LOANS extended by Universal and Commercial Banks (UKBs) posted their slowest growth in nine months, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
BSP data showed loans from UKBs grew 11.2 percent in August 2025, the slowest since the 11.1 percent posted in November 2024. In April 2025, these loans also grew 11.2 percent.
The data showed that after adjusting for seasonal fluctuations, outstanding UKB loans increased by 0.4 percent month-on-month in August.
“The BSP monitors bank loans because they are a key transmission channel of monetary policy. Looking ahead, the BSP will ensure that domestic liquidity and bank lending
conditions remain consistent with its price and financial stability mandates,” BSP said.
Outstanding loans to residents grew by 11.6 percent in August— also the slowest posted since the 11.4 percent in November 2024.
BSP also said outstanding loans to non-residents recorded a decline of 5.9 percent in August, an improvement from the contraction of 8.1 in July, but a reversal from the 1.5-percent growth posted in August 2024.
Loans meant to finance business activities grew 9.9 percent in August 2025, the slowest since the 9.8 percent recorded in November 2024. Last year, loans for these establishments saw a 9.4 percent increase.
BSP said lending increased for real estate activities at 11 percent; electricity, gas, steam, and airconditioning supply, 28.1 percent; wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 8.1 percent; financial and insurance activities, 6.9 percent; and information and communication, 7.5 percent. Meanwhile, consumer loans to residents—which included credit card, motor vehicle, and generalpurpose salary loans—increased by 23.9 percent the fastest since the 24 posted in June 2025. The data showed credit card loans posted a 29.7-percent growth, the highest since the 29.9 percent posted in June while Mo -
tor Vehicle Loans grew 19.4 percent, the fastest in eight months or December 2024 when these borrowings increased 19.5 percent. Salary-Based General Purpose Consumption Loans, meanwhile, grew 6.4 percent in August 2025. This is the slowest in over three years or May 2022 when these borrowings posted a 6.3 percent growth. The BSP data also showed other consumer loans grew 20.1 percent in August 2025, the slowest since the 15.8 percent recorded three years ago or August 2022. Meanwhile, with the increase in loans, the BSP reported that domestic liquidity or M3, the amount of money in the economy, grew by
By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
governance risks could become a “persistent drag” on the country’s growth and development, according to a think tank.
In its latest brief, Global Source Partners Country Analyst Diwa Guinigundo said while the Philippine economy has been resilient, given these challenges, the country needs to be more proactive in addressing its development constraints.
“The Philippine economy has demonstrated resilience through past shocks, but resilience alone will not suffice in the face of slowing capital formation, manufacturing weakness, external imbalances, and governance risks,” Guinigundo said.
“Without timely and credible policy action, the ‘dark clouds ahead’ may settle into a more persistent drag on the country’s de -
velopment trajectory,” he added. Guinigundo said data supported assessments that gross domestic capital formation (GDCF) has kept the country’s economic performance lackluster.
The latest data supported this concern, which showed that the GCDF growth slowed to only 2.4 percent in the first six months of 2025, compared to 6.6 percent in same period last year. He added that while the recent downgrade in the country’s economic growth outlook by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) may be marginal, these are projected before the “full weight of global and domestic risks is felt.”
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
ABILL seeking to use blockchain technology to let the public track where taxes go and eliminate corruption will be sent to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. with a request for certification as urgent.
During the Senate Committee on Science and Technology’s public hearing on Thursday, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda said he will ask the President to certify Senate Bill (SB) No. 1330 or the proposed Philippine National Budget Blockchain Act as urgent.
This comes after Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, the principal author of the SB 1330, asked Aguda if he would propose to the President certifying the bill as urgent. The measure has suddenly gained urgency amid widespread dismay over how the national budget process has been distorted by politics and corruption. Ad-
vocates of blockchain use say it is the best technology for preventing corruption.
In his presentation, Aguda likened the blockchain to a public bulletin board and a GPS tracker, where the public can track how every peso of their taxes will be allocated and spent.
Once the front-facing interface is published, Aguda said this can be accessed through a portal, such as the eGov app, allowing anyone to verify a project’s cost and progress.
Blockchain can help fight corruption through its immutability, as government transactions recorded on the technology cannot be altered or erased, Aguda said, adding that it also promotes transparency by making anomalies easier to spot.
The technology will also empower citizens to access and verify information, while pressuring authorities to act swiftly on project implementation, Aguda added.
By Andrea E. San Juan
THE contraction of the Philippine manufacturing sector in September is only a “cautionary signal” as this only stemmed from “short-term” challenges,” according to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza).
“We in Peza remain positive despite the recent drop of the [Purchasing Manager’s Index] PMI for September, as we believe that this is more of a cautionary signal than a cause for alarm, stemming from short-term challenges rather than structural weaknesses,” Peza Director General Tereso O. Panga told the BusinessMirror in a Viber message on Thursday.
Citing survey reports, the Peza chief pointed to weaker domestic demand, fewer client orders, supply chain disruptions caused by weather, the impact of various poli-
cy shifts and the recent geopolitical movements as key contributors to the slowdown in the manufacturing sector.
He also noted that rising input costs continue to place pressure on manufacturers, prompting some firms to scale back orders or output.
Panga said while foreign demand remains stable, the lower local demand “weighs” on overall performance of the manufacturing sector in the country.
“For Peza, this underscores the importance of strengthening ecozone resilience against weather-related disruptions, ensuring stable and predictable policies that support manufacturers, and helping firms manage costs and diversify their markets,” Panga told this newspaper.
Nevertheless, he said the investment promotion agency sees this trend as “temporary,” pointing out
that investments greenlighted by Peza this year reflect a “continued upward trajectory.”
On Wednesday, S&P Global Market Intelligence reported that the Philippines’ Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) score fell to 49.9 in September from the 50.8 in August.
“While signaling just a fractional deterioration in the health of the manufacturing sector, this was only the third time in just over four years where the headline index has been in contraction territory,” S&P Global said. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/10/02/ fewer-orders-spur-factory-output-cuts/)
Data from Peza showed that it has approved P154.70 billion worth of investments in the January to September 2025 period, up 33.5 percent compared to the P115.87 billion approved in the nine-month
period in 2024. Panga also noted that the economic zones have been generating more interest as multinational corporations (MNCs) are setting their sets on ecozones for their offshore operations.
For one, the Peza chief said there are companies “shifting production out of China in favor of the Philippines to benefit from our lower tariff for exported goods to the US and EU as well as our most generous fiscal incentives package for investors across Asean.”
The agency also sees this development in the manufacturing sector “as an opportunity to step up coordination with government and industry partners so that our locators remain competitive, resilient and able to contribute to the Philippines’ positioning as one of the fastest-growing economies in the Asia-Pacific.”
FLOODS OF OUR OWN MAKING Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) personnel conduct a “Bayanihan sa Estero” cleanup drive at Lagarian Creek in Brgy. Kalusugan, Quezon City, on Thursday, October 2, 2025. The program seeks to ease flooding in Metro Manila by clearing garbage and silt that clog waterways—an enduring problem as residents continue to dump trash into creeks and drainage systems. NONOY LACZA
6.6 percent year-on-year, the fastest growth since January 2025.
Domestic liquidity is about P18.59 trillion in August 2025, the lowest level recorded since the P18.54 trillion posted in June 2025.
“M3 is a broad measure of money supply that includes currencies in circulation, bank deposits, and other financial assets that are easily convertible to cash,” BSP said.
The BSP said M3 is a driver of money supply, claims on the domestic sector, which includes private and government entities in the country, rose by 9.8 percent year-on-year in August from 10.5 percent in July.
“Claims on a sector represent that sector’s liabilities to depository corporations [e.g., banks and the central bank],” BSP said.
Claims on the private sector alone grew by 11.1 percent in August from 11 percent in the previous month, driven by the continued expansion in bank lending to non-financial private corporations and households.
Net claims on the central government increased by 6.1 percent from 7.1 percent in the previous month, driven by its higher borrowings.
Net foreign assets (NFA) in peso terms rose by 4.8 percent year-onyear in August from the 0.6-percent decline in July. NFA represents the difference between claims on nonresidents and liabilities to nonresidents of depository corporations.
The BSP’s NFA increased by 0.7 percent. The banks’ NFA also grew amid a decline in their foreign currency-denominated bills payable.
Cai U.
Ordinario
SC voiding of BARMM laws spells ₧1-B loss–Comelec
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
ATleast P1 billion in election funds have gone to waste following the Supreme Court’s decision striking down two Bangsamoro redistricting laws, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Thursday.
The SC recently voided Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 77, or the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Redistricting Act of 2025, and BAA No. 58, or the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Districts Act of 2024, declaring both unconstitutional.
With no governing law in place, the Court said the poll body has no legal basis to proceed with the region’s parliamentary elections this month.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said all election materials deployed in the field will have to be returned to warehouses, while automated counting machines must be reconfigured.
Ballots, he added, will be destroyed because they no longer match any new redistricting law.
“It is P1 billion and above because
that already includes, of course, the printing of that many ballots. For the rentals, maybe we have not fully paid yet, but there are milestones...with partial payments. We have also procured other materials,” Garcia said in a press conference.
Garcia stressed that the commission cannot prepare again until the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) enacts a new redistricting law.
“All preparations have to start if there’s already a law. Maybe there are a few preparations we can do not related to the law, but most of Comelec’s activities are only when there is a statute because that’s where it is stated how the districts are divided,” he said.
He also said the Comelec is willing to assist the BTA in drafting the new measure, but emphasized it will not influ-
ence parliament’s decision since it is under the latter’s “pure, absolute discretion.”
BTA to draft new law
MEANWHILE, Bangsamoro interim Chief Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua vowed that parliament will immediately pass a new law so the elections can push through next year.
“In full compliance with the Court’s directive, the Bangsamoro Government will immediately work to enact a new redistricting law—one that ensures meaningful representation, advances equitable development, and stands firmly on constitutional grounds,” Macacua said in a statement.
He added that the BTA is “saddened by the delay” but acknowledged that the buffer period could help “strengthen the integrity of our democratic process.”
“We call on our partners, stakeholders, and the entire Bangsamoro community to remain united and steadfast as we navigate this challenge. Together, we will ensure that our first parliamentary elections are built on the strongest possible legal foundation—an enduring step towards peace, stability, and a stronger Bangsamoro,” he said.
If the new redistricting law is enacted and survives constitutional scrutiny, the region’s first parliamentary elections are set to push through on March 31, 2026.
in collaboration with the Department of Finance, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, the Maharlika Investment Corporation, and other relevant agencies.
Secretary Sharon S. Garin, the agency established the policy foundations for the Philippines’ first commercially developed and operated nuclear power plant (NPP), designated as a Pioneer NPP.
The Pioneer NPP will serve as a cornerstone project, not only by diversifying the country’s energy mix but also by creating a robust framework that is attractive to both local and international investors.
Within 90 days upon the Circular’s issuance, the DOE will explore government participation models and financing options
At the same time, grid readiness will be prioritized to ensure seamless integration of nuclear power into the transmission system.
To support long-term financial viability, flexible contracting mechanisms such as auctions, direct contracting, or aggregation for industrial and economic zone use will be introduced. In parallel, the Energy Regulatory Commission, in consultation with stakeholders, will implement a Regulatory Asset Base (RAB)-type model or a similar capital recovery mechanism, anchored on minimum contract terms of 25 years, extendable for another 25 years.
proof while allowing the public to inspect how funds are authorized and released.
“This will also increase our trust in the government because trust is built when we see each other eye to eye,” Aguda said.
“If you will ask me how fast, I think in one year if we really have the political will to do this because we have the technical capability,” he added.
‘Decentralize public finance’
MEANWHILE, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Undersecretary Maria Francesca M. Del Rosario said in the hearing that the government’s goal is to decentralize public finance.
Del Rosario said that putting the documents in the blockchain is easy, having adopted the technology in the DBM’s budgeting process. This quarter, the DBM launched a production portal that records Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) and Notices of Cash Allocation (NCAs) as verifiable, onchain entries in partnership with BayaniChain and ExakIT Services. (See: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2025/09/30/dbmmakes-bold-step-adopts-blockchain-tech-to-make-budgetingtransparent/).
It is the country’s first blockchain-backed budget transparency platform, making records tamper-
While only the SAROs and NCAs are already on a blockchain, Aquino said it only shows the item and whether there is cash available.
“To really be able to understand where the stealing of funds happens, we have to go to the contract and agency level,” Aquino said, noting that the records are not with DBM but with the legislators and project proponents.
“I think what you’re doing is definitely commendable. It’s a great first step. But to address our concern, we have to go to the agencies,” he added.
Bam’s pitch IN his opening speech, Aquino said putting the national budget on the blockchain answers many concerns in the current system: where the budget process has been opaque, blockchain can make it transparent; where there are insertions and supposedly completed projects, the bidding, awarding and disbursement of funds can be observed in real time.
“We expect many more solutions against corruption to be proposed, and we need to bring them together and study them in order to achieve the systemic change we are seeking. By no means is this the only solution, but many of us believe it can be one of the major answers to our problems,” Aquino added.
IMF projection IN a briefing in Manila on Wednesday, IMF Mission Chief for the Philippines Elif Arbatli Saxegaard told reporters that the Washingtonbased lender projects GDP to average 5.4 percent in 2025 and 5.7 percent in 2026.
The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) GDP target is at 5.5 to 6.5 percent in 2025 and 6 to 7 percent in the 2026 to 2028 period. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/10/02/ tariff-impact-on-exports-couldderail-growth-imf).
“Although the Philippine economy remains broadly resilient, its performance in the first half of 2025 fell short of expectations. The IMF stresses that sustained policy discipline and structural reforms are essential to bolster competitiveness, attract investment, and support growth over the medium term,” Guinigundo said.
Apart from this, he noted that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) estimates that the country’s Balance of Payment (BOP) and Current Account (CA) deficits could widen further.
The BOP is projected to post a steeper decline of 1.4 percent of GDP to a deficit of $6.9 billion for 2025 and post -0.6 percent of GDP to a deficit of $3.4 billion in 2026. With this, the current account shortfall is expected to stay at 3.3 percent of GDP in 2025 and 2.9 percent of GDP in 2026. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/10/02/ bop-seen-in-deficit-till-2026-onwider-trade-in-goods-gap).
“In combination with political uncertainty linked to corruption revelations in major infrastructure projects, particularly flood control, this could undermine investor confidence and sustain depreciation pressures on the peso,” Guinigundo said. “Such pressures risk amplifying imported inflation and complicating monetary policy management.”
Guinigundo said domestic price issues have also surfaced. Rice and fish prices remain elevated along with expensive pump prices, straining household budgets nationwide.
Flood, crop damage EARLIER , Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said La Niña conditions, which may develop from September to December, could lead to flooding and crop damage in highrisk areas. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/09/06/ la-nina-could-lead-to-faster-inflation-psa).
“Given this backdrop, the BSP may find it prudent to hold its policy rate steady in the upcoming Monetary Board meeting, prioritizing financial stability over short-term growth support,” Guinigundo said. Earlier, local economists believe that faster inflation in September is not enough reason to exit its easing cycle when the Monetary Board meets next week.
On Wednesday, the BSP said it projects that September 2025 inflation will settle within the range of 1.5 to 2.3 percent. If the high end of the outlook is reached, this will be the second fastest inflation on record this year.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) will release the latest inflation print on October 7, ahead of the October 9 policy meeting at the BSP.
Ateneo de Manila University economist Luis F. Dumlao told BusinessMirror on Wednesday that the inflation projection was still within the 2 to 4 percent inflation target of the BSP.
This means, Dumlao said, the BSP has “space to be dovish.” He said any reduction in policy rates will help support the country’s GDP growth.
Dumlao said the country’s GDP growth is growing slower than its natural growth of around 6.2 percent. Reducing policy rates can help boost the country’s economic performance this year. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/10/02/ easing-to-go-on-despite-fasterinflation).
Lawmaker asks govt to review public infra
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
ALAWMAKER has called on the government to conduct a comprehensive review of the country’s public infrastructure to ensure it can withstand natural disasters following a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the coast of northern Cebu on Tuesday night.
Bacolod Rep. Albee Benitez stressed the need to address the public’s “growing fear and distrust” of government-built facilities, which he said are increasingly revealed as substandard, posing threats to life and safety during calamities.
“Even as we have yet to assess the full extent of the destruction caused by the earthquake, it is also urgent that the government conduct a thorough review of the disaster-worthiness of all public infrastructure,” said Benitez.
“First expose the shoddy work, punish those guilty for it, then take the necessary steps to ensure that no public building, road, or bridge will contribute to loss of life, injury, and damage to property,” added Benitez.
Meanwhile,Party-list Rep. Robert Nazal of Bagong Henerasyon called on Congress to include postearthquake rehabilitation funds in next year’s budget.
The Nation Marcos provides ₧580-M relief, rehab package for quake-hit areas
“I will make sure the 2026 budget includes specific funds for post-earthquake rehabilitation for the towns and barangays hit hardest,” Nazal said.
He said of the role of government agencies in ensuring safety: “We will remind the Department of Human Settlements, the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government that they must prioritize public safety through properly built houses and infrastructure.”
Meanwhile, Benitez, who serves as lead convenor of the Visayan Bloc in the House of Representatives, expressed solidarity with those affected by the calamity and assured that aid would be provided.
“I wish to express my solidarity with the people of Cebu who have been impacted by the recent earthquake,” he said. “Cebuanos can rest assured that their brethren in Bacolod and across the Visayan Bloc are ready to extend assistance to help them recover as quickly as possible.”
The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that the earthquake has so far claimed 72 lives, with more than 250 injured.
Group hits 2026 NEP for lack for support for PUV drivers
By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan
THE Move As One Coalition on Thursday criticized what it called the “crumbs” allocated for active transport and public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization in the 2026 National Expenditure Program, warning that Filipinos who rely on walking and public transport continue to be treated as “second-class citizens.”
In a statement, the group said that despite repeated pronouncements from Malacañang identifying walking and public transport as priorities, active transport was given just P700 million and service contracting P1.3 billion under the spending plan.
“These are crumbs compared to the billions poured into car-centric infrastructure,” the coalition said.
“This budget signals that pedestrians, commuters, and cyclists are still treated as second-class citizens.”
The coalition’s own proposal calls for far larger allocations: more than P101 billion for service contracting, P17.6 billion for public transport modernization, and P20.2 billion for active transport programs such as bike share systems and safe pathways.
In contrast, the National Expenditure Program for 2026 earmarked just P1.3 billion for service contracting, P1.2 billion for modernization, and P69 million for active transport.
Move As One argued that underfunding has left pedestrians vulnerable on roads that remain unsafe and undignified. It cited examples such as the towering “Mt. Kamuning” footbridge in Quezon City, cracked or missing sidewalks, and intersections designed to
move vehicles faster rather than prioritize people crossing.
“This is unacceptable. Laws and policies already recognize walking as a priority—from the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, to the National Transport Policy, to Batas Pambansa 344 on accessibility. But without strong political will, sufficient and strategic funding, and updated standards, they remain empty promises, and pedestrians will suffer daily miseries and indignities,” the group said. A 2020 Social Weather Stations survey showed that 77.5 percent of Metro Manila residents walk during their regular travels, with 44 percent walking to work.
“In truth, every Filipino walks at some point of their day. Yet our streets remain hostile to pedestrians,” the coalition said.
The group added that persons with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women, children, and workers carrying heavy packages are disproportionately exposed to risks due to poor road design and lack of universal accessibility.
Move As One urged lawmakers to substantially realign the 2026 budget to better reflect national transport priorities. It also pressed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to update its outdated Road and Bridge Design Manuals so streets can finally meet accessibility standards set by existing laws, including Batas Pambansa 344.
“Congress must fund active transport and public transport properly. DPWH must modernize its road manuals. And we call on every Filipino to join us in walking and working together until our streets put people, not cars, first,” the group said.
ABy Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @sam_medenilla
&
Samuel P. Medenilla
@joveemarie
FTER surveying first hand the devastation caused by the magnitude 6.9-earthquake in Cebu on Thursday, President Marcos announced an initial P580 million worth of financial assistance for the island province.
The Chief Executive visited Bogo City, Cebu, which was close to the epicenter of the earthquake, which killed 72 people and left many parts of the city in ruins, when it struck on Monday night.
“The biggest damage that the earthquake caused was damage to infrastructure, buildings, and then things like the hospital. Look at this city hall. That’s exactly the effect,” he said in Filipino in his speech outside the Bogo City Hall.
With the assessment on structural integrity of the many buildings in the city still ongoing, many residents of the city will be forced to temporarily live in tent cities.
“We’re just hurrying [establishing the tent city]... so they can
find shelter here. Because many, rightly so, are afraid to go back to the building. They’d rather be outside,” Marcos added.
He assured that the tent city will have sufficient food, water, and electricity supply as well as sanitation facilities.
As of Thursday morning, the Department of Energy (DOE) was working to restore power in Bogo City.
Those whose houses were destroyed by the earthquake will get P10,000 cash assistance, Marcos said.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported the earthquake in Cebu has affected 170,959 people and left 501 houses partially dam -
aged and 96, which were totally damaged.
Financial support
TO help the provincial government of Cebu, which has declared a state of calamity, to manage the pressing concerns in its quake-affected areas, the President said the national government will provide it with financial support.
He said the Office of the President (OP) will release P180 million for its quake assistance, of which, P50 million will go to the Cebu provincial government and P20 million to Bogo City.
The remaining amount will be distributed to the following municipalities: Bantayan (P10 million); Daanbantayan (P10 million); Madridejos (P10 million); Medellin (P10 million); San Remigio (P20 million);Santa Fe (P10 million); Sogod (P20 million); Tabogon (P10 million); and Tabuelan (P10 million).
The provincial government of Cebu said the President also announced each of the local government unit-run hospitals will receive P5 million each and P20 million for a Department of Healthowned hospital in the province.
Marcos said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has deployed engineers to check on the status of the hospitals to determine if they can still accommodate patients after the recent earthquake.
The President also announced
that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will release P375 Local Government Support Fund (LGSF). Cebu will get the bulk of the fund with P150 million while the towns of San Remigio and Medellin as well as Bogo City, will each receive P75 million. The national government, Marcos said, will continue to extend aid to help in the ongoing rehabilitation efforts in the quake-hit areas.
“We will continue to monitor. We will continue to coordinate with the leaders—the local leadership to make sure that our rehabilitation and all the support we provide are going well,” Marcos said. Full arsenal THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has mobilized its “full arsenal” of disaster relief to assist families affected by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu on Tuesday night.
Assistant Secretary Leo Quintilla, concurrent Officer-InCharge of the DSWD’s National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB), said the agency is providing food, water, shelter, and psychosocial support while preparing early recovery interventions, including the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program. As of the latest report, at least 4,000 families—approximately
See “Marcos,” A6
Cebu quake death toll rises to 72; 294 injured
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
THE number of casualties following the 6.9 magnitude
Offshore Northern Cebu Earthquake that struck Central Visayas on September 30 continued to rise, with 72 confirmed dead and 294 injured, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Thursday.
In its situation report, the agency said 30 of the 72 fatalities were from Bogo City, 22 from San Remigio, 12 from Madellin, five in Tabogon, two in Sogod, and one in Tabuelan.
As rescuers race against time, a magnitude 5 aftershock occurred on the eve of October 1, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
Phivolcs said as of 10 a.m. on Thursday, October 2, 2025, it has recorded a total of 2,929 aftershocks, 14 of which were strong enough to be felt.
The earthquake, which generated a few seconds of an Intensity VII strong earth-shaking event near the epicenter in Bogo City and nearby cities and towns in Cebu, was traced to an offshore local fault line. Intensity VII is categorized as “Destructive” on the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs)
scale and “brutally devastating” on Japan’s JMA scale, which is the highest level.
Other areas, as far as Luzon and Mindanao, experienced Intensity III to VI.
NDRRMC said a total of 47,221 families, or 170,959 persons, were affected in 53 barangays in the Central Visayas region.
Damage
DESTRUCTION caused by the earthquake includes damage to 87 infrastructure, 96 houses totally damaged, and 501 partially damaged.
A total of 85 cities and municipalities were affected, mostly in Central Visayas and 10 in Western Visayas.
Classes and work were suspended in affected areas in Regions 6 and 7 and Negros Island Region, the NDRRMC reported, with a total of 53 cities and towns in Region 7 having been declared under a state of calamity.
The NDRRMC said an earthquake-induced landslide occurred in Tabuelan, and Tobogon, Cebu, while a structural fire was reported in Consolacion, also in Cebu.
In Asturias, a collapsed structure was recorded. In Mandaue, Cebu, an Ammonia Leak was reported to authorities, reportedly originating from San Miguel Corporation’s facility in barangay Tipolo.
On Tuesday, President Marcos inspected the SM Cares Village in barangay Polambato, Bogo City. Built for Typhoon Yolanda survivors, the village built in 2013 with 200 free housing units was among the hardest hit by the earthquake.
