such as corruption, poor planning, and delays are compounding the adverse impact of natural disasters on consumer prices, local economists said, following the release of the country’s latest inflation data on Tuesday.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that inflation accelerated to 1.7 percent in September 2025. This is faster than the 1.5 percent posted in August 2025 but was slower than the 1.9 percent recorded in September 2024.
Unionbank Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion told BusinessMirror that these inefficiencies disrupt supply chains, leading to higher input costs.
“When floods or typhoons hit, these inefficiencies amplify logistical bottlenecks, leading to
higher transport and distribution costs, which then push up consumer prices, especially for food and essentials,” Asuncion told this newspaper.
“If the only bridge access, for example, to a certain municipality or city, fails because of corruption resulting [from] substandard construction, we immediately observe prices of food and essentials rise and even cause markets to fail,” he added.
Further, Asuncion said the repair and reconstruction of projects that
By Cai U. Ordinario
THE decline in foreign exchange and investment led to the contraction of the country’s Gross International Reserves (GIR) in the period ending September 2025.
The data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed the GIR reached $108.8 billion as of the end of September 2025, a 3.46-percent decline from the $112.7 billion recorded in the same period last year.
“BSP Governor Remolona recently signaled that the Philippine central bank/BSP intervened in the foreign exchange market in recent weeks, it was in small amounts, some day-to-day inter -
vention just to limit the volatility,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said.
“Thus, relatively high GIR would help fundamentally support/protect the peso exchange rate vs. any speculative attacks and would also fundamentally provide the US dollar supply/ammunition for any intervention in the local foreign exchange market, if necessary,” he added.
The data showed that while there was a 50.88-percent increase in the value of gold reserves, this was not enough to boost the country’s GIR.
BSP said gold reserves amounted to $16.38 billion as of the end of September 2025, higher than
the $10.86 billion posted as of the end of September 2024.
However, the country’s foreign investments amounted to only $87.24 billion as of the end of September 2025. This was an 8.36-percent decline from the $95.2 billion posted in the same period of 2024. When it comes to foreign exchange, BSP data showed a 75.26-percent contraction to $505.1 million as of September 2025, from the $2.04 billion as of September 2024.
“GIR are made up of foreign-denominated securities, foreign exchange, and other assets including gold. GIR help a country finance its imports and foreign debt obligations, stabilize its currency, and
provide a buffer against external economic shocks,” BSP said. Nonetheless, BSP said the latest GIR level remained the highest since the period ending October 2024, when the reserves reached $111.08 billion.
Compared to the period ending August 2025, BSP said the GIR increased 1.59 percent from the $107.1 billion.
“The latest GIR level provides a robust external liquidity buffer, equivalent to 7.3 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income,” the BSP said.
The BSP said the GIR is viewed to be adequate if it can finance at least three-months’ worth of the
By Erwin James T. Gianan
ILIPINOS are increasingly turning away from traditional forms of mass media, even radio, which is one of the most popular forms of media in both urban and rural areas, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The 2024 run of the Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) showed Filipinos’ exposure to radio fell sharply to just 52.9 percent, more than 20 percentage points less than the 75.2 percent recorded in 2019. Printed newspapers, however, saw the steepest drop in exposure among all platform types at a staggering 30 percent, less than half of what was recorded in 2019 at 63.3 percent. The data showed Television, which maintained the biggest exposure rate among the audiovisual platforms at 82.3 percent,
posted a lower exposure rate than the 96 percent in 2019 FLEMMS. The FLEMMS showed online platforms through the newest additions to the FLEMMS, video and music streaming, are growing in exposure. Video streaming recorded a 66.5-percent exposure while music streaming posted a 63.5-percent exposure rate. Meanwhile, the National Capital Region (NCR) had the highest exposure rate to television at 88 percent, while the Mimaropa region had the lowest, with the same platform at 75.3 percent.
Another recent addition, online or digital newspapers, logged the highest exposure rate for all reading platforms at 52.1 percent. This was followed by printed magazines and printed posters, which had exposure rates of 50.2 percent and 49.2 percent, respectively. This time, Central Visayas
THE country’s factory output in August rebounded on the back of a double-digit growth in the manufacture of food products, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Based on the Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (MISSI), the Volume of Production Index (VoPI) grew 1.4 percent in August 2025. This brought year-todate VoPI growth to 0.5 percent. The rebound in August is from the contraction of 1.8 percent in July 2025. Compared to last year, the latest figure was also faster than the 1.3-percent growth posted in August 2024. In August, PSA said, the manufacture of food products grew 20.2 percent, significantly faster than
the 11.4 percent recorded in July 2025 and 0.4 percent posted in August 2024.
“The acceleration in the annual growth rate of VoPI for manufacture of food products in August 2025 was brought about by the uptrend in the annual growth rates of VoPI for 6 out of 8 industry groups,” PSA said.
The data showed this was led by the faster growth in the manufacture of vegetable and animal oils and fats at 35.4 percent in August 2025, from 6.5 percent in the previous month.
The PSA said, however, there was a slower year-on-year growth rate in the VoPI for processing and preserving of meat at 12.7 percent during the month from 18.1 per -
cent in July 2025.
The manufacture of grain mill products, starches and starch products also posted a steeper decline of 9 percent in August 2025 from 6.5 percent in the previous month.
Meanwhile, the data also showed the manufacture of basic metals contributed to the recovery of the VoPI with a slower decline of 9.6 percent August 2025.
This was an improvement compared to the decline of 26.8 percent recorded in July 2025 and the 17.9-percent contraction posted in August 2024.
PSA also said a contributor to the rebound is the manufacture of machinery and equipment except electrical, with an annual growth of 6.7 percent during the month.
The data showed this manufacturing industry division recorded a decline of 3.1 percent in July 2025. However, the industry division posted faster growth of 19.3 percent in August 2024.
“Of the remaining 19 industry divisions, nine posted annual increments in August 2025. Meanwhile, 10 industry divisions exhibited annual decreases in their VoPI for manufacturing during the period,” PSA said.
Meanwhile, based on responding establishments, the average capacity utilization rate for the manufacturing section in August 2025 was reported at 77.3 percent. The average capacity utilization rate was 77.2 percent in July 2025,
WHITE AGAINST WRONG Students and employees of Saint Louis University (SLU) in Baguio City took to the streets in white, marching from the Baguio Convention Center to the Baguio Cathedral to denounce corruption and pray for integrity in governance. The “Wear White Tuesday” movement saw the SLU community wearing white clothes and ribbons as symbols of honesty and solidarity in the fight against graft. The march comes amid renewed public outrage over alleged “ghost projects” and irregularities in multibillion-peso flood control programs and other government infrastructure initiatives. MAU VICTA
FLOOD OF ACCUSATIONS Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, filed a perjury complaint against former DPWH Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office. Hernandez had previously implicated Estrada in alleged irregularities in government flood control projects. NONOY LACZA
‘Konektado’ law IRR won’t faze new players, says DICT
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
DESPITE the additional requirements posed by the draft Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 12234 or the Konektadong Pinoy Act, related to cyber security on new players, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is confident many new data transmission industry participants (DTIPs) will still enter the Philippine market.
DICT Secretary Henry R. Aguda made the pronouncement after announcing on Tuesday that they will issue the new IRR within the month after concluding their consultations
1.7%…
Continued from A1
with telecommunications firms (telcos).
The IRR was initially expected to be finalized on 2 October 2025.
“The final consultation [for the
suffered from corruption, poor planning, and/or delays, would prolong the duration of elevated prices of goods and
IRR] was completed in the first week of October. Its publication will happen at the earliest next week. So, publication will take about 15 days. The month will not end with the law not taking effect,” he said in Filipino in a press briefing in Malacañang.
Last week, DICT reported it will require DTIPs to comply with the National Cybersecurity Plan 2023-2028, set up a computer response program, and secure software development life cycle among others.
Aguda, however, gave assurances that the said requirements, which local telcos must also comply with, will not be a significant burden for DTIPs.
“So what we’re going to do now is if you apply, you’ll see the status [of your application] on the website then you progressively comply. So I feel like it’s quick,” he told BusinessMirror, partly in Filipino, in an interview at the sidelines of the briefing.
“My directive to the IRR drafting, if all of those [requirements] are complete, then within a week, the [application] should be approved,” he added.
Local telcos have opposed the pas-
the cost of
sage of RA 12234 since they claimed it contained provisions, which are unconstitutional, will cause regulatory imbalance and expose the public to cybersecurity risks.
Among the salient provisions of the new law was it reduced the red tape for DTIPs by exempting them from securing congressional franchise and a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to operate in the country.
Once DICT finalized the IRR, Aguda said they expect DTIPs to formalize their decision to operate in the country.
“They are still waiting for the IRR. So once he comes out, they will officially apply because they are just waiting for all the requirements,” he said.
DICT earlier announced that at least three foreign internet service providers and over a dozen local telcos have expressed interest to apply to DICT to be able to operate in the Philippines after RA 12234 lapsed into law in August.
John Paolo R. Rivera told BusinessMirror that faster inflation can be a real-world consequence of corruption in infrastructure projects.
When these funds are wasted on ghost projects, infrastructure facilities remain inadequate or unfinished. This leads to “disruptions in supply chains, higher logistics costs, and productivity losses especially during calamities or extreme weather events.”
“The erosion of public trust and investor confidence from such corruption can weaken the PHP [Philippine peso], increase risk premiums, and further stoke inflationary pressures through imported goods and capital outflows. In short, corruption creates systemic inefficiencies that ripple into everyday price levels,” Rivera told this newspaper.
Meanwhile, former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Dante B. Canlas told BusinessMirror that if corruption impedes the country’s growth, this will lead to faster inflation.
Normally, due to the impact of natural disasters on production, Canlas said, there will be a spike in inflation. “Price controls in disaster-stricken areas are not working since new commodity suppliers are prevented from entering,” he added. Other factors such as obstructed relief as a result of poor coordination at the local government unit level could also lead to a faster increase in consumer prices.
“In the context of the outcome of the corruption, in the first place we invest in infrastructure because we want to ease doing business but poor roads and bridges adds to the cost therefore pushes prices up,” De La Salle University economist Maria Ella Oplas told BusinessMirror
For Ateneo de Manila University economist Leonardo Lanzona, “The corruption case will result in much lower economic activity; thus the decreased aggregate demand will creating the See “1.7%,” A12
working-age population in employment is below the global average,” it added.
Mattoo also said that new technologies and digital platforms could help reduce information barriers and connect workers with employers across borders.
“Capacity and opportunity must increase in step to avoid shortages and unemployment, and that’s why improving coordination is important,” he added.
‘Flexibility drives informal employment’ DE La Salle University economist Ma. Ella C. Oplas attributed the rise of informal employment to the flexibility of the industry, citing the Covid-19 pandemic that introduced alternative and remote modes of work setups.
“I would like to believe that the pattern is visible in the Philippines. I believe it intensified during and right after the pandemic when people realized how short life can be and at the same time we experienced the other mode of work, not just 8-5 in the office,” Oplas told the BusinessMirror
A 2017 report by the ILO indicated that at least 38 percent of employed Filipinos are in the informal sector.
In a 2019 study, the United Nations’ Common Country Assessment also noted 12.75 million Filipinos working in the informal sector. These workers are primarily concentrated in the Central Luzon (1.19 million) and Calabarzon (1.46 million) regions.
Oplas raised what she called a stigma in the agricultural sector, saying it is often perceived as manual, inefficient and for the poor.
This, she added, drives away workers, especially those from the newer generation.
“People realized what comes with freedom from space and time limitations. And the value of mental health.”
However, such freedom and flexibility come with risks. The Economic Co-operation and Development reported that informal workers are highly exposed to poverty and occupational risks, resulting from their lack of access to social protection and risk management systems.
The Philippines currently has no guidelines or regulation directed at ensuring the protection and welfare of informal workers, but Department of Labor and Employment
Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said assessments are under way to look into the matter.
“In general, you can apply existing laws, but each has its own uniqueness and peculiarity, you can’t have a one-size-fits-all approach. So the [Occupational Safety
and Health Center and the Employees’ Compensation Commission] will also conduct a study or assessment to look into it,” Laguesma said in a previous interview.
Weak industry, poor education ECONOMISTS also said the rise of informal and low-productivity work reflects deeper structural challenges in the Philippines.
Former socioeconomic planning secretary Dante B. Canlas said that while some industrial change is taking place, weak manufacturing and governance issues have kept the economy from achieving sustained structural transformation.
“The industrial transformation is happening but it’s not leading to a newly industrializing economy for many reasons, including, a weak manufacturing sector, limited proportion of skilled workers, and poor state of governance in public policy design and implementation [excessive leaks from corruption],” he told BusinessMirror He said these weaknesses are compounded by misplaced education spending that favors higher education over foundational learning, leaving many workers unprepared for modern industry.
Canlas added that improving basic education and investing in skills training are essential to producing a more productive labor force capable of sustaining industrial growth. University of the Philippines-Diliman labor economist Benjamin B. Velasco shared a similar view, saying that weaknesses in education have long undermined the country’s competitiveness.
He told this newspaper that the Philippines’ “feet of clay” in basic education, as described by the World Bank, continues to handicap workers in comparison with their East Asian counterparts.
“Weaknesses in the educational system, especially basic education, are well documented and much discussed. EDCOM II bears this out,” he said.
Ateneo de Manila University economist Leonardo A. Lanzona said technological change is now amplifying these structural gaps. While some workers are benefiting from the shift, he said most are being pushed into lower-skill, less secure jobs.
“While highly educated youth and the more technologically adept individuals are being absorbed in jobs complementary to technology, the less skilled and experienced workers are relegated to lower skill jobs,” Lanzona told BusinessMirror Lanzona added that such a “labor polarization” will likely worsen if the education system will not equip students with the new skills that modern industries now demand.
“Given the poor quality of basic education, only a few students may be able to enter college where skills for the digital jobs are taught,” he also said.
tobacco products at 85.8 percent, manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products at 82.8 percent, and manufacture of beverages at 81 percent.
while it was observed at 75.6 percent in August 2024.
PSA data showed that industry divisions reported capacity utilization rates of more than 60 percent during the month.
The top three industry divisions in terms of reported capacity utilization rate were manufacture of
country’s imports of goods and payments of services and primary income.
BSP said it covers about 3.6 times the country’s short-term external debt based on residual maturity.
The central bank noted that shortterm debt based on residual maturity refers to outstanding
The proportion of establishments that operated at full capacity or 90 percent to 100 percent was 42.6 percent of the total number of responding establishments. Meanwhile, some 34.7 percent operated at 70 to 89 percent capacity, and 22.7 percent operated below 70 percent capacity. Cai U. Ordinario
external debt with original maturity of one year or less. This also includes principal payments on medium- and long-term loans of the public and private sectors falling due within the next 12 months.
Further, the net international reserves increased by $1.7 billion from $107.1 billion as of end-August 2025 to $108.8 billion as of end-September 2025. The BSP said net international reserves refer to the difference between the BSP’s reserve assets or GIR and reserve
services. Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Research Fellow
Remulla vows transparency, lots of action
PBy Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
RESIDENT Marcos on Tuesday
appointed Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla as Ombudsman.
In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office said Remulla’s appointment is expected to strengthen the Marcos admnistration’s anticorruption measures.
“As Ombudsman, Remulla is expected to uphold transparency, strengthen anti-corruption measures, and ensure that justice is administered fairly and efficiently,” the PCO said in a statement.
Remulla assured “transparency” and “a lot of action” once he formally assumes as Ombudsman, who is tasked to investigate and prosecute government officials accused of irregularities, especially graft and corruption.
At a press briefing held following Malacañang’s announcement of his appointment as the new Ombudsman, Remulla said he would take his oath on Thursday and officially assume his new post on Friday.
Remulla said Justice Undersecretary Fredderick Vida has been designated as officer-in-charge of the Department of Justice pending the appointment of the next secretary.
“I still have things to wrap up here. I’ll just talk to the people over there, but officially, likely by Friday. I’ll take my oath by Thursday.”
Remulla, who served as justice secretary from 2022 until October 7, 2025, was instrumental in the arrest and subsequent turnover of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC)
in The Hague, the Netherlands last March.
Sen. Imee Marcos, who is actively opposing his appointment to the post, previously filed criminal and administrative charges against Remulla before the Office of the Ombudsman for graft, arbitrary detention, grave threats, false testimony, perjury, usurpation of authority or official functions and for violation of Republic Act 7438 or An Act Defining Certain Rights of Persons Arrested, Detained or Under Custodial Investigation As Well as the Duties of the Arresting, Detaining and Investigating Officers in connection with the Duterte’s arrest.
The case, however, was dismissed by the Ombudsman which paved the way for Remulla’s inclusion on the shortlist of nominees for the post that was submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to the Office of the President last Monday.
Remulla has also spearheaded the investigation into the disappearance of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts or “sabungeros” four years ago.
The investigation resulted in the filing of criminal charges before the DOJ against gaming businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang and several others for murder, serious illegal detention and other criminal offenses.
Sara’s case, flood control projects AMONG the cases that Remulla would be handling are those related to the multi-billion peso ghost and substandard flood control and infrastructure projects where several
lawmakers and government officials were accused of receiving large kickbacks.
Last month, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) submitted a recommendation to the Ombudsman for prosecution of Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co and 17 other individuals for criminal and administrative charges in connection with the P289.5 million anomalous flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Likewise, the DPWH also filed a complaint before the Ombudsman against more than 20 public works officials, personnel and private contractors for graft and malversation of public funds for their alleged involvement in the multi-billion anomalous flood control projects across country.
On the other hand, the House of Representatives had also filed a complaint before the Ombudsman over the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
On June 20, 2025, the Ombudsman issued an order directing Vice President Sara Duterte and several officials of the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) to file their respective counter-affidavits.
When asked what cases he will prioritize, Remulla said: “We’re stepping into the middle of a firestorm. Naturally, we need to sort out the mess we’re in now. We will find answers and identify who should be held accountable.”
See “Remulla,” A10
Presidents, BCDA officials violate law for 33 years
ABy Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
NEOPHYTE senator on Tuesday
said that Philippine presidents since Fidel V. Ramos, as well as the officials they appointed to the Board of Directors of the Bases Conversion Development Authority, including he chairmen, have violated the law which required the agency’s chairman and members of its board of directors to secure confirmation from the Commission on Appointments (CA).
At the deliberations on the proposed budget of the BCDA, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta cited Paragraph 2, Section 9, of Republic Act 7227, the law governing the conversion of military reservations, as well as the establishment of the BCDA.
Marcoleta read the text of the said
provision to BCDA Chairman Joshua Bingcang, who admitted that he “was not aware of the said requirement.”
“It’s in your charter. It’s Paragraph 2, Section 9, Republic Act 7227.
“Sabi niya po: ‘Board of Directors Composition: that: “The Chairman and members shall be appointed by the President with the consent of the Commission on Appointments.’ So, Mr. Chairman, this law was approved on March 13, 1992, or 33 years ago,” pointed out by Marcoleta.
“Mukhang walang dumaan sa [It seems like no one went through the] Commission on Appointments. So paano ito [how is this], Mr. Chairman? Nakita ko lang [I only chanced upon this],” said Marcoleta, a lawyer and member of the appointments body.”
Bingcang said, partly in Filipino “I’m not aware po, Mr. Senator...What
is happening right now…is iyong the Governance Commission for GOCCs [GCG]...They’re the ones making the appointment and recommendations for us. So that’s what I know, Mr. Senator.”
Further pressing his point, Marcoleta noted that the BCDA’s Charter had already been amended twice by Congress: first, in 1995 through Republic Act 7917, and then in 2007 through Republic Act 9400.
“If Congress intended to remove this provision, they could have done so, but there have been two reviews already. They still maintained this provision, meaning they probably thought of the validity of you and the board being confirmed by the Commission on Appointments,” he said.
See “BCDA,” A13
Coalition drafts proposal to amend party-list law
TBy Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
HE coalition of party-list groups in the House of Representatives is drafting a proposal to amend the country’s partylist system.
Party-list Rep. Bong Teves, the nominee of TGP and president of Party-list Coalition Federation Inc. (PCFI), said they intend to reform the system to restore the true image of the party-list representation and regain the people’s trust.
“Through our unity, let us reform everything and restore the true image of the party-list [system],” he said.
“Many say that the party-list system has not helped anyone—some are even pushing to abolish it. But we can change that by working together. Let us serve not for ourselves, but for our fellow Filipinos.”
Teves also urged coalition members to speak out against wrongdoing in government and to support policies that uplift the lives of ordinary citizens.
“Let us not remain silent. We must take a stand whenever we see something wrong being done by
our fellow public servants and give our support to the government’s programs that promote a stable economy, sustainable agriculture, and a decent livelihood for every Filipino,” he said.
In addition, Party-list Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr. of Abamin, external DCFI vice president, said a team has already been formed to craft what he described as a “better Party-list Law.”
Rodriguez explained that it is time to amend the Party-list System Act to make it more responsive to the needs of the sectors they represent.
He also emphasized that the proposed amendments aim to strengthen their accountability to their respective constituencies and the public.
Rodriguez assured that once the draft bill is completed, it will be made public.
New leadership
THE PCFI elected a new set of officers on Monday during a general meeting held at the House of Representatives.
Teves was unanimously chosen as the new president of the coalition, succeeding previous leadership with a pledge to promote honesty, integrity,
and genuine public service.
The coalition, likewise, elected its new set of officers: Reps. Felimon Espares (COOP-NATCCO) as Executive Vice President; Bryan Revilla (Agimat) as Vice President for Internal Affairs; Maximo Rodriguez Jr. (Abamin) as Vice President for External Affairs; Raymond Mendoza (TUCP) as Vice President for Operations; Percy Cendaña (Akbayan) as Vice President for Minority; Presley de JesusSecond Term Representatives; and Florabel Yatco (Nanay) as Vice President for First Term Representatives. Rep. Jude Acidre (Tingog) was named Secretary General, with Rep. Brian Poe (FPJ Panday Bayanihan) as Assistant Secretary General, Rep. Milagros Magsaysay (United Senior Citizens) as Treasurer, and Richelle Singson (Ako Ilocano Ako) as Assistant Treasurer. Rep. Johanne Monich Bautista (Trabaho) will serve as auditor, and Rep. Indy Oaminal (Asenso Pinoy) as public relations officer, while Reps. Elijah San Fernando (Kamanggagawa) and JC Abalos (4Ps) will act as coalition spokespersons.
See
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
DENR shuts down 3 resorts illegally operating at Marikina watershed
TBy Jonathan L. Mayuga
@jonlmayuga
HE Department of En -
vironment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it has shut down three resorts illegally operating within the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL).
The DENR said that it is merely enforcing cease-and-desist orders against the establishments for operating without permits.
Environment Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs and Enforcement Norlito Eneran and
DENR Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) Regional Executive Director Nilo Tamoria issued the directive in coordination with Mayor Wilfredo C. Robles.
The DENR said a composite team padlocked the main gate of Danum Baker Resort using a chain.
The closure order was enforced in the presence of the resort’s caretaker.
Two other establishments were also shut down—Erin’s Place and Lihim na Batis, which share a common entrance.
According to the DENR composite team, upon arrival in the area, they found the main gate already locked and unattended.
The three establishments were among nine resorts within the protected landscape that had been previously issued a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) or a Show Cause Order (SCO).
This physical enforcement was necessary as these were the only resorts found to be continually operating. The DENR confirmed that the remaining six establishments issued with similar orders have since complied and are no
longer operating. Last year, the DENR cancelled a supplemental joint venture agreement with Blue Star Construction and Development Corporation (BSCDC) for the construction of 5,000 housing units in Lot 10, a 300-hectare area titled under the Bureau of Corrections (BOC) and the DENR. Several other contracts entered into by the DENR with the BCSDC of the Dumaliang Family, whose members are also the operators of the Masungi Georeserve Foundation, Inc., are currently under review.
Dy seeks better financial support system for farmers
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @jonlmayuga
SPEAKER Faustino Dy III
has urged the government to implement faster, simpler, and more inclusive financial support systems for farmers, stressing the need for reforms in crop insurance and agricultural lending programs to ensure longterm stability in the agriculture sector.
Speaking at the joint hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food and the Committee on Ways and Means, Dy said
reforms must include expanded protection and improved access to financial resources for farmers.
“Part of these reforms is to make crop insurance mandatory for all and ensure that the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation can process claims within 10 days through a digital system,” Dy said.
The Isabela lawmaker emphasized that making crop insurance both mandatory and digitalized would help farmers recover faster from calamities and market fluctuations. Dy also called on government
banks to make agricultural loans more accessible by removing bureaucratic barriers and eliminating interest charges.
“We urge government banks such as the Land Bank of the Philippines to make agricultural loans interest-free and easier to avail by reducing documentary requirements so that agrarian reform beneficiaries can access funds more quickly,” he added.
The Speaker underscored that reforms in financing, insurance, and infrastructure must complement immediate support measures for farmers, especially amid
unstable palay prices.
“We must stand united for our farmers. Through immediate aid and long-term reforms, we can secure their livelihoods and ensure affordable rice for every Filipino,” Dy said.
During the same hearing, Danilo Bolos, a farmer leader from Nueva Ecija, 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.
DOTr deploys third tunnel boring machine
THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) has launched the third tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the Camp Aguinaldo Station of the P488.5-billion Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP).
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the TBM began drilling toward Anonas Station and is expected to complete its six-month tunneling journey by early 2026, advancing at an average rate of nine meters per day.
A fourth TBM is now being assembled, with its launch targeted within two months.
“Additional tunnel boring machines means lesser time para matapos natin ang mga proyekto. Tuloy tuloy po ang subway at hindi hihinto ang DOTr sa mga proyekto,” Lopez said.
He said President Marcos has
directed the agency to accelerate the MMSP’s completion for the benefit of commuters. “Ang sabi nga po ng Pangulo ay kailangang bilisan ang projects natin kasi mass transit po talaga ang susi para maresolba
ang problema ng mga commuter,” he added.
Under Contract Package 103, the new TBM will excavate the tunnel section between Camp Aguinaldo and Anonas stations. Meanwhile, two other TBMs
have already dug over 1,000 meters of tunnel linking Camp Aguinaldo and Ortigas stations. To date, eight TBMs have been deployed.
