DESPITE the rapid growth of ride-hailing and delivery platforms in the country, its gig economy continues to fall short of even the most basic standards of decent work, according to a new Fairwork Philippines report. Now in its third year, the study found that none of the nine major platforms operating locally— Angkas, GrabCar, GrabFood/ Express, Foodpanda, JoyRide, JoyRide Car, Lalamove, Maxim, and Move It—fully met the five
principles of fair work covering pay, conditions, contracts, management, and representation.
GrabCar topped this year’s ranking but earned only 3 out of 10 points, followed by GrabFood/Express with two. Angkas, Lalamove, and Move It received one point each, while Foodpanda, JoyRide Car, JoyRide MC Taxi, and Maxim scored zero.
“The results show very minimal evidence of basic standards in fairness of working conditions, contracts, and management,” the report said, noting
By Cai U. Ordinario
THE Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) raised the possibility that banks and their employees may be complicit in the release of funds from accounts linked to the anomalous flood control projects.
In a radio interview, AMLC Executive Director Matthew M. David said if this were the case, the AMLC can initiate an examination or compliance checking against the banks, including their employees.
David said AMLC can also file criminal cases of money laundering against banks and their employees who are complicit in the current corruption controversy.
Pwede pong mangyari na kasabwat ang mga bangko [It’s possible that some banks are complicit]. Unang una [First among them are], supervisors [of] covered persons, we can initiate examination or compliance checking against the banks, including their employees,” David said.
“[This form of] money laundering that a bank employee can do is called facilitating—money laundering offense through facilitating of the transaction,” he added.
David said banks should file suspicious transaction reports to the AMLC if there are withdrawals that are suspicious, as provided under the law.
He said if the bank, compliance officer or bank manager thinks a withdrawal is possibly related to
corruption, they should file a suspicious transaction report. If they do not do that, AMLC will never know.
Ang tawag natin sa mga [We call the] banks and covered persons [the] first line of defense. Because the banks are the first that can see this, not the AMLC. They’re the first that can see, detect or even prevent these unlawful activities,” he added, partly in Filipino. Meanwhile, David said AMLC included in its investigation foreign assets of the respondents. This includes offshore bank accounts, real properties or properties acquired by respondents in other countries.
Through mutual legal assistance (MLAT), David said AMLC can request foreign entities to file a civil
forfeiture abroad in order to return these to the national government.
“We are coordinating with our foreign counterparts to determine if they are respondents in financial transactions abroad; they share that with us. And they share whatever properties these people may have overseas,” David said.
To date, AMLC has immobilized
P4.2 billion worth of assets linked to the alleged irregularities in flood control spending.
This was after AMLC secured its fourth freeze order from the Court of Appeals on Friday. The latest order covered 57 bank accounts, 10 real properties, and nine motor vehicles.
By Butch Fernandez and Andrea E. San Juan
SEN. Bam Aquino is asking the DTI to review and reconsider the mandatory “Trustmark” requirement for online traders, calling it an unnecessary burden on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The Philippine Trustmark is a digital badge that serves as government recognition for online merchants and platforms that commit to trustworthiness, safety, and fair e-commerce practices. Under its Department Administrative Order (DAO) 25-12, the DTI has given them until December 31 to comply with the Trustmark requirement.
“We call on the DTI to revisit the
requirement for online businesses to have a Trustmark. Let’s not give them an additional burden and let them thrive instead,” Aquino said in Filipino, warning that the policy may discourage MSMEs from bringing their businesses online to digital marketplaces and other platforms.
Sought for reaction, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it is set to release an updated set of rules regarding Trustmark.
“We are finalizing a Department Administrative Order that will formalize how we addressed the concerns. We received the comments to the DAO last October 3, and we hope to release the final DAO within the week,” Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina A. Roque told the BusinessMirror in a Viber mes-
sage on Monday. She added: “Rest assured that the policy is conducive to elevating the business practices of micro and small enterprises without compromising on protecting our consumers against online scams and frauds.”
‘Contradicts’ existing laws
ASIDE from imposing an added burden on MSMEs, Aquino said DAO 25-12 “contradicts” existing laws, such as the Internet Transactions Act and Ease of Doing Business Act.
DTI’s Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 25-12 explained that the Trustmark shall be the “permit for e-marketplaces, online merchants, e-retailers, digital platforms, and third-party plat-
forms to use the internet for conducting e-commerce.”
“Issuance of the Trustmark shall signify that the products, goods, or services sold online by the holder comply with applicable standards and good e-commerce practices,” the Order also noted. It is worth noting that DAO No. 25-12 made the registration for the digital badge mandatory. Under the previously issued DAO No. 2507, application for the Trustmark was only voluntary.
Roque earlier explained that the growing number of consumer complaints prompted the Trade department to make the registration for the digital badge mandatory.
“The complaints are actually growing, so we need to establish
TEACHING MOMENT President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. addresses
during
Teachers’ Celebration held at the
Mall of
Arena in Pasay City on Monday. In his speech, Marcos emphasized the crucial role of teachers in nation-building and expressed his intent to feature a teacher on the
STABLEleasing from traditional and Information Technology and Business Process Management (ITBPM) occupiers buoyed the office market in the third quarter of 2025, amid a corruption scandal hounding senior government officials, Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC) said.
From January to September, total office demand reached 966,000 square meters (sq m), equivalent to 88 percent of last year’s full-year peak of 1.1 million sq m. LPC said the figure indicated a sustained business activity despite political headwinds.
According to LPC associate director Ed Gador, the controversy has underscored long-standing concerns about governance but has not derailed market confidence.
“Actually, it’s a spotlight now more than ever that the corruption that’s been plaguing the govern-
ment, and we believe that there’s more accountability,” Gador said in a market briefing held Monday in Makati City. “We expect that there will be much improvement and more accountability moving forward,” he added.
Firms have also remained active in selecting spaces, LPC commercial leasing senior manager Erika Manasan said, with many prioritizing master-planned townships that offer flood protection and power reliability, particularly in flood-prone provinces.
“They’re more keen to look for master planned townships,” she said. “These townships are usually protected by flood...and they have their internal ways to control flood and, of course, power reliability.”
In Metro Manila, Quezon City’s Vertis, Centris, Araneta and Bridgetowne have drawn increased interest from occupiers this year, she said.
Similar demand has been recorded in Davao, Cebu, and Toledo in Cebu, where township developments are expanding.
Vacancy
MEANWHILE , total vacant space in the third quarter rose to 193,000 square meters, up 4 percent from 186,000 sqm in the previous quarter.
Vacancies were led by traditional offices (117,000 sq m), followed by IT-BPM firms (60,000 sq m), Philippine Inland Gaming Operator (PIGO) (15,000 sq m) and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) (1,000 sq m).
Manasan told BusinessMirror contractions among PIGO firms mirrored the space withdrawals previously recorded from POGOs.
“PIGO contracted space, almost the same number as the POGO contractions last quarter,” she said on the sidelines of the event.
“That just goes to show how the industry of PIGO is not that stable yet...Until
such time that we see them provide solid numbers on their demand...we can’t call them yet as a mature industry.”
From January to September, total vacated space reached 647,000 sq m.
Among IT-BPM firms, 52 percent of vacated spaces were due to relocation, 24 percent to consolidation and 24 percent to downsizing. Traditional firms cited relocation (82 percent) as the primary reason for movement.
In the third quarter alone, 253,000 sq m of new demand offset the space turnover, resulting in a net demand of 60,000 sq m. Metro Manila posted an 18-percent vacancy rate, while provincial markets shared the same vacancy level. Of the total demand, 78 percent came from Metro Manila and 22 percent from provincial areas.
By segment, traditional firms accounted for 46 percent of total demand, followed by IT-BPM firms (45 percent), government agencies (5 percent) and PIGO (4 percent).
Developers, Gador added, are expected to continue delivering “best-in-class projects and facilities” to sustain leasing momentum amid a changing political and economic climate.
on infrastructure because we cannot. We cannot. If we stop that, we will stop the economy basically,” the chief executive said in the fifth episode of the video blog posted in his social media accounts.
In its latest brief, Nomura said the slowdown in government spending as a result of the floodworks fiasco could prompt the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to reduce policy rates to help support the country’s growth.
A reduction in policy rates could provide a much-needed boost to domestic demand, which Nomura said, is expected to encounter “significant downside risks” compared to August 2025.
“The ongoing controversy around flood-control projects will likely be assessed by BSP as potentially leading to a slowdown in government capex disbursements, therefore posing downside risks to the GDP growth outlook at a time when BSP still sees the output gap as negative,” Nomura said.
Nonetheless, Nomura has assigned a 60-percent likelihood for a reduction in policy rates and a 40-percent chance that the Monetary Board will leave policy rates unchanged.
“[This takes] into account BSP’s previous ‘goldilocks’ signal and the possibility that BSP could adopt a wait-and-see approach to assess the downside risks to growth, citing elevated uncertainty,” Nomura said.
Meanwhile, Department of Economy Planning and Development (DepDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan told reporters on Monday that government’s contribution to economic growth was only 15 percent.
“Government spending contributes only about 15 percent or so on the economy. But what is so critical, however, is the enabling environment that government influences, and influences in terms of how the private sector economy works. And so that’s what we are even more concerned about,” Balisacan said.
soared by 26.4 percent to $1.19 billion in August 2025 from the $942.56 million in August 2024.
For August 2025 alone, this means that Hong Kong is now the Philippines’ top export destination.
The PSA data showed the growth in country’s outbound shipments slowed down in August compared to the previous months or when the tariff imposed by Washington was not yet in place.
PSA data showed that export earnings growth slowed in August as outbound shipments only grew 4.6 percent to $7.06 billion in August from the $6.75 billion in the same period last year.
This, after exports peaked at 26.9 percent in June 2025, then export earnings slowed to 17.6 percent in July and posted single-digit growth in August.
Meanwhile, the manufacturing sector slipped into “negative territory” in September on the back of drops in output and new orders.
Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) economist Leonardo A. Lanzona, Jr. said, “this has to do with the poor performance in exports.”
“I think this has to do with the poor performance in exports. Manufacturing is significantly linked with exports. Hence, given the global headwinds, particularly with Trump’s unconventional policies, exports are down, bringing down manufacturing as well,” Lanzona told the BusinessMirror in a Viber message on Wednesday. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/10/02/fewer-ordersspur-factory-output-cuts/)
For her part, Elizabeth Lee, Chairperson of Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), told the BusinessMirror in a Viber message recently that while the September dip reflected weaker domestic demand, weather disruptions and rice import restrictions, “companies’ continued purchasing activity and upbeat sentiment suggest the downturn is viewed as temporary.”
Andrea E. San Juan
of some resources for infrastructure in connected with the reduction of the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), these funds will not disappear and will just be re-aligned to other projects.
“We are on the tight belt now. And so the worry of underspending is not really there. We still have accounts payable, meaning those projects that were already finished in the previous year, and we have to pay them,” Balanquit said.
“And we have, meaning we will never really lose any reasons for where to spend our money, because we have many, many things to fund in the end,” he added.
Further, Balisacan said growth in the first semester of the year has been weak, not because of external headwinds rather than weakness of the domestic economy.
Balisacan noted that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund as well as other major organizations have all reduced their global growth outlook.
“If you look at the last couple of years, it is the trade deficit that is impacting on our growth, not so much the domestic performance of our sectors,” Balisacan said.
“Having said that, there are positive forces that we are seeing in the economy. Over the last several months, we have seen inflation coming down, and that is likely to continue,” he added.
Public works to continue—PBBM MEANWHILE, the President made the assurance about continuing public works after he ordered the cancellation of P255 billion worth of new locally funded flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) next year as the agency undergoes a major reorganization.
Of the said amount, he said P26 billion will be allocated to the Department of Education for the construction of new classrooms.
The reorganization is part of the ongoing initiative of the Marcos administration to weed out corrupt practices within the agency.
“Since the start of this administration, I’ve been pushing for reforms that improve, enhance the enabling environment, particularly our efforts to bring up digitalization, improving the framework for the PPP code,” he added.
This means, the country’s GDP is more dependent on the private sector for growth. Department of Budget and Management Assistant Secretary Romeo Matthew T. Balanquit noted that the growth of government construction in the first semester and second quarter contracted to 4.6 percent and 8.2 percent, respectively.
Despite this, Balanquit said, private construction helped buoy the economy’s performance. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said private construction posted double-digit growth of 15.2 percent in the first semester and 16.3 percent in the second quarter this year.
Balanquit also explained that the flood control controversy may not lead to a slowdown in government consumption, given the need to finance many development projects.
He noted that with the freeing up
Marcos created the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to look into substandard and non-existent flood control projects and other public works and then recommend the filing of charges against erring contractors as well as government officials and personnel.
He said even officials and personnel, who have resigned their post in relation to the flood control project mess, will be held accountable.
The President raised the issue during his fourth State of the Nation Address in July to eliminate corrupt practices in the government since it is stifling the country’s economic growth and negatively affecting the lives of Filipinos.
“There is a great deal of damage that has been caused—not only financial damage or economic damage—but damage to—actual damage to people’s lives,” Marcos said.
“The economy will never grow properly. People are not going to get helped. The schools will not get better. The hospitals will not get better. We will not get anywhere,” he added.
AMLC expects the latest valuation of frozen assets will increase as the flood control inquiry progresses.
“Two steps. First to look at the quality of the project bid or the proposals before you even go to the price part. So it is important, again, to learn from the analysis on the quality or the design that is being proposed,” he added.
The ICC consists of the Secretary of Finance, as chairman; the DEPDev Secretary, as cochairman; and the Executive Secretary, the Secretaries of Agriculture, Trade and Industry,
AMLC said the assets seized include high-value holdings such as a luxury compound in a prime urban district, multiple high-end vehicles, virtual currencies and unit investment trust funds.
The Council said it remains committed to tracing financial links to public sector anomalies.
The Court of Appeals has frozen a total of 1,620 bank accounts, 54 insurance policies, 163 motor vehicles, 40 real properties and 12 e-wallet accounts.
Budget and Management and the Governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines, as members. The committee, one of seven interagency committees of the ED Council, evaluates the fiscal, monetary and balance of payments implications of major national projects, and recommends to the President the timetable of their implementation on a regular basis. It also advises the President on matters related to the domestic and foreign borrowings program and submits a status of the fiscal, monetary and balance of payments implications of major national projects.
House bloc hits Cayetano’s call for snap elections
By
THE Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives has criticized Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano’s call for snap elections, calling it a “typical obfuscation” of the issue of corruption in government.
“Cateyano is trying to divert the focus from corruption accountability to snap elections, giving the illusion that corruption can be addressed simply through the electoral process that is still dominated by political dynasties and corrupt politicians. How will holding snap elections address the issue of accountability? The proposal is a distraction and a way to douse cold water on the people’s protests,” the bloc said in a statement.
The bloc added that a snap election, without systemic reforms, would only result in a change of
personalities and would not tackle the root causes of corruption.
Cayetano, in a statement posted on his official social media accounts on Sunday, urged all sitting government officials—from Malacañang to Congress—to resign to pave the way for snap elections and a completely new set of leaders. He said the country’s political institutions have been shaken by a series of corruption scandals that “eroded the very foundation of our people’s faith in leadership.”
According to Cayetano, genuine accountability requires more than
Speaker to House personnel: Let us work to restore public trust
AMID declining public trust in the House of Representatives, the Speaker on Monday urged all employees of the lower chamber to work together in restoring the people’s confidence in Congress.
Speaking during the flag-raising ceremony, Speaker Faustino Dy III emphasized the need for integrity, unity, and genuine public service.
“I know this is a difficult time for Congress. Our institution and each of us are facing tough challenges,” Dy said.
“It is painful to admit, but public trust in our institution has declined. However, this should remind us to work harder and restore that trust through honest and dedicated service.”
“Let us remember: after every storm, the sun will shine again; after every night of darkness, there is light ahead. There is always light at the end of every tunnel,” he added.
Dy expressed his gratitude to House staff for their tireless efforts during budget
deliberations that stretched until the early morning.
The Speaker stressed the importance of solidarity, saying that public service is a collective mission.
“In Congress, no one stands alone,” Dy said. “Each of us plays an important role—from lawmakers to the simplest staff member—in upholding a patriotic, honest, and dependable public service. Let us remember: we do not serve for ourselves, but for every Filipino family who depends on us.”
Dy reminded House employees that the Philippine flag represents not only the nation but also their oath to serve the Filipino people with honor and compassion.
“This morning, as we face our flag, let us remember that it symbolizes not just our country but also our pledge—to serve with integrity, excellence, and humanity,” Dy said. “Let us work together and remain united. In every task and every step we take, let the spirit of patriotism guide us.”
Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
Ledac fails to include Icaic measure on legislative agenda
ADEPUTY minority leader of the House of Representatives on Monday expressed disappointment over the exclusion of a bill that institutionalizes an Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption (Icaic) from the LegislativeExecutive Development Advisory Council’s (Ledac) legislative agenda.
House Deputy Minority Leader Leila M. de Lima noted the urgency of House Bill 4453 amid challenges in ongoing investigations.
As Executive Order 94 “falls short of providing the powers,” a group of lawmakers is urging Congress to fast-track the passage of House Bill 4453, which seeks to establish a truly independent commission against corruption in infrastructure projects, amid growing public outrage over alleged anomalies in flood control and other public works.
EO 94 issued by President Marcos created the Independent Commission on Infrastructure that is mandated to investigate corruption in flood control and other public works projects.
“As much as we welcome the inclusion of some of our priority bills in Ledac, we are disappointed that a very crucial measure is missing—our proposed bill to create a stronger, transparent, and truly independent commission to probe the anomalous flood control and
mere words from public officials.
The senator, who serves as the minority leader of the upper chamber, described his proposal as both symbolic and practical—a “national reset button” to emphasize that public service is about stewardship, not self-preservation.
Cayetano’s statement comes amid renewed public outrage over high-profile corruption allegations involving infrastructure projects and the misuse of discretionary funds.
Wishful thinking
MALACAÑANG on Monday brushed aside Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano’s call for a snap election involving all elected officials in the executive and legislative branches, calling it “wishful thinking” and irrelevant to the country’s pressing concerns.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Marcos remains focused on governance and disaster response, particularly assisting those affected by the recent disasters.
“It is just his wishful thinking. We do not have time to talk about one’s personal desires. Abala
ang Pangulo na magtrabaho para sa bayan at tulungan ang mga naapektuhan ng lindol at bagyo. Wala po siyang oras sa mga ganitong klaseng pamumulitika [The President is busy working for the country and helping those affected by the earthquake and typhoon. He has no time for this kind of politicking],” Castro said. She urged public officials to set aside political maneuvering and prioritize the people’s welfare.
“Mag -focus po tayong lahat sa pangangailangan ng mamamayan, hindi sa mga pansariling interes lang [Let us all focus on the needs of the people, not on personal interests],” she added.
Law needed
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday clarified that holding snap elections is not possible unless a law explicitly allows it, following renewed calls in the Senate to elect a new set of national leaders.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia explained that the terms of elected officials are fixed under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which means the poll
body cannot simply hold another election without legal authority.
“On the part of the Comelec, we cannot conduct any kind of election—whether special or snap— without a law mandating it. Our duty is to implement election laws, and without such a mandate, we have no basis to proceed,” Garcia said in an interview.
The clarification came after Senator Alan Peter Cayetano over the weekend urged all sitting government officials—from Congress to Malacañang—to resign and pave the way for a snap election to install a new set of leaders. (Related: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2025/10/06/cayetanoprods-all-national-officialsto-resign/)
Garcia, however, cautioned that the Comelec has no power to hold such an election on its own.
“That kind of mechanism exists in a parliamentary government. When there is a loss of confidence, the government itself can immediately call for an election,” he explained.
“But here in our system, there’s no such provision. Whether this would require a constitutional
amendment or simply a new law, I cannot say.”
When asked how snap elections were made possible during the Marcos Sr. administration, Garcia pointed out that the Batasang Pambansa at the time gave the President both executive and legislative powers. Under the 1987 Constitution, however, the principle of separation of powers and a system of checks and balances were clearly established.
“The terms of elected officials are fixed,” Garcia said. “The president cannot be re-elected, and the vice president may only serve two consecutive terms. These provisions were put in place to prevent abuse of power.”
Still, if public pressure for snap elections gains momentum and lawmakers find a legal remedy, Garcia said the Comelec will be ready to carry it out.
“There would be no problem. We’re open to such proposals, but of course, all actions, especially those by the Comelec, must be based on existing laws, particularly when it comes to elections,” he said.
Number of earthquake casualties, affected families, aftershocks up
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
THE number of affected families in the 6.9 offshore northern Cebu earthquake has reached 155,094 or 547,394 people as of Monday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported.
The earthquake affected 205 barangay in Cebu’s 16 cities and towns, the NDRRMC said in its Situation Report on the effects of the Cebu earthquake released Monday morning.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it has identified the Bogo Bay Fault from which the strong earthquake originated, and recommended a five-meter zone of avoidance from the trace of the fault or edge of the deformation zone.
Phivolcs said a total of 7,092 aftershocks occurred as of 10 a.m. Monday, of which 31 was strongly felt.
The killer quake, which generated an Intensity VII earth-shaking event, was a first in northern Cebu.
So far, 72 people have been
reported killed and 559 others injured, mostly in Bogo City, which is nearest to the earthquake’s epicenter.
The NDRRMC said 35,925 houses and government infrastructures were damaged. These include government facilities, bridges, cultural heritage, health facilities, schools, utility services facilities, roads, and flood control structures.
The NDRRMC said eight road sections and 16 bridge sections were damaged, while operation of three seaports was affected.
The NDRRMC said electricity in 43 cities and towns affected have been restored.
A total of P93.5 million in assistance has been provided to affected communities so far.
Tent cities
PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. said evacuation “tent cities” are now being set up in Cebu to shelter residents displaced by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck the province on Sept. 30, “with the help of Dick Gordon and the Red Cross.
They’ve been very, very, very helpful,” Marcos said in Episode 5 of
his “Bagong Pilipinas Podcast,” released Monday.
The President earlier ordered the immediate establishment of temporary shelters to house families whose homes were destroyed or deemed unsafe due to quake damage.
The national government has allotted P375 million for response and relief operations in Cebu, with PHP150 million coursed through the Local Government Support Fund and P75 million earmarked for Bogo City, one of the hardesthit areas.
As of the latest reports, 72 people were confirmed dead, while around 450,000 individuals have been affected, prompting government and humanitarian agencies to provide food packs, potable water, medical services, and shelter assistance.
Marcos stressed the importance of swift and sustained disaster response, saying aid must continue until communities are stabilized.
“In government, the best that we can do is really to be prepared, as prepared as we can possibly be, and move very, very quickly,” he said.
The Chief Executive said his approach is guided by the plight of families and children in calamity areas.
“You cannot wait. Don’t do it later, do it now, do it now, do it now,” Marcos emphasized. He also cautioned against letting public attention fade once media coverage subsides, stressing that communities continue to suffer long after the headlines move on.
“The challenge with almost all disasters, especially globally, is that the moment they get shunted out of the headlines or the news, what’s happening there, and that there are people still suffering, still trying to recover. That’s why I made it very clear when I went to both Masbate and Cebu. I said this is not a one-time thing. We’re here. We’re going to stay here until everyone is more or less in a stable condition,” Marcos said.
Policemen help in shelter operations POLICEMENT in Cebu have started assisting in the ongoing
other infrastructure projects and hold accountable all those involved,” de Lima, the nominee of the party-list group Mamamayang Liberal, said.
De Lima noted that with the suspension of the House Infrastructure Committee’s joint inquiry, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) reluctance to livestream its hearings despite its limited powers, and the uncertainty surrounding the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation owing to the impending resignation of Sen. Panfilo Lacson as chairman, the swift passage of House Bill 4453 should be fast-tracked.
