THE US budget deficit declined slightly for the 2025 fiscal year as tariff revenue hit a record high, though the pace of borrowing remains historically elevated at a time of economic expansion and financial stability.
The deficit for the fiscal year was $1.78 trillion, down from $1.82 trillion in 2024, a drop of 2 percent, according to figures released by the Treasury Department Thursday. The gap largely echoed a Congressional Budget Office estimate published last week.
President Donald Trump’s dramatic tariff hikes helped spur a net $195 billion in tariff revenue for the fiscal year, which ended September 30. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the US could take in as much as $500 billion annually in tariff revenue. The legal basis for a large swath of those levies remains under scrutiny, however, with a case pending at the Supreme Court.
Trump’s latest tax legislation, signed in July, is also set to affect the federal budget. Thursday’s release showed a slide in corporate tax receipts for the month of September, in part reflecting measures included in that so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Gross corporate tax receipts plunged some 41percent, to $65 billion.
As a share of gross domestic product, the deficit for 2025 is estimated at 5.9 percent, a Treasury official said, down from
By Andrea E. San Juan
slowdown” in the economy in the third quarter of 2025 due to supply shocks such as typhoons and work suspensions.
PHL bets on e-visas to woo Chinese tourists
PBy Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo Special to the BusinessMirror
RIVATE tourism stakeholders are hopeful that Manila’s new policy of rolling out electronic visas (evisas) to Chinese citizens will lift overall visitor arrivals this year, although it’s too early to tell if it will aid government meet its target headcount. Tourism Congress of the Philippines President James Montenegro told the BusinessMirror, “Any e-visa program will always be beneficial to the country. I’m hopeful that this program will help increase our arrivals from China, as this seems to be what’s missing in our current arrival numbers.”
He noted that even without the evisa, tourists from China continue to arrive, although admittedly not at prepandemic levels. “Even with the difficulty to get visas, they still came, so if the e-visa makes it easier, [arrivals] should increase,” he added.
ers on the sidelines of the EU-Philippines Business Dialogue on Thursday night in Makati City.
Balisacan noted that the slowdown in gross domestic product (GDP) growth is in relation to what the economic team was expecting six months ago. Still, he is hoping that the economy’s growth rate in the third quarter will not be slower than the 5.4 percent posted in the second quarter.
WEATHERING A SLOWDOWN Two men navigate a landslide triggered by Typhoon Nando (Ragasa) in Uyugan, Batanes, on September 23, 2025. The series of typhoons that battered the country has disrupted work and supply chains—part of the “supply shocks”
of work suspension, so economic activity is really affected,” Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan told report-
On the other hand, the DEPDev chief is pinning his hopes on what he called “good developments” such as: “Inflation has continued to fall, interest rates have continued to slow down.”
He explained that the effects of falling interest rates in the earlier months are “beginning to be felt now,” adding, “There are usually lag effects of interest rate changes and investment and consumption decisions.”
Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed 202,738 visitors arrived from China from January to September this year, 22 percent less than the 260,134 who arrived in the same period in 2024.
China was the second top market source for tourists in 2019, accounting for 21 percent or 1.74 million visitors of the 8.3 million international visitors that year. Last year, only 312,222 tourists arrived from China, of the total 5.95 million foreign visitors. (See, “Missed goal: 5.95-M foreign tourists visited PHL in 2024,” in the BusinessMirror, Jan. 6, 2025.)
Tighter monitoring in place
PHILIPPINE Ambassador to Beijing Jaime FlorCruz has signed a memorandum of agreement with VFS Global-China,
PHILIPPINE Ambassador to China Jaime FlorCruz signs the MOA with Mr. Kishen Singh, VFS Global CEO for Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Mongolia. BEIJING PE VIA DFA
US tariff take helps trim ’25 deficit to $1.78 trillion
6.3 percent last year. That’s based on an internal Treasury estimate, the official said, as official GDP data for the July-through-September quarter are still pending.
Spending drivers
BESSENT has said he wants to see the deficit ratio come down to “something with a three in front of it” by the end of Trump’s second term in office. A 3-percent ratio is something of an international standard for fiscal probity — serving as the level euro region nations are supposed to adhere to.
“Strong private sector led growth alongside constrained federal spending means the deficit to GDP will take care of itself,” Bessent said in a post to X. “FY 2025’s deficit to GDP is now projected to be under 6 percent. And with continued fiscal restraint, we can reach 3 percent by 2028.”
Total outlays for the fiscal year increased to $7 trillion from $6.7 trillion the previous year, an increase of 4 percent, according to Treasury.
Many economists see the latest tax law eroding revenue growth over the coming decade, worsening the already-steep trajectory for federal borrowing. The Tax Policy Center estimated that it will increase federal debt by $4.2 trillion,
Gold, silver hit records on credit fears, US-China tensions
remained on track for hefty weekly advances.
Broader markets were jolted on Thursday as two US regional lenders disclosed problems with loans involving allegations of fraud, adding to concern that more cracks are emerging in borrowers’ creditworthiness. The reports roiled markets less than a week after the resurgence of the US-China trade war, adding to uneasiness caused by the dearth of economic data during a government shutdown in Washington. The combination of jitters boosted demand for havens.
Traders are also piling into wagers on at least one jumbo US rate cut by year-end, while Fed Chair Jerome Powell signaled this week the central bank is on track to deliver another quarterpoint reduction this month. That would benefit precious metals, which don’t pay interest.
ing demand for haven assets in the face of geopolitical and trade tensions, rising government spending and debt, and threats to the Fed’s independence from the Trump administration.
Silver, meanwhile, has run even harder — surging almost 87 percent in 2025 — with gains underpinned by some of the macro factors driving gold. The market’s also been gripped by a historic squeeze in London, where a lack of liquidity has sparked a worldwide hunt for the metal as benchmark prices soared above futures in New York.
Over the past week, more than 15 million ounces of silver have been withdrawn from warehouses linked to the Comex futures exchange in New York. Much of that is likely headed to London, where it should help ease tightness. The price gap between the two trading hubs remains unusually wide at $1.10 an ounce, though that’s narrower than a spread of as much as $3 last week. Silver fell 0.5 percent on Friday at 11:02 a.m. in Singapore, but remains up more than 7 percent for the week.
or 9 percent of GDP, by 2034. Rising spending on interest on the national debt and on Social Security remain key drivers of the outsize deficits the US has been running in recent years. Outlays for the Social Security Administration were $1.6 trillion in 2025, an increase of 8 percent over the previous fiscal year’s total of $1.5 trillion. Spending on Health and Human Services climbed 10 percent, propelled by Medicare and Medicaid.
Gross outlays for interest on the public debt weighed in at a re-
cord $1.22 trillion for the fiscal year, up 7 percent from 2024. The deficit was held down by a policy change affecting federal student loan plans, according to the Treasury official. The Education Department saw a $233 billion shrinkage in its outlays for the 2025 fiscal year. Bloomberg News
China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Thursday blamed the recent escalation in tensions on the US and warned against decoupling. That followed inflammatory comments from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who on Wednesday lashed out at a top Chinese trade official.
Gold has surged about 65 percent this year, underpinned by central-bank buying, inflows to exchange-traded funds and soar-
Spot gold was up 0.4 percent to $4,341.07 an ounce, on track for a weekly gain of more than 8 percent. Platinum was up 6.8 percent for the week, while palladium has jumped 15 percent. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed. Bloomberg News
PHL bets on e-visas to woo Chinese tourists
which will process the e-visa applications from that country as well as its special administrative territories. These e-visas will be good for just 14 days, without extensions, and available for business and tourism purposes. Visitors are required to enter only via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay or the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. (See, “PHL Embassy in Beijing set to issue eVisas for Chinese short-term visitors,” in the BusinessMirror, Oct. 15, 2028.)
While the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to release the actual guidelines for said e-visa rules, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it has already tightened its monitoring of foreign nationals visiting the Philippines.
BI Spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval underscored: “Current measures are already in place to prevent the overstaying of foreign nationals. Our integrated systems make their travel records visible in all ports. Should any foreign national overstay in the country, our intelligence division personnel are deployed to locate and arrest said aliens.”
Boracay stakeholders also lauded the coming e-visa rollout for Chinese visitors, who topped the key source markets for the island, prior to the pandemic. Data from the Malay Tourism Office showed the island received 434,175 Chinese tourists in 2019, accounting for 42 percent of the 1.04 mil-
lion foreign tourists who visited that year.
Strong marketing urged “THIS development, though long overdue, must be more than just symbolic. The Philippines already faces stiff competition in tourism …. With visa friction reduced, I believe we can regain some of that lost traction,” said Boracay Foundation Inc. President Dindo Salazar. “Yes, Boracay could benefit from higher arrivals — but only if this policy is supported by timely implementation, strong promotional campaigns, and continued improvements in visitor experience. Otherwise, it risks being another well-intentioned policy with limited impact,” he added.
DOT Spokesperson Czarina Zarah Loyola said in a text message that they were still “clarifying the steps in the application process” with the DFA. The DOT had to recalibrate its arrivals targets after missing its 7.7-million goal in 2024, and recently informed senators that it projected 6.7 million international travelers in 2026, considerably less than its 9.3-million original target.
The DFA had suspended the rollout of the e-visa scheme in China on November 30, 2023, without explanation, although this paper’s sources intimated that this was on instruction from Malacañang.
There had been persistent concerns from lawmakers as well as law-enforcement agencies on rising criminal incidents involv-
ing Chinese visitors, including the use of fake Filipino identification cards. Added to these are ongoing diplomatic tensions between Manila and Beijing over the West Philippine Sea. Visa-free arrivals are now offered to India, however, which DOT hopes will replace the sluggish Chinese market.
The growth that the country’s economic team is expecting for this year is now at 5.5 to 6.5 percent.
“The low end of the range is still very much achievable,” Balisacan said.
Maintaining his optimism, however, the country’s Socioeconomic planning chief said there may be no need to revise the economic team’s growth target. He pointed out, “Even the numbers of IMF, World Bank, ADB, are so close to the 5.5. So why do we have to be more pessimistic than what they are seeing for the country?”
With this, Balisacan said the government should “check on what we can speed up, because obviously if there is a slowdown in government spending, we have to do something about that.”
Next week, he said, the economic team will meet to “discuss the way forward.”
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) noted that the economy grew 5.5 percent in the second quarter of 2025. This placed the country’s growth at 5.4 percent in the first six months of the year. This growth was faster than the 5.38-percent GDP growth posted in the first semester, but slower than the 6.5 percent posted in the second quarter of 2024.
Balisacan hopes there will be “greater clarity and less uncertainty” in the coming years.
At present, Balisacan said the main source of uncertainty is still the tariffs that are being imposed by the United States.
of
NUSTAR RESORT CEBU CAPS ‘RHYTHMS OF WELLNESS’ WITH BIGGEST DRAGON BOAT REGATTA IN CEBU
NUSTAR Resort Cebu successfully concluded its inaugural
“Rhythms of Wellness” event with the first-ever NUSTAR Dragon Boat Regatta 2025, held on September 20–21 at the NUSTAR Boardwalk. The two-day regatta marked the culmination of the month-long wellness celebration, bringing together athletes, communities, and wellness enthusiasts from across the Philippines and abroad.
This year’s highest-stakes divisions, the Premier Open Standard Boat and Premier Mixed Standard Boat races, saw fierce competition on the 200-metre course. Philippine Navy dominated the Premier Open Standard Boat category, taking the top prize ahead of Dumaguete Yellowfins, Siargao Dragons, and Bohol Paddlers. In the Premier Mixed Standard Boat division, Sugbu Mighty Dragons clinched first place followed by Bohol Paddlers, Black Manta Warriors, and Siargao Dragons. Champions in these categories, along with winners across
the other divisions, received trophies, medals, and cash prizes of up to Php50,000 during the awarding and fellowship night held on September 21 at the NUSTAR Convention Center.