Once completed, the 33-kilometer MMSP will connect Valenzuela City to Bicutan in Taguig, with a spur line extending to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
The 17-station system will also interconnect with the NorthSouth Commuter Railway (NSCR) through the FTI and Bicutan stations—allowing through-travel from Valenzuela to Calamba without train transfers.
The DOTr expects the subway to cut travel time between Valenzuela and Pasay from one hour and 38 minutes to just 45 minutes, with an estimated 519,000 passengers daily once full operations begin in 2032. Lorenz S. Marasigan
Solon seeks reduction of DPWH project costs by 25 percent
AHouse on track to pass 2026 natl Government Budget Bill
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
THE House of Representatives is “on track” for the expected approval of House Bill 4058, or the P6.793trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for fiscal year 2026, Speaker Faustino Dy III announced on Tuesday.
In an ambush interview, Dy assured that the chamber is following the timeline for the passage of the national budget.
The GAB will enter the period of amendments and second reading on October 10 and is targeted for final approval on third reading by October 13.
“Our people can be assured that our process will remain open and transparent,” Dy said. “When I was elected as Speaker, I promised that every centavo allocated in the budget for each agency would correspond to the real needs of our people. We will continue working together to pass a transparent, orderly, and corruption-free budget.”
The 2026 spending plan, which aims to fund key government programs and services, includes realignments proposed by the Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations.
Among the adjustments is the reallocation of P255 billion from the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) flood control projects to other priority sectors such as education, agriculture, and health.
Turno en Contra
THE House Minority on Monday voiced strong concerns over the proposed 2026 General Appropriations Bill, describing it as “no different from previous budgets under President Marcos.”
In his Turno en Contra, Minority Leader Marcelino C. Libanan, the nominee of 4Ps party-list group, called for accountability and realignment in the 2026 national budget.
Describing the budget as more than mere numbers, he stressed its role in shaping national priorities.
“The national budget is not just a ledger of pesos and centavos. It is the most powerful policy tool of government—a mirror of our priorities, a test of our commitments, and a covenant with the Filipino people. Through this budget, we answer the most basic questions: Who do we protect? Whose voices do we hear? Whose future do we secure?” he added. Libanan criticized the budget’s handling of disaster preparedness and environmental protection. “We are a nation battered by typhoons, floods, and rising seas. Yet the sense of urgency in this budget is lacking. Flood control projects, which could have shielded our communities, are too often delayed, riddled with questions and controversies, and now set aside.”
He also noted severe underfunding in key government programs. “The DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources], entrusted with protecting our environment, receives only P29.3 billion—a mere 0.43 percent of the P6.793 trillion budget. Meanwhile, P1.556 trillion is poured into infrastructure, including projects like the Kaliwa Dam that displace indigenous peoples and degrade ecosystems.”
Highlighting deficiencies in health care, Libanan said, “When Filipinos fall sick, they look not for promises, but for hospital beds, doctors, and medicine. Yet the Department of Health admits there are only 28,153 [government] hospital beds nationwide, when laws require more than 118,000. That is 0.5 beds for every 1,000 Filipinos—far below the World Health Organization standard of two beds per 1,000. Patients are forced to sleep in hallways, provincial hospitals remain underequipped, and Intensive Care Unit facilities are not expanding fast enough.”
On education and social services, he added, “State Universities and Colleges see their capital outlay halved to P9.56 billion, forcing students to be turned away. The Supplementary Feeding Program covers only 120 days, when experts recommend at least 200. One million senior citizens remain waitlisted for their P1,000 pension. And even our cultural institutions, like the Cultural Center of the Philippines, are left struggling with a fraction of their proposed budget.”
IMING to demonstrate that the 2026 budget will differ from 2025, a vice chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday called on Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon to slash project costs by 25 percent to curb kickbacks and guarantee full transparency in next year’s budget by revealing the allocation for each congressional district.
In an open letter, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, Appropriations committee vice chairman, said the budget is the source of corruption in DPWH because its above-market prices allow for supposed 20 percent to 30 percent kickbacks, and these prices are set by DPWH.
“Lowering the prices in the budget prevents kickbacks. Not lowering the prices, while knowing they are high, is tantamount to approving kickbacks,” Leviste added. “A 25 percent reduction would cut the price of projects in DPWH’s 2026 budget from P600 billion to P450 billion. P150 billion in savings could fund 60,000 classrooms across the country and show that real change has come to DPWH.”
Leviste has been auditing allegedly overpriced projects in his district, citing cat’s eye reflectors at over P24,000 per unit, solar street lights at over P233,000 per unit, and slope protection works at over P45,000 per square meter, as well as his district’s proposed asphalt overlay project at P101.5 million per kilometer and diversion road project at P186.1 million per kilometer.
District allocations HE also called on the DPWH to release information promised during the budget hearing, including each congressional district’s
allocation in the 2026 national budget and the P75 billion in Convergence and Asset Preservation projects; the computation of “Allocable” budgets for each lawmaker and “Non-Allocable” projects proposed by others; and the names of proponents for all submitted projects.
“During our budget hearing, DPWH said that it is not aware that insertions are made in the NEP, but former DPWH officials have admitted to projects being inserted in the NEP, to payments even being made for projects to be in the NEP, and even to the existence of a ‘Leadership Fund.’ It is now an open secret that projects proposed by politicians as well as ‘Contractor-Sponsored’ projects are widespread in the NEP,” he said.
While commending DPWH for removing some questionable projects, Leviste stressed that overpricing extends well beyond flood control.
“Secretary Dizon has the opportunity to show that the 2026
Libanan also raised concerns about disaster resilience in vulnerable provinces. “Most painful of all, the Pacific-facing provinces—Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, Surigao, Catanduanes, Bicol, Isabela, and Aurora—remain without seawalls, evacuation centers, or resilient infrastructure. They shield the nation from every typhoon, yet they are left most exposed.”
He warned against misallocation of climate-related funds.
“Though P983 billion is labeled as ‘climate-related expenditures,’ 76.7% is funneled to DPWH, 13 percent to the Department of Transportation, and barely 1% to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. This is climate budgeting by mislabeling.”
Libanan also called for proper implementation of renewable energy laws. “The mandatory blending of biofuels will immediately benefit millions of our coconut and sugar farmers, securing their livelihoods while advancing our renewable energy goals. Thus, we strongly urge the Department of Energy to immediately enforce the mandatory provision on biofuel blending.”
He said with a call for transparency and collaboration. “As we look ahead, the work does not end here. The deliberations in the Bicameral Conference Committee must be transparent and open to the public. Otherwise, all our efforts in this chamber would have been put to naught if the process were still done in secrecy. The people deserve to see, in full light, how their money is being decided upon.”
PHOTO COURTESY DOTR
DENR chief Lotilla calls for scaled-up support for climate-vulnerable nations
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secre -
tary Raphael P.M. Lotilla urged the international community on Tuesday to scale up support for climate-vulnerable nations at the opening of 7th Meeting of the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FrLD).
Addressing the 26-member FrLD Board representing regions worldwide, Lotilla said the Philippines, among the most climate-vulnerable countries, values the Fund’s role in helping nations cope with climate impacts. He affirmed the Philippines’ solidarity with all climate-vulnerable countries whose survival and resilience depend on the effectiveness of the Fund.
“The ability of the Fund to deliver depends on its capitalization,” he said. Lotilla formally opened the event, which runs from October 7–9 in Pasay City.
Pledges lagging behind HE acknowledged that pledges so far are encouraging, but emphasized that they remain a fraction of the US$200–400 billion in loss and damage projected annually by 2030.
He urged the Board to broaden and strengthen the Fund’s financial base. Resources, he said, should be commensurate with the scale of needs, predictable in availability, and responsive to the urgency of loss and damage.
During his welcome remarks, he also highlighted the need to address the question of access and operational clarity. He pointed to the operationalization of the Barbados Implementation Modalities as a priority, ensuring support that is accessible, timely, and country-driven, and simple and responsive to the unique circumstances of the most affected.
“The credibility of the Fund will rest on how quickly and effectively it can move resources where they are most urgently needed,” he emphasized.
Long-term resource mobilization
THE DENR chief said a long-term resource mobilization strategy is indispensable. Such a strategy, he explained, would set clear but realistic goals, diversify financing sources and provide the Fund the stability and predictability needed to operate at scale.
“The world looks to this Fund with great expectation,” he said. He urged the Board to ensure that the Manila meeting results in a Fund that is adequately resourced, fully operational, and effective where it matters most.
The Philippines, one of the most climate-vulnerable developing countries, earlier secured a seat on the FrLD Board and has since contributed to shaping its operational frameworks and priorities.
In July 2024, it was selected as the host country for the Board, prompting the passage of a law granting juridical personality to the Fund’s Board in the Philippines.
Lotilla reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to effectively hosting the FrLD Board and working closely with members to advance the Fund’s mission. With this mandate, the Philippines now plays a central role in global efforts to turn the Fund into a working instrument of climate justice.
Climate survivors appeal for most affected communities
CLIMATE survivors, with the support of Greenpeace Philippines, meanwhile, called on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to ensure that funding for immense losses and damages from climate disasters
reach those who most need it—the communities most affected by the climate crisis.
Greenpeace led a creative protest at the venue of the international meeting and unfurled a massive “polluter’s climate bill” with a total of five trillion dollars.
The environmental group said it is just a partial accounting of the estimated loss and damage cost caused by the emissions of just the top five investor-owned oil and gas companies since 2015 (the year of the Paris Agreement).
The climate survivors taking action hail from various vulnerable areas such as Marikina City, Salcedo, Eastern Samar, and Tubigon, Bohol. Each has survived some of the most dangerous flooding and most powerful storms in the world.
‘End impunity, greed’
“WE are here today outside the venue for the board meeting for the Fund Responding to Loss and Damage to demand an end to impunity and greed from climate polluters and make them pay for escalating loss and damage,” said Arnold Obguia, a climate survivor from Bilangbilangan, in Tubigan.
“We survivors have repeatedly paid for destruction caused by the rich and the greedy, while struggling to recover again and again, and even just to keep afloat.”
“President Marcos and the Philippine Government, as host of the board, must show genuine leadership,” said Obguia. “President BBM, lead the efforts to fill the fund and make it accessible directly to those who need it, and would not pocket it for personal gain.”
“Greed is the true disaster,” said Greenpeace Campaigner Jefferson Chua. “Fossil fuel giants are burning the planet for profit, while corruption is draining the defenses that should be protecting our people. President Marcos must act now and make polluters pay. That is what Filipinos and exposed communities all over the world are owed.”
The bill includes items such as the P47.6 billion worth of damages caused by Typhoon Odette. It also notes the corruption in Philippine government flood control projects and climate funding—an estimate of up to P1.089 trillion—which is making the already dire climate crisis worse for Filipinos.
According to Maya Quirino, Advocacy Coordinator of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC), the president must step up his obligation to address the financing gap of the FRLD, whose current pledges amount to just 786 million dollars or just 0.01% of the polluter’s climate bill.
“As the host country of the Fund Responding to Loss and Damage Board, we must demonstrate leadership by pushing for landmark national legislation that will compel coal, oil, and gas companies to face justice and pay up,” said Quirino. “We must certify as urgent the passage of the Climate Accountability Bill, which will establish a due diligence standard of care and a loss and damage mechanism that ensures loss and damage payments are anchored on climate justice.”
The FRLD is a financial mechanism of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to address the growing needs of vulnerable communities in developing countries facing the irreversible impacts of climate change. Wealthy nations, which have produced most historical emissions and continue to house oil and gas giants, have pledged a collective $731 million to the fund–an amount that falls immensely short of the annual estimate of $400 billion or more that Global South countries like the Philippines need to cope with climate-related damages.
Marawi board releases ₧118M in new reparations
RESIDENTS affected by the 2017 Marawi siege have so far received P2.44 billion in compensation, according to the Marawi Compensation Board (MCB).
The board has distributed P118.54 million to 74 claimants as of September 25, on top of P19.77 million released earlier this month to 18 beneficiaries.
The MCB, established under Republic Act 11696 or the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act, is tasked to grant financial aid to individuals whose properties were
DepEd workforce to receive highest PBB rate in years
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto @reine_alberto
PUBLIC school teachers and personnel under the Department of Education (DepEd) are set to receive their 2023 Performance-Based Bonus (PBB), pegged at 52 percent of their monthly salaries.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and DepEd announced that the PBB has been approved and will be released. According to the DBM, DepEd scored 80 points in the assessment, meeting the eligibility criteria.
DOLE
damaged or lost during the fivemonth armed conflict in the city. Under the law, the board is mandated to complete all verified claims within five years from the effectivity of its implementing rules and regulations. Once the period lapses, it will cease operations.
Former MCB chairperson Maisara Dandamun-Latiph earlier said the board is aiming to complete all applications by 2028, noting its current processing rate of around 3,000 cases each year. Bless Aubrey Ogerio
With this score, DepEd personnel are qualified to receive the highest PBB rate of 52 percent of their monthly basic salary.
The rate is higher compared to the 48.75 percent in 2022 and 45.5 percent in 2021.
This means that if a Teacher I earning a monthly salary of P27,000 (Salary Grade 11), then the PBB will amount to approximately P14,040.
The DBM will coordinate with DepEd for the issuance of Special Allotment Release Orders and Notices of Cash Allocation to facilitate the release of bonuses to qualified personnel.
Regional and division offices will also be notified once the funds are ready for disbursement.
“The approval of the 2023 PBB for DepEd workforce reflects our shared commitment to recognize the hard work and vital contributions of our educators to national development,” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.
“Our teachers and education personnel are the backbone of our nation’s future,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said. “This bonus is a testament to their unwavering dedication. We thank our partners in government for their continued support in uplifting the
allocates ₧32-million TUPAD aid for Cagayan, Batanes workers hit by ‘Nando’
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will release P32 million in emergency jobs for 5,750 residents of Cagayan and Batanes who lost their livelihoods due to typhoon “Nando.”
The aid will be distributed under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program, which provides short-term employment to disaster-affected workers. Under the scheme, beneficiaries are hired for community-based work such as clearing debris, cleaning roads, or helping restore damaged public facilities in their localities.
They are also paid based on the highest prevailing minimum wage in the region.
According to DOLE, the program will begin this month and cover 13 coastal towns in Cagayan and six municipalities in Batanes. Cagayan’s Calayan will get the largest share with 1,500 beneficiaries.
In Batanes, Basco will receive assistance for 200 workers, Ivana for 70, and Mahatao, Sabtang, and Uyugan with 60 each. Itbayat will have 50.
For Cagayan, the towns of Aparri, Claveria, and Gonzaga will each have 350 workers under the program.
Abulug, Ballesteros, Buguey, Camalaniugan, Pamplona, Santa Ana, Santa Teresita, Sanchez Mira, and Santa Praxedes will each have 300.
DOLE Regional Director Jesus Elpidio Atal Jr. said the agency is working with local governments to make sure the aid reaches the workers quickly.
“We will ensure that TUPAD reaches the most affected families as soon as possible,” he said.
Atal added that a second round of assistance is being prepared to cover more displaced workers.
The labor department is also profiling affected families to determine what additional help they need for long-term recovery.
200 new science scholars for BARMM
By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox
DAVAO CITY – The Bangsamoro region accepted 200 new science scholars for a region taking the fresh steps to ensure its future development in science and technology.
Among the new batch were 50 scholars from Mindanao’s southwestern island province of Basilan and 53 others from its neighboring island province of Sulu and the mainland province of Lanao del Sur, the Bangsamoro Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) said.
The new batch was picked for the coming school year as the MOST also encouraged science students to bring into the open their best product of invention and innovation, awarding the best schools in the recently held Bangsamoro Science and Mathematics Olympiad in Cotabato City.
The new scholars will benefit from the Bangsamoro Assistance for Science Education (BASE), BASEMerit, and Mujahideen Assistance for Science Education (MASE) programs, the latter given to scienceinclined children of former armed combatants of the two Moro revolutionary groups, the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The BASE and MASE scholars will receive P8,000 monthly allowance, while BASE-Merit grantees are provided P20,000 to help them pursue their education and research without financial barriers, MOST Minister Baileng S. Mantawil said.
Mantawil led the oath-taking of the scholars last month.
“We aim to produce future scientists, innovators, inventors, and
leaders who will help transform our region,” she said. “Our support for you does not end with your four-year courses, we also open opportunities for graduate and doctoral studies. Your success is the Bangsamoro’s success.”
In Marawi City, MOST also inducted on September 19 the 53 new Bangsamoro scholars from Lanao del Sur and Sulu. They comprised 25 grantees under the BASE program and 25 under the BASE-Merit program from Lanao del Sur, along with one BASE and two BASE-Merit grantees from Sulu.
“This is your moment to be officially recognized as BASE and BASEMERIT grantees. You are the future of the Bangsamoro, the future scientists, inventors, and innovators. These scholarships will support you until you complete your tertiary education,” Mantawil said.
“Hopefully, you will become ambassadors of peace, with the future of the Bangsamoro in your hands,” she added.
The Marawi event followed similar oath-taking ceremonies held last month for scholars from Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Cotabato City, and the Special Geographic Area.
One of the scholars, Datu TamerCan Wawa, 18, from Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, expressed his gratitude and hopes for the future.
“My dream is to become a software engineer or specialize in Artificial Intelligence (AI). I am so grateful to the Ministry of Science and Technology for being the bridge that will allow me to continue studying my dream course,” said Wawa, who is currently enrolled at Notre Dame University.
Out of more than 6,000 applicants, only 400 slots were awarded
across the Bangsamoro region.
Each of the eight provinces in BARMM was allotted 50 slots, 25 for Bangsamoro Assistance for Science Education (BASE) and 25 for BASE-Merit. BASE scholars receive a monthly allowance of P8,000, while BASE-Merit grantees are provided P20,000.
Also last month, Mantawil called on winners of the Bangsamoro Science and Mathematics Olympiad to use their academic achievements in science and technology to uplift their communities, stressing that the true victory lies in serving their people.
The Olympiad was held on September 16 in Cotabato City and organized by MOST through its Science Education, Scholarships, and Grants Division (SESGD).
“Each discovery you make brings us closer to a Bangsamoro that is self-reliant, inclusive, and progressive. Let this Olympiad ignite in you a lifelong passion for knowledge,” Mantawil said.
The Albert Einstein School, Inc. of Cotabato City clinched the top spot while Notre Dame of Sarmiento, Inc. secured second place. Rounding out the top three was Kauran National High School. The winners received cash prizes, certificates, medals, and tokens, while consolation prizes were also awarded to other participants.
Other participating schools included Cotabato City Institute, Inc., Notre Dame of Cotabato, Notre Dame of Parang, ARMM Regional Science High School, Datu Paglas National High School, Maguindanao National High School, Datu Daud Rahman High School, Pebpoloan High School, and Simsiman High School. Altogether, 12 schools showcased their students’ talents in science and mathematics.
teaching profession.”
The approval of the DepEd PBB was based on the endorsement of eligibility by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Harmonization of National Gov’t Performance Monitoring, Information, and Reporting Systems (AO25 Task Force), with backing from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Memorandum Circular No. 2023-1 states that agencies must score at least a total of 70 points across four dimensions of accountability: Performance Results, Process Results, Financial Results and Citizen/Client Satisfaction Results.
Go provides aid to recovering disaster victims in Alabel from past fire and flood incidents
SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go, through his Malasakit Team, visited Alabel, Sarangani to extend assistance to families whose homes were affected by recent fire incidents and flooding in several barangays. The activity, held at the Alabel Municipal Function Hall, reflected the senator’s continuing commitment to help affected Filipinos rebuild their lives and restore their sense of normalcy.
On Friday, October 3, Go’s team distributed food packs, vitamins, and shirts to the affected 70 families, while select beneficiaries received watches, shoes, and sports balls.
Huwag po kayong mawalan ng pag-asa. Ang gamit po, napapalitan, pero ang buhay ay hindi. A lost life is a lost life forever. Magtulungan lang po tayo, sino ba naman ang magtutulungan kundi tayo kapwa Pilipino. Magseserbisyo ako sa inyo sa abot ng akingmakakaya,” the senator said, emphasizing the bayanihan spirit that unites communities in times of adversity.
He also acknowledged the national government for providing rebuilding support through the Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) to qualified beneficiaries.
“Mabibigyan ang mga benepisyaryo ng tulong para pambili ng materyales tulad ng mga pako at yeronapampatayomulingkanilang mga nasirang bahay,” Senator Go explained as one of the advocates of the said emergency housing assistance program.
As the principal author and cosponsor of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Modernization Act of 2021, Go highlighted its continuing role in improving the agency’s capabilities to respond more effectively to similar emergencies.
He also mentioned Republic Act No. 12076, also known as the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, which he principally authored and co-sponsored, mandating the construction of safe and disaster-resilient evacuation centers in every municipality and city nationwide. Meanwhile, Go reiterated his commitment to addressing the long-term housing needs of crisishit communities. He filed Senate Bill No. 415, which if enacted will establish a Rental Housing Subsidy Program for families affected by calamities, providing temporary shelter assistance while they transition to permanent housing. The senator likewise recognized the barangay officials and local leaders who coordinated the distribution activity. “Isa lang po ang pakiusap ko sa mga barangay officials: Wagpabayaanangmgakababayan nating mahihirap,” he reminded.
A6 Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Editor: Angel R. Calso
Gaza’s toll: 80% of buildings damaged; one in 10 killed or injured after 2 years of war
By Julia Frankel
The Associated Press
JERUSALEM—Numbers alone cannot capture the toll the Israel-Hamas war has taken on the Gaza Strip.
But they can help us understand how thoroughly the conflict has upended the lives of 2.1 million Palestinians living in the territory and decimated the territory’s 365 square kilometers (140 square miles).
Out of every 10 people, one has been killed or injured in an Israeli strike. Nine are displaced. At least three have not eaten for days. Out of every 100 children, four have lost either one or both parents. Out of every 10 buildings that stood in Gaza prewar, eight are either damaged or flattened. Out of every 10 homes, nine are wrecked. Out of every 10 acres of cropland, eight are razed (more than three out of every four hectares).
The war began when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza.
In response, Israeli leaders promised a punishing offensive on the strip to annihilate Hamas and free the hostages.
Here’s a closer look at the devastation that followed, by the numbers.
Roughly 11% of Gaza’s population has been killed or injured
CEMETERIES are overflowing. Mass graves dot the strip. Israeli airstrikes have killed entire families in their homes. More than 2,000 people seeking food have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. In some cases, Israel has acknowledged firing warning shots at chaotic crowds attempting to obtain desperately needed aid.
Israeli attacks on health care facilities and limitations on the entry of medical supplies have left overwhelmed doctors to treat advanced burn victims with rudimentary equipment. Israel says it strikes hospitals because Hamas operates in them and uses them as command centers, though it has offered limited evidence. Hamas security personnel have been seen in hospitals and have kept some areas inaccessible. Israel has said restrictions on imports are needed to prevent Hamas from obtaining arms.
The war is the deadliest conflict for journalists, health workers and UN aid workers in history, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists and the UN The British Medical Journal says the prevalence of patients with injuries from explosives in Gaza compares to data on injured US combat forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In all, Israel’s campaign has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and wounded nearly 170,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. More than 40,000 of those wounded have life-altering injuries, according to the World Health Organization.
The death toll does not include the thousands of people believed buried under the rubble. The ministry—part of the Hamasrun government and staffed by medical professionals—does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. Its figures
are seen as a reliable estimate by the UN and many independent experts.
Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian toll, saying the group’s presence in residential areas has turned the population into human shields. Still, its strikes often hit homes, killing many inside with no word of who the target was.
Nearly the entire population is displaced and thousands are missing
COUNTLESS Palestinian families have fled
the length of Gaza and back, forced to move every few months to dodge successive Israeli offensives. Many have been displaced multiple times, moving between apartments and makeshift tent camps as they try to survive.
Squalid tent cities now sprawl across much of Gaza’s south.
Displacements have separated families.
Heavy bombardment has left thousands buried under the rubble. Troops round up and detain men, from dozens to several hundreds at a time, searching for any they suspect of Hamas ties. The result is families split apart.
Israel occupies the vast majority of Gaza
ISRAEL’S military has gained control of the vast majority of Gaza, pushing most of the Palestinian population to a small zone along the southern coast. Under Israeli control, Gaza’s land has been transformed. Forces have flattened or bulldozed entire neighborhoods of Gaza City and small agricultural towns dotting the border, carved new roads across the territory and built up new military posts.
Bombardment has carpeted the Gaza Strip in a blanket of rubble roughly 12 times the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Using imagery of Gaza from space, the UN’s
Satellite Center says that at least 102,067 buildings have been destroyed. In the wreckage lie the ruins of grade schools and universities, medical clinics and mosques, greenhouses and family homes. At least 30% of people go days without eating
HUNDREDS of Palestinians crowd charity kitchens jostling for a bowl of lentils. Babies are so emaciated they weigh less than at birth. After months of warnings from aid groups, the world’s leading authority on food crises said in August that Gaza City had fallen into famine. Israel disputes the determination.
Towns have been leveled TOWNS scattered across the strip, where Palestinian farmers used to plant strawberries and watermelons, wheat and cereals, are now emptied and flattened. Between May and October 2025, Israeli bombardment and demolitions virtually erased the town of Khuzaa, whose rows of wheat and other cereals made it a breadbasket for the city of Khan Younis. With the war entering its third year, Israel has launched an offensive to take over Gaza City and kill the Hamas militants it says are hiding there.
Ukraine’s Donetsk region seen as Russia’s gateway, not the ultimate prize in war
By Hanna Arhirova The Associated Press
DONETSK REGION, Ukraine—
From a bunker in eastern Ukraine, the 33-year-old soldier asks her comrade to fly a reconnaissance drone over her childhood home, hoping for a final glimpse before it becomes just another city pulverized by years of fighting.
The soldier took up arms a decade ago to defend her home region, Donetsk, where Ukraine has been battling Russian-backed forces since 2014. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the region has become synonymous with Ukraine’s fight for survival. Battlefield developments in Donetsk are considered a gauge of each side’s fortunes in the war.
In over 10 years of fighting, Ukraine has lost control of around 70% of the region.
“I watched my school destroyed, the community center where I once took dance lessons reduced to rub -
ble,” Fox said in the dugout close to her beloved Kostiantynivka, where Russian forces are steadily closing in.
