WHILE the Philippine peso remains stable despite various uncertainties, worsening political conditions could trigger volatility in the currency, according to a former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) official.
On the sidelines of an economic briefing on Wednesday, BSP former deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo told reporters that if local politics is bad, the Peso will go down. However, Guinigundo said the negative political noise is counterweighted by the flow of investments in the country, such as bonds, making the Peso stable. The peso weakened against the dollar on Wednesday, closing at P57.36 per dollar.
“Once the configuration of events changes, then you can expect some volatility,” warned Guinigundo, who is also a country analyst for New York-based think tank GlobalSource Partners.
Should the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) aggressively cut interest rates while the US Federal Reserve maintains a higher rate, Guinigundo said capital could flow out of the Philippines and further weaken the peso. There is currently a 100 to 125 basis point (bp) differential between the US federal funds target range of 4.50 to 4.75 percent and the BSP’s policy rate of 5.75 percent.
“Over time, if this continues in a prolonged and sharp way, then you will have some problems with inflation,” Guinigundo said.
“Even without this political noise, the BSP should always be careful in its easing policy stance. Precisely because in America, the US Fed is not that aggressive,” Guinigundo said. Still, the former BSP official said the central bank has space to reduce key policy rates by 25 bps in its upcoming rate-setting meeting in April.
THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is looking to impose stricter exposure limits and higher capital charges on peso-denominated foreign exchange swaps to curb systemic risks.
In a draft circular, the BSP proposed amendments to the regulations on non-deliverable foreign exchange forward (NDF), nondeliverable swap (NDS) and nondeliverable cross currency swap (NDCCS) contracts involving the Philippine Peso in the Manual of Regulations for Banks (MORB).
Peso NDS is an FX swap where the Philippine peso’s value is compared against a foreign currency, and instead of exchanging
actual cash flows, the net difference between the contracted swap rate and the spot rate is settled in cash.
Meanwhile, the Peso NDCCS is a currency swap where both exchange rate and interest rate differences between the peso and a foreign currency are settled in cash, removing the need for the actual transfer of currency cash flows.
“The BSP is cognizant that NDFs, including its variants NDS and NDCCS may, directly or indirectly, create system-wide risks even if there is no delivery of principal amounts and even when NDFs, such Non-Deliverable FX derivatives are used as a
hedge,” it said. If the guidelines are approved, bank limits on peso-denominated NDF, NDS and NDCCS will be capped at 20 percent of qualifying capital for domestic banks and 100 percent for foreign bank branches. The limit is excluded from peso NDF transactions with the BSP.
The BSP also proposed that the net open position for NDF, NDS and NDCCS be multiplied by 187.5 percent from 125 percent.
All NDF, including NDS and NDCCS, contracts with residents must be settled in Philippine Pesos, the document read.
Pretermination or cancellation of NDF, NDS or NDCCS
contracts before their maturity date will also be allowed, subject to mutual agreement between parties, disclosure of financial impact, such as mark-to-market value, and the responsible party assuming the cost of pretermination or cancellation.
A bank with a purchase-and-sell position against a counterparty with the same fixing date may also be allowed to consolidate said positions for the purpose of bilateral net settlement.
“To mitigate the buildup of systemic risks and protect against undue concentration in market usage, the following prudential guidelines are set in place,” the BSP said. Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
EXPORTERS HOPE PROTESTS OVER DUTERTE WON’T ADD TO RISKS
THE umbrella organization of Philippine exporters is hoping “massive” protests would not ensue after the recent arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, saying political instability could make international buyers doubt exporters’ reliability to deliver.
Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr. underscored that protests by Duterte supporters could compound the existing issues being faced by the Philippine exporters.
“Aside from the usual issues of high fuel cost, red tape, corruption and erratic policies which put us at the bottom of the investors and tourist choice, now we will be considered as politically unstable if massive protests ensue,” OrtizLuis told BusinessMirror in a Viber message on Thursday.
“Of course with that image, exports will also be affected as buyers might doubt our exporters’ reliability to deliver,” added the Philexport chief.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the country’s outbound shipments amounted to $6.37 billion in January 2025.
This is 6.3 percent higher than the $5.98 billion recorded in the same period in 2024.
Other business leaders, however, noted recently that it is still “too early” to gauge the impact of the arrest of the former president on the country’s business climate and image. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/03/12/ after-duterte-arrest-businessleaders-carry-on/)
For one, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)
Chairman George Barcelon said,
“To be honest, what happened was unexpected. So because it’s unexpected, it’s still too early to tell. Well, life goes on.”
“In our case, we’re on the business side. As you can see, we’re very active trying to attract missions from other countries para both ways they invest in us and we export our Filipino products,” Barcelon added.
However, the business leader expressed hope that should there be an impact on the business climate, it would be minimal.
“Business will continue. Life will go on. We just hope that there will be less disruption. And we hope that [even with] what has transpired, in the mind of the business sector, we’re still open about being optimistic,” added Barcelon.
Andrea E. San Juan
Japan-PHL panel upbeat after Tokyo meetings
By Andrea E. San Juan
THE Japan-Philippines Economic Cooperation Committee (JPECC) is projecting a 6.1-percent growth rate for the Philippines in 2025, a projection backed by more Japanese investments flowing as enhanced fiscal incentives under Cre-
2025 and the important participation of Japan and the Philippines in the upcoming 14th Asian Business Summit this July in Manila,” a statement of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) on Thursday said. The 6.1-percent growth projection of the business group is on the low end of the government’s target of 6 to 8 percent. For his part, Peza Director General Tereso O. Panga said during the Peza’s mission to Japan with the Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee (Philjec) that Japan continues to play a “crucial” role in industrial growth, job creation, innovation, especially in the country through the ecozones. The partnership between the Philippines and Japan, added Panga, “has been built on decades of economic cooperation, cultural exchange, and mutual development.” Panga was joined by other Philippine officials including Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (Sapiea) Secretary Frederick D. Go, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina A. Roque and the Philjec members led by Chairman Richard Albert I. Osmond. In his keynote address, Go cited the government’s programs deemed “integral” in luring more investors into the country. These include the passage of the Create More Act, the provision of green lanes for strategic investments, the new public-private partnership code, and the Build, Better, More project of the Marcos Jr. administration.
“The immense potential of our key sectors, combined with our shared aspirations, presents prospects for greater collaboration and sustained growth. The Philippines is open for business—ready to welcome partners in a thriving, investment-friendly environment. I encourage each one of you not to miss this golden opportunity,” Go said. Panga said Japanese investments in the Philippines are seen to increase with the enhanced fiscal incentives under the Create More Act, coupled with other “favorable” conditions that make the Philippines the
them. We allocate budgetary support for the Privatization Management Office [PMO] for upkeep and pre-disposition activities,” Fong added.
Additionally, the new guidelines require the creation and maintenance of an organized and informative asset registry, including digital versions.
The disposition of assets will be published through newspapers of general circulation and posted on government websites to inform the public that these are up for sale.
Moreover, the terms and conditions of the sale are unanimously approved by the entire PrC. The council also determines the minimum base price for every asset, which is usually the Fair Market Value (FMV) as determined by third-party valuations/appraisals.
“The guidelines likewise enhance transparency and accelerate property disposition by implementing defined timelines, facilitating a more straightforward purchase process from appraisal to contract signing,” the DOF said.
The PrC oversees all national government privatization initiatives while the PMO manages the disposition of government financial institutions and certain governmentowned or ‘controlled corporations’ (GOCCs) assets.
The PMO raised a total of P3.293 trillion from sales, lease rental, interest income and other income in 2024. This is short of its tall P42.1billion target last year.
This year, the government aims to generate P101 billion from privatization to collect additional non-tax revenues.
Duterte arrives in The Hague, taken into custody by ICC
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
FORMERPresident Rodrigo Duterte is now under the custody of the International Criminal Court in The Netherlands and will soon face trial on charges of crimes against humanity for the murder of at least 43 suspected drug pushers during the bloody war against illegal drugs.
This is the first time that a former Philippine president will be indicted by the world court. The Philippines, then reeling from the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, was one of the countries that pushed for the Rome Statute that created the ICC in 1998. In 2018, the Philippines, under the administration of Duterte, withdrew its membership from the Rome Statute. Despite Manila’s withdrawal from ICC membership, Philippine authorities arrested Duterte and flew him on a chartered private jet to The Netherlands Tuesday. Ironically, the son of the dictator, incumbent Philippine Ferdinand Marcos Jr., authorized the
implementation of the ICC warrant. He said he is simply complying with the request of the Interpol, through which the ICC coursed the warrant.
Duterte arrives in The Hague ACCORDING to the Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands, the chartered flight RP-5219 that carried Duterte arrived at the Rotterdam the Hague international airport at 4:56 pm. CET (11:5pm Manila time).
Filipino law enforcement agents who accompanied Duterte during the flight turned over the former President to the officials of the ICC Office of Registry’s Judicial Cooperation
Unit.
From the airport, Duterte was taken to the ICC detention center in Scheveningen, 10 kilometers away from ICC headquarters in the Hague. Before the turnover, the Philippine Embassy said they asked the ICC officials and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs to monitor closely the medical and physical conditions of the 79-year-old president.
Duterte’s endocrinologist had issued a medical certificate on Tuesday that his glucose level is at a dangerous level of 328 and requires admission in a hospital to avoid diabetic complications.
The Embassy said an ICC nurse who was part of the reception party conferred with Duterte’s nurse upon arrival at the airport. “The ICC nurse has relayed the information received to the ICC Medical Doctor for the conduct of medical check-up on the former President on arrival at the ICC Detention Center,” Ambassador Eduardo Malaya said in a statement.
Winter clothes, visas IT is still the middle of winter in Europe and the temperature
range when Duterte arrived in Rotterdam was 0-9°C.
The Embassy then provided winter clothes, change of clothes and care packages to Duterte, former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and an unidentified Filipino nurse-aide.
To facilitate the entry of the Philippine law enforcers and nurse-aide, the Philippine Embassy also requested the Netherlands’ Immigration Authorities to grant them two-day visas to enable them to rest and recover for their return flight.
Medialdea, meanwhile, was issued a 15-day visa as counsel of the President. He was also granted permission to visit Duterte on Thursday at the ICC Detention Center.
The Embassy also handed over the names and contact numbers of Embassy officials whom he can reach by mobile phone for any consular assistance that he may need.
Duterte’s supporters from the Netherlands and other parts of Europe gathered outside the detention center.
Holding flags and banners, supporters held a rally denouncing ICC’s interference in Philippine domestic laws.
Vietnam, a country with a comparable economy, which collected P20 trillion, Abrea said.
to pay taxes but lives in a mansion and drives luxury SUVs while reporting little to no income on their tax return, the public should question them,” he added.
To ensure that the taxes collected by the BIR are used properly, Abrea said the public should pay their taxes correctly and vote wisely.
“We are so collection-driven but focused on the small ones. The government is so afraid to collect from their campaign donors, from the multinational companies who are supporting their candidacy,” he added.
While the BIR exceeded its revenue goal last year, collecting P2.851 trillion, this is far from
With inflation easing to 2.1 percent—within the government’s target of 2 to 4 percent, the BSP’s forecast and market expectations—the BSP has reason to cut, Guinigundo said.
However, he flagged the risks happening in the United States as well as the changes in transport fares and wages in the Philippines which could all be inflationary.
“The balance of risks is probably on the upside but the BSP should be more careful. It has to have space, it has to be more careful and more circumspect in its pace of easing. Don’t be too aggressive,” Guinigundo said.
BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona said earlier the BSP could cut rates by as much as 50 bps in April if a hard landing—or the Philippine economy falling into recession—occurs.
“But as long as we’re more or less on track, it will be [a 25-bps cut] at a time,” Remolona quickly added. The BSP kept its key policy rates unchanged at 5.75 percent due to global uncertainties and will recalibrate its models to better account for these uncertainties.
also helped in improving transportation, energy, and communication services since they also bring in new technologies.
“Our journey towards progress will continue to be built on a strong and agile partnership between the government and the private sector,” Marcos said.
The government hopes to sustain the momentum of inflow of investments in the country by recognizing the national government agencies (NGA) and local government units (LGU) for the exemplary implementation of EO 18 through the Gawad Bayanihan sa Pamumuhunan award, according to the President.
The NGAs given recognition were the Department of Information and Communications (DICT), Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources-En-
As the Philippines recorded P16 trillion in debt as of end-January 2025, Abrea said it’s time for the BIR to collect a higher target— about P10 trillion—to address this ballooning debt.
“Right now, the burden falls on the most vulnerable—even those who haven’t been born yet already carry the weight of this debt. We need to stop this cycle,” he said. Abrea also suggested that the BIR be made independent of the bureaucracy, similar to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
“Maybe we have to abolish BIR and create a new agency where the head is not a presidential appointee or a co-correspondent. It should not be a co-correspondent with the president so that he can even run after the president,” he added.
vironmental Management Bureau (DENR-ERB), Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Forest Management Bureau (FMB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Bureau of Customs (BOC), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Public-Private Partnership Center (PPPC), Department of Energy (DOE), and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
For the LGU category, the winners were Northern Samar, Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, llocos Norte, Laguna, and General Trias, Cavite.
“The Gawad Bayanihan sa Pamumuhunan award is a call to stay the course and to ensure that the progress that we have begun will only build momentum in the years ahead,” Marcos said.
“So, I encourage everyone to align your organizational goals with our national priorities so that we can push for even greater economic transformation together,” he added. Samuel P. Medenilla
“preferred” investment destination in the region.
“We are targeting the new investors from Japan to look at the Philippines as their next investment destination. In the same manner, we are enticing current Japanese companies in expanding their solid footprint in the country by bringing in their supply chain,” added Panga.
“The Philippines is in the sweet spot to host these investments with all the positive advantages we presented,” Panga noted. Data from Peza showed that investments of Japanese locators within the ecozones amounted to P589.49 billion, as of December 2024. This is equivalent to 800 locator companies. These investments are expected to employ 343,662 Filipinos.
Meeting Japanese firms FOLLOWING the joint economic meeting, Peza said the Philippine delegation met with top officers of Keizai Doyukai (The Japan Association of Corporate Executives), a professional organization of independent senior executives from various industries in Japan.
The meeting focused on strengthening economic cooperation between the Philippines and Japan, particularly in workforce development and supply chain expansion.
“One of the key proposals from the Philippine side was to enhance labor mobility by allowing Filipinos to work in Japan under more flexible arrangements,” Peza said in a statement on Thursday. This, the investment promotion agency noted, aligns with ongoing discussions in the Japanese Legislature, which is currently considering relaxing certain requirements for foreign workers to address labor shortages in critical sectors.
A significant aspect of the discussion was skillsjob matching between Japan and the Philippines. Japanese small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have identified agriculture, healthcare, and manufacturing engineering as priority sectors where Filipino workers could help fill labor gaps and contribute to industry growth, Peza said.
Beyond labor mobility, however, the Philippines emphasized the need to expand its supply chain, particularly in the manufacturing sector.
Apart from this, Peza said it met with Keidanren (Japanese Business Federation) to discuss global economic trends, trade policies, and potential areas for collaboration between the two economies. Keidanren underscored the importance of human resource development in the Philippines, particularly in relation to GX (Green Transformation) and PX (People Transformation).
“These concepts align with Japan’s vision of transitioning toward a more sustainable, decarbonized economy [GX] and fostering a highly skilled, adaptive workforce [PX],” said Peza. The team also met with JERA, Japan’s largest power generation company, for discussions and a plant tour at the Hekinan Thermal Power Station.
During the meeting, the potential supply of fly ash from Hekinan to the Philippines was explored, particularly through Peza-registered business enterprises such as Ichijo/HRD Group Singapore.
Congressmen see justice dawning on EJK victims
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
ITH the arrest of former President
WRodrigo Duterte by the Interna -
tional Criminal Court (ICC), leaders of the House of Representatives anticipated that more witnesses would step forward as fear among potential whistleblowers began to subside.
Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V expressed confidence that individuals who were previously afraid to testify would now have the courage to speak out against Duterte and his allies.
“Definitely, more people will come forward, and those who were once too afraid are now beginning to lose their fear. Some are even being consumed by their conscience,” Ortega who respresents La Union said.
He added that the case is ultimately about justice for the victims of extra-judicial killings (EJKs).
“They want to ease their burden because, as I said, this is a story of justice, and every story must have an ending. We have to finish this story, and therefore, the real protagonists here—the ones who deserve justice—are the victims and their families,” he said.
House Assistant Majority Leader Jil Bongalon pointed out that previous efforts to investigate Duterte’s bloody drug war were limited, leaving many victims with no avenue to seek justice.
“If we really observe what happened during the past administration, there was no thorough and comprehensive investigation about the EJK,” Bongalon, the nominee of Ako Bicol, said.
He pointed out that congressional investigations, including those led by the House of Representatives through the Quad Committee, served as a platform for individuals to shed light on the implementation of the drug war.
“In fact, one of the actions taken
by the House of Representatives is the investigation about the EJK, the drugs, the Pogo [Philippine Overseas Gaming Operators], and other controversies. With that investigation, it served as a platform for persons to really enlighten regarding the implementation of the bloody war on drugs,” he said.
Bongalon recalled that several figures, including controversial police officers like Col. Jovie Espenido, had testified before Congress regarding the drug war.
“So, with this development, I guess people will have the courage to testify and speak about what they know about this bloody war on drugs, especially on the part of the victims, the families of the victims probably. I expect that people will come out and speak their grievances,” he said.
Meanwhile, House Assistant Majority Leader Jude Acidre emphasized that Duterte’s arrest was not a case of political persecution but rather an effort to hold him accountable for the thousands of Filipinos who lost their lives due to the drug war.
Acidre, a nominee of the Tingog partylist group, pointed out that even young children fell victim to the killings, yet there was little effort to seek justice for them.
“This is for them. You know, when I worked with children’s rights movements and child-rights networks, there was documentation showing that more than 100 children were killed alongside EJK victims. They were called collateral damage,” he said.
He also recalled the statement of a former police chief when confronted with the rising death toll, which reflected the culture of impunity at the time.
“When a former PNP [National Police] chief was asked about this, he had only one response: ‘S__t happens.’ Is that the kind of country we are?” he said.
Acidre stressed that the killings were never properly investigated and that the ICC arrest warrant is the first real step toward holding those responsible accountable.
WITH 1.4 million registered voters, the administration-backed Senate slate, Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, is set to hold a grand rally in Tacloban City, Leyte on Friday as it seeks to consolidate support in key regions ahead of the May 2025 midterm elections.
Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, Alyansa’s campaign manager, expressed confidence that Leyteños would once again deliver strong support for the administration’s Senate slate.
“Leyte has always stood with President Marcos and his vision for a stronger Philippines. We believe the Leyteños will continue to support leaders who will work with the administration in delivering real progress,” Tiangco said.
Leyte has long been a political stronghold for the family of President Marcos. In the 2022 national elections, Marcos secured 641,065 votes in the province, a decisive lead over his closest rival, who received only 99,207 votes. Tiangco said the Tacloban stop is
expected to be a major event, where administration candidates will outline their platforms in line with the “Bagong Pilipinas” agenda, focusing on economic growth, infrastructure, and social welfare programs.
“Tacloban is our ninth stop, and each leg of our campaign has only reinforced what we already know—Filipinos want stability, continuity, and leadership that prioritizes national progress,” Tiangco said.
“Leyte will play a crucial role in ensuring that we have a Senate that will work alongside the administration,” he added.
The Alyansa ticket is composed of former Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay, Sen. Ramon Revilla, Sen. Pia Cayetano, former senator Panfilo Lacson, Sen. Lito Lapid, Sen. Imee Marcos, former senator Manny Pacquiao, former Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Sen. Francis Tolentino, ACT-CIS Rep. and former Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo and Deputy Speaker Camille Villar. Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
AFP spox debunks rumors of resignations
By Rex Anthony Naval
THE Armed Forces on Thursday said that it has yet to verify rumors that some military personnel are resigning following the arrest and subsequent handover to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Netherlands of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“The AFP clarifies that reports of AFP personnel resigning in support of former President Duterte remain unverified. We urge everyone to exercise critical discernment and avoid spreading unconfirmed information,”
SC gives Palace, other execs 24 hours to justify Duterte handover to ICC
Tthe military spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a statement. She also maintained that the Armed Forces remains a professional, unified, and non-partisan institution. Padilla also stressed that the military remains committed to its constitutional mandate of defending the nation and serving the Filipino people.
“Our personnel continues to remain focused on our sworn duty, upholding the rule of law and the chain of command,” she said.
See “AFP,” A4
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
HE Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday gave Malacañang and several officials in the Executive branch an non-extendible 24 hours to explain why a writ of habeas corpus should not be issued in favor of former President Rodrigo Duterte who has been turned over by the government to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands to face trial for crimes against humanity over his bloody anti-illegal drug war campaign.
In a statement, SC Spokesperson Camille Sue Mae Ting said the order was issued by the Court unanimously during its special en banc session on Thursday where they tackled the petitions for habeas corpus filed by Duterte’s children Davao Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte and Veronica A. Duterte on Wednesday. Likewise, the SC directed the consolidation of the petition for habeas corpus filed by Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte on Thursday with the petitions filed by his siblings.
“On March 13, 2025, the SC en banc unanimously resolved to…direct respondents in the consolidated petitions to show cause within a nonextendible period of 24 hours from receipt of notice why the peremptory writ of habeas corpus should not issue,” the SC said.
Justice system vibrant AT the same time, the Department of Justice (DOJ) insisted that the country has a working justice system despite
handing Duterte over to the jurisdiction of the ICC through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
Lawyer Dominic Clavano IV, DOJ spokesman, said the department would continue with the investigation into the alleged extra-judicial killings (EJKs) committed during the previous administration.
Clavano confirmed that the department has started its preliminary investigation into the murder and frustrated murder complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager and retired police colonel Royina Garma and six others in connection with the killing of PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga in 2020.
“It does not mean that because we have arrested and sent the former President [to the ICC], we will cease our investigation here in our local offices and courts,” Clavano told reporters in Filipino.
“This only means that we have a vibrant and alive justice system,” he added.
However, Clavano hinted that the government would not invoke the country’s “vibrant and working” justice system to prevent another ICCissued warrant from being served in the country.
Clavano explained that what the ICC is investigating are crimes against humanity while the crimes being handled by prosecutors and courts are specific murders and police abuses.
“The two statements are not contra -
dictory, that we have a working justice system and at the same time, they can still come in. Well, they did not come in but they can continue to prosecute or continue the investigation there in the ICC,” Clavano said.
“The subject matter of the case before the ICC is different from the cases under investigation here,” he explained.
Another petition
IN a 53-page petition, Duterte, through lawyer Harry Roque, also asked the Court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) or a writ of preliminary injunction or both directing the respondents to desist from cooperating with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Interpol.
The ICC issued on March 7 an arrest warrant against Duterte for allegedly committing crimes against humanity over the killing of 43 individuals suspected to be drug pushers, users or thieves.
The warrant states that 19 out of the 43 were killed by the the Davao Death Squad (DDS) in various locations in Davao City during Duterte’s term as mayor of the province while 24 persons believed to be drug pushers, drug users or thieves were killed during the term of Duterte as President.
The crimes covered by the arrest warrant took place between November 1, 2011 and March 16, 2019, according to the chamber.
Named as respondents in the petition were Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Interior and Local Government Secretary Victor Remulla Jr. and National Police (PNP) Chief
Gen. Rommel Marbil. Paolo asked the Court to order the service of the writ of habeas corpus and the TRO or writ of preliminary injunction or both on the police officers accompanying the former President on his flight.
In seeking the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus, Paolo argued that the former president has been unlawfully arrested and is being illegally confined and detained considering that the Philippines has already withdrawn from the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, since March 2019.
“The Philippines has withdrawn from the Rome Statute and, thus, the enforcement of the warrant of arrest is violative of the sovereign prerogative of the State to withdraw from the same,” the petition said.
“Any act in enforcing the warrant of arrest after the withdrawal of the Philippines from the Rome Statute is unconstitutional,” it added.
Furthermore, he stressed that allowing the entry of investigators from the ICC to investigate the drug war in the country and permitting the enforcement of the warrant of arrest “is a blatant violation of the sovereignty” of the country, thus, unconstitutional.
“The acts imputed to the FPRRD were alleged to have occurred within Philippine territory and are hence subject to the jurisdiction of the Philippines,” the petition read.
“As such, it is the Philippines that, in the exercise of the sovereign and jurisdiction, ought to exercise jurisdiction over the investigation and trial of such acts,” it added.
