them, understand them, and grow with them. Because at the end of the day, we look at their abilities, not their disability,” Gatchalian said.
The DSWD chief also committed to lobbying the initiative to President Marcos to mandate all departments to adopt the guidelines and to make it a national policy.
“You know, I like disruption. I believe in shaking systems when they need to be shaken. So, now, the DSWD will serve as a disruptor. We will use our administrative order not just to implement inclusive hiring inside our offices, but to push for it at the national level,” Gatchalian said. PNA
GSIS expands Christmas cash gift to pro-rata and portability retirees
By Wilnard Bacelonia
THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has released P3.93 billion in Christmas cash gifts to 411,692 eligible pensioners on December 4, marking the first year that prorata and Portability Law (RA 7699) pensioners are included in the annual benefit.
GSIS said the December monthly pension will also be credited earlier than usual, moving from December 8 to December 5 to give pensioners more time to prepare for the holidays.
GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso said the expanded coverage aims to ensure that the institution’s senior members feel fully supported during the Christmas season.
“We want our pensioners to feel valued and supported, especially during the Christmas season. That is why we expanded the coverage of the Christmas cash gift to include an additional 14,992 pro-rata and Portability Law pensioners, who were previously excluded from this annual benefit,” Veloso said.
Eligible recipients include old-age, retirement and disability pensioners under RA 8291, RA 660, RA 7699 and
dinner with Doreen and Claude
the conversation.
Now that Christmas is upon us, if somebody would ask me who I like to have noche buena dinner with, I would choose two individuals who must not only possess a cornucopia of facts and stories about Filipino dishes but must be good storytellers.
Foremost in my mind is Claude Tayag, a chef, and the other is the esteemed culinary ethnographer, Doreen Fernandez.
That would be an awesome combination— Claude’s prowess in gastronomy and Doreen’s masterly knowledge of Filipino cuisine. It would be for me the ultimate “kuwentuhan habang kumakain” experience! I would never get bored listening to them. Even if it would take a whole long night. Or a series of long nights.
That book made me see our daily Filipino food fare as a cuisine, among the world’s best. “She paid respect to it,” said one Filipino restaurateur. “She opened the door for me to look at it with dignity.”
But more significantly, her food writing was more than just sensory description. The essays about Filipino dishes were her subtle way of illuminating other aspects of Filipino culture beyond food.
But alas, it’s just a figment of my imagination because Doreen Fernandez passed away too early at the age of 67 in 2002.
I have been a longtime admirer of Doreen since I was able to get a copy of her book “Tikim.” It’s one of my most cherished possessions, not only for the excellent way it was written but also for wealth of mind-opening information she ably put together after laboriously documenting our indigenous cooking traditions.
In her research for the book, Doreen personally tasted dishes from humble carinderias, to the roadside turo-turos frequented by taxi and jeepney drivers, to “tablecloth” restaurants for the affluent and sophisticated.
As for Claude, he is a well-known and sought after chef, holding court in Bale Dutung (Wooden House), his own culinary kingdom in Angeles City. He is particularly known for his expertise in Kapampangan cuisine. We have some sort of a connection because we were both born in Angeles City and went to the same elementary school run by the Benedictine nuns. We are also distant cousins, at least that’s what my late sister Ming Tayag Lim led me to believe. But the irony is I never got the chance to meet Claude personally.
Instead, let’s instill in the Filipino an abiding affection for his culinary heritage first. The rest will follow. The sooner we can do this, the better. I’m afraid our young generation is slowly being disconnected from our cultural wellsprings. More and more Filipinos prefer to be identified with cultures that they deem to be more appealing and “superior.” Even my own teenage grandchildren prefer Korean tteokbokki, Japanese ramen and American hamburgers and fries more than our sinigang and adobo and ginataang bilo-bilo. They are more familiar with kimchi or sushi than our native atchara.
We need our chefs, food vloggers and influencers to champion Filipino cuisine and extol it, so young Filipinos will cease having a subconscious “inferiority complex” about our food and culture in general.
Let’s encourage every town to cultivate its own local versions of
But even if that noche buena dinner is nothing but a dream, I believe the idea of “kain at kuwento” is worth exploring further.
In the same vein that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, the way to the heart of Filipino identity and pride is through food. Let’s forget our national obsession with winning in beauty pageants.
PD 1146 who are in active status, receiving their regular or pro-rata pension and are living as of November 30, 2025.
The cash gift is equivalent to one month’s pension or P10,000, whichever is lower, and will be automatically credited to their GSIS ATM accounts.
The agency reminded pensioners to complete their Annual Pensioners’ Information Revalidation (APIR), which may be done through the facial recognition feature of the GSIS Touch mobile app. Pensioners with suspended status due to APIR non-compliance as of December 31, 2025 may still claim their cash gift once their accounts are reactivated.
Those not eligible for the cash gift include: survivorship and dependent pensioners; retirees who availed themselves of the five-year lump sum and will resume their pension after December 31, 2025; retirees from 2021–2025 who took the 18× cash payment and immediate life pension under RA 8291 (eligible five years after retirement); and members separated from service from 2006–2025 before age 60 who started receiving regular pension from 2021–2025 (eligible after five years as a regular pensioner). PNA
By talking about the cooking of our forebears while savoring the dishes, we journey back to the culture and traditions that we have taken for granted and are allowing to vanish and fade into oblivion too quickly.
In the stories of Filipino cooking, we rediscover the essence of Filipino-ness.
Claude Tayag and Doreen Fernandez. Talents who have culinary creativity combined with cultural consciousness. Let them educate themselves more about our native cuisine so they could weave stories about them mixing anecdotes, historical tidbits and trivia, and other minute info. They can start by soaking up information found in the books of Doreen Fernandez and Claude Tayag. Instead of launching more of these big, flashy restaurants and the all-you-can-eat establishments, what if we open up alternative venues for more intimate, personal culinary experiences? Something like private “ kain at kuwento” dining where a meal is an intimate running conversation with the chef who tells a story about each dish he serves, mixed with anecdotes of his journey as a cook. For variety, we can have a different theme for each “kain at kuwentuhan.” One dinner could focus on dishes using indigenous plants and herbs in the Filipino backyard. Another could be on native kakanin, homemade jellies and jams and pickled vegetables. Why not a dinner featuring exotic dishes such as palaka, carabao meat, locust or fermented fish (buro) and so on. We can have a series of dinnertalks showcasing regional cuisines from Ilocos to Tawi-Tawi. We can even go historical by having a historian talk about the favorite dishes of heroes and celebrated Filipinos or what the educated, middle-class Filipinos (ilustrados) ate in the late 1800s while the diners have a taste of the dishes. Another series could feature foreign influences on native cuisine such as pancit, kare-kare, adobo, okoy, and so on.
DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian poses with the agen-
employees with disabilities during the celebration of the International Day of Persons with
THE GSIS Building in Pasay City. PNA PHOTO
DSWD to expand PWD employment with new inclusive hiring guidelines
By Jose Cielito Reganit
DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Wednesday vowed to expand employment opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs) following the launch of the new DSWDwide guidelines that guarantee inclusive hiring within the agency.
“We have been doing this for quite some time. But it is still not enough. We will intensify the recruitment of persons with disability so that the number of regular and non-regular positions in the department will not remain at 1 percent,” Gatchalian said during the celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City. One of the highlights of the celebration is the launching of DSWD’s Administrative Order (AO) 11, series of 2025, or the Guidelines on Inclusive Employment for Persons with Disability. AO 11 institutionalizes inclusive employment at the DSWD’s Central and Field Offices, as well at its centers and residential care facilities (CRCFs). Gatchalian said the effort is an-
chored on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to not leave anyone behind in the nation’s development.
“This is not tokenism, symbolic gesture, or just a simple compliance. These are real positions carved for them because we believe that persons with disabilities deserve a rightful place in the government workforce —because they are living proof that disability is never a hindrance to public service,” he said.
Under the newly launched guidelines, the DSWD will ensure that at least 1 percent of all positions in DSWD as a government agency shall be reserved for persons with disability, thereby, promoting equal access to employment opportunities and fostering an inclusive work environment.
Dreaming of a noche
The 1 percent compliance is in accordance with Republic Act 10524 or An Act Expanding the Positions Reserved for Persons with Disability, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act 7277, as Amended, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Persons With Disability.