Beyond the headline divisions, the regatta showcased excellence across all six categories. In the Senior Open Small Boat race, DPC x UMAPADS came out on top ahead of Sugbu Mighty Dragons, Dumaguete Yellowfins and Mandaue DBT (PADS). Mandaue Paradragons led the PD1 Open Small Boat category with Cebu Paradragons, Mactan DB Squad, and Dawata rounding out the top four. The 24U Open Small Boat race saw Mandaue DBT (PADS) finish first ahead of Siargao Dragons, Bohol Paddlers, and Ark Dragon. Philippine Navy also prevailed in the Premier Women Small Boat division, with BFP St. Florian DBT, Siargao Dragons, and Cebu Poseidon completing the field.
“The energy here is electric, and for good reason,” said Sean Knights, Chief Operating Officer
of NUSTAR Resort Cebu. “This regatta is not just a race; it’s the start of something meaningful. With the strong support of the Cebu City Government, we see this growing into an annual celebration of strength, teamwork, and sportsmanship — placing Cebu on the global dragon boat map.” This inaugural event proudly included cancer survivors, para-athletes, and teams championing meaningful causes as part of NUSTAR’s month-long wellness campaign. It was made possible in collaboration with the Cebu City Government, the Department of Tourism, Philippines Accessible Disability Services (PADS) and the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation, underscoring NUSTAR’s commitment to inclusivity and partnership.
The regatta capped off a series of wellness activities launched earlier in September. The month began with the NUSTAR Run Club, a series of guided runs open to all fitness levels designed to encourage regular exercise and camaraderie. This was followed by NUSTAR Serenity in Motion, a weekend program of yoga, stretching, meditation sessions, and more, promoting mindfulness and mental wellness. Both events created momentum and community engagement, paving the way for the marquee waterfront competition. NUSTAR plans to make “Rhythms of Wellness” an annual highlight, expanding activities and partnerships to reach even more Cebuanos and visitors in the coming years.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival during the opening ceremony of the NUSTAR Dragon Boat Regatta 2025 held last September 20, 2025, at the NUSTAR Boardwalk
From left to right: John Paul “JP” Maunes, Founder, Philippine Accessible Disability Services, Inc. (PADS); Stuart Stancombe, Executive Assistant Manager – Food & Beverage of NUSTAR;
Roel Constantino, NUSTAR General Manager of Hotels; Dr. Princess Kate Belaniso, Consultant, Philippine Sports Commission; Sean Knights, NUSTAR Chief Operating Officer; Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival; Trevor Hammond, NUSTAR Senior Vice President – Gaming Operations; Dr. Rhoel Dejaño, Chairman, Cebu City Sports Commission; Katrina Mae de Jesus, NUSTAR Assistant
Vice President – Business Development; and Mary Anne May Narciso, Vice President – Human Resources.
Participants embrace mindfulness and inner balance during a yoga session at NUSTAR Resort Cebu’s Rhythms of Wellness program. Smiles
MMDA bares traffic-mitigation measures ahead of holiday rush
TO alleviate expected congestion during the Christmas season, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) revealed its traffic mitigating measures, proven to be effective in managing increased vehicular volume during the holiday season when people flock to shopping malls in Metro Manila for shopping and leisure.
These measures are set to take effect November 17 and will run until December 25.
“The Christmas season brings with it a 10 to 25 percent increase in vehicular volume in Metro Manila roads. By implementing these effective measures, we aim to provide a more manageable traffic flow for the holidays,” said MMDA Chairman Romando Artes following a consultative meeting with various stakeholders on Friday. Artes gained the unanimous support of representatives of
shopping mall management; and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), water, electricity, and telecommunications companies, when he laid down the agency’s comprehensive traffic-alleviating measures:
1. Shopping mall operators shall submit their respective traffic management plans to the MMDA for their respective mall sales and promotional events two weeks before the scheduled dates of such events.
2. Deliveries by shopping mall
operators shall be conducted only during nighttime from 11 pm to 5 am the next day during weekdays except for perishable goods such as food and ice.
3. Mall-wide sale shall only be allowed on weekends. However, sale on certain stores or outlets inside the mall may only be allowed even on weekdays provided that no announcement, advertisement, or tarpaulins of the same are made.
4. Shopping malls shall adjust their operating hours from 11 am to 11 pm during weekdays.
5. Temporary suspension of excavation activities on all national and city roads in Metro Manila. All road right-of-way excavation activities in Metro Manila, which include road reblocking works, pipe-laying, road upgrading and other excavation works that may hinder or disrupt the smooth flow of traffic. Exempted from the moratorium are flagship projects of the government, DPWH bridge repair and construction, flood interceptor catchment projects, emergency leak repair, and others.
Moreover, provincial buses are allowed to traverse Edsa between
10 pm to 5 am starting December 20; while on December 24 until January 2, provincial buses are allowed on EDSA round-the-clock (24 hours) for faster turnaround time and to accommodate more passengers.
During that period, provincial buses coming from the north shall terminate their trips in Cubao, Quezon City, while those coming from the south shall terminate their trips in Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange or in Pasay City.
Also, Artes said night-shift duty of traffic enforcers along major thoroughfares in Metro Manila will be extended until midnight, beginning November 17.
The MMDA will coordinate with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and transport groups to extend the public transport system’s operating hours, especially the EDSA Bus Carousel, LRT, and MRT, and operation of public utility vehicles to accommodate late-night commuters and mall employees.
The MMDA will also intensify its No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) and clearing operations to improve traffic discipline.
Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
House leader: China’s ‘hostile acts’ disrupt PHL livelihood
AHOUSE deputy minor -
ity leader on Friday denounced what she called China’s mounting “hostile acts,” saying these have endangered Filipino lives and disrupted livelihoods both at sea and on land, as she urged the Marcos administration to “say more and do more” on Beijing’s aggression and defend the country’s sovereignty.
Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima pointed to two fronts where these threats are felt: the WPS, where Chinese forces continue to harass Filipino vessels, and the local black sand mining operations allegedly tied to Chinese interests.
The lawmaker was referring to
SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian has assailed “billions of undetailed” National Irrigation-Administration-funds amid the widening investigation into ghost projects, and pressed authorities to immediately stop the practice.
local dredging activities linked to China and its long-standing and recurring incursions in the WPS.
“Yes, China is going too far with its illegal activities that affect the lives and livelihoods of Filipinos,” said De Lima, a member of the West Philippines Sea Bloc in the lower house.
According to her, China has shown that it has “no qualms about their persistent hostile acts—the damage it inflicts on our vessels, the harm to our fishermen, soldiers, and government personnel, the livelihood they are depriving us of, and the many lives being put at risk.”
Last Wednesday, De Lima slammed the “latest act of in -
timidation” by Chinese vessels against Philippine ships conducting legitimate operations at Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) and Escoda Shoal.
De Lima has also filed in the current 20th Congress House Bill (HB) No. 1843, also known as the proposed Anti-Black Sand Mining Act.
De Lima believes that China “is benefiting from black sand mining under the guise of dredging in our country.” Black sand, or magnetite, is one of the main iron ores used to make steel, making it invaluable for purposes of construction.
“This is one of the things we need to understand and focus on
because aside from soil erosion and the decline in our fishermen’s catch, it also causes widespread flooding,” she said.
“Let me reiterate our call: The government should be more aggressive in protecting our environment, sovereign rights, and territorial integrity—paramount and legitimate interests of our people. What’s ours is ours alone; nobody has the right to claim or destroy it,” she said.
She suggested that the government must explore other avenues to call out China and gain more support from the international community in respecting Filipinos’ rights in the WPS.
Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
‘undetailed’ funds, urges NIA to stop practice
Quake in PHL’s surfing capital heightens concern over ‘Big One’ from other faults
By Manuel T. Cayon
DAVAO CITY—The Philippine online discussion world has been awash with frantic forecasting of “what ifs” of the feared “Big One,” but which would not happen in Metro Manila alone, as strong earthquakes came in succession in less than one month.
“It’s not Manila alone, at its West Valley Fault, that we fear the Big One,” a post from a random female Facebook account had posted this week, shortly after a magnitude 6 earthquake shook northern Mindanao and the eastern section of the Visayas early Friday.
The earthquake, just 12 kilometers off the famed surfing waves of General Luna, Siargao Island of Surigao del Norte, quickened the pace of doomsday postings, from someone drawing the diagonal line connecting the doublet magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 of October 10 in Manay, Davao Oriental, with that of the September 30 devastating magnitude 6.9 quake in Bogo, Cebu, and further northwest to Pugo, La Union, where the moderate magnitude 4.8 quake shook the northwestern side of Luzon on October 9.
“For too long, the national conversation has focused solely on the West Valley Fault in Metro Manila,” said the post or a repost by one Facebook user, Jenny Jean B Requintina. “But the hard, or truth is that we face multiple, catastrophic threats, a ‘Big One’ for every major urban center in the archipelago.”
She said this was because “our country is fragmented by islands, and every major Philippine city sits near or on top of a different seismic time bomb.”
Know your local risk, she said, “it’s not just about Manila.”
At its eastern waters is the long stretch of the Philippine Trench, the generator of most strong earthquakes in the Pacific side of the Philippines.
A National Geographic and History Channel documentary of earthquake generators point out to the precarious location of the Philippines in the violent Ring, or Rim, of Fire in the Pacific, stretching from Indonesia and the Philippines and Japan toward the western coastal countries of North and South American.
The 40,000-kilometer stretch of the Pacific rim accounts for 75 percent of the earth’s volcanoes, the documentaries show, with the Philippines in an uncanny position of having its Philippine plate colliding with the Pacific plate along the Pacific’s western subduction zone.
On Friday’s occurrence of the magnitude 6 quake, there were no reports of major damages and casualties though, but local governments have called off classes and government work.
At one discussion board section, are posts of Ka Pototan Iloilo and Ka Agila from western Visayas, pointing at its Negros Trench and Panay Fault as also having the potential to generate magnitude 8 earthquake, with the 1948 Lady Caycay Earthquake generating magnitude 7.8. The Department of Science and Technology map of earthquake generators shows trenches in the western, eastern and southern waters, and faults crisscross the country north to south. To the country’s western waters are the Manila Trench from the northern part connecting with the Negros Trench in central Philippines down to Sulu Trench going southwestward to Malaysia and Indonesia. At the south lies the Cotabato Trench, which generated the mega tsunami waves in August 1976 that killed more than 8,000 people. This was triggered by the magnitude 8 earthquake 60 kilometers south of Cotabato City.
DDPWH
PAs Senate Finance chairperson, Gatchalian noted that while irrigation systems were itemized in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2022 and 2023, they were lumped into large sums in the 2024 and 2025 budgets.
Gatchalian prodded the relevant agencies to immediately revert to detailed, itemized budgeting for its projects to ensure strict alignment with its master plan, as he flagged billions of pesos allocated without sufficient transparency.
UBLIC Works Undersecretary Arrey
Perez resigned on Friday, hours after a neophyte congressman identified him as having links to contractors.
Although Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste did not offer any proof to back his allegation, Perez resigned out of delicadeza.
Leviste on Friday morning identified Perez as one of the officials allegedly linked to contractors amid ongoing corruption issues within the agency.
While he admitted that he has yet to present concrete evidence, Leviste said he would leave it to DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to lead an investigation into the matter.
Hours after Perez resigned, however, Leviste practically soft-pedalled on his accusations.
Leviste clarified in a separate media interview that he was not claiming Perez personally met with three contractors, but maintained that the DPWH official still had alleged connections with several contractors.