A total of eight persons were killed when housing units collapsed, the NDRRMC reported.
The President also inspected the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Vincent Ferrer, which sustained heavy damage.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), and various local governments in the province have started providing relief goods to affected families.
Navy prepares THE Navy (PN) on Thursday said it is now preparing the transport ship, BRP Dagupan City (LS-551), as part of its humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) efforts.
“This preparatory action highlights the Navy’s high level of operational readiness and its continuing support to national disaster response operations. BRP Dagupan City is being prepared for deployment,” the Navy Public Affairs Office chief, Capt. Benjo Negranza, said in a statement.
To further beef up its HADR
efforts, Negranza said Naval Forces Central’s medical team is on standby to assist.
Davao sends rescue team DAVAO City disaster and rescue officials sent off early Thursday a convoy of 13 trucks, personnel and urban search and rescue vehicles for rescue and relief operations in northern Cebu.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said it dispatched government trucks to Cebu to distribute 5,000 food packs, along with a team of 50 personnel including doctors and psychosocial workers, and seasoned personnel in urban search and rescue.
Among them were personnel of the Urban Search and Rescue (Usar), the Fire Brigade Unit, Emergency Medical Services at Central 911, including the K9 team.
Rudy Encabo, assistant head of CDRRMO, the convoy left at 6:00 am Thursday for a land trip across five Mindanao provinces and the island provinces in the Visayas to reach Bogo City in northern Cebu, where rescue personnel were still entangled in the search for the casualties in the rubbles.
South Cotabato has earlier sent relief goods and Zamboanga City has announced it would also send a convoy of relief and rescue personnel. With Manuel Cayon and PNA
Cebu earthquake, weather quirks, Taal eruption keep Red Cross busy
J. Gordon, once again swung into action following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on the night of September 30.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the earthquake struck at 9:55 p.m. with its epicenter located 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, Cebu. The tremor was initially recorded at magnitude 6.7 before being upgraded to 6.9. After ensuring the safety of PRC staff and volunteers in the area, the PRC swiftly deployed its assets to support emergency response efforts. “We already have our staff and volunteers on the ground, assessing the needs of affected communities. We remain in constant communication with our team and RC143 volunteers
to ensure that reports reach our Operations Center immediately and we can deliver timely humanitarian assistance,” said Gordon.
Cebu BPO workers file complaint against unsafe post-quake policies
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
CEBU-BASED call center
workers on Thursday lodged a formal complaint before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office 7 against several business process outsourcing (BPO) companies that allegedly violated occupational safety and labor standards in the aftermath of the September 30 earthquake.
The BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN)-Cebu said it had received “hundreds of complaints”
in less than two days, citing incidents where companies compelled employees to report to work despite
the aftershock tremors and threatened sanctions against those who opted to prioritize their families and personal safety.
Among the allegations raised were reports that one BPO firm required agents to continue taking calls while the earthquake was ongoing, while another company was accused of blocking exits on one of its floors to prevent workers from leaving.
Employees who refused to report for work were reportedly issued notices to explain, stripped of attendance incentives, and subjected to administrative sanctions.
“This example merely shows and emphasizes the corporate greed of BPO companies, highlighting profit over the welfare and safety of their own agent,” BIEN-Cebu spokesperson Kyle Enero said.
“It also shows the negligence of the government itself in regulating situations like this, when it should declare a temporary suspension to ensure the safety of the employees.”
The group also criticized the government’s decision not to declare an imminent danger situation, instead leaving it to companies to decide whether operations should continue.
BIEN-Cebu said this approach exposed thousands of employees and their families to further risks.
“If the government can suspend classes due to the need to inspect school buildings, they should also rightfully require BPO companies and their building administrators to provide a detailed inspection and safety report to ensure that resumption of work does not threaten worker safety,” the group said.
Initial estimate of infra damage from Cebu earthquake hits P2-B
By Carmel Pedroza
CEBU CITY—The Department of Public Works and Highways on Thursday said initial estimates indicate tht at least P2 billion worth of infrastructures were damagedby the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu province on Tuesday evening.
In a news conference, Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon said the figure could still go up as their teams continue to conduct more assessments.
Dizon said that the moment, the priorities are clearing the roads and providing access for the unhampered delivery of relief goods to the affected areas.
“We were sent here by the President quickly to respond immediately to the needs of Bogo and the other affected localities,” he added.
Dizon added that a team will be sent to assess the structural integrity of the Bogo City Provincial Hospital.
He said that the hospital incurred major damages in its operating room, emergency room, and
the delivery room. With this, he instructed DPWH Cebu to direct all its resources to conduct repairs starting Thursday.
Tourism TOURISM Secretary Christina Frasco reported that 80 tourism establishments incurred damage and 711 tourism workers were affected.
She asked the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide assistance for the displaced tourism workers.
DOT has also facilitated for the
safe return of 14 local tourists who got stranded, and assisted one foreign tourist to stay in a safe place in Bogo City as the latter opted not to leave.
“We want to assure the local governments that the national government is here to help out. Nakighiusa mi sa mga kaigsonan sa Sugbo niining nahitabo [We are in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Cebu after what happened],” Frasco assured.
The DOT will also also send a team to conduct assess the damage to churches.
DTI sets 5-year action plan for semiconductor industry
By Andrea San Juan @andreasanjuan
THE five-year action plan
for the Philippine semiconductor and electronics industry will focus on developing a skilled Filipino workforce to boost the local industry, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.
In a statement, the department’s Special Task Force Office said the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Advisory Council (Seiac), chaired by the Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (Osapiea), has laid out its Technical Working Group’s fiveyear action plan during the second meeting of the Seiac.
DTI said the main topic of the discussions was the development of a strong school-to-industry
Tpipeline through closer collaboration among the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), and industry partners.
“The Council proposed flexible learning pathways—including ladderized programs and microcredentials—aimed at equipping Filipinos with high-value technical skills that meet global industry standards,” DTI said.
Chairing the meeting on behalf of Secretary Frederick D. Go was Osapiea Undersecretary Angel Ignacio who emphasized that strong human capital is the foundation of the industry’s long-term growth.
“Investing in our people is the most critical component of building a resilient and globally
The DTI statement added that Osapiea highlighted that the council’s long-term goal is to nurture homegrown talent and encourage Filipinos to pursue careers in the country, strengthening both the industry and national development.
Beyond talent development, the council also discussed initiatives to enhance the country’s investment climate.
These include the development of world-class Strategic Economic Zones, supported by an ongoing infrastructure audit to identify gaps in power, water, and logistics.
In addition, the DTI said, the Seiac reviewed efforts to streamline regulations, promote ease of doing business, and showcase the Philippines semiconductor
industry in the global market.
Further, the Trade department underscored that “The Council is looking to spearhead the country’s participation in Semicon Europa 2025, the premier European platform that brings together key players across the entire design and manufacturing value chain of the semiconductor and electronics industry.”
DTI said the Philippines’ participation in Semicon Europa is a “strategic” move to diversify the country’s electronics export destinations, reducing reliance on traditional markets and aligning with Europe’s growing demand for alternative suppliers amid geopolitical shifts.
The council also noted that it will continue to “refine” these action plans of their final adoption, according to DTI.
Lawmakers assail Cebu BPOs that forced employees to report
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
LAWMAKERS on Thursday
urged the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) to impose sanctions against Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies in Cebu accused of forcing employees to return to work despite safety risks following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake on September 30.
Party-list Reps. Perci Cendaña of Akbayan and Sarah Elago of Gabriela called for an immediate Dole investigation into alleged violations of labor and safety laws committed by several BPO companies operating in Cebu. The quake severely affected BPO hubs in Ayala IT Park, Lapu-Lapu, and neighboring areas, leaving workers shaken and families distressed.
Cendaña said workers took to social media to report being threatened with being reported as absent without official leave (Awol) if they did not return to their work stations shortly after evacuating. Others complained that emergency exits were blocked, while some companies allegedly resumed operations without clearance from authorities.
Cendaña warned that companies should never put profit above employee safety.
“It is heartless to force employees back to work just minutes after a massive earthquake. In such situations, human life should be the top priority, not corporate earnings,” Cendaña said.
He urged Dole to investigate possible violations of the Labor
THE country’s fish unloading volume rose by over 9 percent in August, the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) reported.
In its latest briefer, the PFDA said the fish unloading volume in the reference month grew by 9.7 percent to 46,458.20 metric tons (MT) from the 42,354.45 MT posted in the same period last year.
The General Santos Fish Port Complex held the lion’s share of the total unloading record delivered to consumers in August at 23,716.08 MT. This was higher than the 19,718.79 MT recorded in the previous year.
Code and the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Law, stressing that workers have the legal right to refuse unsafe work.
“This cannot be normalized. Dole must act swiftly to ensure workers’ rights and safety are protected,” Cendaña added.
For her part, Elago, whose party co-authored the OSH Law, condemned the reported violations as a “gross disregard for workers’ lives.”
“This is a blatant violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Law and a gross disregard for workers’ lives. The right to refuse unsafe work is enshrined in law. Forcing BPO workers back to work amid aftershocks and without safety clearance is exploitation, plain and simple,” said Elago. Under the OSH Law (Republic Act 11058), workers have the right to refuse unsafe work without fear of retaliation from management if their life or health is at risk. Employers are also mandated to suspend operations until competent authorities have declared workplaces safe.
She emphasized the need to strengthen the OSH Law by criminalizing violations and imposing stiffer penalties on negligent employers.
“This tragedy should be a wake-up call. The OSH Law must be sharpened to hold negligent employers criminally liable for endangering workers. We cannot allow these reported BPO companies and other industries to treat calamities as mere interruptions to profit. Worker safety must come first,” Elago added.
Zamboanga Fish Port Complex and Davao Fish Port Complex—supplied 704.55 MT and 360.57 MT of fish, respectively.
The agency also said the Sual Fish Port delivered 9.31 MT of fish products in the reference month.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier issued memorandum orders that allowed the Philippines to import fish and aquatic products.
By Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
HE National Food Authority (NFA) said its purchases of paddy rice soared in June on the back of a favorable harvest and its competitive buying price range. The grains agency said it procured
807,691 50-kilo bags or 40,384 metric tons (MT) of palay in the reference month, more than double the 355,910 bags or 17,795.5 MT it bought last year.
With this, the NFA noted that it met its procurement target of 381,500 bags or 19,075 MT in June.
rice inventory.
This year, the NFA aims to procure as much as 880,000 MT of palay to meet its new buffer stock requirement of 15 days as stipulated under the amended Rice Tariffication Law (RTL). NFA reports good palay harvest
“Increase in procurement compared to last month is mainly due to favorable harvest this cropping season, and the continuous implementation of the Councilapproved Price Range Scheme [Pricers] for palay procurement activity,” the NFA said. Under the grains agency’s program, it buys clean and dry palay at P23 to P30 per kilo, while the price of fresh and wet palay ranges from P17 to P23 per kilo. Such a scheme changes weekly per province.
The NFA said it had a total expected milled rice inventory of 8.9 million bags or 445,459 MT at the end of June. It added that the grains agency’s stockpile accounts for 18.9 percent of the country’s national
Meanwhile, the agency said it distributed 60,252 bags or 3,012 MT of milled rice during the reference month, 13.6 percent of its target of 440,445 bags or 22,022.25 MT. It allocated some 544 MT of rice to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), legislators, and local governments for relief operations and calamity response.
About 1,314 MT of rice were distributed to government agencies and local government units’ (LGUs) rice requirement under the Executive Order 51 program, the NFA said. Furthermore, around 1,126 MT have been distributed to LGUs under the food security emergency program, which was declared to expedite the release of rice stocks held by the NFA. It added that some 27 MT of rice have been allotted for the auction or private institutions.
The NFA recently invited the public to participate in the tender for more than 1 million 50-kilo bags or 57,997 MT of aging rice stocks. (See: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2025/09/29/nfa-invites-bidsfor-1-16-m-bags-of-aging-rice-stocksworth-%e2%82%b11-6b/) The agency has started issuing auction documents. The Central Office Auction Committee (COAC) will issue these documents until October 8, while documents from the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Secretariat will be available until October 7. Interested bidders are required to tender a 10-percent bond of the total price offer, which will be deducted from the overall payment of the winning bidder.
PFDA noted that the Navotas Fish Port Complex, the largest RFP in the country, trailed behind as it unloaded 16,211.08 MT of fish, higher than the 15,809.70 MT of fish products delivered to consumers in the same period last year.
For its Luzon ports, the agency said the Lucena Fish Port Complex unloaded 1,752.3 MT of fish products in August, up from the previous year’s 1,669.05 MT. The Bulan Fish Port Complex in Sorsogon delivered 860.9 MT of fish in the reference month, according to the agency. It was lower than the 1,328.10 MT last year.
The PFDA said the sole port in the Visayas–Iloilo Fish Port Complex–managed to supply 2,843.4 MT of fish to consumers in August, from 2,724.86 MT. Meanwhile, the country’s Mindanao ports—
Such a move is aimed at ensuring a stable supply amid successive typhoons and the upcoming closed fishing season. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed MO 47, which stipulated the guidelines on the implementation of the certificate of necessity to import (CNI) 55,000 MT of frozen fish for wet markets covering the period of October to December. Only registered importers under Fisheries Administrative Order 259 can participate in the importation program under CNI 55,000 MT. In a separate document, Laurel also issued MO 46, authorizing the importation of 22,000 MT of various frozen seafood. The CNI covers the period September to December.
Such an import order followed the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) recommendation to “provide a wider range of choices of affordable fish” and “cater to the market demand.” Ada Pelonia PHL
Cayetano tells churches to lead ‘revival’ amid corruption crisis, wants faith leaders in ICI
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
SENATE Minority Leader Cayetano Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday urged churches to lead the country’s “revival” amid a deepening corruption crisis, and wants faith leaders included in the Independent Committee on Infrastructure (ICI).
In a statement, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano called on churches to take a more active role in shaping the nation’s future, saying they should “penetrate all spheres of influence” and help lead the Philippines toward moral revival amid massive corruption.
Moreover, Cayetano made the call as he cosponsored a Senate resolution congratulating the Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Church Worldwide on its 47th founding anniversary, highlighting the crucial role of churches in guiding society beyond the spiritual sphere.
“Where the church is, there the country will go,” Cayetano, who is also a devout Christian, emphasized.
“We ask them to intercede for our nation and penetrate all spheres of influence— business, schools, hospitals—because the country needs prayers, hope, but also leadership,” he added.
The senator said faith-based institutions should go beyond offering prayers and actively
participate in national reform efforts, including the fight against corruption.
“We are encouraging all churches to be part of the disruption that is happening in our country. Not the disruption that is now full of confusion, anger, and fear, but hopefully the disruption that will lead us to a true revival,” he said.
The minority leader also suggested that religious leaders be included in the ICI to strengthen the body’s credibility and moral foundation.
“I think that’s what is lacking in the Independent Commission [for Infrastructure]. Why were religious leaders not designated there?” he asked, partly in Filipino.
“Truly, our country needs not only the prayers, the hope, but also the leadership,” he added.
At the start of the plenary session, Cayetano prayed for a “revival” in the hearts of Filipinos and in all sectors of society, from government to business institutions, plagued by dishonesty and corruption.
“What we ask you, Lord, for is a revival. First, the revival of the heart of every Filipino, that he will look at you for hope. Second is the revival of communities, revival of faith in government, revival of integrity and honesty. May we look at the devil and tell him to get behind us because these are all lies,” he prayed.
Sen. Villar pushes for mandatory use of drones for all govt construction projects as prerequisite for payment
IN a significant step toward enhancing accountability in public infrastructure spending, Senator Mark Villar has filed Senate Bill No. 1438, titled the “Government Construction Project Transparency and Accountability Act of 2025.” This pioneering legislation mandates comprehensive drone monitoring for all government construction projects as a mandatory requirement before any payments are processed.
The bill represents a comprehensive approach to oversight, applying to all national government agencies and government-owned and controlled corporations involved in construction. This includes key infrastructure bodies such as the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, and Bases Conversion and Development Authority, ensuring widespread coverage across the government’s infrastructure portfolio.
Sen. Villar emphasized the critical need for this reform, stating, “Persistent challenges including project delays, quality issues, and financial irregularities in public works demand innovative solutions. This legislation harnesses modern technology to establish an unwavering standard of accountability for every peso of public funds invested in infrastructure.”
The proposed measure requires systematic aerial documentation through unmanned aerial vehicles, to be conducted by independent accredited third-party entities. It establishes a framework for capturing detailed project
progress through high-resolution geotagged imagery, comprehensive video footage, and orthomosaic mapping. All collected data will be made accessible to citizens through a centralized public transparency portal, creating unprecedented visibility into government project execution.
The legislation includes strong enforcement mechanisms, specifically prohibiting any payment processing without the required drone verification documentation. It also stipulates serious penalties for both contractors and government personnel involved in submitting or approving falsified monitoring data, with violations being prosecuted under the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act. “This initiative transforms how we monitor and manage public infrastructure projects,” the Senator added. “It empowers citizens with tangible evidence of project progress while ensuring that government expenditures correspond directly to actual, verified accomplishments. We are committed to restoring public confidence in how infrastructure projects are implemented and delivered.”
The bill provides for a coordinated implementation timeline, with relevant agencies required to establish accreditation standards for monitoring entities within sixty days of enactment. The Department of Science and Technology and Department of Information and Communications Technology will provide technical support in developing the implementing rules and regulations.
DOLE releases ₧48.1-M aid for Bicol workers displaced by ‘Opong’
By Justine Xyrah Garcia & Rex Anthony Naval
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has disbursed P48.1 million in emergency employment and livelihood assistance to workers in the Bicol Region following the devastation of Severe Tropical Storm Opong. According to DOLE Region V, the bulk of the funds—P40.3 million—was allotted under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program. The allocation covers short-term cashfor-work for 6,455 beneficiaries in 11 municipalities identified as among the hardest hit. Another P5 million was allocated for profiling under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), while P2.7 million went to the Government Internship Program (GIP). The agency said families of the four reported casualties will also be granted livelihood packages through DILP, while affected small businesses may avail of aid under the Adjustment Measures Program (AMP)
Makabayan bloc blasts Senate move seeking house arrest for Duterte
By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie
& Joel R. San Juan
@jrsanjuan1573
THE Makabayan Bloc on Thursday strongly condemned the Senate’s recent resolution urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to place former President Rodrigo Duterte under house arrest, calling it a political maneuver that undermines justice for thousands of victims of the government’s anti-drug campaign.
“The Senate resolution is not about mercy or rights, but a clear cover-up of Duterte’s crimes. It is an affront to justice for the families of the victims of his drug war,” said ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio.
Kabataan Rep. Renee Louise Co underscored the political nature of the resolution. “This is nothing more than a political maneuver designed to protect Duterte and his cohorts from facing the full weight of international justice. The Senate is more concerned with protecting a former president than delivering justice to thousands of victims of state-sponsored killings.”
Gabriela Rep. Sarah Elago echoed the criticism, calling the resolution “an insult to the families who lost loved ones in Duterte’s ruthless drug war. It is not about compassion but about perpetuating impunity.”
The bloc highlighted the irony that one of the resolution’s sponsors, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, was named as a potential co-perpetrator in the ICC document detailing three counts of murder against Duterte.
“How can someone implicated in these crimes pass a resolution that benefits him and his former boss? This just proves that
the Dutertes remain highly influential in the Philippines, and justice cannot be achieved if trials are conducted here,” Tinio added.
The Makabayan Bloc also rejected the Senate’s humanitarian claims, noting the double standard.
“There are numerous elderly and sick political prisoners today, yet none have been granted any Senate resolution because they lack wealth or influence. This shows a glaring imbalance and hypocrisy,” said Elago.
“Justice demands that Duterte face trial for his crimes. House arrest is nothing but a mockery of the legal process and an insult to the families who continue to seek accountability,” Co stressed.
The bloc urged the ICC to proceed with prosecution without compromise, reaffirming its solidarity with families of drug war victims and commitment to genuine justice.
Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte on Thursday filed before the Supreme Court a disbarment case against Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and three other ranking government officials who were involved in the not connection with the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and subsequent turn-over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands last March.
Aside from Remulla, Duterte, through his lawyer Israelito Torreon, sought the disbarment of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty, and Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon. Torreon, however, did not provide more details citing the confidentiality nature of disbarment proceedings.
He, however, admitted that the case was filed in relation to the arrest of the former president.
Angara assures
“As to the content and the specifics, I think you know that I could not expound on the same but this is related to the kidnapping and expulsion of former president Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague, Netherlands,” Torreon told reporters.
Last September 15, the younger Duterte filed a criminal complaint against Remulla and several other government officials also in connection with his father’s arrest.
The disbarment complaint alleges the officials’ alleged role in the handover of the former president to the ICC, where Duterte faces charges of crimes against humanity linked to his bloody anti-drug campaign.
Voting 15 affirmative with 3 negative and 2 abstentions, the Senate on Wednesday adopted a resolution asking the International Criminal Court (ICC) to consider allowing former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to be placed on house arrest for humanitarian reasons.
Senate Resolution 144, initiated by Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano—Duterte’s vice presidential running mate in the 2016 elections—came days after Duterte’s daughter Sara claimed that he was “found unconscious” in his detention cell in The Hague.
All nine minority senators voted in the affirmative for SR 144.
The negative votes were cast by Senators Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Raffy Tulfo abstained.
Explaining his vote, Sotto said, “I am faced with two difficult” choices that both align with his principles: affording the former president a comfortable surroundings, while taking into consideration the plight of families seeking
continuity of learning for 19K students affected by Cebu quake
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3
WITH over 19,000 learners affected by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struct northern Cebu, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara assured parents and teachers that education will continue as immediate emergency measures are being addressed. Angara stressed that the Department of Education (DepEd) will rely primarily on modular learning, the most practical mode for communities with damaged classrooms or limited connectivity.
Policies on lesson packets and the Dynamic Learning Program are also set to be finalized next week, with emergency funds for learning materials to be released right after, the DepEd said.
The DepEd Learning Systems Strand (LSS) is also coordinating with Schools Division Superintendents for context-specific interventions once immediate emergency measures are addressed.
Spaces (TLS) in Bogo and nearby Cebu towns to prioritize early grade learners and resume limited face-to-face classes sooner.
“Bayanihanangsusi.Dapatmabilisang aksyonnglahatparamasmabilisdinmakakabalik ang ating mga guro at mag-aaral sa normal na klase,” Angara said.
On Thursday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Angara, and other national government officials on visited Bogo, Cebu to provide immediate assistance and assess the impact of the earthquake that damaged thousands of classrooms and communities.
Marcos led the situation briefing together with Angara and other Cabinet Secretaries, including Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Public Works Vince Dizon, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, and Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa. They also assessed the City of Bogo Science and Arts Academy, one of the hardest-hit campuses, where at least three buildings were not declared safe for occupancy.
Damaged classrooms
totally destroyed in Cebu schools. There were 950 teaching and non-teaching personnel affected.
“Sa gitna ng trahedya, kailangan mas maagap tayong tumulong para hind rin maputolangpag-aaralngatingmgamagaaral. Habang inaayos ang mga paaralan, agadtayongmaghahatidngalternatibong paraan upang may gabay, pag-asa, at direksyon silang mahahawakan,” Angara said.
Subject to further validation by field offices, a vetted list will then be endorsed for joint DepEd-Depatment of Public Works and Highways validation to determine costs.
The department noted that reconstruction funds will be downloaded immediately.
Recovery kit
THE DepEd chief also distributed nearly 90 EduKahon teaching and learning recovery kit.
DepEd also said that those in affected areas declared under a state of calamity may avail of Special Emergency Leave under CSC rules.
justice for crimes against humanity—the charge in the ICC against Duterte, for his dirty war on drugs that reportedly killed thousands without due process.
While he described himself as “supportive” of any efforts to afford the former president –whom his family and lawyer claims suffers a host of medical issues, Sotto worried that “my choice” in the vote on SR 144 might even further divide the nation. Hence, his abstention.
Explaining her negative vote, Hontiveros said that while the senators push for an interim release has been couched in humanitarian terms, its flipside is that it further signals the selective justice system in the country, where other suspects who have not been adjudged guilty are detained for years, despite health issues.
Hontiveros added that the resolution was premature because it was not based on facts, as there is no showing that the ICC has been remiss in caring for Duterte in detention.
Despite Vice President Sara Duterte’s claims about the “found unconscious” and related circumstances, other video reports had other family members who visited the former President as saying “he is well, even jolly,”atkayapangangmakipag-usaptungkol samaramingtopic kasamaangpolitika, flood control at love life [and can even discuss many topics including politics, flood control and love life],” Hontiveros added.
