Manila Standard - 2025 September 23 - Tuesday

Search for agitators begins

Terror plot afoot during anti-corruption protest—Remulla

By Pot Chavez, Charles Dantes, Rex Espiritu, and Vince Lopez

AUTHORITIES are looking into an alleged plot to sow disorder during Sunday’s anti-corruption rallies following the clashes between a youthful band of masked marchers who assaulted police barricades blocking roads leading to Malacañang Palace.

In a Palace press briefing yesterday, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla pointed out that the band of delinquent youths, or “hooligans,” who tried to attack the presidential palace were likely under the direction of still-unnamed instigators.

Brice has the goods on lawmakers, says Fortun

By Rio N. Araja, Maricel V. Cruz, and Rex Espiritu

SUPER Typhoon “Nando” is projected to unleash its full force before it exits the Philippine area of responsibility this morning. The powerful storm made landfall in Panuitan Island in Calayan, Cagayan at 3 p.m. yesterday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that while the storm has reached its peak intensity, slight intensification is still not ruled out as it heads out to sea.

Classes at all education levels in both public and private schools—unless indicated otherwise—remain suspended in the following locations to ensure public safety amid risks of flooding and other environmental hazards:

CORDILLERA

ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

• Abra

• Apayao

• Benguet

ILOCOS REGION

• Badoc, Ilocos Norte

• Magsingal, Ilocos Sur

• La Union (Bacnotan, Bauang, Luna, Bangar, San Gabriel, Santol)

• San Juan, Pangasinan – no onsite classes

• Basista, Pangasinan – shift to modular learning

• Mapandan, Pangasinan

CAGAYAN VALLEY

• Batanes

• Cagayan (Abulug, Aparri)

• Tuguegarao City, Cagayan – shift to modular learning; including graduate schools

of former Bulacan 1st district assistant engineer Brice Hernandez contains files that can support claims against senators and congressmen allegedly involved in the flood control controversy, his lawyer Raymund Fortun said Monday.

Fortun said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee wants to get hold of Hernandez’s computer, which he retrieved over the weekend, as evidence in the ongoing investigation. However, he emphasized that the en-

By Charles Dantes

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is willing to face investigation over allegations that his 2022 campaign received millions in donations from government contractors, Malacañang said Monday.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) reported that several contractors with active govern-

Dy open to House ending flood control probe

By Maricel V. Cruz

ment projects contributed to President Marcos’ presidential bid and later saw a sharp increase in public works contracts awarded to them in the last three years.

The Omnibus Election Code prohibits donations from entities engaged in business with the government. Asked about the report, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Palace would leave

COORDINATION. Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III appears before Justice

Andres Reyes Jr., Rogelio Singson, and Rossana Fajardo at the Independent Commission on Infrastructure to discuss coordination between them. OSP photo

DEMAND. Parents of minors arrested yesterday during the assault on police barricades leading to Malacang demand the release of their children detained at the Manila Police District headquarters. Norman Cruz

eyes sedition raps vs. Chavit Singson

FEELING NANDO’S FURY Even before hitting land, Supertyphoon Nando makes its presence felt by temporarily closing down Marcos Highway, top photo, after heavy rains triggered two landslides along Begis, Poblacion and Baw-ek, Taloy Sur, Tuba, Benguet. Inset shows a member of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) taking a child to safer ground seawater levels rise at Brgy. Rapuli, Santa Ana, Cagayan. Bottom right photo shows a local disaster response officer controlling traffic as motorists navigate through flood waters in Catmon, Malabon City. Bombo Noveh Grace Organo & Bombo Jerwin Aquino, PIA Benguet, Malabon City government.

ICI hits DPWH for destroying docs

By Charles Dantes

THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Monday condemned reports that Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) personnel allegedly destroyed and tampered with official documents in connection with anomalous flood control projects.

“Such acts constitute not only a blatant obstruction of ongoing investigations but also a direct assault on the public’s right to transparency and accountability,” ICI Chairman retired Justice Andres Reyes said in a statement. “The deliberate concealment or alteration of records undermines the rule

of law and weakens the people’s trust in government institutions tasked to safeguard public resources,” he added.

The commission warned that records relating to public works are public property, meaning attempts to destroy, falsify, or conceal them constitute grave offenses carrying both administrative

and criminal liability.

It called on DPWH officials and employees to fully cooperate and preserve the integrity of documents and evidence under their custody.

“The ICI remains steadfast in its mandate to uncover the truth behind anomalous flood control projects and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable,” Reyes concluded.

The commission did not provide further details on the number of documents allegedly destroyed, only describing it as “widespread.”

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday said he received a report regarding “suspected tampering and maybe even destruction of documents” in the

Baguio City District Engineering Office.

“As soon as I received those reports, we acted immediately. So as of today, I’ve already issued a formal charge against Rene Zarate, the district engineer of Baguio City, with an order for preventive suspension of 90 days,” Dizon said.

“I’ve also issued a memo directing all offices in DPWH from the central office, regional office, and district offices to preserve and submit through the ICI all the documents related, not only to flood control, but all infrastructure projects in the past 10 years. And if they don’t obey, what happened to Rene Zarate (criminal and administrative charges) will also happen to them,” he added.

gineer’s legal counsel has decided to surrender the device entirely to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to ensure impartiality.

“All the items that we can use as evidence regarding these projects, who the proponents are, and how much money was involved are on this computer. This is where we can probably start—-regarding the SOP that Brice said and the kickbacks from these projects,” Fortun said in mix-English-Filipino in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB. In Brice’s computer, the proponents were identified and some of these personalities are senators and congressmen. That’s all I can say,” he added. Hernandez on Saturday was allowed to leave the Senate and go home to gather evidence to support his claims against certain personalities linked to flood control anomalies.

the matter to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“Let the Comelec do its job, investigate,” she said.

Pressed if Mr. Marcos would allow himself to be included in the probe, Castro said the President would not shield himself from accountability.

“The President is willing to be investigated,” she said. “He is courageous and he knows what he is doing. Whatever may be investigated here, he will not excuse himself,” Castro added.

The Palace’s statement comes amid calls from transparency advocates for a full inquiry into the P20 million donation allegedly received from one contractor during the 2022 campaign.

President Marcos, who has repeatedly vowed to uphold transparency and good governance, earlier authorized agencies to cooperate with inquiries “in the spirit of accountability,” according to Castro.

The Comelec has yet to issue a formal statement on whether it will pursue an investigation into the report.

The Mayor assured that charges will be filed against 216 rioters, 89 of whom are minors.

home within 10 days to address “pressing national matters requiring his physical presence”.

“No response yet, but let’s wait. After all, we gave him 10 days to know what his reply would be,” Dy told reporters.

“Perhaps, we can talk about leadership, especially the chair of the ethics (committee) to determine what we can do to ensure that Congressman Zaldy Co will come home,” he added.

Then House spokesperson lawyer Princess Abante said Co was in the United States for medical treatment.

Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco had accused Co of inserting billions of pesos in the bicameral version of the 2025 national budget. Co was also accused of involvement in the flood control mess.

But the Ako Bicol solon previously dismissed the accusations, which he called “baseless, irresponsible, and unsubstantiated.”

Co had said that the allegations against him which were made at the Senate were “politically motivated” even as he sought to deflect accountability. With Maricel Cruz

CENTRAL LUZON

• Santa Maria, Bulacan

CALABARZON

• Batangas (Lobo, San Jose, Taysan, Sto. Tomas, Cuenca, Tuy)

• Batangas (Balete, Calaca, San Juan, Talisay, Calatagan, Nasugbu) – shift to modular learning

• Cavite (Cavite City, Kawit)

• Imus, Cavite – shift to modular learning

• Laguna (Kalayaan, Luisiana, Calauan, Rizal, Paete, Lumban)

• Santa Cruz, Laguna – preschool to senior high school; shift to modular learning

“The first children in conflict with the law interviewed said that they had intended to burn the Palace. However, we cannot take that at face value because these were children in conflict with the law, and we still needed the DSWD to process them,” he noted.

“Yes, that is why all contingencies were considered. Our biggest fear, which did not happen, was that someone would incite violence during the People Power Monument rally, because the intent of the people there was peaceful,” he added.

Remulla said that an investigation into the violent incidents is still ongoing and his office “intends to come out with a report pretty soon.”

For his part, Manila Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagoso said investigators are already examining reports that the rioters in Mendiola were paid by “outside actors.”

A Chinese-Filipino politician, a rapper, and certain lawyers are reportedly persons of interest.

“I will let the PNP do the investigation, but it is not just rappers; there is also a lawyer, another one, a former politician in Manila. Because a few days before, I had intelligence reports that some initiators or instigators were funding these kids [who rioted in Mendiola],” Domagoso said in a mixture of Filipino and English.

• Rizal (Binangonan, Cainta, Cardona, Jalajala, Morong, Pililla, Montalban)

• Rizal (Angono, Tanay, Taytay) –shift to modular learning

METRO MANILA

• Malabon City

• San Juan City

• Caloocan City – shift to modular learning

• Pateros – shift to modular learning

• Mandaluyong City – shift to modular learning

• Valenzuela City – shift to modular learning

A total of 28,014 families have been affected by the southwest monsoon (habagat) intensified by tropical cyclones “Mirasol” and “Nando,” the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

“To the parents of the suspects, if I were you, talk to your children and help the police point out who the people are behind this. [Otherwise], you will be the ones shouldering the burden of the problem you have given to Manila, which you are legally responsible for,” he said.

Domagoso may have been reacting to a report by Politiko saying authorities are investigating the possible involvement of ex-Manila congressman Harry Angping, former Manila City Administrator Bernie Ang, former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, and lawyer Ferdinand Topacio.

Ang is the president of the Duterte-led Partido ng Demokratiko Pilipino chapter in the National Capital Region, while Topacio is the deputy spokesman of the party.

In an exclusive interview with Manila Standard, Topacio noted it is ‘ridiculous’, adding that they are physically present in Mendiola such that they can be affected by the mayhem.

“Totally preposterous. It is part of a psywar effort intended to intimidate legitimate dissenters,” he said.

Meanwhile, “hacktivists “defaced 19 Philippine government websites during weekend protests, but no major systems were compromised, the Department of Information and Communications Technology said Monday.

Information and Communications

Technology Secretary Henry Aguda

The NDRRMC’s latest report yesterday said that the affected families are equivalent to 100,024 persons residing in 181 barangays in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula.

As of the time of the report, 187 families are being sheltered inside 10 evacuation centers, while another 173 are temporarily staying in other places, the agency said.

The NDRRMC also said it is validating reports of two deaths and two injuries, along with five missing persons — four in Central Luzon and one in Bicol — as a result of the inclement weather. Today, the southwest monsoon and the trough of “Nando” will bring strong to gale-force gusts, especially in coastal

said the cyber incidents were quickly contained and represented only a small fraction of the country’s nearly 60,000 government websites and applications.

“We recorded 1.4 million intrusion attempts over the weekend. Only 19 defacements got through, and none of our critical systems were breached,” he told reporters in a briefing.

Government cybersecurity experts traced the activity to the hacktivist collective Anonymous PH, which was also linked to calls for the “Black Mask March” protest action.

Among the affected sites were those of the Bureau of Customs, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Anti-Red Tape Authority’s online platform, and a Department of Education portal. The rest were mostly local government websites.

As this developed, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) strongly denounced the harassment of a television reporter who faced intimidation and aggressive actions from protesters while covering a rally in Mendiola.

News5 correspondent Gary de Leon was preparing to deliver a live report when protesters attempted to obstruct the camera and physically shoved him as he tried to carry out his work.

“No journalist should ever be subjected to intimidation, threats, or obstruction while performing their duty to deliver truthful and timely information to the public,” PTFoMS Executive Director Jose Torres Jr. said in a statement Monday.

and upland areas exposed to winds, in Metro Manila, Central Luzon (areas not under wind signal), CALABARZON, Bicol Region, MIMAROPA, the Visayas, and even Mindanao, the state weather bureau warned.

The super typhoon is forecast to begin weakening within the next 24 hours due to a marginally favorable environment that it will encounter over the West Philippine Sea.

PAGASA earlier said there was a “high risk” of life-threatening storm surges with peak heights exceeding 3.0 meters in coastal towns in Batanes, Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur due to “Nando.” Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB) has directed its field offices

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Hernandez was allowed again on Monday to temporarily leave the Senate “to retrieve what was left yesterday.” I n an interview with reporters, Blue Ribbon chairman Panfilo Lacson said Hernandez’s legislative immunity will be cancelled if he does not turn in the computer.

To recall, Hernandez had alleged that Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva received at least 30 percent in kickbacks from nearly P1 billion worth of flood control projects in Bulacan province.

Both senators have denied the allegations.

D uring Thursday’s hearing, Hernandez sought legislative immunity from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee before narrating how the socalled ghost flood control projects worked in their district in Bulacan. The former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer also asked the panel if the contempt order against him could be lifted so that he could find evidence to prove that there were other high-ranking officials involved in the scandal.

Fortun said they were “threatened” that Hernandez’ legislative immunity would be cancelled if his computer would not be submitted to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

“They told us that if the computer was not turned over to the Senate, Hernandez’ parliamentary immunity will be withdrawn and he will not be recommended to the Department of Justice to enter the witness protection program. We feel that that is a threat,” Fortun said.

In his inaugural address as Speaker last week, Dy acknowledged the frustration of the public over recent controversies involving public funds, and appealed on behalf of the House for the opportunity to regain their trust.

He said that the House under his watch would not tolerate corruption or impunity, would cooperate fully with the ICI, and would ensure that all inquiries into corruption are conducted openly and fairly.

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, lead chair of the House Infrastructure Committee, earlier said his panel might conduct one more hearing to close the investigations it started early this month.

The infra-committee is composed of the House Committee on Public Accounts, the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, and the Committee on Public Works and Highways.

nationwide to activate and reinforce various disaster response protocols.