“It hurts because your whole life flashes before your eyes—the days when I was a little girl, the places and moments that were dear to me,” said Fox who, along with other soldiers who spoke to The Associated Press, provided only her call sign per Ukrainian military protocol.
Industrial heartland destroyed BEFORE 2014, the Donetsk region—home to more than 4 million
people—was one of Ukraine’s most densely populated areas and a key industrial, political and economic hub. But it has borne the brunt of the nation’s financial losses since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, accounting for nearly half the $14.4 billion in damage to Ukrainian businesses, according to a report last year by the Kyiv School of Economics Institute.
Donetsk residents make up nearly a quarter of Ukraine’s internally displaced population, according to the International Organization for Migration, and with much of the once mighty industrial heartland now in ruin, an active battlefield or under occupation, they have little hope of ever returning.
Like so many in Ukraine, it’s not the first time Fox has lost a home to the war. In 2022, Russian forces captured Mariupol, the southern Donetsk city where she has also lived. This year, she has watched the front-line creep toward the city where she was born.
Why Donetsk?
The most active stretch of the 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) front line is Donetsk region, where both sides are trying to make gains before winter sets in and
slows the pace of battle.
Russia already controls most of Donbas—its name for Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk—that along with two southern regions, it illegally annexed three years ago.
Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Kyiv to cede control of the rest, which analysts believe would give Moscow a permanent launchpad from which to threaten other parts of Ukraine. With the stakes so high, Ukraine is determined to resist at all costs and defend every inch it still holds.
To advance in Kherson, Russia would have to cross the Dnipro River, while the neighboring Zaporizhzhia region presents its own logistical challenges because of the flat and exposed terrain, according to Taras Chmut, a military analyst and director of the Come Back Alive Foundation, a nonprofit think tank and charity that raises money to equip Ukraine’s forces.
Chmut says Russia’s actions in Sumy and Kharkiv—regions in the northeast where Moscow has maintained a foothold—are not a serious land grab but an effort to create a bargaining chip for future negotiations, even though efforts led by US President Donald Trump to get Russia and Ukraine to sit at the negotiating table have stalled.
“When you cannot agree at the table, you agree on the battlefield,” Chmut said. “Russia will stop where it is stopped by force, not where it chooses.”
Pavlo Yurchuk, commander of the 63rd Brigade that has been trying to hold off Russian progress in Donetsk for over a decade, believes intense fighting in the region is driven more by politics than by military logic, as the terrain makes large-scale advances extremely difficult.
“There is no strategic advantage in this area for conducting fast offensive operations,” Yurchuk told reporters, citing a network of rivers—including the Siverskyi Donets—canals and thousands of fortified villages, basements and bunkers that favor the defender.
But with its proximity to Russia, historic economic ties and the Soviet-era legacy of imposed Russian language, Putin has portrayed the area as historically Russian.
“The Kremlin has persuaded parts of its population that the region is ethnically Russian and therefore should be ‘liberated,” Yurchuk said.
My home is all of Ukraine FOR Ukraine, the Donetsk region is the place where the new generation
of professional soldiers grew during a decade of hostilities.
“A lot of blood has been spilled here, and more will be,” said an Azov company commander who goes by the call-sign Grosser.
Ukraine could make gains if it concentrated all its might in Donetsk, said Grosser, a native of Western Ukraine who has fought intermittently since 2015. But that’s not possible because “he (Putin) will keep pressing on all fronts.”
After years of fighting for control of the region, Ukrainians fear its fall would not only render meaningless the thousands of lives lost but also condemn the country to instability. And few on the front line believe Russia’s ambitions would end in Donetsk.
“If we have to fight three more years for 30 kilometers, then we will fight three more years for 30 kilometers,” Yurchuk said. Fox said she is not only fighting for her roots in the Donetsk region.
“You’re no longer fighting for a single building or city,” Fox told the AP. “My home now is all of Ukraine.”
The Associated Press journalists Vasilisa Stepanenko and Yehor Konovalov contributed to this report.
A divided Israel marks 2 years since Oct. 7 attack as war in Gaza grinds on and hostages languish
By Alon Bernstein
The Associated Press
REIM, Israel—Thousands of people converged on southern Israel on Tuesday to mourn the dead as the nation marked two years since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack plunged the region into a devastating war, while Israel and Hamas hold indirect talks in Egypt.
The main memorial is being organized by the bereaved families, separate from a ceremony the government will hold on the anniversary next week according to the Hebrew calendar. The split reflects deep divisions over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘s leadership, which many blame for the failure to secure a ceasefire that would free the remaining hostages held by the militants.
In the Gaza Strip, where Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed tens of thousands of people and razed entire towns and cities, those who can are fleeing another Israeli invasion of Gaza City while others are sheltering in place. Many are unable to make the arduous and costly journey south.
The worst attack in Israel’s history IT’S been two years since thousands of Hamas-led militants poured into southern Israel after a surprise barrage of
rockets. They stormed army bases, farming communities and an outdoor music festival, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, including women, children and older adults.
They abducted 251 others, most of whom have since been released in ceasefires or other deals. Forty-eight hostages remain inside Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to still be alive. Hamas has said it will release them only in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal.
Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until all of the captives are returned and Hamas has been disarmed.
The attack set in motion a cascade of events that led Israel into combat with Iran and its allies across the region, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which suffered major
losses. The United States joined Israel in attacking Iran’s military and nuclear program in a 12-day war in June.
Israel has killed several top militants as well as Iranian generals and nuclear scientists, and it has vastly depleted the
military capabilities of its enemies while seizing control over most of Gaza as well as parts of Lebanon and Syria.
But the failure to return the hostages has left the country deeply divided, with weekly mass protests against Netanyahu.
Israel is more isolated internationally than it has been in decades.
A memorial at the scene of a massacre NEARLY 400 Israelis were killed and dozens
abducted from the Nova music festival in the border community of Reim. Over the last two years, it has emerged as a memorial site, with portraits of the kidnapped and
October
“Thriving Through Turbulence, Advancing Philippine FPI BUSINESS
TAbout the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI)
of
The
FPI, the Voice and Champion of the
To serve as the Voice and Champion of Philippine Industry and an effective partner of the Philippine Government in promoting & developing globally competitive industries.
Message from the Chairman
enterprise, and the determination to drive meaningful change for our country. For decades, our industries have been the backbone of the economy—creating jobs, fueling innovation, and sustaining communities across the nation. This Summit is more than just a gathering of leaders and stakeholders— it is a working platform. It is a space where we can openly air out issues, confront the challenges that weigh on our industries, and chart actionable steps that will move us forward. We are honored to have no less than our government secretaries with us today, backing our efforts, listening to our concerns, and working alongside us. This is collaboration in motion—industry and government, shoulder to shoulder, united by a shared vision of progress. FPI remains steadfast in its mission: to protect local industries, to push for fair and transparent competition, and to promote growth that is not only sustainable but also ethical. We help government do its job by doing ours— with integrity, with innovation, and with impact. We believe that by strengthening our industries, we strengthen the very foundation of our nation. Let this Summit be remembered as a turning point. Let it spark bold solutions, forge stronger alliances, and reaffirm our collective role as partners in building a resilient, self-reliant, and globally competitive Philippines. Together, we can ensure that what is proudly Made in the Philippines continues to thrive, inspire, and uplift generations to come.
Elizabeth H. Lee
Chairman,
Federation of Philippine Industries
President’s
Welcome Message
As a lifelong advocate of local industries and the “Buy Local” movement, remain committed to championing Filipino competitiveness and the enduring value of “Tatak Pinoy.”
This year, the Federation of Philippine Industries has focused on strengthening our industrial base through strategic advocacy, government engagement, and policy alignment.
We continue to push for the adoption of Philippine National Standards to ensure the quality, safety, and global competitiveness of locally produced goods. In partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry, our “Buy Local – Tatak Pinoy” campaign inspires pride in Filipino-made products and supports domestic enterprises—key to building a resilient economy.
We’ve engaged with key government agencies to align public policy with industrial growth, enhance local production, and improve the ease of doing business. These reforms are vital to attracting investments and revitalizing our manufacturing sector.
The Philippines is blessed with a young, dynamic population and rich natural resources. With the right policies, we can manufacture more, import less, and move toward economic independence.
Despite challenges like corruption and illicit trade, FPI stands firm in its mission: to promote sustainable industrial development, uphold good governance, and protect the interests of Filipino manufacturers. Together, we can deliver world-class products and build a stronger, more inclusive economy.
Welcome to the FPI Summit.
FPI
JESUS R. MONTEMAYOR
ELIZABETH H.
A10
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Macron faces political crisis as prime minister resigns after just 14 hours
By John Leicester The Associated Press
ARIS—French President
PEmmanuel Macron is running out of wiggle room.
The abrupt resignation of his prime minister Monday—Macron’s fourth in more than a year of almost ceaseless political upheaval—puts the French leader in a bind.
None of the options now look appealing for Macron, from his perspective at least. And for France, the road ahead promises more of the political uncertainty that is eroding investor confidence in the European Union’s secondlargest economy and is frustrating efforts to rein in France’s damaging state deficit and debts.
Domestic turmoil also risks diverting Macron’s focus from pressing international issues—wars in
Gaza and Ukraine, security threats from Russia, and the muscular use of American power by US President Donald Trump, to name just some of those challenges. Here’s a closer look at the latest act in the unprecedented political drama that’s been roiling France since Macron stunned the nation by dissolving the National Assembly in June 2024, triggering fresh legislative elections that then stacked Parliament’s powerful lower house with opponents of the French leader:
A 14-hour government collapses WHEN Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu tendered his resignation on Monday morning, he pulled the rug from under the new Cabinet that he’d named less than 14 hours earlier, on Sunday night. The collapse of the blink-andyou-missed-it government—with
ministers out of a job before they’d even had a chance to settle in—was a bad look for Macron, bordering on farcical for his critics.
It reinforced the impression that Macron—who famously described himself as “the master of the clocks,” firmly in control, on his way to winning the French presidency for the first time in 2017—is no longer in full command of France’s political agenda and that his authority is ebbing away.
One of Macron’s loyal supporters, the just-reappointed but now outgoing ecology minister, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, captured the mood, posting: “Like many of you, I despair of this circus.”
Perhaps more damaging for Macron were the reasons that Lecornu subsequently gave for his resignation, in an address on the front steps of L’Hôtel de Matignon, the 18th century office of France’s prime ministers that, at this rate, may soon need fitting with a revolving door.
The 39-year-old Lecornu explained that the job Macron had given him less than one month ago, after the French leader’s previous prime minister was tossed out by a National Assembly vote, had proven to be impossible.
Lecornu said three weeks of negotiations with political parties
from across the political spectrum, unions and business leaders had failed to build consensus behind France’s top domestic priority: agreeing on a budget for the country for next year.
“Being prime minister is a difficult task, doubtless even a bit harder at the moment, but one cannot be prime minister when the conditions aren’t fulfilled,” Lecornu said.
No tradition of coalitions
WHEN the snap legislative elections called by Macron backfired, delivering a hung Parliament since July 2024, the French leader held to the belief that his centrist camp could continue to govern effectively, despite having no stable majority, by building alliances in the National Assembly.
But the voting mathematics in the 577-seat chamber have been a recipe for turmoil, with lawmakers broadly split into three main blocs—left, center and far-right— and none with enough seats to form a government alone.
France, unlike Germany, the Netherlands and some other countries in Europe, doesn’t have a tradition of political coalitions governing together.
Macron’s political opponents in the National Assembly, particularly those on the far left and
far right, have been in no mood to play ball.
Despite their own bitter ideological differences, they have repeatedly teamed up against the president’s prime ministers and their minority governments, toppling them one after another—and now seemingly convincing Lecornu that he’d be next to fall if he didn’t resign first.
The left was mustering efforts to topple Lecornu’s new government as soon as this week, and the far right was signaling that it could vote against him, too.
Having now burned since September 2024 through Gabriel Attal, Michel Barnier, François Bayrou and now close ally Lecornu as prime ministers, any successor Macron chooses will be on similarly shaky ground.
Another dissolution
THE alternative for Macron would be dissolving parliament again, ceding to pressure from the far-right in particular for another unscheduled cycle of legislative elections.
Macron has previously ruled out resigning himself, vowing to see out his second and last presidential term to its end in 2027.
But new elections for the National Assembly would be fraught with risk for the French leader.
The far-right National Rally party of Marine Le Pen, already the largest single party, could come out on top, an outcome that Macron has long sought to avoid. That could leave Macron having to share power for the remainder of his time in office with a far-right prime minister.
Macron’s unpopularity could also deliver a crushing defeat to his centrist camp, giving him even less sway in parliament than he has now and possibly having to make deals and share power with a stronger coalition of leftwing parties.
Or France could get more of the same: political deadlock and turmoil that weakens the French leader at home but that doesn’t tie his hands on the world stage.
“It’s not a very good image of stability but the central institution remains the president of the Republic,” said Luc Rouban, a political science researcher at Sciences Po university in Paris.
“I don’t think Emmanuel Macron is going to resign. He remains the leader on international affairs. So, he’ll stick to his positions on the situation in Ukraine, or the Middle East and relations with the United States.”
John Leicester has reported from France for The Associated Press since 2002.
ICC makes first conviction over past atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur
TBy Mike Corder Associated Press
HE HAGUE, Netherlands—
The International Criminal Court on Monday convicted a leader of the feared Janjaweed militia of playing a leading role in a campaign of atrocities committed in the Sudanese region of Darfur more than 20 years ago—including ordering mass executions and bludgeoning two prisoners to death with an ax.
It was the first time the court has convicted a suspect of crimes in Darfur. The three-judge panel ruled that the atrocities, including mass murders and rapes, were part of a government plan to snuff out a rebellion there.
Ali Muhammad Ali Abd–AlRahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, wearing a suit and tie and listening through a headset, showed no emotion as Presiding Judge Joanna Korner read out 27 guilty verdicts. He will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum life sentence.
He was convicted of crimes for leading Janjaweed militia forces in Darfur that went on a campaign of killing and destruction in 2003-2004.
“He encouraged and gave instructions that resulted in the killings, the rapes and destruction committed by the Janjaweed,” Korner said, adding that the verdicts were unanimous.
Abd–Al-Rahman was transferred to ICC custody in 2020, after surrendering in Central African Republic. He pleaded innocent to charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity when his trial opened in April 2022 and argued he was not the person known as Ali Kushayb. The judges rejected that defense, saying he even identified himself by his name and nickname in a video when he surrendered.
“Finally, a victory for justice, and justice for the victims of Darfur,” Enaam al-Nour, a Darfur rights defender and journalist, said of the verdict.
The court’s prosecution office also welcomed the conviction.
“It sends a resounding message to perpetrators of atrocities in Sudan, both past and present, that justice will prevail, and that they will be held accountable for inflicting unspeakable suffering on Darfuri civilians, men, women and children,” Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan said in a statement.
will be no sacred cows,” he stressed.
In the case of the Vice President, Remulla said he would review the report submitted by the House and get an update from those handling the case before taking any action.
“That’s already there. Actually, those reports are already with the Ombudsman. We’ll review them, study them, and we will talk to those currently handling and those responsible for these cases before we proceed,” he pointed out.
Remulla also denied insinuations that he would use his position to go after the Dutertes and their allies.
“When I became DOJ secretary, the first thing I removed was the weaponization of the law. I guarantee everyone that won’t happen under my watch. This office will serve the entire Philippines, not any single political camp. So there
On the other hand, Remulla assured that the Ombudsman would hasten the resolution of cases filed in connection with the anomalous flood control projects.
He noted that since these cases have already been studied by the DOJ, the Ombudsman will just have to conduct a fact-finding investigation to validate all the data submitted prior to the filing of appropriate charges before the Sandiganbayan.
“We will try to speed up the process because this isn’t something unfamiliar to us. We already know what happened, so we can act a bit faster,” Remulla stressed.
No sacred cows
“THERE will be no sacred cows, no exemptions, and no excuses. Public office is a public trust, and those who betray it will be held accountable,” the Palace statement added.
Remulla assumes office as the country’s top corruption prosecu -
A court under intense pressure
THE verdicts came as allegations of atrocities and famine continue to emerge from Sudan in a new conflict. In July, the ICC’s deputy prosecutor told the United Nations that war crimes and crimes against humanity continue in Sudan’s vast western Darfur region where civil war has raged for more than two years.
The convictions were a success for the court that has been under intense pressure since issuing arrest warrants last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes they allegedly committed in Gaza. Netanyahu and Gallant reject the allegations. The Trump administration has slapped the ICC’s top prosecutors and others at the court with sanctions.
Separately, the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has stepped aside from his position while an independent panel investigates sexual misconduct claims made against him.
Mass killings and other atrocities
THE judges ruled that Abd-Al-Rahman was a senior commander in
tor in the midst of the reported “One Trillion Peso” scandal involving flood-control project contractors, public works officials and personnel and legislators, which is now being investigated by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).
The ICI is expected to recommend the filing of charges against erring contractors as well as government officials and personnel to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Civil Service Commission, and the Ombudsman.
Remulla replaced former Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires, whose seven-year term ended last July.
Remulla’s inclusion on the shortlist of candidates, which was submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) drew controversy since the DOJ chief was an exofficio member of the said body.
In a press briefing in Malacañang, Press Secretary Dave M.
the Janjaweed militias during the Darfur conflict that erupted when rebels from the territory’s ethnic central and sub-Saharan African community launched an insurgency in 2003, complaining of oppression by the Arab-dominated government in the capital, Khartoum.
Then-President Omar alBashir’s government responded with a scorched-earth campaign of aerial bombings and raids by the Janjaweed, who often attacked at dawn, sweeping into villages on horseback or camelback.
Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes in Darfur over the years. Al-Bashir has been charged by the ICC with crimes including genocide, but he has not been handed over to face justice in The Hague, despite being ousted from power and detained.
Al-Bashir is being held in a military-run detention facility in northern Sudan, his lawyer Mohamed al-Hassan al-Amin told The Associated Press on Monday. A former defense minister who is also wanted by the ICC has been released, he said.
The Associated Press writer Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.
Gomez allayed concerns that Remulla will be partial once he becomes the new Ombudsman. He also said Remulla’s new designation was a Presidential prerogative.
“Remember there is always a very stringent process required under our Constitution and Secretary Remulla went through the process and he was vetted by the JBC and was appointed by the President. I don’t believe there is basis to that concern,” Gomez said.
Marcos appointed Remulla as the 59th Secretary of Justice in June 2022. During his stint in the DOJ, he pushed the decongestion of prisons, acceleration of case resolution, and expansion of access to legal services. Prior to leading the DOJ, Remulla also served as Cavite congressman and governor as well as a radio commentator. With Samuel P. Medenilla
Nobel Prize in medicine: 3 scientists honored for immune system work
By Kostya Manenkov, Lauran Neergaard & Lindsey Wasson The Associated Press
STOCKHOLM—Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in medicine Monday for discoveries about how the immune system knows to attack germs and not our own bodies.
The work by Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Dr. Shimon Sakaguchi uncovered a key pathway the body uses to keep the immune system in check, called peripheral immune tolerance. Experts called the findings critical to understanding autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
In separate projects over several years, the trio of scientists—two in the US and one in Japan—identified the importance of what are now called regulatory T cells. Scientists are currently using those findings in a variety of ways: to discover better treatments for autoimmune diseases, to improve organ transplant success and to enhance the body’s own fight against cancer, among others.
“Their discoveries have been decisive for our understanding of how the immune system functions and why we do not all develop serious autoimmune diseases,” said Olle Kämpe, chair of the Nobel Committee.
Brunkow, 64, is now a senior program manager at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle. Ramsdell, 64, is a scientific
adviser for San Francisco-based Sonoma Biotherapeutics. Sakaguchi, 74, is a distinguished professor at the Immunology Frontier Research Center at Osaka University in Japan.
The award, officially known as the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, is the first of the 2025 Nobel Prize announcements and was announced by a panel at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
The physics prize will be announced on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday and literature on Thursday. The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced Friday and the Nobel Memorial Prize in economics Oct. 13.
The work that won the 2025 Nobel Prize in medicine THE immune system has overlapping ways to detect and fight bacteria, viruses and other intruders. But sometimes certain immune cells run amok, mistakenly attacking people’s own cells and tissues to cause autoimmune diseases.
Scientists once thought the body regulated this system only in a centralized fashion. Key immune
soldiers such as T cells get trained to spot bad actors and those that go awry in a way that might trigger autoimmunity get eliminated in the thymus.
The Nobel winners unraveled an additional way the body keeps the system in check if immune cells later get confused and mistake human cells for intruders, which is what happens when a person has an autoimmune disease.
Sakaguchi said he “was curious about the mechanism of immune response that is supposed to protect oneself but also reacts to and attacks itself.”
His experiments in mice showed that the thymus pathway couldn’t be the only explanation. In 1995, he discovered a previously unknown T cell subtype, the regulatory T cells, that also could tamp down overreactive immune cells like a biological security guard.
Then in 2001, Brunkow and Ramsdell were working together at a biotech company investigating mice with an autoimmune disease. In painstaking work at a time when mapping genes was still an evolving field, they figured out that a particular mutation in a gene called Foxp3 was to blame—and quickly realized it could be a major player in human health, too.
“From a DNA level, it was a really small alteration that caused this massive change to how the immune system works,” Brunkow told AP.
Back in Japan, Sakaguchi noticed: “It was getting a lot of attention as one gene that can explain multiple autoimmune diseases, but still, why the gene causes the diseases was a mystery,” he said.
Two years later, Sakaguchi linked the discoveries to show the Foxp3 gene controls the development of those regulatory T cells so they’re able to curb other, overreactive cells.
Why this work matters
THE work opened a new field of immunology, said Karolinska Institute rheumatology professor Marie Wahren-Herlenius.
Until the trio’s research was published, immunologists didn’t understand the complexity of how the body differentiates foreign cells from its own, said Dr. Jonathan Schneck, a cellular immunology expert at Johns Hopkins University.
One goal now, Schneck said, is to figure out how to increase the number of regulatory T cells—also known as T-regs—to help fight autoimmune diseases. That would decrease the need for today’s therapies, which instead suppress the immune system in ways that leave patients vulnerable to infection.
The American Association
Chicago and Illinois fight Trump’s National Guard deployment plan after Portland ruling
By Christine Fernando The Associated Press
CHICAGO—Illinois leaders went to court Monday to stop President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops to Chicago, escalating a clash between Democratic-led states and the Republican administration during an aggressive immigration enforcement operation in the nation’s third-largest city. The legal challenge came hours after a judge blocked the Guard’s deployment in Portland, Oregon.
The lawsuit in Chicago also raised the stakes after a violent weekend: Authorities said a woman was shot by a federal agent when Border Patrol vehicles were boxed in and struck by other vehicles. The city’s police superintendent rejected suggestions that his officers were on the government’s side in volatile situations like that one.
The Trump administration has portrayed the cities as war-ravaged and lawless amid its crackdown on illegal immigration. Officials in Illinois and Oregon say military intervention isn’t needed and that federal involvement is
Israel. . .
Continued from A7
fallen affixed to Israeli flags.
There’s no official ceremony at the Nova site, due to the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which coincides with the anniversary. Yet, scores of people descended on the site to share memories of relatives and friends who were killed, weaving through hundreds of photos encircling the spot where DJ booth stood. At 6:29 am, the exact time the attack began, the music—the same track that revelers were listening to at the time—stopped for a moment of silence.
Meanwhile, explosions echoed from Gaza. The army said a rocket was launched from northern Gaza in the morning, but no damage or injuries were reported.
The main memorial ceremony will be held in Tel Aviv and will include musical performances and speeches. It’s being organized by Yonatan Shamriz, whose brother, Alon, was among three hostages mistakenly killed by Israeli forces after they escaped captivity early in the war.
inflaming the situation. The lawsuit alleges that “these advances in President Trump’s long-declared ‘War’ on Chicago and Illinois are unlawful and dangerous.” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said a court hearing was scheduled for Thursday.
“Donald Trump is using our service members as political props and as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,” Pritzker, a Democrat, said.
Governor: Federal wave is an ‘invasion’ PRITZKER said some 300 of the state’s guard troops were to be federalized and deployed to Chicago, along with 400 others from Texas.
Pritzker said the potential deployment amounted to “Trump’s invasion,” and he called on Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to block it. Abbott pushed back and said the crackdown was needed to protect federal workers who are in the city as part of the president’s increased immigration enforcement.
Abbott posted a picture on the social platform X on Monday night of Texas National Guard members boarding a plane, but
Israel and Hamas discuss Trump peace plan
ISRAEL and Hamas held indirect talks Monday in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss a new peace plan put forward by US President Donald Trump. The talks were to continue Tuesday. The war has already killed over 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants. It says women and children make up around half the dead, and many independent experts say its figures are the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
Israel’s offensive has displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of some 2 million, often multiple times, and restrictions on humanitarian aid have contributed to a severe hunger crisis, with experts saying Gaza City is experiencing famine.
Experts and major rights groups have accused Israel of genocide, and the International Criminal Court is seeking the arrest of Netanyahu and his former defense minister for using starvation as a method of war.
Israel vehemently denies the allegations, saying it is waging a lawful war of self-defense and taking extraordinary
didn’t specify where they were going.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson confirmed in a weekend statement that Trump authorized using Illinois National Guard members, citing what she called “ongoing violent riots and lawlessness” that local leaders have not quelled.
The sight of armed Border Patrol agents making arrests near famous landmarks amplified concerns from Chicagoans already uneasy after an immigration crackdown that began last month. Agents have targeted immigrant-heavy and largely Latino areas.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said Monday that he signed an executive order barring federal immigration agents and others from using city-owned property, such as parking lots, garages and vacant lots, as staging areas for enforcement operations.
Mayor limits protest hours at ICE site PROTESTERS have frequently rallied near an immigration
See “Chigaco,” A12
measures to avoid harming civilians. It blames Hamas for the death and destruction in Gaza because the militants are deeply embedded in populated areas.
Hamas portrayed the Oct. 7 attack as a response to decades of Israeli land seizures, settlement construction and military occupation. But the attack has exacted a catastrophic toll on the Palestinians, whose dream of an independent state appears more distant than ever.
of Immunologists said the winners’ work “has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of immune balance.”