The lawmaker noted that Perez’s previous
In the 2024 budget, national and communal irrigation systems were lumped into one item amounting to P22.2 billion and P6.7 billion, respectively. The same practice was done in 2025, with allocations of P8.2 billion and P3.8 billion.
Earlier, Gatchalian also flagged a massive budget insertion under NIA’s
“The more details we have, the better for transparency,” Gatchalian said during a hearing on NIA’s budget proposal for 2026.
Establishment of Pump Irrigation Projects (EPIP) in 2024, which rose from P1.72 billion in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) to P18.31 billion in the House-approved General Appropriations Bill (GAB), and finally to P18.61 billion in the 2024 GAA. NIA said the increase aimed to address the expected El Niño-induced dry spell that year.
Butch Fernandez
exec quits over ‘contractor ties’ claim but accuser soft-pedals
record at the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), where Dizon also served, raised questions about their handling of bidding and procurement processes.
“Among the appointees of Secretary Dizon, we can look at the record of the bidding and procurement of Secretary Dizon and Usec. Perez in the BCDA,” Leviste added.
He further claimed that contractor influence in the DPWH remains widespread, with many officials allegedly being approached by private bidders.
Dizon said Perez submitted his irrevocable resignation to give way to the investigation and to prevent being a “distraction” to the DPWH which is in the thick of investigation of allegedly anomalous flood control projects.
“As of today [Friday], Undersecretary Perez is no longer part of the DPWH. He voluntarily resigned, and we respect his decision,” Dizon said in a news conference.
“But of course, the investigation will still continue,” he added.
The investigation within the DPWH, Dizon said,“will not be affected by personalities, political affiliations or past associations. The cleansing process will spare no one and show no favoritism, whether they’ve been here before, have already resigned, are from the previous administration, or are people I personally brought in.”
“No one will be exempt, and that’s what we need to do,” he said.
Saying that merely replacing people is not enough and that the entire system must change, House Committee on Approriations
Vice Chairman Leviste urged Dizon to implement sweeping reforms within the agency to end what he described as a deeply entrenched culture of corruption and collusion between certain officials and contractors.
“I heard that he was being considered to oversee the procurement or bidding of major projects at the DPWH central office. My point is that we should reform the system itself— replacing the people handling project biddings won’t eliminate corruption,” Leviste said.
Aside from Perez, Leviste claimed that there are other officials within the DPWH who may also have ties to contractors. “I am calling on them to voluntarily disclose the contractors they have met with since the start of their term—whether these meetings happened inside or outside the office—and to reveal any connections they might have,” Leviste stated.
“The solution is not just changing the personalities involved. If we fail to fix the system, corruption might simply shift from the district engineering offices to the DPWH central office,” he added.
Instead, Leviste called for broad policy reforms within the DPWH. “What I’m asking for is a reform in the DPWH’s policies—such as lowering project costs and disclosing budget details. If we do this, even if officials meet with contractors outside the DPWH, it will be clear that there’s no intent to profit illicitly because prices have already been reduced and the budget allocations have become transparent,” Leviste said. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz and Ashley J. Manabat
AVAO CITY—Jewelry-makers in the small-scale mining area of Monkayo, Davao de Oro province have been provided access to additional and upgraded equipment from the Department of Trade and Industry to improve their jewelry pieces crafted from the ores of the Diwalwal mines.
The DTI-Davao de Oro officer in charge
Art A. Hermoso said the assistance was supplemental project of its previous shared service facility, or SSF, with upgraded equipment such as polishing machines, ultrasonic cleaners, and a 3D printer. These were projected to enhance production efficiency by 40 percent and improved the quality of locally crafted jewelry, the DTI said. To date, more than 60 local artisans, including members of the Monkayo Association of Persons with Disabilities (Monkasped) have directly benefited from the facility through training and access to modern tools, it added.
DTI said the supplemental equipment, valued at P152,750.25, would create more livelihood opportunities to position Monkayo as a competitive hub for handcrafted gold-based jewelry.
Hermoso said the DTI previously gave the jewelry makers an SSF to start a jewelry business to improve the marketing and increase the price of gold rather than their usual business of directing trading gold to mostly black market traders and buyers.
He said the facility was launched in 2014. “With this new investment, the program promises to further expand its reach and impact,” he said.
The additional equipment was given after signing of the Deed of Donation for the Shared Service Facility (SSF) Project Addendum to Jewelry Making on September 16, at the Municipal Hall of Monkayo. The DTI said Monkayo is now home to the first-ever Technical Education (TESDA)–National Certificate II Jewelry Training and Assessment Center in the Philippines. “This pioneering development ensures that local jewelers, out-of-school youth, women, and displaced
Our
Time
DSWD rescues elderly, PWDs from unregistered care facility
TBy Jose Cielito Reganit
HE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 10
(Northern Mindanao) has taken custody of 17 senior citizens and persons with disabilities who were rescued from an unregistered care facility in Maramag town in Bukidnon.
The rescue operation was conducted by the DSWD together with concerned authorities last Oct. 11 upon receiving information that the Bukidnon Multi-Sectoral Services Foundation Incorporated was reported to be unsafe and unsanitary, a risk to the clients’ health and well-being.
“Apart from being unregistered, the facility was found to be in a substandard state that compromises the safety of residents. Authorities immediately conducted a rescue operation to ensure the safety of their clients,” Assistant Secretary Juan Carlo Marquez said in a statement on Wednesday.
The DSWD co-spokesperson said the Bukidnon residential facility did not have the appropriate registration to function as a social welfare and development agency (SWDA) based on a visit and inspection by the DSWD Northern Mindanao field office in February and April this year.
The facility violated the need for hygienic toilets and sleeping quarters, including the absence of safety standards.
It also lacks a case management system, proper documentation of client-residents, and qualified caregivers.
The 17 rescued residents are now under the temporary custody of DSWD-managed facilities, while some were transferred to local residential centers that can better take care of them.
Under Republic Act 10847, the DSWD is mandated to issue a registration, license to operate, and an accreditation certificate to facilities applying to operate as a social welfare and development care facility.
This regulatory function of the DSWD ensures that facilities implement social welfare programs according to quality standards.
“This is why the DSWD is currently conducting monitoring visits to registered and licensed SWDAs to ensure compliance with standards,” Marquez said.
The DSWD likewise reaches out to facilities without registration and license to operate to provide technical assistance and offering them the opportunity to comply.
“As instructed by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, we boosted our monitoring activities for the SWDAs. This is not meant to police their operations or find fault, but to ensure that the elderly, children, persons with disabilities that they are committed to serve are indeed well cared for,” Marquez said. PNA
Health group to LGUs: Secure flu vaccines for senior citizens
By Ma. Teresa Montemayor
SENIOR health advocates recently called on local government units (LGUs) to protect high-risk groups like the elderly against influenza-like illnesses (ILIs), emphasizing that delayed vaccination could lead to severe and costly flu complications.
This, after the Quezon City government reported that the ILIs have surpassed the epidemic threshold, with 152 cases reported from August 31 to September 13.
The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PHAPI) also reported a 10-percent increase in patient admissions, noting that hospitals are “mostly full” as the rainy season intensifies. Bayan Bakuna lead convenor Mikaella Jeleene Salinas Asoy said vaccine allocations from the national government remain uncertain.
“LGUs should immediately coordinate with the DOH [Department of Health] for available allocations or, if none are provided, procure vaccines locally and roll out vaccination drives before cases surge further,” she said in a statement. According to health experts, seniors face the highest risk of severe flu complications, including pneumonia and heart attacks.
Hospitalization costs for such ailment can range from P10,000 to P30,000.
Household transmission rates can
Elderly reaching milestone ages reminded to register for cash gift
By Liza Agoot
BAGUIO
CITY—The
National Commission for Senior Citizens (NCSC) has advised senior citizens and the family members of seniors who are about to reach their milestone ages, to file their applications for the release of their cash gift at least six months before their birthdays.
NCSC-Cordillera Director Luz
Laureta-Balisong, in an interview on Wednesday, said those eligible under Republic Act 11982, or the Expanded Centenarian Law, are those aged 80, 85, 90, and 95.
“The centenarians are automatically eligible to receive a P100,000 cash gift,” Balisong said.
Except for those 100 years old, the senior citizens will receive P10,000 every time they reach the mentioned ages, she added.
The application must be submitted at least six months before the
birthday or before the end of one year from the birthday reaching 80, 85, 90, and 95 years old. Failure to file within the period forfeits the benefit, and the beneficiary must wait for the next birthday, as mentioned in the law.
“For those who forgot that they have reached their milestone ages, they can still apply for the release of their benefits before they celebrate their birthdays for the coming year to avoid the forfeiture of the said benefits granted to them by law,” she said.
Balisong also reminded senior citizens to register with the NCSC through the website www.ncsc.gov. ph, for the commission to be able to establish a clear database of senior citizens in the country.
She noted that 3,383 senior citizens have registered and are due to receive their cash gifts by December.
A total of P36.6 million has been approved for release to the sector until the end of the year.
To be quirky is to be endearingly human
ONE of my favorite movie quips can be heard at the end of the film “Some Like It Hot” by Billy Wilder just before it fades into black. The scene shows the cross-dressing Jack Lemon, who in his exasperation to get rid of his love-struck stalker, finally blurts out that he is actually a man, not a woman. Without missing a beat, the stalker snaps back: “Well, nobody is perfect!”
reach 13 to 32 percent, with flu spreading aggressively among school-age children. Older persons who live with or help care for grandchildren who may unknowingly bring the virus home become at a greater risk.
“The reported spike in cases highlights the urgent need for preventive measures,” Asoy said.
“Vaccination remains the most proven, cost-effective way to protect the elderly population,” she added.
She urged families to accompany their elderly loved ones to barangay health centers and inquire about vaccine availability.
She noted that such community demand can help LGUs prioritize vaccination programs and ensure that seniors are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. PNA
Every one of us has his own quirks, eccentricities, idiosyncrasies, oddities, kinks, foibles, peculiarities, mannerisms, anomalies, deviations, aberrations or whatever you may want to call it.
But unlike the black mole under one’s nostril or the reddish birthmark on the face, an aberration or behavioral flaw is usually hidden from public view. Yet it is this concealed aspect that often serves as the key to understanding the real person.
Remember the saying “No man is a hero to his butler”? No man or woman is flawless to a manservant. If you want to know the real man or woman behind your celebrity idol, talk to his/her personal assistant, secretary, make-up artist, driver, or the family d.h. They know every ugly wart, frailty and weakness of the person they serve.
The saying can also apply to one’s spiritual advisor or personal physician or biographer. One consoling comfort I get from reading biographies (I have a predilection for this genre) is that great men and women have their eccentric side, which makes them ordinarily human, as much as you and me.
If you’re observant, notice how novelists or film directors often give their characters a distinctive oddity or quirk to make them more singular and absorbing, compelling
and intriguing?
One example is the calm but methodical protagonist in the “Equalizer” series played by Denzel Washington. Named Robert McCall, he tends to do things the same way every day at the exact time. He likes objects to be placed in an orderly fashion. Those are signs of someone who has an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). I later learned that Denzel Washington contributed much to the character’s background and back story, including the odd pattern of his behavior.
For most people, Abraham Lincoln’s character seems so perfect that when I read something about his dark side, I was relieved that he was only human after all. According to experts, Lincoln had a “schizoid manic personality,” suffering from what we would today call bipolar disorder. Those who knew him reported that he suffered from major depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
had a preoccupation with sex. To be more specific he was obsessed with the female genitalia. For instance, he was particularly struck by the visual similarity between bivalves and the female organ. This is why he named several species of clams Vulva, Labia, Anus, Hymen, Pubes, Mons Veneris. He named one genus of plants “Clitoria”. Did Carl Linnaeus have a perverse sense of humor? Or was he simply a secret sex maniac?