“This is to ensure that all food and non-food items are ready for distribution, as well as the evacuation centers for our countrymen who may be displaced by Nando,” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in Filipino.

Earlier, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also announced that various units have been placed on heightened alert to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations.

“We have prepositioned our humanitarian assistance and disaster response units in northern Luzon, ready for rapid deployment in coordination with local disaster risk reduction and management councils,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in an interview.

TIMELY RESCUE. The Task Force Lingkod Cagayan – Quick Response Team (TFLC-QRT) Amulung Station in collaboration with Rescue 116 successfully transported a patient from barangay Taguing, Baggao, Cagayan after the Bagunot Bridge, which is the main road leading to the said barangay, was submerged in severe flooding.

Speaker Dy backs SALN disclosure

By Maricel V. Cruz

HOUSE Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III on Monday said public officials should make their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)s accessible to the public, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to win back the people’s trust amid outrage over the flood control mess.

Recent reports have revealed large‐scale anomalies in government flood control projects.

Allegations include “ghost” or nonexistent projects, substandard construction, and massive cost overruns, sparking outrage among citizens and civil society groups.

These revelations have led to calls for full and transparent investigations, including asset freezes and third-party probes involving both Congress and the executive branch.

“I think, at this point, the people really need to see… not just for the members of Congress, but all (public officials), everyone must submit a SALN so we can earn back the trust of our people,” Dy told reporters.

He said he would personally commit to disclosing his SALN so that other officials will follow suit. “Yes. I will show my SALN if the need arises; why not?” he added.

Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, mandates the public disclosure of SALNs.

This is anchored in Article 11, Section 1 of the Constitution: “public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.”

Oil firms to raise pump prices again amid supply issue

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE country’s oil firms will raise pump prices by as much as P1 per liter effective 6 a.m. Tuesday to reflect movements in international oil markets.

The oil firms implemented an increase of P1 per liter for gasoline and kerosene respectively, and P0.80 per liter for diesel.

“The adjustments reflect the movement in prices of refined fuel products, freight and market premiums in the international market,” Jetti Petroleum said in its advisory.

Seaoil Philippines, Cleanfuel and PTT Philippines issued separate advisories of the oil price increase, while other oil firms are expected to follow.

This would mark the sixth consecutive weekly price increase for gasoline and the fifth for diesel.

Jetti Petroleum President Leo Bellas said crude oil and refined fuel product prices have strengthened this week due to concerns that Russian supplies could be disrupted by the ongoing RussiaUkraine war.

Palace urges probe on Singson’s remarks

By Rex Espiritu

PALACE press officer Claire Castro called on authorities to investigate if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s former ally, former Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson, may be liable for inciting sedition for urging the president’s ouster.

In a press briefing in Malacañang, Castro urged the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, and the Department of Justice to look into statements by Singson telling the youth to join the “revolution against corruption.”

“We are appealing to the leadership, especially to [Interior] Secretary Jonvic Remulla, to Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Natartez Jr., and of course to the DOJ, to closely examine the statements made by Mr. Chavit Singson,” she said.

In response, Singson said no firearms or rebellion were involved in his statements at a press conference in San Juan last Friday.

“It was a revolution against corruption, not violence,” he said, stressing that his appeal sought accountability, not instability.

The former governor is urging the government to investigate what he claims are “ghost projects” amounting to over P500 billion. He specifically named the Discaya family and their companies, which he says were awarded government contracts for flood control projects, including some in Ilocos Norte. Singson also announced he will meet with the Pope in Rome on September 24 to “pour out everything” about his anti-corruption crusade, adding that he intends to pray for the Marcos government and for the nation.

DSWD to supervise seniors’ agency

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has committed to ensure more harmonized and stronger provision of programs and services for older adults after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. transferred supervision of the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) to the DSWD.

“We welcome President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to place the NCSC under the supervision of the DSWD,” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a statement on Monday.

“Through this transfer, the Department will be able to support the current initiatives of the NCSC and easily link the senior citizens’ database that the Commission is currently managing to the programs, services, and interventions for the concerned sector.”

Executive Order (EO) 96, signed by

Marcos on Sept. 18, immediately places the NCSC from the Office of the President to the DSWD to ensure stronger policy and program coordination.

“Pursuant to the administration’s eight-point socioeconomic agenda, which includes improving bureaucratic efficiency, a strong organizational link between the NCSC and DSWD must be established to further strengthen policies and programs for senior citizens, with the goal of enhancing delivery of social services and promoting the overall well-being and protection of the elderly,” EO 96 states. The EO also stipulates that the DSWD will continue to lead implementation, distribution, and management of the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens program in coordination with the NCSC.

Storm forces 1,433 Visayas schools to shift ILOILO CITY—More than 1,400 public schools in Western Visayas have shifted to alternative delivery modes of learning after heavy rains forced the suspension of in-person classes across the region. According to the Department of Education (DepEd-6), 1,433 schools adopted alternative modes, affecting hundreds of thousands of learners. Iloilo province had the highest number with 764 schools and 247,245 learners, followed by Antique with 538 schools and 130,879 learners.

Iloilo City recorded 66 schools with 73,413 learners, Guimaras had 65 schools with 23,387 learners, and Capiz reported two schools with 369 learners. Fraye Cedrick Anona DILG launches expo for Manila City Jail PDLs

THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), in partnership with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and the Manila City Jail, launched the first Pag-asa Expo for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) on Tuesday.

The “Serbisyo at Katarungan Caravan” brought services such as legal consultations, psychosocial counseling, livelihood support, and job assistance to over 200 PDLs preparing for release. Around 5,000 hygiene kits were also distributed.

DILG Undersecretary Serafin Barretto Jr. stressed the government’s duty to serve all citizens, including those behind bars. He said many under BJMP custody are awaiting trial, reinforcing the need for initiatives like the Expo.

The caravan mobilized several agencies, including DOLE, DSWD, TESDA, and PAO, along with private sector partners like Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. Vince Lopez

Immigration arrest American, Korean in raids

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested an American citizen wanted for child exploitation and a Korean woman facing fraud charges in separate operations in Las Piñas and Parañaque.

American national Donald David Hill was apprehended after the City Social Welfare Department reported multiple incidents, including possession of a concealed weapon and alleged inappropriate behavior toward minors.

Authorities said Hill, who arrived in the Philippines in 2007, overstayed without securing visa extensions. He was turned over for deportation proceedings.

In another operation, BI agents arrested Korean national Kim Miri, who is subject to an Interpol Red Notice for large-scale financial fraud and money laundering in Korea. Vito Barcelo

CLEANUP DRIVE. Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso inspects Taft Avenue as crews paint over vandalism, with Boysen supporting Manila’s cleanup drive. Jurek Castro

FOR PDLS. DILG Undersecretary Serafin Barreto Jr. leads the Pag-Asa Expo Caravan at Manila City Jail, offering services to rehabilitate and support PDLs. Norman Cruz

IN BRIEF

2 Reds killed in clash with troops in Capiz

TWO suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were reported killed in a clash with Army soldiers in Tapaz, Capiz, on Saturday, Sept. 20.

The Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) said troops from the 82nd, 61st, and 12th Infantry Battalions were conducting operations in the upland area of Barangay Katipunan when they encountered a group of armed insurgents.

The rebels were believed to be part of the Komiteng Rehiyon–Panay (KR-P), according to Capt. Jessie Jun Ebalan, 3ID spokesperson.

He said they received a tip from concerned citizens that armed men were prowling in the area so they immediately deployed troops to verify the report. The skirmish lasted for several minutes and when the firefight ended, two bodies were retrieved by the soldiers. Rex Espiritu BOC hauls record P2.3b hot items for July-Aug.

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has confiscated a record ₱2.390 billion worth of smuggled goods in July to August 2025, according to Customs commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno.

He said the agency carried out 128 enforcement operations that stopped illegal drugs, illicit cigarettes, and smuggled agricultural products, and other unlawful goods from flooding local markets.

“Within two months, the BOC intercepted ₱1.230 billion worth of illegal drugs, ₱929 million worth of illicit cigarettes, tobacco, and vape, and ₱178 million worth of agricultural products among other smuggled goods,” Nepomuceno added. Vito Barcelo

Czech envoy sees jailed journo in Tacloban City

CZECH Republic Ambassador to the Philippines Karel Hejč visited journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, activists Marielle Domequil and Alexander Philip “Chakoy” Abinguna in Tacloban City, Leyte on Sept.20.

In an X post, Hejč vowed that the embassy will continue to advocate for justice, following the arrest of the famous ‘Tacloban 5’.

“It was encouraging to witness the high spirits of Frenchie, Marielle and Chakoy of the ‘Tacloban5’ as it has been almost six years since their arrest,” the envoy said.

“As a member of the @MediaFreedomC, we will keep advocating for justice and the right to due process,” he added. Katrina Manubay

To recall, in February 2020, community journalist, Cumpio, activists, Domequil, Abinguna, Legion, and Cabaljao were arrested in Tacloban City due to charges on illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

28k families displaced by storms Mirasol, Nando — NDRRMC

By Rex Espiritu

ATOTAL of 28,014 families have been affected by the southwest monsoon (habagat) intensified by tropical cyclones Mirasol and Nando, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Monday

NDRRMC latest report said that the affected families were equivalent to 100,024 people residing in

181 barangays in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon,

Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula.

The NDRRMC also said 187 families sought shelter in 10 evacuation centers, while 173 others were temporarily staying in other places. The agency said it was validating reports of two deaths and two injured, along with five missing persons — four in Central Luzon and one in Bicol — due to the storms. In an interview, Office of Civil

Groups to hold fund-raising dance marathon vs. breast cancer

By Minerva Newman

CEBU City—Two civic organizations here set to hold next month an anti-breast cancer promotion drive meant to drum up public awareness and raise funds for their free mammogram initiative.

The project, dubbed Pink OctoberDance in Candyland” fund-raising dance marathon and fitness party event to be held Oct. 18 at the Waterfront Hotel here, was being organized by the CanServe Foundation-Cebu in collaboration with the Generation

Fitness group.

“We are expecting to draw over

700 to 1000 participants, open to all ages, to inspire and encourage groups and community of dancers to come together, move with a purpose and make tangible difference in the lives and health of Filipino women,”

said Franz Ozalla and Chris Orlanes of Generation Fitness in a press conference on Sunday, Sept. 21 at Waterfront Hotel.

The affair is envisioned to be a “high-energy fitness event.”

“It is a meaningful initiative to

support early detection of breast cancer through the donation of free mammograms to underserved communities. Event entry registration is P550 per person and this is inclusive of an official event shirt and entry to the Zumba dance party,” the organizers said.

Orlanes disclosed that there would also be raffle draws, exciting giveaways, photo contests, sponsor booths for product sampling and free mammogram screening, plus a special tribute to Breast Cancer Survivors.

“This event isn’t just about danc-

ing—it’s about making a real impact. We believe that through movement, community, and compassion, we can bring hope and awareness to the fight against breast cancer. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who is helping us turn this vision into reality,” said CanServe spokesperson Ron Bernabe.

Generation Fitness Ozalla said their group “is community built on passion for dance fitness and advocacy for organizing meaningful events for Mental Health Awareness, World AIDS Day, and Breast Cancer Awareness.”

PH, India reaffirm strategic partnership

By Katrina Manubay

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro and India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met at the start of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to follow up on recent strategic partnership discussions.

I n an X post on Monday, Sept. 22, Lazaro expressed her gratitude to Jaishankar, as both officials reaffirmed bilateral commitment to strategic partnership.

“Our discussion today reaffirms our two countries’ commitment as strategic partners to actively develop cooperation in political, defense and security, the maritime domain, etc,” Lazaro

said. For his part, Jaishankar highlighted their discussions on the two countries’ cooperation in the UN and the Indo-Pacific region.

“We followed up on the recent state visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to India. Also discussed our cooperation in the UN and the Indo-Pacific region,” he stated. President Marcos visited India on Aug. 4 to 8 to further strengthen the Philippines-India partnership. The trip saw him signing several bilateral agreements with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In 2026, the Philippines and India will celebrate their 76th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Defense spokesperson Junie Castillo said the government has placed all disaster response agencies under full mobilization and red alert status as Nando continues to dump heavy rains and strong winds across Northern Luzon.

“As of last night we’re looking at around a thousand families that have already been pre-evacuated.” Castillo said.

He added that evacuation efforts were continuing as reports come in from the regions.

‘Over P2-billion aid released for storm-hit areas’

By Maricel V. Cruz

MORE than P2 million in aid has so far reached families and individuals hard hit by the combined effects of tropical depressions “Mirasol” and “Nando” enhanced by the southwest monsoon on habagat.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assistant secretary and concurrent head of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Irene Dumlao said the aid consisted of 3,872 family food packs (FFPs) and non-food items such as family kitchen and sleeping kits, as well as laminated sacks.

“These relief items have already reached our disasterhit kababayans (countrymen) in the provinces of Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Camarines Sur, Capiz and Iloilo whose local government units (LGUs) have coordinated with us for additional supplies to support their local response operations,” said Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson.

Based on a 6 a.m. report of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Information Communication (DROMIC), the combined effects of Mirasol, Nando, and the habagat have affected a total of 31,626 families or 113,094 people in 297 barangays in Regions 1 (Ilocos Region), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), 5 (Bicol Region), 6 (Western Visayas), 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). In terms of continuous disaster preparedness amid Nando, the DSWD and concerned LGUs ramped up coordination for timely distribution of relief aid. This was confirmed by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian in his social media post over the weekend.