The discoveries haven’t yet led to new therapies, Schneck cautioned. But “it’s incredibly important to emphasize, this work started back in 1995 and we’re reaping the benefits but yet have many more benefits we can reap” as scientists build on their work.
How Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Dr. Shimon Sakaguchi reacted THOMAS PERLMANN , secretarygeneral of the Nobel Committee, said he reached Sakaguchi in his lab by phone Monday morning “and he sounded incredibly grateful, expressed that it was a fantastic honor. He was quite taken by the news.”
At a news conference hours later—which was interrupted by a congratulatory call from the Japanese prime minister—Sakaguchi called his win “a happy surprise.”
“There are many illnesses that need further research and treatment, and I hope there will be further progress in those areas so that findings will lead to prevention of diseases. That’s what our research is for,” he added.
Brunkow, meanwhile, got the news of her prize from an AP photographer who came to her Seattle home in the early hours of the morning.
She said she had ignored the earlier call from the Nobel Committee. “My phone rang and I saw a number from Sweden and thought: ‘That’s just, that’s spam of some sort.’”
“When I told Mary she won, she said, ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’” said her husband, Ross Colquhoun. Ramsdell couldn’t be reached immediately by the AP or his employer, who thought he might be away on a backpacking trip. Ramsdell “is one of the humblest people you’ll ever meet,” Jeff Bluestone, CEO of Sonoma Biotherapeutics, told AP. “It’s going to be great for us to toot his horn for him.”
The award ceremony will be Dec. 10, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, who founded the prizes. Nobel was a wealthy Swedish industrialist and the inventor of dynamite. He died in 1896.
The trio will share prize money of 11 million Swedish kronor (nearly $1.2 million).
Wasson reported from Seattle and Neergaard from Washington. Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo, Stefanie Dazio and David Keyton in Berlin, and Adithi Ramakrishnan in New York contributed.
THIS photo combination shows, from left, Fred Ramsdell in a photo provided by Sonoma Biotherapeutics, Osaka University professor Dr. Shimon Sakaguchi, in Suita, near Osaka, western Japan, Oct. 6, 2025 and Mary E. Brunkow in Seattle, Oct. 6, 2025. SONOMA BIOTHERAPEUTICS/SHOHEI MIYANO/KYODO NEWS, LINDSEY WASSON VIA AP
A12 Wednesday, October 8, 2025
The World
Ukrainian missiles hit Russian ammunition plant, weapons depot, and key oil terminal
By Illia Novikov The Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine—Long-range Ukrainian drones and missiles hit a major Russian ammunition plant, a key oil terminal and an important weapons depot behind the front line, Ukraine’s president and military said Monday, as Kyiv cranked up pressure on Moscow’s military logistics.
The Sverdlov ammunition plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region of western Russia was struck overnight, causing multiple explosions and a fire, the Ukrainian General Staff said. The plant supplies Russian forces with aviation and artillery ordnance, aviation bombs and anti-aircraft and anti-tank munitions, it said.
Ukraine also hit an oil terminal on the Russia-annexed Crimean Peninsula, starting a blaze, and an ammunition depot of Russia’s 18th Combined Arms Army, the General Staff said. Russian authorities acknowl -
edged a major Ukrainian drone attack over 14 regions, as well as Crimea and around the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. But they gave few details beyond saying that air defenses shot down 251 Ukrainian drones—making it one of the biggest Ukrainian barrages of Russian territory since the war began on Feb. 24, 2022.
Gleb Nikitin, the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, said that air defenses fended off an attack by 20 Ukrainian drones on a local industrial zone that includes the ammo plant and that no facilities were damaged.
Ukraine’s long-range attacks on refineries and other oil facilities contributed to Russian fuel shortages at the pump in August.
Weapons productions IMPROVING domestically produced weapons, especially drones, has been one of Ukrainian authorities’ chief goals as it strives to counter Moscow’s invasion and reach deeper into Russia with strikes that put military, political and social pressure on President
Vladimir Putin.
Though Russia’s national economy and army are much bigger than those of Ukraine, Kyiv has largely limited Russian battlefield gains to slow and costly progress across the Ukrainian countryside as cuttingedge drone technology makes up in part for its shortage of soldiers.
Uncertain of what Western military support it can count on, Ukraine has swiftly developed its defense manufacturing capacity. It’s already sharing its drone ex -
Pope Leo XIV to visit Turkey, Lebanon in first foreign trip
By Nicole Winfield The Associated Press
VATICAN CITY—Pope Leo XIV will travel to Turkey and Lebanon next month on the first foreign trip of his papacy, making a symbolically important gesture to Christians and Muslims on a pilgrimage to two countries that Pope Francis had planned to visit.
The Vatican on Tuesday announced that Leo will visit Turkey from Nov. 27-30, and Lebanon from Nov. 30-Dec. 2. The visit to
This time, Central Visayas logged the highest exposure rate for online or digital newspapers at 64.6 percent, while the lowest was recorded in the Zamboanga Peninsula at 39.2 percent.
Chicago. . .
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facility outside the city, and federal officials reported the arrests of 13 protesters Friday near the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Broadview. Mayor Katrina Thompson, citing safety and other factors, said she was limiting protests to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The ACLU of Illinois on Monday sued Trump, Department of Homeland Security, ICE, Border Patrol and national and local leaders at several agencies, accusing them of unleashing a campaign of violence and intimidation against peaceful protesters and journalists during weeks of demonstrations outside that facility. The lawsuit alleges that federal agents used “indiscriminate” and “violent force,” including tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper balls and flash grenades, interfering with First Amendment rights.
DHS Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in response to the lawsuit that “the First Amendment protects speech and peaceful
Turkey will include a pilgrimage to Iznik to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, the first ecumenical council.
The anniversary is an important moment in Catholic-Orthodox relations, and Francis had planned to mark it with his own trip to Turkey in May at the invitation of Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians.
Francis died in April, and Leo said from the start of his papacy that he intended to fulfill Francis’ plans.
The trip will give history’s first American
pope a chance to speak in broad terms about peace in the Middle East and the plight of Christians there.
Leo, like his predecessor Francis, has consistently called for peace and dialogue in the Middle East, especially as Israel’s offensive rages on in Gaza.
The last pope to visit Lebanon was Pope Benedict XVI in September 2012 on what was the last foreign trip of his papacy.
Francis had long hoped to visit Lebanon, but the country’s political and economic instability prevented a visit during his lifetime.
The Mediterranean nation of around 6 million, including more than 1 million Syrian and Palestinian refugees, has the largest percentage of Christians in the Middle East and is the only Arab country with a Christian head of state.
However, the Vatican fears the country’s instability has been particularly dangerous for the continued presence of its Christian community, a bulwark for the church in the Mideast.
Colleen Barry in Milan contributed.
pertise with European countries and is discussing possible technology and production cooperation with the United States.
Ukrainian officials have suggested they would like Washington to supply Tomahawk cruise missiles so that more Russian assets in the rear can be targeted.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is increasingly using domestically developed long-range drones, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, and Ukraine expects to expand such capabilities, if it can ensure funding from abroad.
He also indicated that Ukraine had used its own missiles for the strikes on Russian soil.
“The main thing to understand is that in recent days Ukraine has used exclusively Ukrainian-made weapons, not only drones,” Zelenskyy said during a news conference with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in Kyiv.
“We expect greater capabilities, but they depend on financial resources,” he said.
Ukraine’s defense industry UKRAINE’S mushrooming defense industry could begin exporting surplus weapons production by the end of this year, using the revenue to help buy sophisticated systems it can’t make itself, Zelenskyy said Monday.
conditions for lower inflation. However, if this scandal is not resolved in the next few months or so, aggregate supply may soon be affected as domestic value chains may be disrupted. This can then cause inflation to go up.”
Typhoons, floods
By the end of this year, Ukraine hopes to provide at least half the weapons its troops need on the front line, Zelenskyy told a defense industry forum in Kyiv.
“Already at the front, more than 40% of the weapons used are weapons produced in Ukraine or with Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in a speech.
Last year, Ukraine produced and delivered 2.4 million shells to the front line, according to the Ukrainian leader.
Ukraine is currently producing 40 Bohdana self-propelled artillery systems a month, Zelenskyy said. By comparison, the production rate in April 2024 stood at 10 units per month.
“The time has come to launch the export of our Ukrainian weapons—those types of weapons that we have in surplus, and therefore can be exported, so that there is funding for those types of weapons that are especially needed for defense,” Zelenskyy said in a speech, possibly referring to Americanmade Patriot air defense systems. He said that Ukraine already has agreements to start exports to Europe, the United States and the Middle East, and purchases could begin by the end of this year.
Hanna Arhirova contributed to this report.
Veggies: single biggest cause
THE Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev) said the country’s inflation rate increased due to higher vegetable prices, which increased to 19.4 percent in September from 10 percent in August.
The DepDev considered this as the “single largest contributor to overall inflation” because of successive weather disturbances in various production areas.
Furthermore, 68.42 million or four out of five Filipinos were reported to use the internet for social media, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said. This was followed by the usage of the internet for work or research with 52.7 percent, down 10.9 percentage points to 63.6 percent in 2019. Furthermore, use of the internet for e-commerce was at 45.3 percent, and the usage rate for government services, financial transactions, and online banking was at 37 percent.
assembly—not rioting.”
Elsewhere, DHS acknowledged that agents shot a woman Saturday on Chicago’s southwest side. The department said it happened after Border Patrol agents patrolling the area were “rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars.”
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said it’s reasonable for agents to use force if they believe they’re being ambushed. He noted officers were redeployed from other parts of the city to assist the agents and that 27 were affected by tear gas.
“We cannot become a society where we just decide to take everything in our own hands and start to commit crimes against law enforcement,” Snelling said. He said it’s difficult to “toe the line” between not helping federal immigration agents and maintaining public safety.
Portland says no crime crisis there
IN Portland, US District Judge Karin Immergut on Sunday granted a temporary restraining order sought by Oregon and California barring the deployment of Guard
The NCR recorded the highest internet usage rate for social media at 88.9 percent, while the Zamboanga Peninsula had the lowest usage rate for the same purpose at 67.8 percent.
troops to Oregon from any state and the District of Columbia.
Immergut, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, seemed incredulous that the president moved to send National Guard troops to Oregon from neighboring California and then from Texas on Sunday, just hours after she had ruled against it the first time.
“Aren’t defendants simply circumventing my order?” she said. “Why is this appropriate?”
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt criticized the decision and said the president was using his authority as commander in chief.
Portland’s ICE facility has been the site of nightly protests for months, peaking in June when Portland police declared a riot, with smaller clashes occurring since then.
In recent weeks, the nightly protests typically drew a couple dozen people— until Trump ordered the National Guard. Over the weekend, larger crowds gathered outside the facility and federal agents fired tear gas. Portland police made multiple arrests.
Since June, federal agents have charged
The FLEMMS data is based on PSA interviews with Filipinos aged 10 to 64 on media exposure, while also adding items such as online/digital newspaper, video and music streaming, and internet for e-commerce, government services, financial transactions, and online banking as platforms for mass media exposure.
30 people with federal crimes related to the protests at the ICE building, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply and depredation of government property, the US Attorney’s Office in Oregon said Monday.
Most violent crime around the US has declined in recent years, including in Portland, where homicides from January through June decreased by 51% to 17 this year compared to the same period in 2024, data shows.
Since starting his second term, Trump has sent or talked about sending troops to 10 cities, including Baltimore; Memphis, Tennessee; the District of Columbia; New Orleans; and the California cities of Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
A federal judge in September said the administration “willfully” broke federal law by deploying guard troops to Los Angeles over protests about immigration raids.
The Associated Press reporters Sophia Tareen in Chicago, Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this story.
PSA data showed that regions that posted faster inflation like Region VII or Central Visayas, which consist of provinces such as Cebu and Bohol, saw inflation reach 4.1 percent in September 2025. PSA considered this the fastest inflation rate recorded nationwide.
Based on the records of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Cebu was battered by heavy rains brought by Typhoons Mirasol, Nando and Opong in September 2025 while it suffered from floods brought by the Southwest Monsoon and tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong in July 2025.
“(The earthquake is) not yet reflected in the September inflation report. We will see changes during the first half of October, particularly for the commodity prices,” National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa told BusinessMirror
Another region that suffered heavy flooding from typhoons Mirasol, Nando and Opong in September 2025 was the Ilocos Region, according to the NDRRMC. The region posted an inflation rate of 2.7 percent, the second fastest increase in commodity prices recorded during the month.
The PSA data showed the Mimaropa and the Bicol regions also posted faster inflation rates in September at 1.8 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively. NDRRMC reports showed Mimaropa suffered from flooding as well as destructive winds while the Bicol region experienced flooding because of typhoons Mirasol, Nando and Opong in September 2025.
“The slight uptick in inflation underscores the sensitivity of domestic food prices to supply disruptions. We are working closely with various agencies to stabilize supply, keep essential goods affordable, and safeguard household welfare,” DEPDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said.
He stressed that the government remains committed to securing adequate food supplies and tempering price pressures. To this end, imports of select vegetables such as carrots, onions, and broccoli will be allowed as part of stabilization measures.
“The Department of Agriculture will also establish food corridors to minimize supply disruptions. These will feature greenhouses, storage, and post-harvest facilities that can strengthen the resilience of our food systems,” he added.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), meanwhile, remained firm in its commitment to maintaining price stability that supports longrun sustainable economic growth and employment.
The BSP noted that non-food inflation increased due mainly to higher transport inflation. Food inflation also rose as recent weather disturbances pushed vegetable prices higher.
Meanwhile, rice prices generally continued to decline due to adequate supply, lower international rice prices, and government measures to stabilize prices.
“In line with this mandate, the BSP will continue to assess all relevant incoming information to determine the appropriate monetary policy response,” BSP said.
The Nation
ICI assures no whitewash
TAftershocks continue to rock Cebu
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
HE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Tuesday denied claims that one of its members is planning to resign from the panel owing to the lack of powers to effectively fulfill its mandate to hold all those accountable for the multibillion anomalous flood control and infrastructure projects of the government.
“It is not true that there is a member of the ICI who wants to resign. The ICI remains intact and continues to conduct investigations according to their mandate. In fact, they have a hearing today at 9:00 a.m.,” ICI Executive Director and Spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka told reporters.
Hosaka made the statement in response to the statement made by Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice that a member of the ICI was considering to resign due to a “lack of investigative authority needed to effectively probe the country’s massive infrastructure scandals.”
Erice said the ICI member lamented the commission’s lack of
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No different IN his separate Turno en Contra, Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio, the nominee of ACT Teachers party-list group, slammed the proposed 2026 national budget, calling it “no different from previous budgets under President Marcos.”
“The budget, funded by the blood and sweat of a people drowning in floods, has been turned into a ‘pool of corruption’ for the corrupt. While floods ravage communities, the people’s money is being carried away into the pockets of a few,” said Tinio.
“All those involved must be held accountable,” he added.
Tinio highlighted the ongoing flood control corruption scandal, describing it as “bureaucrat capitalism in action.” He said the scandal involves “substandard and ghost projects” and noted “P3 billion in duplicate DPWH projects in the 2025 GAA,” implicating “the DPWH, other agencies, contractors, congressmen, and senators.”
“Meanwhile, the Ombudsman, AMLC, and COA sleep on the job,” he said. The lawmaker also criticized Marcos’ response to public outrage over corruption. “President Marcos said in his State of the Nation Address, ‘mahiya naman kayo!’ But it is Marcos himself who should be ashamed before the people. The Executive cannot wash its hands and pretend that the National Expenditures Program is clean, especially when it is they who propose, approve, and implement the national budget.”
Tinio also exposed alleged abuses in Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA). “Beyond the P1.9 trillion DPWH budget, another P214 billion was released for 3,700 DPWH projects from the 2023 and 2024 UA. Under Special Provision No. 1 of the UA and the Administrative Code, only President Marcos approves these funds,” he said.
Tinio said that public pressure forced the removal of P255-billion in locally funded flood control projects, but “at least P113 billion in invisible insertions were made in the 2026 DPWH budget.”
“The people’s anger at corruption is justified. Taxes on individuals and consumers increase,
contempt powers which is necessary to effectively discharge their functions.
Likewise, the ICI assured the public that there will be no “whitewash” in its ongoing investigation into the massive corruption in the flood control and infrastructure projects.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday issued a statement calling government officials to ensure full transparency and accountability in the ongoing investigation.
It said the Filipino people are “watching closely” the developments in relation to the ongoing investigations to hold accountable those responsible for the massive corruption.
“The ICI is after the truth, so definitely the commission will not allow any whitewashing. That’s why it is very crucial that the commission carefully untangles this web of corruption,” Hosaka said.
“This is not a simple modus. Evidence and testimonies received by the ICI must be verified as these might be false, and possibly given to mislead the investigation and even the public for whatever agenda by some people,” he added.
yet they are merely pocketed by a few. We call for the P255-billion fiscal space to be allocated to education, health, and housing,” he stressed.
On education, Tinio said, “If not for repeated efforts by this representation—from committee to plenary—the P12.3 billion unpaid Free Higher Education deficiency for 110 SUCs from 2022 to 2025 would not have been fully paid.”
He added, “Classrooms are still lacking, and teachers’ salaries are meager. Zero budget was allocated for promised overtime pay and the ARAL Program. Once again, teachers will shoulder these responsibilities without pay.”
Regarding health, Tinio criticized the Zero Balance Billing program, saying, “Zero Balance Billing is not zero because outpatient services are not covered. Part of ZBB funds comes from hospital revenues, which are also collected from patients admitted to private wards and outpatient care. What we need is a free national public health care system—free medicines and treatment, including outpatient services.”
Tinio also condemned the administration’s housing program, stating, “The flagship housing program of Marcos is an utter failure. Under the 4PH Program, only 24 awards were made in 2024. Privatized housing will not work. The government itself must produce affordable housing for the poor.”
He criticized the funding of intelligence and security projects, saying, “Despite the scarcity of public service funds, state fascism continues to be funded. The confidential and intelligence funds remain large. In 2026, the President requested P4.56 billion CIF [confidential and intelligence funds]. Worse, not a single cent remained from Vice President Duterte’s P612.5 million confidential funds. Likewise, 52 percent of Nica’s [National Intelligence Coordinating Agency] budget is CIF.”
“The 2026 national budget is clearly not a people’s budget. Instead, it worsens the Filipino people’s hunger and poverty. The public’s anger at the systematic and widespread corruption in government is justified. This anger will not subside until all involved are held accountable,” Tinio said.
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said aftershocks of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit Bogo City, Cebu, and adjacent areas on September 30, continue to rock the communities, even Phivolcs said as of 11 a.m. on Tuesday, a total of 8,298 aftershocks were recorded, of which 1,556 were plotted and 34 were felt.
The frequency of the aftershocks recorded from Day 1, according to Phivolcs, is now on a downward trend, but this does not mean that a strong aftershock from the same fault that shook Bogo and nearby cities and towns in Cebu and other parts of Visayas is already ruled out, saying it could still trigger earthquakes from other active faults in Cebu Island and other nearby islands.
The Offshore Northern Cebu Earthquake, the first of such magnitude in northern Cebu, was traced to a newly discovered fault line called the Bogo Bay Fault. There are three types of fault lines. The Bogo Bay Fault was identified as a “strike-slip fault,” where blocks slide past each other horizontally. The other two types are “normal faults,” where blocks move apart due to tension, and “reverse faults,” where blocks are pushed together by compression, causing the hanging wall to move upward.
The Intensity 7 Bogo earthquake, killed 72 people and injured 559 others, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported.
It also revealed at least 30 sinkholes in Cebu alone, compelling the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to conduct a sinkhole mapping operation in Cebu and nearby Leyte Province.
In its Situation Report issued on Tuesday, the NDRRMC stated that the number of families affected by the earthquake has increased to 165,998, a significant rise from the 155,094 families reported the previous day.
The 165,998 families, equivalent to 611,624 individuals, are all from Region 7 (Central Visayas). Of the total number, 415 are staying in four evacuation centers while 6,937 are taking temporary shelter in other places.
The earthquake damaged 39,806 houses, 3,743 of which were deemed “totally destroyed.”
Navy brings relief goods
THE Navy (PN) on Tuesday said its transport vessel, BRP Dagupan City (LS-551), is already in Cebu with its cargo of relief goods and rescue equipment.
The ship arrived in Cebu on Monday carrying food packs, bottled water, hygiene kits, sleeping mats, and other essential supplies.
“Along with these, the ship also carried disaster response vehicles and equipment, as well as personnel, to support rescue efforts and other critical operations in coordination with local authorities, the PN Public Affairs Office chief, Capt. Benjo Negranza,” said in a statement.
PNP ready
THE National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said it is ready to help local governments in implementing the so-called fivemeter “zone of avoidance” from both sides of the Bogo Bay Fault.
In a statement, the acting National Police Chief, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., said the force is ready to ensure the safety and security of communities located near the Bogo Bay Fault in northern Cebu following a recommendation from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to avoid building any permanent structure within a five-meter radius from either side of the fault trace.
“I have directed our regional and local police units, particularly in Central Visayas, to immediately coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management councils and implement proactive safety measures. Our police stations in Bogo City and neighboring areas have been tasked to assist in information
dissemination, patrol vulnerable communities, and help local authorities enforce safety perimeters within the 5-meter zone of avoidance,” he added. The 5-meter zone of avoidance refers to a safety zone meant to prevent construction and settlement directly on or too close to the fault line, which could move or rupture during an earthquake.
To ensure smooth coordination and efficient response, Nartatez said the PNP is working handin-hand with Phivolcs, and other government agencies in conducting community mapping, evacuation planning, and enforcement of safety measures for the 5-meter buffer zone.
As part of its proactive measures, Nartatez also ordered the deployment of mobile patrols in high-risk areas to deter illegal construction, monitor compliance with safety regulations, and maintain peace and order within the zone of avoidance.
“Our role is to provide security, maintain public order during any evacuation or clearing operations, and support the enforcement of the recommended safety buffer,” he said.
Police units have also been instructed to remain visible in affected barangays, provide guidance to residents, and assist in local risk communication campaigns to prevent panic or misinformation.
“Disasters may test our strength, but they also reveal our unity. The PNP will always be where duty calls, protecting every Filipino family and proving that true service means standing firm, especially when the ground beneath us shakes,” Nartatez added. With Rex Anthony
Lawmaker wants multi-hazard map for every locality
ALEGISLATOR is pushing for the approval of a measure that mandates the preparation of multi-hazard maps for every city and municipality in the country and integrate these tools into disaster risk reduction and local development planning.
Parañaque Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan said his proposed legislation—House Bill 4035—will strengthen the implementation of the newly enacted law that allows the government to declare a “State of Imminent Disaster.” This declaration triggers a set of preemptive actions before a calamity occurs.
Under Republic Act 12287, or the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act, signed recently by President Marcos, the National, Regional, and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
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(DRRM) Councils are empowered to carry out anticipatory measures aimed at reducing the impact of forecast hazards before they strike.
He explained that multi-hazard maps would provide DRRM councils with effective tools in implementing the Declaration of Imminent Disaster Law.
Under HB 4035, or the proposed National Multi-Hazard Mapping Act, a multi-hazard map refers to a map that identifies the vulnerabilities of each local government (LGU) to threats such as landslides, flooding, sea level rise, storm surges, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
The measure mandates the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through the National Mapping and
The senator then asked BCDA’s legal counsel Diana Joyce Basco-Galera, if she had advised the BCDA leadership about the provision.
“Yes, but insofar as the appointment of the members of the board, they are recommended or confirmed by the GCG. But we’ll look into this further,” BascoGalera responded.
For his part, Marcoleta suggested: “So dalawang bagay lang: magpa -schedule na kayo, sabihin n’yo na, ‘Mr. President you have to submit our names to the Commission on
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budget
Resource Information Authority (Namria), to develop multi-hazard maps for every city and municipality nationwide.
The DENR and Namria will work with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), the Climate Change Commission, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), concerned LGUs, and other relevant agencies with existing hazard mapping and satellite imaging projects.
The DENR, in coordination with LGUs, will update the maps every three years.
Yamsuan said the bill builds upon the achievements of the Project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH), which has identified areas prone
Appointments’ para po ma -regularize ito. O kaya naman kung ire -revisit [ang BCDA Charter], ipatanggal mo na ito kung hindi n’yo naman kailangan.”
[There are two options. Have yourselves scheduled at the CA, tell the Executive, ‘You have to submit our names to the Commission on Appointments’ to regularize this. Or, if the Charter is to be revisited, then have this requirement removed if you don’t deem it necessary].
In closing, Marcoleta stated that he had no questions about the BCDA budget, since the agency’s finances and projects are evidently doing well, based on the agency’s presentation before the Senate Finance committee.
Leviste vowed to continue working with the DPWH “to prove that quality projects can be delivered at 25% lower cost, as long as
to hazards caused by extreme weather events.
He underscored the urgency of the measure, citing that the Philippines—being struck by an average of 20 typhoons annually and situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire—remains highly vulnerable to natural disasters. About 60 percent of the country’s land area and 74 percent of its population are exposed to multiple hazards. According to the latest NDRRMC report released on October 3, 2025, the combined effects of the southwest monsoon (habagat) and tropical cyclones Mirasol, Nando, and Opong have resulted in 40 deaths, displaced 4.6 million people across 9,285 barangays, and caused over P3 billion in damage to infrastructure and agriculture.
Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
Poe expressed his full support for Teves’ leadership, saying, “I agree with Congressman Teves—party-list groups must work together to reform and improve the image of the party-list system.”
Meanwhile, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan of the 4Ps party-list group will serve as Chairman of PCFI, while the coalition’s legal team will include Maximo Rodriguez (Abamin), Leila de Lima (Mamamayang Liberal), Rodge Gutierrez (1-Rider), Chel Diokno (Akbayan), JP Padiernos (GP), and Nat Oducado (1 Tahanan).
The Board of Trustees is composed of 15 members, including Reps. Marcelino Libanan, Rodolfo Ordanes (Senior Citizen), Maximo Rodriguez, Nicanor Briones (AGAP), Jose “Bong” Teves Jr., JC Abalos (4Ps), Jocelyn Tulfo (ACT-CIS), Ching Bernos (Solid North), Raymond Mendoza, Bryan Revilla, Brian Poe, Elijah San Fernando, Florabel Yatco, Johanne Monich Bautista, and Jude Acidre.