Gatchalian noted that 411 “Angels in Red Vests” or 1.01 percent of the DSWD’s 40,828 personnel nationwide are persons with disabilities.
Also stipulated in the guidelines is the capacity building for the Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Committee members and all HR officers on inclusive hiring, and training on basic sign language, as well as the proper use of auxiliary and assistive devices, among others.
buena
‘ANG pagkain na walang kuwento ay walang kwenta.”
This witty quip was uttered by celebrated chef Claude Tayag during his animated exchange with Kuya Kurt, an American vlogger, in a video blog uploaded on a digital platform which I enjoyed watching recently. It resonated with me I because that’s what my wife Aurit and I do every morning. We like to linger at the table during breakfast. Many times, our meandering small talk veers towards food. Aurit would recall the dishes her parents used to whip up when they were still alive. Her father, Bienvenido and her mother, Amparo, now both deceased, were great cooks.
Recalling a simple everyday dish such as adobo, afritada, or munggo would trigger a flood of delectable memories such as her father’s awesome soup made from ham scraps, her mother’s to-die-for arso leche, ginataang bilo-bilo and other kakanin, her paternal grandmother’s homemade jellies and atchara, the yummy hot pandesal bought from the neighborhood panaderia, the cheap yet tasty pancit bihon she bought during recess from am -
bulant food peddlers outside the school grounds, and many other remembered anecdotes.
Sipping hot coffee while munching on soft malunggay pandesal, these conversations make our morning breakfasts that much more satisfying, especially for me because I am a walking sponge for stories.
This is why I was hooked to the food talk between Claude and Kuya Kurt. That’s the kind of engaging, meaty conversation I love to have with someone while relishing a good meal.
To be honest, I don’t have a talent for cooking. I’m neither a food dilettante nor a culinary artist. I’m not even a food vlogger. But I do love to eat, and I’m in fact adventurous when it comes to food. However, beyond food, I have a late-stage keen interest in the wellsprings of Filipino culture and I believe authentic Filipino food is a living part of Filipino-ness.
So, on top of enjoying Filipino dishes, I love to talk about them with people who have some knowledge about Filipino food and share my cultural interest, hoping to get some delicious tidbits of cultural trivia and historical factoids out of
“We are preparing our entire hiring ecosystem, not just to hire persons with disabilities but to support them, understand them, and grow with them. Because at the end of the day, we look at their abilities, not their disability,” Gatchalian said.
The DSWD chief also committed to lobbying the initiative to President Marcos to mandate all departments to adopt the guidelines and to make it a national policy.
“You know, I like disruption. I believe in shaking systems when they need to be shaken. So, now, the DSWD will serve as a disruptor. We will use our administrative order not just to implement inclusive hiring inside our offices, but to push for it at the national level,” Gatchalian said. PNA
GSIS expands Christmas cash gift to pro-rata and portability retirees
By Wilnard Bacelonia
THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has released P3.93 billion in Christmas cash gifts to 411,692 eligible pensioners on December 4, marking the first year that prorata and Portability Law (RA 7699) pensioners are included in the annual benefit.
GSIS said the December monthly pension will also be credited earlier than usual, moving from December 8 to December 5 to give pensioners more time to prepare for the holidays.
GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso said the expanded coverage aims to ensure that the institution’s senior members feel fully supported during the Christmas season.
“We want our pensioners to feel valued and supported, especially during the Christmas season. That is why we expanded the coverage of the Christmas cash gift to include an additional 14,992 pro-rata and Portability Law pensioners, who were previously excluded from this annual benefit,” Veloso said.
Eligible recipients include old-age, retirement and disability pensioners under RA 8291, RA 660, RA 7699 and
dinner with Doreen and Claude
the conversation.
Now that Christmas is upon us, if somebody would ask me who I like to have noche buena dinner with, I would choose two individuals who must not only possess a cornucopia of facts and stories about Filipino dishes but must be good storytellers.
Foremost in my mind is Claude Tayag, a chef, and the other is the esteemed culinary ethnographer, Doreen Fernandez.
That would be an awesome combination— Claude’s prowess in gastronomy and Doreen’s masterly knowledge of Filipino cuisine. It would be for me the ultimate “kuwentuhan habang kumakain” experience! I would never get bored listening to them. Even if it would take a whole long night. Or a series of long nights.
That book made me see our daily Filipino food fare as a cuisine, among the world’s best. “She paid respect to it,” said one Filipino restaurateur. “She opened the door for me to look at it with dignity.”
But more significantly, her food writing was more than just sensory description. The essays about Filipino dishes were her subtle way of illuminating other aspects of Filipino culture beyond food.
But alas, it’s just a figment of my imagination because Doreen Fernandez passed away too early at the age of 67 in 2002.
I have been a longtime admirer of Doreen since I was able to get a copy of her book “Tikim.” It’s one of my most cherished possessions, not only for the excellent way it was written but also for wealth of mind-opening information she ably put together after laboriously documenting our indigenous cooking traditions.
In her research for the book, Doreen personally tasted dishes from humble carinderias, to the roadside turo-turos frequented by taxi and jeepney drivers, to “tablecloth” restaurants for the affluent and sophisticated.
As for Claude, he is a well-known and sought after chef, holding court in Bale Dutung (Wooden House), his own culinary kingdom in Angeles City. He is particularly known for his expertise in Kapampangan cuisine. We have some sort of a connection because we were both born in Angeles City and went to the same elementary school run by the Benedictine nuns. We are also distant cousins, at least that’s what my late sister Ming Tayag Lim led me to believe. But the irony is I never got the chance to meet Claude personally.
Instead, let’s instill in the Filipino an abiding affection for his culinary heritage first. The rest will follow. The sooner we can do this, the better. I’m afraid our young generation is slowly being disconnected from our cultural wellsprings. More and more Filipinos prefer to be identified with cultures that they deem to be more appealing and “superior.” Even my own teenage grandchildren prefer Korean tteokbokki, Japanese ramen and American hamburgers and fries more than our sinigang and adobo and ginataang bilo-bilo. They are more familiar with kimchi or sushi than our native atchara.
We need our chefs, food vloggers and influencers to champion Filipino cuisine and extol it, so young Filipinos will cease having a subconscious “inferiority complex” about our food and culture in general.
Let’s encourage every town to cultivate its own local versions of
But even if that noche buena dinner is nothing but a dream, I believe the idea of “kain at kuwento” is worth exploring further.
In the same vein that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, the way to the heart of Filipino identity and pride is through food. Let’s forget our national obsession with winning in beauty pageants.
PD 1146 who are in active status, receiving their regular or pro-rata pension and are living as of November 30, 2025.
The cash gift is equivalent to one month’s pension or P10,000, whichever is lower, and will be automatically credited to their GSIS ATM accounts.
The agency reminded pensioners to complete their Annual Pensioners’ Information Revalidation (APIR), which may be done through the facial recognition feature of the GSIS Touch mobile app. Pensioners with suspended status due to APIR non-compliance as of December 31, 2025 may still claim their cash gift once their accounts are reactivated.
Those not eligible for the cash gift include: survivorship and dependent pensioners; retirees who availed themselves of the five-year lump sum and will resume their pension after December 31, 2025; retirees from 2021–2025 who took the 18× cash payment and immediate life pension under RA 8291 (eligible five years after retirement); and members separated from service from 2006–2025 before age 60 who started receiving regular pension from 2021–2025 (eligible after five years as a regular pensioner). PNA
By talking about the cooking of our forebears while savoring the dishes, we journey back to the culture and traditions that we have taken for granted and are allowing to vanish and fade into oblivion too quickly.
In the stories of Filipino cooking, we rediscover the essence of Filipino-ness.
Claude Tayag and Doreen Fernandez. Talents who have culinary creativity combined with cultural consciousness. Let them educate themselves more about our native cuisine so they could weave stories about them mixing anecdotes, historical tidbits and trivia, and other minute info. They can start by soaking up information found in the books of Doreen Fernandez and Claude Tayag. Instead of launching more of these big, flashy restaurants and the all-you-can-eat establishments, what if we open up alternative venues for more intimate, personal culinary experiences? Something like private “ kain at kuwento” dining where a meal is an intimate running conversation with the chef who tells a story about each dish he serves, mixed with anecdotes of his journey as a cook. For variety, we can have a different theme for each “kain at kuwentuhan.” One dinner could focus on dishes using indigenous plants and herbs in the Filipino backyard. Another could be on native kakanin, homemade jellies and jams and pickled vegetables. Why not a dinner featuring exotic dishes such as palaka, carabao meat, locust or fermented fish (buro) and so on. We can have a series of dinnertalks showcasing regional cuisines from Ilocos to Tawi-Tawi. We can even go historical by having a historian talk about the favorite dishes of heroes and celebrated Filipinos or what the educated, middle-class Filipinos (ilustrados) ate in the late 1800s while the diners have a taste of the dishes. Another series could feature foreign influences on native cuisine such as pancit, kare-kare, adobo, okoy, and so on.
DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian poses with the agen-
employees with disabilities during the celebration of the International Day of Persons with
“Sonny” Angara recently highlighted how the highest education funding in the country’s history further strengthens support for the Department of Education’s (DepEd) current reforms.
This comes after the Senate reinforced a P1.044 trillion budget for the DepEd in 2026, representing a P77-billion increase over the budget approved by Congress.
In a statement, Angara said the proposed budget, once enacted, will help “accelerate” reforms to boost learning quality, while promoting accountability and futurereadiness.
“Every peso added to the budget is a vote of confidence in our direction,” the Education chief affirmed. “It signals that Congress and the people expect us to deliver…We intend to meet that expectation with transparency, urgency, and integrity.”
Programs receiving increased budget support are textbook and learning materials, school-based feeding, disaster response and school safety systems, infrastruc -
ture funds, an expanded workforce, more benefits for teachers, as well as the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program in Reading or “ARAL” recovery program. Under the Senate’s approved enhanced budget, funds were doubled to P29.29 billion from P11.16 billion to produce over 79 million learning materials and expand supporting reading materials for early grade levels, according to DepEd.
The school-based feeding program’s budget is also pegged at P28.66 billion to serve 4.49 million Kinder to Grade 1 learners, as well as students from Grades 2 to 6 classified as wasted or severely wasted.
To intensify disaster response, the Senate increased the budget to P3.77 billion from P665 million in the 2026 National Expenditure Program to cover the emergency
operations center, add more microweather stations, temporary learning spaces, and the clearing operations for 4,227 affected schools.
Apart from these, the funds for infrastructure also grew to P85.41 billion from P8.06 billion to help address the perennial problem of classroom backlogs through the construction of 25,527 new classrooms and the repair of 11,886.
The increased budget also covers 323,916 new teaching plantilla items, 6,000 school principal items, 10,000 Administrative Officer II positions and 5,000 Project Development Officer I posts, alongside
other increased benefits.
“The expanded budget gives us the room to fix what needs fixing,” the secretary said. “It also reflects the confidence placed in the reforms we are pushing forward—and we intend to justify that confidence with clear results.”
Other initiatives with boosted fund allocations are the Last Mile Schools program, human resource development, Alternative Learning System, electrification of schools, Indigenous Peoples education, Special Needs education, and the Madrasah education program. Stephanie Sevillano/PNA
Globe Coop CAREavan brings education and livelihood opportunities to Dingalan students Taiwan: A top overseas learning destination for Filipino students
GLOBE COOP, the employee cooperative of Globe Telecom, continues to turn challenges into opportunities through its Globe Coop CAREavan, which recently brought education and livelihood support to students and families at Dingalan Community College (DCC).
This first segment marked the start of an employee-led outreach effort with the telco’s regional teams, which delivered tailored initiatives across the country to create sustainable, localized impact for vulnerable groups including special children, teen mothers, fisherfolk, out-ofschool youth, students, and indigenous communities like the Mangyan and the Aeta communities.
In response to financial challenges that previously led to student dropouts, Globe Coop rolled out the “Bagto-School” program designed to give students the tools to succeed and help families support them. Seventeen deserving students were selected to receive support packages that combine essential school supplies with practical income-generating resources for their households.
Students received support packages with notebooks, pad paper, pens, and pencils to help them focus fully on learning. Families were also empowered with Globe Retailer Packages, including a basic mobile phone, retailer SIM, merchandising materials, and an initial autoload of
up to P1,000, giving them the opportunity to start microretailing businesses that create sustainable income.
The initiative also featured a Digital Thumbprint Program workshop designed to equip students with essential digital skills and strengthen their understanding of responsible online behavior. Through it, students learned to think critically, navigate the digital world safely, and practice empowered digital citizenship—key tools for thriving in today’s connected society.
“Globe Coop is about creating positive, lasting change,” said Globe Coop Board of Director Jonalyn Aguilar. “By supporting students’ education and providing families with the tools and opportunities to grow, we’re not just helping individual students succeed; we’re helping entire communities unlock their full potential and build a brighter, more sustainable future for everyone.”
The Globe Coop CAREavan demonstrated that meaningful interventions combined with education, livelihood, and digital empowerment can inspire hope, build resilience, and open doors for a brighter future. Together with DCC, Globe Coop is empowering students, uplifting families, and lighting the way for stronger, more connected communities, according to a statement from the telco.
THE Republic of China (Taiwan) is becoming a top study destination for Filipino-Chinese youth, as the 2026 Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) Taiwan Education Expo on November 21, drew more than 250 students and parents seeking academic and technical training opportunities abroad.
The two-day expo, organized by the Culture Center of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines, featured 18 participating Taiwanese universities and technical institutions. It provided detailed information on Taiwan’s overseas compatriot student education pathways, including scholarship options, industry-academia programs, and Mandarin-language support systems.
Minister Dustin Teng-shi Yang of TECO introduced two major programs under Taiwan’s OCAC: the 3+4 Vocational Education Program, and its four-year Bachelor’s degree.
Yang noted that both pathways combine academic study with practical training, offering students stronger career prospects. He also encouraged
UST researchers propose framework for youth depression inspired by Pope Francis
ATEAM of professors from the University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) Institute of Religion and Research Center for Theology Religious Studies and Ethics has published a study in the international journal Pastoral Psychology that calls for a pastoral response to the rising cases of depression among young people.
The article, jointly written by Instructor Joseph Albert Reyes, Professor Allan Basas, and Instructor Ivan Efreaim Gozum, draws on Pope Francis’ concept of the “culture of encounter” as a guiding principle for pastoral accompaniment.
According to the authors, the Church is in a unique position to help young people who struggle with depression by creating communities that are compassionate, inclusive, and supportive.
The study applies the Catholic social tradition’s see-judge-act method, beginning with an examination of the complex causes and growing prevalence of youth depression. It then interprets this reality through the lens of the late pontiff’s teachings, highlighting the need for presence, empathy, and solidarity. Finally, it
proposes concrete steps such as forming peer-support groups, creating safe spaces in parishes, integrating mental health awareness in catechesis, and training pastoral workers in compassionate communication.
In the Philippine setting where stigma around mental illness remains strong, the study underscores the importance of breaking silence and offering hope.
“Depression is not simply a private affliction but a shared human experience that calls for collective care and spiritual accompaniment,” the authors wrote, then noted that a culture of encounter reframes mental health care as a communal journey of healing. By bridging the insights of psychology and pastoral theology, the UST researchers aim to provide Church leaders, educators, and pastoral workers with practical guidance for responding to youth depression with mercy and understanding. According to the university, their work contributes to the wider mission of building faith communities where no young person suffers in isolation.
Access the article via https://link. springer.com/article/10.1007/s11089025-01260-0.
Asia Sch. of Business gets AACSB accreditation, joins top 6% of global biz learning institutions
KUALA LUMPUR—The Asia School of Business (ASB) has officially been awarded accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)—the world’s longest-standing and most recognized accrediting body for business schools.
This achievement places ASB among the top 6 percent of business schools globally, reaffirming its commitment to excellence in teaching, impactful research, and the development of transformative leadership.
students to strengthen their Mandarin proficiency.
Manila Economic and Cultural Office director Jaybee C. Ruiz highlighted Taiwan’s appeal to local students: “This expo [provided] direct access to Taiwanese schools and clear information on programs and application processes. Being able to inquire on-the-spot is an…opportunity that brings Taiwan’s world-class education closer to Filipino learners.”
Executive Director Jasper Huang of the Fil-Chi Cultural & Economic Association said Taiwan’s safe environment, cultural openness, and strong academic system make it an ideal study destination for Filipino youth.
Culture Center Director Eric Pochih Chuang also briefed students on the structure and benefits of the OCAC programs, as he emphasized Taiwan’s supportive learning environment and robust industry partnerships.
