BANKS TO KEEP LENDING NORMS
IN Q2–BSP POLL
By Andrea E. San Juan
MOST banks in the Philippines expect to maintain their existing lending standards in the second quarter of 2026, meaning credit expansion is likely to continue supporting the Philippine economy amid the global impact of the Middle East conflict, the latest quarterly Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Senior Bank Loan Officers’ Survey (SLOS) showed.
Results of the latest SLOS noted that most banks are likely to apply the same standards they have been using in assessing loan applications for both businesses and households.
On loans to businesses, the survey showed that 61.5 percent of respondent banks expect credit standards to be unchanged in the second quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, 30.8 percent expect to tighten standards and 7.7 percent of banks expect to ease in April to June of this year.
During the previous quarterly survey or in the first quarter of 2026, BSP noted that 71.2 percent
expected to maintain their lending standards for enterprises, 26.9 percent expected to tighten, and 1.9 percent expected to ease in the first quarter of 2026.
On loans to households, 65.7 percent of banks expect to keep their standards unchanged in the second quarter of 2026. This is higher than the 28.6 percent that expect to tighten and 5.7 percent that expect to ease, the central bank’s survey noted.
During the previous quarterly survey or in the first quarter of 2026, there were 77.8 percent that expected to keep their credit
‘Cost crunch puts firms, workers on same side’
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio
EMPLOYERS and workers are carrying “legitimate burdens” as rising costs ripple through the economy, some business groups said, underscoring a shared pressure point as Labor Day discussions turn to wages and job stability.
Current wage petitions are seeking increases of P200 to P845, which would raise the daily minimum wage from P695 to between P895 and P1,500. (See: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2026/04/29/ petitions-seeking-wage-hike-in-metro-manila-now-at-16/)
According to the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), higher fuel, logistics, and input costs are squeezing margins across industries, with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) facing the tightest constraints.
nies recognize the need to support workers grappling with higher living expenses, but warned that the current environment complicates decisions on wage increases.
“If wage adjustments are approved, there could be some upward pressure on prices and potential impact on hiring, especially for smaller firms operating on thin margins,” Lim said in a message on Friday.
For him, the challenge is to strike a balance—protecting workers while giving firms enough flexibility to absorb higher labor costs.
Further, improving productivity, easing the cost of doing business and keeping inflation in check were his listed keys to sustaining wage growth over time.
Retail’s concerns THE retail sector also flagged similar concerns, citing both weakening consumer spending and rising operating costs as pressures affecting business viability.
Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) chairman Roberto Claudio Sr. said on Friday that retailers are being squeezed on multiple fronts, including the ongoing Middle East tensions and their impact on energy and logistics costs.
“The retail industry is not only suffering from reduced consumer consumption but also a rising cost
of doing business due to this Middle East crisis and its effect on the viability of most businesses,” Claudio told BusinessMirror in a message. He warned that any further increases in business costs, including potential wage adjustments, could directly affect the survival of some retail segments.
“Any further increases in cost of doing business, especially any wage adjustments, will definitely redound to survival of some business categories in the retail sector,” the PRA head said.
“The industry will have no choice but to look for ways to mitigate these cost increases. Any wage increase at this time will force retailers to cut down on manpower and other operational costs,” he added.
The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), for its part, said manufacturers are trying to absorb
By Joel C. Paredes
ALONG the murky banks of the Estero de San Miguel, “home” once meant wood and scrap— patched roofs, narrow walkways, and floors that flooded when the tide pushed back through Manila’s waterways. For years, families lived braced for the next downpour and alert to the next notice telling them to leave.
Now—26 years after the eviction notices that pushed them to organize as a community—those same 137 families are preparing to move into San Miguel de Manila Residences, an in-city housing project so close to Malacañang Palace the distance can be measured in minutes.
By Henry Empeño
SHANTIES along the San Miguel Estero await demolition; the area is scheduled for clearing once residents have transitioned to
After 26-year wait, estero families walk to home near Malacañang
from Homeowners
It is a relocation, yes, but not the usual kind: it is the outcome of a community-led “People’s Plan” that survived multiple administrations and kept the promise of staying in the city—near the seat of power where their struggle first began to feel official.
I first heard about these families during my brief stint in government, when I spent most days in and out of Malacañang. When I returned years later to document their transfer, I found no confrontation—only boxes, plastic bags of clothes, and the careful excitement of people preparing to move, still together and still counting heads.
For decades, Aida Pagacpac, 54, said their homes pressed close to the water—built for survival in a typical “danger zone.” When the tide rose, floors flooded; when storms arrived, sleep became a calculation.
In 2000, an eviction mandate threatened to displace hundreds
of families living along waterways tagged as “danger zones”—communities that trace their presence in the area back to the 1950s. That was when Urban Poor Associates (UPA), a Manilabased NGO, entered the picture. “They asked us what we wanted,” Pagacpac recalled. “We were afraid of eviction. So we asked them to help give us a house.”
What followed was years of organizing—verifying names, attending meetings, and assembling paperwork that had to be right because repeating the process could take another year.
The residents formed a homeowners’ association—eventually named for the late Interior and Local Government secretary Jesse M. Robredo, who visited to see their living conditions for himself.
The “People’s Plan” ROBREDO later certified their “People’s Plan,” a participatory approach that allowed communities
HAPPY UPDATE
SHFC ends uncertainty for Manila estero families with 4PH housing turnover
AFTER years of waiting and perseverance, members of the Jesse M. Robredo Village (JMRV)
Homeowners’ Association, Inc. officially moved into their new homes under a Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) housing project in Manila on April 30.
Located in Barangay San Miguel, the San Miguel de Manila Residences is a High-Density Housing Program under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. The project aims to benefit more than 170 families previously living along Estero de San Miguel in Quiapo, San Sebastian, and P. Casal.
The ceremonial turnover of the initial 35 housing units was led by SHFC President and CEO Federico Laxa, alongside Resettlement Services Vice President Bob Flores and SHFC Board Director Ronald Barcena. They were joined by Urban Poor Associates (UPA) Executive Director Alicia Murphy and Barangay 412 Chairman Raymond Ramiliano. The event also featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony and house blessing, marking the official move-in of member-beneficiaries
This milestone underscores SHFC’s commitment to fast-tracking socialized housing and providing affordable, safe, and dignified homes for Filipino families, in support of the national housing agenda, implemented by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development led by Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling.
UPA Executive Director Murphy and Barangay 412 Chairman Ramiliano also expressed their support for the homeowners’ association.
Aside from San Miguel de Manila Residences, the SHFC is implementing other vertical 4PH developments, including Crystal Peak Estates in San Fernando City, Pampanga; People’s Ville in Davao City; Valley View Township in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental; Tandikan Ville in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; and Pascualer 7 and 10 in Quezon City.
old San Miguel area near Mendiola and Malacañang. Over time, the allocation for construction grew to a reported P350 million.
Construction later ran into a problem you can’t negotiate with: Manila’s soft soil. Contractors found the site needed deep piling—about 23 meters—to carry the structure safely. The first contractor backed out, worried the budget might not hold.
SHFC President and CEO Federico A. Laxa later secured a replacement contractor to finish the buildings. The project is now being carried under the government’s broader housing push, including the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program.
Pagacpac, who eventually became president of the homeowners’ association, said they chose for the “high density housing” the Social Housing Finance Corp. because they had seen its “standard” projects withstand natural calamities.
Forced to become “squatters”
PAGACPAC’S own story runs beside the project’s. She arrived in the 1980s after a storm wiped out livelihoods back home in Eastern Samar.
Her husband, Juanito Enderio, a tricycle driver, died in 1999. She sells vegetables, watches the monthly bills, and absorbs the pressure when rumors spread. “It’s hard to be a leader,” she said. “You spend all your time to achieve success.”
The wait shows most clearly in the women who raised families beside the estero.
in so-called danger zones—often along waterways—to propose, defend, and manage an in-city or near-city housing solution instead of being shipped out to distant relocation sites.
The project gained momentum during the administration of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, when funds were set aside to move families from waterways into incity or near-city medium-rise housing. The association followed up with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), with UPA helping navigate the process.
They received an initial P50 million to start. After searching for a viable site, the community identified a 2,360-square-meter lot in the
Abigail Busa, 30, told me she has lived there “since birth.” She works at a hardware store and shares a crowded household with extended family. “We were forced to move because of the flood,” she said. “There was no assurance... that we would be happy.” But after seeing their new home, she concluded, “It’s better. So, I’m happy.”
Anastacia Cayanga, 78, has been near the estero since 1975, after another community’s demolition pushed her family to the water’s edge. “Because my husband is gone, I’m the only one left,” she said. Asked about life by the water, she was plain: “It’s a mess.” Asked how she feels about moving to a safer place, she added, “Yes, we’re happy.”
Their new address is close enough to Malacañang that the change can be counted in footsteps. Pagacpac measures it another way: by how many families arrive there together—and how many nights they finally sleep without fear of eviction.
Swiss challenge...
Information posted on the website of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center of the Philippines last Monday, April 27, showed the SBMA received Cerberus’s unsolicited proposal for the SBIA project on March 26 last year.
The project includes the upgrade, expansion, operation and maintenance of the Subic airport within a concession period of 25 years, which is open to extension. The airport will eventually be turned over to the SBMA after the concession period.
Following detailed evaluation of the Cerberus proposal, the SBMA said it granted Cerberus the original proponent status (OPS) for the project. At the same time, it subjected said proposal for comparative challenge in accordance with RA 11966, or the Public-Private Partnership Code of the Philippines.
The comparative challenge will be a single-stage bidding process, SBMA said. Each challenger will submit three envelopes respectively containing qualification documents, technical proposal, and financial qualifications to the SBMA PreQualification/Qualifications, Bids, and Awards Committee (PBAC).
The SBMA PBAC will then sift through challengers who meet all qualification requirements to determine who can join in the opening of technical proposals. Those deemed compliant in the second stage will thereafter participate in the opening of the financial proposals.
The proponent with the highest base concession fee for the first year of the contract will be declared as the challenger with the most superior comparative proposal, the SBMA added.
rising costs while keeping jobs intact, even as demand softens under the same pressures.
‘Compounding shocks’ IN a statement, FPI chairperson Elizabeth Lee said the current environment reflects “compounding shocks,” driven in part by higher energy and commodity prices linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
“Manufacturers are absorbing these pressures to the best of their ability—and with it, safeguarding jobs—even as demand softens precisely because of the same crisis weighing on businesses,” Lee said on Friday, noting that smaller firms have less capacity to endure prolonged strain.
Companies, she added, are being pushed into defensive measures, including cutting back costs and conserving resources, as they try to keep operations running. She cited industry groups pointing to logistics costs, which now account for an estimated 25 to 30 percent of total product value, alongside rising fuel and power prices that continue to drive up input costs across sectors such as food, plastics, and fertilizers.
Lee pointed to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards as the appropriate venue to reconcile competing pressures, emphasizing that wage setting should consider both worker welfare and business viability.
“The challenge before all of us now is to hold the economy steady—to protect employment, sustain business operations, and prevent the kind of economic instability that would ultimately harm the very workers we all seek to protect,” Lee said.
However, the Swiss challenge would also allow Cerberus to match or better the financial proposal of the most superior challenger within 30 days, the SBMA clarified.
“In case the SBMA PBAC determines the financial proposal of the original proponent to be superior or more advantageous to the government, or in case there is no challenger, the PPP contract shall be awarded to the original proponent,” the SBMA also said. The Subic agency required a nonrefundable participation fee of P1.4 million or US$23,333.33 for challengers, and set the submission of comparative proposals on or before 2:00 p.m. of August 17, 2026. It also reserved the right to accept or reject any application or proposal at its discretion, annul the comparative challenge, or reject all proposals without liability for any associated costs. The SBMA said the airport development project primarily aims to transform the SBIA into a modern, efficient, and high-capacity international cargo hub that will serve the Luzon region.
The Subic airport was commissioned by the US Navy as the Naval Air Station Cubi Point in 1956. Following the Subic turnover in 1991, the SBMA upgraded the airport runway, built a US$ 12.6-million passenger terminal, and equipped the renamed SBIA with systems on a par with international standards.
The airport, which once served as the AsiaOne hub of the courier giant FedEx from 1995 until the company relocated to Guangzhou, China in 2009, is being marketed by the SBMA as ideally positioned within Asia’s fastest growing passenger and cargo routes.
standards unchanged,16.7 percent that expected to tighten, and 5.6 percent that expected to ease.
Loan demand in Q2 MEANTIME, banks were also asked about their expectations for loan demand from enterprises and households for the second quarter of 2026.
“Specifically, 53.8 percent of banks said they expect loan demand from businesses to stay the same, higher than the 34.6 percent that expect loan demand to increase and the 11.5 percent that expect it to decrease,” the central bank’s survey noted.
Results also showed that 52.9 percent of banks expect loan demand from households to stay the same, higher than the 23.5 percent that expect it to increase, and the 23.5 percent that expect it to decrease.
According to the BSP, lending standards refer to the rules banks use when giving loans—like interest rates, loan size, collateral, loan conditions, and repayment terms.
On April 15, the BSP issued a statement saying it is extending regulatory relief measures to BSPsupervised financial institutions (BSFIs) and their clients, in response to recent geopolitical developments in the Middle East, which have contributed to rising energy prices and supply constraints.
Approved under Monetary Board Resolution No. 296 dated April 8,2026, the relief measures aim to support lending activity and borrower recovery.
