The bank has also slashed its 2026 growth forecast for the country to 3.4 percent from its earlier 4.6 percent projection.
If realized, the revised forecast would mark the Philippines’s weakest economic expansion since the Covid-19 pandemic, when the economy contracted by 9.5 percent in 2020.
Excluding the pandemic years, it would be the slowest growth print since 2009, when gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by just 1.4 percent.
The projection would likewise fall short of the Marcos administration’s 5- to 6-percent growth target for 2026.
In a commentary released Thursday, HSBC Senior Asean Economist Aris Dacanay said the weak first-quarter GDP growth came alongside elevated inflation and rising unemployment, strengthening concerns over a stagflationary environment.
Stagflation refers to a period when economic growth slows while inflation and unemployment remain elevated simultaneously.
April inflation accelerated to 7.2 percent, the highest in three years, while unemployment in the first quarter climbed above 5 percent.
“The medium-term effects of the growth and inflation shocks are already apparent. All told, stagflation in the Philippines has taken shape,” Dacanay said.
Dacanay warned that conditions could worsen in the coming months as tighter fertilizer supply, linked to the continued blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, triggers what he described as a “caloric shock.”
He said the disruption is expected to weigh on agricultural output in the second half of the year, compounding the effects of El Niño and keeping food prices elevated.
“Consequently, higher food prices tend to have broader spillover effects to core [consumer price index] and inflation expectations,” he added.
HSBC now expects inflation to average 6.6 percent this year, sharply higher than its earlier 4-percent forecast and well above the government’s 2- to 4-percent target range.
percent of total pledges.
Singapore followed with P3.18 billion in commitments, equivalent to 7.5 percent of the total, while China contributed P2.54 billion or 5.9 percent. By industry, arts, entertainment and recreation accounted for the largest share of approved foreign investments at P10.38 billion or 24.4 percent of total commitments.
This marked a sharp increase from the P1.46 billion recorded in the same period last year.
Manufacturing also posted strong investment approvals amounting to P9.08 billion or 21.3 percent of total pledges, followed closely by accommodation and food service activities with P9.07 billion
By Andrea E. San Juan
PROLONGED Middle East
Aconflict could weaken the Philippine peso further to P65 against the dollar on the assumption that the price of oil shoots up to $150 to $170 per barrel (Brent Crude), an analyst warned.
“65, probable on prolonged Middle East conflict and trades towards 150-170 [price of Brent Crude] ” Jonathan L. Ravelas, senior adviser at Reyes Tacandong & Co. told the BusinessMirror in a Viber message on Thursday. According to Ravelas, his assumption is a conflict lasting three to nine months. He said this period will dictate oil prices and the direction (of the local currency.)
Asked how long is a “prolonged”
Middle East conflict, he replied:
“Right now it’s already prolonged. It’s been 10 weeks.”
“What more after nine months?
Look at inflation from 2 to 7.2 percent, that is a huge jump. The key is, the longer the conflict lasts the higher probability of 65,” added Ravelas.
The analyst said this after the local currency plunged to a new record low of P61.64 against the dollar on Thursday.
Data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) showed the Philippine peso closed at P61.64 against the greenback on Thursday. This rate is 26 centavos weaker than its previous finish of P61.38 on Wednesday.
Ravelas said the peso fell to this value after the greenback was “firmer on higher US Treasury
ERC probes outages as PCCI airs concern
&
By Lenie Lectura
Bless Aubrey Ogerio
FOR the second consecutive day, Red and Yellow alerts were raised over the Luzon and Visayas grids due to insufficient supply, prompting an inquiry by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and concern by the largest business alliance over the impact on the economy. On Thursday, the ERC ordered the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) to submit a comprehensive report concerning the Red Alert and Yellow Alert raised over the Luzon and Visayas grids.
“Consumers have the right to a clear and comprehensive account of what occurred during these alert declarations. Visiting the System Operations Command Center enabled us to closely observe the situation and ensure that the Commission bases its actions on verified information rather than assumptions,” ERC Chairperson Atty. Francis Saturnino Juan said.
Juan personally proceeded to the System Operations Command Center to observe realtime operations, confer with system operators on the causes of the recent Red Alert and Yellow Alert declarations, as well as the current status of generating units and transmission facilities. The on-site verification forms part of the commission’s commitment to ensure that any disruption affecting power supply reliability is met with prompt, transparent, and evidence-based regulatory action.
In a letter addressed to NGCP President and CEO Mr. Anthony L. Almeda, the ERC directed NGCP to submit a detailed account covering, among others, the specific date, time, and duration of each Red and Yellow Alert declaration and the areas affected; the root cause or triggering factor of the supply deficiency or grid contingency; the generating units, transmission lines, and grid facilities that experienced forced outages, derating, or reduced availability; the reserve and demand levels at the time of each alert declaration; the immediate corrective measures undertaken, including any load management or dispatch instructions issued; the restoration timeline and normalization actions; and any related coordination with the Department of Energy (DOE), the ERC, and concerned generation companies. “The reliability and adequacy of our power supply are non-negotiable. We expect NGCP to fully and faithfully discharge its reportorial duties so that the public, the industry, and the regulators can collectively address the root causes of these incidents,” he added. Brownouts
SURF AND SAIL From left: Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Don Artes lead the ceremonial launch of the Free Public Internet Access Program (FPIAP) aboard the MMDA Pasig River Ferry Service on Thursday, May 14, 2026. The initiative aims to provide commuters with free internet connectivity while supporting the modernization of public transport facilities along the Pasig River. The program also complements the administration’s “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli” rehabilitation campaign, which seeks to revive the historic waterway as an alternative transport corridor and public space in Metro Manila. NONOY LACZA
Prolonged ME war may see $1:₧65 exchange
yields as prospects of rate hikes this year.”
Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Senior Research
Fellow John Paolo Rivera told this newspaper that the peso hitting a new record low on Thursday likely reflects a combination of “stronger US dollar conditions, elevated oil prices, and concerns over the Philippines’s slower growth and higher inflation.”
“As a net oil importer, the country needs more dollars to pay for fuel, which adds pressure on the currency,” Rivera explained.
The PIDS senior research fellow noted that weak GDP outturn may have also weighed on sentiment by “reinforcing” expectations that growth will remain below target.
Moving forward, Rivera said the key concern is not just the level, but whether the depreciation remains orderly and does not trigger broader financial instability.
While the depreciation raises import costs and inflation risks, Rivera said it also improves the peso value of remittances and export earnings.
Within the trading session, the Philippine peso traded at the weakest level of P61.66 against the dollar and the strongest at P61.35 against the greenback, data from BAP showed.
Maharlika inks ₧15-B credit deal to fund Petron imports
By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
SOVEREIGN
wealth fund manager
Maharlika Investment Corporation (MIC) has extended a P15-billion revolving credit facility to Petron Corp. to bankroll crude oil imports and fuel inventory expansion as global oil prices remain volatile.
According to a statement it issued on Thursday, the MIC said it signed an agreement with Petron for a shortterm revolving credit facility of up to P15 billion.
The revolving credit facility will allow Petron to borrow, repay and re -
Outages…
Continued from A1
inflation, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) warned. PCCI president Ferdinand Ferrer said energy in-
draw funds from MIC as needed.
The funding will help Petron buy and import crude oil and refined petroleum products, as well as cover working capital requirements, the MIC said.
MIC President and Chief Execu-
stability should no longer be viewed as an isolated regional issue, citing its potential impact on economic activity and investor sentiment.
“The looming power crisis in the Visayas is a wakeup call. Energy instability is not just a regional issue; it is a national economic risk,” Ferrer said.
He noted that the economy is already facing mounting pressures, with gross domestic product growth slowing to
tive Officer Rafael D. Consing, Jr. said oil prices have increased to the point where fuel distributors need to double their working capital to buy the same amount of fuel.
Petron, a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation, is a major fuel supplier and the country’s sole oil refiner.
“This facility allows MIC to support fuel supply stability while deploying capital in a sector that is essential to the economy,” Consing said.
The transaction reflects the sovereign wealth fund manager’s mandate to promote national development through strategic investments in key sectors, supporting the country’s energy supply chain while generating riskadjusted returns, MIC said.
MIC said that the facility it
2.8 percent in the first quarter of 2026, while inflation is projected to reach 6.3 percent.
“With growth already at 2.8 percent and inflation rising, prolonged brownouts will further weaken productivity, investor confidence, and household welfare,” he added.
The May 13 outages reportedly left more than 200,000 households and businesses without electricity for an average of three hours.
The Visayas grid has emerged as a particular area of concern after the NGCP placed it under red alert from 3-8pm and under yellow alert from 8- 9pm on Wednesday.
Grid data showed available capacity at 2,510 megawatts against a peak demand of 2,413 MW, leaving only a narrow operating margin.
The situation was compounded by prolonged outages among power plants. According to industry figures cited by the chamber, 12 plants have remained on forced outage since March 2026, while 15 others have been operating at reduced capacity, resulting in about 862.3 MW being unavailable to the grid.
For PCCI, the issue was also discussed during the Energy Summit 2026 on Tuesday, where stakeholders emphasized the need to diversify energy sources, accelerate renewable energy investments and improve transparency in energy infrastructure planning.
The chamber said a reliable power supply should be treated as an economic safeguard rather than merely a technical concern.
It warned that continued instability in the power sector could further dampen investor confidence, intensify inflationary pressures and weaken efforts toward inclusive growth.
PCCI called for stronger contingency measures and clearer public communication during grid alerts, alongside faster reforms to encourage investments in renewable and alternative energy.
The business group also urged authorities to address inefficiencies in power generation and distribution systems and prioritize sectors and communities most vulnerable to brownouts and rising costs.
Based on data provided by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on Thursday, Luzon’s red alert took effect from 4pm to 10pm, while the yellow alert hoisted over the same grid was up from 3pm to 4pm and from 10pm to 11pm. Luzon’s available capacity of 12,479MW was not enough to supply the recorded peak demand at 12,595MW.
In Visayas, the grid operator said the red alert took effect from 4pm to 9pm. The yellow alert, meanwhile, took effect from 3pm to 4pm and from 9pm to 11pm. The available capacity stood at 2,413MW while peak demand was at 2,541MW, leaving a supply deficit of 128MW.
A red alert status is issued when power supply is insufficient to meet consumer demand and the transmission grid’s regulating requirement.
A yellow alert is issued when the operating margin is insufficient to meet the transmission grid’s contingency requirement.
The DOE said the other day that transmission constraints affecting the dispatch of large power plants triggered yellow and red alerts last Wednesday. DOE Secretary Sharon S. Garin has
offered to Petron at prevailing interest rates complements existing funding arrangements and provides added flexibility in managing fuel procurement and expanding its crude oil inventory.
As the government scrambles to find solutions to the ongoing energy crisis brought by the Middle East war, Consing said the MIC is open to co-finance the establishment of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
MIC has begun discussions with the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) to build fuel storage infrastructure to strengthen the country’s fuel supply.
MIC’s first investment was acquiring a 20-percent stake in the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to give the government more influence over the country’s power grid operations. adoption
directed the NGCP to immediately resolve this.
The DOE is also closely tracking the restoration timeline of all affected units and has directed concerned power generation companies (gencos) to provide immediate updates on plant status.
“The DOE’s top priority is to protect consumers and maintain grid stability. We have directed all concerned generation companies to expedite the restoration of affected units at the soonest possible time,” Garin said.
The agency has issued an advisory directing all Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EEC) professionals of government entities to strictly implement and intensify energy efficiency and conservation measures across all public offices, buildings, and facilities—effective immediately. Government entities are directed to reduce non-essential electricity use, optimize building systems, and ensure full compliance with mandated energy efficiency standards, particularly during peak demand hours.
It also called on concerned distribution utilities to activate their Interruptible Load Program (ILP) to help stabilize supply conditions.
As of 12 noon of May 14, no power interruption incidents were reported.
The Manila Electric Company (Meralco), meanwhile, has asked for the support of our commercial and industrial customers under the ILP to help ease the demand.
“If necessary, we are ready to implement manual load dropping [MLD], or rotational power interruptions, as part of our responsibility to manage the system,” Meralco said.
On Wednesday, Meralco was asked by NGCP to implement MLD—also given the red alert.
The rotating service interruptions affected about 1.9 million customers in portions of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Metro Manila, Quezon and Rizal. Services were fully restored by 12:14 AM, May 14.
“We would also like acknowledge the support of our ILP customers that adjusted their operations to help ease demand and manage the situation yesterday. Rest assured that we are monitoring and managing the situation and will provide updates as needed,” said Meralco.
Natgas plants tapped MEANWHILE, the natural gas plants of PrimeCoreGen have been dispatched to fill in the supply gaps following the NGCP’s issuance of the country’s first “red alert” notice in Luzon this year.
“PrimeCoreGen/First Gen natural gas plants were actively dispatched during the period. Sta. Rita and Ilijan units exhibited sustained high utilization, EERI [Excellent Energy Resources, Inc.] units showed stable mid-to-high loading, San Gabriel operated at moderate levels, and Avion units remained at relatively low but consistent output levels,” Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said in a text message to reporters. Prime CoreGen, a subsidiary of Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc., was put up early this year to manage and operate the gas-fired power plants it acquired from First Gen Corp. These include the 1,000 MW Santa Rita, 500 MW San Lorenzo, 450 MW San Gabriel, 97 MW Avion, and the proposed 1,200 MW Santa Maria power plants.
said. “The companies that will come out ahead are those that move beyond treating AI as a project, and start running their business with AI at the core,” he added. The annual IBM CEO study surveyed 2,000 chief executives globally.
For 2027, the bank sees inflation settling at 4.4 percent while GDP growth is projected at 4.6 percent. If realized, both figures would still miss the government’s targets of 2- to 4-percent inflation and 5.5- to 6.5-percent growth next year.
Dacanay said the weak growth outlook could still be reversed if fiscal policy regains momentum, particularly through faster infrastructure implementation.
“Policymakers can do this by fasttracking infrastructure projects that have already broken ground and have passed the stage of scrutiny,” he said. Recent quarters of sluggish growth had largely been attributed by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to weaker government spending. PSA data showed government final consumption expenditure slowing to 5.8 percent in the third quarter of 2025 before nearly stalling at 0.7 percent in the fourth quarter. Spending posted only a modest recovery in the first quarter of 2026 at 4.8 percent.
Public infrastructure expenditure also weakened, growing by just 0.7 percent in the third quarter of 2025 before contracting by 6.4 percent in the fourth quarter. The decline extended into the first quarter of 2026, with capital expenditures shrinking by 2.7 percent.
Despite the near-term risks, Dacanay said the Philippine economy’s medium-term outlook remains “stable.”
“The country’s energy response is prudent: it allows a healthy dosage of ‘demand destruction’ by distributing the cost of higher energy prices across society and letting prices reflect the true scarcity of oil. In addition, the needed fiscal support remains targeted and controlled,” he added. or 21.28 percent. Of the country’s 15 IPAs, seven recorded foreign investment approvals during the quarter. These were the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, Board of Investments, Clark Development Corporation, Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, Clark International Airport Corporation, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. Despite the rise in foreign investment approvals, total approved investments—covering both local and
Minority senators explain absence during shooting
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
MINORITY senators, whose absence during the chaotic hours after session adjourned on Wednesday has been given a twist by innuendoes by certain majority senators, explained why they were not longer in the building when gunfire broke out.
“ Ito po ang katotohanan: tapos na ang session, kaya umuwi na ang mga empleyado. Ako, lumipad papuntang probinsyaparasascheduled na conference. Ang mga colleagues sa minority, ang aming mga staff, pati ang marami sa aming mga katrabaho ay nag-uwian dahil tapos na ang trabaho,” Sen. Anna Theresia “Risa” Hontoiveros said in a statement on Thursday.
[This is the truth: session was adjourned, so employees went home., Me, flew to the province for a scheduled conference. Our colleeagues in the minority, our staff, and most of our workmates went home because the day’s work was over].
For his part, Sen. Erwin Tulfo said minority senators went home because Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano served notice that the all-senator caucus was changed to only a majority caucus, prompting the minority led by former Senate President Vicente Sotto III to go home.
On his way out of the Senate compound, Sotto, who was driving his own car, was assaulted by a rowdy pro-Duterte crowd that had gathered in apparent response to a call from Sen. Ronald dela Rosa for the people to protect him.
Dela Rosa had been holed up in the Senate since Monday afternoon, when he suddenly showed up after five months of absence to cast his vote in a Senate coup that ousted Sotto and installed Cayetano.
Dela Rosa made himself scarce since rumors of the issuance of an arrest warrant against him spread several months ago.
On Thursday, Hontiveros appealed to colleagues not to “use for politiciking the act of going home by our Senate employees, who are doing an honest day’s work.”
She was referring to repeated insinuations by Cayetano, and later Sen. Imelda Josefa Remedios Marcos, that “four senators received tips” that something was going to happen and so they went home.
Hontiveros said, “There is only one reason some bad faith actors are trying very hard to make this controversial event about me and other minority senators and the times we went home. All this for a man [dela Rosa] who simply doesn’t want to face the law. That’s it. That’s the whole story.”
Hontiveros continued, “Unfortunately, the Senate, The People’s House, the hallowed space where laws are made and rights are defended, was turned into a shooting range. That is desecration, not just of our walls, but of the trust placed in that institution. What a historic low for our country.
“We, Senators, are mere stewards of the Senate. The Senate belongs to the Filipino people, so no one gets to act like they own the place, much less barricade themselves inside it.”
She repeated their appeal earlier to dela Rosa—expressed in controversial Senate Resolution that she and four others signed—to surrender and cooperate with law enforcement authorities regarding his warrant, issued by the Internationl Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity related to the Duterte-era drug war.
“We need to get to the bottom of this. The Filipino people deserve a full, independent, and unobstructed accounting. Walang takipan [No coverup].”
Senate convenes May 18 as Impeachment Court
THE Senate will convene on Monday, May 18, as an Impeachment Court after receiving the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Dutete transmitted by the House of Representatives.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano disclosed this in a press briefing on Thursday, a day after a House team successfully transmitted the Articles to the Senate, as mandated by the Constitution.
The HOR earlier impeached Duterte on these grounds: misuse of confidential funds, bribery, unexplained wealth and grave threats and inciting to sedition. It is the second time the HOR impeached Duterte, but last year’s attempt failed after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Duterte, who sought to expose alleged anomalies in the impeachment process.
The HOR team’s arrival at the Senate in Pasay City happened just as the Senate was thrown into chaos by gunfire from a corner of the building adjacent to the premises of
the GSIS, which is the Senate’s landlord. The events sparked speculation that those behind the mayhem may be trying to both derail the impeachment process, given that the new Senate majority is deemed pro-Duterte; and provide a smokescreen for Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who took sanctuary in the Senate since Monday on reports that an arrest warrant is about to be served on him, from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He is wanted in the ICC for crimes against humanity, in connection with his role as key implementer of the Duterte-era bloody war on drugs that killed thousands of civilians including children.
At Thursday’s briefing, Cayetano, however, assured the public the Senate will do its duty and “forthwith” convene as an Impeachment Court to try Duterte.
He said the Senate rules on impeachment will more or less remain the same, and they will soon finalize the schedule for the trial, in order not to disrupt Senate sessions and committee hearings. Butch Fernandez
Nartatez orders intensive probe on Senate shooting incident
By Rex Anthony Naval
THE National Police (PNP) on Thursday assured public that it will conduct a top-to-bottom investigation into Wednesday night’s gun shooting incident at the Senate Building in Pasay City
In a statement, the PNP chief, Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., assured a “thorough investigation” even as a team of investigators led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) was mobilized to conduct the investigation to shed light on what really happened inside the Senate. Thw order came amid reports of attempts to arrest Sen. Ronald dela Rosa inside the Senate following the issuance of a warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with the previous administration’s war on drugs.
“We assure all our kababayan of a thorough, objective, and exhaustive investigation of this
NBI: Its Senate’s responsibility to present dela Rosa to courts
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Thursday that the Senate now has the legal responsibility to present Sen. Ronald dela Rosa before the courts after it took custody of the lawmaker, who is the subject of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his involvement in the drug war of the Duterte administration.
NBI Director Melvin A. Matibag made the statement amid reports that the lawmaker has already left the premises of the Senate after the shooting incident at the Upper House on Wednesday.
After missing from the Senate for at least five months, dela Rosa surfaced on Tuesday when he joined 12 other senators in voting to replace Sen. Vicente “Tito” C. Sotto III with Sen Alan Peter S. Cayetano as the Senate president.
Prior to casting his vote, NBI tried and failed to serve the ICC warrant of arrest to dela Rosa, who scampered up the stairs to the session hall..
“If you recall, the senators said that Senator dela Rosa is in their protective custody. And that was the consideration of the NBI why it no longer pursued his arrest,” Matibag said in Filipino in a press briefing in Malacañang.
Sen. Rodante D. Marcoleta filed a resolution placing cela Rosa in the protective custody of the Senate.
“As I said in a statement before, if there is a need for Senator dela Rosa to be presented in the courts or other agencies, the Senate has the right and responsibility to do so,” Matibag said.
NBI deferred its attempts to arrest dela Rosa pending the Supreme Court decision on the urgent motion filed by the lawmaker to
prevent his arrest.
As of Thursday morning, NBI and the National Police (PNP) have yet to validate reports if sela Rosa is no longer in the Senate. It was later confirmed by the Senate’s Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Joint probe
MATIBAG said the NBI will coordinate with the PNP to investigate the shooting incident in the Senate, including allegations that it was “staged” to allow dela Rosa to avoid arrest.
“We’d rather not draw a conclusion in an ongoing investigation. But rest assured that we have the final result of the investigation and we will release it to the public,” he said.
“For now, NBI and PNP will assist one another to review the footage in the [Senate] CCTV [closed-circuit television] and we will use our forensic capabilities to know what really happened,” he added.
In a video message, President Marcos said no soldiers or policemen tried to enter the Senate on Wednesday when the incident happened.
This was reiterated by the Chief Executive when he met with law enforcement agencies the following day.
“Make sure that the investigation is truthful and fair and reveal the real culprits [of the shooting incident] and make them accountable,” Marcos said.
No assault
THE Senate is currently located in a rented portion of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Building. The GSIS office is connected by a bridge to the Senate premises within the same building.
Matibag explained that NBI agents were deployed to the GSIS office upon the request of GSIS President and General Manager Jose
Arnulfo A. Veloso to secure it as supporters and critics of dela Rosa gathered outside of the Senate premises.