Besides Alan Cayetano, those who voted for the resolution are Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Christopher Lawrence Go, Jinggoy Estrada, JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, Rodante Marcoleta, Erwin Tulfo, Joel Villanueva, Loren Legarda, Mark Villar, Panfilo Lacson and Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Strong winds, heavy rains threaten Southern Luzon as ‘Paolo’ intensifies
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
TTo minimize lost school days, estimated at about one month in the hardest-hit areas, DepEd will also establish Temporary Learning
AS of 11 p.m. on October 1, the DepEd reported 5,587 classrooms sustained minor damage, 803 major damage, and 1,187 were
The DepEd added that unaffected regions are mobilizing resources to extend support, including financial aid, to affected teachers.
Mati airport gets Senate’s boost for likely funding
By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox
The labor department said coordination with local governments is ongoing to ensure the full delivery of assistance and the monitoring of long-term livelihood recovery in affected areas.
“DOLE’s rapid response underscores its strong commitment to restoring livelihoods in storm-hit communities, with the Department ready to scale up support and ensure no affected worker is left behind,” it added.
‘Opong’ deaths ACTING Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Wednesday called on police units to help speed up the validation of casualties related to Opong.
Based on DOLE Region V’s situational report, Opong affected 183,926 families, or 693,290 individuals, across Bicol. Masbate was the most heavily impacted, with over 8,000 families still staying in evacuation centers as of October 1. Opong entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on September 23 as a tropical depression and quickly strengthened into a severe tropical storm the next day. By September 25, all provinces in Bicol were under Signal No. 2, before warnings in Sorsogon and parts of Masbate were raised to Signal No. 4 at the height of the storm on September 26.
DAVAO CITY – Two senators took the cudgels for erstwhile backwater destinations down south in eastern Mindanao when they argued for funding to upgrade its small airport and usher in wider recognition and interest to its water bodies described as untapped world-class destinations.
A communication dispatch from the Office of Senator Lawrence Christopher “Bong” Go said the senator from Davao City called for support to allocated funds to the airport in Mati City, the capital of Davao Oriental, now increasingly known for its open seven-kilometer white sand beach and where three water bodies around this Pacific Ocean-side city have been listed in the in the Most Beautiful Bays in the World. Go said he was manifesting in the recent
Senate hearing to allocate funds to develop the Mati Airport through the proposed 2026 budget of the Department of Transportation (DOTr). The hearing was held Monday. He has urged the national government to continue current development works at the airport that were initiated last year to make it operational on its target date of November this year.
“Transportation has always been the backbone of our economy,” citing this and other infrastructure projects that were started during the previous administration that he said must be continued.
He said former DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade completed and enhanced aviation infrastructure across the country. “The DOTr, led by Sec. Tugade, constructed new airports and improved existing ones. They were able to complete more than two hundred airports including those in Albay, Legaspi, Clark International Airport, Bohol-Panglaw
and Mactan-Cebu International Airport.”
How does this Mati Airport be made operational? He said the project was supported by Sen. JV Ejercito to help decongest the Davao Airport and improve tourism. Sen. Loren Legarda supported Go’s call as she emphasized that “leaving runways idle wastes existing infrastructure and even leads to safety issues, such as animals straying onto airstrips”. She said she has supported the move to secure funds to make Mati Airport and similar facilities and make them operational.
Early this year, Mati Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat announced that “collaborative efforts” with the Department of Transportation, contractors, and local government officials would accelerate the development of the Mati Airport to be finally opened next month.
HE state weather bureau has placed 50 cities and municipalities in 6 Luzon provinces under the threat of Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TWSC) No. 2 as “Paolo” intensifies while hovering over the Philippine Sea. Placed under TCWS No. 2 are the central and southern portions of Isabela (San Mariano, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, Benito Soliven, Angadanan, Naguilian, Palanan, Ilagan City, Quirino, Mallig, Quezon, Delfin Albano, Tumauini, Cordon, City of Santiago, San Isidro, Ramon, Alicia, San Mateo, Cabatuan, City of Cauayan, Reina Mercedes, Luna, Gamu, Burgos, San Manuel, Aurora, Roxas), the northern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Aglipay, Cabarroguis, Saguday, Diffun), the northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Quezon, Solano, Villaverde, Ambaguio, Bayombong, Kasibu), the eastern portion of Mountain Province (Paracelis, Natonin, Barlig), Ifugao, and the northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan).
Meanwhile, TCWS No. 1 is hoisted over Cagayan, the rest of Isabela, the rest of Quirino, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, the rest of Mountain Province, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, the northern portion of Zambales (Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz), Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, the rest of Aurora, the northern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, Norzagaray, San Rafael), the northern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba, Mabalacat City), the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, the northern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Goa, San Jose, Presentacion), and Catanduanes.
In its Tropical Cyclone Bulletin issued at 2 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Paolo maintains its strength while moving westward over the Philippine Sea.
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Friday, October 3, 2025
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Gatchalian flags ‘ghost’ public health centers, ₧15-B uncompleted DOH projects
SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday raised serious concerns over nearly P15 billion worth of uncompleted or non-operational projects, after reviewing items under the Department of Health (DOH), including the so-called “haunted” super health
centers. Gatchalian described the centers as “haunted” because, despite having physical structures, they have long remained unused and unoccupied.
During the Senate Committee on Finance’s hearing on the pro -
posed 2025 budget of the DOH and its attached agencies, Gatchalian cited the 2024 Commission on Audit (COA) report, which revealed that 123 projects worth P11.54 billion were not completed within the contract period.
Citing DOH data, Gatchalian
added that of the 1,099 super health centers scheduled for construction from 2021 to 2024, 319 projects amounting to P3 billion remain either unfinished or nonfunctional.
“We will not allow haunted super health centers or unfinished
Renowned eye doctor collaborates with AEI to improve glaucoma care
ASIAN Eye Institute (AEI)
recently hosted worldrenowned ophthalmologist
Ike Ahmed for a research collaboration with Robert Ang, head of the Cornea and Refractive Surgery Services and chief of Asian Eye’s Research and Training Center.
Recognized as the “most influential ophthalmologist” worldwide in 2024 by The Ophthalmologist magazine, Ahmed is globally known for pioneering MicroInvasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS). This is a new class of safe, minimally invasive procedures designed to lower intraocular pressure and slow the progression of glaucoma.
“Doctor Ang and I have been studying glaucoma over the years, and we have a whole movement called interventional glaucoma,” Ahmed
explains. “It provides earlier treatments through safe, minimally invasive intervention to address the unmet needs in glaucoma, which are the problems of progression and eye drops.”
Global leader meets local innovation
ASIAN Eye has long been at the forefront of glaucoma management in the Philippines. Under Ang’s leadership, the institute has conducted pioneering clinical trials to expand access to next-generation treatments. This collaboration with Ahmed strengthens AEI’s role as a regional hub for innovation in eye care research, bringing global expertise to benefit local patients.
“I’m a believer in interventional
glaucoma because I believe that glaucoma should be addressed earlier,” said Ang. “Over the past 20 years, we’ve been applying eye drops. What are we waiting for—for the patients to get worse? We don’t want to do it that way anymore. More than us, it benefits the patients.”
Together, the two experts are advancing novel, non-invasive laser applications that target the eye’s natural drainage system. “Dr. Ang and I have been researching a very novel laser application to non-invasively treat the drainage area of the eye by applying a laser in a very safe way,” says Dr. Ahmed. “Dr. Ang has been an important collaborator. I love that he brings the latest technology to Southeast Asia.”
Earlier, safer, better for patients
FO R Ahmed, the future of glaucoma care lies in acting early with safer interventions. “Every step of the way, we become less and less invasive because the whole point of going early is establishing high safety,” he says. “Interventional glaucoma and MIGS allow us to address glaucoma earlier. We need technology and the skills—and that’s what we have in our collaboration with Asian Eye.”
Both experts stress that Filipino patients stand to benefit significantly from adopting such approaches. With many paying out-of-pocket for care, solutions that preserve vision earlier can reduce the greater economic and personal cost of blindness.
projects to happen again. Everything under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program must be completed. Sayang ang pera , we’re talking about P15 billion,” said Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance.
To address the issue of incom -
Marcos. . .
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20,000 individuals—remain displaced outside evacuation centers due to ongoing aftershocks.
“We have deployed the full arsenal of the DSWD for the 6.9-magnitude earthquake. We are utilizing all available resources to both mitigate its effects and respond to the needs in the affected areas,” he said.
The relief operations follow the President’s directive to immediately reach out to affected families and ensure the delivery of adequate assistance.
Immediately after the earthquake, Quintilla said the DSWD partnered with the Philippine Coast Guard to deliver ready-to-eat meals to Bogo City, one of the hardest-hit areas in Northern Cebu, despite uncertain road access. The department also deployed mobile command centers, water filtration trucks, water tankers, mobile kitchens, and food packs.
“Our trucks are already onsite, including water trucks with filtration machines to ensure the availability of water, as the earthquake also affected the local water systems. Our water filtration kits are there, along
Red Cross. . .
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plete and non-operational DOH projects, Gatchalian is proposing a counterpart program in which the DOH and local governments (LGUs) would share resources for the construction and operationalization of health facilities. Butch Fernandez
with food packs and ready-to-eat meals [Rtef],” Quintilla added. The DSWD has initially released 6,800 family food packs (FFPs) and 2,000 ready-to-eat meals, with numbers expected to rise as operations continue. Cebu’s Visayas Disaster Resource Center is producing thousands of additional FFPs, ensuring an adequate supply for the entire province. Nationwide, the Department maintains 2.3 million prepositioned FFPs across hubs and distribution points.
Beyond immediate relief, the DSWD official also said that it is providing psychosocial support services to help survivors cope with trauma. Neighboring field offices have deployed social workers to assist families in evacuation centers. Burial assistance will also be extended to families of earthquake fatalities. Early recovery efforts include the rollout of the ECT program, which provides flexible financial aid for essentials such as food and home repairs.
“Aside from immediate response, we are preparing for the ECT, which allows families to use the cash for urgent needs like rebuilding shelters or buying food,” Quintilla explained.
As of 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, the PRC has mobilized two ambulances, a food truck, two Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (Rdana) teams, and two Emergency Response Unit (ERU) teams. At least 62 persons have also been treated for injuries. The PRC remains committed in ensuring aid comes to the affected communities, Gordon added.
The PRC urged the public to remain vigilant and prioritize their safety. In case of emergencies, call the Red Cross Hotline #143.
Editor: Angel R. Calso
Friday, October 3, 2025 A7
Israel orders final Gaza City evacuation amidst ceasefire talks and deadly strikes
By Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy & Bassem Mroue The Associated Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip—
Israel’s defense minister on Wednesday ordered all remaining Palestinians to leave Gaza City, saying it was their “last opportunity” and that anyone who stayed would be considered a militant supporter and face the “full force” of Israel’s latest offensive.
At least 21 Palestinians were killed across the territory, according to local hospitals, as Hamas weighed a new proposal from US President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war and returning the remaining captives taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered it.
A senior Hamas official told The Associated Press that there are some points in the proposal that are unacceptable and must be amended, without elaborating. He said the official response will only come after consultations with other Palestinian factions.
Around 400,000 Palestinians have fled famine-stricken Gaza City since Israel launched a major offensive last month aimed at occupying it, but hundreds of thousands remain, many because they cannot afford to leave or are too weak to make the journey to tent camps in the south.
“This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south,” Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X. “Those who remain in Gaza will be (considered) terrorists and terror supporters.”
The road south was packed as Palestinians fled, with hastily loaded trucks and cars driving alongside people on foot carrying their belongings.
“We left barefoot,” Hussein al-Del said. The Israelis “were striking at random, with no mercy for anyone. We left behind our food, our furniture, blankets, and everything. We left only with our souls,” he said.
Strike hits school-turned-shelter in Gaza City
AT least seven people, including first responders, were killed when two Israeli strikes minutes apart hit a school sheltering displaced people in Gaza City, according to Al-Ahli Hospital, where the casualties were taken. Officials there said more than three dozen people were wounded.
Five Palestinians were killed later in a strike on people gathered around a drinking water tank elsewhere in Gaza City, the hospital said. Shifa Hospital said a man was killed in a strike on his apartment. Strikes in central Gaza killed another eight people, according to Al-Awda Hospital.
Another strike hit a tent in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central town of Deir al-Balah, seriously
wounding two people, according to hospital officials.
Earlier on Wednesday at the same hospital, dozens of people attended a funeral service for a Palestinian freelance journalist, Yahya Barzaq. He was killed Tuesday along with five other people in an airstrike while working for Turkish broadcast outlet TRT.
More than 189 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza since the outbreak of the war, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on Wednesday’s strikes or the strike that killed Barzaq. Israel states it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths, saying its militants are embedded in populated areas.
The military said at least seven projectiles were launched into Israel from Gaza, all of which were either intercepted or fell in open areas. There were no reports of casualties. Hamas’ military capabilities have been vastly depleted, but it still manages to carry out sporadic attacks.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians and wounded nearly 170,000 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its toll, but has said women and children make up around half the dead.
The ministry is part of the Hamasrun government. U.N. agencies and many independent experts view its figures as the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
The Hamas-led attack on southern Israel nearly two years ago killed some 1,200 people and 251 others were abducted. Most of the hostages have been freed under previous ceasefire deals, but 48 are still held in Gaza—around 20 believed by Israel to be alive.
Trump’s peace proposal
ON Wednesday, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Bader Abdelatty said Trump’s proposal requires more negotiations on certain elements, echoing remarks made by Qatar a day earlier.
The comments by Qatar and Egypt, two key mediators, appeared to reflect See “Gaza,” A8
A8 Friday, October 3, 2025
Trump signs executive order vowing to defend Qatar against armed attack
By Jon Gambrell The Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order vowing to use all measures including US military action to defend the energy-rich nation of Qatar—though it remains unclear just what weight the pledge will carry.
The text of the order, available Wednesday on the White House’s website but dated Monday, appears to be another measure by Trump to assure the Qataris following Israel’s surprise attack on the country targeting Hamas leaders as they weighed accepting a ceasefire with Israel over the war in the Gaza Strip.
The order cites the two countries’ “close cooperation” and “shared interest,” vowing to “guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the state of Qatar against external attack.”
“The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty or critical infrastruc -
ture of the state of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States,” the order says. “In the event of such an attack, the United States shall take all lawful and appropriate measures—including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military—to defend the interests of the United States and of the state of Qatar and to restore peace and stability.”
Order follows Netanyahu apology call
THE order apparently came during a visit to Washington on Monday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump organized a call by Netanyahu to Qatar dur -
ing the visit in which Netanyahu “expressed his deep regret” over the strike that killed six people, including a member of the Qatari security forces, the White House said.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry described the US pledge as “an important step in strengthening the two countries’ close defense partnership.” The Qatari-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network declared: “New Trump executive order guarantees Qatar security after Israeli attack.”
Trump also spoke on the phone later Wednesday to Qatar’s ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, according to a White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The White House did not release details about the call, though Qatar later said the two men spoke about Doha’s efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
The true scope of the pledge by the US remains in question. Typically, legally binding agreements, or treaties, need to receive the approval of the US Senate. However, presidents have entered international agreements without the Senate’s approval, like President Barack Obama did with Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
And ultimately, any decision
to take military action rests with the president. That uncertainty has clouded previous US defense agreements in Trump’s second term, like NATO’s Article 5 guarantees.
The order drew criticism after becoming public. Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur known for her incendiary social media presence who has been a fixture of Trump’s second term, wrote on the social platform X: “I don’t want to die for Qatar. Do you?”
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board also questioned the deal.
“This is a decision that can be and should have been debated,” they wrote. “Instead, it comes out of the blue—an executive order following no public debate.”
Qatar order comes as Gulf Arabs reassess their security QATAR , a peninsular nation that sticks out into the Persian Gulf, became fantastically wealthy through its natural gas reserves. It has been a key partner of the US military, allowing its Central Command to have its forward operating base at its vast Al Udeid Air Base.
US President Joe Biden named Qatar as a major non-NATO ally in 2022, in part due to its help during America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. And Qatar has maintained close ties to Trump, whether through a real estate project with his eponymous Trump Organization to offering the president a Boeing 747 to use as Air Force One. In the aftermath of the Israeli attack, Saudi Arabia entered a mutual defense agreement with Pakistan, bringing the kingdom under Islamabad’s nuclear umbrella. It’s unclear whether other Gulf Arab countries, both worried about Israel and Iran as it faces reimposed United Nations sanctions over its nuclear program, may seek similar arrangements as well with the region’s longtime security guarantor.
“The Gulf’s centrality in the Middle East and its significance to the United States warrants specific US guarantees beyond President Donald J. Trump’s assurances of nonrepetition and dinner meetings,” wrote Bader al-Saif, a history professor at Kuwait University who analyzes Gulf Arab affairs.
The Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.
Israeli navy stops aid flotilla; Colombia condemns action, threatens to cut ties
By Renata Brito & Ibrahim Hazboun Associated Press
JERUSALEM—Activists on board a flotilla of vessels sailing toward Gaza said late Wednesday that the Israeli navy had intercepted at least 19 of its boats as they approached the besieged Palestinian territory. Israeli authorities said the activists on board, including Greta Thunberg, were safe and being transferred to Israel.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, composed of nearly 50 boats and 500 activists, is carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Sirius, Alma and Adara boats were intercepted some 70 nautical miles (80 miles) from the coast of Gaza, according
to organizers who shared live positions of the flotilla. The group, which includes Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela, former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau and several European lawmakers, said it remained undeterred in its mission to break the Israeli blockade and bring aid to Palestinians.
Just before dawn, organizers said on their official Telegram channel that 19 of 43 boats had been intercepted and said the remaining vessels would keep sailing toward Gaza.
Greg Stoker, an American veteran aboard the Ohwayla, one of the boats in the flotilla, said that around a dozen naval vessels with their transponders off had approached it. “They are currently
hailing our vessels, telling us to turn off our engines and await further instructions or our boats will be seized and we will face the consequences,” he said in a shaky video posted on Instagram. Israeli authorities used water cannons against some of the boats, Stoker and other activists reported on social media.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry posted a video on X showing Thunberg sitting on a ship’s deck being handed a water bottle and raincoat.
It said that several boats “have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port. Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.”
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the Israeli operation was expected to take 2-3 hours. He told state TV Rai that the boats would be towed to Israel’s port of Ashdod and the activists would be deported in the coming days. He also said Israeli forces have been told “not to use violence.”
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s interception of the
Arab countries’ discontent over the text of the 20-point plan that the White House put out after Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced they had agreed on it Monday.
The Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief media about the ongoing talks, said Hamas had conveyed its concerns to Qatar and Egypt, and had requested more time to discuss the proposal.
The plan, which has received wide international support, requires Hamas to release hostages, leave power in Gaza and disarm in return
boats denouncing it as an “act of terrorism” and severe breach of international law. In a statement, the ministry said it was taking initiatives to ensure the immediate release of Turkish citizens and other passengers detained by the Israeli forces.
Colombia President Gustavo Petro said late Wednesday he would expel Israel’s diplomatic delegation in the South American country if the Israeli military intercepted the flotilla. He said he will also terminate his country’s free trade agreement with Israel. Petro has repeatedly described Israel’s siege of Gaza as genocide. He broke diplomatic ties with Israel in May 2024 over the IsraelHamas war, prompting the departure of Ambassador Gali Dagan, but an unspecified number of consular services staff remain in Colombia.
The flotilla enters a ‘danger zone’ THE vessels were sailing in international waters north of Egypt and had entered what activists and others called a “danger zone.” While still in international waters, it is
for the release of Palestinian prisoners and an end to fighting. The plan guarantees the flow of humanitarian aid and promises reconstruction in Gaza, placing it and its more than 2 million Palestinians under international governance. However, it sets no path to Palestinian statehood.
The Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank, led by rivals of Hamas, has welcomed the plan, as have Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.
Israel intercepts Gaza-bound flotilla
The Israeli military said that starting at midday Wednesday, it would only allow Palestinians to
an area where the Israeli navy has stopped other boats attempting to break its blockade in the past and which the flotilla has been warned not to cross.
After a tense encounter with two Israeli military vessels in the early hours of Wednesday, activists had resumed their journey and were broadcasting their voyage on livestreams from several of the boats. Some activists held up messages of solidarity with people in Gaza and chanted “Free Palestine!” on camera. Music could be heard playing in the background. As night fell, they detected via radar several unidentified vessels approaching them and put their life vests on ahead of the Israeli military’s imminent arrival. Some activists were able to broadcast the moment Israeli forces approached them live from their smartphones before tossing their devices into the water.
The flotilla, which began its journey from the Spanish port of Barcelona a month ago, was to reach the shores of Gaza by Thursday morning, organizers
flee south from Gaza City and not to head north on the only northsouth route still open.
Around 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced in the war, often multiple times, and finding food is a daily struggle for many. On Wednesday, the International Committee of the Red Cross said intensifying warfare in Gaza City forced it to suspend its operations there and relocate staff to southern Gaza.
Meanwhile, a widely watched flotilla of activists carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid bound for Gaza said the Israeli navy was beginning to intercept their vessels as has happened in past such flotilla attempts.
The activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla of about 50 vessels
had said earlier. Activists had acknowledged that scenario was unlikely and were expecting Israeli authorities to try to stop them at any moment, as they have done in past attempts. But this flotilla, with dozens of boats, was the largest attempt yet to break the Israeli maritime blockade of the Gaza strip that has been ongoing for 18 years. Israel and other governments had warned them to turn back THE Israeli navy had reached out to the flotilla earlier Wednesday warning them that they were approaching an “active combat zone” and asking them to change course, the Israeli foreign ministry said, reiterating its offer to transfer the aid to Gaza through other channels. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the flotilla a provocation.
Israel’s government has accused some of the flotilla members of being linked to Hamas, while providing little evidence to support the claim. Activists have strongly
See “Israeli,” A9
have described their effort as the largest attempt to date to break Israel’s maritime blockade of the strip. The core vessels set sail from Barcelona, Spain, on Sept. 1. Israeli authorities have warned the boats would not be allowed to reach Gaza.
Thursday is Yom Kippur—the high Jewish holiday of the Day of Atonement—when stores, businesses, public transportation and broadcasting shut down in Israel, beginning around sundown on Wednesday.
Magdy reported from
in Barcelona, Spain, contributed to this report.
ISRAEL’S Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with President Donald Trump after a news conference in the State Dining Room of the White House, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington. AP/ALEX BRANDON
Trump uses govt shutdown to dole out firings and political punishment
By Lisa Mascaro AP Congressional Correspondent
WASHINGTON—President
Donald Trump has seized on the government shutdown as an opportunity to reshape the federal workforce and punish detractors, by threatening mass firings of workers and suggesting “irreversible” cuts to programs important to Democrats.
Rather than simply furlough employees, as is usually done during any lapse of funds, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said layoffs were “imminent.” The Office of Management and Budget announced it was putting on hold roughly $18 billion of infrastructure funds for New York’s subway and Hudson Tunnel projects—in the hometown of the Democratic leaders of the US House and Senate.
Trump has marveled over the handiwork of his budget director.
“He can trim the budget to a level that you couldn’t do any other way,” the president said at the start of the week of OMB Director Russ Vought, who was also a chief architect of the Project 2025 conservative policy book.
“So, they’re taking a risk by having a shutdown,” Trump said during an event at the White House. Thursday is day two of the shutdown, and already the dial is turned high. The aggressive approach coming from the Trump administration is what certain
lawmakers and budget observers feared if Congress, which has the responsibility to pass legislation to fund government, failed to do its work and relinquished control to the White House.
Vought, in a private conference call with House GOP lawmakers Wednesday afternoon, told them of layoffs starting in the next day or two. It’s an extension of the Department of Government Efficiency work under Elon Musk that slashed through the federal government at the start of the year.
“These are all things that the Trump administration has been doing since January 20th,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, referring to the president’s first day in office. “The cruelty is the point.”
With no easy endgame at hand, the standoff risks dragging deeper into October, when federal workers who remain on the job will begin missing paychecks. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated roughly
750,000 federal workers would be furloughed on any given day during the shutdown, a loss of $400 million daily in wages.
The economic effects could spill over into the broader economy. Past shutdowns saw “reduced aggregate demand in the private sector for goods and services, pushing down GDP,” the CBO said.
“Stalled federal spending on goods and services led to a loss of private-sector income that further reduced demand for other goods and services in the economy,” it said. Overall CBO said there was a “dampening of economic output,” but that reversed once people returned to work.
“The longer this goes on, the more pain will be inflicted,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., “because it is inevitable when the government shuts down.”
Trump and the congressional leaders are not expected to meet again soon. Congress has no action scheduled Thursday in observance of the Jewish holy day, with senators due back Friday. The House is set to resume session next week.
The Democrats are holding fast to their demands to preserve health care funding, and refusing to back a bill that fails to do so, warning of price spikes for millions of Americans nationwide. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates insurance premiums will more than double for people who buy policies on the Affordable Care Act exchanges.