Masungi guards prevent DENR from serving vacate order–exec
ABy Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
TEAM sent to serve a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) order cancelling the 2002 Supplemental Agreement between the agency and Blue Star Construction Development Corporation was denied entry to the Masungi Georeserve and the Garden Cootages Resort in Baras, Rizal, Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs Norlito A. Eneran said.
Reacting to the DENR’s decision to cancel the 2002 Supplemental Agreement, Masungi Georeserve called the move “an attack on every Filipino striving to protect our natural heritage” and emphasized that both Masungi and Blue Star have been at the forefront of efforts to protect the forest from land grabbers and illegal quarrying operations.
It also turned the table on the DENR saying it is the agency that is at fault for “stubbornly refusing to fulfill its contractual obligation to clear the area of large-scale illegal occupants, liens, and encumbrances, causing delays to
the project and significant harm to its private sector partner.”
The DENR maintains that the decision is final.
The notice addressed to Blue Star Construction and Development Corporation President Ben Dumaliang was issued by the DENR citing several reasons including the lack of required Presidential Proclamation declaring the subject matter of the contract for housing purposes, the absence of document to prove that the proposed construction went through regular procurement or bidding process; and the failure of the realty firm to deliver the 5,000-unit Garden Cottages housing project within five years from signing on November 15, 2002.
The people behind Blue Star Construction and Development Corporation are the same people behind the Masungi Georeserve Foundation, which runs the award-winning Masungi Georeserve, a low impact ecopark, accused of developing a resort with no environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and building permits from the local government.
In the notice, the DENR demanded that Blue Star vacate the premises covered
by the 2022 Supplemental Agreement, including the 300-hectare area where the Masungi Georeserve conservation project in Rizal is located “within 15 days.”
Eneran told the B usiness M irror that serving the notice of the cancellation to Dumaliang last week failed because the security guards, even of the Garden Cottages which is a joint project of the DENR and Blue Star Development Corporation also refused to receive the notice.
“Until now, we have not been able to serve the notice based on the rules of procedure. But we have tried all means to serve the notice, personally,” he said.
Under the rules, there are two ways to serve such notice—by personally handing the notice or via mail or email.
Eneran said the team from the DENR’s Records Section and Environmental Law Enforcement an Protection Service went to Baras last week to serve the notice. However, he said only the nearest barangay hall “received” the notice.
Taking other legal means to send the notice to the Dumaliang family, he said the DENR also took time to locate the offices of Blue Star.
“First, their website has no address so
we decided to send it to their offices in Quezon City,” he said. Eneran said based on the address provided by Blue Star, its office is located at 505 PAC Building, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.
However, Eneran said the team was not able to locate the said building to serve the notice. “There’s no such building in that area,” he said.
Another address, which is based on the General Information Sheet of Blue Star given to the Securities and Exchange Commission is 17 Liwayway Street, West Triangle, Quezon City. “Unfortunately, what we found there is a residential unit and no one was responding when we came to serve the notice,” he said.
A third attempt via mail to serve the notice from the DENR was made by the DENR through PO Box 2411-1164 which Blue Star
on the three addresses of Blue Star.
Now easier to earn college degrees for grads of ‘school of hard knocks’
THE new law, which institutionalizes the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (Eteeap), will open the path for skilled professionals, lifelong learners, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and other workers to earn college degrees, lawmakers said on Thursday.
Tingog Rep. Yedda Romualdez said the Eteeap, which has been signed by President Marcos, acknowledges that learning extends beyond traditional classrooms.
Through this program, Romualdez said qualified individuals can obtain undergraduate and special graduate degrees based on their skills, professional experience, and informal education, assessed in accordance with academic standards set by the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
“This law is for every construction worker who learned on the job, every caregiver who became an expert through hands-on care, every OFW who had to leave school to work abroad, and every parent who gave up their own dreams so their children could study,” Romualdez said.
“With Eteeap, we are telling them: Your hard work and your learning matter, and it’s never too late to earn your degree.”
She said Eteeap will significantly benefit Filipinos in various fields where practical skills and experience are valued but career advancement often requires a formal degree, including OFWs, skilled workers in construction, manufacturing,
and service industries; healthcare workers and caregivers with years of practical experience; entrepreneurs who developed businesses through hands-on learning; farmers and fisherfolk who gained deep expertise through practice and tradition; and community leaders and volunteers whose knowledge stems from service and advocacy.
Tingog Rep. Jude Acidre, chairperson of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, emphasized that Eteeap is particularly vital for migrant workers who are highly skilled but limited in career progression due to the lack of a diploma.
“For our OFWs and working Filipinos, this is more than a degree— it’s recognition of the knowledge
they’ve earned through years of sacrifice and service,” Acidre said. “This law ensures that education is no longer tied to privilege or circumstance. Instead, it honors every Filipino’s right to grow and succeed, no matter where or how they learned.”
Under the new law, CHED will deputize higher education institutions (HEIs) to offer Eteeap programs, evaluate work and learning experiences, administer assessments if necessary, and confer degrees to qualified individuals. CHED is also tasked with developing national standards, setting accreditation fees, and convening consultations with education, labor, and industry sectors to align the program with workforce needs.
Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
A4
March 14, 2025
DOE wants local govts to fast-track issuance of permits for energy projects
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
THE Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing for the development of a standardized energy infrastructure ordinance template with local governments to fast track the permitting process of energy projects.
The agency said this move aims to establish a uniform framework that simplifies approval procedures, minimizes delays, and ensures a transparent and consistent regulatory approach in all local governments. This is also aligned with national policies such as the Energy Virtual One Stop Shop Act and Green Lane for Strategic Investments.
DAR, BJMP set to expand programs for detainees, ARBs
THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) have committed to strengthen ties through the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) to ensure mutual benefits to both detainees or persons deprived of liberty (PDL) and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB).
A recent meeting between BJMP and DAR officials paved the way for a review of the accomplishments of PAHP project and a discussion of the next steps for continued collaboration.
The DAR-BJMP partnership aims to provide economic support to ARBs while ensuring food security in BJMP facilities. Under this initiative, Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (Arbos) will directly supply food products to BJMP facilities nationwide.
Leading the discussions were Agrarian Reform Undersecretary for Support Services Josef Angelo S. Martires and Director Ruel S. Rivera, BJMP chief.
The meeting highlighted key milestones, including the PAHP project’s gross sales of P115,994,416.56 from Arbos since its launch in 2019. In 2024 alone, Arbo transactions generated P30,567,938.79 in sales. Officials also explored strategies to strengthen cooperation, expand project reach, and ensure its long-term sustainability.
Rivera reaffirmed BJMP’s commitment to support DAR’s initiatives, ensuring that PDLs have access to nutritious and high-quality food through the partnership. Moving forward, both agencies will explore new programs aligned with their shared mission of economic growth and food security, starting with a nationwide signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with all regional offices.
Also present at the meeting were DAR Public Information Service (PIS) Director Jose Jenil C. Demorito, USSO Executive Assistant John Wesly M. Lacsamana, and PAHP National Coordinator, Senior Agrarian Reform Program Officer Ma. Susan S. Gambalan. Jonathan L. Mayuga
One of the most common bottlenecks in energy project development is the varying timelines for the issuance of permits like local government’s Resolutions of Support, which often lead to significant delays, the DOE said. To address this, the proposed
ordinance recommends that these resolutions be issued within a definite and transparent timeline, ensuring a more predictable and efficient approval process.
Iloilo province has been selected as pilot area for the DOE’s energy infrastructure ordinance. With Iloilo province currently hosting three existing renewable energy (RE) projects and is set to welcome 26 upcoming projects—4 committed, 15 indicative, and seven potential projects—this initiative is expected to accelerate the realization of clean energy investments.
The three RE projects in Iloilo are the 4.5 megaWatt (MW) Cosmo solar power, one MW Gaisano solar rooftop project, and 15 MW biomass of Central Azucarera de San Antonio Inc.
The DOE has conducted similar consultations and site visits in Batangas, Rizal, Ilocos Norte,
and Pangasinan, engaging local governments in discussions on enhancing regulatory efficiency and facilitating investment in the energy sector.
Additionally, the DOE is fostering collaboration with other government agencies, such as the Departments of Agrarian Reform and of Environment and Natural Resources and the Philippine Ports Authority to ensure the effective execution of the country’s energy projects.
“By working closely with local governments, we enhance regulatory transparency, improve coordination, and streamline approval processes. These efforts not only facilitate faster project implementation but also reinforce the government’s commitment to strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure and advancing sustainability initiatives,” Energy Undersecretary Sharon Garin said.
Akbayan nominee: Conduct safety audit of infra projects
TBy Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
HE first nominee of a party-list group on Thursdayt urged the government to conduct a comprehensive safety audit of all public infrastructure projects, including those currently being constructed, in the aftermath of the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge collapse in Isabela province.
“Dapat pro-active na ang ating pamahalaan sa pagtiyak ng structural integrity at kaligtasan ng mga pampublikong gusali at imprastraktura,” lawyer Chel Diokno said.
Reminding that “this can only be guaranteed by comprehensive safety conducted by a panel of government experts in partnership with independent engineers and safety experts from the private sector, academe and non-government organizations,” added Diokno, first nominee of the Akbayan party-list group.
Nakakatakot isipin na meron pang ibang public infrastructure gaya ng ospital, paaralan, o public stadium na maaaring hindi maayos ang pagkakagawa,” he warned.
The Akbayan leader also noted that comprehensive safety audits in infrastructure projects ensure structural integrity, public safety,
and regulatory compliance, noting that “they identify and mitigate risks before accidents occur, reducing workplace incidents and associated costs.”
He added that “regular audits foster a culture of safety, help maintain high safety standards and prevent costly failures.”
This developed as Akbayan urged an investigation into the collapse of the Cabagan-Sta. Maria bridge, whose construction began in November 2014 and had a total cost of P1.25 billion. It was originally slated for completion in 2019 but required retrofitting owing to structural defects.
Lead in 168 imported spray paints may cause brain damage
ECOWASTE Coalition, a public interest group advocating for a zero waste and toxics-free society, on Thursday cautioned Filipino consumers from purchasing aerosol paints containing lead additives in violation of the country’s law.
EcoWaste issued the warning ahead of World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) on March 15 to empower consumers to make informed purchasing decisions wherein the group circulated an updated version of the “Public Notice on Lead-Containing Paints” it co-published with the Philippine Paint and Coatings Association, Inc. (Ppcai) and the International Pollutants Elimination Network (Ipen).
The updated notice aims to emphasize the importance of providing paint consumers with essential information to enable them to make safe and sound choices, noting that consumers have the rights to be informed, to choose and to be protected against lead-based paint hazards, which can put their health, especially the health of their children, at risk. Exposure to lead can cause chronic and debilitating health impacts in all age groups, and children are particularly vulnerable to its neurotoxic effects, according to the United Nations Environment Program (Unep).
Children’s exposure to lead early in life can damage the developing brain and nervous system, causing developmental delays, learning difficulties, lower intelligence quotient (IQ), attention deficit disorder and behavioral problems.
There is no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects, the World Health Organization (WHO) added.
The Public Notice currently lists 168
spray paint products representing 39 brands that were screened for lead by the EcoWaste Coalition using portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer and subsequently submitted to the Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), a global testing company, for confirmatory tests.
The analyzed paints were found to contain lead above 90 parts per million (ppm), the maximum limit for lead in all paints as per the Chemical Control Order (CCO) issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Of the 168 analyzed spray paints, 119 had lead levels exceeding 10,000 ppm.
Moreover, 50 of these paints contained a whopping 50,000 ppm to 212,000 ppm of lead, including eight with over 100,000 ppm. These paints were mostly imported from China and Thailand, and none of them were manufactured or distributed by Ppcaiaffiliated companies.
Thirty-three of the 168 leaded paints were marked “lead free” or carried the “No Pb” symbol, giving consumers a false assurance that such products are safe from lead, a neuro and reproductive toxin and an endocrine disrupting chemical, too.
According to laboratory test reports, the following 39 paint brands have one or more products containing lead above the legal limit of 90 ppm: Anton, Automatic, Bad Axe, Best Drive Extreme One, Boston, Chappie, Colorz, F1, Getsun, Greenfield, Haifei, Howar, JM, JMJAFA, King Sfon, Koby, Korona, KRX, Meng Qi Bo Shi Qi Pai Zidong Penqi, MKT, MR. D.I.Y., Nikko, One Take, Parlux, RMC, RStar, Sanvo, Silvestre, Sinag, Standard, Super7, Tiger, Top Standard, Top Tibay, Veslee, Yandy, Yao Dong Bang, Yatibay, and Yestar Spray Paints.
To protect consumers from lead-
containing paints, the EcoWaste Coalition enjoined importers not to bring into the country paints that have not been independently verified as compliant to the 90 ppm lead in paint standard.
Importers should not rely on the “No Pb” and “lead free” claims on the paint cans unless supported by verifiable third-party certification, which should also be publicly accessible.
EcoWaste Coalition urged spray paint distributors and dealers to voluntarily withdraw leaded paints from the market and return the remaining stocks to their suppliers for environmentally sound disposal.
As many of the lead-containing spray paints are being sold by online sellers, the EcoWaste Coalition asked the administrators of e-commerce and social media platforms to take down all product listings for violative paints, warn dealers, and suspend the recidivists.
Since 2020, the EcoWaste Coalition has discovered 205 imported aerosol paints with high lead content as a result of its vigilant market investigation and chemical screening using its XRF device.
While local paint makers, Ppcai affiliated manufacturers in particular, have diligently reformulated their products in compliance with the CCO and seven companies have even secured third-party Lead Safe Paint certification, leaded paints from abroad continue to get dumped and sold in the marketplace, the EcoWaste Coalition lamented. Hence, a need for strengthened customs checks, improved compliance monitoring, and stricter global rules to control the trade of lead-based raw materials in paint manufacturing and finished paint products containing them.
Jonathan L. Mayuga
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Marcos lines up funds for agri cooperatives
PRESIDENT Marcos has announced that the government will allocate funds for more post-harvest equipment and facilities to help boost the productivity of farmers cooperatives nationwide.
In his speech during the inauguration of the Sorosoro Ibaba Development Cooperative (SIDC) Grains Terminal and Trading project in Batangas City on Thursday, the Chief Executive ordered the Department of Agriculture (DA) to coordinate with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) in enhancing the competitiveness of cooperatives.
“The government plans to allocate funds for dryers, silos, warehouses, rice and corn mills and other equipment for agriculture,” he said in Filipino.
As of press time, the Palace has yet to disclose the source of the said fund. But under Republic Act 12078, which amended RA 11203, the government has a P3-billion for its Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (Rcef).
Rcef, which is collected from rice tariffs, can be used for farm mechanization, training and extension, improving soil health, pest and disease management, and water management.
Marcos said his administration will also intensify its projects for enhancing irrigation and pump stations.
“We will expand these programs. We will enhance and increase their production by giving them effective technology,” he said.
SIDC is currently one of the largest agriculture-based cooperatives in the country with over 75,000 members and P7.2 billion worth of assets. Its latest asset acquisition is its P270-million grains terminal and trading facility in Batangas City, which it built with the support of World Bank. The feed mill facility features two silos with a storage capacity of 12,000 metric tons and can produce 480,000 sacks of feed poultry and livestock.
“I extend my own personal congratulations for being a great supporter of the cooperative movement. SIDC is one of our examples of examples of how a cooperative should be run, how a cooperative helps its members, and how a cooperative helps the industry,” Marcos said.
For its part, the World Bank said it is open for more cooperation with the government and the private sector, which will help ensure local food security, boost agricultural productivity and support livelihood of farmers such as the new SIDC feed mill facility.
“This project will create numerous job opportunities and provide a stable environment and economic development for many individuals in the region,” World Bank Senior Agriculture Economists Mio Takada said. Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz and Samuel P. Medenilla
“We will make sure they have access to support so they bring their crops to the markets faster and easier,” he added. The additional investments, he said, is expected to help reduce the wastage and cost in rice and corn processing and also improve the productivity and income of farmers, and become as prosperous as SIDC.
Mgreen energizes new solar power plant
MGEN Renewable Energy, Inc. (MGreen), the renewable energy arm of Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen), has energized another solar power plant which can generate 52.8 megaWatts alternating current (Mwac).
MGreen Cordon Solar, one of the biggest operational solar plants in the Cagayan Valley under the Green Energy Auction (GEA II) program of the Department of Energy (DOE), was inaugurated on Tuesday. Located in Cordon, Isabela, this solar power plant was finished four months ahead of schedule. It will supply clean and reliable electricity to more than 53,000 households, supporting the DOE’s goal of increasing the share of renewable energy in the power mix to 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.
“We’re proud to share this milestone with you— the people of Cordon—as we switch on our solar power plant that’s completed four months ahead of schedule. We want to show that economic progress, and environmental
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responsibility can go hand in hand,” said Mgreen President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis B. Jordan.
MGreen Cordon Solar is expected to displace over 50,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) which is equivalent to over 11,700 gasoline-powered cars off the road annually using the Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.
MGreen is the renewable energy arm of Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGen), the power generation arm of the Manila Electric Company.
Earlier, MGreen inaugurated its 19.8MWac solar power plant in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija. The solar power project was completed at least six months ahead of schedule and could supply power to at least 20,000 households. With the successful completion of MGreen Cordon Solar, it continues to drive the expansion of the Philippines’ renewable energy capacity. MGreen is set to add 85.2 Mwac of solar capacity in 2025, including the Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, and the upcoming expansion of an existing solar facility in Baras, Rizal.
Padilla also urged the public to be more discerning and responsible in the way they gather and spread information especially on details that could result in disunity.
“We call on all Filipinos to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law. Let us prioritize unity and allow the legal processes to unfold. We have full confidence on our institutions to handle this matter with due diligence,” Padilla said. AFP. . .
Angara leads groundbreaking for 2 science HS, boosting Marcos’ STEM
By Claudeth S. Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3
EDUCATION Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara led groundbreaking ceremonies for two major science high school projects, reinforcing Marcos administration’s commitment to strengthening science and technology education in the country.
Angara travelled to Cavite on Tuesday to spearhead the groundbreaking ceremony for the Bacoor City Science and Technology High School, a 12-story building that will house 60 classrooms, nine workshop rooms, science laboratories, computer centers, a library, multimedia rooms, and collaborative learning spaces.
“Ito’y hindi gusali lamang. Ang mas importante ay yung mga teacher natin ganadong magturo, yung mga bata natin ay ganado rin pumasok They are eager to learn, they are eager to expand their horizons,” Angara said.
Bacoor City Mayor Strike Revilla, Cavite 2nd District Rep. Lani Mercado Revilla Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Eric Ayapana, Department of Education (DepEd) Usec. Trygye Olaivar and other officials also joined the ceremony.
“This 12-story building symbolizes what we aim to deliver to our Kabataang Bacooreño. The type of education that is of quality, and excellence, and globally competitive,” Mayor Revilla said. A day earlier, Angara also led the
education push
groundbreaking for the five-story academic building of Marikina Science High School (MariSci), which will house 32 classrooms and four specialized workshop rooms.
“The future is in technology, research, and development. Kaya kung mahal natin ang ating mga anak, at gusto natin silang makakuha ng magandang trabaho whether here or abroad, mag-invest po tayo bilang isang bansa sa science and technology,” Angara said. For years, MariSci has shared facilities with Marikina Polytechnic College (MPC) under an agreement with the DepEd. The new building will provide the school with a permanent home, ending its reliance on shared spaces and ensuring a more conducive learning environment.
The project is a collaboration between DepEd, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the local government of Marikina. Officials said the facility would support hands-on learning, research, and innovation, solidifying MariSci’s reputation as a premier science high school in the city.
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Special Envoy Kath YuPimentel, Rep. Stella Quimbo and former Rep. Miro Quimbo, along with DPWH and DepEd officials, attended the ceremony.
Leading three groundbreaking ceremonies of medium-rise school buildings this year, Angara said that the infrastructure projects reflect the national government’s commitment to advancing education and science.
Comelec dismisses 2nd DQ case vs. Erwin Tulfo
Xyrah Garcia
By Justine
ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin T. Tulfo is now temporarily off the hook after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) junked the second disqualification case filed against him.
In a resolution released Thursday, the Comelec First Division junked the petition due to a procedural lapse where the petitioner failed to serve a copy of the complaint to Tulfo.
“That is a blunder. That is a big mistake because the requirement is mandatory—the respondent should always be copy-furnished so that he knows what the petition is demanding from him. Failure to do so is a valid ground for dismissal,” Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia explained.
Tulfo, who is running for senator in this year’s midterm polls, faced the petition questioning his eligibility over his 2008 libel conviction, alleged violation of the constitutional ban on political dynasties, doubts about his citizenship, and failure to prove his academic qualifications.
Garcia emphasized that the poll body has strict requirements before it can assume jurisdiction over a case. These include the payment of
filing fees, submission of necessary attachments, proper allegations, and furnishing a copy to the respondent.
Non-compliance with any of these results in automatic dismissal.
He also clarified that Comelec cannot act motu proprio—or on its own initiative—in this particular disqualification case since it is not the complainant.
Despite the dismissal, Garcia noted that the petitioner still has legal options.
They may file a motion for reconsideration before the Comelec en banc or submit a new disqualification petition, provided it meets all procedural requirements.
Under election rules, disqualification petitions may be filed at any time before a candidate’s proclamation.
Garcia also defended the Comelec’s rulings, saying their decisions are based solely on law and procedure.
“We will always decide, even if others may not agree with us or if our rulings do not favor one party. Somewhere along the way, we will have to make a decision,” he said.
With this ruling, Erwin and his other relatives currently have no pending disqualification cases before the Comelec.
MALACAÑANG denied rumors that First Lady (FL) Louise “Liza” A. Marcos was detained in Los Angeles (LA) for her alleged involvement in the death of Paolo Tantoco.
BARMM chief: ‘Peace and order under control’ despite election violence fears
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
DESPITE rising concerns over election-related violence in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), newly appointed Chief Minister Abdularaof A. Macacua assured the public that the situation remains manageable. Friday, March 14,
“We are in a peace process…Today, I can safely say that the peace and order situation in Bangsamoro is under control. We have some isolated cases, but we can manage to handle those incidents,” Macacua said during his visit to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Intramuros, Manila, on Thursday.
His statement comes amid reports of election-related violence
in the region, raising concerns over security threats in the lead-up to the May midterm elections.
Bangsamoro has long been considered a hotspot for political conflict, with past elections marred by violence and allegations of electoral fraud.
Macacua, however, assured that his administration is closely coordinating with the Comelec and security forces to ensure peaceful
and orderly elections, including the May polls and the first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections in October.
“If the Comelec and security sectors recommend placing certain areas under tighter control because they are familiar with the situation, we have no objection if they deploy additional security personnel,” he said.
The Comelec earlier confirmed that most of the validated electionrelated incidents since October have occurred in BARMM.
While no specific areas have been placed under full control, the poll body is closely monitoring developments.
Under Comelec’s security classification, areas facing serious threats of violence and electionrelated disturbances may be placed under the red category, signifying the highest level of security risk.
Sulu seats in limbo
BEYOND security concerns, questions also remain over the status of seven parliament seats originally
Bong Go and Erwin Tulfo top Senate aspirants, per Pulse Asia survey poll
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
EELECTIONIST candi -
Rdate Christopher “Bong” Go and perennial survey topnotcher, Congressman Erwin Tulfo, lead the Magic circle of Senate aspirants for the May 12 elections, according to the Latest Pulse Asia survey.
Out of 64 senatorial candidates, 13 have a statistical chance of winning, with Go and ACT-CIS Party-List Representative Tulfo sharing 1st and 2nd places (58.1 percent and 56.5 percent, respectively), said Pulse Asia Research’s Pulso ng Bayan February 2025 Pre-Electoral Survey.
Most of the probable winners are either former or incumbent lawmakers and are running under the administration’s “Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas.”
Following Go and Tulfo, both of whom have a statistical ranking of 1st to 2nd places, the other probable winners in the May 2025 senatorial election, per the Pulse Asia poll, are: 1) former Senate President Vicente Sotto III (49.0%, 3rd to 4th places); 2) Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. (46.1%, 3rd to 6th places); 3) Senator Ronald dela Rosa (44.3%, 4th to 7th places); 4) Mr. Willie Revillame (42.3%, 4th to 9th places); 5) Mr. Ben Tulfo (40.7%, 5th to 11th places); 6) former Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao (39.9%, 6th to 12th places); 7) Senator Manuel Lapid (39.4%, 6th to 13th places); 8) Makati City Mayor Mar-len Abigail Binay (37.6%, 7th to 13th places); 9) Senator Pia Cayetano (37.5%, 7th to 13th places); 10)
Las Piñas City Representative Camille Villar (36.6%, 8th to 13th places); and 11) former Senator Panfilo Lacson (35.8%, 9th to 13th places).