“If the President is truly serious about holding accountable those responsible for the biggest corruption scandal in our country’s history, he should certify this proposed law as urgent. If he delays or simply ignores it, it casts doubt on his sincerity in pursuing accountability for corrupt officials and government syndicates,” she added.
In a recent meeting, the Ledac adopted a new Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) that includes 44 priority bills. De Lima and her co-authors of HB 4453 are hopeful for the swift passage of HB 4453, as House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III was “very open and receptive” about the bill.
JBC submits shortlist of Ombudsman nominees to Marcos
TBy Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
HE Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Monday submitted to the Office of the President the shortlist of its nominees for the position of Ombudsman, which was left vacant following the retirement of former Ombudsman Samuel Martires on July 27. Under the JBC Rules, the President has 90 days or until October 24 to appoint the new Ombudsman from the occurrence of vacancy on July 27. Included on its shortlist were former Commission on Audit chairman and incumbent Philippine Competition Commission Chairman Michael Aguinaldo; retired Court of Appeals Associate Justice and incumbent chairman of the Philippine Postal Corporation Stephen Cruz; incumbent Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan; incumbent deputy Executive Secretary Anna Liza Gonzalez Logan; retired SC Associate Justice Mario Lopez; incumbent Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Frederick de Leon Musngi; and incumbent Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla. The JBC came up with the shortlist during its final deliberation on the 17
individuals who applied and qualified for the position.
The shortlist serves as President Marcos’ basis for the exercise of the presidential power of appointment.
The JBC is a constitutional body mandated to accept, screen and nominate appointments to the judiciary, Office of the Ombudsman and the Legal Education Board.
Remulla was included on the short after securing a clearance from the Ombudsman. However, it was not clear whether the Ombudsman has already junked the motion for reconsideration filed by Sen. Imee Marcos in connection with the dismissal of her complaint against Remulla for graft, arbitrary detention, grave threats, false testimony, perjury, usurpation of authority or official functions and for violation of RA 7438 or An Act Defining Certain Rights of Person Arrested, Detained or Under Custodial Investigation As Well as the Duties of the Arresting, Detaining and Investigating Officers.
The complaint stemmed from the investigation in aid of legislation conducted by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations headed by Marcos in connection with the alleged “kidnapping” and subsequent turn-over of former
President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Netherlands last March.
The Office of the Ombudsman is also silent on its action in relation to the complaint filed last September 15 by Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte for eight counts of kidnapping under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC); eight counts of arbitrary detention under Article 124 of the RPC; qualified direct assault under Article 148 of the RPC; two count of expulsion under Article 127 of the RPC; and usurpation of judicial functions under Article 241 of the RPC; and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against Remulla and several other government officials also in connection with the former President’s arrest and turn-over to the ICC.
A separate graft and detention charges were also filed against Remulla by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio for the alleged warrantless arrest of his client Cassandra Li Ong, a representative of Lucky South 99, a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) suspected of involvement in illegal activities, last August 2024.
Remulla claimed that the filing of these charges were part of a concerted effort to derail his bid for the Ombudsman post.
PNP morale high, no need for loyalty check
THE acting National Police (PNP) chief, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., on Monday denied reports that some active and retired officials approached him to withdraw his support from President Marcos.
No individual—civilian, or former police official—has reached out to him or his staff in relation to any destabilization efforts, Nartatez said. “Saatin,walapanamankumakausap as well as my staff as well as sa commanders and even sa regional directors. Pagka mayroon, puwede ko silang kausapin [No one has spoken with me as well as my staff as well as the commanders and even the regional directors. If there are any, I can tell them] not to do it,” Nartatez said during a press briefing at Camp General Rafael T. Crame in Quezon
Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
@joveemarie & Justine Xyrah Garcia
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
Economy
Dy alarmed by plunging farmgate palay prices
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
THE Speaker on Monday
sounded the alarm over the plunging farmgate prices of palay, which have fallen to as low as P8 per kilo in some provinces—far below the breakeven level of P16 to P18—forcing many rice farmers to sell their harvests at a loss.
Speaking at a joint hearing of the House Committees on Agriculture and Food and on Ways and Means, Speaker Faustino Dy III said that the P7,000 cash aid for each of one million rice farmers under the proposed 2026 national budget aims to cushion the income losses caused by the continued drop in palay prices.
“Help will surely come. One million farmers will each receive P7,000 in cash aid to help offset their losses from the low price of palay,” said Dy.
Dy noted that many growers in his home province of Isabela have been forced to sell palay for as low as P8 per kilo—far below
the P16 to P18 needed to recover production costs.
“When farmers sell at a loss, it’s not only their livelihood that suffers—it’s also the country’s food security that’s put at risk,” he warned.
He added that the initiative is consistent with Executive Order 93, which suspended rice importation to protect local producers from oversupply and falling farmgate prices.
According to Dy, the distribution of cash assistance reflects President Marcos’ commitment to immediately address the struggles of rice farmers while pushing for long-term agricultural reforms.
“We also appealed to the President to provide all forms of subsidies from the Department of Agriculture, such as seed subsidies, in cash so that farmers can benefit from them more easily and directly,” he added.
Address
DANILO BOLOS, a farmer leader from Nueva Ecija, appealed to lawmakers and government officials
to address the persistently low buying price of palay, saying that many farmers continue to work at a loss despite government subsidies.
Speaking during the joint hearing, Bolos said that while farmers recognize the assistance provided by the government, these have not been enough to offset their mounting losses.
“We are earning little, but we are losing,” Bolos said. “That is why, in this situation, even though this is how we feel, I can see your efforts to make our lives better. I hope that, in the future, we will be able to improve a little.”
Bolos acknowledged existing programs such as fertilizer subsidies and farm mechanization support but questioned why farmers are still left struggling despite billions in public spending.
He lamented that palay prices in some areas have plunged to as low as P8 to P10 per kilo—far below the P14 to P15 that he said farmers need to recover production costs, especially with high prices of fertilizers and pesticides.
He also spoke about the toll on farmers’ families, saying many children are forced to help their parents in the fields instead of going to school because of poverty.
While acknowledging the proposed P7,000 cash assistance for rice farmers under the 2026 national budget, Bolos said the amount is not enough to cover production costs and rising debts.
He also urged the government to relax lending requirements so that farmers could access affordable credit.
Bolos warned that if conditions do not improve soon, more farmers may abandon rice production altogether.
Meanwhile, the Speaker also underscored the importance of long-term reforms through the proposed Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment (RICE) Act, a priority measure in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac). The RICE Act seeks to strengthen the National Food Authority (NFA) in an effort to ensure food sufficiency in the country by amending the charter
DENR to conduct sinkhole mapping operation in Cebu, Leyte
IBy Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
N the wake of the 6.9 magnitude Offshore Northern Cebu Earthquake (Once), several sinkholes were revealed in Cebu, compelling the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to conduct a sinkhole mapping operation.
Carlos Primo David, Environment Undersecretary for Integrated Environmental Science, told the BusinessMirror that aside from Cebu, the mapping operation would also cover parts of Leyte province, because of its proximity to the epicenter of the earthquake.
David was reacting to reports that more than 30 previously unknown sinkholes have suddenly appeared in various parts of Cebu.
One huge sinkhole was also reported in the town of San Juan, Siquijor, days after the earthquake.
David, a professor of Geology and Environmental Science, said sinkholes are natural rock formations and would likely be revealed in case of a strong earthquake, such as the strong earthquake that devastated Bogo City, Cebu.
He said it would also be helpful to identify the fault line which triggered the earthquake, adding that an offshore local fault could not have generated such a strong earthquake that generated an Intensity VII temblor.
David said using ground penetrating radar, the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) would be able to locate where
these sinkholes are.
While many sinkholes have been revealed by the earthquake, David said sinkholes that exist would be revealed by the radar.
“We used that technology in Boracay, and we found out that there are also sinkholes on Boracay Island,” he added.
David said identifying the mysterious fault line will be helpful for it to be integrated into the DENR’s geohazard map.
As for the reported sinkholes, David said the strong earthquake is expected to affect Biliran, Leyte, as well, explaining why a sinkhole mapping operation is in order.
“If the earthquake has an effect in Cebu, it is expected to have an effect in Leyte, too,” he added.
Sinkhole, he said, is a natural structure that happens for a certain kind of rock material: limestone.
Limestone dissolves naturally in slightly acidic rainwater, he explained.
“Rainwater is slightly acidic, and it causes limestone to decay,” David added.
Sinkholes, he said, usually lie in the path of underground rivers. “If you notice, the sinkholes have underground rivers below. What happened is the soil on top of it collapsed.”
The official said on a positive note, the earthquake revealed the sinkholes, which pose grave danger to communities.
“The problem is, while some have been revealed, others remain unknown. That’s what we need to find out,” he also said.
Once mapping of the sinkholes, as well as other geohazard maps, is completed, the DENR will come up with a recommendation to prevent disaster, such as advising local governments to build housing projects elsewhere, where the people will be safe.
On October 5, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) said an eight-member team of geologists, consisting of six from the Central Office and two from Regional Office VII, was deployed to conduct a comprehensive Post-Disaster Geohazards Assessment in several areas in Cebu Province.
The assessment aims to identify zones susceptible to flooding, rain-induced landslides, ground subsidence, and sinkhole formation.
Assistant Secretary Michael V. Cabalda said in a statement posted on the MGB-Region 7 Facebook page that the assessment involves ground validation and geohazards data analysis. “This study will enable us to pinpoint areas susceptible to flooding, rain-induced landslides, and those areas with high potential for ground subsidence and provide technical recommendations to LGUs for proper zoning, building regulation, and emergency preparedness,” the MGB Director said.
On October 3, the MGB Region VII also came up with a Subsidence Threat Advisory to the Mayor of Medellin, Cebu, regarding the confirmed occurrence of sinkholes and
land subsidence in the locality following the earthquake.
It says that all barangays with reported Sinkhole Occurences have been categorized with a high subsidence hazard rating.
“Sinkholes, particularly those caused by cover collapse, pose serious risks to life, property, and infrastructure. The recent seismic activity has destabilized ground conditions, resulting in the formation of sinkholes in certain affected areas. Ground cracks and depressions were also noted nearby, indicating potential progression of the subsidence. Affected zones are considered hazardous and require immediate precautionary measures,” it said.
Among other recommendations, the MGB-Region VII advised concerned local government units to restrict access to sinkhole-affected and crack-prone areas until further assessment by installing caution tapes, cordons, and warning signages to inform locals and road users of the subsidence threat.
It also appealed to barangay units and LGUS to immediately report any similar occurrences to the MGB, and cautioned against covering or backfilling the sinkhole unless recommended by authorities, especially if a subterranean river or creek is identified beneath it.
“Covering the sinkhole may result in water ponding and could induce further subsidence in the immediate vicinity,” the MGB Subsidence Advisory said.
Diesel, kerosene prices up for seventh straight week
OBy Lenie Lectura @llectura
IL companies announced on Monday that they will jack up prices of petroleum products.
of the agency.
“One of our top priorities under Ledac is the RICE Act, which aims to empower the NFA, protect the livelihood of our farmers, and ensure that rice remains affordable for every Filipino family,” Dy said.
The RICE Act seeks to restore the NFA’s power to buy palay during harvest seasons, raise the rice import tariff from 15 to 35 percent, and set a P25-per-kilo floor price to stabilize farmers’ incomes. It will also allocate 75 percent of tariff revenues to a Price Stabilization Fund for farmer support.
Dy added that faster crop insurance processing, digital systems, and interest-free government loans are also part of the administration’s efforts to uplift rural communities.
“We must stand united for our farmers. With immediate support and lasting reforms, we can secure their future and ensure affordable rice for every Filipino household,” Dy said.
The joint hearing gathered
officials from key agencies and representatives from the rice industry, traders, importers, and farmers’ groups to discuss EO 93 and other support programs. Party-list Rep. Sara Elago of Gabriela urged the Department of Agriculture to appeal for a higher cash assistance amount while the House continues deliberations on the 2026 national budget during the period of amendments.
“The P7,000 aid remains insufficient,” Elago said, echoing the appeal of farmers’ and fisherfolk groups for an increase to between P20,000 and P25,000 to cover broader production costs. “These must be treated as priority concerns.”
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. explained that when the government first launched its cash assistance for rice farmers, each recipient received P5,000. The amount has gradually increased over the years depending on the available budget and number of eligible beneficiaries. With Ada Pelonia
What do people expect from their governments?
By Henry J. Schumacher
HONEST spending of public money on the services everyone relies on!
These include quality education, decent healthcare, well-functioning transport and energy infrastructure. Protection from deadly floods. Opportunities for the next generation. The freedom to hold leaders to account by protesting safely.
In the Philippines, Nepal and Indonesia, when these reasonable expectations are not met, people are taking to the streets to voice their concern.
In the Philippines, mass protests on Sunday followed months of growing anger over allegations that billions of pesos meant for flood relief were siphoned into fake projects. The revelations come as the country reels from severe flooding, which frequently causes fatalities.
Citizens are demanding the return of stolen funds and accountability for those responsible—a demand that reflects a wider frustration in a country.
The message from the streets of Manila, Kathmandu and Jakarta is the same: people—especially the younger generation—are demanding transparency and accountability. They know corruption is not an abstract problem—it drains resources from classrooms and hospitals, weakens climate defenses, silences independent voices and destroys public trust. Ultimately, young people feel it blights their future, shutting down opportunities through weak institutions, nepotism and poorquality services.
In separate announcements, diesel will go up by P0.80 per liter. There will also be a P0.20 per liter increase on gasoline and kerosene. This is the seventh straight week of increases for both diesel and kerosene.
PTT, Phoenix, Total, Jetti, Unioil said they will adjust their pump prices at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 7, except for Cleanfuel which will increase prices at 4:01 p.m. the same day.
Caltex, Seaoil, Shell, Petron,
Oil companies adjust their prices every week to reflect movements in the world oil market. Last week, gasoline prices went down by P0.20, while diesel and kerosene price rose by P0.90 each.
This brought year-to-date adjustments to a total net increase of P14.70 per liter for gasoline,
P17.05 per liter for diesel, and P5.45 per liter for kerosene as of September 30, 2025.
According to the Department of Energy-Oil Industry Management Bureau (DOE-OIMB), this week’s pump price movements were brought about by the United States’ imposition of new sanctions on Iran and rising concerns over the global supply glut as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its partners are set to increase crude production levels.
ERC eyes reduction of backlog of cases
THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is targeting to reduce a significant backlog of cases before the year ends.
There are a total of 3,361 pending cases as of September 8. “My personal target is to reduce the backlogs by at least 1,000
cases by end of the year, while we continue addressing current filings that are time-bound under EVOSS [Energy Virtual OneStop Shop] or are urgent in nature,” said ERC Chairman Francis Saturnino Juan, Majority of the
See “ERC,”
In Nepal, a government ban on social media earlier this month lit the spark for protests that have since grown into a broader youthled movement. They are protesting widespread corruption and political impunity, nepotism and neglect of basic services such as education and healthcare, which limit their opportunities. With frustrations having mounted for some time, these demonstrations became one of the country’s largest protest movements in recent years, and tragically, 72 protesters—most of them young— lost their lives.
In Indonesia, peaceful protests over the past weeks against corruption and abuse of power have also been met with a violent crackdown. At least ten people have been killed and hundreds injured, while three leading activists—now named suspects under incitement and even spreading false information charges—remain detained without due process. Live protest broadcasts have been banned, and progovernment networks have been spreading disinformation attacks against civil society organizations. safeguards civic freedoms and embeds integrity in development and climate policies, corruption will remain deeply entrenched.
Without transparency, there are weak checks and deterrents, making it far easier for billions of pesos in climate funds to disappear in the Philippines. Without it, political impunity in Nepal can continue unchecked as wrongdoers escape prosecution. And without it, governments in Indonesia can crush dissent and hide the truth. Another important factor in restoring trust is: swift justice! Swift justice is essential not only for the law to function properly but also for maintaining the people’s faith in democracy. Truth without prompt and effective disposition of corruption cases, public trust in government will continue to erode, and the rule of law will become a meaningless phrase.
These protests are part of a wider spate of anti-corruption movements worldwide, where people are making reasonable demands that represent the bare minimum of democratic governance: honest leaders, transparent spending on quality public services, freedom to speak out, and confidence that wrongdoing will be punished under the rule of law. Meeting these expectations should not be optional.
These movements show that corruption is not just a grievance to be tolerated—it is the breaking point where trust collapses and people demand change.
I would welcome your government expectations! Contact me at hjschumacher59@gmail.com.
Cebu, Masbate residents get a month NHA payment break
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio
COLLECTIONS for government housing beneficiaries
in Cebu and Masbate will resume in November following a one-month moratorium granted to families affected by recent typhoons and an earthquake.
The National Housing Authority (NHA) earlier suspended amortization and lease payments for October, including penalties and delinquency charges, to give temporary relief to residents reeling from the impact of the disasters.
Under Memorandum Circular 153, the one-month moratorium applies automatically to all residential account holders in areas hit by the 6.7-magnitude earthquake in Cebu and Typhoons Mirasol, Nando and Ompong in Masbate.
“We’re no longer making any
distinctions. As long as you’re in Cebu or Masbate this October, it’s automatic. You won’t have to pay anything. The next payment will be for November,” NHA general manager Joeben Tai said in Filipino in an interview.
The agency clarified that payments made within the moratorium period will still be credited based on the existing hierarchy of payments, ensuring proper posting of accounts once collections resume.
Aside from the payment suspension, the NHA is conducting validation activities and coordinating with local government units to identify eligible beneficiaries for its Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP), which provides financial aid to families whose homes were damaged or destroyed.
DAR releases 721 Davao Oriental farmers from ₧9.9-M agrarian debt
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
MORE than 700 agrar -
ian reform beneficia -
ries (ARBs) from Davao Oriental are now debt-free after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the Davao Region distributed Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs).
DAR awarded 1,001 COCROMs to 721 ARBs, effectively condoning P9.93 million in amortization and interests pursuant to Republic Act No. 11953, which provides significant financial relief and secures the beneficiaries’ ownership of their awarded lands.
Aside from COCROMS, the DAR also distributed and turned over farm machineries and equipment (FMEs) under the “Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat” program.
DAR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Research Office Lani C. De Leon and Regional Director Joseph H. Orilla, along with local
government officials and partner agencies, led the ceremonial turnover of the condonation certificates and package of support to the farmers during a simple ceremony held recently.
“This milestone is more than just debt relief. It empowers our farmers by granting them land security and equipping them with the tools to improve productivity and transform their lives,” Orilla said in a statement.
In addition to the debt relief certificates, DAR turned over a mobile corn mill and a corn sheller worth P1.29 million to the Talisay CARP Beneficiaries and Farmers Water Service Cooperative under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project. The FMEs aim to boost crop production and raise farmers’ incomes.
The activity highlights the government’s commitment to supporting ARBs not only through land distribution but also through sustained support services to ensure their productivity and livelihood improvement, the DAR said.
Sen. Bong Go gives support for TESDA scholars in N. Samar, strengthens employment opportunities
SENATOR Christopher “Bong”
Go continues to champion education and skills development through his steadfast support for the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) programs, helping open more doors to employment opportunities for Filipinos.
During the orientation of 50 scholars in Cortijo del Valle Agricultural Farm, Barangay 8, Pambujan, Northern Samar, on Thursday, October 2, Go, through his Malasakit Team, reaffirmed his commitment to technical-vocational education as a means of uplifting lives and fostering inclusive economic growth.
“Education and skills training provide a pathway to success, especially in industries like the Business Process Outsourcing [BPO] sector where the demand for skilled professionals continues to grow,” Go said in his message. Meanwhile, scholars received snacks, shirts, fans, pens, as well as basketballs and volleyballs from Go’s team.
Sa pamamagitan ng TESDA at iba pang training institutions, marami na po tayong natulungang magkaroon ng hanapbuhay at pagkakataong maiangat ang kanilang buhay. Huwag kayong titigil sa inyong pangarap dahil ito ay simula pa lang ng mas magandang bukas para sa inyo,” he added. To help more Filipinos attain
25 OFWs face death penalty abroad; DMW seeks more funds for legal aid
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
AT least 25 overseas Filipino workers (OFW) are now on death row abroad and need legal support, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
They were among the 1,106 OFWs with pending cases abroad, who are receiving legal aid from DMW through its P2.2-billion Agarang Kalinga sa mga OFW (overseas Filipino workers) na Nangangailangan (AKSYON) Fund this year.
DMW Hans J. Cacdac explained initially they have 50 to 60 OFWs, who were sentenced to death, but it was greatly reduced after Malaysia implemented a new policy, which made it more flexible in terms of commuting the death penalty.
The said cases are now down to 25 after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) sought the commutation of OFWs on death sentence in Malaysia.
Cacdac said they are now working with the DFA and the Office of the President to save the remaining 25 OFWs, who are facing the death sentence, by seeking for the postponement of their executions and then appealing for their sentence to be commuted or for their acquittal.
“The President is also very concerned about death row cases and we have been working quietly to hold the executions at bay and you are right, you have hit the nail on the head, [we are pushing for] those cases to be commuted...If not completely removed,” he said in Filipino.
DMW is currently seeking for a higher AKSYON Fund, which is set to be reduced to just P1.2 billion next year due to low utilization rate, so it can hire more legal counsel to assist OFWs, who are facing charges abroad.
The agency currently has 23 legal retainers and 10 in-house lawyers to handle the said cases. It also has some partnerships with 22 law firms, which it taps for cases which reach the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of the host countries.
The said lawyers were deployed in countries with a large concentration of OFWs with cases namely the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Israel.
Cacdac explained that hiring legal counsel abroad is very costly. He noted they disbursed P332,257,000 out of the AKSYON Fund to pay its legal personnel abroad.
He asked the Senate to increase their AKSYON Fund next year
from P2.4 billion to increase the number of their in-house lawyers and partner law firms next year.
Senators Sherwin T. Gatchalian and Rodante D. Marcoleta backed the said proposal of raising the AKSYON Fund since OFWs with pending cases abroad, who have regular legal aid from DMW, are able to win their legal appeals.
At least seven to eight more Migrant Workers Office (MWO) are expected to be operational next year to make government services accessible to more overseas Filipino workers (OFW) abroad, according to the DMW.
This will be on top of the 42 existing MWOs worldwide including its most recently opened in Bangkok, which will accommodate 40,000 OFWs in Thailand.
Cacdac said another three MWOs will be established before the end of the year in Cambodia, Guam and Vietnam.
“I will be conservative, I will say 7 to 8 [MWO] will be opened [in 2026]... But we are aiming for 13 next year Mr. Chair,” he told Senate Committee on Migrant Workers chairperson Senator Rafael “Raffy” T. Tulfo during a budget hearing last Monday.
Cacdac said the plan will help address their significant backlog in terms of MWO.
Marcos administration boosts teacher support with new programs, benefits
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3
UNDERSCORING government’s commitment to support teachers at the frontlines of learning recovery, President Ferdinand Marcos and the Department of Education (DepEd) capped this year’s National Teachers’ Month and World Teachers’ Day celebration with the rollout of programs and benefits aimed at strengthening the welfare, training, and professional growth of educators.
better education, Senator Go highlighted his efforts in pushing for laws that promote accessible and quality learning. These include Republic Act No. 12077, or the Student Loan Payment Moratorium During Disasters and Emergencies Act, which he co-authored and cosponsored to provide financial relief to students with outstanding loans during calamities. He also co-authored and co-sponsored RA 11510, or the Institutionalization of the Alternative Learning System Act, which ensures access to education for out-of-school and disadvantaged youth.
“ Tandaan natin, minsan lang tayo dadaan sa mundong ito. Kung ano pong kabutihan o tulong na pwede nating gawin sa ating kapwa ay gawin na natin ngayon dahil hindi na tayo babalik sa mundong ito,” he encouraged.