Creative people have differing quirks to get the juices going.
Ernest Hemingway, the novelist, wrote standing up, facing a chest high bookshelf with a typewriter on top and on top of that a wooden reading board on which he composed first drafts in pencil on onionskin typewriter paper laid slantwise across the board.
Ludwig Van Beethoven, the acclaimed classical music composer, rose at dawn and wasted little time getting down to work. His breakfast was coffee, which he prepared himself with great care—60 beans per
Balisong said that in 2024, the agency disbursed more than P35 million in cash benefits for 3,211 seniors who reached the milestone ages. She encouraged those who have reached the age of 60 to register on the website to give the commission the actual number of senior citizens in the country, which will allow the government to come up with the appropriate programs for the sector using the data obtained. PNA
philosopher and founder of Existentialism had a singular relationship with Simone Beauvoir, writer, social theorist and feminist activist. Theirs was an intellectual partnership with a somewhat creepy sexual component; according to a mutually agreed pact both partners could take other lovers but they were required to tell each other everything. Their writing schedule revolved around this head-scratching unusual relationship. In the morning, they worked in separate apartments and then would have lunch together in Sartre’s apartment, then they would go again to work separately. At night, they would go to a social event or watch movies together and then have a night cap, drinking scotch, at Beauvoir’s apartment. Odd couple? Different strokes for different folks, indeed.
As someone puts it: “Sooner or later the great men turn out to be all alike, so like us.” Quirky, strange, odd, flawed. Yet by knowing their imperfections, we are able to appreciate their individuality and understand that greatness can coexist with eccentricity. Lois McMaster Bujold, speculative fiction writer says: “Since no one is perfect, it follows that all great deeds have been accomplished out of imperfection. Yet they were accomplished, somehow, all the same.”
Even saints have their quirks. St. Therese of Lisieux had a fear of strangers and did not make friends easily at school (she was bullied). For a period of her youth, she suffered from scrupulosity, a pathological preoccupation with sin in her daily behavior. She spent 10 years trying to overcome her deep-seated weaknesses—her sensitivity and inability to control her emotions.
Sometimes, the quirkiness of great individuals can be amusing if not creepy or cringey.
One notable example is Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish naturalist, who lived in the 1800s and is now considered to be the father of taxonomy, the science of classifying plants and animals. It turns out he
cup, which he counted one by one for a precise dose. Then he would sit at his desk and worked until 2 or 3 in the afternoon.
Thomas Wolfe, the American author of “Look Homeward Angel” and “You Can’t Go Home Again” had a peculiar way to get his creative juices flowing, so to speak. He would undress himself and then as he wrote, he would fondle his genitals, a habit from childhood, which he claimed was not exactly sexual because “his penis remained limp and unaroused” (revealed to his editor). But this act evoked “a good male feeling” out of him and stimulated his creative energies.
Jean Paul Sartre, the French
I get irritated when my wife would suddenly ask me: “What is it that you don’t like about me?” How can I tell her that falling for someone’s flaws is just as necessary as falling for their strengths? I remember a line from a Jodi Picoult novel: “You don’t love someone because they’re perfect. You love them in spite of the fact that they’re not.”
In our 50 years as a married couple, my wife and I have taken to heart our respective flaws, quirks and oddities. But my personal quirks that used to irritate her are exactly what endear me to her today. In fact, our respective eccentric ways are now a running banter between us. Rather than seek what is perfect or flawless, embrace the imperfect and devote yourself with finding what is good with the imperfect.
AN elderly woman receives cash benefits in Manila in this file photo. In the Cordillera region, senior citizens turning 80, 85, 90, and 95 have been advised to register
PERSONNEL from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and concerned authorities rescue 17 senior citizens and persons with disabilities from an unregistered care facility in Maramag town in Bukidnon on October 11, 2025. The facility was reported to be unsafe and unsanitary, posing a risk to the clients’ health and well-being. PHOTO COURTESY OF DSWD
VACCINATION remains the most proven, cost-effective way to protect the elderly population. PNA FILE PHOTO
Big means better and brighter with this 116-inch TV
THE world’s first television screens were tiny at around two to three inches. Now, Hisense has just launched the world’s largest commercially available TV at 116 inches.
The Hisense 116-inch Class UX Series RGBMiniLED was officially launched in the Philippines at Ansons The Link Makati last October 7.
Green Chang, deputy managing director of Hisense Philippines, described the 116-inch model as “the world’s first trichrome LED TV powered by RGB local dimming display.”
Hisense claims that the 116” TV’s visual power is unmatched with up to 8,000 nits peak brightness and over 20,000 color control units with industry-first RGB Local Dimming for hyper-realistic clarity and color purity.
The industry-first RGB local dimming feature allows independent light and color control across red, green and blue channels to produce lifelike color accuracy and clarity beyond what OLED and QLED panels can deliver.
Because of the TV’s ability to dim individual colors, it allows for 97 percent BT.2020 color space coverage and up to 10,000 nits of peak brightness. The TV has a 40mm ultra-slim profile and 6.2.2-channel built-in speakers with Hisense’s CineStage X surround sound.
At the core of the TV is the Hi-View AI Engine X, a powerful processor that continuously analyzes and adapts content in real-time. This processor optimizes both visuals and audio for a stunningly realistic experience. The TV, said Hisense, operates with a CPU that is 1.4 times faster, a GPU that is 2.2 times faster, and an NPU that is 1.7 times faster than previous TV models.
The TV supports all major HDR formats including Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+, as well as IMAX Enhanced. It also supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual X audio formats.
The AI Picture feature brings vibrant colors and smooth motion, while the AI Sound ensures clear audio by detecting dialogue and optimizing sound based on both the on-screen action and the surrounding environment. The AI Scenario adjusts picture settings to perfectly suit the specific type of
content being watched, while AI Energy helps save on electricity through smart, pixel-level brightness control.
breakthrough in lighting technology. We have achieved the ability to manage light and color simultaneously. This means purer color, brighter highlights, better contrast, and higher energy efficiency,” said Joseph Cromwell Sanchez, Hisense Philippines sales director.
announced its partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Under the partnership, Hisense will provide new TV units to support the CCP’s programs in film, theater, and visual arts. This reflects the brand’s commitment to community building and cultural preservation.
The Hisense 116” Class UX Series RGB-MiniLED is now available exclusively at Anson’s The Link Makati. It will also be available at select retailers nationwide in the coming weeks.
FRAGMENTED DATA GOVERNANCE A CHALLENGE TO PURSUE TO INNOVATION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
BY RIZAL RAOUL REYES
THE Philippines grapples with significant obstacles in establishing a robust and coherent data governance framework, a challenge underscored by the recent D4DAsia Synthesis Report.
The study, involving LIRNEasia, Disini Law, and other partners, paints a picture of a fragmented landscape where a unified, overarching data governance law remains absent. Instead, the country relies on a patchwork of laws, creating gaps and inconsistencies that hinder both innovation and the beneficial use of data.
Oliver Xavier Reyes, from the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law, told reporters that a core problem is the lack of a single law covering all types of data, public and private. While the Data Privacy Act (DPA) is vital for protecting individual rights, its practical application has ironically become a major impediment to data sharing.
Due to a “lack of confidence and clarity in interpreting the law,” Reyes said concerns about data privacy are frequently invoked by both public and private sectors as a veto against sharing. When in doubt, he added organizations and individuals often err on the side of caution, withholding data even when its sharing would be legally permissible and beneficial for public good.
“Data is an asset and robust data governance is a key advantage in policy-making, especially in the public sector where decisions could impact one way or the other people’s lives and their livelihood,” Reyes said.
Further complicating matters is the restricted access to public data. Essential public databases, such as those held by civil registrars, are often unnecessarily restrictive, demanding that only the data subject can access their own information, according to Reyes.
Professor Jesus M. Disini, an associate professor at UP College of Law and managing partner of Disini & Disini Law office, said the absence of a strong, statutory Freedom of Information (FOI) law—as the current mechanism is an Executive Order—has been identified as a critical gap. He pointed out that a strong FOI law would be instrumental in clearly defining public records and opening these databases for wider research and analysis.
Moreover, Disini said the government has missed opportunities to leverage its regulatory power to facilitate data access for public benefit. When licensing public services like ride-hailing or telecommunications, Reyes said the state has not consistently included conditions that would grant it access to valuable, anonymized data. “This regulatory oversight means proprietary data, which could
be instrumental for social and economic analysis, remains siloed within private companies,” he pointed out.
Reyes said there is a consensus that a critical need exists for a broader national conversation to balance individual rights protection with the promotion of innovation. He noted the utility of data often lies not in individual-level information but in the large-scale patterns and trends that anonymized datasets can reveal—insights crucial for poverty analysis and developing new services. “To spearhead this crucial dialogue, a centralized leadership is required,” he said.
While the newly enacted E-governance law may initiate discussions, Disini said a clear convener, such as the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), must take a leading role in fostering a multi-stakeholder strategy involving government, civil society, and the private sector.
“Our report presents gaps in our country’s strategy on data governance. In highlighting them, we hope to encourage policy-makers and data managers to influence our political leaders to make the necessary legislation to plug these holes soonest. Addressing these challenges requires not just new legislation, but a fundamental shift in perspective to embrace a modern, cohesive data governance framework,” Disini stressed.
BY PATRICK VILLANUEVA
BEYOND THE FOLD: OPPO FIND N5 POWERS NEXT CHAPTER IN MOBILITY
THE OPPO Find N5 continues to set the benchmark for foldable smartphones with its approach to power, endurance, and charging. Designed for professionals who demand reliability and elegance, the OPPO Find N5 delivers uncompromising performance that supports both hectic schedules and refined lifestyles.
Beyond power and performance, the OPPO Find N5 ensures that work and life move without interruption through O+ Connect. This intelligent feature allows users to transfer files, mirror screens, and collaborate effortlessly across macOS, Windows, and other OPPO devices.
From finishing presentations on a laptop to instantly sharing visuals with colleagues, O+ Connect streamlines workflows and eliminates barriers between devices— empowering professionals to stay productive wherever they are. With up to 25 hours of video playback or 8.6 hours of uninterrupted teleconferencing, the OPPO Find N5 features a revolutionary 5,600mAh Silicon-Carbon Battery—30 percent larger and thinner than its predecessor, redefining what’s possible in a foldable. This power ensures executives get through demanding days without compromise. Supporting 80W SUPERVOOC wired and 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging, the OPPO Find N5 offers unmatched flexibility for users on the move. In just minutes, it powers up enough to last for hours—eliminating the need for long charging breaks. True to OPPO’s design philosophy, the OPPO Find N5 blends advanced technology with understated elegance. Slim, refined and durable, it offers professionals a device that works as hard as they do—while complementing their personal style. It’s a testament to the idea that performance and sophistication can coexist in perfect harmony. The OPPO Find N5 is available exclusively through select postpaid partners (Smart Postpaid / Smart Infinity and Globe Postpaid–GPlan 2499) and comes with free OPPO Enco X2 earbuds. More information can be found at www.oppo.com/ph
GREEN CHANG, Hisense deputy Philippines managing director
CIMB Bank Philippines brand ambassador Ruru Madrid is one of the country’s most in-demand and award-winning actors. Known for his talent, discipline and drive, Ruru has always believed in dreaming big and working hard to fulfill his life purpose. But beyond the bright lights of showbiz, he is also carving his path in a different role: as an entrepreneur.
He co-founded Transcend Studios, a production company that creates social content, and started Aksyon, a stunt team dedicated to raising the standard of action sequences in local productions.