Indecision on the matter of whom to vote for as senator in the coming elections is expressed by 3.4% of registered voters.
The rest of the country’s electorate either does not support any senatorial candidate (2.6%) or refuse to identify their preferred candidates for the Senate (1.7%).
A little over a third of Filipino registered voters (38%) have a complete senatorial slate for the May 2025 elections—lower than the January 2025 figure (50%).
With about 12 weeks to go before the May 2025 polls, 38% of registered voters1 in the country are naming 12 of their favored senatorial candidates (out of a maximum of 12). Across geographic areas and socio-economic groupings, the only majority figures are recorded in the Visayas (54%) and Mindanao (60%). In the rest of Luzon, only a fifth of voters (20%) have a complete senatorial slate. From January 2025 to February 2025, figures drop not only at the national level (-12 percentage points) but also in the rest of Luzon (-13 percentage points), the Visayas (-10 percentage points), Mindanao (-12 percentage points), and Class D (-13 percentage points). (Please refer to Tables 1 to 2.)
Registered voters are naming a mean of 8 and a median of 9 senatorial candidates they are inclined to elect in May 2025. In the different areas and classes, mean figures
Palace denies rumors of First Lady’s detention in Los Angeles
range from 7 to 11 while median figures vary from 7 to 12. National mean and median figures decrease from January 2025 to February 2025 (-1 and -2, respectively). Moreover, mean figures decline in Metro Manila, the Visayas, Class D, and Class E (all at -1) while median figures drop in Metro Manila (-1), the rest of Luzon (-1), Class D (-3), and Class E (-2).
Party list
THE survey said practically all registered voters are aware of the party-list system (92%), with 46 party-list groups getting at least one congressional seat. Awareness of the party-list system is reported by most, if not virtually all, registered voters in the Philippines as a whole (92%) and across geographic and socio-economic groupings (88% to 100% and 91% to 96%, respectively). From January 2025 to February 2025, awareness of the party-list system becomes more notable at the national level (+13 percentage points) as well as in Metro Manila (+14 percentage points), the rest of Luzon (+16 percentage points), the Visayas (+19 percentage points), Class ABC (+21 percentage points), and Class D (+12 percentage points). (Please refer to Table 4.)
Of the 155 entities participating in the May 2025 party-list election, five (5) have a statistical chance of winning three (3)
allocated for Sulu province.
Macacua said a bill addressing this issue is still pending in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).
Of the 73 available parliament seats, 65 will be filled through the electoral process.
Forty of these seats are designated for regional political parties, which can secure seats by gaining at least four percent of the vote. If multiple parties meet this threshold, the seats will be distributed equally among the winning parties.
Meanwhile, another 25 seats will be designated for representatives from parliamentary districts across BARMM.
The remaining eight seats are reserved for representatives from sectoral organizations, such as women, youth, and indigenous communities.
Unlike the other seats, these representatives will not be elected directly but will instead be chosen through assemblies—based on the rules to be provided by the BTA.
seats in the House of Representatives (out of a maximum of 3). These are the ACT-CIS (6.25%), Senior Citizens (5.87%), Tingog (5.01%), Uswag Ilonggo (4.62%), and 4Ps (4.29%). Meanwhile, seven (7) party-list groups would get two (2) seats each if the May 2025 polls were held during the survey period. These are the Duterte Youth (3.48%), Ako Bicol (3.11%), PPP (2.95%), FPJ Panday Bayanihan (2.86%), Kalinga (2.68%),Malasakit@Bayanihan (2.44%), and 1-Rider Party-List (2.22%). Completing the list of probable winners in the May 2025 partylist election with one seat each are the following: (1) 4K (1.99%); (2) Asenso Pinoy (1.86%); (3) Ang Probinsiyano (1.75%); (4) Solid North Party (1.72%); (5) Alona (1.63%); (6) CIBAC (1.44%); (7) AGAP (1.43%); (8) Bayan Muna (1.29%); (9) 1-Pacman (1.28%); (10) Akay ni Sol (1.20%); (11) TUCP (1.15%); (12) SSSGSIS Pensyonado (1.11%); (13) Nanay (1.10%); (14) Kapuso PM (1.08%); (15) Gabriela (1.07%); (16) Akbayan (1.00%); (17) United Senior Citizens (0.97%); (18) CWS (0.93%); (19) Probinsiyano Ako (0.92%); (20) TUPAD (0.92%); (21) Kabayan (0.87%); (22) ACT Teachers (0.86%); (23) BHBagong Henerasyon (0.85%); (24) TGP (0.82%); (25) ABONO (0.77%); (26) SAGIP (0.71%); (27) LPGMA (0.69%); (28) OFW (0.69%); (29) LUNAS (0.67%); (30) Kabataan (0.66%); (31) Magsasaka (0.64%); (32) Ako Bisaya (0.64%); (33) Health Workers (o.63%); and (34) Ahon Mahirap (0.63%). Overall, 83% of Filipino registered voters have a preferred party-list group for the May 2025 elections.
In a Viber message to reporters last Thursday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Marcos returned to the country earlier this week. “There is no truth that FL was held by any law enforcers, while in LA or and in any other place,” Castro said.
and Filipino-American actors at the sidelines of the Manila International Film Festival.
“FL arrived in Manila at around 5 a.m. [last Monday]. At 5:58 a.m., she was already on her way to her place from the airport,” she added. Marcos headed to the United States last week to attend several events, which includes a meeting with Hollywood film executives
The Palace official issued the statement amid rumors, which circulated online, that Marcos was held in the United States (US) in relation to the death of Rustan Commercial Corp. heir Tantoco. Supporters of Duterte claimed the Marcos administration allowed the arrest of former Presi -
dent Rodrigo R. Duterte last Tuesday by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) allegedly to divert attention from the detention of the First Lady. Duterte is currently at the Hague, Netherlands to face his crimes against humanity case before the International Criminal Court (ICC). Samuel P. Medenilla
Global trade partners hit back: Canada, EU impose heavy tariffs on US goods amid escalating trade war
By Lorne Cook, David Mchugh & Rob Gillies The Associated Press
BRUSSELS—Major trade partners swiftly hit back at President Donald Trump’s increased tariffs on aluminum and steel imports, imposing stiff new taxes on US products from textiles and water heaters to beef and bourbon.
Canada, the largest supplier of steel and aluminum to the US, said Wednesday it will place 25% reciprocal tariffs on steel products and also raise taxes on a host of items: tools, computers and servers, display monitors, sports equipment, and cast-iron products.
Across the Atlantic, the European Union will raise tariffs on American beef, poultry, bourbon and motorcycles, bourbon, peanut butter and jeans.
Combined, the new tariffs will cost companies billions of dollars, and further escalate the uncertainty in two of the world’s major trade partnerships. Companies will either take the losses and earn fewer profits, or, more likely, pass costs along to consumers in the form of higher prices.
Prices will go up, in Europe and the United States, and jobs are at
stake, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“We deeply regret this measure. Tariffs are taxes. They are bad for business, and even worse for consumers,” von der Leyen said. The EU duties aim for pressure points in the US while minimizing additional damage to Europe. EU officials have made clear that the tariffs—taxes on imports—are aimed at products made in Republican-held states, such as beef and poultry from Kansas and Nebraska and wood products from Alabama and Georgia. The tariffs will also hit blue states such as Illinois, the No. 1 US producer of soybeans, which are also on the list.
Spirits producers have become collateral damage in the dispute over steel and aluminum. The EU move “is deeply disappointing and will severely undercut the success -
ful efforts to rebuild US spirits exports in EU countries,” said Chris Swonger, head of the Distilled Spirits Council. The EU is a major destination for US whiskey, with exports surging 60% in the past three years after an earlier set of tariffs was suspended.
Could there be an agreement that takes increasing tariffs off the table?
VON der Leyen said in a statement that the EU “will always remain open to negotiation.”
Canada’s incoming Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday he’s ready to meet with Trump if he shows “respect for Canadian sovereignty” and is willing to take “a common approach, a much more comprehensive approach for trade.”
Carney, who will be sworn in Friday, said workers in both countries will be better off when “the greatest economic and security partnership in the
Pope Francis’ recovery continues, chest X-ray shows improvement
By Nicole Winfield The Associated Press
ROME—Pope Francis ‘ recovery from double pneumonia continued Wednesday as a chest X-ray confirmed improvement, two days after doctors declared he’s no longer in imminent danger of death.
The latest medical bulletin said the pope’s condition remained stable, but indicated a complex picture considering his overall fragility.
The Vatican said the 88-year-old Francis again followed its spiritual retreat remotely, and resumed physical and respiratory therapy after a
quiet night. He continues to receive high flows of oxygen through nasal tubes during the day, and a noninvasive mechanical mask to aid his rest at night.
His weekly Wednesday general audience was canceled since the Vatican hierarchy is on retreat this week as part of the Lenten spiritual exercises that have been a mainstay of the Jesuit pope’s pontificate. Francis faces important milestones this week.
On Thursday, he marks the 12th anniversary of his election as the 266th pope. The Holy See hasn’t said how the anniversary, a public holiday in the Vatican, might be
A CAn DLE for Pope Francis is seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in rome, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, where the pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, February 14. AP Photo/An D re W MeDIC h n
commemorated. No medical bulletin will be issued.
The former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected on the fifth ballot of the 2013 conclave that was called after Pope Benedict XVI resigned.
While Francis has praised Benedict’s humility in stepping down and said he might follow in his footsteps, more recently he has said the papacy is a job for life.
Another milestone comes Friday, when Francis marks four weeks of hospitalization.
St. John Paul II has the record for a hospital stay, at 55 days in 1981 when he underwent a minor surgical operation and then was treated for a cytomegalovirus infection.
Francis is on track to equal the second-longest stay, 28 days, which John Paul recorded in 1994 when he had surgery to repair his right hip joint after he fractured his right femur in a fall, according to Gemelli hospital.
The Vatican has released no photos or video of Francis since he was admitted. The pope recorded an audio message last week to thank people for their prayers, though the weakness and breathlessness of his voice made clear how frail he was.
AP writer Colleen Barry contributed.
world is renewed, relaunched. That is possible.”
“We firmly believe that in a world fraught with geopolitical and economic uncertainties, it is not in our common interest to burden our economies with tariffs,” she said.
The American Chamber of Commerce to the EU said the US tariffs and EU countermeasures “will only harm jobs, prosperity and security on both sides of the Atlantic.” “The two sides must de-escalate and find a negotiated outcome urgently,” the chamber said Wednesday. What will actually happen?
T RUMP slapped similar tariffs on EU steel and aluminum during his
first term in office, which enraged European and other allies. The EU also imposed countermeasures in retaliation at the time, raising tariffs on US-made motorcycles, bourbon, peanut butter and jeans, among other items.
This time, the EU action will involve two steps. First on April 1, the commission will reimpose taxes that were in effect from 2018 and 2020, but which were suspended under the Biden administration. Then on April 13 come the additional duties targeting 18 billion euros ($19.6 billion) in US exports to the bloc.
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš
Šefčovič traveled to Washington last month in an effort to head off the tariffs, meeting with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and other top trade officials. He said on Wednesday that it became clear during the trip “that the EU is not the problem.”
“I argued to avoid the unnecessary burden of measures and countermeasures, but you need a partner for that. You need both hands to clap,” Šefčovič told reporters at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
Canada is imposing, as of 12:01 a.m. Thursday 25% reciprocal tariffs on steel products worth $12.6 billion Canadian (US$8.7 billion) and aluminum products worth $3 billion Canadian (US$2 billion)
as well as additional imported US goods worth $14.2 billion Canadian ($9.9 billion) for a total of $29.8 billion (US$20.6 billion.) The list of additional products affected by counter-tariffs includes tools, computers and servers, display monitors, water heaters, sport equipment, and cast-iron products.
These tariffs are in addition to Canada’s 25% counter tariffs on $30 billion Canadian (US$20.8 billion) of imports from the US that were put in place on March 4 in response to other Trump tariffs that he’s delayed by a month.
European steel companies brace for losses
T HE EU could lose up to 3.7 million tons of steel exports, according to the European steel association Eurofer. The US is the second-biggest export market for EU steel producers, representing 16 percent of the total EU steel exports.
The EU estimates that annual trade volume between both sides stands at about $1.5 trillion, representing around 30% of global trade. While the bloc has a substantial export surplus in goods, it says that is partly offset by the US surplus in the trade of services.
McHugh reported from Frankfurt and Gillies from Toronto. Jill Lawless contributed to this report from London.
rubio could face an unfriendly reception from close G7 allies over Trump’s policies
LBy Matthew Lee AP Diplomatic Writer
A MALBAI e , Canada—US Secretary of State Marco r ubio may be walking into unusually unfriendly territory this week when he meets his counterparts from the Group of 7 industrialized democracies—strong American allies stunned by President Donald trump’s actions against them.
Just hours after trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs kicked in—prompting responses from the e uropean Union and Canada and threatening to ignite full-scale trade wars with close US partners— r ubio arrived at the scenic Quebec town of La Malbaie on the St. Lawrence r iver for two days of talks with the top diplomats of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. All of them have been angered by the new American president’s policies.
r ubio will likely be hearing a litany of complaints about trump’s decisions from once-friendly, like-minded countries in the G7—notably host Canada, to which trump has arguably been most antagonistic with persistent talk of it becoming the 51st US state, additional tariffs and repeated insults against its leadership.
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, the official host who will see each participant separately, said that “in every single meeting, I will raise the issue of tariffs to coordinate a response with the e uropeans and to put pressure on the Americans.”
t he only constant in this unjustifiable trade war seems to be President trump’s talk of annexing our country through economic coercion,” Joly said Wednesday. “ yesterday, he called our border a fictional line and repeated his disrespectful 51st state rhetoric.”
r ubio downplayed trump’s “51st state” comments, saying Wednesday that the president was only expressing what he thought would be a good idea.
t he G7 grouping “is not a meeting about how we’re going to take over Canada,” r ubio said, noting that they would focus on Ukraine issues and other common topics.
Facing allies as tariffs take hold o n tariffs, r ubio said G7 partners should
understand that these are a “policy decision” by trump to protect American competitiveness.
“I think it is quite possible that we could do these things and at the same time deal in a constructive way with our allies and friends and partners on all the other issues that we work together on,” r ubio told reporters on a refueling stop in Ireland as he headed to Canada from talks with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia. “And that’s what I expect out of the G7 and Canada.”
Asked if he expected a difficult reception from his counterparts, r ubio brushed the question aside: “I don’t know, should I be? I mean, they’ve invited us to come. We intend to go. t he alternative is to not go. think that would actually make things worse, not better.”
r ubio notably skipped a meeting of G20 foreign ministers—a bigger but less powerful group that includes developing nations—last month in South Africa because of his concerns that the agenda, which included climate change and diversity, did not align with trump administration policies.
t he agenda for the G7 meeting includes discussions on China and the IndoPacific; Ukraine and e urope; stability in the Americas; the Middle e ast; maritime security; Africa; and China, n orth Korea, Iran and r ussia.
Discussing peace in ukraine rUBI o and trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, had been in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, earlier in the week securing a potentially huge win for the administration—a possible ceasefire to end the r ussia-Ukraine war, an issue that galvanized the G7 since even before the conflict began.
Armed with Ukraine’s acceptance of the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire but still awaiting a r ussian response, r ubio can expect cautiously optimistic responses from his fellow diplomats. yet, trump’s apparent desire to draw r ussian President Vladimir Putin back into the fold—including saying he would like to see r ussia rejoin the group to restore it to the G8—continues to alarm G7 members. t hey united behind Ukraine, with large amounts of military assistance and punishing economic sanctions against Moscow, after the invasion began in February 2022.
r ussia was thrown out of the G8 after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Among international groupings, the G7—whose members, with the exception of Japan, are all n Ato allies—had been the toughest on r ussia. At the last G7 foreign ministers meeting before the 2022 invasion, members warned r ussia in a joint statement in December 2021 of “massive consequences” should it attack Ukraine. t hree months later, they coordinated to impose sweeping financial, travel and other sanctions on Moscow. Since trump’s election, that appears to be changing, at least from the US side. r ubio said his goal was not to antagonize r ussia as it considers the ceasefire proposal “by issuing statements that are abrasive in any way.” h e noted that all of the sanctions against r ussia remain in place but that
Bour B on barrels filled with aging spirits are shown inside the Brough Brothers Distillery in Louisville, Ky., Saturday, March 8, 2025. AP Photo/Jon Cherry
UN launches reform initiative as it nears 80th anniversary and faces funding cuts
By Edith M. Lederer
The Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS—The UN
chief launched a new initia -
tive Wednesday to reform the United Nations as it approaches its 80th anniversary, saying the 193-member global organization needs an urgent update to deal with major funding reductions and still tackle the world’s challenges.
Secretary-General António Guterres dismissed any relationship between his UN80 Initiative and cuts to foreign aid and other programs that US President Donald Trump and ally Elon Musk say will make the US government more efficient.
“We are talking about completely different processes, methodologies and objectives,” Guterres told reporters. “This is a continuation and an intensification of work that we have always been doing.”
He said the UN initiative’s objective will be to present member states with proposals for improving the way the organization works, reviewing the increasing number of mandates from the U.N. Security Council and General Assembly, and making
structural changes to streamline operations.
Guterres and his predecessors in past decades have struggled to reform the United Nations, which was established following World War II, and bring it into a modern era with different powers, new technology and greater global divisions.
One key problem is that while the secretary-general is the UN’s chief executive, power rests with the 193 member nations that have very different ideas about the UN and the world.
The United Nations also has faced sharp criticism for its failure to preserve international peace and security—its key mission—with critics pointing to the wars in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and Congo, to name a few. The UN has been key to providing humanitarian aid to millions of people and for its work helping refugees and children.
Trump signed an executive order saying some UN agencies and bodies have drifted from their mission to promote peace and prevent future global conflicts and ordered a review of their operations.
“I’ve always felt that the UN has
tremendous potential,” Trump has said. “It’s not living up to that potential right now....They’ve got to get their act together.”
Stressing that the United Nations reflects the world, Guterres said these are times of intense uncertainty and unpredictability.
He said the UN’s work is affected by multiplying conflicts, inadequate progress in reducing poverty, widespread flouting of international law, violations of human rights and the lack of guardrails for new technologies, including artificial intelligence—to name a few.
“And all of them are aggravated by major reductions of funding for humanitarian aid and development cooperation,” the secretary-general said. “In many cases, these obstacles are fueling dangerous levels of geopolitical tensions and divisions.”
Guterres didn’t name any countries, but the Trump administration has dismantled the US Agency for International Development, which was in charge of humanitarian aid, and cut 83 percent of USAID’s programs. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, also are reducing humanitarian aid.
He said the UN’s resources have been shrinking, pointing to its liquidity crisis for at least the past seven years because not all member states pay their yearly dues, and many don’t pay on time.
Guterres said the UN80 Initiative is not only about reforming the UN but about “better serving people whose very lives depend on us” and “taxpayers around the world who underwrite everything we do.”
The initiative will cover not only the U.N. Secretariat but all its funds and agencies and offices in Geneva, Nairobi and Vienna. It will be led by U.N. Undersecretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder, who will head a task force of top officials from the U.N. system, Guterres said.
The U.N. budget for 2025, which was adopted last December, is $3.72 billion. The US, with the world’s biggest economy, is expected to pay 22 percent. China, with the secondlargest economy, just had its share raised to 20 percent.
Guterres said he hopes to move as soon as possible to take action in areas where he has authority and will urge member states “to consider the many decisions that rest with them.”
By Christopher Bodeen The Associated Press
TAIPEI, Taiwan—Taiwanese
President William Lai Ching-
te said Thursday tougher measures are needed to counter steppedup Chinese infiltration, spying and other efforts to weaken the island’s defenses.
Lai cited a range of recent incidents involving China that fall into a “gray area” of psychological warfare short of open armed conflict.
Beijing’s efforts to “subvert, obtain secrets, lure members of the armed forces and influence public opinion to lose confidence in our national defense require that we step up our legal safeguards to prevent and detect such incidents,” Lai said at a news conference.
Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party favors the island’s continued de-facto independence from Beijing. China has refused almost all official contact with the DPP since Lai’s predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, was elected eight years ago.
China regularly sends ships and planes into airspace and waters near the island in an effort to intimidate its 23 million people and wear down its armed forces and morale.
Taiwan’s government recently ex -
pelled the Chinese wife of a Taiwanese citizen after the woman repeatedly posted short clips on Chinese social media saying China would conquer Taiwan in half an hour
Ukraine’s ceasefire proposal poses dilemma for Kremlin: Accept truce or risk US relations?
By The Associated Press
By signaling its openness to a ceasefire, Ukraine has handed the Kremlin a difficult challenge at a time when the Russian military has the upper hand in the war: Should Moscow accept a truce and abandon hopes of making new gains, or should it reject the offer and risk derailing a cautious rapprochement with Washington?
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly ruled out a temporary break in hostilities, saying it would only benefit Ukraine and its Western allies by letting them replenish their arsenals. h e has
insisted Moscow wants a comprehensive agreement that would ensure a lasting settlement.
t he Kremlin responded cautiously to the news of Ukraine accepting the USproposed truce during tuesday’s talks in Saudi Arabia, saying that it needs to know details of the discussions before expressing its view.
t he careful approach reflects Putin’s awareness of the risk that a blunt rejection of the offer could upset tentative efforts to normalize Russia-US ties. o bservers say that instead of an outright rejection, Putin will likely propose linking the truce to certain conditions that
would protect Moscow’s interests. why would the Kremlin oppose a ceasefire?
t he Russian military held the battlefield initiative last year, making slow but steady gains along several sections of the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line. t he tempo of Russian advances accelerated in the fall, when Moscow’s forces captured the most territory since the start of the war. Ukraine has sought to retake the initiative with a surprise foray into Russia’s Kursk region that began in August, seeking to distract Moscow’s forces from their
offensive in eastern Ukraine and make gains that potentially could be exchanged for Russia-occupied areas in peace talks. t he incursion, however, has diverted Ukrainian resources from defending the Donetsk region in the east and it failed to stem Russian advances there. Now Ukrainian forces are on the verge of losing their last remaining bridgehead in Kursk under the brunt of a swift Russian counteroffensive.
Moscow also ravaged Ukrainian energy infrastructure with waves of missiles and drones, destroying much of its powergenerating capacity.
Putin has repeatedly said a temporary
halt to hostilities at a time when Russian forces firmly hold the initiative would only allow exhausted Ukrainian troops a break to rest and rearm.
“As for the settlement of the situation, I would like to emphasize that it shouldn’t be aimed at a brief truce—some sort of a break for regrouping troops and rearmament in order to continue the conflict— but a long-term peace,” Putin has said.
Moscow has made it clear it wouldn’t accept any troops from NAto members as monitors under a prospective peace deal. what does Putin want?
P U t IN key goals remain what he de -
clared when he launched the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022: Ukraine renounce joining NAto , sharply cut its army, and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow’s orbit. o n top of that, he now wants Kyiv to withdraw its forces from the four regions Moscow has seized but doesn’t fully control.
Russian officials also have said that any prospective peace deal should involve unfreezing Russian assets in the West and lifting other US and e uropean Union sanctions. t he trump administration has put a potential sanctions relief on the table.
Taiwan’s President william Lai Ching-te. AP Photo
From soup cans to airplanes: Aluminum and steel are essential to American life
By Dee-Ann Durbin & Anne D’innocenzio Ap Business Writers
STEEL and aluminum are ubiquitous in Americans’ lives. A stainless steel refrigerator holds aluminum soda cans. A stainless steel drum tumbles inside an aluminum washing machine. They’re the metals used in cars and airplanes, phones and frying pans, skyscrapers and zippers.
That’s why President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports—which went into effect Wednesday—could have widespread impact on manufacturers and consumers.
Here are some of the industries and products that rely on aluminum and steel:
Construction
THE construction industry uses about one-third of all US steel shipments, more than any other industry, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. The industry depends on a global supply chain to build everything from airports to schools to roads, according to Associated Builders and Contractors, a trade group with more than 23,000 members.
The group says some contractors were
able to lock in prices on steel or aluminum ahead of the tariffs. But if they are prolonged, the import taxes will ultimately raise prices at a time when the construction industry is already struggling with higher costs for labor and materials. And uncertainty around the tariffs will make it less likely that companies will commit to big building projects, the group said.
