History has been written by Alex Eala as she becomes the first Filipina to win a WTA singles title! Congratulations Alex Eala! Your victory is a victory for the whole country.
win Junior Grand Slam Singles Title at the US Open 2024–2025
Reached career-high WTA No. 56
By Peter Atencio
FIRST. #1
Sao Paulo Open, Brazil September 8 to 14, 2025
China Open (Beijing WTA 1000) September 24 to October 5, 2025
Hong Kong Tennis Open (WTA 250) October 27, 2025 to November 2, 2025
With these two simple words posted on social media, Alexandra Eala declared a new era for Philippine tennis. In a career-defining moment, the 20-year-old Eala pulled off a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 comeback victory over Hungary’s Panna Udvardy as she captured her first-ever Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles’ title at the Guadalajara 125 Open, becoming the first Filipino to ever achieve the feat.
“It was tough to adjust to the condi-
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has identified nine more contractors who may have donated to candidates in the 2022 elections, Comelec chairman George Garcia said yesterday.
Earlier, Garcia confirmed that contractors contributed to the campaigns of
A star is born: Alexandra Eala captures historic 1st WTA title
tions. So, I wanna thank my team (of coaches) for helping me through the week,” said Eala, the second-seeded player in the tournament.
“Udvardy’s a really great person. It was a tough match today,” added Eala as she commended Udvardy for the toughness she also showed on the court.
Prize and rise
Eala’s first pro crown gave her the $15,500 (roughly P878,803.44) top purse, to go with the 160 points that catapulted her live WTA rankings to
By Vito Barcelo and Othel Campos
national candidates in the 2022 elections, with at least three linked to firms that secured major flood control projects.
He said the Comelec is vetting the list with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to determine which contractors had active contracts with the
Marcos: No regrets about presidency
Vows to root out corruption
By Vince Lopez
AVISIBLY unsettled and teary-eyed
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. admitted yesterday he is deeply affected by corruption in government, but said he has no regrets being president as it gives him the opportunity to reform the system.
“Yes, because I’m very upset,” Mr. Marcos replied when asked about his emotional state by veteran news anchor Vicky Morales during an interview.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. yesterday expressed full support for his Cabinet a day after Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin lashed out at unnamed solons for threatening to return the proposed 2026 budget to the Palace.
Before leaving for a state visit to Cambodia, Mr. Marcos said he
harshly, but urged them to remain calm just the same.
“I hope, lumamig na ‘yung mga ulo ninyo [I hope you have cooled down]. But I will have to just say that I perfectly understand why you are feeling a little unjustly beleaguered,” he said in
Comelec to name more contractor-donors to pols
government during the elections. Garcia said in an interview yesterday on Super Radyo dzBB that seven of the contractors contributed to the election campaigns of senators and congressmen, while 15 of them donated to
BI defies court order, refuses to free Sy
Cambodia visit to diversify ties in key econ, cultural sectors
By Vince Lopez
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived in Cambodia on Sunday for a state visit at the invitation of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni, marking a significant step in strengthening the Philippines’ diplomatic and economic relations with the Kingdom of Cambodia. Philippine Airlines flight PR-001, which transported the President together with First Lady Liza AranetaMarcos and his official delegation, landed safely by 4:08 p.m. (Manila time) at the Phnom Penh International Airport.
“We have seen dynamism in the partnership between the Philippines and Cambodia across key sectors. These sectors include defense and security, trade, agriculture, heritage preservation, among others,” President Marcos said in his departure statement. “During my visit, I will discuss ways to further diversify our cooperation and strengthen our intra-ASEAN relationships and exchanges by capitalizing on our complementary strengths in the face of global economic headwinds,” he added.
President Marcos also emphasized the importance of expanding
MILLENNIAL SAINT. A faithful holds a portrait of late teenager Carlo Acutis in front of Saint Peter’s Basilica ahead of a Holy Mass
ceremony of Blessed Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on September 7, 2025.
Italian is 1st millennial saint
VATICAN City, Holy See—Tens of thousands of people gathered at the Vatican on Sunday for the canonisation of an Italian teenager dubbed “God’s Influencer” for his efforts to spread the Catholic faith online.
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday officially proclaimed Carlo Acutis, who died of leukaemia in 2006 at the age of 15, the Church’s first millennial saint, to applause from the crowds in St. Peter’s Square.
Pilgrims stretched across the square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, many of them young people holding up flags from different countries or images of the so-called “cyber-apostle.”
“Carlo Acutis is an example for me because he was able to combine his everyday life—school, football and his passion for IT and computers—with an unshakeable faith,” said Filippo Bellaviti, 17.
He said the atmosphere on Sunday was “beautiful,” telling AFP: “Seeing people from so many parts of the world, you can see the affection for Carlo for what he’s done.”
Around 800 people had arrived on a special train from Assisi, where Acutis’ body, dressed in jeans and a pair of Nike trainers, lies in a glass-walled tomb.
The mass was also being watched by faithful on giant screens in Assisi, a medieval city and pilgrimage site in the central region of Umbria.
Italian Pier Giorgio Frassati, a mountaineering enthusiast who died of polio aged 24 in 1925 and was known for his social and spiritual commitment, was also made a saint on Sunday.
Tapestries showing images of both young men were displayed on the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The canonization was initially set for April but postponed when Pope Francis died.
It is the first such ceremony for US-
born Pope Leo, who remarked ahead of the mass: “I’m happy to see so many young people!”
Acutis’s mother, Antonia Salzano, said that her son would thank all those coming to mark his elevation to sainthood.
In a video published by the Assisi diocese on Saturday, she said her son was proof that “we are all called to be saints... everyone is special.”
‘Exemplary life’
Acutis, born in London in 1991 to Italian parents, had an ardent faith, though his parents were not particularly devout.
He grew up in the northern city of Milan, where he attended mass daily and had a reputation for kindness to bullied children and homeless people, bringing the latter food and sleeping bags.
A fan of computer games, Acutis taught himself basic coding and used it to document miracles and other elements of the Catholic faith online.
Domenico Sorrentino, bishop of Assisi, called on young people on Friday
to follow Acutis’s example.
“Today more than ever we need positive examples, exemplary life stories that can help our young people avoid following discouraging images, violent examples, and fleeting fads that leave nothing behind,” he said in a statement.
The Vatican has recognised Acutis as performing two miracles since his death -- a necessary step on the path to sainthood.
The first was the healing of a Brazilian child suffering from a rare pancreatic malformation, the second the recovery of a Costa Rican student seriously injured in an accident.
In both cases, relatives had prayed for help from the teenager, who was beatified in 2020 by Pope Francis.
Among the crowd Sunday was Eleanor Hauser, 15, on a school trip to Italy from the US state of North Carolina.
She said she had been told about Acutis by her Catholic grandmother.
“It shows that you can do so much even when you’re young, you can make an impact on the world no matter how old you are,” she said. AFP
his departure statement at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
Bersamin issued a strongly-worded statement on Saturday defending the Marcos Cabinet and condemning what he called “recent spins from certain members of the House of Representatives” allegedly attempting to shift blame for corruption onto the Executive Department.
House deputy speaker Ronaldo Puno had earlier proposed returning the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026 for allegedly having allocations for infrastructure projects that had already been completed
“We have decided as a group to recommend the return of the 2026 national budget to the DBM because we do not know how to deal with it. We have to practically redo the entire submission to us. And we do not want to be suspected of any untoward action,” Puno said.
After consulting with House Speaker Martin Romualdez and getting assurances from the Palace that corrections will be made in the proposed national budget, Puno and other solons decided not to press its return.
Meanwhile, a militant party-list solon challenged the Office of the President to forego the customary approval of the OP budget.
political parties and party-lists.
“We found that one contractor donated to two to three candidates, while one candidate benefited from three construction companies,” he said.
Garcia emphasized that government contractors are prohibited from donating to candidates, citing Section 95 (c) of the Omnibus Election Code.
Those found guilty may face penalties, including imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
He said both the contractor and the receiver of the donations may face one to six years of imprisonment if found guilty.
The candidate or government official could also face perpetual disqualification to hold public office, Garcia added.
The poll chief said 44,000 candidates submitted their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) in the 2022 polls, while 42,000 complied with the requirement for the 2025 elections.
“If Secretary Bersamin and the Marcos administration truly have nothing to hide, then they should welcome the most thorough examination of their budget,” Act Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio declared.
“If there are no anomalies, why are they afraid to be questioned?” the party-list lawmaker asked in Filipino. Likewise, Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Louise Co said while corruption indeed exists in both chambers of Congress, “Marcos cannot claim innocence over what has transpired over the past three years of his administration.”
“We reject Bersamin’s desperate attempt to portray the Executive Department as innocent victims of congressional blame-shifting. The truth is that corruption has become worse under the Marcos administration,” she insisted. Bersamin later explained that the President is not “angry” with Congress but takes issue with calls to return the NEP, which he described as “unprecedented and not in the constitutional order.”
Meanwhile, Bersamin said Malacañang does not anticipate a reenacted budget, calling the scenario “counterproductive.”
He stressed that Mr. Marcos has “a sound economic sense” and wants the budget process to move forward on schedule.
Viado said while they respect the RTC decision, they would hold on Chen because they have strong evidence supported by biometric records.
Viado said they have elevated Chen’s case to the Court of Appeals (CA).
The BI maintained that Chen’s fingerprints match those of a Chinese national who previously held a longterm visa and an Alien Certificate Registration Identity Card.
The 60-year-old Chen was arrested at NAIA Terminal 3 last Aug. 21 for allegedly misrepresenting himself as a Filipino citizen.
He reportedly owned several major businesses in the Philippines and has ties with various economic and business groups in the country.
The BI remained confident that the CA would resolve the case with diligence and integrity “to protect national security and the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, Chen or Sy’s legal counsels argued that the BI had no basis to detain or deport their client because he is a Filipino.
In a statement, Sy’s legal counsels, Carla Santamaria-Seña and Dennis Manalo, noted that the RTC recognized their client’s citizenship as firmly established, adding that the BI itself, along with the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Office of the President, and even the Supreme Court have upheld his Filipino citizenship in previous proceedings.
In its ruling, the RTC cited the long-standing doctrine in Chua Hiong vs. Deportation Board, which limits deportation to aliens only.
“I’m not disheartened, I’m not disappointed… I am very angry,” the chief executive added during the podcast.
However, Mr. Marcos also said that he has never once regretted running for President despite the enormity of the problem, particularly corruption.
“No. Not for one moment,” he emphasized.
“Because I’m given the opportunity, the privilege to actually do something. All of the things I complained about all my life, now I can do something about it,” the chief executive pointed out.
Now, the President said his priority is to hold culprits accountable and repair the system, as Malacañang prepares to issue an executive order creating an independent commission to investigate anomalies in flood control projects
Mr. Marcos pointed out that ordinary Filipinos must not be made to suffer but rather, the people who seek to get rich by plundering the country’s coffers to
fund their lavish lifestyle.
“How can you do this to people that have worked everyday of their lives, they have done nothing but work, they have sacrificed hard for very little just to be able to send money home, just to be able to feed their family, send their children to school, that’s what they want in life, you still take it from them to buy a Rolls-Royce. A horrible, horrible situation,” he said.
The chief executive said that no one, even relatives and friends, will be spared in his administration’s efforts to cleanse the government of corruption.
“They kept saying how about if these were your friends, how about if these were all your allies, I said we are making an omelette, we’ll break some eggs, there’s just no way around it,” the President warned.
He also said that the commission currently being assembled will have the power to investigate “everything and everyone” who were involved in the flood control project corruption.
“We will give them all the powers that are necessary, for them to come to
no in the Open Era to win a main draw match at a Grand Slam, with a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Clara Tauson at the US Open.
a conclusion to come to some findings so that we can know what happened and there is one more thing here that is very important to me because of the depth of the problem. I really want to know how we got to this point,” Mr. Marcos said.
The President also urged Filipinos who are seeking to live abroad because they are fed up with corruption in the Philippine government to have hope, and consider staying.
“There’s hope, have hope, we have seen all of what people are complaining about or having to live with, what they have to endure, to endure day by day in their lives, we know that and everything we do, we will do,” he said.
As this developed, an executive order creating an independent commission to investigate alleged anomalies in flood control projects is ready for the President’s signature, Malacañang announced on Sunday.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the proposed commission underwent a “serious study” and is envisioned to provide the public with a credible mechanism to scrutinize irregularities.
ing messages of pride and admiration.
The country’s top pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena took to Instagram to congratulate Eala.
the Philippines’ commercial ties and building more resilient value chains. He underlined that enhanced defense and security collaborations with Cambodia are vital for maintaining a peaceful and resilient Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) community.
“The Philippines has been a resolute partner of Cambodia in addressing both traditional and non-traditional security challenges confronting our region, such as transnational crimes,” the President said.
Highlighting the importance of shared growth, Mr. Marcos pointed to the ongoing cooperation, which allows Cambodian students to pursue higher education in the Philippines through scholarship grants sponsored by the government, particularly in science and technology.
“We are proud of her for winning the WTA 125 tournament in Guadalajara. This is a first, another history for Philippine sports,” said Tolentino.
no. 61 from 75th, overtaking Cristina Bucsa by a point.
Eala’s breakthrough ride began earlier this year with a historic run at the Miami Open, where she defied expectations by defeating three Grand Slam champions, including world number two Iga Świątek, on her way to the semifinals. This was followed by another impressive performance at the WTA 250 Eastbourne Open in June, when she reached the finals, but bowed to Australian Maya Joint. Just last month, she etched her name in history by becoming the first Filipi-
Salutations
Following her triumph in Guadalajara, social media erupted with an outpouring of congratulations from across the globe, led by prominent figures celebrating her success.
The Philippines’ own President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. declared Eala’s victory a win for the entire country, vowing to provide more support for Filipino athletes.
Eala’s fellow Filipino sports heroes and personalities were quick to join in, shar-
“Winning titles looks good on you,” wrote Obiena as he reposted Eala’s photo showing her wearing a Mexican sombrero and displaying her small trophy during the awarding rites.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick Gregorio commended Eala for her accomplishment.
“Alex continues to make us very proud. Keep on going, Alex. I am sure you will change Philippine tennis forever. We are behind you,” said Gregorio.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino also chimed in.
The Guadalajara finale Eala’s Guadalajara triumph proved her resilience, a trait honed during her years at the prestigious Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain.
After a shaky first set, where she was overwhelmed, 1-6, Eala dug deep into the “no quit” mindset instilled in her by her mentors as she battled back in the second set, surviving a series of gruelling exchanges and showcasing the mental toughness that is a hallmark of the academy’s training.