“These measures include, among others, the grant of temporary grace periods of up to six months for loan payments of affected borrowers, and the deferment of agricultural loan payments for up to one year, subject to bank assessment,” the BSP noted. Loans to affected borrowers may also be temporarily excluded from past due and non-performing loan classifications for up to one year, subject to applicable notification and reporting requirements, the central bank added.
INFORMAL settlers receive an orientation
Association leaders prior to their relocation to the San Miguel de Manila Residences.
www.businessmirror.com.ph
BARMM investments hit ₧5.1B, breach 2025 total
By Manuel T. Cayon
DAVAO CITY—Approved in -
vestments in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) reached P5.1 billion going midway into the second quarter, a figure that already exceeded last year’s total of P5 billion. BARMM officials described it as indicating sustained investor confidence.
Data from the Bangsamoro Board of Investments (BBOI) show that the investments were expected to generate 2,583 jobs for Bangsamoro constituents.
During its third regular board meeting on April 30, the BBOI approved six new investment projects worth P2.6 billion, which are projected to create 1,657 jobs. Among the newly-approved projects were on health and wellness and tourism-related facilities in Cotabato City, with combined investment of P177 million. These facilities were expected to hire 69 persons.
The board also approved several agriculture and agribusiness projects across BARMM provinces, among them a P167-million project in central Mindanao which will hire 113 persons, a P58-million project in the same mainland area that will employ 143 workers, and a P2.2-billion investment in an island province that will generate 1,330 jobs.
The BBOI said it approved earlier in the first quarter P2.4 billion worth of investments and 930 jobs in the region.
BBOI Chairman Mohamad Omar Pasigan said the continued rise in investments reflected the growing trust of the business community in the Bangsamoro government.
“We are not just counting investments, we are counting the jobs and livelihood opportunities that reach every family across our provinces,” Pasigan said.
Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro Ministry of Labor and Employment in Tawi-Tawi partnered with the Public Employment Service Office of Tawi-Tawi to offer 500 local and overseas jobs in a one-day job fair on April 30 at the Datu Amirbahar Jaafar Convention Center in the capital town of Bongao. The jobs fair drew close to 1,000 job seekers.
The MOLE provincial office said it also opened applications for the Special Program for Employment of Bangsamoro Students and Youth (SPEBSY), which supports deserving students, out-ofschool youth, and dependents of displaced workers.
The Bangsamoro Information Office quoted one Analyn J. Sibba, 23, who was hired on the spot, said the job fair helped people like her who were struggling to find employment.
Japan-Bohol charter flight set May 2
CEBU CITY — A chartered direct flight from Japan to Bohol is set to arrive on May 2, signaling a significant push toward establishing regular international air links between Japan and the Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA).
In an official statement, Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado confirmed that the flight will be operated by Cebu Pacific in partnership with tourism stakeholders from both Bohol and Japan, along with the Department of Tourism. Flight 5J8811 is scheduled to depart from Narita and land in Bohol at 3:35 p.m. on May 2. The return flight, 5J8812, is set for May 6. Aumentado attributed the development to the province’s business and tourism mission to Japan in September 2025, which aimed to strengthen global tourism partnerships and expand market reach.
“Bunga kini sa atong gipahigayon nga business and tourism mission didto sa Japan niadtong Setyembre 2025, diin atong gihingusgan ang atong strategic efforts aron mapalig-on ang atong global tourism partnerships ug mapalapdan ang atong market reach [This is a result of our business and tourism mission to Japan in September 2025, where we worked to strengthen our global tourism partnerships and expand our market reach],” he said.
The governor described the chartered flight as a key step toward making direct Japan-Bohol routes a permanent fixture at BPIA.
“ This is an important step in strengthening our plan to make direct flights from Japan to the Bohol-Panglao International Airport a regular service. Through
See “Japan-Bohol,” A4
Singapore, Philippines ink first bilateral carbon credits pact under Paris Agreement
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
SINGAPORE and the Philippines have signed a landmark Implementation Agreement on carbon credits cooperation, the country’s first under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry announced.
The signing was held between Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of trade relations Grace Fu and Philippine Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna during Asean Climate Week in Manila on April 30, 2026.
The accord establishes a legally binding framework for the generation and transfer of high-integrity carbon credits, aligning Singapore’s corporate offsetting system with the Philippines’ sustainable development priorities.
Under the deal, authorized credits may be used by companies to offset up to 5 percent of taxable emissions under Singapore’s
International Carbon Credits framework.
Singapore’s Minister Fu said the agreement would “deepen collaboration between our two countries, channel climate finance towards impactful projects in the Philippines and unlock new opportunities in carbon markets for businesses and local communities.”
DENR Secretary Cuna described the pact as a “strategic decision grounded in national priorities, development aspirations, and commitment to global climate action,” noting that it capped rigorous technical work and reflected trust and transparency between the two governments.
Key provisions
n Local benefit: Five percent of proceeds from authorized credits will be directed to climate adaptation measures in the Philippines.
n Global reduction: Two percent of credits will be canceled to ensure net emission cuts beyond national targets.
n Compliance: Credits may be applied toward Nationally Determined Contributions and international aviation requirements under CORSIA.
The Philippines’ agreement with Singapore marks its entry into bilateral carbon market cooperation.
Singapore, meanwhile, has already concluded similar Implementation Agreements with Papua New Guinea, Ghana, Bhutan, Peru, Chile, Rwanda, Paraguay, Thailand, Vietnam, and Mongolia.
These deals position Singapore as a regional hub for carbon trading and underscore Asean’s growing role in operationalizing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
The agreement is expected to channel climate finance into Philippine-based mitigation projects, generating jobs, strengthening energy security, and reducing pollution—while situating Asean as
Enforcement keeps PHL off US IP
Bless Aubrey Ogerio
THE Philippines has once again stayed outside the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Special 301 Watch List, marking more than a decade of continued absence from the annual intellectual property (IP) concerns roster.
The Special 301 Report is a yearly review by the USTR assessing how countries protect and enforce IP rights, including copyright, patents and trademarks. The review is mandated under US trade law and serves as a basis for monitoring trade partners’ IP systems.
For his part, IPOPHL director general Teodoro Pascua emphasized the critical role of interagency collaboration in sustaining the country’s gains.
“Our consistent standing reflects the strength of our wholeof-government approach, with the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights [NCIPR] at its core. Through the NCIPR, enforcement agencies, regulators and partners are able to act in a more
coordinated and strategic manner against counterfeiting and piracy,” Pascua, who is also the NCIPR vice chairman, said.
While the Philippines was not included in this year’s watch lists, the report continues to flag persistent global issues tied to counterfeiting, digital piracy, and weak enforcement systems in several jurisdictions.
In earlier assessments, the Philippines has been cited alongside other economies in Southeast Asia as a source and transit point for counterfeit goods, including medicines, based on international studies.
A 2020 joint report by the European Union Intellectual Property Office and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development had identified multiple Asian economies, including the Philippines, in global counterfeit distribution networks.
Still, local enforcement efforts have also been acknowledged in past US and multilateral reviews, including the establishment of specialized IP courts and enforce -
a driver of low-carbon growth in the region.
Carbon credit trading explained CARBON credits function like tradable certificates proving that emissions were reduced somewhere else. For example, a company that emits greenhouse gases can purchase credits from a project that cuts emissions—such as a renewable energy farm or reforestation effort. Each credit represents one ton of carbon dioxide (or its equivalent) reduced or removed from the atmosphere.
This trading system creates a financial incentive for businesses to support climate-friendly projects. Instead of simply paying penalties for pollution, companies help fund activities that actively lower emissions. In practice, carbon credit markets allow countries and corporations to balance their own emissions while channeling investment into sustainable development initiatives worldwide. The agreement is expected to channel climate finance into Philippine-based mitigation projects, generating jobs, strengthening energy security, and reducing pollution—while situating Asean as a driver of low-carbon growth in the region.
list for 13 years
ment units, which are seen as key mechanisms in handling IP-related disputes and violations.
For its part, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, for instance, has conducted outreach programs in schools, local governments and industry groups, alongside initiatives to raise awareness on piracy and counterfeiting risks.
The USTR has also noted policy moves such as the creation of an e-Commerce Bureau under the Department of Trade and Industry, aimed at monitoring online transactions and addressing the sale of counterfeit goods on digital platforms.
At the same time, the US continues to push trading partners to tighten rules against unauthorized distribution practices such as illegal camcording of films, a concern raised in previous regional reports and forums under the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec).
For this year’s review, the USTR assessed more than 100 trading partners and placed several econ -
omies on its Priority Watch List and Watch List, while also designating one country as a Priority Foreign Country due to serious IP concerns.
Vietnam was flagged as a Priority Foreign Country in the latest report, citing a persistent failure to resolve long-standing concerns about IP protection and enforcement.
Meanwhile, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Russia and Venezuela were included in the Priority Watch List.
Other economies, including Algeria, Argentina, Barbados, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, the EU, Guatemala, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Türkiye, were placed under the Watch List.
“USTR will continue to press our trading partners to resolve trade barriers with respect to IP in their markets through our negotiations for Agreements on Reciprocal Trade and other engagements,” Deputy USTR Ambassador Rick Switzer said in a statement.
Heightened security, travel advisories issued ahead of Cebu Asean Summit
By Carmel Pedroza
CEBU CITY—Travelers passing through Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) are being advised to brace for possible delays and tighter security measures from May 1 to May 10, as Cebu ramps up preparations for the upcoming 48th Asean Summit.
Airport authorities warned of stricter inspections and heavier traffic in areas surrounding MCIA during the period, citing increased official movements linked to summit activities.
Passengers are strongly encouraged to plan ahead,
arrive earlier than usual, and allot extra time for airport transfers and processing to avoid missing flights.
The advisory comes as interagency preparations intensify across Cebu under the National Organizing Council (NOC)–Cebu Organizing Committee. Government agencies, local government units, and partner institutions convened on April 30 to finalize coordination efforts for the high-level regional gathering. According to the Cebu Province’s Public Information Office, Governor Pamela Baricuatro emphasized that hosting the summit is not
only about logistics but also an opportunity to showcase Cebuano hospitality and leadership on the global stage.
“This is our opportunity to present Cebu not only as a host, but as a partner in building stronger regional ties within Asean,” she said.
Security preparations are now in full swing, according to NOC Director General Ma. Hellen De La Vega.
Personnel from Manila are being deployed in batches, while specialized training is ongoing for police drivers and escorts assigned to transport Asean leaders.
Bulletproof vehicles
designated for visiting dignitaries have already arrived.
Authorities have also conducted high-level coordination meetings addressing potential security threats, including cyber readiness and emergency response protocols.
Walkthroughs and operational briefings have been completed at key facilities, particularly at MCIA, in anticipation of the arrival of heads of state and foreign delegates.
Summit activities will be centered at the Mactan Expo Center, which will host the opening ceremony, plenary
sessions, and gala dinner.
Additional venues, including the Mactan World Museum, are being readied for international media operations.
Infrastructure and beautification efforts have accelerated across Metro Cebu.
The Department of Public Works and Highways reported completing six major projects, including road rehabilitation, streetlight repairs, and safety installations along key routes such as the Mactan Circumferential Road.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) is overseeing enhancements
along ceremonial routes, including installation of decorative elements, murals by local artists, and improvements in airport terminals, hotels, and information centers.
Local government units have intensified cleanup and clearing operations, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development is providing temporary shelter for displaced street families.
Airport officials confirmed that both Terminals 1 and 2 of MCIA are fully prepared to accommodate delegations, with multiple simulations already conducted for arrival and handling protocols.
Saturday, May 2, 2026
Absence of Interpol red notice delayed arrest of Zaldy Co in Europe–DFA
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
THE absence of an Interpol Red Notice cost the Philippine government a crucial opportunity to apprehend fugitive former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co when he was temporarily held by border authorities in the Czech Republic last month.
“The Department of Justice... must have requested certain documentation based on certain conventions. I don’t [know] what they have done there, but actually the most important thing here of
Japan-Bohol. . .
Continued from A3
this, we can deepen our connection with the international market and showcase the beauty of Bohol to the world,” Aumentado added.
Meanwhile, Panglao Municipal Tourism Officer Leonides Senica, in a report by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Bohol, highlighted the importance of the direct route in improving accessibility for Japanese tourists.
“By removing the barrier of connecting flights, we are opening a seamless gateway for Japanese travelers to experience our worldclass marine biodiversity and cultural heritage,” Senica said.
He added that the new service is expected to boost high-value tourism, increase resort occupancy, and generate economic opportunities across transportation, dining, and tour services.
Senica also noted that Japan’s strong culture of environmental stewardship complements Panglao’s push for sustainable tourism development, positioning the destination as an attractive option for eco-conscious travelers.
course is to get the Red Notice,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said during the Manila Overseas Press Club on April 30.
The Interpol Red Notice is the international arrest for fugitives
running away from justice from law enforcement of their respective countries.
The Philippine Center for Transnational Crime had earlier explained that they had submitted to the Interpol a request to put Co under Red Notice since November 2025. In February, the Interpol requested for additional documents, a matter which officials say are “normal.”
Lazaro stressed, though, that the pursuit and subsequent extradition efforts fall strictly under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice, rather than the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The missed apprehension occurred on April 16, when Co was intercepted attempting to cross the German border as a motorist.
According to the DFA chief, German authorities turned the fugitive back to the Czech Republic
after discovering he was carrying invalid travel documents.