He said NBI was tasked to close the access point to prevent people from the Senate from entering the GSIS premises through that bridge.
The NBI chief stressed that the NBI did not assault the Senate.
Warning shots
QUOTING the initial report, Matibag said the shooting incident happened after Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca fired a warning shot at NBI agents at the GSIS office in Pasay City.
An NBI agent, Matibag said, responded with a warning shot. It was followed by an exchange of shots between the two parties: six were from the NBI and not less than 30 came from the OSAA.
The NBI chief did not disclose the identity of the NBI agent who fired the warning shot.
He said Pasay Police Station in coordination with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is now looking into the shooting incident.
The PNP has arrested a “Mel Orgaon,” who is suspected to be one of the shooters in the Senate. He was caught with live ammunition and a magazine.
Oragon, Matibag said, was a “volunteer” driver and not a regular employee of NBI, who was given a firearm.
“As to the question whether he was allowed to hold a gun, but during the actual [shooting] incident, he didn’t have access to that gun,” he said.
National embarassment
LAWMAKERS from progressive groups on Thursday condemned the reported departure
of Sen. Ronald dela Rosa from the Senate premises despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling it a “grave injustice” to the victims of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña of Akbayan accused the Senate leadership of undermining its own institution, alleging that it was used to evade law enforcement instead of upholding the law.
“The Senate itself is destroying its institution. Instead of peacefully surrendering, a person with a warrant of arrest used it to evade law enforcement. The Senate’s job is to make laws, not to break them,” Cendaña said. He also questioned the priorities of Senate leaders, asking what kind of leadership would allegedly assist a “wanted individual for crimes against humanity” and an “international fugitive” in avoiding arrest.
Cendaña added that Senate officials should be accountable to the families of extrajudicial killing (EJK) victims.
“They owe the Filipino people more than livestreams and excuses,” he said, reiterating his belief that dela Rosa should face trial before the ICC due to the alleged lack of justice for victims of “Tokhang.” Meanwhile, members of the Makabayan bloc—Party-list Reps. Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers, Sarah Jane Elago of Gabriela, and Renee Louise Co Kabataan—likewise condemned the incident, describing it as a “monumental blunder” and a “national embarrassment.”
In a joint statement, the lawmakers said the supposed escape of a high-profile official from a heavily secured government facility pointed to serious lapses in security and accountability under the current administration.
Lawmakers seek stiffer penalties, intensified law enforcement against fake news peddlers
By Josee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
LEGISLATORS are calling for intensified law enforcement action against individuals and groups spreading fake news, urging authorities to identify and penalize those behind disinformation campaigns that mislead the public.
Camarines Sur Reps. Miguel Luis Villafuerte and Vincenzo Renato Luigi Villafuerte on Thursday backed ongoing efforts of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) to curb the spread of false information, while pressing for stronger coordination with law enforcement agencies to hold perpetrators accountable.
Luigi Villafuerte, a House of Representatives deputy majority leader, specifically urged the National Police (PNP), through its AntiCybercrime Group (ACG), to work closely with the PCO, Department of Justice (DOJ), and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in identifying and taking legal action against groups “that intentionally peddle sham information for the purpose of hoodwinking,
incident. Our goal is clear: follow the evidence wherever it leads. We are working closely with the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms to ensure that no stone is left unturned. This is a matter of national security and public trust,” Nartatez said. Relatedly, Nartatez and Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla personally went to the Senate to check on the status of the incident and meet with officials of the chamber.
This is in line with the instruction of President Marcos to secure everybody in the Senate and to ferret out the truth. Marcos earlier said the incident was not government-led.
Nartatez ordered concerned units to maintain close coordination with the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, a retired police major general and member of the Philippine
unsettling or alarming the public.”
The lawmakers stressed that disinformation is no longer just a communications issue but a matter requiring firm enforcement, especially with the rise of organized efforts and the use of digital platforms to amplify false narratives.
The call comes as the PCO, DOJ, and DICT recently formalized their collaboration through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) aimed at strengthening inter-agency coordination to combat misinformation and disinformation that threaten public safety, national security, and democratic institutions.
Under the agreement, the DOJ will evaluate cases for possible prosecution and coordinate international action against cross-border disinformation, while the DICT will strengthen cybersecurity measures, engage digital platforms, and enhance reporting systems. The PCO, for its part, will lead government communications and media literacy campaigns.
Migz Villafuerte, who chairs the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology, also urged the PCO to fast-track the rollout of its planned official website dedicated to flagging
and debunking fake news, saying such a platform would help authorities monitor and act more quickly on misleading content circulating online.
The lawmakers also welcomed the PCO’s initiative to open a reporting platform where citizens can flag suspicious or misleading information being passed off as legitimate news, noting that public participation is crucial in detecting disinformation networks.
Earlier, Migz Villafuerte also backed the PCO’s Oplan Kontra Fake News initiative wherein the major publishers of Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, BusinessMirror, BusinessWorld, Daily Tribune, Malaya Business Insight, Manila Standard and the Manila Times signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the PCO to intensify efforts against misinformation and disinformation.
The Villafuertes said these combined efforts—ranging from inter-agency coordination and media partnerships to citizen reporting mechanisms—should be complemented by decisive law enforcement action to deter offenders.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives
is also moving to support the crackdown through legislation. A technical working group composed of the committees on information and communications technology and public information has been tasked to consolidate more than 10 proposed measures into a substitute bill for the proposed “Anti-Fake News and Digital Disinformation Act.” Migz Villafuerte said the measure seeks not only to impose penalties on purveyors of false information but also to restore public trust in credible sources of news.
“The rapid spread of misinformation and fake news poses a significant threat to our democratic institutions, public health, and social cohesion,” he said. The bill has been identified as one of the priority measures discussed during the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), reflecting growing concern over the impact of disinformation on governance and public discourse.
Lawmakers underscored that while safeguarding freedom of expression remains essential, those who deliberately spread false information to deceive the public must be held accountable under the law.
Veteran British lawyer leads Duterte’s ICC defense
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
THE crime against humanity and other cases in the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte have moved from pre-trial to trial and with this comes a major change in his defense team.
Following the April 23, 2026 ruling by Pre-Trial Chamber I confirming three counts of crimes against humanity tied to the Philippine drug war, Duterte has appointed prominent British barrister Peter Haynes KC as his new lead counsel. Haynes takes over from Nicholas Kaufman and Dov Jacobs, whose contracts ended in March.
Kaufman confirmed the handover in a May filing to Trial Chamber III, noting that Haynes is “ready, willing and able to assume immediate representation” and will appear at the May 27 status conference.
Operating out of St. Philips Chambers in the United Kingdom, Haynes is regarded as one of the foremost practitioners of international criminal and humanitarian law.
Elevated to King’s Counsel in 2008, he brings more than three decades of courtroom experience, including over 25 years before tribunals in The Hague.
He also served two consecutive terms as president of the International Criminal Court Bar Association from 2019 to 2021, becoming the first person re-elected to the post. Haynes is best known for securing one
of the ICC’s rare full acquittals. From 2010 to 2018, he represented JeanPierre Bemba, the former vice president of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bemba was initially convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity, but Haynes successfully appealed, winning his release in 2018.
His dismantling of the prosecution’s use of “command responsibility” in that case is seen as a key reason Duterte tapped him, given similar issues surrounding the former Philippine leader’s command over police forces and the so-called Davao Death Squad.
His record extends beyond Bemba. At the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Haynes defended Bosnian Serb General Vinko Pandurević in the Popović et al. trial, which addressed the Srebrenica Massacre and was described as Europe’s largest criminal trial since World War II. He also represented
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www.businessmirror.com.ph
DTI draws guardrails for AI-led certifications
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has adopted updated standards for certification bodies using artificial intelligence (AI), tightening oversight rules as automated systems become more integrated into professional certification processes.
Through the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS), the agency introduced a revised framework requiring certification bodies to
Nartatez. . .
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Military Academy Class of 1987, and Senate leadership to secure all possible evidence.
The PNP raised its security posture to the highest alert status following reports of gunfire inside the Senate complex.
Nartatez said police units deployed in the area were tasked to support security operations while authorities conduct the investigation.
He stressed that police personnel did not fire a shot during the tense moment.
Reports said it was members of the Senate security who fired sporadic shots, for reasons still undetermined.
“Our personnel are there in a purely supportive and protective capacity, coordinated strictly with the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms. Their presence is intended to maintain order, secure the perimeter, and ensure the safety of the Senators and the staff while the investigation is active. They are not there to interfere with legislative proceedings,” the PNP chief said.
The National Capital Region Police Office and CIDG were instructed to secure and preserve all available CCTV footage, radio communications, and entry logs that may help establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Police investigators are expected to submit an initial report once evidence gathering is completed.
As this developed, the Armed Forces (AFP) chief of staff, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., on Thursday said that he has directed the troops to remain calm and professional in wake of the incident at the Senate.
“My instructions to the soldiers nationwide is for everyone to remain calm, disciplined and professional,” he added.
Brawner also said military personnel should only focus on their job and mandate and “leave politics to the politicians.”
Brawner also said he is confident soldiers will not be involved in any plot to destabilize the Marcos Administration as the AFP is “very professional.”
He added that the Marines who were seen inside the Senate building before the shooting incident were part of the military contingent assigned to secure the Senate. Brawner said soldiers were not involved in the shooting incident.
maintain strong human oversight of AI-assisted systems to ensure fairness, transparency, and reliability in assessments.
The updated standard outlines how organizations using AI in certification procedures must verify, manage and continuously monitor these systems to protect the integrity and credibility of professional certifications.
According to the DTI, the revised framework aims to ensure that AI technologies used in evaluations and decision-making processes remain accountable and produce consistent results.
The agency said the new standard comes in response to the growing use of AI-driven tools across industries and professional services, where automation is increasingly being integrated into testing, screening and assessment functions.
Key revisions in the 2026 version include updated terminology
intended to improve consistency across certification systems, as well as closer alignment with international conformity assessment practices.
The issuance replaces the previous standard covering the general requirements for bodies operating certification of persons.
DTI said the updated rules align the Philippines with the latest international standards issued by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission.
The agency added that the move is part of broader efforts to ensure emerging technologies are integrated into professional systems without compromising accountability and public trust.
DepEd, LandBank partner to help teachers attain financial stability
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
THE Department of Education (DepEd) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) formalized a partnership on Thursday aimed at helping public school teachers and non-teaching personnel regain financial stability.
The agreement introduces a loan assistance arrangement that will allow LandBank to refinance existing loans of affected DepEd personnel currently tied to private lenders. The initiative seeks to help employees secure a more manageable take-home pay while easing the burden caused by mounting debt obligations.
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara emphasized that the initiative reflects the Marcos administration’s continuing commitment to protect teacher welfare, recognizing that financial stress directly affects the well-being and productivity of educators.
“Hindi dapat nalulunod sa utang
ang mga gurong araw-araw na nagsisilbi para maiangat ang kinabukasan ng ating mga kabataan. Kung matutulungan natin silang makabangon at makahinga muli financially, tungkulin nating gawin iyon,” Angara said, noting that thousands of public school teachers and non-teaching personnel will benefit from the agreement.
As part of the agreement, DepEd approved the waiver of the 0.5 percent service fee on remittances, allowing LandBank to lower the interest rate for the loan assistance program from 7 percent to 6.5 percent per annum.
The rate is significantly lower compared to unaccredited private lending institutions’ arrangements where borrowers may be paying interest as high as 3 percent per month, making it difficult for affected personnel to recover financially.
The partnership covers some 1,000 garnished salary loan accounts amounting to an estimated P500 million.
Under the proposed arrangement, affected personnel may once
again receive the minimum P5,000 net take-home pay after previously receiving little to no salary due to heavy deductions and garnishment.
“These are not add ons, they’re part of building a more complete financial relationship with teachers who have historically been underserved by the formal banking system,” LandBank President and Chief Executive Officer Ma. Lynette Ortiz said.
For many teachers, salary deductions and loan obligations have long affected their daily lives, often leaving little room for emergencies, family needs, or savings.
Through the partnership, DepEd hopes to give affected employees financial breathing room so they can continue focusing on teaching and supporting learners across the country.
“ Kapag mas panatag ang ating mga guro, mas makakapagpokus sila sa kanilang pinakamahalagang tungkulin—ang pagtuturo at paggabay sa ating mga mag-aaral,” Angara added.
BPIA completes emergency simulation exercise
PANGLAO, Bohol—Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA) successfully conducted its biennial full-scale emergency simulation exercise late last month, reinforcing BPIA’s commitment to operational readiness, passenger safety, and seamless emergency coordination.
The simulation exercise, dubbed Beacon2026 (Bohol Emergency Airport Coordination Operations Network 2026), represents the collective strength, discipline, and coordination among airport stakeholders in safeguarding the traveling public at the country’s tenth-busiest gateway. The exercise also adopted a fiesta theme in celebration of the local festivities taking place in Bohol.
“Preparedness is at the core of BoholPanglao International Airport’s safety and resilience. Through exercises like Beacon2026,
we continuously strengthen our systems, sharpen coordination among stakeholders, and ensure that our teams are capable of responding swiftly and effectively to any emergency scenario. These drills are essential in maintaining the trust and confidence of the traveling public,” said BPIA General Manager Aldwin C. Uy.
The large-scale exercise forms part of BPIA’s compliance with Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) standards and international aviation safety protocols. It serves as a critical assessment of the airport’s emergency response systems, including Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services, medical response units, rescue and recovery teams, and the effectiveness of the Airport Emergency Plan.
“Exercises such as Beacon2026 demonstrate the importance of unified action among government agencies, airport operators, and emergency responders. This level of coordination ensures that Bohol-Panglao International Airport remains compliant with global aviation standards while fostering a culture of
preparedness and operational excellence,” said Caap BPIA Manager Anghelo B. Ibañez.
Scenario
BEACON2026 simulated an aircraft emergency scenario involving a mock narrow-body commercial aircraft that encountered a runway “excursion”upon landing. The exercise tested the coordinated response of BPIA personnel, airline partners, local government units, medical institutions, and national agencies operating under the airport’s Mutual Aid Emergency Agreement.
The exercise was also joined by key stakeholders including Caap, Bureau of Fire Protection, National Police, Coast Guard, Office of Civil Defense, Provincial Government of Bohol, Municipal Government of Panglao, nearby hospitals, and airline partners operating at BPIA.
Regular flight operations at BPIA continued without disruption throughout the exercise. Designated staging, treatment, and command areas were carefully selected to minimize impact on passenger movement and airport activities.
PhilHealth halves processing time increases beneficiaries by 8.7 M
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) ongoing digital enhancement efforts have cut its processing time almost by half and raised the number of its beneficiaries by 8.7 million.
During the10th meeting of the Private Sector Advisory Council (Psac) Healthcare Sector in Malacañang, PhilHealth reported its information technology transformation efforts have improved claims processing and expanded healthcare access.
The state health insurer reported a 46 percent improvement in claims processing turnaround time, which reduced reimbursement waiting periods from around two months to as low as two weeks.
This has also resulted in a 65 percent increase in the number of its beneficiaries compared to 2023, which is equivalent to 8.7 million people.
President Marcos focused on PhilHealth’s digital transformation since he hopes it will help reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses, expand access to medicines, and encourage the growth of healthcare facilities.
Aside from its digital efforts, PhilHealth also reported that its zero balance billing
program has served 1.6 million patients and covered approximately P95 billion in hospital bills as of February. Its Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (Gamot) program now covers 2,026 accredited pharmacies and served more than 171,000 beneficiaries with P238.23 million worth of medicines as of May 2026.
Psac Health Sector lauded the said initiatives of PhilHealth since it provides Filipino families with better access to healthcare services.
“The stronger PhilHealth support, faster reimbursements, broader
PHL eyes expanded trade with Türkiye
THE Philippines and Türkiye are seeking to expand trade and investment ties into new sectors as both countries push for stronger economic cooperation.
Discussions were held between Trade Undersecretary and Board of Investments
Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo and Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, alongside Turkish Deputy Trade Minister Mustafa Tuzcu. Among the proposals raised was the resumption of the Philippines-Türkiye Joint Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation, which Turkish officials said could help broaden collaboration across multiple industries.
The meeting also tackled preparations for an upcoming Turkish business mission to the Philippines to be led by the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye.
Further, the Philippine government expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Türkiye in manufacturing, agri-food, infrastructure, transportation, construction and halal industries.
Turkish officials, meanwhile, highlighted possible areas of cooperation in defense, construction, agriculture and culture, citing Türkiye’s large-scale infrastructure and defense industries.
Turkish firms already operating in the Philippines include Aselsan, a defense technology company, and Gülermak, a transport infrastructure contractor.
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“This is not a mere procedural lapse. This is a national embarrassment and a clear demonstration of how impunity works in practice when the accused is powerful and well-connected,” the bloc said.
Lawmakers stressed that the incident further highlights the difficulties in achieving justice for victims of the anti-drug campaign, noting that families continue to bear the burden of loss while accountability remains elusive.
The group also called for an immediate explanation from Senate leadership and security officials, including clarification on reports of a shooting incident that allegedly coincided with developments surrounding the warrant.
“The public deserves answers. The Senate leadership and security officials must
Philippine officials noted that the country’s trade deficit widened from around $5 billion in 2015 to roughly $50 billion in 2025, while Turkish officials also pointed to trade imbalances affecting some of their major trading partners.
Despite broader economic engagement, bilateral trade between the Philippines and Türkiye reached only about $365 million in fiscal year 2025, with the balance remaining in favor of the Philippines. Beyond bilateral trade, Türkiye also renewed its push to deepen ties with Southeast Asia through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Tuzcu reiterated Ankara’s bid to become a full dialogue partner of the regional bloc during the Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship in 2026.
Philippine Ambassador-designate to Ankara Jaime Ramon Ascalon said the country’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations chairmanship could help strengthen Türkiye’s economic engagement with the region.
“The Philippines is more than welcome to assist with any business missions to our region to drive investment, improve supply chains, and expand market access,” Ascalon said. The discussions come as Türkiye expands its “far country strategy,” which identifies the Philippines as a potential long-term economic partner in Southeast Asia. Bless Aubrey Ogerio
Rodolfo also said the country’s authorities would coordinate on pending trade concerns, including anti-dumping duties on wheat flour imports from certain Turkish exporters and the accreditation of Turkish poultry products for export to the Philippines. Both sides acknowledged the need to improve balance in trade relations as supply chain disruptions and global economic pressures continue to affect trade flows.
immediately explain how dela Rosa was able to leave and who facilitated, enabled, or ordered lapses in security,” the bloc said, raising concerns that the reported incident may have been used as a diversion.
The Makabayan bloc urged the Marcos administration to take decisive action to locate and arrest dela Rosa and ensure he faces the charges against him before the ICC in The Hague.
“The government has a duty to uphold accountability, not to tolerate evasion or provide backdoor protection to high-ranking officials accused of grave crimes,” they said. For her part, former senator and now House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima called on dela Rosa to surrender peacefully.
“The best solution now is for Senator dela Rosa to surrender to authorities. There should be no further disorder or anyone else put at risk,” de Lima, the nominee of the party-list group Mamamayang Liberal, said. With Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
Dela Rosa. . .
BARMM sets up commission to address war’s wrongs on Moro populace
DAVAO CITY—The Bangsamoro Parliament has approved the creation of a commission to address what it claimed as historical injustices, human rights violations, and marginalization caused by land dispossession.
The commission came out from the Bangsamoro Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Act of 2026.
Member of Parliament Raissa Jajurie said the issue of transitional justice and reconciliation “have long been central to the peace agreement between the Government of the Philippines [GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front [MILF].”
“While we have long awaited the delivery of a comprehensive transitional justice and reconciliation program by the National Government, the Bangsamoro is now taking a step at the regional level,” Jajurie said.
She said the passage of the law sent a “clear message” that the Bangsamoro government is “serious and resolute” in pursuing transitional justice and reconciliation for the Bangsamoro people and other indigenous peoples.
The law required a Bangsamoro Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Program to be implemented by an independent Bangsamoro Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission (BTJRC). The Commission is tasked with investigating and documenting massive and emblematic human rights violations from the American colonial period up to the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
The commission will conduct fact-finding activities, public hearings, and communitybased listening sessions with victims, families, and affected communities to establish an official historical record. It will also address historical land dispossession, including policies that transferred lands from Bangsamoro and other indigenous peoples to private individuals and corporations.
The body is also empowered to integrate transitional justice and Bangsamoro history into the regional education system, recommend legal action when warranted, and propose measures to prevent the recurrence of conflict. It will coordinate with Bangsamoro ministries, offices, and agencies (BMOAs), as well as relevant national agencies, to carry out its mandate.
BTJRC will be composed of a chairperson and four regular members, all of whom must be descendants or spouses of native Bangsamoro inhabitants and possess at least ten years of experience in peacebuilding, human rights, or transitional justice. The law ensures sectoral representation, including women, non-Moro Indigenous Peoples, civil society, religious scholars, and residents of island provinces.
The Commission will operate for seven years, with a possible three-year extension, and enjoy fiscal autonomy, with an initial appropriation of P125 million. It is also mandated to provide mental health and psychosocial support to victims of armed conflict and submit annual and terminal reports to both the Bangsamoro Parliament and the Philippine Congress. Manuel T. Cayon
CL ARBs get ₧190-M debt relief, ₧200-M bridge project
THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said it has wiped out the agrarian debts and turned over P200 million worth of bridge projects benefitting more than 2,400 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) during simple rites in Guimba, Nueva Ecija.
DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III led the distribution of 3,545 Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs), covering more than 3,600 hectares of agricultural land. This wipes out a total of P190 million of farmers’ debt to the government.
The event also included the ceremonial turnover of key bridge infrastructure projects expected to strengthen farm-to-market connectivity in the region.
Among the completed projects are the Cavite–Sta. Ana Bridge, located in Barangays Cavite and Sta. Ana, Guimba, Nueva Ecija, and the Balbalino Bridge in Barangay Balbalino, Guimba.
The 41.5-linear-meter Cavite–Sta. Ana Bridge is expected to benefit around 2,410 individuals, including ARBs and nearby residents, while the Balbalino Bridge is seen to serve about 1,161 people from surrounding communities. Jonathan L. Mayuga
Full House prosecution panel to attend May 18 impeachment trial of VP Sara
By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie
AN impeachment prosecutor on Thursday assured the public that the entire House prosecution panel will be present when the Senate convenes as an impeachment court on May 18 for the trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.
