Thursday’s data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) showed the peso closed at P58.1 to the US dollar, the weakest since closing P58.145 to the greenback last August 4. The peso traded at its weakest at P58.17 and at its strongest at P57.73 to the dollar. It opened at
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
EW DELHI, INDIA—Picture a city struck by a super typhoon—yet power remains uninterrupted, roads intact, schools standing, and floodwaters swiftly receding. This is the vision behind the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), a global initiative led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that is now calling on Asean nations to step up.
P57.75 to the greenback on Thursday and closed at P57.461 last Wednesday.
“It reflects a mix of global and domestic factors. Externally, lingering uncertainty around US Fed policy and elevated oil prices continue to weigh on emerging market
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
UALA LUMPUR—Issues
Kof government corruption will not derail foreign investments in the Philippines as long as the country continues to build on its existing strengths, according to a global business consultant.
John Low, Managing Partner for Southeast Asia at Roland Berger, said governance questions alone are unlikely to dictate foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions, as the Philippines has continued to attract investment despite per-
sistent concerns.
“It will definitely not affect the Philippines because otherwise, the Philippines won’t be where it is today,” Low told the BusinessMirror
“It has progressed well, it’s the largest [business process outsourcing] hub...a very important part of the whole services value chain. Very strong in power, very strong in consumer goods, and a good manufacturing base.”
His remarks come as recent protests in Metro Manila have raised questions whether corruption and governance issues could under -
mine the country’s attractiveness to investors.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) said heightened political and social risks could prompt investors to take a waitand-see approach in the short term. (https://businessmirror. com.ph/2025/09/23/protestsleading-to-reforms-could-begood-for-business/).
In an August brief assessing the Marcos administration’s midterm record, Capital Economics said that while the past three
years showed “encouraging” economic performance, the Philippines remains among the most corrupt countries in Asia. (Related: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/08/13/report-corruption-political-spat-stunt-economic-growth/).
It added that the high-profile spat between the President and Vice President has made the country one of the least politically stable economies in Southeast Asia. Asean competition BUT while it will not be the sole
“We’ve extended invitations to Asean disaster management agencies, including the Philippines’ Office of Civil Defense, as early as 2019,” said Alpana Saha, director for Partnerships, Governance and Resource Mobilization at CDRI. “It seems internal coordination is still ongoing.”
Membership in the coalition requires no financial commitments—only a pledge to uphold the CDRI Charter, which
With 50 member-states already on board, including Vietnam as the sole Asean participant, CDRI is urging countries like the Philippines to join its ranks and co-create infrastructure systems that can withstand the growing wrath of climate change.
TBy Lenie Lectura @llectura
HE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Thursday defended its rate-setting role in the power sector amid allegations raised by a consumer group that the agency is prioritizing the interest of the power firms.
ERC chairman Francis Saturnino Juan said the Competitive Selection Process (CSP) policy of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Alyansa ng Bagong Pilipinas vs. ERC are two pivotal developments in the regulatory framework.
“In this new era, the role of the ERC is not diminished; it is trans-
formed. Its mandate is clearer and more critical than ever: to be the guardian of the competitive process and the guarantor of its integrity,” said Juan.
The CSP is meant to secure longterm power supply agreements (PSAs), aiming to find the lowestcost power sources to meet its customers’ needs. It is designed to ensure transparency and fairness in the selection of power suppliers.
“Therefore, the ERC’s primary duty in its rate-setting function must be to uphold the outcomes of a genuinely competitive CSP. When a CSP has been conducted properly—transparently, fairly, and with robust competition—the resulting price is not just a number offered
by a generator. It is the market’s definitive answer to the question, “What is the least-cost power available today?” It is a price validated by the competitive process itself,” the ERC chief pointed out.
The People for Power (P4P) coalition expressed its disappointment, saying “Juan’s first order of business as new ERC chief is to cede ground to power players, enabling them to raise prices as they please at the expense of ordinary Filipinos.”
Prior to the appointment of Juan, the commission would reevaluate the outcome of the CSP, resulting in changes in the rates that already underwent competitive bidding.
This approach, according to Juan, creates regulatory uncertainty that discourages the possible investments.
“It tells investors: You competed and won fairly, but the goalposts may still move during the PSA review process at ERC.”