The DFA had previously voided two of Co’s passports following a court order in December 2025, rendering the expired document he presented at the border entirely unusable.
The international manhunt stems from a major political and financial scandal that rocked the legislature last year.
The Sandiganbayan issued arrest warrants against Co and 17 others in November 2025 for graft and malversation of public funds, heavily tied to alleged anomalies in a P289-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Co, who resigned as chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations in September 2025, has since released videos from hiding, accusing top administration
‘Atin Ito’ mission highlights PHL resolve to exercise rights in WPS
‘ATIN ITO’ Coalition’s mission to bring fuel and food to fishing communities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) was hailed as a testament to the Filipino people’s “unwavering resolve” to exercise their rights in the vital waterway.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) acknowledges the Atin Ito Coalition as they embark on their 4th civilian mission, ‘Balik Pag-asa,’ to Pag-asa Island. This initiative—bringing essential fuel and food aid to our fishing communities—is a powerful testament to Bayanihan and the
THE Presidential Communications Office lauded on Friday the prompt action of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in the filing of charges and arrest of former broadcaster Jay Sonza for posting fake news on the health of President R. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
PCO Acting Secretary Dave Gomez said the actions of NBI under the leadership of Atty Melvin Matibag reflects the administration’s firm and lawful response to alleged online abuse, especially where false information is published and circulated as legitimate news.
Filipino people’s unwavering resolve to exercise their rights in the WPS,” AFP spokesperson for the WPS reservist Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a statement.
“Atin Ito’s” mission left Manila South Harbor early Thursday morning. It is expected to last from April 30 to May 5 and its presence is anchored on the M/V Felix Oca which is the organization›s main vessel.
He also stressed that the AFP remains committed to its constitutional mandate of protecting our sovereignty and ensuring the
safety of all Filipinos within Philippine territory.
“While this is a civilian-led endeavor, we provide our full support through maritime domain awareness and coordination to ensure a safe passage,” Trinidad said. He added that the AFP stands in solidarity with Filipino fisherfolk and civil society.
“Their presence reinforces the truth: the West Philippine Sea is an integral part of our nation. We call for a rules-based order where our citizens can freely live and work without intimidation,” Trinidad said. Rex Anthony Naval
officials of orchestrating P100 billion in massive budget insertions—claims the Palace has vehemently denied.
Following his brief detention at the border, diplomatic channels now indicate the fugitive ex-lawmaker has moved to Paris, France.
Lazaro disclosed that this intelligence comes from a “highly regarded,” “unimpeachable” diplomatic source, though strict confidentiality prevents revealing further details.
Authorities are currently navigating the strong possibility that the former lawmaker is seeking asylum in Europe.
Lazaro cautioned that pursuing an asylum seeker on European soil is fraught with immense legal complexities, governed by strict prosecutorial protocols and stringent regional regulations.
Asylum applications in the European Union are treated with absolute secrecy, creating a formidable hurdle for Philippine law enforcement.
Asked if Co also has a Portuguese passport, she replied that the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon has not verified this. She also denied speculation that Co has a French passport. Despite these daunting diplomatic and legal barriers, the Secretary assured the public that the government continues to operate strictly within the bounds of international law.
Lazaro, likewise, allayed concerns of potential diplomatic fallout, asserting that this isolated pursuit will not hamper the Philippines’ robust economic, political, and people-to-people relations with its international partners.
DENR partially lifts CDO on Binaliw sanitary landfill
By Carmel Pedroza
CEBU CITY—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau Region 7 (DENR-EMB 7) has partially lifted the cease and desist order on the Binaliw Sanitary Landfill, subject to strict compliance with its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) requirements.
A news release by DENR-EMB 7, said that the order against Prime Integrated Waste Management Inc. was eased after the firm satisfied key commitments related to remediation and operational improvements.
According to EMB 7 Regional Director John Edward Ang, the move reflects a balance between protecting the environment and addressing the urgent need for a functioning waste disposal facility in Cebu City.
Ang emphasized that the landfill’s reopening is not unconditional.
The company must sustain compliance with ECC provisions, particularly measures aimed at preventing a repeat of the earlier trash slide incident.
EMB-7 have advised local officials that inspections and compliance checks will continue while restoration work is underway.
On March 31, 2026, EMB 7 amended the project’s ECC to allow additional engineered safety features. These include a new landfill cell at the toe of the site covering about 14,000 square meters, designed to hold over 90,000 metric tons of waste, as well as a smaller interim cell with a capacity of nearly 20,000 metric tons.
The agency also noted the endorsement of local government authorities in Cebu, including a resolution from the Sanggunian Bayan supporting the proposed operational changes and rehabilitation measures needed to restart the facility.
“It shows the government’s continuing effort to guard the truth, protect the public from deception, and preserve a free but responsible democratic space,” Gomez said.
With the Oplan Kontra Fake News, Gomez said the PCO “is sending a strong warning to peddlers of fake news. Misinformation undermines public trust, endangers lives and will be met with swift, lawful consequences.”
He added: “We will continue to work with law enforcement, the media and responsible online platforms to identify, investigate and prosecute those who disseminate falsehoods.
“Public discourse must remain free, but it must also be truthful, fair, and orderly. Speak freely, but not falsely.”
The PCO recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Justice and Department of Information and Communication Technology precisely to put a stop to the spread of fake news and hold its purveyors to account.
The PCO has already submitted several cases of fake news to the DOJ for investigation by the NBI and prosecution in court.
TBy Rex Anthony Naval
HE Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) formally assumed leadership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Observer Team, a military social media post said on Friday.
“The AFP, led by Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., welcomed Gen. Datuk Haji Malek Razak Bin Sulaiman, Chief of Defense Force of the Malaysian Armed Forces, during the Turnover Ceremony of the ASEAN Observer Team [AOT] Chairship held on April 30, here [in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City],” the AFP said in a Facebook Post this May 1.
The ceremony marked the formal transition of leadership as Brawner presided over the handover of the AOT symbol from Brig. Gen. Dato’ Pahlawan Asri Bin Shukor, outgoing Chief
of AOT Malaysia, to Maj. Gen. Oliver Maquiling, incoming Chief of AOT Philippines.
The transition underscores the continuing commitment of Asean member-states to uphold peace, stability, and cooperation in the region.
Brawner emphasized the enduring role of the AOT in fostering mutual confidence among nations.
“The value of the Asean Observer Team will not be measured by what is seen, but by what is sustained: by the stability it helps preserve, by the restraint it reinforces, and by the trust it builds among nations,” he said.
With this turnover, the AFP affirmed its commitment to advancing regional security cooperation as it assumes leadership of the AOT, further strengthening partnerships with Asean counterparts in pursuit of lasting peace and collective security.
Ongoing rehabilitation and slope stabilization remain central requirements before full operations can resume.
Regulators said the decision also hinges on the company’s adherence to a detailed rehabilitation plan and mitigation strategies.
Earlier, on February 23, 2026, the local council had sought DENR assistance to speed up the company’s compliance with environmental requirements, aiming for a safe and regulated reopening of the landfill. Regional Director Ang assured the public that monitoring remains rigorous, particularly in tracking waste flow and ensuring proper leachate management. He added that collaboration with local governments and other stakeholders will continue to strengthen oversight.
DENR-EMB 7 reiterated that while it supports practical waste management solutions, environmental protection and public safety will remain its top priorities.
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
THE US Embassy in the Philippines has warned American citizens to avoid rural and mountainous areas in Leyte, Mindoro, Negros, and Samar following intensified military operations against the New People’s Army (NPA).
The advisory was issued after two FilipinoAmericans, Lyle Prijoles and Kai DanaRene Sorem, were killed in an April 19 clash between the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion and suspected NPA fighters in Negros Occidental. Philippine authorities reported that 19 alleged insurgents died in the encounter, underscoring the risks of proximity to conflict zones.
The Embassy did not name Prijoles and Dana-Dene Sorem in the advisory, but only mentioned that US citizens have been present during recent military actions.
“Proximity to NPA elements poses risks of arrest, injury, or death,” it said.
It also warned that foreign terrorist organizations may attempt to recruit Americans for terrorist activities or financial support.
The NPA, designated as a foreign terrorist
organization by both Washington and Manila, has waged a decadeslong insurgency in rural provinces. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has stepped up operations in Negros and other regions, citing efforts to dismantle remaining guerrilla fronts. In its guidance, the Embassy urged Americans to:
n Avoid highrisk areas in Leyte, Mindoro, Negros, and Samar.
n Leave immediately if encountering armed individuals not affiliated with police or military.
n Work only with registered NGOs through the Philippines National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency.
n Secure proper visas and coordinate with local governments for reliable security information.
The deaths of Prijoles, a California based advocate, and Sorem, a youth activist from Washington state, have drawn calls for investigation from rights groups, who dispute government claims that the two were insurgents. Advocacy organizations described them as cultural workers engaged in community solidarity efforts.
Carmel Pedroza
Sarcopenia: The hidden cost of age-related muscle loss; here’s how you can fight back, starting today
TimeOur Rice tariff cuts, fake PWD crackdown to ease inflation
By Jona C. Redondo
SARCOPENIA , the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function, is a hallmark of aging that affects millions worldwide. It typically begins subtly around age 30, with muscle mass declining by about 3 percent to 8 percent per decade, then accelerates after 60. By age 80, up to 50 percent of individuals may experience significant muscle loss. This condition isn’t just cosmetic; it increases risks of frailty, falls, fractures, hospitalization, and loss of independence. Everyday tasks like climbing stairs or carrying groceries become challenging, and it contributes to higher mortality rates. Yet sarcopenia is not an inevitable part of aging. Experts emphasize that lifestyle factors play a major role, and targeted interventions can slow, halt, or even reverse it. In a compelling video from the Alliance for Aging Research titled “Taking Charge of Your Muscle Health As You Age,” (https://tinyurl.com/4a2z6c6r) experts explain that while everyone loses some muscle starting in their 30s, sarcopenia represents an accelerated decline. They highlight how it affects 10% to 20% of older adults and outline practical steps to maintain function.
Similarly, Dr. W. David Arnold, a neuromuscular specialist at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center, discusses in his lecture “Age Related Sarcopenia: New Research” how the condition impacts nearly everyone eventually, driven in part by changes in motor neurons that innervate muscle fibers.
The biological and lifestyle drivers of muscle loss SEVERAL interconnected mechanisms explain why muscle wasting accelerates with age. One primary factor is inactivity. Prolonged bed rest, reduced daily movement, or a sedentary lifestyle signals the body to break down muscle tissue. Without mechanical stress, muscle protein synthesis drops while breakdown rises. Dr. Roger Fielding, a leading sarcopenia researcher, explores this in webinars and talks, noting how lifestyle factors like inactivity compound age-related changes.
Neurological changes also contribute. Motor neurons that connect the brain to muscles decline, particularly affecting fast-twitch (Type II) fibers responsible for power and quick movements. This leads to dynapenia—age-related strength loss—often more debilitating than mass loss alone. Dr. Arnold’s research focuses on how motor neuron degeneration drives much of this process.
Hormonal shifts play a key role too. Declining levels of testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) reduce the body’s ability to build and repair muscle. Chronic lowgrade inflammation, or “inflammaging,” further promotes muscle breakdown by interfering with repair signals. Additional factors include mitochondrial dysfunction (impaired energy production in muscle cells), poor blood flow to muscles, and anabolic resistance—the diminished response of older muscles to protein intake and exercise stimuli. Nutrition is critical. Many older adults consume inadequate protein or calories, often due to dental issues, reduced appetite, or dietary restrictions. In the video “Sarcopenia: What You Need To Know,” clinicians list poor diet, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, stress, and chronic diseases as major contributors.
Obesity can paradoxically worsen sarcopenia through “sarcopenic obe -
sity,” where fat infiltration into muscle impairs function.
A Singapore-based hospital video, “Understanding Sarcopenia: Muscle Loss, Ageing, and Prevention,” notes that it affects one in three adults over 60 there and can start as early as 30, underscoring its global relevance.
Consequences beyond muscle loss
SARCOPENIA cascades into broader health declines. Weakened muscles impair balance and gait, raising fall risk—the leading cause of injury in older adults. It also reduces metabolic rate, contributing to weight gain and insulin resistance. Bone density often declines alongside muscle (osteosarcopenia), increasing fracture risk. Quality of life suffers as independence erodes; depression and social isolation can follow. Economically, it burdens healthcare systems through extended hospital stays and long-term care needs.
Physical therapists Bob and Brad, in “How To Reverse Muscle Loss With Aging - 50 & Older (Sarcopenia),” emphasize that after age 65, annual muscle loss can reach 3% without intervention, directly linking it to reduced mobility.
Proven strategies to prevent and reverse sarcopenia THE good news: sarcopenia is highly modifiable. Leading experts unanimously point to resistance training as the most effective intervention. It stimulates muscle protein synthesis, preserves motor neurons, and rebuilds Type II fibers.
In the clip “Using resistance training to prevent muscle loss from old age and inactivity | Luc van Loon,” the renowned muscle metabolism expert explains how resistance exercise counters anabolic resistance and maintains muscle even in older adults. He stresses consistent training to offset inactivity’s effects.
Dr. Stuart Phillips, a Canada Research Chair in Skeletal Muscle Health, reinforces this in “How to Live Longer and Stronger with Dr. Stuart Phillips.” He discusses how resistance training, combined with proper nutrition, combats sarcopenia and supports longevity.