WARM WELCOME. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Marcos are warmly welcomed by the Filipino community in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Sunday, Sept. 7. The President shared his vision for Bagong Pilipinas and presented government programs in support of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). As of December 2024, around 10,000 Filipinos live in Cambodia. Revoli Cortez
TRB set to finalize SCTEX toll increase
By Darwin G. Amojelar
THE Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) will implement the final phase of a toll rate increase for the SubicClark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) starting September 9.
This is the last of three planned adjustments initially approved in 2020 and 2022, but phased in to ease the impact on motorists.
Upon implementation, motorists will pay an additional ₱0.64 per kilometer for Class 1 vehicles, ₱1.29 for Class 2, and ₱1.93 for Class 3. For instance, Class 1 motorists traveling from Mabalacat City to Tarlac will pay ₱25 more, while Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles will pay ₱51 and ₱75 more, respectively.
“The adjustments followed strict compliance with regulatory procedures and thorough review,” TRB said. The agency explained that the toll hike was part of the 2020/2022 petition for periodic adjustments that were due in 2021 and 2023 but staggered “to lessen the impact on motorists.”
Officials highlighted SCTEX upgrades including the New Clark City Interchange, RFID system improvements, additional CCTV cameras, bridge repairs, and sustainability projects such as rainwater collection and planned solar-powered streetlights.
“These efforts reflect the tollway company’s commitment to delivering fast, reliable, and safe road access while driving innovation and environmental responsibility,” the TRB added.
CBCP slams flood project corruption, calls for restitution
By Vito Barcelo
THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) condemned corruption in flood control projects involving contractors and politicians, demanding that stolen funds be returned to the public.
In a pastoral statement, CBCP President Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David said: “True justice demands more than just punishment for those involved, but also restitution of the stolen funds.” The statement was issued amid allegations of billions of pesos in kickbacks and embezzlement from government flood projects. David added that accountability should cover not only contractors but also “legislators, district engineers, government auditors, and political patrons involved in the plunder.” He stressed: “Shame should be inclusive.”
The CBCP called for the creation of an independent committee to investigate corruption in flood control projects and urged transparency. “There must be visible accountability—quick audits, real penalties, and transparency that people can see,” David said, encouraging especially the youth to demand accountability and use their platforms to expose corruption.
2025 Bar exams begin with 11,437 hopefuls
By Pot Chavez
THE three-day digitalized 2025 Bar examinations began Sunday in 14 local testing centers nationwide, with 11,437 candidates showing up on the first day.
This represents 86.7 percent of the 13,193 admitted examinees.
Supreme Court Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier, Bar chairperson, said: “Among the total examinees admitted, 5,215 are new bartakers.
Those who are taking it again are 4,239. Refresher is 1,984.” She added that 241 persons with disabilities, 206 senior citizens, 41 pregnant examinees, and 139 with medical conditions also took the exam.
New Era University in Quezon City registered the most examinees with 1,698, while the University of Santo Tomas hosted 704 candidates and served as this year’s national headquarters. Other testing centers included San Beda, Ateneo, Saint
Louis University in Baguio, and the University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu, among others. Lazaro-Javier encouraged aspirants to persevere. “With each question, I really prayed hard for discernment and wisdom that the Lord will guide me in helping you fulfill your life-long dream of becoming lawyers. You must believe me when I say that if I could just carry all of you towards the finish line, I would,” she said.
Chiz: P250.8b cut in DPWH flood fund
By Ram Superable
SENATE President Francis Escudero on Sunday said he is pushing to slash ₱250.8 billion from flood control projects in the Department of Public Works and Highways’ proposed ₱881.3 billion 2026 budget, redirecting funds to health, education, and food production.
“If we let this stand as it is, this budget will be deluged with criticism,” Escudero said. He noted that the flood control allocation accounts for nearly one-third of the DPWH budget. “Only ₱13 billion is allocated for new classrooms, yet the flood control budget is overflowing with funds. It is even larger than the allocation for new roads and five times bigger than the fund -
ing for new bridges.” The Department of Budget and Management earlier submitted the proposal to Congress, including ₱108 billion for asset preservation, ₱182.5 billion for network development, ₱52 billion for bridges, ₱15.4 billion for local programs, and ₱167.8 billion for special support projects. Escudero urged revisions, saying funds should only be allocated “to areas where people are most vulnerable to flooding.” He added: “I encourage DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to explore possible partnerships with various LGUs and the private sector with respect to cleaning our rivers, particularly in Metro Manila, while all public infrastructure projects are under review.”
IN BRIEF
AFP, NICA urge Pampanga youth to act on WPS issue
THE Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Region 3 gathered more than 1,200 students at Duquit National High School in Mabalacat, Pampanga, on Friday, to raise awareness on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and national security issues.
The information and education campaign, organized by the AFP’s 1st Civil Relations Group (1CRG), is part of the military’s “Mulat” communication plan, which aims to counter misinformation and influence operations by China in the WPS.
The event underscored patriotism, unity, and youth involvement in defending the country’s sovereignty.
Discussions also covered deceptive recruitment tactics of communist insurgents, with testimony from a former rebel who shared how she was misled into joining the New People’s Army. Col. Enrique Rafael, 1CRG commander, said protecting maritime territory is a generational responsibility that begins with youth awareness and action. Rex Espiritu QC police use Facebook to track murder suspect
THE Quezon City Police District (QCPD) has tracked down a suspect in the killing of his 31-year-old neighbor through Facebook accounts, including that of the suspect’s son.
The suspect, identified only as alias Noly, 53, of Barangay UP Campus, was located after operatives of the Anonas police station monitored his online activity.
Investigators contacted his son through Messenger and informed him of his father’s involvement in the case. The son agreed to help convince the suspect to surrender, leading to his arrest in Tondo, Manila, on September 6. The suspect also has a previous case for falsification of public documents. Rio N. Araja
Cop hailed for responding to fire on his birthday BIRTHDAYS are usually for celebration, but for Patrolman Renzo Genido Advincula of the Parañaque City Police Station, it became a day of heroism.
On September 6, while celebrating his birthday, Advincula rushed to help when a fire broke out in their area. He bravely climbed up and led firefighting efforts, risking his safety to protect lives and property. The Southern Police District (SPD) praised his courage, saying his actions showed that the call to serve knows no time or occasion. “Truly, a blessed and heroic birthday for Patrolman Advincula, a living example of service above self,” the SPD said in a statement. Vince Lopez
FOR CHRISTMAS. Colorful lanterns in Pampanga draw passersby as a craftsman works on orders at a native products shop under Quezon Bridge in Quiapo, Manila. Danny Pata
AI FORUM. Cornell Club of the Philippines President and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez welcomes participants to the Cornell EduForum on Artificial Intelligence at the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City. The forum highlights AI opportunities and challenges for the Philippines. Ver Noveno.
Defense chief orders military to secure BARMM elections
By Rex Espiritu
IN BRIEF
Inquiry on ‘destructive’
Homonhon mining eyed
EASTERN Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales seeks a congressional inquiry into the “destructive impact of large-scale nickel and chromite mining operations” on Homonhon Island, warning of grave environmental damage and social displacement in the historic site in his home province.
Gonzales filed House Resolution No. 234 urging the committees on natural resources, ecology, and local government to jointly conduct the probe, citing the urgent need to ensure responsible resource management, protect the rights and welfare of local communities, and preserve the island’s historical and ecological integrity.
“Homonhon is not only rich in natural resources but also steeped in history as the first landing site of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Decades of unchecked mining threaten to erase both its heritage and its future,” Gonzales said in a statement. He also cited alarming reports of deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, threats to biodiversity—including the critically endangered Philippine cockatoo— and health issues among residents caused by the mining activities. Rio Araja
Cabanatuan cops show what 911 is all about
THE police 911 emergency hotline proved its worth in crime prevention with the arrest last Saturday of an unruly gun holder for alleged indiscriminate firing in Cabanatuan City village.
A police patrol responded to a 911 call and promptly collared the suspect who was disarmed of his government-issued .45 caliber pistol.
In Bocaue, Bulacan, police also nabbed an intoxicated man who threatened to shoot another man with a shotgun.
“These incidents underscore the importance of vigilance and timely police response. By employing enhanced police operations, in line with the Seven Focus Agenda of our acting Philippine National Police chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., we ensure that lawless elements are swiftly apprehended and the safety of our communities is prioritized. I commend our Cabanatuan and Bocaue police for their professionalism and dedication,” said Region 3 police director Brig. Gen. Rogelio Peñones Jr. Vince Lopez
Tria gets fresh term as UDM president
THE board of regents of the Universidad de Manila (UDM) has unanimously voted to give Dr. Felma Carlos Tria another term as university president. Tria served the unexpired term of her predecessor and was allowed to stay longer in her post by her colleagues.
.Under her watch, the university made significant achievements, notably its inclusion in the list of top universities on an international level.
Tria affirmed the UDM’s commitment to producing not just graduates, but ethical leaders and responsible global citizens who embody the university’s transformative mission. Itchie Cabayan
DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has instructed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to guarantee the security and credibility of the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE), calling the polls a milestone in the democratic journey of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Teodoro issued the directive during a command conference on Saturday,Sept. 6, at the 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division headquarters in Camp Siongco, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
The Defense chief was welcomed by 6ID and Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) commander Maj. Gen. Donald Gumiran, along with senior officers and enlisted personnel of the unit.
Teodoro underscored the need for
non-partisanship, urging the military to ensure that the elections are conducted without political interference.
“The voice of the people must be heard peacefully and credibly,” he said.
Gumiran assured Teodoro of his command’s readiness to carry out the directive, vowing to protect the Bangsamoro people’s right to choose their leaders in a secure environment.
Apart from election preparations, Teodoro also announced ongoing initi-
atives to review and revise the military pension law, which he said would improve the welfare of soldiers and their families.
Joining Teodoro in the visit were AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., Philippine Army commander Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, Western Mindanao Command acting chief Brig. Gen. Romulo Quemado II, and 1st Infantry Division head Maj. Gen. Yegor Rey Barroquillo Jr.
The conference highlighted both the military’s readiness and the government’s commitment to supporting the troops as they safeguard peace and stability in the BARMM.
“The visit and command conference not only reinforced directives for election preparedness, but also inspired the troops with the assurance of full government support as they play a vital role in securing peace and progress in the BARMM.” Kampilan Division said in a statement.
BARMM chief belies rift with predecessor
By Nash Maulana
COTABATO City—Close to 90,000 people gathered at the Grand Mosque here to protest alleged widespread rumors on social media that is sowing division among top leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Sammy Gambar, chief of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Force (BIAF), said the purveyors of unconfirmed information, mostly through the internet, could be conveying the false idea that there was squabbling within the MILF hierarchy
Addressing the rally, Gambar pledged unwavering loyalty to MILF chieftain Al Haj Murad Ebrahim whom he succeeded as interim Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Murad and Gambar have since dropped their nom-de-guerres and reverted to their actual names, as Ahod Ebrahim and Abdulraof Macacua, respectively when they assumed top positions in the BARMM.
Macacua clarified that said as the MILF’s chief of armed forces, he remains obedient to the chain of command and recognizes as his superior MILF chief Al Haj Murad Ebrahim whom he replaced as Chief Minister of the BARMM last March following the latter’s resignation Since the BARMM change of command last March, Ibrahim has reverted back to his nom-de-guerre as chairman of the MILF. Iqbal, for his part, has retained his revolutionary name within and outside the MILF Central Committee. Iqbal’s purported followers swarned the social media with exaggerations and factual comments alike, including a recall of the repartee with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano during Senate hearings on the 2015 Mamasapano incident which nearly brought the peace process in Mindanao to the brinks of collapse.
Army denies alleged abduction of student leader
THE Philippine Army has dismissed allegations that soldiers have abducted former University of the PhilippinesDiliman student leader Faye Margarette Tallow, describing the reports as “baseless and part of a longstanding propaganda tactic by rebel groups.”
“These are all old deceptive tactics and baseless allegations of the CPP/NPA/ NDF intended to discredit our security forces and their security operations, and to mislead the public,” Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala told Manila Standard. He was referring to the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front-New People’s Army. Dema-ala urged the public to ignore the “misinformation or propaganda without verified information,” being peddled by the Reds, The Army also identified Tallow, who allegedly went by the aliases “Tanya” and “Nadia,” as a member of a rebel unit facing a standing arrest warrant for attempted homicide issued by a court in Quezon province.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Bicol backed the Army’s account, confirming that a woman identified by the alias “Fatima” was arrested in a joint military-police operation on Saturday, Sept. 6 in Barangay Malasugui, Labo, Camarines Norte.
The PNP said the 29-year-old suspect was a member of Platoon Reymark, SRMA-4B, and a resident of Cainta, Rizal. She faces an attempted homicide case filed in 2020, with a recommended bail of ₱36,000, and is now in police custody for legal proceedings.
Police said the operation reflected the government’s continuing effort to “weaken the remnants of the communist terrorist group and ensure its members are held accountable before the law.” Rex Espiritu
By Rio N. Araja
THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) in the National Capital Region has expanded its Palit Plaka Program, extending its operations to cover all driver’s license renewal offices (DLROs) in Metro Manila.
LTO-NCR director Roque Verzosa III said the expansion will speed up the release of plates for motorcycle owners whose certificates of registration have no plate numbers or who are still using their motor vehicle (MV) file number as a temporary plate. The move aimed to ensure motorcycles are equipped with proper license plates in line with the national directive.
Verzosa said the online system was developed to minimize waiting time and improve the agency’s public service. Motorcycles with MV file numbers
starting with 13 and 1801 may claim their plates if they fall under the following categories: those already issued a sevencharacter plate, those with a six-character green plate, and those registered in 2017 or earlier but still using their MV file number as a temporary plate.
LTO assistant regional director Dennis Barion, through the Regional Digital Media Public Assistance Office, said the expansion was made to make the program more accessible.
“LTO-NCR is doing its best to provide more convenience to the public by allowing plate claiming at DLROs, which are generally less crowded than district or extension offices,” he said in a statement.
LTO-NCR plate section chief Pablito Pandi noted that most motorcycle plates from 2018 have already been released to the dealers.
DEFENSE CHIEF VISITS THE TROOPS. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. returns the salute of Maj. Gen. Donald Gumiran, 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division and Joint Task Force Central commander, upon arrival at the unit’s headquarters in Camp Siongco, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
MARINES IN ACTION. Troopers of the Philippine Marines rescue three fishermen who had drifted at the West Philippine Sea for two days after being separated from their lead boat amid a stormy sea.