He also assured the public of his continued dedication to service, saying, “Ako ang inyong Senator Kuya Bong Go, patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat dahil bisyo ko na ang magserbisyo at ako po ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo po yan sa Diyos.” Through his unwavering support skills enhancement and educational initiatives, Senator Go continues to pave the way for more Filipinos to access quality training and employment opportunities, ensuring a brighter and more prosperous future for all.
At the National Teachers’Day Culminating Program, Marcos joined Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, National Teachers Month Coordinating Council (NTMCC) Chair Aniceto Sobrepeña of Metrobank Foundation, DepEd officials, lawmakers, and education partners in recognizing the pivotal role of teachers in nation-building.
“Patuloy na nagbibigay ang DepEd ng prayoridad sa inyong kapakanan, mula sa career progression, dagdag benepisyo tulad ng teaching, medical, overtime at overload pay, hanggang sa pagbawas ng admin tasks. Lagi kayong kaagapay ng Kagawaran. Ngunit gaya ng paalala ni Pangulong Marcos, dapat maramdaman angtulongsabawatsilid-aralan,sabawat guro, sa bawat bata,” Angara said.
Meanwhile, in his keynote message, Marcos said that the teachers are the guiding hands, and in their hands lies the nation’s progress.
“In your strength, in your wisdom and in your courage, we find assurance that our
DAVAO CITY—The Bangsamoro Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (Mafar) began distributing one million kilos of seaweed seedlings across the province of Sulu to boost coastal livelihoods and reinforce the aquaculture sector, the Sulu office of Mafar said. This happened despite the ongoing transition of governance of the province back to Region 9, and after Sulu fisherfolk families were given training on conservation of aquatic and marine resources of this archipelagic province.
The Mafar-Sulu office started distributing the seaweed seedlings on Sept. 29–30 in Talipao with 50,000 kilos distributed, followed
future is secured. For this National Teachers’ Day, we offer our respect, our deepest gratitude for shaping minds, touching hearts and in your way, building a nation that we can be proud of, one student at a time,” Marcos said.
DepEd, likewise, highlighted reforms designed to ease teachers’ workload and improve working conditions, among them the reduction of required school forms being accomplished by teachers and the creation of 60,000 new teaching positions under the proposed 2026 national budget.
Under the PBBM administration, teachers have received higher allowances and benefits, including the P10,000 teaching allowance under the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, the medical allowance of up to P7,000 for eligible personnel, and the Special Hardship Allowance for teachers assigned to difficult posts.
Public school teachers are also set to receive the annual World Teachers’ Day Incentive Benefit of P1,000.
Meanwhile, private school teachers also received a P6,000 increase in the annual salary subsidy for private school teachers covered by the Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS) component of the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) program.
Other measures include the release of the 2023 performance-based bonus, expanded vacation service credits from 15 to 30 days, and the implementation of a clearer career progression system that provides additional teaching and administrative positions to address teachers’ long-standing
by 70,000 kilos in Hadji Panglima Tahil, 50,000 kilos in Indanan, and 70,000 kilos in Kalingalan Caluang on October 3.
Similar distribution will be happening in other Bangsamoro island provinces of Basilan and Tawi-Tawi as the Bangsamoro government attempts to strengthen its seaweed industry. Sulu is part of the Basulta subregion composed of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
Mafar said seaweed farmers in Sulu has appealed for continued government support to sustain their livelihoods after the seedling distribution.
MAFAR-Sulu Officer-in-Charge for Fisheries Ferdausia Abduhasad said the success of the
Under the Republic Act No. 11641 or the “Department of Migrant Workers Act,” DMW must establish MWOs in areas where there are Philippine Foreign Service Posts and have a large concentration of OFWs.
Among the services provided by the MWOs are promoting and protecting the welfare and interests of OFWs; verifying employment contracts and other employmentrelated documents; and monitoring the status of OFWs in a specific country or territory.
“The DFA has presence to at least 92 [nationwide locations] as far as I know, and are still far off [from what is required in the law] at 42,” Cacdac said.
DMW issued the pronouncement when asked by Tulfo if its 1,429 filled positions is already sufficient to accommodate the estimated 10 million OFWs abroad.
Cacdac explained that their current number of personnel is only 75 percent of their total manpower.
As part of its DMW’s proposed P10.2-billion 2026 budget, he said they are eyeing to hire six additional personnel per post.
“Right now, we will always have to say that we are short on people and it would be good to add more, especially in regular positions,” he said in Filipino
₧3.8-million housing aid released to Manila fire victims
concerns about promotions.
Under the current administration, teacher profession is also being improved through the launch of the Teacher Education Roadmap 2025–2035 and the Education Center for AI Research (E-CAIR), which will support teachers in adapting to emerging technologies. DepEd said these complement the agency’s push to digitize classrooms, backed by a proposed more budget for laptops and connectivity support next year.
Angara pointed to the resilience of teachers who continue to serve despite the recent string of disasters that struck parts of the country, including the 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Cebu and typhoons that damaged schools in Northern Luzon and Bicol.
He said DepEd is working to speed up the delivery of temporary learning spaces, modular learning materials, and psychosocial support for affected teachers and students.
“Our teachers have been the first to step up in every crisis, ensuring that children’s education does not stop. That is why recovery efforts are tied closely with teacher support,” Angara said.
The culminating event, attended by some 12,500 teachers from Luzon and Metro Manila, also featured the unveiling of a PhilPost commemorative stamp, recognition of national awardees from TESDA, Metrobank Foundation, and other partners, and a variety show with raffle draws as tribute to educators’ contributions.
program depended on responsible farming practices, urging beneficiaries to keep their seaweed farms organic to safeguard marine ecosystems and sustain long-term production.
“We want to make sure that beneficiaries do not use fertilizers and instead practice organic management of their seaweed farms,” Abduhasad said, adding that the expansion of seaweed production “not only secures steady income for coastal households but also promotes the long-term sustainability of the fisheries sector.”
Only a week prior to the seedling distribution, the fisherfolk communities from among the Sama-Bajau tribe attended a Mafar-sponsored
THE National Housing Authority (NHA) has released P3.8 million in emergency shelter assistance to 333 families affected by recent fire incidents in Sampaloc, Manila.
The aid was distributed in two batches under the Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP), which provides financial support to households whose homes were damaged or destroyed by disasters. On October 3, P2.86 million was released to 47 families in Barangay 459, Zone 45. Two days earlier, about P940,000 was distributed to 286 beneficiaries in Barangay 458, Zone 45. Each family received P10,000 to P20,000, depending on the extent of damage to their homes, based on assessments from the Manila Department of Social Welfare’s Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center. The assistance, per NHA, aims to help residents rebuild and restore their homes after the fires.
Bless Aubrey Ogerio
fishery resources awareness campaign on September 24, to focus on sustainable and legal fishing practices.
“We chose the Sama-Bajau here in Jolo to participate because most of them are fishermen, and we want to help guide them toward sustainable and legal fishing practices,” Abduhasad said. That week, Mafar celebrated the Sixth Fish Conservation (FishCon) Week that was observed nationwide, which centered on the importance of conserving fish and aquatic resources. This year’s celebration carries the theme “Pangisdaang Masagana, Sapat na Isda sa Bawat Pamilya.” Manuel T. Cayon
A6 Tuesday, October 7, 2025
Editor: Angel R. Calso
Israel strikes Gaza, killing 12 before Egypt talks on Trump ceasefire plan
By Samy Magdy & Melanie Lidman
CThe Associated Press
AIRO—Israel and Hamas prepared for indirect negotiations in Egypt on Monday, as hopes for a possible ceasefire in Gaza grew after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a hostage release could be announced this week.
Tuesday marks two years since the Hamas attack that sparked the war.
President Donald Trump has welcomed the Hamas statement accepting some elements of the US peace plan. Israel has said it supported the new US effort. Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages—about 20 believed to be alive—within three days. It would give up power and disarm.
The delegation led by top Israeli negotiator Ron Dermer will leave Monday for the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Netanyahu’s office said. An Egyptian official said the Hamas delegation had arrived. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to brief reporters, said US envoy Steve Witkoff is joining the talks.
Discussions will focus on the proposed exchange of hostages for Palestinian
prisoners held by Israel, Egypt’s foreign ministry said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the situation “the closest we’ve come to getting all of the hostages released.”
Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,’’ he described two phases after Hamas accepts Trump’s framework: The hostages are released and Israel pulls back in Gaza to the “yellow line,” where it was in August.
Rubio told CBS that Hamas should release hostages as they are ready, and that bombardment needs to end so they can be released.
The US plan also addresses Gaza’s future. In a text exchange with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Trump said there would be “complete obliteration” if Hamas stayed in power there. Trump also texted that Netanyahu was on board for ending the bombing and peace in Gaza but added, “soon on the rest.”
Support for a ceasefire grows ISRAELI government spokeswoman Shosh Badrosian told journalists that Netanyahu is in “regular contact” with Trump and that the prime minister has stressed that the talks in Egypt “will be confined to a few days maximum.”
“I hope that we are closest to a hostage deal since the (ceasefire) deal in January,”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said in a speech.
Anxious relatives of hostages gathered near Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, with some urging Trump to continue to apply pressure. Israel’s recent military offensive in Gaza City led many to fear for the hostages’ lives.
“We cannot allow such a historic agreement to be sacrificed again,” said
As hundreds of thousands of people marched across several European cities and elsewhere in support of Palestinians, the foreign ministers of eight Muslim-majority countries issued a joint statement welcoming steps toward a possible ceasefire.
They also underlined their commitment to the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza, unifying Gaza and the West Bank
and reaching an agreement leading to a “full Israeli withdrawal” from Gaza.
Rubio told ABC that decisions regarding a governing structure or international group to manage Gaza can take place simultaneously with the ceasefire’s first step.
“That’s the part that I think is going to be a little tougher to work through, but that’s what’s going to provide permanency to the end of the conflict,” he said.
At least 12 killed in Gaza on Sunday
TRUMP has ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza, but residents and local hospitals said strikes continued across the territory.
The Israeli government spokeswoman, Badrosian, said “certain bombings have actually stopped inside of the Gaza Strip.”
But Israel’s military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, said that “if the political effort does not succeed, we will return to fight.”
At least eight people were killed Sunday in multiple strikes in Gaza City, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties. A security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media said the strikes were against Hamas militants who were a threat to troops.
Four other people were shot dead near
an aid distribution site in the southern city of Rafah, according to Nasser Hospital. Israel’s military said it was not involved. Doctors Without Borders confirmed the death of colleague Abed El Hameed Qaradaya, who was wounded in an attack Thursday that killed another colleague in Gaza.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll in the war reached 67,139 on Sunday, with nearly 170,000 injured. The ministry does not differentiate how many of those killed were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up about half of the dead. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the UN and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
Israel’s military has said it continues to dismantle Hamas infrastructure and warned residents not to return to northern Gaza.
“We’re on the brink, and we don’t know whether one will die of a strike or starvation,” said Mahmoud Hashem, a Palestinian father sheltering in a tent in Gaza City.
Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Andrew Wilks contributed from Istanbul.
Michel Ilouz, father of Guy Ilouz.
SMOKE rises over the Gaza Strip after an Israeli bombardment, as seen from southern Israel, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. AP/ARIEL SCHALIT
French Prime Minister resigns after less than a month in office
PARIS—France’s new prime minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned just a day after naming his government and after less than a month in office, plunging the country into a deep political crisis.
The French presidency said in a statement Monday that President Emmanuel Macron has accepted his resignation. Lecornu had replaced his predecessor François Bayrou to become France’s fourth prime minister in barely a year.
Macron’s opponents immediately tried to capitalize on the shocking resignation, with farright National Rally calling on him to either call for new snap elections or resign. On the far left, France Unbowed also asked for Macron’s departure.
The resignation rattled investors, sending the CAC-40 index of leading French companies plunging. The index was down by nearly 2% on its Friday close.
Ministers appointed just the previous night found themselves in the bizarre situation of becoming caretaker ministers—kept in place only to manage day-to-day affairs until a new government is formed—before some of them had even been formally installed in office.
Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the newly reappointed minister for ecology, posted on X: “I despair
of this circus.”
Lecornu’s choice of ministers has been criticized across the political spectrum, particularly his decision to bring back former finance minister Bruno Le Maire to serve at the defense ministry, with critics saying that under his watch France’s public deficit soared.
Other key positions remained largely unchanged from the previous cabinet, with conservative Bruno Retailleau staying on as interior minister, in charge of policing and internal security, JeanNoël Barrot remaining as foreign minister, and Gérald Darmanin keeping the justice ministry.
French politics have been in disarray since Macron called snap elections last year that produced a deeply fragmented legislature.
Far-right and left-wing lawmakers hold over 320 seats at the National Assembly, while the centrists and allied conservatives hold 210.
Seeking consensus at the National Assembly, Lecornu consulted with all political forces and trade unions before forming his Cabinet. He also vowed that he would not employ a special constitutional power his predecessors had used to force budgets through parliament without a vote and would instead seek compromise with lawmakers from the left and the right. AP
Australia, Papua New Guinea sign historic defense treaty that raised China’s concern
By Rod Mcguirk The Associated Press
ELBOURNE, Australia—
MThe leaders of Australia and Papua New Guinea signed a major bilateral defense treaty Monday that China believes targets it unfairly.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Papua New Guinea counterpart James Marape described the agreement as a mutual defense treaty that will enable unprecedented integration of their defense forces and military personnel.
It is Australia’s only alliance-level security pact other than the ANZUS Treaty signed with the United States and New Zealand in 1951. It is the first such treaty for Papua New Guinea, Australia’s nearest neighbor and former colony.
The treaty would take effect after it was ratified by the Parliaments of both countries.
Albanese said it was a great honor for Australia to have its nearest
neighbor become its newest ally.
“This treaty contains a mutual defense obligation similar to Australia’s ANZUS Treaty commitments, where we declare that in the event of an armed attack on either of our countries, we would both act to meet the common danger,” Albanese told reporters at a joint press conference with Marape at Australia’s Parliament House.
“Both our nations have also agreed not to undertake any activities or enter into any agreements that would compromise the implementation of this treaty,” Albanese added.
After Marape and Albanese signed a joined statement supporting the treaty’s core principles last month, the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea issued a statement saying such a bilateral pact “should not be exclusive in nature, nor should it restrict or prevent a sovereign country from cooperating with a third party for any reason.”
“It should also refrain from targeting any third party or undermining its legitimate rights and interests,” the embassy posted on social media.
Marape said Monday the treaty did not erode Papua New Guinea’s dominant foreign policy: friends to all, enemy to none.
“This is not a treaty that sets up enemies but consolidates friendships and China—we’ve been transparent—we have told them that Australia … has become our security partner of choice and they understand,” Marape said.
Marape said the treaty consolidated Papua New Guinea’s security partnership with Australia “with no intent of creating enemies elsewhere.”
The United States and Australia have both increased military ties in recent years with Papua New Guinea, which is seen as a strategically important partner in countering China’s growing influence in the Pacific.
The security relationship is a balancing act for Papua New Guinea, which also seeks closer economic cooperation with China. Australia has stepped up efforts to bolster relations with island nations in the region since 2022, when Beijing struck a security deal with Solomon Islands that has raised the prospect of a Chinese naval base being established in the South Pacific.
Outside Australia and New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Tonga are the only South Pacific island nations with militaries. Australia is negotiating a bilateral defense pact with Fiji.
Three Pacific island nations have changed their diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing since 2019 as China’s influence in the region has grown. The US and its allies are particularly concerned by China’s growing sway in security through police training in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
FRENCH Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu arrives to deliver a statement at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, Friday Oct. 3, 2025, before a round of consultations with political parties ahead of the announcement of the new government. ALAIN JOCARD, POOL PHOTO VIA AP
Dy seeks reinstatement of 35% rice tariff
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
SPEAKER Faustino Dy III on Monday urged the government’s economic managers to reinstate the 35 percent tariff on imported rice to protect Filipino farmers and boost the country’s rice industry, as the Department of Agriculture (DA) considers two possible courses of action.
During the joint hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture and House Committee on Ways and Means,Dexplained that reinstating the 35 percent tariff would protect local farmers from the influx of cheaper imported rice.
“May I reiterate—if possible, let’s bring back the 35 percent tariff. Please,” Dy said.
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shelter operations for families displaced by the recent magnitude 6.9 earthquake in the province.
The National Police (PNP) acting Chief, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., said in a briefing on Monday that officers from the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) took part in a preinstallation demonstration led by the Philippine Red Cross on the setup of tents at the “Tent City” in Bogo City on Sunday.
The activity was conducted to enhance coordination between the police and humanitarian workers and to ensure the safe, organized, and efficient installation of temporary shelters for residents displaced by the recent earthquake.
“Our police personnel are working hand in hand with humanitarian partners to ensure that families affected by the earthquake are accommodated in safe and dignified conditions,” Nartatez said.
As part of the NDRRMC response framework, the PNP continues to provide manpower, mobility, and security assistance to local government units and humanitarian agencies in areas affected by the powerful earthquake that struck northern Cebu on Sept. 30, claiming at least 72 lives and displacing hundreds of families.
The PNP has also deployed additional personnel to assist in traffic management, security in evacuation sites, and the transport of relief supplies. Police visibility and patrol operations have been intensified in affected communities to deter opportunistic crimes and maintain public confidence amid ongoing
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cases are consumer complaints, followed by compliance filings, capital expenditure (capex) applications, and other rate cases.
“We’re gaining traction and you can see it from the number of decisions and orders we have promulgated since I assumed office in August. They’re all posted on our website. There are even decisions and orders that were issued one or two days from the commission meeting
He said that along with other farmer-centered initiatives, the government should reform the tariff system “to restore the previous 35 percent rate from the current 15 percent as protection against the sudden surge of imported rice.” Through Executive Order 62 last year, the tariff rate on imported rice
aftershocks.
Nartatez commended police personnel for contributing in the “gradual restoration of normalcy” in the province as he assured continuous coordination for smooth response to the affected residents.
“We are coordinating with the local government units, particularly the Provincial Government of Cebu, to map out ways to facilitate and expedite the distribution of assistance down to the farthest affected barangays,” said Nartatez.
Zero focused crimes
NARTATEZ said no focused crimes recorded in Cebu province from October 1 to 5 following the earthquake.
Focus crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft and carjacking.
“In fact one commendable thing is nandoon na rin sa mga kababayan natin na ang talagang mga Pilipino mga peace-loving lalung-lalo na sa Cebu [Filipinos are peace-loving, especially Cebuanos]...zero recorded crimes,” Nartatez told reporters in a press briefing held at Camp Crame on Monday.
Nartatez assured that the peace and order situation in northern Cebu remains generally peaceful and under control, with no reported incidents of looting or disorder.
Air Force on relief missions TRANSPORT aircraft and personnel from the Air Force (PAF)’s Tactical Operations Wing Central showed their mettle as they conducted humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) missions over the weekend for quake-affected communities in Northern Cebu.
PAF aircraft staged out from Brigadier General Benito N.
these cases were taken up,” added Juan. The ERC is adopting the conduct of summary proceedings for certain applications of power firms to shorten deliberation time. Under Resolution 16, the Commission authorized the use of summary proceedings for applications involving authority to develop and own or operate dedicated point-to-point (P2P) limited transmission facilities, approval of capital expenditure (Capex) projects, confirmation of over or under recoveries, approval of power supply contracts,
was brought down to 15% to lower market prices of rice for consumers.
“The output of the Murang Pagkain [Super] Committee in the previous Congress was to bring the tariff back to 35 percent,” Enverga said, referring to the five-committee panel created to combat smuggling, prevent price manipulation, and ensure food security.
House Committee on Agriculture and Food chairman, Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, backed the Speaker’s call, recalling that the same recommendation was made in the previous Congress.
“The output of the Murang Pagkain [Super] Committee in the previous Congress was to bring the tariff back to 35 percent,” Enverga said, referring to the five-committee panel created to combat smuggling, prevent price manipulation, and ensure food security.
“I think that recommendation has already reached your desk. So, we join the Speaker in his appeal to restore the 35 percent
Ebuen Air Base (BGBNEAB_), Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, the Air Force spokesperson, Col. Ma. Christina Basco, said.
“The mission involved the air transport of essential relief goods from Cotabato City to BGBNEAB using Fokker and NC212i aircraft, providing immediate aid to residents affected by the recent earthquake in Bogo City, Cebu,” she added.
An S-70i “Black Hawk” helicopter was also deployed to deliver family food packs and boxes of drinking water from the Provincial Government of Cebu, which were loaded at BGBNEAB and airlifted to Carnaza Island.
The operation was successfully executed through the combined efforts of PAF personnel and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets from the Philippine State College of Aeronautics who assisted in the loading of relief goods.
“This humanitarian mission highlights the Armed Forces’ steadfast commitment to supporting national and local government disaster response initiatives, ensuring that timely assistance reaches communities in need,” Basco said.
Customs donates goods
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday turned over abandoned and forfeited goods to t he Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to be donated to the victims of the deadly Sept. 30 earthquake in Cebu.
In a statement, Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the OCD will handle the distribution of the donated items to the affected families, ensuring their fast delivery.
“In moments like this, every donation can make a difference for our countrymen who have
issuance of Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity, and business separation and unbundling plans.
The commission said, the summary procedure is a streamlined process which dispenses with trial-type hearings. The parties may be required to simply submit affidavits and other supporting documents within specific deadlines and the commission may then proceed to resolve the matter based on those documents submitted. Although a case may not necessarily be resolved in one sitting, the ERC that summary
tariff,” Enverga added, addressing the government’s economic managers.
Dy stressed that the goal is to strike a balance between keeping rice affordable for consumers and ensuring that farmers earn a fair and sustainable income.
The joint hearing was attended by officials from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, and the Philippine Competition Commission, as well as representatives from rice millers, traders, importers, and farmers’ groups.
Two options
AGRICULTURE Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. on Monday said the DA is preparing two possible courses of action to stabilize rice supply and protect local farmers amid discussions on the country’s rice tariff rates.
In the same hearing, Tiu-Laurel said the DA prefers a tariff increase, but economic managers are still studying its implications
lost their homes and security,” Nepomuceno said.
A send-off ceremony was held Monday morning at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
The donation, which came mostly from the Manila International Container Port (MICP), included 56 pieces of rapid emergency tents and 1,087 pieces of assorted tents to serve as temporary shelters, 50 units of mobile power supply to provide electricity in affected areas, and one bio-toilet unit to ensure proper sanitation for displaced residents.
Nepomuceno said the donated items were declared abandoned and subsequently forfeited in favor of the government.
Aside from the forfeited items, the BOC also donated over 100 sacks of rice to support food assistance efforts in the earthquake-affected areas.
Nepomuceno, who previously served as undersecretary of the Department of National Defense and administrator of the OCD, said the partnership highlights the coordination of government agencies to maximize resources and deliver timely support during emergencies.
For his part, MICP District Collector Rizalino Jose Torralba expressed his full support for the initiative, reaffirming the port’s commitment to utilizing abandoned and forfeited goods for the benefit of the public.
“The Manila International Container Port stands in full support of the BOC’s thrust to transform abandoned goods into opportunities for service. Through this donation, we hope to extend help and bring comfort to our fellow Filipinos in Cebu who are recovering from this calamity,” he said.
With Rex Anthony Naval and PNA
procedure will significantly reduce the time allotted for reception of evidence as compared to the regular procedure. However, this will only apply if the applications are uncontested. For applications with intervenors, the ERC said all parties should agree to proceed with the conduct of summary proceeding. The ERC resolution is in line with Rule 17 of the ERC’s Revised Rules of Practice and Procedure (RRPP), which allows the conduct of summary proceedings for cases pending before the Commission.
on prices and inflation.