In building his own ventures, Ruru has picked up valuable lessons that aspiring business owners can learn from and apply in their own journeys.
Here are some of his top tips:
■ Start with something you are genuinely passionate about. Businesses are a long-term commitment. Starting one isn’t just about creating a source of income; it means building something that requires time, effort and focus. There will be late nights, tough calls, and moments when things don’t go as planned.
For Ruru, his passion to support the stunt community in the country was a key step to entrepreneurship.
“We want to help the stunt community here in the Philippines, because parang hindi sila nabibigyan ng tamang credit sa mga ginagawa nila,” he said. “Gusto namin magsilbing boses para sa stunt community here in the Philippines to help them na magkaroon ng benefits.”
■ There is no such thing as perfect timing. When the pandemic hit, many businesses suffered losses. Starting a new venture in such uncertain times was especially risky. Still, Ruru chose to take small steps forward rather than wait for the “right” moment.
“We started mga two, three years ago. During that time, mahigpit pa nung pandemic...Pero for me, ang kagandahan is nagsimula agad kami. Hindi kami naghintay ng perfect timing kasi for me, wala naman talagang perfect timing. You need to start now and take small steps...as long as you’re moving. I know that someday may mapupuntahan ‘yan,” Ruru shared.
■ Value your hard work and manage your finances wisely. As the eldest child and the breadwinner since he was 14 years old, Ruru has always understood the value of money and the sacrifices it takes to earn it.
He shared, “The moment na natanggap ko ‘yung first paycheck ko, I told my parents na ako na ‘yung bahala. And simula noon, ‘yun ‘yung nagsilbing motivation sa akin to work harder and mas maging focused sa ginagawa ko...meron akong goal na gusto ma-achieve, not just for myself, but also for my family and loved ones.”
For someone as hardworking and goal-driven as Ruru, choosing a trusted banking partner was a natural step. He found this in CIMB Bank PH, which was awarded by The Asian Banker as the Best Digital Bank in the country. Through CIMB Biz, the bank’s new segment tailored for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), entrepreneurs like Ruru now have better access to financial tools that can help them grow their ventures.
CIMB Biz is part of the bank’s mission to democratize financial access and empower MSMEs by giving them the tools they need to manage their business more effectively, as well as borrow funds with dignity.
More information can be found at www.cimbbank. com.ph/biz.
Tecno Slim: Thinner than a pencil, tougher
WCongress 2025 (MWC), the Tecno Spark Slim caught every tech writer’s eye. Amid all the expensive flagships and experimental foldables, Tecno’s slender prototype drew a crowd. It wasn’t boasting about megapixels or raw power—it was showing off restraint. The kind of boldness that comes from knowing exactly what to leave out.
To put things in perspective, the Tecno Spark Slim is slimmer than three coins stacked together, thinner than a No. 2 pencil, and narrower than the metallic head of a USB-A plug. That’s engineering precision at work. The real story, however, is what fits inside that impossibly small frame: a big battery, bright display, and a full suite of AI tools.
This pursuit of thinness is both nostalgia and ambition. Remember that brief period in the mid2010s when brands tried to make phones slimmer? It quickly fizzled out because manufacturers couldn’t balance design with endurance. Bigger batteries and complex camera modules forced phones to grow thicker. Tecno’s challenge was to bring thinness back without too much compromise—and somehow, the Tecno Slim makes it look effortless.
Now, with the high-end market re-engaged in the battle of the thinnest with the iPhone Air and the Galaxy Edge, the Tecno Slim has entered the fray claiming the title of the world’s slimmest 3D-Curved AI phone.
SOLVING THE ‘DESIGN TRILEMMA’
THE problem with making ultra-thin phones has always been one of trade-offs. Manufacturers constantly run into what engineers call the “Design Trilemma”—the struggle to balance slimness, power and endurance. For years, this was the “Impossible Triangle” of smartphone engineering: you could have a phone that was sleek, powerful, or long-lasting—but never all three at once.
The Tecno Slim finally dismantles that rule. At just 5.93mm thin and weighing 156 grams, it feels almost unreal the moment you pick it up—so light you instinctively check if there’s even a battery inside. And unlike other phones, it actually arrived in an “angpao” envelope instead of a regular box—yet within that impossibly slender frame sits a 5160mAh battery, a 1.5K curved AMOLED display, and a full suite of AI-driven features. It feels like a design concept that somehow escaped the lab and ended up in stores, fully realized.
The secret lies in Honeycomb Space Stacking Technology, Tecno’s answer to the Trilemma. Instead of sacrificing battery life or performance to achieve slimness, Tecno re-engineered the phone’s entire internal architecture. Every millimeter of space has been optimized—the battery, mainboard, speaker, and ports layered like a honeycomb’s hexagonal cells to maximize strength and density without excess thickness.
And because thin often invites skepticism, Tecno built this device like it had something to prove. The back panel is made of aerospace-grade fiberglass, which provides 300 percent more strength and 200 percent more toughness than standard composites while keeping weight down. The front display is fortified with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i. Together, they form a body sturdy enough to meet US military-grade MIL-STD-810H certification. The Tecno Slim can reportedly withstand up to 25 kilograms of pressure and survive a 1.5-meter drop bare—or two meters with a case. Add an IP64 rating for splash and dust resistance, and you get a device that looks delicate but
minimalist, available in Cool Black and Slim White, both accented by subtle metallic curves that catch the light just right. When the Mood Light glows in a dim room, it gives off the comforting, friendly energy of Baymax from Big Hero 6—a little futuristic, a little endearing, and unmistakably alive.
DISPLAY: SHARP AND SMOOTH
THE display specifications for the Tecno Slim defy its entrylevel price tag. The device features a 6.78-inch curved AMOLED panel with a 1.5K (1220 × 2652) resolution and a blazing-fast 144Hz refresh rate.
This combination delivers a buttery-smooth visual experience for scrolling, gaming, and watching highmotion video content. Colors appear rich yet balanced, while the high pixel density ensures sharpness that rivals more expensive midrange devices.
Peak brightness reaches an astonishing 4500 nits, a number typically reserved for pricier phones. While that figure is achieved in small zones during HDR playback, the sustained brightness remains high enough for clear visibility outdoors, even under harsh sunlight.
PERFORMANCE: STEADY AND STABLE
UNDER the hood, the Tecno Slim runs on the MediaTek Helio G200 chipset—a processor purposebuilt for balanced, efficient performance in the upper-entry to midrange segment. Tecno positions it as the fastest chipset in its class, and that claim holds up within context.
It’s not designed to compete with premium silicon or high-end 5G platforms, but it delivers consistent reliability across daily tasks. The Tecno Slim comes with 8GB of RAM, expandable up to 16GB via Extended Memory, and 256GB of internal storage.
In practice, that means enough room for multitasking, streaming, and light gaming without constant memory cleanup. Apps launch quickly, switching between them feels fluid, and the system remains steady even with multiple tasks running in the background.
To reinforce performance longevity, Tecno secured a TÜV Rheinland 5-Year Fluency Certification, which independently verifies that the Tecno Slim’s hardware and optimized HiOS 15 software are designed to maintain responsiveness over several years of regular use. It’s a confidence marker—suggesting that the phone will age gracefully, avoiding the gradual slowdown that plagues many budget and midrange devices.
POWERED BY AI PHOTOGRAPHY
THE Tecno Slim features a single 50-megapixel rear camera paired with a 13-megapixel front shooter, but its strength lies in how much intelligence Tecno packs behind those lenses. In bright daylight, the main camera captures detailed, well-balanced images that benefit from pixel-binning technology, which combines data from multiple pixels to produce brighter, sharper results with minimal noise. Colors appear vibrant, with good contrast, and a level of clarity that rivals midrange competitors.
The 13MP selfie camera, meanwhile, produces crisp portraits with natural skin tones, aided by Tecno’s built-in beauty and exposure algorithms. Complementing this is an AI software suite within HiOS 15. Features like Circle to Search let users highlight or tap on any on-screen object and instantly pull up relevant Google results. The improved AI Eraser intelligently removes unwanted people or distractions from photos, cleaning up compositions with impressive precision.
BATTERY
THAT ENDURES
PERHAPS the biggest surprise in all this is how the Tecno Slim, despite its razor-thin 5.93mm profile, manages to fit a 5160mAh battery—an engineering feat that proves thin no longer means fragile or short-lived. It comfortably lasts a full day of moderate to heavy use, handling social media, streaming, and gaming without breaking a sweat. For light users, it can easily stretch into a second day on a single charge.
The phone supports 45W Super Charge technology, capable of fully charging the device in under an hour. It’s not just about speed—Tecno designed this system with long-term battery health in mind. It is certified for a 5-Year Healthy Battery Cycle, meaning it retains around 80 percent of its original capacity after five years of regular use. This focus on sustainability reflects Tecno’s confidence in its internal cell design and charging regulation system.
Then there’s Bypass Charging, a smart feature aimed at gamers and heavy users. When enabled, it sends power directly to the mainboard instead of the battery. It also supports 10W reverse charging, allowing it to double as a backup power source for accessories or other smartphones.
FINAL WORD: The Tecno SLIM proves that thin no longer means fragile—or compromised. At just 5.93mm, it somehow fits a 5160mAh battery, a stunning 1.5K AMOLED display, and everyday power into a frame that feels more flagship than entry-level. Even more impressive is its price of ₱9,499. The Tecno Slim is now available on Shopee and TikTok Shop, with zero-percent interest plans via Home Credit, Skyro, and Kredivo. Each unit also comes bundled with a Tecno x TM x Honor of Kings SIM card, offering exclusive gamer perks.
More than a design statement, the Tecno Slim is the answer to a decade-old dilemma—proving that elegance, endurance, and everyday performance can finally coexist. Thin is back, and this time it’s smarter and—thanks to Tecno—more accessible than ever.
Editor: Mike Policarpio
Manila’s Librada Avelino Elem. School is 1st Nobel Prize Science Hub in PHL
THE Librada Avelino Elementary School (ES) has been officially recognized as the “First Nobel Prize Science Hub” in the Philippines.
Through the initiative of Principal Vladimir Paraiso JD, the distinction was hailed as a “groundbreaking moment in the pursuit of excellence in science and innovation.”
The formal citation was witnessed by the Embassy of Sweden’s Ambassador Anna Ferry, First Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission, and Junior Adviser Emma Hjelmgren. Their presence was considered as a highlight of the strong ties of friendship and collaboration between the Philip
pines and the Scandinavian
tion in advancing knowledge, innovation, and global citizenship.
OIC-Superintendent Dr. Nerissa R. Lomeda, Education Program Su-
pervisor for Science Merrie Gerlie Capiral, PSDS in Charge Dr. Roniko C. Natividad, Engr. Jhunred Tambis, School Head Dr. Wayne Nichol Fabonan, faculty members and parents also attended the event.
The activity was also assisted by 2025 Nobel Prize Teacher Summit Scholar Monette B. Gania.
According to officials of the school, the inauguration not only cements its commitment to fostering a culture of inquiry, discovery, and scientific excellence, but also inspires its learners “to dream big and reach beyond boundaries.”
For the school, the Nobel Prize Science Hub stands as a beacon of hope, an emblem of intellectual curiosity, and a powerful testament to the transformative role of education in shaping the future: “As the very first of its kind in the country, it will serve as a hub of inspiration, a platform for groundbreaking ideas, and a nurturing space for the young minds who will become scientists, innovators, and changemakers of tomorrow.”
From the embassy’s purview, the event was “more than just an inauguration; it is the beginning of a legacy…of curiosity, courage, and creativity that will empower Filipino learners to rise to the challenge of a rapidly changing world.”