“This does not protect consumers; it ultimately harms them by chilling investment, threatening future supply, and jeopardizing the long-term reliability and affordability of our power,” said Juan. Nonetheless, the ERC is cautious in assuring that the CSP process was “truly competitive and compliant.”
“Upholding a competitively derived price is the highest form of
government
in
flood control scam. The hearing, chaired by Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and attended by Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla, also drew attention to security aide Orly Regala Guteza of businessman Zaldy Co, who has been linked as well to the flood-control mess. Attending the hearings are contractor
Pacifico and Sarah Discaya, dubbed the “King and Queen of Flood Control,” whose firms have won billions in flood control contracts and are facing questions over substandard or delayed projects. See story in A14 ROY DOMINGO
Continued from A1
consumer protection—it protects consumers from the hidden costs of uncertainty, underinvestment, and the return of negotiated monopolistic rates. This balanced approach is the essence of Epira,” Juan stressed.
For P4P, the ERC’s new approach is limited to monitoring procedural compliance, eliminating a stringent review of rates in power and ancillary service contracts.
“The Electric Power Industry Reform Act [Epira] already placed the power to shape our electricity sector in the hands of private companies, with the government supposedly ensuring that electricity is respected as a service imbued with public interest. If flood control has ghost projects, here we have a commission that’s ghosting us on its regulatory role. One can’t help but ask who is benefiting from all of this, because it’s definitely not the ordinary Juan Dela Cruz,” P4P Convenor Gerry Arances said.
In reply, the ERC chief said his office is the steadfast guardian of the competitive process.
“The greatest shield against high prices is not the discretionary power of a regulator to cut a single contract, but the relentless, ongoing pressure of a competitive market where suppliers must constantly offer their best price to win a supply contract.
That is the system the CSP and the Alyansa Supreme Court ruling protects. The path is clear. The law is certain,” Juan said.
Tighter rules seen dragging govt infra spending in H2
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
THE election ban on public works hampered the government’s infrastructure spending as of end-July and a short-term temporary slowdown is further anticipated due to the tighter scrutiny of the projects of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Latest data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed infrastructure disbursements dropped by 29.6 percent to P835 billion as of end-July from P864.6 billion.
This figure covers infrastructure components of subsidies and equity provided to state-owned corporations, as well as transfers to local government units (LGUs).
“The lower infrastructure spending resulted mainly from the combined impact of the election ban on public works during the second quarter and the timing of releases for the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program of the Department of National Defense,” the DBM said.
In July alone, infrastructure and other capital outlays decreased by 25.3 percent to P93.3 billion from last year’s P124.9 billion due to weaker
disbursement performance by the DPWH.
The DBM cited the muted disbursement performance of the DPWH caused by timing and phasing of various infrastructure activities, delays in some procurement activities and delays or incomplete submission of progress billings and documentary requirements by contractors.
Contractors’ compliance with the new requirement of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) of a tax clearance for processing of final payments also contributed to the slowdown in DPWH disbursements.
Under Revenue Regulation No. 172024, government contractors are required to obtain an updated tax clearance before the final settlement of any government contract.
The clearance certifies that contractors have no outstanding tax liabilities and have duly filed and paid all applicable taxes. This is intended to safeguard public funds from contractors who fail to comply with tax obligations.
The BIR is conducting parallel tax investigations against contractors allegedly involved in the irregularities in the government’s flood control projects.
Contractors found without updated
tax returns and clearances, and with established tax liabilities, particularly those linked to poorly implemented projects, could face tax evasion charges, the BIR said.
This scrutiny follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s announcement of the top 15 contractors with the most flood control projects. Investigations in the House and Senate unveiled connections between some of the contractors and DPWH employees allegedly involved in anomalous flood control projects.
Due to this, the DBM expects infrastructure spending to temporarily slowdown in the second half of the year as the DPWH is evaluating and validating the status of completed projects and employing measures to enforce stricter verification of progress billings and other payment claims.
To prevent delays, the DPWH
lifted the suspension of bidding and procurement activities for local projects to ensure that infrastructure programs will continue and be implemented on time, while safeguards to prevent corruption and ensure compliance with existing laws, rules and regulations are being executed.
This year’s infrastructure spending is programmed at P1.512 trillion, lower by 2.13 percent from last year’s actual spending of P1.545 trillion.
For 2026, infrastructure disbursements will amount to P1.558 trillion next year, up by 3 percent from this year’s spending plan. However, this could be lowered since the DPWH’s budget for next year is proposed to be reduced by P255.5 billion, which is supposed to fund flood control projects. This now amounts to P625.8 billion from the initial budget proposal of P881.3 billion.