Annie Mecias-Murphy is the co-owner and president of JA&M, a contractor for commercial buildings based in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Some of the main materials her company uses are rebar, or reinforced steel, and post-tension cables, which reinforce concrete after it’s poured.
“In attempts to get ahead of the tariffs, we do try to lock in our prices and work with our trade partners and clients on different strategies,” Mecias-Murphy said.
“But ultimately, the rising costs make it difficult for small business owners like myself to contemplate large-scale multiyear projects.”
Steel cans
Tin mill steel is used for a wide variety of packaging, from soup cans to hairspray. And the US currently imports 70 percent of its tin mill steel, according to the Can Manufacturers Institute.
The institute said the more limited tariffs Trump imposed in 2018 resulted in the closure of nine tin mill lines in the US as manufacturers shifted to other types of steel or simply shut down. As a result, only three US tin steel lines remain open.
Mick Beekhuizen, the president and CEO of The Campbell Co., said in an earnings call last week that his company imports tin mill steel from Canada. Beekhuizen said Campbell is working with its suppliers to
mitigate the impact of tariffs, but it may need to raise prices.
The Consumer Brands Association, which represents packaged food makers, said it’s urging the Trump administration to exempt aluminum and steel products that aren’t available in adequate quantities in the US. Otherwise, consumers will likely see higher grocery prices.
“We encourage the Trump administration to recognize the different needs of different US manufacturing sectors,” said Tom Madrecki, vice president of supply chain resiliency at the Consumer Brands Association.
Autos
MOST of Ford, GM and Stellantis’ steel and aluminum already comes from the United States, reducing the direct impact the companies would feel from higher duties.
But experts have warned that tariffs might mean the three Detroit automakers have to raise their prices. Domestic steel and aluminum producers will have to increase their capacity to meet demand or risk a short supply in the near term, making these products more expensive and driving up vehicle costs.
Another automaker who could feel the pain from tariffs: Elon Musk’s Tesla. During a January earnings call, Tesla Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja noted the uncertainty around tariffs.
“The imposition of tariffs, which is very likely...will have an impact on our business and profitability,” Taneja said.
This could be detrimental to an already inflation-sensitive American car buyer. The average transaction price for a new vehicle was just over $48,000 last month, according to Kelley Blue Book.
And as with the steel and aluminum tariffs of Trump’s first term, automakers are likely to have to revisit their financial outlooks for the year as they brace for impact.
Appliances MAKERS and sellers of products ranging from microwaves to dishwashers are considering how to navigate cost increases.
Some like Whirlpool, which produces 80 percent of what it sells in the US domestically, appear to be more insulated from the tariffs. Whirlpool executives told analysts at an investor conference earlier this month that Whirlpool has locked in contracts for a minimum of one year for most of its raw materials, including steel.
But Abt, a family-owned appliance and consumer electronics store in Glenview, Illinois, received notices this week from manufacturers that said they would raise the suggested retail price of countertop products like espresso makers and toasters anywhere from 10 percent to 15 percent starting April 1, according to Richie Palmero, the store’s small appliance buyer.
Abt sells coffee makers that range from $100 to $500, as well as espresso makers priced from $1,000 to $5,000. Palmero said that putting another $250 on the price of a $2,500 espresso maker is a lot, but she said she doesn’t think sales will suffer significantly.
“I think customers would still buy it because it’s good quality,” she said. “But they might think about it. They might take longer to buy it. It might not be an impulse buy. I don’t think they’re going to go down to Mr. Coffee or a $20 coffee maker.”
Household goods
THE Retail Industry Leaders Association said the compound effect of those import taxes, earlier tariffs on goods from China imposed during Trump’s first term and maintained by former President Joe Biden, and a new round slapped on Chinese products last month could be substantial.
The trade group, which represents major US chains, asked its members to come up with a list of popular household items to illustrate how the multiple layers might add to the cost of finished products. The 20 entries included pushpins, trash cans, ladders, grills, paper towel holders, mixing bowls, wine racks, shower caddies, chicken coops and steel wool. By the association’s calculations, the
selected imports face a potential duty of 45 percent to over 70 percent when they go through US customs. The amounts varied depending on where the products were made and if they already were subject to a base tax or a tariff from Trump’s first term. Portable griddles and tabletop grills from China, which had the highest starting duty, would get taxed at almost 75 percent of its value.
“Stacking tariffs on household goods will also raise costs on American families, millions of whom have struggled through the worst bout of inflation in 40 years,” Michael Hanson, a senior executive vice president at the Retail Leaders Industry Association, said in a Wednesday statement.
Aluminum cans
U S beverage companies use more than 100 billion aluminum cans each year, according to the Can Manufacturers Institute. Most of the thin rolled sheets of aluminum alloy that are used for cans are made in the US, but can makers do import a small percentage, the institute said. The Brewers Association, which represents 9,500 independent US craft beer makers, estimates that 10 percent of US cans are made from Canadian aluminum. Aluminum tariffs will force small brewers to pay more for cans, the association said, even as steel tariffs drive up the cost of equipment like kegs and fermentation tanks.
But not all manufacturers are worried about aluminum tariffs. Molson Coors says it shifted production in recent years and now gets “almost all” of its aluminum for US consumption from US sources.
Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO James Quincey said during a recent earnings call that if aluminum cans get more expensive, Coke can shift to other materials like plastic bottles. Quincey told investors he didn’t want to exaggerate the cost of aluminum tariffs.
“You should not conclude that this is some huge swing factor in the US business,” he said. “It’s a cost. It will have to be managed. It would be better not to have it relative to the US business, but we are going to manage our way through.”
Aviation
AIRPLANES have a mixture of metal parts, from aluminum frames, wings and door panels to steel landing gear and engine parts. Many are extremely specialized and sourced from overseas.
The Aerospace Industries Association, which represents nearly 300 aerospace and defense companies, says tariffs put their industry—and national security— at risk.
“We are concerned about additional downward pressure on an already stressed American supply chain,” Dak Hardwick, the association’s vice president of international affairs, said. “We are investigating mitigation strategies that would minimize the impacts of new tariffs on our industry, and we hope to work with the Trump Administration to highlight the critical role we play in America’s economic prosperity, national defense and deterrence.”
AP Climate reporter Alexa St. John in Detroit contributed reporting.
EU officials meet with South Africa’s Ramaphosa to strengthen trade ties amid US policy tensions
By Gerald Imray The Associated Press
JEFF WARE , president of Resurgence Brewing Company, poses for a portrait near a stockpile of aluminum cans, which are sourced from Canada, Thursday, February 27, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. AP/LAUREN PETRACCA
www.businessmirror.com.ph
The World
College student spends a month eating junk food for groundbreaking NIH nutrition study
By Jonel Aleccia Ap Health Writer
BETHESDA, Md.—Sam Srisatta, a 20-year-old Florida college student, spent a month living inside a government hospital here last fall, playing video games and allowing scientists to document every morsel of food that went into his mouth.
From big bowls of salad to platters of meatballs and spaghetti sauce, Srisatta noshed his way through a nutrition study aimed at understanding the health effects of ultraprocessed foods, the controversial fare that now accounts for more than 70 percent of the US food supply. He allowed The Associated Press to tag along for a day.
“Today my lunch was chicken nuggets, some chips, some ketchup,” said Srisatta, one of three dozen participants paid $5,000 each to devote 28 days of their lives to science. “It was pretty fulfilling.”
Examining exactly what made those nuggets so satisfying is the goal of the widely anticipated research led by National Institutes of Health nutrition researcher Kevin Hall.
“What we hope to do is figure out what those mechanisms are so that we can better understand that process,” Hall said.
Hall’s study relies on 24/7 measurements of patients, rather than
self-reported data, to investigate whether ultraprocessed foods cause people to eat more calories and gain weight, potentially leading to obesity and other well-documented health problems.
And, if they do, how?
AT a time when Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made nutrition and chronic disease a key priority, the answers can’t come soon enough.
Kennedy has repeatedly targeted processed foods as the primary culprit behind a range of diseases that afflict Americans, particularly children. He vowed in a Senate confirmation hearing to focus on removing such foods from school lunches for kids because they’re “making them sick.”
Ultraprocessed foods have exploded in the US and elsewhere in recent decades, just as rates of obesity and other diet-related diseases also rise.
The foods, which are often high in fat, sodium and sugar, are typi -
cally cheap, mass-produced and contain added colors and chemicals not found in a home kitchen. Think sugary cereals and potato chips, frozen pizzas, sodas and ice cream.
Studies have linked ultraprocessed foods to negative health effects, but whether it’s the actual processing of the foods—rather than the nutrients they contain or something else—remains uncertain.
A small 2019 analysis by Hall and his colleagues found that ultraprocessed foods led participants to eat about 500 calories a day more than when they ate a matched diet of unprocessed foods.
The new study aims to replicate and expand that research—and to test new theories about the effects of ultraprocessed foods. One is that some of the foods contain irresistible combinations of ingredients—fat, sugar, sodium and carbohydrates—that trigger people to eat more. The other is that the foods contain more calories per bite, making it possible to consume more without realizing it.
Teasing out those answers requires the willingness of volunteers like Srisatta and the knowhow of health and diet experts who identify, gather and analyze the data behind the estimated multimillion-dollar study.
During his month at NIH, Srisatta sported monitors on his wrist, ankle and waist to track his every movement, and regularly gave up to 14 vials of blood. Once a week, he spent 24 hours inside a metabolic chamber, a tiny room
outfitted with sensors to measure how his body was using food, water and air. He was allowed to go outside, but only with supervision to prevent any wayward snacks.
“It doesn’t really feel that bad,” Srisatta said.
He could eat as much or as little as he liked. The meals wheeled to his room three times a day were crafted to meet the precise requirements of the study, said Sara Turner, the NIH dietitian who designed the food plan. In the basement of the NIH building, a team carefully measured, weighed, sliced and cooked foods before sending them to Srisatta and other participants.
“The challenge is getting all the nutrients to work, but it still needs to be appetizing and look good,” Turner said.
Results from the trial are expected later this year, but preliminary results are intriguing. At a scientific conference in November, Hall reported that the first 18 trial participants ate about 1,000 calories a day more of an ultraprocessed diet that was particularly hyperpalatable and energy dense than those who ate minimally processed foods, leading to weight gain.
When those qualities were modified, consumption went down, even if the foods were considered ultraprocessed, Hall said. Data is still being collected from remaining participants and must be completed, analyzed and published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Still, the early results suggest that “you can almost normalize” energy intake, “despite the fact
that they’re still eating a diet that is more than 80 percent of calories from ultraprocessed food,” Hall told the audience.
Not everyone agrees with Hall’s methods, or the implications of his research.
Dr. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist and researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital, criticized Hall’s 2019 study as “fundamentally flawed by its short duration”—about a month. Scientists have long known that it’s possible to get people to eat more or less for brief periods of time, but those effects quickly wane, he said.
“If they were persistent, we would have the answer to obesity,” said Ludwig, who has argued for years that consumption of highly processed carbohydrates is the “prime dietary culprit” and focusing on the processing of the foods is “distracting.”
He called for larger, better-designed studies lasting a minimum of two months, with “washout” periods separating the effects of one diet from the next. Otherwise, “we waste our energy, we mislead the science,” Ludwig said. Concerns about the short length of the studies may be valid, said Marion Nestle, a nutritionist and food policy expert.
“To resolve that, Hall needs funding to conduct longer studies with more people,” she said in an e-mail.
The NIH spends about $2 billion a year, about 5 percent of its total budget, on nutrition research, according to Senate documents.
At the same time, the agency cut the capacity of the metabolic
unit where investigators conduct such studies, reducing the number of beds that must be shared among researchers. The two participants enrolled now at the center and the two planned for next month are the most Hall can study at any one time, adding months to the research process.
Srisatta, the Florida volunteer who hopes to become an emergency room physician, said participating in the trial left him eager to know more about how processed foods affect human health.
“I mean, I think everyone knows it’s better to not eat processed foods, right?” he said. “But having the evidence to back that up in ways that the public can easily digest,” is important, he said. HHS officials didn’t respond to questions about Kennedy’s intentions regarding nutrition research at NIH. The agency, like many others in the federal government, is being buffeted by the wave of cost cuts being directed by President Donald Trump and his billionaire aide Elon Musk. Jerold Mande, a former federal food policy advisor in three administrations, said he supports Kennedy’s goals of addressing dietrelated diseases. He has pushed a proposal for a 50-bed facility where government nutrition scientists could house and feed enough study volunteers like Srisatta to rigorously determine how specific diets affect human health.
“If you’re going to make America healthy again and you’re going to address chronic disease, we need better science to do it,” Mande said.
2.4 million people in Tigray face starvation as US aid suspension halts food distribution
By Samuel Getachew & Fred Harter The Associated Press
MEKELE, Ethiopia —As a displaced person in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, 76-year-old Haile Tsege is no stranger to hunger.
During its war with Tigray fighters that devastated the region in 2020-2022, Ethiopian government restrictions on the rebellious region reduced aid flows to a trickle. Then in 2023, US and UN aid distributions of grain were halted for months over a corruption scandal.
Now the Trump administration’s dismantling of the US Agency for International Development, or USAID, has again halted food deliveries to a sprawling camp of over 20,000 people outside Tigray’s regional capital, Mekele.
“We will just die in silence,” said Tsege, one of the 2.4 million people in Tigray who depend on humanitarian grain, most of it provided by the US. Ethiopia with its over 125 million people had been the biggest beneficiary of US aid in sub-Saharan Africa, receiving $1.8 billion
in the 2023 financial year. In addition to life-saving food, the funds were spent on HIV medications, vaccines, literacy programs and jobs creation, as well as services for 1 million refugees hosted by Ethiopia.
Most of these programs have been stopped. The USAID staffers who oversaw them have been placed on administrative leave and told not to work, as they face the threat of termination. The US Embassy didn’t respond to questions.
Emergency food was exempted from President Donald Trump’s executive order, signed on his first day in office, suspending foreign aid during a 90-day review amid the administration’s allegations of waste.
Aid agencies in Ethiopia had to apply to USAID for waivers to continue handing out US grain. These have been secured, but USAID’s payments system is still not functioning.
As a result, a consortium of aid agencies in Tigray has had to stop distributions to the over 1 million people it has been responsible for feeding with US-provided grain. It has no money to pay for fuel,
trucks and drivers to distribute existing food stockpiles.
That includes 5,000 metric tons of sorghum—enough to feed 300,000 people for a month— stuck in a storage facility in Mekele that could rot before it reaches those in need.
“This is just one warehouse. There are several others across the region,” said Teklewoini Assefa, head of the Relief Society of Tigray, part of the consortium. “This will create malnutrition, disease. If this situation continues, what follows? Death.”
He added: “Everything boils down to the payment system.”
The effects of the aid cuts are widespread, with many USAID contracts terminated. Already, Ethiopia has been forced to lay off 5,000 local healthcare workers who were working on its HIV response.
Tigray relied heavily on US funds. More than two years after the war killed hundreds of thousands, full-scale recovery efforts are yet to start. The region’s health system is in ruins and hundreds of schools remain closed.
In 2024, child malnutrition stood at 21 percent in some areas,
according to a survey reviewed by The Associated Press—far above the World Health Organization’s threshold of 15 percent at which a situation is classified as an emergency. Now, aid workers say many programs to improve nutrition have halted. Projects to deliver medicines and vaccines have stopped. Dozens of camps for displaced people have had water sources cut off.
“The impact has been huge,” said Ashenafi Asmelash, executive director of Mums for Mums, which has had two USAID- funded programs terminated. One helped build long-term resilience among farmers. The other helped improve the nutrition of children and new mothers.
Management Sciences for Health, another Tigray organization, has halted a project to combat tuberculosis and told its staff to expect mass layoffs in March, according to a senior executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
Efforts to assist thousands of women who were raped during the war have been derailed, said Rigat Bishaw at Ayder Hospital, Tigray’s
biggest healthcare facility.
This includes counseling and physiotherapy sessions for survivors run by the US-based Center for Victims of Torture, which received a stop-work order from the Trump administration in February and furloughed its staff.
CVT also halted a program to train health workers to recognize sexual abuse cases and refer survivors to appropriate health services.
“This sudden disruption is having a huge impact on the healing of traumatized people,” said Yohannes Fisseha, a CVT manager. Major projects to support people living with HIV, improve access
to life-saving nutrition services and improve relations between war-affected communities have also been cut off, said Yirga Gebregziabher, the Tigray branch manager of an Ethiopian organization called OSSHD, which helped implement the projects. The organization has been forced to fire dozens of expert staff.
“Our picture of America was as a protector of rights, a positive force in the world,” Yigra said. “That image has now been broken. If there was a process, maybe the shock would have been less. But there was no consultation, no engagement.”
cooperation, as well as address any challenges and trade irritants,” the European Council said.
South Africa has been singled out for sanctions by the Trump administration over some domestic and foreign policies that the US leader has cast as anti-American.
Trump issued an executive order last month cutting all US funding to South Africa, accusing it of a human rights violation against a white minority group in the country, and of supporting some “bad
actors” in the world like the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Iran. Von der Leyen’s visit will also likely reemphasize the EU’s support for South Africa’s presidency of the Group of 20 leading rich and developing nations this year, another area where the US has criticized South Africa while boycotting some early G20 meetings. South Africa hopes to use its leadership of the group to make progress on help for poor countries, especially on debt relief and more financing to mitigate the impact of climate change.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed some of those priorities for
the G20 and skipped a foreign ministers meeting of the group in South Africa last month. He also said that he wouldn’t attend the main G20 summit in Johannesburg in November, indicating that the US would give little attention to attempts at international cooperation through the bloc, which includes 19 of the world’s major economies, the EU and the African Union. Rubio is attending talks with other top diplomats from the Group of Seven industrialized democracies in Canada starting Thursday.
The EU said that von der Leyen would use the meeting in South Africa to announce a new investment package that
uses public and private grants and loans to finance green energy projects in South Africa, improve transport infrastructure like railways and ports, and strengthen its vaccine production capacity.
The US withdrew this month from an agreement that gave funding to South Africa and two other developing nations to help them transition to clean energy sources.
The EU has also pledged money to that Just Energy Transition Partnership and said that it’s still committed to the program.
“My message: Europe values its partnership with South Africa,” von der Leyen said in a statement before the meeting with Ramaphosa.
Hollywood investment to create jobs, boost PHL creative economy
THE recent announcement that Hollywood-based Birns & Sawyer is investing up to $50 million in the Philippine movie industry is a welcome development that promises to inject new life and opportunity into the country’s creative sector. This substantial investment, with a third earmarked for a state-of-theart soundstage in New Clark City, signals a significant vote of confidence in the potential of Filipino filmmakers and the broader creative economy. (Read the BusinessMirror story: “American firm makes big bet on PHL creative sector—DTI,” March 10, 2025).
For too long, the Philippine film industry, despite its rich history and abundance of talent, has faced challenges in terms of infrastructure and resources. Birns & Sawyer’s commitment addresses this directly, offering the potential to elevate production quality and attract both local and international projects. The planned construction of additional soundstages in key cities further amplifies this potential, creating hubs for filmmaking across the country.
Beyond the physical infrastructure, Birns & Sawyer’s commitment to partnering with local schools and universities to train fresh graduates is equally crucial. By “polishing” skillsets to world-class standards, this initiative will help cultivate a new generation of highly skilled film professionals, ensuring the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of the industry. This focus on skills development, coupled with the creation of jobs, will have a tangible impact on the lives of many Filipinos.
The Department of Trade and Industry is right to recognize the significance of this investment. Secretary Cristina A. Roque’s statement highlights the government’s commitment to fostering the creative sector through tax incentives, grants, and training programs. This collaborative approach, where government support complements private sector investment, is essential for creating a thriving film ecosystem.
The timing of this investment is particularly opportune. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority reveals the growing importance of the creative economy, contributing significantly to the country’s GDP and employing millions. This positive trend underscores the potential for further growth, and Birns & Sawyer’s investment can act as a catalyst for attracting even more foreign direct investment into the sector.
Of course, investment alone is not a guaranteed recipe for success. It is crucial that the government, industry stakeholders, and educational institutions work together to ensure that these new resources are utilized effectively and equitably. This includes promoting Filipino stories, supporting independent filmmakers, and fostering a culture of innovation and creativity.
Providing local filmmakers with access to cutting-edge equipment and opportunities to learn from and collaborate with seasoned professionals is essential. This investment could have far-reaching and profound consequences, ultimately giving rise to a more dynamic and diverse film industry.
Birns & Sawyer’s investment represents more than just dollars and cents; it is an investment in the talent, creativity, and potential of the Filipino people. By seizing this golden opportunity, the Philippines can solidify its position as a rising force in the global film industry.
BusinessMirror
T. Anthony C. Cabangon
Lourdes M. Fernandez
Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug
M.
Work-related heart illnesses of seafarers due to the job’s strenuous nature
APinoy Marino Rights
SEAFARER’S heart ailment is considered compensable due to the strenuous nature of his work.
This was the ruling of the Supreme Court in the recent case of Eugenio Lumagas vs. Maersk-Flipinas Crewing (G.R. No. 256154 October 16, 2024) when it granted disability benefits to a seafarer who was medically repatriated due to “Deep Vein Thrombosis and Ischemic Heart Disease.”
The seafarer was connected with the company as an Electrical Engineer for more than 12 years prior to his last deployment.
As Electrical Engineer, his duties primarily involved maintenance of the equipment on the vessel, particularly all electrical motors, switchboards, fire detectors and the fire alarm system, refrigeration in the engine room, air conditioning units, and the refrigerated containers carried on the ship.
He was also responsible for the ship’s navigational lights and other navigational equipment, the batteries connected to onboard machineries (such as the batteries for alarm and lights, lifeboats, the emergency generator, etc.), as well as the cargo and engine room cranes electrical system.
He conducted routine maintenance for the main engine alarms and accompanied the Chief Engineer on his trips to check up on the
state of the vessel.
His presence in the engine room was required during maneuvering of the vessel to tackle any kind of electrical emergency that may arise, assist in watch-keeping routines at the behest of the Chief Engineer, and assist the ship’s Engineer and Deck Officer in all kinds of electrical problems.
Four months after embarkation, he experienced extreme chest pains and inability to breathe. He was initially diagnosed with a “blood clotting disorder and abnormally high blood pressure.” He was later medically repatriated to the Philippines.
The seafarer was referred to the company designated physician wherein he was diagnosed with “Deep Vein Thrombosis; Ischemic Heart Disease; [and] Protein-S Deficiency.”
The company denied liability for partial and permanent disability benefits as they allege that the seafarer failed to prove a reasonable connec-
Reckless freedom
MARILAQUE Highway, a 117.5-kilometer highway that connects Quezon City, Metro Manila with Infanta, Quezon, has recently been in the spotlight. Once a scenic and peaceful mountain road, it has become a dangerous playground for reckless motorcycle riders who are now called kamote riders. Viral crashes resulting in injuries and fatalities now plague this road, which has become a symbol of lawlessness on two wheels. A recent fatal crash that killed one person and injured seven others has renewed calls for stricter road safety enforcement in the area. However, is heavy monitoring the only solution?
To answer this question, one
tion between his medical condition and his duties as a seafarer.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the seafarer.
Deep Vein Thrombosis and Ischemic Heart Disease are examples of cardiovascular events, coronary artery disease, and other heart ailments that are listed as occupational diseases under Section 32-A of the POEA Standard Employment Contract (SEC).
To be entitled to disability benefits for an occupational illness listed under Section 32-A of the POEA- SEC, a seafarer must show compliance with the following conditions: 1) his work must involve the risk described therein; 2) the disease was contracted as a result of his exposure to the described risks; 3) the disease was contracted within a period of exposure and under such other factors necessary to contract it; and 4) there was no notorious negligence on his part.
The Court has consistently held that the compensability of an injury or illness does not depend on whether it was pre-existing at the time of employment, but rather on whether such injury or illness is work-related or if the employee’s condition was aggravated by work.
The degree to which the employee’s work caused or aggravated the illness or injury need not be established with certainty, as it is enough that there exists a reasonable work connection for such condition to be compensable.
It is sufficient that the worker’s claim is probable “since probability, not certainty is the touchstone.”
The Court took note of the stren-
external to their motorcycle purchases and road use.
Innocent motorists and pedestrians incur medical and insurance costs resulting from accidents. In many cases, the injured riders or pedestrians do not have proper insurance, leaving the financial burden on families, hospitals, and government health services like PhilHealth.