PEACE RALLY IN COTABATO CITY. Bangsamoro interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, also known as Sammy Gambar, addresses some 90,000 supporters during a rally at the Grand Mosque in Cotabato City. Macacua belied rumors circulating on social media about alleged rift between him and Moro Islamic Liberation Front chief Ahod Ebrahim. Nash Maulana C
OPINION
‘Hindi tao’
NEWLY re-assigned Vince Dizon was fuming in righteous anger when he visited another ghost project, this time in Plaridel, Bulacan, named after the hero of Filipino journalists, the great Marcelo H. del Pilar.
“Hindi tao” ang mga ito, “kahayupan ang ginawa nila.”
On the spot, he announced the dismissal of the high living district engineer who admitted to signing approval of ghost projects, and the permanent blacklisting of a “construction” firm curiously called Wawao.
Vince thinks on his feet, and acts with deliberate speed, the perfect fit to head a department which has been moored in “kahayupan.”
Another fact unearthed is that the useless but hugely overpriced projects are not just small committee or bicam insertions, many are embedded in the NEP, otherwise known as “the president’s budget.”
I have repeatedly been pointing this out. The “kuntsabahan” starts from the time the district engineers prepare their submissions which the DPWH central office compiles during the DBM’s budget call.
And the modus is rotten from the start.
The DE connives with the district congressman, at times even a senator, and together they figure out how to divide the 100 percent pie if ghost, and 60-70 percent for the sub-standard projects.
Correction: perhaps the legislator does not approve of “ghosts;” most likely the “sugapa” DEs welcome ghosts because of their insatiable lust for money.
A “maven” ties it all together, this time in connivance with DBM officials, as he did in previous governments, also for a slice of the pie. Everybody in the project chain, from contractor to COA, to inspectors who sign at each step, to higher-ups in the DPWH who must “see no evil” must be made happy, most especially the “funder/ proponent” who made sure the funds are appropriated accordingly.
In fine, built-in na sa NEP, with the DEs identifying the “flood-prone” areas, like Bulacan, where since pre-martial law, my maternal aunt, Malolos Mayor Purificacion Crisostomo Reyes was busy distributing relief goods every rainy season. And since Lake Naujan straddles four towns in Oriental Mindoro, pwede rin, because people are used to floods.
In a new twist to the sordid saga, Toby Tiangco exposed another “modus” – the district legislator does not propose, but his district is mysteriously “funded” by the small committee, the bicam, or just one almighty legislator, in the billions, including those for “ghosts.”
A reporter assigned to the HoR asked Tiangco what was wrong with the “modus,” “makikinabang naman ang distrito,” or words to that effect. He/she misses the fact, either because he/she is a simpleton, or he/she is “funded” like-
wise. Not until the floods sweep away the contraptions or discover the ghosts do people in the district complain, not their parish priest, not their local officials. They are either happy with periodic “donations,” or are afraid of the proponent.
As we wrote in previous columns, systematic corruption has become systemic. ***
But don’t expect anything from these congressional investigations.
In the HoR, it is an obvious “cover-up,” a la Napoles. Damn the contractor/s, but spare their colleagues.
Don’t expect anything from these congressional investigations
In the Senate, damn the contractor/s, the DPWH officials involved, but make sure colleagues are “untouched.” Just watch how the senators out-talk each other in condemning the fall guys while protecting their “unsullied” reputations.
As Antonio Banderas in “Evita” sang, “Oh what a circus, oh what a show...”
Which is why we anxiously await the formation of an independent investigative group that PBbM has announced.
In a previous column we said “BbM should appoint BBM,” referring to Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Banez Magalong, a retired PNP-CIDG director who has taken it upon himself to lead a crusade for good governance.
Add Rogelio “Babes” Singson who excelled as DPWH secretary during the PNoy administration.
Then add an auditor in the mold of former COA commissioner Heidi Mendoza, whose probity and competence no less than the United Nations has tapped.
Give them a technical working group composed of bright young lawyers, accountants, and engineers as researchers and ground investigators.
Grant them subpoena powers for both persons and documents, with their investigations made public and fully transparent.
If the president really wants to get to the bottom of this horrendous mess that has caused so much loss of lives and property, and made our country an international embarrassment, he should give such a commission all the necessary powers and resources to credibly complete their task.
Meanwhile, for the many, including fellow legislators who are wondering about the whereabouts of their colleague, Ako Bicol’s Zaldy Co, they may well sing “Mamacita, donde esta Santa Claus?” –as the holiday season beckons and their wallets groan.
THE internet no longer just connects people—it powers economies, with digital infrastructure as the new engine of growth.
A recent study by Synergy Research Group counts over 1,189 hyperscale data centers worldwide as of Q1 2025, and Grand View Research projects a global market size of $652 billion by 2030. Amid this surge, the Philippines— a nation with one of the most digitally active populations in Southeast Asia— has the opportunity to build a new class of revenue streams, particularly in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and data center infrastructure.
Yet, as investments pour into our ASEAN neighbors, the Philippines has struggled to attract its fair share of hyperscale investments, despite our demographic advantages.
According to industry data from
Cloudscene, Reuters, and Data Center Dynamics, Malaysia has secured over $16.7 billion in new data infrastructure, while Indonesia and Thailand boast $5 to $8.7 billion in cloud and AI commitments from tech giants like AWS, Microsoft, and Google.
Let us not miss this digital wave of opportunity
In contrast, the Philippines has captured just over $1.35 billion in announced data center investments—primarily from PLDT and STT GDC–Ayala. We’re clearly lagging in a regional race we can’t afford to lose.
The problem isn’t demand. It’s readi-
EDITORIAL
Pride amid shame
WHEN Filipinos excel abroad, it is as if we have won as well.
Filipinos awoke Sunday morning to some good news in sports. Twentyyear-old Alexandra Eala clinched her – and the Philippines’ – first Women’s Tennis Association title early Sunday morning (Philippine time), winning against Hungarian Panna Udvardy at the Guadalajara 125 Open in Mexico.
Eala, ranked 75th in the world, became prominent earlier this year after a series of wins that showcased her grit despite her relatively junior status and the setbacks she faced on court.
Eala’s latest win is a happy addition to her five International Tennis Federation singles titles and the 2022 US Open girls’ trophy. From Mexico, she proceeds to Brazil to compete in the Sao Paulo Open this week.
Her sports victory is especially significant for our country which has seen too much bad news in recent weeks,
ness. At the heart of the conversation is data sovereignty. Around the world, countries are tightening control over how and where data is stored and moved.
The OECD has identified nearly 100 localization measures across 40 countries, many of which raise operational costs by 15–55 percent (OECD Trade Policy Paper, 2023).
ASEAN countries vary widely— Vietnam and Indonesia enforce strict localization mandates, while the Philippines maintains a relatively open framework.
This gives us a window of opportunity. Our permissive stance under the Data Privacy Act, combined with recent developments like the National Privacy Commission’s 2024 Model Contractual Clauses for cross-border transfers, makes the Philippines an attractive location for regional cloud deployment—if we can match that policy openness with infrastructure and incentives.
As PLDT AVP Orvin Reyes noted during the Protekta Pilipinas 2024 forum, we need to improve in data governance, energy, talent, infrastructure, and the overall business environment to accelerate digital investment.
Crucially, he also advocates for a
as a result of revelations of the extent of corruption attending infrastructure projects. As communities find themselves submerged in actual floodwater, the people find themselves helpless, even drowning, in various moneymaking schemes perpetuated by the same public officials who swore.
We do not need to take the cue from any public official on whom to idolize or emulate
Amid the unrelenting stream of corruption-related news here at home, Eala’s story is a breath of fresh, uncorrupted air. Then again, her journey has been largely of her own and her family’s making, given the underwhelming support of the government to budding athletes who have the talent but no wherewithal to pursue their sport.
calibrated data localization policy— one that balances national interest with commercial viability.
This does not mean going down the road of heavy-handed restrictions.
As the World Bank’s 2025 GRIDMAP report and the WTO’s latest data regulation studies show, overregulation of data can stifle innovation, limit access to global cloud platforms, and increase costs for local enterprises.
What we need instead is a smart, tiered approach: safeguard sensitive public and financial data through localized controls while enabling secure, cross-border flows for the rest.
The economic stakes are enormous.
According to PLDT/VITRO estimates, every megawatt of data center capacity can generate $6 million to $9 million in economic value.
With over 585 MW in the pipeline, the Philippine data center sector alone could unlock $3.5 to $5.3 billion in economic output.
Add to that the digital spillovers in education, job creation, and SME enablement—seen in cases like AWS in Jakarta and Facebook’s U.S. operations—and the multiplier effects become undeniable.
Moreover, the AI opportunity is real and growing fast. Google’s e-Conomy SEA projects that the Philippine AI
Politicians will no doubt trip over themselves congratulating the tennis sensation and holding her up as an example to the youth. By now, we the people should be wary of flattery. In as much as Eala sets the bar high for young people to make the most of their advantages, persevere despite the odds, and be hopeful for the future, we could come to those apparent conclusions on our own.
Certainly, we do not need to take the cue from any public official on whom to idolize or emulate. Look at how they have lionized themselves and proclaimed that their heart was for the poor and the marginalized, while at the same time designing and participating in the systemic plunder of public funds.
Eala’s victory is a respite from our toxic news cycles. More than that, it reminds us that we could be proud of being Filipino and proud of our compatriots who do their best with the cards they are dealt. We should thereafter reject those who try to fool us with their hypocrisy, and bring shame upon our nation.
market could reach $3.5 billion by 2030, driven by automation in operations, marketing, and IT services. These high-value sectors can boost workforce productivity and national income—if we build the digital backbone to support them.
As digital investments shift to support generative AI and machine learning, the race for relevance becomes more intense.
Global hyperscalers now design their infrastructure with data governance top of mind. Sovereign cloud offerings from AWS, Microsoft, and Google are reshaping site selection—not just based on cost or capacity, but also on compliance and trust.
For the Philippines to regain digital competitiveness, we must act with urgency and clarity. That means crafting a coherent digital infrastructure strategy, refining our data localization stance, investing in energy efficiency, and doubling down on digital skills training.
Let us not miss this digital wave of opportunity.
The infrastructure can be built. The talent is already here.
The question is—will we lead, or will we continue to watch from the sidelines?
Thai tycoon Anutin takes office as PM after winning vote
BANGKOK — Thai tycoon Anutin
Charnvirakul took office as prime minister on Sunday, with the cannabis-championing conservative ousting the nation’s dominant political dynasty and setting course for elections early next year.
Since 2023 elections, Thailand’s top office has been monopolized by the Pheu Thai party of the Shinatawatra dynasty -- a populist force which has long sparred with the pro-monarchy, pro-military establishment.
But dynasty heiress Paetongtarn Shinawatra was last month sacked by court order, and Anutin rushed to piece together his own coalition government -winning a Friday parliament vote to shut Pheu Thai out of office.
Anutin previously served as deputy prime minister, interior minister and health minister -- but is perhaps most famous for being the architect of Thailand’s 2022 cannabis decriminalization.
The construction magnate becomes the kingdom’s third leader in two years, and will also serve as interior minister. But he has taken power with coalition backing conditional on dissolving parliament within four months to hold fresh elections.
“Though we do not have much time, I hope to receive cooperation from everyone,” Anutin told reporters after taking office.
“My government will work tirelessly,” he added.
“We will dedicate ourselves to work because we only have four months.”
His term officially began after the royal endorsement of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, read aloud in a formal ceremony at Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party headquarters in Bangkok. AFP
IN BRIEF
Bolsonaro backers rallied before coup trial verdict
SAO PAULO – Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro will test his political strength Sunday with demonstrations in the country’s main cities, days before the Supreme Court decides whether he is guilty of attempting a coup.
The far-right leader, also a former army captain, risks up to 43 years in prison if convicted of attempting to cling to power after losing 2022 elections to his leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The court is set to deliver its verdict next week in a case which has sparked the ire of US President Donald Trump, an ally of Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro, who has been under house arrest since August, will be the absent protagonist of the Independence Day events calling for an amnesty for hundreds of his supporters who were convicted over the January 8, 2023 storming of the Supreme Court, presidential palace and Congress.
The “Bolsonaristas” hope Congress will vote for an amnesty which could also extend to the former president even if he is convicted. AFP
Rosa Roisinblit, activist for ‘stolen’ children, 106
BUENOS AIRES – Rosa Tarlovsky de Roisinblit, a prominent activist for victims of Argentina’s 1976-1983 dictatorship, died Saturday (Sunday Manila time), her organization said. She was 106.
“We only have words of gratitude for her dedication, her solidarity and the love with which she searched for the grandsons and granddaughters until the very end,” the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo campaign group said in a statement.
Roisinblit was born in 1919 in Moises Ville, a town of Jewish immigrants in central Argentina, and was an obstetrician by trade.
Alongside other mothers whose family members disappeared during Argentina’s dictatorship, Roisinblit demanded to know the whereabouts of her missing relatives. AFP
Trump raises Chicago ‘war’ warning
WASHINGTON, DC – President Donald Trump threatened on Saturday (Sunday Manila time) to unleash his newly rebranded “Department of War” on Chicago, further heightening tensions over his push to deploy troops into Democratic-led US cities.
The move seeks to replicate an operation in the US capital Washington, where Trump deployed National Guard troops and boosted numbers of federal agents, sparking a backlash and a fresh protest on Saturday that drew thousands.
“Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,” Trump posted Saturday on his Truth Social account.
The Democratic governor of Illinois,
Several hundred people demonstrated in front of the UK parliament, with some holding placards that read: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” The capital’s Metropolitan Police force (Met) had warned people that it would not hesitate to arrest anyone who explicitly expressed support for the prohibited group.
The Met said in a statement late on Saturday that it had arrested “more than 425 people... in relation to the protest”.
“The majority of these arrests were made for supporting a proscribed organisation,” the force said. Polly Smith, a 74-year-old retiree, said those at the rally “are not terrorists”, adding: “The ban must be lifted.” Nigel, a 62-year-old CEO of a recycling company who declined to give his surname, said the government’s ban imposed in July was “totally inappropriate”. AFP
where Chicago is located, voiced outrage at Trump’s post.
“The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal,” Governor JB Pritzker wrote in a post on X.
“Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator,” he added.
The post featured an apparent AI image of Trump and the quote: “I love the
smell of deportations in the morning” — both references to the 1979 Vietnam War film “Apocalypse Now”.