More than 42 members of the PCFI attended the election, which formally confirmed the coalition’s new slate of officers.
Rice import ban: A policy response to protect farmers
TWO months prior to the imposition of the ban on rice imports, official government data showed that the average farmgate prices of unmilled rice fell drastically in a number of areas in the country. In a report it published on September 12, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) noted that the average farmgate price of dry palay fell by more than a third or 33.5 percent to P16.40 per kilogram in July, from last year’s P24.68 per kg. In August, the decline was slower at 27.8 percent but average farmgate price was still lower at P17.11 per kg compared to the previous year’s P23.71 per kg.
The average farmgate prices mean that planters in some areas are getting offers lower than the July and August levels, while some lucky ones were paid more for their crops. Industry sources, however, lamented that some planters sold their crop at a loss—P10 to P13 per kilo versus their production cost of P17 to P18 per kilo. (See, “PSA: Farmgate price of rice down by nearly 29% in May,” in the BusinessMirror , June 17, 2025). The speaker of House of Representatives claimed that quotations for unhusked rice in Isabela province fell to as low as P8 per kilo.
Following India’s decision to lift many of its restrictions on rice imports last year and the decision of Manila to cut tariffs, international prices went on a freefall this year and made it cheaper for local traders to bring in the staple from other countries. The government reduced tariffs, which were pegged at 35 percent for Asean countries and 50 percent for non-Asean countries, to 15 percent in July 2024. Rice output recovered in the first half of 2025, but the Philippines continued to buy the staple from other countries in huge quantities because of this policy.
Malacañang said in March that traders were lowballing farmers to explain the drop in rice farmgate prices. As a policy response, the government decided to ban rice imports initially for 60 days, beginning on September 1 or during the start of the rice harvest season. However, there are plans to extend this until the end of the year. (See, “Marcos orders rice import ban extended beyond November 2,” in the BusinessMirror , September 27, 2025).
The goal is to encourage traders to purchase more local unhusked rice during the wet harvest season, when rice planters can sell more crops. This strategy is expected to prevent farmgate prices from declining, which could happen if imports continue to arrive during harvest. The measure may be extreme to some quarters, but with the 15 percent tariff on rice imports still in place, closing the country’s borders to foreign crops may be the only way to stop Filipino planters from incurring more losses.
The import ban is still in effect and its results will be known by the end of the year. The government must conduct a thorough assessment of the results of this policy after it is lifted to determine if farmers benefited from it and if retail prices remained stable during its effectivity. If it fails to achieve its objectives, then the President must heed the recommendation of the Philippine Competition Commission to scrutinize the rice value chain and find out where the discrepancies took place.
2005
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PHL remains a bright spot
WTHE BUILDER
HEN two reputable funding institutions give a country a healthy assessment of its economy, then its economic team must be doing something good despite the headwinds.
The Philippines finds itself in an enviable position again—economic growth is steady and the inflation rate fully reined in.
Both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) continue to believe that the Philippines is heading in the right economic direction.
A visiting IMF team had assessed that the Philippines achieved successful “disinflation” and economic growth remained resilient despite “negative external spillovers.”
The inflation rate is a crucial barometer of growth. Higher prices, when not arrested, will curb consumption and ultimately constrict economic growth. Consumers with reduced purchasing power will naturally spend less. This, in turn, could lead to slower expansions in the manufacturing sector and lower employment opportunities.
The IMF, which periodically sends a team to the Philippines under Article IV Consultation to assess its economic performance, is obviously pleased with what the government of
OPresident Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has achieved so far.
The IMF expects inflation to average 1.6 percent in 2025 and remain around the mid-point of the target band set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in 2026.
The IMF, though, slightly cut its 2025 growth forecast for the Philippines and noted that the BSP had room to further ease monetary policy given a favorable inflation outlook and elevated risks to growth.
The IMF now expects the Philippine economy to grow 5.4 percent in 2025, slower than its 5.5-percent estimate in July. It expects growth to accelerate to 5.7 percent in 2026.
Against the backdrop of external risks, including prolonged global trade policy uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and disruptive financial market corrections, the slightly lower forecast for the Philippine economy is not at all discouraging.
The Philippine economy, after all and as the IMF correctly observed, “holds significant potential with a sizable demographic dividend
By Rene Vollgraaff & Antony Sguazzin
N a warm spring day, more than 6,000 Afrikaners marked the 200th birthday of apartheid-nationalist icon Paul Kruger within sight of the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the seat of South Africa’s Black-majority government.
The authorities made no attempt to halt or interfere with the peaceful celebration where memorabilia commemorating Afrikaner rule was on open display, just one signal that belies claims the minority group is being persecuted. Those include US President Donald Trump’s assertion that White Afrikaner farmers are being subjected to genocide, a falsehood that’s sparked outrage among South Africans and soured relations between the two nations.
Afrikaans speakers—not all of whom are White—account for about 11 percent of the population of 63 million, hold top positions in business, academia and the judiciary, and rank among the country’s wealthiest individuals. Afrikaans- and Englishspeaking White families on average earn almost five times as much as their Black counterparts, government data shows.
“Afrikaners are doing very well in South Africa,” said JP Landman, an Afrikaans political analyst and author. “Are they being persecuted? No. Is there a campaign against them? No. Are Trump’s allegations about the Afrikaners true? No.”
The September 24 gathering was staged at the Voortrekker Monument, a granite edifice that was opened a year after apartheid was officially instituted in 1948 to celebrate a 19th-century Afrikaner expedition to escape British rule. Couples dressed in traditional bonnets and waistcoats danced to folk music, while children joined treasure hunts and went on camel rides.
The crowd looked on as a flatbed truck bearing a four-meter-tall (14-foot-tall) bronze statue of Kruger, who led one of South Africa’s early Afrikaner republics, departed on a week-long trip through nine
and abundant natural resources.”
The ADB, meanwhile, has more upbeat expectations. Robust domestic demand amid subdued inflation, according to the bank last week, will support Philippine economic growth this year and next.
The ADB, in its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) September 2025 report, saw the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanding by 5.6 percent this year and 5.7 percent in 2026, compared with the 5.7-percent growth last year.
The 2025 GDP projection was maintained from the ADB’s July ADO forecast, while the 2026 growth estimate was slightly lower than 5.8 percent in July.
The Philippines is expected to remain a bright spot in Southeast Asia, with the second highest GDP expansion in the region.
“The Philippines’ growth outlook remains resilient amid a global environment of shifting trade and investment policies and heightened geopolitical uncertainties,” says Andrew Jeffries, ADB country director for the Philippines.
Despite uncertainties, Jeffries sees strong domestic demand supporting growth, “with sustained investments and an accommodative monetary policy supporting the economy’s expansion.”
The ADB, like the IMF, expects the inflation to ease more this year than earlier projected, slowing to 1.8 percent before rising to 3.0 percent in 2026 to return to the government’s target range of 2 percent to 4 percent.
Infrastructure again will be
towns. It culminated in Orania, a controversial separatist town that was founded in 1991 and encourages settlement by White, Christian Afrikaners.
Afrikaners instituted apartheid rule and dominated politics for almost half a century before it ended in 1994 and Nelson Mandela and his African National Congress took power in the first multiracial elections. The party now leads a coalition government that includes the Afrikaner nationalist Freedom Front Plus, which set up a branded gazebo at the Pretoria event.
Crime directed against White farmers, language policies and affirmative-action laws meant to redress the inequities of White rule have bred resentment in some corners of the Afrikaner community and sparked claims it’s under siege.
Trump’s allegation that the group is being targeted—and his decision to offer them refugee status, even as his administration rejects asylum seekers from almost everywhere else—has given international voice to such concerns.
Many towns and roads bearing Afrikaans names have been renamed
the key to a sustainable economic growth. The government aims to maintain infrastructure spending at 5 percent to 6 percent of the GDP over the medium term. This includes investments in big-ticket road, bridge, port, and railway projects.
As I mentioned last week in my column, the Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way (ARROW) Act would streamline the land acquisition process for government and public-private partnership projects.
The new law is a game changer that will help speed up infrastructure investments. It will benefit the government’s flagship projects, including the ADB-financed Malolos–Clark Railway Project and the South Commuter Railway Project, which will link Metro Manila to northern and southern provinces in the Luzon region. The ARROW Act will also support the Bataan–Cavite Interlink Bridge Project, which is expected to be one of the world’s longest bridges when completed.
The consumer outlook in the Philippines also remains optimistic for 2026. This perception is conducive for private consumption growth, aided by a steady inflow of remittances from Filipinos working overseas.
As we march toward the last quarter of the year, we have reasons to be optimistic again for 2026.
For feedback e-mail to senatormarkvillar@ gmail.com or visit our web site: https://markvillar. com.ph
since 1994, but statues of Afrikaner leaders are still displayed in public. Groups such as the radical Economic Freedom Fighters party have repeatedly called for symbols of the country’s racist history to be removed. Kallie Kriel, the leader of fringe Afrikaner rights group Afriforum, accused the government of failing to support the preservation of his community’s culture, while prioritizing that of others. Afriforum played a key role in persuading Trump that White farmers are being victimized, although it hasn’t echoed his genocide claims.
“While there’s a threat, we will simply continue to protect our own heritage,” Kriel said against the backdrop of the Voortrekker Monument. The monument, which gets no government funding, embodies Afrikaners’ ethnic pride—although many South Africans see it as a symbol of a painful past. A handful of those who attended the event on the Heritage Day public holiday, which celebrates all South African culture, were intent on commemorating the era when Afrikaners still held power. See “A celebration,”
Mark Villar
Trump pivots away from Bolsonaro in ‘very good’ Lula call
By Augusta Saraiva & Daniel Carvalho
WHEN Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Donald Trump finally talked over their differences Monday, the man at the center of their months-long spat didn’t even merit a mention.
A Trump social media post hailing the talk as “very good” didn’t include the name of Jair Bolsonaro, the former Brazilian president whose trial on coup attempt charges inspired the US leader to impose 50 percent tariffs on many Brazilian goods earlier this year.
And although Lula asked Trump to lift the trade levies and US restrictions on top Brazilian officials, neither Bolsonaro nor his September conviction came up in the 30-minute phone call, according to a person present for the conversation.
If the call itself suggested a thaw in Brazil-US relations, the sudden sidelining of Bolsonaro offered an even clearer sign that momentum remains firmly behind Lula, the leftist leader who’d already seen his approval ratings rise amid his dispute with Trump.
The cheery statements, by contrast, left at least some Bolsonaro allies dismayed, according to a person close to the powerful conservative family who, like the others, requested anonymity to discuss internal matters.
Brazilian officials are hesitant to declare premature victory. But Lula’s government saw Bolsonaro’s total absence from the discussion as an indication that Trump may be willing to turn the page on his ally, two other officials said, a development that would shift the focus from unresolvable political differences to economic matters on which there’s room to cut a deal.
That wouldn’t just remove the biggest obstacle to trade talks between the nations, as Trump explicitly imposed tariffs after Brazil’s top court refused to drop its trial against Bolsonaro.
It would also give Lula the chance to fully unleash the sort of charm offensive leaders like Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum have used to make headway with Trump, and that has long been a key weapon in the 79-year-old Brazilian’s political arsenal.
For decades, Lula has boasted a reputation as an enchanting figure capable of winning over everyone from George W. Bush to Emmanuel Macron despite sharp ideological differences or fierce policy divides.
Trump is notoriously prone to flattery, and while Lula is too proud a politician to give into the demands of any foreign leader, he’s hardly above a little puffery if he sees it as useful.
On Monday’s call, Lula reminded his counterpart that Brazil runs a trade deficit with the US, part of his case that it has the commercial relationship with the US that Trump claims to want with every nation. He also cast the conversation as the chance to press reset on a 200year allyship between the Western Hemisphere’s largest democracies, striking notes similar to those Prime Minister Keir Starmer sang about the UK-US relationship during Trump’s visit last month. It was a push to build on the progress the pair of leaders made during a seconds-long encounter at the United Nations General Assembly two weeks ago, a run-in that left Trump hailing the “excellent chemistry” he’d enjoyed with Lula. They even took time to “reiterate the positive impression” each took away from it, according to a readout from Brazil’s government.
A thaw in strained trade relations with the US could have significant upside for Brazil, which faces a potential 1 percent hit to GDP from Donald Trump’s current tariff measures. Further signs of rapprochement following a call between the US president and his
FPI Summit: Celebrating 35 years of the Federation of Philippine Industries
If the call itself suggested a thaw in Brazil-US relations, the sudden sidelining of Bolsonaro offered an even clearer sign that momentum remains firmly behind Lula, the leftist leader who’d already seen his approval ratings rise amid his dispute with Trump.
Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday suggest Washington may be open to paring back at least some of the additional 40 percent levy it’s slapped on the Latin American country, as Lula has requested, according to Bloomberg economists Jimena Zuniga, Rana Sajedi and Adriana Dupita.
It’s too early to know if Lula’s push will work. But high-level communications channels have been unclogged, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to spearhead ongoing negotiations with Brazil Finance Minister Fernando Haddad, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and other officials in the coming weeks.
Lula and Trump, meanwhile, both pledged that they’d soon meet in person. Trump’s schedule is crowded, with expectations that he’ll host like-minded Argentina leader Javier Milei next week amid their own trade negotiations and talks over financial aid for the country’s ailing economy.
But a sit-down with Lula is possible as soon as a summit of Southeast Asian nations in Malaysia later this month, and the Brazilian also signaled his willingness to travel to Washington for a meeting if necessary.
Lula said Monday night that he was “surprised by the cordiality” of Trump during the call, and that he considered it important to have a face-to-face conversation to move forward on negotiations.
“I told him: For us to start talking, it’s important to begin lifting the tariffs, to remove the sanctions on our ministers, and to start discussing things more honestly,” he said in an interview with TV Mirante.
Bolsonaro concern FOR months, Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo has lobbied the Trump administration to come to his father’s defense, seeing US political pressure as the only way for the former president to escape his legal woes and run against Lula again next year.
Some inside the Bolsonaro family were already uncomfortable with the vibes coming out of the UN encounter, and saw the phone call and resulting statements as another indication that Trump is ready to move on, a person familiar with the situation said.
Their hope now, the person added, lies with Rubio, whose hawkish approach to Latin America’s leftist leaders has inspired expectations of a more ideologically-aligned stance toward Brazil. It’s a view shared by Eduardo Bolsonaro, who praised Rubio in a social media post Monday afternoon.
But Lula’s administration senses that Trump, not Rubio, will ultimately drive the decision-making process, one of the Brazilian officials said.
And after months in which Eduardo appeared to be the only Brazilian with high-level access to Washington, it’s Lula who seems to have established a direct link to Trump himself: They exchanged phone numbers during the call, and Lula, one Brazilian official said, told Trump to call him anytime. Bloomberg
TDr. Jesus Lim Arranza
MAKE SENSE
HERE’S a meaningful Tagalog saying: “Ang paalala ay gamot sa taong nakalimot,” which translates to “a good reminder is the remedy for those who have forgotten.”
Today’s FPI Summit, attended by our newly elected officers, offers a valuable opportunity to reflect on the Federation’s 35-year history. I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the founding of the Federation of Philippine Industries three and a half decades ago, and to share some recollections from that period.
In 1991, the late President Corazon Aquino issued Executive Order No. 470, which lowered tariffs across the board while Congress was not in session. Several manufacturers impacted by this order, including members of the PCCI, united to contest the EO. We argued that the President could only make selective adjustments to tariff rates. Fortunately, because of our significant opposition to the EO, President Cory decided to withdraw the EO and submit it to Congress for further discussion. Building on this success and recognizing the inherent conflicts between importers and manufacturers within the PCCI, we established a small group of manufacturers. We began meeting regularly at the Prince of Wales restaurant in Makati to plan our next steps.
This resulted in the establishment of the Federation of Philippine Industries. Herminigildo Zayco, a former governor of the BOI, was elected as the founding president, and I was voted as the vice president.
FPI’s incorporators include Zayco (representing TMAP), Arranza (CORA), Francisco Mongue (PULPAPEL), Rogelio Guadana (PABMA), Feliz Maramba Jr. (PAFMIL), Jeremias Menico (PCOPA), Maria Clara Lobregat (PCPF), Ernesto Cayetano (PEWMA), David Bonney (PAPM), Linda Chai (PSPA), Donald Dee (CGEPI), Greg Saguinsin (CONFED), Manuel
TBy Yoshiaki Nohara
HE Japanese ruling party’s new Secretary-General attempted to quell concerns over its long-standing coalition with junior party Komeito as it tries to navigate new partnerships.
After known conservative Sanae Takaichi won the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election, local media have reported some within Komeito are considering pushing to leave the quarter-century coalition citing worries over Takaichi’s rightwing nature.
“We are hoping to further deepen our relationship of mutual trust,” newly appointed LDP SecretaryGeneral Shunichi Suzuki told reporters Tuesday. “President Takaichi has also said that the LDP-Komeito coalition is the bedrock of our existing framework.”
After losing its majority in both houses of parliament, the LDP has been reaching out to various opposition parties to try and shore up its
A celebration . . . continued from A14
A young couple waved the banned apartheid-era flag, an act the event organizers said wouldn’t be permitted. One woman wore the flag’s colors in her hair braids, as did a team of cart horses in their feather plumes.
Few attendees showed any appetite to take up Trump’s offer of refugee status. There’s been little news of the first 59 successful ap -
constitutional. My argument was clear: only Congress has the authority to grant or revoke tax benefits.
During the tenure of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, I considered it as a significant honor when she acknowledged and praised my decades-long efforts in anti-smuggling campaigns in front of business leaders and cabinet officials.
Serrano (PAHRI), Hector Quesada (PPOGA), and Rustico Ignacio (FPFI).
During our battle against the Cory EO, certain members and officers of PCCI were unable to take a clear position due to the diverse composition of its members, which includes both importers and manufacturers. This is evidenced by documents showing their signatures under the FPI umbrella. This is the rationale why the FPI membership is composed of manufacturers only. But nonmanufacturers can join as associate members.
One of FPI’s main priorities is to combat and eliminate smuggling, and I was appointed as the leader of our anti-smuggling committee. Our campaign instilled fear in smugglers, particularly after government officials and private sector leaders began to support and promote our efforts.
Today, FPI is regarded as a straightforward organization because we practice what we preach. We take the concerns of individual companies seriously and actively engage with policymakers and government agencies to advocate for legislative and governance reforms that benefit domestic manufacturers. This includes efforts to reduce red tape and combat corruption.
Putting modesty aside, one notable instance was the petition I submitted challenging a section of the late President Fidel V. Ramos’ executive order regarding the $200 limit for spending at duty-free shops, which means any Tom, Dick or Harry who is18 years old and above can spend such amount at duty-free shops. I won that battle in the Supreme Court, which ruled that allowing anyone to spend this amount tax-free at duty-free shops was un-
grip on power. Fiscal spending on a range of issues will likely be needed to establish partnerships with other opposition parties, but losing its coalition with Komeito in the process may deal another major blow to the LDP just as Takaichi is getting started. She’s expected to be voted in as Japan’s first female prime minister next week. Takaichi and the LDP’s new leadership team are expected to meet this afternoon with Komeito, whose leader Tetsuo Saito voiced concerns over Takaichi’s conservative views on Japan’s wartime history and foreign residents.
By appointing former Finance Minister Suzuki as the ruling party’s new Secretary-General, Takaichi was likely also trying to tamp down market worries over fiscal discipline.
Former Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, whose support in Saturday’s leadership election was a critical factor behind Takaichi’s victory, was also appointed Vice President of the party. The choice of Aso and Suzuki signals Takaichi plans to
plicants, who departed on a USchartered flight to Virginia in May.
“We must stay right here,” said Francois Potgieter, 73, an upholstery business owner from the town of Middelburg even as he bemoaned the state of the country. “If the Lord wanted me to be American, he would’ve put me there.” Despite the nature of the Heritage Day gathering, a handful of Black people attended. They included Rufus Ramonetha, 46, an attorney from Pretoria and his 8-year-old daughter,
structure units suffered varying degrees of damage, including schools, government buildings, churches, markets, and health centers.
We will not waver. For decades, we at FPI have been actively fighting against smuggling and illicit trade because of their harmful effects on our nation. I call it the “triple whammy”: smuggling robs the government of essential revenue, harms local businesses, resulting in downsizing and closures, and can devastate entire industries. Moreover, it disrupts jobs, pushing more Filipinos into poverty.
In my columns for BusinessMirror, I have long emphasized that smuggling severely harms Philippine industries. For example, the tire industry has dwindled from six manufacturers to just one because of smuggling. The textile sector, which once had 1.5 million spindles, now has only 100,000. Each spindle supports 35 jobs around the clock, highlighting the significant number of Filipinos who have lost their livelihoods in this industry alone.
Another major concern in the country is the proliferation of substandard products. Over my 83 years, I have devoted much of my life to fighting against smuggling and various forms of illegal trade, particularly the smuggling of lowquality steel and other construction materials. These inferior materials threaten the structural integrity of our buildings, endangering the lives of Filipinos.
We have witnessed the devastation caused by powerful earthquakes in Russia, Turkey, Thailand, and other nations. The recent earthquake in Cebu serves as a stark reminder of the necessity to reevaluate our quality standards, especially regarding construction materials. According to NDRRMC data, the earthquake impacted 366,360 individuals (80,595 families) and damaged 5,013 homes, with 658 completely destroyed and 4,355 partially affected. Additionally, over 335 public and private infra-
balance her penchant for stimulus measures with fiscal responsibility.
“Even those who favor expansionary fiscal policy do not believe it’s OK to ignore fiscal discipline completely,” Suzuki said Tuesday. “While fiscal policy is an important pillar of support, we must also fully respect fiscal discipline.”
The appointments and the comments by Suzuki are likely aimed at reassuring investors that a Takaichi administration won’t have a major impact on the nation’s strained finances.
Market players on Tuesday continued to push up super-long yields amid ongoing concern about the longer-term implications of Takaichi’s fiscal plans. The yield on 30-year government bonds hit a fresh record high ahead of a closely watched auction, while the yield on 20-year debt hit the highest since 1999.
Takayuki Kobayashi, who ran against Takaichi for the party’s leadership race and voted for her in the runoff, was named the LDP’s policy chief. Haruko Arimura, a former
who said they took advantage of the discount entry fee of about $1—a tenth of the normal price—to visit the monument and see how their compatriots from different backgrounds lived. “Everybody minds his own business,” he said. “As long as it’s open for everybody, then why not.” Aike Obodo, a Liberian who wore his own traditional dress to the event, which he attended with his South African wife and two children, heralded it as a celebration of culture. “We are all one people,” he
We urgently need to implement strict quality standards to protect investments and lives. In our efforts to advocate for this, we appeal to the government to recognize us as partners who can collaborate with agencies to monitor compliance with quality standards. By fostering a culture of mutual respect, we believe the government and private sector can work together with a sense of urgency to address this critical issue.
That’s why I recommend including private sector representatives in these agencies, particularly for the implementation of product standards. Many qualified experts in the private sector can help concerned agencies fulfill their duties more effectively and transparently.
As the Philippines confronts the most severe corruption in its history, it’s imperative that we take decisive action to root out malfeasance. A thorough investigation into all government agencies is necessary to identify and address every source of corruption.
It’s important to note that the private sector is also implicated in the alleged corruption and irregularities surrounding ghost flood control projects. I believe now is the best time to strengthen private sector collaboration with government and civil society groups to advocate for stronger anti-corruption laws and policies, and to support initiatives aimed at increasing accountability.
I want to take this opportunity to express my strong confidence in the new FPI officers. I believe in their ability to lead the Federation of Philippine Industries and support our manufacturers, as well as the broader Philippine industry sector. They are our hope for reviving and strengthening a vital engine of the country’s economic growth.
Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza is the Chairman Emeritus of the Federation of Philippine Industries and Fight Illicit Trade; a broad-based, multisectoral movement intended to protect consumers, safeguard government revenues and shield legitimate industries from the ill effects of smuggling.
minister for female empowerment, became general council chair and Keiji Furuya, former National Public Safety Commission Chair, took the position of election strategy chief. In a move that could prove to be controversial, Koichi Hagiuda, a former trade minister who previously belonged to an LDP faction headed by Takaichi’s mentor, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, was named Executive Acting Secretary-General. Hagiuda was one of the lawmakers implicated in a slush fund scandal first reported in 2022 that rocked the party and angered the public. His appointment would likely be interpreted as Takaichi’s attempt to move on from the scandal, but could also re-ignite public anger.
“I’m aware that there is strong criticism over this issue,” Suzuki said when asked about Hagiuda’s appointment. “From now on, we will be a party that strictly observes the rules, and I believe that political reform itself is an ongoing process with no definitive end.” Bloomberg
said. “Africans must unite.” Geani Pieterse, an engineer from Pretoria, is among those Afrikaners that remain optimistic there is a place for them in South Africa and sees a future for her two young children in the country. “It might not look the same as our childhood did,” she said as she posed for a picture in front of Kruger’s statue with her husband, Juan. “But I actually think they will know a better South Africa than we do.” With assistance from Tom Hall /Bloomberg
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
WB flags job quality decline in shift to informal services
By Justine Xyrah Garcia and Ma. Alyanna Selda
EMPLOYMENT
remains high across East Asia and the Pacific, but most new jobs are of poorer quality as more workers move from farms into low-productivity, often informal services, according to the World Bank.
In its October 2025 East Asia and Pacific Economic Update released on Tuesday (Philippine time), the World Bank said the region’s traditional path of growth—shifting workers from agriculture to productive manufacturing—has weakened.
“In the most recent period, employment has moved primarily from low-productivity agriculture to low-productivity [often informal] services and, to a lesser extent, into high-productivity manufacturing and services,” the report said, warning that such shifts are slowing overall productivity gains.
The slowdown, the World Bank explained, stems from weaker trade and investment flows that have lim-
ited industrial expansion. With higher trade restrictions, slower global demand, and lingering policy uncertainty weighing on exports, manufacturing is no longer absorbing labor at the same pace.
As a result, more workers leaving farms are ending up in trade and construction—sectors that remain largely informal and low-wage.