Practical recommendations include 2–3 sessions per week of progressive resistance training (weights, bands, or bodyweight). Focus on compound movements: squats, deadlifts, rows, presses, and step-ups. Aim for 8–12 repetitions per set at moderate-to-high intensity, progressing as strength improves. Power training (explosive movements like medicine ball throws) enhances functional ability. “Exercise snacking”—short daily bursts—can help those with limited time or mobility.
Videos like “How to STOP age related muscle loss (Sarcopenia)” and “Best Exercises to Reverse Muscle Loss From Aging” demonstrate safe routines for seniors, showing bands, dumbbells, and machines that build strength without joint stress.
Nutrition is the essential partner. Older adults need more protein to overcome anabolic resistance: 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight daily (e.g., 84–112 grams for a 70 kg person), spread across 3–4 meals. Prioritize leucine-rich sources like whey, eggs, dairy, meat, fish, or legumes. In expert discussions, Dr. Phillips and Dr. van Loon highlight that total daily protein matters more than source (animal or plant), though plants add fiber benefits. Caloric intake should match needs to avoid deficits. Vitamin D, omega-3s, and possibly HMB (a leucine metabolite) offer supportive roles, but food and training come first. The “You Are Stronger than Sarcopenia” video stresses nutrient-dense diets alongside exercise for rebuilding strength.
BusinessMirror
By Anna Leah Gonzales
CUTTING rice import tariffs and cracking down on fake person with disability (PWDs) discounts could help ease inflationary pressures from the Middle East conflict, an economist from global financial institution HSBC said Tuesday.
“I do think that certainty in rice policy can help temper prices in the retail rice market and that would be a huge inflation relief for the Philippines’ 113 million consumers,” HSBC senior ASEAN economist Aris Dacanay said in a briefing. He noted that every 10 percent drop in rice prices could cut inflation by about 0.9 percentage points.
Dacanay said the Philippines and other Southeast Asian economies are already facing higher energy costs,
which are expected to push up fertilizer and food prices.
Research by HSBC Global Investment Research shows ASEAN economies are vulnerable to rising food and fertilizer costs, with the Philippines and Thailand among the most exposed due to reliance on imports, including fertilizers sourced from the Middle East.
If the conflict persists until June or July, Dacanay said Philippine headline inflation could reach 6.3
IN 1975, when my wife and I got married, it was a simple, no frills, and spartan affair. There was no need for an event organizer. It was a DIY wedding event. We handled everything ourselves.
I designed the invitation myself with the help of an artist friend, got them printed, and then personally delivered them to our godparents and our selected guests. We composed a couple of songs for the occasion (I did the lyrics, Aurit composed the melody). I recruited two colleagues who were part of a singing group to sing them live, with guitar accompaniment.
Wedding car? Aurit’s uncle gladly lent his company service car, a large Buick. Pre-wedding photo shoot? It wasn’t in our list.
We chose only four wedding sponsors, mostly people we looked up to, not wealthy nor in high positions in government or industry. Flowers on the aisle were provided by the parish church as well as the organist.
Our honeymoon? We spent it in Tagaytay where we were driven by a friend as his wedding gift. We went back home to Quezon City on a public bus.
To underwrite the wedding expenses, we pooled our savings together, which totaled P4,000.
Do you know how much we spent for the wedding feast at the original Max’s along Roces Avenue? P700 total! Added together with the costs of wedding rings, my new Barong Tagalog and her wedding dress, services of the make-up artist, parish church and municipal fees, we must have spent a total of P2,000 more or less. Which left us with around P2,000 as seed fund for our post-wedding life together. Thankfully, generous cash gifts from our ninongs and ninangs helped refill our depleted cash fund somehow. It wasn’t much but just enough for a start. It was a simple no frills wedding, lean and spare. But we were both happy that even if we kept everything within our means, we still had a memorable wedding day.
year — an ordinary weekday mass, blessings from the priest, and capped by a small get-together with family and relatives at a branch of Max’s (for nostalgia reasons). Again, it was a DIY event. The only difference was that our three grown-up children planned and orchestrated everything and shouldered all the expenses.
Nowadays, exchanging marriage vows, whether in a house of worship or more trendy venues, is no longer that simple. A wedding occasion has to impress in a big way. It’s no longer enough to have two or more wedding sponsors; the more the better, such as 10 or 15 or more. Preferably, the rich, the powerful, the well-connected, the known, and not necessarily highly respectable.
Alas, weddings are all about outdoing everyone else. Some spend a fortune on a dress, designed by a known
percent this year and ease to 4.5 percent by 2027.
Economic growth is projected at 3.4 percent this year, accelerating to 4.1 percent in 2027.
Dacanay said there is room to manage costs in the restaurant sector, particularly by addressing abuse of PWD discounts.
“Cracking down on fake PWDs can reduce the burden on restaurants and allow them to lower prices for legitimate customers,” he said. He added that if oil prices remain elevated due to a prolonged Middle East conflict, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas may further tighten monetary policy, potentially raising key interest rates to 6 percent from the current 4.5 percent. PNA
representing the sector of marginalized Public Utility Drivers in Congress. It is amazing how a whole new complex industry has grown and thrived behind wedding occasions. That’s because weddings have become opportunities to flex, brag and show off, a mania that is fueled by social media.
We now have an entire eco system that is made up of multiple smaller enterprises that are part of different industries: wedding planners and organizers, jewelry sellers, food caterers, dress designers and makers, beauty service providers, photographers/videographers, favors/ bridesmaids gift retailers, musicians and entertainers, honeymoon related services, and so on. My random research shows that on average, there 485,000 weddings in the Philippines a year, with 37% held in churches. Average spending for a middle-class wedding can range from P335,000 to around P500,000.
couturier and an even greater fortune on the wedding and reception. Guests must only buy wedding gifts that are on their registry.
We replicated that spirit of simplicity and spareness when we celebrated our golden wedding anniversary last
This is especially true in the cases of the sons and daughters of business tycoons and industry titans, politicians, celebrities, power brokers and so on. I distinctly remember the opulent wedding of a newly elected Partylist woman representative who tactlessly and scandalously posted pictures of the event on social media. It was held on Balesin Island, an exclusive private leisure destination, at a time when the entire country was supposed to be on lockdown — confined to our homes due to the global Covid-19 crisis. Talk about flaunting privilege or embarrassment of riches. The irony is that she was
dings. I wish we could have a law that would put a ceiling on the maximum amount that can be spent for weddings. If not, we should heavily tax those who can afford opulent weddings. There is one positive trend I picked up and I hope it’s true. It seems that Gen
There’s really no reliable data on the Philippine wedding business but judging from what I have read and observed, it must be a million-peso industry, a source of income for hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs, talents and contractual employees.
I am currently involved in a “wedding” project. Actually, it is the golden wedding anniversary of what can be said to be a “power couple” who are now in their midseventies. I was contracted to interview them and come up with a storyline that will be the basis of a mini musical to be presented during the wedding party. By the looks of it, it would cost millions of pesos. Out of pride and in keeping with their status, the couple want it to be a “bongga” event, perhaps to solidify their pre-eminence in their local fiefdom as well as among their colleagues in the national political scene. Of course, it goes without saying that they want it to be a showcase, something to be envied, talked about on social media and in elite social circles that matter.
Call me a KJ, old fashioned, Jurassic but I want to call a “halt” to opulent, ostentatious weddings before it gets out of hand. Exchanging “I do’s” should never be about “I show” at any cost.
In the light of the unending series of crises that have befallen our poor country, the least we can do is to shame people who flaunt their riches by way of ultra-expensive and frivolous wed-
Z couples (early and late 20s) who are getting married are choosing smaller, more intimate ceremonies. As one florist catering to weddings says: “More couples are choosing intimate weddings that prioritize personal values, sustainability, and heartfelt moments over material excess. By keeping their wedding simple, couples find the celebrations to be less stressful, allowing them to enjoy the occasion and share the special day more intimately with their friends and loved ones.” There’s actually research to support that the more couples spend on their big day, the shorter their marriage will be. In fact, I would encourage any couple planning to get married to take an active,
veteran of a 50-year-old marriage. Don’t forget that marriage is about the two of you and the life you will be creating; it’s not about a party. Why would you throw away so much money in one or two hours of ceremony and reception? Do you really want to start your lifetime together with a huge headache of wedding debt?
your
ELDERLY residents watch a tai chi class for seniors at the Belen Convent in Old Havana, Cuba, on February 20, 2025. AP PHOTO/RAMON ESPINOSA
businessmirror.lifestyle@gmail.com
BY PATRICK VILLANUEVA
STEAM CONTROLLER RELEASE DATE SCHEDULED ONE of the most anticipated peripherals/machines of gaming company Valve is now set for release, with the Steam Controller to become available on May 4 as announced on the platform’s news page.
Palo Alto warns of growing digital divide for SMEs
BY RIZAL RAOUL REYES
THE lack of robust cybersecurity infrastructure is becoming a new barrier to entry for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and public institutions, according to major cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks.
While large corporations in Makati and Bonifacio Global City can afford sophisticated defense systems, they said smaller players and the educational institutions tasked with training the next generation often find themselves vulnerable.
Tom Scully, principal architect for government and critical infrastructure at Palo Alto Networks, noted during the discussion that there is a huge potential for the Philippines to catapult, but it requires a foundation of trust. “There is an enormous opportunity here to take these technologies and leapfrog into a great outcome,” Scully said. “But the speed of adoption must be matched by the speed of security.” Scully, who was joined by Palo Alto strategic
advisor Nicole Eagan and Palo Alto regional lead
Bernadette Nacario, highlighted the important role of artificial intelligence (AI) to either bridge or widen the digital divide. For many Filipino workers, Eagan said AI tools are a way to boost productivity and stay competitive globally. However, without official corporate support, many are turning to Shadow AI. Eagan said the emergence of Shadow AI, defined as unapproved tools used by employees, creates significant blind spots. In a landscape like the Philippines, where digital transformation is accelerating rapidly, how can security teams close these visibility gaps without stifling the innovation and efficiency that these AI tools promise to provide?
The executives pointed out that AI is needed to address the threats coming from cybercriminals as traditional security cannot scale to meet AIdriven threats. Scully argued that Zero Trust must now revolve around Agent Identity. He compared managing an AI agent to watching a three-year-old.
“You don’t just give them a task and walk away. You watch them open the fridge and ensure they perform
the task safely,” he said.
Addressing concerns over targeted attacks in the West Philippine Sea and a report of 20,000 exploited vulnerabilities, Nacario provided a pragmatic assessment of the Philippines’ cybersecurity posture. She commended the Philippine government’s initiatives to thwarth any security threats against the nation, She said cybersecurity has moved from the server room to the boardroom. It is now a “CEO and CFO conversation” because the risks involve financial loss and reputational damage.
Meanwhile, Nacario commended the Philippine government for recognizing the role of the private sector in helping pursue the digital journey. By leveraging the ASEAN chairship and partnering with private tech firms, Eagan said the Philippines has the potential to “leapfrog” traditional legacy systems and adopt advanced AI security postures faster than its peers. While AI is the current battleground, the panel warned of a “cryptographically relevant” future.
On April 28, Valve revealed the peripheral’s release date, as well as the features that gamers can expect: Trackpad, Gyro, Grip Sense, and Grip Buttons. For its Trackpad, Valve highlighted how it adds flexibility for gamers in several genres that need a mouse to play. For example, first person shooters (FPS), puzzle games, point-and-click adventures, and deck builders are games intended to use the mouse. Beyond that, for Steam the Trackpad is mappable, meaning the player can input “button clusters, joystick, virtual menus, and more” for it, Valve wrote.
The Gyro, on the other hand, is the controller’s highly precise sensor that detects the rotation of the controller. While it is not necessarily unique to Valve, this means that aiming and camera control is easier for gamers, the gaming company said. Grip sense supports the Gyro with its enabling/disabling feature when the user gets to the edge of their comfort zone, or more known as “ratcheting,” similar to how people “resets” the mouse from the mouse pad to recenter it.
The Grip Buttons are simply four extra buttons, easier mapped to ABXY. “The Steam Controller uses nextgeneration magnetic thumbsticks with TMR technology. Designed for improved feel, responsiveness, and longterm reliability, they also support capacitive touch for motion controls,” Valve’s announcement reads.
Users can put it in their cart on their Steam account. However, the peripheral is only available in the Philippines through third party resellers like Datablitz. It is currently listed at P3,395. This controller can be used by any device that supports Steam Big Picture Mode, as well as the Steam Machine, Steam Deck, and Steam Frame. PATRICK VILLANUEVA
New Find Series arrives in PHL, bringing flagship experience beyond expected
GLOBAL tech brand OPPO officially launches its latest Find Series in the Philippines, the OPPO Find N6, Find X9 Ultra, and Find X9s. These three devices are a new generation of premium smartphones designed to deliver “Flagship Beyond the Expected.”
More than a traditional flagship lineup, the new OPPO Find Series introduces three distinct expressions of premium, each designed to match different lifestyles. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, it empowers users to choose a device that aligns with how they live, work and create.
Designed for tech-forward professionals, the OPPO Find N6 combines performance with presence through its foldable design and expansive 8.12-inch inner display, delivering a tablet-like experience for seamless multitasking like reviewing documents, editing presentations, or running multiple apps at once.
Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and supported by a 6000mAh battery with fast charging, it ensures smooth performance and all-day reliability for demanding workflows. Its Zero-Feel Crease technology further enhances the experience, making everything from productivity tasks to entertainment feel seamless and immersive.