PRETTY IN PINK. These ladies in pink shirts, posing with a pink backdrop, are members of a group based

FLOOD WATCH. The Mountain Province Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council advises residents of low lying areas, especially those near swaterways as the Chico River is on the brink of overflowing its banks amid the rains dumped by tropical storms ‘Mirasol’ and ‘Nando‘ enhanced by the southwest monsoon or habagat. Mountain Province PDRRMO Facebook page

ENVOY ON A JAIL VISIT. Czech Republic ambassador to the Philippines Karel Hejč pays journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and activists Marielle Domequil and  Alexander Philip Abinguna at the Tacloban City jail, vowing that their embassy will continue to advocate for justice, in light of the arrest of the so-called ‘Tacloban 5’.

OPINION

The biggest tragedy of all

WITH the number, almost a tsunami, of anomalies coming out committed by contractors in collaboration with members of the Department of Public Works and Highways, together with some public officials, anomalies that have amounted to several billions of pesos, we can undergo daily People Power rallies against them and send them to jail, but the problem still remains:

Can we recover all the money that they have stolen from the Filipino people?

The cases of contractors living in luxury and having for instance some 40 luxury vehicles in their possession is just a small example of how far anomalies have gone in the country.

As the headline of this column says, the greatest tragedy of all is: will we be able to recover all the money that has been stolen by these corrupt people? It seems there are far more anomalies that have been committed which have yet to be uncovered by commissions created to investigate them.

Can we recover all the billions of pesos stolen from government projects by people who are so greedy and hungry for money?

That some contractors have been found to have luxury cars, mansions and other assets beyond our imagination is just a small piece of evidence against them.

Yes, Santa Banana, stolen by greedy and insatiable people who have made money their god.

This is the biggest tragedy of all. Santa Banana, even 1,000 classrooms built by the DWPH have been considered as substandard, endangering the lives and limbs of the young.

I have been advocating for the abolition of the death penalty in the country because I believe only God has the authority to end the lives of people, by His Will. Now I am having second thoughts,

whether to restore the death penalty to instill fear into the hearts of people who are stealing the money of the people.

Again, I cannot imagine how many “ghost” infrastructure projects have been built, endangering people’s lives and limbs.

Again I appeal to the people whose insatiable greed to commit corruption against the people whose money they are stealing.

Do they not know that they cannot take their wealth with them when they die, those luxury cars, those mansions, jet planes and helicopters.

Will we be able to recover all the money that has been stolen by these corrupt people?

I denounce the corruption in the DPWH and the many contractors whose bank accounts and assets have been frozen by the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

But foremost and above all things, how can we,the Filipino people, ever recover the money they have stolen?

That is the biggest problem of all, because the money that has been stolen can alleviate poverty in the country.

That is why I ask the question: Can the Filipino people regain the money that these corrupt government officials, contractors and many others involved in corruption have stolen?

I challenge the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, a special commission that has been organized by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to find out and give us the answer to this question.

DPWH’s masterclass in building dreams that crumble

A Child’s Dream Deferred Under a Mango Tree IN a dusty barangay in Samar, 12-yearold Ana huddles under a mango tree, her classroom a patchwork of plastic chairs and a wobbling blackboard.

The sun beats down, blurring the fractions her teacher scribbles in chalk. A hundred meters away, a half-built classroom—paid for with public funds— stands like a cruel taunt, its bare concrete walls and dangling wires useless to Ana and her classmates.

This is no isolated tragedy. It’s the story of millions of Filipino children cheated out of an education by a system that builds “ghost” classrooms while bureaucrats and contractors plunder the nation’s hope.

A Heist Disguised as Incompetence

The Department of Education dropped a bombshell that should spark national outrage: over 1,000 classrooms, constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways and “handed over” to schools, are unusable – lacking paint, electricity, or basic fixtures.

Some are mere shells, costing taxpayers a staggering P2.5 million to P3.7 million each, yet left to decay. Meanwhile, local government units and NGOs build functional classrooms for far less, often with donated labor. Perhaps the DPWH believes children learn best by candlelight in unpainted, wire-strewn rooms – a brutalist pedagogy for the 21st century. This isn’t just mismanagement; it’s a heist.

The national classroom backlog towers at 165,000, yet DepEd can only scrape together 4,000 new classrooms this year. At this glacial pace, Ana’s grandchildren will still be studying under trees.

The DPWH, tasked with school construction, treats classrooms as an afterthought, prioritizing highways and bridges while children learn in hallways or sweltering tents.

It’s a perverse miracle: an agency that can erect flyovers finds the humble classroom its Kryptonite.

Unpacking the Rot: Systemic Failures

TExposed

Education Secretary Sonny Angara has launched a nationwide audit to uncover how these 1,000-plus classrooms were paid for yet left incomplete. Were contractors paid in full for halffinished work?

Who signed the handover certificates?

These are questions of accountability, not just logistics.

The audit, ordered via a Sept. 12 memorandum, demands reports on irregularities like prolonged stoppages and structural defects. But the rot runs deeper: Procurement Gaps and Cost Inflation: DPWH’s classrooms cost up to P3.7 million each, far exceeding LGU or NGO alternatives. Senators have flagged these disparities, questioning whether corruption or inefficiencies inflate prices.

The Philippines must stop stealing from its children and start building their dreams

Neglected Priorities: Classrooms aren’t DPWH’s focus, slowing delivery and leaving projects incomplete amid their broader mandate.

Crippling Backlog: With 165,000 classrooms needed and only 4,000 built annually, the system is structurally broken, exacerbated by population growth and disaster damage.

Political Tug-of-War: Angara’s push to realign P134.5 billion from flood control budgets to education faces resistance from constituencies eyeing those funds.

Angara’s solution – shifting construction to LGUs and tapping private partners – makes sense.

LGUs know local needs and can build faster and cheaper, as proven by community-driven projects.

The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations backs this, urg-

Strengthening the Filipino family

HIS week, Filipinos will once more have the opportunity to recognize and strengthen the Filipino family as the basic unit of society against emerging challenges in this digital age.

The annual observance, declared in 1992 by then President Fidel V. Ramos, serves as a platform to raise awareness of issues affecting families, encourage strengthening family bonds through activities like shared meals, and foster a national commitment to family development and support.

In the Philippines’ digital age, traditional family values persist but are adapted to new technological contexts; while digital tools enable families to maintain bonds despite distance, they also present challenges like digital parenting, managing screen time, and ensuring safety and values are upheld online.

We know Filipino families are actively navigating this, with parents becoming “digital parents” who guide responsible technology use and teach online safety, while digital platforms facilitate communication and shared experiences for geographically dispersed families.

In the digital age, Filipino families focus on core values like family unity, respect for elders, and shared responsi-

ing fund realignment to education for scholarships and infrastructure.

But decentralization risks uneven quality if LGUs lack capacity or oversight, potentially trading one mess for another.

The Counterarguments: Excuses or Real Risks?

Critics argue the problem isn’t just DPWH’s fault.

DepEd’s planning, budget delays, or contractor greed share blame. Fair, but these are distractions when children study in tents.

s warn that LGUs might botch construction or fall prey to local patronage without strict standards.

Cheaper classrooms could also mean flimsier ones, less resilient to typhoons. Yet the status quo—where DPWH’s overpriced, unusable classrooms mock stu-

bility while navigating challenges like screen time, online safety, and the balance between traditional culture and digital fluency.

The families must wake up while struggling against disparities in access to technology, resulting in challenges for remote learning and communication

We have seen how families adapt by practicing digital parenting, maintaining open communication, fostering quality family time, and finding innovative ways to integrate cultural heritage into modern online interactions. We likewise have seen how the dig-

dents – is no gold standard. The real risk is doing nothing, letting the backlog grow while Ana’s generation loses out.

A Moral Imperative: Stop the Theft, Build the Future Picture Ana a decade from now, her potential stifled because she couldn’t learn fractions under that mango tree. The Philippines cannot afford this betrayal – not when its youth are its greatest asset. The government must act with urgency: Publish the Audit: Release DepEd’s findings transparently, naming contractors and officials who signed off on incomplete work.

Freeze Payments: Halt disbursements for unfinished classrooms and pursue legal action against culprits. Pilot LGU Construction: Test decen-

ital divide continues to limit access to learning opportunities, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, where basic ICT infrastructure is lacking.

The infrastructure refers to the combined hardware, software, network resources, and data centers needed to operate and manage an organization’s information and communication technology (ICT) environment.

This includes everything from physical servers and cables to operating systems, cloud services, and security systems. Providing the basis for delivering ICT services, enabling efficient business processes, and ensuring data access and communication.

It is time to educate the population that Filipino families in the digital age face challenges like increased online risks including cyberbullying and exploitation, decreased face-to-face interactions due to excessive screen time, and difficulties navigating digital parenting and maintaining open communication with different generations.

The families must wake up while struggling against disparities in access to technology, resulting in challenges for remote learning and communication, which can aggravate existing social and economic inequalities.

tralized building in 10–20 capable LGUs with strict oversight and public progress dashboards.

Reallocate Funds: Shift P134.5 billion from scandal-prone flood control to classrooms, scholarships, and teacher support, ensuring safeguards protect disasterprone areas. Scale Modular Designs: Use prefab, disaster-resilient classrooms to cut costs and speed delivery. Ana deserves a real classroom, not a tree. Her future – and the nation’s – hangs in the balance.

This is not just a policy failure; it’s a moral crime. The Philippines must stop stealing from its children and start building their dreams.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2025

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF

Cold-case murder of French schoolgirl

China combating ‘malicious’ content in social media whip

three platforms.

– A man accused of murdering a schoolgirl in northern France over three decades ago goes on trial on Monday, in one of the country’s oldest cold cases to reach court in recent years.

The killing of 17-year-old Nadege Desnoix in 1994 in the Aisne region had for years remained unsolved until DNA evidence led to the arrest of Pascal Lafolie, now 58, in 2021. Lafolie faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted by the criminal court in the town of Laon. A verdict is expected on Wednesday.

“It’s a miracle that we have got this far,” Arnaud Miel, a lawyer for the victim’s mother, told AFP.

In late May 1994, Desnoix’s stabbed body was discovered under some foliage on a side road leading to her high school in the town of Chateau-Thierry. AFP

Japan ruling party leadership race on LILLE, France

TOKYO – The leadership contest for Japan’s ruling party kicked off on Monday, with five candidates vying to become the country’s fourth prime minister in as many years. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba threw in the towel on Sept. 7 after a string of poor election results for the long-dominant but ailing Liberal Democratic Party. Of the five contenders who filed their papers on Monday ahead of an October 4 party vote, Sanae Takaichi and Shinjiro Koizumi are the favorites, polls suggest.

Takaichi, 64, who would be Japan’s first woman premier, is seen as a hard-line nationalist while Agriculture Minister Koizumi, 44, is the telegenic son of an ex-premier. The others are Toshimitsu Motegi, 69, a former top diplomat with a reputation as a tough trade negotiator; Yoshimasa Hayashi, 64, the top government spokesman in Ishiba’s cabinet with large ministerial experience; and former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 50. AFP

Moldovan voters face crossroads

CHISINAU, Moldova – Moldovans will vote this week in tense parliamentary elections which its president has called the “most consequential” in the small country’s history, as it teeters between its powerful neighbor Russia and the West. Wedged between Ukraine -- currently fighting off a Russian invasion -- and European Union member Romania, Moldova has long been divided over closer ties with Brussels or maintaining Soviet-era relations with Moscow.

Most polls so far show President Maia Sandu’s pro-EU party, in power since 2021, in the lead in the September 28 vote -- but she accuses the Kremlin of spending hundreds of millions of euros in “dirty money” to interfere in the campaign.

Analysts warn the race is far from certain.

There are growing frustrations among the population of 2.4 million over economic hardship and unfulfilled promises of reform in one of the poorest countries in Europe, as well as skepticism over Sandu’s push to gain EU membership, which she launched after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. AFP

North Korea’s Kim open to US talks -if can keep nukes

SEOUL – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says he has “fond memories” of US President Donald Trump and is open to future talks with the United States -- if he can keep his nukes.

Kim met Trump three times for highprofile summits during Trump’s first term, before talks collapsed in Hanoi in 2019 over what concessions Pyongyang was prepared to make on its nuclear arsenal. The US demand that Kim give up his banned weapons has long been a sticking point between the two countries, with Pyongyang under successive rafts of UN sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs.

“If the United States discards its delusional obsession with denuclearization and, based on recognizing reality, truly wishes for peaceful coexistence with us, then there is no reason we cannot meet it,” Kim said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

“I still personally hold fond memories of the current US president, Trump,” Kim added, in a wide-ranging speech to the country’s rubber-stamp parliament.

Since the failed 2019 summit, North Korea has repeatedly said it will never give up its nuclear weapons and declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear state.

Kim reiterated that denuclearization was not an option.

“The world already knows well what the United States does after it forces a country to give up its nuclear arms and disarm,” he said.

“We will never give up our nuclear weapons.”

Kim said that sanctions had only helped the North in “growing stronger, building endurance and resistance that cannot be crushed by any pressure”. AFP

BEIJING – China’s top internet regulator announced Monday a sweeping twomonth crackdown on social media, vowing to combat content containing “malicious incitement of conflict” and “negative outlooks on life such as world-weariness”. Beijing requires social media companies to moderate content on their platforms, with posts strictly controlled to avoid anything deemed to be too subver-

sive, vulgar, pornographic or generally harmful.

The notice from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) follows announcements of penalties this month against three popular digital platforms, which it said had neglected content management duties.

On Saturday, the CAC said it would carry out “disciplinary and punitive

measures” against micro-blogging platform Weibo and short video platform Kuaishou, accusing them of highlighting celebrity news and “undesirable” content. The announcement followed similar action taken by the CAC on September 11 against the Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, known as Rednote in English. Authorities have not specified what punitive actions are being taken against the

Peru marks second day of violent anti-gov’t rallies

is

Pompidou Center shuts for 5-year refit

PARIS – Paris’s Pompidou Center, which houses one of the world’s most significant modern art collections in one of the most celebrated modern buildings on the planet, is to shut to visitors on Monday for a major five-year overhaul estimated to cost almost half a billion euros.