Benilde earns international & local accreditations anew
THE Asean University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) and the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAASCU) have both granted new certifications to several degree programs of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).
Established in 1998, the AUNQA is an international certification system that assesses the presence and effective rollout of quality assurance mechanisms which lead to desired student outcomes. It develops regional identity, solidarity, and improves the academic quality of institutions in the Southeast Asian region.
Recently, AUN-QA granted certifications to DLS-CSB’s Animation Program and Business Management Program. Benilde presently has a total of 12 certified programs under the AUN-QA.
The certification acknowledges that the college’s degree programs have attained quality standards comparable to international programs.
ment, and community engagement.
In his message to the community, DLS-CSB President Br. Edmundo Fernandez FSC stated that the milestones affirm the college’s steadfast commitment to academic quality and innovation: “These recognitions are not simply validations of compliance; they represent our ongoing effort to build a culture of excellence, innovation, and inclusivity. They also embody the dedication and passion of our community.”
Reading program shows promising impact at Iligan
City Jail’s male dorm
THE Iligan City Jail-Male Dormitory (ICJMD), under the leadership of City Jail Warden JCInsp. Carmelo A. Corsame, recently announced significant progress in its implementation of the Read Your Way Out (RYWO) program—a literacy-based rehabilitation initiative reshaping custodial education and contributing to early release outcomes for persons deprived of liberty (PDL).
Launched in May 2024 through a partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the National Library of the Philippines, RYWO enables PDL to earn sentence reductions through structured reading activities, formally recognized under the Time Allowance for Studying, Teaching, and Mentoring (TASTM) provision.
“These results speak volumes about what’s possible when we invest in human potential,” said Corsame. “RYWO has proven that rehabilitation is a practice rooted in empathy, education, and empowerment. Our PDL are not just serving time; they’re reclaiming their futures, one book at a time.” The study also highlights early signs of the program’s contribution to release outcomes. Between May 2024 and April 2025, 24 PDL were released with documented RYWO-linked TASTM credits. In the months following the study period, an additional 38 PDL were released due to accumulated reading-based time allowances. An additional 67 PDL are scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2025, based on verified RYWO participation.
The program’s impact is documented in the study: “Reading in Jail: A Gateway to Personal Development and Reduced Sentences” authored by JO3 Walter Woo Mainit Jr. who is the chief of the Unit Welfare and Development Section at ICJMD.
PAASCU, on the other hand, is the first and oldest accreditation body in the Philippines since 1957. A member of the Federation Accrediting Agencies in the Philippines, it accredits institutions and academic programs, while assuring the quality improvement of the academic programs of its member schools. It ensures continuous development of institutions grounded in educational vision, mission and philosophy.
GThe association has granted five years of re-accreditation to four programs: Hospitality and Luxury Management (Level 4); International Hospitality Management, as well as Multimedia Arts (both at Level 3); and Information Systems (Level 2). It likewise granted accredita -
tions to the Photography, Fashion Design and Merchandising, Dance, Music Production, Theater Arts, Production Design, and Applied Deaf Studies Programs. These initial certifications, which are all Level 1, are valid for three years.
Currently, Benilde has a total of 21 accredited programs under PAASCU.
These recognitions certify the programs’ compliance with government regulations and reflect the effective linkages, teaching-learning systems, institutional manage -
Br. Fernandez likewise extended his deepest gratitude to the Center for Quality Management and Accreditation (CQMA) for steering the process, as well as to the faculty and administrators, “whose hard work, expertise, and commitment made these achievements possible.”
“As we welcome this new academic year, let us take pride in these results, but also see them as a challenge to go further,” he added. “With a renewed spirit, we will continue to open new pathways, strengthen our impact, and shape transformative education that prepares Benildeans to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.”
For more information on Benilde and its program offerings, visit benilde.edu.ph.
expands Innovania ’25 to nurture future innovators
LOBE has strengthened its commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators by uniting students, educators, and industry leaders at Innovania 2025: The Builder’s Blueprint-Student Discovery.
The large-scale discovery event was held simultaneously nationwide, which created a unique nationwide platform for learners in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math or STEM to showcase their creativity and ideas.
As part of the telco company’s program, the initiative focused on engaging students in Electronics and Communications Engineering and Computer Engineering. By exposing them to the latest developments in technology, the program aims to inspire tech students to explore digital solutions that can help advance the country’s economy and communities.
“By providing a platform for student ideas to flourish and go
for their dreams, we are investing in the country’s next generation of technology leaders,” said Globe Chief Marketing Officer Roche Vandenberghe.
Empowering student innovators
THE two-day event gathered more than 100 students from 19 universities and organizations nationwide. Participants joined learning sessions on 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), and gamification, followed by an “ideathon” where student teams pitched real-world solutions to pressing challenges. Winning teams received a Cubikit and mentorship from Cubicore, which will enable them to continue refining their projects with professional guidance. Beyond the competition, students were also introduced to Globe’s Student Program that offers immersive learning experiences such as internships, volunteer opportunities, and guided tours of Globe
offices and data centers. These initiatives provided them with a clear view of the country’s largest digital solutions platform operating and innovating at scale.
“Globe Innovania 2025 allowed us to fulfill our mission to evangelize IoT technology to Filipino youth,” said Cubicore Co-Founder Carl Rowan. “We are excited to work on the ideas presented during the IoT Ideathon. This is crucial in inspiring students to innovate by deploying real IoT solutions created by themselves.”
Celebrating student winners
THE IoT Ideathon highlighted breakthrough projects from student innovators who impressed the judges with their creativity and drive to make a difference. The De La Salle University’s Google Developer Group team shared that winning the Cubicore Ideathon was a complete surprise, given the level of innovation from their rivals.
“It’s a testament to the talent in the Philippine student tech community,” the team said, adding that they are grateful to work with Cubicore and use Cubikit to bring their idea to life.”
For the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-REC Manila team, winning at Globe Innovania 2025 meant more than just recognition—it was a chance to serve: “We thank Globe for opening doors for innovators like us and Cubicore for equipping us with the Cubikit and mentorship; it will help make our vision a reality.”
Meanwhile, the University of Santo Tomas Computer Science Society—recipient of the Model Community Award—expressed their gratitude to Globe for recognizing their hard work: “This achievement marked an unforgettable experience for our team, especially as it was the first experience of its kind for most of our members. We feel truly honored
Mainit’s study revealed a dramatic increase in monthly TASTM grants following the implementation of RYWO. Prior to the program, ICJMD averaged merely seven TASTM grantees per month—a reflection of limited access to qualifying educational activities. After the program was introduced, that number surged to a monthly average of 148, with approximately 111 of those grantees actively participating in reading activities.
The figure represents a 2,014-percent increase in monthly TASTM grants, underscoring the program’s effectiveness in expanding educational access and incentivizing personal development through literacy.
Mainit is set to present his research at the Philippine Librarians’ Association Inc. Annual Congress, to be held at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City from November 23 to 26, 2025. His presentation will spotlight RYWO as a scalable model for literacydriven rehabilitation and policy innovation.
A graduate of Mindanao State University-Marawi with a degree in Philosophy, the junior officer has earned multiple recognitions through the Gawad Penolohiya including Best Unit Welfare and Development Officer and Best Therapeutic Community Modality Program Implementer. His work reflects the principles of developmental penology—an emerging framework that shifts correctional practice from punitive incarceration toward education, reintegration, and human dignity.
“Reading gave our PDL hope,” said Mainit. “This research is about lives changed, perspectives broadened, and futures rewritten.”
to have received such a prestigious award on our very first endeavor in such a big competition.“
Bridging academia and industry MORE than a learning event, Innovania 2025 demonstrated the importance of close collaboration between the academic sector and private industry. By giving students the chance to apply classroom learning to realworld contexts, Globe is helping
close the gap between theory and practice.
The program also strengthens the country’s talent pipeline by equipping future engineers and innovators with the skills and exposure needed to thrive in the digital economy. Through initiatives like Innovania, Globe calls on the youth to #GoForIt, pushing boundaries, turning bold ideas into action, and leading the way toward a more connected, inclusive future.
PRINCIPAL Vladimir Paraiso (2022 Nobel Prize Teacher Summit scholar, right) and Master Teacher Monette Gania (2025 scholar) carried forward the spirit of innovation
-
na -
MALE PDL at Iligan City Jail maximize their time through reading. SCENE at the latest Innovania event
THE Atrium @ Benilde
Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan
Traversing the Ancient Silk Road (Part 1)
Story
& photos by Veronica Baluyut-Jimenez
PROMPTED by our adventurous spirit, our tour group set out to explore a stretch of the ancient Silk Road less traveled by regular tourists.
We were assisted by professional Chinese tour guides who spoke English and translated along the way, which made our tour more enjoyable, allowing us to appreciate not just the sights but also the richness of the local culture.
Contrary to common belief, the Great Silk Road was neither a single path nor an actual road. It was a network of caravan routes that, during the Middle Ages, linked Central Asia, the Mediterranean, and Europe. Along these trade routes flowed not only silk, spices, precious metals and minerals, fine handicrafts, and paintings, but also art, ideas, and stories.
The Silk Road was a marketplace of goods and was a vibrant crossroads of cultures, where even theatrical performances and traditions were exchanged.
Fun, Food, and Friendship
FORMER Senator Nikki Coseteng, a Tsinoy who traces her roots to Xi’an, China, led our tour group. The 12-day journey of fun, food, and friendship was organized by the Filipino Chinese Friendship Association under its President, Danny Sze.
Our adventure began with a threehour layover in Beijing before boarding a four-hour flight to Xinjiang, China’s largest province. Located in the northernmost part of the Silk Road, Xinjiang borders eight countries, namely, Russia, Afghanistan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. From there, we proceeded to Urumqi City, the provincial capital, which is known as the most remote city in the world, being 2,500 kilometers from the sea.
Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by their local officials and treated to a traditional dinner of roasted lamb, served whole and tender, and other dishes that had a delicious mix of Mongolian, Middle Eastern, and Chinese flavors. It was my first time to eat marinated horsemeat that sort of tasted like beef, but surprisingly was not as tough as I expected. Some members of the ethnic group, the Uyghurs who lived in the
‘UNPLUGGING’
Earea, came in their native costumes and regaled us with local songs and dances before inviting everyone to join a lively community “train dance.”
The Desert Highway and Oasis
THE following day, we drove through the Northern stretch of the Silk Road, the S21 Desert Highway, and the Gurbantunggut Desert. Beautiful rock formations rose from the desert horizon. Every now and then, we saw camel caravans moving through the dunes, reminding me of scenes from the movie “Lawrence of Arabia.” To my surprise, however, this desert was not at all barren.
Thousands of trees had been planted along the desert’s Karamay Oilfields to create forest areas that help absorb carbon emissions. Chinese researchers have developed methods for afforestation without irrigation, as well as specialized tools for planting trees in sandy environments. These have transformed parts of the desert into green frontiers, proof of how innovation can reshape even the harshest of landscapes.
We visited the picturesque Wucai Beach, which is not really a beach but a scenic stretch along the banks of the Irtysh River in Burqin County. It is considered the most beautiful landscape in Xinjiang because of its colorful valleys, crisscrossed gullies, and earth ridges sculpted through the centuries by the relentless work of wind and erosion.