Bicol Saro Rep. Terry L. Ridon welcomed Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s announcement that the Senate will formally
open the impeachment court at 3 p.m. on Monday, describing it as a crucial step in advancing the constitutional process.
More importantly, Ridon underscored that the full 11-member prosecution team is expected to attend the proceedings, signaling the House’s readiness to move forward with the case.
“The entire House Prosecution Panel is also expected to be present here today to witness the convening of the Senate Impeachment Court,” Ridon added.
The House prosecution panel, elected
on May 12, is composed of seasoned lawmakers, legal experts, and former prosecutors from both the majority and minority blocs who will present the articles of impeachment and supporting evidence before the Senate.
Aside from Ridon, the panel includes Reps. Joel Chua (Manila 3rd District), Leila de Lima (Mamamayang Liberal Party-list), Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro (Batangas 2nd District), Chel Diokno (Akbayan Party-list), Ysabel Maria Zamora (San Juan City), Lordan
Visayan grid under ‘red alert’ as power plant outages trigger rotational brownouts in Cebu
EBU CITY The National Grid
CCorporation of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Visayas grid under Red Alert on Thursday evening amid thinning power reserves caused primarily by the prolonged outage of several power plants, prompting Visayan Electric to implement rotational brownouts in parts of Cebu and nearby areas.
According to NGCP, the Visayas Grid was placed under Red Alert from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on May 14, while Yellow Alert status was raised from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and again from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Grid data as of 8 a.m. showed available capacity at 2,413 megawatts (MW), below the projected peak demand of 2,541 MW. NGCP said a total of 866.7 MW remained unavailable due to multiple power plant outages and derated operations.
The grid operator reported that 11 power plants have been on forced outage since March 2026, four plants since 2025, two since 2024, two since 2023, and one plant has been offline since 2021.
In addition, 12 plants are currently operating at reduced capacities.
“A Red Alert status is issued when power supply is insufficient to meet consumer demand and the transmission grid’s regulating requirement,” NGCP explained.
A Yellow Alert, meanwhile, is declared when operating reserves fall below contingency requirements.
Michael Ligalig, NGCP government relations and regional affairs lead specialist for the Cebu-Bohol area, clarified that the issue was not driven by unusually high electricity consumption.
“There is no huge spike in demand. It is the absence of 866.7 megawatts from power plants which are on forced outage,” Ligalig told the BusinessMirror.
In response to the grid situation, Visayan Electric implemented a series of one-hour rotational brownouts across portions of Cebu City, Mandaue City, City of Naga, and San Fernando beginning Thursday afternoon.
These scheduled interruptions started at 3:45 p.m. in portions of Ibabao-Estancia, Maguikay, Paknaan, and Tabok in Mandaue City. Additional outages followed hourly in affected areas including Ermita, Lorega, Mabolo, Tejero, Tinago, Banilad, Lahug, Guadalupe, Kasambagan, Tipolo, and portions of Cebu Business Park, among others.
The final round of rotational outages was implemented at 8:49 p.m. in portions of Alang-Alang, Cambaro, Centro, Guizo, Ibabao-Estancia, Looc, and Mantuyong in Mandaue City.
Visayan Electric said the rotational brownouts were necessary “to balance power supply and demand” following NGCP’s directive for load curtailment.
Despite the grid alert, the utility assured consumers that it continues to coordinate
closely with NGCP, the Department of Energy (DOE), and power generators to maintain grid stability and minimize prolonged interruptions.
“Visayan Electric continues to serve customers within its franchise area while implementing the necessary operational measures to help manage the impact of current grid conditions,” the company said in a statement.
Among its key contingency measures is the activation of the Interruptible Load Program (ILP), where participating commercial establishments voluntarily shift to their own generator sets to reduce pressure on the grid.
Visayan Electric thanked several partner establishments for participating in the ILP, including SM City Cebu, SM Seaside City Cebu, SM City Consolacion, and Gaisano Country Mall.
“To protect our local grid following NGCP’s instructions for load curtailment, Visayan Electric has activated the Interruptible Load Program,” the utility said.
The company also encouraged consumers to practice mindful electricity use, especially during peak demand hours, while the Yellow Alert remains in effect.
Customers were advised to monitor Visayan Electric’s official communication channels, including its Facebook page, for updates on grid conditions and possible service interruptions. Carmel Pedroza
From ICI spokesperson to GCG commissioner, Brian Keith Hosaka returns to previous post
FBy Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
ORMER Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) spokesperson
Brian Keith F. Hosaka is now back as commissioner of the Governance Commission for GOCCs (Government-Owned or Controlled Corporation).
Suan (Cagayan de Oro City 1st District), Jonathan Keith Flores (Bukidnon 2nd District), Lorenz Defensor (Iloilo 3rd District), Rodge Gutierrez (1-Rider Partylist), and Kaka Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands).
Under the Constitution, the Senate is required to convene as an impeachment court once the articles of impeachment are transmitted by the House.
The House formally transmitted the articles on Wednesday night, following the overwhelming vote of 257 lawmakers in favor of impeaching Duterte, with 25
opposing and nine abstentions.
House leaders have earlier described the prosecution team as a “powerhouse” panel tasked with upholding the Constitution and ensuring that the case is presented with professionalism, unity, and respect for due process.
Duterte faces allegations including the misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery involving Department of Education officials, and grave threats against top government officials.
Student developers, tech pros unveil food security, disaster, and power solutions in Cebu innovation tilt
By Carmel Pedroza
CEBU CITY— Cebu’s brightest innovators took center stage as student developers and technology professionals unveiled groundbreaking solutions aimed at strengthening food security, disaster response, and power reliability during the culmination of an innovation competition spearheaded by Visayan Electric.
Dubbed “Innovate Cebu: Ideas That Empower,” the community-centered competition was organized by Visayan Electric in partnership with Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., and InnovationForce to develop practical, technology-driven solutions to some of Cebu’s most pressing challenges.
Emerging as the Student Category champion was InterPhase AgriSagot of the University of Cebu Banilad for its AI-driven platform that helps farmers detect plant diseases and pests through image recognition technology, enabling early intervention that could protect harvests and strengthen local food security.
The first runner-up award went to Calvary Solutions AidVocate of University of Cebu Main Campus for its real-time disaster relief coordination application, while The Innovators from University of Cebu Banilad secured second runner-up honors for developing an AI-powered papaya disease identification system.
In the Professional Category, Cubeworks of Cubeworks Technology Consulting & Solutions Inc. clinched the championship with its enterprise-grade IoT Energy Management and Automated Transformer Outage Monitoring
system designed to improve utility reliability through real-time sensors.
The DOVE project of Cebu Institute of Technology University placed first runner-up for its use of high-altitude drones to restore communications in disaster-stricken areas, while mastAIRs InterviewAI, also from Cebu Institute of Technology University, earned second runner-up recognition for its AI-powered recruitment and coaching platform.
Launched on Oct. 16, 2025, Innovate Cebu was designed to serve as a provincial research and development engine bridging academic innovation with industry application. Through a “sandbox” environment, participants were able to test their prototypes directly within utility and agricultural systems, ensuring the solutions were practical and ready for realworld deployment.
“Innovate Cebu is more than a competition; it is a launchpad for a more resilient and futureready province,”said Mark Kindica, president and general manager of the Visayan Electric. The initiative also brought together mentors from major organizations such as Cebu Pacific Air, Globe Telecom, and Philippine Airlines. The final pitch rounds, held on April 7 and 8, 2026, were evaluated by representatives from the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, and leaders from the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Talisay City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, highlighting the broad collaboration behind the initiative’s mission to empower communities through innovation.
SC denies TRO plea for preservation of SBRC draft report on flood control scandal
The Chief Executive first designated Hosaka as commissioner of the Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) in 2023 after serving as spokesperson of the Supreme Court.
However, Hosaka’s stint in the ICI only lasted until 31 March 2026, when the fact-finding panel assigned to probe flood control project anomalies, was abolished after completing its task.
Hosaka got his law degree from Ateneo de
This, after President Ferdinand Marcos reappointed Hosaka to his previous position prior to being transferred to the ICI last September.
Manila University.
The Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) confirmed Hosaka took his oath of office before Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto last Wednesday together with former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog, who was named as the new undersecretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
The OES lauded the new appointment of both officials since they “bring extensive public service experience to their new roles.”
Anti-Political Dynasty bill: Close kin can’t hold local posts simultaneously, says House panel chair
THE chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms said the proposed AntiPolitical Dynasty Act aims to prevent political families from simultaneously controlling local government units (LGUs) and their resources by prohibiting close relatives from serving in the same locality at the same time.
House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms Zia Alonto Adiong issued the clarification in response to questions from Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, who raised concerns about whether the measure could definitively limit the number of family members who might eventually win in elections.
“Spouses can no longer hold office simultaneously. A mother and child, or both parents, cannot serve together. That ensures there will be no possible manipulation of internal LGU resources,” Alonto Adiong said during plenary deliberations on House Bill
8389 on Wednesday.
The bill prohibits relatives within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity from simultaneously running for or holding office in the same locality. It is currently pending approval on second reading in the House of Representatives.
Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III and House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos are the principal authors of the measure, which has 173 co-authors. It has also been endorsed as a priority measure by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
During the debates, Tiangco noted that the bill cannot guarantee how many members of a political family may ultimately win elective posts.
Adiong acknowledged that election outcomes would always depend on voters.
“In every election, there is no certainty as to how many will actually win,” he said.
However, he stressed that the proposed law ensures close relatives would no longer be able to simultaneously occupy positions that could allow them to consolidate influence and control over LGU resources.
“What this bill guarantees is that there will be no opportunity to manipulate internal LGU resources,” he added.
The Lanao del Sur lawmaker said the measure was carefully crafted to strike a balance between political reform and democratic rights.
“We want to emphasize a balance between the right to vote and the right to be voted upon,” he said.
Adiong also described the bill as a significant step toward enforcing the Constitution’s long-standing provision against political dynasties.
“With no existing anti-political dynasty policy at the national level, this is a major step forward,” he said. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz
TBy .Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
HE Supreme Court has denied the plea for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) and/or a status quo ante (SQAO) order that would have preserved the original version of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s (SBRC) draft partial committee report on the multi-billion anomalous flood control projects of the government.
In a one-page en banc resolution issued on April 19, 2026, the Court instead ordered the SBRC to comment on the petition filed by several lawyers within 15 from notice of the resolution.
The Court’s resolution stemmed from the petition for the issuance of a writ of mandamus filed by lawyers Eldrige Marvin Aceron, Sikini Labastilla and Purificacion Bartolome-Bernabe seeking to compel the SBRC then headed by Senator Panfilo Lacson to release to the public its draft partial committee report on its investigation into the flood control scandal.
The petition also sought the issuance of a TRO and SQAO to preserve the original version of the draft report that bears the signatures of Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, and Sherwin Gatchalian.
Aceron is the lead complainant in the pending ethics complaint against Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, involving P30 million in campaign donations from the owner of Centerways Construction and P16.67 billion in DPWH contracts awarded to the firm.
The petitioners also cited official statements and media interviews of confirming that the draft report recommended plunder and other charges against several sitting senators and was based on testimonial and documentary evidence gathered in hearings. They stressed that the public has the right to information under Article III, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution.
Lacson earlier confirmed that the draft SBRC report recommended the filing of plunder and other criminal charges against senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Joel Villanueva, Jinggoy Estrada and former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co. However, Zubiri, Ejercito and Gatchalian have withdrawn their signatures after the draft report was leaked to the public last February 3.
Aside from Lacson, seven senators have already signed the partial report including former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, senators Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Erwin Tulfo, and Kiko Pangilinan. The petitioners also asked the Court to order senators Zubiri, Ejercito, and Gatchalian to submit written explanations for withdrawing their signatures from the draft report, and to direct the SBRC
The petitioners filed the petition after the SBRC denied their request for an official copy of the document, invoking the deliberative process privilege to prevent the “chilling effect on frank deliberation within government bodies.” They argued that the privilege can no longer be invoked after Lacson disclosed the report’s contents to the public in numerous occasions.
16th Puto Latik Festival: Strengthening to Biñan’s heritage and identity
By Vincent Peter Rivera
BIÑAN City is setting its sights on the return of one of its most beloved events, the Puto Latik Festival. Yet, this year’s story carries a different weight— one that feels more meaningful than ever while it reinvigorates the festival’s main purpose amid new challenges.
Unlike the previous celebrations, this year’s commencement was signaled by the Biñan government’s announcement mentioning its commitment to fiscal responsibility amid the global fuel crisis. The organizers emphasized that while the celebration continues, it will do so with a renewed focus on public service.
“Bilang bahagi nito, ang mga programa ay itutuloy sa mas pinasimpleng paraan, ang ilan ay ipagpapaliban at maraming idaragdag na programang nakatuon sa serbisyo publiko,”the official post of Biñan Puto Latik Festival Facebook page stated.
[“As part of this, the programs will proceed in a more simplified manner; some will be postponed, while several new initiatives focused on public service will be added,” according to the official Biñan Puto Latik Festival Facebook page.]
Even with a simplified program, the city’s resolve is clear: Biñan’s cultural legacy cannot be left behind.
“Patuloy nating ipagdiriwang ang ating pamana, lalo na ang Puto Biñan (steamed rice cake) at ang Maglalatik (a traditional Filipino folk dance), sa paraang angkop sa kasalukuyang kalagayan,” the post highlighted.
[“We will continue to celebrate our heritage, especially the Puto Biñan (steamed rice cake) and the Maglalatik (a traditional Filipino folk dance), in a manner that is appropriate to our current circumstances,” the post highlighted.]
More than just a celebration, Puto Latik remains a vital anchor for Biñan’s 24 barangays, uniting the city through a shared display of talent, local industry, and enduring heritage
This year’s Puto Latik Festival is a rededication to the festival’s values, which is of course, the Puto Biñan and Maglalatik,” Mayor Angelo “Gel” B. Alonte stated, emphasizing the goal of this year’s festival amidst fuel crisis. “Despite the adjustments, recognizing our identity remains a priority for the government of Biñan City.”
A look back at the festival’s beginning
The Biñan Puto Latik Festival is more than a nine-day event; it is a cultural assertion. At its core are two of the city’s key products: the world-renowned Puto Biñan and the spirited Maglalatik folk dance.
Unlike the common putong puti, Puto Biñan is a centerpiece. Large, moist, and lavishly topped with cheese, salted egg, and condensed milk, it was crafted to be savored on its own.
The recipe was popularized back in 1925 by a woman named Petronila “Nila” Samaniego. Steaming rice cakes over ipa (rice husks) in her backyard in Barangay San Vicente, she sparked a culinary revolution with “Original Nila’s Puto.” Her success set the standard, inspiring other locally renowned producers like Menay’s Puto, Pacing’s Puto, and Reyes Puto.
The name “Puto Biñan” was solidified at the old PNR Station, where vendors balanced trays on their heads, calling out to travelers: “Nariyan na ang mga magpuputo ng Biñan!” Today, nearly a century later, Aling Nila’s descendants continue this legacy, ensuring the delicacy remains a staple of every Biñanense celebration.
Where Puto Biñan delights the palate, the Maglalatik ignites the spirit. This mock-battle dance dramatizes the conflict between Christian lowlanders (in blue) and Muslim Moros (in red). Curiously, they fight not for land, but for latik
the fragrant residue of simmered coconut milk.
The dance consists of four parts: Palipasan and Baligtaran (The heat of the skirmish), and Paseo and Escaramuza: The act of reconciliation and peace.
Historically, National Artist Francisca Reyes-Aquino was instrumental in the ethnographic documentation, revival, and national popularization of the Maglalatik. Her contribution was rooted in a systematic research methodology she developed while serving as a student assistant for Physical Education at the University of the Philippines.
It was through this fieldwork that she first came across the Tinikling and Cariñosa. She later documented, according to her books, the discovery of the Maglalatik in Biñan and led its revival, along with other traditional dances like the Lubi-Lubi and Polka sa Nayon. Over time, it evolved into a spiritual offering for San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers, intended to invoke blessings for a bountiful harvest.
The Puto Latik Festival was inaugurated in 2010 under the vision of then-Mayor Marlyn “Len” Alonte-Naguiat. Originally held in February to coincide with Araw ng Biñan, the festival underwent a strategic shift in 2017.
Following research by the Biñan City Culture, History, Arts, and Tourism Office (BCHATO), City Ordinance No. 14-(2016) moved the observance to May 15 to 23. This realignment placed the festivities during the Feast of San Isidro Labrador, bridging the city’s agricultural past with its vibrant cultural present.
Today, the Puto Latik Festival stands as an award-winning celebration, boasting numerous accolades and recognitions—most notably, its recent title as “Grand Winner for Best Cultural Festival” at the ATOP National Tourism Pearl Awards last year.
Fusion of signature events, public service initiatives
Running from May 15 to 23, 2026, this year’s schedule balances the festival’s trademark festive
with a significant shift toward community-focused programming. Under the
Strengthening commitment identity amid challenging times
the city’s leadership is committed to pushing through this year’s Puto Latik Festival, with some adjustments, emphasizing that it is a “renewing commitment” to honor Biñan’s core identity. Dr. Borja explained that a festival’s strength lies in its consistency rather than constant reinvention. For him, maintaining uniform mechanics and integrating music through the years has allowed the 24 barangays to internalize these cultural markers as their own.
“ You don’t need to always look for something new, because the festival is an identity in itself. It should continue,” Dr. Borja stated. “Yearly, it should be a recommitment—a rededication of the values of the festival, which are the Puto Biñan and Maglalatik.” Supporting this statement, Congressman Walfredo “Arman” R. Dimaguila Jr. said that the sense of identity fuels the community’s pride, turning the celebration into more than just a party.
“ The reason why you're enjoying the festival is that you are reaffirming your identity. The festival is banked on identity,” noted Congressman Dimaguila.
Addressing the shift toward “public service-oriented” events amidst the global fuel crisis, Mayor Alonte clarified that while the terminology might be new to some, fiscal and social responsibility have always been the city’s standard. He viewed history and culture not just as memories, but as essential indicators of the city’s trajectory.
Sometimes, the past—the memory— it’s a marker and indicator so that you can know how far you’ve come,” he added. “You have to use your history and your culture as a benchmark of progress, of how we’re going forward in a new way.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Borja maintained that regardless of the event’s adjustments, the festival’s core and trademark must remain clearly identifiable to the public. Whether it is a youth workshop or a beauty pageant, these are parts of the city’s heritage that every Biñanense recognizes.
You can’t lose the reason why you’re celebrating the festival,” Dr. Borja emphasized. “If you go to an event of the festival, you should know your reason for attending. It should be intentional because you are celebrating something.”
By centering the 2026 festivities on this recommitment, Biñan ensures that its culture remains a living, breathing force that can withstand even the most challenging of times.
A s the 16th Puto Latik Festival officially starts, the celebration and the nod to Biñan’s heritage and identity remain as steadfast as in years past.
This year’s observance proves that the festival’s strength and sustainability lie not in extravagance, but in its ability to be an anchor and reminder for people to preserve their culturally rich past while emulating the fortitude and unity of their ancestors.
“Come and experience the heart of Biñan through the 16th Puto Latik Festival! From May 15 to 23, we invite you to immerse yourself in the ‘City of Life’ as we celebrate the
of the
heritage
Puto Biñan and the tradition of the Maglalatik dance,” Mayor Alonte concluded.
Barangay Dela Paz is Hall of Fame awardee of the Street Dancing Competition after winning the championship title for three consecutive years.
Nila’s Original Puto, whose original recipe dating back to 1925 has preserved the iconic Puto Biñan tradition, joins other local cultural enterprises at the Gawang Biñan Trade Fair happening on May 16 to 23 at Plaza Rizal.
The Puto Biñan 2.0: Biñan Cook-Off Challenge explores the future of the iconic Puto Biñan through culinary innovation. Through this annual event, Nila’s Original Puto introduced flavored variants of the beloved delicacy. The 24 barangays of Biñan showcase the very best of their communities through the vibrant Land Float Competition.
Trump offers platitudes while Xi Jinping warns of possible confrontation during China summit
By Will Weissert & Aamer Madhani The Associated Press
BEIJING—Chinese leader Xi Jinping
offered stark warnings about avoiding possible clashes between his nation and the US on Thursday, and even cautioned visiting President Donald Trump that Washington’s handling of its relations with Taiwan could lead to “conflicts.”
His tone was a sharp contrast to Trump, who opened the highly anticipated summit with Xi by praising his Chinese counterpart and declaring that “it’s an honor to be your friend.”
It underscored just how far apart the leaders remain on thorny issues including the war in Iran, trade disputes and Taiwan—and suggested that Trump’s three-day visit to China is likely to be longer on pageantry and symbolism than major bilateral breakthroughs.
The pair met for about two hours behind closed doors at the Great Hall of the People and discussed trade and other is -
sues. According to a readout posted on X by Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, Xi told Trump that “the Taiwan question is the most important issue in ChinaUS relations.”
“If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy,” she wrote.
That came after a brief public exchange before the meeting began in which Trump offered platitudes, telling Xi: “You’re a great leader. Sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say it anyway, because it’s true.”
“It’s an honor to be with you. It’s an honor to be your friend,” Trump said before promising that “the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before.”
Xi was darker in his opening remarks, expressing hope that the US and China could avoid conflict and asking “whether the two countries can transcend the ‘Thucydides Trap’ and forge a new model for relations between major powers.”
He used a term popular in foreign policy
studies, referring to the idea that when a rising power threatens to displace an established power, the result is often war.
“Cooperation benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both,” Xi said. “The
two countries should be partners rather than rivals.”
Xi has mentioned “Thucydides Trap” before with regards to US-China relations, dating back to as early as 2014.
Sharp comments follow elaborate welcome ceremony TRUMP was welcomed before the meeting with an elaborate ceremony featuring booming cannons and a band playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and China’s national anthem.
Hundreds of school children performed a welcome routine, jumping as the girls waved flowers and the boys hoisted American and Chinese flags while Trump and Xi walked past them.
After the meeting, the leaders visited the Temple of Heaven, a religious complex dating to the 15th century. Trump was later set to attend a state banquet with Xi.