The museum, famed for its multicolored exterior and exposed piping and escalators, draws millions of visitors every year to admire the architecture as much as the art.

Designed by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers as an open space for all, and named after former president Georges Pompidou, who died in office in 1974, the center opened its doors in 1977.

Its permanent collection closed for visitors back in March, when specialists began to remove works from display, including paintings by the likes of Francis Bacon or Frida Kahlo and the sculptures of Marcel Duchamp.

Temporary exhibitions have remained open and Monday will be the final day for visitors to see the last such show, a retrospective of the German artist Wolfgang Tillmans, until the center reopens around 2030.

The museum will stay open exceptionally until 11:00 pm with free entry, although it is also due to host a musical and artistic show from Oct 22-25 to mark a Paris con-

‘No amnesty!’ Brazilians protest against bid to pardon Bolsonaro

RIO DE JANEIRO – Tens of thousands of Brazilians protested on Sunday against “shameless” lawmakers seeking an amnesty that could benefit former president Jair Bolsonaro, while pushing to shield themselves from criminal charges.

Bolsonaro was sentenced last week to 27 years in jail for plotting a coup and within days, the conservative-majority Congress had fast-tracked an amnesty bill that could include the far-right leader.

“No amnesty,” crowds roared in dozens of Brazilian cities, holding up signs and wearing stickers reading “Shameless Congress.”

Protesters were also outraged by what they dubbed the “Banditry Bill” passed this week. The law would require Congress to vote by secret ballot to give the go-ahead for one its own to be charged or arrested.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva cel-

ebrated the protests, writing on Instagram: “I stand with the Brazilian people. Today’s demonstrations show that the population does not want imputiny or amnesty.”

Tens of thousands attended a “musical protest” on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach in the sweltering heat.

“This protection they seek is to camouflage corruption, impunity,” said Giovana Araujo, 27, a psychology student at the event.

Renowned octogenarians of Brazilian music, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Chico Buarque, took to a truck-mounted stage alongside palm trees to sing resistance songs from Brazil’s dictatorship era.

Crowds sang along as a blow-up doll of Bolsonaro wearing black-and-white prison stripes bobbed next to one of US President Donald Trump, who has punished Brazil with tariffs in retaliation for the prosecution of his ally. AFP

The two-month campaign -- whose start date was not specified in Monday’s statement -- aims “to regulate the malicious incitement of conflict and the promotion of violence and vicious currents”, the CAC said.

The statement then listed specific online issues authorities hope to tackle in the crackdown. AFP

LIMA, Peru –Hundreds of anti-government demonstrators in Peru’s capital Lima took to the streets again on Sunday (Monday Manila time) following clashes that injured at least 18 people, including police officers and journalists.

The youth-led “Generation Z” collective led another march toward the seat of President Dina Boluarte’s administration in downtown Lima, where police were deployed in force.

Unrest has been brewing for months in Peru, fueled by a wave of organized crime and extortion cases. Several opinion polls have shown that many view the government and conservative-majority Congress as corrupt.

Protests intensified this week after the legislature passed a law requiring young adults to join a private pension fund, despite many facing a precarious working environment.

As night fell on Sunday, groups of protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails at police, with officers firing tear gas in response.

“I am outraged, I feel completely misled by this government... and this Congress that serves the political parties,” said Xiomi Aguilar, 28, adding that the parties were “a mafia entrenched in the state.”

Jonatan Esquen, an 18-year-old student, said the protest is “the beginning of an awakening, as people are finally realizing that young people are more active on social media and in the political arena.”

temporary art week. The state of Paris’s often-crowded cultural attractions has caused concern, with the head of the Louvre warning earlier this year that the world’s most-visited museum was suffering from water damage, poor maintenance and long queues.

President Emmanuel Macron visited afterwards to promise that it would be “redesigned, restored and enlarged” with a multi-year overhaul forecast to cost up to 800 million euros ($940 million).

Asbestos removal, accessibility, security and a complete interior redesign are all on the agenda for the major renovations at the Pompidou Center. AFP

Saturday’s clashes, which took place near the presidential and parliamentary buildings, were some of the most violent in Peru this year.

At least 18 people -- including police officers and journalists -- were injured, according to tallies from authorities and independent organizations released Sunday.

Among the 12 police officers injured were “a female police officer with serious injuries and another officer diagnosed with multiple contusions... who remain under observation” in hospital, according to a police statement. Authorities have not yet released a final tally of injuries or arrests related to the weekend’s demonstrations. AFP

Western powers accept Palestine in seismic shift, draw Israeli fury

LONDON – Britain, Australia, Canada and Portugal have recognized the State of Palestine, a historic shift in decades of Western foreign policy that drew swift anger from Israel and a rebuke from the United States.

Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip welcomed the recognition as a victory, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed in response that a Palestinian state would never exist.

The United States also criticized the the moves as “performative” and said it was focused on finding a diplomatic solution to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Other countries, including France, are also due to recognize a Palestinian state during key talks at the annual UN General Assembly opening on Monday in New York. Israel has come under huge international pressure over its war in Gaza, which has sparked a dire humanitarian

crisis in the Palestinian territory. Netanyahu denounced the push for recognition as “absurd”, claiming it would “endanger” Israel’s existence. “It will not happen. No Palestinian state will be established west of the Jordan River,” the Israeli premier said. He later vowed to expand Jewish

BREWING UNREST. A riot police officer

hit by a Molotov cocktail thrown by protesters during an antigovernment demonstration in Lima on Monday, Manila time. Unrest has been brewing for months in Peru, fueled by a wave of organized crime and extortion cases. Several opinion polls have shown that many view the government and conservative-majority Congress as corrupt. Protests intensified this week after the legislature passed a law requiring young adults to join a private pension fund, despite many facing a precarious working environment. AFP

CHOKING POINT. Brazilian singers ((from left) Caetano Veloso, Djavan, Chico Buarque, Gilberto Gil perform on stage during a protest against a Constitutional amendment known as the Shielding Project, which requires Congress to authorize any criminal charges against deputies and senators through a secret vote, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday, Manila time. Earlier this week Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies, with a conservative majority,

McLaughlin-Levrone, Duplantis stand out in world athletics’ tilt

TOKYO—The world championships in Tokyo produced two standout performances from pole vaulter Armand Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

Other stars dazzled too in Japan’s National Stadium as the USA and Kenya asserted their authority on the track.

ARMAND DUPLANTIS (Sweden, men’s pole vault)

Deep into the Tokyo night, Duplantis electrified a packed crowd by setting the 14th world record of his career in an event he has re-defined.

The US-born Swede, one of athletics’ genuin e superstars, seems to be able to summon up world records at will -- his latest is 6.30 metres.

“I felt the only way to leave Japan was to set the world record,” Duplantis said. His ecstatic celebrations with his competitors, his parents and his girlfriend Desire Inglander, were also fun to watch.

SYDNEY MCLAUGHLINLEVRONE (USA, women’s 400m)

She came, she saw and she duly conquered a new event, nearly breaking a 40-year-old world record in a remarkable women’s 400m final.

McLaughlin-Levrone already domi-

nates the one-lap hurdles event, so when the American fully turned her attention to the flat race, it was an exciting prospect. She did not disappoint, blasting to a time of 47.78sec, the second fastest in history and just behind the 47.60sec set

by Marita Koch of the former East Germany in 1985.

McLaughlin-Levrone was running on a wet Tokyo track. It is hoped that in different conditions, the American can one day erase a record that is widely viewed with suspicion because of East Germany’s state-sponsored doping programme, although Koch never tested positive.

MELISSA JEFFERSON-WOODEN (USA, women’s 100m and 200m, 4x100m relay)

The American became just the second woman to win a sprint treble at a world championships since Jamaican legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in 2013. Victory in the 4x100m relay with the USA quartet on Sunday added to a commanding 100m performance that left Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred for dead. Jefferson-Wooden, 24, became the fourth fastest 100m performer in history with a time of 10.61sec. She was even more comfortable in the longer sprint and will now have her eyes fixed on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. AFP

NCAA opens with new format, 4 more Olympic sports

By Peter Atencio

WEIGHTLIFTING, boxing, gymnastics and golf will be added to the calendar of events of the 101st season of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA).

The four disciplines, which are included in the Olympics, will be part of the second semester program. Adding them will be in compliance from an appeal by the Philippine Sports Commission to have them in their regular schedule of the league, which will have the theme “Building Greatness”.

Season 101 policy board president Dr. Dodjie Maestecampo of host Mapua said this following talks with PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio last week.

”Ito iyung mga events na nag-gogold ang Pilipinas internationally. Sila iyung wala sa collegiate program. That’s why after talks with the PSC, we are discussing with the NSAs on how to start these programs,”said Mae-

strecampo during a press conference on Monday at the Novotel Hotel in Quezon City.

Management committee chairman

Melchor Divina said they will consult with the national sports associations on technical matters needed to organize

the four events.

The new season -- opening on October 1 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum -- will also open under a new format, with the defending champion Mapua Cardinals and last year’s runner-up College of St. Benilde Blazers seeking

to return to the finals.

The Cardinals have been bracketed with the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates in Group A, along with the University of Perpetual Help Altas, the San Sebastian Golden Stags and the Arellano Chiefs

The CSB Blazers are with San Beda University, and Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Group B.

The implementation of the new format will be for both basketball and volleyball, featuring a group stage bracket with the 10 member schools divided into two pools based on specific criteria.

Divina explained that the play-in, playoff system is expected to add excitement to the games, which will differ when the league utilized the Final Four playoff arrangement for the last 25 years. Under the new format, each team will play their group-stage encounter twice, while they play the teams in the other group once.

Heavy rains wash out Round 1 of IIT Finals

LIPA, Batangas—The opening round of the three-day ICTSI Intercollegiate Tour (IIT) Finals at Summit Point Golf and Country Club here has been cancelled due to heavy rains and unsafe playing conditions brought on by Typhoon Nando.

In a statement, the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. (PGTI) said the decision was made to protect the safety of players, tournament staff, and spectators and to preserve the integrity of the competition.

“To ensure everyone’s safety and the best possible playing conditions, the management has decided to reduce the tournament to 2 Rounds (36 holes). Tomorrow’s round is cancelled. Round 1 will instead start on Wednesday (Sept. 24) and will end on Thursday,” said the PGTI in a statement. “We thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Persistent downpours have created hazards not only for players but also for caddies, officials and course personnel. Tournament organizers stressed that proceeding under such conditions could compromise both player welfare and the quality of play.

Weather permitting, the opening round is now set to fire off on Wednesday (Sept. 24) and conclude on Thursday. Officials remain hopeful that improving weather will allow the championship to proceed as planned, albeit in a shortened format. PGTI will continue to monitor conditions closely and will issue further advisories should the typhoon’s impact linger.

Kenyans shine in Tokyo, but anti-doping still in the dark

NAIROBI—Kenyan athletes may have shone at the world championships in Tokyo, winning seven golds, but persistent allegations of doping still cast a shadow as the global anti-doping agency threatens to sanction the east African country. The warning is anything but trivial for a nation whose runners embody Kenyans hopes for lifting families out of poverty, a desperate desire that can drive some over the line. Over the years, and following numerous scandals, Kenya has repeatedly promised and invested millions to clear up the issue -- but it remains high up on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) watchlist.

“Most of our athletes are running to escape poverty and support their families, and they, as a result, will use all manner of things, including doping,” said Kenya’s three-time Boston Marathon winner Ibrahim Hussein Kipkemtboi.

“Winning is a lifetime chance,” he told AFP.

Some 140 Kenyan athletes, mainly longdistance runners, have been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) since 2017 -- more than any other nation. Among them are figures like 2016 Olympic marathon champion Jemima Sumgong, marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich -- provisionally suspended in July by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for a diuretic -- and Benard Kibet Koech, fifth in the 10,000m at the Paris Olympics, who was suspended in June by the AIU. AFP

Lithuania, the Netherlands win FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup 2025

XIONG’AN (China) - Lithuania (men) and the Netherlands (women) emerged victorious at the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup 2025 on September 21. The men’s side of the tournament came down to Serbia and Lithuania, two of the most decorated nations in 3x3. This time, it was the Lithuanians that wrote the headlines. They took down Serbia 19 - 14 in a winners performance, finishing off a stellar run in the knockout rounds with a top-place finish. It has been quite the season for Lithuania’s 3x3 who won the Europe Cup less than a month ago. They now add a coveted U23 World Cup title into their list of accolades.

On the women’s side, France and the Netherlands battled it out in a mar-

quee clash. The Dutch, who had won the competition in 2023 and earned runners up place in 2024, came out on top in 2025 to retain the crown. They grinded out a 17 - 13 win, finishing the tournament unbeaten and closing out the dream season for the Dutch women on a high. In the third-place games, Czechia delivered theatrics against Croatia. In a back-and-forth affair that went all the way to overtime, Josef Gale called game with a two to earn Czechia the third place win in dramatic fashion. Vojtěch Hajič was the engine for Czechia in the final however, scoring 11 points in their 17 - 15 victory. On the women’s side, Spain took home the win in a heroic performance,

Players from Lithuania and the Netherlands celebrate at the podium

being down to three players due to injury in the crucial game. Nevertheless, they handled business against Japan thanks to a 13-point effort from Marta Garcia and came away with an 18 - 12 victory to earn a place on the podium. On the men’s side, the undeniable Rokas Jocys had been the man for Lithuania, coming in clutch multiple times in their run. He finished the tournament as their top scorer, a tally of 39 points. He earned the MVP award and would join the Men’s team of the tournament alongside Serbia’s Vuk Vukićević and Czechia’s Vojtěch Hajič who were the leading stars in their nation’s podium runs.