“Our wish is for the tariff rate to increase, but the economic managers are still studying its implications,” Tiu-Laurel said. He explained that the first plan, which is aligned with the position earlier mentioned by Speaker Dy, involves raising the tariff on rice imports to as high as 35 percent to help protect local farmers from cheap imported rice.
However, if the tariff hike does not push through, the Secretary said the DA has prepared an alternative plan—implementing a short, time-bound importation window in January 2026.
“We have two plans. If the tariff rate is raised up to 35 percent, as mentioned by the Speaker, that would be ideal. But if that doesn’t happen, the DA’s plan—more or less already approved by the President—is to allow importation in January for one month and then cut it off again from February to April,” he said.
Tiu-Laurel said the strategy
Ledac. . .
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“I actually brought it up already with the new Speaker. And he’s very open and very receptive about it, that he will push for its speedy enactment and that he would even try to convince the President to certify it as urgent,” De Lima earlier said. De Lima also expressed concern over efforts to mislead or distract public attention from the corruption issue.
“Many cases of corruption and collusion have already been exposed. But there are also those who cause confusion and muddy the waters—people who spread fake news, those who attack the very individuals pursuing the corrupt and exposing government wrongdoing, and some who make grandstanding suggestions without basis. For what purpose? For their own personal agendas, to distract us and divert attention from our real goal—which is to uncover the full truth,” she said.
Growth retardant
PRESIDENT Marcos warned that systemic corruption in flood control projects could derail the country’s growth and deny Filipinos access to basic services, stressing that accountability and reforms are crucial to national progress.
In Episode 5 of his “Bagong Pilipinas Podcast” released on Monday, Marcos said his decision to raise the issue in his fourth State of the Nation Address in July was driven by the magnitude of the problem.
“The reason I brought it up and made it part of the national discourse was quite simply because this could not go on,” Marcos said.
He said the impact of corruption is not only financial but also life-threatening.
“There is a great deal of damage that has been caused, not only financial damage or economic damage, but damage, actual damage to people’s lives,” Marcos said.
“A lousy flood control project that
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Nartatez maintained that there was “no need for a loyalty check” in the police force.
“With or without orders for loyalty check, ginagawa natin iyan. Kaya nga sinasabinatin[With or without orders for a loyalty check, we do it. That’s why we say], the state of morale in the PNP is relatively high,” Nartatez said. He also underscored that under the Marcos administration, reforms are being pushed, particularly against corruption and illegal activities that have contributed to long-standing issues like flooding.
“It started during the July [State of the Nation Address], wherein, siya na mismo ang magsabi [he was the one who said], put a stop to the corruption especially
aims to ensure sufficient rice supply early next year without disrupting the harvest season, which usually runs from mid-February to the end of April.
“This way, during our harvest season from mid-February to the end of April, there will be no more imports. This is what we call thinking ahead—two options: increase the tariff or stop imports again,” he added.
The DA chief emphasized that both measures are meant to balance consumer protection and farmer welfare as the government manages rice prices and maintains food security.
Economic managers are expected to finalize their recommendations on rice tariff adjustments in the coming weeks.
Tiu-Laurel said the Philippines should only import about 300,000 MT on a monthly basis or 3.6 million metric tons (MMT) annually. However, Laurel noted that the country’s rice arrivals reached 3.5 MMT as of end-September, citing government data. With Ada Pelonia
collapsed during the flood that killed a family—I mean, how can you live with that? I can’t live with it.”
At the same time, Marcos said resigning from government service will not clear officials linked to the alleged irregularities in flood control projects, but stressed that accountability must be established through due process.
“No, that’s not enough. That’s not enough,” Marcos said in his latest podcast episode when asked if resigning allows officials to be free of culpability.
“There is a great deal of damage that has been caused, not only financial damage or economic damage, but damage, actual damage to people’s lives,” he added. Marcos also said cases related to anomalies in government projects must be backed by strong evidence to ensure only those truly guilty are punished.
“You don’t want to go after people who are innocent. Now, we know many of these people are not innocent. But if you’re going to bring them to court, you must have a very strong case,” he said.
He cautioned against rushing prosecutions.
“What will happen? We brought it. Our evidence is incomplete. Our evidence is vague. But we forced it. The case was passed. Can you imagine? I think that would be much, much, much worse,” he said.
Marcos acknowledged public anger over corruption but said due process is necessary.
“It’s understandable. Because it’s the sins committed—and I call them sins, it’s no longer mistakes or corruption. The sins they committed, it’s hard to swallow. But if we…we are a nation of laws, we have to follow the law. Otherwise, whatever we do is not legitimate,” he said. The President earlier called out irregularities in flood control projects, triggering a broad review of public works spending.
Some groups have called for immediate arrests, but Malacañang has stressed the importance of careful evidence-gathering.
that caused the flooding here in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, and even sa lahat [everywhere]. So, what’s the basis?” he said.
Retired and active members of the military and police have expressed support for Marcos and his relentless efforts to eradicate corruption in government. Among those who issued a manifesto of support for Marcos’ anti-corruption drive were members of the Association of General and Flag Officers, Philippine National Police Academy Alumni Association, Inc., National Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Alumni Association, and Confederation of National Unified Service Associations. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro earlier said the military and other uniformed personnel must remain apolitical and must not be used for political gains or efforts to destabilize the government. PNA
PNP.
Tieza sinks controversial WPS tourism project for lack of DND clearance
By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror
ACASE of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing?
That seems to be the case behind the dropping of the tourism master plan for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a project instigated by the House of Representatives under the 19th Congress, with funds from the General Appropriations Act for 2024 allocated to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza).
In the recent 2026 budget presentation of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and its attached agencies and government firms, Tieza Chief Operating Officer Dr. Mark T. Lapid told Finance Committee chair Senator Sherwin Gatchalian that his office is “in the process of terminating the master plan because we didn’t get any clearance from the DND (Department of National Defense)…to go to the islands.” He added, only P7 million has been spent for the project’s “mobilization,” while the rest of the funds are still with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). The P99.2-million project for a detailed engineering study of the WPS and neighboring islands was awarded in December to WTA Architecture and Design Studio, which was the lone bidder. Earlier, Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda (Albay, 2nd District) explained to the B usiness M irror : “The item is part of [the] 2024 budget’s assertive stance towards protecting our territorial integrity, including a realignment of confidential funds towards WPS defense…. Nothing says domestic territory like tourism. And indeed, this part of the sea is one of the most beautiful and biodiverse places in the world.” (See, “Marcos administration eyes tourism development in West Philippine Sea,” in the BusinessMirror, Jan. 4, 2024.)
2026 travel taxes seen at P7.26B ANOTHER project which Tieza terminated, said Lapid, was the P1.25-billion Mayon Volcano Heritage Aesthetic Lighting project, another congressional initiative. Phase one of the project was allocated P500 million under GAA 2024, and phase two, at P750 million, under GAA 2025. “Not a single centavo has been spent on this,” he stressed,
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certain rules to at least control, or at least minimize the selling of substandard products in the E-commerce platform,” the Trade chief noted.
Last month, DTI announced it is extending the deadline of application for the Trustmark digital badge for online merchants until December 31,2025.
“Indicatively, it’s going to be up to the end of the year so we can better explain, better campaign and better promote natin why this is mandatory,” Eryl Royce R. Nagtalon, Officerin-Charge for DTI’s E-Commerce Bureau told reporters on the sidelines of the media briefing for Trustmark compliance on Friday in Makati City. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/09/19/dti-extends-deadlinefor-securing-trustmark-badge-foronline-sellers/)
An earlier story published by the BusinessMirror noted that more than 12,000 online merchants have sought the government’s e-commerce Trustmark, but only 300 have so far been granted the seal. (See: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2025/09/26/ dti-12000-trustmark-applicationspending-300-issued/)
except for P5-million Tieza spent from its own funds for a feasibility study.
“Iilawan natin ang MayonVolcano?‘Di ba sumasabog ‘yon?” asked Gatchalian in disbelief.
To which, Lapid explained that it was “technically viable” to light up the volcano at a distance from the lava flows, as proposed in the project, but it was terminated because it was “socially [unacceptable].” Objections were raised by stakeholders, the local government unit, and the Department of Environment and National Resources during public hearings overseen by Tieza. “So there’s no purpose in implementing the project,” said the Tieza chief.
The government corporation has no proposed budget for 2026 as its operations are mainly financed by collections of travel taxes. For 2026, it projects travel taxes to reach P7.26 billion, of which it will retain 50 percent for Tieza’s operations. Lapid said earlier they will likely exceed its P6.86billion target this year.
Bicol, Tacloban stadiums hang OF its P620-million subsidy for 2024, the construction of a Tubbataha Ranger Station, which cost P20 million is “being reviewed” as it involves the transfer of funds to the province of Palawan, he said. The project is supposed to be executed by the local government unit in partnership with conservators of the popular dive spot.
Gatchalian was looking into the low disbursement rate of Tieza projects funded by GAA subsidies. “It’s already end of the year and none of these projects in 2024 and 2025 materialized,” said the lawmaker.
For instance, Tieza was also allocated a P1.55-billion subsidy under GAA 2025 to fund lawmakers’ other pet projects such as the the Construction of a Baywalk in the Cruise Port project in Puerto Galera (P10 million), Construction of the Bicol International Sports Stadium-Phase 1 (P390 million); and the Construction of the Tacloban International Sports StadiumPhase 1 (P395 million) projects.
While plans are ongoing for the baywalk project, Lapid said Tieza “has yet to receive any information and scope for both projects…so the amounts are still with the DBM.” No coordination has been made by the projects’ proponents.
Aquino clarified that he does not object to efforts to boost consumer protection, but such effort must be according to law and existing policy.
Aquino, likewise, flagged the annual P1,130 Trustmark registration fee, which comes on top of existing business registration costs and further strains MSMEs, particularly those just starting out.
“What this amounts to a form of tax that online traders must pay yearly. This is not timely, especially now that people are concerned about anomalies in the use of taxpayer money,” he added, partly in Filipino.
If the government really wants to help online MSMEs thrive, Aquino said the DTI should integrate the Trustmark into the business registration or renewal process and make it free of charge to ease their financial burden and encourage more entrepreneurs to go digital.
Aquino was the author and principal sponsor of the Go Negosyo Act (Republic Act 10644) during his tenure as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship.
The law provides MSMEs greater access to markets and financing, offers training and capacity-building programs, and simplifies the business registration process for entrepreneurs starting or expanding their ventures.
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For the Inter-Call Center Association of Workers (ICCAW), the recent earthquake underscored the need for all BPO firms to establish active safety committees with worker representatives.
“Workers must have voice and participation in the workplace, especially with regard to safety and health concerns,” ICCAW Gilbert Romo said.
Dialogue over sanction
FOR his part, DOLE Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said the agency is prioritizing dialogue and due process
WESM prices hit 7-month low in Sept due to increased supply, lower demand
TBy Lenie Lecctura @llectura
HE average price of power on the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market
(WESM) declined 33.8 percent to P3.04 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in September, the lowest in the last seven months, from P4.59 per kWh the previous month, the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) said Monday.
The WESM operator noted an improved supply for the billing period August 26 to September 25 at 20,712 megawatts (MW) against a lower demand which stood at 13,640MW, resulting in an increased margin of 5,194 MW, up from 4,578 MW in August 2025.
IEMOP said these conditions were observed across the regions with supply increasing and demand decreasing. The higher margin compared to the previous billing month led to lower prices.
In Luzon, prices dropped significantly due to lower demand and higher supply, even with increased power exports through the HVDC (high-voltage direct current). The average power rate declined 31.7 percent to P2.57 per kWh, with supply at 14,681MW. Demand stood at 9,595MW.
WESM rates in the Visayas also registered a decline. From P6.4 per kWh, it dropped 37 percent to P4.02 per kWh. Supply inched up to 2,440MW while demand went down four percent to 1,945MW.
In Mindanao, WESM prices settled at P4.19 per kWh, 37 percent lower than the P6.66 per kWh registered from a month ago. The grid’s available supply stood at 3,592MW. Demand grew to 2,100MW.
IEMOP said there were no major plant outages affecting the September billing period, contributing to the overall decrease in prices. *While Visayas experienced an earthquake on September 30 that caused multiple tripping of transmission lines and generators, this will be settled as part of the October 2025 billing period,” it said on Monday
In terms of system-wide generation mix, renewable energy (RE) contributed 26% of total generation. Coal increased its share from 50.6% to 55.1%. Hydro generation continued its upward trend, rising from 12.6% to 13.5%, due to rainy season that was intensified by typhoon. Meanwhile, the share of natural gas and oil-based decreased, with natural gas dropping from 22% to 17%, and oil-based generation from 0.9% to 0.5%. Solar and geothermal generation also decreased their share from 4.0% to 3.7% and 7.8% to 7.6%, respectively. Approximately 25 percent, or 2.34 terra wat of total customer transactions were purchased from retail market for this billing period.
During the period, IEMOP
Sotto sees no coup, more thorough budget review; hopes Ping stays on at Blue Ribbon
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
ENATE President Vicente Sotto III said
SMonday he is confident there will be no leadership shakeup in the Senate, amid speculations fanned by netizens at the weekend that certain blocs are moving to replace his month-old leadership.
Asked again at the end of a press conference if he is confident that there won’t be any shakeup when the Senate convenes on Friday (Oct 10), Sotto, whose 15-man majority bloc is viewed by some as a tenuous lead over a 9-member minority, replied, “Quite confident,” while adding, “but any senator elected into the leadership serves at the pleasure” of the members.
He also said that Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, rumored to be groomed to replace him, had told him, when they spoke the
PHL. . .
other day, “walahenamanakongkinakausap kahit na sino.”
He explained he has been talking to most senators and was confident his leadership was addressing their concerns, citing as example Sen. JV Ejercito, who was reported in social media as planning to bolt the majority over issues in the direction of the flood-control projects investigation.
At the same time, Sotto sounded certain that the 2026 budget will not be hounded by questions of irregularities like the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) because the President has ruled out certifying the budget bill—the first time in many years it will not get Palace certification.
This means, Sotto explained, that lawmakers have three days between secondreading approval and their third-reading vote to read the budget bill thoroughly.
He said that Congress was told by President
Continued from A1
there has been “little to no substantive improvement in pro-worker policies since 2022.”
The report noted that most platform workers still fail to earn the minimum wage after deducting daily expenses such as fuel, mobile data, and maintenance costs.
“Some workers reach the minimum wage threshold in terms of gross income, but fall short when work-related costs are taken into account. Thus, workers tend to strategize usually by putting in long hours of work,” it said.
Because they are treated as independent contractors, riders and drivers shoulder all operating costs and social contributions, often working up to 16 hours a day just to break even.
Only GrabCar was credited for providing adequate safety training and free accident insurance.
“The app also provides overspeeding alerts and fatigue reminders when workers exceed safe driving hours. In addition, the AudioProtect feature allows for in-app audio recording of trips, which can serve as evidence in dispute resolution,” Fairwork said.
However, for the two-wheel platforms, the study noted that it could not find any evidence that companies give free protective gear or hazard pay, even as riders face harsher weather and traffic conditions.
Lack of protection, representation
FAIRWORK also noted the absence of social safety nets for illness or sudden income loss.
While some companies have started facilitating access to government social protection programs like Social Security System and PhilHealth, these efforts remain limited.
“None of the nine platforms could evidence that all provisions of the sub-principle are met...Critical social protections...should be incorporated as baseline entitlements of workers rather than optional perks. The failure to address these not only undermines the dignity of platform work but also deepens systemic inequalities in an already climate-vulnerable country,” the study said.
Under fair contracts, five platforms have readable and accessible terms, but none could show contracts free from clauses that exempt them from liability.
“Under ‘independent contractor’ classifications, workers carry a
over immediate sanctions in handling labor complaints against BPO, saying that punitive action must be backed by a strong legal basis.
“We don’t prioritize punishment. We will listen because we live in a free country. If workers have grievances or complaints, we should also hear the side of employers,” he said in an interview on Monday.
Laguesma noted BPO’s large contribution to the country’s economy, citing the 1.8 to 1.9 million workers comprising the sector nationwide.
The figures, he added, benefits several programs of the labor department.
Last year, the BPO industry generated about $38 billion in revenue, a 7-percent growth from the previous year.
“We also benefit from that. That’s why we need to be cautious and not act rashly in our decisions.”
The situation calls for a strong legal basis of punishment, as sanctions may being either benefit or harm, said Laguesma.
“That’s why I encourage voluntary compliance. Employers are supposed to be our social partners,” he said. “Everyone is given the chance to comply—they just need to meet the requirements of the law and DOLE issuances.”
The labor department has also began profiling affected workers two days after the earthquake, along with the implementation of temporary emergency and temporary employment assistance, Laguesma said.
He added that the period would last between 10 to 90 days, depending on the gravity of the recent disaster.
Marcos “they will not be given the certification of urgency.”
The “President doesn’t want to certify budget so there will be time for everyone to go over the budget. The President himself said that: ayaw niya yung short cut ng 3-day rule.”
“Taon taon, may fina-fast break,” and the President does not want that to happen this year, Sotto said. He was referring to criticism that most lawmakers had failed to read the budget in detail as a result of the quick succession in second and third-reading passage, accounting for numerous questions about so-called insertions.
Asked if a non-certification by the Palace won’t affect or delay the budget, Sotto replied, in Filipino, “No. It will be even good for the process. Every year, Congress asks for a certification to skirt the 3-day rule. The question is: ‘ did you read the budget?’ No.
disproportionate amount of risk for engaging in a contract with the service user. They may be liable for any damage arising in the course of their work, and they may be prevented by unfair clauses from seeking legal redress for grievances,” Fairwork noted.
Meanwhile, only GrabCar and GrabFood/Express met minimum standards for fair management, offering human support channels and appeals for account deactivation.
Still, the researchers found “no documented policy from any platform that assures freedom of association and collective worker voice.”
DOLE eyes possible interventions
MEANWHILE, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said the
Lacson stays for now IN another development, Sotto said he would rather that Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson keep the chairmanship of the Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) , amid wrangling over the direction of the Senate inquiry.
He said he understood why Lacson wants out. “Senator Lacson is frustrated. He is not stressed..Sanay sa stress yun. Maghi-hearing siya, merong umaangal bakit maghi-hearing; pag di naman siya nagtawag, meron pa ring umaangal.”
He said he has not received yet Lacson’s letter of resignation from the BRC, but “I will support whatever decision he makes; and I will accept whatever decision he makes.” Still, “I can only hope for the best.”
“Now, you have 3 days to go over the budget. We will make sure we all read the budget.”
agency—particularly its Occupational Safety and Health Center—will conduct a study on how to provide assistance to platform workers.
He acknowledged that the gig economy has introduced new employment setups that existing regulations may not fully address.
“There are many emerging new arrangements...in general you can apply the existing ones but they have uniqueness or peculiarity. You can’t do one size fits all,” he told reporters in an ambush interview on Monday.
Laguesma said the government continues to review existing labor policies to ensure they remain relevant.
“The President always reminds us to keep looking at what changes, what we should do,” Laguesma also said.
“I hope we are not just reactive, like firefighters that only act when there is a problem. We must anticipate.”
Immutable records: Blockchain’s role in combating corruption editorial
IN a groundbreaking move to combat corruption and promote transparency, the Department of Information and Communications Technology is turning to blockchain technology to safeguard government transactions. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize the way the government operates, making it more accountable and trustworthy. (Read the BusinessMirror story—“DICT: Blockchain a weapon vs corruption,” September 30, 2025).
The DICT’s push to harness blockchain as a “digital safeguard” against tampering and erasure of government records could revolutionize transparency in how public funds are managed, tracked, and spent.
Blockchain’s defining feature—its immutability—is perfectly suited to address a perennial problem in government transactions: the manipulation or destruction of records. As ICT Secretary Henry Aguda pointed out, data stored on a blockchain cannot be altered or deleted. This creates a permanent, verifiable ledger that leaves no room for the “wiping out” of documents, a practice that reportedly complicated investigations into the multibillion-peso flood control scandal involving the Department of Public Works and Highways. By decentralizing data storage across multiple nodes rather than a single server, blockchain safeguards government records from unilateral tampering.
Two proposed pieces of legislation, the Blockchain for Government Transparency Act and the Philippine National Budget Blockchain Act, aim to integrate blockchain technology into government operations. If implemented, every peso of the national budget—from allocation to disbursement and expenditure—could be traceable and independently verifiable by citizens. This level of openness not only deters corruption but also empowers the public with real-time information, fostering trust in government institutions. (Read the BusinessMirror story—“PBBM certification of budget on blockchain bill sought,” October 3, 2025).
The involvement of lawmakers like Rep. Brian Llamanzares and Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, who are championing these bills, reflects growing political will to modernize public finance management. Moreover, the Department of Budget and Management’s recent adoption of blockchain in recording Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) and Notices of Cash Allocation (NCAs) shows that the technology is not just theoretical but already practical and scalable.
However, the success of this initiative hinges on more than technology alone. It requires unwavering political will, adequate funding, technical expertise, and robust digital literacy programs to ensure that government employees and citizens can effectively use and trust the system. Moreover, the government must guarantee that blockchain implementation complements —not replaces—existing checks and balances, audits, and legal frameworks designed to hold officials accountable.
Blockchain is no silver bullet, but it is a powerful tool that can enhance transparency and reduce opportunities for corruption when integrated wisely. By committing to blockchain-backed public finance, the Philippines positions itself as a leader in digital governance in the region, setting a standard that many countries could emulate.
Given the current crisis of confidence in government agencies, the promise of an immutable, transparent ledger offers a chance to rebuild confidence and ensure that every taxpayer’s peso truly serves the public good. The DICT’s blockchain initiative should be welcomed and supported by all sectors as a crucial step toward a more accountable, transparent, and corruption-resistant government.
With the blockchain technology as an ally and political will as a driving force, the Philippines can turn the tide against corruption and usher in a new era of integrity and openness in public service.
Opinion
Bright prospects, dark structural shadows
IJohn Mangun
OUTSIDE THE BOX
STUDY the Philippine economy and find myself split between cautious optimism and a tear in my eye when I survey the economic trajectory. Part of me nods at the progress, the other part shakes its head at the same old barriers. The government has worked overtime to lure investment and sell a story of resilience. But whether that story survives 2025 is a different question.
The “2025 Philippines Investment Climate Statement” published in September 2025 by the US Department of State offers some insight into foreign thinking and evaluation. Note that any and all government assessments are biased for its own self-interest. But we need to know what they are thinking.
Let us start with the positives. The Philippines’ macro fundamentals are solid enough that “While potential challenges from global economic headwinds could impact the economy in 2025, sovereign credit ratings remain at investment grade, supported by the country’s sound macroeconomic fundamentals.”
In 2024, real GDP growth clocked in at 5.6 percent. That came short of the administration’s 6.0–6.5 percent target, but that outcome is not embarrassing. “High inflation and interest rates, extreme weather events, and weak global demand for Philippine exports weighed on
T. Anthony C. Cabangon
Lourdes M. Fernandez Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug Lorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos Lyn B. Resurreccion, Dennis D. Estopace Angel R. Calso, Dionisio L. Pelayo Ruben M. Cruz Jr.
Eduardo A. Davad
Nonilon G. Reyes
D. Edgard A. Cabangon Benjamin V. Ramos Aldwin Maralit Tolosa Rolando M. Manangan
economic growth,” says the Department of State.
However, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stagnated as usual: net inflows in 2024 stood at about $9 billion, virtually unchanged from the prior year. That suggests the underlying incentives are not powerful enough—or the external environment not friendly enough—to drive a money surge. A fancy red carpet at the airport will not help if investors see potholes on the highway to the hotel.
In November 2024 the government passed the marquee CREATE MORE Act, extending tax incentives up to 27 years, adding deductions, clarifying VAT zero-rating rules, and aiming to streamline local tax regimes.