Taiwan issues remain contentious XI’S warning about Taiwan reflects China’s displeasure with a US plan to sell weapons to the island. The Trump administration has approved an $11 billion weapons package for Taiwan, but has yet to begin fulfilling it. Trump has also demonstrated greater ambivalence toward Taiwan, an approach that’s raising questions about whether he might dial back support for the island democracy.
Trump didn’t immediately offer comments on what was said during the closed portion of the meeting. But Xi said that, together with Trump, the two agreed to establish a new orientation for US-China relations, one that is “constructive, strategic and stable” according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
Taiwan, meanwhile, said it was grateful for Washington’s “long-term support.”
“The government views all actions that contribute to regional stability and the management of potential risks from authoritarian expansion positively,” Michelle Lee, a spokesperson for Taiwan’s premier, told reporters. She added that the US “has also repeatedly reiterated its firm and clear position of support for Taiwan.”
US hopes to secure trade wins THE White House has insisted that Trump wouldn’t be making the trip without an eye toward securing results before he leaves, suggesting there could be announcements coming on trade. That could include a Chi -
nese commitment to buy US soybeans, beef and aircraft. Trump administration officials also want to work toward establishing a Board of Trade with China to address commercial differences between the countries. But neither side has yet offered concrete details on what might come out of Trump’s trip at a time when Beijing’s close economic ties to Iran could complicate matters. In the meeting, the leaders discussed trade, with Xi saying that China’s door of opportunity will open wider and wider. Xi also met with a collection of US business leaders who accompanied Trump to China. The US and China reached a trade truce last year that calmed each side’s threats to impose steep tariffs on the other. The White House says there have been ongoing discussions and mutual interest in extending the agreement.
Economic questions still loom TRUMP’S trip comes as Iran continues to dominate his domestic agenda and stoke fears about the prospect of a weakening US economy as the election season ahead of November’s midterms—when Republicans will be looking to maintain control of Congress—begins heating up. The US and Israel’s war in Iran has led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, stranding oil and natural gas tankers and causing energy prices to spike, threatening global economic growth.
China is the largest purchaser of Iranian oil, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity that Trump will make the case for Beijing to exert its influence on Iran, noting that administration officials would underscore that “economies are melting down because of this crisis” which means consumers are “buying less Chinese product.”
That contradicted Trump, who has downplayed suggestions that he would ask Xi to pressure Iran to open the strait and told reporters that concerns about the US economy wouldn’t influence his approach to Iran.
Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim and Darlene Superville in Washington, and Simina Mistreanu in Bangkok, contributed to this report.
CHINESE President Xi Jinping, left, shakes hands with US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Thursday, May 14, 2026. KENNY HOLSTON/POOL PHOTO VIA AP
Russia hits Kyiv with massive drones and ballistic missiles, killing 1 and injuring 33
By Samya Kullab & Vasilisa Stepanenko
The Associated Press
YIV, Ukraine—Russia
Ktargeted Ukraine’s capital with a mass drone and missile attack early Thursday morning that killed at least one and injured 33 people, local authorities said. Ukraine’s Air Force said its air defenses shot down or jammed 693 targets overnight, including 41 missiles and 652 drones of various types across the country. Fifteen missiles and 23 drones scored direct hits across 24 locations, the Air Force said. Debris from downed drones fell across an additional 18 locations.
The attack, in which Kyiv was the primary target, came hours after a rare daytime mass drone barrage Wednesday. Ukrainian officials said the attack was Russia’s response to US President Donald Trump’s rare trip to China to talk with its leader, Xi Jinping.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said ballistic and cruise missiles were used in the mass attack.
“These are definitely not the actions of those who believe the war is coming to an end,” he said, urging partners not to stay silent and calling for continued support for Ukraine’s air defenses. He said Russia has used more than 1,560 drones against Ukrainian cities and communities since the start of Wednesday.
The attack struck civilian infrastructure and residential buildings across multiple cities, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said, with Kyiv enduring the heaviest losses.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s High AntiCorruption Court on Thursday ordered former presidential office head Andriy Yermak held in pretrial detention, with bail set at 140 million hryvnias
($3.2 million), according to the local news agency Interfax-Ukraine, in a corruption investigation that also implicates other officials in Zelenskyy’s inner circle.
Damage was recorded across six districts of the capital, according to head of Kyiv’s Military Administration
Tymur Tkachenko. He warned Russia was attacking the city with ballistic missiles and drones.
The cities of Kremenchuk, Bila Tserkva, Kharkiv, Sumy and Odesa also were targeted in the attack, which involved both ballistic and cruise missiles, she said.
In the Darnytsia district of Kyiv, a multistory residential building partially collapsed, burying people under the rubble. At least 27 people were rescued from the rubble, according to Ukraine’s Emergency Service. Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 18 apartments were destroyed. He added that there were problems with water supply on the left bank of Kyiv as a result of the attack.
At the scene, emergency workers searched for survivors as smoke from the attack continued to smolder beneath the pile of rubble.
Resident Lyudmila Hlushko, 78, said she heard a lot of explosions and the sound of rockets flying around 3 a.m. “Then the house shook violently and there was a loud bang, breaking the glass in my house,” she said. Emergency operations also were
ongoing in the Obolonskyi and Holosiivskyi districts of Kyiv, the service said.
In the Dnieper district, a drone hit the roof of a five-story residential building, Tkachenko said. Another building in the Dniprovskyi district was also damaged.
The attack came hours after a rare daytime attack on Kyiv that killed at least six people, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The assault, which involved 800 drones, struck about 20 regions of Ukraine and was among the longest such attacks during the war.
Zelenskyy said the attack that lasted hours Wednesday aimed to cause as much “pain and grief” as possible.
The attack came after US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he believes Moscow and Kyiv will soon reach a deal to end fighting. Putin said in a speech last weekend that his invasion of Ukraine is possibly “coming to an end.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha tied the overnight attack to Trump’s meeting with Xi, saying Russia’s assault proved it posed a threat
to international security.
“At the very time when leaders of the most powerful countries are meeting in Beijing, and the world hopes for peace, predictability and cooperation, Putin launched hundreds of drones, ballistic and cruise missiles at the capital of Ukraine,” Sybiha said on Telegram. He said there should be “no illusions” about ending the war. “Only pressure on Moscow can make him stop,” Sybiha said of Putin, adding that US and Chinese leaders had sufficient leverage to compel Russia to end the war.
Neither Putin or Trump have provided details about what has changed to make a peace deal in the RussiaUkraine conflict possible.
Moscow and Kyiv maintain mutually exclusive demands. US-led diplomatic efforts over the past year to end the war have fizzled after making no progress on key issues, such as whether Russia gets to keep Ukrainian land it has seized and what can be done to deter Moscow from invading again.
Associated Press journalist Hanna Arhirova contributed to this report.
BRICS foreign ministers meet in India as Iran war, oil prices and divisions test bloc’s unity
By Sheikh Saaliq
The Associated Press
NEW DELHI—Foreign ministers from the BRICS nations began a two-day meeting in New Delhi on Thursday as the expanding bloc faces divisions over the war in Iran, rising energy prices and growing global economic uncertainty.
The meeting brings together diplomats from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa along with newer member countries. It comes as the war in Iran has disrupted global energy supplies and driven up oil prices and coincides with US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Russia’s top diplomat Sergey Lavrov are attending. China is represented by Ambassador Xu Feihong while Foreign Minister Wang Yi remains in the Chinese capital during Trump’s visit.
India Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the talks would focus on global and regional challenges and ways to deepen cooperation among member nations.
In opening remarks, Jaishankar said BRICS could help developing countries more effectively respond to the health and financing challenges they face as well as high prices for energy, food and fertilizer.
“We meet at a time of considerable flux in international relations,” he said, adding that emerging and developing countries increasingly expect BRICS to play a “constructive and stabilizing role.”
FOREIGN ministers and representatives of the BRICS nations, from right, UAE’s Foreign Minister of State Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar, Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, India’s Foreign Minister S.Jaishankar, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, South Africa’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ronald Lamola, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono and Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong pose for a group photo during a two-day meeting in New Delhi, India, Thursday, May 14, 2026. AP PHOTO/MANISH SWARUP
Iran urges BRICS to condemn US and Israel AT the meeting, Araghchi urged BRICS nations to condemn the US and Israel over what he called their “unlawful aggression” against Tehran. He called on the bloc members and other countries to “take practical steps to stop warmongering” and end what he described as impunity for violations of the UN Charter.
Araghchi also urged the bloc members to stop what he called the politicization of international institutions. He said Iran appreciated the support shown by BRICS countries but called for stronger action.
“It is necessary for all of us to intensify our efforts to end this sense of superiority and impunity on the part
o f the United States—a notion that has no place in today’s world,” he said.
BRICS has sought to expand its influence
FOUNDED by Brazil, Russia, India and China, BRICS was formed as a grouping of major emerging economies seen as a counterbalance to Western-led institutions such as the G7. South Africa joined in 2010 and the bloc expanded further in 2024 with the addition of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Indonesia became a full member in 2025.
The group has sought to expand its influence by pushing for a bigger role in a global order long dominated by the United States and its Western allies. It has gained support across parts of the
UAE denies Netanyahu visited the country during Iran war
By Natalie Melzer & Adam Schreck
The Associated Press
ERUSALEM—Israeli Prime Min -
Jister Benjamin Netanyahu quietly visited the United Arab Emirates during the Israeli-US war with Iran, his office said Wednesday. The UAE later denied any secret visit had occurred.
Netanyahu met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a gathering that “resulted in a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates,” according to the Israeli statement. The Gulf nation normalized relations with Israel in 2020.
The UAE’s official WAM news agency later posted an article denying “reports circulating” about a Netanyahu visit. According to WAM, the country’s relations with Israel “are public and conducted within the framework of the well-known and officially declared Abraham Accords, and are not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements.”
The Emirati report also denied any Israeli military delegation was received in the UAE.
Israel’s announcement came a day after US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee revealed that Israel had sent Iron Dome air-defense weapons and personnel to operate them to the UAE.
The UAE has faced Iranian missile and drone fire even after the ceasefire was reached last month. It has been trying to signal to nervous investors that it remains open for business and safe.
Last week, WAM reported that Netanyahu was among the leaders who called the Emirati president to condemn Iranian attacks and express their solidarity with the Gulf federation.
It was rare public acknowledgment of direct talks between the countries that normalized relations in the 2020 Abraham Accords and have strengthened their ties during the Iran war.
Iran has criticized that agreement and has repeatedly suggested over the years that Israel maintained a military and intelligence presence in the Emirates.
Israeli leaders have made occasional visits to the UAE in recent years after normalizing relations.
Iran demands Kuwait release detainees
IRAN’S foreign minister accused Kuwait of attempting to “sow discord” by detaining four Iranians that the Gulf Arab country accuses of being Revolutionary Guard operatives. In a post Wednesday on X, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi demanded the Iranians’ immediate release and said Iran reserved the right to respond.
“This illegal act took place near an island used by the US to attack Iran,” Araghchi wrote.
A day earlier, Kuwait said four men were detained and two escaped while trying to infiltrate Bubiyan Island in the northwest corner of the Persian Gulf on May 1.
Bubiyan Island is home to Mubarak Al Kabeer Port, which is under construction as part of a Chinese plan to build infrastructure across the world. It also came under Iranian attack during the war.
Iranian human rights lawyer released PROMINENT Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been released from prison more than a month after being detained, a rights group and her daughter said Wednesday. Sotoudeh, who is known for defending activists, opposition politicians and women prosecuted for removing their headscarves, was detained by Iranian intelligence agents at her house in Tehran in April.
Her release comes as US President Donald Trump arrived in China for a long-anticipated visit that is expected to touch on the war in Iran.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which closely tracks developments in Iran, said that Sotoudeh was released on bail from Tehran’s Evin Prison. Her daughter, Mehraveh Khandan, posted on social media that Sotoudeh was released on temporary custody. Iran’s semiofficial ISNA news agency also reported Sotoudeh release. Sotoudeh has been imprisoned multiple times. Her activist husband, Reza Khandan, has been imprisoned in the same prison as his wife.
Schreck reported from Dubai. Associated Press reporter John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.
Global South, where many countries have criticized Western-led financial institutions.
But BRICS nations remain divided on key issues.
India and China continue to compete for regional influence, while member countries often differ in their ties with the West. Russia’s war in Ukraine has further exposed those differences.
New divisions test global ambitions THE bloc’s expansion also has added strains. Competing regional interests have increased the difficulty of presenting a unified position.
Divisions have sharpened further during the growing conflict in the Middle East. Iran and the UAE are BRICS members despite pursuing competing interests in the region.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister said Wednesday that disagreements within BRICS over the conflict had prevented the bloc from reaching a unified position.
Kazem Gharibabadi told news agency Press Trust of India that “one member country” had pushed for language condemning Iran, complicating efforts to build consensus within the grouping.
“We want India’s BRICS chairship to be successful. It is not a good approach to send a signal to the world that the BRICS is divided. One country is insisting on condemning Iran,” Gharibabadi said.
Associated Press journalist Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran contributed to this report.
RESCUE workers clear rubble from a heavily damaged apartment building after a Russian strike on a residential neighborhood in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, May 14, 2026. AP PHOTO/EVGENIY MALOLETKA
Counting the cost of missed targets
THREE years of falling short is not bad luck—it is a pattern. And the poor are paying the price. For the third consecutive year, the Marcos administration finds itself on shaky ground, having failed to meet its economic growth targets since assuming office. Now, with a dismal 2.8 percent expansion in the first quarter of 2026, the goal of slashing the poverty rate to 9 percent by the end of the President’s term is not just ambitious—it may be unattainable given current economic conditions. (Read the BusinessMirror story: “Uphill climb to reach poverty goal by 2028,” May 12, 2026).
It’s crucial to understand that alleviating poverty represents real human impact. It translates to real lives—17.54 million Filipinos who, as of the latest count, still struggle to meet basic needs. The government’s target of bringing that number down to around 11 million was already a steep climb. But after consecutive underperformances and a fresh slowdown, even former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Dante Canlas admits that a single-digit poverty rate may no longer be achievable if external shocks—particularly the Middle East conflict and a blocked Strait of Hormuz—persist.
Slower growth means fewer jobs. Weaker purchasing power. More families slipping below the poverty line. The labor market is already flashing warning signs: unemployment slightly higher than last year, underemployment stuck in double digits. As De La Salle University economist Ella Oplas bluntly put it, short-term cash aid has never proven capable of lifting Filipinos out of poverty permanently.
To be fair, the government has acknowledged the crisis. The Department of Budget and Management has set aside P238 billion for emergency response, with over half already released. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) remains a vital lifeline. But as PIDS Senior Research Fellow Jose Ramon Albert warns, prolonged oil price spikes could erode the real value of these transfers. Inflation hit a three-year high of 7.2 percent in April, and rice prices jumped nearly 14 percent in a single month. When the cost of food and transport outpaces assistance, aid becomes a bandage on a hemorrhage.
When growth consistently falls short, it is not because forecasters miscalculated, but because the underlying engines of production, investment, and employment remain stalled. By attributing shortfalls mainly to external volatility, the government absolves itself of accountability and avoids the harder work of structural reform. This framing allows the same failing interventions to be recycled as solutions.
Repeating this playbook year after year is not a strategy but a cycle: cash transfers address consumption without touching chronic joblessness; external shocks are absorbed rather than buffered through diversification or industrial resilience; and growth targets become moving goal posts rather than binding commitments. Breaking the cycle requires treating each missed target as a diagnostic event—a signal that fiscal, labor, and trade policies are misaligned. Only by shifting from disappointment to accountability can the administration replace ritualistic responses with genuine structural repair, transforming a cycle of stagnation into a trajectory of recovery.
The President promised to end hunger and reduce poverty to single digits. Those were commitments to the Filipino people that demand results. As the clock ticks and challenges mount, the government requires more than emergency funding and crisis measures. What’s needed is a complete overhaul of how economic growth is created—and who reaps its rewards.
BusinessMirror
Volleyball and the diamond-water paradox
TThe DLSU Lady Spikers swept the elimination round, which means they beat every other team twice without losing—a feat that entitled them to an outright championship slot, and then beat the National University Lady Bulldogs twice more in the finals without losing a set.
There is also a men’s volleyball tournament in the UAAP, which NU won this season and has won for the past six seasons, but it is not as popular as the women’s tournament. Volleyball is one of the rare sports—along with gymnastics and figure skating—in which many more people prefer and would be willing to pay to watch women play rather than men.
One of the consequences of this preference is that there is a thriving professional volleyball league for women in the country, the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), but only a semi-professional league for men (Spiker’s Turf). Reportedly, the top women’s volleyball players earn upwards of P500,000 monthly, while rookies earn a floor of P50,000 monthly, with pay much higher for top picks.
I have only started following women’s volleyball recently, having
EAGLE WATCH
been introduced to it by National Scientist and UP Professor Emeritus Raul Fabella, who is an avid fan of the sport, along with his wife Teena. I personally root for both Ateneo and UP (my alma mater) but am happy just to watch a good game.
Occasionally, when the venue is Araneta (not too far) and there is a good game, we watch in person. We saw the elimination game between NU and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) two weeks ago that NU won.
It was a high-quality game that went to four sets, but what I remember most was how great the UST fans were during the game (Go USTe is the UAAP’s most memorable chant), even and maybe especially when their team was facing imminent defeat. Towards the end of the fourth set, even as their team committed crucial errors and the game got out of hand, the predominantly UST crowd continued to cheer loudly, more, I think, to signal appreciation for their team for the season that was about to end than for encouragement.
At the end of the game, they cheered even louder in a moving tribute to their players but especially their departing libero Detdet Pepito
who has played a total of 11 years for UST (high school and college) and was one of the top players in her position in the league.
Pepito, who completed college last year with a degree in education, is very likely to turn professional in the PVL, where she could expect to be paid a lot more than if she practices as a teacher. This is the diamond-water paradox at work.
Why do we care so much about sports and players, and why are elite athletes paid so much money?
The studies that have examined the first question say there are many reasons. Being a fan allows people to feel part of a group, to have a sense of belonging, and to bond with others. We also watch for the real-time drama, suspense, joy, and anger— same reasons we like to watch movies but real-time and with more uncertainty. For inspiration, with elite athletes viewed as superhero figures displaying skills and discipline that we can aspire to.
The latter was the explanation proposed by John Updike, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, in his famous essay Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu (available online and very much worth the read for sports fans, not just baseball fans) on the last game played by the great hitter Ted Williams for the Boston Red Sox. He compared sports heroes to gods, objects of people’s aspirations but ultimately unattainable.
The answers to the second question are economic.
Of course, even the salaries of PVL players pale in comparison to what the top athletes in the world get. In the National Basketball Association, according to Forbes magazine, Stephen Curry was reported to have
earned almost $160 million last year and Lebron James almost $130 million. In Major League Baseball, two players—Juan Soto of the New York Mets and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers – earned more than $100 million last year from salaries and endorsements. Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. reportedly earned more than $100 million (P6 billion) each in their first fight. Some reports say they could still earn close to that for their planned second fight. Very elite athletes are paid enormous sums of money because they are scarce but there is huge demand for them from teams, fans, and sponsors. Elite athletes are able to generate huge revenues by attracting audiences and increasing brand value and sales for their sponsors. The money that goes into paying elite athletes comes not just from tickets, merchandise sales, and revenues from sponsors who pay to associate their brands with the athletes, but increasingly more from TV rights and streaming platform rights. In the case of the PVL, the team owners are themselves the main sponsors who associate their brands with the athletes.
Sports reveal the diamond-water paradox in human terms. As fans, we willingly pay and cheer and even suffer (through traffic and losses) for games to see rare talent shine. Inside Araneta, in the last two minutes of close basketball game, or the fifth set of a tight volleyball game, the diamond-water paradox does not seem like a paradox at all.
Dr. Geoffrey Ducanes is Associate Professor at the Ateneo de Manila University and the Director of the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development.
Indonesia ex-minister Makarim faces 18 years in jail in Chromebooks case
By Chandra Asmara and Olivia Poh
R. Calso, Dionisio L. Pelayo
Ruben M. Cruz Jr.
Eduardo A. Davad Nonilon G. Reyes
D. Edgard A. Cabangon Benjamin V. Ramos Aldwin Maralit Tolosa Rolando M. Manangan
INDONESIAN prosecutors demanded an 18-year prison sentence for former education minister and Gojek co-founder Nadiem Makarim, bringing a months-long graft trial closer to a verdict for the man who built the country’s most valuable tech startup.
In seeking the sentence at the Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday, prosecutors said Makarim caused state losses of 2.1 trillion rupiah ($120 million) in a pandemic-era school laptop procurement program involving Chromebooks and Google device-management software. Reading from a nearly 1,600-page filing, they said he also unlawfully enriched himself and several private companies.
Prosecutors demanded Makarim pay a fine of 1 billion rupiah, along with restitution payments totaling 5.7 trillion rupiah. They said his assets could be seized and auctioned to cover the amounts, with failure
to pay resulting in an additional nine years in prison.
A verdict is expected in the coming weeks.
“There are no words to describe how I feel,” Makarim, dressed in a red, long-sleeve batik shirt, told reporters after the hearing. “There was no administrative error whatsoever, no element of corruption at all. So I’m confused...why is my sentencing [demand] heavier than that of a murderer? Than a terrorist?”
The trial marks another escalation point in President Prabowo Subianto’s aggressive anti-graft drive across multiple sectors of Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
The case centers on accusations that Makarim abused his authority as education minister by steering procurement decisions toward Chromebooks, the low-cost laptops that run Google’s operating system, Chrome OS.
Three people have been convicted and jailed for terms ranging from four to 4 1/2 years in connection with the procurement. Makarim has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
Makarim’s trial also adds to heightened scrutiny of legal predictability and corruption allegations involving former cabinet members and other government figures in Indonesia. Former Trade Minister Thomas Lembong was convicted in a yearsold sugar import case in July 2025—a move that sparked debate over political influence in anti-graft efforts in the world’s third-largest democracy. Prabowo later granted him a form of amnesty that ended the case during the appeals stage.
Makarim, a Harvard Business School graduate who founded ridehailing firm Gojek before joining former President Joko Widodo’s cabinet in 2019, was detained in September and has since been held at Jakarta’s Salemba detention center. On Monday, a panel of judges ruled that he could temporarily serve his detention under house arrest, allowing the former startup founder to leave prison as he recovers from multiple surgeries. The proposed sentence for Makarim is based on alleged violations under Indonesia’s anticorruption law criminal code, prosecutors said during the hearing, which lasted two hours. They said aggravating factors in their sentencing demands included what they described as Makarim’s failure to support government programs aimed at ensuring governance free from corruption, collusion and nepotism, as well as undermining equitable access to See “Indonesia,” A11
HE UAAP volleyball season ended last week, with De La Salle University (DLSU) emerging as the women’s tournament champion and basically dominating the season.