5150 TRIATHLON. Damosa Land, Inc. president Gary Lagdameo (third from left) makes a point during the press conference for the inaugural Damosa

Land 5150 Triathlon held Saturday on the scenic shores of Samal Island. Joining him are (from left) Rep. JM Lagdameo, Samal Island Mayor Lemuel Reyes, and DOT Regional director Tanya Rabat-Tan. The successful staging of the first-ever international triathlon in this tropical island paradise marked a milestone for sports tourism in the region.

Season 101 policy board president Dr. Dodjie Maestecampo of host Mapua (holding ball) with other NCAA officials

Armand Duplantis

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2025

RIERA U. MALLARI, Editor

RANDY M. CALUAG, Asst. Editor

EDGARD HILARIO, Asst. Editor

Bulgaria rips Portugal in 3, advances to worlds’ Final 8

By Peter Atencio

AMONSTER block from 21-year-old, sub-in middle Preslav Petkov proved to be the match winner for Bulgaria as it went on to post a 25-19, 25-23, 25-13 victory over Portugal on Monday.

The Bulgarians went on to qualify for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship quarterfinals at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Bulgaria’s quarterfinal opponent will be known later on Monday night, following the match between Team USA and Slovenia.

Star outside hitter Aleksandar Nikolov led with 17 spike kills, plus and an ace and a block, for a total of 19 attack points.

Bulgaria dominated from the first set to the last and ended its encounter with a six-point lead.

After middle blocker Iliya Petkov

nailed the first-set winner for Bulgaria, Portugal fought back and stayed competitive throughout set two.

But Bulgarian opposite Asparuh Asparuhov scored the 25th point with a block to give his team the second set.

“I am feeling great! I am lost for words a little bit. We are in the top eight,” said Nikolov.

Belgium also made it to the last eight after they shut out Finland, 2521, 25-17, 25-21. Opposite Ferre Reggers put an end to the match with a block-out hit, before delivering 18 points.

Young chesser Nicolas shines with bronze in Budapest

By Randy M. Caluag

THE name Nika Juris Nicolas

is fast becoming popular in Philippine

chess.

The young chess prodigy from Pasig City brought honor to the country after securing a bronze medal in the Six Days Budapest chess tournament, Under-2250 category, held recently in Budapest, Hungary.

Nicolas, who was awarded the National Master (NM) title in 2023 at just 10 years old, remains the youngest and first-ever female chess player in the Philippines to achieve the distinction.

In Budapest, the 12-year-old Nicolas tallied an impressive 4.5 points from four wins, two losses, and one draw in the seven-player roundrobin standard tournament. Her performance highlighted not only her sharp tactical play but also her exceptional skills against older and more experienced opponents.

She scored victories over Bora Yagiz of Turkey

Fritz downs Zverev to seal Team World Laver

(Round 1) and FM Miklos Halak of Hungary (Round 3), while she split the point with Canada’s Michael Yip in Round 5. Halak emerged as the tournament champion with 6.0 points to claim the gold medal, while Daroczi finished second with 5.5 points for the silver.

Despite entering as the youngest player and only seventh seed, Nicolas defied expectations with her podium finish—an achievement celebrated by her family and supporters.

“3rd Place! Congratulations Baby Nika for the bronze finish in the Six Days Budapest Sept 2025 Under-2250! Despite being the 7th seed and the youngest player therein, you endured and even secured a podium finish. More importantly, you gained 65 rating points! Let’s celebrate and eat pizza today as you will face another grueling tournament tomorrow. Amazing Baby Nika,” wrote her proud mother, Atty. Nikki De Vega, who also serves as legal counsel of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), in a Facebook post.

Cup win over Europe

SAN FRANCISCO—Taylor Fritz held off Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to seal Team World’s triumph in the Laver Cup on Sunday as two wins for Carlos Alcaraz on the final day proved too little for Team Europe.

Fritz fired a backhand volley winner on his first match point to give Team World a 15-9 victory over Europe in the global tennis event, sparking jubilant celebrations from his teammates and World captain Andre Agassi at Chase Center -home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.

“The energy from the team, it just feels the moments of winning feel so much better, the moments of losing feel so much worse because you’re doing it for all these guys,” Fritz said.

“It just fires me up so much,” added the fifth-ranked American, who had beaten Alcaraz on Saturday when Team World swept all four matches to seize a 9-3 lead.

Fritz had raced through the opening set against a weary-looking Zverev.

The German stepped it up in the second set, but he was down a break and trailing 4-3 before he finally mustered his first break points of the night.

He converted his third to level the set at 4-4

Eala begins Jingshan campaign vs. Belarusian

PHILIPPINE tennis pride Alexandra Eala will meet veteran Aliona Falei in the Round of 32 of the women’s singles event at 10 a.m. on Tuesday (Manila time) in the WTA 125 Jingshan Tennis Open Eala, currently at world no. 58 in the live rankings, will be facing the no. 459 Falei as she kicks off her Asian campaign in the $160,000 event from September 22 to 28 in Hubei Province, China. The 21-year-old Falei is a Belarusian pro, who plays with a righthanded, two-handed backhand style. She has been on the Tour for the last four years.

Falei has been successful at International Tennis Federation-level tournaments, winning her fifth ITF crown at W50 Yokohama last year. For Eala, she comes in from a brief rest in Manila, after a series of wins in Mexico and Brazil.

Eala brings into the game her confidence, after winning her first-ever Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) title in the Guadalajara 125 Open in Mexico, upping her world ranking to No. 57.

After Jingshan, Eala is set to compete at a second WTA 125 event at the Suzhou Ladies Open, from September 29 to October 5. Next, Eala will be at the Hong Kong Tennis Open, a WTA 250-level event which starts at the end of October.

She will have the option of joining the China Open, the most prestigious event of the Asian swing and is one of the biggest events on the WTA calendar.

The tournament is one of just two WTA 1000 events left to play in the tour this year. Peter Atencio

Obiena elated to end pole vault season with victory

ERNEST John “EJ” Obiena ended the athletics’ 2025 season with his best jump. And the presence of world-class pole vaulters made this possible when he won the gold medal at the inaugural Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge held at the Ayala Triangle Gardens on Sunday.

“I’m happy and thankful and it wasn’t easy for me,” said the 29-yearold Obiena, who soared to a height 5.80 meters.

Obiena edged France’s Thibaut Collet in the countback, marking his first victory after almost four months.

Taking the gold allowed Obiena to redeem himself from an 11th-place finish in the qualifiers with his 5.55meter leap at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo last week.

“I was at the mercy of people. And I had a good season with these guys, especially in the world championships a few days ago,” added Obiena.

to the delight of his Europe teammates and captain Yannick Noah.

A quick hold from Zverev left Fritz serving to stay in the set. He held to love and they battled to the tiebreaker, where Fritz took a 3-0 lead only for Zverev to win three straight points before Fritz won four of the final five.

Alcaraz, fresh off his sixth Grand Slam title at the US Open, had kept Europe’s title defense alive with a blistering 6-2, 6-1 victory over Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo.

Alcaraz and Casper Ruud had sliced Europe’s deficit with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 doubles victory over Reilly Opelka and Alex Michelsen to open Sunday’s action.

But Australian world number eight Alex De Minaur then beat Czech Jakub Mensik 6-3, 6-4 to push Team World’s lead to 12-6, with 13 points needed to claim the Cup and each match on Sunday worth three points. De Minaur, a late replacement on Team World for Frances Tiafoe, had nabbed two wins on Saturday -- beating Zverev in singles and coming through again in doubles. AFP

The presence of top pole vault greats like world No. 5 Ersu Sasma (Turkey), No. 6 Menno Vloon (Netherlands), Collet and Piotr Lisek pushed Obiena to his limits during the meet.

Under rainy conditions, Obiena cleared 5.8m on his second attempt, repeating his showing when he defended his Asian Athletics Championships crown in Gumi, Korea, earlier this year.

“I’m happy to have a good comeback at the end of the season. This is the first one (gold) and it just happened,” added Obiena.

Collet, ranked World No. 12, also cleared 5.80m, but had to settle for silver after taking three attempts.

Lisek rounded out the podium with a bronze-medal clearance of 5.60m. The event drew a world-class field, like no. 13 Ben Broeders (Belgium),

Nikka Juris Nicolas (left) with mom Nikki (Round 2), Andras Bacsi of Hungary (Round 4), Tamas Titusz Torok of Hungary (Round 6), and Viktoria Kuehn of Germany (Round 7). Her only setbacks came against FM Donat Daroczi of Hungary

Aleksandar Nikov

Shown here are (from left) Team World’s Alex De Minaur, Reilly Opelka, captain Andre Agassi, Jenson Brooksby, Taylor Fritz, Alex Michelsen, Joao Fonseca, vice captain Patrick Rafter, and Francisco Cerundolo with the Laver Cup Trophy after defeating Team Europe in the Laver Cup 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. AFP

LADY CHIEFS

WIN. Ramyshane Antang of Arellano University scores easily against several Jose Rizal University defenders in a 2519, 25-18, 23-25, 16-25, 15-10 win by the Lady Chiefs in the 2025 Shakey’s Super League Preseason Unity Cup on Sunday at the Playtime FilOil Centre in San Juan. Roman Prospero

Industry groups urge gov’t to address corruption problem

P130

Micro businesses’ fees

P630

Small enterprises’ fees

P1,130

Medium enterprises’ fees

DTI reduces Trustmark fees for smallest online sellers

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it is reducing the initial registration fees to all micro-enterprises for the E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark which aims to strengthen consumer protection and promote fair online trade.

Under the scheme, microbusinesses with assets of up to P3 million will only pay a P100 web administration fee and a P30 documentary stamp for a total of P130. Small enterprises with assets of more than P3 million up to P15 million will receive a 50-percent discount on registration, paying P630, while medium enterprises with assets exceeding P15 million will pay the full P1,130 fee.

The Trustmark, mandated under Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 25-12, serves as a single digital permit certifying that online merchants, e-retailers and platforms comply with trade regulations. The DTI describes it as “a seal of assurance for consumers and a promise of accountability.”

DTI Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque said the initiative aims to protect both buyers and legitimate sellers, as the country’s fastgrowing e-commerce sector faces challenges such as fraud, counterfeit goods, and unfair trade practices.

“With 7,600 islands and 115 million Filipinos, most of them young and digitally engaged, the e-commerce platform has become a lifeline for trade,” Roque said.

“It allows entrepreneurs to move products faster and level up their businesses,” she said.

More than 8,000 enterprises, including TikTok, Shop, Shopee and Lazada, have already applied for the Trustmark ahead of the September 30, 2025 deadline.

The DTI, however, has extended the registration period until Dec. 31, 2025, to accommodate more businesses. Othel V. Campos

By Othel V. Campos

THE Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) on Monday urged the government to swiftly and decisively address corruption allegations and public unrest, warning that investor sentiment could weaken if transparency and accountability are not restored.

It said in a statement the recent widespread protests underscore the Filipinos’ demand for good governance and proper management of public funds.

“We believe that if addressed decisively, this moment can become a turning point that reinforces the

foundations of our economy,” FPI chairman Elizabeth Lee said.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry Inc, (FFCCCII) called on the government, private sector and every citizen to resolutely confront the cancer of corruption

eroding the nation’s foundation.

“Prosecuting corrupt individuals is reactive. We must go further and dismantle the entire ecosystem that allows corruption to thrive. This requires sweeping systemic reforms built on radical transparency, efficiency, and ruthless accountability,” it said.

“The time for half-measures is over. Let us unite to build a system that rewards integrity and paves the way for a just and prosperous Philippines,” the PCCI said.

The Ateneo School of Government (ASOG) issued its position paper on corruption issues in government and challenged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to penalize all those involved.

THE Philippine pharmaceutical market is projected to generate $1.96-billion revenues in 2025, led by rising demand for affordable generic medicines and government efforts to expand healthcare access.

The local pharmaceutical sector is also expected to sustain an annual growth rate of 4.36 percent.

The Board of Investments (BOI) presented these forecasts at a meeting of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare

Association of the Philippines (PCPI).

Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa, executive director of the BOI’s Industry Development Services, cited the need to strengthen local manufacturing.

“In light of the many developments across the pharmaceutical value chain, we encourage the industry to work closely with the government to strengthen the industry to serve the population’s needs, especially in

By Alena Mae S. Flores

MERALCO PowerGen Corp., the generation arm of Manila Electric Co., is advancing two coal-fired power projects with a combined capacity of 1,273 megawatts, according to an executive.

The projects are intended to help boost the country’s baseload power requirements.

MGEN president Emmanuel Rubio said the company identified a Chinese engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the proposed 73-MW Toledo coal plant in Daanglungsod, Toledo City. The project is targeted for completion by 2028 and will be managed by Toledo Power Co.

Rubio said the Toledo plant’s

output will be purchased by MGEN

Retail Electricity Supplier for the retail market.

Meanwhile, MGEN closed the bidding for the EPC contract for the Atimonan One Energy Inc.’s 1,200MW ultra-supercritical coal plant in Quezon province. The company is hoping to complete the project by 2030.

“We received three offers, and we’re now discussing details of the offers from the three bidders,” he said, adding that the bidders are also Chinese contractors.

Across its portfolio, MGEN has a combined net sellable capacity of 5,068 MW from traditional and renewable sources as of July 2025. It plans to double this capacity to 10,346 MW by 2030.

times of epidemics and pandemics,” she said.

The Integrated Roadmap for the Philippine Pharmaceutical Industry (IRPPI) aims to boost local manufacturers’ capacity to produce 60 percent of the country’s registered medicines by 2030 and build a resilient, innovation-driven sector. Recent developments include the release of guidelines for “Pharmazones” by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the finalization of the Tatak Pinoy Strategy and a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) order simplifying pharmaceutical exports. Dichosa said that while the local market is expanding, the Philippines remains highly import-dependent. Imports rose 5 percent in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, while exports dropped 25 percent.Othel V. Campos

DICT finds no evidence of data breach on eGov PH platform

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has denied a report that a data breach on its eGov PH platform exposed more than 30,000 complaint records. The DICT clarified that the eGov PH app itself was not hacked or compromised. Instead, the incident was isolated to the eComplaints system, a separate

SEPTEMBER 23,

PH stocks drop on profit-taking; peso rebounds to 57.06 a dollar

THE Philippine Stock Exchange index closed at 6,214.82 on Monday, losing 49.66 points, or 0.79 percent, as investors engaged in profit-taking following last week’s rally.