These moves improve predictability and look attractive on paper. But no incentive can disguise the same old obstacles: crumbling infrastructure, expensive power, clogged
logistics, muddy regulation, and courts that crawl. “Foreign investors describe the inefficiency and uncertainty of the judicial system as a significant barrier to investment”. Without competent regulators, real checks on corruption, and permits that do not take a lifetime, laws alone are lipstick on the pig.
The Marcos administration’s infrastructure drive could help if corruption does not chew it to pieces. But credibility comes from results, not photo ops. Right now, building a major project still means chasing 157 signatures from barangay to Cabinet—plus handing out enough Christmas fruit baskets to stock a supermarket.“Business registration in the Philippines is cumbersome due to multiple agencies involved in the process. The government has taken steps to address these issues, but the business registration and permitting processes remain an irritant to investors.”
And even if you survive that gauntlet, a bigger wall looms: family-owned conglomerates that dominate industries and guard their turf with capital, distribution channels, and political ties. Toss in regulatory flip-flops and local meddling, and the message to outsiders is clear— welcome, but do not expect to play on equal terms.
From a 2025 perspective, the Philippines must calculate against several threats. First, global growth is softening, particularly in advanced economies. Demand for electronics, BPO services, and export goods may weaken. Second, mon-
Czech billionaire’s comeback a boon to Europe’s populist right
By Andrea Dudik, Peter Laca & Daniel Hornak
BILLIONAIRE Andrej Babis set about forging a new Czech government hours after scoring his best-ever election victory, with his return to power poised to bolster the ascendant ranks of populist leaders in the European Union.
After meeting with President Petr Pavel at Prague Castle, Babis said he’ll move forward with plans to govern with the support of a far-right group that’s called for the Czech Republic to abandon the EU and a populist party whose leaders have attacked the bloc’s climate agenda.
The 71-year-old businessman, who was Czech prime minister for four years until 2021, has made clear that he’s against any form of “Czexit” and remains an adherent of NATO. But his Donald Trumpinspired Czech-first campaign put Brussels on notice that the roster of leaders challenging policies from migration to military aid to Ukraine is about to expand.
“We will fulfill our program for our people who deserve it,” Babis said in his first post-election news conference as the vote count was being finalized. “The current government forgot about them—and for four years spoke only about war and Ukraine.”
For an EU struggling to maintain a united front, Babis’s comeback takes place as Trump’s trade war, Russia’s invasion in Ukraine and rising antiimmigration nationalism are pulling at the seams of the European project.
“Europe is suffering,” the billionaire said late Saturday, as he beamed at party headquarters, with an Italian pop hit from the 1980s by Ricchi e Poveri blaring for the crowd. He
The 71-year-old businessman, who was Czech prime minister for four years until 2021, has made clear that he’s against any form of “Czexit” and remains an adherent of NATO. But his Donald Trump-inspired Czech-first campaign put Brussels on notice that the roster of leaders challenging policies from migration to military aid to Ukraine is about to expand.
used the moment to again denounce over-regulation and soaring energy prices in the EU.
The company he keeps offers an idea of where Babis’s policy agenda will lie. An ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovakia’s Robert Fico, Babis helped form a political group in the European Parliament—Patriots for Europe—that includes France’s National Rally under Marine Le Pen and Italy’s League
etary policy in the US and elsewhere may remain confused, pressuring capital flows into other emerging markets. Third, climate risk is not a footnote—it is a central economic risk. Typhoons, floodings, and storms are real drag factors on infrastructure, agriculture, and investor confidence.
Still, the Philippines has latent strength. Remittances and the BPO sector will remain cushions no matter all the gloom-and-doom talk. The Philippines therefore faces a paradox: the scaffolding of growth is sturdier than a decade ago, but the winds against it are stronger. Global softness, climate disruption, and fragile governance systems pose real threats. The country is not in crisis, but it is walking a tightrope where balance depends less on external goodwill and more on domestic execution.
The bottom line is straightforward: the Philippines is neither a disaster nor a miracle. The domestic market is large, the demographics are favorable, and the services sector continues to expand. Yet the same decades old obstacles persist. Investors should pay attention, but with both eyes open. The opportunities are real, but so are the traps. The winners will be those who engage selectively, measure risks precisely, and rely on analysis rather than on any government narratives.
E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.
under Matteo Salvini. The third-largest group in the EU assembly, the Patriots largely espouse positions that uphold national sovereignty—and tend to be hostile to migration, the EU’s environmental policy and support for war-battered Ukraine.
Babis has often been more difficult to pin down, exhibiting a degree of pragmatism with an embrace of Trump-like transactionalism. But his return to the premiership will mark a sharp shift from the government under Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who championed weapons deliveries to Kyiv.
Babis’s bedfellows AT stake is the Czech Republic’s flagship contribution to military assistance for Ukraine, an initiative that’s sourced ammunition globally to channel to Kyiv. Babis took aim at the project on the campaign trail, denouncing it as a system that serves
Chinese pressure shreds Taiwan’s relationship with South Africa
By Antony Sguazzin
months after Oliver Liao arrived in Pretoria as Taiwan’s de facto ambassador, South Africa began a campaign to downgrade its relationship with the island—thrusting him into the epicenter of a geopolitical drama.
While South Africa decades ago broke formal ties with Taipei in favor of relations with Beijing, now the country wanted to dilute things further, a sign of how the chip hub is increasingly being squeezed on the global stage. In April last year, a formal notice arrived to move Liao’s office from the seat of government to the financial hub of Johannesburg, ending five decades of representation in South Africa’s capital.
Taiwan refused. South Africa, which counts China as its largest trading partner, responded with bureaucratic firepower on an official government website, where it changed the office’s address, wiped all mention of Liao and listed the names of other Taiwanese staff—at least one of whom was dead.
“They put on some names of our staff who have already passed away,” he said in an interview late last month. “Wow.”
The dispute is a stark example of the precarious moment facing Taiwan in a world order upended by the US under Donald Trump. While a global spending boom around artificial intelligence has turbocharged the self-ruled democracy’s position in critical supply chains, even countries that don’t recognize Taipei are becoming more inhospitable as they draw closer to China, the world’s second-largest economy.
Over the past decade, nations ranging from Burkina Faso to Kiribati and Honduras have cut diplomatic ties with Taipei. But, Liao says, with the exception of Nigeria in 2017, Taiwan has been allowed to keep representation in their capitals. That makes his battle in South Africa all the more significant.
Liao’s 7,000 square-meter (75,000 square-foot) residence, roughly equivalent to the size of one soccer field, boasts tennis courts and a dining area for more than 40 people. At the entrance is a tropical fish tank while the garden has a barbecue area installed and a jacaranda tree beginning to burst into purple bloom in the South African spring.
Speaking at his residence in Pretoria’s Waterkloof Ridge, a sleepy diplomatic quarter that houses many ambassadors’ homes—including that of the US nearby and India’s just a block away—the heavy hand of China’s government looms large for Liao.
“Why bother to make such a move? I think it’s very clear,” Liao said of South Africa’s decision. “Common sense tells us who’s behind the scenes.”
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, known as Dirco, didn’t respond to requests for comment. Its minister, Ronald Lamola, said the decision was in line with international practice.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun didn’t answer directly when asked at a briefing on Sept. 24 if Beijing had applied pressure on South Africa to close or move the liaison office.
Guo said that “we commend the South African government’s abiding commitment to the One China principle,” the recognition that mainland China and Taiwan make up a single nation governed by Beijing.
The spat began in early 2023, when Dirco tore up a 1997 agreement forged with Taipei by former President Nelson Mandela—a deal which, according to Taiwan, among other things allows it to keep the liaison office name and location in Pretoria. Instead, the government agency began to demand Liao’s office be downgraded and moved about 35 miles (56 kilometers) to Johannesburg, where Taiwan already has a small trade mission.
Taiwan has been refusing to com-
Opinion
DME incentive under CREATE
Bply, with the deadline for the relocation extended from October 2024 to March this year. Then, on July 21, Dirco issued an official notice unilaterally changing the name to the Taipei Commercial Office and backdating the decision to March 31.
“Abandoning the existing agreement is literally a denial of Madiba’s wisdom given that the existing agreement was so delicately and wisely crafted,” Liao said, using Mandela’s clan name. “They made so much effort to come up with that agreement with Taiwan in order to preserve the friendship and collaboration.”
Now, that relationship is in tatters. In an unprecedented move, Taiwan on Sept. 23 slapped a ban on its semiconductor chip exports to South Africa, saying Pretoria’s actions “undermined its national and public security,” before suspending it two days later to allow further talks. For Africa’s most industrialized economy and many others, staying in China’s good graces invariably comes at Taiwan’s expense.
With the Trump administration imposing a 30 percent tariff on exports from South Africa—the most on any sub-Saharan nation—it needs to tap demand from China for its goods. In August, South African Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said increased exports to China are a priority, with his country’s having secured duty-free access for five varieties of fruit. That would add to current shipments of nuts and avocados as well as platinum, chrome, coal and iron ore.
The ties go well beyond trade and economics, especially after South Africa in 2010 joined the BRICS political bloc that was co-founded by China. In November, President Xi Jinping is expected to attend a Group of 20 leaders meeting in Johannesburg, his fifth visit to the country, and China’s navy has conducted exercises with its South African counterpart.
Ahead of that visit, pressure is mounting on Liao to move his mission.
“The current situation has already created a sense of not only instability, but also frustration,” said Liao, who previously served in the Solomon Islands when the small Pacific nation cut ties with Taipei.
“It’s not healthy and it’s not encouraging at all because the purpose of our presence here is to promote friendship and collaboration, but everything has come to a total halt,” he said.
At threat are ties originally forged during South Africa’s apartheid era, when the two countries, both isolated, developed a closer bond.
A wave of Taiwanese migration to South Africa began in the late 1970s with the South African government offering incentives to attract investment, mainly in the textile sector.
Taiwanese immigrants were given “honorary White” status, exempting them from South African laws that enforced racial segregation.
Today, according to the Taipei Liaison Office, 450 Taiwanese companies operate in South Africa and have invested about $2 billion. Over 100 South Africans go to Taiwan on scholarships every year.
Still, the Taiwanese community has shrunk to an estimated 8,000 from 50,000 in 1998. Commerce is also shriveling, with South Africa selling Taiwan goods including coal and corn while smartphones and chemicals heading the other way.
From $2.3 billion in 2022, trade fell by more than a third last year.
“We are not welcome here,” Liao said. If the Taiwanese “don’t feel that they’re welcome and cherished here,” they leave, he said. With assistance from Julius Domoney, Yian Lee and Yanping Li/ Bloomberg
Atty. Jomel N. Manaig
TAX LAW FOR BUSINESS
ECOMING an investment hotspot has been the goal of the Philippines for some time. Challenging the dominance of wellknown investment destinations and providing an attractive investment climate required tweaks and changes to our tax and incentive laws, among others. One of the early attempts to improve the investment stature of the Philippines was the enactment of the “Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises” or more popularly known as the CREATE Act.
However, while CREATE aspired to propel the Philippines forward, to say that it has been mired in hampering issues is a bit of an understatement. CREATE’s lofty goals have been weakened by questionable execution of some of its provisions – the text of the law versus the promulgated rules and regulations; the legislative intent versus the administrative implementation.
Such incongruity has once again been highlighted in a recent decision of the Supreme Court involving the question of validity of certain provisions of CREATE’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) as well as its related revenue regulations (RR).
Under CREATE, registered business entities (RBE) are entitled to VAT zero-rating on their local purchases of goods and services directly and exclusively used in the registered project or activity. However, the subsequently issued IRR and RRs
changed the VAT zero-rating eligibility and made it applicable only to registered export enterprises (REE). It effectively deprived Domestic Market Enterprises (DME) of the same tax incentive despite them being RBEs.
Consequently, local suppliers charged VAT on the purchases of goods and services by DMEs. In turn, the DMEs under the 5 percent Special Corporate Income Tax will recognize the passed-on VAT as part of their costs or expenses.
The petitioner-DMEs in the case believed that the IRR and RRs unduly limited the application of the VAT zero-rating for local purchases since the law made no distinction between REEs and DMEs. In other words, they assert that all RBEs should enjoy the VAT zero-rating for local purchases.
After much deliberation, the Supreme Court held that the IRR and RRs are unconstitutional.
Essentially, the IRR and RRs unlawfully altered the provisions of CREATE by carving-out DMEs from those entitled to the VAT zero-rating incentive. Considering that the grant and withdrawal of tax exemption is exclusive within the domain of legislation, the VAT zero-rating incentive cannot be removed or withheld from DMEs by an administrative issuance (such as an IRR or RR).
The case is a resounding acknowledgment of the implementation issues under CREATE that are experienced by taxpayers. However, while the Supreme Court sided with the taxpayer, what can the latter actually do with it? Is the decision anything more than a paper win?
Now that the Supreme Court upheld the entitlement of the VAT zero-rating incentive of DMEs under CREATE, can the latter file a claim for refund with the BIR on the VAT passed on by their local suppliers? Unfortunately, there are significant hurdles that DMEs must overcome:
Although any possible refund involves input VAT, it does not automatically mean that the claim for refund would be based on unutilized creditable input VAT under Section 112 of the Tax Code. Since the sales of DMEs are generally not zero-rated nor effectively zero-rated, it cannot claim refund under Section 112 of the Tax Code. As such, any refund would be based on Section 229 of the Tax Code which would require proof that the passed-on VAT on the local purchases is erroneous or illegally collected.
Even if the DME was able to prove that the passed-on VAT was erroneously or illegally collected, the administrative claim for refund must be filed within the 2-year prescriptive period regardless of the existence of any supervening cause after payment. Since CREATE took effect in April 2021, some claims may already be time-barred. Further, it should be noted that CREATE has been amended by CREATE MORE. Among the CREATE MORE amendments is the express removal of the VAT zero-rating incentive on local purchases for DMEs. In effect, the doctrine laid down by the Supreme Court would not apply for local purchases by DMEs covered by CREATE MORE.
While the Supreme Court validated the position of DMEs, its redeeming effect is limited by practical circumstances and the effect of the improper implementation is not wholly recoverable. As between proper implementation and court vindication, laws would have a better chance of achieving its goal if we strive to effect the former rather than the latter.
The author is a partner of Du-Baladad and Associates Law Offices (BDB Law) (www.bdblaw. com.ph).
The article is for general information only and is not intended, nor should be construed as a substitute for tax, legal, or financial advice on any specific matter. Applicability of this article to any actual or particular tax or legal issue should be supported, therefore, by a professional study or advice. If you have any comments or questions concerning the article, you may e-mail the author at jomel.manaig@ bdblaw.com.ph or call 8403-2001 local 140.
Thriving emerging markets look poised to wrap up banner year
By Marcus Wong, Malavika Kaur Makol & Maria Elena Vizcaino
EMERGING market assets look set to cap a banner year, with investors expecting inflows into equities and bonds to gain momentum in the final quarter.
Sentiment has rarely been this buoyant, with an HSBC Holdings Plc survey showing EM fund managers as the most bullish since the start of 2021—when an everything rally was in full swing during the pandemic. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. strategists said EM markets are “thriving, not just surviving,” as economic growth this year surpassed expectations despite higher tariffs.
In a likely prelude to what may come, inflows into EM exchangetraded funds began to pick up toward the end of the third quarter. EM assets are facing a positive mix of factors that bode well for the months ahead: the Federal Reserve’s ratecut cycle is creating space for central banks in developing nations to ease policy, while a softer dollar is encouraging a rotation away from US assets. China’s stock rally could bolster sentiment toward the broader EM universe.
“The outlook for the remainder of the year is positive for equities on improving growth outlook and China stimulus, as well as for local
. . . Continued from A10
largely to line the pockets of weapons manufacturers.
That would include Czechoslovak Group AS, the country’s biggest arms producer, owned by Michal Strnad, the second-wealthiest Czech.
True to form, Babis left open the question of whether he’ll stop the ammunition initiative. Pressed on the issue after the election, he said he’ll discuss the program with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and handle the issue “transparently.” In any case, he said he wouldn’t stand in the way of arms shipments from private firms.
“We are not preventing Czech companies from exporting arms to Ukraine—that’s not a problem at all,” Babis told reporters. But, he said,
debt as EM central banks continue to cut rates from still-high real and nominal levels,” said Jon Harrison, managing director for EM macro strategy at GlobalData TS Lombard. “There should be solid inflows into EM assets to support currencies.”
Crucial to the optimism are the Fed’s anticipated interest-rate cuts.
In Asia, economists expect central banks from South Korea to Thailand to lower rates in the fourth quarter, with the move from Bank of Thailand seen as early as this week.
Goldman analysts led by Andrew Tilton wrote in an October 3 note that they expect lower policy rates across the region over the next year for Latin America.
Monetary easing, coinciding with a softer dollar, can provide a powerful backdrop for across-the-board asset gains. Bond inflows can gather pace while equities are supported by improving macro fundamentals. A weaker dollar can help ease the pressure on local currencies caused by lower interest rates.
An iShares ETF tracking EM dollar debt in September saw the biggest inflow since late 2023, with solid inflows continuing in the first week of October, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. A product tracking the MSCI EM equity gauge saw inflows rebound to $2.2 billion last month after a slowdown in August. A derivatives index capturing positioning
when people can’t afford cancer treatment and teachers and single mothers struggle to pay the bills, “then we will certainly give this money to Czech citizens.”
His capacity for flexibility faces a test given his political bedfellows in Prague. He’s in talks with Freedom and Direct Democracy, a party that’s harshly denounced migration, and the upstart Motorists, backed by euroskeptic ex-President Vaclav Klaus. The former Czech leader rejects science on global warming being caused by human activity.
For now, Babis said he prefers to govern as a minority government, with support from the smaller parties. The three won 108 out of 200 seats in parliament.
At home, his main target was the four-year austerity policies of Fiala’s coalition. Babis has promised to reinstate benefits, includ-
in the Brazilian real, Mexican peso and the South African rand—typical high-yielding currencies in EM — is near its most bullish since early 2024.
“We’re in the very early stages of the demand continuing to come into emerging market debt,” said Shamaila Khan, head of UBS Asset Management’s global EM and Asia Pacific fixed income team. “Of course you can have short periods of volatility and there’s global risk-off, but I do expect the resilience to continue.”
In HSBC’s survey of 100 investors representing a total $423 billion of EM assets, released in September, the share of respondents with a bullish view surged to 62 percent from 44 percent in June. Those with a bearish outlook halved to just 7 percent. A reallocation away from the US and an acceleration in Chinese growth were cited as factors that could deliver positive surprises.
Any upside, however, would vary based on each country’s fundamentals, with market watchers most optimistic about China and less so on some others.
The MSCI EM currency index has slipped 0.5 percent in the three months ending September, but is still up 6.7 percent for the year. If the gains hold, it would be the best annual performance since 2017. MSCI’s EM stocks gauge is at a four-year high thanks to China’s equities rally. EM dollar bonds delivered a sixth straight month of gains in September, its longest winning streak since 2019. Burgeoning optimism over AI advances in Asia promises further inflows into stocks and currencies across China, where companies like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. have emerged as standout AI plays, and the tech-heavy markets of South Korea and Taiwan.
“You’re seeing a very strong thematic underpinning in the kind of opportunities we see in China, be it AI, be it the whole innovation that is coming through in biotech,” said Arun Sai, senior multi-asset strategist for Pictet Asset Management. “We have an overweight on China right now. Markets have run up a lot, but we think this still has legs.” Bloomberg
The Colombian peso could underperform from here on fiscal concerns, according to Gautam Kalani, a portfolio manager at BlueBay fixed income for emerging markets, RBC Global Asset Management. He’s also cautious about the Thai baht as its correlation with gold prices weakens and policymakers seek to address currency strength. Indonesia also faces growing investor skepticism over the central bank’s independence and fiscal discipline. And of course, the predominant risk for EM would be an unexpected resurgence of the dollar that erodes the value of non-US assets.
ing a monthly 1,000 koruna ($48) payout to pensioners, and lower taxes for companies. In addition to greater investment on infrastructure to spur economic growth, the billionaire wants CEZ AS, the biggest power utility, to buy out its minority shareholders and become fully state-owned again.
Economists have warned that his plans could put the country’s finances under pressure—but given the Czech Republic’s penchant for budget discipline, he’ll have fiscal bandwidth to keep the gap below the EU-mandated 3 percent of gross domestic product.
The call for spending resonated with voters, giving Babis’s ANO party 35 percent of the vote, the secondbest result of a winning party in the country since the fall of communism. Fiala’s coalition was well behind with 23 percent.
Babis, who made his money from the agribusiness he founded, has an estimated net worth of $4.2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He took to politics with a man-of-the-people approach, vowing to stanch corruption, that propelled him to the premiership in 2017. His first tenure was marred by an investigation into allegations that his company fraudulently obtained EU subsidies. Babis, who denied any wrongdoing, was eventually tried and acquitted, though the case reemerged this year when a Czech municipal tribunal was ordered to re-examine it.
Pavel, who decisively defeated Babis to become Czech head of state in 2023, has said the former premier needs to sort out ownership of his business empire to eliminate any conflicts of interest if he were to become premier. Bloomberg
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
DepDev favors ‘blacklist’ of integrity-breach firms
By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
THE Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DepDev) is amenable to the creation of an official “blacklist” of firms found to have committed integrity violations when it comes to projects they implemented with the government.
In a briefing on Monday, DepDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said this is something that can be put in place in light of the recent controversies surrounding the flood control projects.
“Yeah. I think that the public, being aware of what is a good partner and a bad partner, should be part of the accountability mechanism that will need to be put in place,” Balisacan said.
velopment (ED) Council said other efforts include the revision of the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) guidelines, the first time it was revised in 10 years.
Balisacan said the revision includes raising the ICC threshold to P5 billion from P2.5 billion. He told BusinessMirror last month that this was being done due to inflation. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/09/19/ cabinet-panel-hiking-to-P5bamount-of-projects-to-review).
Apart from these, the ICC’s coverage now includes Public-Private Partnership projects.
He added the new guidelines has also placed value on project monitoring and evaluation, which needs to be embedded in all projects.
“We need to embed impact evaluation and monitoring evaluation in excellent projects because that will not only improve our learnings on what works and what does not, but also potentially save us from costly mistakes,” Balisacan said.
Meanwhile, Department of Finance Undersecretary Joven Balbosa also stressed that efforts to improve governance in projects can also take a cue from the country’s development partners.
By Erwin James T. Gianan
THE cities of Makati and Malabon were considered the fastest growing in the whole of Metro Manila last year, according to the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Based on the PSA’s Provincial Product Accounts (PPA), the Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) of Makati and Malabon posted a GDP growth rate of 7.35 percent and 7.27 percent in 2024, respectively.
PSA said both cities even beat the 5.6 percent GDP growth recorded by the National Capital Region (NCR) in 2024.
nate the economies in NCR, accounting for more than half of their GDP,” PSA said. These services include industries such as wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, accommodation and food services, and other services.
By Justine Xyrah Garcia and Ma. Alyanna Selda
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Central Visayas has ordered a Cebu-based business process outsourcing (BPO) company to stop operations after labor inspectors found multiple safety lapses that exposed workers to imminent danger.
The move comes several days after a BPO workers’ group decried alleged occupational safety violations in Cebu during a magnitude 6.9 earthquake last week.
The workers submitted to DOLE a list of companies that reportedly failed to follow emergency protocols and sought a formal dialogue with the agency to address their concerns. (Related: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/10/02/ cebu-bpo-workers-file-complaint-against-unsafe-postquake-policies/).
In a statement, DOLE Region VII said they found that one BPO firm had no emergency and disaster preparedness and response plan as required under Section 14 of Department Order (DO) No. 252, Series of 2025. Its hazard identification, Risk Assessment, and Control (HIRAC) also failed to include risks related to natural calamities such as earthquakes.
Inspectors noted inconsistencies in the composition and operation of the company’s safety and health committee, as well as the absence of a construction safety and health program for ongoing fit-out works in one of the floors it occupies.