The expo further strengthened education ties between Taiwan and the Philippines, as it offered students expanded pathways for higher education and professional growth.
AACSB accreditation is considered the most prestigious mark of quality in business education. It is granted only to institutions that meet its accreditation standards in areas such as strategic planning, curriculum design, faculty qualifications, assurance of learning, and societal engagement. The rigorous accreditation process involves peer reviews to ensure alignment with the association’s standards, which are designed to foster engagement, accelerate innovation, and amplify impact in business education.
ASB’s journey toward accreditation has been deeply mission-driven to become a premier business school for the emerging world—a goal that reflects its deep commitment to excellence, relevance, and impact in business education. Established in collaboration with MIT Sloan School of Management, it has been developing transformative and principled leaders who are now making a positive impact across the emerging world and beyond, and will continue to do so, according to a statement.
ASB’s Iclif Executive Education Center amplifies this mission by delivering executive programs in leadership, sustainability, corporate governance, and technology to empower senior professionals to lead with confidence and drive meaningful change in an ever-evolving business context.
“This milestone is more than a credential—it affirms our commitment to delivering an education that is globally competitive and relevant across Malaysia and emerging economies,” said Joseph Cherian—ASB’s CEO, president, dean, and distinguished professor. “Joining the AACSB-accredited community validates our mission to develop leaders who act with integrity, drive innovation, and contribute meaningful impact to society.” The AACSB accreditation highlights the strengths of ASB in three core areas: Strategic Management and Innovation (through mission-led planning, strategic use of financial and physical resources, and a highly qualified faculty); Learner Success (with a curriculum designed to meet future business needs, robust assurance of learning systems, and teaching practices focused on real-world outcomes); as well as Thought Leadership and Societal Impact (evident in the school’s research, stakeholder engagement, and the integration of societal impact into its academic and operational initiatives).
The accreditation process was supported by mentorship from established AACSB-accredited institutions and a rigorous evaluation by international peers. ASB’s innovative approach, combining emerging market perspectives with global best practices, was consistently noted as a strong differentiator. For further information about ASB
Its innovative postgraduate programs include Master in Business Administration, Executive MBA (EMBA) and Asia’s only Master in Central Banking or MCB, as well as Agile Continuous Education or ACE with an extensive range of micro-credentials that yield MicroMasters Programs and pathways to its MBAs. ASB says it equips leaders with the knowledge, skills and tools needed to navigate today’s complex global landscape.
EXPERT TALK
Tourism&Entertainment
BLISSFUL BHUTAN, PART 2
The long and winding roads to Punakha and Phobjika valleys
BEYOND Paro and Thimpu, the other valleys of Bhutan are worth visiting for the lush greenery, stunning mountain views and rich history and culture. But it’s a bad idea to DIY getting to these places—roads at this secluded Himalayan kingdom are not easy to navigate, and public transportation is rare.
Lotey, my TikTok-creator guide from 7days Travel and our driver, Dewya, personalized my trip, ensuring I got to see and experience as much of their country—with photos and videos to boot!
From Thimpu, we headed for the Punakha Valley, stopping by roadside shops to try organic fruits, dried apples and hard cheeses made from yak and cow milk. Some of these shops are owned by descendants of Tibetans who fled to Bhutan when China invaded Tibet in the 1950s.
The steep, winding mountain roads at such high altitudes is dizzying, but there’s lots of scenery and cool, fresh Himalayan air to enjoy along the way.
Must stop: Dochula Pass ALMOST halfway to Punakha, we stopped at Dochula Pass where history, gallantry and scenery come together. There are 108 chortens, or religious monuments, built in honor of Bhutanese soldiers who died fighting Indian insurgents who camped in Bhutan to launch attacks in India in 2003. The chortens were built on a mountainside filled with Cypress trees at 10,200 feet above sea level with an arresting view of the Himalayan mountains.
The sex symbol temple: Chimi Lhakhang BEFORE I get censored, let me clarify that the phallus—an image of the male sexual organ, is considered a sacred
object in the deeply-Buddhist Bhutan, contrary to how it’s perceived in western (and even in our own) culture. It’s a symbol of fertility and defense against evil spirits. Many homes across Bhutan have a phallic symbol painted on the wall, or on an altar. At the outskirts of the Punakha, Chimi Lhakhang, or the Fertility Temple has been visited by pilgrims who want to conceive a child for over 500 years. Some pilgrims even carry a large, heavy, wooden phallus like a backpack and walk around the temple in prayer. You have to hike 20 to 30 minutes across rice fields to get to the temple. But the temple’s interesting artifacts and the sweeping valley views are worth it.
Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten IT takes over an hour of uphill hiking across rice terraces to reach this temple, but it is so worth it! Even the King of Bhutan hikes to this temple regularly to pray for protection and peace for his kingdom—and to relax under a large Bodhi tree. It’s one of the best outdoor activities in Bhutan, not to mention one of the most photogenic temples with its golden spire and labyrinthine wall patterns.
Real-life setting of the Princess and I IN 2012, the government of Bhutan allowed ABS-CBN to shoot scenes for Princess and I in their country—a feat for the network at a time when visiting the kingdom was still relatively restrictive. To this day, many Bhutanese remember this teleserye fondly. Many of the scenes were shot at Punakha Dzong—which was the palace of the fictional kingdom of Yangdon in the teleserye.
Punakha Dzong is one of the oldest and biggest fortresses in Bhutan built at the confluence of two rivers.
With detailed wood carvings and gold doors, it’s one of the most impressive and iconic landmarks in the kingdom. People still come here to worship or pray with resident monks. The fortress houses several priceless artifacts and a majestic one hundred pillar hall.
Adrenaline rush at the Pho Chu River Bridge
WALKING distance from Punakha Dzong, the Pho Chu River Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan—590 feet long and perched high above the mountains around Pho Chu River. The bridge sways against the strong winds and movement of people crossing. Combined with the
rushing river currents, crossing this bridge gives the same rush as any roller coaster ride.
More importantly, this bridge is the only means to access some of the more remote villages in the Punakha Valley, making it vital for day-to-day living of locals.
Go river rafting
WITH two crystal-clear, flowing rivers, it’s almost criminal not to get in the water in some way. The rivers in Punakha offer rafting trips that are relatively safe and easy—though I did have to paddle to get through the rapids. You can go rafting in Bhutan anytime of the year, though the river
THE Romance of Paris, the liveliness and food of Italy and the historic atmosphere of Spain make Europe a dream destination for many Filipinos. However, before you book your flights and choose your outfit, you must first get a Schengen visa. The latter is a hurdle you need to overcome to experience Europe. You’ll have to submit requirements such as financial documents, proof of rootedness, certificate of employment, and others. Once you get a positive response, you can then start making concrete plans for your trip.
What are the countries in the Schengen zone?
A SCHENGEN visa grants you access to all member states in the region which include:
n Austria
n Belgium
n Bulgaria
n Croatia
n Czechia
n Denmark
n Estonia
n Finland n France n Germany
Greece
is much slower (and it is much colder) to do so during winter.
Serenity at Phobjikha Valley
SOME travelers opt to skip this valley especially during the off-season.
Located in central Bhutan, this glacial valley boasts of grassy meadows, charming temples and lodges, rolling hills, and a laid-back rural lifestyle where you can really feel unplugged.
Hiking is the best thing to do in Phobjikha Valley, with so many trails that take you across the meadows, up the hills, and encountering fauna in the wild who won’t bother you as you explore. While hiking, a wild boar ran past me and Lotey, then a couple of
n Hungary n Italy n Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta n The Netherlands n Poland
Portugal
Romania n Slovakia n Slovenia n Spain n Sweden n Norway n Switzerland
n Iceland n Liechtenstein
Cluster groups of cities and countries to maximize your trip PLANNING on where to go can be overwhelming because of the multiple places you want to include in your itinerary. Some Filipinos have the luxury of maximizing their stay of 90 days; however, many would have to settle for a trip of around anywhere between 10-14 days depending on their budget and if their company allows them to travel for an extended period.
I would recommend building an itinerary that consists of countries and cities that are atop your bucket list and are
deer went by, and then birds swooped down. It was scary at first, but in a place where humans and animals coexist harmoniously, the encounters made me feel in awe of nature.