The broader all-shares index fell 11.52 points, or 0.31 percent, to 3,729.29.

The peso closed stronger to 57.056 to the U.S. dollar on Monday from 57.15 on Friday.

Analysts said investors cashed in on gains from the market’s four-day rally last week, which was fueled by a rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve. Investors also grew cautious after tens of thousands of Filipinos protested massive government corruption over the weekend.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.,

said that while the protests were generally peaceful, there were a few isolated cases of violence.

Value turnover was thin at P3.52 billion. Foreign investors were net sellers with outflows of P343.27 million.

Sectors ended mixed. Mining and oil advanced the most, up 1.65 percent. Services and industrial sectors also ended in positive territory, increasing by 0.25 percent and 0.01 percent, respectively.

Financials fell 2.14 percent as shares of the country’s largest banks, BDO Unibank Inc. and Bank of the Philippine Islands, declined. Holding firms and property sectors also dropped, by 0.68 percent and 0.42 percent, respectively.

Jenniffer B. Austria

PSE lifts trading suspension on DMPL shares

By Jenniffer B. Austria

DEL Monte Pacific Ltd (DMPL) shares resumed trading on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on Monday after the company clarified that an audit disclaimer for its US subsidiary did not affect its core operations.

The PSE suspended trading in DMPL shares on Sept. 18, 2025, after the company’s annual report included a disclaimer of opinion from its auditors. Trading resumed at 10:30 a.m.

Megawide

boosts dividend payout to 50% of net income

MEGAWIDE Construction Corp.

said Monday its board of directors has approved an increase to its dividend declaration policy, raising the maximum payout to 50 percent of its previous year’s net income, from the previous 30 percent.

The company stated in a disclosure to the stock exchange that this decision was made “pursuant to the resolution approved by Megawide Construction Corporation’s Board of Directors on 19 September 2025.”

Megawide said the increase is part of its strategy to enhance shareholder value and demonstrates confidence in its financial standing. The decision to raise the dividend payout comes as the company focuses on reducing its debt and improving its balance sheet.

Earlier in the month, Megawide announced it would receive P9.4 billion in advances from its parent company, Citicore Holdings Investment Inc. (CHII), and its affiliate, Citicore Power Inc. (CPI). This infusion of capital will be used to pay down its P36 billion debt, as of the end of June. The company projects this will lead to interest cost savings of P700 million annually starting in 2027. Since the beginning of September, Megawide’s share price has jumped more than 65 percent, from P2.08 to P3.45. Jenniffer B. Austria

Monday.

DMPL shares opened at P6, up 43.9 percent from its last closing price of P4.17.

The PSE said it lifted the suspen-

sion “in due consideration of the existing circumstances,” including the company’s explanation of the limited impact of the disclaimer on its overall financial condition and operations.

DMPL had asked the PSE to lift the suspension last week, saying the audit disclaimer only pertained to its US subsidiary, Del Monte Foods Holdings Ltd. (DMFHL), which is undergoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

DMFHL has been de-consolidated from the group’s financial statements and classified as “assets held for dis-

SPNEC

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE board of SP New Energy Corp. has approved a plan to secure a term loan facility of up to P3.78 billion from the Philippine National Bank for its subsidiary, Solar Philippines Tarlac Corporation (SPTC).

SPNEC disclosed the board’s approval to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday.

The SP Tarlac project, located in Barangay Sta. Rosa, Concepcion, Tarlac, currently has a capacity of 85 megawatts. The facility occupies a total project area of 126.25 hectares and includes 323,589 solar panels and 90 inverters.

The company has planned a 31-megawatt expansion for the proj-

ect, which is targeted for completion between September and October. SP Tarlac intends to use the loan to fund the expansion and to refinance its existing loan at a more favorable rate.

SPNEC’s board also approved the creation of a security interest over its shares in SP Tarlac. The board also approved that SPNEC will act as a sponsor for a standby letter of credit for debt service reserve account purposes for SP Tarlac.

As of August, SPNEC is 35.70 percent owned by MGen Renewable Energy Inc., 53.66 percent by Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc., and 3.19 percent by Metro Pacific Investments Corporation. The remaining shares are held by the public.

PR CONGRESS. More than 400 communication industry delegates came together to discuss some of the most important topics confronting the Philippine public relations industry at the 32nd National PR Congress held at the Solaire Resort North in Quezon City last Sept. 11 to 12. The event, organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), brought together 60 speakers and panelists from different industries to tackle existential questions that every PR professional is asking.

posal” and “discontinued operations.”

“The disclaimer arose because the auditors were unable to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence on the recoverable values of these assets and related liabilities in view of the ongoing Chapter 11 proceedings in the United States,” DMPL said in a statement.

The company said the disclaimer has no impact on its continuing operations in the Philippines and Asia, as the US business has been de-consolidated and full impairments have been recognized on its residual interests in

the US operations.

“This ensures that uncertainties in the U.S. operations do not affect the company’s continuing core businesses,” the company said.

DMPL also noted that the same financial statements were filed with the Singapore Exchange (SGX), its primary listing venue, which did not impose a trading suspension.

“The company remains fully committed to transparency, timely disclosure of any material developments and compliance with the rules of the PSE and the SGX,” DMPL said.

DPWH (Department of Public Worst and Heistways)

THE Cabinet department that is mandated to provide the nation with its infrastructural facilities has an imposing name—Department of Public Works and Highways, abbreviated to DPWH. But in the wake of the findings of the Congressional Investigation into the handling of the government’s flood control program, the department’s name should be changed to Department of Public Worst and Heistways.

The reason for this name change is that today’s DPWH has been shown by the investigations to be the worst DPWH – until the Marcos I administration it was simply the Department of Public Works—in the history of this country and to be a den of heist experts.

On the basis of what the Congressional investigations have this far uncovered, it is not an injustice to say that the resigned Manuel Bonoan is one of the worst heads that DPWH has ever had. Like all chief executive officers, DPWH head Manuel Bonoan should have known – having make it his business to keep himself informed – about the myriad of nefarious activities that were taking place in his domain. But throughout the Congressional investigations he maintained an innocent, I–didn’t-know-that-thosethings-were-happening stance. As individual like that has no business setting in a CEO’s chair.

All major projects—the ones with at least eight- figure price tag definitely qualify as major projects – should have been reviewed by the Secretary of Public Works and Highways, but, as shown by the Congressional investigations, Bonoan did not review the decision-making of the heads and other officials of the various DPWH engineering districts. Bonoan failed to take the measures necessary to stop the heist - like operations of the DPWH officials interrogated by the Senators and Representatives.

Yes, what has been taking place at the DPWH for a long time—the rigged biddings, the awarding of projects to grossly undercapitalized,

—“—

In the eyes of so many Filipinos the DPWH has overtaken the Bureau of Customs, the Department of Education and the Bureau of Immigration as the most corrupt institutions in the Philippines government.

favored contractors, the acceptance of end payment for uncompleted and ghost projects and the pay-off to insertion-minded legislators—are —heists of the people’s money. The connivers are highwaymen. Alternatively, DPWH could be renamed the Department of Public Worst and Highwaymen. It has been said that it is not possible for this country to have a firstrate Secretary of Public Works and Highways. Those who say so are wrong. The department in the past has been headed by top-notch individuals like Dr. Alfredo Juinio, (Marcos I term), Jose de Jesus (Cory Aquino’s term) and Rogelio Singson (Benigno Aquino III’s term). Men of competence integrity and love of country.

In the eyes of so many Filipinos the DPWH has overtaken the Bureau of Customs, the Department of Education and the Bureau of Immigration as the most corrupt institutions in the Philippines government. The Independent Commission of Infrastructure has an enormous job ahead of it. In the meantime, how about the above-suggested name change for the DPWH?

(llagasjessa@yahoo.com)

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION. Blue Yonder and Century Pacific Food Inc. executives seal their new partnership to accelerate AI-powered digital transformation. (From left) Antonio Boccalandro, president, APAC, Blue Yonder; Correy Tollefson, chief revenue officer, Blue Yonder; Edwin Africa, executive vice president, corporate general manager and group business head, Century Pacific Food and Chad Manapat, chief financial officer, Century Pacific Food join the partnership signing.

CAVITE TECHNOPARK EXPANSION. Cavite Technopark Phase 1 is a registered special economic zone with Philippine Economic Zone Authority. Located in Naic, Cavite, Cavite Technopark now introduces Phase 2B, covering 20.2 hectares and offering 14 non-PEZA industrial lots. Land development works are targeted for completion by fourth quarter of 2026.

WATER TECHNOLOGY.

Metro Iloilo Bulk Water (MIB) showcases proven technology to the Metro Iloilo Water District (MWID) board of directors, led by chairperson Rebecca Maravilla, general manager Alfredo Tayo III, and directors Jeanette Lloyd and Terence Uygongco. MIB brought MIWD officials to visit sister company Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad), showcasing worldclass water treatment facilities that can be replicated—and even surpassed—in Iloilo to secure its long-term water future.

PH lifts ban on poultry imports from Israel, South Dakota

By Othel V. Campos

THE Department of Agriculture

(DA) said Monday it has lifted its temporary import ban on poultry and related products from Israel and South Dakota, United States, after veterinary authorities confirmed the containment of avian influenza outbreaks in those areas.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued separate administrative orders lifting earlier restrictions on domestic and

wild birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, hatching eggs and semen for artificial insemination.

“These decisions are based on scientific evidence and international reporting standards to ensure both biosecurity and a stable supply of poultry products,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement.

He said the move came after the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) confirmed that Israel and South Dakota had reported no new cases of highly

Mitsubishi Motors opens 68th dealership in Bantay, Ilocos Sur

MITSUBISHI Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) has opened its newest dealership in Bantay, Ilocos Sur.

The location, operated by NAMCO Sur Corporation, is the group’s second branch and MMPC’s 68th nationwide.

It offers both sales and after-sales services for customers in the region.

Located along the National Highway in Barangay Bulag, the dealership sits on a 2,043-square-meter property with a 1,865-square-meter facility.

The showroom can accommodate up to five vehicles, while the service area has seven bays for a range of maintenance and repair needs.

NAMCO Sur Corporation said

the location in the area’s “automotive row” makes it easily accessible to customers in nearby towns and throughout the Ilocos Sur area.

This new branch reinforces the NAMCO group’s commitment to providing exceptional sales and service to the growing customer base in Northern Luzon.

“As a long-time partner of MMPC, we are excited to expand our reach in the north with the opening of a new dealership in Bantay, Ilocos Sur,” said NAMCO Sur Corporation President Johanson Chua.

“This allows us to serve our customers on a much greater scale, bringing top-notch sales and exceptional after-sales experience to our fellow Ilocanos.” Othel V. Campos

Notice is hereby given for the settlement of the Estate of CONCORDIA REYES TAN (“Decedent”) who died on 21 October 1980 without any will or testament and without any debts. The Decedent left two (2) parcels of land in San Isidro and Gapan City, Nueva Ecija. The foregoing properties are subject of a Deed of Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate with Waiver and Special Power of Attorney, executed by the exclusive heirs in counterparts: (i) Notarized by Attorney Romeo M. Montfort, a notary public for and in Makati City last 30 June 2025, with Document No. 129, Page No. 28, Book No. 60, Series of 2025; (ii) Notarized by Attorney Romeo M. Montfort, a notary public for and in Makati City last 02 July 2025, with Document No. 163, Page No. 34, Book No. 60, Series of 2025; (iii) Notarized by Attorney Ryan Anthony G. Pereña, a notary public for and in Makati City last 08 September 2025, with Document No. 410, Page No. 83, Book No. XXIII, Series of 2025; (iv) Notarized by Attorney Ryan Anthony G. Pereña, a notary public for and in Makati City last 08 September 2025, with Document No. 411, Page No. 84, Book No. XXIII, Series of 2025; and (v) Notarized by Attorney Ryan Anthony G. Pereña, a notary public for and in Makati City last 08 September 2025, with Document No. 412, Page No. 84, Book No. XXIII, Series of 2025.

(MS-SEPT. 23/30/OCT. 7, 2025)

pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) since mid-July.

The DA said import bans serve as precautionary measures to safeguard the country’s livestock and poultry industries, which are vital to rural employment, investments and food security.

The DA said it remains committed to aligning with international biosecurity standards while ensuring Filipino consumers have continued access to affordable and safe food.

Alternergy buys majority stake in 2 wind projects

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ALTERNERGY

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Alternergy said its special purpose company, Calavite Passage Wind Power Corp., is acquiring the project assets, permits, and related contracts for the Tayabas projects.

This includes the Tayabas North Wind Energy Project (covered by Wind Energy Service Contract No. 2022-06-208) and the Tayabas South Wind Energy Project (covered by WESC No. 2021-10186).

The company did not disclose the acquisition cost, citing confidentiality.

The Tayabas North project, with

an estimated capacity of at least 96 MW, was a qualified bid in the fourth Green Energy Auction held by the Department of Energy on Sept. 2. It was included in the DOE’s preliminary list of accepted bids released on Sept. 5 and is expected to be completed by 2028.

The 150-MW Tayabas South project is being developed simultaneously with the Tayabas North project but the completion date is awaiting an offtake agreement.

“We are excited to develop our second wind project in Quezon Province after our 64-MW Alabat wind project is completed in early 2026,” said Alternergy president Gerry Magbanua.