“The noted deficiencies taken together are indicative of the respondent’s laxity in implementing safety and health rules within the worksite which clearly exposed the workers to imminent danger,” DOLE VII said.
The company was ordered to cease and desist operations until all unsafe conditions and violations have been corrected.
It was also told to submit proof of compliance to DOLE before re -
“I think this would be a very good way of not only deterring these possible incidents happening again in the future, but also the appropriate penalty that can be also imposed on those people who make these anticompetitive practices,” Balanquit said.
Meanwhile, the Economic De -
Budget and Management Assistant Secretary Romeo Matthew T. Balanquit said the new government procurement act can also help in this regard. Balanquit said under the new law, companies participating in biddings are required full disclosure when it comes to all procurement data and documents, including beneficial ownership.
Further, the ICC will now conduct mandatory review of all foreign loan-assisted projects regardless of loan amount or total cost, excluding grant-assisted projects that are reviewed by DepDev.
Balisacan said these changes aim to streamline the ICC process and make project evaluation more rigorous, minimizing delays.
The Country’s Chief Economist also said this is being done alongside safeguards placed on various stages of the approval process to prevent problems that may arise when it comes to projects.
He said lessons on project preparation, project implementation, execution, and monitoring and evaluation can be included in new project proposals.
Balbosa also said including intermittent reviews throughout the project cycle can help ensure quality of project delivery while keeping projects on track to completion.
“On the procurement process, our multilateral partners especially, we work with them on international competitive bidding, open bid,” Balbosa said.
See “DepDev,” A2
However, Parañaque City, which posted the highest growth in Metro Manila in 2023 at 8.7 percent, posted slower growth of 6.8 percent in 2024. This brought down Parañaque City’s ranking to only third in NCR.
This was followed by Pasay with 6.8 percent, Pasig at 6.5, Mandaluyong with 6.4, Caloocan at 6.1, and Valenzuela at 6 percent.
Meanwhile, Marikina posted the slowest growth among the HUCs at 2.7 percent, followed by Navotas with 2.9, and Muntinlupa at 3.2 percent.
“Services continued to domi -
For the HUCs of Makati and Malabon, the services sector contributed to 93.5 and 64.6 percent of their economy, respectively. Services also contributed to 89.2 percent of Taguig’s economy, 86.5 percent of Pasay’s, and roughly 85 percent of the economies of Las Pinas, Quezon City, and San Juan. Meanwhile, Services only made up around 53.8 percent of Valenzuela City’s economy, followed by Marikina at 60.3, and Malabon with 64.6 percent.
The PSA releases the results of the PPA, reporting the 2024 economic performance of all 82 provinces and 33 HUCs in the country.
This marks a significant milestone as the PPA moves toward full institutionalization starting 2025, following its approval by the PSA Board with Resolution No. 1, series of 2025 dated 26 February 2025.
opening.
Failure to comply could lead to daily penalties of up to P100,000, as provided under Section 42 of DO 252, until the violations are rectified.
The regional office also reminded employers that under Section 38 of the same order, if a work stoppage results from the employer’s fault, workers must still be paid their wages during the suspension of operations.
DOLE VII also urged the building administrator where the company operates to secure clearance from authorities certifying the facility’s safety.
The agency also warned employers and building administrators that this is just the “initial shot.”
“More and more vigorous inspections will happen onward,” it added.
‘A problem within BPO itself’ MEANWHILE , while the BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN)Cebu acknowledged DOLE’s issuance of a work stoppage order, the group said the problem runs deeper than individual violations.
“More than just identifying companies involved in potential occupational safety and health (OSH) violations, we assert that it is not just a matter of a few bad apples but a problem within the BPO industry itself,” BIEN-Cebu Spokesperson Kyle Enero said.
Enero said this development was made possible through collective worker action, noting that employees have become more vocal about safety and welfare concerns.
“BPO workers uniting to assert their rights and welfare is what made this possible. We urge fellow BPO employees to continue speaking up and organize themselves to forward their interests both in and out of workplaces,” he added. He said game-changing reforms remain necessary to address longstanding issues in the sector such as livable wages, job security, nondiscrimination, and safe working environments.
LOSS of investments and employment, among others, may be the “broader impact” on the Philippine economy if the country’s exports keep underperforming, according to Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) President Sergio R. OrtizLuis Jr. “Well, loss of investments, expansions will be held, definitely loss of employment,” Ortiz-Luis said in a recent televised interview when asked about the impact on the Philippine economy if exports continue to plunge.
With this, he reiterated the need for a “more realistic” budget for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to prop up the country’s out-
bound shipments.
In particular, the Philexport chief said ,“Maybe double [the budget of DTI] it. What is P10 billion compared to some projects that we are not doing now?”
In a witty retort towards the reallocation of funds from the anomalous flood control projects, Ortiz-Luis said: “If we can only get 5 percent of what is lost in the floodwater...that would help a lot the development of exports also of SMEs, which are lagging behind all our Asian neighbors.”
While he could not quantify by how much corruption has held back the export sector in the Philippines, he pointed to the participation rate of exporters in interna-
tional trade fairs.
“We have big fairs outside which we couldn’t afford which are supported by our neighbors. In the [China-Asean Expo] CAEXPO recently, you know how many exporters our neighbors sent? More than 200 from Thailand, more than 200 from Malaysia. You know how many we sent? Ten. Although the space will be given to us for free, it’s expensive for exporters to go,” added Ortiz-Luis. Apart from the lack of budget for the country’s exports, Ortiz-Luis took note of the changing trend in the trade data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) which indicated that growth of exports in August slowed down while
exports to the US plummeted, with Hong Kong now being the Philippines’ top export destination.
“We know that Hong Kong overtook the US last August as the number one export destination,” which could prove, he said, that “we’re trying to shift to other areas but it’s easier than done.” PSA data showed that in August 2025, or during the month when the 19-percent reciprocal tariff imposed by Washington took effect for the Philippines, exports to the United States contracted 11.2 percent to $1.09 billion from the
in August
the
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
B1 Tuesday, October 7, 2025
MPTC aiming to raise ₧20B for ongoing tollway projects
By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan
METRO Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) is set to raise as much as P20 billion from the local debt market to support its expressway expansion and refinancing program.
The Pangilinan-led tollway operator filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a bond issuance involving up to P15 billion in fixed-rate bonds, with an oversubscription option of up to P5 billion. The securities will be offered in up to three tranches with maturities of three, five, and 10 years. The public offering is tentatively scheduled from November 17 to 21, 2025, with listing on the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. (PDEx) set for December 2. The bonds, to be issued at par, carry quarterly interest payments based on a 30/360-day count convention. Local credit watchdog Philippine Rating Services Corp. (PhilRatings) has assigned the debt papers a PRS Aaa rating with a Stable Outlook.
Proceeds from the bond sale will primarily fund ongoing investments in MPTC’s tollway portfolio, including the Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex), Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calax), and the future LapuLapu Expressway (Llex).
The company will also use the funds to refinance bridge loans and support general corporate requirements.
“This bond issuance aims to bolster MPTC’s fiscal position while ensuring the capital adequacy to support continued infrastructure investment and operational excellence,” said Gilbert F. Santa Maria, President and CEO of MPTC.
BPI Capital Corp. and First Metro Investment Corp. are serving as Joint Issue Managers. They will be joined by BDO Capital & Investment Corp., China Bank Capital Corp., PNB Capital & Investment Corp., and Security Bank Capital Investment Corp. as
Joint Lead Underwriters and Bookrunners. MPTC, the tollway arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., operates major expressways such as the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (Sctex), Cavitex, Calax, Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), and the Nlex Connector.
The company has also expanded across Asean and is pursuing digital mobility initiatives.
Metro Pacific Investments Corp. reported last August that MPTC’s net income inched up by 3 percent yearon-year to P3.5 billion in the first half, as the prior year benefited from the reversal of contingent considerations related to the Jakarta-Cikampek Elevated Toll Road acquisition.
“Core net income rose 6 percent to P3.5 billion, supported by the increased shareholding in NLEX, and partly offset by higher financing costs.”
Toyota PHL financing arm issues bonds
By VG Cabuag @villygc
TOYOTA Financial Services Philippines Corp., the automotive financing and leasing arm of GT Capital Holdings Inc., on Monday said it has launched its P2billion maiden bond offering.
The bonds will be issued in up to two series comprised of two-year bonds due 2027, or Series A bonds, and three-year bonds due 2028, or the Series B bonds.
It will carry a fixed interest rate of 5.7725 percent for the Series A and 5.9418 percent for the Series B. Toyota Financial will use the proceeds to further diversify its funding sources and support its anticipated asset growth. “This will also enable
the company to tap a wider investor base targeting both institutional and individual investors.” First Metro Investment Corp., which is also part of GT Capital Holdings and ING Bank N.V. Manila Branch were picked as the joint lead arrangers and bookrunners for the transaction.
They are also the selling agents for the offering of the bonds together with Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. and BPI Capital Corp. Offer period will run from October 6 to October 13, the company said. Toyota Financial received an issuer credit rating of PRS Aaa with a stable outlook, the highest credit rating issued by the Philippine Rating Services Corp.
The said rating recognizes the
company’s strong and stable financial condition and underscores its commitment to sound governance and sustainable growth.
In the first three months of fiscal year 2025, the company said it booked an 11 percent year-on-year increase in total revenues to P3.9 billion.
The automotive financing company’s total loan receivables likewise expanded 9 percent in the first quarter of the fiscal year to P159.4 billion, bringing net interest income to P1.6 billion.
The company is 40-percent owned by GT Capital and 60 percent-owned by Japan-based Toyota Financial Services Corp., which operates in over 37 countries globally. It supports Toyota sales in the Philippines in
Converge: Bifrost cable ready for service
THE Bifrost Cable System, an international subsea cable facility that Converge ICT Solutions Inc. invested in, is now ready for service with commercial traffic expected in the coming weeks.
Spanning more than 20,000 kilometers across the Java Sea, Celebes Sea, and the Pacific Ocean, Bifrost introduces over 260 terabits per second (Tbps) of new capacity to one of the world’s busiest digital corridors.
“The Philippines is in a prime location being in the center of the region, so this critical digital infrastructure-the Bifrost Cable System—is envisioned to support the booming connectivity needs of the Asia-Pacific region and provide an important direct link with the US,” Converge CEO Dennis Anthony Uy said.
The cable, built by Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN), delivers a round-trip latency of just under 165 milliseconds between Singapore and the United States—as much as 10 milliseconds faster than many existing transpacific routes.
“This will not only boost the company’s international bandwidth capacity, but for the Philippines, it will mean redundancy and diversity in network infrastructure to power the country’s digital journeys,” Uy added.
Keppel Ltd. has been assigned five out of a total of 12 fiber pairs in Bifrost. The five fiber pairs are jointly owned by Keppel and its private fund co-investors through a 40-60 joint venture. Converge invested in the system through its acquisition of one fiber
BCDA seals deal with consortium for Baguio asset redevelopment
Tline with Toyota Motor Corp.’s global objectives.
By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan
HE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has entered into a long-term lease with the consortium of Istana Development Corp. (IDC) and Meridian Commercial Centers Inc. (MCCI) for the “sustainable redevelopment” of the Mile-Hi property in Camp John Hay, Baguio City.
Signed last October 6, the staterun firm said the agreement represents a P560-million investment aimed at restoring and transforming the 6,647-square-meter property into an “upscale” commercial hub.
In a statement on Monday, BCDA said the partnership aims to “restore, rehabilitate, and transform the property into an upscale commercial hub, while preserving its historical significance and enhancing the natural and built environment of the surrounding area.”
Under the agreement, the consortium committed to “incorporating” sustainable design features aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water and energy consumption, and waste generation.
“These features may include maximizing access to natural light, en-
hancing natural ventilation, implementing thermally efficient building designs and envelopes, integrating solar-oriented architecture, and incorporating green roofs and walls.”
Additional strategies, BCDA noted, may involve “water-sensitive” urban design, the use of low-waterdemand plant species in landscaping, and avoiding water- and chemicalintensive facilities, such as swimming pools.
“Mile-Hi will once again be a place that welcomes visitors, strengthens local livelihoods, and sustains the spirit of Baguio for generations to come,” said BCDA President and CEO Joshua M. Bingcang. Meanwhile, Jesus Emmanuel Yujuico, president of Meridian Commercial Centers Inc. expressed the organization’s commitment to the project, highlighting its pledge to work with both BCDA and John Hay Management Corp.
“We thank BCDA’s leadership for its confidence in our vision that seeks to balance heritage, sustainability, and innovation,” Yujuico said. According to the state-run firm, the Mile Hi property, named for its “unique elevation” as it is approximately one mile above sea level, holds a special place in Camp John Hay’s history.
pair from Keppel Ltd. It bought the capacity for P5 billion. Bifrost lands in Singapore, Guam, and Grover Beach, California, with branching units extending to Jakarta and Manado in Indonesia, Davao in the Philippines, and Winema, Oregon. Lorenz S. Marasigan
Banking&Finance
SC: Foreclosure using unfair interest rates invalid
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
THE Special Third Division of the Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that the foreclosure of properties based on improper and unfair interest rates on a bank loan is considered invalid.
In a resolution penned by Associate Justice Ricardo R. Rosario, the Court granted the motion for reconsideration filed by Editha Ang and Violeta Fernandez (borrowers) seeking the reversal of its decision dated November 24, 2021, which favored the United Coconut Plant-
Money stress and mental health
HAVE you ever lost sleep because of bills? Or felt your chest tighten when your credit card statement arrived? Money stress is not just about the figures in your bank account. It touches every part of life; from how well we sleep to how we treat the people around us. For many Filipinos, financial concerns are constant. Salaries feel too small against rising costs. Emergencies strike when least expected. Obligations to family and community pull at already stretched budgets. The result is a kind of stress that lingers. The stress doesn’t end when the workday is over: it follows us home, into our conversations, and even into our health.
The reality of money stress MONEY stress often shows up in ways we do not always connect to our finances. It may be sleepless nights, headaches, or the constant worry that keeps us distracted. At work, it can mean a loss of focus or even absenteeism. At home, it may turn into frequent arguments with a spouse or silence between partners who do not know how to talk about money.
Studies worldwide show that finances are one of the leading causes of stress, and the Philippines is no exception. Inflation, debt, and family obligations weigh heavily on households. Unlike other stressors, money issues are hard to escape. Whether we like it or not, we all have to make financial decisions every single day.
Why it happens
IT is easy to think that money stress only affects those with lower incomes, but that is not the case. Even people who earn more are not immune. Lifestyle creep, or the tendency to spend more as income rises, leaves many still living paycheck to paycheck despite higher salaries. The triggers are familiar. Payday often brings temporary relief; but obligations like rent and bills quickly shrink the paycheck. Emergencies such as medical expenses or tuition can throw off even the best-laid plans. Cultural expectations also add pressure. Saying no to a family request can feel like turning our back on our values. Declining an invitation with friends may feel like rejecting the people we care about. Stress does not come only from not having enough money, but also from the feeling of being powerless to control where it goes.
The link between money and mental health
MONEY and mental health are closely connected. Worrying about finances fuels anxiety, and anxiety in turn leads to poor financial decisions. Someone who is overwhelmed may avoid opening bills or checking account balances, hoping the problem will go away. Others cope through impulse spending, buy-
ers Bank (UCPB) in the present case. Their properties had been foreclosed by the UCPB after they failed to pay back a P16 million loan. The loan agreement allowed the UCPB to adjust the interest rate every quarter based on market conditions.
When the borrowers failed to pay the total loan when it fell due, the UCPB began extrajudicial foreclosure proceedings—a legal process where properties are auctioned off to recover unpaid debts.
This prompted the borrowers to file a petition with the Regional Trial Court (RTC) to nullify the foreclosure sale. They questioned the bank’s sole power to set and increase the interest
rate, which they argued was unfair and invalid. While the RTC agreed that the interest rate provisions were invalid because they were left to the bank’s discretion, it did not nullify the foreclosure sale of the properties.
However, the trial court’s decision was reversed by the Court of Appeals (CA) in a ruling issued on May 11, 2015. The CA held that both the interest rate imposed by UCPB and the subsequent foreclosure sale of the properties were void.
The UCPB then brought the case before the SC. While the High Tribunal declared the interest rate imposed by the UCPB as invalid, the SC upheld the validity of the foreclosure
sale of the respondents’ properties.
The High Court issued its ruling on November 24, 2021, Acting on the respondents’ motion for reconsideration, the SC ruled that if the interest rate was unconscionable or imposed unilaterally by the lender, then any foreclosure that follows is also invalid.
“In the instant case, not only was there a finding, both by this Court and also by the courts below, that the interest rates being imposed were unilaterally imposed by petitioner, thus making it potestative or entirely dependent on petitioner’s will,” the SC noted.
“Being potestative, the principle of mutuality of contracts, found in
Articles 1308 and 1309 of the Civil Code, could not have been present, making the provisions on interest void. Being void, the subsequent foreclosure proceedings could not have been held validly,” it added. The SC’s ruling comes two years after the UCPB was acquired by the Land Bank of the Philippines in 2023.
A statement issued on May 9 of that year “announced the successful conclusion of the merger” of the UCPB with the LandBank, “following the conversion of all UCPB branches and accounts into its system.” (See https://www.landbank.com/ news/landbank-completes-ucpbmerger-ahead-of-bsp-deadline)
BTr eyes more foreign holders of govt debt papers
THE Philippines is eyeing higher foreign holdings in pesodenominated government bonds, boosted by the possible inclusion in the JP Morgan bond index.
On the sidelines of the Philippine Development Forum last Monday,
National Treasurer Sharon P. Almanza told reporters that having a bigger foreign participation rate is better.
ing things to feel better in the moment even if it creates bigger problems later.
This creates a vicious cycle: financial stress leads to poor decisions, which create more financial stress. Over time, it erodes confidence, productivity, and even relationships. It is not “just money.” It is a mental health issue that deserves serious attention.
How to ease money stress
THE good news is that while money stress is common, it is not permanent. There may be no instant fix, but small, steady actions can reduce anxiety and create a sense of control.
The first step is awareness. Facing your finances, no matter how uncomfortable, helps reduce the fear of the unknown. Listing your expenses and debts may feel heavy at first, but clarity is the foundation of change.
Starting small also matters. Setting aside even P500 or P1,000 a week can seem insignificant, but it builds confidence and creates momentum. Progress, not perfection, is what matters. It also helps to design a budget that is realistic and kind. Many people give up on budgeting because they make it too strict. Allowing a little space for small joys makes it more sustainable and prevents bigger splurges later on.
Family obligations are part of our culture, but setting healthy limits is also necessary. Helping is noble, but it should not come at the cost of your own security. Learning to give within your means ensures that you can continue to help in the long term.
Finally, find healthier ways to cope with stress. Instead of shopping to feel better, consider activities that relax and recharge you without draining your wallet. Exercise, journaling, prayer, or simply talking to a trusted friend can all help lighten the load.
Building financial wellness
MONEY stress may not disappear overnight, but every step toward control reduces its hold on your life. Each time you choose to face a bill, set aside a small savings, or say no to unnecessary spending, you are taking back a measure of peace.
Financial wellness is not about becoming rich. It is about having stability and peace of mind. It is about feeling secure enough to care for your needs, support your loved ones, and plan for the future without constant fear.
When we take care of both our money and our mental health, we give ourselves a chance not just to survive, but to live with balance and confidence.
This is the true goal of financial wellness.
Janice Sabitsana is a Registered Financial Planner of RFP Philippines. For tips and resources, visit www.thepinayinvestor.com. To learn more about personal financial planning, attend the 113th RFP program this September 2025. Email info@rfp.ph or visit rfp.ph to learn more about the program.
“We want to increase participation. But since we haven’t really seen before that it’s too high, we want to manage the impact volatility in terms of rates domestically and peso,” Almanza said, adding that a 10-percent foreign participation rate is also a “good number.”
According to the Bureau of the
Treasury (BTr), foreign ownership of peso-denominated government bonds amounted to $12.78 billion or roughly P728.46 billion.
The foreign participation rate has more than tripled, increasing from 1.8 percent in 2021 to 6.03 percent as of August 2025.
Almanza said foreign holdings of government bonds rose from P400 billion at the start of the year to over P700 billion.
However, Almanza said: “We also have to manage the volatility because this month, although in and out, we’ve seen sell-offs, especially the fast money or hedge funds.”
The sell-off, Almanza noted, is not isolated to the Philippines, as even regional counterparts are experienc-
ing the same. The alleged corruption unveiling in the government is also not seen as a factor that could hinder the Philippines’ possible inclusion in the JP Morgan bond index, Almanza added.
“It’s not because of the corruption issue [here], but it’s really because of the United States. This is more of an external development than domestic,” Almanza said. The Philippine Peso-denominated government bonds (RPGBs) have been placed on Index Watch-Positive for potential inclusion in the widely tracked JP Morgan Government Bond Index—Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) series.
Being placed on the positive
T-bills yields up as investors bet on faster Sept inflation
RATES across all tenors of Treasury bills (T-bills) rose on Monday after a 13-week decline as investors sought higher yields amid expectations of faster inflation in September.
The Bureau of the Treasury’s (BTr) auction committee fully awarded its offering of 91-day tenor T-bill, 182-day debt papers and 364-day government securities worth a total of P22 billion.
Monday’s auction attracted P74.514 billion in total bids, making it 3.3 times oversubscribed.
According to Michael L. Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., the T-bill yields corrected slightly higher as investors anticipate higher local inflation in September.
Ricafort said the increase could be caused by the base effects in the Consumer Price Index and the impact of storms and flooding, which may have temporarily disrupted supply chains and raised the prices of agricultural products, particularly vegetables.
“[This is] also ahead of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) rate-setting meeting on October 9, 2025, when a -0.25 BSP rate cut cannot be ruled out amid a possible -0.25-Fed rate cut on October 29, 2025,” he added.
BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. recently gave less dovish signals on a possible rate cut for the rest of the year, as an interest rate of 4 percent is “a bit low.”
Ricafort agrees saying a large cut reduces incentives for banks to park funds with the central bank.
During the T-bills auction, the 91day tenor fetched rates as high as 5.047 percent and as low as 4.880 percent. This averaged to 4.983 percent, which is higher by 15.5 basis points from the 4.983 percent during the previous auc-
tion last week.
Bids for the debt papers amounted to P19.925 billion, exceeding the P7.5billion offering by 2.6 times.
Meanwhile, the average rate of the 182-day T-bills increased by 5.3 basis points to 5.128 percent from 5.075 percent a week ago. Rates were as low as 5.080 percent to as high as 5.175 percent.
Tenders for the government securities reached P30.110 billion, four times the P7.5 billion up for sale.
Yields of the 364-day T-bills settled at a higher average rate at 5.228 percent, up by 5.7 basis points from 5.171 percent previously. Rates ranged from 5.180 percent to 5.265 percent.
Posted bids for the T-bills hit P24.479 billion, 3.4 times larger than the P5-billion offering.
Compared to the secondary benchmark rates, yields of the 182-day and 364-day T-bills are lower—except for the 91-day tenor—are lower than the Philippine Bloomberg Valuation (PHP BVAL) rates.
The PHP BVAL rates are 4.915 percent for the three-month, 5.176 percent for the six-month and 5.326 percent for the one-year tenors as of October 6.
Last September, the Treasury was able to raise P122 billion through the issuance of T-bills in the domestic debt market.
This October, it seeks to borrow P88 billion in T-bills of various tenors to generate funds for the government.
For this year, the government has programmed P2.6 trillion for its borrowings, of which P2.112 trillion will come from local creditors.
As of end-August this year, the government’s outstanding debt reached P17.468 trillion. Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
watchlist signals the possible inclusion in the bond index, which is a key benchmark for international investors.