The Republicans have opened a door to negotiating the health care issue, but GOP leaders say it can wait, since the subsidies that help people purchase private insurance
don’t expire until year’s end.
“We’re willing to have a conversation about ensuring that Americans continue to have access to health care,” Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday at the White House.
With Congress as a standstill, the Trump administration has taken advantage of new levers to determine how to shape the federal government.
The Trump administration can tap into funds to pay workers at the Defense Department and Homeland Security from what’s commonly called the “One Big Beautiful Bill” that was signed into law this summer, according to CBO.
That would ensure Trump’s immigration enforcement and mass deportation agenda is uninterrupted. But employees who remain on the job at many other agencies will have to wait for government to reopen before they get a paycheck.
Already Vought, from the budget office, has challenged the authority of Congress this year by trying to claw back and rescind funds lawmakers had already approved — for Head Start, clean energy infrastructure projects, overseas aid and public radio and television.
The Government Accountability Office has issued a series of rare notices of instance where the administration’s actions have violated the law. But the Supreme Court in a ruling late last week allowed the administration’s socalled “pocket rescission” of nearly $5 billion in foreign aid to stand.
The Associated Press writers Stephen Groves, Joey Cappelletti, Matt Brown, Kevin Freking and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
Democrats voted for a shutdown; now they have to find a way out
By Mary Clare Jalonick
WThe Associated Press
ASHINGTON—Senate Democrats kept their promise to reject any Republican spending bill that didn’t extend or restore health care benefits, choosing instead to force a government shutdown. Now they have to figure out how to get out of it.
Just hours after the shutdown began, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said that if the Republicans work with them, “the shutdown could go away very quickly.” But that won’t be easy. Republican leaders—Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump—have said that they won’t negotiate or be “held hostage “ by Democrats demanding concessions to reopen the government. The bill Democrats voted against was a simple extension of funding for 45 days, legislation they say should be noncontroversial. While that uncompromising Republican
rejected the accusations and said Israel was trying to justify potential attacks on them.
European governments, including Spain and Italy, which had sent their navy ships to escort the flotilla during part of its journey, urged the activists to turn back and avoid confrontation. But while Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni said late Tuesday the flotilla’s actions risked undermining US President Donald Trump’s recent proposal for resolving the war in Gaza, Spain’s prime minister defended them. “We must remember it is a hu -
position may not last long—there were some early, informal talks on the Senate floor Wednesday—reaching a deal would be difficult. It’s deeply uncertain, for now, if the two sides could find common ground on health care policy or sow enough trust for the Democrats to change their position.
At the same time, an extended shutdown could be increasingly painful for Democrats. The Trump administration has threatened to lay off thousands of workers and target Democratic-leaning states. On Wednesday, the White House announced it was putting a hold on subway and tunnel projects in Schumer’s home state of New York.
“This Democrat shutdown is actually delaying progress on the issues that Democrats claim to be interested in,” Thune, who represents South Dakota, said on the Senate floor Wednesday.
Some wavering Democrats emerge in shutdown saga
REPUBLICANS were encouraged Tuesday evening when three Democrats voted
manitarian mission that wouldn’t be taking place if the Israeli government had allowed for the entry of aid,” Pedro Sánchez told reporters on Wednesday. Spaniards taking part would benefit from full diplomatic protection, he added.
“They present no threat nor danger to Israel,” he said.
What international maritime law says THE UN Convention on the Law of the Sea stipulates that a state only has jurisdiction up to 12 nautical miles (19 kilometers) from its shores. In general, states don’t have the right to seize ships in international waters, though armed conflict is an exception to this. Yuval Shany, an expert on in -
with them to keep the government open—Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine.
Republicans, who hold the majority, need eight Democrats to win the 60 votes needed for passage in the 53-47 Senate.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was the only Republican to vote with Democrats against the measure.
Thune is holding repeated votes on the measure, which failed 55-45 on Tuesday night and again Wednesday morning. He said he hopes that five Democrats will eventually feel the pressure and support the bill “when they realize that this is playing a losing hand.”
Republicans are eyeing several moderate Democrats who appeared to be wavering before casting “no” votes on Tuesday night, including Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Gary Peters of Michigan. Both voted to keep the government open in March, along with Schumer, while many
ternational law at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, said that as long as Israel’s blockade of Gaza is “militarily justified”—meant to keep out weapons—and the ship intended to break the siege, Israel can intercept the vessel after prior warning. Whether the blockade is militarily justified and the legality of the blockade is a point of contention.
But the flotilla argues they are a civilian, unarmed group and that the passage of humanitarian aid is guaranteed in international law.
Omer Shatz, an Israeli international law expert who teaches at Sciences Po University in Paris and co-litigated a previous flotilla case before the Israeli supreme
of their colleagues voted for a shutdown.
But Shaheen and Peters each voted no on Tuesday after extensive negotiations with colleagues in both parties on the floor.
Shaheen said afterward that “I have been in intensive conversations with colleagues from both sides of the aisle on how to find a path forward and I’m eager to work with my Republican colleagues to find common ground.”
Democrats at a crossroad: To dig in or dig out?
AS some Democrats are already looking for a way out, others say they need to dig in and fight.
“As Donald Trump’s lawlessness grows during this shutdown, our spines should stiffen, not bend,” Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said in a social media post on Wednesday. “Let’s stand for something. The American people don’t want us to fund the destruction of their health care and the
See “Democrats,” A10
court, told The Associated Press that even if the disputed siege of Gaza was considered lawful, “international law paves a humanitarian road from the high seas to Gaza—both in international and national waters off Gaza,” he said.
“If the basic needs of the population are not provided by the occupying power, there is a right to provide humanitarian aid, albeit under certain conditions,” Shatz said. Israel, for example, would have a right to board and search the vessels carrying aid to verify its cargo, similarly to what it does with aid trucks crossing into Gaza by land.
Brito reported from Barcelona, Spain.
Wall Street sets more records, but bond yields drop following discouraging data on job market
By Stan Choe AP Business Writer
NEW YORK—Stocks rose to more records on Wednesday, as Wall Street still doesn’t care much about the shutdown of the US government, but yields sank in the bond market following the latest discouraging signals on the economy.
The S&P 500 climbed 0.3% to top its prior all-time high, which was set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 43 points, or 0.1%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.4%.
The action was stronger in the bond market, where Treasury yields dropped after a report suggested hiring may have been much weaker across the country last month than economists expected.
Employers outside the government actually cut 32,000 more jobs than they added, according to the survey by ADP Research, with the Midwest taking particularly hard hits. What’s worse, the survey also revised down its numbers for employment in August, to a loss of 3,000 jobs from a previously reported gain of 54,000.
Usually, traders on Wall Street wait for a more comprehensive jobs report that comes from the US government each month to sort out how the job market is doing. The US government gets its data from a larger sample of employers than the ADP survey, which does not have a perfect track record predict -
Democrats
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destruction of our democracy.”
The divisions in the caucus pose a dilemma for Schumer, who was blasted by base voters and activists in March when he voted with Republicans to keep the government open. Many Democrats in the House and Senate have suggested that shutting down the government is their only leverage to fight Trump and push back on his policies, including health care and spending cuts.
“Standing up to (Trump) on this is sending a message to him on those other issues as well,” said Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
The politics of health care
DEMOCRATS have demanded that Republicans immediately extend health
ing what the more comprehensive report will say each month.
But the next Labor Department report, scheduled for Friday, is likely to be delayed because of the shutdown of the US government that began just after midnight.
“Whether this is an accurate statistic or not, people in the markets believe that it signals something,” according to Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics. “The signal from today’s headline will not be a good one.”
The hope on Wall Street has been that the job market will continue to slow by a very precise amount: enough to convince the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates, but not by so much that it brings a recession.
That’s a delicate balance to achieve, and every economic report from the US government that gets delayed only increases the uncertainty about whether it’s possible. Stocks have already run to records on expectations for coming cuts to rates, so a lack of them could send the market lower.
To be sure, the stock market and
care subsidies for people who purchase coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. The expanded subsidies first put in place in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic are set to expire at the end of the year, raising premium costs for millions of people.
Many Republicans have said they are open to an extension, but they want to see changes. Other Republicans— especially in the House—see it as an unacceptable expansion of President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, which Republicans have tried to eliminate or cut back since it was enacted 15 years ago.
Johnson has not committed to talks on the issue and said, “There has to be reform.”
Obamacare “is a flawed system,” Johnson said on CNBC.
Thune has repeatedly said that Republicans are willing to negotiate on the issue once the government reopens.
economy have typically powered through past shutdowns, particularly if they are short in duration.
But this shutdown could be different in a couple ways, including the threat that the White House may use it to push for large-scale firings of federal workers.
On Wall Street, Nike rose 6.4% after blowing past analysts’ expectations for profit in the latest quarter. The athletic giant reported strong growth for apparel sold in North America.
Lithium America’s stock that trades in the United States jumped 23.3% after the Canadian company said the US government agreed to let it draw from a previously announced $2.26 billion loan. As part of the agreement, the US Department of Energy will take an ownership stake in the Vancouver-based company.
Lithium Americas is developing a lithium project in Nevada with General Motors, and it follows Intel and other companies where the US government has recently taken an ownership stake.
On the losing side of the mar -
Even so, some Republicans began informal talks with Democrats on the Senate floor Wednesday about potentially extending the expanded subsidies for a year and then eventually phasing them out. The idea floated by Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota would likely be rejected by many Republicans, but Democrats said they were encouraged that the two sides were talking at all.
“At least we’re on the same page talking about the same problem,” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said after the floor huddle. “So, I see that as progress, but it’s a long way from where we have to end up.”
Lessons from the past
PAST shutdowns show that it’s hard to win major concessions by closing the government.
In 2018, the government shut down for three days as Democrats, led by Schumer, insisted that any budget
ket was Peloton Interactive, which dropped 3.7%. It got a cold reception to its unveiling of an AI and computer vision system, along with other equipment designed for cross training. Corteva sank 9.1% after announcing a plan to split into two companies, each with its own stock. One will hold onto the company’s seed business, while the other will focus on crop protection.
Cal-Maine Foods fell 1.2% after the egg company’s profit and revenue for the latest quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations. All told, the S&P 500 rose 22.74 points to 6,711.20. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 43.21 to 46,441.10, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 95.15 to 22,755.16. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in Europe following a mixed finish in Asia. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury sank to 4.10% from 4.16% late Tuesday.
AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.
measure come with protections for young immigrants known as “Dreamers” under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. They voted to reopen after then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promised only a vote on the issue. Later that year, Trump forced a shutdown over funding for his border wall and retreated after 35 days as intensifying delays at the nation’s airports and missed paydays for hundreds of thousands of federal workers.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and House Republicans triggered a shutdown in 2013 over Obama’s health care law. Bipartisan negotiations in the Senate finally ended the shutdown after 16 days, and Republicans did not win any major concessions on health care.
“I don’t think shutdowns benefit anybody, least of all the American people,” Thune said.
A TRADER reviews financial information on his computer while on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, October 1, 2025. AP/SETH WENIG
Hotels, tourists, churches shaken by Cebu earthquake
By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo Special to the BusinessMirror
TOURISTS , hotels and resorts, and several heritage sites have been affected by the recent earthquake that shook the province and Cebu on Monday.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) said on late Wednesday that 80 tourism establishments, 21 tourist sites, 36 accommodation establishments, and 23 other tourism infrastructure were damaged by the quake, which registered a magnitude of 6.9. The quake struck at 9:59 pm on Tuesday, with its epicenter located 11 kilometers off the eastern coast of Daanbantayan.
“A total of 711 tourism workers in the Central Visayas region were also impacted by the quake, including employees of hotels, resorts, restaurants, travel agencies, transport services, and related
DOLE.
Continued from A5
“The PNP is involved in documenting recoveries on the ground and immediately relaying validated information to local disaster response councils. We coordinate with the Office of Civil Defense and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to ensure that casualty reports are verified and cross-checked against missing persons records before they are made official,” he said.
Nartatez said his order is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos and under the guidance of Department of the Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla to ensure accuracy in disaster response operations.
Such a move also emphasized coordination among government agencies to provide verified information to the public and to deliver timely support to affected families.
Nartatez also underscored that strict
Continued from A5
She said the 1,628 meter-long airstrip was once called Imelda Marcos Airport when it was constructed and operated in the 1980’s and later renamed Mati Airport. “This will be back on tract after a long lull and will operate beginning in November this year,” she said.
The DOTr and the provincial government also jointly announced that they will sign an agreement that time on the expansion and development of the airport runway, and that the approved construction scope of the DOTr includes the terminal, fire station, and parking area. Contractors O.G. Santos Construction and Rakki Corporation reaffirmed their commitment to delivering the project on schedule.
Engr. Zenaida Loon, head of the Office of the Building Official (OBO), will oversee the electric plan and coordinate with Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative (Doreco). Joseph Progatorio, head of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), will
Continued from A5
PAGASA said aside from hazards affecting land areas due to the strong winds brought by Paolo, heavy rain is expected to affect Aurora today, October 2, and the provinces of La Union and Benguet on Friday. Heavy rains mean that rainfall will be dumping at least 200 mm of rain, causing widespread incidents of severe flooding and landslides. In the next two days, 100 to 200 mm of rain is forecasted over Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, and Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, and Zambales.
This means that numerous flooding events are likely, especially in areas that are urbanized, low-lying, or near rivers. Landslide is likely in moderate to highly susceptible areas, PAGASA said.
enterprises,” said the agency in a news statement.
Fifteen tourists were initially reported stranded—one foreign guest in Bogo City, eight in San Remigio, and six in Santa Fe, Bantayan Island. Eight of these 15 tourists already checked out of their hotels and were expected to arrive in Cebu City on Wednesday night.
The six tourists on Bantayan Island decided to extend their stay on Bantayan Island and wait for the ferry operations to Hagnaya Port to resume. DOT-Central Visayas was expected to facilitate the transfer of the foreign tourist in Bogo City to another hotel in the vicinity.
Tieza assesses damage
TOURISM Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, who joined other Cabinet officials in assessing the impact of the earthquake on Cebu
documentation processes are followed to prevent duplication and misinformation.
He also maintained that there are challenges in accessing remote and heavily impacted areas due to damaged infrastructure, as well as in the identification of remains in advanced stages of decomposition.
“Our operations are still ongoing in the hardest-hit areas, particularly where there are still reports of missing individuals. These will continue until all measures are exhausted to assist all our kababayan,” Nartatez said.
The police assistance, he said, also extends to continue securing evacuation centers in rebuilding communities damaged by the typhoon, especially in hardest hit areas.
Earlier, the Office of Civil Defense disclosed that 15 more fatalities were being validated in Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas.
As of September 30, the death toll was placed at 27 while 14 persons were reported missing in Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.
handle the zoning requirements to ensure the project’s seamless integration into the city’s master plan.
They also disclosed that expansion works has a budget of P90 million, to be taken from the P100 million budget previously secured in 2019 by former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo and her brother, Congressman Erwin Tulfo. This money jumpstarted the airport development, the information office said, although it was halted when the Covid 19-pandemic set in the following year.
Mati City boasts of untapped natural wonders like the seven-kilometer white-sand Dahican Beach fronting the Pacific Ocean, the tranquil and marineresource rich Pujada Bay and the Unesco Heritage site Mount Hamiguitan. Also just around its corners are its three water bodies, including Pujada, which were listed in the Most Beautiful Bays in the World by the MBBW Association.
Outside Mati City is Pusan Point in Caraga town, which was marked as the site of the first millennium sunrise in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, 50 to 100 mm of rain is forecasted to occur in Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, and Sorsogon Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bataan, Pampanga, and Bulacan
These areas are likely to experience localized flooding, mainly in areas that are urbanized, low-lying, or near rivers. Landslides is also possible in highly susceptible areas.
PAGASA said the highest Wind Signal that will likely be hoisted throughout Paolo’s passage is Wind Signal No. 3, or worse, Wind Signal No. 4, which is not being completely ruled out. The state weather bureau said heavy rainfall, severe winds, and storm surge may still be experienced in localities outside the landfall.
Paolo will continue to intensify over the Philippine Sea and may reach severe tropical storm category tonight.
province, said she instructed the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) to assess the extent of the earthquake damage to historical structures and key tourism establishments. “These assessments will guide the next steps to ensure safety and provide appropriate support,” she said.
Structures impacted include: Fort San Pedro, Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima, Daanbantayan (heavily damaged coral stone church), Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Bantayan (partial damage to heritage structure), San Isidro Labrador Church in Tabogon (collapsed facade and roof), Capelinha de Fatima Replica in San Remigio (severe structural damage), and San Juan Nepomuceno Parish in San Remigio (reported damage under inspection).
The provincial government on
Facebook assured that Bohol is “safe and remains open to visitors. Our major roads are passable, and we have confirmed that there are no major damage and no casualties reported across the province.”
In Iloilo City, DOT Regional Director for Western Visayas Crisanta Rodriguez told the BusinessMirror, “Per report of our tourism officers from the local government units and tourism establishments, [there were] damage and affected tourists for Region 6.”
The provinces of Cebu and Bohol, along with Cebu City amd Iloilo City are among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. DOT data showed that last year, these destinations attracted a total of 5.63 million in foreign and domestic travelers, with Bohol topping the list at 1.37 million.
HSMA members, tourists safe AS this developed, Loleth So,
president of the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association, shared in a Viber message, “All is well with our hotels and members in Cebu. No untoward incidents have been reported to the HSMA as of this writing.”
For her part, Agnes Caparas Pacis, Vice President-Commercial of the SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. said, “Radisson Blu Cebu, Park Inn Iloilo, and Park Inn Bacolod all felt the recent earthquake and have successfully and smoothly evacuated all in-house guests.” More than 500 guests were safely evacuated including function guests and checked-in guests at Radisson Blu, where an event was being held, she added.
On Facebook, Cris Evert LatoRuffolo, who describes herself as a teacher and journalist, posted that she was attending the Miss AsiaPacific International benefit gala at
Radisson Blu Cebu when the earthquake struck. She said she remained calm with other guests until she was reunited with her family.
“Nothing beats a hotel with people who know what to do when emergency situations like this happen. Radisson Blu Cebu immediately led guests to the parking lot and. distributed bottled water and chairs. No shouting from during the evacuation procedures. [They were] truly calm and it was obvious that they were prepared,” she said in a mix of English and Cebuano.
In Bohol, Amorita Resort general manager Leeds Trompeta said, “All our guests and associates are safe, after a thorough inspection all our buildings and equipment did not sustain any damage. Currently, we are coordinating with relief workers to send help to those affected by the earthquake.”
Taiwan’s minimum wage increase to benefit 170,000 Filipino workers
SBy Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
TARTING next year, overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan will benefit from the pending decision of Taiwan to raise the monthly minimum wage to NT$29,500 (P56,381.85), according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Comelec
It will be a 3.18 percent increase to the prevailing monthly minimum wage NT$28,590 (P54,642.61) in Taiwan. The Taiwanese government also raised the hourly rate from NT$190 (P363.14) to NT$196 (P374.60).
DMW Secretary Hans J. Cacdac welcomed said wage hikes in Taiwan, which he said will help thousands of OFWs cope with rising cost of living.
“We are very grateful to the Taiwanese government and labor organizations for their efforts to
The higher rates, will take effect on 1 January 2025 once it is approved by the Executive Yuan--the highest administrative body in the self-governing island. It is the 10th successive year Taiwan implemented such an increase.
implement this wage hike,” he said in Filipino in a statement.
“This news is a victory for all workers in Taiwan, especially for our OFWs,” he added. The DMW chief assured that they will ensure that OFWs will benefit from the said increase. Based on the latest government data, of the 200,000 Filipinos in Taiwan, 170,000 are workers.
fills Duterte Youth’s vacated seats with 3 party-lists
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
HE Commission on Elec -
Ttions (Comelec) on Thursday formally proclaimed the first nominees of Abono, Ang Probinsyano, and Murang Kuryente to take over the three party-list seats in the House of Representatives once reserved for Duterte Youth.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the proclamation capped the poll body’s monthslong deliberations after Duterte Youth lost its bid to stop the cancellation of its registration.
On September 30, the clerk of the commission issued a Cer -
tificate of Finality and Entry of Judgment, affirming that the August en banc decision voiding the group’s registration was final and executory.
“They will fulfill the three seats supposedly to be awarded to the Duterte Youth after the en banc decision disqualifying them became final and executory,” Garcia said in a press conference.
Abono’s Robert Raymond Estrella, Ang Probinsyano’s Alfred delos Santos, and Murang Kuryente’s Arthur Yap received their certificates of proclamation after their groups each secured one seat in the May 2025 polls.
Abono garnered 254,474 votes, Ang Probinsyano 250,886 votes,
and Murang Kuryente 247,754 votes.
Chairman Garcia said the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) followed the same formula applied in the disqualification of An Waray, where the next partylist in line was proclaimed to fill the vacancy.
“The decision of the NBOC is based on the recommendation of the Commission’s Law Department and Supervisory Group... At the same time, we also applied Banat vs. Comelec. The Supreme Court said an integer cannot be treated as a person. That’s why we went down to three, consistent with what we did in the An Waray case,” he explained.
Duterte Youth had won 2.33 million votes, the second-highest tally among party-list groups in the May elections, which would have entitled it to three seats. But the Comelec en banc declared its registration void ab initio for failure to comply with mandatory requirements of publication and hearing when it first sought accreditation in 2019. The Supreme Court did not act on its petition for a temporary restraining order within the 30day period, effectively sealing its disqualification.
Estrella, delos Santos, and Yap will now join the House as partylist representatives for a full threeyear term ending June 30, 2028.
Sandiganbayan affirms denial of Jinggoy plea to dismiss his graft cases in connection with ₧231.5-M PDAF scam
THE Sandiganbayan’s Special Fifth Division has affirmed its decision, denying Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s motion to immediately dismiss the 11 graft charges filed against him in connection with alleged irregularities in the disbursement of his P231.5 million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) from 2008 to 2010.
In a 22-page resolution, signed by Associate Justices Zaldy Trespeses and Maryann Corpus-Mañalac and Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega, the Sandiganbayan held that Estrada failed to raise arguments that would warrant the reversal of its ruling issued last March 26, 2025 denying the senator’s demurrer to evidence.
A demurrer to evidence is a motion filed by an accused after the prosecution rests its case, asserting that the evidence presented is insufficient to warrant a conviction.
If the demurrer to evidence is granted, the accused is acquitted.
“After a careful perusal of the arguments raised by accused Estrada in his motion for reconsideration, the Court finds no cogent reason to disturb its findings in the assailed
resolution denying his demurrer to evidence,” the anti-graft court declared.
With the denial of his demurrer to evidence, the Sandiganbayan said Estrada’s lawyers may present their evidence during the continuation of the trial on October 2, 2025.
The Sandiganbayan did not give credence to Estrada’s claim that the graft cases should be dismissed as the acts alleged in these cases were the same acts cited in the plunder case filed against him which had already been dismissed.
“The Court must stress that even granting hypothetically that the present charges for violation of Section 3 [ e ] of R.A. 3019 are indeed the same predicate acts for which accused was charged in the plunder case, the same does not, by itself, warrant the dismissal of the present cases,” the Sandiganbayan said.
It added that the Rules of Court or jurisprudence does not mandate the dismissal of a separate graft case on account of the charge being a predicate act in a prior case for plunder.
“The only reason to sustain such
an argument would be if the same places the accused in double jeopardy, which is not the case herein…,” it added. But, the Sandiganbayan said the double jeopardy rule does not apply to Estrada’s graft case, noting the difference in the elements of graft and plunder.
It noted that in the plunder case, Estrada was accused of “unjust enrichment” and amassing “ill-gotten wealth” while the graft cases rest on the issue of “causing undue injury to the government” and “giving unwarranted benefits and advantage to private persons.”
Furthermore, the Sandiganbayan said the prosecution has presented sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case against Estrada to support a verdict of guilt in the graft cases, thus, warranting the defense presentation of evidence.
“With the denial of his demurrer to evidence and the instant motion for reconsideration, accused Estrada is now given the chance to rebut the pieces of evidence and the prima facie case built by the prosecution against him,” the anti-graft court stressed. The case stemmed from the
complaint filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor of the Office of the Ombudsman accusing Estrada of receiving kickbacks by endorsing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) owned and controlled by pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles to the appropriate government agencies as partners-implementers of his PDAF-funded projects which turned out to be fictitious. It can be recalled that last year the Sandiganbayan acquitted Estrada of plunder in the P183 million PDAF but was convicted of one count of direct bribery and two counts of indirect bribery. He was sentenced to eight to nine years imprisonment for direct bribery and meted out a special temporary disqualification from holding public office and perpetual disqualification to vote. He was also ordered to pay a fine of P3 million. However, the anti-graft court eventually reversed its decision and cleared Estrada of one count of direct bribery and two counts of indirect bribery due to lack of evidence. Joel R. San Juan.