In the film, the line is spoken by Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore who says he loves the smell of “napalm” — not “deportations” — as the American military drops the highly flammable weapon on Vietnamese targets.
The 79-year-old Republican has steadily ramped up threats against Chicago, since an early mention of it at the end of August.
Anti-Trump protesters took to the streets of Chicago on Saturday, carrying signs that read “stop this fascist regime!” and “no Trump, no troops.”
The protest route also went past Chicago’s Trump tower, and protesters made
Russia hits seat of Kyiv gov’t in war’s attack
KYIV – Russia fired its biggest-ever aerial barrage at Ukraine early Sunday, killing at least two people and setting the seat of the Ukrainian government in Kyiv ablaze, authorities said.
An AFP reporter saw the roof of Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers in flames and smoke billowing over the capital.
Drone strikes also damaged several high-rise buildings in Kyiv, according to emergency services.
Russia has shown no sign of halting its three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine, pushing hardline demands
for ending the war despite efforts by the United States to broker a peace deal.
The barrage came after several European countries, led by France and Britain, pledged Thursday to deploy “reassurance” forces to Ukraine to patrol a peace deal between the warring sides — a demand Moscow has deemed unacceptable.
The strike on Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers, a sprawling government complex at the heart of Kyiv, was the first such strike of the war.
An AFP reporter saw helicopters
Israel flattens high-rise as it tells Gaza residents to flee
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories
– An Israeli strike flattened a highrise in Gaza City during the weekend -- the second in as many days -- after the military warned people to move to a “humanitarian zone” ahead of a planned offensive against the urban hub.
Israel has been warning for weeks of a new assault on the territory’s largest city, without issuing a timeline.
It has stepped up air strikes and ground operations on the city’s outskirts, sparking fears it could worsen already dire conditions.
On Saturday, Israeli aircraft dropped thousands of leaflets on western neighbourhoods calling on residents to evacuate, witnesses and an AFP journalist said. Nafez Anis, who has been living in a tent with his family in Gaza City, said he had read the leaflet, but was not planning on leaving.
“Where should we go?” he told AFP. “We will wait, and when we see Israeli tanks approaching here, we will leave.”
Gaza civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that 56 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli fire during the day, including 19 near an aid distribution centre in the north.
Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military requested precise timeframes and coordinates to look into the reports.
On Saturday, the military said it struck a Gaza City high-rise, saying Hamas was using it “to monitor” Israeli troops and adding that it had taken “measures to mitigate harm to civilians”.
Witnesses identified the building as the Sussi residential tower and said it was destroyed. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz shared a video showing the roughly 15-storey structure collapsing in a cloud of dust and smoke. AFP
rude gestures at the president’s building as they walked past.
On Saturday in the US capital, where National Guard troops have been deployed since Trump declared a “crime emergency” in August, a thousandsstrong protest march wound through downtown with participants demanding an end to the “occupation.”
Demonstrators in DC carried inverted US flags as they marched past the country’s national monuments, traditionally a symbol of a country facing existential peril. Trump’s troop and federal agent deployments — which first began in June in Los Angeles, followed by Washington — have prompted legal challenges and protests, with critics calling them an authoritarian show of force. AFP
dropping what appeared to be buckets of water over the roof, as emergency services rushed to the scene.
Police cordoned off the area surrounding the building.
“The roof and upper floors were damaged due to an enemy attack. Rescuers are extinguishing the fire,” Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Telegram.
“We will restore the buildings. But we cannot bring back lost lives. The enemy terrorises and kills our people every day throughout the country,” she said. AFP
day, NHK said. Last week, four senior LDP officials including the party’s number two Hiroshi Moriyama offered to resign. Opponents of Ishiba had been calling on him to step down to take responsibility for the election results, following the upper chamber vote in July. Those backing the move included 84-year-old influential former prime minister Taro Aso, according to local media.
But some other veteran members urged caution, saying the LDP’s old-style politics was undermining its credibility. LDP lawmakers and regional officials across Japan who want a new leadership election will submit a request on Monday.
The leadership race will be held if the required majority is reached. Ishiba’s term as party leader was supposed to end in Sept. 2027.
His most prominent rival Sanae Takaichi, seen as a hardline nationalist, all but said on Tuesday that she would seek a contest. AFP
Tough talks, uncertainty loom ahead of OPEC+ alliance meet
PRESIDENTIAL THREAT. People hold anti-Trump signs as they march past Trump International Hotel & Tower during a demonstration against the planned deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago on Sunday (Manila time). US President Donald Trump said on Sept. 2 he will deploy National Guard troops to Chicago, calling the Democratic-run midwestern city a “hellhole” ravaged by gun crime. AFP
US President Donald Trump (left) greets Prime
Lokke Rasmussen (2nd left) of Denmark outside the West Wing of the White
DEATH PURSUES. A protester holds up a red hand sign a demonstration organized by the families of the Israeli hostages taken captive in the Gaza Strip since the October 2023 attacks, calling for action to secure their release and a ceasefire in the war against Hamas, in Jerusalem on Sep. 7, 2025. Israel has stepped up
strikes and ground operations on the city’s outskirts, sparking
Sabalenka rips Anisimova to retain US Open crown
NEW YORK—World no. 1 Aryna
Sabalenka overpowered Amanda Anisimova to defend her US Open crown on Saturday, defeating her American rival in straight sets to clinch the fourth Grand Slam title of her career.
Sabalenka ruthlessly attacked Anisimova’s shaky service game to complete a 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) victory on the Arthur Ashe Stadium which cements her status at the pinnacle of women’s tennis.
The 27-year-old from Belarus had gone into Saturday’s final knowing it was her last chance to grab a Grand Slam crown in 2025 after agonising losses in the Australian and French Open finals.
Sabalenka duly atoned for those defeats to end Anisimova’s hopes of a remarkable redemption just two months after her traumatic 6-0, 6-0 thrashing by Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final.
“It’s crazy, all those tough lessons were worth it for this one,” said Sabalenka after becoming the first woman to successfully defend the US Open since Serena Williams in 2014. “I’m speechless right now.”
Anisimova had won six of nine previous encounters against Sabalenka, a run which included a victory in the semi-finals at Wimbledon.
But a determined Sabalenka, playing in the seventh Grand Slam title game of her career, brought all her experience to bear as she slammed the door on Anisimova’s dream of a maiden Grand Slam title.
“Losing in two finals in a row is great but it’s also super hard,” Anisimova said. “I think I didn’t fight hard enough for my dreams today,” revealing that the lighting under the arena’s closed roof had made it difficult to serve.
“There was no way of adjusting, because I could not see the ball when I was serving, and that was a huge shock to my system,” she said.
- Tiebreak streak -
Sabalenka clinched victory after once again demonstrating her incredible prowess in tiebreaks -- winning her 19th consecutive breaker 7/3 to clinch in one hour and 34 minutes.
Anisimova meanwhile was left ruing her inability to make the most of break points at key moments, in sharp contrast to Sabalenka who converted five of her six break point chances.
That imbalance was on display early in the first set, when Anisimova failed to convert three break points openings as Sabalenka took a 2-0 lead.
Yet Anisimova hit back in the third game, lasering a backhand winner into the corner to earn break point before unfurling a rasping forehand winner to break back before holding for 2-2.
With the momentum behind her and her groundstrokes forcing Sabalenka around the court, Anisimova then broke again for a 3-2 lead. But that was the catalyst for Sabalenka to raise her game and she broke to love before holding to edge back in front. AFP
Samal 5150 triathlon debuts in tropical style
A TROPICAL race paradise awaits.
On Sept. 21, the Island Garden City of Samal will transform into a worldclass triathlon stage as the Damosa Land 5150 Triathlon makes its muchanticipated debut. But this isn’t just a test of endurance – it’s a full-blown racing experience set in one of the most breathtaking tropical islands in the country.
From crystal-clear waters to rolling coastal roads and vibrant local cheering squads, 5150 Samal promises a multisport adventure that racers and spectators will never forget.
The action kicks off in the stunning waters fronting Bridgeport, a luxury marina community in Brgy. Caliclic. Athletes will dive into a looped 1.5km swim course, tracing the sparkling coastline of Samal – a route that feels more like a vacation than a competition.
Racers will then conquer a twoloop, 40km bike ride along the scenic Samal Circumferential Road, offering postcard-perfect views of Davao Gulf and the Davao City skyline. The fullyenclosed route is as challenging as it is inspiring, with rolling terrain that tests legs and rewards with every breathtak-
THE world of boxing is bracing itself for one of the most intriguing super-fights of the modern era. On Sunday, September 14 (Philippine time), Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will put his undisputed super middleweight crown on the line against Terence Crawford at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas — a colossal event made even more accessible as it streams globally on Netflix. For years, Canelo has been a fixture at the pinnacle of the sport. Holding the WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF, and The Ring titles at 168 pounds, he has built an astonishing résumé of 63 wins, 39 of them by knockout, against only two losses and two draws. On the other side is Crawford, a four-division world champion and current WBA super welterweight king, who walks into the ring with an unblemished record of 41-0 with 31 knockouts. The fanfare surrounding this matchup is understandable. It is rare
ing turn. The race wraps up with a 10km run through Samal’s lively business district, where streets will be lined with enthusiastic supporters and local communities, creating an unforgettable fin-
ish line energy. Spicing up the Samal 5150 is the Sprint Distance category (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run), which offers both new and seasoned triathletes a taste of the Samal magic with
a slightly shorter but equally electrifying challenge.
Hosted in Bridgeport, a 13-hectare East Coast-inspired marina community developed by Damosa Land, the venue is as luxurious as it is laid-back. Think resort-style amenities, full-service marina access, hiking trails, and stunning architecture – plus, it’s only a short ferry or powerboat ride from Davao City.
“This triathlon reflects our vision of creating spaces that promote wellness, community and sustainability. We’re proud to showcase Bridgeport not just as a destination, but as an experience,” said Damosa Land president Cary Lagdameo.
Organized by Sunrise Events, Inc., the Samal 5150 is part of the renowned 5150 and Sunrise Sprint series, bringing international-caliber racing to the Philippines’ most stunning destinations.
“This event will not only challenge athletes but also leave a lasting impression. Samal is the perfect backdrop for a race that’s both world-class and deeply Filipino,” said Princess Galura, president and managing director of SEI.
Canelo vs. Crawford: A clash boxing desperately needs
in boxing these days to witness the best taking on the best. The announcement conjured memories of Sugar Ray Leonard challenging Marvin Hagler in 1987, or when Manny Pacquiao dared to move up in weight to dismantle Oscar De La Hoya in 2008. These bouts became reference points in boxing history — and Canelo vs. Crawford has the potential to be remembered in the same breath. This fight is also what boxing desperately needs in an era where novelty bouts often grab the spotlight while diminishing the integrity of the sport. Here, two elite practitioners of “the sweet science” will test each other’s limits, creating a narrative of skill, heart, and legacy.
But the predictions? They have divided fans as if they were choosing sides in a lifelong allegiance. Canelo is the natural super middleweight, hardened by battles in the heavier weight classes. His power, counterpunching, and relentless pressure make him a daunting puzzle. Crawford, on the other hand, is stepping up two divisions from 154 to 168 pounds. The question lingers: how will his body respond to the demands of
a heavier division?
Stylistically, this is as compelling as it gets. Canelo thrives on defense and sharp counterpunching, gradually breaking opponents down. Crawford brings speed, surgical precision, and the ability to switch stances seamlessly. His adaptability — perhaps his greatest weapon — was on full display against Errol Spence Jr. in 2023 when he dismantled his compatriot in the ninth round. Yet, Crawford’s recent lighter schedule is a talking point. He has fought less frequently than Canelo, who has stayed active against top-tier opponents. Endurance, sharpness, and timing could play a big role once they are under the bright lights of Allegiant Stadium.
Naturally, Canelo is the easy pick here. He has the size, power, and championship experience at super middleweight. Skepticism over Crawford’s move up is warranted, especially after his showing against Israil Madrimov at 154 pounds, where some felt he lacked the same explosiveness that defined his reign from lightweight to welterweight.
Still, Crawford’s superior boxing IQ
Alcaraz, Sinner set for gripping 3rd faceoff
NEW YORK—Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the world’s undisputed top two players, will square off in a third straight Grand Slam final on Sunday at the US Open with President Donald Trump in attendance.
Top seed Sinner is the reigning champion and aiming to become the first man to successfully defend the US Open crown since Roger Federer won the last of five consecutive titles in 2008.
cannot be ignored. If anyone can neutralize Canelo’s strengths, it’s him. For Crawford to succeed, he may need to replicate what Dmitry Bivol achieved in 2022 — using lateral movement, pinpoint jabs, and discipline to keep the Mexican pugilist off balance. But there’s the other side of the coin: how will Crawford react once Canelo lands clean at 168? That moment could decide the outcome.
Ultimately, this fight comes down to adjustments. Canelo’s experience in high-stakes encounters gives him confidence. Crawford’s history of defying the odds makes him dangerous. As the weekend draws closer, the buzz grows louder. Will it be a tactical masterclass ending in a razor-thin decision, or a shocking knockout that redefines boxing’s hierarchy? One thing is certain: boxing fans are in for a historic showdown — a genuine clash of greatness, not gimmickry. And that’s why Canelo vs. Crawford matters so much.
(For comments or questions, reach the author at nissi.icasiano@gmail. com or visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nissi.icasiano.)
rival of late although Sinner is enjoying one of the all-time great seasons at Grand Slams. Only a miraculous escape act from Alcaraz, in which he saved three championship points, denied Sinner at the French Open and cost him a shot at a rare calendar Slam.
Sinner brushed off that crushing loss by beating Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, adding to the Australian Open crown he retained in January. The pair will collide once more inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, the scene of a 5hr 15min quarter-final classic in 2022 that has come to shape the rivalry between two generational talents. AFP
Concepcion eyes PGT win at Marapara
NEGROS
Concepcion sets out for another week with renewed hope and growing expectations.
With his game trending upward in recent Philippine Golf Tour stops, the Southern Utah University product is eager to finally capture that elusive first win as the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic comes off the wraps tomorrow (Tuesday, Sept. 9) at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here. The P2 million event at the storied Marapara layout draws the Tour’s top guns, with focus not just on back-toback leg winner Keanu Jahns, but also on the resurgent 29-year-old Concepcion, whose consistent performances have hinted at an imminent victory. After finishing seventh at Forest Hills, Concepcion climbed to fourth at Caliraya Springs, where he battled toeto-toe with Jahns and Angelo Que in a high-stakes final round shootout, only to falter under mounting pressure.