Entry into the index could expand the country’s investor base, deepen the market and reduce reliance on foreign currency borrowings to support growth.
If the Philippines were included, it would have a weight of about 1 percent of the GBI-EM Global Diversified Index, covering government bonds issued since 2023 with tenors of up to 20 years. The watch period is expected to run six to nine months, with updates and rebalancing estimates due in the first quarter of 2026.
Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
Fixed-income securities yield seen to stay stable
By VG Cabuag @villygc
THE yield curve of fixed income market would likely to remain stable if the central bank decided to hold its rates steady, an executive of the Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corp. (MIMTC) opined last Monday.
However, if a surprise cut does happen, it could result in a flattening of the yield curve, MIMTC Head of Fixed Income Jean Olivia de Castro said. A yield curve that is less steep would encourage more demand for longer-dated bonds and support loan growth, De Castro added.
However, she said the flattening may also heighten sensitivity to the currency and food price risks.
“Overall, the MB’s (Monetary Board) cautious approach reflects a desire to preserve policy flexibility and anchor financial stability amid lingering local and global uncertainties,” de Castro said.
The policy-making MB of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will meet on Thursday.
De Castro, however, said the MB is widely expected to hold its policy rate at 5 percent, balancing the recent return of inflation toward target with persistent upside risks from food supply shocks and peso volatility.
She advised fixed-income investors to have a dual approach,
such as investing on short-term tenors for flexibility amid policy uncertainty, while selectively adding longer tenors to lock in at current yields.
“With short-term yields at multi-year lows and long-term yields near 1-year lows, maintaining a defensive duration stance is advisable until inflation risks—especially from food and the currency—are better contained,” de Castro said.
The country’s inflation rate is expected to return to the 2- to 4 percent target band defined by the BSP by the end of 2025, she said.
“Upside risks remain, notably from sticky food prices due to supply shocks stemming from typhoons and the extended rice import ban. Additionally, potential peso weakness beyond the 58 levels could complicate the inflation outlook and recommend prudence in adjusting monetary policy. Against this backdrop, the BSP is expected to have one more rate cut before the end of the year,” de Castro said.
She said persistent weakness of foreign direct investment may keep yields elevated on fixed income securities. A recovery, meanwhile, could happen if infrastructure and reforms gain traction. This could enhance liquidity, lower long-term rates and improve the relative attractiveness of Philippine bonds, according to de Castro.
Cebu taxpayers given October 31 deadline by BIR
TAXPAYERS in Cebu are given until October 31 to file returns, pay taxes and submit the required documents after the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) extended deadlines in the wake of the 6.9-magnitude earthquake. The deadline was moved by Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. via Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 088-2025, to
“provide relief to taxpayers,” taking into
Art BusinessMirror
A postman,
his family, and
a chair: Van Gogh museum’s surprising reunion exhibition
BY MIKE CORDE� The Associated Press
AMSTERDAM—The Van Gogh museum is bringing a scattered family back together this fall to honor a postal worker, his wife and their children who sat as models for the Dutch master at at time when he was struggling to make friends in a French town.
Portraits from the late 1880s of the expansively bearded postman Joseph Roulin, his wife, two sons and baby daughter have been brought together for an exhibition, titled Van Gogh and the Roulins. Together Again at Last.
The show collects paintings of the family from museums around the world and even features an armchair from the artist’s studio in Arles in the southern region of Provence.
The show is in Amsterdam after a run at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, which provided one of the centerpieces of the exhibition, a portrait of the postman (he was actually a postal clerk) resplendent in his blue uniform with gold buttons and trim sitting in an armchair made of local willow from Provence.
While preparing the show, the Van Gogh Museum found the very chair featured in the portrait in its storerooms and is exhibiting it for the first time. It was deemed too fragile to be sent to Boston for the show there.
“As it turns out, we have this chair in our collection, but we have never shown it before,” said Van Gogh Museum Director Emilie Gordenker. “And it just shows you when you start to work on a topic— in this case, the Roulin family portraits—all kinds of things you might never have thought about before come up and it’s really exciting to rediscover, as it were, your own collection.”
Vincent van Gogh created a total of 26 portraits of the family in a burst of creative activity from July 1888 to April 1889. There are 14 on show at the museum alongside works by his friend and fellow painter Paul Gauguin and by Dutch Golden Age masters Rembrandt van Rijn and Frans Hals, whose works were major sources of inspiration.
“Many people consider his Arles period really his
peak,” Gordenker said. “I’m not sure we totally agree with that, but it is definitely a moment when he turns a corner...his power as an artist really comes out.”
In an upstairs room, the museum has created a life-size facade of the yellow house that Van Gogh used as his studio in Arles, where Roulin became more than just a model to Van Gogh.
“While Roulin isn’t exactly old enough to be like a father to me, all the same he has silent solemnities and tenderness for me like an old soldier would have for a young one,” the artist wrote in a letter to his brother, Theo, in April 1889.
Nienke Bakker, who curated the show along with Katie Hanson from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, said the Arles period was crucial to Van Gogh’s
Artist Elisa Tan exhibition, talk this October
ELISA TAN Container of Distance brings the body of work of the late Filipino-Chinese conceptual artist to Space63 Comuna in the City of Makati beginning October 9, 2025.
This is part of MCAD Commons, an exhibition project which offers the singular programming of the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) to a larger audience. It fosters creative development, ideas exchange, and curatorial discourse.
After studying in Manila, Elisa Tan spent a decade in the US and Europe, where she became a respected figure in the arts scene. Her early efforts as a painter of large-scale canvases garnered significant recognition in the mid to late 1970s.
When she moved to Paris in the 1980s, her intellectual efforts to merge word, image, and the everyday finally began to reach their most sustained following.
Her envelope series, expressed in her symbology, is a sequence of ever deeper meditations on what she calls “containers for thought.” Within that framework, she creates space for color, abstraction, the concrete,
“He literally says painting people brings out the best in me, but also makes me feel part of humanity.
So it’s a very important thing,” Bakker said.
She said that the chair went into storage after Van Gogh left Arles and was then passed to the artist’s relatives and ultimately to the museum.
The museum is now displaying the chair alongside the painting from the Boston museum that features Roulin and the chair.
“It’s quite moving to have of course this fantastic portrait here, but also to to be able to show the actual chair he was sitting in and to realize that it was quite a simple small chair,” Bakker said.
The exhibition runs through January 11, 2026.
accident, and the deceptive power of the small scale.
A spiritual crisis led her to stop creating public art.
She later converted to Christianity and lived a private life in Baguio, where she passed on. Her work has been archived by her estate.
Elisa Tan: Container of Distance presents the archive of her body of work and a poetic constellation of her ideas.
In connection with this exhibition, there will be talks which focus on scholar-curator Dr. Maria Cristina Juan and professorial lecturer Dr. Flaudette May Datuin. They will conduct conversations to expound on the late artist’s works and creative process. It will be held on Saturday, October 11 at 3 pm.
The Elisa Tan: Container of Distance exhibition is free and available for public viewing from October 10 to November 16, 2025. It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10 am to 6 pm, except holidays. Both the display and the discussion will be conducted at the Space63, Comuna, 238 Pablo Ocampo Sr. Extension, Makati City.
More information is available at www.mcadmanila. org.ph.
VIRGO (Aug.
pay off. ★★★ LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Check facts, err on the side of caution and choose to do, take and give less to avoid indulgent backlash. Trust your instincts, listen to your body and intuition, and monitor every decision and move you make to combat stress and regret.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Participation will promote knowledge and connections that bolster your confidence and provide you with valuable insights, enabling you to prepare for something you want to achieve. Don’t be afraid to do things differently. Being unique will attract positive attention. Participating in events that combine business with pleasure will provide a platform to showcase your skills. ★★★
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Get out and about; participate in functions that relate to your professional goals. A chance to show off your skills and use your charm to lure in business will give you the push you need to strive to survive. Leave nothing to chance when in a competitive situation.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Truth matters; verify information and question anything that sounds too good to be true. Speak up and show your leadership ability, and opportunities will sprout, along with jealousy and interference. Be bold, direct and ready to step in and stabilize situations quickly by using truth, facts and effective resolutions.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Verify information before passing it along. Consider an investment that offers long-term financial benefits. Avoid monetary burdens by sticking to an affordable lifestyle. Hard work and reliability will help you maintain good relationships with clients, employers and anyone else you deal with today. Explore new possibilities.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Stay on top of investments and health issues. Deal directly with institutions to ensure you receive accurate information. Consider forming a partnership with someone you encounter at a function you attend. Be sure to get information in writing. Hit the reset button to check the rules and regulations for any updates or changes. ★★★
BIRTHDAY BABY: You are aggressive, determined and sensitive. You are outgoing and possessive.
Mika Salamanca booked and busy with a purpose
SPARKLE artist Mika Salamanca continues to open more doors after being hailed as GMA’s firstever big winner for Pinoy Big Brother Collab Celebrity Edition alongside duo Brent Manalo. From back-toback magazine covers and endorsement shoots to a new single, a movie, and a series, Mika remains unstoppable—yet she still makes time to nurture her advocacies.
Mika recently released her newest single with Brent, “What If Tayo?,” further solidifying their bond beyond PBB. This followed the successful release of her rendition of “Sino Nga Ba Sya,” which surpassed 500,000 streams on leading audio streaming platforms in under a month. Her big screen debut is also on the horizon as part of the upcoming MMFF 2025 entry Call Me Mother. On top of that, she reunites with her PBB batchmates in another GMA Network and ABS-CBN Studios collaboration, The Secrets of Hotel 88. An advocate for mental health, Mika also released her first-ever children’s book, Lipad, which aims to inspire and encourage self-belief. She hopes to deliver the message not only to the younger audiences but to all the people who dream of rising above fear, embracing their truth, and taking flight toward the life they deserve. Proceeds from book sales are dedicated to supporting charities and outreach activities for those in need.
In her recent interviews, Mika expressed deep gratitude for all the love and support she receives, saying it fuels her drive to dream big for her family. Now, with both mainstream and online success, Mika is more determined to continue growing and being a positive influence to her supporters. Beyond being the face of big brands, she ensures that she is not the only one benefiting—part of her brand deals includes donating appliances to cancer patients and the elderly in home care.
To continue honing her craft, Mika diligently attends singing and acting workshops. For balance, she also dedicates time to writing and painting, even converting one of the rooms in her condo into a workstation for her artwork, which she plans to release soon.
Mika’s newfound success feels more than just a breakthrough—it’s a rebirth. And she is now fully embracing the life she was meant to live. More information can be found at www. gmanetwork.com/sparkle.
LOS ANGELES—This weekend’s box office belonged to two undeniable draws: Taylor Swift and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. It might have looked like a heavyweight matchup, but Swift’s devoted fanbase once again proved unstoppable with her film The Official Release Party of a Show Girl, which debuted at No. 1 with $33 million in North America, according to Sunday estimates from Comscore. The AMC Theatres release—announced only two weeks ago with minimal promotion—served as a companion piece to Swift’s 12th studio album, packaging music videos, behind-the-scenes footage and profanity-free lyric visuals into an 89-minute experience.
The film played at all 540 AMC theaters in the US for three days, ending after Sunday. AMC aired the show in Mexico, Canada and across Europe.
Small steps, big gains
SMALL steps are often underestimated.
Especially in the dog eat dog world of entertainment and the performing arts.
Many dream of becoming celebrities, and most of these dreamers will choose the one-time-bigtime route not realizing that more often than not, true success comes when they take it one step at a time.
That is why we are so happy when we get to meet young artists who are not rushing to become big stars, who know that strategy is oftentimes a wonderful weapon to have, and who believe that timing is of great importance.
Take the case of new actor Miguel Odron, who continues to captivate the independent film audience worldwide with his effortlessly brilliant performance in Petersen Vargas’s Some Nights We Feel Like Walking, a wonderful film we were able to see when it was shown in local cinemas a few weeks ago.
The good news is: Odron recently scored a feature performance award nomination from the highly touted Iris Prize, an international LGBTQ+ festival and event open to films by, for, about, or of interest to these specific communities. The winners will be announced on October 19, in Cardiff, Wales.
The movie is Odron’s first acting assignment, and he admitted to being surprised by this nomination.
“I’m truly out of words with this unexpected recognition. You can call me an accidental actor who tremendously enjoyed my experience working on my very first film. All I just want now is to make more films, and this nomination is more than a stamp of approval that I’m in the right career direction. I’m just happy that the film is getting a lot of good feedback from audiences around the world.”
Odron has proven once more that every step forward—no matter how small—is still movement in the right direction. And taking these small steps is the only way we can get to the top of a flight of stairs, to reach for our dreams, and to work on what we truly desire. I also got to meet two promising Sparkle artists recently: Kim Perez and John Rex. Perez just released his song “Huling Hinto,” a rock ballad that is hauntingly sad, while Rex, the grand winner of The Clash 2023 edition, lends his soulful vocals to the song “Kahit Wala Na Tayo.” Rex’s powerful ballad has been chosen as the theme song for the drama series Cruz versus Cruz
“I’m waiting for my big break as a singer. My big win at The Clash was actually a jump-off point, but where I land will be my destiny. That’s why I work very hard and seize every good opportunity that comes my way. They say that all it takes is one song for a singer to soar to greater heights, and I’m taking all these small steps knowing that I will soar when my wings are ready,” Rex shared.
Indeed, what starts as one small step often leads to another. When we focus on what we can do, we start to build momentum. A single effort can set off a chain reaction that, more often than not, leads to greater opportunities and more significant wins.
“For Taylor Swift to harness the power of the movie theater to build her brand, create excitement among her fans, and create a communal experience outside of her touring, outside of her live performances, is really a stroke of genius,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore.
“To be able to add another $33 million to the box office bottom line is much welcomed by theater owners who were looking for content for their big screens.”
It comes nearly two years after her concert film opened to $96 million, with Swift extending her streak of box office dominance. Meanwhile, Johnson saw a more modest showing. His A24 drama starring Emily Blunt, mere $6 million, trailing Paul Thomas Anderson’s Battle After Another which earned $11.1 million and has now accumulated $107 million globally.
Despite strong reviews and a 15-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival Johnson drew praise for portraying MMA legend Mark Kerr—the film marked one of the lowest openings as a lead.
“When major movie stars branch out into more indie roles, like Tom Cruise in to redefine their career,” Dergarabedian said. “They can straddle both universes, so Dwayne Johnson and all the acclaim he’s getting. That prestige factor. That’s
Aside from being a singer, Perez is also trying his luck as an actor. He is currently cast in the GMA TV series Sanggang Dikit. “I’m easy, you know. I don’t mind being described as an actor who can sing or a singer who can act. I’d love to explore all the possibilities that will be made available for me at this time in my young career. I enjoy doing both actually. In singing, I’m usually all by myself as a performer, but in acting I have to be a team player.”
A few days ago, I was happy to find out that Noel Comia has been cast in the upcoming musical Bagets, a production of Viva Live Events. He will give life and music to the same role that Herbert Bautista portrayed in the 1984 movie version.
I was first drawn to Comia in 2017 in the Cinemalaya movie Kiko Boksingero where I raved about his performance. There was no surprise when the then 12-year-old newbie actor romped away with the festival best actor prize for his endearing yet powerful performance.
The doors opened one by one for this promising actor who is slowly building quite an impressive filmography with such movies, like Song fo the Fireflies, Death of Nintendo, Gitarista, Tenement 66, Rainbow Sunset and Children of the River. He has also lent his talent to several theater productions and have won acting awards for these.
Not many remember Comia being part of the third season of The Voice Kids, making it to Lea Salonga’s Top 8 hopefuls. That is why I am excited to see how he will transform as an actor-singer when Bagets the musical comes to life onstage early next year at The Newport Performing Arts Theater. Comia’s is a classic case of progress not being about perfection. It’s about focusing on what you can do with what you’ve got in reaching for your goals, no matter how small that action might seem. In the world of entertainment, it’s always tempting for newcomers to believe that only big, dramatic efforts bring results, but more often than not it’s the small consistent actions that actually shape our lives and determine the future. Like that of Comia’s.
When we focus on what we can do, however small that may seem to others, something shifts within us. The weight of difficulty, fear, doubt and frustration lightens, the mind becomes clear, and amazing ideas emerge. What was once a narrow mindset starts to expand, and creative juices start to flow naturally. Success breeds success. Just like compound interest, small steps add up to impressive rewards. And these small steps help talented hopefuls like Miguel Odron, Kim Perez, John Rex, and Noel Comia create valuable habits that will help them achieve bigger gains in the future.
the currency. He knows box office. He studies this and he’s a business person. But also realize that when you go outside of your comfort zone, it puts him in a certain light. ...Dwayne Johnson is redefining what he can do.” Beyond the two marquee names, the rest of the weekend lineup offered a wide mix ranging from animated adventures to horror sequels and DreamWorks Animation’s family adventure debuted in fourth place with $5.2 million, expanding the popular Netflix preschool series to the big screen. Warner Bros.’ The Conjuring: Last Rites followed in fifth with $4 million, pulling in $458.2 million Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba—Infinity the latest entry in the hit Japanese anime saga, earning $3.5 million. A re-release of Avatar: The Way of made a splash in seventh with $3.1 million—a solid return for the 2022 blockbuster ahead of Avatar: on December 19. Rounding out the top 10 were The Strangers: Chapter with $2.8 million, the IFC dark comedy Good Boy with $2.2
CLOCKWISE: Kim Perez, Noel Comia, Miguel Odron and John Rex
PAPI Officers Sworn in at Supreme Court, Vow to Uphold Press Freedom
The Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) officially held the oath-taking ceremony of its newly elected officers at the Supreme Court Session Hall, highlighting the strong collaboration between the judiciary and the press in advancing truth, accountability, and democracy.
The oath was administered by Acting Chief Justice Marvic MVF Leonen, who underscored the crucial role of responsible journalism in safeguarding democratic institutions and ensuring that the people’s voices are faithfully represented through ethical reporting. Also present was Hon. Maria Theresa Dolores C. GomezEstoesta, who lauded the organization for its continuing efforts in promoting transparency and good governance through independent journalism.
Mang
of PAPI officers by Acting Chief Justice Marvic MVF Leonen.
The ceremony was further honored by the presence of distinguished guests, including renowned inventors Dr. Richard Nixon
Gomez and Ronald Pagsanghan, along with Dr. Lily Lim, who witnessed and expressed their support for PAPI’s mission to uphold press freedom and integrity.
Sworn in were newly appointed Chairman / Director for Media Affairs Nelson Santos; newly, elected officers President – Rebecca “Beck” Madeja-Velásquez; Executive Vice President – Ian Israel Junio; Vice President for Luzon – Alma Ochotorena; Vice President for Visayas – Giecel Toriano-Albar; Vice President for Mindanao – Anila Anne Acosta; Secretary – Reyland Lopez; Treasurer – Leonida
Experts Warn of Pressing Threats to Philippine Marine Biodiversity
CRITICAL findings on the problems facing marine biodiversity, climate resilience, and sustainable living were shared by two leading environmental experts: Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan, a Principal Investigator at the Br. Alfred Shields FSC Ocean Research (SHORE) Center of De La Salle University, and Rodne Galicha, Executive Director of the Living Laudato Si’ Movement Philippines.
Drawing from decades of scientific monitoring and advocacy, both experts sounded the alarm on the state of the country’s seas and the urgent actions needed to protect them.
While the Philippines is recognized as a global center of marine biodiversity, home to the world’s third-largest reef area, hosting around 600 species of stony corals, contributing 25 percent of national fisheries production, and protecting coastlines by dissipating 97 percent of wave energy, researchers warned of troubling realities.
Auditor – May Ann Reyla; Board of Directors for Luzon – Dina Diaz Luzon and Eduardo Cardona; Board of Directors for Mindanao – Elpedio Bermas Soriano Jr. and Joseph Denmarc Avila III.
The newly installed officers pledged to continue uniting publishers nationwide in advancing professional standards, ethical media practice, and innovative approaches to journalism. As one of the country’s oldest and most respected media organizations, PAPI’s new leadership signals a renewed commitment to its vision of empowering the press as a cornerstone of democracy while promoting integrity, accountability, and progress in Philippine journalism.
Inasal bags six gold awards at International Business Awards
MANG Inasal, the Philippines’ Grill Expert, has achieved a landmark global recognition after winning six Gold trophies at the 2025 International Business Awards, making it the only Philippine restaurant brand to earn this distinction this year. The wins highlight the brand’s innovative marketing, digital, and public relations campaigns that connect with a growing community of customers across all ages.
“This is the most Gold awards we’ve ever won from a single award-giving body, and seeing our work recognized on a global stage fills us with pride and gratitude,” said Mang Inasal president Mike V. Castro. “But this WINstory is not just ours. It belongs to our customers, from locals to foreign guests, young and old, who enjoy our Ihaw-
Sarap (deliciously grilled) food and UnliSaya (unlimited fun) moments whether they dine-in, takeout, go through the drive-thru, or order delivery. Their support inspires us to keep improving and to create more moments worth celebrating.”
The campaigns recognized include MANGINASAL.PH, honored as Branded Utility of the Year for its customerdriven corporate website transformation; Love the Flavors, Love the Philippines, awarded Communications or PR Campaign of the Year for its nationwide impact; MI UNIVerse, recognized as Youth Marketing Campaign of the Year for connecting with Gen Z; #MangInasalCreamyYESSummer, which won both Influencer Marketing Campaign of the Year and Viral Marketing Campaign of the Year for its strong online
reach; and #MangInasalKahitSaan, acclaimed as Marketing Campaign of the Year for Delivery Services.
“Every campaign we’ve been recognized for begins with one question: what matters most to our customers?” shared Mang Inasal marketing head Allan C. Tan. “That question shapes everything we do. We focus on what will make them smile, what excites them, and how we can make every interaction better. During the pandemic, that focus kept us going and continues to guide us today. When customers respond online, visit our stores, or order for delivery, we see our work connecting in meaningful ways. That connection drives us to keep creating moments people remember.”
The International Business Awards, considered the world’s premier business awards, drew more than 3,800 nominations from 78 nations, recognizing excellence in management, marketing, PR, customer service, HR, technology, and product innovation.
Among the Philippine brands recognized this year at the International Business Awards, Mang Inasal shared the spotlight with SM Supermalls, Ayala Land Inc., and Globe Telecom, each also included in Brand Finance’s Strongest Brands for 2025.
With its latest wins, Mang Inasal has now collected 29 major awards in 2025 from prestigious competitions including the Marketing Excellence Awards, AsiaPacific Tambuli Awards, ASEAN PR Excellence Awards, and Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards. Its inclusion in Brand Finance’s Strongest Brands list cements its position as one of the country’s most respected and influential names in business and marketing.
Want more Mang Inasal exclusives NOW? Visit www.manginasal.ph for the latest news, https://order.manginasal. ph/ for delivery deals, and follow Mang Inasal on social media for more Ihaw-Sarap and Unli-Saya updates!
THE flavors and vibrance of Australia are now closer than ever as “A Taste of Australia” was recently launched at Landmark Supermarket Makati. The event was led by Landmark Chief Operating Officer Teddy Keng, Landmark SVP for Marketing Michelle Keng, Hans Lim of NexTrade, with the support of Austrade and Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown, and with the representatives of leading Australian brands. Adding excitement for shoppers, every purchase of participating Australian products until October 31, 2025 earns a raffle entry to win a Qantas Airways roundtrip ticket for two to Australia, an opportunity to explore its landscapes, flavors, and hospitality.
Australia is known for its clean, green lifestyle and wholesome choices, now within easy reach at Landmark through trusted brands. Pure Harvest brings organic almond, oat, soy, and rice milks from one of Australia’s pioneers in plant-based living – fully vegan
They revealed that the country still has no nationallycoordinated long-term monitoring effort to track reef health over time. Episodes of mass coral bleaching have already turned the once vibrant ecosystems into what has been described in Laudato Si’ (Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment) as “underwater cemeteries bereft of color and life.” Further, crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks, trash accumulation in marine protected areas, and the illegal harvesting of giant clams continue to harm already fragile habitats.