Data from the International Labour Organization (ILO) also confirm such a shift.
Between 2010 and 2023, informal agriculture employment in Vietnam saw the largest drop at over 20 percent, followed by Cambodia at more than 10 percent.
The Philippines, an agricultural
country, also posted an about 5-percent decrease from 2012 to 2022.
These agricultural losses were offset by a rise in informal service jobs. Indonesia’s informal services sector grew by more than 20 percent in growth, while Cambodia and the Philippines’ each registered increases of over 15 percent.
Thailand and Viet Nam also saw informal services employment rise by about 10 to 15 percent.
World Bank East Asia and Pacific Chief Economist Aaditya Mattoo said this shows that the region’s job creation is now leaning toward less productive work, reversing earlier decades when industrial growth powered the rise of the middle class.
He said this trend threatens to undo the gains that once lifted millions out of poverty.
“One consequence of this low productivity, which followed a period of successful industrialization, is that while the middle class has expanded, the number of people vulnerable to falling back into poverty is now larger than the middle class itself,” he said in a press briefing.
Although employment rates exceed 95 percent in many economies, the World Bank said many jobs remain informal or insecure.
In China and Indonesia, one in seven young people remains unemployed, while women’s participation in the labor force trails men’s by about 15 percentage points in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
The region’s working-age population is also projected to fall by about 200 million between 2025 and 2050 as China, Thailand, and Viet Nam age rapidly.
Meanwhile, younger economies such as Cambodia, Indonesia, and the Philippines face growing pressures as their workforce expands faster than the supply of formal jobs.
The World Bank said this demographic divide could widen inequalities between aging economies struggling with labor shortages and younger ones unable to create enough formal jobs.
“Making jobs more productive is vital for most EAP economies since labor productivity remains relatively low and below the global average, except in China and Malaysia. Creating job opportunities is important, not just for the young and women, but more broadly in the Pacific Islands as the share of the
EXTENSION OF RICE IMPORTS FREEZE STILL ON HOLD: PALACE
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
THE proposed extension of the ongoing importation freeze for rice is also still on hold pending the recommendation of the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DepDev) on the matter, according to Malacañang.
Last week, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced it proposed extending the importation suspension for rice until the end of the year to keep the price of the local food staple stable.
However, as of Tuesday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to come out with the issuance for the extension.
Citing her discussion with DepDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, Palace Press Office Claire Castro said evaluation of the proposed extension is still ongoing.
“Probably by next week, we will see if there is already a recommendation from DepDev,” Castro said in a press briefing.
In August, Marcos issued Executive Order (EO) No. 93 for the implementation of the 60day importation suspension for rice upon the recommendation of DA “to enable the do -
mestic market to absorb the local supply, stabilize prices and help Filipino farmers sell their palay at a fair and reasonable price” amid the harvest season. The importation suspension took effect in September and will end on 2 November 2025. In its latest data, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the average farmgate price for palay or unmilled rice was at P17.11 per kilo, which is 27.8 percent lower compared to P23.1 per kilo in the same period last year.
Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) Director Carlos Juan Pablo Vega has expressed reservation on the said extension since it can lead to higher retail price for rice and it leaves farmers at the mercy of wholesalers, millers and traders.
By Henry Empeño
MARIVELES, Bataan—A combi-
nation of solar and geothermal energy sources now delivers 100 percent clean energy to factories and businesses at the main zone of the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) here, reducing dependence on fossilbased grids while ensuring continuous operations for industrial production.
The Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) said in a statement that it has installed a 6-megawatt rooftop solar facility across 14 factory buildings at its Mariveles site. This provides daytime electricity directly where it is consumed, thus minimizing transmission losses.
To cover peak energy demand, meanwhile, AFAB gets baseload power from the 20-megawatt Mariveles Solar Plant operated by Citicore Solar Bataan Inc. at the nearby barangay of Alas-Asin. For continuous 24-hour industrial operations, on the other hand, AFAB relies on the 123-megawatt Tongonan Geothermal Power Plant in Kananga, Leyte. This combination of renewable energy sources “allows AFAB to sustain industrial activity inside the Freeport while contributing to the country’s broader transition toward clean energy,” said Engr. Johnmark Dizon of AFAB’s Freeport Facilities Department.
“By securing a 100-percent renewable supply in its main zone [17 FAB expansion areas are spread across eight Bataan towns and one city], the FAB strengthens its position as a competitive investment destination built on sustainable and future-ready infrastructure,” Dizon added.
The Bataan freeport’s journey to sustainable energy supply began in 2014 when AFAB signed in the Filipino-Korean firm Next Generation Power Technology (NGPT) Corp. to develop a P2billion solar energy project.
NGPT then teamed up with Citicore and officially launched a 20-megawatt solar plant project in 2016.
In the September 26 Arangkada Philippines Investment Forum at Marriott Manila, AFAB Administrator and CEO Hussein Pangandaman touted the transition to renewable energy, saying it “reflects how an economic zone can pursue growth while advancing sustainability.”
He said this “bold move strengthens FAB’s competitiveness and cements its role as a model for sustainable development.”
AFAB further said the shift to renewables makes the Bataan free port more attractive to investors, as it boosts their confidence that production schedules and long-term plans are backed by dependable power supply.
Moreover, “it signals that the FAB is not only equipped with modern infrastructure, but is also adapting to the changing requirements of global trade, where low-carbon operations are increasingly valued,” AFAB added.
The Freeport Area of Bataan now hosts 155 registered businesses, among them San Miguel Corporation, which has committed P10.6 billion for food processing and power generation ventures.
FAB’s 17 new expansion areas throughout Bataan are expected to bring additional investments to further solidify the free port’s role as key economic driver in the region.
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has affirmed the Philippines’ sovereignty over its entire archipelago, including Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) and the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), in response to foreign assertions that misinterpret historical treaties defining Philippine territory.
In a statement, the DFA stressed that the country’s territorial claims are “incontrovertible and firmly founded on international law, legal principles, effective control, and recognition through international treaties and agreements,” citing the 1898 Treaty of Paris, the 1900 Treaty of Washington, and the 1930 boundary treaty with Great Britain.
These treaties, along with the 1935, 1973, and 1987 Philippine Constitutions, collectively affirm the legal basis of Philippine sovereignty, the DFA said.
“Some countries have been articulating an erroneous opinion that intentionally misreads certain treaties upon which the extent of Phil-
ippine territory is partly based,” the DFA added, without naming specific states.
The statement echoes recent remarks by retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio T. Carpio, who described China’s position—that Philippine territory is limited to the islands within the 1898 Treaty of Paris lines—as “the mother of all lawfares” against the Philippines.
Speaking at a Stratbase forum on September 18, Carpio noted that China has repeatedly cited Article 1 of the 1935 Constitution to argue that Scarborough Shoal and the KIG lie outside Philippine territory and instead fall within its selfdeclared 10-dash line.
Carpio clarified that the 1900 Treaty of Washington was specifically crafted to correct omissions in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, ceding “any and all islands belonging to the Philippine archipelago lying outside the lines” to the United States. He cited diplomatic notes between Spain and the US, as well as official Spanish-era maps—including the 1734 Murillo Velarde map and the 1875 Carta General del Archipielago Filipino—that consistently included
Scarborough Shoal and the Spratlys as part of Philippine territory. These maps were later adopted by the US and submitted in the landmark Islas Palmas arbitration, reinforcing the territorial extent recognized under both Spanish and American rule. Carpio also invoked the international law doctrine of Uti Possidetis Juris, which holds that colonial boundaries must be respected upon independence unless timely objections are raised—none of which China made.
“China is now in estoppel,” Carpio said, “bound by its own admission” in the South China Sea Arbitration and public statements that Philippine territory is defined by the three treaties cited in the 1935 Constitution.
The DFA reiterated that these treaties “clearly and firmly state the extent of Philippine territory as well as their meaning derived from the concrete and consistent demonstrations of sovereign authority and jurisdiction exercised by the Philippines over its territory through the centuries.”
“The 1935, 1973 and 1987 Constitutions of the Philippines, taken together, are clear on
the legal bases and extent of the Philippine national territory,” the DFA added. This reaffirmation follows the DFA’s formal protest filed on September 12
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
SEC: Appraiser must explain Villar Land assets valuation
By VG Cabuag @villygc
THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a show cause order against the asset valuer of Villar Land Holdings Corp., whose shares remain suspended on the Philippine Stock Exchange.
In a letter dated September 29, the SEC’s Office of the General Accountant directed E-Value Phils. Inc. to explain why it should not be subjected to penalties and sanctions relative to its valuation of properties of companies under the Villar Land group. These were Althorp Land Holdings Inc., Chalgrove Properties Inc. and Los Valores Corp.
the SEC, to regulate and supervise the activities of corporations, as well as impose sanctions when necessary.
“The SEC will continue to investigate this matter thoroughly in the interest of upholding transparency and accountability in valuation practices and accuracy in financial reporting. The Commission will provide updates as necessary in the interest of the public, while upholding the required confidentiality of the proceedings.”
each for every delay of submission from July 1 until the company submitted its report.
The board includes the three Villar siblings; their father and company chairman Manuel B. Villar Jr.; company president Cynthia J. Javarez; independent directors Ana Marie V. Pagsibigan and Garth F. Castaneda; the company’s CFO, CIO and heard of IR; its corporate secretary; assistant corporate secretary; and compliance officer.
PHILIPPINE Manufacturing Co. of Murata Inc., a subsidiary of Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., said it will produce more electronic components for smartphones and cars in its new building which will start operations this month.
This is the fourth building of Murata in the First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) in Tanauan, Batangas. Inocencio said the Kyoto-based electronics manufacturer poured P4.4 billion into the construction of the new building.
As for the exports outlook of the company for this year, Inocencio said she expects to see gains because of its recent expansion.
“Although we felt there was a tightening of the belt, but still, we’re good. The future of electronics and semiconductor industry here in the Philippines is still positive,” the Murata official told this newspaper.
The order forms part of the SEC’s investigation into Villar Land Holdings, which was recently ordered to pay administrative fines totaling P12 million for violations of Republic Act 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code, over its failure to submit its audited financial statements on time.
The investigation into E-Value is in line with the visitorial powers of
The issuance of the order follows special onsite inspections conducted by the agency to determine the company’s compliance with SEC Memorandum Circular No. 2, Series of 2014, which provides for the Guidelines on Asset Valuations, and effective International Valuation Standards in the preparation of the appraisal reports of the companies.
The SEC in August fined Villar Land, formerly Golden MV Holdings Inc., and its 11-man board of directors, some P12 million for the repeated delays in the filing of its annual and quarterly reports.
In its order, the SEC’s Market and Securities Regulation department said it found Villar Land and its board “administratively liable for gross negligence or bad faith in directing the affairs of the company,” for its inability to file its annual 2024 and first quarter 2025 reports.
The administrative fine involves P1 million for each board member and the company itself, and P2,000
Meralco keen on joint ventures with ECs
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
HE Manila Electric Co.
T(Meralco) is pursuing joint ventures with at least 15 electric cooperatives (ECs) as it seeks to expand its reach beyond its traditional franchise area with the intent of providing reliable and affordable electricity.
In an interview with BusinessMirror, Meralco senior vice president and chief external and government affairs officer Arnel Casanova said the utility firm is hoping to conclude deals with a number of ECs in the next two or three years. The planned investment, he said, is “quite substantial because you need to infuse more for capex [capital expenditure].”
Included in its list are First Laguna Electric Cooperative Inc. (Fleco) and South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative Inc. (Socoteco II).
“Actually, we’re more aggressive in South Cotabato. There are 120 electric cooperatives. If someone wants to join with us to provide better electricity service then it will
be good. We have almost 15 on our list. We are working on all of them, some are at the very early stages, but with Batelec II [Batangas Electric Cooperative Inc.], there’s a proposal already,” he said.
The planned joint venture will be done by converting an electric cooperative into a stock corporation, a move that is allowed under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira). Basically, Meralco would infuse capital by purchasing shares in the new stock corporation.
Meralco has been in discussions with Batelec II for a joint venture.
The utility firm is now waiting a reply from its board. “Hopefully, by next year we can finalize one. Hopefully, Batelec I and II, and Socoteco, and then we’ll convert the whole of Pampanga into a joint venture as well.”
Meralco and its subsidiary, Comstech Integration Alliance Inc., manages Pampanga II Electric Cooperative (Pelco II). The partnership began in 2014, involving management support and investments aimed at improving the electric cooperative’s customer service, reliability, and
power supply. Pelco II was once classified as an ailing cooperative. Since the partnership, Pelco’s financial performance has significantly improved earning it a rating of “AAA.”
It makes sense for Meralco to form JVs with the ECs that are operating near its franchise areas because these can be easily connected with the Meralco substations.
“But the biggest challenge here is usually the electric cooperatives are historically hostile to private capital because they mostly depend on national government. They are used to that. But the times have changed, they have to adapt or the entire economy will suffer. So, because the industries cannot grow, foreign investors cannot come in as well. Tourism suffers, even healthcare, and our agriculture also.”
At end-June this year, Meralco reported over eight million residential, industrial, and commercial customers in its franchise area. These are Metro Manila, parts of Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and select areas in Pampanga, Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon.
FNG to unveil new Mandaluyong tower in ‘26
FEDERAL Land NRE Global Inc. (FNG) said it will launch the second tower of its The Observatory development in Mandaluyong by the first half of 2026 after its first tower outperformed the company’s previous number one project in Taguig.
William Thomas F. Mirasol, FNG president, said the first residential tower, which has 692 units and called “Sora” or the Japanese word for sky, has been outselling its Seasons Residences in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig.
“The launching of the second (tower) should happen within the first half of 2026. At the pace that we are currently selling, there will be a need for the second tower in the first half of next year,” Mirasol said. FNG is a joint venture between Federal Land Inc. and Nomura Real Estate Development Co. Ltd.
Sora is set to be completed on 2030, and Mirasol said the company sold 60 percent of the project since it opened it up since July.
“It’s selling faster than the Sea-
sons Residences did, which was surprising because the Seasons is in BGC and there’s been a sustained demand there versus here, it’s not really that type of investor market that we were enjoying in BGC,” Mirasol said.
“The people are beginning to really recognize the potential of Mandaluyong, especially the Japanese market.”
The said development is priced at P290,000 per square meter, lower than BGC’s P460,000 per square meter, according to Mirasol.
“So, you know we have some people walking in our showroom in Seasons Residences, (we’re saying that) down the road there’s Observatory. So, we’re getting that market also, the aspirational market who wants the BGC lifestyle but isn’t quite there yet.
“So they will just drive across the bridge and they will have another option,” he said.
The Observatory is a 4.5-hectare mixed-use township by FNG. It sits beside Robinsons Land Inc.’s own development, along Edsa and Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong.
It will have nine towers, but Mirasol said the first phase of development only covers three residential towers, with an office building.
It is envisioned to have residential towers, retail offerings and an office building.
“The development offers a modern retreat in a strategic location, emphasizing convenience and comfort, and empowering homeowners to thrive in the city. Showcasing the essence of The Observatory, its latest 1,700-square meter sales pavilion presents FNG’s harmonious convergence of Japanese and Filipino cultures.”
Mirasol said they are “very excited” about marketing the FNG brand in the country.
“The Philippine consumer has an affinity for things Japanese. Cars, electronics, culture, food, everything. The Japanese, they know how to do things better. So this partnership for us is very strategic. Take advantage of their know-how and our know-how in the local market.” VG Cabuag
In a statement, Villar Land and its officers said they “welcome the opportunity to explain their side on the issues raised and will respond to the SEC’s order in due course.”
It said the delay in the filing of the annual report and the first quarter 2025 report of Villar Land is not due to the refusal of its external auditor to sign the 2024 audited financial statements.
“The delay was caused by the auditor’s varying requests for additional audit procedures in the course of their review of the valuation of the Villar City properties that were acquired by Villar Land in 2024.”
“Actually, we will inaugurate the building on October 22. That’s our fourth building. So, the size of the building is 100 by 300 meters. It has two floors,” Janet Inocencio, deputy general manager of Philippine Manufacturing told the BusinessMirror on the sidelines of the press briefing organized by the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (Seipi) last week. Once operational, Inocencio said the electronics maker is hoping to double the current number of its employees.
“So, the current headcount at Murata is 4,300. And once the last building starts operations, the target would be around 8,000 to 10,000 people.” Inocencio said this new building will manufacture more Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitor (MLCC), the electronic components used in modern devices.
“Our product is 100 percent for export. The application of our MLCC is for automotive and smartphones.”
She said Murata accounts for 40 percent of the global market of MLCC. During the recent press briefing for Philippine Semiconductor and Electronic Convention and Exhibition 2025 (PSECE), SEIPI President Danilo C. Lachica said the “default growth drivers” for the electronics industry would be new devices.
“Year-on-year, whether it’s now or five years from now, the growth drivers for the electronics industry would be new devices, new technology. And it’s in different sectors, whether they are in automobiles, devices, cellphones, obviously, computers.” Andrea E. San Juan
Change is inevitable
WHAT distinguishes today’s society is its continually-shifting landscapes. Never in humanity’s history has there been a generation where trends, mindsets and ways of doing things change every so often. In fact, social media and the use of artificial intelligence further enhanced these shifts. And since change is inevitable, sales leaders must be equipped and ready to step outside their comfort zones any time, every time.
Here are three things every sales leaders must keep in mind in traversing the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous business and work landscapes.
Know that excuses are for losers HERACLITUS, the Ancient Greek philosopher, famously remarked that “the only thing constant is change.” It was true then, and it’s even more rampant now. Hence, sales leaders must be prepared for it. The worse that can happen is to sit and simply wait for change to come. Remember this—as sales leaders, we are not mere spectators, but movers and shakers of economy. We don’t wait for change to happen, we prepare and plan for it in order to gain victory. Winners never dwell on excuses, and that’s why we never play the blame game.
Embrace change THE ability to embrace change is a mark of every successful sales leader. Therefore, the capacity to constantly step outside one’s comfort zone is an essential ingredient for sales leaders. Develop the habit of planning ahead by thinking outside-the-box and adopting a
break-the-ceiling mindset. Learn from Kodak and Nokia who used to dominate the film and cellphone markets, respectively. Leaders from these companies failed to embrace change which eventually led to the downfall of these organizations. They already knew that change was in the near horizon, but they refused to accept its reality. So what do we need to do? Embrace change.
Lead change THEY say that offense is the best defense. The same is true in dealing with change. Instead of simply planning for adaptation measures, lead change by crafting new directions. Sales leaders disrupt markets by introducing change. Go ahead and be proactive and innovate, and change the rules of the game. Instead of just going with the bandwagon, become the trailblazer. When asked why I wrote the book “The Effective Seller,” my response was a quote from Toni Morrison—“If there’s a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” This encapsulates my point: lead the change.
Alexey Rola Cajilig is the Founder, President & CEO of ARCWAY Consultancy Inc., and Senior Vice President & COO of EM-CORE DOTNET Inc.
He is a Sales Leadership Coach, Strategic Sales Operations Consultant, Christian Motivational Speaker, Human Ecologist and Author of Life is a Classroom, The Effective Seller, Solving the Sales Puzzle and Practical Market Intelligence. He is also the creator of ARCH Styles, a behavioral and personality assessment & discovery tool. If you have questions and suggestions, you may connect with him at https://www.facebook.com/ coachlexey and at https://www.linkedin.com/ in/alexey-rola-cajilig.
Baking a legacy: Julie’s eyes further expansion for 45th anniversary
FROM a single bakery in Wireless, Mandaue City, Cebu, Julie’s has grown over the last four decades into the country’s largest neighborhood bakeshop with more than 600 stores nationwide. Known for its everyday fresh and affordable breads, Julie’s gives credit to its franchisees for the strong presence that the brand has built across communities.
In preparation for its 45th anniversary in 2026, Julie’s is eyeing further expansion into more barangays nationwide by making it easier for Filipinos to start a business and prepare the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Multi-generational growth
JULIE’S president and CEO Joseph Gandionco, son of founder Julie Gandionco, noted that a rising number of their franchisees are now involving their children and grandchildren in running their bakeshops.
Gandionco said that there are currently 16 multi-generational Julie’s franchisees all over the country. Some have inherited the original franchise from their parents or grandparents, while others have begun actively preparing their children to take over operations. Gandionco himself has also involved his children in the business, including his son Gio, who currently serves as regional director for Visayas.
For the older Gandionco, multigenerational ownership not only ensures continuity, but also solidifies the bakeshop’s connection with its community.
“Multi-generational franchisees help keep Julie’s strong and connected to communities. By involving their families early, sharing the brand’s mission, and showing the
Technopreneurs and Community Leaders Unite at the 2025 Regional SETUP and CEST Summit
THE Department of Science and Technology Region 1 (DOST Region 1) successfully brought together innovators, entrepreneurs, and community leaders at the 2025 Regional SETUP & CEST Summit held on September 16, 2024, at Hotel Ariana & Restaurant, Paringao, Bauang, La Union.
The event, spearheaded by the Regional Program Management Office of the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) and Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) Program, served as a venue to highlight success stories, share knowledge, and strengthen partnerships for innovation and sustainability.
In her keynote message, DOST 1 Regional Director Teresita A. Tabaog described the gathering as a highlevel conference that signifies the participants’ greatest achievements. She urged the attendees to treasure both good and difficult experiences, as these shape competence and drive innovation. “We all strive for success, and as Tony Robbins once said, ‘The path to success is to take massive, determined action.’ That action begins now,” she emphasized, inspiring technopreneurs and community leaders to continue learning and innovating for a brighter and more sustainable future.
The morning session focused on technology and innovation for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). On behalf of Balik Scientist
Dr. Albert J. Causo, Engr. Nicole Abe-
juela underscored DOST’s support for beneficiaries through the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and cybersecurity to boost efficiency and competitiveness. Ms. Johnestle Loi Cena also introduced the CUATRO program, designed to bridge gaps between entrepreneurs and suppliers, describing it as a one-stop transformation platform that fosters growth for businesses and future-proofing policies for communities.
The afternoon sessions, dubbed “CESTsions,” centered on the theme “CESTalk: Circular Economy Demystified.” Ms. Aloha May Renion of DENR Regional Office discussed the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022, which holds companies accountable for managing plastic packaging waste while promoting eco-friendly practices. Mr. Drake Lim of SM City La Union
highlighted the Waste Free Future campaign, which recycles materials, processes food waste into compost, and converts cooking oil into biofuel. Engr. Edison Acosta of DOST-Ilocos Sur concluded the discussions by emphasizing the role of the circular economy in creating new opportunities for innovation through renewable energy, biodegradable packaging, and wasteto-product technologies.
The Summit closed with an open forum where participants shared insights and suggestions on sustainability and innovation. Overall, the 2025 Regional SETUP & CEST Summit stood as a platform for collaboration and inspiration, reinforcing the role of science, technology, and innovation in building smarter, more competitive, and sustainable communities in Region 1.
rewards of the business, franchisees can inspire the next generation to take the lead,” he explained.
“Bread is a staple on every Filipino table, and remains a breakfast and merienda favorite. Being in the business of baking bread has proven resilient despite all the challenges throughout the years,” Gandionco continued.
Setting up more bakeshops nationwide
JULIE’S mission has since gone beyond bread, inspiring Filipinos to be entrepreneurs. “Our mission to feed Filipino communities is not only limited to our breads, but is also creating opportunities to become entrepreneurs. This was what my mother hoped for when she opened our first bakeshop in Wireless, Mandaue City,” Gandionco said.
With a strong presence in Cebu, the brand is now targeting growth across Visayas, while also expanding in key markets in Luzon and Mindanao, according to Gandionco. Julie’s has also continued to add variety to its products based on the changing consumer preferences across markets.
In addition to traditional bakeshops, Julie’s is scaling up with mall kiosks and inline stores. Earlier this year, Julie’s launched its first inline store in Paco, Manila. Gandionco
also revealed that plans are underway for new formats, which will be introduced in time for the company’s 45th year in 2026.
To encourage broader participation, Julie’s is currently offering a 50% discount on franchise fees, for up to P175,000 in savings for new partners.
Franchise packages include a complete support system, including staff training and marketing assistance, for day-to-day operations.
As Julie’s grows its presence nationwide, the company is positioning its franchise model as an accessible and resilient investment opportunity.
“Julie’s has been in the business for more than four decades, serving as a testament to its longevity. Our second- and third-generation owners and franchisees serve as a testament to the franchise being a good investment. They can attest to how our franchise packages offer an easy way to start a business and gain access to proven systems and full support every step of the way,” Gandionco said.
Learn more about franchising opportunities with Julie’s by vis-
iting their website and following their Facebook and Instagram pages to be the first to know about their new products and promotions.
About Julie’s
JULIE’S is the Philippines’ largest neighborhood bakeshop, serving every Filipino with everyday fresh, everyday sulit breads for more than 40 years. Fresh, steaming hot bread baked in full view of the customers and served with courteous greetings and warm smiles became the benchmark of Julie’s phenomenal success. With over 600 stores nationwide, Julie’s is committed to its mission of feeding Filipinos by having a Julie’s bakeshop in every barangay.
By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio
DIGITAL exclusion remains a significant barrier for the entrepreneurial poor, preventing them from participating in digital commerce and escaping the poverty trap.
To address this, the government must foster a supportive environment that encourages digitalization rather than hindering it with excessive regulations.
Joey Bermudez, founding chairperson of Iskaparate, a platform for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), argues that regulatory impositions and bureaucratic red tape stifle digital sellers. For example, he cites the requirement by some local government units (LGUs) for home-based businesses to have a separate physical office before they can be issued a business permit.
To empower its members, Iskaparate provides digital training courses and is expanding its suite of apps and tools to help sellers manage their online businesses more effectively.
The power of digital platforms
DURING Iskaparate’s fifth anniversary, economist Dr. Bernardo Villegas, a professor at Harvard and IESE Business School, spoke to the “mompreneurs” (nanays) of the platform. He urged them to strive for excellence and meritocracy, never settling for mediocrity. Villegas emphasized that digital platforms like Iskaparate democratize market access, giving sellers a powerful advantage.
He believes the future belongs to this kind of trade, where physical distribu-
tion is “unbundled” from the curating of trade. This model empowers small entrepreneurs who can identify and fill market needs with hard work and innovation. Villegas commended Iskaparate for its presence on platforms like Shopee, recognizing that this is “definitely the future.”