Why the valley hikes matter
EXPLORING Punakha and Phobjika valleys means immersing in Bhutanese culture, interacting with locals, savoring local cuisine and basking in nature. If you are physically able, hiking in the Bhutanese valleys is one of the best experiences as a traveler. It will also prepare you for the ultimate experience in Bhutan—going up the iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery. But that’s another story.
Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan
Photos by Charo Logarta
Story & photos by Joshua Berida
LOCAL Bhutanese cheese made from Yak and Cow’s milk
THIS view of the Punakha Dzhong set against the river is one of the most iconic images of Bhutan
THE dramatic scenery at the Pho Chu River Bridge
THE iconic Eiffel Tower
THE stunning Phobjikha Valley features rich biodiversity and a migration sites for the black-necked cranes that migrate from Tibet during the winter months
THE inner courtyards of Punakha Dzong
108 chortens arranged in tiers on a mountainside at Dochula Pass THE over-500 year old Chimi Lakhang
MEETING two of the resident monks of Punakha Dzong
Editor: Angel R. Calso
Ukraine peace talks stall as Putin rejects parts of Trump peace plan
By Dasha Litvinova The Associated Press
RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin says some proposals in a US plan to end the war in Ukraine are unacceptable to the Kremlin, indicating in comments published Thursday that any deal is still some ways off.
US President Donald Trump has set in motion the most intense diplomatic push to stop the fighting since Russia launched the full-scale invasion of its neighbor nearly four years ago. But the effort has once again run into demands that are hard to reconcile, especially over whether Ukraine must give up land to Russia and how it can be kept safe from any future aggression by Moscow.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner planned to meet later
Thursday with the Ukrainian delegation led by Rustem Umerov following the Americans’ discussions with Putin at the Kremlin, but there was no immediate confirmation whether that meeting took place.
The meeting at the Shell Bay Club, a golf property developed by Witkoff in Hallandale Beach, was tentatively set to begin at 5 p.m. EST, according to an official familiar with the logistics. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly because the meet -
Putin and Modi to discuss Russia-India trade and defense ties amid US pressure
By Rajesh Roy & Aijaz Hussain
The Associated Press
EW DELHI—Russian
NPresident Vladimir Putin is set to hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday at an annual summit aimed at expanding defense and trade ties, as the United States presses New Delhi to revise its decades-old partnership with Moscow.
ing has not yet been formally announced and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Putin said his five-hour talks Tuesday with Witkoff and Kushner were “necessary” and “useful,” but also “difficult work,” and some proposals were unacceptable.
Speaking to the India Today television channel before he landed Thursday in New Delhi for a state visit, Putin said the American proposals discussed at the Kremlin meeting were based on earlier discussions between Russia and the US, including his meeting with Trump in Alaska in August, but also included new elements.
“We had to go through practically every point, which is why it took so much time,” he said. “It was a meaningful, highly specific and substantive conversation. Sometimes we said, ‘Yes, we can discuss this, but with that one we cannot agree.’”
Trump said Wednesday that Witkoff and Kushner came away from the marathon session confident that Putin wants to find an end to the war. “Their impression was very strongly that he’d like to
make a deal,” he added.
Putin said the initial US 28-point peace proposal was trimmed to 27 points and split into four packages. He refused to elaborate on what Russia could accept or reject, and none of the other officials involved offered details of the talks.
The Russian leader praised Trump’s peace efforts, noting that “achieving consensus among conflicting parties is no easy task.”
“To say now what exactly doesn’t suit us or where we could possibly agree seems premature, since it might disrupt the very mode of operation that President Trump is trying to establish,” Putin said.
He emphasized that Russia will fulfill the goals it set and take all of the eastern Donetsk region. “All this boils down to one thing: Either we take back these territories by force, or eventually Ukrainian troops withdraw,” he said.
European leaders, left on the sidelines by Washington as US officials engage directly with Moscow and Kyiv, have accused Putin of feigning interest in Trump’s
peace drive.
French President Emmanuel Macron met in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, seeking to involve him in pressuring Russia toward a ceasefire. Xi, whose country has provided strong diplomatic support for Putin, did not say respond to France’s call, but said that “China supports all efforts that work towards peace.”
Russian barrages of civilian areas of Ukraine continued overnight into Thursday. A missile struck Kryvyi Rih on Wednesday night, wounding six people, including a 3-year-old girl, according to city administration head Oleksandr Vilkul.
The attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown damaged more than 40 residential buildings, a school and domestic gas pipes, Vilkul said.
A 6-year-old girl died in the southern city of Kherson after Russian artillery shelling wounded her the previous day, regional military administration chief Oleksandr Prokudin wrote on Telegram.
The Kherson Thermal Power
Plant, which provides heat for over 40,000 residents, shut down Thursday after Russia pounded it with drones and artillery for several days, he said.
Authorities planned emergency meetings to find alternate sources of heating, he said. Until then, tents were erected across the city where residents could warm up and charge electronic devices.
Russia also struck Odesa with drones, wounding six people, while civilian and energy infrastructure was damaged, said Oleh Kiper, head of the regional military administration.
Overall, Russia fired two ballistic missiles and 138 drones at Ukraine overnight, officials said.
Meanwhile, in the Russia-occupied part of the Kherson region, two men were killed by a Ukrainian drone strike on their vehicle Thursday, Moscow-installed regional leader Vladimir Saldo said. A 68-year-old woman was also wounded in the attack, he said.
The Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
Putin was received by Modi at an airport in New Delhi on Thursday, who gave the visiting leader a bear hug and a tight handshake with the gusto of an old friend.
According to Indian officials involved in the preparation for the summit, the agenda includes talks on defense, energy and labor mobility.
While India has historically maintained deep ties with Russia, critics say Putin’s visit could strain
The 23rd Russia-India Summit comes at a pivotal moment as the United States pushes for a Ukraine peace deal while seeking global cooperation. It will test New Delhi’s efforts to balance relations with Moscow and Washington as the nearly four-year war in Ukraine grinds on.
A12
Saturday, December 6, 2025
US raid allegedly killed Syrian undercover agent instead of Islamic State group official
By Omar Albam & Abby Sewell The Associated Press
DUMAYR, Syria—A raid by US forces and a local Syrian group aiming to capture an Islamic State group official instead killed a man who had been working undercover gathering intelligence on the extremists, family members and Syrian officials have told The Associated Press.
The killing in October underscores the complex political and security landscape as the United States begins working with interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in the fight against remnants of IS. According to relatives, Khaled al-Masoud had been spying on IS for years on behalf of the insurgents led by al-Sharaa and then for al-Sharaa’s interim government, established after the fall of former President Bashar Assad a year ago. Al-Sharaa’s insurgents were mainly Islamists, some connected to al-Qaida, but enemies of IS who often clashed with it over the past decade.
Neither US nor Syrian government officials have commented on al-Masoud’s death, an indication that neither side wants the incident to derail improving ties. Weeks after the Oct. 19 raid, alSharaa visited Washington and announced Syria would join the global coalition against IS. Still, al-Masoud’s death could be “quite a setback” for efforts to
combat IS, said Wassim Nasr, a senior research fellow with the Soufan Center, a New York-based think tank focused on security issues.
Al-Masoud had been infiltrating IS in the southern deserts of Syria known as the Badiya, one of the places where remnants of the extremist group have remained active, Nasr said.
The raid targeting him was a result of “the lack of coordination between the coalition and Damascus,” Nasr said.
In the latest sign of the increasing cooperation, the US Central Command said Sunday that American troops and forces from Syria’s Interior Ministry had located and destroyed 15 IS weapons caches in the south.
Confusion around the raid
THE raid occurred in Dumayr, a town east of Damascus on the edge of the desert. At around 3 a.m., residents woke to the sound of heavy vehicles and planes.
Residents said US troops conducted the raid alongside
the Syrian Free Army, a UStrained opposition faction that had fought against Assad. The SFA now officially reports to the Syrian Defense Ministry.
Al-Masoud’s cousin, Abdel Kareem Masoud, said he opened his door and saw Humvees with US flags on them.
“There was someone on top of one of them who spoke broken Arabic, who pointed a machine gun at us and a green laser light and told us to go back inside,” he said.
Khaled al-Masoud’s mother, Sabah al-Sheikh al-Kilani, said the forces then surrounded her son’s house next door, where he was with his wife and five daughters, and banged on the door.
Al-Masoud told them that he was with General Security, a force under Syria’s Interior Ministry, but they broke down the door and shot him, al-Kilani said.