‘Corruption won’t deny investments if...’
Continued from A1
deciding factor, Low said the Philippines needs to ramp up its efforts as it faces stiff competition from its Southeast Asian neighbors.
Many global firms are relocating production out of China due to rising costs and trade frictions with the United States under what has become known as the “China+1” strategy.
This has led companies to weigh expansion in Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia alongside the Philippines.
Low noted that relying only on tax breaks and cheap labor will not be enough to hold investors in place, citing Malaysia’s experience when an electronics company pulled out after incentives expired.
In the Philippines, business groups have also flagged higher costs after a recent P50 wage hike in Metro Manila lifted the daily minimum pay to as much as P695. Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines (Conwep) said the increase pushed the exit of a Japanese firm that had operated in the country for four decades. (Related: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/09/05/garments-sector-pay-hike-tariffs-spell-perfect-storm/).
A recent EU-Asean Business Sentiment Survey also found the Philippines trailing its peers.
Only 40 percent of European companies said they would expand operations in the country, compared to higher interest in Vietnam (66 percent), Indonesia (60 percent), Thailand (57 percent), and Malaysia (57 percent).
An additional 48 percent of respondents said they were unsure about expanding in the Philippines, while 12 percent said they would contract their operations.
Despite these challenges, Low said the Philippines can continue to attract investors if it sharpens its competitive edge and emphasizes its strengths—particularly its English-speaking workforce.
“You cannot be business as usual. Opportunity is going to be there...Build on your strengths in order to attract and bring in the opportunities,” he said.
He added that transformation is a long-term process.
Malaysia, he said, took more than a decade to establish itself as a semiconductor hub.
“You just have to continue to move step by step,” Low said.
“Start doing the right things, and 15 years later, you’ll be like, okay, now I am the AI plus human hub of the world.”
For the Philippines, he said, the real challenge is not corruption but whether it can innovate fast enough to stand out in a region where every economy is competing for the same opportunities.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) earlier reported that approved foreign investment pledges posted a 64.4-percent decline in the second quarter of 2025, only reaching P67.38 billion compared to the P189.50 billion recorded in the same period last year.
Most of these pledges were in electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply industry (81.2 percent) followed by administrative services (6.8 percent) and manufacturing (6.6 percent).
Political…
currencies, including PHP [Philippine peso],” John Paolo R. Rivera of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) told the BusinessMirror “Domestically, the political noise such as Senate hearings on corruption and street protests may have triggered risk-off sentiment, prompting investors to adopt a cautious stance,” added the PIDS Senior Research Fellow. Rivera explained that domestic risks can add to “market jitters” and weaken investor confidence, particularly on fiscal governance and the implementation of key reforms. He emphasized that the “forward guidance and credibility” of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) “will be crucial in stabilizing sentiment.” Unionbank Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion told the BusinessMirror that external factors such as a strong US dollar affected Thursday’s trading. Asuncion took particular note of the US Federal Reserve’s decision to take on a more “cautious easing path.” This gradual approach, announced by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, is expected to keep monetary policy in the United States restrictive for the rest of the year. On the domestic front, Asuncion agreed that political noise surrounding the corruption protests and investigation on flood control projects may have been a factor that weakened the peso.
“Domestic political noise, such as protests and Senate hearings, may add to sentiment risk, but the peso’s weakness remains anchored on global monetary dynamics and narrowing interest rate differentials,” he told this newspaper.
Meanwhile, Jonathan I. Ravelas, senior adviser at professional services firm Reyes Tacandong & Co., told the BusinessMirror that the “floodgate” investigations and the uncertainty caused by higher US tariffs weakened the peso. Ravelas said that the break of the P58 levels could now place the peso at risk of weakening further to the P58.50 or P59 levels against the US dollar.
He told this newspaper that traders and investors are closely monitoring the hearings and slowly realizing that “floodgate” involves more individuals. This leads to an increase in uncertainty. This uncertainty coupled by external headwinds are also leading to the “reluctance” of some banks to increase lending or investors to part with their cash in the Philippines. The BSP, Ravelas said, may be prompted to implement a cut in the next meeting to prevent the economy to go on a “tailspin.” He said there is room to make this cut a reality given that inflation remains below 2 percent. In August, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that inflation increased to 1.5 percent inflation. This is faster than the 0.9 percent posted in July but slower than the 3.3 percent posted in August 2024. Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said La Niña conditions, which may develop from September to December, could lead to flooding and crop damage in high-risk areas. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/09/06/la-nina-could-leadto-faster-inflation-psa).