Mati. .
Paolo. . .
Global uncertainties, corruption, and PHL’s economic growth story
THE ADB’s latest Asian Development Outlook is a useful reality check. Slowing global growth, trade tensions and domestic governance problems have combined to nudge the Philippines’ GDP forecast down—modestly for now, but with risks that could turn a small downgrade into a meaningful derailment. (Read the BusinessMirror story, “ADB: Corruption ‘impact’ could hit growth,” September 30, 2025).
First, the external shock is palpable. The ADB highlights higher US tariffs and broader trade uncertainty as a drag on advanced-economy demand that, in turn, bleeds into the Philippines’ export and investment prospects. The imposition of a 19 percent tariff on Philippine exports to the US raises costs for exporters, and make long-run planning harder for businesses. For an economy that relies on both merchandise exports and foreign investment, the new tariff environment elevates downside risk. It is therefore appropriate that forecasts were trimmed—and that the government treats the change as urgency to diversify markets, upgrade product competitiveness, and support exporters adjusting to higher trade costs.
Second, domestic vulnerabilities matter just as much—if not more. ADB singled out the controversy around flood-control projects as a “heightened risk.” Corruption, contract mismanagement and politicized public works do more than erode public trust; they destroy capital, delay critical infrastructure, and raise the cost of borrowing and doing business. Infrastructure built poorly or stalled by scandal becomes a recurring liability: vulnerable communities remain exposed to flooding, budgetary resources are wasted, and the private sector loses confidence.
Third, the apparent resilience of domestic consumption is a doubleedged sword. The ADB and other analysts note that household spending has supported growth amid benign inflation. That is welcome. But deeper inspection shows this consumption is increasingly credit-fueled: higher credit-card use and salary-based loans have helped maintain demand, yet ANZ Research’s warning that some of these practices are “unhealthy” should not be dismissed. Consumption driven by increasing household debt—without significant investment in assets or productive ventures—can obscure fundamental weaknesses. When interest rates or employment conditions shift, the weak link will show up in defaults. Policymakers and regulators should allow domestic demand to support growth while promoting responsible lending, improving financial literacy, and incentivizing savings and productive investment.
Fourth, the inflation outlook allows for policy flexibility, enabling further monetary easing as ADB expects inflation to remain within the BSP target. The BSP has already reduced rates to support growth. However, given global volatility, rate cuts must be data-driven, and temporary support should be linked to structural reforms that ensure financial stability.
The recent ADB downgrade should sharpen political will across the executive, the legislature and watchdog institutions. The Philippines has the demand fundamentals and demographic tailwinds to achieve stronger, inclusive growth. But that path requires greater transparency, fiscal discipline, responsible credit expansion and a proactive diversification of trade and investment ties.
The forecast downgrade serves as a warning, not a verdict. Policymakers need to act swiftly and decisively—addressing corruption that harms infrastructure, safeguarding household finances, and preparing the economy to withstand external shocks. By taking these steps, the Philippines can maintain and enhance its growth potential. Failing to act could turn today’s modest downgrades into more significant losses in the future.
21st year voyage of Cinemalaya
IKuwentong Peyups
HAVE been watching Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival since it started in 2004, or 21 years ago, which was traditionally held annually at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and various cinemas.
However, for the past three years CCP was not the main festival venue because of its rehabilitation. It was held in alternative venues—Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in 2023, Ayala Mall by the Bay in 2024. It will run this year in Shangrila Edsa from October 3 to 12, 2025.
The CCP building closed its doors at the beginning of 2023 to undergo a three-year rehabilitation, including upgrades, safety improvements, and restoration efforts aimed at preserving the building’s historic and cultural significance. This rehabilitation is a critical part of CCP’s broader vision to transform the complex into a worldclass cultural hub for both the arts community and the public. The rehabilitation is slated for completion in late 2026.
My passion in watching Cinemalaya films perhaps is an offshoot of my exposure to experimental films during my college years in the late ’80s and ’90s at the UP Diliman where I saw several highly sensitive and political films.
Some of the films I saw included
T.
Lino Brocka’s “Maynila, Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag” (1975) and “Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim” (1985), Ishmael Bernal’s “Himala” (1982), Mike de Leon’s “Sister Stella L.” (1984), and Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s “Karnal” (1984) and whose daring works portrayed revolt, labor unionism, social ostracism, and class division.
Although it did not win the Best film award in 2005, “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” by fellow UP alumnus Auraeus Solito became one of the icons of indie films.
The so-called “indie films” embody Cinemalaya’s vision: “The creation of new cinematic works by Filipino filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.”
The full-length section has only one set of films from 2005 to 2009 called New Breed, with another section added from 2010 to 2014 called Director’s Showcase. It reverted back to one set as the Main Competition since 2016. Only short films competed in 2015, 2020 and 2021.
“Layag sa Alon, Hangin, at Unos”
is this year’s theme reflecting the festival’s decades of weathering every storm of its era.
Competing in this year’s Full Length Films category are:
“Bloom where you are planted” by Noni Abao: Three land rights activists contend with their volatile notions of home amid terror and red-tagging in Cagayan Valley.
“Child No. 82” (Son of boy kana) by Tim Rone Villanueva: At a wake, a persevering high school student must prove that he is the 82nd child of the Philippines’ biggest action-fantasy movie star in the hopes of seeing his late father one last time.
“Cinemartyrs” by Sari Dalena: Recreating forgotten massacres from Philippine history, a young filmmaker begins shooting at a site where 1,000 men, women, and children were slaughtered. But the angry spirits are awakened and the lives of her team and the local villagers are put in peril.
“Habang nilalamon ng hydra ang kasaysayan” by Dustin Celestino: Four Filipinos confront the slow erasure of memory and truth in a country devoured by disinformation.
“Open endings” by Nigel Santos: Four queer women in their 30s who are exes-turned-best-friends navigate adulthood, love, friendship, chosen families, and everything in between.
“Padamlágan” (night light) by Jenn Romano: Five days before the proclamation of Martial Law, the Colgante Bridge collapsed in Naga, forcing a father into a desperate search for his missing son.
“Paglilitis” by Cheska Marfori: Years after experiencing sexual ha-
rassment at her workplace, a former executive assistant is persuaded by a passionate lawyer to file a case against her rich and highly respected boss.
“Raging” by Ryan Machado: A young man’s quest for truth and justice intertwines with a plane crash mystery, uncovering a sinister plot that propels his desire to be heard but also threatens his community.
“Republika ng pipolipinas” by Renei Dimla: When the local government threatens to evict her from her own land, a farmer renounces her Filipino citizenship and builds her own micronation.
“Warla” by Kevin Alambra Kitkat: a 19-year-old transgender woman finds the family she’s been longing for in a gang of sisters who kidnap foreign men to fund their gender-affirming surgeries, until their crimes force her to question the true cost of belonging. Competing in the Short Films Category are “Ascension from the Office Cubicle” by Hannah Silvestre; “Figat” by Handiong Kapuno; “Hasang” by Daniel de la Cruz; “I’m Best Left Inside My Head” by Elian Idioma; “Kay Basta Angkarabo Yay Bagay Ibat Ha Langit” by Marie Estela Pais; “Kung Tugnaw ang Kaidalman Sang Lawod” by Seth Andrew Blanca; “Please Keep This Copy” by Miguel Lorenzo Peralta; “Radikals” by Arvin Belarmino; “The Next 24 Hours” by Carl Joseph Papa and “Water Sports” by Whammy Alcazaren.
Peyups is the moniker of the University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@ sapalovelez.com or call 09175025808
More than poverty relief, 4Ps is nation building
EEAGLE
VERY few years the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program becomes the subject of heated debate. Critics call it a dole out. Supporters defend it as the country’s flagship anti-poverty initiative. But the truth is that both views miss the bigger picture: 4Ps is not simply about poverty relief. It is about investing in the kind of workforce that can power the country’s economy for decades to come.
The genius of 4Ps lies in its conditions. Families receive assistance, but only if their children attend school and visit health centers. These requirements may sound basic, yet they are transformative. In a country where poor children often drop out early and health care is scarce, the program keeps families connected to services that build human capital. Every day a child stays in school because of 4Ps is a small victory for the nation’s future. Every clinic visit supported by the program is a step toward a healthier workforce. Think about the alternatives. The government has rolled out other social protection schemes. TUPAD offers short term jobs to displaced or underemployed workers. DOLEAKAP for OFWs hands out financial assistance to overseas Filipinos af-
The genius of 4Ps lies in its conditions. Families receive assistance, but only if their children attend school and visit health centers. These requirements may sound basic, yet they are transformative. In a country where poor children often drop out early and health care is scarce, the program keeps families connected to services that build human capital. Every day a child stays in school because of 4Ps is a small victory for the nation’s future. Every clinic visit supported by the program is a step toward a healthier workforce.
grant under AKAP-
OFWs may ease the pain of job loss but it does nothing to ensure long term resilience. These programs need to be modified and tied more closely to 4Ps. Otherwise they remain palliative measures that neither reduce vulnerability nor build capacity. The real strength of 4Ps is that it builds habits and expectations. Parents are nudged to keep children in school. Families are encouraged to value preventive health care. These are not small shifts. They reshape attitudes across generations. The payoff is a labor force that is more skilled, more resilient, and more competitive. This is not welfare. It is economic strategy. Of course, the program is far from perfect. Graduation is often defined by whether a household reaches a certain level of self-sufficiency. But the more meaningful test should be whether children from these households actually transition into stable and decent work. If a teenager completes high See “Eagle Watch,” A13
WATCH
Leonardo A. Lanzona Jr.
Dennis Gorecho
Natural disasters reflect national unrest: Healing the land starts with healing ourselves
By Troi Santos
THE Philippines has always lived in rhythm with fire and water. Storms cross our seas each year, earthquakes pulse beneath our feet, volcanoes remind us that the earth here never fully sleeps. Yet lately, nature’s restlessness feels sharper, as if something heavier presses down on the land. It is not only corruption or division that weighs us down, but also poverty, millions enduring hardship in fragile homes, daily survival always one disaster away.
This is a feedback loop we have created. The choices made by leaders, the neglect of basic needs, and the exploitation of land and resources build up like pressure in the soil. When rivers are clogged with garbage, they spill over. When forests are cut and mountains mined, the ground softens and collapses. When urban growth outpaces planning, floods arrive even with ordinary rain. The unrest of society is written into the environment, and the environment answers back.
Symbols matter. The flood that drowns a barangay is more than rainfall; it is the weight of unkept promises. The quake shakes more than houses; it shakes the fragile confidence of communities left to rebuild alone. Taal’s rumble is not just magma rising; it is the reminder that imbalance beneath the surface will always find release. These disasters are natural, yes, but their impact grows heavier when human neglect, inequality, and poverty feed them. Consider the pattern. Metro Manila floods with rains that no longer need to be historic. Taal rumbles in Batangas, a reminder that the volcano’s fire is never truly dormant. In Cebu, a recent earthquake shook communities still piecing together stability after years of storms and economic strain. Each event has scientific explanation, but they also form a phenomenon: a mirror showing us what happens when a nation ignores its own fractures.
And yet, even in the cycle of collapse, renewal is possible. After every storm, we see neighbors carrying one another to safety. After every quake, families share food and light with strangers. Communities rise from rubble with little more than determi-
school because of 4Ps yet ends up in precarious employment, the cycle of poverty has not been broken. What is needed is better coordination with programs that offer skills training, scholarships, and livelihood support. These should be the natural next steps for families completing 4Ps. Without this bridge, much of the investment is wasted.
nation. These gestures shift the current. They remind us that resilience, while often romanticized, is real; and it is the nation’s truest strength. But even as disasters repeat, the cycle of blame feels just as relentless. Each time, officials deflect responsibility; some leaving the country temporarily, others permanently, as if distance absolves them. Agencies point fingers at one another, investigations stretch into years, litigation drags on without convictions. We have witnessed this before: stories buried by the next great breaking news, accountability dissolved by the sheer pace of crisis. In this endless carousel of blame, guilt is diluted, and the people remain stranded in the floodwaters, standing on cracked soil, breathing ash.
Healing is not only material but spiritual. A country constantly bracing for the next flood or tremor cannot heal if its people never pause. To pause is to reclaim breath, to sit in silence long enough to hear what the land is telling us. Reflection does not erase poverty or corruption, but it steadies the spirit, creating space for clarity and compassion. Better this pause, this prayer, than the chaos of anarchy; for we are, at our core, a nation of prayer.
When a nation learns to pause, it changes its vibration. The energy of panic and bitterness softens into the energy of resilience and care. The earth, too, feels this shift. A people that breathes together, reflects together, and prays together sends a signal to the land: we are ready to heal with you, not against you.
Maybe it is time for the people to pause, to breathe, and to join in healing the nation—so that the land, too, can finally rest.
October goes
INOW know why this idea that Filipinos are resilient persist. They do not come from us. We are by far wiser than that. We know the falsity of that virtue—of the human spirit enduring all the insults that human institutions and organizations are brought to bear upon them. We have seen through the illusion of that virtue, the fakery of the grit, the stilted speeches delivered for inspiration and sublimation.
Behold our mentors—our leaders and politicians who see to it that we continue to strive to persist, to suffer, to be resilient. Of course, they know they cannot be resilient; that is why they need to impose such an imaginary upon us.
As the month of September was drawing to a close and the breath of October ushering in a different climate, typhoons came.
As was the case of storms, the Oratio Imperata was taken out of the dustbin of old beliefs. Who knows this might work. Who knows the God almighty might listen to us after all.
We have become experts when it comes to storm tracking. In Bicol, for example, there is a local expert Bicolanos listen to. While the state meteorological agency continues its work, a native expert has been developed. The story was one time, the region was so ill-prepared for the onslaught of a particularly devastating weather disturbance because no proper warning was issued. From then on, a dedicated team of experts was developed with the aim in mind of focusing on the region.
For some reason, this approach has worked. True, there was time in October last year, when the region —the city of Naga included—was
severely flooded. The people had to recognize one thing, the unpredictability of the amount of rain falling. Climate change has become real. And while there were structures that impeded the draining of flood water, there was at least one factor that was new— the awareness that there were factors that gave rise to these calamities. Knowledge was claimed by the people and this was good enough. And yet, something obnoxious and anomalous has remained through all these days.
The typhoon that hit certain parts of the country during the last part of September is a sign that in this country there are two realities. One dwells on the social facts of poverty; the other on power.
Of all the provinces in the Bicol region, Masbate was the one heavily affected by the typhoon. Being an island-province and separated from the mainland, Masbate suffered a double whammy. Its isolation meant succor had to go
through a geographical gridlock.
There was no one to help the province except itself.
For days, there was no signal from the island of Ticao, for example.
There were photographs of entire villages with houses decimated. We have gotten used to viewing people standing in front of their ruined homes after devastation but it takes guts to see old people weeping over a vanished homestead.
We are familiar with images of poverty—of children with tattered clothes and homes with no walls— but we are never ready to confront helplessness and hopelessness. Somehow, we allow ourselves the modicum of faith, that the human soul has the capacity to live on and
ten as she speaks—“wara na gayud.” There is nothing left. “Bangon Masbate,” a tarp is flying in the wind.
Somewhere, a person has posted the Masbate Dynasty—the local leaders from the governor to the representatives all share the same family name. Then the earthquake struck Cebu and tremor was felt all over the Panay island and the neighboring areas. Panic and hysteria ensued. There was no more resilience. No hidden strength. This archipelago of suffering people has gone through enough suffering. In basketball courts, people were trying to stay calm until the lights went out. In hospitals, patients had to be wheeled out of the rooms. When the tremor was over, there was not enough space in clinics and hospitals for those injured.
fight and be alive for another day but faced with nothingness and we will never know what to do.
Witness an old woman standing where her home used to be and lis -
The only chill place in this country is in Manila, in the hallowed halls of Congress and the Senate. There the congressmen and the senators are debating in aid of legislation. They are the gods of the upper air, reeking of expensive colognes and protected by parliamentary procedures only they could understand and most of the time mystify. At the end of the day, they will go home to the comfort of their homes, cocooned from the total social facts that they can articulate but will never actualize. Somewhere, we hope there is another god—one that punishes politicos and spares the massesˆa god who does not require an obligatory prayer but one who listens, and listens well.
E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com
Brazil’s $125 billion forest fund suffers delays before COP30
By Natasha White
AN ambitious fund to save the rainforests that Brazil aims to launch at November’s COP30 climate summit is running behind schedule as officials deliberate on how to structure the complex financial vehicle.
World Bank President Ajay Banga said last week that the organization will serve as trustee and interim host of the TFFF secretariat. A final decision on its role is scheduled for October 21.
The bigger challenge is political will. It is easy to fund short term programs that hand out visible benefits. It is harder to stay committed to long term investments whose results take years to show.
Yet if the Philippines is serious about inclusive growth, then it must see 4Ps as more than a poverty project. It must see it as the foundation of a human capital strategy. Roads, airports, and technology hubs will mean little without educated and healthy workers to run them. In the end, the question is not whether the country can afford 4Ps. The real question is whether it can afford not to. Every peso spent on a child’s schooling or on preventive health is a peso that secures the productivity of the next generation. Other programs should be redesigned to reinforce this goal rather than distract from it. 4Ps is not charity. It is not political tokenism. It is nation building. It is the closest thing the Philippines has to a real long-term strategy for inclusive growth. The challenge now is to sharpen its impact, tie it to programs that can deliver employment and livelihood, and stop pretending that quick fixes like TUPAD and AKAP can do the heavy lifting on their own. The country has a chance to turn social protection into economic strength. It should not waste it.
This is why linking 4Ps to programs like TUPAD and AKAP matters. Imagine if instead of providing temporary cash or stop gap jobs, these initiatives were redesigned to help 4Ps graduates gain entry into sustainable employment. TUPAD could evolve into community based apprenticeships that feed directly into local industries. AKAP could be restructured to reintegrate returning migrants into a stronger domestic labor market. Both could act as transition mechanisms that ensure the gains from 4Ps are not lost. The common criticism that 4Ps breeds dependency is tired and misleading. The conditions embedded in the program already push families toward self-improvement. No parent would voluntarily send a child to school every day or line up at a health clinic unless they believed it mattered. The dependency narrative ignores the fact that poor families, given the chance, are eager to invest in their children’s future. What 4Ps does is reduce the risks that poverty will cut those investments short.
Brazil hopes to raise as much as $125 billion through the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, which would pay countries to protect swathes of tropical forest using investment returns from high yielding fixedincome assets. The main roadshow for potential investors was supposed to take place in September, but has yet to be held. Meanwhile, an event convening investors during New York Climate Week, which began September 21, was canceled, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named discussing non-public information.
Officials initially planned to create a new, unsecured entity in partnership with the World Bank that
would raise $25 billion from a group of developed nations and use that to issue $100 billion in bonds. But criticism from the Trump administration in the spring about mission creep by multilateral financial institutions prompted discussions of a Plan B that didn’t involve the World Bank, one of the people said.
A second option is now on the table: a vehicle, also capitalized with $25 billion, that would seed a series of collateralized debt-type instruments to raise the $100 billion through the secured debt market, the people said. Discussion of the two possible structures was first mentioned in an August proposal published by the Brazilian government.
Brazil has pledged $1 billion to kickstart the fund, with the hope that more nations will commit funds before COP30. The TFFF team is still finalizing details of the financial model, which should be ready this week, the Brazilian government said in a statement. The fund could operate with another multilateral development bank or in a fully private structure, it said.
TFFF has the potential to be one of the largest financial mechanisms ever created to help plug the multitrillion-dollar gap in funding needed to halt climate change and reverse global biodiversity loss. Successfully launching the fund would be a major achievement for Brazil as the host of this year’s COP meeting, which has been plagued by logistical challenges that threaten to derail the summit.
The delays aren’t surprising to those involved given the scale of what Brazil is trying to pull off. It’s designing a large fund using a structure that’s never fully been tested, which requires buy-in from experts across national ministries, banks, investment firms, forest protection non-profits and more. And it’s asking for $25 billion in cheap loans and guarantees from rich nations at a time when they’re more preoccupied with shoring up defenses against Russia and other aggressors. Whichever structure TFFF lands on, the $125 billion raised from developed countries and capital markets would be invested in higheryielding bonds. The returns, after accounting for costs, are expected to enable payments of around $4 per hectare to countries to protect their rainforests. With assistance from Fabiano Maisonnave, Vanessa Dezem and Daniel Carvalho/Bloomberg
South Korea inflation picks up after one-off telecom fee cuts end
By Heesu Lee
SOUTH Korea’s consumer inflation quickened as the impact of temporary cuts to communications fees faded and food prices rose, clouding the case for the central bank to lower borrowing costs later this month.
Consumer prices climbed 2.1 percent in September from a year earlier, accelerating from August’s 1.7 percent gain, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said Thursday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had forecast the pace of price growth would rise to 2 percent.
Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, advanced 2 percent after climbing 1.3 percent in August, the data showed. B oth gauges are now hovering near the Bank of Korea’s 2 percent inflation target.
A large part of the jump in the CPI gauge resulted from the expiration of SK Telecom Co.’s one-off discount for more than 20 million subscribers, which weighed on the index in August. The telecom company temporarily cut fees as a show of contrition after a major data breach. Communication costs rebounded in September, rising 15.4 percent from a month ago.
Other factors showed that underlying inflationary pressure is more moderate. Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices climbed 3.3 percent in September from a year earlier, while housing and utilities costs rose 1.2 percent. Education prices edged 2 percent higher.
The figures come as policymakers debate the case for more economic stimulus to cushion the economy from President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign. So far exports have largely shown resilience despite
trade headwinds. While some of that strength is owing to front-loading efforts to get ahead of tariffs, investor confidence has stayed high on the back of domestic policy reforms and hopes for monetary easing in the US.
The benchmark Kospi index remains close to the record intraday high it set last week, and consumer sentiment has stayed well above the neutral 100 level for five consecutive months.
“The CPI undershot our forecast. Government measures restrained a rise in food prices. With domestic demand soft, we expect inflation to remain anchored near the Bank of Korea’s 2 percent target. That should give the central bank room to keep easing,” said Bloomberg economist Hyosung Kwon.
The BOK next sets policy on Oct. 23. Authorities kept the key rate at 2.5 percent in August and signaled
caution regarding further easing as they remain focused on financial imbalances stemming from a heated housing market and rising mortgage debt. At the same time, after that meeting, Governor Rhee Chang Yong said five of six board members were open to a rate cut at some point over the next three months. BOK board member Hwang Kunil said last week any rate cut will depend on whether risks from household debt, property markets and currency volatility can be contained. For now, he emphasized caution, suggesting that safeguarding stability takes precedence over rushing to support growth. A continued rebound in weekly Seoul apartment prices and asymmetric depreciation risks for the Korean won prompted Citi to delay its forecast for the BOK’s next rate cut to November, according to Citi’s Kim. Bloomberg
Tito Genova Valiente ANNOTATIONS
Leonardo A. Lanzona, Jr. is a Professor of Economics at the Ateneo
Friday, October 3, 2025
BusinessMirror
COA files 4 more reports on paid but ghost, subpar works
By Lorenz S. Marasigan
THECommission on Audit (COA) has filed four additional fraud audit reports before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), exposing cases of fully paid but non-existent or substandard flood control projects in Bulacan.
According to state auditors, the new filings involve projects in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)–Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO), ranging from P69 million to nearly P97 million. The findings point to what the agency describes as another set of “ghost projects” that were marked as completed and fully paid by the government.
COA flagged two projects awarded to SYMS Construction Trading: a P92.69-million flood control structure in Barangay San Roque, Baliuag, and another P92.71-million revetment project along Angat River in Barangay Taal, Pulilan.
Inspectors reported that the San Roque structure did not exist at the approved site, while an alternative location pointed out by DPWH officials contained a substandard facility that did not meet specifications.
For the Pulilan project, auditors found only an abandoned slope protection structure that predated the contract period.
Despite the irregularities and the absence of critical documents required under COA Circular No. 2009001, the DPWH-Bulacan 1st DEO had fully paid SYMS Construction.
“This is another ghost project,” state auditors said. Among those initially held “li-
TBy Lenie Lectura @llectura
HE Department of Energy (DOE) is considering setting up an auction for nuclear energy in a bid to deliver the country’s first nuclear-generated kilowatt hour (kWh) by 2032. The auction could be patterned after the green energy auction program (GEAP), but since nuclear energy is not renewable energy (RE), then there is a need to conduct a separate auction.
“We’re always saying it’s a low-carbon option. We are studying to have an auction for it. But we are looking at the legal framework,” said DOE Director and Technical Secretariat Head of the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee (NEP-IAC) Patrick T. Aquino.
The DOE would have to issue a circular for the planned nuclear auction. “Any DOE policy is studied carefully so that when we hold consultations involving auction for nuclear, it means that we have hurdled their legal proposition. It can be treated as the same as any technology,” added Aquino.