Built for photographers, filmmakers and creators, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra features a quad-camera system led by a 200MP Hasselblad main camera, delivering exceptional clarity and versatility across all shooting scenarios from landscapes to distant subjects.
Its advanced zoom capabilities make it ideal for capturing concerts, sports and wildlife, while 4K, 8K, and Dolby Vision video with pro controls enable cinematic content creation. Designed for extended use, it packs a 7050mAh battery with 100W SUPERVOOC fast charging and 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging, along with IP69 durability and 12GB + 512GB storage for smooth, high-resolution workflows.
Designed for young professionals and everyday achievers, the OPPO Find X9s delivers a balanced premium experience with its 50MP Hasselblad codeveloped triple camera, making it easy to capture and enhance daily moments, travel shots, and social content.
With 4K video across all cameras and AI-powered editing tools, it’s ideal for on-the-go content creation. A 7025mAh battery ensures all-day use, while its slim 7.99mm design and IP66/68/69 durability make it reliable for everyday scenarios. Powered by a nextgen chipset, it delivers smooth performance for both productivity and entertainment.
With the new Find Series, OPPO moves beyond traditional flagship definitions by offering devices that are not only powerful, but also purpose-driven. Whatever tickles your fancy, each device is designed to meet users where they are while elevating their experience beyond expectations.
Pre-order for the newest Find Series is now open across select OPPO stores nationwide. This is your headstart to secure OPPO’s newest flagship lineup.
In addition, the official OPPO Online Store and Shopee will unveil full product pages, giving customers early access to detailed specifications, color options, and model comparisons. Don’t miss your chance for this this early preview to explore and know more about the devices ahead of its official release on May 15, 12 midnight.
More information about the OPPO Find Series can be founs at www.oppo.com/ph or its official social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
BusinessMirror
Do photos matter more when they’re printed?
I’M part of the generation that saw the rise—and near demise—of the printer.
I was a high school junior when we first got an Epson dot matrix printer, the kind that used “fanfold” paper—continuous sheets with those tearable sides. It was loud, almost painfully so, but to me it sounded like 8-bit orchestra. It meant I could finally hold the book reports I typed on WordStar, complete with covers I designed using PrintMaster (or Fontasy). And, yes, tearing off those perforated edges felt almost as therapeutic as popping bubble wrap.
When I got my first job as an editorial assistant, one of the first things I “mastered”—right next to the fax machine—was how to operate and troubleshoot the office printers. It was a real skill. If you could fix a paper jam without calling IT, you instantly became everyone’s favorite person on the newsdesk.
Even after work, printing had its place. When I got stuck on a difficult PlayStation game—usually Tomb Raider or Resident Evil—I’d print out walkthroughs, gathering the recycled paper from the layout department.
Then things changed. Digital took over. Screens replaced paper, and printing slowly became something people avoided unless necessary.
But printing didn’t disappear. It just changed where it showed up—and why we use it.
Recently, I found myself printing again, but for a completely different reason. Not documents. Not drafts. Photos.
And that shift says a lot.
A photo on a phone is easy to take and even easier to forget. It sits in a gallery, buried under hundreds of other images, rarely revisited. Sure, you can mark it as a favorite—but when was the last time you actually went back to that folder?
A printed photo works differently. It takes up space. It gets seen. It gets kept.
Over the past six months of living alone, holding on to printed photos of me and my partner has felt different. It’s not just looking at an image—it’s like holding on to a moment, something you can return to without unlocking a screen.
But that’s where the limitations of a regular home printer start to show. What looks good on a screen doesn’t always translate well onto paper. Colors shift, details soften, and sometimes the result just doesn’t feel worth keeping.
That’s where the Epson SureLab D530 comes in. Epson lent me a unit for a few days, and while this isn’t a consumer product you’d casually buy for home use, it gave me a clear reference point for what proper photo printing should look like—and why dedicated photo printers still have a place today.
BUILT FOR PHOTOBOOTH BUSINESSES— AND MEMORIES WORTH PRINTING
THE Epson SureLab D530 is essentially a compact minilab built for on-demand printing—the kind of machine you’ll usually see at photobooths, events, or kiosks where speed matters, and where the print itself needs to be something people would actually want to take home. Under the hood, it runs on Epson’s Micro Piezo inkjet system paired with Variable-Sized Droplet Technology and a 6-color UltraChrome D6r-S dye ink setup. By adding Light Cyan and Light Magenta to the usual CMYK mix, it’s designed to produce smoother gradients and more accurate skin tones. The printhead carries 1,080 nozzles across six channels and can produce droplets as small as 2.5 picoliters, with a maximum resolution of 1440 × 720 dpi. On paper, those are just numbers, but in practice it meant photos printed straight from my phone already came out clean and balanced even without editing. Skin tones felt natural, colors didn’t feel exaggerated, and details held up well enough that the prints felt finished. I also realized something while using it. Having
printed photos hits differently. There’s something about holding a physical photo that a screen just can’t replicate. You’re not swiping past it or getting distracted by notifications. You’re just there, looking at it, remembering the exact moment.
Speed is another part of the experience you notice immediately. Epson rates it at around 19.4 seconds per 4×6 print, and that holds up in actual use. I ran close to a hundred prints through it over a few days, and it never really slowed down or changed behavior. It doesn’t feel like you’re waiting—the photo simply comes out while the moment still feels recent. Even under continuous use, the output stayed consistent, which is exactly what you’d want in an event setup.
The Epson SureLab D530 is purpose-built for small-format media, supporting only 3R (3.5×5-inch) and 4R (4×6-inch) sizes, with paper thickness ranging from 0.20mm to 0.265mm and a maximum printable length of 152mm.
It’s a limitation if you’re thinking of larger prints, but within its intended use, it makes sense. These are the sizes people bring home, keep in albums, or hand out at events. If you’re planning to build a photo album, this size actually works.
It uses an Auto Sheet Feeder with a friction feed system and can hold up to 100 sheets at a time, reducing the need for constant reloading during longer print runs. In actual use, it handled continuous printing without issues.
Physically, the printer is compact, measuring 299 × 400 × 154 mm when in use, and weighs around 7kg. It’s light enough to carry to venues without much trouble, especially compared to older minilab systems. The metal frame gives it a more durable feel, and it’s designed to be stackable—up to three units— allowing operators to scale output without taking up additional space.
Operation is built around accessibility. Everything—from ink refilling to media loading and maintenance—is handled from the front, which becomes especially practical when the unit is placed in tighter spaces or stacked together. There’s a 1.4-inch color LCD panel for navigation and status checks, along with a visible ink counter window.
It works for basic operations, but the small screen does become a limitation during initial setup. Entering Wi-Fi credentials isn’t the most intuitive experience, and I found myself struggling to locate certain characters like the asterisk.
Wi-Fi Direct turned out to be the easier option. Connecting directly from both iOS and Android devices was quick, and Epson’s mobile apps helped streamline the process. Once connected, printing from a phone felt natural.
Other connectivity options include USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n), with ESC/P-R as its printer language and 0.5GB of onboard memory. There are limits, but they’re clearly part of the design. The Epson SureLab D530 doesn’t support larger formats like A4 or 8×10, so it isn’t meant for general-purpose printing. The small LCD affects usability during setup, and at around ₱58,000, this is not a consumer printer—it’s a tool built for people who need consistent, high-volume output.
FINAL WORD: The Epson SureLab D530 makes the most sense in places where printing is part of the moment—photobooths, events, setups where people don’t just take photos, but leave with them. It’s built for that kind of work.
But after using it for a few days, the takeaway wasn’t its features or or the specs.
It was the feeling of holding the photo.
Because once it’s printed, it stops being something you scroll past—and becomes something you keep.
With Epson Fusion coming this month, we’ll get a clearer picture of where their printing lineup is headed—and whether more accessible photo printers are on the way.
Computers capable of breaking current encryption could arrive as early as 2030.
“In the future, they’re going to get that master key... we have to be ready for that day,” Scully warned. For future-proofing the country’s cybersecurity infrastructure, Palo Alto recommended a three-step post quantum plan to prepare for the future.
■ Inventory: Gain visibility into where every cryptographic algorithm is used.
■ Prioritize: Identify “low-hanging fruit” vs. systems requiring hardware upgrades.
■ Uplift: Transition to quantum-resistant code before threat actors can “harvest now, decrypt later.” Eagan said Palo Alto Networks uses a unified platform strategy combining efficiency at scale and unmatched speed by fighting AI with AI on a single platform. She said the company has reduced detection time to 7 minutes and response time to just 1 minute.
“Because AI now allows amateur criminals to automate 85 percent of an attack lifecycle, defenders must use platform-based AI to remain ‘orders of magnitude’ faster than the attackers,” she said.
A7 Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • Saturday, May 2, 2026
A8 Saturday, May 2, 2026
Nationwide teacher orientation starts ahead of major policy shifts
HEADS of public schools across the country began orientation sessions last week, as the Department of Education (DepEd) starts preparing schools for key teaching and learning reforms for School Year 2026-2027.
The orientations aim to ensure that school heads are fully equipped to boost leadership readiness and the management of the new academic protocols.
Regional and division planning meetings held early in April laid the groundwork, followed by clusterbased orientations for school heads until the end of the month.
Full orientations for teachers and school heads are slated from May 2 to 15.
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said the early start of orientations signals a more deliberate approach to reform implementation.
In Filipino, Angara said reforms
should not be on paper only, but felt in every classroom: “We are making sure our school heads and teachers understand not just the [‘whats,’ but the ‘whys’ and the ‘hows.’]” At the same time, the DepEd chief issued a directive to school heads to protect teachers from additional workload as reforms are rolled out. He said that there should not be any additional workload on teachers while the system is being implemented: “No unnecessary reports, no extra tasks that take teachers away from teaching.”
Orientations cover adjustments SENIOR DepEd officials are person -
ally leading the conduct of the orientations to ensure the direct and accurate delivery of policy updates across the regions.
The sessions may be conducted face-to-face, online or through selfpaced materials, such as websites and video kits, to ensure maximum reach and flexibility, the DepEd said.
The department is also providing necessary resources, including materials and resource persons, to maintain high-quality training management support.
The orientations cover adjustments in the academic year structure under the three-term school calendar policy.
This includes the introduction of an opening block at the start of classes dedicated to baseline assessments, school diagnostics and early-year programs, such as feeding initiatives.
The approach is meant to clear administrative and preparatory tasks before formal lessons begin, allowing teachers and learners to focus on instruction once classes are fully underway.
Not a cost burden
MEANWHILE, Undersecretary for Learning Systems Strand Carmela Oracion clarified that the school calendar restructuring will not carry new costs for families.
“The total number of school days remains the same. What we are changing is how time is used,” Oracion said.
She added that expenses at the start of the school year will remain limited to usual needs such as uniforms, supplies, and daily allowances.
The DepEd underscored that part of the reform is easing the administrative burden on teachers, with school heads expected to streamline school-level requirements and align with national efforts to simplify workload.
The orientations will also cover related reforms on revised guidelines for classroom assessment and grading, lesson planning, flexible learning programs, updated protocols for learning continuity during emergencies, and strengthened senior high school curriculum and work immersion. PNA
UA&P opens Cebu Center for Executive Education
THE University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) formally launched its Cebu Center for Executive Education, marking a strategic step in extending UA&P’s distinctive brand of leadership formation to the Visayas.
Located at the Latitude Corporate Center in Cebu Business Park, the new facility positions UA&P within Cebu’s main business district, allowing closer engagement with regional industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and institutions.
The Center was established through a partnership with Cebu Landmasters Inc. led by the Soberano family, which provided the venue and supported the facility’s development. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to leadership formation, while enabling the university to expand through prudent use of resources.
“More than a physical space, the UA&P Cebu Center for Executive Education is envisioned as a hub for meaningful learning, thoughtful dialogue, and leadership formation,” said Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr., who is the UA&P Board of Trustees chairperson, in his welcome remarks during the blessing and opening ceremony.
bring the UA&P brand of education to leaders who are shaping the future of the Visayas and beyond.”
The Cebu Center will offer short, high-impact certificate programs for executives, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders. Initial offerings will cover business, marketing, economics, and law, with a focus on practical applications in areas such as strategy, governance, and regulatory environments.
Editor: Mike Policarpio
15th NU campus opens in Davao City
DAVAO CITY—National University opened its 15th campus here last Saturday ahead of schedule, as enrollees were expected to exceed the target number of enrolment for the coming school year.
The campus—nestled at the top three floors of the seven-story West Wing Annex of SM Ecoland—also augured well for the spread of more NU locations south of Manila in the next five years, with NU Iloilo to come on stream next year, and NU General Santos in the next few years.
NU Davao executive director Edwin J. Loma said the school would initially open with 1,500 students, with 500 of them allotted to the senior-high school department, and the rest for the collegiate level.
Loma said enrollees are expected to come from as far north as Butuan and Surigao, as far south as the Cotabato provinces, and “even from Tawi-Tawi.”
“Ninety-nine percent of the initial 75 faculty and staff come from the Davao Region,” the NU official said, as he assured that the university “does not compete with other colleges and universities in the region, but [is widening] the opportunity for education in this area.”
cal laboratories for engineering and medical technology courses, as well as a gymnasium that can hold basketball and volleyball physical education classes. The latter can even host basketball and volleyball varsity teams that the university is famed for in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, said Joshua Noel M. Cagas, the admissions coordinator. Academic director John Ray C. Camorongan told BusinessMirror that aside from NU opening its Iloilo campus, the university will also inaugurate campuses in Batangas, Pangasinan and Isabela.