Ako tingin ko the 25 (basis points cut) in October, I think it’s wise. Parang pre-emptive, hindi mo talaga agad kailangan. Pero it’s nice to have, kumbaga kung ma-a-apektuhan dahil dito sa mga controversies na ito mag-slowdown ang growth may as well aid [growth],” Ravelas told the BusinessMirror Earlier, the BSP said the national government’s growth targets may not be met next year as uncertainties caused by higher US tariffs are bound to dampen investor demand. In its latest Monetary Policy Report, the BSP said the low end of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) growth target of 5.5–6.5 percent will be achieved in 2025. But the target range of 6 to 7 percent may not be met in 2026. The BSP estimates that the target of 6 to 7 percent may only be met by 2027. The DBCC set a GDP growth target of 6 to 7 percent for 2026 to 2028. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/09/23/growth-goals-inperil-in-26-amid-tariff-jitters).
Pagasa: Urban changes strain flood control efforts
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio
ZAMBOANGA CITY—
Floodwaters are moving faster in heavily developed areas, highlighting the challenge of managing flooding in the country’s urban areas, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.
Pagasa senior hydrologist Oyie Pagulayan said the recent rise in floods is driven not just by rainfall but also by rapid urbanization.
“The way we look at our environmental condition, our contribution
from changes in the landscape, like highly urbanized areas, is really significant,” Pagulayan said in mixed English and Filipino during a news conference at the Handa Pilipinas Mindanao Leg on Wednesday.
“So if we are going to continuously pave our streets, but many areas have their surfaces covered… that reduces the soil’s ability to absorb rainfall,” she explained.
While the state weather bureau collects rainfall and water-level data, Pagulayan clarified that design and feasibility studies for flood control projects are handled by other government agencies, such as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The agency also processes rainfall intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) data, which estimates the maximum rainfall or flood over periods up to 24 hours. This helps engineers and planners design infrastructure to manage maximum expected rainfall or flooding events.
Furthermore, she explained
that in heavily paved and urbanized areas, 50 to 60 percent of rainfall becomes runoff, meaning water is no longer absorbed by soil and instead flows directly into streets, exacerbating flood impacts.
Adding to the challenge, urban population growth in the Philippines remained steady at 1.5 percent in 2023 and 2024, according to the World Bank.
Recently, several reports have flagged delays and inadequacies in flood control projects in the country, including substandard infrastructure, postponed implementation and instances of corruption.
These issues, affecting major urban centers such as Metro Manila and other growing cities, have reportedly cost the economy billions of pesos, with most projects
DOJ to probe charges vs congressman
preliminary investigation.
Tinvolving government officials, district engineers and contractors.
Alternative ways NATURE-based solutions (NBS) and smart city initiatives are the strategies that Pagulayan highlighted to mitigate flooding while working with the environment.
“Smart city, and nature-based solution na mga initiatives…not only to reduce the flooding impacts but also to work with the environment on mitigating impacts ng flooding,” she said.
NBS use ecosystems like wetlands, urban green spaces, and permeable surfaces to absorb runoff and slow water flow.
Experts previously told the BusinessMirror that while NBS are essential for flood management, their effectiveness depends on innovation and coordinated
Palace orders
policies across agencies. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/09/20/can-naturebased-defenses-hold-vs-risingflood-threats/)
On the other hand, the Department of Science and Technology has promoted smart city programs that integrate technology and sustainable urban planning, including smart drainage systems, flood early warning technologies and sustainable land use. These programs aim to reduce flood risks while improving city resilience in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The DOST’s Smart and Sustainable Communities Program, launched in 2023 with 80 pilot areas, has expanded to 111 municipalities and cities as of September this year.
implementation of natl disaster response plan
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
HE Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday said it would look into the complaints of rape by sexual assault and acts of lasciviousness filed against Marikina Rep. Marcelino Reyes Teodoro.
In a statement, DOJ spokesman Jose Dominic Clavano confirmed that the Justice department received two complaintaffidavits against Teodoro, filed by two female police officers who had been assigned as his close-in security at different times.