Dr. Geoffrey Ducanes
Nvidia’s CEO joins Trump in China with AI in the spotlight
By Jeff Mason & Mackenzie Hawkins
NVIDIA Corp. co-founder Jensen Huang joined US President Donald Trump on his visit to China as a last-minute addition, thrusting AI and technology into the spotlight before a high-stakes Beijing summit.
Huang is among several US business leaders including Apple Inc.’s Tim Cook and Tesla Inc.’s Elon Musk on Trump’s first overseas trip since waging war in the Middle East—a 36-hour visit with Xi Jinping that’s expected to encompass the war, tariffs and the self-ruled island of Taiwan. The list of attendees until Tuesday had not included Huang, whose company makes the chips at the heart of the AI boom and has been pushing for greater leeway in a market he’s identified as a $50 billion opportunity.
The Nvidia chief executive officer was spotted on the tarmac boarding the presidential plane and Trump later confirmed his attendance in a social media post, saying it was an honor to have Huang and other business leaders as part of the US delegation. Trump will also be joined by Boeing Co.’s Kelly Ortberg and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s David Solomon, among others.
“I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic, and help bring the People’s Republic to an even higher level!” Trump said in the post. “In fact, I promise, that when we are together, which will be in a matter of hours, I will make that my very first request.”
It’s unclear whether Trump will raise with Xi any concerns that relate specifically to Nvidia, whose shares rose 2.2 percent in premarket trading in New York on Wednesday.
The big-ticket item would be seeking Beijing’s approval for Chinese customers to buy Nvidia’s advanced H200 AI chips. Those products, which are used to train and run models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, have always required Washington’s permission for export to China due to US concerns that the technology could boost the Asian country’s military.
Shares of MiniMax Group Inc. and Knowledge Atlas Technology Joint Stock Co., known as Zhipu, soared in Hong Kong as investors bet on Chinese AI developers gaining access to more powerful Nvidia accelerators. “Zhipu and Minimax seem to be excited on news that Jensen Huang is joining Trump on his trip to China, something that can raise odds of onshore LLMs getting access to better Nvidia chips,” said Jian Shi Cortesi, a fund manager at Gam Investment Management in Zurich.
Trump’s team granted H200 licenses several months ago in a major reversal of US policy and huge win for Nvidia’s Huang—but Beijing remains a holdup. While China’s central government has for years complained about US export controls on advanced technology, Beijing also wants to achieve selfsufficiency in semiconductors and boost domestic champions like Huawei Technologies Co. Last year, China rejected imports of less-advanced Nvidia AI chips called H20s. It’s been a long road on H200 sales, which emerged as a possibility after China’s H20 import block. Nvidia secured Trump’s support for H200 exports in December and
New Mexico politicians grapple with oil windfall from Iran war that’s both ‘awesome’ and awkward
By Morgan Lee | The Associated Press
RIO RANCHO, N.M.—The global oil bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz has generated an enviable—and politically sensitive—financial windfall on the other side of the world in New Mexico, a rare Democratic-dominated state where fossil fuels are a bedrock of progressive social services.
education and neglecting the quality of early childhood, primary and secondary education.
The Nvidia chief executive officer was spotted on the tarmac boarding the presidential plane and Trump later confirmed his attendance in a social media post, saying it was an honor to have Huang and other business leaders as part of the US delegation. Trump will also be joined by Boeing Co.’s Kelly Ortberg and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s David Solomon, among others.
some initial US licenses in early 2026. Then in March, Huang said that Nvidia had received Washington’s permission for shipments to “many customers” in China and was firing up H200 production accordingly. That was also in response to receiving official purchase orders from firms in the Asian country—an indication that Beijing had approved the sales.
But those Chinese companies later informed Nvidia that they could not actually fulfill the purchases, according to a person familiar with the matter. And in April, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that no H200s had been shipped to Chinese firms because the “Chinese central government has not let them, as of yet, buy the chips, because they’re trying to keep their investment focused on their own domestic industry.” It’s unclear how much new inventory Nvidia is now sitting on.
White House spokesman Steven Cheung, asked about why Nvidia’s Huang was now joining Trump’s trip, said Huang’s schedule changed and “it just happened to work out.” Trump called Huang this morning and asked him to come, and the Nvidia leader flew to Anchorage to meet Air Force One on its planned layover, according to a person familiar with the matter. Cheung said he wasn’t aware of Trump calling Huang before the schedule change.
“Jensen is attending the summit at the invitation of President Trump to support America and the administration’s goals,” Nvidia said in a statement.
The executives joining Trump are all from companies with significant existing China exposure and represent sectors expected to be part of the trip’s commercial agenda, according to another person familiar with the matter.
US export controls have long been a sticking point in trade discussions between Washington and Beijing. Limits on China’s ability to acquire American technology fueled a standoff last year between the world’s largest economies that saw Beijing impose curbs on shipments of rare earths to US customers.
Just last Thursday, Huang had expressed his willingness to join Trump on the highly anticipated trip to China, where the president is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. “If invited, it would be a privilege—it would be a great honor to represent the United States and to go to China with President Trump,” Huang told CNBC. With assistance from Edwin Chan, Michael Shepard, Maggie Eastland and Abhishek Vishnoi/Bloomberg
Makarim held back tears after the prosecutors’ demands, asking outside court “what hope is there for young people in this country? What hope is there for our younger generation if we are treated like this?” The laptops were procured during
New Mexico produces more oil than any other state besides Texas, and the state’s revenue from taxes, royalties and lease sales helps cover the cost of college tuition, all school meals, health insurance and a new initiative for free universal child care.
Now that oil prices are surging from the conflict with Iran, money is flooding into the state treasury and creating an uncomfortable situation for Democrats who oppose the war and would rather reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.
“It’s hard for people to think about, ‘Oh great, we have this windfall,’ and children are getting killed on the other side of the world,” said Deb Haaland, the former US Interior Department secretary running for governor.
Haaland is one of two Democrats running to succeed Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is wrapping up her second term in office. A former congresswoman and state party chair, Haaland worked to limit unfettered oil and gas exploration while serving in President Joe Biden’s Cabinet.
Now she wants to use money amid the energy boom to increase New Mexico’s child tax credit and boost the refundable working families tax credit, payouts that would most benefit people with low incomes.
“We have obligations to try to have a better world overall,” said Haaland, a tribal member of Laguna Pueblo who could become the first female Native American governor in the US. “I think we can do that.”
Her rival for the Democratic nomination, Albuquerque-based District Attorney Sam Bregman, said he wants to offset inflation with onetime $500 checks from the state to
residents making less than $200,00 a year. He also wants to waive personal income taxes on residents 65 and older.
“It is the resources of the people that’s generating that revenue,” he said. “We ought to give it back to the people.”
For every $1 fluctuation in the average annual price of oil, New Mexico sees a roughly $59 million swing in state government income.
That means the state is likely to see a $850 million surge in annual state government income for the budget year ending in June alone based on war-time price changes— equivalent to 12 percent of annual general fund spending, according to the state Legislature’s budget and accountability office.
New Mexico sends much of its relatively heavy crude oil from its patch of the Permian Basin to Texas distribution hubs and refineries along the Gulf Coast. Prices could remain high with no end in sight for the war despite a fragile ceasefire.
A nest egg that moderates dependence on oil
IN New Mexico, surges in oil income automatically flow into a series of trust accounts designed to gradually reduce the state’s reliance on fossil fuels, helping the state generate investment income to underwrite Medicaid, early childhood education, infrastructure projects and an expansion of mental healthcare.
The strategy has tempered discomfort among many Democrats with dependence on oil income, in a state with entrenched swaths of extreme poverty and the nation’s highest enrollment rate in Medicaid.
“For New Mexico and New Mexicans and especially the progressive left—which sort of controls the state—it’s always something they really don’t want to admit or talk about or get angry about,” said Lonna Atkeson, a political science professor who has analyzed voting behavior in New Mexico and directs the LeRoy Collins Institute at Florida State University. “Like, ‘We should not be funding our stuff with that money.’
I’ve heard those arguments.”
The winner of this year’s governor’s race will take the helm of a state investment council overseeing a roughly $68 billion state nest egg, including investments that defray costs for K-12 public education.
New Mexico is not alone in reaping the financial benefits of the war. In Alaska, the state forecast an additional $1.05 billion for the current fiscal year and the one beginning July 1.
“It really is this small group of energy-reliant states like North Dakota, Alaska, New Mexico and Wyoming that are going be affected most directly,” said Justin Theal, who researches state fiscal trends as a senior officer for The Pew Charitable Trusts. He described the situation as “a double-edged sword.”
“It raises costs for households and businesses which can potentially dampen consumer spending and reduce sales taxes that almost every state relies on as well,” Theal said.
Wartime oil prices hold silver lining for New Mexico
THREE contenders for the Republican nomination are advocating for even more aggressive tax relief while oil prices are riding high.
“Republicans are using the ‘eword’—eliminate income taxes,” said Albuquerque-based pollster Brian Sanderoff, president of Research and Polling Inc. A Republican last won election to statewide office in 2016.
At the same time, they’re questioning whether universal childcare
China’s $3 billion US clean tech exit is an investment warning
By Coco Liu & Lili Pike
RENEWABLE energy manufacturer Jinko Solar Co.’s recent decision to sell control of its Florida facility extends a multibillion dollar retreat from the US by China’s clean technology firms, as they contend with an increasingly hostile policy environment and the potential loss of Biden-era incentives.
China-based companies in the sector scrapped about $2.8 billion in planned US manufacturing projects in 2025, according to research by Rhodium Group. As of the end of March, more than half of proposed Chinese clean-tech investments in the US announced since 2022 had been canceled, paused or delayed, according to the group’s calculations.
That’s part of a broader downturn that saw a 17 percent decline last year in all clean technology investment in the US, Rhodium said in a report published Wednesday.
Producers of solar equipment, batteries and electric vehicle technology have experienced a sharp reversal since Biden-era tax credits lured Chinese companies to announce $5.6 billion of investments in 2023 alone. Since then, President Donald Trump’s administration has rolled back incentives and, most crucially, last year’s tax bill introduced new hurdles for manufacturers with ties to so-called foreign entities of concern.
“Jinko’s decision underscores the
the pandemic, when schools across Indonesia were forced into remote learning. Supporters of the program have argued the Chromebooks were an imperfect but workable emergency tool aimed at keeping students connected during the crisis.
enormous challenges facing Chinese clean-tech firms operating in the US,” said Li Shuo, director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute. The company’s move should be seen as “a chilling message to anyone that wishes to come and build factories in the US,” he said.
Shanghai-based Jinko on Friday agreed to sell about a 75 percent stake in its solar panel facility in Florida to FH Capital, a private equity fund. The main purpose of selling the stake is “to optimize its overseas asset allocation, ensure its long-term strategic layout in the US, enhance flexibility and compliance, and facilitate its longterm development,” a Jinko spokesperson said in a written response to Bloomberg questions.
The decision was prompted by a need to comply with “US domestic manufacturing regulations” and to “minimize operational risks,” Jinko said in a corporate filing, without citing any specific regulations.
Jinko’s sell-down follows similar moves by China-based competitors
Elements of the case have exposed divisions within the judiciary itself. In a related trial, two of the five panel judges on Tuesday dissented in a decision to convict an outside technology consultant, Ibrahim Arief, on a subsidiary corruption charge.
will be financially sustainable. The program is coming under direct fire in a lawsuit from cannabis entrepreneur and Republican candidate for governor Duke Rodriguez. He previously served as human service secretary under former Gov. Gary Johnson, a crusader for limited government who unsuccessfully ran for president as a Libertarian.
The lawsuit alleges the childcare program was implemented in November by Lujan Grisham without required authorization from the Legislature—though supporting legislation was passed this year. A court has ordered the administration to respond within 30 days. Reflecting on the state’s oil income, Rodriguez says, “We don’t have a resource problem, what we have is a real results problem. We just spend and spend and spend with no accountability.”
Republican businessman Doug Turner describes war-time oil prices as an opportunity to overhaul the state tax code and wants means testing for childcare benefits. He lost the 2010 Republican primary to thendistrict attorney Susana Martinez, who went on to serve two terms as governor.
Gregg Hull, a former three-term mayor of Rio Rancho on the outskirts of Albuquerque, wants New Mexico to join the ranks of states with no personal income tax like Texas and Wyoming. Personal income taxes account for about $2.2 billion in annual state government income, offsetting about a fifth of annual general fund obligations.
Hull said he wants to double down on the oil economy by funneling budget surpluses to infrastructure projects in the state’s main oil-production zone.
“This morning, when I was looking at a price of a barrel of oil, I said, ‘Well, that’s not great for consumers, but it’s awesome for New Mexico,’” Hull said. Associated Press writer Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, contributed to this report.
Producers of solar equipment, batteries and electric vehicle technology have experienced a sharp reversal since Biden-era tax credits lured Chinese companies to announce $5.6 billion of investments in 2023 alone. Since then, President Donald Trump’s administration has rolled back incentives and, most crucially, last year’s tax bill introduced new hurdles for manufacturers with ties to so-called foreign entities of concern.
to scale back exposure to the US or to exit entirely. Trina Solar Co. sold a majority stake in its Texas assembly facility in 2024, and last year Corning Inc. acquired a JA Solar Technology Co. plant in Arizona.
Shanghai-listed Ningbo Boway Alloy Material Co. said Wednesday it will sell solar manufacturing assets in the US to India’s INOXGFL Group due to the tightening of foreign entity requirements under Trump’s tax bill. Policy changes under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act mean it has become harder, if not completely impossible, for factories controlled by Chinese companies, or heavily reliant on China-dominated supply chains, to be eligible for lucrative manufacturing tax credits.
Arief, who was acquitted of a primary count, was sentenced to four years in prison—far below the 15 years sought by prosecutors.
Speaking after that hearing, Arief said he respected the legal process but disagreed with parts of it related to
Losing access to those credits puts Chinese-owned factories at a “huge disadvantage” compared to domestic rivals, said Rob Barnett, a senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. For example, Arizona-based First Solar Inc., the largest US solar producer, told investors in February that it expects to receive more than $2 billion in credits this year.
While Treasury Department guidance on specific ownership thresholds for tax credit eligibility isn’t expected to be issued until later this year, analysts expect those conditions to be difficult for China-linked firms to meet.
“The policy environment is getting more restrictive,” said Margaret Jackson, a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and previously a senior counselor for policy at US Department of Commerce during Biden’s tenure.
Those tougher rules mean Trump’s meeting this week with President Xi Jinping in Beijing is unlikely to prompt new investments from China’s manufacturers in green technology industries. That’s even though Trump himself has at times expressed openness to the idea.
“I’m not sure that below him there’s a lot of appetite to create space for more Chinese investment,” Jackson said. With assistance from Ocean Hou and Mark Chediak/Bloomberg
Chromebook compatibility concerns. He said he had flagged weaknesses in the devices and requested further testing.
Arief’s lawyer said the team would use the seven-day period to decide whether to appeal. Bloomberg
Friday, May 15, 2026
2nd Front Page
‘PNPM SYSTEM COULD IMPERIL $71.3-B FOOD MANUFACTURING’
By Ada Pelonia
WITH the food manufacturing and distribution industry contributing nearly 22 percent to the economy in 2025, the Food Industry Asia (FIA) urged the government to “carefully” consider new policies that could impact food availability.
A study by Oxford Economics commissioned by the FIA and the Asean Food and Beverage Alliance (AFBA) showed that the food and beverage (F&B) manufacturing industry contributed 14 percent or $71.3 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) last year.
The F&B distribution industry, which includes retail, wholesale, accommodation, and catering, likewise contributed 7.7 percent or $37.9 billion to the GDP in 2025, according to the study.
Given the industry’s contribution to the Philippine economy, FIA Public Affairs Manager Anna Beatrice Baldonado called on the government to thoroughly study and evaluate any proposed policies that may impact the sector.
“What we’re asking now is careful reconsideration of new policies […] it’s very important for our voices to be part of the policy-making process from conception to implementation to protect the sector against all the shocks that are happening,” Baldonado told reporters on Thursday.
A new proposal that currently besets the food industry is the proposed Philippine Nutrient Profile Model (PNPM), which will classify packaged goods based on
their levels of sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and total fat.
The proposed food classification model aims to promote healthier consumption habits amid increasing cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country.
Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers Inc. (PCFMI) Public Relations Officer Caitlin Punzalan said the current model is “too restrictive and doesn’t take into account food safety, food manufacturing, and food quality concerns of the food industry.”
“It has many potential regulations associated with it moving forward. It can be used for warning labels or to restrict advertising on TV and radio, maybe even social media. It can also be used [as basis] for taxation, so it’s the most prominent issue that we have now on food manufacturing,” Punzalan said.
From a regional standpoint, Baldonado explained that the proposed measure could also affect the country’s trade.
“Manufacturers are also in the ‘wait and see’ stage, especially those operating in the entire Asean. How will it affect their supply chains, their manufacturing plants? If it becomes too restrictive in the Philippines, we might lose market access to different territories,” she said.
The FIA said a “rigorous” analysis of proposed policies will ensure that new regulations, including potential food restriction policies, would not inadvertently disrupt the sector’s growth, undermine its resilience, or negatively affect the livelihoods sustained by the food manufacturing and distribution industry.
With ₧50 rice price cap, DA vows action vs profiteers
By Ada Pelonia & Samuel P. Medenilla
THEDepartment of Agriculture (DA) said it stands ready to enforce the P50-per-kilo price cap on imported rice, adding that the law allows it to pursue hoarders and profiteers.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco
Tiu Laurel Jr. made the pronouncement after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order (EO) 118 on Wednesday.
“We will implement this immediately once it takes effect to help the general public cope with rising food costs,” he said.
He added that the DA is empowered under the Price Act and the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage law to pursue hoarders, profiteers, cartels, and other market manipulators.
EO 118 imposes a P50-per-kilo ceiling on 5 percent broken imported rice for 30 days “to address unjustified price increases, prevent market abuse, and ensure the availability of affordable rice while maintaining market stability.”
The NPCC will conduct a periodic review of the price cap every 15
days to determine if it needs to be continued, adjusted, or lifted.
The Departments of Trade and Industry (DTI), Agriculture and the Interior and Local Government were tasked to enforce the price ceiling.
They will also be assisted by the Philippine Competition Commission to ensure there will be fair market competition in the implementation of EO 118 by preventing cartelization, abuse of market dominance and other anti-competitive practices.
The Bureau of Customs was ordered to conduct inspections and enforcement operations to combat hoarding, smuggling, and illegal importation of rice.
The Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies will also help in the implementation of EO 118.
It will take effect immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. As of last Wednesday afternoon, the new issuance was already posted on the website of the Official Gazette.
Last March, Marcos said in a video message that he approved the recommendation of the National Price Coordinating Council to implement the price cap as the price for imported rice in major markets in Metro Manila jumped to P48 per kg, which was way over the “reasonable” selling price of P45 per kg.
The alleged incidents of “profiteering” happened after pump prices soared due to the war launched by the United States and Israel last February.
Based on the price monitoring data of DA, the average price for well-milled and regular imported rice in the last week of February was at P47.27 per kg and P41.31 per kg, respectively. It continued to increase in last weeks of March--well milled was at P47.95 per kg while regular milled settled at P43.26 per kg. In April the average price for the well milled variety inched up to P48 per kg while that of regular milled dropped to P42.50 per kg.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), surges in the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; cereals and cereal prod-
ucts; and vegetables were the major contributors to the 3-year high inflation of 7.2 percent in April. Rice inflation alone jumped to 13.7 percent in April, from 3.5 percent in March.
‘Not detrimental’
THE DA chief noted that the P50 per kilo ceiling for imported rice is a level that will not be detrimental to palay farmgate prices.
The agency noted that inflation has accelerated sharply since oil prices surged following the conflict in the Middle East that started on February 28. Headline inflation climbed to 4.1 percent in March and further to 7.2 percent in April, from 2.4 percent in February and 1.4 percent in April last year.
The DA noted that food inflation alone jumped to 6.1 percent in April from 2.7 percent in March, highlighting the mounting pressure on household budgets.
“Rice remains one of the most politically and economically sensitive commodities in the country, accounting for roughly 9 percent of the consumer basket used to measure inflation,” it said.
“For the poorest 30 percent of Filipino households, rice accounts for nearly one-fifth of household spending, making price spikes particularly painful for low-income families.
IBM: AI now climbs corporate ladder Biz groups seek credible impeachment trial for VP
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio
THE corporate playbook now turns to artificial intelligence (AI) not just to automate tasks, but to help steer decisions once left almost entirely to humans, according to a new IBM study.
The study, released by the IBM Institute for Business Value, found that Filipino executives are moving aggressively to integrate AI into operations, decision-making and leadership structures as companies race to keep pace with rapid technological change.
“The CEO’s (chief executive officer) role has always been to lead through disruption,” IBM vice chairman Gary Cohn said in the foreword of the report. “What AI changes is the velocity and consequences of leadership.”
Cohn said AI is accelerating the pace of business decisions and reshaping how organizations operate.
“Decision cycles will compress and boundaries between functions will dissolve,” he said. “Advantage will accrue to those who can learn, adapt, and execute faster than their competitors.”
About 80 percent of Philippine CEOs surveyed said they are comfortable making major strategic decisions using AI-generated insights, well above the 64-percent global average.
Meanwhile, 73 percent of Philippine executives said AI could make tactical and operational decisions faster and more effectively than people, compared to 57 percent globally.
The report also showed growing attention among local executives toward governance and control over AI systems, with 83 percent of Philippine respondents saying AI sovereignty is now a critical part of business strategy.
Further, by 2030, local executives surveyed expect nearly half, or 49 percent, of operational decisions that follow predictable rules and safeguards to be handled autonomously by AI systems, up from 25 percent today.
At the same time, 87 percent of respondents said their organizations are decentralizing decision-making as AI takes on a larger role across departments.
The rapid pace of change, however, is also creating pressure for businesses trying to adapt quickly. About 93 percent of Filipino executives surveyed said changes in the competitive environment are happening faster than their organizations can fully adjust processes, budgets and operations, higher than the 78-percent global average.