Learning from that experience, he bounced back in last week’s Bacolod Golf Challenge, staying in the hunt until the closing holes. Though Jahns again surged with his signature stretchrun brilliance, Concepcion fired a bogey-free 67 to secure a runner-up finish. This isn’t new territory for Concepcion. He led the opening round of last year’s Iloilo Golf Challenge, only to sputter down the stretch and settle for a share of fourth. But each setback has only added layers to his resolve.
Known for its powdery white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters and natural gems like Hagimit Falls and the Monfort Bat Cave, Samal Island sets the perfect stage for the Damosa Land 5150 Triathlon.
Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka poses with the trophy after defeating USA’s Amanda Anisimova during their women’s singles final tennis match on Day 14 of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City. AFP
Fidel Concepcion
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2025
RIERA U. MALLARI, Editor
RANDY M. CALUAG, Asst. Editor
EDGARD HILARIO, Asst. Editor
Lady Falcons complete V-League prelims sweep
ADAMSON University capped off a perfect preliminary round in the 2025 V-League Collegiate Challenge after sweeping Ateneo de Manila University, 25-22, 25-17, 25-11, on Sunday afternoon at the Paco Arena Events and Sports Center in Manila.
The Lady Falcons soared to a flawless 7-0 win-loss record in the elimination phase, dropping only three sets along the way. They now head into the semifinals brimming with confidence, fueled by breakout performances from Alas Pilipinas young gun Shaina Nitura, rookie hitter Abby Segui, and foreign student-athlete Frances Mordi in the eight-team tournament organized by Sports Vision.
Nitura delivered a stellar all-around outing with 24 points on 21 attacks, complemented by nine excellent digs and nine excellent receptions. Mordi provided solid support with 14 points built on 13 attacks and one block, along with five excellent digs and four excellent receptions, as Adamson secured its seventh straight win.
“Yung teamwork talaga yung naging difference — on how they play as one. May mga lapses pa rin during the situation na may pressure and tough times, pero lagi ko rineremind na always need mag-respond in every situation kasi the more na nandoon tayo sa tough times, the more that we’ll stick together,” said Lady Falcons head coach JP Yude.
After a tight opening set, Adamson broke away in the second frame with a commanding 9-2 run. Behind the firepower of MG Del Moral, Mordi, Nitura, and Segui, the Lady Falcons turned a slim 14-13 edge into a comfortable 23-15 lead before closing out the set with ease.
Riding that momentum, Adamson stormed to a decisive 16-5 advantage in the third set — capped by two aces from Nitura, an off-the-block strike from Mordi, and a quick attack from Del Moral.
Anthony leads Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
NEW YORK— Retired NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard were among nine inductees into the Basketball Hall of Fame at enshrinement ceremonies on Saturday at Springfield, Massachusetts. Both were inducted as individuals and as part of the 2008 US Olympic gold medal team from Beijing, the so-called “Redeem Team” after the Americans had settled for bronze in 2004.
“Sounds like a good thing to say you’re going into the Hall of Fame twice. That’s a hell of a thing,” said Anthony. “That ‘08 team really set the tone for how you show up as professional athletes.”
Others honored included former Women’s NBA stars Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles and Sue Bird; retired NBA referee Danny Crawford, Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan and Miami Heat executive Micky Arison.
NBA superstar LeBron James was in attendance, having been part of the 2008 Olympic squad as well as playing on the 2012 and 2013 Heat NBA championship teams owned by Arison. Howard paid tribute to his parents for their support in helping him realize his NBA dreams.
“You worked to help me achieve those goals day after day,” Howard said.
“Look how life works. Pops, mom, your son is in the Hall of Fame.” Jason Kidd, the oldest player on the 2008 US Olympic squad, recalled the delight of seeing the late Kobe Bryant and James playing against each other in high-intensity practice sessions.
“It was a beautiful thing to watch Kobe and LeBron battle in practice,” Kidd said. “Every morning they would battle. They had high energy. They set the tone.” AFP
Nitura defies the challenge of Ateneo’s Katherine Shaine Cortez and Jihan Chuatico in the 2025 V-League Collegiate Challenge at the Paco Arena Events and Sports Center in Manila.
PH booters stun Tajikistanis, need 1 more win to advance
By Peter Atencio
HONG BONG-BORN Filipino booter Noah Leddel scored the winning goal as the Philippines turned back host Tajikistan, 1-0, on Saturday evening to keep their hopes to make it to the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 alive.
The 22-year-old Leddel, who plays for Cebu FC in local club competitions, headed home the winning goal off Sandro Reyes’ corner in the 70th minute during action held at the Republican Central Stadium in Dushanbe.
“I think overall it was a tough game. Both sides were very intense, but it was going to come down to a set-piece goal ultimately,” said Leddel after the game.
It was just the second win for the Philippines in its twelve-year history in the U23 Asian Cup qualification tournament.
The last time the Philippines won was a similar 1-0 result against Bangladesh back in 2023.
The Philippines moved to second spot
with their 1-0-1 win-draw-loss record in Group K, a slate they now share with Tajikistan.
Syria is in the solo lead after earlier posting a 4-2 triumph over Nepal.
Goalie Nic Guimaraes kept Tajikistan from scoring after Leddel sent in the Philippines’ lone goal and this was after he pulled off saves from Azizbek Khaitov and Abubakr Sulaymonov.
The Philippines can qualify for the main tournament, if they win over winless Nepal in their final match on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Tajikistan battles undefeated Syria, which is seeking a threegame sweep.
THE South All-Stars rode on a buzzer-beater jumper by Eric Camson to nip their counterparts from the North, 82-81, on Saturday in the Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season All-Star Game at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna. Atoning for two airball triples earlier, Camson, of Rizal Xentromall, got the inbound with 1.5 seconds left and did not hesitate to take the fallaway off the outstretched arm of Dave Ildefonso and seal the thriller that avenged the Southerners’ back-to-back losses to the Northerners in 2023 and 2024.
Nueva Ecija’s Jaycee Marcelino gave the North back the lead, 81-80, from a 10-point deficit with a jumper, only 5.2 ticks left. It was Quezon Huskers’ Judel Fuentes who clinched MVP honors as he bunched 12 points that pushed the South to a 77-67 spread in the fourth quarter.
Fuentes posted 18 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals for South coach Eric Gonzales, also his mentor with the Huskers.
Camson finished with 11 points and 5 rebounds, Samboy de Leon,
Tenorio retires as a
GINEBRA San Miguel’s LA Tenorio is finally hanging his jersey to focus on his coaching job with the Magnolia Timplados Hotshots. The 41-year-old Tenorio made his plans known in a social media post before Sunday’s Philippine Basketball Association Season 50 Rookie Draft at the Mall of Asia Music Hall. “As much as I would like to believe my work is not done and would love to play for Ginebra, opportunities and circumstances arise,” said Tenorio on Instagram. Tenorio accepted an offer to handle the Hotshots last July, taking over from Chito Victolero. He played for 13 of his 19 years in the league with Ginebra San Miguel before opening a new chapter in his basketball journey.
South edges North in MPBL All-Star games
“With the utmost trust and love of the San Miguel management, my family and I believe it is best to take this opportunity and step into this next chapter of my life in the world of basketball -- coaching,” added Tenorio. He recently began coaching before getting his present job with the Hotshots, when he steered the Gilas Pilipinas U16 team to the South East Asian Basketball Association championship for a berth in the FIBA Asia Cup U16 tournament.
Tenorio brings with him to the Hotshots his nearly two decades of a career in the PBA as a player, having won a total of eight titles, four Finals MVPs, 10 allstar selections, and four Mythical Team selections. “Paalam sa jersey, pero hindi sa puso,” added Tenorio. Peter Atencio
also of Rizal, tallied 10 points and 10 rebounds; Cebu’s Jun Manzo 10 points, 2 assists and 2 rebounds; and Muntinlupa’s Marvin Hayes 9 points.
North Coach Yong Garcia got 21 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists from Marcelino, 16 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds from Ildefonso; 9 points each from Pampanga’s Larry Muyang and Pangasinan’s Vic Manuel, and 4 points each from Abra’s Raven Gonzales and Pampanga’s Archie Concepcion.
The victory, which came after 21 lead changes and 7 deadlocks, was worth P500,000, given by MPBL Founder and Chairman Manny Pacquiao, for the South team, which drew 7 points from Binan’s Warren Bonifacio.
Other members of the winning team were Ximone Sandagon (Quezon), Abdul Sawat (Zamboanga), Levi Hernandez (Batangas)m Ino Comboy (Mindoro), Kyle Tolentino (Gensan), LJ Gonzales (Quezon), JP Cauilan (Zamboanga), Marc Pingris (Binan) and Alex Cabagnot (Basilan).
Noah Leddel (left) makes his move against a Syrian defender.
Sean Jackson leaps over Marc Pingris in one of his winning slam dunks.
DOE weighs lifting moratorium on coal plants for private use
$105.9 billion
$105.4 billion
$107.9 billion Reserves as of August 2025 Reserves as of July 2025
Reserves as of August 2024
Foreign reserves climbed to $105.9b in August, says BSP
THE Philippines’ gross international reserves (GIR) rose to $105.9 billion at the end of August 2025 from $105.4 billion a month earlier, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said over the weekend. The increase was due to higher global gold prices and income from the BSP investments, preliminary data showed.
The latest tally, however, fell from $107.9 billion recorded in August 2024. GIR consists of foreigndenominated securities, foreign exchange and other assets including gold. They help a country finance its imports and foreign debt obligations, stabilize its currency and provide a buffer against external economic shocks.
The BSP said the latest GIR level was a “more than adequate” external liquidity buffer, equivalent to 7.2 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income. It was also about 3.4 times the country’s short-term external debt based on residual maturity. By convention, GIR is considered adequate if it can finance at least three months’ worth of the country’s imports and services payments. Meanwhile, the net international reserves increased from $105.4 billion as of end-July 2025 to $105.9 billion at end-August 2025.
By Alena Mae S. Flores
THE Department of Energy is considering lifting its moratorium on new coal-fired power plants for industries that want to use the fossil fuel for their own consumption.
DOE Secretary Sharon Garin said the department is “evaluating” requests from companies such as manufacturing firms, seeking a cheap, off-grid energy source.
“There is a move that some companies are asking if it’s their
own use. For example, if you have manufacturing and you want a cheap source of energy, not connected to the grid, there are requests for that, and we’re still evaluating that,” Garin said.
She said proposal has been under discussion since the previous administration of Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla.
“Because we are really pushing for renewable energy, and we’re trying to find also, we want to be fair, not just clean, but also affordable. So, that’s a dilemma that we have always,” Garin said.
The government is pushing for renewable energy but not abandoning baseload power plants, Garin said.
“More than coal, just because we are pushing for RE, doesn’t mean that we want to abandon baseload.
Baseload can be coal, it can be gas, it can be hydro, geothermal,” she said.
“RE is a good source of energy, but it will not be enough,” said Garin, adding that nuclear power could also serve as baseload.
The DOE implemented the moratorium on new coal-fired power plants on Oct. 27, 2020 to support policies to improve energy sustainability, reliability and flexibility by increasing the share of renewable energy in the energy mix.
The moratorium does not cover existing and operational coal-fired power plants, committed power projects, existing power plant complexes with firm expansion plans and land site provisions, or indicative power projects with substantial progress.
New 99-year land lease
By Othel V. Campos
THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) welcomed the enactment of Republic Act 12252 which amends the Investor’s Lease Act to extend the maximum lease period for private lands from 50 years to 99 years.
PEZA said the measure would also benefit state-run ecozone authorities, including the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, Subic Bay Metropolitan
PEZA gets $10-m Taiwanese investments
THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said over the weekend it secured more than $10 million in new investments from Taiwanese firms after promoting the Philippines as a competitive hub for advanced manufacturing and exports. PEZA chief of staff Napoleon Ferdinand Melendres, who led a recent mission to Taiwan, said a highlight was the signing of a $4.3-million registration agreement with Aromate Industries in Taipei. The deal will see the company build a new air care product manufacturing facility at the LIMA Technology Center in Batangas. Another confirmed project is a
$5-million to $6-million consumer electronics investment that is expected to generate about 300 jobs and begin operations by November 2025.
Other Taiwanese firms also committed to expanding their Philippine footprint, including a highend video products manufacturer that will establish its first production facility in the country. The company projects $90 million in sales within three years through global exports.
A global broadband and optical communications supplier will relocate to a new 18,000-squaremeter facility in Laguna by 2026 to expand its production capacity and product lines. Othel V. Campos
Authority and Clark Development Corp., which lease state-owned land to investors under long-term contracts.
PEZA director-general Tereso Panga said the law would lower entry barriers for investors.
“Instead of purchasing land upfront under the 60-40 Filipinoforeign ownership rule, investors can now establish brick-andmortar facilities under a predictable long-term lease arrangement. This lowers entry barriers, reduces
risk, and enhances the country’s attractiveness as an investment hub,” he said.
The agency said the measure would provide multinational companies in manufacturing, agroindustrial processing, tourism, renewable energy, logistics and IT-BPM with greater security and flexibility for capital-intensive projects that require long gestation periods.
The Philippines now joins regional peers like Singapore,
Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia in offering 99-year leases to foreign locators.
The law complements the CREATE More Act, which offers a stronger package of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to boost the country’s competitiveness.
“PEZA will leverage this reform to further attract and retain longhaul foreign and local investments that generate jobs, exports, and sustainable economic growth,” Panga said.
Over 25,000 Filipinos signed up for social housing in 3 months
MORE than 25,000 Filipino workers have signed up for socialized housing units through the Pag-IBIG Housing Loan, just three months after the launch of the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program’s online registration system. The
FREEPORT WORKERS. Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator Eduardo Jose Aliño apprises beneficiary workers on the agency’s projects for the Freeport workers during the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)’s ‘Benteng Bigas Meron na’ program launch and distribution on Sept. 4, 2025 at the Cresc Inc office in Moonbay Marina, Subic Bay Freeport. Around 300 qualified workers are among the first wave of beneficiaries of the program. Joseph Muego
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2025 extrastory2000@gmail.com
Stocks to take cues from US data, corruption probe next week
SHARE prices are expected to continue to trade within the range of 6,100 to 6,300 ahead of key data from the United States.
Unicapital Inc. research analyst
Peter Garnace said the market may take its cue from the U.S. jobs data report and the U.S. Consumer Price Index data, which are scheduled for release later this week. Garnace said these economic indicators will provide hints on the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policy path.