During the Philippine International Nuclear Supply Chain Forum (PINSCF) 2025 held Thursday, Aquino cited the significant progress the Philippines has made in preparing for its nuclear energy future, highlighting key milestones and strategic priorities needed to meet its 1,200 megawatt (MW) target of nuclear power generation by 2032. The DOE is also aiming to increase this to 2,400MW by 2035 and 4,800MW to 2050.
“The NEP-IAC aims to transition from preparatory activities to implementation-ready frameworks,” Aquino said. “In order to establish the groundwork for a safe, secure, and sustainable nuclear energy future, 2026 will be crucial in reinforcing institutional readiness, technical credibility, and public trust,” he added.
A historic milestone in the country’s nuclear energy goals is the recent enactment of Republic Act No. 12305 or the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority or PhilATOM Act, which serves as the legal backbone for nuclear energy governance. Aquino said the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the PhilATOM law will be out within the year. “Our law will be effective before the end of October. What we expect is that we, at the DOE, are not part of the ones who will write the implementing rules and regulations. But in our NEP-IAC, we will provide support to our PhilATOM so that we can help accelerate and
establish their agency,” Aquino said.
The high-level forum gathered global nuclear technology leaders, policymakers, regulators, industrial partners, academia and development agencies from the United States, South Korea, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Argentina and the Philippines to exchange insights and collaborate on fortifying a robust and resilient nuclear ecosystem for the country.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been closely assisting the Philippines in addressing 19 infrastructure issues, currently handled by six NEP-IAC subcommittees. Last December, the IAEA conducted a follow-up Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission—a specialized review designed to prepare the country for the second phase of its nuclear development under the agency’s milestone approach.
In its 2018 INIR mission, the agency issued 14 recommendations, nine of which have now been fully addressed by the Philippines while five are in progress.
Just recently, the DOE released a nationwide Social Weather Stations survey showing that over 70 percent of Filipinos believe nuclear can deliver reliable electricity, reduce dependence on imported fuels, create jobs, and mitigate climate change.
‘Flawed’ survey
THE Nuclear-Free Bataan Movement (NFBM), meanwhile, said the “flawed” survey and the PhilATOM law are being used as a tandem strategy to fast-track the revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) and build new nuclear plants.
“We are being rushed into a nuclear future based on a poll that highlighted only the benefits and downplayed the catastrophic risks of operating a nuclear plant. The ghost of the BNPP and the tragedies of Chernobyl and Fukushima are being obliterated by a marketing campaign,” said Atty. Dante Ilaya, NFBM Chairperson.
The NFBM said the survey failed to present the consequences of nuclear accidents, long-term radioactive waste, and the immense financial costs.
Baseload facility
THE DOE, meanwhile, said the country’s first nuclear power plant will be treated as a baseload facility, granted priority dispatch, and automatically certified as an Energy Project of National Significance (EPNS).
Under Department Circular No. 200510-0019, signed on October 2, 2025 by DOE
able” are District Engineer Henry C. Alcantara, Assistant District Engineer Brice Ericson D. Hernandez, Planning and Design Section Chief Ernesto Galang, Engineer John Michael E. Ramos, Project Engineer Lemuel Ephraim SD. Roque, Engineer Jolo Mari V. Tayao.
SYMS owner Sally Santos was also found to be liable.
Aside from SYMS, state auditors found a P69.48-million riverbank protection project awarded to Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. as anomalous.
The approved site in Plaridel showed no signs of a flood control structure, while the alternate site identified by DPWH contained an incomplete facility that fell short of approved standards.
“Based on these findings, COA takes this to mean that the fully paid flood control project does not exist,” the agency said.
Aside from Alcantara, Hernandez, and Galang, Construction Section Chief Jaypee D. Mendoza, Ramos, Engineer Irene DC. Otingco, Engineer Joshua Blitz S. Roxas, Engineer Bernardo Villafuerte, and Eumir S. Villanueva of Topnotch Catalyst Builders, Inc. as well as the company’s officers and members of the board, “were tagged as liable.”
The audit also covered a P96.5million riverwall construction project in Barangay Pagala, Baliuag, contracted to Triple 8 Construction and Supply Inc. Similar to the other cases, the approved site showed no structure, while the alternate site presented a facility “drastically” below plan specifications.
The project had nonetheless been fully paid, with COA citing the absence of supporting validation documents as another red flag.
Triple 8’s officers and members of the board, led by Wilfredo M. Natividad, along with Alcantara, Hernandez, Ramos, Galang, and Mendoza were found liable.
COA said individuals found liable may face graft and corruption charges under Republic Act 3019, malversation and falsification of documents under the Revised Penal Code, as well as violations of procurement laws and COA regulations.
“The initial list of liable persons is not final and may expand as the audit progresses, or new information becomes available,” the COA said.
To date, COA has filed a total of 17 Fraud Audit Reports: nine with the Office of the Ombudsman and eight with the ICI, including the four new cases.
HOR GIVES UP, AS SARA SHUNS BUDGET HEARING FOR 3RD TIME
By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie
OR the third time, Vice President
FSara Z. Duterte on Thursday failed to appear at the plenary debates on the proposed P902.03-million budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2026, instead setting two conditions before agreeing to face lawmakers.
Duterte named the two demands in a letter dated September 30, 2025, addressed to House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Rep. Mikaela Suansing and read on the floor by Palawan 2nd District Rep. Jose Alvarez, sponsor of the OVP budget.
“The House of Representatives demands the attendance of President Marcos for the 27.3-billion pesos budget deliberation of the Office of the President,” Duterte demanded.
Duterte also demanded that the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability produce a Department of Justice (DOJ) certification confirming the lifting of the Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) against seven OVP personnel, namely, Atty. Zuleika T. Lopez, Mr. Lemuel G. Ortonio, Atty. Rosnelne L. Sanchez, Atty. Francis Chanray A. Fajarda, Ms. Gina E. Austero, Ms. Julieta L. Villadiego, and Mr. Edward D. Fajarda.
“Mr. Speaker, there is no one from the Office of the Vice President, and I am prepared to stand alone here and stand for the budget of the OVP,” Alvarez said on the plenary floor, stressing that the committee had given Duterte’s office
“utmost respect” in the budget process. He added that the committee will no longer respond to Duterte’s letter, calling October 2 the “last day” for deliberations.
Blatant insult
OPPOSITION lawmakers did not hold back their criticism and vowed to push for the reduction of the OVP budget.
Rep. Leila de Lima of the Mamamayang Liberal Party List denounced Duterte’s repeated absences as a blatant insult to the constitutional budget process.
“Disrespecting the budgetary process of this body is a clear case of disrespect of our Constitution,” de Lima said. “If she can afford to show up at the Senate and applaud a privileged speech, why can she not spare a few moments to defend the budget of her office? Enough is enough. Enough of her brattiness.” De Lima said she intends to move for a reduction of the OVP’s budget, sparing only funds for Personal Services (PS) and maintenance and operating expenses (MOOE) while scrapping allocations for operational programs.
ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio echoed the sentiment, stressing that the issue was not political grandstanding but accountability.
“I condemn her disrespect toward the people for not even showing up to take responsibility,” Tinio said, vowing to file a motion to slash the OVP’s budget and retain only the funds needed for employees’ salaries.
Court convicts Napoles of money laundering
By Cai U. Ordinario
THE Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) secured a major conviction with the decision of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) to convict Janet Lim Napoles of money laundering in connection with the “pork barrel” scam.
AMLC said RTC Branch 158 in Pasig City convicted Napoles of 13 counts of money laundering due to her orchestration of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam in 2013.
The case was initiated and prosecuted by the AMLC and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The decision marked another milestone in the fight against corruption and financial crimes.
“This sends a strong message: those who abuse public funds will be held accountable,” said AMLC Executive Director Atty. Matthew M. David.
“The AMLC welcomes this court decision as
a demonstration of AMLC’s relentless pursuit of individuals who exploit the financial system to conceal corruption,” he added.
AMLC said this is the second conviction secured by the AMLC against Napoles involving the “pork barrel” scam, following a 2024 decision issued by RTC Branch 24, Manila—affirming AMLC’s effectiveness in prosecuting money laundering cases linked to corruption.
In this 2025 conviction, AMLC said the Trial Court found that Napoles planned a scheme involving the creation of bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) to receive pork barrel funds for ghost projects.
By making it appear that the funds originated from legitimate sources, Napoles concealed its criminal origin—an act that fully satisfied the elements of money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, as amended.
Napoles was sentenced to 7 to 14 years of imprisonment for each count and was ordered to pay a P94.15-million fine. AMLC said, however, the judgment of conviction may be subject to appeal.
MOA between ICI, AMLC MEANWHILE, the AMLC and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) signed a
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
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B1 Friday, October 3, 2025
Ayala, Honda Cars PHL end 35-year dealer partnership
By VG Cabuag
AYALA Corp. on Thursday said it will transfer its dealership of Honda cars in the Philippines to a new entity in January 2026, effectively ending its 35-year partnership with Honda Car Philippines Inc. (HCPI).
HCPI and Ayala said the development reflects the “evolving strategies” of their companies in their pursuit of growth and innovation.
The transition involves dealerships currently under the operation of ACMobility. These are Honda Cars Makati, Honda Cars Pasig, Honda Cars Shaw, Honda Cars Bacoor, Honda Cars Cebu, Honda Cars Mandaue, Honda Cars Iloilo, Honda Cars Negros, and Honda Cars Cagayan de Oro.
The alliance dates back to 1990 with the opening of Honda Cars Makati. Over the years, the net -
work grew steadily nationwide, with Ayala ultimately becoming the largest Honda dealer group in the Philippines.
The ACMobility-operated Honda dealerships, through Iconic Dealership Inc., have sold over 220,000 vehicles as of August 2025.
ACMobility will begin turning over management and operations of these dealerships to new dealer principals towards the end of this year. It declined to name the new owner of its Honda dealership.
“We thank Ayala for their invaluable contribution over the past 35
years, which played a key role in establishing Honda as a trusted brand in the Philippines. As we work closely with our new dealer principals, we are fully committed to ensuring a seamless transition while upholding Honda’s legacy of excellence, innovation, and outstanding customer service,” Rie Miyake, Honda Philippines president, said.
“HCPI will continue to provide the best products and services including an expanding range of electrified vehicles and solutions. We remain firmly committed to Honda’s long-term goals of zero collision and carbon neutrality, advancing safety for everyone and a cleaner environment in the Philippines,” Miyake said.
“We are grateful, and indeed proud, to have been part of Honda’s journey in the Philippines for the past three and a half decades. This transition reflects our ongoing effort to optimize our portfolio and focus on new growth areas. Among these are our initiatives in advancing sustainable mobil -
ALI, Anflocor team up for Ascenda
AYALA Land Inc. on Thursday said it will spend some P10.3 billion to develop Ascenda, a 204-hectare, master-planned, nature-inspired development in Davao.
The said development will be done through a joint venture with the Floirendo family’s ANFLO Management and Investment Corp. (Anflocor), the company said.
“Davao is truly a city on the rise, with its economic growth outpacing the national average. Major infrastructure projects—the SamalDavao Bridge, the Coastal Road and the Davao Bypass Road — are unlocking new connectivity and opportunities.
Ascenda is well positioned to benefit from Davao’s momentum, providing Davaoeños new space to grow and an environment attuned to their modern, upgraded lifestyles,” Anna Ma. Margarita B. Dy, Ayala Land president and CEO, said.
Ascenda marks a series of firsts for Ayala Land in the region. It is the first Ayala horizontal estate in Mindanao.
It will have the only Ayala Land Premier residential village, Virendo, in Davao. The estate is also the first major development that will benefit from the new Davao by-pass road, complementing the newly completed Coastal Road and Maharlika Highway system, cutting travel time from Davao City proper from 45 mins to 25 mins, and from Matina from 25 minutes to 15 minutes.
Ascenda is located in Davao’s Toril District, 16 kilometers from the city center. The estate is close enough for residents and businesses to connect with the busier side of Davao life but far enough to enjoy and commune with the peace and beauty of nature, which are front and center of Ascenda’s development philosophy.
“Davao has been in Ayala’s radar since the 1970s,” Dy said. “We were the first major property developer to invest in Davao City when we launched Insular Village in 1976. Then, in 2007, we developed Abreeza, and then Azuela Cove in 2017. Now the time has come for us to go full blast here in Davao with our largest estate development ever in the VisMin region.”
Ayala Land said it worked with acclaimed design firm Henning Larsen to shape the estate’s land use.
By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan
ity and electrification, where we continue to build solutions that benefit communities, businesses and the environment,” Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, CEO of ACMobility, said.
ACMobility said it will refocus its investments in new and highgrowth businesses in automotive distribution and charging infrastructure, in light of its ambition to lead the transition towards sustainable and electrified mobility in the Philippines.
This also follows ACMobility’s recent exits from the Volkswagen and Maxus distribution businesses, as the company moves towards streamlining its portfolio, aligned with the broader initiative of Ayala to sharpen its business lines.
Upon turnover of the dealership operations, ACMobility’s portfolio will be composed of the BYD and Kia distribution businesses; dealership operations of Isuzu, BYD, and Kia; electric vehicle charging infrastructure business; and the Bosch Car Service business.
THE PLDT Group said on Thursday it has identified nearly two million URLs containing online child sexual abuse and exploitation material (CSAEM) since June 2021, as PLDT and Smart’s Cyber Security Operations Group blocked more than 650,000 attempts to access such links in January to August.
“Guided by our child safeguarding policy, we have adopted a child safety–by–design approach across our products and services,” said Roby Alampay, FVP and Head of Public Engagement at PLDT and Smart.
“Recognizing the scale of the problem, we continue to welcome collaboration with child safety advocates to help create a safer digital space where children can thrive.”
He noted that central to PLDT’s efforts is its Child Protection Platform, which blocks CSAEM at the content level.
Furthermore, the group’s partnerships with the UK-based Internet Watch Foundation and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection’s Project Arachnid have bolstered the company’s detec -
tion and blacklisting capabilities. The group has likewise embedded its child-protection framework into community awareness campaigns. Through its program, PLDT and Smart have reached over 100,000 participants nationwide, including students, teachers, parents, barangay officials, MSMEs, farmers, seniors, persons with disabilities, and indigenous peoples.
Unicef noted that in 2021 alone, two million children in the Philippines were subjected to online sexual abuse and exploitation. Children reported that they experienced grooming and received offers of gifts or money in exchange for sexual acts.
“Some were threatened or blackmailed to engage in sexual acts. Due to stigma, disclosure is disproportionately low—despite various reporting channels. Only 0-4 per cent of victims ever reported, and only 0-3 per cent know how to report to the police or to helplines.”
Unicef also noted 44 percent of children do not know where to get help if they or a friend were subjected to sexual abuse or harassment online; while 50 percent of them added people as friends on social media even if they had never met face-to-face.
Inspired by Singapore’s Bishan Park, which Henning Larsen redeveloped, the estate’s design preserves green corridors and waterways, integrates open spaces, and seamlessly weaves nature into the urban landscape. This thoughtful design not only enhances livability but also positions Ascenda as a model for sustainable and futureready communities in the region.
It will have a 65-hectare Town Center, which features commercial district, an eco-park, among others.
“We refer to Ascenda as ‘Davao’s Nature-Inspired Southern Gateway’ because it draws from Ayala Land’s experience in masterplanning largescale suburban estates that place nature at the top of their value proposition,” Dy said. VG Cabuag
Pag-IBIG Fund, DHSUD, DSWD Turned Over 4PH Homes to 4Ps Beneficiaries in San Mateo, Rizal
PAG -IBIG Fund, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) turned over new housing units on Monday, 29 September, to graduating qualified beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who are also active Pag-IBIG Fund members. The turnover ceremony, held at the Abuab Housing Project in San Mateo, Rizal, also marked the kickoff of National Shelter Month 2025, reinforcing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to provide safe, decent, and affordable shelter for all Filipinos. The event showcased the result of strong collaboration among national government agencies and local government units, working together to expand access to dignified housing under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program (4PH).
DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling highlighted the importance of inter-agency cooperation in fulfilling the administration’s housing goals.
"President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed all government agencies to help one another in making homeownership more accessible to Filipinos, especially our 4Ps beneficiaries. Today’s turnover is a fulfillment of that directive. This is the first Expanded 4PH pilot project in Region IV-A. In close coordination with DSWD, we are matching the housing needs of 4Ps families in our collective effort to uplift lives," said Secretary Aliling.
Meanwhile, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian emphasized the long-term impact of the initiative on social development.
"DSWD’s mandate is not only
to provide relief during times of crisis but to help our fellow Filipinos break free from poverty. This is the first time we have partnered with DHSUD on a project like this, and we are grateful that our 4Ps beneficiaries now have the chance to own a home through the expanded 4PH program. Hindi na kayo uupa. May sarili na kayong tahanan," said Secretary Gatchalian.
Pag-IBIG Fund, represented by Deputy Chief Executive Officer Alexander Hilario G. Aguilar, affirmed that qualified members can avail of their own homes at Abuab Towers, which will offer a total of 4,330 condominium units. For a 24-squaremeter unit, the monthly amortization is as low as P6,201.81 and can be further reduced to P4,849.38 with DHSUD’s subsidy.
More than 100 4Ps beneficiaries have already received Notices of Approval for their Pag-IBIG housing loans, with several formally receiving their units during the ceremony. Pag-IBIG Fund continues to serve members nationwide through a wide range of benefits, including savings programs, multipurpose loans for urgent needs, and other housing modalities under the Expanded 4PH Program.
To bring services closer to the community, Pag-IBIG Fund deployed its Lingkod Pag-IBIG on Wheels (LPOW) during the event. The mobile service unit provided on-thespot assistance for membership registration, housing loan inquiries, and other programs.
The San Mateo turnover stands as a milestone in the joint efforts of DHSUD, DSWD, Pag-IBIG Fund, and the Local Government of San Mateo to realize the government's vision of providing every Filipino family with a decent and affordable home.
Housing agencies to stop collections in Cebu, Bicol
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio
THE government has directed its housing agencies to suspend amortization payments in areas severely affected by the recent earthquake in Cebu and the twin typhoons that battered the Bicol Region.
In a memorandum issued last Thursday, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) ordered the agencies under its tutelage to implement a moratorium on monthly housing amortization for members whose homes were damaged or destroyed.
The order covers the Home Development Mutual (Pag-IBIG) Fund, the National Housing Authority (NHA), the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. (NHMFC) and the Social Housing Finance Corp. (SHFC). Regional offices of the DHSUD in Bicol and Central Visayas were
THE Department of Finance (DOF) announced last Thursday of having maintained its International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification for its compliance with global standards.
A statement issued by the DOF read that the department sustained its ISO 9001:2015 certification for eight years, following a third surveillance audit conducted in September 2025.
By securing an ISO certification, an organization’s management system, process, service, or documentation procedure has met all the global requirements for standardization and quality assurance set by the International Organization for Standardization.
According to the non-governmental body, ISO 9001 is a standard “that sets out the requirements for a quality management system. It helps businesses and organizations to be more efficient and improve customer satisfaction.”
“This stamp of approval from the ISO is evidence of the kind of public service that we at the DOF are committed to delivering. At the DOF, there is no room for ‘just good enough.’ Everything must be aligned with global standards,” Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto was quoted as
Banking&Finance DOF orders GOCCs to release resources for quake victims
also directed to inspect sites to determine the extent of destruction and identify beneficiaries eligible for assistance.
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Cebu on Tuesday night, killing more than 70 people and injuring hundreds. According to disaster officials, the tremor affected over 47,000 families, many of whom lost their homes after strong ground shaking and secondary landslides. Last week, typhoons “Nando” (international name: “Ragasa”) and “Opong” (international name: “Bualoi”) swept across the Bicol Region, toppling structures and flooding towns in Masbate, where thousands of shelters were reported either damaged or completely destroyed.
According to a statement, the DHSUD is coordinating with other government agencies and the private sector to “streamline” housing assistance and rehabilitation efforts.
DOF maintains standards with ISO 9001 certification
saying in the statement. The ISO 9001:2015 Certification for its Quality Management System is the most widely recognized quality management standard in the world.
An external team regularly conducts surveillance audits to verify continuous adherence to ISO standards. The third Surveillance Audit on the DOF was carried out on September 17 and 18, 2025.
The audit covered the DOF’s core processes, such as the granting of tax exemptions on importations by the Revenue Office (RO), the support services provided by the Policy Development and Management Services Group, and the functions of the Legal Affairs Office.
The DOF received a feedback score of 99.55 percent in the service quality dimension during the second quarter of 2025.
In 2017, the DOF secured its first ISO 9001 certification (2008 version), covering the core processes of the RO and the Municipal Development Fund Office, and the updated 2015 version later that same year.
Since then, the DOF has maintained its certification through successful recertification audits conducted in 2021 and 2024, alongside annual surveillance audits.
Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
TBy Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
HE Department of Finance
(DOF) has ordered all state-run firms to deploy resources, provide critical services and roll out calamity assistance packages to the victims of the recent earthquake in Cebu.
Department Circular 003-2025
issued by the DOF on October 1 directed government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs) to accelerate service delivery and ground support after natural calamities.
The order covers the 53 GOCCs and nine GFIs under DOF oversight, particularly those in utilities, infrastructure, logistics, communications, housing, financial services and other essential public functions. They are instructed to use available resources, personnel, and
equipment; prioritize restoring power, water, communications, and transport; and coordinate with national agencies, local governments and stakeholders for an integrated response.
Calamity-related assistance packages, such as cash aid, concessional loans, deferred payment schemes or service subsidies, were also ordered to be immediately rolled out.
In addition, they are also told to fast-track the processing of insurance claims for damaged properties, assist borrowers in affected areas and provide short-term loans for the
DBM to release ₧375M to support Cebu rehab
THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is set to release P375 million to support rehabilitation efforts in Cebu following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck on September 30.
On October 2, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman instructed the DBM to immediately process the release of P150 million for Cebu province and P75 million for each of the municipalities of San Remigio, Bogo City and Medellin sourced from the Local Government Support Fund. The DBM assured the public that the national government has sufficient funds to quickly respond to the needs of the province.
“Our government is prepared. We have standby funds that can be tapped immediately to deliver assistance to those affected. In moments like this, government aid must never be delayed,” Pangandaman said.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRM) Fund stood at P5.3 billion as of October 2. This calamity
fund can be used for broader rehabilitation efforts and the repair of infrastructure damaged by the earthquake.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development was given P625 million for the replenishment of its Quick Response Fund (QRF), while the Department of Public Works and Highways received P1 billion.
The QRF is an emergency standby fund lodged under the NDRRM Fund, enabling frontline agencies to provide immediate assistance to areas affected by disasters and emergencies.
“This is a whole-of-government approach—from the release of funds, to the delivery of emergency services, and the conduct of ground zero assessments,” Pangandaman said.
Citing the latest reports, the DBM said the 6.9-magnitude earthquake left 72 people dead and nearly 300 injured in Cebu. Despite the extensive damage, the DBM vowed to provide the government’s support to speed up Cebu’s recovery and assist neighboring areas. Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
PDIC to sell properties, equipment for creditors’ claims
THE Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) will sell real estate properties as well as transportation and power equipment through an electronic public bidding (e-bidding) toward the end of the month.
According to the PDIC, about 67 real properties, two vehicles, and a generator set would be bid out on October 29 and October 30 through the insurer’s e-bidding portal. Proceeds from the sale of closed bank-owned properties go directly to a fund the PDIC manages for these closed banks to settle creditors’ claims, according to the government financial institution.
repair of homes and the recovery of livelihoods.
At the same time, they must ensure the continuity of financial services by keeping branches operational, ATMs functional and other service channels available to the public.
“Our goal is to make sure that when calamity strikes, the GFIs and GOCCs respond without delay. They must also be the first responders to restore essential public services and work hand in hand with the government to help our people recover faster,” Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto was quoted in a separate statement as saying.
According to the DOF, the Social Security System is ready to provide P10 billion to P15 billion under its Calamity Loan Program for this year to disaster-stricken members.
To deliver financial relief to affected Filipinos in calamity-declared areas, Recto, who is also the ex officio chair of the Social Security Commission, approved a lower annual interest rate of 7 percent and a faster activation period of seven days under the program.
The Government Service Insurance System is also extending financial aid to disaster-stricken Filipinos through its calamity and emergency loans.
Those with mortgaged houses can file for insurance claims through the Pag-Ibig Fund, where members in affected areas may also be eligible for calamity loans. For minor repairs, members can access short-term improvement loans.
Meanwhile, the Land Bank of the Philippines vows to facilitate quick access to salary loans for employees of government agencies and private companies using the state-run lender’s payroll service.
The Bureau of the Treasury is prepared to submit a claim for the restoration and repair of public schools damaged by the earthquake under the National Indemnity Insurance program, the DOF added.