Many MPAs or marine protected areas remain too small and under-managed, offering little improvement in coral cover or fish populations. These challenges are further compounded by climate change, with 2024 recorded as the warmest year on record, amplifying stress on marine ecosystems.
“Up-to-date, scientifically-sound monitoring is essential in allowing communities to respond to changes in reef health, and citizen science volunteers can fulfill crucial roles in this effort,” said Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan.
In the same learning session hosted by Shore It Up! (SIU), the environmental advocacy program of Metro Pacific Investments Foundation (MPIF), participants were introduced to citizen science monitoring, a process where community members are trained to survey reefs, process findings with schools and local groups, and present results directly to government officials. This participatory approach presents the principle that management begins with measurement,
stressing the importance of accessible, community-driven data collection.
The discussions also extended beyond science to highlight the role of everyday actions in protecting the environment. Participants were urged to reduce single-use plastics, conserve water, avoid food waste, plant native trees, practice energy efficiency, and choose more sustainable forms of transport. These practices were framed within the “10R’s of sustainability”—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair, Refuse, Rethink, Rainforest, Regenerate, Reconnect, and Respect— which were presented as guides for ecological responsibility that can be applied daily.
“In the spirit of ‘katumbalikwasan’, we recognize that true resilience emerges from our collective strength as KASAMA and KAPWA, where no one is left behind in the face of adversity. Together, we rise up, bounce back, and learn from our past, ensuring that our actions are inclusive, just, and equitable for all members of our community,” said Galicha. Situated within the Coral Triangle and the Verde Island Passage, Marinduque holds a critical role in global marine biodiversity. The SIU Weekend learning sessions provided stakeholders in attendance with deeper awareness of this ecological significance and the urgent need for action. For MPIF, these findings open new opportunities to strengthen its programs by integrating science, citizen participation, and sustainability across its SIU sites, empowering communities to serve as guardians of the country’s marine heritage.
MR.DIY Hits 800 Stores with Grand Celebration at
LEADING home improvement retailer MR.DIY marked a historic milestone with the grand opening of its 800th Store at Vista Mall Taguig on September 23, 2025.
With the theme “Close to Home, Closer to Heart,” the event highlighted the brand’s nationwide expansion and its mission to build a deeper connection with Filipino families by being part of their everyday lives.
Shoppers and guests were treated to exciting activities, special deals, and a day full of surprises, all underscoring the brand’s commitment to making everyday living simple, joyful, and complete.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate this remarkable milestone with the community that has been part of MR.DIY’s growth story,” said Roselle B. Andaya, Chief Executive Officer of MR.DIY Philippines.
“Reaching 800 stores is not just about expansion— it’s about being close to home and closer to heart. This
products. Freedom Fresh Happy Nut delivers only the best Australian macadamia nuts in shell, in many different flavor profiles, perfect for breakfast or a light snack. Cobs Popcorn, made from non-GMO corn and only natural seasonings, are perfect for picnics, family gatherings and movie nights, or a healthy low-calorie snack. Busy weeknights are made easier with Dolmio, offering Italianheritage pasta sauces for hearty meals, while MasterFoods elevates everyday cooking with its premium and trusted range of herbs, spices, and sauces.
Leading the way for environmentally friendly and eco-conscious households, Earth Choice provides the highest quality Earth-safe, biodegradable, and effective cleaning. Yarra Valley Hilltop offers only the freshest fruit juice from the harvests of the Yarra Valley region in Victoria. The Australian showcase also features other Australian icons like
is our way of showing Filipino households that MR.DIY is here to provide practical, affordable solutions and to share in the everyday moments that matter most.” Families, friends, and DIY enthusiasts alike joined in the fun, enjoying exclusive promos, games, and engaging activities designed to make the day extra memorable. The lively celebration mirrored MR.DIY’s spirit of inclusivity and joy–making the 800th store milestone a true community affair.
The week-long 800th Store Milestone Celebration drew in MR.DIY stakeholders, shoppers, mall partners,
Infuzions, Charlie’s Fine Food Co., Tucker’s, Brookfarm, Bega, Vegemite, Chef Joey D, Arnott’s, Laucke, SPC, and Red Rock Deli. Together, these brands reflect what Australians value most: natural goodness, trusted quality, and guaranteed everyday enjoyment. These Australian favorites are available exclusively at Landmark branches in Makati, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Trinoma, BGC,
Oathtaking
Cardona;
Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan, Principal Investigator, Br. Alfred Shields FSC Ocean Research (SHORE) Center at De La Salle University
MR.DIY executives, together with honored guests, celebrate the official opening of MR.DIY’s 800th store at Vista Mall Taguig.
Japan braces for shift to right under ‘Iron Lady’ fan Takaichi
By Sakura Murakami
SANAE TAKAICHI, the prostimulus conservative poised to become Japan’s first female prime minister, is an energetic nationalist with a soft spot for the hard-nosed politics of Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher and the heavy metal music of Iron Maiden.
In choosing the former economic security minister as its leader, the Liberal Democratic Party is essentially betting on a swing back to the right to attract the younger voters who have flocked to smaller populist outfits, including the archconservative Sanseito party.
It’s a move that could backfire if the party is seen simply reverting to the easy money and hawkish diplomacy of her mentor, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, without any new ideas.
Takaichi is expected to become premier later this month in a parliamentary vote.
In becoming the LDP’s chief, Takaichi has already smashed a glass ceiling in a nation that has only seen male ruling party leaders. Her ascent to the top of the political world will send ripples through the male-dominated society that languishes near the bottom end of global gender equality rankings. But like Thatcher, the former UK prime minister whom she cites as an inspiration, her conservative views place her a long way from the stance of progressive feminism.
Her ability to build a lasting legacy as the nation’s leader will depend less on her ability to further the position of women than on her capacity to restore the fortunes of a ruling party in disarray after decades of dominance in postwar Japan.
“From a normal woman’s perspective, she’s what you might call an idol for ‘old men,’” said Mieko Nakabayashi, politics professor at Waseda University.
“She’s someone who expresses ‘old man’ opinions from a woman’s mouth and makes them happy.”
Her longevity at the head of a fickle political machine known for quickly axing its presidents will depend on how swiftly she can unite the party, win back public support and connect with those younger voters. Her victory Saturday was powered by widespread grassroots support, with victories in 36 of 47 prefectural chapters, a result that may have convinced LDP lawmakers she holds the key to pulling the party together, Tobias Harris, founder of Japan Foresight, said in a research note Sunday.
Now she’ll need to extend her reach beyond party lines, as the LDP’s lack of a parliamentary
majority forces her to build a consensus with opposition parties to pass legislation. Provided she becomes prime minister as expected, one of her first tasks will be to build ties with Donald Trump amid reports that the US president will make a stop in Japan in late October during a trip to Asia.
Takaichi was the most forthright among the five candidates in the leadership race over the possibility of renegotiating parts of Japan’s trade deal with the US. But she toed the line following her election on Saturday, saying that an immediate renegotiation was not on the table. She still said Japan will make its opinions known through the appropriate routes should the deal not serve its interests.
But she said that might happen only if there are problems implementing the deal in its current form, a comment that suggests she is on board with the agreement for now.
On issues such as ramping up Japan’s defense spending and capabilities, containing China’s growing influence and building supply chains that align with US interests, she is likely to be a good match for Trump’s views. Still, she likely has less name recognition among US conservatives who have met her rival in the leadership contest, Shinjiro Koizumi, and who remember his father Junichiro wearing Elvis shades and serenading former President George W. Bush two decades ago.
“Takaichi has extensive experience as a politician, and since the US’s hardline stance toward China does not significantly conflict with her own views, she should be able to build a good relationship with President Trump,” said Yuichi Kodama, chief economist at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute. For investors, the main concern will be her reputation for wanting spending to achieve growth and her penchant for central bank stimulus to goose the economy. In the latest leadership campaign, she toned down her scathing views on the Bank of Japan’s interest rate hikes from last year, when she described its raising of rates as “stupid.” But in a recent Kyodo survey she still said the BOJ should leave interest rates unchanged for now. That comment comes amid expectations the bank may raise
“I’m going to abandon the phrase ‘worklife balance,’” she said, prompting laughter from the rows of LDP lawmakers listening to her speech. “There is a mountain of things that we must accomplish together and I would like to see you work like horses.”
borrowing costs again later this month.
Her spending plans are less clear. All of the candidates were expected to unleash a package of economic measures to help consumers deal with inflation in the fall, but she was the boldest in saying that extra bond issuance may be needed. In line with many in the LDP, she remains cautious on the idea of opposition demands to lower the sales tax, one of the costliest options for dealing with the cost-of-living crunch.
Instead Takaichi has promised cash handouts and tax rebates to help households. She’s also hinted at raising the taxfree income allowance before the end of the year, a move that would resonate well with the Democratic Party for the People, another populist party that has made major inroads in the last year or two.
While saying her spending plans will be “responsible” and that she’ll ensure the nation’s net debt load will fall over time, she said “the goal is achieving economic growth, not fiscal health,” in a sign of her expansionist spending tendencies.
Goldman Sachs economists Tomohiro Ota, Akira Otani and Yuriko Tanaka wrote in a report Sunday that they don’t expect Takaichi to immediately adopt large-scale fiscal expansion plans, but they don’t rule out the possibility she might do so over time “by deepening cooperation with opposition parties that advocate for a proactive fiscal policy.”
Another focus for investors will be whether the new leader seeks to skew the trajectory for monetary policy.
“While she always leaned toward a reflationary stance, the current economic environment has changed significantly, and curbing inflation has become the country’s mission,” said Meiji Yasuda’s Kodama. “Opposing the BOJ’s rate hikes would be contradictory, so I don’t think she can make extreme statements regarding monetary policy.”
Still, the possible outcome for markets is a fall in the yen on expectations of slower central bank normalization, a rise in stocks on a weaker currency and an uptick in super-long yields on fears over longer term spending plans.
Takaichi was born on March 3, 1961 and grew up in the ancient capital of Nara, a city known for the emergence of Buddhism in Japan. Her father worked as a salesman at an
equipment manufacturing company while her mother worked for the Nara police force. She studied business management at Kobe University.
As a student, she rode a motorbike and played drums in a heavy metal band, and counts herself as a fan of British heavymetal bands Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, according to local media. She still occasionally picks up the sticks to hammer away on an electric drumset at home, if she squabbles with her husband, she told a local broadcaster in an interview. Her go-to song is “Burn” by Deep Purple.
“To be honest I wish I could go out for karaoke, but I’ve been reining myself in these past years,” she said in that interview.
She studied at the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management, an organization focused on producing leaders in the world of politics and industry.
She worked briefly as a news anchor before winning her first election in 1993 as an independent at a time when the LDP was in disarray following the bursting of Japan’s economic bubble. That election saw a multitude of opposition parties join forces to form a patchwork administration and oust the LDP for the first time since its formation. But as it has done subsequently, the LDP found a way of regrouping and taking back power, while most of the parties that ousted it have vanished.
Over her years as a politician, including her time as internal affairs minister, promoter of “Cool Japan” and as economic security minister, Takaichi
has garnered a reputation as studious with an attention to fine detail. She is known to shun socializing and drinking with her peers.
“If I’m going to go out for dinner or have a drink, I’d much rather work or study something new,” she said during a campaign speech last year, adding that she often works over weekends.
Shortly after winning the LDP election she doubled down on that message.
“I’m going to abandon the phrase ‘work-life balance,’” she said, prompting laughter from the rows of LDP lawmakers listening to her speech. “There is a mountain of things that we must accomplish together and I would like to see you work like horses.”
As a conservative darling and Abe protege, China may be wary of how she navigates a relationship that has remained tense in recent years.
Previously, Takaichi did not mince her words when asked whether she would visit Yasukuni shrine, which honors Japan’s war dead including those who were charged as war criminals after World War II. Visits by previous prime ministers have angered neighboring countries and proven to be a flashpoint for Japan and China.
“Once the sentence is carried out, they are no longer criminals,” she said during a live TV show last week. She toned down her messaging after being elected Saturday, saying that she’ll make appropriate decisions over praying at the shrine.
She opened her campaign speech with a gripe about foreign tourists in Nara, saying
she had heard of some tourists kicking the deer that roam freely in the local parks.
That gripe seemed to tap into broader anxieties felt by the public as the number of foreign-born visitors and workers rises amid a drop in Japan’s own population. With Sanseito gaining ground in elections by capturing such concerns under a “Japanese first” message, Takaichi could be the conservative icon the LDP thinks it needs to win back right-wing voters. Among the five candidates, she consistently ranked as the most popular in recent opinion polls among the general public.
In a twist of irony for Japan’s likely first female prime minister, her conservatism may not bode well for gender equality issues.
She opposes same-sex marriage or allowing spouses to have separate surnames, claiming it could undermine family unity. Novelist Kyoko Nakajima once called Takaichi “an honorary man” for maintaining views consistent with a traditional male-centered society, the Japan Times reported in 2021.
And while her appointment breaks a glass ceiling, it also risks becoming a glass cliff. “Female leaders are often given some leeway for not doing things the ‘traditional’ way,” said Waseda’s Nakabayashi, who was skeptical whether Takaichi’s election represents a new era for women in Japan. “That’s why it’s often the case that women only get the leadership positions when the going gets really tough.” With assistance from Akemi Terukina, Takashi Umekawa and Brian Fowler/Bloomberg
SANAE TAKAICHI during a news conference at the party’s headquarters in Tokyo, on Oct. 4. TORU HANAI/BLOOMBERG
Solar Spikers, Belen grab PVL spotlight
THE Capital1 Solar Spikers take the spotlight on Tuesday as top pick Bella Belen finally sees action when the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference gets going at the Ynares Center in Montalban, Rizal.
Following her stint with Alas Pilipinas, Belen, the former Universoty Athletic Association of the Philippines standout with National University suits up for the Solar Spikers against Choco Mucho at 6:30 p.m.
The three-time UAAP Most Valuable Player joins forces with Ukrainian import Oleksandra Bytsenko, who steps in to fill the shoes of former reinforcement Marina Tushova.
After finishing 11th in the PVL On Tour, Capital1 is determined to climb the rankings with help from local talents Leila Cruz, Kecelyn Galdones, Roma Doromal, Rovena Instrella, Norielle Ipac, Trisha Genesis and Sydney Niegos.
The Flying Titans, who finished 10th in On Tour, are looking to rebound with the help of American high-flyer Anyse Smith, who recently impressed fans while playing for Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC in the AVC Champions League. Smith is expected to be a key figure in Choco Mucho’s title bid.
Supporting her are veterans Dindin Manabat, Des Cheng, Mean Mendrez, Isa Molde, Royse Tubino, and Jen Villegas, along with a formidable middle rotation of Cherry Nunag, Aduke Ogunsanya, and Lorraine Pecaña.
At 4 p.m., ZUS Coffee and Akari take center stage in a Pool B clash, both aiming to bounce back from lackluster showings in the PVL On Tour and Invitational Conference.
ZUS Coffee, which finished seventh in On Tour and last in the Invitationals, features American import Anna DeBeer—a 5-foot-11 outside hitter from the University of Louisville who recently played for Indy Ignite in the Major Volleyball League. In her pro debut, DeBeer racked up 172 points from 148 attacks, 17 blocks, and seven aces, along with 110 digs. Returning for ZUS Coffee is Thea Gagate, fresh off her stint with Alas Pilipinas. With her back in the lineup, the Thunderbelles aim for a strong run in a group that includes Chery Tiggo, Creamline, Galeries Tower, and Petro Gazz. Akari, meanwhile, is led by American import Annie Mitchem, a 31-year-old veteran who last played for Jakarta Livin Mandiri and has competed in Italy, Turkey, and Brazil following a standout college career at the University of Hawaii. She’ll be supported by a solid local core: Ivy Lacsina, Gretchel Soltones, Eli Soyud, Faith Nisperos, Steph Bustrillo, Chenie Tagaod, and middles Ced Domingo, Ezra Madrigal, and Fifi Sharma.
The tournament features two pools of six teams in a single round-robin format. The top three teams from each pool will advance to the second round, facing only the bottom three from the opposite group. Rankings will follow the FIVB system: total wins, match points, set ratio, and point ratio. After the second round, teams will be re-ranked from 1 to 12. The bottom four will be eliminated, while the top eight move on to the quarterfinals in a knockout format: 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, and 4 vs 5. The semifinals, finals, and bronze medal matches will also be single-elimination games.
Ando bags bronze in world meet
B8 Tuesday, OcTOBer 7, 2025 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph
Editor: Jun Lomibao
By Josef T. Ramos
ELREEN ANN ANDO delivered a gritty performance at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships on Sunday in Forde, Norway, clinching a bronze medal in the clean and jerk category of the women’s 63 kg division.
The 26-year-old Cebuana, a two-time Olympian, hoisted 131 kilograms in the clean and jerk, edging out Colombia’s Yenny Sinisterra Torres, who managed 128 kgs. However, Torres came up with 103 kgs versus Ando’s 100 kgs in the snatch, resulting in a tie at 231 kgs total. The tiebreak favored Torres, who reached the total in her first attempt, relegating Ando to fourth place overall.
podium in the snatch and total lift, Ando, from Carreta, Cebu City, and seen as the successor to Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, showed progress ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics.
Nor th Korea’s Ri Suk topped the event, sweeping the three gold medals with a commanding 253 kg total — 111 kg in snatch and 142 kg in clean and jerk.
Canadian Olympian Maude Charron bagged the silver, lifting 236 kgs (103 kg snatch, 133 kg clean and jerk).
Ando represented the Philippines in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing seventh in the women’s 64 kg category.
Coach of the Year: Reyes vs Austria
IT’S a two-way fight between Chot Reyes and Leo Austria for the Baby Dalupan Coach of the Year trophy as the PBA Press Corps holds its annual Awards Night next week at the Novotel Manila.
Reyes and Austria were the two coaches who won championships in Season 49.
The Tropang 5G fell just short of a grand slam, topping the Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup but finishing
second in the Philippine Cup. San Miguel foiled TNT’s bid for a season sweep and regaining the trophy considered as the PBA’s crown jewel.
The Coach of the Year will be announced on October 13.
Reyes has won the award six times, while Austria is a four-time winner.
O ther awards to be presented during the affair organized yearly by the group of media men regularly covering the PBA beat are the Danny Floro Executive of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year.
Also to be awarded are the Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the Year, Scoring Champion, Mr. Quality Minutes, All-Rookie team, Order of Merit for the player with the most Player of the Week citations, and Game of the Season.
Siklab Youth Awards to honor rising stars of Philippine sports
TOnianwa
weightlifters Jay-R Colonia, Alexandra Ann Diaz, Althea Bacaro, Jhodie Peralta, and Albert Ian Delos Santos.
T heir stellar performances at the 2025 World Youth and Junior
Weightlifting Championships in Lima, Peru earned the Philippines the top spot among 33 nations, with a remarkable haul of 10 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze medals.
J oining them are elite junior athletes from various disciplines: Karl Eldrew Yulo (gymnastics), Rianne Malixi (golf), Pi Durden Wangkay (athletics), Dean Darnet Venerable (taekwondo), Tenny Madis (tennis), Kira Ellis (triathlon), and Sam Cantada (volleyball).
Yulo, the younger sibling of the double Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo, will be recognized for the fifth consecutive year, underscoring his continued excellence in the sport. The
Emmanuel Anabo while the Soaring Falcons were trying to claw their way back late in the game, 1:26 left in regulation. “That’s what we expect from him [Mo Konateh] and I was glad that he really stepped up today,” FEU coach Sean Chambers said. Konateh averaged 16.0 points, 15.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block to win a tight vote among the scribes covering the collegiate beat. The Gambian was picked over Ateneo’s Dom Escobar and Shawn Tuano, La Salle’s Mike Phillips, UST’s Nic Cabañero, and UP’s Harold Alarcon.
Despite missing the
Silver medalist in the 2019 and 2021 editions of the Southeast Asian Games, Ando bagged gold at the 2023 SEAG in the 59 kg class, before returning to the Olympic stage in Paris 2024, where she placed sixth.
Nitura named VL Collegiate MVP as Lady Falcons close in on title
HAINA NITURA of Adamson
SUniversity was named Most Valuable Player in the 2025 V-League Collegiate Challenge on Monday at the FilOil Center in San Juan.
Adamson is a win away from the crown after scoring a 25-18, 26-24, 23-25, 25-23 victory over Far Eastern University on Monday in the opener of the best-of-three series.
Nitura, the Alas upstart and Adamson captain, scored 30 points on 29 attacks, while also tallying 12 digs and 18 excellent receptions.
The 20-year-old Nitura finished as the second-highest scorer in the women’s division with 119 points—107 attacks, six blocks and six aces. She also ranked second in spiking (40.84 percent), seventh in receiving (39.09 percent), and ninth in digging (1.88 per set), proving her consistency on both ends of the court.
(0.96), with Ellarina close behind at third (0.73). S agaysay topped all setters (5.71 per set) and ranked second in serving (0.38), while Ceballos placed third in digging (2.63).
L a Salle’s Chris Hernandez won the men’s MVP award.
Hernandez stepped up for the Green Spikers following the departure of stars Noel Kampton and Vince Maglinao. The La Salle Lipa standout ranked fourth in scoring in the men’s division with 107 points—89 attacks, nine blocks, and nine aces. He led the league in serving (0.32 per set), placed third in receiving (57.50 percent), fourth in digging (1.50 per set), and fifth in spiking (44.50 percent).
The men’s Supreme Team also had La Salle’s Issa Ousseini and FEU’s Lirick
event is also supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, CEL Logistics, MVPSF, Smart/PLDT, Go For Gold, Homegrown, Orich and Blue Hydra.
S even-year-old jiujitsu prodigy Aielle Aguilar returns for her third straight Siklab honor after dominating her division at the Pan Kids IBJJF Tournament in Orlando, Florida— the world’s largest youth jiujitsu competition.
Also being hailed as Super Kids are Xian Baguhin (boxing) Sophia Catantan (fencing), Kyra Abella (judo), and Joan Denise Lumbao (karate).
Top performers from the 2025 Palarong Pambansa will also be recognized, including swimmer Titus Sia, archer Naina Tagle, chess player Mar Aviel Carredo, dancesport standout Bhenz Rudolf Owen Semilla, and gymnast King Cjay Pernia.
Nitura was joined in the women’s Supreme Team by Adamson teammates Felicity Sagaysay, named Best Setter, and Abegail Segui, awarded Best Opposite Spiker, FEU’s Gerzel Petallo (Best Outside Spiker) and Jaz Ellarina (Best Middle Blocker), CSB’s Zam Nolasco (Best Middle Blocker), and Arellano’s Harem Ceballos (Best Libero). Petallo scored 97 points (81 attacks, 11 aces, five blocks) and topped receiving (50.70 percent), ranked third in serving (0.37), and eighth in spiking (34.04 percent).
Segui was the most efficient spiker with a 43.57 percent success rate, scoring 74 points (61 attacks, 10 blocks, three aces), and ranked seventh in blocking (0.42).
Nolasco led the league in blocking
OACH Johnedel Cardel
Cthe PBA. “Greg [Slaughter] is the type of player that you must have in your team,” Cardel told BusinessMirror on Monday. “He is in shape, and we are confident that he is the missing link in our team. We are hoping that he can play for us.” At 37, Slaughter is no stranger to the spotlight. A former standout for Ginebra and NorthPort, he’s already met with team manager Aldriane Anglim, and signs point to a promising reunion. The last time the 12-year veteran suited up in the PBA was in 2021, where he posted averages of 16.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game for the Batang Pier—before contract talks hit a snag. After his PBA stint, Slaughter took his talents overseas to Japan’s B.League,