Moreover, kamote riders contribute to public safety costs. The rising number of accidents burdens hospitals, emergency response teams, and law enforcement agencies. In response to the recent surge of accidents, the Philippine National Police has announced heightened patrols along Marilaque Highway, diverting resources that could have been used elsewhere. There are also environmental costs. With increasing commercial activity and motorcycle gatherings along the highway, Marilaque has suffered from pollution, noise, and improper waste disposal. A road de-
uous nature of the seafarer’s duties, from his 8- to 16-hour daily shifts to the responsibility of maintenance of essentially all electrical devices and systems on the ship.
Seafarers are generally at the mercy of harsh and unpredictable conditions of the sea and the weather and are continually exposed to risks and hazards of their chosen line of work. The rigors of his work on board the vessel caused him serious mental and physical stress to the detriment of his health and made him susceptible to contracting cardiovascular diseases, such as Deep Vein Thrombosis and Ischemic Heart Disease.
There is also no allegation of notorious negligence on his part.
It is medically accepted that stress has major effects on a person’s metabolic activity, including seafarers who are exposed to various strain and stress—physical, mental and emotional.
A seafarer, having to ward off homesickness by reason of being physically separated from his family for the entire duration of his contract, bears a great degree of emotional strain while making an effort to perform his work well. While inside the vessel for several months, a seafarer is exposed to physical and psychological stress due to his job, lack of sleep, heat stress, emergency works and homesickness for being away from his family.
Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0908-8665786.
signed for scenic drives is now littered with garbage from spectators and riders alike.
Another consequence is the potential loss of tourism and local economic activity. As Marilaque’s reputation as a dangerous road grows, tourists and responsible motorists may avoid it, thus hurting local businesses.
Now, why might kamote riders engage in risky behavior in the first place? Indeed, understanding the incentives behind reckless riding is key to solving the problem. Several factors drive this behavior.
One, there is social media attention. Moto vloggers and riders seeking online clout perform dangerous stunts to gain views, likes, and followers. The more extreme the stunt, the more viral it becomes. Two, there might be lapses in enforcement. Inconsistent or lax law enforcement can lead many kamote riders to believe they can get away See “Eagle Watch,” A13
EAGLE WATCH
Raymund G. Macanas
Dennis Gorecho
Halle Berry’s judicious forgiveness
‘THANK you, my husband, who is just the joy of my life. Thank you for giving me peace because only with the peace that you’ve brought me have I been allowed to go to places that I never even knew I could go.”
These were Halle Berry’s words to singer-songwriter Eric Benét as she accepted the 2002 Oscar for Best Actress role as Leticia Musgrove in the movie “Monster’s Ball.” It was a significant moment, cementing Berry’s place as the first Black woman to win the award. To this day, she holds this distinction.
That night marked the pinnacle of Berry’s career, coinciding with the blissful early days of her marriage to Eric Benét, whom she believed “completed” and inspired her. She was at the zenith of her happiness, both professionally and personally. However, this idyllic picture shattered just 10 days later. While filming a Bond movie in London, she read in Star Magazine about Benét cheating on her with “woman, after woman, after woman, after woman, after woman, after woman, after woman.”
“Just days before Halle stood up and collected her Oscar, her husband was in bed with me. She may be a star, but she doesn’t know how to keep her man. I give their marriage a year at the most,” said one of Benét’s women as published in one tabloid. Benét confessed to his infidelities. Berry recalled in an Oprah Winfrey interview years later that she had an emotional breakdown. Said Berry: “My bay window looked real good. And I thought I was gonna go right through it. I had a little breakdown, took a couple of days off work.”
If the Oscar trophy was a stimulant for which she had merely 10 days to enjoy and revel, Benét’s cheating dealt a catastrophic blow to Berry’s soul. The man she married and thought loved her betrayed her with several women. The pain was so acute that she contemplated harming herself.
Just when she thought she had it all, achieving her dream of buying her mother a big house, a happy marriage, a blockbuster movie in Monster’s Ball, and an Oscar trophy to boot, Eric Benét robbed her of joy and contentment in one fell swoop. The marriage collapsed, and by 2005, they were divorced. After 20 years, two children, another marriage to Olivier Martinez, another partner in Gabriel Aubry, and now with current partner Van Hunt, Berry hasn’t forgiven Eric, illustrating her judicious forgiveness. The concept of forgiveness is polarizing. Some say it liberates you from past pain, thereby strengthening and healing you. Others believe it is not a requirement for moving on or healing.
Berry’s perspective aligns with that of American psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula who says forgive-
Berry’s experience demonstrates that forgiveness is not a hasty or universal act. It doesn’t apply to everyone who’s ever wronged you. Quickly dispensing forgiveness could result in abuse. One has to be prudent about it, and forgiveness should be reserved for people willing to change and rectify their behavior.
ness is a personal choice and that it is okay not to forgive. Says Dr. Ramani: “Forgiveness is not required for healing; you often have a clearer path to healing if you don’t forgive.” She says some transgressions are simply unforgivable.
Berry’s personal history reveals a pattern of carefully considered forgiveness. In an interview with Barbara Walters in 2002, just before the Oscars, she talked about her abusive and alcoholic father who used to beat her mother black and blue until her mother had enough and walked out of the marriage. Walters asked her if she wanted to say anything to her father. She gently said, “No.” Jerome Jesse Berry died in 2003. It wasn’t until 2020, 17 years after her father’s death, that Berry publicly acknowledged her father’s love for her in an Instagram post, which I believe was equivalent to “forgiveness.” It took her 17 long years, but it was authentic, with the clarity that wasn’t there before. “…He was alcohol-addicted, and that addiction robbed us of the relationship we were meant to have. I now understand how much he loved me, and how vital he was and is to my life!” she wrote. Berry’s experience demonstrates that forgiveness is not a hasty or universal act. It doesn’t apply to everyone who’s ever wronged you. Quickly dispensing forgiveness could result in abuse. One has to be prudent about it, and forgiveness should be reserved for people willing to change and rectify their behavior. I know where Berry is coming from. There are infractions from soul-sapping family members, expartners, co-workers, and friends that cannot be forgiven. Until the wounds they inflicted on you fully heal, don’t be pressured by Instagram quotes and Facebook memes to forgive. Here’s a reminder from Dr. Ramani: “There’s a prevailing wisdom out there that if you forgive, everything will be fine, you’ll feel more whole. It’s not true. The literature is pretty straightforward. Forgiving someone who keeps violating your trust or keeps harming you actually harms you.”
this issue requires a combination of economic incentives, regulations, and community-led initiatives. There are several possible strategies.
The sadness of this Republic
Tito Genova Valiente ANNOTATIONS
The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance—Albert Einstein
THE day and week have been sad and chaotic.
First, there was the rumor that the long-awaited warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court had arrived and was about to be served. There were firm believers; there was a fair share of doubters, with these individuals knowing fully well, justice had always been denied in this island-republic. But the ex-president arrived at the airport and, amidst the presence of policemen and uniformed men, was whisked off to a lounge and, there, was read the Miranda rights.
Nothing will come out of this —this was the sentiment. I shared in the sentiment. Weaned on movies, we are expert on the twisted, surprise finale. It was as if we were sharing in what Frank Kermode called “the sense of ending,” as we were left to making sense of events. When was it that we laughed at the comic vulgarity of this man albeit nervously? He often talked of women being raped and his advice was, paraphrased, “might as well enjoy it.” He nurtured a police force he swore to protect, his words nearly Hippocratic in mythic devotion although one wonders now where he was coming from, what origin myth buffered his vow ever. He cursed our God, our Jesus. He lambasted the Pope and attacked other presidents. Nothing was spared; everything was fair game. It was as if it was open season for the entire reign of his administration. He shared with us his sexual dalliances and to the archipelago of male chauvinist pigs, those tales were wellspring of inspiration and quotable quotes. His spokesperson explained away his insults and issued apology for his brashness, his way of endearing himself to the populace. His admirers lapped this
up. “Please forgive him…”
Then he was gone. Almost retired. And yet, something was retained. The daughter became the Veep and education czarina. And
seeking asylum in China. He would sit out the ICC thing among his friends. But he was back too soon. Then, there upon his arrival, he was informed of the warrant.
Later in the day, on the tarmac sat a Lear Jet. The correction came fast and clear: it was Gulfstream G550. Think Oprah. Think Tiger Woods. Think Elon Musk. They own the same private jet at a certain point of their wealthy life. But who really cares; the fact is, in the afternoon, a small jet was sitting on the ground of Villamor Airbase and, at night, the former president was boarding it. At nightfall, it flew and eight hours after, it landed in Dubai; some eight hours more, it reached The Hague.
Somewhere online, witticism and wry wisdom scattered like a thousand blooms watered by the flow of smart facts, manufactured lies and, fake news. The jet had been transformed into a glistening gray-bodied leviathan (oh please allow me the pedantry of 17th-century political philosophy), upon where, it seemed,
she retired and she was impeached by the Congress. The bell of the Senate saved her. For the moment. But the news about the ICC persisted. The trip to Hong Kong happened. Rumors were rife again. He would be
we had surrendered our confidence and authority. In that plane were the crisis and the consolation, the solution and resolution to the nation’s conflict and afflictions.
True enough, the plane became a
pubmat under which and around it were the pros and cons of the man who was on his way to trial. The events were fast. He was gone even before the crowd in front of the airbase had multiplied to a threatening count, before the organizers of those who were for the man had designed an anthem, or theme, or background music for their protest or proto-movement. To the surprise of martial law babies, Bayan Ko, that song with the plaintive melody banned during the rise of Cory, was taken out from the dustbin and began to be sung by the crowd defending the man behind the war on drugs. To the activists and I mean this in the late ’60s and ’70s sense of the title, it was as if a memory was stolen from them. In London and New York, it was sung and never mind if the camera caught some in the crowd with the movement of their lips not in synch with the lyrics of the song. There will be more days for rehearsal. And who knows, the same people who fought the dictator must have changed their spots and moved a bit to the right? Where is Robin? As of this writing, Bato was already located; he was said to be up there in the mountains of Surigao and Agusan, campaigning. Philip Salvador was the visible one, he who was one of the outstanding actors of the great activist-filmmaker, Lino Brocka (Think Ora Pro Nobis, the film that was not allowed to have a theatrical run by the local censor in 1989). He was shown convulsively in tears. As of this writing, a letter of support from Trump was reported to be fake. Sovereignty has become a buzzword. And for every demand for a warrant of arrest came a reissue of photos of those who were killed after a mere knock on the wall of their homes in the dead of night. A pre-election billboard from Bong Go in the meantime had divined the future: INGAT PO TAYO SA BIYAHE!
E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com
World facing Trump’s tariffs watches Canada test ways of fighting back
By Thomas Seal
WORLD leaders from New Delhi to Brussels facing tariffs from President Donald Trump’s administration are watching Canada to get a preview of what happens when you hit back.
Canadian officials have gone hostile in their responses to Trump’s trade war. Ontario Premier Doug Ford slapped a 25 percent charge on electricity exports to make power more expensive for people in New York and two other states—earning the president’s ire. Mark Carney, the incoming prime minister, called the US “a country we can no longer trust,” and said his new government will keep its retaliatory tariffs in place “until the Americans show us respect.”
On Tuesday, the brinkmanship seemed to pay off: Trump started the day threatening to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50 percent, but by day’s end both sides had pulled back. Ford suspended the electricity tax, prompting Trump to say “I respect that” and drop the metals levy back to 25 percent.
Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum—which came into force on US imports on Wednesday—drew a swift response from the European Union, which announced counter-
measures against US goods worth as much as €26 billion ($28.3 billion). But other metals-exporting countries including Japan and South Korea held off on any immediate retaliation.
Even before that widening of the trade war, Mélanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, had issued a warning to other nations. Watch what Trump is doing to Canada, she said. “You’re next.”
It wasn’t meant to get to this point. For months, Joly, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other officials made a series of trips to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and then to the US capital in an unprecedented charm offensive that aimed to avert a tariff war and address border-security concerns from Trump and his team.
It didn’t work. Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on many Canadian products last week—citing drug-trafficking and the border as his reasons—then went ahead with steel and aluminum, too.
The mood in Canada has shifted
over the past month as Trump and his officials followed through on tariff threats and continued to make taunts about turning Canada into the 51st US state. Public opinion in the nation of about 42 million has turned angry, with voters demanding politicians stand up to the US president.
Consider the case of Wab Kinew, the premier of Manitoba. When he and the other 12 provincial leaders visited Washington in mid-February, he brought a message of peace. “We’re here extending that warm and hearty handshake, we’re trying to make friends,” Kinew said at the time. “In grade school, we didn’t make friends by threatening to hit anybody.”
Last week, after Trump implemented the first round of tariffs against Canada, Kinew ordered the removal of US-made alcohol from stores in the province. And then he openly mocked Trump—holding up a copy of his signature in the same way that Trump does when he signs executive orders in the White House, while members of his government clapped on cue.
British Columbia Premier David Eby has worked overtime to relay the nation’s frustration, and his own. “We’re going to ensure that the Americans understand how pissed off we are,” he said. Other countries have played it
cooler on the trade war, at least in public. Mexico has been subject to parallel White House complaints and threats of 25 percent tariffs, and also bolstered its border measures in a bid to placate Trump. But unlike Canada, it hasn’t yet announced counter-tariffs. Trump cited “respect” for Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum as he exempted goods covered by the North American trade agreement from the new 25 percent levies. But he’s kept on insulting Trudeau, claiming he’s done a “terrible job” for Canada and listing ways he feels Canada is “cheating” the US-MexicoCanada trade deal the three countries negotiated during Trump’s first term. With Mexico spared the same level of US aggression as Canada, experts are divided on the best long-term tactic. The question is whether Canada has no choice but to embrace brinkmanship to secure a better deal, or whether the less-friendly approach just provokes Trump into inflicting more damage.
“I think what Claudia Sheinbaum has done has been a much better move. She’s been a much more diplomatic, serious leader,” said David Collins, a professor who specializes in international trade and investment law at City St. George’s, University of London. Bloomberg with illegal maneuvers. The absence of sustained crackdowns fosters a culture of impunity.
Three, there might be financial incentives. Moto vloggers could profit from viral crash videos, while some businesses catering to riders might benefit from the hype surrounding Marilaque’s extreme riding culture. So, what are possible solutions to the kamote rider problem? Solving
One, there can be stronger road regulations. Strictly enforcing speed limits and establishing permanent checkpoints at danger zones like Palo Alto and Devil’s Curve can deter illegal racing. The recent reduction of the speed limit from 50 kph to 30 kph is a step in the right direction.
Two, there can be legal accountability for instigators. Imposing
penalties and criminal liability on individuals, moto vloggers, motorcycle groups, and businesses that promote reckless driving can curb dangerous behavior. Instigators must be held accountable for their actions.
Three, internal regulation within the motorcycle community can be encouraged. The 1-Rider Partylist and other motorcycle organizations should take responsibility for policing their own ranks. Beyond merely advocating for riders’ rights, they should also promote ethical riding
and publicly admonish reckless members. For example, a code of conduct among motorcycle clubs/organizations should be in place to outline acceptable behavior and encourage the reporting of violators.
Four, there can be social media accountability and a cultural shift. Social media platforms should demonetize reckless riding content to remove financial incentives for moto vloggers who glorify dangerous stunts. Additionally, positive reinforcement campaigns featuring respectable motorcycle influencers
can help shift the culture toward safe riding.
Five, there can be proper training for motorcycle riders before the issuance of licenses. It is no secret that fixers within the Land Transportation Office remain rampant, allowing many unqualified individuals to obtain licenses without undergoing proper road safety seminars and training. Stricter implementation of licensing procedures is necessary.
In sum, the problem of kamote riders on Marilaque Highway goes beyond individual recklessness. It
is about an entire culture that tolerates and even rewards dangerous riding. If riders and the community do not self-regulate, stricter government controls will be inevitable. Clearly, there is a need to disincentivize reckless riding through legal and financial penalties, while promoting responsible riding through community initiatives and positive reinforcement.
Mr. Raymund G. Macanas is a graduate student at the Department of Economics of Ateneo de Manila University.
Friday, March 14, 2025
Govt to let ordinary Pinoys invest in idle public assets
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto @reine_alberto
ASthe national government aims to increase non-tax revenue collection in 2025, it will allow ordinary Filipinos to invest in idle public assets and acquire their own land.
The interagency Privatization Council (PrC) revised the 24-yearold Guidelines on the Privatization and Disposition of Assets, which took effect on March 11, 2025.
This will institutionalize and harmonize the policies and processes to ensure that public assets are put to productive use by the private sector, according to the Department of
Finance (DOF).
“Privatization of non-performing assets is among the strategic moves to raise much-needed revenues to fund the growing needs of our people. And by opening the doors for ordinary Filipinos to take part, we are also creating investment opportunities for them while contributing to nation-building,” Finance
Secretary Ralph G. Recto said.
The guidelines include provisions that allow the submission of unsolicited proposals, negotiated sales, direct purchases by present occupants of the residential properties and accreditation of real estate brokers to assist in the sale of the properties.
“We sincerely hope to receive offers from ordinary citizens wishing to own their own land while helping the national government create better value by speedily disposing of these assets,” Undersecretary for Privatization and Partnerships Group (PPG) Catherine L. Fong said.
Earlier, Fong said there are over 28,000 titles, mostly small assets measuring about 200 square meters, up for sale.
Fong said the burdensome idle assets do not generate economic activity or income by way of taxes for the government.
“It actually costs the national government money to maintain
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the P4.6-trillion approved strategic investments in the country are expected to generate almost 300,000 jobs and help reduce the price of basic goods and services.
During the Gawad Bayanihan sa Pamumuhunan Milestone Event in Malacañang on Thursday, the chief executive reported that 187 strategic investments were certified after he issued in 2023 Executive Order (EO) No. 18, cutting red tape through the creation of a special lane for strategic investments.
The certified projects include those in food security, digital infrastructure, manufacturing industries, renewable energy including those in Pangasinan such as the 159 megawatt-peak Laoag Solar Power Project, and
the 94 megawatt-peak CayangaBugallon Solar Power Project. Of the 187 projects, six are already operational. Marcos said EO 18 reduced the average processing times for business requirements, which usually takes months, to just 12 days, through the creation of the One-Stop-Action Center for Strategic Investments.
“We expect these investments will be able to create almost 300,000 jobs for our countrymen. These are not just jobs, but meaningful opportunities for a better and more comfortable life,” Marcos said. He said the issuance was also able to reduce the price of basic goods and services by increasing market competition.
The entry of more foreign firms in the country, he said,
By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo
Special to the BusinessMirror
CAPITAL A Berhad, the main investment and holding company of the AirAsia Aviation Group, is looking to further expand its travel booking unit and other subsidiaries in the Philippines.
In a news briefing for Philippine media on Wednesday, Capital A Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes said they are growing AirAsia Move on a “country-by-country approach. Malaysia is obviously the number one. Then they really focus on Thailand. The third phase of AirAsia Move’s growth will be the Philippines, where they’re now building up the office, and Indonesia.”
On the AirAsia Move app, travelers can book anything from flights—even on rival carriers—to hotels, airport transfers, and the like. “AirAsia Move, is a platform that I’m going to use to promote tourism, and I think the best-kept secret in Asean is the Philippines,” said Fernandes. Asean refers to the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, a regional political and economic grouping composed of 10 countries in Southeast Asia, which includes the Philippines. The region accounts for a population of some 600 million people.
Last year, the Philippines received some 5.95 million foreign tourists, missing the 7.7-million target by the government. In contrast, close to 7 million Filipinos traveled abroad, either for work or holiday. (See, “7 million Pinoys travel abroad in 2024; Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan top list,” in the BusinessMirror, Feb. 12, 2025.)
Beneficial investments
ASIDE from AirAsia Aviation and
AirAsia Move, other units under Capital A are Asia Digital Engineering (aircraft maintenance), Bigpay (financial technology), Teleport (logistics), Santan (food), and airasia brand co. (intellectual property).
“The Capital A companies are young. They’re only three years, but the intention is that they will mimic what AirAsia has done,” said the aviation executive.
“So the Philippines will get a lot of benefit investment from our engineering [ADE], obviously our airline, logistics [Teleport], and AirAsia Move,” he noted. For instance, Fernandes is eyeing the Philippines to “contribute a lot” to the growth of Santan, especially in the “snack field world.” For Bigpay, a payment integrator, he added, “We’ve been talking to many banks in the Philippines.”
He expressed optimism that ADE will build an aircraft maintenance and repair facility in the Philippines, especially after discussing this with Finance Secretary Ralph Recto on the sidelines of the recent World Economic Forum in Davos.
“We’re now doing all the strategic work, and we are really pushing very aggressively on...A maintenance facility can be in Clark...it can be in Cebu, it can be in Bulacan, and it can be in Manila as well, because Ramon [Ang] is clearing up a lot of private aviation stuff and some of those seaplanes, etc. So the team is evaluating it…but we’re definitely going to build an ADE in the Philippines,” stressed Fernandes.
Valuating PH AirAsia ANG, a Filipino-Chinese business tycoon, owns the New Naia Infra Corp. which won the bid to operate the Manila international airport for 25 years.
During the news briefing, the
Stop
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto @reine_alberto
HE Bureau of Internal Rev-
Tenue (BIR) should stop targeting small-scale businesses and focus on running after big tax evaders and set a higher tax target to pay off the country’s debt, according to a tax expert.
In a press briefing on Thursday,
tax expert Raymond Abrea said the BIR should stop wasting resources chasing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which only contribute 2 to 3 percent to the country’s revenue collections.
These small businesses, Abrea said, should be given time to register instead of being penalized immediately.
“The BIR should not immedi-
ately close businesses and file cases against small players, while large tax evaders remain unpunished and even run for public office,” Abrea raised.
While politicians make big promises of helping their countrymen, many of them don’t even pay their taxes and are not held accountable for evasion, Abrea said.
“If the BIR wants to change the system, it must enforce accountability and demand that everyone pays their fair share of taxes,” he added. The public should also take a stand, such as boycotting businesses that refuse to issue receipts. “If we pay taxes, why should they be exempt?” Abrea said.
“Likewise, if a politician refuses
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
Del Monte net loss widens on weakness of US unit
By VG Cabuag @villygc
CAMPOS-LED Del Monte Pacific Ltd. said its net loss for its fiscal nine months ending January 31 almost doubled to $92.2 million from the previous year’s $50.6 million due to the weak performance of its US unit and higher interest expense.
Total turnover for the period grew by a slim 3 percent to $1.89 billion from the previous year’s $1.83 billion.
unit, generated sales of $461.3 million, representing 70 percent of group turnover.
Sales declined by 1 percent due to lower retail volume and an unfavorable sales mix, partly offset by improved pricing and higher foodservice volume.
The company is reducing its US manufacturing footprint to lower costs and improve margins, which will be felt in its fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
terms despite a slight 1 percent decline in US dollar terms.
Growth was driven by solid performance across the beverage, packaged fruit and culinary segments, it said.
“Del Monte Philippines is experiencing good momentum, a testament to our team’s unwavering commitment to consumer engagement and cost optimization. In our US business, we continue to address the challenges we face, and are diligently working towards the goals we have set,” Del Monte Group COO and Del Monte PhiIippines President and COO Luis Alejandro said.
The company has achieved a 25 percent year-on-year or a $291-million reduction in inventory at the end of the third quarter, with further reductions planned over the coming quarters, it said.
“Our steadfast focus remains on executing our strategic priorities to increase operational efficiency and deliver sustainable financial outcomes.” Del Monte Foods Corp., the US
The Philippine market, comprised 16 percent of income, Asia Pacific, excluding the Philippines at 13 percent and Europe at 2 percent.
Domestic sales in the Philippines reached $106.9 million, reflecting a 4 percent increase in peso
In the beverage segment, Del Monte gained 4 percentage points in market share, outpacing category growth, the company said. International sales rose 29 percent, driven by strong demand for fresh pineapple and packaged products. China, South Korea and Japan led the growth, supported by an improved product mix.
Packaged exports to North Asia, Europe and the Americas also grew, driven by increased sales of packaged pineapple and industrial products.
In January, S&W expanded its product portfolio by launching S&W Salted Egg Cookies in Hong Kong and Macau, marking its entry into the growing snack category in these markets.
CREC unit seeks ERC nod for project
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
UNIT of Citicore Renew -
Aables Energy Corp. (CREC) is seeking provisional authority from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to develop and own a transmission facility.
Citicore Solar Batangas 1 Inc. (CSBat1) is proposing the development of connection facilities composed of a plant switchyard and transmission line. CSBat1 will solely fund the transmission project at a cost of P129,186,124.74.