“We assure the Filipino people that we have more than enough funds to support the victims, lalo na ang ating mga magsasaka, manggagawa, estudyante, at bawat pamilyang Pilipino na apektado ng trahedya,” Recto said.
Beyond measure: The impact of associations on society
IOFTENTIMES hear the expression “beyond measure” in religious and poetic contexts. It means to an extreme or immeasurable degree; something that is so great, intense, or vast that it cannot be quantified or fully expressed.
In a world driven by metrics and key performance indicators, the phrase “beyond measure” reminds us that not everything that counts can be counted. Associations, which are mission-driven, member-based organizations, are prime examples of entities whose true impact often defies simple quantification. While reports, surveys, and dashboards can capture the breadth of their activities, the depth of their influence is often intangible, yet deeply transformative.
industry. This cultural and ethical leadership cannot be easily quantified, but it is essential to long-term progress and integrity.
The phrase “beyond measure” also reflects the passion and dedication of association leaders and volunteers. Their work, often behind the scenes, is fueled not just by duty, but by a deep sense of purpose. They give of their time, talent, and resources to build something bigger than themselves. The sense of belonging, mentorship, and shared mission they foster among members has lasting emotional and professional value.
The two mixed residential/agricultural lots with improvements; one mixed commercial/residential lot with improvements; one mixed vacant residential/agricultural lot; and one agricultural lot. The largest property for sale is 8.2 hectares.
The properties include 34 vacant agricultural lots; 15 vacant residential lots; eight residential lots with improvements; three agricultural lots with improvements; and two commercial lots with improvements.
Masbate banks resume operations after
By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-
nas (BSP) recently announced that based on the report of its Legazpi branch, all banks in Masbate have resumed operations following the devastation caused by Typhoon Opong. However, according to the Masbate Bankers Association (MBA), some automated teller machines (ATMs) are still offline due to connectivity issues. Nonetheless, over-the-counter withdrawals and other transactions may already be done at all banks in the province, the BSP said.
The BSP said that its Legazpi branch has been servicing the cash requirement of banks in Masbate.
“The branch has also been closely coordinating with supervised financial institutions to sustain the availability of banking services in the province,” the BSP said
“These actions support communities hit by Typhoon Opong and keep essential financial transactions flowing during recovery. The BSP will continue to closely monitor the situation to meet the cash and banking services needs of the people,” the BSP said. Earlier, the President said among the pressing concerns in the province
“The BSP will continue to monitor banking operations in Masbate as the province recovers from the typhoon, in line with the central bank’s commitment to efficient delivery of financial services,” read a statement issued by the central bank. Initailly, the BSP said it can accommodate emergency withdrawals, should local banks from the island province of Masbate need it.
The real properties are located in Aklan, Apayao, Batangas, Bohol, Camarines Sur, Capiz, Cavite, Cebu, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, La Union, Laguna, Leyte, Mindoro Occidental, and Misamis Oriental.
was poor access to cash due to the lack of power in many of its banks in the aftermath of Typhoon Opong.
He said two operational branches of Land Bank of the Philippines will try to provide for the cash withdrawal needs in Masbate.
MEANWHILE, the BSP said it recently conducted an Economic and Financial Learning Program (EFLP) in Cotabato City to help farmers, fisherfolk, and agri-entrepreneurs in the area make smarter financial decisions.
The sessions covered agri-business development, financing and insurance
The other properties are also located in Negros Oriental, Pangasinan, Sultan Kudarat, Tarlac, and Zamboanga del Norte. The vehicles and generator are in Barcenaga, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Cai U. Ordinario
options, and digital financial tools. These also included strategies for emergency preparedness and longterm financial planning as well as Islamic banking and financial services for Muslim communities.
According to the BSP’s 2021 Financial Inclusion Survey, 73 percent of farmers and fisherfolk remain outside the formal financial system.
Barriers include limited access to banks, high transaction costs, lack of documentation, and low financial awareness.
Through the EFLP, the BSP continues to advance financial education and inclusion, especially in underserved sectors like agriculture.
The Cotabato session was the fourth EFLP rollout this year, following earlier sessions for students and educators, MSMEs, and BSP employees.
As I wrote here in my earlier 3-part article series on “Why Associations Matter,” associations play a pivotal role in shaping industries, advancing professions, and strengthening communities. They serve as platforms for collaboration, hubs of knowledge exchange, and catalysts for innovation. But their value extends well beyond the numbers and beyond membership tallies, event attendance, or revenue growth. Their work touches lives, uplifts standards, empowers individuals, and inspires collective action in ways that are difficult to fully measure.
Consider, for instance, a medical association that updates clinical guidelines to improve patient outcomes. The direct output may be a published document, but the real impact lies in lives saved, suffering eased, and futures secured. Or a teachers’ association that advocates for better education policies whose influence may ripple through generations of learners, shaping mindsets and unlocking potential. These outcomes, though profound, rarely show up neatly in quarterly reports.
Moreover, associations often serve as guardians of ethics and stewards of trust within their sectors. They uphold codes of conduct, champion sustainability, and promote inclusivity: principles that contribute to the moral fabric of a profession or
In an age of data-driven decision-making, it is important to recognize and celebrate the qualitative impact of associations. While it is necessary to track metrics and outcomes, it is equally important to listen to stories, gather testimonials, and capture the spirit of what these organizations achieve. Their influence, while hard to plot on a graph, is real and resonant.
As associations continue to navigate a rapidly changing world, e.g., adapting to digital shifts, responding to global challenges, and meeting the evolving needs of their members, they must not lose sight of this deeper impact. Their ability to inspire, to connect, and to lead with heart is what sets them apart.
In the end, the most meaningful legacies of associations are often those that can be felt but not counted. Their contributions, like trust, hope, and progress, are truly beyond measure.
Octavio Peralta A ssociation World
FLOODS, FUNDS, AND FACEPALMS:
Can Vince Dizon clean up the DPWH mess?
THERE’S a hilarious before-and-after meme going around featuring Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon referencing job applicants and a popular tune of 1980s British rock band The Smiths.
The “Before DPWH” photo shows Dizon all smiles and dapper in a casual business suit beaming at the camera. The “after” photo has Dizon, now Public Works Secretary, dressed in a crumpled shirt and rain jacket, his face all scrunched-up in frustration and hair askew, while he is in the field probably inspecting another substandard flood project. The meme’s caption goes (sing it with me): “I was looking for a job and then I found a job, and heaven knows I’m miserable now....”
I don’t know what possessed Sec. Vince to accept the job as Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief, when he was hardly finished with his work at the Department of Transportation (DOTr). I, for one, was still hoping he could order the construction of an escalator or elevator at the MRT Ortigas station. That is probably the worst hiking experience for commuters ever—after the legendary Mount Kamuning pedestrian footbridge.
(But as one former Cabinet Secretary told me, when I lightly ridiculed him about accepting his position, “You can’t say ‘No’ to the President.” I of course retorted flippantly, “Yes you can!”)
But as difficult as the job Sec. Vince had to do in DOTr—although the cleanup there had already been initiated by his immediate predecessor, former airline executive Jimmy Bautista—the job of auditing and inspecting DPWH flood-control projects is probably not just exhausting but most likely depressing, as one can imagine. A trillion pesos in substandard or ghost flood-control projects in the past decade?! And yet we have floods everywhere?!?!
That staggering amount made me wince in utter grief and frustration...but, yes, anger soon followed— the reason I went out of my home, like so many thousands of other Filipinos all over the country on Sunday, September 21, to protest the continuing corruption in government. Ironically, it was the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines by the current President’s father, the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.—a name also synonymous with corruption.
It was Marcos Jr., of course, who opened the... uhmmm...floodgate of allegations and investigations into these DPWH projects, after he called out their irregularities and the possible collusion of some government executives. He later named 15 private construction companies which implemented these highly questionable projects.
And while both houses of Congress continue their respective probes into the flood-control mess, along with the President’s own recently formed investigation body, the Independent Commission on Infrastructure, Sen. Loren Legarda, rightly so,
recently raised the possibility that the corruption in DPWH may also cover other projects it implements for government agencies like the Departments of Health (DOH), Education (DepEd), Agriculture (DA), and Tourism (DOT).
Under the current setup, funds are lodged with the DOH, DepEd, and DA for infrastructure projects. These agencies then download these funds to the DPWH to construct those projects as it has the engineering expertise. (For tourism roads, funds for their construction are directly allocated to the DPWH, since the law doesn’t provide the DOT any infrastructure construction function, per se.)
During the hearing of DOT’s budget on September 25, Legarda demanded: “How would we know, as I said, health centers and hospitals, tourism roads, farm-to-market roads, DepEd school buildings, all DPWH [projects, have been completed?] If there could be some standard, or even goals in the DPWH for their own organic projects, what more the other agencies? Baka naman nabibiktima ang mga ibang departments?”
She continued, “If we allocate [project funds] in the other departments to be implemented by an agency, which has gained notoriety of late, and inaamin nila [that] this is this is what happens, we might be wasting the whole national budget, right?”
The senior lawmaker likewise instructed Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco not to rely on the reports of the DPWH regarding the status of tourism roads, and instead have the latter’s own regional executives visit these projects for more accurate reporting.
Frasco had said during the budget hearing that 882.28 kilometers of tourism roads were completed by the DPWH from 2022 to 2024, under the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (TRIP). These projects
cost over P46 billion. (See “Do your own spot checks, tourism roads may be next ghost projects, DOT told,” BUSINESSMIRROR, September 27, 2025.)
To recap, the DOT and DPWH jointly forged TRIP in 2012, under the terms of then Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. and then Public Works chief Rogelio “Babes” Singson. The convergence program calls on both agencies to agree on priority tourism roads that have to be built. These roads are designed to connect vital infrastructure like airports or seaports to resorts and hotels in key tourism destinations.
Following Senator Legarda’s own questions regarding the credibility of the DPWH’s tourism roads report, an agency insider told me that the Secretary will also have these projects probed. “It’s in Sec. Vince’s plan. We’re just gathering momentum to investigate those projects, too,” my source assured.
So Sec. Vince certainly has more than enough work on his head, his shoulders, his hands, and his feet. Thank goodness he is young enough to have the energy to keep going around and inspecting all these DPWH projects. (I guess he has been hard-pressed to delegate the inspections as he is unsure how far corruption in the agency goes, and who can actually be trusted to give him honest monitoring reports.)
Sec. Vince should take loads of vitamins and minerals to keep up with the demands of his job. Meanwhile, lawmakers—especially those alleged to have received kickbacks on these irregular DPWH projects— and officials of this administration have been put on notice. Judging from the numbers that joined the protest marches and rallies last September 21, we, the Filipino taxpayers, are keeping a close watch on this flood-control mess. We are hoping something good for the country eventually comes out of these investigations, after all the hearings have been wrapped up.
By Eugenia Last
staying current with industry changes. ★★★ LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Be creative; consider how you can make your surroundings and lifestyle more accommodating and practical. Divvy up your workload to ensure you attend events or sign up for activities that spark your imagination or encourage you to look and feel your best. ★★★★★
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Refrain from sharing too much information or secrets. Be a good listener and only respond to what’s necessary. Anger and frustration can lead to opposition and setbacks. Look for opportunities to travel, reunite with old friends or learn something new that will help you advance or redirect your professional goals. Personal growth is favored. ★★
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Be open regarding your intentions, and you’ll receive positive input that helps you gain insight into how best to proceed. Only pay for what you need, and don’t hesitate to say no to anyone putting pressure on you to do or contribute more than necessary. It’s time to invest in yourself instead of supporting someone else’s dreams.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Stick to simple, costeffective solutions. Channel your energy into doing, not arguing over what others think or want from you. Time is money, and it’s necessary to look out for your interests. Opportunity is within reach, but only if you are willing to put yourself first.
SIMPLE LIFE
BEFORE he married the celebrity, the politician lived a relatively simple life, considering his status. He and his family lived in a modest but comfortable home. But marriage to the celebrity changed that. The politician is by no means innocent in all this because he gave his wife all that money of his own free will but it’s obvious that he would not be living this life if he had not married her. Because of the recent uproar against those in government who live luxuriously in these difficult times, the husband told his wife to keep a low profile and not flaunt whatever it is she keeps flaunting.
BIRDS OF THE SAME FEATHER
PEOPLE are comparing a young and pretty starlet to a star who is no longer active in show business, this for a lot of reasons. One is that they became popular not because they are talented but because of luck. The more important reason, they say, is that they’re both allegedly uncouth and rude. The young and pretty starlet is very popular but many claim to have had rude encounters with her. The more senior star has had many horror stories told about her behavior too. One of these stories is that she insists on sleeping while having her makeup done, making things difficult for her glam team.
FAT SHAMED
THE starlet must have had a difficult time growing up as a chubby girl because her father is known for being fatphobic. Those who are close to the starlet have, in fact, heard her father castigating her for being overweight. According to these sources, he even goes as far as comparing her to thinner girls, saying “no one will say you’re beautiful because you’re fat.” The starlet eventually gave in to this pressure and is now as thin as her father wants her to be. She is a lovely and nice girl at any weight.
ON THE ROCKS
IT seems that the marriage of this beautiful couple is on the rocks but both parties are working hard to save it. It reportedly got to the point where the wife left the marital home but came back after a while. There are no cheating rumors on both sides so everyone is curious as to what happened. The wife has not posted anything about her husband on social media in a while and this has added to everyone’s curiosity about what is happening.
‘BIYAHE NI DREW’ MOVES TO AN EARLIER TIMESLOT
BIYAHEROS, get ready for an earlier Sunday adventure!
Beginning on September 28, popular travel show
Biyahe ni Drew can now be seen on a new timeslot, promising more thrilling and captivating adventures that viewers should not miss. Hosted by award-winning host and “ultimate biyahero” Drew Arellano, the program airs every Sunday at 6:10 pm on GTV.
Last week, Biyahe ni Drew kicked off its new schedule with an adventure to the breathtaking province of Sarangani, known for its stunning landscapes and rich culture. Drew was joined by Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre’s Ashley Rivera.
The pair took on the exhilarating challenge of whitewater tubing on the Pangi River, recognized as one of the cleanest rivers in Mindanao. Known for his adventurous spirit, Drew put his skills to the test, with Ashley right there with him ready for the action.
The friendly rivalry continued in the kitchen as Drew and Ashley faced off in a cooking showdown. Using vannamei shrimp, they competed to see who could whip up the most delicious dish. They also tried tinagtag, a local delicacy prepared using a unique cooking method. Biyahe ni Drew airs Sundays at 6:10 pm on GTV. Global Pinoys can also tune in via the GMA International channel, GMA Life TV. More information can be found at www.gmanetwork.com.
Show BusinessMirror
From ‘Empress’ to ‘Wayward’
THERE is an interesting take on European history happening onscreen and this is the story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria and her love affair and adventure with Franz Joseph of Austria. Bearing the title (its German title is Die Kaiserin), the tale is a pushand-pull between the grand and the intimate, with the depiction of the empire startling us with how miniscule sometimes the historical antecedents involving these grand personalities that once ruled the narratives of power and conquest in that part of the world.
The tale begins with a very young girl, an impulsive Sisi—the Bavarian Duchess, Elisabeth von Wittellsbach. She is pictured as tomboyish, a lover of horses, in contrast to her sister, the Duchess Helene, who is not only being groomed as the next Empress but is much willing to go through the challenge of being introduced to Franz Joseph of Austria.
As fate would have it, the young Sisi who much prefers to be addressed as Elisabeth sees Franz and is smitten and falls in love with the young man. Franz at this point has taken over the empire.
Ludovika travels with Helene and Elisabeth to Austria for the engagement. That day also happens to be the birthday of Franz and it is during this moment that he will announce his engagement with Helene. Without the knowledge of both their mother and Helene, Sisi and Franz have, more or less, found themselves liking each other. Indeed, during the birthday celebration, Franz announces who he will marry and it is Elisabeth, not Helene.
The wonder of it all is that there is no remorse on the part of Elisabeth; for the family of Elisabeth also, the complication did not last long—it just felt natural that, if the other daughter is not marrying the emperor, then the other one, if she is willing, can always be the empress.
What follows then is how Elisabeth tries to negotiate the court—its affairs and complexities.
Along the way, characters like Johann Strauss, the great composer, make an appearance and in the soiree—which is more like a stag party before the wedding—even the mighty Franz Liszt regales the bacchanalia with his piano-playing.
I still have to complete viewing this spectacle of a drama. Handsomely photographed, The Empress is the kind of film that suffuses the screen with the splendor that we associate with desire and conquest. Emotions seem to run high and hot among these characters. Outside of Franz, the emperor, there is his brother Maximilian who, while wholly trusted by the brother, appears to teeter on the edge always of infidelity.
Empress Elisabeth herself is both a tough and a delicate character. Around her, there is the mother-inlaw and other ladies-in-waiting who are, I am afraid,
Which brings me to another film—Wayward. It is a strange story about young people, which while on the surface it feels like it is reaching out to them, in the end it manages to alienate the very depiction of the said population.
The film centers on two good friends—one a dyslexic and another, for lack of a newer term, a juvenile delinquent. Abbie belongs to a rather comfortable family but a father who demands a lot from her; Leila finds comfort in being with Abbie. In Abbie’s home, Leila is sent away by her friend’s father who does not hide his discomfort about this friend’s wayward habits.
Many things are happening in this film. For one, the film opens with a runaway, a boy who escapes from what would turn out to be the very institution that Abbie’s parents would later bring their daughter
“queer” to address Alex, the husband of the young, In the town, Alex notices an odd behaviour in many of the residents of the town. One day, upon returning from running an errand for his wife, Alex finds Evelyn, the head of the Tall Pines Academy, an institution that keeps troubled young men and women, in their home.
Leila would soon find Abbie in Tall Pines and with the help of Alex, they would try to uncover the dark secrets of the town.
Mae Martin who plays the transgender policeman, created the series, which made Wayward a gripping if not messy mystery thriller about abandonment, isolation and identity.
Toni Colette’s performance in the film is a tour de force, even if in most part she was stealing the scene from what would have been quiet depictions of events. Her character has been described as committed. The two young actors are a find: Alyvia Alyn Lind as Leila and Sydney Topfliffe as Abbie. The Empress and Wayward are streaming on Netflix.
Nicole Kidman files for divorce from Keith Urban after 19 years of marriage
NASHVILLE, Tennessee—Nicole Kidman has filed for divorce from Keith Urban after 19 years of marriage, bringing a surprising end to a long and seemingly successful union that brought together two superstars from the worlds of movies and music.
The 58-year-old Oscar-winning actor petitioned on Tuesday to end her marriage to the 57-year-old Grammy-winning country singer in a Nashville court. The documents state the couple has undergone “marital difficulties and irreconcilable differences.”
Kidman and Urban, two of the biggest stars to come out of Australia in recent decades, have been red carpet fixtures throughout their two-decade relationship, with Urban joining his wife at the Oscars and Kidman attending music events like the Academy of Country Music Awards.
The filings include a marriage dissolution and childcare plan agreed on by the couple and submitted for a judge’s approval.
“The mother and father will behave with each other and each child so as to provide a loving, stable, consistent and nurturing relationship with the child even though they are divorced,” says the permanent parenting plan, using language common in the state’s divorces. “They will not speak badly of each other or the members of the family of the other parent. They will encourage each child to continue to love the other parent and be comfortable in both families.”
The plan asks that Kidman be the primary residential parent to the couple’s two daughters, ages 17 and 14, having them for 306 days per year with Urban taking them for the other 59.
The girls have lived in Nashville all their lives, and the documents give no indication that will change.
The filing states that each parent earns more than $100,000 per month and neither will need childcare or spousal support.
The marriage dissolution plan lays out a roughly equal division of joint assets, with each keeping all the assets that are in their own name, including the copyrights and royalties for their artistic work.
The detailed agreements suggests that the divorce had been in the works for well over a month at the least. Urban signed the parenting plan on August 29, Kidman on September 6. It will take at least 90 days for the divorce to become final under Tennessee law.
Representatives for Kidman and Urban did not respond to emailed requests for comment on Tuesday. Both raised in Australia, Kidman and Urban met in 2005 at a Los Angeles event honoring Australians and were married in Sydney the following year.
The marriage was the first for Urban and the second for Kidman, who was married to Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001. Kidman also has two older children with Cruise.
The couple had publicly but lovingly described some marital difficulties, but there were still few if any signs they were headed for divorce. Media reports of their separation came just a day before the divorce filing.
Last year at the premiere of the Netflix series The Perfect Couple, Kidman told The Associated Press the term didn’t apply to her and Urban.
“You’re heading for trouble if you consider yourselves the perfect couple,” she said. “I’m not a believer in perfect.” A few months earlier, Urban paid tribute to Kidman, and brought her to tears, when she received the AFI Life Achievement Award.
Urban said she showed him “what love in action really looks like” when his substance abuse problems emerged almost immediately after they wed in 2006.
“Four months into our marriage, I’m in rehab for three months,” Urban said. “Nic pushed through every negative voice, I’m sure even some of her own, and she chose love. And here we are 18 years later.”
Kidman’s film roles have included Days of Thunder, Eyes Wide Shut, Moulin Rouge and The Hours, for which she won an Academy Award for playing author Virginia Woolf. She has more recently worked in television, including the series Nine Perfect Strangers and Big Little Lies, for which she won Emmys as both actor and producer. AP
Indulge in a World of Flavors at Okada Manila’s Medley Buffet
From succulent roasts
to delicate sashimi, Okada Manila’s Medley Buffet invites diners to embark on a global culinary voyage. The resort’s signature buffet restaurant is redefining the dining experience with an unrivaled spread of international favorites, immersive live stations, and one-of-a-kind features that make every visit unforgettable.
As part of Okada Manila’s “The World’s Best Flavors in One Destination” campaign, Medley Buffet takes guests on a flavorful journey across the globe every time they dine.
“Our goal is to surprise and delight guests at every turn,” said Medley Buffet’s Chef de Cuisine Guillermo Aspera. “Whether it’s savoring the day’s freshest catch at our seafood station or discovering unique flavors inside the Cheese Room, Medley Buffet is designed to create moments worth remembering.”
Guests can enjoy flavors from Asia and beyond across its seven stations— authentic Japanese sushi and tempura, aromatic Indian curries, Italian pastas and pizzas, and Filipino classics crafted with premium local ingredients. Signature
live stations bring the experience to life:
chefs carving prime rib fresh from the oven, steaming bowls of laksa and tom yum prepared to order, and a dessert spread featuring decadent cakes, native delicacies, artisanal ice cream, and seasonal fruits.
Complementing the lavish spread are free-flowing beverages, including fruit juices, sodas, wine, local beers, coffee, and tea.
Medley Buffet sets itself apart as the only Cheese Room in Metro Manila, a dedicated haven for cheese lovers. Stocked with a well-curated selection of international and local cheeses, the room also offers premium cold cuts such as Jamon Ibérico, alongside nuts, fruits, honey, and jams. It is a mustvisit highlight that elevates the buffet beyond the ordinary.
With four private dining rooms accommodating intimate groups to large family gatherings, Medley Buffet is an ideal venue for celebrations, reunions, or corporate get-togethers.
BPI cardholders can enjoy an exclusive treat of 20 percent off at Medley Buffet with selected cards until November 30, 2025. Meanwhile, Reward Circle members enjoy up to 25 percent off when they present their membership card.
Savor the world’s best flavors at Medley Buffet, where fresh Japanese specialties, handmade Italian pastas, and bold Indian classics come together for an unforgettable feast. For inquiries and reservations, please send an email to RestaurantReservation@ okadamanila.com or call +632 8555 5799.
Goldilocks Unveils the NEW Signature Chocolate: The Ultimate Indulgence for Chocolate Lovers
GOOLDILOCKS is raising the bar for chocolate indulgence with the launch of its newest premium creation, the Signature Chocolate, a cake designed to excite chocolate lovers and elevate every celebration. This indulgent centerpiece combines four layers of rich black velvet cake wrapped in smooth, silky chocolate frosting. Each slice surprises with a satisfying crunch of cashew praline between layers, adding a unique texture to the moist, decadent cake. To finish, it is crowned with bittersweet chocolate curls atop a base of chocolate droplets, a
striking presentation that’s as impressive as it is delicious.
The Signature Chocolate isn’t just a dessert; it’s an experience. Whether it’s for birthdays, milestones, or big gatherings, it’s the perfect treat to turn signature moments into unforgettable celebrations.
Now available for only P750, the Signature Chocolate can be enjoyed in Goldilocks stores nationwide, or delivered straight to your door through www.goldilocksdelivery.ph, GrabFood, and foodpanda. For more updates, follow Goldilocks on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Michelin-Recognized IKOKA Yakitori Now in the Philippines
FOODIES in the Philippines can now savor the taste of Osaka’s award-winning yakitori as IKOKA Japanese Yakitori, founded by Chef Masashi Hara in Osaka, Japan and recognized by the Michelin Bib Gourmand for five consecutive years, officially opens in Manila.