Breathtaking Views and Legends
WE then trooped to the majestic Kanas Lake in the Altai Region, which is surrounded by
AT CLARK
Reyes-Aguila
VERY vacation has an energy level attached to it. There are trips meant for discovery, when
vicinity. Swissôtel is one of our favorites in the Freeport Zone because of its modern, spacious rooms. We’ve had the pleasure of staying here several times and we discover something new every time. A staple in our stays is the buffet breakfast at Markt, where a considerable spread includes Filipino and Chinese dishes, noodles, salad, plenty of pastries, and even ice cream. Not to be outdone for
dus Hotel is also located, making it easy for guests to access the dining, entertainment, and shopping offerings of all brands. We experienced the benefits of Hann’s walkable layout. We dined at Marriott’s Wu Xing, a Chinese restaurant that offers modern
breathtaking, snow-peaked mountains and lush pine trees. Kanas is a Mongolian word meaning a 'beautiful and mysterious lake.' I wondered why the color of the lake and its surrounding mountains seemed surreal and ethereal. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? It looked like the whole lake was filled with vivid turquoise paint, and the surrounding hills were a rich tapestry of texture and color. Apparently, the interplay of the seasonal melting of the glaciers and the reflection of the sunlight causes its waters to shift from deep blues and emerald greens to turquoise and grayish-green throughout the year. The early morning mist created a fairyland-like atmosphere, contributing to its otherworldly and mysterious quality.
Local legend adds a touch of mystery to the beautiful lake, with stories of a lake creature said to dwell in its depths, much like Scotland’s Loch Ness Monster. There have been many sightings of a “water dragon” allegedly dragging horses and camels into the water. Curious, we boarded a yacht and cruised around the magnificent lake, hoping for a glimpse of the mythical lake monster. Fortunately, no monster revealed itself, leaving us free to simply enjoy the lake’s beauty and majestic surroundings.
Although there is no evidence of the monster, scientists suggest that the legend may have been due to sightings of a giant fish, or a “Hucho taimen,” known to grow up to ten meters long. Still, the mystery endures, and the investigation continues, adding a layer of intrigue to this enchanting landscape.
Tuva Ethnic Group WE visited a Tuva Ethnic Group Settlement, where we were welcomed into one of their traditional log houses. The Tuva people trace their lineage to the soldiers who once followed Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire.
We were given steaming cups of hot milk, which was freshly obtained from cattle, along with raisins, nuts, and milk candy, which are among their agricultural produce. Their community shared that the Tuva were once a nomadic people of hunters and forest dwellers from Russia and Mongolia, who eventually chose to settle in this region.
Today, the Tuvans sustain themselves not only through agriculture but also through tourism, proudly sharing their culture with visitors. The community has a small school staffed by 20 teachers who teach around 80 elementary and high school students. Older youth are encouraged by the community to proceed to study in the universities.
We were captivated by the Tuva people’s traditional throat-singing, an extraordinary vocal technique that produces two different pitches simultaneously: a high, whistle-like tone layered over a deep rumble. I couldn’t help but think to myself, “talbog si Vernie Varga!” remembering the famous Filipina singer known for her vocal acrobatics. A male and a female Tuvan, dressed in their traditional costumes, treated us to folk dances that offered a glimpse into their rich artistic and cultural heritage.
We were fortunate to visit the Tuva
quaint restaurant bar that is known for its Korean specialties. We literally saw Clark’s skyline transform from night to day from this establishment’s
Cantonese specialties, such as its must-try Roasted Beijing Duck, Homemade Tofu in Abalone Sauce, Roasted Pork Belly, and WokFried Prawn. We ended lunch just in time to check in at Swissôtel, take an afternoon nap, and freshen up for dinner at Smoki Moto, a
Ethnic Settlement during autumn when the birch forest blazed in brilliant shades of yellow and orange. At the Hemu Ethnic Settlement, about three hours away, many Tuva houses had been converted into restaurants. We feasted on roasted skewered lamb marinated in various spices, and sampled fresh yogurt made from camel, sheep, or cow’s milk and other interesting delicacies. The women in our group had a delightful time trying out their traditional Tuva attire made of colorful indigenous fabrics. We walked around the settlement as if transported back to olden times.
From Demon City to Snow Mountains ON our fifth day, we drove to a place called Demon City, located in the Wuerhe mining site near Karamay. The area is famous for its dramatic wind-carved rock formations that resemble ancient castles and ravines. It is also known as Ghost City because of the eerie howls and shrieks created by strong winds as they pass through the rock formations.
Once an oil field, Demon City has been transformed into a tourist site where visitors can enjoy camel rides, ATVs, and other sports activities. A tram tour gives you a panoramic view of majestic sphinxes, mesmerizing peacocks, and massive rock shapes that resemble a “sinking Titanic”.
It is said that dinosaurs once roamed this place a thousand years ago, which explains why a section there was aptly named Jurassic Valley, complete with huge dinosaur replicas. The movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” was filmed here. The
Moto cocktails, such as the Gin Thriller, Rum Eclipse, and Vodka Range.
When we were in town for race weekends of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup, we were also invited to dine at the hotel’s Italian outlet, Ristorante Di Verona. Our favorites from these festive occasions are Insalata Mista (green salad with seared tuna), Dentice Al Forno (baked snapper fish), Pistacchiosa (pizza with pistachio, parmesan cheeses, taleggio, mortadella), Tonno Grigliato (grilled tuna), and the Filetto Di Manzo Alla Griglia (US Angus striploin).
Just before we retreated to our rooms, we made one last stop: Swissôtel’s Purovel Spa & Sport for a massage. The place perfectly completes your experience of the complex, from its busy dining spaces to a serene, calming space. Therapeutic treatments are based on Swiss techniques and guests are made to choose from a range of fragrant essential oils to further curate the experience. After the massage, we were invited to wind down in another room over some biscuits and tea.
For guests always on the go, they can access Purovel’s exercise rooms, an aquamarine infinity pool, and thermal suites.
Hann Resorts Vice President of Real Estate & Property Development Agnes “Neki” Liwanag explained that the group is continuously building a place where people can “walk without having to leave the property.”
She maintained, “We want to create an experience (where) the main goal (is for our guests to have) good memories, moments to remember,” Liwanag shared. “We want to focus on innovation. We always want to
haunting beauty of the site is fantastic for snapshots, but I was relieved that we did not stay overnight, because of the howls and shrieks which would have surely sent chills down our spines. Day six brought us to Sayram Lake in the Tianshan Mountains, near the Kazakhstan border. As we arrived, the temperature had dropped to 1°C. Sayram Lake, the largest and highest lake in Xinjiang at 6,790 feet above sea level, is fed mainly by glacial meltwater. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks and inhabited by Kazakh communities, the lake is often called “the last tear of the Atlantic.” This poetic name comes from the belief that Sayram is the final place in China reached by the warm, moist winds that originate from the distant Atlantic Ocean. Adding to its mystique is a local legend: it is said that a pair of lovers, unable to be together, wept so bitterly that their tears formed the lake before they took their own lives. Today, Sayram Lake has become a favorite honeymoon and holiday destination for young couples, drawn by both its romantic tale and its natural splendor. Locals told us that during summer, water temperature can soar to a boiling 100°C, making one wonder if the salmon in the lake might end up as “nilagang salmon” (boiled salmon) in the heat. Along the Silk Road, even the pit stops along the highway turned into flavorful encounters with the region’s vibrant food culture, because of stalls selling Xinjiang’s fruits, delicacies, and souvenirs.
create something different.” The executive added that guests can look forward to a Novotel property that will rise behind the current Hann compound, the group’s response to the increasing demand for more hotel rooms in the area, especially amid steadily growing MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) requirements.
The complex, as well as an upcoming 450-hectare property called Hann Reserve, is the brainchild of Hann Group CEO Dae Sik Han. The businessman used to be in the construction and cement industry business in South Korea and has since focused his interests in the Philippines, beginning with the Widus Hotel Clark that opened in 2008. Built around an integrated resort concept with offerings such as an 18-hole golf course, an international school, the Intercontinental Clark, premium residences, a retail area, and a 10-hectare public park, Liwanag said that Hann Reserve is envisioned to be a place where the company’s guests can enjoy nature and calm down—a step down from the tempo of Hann Resort. Guests may experience both locations with ease, as they are a mere 15- to 20-minute drive from each other. So, if you have not yet, try a purely restful vacation—one that allows your body and mind do less. Aside from hotels, spots like nature spas and beach resorts make for good places to recharge by doing very little. They say that if we do not choose a day to rest, our body will choose it for us. Be proactive and allow yourself time to be pampered, be lazy, celebrate with good eats—and do it all over again the next day.
Story & photos by Joyce
CRUISING the Kanas Lake L-R Peter Sicat, Gael Sze, Pong Olanday, Arlene David, Wilson Lee Flores, Veronica Jimenez, Sen.Nikki Coseteng,Gaysle Salazar, Emmanuel Barra, Wilson Tang, Louis Sze, Abigail Sze
LADIES in our tour group wearing Tuvan attire L-R: Ching Ying Shi, Sally Lao, Sen. Nikki Coseteng, the author, Letty Sze
SWISSOTEL’S Clark Vitality Suite
THE executive lounge at the Swissotel Clark.
A SELECTION of Smoki Moto's sashimi and sushi offerings
THE lobby of Swissotel Clark
Editor: Angel R. Calso
UN condemns Madagascar coup as colonel assumes presidency
By Gerald Imray & Nqobile Ntshangase The Associated Press
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar—An army colonel who seized power in a military coup was sworn in as Madagascar’s new leader Friday in a lightning-fast power grab that ousted the president and sent him fleeing from the country into hiding.
Col. Michael Randrianirina, the commander of an elite army unit, took the oath of office to become the new president at a ceremony in the main chamber of the nation’s High Constitutional Court and in front of its nine red-robed judges. His ascent to the presidency came just three days after he announced that the armed forces were taking power in the
sprawling Indian Ocean island of around 30 million people off Africa’s east coast.
The United Nations has condemned the military takeover as an unconstitutional change of government but there has been little significant reaction from other countries, including Madagascar’s former colonial ruler, France. The takeover—which came after three weeks of
anti-government protests by mainly young people—led to Madagascar being suspended from the African Union.
President Andry Rajoelina’s whereabouts are unknown after he left the country claiming his life was in danger following the rebellion by soldiers loyal to Randrianirina. He reportedly escaped on a
See “Madagascar,” A11
Pope Leo XIV addresses World Food Day, denouncing hunger as weapon of war
By Giada Zampano The Associated Press
ROME—Pope Leo XIV on Thursday denounced the use of hunger as a weapon of war as he urged world leaders to act responsibly and focus on the multitudes across the globe who face hunger, wars and misery.
During an address on World Food Day at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Leo urged the international community to not look the other way, at a time of dwindling foreign aid budgets.
challenge us and invite us to reexamine our lifestyles, our priorities and our overall way of living in today’s world.”
“We must make their suffering our own,” he concluded in English, after delivering most of his speech in Spanish to world leaders, ministers and ambassadors gathered at FAO’s Rome headquarters for an event commemorating the UN agency’s 80th anniversary.
millions of human beings to live, and die, struck by hunger is a collective failure, an ethical derailment, a historic offense,” he said.
Leo’s warning comes as UN food aid agencies face severe funding cuts from their top donors that risk hurting their operations in key countries and forcing millions of people into emergency levels of hunger.
Russia convicts 15 captured Ukrainian soldiers on terrorism charges, Kyiv condemns ‘sham trial’
By The Associated Press
ACOURT in southern Russia convicted 15 captured Ukrainian soldiers on terrorism charges Friday after a trial that Kyiv denounced as a sham and a violation of international law.
The military court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced 15 men from the Aidar battalion, which Russia has designated a terrorist group, to prison terms ranging from 15 to 21 years.
The verdict marks the second mass trial of Ukrainian prisoners of war since March, when 23 members of the elite Azov brigade were convicted on similar charges in a trial that also was condemned by Ukraine as a violation of international law.
The pope named the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, along with Haiti, Afghanistan, Mali, the Central African Republic, Yemen and South Sudan. He cited U.N. data showing that around 673 million people do not eat enough each day.