University president Dr. Renato Carlos H. Ermita said establishing NU in places where SM malls are also located attests to the vision of making education accessible. He said the SM group has initially targeted to establish 20 NU campuses during the targeted 10-year period between 2018 and 2027; however, “the pandemic… slowed down the process.” Ermita said there will be about 40 NU campuses nationwide—including three in Mindanao—by 2035, and will accommodate a total of 200,000 students by then.
He said the number of enrollees and faculty may multiply in the next few years, as he revealed that the Davao City campus can accommodate as many as 18,000 students.
The SM Ecoland-housed campus will house biology, chemistry and clini-
According to UA&P, the center features executive classrooms designed to support high-engagement learning for senior professionals and decisionmakers.
“This is not [just] an expansion of geography,” said UA&P president Atty. John Philip R. Yeung. “It’s the opening of a new gateway that allows us to
“Here, we hope to accompany professionals, executives, and decisionmakers as they navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly changing environment, equipping them not only with technical competence but with the values and perspectives needed to lead with integrity and purpose,” added Cuisia.
UA&P co-founder Dr. Jesus P. Estanislao highlighted the broader significance of the initiative: “Here in Cebu, let us focus on action. Let us build, let us serve, let us transform, and let us change. And through UA&P Cebu, we are given a powerful opportunity not just to educate but to lead in our national transformation.”
With Cebu continuing to emerge as a key economic and cultural hub, the center positions UA&P to contribute more directly to regional development by cultivating principled, competent leaders. For program inquiries and collaboration opportunities, email uap. cebu@uap.asia.
SM expands scholarships for uniformed personnel
RPrior to the Davao City campus opening, the NU network has been catering to 84,000 learners. At the campus’ launch, NU sought the assistance of its medical students from NU-SM Mall of Asia who have been on an internship program since September last year at a local hospital here. SM group chair Dr. Hans T. Sy also attended the campus inaugural.
DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY’S
Department of Political Science and Development Studies full professor Dr. Cleo Anne A. Calimbahin was recently elected as the fourth president of the Yuchengco Center by its Board of Trustees, effective May 1, 2026.
NU is present in various cities and provinces including Manila, Laguna, Pasay, Makati, Quezon City, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga, Bacolod, Pasig, Cebu, Las Piñas, and just recently in Davao (see related story).
The partnership also includes access to internships, training sessions, and development opportunities aimed at improving employability outcomes.
Scholars may avail of a 20-percent discount on tuition and miscellaneous fees across all programs. The partnership also provides full scholarships to dependents of KIA or killed-in-action uniformed personnel.
“We honor the courage and sacrifice of our soldiers who gave their lives in
EINFORCING its push for accessible quality education, the SM Group has announced the expansion of its scholarship support for uniformed personnel and their families. Through its education institutions, National University (NU) and Asia Pacific College (APC), the group is widening access to senior high school, undergraduate and graduate programs—particularly for communities with limited access to higher education as part of a broader strategy to support inclusive growth. NU recently renewed its partnership with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), as the university will offer up to 2,250 scholarship slots across its 15 campuses for qualified dependents and active personnel.
service to the nation,” said Senior Vice President for Corporate and International Relations Rolando T. Averilla of NU. “As part of the [AFP’s] Educational Benefit System Office community of schools, we are proud to help carry their legacy forward by supporting their families, especially their children, in pursuing quality education through scholarship opportunities.”
As part of the SM Group, APC has supported 1,283 scholars from the AFP and the Philippine National Police since 2006, helping them pursue degrees in information technology, engineering, and business—programs designed to strengthen skills and open pathways for career advancement.
“Providing access to relevant, industry-aligned education is not just an
aspiration for us; it is something we actively deliver,” said APC President Dr. Ma. Teresita Medado. “Through this partnership, we meaningfully honor the service of our uniformed personnel by equipping them with education that strengthens their careers, uplifts their families, and enables them to serve their communities with even greater impact.”
Separately, SM Foundation continues to support uniformed personnel through healthcare initiatives, including the provision of medical equipment and the development of healthcare facilities.
These efforts form part of SM’s long-term focus on education as a lever for workforce development and broader economic participation.
Hosted by DLSU and sponsored by the Yuchengco Group, the center aims to be a significant thought leader on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, dedicated to the research and expansion of globalization, regional security, foreign relations, governance, democratization, and human security.
Calimbahin’s research focuses on election administration, corruption, and democracy studies. She completed her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a Fulbright Fellow. She earned a Master of Science in International Politics of Asia and Africa from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. She was recently a senior research fellow at The Australian National University Philippines Institute. Her other affiliations and fellowships include being a research associate with RAND in Washington, D.C.; a visiting scholar at Stanford's Asia Pacific Research Center and the Graduate Institute for International and Development Studies in Geneva; as well as a visiting research fellow for the Institute for Developing Economies in Japan. The new Yuchengco Center president is a member of the International Editorial Advisory Board of Asian Politics and Policy (Wiley-Blackwell), and a committee member of the American Political Science Association.
Likewise, she is an Advisory Council member of the Women in Southeast Asian Social Sciences, as well as a fellow and former board member (2022–2025) of the Social Weather Stations. Her publications include a co-edited book, Patronage Democracy in the Philippines: Clans, Clients and Competition in Local Elections published by the Ateneo de Manila Press. The book received the “2024 Outstanding Book Award in the Social Sciences” from the National Academy of Science and Technology. She has a forthcoming co-edited volume, Beyond Geopolitics: The Philippines
and political issues in the country and Asia. She also aims to strengthen the center’s partnerships with various national and international networks toward proposing actionable solutions to long-standing, complex problems in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
Story & photo by Manuel T. Cayon
NU Davao’s executive director Edwin J. Loma (from left) and academic director John Ray C. Camorongan, SM Group chair Dr.
Yuchengco Center elects DLSU prof
DR. CALIMBAHIN
AT the ribbon-cutting rite: Dr. Bernardo Villegas (front row, from left), Ambassador Jose Cuisia, and Dr. Jess Estanislao
Tourism&Entertainment
Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan
STOP REPEATING THE SAME TRIPS
Start discovering the Balkans
Photos by Jason Thelen
IMOVED to Montenegro in 2019. My brother and his family are still living there today.
So when I say the Balkans changed how I see the world, I am not speaking as a tourist who spent two weeks ticking off Instagram spots. I am speaking as someone who grocery shops there, watches the seasons change over the Bay of Kotor, and has watched Filipino after Filipino arrive skeptical and leave completely converted. The reaction is always the same: why did nobody tell me about this place sooner?
So let me tell you now. The Balkans—Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, plus Bulgaria, Croatia, and Greece on the edges—is the most underrated region in Europe. And for Filipino travelers, particularly those with a business eye, the timing to visit has never been better.
A Region Built by Empires —and Now Building Itself Again
THE Balkans sit at the crossroads of empires. The Ottoman Empire controlled most of this region for over 500 years - longer than the Philippines was under Spain. When those empires collapsed and nations began forming, the borders were messy and contested.
The 20th century brought Yugoslavia, a federation of six republics held together by Tito’s iron grip. When he died in 1980, the fault lines cracked open. By the 1990s, the region was at war. Countries that were once one nation became six. Kosovo declared independence as recently as 2008. Montenegro voted to separate from Serbia in 2006.
I say all this not to alarm you—the Balkans today are safe and genuinely warm toward Filipino visitors. I say it because this history is what transforms a vacation into something that actually stays with you. When you stand at the Latin Bridge in Sarajevo, where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914 triggering World War I, and you know that story, the moment lands on a completely different level.
For Filipino businessmen, here is what I want you to pay attention to: these are EU candidate countries on the move. Montenegro is the frontrunner with a target accession date of 2028. Serbia, Albania, and North Macedonia are all in the queue. What this means practically is that you are looking at European markets at pre-EU prices. Real estate in Serbia yields as high as 7% annually. Albania delivers 5 to 6% rental returns—among the highest in Europe. These are the numbers that make investors pay attention.
The window before EU accession drives prices up is open right now. It will not stay open forever. The Visa Situation Is Simpler Than You Think BECAUSE Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina are not EU members, you do not need a Schengen visa to enter them. A valid US visa plus your Philippine passport
gets you through the entire core Balkans loop except for Kosovo. No VFS appointment, no proof of funds for the consulate. If you want to include Croatia, Bulgaria, and Greece, apply for a Schengen visa through VFS Manila and it covers all three.
One bonus: these countries still do actual border crossings with checkpoints. When I crossed in October 2025, my passport got stamped - though you may have to ask. For those of us who love a full passport, six countries means six borders and the kind of stamps worth showing off.
How to Route Your Trip
I RECOMMEND a circular loop so you never backtrack. My route on the last group trip with Filipino travelers: Montenegro - Albania - North Macedonia—Serbia—Bosnia—back to Montenegro. You can start from whichever capital has the best connection from Manila. Turkish Airlines via Istanbul is the most reliable option—it flies into all the major Balkan capitals, and given the current situation in the Middle East corridor, Istanbul is
the smarter routing right now.
Once on the ground, travel overland rather than flying between countries. The distances are short, the roads are excellent, and you see so much more. Hire a driver or designate one person with an international driving license. Get the biggest vehicle available—but a heads-up for Filipinos: Balkan SUVs are not Toyota Fortuners. What they call an SUV there, we would call a medium-sized car here. Manage expectations on legroom. Make sure your rental is cleared for border crossings and insured for multiple countries. Full itinerary details are at travelwithkach.com/balkans-itinerary.
Best Time to Visit SUMMER along the Adriatic—June to August—is spectacular but expensive and crowded, especially in Montenegro and Croatia. My picks are May and then September to October. Weather is still beautiful, accommodation is easier to book, and prices drop noticeably. The seasonal transition can bring a week of unpredictable weather, but every time
I have been there in shoulder season it has been close to perfect. If your budget allows for peak season rates, June to August gives you the full Adriatic summer and you will not regret it either.
Things to Know Before You Go EACH country uses its own currency. Only Montenegro and Kosovo use the Euro. Albania uses the Lek, North Macedonia the Denar, Serbia the Dinar, Bosnia the Convertible Mark. Withdraw euros in Montenegro, then exchange cash or use your card country by country. I use GCash and my Wise card throughout the region without any issues. Skip the airport exchange counters - the rates in town are always better.
One thing that surprises first-timers in Montenegro: restaurants now charge a table fee of around 4 euros called a couvert. It covers your bread and utensils. It is not a scam—it is standard practice now - but ask before you sit down so you are not caught off guard when the bill comes.
One cultural quirk worth knowing: in Albania
WHERE WATER HEALS
Chasing waterfalls and wellness in Cavinti
and Bulgaria, nodding up and down means no, while shaking side to side means yes - the opposite of what we are used to. The theory is it dates back to defiance during Ottoman occupation. True or not, just be aware before you enthusiastically nod at something you absolutely do not want to agree to. And finally—coffee. The Ottoman legacy left behind a deep, slow coffee culture across the entire region. In Bosnia especially, drinking coffee is practically a daily ritual with its own customs and rhythm. Do not rush it. Order a Bosanska kafa, sit down, and give yourself thirty minutes. That unhurried pace is a big part of why this region feels so different from everywhere else in Europe.
Come See It for Yourself
THE Balkans are the best value destination in Europe right now. The food is extraordinary, the coastlines rival the French Riviera at a fraction of the price, the history runs deep, and for those with a business eye, the investment case is real and time-sensitive. This is pre-boom Europe and the smart money is already moving in. I am leading a group trip to the Balkans from October 3 to 17, 2026 - two weeks, six countries, an itinerary built from years of living in and traveling through this region. If October is still open on your calendar, email me at kach@filipinopassport.com now. Spots are limited.
P.S. Prefer to plan your own route? I offer 1:1 mentoring sessions covering exactly where to stay, what to eat, which borders to prepare for, and how to build your loop from scratch. Reach me at kach@filipinopassport.com.
Kach Umandap is a Filipina Digital Nomad, global mobility advocate, and the first Filipino to visit all 195 UN-recognized countries using only a Philippine passport. She writes the Travel with Kach column for BusinessMirror.
Story and Photos by Nicole Paler
THE Balkans—Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, plus Bulgaria, Croatia, and Greece on the edges—is the most underrated region in Europe
CAVINTI, Laguna is known for. The waterfalls are still there to be chased. The trails still lead somewhere worth seeing.
A10 Saturday, May 2, 2026
Editor: Angel R. Calso
Trump admin says April ceasefire ended war in Iran, skirting war powers approval
By Seung Min Kim The Associated Press
WASHINGTON—The
Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval.
The statement furthers an argument laid out by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during testimony in the Senate earlier Thursday, when he said the ceasefire effectively paused the war. Under that rationale, the administration has not yet met the requirement mandated by a 1973 law to seek formal approval from Congress for military action that extends beyond 60 days.
A senior administration official, who spoke on condition of
anonymity to discuss the administration’s position, said for purposes of that law, “the hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb. 28 have terminated.” The official said the US military and Iran have not exchanged fire since the two-week ceasefire that began April 7. While the ceasefire has since been extended, Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and the US Navy is maintaining a blockade to prevent Iran’s oil tankers from getting out to sea.
Donald
April 30, 2026, in Washington. AP/ALEX BRANDON
Under the War Powers Resolution, the law that sought to constrain a president’s military powers, President Donald Trump had until Friday to seek congressional authorization or cease fighting. The law also allows an administration to extend that deadline by 30 days.