The company said the facility will connect its proposed 50-megawatt (MW) Luntal solar power project to the Luzon grid through the
‘Elections to boost traffic volume’
NLEX Corp. expects traffic volume to grow between 5 to 7 percent this year— outpacing last year’s expansion— as election-related activities drive increased mobility across its toll roads.
Maria Theresa Wells, the company’s OIC, said the tollway operator projects average traffic volume to reach around 370,000 vehicles per day by yearend, with the upcoming midterm elections providing an additional boost.
“Elections are good for business. Throughout our history, we’ve seen that every time there’s an election, there’s an upside in growth,” Wells said in a recent interview. “A 7 to 8 percent growth rate this year already includes the election-related upside.” Last year, Wells said Nlex Corp. posted a traffic growth rate of around 4 percent to 5 percent. She noted that while post-pandemic mobility surges have tapered off, election-related activities are expected to spur increased travel, benefiting toll road operators. Lorenz S. Marasigan
69-kilovolt (kV) Tuy substation of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
NGCP has certified that the dedicated facility project is technically feasible while the Department of Energy has issued a confirmation of commerciality which serves as a notice to proceed for the construction and installation of the proposed transmission facility.
“The completion of the project and the dedicated facility project and the dedicated facility project within its projected timeframe is critical to ensure that additional capacity to the Luzon grid becomes available in a timely manner,” CSBat1 said in its application filed before the ERC.
BUDWEISER Brewing Co APAC Ltd. is planning to cut thousands of jobs this year as it looks to shrink costs, people familiar with the matter said, with the beer maker struggling with weak consumer demand in China.
The latest downsizing is part of the company’s plans to reduce operational costs by about 15% this year and comes after it cut 16 percent of some 25,000 employees last year, one of the people said. This year’s staff reduction would mean thousands more employees will depart the company after 4,000 were already cut last year, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations.
China will bear the brunt of the reductions as it accounts for more than 80 percent of the group’s manpower.
The company has been steadily reducing its headcount over the past few years, with the staff size shrinking about 20 percent by the end of 2023 from more than 30,000 in 2017.
“As we optimize our operations structure, we are dedicated to fostering innovation and building our workforce to drive our success,” a Budweiser APAC spokesperson said. “For over four decades, we have invested in China, we are confident in its growth potential and remain focused on our strategic priorities.”
Budweiser APAC’s downsizing highlights the predicament of global brewers in the world’s second-
“Accordingly, the issuance of a provisional authority for the development and ownership of the dedicated facility project is necessary so that the project’s generated power becomes readily available for public use.”
CSBat1 also asked the ERC to allow it to proceed with the construction of the dedicated facility project pending the issuance of the provisional authority.
The ERC has a virtual hearing on CSBat1’s application next month.
CREC aims to add one gigawatt (GW) of capacity annually to the Philippines’s energy mix, focusing on ready-to-build or under-construction projects over the next five years, aiming for a total of around
five GW by 2028. It is expecting its first GW worth of energy projects to come online this year. These projects are mostly under the government’s second green energy auction held in 2023.
Last January, CREC said it is hoping to pursue more power projects with San Miguel Corp. (SMC) following last year’s announcement of their partnership for the development of a 153.5-megawatt (MW) solar power project in Bataan, their first joint venture renewable energy (RE) project.
The solar power project will start construction immediately after the ground breaking scheduled within the first quarter of the year.
largest economy, where consumers are reining in spending amid an economic slowdown and property market slump. The group, controlled by Anheuser-Busch InBev, posted a net loss of $16 million in the fourth quarter, missing analysts’ estimate of a $6.72 million profit. For last year as a whole, profit plunged 15 percent while revenue declined 9 percent.
Rival brewers are facing similar challenges. Both volume and revenue dropped for Carlsberg in China last year.
In an effort to drive a turnaround in China, Budweiser APAC has named Yanjun Cheng, a 29-year veteran of the company, to succeed Jan Craps who will step down in April after seven years.
DELISTED conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) said it is disposing 20 percent of its stake in toll road operator Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) to a foreign investor.
Manuel V. Pangilinan, MPIC chairman, president and CEO, said the company has whittled down the list of potential buyers to only one foreign player which may acquire the stake for “several billions of pesos.”
“The main use will be the reduction of debts MPTC has,” Pangilinan told reporters in an interview.
He said the holding company for the tollways business is raising P30 billion to P50 billion from the private placement of new shares.
Pangilinan said the company is not required to do a public offering, unlike its sister firm Maynilad Water Services Inc. “This is a private placement.”
He said the company is prioritizing its fundraising activity, than its possible merger with San Miguel Corp.’s tollway business.
“That is much more complicated. Hopefully within the year, or next year,” he said, referring to the merger with San Miguel.
MPIC owns almost all of MPTC, Chaye Cabal-Revilla, the company’s CFO said.
The said sale will pay off most of MPTC’s debt. Of the P64.99-billion debt of MPIC, close to half or about P30 billion was from MPTC, which the company will refinance using the sale of the 20-percent stake, Revilla said.
The move was meant to clean the books of MPTC for the merger with San Miguel’s tollways business.
Most of the debts of SMC Tollways, meanwhile, are in the parent company-level and not with its unit.
MPTC is the holding company for the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), the ManilaCavite Toll Expressway (CAVITEX), the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) and the NLEX Connector.
SMC Tollways, meanwhile, operates the South Luzon Expressway, the Skyway Stage 3, the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), the NAIA Expressway and the TarlacPangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX). VG Cabuag
NPC opens bidding for hybridization project
TCheng will need to steer the company through multiple headwinds, including its declining image in the Chinese market. One of the group’s brands that was popular in Northeastern China was found to contain vomitoxin, which can cause short-term nausea, diarrhea and headaches, according to a report by Hong Kong’s Consumer Council last year.
The findings were highlighted by China’s official Xinhua News Agency, which also reported that Budweiser APAC repeatedly breached the country’s advertising laws. The group has been fined a combined 1.4 million yuan ($194,000) since May 2021 for the violations, according to the report. Bloomberg News
he National Power Corp. (NPC) has commenced the bidding process for its hybridization program with the release of bid invites for the supply and delivery of renewable energy (RE) that will fuel diesel power plants in off-grid areas.
The 20-year bid contracts have an aggregate value of P3.42 billion.
The state firm’s hybridization program basically invites RE developers to build RE facilities in Batanes, Palawan, Bicol, and Tawi-Tawi. They will finance, design, construct, operate and maintain their own RE facilities and supply power to the grid corresponding to area of coverage for 20 years as a supplement or replacement to NPC’s diesel genset operation.
BOTTLES of Stella Artois brand beer move along the production line at the Anheuser-Busch Budweiser bottling facility in St. Louis, Missouri, US, on Thursday, July 8, 2021.
Banking&Finance
GLOBAL credit watchdog Fitch Ratings Inc. recently upgraded the viability ratings (VR) of five major Philippine banks, citing improved asset quality and sustained profitability.
In a rating action commentary, Fitch Ratings upgraded state-run Land Bank of the Philippines’s viability ratings to ‘bb+’ from ‘bb.’
The American credit rating agency also affirmed Landbank’s long-term local-currency issuer default ratings and foreign-currency issuer default ratings (IDRs) at ‘BBB’ with a ‘stable’ outlook. The ratings upgrade considered Landbank’s improving capital buffers, and Fitch Ratings’s “expectation of improved profitability on lower credit costs amid the resilient operating environment and sustained resolution” of non-performing loans (NPLs).
In a separate statement, Landbank President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz said last Thursday that the latest rating upgrade is a testament to the bank’s sound financial foundation and resilience.
“With a solid capital base and an improving profitability outlook, we are well-positioned to drive stronger financial performance while deepening our commitment to agriculture and other key economic sectors that fuel national growth,” Ortiz said.
Private banks
FITCH Ratings also upgraded BDO
Unibank, Inc.’s VR to ‘bbb-’ from ‘bb+’, and has affirmed the IDR at ‘BBB-’ with a Stable Outlook.
“The VR also takes into account BDO’s solid domestic franchise, which helps it generate quality business volume and maintain a leading funding position,” the rating agency said.
BDO holds a 19 to 22 percent share of system loans and deposits, making it the largest bank in the Philippines.
“We believe BDO’s robust domestic franchise and market leadership have enabled it to attract quality customers, better control risks and sustain resilient profitability through business cycles,” Fitch Ratings said.
Furthermore, the Bank of the Philippine Islands’ (BPI) VR was upgraded to ‘bbb-’ from ‘bb+’. Fitch Ratings also affirmed its IDR at ‘BBB’ with a Stable Outlook.
“The VR also reflects BPI’s franchise as one of the country’s three largest privately owned banks, which anchors its steady funding profile and superior asset quality relative to the industry average,” Fitch Ratings said.
“Resilient economic growth and BPI’s steady credit standards should keep its asset quality metrics above the industry average, leading us to revise its asset quality and risk profile scores to ‘bbb-’/stable, from ‘bb+’/ stable,” it added.
High PHL insurance tax rates a thorn in sector’s side–PIRA
By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
AS non-life insurance policies remain heavily taxed, one of the highest among Aseanmember countries, the industry is still pushing for reforms to lower tax rates to make coverage more accessible.
Philippine Insurance and Reinsurers Association (PIRA) Executive
Director Michael F. Rellosa said high tax rates imposed on non-life insurance policies are still a problem even before the pandemic.
“We’ve been doing this for like five administrations: We always submit a position paper, comparison, etcetera,” Rellosa said.
The non-life insurance industry shoulders 27.5 percent in various taxes, such as a 12-percent value-added
tax (VAT), 12.5-percent documentary stamp tax (DST), 0.75-percent local government tax and 2-percent fire service tax, which drives up insurance costs. Meanwhile, life insurance premiums are only levied a 2-percent tax.
PIRA General Manager Rogelio J. Concepcion pointed to the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act (Pifita), or Package 4 of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) as a way to fix the
Fitch cites banks’ assets, profitability in upgrades Celebrating women’s leadership in associations
Meanwhile, Fitch Ratings also upgraded state-run Development Bank of the Philippines’s (DBP) VR to ‘bb’ from ‘bb-’ and affirmed its IDRs at ‘BBB’/Stable.
The incremental improvement in DBP’s capital buffers over the past year and the upward revision of the Philippines’ banking sector operating environment score to ‘bbb-’/ stable from ‘bb+’/stable improved DBP’s VR.
Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company’s (Metrobank) VR was also upgraded to ‘bbb-’ from ‘bb+’. The IDRs were affirmed ‘BBB-’ with a Stable Outlook.
“Its large balance sheet and focus on the commercial and mid-market segment have enabled the bank to attract higher quality borrowers and generate robust business volumes over the years,” Fitch Ratings said. Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
New GCash feature GJobs has add’l job opportunities
IN less than 17 months since its launch, the job referral feature in the GCash app, has reached 2.4 million registered users, enhancing the accuracy of employment matchmaking in the Philippines through digital innovation.
Called “GJobs,” the feature launched in partnership with PasaJob Inc. “continues to deliver effective employment solutions through its current innovative features with AI integration also on the horizon.”
According to a statement issued by GCash operator G-Xchange Inc., PasaJob places “a strong emphasis on referrals as a primary way for sourcing talent, which can reduce the hiring period from an average of 42 days to just 29 days.”
“Employees hired through referrals tend to have 70 percent longer tenures compared to those sourced through other means,” the firm added. Additionally, PasaJob’s recruitment concierge service significantly streamlines the process by saving employers 25 business hours typically spent on screening curricula vitae, according to G-Xchange. In certain industries, like busi-
ness process outsourcing, referrals are particularly crucial, accounting for 55 percent of hires. GJobs aims to enhance efficiency by enabling AI solutions in the future to make the hiring process more effective and time-saving for both employers and candidates.
PasaJob CEO and CTO Eddie Ybañez was quoted in the statement as saying they hope GJobs “not only becomes a doorway for these opportunities but also serves as a platform to gain insight on the Philippine employment and livelihood industry as a whole.”
With over 1,000,000 job referrals and 400,000 applications recorded to date, GJobs is transforming the job-seeking process, according to G-Xchange.
“We are making employment more accessible by connecting job seekers with potential employers through AI-powered referrals,” GXchange President and CEO Oscar Enrico A. Reyes Jr. was quoted in the statement as saying. “As we continue to grow, we remain committed to expanding this platform to help more Filipinos find opportunities that match their skills and aspirations.”
EVERY year on March 8, the world observes International Women’s Day (IWD), a global event honoring women’s achievements and advocating gender equality. In the Philippines, March is celebrated as National Women’s Month, which includes the IWD. The month-long observance recognizes the contributions of Filipino women.
Originating in the early 20th century from labor movements in North America and Europe, the first National Women’s Day was observed in the United States in 1909, following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. This movement inspired the inaugural IWD in 1911. Over time, it has evolved into a worldwide call for gender parity, highlighting women’s contributions across various sectors, including business, politics, education, and civil society.
Historically, women in associations have advanced causes related to education, healthcare, human rights, and economic development. They have assumed leadership roles, serving as executives, board members, and key decision makers who shape organizational policies and strategic directions.
Many women-led associations advocate workplace gender equity, and policies that promote equal pay, maternity benefits, and professional development opportunities. They also serve as mentors and role models, inspiring the next generation of female leaders to break barriers in traditionally male-dominated industries.
Moreover, associations with strong female leadership often champion corporate social responsibility and sustainability, focusing on inclusivity, environmental consciousness, and ethical business practices. By integrating these values into their programs and operations, they influence industries and governments to adopt more progressive policies.
Despite significant contributions, women still face challenges such as gender biases, underrepresentation in executive roles, and work-life balance constraints. However, the increasing visibility of women in leadership positions is creating new opportunities for mentorship and advocacy.
To address these challenges, many
associations have established women’s networks, leadership programs, and diversity initiatives. These programs provide professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities, equipping women with the skills and support needed to advance in their careers. Technology also plays a crucial role in empowering women in associations. Virtual meetings, online training, and digital collaboration tools have made it easier for women to participate in association activities, even when balancing multiple responsibilities. This digital transformation has enabled greater inclusion, allowing women from diverse backgrounds to contribute to the growth and success of their respective associations.
On International Women’s Day, associations worldwide honor the accomplishments of their female members by organizing conferences, forums, and recognition events. These initiatives not only celebrate achievements but also create platforms for discussions on gender equity and leadership.
As the role of women in associations continues to evolve, it is essential to acknowledge their contributions and support efforts toward greater inclusion. By championing diversity and empowering women in leadership, associations can drive progress and create a more equitable future for all.
The International Women’s Day serves as a reminder that while progress has been made, there is still work to be done. Through collective action, associations can help pave the way for more women to take on influential roles, shaping industries and societies for the better.
Octavio Peralta is founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, the “association of associations.” The views he expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the BusinessMirror . E-mail: bobby@ pcaae.org.
tax rates. The industry and the Senate Ways and Means Committee, including the Department of Finance (DOF), reached an agreement to lower the DST to 7.5 percent from the current 12.5 percent over five years. A 1-percent reduction will be applied every year.
The pre-insurance tax will also be removed while the VAT will be maintained to allow non-life insurers to claim input VAT credits.
However, the Pifita was broken down instead of a whole package now called the “Government Revenues Optimization through Wealth Tax Harmonization” (Growth) bill, which only includes provisions relevant to life insurance companies and collective insurance schemes.
“The discussion is already there, but we were expecting that there would be finalization of the provisions that we have agreed upon that is there in the PIFITA still,” Concepcion said.
Should these agreements materi-
SBy Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
ENATE President Pro Tempore Jose Pimentel “Jinggoy” E. Estrada is moving to expand the compulsory insurance coverage for agency-hired overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to also include rehires, direct hires and government hires.
At the outset, Estrada clarified that such insurance policy should be at no cost to OFWs, as the solon stressed in filing Senate Bill (SB) 2948 aims to amend the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 8042, or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act of 1995.
Estrada’s proposed amendment aims to “guarantee financial security” to OFWs and their families during life-altering events and accountability among recruiting agencies, as well as foreign employers.
“Kadalasan, ang mga kababayan nating OFWs ang breadwinners ng kanilang pamilya malaking tulong ito sa kanila kung malalagay sila sa financial medical emergency,” the senator clarified, noting that “may danyos o benepisyong hindi binabayaran ng employer o gastusin gaya ng repatriation cost.”
Proteksyon ito ng mga OFWs at ng kanilang pamilya sa mga posibleng problema na maaari nilang harapin habang nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa,” the Senate leader added.
Estrada explains that his SB 2948 will “establish strict criteria for insurance providers and ensure that insurance policies will cover the entire duration of the OFWs’ employment, unless otherwise specified in the policy.”
It was noted that “only reputable insurance companies that are duly registered with the Insurance Commission (IC) and have been in existence for at least five years will qualify. Additionally, all providers must digitize their services, the proposed legislation also states.” Private recruitment and manning agencies will be required to provide comprehensive insurance to OFWs at no cost to them, while foreign employers will also be mandated to offer insurance as part of their employment contracts, Estrada said. Likewise, the senator clarified that to prevent fraudulent insurance schemes and protect OFWs from illegitimate providers, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Insurance Commission (IC) shall implement a verification system to validate the legitimacy of all issued digital policies and oversee compliance. The bill also stipulates that principal employers and recruitment agencies must assist in processing claims and submitting insurance certificates for Overseas Employment Certificates (OECs). The liabilities of insurance companies are limited to unpaid salaries, and non-compliant providers may face penalties. Moreover, he notes that “this is a significant step forward in safeguarding
Octavio Peralta
A ssociation World
Tips for stress-free travel
SUMMER is on us and I’m sure many of us will be flying out to our favorite beaches in the country, or perhaps go sightseeing and shop at new destinations abroad.
But travel can be stressful. Just the other week we (my nieces and I) were looking through the different carriers’ apps or websites to find the most inexpensive fare to our favorite family destination, which we intend to visit in the near future. Unfortunately, despite the announced promotional fares of the different airlines, the air fares were still expensive, after adding in our luggage fee and seat choices.
Good thing my one-way fare was paid for by miles, but I still had to pay for administration fees and taxes. The carrier, however, mistakenly charged my card three times and so 17 days after, I’m still waiting for the charges to be reversed. (I was told, after several times of following up, that the carrier’s bank will take approximately 25 days to return my funds . Good Lord! I’d probably be back from our vacation before I get my money returned.)
By Eugenia Last
My niece, on the other hand, chose the cheapest basic airfare she could find, which happened to be from another carrier, and said she would just pay for the 20-kilos baggage allowance prior to our departure. She said this was the less costly alternative instead of paying a higher fare that already includes the baggage allocation. It’s a great hack especially if one is traveling with others, as in my niece’s case, as she will share the 20 kilos baggage allowance with her daughter.
Affordable hotels and resorts, however, seem to be a myth in the Philippines. They hardly exist. Where we’re going, the usual resort we stay at has reverted to its prepandemic room rates, despite the low-season period when we’re going.
For the same room rate, we can already book a bigger room near the major shopping districts in Bangkok, or around Disneyland in Hong Kong. And we still wonder why our foreign tourist arrivals haven’t recovered to prepandemic levels unlike our other neighbors in Southeast Asia.
Of course, packing one’s luggage can be a pain as well. Despite my most earnest planning, there is no trip I’ve taken around these parts, or abroad, wherein I have not forgotten important personal items. I even list these items down but, good grief! It must be the age, the terrible memory, or just the harried way we all force ourselves to get to the airport early enough to avoid the long queues at the check-in counters or the Immigration section, that makes me forget these items.
(Last November, on a press coverage in London, I stupidly forgot my statins—which controls my cholesterol levels—even if I managed to pack the rest of my maintenance medicines along with my daily vitamins/supplements. Listen, I’m not a person known for panicking over things but in this case, I did. I was just too afraid to keel over from indulging in lots of good eats in London. It is my good fortune that my internist is such a nice guy that he Vibered my prescription, which I promptly forwarded to other people in my party who were still in Manila. I finally received the pharmaceuticals two days later and just missed a night’s dose.)
Usually, 24 hours before my departure date, I would already check into my flight via the airline’s
website or app, so I could be assured that even if I arrive late at the airport for some reason, I’m already officially a passenger. This also saves time and when we check-in online, all we have to do is just drop our luggage at the baggage drop.
Speaking of luggage, man, we ought to make sure to read the airline website or notes on what items we can pack inside our check-in bags, or in our carry-ons.
Definitely, pack the laptop or tablet in the carry-on. It’s just plain common sense. (But as my Mama used to say, “Common sense isn’t common these days.” Lordy.) Electronic devices and gadgets are often delicate and sensitive. Unless one resides or arrives in Japan, in most countries checked-in luggage are thrown around by baggage handlers on to the plane or on to the luggage carousel upon the plane’s arrival. Manhandling our luggage by baggage handlers is usually the rule, not the exception.
Aside from laptops, we should also pack an extra set of clothes and underwear in our carry-on in the event our checked-in luggage is misplaced by the airline. Also in there should go our maintenance medicines; cookies, chips, or candies in case we have blood sugar issues; and of course our passport and other important travel documents, relevant IDs, our wallet, and, in my case, a lipstick, moisturizer and toner, as well as moisturizing eye drops.
Despite arriving early at the airport, what does take time is many local and international carriers still
issue paper boarding passes, even if we’ve already printed these out, or saved them on our phones after checking in online. It’s not just a waste of time, it’s a waste of paper. And to think these carriers often tout their commitment to sustainability and the environment. Hay naku.
Before lining up at the Immigration, if we are flying abroad, it’s best to have filled out the e-travel form online already, and save the QR code that will appear after we’ve submitted our personal and travel details. The Immigration officer will likely not ask for the QR code, but it’s best to be prepared in case they do.
Due to the recent re-emergence of the tanim-bala issue, as well as previous complaints about a few corrupt Office of Transportation Security personnel, I suggested to the new operator of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport that passengers should be able to see on a separate screen our luggage, carryalls, and purses going through the X-ray machine. Of course it’s not done in other countries, but we must admit the Philippines is a special case. So an official said they will suggest this to OTS. Hopefully, after going all through these procedures, and using these tips, we are able to sit calmly as passengers while waiting for our flight to depart, and have an overall stress-free travel experience.
Happy trails! ■
WARRING ROMANCE: ‘TATLONG TAONG WALANG DIYOS’ (PART 2)
CONTINUED FROM B5
and welcoming to the Filipino. By the time the film Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos was acclaimed, the setting for a friendly Japanese nation was in place. There was an influx of Japanese, even the younger ones; the male Japanese allure was becoming legendary and acceptable. The male concept of beauty has also been altered, with the “chinito” setting a new standard for the actors onscreen. While the Caucasian gene pool had not been vanquished, there was a significant chunk in the population praising the handsome face of a Japanese, unthinkable in the 1940s. It would take a few more years before research
and all the bells and whistles that go with recognition. Include loved ones in your success. ★★★★
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take responsibility for your happiness. Take time out to relax and pamper yourself. Love, romance and participating in something that brings you closer to someone who shares your interests will offer insight into the personal or lifestyle changes you can make that nurture your relationship. ★★★
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Implement a financial plan that helps you save. Think twice before you take on someone’s debt or responsibilities. Devise a plan that offers suggestions and incentives to someone you care about but don’t want to pay for. ★★★ LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Personal gains, selfimprovement, love and romance are featured and can turn an ordinary day into something special. Get out, participate, mingle and meet people who share your interests, and you’ll discover someone or something that makes you happy. ★★★
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’ll have a revelation if you test your strengths and courage and introduce who you are and what you enjoy to those you encounter today. Don’t sell yourself short; you have more to offer than you realize, and the right people will help you discover how special and talented you are. Embrace life. ★★★
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Fall in love with your life, your surroundings and the prospects available to you, and it will change the way you see yourself and your future. Refuse to let anyone’s negativity bring you down when your momentum flows and you have so much to offer. Make your way forward. ★★
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
shifted, bringing in new ways of looking at things. It would take another decade before new histories of abuses would be known. This would begin with the Japayuki phenomenon, a trafficking of Filipinas in modern Japan, and the discovery of the ianfu,which literally means “comforting women” or “comfort women.” Cinemas would abound to portray them later.