“We can no longer delude ourselves by thinking that the consequences of our failures impact only those who are hidden out of sight,” he said. “The hungry faces of so many who still suffer
Leo condemned the use of hunger as a weapon of war, but didn’t name any specific conflict or region. Humanitarian groups have long denounced the practice, in which food or aid is restricted or diverted during a conflict, leaving innocent civilians to go hungry. Most recently, even some Jewish groups have accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza, a claim Israel strongly denies.
“In a time when science has lengthened life expectancy, allowing
The World Food Program, traditionally the UN’s most-funded agency, said in a new report on Wednesday that its funding this year “has never been more challenged”— largely due to slashed outlays from the US under the Trump administration and other leading Western donors.
It warned that 13.7 million of its food aid recipients could be forced into emergency levels of hunger as funding is cut. The countries facing “major disruptions” are Afghanistan, Congo, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.
Venezuela floated plan for Maduro to slowly give up power, but was rejected by US, AP source says
By Aamer Madhani & David Klepper
The Associated Press
ASHINGTON—Venezuelan government
Wofficials have floated a plan in which President Nicolás Maduro would eventually leave office, a bid aimed at easing mounting US pressure on the government in Caracas, according to a former Trump administration official.
The proposal, which was rejected by the White House, calls for Maduro to step down from power in three years and hand over authority to his vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, who would complete Maduro’s current six-year term that runs until January 2031, according to the official who was briefed on the plan but was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Rodriguez would not run for reelection under the plan, the official said, adding that the White House had rejected the proposal because it continues to question the legitimacy of Maduro’s rule and accuse him of overseeing a narco-terrorist state.
The revelation of Maduro’s attempts to offer a plan to slowly ease himself out of power comes amid growing unease in the Venezuelan leader’s government that President Donald Trump could order military action to try to oust him.
Aspects of the Venezuelan effort were first reported by the Miami Herald earlier Thursday.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Speaking at a televised event Thursday, Maduro ridiculed reports that Rodríguez would be part of a plan
French military plane. In his absence, Rajoelina was impeached in a vote in parliament on Tuesday, right before the colonel announced the military was taking power.
Randrianirina, who is believed to be 50 or 51 years old, swapped his military camouflage for a dark suit and blue tie for the swearingin ceremony, which was attended by military officers, civilian officials and foreign diplomats. He took his oath with ceremonial military guards of honor on either side of the room.
The colonel, who emerged from relative obscurity to lead the rebellion by his CAPSAT military unit less than a week ago, was briefly imprisoned two years ago for an attempted mutiny. He said he spent most of the three months he was detained in late 2023 and early 2024 at a military hospital.
Madagascar has high rates of poverty, which affect around 75% of the population, according to the World Bank. The former French colony also has a tumultuous history of political instability since gaining independence in 1960 that has included several coups and attempted coups.
Rajoelina himself came to power as a transitional leader in 2009 after the
to replace him as an attempt “to divide our people.”
He also mocked Trump’s confirmation Wednesday that the US president had authorized the CIA to operate in Venezuela.
“Can anyone believe the CIA hasn’t been operating in Venezuela for the past 60 years?”
Maduro said.
Rodríguez described the alleged plan for Maduro to step down as fake news Thursday.
“FAKE!!” Rodríguez wrote in English on her Telegram account. “More media that add to the garbage dump of the psychological war against the Venezuelan people.”
She added that Venezuela’s leadership is united.
Since early September, the US military has carried out a series of strikes on alleged drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea, including against at least four boats that originated from Venezuela.
Those strikes followed Trump deploying three Aegis guided-missile destroyers to the waters off Venezuela as part of what the administration has framed as an effort to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels.
‘Psyops’ in play as White House tries to ‘create a fracture’ in Venezuela: expert TRUMP on Wednesday took the unorthodox step of confirming to reporters that he had authorized covert CIA action in Venezuela. He added the administration “is looking at land” as it considers further strikes in the region. But he declined to say whether the CIA has authority to take action specifically against Maduro.
The Republican president’s acknowledgement
that he had greenlit CIA action further escalated tensions with the South American nation, already heightened because of the strikes on boats.
A commander-in-chief publicly addressing covert CIA operations is unlikely to be found in any spy manual. But analysts say it may have spurred a desired effect for the White House: creating even more unease among Maduro and his allies that their days may be numbered.
“It’s psyops,” said Brian Fonseca, a scholar at Florida International University who studies Venezuela, using shorthand for psychological operations. “This is about putting pressure on the Maduro regime and trying to create a fracture among the country’s political and military elite, and see if you can then get that fracture into dislodging Maduro from power.”
Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term in January despite credible evidence that he lost last year’s election.
Tom Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, noted that US opposition to the Maduro government is not new, but declined to comment on Trump saying he’s approved covert CIA operations in Venezuela.
“It was, and is, however, the policy of the Trump and Biden Administrations that Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela,” Cotton said in a statement.
Trump’s pressure campaign on Venezuela is likely designed to encourage Venezuela’s military leaders to drop their support for Maduro, leaving him with few allies and few options but to resign, said Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings
military-backed coup.
Randrianirina has said Madagascar will be run by a military council with him as president for between 18 months and two years before any new elections, meaning the young people who inspired the uprising against Rajoelina may have a long wait before they are able to choose their new leader.
The protests, which began last month, have echoed other Gen Z-led uprisings in Nepal, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. Young Madagascans first took to the streets last month to
rail against regular water and power outages, but have raised other issues, including the cost of living, the lack of opportunities and alleged corruption and nepotism by the elite.
Randrianirina seized on the momentum last weekend by turning against Rajoelina and joining the antigovernment protests that called for the president and government ministers to step down. There was a brief clash between his soldiers and members of the gendarmerie security forces still loyal to Rajoelina, during which one CAPSAT
Institution and an expert on drug trafficking and security issues.
That’s likely one reason why Trump took the step of announcing the CIA’s involvement publicly, she said.
“It’s clearer and clearer by the day that the purpose of these actions in the Caribbean is to bring down the Maduro regime,” Felbab-Brown said. “The administration is trying to create enough pressure on the military to abandon Maduro.”
A small group of top administration officials— including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Trump aide Stephen Miller—have driven the push to carry out the fatal strikes.
Rubio, dating back to his days in the Senate, has advocated for taking a harder line on Maduro.
During Trump’s first term, Maduro was indicted on US federal drug charges, including narcoterrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. This year, the Justice Department doubled a reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, accusing him of being “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world.”
Trump has focused attention on the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which he claims is serving as a “front” for Maduro, and said members of the gang were in the first boat targeted last month. No details on alleged affiliations have been released in the other strikes.
AP writers Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations, Jorge Rueda in Caracas, Venezuela, and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed reporting.
soldier was killed, the colonel said.
But there has been no major violence on the streets and Randrianirina’s troops have been cheered and their takeover celebrated by Madagascans.
Randrianirina said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that the military takeover was a move to “take responsibility as citizens and patriots.”
“From now on, we will restore the country to its former glory, fight against insecurity, and gradually try to solve the social problems that Malagasy people experience,” he said in an interview at his unit’s barracks, where he announced his intention to take up the position of president.
Rajoelina’s office has said a move earlier this week by the High Constitutional Court to invite Randrianirina to become the new president was flawed and claimed that some of the court’s judges had been threatened.
On Thursday, UN SecretaryGeneral António Guterres condemned the unconstitutional change of government and called “for the return to constitutional order and the rule of law,” his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said. The African Union said it “totally rejects” the takeover.
Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa.
When the trial of Aidar members began in 2023, Ukraine’s human rights envoy, Dmytro Lubinets, denounced it as “shameful” and charged that “Russia is making criminals out of those who defended their native land.”
Memorial, a prominent Russian human rights group, has designated the defendants as political prisoners. It has argued that the trial violated international conventions protecting POWs, noting the defendants were facing trial just because they served with the Aidar battalion, not over any specific war crimes.
“This grossly violates the provisions of the Geneva Convention, which prohibits the prosecution of prisoners of war solely for their participation in an armed conflict,” Memorial said.
Russia has labeled both the Azov and Aidar groups as terrorist organizations and accused their members of war crimes. The volunteer units were created soon after Russia’s 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, and they took active part in fighting against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Aidar, Azov and other volunteer units eventually were integrated into the Ukrainian military.
When the trial of Aidar members began in 2023, it initially involved 18 members. Two nurses who served with the battalion also went on trial, but they were returned to Ukraine as part of a prisoner swap. Proceedings against a driver serving with the battalion will be held separately.
Del Monte belongs to Jaraula
REYMON JARAULA carded
a course record nineunder 63 to blow the field away and clinch a dominant ninestroke victory in the International
Container Terminal
Services Inc. Del Monte Championship at Del Monte Golf Club in Bukidnon on Friday.
From the moment he birdied the first two holes, it was clear Jaraula wasn’t just out to win—he was out to make a statement—and what followed was a relentless display of precision and confidence as he distanced himself from the field, particularly overnight rival Rupert Zaragosa.
He cruised to the title with a tournament total of 23-under 265—one of the lowest in Philippine Golf Tour history.
The exclamation point came on the par-five 18th hole where Jaraula capped his record-setting, bogey-free round with an eagle, cementing both the victory and his place in Del Monte lore. His 63 shattered the previous course record of 64 held by Clyde Mondilla since 2023—the same year Mondilla edged Jaraula by one for the crown.
“I didn’t expect this to be very convincing,” said Jaraula, who was near-flawless from tee to green.
“Everything clicked – driving, second shots and putting.”
“And my familiarity with the course helped a lot, I know where to position my ball,” he added.
Jaraula’s performance was a lesson in local knowledge and elite execution— he hit all 14 fairways, found 16 greens in regulation and needed just 28 putts.
With the home crowd cheering him on, he turned the final day into a coronation with birdies at Nos. 14, 15 and 17 before that dramatic eagle finish.
Zaragosa, who led midway the tournament, simply couldn’t keep up and finished with a second straight 71 for a distant runner-up at 274, while Japan’s Atsushi Ueda carded a 68 to
place third at 275—his best career finish on the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.organized circuit.
Russell Bautista (69) secured solo fourth at 276, while Arnold Villacencio (67), Mondilla (69), and Korean Jaehyun Jung (69) tied for fifth at 278.
Tony Lascuña, who started the day in solo third, stumbled with a 73 to join Collin Wheeler (68) and Keanu Jahns (72) at joint eighth on 279.
But the tournament belonged entirely to Jaraula.
The 33-year-old Bukidnon native, who trains at both Del Monte and Pueblo de Oro, not only claimed his fourth career title but also erased the sting of his 2023 runner-up finish.
And doing it on his home course, in front of an appreciative local crowd, made it all the more meaningful.
“It’s so sweet to win where you started your career,” he said. “I feel this is my best victory.”
After seizing a one-shot lead over Zaragosa in Thursday’s Moving Day, Jaraula knew he had to strike early and birdied three of his first six holes, extending his lead to four by the turn.
A birdie on the par-five No. 9 stretched the gap further and effectively putting the result beyond doubt.
“I told myself I couldn’t be reckless,” he said, recalling how Mondilla chased him down two years ago. “Even with the lead, I had to stay focused.”
Jaraula calmly navigating the back nine before shifting to attack mode with the finish line in sight and with a comfortable cushion on No. 18, he went for the green in two—and landed a majestic second shot just five feet from the pin.
He drained the eagle putt to complete his historic round.
Jaraula pocketed P623,000 from the P3.5 million purse and regained a surge of confidence heading into the next two legs in Davao.
For his latest feat, he first thanked God, followed by his supporters, including Del Monte Golf Club and Pueblo de Oro, where he regularly trains, as well as Golf Depot and Mizuno.