Iskaparate’s support system ISKAPARATE offers a variety of support mechanisms for its sellers: Assisted Vendors: For those
FROM a single bakery in Wireless, Mandaue City, Cebu, Julie’s has expanded into more than 600 stores nationwide, with plans to expand to other regions underway.
JULIE’S President and CEO Joseph Gandionco (center), together with his children Lia (left) and Gio (right), continues the mission set out by founder Julie Gandionco of feeding Filipino communities.
FROM left: Dr Bernardo Villegas, Iskaparate founder Joey Bermudez (center) and Iskaparate director Willie Arcilla.
Biggest-spending govt agencies fell short of performance goals
By Mary Jade Gale Jadormio
THE government’s biggestspending agencies fell short of budget and performance targets in the first half of 2025, with election-related restrictions and procurement bottlenecks delaying the rollout of critical programs and projects.
According to the 2025 mid-year report of the Development Budget Coordination Committee, several departments registered lower obligation and disbursement rates, resulting in muted financial utilization despite higher budget allocations.
From January to June, the National Government obligated P3.509 trillion, equivalent to 56.1 percent of total allotment releases, showing restrained fund absorption in the year’s first six months.
Major hobbles
THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported slower spending due to the electionrelated ban on public works in April and May, which stalled project implementation.
Obligation and disbursement rates fell by 4.1 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively, from the previous
PRODUCTIVITY is normally measured in terms of how much can be produced in a given amount of time or how long it takes to produce or come up with a product unit. Obviously, the value of the output depends on what is the product being created. Therefore, when we measure increasing productivity, we can measure it based on the output of the same person rather than across different people across different industries.
The best way to show an improved productivity is comparing your own output over a period of time. For example, if you were a salesman selling a specific product, you were able to sell 100 units in a period of 1 month. The following year — assuming it was still the same product with the same price—you were able to sell 1,000 units in a period of 1 month, it would be safe to say that your productivity has improved quite a bit. While it is possible that external factors unrelated to your productivity could have caused unusual favorable market conditions in your target territory or location, such as there was a global conference; increasing your market by 10 times. Filtering out these events, there are some things that will definitely improve your productivity. For most people, you can maximize your productivity through the use of these three things: smart phones; proper scheduling; and, using the right tools.
The use of smart phones is a globally-recognized phenomenon that keeps you connected, provides you with as many functions as there are apps and give you an unlimited access to information on any topic in the world. Used properly in your business or profession, a smart phone is one of the easiest ways to improve your productivity with immediate results.
Proper scheduling means doing the right things at the right time. If I leave my house at 6 a.m., I can get to work in 30 minutes. If I leave my house an hour later at 7 a.m., it will take me at least an hour to get to the office. Is it worth adjusting your time by one hour to save half an hour? To people who value their time, it is definitely worth it to save 30 minutes. Scheduling also includes doing your work in a specific area in one go. For example, your office is in Alabang and you have five big customers based in Ortigas that you need to see this week.
year, pulling overall disbursements down to P293.2 billion, or 33.1 percent of total allotments.
The DBM said actual accomplishments across DPWH programs were “well below targets,” with the Network Development Program posting the lowest completion rate at only 0.3 percent.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture faced similar delays as fertilizer procurement and logistics bottlenecks pushed its disbursement rate down by 12.1 percentage points to 36.2 percent.
The National Rice Program suffered the steepest decline in the first half, dropping by 33.6 percentage points to 19.0 percent, while equipment and infrastructure projects under the Agricultural Machinery Program failed to progress due to bidding failures and supplier withdrawals.
FINEX
Wouldn’t it make more sense for you to schedule visiting all those accounts in Ortigas in one go rather than going separately each day of the work week?
Using the right tools is another sure way to improve your productivity. I have seen gardeners cutting grass using manual garden shears taking two hours to cut the grass. That same gardener in the same garden using a light-duty battery-powered grass cutter would take an hour to finish the job. Moving another notch higher using a gas-powered grass cutter could get that job done in 30 minutes. A gas-powered lawn mower would cut this time down to only 15 minutes!
Productivity comes at a price of training on how to use the tools and equipment to get the job done faster and more efficiently; the other one is the cost of either buying or renting the equipment. Once the time of a worker is more expensive than the cost of the machinery and equipment, it makes more sense to improve the productivity of the worker.
However, this is not always the case when the cost of labor is so low there is no incentive to improve labor productivity. Whenever you have the chance to maximize your productivity, you should do so even at the cost of training or acquiring the proper tools of the trade yourself. Think of this as investing in your future.
The views and comments of Dr. George S. Chua are his own and not of the newspaper or the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines. The author was 2016 Finex President and a life member, 2010 to 2020 Federation of Philippine Industries President, an active entrepreneur in fintech, broadcast, media, telecommunications, and properties. Dr. Chua is a Fellow at Institute of Corporate Directors, a Professorial Lecturer 2 at the University of the Philippines Diliman and BGC Campus and Vice Chairman of the Market Governance Board of the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. Comments may be sent to georgechuaph@yahoo.com or gschua@up.edu.ph.
Junked activities
THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) saw its utilization rate weaken even with an expanded budget for digital infrastructure.
Its obligation rate slid to 32.3 percent from 42.9 percent last year, as leadership transitions and procurement challenges slowed new projects under its ICT Systems Development Program.
The Office of the DICT Secretary reported that none of the four planned ICT-enabled systems were completed. The agency said it is currently focused on maintaining the eGovPh application.
The Department of Health also encountered setbacks, as procurement issues and global supply shortages delayed major initiatives under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program and the Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients.
Obligation and disbursement rates fell to 46.5 percent and 63.8 percent, respectively, reflecting slow contract approvals and failed biddings.
At the Department of Education, procurement delays hindered the acquisition of science and math equipment, leaving several projects pending due to technical clearance and supplier reconsideration.
Gummy performance
THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) reported lower obligation and disburse-
ment rates of 31.0 percent and 55.0 percent, respectively, due to delays in procuring toolkits and initiating training schedules.
Tesda produced only 324 of the 42,134 targeted graduates for the first quarter, as key scholarship programs began late or were awaiting guidelines.
At the Department of Migrant Workers, regulatory operations were slow, with only four out of 3,000 adjudication cases resolved, and inspection targets for recruitment and manning agencies were falling below 40 percent.
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development also underperformed, posting an obligation rate of 25.7 percent following revisions to the Pag-IBIG Fund guidelines that reduced interest subsidies for the 4PH housing program.
The agency, likewise, reported no progress in granting security of tenure to beneficiary families due to pending revisions in its operational manual.
The DBM urged agencies to utilize the Self-Assessed Financial and Physical Performance (SAFPP) Tool to evaluate mid-year results and implement catch-up measures for the remainder of the year.
It also called on departments to strengthen coordination among planning, budgeting, and implementation units, and to streamline procurement and payment processes to ensure the efficient use of public funds.
Long-term debt papers lure cautious investors
By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
THE Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) successfully generated P35 billion by reissuing dual-tenor Treasury bonds (T-bonds) amid cautious investor sentiment on long-term debt.
On Tuesday, the auction committee made a full award of reissued 3-year and 10-year T-bonds at rates both lower than the prevailing secondary benchmark yields, but higher than the previous auction it was offered.
The 3-year tenor government securities, which had a coupon rate of 3.625 percent, were sold at P15 billion.
The T-bonds attracted total bids of P34.425 billion, making the auction 2.2 times oversubscribed.
With a remaining life of two years and five months to maturity, its average yield settled at 5.698 percent.
This is higher by 9.3 basis points from the 5.605 percent recorded last September 23.
However, the yield is lower than the benchmark secondary market rates of 5.705 percent for the 3-year tenor and 5.696 percent for the security itself.
The tenor fetched rates ranging from a low of 5.6 percent to a high of 5.710 percent.
Meanwhile, the 10-year T-bonds were fully awarded, as tenders reached P43.450 billion or 2.1 times oversubscribed the P20-billion offering.
The long-dated government securities settled at an average rate of 6.043 percent, up by 13.6 basis points from the previous auction’s 5.907 percent yield.
The yield was slightly higher than both the secondary benchmark rate of 6.019 percent and the 6.041 percent BVAL yield for the Series 10-73.
Rates of the 10-year T-bonds ranged
from 6.035 percent to 6.050 percent. Meanwhile, the coupon rate stood at 6.375 percent.
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said demand for both tenors was weaker compared to previous auctions as investors showed caution on long-term debt papers. For the 10-year tenor, Ricafort said there is some market hesitancy to lock in amid concerns over long-term inflation, especially if the US Federal Reserve becomes more aggressive in cutting rates in the coming months on President Donald Trump’s prodding.
Investors have a stronger appetite for shorter-dated tenors, such as the 3-year T-bonds, “as safer havens amid a more volatile local stock market and amid still relatively benign inflation at 1.7 percent in September 2025,” explained the RCBC executive.
This is also to lock in higher yields as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) could possibly lower the key policy rate again on October 9, and before Philippine bonds could be included in the JPMorgan Emerging Market Bond Index, Ricafort added.
Last September, the government raised a total of P116.848 billion from the
Rules on denied claims may be revised—PDIC
By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief
THE Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) announced last Tuesday it seeks to make requests to process denied claims on deposit insurance more transparent and resolved promptly.
has proposed revisions to the rules on reconsidering.
A statement issued by the PDIC pointed to proposals to revise Regulatory Issuance (RI) 2011-03 (“Rules Governing Requests for Reconsideration of Denied Deposit Insurance Claims”).
The PDIC seeks to expand the coverage of the 14-year-old RI 201103 to address a wider range of cases. Other revisions include “refining” procedures for the filing of requests for reconsideration (RFR) to make the process more accessible and user-friendly. The PDIC also wants defined timelines within which requests must be resolved, ensuring prompt action on claims. And, after
TBy Ada Pelonia
HE Department of Agriculture (DA) urged the Congress to increase the government’s crop insurance subsidy to P8 billion to cover 4.2 million farm workers by 2026. Currently, only 2.3 million farmers are insured under the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC), with rice farmers making up for 1.25 million of this number.
The PCIC provides a maximum coverage of P20,000 per hectare for rice farmers, only a third of the estimated average production cost of P60,000 per hectare.
“PCIC’s current subsidy level is simply inadequate,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. was quoted as saying in a statement.
“We need to insure more farmers at realistic levels that reflect the true cost of production, especially as cli-
more than a decade, the PDIC wants a standardized RFR form, “aligned with data privacy laws to protect sensitive depositor information.”
Interested parties may browse and read a draft revised RI at the PDIC website, the state deposit insurer said. The PDIC is also encouraging the public to submit comments and suggestions on the draft.
“The proposed revisions are designed to provide clearer, more consistent, and transparent guidelines for depositors whose deposit insurance claims have been denied, ensuring that the process of seeking reconsideration is both fair and efficient,” read the statement.
The state deposit insurer said the PDIC would “proactively gather” feedback from banks, depositors, and other stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the PDIC also called on banks to help raise depositor awareness and protection of their accounts, pointing to RI 2025-01 (“Revised Rules and Regulations on Advertisements and Proper Use of the PDIC Seal, Insurance Statement and Signages”) that took effect on
mate change and market volatility continue to impact the sector.”
Under the proposed 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the PCIC’s subsidy remains at P4.5 billion, the same level it had since 2022. Tiu Laurel warned that this “stagnant funding” undermines the government’s ability to protect farmers from mounting risks brought by several factors, such as weather-related shocks.
“To insure 4.2 million farmers, we need about P8 billion. That means we’re short by P3.5 billion,” he explained. “Of the 4.2 million farmers we aim to cover, 2.2 million will be rice farmers—an increase of nearly a million from the current number.”
The DA chief noted that expanding insurance coverage is a strategic investment in the country’s food security.
July 15, 2025. In relation to the increase in the maximum deposit insurance coverage (MDIC) to P1 million per depositor on March 15, 2025, the RI provides banks with clear guidelines on advertisements and the proper use of the PDIC brand assets consisting of the PDIC seal, insurance statement, decals, and standees to reinforce public trust in the banking system, read a statement issued by the PDIC.
PDIC Vice President for Corporate Affairs Group Jose G. Villaret Jr. explained that the “PDIC Seal” is the visual representation of the corporation’s values of protection, service excellence, simplicity, clarity, and transparency. It is not intended for general bank use and may only be displayed with prior written consent from PDIC, the statement continued. Meanwhile, the PDIC Insurance Statement, “Deposits are insured by PDIC up to P1 Million per depositor” must be used in full in all advertisements for deposit products across TV, radio, print, billboards,
By boosting PCIC’s capacity, the DA said the government could provide a stronger safety net for smallholder farmers, especially rice producers, who face the dual burden of rising input costs and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
“Crop insurance isn’t just a financial product—it’s a critical lifeline,” Tiu Laurel said. “When typhoons, droughts, or pest outbreaks hit, insured farmers can recover faster and get back to planting. Without it, many are left in debt or forced to abandon farming altogether.” He then called on lawmakers to prioritize agricultural resilience in the national budget, adding that a well-funded insurance system is crucial for stabilizing rural incomes, encouraging continued production, and safeguarding the country’s food supply.
websites, social media, and other official digital platforms. It should appear in the final frame for video advertisements, must be audibly voiced in audio materials, and must be legible and visible in print or written advertisements. Villaret was quoted in the statement as saying that the PDIC signages, which are symbols of protection and assurance for the depositing public, must be prominently displayed in bank premises. The physical decal should be placed at the bank’s entrance, while its digital counterpart should be available on the bank’s website, apps, ATMs, and other digital platforms. Under the new regulations, the physical standee must be visible on all teller counters and new accounts counters.
More than safeguarding the integrity of PDIC’s identifiers, he emphasized that the proper implementation of the revised RI empowers bank personnel to become strong advocates for public confidence, which is essential to ensuring the stability of the financial system.
FREE ENTERPRISE
George S. Chua
Image
Running on empty: Why filling your own cup first is not selfish
Cold-water immersion may offer health benefits—and also presents risks
By Stephen Wade The Associated Press
DR. Mark Harper recalls his first cold-water swim in the south of England 20 years ago. It was August, but the initial jolt from the plunge took his breath away. The shock to his system lasted a minute or two until he was “recombobulated and able to think about something other than the cold,” Harper says. A surprise sensation soon replaced his discomfort. “I remember getting out of the water the first time and feeling so good,” Harper, an anesthesiologist who has since researched the potential risks and rewards of taking a nippy dunk. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
Claims about the benefits of cold-water immersion date back centuries. Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third American president, wrote toward the end of his life about using a cold foot bath daily for 60 years. He also owned a book published in 1706 on the history of cold-water bathing.
While evidence is building around the positive health effects of swimming in chilly water, bathing in ice or taking cold showers, scientific confirmation is still lacking.
But Harper, who became a regular cold-water swimmer after his initiation, said there are strong signs that people can derive mental health benefits from the activity. He mentioned a positive effect on depression and general wellbeing. “For now, we have a very strong base, but not hard evidence, that cold-water immersion is effective for mental health,” Harper told The Associated Press.
BOOSTING MENTAL HEALTH
HARPER said his own early experiences with cold-water swimming piqued his professional curiosity. As a physician, he wondered if the brief bodily shock had clinical uses for treating depression. He cited the biological phenomenon of hormesis, in which a stressor introduced at a low dose creates a positive response.
Muscles and bones put under stress—for example, with weight-bearing exercise—also respond and grow. Harper acknowledged that the positive effects he’s observed may be the result of the placebo effect, a phenomenon in which people who are given a medicine they think will help them report responding to the treatment even if it had no active ingredients.
In the case of cold-water immersion, the benefits may come from meeting people, the exercise itself, or simply accepting a challenge and accomplishing it, which improves self-confidence, he said.
“Personally, I think it’s all of those things, and the cold has an additive effect,” Harper said. “I think we have a good physiological basis for that. The basic science tells us the cold has a very strong effect on the body.
“What we’re talking about is an intervention, when it’s used clinically, that produces beneficial effects on mental health. So in a way it doesn’t matter which aspect is generating the positive effects.”
KNOW
THE RISKS WHEN YOU START
DR. Mike Tipton, a physiologist at the University of Portsmouth in England who has studied extreme environments, authored a paper along with Harper and two more researchers several years ago. The title highlighted the potential advantages and dangers of stimulating the body with a sudden drop in temperature: “Cold Water Immersion: Kill or Cure.”
“Like other environmental constituents such as pressure, heat and oxygen, cold water can be either good or bad, threat or treatment depending on circumstance,” they wrote after reviewing the research then available on the topic.
One of their findings: The activity presents dangers. Deaths from cold-water immersion are not uncommon. The shock of frigid water can cause people to hyperventilate and drown. But Tipton told The AP the risks can be managed with common sense and precautions.
HOW COLD, HOW LONG?
YOU do not need to go to extremes to get a potential payoff. Entering water at a temperature of 20-15 degrees Celsius (6859F) and staying for only a few minutes is sufficient. Tipton explained if the water is colder than that, you may get more benefit—but limit your exposure.
“If you ask me what protocol you would follow if you thought this was going to be doing you good, I wouldn’t go in water much below 12C (54F), and I wouldn’t stay in for much more than two minutes,” Tipton said.
Tipton and Harper both said that any benefits from cold-water immersion come from the body’s cold-shock response: the sudden fall of skin temperature, the release of the stress hormones, the release of endorphins, and the antiinflammatory effect.
Tipton cautioned against long spells in an ice bath.
“Sitting in water for as long as I can fills me with horror,” Tipton said. “This could destroy small nerves, blood vessels in extremities and could result in amputation the same way frostbite can.”
“People think it’s got to be super cold, super long and the longer the better,” Harper said, “and that’s wrong.”
THERE is a familiar saying that you cannot pour from an empty cup. It sounds simple enough, but in the rush of everyday life, many people forget what it really means. Everyone has felt the weight of trying to meet expectations at work, care for family, or support friends while quietly feeling tired or drained. You may convince yourself that you are fine because you are still showing up and doing what is expected. Yet over time, running on empty catches up with you. You become less patient, less inspired, and less able to give the best of yourself.
Self-care is not a reward for finishing your to-do list. It is a basic need, just like sleep or food. When you do not make time to refill your cup, you end up giving others what is left of you instead of what is best in you. The challenge is that society often praises being busy and self-sacrifice. People are told that productivity equals worth, and that taking a break is a sign of weakness. But think of it this way: if your phone battery is low, you plug it in to recharge. You do not expect it to keep working nonstop. Your body and mind are no different.
One way to start filling your cup again is to notice the signs that it is running low. Do you feel constantly tired even after sleeping? Do you get irritated easily or lose motivation for things that used to excite you? These are signals that your energy is being spent faster than it is replenished. Recognizing these signs early allows you to pause before burnout sets in. For example, if you notice that you are snapping at loved ones or dreading your usual tasks, it might be time to step back and rest.
Rest does not always mean taking a long vacation, although that helps. It can be as simple as sitting quietly with a cup of coffee in the morning before checking your phone. It can mean saying no to an extra commitment or allowing yourself to spend a weekend without any plans. The goal is to create small moments that remind you to breathe and reconnect with yourself. You do not have to earn rest. You simply deserve it because you are human.
Another way to refill your cup is to do things that bring you genuine joy, not just things that seem productive. It might be reading a book, cooking
your favorite meal, tending to a garden, or taking a walk with music in your ears. For some, it could be spending time in nature or talking with a trusted friend. These activities seem simple, yet they restore balance and give you emotional fuel. They remind you that life is not only about output but also about connection and fulfillment.
Setting boundaries is another form of self-care that many overlook. You may feel guilty for turning down requests or saying no, especially when you want to help others. But healthy boundaries protect both you and the people around you. They ensure that when you do say yes, you mean it wholeheartedly. Think of a teacher who stays late every night to help students and skips meals and sleep. Eventually, that teacher becomes too exhausted to teach well. By setting limits, that same teacher can continue to give meaningful support without sacrificing personal health. Filling your own cup also means taking care of your physical well-being. Proper sleep, balanced meals, and movement are not luxuries. They are foundations for a clear mind and steady energy. Even short daily walks can lift your mood and lower stress. Drinking enough water and eating real food instead of quick snacks can make a noticeable difference in how you feel. When your body is cared for, your mind becomes sharper and more resilient.
It also helps to practice gratitude. Each day, take a few minutes to think of three things that went well
or that you are thankful for. This small habit trains your mind to focus on what nourishes you rather than what drains you. Gratitude fills your cup from within by reminding you of the goodness already present in your life.
Lastly, remember that you are not alone in feeling depleted. Everyone reaches that point at some time. Talking to others about it can lighten the load. You might find that your friends or colleagues feel the same way. Together, you can encourage one another to slow down, rest, and make self-care a shared value rather than a private struggle.
Filling your cup is not about becoming self centered. It is about sustainability. You cannot give compassion, energy, or wisdom if you are running on empty. When you take time to restore yourself, you actually become more patient, creative and generous. You show up as your best self, not your most exhausted one.
The truth is that caring for yourself is one of the most responsible things you can do. It allows you to keep giving in ways that are meaningful and lasting. So the next time you feel guilty for taking a break, remember that it is not indulgence. It is maintenance. You would not drive a car on an empty tank and expect it to keep going. In the same way, you cannot keep giving to others if you do not first take care of yourself. Fill your cup, and everything else will flow more easily.
FIND RELIEF FROM TECH NECK, CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME WITH DOCTOR-APPROVED REMINDERS
OF all the high-risk jobs out there, sitting behind an office desk for eight or more hours five days a week seems like the most benign. Sure, there’s no heavy lifting involved, no longdistance travel, and no exposure to dizzying heights, toxic chemicals, or machines that could inadvertently sever a body part. Yet parking yourself in front of a computer for long periods can pose danger to your health in more ways than one.
“You’ve heard of the saying, ‘Sitting is the new smoking.’ That means the lack of activity increases your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers—conditions associated with regular tobacco use,” says Ma. Elena Lourdes R. Tan, MD, from the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation of top Philippine hospital Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed, www.makatimed. net.ph).
Spending hours hunched over your desk typically leads to musculoskeletal pain. “A common problem shared by office workers is lower back pain,” reveals Tan. “One study revealed that as much as 51 percent of office workers experienced lower back pain.”
Given their curved posture when seated, office workers complain too of soreness in the shoulders and neck. “There’s actually a name for it: tech neck or text neck,” shares the MakatiMed doctor. “Common among those who use gadgets, it’s stress caused from keeping your shoulders
and head slumped forward and your chin practically touching your chest.”
If you type a lot on a computer, or use a mouse, you might have felt some tingling, pain and weakness in your hand and wrist. “It’s likely carpal tunnel syndrome,” says Tan. “The carpal tunnel is a space in your wrist bone that serves as a passageway for tendons, ligaments, and nerves to reach your hand. When the median nerve in your carpal tunnel is irritated or damaged due to repetitive motions, it sends pain to your hand, wrist, and fingers.”
Hours of staring at a computer screen can also affect your eyes, causing you to experience blurred vision, dryness, and headaches. “Fortunately, these office pains do
not happen overnight,” declares Tan. “Awareness gives you the opportunity to avoid and correct their causes, so you can work comfortably and more efficiently.”
n Sit properly. “Pick a chair that supports your spine and allows you to adjust its height, so your feet are flat on the floor, your knees are at the same level as your hips, and your head is straight, not bent forward,” reminds Tan. “Make sure you are seated at arm’s length from your computer, your wrists are straight, and your hands are level with your elbows.” n Take breaks. They don’t have to be long to disrupt your concentration and rhythm. A five-minute break every 30 minutes can relax and recharge your body and brain. It also
gives your eyes time to rest, according to Tan. How you spend it is up to you. A walk outdoors may inspire new ideas, while meditating quiets the mind, and stretching not just your body but your hands and fingers can ease some strain. You can also listen to music, read, eat a snack, or chat with a co-worker.
n Consider a standing desk and other ergonomic products. You might have to get used to it, but a standing desk promotes better posture because you aren’t hunched over, the doctor advises. “Still, you might have to take walking and sitting breaks with this type of desk, as standing for too long can be tough on your joints and the soles of your feet,” shares Tan. It might also be helpful to invest in ergonomic chairs, footrests, laptop risers, and other products that are specifically designed to optimize the work environment for comfort and safety.
n Exercise. “It improves posture by strengthening the muscles that support your back, shoulders, and core,” says Tan. “It also releases moodenhancing endorphins that lift the spirit to relax you after a long day at work.”
The doctor recommends simple stretches like neck shoulder rolls, chest stretches, and torso twists as well as quick exercises such as squats and triceps dip using your chair, seated movements like calf raises and knee to chest, and wall push-ups and sits.
PHOTO BY MARCO BIANCHETTI ON UNSPLASH
Three newly approved ECMP projects to benefit over 400 families
More than 400 families in Isabela and Cagayan provinces and Zamboanga City are set to benefit from the Social Housing Finance Corporation’s (SHFC) latest project approvals under the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program (ECMP).
The loan application of Plaridel Village CMP Homeowners’ Association, Inc. in Santiago, Isabela; Ibay’s CMP HOAI in Solana, Cagayan, and Maria Navarro HOAI in Zamboanga City were approved on September 25, 2025 by SHFC President and CEO Federico Laxa and members of the agency’s Credit Committee.
Similar to other approved ECMP communities, the projects will provide secure housing opportunities for families from both the formal and informal sectors. This milestone highlights SHFC’s strong commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that the poor and marginalized are not left behind in the government’s housing efforts.
EIt also supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, being implemented by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) led by Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling.
“SHFC will continue to push forward with the 34 ECMP projects we committed to Secretary Aliling to help more Filipino families achieve affordable and secure housing,” Laxa said. “These projects reflect our dedication to fast-track the implementation of pro-poor and people-centered shelter solutions in line with President Marcos’ housing agenda.
In the same Credit Committee session, SHFC also approved an additional loan to support the site upgrading of Pinag-isang Magkakapitbahay ng Miranda Compound HOAI Phases I, II and III in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
To date, the agency has approved 22
ECMP projects nationwide, paving the way for over 3,800 families to realize their dream of homeownership. It is also targeting the awarding of lots to the initial batch of 5,000 beneficiaries by October.