Democrats have pushed the administration for formal approval of the Iran war, and the 60-day
mark would likely have been a turning point for a swath of Republican lawmakers who backed temporary action against Tehran but insisted on congressional input for something longer.
“That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement,” said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who voted Thursday in favor of a measure that would end military action in Iran since Congress hadn’t given its
Former leader Aung San Suu Kyi moved from prison to house arrest in Myanmar
By Grant Peck
The Associated Press
BANGKOK—Former Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved from prison to house arrest and her sentence has been reduced as part of a prisoner amnesty for a Buddhist holiday.
Accompanying the announcement was a photo of the 80-yearold leader dressed in a traditional white blouse and skirt and sitting on a bench behind a low table facing unidentified men who wear military and police uniforms. Myanmar’s military information office and state television disclosed the move and shared the photo of her Thursday night, but when and where the photo was taken was not clear.
Suu Kyi was detained Feb. 1, 2021, when the army seized power from her elected government. She has not been seen publicly since then, and the last official photo of her was from a court appearance on May 24, 2021.
Earlier Thursday, authorities had announced Suu Kyi’s sentence was being reduced as part of a prisoner amnesty marking a Buddhist holiday, the Full Moon Day of Kason honoring Buddha’s birthday. The amnesty covered 1,519 prisoners and cut the sentences for those still in prison by one-sixth.
It’s the second recent prisoner amnesty to apply to her PRISONER amnesties are common in Myanmar for religious holidays and other important events, and the amnesty announced Thursday was the second in recent weeks to apply to Suu Kyi. Nearly two weeks earlier, a separate amnesty freed ousted President Win Myint, a longtime Suu Kyi loyalist who was arrested the same day as her.
The amnesties came after Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing was sworn into office as president April 10 following an election
that critics say was orchestrated to maintain the military’s tight grip on power.
In his inauguration speech, he said his government would grant amnesties to promote social reconciliation, justice and peace. Actions including the amnesties and Suu Kyi’s transfer are widely seen as an effort to burnish his image.
The message announcing her transfer says she was moved from the main prison in Myanmar’s capital Naypyitaw to house arrest, with the action “made to celebrate Buddha Day, to show humanitarian concern, and to demonstrate the state’s benevolence and goodwill.”
It does not specify her exact location but says that by law “she will now serve the remainder of her sentence at a specific home instead of in prison.”
Her prison sentence was seen as an attempt to discredit her SUU Kyi was originally sentenced to 33 years in prison in late 2022 for several offenses that her supporters and rights groups described as attempts to legitimize the army takeover that removed her from office, as well as to prevent her return to politics.
Thursday’s amnesty would bring her sentence down to 18 years, with more than 13 years left to serve, according to the calculation.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres considered Suu
Kyi’s transfer “a meaningful step toward conditions conducive to a credible political process,” U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said.
Guterres also called for all political prisoners to be released as a fundamental step toward a political process and solution that “must be based on an immediate cessation of violence and a genuine commitment to inclusive dialogue,” his spokesperson said.
The human rights advocacy group Burma Campaign UK said the announcements were part of a strategy to project reform while maintaining power.
“Moving Aung San Suu Kyi isn’t about change or reform, it’s about public relations designed to preserve military rule,” Burma Campaign UK’s director Mark Farmaner said. “No-one should be fooled.”
Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for the National Unity Government, the main group coordinating armed opposition to military rule, told The Associated Press on Friday that the move was aimed at diverting the opposition movement.
“It is important that we do not fall for these tricks. We will continue until the revolution achieves its six goals,” said Nay Phone Latt, referring to the group’s political roadmap to end military rule, including ending the military’s involvement in politics and plac -
ing all armed forces under the command of an elected civilian government.
Information about Suu Kyi is tightly controlled SUU Kyi’s legal team has not been allowed to meet her in person since December 2022. Reports of declining health, including low blood pressure, dizziness and heart problems in 2024 and 2025 could not be verified.
Kim Aris, her younger son living in London, and Myanmar democracy activists launched an online campaign named “Proof of Life” to demand evidence she is alive and well, following the last mass amnesty on April 17.
“Moving her is not freeing her,” Kim said in a statement posted on Facebook following the announcement of her house arrest. “My request is simple: verified information that my mother is alive, the ability to communicate with her, and to see her free. If she is alive, show verified proof of life.”
The 2021 army takeover triggered massive public resistance that was brutally suppressed, triggering a bloody civil war that has killed thousands of people.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring organization, 22,047 people had been detained for political reasons since the army takeover.
Suu Kyi, the daughter of Myanmar’s martyred independence hero Gen. Aung San, spent almost 15 years as a political prisoner under house arrest between 1989 and 2010.
Her stand against military rule in Myanmar turned her into a symbol of nonviolent struggle for democracy, and won her the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize.
approval. She added that “further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close.”
Richard Goldberg, who served as director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction for the National Security Council during Trump’s first term, said he has recommended to administration officials that they simply transition to a new operation, which he suggested could be called “Epic Passage,” a sequel to Operation Epic Fury.
That new mission, he said, “would inherently be a mission of self-defense focused on reopening the strait while reserving the right to offensive action in support of restoring freedom of navigation.”
“That to me solves it all,” added Goldberg, who is now a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank.
During testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Hegseth said it was the administration’s “understanding” that the 60-day clock was on pause while the two countries
were in a ceasefire. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who had asked Hegseth about the timeline, later told reporters that the defense secretary “advanced a very novel argument that I’ve never heard before” and “certainly has no legal support.” Katherine Yon Ebright, counsel at the Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Program and an expert on war powers, said that interpretation would be a “sizeable extension of previous legal gamesmanship” related to the 1973 law.
“To be very, very clear and unambiguous, nothing in the text or design of the War Powers Resolution suggests that the 60-day clock can be paused or terminated,” she said. Other presidents have argued that the military action they’ve taken was not intense enough or was too intermittent to qualify under the War Powers Resolution. But Trump’s war in Iran would certainly not be such a case, Ebright said, adding that lawmakers need to push back against the administration on that kind of argument.
AP writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.
Israeli forces intercept Gaza aid flotilla and plans to drop off activists in Greece
By Elena Becatoros & Renata Brito The Associated Press
ATHENS, Greece—Israeli forces near the southern Greek island of Crete intercepted more than 20 boats from a flotilla of several dozen seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and planned to transport about 175 detained activists to Greece on Thursday, Israeli authorities said.
Activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli forces stormed their vessels overnight, smashing engines and detaining some of those onboard while they were sailing in international waters near Greece, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from Gaza and Israel.
Israel officials said they needed to take early action against the flotilla before it reached Israeli waters because of the high number of boats involved.
The flotilla set sail earlier this month from Barcelona, Spain. Organizers have said more than 70 boats and 1,000 people from around the world would be participating, with more vessels joining the original boats as the flotilla sailed east across the Mediterranean.
In a separate statement late Thursday, organizers said 31 of the 53 vessels had reached safe waters and would continue their attempts to “break the illegal siege of Gaza.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry originally said in a post on X that it was taking about 175 activists from more than 20 boats participating in the flotilla to Israel. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar later wrote on X that the activists would be transferred to Greece in coordination with Greek authorities.
The Greek foreign ministry issued a statement saying it had asked Israel to withdraw its ships from the area and has offered its “good services” for the activists to disembark in Greece and be repatriated.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the Israeli Navy in a statement saying the mission to keep the flotilla away had been a success. “They will continue to watch Gaza on YouTube,” he said.
Protests, condemnation in support of detained flotilla activists
PROTESTS in solidarity with the flotilla were called across several capitals. In Rome, crowds gathered
Flotilla organizers condemned Israel’s interception as “a dangerous and unprecedented escalation,” describing it in a news release as “the abduction of civilians in the middle of the Mediterranean, over 600 miles from Gaza, in full view of the world.”
PRESIDENT
Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday,
The Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
PEOPLE stage a protest after activists attempting to break Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza say Israeli forces have intercepted their “Global Sumud Flotilla” near the southern Greek island of Crete, in Rome, Thursday, April
Mercosur-EU trade deal takes provisional effect, promising a $22 trillion trans-Atlantic market
By Mauricio Savarese The Associated Press
SÃO PAULO—The long-awaited trade deal between South American bloc Mercosur and the European Union took effect Friday, at least provisionally. The initiative creates a trans-Atlantic market estimated at $22 trillion with 720 million potential consumers, and some nations expect to boost their exports by more than 10% by 2038, once it is fully implemented.
The trade deal was signed Jan. 17 at a meeting of the South American group. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s move to provisionally enact the deal, effectively sidestepping the EU Parliament, is being challenged by EU lawmakers at the bloc’s judiciary. The agreement will be halted if the European body rules against it.
outside the Colosseum holding Palestinian flags. In Athens supporters chanted in support of the flotilla outside the Greek foreign ministry.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry condemned the seizure as “an act of piracy.” Spain summoned the Israeli charge d’affaires in Madrid “to convey its strongest condemnation of the detention of the flotilla,” which included Spanish citizens, the ministry said in a statement. Italy and Germany said they were following developments with “great concern.”
In a post on Telegram, Hamas also condemned the interception, accusing Israel of committing a crime without accountability and calling for the release of those detained.
Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.
Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza’s Palestinian population.
Israel had thwarted previous efforts to break its blockade
THE activists’ attempt comes less than a year after Israeli authorities foiled a previous effort by the group to reach Gaza. That attempt involved about 50 vessels and around 500 activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela, and several European lawmakers.
Israel arrested, detained and later deported the participants, who claimed Israeli authorities abused them while in detention. Israeli authorities denied the accusations.
The Israeli action had raised questions about what any nation can legally do to enforce a blockade in international waters. Several world leaders and human rights groups had condemned Israel, saying it violated international law. Previous efforts to breach the blockade have also failed. In 2010, Israeli commandos raided the Turkish boat Mavi Marmara, which had been participating in an aid flotilla attempting to reach Gaza. Nine Turkish citizens and one TurkishAmerican on board were killed. The
“This is good news for EU businesses of all sizes, good news for our consumers and good news for our farmers, who will gain valuable new export opportunities, with full protection for sensitive sectors,” she said Thursday. Von der Leyen is expected to hold a videoconference Friday with leaders of Mercosur nations Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay
last time an activist boat succeeded in reaching the strip was in 2008.
Activists say Israeli forces boarded and disabled the boats
THE Sumud Flotilla described the interception as a “violent raid in international waters.” In a social media post, the group said that “after smashing engines and destroying navigation arrays, the military retreated intentionally leaving hundreds of civilians stranded on powerless, broken vessels directly in the path of a massive approaching storm.”
It also said the vessels’ communications had been jammed, hindering them from signaling for help. Asked about the accusations, the Israeli military declined to comment.
Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman Oren Marmorstein said that “early action was required in accordance with international law” due to the large number of vessels in the flotilla. “The operation was carried out in international waters peacefully and without any casualties,” he said.
Marmostein accused the Hamas militant group in Gaza of being the “driving force” behind the flotilla, “with the aim of sabotaging (US) President (Donald) Trump’s peace plan transition to its second phase and intended to divert attention from Hamas’ refusal to disarm.”
Flotilla aims to draw attention to the situation in Gaza
A FRAGILE six-month-old ceasefire in Gaza has halted the most intense fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas-led militants in the Palestinian enclave. Around 2 million Gaza residents are still living in ruins with shortages of food and medicine, and only limited aid entering through a single, Israelicontrolled border post.
Flotilla organizers have said they hope their latest attempt to reach Gaza will help highlight the living conditions endured by Palestinians in the territory, particularly as global attention has shifted its focus to the US and Israel’s war against Iran.
Brito reported from Barcelona, Spain.
Israel, Cinar Kiper in Istanbul and Fatma Khaled in Cairo contributed to this report.
to celebrate the agreement.
Earlier this week, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, one of the key supporters of the agreement, signed a decree validating the deal in his country. He said it is a response to unilateral tariffs imposed last year by US President Donald Trump and a reaffirmation of multilateralism.
“Nothing better than believing in the exercise of democracy, in multilateralism, and in cordial relations between nations,” Lula said in a ceremony in the capital, Brasilia, to celebrate the milestone after more than 25 years of negotiations.
Last week, Brazil’s vice president and one of the negotiators of the deal, Geraldo Alckmin, said in an interview with The Associated Press and other news agencies that not striking the deal with the EU would have meant staying behind while competitor nations made other agreements.
Brazil is by far Mercosur’s largest economy, with a gross domestic product estimated at over $2.3 trillion in 2025.
Lia Valls, an associate researcher at the think-tank Fundacao Getulio Vargas based in Rio de
Janeiro, agrees that the deal offers better perspectives against unilateralism worldwide.
“The EU and Mercosur are showing that it is possible for big blocs to reach a deal in this world where that multilateral system is being very weakened and where
the US clearly operates to do that,” Valls told the AP. “It is a very positive sign.”
The agreement faced opposition from European farmers and environmental groups and was delayed in December, before being referred to the EU’s top court.
South American agribusiness industries, chiefly beef, fruit and minerals, are expecting a boost in exports to Europe. European automakers, pharmaceutical companies and technology firms also look forward to making new inroads in Mercosur markets.
While companies based in Mercosur countries have expressed fear of tough competition from European peers in hi-tech industries, European farmers have shown concerns about price pressures and imports that do not follow similar environmental standards.