On the local front, he said investors will continue to monitor developments in the government’s probe into corruption and infrastructure projects and their potential impact on the domestic economy.
“We expect the local bourse to trade between 6,100 to 6,300,” Garnace said.
Last week, the bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index edged up 0.10 percent to close at 6,149.13, while the broader allshares index rose 0.16 percent to 3,692.17.
The market was in the red for the first three trading days of the week due to a lack of positive catalysts. However, sentiment improved in the latter part of the week on positive cues from the U.S., buoyed by increased optimism over a possible Fed rate cut.
Average value turnover declined to P5.18 billion from the previous week’s average of P9.2 billion. Foreign selling also declined, with outflows reaching P1.57 billion, down from P3.95 billion the previous week. Jenniffer B. Austria
PSE plans to ease rules for SMEs to boost listings
By Jenniffer B. Austria
THE Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) is proposing to ease penalties for certain disclosure violations, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in an effort to encourage more companies to go public.
PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon said during a recent forum that while investor protection is important, not all disclosure lapses significantly affect shareholders.
“We do have a responsibility to provide investment protection,” he said, adding that some violations, like those for share transfers, “really have no impact on investors.”
This move is supported by Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Francis Lim, who called it a positive step toward improving market participation.
THE Bistro Group said it will open its first franchised restaurant, a Watami at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, in October 2025.
He added that a more forgiving regulatory environment could encourage smaller firms to consider listing on the exchange.
“And hopefully with that, if we are able to provide that assurance to small companies, their fear of being listed might diminish,” he said.
“I think we should lighten up on that,” Monzon said. “And perhaps for SMEs, if they have some disclosure violations, don’t penalize them on the first or second offense. Keep giving them chances.”
“That’s a good move,” Lim said. “I agree with it.” Lim said that relaxing disclosure penalties would not weaken investor safeguards, as other countries have already adopted similar reforms. He also noted that improving the ease of doing business, streamlining listing processes, and promoting market integrity are crucial for attracting both local and foreign investors.
“We have to streamline our processes... make it easy,” he said. “We have to really go out of our way to tell the companies that there’s value in being listed in a stock exchange.”
The Japanese casual dining restaurant is the first to be sub-franchised by The Bistro Group. The 80-seat restaurant will be Watami’s 23rd branch. It will offer a range of authentic Japanese dishes, including sushi, shrimp tempura, ramen and skewers.
In a statement, Rommel Turbanos,
The Bistro Group’s vice president for business development and franchising, said the company is offering subfranchising to give investors a chance to partner with established restaurant brands.
“Serving good food, creating wonderful memories for our guests, and building success is what The Bistro Group is all about,” he said. “We offer businessmen this exciting opportunity to own a sub-franchise of triedand-tested, reputable, and profitable brands.”
The Bistro Group, which has more than 200 stores nationwide, has been in the Philippine food and beverage industry for 30 years. It currently operates 28 restaurant concepts, including American restaurants TGIFriday’s, Italianni’s, Denny’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse, Randy’s Donuts, Olive Garden, Hard Rock Café, El Pollo Loco, LongHorn Steakhouse, and the recently launched Fogo de Chao and Dave & Buster’s. It also has Asian restaurants Watami, Modern Shang, Red Lotus, Bulgogi Brothers, Secret Recipe, and Fish & Co. and Spanish restaurants Las Flores, Tomatito, Rambla, and Rumba.
SOMETIMES, we use words and phrases so often that their meaning slips past us unnoticed. I recently learned that the term for this is familiarity blindness. It happens because our brains are wired for efficiency, so when we encounter something familiar, like a face, a routine, or a word, we don’t process it deeply anymore. But from time to time, we experience a renewed appreciation for the word that we have spoken countless times because of how or where we hear it. For me, that word is “halaga.”
Last month, I attended an event entitled “Brewing Liquid Gold: Unlocking the True Value of Philippine Coffee.” It was a total geek fest that brought together a panel from diverse backgrounds that represented various coffee stakeholders. The first question that the moderator, Dr. Emmanuel Garcia, Director of the La Salle Food and Water Institute, asked was simple yet profound, “What does the word “value” mean to you?”
The first answer came from Ms. Sylvelyn Jo Almanzor, whose background as co-founder of Kubo Coffee, barista at The Curator Coffee & Cocktails, and faculty member at the DLSU Department of Literature, gave me a lot to think about. She started with the direct Filipino translation of the word “value,” which is “halaga.” This word holds multiple meanings to us Filipinos.
‘Halaga’ as price
In everyday usage, “halaga” refers to the price of something. If you ask, “Ano na ang halaga ng kape ngayon?” you will probably get a range of answers depending on whom you ask. Someone
who drinks coffee simply for the caffeine jolt might mention the price of one sachet of instant coffee. Someone who enjoys coffee for the sensory experience or the social scene will perhaps give you the price of a cup at a fancy café. Meanwhile, a coffee trader may respond with the global price of green Arabica beans.
The numbers may vary, but they share a common thread: they are a buyer’s perspective of “halaga.” They reflect how much money one must give up in exchange for coffee. From a business standpoint, this is very important, but also incomplete. After all, buyers are only one of the many stakeholders of the coffee industry. Price vs. cost Technically, “halaga” does not necessarily translate to “cost.” However, to many, price and cost may be interchangeable. Economics tells us otherwise. Price is what the buyer pays, and cost is what the producer sacrifices. A producer counts not just the explicit costs or monetary expenses, but also the implicit costs or opportunities forgone.
For coffee shop owners, this may include the cost of the beans, the salaries paid to the barista, and the income they have forgone from the well-paying job they gave up to start their business. For the coffee farmer, it is not just the cost of the coffee seedlings and other farming inputs; it is also what they would have earned if they planted rice or bananas instead. Unfortunately, the price or “halaga” of the coffee does not always capture the entire cost, including the hidden sacrifices that make every cup possible.
‘Halaga’ is never onedimensional; it is price, cost, and worth all at once.
‘Halaga’ as worth
Another panelist, Dr. Raymund Habaradas, Full Professor from the DLSU Department of Management and Organization, also said that people ought to be able to distinguish three closely-related economic concepts: price, cost, and value. In this context, I think that value or “halaga” also means worth or significance. This is why, as Dr. Habaradas explained, some people are willing to pay more for luxury items. This takes us beyond accounting or economics into the realm of culture and identity.
How important is coffee to your life? For many of us, “coffee is life.” The ritual of making that first cup of coffee in the morning eases us into the day. Those who frequent coffee shops are not just seeking a caffeine fix. They are looking for a space where they can be productive, and coffee is their dependable study or work companion.
How important is coffee to the Philippine economy? Coffee is a declared priority crop under the Department of Agriculture’s High Value Crops Development Program. It sustains thousands of farmers in Batangas, Benguet, and Bukidnon, and fuels the growing café industry across our cities. Beyond income, coffee connects us globally: our beans are now entering specialty markets, winning recognition for their quality.
And how important is coffee to our culture?
Few things are as universally Filipino as sharing coffee with friends, family, or even strangers. “Kape tayo!” isn’t just an invitation to share a beverage, but to have a conversation. Whether it is barako brewed in a kettle at home or singleorigin pour over from a third-wave café, coffee symbolizes warmth and community.
Many faces of ‘halaga’ What this conversation reminded me is that “halaga” is never one-dimensional; it is price, cost, and worth all at once. To truly value coffee, we must see it in its fullness: the pesos we spend, the sacrifices of those who produce it, and the deeper worth it holds for our lives and nation. So the next time you sip a cup of coffee, pause and ask yourself: Ano ang halaga nito? The answer may be more complex—and more meaningful—than you think. Who knew that economic realities, personal sacrifices, and cultural meanings can be captured in a single Filipino word?
Liza Mae L. Fumar is a PhD in Business candidate of De La Salle University, where she also teaches management courses, including Corporate Social Responsibility and Governance. Her research interests include consumer behavior and green consumption. Like any researcher, she is also fueled by coffee. She can be reached at liza.fumar@dlsu. edu.ph. The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.
GREEN LIGHT
Liza Mae L. Fumar
RENEWED PARTNERSHIP. MPower and Okada Manila formalized its renewed power supply deal in a signing ceremony held on Aug. 19, 2025 at Okada Manila, Parañaque City. (From left) MPower retail sales head Eddie John Adug, MPower head Redel Domingo, Okada Manila president and chief operating officer
Byron Yip, and Okada Manila managing director Mitsukazu Nakata join the event.
DA, World Bank plan $70-m climate insurance for farmers
By Othel V. Campos
THE Department of Agriculture
(DA) will roll out a $70-million climate change insurance program in 2026 with funding support from the World Bank to shield the country’s agriculture sector from worsening climate risks.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the five-year project, which runs until 2030, is expected to benefit 750,000 small farmers and fishermen.
“The World Bank plans to leverage its loan to mobilize between $300 million and $500 million in climate protection for farmers, fisherfolk, and agri-based MSMEs,” he said.
Tiu Laurel said the program will allow producers to bounce back faster after climate shocks and resume production with minimal delay.
Under the loan arrangement, the Department of Finance will
serve as the borrower, while the DA will implement the project, establishing a co-insurance pool where public and private insurers share risks from climate-triggered disasters such as droughts and floods.
The program will combine the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.’s expertise in agricultural insurance with the capital and technical capacity of private insurers, including the National Reinsurance Corporation of the Philippines.
“A stronger insurance framework reduces the risk in agricultural lending,” Tiu Laurel said. “This encourages banks to provide more credit, helping farmers invest in technology, adopt climate-smart practices, and boost productivity.”
The initiative also supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision to modernize agriculture and secure the country’s food supply.
NTC to decommission 3G networks by 2026
Iloilo City’s power infra ready for growth—MORE
By Alena Mae S. Flores
ILOILO City’s power infrastructure is ready to support significant new investments, according to MORE Electric and Power Corp.
Roel Castro, president and chief executive of MORE Power, assured potential investors during a Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) meeting on Aug. 29 that the city’s power grid is stable and has substantial excess capacity to fuel future growth.
Castro noted a sustained upward trajectory in Iloilo’s economy since 2015, with only a temporary dip during the pandemic. He said that with modest year-on-year growth projections of 2-3 percent, the foundation for expansion is solid.
“We came in 2020, and our growth in electricity demand has been increasing,” Castro said, highlighting a key indicator of economic activity.
MORE Power, Iloilo City’s distribution utility has seen its customer base nearly double in five years, from 62,000 accounts in 2020 to about 115,000 today. This rapid growth necessitated a monumental catch-up effort in infrastructure.
Castro said the company inherited a system that was “a bit behind,” forcing an aggressive five-year investment program in critical assets like substations.
“After this year, we will be ahead of the curve,” Castro said.
“This means that Iloilo’s electricity or power infrastructure will already be above the curve, which means that Iloilo will be ready for investment. We would be confident and not be afraid of any investment that would come, and that would require power.” He quantified this readiness, revealing that the system has about 36 percent spare capacity available to absorb new industrial, commercial and residential demand without requiring immediate new large-scale construction.
By Darwin G. Amojelar
THE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) plans to decommission 3G mobile networks across the country by the end of 2026 to free up spectrum and improve services by accelerating the transition to more advanced technologies like 4G and 5G.
In a draft memorandum circular titled “Decommissioning of Third Generation (3G) and Second Generation (2G) Mobile Network Services,” the NTC proposes the shutdown of all 3G and 2G mobile network services. The circular proposes a phased, area-specific approach to the shutdown, with a full nationwide switch-off to be completed no later than Dec. 31, 2026.
The NTC said public telecommunications entities (PTEs) must submit their technical transition plans within 60 days of the circular’s effectivity.
To minimize disruption and ensure inclusive access to telecommunications services following the decommissioning of 3G networks, the NTC said all PTEs shall iImplement subsidy schemes or installment plans for consumers currently using 3G only devices, offer free SIM upgrades to registered subscribers; establish a toll-free migration helplines and walk-in-centers across regions to provide
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Stockholders' Meeting (ASM) of the aforementioned Corporation will be held virtually or via remote communication on 03 October 2025 at 3:00PM via Zoom webinar.
Stockholders can register at https://bit.ly/ATRAM2025ASM. Webinar password will be sent via email after registration.
The Agenda of the Meeting is as follows:
I. Call to Order II. Certification of Notice and Quorum III. Approval of the Minutes of the Annual Shareholders Meeting held on 04 October 2024 IV. Management Report
a real-time assistance and technical guidance, and maintain an online portal for logging issues, receiving migration-related feedbacks and resolving complaints.
“In some jurisdictions worldwide, 3G services have already been decommissioned while retaining 2G services as low-power fallback to support voice calls and SMS features,” the NTC said.
The regulator added that frequencies currently assigned to 2G and 3G mobile technologies can be more efficiently utilized by modern technologies such as Fourth Generation (4G), Fifth Generation (5G), and the upcoming Sixth Generation (6G) technology, which are essential for reducing congestion and improving the availability and quality of mobile services.
The NTC also noted that 4G, 5G, and the upcoming 6G offer higher data throughput, lower latency, and improved spectral efficiency compared to 2G and 3G technology, enabling robust broadband services.
The NTC also said “the proliferation of illegal devices that impersonate a legitimate cell-phone tower (cell-site simulators/international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) catchers) exploits the security vulnerabilities of legacy 2G and 3G mobile networks poses risks of communication interception, scamming, spoofing and other illicit activities.”
Pursuant to the technology neutrality principle under Republic Act 7925, the NTC said 3G band frequency assignments shall be used to support PTEs’ 4G, 5G, and future and emerging technologies for mobile technology deployment, subject to NTC permitting and licensing rules and regulations, and payment of appropriate fees and charges.
V. Presentation of the Audited Financial Statements as of 31 March 2025 VI. Ratification of the Corporate Acts of the Board of Directors since the last annual stockholders’ meeting
VII. Election of Directors for 2025 to 2026
VIII. Filing of Petition for Voluntary Revocation of Registration of Shares
IX. Shortening of Corporate Term
X. Appointment of External Auditor for 2026
XI. Other Matters
XII. Adjournment
Only holders of issued stocks of record as at the close of business hours on 04 August 2025 and whose status as stockholders on that date has been satisfactorily established in accordance with the corporate records of the Stock and Transfer Agent and the Corporate Secretary of the Company, will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the scheduled stockholders’ meeting. Stockholders who intend to participate in the meeting via remote communication and to exercise their vote in absentia must notify the Corporate Secretary by registering through the Company’s website for the 2025 annual meeting of the stockholders on 23 September
RMN RIVER FESTIVAL. Aboitiz InfraCapital Capital, Inc. head of corporate affairs Christopher Camba, joins the
awarding of the baroto race during the RMN River Festival in Iloilo City, celebrating heritage and the community’s shared commitment to protecting local rivers.