He noted that the Quezon provincial government, led by Governor Dra. Helen Tan, has been proactive in attracting renewable energy investments.

The acquisition of the Tayabas wind projects is part of Alternergy’s project pipeline beyond its first 500 MW.

“We look forward to co-developing these wind projects with Alternergy, the pioneer in wind energy in the country,” said CleanTech chief executive Salvador Antonio Castro Jr.

He added that CleanTech will retain an equity stake in both projects and has an option to co-invest further.

Mabuhay Capital served as the financial adviser for the transaction. The asset transfer is subject to regulatory approval by the Department of Energy.

to 2026

VIII. Filing of Petition for Voluntary Revocation of Registration of Shares

IX. Shortening of Corporate Term

X. Appointment of External Auditor for 2025

XI. Other Matters

XII. Adjournment

Only holders of issued stocks of record as at the close of business hours on 19 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.

who intend to participate in

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CDC TOUR. Anti-Red Tape Authority director general and Secretary Ernesto Perez and his team join a rolling tour around Clark Freeport on Sept. 19, 2025, organized by the Clark Development Corporation (CDC), to showcase the zone’s growing tourism and investment developments.

Security Bank eyes P5b from bond offering

By Jenniffer B. Austria

ECURITY Bank Corp. said Monday it plans to raise at least P5 billion from the issuance of fixedrate bonds.

cial Markets Segment head.

Air travel fuel surcharge stays at Level 4 in October

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has kept the airline fuel surcharge at Level 4 for a third consecutive month in October 2025.

The surcharge for both domestic and international passenger and cargo flights will remain at Level 4 from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31, the CAB said in an advisory.

BSP launches Paleng-QR Ph in Iloilo province

By Thony Rose Lesaca

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

(BSP) announced Monday the launch of its Paleng-QR Ph Plus initiative in the province of Iloilo to promote the wider use of digital payments.

The program encourages the use of QR codes for transactions in public markets and on public utility vehicles as well as in other business establishments.

Iloilo Vice Governor Nathalie Debuque said the move was a significant step toward bringing digital financial services to households and businesses in the province.

“We recognize how crucial local legislation and policy support are in sustaining this transformation,” Debuque said.

“For that, we are ready to craft and adopt ordinances that will encourage the QR Ph adoption in the Province of Iloilo to protect the interests of both small entrepreneurs and consumers,” said Debuque.

The provincial government also issued an executive order to complement the launch, directing all municipalities to promote the use of QR Ph.

The BSP said 207 local government units nationwide have adopted the program as of Sept. 19. Paleng-QR Ph Plus, a joint initiative of the BSP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, is a priority program under the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2022-2028.

Under Level 4, the fuel surcharge for domestic flights ranges from P117 to P342, depending on the distance, while for international flights it may range from P385.70 to P2,867.82.

For cargo, airlines can charge P0.60 to P1.76 per kilogram for domestic flights and P1.98 to P14.74 per kg for international flights.

Airlines imposing a fuel surcharge should file an application with the CAB

before the effective period, with rates not exceeding the stated levels, the CAB said.

The airline fuel surcharge is an optional fee to help airlines recover costs from increases in fuel prices.

According to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Jet Fuel Price Monitor, average jet fuel prices were $90.81 per barrel as of Sept. 19, 2025, down 8.3 percent from the same period last year.

The

and commercial papers program. The bank said it plans to use the proceeds to support lending activities and expand its funding base.

“We’re excited about this peso bond offering as it further strengthens Security Bank’s funding base and supports our growth and lending activities,” said Jim Yap, Security Bank executive vice president and Finan-

Gov’t raises P25b from T-bill auction on strong demand

THE Philippine government raises P25 billion from the sale of Treasury bills (T-bills), with total bids more than four times the offered amount, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said Monday.

The BTr fully awarded P8.5 billion for both 90-day and 182-day T-bills, while P8 billion was awarded for the 364-day securities.

Data showed that the 90-day and 182-day T-bills fetched average rates of 4.883 percent and 5.081 percent, respectively. Total tenders reached P35.81 billion for the 90-day securities, while the 182-day debt instrument attracted P41.35 billion.

2 agencies push wider adoption of animal husbandry standards

By Othel V. Campos

THE Board of Investments (BOI) and the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) urged livestock and poultry stakeholders to adopt good animal husbandry practices (GAHP) to combat recurring disease outbreaks. Officials who attended a forum in Quezon City on Sept. 10, 2025 cited the need to strengthen biosecurity and farm management. Only 45 farms have secured GAHP certification as of September 2025, a small fraction of the country’s thousands of farms.

The Philippines’ livestock and poultry industries contribute over

28 percent of the gross value added in agriculture, fishery and forestry. However, they are hampered by frequent outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), which disrupt supply chains and increase reliance on imports.

“We highly appreciate the efforts of the DA in managing these diseases and keeping up with the needed support for repopulation and increased resilience of the industry,” said Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa, executive director of the BOI’s Industry Development Services.

She noted the importance of a “whole-of-government approach” for more impactful initiatives.

The auction yields for the 364-day tenor settled at 5.195 percent, with total tenders amounting to P40.69 billion.

Total demand in this week’s auction reached P117.84 billion, exceeding the P25 billion offering.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC), said the T-bill average auction yields were again mostly and slightly lower for the 12th straight week, after another 0.02 to 0.14 decline in the comparable short-term PHP Bloomberg Valuation (BVAL) week-on-week.

Ricafort said the drop followed relatively peaceful protests on Sept. 21

against corruption allegations, as well as the widely expected 0.25 percentage point rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve on Sept. 17. “Fed signals of another two Fed rate cuts for the rest of 2025, another 0.25 Fed rate cut for 2026, and 0.25 for 2027, or a total of 1.00 Fed rate cuts from now until end-2027,” Ricafort said. He said future Fed cuts could be matched locally by gradual reductions in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ interest rates, signaling “baby steps” toward a policy “sweet spot where interest rates are at the right level” without any large-scale easing.

Thony Rose Lesaca

“At the same time, it gives investors a high-quality peso investment with stable, predictable returns — underscoring the bank’s financial strength and commitment to our clients,” said Yap. Security Bank tapped Philippine Commercial Capital, Inc. and Security Bank Capital Investment Corp. as joint bookrunners, joint lead arrangers and selling agents for the issuance. Security Bank has a total of 361 branches and 637 ATMs, cash recycler machines and cash acceptance machines. As of the end of June, Security Bank had total assets of P1.15 trillion.

Security Bank was recently selected for inclusion in the FTSE Asia Pacific Small Cap Index, a key benchmark for global institutional investors. The inclusion was part of the FTSE’s quarterly review in September and took effect on Sept. 19, 2025.

IN BRIEF

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

Australia, JICA offer help on climate actions

Iloilo and UNDP bare initiative that recycles post-election waste

ILOILO—The Iloilo provincial government and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the Philippines have launched the Weave Out Waste (WOW) Limpyo Iloilo–an innovative upcycling program that transforms post-election waste from the Limpyo Eleksyon 2025 into marketable consumer products. With support from the UNDP Philippines’ PH Plastics Circularity Project supported by The CocaCola Foundation, Iloilo is positioning itself as a regional leader in circular economy, paving the way for innovative solutions to plastic waste challenges. Iloilo has taken a groundbreaking step with the amended Executive Order (EO) No. 265, expanding the Limpyo Eleksyon 2025 initiative into a transformative program that champions circular economy practices and sustainable waste management.

WFP says 80m more children benefiting from school meals

SCHOOL meals are a crucial way out of poverty into “a new world of learning and opportunity,” according to World Food Program (WFP) executive director Cindy McCain. The number of children receiving school meals through governmentled programs has gone up by 20 percent since 2020, according to the latest edition of the WFP’s flagship biennial report The State of School Feeding Worldwide.

Now, nearly 80 million more children are able to enjoy nutritious meals at school, bringing the global total to approximately 466 million. Beyond health and diet, national programs can benefit employment, agriculture and other sectors.

“School meals are so much more than just a plate of nutritious food— important as that is. For the vulnerable children who receive them, they are a pathway out of poverty and into a new world of learning and opportunity,” said McCain.

“They are proven to be one of the smartest, most cost-effective investments any nation can make to improve the long-term health, education and economic prosperity of future generations,” she added.

The increase in the number of children receiving school meals comes thanks to the expansion of these programs internationally, and especially by countries that are part of the School Meals Coalition, a network led by over 100 governments with the WFP as its secretariat.UN News

The province in May collected over 49,000 kilograms of post-election waste, with over 50 percent composed of plastics, including tarpaulins (34 percent) and flexible plastics (16 percent)–demonstrating its commitment to turn waste into opportunity.

The WOW program integrates circular economy practices by empowering marginalized groups with skills in product design, prototyping and upcycling techniques using recovered tarpaulins, plastic wastes and other locally sourced materials.

It also emphasizes entrepreneurship, especially towards building a community-based artisan enterprise, to strengthen local capacity to sustain and replicate upcycling efforts beyond the election season.

The initiative supports the province in promoting circularity, creating local economic opportunities within the plastic value chain and diverting plastic

wastes from landfills and vital waterways.

“Through the PH Plastics Circularity Project, UNDP will continue to work with Iloilo Province in engaging a sustainable enterprise to ensure that upcycled products from Limpyo Eleksyon are suitable to the target markets,” said UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran.

“More importantly, we set out to engage with the informal waste sector, women’s groups, and local organizations representing vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.”

As part of the pilot rollout, 40 participants, including women and individuals from GEDSI groups from Talongonan, Passi City, along with artisans from other local government units (LGUs) joined the orientation and a two-day intensive skills training held on September 8-9, 2025. UNDP Philippines News

PH contingent showcases leadership in Bangkok climate finance dialogue

BANGKOK, Thailand―The Philippines reaffirmed its commitment to advancing climate finance and resilience at the recent Inclusive Climate Finance Dialogue for a Resilient Asia-Pacific in Bangkok, Thailand. Co-organized by UNDP’s Climate Finance Network (CFN) and UN Capital Development Fund, with support from the UK Government (FCDO) and Sweden (Sida), the dialogue focused on unlocking inclusive, sustainable, and locally driven climate finance solutions.

The 12-member Philippine delegation, composed of representatives from the Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Commission on Audit (CoA) and UNDP Philippines, actively contributed to discussions on key climate finance themes. These included climate budget tag-

ging, mobilizing public-private and philanthropic climate finance, enhancing accountability through climate data and evidence, and exploring innovations to improve the effectiveness of climate finance delivery.

“The Philippines remains strongly committed to advancing climateresponsive governance through an established climate budget tagging,” said DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

“By integrating CCET across our society, financial systems, and legal frameworks, we move closer to ensuring that every peso we spend leads to a more sustainable and resilient future―towards fulfilling our SDG commitments and achieving our Agenda for Prosperity.”

“Our role goes beyond just funding and financing,” said John Adrian Narag, Director of the Climate Finance Policy Group, representing the DOF on behalf of Undersecretary Maria Luwalhati C. Dorotan Tiuseco.

“Anchored in the whole of govern-

THE Philippines and Australia have agreed to strengthen collaboration on climate actions that include reducing carbon emissions and sustainable development.

The Philippines also welcomed technical experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as part of a two-year technical cooperation project aimed at strengthening the organizational and technical capacities of the Climate Change Commission (CCC).

CCC Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje met with Australia’s Regional Climate Counsellor Ashley Brosnan to further enhance bilateral cooperation on shared climate priorities.

The discussions focused on aligning priorities ahead of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), as well as ongoing preparations for the Philippines’ updating of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

“We’re ready to support each other wherever needed,” said Borje. “This meeting is an opportunity to strengthen our collaboration and push forward shared priorities in the climate agenda.”

The two sides explored cooperation in several key areas, including NDC enhancement, implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, just transition strategies and low-carbon development pathways.

Both parties also emphasized the importance of technical exchanges and sustained coordination among government agencies, civil society organizations and subject matter experts.

“We’ve been able to narrow down the agenda to better understand which sectors are key―whether energy, transportation, or agriculture,” Borje added. “We’re moving forward with support from development partners like the Australian Government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and we’re making sure resources are being optimized.” CCC News

Philippines ment, whole of society approach, we are actively fostering and promoting an enabling environment for businesses, private sector, NGOs, CSOs, and the academe through key initiatives such as the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Guidelines and Climate Finance Strategy, that unlocks the full potential of climate finance,” he said. The Philippines continues to align its budgeting systems with climate priorities, ensuring that national policies translate into effective implementation remains crucial.

“Our audit revealed that while the NCCAP provides a clear strategic direction for climate-resilient development, several validated implementing agency plans were only partially, or not at all aligned with its priorities,” said CoA’s Policarpo Silva, team Leader in the Performance Audit of the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP).UNDP Philippines News

How Spain is turning an iconic lagoon from ‘green soup’ into a natural oasis

First of 3 parts

NO quick fixes are in sight for the collapsed ecosystem of Mar Menor, Europe’s biggest saltwater lagoon. But environmental experts say that could actually be a good thing.

The Mar Menor lagoon, a triangle of warm, shallow water that draws crowds of tourists to southeastern Spain, has suffered repeated mass die-offs of fish and vegetation blamed on chronic pollution from farms, mines and urban areas.

Public outrage at the degradation has prompted Spain’s largest-ever investment in the restoration of a region. A long-term revival plan is focused on tackling the deep-rooted causes of the crisis. Full implementation could take decades. But success could give the whole region a more sustainable future.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Isabel Rubio, a spokesperson for Pact for the Mar Menor, a group pushing to save the lagoon, said of the approach. “The ideas are based on nature. I think if there is any salvation for the Mar Menor, it will come from there.”

Activist and underwater photographer Isabel Rubio has documented the decline of biodiversity in the Mar Menor lagoon on her website. UNEP/Todd Brown In recognition of its scope and potential, the government’s restoration initiative has been named as a United Nations World Restoration Flagship. The award is part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and recognizes outstanding efforts to protect and revive the natural world.