The report also found that many executives are investing in AI despite lingering uncertainty about its long-term value.
Around 83 percent of Pinoy CEOs said AI has already changed how they evaluate investments, while 73 percent admitted concerns about falling behind competitors are pushing companies to invest in technologies before fully understanding their business impact.
Despite the strong appetite for AI adoption, only 63 percent of Philippine CEOs surveyed said they have a clear vision of how AI tailored to their organizations will create a competitive advantage.
The report also pointed to the growing impact of AI on workforce structures and skills requirements. About 90 percent of Philippine CEOs surveyed said successful AI adoption will depend more on employee acceptance and use than on the technology itself.
Between 2026 and 2028, Philippine respondents expect around 31 percent of employees to require reskilling for entirely different roles, while another 55 percent will need upskilling to improve performance in their current positions.
The shift is also changing leadership expectations inside companies. Nearly all Philippine respondents, or 97 percent, said functional leaders are expected to become technology experts within their respective areas, while 77 percent said talent and technology leadership roles are beginning to converge.
Meanwhile, 53 percent of Philippine executives expect chief human resource officers to gain greater influence in the coming years as workforce transformation accelerates.
Globally, IBM said organizations that redesigned core business areas, including technology, finance, human resources, operations and crossfunctional collaboration, were four times more likely to meet business objectives.
For Juhi McClelland, IBM Consulting Asia Pacific managing director, companies in the region are standing out not only for their confidence in AI but also for the speed at which they are integrating it into business operations.
“APAC (Asia and Pacific) CEOs stand out not only for their confidence in the technology, but how deliberately they are embedding AI at the core of decision-making and operations—with a clear willingness to move early and move fast, even amid uncertainty,” McClelland said.
“Technology alone, however, won’t deliver impact. Real success will depend on how leaders empower their people, redesign roles, evolve processes, and embed AI responsibly across the enterprise,” she added.
For his part, Leo Capinpin, IBM Philippines general manager and technology leader, said local companies face a critical transition as AI
CREDIBLE institutions and adherence to constitutional processes are critical to sustaining investment and long-term economic growth, business and civic groups said as they called on the Senate to convene as an impeachment court.
In a joint statement, the organizations said the formal transmittal by the House of Representatives of the Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President initiated a constitutional process meant to uphold accountability, due process and the rule of law.
“We, the undersigned organizations, respectfully call on the Senate of the Philippines to fulfill its constitutional duty to convene as an Impeachment Court and conduct a fair, impartial, and transparent trial based on the evidence and the law,” the groups said. They stressed that under the 1987 Constitution, once the House exercises its exclusive power to impeach, the Senate assumes the responsibility to hear and decide the case.
“This is not a discretionary political choice, but a constitutional obligation,” the statement read. The groups warned that refusing to convene the impeachment court or dismissing the case without hearing evidence could damage trust in the Senate and the country’s broader institutional framework.
“For the business community, the implications are significant. Economic stability, investment, and longterm growth depend on credible institutions and consistent adherence to constitutional processes,” they said.
The organizations added that perceptions of political interference in legal and constitutional mechanisms could hurt institutional credibility and investor sentiment.
“When the rule of law appears subordinate to political interests, investor confidence and institutional credibility suffer,” the statement read. At the same time, the groups emphasized that an impeachment trial should not be interpreted as a presumption of guilt against the Vice President.
“It is also the Vice President’s opportunity to answer the allegations, present her defense, and prove her innocence through due process,” they said.
The organizations called on Senate leaders and lawmakers to convene the impeachment court without delay, ensure a fair and credible trial, See “Impeachment,”
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
Converge retains revenue, capex guidance for 2026
By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan
CONVERGE
Information
and
Communications Technol-
ogy Solutions Inc. is keeping its full-year capital expenditure and revenue growth guidance for 2026, even as the ongoing Middle East crisis raises concerns over oil prices and operational costs.
Robert Yu, the CFO of Converge, said the company is maintaining its announced capital expenditure (capex) budget of P18 billion to P23 billion for the year, with the Middle East situation posing a manageable, though monitored, risk.
“From a Middle East fallout perspective, oil is the biggest issue—
[however] our utilities cost is 1 percent [of our expenditures]. But we are going to support our partners in their own utilities costs to install new and repair old lines. So there might be some bump up on expenses, but it’s not a big risk at this point in time,” Yu said. When asked whether macro -
economic headwinds would force the company to revisit its full-year revenue growth guidance of 8 to 10 percent, Yu said no revisions are on the table—for now.
“At this point in time, we are not, but we are monitoring it very closely. Persistent high inflation is affecting discretionary spending for consumers. The need for internet at home also increases, so it balances out. We will monitor it, but at this point in time, no revisions yet,” he said.
Yu added that Converge’s track record of disciplined spending underpins its ability to absorb external pressures.
“We are quite good at cost controls, which is why we are able to generate industry-leading return on invested capital [ROIC]. We always weigh what we spend versus how much value we can add to the company and the whole country.”
Converge recorded flattish net income of P3 billion in the first
three months of the year. Its consolidated revenues rose 3.7 percent to P11.2 billion from P10.8 billion driven by growth across both its residential and enterprise segments.
Residential revenues grew 1 percent to P9.2 billion, as the company’s subscriber base crossed the three million mark—reaching 3,089,144—for the first time.
Enterprise revenues surged 16 percent to P2 billion from P1.7 billion, with the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) subsegment posting an even stronger 17-percent gain on the back of an expanded customer base.
Cost of services rose 3 percent to P3.8 billion from P3.7 billion, while general and administrative expenses climbed 9 percent to P2.7 billion from P2.5 billion.
Total cash capex for the first quarter amounted to P2.9 billion. ROIC came in at 15.6 percent for the quarter.
‘Digital carts will still roll despite crisis’
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio @blessogerio
ONLINE retail growth is expected to remain steady this year even as shifting consumer behavior and tighter household budgets continue to make life more difficult for Filipinos, according to TikTok Shop Philippines.
TikTok Shop public policy head Yves Gonzalez said online shopping is increasingly serving as a practical option for consumers looking to manage tighter budgets while still meeting daily needs.
“Ultimately, our aim is still to surpass our 2025 numbers. How we get there, there’s still a lot of uncertainty given the current uncertainties around us,” Gonzalez told reporters on the sidelines of the TikTok Shop Summit in Makati City last Wednesday.
He said the platform remains focused on surpassing its 2025 performance, although Gonzalez acknowledged that external conditions continue to make the outlook less predictable. On platform performance, TikTok reported that most sellers on their Philippine shop are locally based and have seen strong growth in recent years.
The e-commerce platform, which is also a social media giant, reported having 90 percent active local sellers, with Filipino merchants recording a 200-percent increase in sales in 2025.
Yet, Gonzalez noted that economic pressures, particularly energyrelated costs, are shaping consumer behavior in ways that may support continued e-commerce adoption.
“As consumers are feeling the pinch of the energy crisis, e-commerce is actually one of the options that’s available to them to be able to save, but at the same time still continue to be able to purchase the things that they want to buy.”
While traditional e-commerce relied heavily on search-based intent, social and content-driven platforms are changing that behavior, Gonzalez said.
“What we’re seeing now with discovery commerce is that buyers are discovering things to buy through content, through live streams, through short videos,” he said. “Even without the intent there yet, they’re already starting their consumer journey.”
FILINVEST Development Corp. (FDC), the holding firm of the Gotianun Group, on Thursday said its attributable income rose 8 percent to P3.9 billion in the first quarter from the previous year’s P3.6 billion, mainly as a result of the strong performance of its real estate arm.
Total revenues and other income for the first quarter went up by 5 percent to P30.8 billion, the company said.
“Business results were mixed. Real estate and hospitality showed resilience against macroeconomic pressure while for others, profits were flat or experienced decreases versus a year ago,” Rhoda Huang, FDC president and CEO, said.
“We are facing the challenges with resolve to achieve revenue and profit growth in 2026, despite increasing inflation and weakening GDP growth, through astute strategies and persistence of our organization.”
Banking revenues increased by 12 percent to P15.6 billion; real estate, 16 percent to P7.9 billion while hospitality was flat at P1.2 billion. Its power unit saw revenues decline by 28 percent year-on-year to P3.6 billion.
Banking unit EastWest Bank’s top-line growth was driven by increased loan volumes and effective management of funding costs, resulting in a 20-percent rise in net interest
income to P11.1 billion.
Consumer lending remained the primary segment, comprising 84 percent of the total loan portfolio, which contributed to an improved net interest margin of 8.6 percent.
The increase in the company’s real estate business, composed of listed firm Filinvest Land Inc., Filinvest Alabang Inc. and Filinvest REIT Corp., was due to stronger residential and commercial lot sales.
Residential sales went up by 28 percent, driven by sustained sales of ready-for-occupancy units and a higher percentage of completion for various residential projects. Mall and rental revenues remained steady with slight gains in occupancy and foot traffic.
Power unit FDC Utilities Inc. had a subdued performance, mainly attributed to a notable decrease in spot market sales and lower coal cost passthrough rates. This was, however, mitigated by reduced costs resulting from lower sales volume. Filinvest Hospitality Corp. had higher average room rates and enhanced contributions from the food and beverage segment across its portfolio, which comprises seven hotels with a combined total of 1,800 rooms, as well as two 18-hole golf courses located within Filinvest Mimosa Plus Leisure City in Clark, Pampanga. VG Cabuag
For him, this model is making the buying process more contentdriven, where exposure to creators and online videos plays a larger role in shaping purchase decisions.
TikTok added that its creator ecosystem has also expanded, with affiliate participation doubling, contributing to stronger sales across categories, such as fast-moving consumer goods, beauty products, clothing and other retail items.
Despite these gains, Gonzalez noted the platform is mindful of consumer sensitivity to price increases and external shocks.
“We always aim to sustain and even surpass the previous growth rates,” he said. “But given the current energy crisis that we’re facing,
we have to be cognizant that there will be consumers who are more worried about how they spend.”
He added that e-commerce could continue to benefit from shifting spending patterns, especially as consumers look for alternatives to physical retail due to transportation costs.
“For example, if you’re trying to save money on fuel, you don’t travel far, then you just purchase your items through e-commerce,” he said.
While acknowledging ongoing global uncertainties, Gonzalez said the direction for social commerce until the year-end remains positive, with continued expansion expected as digital platforms become more embedded in everyday consumer behavior.
BIR surpasses revenue target for April by 3.12%
By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
DESPITE moving the deadline for annual income tax return
(AITR) filings to May, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) managed to surpass its emerging revenue target for April—its largest monthly collection goal for the year.
The BIR announced on Thursday that its gross collection reached P422.378 billion in April, exceeding the month’s emerging target of P409.601 billion by 3.12 percent.
April is traditionally the BIR’s strongest collection month as it coincides with the deadline for annual income tax payments. Taxes on net income and profit alone accounted for nearly half, or P228.479 billion, of the April target.
But as the country suffered from the oil crisis caused by the Middle East war, the BIR granted relief to taxpayers by extending the deadline for the AITR filing to May 15 from the usual April 15 due date.
“Even with the extension of the [AITR] filing deadline, the BIR sustained solid collection performance in April, reflecting the impact of higher taxpayer confidence, better digital services, and continuing reforms under the ‘BIR Dares’ reform agenda,” Internal Revenue Commissioner Charlito Martin R. Mendoza said.
Intensified tax campaign efforts of the National Office, Revenue Regions, Revenue District Offices and the Large Taxpayer Service in the past months also encouraged early and voluntary compliance among taxpayers, Mendoza added.
briefs
➔ BOC creates TIO
April collections also marginally grew by 0.13 percent from the P421.82 billion collected in the same month last year, based on preliminary data.
From January to April, the BIR’s gross collections reached P1.155 trillion, 0.84 percent higher than the P1.145 trillion emerging goal for the four-month period.
Year on year, collections during the period rose by 3.58 percent from P1.115 trillion.
Mendoza said the January-toApril collection indicates that the BIR remains on track to achieve its revenue goal this year, while it continues to improve taxpayer services.
The taxman likewise expressed optimism over May collections, with the remaining 2025 annual income tax payments due mid-month.
“We remind taxpayers who availed of the extension to file their [AITRs] and pay the corresponding taxes due by May 15, 2026. They should use the remaining time to complete their requirements properly and avoid the rush on the last day,” Mendoza added.
This year, the BIR aims to collect a total of P3.579 trillion, based on the Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing approved by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).
The emerging goal only serves as the operational benchmark for agency performance measurement, cash management, budget execution and mandated reporting to stakeholders, unless instructed otherwise by the DBCC or the Department of Budget and Management.
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has created the Top Importers Office (TIO) to streamline trade processes and strengthen coordination with the private sector contributing to national revenues, trade flows and supply chain stability. Customs Memorandum Order 06-2026 placed the TIO under the Office of the Commissioner, currently Ariel F. Nepomuceno. The creation of the TIO aims to facilitate the import and export of goods by promoting ease of doing business, reducing bureaucratic red tape, simplifying customs procedures and minimizing customs transaction costs, the order read. The TIO will serve as the BOC’s central coordinating office and primary point of contact for top importers, exporters and key third parties engaged in customs-related operations. Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
➔ BPI, M. Lhuillier ink deal
THE Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) announced it has partnered with M. Lhuillier Financial Services Inc. to allow Filipinos to cash-in for free to the lender’s digital wallet through the 3,000 branches of the financial service firm. “Over 25 million Filipinos know that they can find us nearby because we have built a network of over 3,000 branches nationwide,” said Joyce R. Robin, the Division Head of Sales Partnership and Business Development for M. Lhuillier, said during the launch of the partnership last Thursday. Through this partnership, BPI said users can cash in at any M Lhuillier branch. The universal bank said this deal will enable users to enjoy seamless digital payments, free fund transfer to other banks and e-wallets, earn reward points and “other everyday financial services.” Andrea Louise San Juan
➔ Security Bank Q1 ‘strong’
SECURITY Bank Corp. announced having delivered “strong” core operating performance in the first quarter of 2026, with pre-provision operating profit rising 24 percent year-on-year to P7.5 billion, driven by “disciplined” cost management. In a statement on Thursday, the universal bank said its total revenues reached P17 billion, up 10 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, net income was P2.7 billion, up 6 percent compared to the previous quarter, despite provisions amid evolving operating conditions. Net interest income grew to P15.2 billion and total non-interest income was P1.9 billion. Operating expenses were wellmanaged, increasing 2 percent year-on-year and decreasing 13 percent quarteron-quarter, resulting in an “improved” cost-to-income ratio of 56 percent from 61 percent a year ago. The bank set aside P3.9 billion in provisions for credit and impairment losses, higher year-on-year as part of its prudent risk management approach. Andrea Louise San Juan
PHL’s current account deficit seen to widen as oil prices up
By Andrea Louise San Juan
THE research division of a multinational financial services firm would be revisiting its forecast for the Philippines “given the emerging challenge that its current account deficit is seen to widen on the back of higher oil prices.”
In a commentary, ANZ Research included the Philippines as among Asian countries facing the challenge even to fund even a “modest” deterioration in their respective current accounts, one of the components of the balance of payment (BoP).
In a commentary, division of Melbourne, Australia-headquartered Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) Banking Group Ltd. called these countries—India, Indonesia and the Philippines—“Asia’s three troubled balance of payments.” It added these countries’ BoP positions have weakened, in contrast to the “broadly
healthy situation in the rest of the region.”
“The emerging challenge for all three economies is that their current account deficits are set to widen on the back of higher oil prices, which will compound the BoP problem on account of weak capital inflows,” according to ANZ Research.
“For the Philippines, the BoP problem is a typical one, characterized by a large current account deficit,” ANZ Research noted. “Even the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) indicates a difficult outcome [as] their 2026 current account deficit forecast
IC orders insurers to give relief measures to clients
THE government instructed insurers to grant at least 90-day payment relief and extend expired policies to cushion Filipinos from the economic impact of the ongoing national energy emergency.
In its latest circular, the Insurance Commission (IC) ordered all insurance companies, mutual benefit organizations, pre-need companies and health maintenance organizations (HMO) to grant policyholders, plan holders and HMO members several relief measures.
For one, the IC directed insurers to extend the grace period, for at least 90 days and with no penalties or interest, for unpaid premiums and fees if policyholders missed payments between April 15 and May 31, 2026.
Policies nearing expiration or already up for renewal between April 15 and May 31, 2026, must also remain temporarily active for a minimum of 90 days through hold-cover arrangements.
Still, policyholders must eventually pay within 90 days, pay premiums before claims are released and agree in writing to the temporary arrangement.
Insurers must also provide a temporary grace period of at least 90 days for loan payments, with no penalties or interest.
Moreover, IC will temporarily allow higher loans to officers, insurance companies to lend more money to officers, employees and sales associates of insurance companies.
IC increased the threshold to 20
percent of the company’s net worth from 6 percent.
Loans to employees shall likewise be granted a temporary grace period of at least three months without penalties or interest.
Furthermore, IC nudged insurers to implement additional initiatives or relief measures.
Particularly, licensed agents are told to reach out proactively to clients, provide fair advice and coverage guidance, facilitate claims processing and support regulatory and industry initiatives.
“In times of economic strain, it is imperative that regulatory frameworks remain responsive-balancing consumer protection with operational flexibility for industry players so that no stakeholder is left behind,”
Insurance Commissioner Reynaldo A. Regalado was quoted in a separate statement as saying.
To support insurers in addressing operational and compliance challenges due to the energy emergency, IC granted a 30-day extension for the submission of all reportorial requirements due from April to June.
Any submission made within the extended period will not be subject to fines and penalties.
“These measures are intended to provide meaningful relief to both consumers and IC-regulated entities, ensuring that they are able to navigate the challenges brought about by the current economic conditions while maintaining continuity of coverage and compliance,” Regalado added. Reine
S. Alberto
Juvierre
Natl financial education strategy drafted—BSP
THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it is leading the development of the National Strategy for Financial Education (NSFE), which aims to strengthen the financial health of Filipinos.
“The NSFE envisions a society where individuals and families have the knowledge, confidence and resilience to make sound financial decisions through accessible and effective financial education programs,” read a statement the BSP issued last Thursday.
is at 4 percent of GDP [gross domestic product] and the overall BoP deficit is at 1.6 percent of GDP.”
According to ANZ Research, India, Indonesia and the Philippines recorded BoP deficits of 0.6 percent of GDP, 0.5 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively, in 2025 on an annual basis.
BSP date shows last year’s BOP deficit narrowed by 16.3 billion from the $18.6 billion notched in 2024.
“In a rare occurrence, India’s BoP was in deficit was for the second consecutive year,” it added. According to ANZ Research, the Philippines’s BoP deficit was “more conventional” in that sense because it was driven by a large current account deficit of 3.3 percent of GDP.
“A current account deficit of such magnitude is no longer unusual in the Philippines – the post-pandemic average (2022-25) has been 3.7 percent of GDP,” ANZ Research said.
By contrast, the current account deficits in India and Indonesia are not at “concerning levels.” Still, ANZ Research institution said it is the absence of financial flows that has landed the overall BoP positions into deficits in both economies. The
research institution said it does not foresee much near-term improvement in these complex settings.
According to ANZ Research, these “unfavorable” BoP outcomes have translated into weaker currencies despite central banks of the three economies “stepping up” intervention in the FX market.
While foreign exchange reserves have been “already” substantially drawn down for both India and Indonesia with their reserves close to fiveyear lows, the ANZ Research said FX intervention in the Philippines was “relatively lesser,” so FX reserves have been relatively more stable.
Latest data from the BSP showed the gross international reserves (GIR) of the Philippines settled at $104.1 billion in April 2026. Analysts said foreign exchange intervention to smooth peso volatility alongside routine external payments brought the country’s foreign reserves, or the buffer against external shocks, to its lowest in 15 months, economists said. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2026/05/09/ fx-intervention-external-payments-behind-15-month-foreignreserves-low/)
Learning is an association’s strongest value proposition
WE recently had the opportunity to speak with AJ Sallis, CEO of New Zealand-based Intuto, a learning management system (LMS) platform, for Episode 13 of the PCAAE podcast “Association Matters.” Our conversation centered on a question many association leaders are quietly grappling with.
“In an era where AI can generate content instantly, what is the real value of associations offering learning to their members?” The discussion led to a powerful insight: learning is no longer just a service; it is fast becoming the core of an association’s relevance, credibility, and sustainability.
One of the most striking ideas AJ shared is the notion of “credibility capital.” In a world flooded with generic, AI-generated content, associations hold something far more valuable: their authority, standards, and reputation within their respective industries. This is what differentiates an association’s learning program from platforms offering mass-produced courses. When an association delivers education, it is not merely sharing information; it is certifying competence. It transforms its institutional credibility into something tangible, something members can carry into their careers, place on their CVs, and use to advance professionally.
emerging within the association landscape. Organizations that invest in learning are seeing stronger engagement, better member retention, and more satisfied stakeholders. Members of these associations are not only more skilled, they are more connected and more committed. In contrast, associations that do not prioritize learning risk being perceived as transactional, offering little more than newsletters and events, rather than meaningful professional advancement. For associations wondering where to begin, the good news is this: you don’t need a massive, resource-heavy program to start. In fact, AJ strongly advocates for a “start small” approach. Begin with a pilot. Identify a key need within your industry. Audit existing content such as webinars, conference recordings, even podcast interviews, and repurpose these into structured learning modules. What matters most is authenticity and relevance, not scale.
From there, associations can “slice and wrap” content, breaking it into manageable learning pieces, adding simple assessments, and ultimately offering certificates or credentials. These do not need to be complex at the outset. Even a basic certificate can serve as a powerful signal of value, both to members and the wider industry.
The central bank said this financial education strategy is targeted for release this year. Currently, it is being refined through consultations with stakeholders. In line with this, the central bank convened government agencies, private sector partners, civil society organizations and development institutions on May 13. During the consultation, the BSP and its partners presented key findings on the country’s financial education landscape and introduced the draft NSFE framework.
“These discussions build on earlier consultations and research on existing financial education initiatives, gaps and priority areas. Input gathered from stakeholders will be consolidated and analyzed to further improve the NSFE,” the BSP said.
According to the central bank, stakeholders also took part in workshops to share insights and identify initiatives to refine the NSFE and guide priority actions.
For her part, BSP Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said, “No amount of research can replace the insights of those doing the work on the ground. That is why consultations matter.”