“In line with Department Circular 20 [2023], the complaints will undergo case build-up and legal evaluation to determine sufficiency of evidence before any
This ensures that any action, if warranted, will rest on a complete and substantiated record,” the DOJ said.
The DOJ did not disclose the identities of the complainants to safeguard their safety and privacy.
Clavano also assured that Teodoro will be accorded due process pending its investigation and evaluation of the evidence.
“The Department reiterates its commitment to act impartially and to pursue all cases strictly on the basis of evidence and law,” the DOJ stressed.
The DOJ said one of the complainants alleged that during the early period of her assignment, the former mayor committed acts of lasciviousness
against her, which is punishable under Article 336 of the Revised Penal Code.
The other complainant served as close-in security to Teodoro’s wife Marikina Mayor Maan Teodoro, and was later reassigned to the congressman.
The complainant accused the legislator of rape by sexual assault under Article 266-A (2) and acts of lasciviousness under Article 336 of the Revised Penal Code.
Teodoro, in a statement, branded the accusations as “false and malicious.”
“Their allegations are baseless and fabricated which are intended to destroy my reputation,” he said.
He also suspects that the complaints were politically-motivated and that there are forces working
against him.
Teodoro said he has yet to get a copy of the complaints but pointed out that these are mere allegations and cannot be considered as evidence.
“The accusations against me are malicious and untrue. Their allegations have no sufficient basis and are fabricated with the sole intention of destroying my reputation,” Teodoro said.
Teodoro appealed for fairness amid what he described as a series of orchestrated attacks. “It seems there are working forces behind these politically motivated attacks. The assaults against me are relentless and pitiful. I call and hope for an impartial, transparent, and open investigation to protect my reputation,” he said. With Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
Comelec eyes BARMM elections postponement
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
THE first-ever parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) may not push through as scheduled, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Thursday.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia disclosed that the poll body’s project management office and law department have already recommended the postponement of the October 13 elections, stressing it is both “legally and factually impossible” to proceed.
“We can no longer manage with the remaining days before October 13. It’s not just legally impossible, it is factually impossible... We hope people will understand why the Comelec has stopped its internal preparations. It is impossible for
us to continue because we don’t know what exactly we should implement,” Garcia explained.
The uncertainty stems from the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order (TRO) on Bangsamoro Autonomous Act (BAA) 77, which amended BAA 58 to redistribute seven vacant seats after the Court earlier excluded Sulu from the autonomous region. Before the TRO, the Comelec had been preparing under BAA 58, which provided only 73 seats.
The poll body had earlier opted not to follow the reallocation under BAA 77, citing “lack of material time,” and planned to leave the redistribution of seats to the new parliament after the elections.
Garcia assured the public there is no cause for alarm, noting that the Omnibus Election Code autho -
AFP rejects ‘malicious narratives’ about plans to unseat Marcos
THE Armed Forces (AFP) on Thursday dismissed “malicious narratives” about alleged plans to unseat President Marcos or conduct destabilization efforts aimed at toppling the Chief Executive.
In a statement on Wednesday, the AFP Public Affairs Office director, Col. Xerxes Trinidad, said these claims are “baseless, unfounded, and far removed from reality.”
“Our loyalty does not rest on politics or personalities, but firmly on the Constitution, the Republic, and the Filipino people. The AFP’s
role is clear: to defend our democratic institutions, not to arbitrate political disputes,” he added.
Reports earlier claimed that a large Christian-denomination sect met with a “top Army commander” days before the September 21 anti-corruption rallies to convince the latter to move against the President. The report did not identify the personalities involved. “We remain a professional and disciplined force, with the chain of command intact and united.
See “AFP,” A4
rizes the commission to suspend elections under extraordinary circumstances.
Section 5 allows postponement when serious causes—such as violence, terrorism, loss or destruction of election materials, force majeure, or other analogous situations—make it impossible to hold free, orderly, and honest polls.
“Force majeure means an act of God, something unforeseen... We can consider this in relation to the TRO and the pending case. We don’t know which law to enforce on October 13....Should we apply BAA 58, which has already been repealed, or BAA 77, which is under TRO?” Garcia said.
He added that the commission is still studying whether postponement is the proper course of action, with a final decision expected next week.
If the elections are reset and the SC rules that BAA 77 must be followed, Garcia said Comelec would need at least P774 million, as preparations would have to start from scratch—including reconfiguring the automated election system to reflect the new seat distribution.