PANGUIL BAY BRIDGE. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) says it is working with local governments to ensure the long-term integrity and sustainability of the newly completed Panguil Bay Bridge in Northern Mindanao. The partnership, which includes a joint inspection, focuses on the bridge’s recent pavement upgrade and commitment to a safer, more durable infrastructure.
Offshoring revenue in PH seen rising to $61b by 2030
THE Philippine offshoring industry is projected to generate up to $61 billion in revenue by 2030, as its rapid expansion evolves into a skilled talent strategy, according to a recent report by global talent solutions partner Robert Walters.
The sector is also expected to create more than 969,000 skilled jobs over the next five years as international companies increasingly establish operations in the Philippines to access professional talent.
This forecast marks a 69-percent increase from the sector’s current contribution, estimated at $36 billion, and would see offshoring’s share of the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) grow from 8.23 percent to 10.14
Creative sector’s contribution to top P2t in 2025
By Othel V. Campos
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) expects the creative sector to contribute more than P2 trillion to the economy this year, Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque said over the weekend.
The sector generated P1.99 trillion in 2024, and the DTI aims to build on this momentum with increased government support and global visibility.
“That’s really the goal. We need to really push the industry, the exports,” Roque said at the sidelines of the fiveday Malikhaing Pinoy Creative Expo (MPEx), which concluded on Sunday.
The DTI has identified gaming and anime as key growth drivers, alongside traditional segments like fashion, design, and the performing arts. Roque noted that Filipino animators are securing contracts abroad, though their contributions are often overlooked.
“Sometimes we look at the creative sector always as dancing, singing, and fashion. But actually, we have in the digital space also,” she said.
Roque said the government is finalizing incentive packages to accelerate investments in the industry.
The MPEx, held in celebration of Philippine Creative Industries Month, was the first event to bring together all nine creative domains: audiovisual media, visual arts, digital interactive media, design, performing arts, publishing, traditional cultural expressions, creative services and cultural sites.
percent by the end of the decade.
The forecast, produced by the Robert Walters’ Market Intelligence team, reflects a significant shift in the global offshoring landscape.
Once focused on cost-saving and volume, today’s strategies are centered on building capability, quality, and resilience by tapping into skilled international workforces.
“To put the $61 billion figure into perspective, that’s more than three
times the Philippines’ annual education budget,” Robert Walters head of market intelligence Phill Brown said.
“Offshoring is becoming a long-term economic driver for the Philippines and underscores the growing confidence in the country’s skilled workforce and its ability to support critical, global-facing business operations,” Brown said.
Key factors driving the growth include the Philippines’ high English proficiency, specialization in tech and transformation services and a growing pool of digital infrastructure and engineering talent. This foundation has enabled the country to take on increasingly complex offshore functions, particularly in technical and knowledge-based domains.
The most in-demand skills include
backend programming, cloud engineering and IT security, which highlights rising global demand for technical capability in cybersecurity and cloud transformation.
“More companies are viewing offshoring not as a cost-cutting tactic but as a talent access strategy. In the Philippines, they’re finding a professional workforce that’s fluent in English, digitally capable, and ready to take on business-critical work,” said David Barr, chief executive officer of outsourcing at Robert Walters.
“We’re increasingly working with organizations that are integrating offshore teams into their core operations, building capability in areas that require strong technical expertise, cross-border collaboration, and a long-term talent view,” Barr said.
IN BRIEF
Mindanao’s economic growth hinges on power supply–Meralco executive
MINDANAO’S economic growth is at risk if the island’s power supply issues are not addressed, a Meralco executive said at a recent business conference.
Frequent outages, system losses and working capital stress among electric cooperatives have all posed hurdles to electrification. Discussions during the Mindanao Business Conference in Tagum City centered on the need for reliable utility providers.
Meralco senior vice president and chief external and government affairs officer Arnel Casanova noted the impact of power disruptions on the economy.
“Power — both its cost and its reliability — directly affects your operations,” Casanova told the business community.
“An outage doesn’t just flicker the lights. It stops production. It destroys value,” he said.
Casanova said Mindanao is already
NPL ratio rose in July amid double-digit loan expansion
By Thony Rose Lesaca
THE ratio of non-performing loans (NPLs) in Philippine banks edged up to 3.40 percent in July 2025 from 3.34 percent in June, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed over the weekend.
The gross NPL ratio improved from 3.58 percent recorded in July 2024 and remained below the pandemic high of 4.51 percent. Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC), attributed the slight increase to slowed local economic growth prospects, indirectly weighed by a similarly slower gross domestic product outlook.
He said this external risk factor would hit exporters and other supply chains both globally and locally.
“The resulting slower economy would lead to lower sales, profits, employment, and other economic activities, thereby reducing the ability to pay by some borrowers to pay their loans,” Ricafort said in a message. Meanwhile, outstanding loans from universal and commercial banks (U/ KBs) to businesses and individual consumers sustained their doubledigit growth in July 2025.
Loans from U/KBs expanded at a slower rate of 11.8 percent year-on-year in July, down from 12.1 percent in June.
After adjusting for seasonal fluctuations, outstanding U/KB loans grew 0.7
percent month-on-month in July.
Outstanding loans to residents increased 12.4 percent in July from 12.6 percent in June. Outstanding loans to non-residents decreased further by 8.1 percent in July from a 6.4 percent decline in the previous month.
Loans for business activities expanded at a slower pace of 10.8 percent in July from 11.1 percent in June. Lending increased for the following key industries: real estate activities (10.7 percent), electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply (30.3 percent), wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (8.5 percent), financial and insurance activities (13.1 percent), and information and communication (8.5 percent).
By Alena Mae S. Flores
THE Department of Energy (DOE) said the government needs about P70 billion to achieve 100-percent nationwide electrification by 2028.
The new estimate is lower than the previous projection of P100 billion after further surveys and verification. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the government is optimistic about reaching the goal, which was mandated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“It can be done, depending on the budget... I think the concentration will be more
outpacing the national growth average. “But if power is not made reliable, that growth will be stunted,” he said.
Casanova pointed to Batangas as a case study, where industries and jobs followed a stable power supply. The province saw a 14.1-percent compound annual growth rate in energy sales in areas with strong electricity distribution.
“The logic is straightforward: investors will not come if power is un-
reliable,” he said.
“When distribution is strong, industries move in, investments follow, jobs are created, and local economies flourish,” he added.
Casanova cited the potential for collaboration between Meralco and electric cooperatives. He said Meralco’s expertise could become a driver of growth in Mindanao.
“The numbers speak for themselves. Mindanao is already growing,” he said.
on Mindanao because those are the far-flung places that don’t have electricity yet,” Garin said, adding that much of the new funding would go to Mindanao and electric cooperatives.
The DOE said about 3.08 million households would need an electricity connection by 2028. As of December 2024, 94.75 percent of households, or 27.9 million homes in the country, had electricity access. To address the remaining gap, the DOE and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) have developed a roadmap focusing on three strategies: microgrids, solarized homes and expanding electric cooperatives.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque attends the Malikhaing Pinoy Creative Expo (MPEx), held in celebration of Philippine Creative Industries Month.
NEW CAFÉ. Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president Enunina Mangio (front row, left) and Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) president Dr. Sergio Ortiz Luis Jr. attend the grand opening of Dubai Prince Cafe at Wilcon Mall along Visayas Avenue in Quezon
ENHANCED MONITORING. The Financial Stability Coordination Council (FSCC), chaired by Bangko
REAL ESTATE
PNB revitalizes two iconic properties in Makati, Pasay
TWO of Metro Manila’s most recognizable office buildings are getting a new lease on life.
The PNB Financial Center in Pasay and the PNB Makati Center along Ayala Avenue are being thoughtfully redeveloped by PNB Holdings Corporation (PHC), as the company works to modernize its properties while preserving their historic character.
Originally built as the headquarters of the Philippine National Bank, the PNB Financial Center has long stood as a symbol of strength and stability.
Located along Macapagal Boulevard, the building is now being repositioned to meet the needs of today’s businesses, with large flexible spaces and a standout Grand Atrium that’s now also being used as an events venue.
Meanwhile, in the heart of Makati’s central business district, the PNB
PHC said the goal isn’t just to maintain these buildings, but to help them evolve.
“Our approach is rooted in the idea that history and functionality are not opposing forces. Through thoughtful management and purposeful reinvention, we turn heritage into an advantage, creating enduring spaces that are responsive to the evolving needs of our tenants and the wider business community,” said Joselito R. Consunji, Chief Operating Officer of PHC. Both properties are in prime locations—Pasay’s growing business corridor and Makati’s established commercial zone—giving them a unique edge in terms of accessibility and convenience.
According to PHC, occupancy remains high across both sites, driven by demand for well-located, wellmaintained spaces that can grow with their tenants. The company sees these properties as long-term investments not just in real estate, but in the success of the businesses that call them home.
Robinsons Offices welcomes Tenet Healthcare to GBF Center 2 in Bridgetowne
GBF Center 2.
ROBINSONS Land Corp. (RLC) continues to strengthen its position as a leader in premium office development, as it officially welcomes Tenet Healthcare’s Global Business Centers (GBCs) to GBF Center 2 in Bridgetowne Destination Estate. Tenet WFH Global Business Center, Inc. and Conifer WFH Global Business Center, Inc.—both part of Tenet Healthcare Corporation, a leading U.S.-based healthcare company—have chosen GBF Center 2 as the newest home for their operations in the Philippines. This partnership highlights a new chapter of growth for both Robinsons Offices and Tenet Healthcare. As RLC celebrates its 45th anniversary, the addition of Tenet’s GBCs signals a future-focused, purposedriven expansion that prioritizes not just business excellence, but also community impact.
“We are excited to establish our newest global business center in Bridgetowne,” said Dan Nacarato, Country Head for Tenet Healthcare’s GBCs. “The availability of world-class talent and the exceptional standards of GBF Center 2 made this a clear choice for our growth,” Nacarato stated. He adds that the Philippines is a natural partner in delivering highquality healthcare support.
Located within the Bridgetowne Destination Estate, GBF Center 2 stands as a flagship office tower. It is the largest LEED v4-certified premium office building in the country, known for its energy-efficient systems, smart technologies, and future-ready design. The development is not just about high-performance business—it’s about building meaningful connections and sustainable communities.
Tenet Healthcare cited the Philippines’ skilled healthcare professionals and the premium, ecoconscious design of GBF Center 2 as major factors in choosing the site.
The move aligns with the company’s broader vision of delivering top-tier healthcare services while supporting global operations from a location that offers both talent and infrastructure.
“Tenet Healthcare’s GBCs’ expansion in Bridgetowne reflects the kind of products we produce,” saidJericho P. Go, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Robinsons Offices “We build offices not just for productivity, but to help improve lives by creating jobs, keeping families together, and fostering inclusive growth in our communities, with the assurance that our sustainable developments will be passed on to future generations, thus, ensuring a better and brighter tomorrow.”
“What makes these properties truly special is how they empower the people and businesses within them,” said Sarah Velasquez, Vice President for Leasing Management. “When our tenants thrive, it creates more opportunities and in turn greater confidence in the economy. At PHC, we take pride in being part of that By preserving what made these buildings iconic while adapting them for the future, PHC is turning legacy into a platform for progress—proof that old addresses can still offer new
into a modern urban haven
SAN Juan is starting to transform into a modern, connected, and livable business district offering fresh take on what central business districts can be.
For years, this 595-hectare city, the smallest in Metro Manila, has been known for its exclusivity and deeprooted heritage. With neighborhoods like Greenhills, North Greenhills, and Addition Hills, San Juan built its reputation as a quiet home for generations of the country’s elite. Colliers Philippines office services analyst Christian Miranda noted that San Juan has always embodied quiet sophistication.
“For decades San Juan did not need to chase recognition. Its wealth was deeply ingrained, its identity well established. But in the current era where business hubs like Makati, Bonifacio Global City and Ortigas Center dominate the headline-San Juan has often been overlooked in the rush for scale and spectacle,” Colliers said. But today, the landscape
Newly opened GH Mall is a seven-level shopping complex built on a site formerly occupied by Unimart. is changing. Led by the redevelopment of Greenhills Shopping Center by Ortigas Land, San Juan is embracing modern growth.
New residential and commercial developments are rising across the city especially along Ortigas Avenue and Annapolis Street. These include mixed-use communities, boutique condominiums, and retail hubs designed for convenience and connectivity.
Rather than trying to compete directly with Metro Manila’s sprawling CBDs like Makati or BGC, San Juan is carving out its own identity.
“Rather than competing head-on with sprawling central business districts, San Juan is charting its own course – one rooted in exclusivity and intentional growth.”
Looking ahead, Colliers said San Juan’s future points to steady, thoughtful growth. Developers and investors are seeing potential in a market.
“The future of San Juan points to thoughtful urban growth—low- to mid-rise residential developments catering to affluent families, legacy homeowners, and professionals with deep ties to the community.”
Planned infrastructure upgrades, including better roads and potential rail expansion, will further boost accessibility while maintaining the city’s peaceful atmosphere.
“San Juan is not shouting for attention. It is growing deliberately on its own terms. In that calm evolution, its enduring appeal takes shape,” Collier said.
PNB Makati Center Lobby
Executives celebrate the successful signing at
From left: JP Balboa, vice president; Jericho P. Go, senior vice president and general manager – Robinsons Offices; Roger Ammons, vice president; Dan Nacarato, country head – Tenet Healthcare
Jenniffer B. Austria
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2025
lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com
NICKIE WANG, Editor
ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer
JASPER VALDEZ, Writer
Indie favorite Jarmusch beats Gaza war film to Venice top prize
A GENTLE study of dysfunctional families by veteran American director Jim Jarmusch clinched the top prize at the Venice Film Festival Saturday, while a harrowing docudrama about the Gaza war took second.
Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother starring Cate Blanchett, Adam Driver, and Tom Waits, drew mostly positive reviews for its humorous portrayal of awkwardness and guilt.
The Broken Flowers director, who wrote the script for three family get-togethers in upstate New York, Dublin, and Paris, had called it “a kind of anti-action film.”
“Thank you for appreciating our quiet film,” the 72-year-old said during his acceptance speech.