French President Emmanuel Macron, one of the critics of the deal, has long demanded safeguards to monitor and stop large economic disruption in the EU, increased regulations in the Mercosur nations like pesticide restrictions, and more inspections of imports at EU ports. The agreement gradually removes trade barriers and tariffs in the two blocs, but it also keeps economic safeguard clauses for European countries to protect some sectors from excessive competition, such as poultry, beef, sugar, and fruit.
Iran’s monthslong internet shutdown crush businesses in an already battered economy
By Nasser Karimi, Mehdi Fattahi & Amir-Hussein Radjy
TThe
Associated Press
EHRAN, Iran—At her studio in Iran’s capital, Amen Khademi prepared a fashion shoot for a jacket she designed with Persian-inspired motifs. But even as she applied lipstick to the model, she was distracted, worrying if her business would survive after four months without its main link to customers—the internet.
Iran’s 90 million people have been cut off from the internet for most of 2026, one of the world’s longest and strictest national shutdowns. That is devastating an online economy that had long defied government restrictions and international sanctions. From fashion to fitness, to advertising and retailers, many have seen their incomes evaporate.
Khademi hasn’t made a sale in months. “The internet outage in the past four months has completely destroyed not only my business, but many online businesses,” she said.
Despite an uneasy truce with the US and Israel, Iran’s rulers have refused to reverse the shutdown they have depicted as a wartime necessity. But they are facing an outcry as it adds to mass job losses from strikes on key industries and an ongoing US blockade.
Before January, Iranians could access the internet, but authorities blocked a large amount of content. Now all access to the global web has been shut down. Some workarounds exist, but they have become enormously expensive, out of reach for most Iranians.
The internet cutoff costs the economy an estimated $30-40 million daily, with indirect losses likely twice that much, a member of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Afshin Kolahi, told a local newspaper. About 10 million people have jobs that depend on internet connectivity, according to the communications minister, Sattar Hashemi.
An unprecedented shutdown guts an online economy THROUGHOUT years of economic turmoil in Iran brought on by sanctions and mismanagement, platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp helped small businesses to find customers, and people to earn
extra income to afford skyrocketing prices for basic goods.
Iranian authorities first shut down the internet in January during mass anti-government protests. That cutoff was just starting to ease when the government imposed a complete internet blackout on Feb. 28 as the US and Israel launched the war.
Mahsa Alimardani, an expert on internet censorship, said Kashmir and Myanmar have had longer blocks affecting specific regions or platforms. Countries like China, with its “Great Firewall,” and North Korea, have always strictly limited access to the global internet.
“What makes Iran’s shutdown unprecedented is the combination of scale and severity: an entire country of 90 million people with a developed digital economy deliberately reverted to a controlled national intranet,” said Alimardani, an associate director for technology threats and opportunities at the rights group Witness.
A flagship company of Iran’s digital economy, online retailer DigiKala, recently said it was laying off 200 people, about 3% of its workforce. The pain extends to “production, foreign trade and even traditional business,” Reza Olfatnasab, head of a national group representing digital businesses, said in comments published in Iranian media.
Khademi’s shopfront is Instagram. But her studio’s page—with more than 30,000 followers—is now inactive. She was doing the photo shoot to save the pictures for later, hoping to find an alternative.
Her model, Farnaz Ojaghloo, is also a fitness coach. The shutdown has dried up both her modeling gigs and the online courses she ran for people inside Iran and abroad.
“Psychologically, it really hits hard,” Ojaghloo said. “All the plans you had for six months or a year ahead get pushed aside, and your only concern becomes surviving in the moment.”
The alternatives are ‘terrible’ FOR years, authorities in Iran have enforced filters and policed content on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. But before the war, Iranians could bypass restrictions with cheap virtual private networks, known as VPNs, and other easy workarounds.
Now, the shutdown has stoked
high prices for black-market VPNs. Iranian state media routinely report arrests of people for using illegal VPNs or the American satellite system Starlink, which was banned last year.
Senior government officials are awarded “white” SIM cards granting them access to the global internet. Under pressure to alleviate the economic harm, the government is now allowing less-restricted internet access to a small number of professions, business and media.
An e-commerce trade group in Tehran condemned the tiered system in Iranian media on Wednesday, calling it “an abuse of an obvious need of every citizen.” It said the outage threatens “the destruction of the country’s infrastructure at the hands of our own decisionmakers.”
The vast majority of people have no choice but Iran’s national net.
A Tehran resident who works in
advertising said sponsors have little interest in paying for content that can’t be posted on major platforms like Instagram, where he has tens of thousands of followers. He said his income is down to near zero since the war began. A gamer in Isfahan—also with a large following on YouTube and Instagram—said Iran’s domestic net “is terrible”—slow, insecure and full of bugs. He too has lost almost all his income from sponsors and donations. Iran has its own social media platforms modeled on services like WhatsApp and YouTube, but content is closely monitored and often censored.
“Nobody really wants to use these platforms, but there is no other option,” the gamer said. Both he and the advertising worker spoke on condition of anonymity out of security concerns.
Radjy reported from Cairo.
BRAZIL’S Vice President Geraldo Alckmin picks up papers in front of a portrait of Brazil’s
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva before an interview in his office in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. AP/ERALDO PERES
Montemayor tops Stage 3, Shulchenko grabs yellow
By Josef T. Ramos
PALAYAN City—A local cyclist finally emerged victorious on the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) Tour of Luzon as Emmanuel Dave Montemayor topped Stage 3 on Friday.
Montemayor emerged ahead in a bunched sprint finish, clocking three hours, 23 minutes, and nine seconds in the 145.4-kilometer race from New Clark City.
Go for Gold teammate Marc Ryan Lago was second, while Sumiso Basalan of Excellent Noodles placed third.
“I did not expect the stage win. I just went with the flow, and my teammates protected me all the way,” said Montemayor, a rider from Meycauayan in Bulacan who has three 7-Eleven trail series mountain bike titles.
“We must protect each other and we did today. We are hoping to deliver a maximum effort in the coming stages to have a chance for the yellow jersey,” Lago said. “The next stages are going to be extremely hard. We also expect other cyclists to come out stronger and faster. We must be ready.”
Russian Nikita Shulchenko of Life Cycle Works (LCW), Seoul Cycling Team’s Seom Cha of South Korea, French Huby Antoine of 7-Eleven Roadbike, and Dave Cangayao of Standard Insurance Philippines were part of the seven-man lead group that clocked the same time as Montemayor.
Mervin Corpuz and Ronnilan Quita of 7-Eleven Road Bike finished eighth and ninth, respectively, just three
seconds behind the winners of the twoweek race presented by the Philippines Sports Commission (PSC) headed by Chairman Patrick Gregorio.
Shulchenko seized the yellow jersey after three stages with an aggregate time of in six hours, 59 minutes, and 38 seconds, while LCW teammate Yousef Ibrahiem Alrefai of Syria dropped to second place, 49 seconds behind in the individual general classification.
Alrefai crossed the finish line 53 seconds off pace in 27th spot after a minor accident at the last climb near Laur, just 20 kilometers from the finish line.
Shulchenko, 22, placed second in the opening stage to teammate Alrefai who dominated the Calatagan to Tagaytay City Stage One in the opening day last Wednesday.
Montemayor was third in the individual general classification, trailing by two minutes and four seconds in the race supported by MVP Group and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and aligned with the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee.
With the 1-2 finish in Stage Three, Go for Gold seized the team classification with a time of 29 minutes, and seven seconds—just 11 seconds ahead of second placer 7-Eleven Road Bike Philippines.
Standard Insurance Philippines was third overall just 45 seconds behind.
Three riders did not finish Stage Three, meaning only 83 from the entry list of 112 are expected to start the 165.8km Stage Four from Bongabon Town arch in Nueva Ecija to the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Capitol in Bayombong.
NU fends off UB to top Division 2 of Girls Volley Invitational League
NATIONAL University topped Division 2 of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) Rising Stars Cup with a 33-31, 25-17, 25-23 win over University of Batangas in the final on Friday at the La Salle Green Hills Gym. The Lady Bullpups displayed nerves of steel in staving off the feisty Junior Lady Brahmans in the extended first set before dominating the next two frames for their breakthrough crown.
Keera Talabut scored 14 points on 13 kills and an ace to lead NU to an 8-0 record.
Ellaine Tayag had 11 kills and wound up with 12, while Jheiza Giducos finished with 12 points, including the championship-winning kill block, for the Lady Bullpups.
NU had a late scare in the third set after UB saved two match points to close in, 24-23, on a Larra Recinto kill. Giducos quelled the Junior Lady Brahmans’ uprising with a defensive
gem at the net to seal the one-hour and 56-minute encounter.
Recinto led the Junior Lady Brahmans with 11 points while Bea Butardo scored nine. Andrea Gabrinao and Scarlett Escalante chipped in six each for UB, which had won seven straight matches. Meanwhile, last year’s Division 1 champion NU salvaged third place with a 25-18, 25-21, 25-18 win over Far Eastern University.
Bacolod Tay Tung took bronze in Division 2 after beating Corpus Christi School, 25-15, 25-21, 18-25, 25-20. In the Division 2 classification round, St. Jude Parish School defeated University of Santo Tomas-B, 25-15, 25-17, 22-25, 25-22, for fifth place, while inaugural champion Domuschola International School landed in seventh after beating La Salle Green Hills, 2522, 25-19, 20-25, 25-20. King’s Montessori beat Immaculada Concepcion College, 25-20, 25-7, 25-13, for seventh place in Division 1.
of the
THE
Nailga, Plete deliver wins for Bukidnon
Tiger Cubs, Baby Tams, Jr Archers gain 3x3 semis
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas, Far Eastern University and La Salle advanced to the semifinals of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 88 19-and-under 3x3 Basketball Tournament on Friday at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque.
The Tiger Cubs made it six wins in as many games, taking down the Adamson University Baby Falcons, 21-14, before dispatching the National University Nazareth School Bullpups, 21-17.
UST’s Joaqui Ludovice scored 10 points built on four deuces, while Kirk Cañete added seven points, six rebounds, and one assist,
Cubs are the Baby Tamaraws with a 5-1 record and the Junior Archersat 4-2. Adrian Alagaban came up with the game-winning two-pointer as FEU scored a 21-19 win over University of the East. JB Cagurungan and Marc Burgos then combined for 15 points in another thrilling 21-17 victory against La Salle.
Despite the loss to the Baby Tamaraws, the Junior Archers still advanced to the semifinals by edging the Bullpups, 18-17, behind a game-winning jumper by Champ Arejola at the buzzer.
Battling NU (3-3) for the final semifinal spot are UE and University of the Philippines, tied at 2-4 with one game remaining in the eliminations.
Ateneo and Adamson have 1-5 records and have been eliminated
remained unscathed through two games, setting up a title clash for the third consecutive season in the four-team tournament. Sofia Petalcorin led the charge with six points, five rebounds, and two blocks as the Junior Growling Tigresses cruised to a 17-7 win over the Lady Bullpups carved
out a 16-10 victory against the Junior Lady Archers, powered by KJ Badajos’ eight-point performance.
In the 16-and-under division, La Salle handed FEU-D its first loss, 21-16, to create a five-way tie for third place with Adamson, UST, NU and UE. Against the previously unbeaten Baby Tamaraws, Enzo Purugganan led the way with seven points and four rebounds, while Fonsie Mercado and David Dizon added six points each.
FEU still became the first team to advance to the semifinals after a 2116 win over NU.
and stay solid on the greens—and I was able to do that,” said Nailga in Filipino, who dominated the Mactan leg but skipped the Alta Vista stop to honor a prior commitment.
“Driving was really the key,” added the rising star from Bukidnon, who will be aiming for a third leg victory at Pueblo de Oro in the fourth leg starting May 5.
“I just need to improve my bunker shots,” he added.
After rallying from five shots down with a second-round 69 to seize control, Nailga steadied himself with an upand-down even-par round through 11 holes before weathering a shaky finish. He double-bogeyed No. 13 and dropped another stroke on No. 15 for a 37-38 card but still cruised to victory with a 216 total as Ordeneza faltered with a 77 for 220.
Mhark Fernando III placed third at 221 after a 72.
Plete, meanwhile, figured in the day’s most gripping battle, edging out Zaragosa in a dramatic back-nine shootout to clinch the girls’ crown by a single stroke at 213.
Clinging to a one-shot lead after 36 holes, Plete stumbled early with three bogeys on the front nine but stayed in the hunt with an eagle from 24 feet on the par-5 sixth for a 37. She then unleashed a clutch backside 31, overturning a one-shot deficit at the turn and matching Zaragosa shot-forshot in a high-pressure finish. Zaragosa briefly seized control with a 35 at the turn and kept the pressure on with four birdies in the last six holes. But Plete, 16, responded with a decisive fourbirdie surge from No. 14, holding her nerve down the stretch to seal the victory. Both players carded identical 68s, but Zaragosa settled for runner-up honors at 214 after missing a playoff chance on the 18th Mikela Guillermo placed a distant third at 237 after an 81. Plete’s
“I focused on not overthinking and did my best to stay composed,” said Zero Plete, reflecting on the stretch-run shootout. “I took it shot by shot and made
MARC RYAN LAGO tows Emmanuel Dave Montemayor to victory. ROY DOMINGO
THE D2 Lady Bullpups come up with a win for NU. SGVIL PHOTO
JOAQUI LUDOVICE shows the way for the Cubs. UAAP PHOTO