■ This is an excerpt of the paper read for the Gawad Urian Inaugural Lecture Series held at the Lyceum of the Philippines on March 1, 2025. I read this paper on National Artist Nora Aunor; Dr. Nic Tiongson, Professor Emeritus of UP, read his work on Gerardo de Leon
Show BusinessMirror
Warring romance: ‘Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos’ (Part 2)
NORA AUNOR who was both the star and producer of the film Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, was braver than the Rosario she was portraying in the film: she would tackle a subject and face head on the forbidden with the plot and characters she sponsors under her production. Rosario is very much the archetype of the female contravidas—from Miriam Jurado to Celia Rodriguez to Bella Flores when they slept with the enemy. And yet this template had a redeeming value for toward the end, these women whose roles in films had earlier betrayed the Filipinos would turn around and betray the enemies either by showing the guerillas the secret entrance to the garrison or poisoning the top Japanese officer, or shooting the officer. She, as her character is written, is convinced toward the end by the guerillas to escape with them. At this point, she is shot in the back by the Japanese and this hated person turns into a heroine. Rosario, on the one hand, has no redeeming value at all. In fact, when Masugi has already died, Rosario returns to her town and seeks refuge in the church, with the priest. It is here that while praying, she is spied upon by one of the women who felt wronged by her. What follows is one of the more contentious productions in the film. Theatrical and nearly stagy at certain points, Tatlong Walang Diyos reaches its histrionic peak in the church scene where the women in black appear to have strayed from the books of the Greek tragedians. First, the men followed by the women run after Rosario who goes back to the sacristy where the priest is waiting, and who tries to shield her from the townspeople. The men drag her back to the church where a group of women in black dress and veil move in a circle around her. Like the collaborators in Europe, she is circled by the women. When they clear off her, she appears with her hair cut short. They flank her as she starts to walk to the door of the church. But there at the other end are the guerillas.
Here is where the film matters: Aunor, the producer, enables the production of a story that would retell the tale about the conflicting realities the Filipinos at the peripheries were facing. In other words, the depiction of the war in Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos is a departure from the idealized heroic narrative that Hollywood foisted on us. It is to the credit again of Aunor that she would allow that the script would leave her dead in the end. This was again one of the taboos for the leading ladies of Philippine cinema: they are not supposed to die. You needed multiple excuses for her to live on, for the lead to be alive and gloriously happy at the end.
To what degree did Nora Aunor participate in the subversion of a war genre? Is there a genius at work here, an independent artist? Or are we merely attributing a power in her now that she is the National Artist for Cinema?
In my personal communication with Nora Aunor, I wanted to put to rest whatever doubt I had about her own kind of artistry and politics.
“What made you decide to do Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, Nora?” There were other questions I asked:
“Were you conscious of the fact that your character, Rosario, was a traitor, until the end?”
“What made you decide for your character to die in the end?” “Were you not worried your fans would not accept this ending?”
Her response surprised me a bit but did not disappoint. “You remember, Tito, that for a long time, I was doing films...with Pip [referring to Tirso Cruz III] where a scene would start with me singing a song to him under a tree. Then the scene shifted to where he would do the singing beneath another tree.... Would I be doing these movies over and over?,” she pleaded with mock impatience.
One day, Nora said she decided to ask the help of an assistant to help her look for a director who would give her a different kind of film. The name given was Mario O’Hara and the film was Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos. From the get go, she decided she would follow whatever plan this new filmmaker would offer her to do.
“I always trusted my directors...Lino [Brocka], Ishmael [Bernal]...they knew what they were doing and I trusted them,” she stressed, her great instinct at work.
And the rest, as they say, is cinematic history. But we can move out of the film further. Kirsten Harstrup in her paper Anthropological Visions—Some Notes on Visual and Textual Authority cites a series of oppositions between films and texts, as cited in Cristobal Escobar’s The Colliding Worlds of Anthropology and Film Ethnography. She clarifies the difference between visual and textual power. For Hastrup, film can produce only a “thin” description while text can produce a “thick” description of an event. For Hastrup, “while a thin description may capture forms, it cannot
of itself convey implicit meaning.” The Escobar paper reads: “Forms are culturally meaningless when studied independently of local meaning relations and contemporary conventions of representation.” Following this approach, we therefore look to other texts to clarify the meaning of the film Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos. And the sources need not be the history of the war but the other social histories in which we can situate the production of this film.
It is not the 1940s that will crystallize the truths of Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos but the 1970s. In 1972, Marcos declared Martial Law. It was also in 1972 when he ratified the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation, and this was 10 days before the visit of the Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka. By 1975, Japan had displaced the US as the main source of investment in the country. Under the Marcos administration, there were several projects, among them the Philippines-Japan Friendship Highway, which included the construction of the San Juanico Bridge. Certainly the world had changed in the 1970s. After some 30 years, the impunity of the Japanese during the war (it is said that a million Filipinos were killed by the enemy) was almost forgotten. The Japanese man began to have a face.
Gone was the image of the cruel Japanese; what was in place was this country of affluence and culture. The Japanese had become an economic partner and the possibility that he could be a lover as well. There was the setting for a new depiction not only of war in general but a more reconciliatory image of the friendly Japanese. This was a short step into depicting the Japanese onscreen as somebody that will be warm
WITH OVER 8,000 ATTENDEES IN VISMIN, ‘GMA MASTERCLASS: ELEKSYON 2025 DAPAT TOTOO SERIES’ HEADS TO LUZON, NCR
FOLLOWING its successful run in Visayas and Mindanao, which drew over 8,000 attendees, GMA Regional TV and Synergy’s GMA Masterclass: Eleksyon 2025 Dapat Totoo Series sought to inspire and educate students across Luzon and in Metro Manila this March. In partnership with GMA Integrated News, the Luzon leg kicked off at Universidad de Dagupan in Pangasinan on March 6, followed by De La Salle Lipa in Batangas on March 7. The NCR leg was held at José Rizal University in Mandaluyong City on March 12. The GMA Masterclass: Eleksyon 2025 Dapat Totoo Series sought to empower students with knowledge and insights from industry leaders and experts, covering a wide range of topics relevant to today’s youth especially now that the country is set to elect its next leaders. Leading the roster of speakers for the Luzon leg were GMA Integrated News award-winning journalist and GMA News online editor at large Howie Severino, alongside GMA Integrated News seasoned broadcast journalist Joseph Morong, assistant vice president and deputy head for GMA Integrated News Social Media Aileen Rae Perez, GMA Integrated News Digital Strategy and Innovation Lab senior manager Bernice Sibucao, GMA sportscaster and sports analyst Martin Antonio, and Sparkle Artist Center personality and beauty queen Bea Gomez. For the NCR leg, Severino and Gomez were joined by award-winning documentarist and State of the Nation news anchor Atom Araullo, GMA Integrated News award-winning broadcast journalist Sandra Aguinaldo, GMA
Integrated News Research senior manager Karen Tiongson-Mayrina, and GMA Integrated News Social Media assistant manager Theodore Ortiz.
“Since 2018, we have been actively bringing the GMA Masterclass Series to various areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to empower the youth with valuable knowledge and insights. As we prepare for the upcoming 2025 Midterm Elections, GMA Regional TV and Synergy, in partnership with GMA Integrated News, is leaving no stone unturned as we bring GMA Masterclass: Eleksyon 2025 Dapat Totoo Series to Luzon and the National Capital Region this March. We urge the youth to be socially aware, become more responsible citizens and voters who will stand with us as we continue with our ‘Panata Kontra-Fake News’ campaign,” said senior vice president and head of
GMA Integrated News, Regional TV and Synergy Oliver Victor B. Amoroso. More information can be found at www. gmanetwork.com.
POSITIVE
THE son of an actor was supposed to join a reality show. But days before the start of the show, the boy was dropped from the list. Why did this happen? He tested positive in the mandatory drug test. The actor’s son has history of being a troublemaker. He once fought with an actor who’s slightly older than him and according to eyewitnesses, it was the actor’s son who started the fight by being annoying. The actor already warned him but he went on because he was reportedly drunk.
PROBLEMATIC
THE singer has never been well-liked. Even as early as two years ago, there have already been rumors about her having an attitude problem. But lately, netizens have noticed that many of her so-called friends and colleagues have unfollowed her on social media. One of her former close friends even made a point of saying they are no longer friends. Recently, it was rumored that she was booted from a show allegedly at the demand of her colleagues. If this is true, we wonder what she did to deserve this.
RIGHT LOVE, WRONG TIME
THE young actress and the TV host, who belong to different networks, used to be an item. The actress is so much younger than the TV host. They fell in love but it was a love that wasn’t meant to be. The young actress, at that time, was being built up by her network. Her own mom disapproved of her relationship with the TV host because she felt that he was beneath her daughter. The young actress wanted to be defiant and not listen to the people around her but eventually she realize it would be easier if she broke things off with the TV host. She has since moved on and is in a relationship with another guy. The TV host is also exclusively dating someone.
JUST WORKMATES
THEY’RE a loveteam but they’re drifted so far apart they no longer pretend they’re a couple. They have worked together on a lot of blockbuster projects, and they have a solid fan base for their loveteam. There have been many clues in the past that the guy is not into the girl and instead prefers someone else. There’s also a rumor that the girl has a non-showbiz boyfriend. Before, the guy and the girl would make sure they displayed some sweet moments together.
FILIPINO SINGER-SONGWRITER QUEST PENS SONG FOR WORLD VISION CAMPAIGN
MUSIC has long been a powerful means to connect with people and reach larger communities. Through lyrics, melodies or even artists they admire, individuals can find aspects of a song that resonate with them, inspiring hope, joy and justice in their lives.
Understanding the powerful effect of music, World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization, entrusted Quest, an award-winning Filipino hip-hop and R&B singer and songwriter, to create the theme song for the “Enough” campaign. This global initiative aims to end child hunger and bring justice, hope and joy to children worldwide.
According to a 2022 study by the Joint Malnutrition Estimates of the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the World Bank, about 148.1 million children worldwide under the age of five were found to be stunted, while 45 million were wasted. Children in the Philippines face the same challenges. A global Ipsos study conducted on behalf of World Vision in 2023 revealed that 66 percent of Filipino adults are worried about finding the money to buy food for their families. Thirty-five percent do not know where their next meal will come from.
A series of consultations conducted by World Vision in local children’s congresses in the Philippines also revealed that Filipino children view hunger as a challenge (hamon) or a problem (suliranin) faced by individuals, families, communities, and nations. To overcome this, children recommend harnessing national and local resources.
“Enough” will be accompanied by a music video highlighting World Vision activities that enrich the lives of Filipino children and communities, including education, health, nutrition, and the strengthening of relationships with God. The video will also feature star-studded appearances from World Vision Philippines’ current ambassadors and advocates, ranging from actors and singers to TV personalities. Through Quest’s “Enough,” World Vision hopes to touch the hearts of many, motivating others to get involved in campaigns like ENOUGH to end global child hunger and bring hope, joy, and justice to those who need it most. The song is now available on various streaming sites including Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Music. Listeners can also find “Enough” on World Vision Philippines’ official social media accounts. More information can be found at www.worldvision.org.ph
HOWIE SEVERINO
Wilcon Goes Beyond 100: A Grand Opening in Tuba, Benguet
WILCON marks a strong start to 2025 with the grand opening of its latest branch in Tuba, Benguet on March 7, 2025. This new store strengthens Wilcon’s presence in the province, following the successful launch of its first Benguet branch in La Trinidad in September 2024. With this expansion, Wilcon Depot continues to bring highquality home improvement and construction solutions closer to more communities in Northern Luzon. PRESENT during the ribbon-cutting
Located at the gateway to Baguio City, Tuba is known for its rich natural resources and growing economic potential. This strategic location allows Wilcon Depot to cater not only to Tuba residents but also to the surrounding areas, ensuring accessibility to top-tier building and finishing materials.
Wilcon Depot SEVP-COO Rosemarie Bosch-Ong shares the convenience of another Wilcon branch in the city and says, “With our new branch here in Tuba, we want to make home-building and improvement more convenient for you. We know that it is not easy to travel to look for quality materials and products for your home improvements and construction projects. Now, you don’t have to go far—Wilcon is here, ready to serve you.”
Wilcon’s commitment to uplifting local communities is evident through its partnership with Baguio City in the AdoptA-Park program, which was officially signed in November 2024. This initiative aligns with Wilcon’s advocacy for sustainability and community development, reinforcing its role as a trusted industry leader.
With the opening of Wilcon Depot Tuba, Benguet, homeowners and industry professionals can now have access to a vast selection of top-quality home improvement products. From world-class tiles, sanitary
ware, plumbing essentials, to premium hardware, tools, furniture, and appliances, the store offers everything needed to elevate any space. “This new store is for you, for everyone. We want to make shopping more convenient, so you can focus on creating spaces that bring comfort and joy to your families,” shared Wilcon Depot President and CEO Lorraine Belo-Cincochan.
Wilcon Depot proudly showcases its exclusive and trusted brands, including P.Tech, known for durable building materials; Hamden, offering cutting-edge kitchen appliances; Heim, a go-to brand for stylish home furniture and decor; Alphalux, specializing in innovative lighting solutions; Pozzi, a trusted name in sanitaryware; Hills, providing high-performance hand and power tools; and Rubi, a top choice for tiling solutions.
For the tile selections, Wilcon features globally renowned brands, including Spanish tiles from Emigres, Rocersa, and STN Ceramica; Asian tiles from Arte Ceramiche, Saigres, and Verona Tiles; and Italian tiles from Energie Ker, Gardenia Orchide, and Novabell.
Beyond offering premium products, Wilcon Depot Tuba is designed to provide an exceptional shopping experience through its organized store layout, dedicated Tiles,
Sanitary Ware, Home Living, DIY sections, and immersive product displays. Customers can also enjoy value-added services such as free design consultation with their 3D Design Hub and the Wilcon Depot Loyalty Program, rewarding loyal shoppers with exclusive perks and discounts through the My Wilcon App.
As Wilcon Depot continues its mission to be the Filipinos’ go-to partner in building, improving, and transforming homes. This newest store stands as proof to its commitment to nationwide expansion beyond 100 and customer satisfaction.
All these premium selections are now available at Wilcon Depot’s 101st store in Tuba, Benguet, bringing world-class home improvement closer to the heart of the Cordilleras.
Start to Do it with Wilcon! Visit Wilcon Depot Tuba, Benguet, located at Begis, Poblacion, Tuba, Benguet. This newest branch is open daily from 8 AM to 7 PM. Customers may also visit shop.wilcon.com. ph for your home improvement needs.
For more information about Wilcon, visit www.wilcon.com.ph or follow their social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can also subscribe to and connect with them on Viber Community, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Suzuki Philippines, Jimny Hub celebrate spirit of adventure at JIMNYFEST 2025
SUZUKI Philippines reaffirmed its strong commitment to the Jimny community by supporting JIMNYFEST 2025, the largest gathering of Suzuki Jimny enthusiasts in the country. Organized by The Jimny Hub, the event took place from February 27 to March 1, 2025 at The Nest Resort and Campgrounds, bringing together a passionate community of adventurers, united by their love for the iconic Suzuki Jimny. More than just a festival, the event was a testament to the brand’s dedication to fostering camaraderie, adventure, and off-road excellence among Jimny owners and enthusiasts.
John Ongsiaco, President of The Jimny Hub and Rugged Rigs Performance, proudly announced that 180 Jimnys and nearly 500 attendees, including participants from the US, Japan, and Thailand, took part in the festival. The event kicked off with an exhilarating off-road trail at Calabasa River, Gabaldon, where the Jimny’s renowned 4x4 capabilities were put to the test. Following this adventure-filled start, the festival officially commenced with an opening ceremony attended by Palayan City Mayor
Vianne Cuevas and local tourism officials, further solidifying the event’s significance within the community.
Suzuki Philippines joined the festivities as a dedicated partner, showcasing its unwavering support for the Jimny community. During the second night’s Jimny Legends Awards Night, Yasuki Nakagawa, Assistant to the General Manager and Sales Department Head of Suzuki Philippines, addressed the crowd, emphasizing Suzuki’s deep-rooted connection with Jimny enthusiasts.
“Suzuki is honored to be part of this amazing event, celebrating the spirit of adventure and the unstoppable Jimny,” Nakagawa shared. “This year is particularly special as Suzuki Philippines celebrates its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of bringing quality mobility, innovation, and adventure to Filipinos.”
To further excite the community, Suzuki proudly introduced the Jimny Rhino Edition, designed for thrill-seekers who crave rugged performance and adventure-ready styling. As a special treat for attendees, Suzuki also offered an
IKYK Brand Launches at Shangri-La EDSA Hotel
THE highly anticipated launch of IKYK, a brand that has been in the making for five years, took place at the prestigious Shangri-La EDSA Hotel on February 28, 2025. The event was attended by media friends, business partners, and dedicated employees, all gathered to celebrate the fruition of Dr. Maja Reyes’ vision.
Dr. Maja Reyes, the President and founder of IKYK, shared her heartfelt excitement with the crowd as she reflected on the journey that brought her brand to life. “This is truly a dream come true,” Dr. Reyes said.
“IKYK represents the culmination of rigorous research, countless hours of hard work, and my unwavering belief in this brand. After five years of dedication, seeing it all come together tonight is indescribable.”
A special highlight of the evening was the announcement that actress Kylie Padilla would serve as IKYK’s official brand endorser. Dr. Reyes expressed her deep gratitude and excitement for this collaboration, noting that she had always envisioned Kylie as the perfect representation of the brand.
“Kylie’s advocacy for sustainable products aligns perfectly with the values of IKYK. always knew she was the one I wanted to represent this brand, and I’m thrilled that she agreed to be our ambassador,” Dr. Reyes shared. “A huge thanks to GMA for making this partnership a reality.”
The event was a visual spectacle, with captivating light dancers adding energy and excitement to the atmosphere.
As the crowd eagerly awaited, the unveiling of the IKYK brand was met with cheers and applause, marking the start of an exciting new chapter for the company.
Reyes and Kylie Padilla.
Guests were treated to a dynamic and memorable evening filled with presentations and celebrations, showcasing the core values of IKYK — sustainability, innovation, and empowerment. The brand’s commitment to these values is central to its mission, and Padilla’s support further reinforces the brand’s ethos. With a solid foundation built on these values, Dr. Reyes and her team are poised to take IKYK to new heights. The brand’s tagline, “No Fuss, Fast Skincare,” highlights its promise of delivering effective, hassle-free skincare solutions for today’s busy consumers.
As IKYK officially enters the market, the excitement surrounding the brand is palpable. The event celebrated the successful launch of IKYK and highlighted the dedication, collaboration, and hard work that went into bringing this dream to life. For more information on IKYK, visit [ikykbeautyph on Facebook and Instagram].
Discover Bold New Flavors with Seattle’s Best Coffee’s Exclusive Horchata Collection and cinnamon, blending the traditional essence of horchata with a modern twist.
GET ready for something truly special with Seattle’s Best Coffee’s exclusive Horchata Collection. This limited-edition lineup transforms the classic horchata, blending rich, authentic flavors with a bold modern twist. Perfect for taste adventurers and flavor seekers, the collection offers the ideal balance of tradition and innovation. Each sip delivers an unforgettable experience, combining comforting cinnamon and milk with a modern edge that will keep you coming back for more. Seattle’s Best Coffee has taken the trending horchata crafted with cinnamon and milk and redefined it for today’s adventurous tastes. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to this iconic drink, the Horchata Collection is the ultimate way to start 2025. Don’t miss your chance to experience this one-of-a-kind creation. Exclusivity has never tasted so good.
Features of the Seattle’s Best Coffee Horchata Collection include: Authentic and Bold Flavors: A perfect fusion of milk
exclusive promo for the Jimny 5-Door, further reinforcing its commitment to making Jimny ownership an accessible and rewarding experience.
The night was filled with excitement as the Jimny Legends Awards honored the best Jimny builds, featuring categories such as the BFGoodrich Best Overland Build, Motul Best Engine and Performance, and The Jimny Hub Choice Award. Additionally, the firstever Next Gen Award was introduced, recognizing the Best Jimny 5-Door build. The evening’s celebration, packed with awarding ceremonies and a grand raffle, culminated in a spectacular fireworks display, marking another milestone for the Jimny community. The three-day event also featured curated activities for the whole family, including test drives by Wheeltek, a DIY pizza-making demo by Oven Depot, and fun games and treats for the young Suzuki Safety Scouts.
Suzuki Philippines’ participation in JIMNYFEST 2025 reaffirms its unwavering support for The Jimny Hub and its mission to unite and expand the Jimny community. This strong partnership continues to open doors for exciting collaborations, events, and initiatives that celebrate the adventurous spirit of Jimny owners nationwide.
The success of JIMNYFEST 2025 was made possible through the invaluable support of co-presenters BFGoodrich and Motul, along with an outstanding lineup of partners and sponsors, including Front Runner, ARB, Rugged Rigs Performance, SR Performance, Aegis Detailing, Autoclinic, APIO Japan, IPF Lighting, Showa Garage, Bradley, RIVAL, Ridemax, Coleman, Toughdog, THOR, Outlast Battery, Hardrace, and Head & Shoulders. Their contributions helped create an unforgettable experience for the entire Jimny community.
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A new frontier for the Pokémon Series in late 2025: ‘Pokémon Legends: Z-A’
ANEVER-BEFORE-SEEN adventure awaits trainers in Lumiose City. The Pokémon Company is proud to announce the upcoming and newest Nintendo Switch software title “Pokémon Legends: Z-A” to be released in late 2025.
The story is set in Lumiose City, where an urban redevelopment plan is underway to shape the city into a place that belongs to both people and Pokémon. Compared to Lumiose City, as it appeared in the 2013 Pokémon X and Pokémon Y games, the place has more greenery now adorning the city, alongside facilities with a cutting-edge feel.
While visiting Lumiose City during travels, players are welcome to stay in an old hotel named Hotel Z. This hotel will serve as the base for trainers and the new friends they will meet in Lumiose as they tackle all sorts of incidents they will encounter in the city.
As part of Lumiose’s urban redevelopment plan, driven by a large corporation called Quasartico Inc., the city has been outfitted with “wild zones,” in an effort to help humans and Pokémon share the city. These areas are constructed using cutting-edge technology to give Pokémon places to live. Within the wild zones, players can battle Pokémon and catch them by throwing Poké Balls.
In previous titles in the Pokémon video game series, Pokémon took action once per turn. In “Pokémon Legends: Z-A,” trainers and their Pokémon will move around in real time during battles, and Pokémon will unleash their moves when their trainers command them to.
In addition to type matchups, there will be new gameplay mechanics to consider, such as the precise timing for swapping out your Pokémon or using moves, the different lengths of time moves will take to launch, and how big an area the moves will have an impact. This unprecedented style of Pokémon battling is one of the most thrilling parts of this title.
After arriving in Lumiose for some sightseeing, trainers can make new friends and tackle all sorts of incidents in the city. After arriving in Lumiose, certain events will lead trainers to befriend a Pokémon that will become their adventure partner, thus beginning their journey as Pokémon trainers.
Which Pokémon will you set off an adventure with: Chikorita, Tepig, or Totodile?
Trainers can make a friend who lives and works at Hotel Z, supporting the owner however they can. They may come on strong at times, but they like helping people and Pokémon.
They’re quite skilled at Pokémon battles, too. The appearance you choose at the beginning of the game will determine whether Urbain or Taunie will appear. AZ is a man who stands over nine feet tall. He’s the owner of Hotel Z and claims to be 3,000 years old. He quietly harbors
Zygarde is made up of a multitude of cell-like components, and it changes form depending on how many of these components have gathered together. Its brain is made up of the few existing Zygarde Cores, while the rest of its body is comprised of Zygarde Cells, which are far more plentiful. It seems to have taken a special interest in trainers... what could its connection to this story be? In Lumiose City, trainers sometimes see Pokémon undergo Mega Evolution—a kind of Evolution that transcends standard Evolution. Effectively using Mega Evolution will likely be your key to victory in Pokémon battles. Mega Evolution goes beyond the limits of regular Evolution. Only certain Pokémon can Mega Evolve. Doing so imparts power greater than regular Evolution by temporarily unleashing the energy hidden within the Pokémon. Pokémon change their appearance when they Mega Evolve, and certain Pokémon may even change types. When trainers have a strong bond with their Pokémon, a Key Stone worn by the trainer resonates with a Mega Stone held by their Pokémon, allowing Mega Evolution to take place. Eventually, trainers will wear a Mega Ring with a Key Stone embedded in it. Other trainers may wear their Key Stones in different ways. Get to know more of Pokémon Legends: Z-A by checking the video on this link: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=fguxEvHPRL8 For more information, please go to the official website: https://legends.pokemon.com/en-us/
DR. MAJA
www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Tet Andolong
Motoring
HERE COMES THE BYD SHARK 6 DMO ELECTRIFIED PICKUP
ONCE again, BYD Cars Philippines, a subsidiary of ACMobility, has shaken up another vehicle segment in the country. This time, it is the pickup segment with the official launch of the highly anticipated BYD Shark 6 DMO electrified truck. BYD claims the Shark 6 DMO will redefine the pickup experience with its advanced electrified powertrain, exceptional performance, and ecoconscious design.