“A national strategy only becomes meaningful when government, industry, civil society and development
partners work together to make it succeed. That is when it becomes more than a document,” added Romulo-Puyat.
According to the central bank, the NSFE receives technical assistance from the World Bank and input from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the government of the United Kingdom.
“It will form part of the broader National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2022–2028 and will be endorsed to the Financial Inclusion Steering Committee for further approval,” according to the BSP. Andrea Louise San Juan
From an employer’s perspective, this matters. Industries are not looking for more content; they are looking for competence. Associations that offer structured, credible learning programs effectively create what AJ describes as a “defensible moat,” a unique position that protects their relevance by anchoring their value in industry standards and professional development. For members, especially those early or mid-career, this shifts the perception of associations from being a “nice-to-have” network to a career-defining platform. Equally important, and something AI cannot replicate, is community-driven learning. Associations have a unique advantage in facilitating peer-to-peer exchange, mentorship, and shared experiences. Whether it’s a seasoned professional guiding a younger member or small learning cohorts engaging beyond formal sessions, this human dimension adds depth and authenticity to the learning experience. It transforms education from passive consumption into active, social growth. AJ also pointed out a clear divide
The key takeaway from my conversation with AJ Sallis is clear: learning is no longer optional; it is strategic. Associations that embrace this shift will not only strengthen their value proposition but also future-proof their role in an increasingly competitive and AI-driven world. Those that do not may find themselves struggling to remain relevant. In the end, it is not about competing with AI. It is about offering what AI cannot: credibility, community, and career impact.
Octavio Peralta is founder and volunteer CEO of
Octavio Peralta
The rising cost of convenience
EXCEPT for the recent Mother’s Day, there has been reduced foot traffic in many restaurants, whether located in or outside the malls, shortly after the war between the United States/Israel and Iran broke out.
The Restaurant Owners Association of the Philippines (RestoPH) confirmed it in a recent survey of their members, so much so that 79 percent of its respondents have recorded a moderate drop in sales between 10 percent and 30 percent, while 7 percent of respondents said they posted a sales decline of over 30 percent! (See“RisingfuelcostsdrainPHLrestos, hurtsales,” BUSINESSMIRROR,April22,2026.)
A friend who recently attended an event with executives from a popular fast-food chain likewise intimated that the executives informed her that there were less people dining or ordering from their outlets.
Jollibee Foods Corp. recently reported a near 39-percent drop in its net income in the first quarter of the year, hitting just P1.74 billion, although its officials said there was still a “healthy demand” for its products. But the food company also said its direct costs increased by 11.7 percent due to rising prices of their inputs, although it believes this is just a temporary situation owing to the tightness in supplies wrought by the Middle East crisis.
(Anyway, I checked Jollibee food prices recently: a two-piece Chickenjoy Solo, which includes a scoop of rice is P196. Extra rice is P47. A one-piece Chickenjoy with Palabok and Drink is P275. I can understand why people are holding back on dining here.)
What’s worse for many restaurants is that food delivery platforms, which initially helped increase their sales, are now killing them with the latter’s mandatory commissions. Majority of them, or 84 percent of RestoPH’s respondents, are paying 15 to 25 percent of the total bill as commissions
So 90 percent of respondents said that high commission rates are their “biggest challenge”, with 78 strongly demanding for caps on commissions. Some 21 percent want food delivery platforms for “transparency in pricing/algorithms.”
Ultimately, said RestoPH: “The commission structure is the number one pressure point—not
promos, not payouts.”
Following this, 74 percent of respondents said the impact on their profit is “severe” (i.e., minimal to no profit). Only 13 percent of respondents said the delivery platforms are helping boost their profits.
And so, RestoPH members are loudly saying that food delivery “is no longer a growth channel—it’s a margin drain.
As someone who orders food or drink via Grab about three to five times a month, this is truly disheartening. It is almost second nature to us to just whip out our phones, when we’re hungry, then tap in our food orders via delivery platforms. In fact, the most challenging situation for me—especially when I don’t have enough food in my freezer to cook—is to decide from which restaurant to order.
But I have noticed that for many restaurants, they’ve had to raise their menu prices on Grab by at least P25. I was told this was being done to cover for the commissions they’ve had to pay the delivery platforms. (Other popular food delivery platforms include Food Panda, Pickaroo, etc.)
Frankly, I really don’t know how many restaurants can continue operating this way. It’s bad enough they are dealing with fewer customers, rising food prices, higher LPG and electricity costs, increasing rents, and a very uncertain economy, after barely surviving the pandemic years. Now they also have to contend with food delivery platforms taking such huge commissions that many owners say they are barely earning anything.
And that’s the irony of it all: consumers like me have become so dependent on food delivery apps because they are convenient and accessible. But for many restaurants, the same platforms that once helped keep them alive during the pandemic have now become another heavy burden to carry. If this continues, I’m afraid we may eventually lose many small and even mid-sized dining establishments—not because Filipinos stopped loving food, but because the business of selling it has simply become too costly.
■■■
MEANWHILE, with the cost of fuel moving up and down depending on the US President’s latest pronouncements on the Strait of Hormuz, it’s been quite a challenge to go anywhere these days.
I noticed there are more people riding the MRT and LRT these days, even on off-peak hours. Good thing the airconditioning in the coaches are still operating at opitimum conditions despite the sizzling heat. And kudos to the government for cutting the fares by 50 percent. It is certainly a huge help for many commuters like me.
I’m also glad we have more TNVS and taxi choices like InDrive and Green GSM, aside from the usual Grab transport service. Unfortunately, Grab rides,
already pricey even before the energy crisis because of its inexplicable charges, have just gotten more expensive. I use it just when going short distances.
For farther destinations, like from Naia to my home in Quezon City, I use InDrive because more often than not, the ride will be at least P130 less than Grab’s fare. The only drawback in using InDrive is that transactions are mostly in cash or GCash, the latter via manual transfer. So it takes some valuable time away from the passenger especially when rushing to get to an appointment.
While Green GSM started similarly, where payments were restricted to cash or GCash manual transfers, it now has a slew of acceptable payment methods such as select banks, international cards, and PayMaya, to which the passenger can register.
The only downside in using Green GSM is the 15-kilometer restriction on destinations. I am told by its drivers that it is due to the fact they use electric vehicles with batteries and they might run out of energy if they go over the 15-km restriction and are nowhere near charging stations.
(There is a workaround: Set your destination to 15 km away from your location, then when the vehicle arrives, just tell the driver where you’re actually going. Of course, there is a chance the driver will refuse to bring you to your destination. I’ll keep you updated once I’ve had the opportunity to try this.)
However, I like Green GSM because it’s cleaner; there are no gas emissions from the vehicle, so it doesn’t pollute the environment. For another, the drivers are paid a basic salary just like regular company employees, along with incentives and government benefits. And as such, drivers are not forced to operate their vehicles at impossibly long hours just to meet a daily boundary, like taxi drivers are wont to do. Or when they are sick.
Also, you can hail the Green GSM vehicle just like a regular taxi if you happen to see one passing by.
In these trying times, getting around Metro Manila has become an exercise in strategy and budgeting. One has to weigh comfort versus cost, speed versus practicality, and, increasingly, necessity versus luxury. With fuel prices rising and falling due to developments in the Middle East, we commuters are left scrambling for the most economical way to move from one place to another.
Still, amid all these challenges, it is encouraging to see alternatives for many of us to get around—from cheaper train fares, to more TNVS choices, to EVs that at least lessen the burden on both commuters and the environment. We can only hope these options continue to improve, because for many of us, mobility is no longer just about convenience. It is about preserving what we can of our hard-earned pesos in an increasingly uncertain economy.
MCAD hosts free summer art workshops this May
THE Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) invites young and budding creatives to explore their passion and talent in a series of Saturday art workshops for free.
Organized as part of the Summer Arts Festival of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Center for Social Action (CSA), the lineup includes a blend of interactive and fun-filled lectures and handson sessions. These were specially curated to introduce fresh minds and enthusiasts to diverse art forms, and encourages them to foster and showcase their ingenuity and imagination.
On May 9, Quilt & Connect provided a bonding opportunity for parents and children as they wove functional textile products through recycled materials, such as fabric scraps. It was facilitated by Olivia
Jaro Lopez, a textile and surface designer and visual artist, and a full-time professor under the Benilde Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) Program.
On May 16, A Kaleidoscope World is set to immerse young artists aged 13 to 17 in the beauty and significance of patterns in nature, design, and everyday life. The environmentally conscious class will develop their deeper appreciation for the world around them—both natural and manmade—as they learn the basics of building their own optical instruments.
It will be spearheaded by Sophia Glorianna Viola, a visual artist, designer, and Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) senior artist-teacher.
On May 23, a Mosaic Workshop will challenge crafters aged 20 and above to explore and exemplify their imagination as
they form decorative images using small and versatile pieces of colored tiles.
It will be facilitated by visual artist and writer Tey Ihvonie Maravilla Sevilleno. She is the co-founder of Negrense art collective Artfull, and currently serves as the president of the Art Association of Bacolod-Negros, one of the country’s longest-standing art organizations. It is also the originator of Bacolod’s iconic MassKara Festival.
The workshops are free and open to the public.
Materials will be provided. The sessions will run from 9 am to 11 am on the scheduled Saturdays. These will be held at The Loop, Benilde Design + Arts Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila.
More information can be found at
will contribute to falling short of your expectations. A pep talk will help you find capable individuals to tend to the small jobs you don’t care to do, allowing you to excel. ★★★★
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Dig in, learn all you can, build momentum and initiate plans. Seeing something through from beginning to end will satisfy your soul and put you in a position to further your plans. Partnering with someone will lower your overhead and offer you the freedom necessary to turn your ideas into something tangible. Enthusiasm plus charisma harnesses positive results. ★★
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Sign up for something that offers insight into new possibilities. Finding unique ways to apply your skills will open a window of opportunity to engage in a project that’s new and exciting. Test the water, share your vision and be quick to participate in using your experience to collaborate on something you find exciting. ★★★★★
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Connect and collaborate with people who share your interests, skills and plans. Look to the source of what’s possible, and stretch your imagination. These days, you must be innovative, selective and constantly searching to find ways to use and market your experience to accelerate what’s trending. Selfimprovement, educational pursuits and partnerships are on the rise.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Pay attention to detail. Taking on too much will leave you vulnerable. Look for opportunities involving people you already know and trust. Put your energy into development, offering hands-on help and letting your creativity shine through. Personal or professional contracts, commitments and partnerships will fortify your position and what you can achieve. Romance is in the stars. ★★★
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Indulge in something you enjoy doing with people who bring out the best in you. How you use your space at home, or the social places you frequent, will set the stage for a unique experience. Pay attention to and nurture meaningful relationships. A change to how or where you live will lead to a better lifestyle. ★★★
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t put yourself on display or give others a reason to talk. Lie low, engage in self-improvement projects or sign up for activities or events that give you a chance to meet people who share the same likes and dislikes. Question information that sounds too good to be true. Rely on your resources and intuition, not gossip.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Self-improvement will be uplifting. Participate in
VISUAL artist and writer Tey Ihvonie Maravilla Sevilleno
as Young Noah, Sheena Belarmino as Young Allie
FOLLOWING the announcement of Morissette as Middle Allie in its upcoming international premiere of The Notebook: The Musical, Theatre Group Asia (TGA, www.theatregroupasia.com) now unveils two exciting additions to the cast: rising theatre and screen talents Benedix Ramos as Young Noah and Sheena Belarmino as Young Allie.
Joining a production that reimagines Nicholas Sparks’ beloved story across different stages of life, Ramos and Belarmino will bring to life the formative years of Noah and Allie, the chapter of first love marked by intensity, innocence, and defiance. Ramos is an actor, singer-songwriter and host whose growing body of work across television, film and theater has established him as one of the most promising young performers of his generation. He first gained national recognition through Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity Season 10: Celebrity Edition and has since built a diverse portfolio spanning screen and stage. His theater credits include Tabing Ilog: The Musical, Next to Normal, and Bar Boys: The Musical, where his performance earned him a Gawad Buhay nomination for Best Male Lead in a Musical. As Young Noah, Ramos brings both emotional depth and a contemporary sensibility to the role, shaping the character’s early journey with nuance and sincerity. Meanwhile, Sheena Belarmino brings a compelling blend of vocal power and stage presence to the role of Young Allie. A singer, dancer, actress and host, Belarmino began her career in major reality competitions before becoming a regular performer on ASAP
She has steadily built her theater credentials with roles in One More Chance: The Musical, Tabing Ilog: The Musical, most recently taking on Wendla Bergmann in Spring Awakening. Her performance in One More Chance earned her a Gawad Buhay nomination for Outstanding Female Featured Performance in a Musical. With her strong emotional instincts and musicality, Belarmino is set to embody Young Allie’s spirited nature with authenticity and depth. Together with Morissette Amon as Middle Allie, the casting reflects TGA’s commitment to assembling a multi-generational ensemble capable of capturing the sweeping emotional scope of The Notebook: The Musical Featuring music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson and a Tony Award-winning book by Bekah Brunstetter, the musical is celebrated for its intimate storytelling and its portrayal of love as it evolves through youth, adulthood and old age.
Show
‘Disclosure Day’ answers questions from ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind,’ Josh O’Connor says
By Lindsey Bahr The Associated Press
JOSH O’CONNOR heard a quote once that said that Steven Spielberg was like “the director of every child’s imagination.”
The British actor may not have grown up in a moviegoing family, but he was still very aware the Spielberg thing as a 1990s kid. It’s just in our psyche, O’Connor told The Associated Press in a recent interview.
There were Blockbuster nights, of course, with viewings of E.T. and he’s since caught up with the classics. But even he was taken aback by just how ingrained those quintessential Spielberg images were on his first day shooting Disclosure Day They were on a backlot, he said, and there were dripping pipes and big beams of light and smoke and mist. It was an environment he recognized so vividly. All he could think was, “Wow, I’m in a Steven Spielberg movie.”
While very little is known about the plot of Disclosure Day, which opens in theaters on June 12, it’s territory that Spielberg knows well. And it has been suggested by Emily Blunt, and confirmed by O’Connor, that it answers some questions raised by Close Encounters of the Third Kind. O’Connor plays a cybersecurity expert who has a mysterious connection with Blunt’s meteorologist. He holds some truths that the men in suits don’t want the world to know.
O’Connor spoke to the AP about the film, the secrecy, the awe of watching it for the first time and having “the greatest Steven Spielberg story.” Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Have you been able to take stock of this whole experience?
It’s sort of still quite surreal. There have been many directors for me where it’s felt like kind of intensely surreal in the lead up to going and doing a movie with a person and then once you start, it sort of settles down and then the next thing you know you’re best friends with that director and it’s all just very normal.
I do feel very close to Steven, but it still feels surreal having shot it. And every aspect of making this film was like a pinch-me moment, including seeing it for the first time. It’s sort of a dream for anyone.
Was he what you expected?
He was more than I expected. He’s got this energy about him. He’s still so excited. He’s still like a child.
He’s inquisitive. He is excited about performance. You know, there’s nothing better in the universe than hearing Steven by a monitor, crying or laughing or shouting with joy. He’s still, I imagine, that same director he was when he made Jaws or E.T. or any of those other classics. So yeah, he’s still got it. I can confirm he’s still got it
What can you tell us about your character?
Daniel’s got some special powers. I’m resistant to saying that because I think it sort of overplays him in some ways. He and Emily’s character have this special bond between them and they’re not even aware of it. And the film really is pulling these two characters together. That’s sort of like the drive for these two, even if they’re unaware of it for half the movie.
Daniel has never really computed it and that’s sort of bubbling away underneath Daniel’s character. But he’s sort of an unglamorous hero. He’s your everyday guy and he’s found himself in this situation and he has to adapt and he is able to adapt, but, you know, he’s not a natural Tom Cruise.
There’s a lot of secrecy around DisclosureDay Was it like that on your end too?
There was, of course, a level of secrecy. When I received the script I was filming Knives Out and I was in a hotel and a motorbike turned up with the script, and a motorbike turned up to take away the script the next morning. That’s the first time that’s happened for me. It’s a very strange experience but it makes sense. You know, anytime you hear that Steven’s got a film coming out, everyone, myself included, wants to know what it is, so I totally understand why.
What was the setup for watching it? Did it involve a guy showing up on a motorcycle again? No, actually, not this time. It was just me and Emily and we sat in a screening room. You know, seeing any movie you’re in for the first time is a nightmare. It’s impossible to enjoy it fully because all you’re seeing is like, “Why do my ears look so big” or “Why do I stand like that I’m such a freak.” All those things are natural and so there is a little bit of competing with that, but this experience was unlike any other I’ve ever had. Emily and I were just in awe.
You’ve been able to work with such a varied group of filmmakers and in all these different forms in your career.
That’s the thing I’m most proud of, I think...Getting to work with diverse artists and people like Alice (Rohrwacher) and Kelly (Reichardt) and Steven and Rian Johnson. They all work in very different ways and make very different films and tell different stories
and ultimately that was my dream. I looked up to people like Gene Wilder, or like Robin Williams who’s able to make us roar with laughter and then have us in tears. I think that flexibility, that versatility is what I’ve always wanted in my career.
Do you have a favorite Spielberg story?
I have the greatest, in my opinion, the greatest Steven Spielberg story. When it happened, I was sort of like punching the air for this very reason, knowing that when it comes to doing press for this film, I can tell the story, which is that I was halfway through the shoot and we had a scene coming up, which is quite an emotional scene and I was struggling with it. I was in my hotel room trying to prep it, as Steven does so brilliantly, and it’s extraordinary he’s so available to talk about these things.
I reached out to Steven, we discussed the scene, we talked about the emotion of the scene and how to access that and what we’re ultimately aiming to show in the story. And I felt quite satisfied, but not completely with it. And then I got a text from him quite late at night, just saying ,“The door is on the latch, just push.” And it made so much sense. I was like, “Of course.” The character’s kind of got all this emotion, it’s built up and it’s like a door on the latch and you just push and it all comes out and it’s an emotional release. I was so thrilled with that note and I came in the next day and said, “Steven, you totally unlocked it for me, that was amazing.” And he was like, “What are you talking about?”
I said, “The text about ‘the door on the latch just push’ it’s incredible.” And he laughed and said that that text was supposed to be for his wife. It became a very big joke for all of us. But it did unlock the scene for me, so, fair play.
It’s so good, I almost don’t believe it. I know. It’s ridiculous.
JOSH O’CONNOR stars in the highly anticipated Steve Spielberg movie Disclosure Day
TITO GENOVA VALIENTE is attending to a personal matter. His column Reeling will return
SHEENA BELARMINO
BENEDIX
The Bellevue Resort makes history as Bohol’s first Halal-Certified, DOT Muslim-friendly property
The Bellevue Resort has set a new benchmark for hospitality in Bohol, earning dual recognition as the province’s first Halal-certified by the Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Philippines (HICCIP) and as a Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Establishment by the Department of Tourism (DOT). This landmark achievement underscores the resort’s unwavering commitment to inclusive, culturally respectful, and globally attuned hospitality.
These prestigious distinctions reinforce The Bellevue Resort’s leadership in delivering culturally sensitive experiences for Muslim travelers, as well as for guests seeking halalcertified dining options.
The resort’s Halal Certification was earned through a rigorous and comprehensive accreditation process led by HICCIP. This involved strict evaluation of food sourcing, handling, preparation, and storage to ensure full compliance with Islamic dietary laws.
The resort implemented dedicated halal kitchens and preparation areas at Marea Restaurant, established clear segregation protocols to prevent cross-contamination, and ensured that all ingredients and suppliers met certified halal standards. Regular audits and documentation systems were also put in place to uphold consistency, traceability, and quality assurance across all culinary operations.
Halal-certified dining is now available at Marea Al Fresco, The Bellevue Resort’s openair beachfront restaurant, where dishes are prepared and served in accordance with strict Islamic standards.
Dustin Chan, Managing Director, emphasized that halal compliance goes well beyond ingredient selection. “It covers the entire process, from delivery to back-of-house operations. There’s a lot of detail and discipline involved.” he said.
This milestone directly supports the Department of Tourism’s vision of positioning the Philippines as a Halal-friendly destination, expanding access for Muslim travelers while
promoting inclusive tourism across the region.
“It’s a growing market,” Chan added, “and we hope more establishments will follow. For us, this is just the beginning.”
Building on this achievement, The Bellevue Resort was subsequently recognized by the Department of Tourism as a MuslimFriendly Accommodation Establishment, in accordance with Memorandum Circular No. 2024-0003, or the Guidelines Governing the Operations and Recognition of MuslimFriendly Accommodation Establishments. This certification reflects the resort’s compliance with stringent national standards designed to address the unique needs and values of Muslim travelers.
To achieve this distinction, the resort undertook a series of thoughtful enhancements across multiple guest touchpoints. These include the integration of designated prayer rooms (Musolla), the provision of Qibla direction indicators in all guest rooms, and access to Muslim-friendly information. Halal-certified food and beverage offerings were further strengthened at Marea Al Fresco, ensuring strict adherence to halal standards from sourcing to service.
Beyond infrastructure, the accreditation process placed strong emphasis on education and cultural sensitivity. The Bellevue Resort’s team underwent specialized training programs to deepen their understanding of Muslim customs, traditions, and service expectations.
From front office to culinary operations, associates are equipped to deliver service that is not only efficient, but also respectful and culturally attuned.
IPAP forum calls for interfaith unity among church leaders
THE International Pastors Association for Peace (IPAP) successfully held its Bible Forum titled “Signs of the End Times” at Malolos Resort Club Royale in Bulacan, gathering 110 pastors, church leaders, and representatives in a shared call for unity, peace, and deeper understanding of faith.
The forum served as a platform to strengthen collaboration among churches and to introduce the mission and advocacy of IPAP in promoting inter-church harmony and spiritual solidarity.
Key messages were delivered by three speakers: Rev. Siegfredo De Guzman of First Baptist Church and Ministries, Ptr. Ferdinand Sanoy of Love Fellowship Church International, and Ptr. Leonardo Lucena of New Heaven and New Earth, each providing insights on the topic with clarity and conviction.
The program opened with praise and worship, setting a spirit of unity among attendees. A testimony from Bishop Nicolas Amatorio further inspired participants, while representatives from Governor Daniel Fernando and Vice Governor Alexis Castro
“This recognition is a testament to the collective effort of our entire team, who embraced the challenge of elevating our standards to meet global expectations for Muslim-friendly hospitality,” said Noli Soldevilla, Resort Manager. “It required intentional planning, continuous learning, and a genuine commitment to inclusivity, values that are deeply embedded in our culture at the resort.”