If the polls are held later but under BAA 58, only around P50 million would be required.
On the same day, members of the League of Bangsamoro Organizations staged a protest outside the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila, demanding that the elections should proceed next month.
The parliament elections were originally set for May 12 alongside the midterm polls, but were moved to October 13 after President Marcos signed a postponement bill in February.
Army, Air Force paratroops simulate island infiltration
ARMY (PA) and Air Force (PAF) paratroopers further honed their free fall capabilities during the island infiltration operations conducted on Sept. 24.
The activity is part of the week-long fourth PA-PAF interoperability exercise (IOX) in Catanduanes, the Army spokesman, Col. Louie Dema-ala, said in a statement Thursday.
“The military free fall exercise is among the various training drills that [are] part of the PA-PAF IOX that is set to culminate tomorrow, September 26,” he added.
The PA-PAF IOX started Sept. 22. Military free fall is a distinct form of
tactical parachuting used by the elite forces of the PA which gives the jumper the ability to manually deploy the parachute at a specific altitude after a period of free fall.
“The PA and the PAF are committed to build a joint defense posture that safeguards our nation through enhanced operational coordination and communication,” Demaala said.
Meanwhile, the Army commander, Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, said that the interoperability exercise provides an opportunity to evaluate and improve both major services’ ability to carry out joint air and ground missions in support of external security operations. Rex Anthony Naval
TBy Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
O help minimize the destructive effects of typhoons, Malacañang ordered concerned government agencies to implement the 2024 National Disaster Response Plan (NDRP).
The 2024 NDRP contained the guidelines and strategies to prevent casualties and facilitate relief and rehabilitation efforts in disaster-hit areas.
In Memorandum Circular 100, Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin announced the adoption of the 2024 NDRP upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
“In accordance with their respective mandates, all concerned agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government, including government-owned or -controlled corporations are hereby directed and all LGU [local governments] are hereby encouraged, to undertake efforts in support of the implementation of the 2024 NDRP and the plans and programs specified therein,” he said in the two-page memorandum.
The Office of Civil Defense and the Presidential Communications Office were tasked to disseminate the official copy of the plan to concerned government offices. Bersamin issued MC 100 on Tuesday as the country was still reeling from the effects of Super Typhoon Nando and bracing for the arrival of Tropical Depression Opong (international name: Bualoi).
In its latest situation report as of 12 p.m. on Thursday, the NDRRMC reported that the combined effects of the southwest monsoon as well as tropical cyclones Mirasol, Nando and Opong has already resulted in 13 confirmed fatalities and 17 reported injuries. The weather disturbances have affected a total of 918,476 people nationwide and caused over P15.34-million worth of damage to agriculture.
The government has already released P12.32-million worth of assistance for the typhoon victims. Last June, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) estimated 19 more tropical cyclones will hit the country during the second half of the year.
Chinese envoy bids Marcos goodbye
WHILE the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China remains unresolved, the tension between the two countries did not escalate through the intervention of former China’s ambassador to the Philippines, President Marcos said.
During Ambassador Huang Xilian’s farewell call to Marcos in Malacañang on Thursday, the Chief Executive recognized the efforts of the diplomat in maintaining Philippines-China peace in the West Philippine Sea – the part of the South China Sea that is within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone.
“I think, considering how difficult the situation was, that we have managed to keep things at least away from too much problems. Thank you for your service,” the President told Huang.
However, Marcos expressed disappointment over the small progress made in coming out with a permanent solution to end conflicts between Philippine and Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea, during the term of Huang.
“It’s unfortunate we didn’t make much progress on the difficulties that we have in the South
China Sea, West Philippine Sea,” Marcos told the envoy during the latter’s farewell call.
“We will miss you. You have — I think you have made a very good second home already here in Manila,” he added.
The President earlier said he will push for the legally binding Code of Conduct for the South China Sea, when he chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit next year. China continues to claim almost all of the South China Sea even after itd ninr-dash claim was invalidated by the 2016 Arbitral Ruling. Chinese ships continue to encroach in parts of the West Philippine Sea and harass Filipino fishermen and Philippine government ships sailing in the said area. Last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that Huang has ended his tour of duty in the Philippines.
Since he was appointed as Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines in 2019, Huang was summoned by the Department of Foreign Affairs multiple times over the reckless and illegal acts by Chinese ships within Philippine waters.