“With
forward future. This model blends electrified performance and rugged design, making it the perfect blend of adventure and resilience,” said Bob Palanca, Managing Director, BYD Cars Philippines.
THE following is from Nathaniel C. Barretto of San Miguel Media Affairs Group, expressing the joint statement of concessionaires/operators on the reimplementation of cashless/ contactless Toll collection policy at the nation’s expressways:
“We, the toll concessionaires operating the country’s expressways, fully support the government’s initiative to reimplement the cashless/ contactless Toll collection policy through Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2024-001 issued by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and Toll
Regulatory Board (TRB).
“This policy plays a key role in easing traffic at toll plazas, improving safety and convenience for motorists, and optimizing expressway operations.
“Based on the latest data from the TRB, 97 percent of expressway users already use an Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) Device/RFID Sticker for toll payments. With the reimplementation of the cashless/contactless toll collection policy, we encourage the remaining 3 percent of motorists who still pay in cash to switch to RFID for a faster, more efficient and seamless toll experience.
“Getting an RFID is simple and hassle-free. Installation is free, with no maintaining balance or minimum load required. Reloading is also easy and accessible through customer service centers, kiosks, banks, e-wallets, and other payment platforms, making it more convenient to manage your account.
“To stay updated on transactions,
Ute in every sense but more techy OFFERED in Advanced and Premium variants, the newest electrified pickup is built upon the Cell-to-Chassis framework with its proprietary Blade Battery as an integral part of the vehicle’s ladder frame and safety structure. It provides enhanced rigidity and safety to the truck.
The main design highlight is the commanding front end, with the grille showcasing the pronounced brand logo. The LED headlights are framed with daytime running lights. The frame’s boxy silhouette is more prominent than today’s angular and bulging profiles. The twotone 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 265/65 R18 series tires are standard for both variants.
Intended for rough terrain and urban concretes, the electrified stands tall with a 230-mm ground clearance and a 700-mm wading depth. With a payload capacity of
we encourage motorists to update their contact details, including email and mobile number, to receive account notifications and monthly statements.
The official RFID mobile apps are also available for quick balance checks, reloading and toll calculations.
“As toll operators, we are committed to continuously improving our systems to provide safer, faster, and more convenient expressway travel for all.”
Any word from Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon?
HondaPro Jason
ANDREA Beatrice Vitug reports Honda’s successful event last weekend that featured the 1st Honda Meet Manila at The Filinvest Tent, Spectrum Piazza, Spectrum Midway in Muntinlupa City.
The event’s star was HondaPro Jason, a world-renowned expert that helps everyone stay #InTheKnow on different Honda Cars’ fun facts, technologies and models.
835 kg and a towing capacity of 2,500 kilograms, the BYD Shark 6 DMO, hauling gears, and cargo should not be an issue. The rear bed has a 220V (15A) outlet with V2L technology, delivering up to 22V/6kW electric current, enough to power tools and small appliances. Damping-wise, both front and rear have double wishbone suspension, a combination not typically found in pickups.
Inside, the cabin blends premium materials with a minimalist design approach. All sporty seats are leather-wrapped and accentuated by orange highlights. The front driver seat has a six-way poweradjustable and four-way lumbar support (Premium). The front seats’ heating and ventilation functions are also exclusive to the Premium trim. As for the rear seats, they are reclinable by 27 degrees for extra comfort and convenience, along with the available rear air-con vents, USB charging ports, and a 220V (15A) AC power outlet.
The center dash features a familiar 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen display that seamlessly integrates with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Both variants have an eight-speaker sound system, which provides an immersive audio experience and takes advantage of the cabin’s low noise, vehicle, and harshness figures.
DMO Technology
MOTIVATION comes from BYD’s revolutionary Dual Mode Off-road (DMO) technology. The system consists of a 29.6kWh BYD Blade
battery, a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine as an onboard generator, and a dual electric motor setup (front and rear). Combined power from both electric motors generates 429 hp and 650 N-m of torque, making the Shark 6 DMO one of the most powerful pickups in its class.
As an AWD (All-Wheel Drive) truck, thanks to front and rear electric motor propulsion, Eco, Normal, and Sport drive modes are available, along with multi-terrain modes like Sand and Mud, to adapt to various driving conditions and preferences.
“At BYD, we are dedicated to driving the future of mobility in the Philippines. The Shark 6 DMO is just the beginning of an exciting year as we continue to introduce groundbreaking products to the market. With our focus on cuttingedge, eco-friendly technology, we’re confident that these nextgeneration vehicles will redefine the driving experience and elevate the standards of the Philippine automotive industry,” said Aiffy Liu, Country Head of BYD Philippines.
Advanced safety
THE BYD Shark 6 DMO has many standard safety features, including Cruise Control, a 360-degree View Camera, Front and Rear Sensors, Vehicle Dynamic Control, Hill Hold Control, Hill Descent System, and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System. The Premium variant elevates safety further with Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure Warning, and a Heads-
Andrea adds: “Honda has partnered with Trap H to bring HondaPro Jason to Manila for the very first time. HondaPro Jason signed autographs and toured the venue to check out the different car entries. Also displayed was the MUGEN Civic Type R Group.A, last seen at the 9th Philippine International Motor Show. Test drives were also held on full hybrid models like the CR-V RS e:HEV E-CVT and the Civic RS e:HEV E-CVT, as well as the BR-V, City Hatchback, and City.”
New GR Yaris
THE New GR Yaris has been launched, backstopped by Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda’s belief that “roads build cars.” Akio said Toyota emphasizes motorsports as an important avenue to test the limits of a car’s performance. Thus, the new Yaris was born from the World Rally Championship.
Here is Allana Faith Rufo’s special on the New GR Yaris: “The New GR Yaris sports a bolder
and more aerodynamic exterior design, emphasizing its rally-bred heritage.
It comes with an 18-inch 225/40 aluminum-forged wheels and tires, LED headlights, daytime running lamps, and rear combination lamps, and a rear spoiler to further elevate its look.
“Under the hood, it is powered by a G16E-GTS: 3-cylinder, in-line, DOHC 4-valve Roller-Rocker engine that produces an improved max output of 280 PS and a max torque of 390 Nm. It has also adopted an upgraded drive mode select, as well as a new sub radiator and intercooler spray to provide additional cooling and increase the overall performance of the vehicle.
“The New GR Yaris comes in two variants—the new 1.6L Turbo A/T, which has an 8-speed direct shift automatic transmission with paddle shifters, and the 1.6L Turbo M/T with 6-speed intelligent manual transmission.
“Prices start at P3,391,000 for the
1.6L
Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino
THE BYD Shark 6 DMO (Premium) plug-in hybrid pickup in Deep Sea Blue color
UST, NU cage squads split UAAP Season 87 high school Finals series openers
and three assists for UST, with Sandra Abrantes chipped in 14 points and Katrina Insoy 12 points.
Marielle Avila led the Lady Bullpups with 15 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Aubrey Lapasaran was held to 13 points with seven rebounds, five steals and three assists.
Cartel finished with 14 points on 5 of 11 shooting with four rebounds for NUNS, which could also wrap up the series on Thursday.
“We’re
UST
Most Valuable Player
Barby Dajao had 25 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and five steals for UST, which continued to dominate NUNS this season—75-69 in the first round and 91-66 in the second round on the way to an eliminations sweep.
Rhiane Perez contributed 16 points, 12 rebounds, five steals and four assists and Lea Pinuela added 14 points, five rebounds, four steals
Senegalese forward Racine Kane kept the Tiger Cubs within striking distance with his three-point play, 72-68, but Cartel, an 18-year-old pride of Iloilo, delivered in the clutch for the Bullpups.
Cartel responded swiftly with a long two-pointer then set up Mac Alfanta for a crucial basket that extended NUNS’ lead to 76-70 with one minute and 41 seconds remaining.
NUNS never looked back from there.
Collins Akowe finished with a double-double of 24 points and 22 rebounds, while Alfanta, despite struggling offensively with 14 points, made seven rebounds, four assists and two steals for NUNS.
Racine Kane had 25 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, Koji Buenaflor contributed 15 points and seven rebounds and Carl Manding added 12 points for UST.
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas Katrina Insoy protects the ball from National University Nazareth School’s Rebekkah Pascua.
Que beats Faldo, Guido for record PGT victory
ANGELO QUE kicked off his the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) campaign in record fashion—he won wire-to-wire at Pradera Verde two weeks ago and on Thursday came from behind to clinch the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Eagle Ridge Championship in General Trias, Cavite. Que capped a remarkable fightback with a closing 70 to nip Guido van der Valk by two strokes at the Faldo course to become the first player to win both opening legs of a PGT season.
“It feels great,” said Que, the weight of history settling in. “At first, I didn’t think I could do it, especially after that rough opening round—a 77. But in the second round, I found my rhythm, made three key birdies and, suddenly, I was back in contention.”
Back-to-back birdies from No. 9 tied with van der Valk at two-under overall to set the stage for an intense last eight holes. But what unfolded
was less of a shootout and more of a battle of strategy and composure on a course that tested every shot from tee to green.
While van der Valk endured a rollercoaster run of bogey and birdie over the next four holes, Que took a more measured approach, prioritizing consistency and settling for pars instead of taking unnecessary risks.
His patience paid off.
Que maintained his steady play through the remaining holes and van der Valk faltered with costly bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16 to effectively hand Que a smooth path to victory.
He closed with a pair of 35s for a fourday total of five-over 293 worth P360,000.
Driving and putting, he said, were key to his victory.
“I drove the ball really well all week, barely missing fairways. Even when I did, I was still in play, never in real trouble,” Que said. “But the real difference came on the greens. I
holed some crucial putts coming in—on Nos. 15, 16, and 17.”
He added: “Had I missed any of those, Guido and I would have been neck and neck, and the pressure on the last hole would’ve been immense.”
Van der Valk, a familiar competitor, ha played well throughout.
“I’ve played against him a lot, and I know how good he is,” Que said. “To beat him, I had to play even better. Unfortunately for him, he made some late bogeys, but we were head-to-head from start to finish.”
It all came down to those final holes—sinking the putts on 16th and 17th secured a two-shot lead heading into the 18th, an advantage that made all the difference.
“Regardless of whether the course is easy or challenging, having a two-shot lead allows you to swing more freely, easing some of the pressure,” said Que, who credited his wife, Tracy, and family for his achievement, as well as Bong Lopez, his coach of 28 years.
By Josef Ramos
“TNT’s playing the underdog card and that’s one way to approach this, but they won the last two series against us,” said Cone, whose Ginebra are 2-3 in Finals duels with TNT and having lost back-to-back in the Governors’ Cup championship series.
“It’s hard to see if we’re the favorite when we lost the last two series,” Cone said. “But we do not really care. We will just go out
Mthere and do our best.” Tip off is at 7:30 with Ginebra’s resident import Justin Brownlee and spunky rookie guard RJ Abarrientos targeting results that would go their way.
“Hopefully, the third time, what they say is three’s a charm, hopefully it will,” said the 36-yearold Brownlee. “But it’s going to be a hard battle for us. They played very well in the past two Finals, but hopefully we can get a different outcome this time.” Brownlee, Ginebra’s import since 2016, was lethal in their semifinals against NorthPoirt where he averaged 18 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists despite dabbling for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
BusinessMirror learned that he suffered an asthma attack a few days
Van der Valk, who had also led in The Country Club Invitational last January before losing in a playoff to Korean Minwook Gwon, finished with a 74, securing another runner-up finish at 295 and earning P236,000.
Clyde Mondilla
staged an impressive comeback, trimming a five-stroke deficit to just one after a fourunder card through No. 14. But a disastrous double bogey on the par-three 17th dashed his hopes, leaving him with a closing 70 and a third-place finish at 296, worth P136,000.
Lloyd Go, who started the final round tied with Que, struggled throughout the day. He endured two bogeys in a birdieless 74, finishing fourth at 297.
Sean Ramos, only one stroke behind the leader after 54 holes, crumbled under final-round pressure—bogeys on his first three holes and four more dropped strokes in the last 11 led to a disappointing 79, pushing him down to fifth place at 301.
Albin Engino rallied with a 74 to finish tied for sixth at 303 alongside Tony Lascuña and Jeffren Lumbo, who carded 75 and 77, respectively. Chon Koo Kang shot a 74 to share ninth place with Russell Bautista, who closed with a 75, both finishing at 304.
Que’s path to victory wasn’t easy. After an opening-round 77 left him tied for 16th, he remained undeterred. Drawing on his experience, poise and strategic play, he steadily worked his way up the leaderboard with rounds of 74 and 72.
Pilipinas (SBP) partnered with Strong Group Athletics (SGA) in support of Gilas Pilipinas Women’s 3x3 and Gilas Pilipinas Women’s U23 3x3. The partnership aims to provide the women’s 3x3 teams the support they need to train and compete locally and internationally this year.
“We’re happy for the support of Strong Group Athletics,” SBP Executive Director Erika Dy said. “They’ve been an ally in promoting and supporting women’s sports and we’re
Ginebra-TNT in Game 1:
ago but is up and about for Game 1. Abbarientos?
“It is going to be a tough one, but this time we will not lose again,” said the rookie who racked up 14.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists in their five games in the semifinals.
“It’s a different aura and we’re confident we’ll get a different result.”
Chot Reyes, after coming out smoking from a semifinals series with Rain or Shine also in five games, said they’re not the same team that beat the Gin Kings twice in the Governors’ Cup.
“We have to fill out a lot of things, but Ginebra is a favored team here so we have to try our best,” Reyes said.
Old reliable Jayson Castro is out with a patella injury.
Reyes has Rondae HollisJefferson to rely on though with
the all-around import bringing into the semifinals averages of 28.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.2 blocks.
Ginebra is eyeing its 16th title since joining the league in 1979 while TNTis after its
11th championship.
Jamie Malonzo and Troy Rosario, who’s dealing with a minor knee injury, are key to Cone’s game plan along with Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, Stephen Holt and Ralph Cu.
SAMAHANG Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Erika Dy (center) and Strong Group Athletics president Jacob Lao with members of the national women’s 3x3 team.
REP. Eric Buhain’s cementing a legacy.
ANGELO QUE is the first player to win both opening legs of a Philippine Golf Tour season. BERNARD TESTA
PEZA
PHILIPPINE ECONOMIC ZONE AUTHORITY
Editor: Francine Medina | Project Manager: Maynard D. Moises
A BusinessMirror Special Feature
CELEBRATING THE GAINS OF INVESTING IN THE GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE ECONOMIC ZONES AND TALENTED FILIPINO WORKERS
PEZA investment increases to PhP 52.93 billion; boon to 2025 Growth Target
The approval of 39 new and expansion projects for this period also recorded a 39.29% rise from that of last year. Additionally, employment saw an impressive 209.02% surge, with 11,063 direct Filipino jobs expected to be created
PASAY City – On track to achieving its target of a 9-10% investment growth this year, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) recorded an outstanding PhP 52.933 billion in investments following the board meeting on February 20, 2025 at the PEZA Head Office.
PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga stated, “PEZA’s rising investments reflect its dedication to supporting various sectors and propelling the country’s economic progress. By attracting projects from priority industries—such as emerging technologies in the EMSSMS sector—and fostering strategic collaborations with the pharmaceutical industry among others, PEZA continues to draw investments that stimulate regional economic growth and advance the nation’s industrial landscape.”
Trade Secretary and PEZA Board Chairman Cristina Aldeguer-Roque likewise highlighted the role of the CREATE MORE Act in this performance. She said, “The CREATE MORE Act is a game changer in the entry of foreign [direct] investments into the country [which] encourages more international investors to come given the longer set incentives being offered.”
Year-on-Year Performance
From January to February alone, the Agency achieved a staggering 337.58% increase in investment approvals, reaching PhP 52.933 billion as compared to PhP 12.097 billion in the same period in 2024.
The approval of 39 new and expansion projects for this period also recorded a 39.29% rise from that of last year. Additionally, employment saw an impressive 209.02% surge, with 11,063 direct Filipino jobs expected to be created.
Notably, PEZA saw an increase in investments from domestic market enterprises (DME), injecting PhP 37.972 Billion or 71%
of the total investments approved for Jan-Feb 2025. Since 2024, PEZA already approved 15 DME projects injecting more than PhP 130 Billion investments. Three of these projects are expected to enjoy longer set of incentives for its above PhP 15 Billion investments.
“This remarkable upswing reflects our continuous efforts through various foreign investment missions, with more initiatives from diverse industries planned for the rest of the year. Despite geopolitical challenges, these results underscore the Agency’s pivotal role in advancing the country’s economic resilience through sustained job creation, increased exports, and enhanced investment attraction—key factors in accelerating the nation’s economic development,” expressed DG Panga.
February 2025
Board Approvals
In the latest board meeting, the PEZA Board approved 26 new and expansion projects, anticipated to attract PHP 22.777 billion in investments, generate US$ 241.787 million in exports, and create 7,793 direct jobs. These projects encompass various type of industries, including nine export manufacturing, eight IT-BPM projects, three domestic market projects, two facilities development initiatives, and four ecozone developments. Strategically distributed across Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Central Luzon, Central and Western Visayas, Ilocos Region, and Davao Region, these investments aim to drive regional competitiveness and development.
PEZA AT WORK. (Topmost photo) Director General Tereso Panga presides a meeting attended by board members and stakeholders (photo above).
| PHOTOS COURTESY OF PEZA.
Philippine Economic
C2 Friday, March 14, 2025 | www.businessmirror.com.ph
Filinvest Innovation Parks: Dynamic ground for sustainable business growth
Strategically located in two of the country’s most business-friendly environments, Filinvest Innovation Parks provide a
environment, ensuring tax incentives, ease of doing business, and infrastructure readiness that multinational
FILINVEST
Innovation Parks (FIP), the industrial arm of Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) provides state-ofthe-art facilities and strategically located industrial estates in the Philippines. Designed for growthoriented businesses in logistics, manufacturing, and tech-driven industries, FIP offers high-quality infrastructure and flexible leasing options, including Ready-Built Factories (RBFs) and customizable lots.
With flagship developments in New Clark City (120 hectares) and Ciudad de Calamba (25 hectares), FIP is a trusted partner for local and international enterprises, delivering sustainable environments that promote innovation, operational efficiency, and business expansion. Situated in key locations within master-planned estates, FIP provides enterprises access to seamless connectivity, robust utility support, and proximity to economic hubs, enabling clients to thrive in a dynamic marketplace.
Thriving Ecosystem for Global Businesses
Strategically located in two of the country’s most business-friendly environments, Filinvest Innovation Parks provide a PEZA-registered environment, ensuring tax incentives, ease of doing business, and infrastructure readiness that multinational companies require.
FIP’s industrial
and
A
in plastic packaging
tions, ALPLA’s presence in FIPCiudad de Calamba reflects its confidence in the park’s logistics network and business-friendly environment.
n Astra Visteon. A key player in automotive electronics, Astra Visteon has chosen FIP to support its growing operations, benefiting from the park’s seamless integration with transport infrastructure and supply chain networks.
Future-Ready Industrial Landscape Filinvest Innovation Parks offer more than just industrial spaces; they provide an ecosystem for business growth, featuring: n Prime Industrial Locations. FIP-NCC’s proximity to
and Business Support. Companies operating in FIP benefit from duty-free imports, income tax holidays, and streamlined business processes, making it a competitive choice for foreign investors.
n Sustainability and Innovation. With a focus on green infrastructure and environmental compliance, FIP
Commitment
Zone Authority
Power to the Philippine Workforce: PEZA and TESDA Forge Strategic Partnership
Through the MOU, PEZA and TESDA will administer skills surveys, customize training modules, and facilitate job matching for workers, including OFWs. They will also collaborate on developing job matching systems and industry immersion programs for TESDA trainers.
PASAY CITY – The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further strengthen the Philippine workforce in response to the dynamic needs of a rapidly-evolving economy.
PEZA Director General
Tereso O. Panga and TESDA Director General Secretary
Jose Francisco B. Benitez led the ceremonial signing last 22 January 2025 held at the PEZA Head Office.
The event was witnessed by officials from both agencies and representatives from PEZA-registered locator companies.
This collaboration combines the expertise of PEZA and TESDA to better align skills training with industry demands, fostering a globally competitive workforce that will drive economic growth and attract investments. A particular focus of the partnership is skills development and job matching, including integrating Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) into the local labor market.
PEZA Director General Panga emphasized the value of collaboration, recognizing Filipino workers as one of the Philippines’ greatest assets.
“Our workers, including Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), are highly sought after worldwide. This partnership with TESDA
ensures their skills align with the evolving needs of industries locally and abroad,” Panga said. Similarly, TESDA Secretary Benitez underscored the importance of skills training in sustaining economic growth, particularly in sectors crucial to the country’s economic zones.
“This MOU addresses the need for a stronger, more capable workforce across the country,” he said, highlighting the potential of the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) program to provide industry-focused, hands-on training for job readiness.
Bridging the Skills Gap for a Future-Ready Workforce Through the MOU, PEZA and TESDA will administer skills surveys, customize training modules, and facilitate job matching for workers, including OFWs. They will also collaborate on developing job matching systems and industry immersion programs for TESDA trainers.
IMPACTFUL COLLABORATION. The signatories at the MOU signing. From left: TESDA
Deputy Director Felizardo R. Colambo, TESDA Deputy Director Vidal D. Villanueva III, TESDA Deputy Director Nelly Nita N. Dillera, TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco B. Benitez, PEZA Director Tereso O. Panga, PEZA Deputy Director for Policy and Planning Anidelle
Joy M. Alguso, and PEZA Deputy Director for Finance and Administration Maria Veronica F. Magsino | PHOTOS COURTESY OF PEZA.
MEETING OF MINDS. PEZA and TESDA officers exchange insights during the roundtable discussion. | PHOTOS COURTESY OF PEZA.
PEZA
PHILIPPINE ECONOMIC ZONE AUTHORITY
Concentrix Acquires BlinkCX in the Philippines
By incorporating BlinkCX, this strategic acquisition highlights Concentrix’s ongoing commitment to bold investments in transforming the technology and services industry in the Philippines
CONCENTRIX Corporation, a global technology solutions and services leader, announced that it has acquired BlinkCX, a tech-driven Customer Experience (CX) consulting company based in the Philippines.
This acquisition strengthens Concentrix’s leadership in the industry, and expands both its operating team as well as its clients served in the country.
According to Concentrix Philippines EVP and Chief Business Officer Amit Jagga, “We’re thrilled to welcome BlinkCX into the Concentrix Philippines family. BlinkCX’s expertise in technology platforms and tools, experience management,
as well as data-driven insights will play a key role in accelerating Concentrix’s growth and enhancing partnerships with local clients.
"The integration of BlinkCX’s team of data analysts, strategy consultants, and project managers expands our capability to deliver transformative outcomes and explore new opportunities for growth right here in the country. It’s a mark of our ongoing commitment
to invest here, and to demonstrate that the Philippines delivers worldclass, superior services!”
Additionally, BlinkCX brings established partnerships with key technology providers that will further strengthen Concentrix’s capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and analytics.
By incorporating BlinkCX, this
strategic acquisition highlights Concentrix’s ongoing commitment to bold investments in transforming the technology and services industry in the Philippines. Concentrix integrated the BlinkCX workforce including leadership counterparts and founders Alex Benavidez, Darwin Jacquez and Kevin Rotairo.
“After 18 years of operating in the country, we’re very proud of this deal that allows us to continue supporting Filipino talent and the local economy, win new business, deliver innovative and comprehensive services, and deepen Philippine client relationships. I’m confident that this next chapter will bring further growth and success in our journey!” Amit said.
“PEZA’s success stories are rooted in our world-class, English-proficient, and highly skilled workforce,” Panga said. “Our workers’ global competitiveness continues to attract investments in manufacturing and services.”
TESDA Secretary Benitez echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the MOU’s focus
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP. From left: Kevin Rotairo, BlinkCX CTO; Aldrin Dulig, Concentrix PH VP for Finance; Amit Jagga, Concentrix PH EVP and Chief Business Officer; Alex Benavidez, BlinkCX President and CEO; Darwin Jacquez, BlinkCX COO; Claire Alfonso, Concentrix PH Group Vice President for Client Success. PHOTO COURTESY OF CONCENTRIX.