As part of its transformative approach to ECMP, SHFC does not only provide lot acquisition to communities but also integrates other development components such as improved water and electricity access, drainage systems, as well as livelihood and skills training to augment the income capacity of member-beneficiaries.
The other approved ECMP projects are CMP HOAI in Isabela; Seattohills Neighborhood Association Inc., and Pagkakaisang Maralita ng Antipolo HOAI Ph. 2 in Rizal; Msgr. Eddie L. Eleazar Village HOAI in Quezon; Don Vicente Villas HOAI Ph. 8 sa Laguna, Zone 5 San Juan Bautista HOAI, and San Roque Block 7 Resettlement HOAI in Tarlac; Mirasol Village HOAI in Iloilo City; and Ylagan Ville HOAI Ph. 1 in Oriental Mindoro.
Also approved are Centennial Sunrise HOAI, Villa Soledad HOAI, at Megaville 2 HOAI in Pasig City; Wawangpulo HOAI Ph. 1 in Valenzuela City, Pinag-isang Magkakapitbahay ng Miranda Compound HOAI Ph 1 at 2 in Pampanga; Pagkamoot Village 1 and 2 HOAI, Goldenspringville HOAI, at Ilaw Village HOAI in the Bicol Region.
Beyond statistics: A young Filipina’s mission to save lives from suicide
VERY September and October, the Philippines marks Suicide Prevention Month and World Mental Health Month, a crucial reminder of the country’s urgent mental health crisis. The Philippine National Police recorded more than 2,000 suicide cases in the first half of this year alone, underscoring a growing tragedy that continues to impact families, schools, and communities nationwide.
For Ymari Kristia Pascua, Chief Empowerment Officer of Mental Health Youth Hub PH, these are not just statistics. “Behind every statistic is a story, a family, and a dream,” she emphasizes. “When we talk about suicide cases, we are not just talking about numbers. We are talking about lives and futures that matter.” Her mission is clear: bring conversations about mental health to every corner of the Philippines so no one feels they are fighting alone.
Pascua’s journey, once featured on Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK), mirrors the struggles of countless Filipinos. “My own story has been filled with struggles, but also with resilience,” Pascua shares. “I chose to turn my pain into purpose so that others do not feel they have to fight their battles alone.” Rising from personal battles, she became a youth mental health coach, speaker, and mentor. She now partners with local governments, schools, NGOs, and youth groups to create safe spaces, promote resilience, and champion suicide prevention, reaching audiences from major cities to remote towns.
This year, Pascua brought her advocacy into the worlds where young Filipinos naturally gather: music and fandom communities. She recognized that these spaces are not only about entertainment but also about belonging, and she sought to transform them into safe havens for conversations on mental health.
“Music and fandoms are where young people gather, and these communities can be lifelines,” she explains. In September, she teamed up with BINI Mikha for a mental health seminar that reminded fans that fandom is more than cheering for an idol. It can also be a community of friendship, care, and mutual support. The initiative showed that the same energy fueling fan
devotion can also be harnessed to spark understanding and compassion.
She also collaborated with Ben&Ben and their Liwanag community, weaving stories of hope and resilience into the band’s deeply emotional anthems like “Leaves,” “Courage,” and “Di Ka Sayang.”
“When we collaborated with BINI Mikha and Ben&Ben, it showed that the art we love can also help us heal,” Pascua reflects. These sessions highlighted how music, with its power to connect and heal, can serve as a lifeline for struggling youth, helping them feel seen, understood, and less isolated.
Through these collaborations, Pascua demonstrated that music and advocacy can be mutually beneficial. She turned concerts and fan spaces into platforms for healing and dialogue, proving that the art young people love can also guide them through life’s darkest moments. Wherever Pascua goes, she carries a powerful reminder. “Wherever I go, from cities to the smallest towns, I see the same truth: mental health is everyone’s concern,” she says. For her, mental health is not an abstract issue to be spoken of only in reports or commemorated once a year. It is a daily reality that shapes the way people live, learn, work, and connect with one another.
From city halls to rural schools, Pascua continues to travel across the Philippines to create safe spaces for open dialogue. In every community she visits, she emphasizes that mental health is not just the concern of those directly affected but of society as a whole. She encourages leaders, educators, families, and young people to see compassion as a practice that can save lives. Her message is simple yet urgent. “Let us not limit mental health awareness to September or October,” Pascua urges. “Caring for our mental well-being should be part of our everyday lives, in every home and every community.” By making mental health a shared responsibility and a daily commitment, she believes that communities can break stigma, spark hope, and ensure that no one has to struggle in silence.
As conversations on mental health continue, Pascua,
who also serves as a senior volunteer of I am MAD (Making A Difference) Volunteers, Inc., where she leads its partnerships and mental health initiatives, reminds Filipinos that no one should face their struggles alone. Help is always within reach, and reaching out is a sign of courage, not weakness.
If you or someone you know is struggling, there are hotlines ready to listen and provide support.
The National Center for Mental Health Crisis Hotline can be reached at 1553 (toll-free via landline). For mobile users, Globe and TM subscribers may call 0966351-4518 or 0917-899-8727, while Smart, Sun, and TNT subscribers may dial 0908-639-2672. Hopeline PH is also available at (02) 8804-4673.
For those who wish to invite Ymari Kristia Pascua for talks, workshops, or collaborations, or for anyone seeking guidance and support on mental health, she may be reached at ymarikristia@gmail.com.
You can also connect with her on Instagram at @ ymarikristia or visit bit.ly/ YmariKristiaPascua for more information.
Countdowns, Cocktails, and Confetti: Themed Year-End Parties You Cannot Miss
THE 13 properties of Megaworld Hotels & Resorts are rolling out a dazzling line-up of themed yearend parties across its properties nationwide. Each celebration is crafted to match every traveler’s idea of a perfect send-off to 2025, whether it’s a neon island rave, a rooftop soiree, a jungle-inspired countdown, or a cozy vineyard retreat.
Neon Tropics in Boracay
Close the year with vibrant tropical energy at Boracay Newcoast during the Neon Island Vibes. Imagine glowing cocktails, electrifying neon lights, and island beats that transform the shore into a technicolor paradise.
Set against the iconic Keyhole, this is Boracay’s most anticipated year-end party for those craving excitement, color, and paradise. Complimentary passes are given to guests who availed the New Year dinner buffet at Savoy Hotel Boracay and Belmont Hotel Boracay; and P499 for walk-ins inclusive of two glasses of drinks.
Glow Mardi Gras Countdown in Mactan Building on
year’s
and Belmont
Savoy
Mactan return with
Mactan
Mardi Gras Countdown to 2026. This beachside celebration combines the bold spirit of Mardi Gras with neon glamor, pulsating beats, and carnival revelry. Guests can expect a night of high-energy performances and festive fun by the coast. Be part of this countdown party for only P1500 (early bird rate), inclusive of two drinks and Glow
From intimate dinners to grand holiday parties, New World Makati Hotel offers customizable packages to bring people together. Whether you’re hosting 30 or 100 guests, options include sumptuous three-course meals or lavish buffets,
speaking on Mental Health and Wellbeing at the Global Youth Summit organized by
Cares
with enhancements like LED wall displays for added flair.
Packages begin at P88,000 for smaller groups, with premium options available for larger celebrations. Each gathering includes thoughtful touches such as sparkling wine and overnight stay certificates, ensuring every moment is wrapped in festive cheer.
Festive Dining: A Feast for the Season At Café 1228, guests can indulge in holiday buffets featuring festive favorites. From Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day, the restaurant offers a rotating menu of comforting classics and celebratory dishes, with prices starting at P3,800 per person. Children can join the feast at a special rate, and all meals include free-flowing beverages to toast the season.
Meanwhile, Jasmine presents a refined take on festive dining with all-you-can-eat dim sum at P2,888 per person, Yum Cha
for kids.
A Feast to New Beginnings at Grand Westside Hotel Finally, Grand Westside Hotel sets the table for A Feast to New Beginnings. Guests can enjoy a buffet spread of festive flavors and indulgent desserts across two dinner seatings, at 5:30 pm and 8 pm. For P3,288 net/person, gather loved ones and mark the transition to 2026 with a hearty celebration. Ring in the new year in style with Megaworld Hotels & Resorts!
Cebu City Vice Mayor Osmeña visits Vivant Desal plant in Cordova
Vice Mayor Tommy Osmeña recently visited the Isla Mactan Desalination Plant in Cordova, a facility which aims to help the city’s growing water security challenges. Codeveloped by global experts in water technology and Vivant Water, the water arm of Cebu-based and publicly listed conglomerate Vivant Corporation, the plant is the country’s first utilityscale seawater desalination
Designed to deliver 20 million liters of potable water daily, enough to serve nearly 29,000 Cebuano households, the project is now in its final stages of testing and commissioning, before supplying the
lunches, and set menus for groups, starting at P26,880. Beverage packages are also available to complement the experience.
Gifts That Spark Joy, Curated Hampers from The Shop
For those looking to share the spirit of the season, The Shop offers a selection of holiday hampers and gift boxes filled with artisanal treats. From wine and chocolate pairings to sustainable gift sets, prices range from P3,500 to P8,500 making it easy to find something special for everyone on your list.
Cheers That Give Back – Festive Cocktails at The Lounge Raise a glass to the season with signature cocktails like the “White Nutcracker” and “Rudolf Red Highball,” crafted with festive flavors and priced at P500. A non-alcoholic mocktail is also available for P400. Best of all, a portion of proceeds supports Kythe
Foundation, helping children with cancer and chronic illnesses.
Countdown to 2026: New Year’s Eve at The Lounge
As the clock strikes midnight, guests are invited to welcome 2026 with live entertainment, free-flowing drinks, and a chance to win exclusive stays at New World and Rosewood properties across Asia. Tickets are available at an early bird rate of P4,000 until December 15, or P4,300 thereafter. This festive season, let New World Makati Hotel be part of your holiday story, where timeless traditions and joyful new memories come alive in the heart of the city. For reservations and inquiries, please contact (02) 8811 6888 or email reservations. manila@newworldhotels.com or enquiry. manila@newworldhotels.com. You may also visit our website at manila. newworldhotels.com
Ymari Kristia
goodies at The Shop.
Editor: Tet Andolong
BusinessMirror
Urban planner cites need to form a national integrated flood management policy
By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio
THE flood control scandal has become the hottest topic today in the country because it has affected a lot of Filipinos regardless of social status.
Whether it’s real, imagined, real, incomplete or ghost projects, the flood control projects have become familiar to a lot of Filipinos, according to Guillermo Luz, chairperson of Liveable Cities Philippines and chief resilience officer of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation.
He adds it’s exhausting the people’s patience. “And what is most alarming is that many of the hardest hit structures were in areas supposedly protected by flood control projects themselves,” says Luz during the recent Liveable Cities Lab on Rethinking Flood Resilience through Sustainable Urban Planning forum.
A smorgasbord plan
IN his talk organized by the Liveable Cities Lab on Rethinking
Flood Resilience through Sustainable Urban Planning, prominent urban planner Dr. Nathaniel von Einsiedel, the principal planner of CONCEP Inc. laments that the country is adopting an agglomerate approach in the flood management plan. “We don’t have a National Integrated Flood Management policy master plan. What we have is a hodgepodge of waterrelated policies and plants and offices, says Einsiedel, who also served as the first Commissioner for Planning of the Metro Manila Commission.
“And what is interesting, and this is something that’s at the bottom of the list is the river basin control office under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. There are 18 River Basin Development Councils in the Phil -
ippines, but for some reason, they never convene,” adds Einsiedel. Einsiedel describes the current scenario as very fragmented, inadequate and lacking in interjurisdictional collaboration. Right now, the government’s approach is to build gray infrastructure such as the reservoir levees, flood walls, flood gates, sea walls, etc. Nevertheless, these infrastructure are very expensive, but as we all have been a source of illegal wealth for some people.
Besides, these major infrastructure projects disturb the land and disrupt the natural flow of water.
“When you change the route of a river, you hasten the flow, and once the speed of water acceler -
Developers prop up Davao property footprint
DAVAO is one of the most competitive cities in Mindanao, that’s why it is a preferred location of multinational outsourcing companies. The city is also regarded as one of the safest localities in the country, making it an appealing business destination for expatriates. Over the years we have seen Davao faring well in terms of competitiveness, as measured by key indicators including size of domestic economy, disaster resilience, ease of business registration, etc. In our view Davao holds a lot of promise and is one prime location that office landlords and occupants should keep an eye on.
Colliers Philippines believes that the city’s skilled manpower will continue attracting outsourcing locators. This should be supported by the seamless coordination of the city’s business groups, information and communications technology (ICT) councils, and academe.
Colliers is optimistic that the development of more integrated communities in the city should result in the construction of newer and more sustainable office spaces. Tenants should be on the lookout for the completion of these high-quality office spaces and should even consider pre-leasing.
Competitive vacancy
outside Metro Manila
AS of end-Q2 2025, overall vacancy in Davao reached 5.5 percent (down from 6.6 percent a quarter ago), one of the lowest vacancies outside the capital region due to sustained demand from outsourcing companies.
With this level of vacancy, Davao is the only office market hub outside Metro Manila that enjoys a landlord’s market status.
Office transactions up 32% YoY IN H1 2025, Davao recorded 10,400 sq metres (111,900 sq feet) of office space transactions, up 32 percent YOY and accounting for 7 percent of the total deals in areas outside the National Capital Region (AONCR). Among the notable deals recorded in Davao from 2024 to H1 2025 were spaces occupied by Teleperformance, Alorica, Optum, VA Platinum, Ibex and CubeWork. These firms took up spaces in Matina IT Park (Plaza de Luisa Development Inc.), Robinsons Cybergate Delta 1 (Robinsons Land) and The Uprise (Felcris Hotels and Resorts). Other outsourcing firms that have established their presence in the province are OP360, Concentrix, Wipro, iQor, Cloudstaff, Sutherland, and VXI.
As of end H1 2025, net take-up in Davao reached 23,000 sq meters (247,500 sq feet), already more than double the 10,900 sq meters (117,300 sq feet) of net absorption recorded a year ago. By end-2025, Colliers projects net take-up to reach 30,000 sq meters (322,800 sq feet).
Office supply to grow by 20% by 2027
AS of end-Q2 2025, Davao’s office stock reached 379,000 sq meters (4.1 million sq feet). From 2025 to 2027, we project the average annual completion of 26,800 sq meters (288,400 sq feet) of new office space in Davao, up from only 1,600 sq meters (17,200 sq feet) of new supply completed annually from 2021 to 2023. Among the office towers likely to be completed during the period include SM Lanang BPO Towers 1 & 2, One Republic Plaza and Azuela Technohub.
From 2026 to 2027, Colliers sees the completion of new office towers in Davao city by Megaworld, Robinsons Land, Ayala Land, and SM.
Bustling residential hub
COLLIERS believes that the increasing office transactions in Davao should partly support residential demand in the city. The entry of national property developers such as Megaworld, Ayala Land, Robinsons Land, Filinvest Land, SMDC, Vista Land, and Cebu Landmasters (CLI) also strengthened Davao’s position as a major property investment destination in the VisMin region.
For the condominium segment, among the developers which launched projects since 2024 include Filinvest Land, Torre Lorenzo and Damosa Land. These projects are priced between P180,000 and P283,000 (USD3,200 and USD5,100) per unit with take-up ranging from 63 percent to 100 percent. Meanwhile, CLI, Alsons Properties and Phinma Properties recently launched new house-and-lot projects in the city. Vista Land continues to be a major player in the residential lot only segment.
Property firms are also launching expansive integrated communities in Davao which will feature residential, office and retail components. Ongoing township projects include CLI’s Davao Global Township (DGT), and Alsons Properties’ Northtown. Ayala Land recently launched the 204-hectare Ascenda.
The launch of these master-planned communities will likely be the norm moving forward as Davao residents and investors
ates, it erodes the sides of it,” he points out.
Moreover, Einsiedel says infrastructure requires regular maintenance, and the Philippine government is not very well known for effective maintenance. He also warns that it creates a false sense of security among the people. “We need to rethink the existing approach to flood management and to shift from the traditional two things that are at the forefront of mitigating flood hazards-floodplains and stormwater management. He adds that the people also need to understand that flooding is a natural curse. Flood damage occurs only when human beings interfere with the natural flooding
process by one altering the water course, for example, developing areas in the upstream of the watershed, and cutting down forests in the mountains. As far as subdivisions are concerned, the problem is that the drainage plants of subdivisions are limited only to the boundary of their subdivision. “They don't bother to collect where the outfalls are, which is a local government unit (LGU) responsibility. Now another problem is the alteration of the water course, because this should not be allowed,” says Einsiedel.
In fact, when property owners buy a lot and it's supposed to be depressed,, the traditional approach is the tambak method. It’s just actually just transferring the flood water to the area outside the property.
If there’s an existing flood management policy, that practice should not be allowed. In case it can be allowed, the developers have to get the permit. They also have to show that it will not alter the natural flow of water.
Stormwater management UNLIKE rural areas that have a lot of previous open space that
can absorb rainwater, urban areas have a lot of roads which cannot absorb rainwater. The rainwater is conducted through culverts, and they're conducted to the lowest areas, and they cause flash floods. “Most of our towns and cities have conventional drainage systems that are limited mainly to the population areas, and many of them, or most of them, actually have not considered the additional volume of water caused by climate change,” says Einsiedel. Although there is a template that they follow based on the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development guidelines, Einsiedel says they don’t really translate this into storm water management systems, and mostly they rely on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to do the flood control plans for the jurisdictions.
“If we are to solve the problem of flooding, we need to understand that this is a natural occurrence, and that we need to study the location, the specific conditions of the place where we need to come up with the floodplain management system and the stormwater management system,” Einsiedel points out.
Eton Properties named among Top Ten Developers at the 2025 Hubexo Asia Awards Philippines
TAGUIG City, October 3, 2025— Eton Properties Philippines, Inc., the real estate arm of the Lucio Tan Group, achieved a new milestone after being named among the Top Ten Developers at the prestigious 2025 Hubexo Asia Awards Ph ilippines.
This recognition affirms Eton Properties’ track record in Philippine real estate, delivering masterp lanned communities, residential condominiums, office buildings, and mixed-use developments that elevate urban living and contribute to local economic growth.
The Hubexo Asia Awards—formerly known as the BCI Asia Awards— i s now on its 20th year of honoring the region’s most accomplished real estate developers and architectural firms. It recognizes companies with outstanding project portfolios and a strong commitment to design excellence, innovation, and sustainability a cross Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
Being counted among the nation’s top developers is an honor for Eton Properties,” said Ar. Adrian Chua, Chief Operating Officer of Eton Properties Philippines. “This recognition r eflects the dedication of our people and partners who consistently deliver projects that respond to the evolving needs of our customers and help shape the country’s real estate landscape.”
Eton Properties has steadily grown its footprint nationwide through landmark projects such as the 12-hectare Eton Centris township in Quezon City and the 600-hectare Eton City in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. These developments showcase Eton’s ability to combine modern design, functional spaces, and strategic locations t o create thriving hubs for business and lifestyle.
With its inclusion in the Top Ten Developers in the Philippines, Eton Properties strengthens its position as a key player in the local real estate industry, continuing to deliver p rojects that embody its values of
GUILLERMO LUZ
NATHANIEL VON EINSIEDEL
B8 Wednesday, OctOBer 8, 2025
mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph
Editor: Jun Lomibao
UCI ELITE CYCLING TEAM DROPS ‘ISRAEL’ FROM IDENTITY
Progress often needs sacrifice
IIt
Although a new chapter awaits, one that will be revealed soon, the team will remain true to its founding promise: to develop cycling talent from around the world,” the team said. Premier Tech is a multinational company based in Quebec, Canada. It had already showed its intention to rebrand after the widespread protests against the team.
O rganizers of the Giro dell’Emilia race excluded Israel Premier Tech
SBy Josef Ramos
over possible disruptions if the team was to participate. During the Spanish Vuelta, several stages were disrupted, with some cut short and others interrupted.
Infantino promotes peace FACING growing global calls to suspend Israeli teams from soccer, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said recently the governing body must promote peace and unity and could not solve political issues. In a febrile period for soccer politics, Infantino led a meeting
of FIFA’s ruling council in Zurich which did not have Israel formally on the agenda before 2026 World Cup qualifying games resume next week.
He later met privately at FIFA headquarters with the leader of the Palestinian soccer federation, Jibril Rajoub, and praised his organization “for their resilience at this time.”
The strongest push against Israeli teams by European soccer leaders during the two-year conflict in Gaza was paused after a peace proposal on Monday in the White House by US President Donald Trump and Israeli
San Miguel opens defense of crown
AN MIGUEL Beer begins its title-retention drive and newcomer Titan Ultra makes its debut at the resumption on Wednesday of the 50th Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City. N ine-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo and San Miguel Beer takes on NLEX in the main game at 7:30 p.m. hoping to join in the win column Magnolia, which saw LA Tenorio debut with a bang from the bench against his former team Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 80-73, on opening day last Sunday. F ajardo and the Beermen expect the Road Warriors to be as eager to beat them—the biggest fish in the tournament.
“Everybody wants to beat us that is why we need to get better every game,” the 6-foot-10 Fajardo said. “My goal is to always keep my team better and competitive. I am praying for more championships to come.” C hris Miller, picked at No. 9 in the draft, debuts for the Beermen against the Road Warriors, whose coach, Jong Uichico, stressed they expect a tough night on Wednesday.
“They’re always the league’s barometer,” Uichico told
“FIFA cannot solve geopolitical problems,” Infantino said in the statement, “but it
The Israel men’s team should now travel to play World Cup qualifiers against Norway in Oslo on October 11 and Italy in Udine three days later.
Norway was among European soccer federations urging UEFA to call a vote of its executive committee ahead of the FIFA meeting in Zurich on suspending Israeli teams from international competitions.
Turkey’s soccer body directly called on UEFA and FIFA to suspend Israel.
A ny vote of the 20-member UEFA panel seemed likely to pass, people familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press, despite opposition from some members including Israel and Germany.
FIFA and Infantino—who has built close ties to Trump ahead of the US co-hosting the World Cup next year with Canada and Mexico—were never likely to follow any UEFA vote.
That prospect became even more distant last week when the US State Department said it would work to protect Israel’s status in soccer. AP
Tin the
of
during the opening ceremony on December 9 at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok. Our athletes and officials will be clad in elegant and nationalistic parade uniforms crafted by no less than renowned designer Avel Bacudio,” Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said. “Any if not all of Avel’s designs are always dedicated and reflective of our country.” A thletes, according to Tolentino, will wear red parade uniforms while officials and coaches will be
of fabric that combines piña, bamboo, water lily, abaca and saluyot fibers put together by weavers from Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga, Ilocos, Abra, La Union, Aklan and Bacolod.
“The collection represents every island of the Philippines. They are new, but they have history,” Bacudio said in a recent Mega Asia article that featured his Alas ng Pilipinas design and his Gintong Sinag, a sports luxe collection that paid tribute to the country’s athletes. Also incorporated in the parade uniforms are the yellow and white colors of the country’s colors, Tolentino said. Filipino athletes will compete in all 50 sports programmed by Thailand in the SEA Games that will be played in three sites—Bangkok as main hub with 32 sports plus three demonstration sports in 48 venues, Chonburi with 17 sports and one demonstration sports in 21 venues and Songkhla with nine sports and 10 venues.
Ateneo stakes clean record vs reigning champ UP
ATENEO de Manila University stakes its unbeaten record against defending champion University of the Philippines (UP) Wednesday in University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 88 men’s basketball action on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Blue Eagles are in for a tough test against the Fighting Maroons, who have won two straight after starting the season with back-to-back losses.
Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin is bracing for a rugged 5 p.m. clash, especially after UP’s impressive comeback against previously undefeated National University last Saturday.
National University (NU), meanwhile, takes on skidding Adamson
University in the 2 p.m. curtain-raiser.
The Bulldogs, tied with the Growling Tigers in second place at 3-1, aim to rebound after last Saturday’s loss, when the Fighting Maroons erased a 13-point deficit with a 22-2 run.
The Fighting Maroons rallied from 22 points down to beat the Bulldogs, 66-59, with coach Goldwin Monteverde engineering their first winning streak of the season.
“They’re a really, really good team. But, you know, NU really had them on the ropes,” Baldwin said. “It’s going to be, you know, two teams that UP fighting to get back into where they know that they belong, back into the top four and top four contention, and us trying to hold on to a really outstanding start to the season.”
So scorching was Ateneo’s firepower in the game’s first 30 minutes that the Blue Eagles from Katipunan were able to erect a shocking 33-point lead, 68-35, rendering the fourth frame as a mere exercise in futility for the Archers from Taft.
A lthough De La Sallle awoke somewhat with a dizzying 18-0 run to come to within 12 points, the rally came a bit late and, with time not on the Archers’ side—plus the clutch shots from Ateneo’s Shawn Tuano—the Eagles would simply cruise to their tournament-leading, 4-0, win-loss record against the 2-2 mark of their bitter rivals. Tenorio, now totally cancer-free, was humble in victory, saying, “Yes, we got this win out of our chest, but this is just the start of the journey. We have to get better everyday.” Tim Cone, Tenorio’s mentor for years at Ginebra, said: “I’m happy for LA, sad for myself.”
In n ailing his ninth MVP plum, Fajardo looks literally sure no one can catch him anymore—not even tie his haul. Not in his lifetime?
Even Ramon Fernandez, who used to hold the record of most
The Blue Eagles had a short turnaround following a tough game last weekend when they squandered a 33-point second-half lead but still held on for an 81-74 victory over De La Salle in the rivalry matchup.
Ateneo faces a challenging three-game stretch, with its next outing against University of Santo Tomas at the Blue Eagle Gym on Saturday to close the first round.
“It’s the same approach, regardless of who we’re
MVPs won at four in a tie with Alvin Patrimonio, is confident Fajardo’s feat is unreachable. At the rate he’s been playing, he can even easily win his 10th MVP,” Fernandez said. “I was 35 when I won my fourth MVP.” And Fajardo
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Infantino stressed to his 37-member council “the importance of promoting peace and unity, particularly in the context of the ongoing situation in Gaza,” FIFA said in a news release that did not refer directly to Israel.