They took him away, wounded, al-Kilani said. Later, government security officials told the family he had been released but was in the hospital. The family was then called to pick up his body. It was unclear when he had died.
“How did he die? We don’t know,” his mother said. “I want the people who took him from his children to be held accountable.”
Faulty intelligence
AL-MASOUD’S family believes he was targeted based on faulty intelligence provided by members of the Syrian Free Army.
Representatives of the SFA did not respond to requests for comment.
Al-Masoud had worked with alSharaa’s insurgent group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, in its northwestern enclave of Idlib before Assad’s
fall, his cousin said. Then he returned to Dumayr and worked with the security services of alSharaa’s government.
Two Syrian security officials and one political official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, confirmed that al-Masoud had been working with Syria’s interim government in a security role. Two of the officials said he had worked on combating IS.
Initial media reports on the raid said it had captured an IS official. But US Central Command, which typically issues statements when a US operation kills or captures a member of the extremist group in Syria, made no announcement.
A US defense official, when asked for more information about
the raid and its target and whether it had been coordinated with Syria’s government, said, “We are aware of these reports but do not have any information to provide.”
The official spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with regulations.
Representatives of Syria’s defense and interior ministries, and of US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, declined to comment.
Increased coordination could prevent mistakes AT its peak in 2015, IS controlled a swath of territory across Iraq and Syria half the size of the United Kingdom. It was notorious for its brutality against religious minorities as well as Muslims not adhering to the group’s extreme interpretation of Islam.
After years of fighting, the
US-led coalition broke the group’s last hold on territory in late 2019. Since then, US troops in Syria have been working to ensure IS does not regain a foothold. The US estimates IS still has about 2,500 members in Syria and Iraq. US Central Command last month said the number of IS attacks there had fallen to 375 for the year so far, compared to 1,038 last year.
Fewer than 1,000 US troops are believed to be operating in Syria, carrying out airstrikes and conducting raids against IS cells. They work mainly alongside the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the northeast and the Syrian Free Army in the south. Now the US has another partner: the security forces of the new Syrian government.
Airwars, a London-based conflict monitor, has reported 52 incidents in which civilians were harmed or killed in coalition operations in Syria since 2020. The group classified al-Masoud as a civilian.
Airwars director Emily Tripp said the group has seen “multiple instances of what the US call ‘mistakes,’” including a 2023 case in which the US military announced it had killed an al-Qaida leader in a drone strike. The target later turned out to be a civilian farmer. It was unclear if the Oct. 19 raid went wrong due to faulty intelligence or if someone deliberately fed the coalition false information. Nasr said that in the past, feuding groups have sometimes used the coalition to settle scores.
“That’s the whole point of having a hotline with Damascus, in order to see who’s who on the ground,” he said.
New crew rest rules spark mass flight disruptions across India
By Rajesh Roy
The Associated Press
NEW
DELHI—Chaos
gripped major Indian
airports Friday as passengers of the country’s biggest airline, IndiGo, scrambled to cope up with widespread flight disruptions and cancellations triggered by newly enforced rules limiting working hours for crew and pilots.
Scenes of frustration played out as passengers slept on airport floors, queued for hours at customer service counters and waited without clear communication from the airline.
Friday was the fourth straight day of disruptions as the low-cost carrier struggles with new regulations that mandate longer rest periods and limit night flying hours to address concerns about fatigue and safety.
The first phase of the rules came into effect in July while the second phase kicked in November. IndiGo
struggled to adapt its rosters in time, resulting in widespread cancellations and disruptions.
On Thursday, more than 300 IndiGo flights were grounded while several hundreds were delayed. A passenger advisory from the Delhi airport Friday stated that all domestic IndiGo flights will remain cancelled until midnight. Other major airlines, including Air India, have not faced similar issues so far.
IndiGo operates around 2,300 flights daily and controls nearly 65% of India’s domestic aviation market.
Senior citizen Sajal Bose was scheduled to travel with his wife Senjuti Bose early Friday from Kolkata to New Delhi to attend a friend’s silver jubilee celebration. His flight was cancelled an hour before the scheduled take off.
Bose told The Associated Press he was now taking a nine-hour
SABAH AL-SHEIKH AL-KILANI, the mother of Khaled al-Masoud, points to bullet holes in the wall of her son’s home after he was killed during a raid in the town of al-Dumayr, in the Damascus countryside, Syria, Oct. 28, 2025. AP/OMAR ALBAM
relations with the European Union and the United States and might jeopardize negotiations for major trade agreements with both that are seen as critical for India’s exports.
US President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Indian goods to 50% in August, citing New Delhi’s discounted Russian oil. India has been the second biggest importer of Russian crude after China.
The US says purchases of Russian oil help finance Moscow’s war machine. In October, the US sanctioned two of Moscow’s biggest oil producers to force countries like India to cut down on imports. Indian officials have said New Delhi has always abided by international sanctions and would do so in the case of Russia oil purchases as well.
India and the US set a target for the first tranche of a trade deal by the fall, but the deal hasn’t come through yet amid strains in relations.
India is also in the final stages of talks on a trade agreement with the EU, which sees Russia’s war in Ukraine as a major threat.
Putin’s India visit, “given the timing and geopolitical context, underscores New Delhi’s strategic tightrope walk between the West and the rest, chiefly Russia,” said Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group. Donthi said India’s tilt toward Russia dates back to the Cold War and persists despite its official nonaligned position.
“The significant change now is its desire to be a strategic partner with the US at the same time, which will be a diplomatic challenge,” he added.
In his meeting with Putin, Modi is likely to push for faster delivery of two further Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems. It has already received three under a 2018 deal worth about $5.4 billion. The delay has been tied to supply chain disruptions linked to the war in Ukraine.
The two sides signed a pact in February to improve military cooperation, exercises, port calls, disaster relief assistance and logistics support. Moscow’s State Duma ratified the same ahead of Putin’s India visit.
Talks are also expected on upgrading India’s Russianmade Su-30MKI fighter jets and accelerating deliveries of critical military hardware.
Trade is also expected to be a major point in talks.
Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $68.7 billion in the last fiscal year ended March, and the aim is to boost it to $100 billion by 2030. The trade is heavily skewed in favor of Russia with deep deficits for India, which it is looking to bridge by pushing exports.
India is keen to increase exports of pharmaceuticals, agriculture and textiles to Russia and is seeking the removal of non-tariff barriers. New Delhi is also seeking long-term supplies of fertilizers from Moscow.
Another key area where the two countries are expected to finalize an agreement is the safety and regulation of migration of Indian skilled workers to Russia.
Putin last visited India in 2021. Modi was in Moscow last year, and the two leaders briefly met in September in China during a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
Hussain reported from Srinagar, India.
Hong Kong holds legislative election after fire raised governance concerns
By Kanis Leung The Associated Press
HONG KONG—The deadliest fire in Hong Kong in decades is piling pressure on Beijing’s “patriots-only” governance system, casting a shadow on elections widely seen as a further step to tighten control over the city’s legislature.
Sunday’s vote to elect new lawmakers to Hong Kong’s 90-member Legislative Council comes just 11 days after a massive fire engulfed seven towers in a high-rise apartment complex, killing at least 159 people in the financial hub’s worst blaze since 1948.
With many voters in the city grown politically apathetic since China’s crackdown shut out the pro-democracy camp in recent years, Sunday’s turnout rate will be a key barometer of public sentiment toward the government and its handling of the fire.
While there hasn’t yet been significant public protests because of the chilling effect of a wide-ranging security crackdown that started five years ago, some residents have raised concerns among friends, on social media and to reporters about government oversight in building maintenance projects and official investigation efforts.
Nearly 40% of incumbents, including household names and mildly vocal politicians, are stepping aside for this election. More candidates with mainland Chinese business links, as well as more members of China’s parliament, are joining the race.
Observers suggest the candidate lineup signals Beijing’s tightening control over even its loyalists and a preference for politicians more in tune with its agenda.
A change of guard STARTING in late September, many veteran lawmakers announced one by one that they would not seek reelection. Regina Ip, a leading member of Hong Kong’s cabinet, said she wanted to pass the torch to the younger generation and denied that age was a factor.
Several relatively outspoken lawmakers also stepped aside. One of them, Doreen Kong, insisted she faced no pressure to bow out.