In a move that might disappoint campaigners against the Gaza war, the Venice jury under American director Alexander Payne did not reward The Voice of Hind Rajab with the Golden Lion.
Instead, the film about a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli troops last year, which reduced many festival viewers to tears, was given the grand jury second prize.
Franco-Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania produced a dramatized retelling of Hind Rajab Hamada’s ordeal after she was trapped in a car that came under fire while she and her relatives were fleeing Gaza City.
It was the most talked-about movie on the Venice Lido and tipped by many as the likely winner after a 23-minute standing ovation at its premiere on Wednesday.
Hind Rajab’s story “is not hers alone,” Ben Hania said as she accepted her award.
“It is tragically the story of an entire people enduring genocide, inflicted by a criminal Israeli regime that acts with impunity,” she added.
Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, and Oscar-winning directors Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest) and Mexico’s Alfonso Cuaron (Roma) joined the film as executive producers after editing had been completed. AFP
AHOF finds home in Pinoy member JL’s homeland
By Angelica Villanueva
WHEN rookie K-pop group AHOF touched down in Manila for its first-ever visit, the members didn’t come emptyhanded. Across three days of events—a press conference, a soldout fancon at the Araneta Coliseum, and a fan signing event—the nine-member group made sure every moment counted. From the start, it was clear they came prepared not only to perform but also to connect with Filipino fans on a deeper level.
At the press conference, when AHOF faced the Manila press, you could sense a little hint of shyness in the room. Each member took turns introducing themselves and posing for the cameras, filling the room with smiles and careful gestures. Even JL, the group’s only Filipino member, seemed reserved at first.
But as the afternoon went on, Steven, Jeongwoo, Woongki, Shuaibo, Han, JL, Juwon, Chih En, and Daisuke began to open up and revealed just how ready they were to embrace Filipino culture and meet their Filipino fans for the first time.
For JL, the visit was especially meaningful, not just as AHOF’s first time in the Philippines but as his long-awaited homecoming. As the only Filipino member of the group, JL carried both pride and responsibility—to introduce his bandmates to his culture and to make sure Filipino fans felt seen.
them to Filipino culture, from teaching simple phrases to sharing local foods and humor, ensuring that AHOF’s visit would feel personal and meaningful.
True enough, the members found their own ways to connect with Filipinos beyond music. Whether it was trying local dishes, joking around with memes, or practicing phrases that would make their fans smile, they arrived in the Philippines as idols who had done their homework.
“When it comes to words, he taught us ‘mahal kita’ and ‘maraming salamat po.’ For food, he made us try pancit canton, which is really delicious. He also showed us lots of memes and poses,” Jeongwoo said.
Japanese member Daisuke echoed this sentiment, sharing how he learned to adapt what JL had taught about using “po” and “opo” as signs of respect for elders.
to the fancon after hearing from friends about the energy of Filipino audiences.
“I was very excited because JL and my friends who have been to the Philippines, they said the fans are just really high energy, very warm and welcoming. So yeah, that got me really excited, and I was very much looking forward to the fancon,” he told Manila Standard Entertainment
The fancon delivered on that promise, with AHOF blending its own songs with moments designed to delight the crowd. From a surprise performance of SB19’s “Go Up” to playful interactions with fans, the group made sure its three-day visit to Manila was worth it, not only for themselves but also for the fans who had been waiting for them to come.
American director Jim Jarmusch accepts the Venice Film Festival’s top prize for ‘Father Mother Sister Brother’
THE Philippine remake of South Korea’s acclaimed drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay is diving deep into mental health, using its ensemble cast to explore stigma, trauma, and healing.
Set largely inside the fictional OK Hospital, the series introduces support cast like Bianca de Vera as Bella and Kaori Oinuma as Gemma Bautista, a nurse navigating the challenges of caregiving.
Albie Casiño plays Benjamin “Junjun” Martinez Jr., the troubled son of a politician admitted with manic syndrome, a condition linked to bipolar I disorder. His role adds a political twist to the drama, underscoring how privilege doesn’t shield anyone from mental illness.
Xyriel Manabat joins the cast as Madeth, secretary to Anne Curtis’ character Mia, bridging the stories inside and outside the hospital walls.
The show does not shy away from tough themes. Disorders such as autism, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and antisocial personality disorder are addressed through different characters, with the cast undergoing psychiatric seminars to prepare for their roles.
But amid the heavy subject matter, romance is brewing. Joshua Garcia’s guarded Patrick finally begins to thaw under Mia’s
“It hasn’t been that long since we debuted, but the love and support we’re receiving here make us very happy. I always promised that the next time I came home, I wouldn’t be alone, I’d be with my group,” JL shared.
He recalled his journey from debuting in Korea to finally sharing the stage in his homeland, describing the overwhelming support of fans and the fulfillment of a longheld promise to return with his bandmates.
“This is a dream come true. I always say that I come home here alone. I see comments from fans hoping that next time I’ll be with the members. Now, we’re all finally here together. It wasn’t easy, especially knowing how supportive Filipinos are, but the kind of support and love we’re receiving make us very happy and more passionate about doing our activities here,” he added.
He also took it upon himself to introduce
“He taught us to use ‘ every sentence should end with ‘ po.’ Because he taught me that, I sometimes add ‘ even to Korean or Japanese words—like ‘konnichiwa po,’” he shared, drawing laughter from the crowd.
That preparation carried into the fancon on Aug. 30, where AHOF turned anticipation into energy. The group’s leader, Steven, shared that he had been looking forward
po.’ He said po’
cast of the Philippine remake of ‘It’s
K-pop group AHOF gears up for its first series of events in Manila JL of AHOF returns to the Philippines with his bandmates, marking a proud homecoming for the group’s only Filipino member
Anne Curtis (right)
Ramon
Tulfo tells critics to leave Heart Evangelista alone
By Nickie Wang
JOURNALIST Ramon Tulfo
defended actress and fashion personality Heart Evangelista against criticism over her wealth, saying she has long been financially independent.
“Leave her alone. Heart
Evangelista is a billionaire in her own right,” Tulfo said in a social media post, noting Evangelista comes from the Ongpauco family, which owns the Barrio Fiesta restaurant chain. He said Evangelista was already earning from acting and brand
work before marrying Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero
“The money she spends is her own, not Chiz’s. I should know; I’m a friend of her uncle Rod Ongpauco ,” Tulfo said.
Evangelista, who has worked in entertainment for two decades, has appeared in films and television shows while maintaining a steady presence as a brand endorser and influencer.
Netizens estimate she has more than 50 endorsements and several collaborations.
She also runs Luxelle Centella sun serum with her glam team,
a business that has reported strong sales both online and in physical stores. Critics have claimed Escudero bankrolls Evangelista’s lifestyle. Tulfo countered that she is capable of sustaining her own career and business ventures.
A netizen responded to Tulfo’s post by questioning Evangelista’s taxes and why she is not listed among the country’s richest celebrities. Tulfo replied, “The Ongpaucos are old rich. They’re not the type that flaunt their money.”
LIFE & SHOWBIZ
AI-powered service reshapes travel planning
ONLINE travel platform Trip.com has introduced Trip.Planner, an artificial intelligence-powered tool designed to help users create personalized travel itineraries with real-time recommendations.
The service integrates flights, trains, hotels, restaurants, and attractions into a single view, allowing travelers to plan and book directly within the platform. It uses more than 20 million geo-tagged global points of interest and verified travel data to provide availability, opening hours, and transport details.
Trip.com said the tool adjusts to different travel styles, with preset options for family trips, cultural visits, city breaks, nature experiences, historical tours, and budget-friendly journeys. Users can also import prior bookings, edit their plans with a canvas-style interface, and access suggestions through a built-in AI assistant.
“Trip.Planner is a cutting-edge tool that combines reliable data with itinerary management to redefine how travelers plan their journeys,” said James Liang, co-founder and chairman of Trip.com Group.
S N A P S H O T
The platform also offers expert-vetted recommendations through in-app chat for milestone trips or niche experiences. Recommendations are supported by Trip.com’s data sources, including Trip.Best picks, Trip. Pulse and Trip.Events.
“With Trip.Planner, we are offering a smart assistant that adapts to user preferences, simplifies decision-making, and puts joy back into trip planning,” said Bonnie Bao, director of product for itinerary and map at Trip.com Group.
Trip.Planner is available in English on Trip. com sites in selected regions, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Belgium, and Ireland. Trip.com
By Angelica Villanueva
BINI also maintained a strong showing with three tracks: “Pantropiko” at No. 7, “Salamin, Salamin” at No. 8, and “Shagidi” at No. 10. Meanwhile, SB19 is currently on its Simula at Wakas world tour. It is set to team up with designer Francis Libiran for a music and fashion event,
P-POP powerhouse SB19 led the Billboard Philippines HOT 100 chart’s P-Pop rankings for August, with its single “DAM” landing at No. 1. The group also claimed the No. 2 spot with “Umaaligid,” a collaboration with pop star Sarah Geronimo. The track is one of several entries that underline SB19’s wide reach in the genre. All six songs from the group’s EP Simula at Wakas entered the Top 10. Aside from “DAM,” the EP produced “DUNGKA!” (No. 3), “Time” (No. 4), “Quit” (No. 5), “8tonBall” (No. 6), and “Shooting for the Stars” (No. 9).
MVP of travel and tourism
THE Manila Overseas Press Club (MOPC) presented the 2025 Travel and Tourism Enabler Award to Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP), chairman of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), PLDT, and Smart.
Recognized for his visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to strengthening the country’s travel and tourism landscape, MVP’s initiatives span infrastructure development through MPIC companies like Meralco, Maynilad, Metro Pacific Tollways, and PLDT-Smart,
Lopez (2nd from
Representatives receive the Travel and Tourism Enabler Award on behalf of Manuel V. Pangilinan at the Manila Overseas Press Club
Journalist Ramon Tulfo defends Heart Evangelista’s financial independence against critics
Actress and fashion icon Heart Evangelista faces criticism over her wealth
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2025
lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com
NICKIE WANG, Editor
ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer
JASPER VALDEZ, Writer
By Nickie Wang
THERE’S nothing like checking into a hotel, dropping your bags, and knowing a comfy bed and good food are waiting for you.
Travel has always been about the little moments like sharing meals, laughing late into the night, and enjoying the comfort of being away, and SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC) is leaning into that idea as it launches discounts of up to 40 percent across its properties, along with a P40 buffet offering, to celebrate SM Supermalls’ 40th anniversary.
The offers, valid until Oct. 15, cover SMHCC’s hotels across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
SMHCC is the hospitality arm of SM Prime Holdings Inc., with a portfolio that includes ten hotel properties and over 42,000 square meters of leasable convention space. Its hotel brands include Taal Vista Hotel, Pico Sands Hotel, Conrad Manila, Lanson Place Mall of Asia, Radisson Blu Cebu, Park Inn by Radisson Clark, Park Inn by Radisson Davao, Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo, Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA, and Park Inn by Radisson Bacolod, as well as SMX Convention Centers and trade halls. Together, the group manages more than 2,600 rooms nationwide.
C4 LIFE
Milestone year brings
Discover the best stays in the Philippines
THAT’S the theme for the 6th edition of the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association’s (HSMA) September Online Sale (SOS), the country’s most eagerly awaited online travel fair, offering up to 75 percent off on accommodations, dining, and leisure packages from nearly 100 participating hotels and resorts all over the country. Running the whole month of September, SOS is the premier platform for Filipino travelers seeking exceptional value and convenience when booking their next getaway anywhere in the country, with stays valid until 2026 and even 2027.
Mercury Rising Bob Zozobrado
This year’s edition highlights the Department of Tourism’s flagship campaign, Love the Philippines, underscoring HSMA’s commitment to support the DOT’s focus on the domestic market and encourage more Filipinos to explore local destinations. SOS offers travelers the luxury of browsing and booking the best hotel and resort deals from the comfort of their homes. Travelers can take their time to find the perfect accommodation
without the pressure of crowded venues, traffic concerns, or time constraints.
“SOS provides a more relaxed, flexible, and accessible booking experience that truly puts travelers first,”
said Ma. Celeste Romualdo HSMA SOS Project Head/Director for Membership. “Our platform, accessible via hsma.org.ph/sos, eliminates the stress of traditional travel fairs while delivering even better value.”
As an initiative organized by HSMA, an aggrupation of the best sales and marketing leaders from the country’s top hospitality establishments, SOS 2025 guarantees the best and lowest rates available compared to other booking platforms.
Travelers can enjoy discounts of up to 75 percent on accommodations nationwide, along with special offers on hotel and resort restaurants, social banquets, corporate meeting functions, spa treatments, fitness packages, and wellness experiences.
The scope and variety of hotel and resort offers from Hotel Sales and Marketing Association member
To book, browsers only need to visit the HSMA website by typing hsma.org.ph/sos and view the extensive lineup featuring properties strategically organized into regional clusters for easy browsing: Manila and Makati; Pasig and Quezon City; Alabang and Bonifacio Global City; Pasay City and Parañaque; South Luzon; North Luzon and Rizal; Palawan, Davao, and Bicol; Cebu, Bohol, and Iloilo; and Boracay.
Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary Sharlene Batin speaks at the launch of this year’s September Online Sale (SOS) properties include staycations in Makati, Manila, Pasig, Quezon City, Alabang, BGC, Pasay, and Parañaque with packages as low as P2,800 per night. Scenic Tagaytay and Batangas resorts, Baguio city breaks, and Rizal highland getaways have discounts of up to 63 percent.
Island destinations like Palawan, Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, Iloilo, and Davao have resorts offering very affordable 3-days-2-nights packages, family suites, Halal-friendly stays, spa credits, and island-hopping tours with validity until 2026–2027.
Special packages like Muslimfriendly dining, pet-friendly rooms, wellness escapes, and bundled family offers have extended validity windows of up to two years.
“HSMA is excited to give travelers not just discounts but carefully designed experiences across all regions of the Philippines. Through SOS, we’re making world-class hospitality more accessible while boosting our domestic tourism industry,” said Loleth So, HSMA president. During the launch, Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary Sharlene Batin declared, “Love the Philippines finds its perfect partner in SOS. Together, we invite Filipinos to rediscover our destinations, support local tourism workers, and celebrate the richness of our country.”
Over the past five years, SOS has generated an impressive P122.5 million in total revenue, cementing its position as a major driver of domestic tourism in the Philippines. This strong support network underscores the event’s credibility and commitment to promoting Philippine domestic
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Taal Vista Hotel in Tagaytay offers a timeless retreat with sweeping views of the highlands