This dual recognition positions The Bellevue Resort at the forefront of inclusive and sustainable tourism in Bohol. More importantly, it reflects a broader vision: to create a destination where diversity is celebrated, and every traveler feels welcomed, valued, and respected.
As Muslim travel continues to grow as one of the fastest-expanding segments in global tourism, The Bellevue Resort hopes this milestone will inspire more establishments across the region to adopt inclusive practices and help elevate the Philippines as a preferred destination for Muslim travelers.
At The Bellevue Resort, hospitality goes beyond service, it is about creating meaningful connections through understanding, respect, and shared experiences. This achievement marks not only a milestone for the resort, but also a meaningful step forward for Bohol’s tourism industry toward a more inclusive and diverse future.
For more information about The Bellevue Resort and its halal and Muslim-friendly initiatives, please visit www.thebellevuebohol. com or email info@thebellevuebohol.com.
of Bulacan expressed support for initiatives that foster peace and cooperation among faith communities.
An open forum followed, where participants engaged actively through meaningful questions addressed by the speakers. Fellowship continued during the break, allowing further dialogue and connection among church representatives.
The event concluded with the awarding of certificates and tokens to speakers and guests, followed by a unified victory song. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening unity and peace among churches and religious groups, closing the forum with a commemorative photo to mark the occasion.
The International Pastors Association for Peace (IPAP) is a global, interdenominational alliance based in the Philippines that unites pastors to promote peace, foster spiritual growth, and strengthen church leadership. For membership, partnership, and updates, visit fb.com/ InternationalPastorsAssociationforPeace.
MG Philippines officially kicks off the releases of the G50 PHEV in the market
SFilipino car buyers. Designed to meet the evolving needs of modern families, the G50 PHEV offers a compelling balance of performance, efficiency, and practicality—making it an ideal choice for those looking to transition into electrified mobility.
“This turnover represents an exciting milestone for MG Motor Philippines as we begin delivering the G50 PHEV to our customers,” said Wei Wei Zhang, President of MG Motor Philippines. “We are encouraged by the positive response to this model, and we remain committed to providing Filipino motorists with innovative mobility solutions that combine performance, efficiency, and everyday usability.” Powered by a plug-in
Herbalife Partners, HyveSports, Women’s Fitness Asia Partner to make fitness more accessible across PHL
HERBALIFE, a premier health and wellness company, community and platform, has officially partnered with HyveSports & Women’s Fitness Asia for a year-long collaboration that will power some of the country’s biggest running and fitness events in 2026.
The collaboration reflects Herbalife’s focus in supporting everyday fitness communities, where many Filipinos begin building active lifestyles, while strengthening its presence across largescale, community-driven events nationwide.
Kinki Lau, General Manager of Herbalife Philippines, said the partnership reflects a shared goal of making wellness more accessible and sustainable.
“We see more people looking for ways to stay active, but consistency is often the challenge,” said Lau. “Through this partnership, we aim to support communities across the country by making fitness more accessible, engaging and be part of everyday life.
By connecting with people through large-scale events like this, we can help inspire consistency and empower more individuals to stay active over the long term.”
Julius Em, CEO of HyveSports and Justine Cordero-Em, Founder of Women’s Fitness Asia Philippines, echoed this, emphasizing the partnership’s role in creating more inclusive and engaging fitness experiences.
“At HyveSports, our goal has always been to get more people moving in a way that feels fun and inclusive,” she said. “With Herbalife, we can take that even further by supporting Filipinos not just during events, but throughout their fitness journey.”
“Together, we’re making it easier for more communities to stay active,” said Julius Em.
The partnership was officially announced during the return of The Music Run Manila 2026 at Filinvest City Events Grounds in Alabang. More than 4,000 runners will be joining the 5K and
10K races, which combined music, movement and entertainment through DJ-powered race zones and a post-run festival experience.
As part of the event experience, Herbalife activated an on-site refreshment and hydration nutrition and recovery booth that offered product sampling, shakes and wellness engagement activities for thousands of participants throughout the day.
Building on the momentum, Herbalife will continue to support a series of major mass participation events organized by HyveSports throughout 2026, including ColorFest Carnival run, Electric Night Run and Trifactor & Amazon for Triathlon & Duathlon races and other largescale fitness experiences expected to draw tens of thousands of participants nationwide. Through these events, Herbalife aims to support more Filipinos in staying active and building habits that fit into their everyday lives.
Cebu’s biggest legal community-led marathon is back and it’s
passing through three cities
RUNNERS and fitness enthusiasts are training and gearing up for a bigger and more immersive race experience as the IBP: Cebu Tricity Marathon returns in October 2026, at Robinsons Galleria Cebu.
Now on its fourth year, the marathon, formerly known as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu Run, invites both the legal community and the general public to take part in a race designed to inspire racegoers of all levels. Participants can look forward to new categories, upgraded merchandise, and the muchanticipated tricity route spanning Cebu, Mandaue, and Talisay, offering a dynamic course that challenges participants while showcasing the region.
Beyond personal milestones, the event continues to champion wellness and social responsibility. This year’s edition expands its impact by supporting new beneficiaries, including street dwellers and young cancer patients, allowing every kilometer run to contribute to meaningful advocacies.
Connectivity also plays a key role in enhancing the overall race experience, especially for runners who document and share their journeys. Ultramarathoner and content creator Doris Baguio Daño,
reinforce
also known as DB Runner, is among those looking forward to the event. “As a runner and content creator, staying connected during every race is essential. I can’t wait to document my experience and share every moment with my followers,” she said.
The event is organized by the Young Lawyers Association of Cebu, Inc. (YLAC) in partnership with Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), which supports the marathon through its robust 4G and 5G network.
“We thank Smart for the continued partnership and support. With strong connectivity enhancing communication and safety, participants can fully enjoy this bigger and more exciting edition of our IBP Running Event,” said Atty. Michael Francis Hubahib, Vice President External at YLAC and IBP: Cebu Tricity Marathon head organizer.
Reliable connectivity helps runners stay informed, communicate with loved ones, and capture and share their marathon milestones in real time. Participants can also enjoy exclusive Smart load offers and raffle prizes during the event, adding value to the overall raceday experience.
“We are proud to once again support this initiative that aligns with our commitment to fostering wellness and community. Smart is excited to be part of the participants’ marathon experience, delivering seamless 5G connectivity that helps keep them informed, engaged, and safe throughout their run,” said Christian So, AVP and Head of National Key Accounts at Smart.
Registration is open until August 31, 2026. For more information and updates, interested participants may visit the official social media pages of the IBP: Cebu Tricity Marathon 2026.
BusinessMirror
Motoring
Road Hazard Ready: Falken’s warranty built for Philippine streets
Text & photo by
Randy S. Peregrino
MANILA’S streets tell their own story. Potholes that appear overnight, uneven pavement that tests suspension, and the occasional debris that sneaks past your line of sight. For drivers, these are not abstractions—they’re daily encounters. And for tires, they’re the silent adversaries. Falken Tire Philippines, through its distributor JM Far East, Inc., has decided to meet this reality head-on with a program that acknowledges what
truly happens on the road.
A WARRANTY THAT SPEAKS THE DRIVER’S LANGUAGE DUBBED Road Hazard Ready (RHR), the initiative is not about reinventing warranties—it is about reshaping them to reflect the unpredictable terrain we navigate. Traditional factory coverage deals with defects. RHR, on the other hand, deals with life on asphalt: punctures too deep to repair, sidewall cuts that expose cords, impact bruises from potholes, and even runflat damage subject to inspection. The promise is straightforward: if the
Stunningly, Xpander is No. 1
WHILE everybody’s sleeping, Xpander would pop in from nowhere and crown itself the Philippines’ No. 1 selling vehicle in 2025.
Are you kidding me?
Not only that.
The Xpander also emerged as the best-selling Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) for three consecutive years ending 2025.
Quite a feat, if you ask me, considering the stiff competition in a market that has suddenly been saturated by brands, now mostly coming from China that include tongue-twisting models.
Here is Nelda Castro on Xpander’s stunning climb to the top:
“Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. [MMPC] proudly announces that the Mitsubishi Xpander has claimed the No. 1 selling vehicle title in the Philippines for 2025 with a total volume of 28,081 units, while also securing its position as the best-selling Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) for three consecutive years. This is a testament to the model’s strong appeal and the trust of Filipino car buyers not just to the model, but also to the Mitsubishi brand.“
Since its introduction to the Philippine market, the Mitsubishi Xpander has consistently redefined the MPV segment by offering a balance of style, comfort and value that perfectly fits the Filipino lifestyles. And for Filipino customers to continue choosing
damage qualifies, Falken replaces the tire one-for-one with the same model or the closest equivalent. Coverage lasts 12 months from purchase or until tread depth reaches 5mm—whichever comes first. It’s a practical timeline that recognizes that hazards don’t wait for mileage milestones.
WHO GETS COVERED
ELIGIBILITY is clear-cut. The program applies to select Falken passenger, SUV/4x4, and van/light truck tires purchased from April 20, 2026, onward. Buyers must purchase at least two tires in a single transaction, same size, same
the Xpander, Mitsubishi Motors continuously improves the model. Its latest enhancement is the recent addition of Active Yaw Control even to the base variant, making advanced safety and driving stability features more accessible to a wider range of customers.
“One of the key reasons behind the Xpander’s sustained success is its versatility.
“As a 7-seater with generous cabin space and ample cargo capacity, the Xpander easily becomes ideal for daily commutes, family outings and long road trips. Its high ground clearance and robust suspension system provide added confidence on varying road conditions, making it suitable for both urban and provincial driving. The Xpander is also equipped with features that provide peace of mind for both drivers and passengers—an important consideration for
application. The lineup includes familiar names—Sincera, Ziex, Azenis FK510 and FK520L, Wildpeak, and Linam. Trackfocused models like the Azenis RT660 and RT615K+ are excluded, underscoring that this program is for everyday driving, not motorsport.
Activation requires registration via Falken’s official RHR portal within 7 days. Customers submit receipts, dealer details, tire specifications, DOT markings, and photos of the vehicle and tires. Miss the window? The standard five-year warranty against manufacturing defects still applies.
AGE MATTERS
COVERAGE is tied to the tire’s date of manufacture. Tires made between 2017 and 2026 qualify. For those up to six years old, Year 1 includes RHR plus the standard defect warranty, followed by four more years of defect coverage. Tires aged seven to nine years get only Year 1 coverage under RHR, plus the defect warranty. It is a sensible safeguard that acknowledges that older tires have inherent limitations.
DRAWING THE LINE
LIKE any warranty, exclusions are spelled out. Repairable punctures, cosmetic blemishes, abuse from racing or drifting, poor maintenance, flood or fire damage, and tires used for taxis or rentals are off the table. Original equipment and spares
Filipino families.
“Powered by a fuel-efficient and reliable engine, the Mitsubishi Xpander offers a smooth and confident drive while keeping ownership costs manageable. Backed by Mitsubishi Motors’ reputation for durability and MMPC’s extensive nationwide dealer network, the Xpander delivers long-term value and dependable aftersales support.
“‘The Mitsubishi Xpander was designed with family lifestyles in mind, from daily city driving to family road trips. Apart from the Mitsubishi brand being a trusted car brand by Filipino families for six decades, we believe that Xpander’s timeless aesthetic appeal, unmatched comfort both for driver and passengers, efficient performance, and worryfree ownership support thru our aftersales and dealer network are the perfect recipe for a lifetime companion which is what Filipinos are looking for,’ said MMPC President & CEO Ritsu Imaeda.
Well, what else can I say?
TOYOTA PLUS BEN&BEN
don’t qualify either. In short, RHR is designed for normal, everyday driving— not edge cases or neglect.
FILING A CLAIM
THE process is digital-first. Claims are filed online with photo and video evidence, followed by a live technical inspection via video call.
Timelines are practical: registration takes one to two business days, claim approval takes two to four, and replacements arrive within five days in NCR, seven in Luzon, and up to 14 in Visayas and Mindanao. Each tire gets one replacement, once approved.
A WARRANTY THAT FITS OUR ROADS
WHAT Falken has done here is strip away the abstraction of warranties and ground them in the lived experience of Filipino motorists.
Roads are not perfect, and tires inevitably take the hit. RHR does not pretend to eliminate risk—it simply acknowledges it and offers a safety net. For drivers, it is not about chasing perks. It is about knowing that when the inevitable happens—when a pothole wins or a shard of metal punctures beyond repair—there’s a program that responds with clarity and fairness.
Falken’s Road Hazard Ready is less about marketing and more about empathy. It is a warranty written in the language of our streets.
Writes Benjo Villavieja:
“Ben&Ben, the Filipino indie folk-pop band from Manila led by twin brothers Paolo and Miguel Benjamin Guico, first emerged in 2016 and has since become a major force in the local music scene. Known for songs that connect deeply with listeners such as “Leaves,” “Pagtingin,” “Ride Home” and “Kathang Isip,” the group has built a reputation not only for its music but also for tackling meaningful themes such as mental health, social justice, feminism and individualism.
“With the four pillars of the Toyota Choice campaign, the partnership also shines a light on what Toyota and Ben&Ben have in common: Toyota and Ben&Ben are brought together by shared values rooted in trust, connection, versatility and innovation—each reflecting the pillars of the Toyota Choice campaign.”
Let’s rakenrol, fellas!
PEE STOP Nikkei reports that Toyota Motors Japan’s net profit may fall by 22 percent from previous year to 3 million yen ($19.1 billion), reflecting soaring material costs, including those driven by the deteriorating situation in the Middle East. Well, let’s see...Foton’s Rommel Sytin will always be there when you need him. Thanks again, partner!
TOYOTA Motor Philippines (TMP) has recently introduced Ben&Ben as the new brand ambassadors of the Toyota Choice campaign, bringing together one of the country’s most beloved bands and a brand long associated with trust, reliability and innovation. The partnership reflects a natural fit for both sides, as Ben&Ben are real Toyota vehicle owners, while the band’s authenticity and values closely align with Toyota’s brand direction.
FALKEN’S flagship passenger vehicle tires the FK520L is one of the models included in the program
Bucay leads Lady Acrhers double as CSB’s Granada prevents sweep
Lthe International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Intercollegiate Tournament on Thursday at the Midlands and Lucky 9 courses.
The Archers also won the men’s team competition, but College of St. Benilde’s Sean Granada made sure the Green Archers would not have it all by pulling away late to retain the men’s individual crown.
B ucay overcame final-round pressure and survived a difficult closing stretch to card a 110 and secure a three-stroke victory over teammate Stacey Chan.
This is my first IIT tournament and it’s very competitive. I was nervous and really pressured from the start,” said Bucay, a Business Analytics freshman.
The 19-year-old rookie showed composure beyond her years in the
four-day tournament organized by ICTSI and the Philippine Golf Foundation. After leading the opening round and briefly surrendering the top spot to Enderun’s Kristyanna Herrera in the second, Bucay regained control with a gutsy third-round effort and never relinquished it.
H errera could not replicate her second-round surge, leaving Chan as Bucay’s main challenger. Chan tried to mount a late charge with identical 52s for a 104, but Bucay’s cushion proved enough.
Despite struggling home with a backside 60 in her highest round of the tournament, Bucay finished with a 72-hole aggregate of 423, while Chan pooled a 426. Herrera also shot a 110 to take bronze with a 428.
Green glows across fairways
WITH Perry Bucay leading the men’s side and Julia
Lua heading the women’s squad, the Archers swept all four titles in resounding fashion on Thursday in the inaugural University Athletic Association of the Philippines golf tournament at Tagaytay Midlands.
ucay shrugged off an early surge by University of the Philippines’ Joshua Buenaventura before regaining control midway through the final round to complete a seven-stroke triumph in the men’s individual competition with a 74.
uenaventura briefly ignited hopes of a dramatic comeback with two birdies against a bogey through the first four holes while Bucay stumbled with a bogey-double bogey stretch starting on No. 4. What had been a three-shot cushion suddenly became a one-shot deficit for the La Salle ace.
ut Bucay steadied himself with two birdies against a bogey over the next five holes for a 37 at the turn, while Buenaventura unraveled with back-toback double bogeys from No. 8 for a 39. e calmly navigated the back nine with a 37 to finish with a two-over card and a four-day aggregate of five-over 293.
uenaventura earned silver at 300
after a 78, while Zach Castro, another La Salle standout, secured bronze at 304 following an 81.
“ It feels ecstatic. We’re all very happy to win the first-ever UAAP golf title,” said Bucay, his voice hoarse from cheering for his teammates.
I just focused on staying steady. On the final day, a lot of players get tired, so I had to keep my stamina and focus. It’s draining not just physically, but mentally as well,” he added.
I n the end, the grind was worth it as they made history in the event presented by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Wilson Philippines and Akari.
Hopefully, we can sustain this success. UAAP is different because it’s the highest collegiate sports organization, so the recognition and support are on another level,” Bucay said, while also crediting their stint in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Intercollegiate Tournament last year.
We’re very grateful for the IIT because it prepared us well. There’s a lot that goes into getting a team ready for a week-long golf tournament, and having gone through that before helped us. We’re thankful for the resources and support from our school, and that
definitely prepared us for this week.”
The women’s division produced another La Salle showcase as Julia Lua survived a fierce all-day duel with teammate Alexa Dacanay to complete a dominant 1-2 finish for the Lady Archers.
L ua delivered clutch birdies and pars down the stretch to rescue an 80 and finish with a 330 total, defeating Dacanay by four strokes after the latter, who tied Lua with seven holes to play, hobbled at the finish, fumbling with two bogeys and a double bogey on the last hole for an 83 and 334. Ateneo’s Monique Mendoza, who led in the first round, wound up third at 343 following an 88.
With Janine Yusay contributing a 105, La Salle amassed a final-round 268 and a four-day total of 1056 to storm to the women’s team championship by 21 shots over Ateneo, which finished with 1077 after a 274 behind rounds of 88 from Mendoza, and 92 and 94 from Simi Tinio and Andie Joson, respectively.
U P placed third at 1138 after a 283 built around Ava Heredia and Annika Gozum’s pair of 91s and Katrisse Datoc’s 101. UST and Adamson wound up fourth and fifth with 320-1289 and 365-1478, respectively. Jacob Cajita and Martin Lu backed Bucay’s 74 with 75 and 76, respectively,
as the Green Archers closed with a 225 for an overwhelming 898 total—30 strokes clear of UP’s 928. M iggy Roque shot a 75 for the Fighting Maroons, while Buenaventura had a 78 and Emilio Carpio added an 83 in UP’s final-round 236. Ateneo took third at 938 after a 234 behind Schmuel Tan’s 74, a 79 from Mich Romero and an 81 from either Juan Escano and Glenn Unabia. UST and Adamson finished with 262-1005 and 367-1477, respectively. Yet beyond the trophies and statistics, the tournament may ultimately be remembered for what it revealed about the future of collegiate golf.
L a Salle’s commanding sweep underscored not just elite talent, but the strength of a sports program capable of developing depth, composure and championship mentality
ToL builds toward Grand Tours
By Josef T. Ramos
WHonestly, I didn’t expect to win because I’m not the type of person to go like tournaments. I’m not really competitive in golf,” said Bucay, who only took up the sport for fun during Grade 11. It definitely gave me a confidence boost for upcoming tournaments,” she said.
Bucay had previous rounds of 101, 109 and 103.
T he Green Archers’ women’s squad completed its domination by capturing the team championship with an 844 total. Anchored by Adrienne Tan’s 105 and Chan’s 104, La Salle closed with a 209 to finish 31 strokes ahead of Enderun, which settled for runner-up honors with an 875 after a 223. St. Benilde placed third at 904 after a 235, while Mapua wound up fourth at 917 after a 220.
Granada played steady down the stretch, firing a 74 for a 296 to secure the title as La Salle’s Gabriel Canlas, who birdied three of the first five holes to move within one stroke of the lead, could not sustain the momentum.
C anlas settled for silver after a 76 for 302. La Salle’s Arvin Ong took third at 320 after an 82.
Though denied the men’s individual crown, La Salle still captured the team championship behind Canlas (76) and Ong (82), whose combined 158 powered the Green Archers to a 622 total—five strokes clear of St. Benilde’s 627 after a 157. Ateneo finished third at 647 after a 164. PHOEBE
ITH the dream of seeing a Filipino cyclist race in elite level competition such as the Grand Tours, local organizers aim to strengthen the Tour of Luzon as a key step in exposing riders to highlevel international competition.
Philippine Sports Commission Patrick Gregorio said this remains the ultimate goal.
“ That is how really it is, and so proud that it was an extraordinarily successful 14 stages. One day, the Tour of Luzon will become bigger and one day we hope to achieve our objective that a Filipino can race in Tour de F rance in the near future,” Gregorio said after the 2026 Tour of Luzon.
“ It is not impossible. We just need to focus our resources, focus on their training, and prepare them properly,” Gregorio said, citing national champion Nash Joshua Lim of MPT Drive Hub who placed fourth in the general classification as an example for national team development.
“ These cyclists are super athletes,” he added. “Fourteen stages, 1,800 kilometers, multiple climbs—that is no joke. This is where we see who can rise.” Gregorio said the Tour of Luzon, featuring foreign riders challenging the Filipinos to raise their level, will serve as a platform to achieve that goal.
“ Tour of Luzon is here to stay. I asked our local cyclists what they feel when world-class riders are here. They like it. As athletes, you want to beat the best. That is how you improve,” Gregorio said. “It is a heritage in motion. And the dream is clear: one day, we will see a
CConference 2026 Most Valuable Player Vanie Gandler and 2025 PVL On Tour MVP Erika Santos join the Bella Belen-led Solar Spikers, instantly transforming them into one of the most exciting teams to watch in the PVL. Fresh off one of the strongest seasons of her career, Gandler captured her first PVL All-Filipino Conference MVP award after finishing with 209 total points, including 182 attack points, while also ranking among the conference leaders in spiking, serving, and receiving. Capital1 co-team owner Milka Romero is confident Gandler and Santos will make an instant impact as the franchise continues its push toward a championship.
“ We are grateful for this milestone. Welcoming experienced veterans is what we need to put an exclamation point to what the team is, which is to win, and hopefully, get a championship along the line,” said Romero after officially welcoming the two celebrated