The changes drew wide attention to the legislature, now filled with Beijing loyalists after China overhauled electoral rules in 2021. Under the rules, the number of directly elected seats was reduced from 35 to 20. Forty other seats are chosen by a predominantly pro-Beijing election committee, with voters in professional, business and other designated sectors picking another 30 for their industries. All candidates must pass official vetting, including by national security authorities.
Pro-democracy politicians in the legislature have completely disappeared after many were arrested under a 2020 national security law Beijing imposed to quell the massive protests that started in 2019.
The pro-Beijing camp praised the new model’s efficiency, but
Hong Kong think tank POD Research Institute in September said its survey showed growing public concerns about the quality of debate in the legislature.
More candidates with mainland Chinese ties
THE new candidate pool marks a deeper change.
The Associated Press found that at least 26 of 161 candidates, or 16%, held positions in Chinesefunded businesses without declaring party affiliations—almost double the figure reported by local newspaper South China Morning Post in the 2021 election. Most were connected to state-owned enterprises.
Among all candidates, 16 are delegates to China’s top legislature—more than double from the last election and 13 others are members of China’s top political advisory body. The directly-elected seats drew more candidates than four years ago, including district councilors handling municipal matters. Still, many of those new candidates are not familiar names to voters.
John Burns, an honorary professor of politics and public administration at the University of Hong Kong, said the central government has “very much controlled” the city’s elections since 2021. Burns said it appears that the central authorities have a new informal criterion on an upper age limit and possibly less appetite for outspoken lawmakers.
He said members of China’s legislature and political advisory body are more in tune with Beijing’s agenda, while those who work for state-owned enterprises are under more control by the central authorities, in addition to having better resources for their roles.
“They’re trying to ensure that the new people adopt a national perspective, national agenda... and not focus on sectional interests, not focus on vested in -
terests, and not perhaps representing the concerns of people in Hong Kong,” he said.
He added that central authorities also appeared to be trying to minimize the influence of traditional political parties.
Other new faces joining the race include Olympic fencing champion Vivian Kong, who has faced questions over her eligibility to run in the tourism sector. She cleared the official vetting process in November after citing her efforts to promote horse racing tourism.
Candidates defend dual roles
HONG Kong leader John Lee maintained that personnel changes in the election are normal during a change of term, and condemned attempts by “opposing forces” to smear the election with accusations of interference. He added it’s justifiable for Beijing to care about the election.
Incumbent finance lawmaker Ronick Chan, an adviser at Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited, whose parent company is a stateowned commercial bank, said working in Chinese-funded enterprises does not conflict with serving as a legislator.
“Employees of Chinese-funded enterprises frequently engage with national policies in their daily work,” he said in a text message.
“That helps Hong Kong better understand the central government’s concerns and facilitates the city’s service to and integration into national development.”
His rival Ip Tsz-kin, who works in the Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) also affiliated with another state-owned bank told the SCMP that candidates must work for Hong Kong’s future development regardless of their company background. He did not reply to the AP’s request for comment.
During an election candidate forum, candidate Rex Lai said patriot organizations can mobilize volunteers to support relief efforts in a disaster.
In November, China’s Hong Kong affairs office said the pool of new candidates will boost the development of “high-quality democracy” that suits Hong Kong. It said the legislature needs new blood, and that the participation of professional elites from new sectors, innovation industries and think tanks, among other areas, signals hope for better alignment with China’s next five-year plan. Push for turnout could be dampened by fire aftermath
VOTER turnout rate in the 2021 election had dropped to 30.2%, a record low. Officials have been pulling out all the stops to boost that figure until the fire brought a temporary halt.
Burns noted that about 60% of the popular vote went to the prodemocracy camp in past elections before 2021. He believed those voters would continue to stay away from Sunday’s election. He said that while some progovernment voters would be grateful for the authorities’ response to the fire, others could have reservations about voting due to the systemic problems uncovered by the fire and the huge death toll. To drive up turnout, the government has extended voting hours, added voting stations and offered subsidies to centers for older adults and people with disabilities. City leader Lee urged civil servants to vote and companies provided time off for employees casting ballots. Authorities have made arrests over social media content that allegedly discouraged voting or for damaging promotional election materials.
“This fire has run a truck right through that campaign,” Burns said. “That makes it very difficult for the authorities to better the thirty percent, and so probably it will be lower.”
AP video journalist Ayaka McGill contributed to this report.
Trump administration signs $2.5B health deal with Kenya amid USAID cut criticism
By Matthew Lee & Gerald Imray The Associated Press
WASHINGTON—The Trump administration has signed the first in what are expected to be dozens of “America First” global health funding agreements that will prioritize combating infectious diseases in countries deemed to be aligned with the president’s broader foreign policy goals and positions.
The five-year, $2.5 billion agreement with Kenya was signed Thursday by Kenyan President William Ruto and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to replace a patchwork of previous health agreements that had traditionally been run by the US Agency for International Development for decades until the Trump administration dismantled it earlier this year.
The elimination of USAID as a separate agency sparked widespread criticism and concern in the global health community as its immediate impact resulted in the defunding of hundreds of programs focused on the developing world, including cuts
to maternal and child care, nutrition and anti-HIV/AIDS programs.
Rubio said the agreement with Kenya “aims to strengthen US leadership and excellence in global health while eliminating dependency, ideology, inefficiency, and waste from our foreign assistance architecture.” He also praised Kenya for its role in leading and contributing to the international stabilization force working to combat powerful gangs in Haiti.
Ruto lauded the agreement and said Kenya would continue to play a role in Haiti as the gang suppression force transitions to a broader operation.
Details of the deal with Kenya UNDER the health deal with Kenya, the US will contribute $1.7 billion of the total amount, with the Kenyan government covering the remaining $850 million. The agreement focuses on preventing and treating diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis with an emphasis on faith-based medical providers, although all clinics and hospitals enrolled in Kenya’s health insurance system will be eligible to
train ride to the city Bagdogra, where he plans to get a flight to New Delhi on another airline. “It’s very irresponsible and complete negligence. Very difficult for older people like us,” he said. In an internal e-mail to employees this week, seen by The Associated Press, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers apologized, and cited technology glitches, schedule changes, adverse weather conditions, heightened congestion and the implemen -
receive funding, according to US officials. “This cooperation framework is quite a departure from the past and will have a lasting impact on health for all,” said Ouma Oluga, Kenya’s principal secretary for medical services.
Family planning programs that comply with US restrictions on the provision of abortion services will also be eligible, according to Jeremy Lewin and Brad Smith, two State Department officials involved in the negotiations. They said the agreement would not discriminate against gay and transgender people or sex workers.
A number of other African countries are expected to sign similar agreements with the US by the end of the year, according to the officials, although two of the continent’s most populous nations—Nigeria and South Africa—are not expected to be among that group due to political differences with Trump, according to Lewin and Smith.
However, discussions on a deal with Nigeria are underway despite the “very significant concerns the president has around the persecution of Christians,” Lewin
tation of the new rules as the reasons for flight disruptions. The Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement that the disruptions arose primarily through misjudgment and planning gaps as the airline implemented phase two of the new rules, and that the airline acknowledged that the ef -
said. He added that if a health agreement is reached with Nigeria, the administration is hopeful it would “enhance” efforts to address those concerns.
Dismantling USAID had repercussions across Africa, shutting down programs that fought disease and hunger and supported maternal health, and even some that tackled extremism and promoted democracy. It also put thousands of health workers out of jobs because their salaries were funded by US aid.
The impact faced by two African countries is not expected to see such deals
Sub-Saharan Africa’s battle against HIV might be set back years, experts warned, after the closing of USAID affected the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a bipartisan program launched by the administration of George W. Bush in 2003 and which is credited with saving around 25 million lives across the globe.
Africa is the main focus for PEPFAR, and South Africa—which has the highest number of people living with HIV in the world—had relied on USAID and PEPFAR for more than $400 million a year in help
fect on crew strength exceeded their expectations. IndiGo has sought temporary exemptions in implementing the new rules and told the government that corrective measures were underway. It has indicated the operations will be fully restored by Feb. 10.
to roll out life-saving antiretroviral drugs to some of its more than 5 million people receiving treatment. American taxpayer money funded nearly 20% of South Africa’s HIV program—the biggest in the world— until the Trump administration cut or froze the funding.
Experts at UNAIDS—the U.N. agency tasked with fighting the virus globally— warned in July that up to 4 million people worldwide would die if funding wasn’t reinstated.