IKOKA Yakitori has earned global acclaim for its mastery of yakitori—chicken skewers grilled over premium Binchotan charcoal, enhanced simply with salt or the restaurant’s signature tare sauce. Each skewer reflects years of artisan training, a craft that has placed IKOKA among Japan’s most celebrated dining experiences.
“Yakitori is more than food—it is culture, tradition, and craftsmanship,” says Chef Masashi Hara, founder of Hara Masashi Co., Ltd. “We are proud to bring the same Michelin-recognized quality to the Philippines, where our chefs are trained to deliver the same authentic flavors as in Japan.”
The newly opened restaurant showcases woodcrafted interiors inspired by Japanese design, offering a refined yet inviting atmosphere suitable for dates, family gatherings, or business occasions. Counter seating provides diners with a front-row view of the live grilling, creating an immersive culinary experience. The Philippines marks an important milestone in IKOKA’s global expansion vision. With a vibrant, youthful market and strong appreciation for authentic dining, the
The 1st International Ice Cream and Gelato Expo Arrives in the PHL this October
THE frozen dessert industry is about to take center stage as Haliburton International Events Corporation proudly presents the 1st International Ice Cream and Gelato Expo (ICEGEX), happening on October 24 to 26, 2025 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila.
As the official Event Organizer, Haliburton is bringing together global and local leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts of ice cream, gelato, and frozen desserts in this first-of-its-kind showcase. Supporting this groundbreaking initiative is Cut Unlimited, Inc., serving as the Exhibition Manager, ensuring a dynamic and wellcurated experience for both exhibitors and visitors.
ICEGEX 2025 promises to be a premier platform where businesses, artisans, and consumers can discover the latest trends, technologies, and flavors shaping the frozen dessert industry.
This milestone event is set to gather key players, innovators, enthusiasts, and entrepreneurs from across the country for a three-day celebration of ice cream, gelato, and everything in between.
Co-presented by Sterling Pacific Ventures Corp., this expo marks a pivotal moment — placing the Philippines on the map as a serious player in the world of ice cream and gelato.
N July 19, 2025, BingoPlus Foundation, the social development arm of DigiPlus, gathered 80 FutureSmart scholars from across the country for its second general assembly for a day of growth, connection, and inspiration. The event featured professional trainers, national beauty queen ambassadors, and nonprofit leaders who shared actionable insights and leadership tools to help the scholars become future-ready leaders.
Through its P.L.U.S. (Pioneering Leadership and Uplifting Service) Factor Program, the Foundation underscores its commitment to nurturing young talents with more than financial aid. The program equips scholars with essential life skills such as leadership, resilience, and a sense of service, ensuring they are prepared to lead both in their chosen careers and in their communities.
Building on the momentum of past sessions, this year’s assembly focused on the two highimpact workshops: Purpose and Vision, which guided scholars in aligning their personal mission with future advocacies, and public speaking, which enhanced their confidence, presence, and ability to influence others.
The Purpose and Vision Workshop aimed to guide scholars in uncovering what drives them and aligning it with their future careers and advocacies. Through reflection exercises and guided discussions, participants explored how understanding their “why” can empower them to lead with intention and integrity.
“We believe transformation begins when a young person discovers their purpose,” said Jasper Vicencio, President of AB Leisure Exponent and Vice President and Trustee of BingoPlus Foundation. “We’re not just offering scholarships. We’re building leaders who can create impact, inspire others, and give back to their communities.” he added.
The workshop was made even more BingoPlus Foundation equips
at the
participating in high-impact workshops on
and leadership. impactful by special guests Chelsea Fernandez, Miss Philippines Cosmo 2025, and Kat Llegado, Miss Philippines Supranational 2026. The two queens shared how they use their pageant platforms to advance meaningful advocacies, shedding light on what it means to lead with purpose.
Adding to the inspiring session was Joie Ann Balaong, Partnership Director of iVolunteer Philippines, who shared her personal journey of turning passion into purpose through community service. Her story echoed a powerful message on how fulfillment comes from alignment between values and vocation.
Before the General Assembly, FutureSmart Scholars joined the PLUS Factor: Public Speaking Workshop, aimed to strengthen the scholars’ communication and presentation skills. The workshop mainly focused on presence and delivery, teaching scholars how to project their voice, maintain a confident posture, and present themselves with clarity and poise.
This session involved a practical application where participants delivered presentations and received direct feedback from mentors.
Through this experience, scholars not only improved their public speaking skills but
also gained a deeper understanding of how communication ties into their personal and professional growth. They also learned how to use their voice as a tool for leadership and advocacy, and gained skills that will serve them as future innovators and community leaders.
“When scholars know their purpose and can speak it with confidence, they become unstoppable forces for good,” said Vicencio. “This is the heart of what we aim to nurture through FutureSmart. We want to help shape leaders who will influence the future with clarity, compassion, and courage.”
Initiatives like this are part of DigiPlus and BingoPlus Foundation’s broader goal to continue to invest in more than just education but in character-building, leadership development, and values formation for the next and future generation of Filipino leaders. With its FutureSmart Scholarship Program, the foundation remains firm in its commitment to cultivating a generation that leads with purpose and uplifts others in the process.
To learn more about the FutureSmart Scholarship Program, follow BingoPlus Foundation on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/BingoPlusFoundation
With the global frozen dessert market projected to hit over $135 billion by 2030, and the Philippines seeing a surge in both consumer demand and artisanal dessert businesses, 2025 is the perfect time to spotlight the country’s growing influence in the industry.
The Philippine food and beverage sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by consumer demand for premium, innovative, and healthier dessert options.
As more Filipino entrepreneurs venture into the frozen dessert space and global brands eye Southeast Asia for expansion, the local market has seen a boom in smallbatch producers, plant-based alternatives, and trend-forward brands.
More than anything, ICEGEX 2025 is a deep dive into the frozen dessert industry.
The expo will showcase exhibitors in ice cream and gelato manufacturing, wholesale ingredients, packaging and labelling, equipment, as well as frozen dessert artisans who are gamechangers in their field.
The expo will also serve as a launchpad for industry dialogue, B2B networking, and knowledge-sharing — providing an ideal space for start-ups, established brands, suppliers, food innovators, and distributors to connect and collaborate.
This August, ICEGEX also welcomed on board Easy Brand, Selecta, Ceres Summit Corporation, Dong Xiao, and Metro Container as sponsors of the inaugural event. These top industry players represent the entire frozen dessert ecosystem — from ingredients and production to packaging and retail.
Their collective presence ensures that the expo delivers a holistic view of the industry — providing attendees with actionable insights and resources to build, improve, or scale their own frozen dessert businesses.
ICEGEX 2025 is also supported by industry associations and government agencies such as the Department of Trade & Industry - Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB); the Department of Agriculture - National Dairy Authority (DA-NDA); the Philippine Food Processors & Exporters Inc. (PHILFOODEX); the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Educators of the Philippines (COHREP); the Food Caterers Association of the Philippines (FCAP); the Hotel and Restaurant Chefs’ Association of the Philippines (HRCAP); the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP); the Association of Local Artisan Food and Other Producers of the Philippines (ALAFOP); and the Philippine Association of Food Technologists, Inc. (PAFT). With ICEGEX backed by immense support from the industry, attendees can look forward to an exciting, well-rounded line-up of live product demos, business talks and industry seminars, B2B networking, interactive exhibition, Sorbestes ice cream competition and Swirlfest soft-serve competition. Whether you’re crafting your first scoop or scaling your production, this expo offers education, inspiration, and opportunity. ICEGEX 2025 is a milestone event you wouldn’t want to miss!
ICEGEX 2025 would like to thank its media partners: Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inquirer.net, POP!, F&B Report, Chinese Commercial News, The Philippine Star, Business World, BusinessMirror, Pilipino Mirror, Philippines Graphic Magazine, Cook Magazine, Asia Food Journal, Discover MNL, Daily Tribune, Exhibits Today, News Watch Plus, Earthlingorgeous, Foodamn Philippines, Iconic MNL, Tsinoy Foodies, Take Off Philippines, The Beat Asia, The Manila Times, WhenInManila.com, as well as our Official Radio Partner, Monster RX 93.1, and our Official Messaging Partner, Rakuten Viber.
ICEGEX 2025 would also like to thank Pinkerton Ice Cream and Everest Appliances.
Mark your calendars and be part of the 1st International Ice Cream and Gelato Expo in the Philippines! For inquiries contact Exhibition Manager, Cut Unlimited Inc. For inquiries & registration: info@ eventsbycut.com. Follow @icegexph on Facebook & Instagram for updates
Medley Buffet sets itself apart as the only Cheese Room in the Metro—a dedicated haven for cheese lovers.
BingoPlus Foundation’s scholars convene
2nd FutureSmart Leaders General Assembly in Makati City,
purpose, vision,
Editor: Tet Andolong • www.businessmirror.com.ph
MERCEDES-BENZ PHILIPPINES BRINGS IN THE NEW GLE 400 E 4MATIC PHEV
Story by Randy S. Peregrino
MERCEDES-BENZ Philippines has added the new GLE 400 e 4MATIC Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) to its electrified lineup. The German automaker claims the hybrid luxury SUV combines performance and efficiency. Its bold design, smart features, and electrified powertrain set a new standard for sustainable luxury in the Philippine Plug-in Hybrid segment.
AMG Styling REGARDING the exterior, the GLE 400 e boasts its AMG Line body styling, highlighted by the diamond grille with the MercedesBenz pattern in chrome. These AMG elements include the front apron with chrome trim strip, side sill panels painted in the vehicle color, and rear apron with a diffuser-look insert in black and a trim strip in chrome. Other design features include distinctive air inlets at the front and rear, wing flares painted in the vehicle color, electrically folding exterior mirrors, an auto-dimming driver’s side exterior mirror, aluminum roof rails, and illuminated running boards with rubber studs. In addition, the vehicle features Multibeam LED Headlamps, which use individually controlled LEDs to adjust light distribution and include Adaptive High Beam Assist Plus for optimal illumination. The latest model also sports 21-inch AMG multi-spoke light-
alloy wheels, designed for a blend of performance and visual appeal. Inside, the GLE 400 e features the MBUX multimedia system with dual 12.3-inch displays and Augmented Reality Navigation. The model supports Apple Car -
Play, Android Auto, HDD Navigation, Active Parking Assist, and a 360-degree camera. The cabin uses ARTICO leather and MICROCUT microfiber, while the Burmester surround sound system ensures high-quality audio.
capacity and flexible cargo configurations, the Captiva adapts to whatever the day demands, whether you are planning for a road trip, grocery run, or school drop-off. Fold the seats for up to 1,709 liters of space, and you’ll have room for everything that matters.” For more details, visit chevrolet.com. ph
MDPPA pitch
THE Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association, Inc. (MDPPA) recently held two road safety seminars to build a culture of responsible riding through education and community partnership.
Teaming up with the Mandaluyong City-based Shigi Shigi Riders Club, Inc., the MDPPA embellished the seminar with a poster-making contest at the Highway Hills Integrated High School in Mandaluyong City.
Some 146 students from Grades 8 to 12 attended the event that centered on safe driving practices, personal and vehicle safety, pedestrian awareness, road courtesy and understanding traffic rules and road infrastructure.
“Teaching road safety at a young age is critical because it lays the foundation
for responsible behavior on the road,” said MDPPA’s Richard Victoria. A similar event was held in Cavite as part of the 2025 anniversary celebration of Motorsiklo Xklusibo’s “Walang Mintis sa Disisais.”
Held at Megaworld Maple Grove in General Trias, the road safety talk focused on real-world issues faced by motorcycle riders, including the most neglected traffic signs, intersection etiquette and the importance of wearing proper helmets. “Sometimes, it’s the little things we overlook that put us most at risk,” said Victoria. “Many riders miss important traffic signs or forget how to navigate intersections safely, even if they’ve been riding for years. That’s why we focus on real-world issues like these during our seminars, which beginner and veteran riders alike encounter every day but may
The cabin offers heated front seats, power-folding 40/20/40 second row, and memory functions for the electrically adjustable seats. There is a rear sunblind, Thermotronic Automatic Climate Control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and standard 64-color ambient lighting.
Other features include a Nappa leather sport steering wheel, chrome interior package, anthracite openpore oak trim, black roof liner, and panoramic sunroof. AMG-branded floormats and sports pedals add finishing touches.
Intelligent Hybrid Power MOTIVATION comes from plug-in hybrid technology that combines a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with an electric motor, delivering 252 hp and 400 N-m of torque. AC charging supports up to 11kW. The car provides an all-electric range of over 100 km (measured on the official test cycle). The AC charging socket is Type 2 and includes a cable for use with a domestic plug.
A 7kW wall box charger with a 5m cable is also available.
The 4MATIC all-wheel drive ensures strong traction on varying roads. DYNAMIC SELECT offers drive modes suited for efficiency or performance.
Safety and convenience
THE GLE 400 e includes advanced
safety features like the PRE-SAFE system, which prepares occupants for collisions, and Active Brake Assist, which helps prevent or lessen accidents by monitoring traffic and intervening when needed.
Standard safety features include ABS, ESP, DSR, electronic traction, Hill-Start Assist, adaptive brake lights, ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection, and ISOFIX child-seat mounts. Other features: comfort seatbelts, window and knee airbags, pedestrian protection, belt tensioners, tire pressure warning, and Urban Guard Vehicle Protection. As for comfort and convenience, there is a DIRECT SELECT gearshift with steering wheel shift paddles, central locking (remote control with selective and global opening), cruise control with SPEEDTRONIC variable speed limiter, Keyless-Go Comfort Package, hands-free package, “Hey Mercedes” voice control, wireless charging for mobile phone in front, and additional USB ports.
Pricing and color
THE new Mercedes-Benz GLE 400 e PHEV with EQ Technology retails at P5.790 million. Available colors are Selenite Grey, HighTech Silver, Obsidian Black, and Polar White.
not always pay attention to.”
For more than 50 years now, MDPPA has been at the forefront of advocating safer roads through awareness campaigns, public engagement and education-based outreach programs. By equipping riders with knowledge that addresses both long-standing and emerging road issues, MDPPA ensures that safety remains a shared responsibility across generations and communities. MDPPA members include leading motorcycle manufacturers Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and TVS. Among the many goals of MDPPA
THE MBUX widescreen of the GLE e 4MATIC PHEV is the absolute interior highlight. MERCEDES-BENZ PHILIPPINES
THE new GLE 400 e 4MATIC PHEV in Selenite Grey color. MERCEDES-BENZ PHILIPPINES
Gilas pool stretched to 16 players–ASP
By Josef Ramos
TIM CONE will be working with a pool of 16 players—instead of 12—for the 2027 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup Asian Qualifiers that start this November.
“ The [16-member] pool gives Coach Tim [Cone] a buffer for any... but hopefully not injuries to our players,” Samahand Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al S. Panlilio said on Thursday.
Three players—who Panlilio and Cone called “logical adds”—are RJ Abarrientos, 6-foot-11 Ange Kouame and Quentin Millora-Brown with Kai Sotto being the pool’s 16th member but is still recovering from his injury.
A barrientos, according to Panlilio who’s known by his alias ASP, is not a surprise addition because he’s been practicing with Gilas and is Cone’s point guard at Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
M illora-Brown, or QMB, Panlilio said, is also a welcome addition to the pool, while Kouame is an able backup to Justin Brownlee as a naturalized player.
“ We know that the Asian qualifiers are a tough competition,” Panlilio said. QMB’s a no-brainer, of course. And RJ and Kouame have been practicing with us since the last window. So, they are all ‘logical adds,’” Cone said. T here are four groups in the Asian Qualifiers—the Philippines is with Guam, Australia and New Zealand in Pool A—and the top three will be advancing further in the event.
W ith Brownlee in the pool are AJ Edu, June Mar Fajardo, Kevin Quiambao, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, Dwight Ramos and Carl Tamayo.
M illora-Brown is a 6-foot10 former University of the Philippines big man who’s playing for the Macau Black Bears in the East Asia Super League. Kouame was in Cone’s team that won the gold medal in the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games two years ago. Gilas travels to Guam on November 28 and will host the same team on December 1 and plays at home against New Zealand on February 26 and Australia on March 1.
Bahrain ready to host more than 4,000 athletes in AYG–Tolentino
THE first batch of the 141-athlete Team Philippines will fly to Manama on October 17 five days ahead of the opening ceremony of the second Asian Youth Games (AYG), according to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Thursday.
The mission, Tolentino said, is to match or surpass the two gold medals Pauline Lopez (taekwondo) and Mia Legaspi (golf) won in the last edition in Nanjing, China, in 2013.
We have strong chances at the gold medals in the combat sports, but we’re not discounting production in other fronts,” said Tolentino, adding that the AYG is the second largest multi-sport competition in the continent after the Asian Games.
The Filipino athletes are competing in 19 of the 26 sports programmed by host Bahrain for the AYG, which started in 2009 in Singapore but were shelved twice in 2017 and 2021 because of the pandemic.
Jiu-jitsu has the most number of athletes with 17, followed by taekwondo with 16 and wrestling with
San Beda aims to extend streak in Super League
SAN BEDA University shoots for a second straight win and a hold of the solo top spot in Pool A against debuting Lyceum of the Philippines University in the 2025 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Preseason Unity Cup on Friday at the Paco Arena.
G ame time is set at 2 p.m. with the Lady Red Spikers and the Lady Pirates clashing in a match-up that was postponed last week due to Typhoon Opong.
Villaroman, Taruc salvage victory for Team North
key matches late in the day.
Earlier in the day, North captured six of the first 11 matches, threatening to pull away, but South clawed back in the boys’ 7-10 division with a clean sweep, while also notching pivotal wins in the 11-14 and 15-18 categories.
R alph Batican and Marcus Dueñas exacted revenge on Vito Sarines and Ryuji Suzuki, 2-up, in boys’ 11-14, while Lucas Revilleza and James Rolida stormed back from behind to edge Halo Pangilinan and Asher Abad, 1-up.
13 in the AYG where Bahrain included its domestic sport of camel racing as well as beach wrestling.
The Philippines is also competing in wolleyball (12), teqball (6), golf (6), triathlon (2), MMA (5), muay (12), athletics (8), boxing (6), cycling (6), weightlifting (6), table tennis (6), badminton (8), beach wrestling (3), aquatics (3), kurash (4) and pencak silat (2).
Tolentino said that in the last AYG meeting in Manama, the hosts announced that 4,250 athletes are competing and will be joined by 900 team and technical officials and 700 coaches.
In organizing the games, the hosts listed a 1,200 work force and 300 volunteers as they aim to surpass expectations.
The second batch of athletes, coaches and team officials are flying on October 20.
C hina dominated the Nanjing games by winning 71 of the 231 gold medals with Thailand emerging as the best Southeast Asian country with 17 golds, followed by Singapore with 14 and Vietnam five.
Facing off in the curtain-raiser at 12 p.m. are College of Saint Benilde and San Sebastian College-Recoletos in Pool D while Mapua and Letran collide in Pool C at 4 p.m. to cap the triple-header playdate of the tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea. San Beda is tied with four-peatseeking National University in the standings following a five-set escape over Emilio Aguinaldo College, 2519, 19-25, 20-25,
With the team standings at 14-9 heading into the final match, South’s Eric Jeon and Mhark Fernando III looked poised to deliver a crucial point, taking a 1-up lead to the 18th.
B ut on the challenging par-four finishing hole, Fernando’s 3-iron approach into a stiff headwind found the pond, opening the door for Villaroman and Taruc to steal a halfpoint with a steady par. They delivered, reaching the green in two and two-putting to snatch the tie and hike Team North’s lead, 14 1/2-9 1/2.
W hile Team North built on its 8–4 Four-ball win from Tuesday to take early control, Team South mounted a fiery comeback, winning
Ethan Lago and Kvan Alburo also repeated their dominance with a 2&1 victory over Zach Guico and Zoji Edoc in the youngest age category.
On the girls’ side, South’s 15-18 pairs flexed their experience and chemistry once more. Crista Miñoza and Precious Zaragosa cruised to a 3&2 victory, while Tashanah Balangauan and Mikela Guillermo secured a 4&3 rout .
D espite South’s late charge, Team North found strength in its younger divisions.
The girls’ 7-10 duo of Winter Serapio and Ronee Dungca remained untouchable, dispatching Soleil Molde and Denise Mendoza in just two and a half hours with a commanding 7&6 victory. Minutes later, Mavis Espedido and
Eala eyes semis spot in Suzhou
ALEXANDRA EALA aims to move a step closer to a second career title as she goes for a spot in the semifinals of the Suzhou Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 125 on Friday at the Sungent International Tennis Center in China.
The world No. 58 and fourth seed in the tournament, Eala takes on world No. 70 and tournament sixth seed Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland in the quarterfinals.
Germany’s Tatjana Maria, 38, second seed and world No. 44, was first into the semifinals with a walkover against fifth seed Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan. Eala had a one-day break after
Tyra Garingalao matched the feat against Claren Quiño and Francesca Geroy.
T he back-to-back sweeps from Serapio-Dungca and EspedidoGaringalao—who also won convincingly on Day 1—agave North critical breathing room heading into Friday’s singles.
While we considered the players’ personalities when drawing up pairings for team formats, I think we’ll now be focusing on confidence heading into the singles—specifically, who has the mental toughness to go up against the South,” said North captain Francis Talion, who acknowledged that the singles matches present an entirely different battlefield. North also benefited from new pairings in the girls’ 11-14 division, where Mona Sarines and Alexie Gabi edged out Brittany Tamayo and Kimberly Baroquillo, 1-up, and Lisa Sarines and Kendra Garingalao cruised to a 5&4 win over Rafella Batican and Zuri Bagaloyos.
In other boys’ matches, Zianbeau Edoc and Jacob Casuga held off Jared Saban and Ken Guillermo, 2-up, in 11-14 division, while Patrick Tambalque and Kristoffer Nadales outclassed Alexis Nailga and Armand Copok, 4&3, in the premier category.
making it to the round of eight with a 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 7-5 victory over world No. 106 Greet Minnen of Belgium. In the Round of 32, Eala beat world No. 124 Katarzyna Kawa of Poland, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. Golubic, 32, defeated 20-year-old world No. 140 Linda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-0.
Eala topped the Guadalajara 125 Open last month to become the first Filipina to win a WTA event.
The 20-year-old Filipina then bowed out at the quarterfinal stage of the SP Open, a WTA 250 event in Sao Paulo, and made it to the semifinals of the Jingshan Open, a WTA 125 event in China.
The top half of the draw has 20-year-
THE Premier Volleyball
old Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, the world No. 109 from Andorra, taking on Kyoka Okamura, the world No. 196 from Japan.
K asintseva beat Jingshan Open winner Lulu Sun of New Zealand, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, while Okamura defeated 39-year-old Varvara Lepchenko of the US, 6-1, 7-6(2).
K atie Volynets of the US, 23 years old and the world No. 107, faces 27-yearold Caroline Dolehide, also of the US, for a place in the semifinals.
Volynets defeated third seed and world No. 57 Suzan Lamens of the Netherlands, 7-5, 6-1, while Dolehide beat world No. 243 Joanna Garland of Taiwan, 6-4, 6-4.
PBA celebrates 50th anniversary with grand party
AGRAND party kicks off a season-long celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The league gets the ball rolling at the Green Gate of the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday where it will hold a four-hour Fans Day in honor of what the PBA calls its lifeblood. Players will be interacting with the different fans club in a meet-and-greet event that also features performances by some of the country’s top bands. Various PBA merchandises are also on sale in the venue.
From the Big Dome, the festivity then shifts to Ortigas Center later in the night when the league hosts a first ever fellowship that traces the 50-year history of Asia’s pioneering pro league. Former and current players have been invited in the celebration at the Meralco Theater along with officials, managers, team staff, members of the press and PBA employees—all past and present. Entertainment will be provided by Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano and a host of others as they serenade the guests with songs from 1975 onwards—representing five decades of the PBA’s existence.
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M embers of the PBA’s 50 Greatest Players and Hall of Famers will also be recognized during the program, according to Commissioner Willie Marcial. We’re inviting all of you to the PBA 50th year reunion where we will honor everyone who’s been involved in the league for the past 50 years,” said Marcial as he urged everyone to extend the invitation in behalf of the league.
The celebration continues Sunday when the league holds the annual Leo Awards at the Novotel Manila, to be followed later in the day by the ushering of Season 50 at the Big Dome, and capped by the lone opening game between long-time rivals Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia.
CONE PANLILIO
JACOB CASUGA (left) and Zianbeau Edoc wait for their turn in the fairway in the boys’ 11-14 division. They were 2-up for the day. JPGT PHOTO
RUSSIAN Anastasiia Bavykina and PLDT are gunning to finish the year with a perfect record. PVL IMAGES