After stinging criticism that defunding PEPFAR would cost lives, the Trump administration moved to restore some help, including a $115 million grant for South Africa’s HIV program that should help fund it until at least March.
However, Trump has said he will cut all financial assistance to South Africa over his widely rejected claims that it is violently persecuting its Afrikaner white minority.
Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa. Associated Press writer Ope Adetayo in Lagos, Nigeria, contributed to this report.
More cancellations are expected in the next couple of weeks, and the airline said it would reduce its flight operations from Dec. 8 to minimize disruptions.
Associated Press videojournalist Piyush Nagpal in New Delhi contributed to this report.
FIFA
a welcoming beautiful country.
PHOTO
Infantino: PHL ‘fantastic’ host of futsal worlds
THE world’s best players and the most passionate fans alike have been having a ball at what FIFA president Gianni Infantino described as a “fantastic” staging of the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup in the Philippines.
Infantino himself was at ringside on opening night to witness history and loved the electric atmosphere that has become a constant at the PhilSports Arena in every match day since then.
“It’s the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup number one—the first, the first! Now the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth might be bigger, might be whatever you want, but the first is here,” Infantino said.
“It is now. We are writing history and to do it here in such a welcoming beautiful country is something really special for FIFA, for the Philippines, for all these girls who are playing,” Infantino added.
“Just fantastic,” he stressed.
The FIFA chief lauded the prime movers behind the country’s hosting led by the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Football Federation.
“I think it’s about time that a big country like the Philippines, who is known all over the world for being such a welcoming country, is hosting a big FIFA event,” he said.
“To host the first one of what will be a competition that will grow immensely all over the world is something which is even more special. So, I’m really proud and really happy of what the Philippines have done here,” he said.
The 16-nation competition served as platform for participants to make history, too.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Office of the President and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Pato Gregorio for their unwavering support in making the hosting of the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup possible,” Philippine Football Federation president John Gutierrez said.
“Their commitment and investment allowed the Philippines to showcase world-class hospitality and deliver an event that celebrates excellence, inclusivity, and the growth of the sport,” he said. “This milestone for Philippine football would not have been achievable without their trust and partnership.” AP
James sacrifices streak in favor of assist, victory
By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press
FOR LeBron James, the win mattered more than the streak.
James’s National Basketball Association (NBA)-record run of 1,297 consecutive regular-season games with at least 10 points ended Thursday night at Toronto, and he was the one who made the decision to have it end.
Instead of trying to score to win the game—and extend his streak—he set up Rui Hachimura for the final shot.
Hachimura connected on a threepointer at the buzzer, James got the game-winning assist, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Raptors, 123-120.
James finished with eight points and had no regrets.
“None,” James said. “We won.”
James’s streak started January 6, 2007 and lasted nearly two decades.
It was, by far, the longest such streak in NBA history—Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was third best at 787 games,and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run at 575.
James was fully aware that if Hachimura scored, the streak would end, but Hachimura, in that moment, gave the Lakers the best chance of winning, James figured. And James didn’t hesitate to fire the pass.
“Just playing the game the right way. You always make the right play,” James said. “That’s just been my MO. That’s how I was taught the game. I’ve done that my whole career.” James checked back into the
game for the final time Thursday with 5:23 left, the outcome and the streak hanging in the balance.
He had six points on 3-of-15 shooting at that point and scored with 1:46 left to tie the game and missed a 14-footer with 1:01 left that would have gotten him to double digits.
He didn’t take another shot—but could have as Lakers guard Austin Reaves gave James the ball with a few seconds left, but James was happy to get the assist.
“LeBron is acutely aware of how many points he has at that point,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He did it like he’s done so many times.... The basketball gods, if you do it the right way, they tend to reward you.”
The last time James was held under 10 points in the regular season was January 5, 2007, when he had eight points for Cleveland in a 95-86 win over Milwaukee.
He had 19 the next night against New Jersey, and the streak had rolled on ever since.
“You tip your hat to a guy who just cares about winning and making the right play,” Reaves said. “That’s what he’s done his whole career.”
James was held under 10 points twice in the playoffs during the regularseason streak, once in 2011 and again in 2014. Jordan still has the longest streak, counting playoffs, of doubledigit scoring games at 1,045.
Including playoffs, James’s streak ended at 865 consecutive 10-point games.
It would take a long, long time for someone to catch James’s regular-season total. Houston’s Kevin Durant now has the longest active streak at 267 games—
Association (Philta) secretary-general, Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco.
The Philippines will finally host a world-class tennis event where players ranked in the world’s top 50 to 100 from all over the world have already signed up for the tournament.
The Philippine Women’s Open WTA 125, the first undertaking of the newly-created National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee, will have 32 singles and 16 doubles draws and offers $115,00 total purse.
Gregorion, meanwhile, told reporters in Friday’s press conference at Lanson Place in Pasay City that the sports agency allocated P50 to 70 million budget for the renovation of the tennis courts inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
“It’s still work in progress,” Gregorio said on the renovation. “It will not go
down to P50 million, maybe P50 to P70 million. But we are investing that kind of amount to have that kind of worldclass facility which is very reasonable. It is also long overdue as well.” World No. 50 Eala’s participation, however, is in doubt.
If she goes deep into the Australian Open—set January 12 to February 1 in Melbourne—she’s definitely out. The first week will be the qualifiers, Philta officials said, and the first two rounds.
“Hopefully, we can work together as a unit, and make this a very successful event, and a memorable one to all who participated,” Tiangco said.
The event, officials said, is significant for Philippine tennis as it will provide two local players with a rare opportunity for international exposure at home as wildcards. Josef Ramos
meaning he’d have to play until he’s at least 49 or so to break the record.
The next-longest streak is by Oklahoma City’s Shai GilgeousAlexander, who has 170 consecutive double-digit efforts.
Gilgeous-Alexander could catch James—that is, if he keeps the streak going for another 14 years, when he’ll be 41.
“He’s such an unselfish player,” Lakers
INTERNATIONAL Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA) world online rapid champion Fide Master Sander Severino and Cheyzer Mendoza dominated the Third Asian Chess Championship for Players with Disabilities blitz tournament at the Character Hotel in Tagaytay City
Thursday.
Severino, the country’s winningest para chess player, swept his first three assignments before drawing the next two to capture the championship with four points out of a possible five.
The 40-year-old pride of Silay in Negros Occidental, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)when he was eight years old after a bicycle accident, finished half a point ahead of compatriots John Franz de
forward Jake LaRavia said of James. “He’s just playing the game of basketball. He had the opportunity but because of the player he is and just who he is as a person, he made the unselfish play, passed it to Rui and we won the game.”
James reaching double figures was usually an afterthought long before the start of fourth quarters—during the streak, he had reached the 10-point mark through three quarters 1,266 times entering Thursday. But two of those single-digit games through three quarters had come in the last week or so: He had nine points going into the fourth against Dallas on November 28, then had six points going into the fourth against Phoenix on Monday night. James managed to extend the streak that night and one game later, it was done—and he celebrated anyway.
Asis and AGM Henry Lopez in the fiveround tournament sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission chaired by Patrick “Patò” Gregorio and Tagaytay City headed by Mayor Brent Tolentino with National Chess Federation of the Philippines vice president and former Cavite governor Athena Tolentino. Lopez, who outplayed Felix Aguilera in the final round, and de Asis had 3.5 points each in the tournament organized by the Asian Chess Federation, Philippine Para Chess Association and Tagaytay Chess Club. Severino defeated Shreesh Kulkarni of India in the first round, FM Sirojiddin Zaynidinov of Uzbekistan in the second round and Azizbek Safarov of Uzbekistan in the third round. He drew against Aguilera in the
chief Gianni Infantino: We are writing history in such
THE Lakers’ LeBron James (left) tries to squeeze past the Raptors’ Scottie Barnes during their game in Toronto on Thursday. AP
PHILIPPINE Sports Commission chairman John Patrick “Patò” Gregorio (center) with Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority CEO Mark Lapid (left) and Philippine Tennis Association secretarygeneral John Rey Tiangco. NONIE REYES
FORMER Cavite Governor Athena Tolentino (sitting, middle) joins officials and participants of the Third Asian Chess Championship for Players with Disabilities at the Character Hotel in Tagaytay City. Also in photo are world champion Sander Severino, coach James Infiesto, Red Dumuk, Ricky Navalta and players. TAGAYTAY CITY PHOTO