“Tackling environmental problems needs commitment, collaboration, science and dedication,” says Natalia Alekseeva, a Principal Coordination Officer with the UN Environment Program (UNEP). “Spanish leaders and the defenders of the Mar Menor deserve credit for one of the most comprehensive and far-sighted restoration plans that Europe has ever seen.” Rubio, a retired schoolteacher and local resident, has witnessed the decline of the Mar Menor over a lifetime. She recalls spending whole days of her childhood playing and picnicking in its dunes and sheltered coves. On retirement, she took up underwater photography and started a website documenting the Mar Menor’s dazzling aquatic life.

“What I could not imagine is that 15 years later I would be faced with the disaster that appeared,” says Rubio. “In 2015, I started to notice that the water was getting darker. I began to see that many of the species I had seen were diminishing. Last year, I hardly saw any.” (To be continued) UNEP News

Budget Secretary Secretary Amenah Pangandaman (fourth from right) and representatives from the Department of Finance, Development Bank of the Philippines and United Nations Development Program pose during the Inclusive Climate Finance Dialogue for a Resilient Asia-Pacific on August 26 to 28, 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand. UNDP

Cooks serve school meals to students in Haiti. UN News

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2025

lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

NICKIE WANG, Editor

ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer

JASPER VALDEZ, Writer

AMERICAN actress Angelina Jolie said Sunday she no longer recognises her country, voicing concern over threats to free expression while presenting her latest film at Spain’s San Sebastián film festival. Her comments come as worries grow over free speech in the United States, after President Donald Trump ’s crackdown on critical media and the recent suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel ’s show over comments on the killing of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk

“I love my country, but I don’t at this time recognize my country,” Jolie said when asked if she feared for freedom of speech in the United States.

“Anything, anywhere, that divides or, of course, limits personal expressions and freedoms and, from anyone, I think is very dangerous,” she added. “These are very, very heavy times we’re all living in together.”

Jolie, 50, was in San Sebastian to promote Couture , directed by French filmmaker Alice Winocour , which is competing for the festival’s top prize, the Golden Shell.

She plays Maxine Walker, an American film director facing divorce and a serious illness while navigating Paris Fashion Week and embarking on a romance with a colleague, played by French actor Louis Garrel

The Oscar-winning actress—honored in 1999 for her role in Girl, Interrupted —said she related personally to the struggles of her latest character. Jolie underwent a double mastectomy in 2013 and later had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed to reduce her high genetic risk of cancer, which claimed the lives of her mother and grandmother.

Visibly moved, she said she thought often of her mother while making the film.

“I wish she was able to speak more as openly as I have been, and have people respond as graciously as you have, and not feel as alone,” Jolie said.

“There’s something very particular to women’s cancers, because obviously it affects us, you know, how we feel as women,” she added.

Ogie Alcasid sees Spotify surge after Rob Deniel cover of ‘Nandito Ako’

OPM icon Ogie Alcasid has reached 3.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, a sharp rise from around half a million just a few months ago.

In a recent huddle with the press, I joked that he is now a multimedia music superstar, given his presence on different platforms to showcase his music. But Ogie brushed it off, saying, “Hindi naman.”

The sudden boost came after Gen Z artist Rob Deniel performed a cover of “Nandito Ako” during a tribute to Ogie on Wish 107.5. The cover went viral months after airing, leading younger fans to search for the track online.

“When people looked for it on Spotify, they couldn’t find Rob Deniel’s version. It was my version that showed up,” Ogie explained. “That’s probably why a new generation started listening.”

The effect was immediate.

“His singing was so good,” Ogie recalled. “I watched him while I was in the audience, and then I was given an award.

Months later, it suddenly went viral. First ‘Nandito Ako’ and then ‘Ikaw Sana.’ So people, especially the younger ones, started discovering the original versions.

I checked my Spotify, and the numbers were suddenly going up. From 500,000, it became 3.3 million. I

SINGERSONGWRITER.

OPM icon Ogie Alcasid is set to breathe new life into his timeless hit ‘Nandito Ako’ as he re-records the classic with a fresh twist

was so happy. I couldn’t believe it… Suddenly, there was a new audience.”

The song’s meaning has also evolved for him. Originally written by Aaron Paul del Rosario in 1989, it was meant to portray the voice of someone left behind.

“Back then, si Manilyn Reynes walang ka-love team. Parang nawala yung tambalan nila ni Janno Gibbs Sabi ni Aaron, ‘What if si Ogie yung third wheel, tapos siya yung kakanta na parang nagsasabing nandito pa rin ako para sa’yo.’ Kaya ganun ‘yung theme ng kanta,” he said.

“But now, after all these years, it has a different meaning for me. It has also become a song about God, like God saying to us, ‘I’m here. I’m not leaving you.’ It’s so meaningful.”

Ogie’s reach widened further when he spontaneously performed a duet of “Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang” with It’s Showtime Kai Montinola. The clip went viral on Facebook, racking up more than 30 million views.

“That moment, I didn’t expect it,” he said. “I thought we would just sing for a bit. Then it started trending. The next day, even the people at Showtime were saying, ‘Kuya Ogie, you went viral.’ Even the taho vendor outside told me, ‘Kuya, you’re trending again.’ I just laughed. But I was really happy. I was so Asked if he had been strategizing to connect with younger fans, Ogie admitted he had been thinking about it.

“Actually, I was trying to figure that out for a while. Sabi ko, ‘Paano ko ba mapapalawak yung audience ko Spotify ? Puro ka- age natin ‘yung nakikinig, hindi naman masyado mahilig sa Spotify ,’” he said. “ So nagsimula akong magsulat ng bagong kanta like ‘Hanggang Dito Na Lang Ba Tayo?’ and ‘In Lab.’ Then unti-unti, nagkakaroon ng traction . Tapos dumating yung tribute sa Wish . Parang yun na ang simula ng pag-akyat talaga. ” Over the years, the track has been covered by Lea Salonga (1993), Thalía (1997), Jeffrey Hidalgo (2000), Sharon Cuneta with Ogie (2005), David Archuleta (2012), Noel Cabangon (2014), and Regine Velasquez-Alcasid with Nicole Scherzinger (2021).

With the song’s resurgence, Ogie confirmed that he is preparing a fresh orchestral version for his upcoming concert.

“Yes, I’m recording it,” he said. “I already had it arranged with Bobby Velasco, who’s now my musical director. I want it orchestral, with strings. It sounds so good. That’s going to be my next release. I’m excited, also scared, but very excited.”

Though he didn’t write the song, Ogie said performing it has always felt personal. “For me, ‘Nandito Ako’ will always be the song that changed my life.”

Will Ashley names Alden Richards as showbiz inspiration

RISING young actor Will Ashley is savoring the spotlight these days.

Fresh from being named Second Big Placer in the hit reality show

Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition—alongside his Kapamilya tandem Ralph De Leon—the 21-year-old revealed in a recent TV interview that his biggest inspiration for entering showbiz was none other than Alden Richards

“That’s right!” he exclaimed. “I got inspired when I watched him in one of his past soap operas on GMA. Ever since, Alden has been my showbiz idol. After watching him on TV, I decided to try acting. I started joining workshops, told myself there’s no harm in trying my luck, and luckily, I landed commercials. The rest is history.” His first break came in 2013 when he auditioned for the remake of the hit soap Villa Quintana and was cast as the young Isagani. Since then, Will has appeared in a string of Kapuso shows, including Mulawin Vs. Ravena, Prima Donnas, Mano Po Legacy: The Flower Sisters Contessa The Fake Life Unbreak My

Shticks

Joseph Peter Gonzales

Heart, and Prinsesa ng City Jail

“Looking back, I’m so grateful that GMA gave me good exposure!” he said.

Now known as the “Nation’s Son” after his PBB stint, Will admits his strongest motivation has always been his mother.

“She’s a major part of my journey, especially since my father died when I was just six years old,” he shared. “As an only child, I knew I wanted to help her. That’s one of the main reasons why I took showbiz seriously.”

As for his name? “It’s from my late father, Wilfredo. And Ashley was the name he wanted to give if he ever had a daughter.”

Will’s career is on an upswing. In October, he’s headlining a solo concert at the New Frontier Theater while also working on three upcoming films: Bar Boys: After School, Love

You So Bad, and Poon.

“Hopefully, fans will continue to support all my projects,” he said with a smile.

* * * MEANWHILE, Julie Anne San Jose admits she can’t escape one of the most common questions thrown at her these days: When will she and boyfriend Rayver Cruz tie the knot? “Yes, people always ask me that,” she said. “But for me, I’m just letting God control it. It’s not about what I want

relationship and that open communication is key. Ray and I practice that. We’re very open with each other, we don’t hide things. If there’s a problem, we talk and settle it right away.” Asked how she would describe her relationship with Rayver, Asia’s Limitless Star didn’t hesitate. “We’re very, very happy, content, and secure!”

in ‘Prima Donnas,’ ‘Unbreak My Heart,’ and ‘Ang Prinsesa ng City Jail’

Will Ashley (left) with fellow Kapuso star Alden Richards

Will Ashley is known for his roles

Angelina Jolie raises concerns over threats

free speech while presenting her latest film at the San Sebastián International Film Festival

Very Wang

Nickie Wang

Makati’s newest

‘urban sanctuary’

By Angelica Villanueva

IN MAKATI, where tall buildings rise close to each other and the streets are always alive with movement, finding a quiet place to call home can feel rare. Ayala Land Premier (ALP) hopes to offer that balance with Laurean Residences, its newest development designed as an “urban sanctuary” that combines city convenience with the comfort of retreat.

Located along Dela Rosa Street, the 65-story tower will feature a range of spaces, from compact suites to larger twoto four-bedroom homes, and even rare bilevel villas. Prices start at about P650,000 per square meter. Depending on the unit, residents can look out over Ayala Triangle Gardens, the Makati skyline or catch sunsets from higher floors facing Manila Bay.

“City living is amazing, but to be able to live in a city, once in a while, you need to leave it. We do need an antidote to urban life. This, with what we’ve developed, is that antidote, that urban sanctuary. [Laurean] is a place that can be our oasis in the hustle and bustle of our daily urban

GOLDEN Haven Memorial Parks held its annual Pawsome Day on Aug. 16, a nationwide event celebrating pet companionship with activities such as walkathons, pageants, and community talks. Branches across the country hosted gatherings for pet owners and animal advocates. Golden Haven’s three pet crematoriums in Las Piñas,

city life,” said Hans Lopez-Vito , ALP project development head.

At the exclusive preview for the media, ALP executives explained that Laurean Residences builds on the company’s earlier luxury projects but brings something new to the market. Lower floors will look out onto park views, while higher floors promise sweeping city sights. Westfacing units, often overlooked in other developments, are expected to appeal to residents who enjoy watching the sunset at the end of the day.

Laurean Residences is also built with sustainability in mind. The tower will be EDGE-certified, with energy- and watersaving systems that help lower monthly

Cagayan de Oro, and Cebu led the celebration.

In Las Piñas, organizers launched a donation drive that collected preloved pet items for partner shelters and volunteer groups caring for animals in need.

“Through Pawsome Day, we not only celebrate the joy that pets bring into our lives, but we also extend a helping hand to communities and shelters that continue to care for animals waiting for their forever homes,” said Analyn Anero, head of Golden Haven Las Piñas Pet Crematorium.

Each branch added its own activities, with Golden Haven saying the 2025 event underscored compassion, community, and the bond between people and their pets.

Why a stable home

By Nickie Wang

costs. More than half a hectare of amenities will be managed by Ayala Land Hospitality, offering spaces for wellness, leisure, and social connection—very much like a private city club.

“More than a collection of homes, it is an urban sanctuary where timeless architecture, purposeful amenities, and meticulous craftsmanship come together to elevate everyday life,” said ALP president Mike Jugo The project has already drawn strong interest, with about 25 percent of units sold since pre-selling began in June—close to P8 billion in sales. Buyers include young professionals, small families downsizing from exclusive subdivisions, and foreign investors, who can own up to 40 percent of the residences.

Laurean Residences appeals to people at different stages of life but with the same goal: to find a home that combines comfort, design, and convenience in one of the country’s busiest business districts.

“It’s not just about square meters. It’s about the lifestyle—the sense of community, the architecture, and the landscape—that truly defines luxury living,” Lopez-Vito stated.

underserved homes. We are proud to be putting greater digital control and convenience in the hands of our customers, all supported by our superior 5G network.” Smart Home WiFi, trusted by more than 450,000 subscribers nationwide, leads the fixed wireless access segment as of the second quarter of 2025 and is eyeing further expansion. Customers may sign

Golden Haven’s Santuario Dei Beati in Iloilo

Ayala Land Premier’s Hans Lopez-Vito presents Laurean Residences as Makati’s newest ‘urban sanctuary’

Laurean Residences offers a 65-story tower designed as a balance of city living and retreat

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2025 lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

NICKIE WANG, Editor

ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer

JASPER VALDEZ, Writer

By Nickie Wang

CRATE & Barrel welcomes the cozy season with a new collection that showcases modern designs made to complement everyday living. The lineup includes more than a dozen pieces, from sculptural dining tables and plush seating to artisanal glassware and handcrafted stoneware, all created to make living spaces both stylish and practical. SHOPPERS in San Juan now have more

Furniture pieces to usher in the cozy season

to

as Uniqlo opens one of its largest stores in the Philippines at Greenhills Mall. Spanning 2,943 square meters, the new LifeWear store gives customers the advantage of variety, convenience, and a more comfortable shopping experience. As part of the opening, Uniqlo rolled out special promotions from Sept. 19 to 25, with discounts on Sport Utility Wear, AIRism, jeans, and UT shirts. Highlights include the Pocketable UV Protection Parka reduced from P1,990 to P1,490, women’s and men’s wide jeans at P1,490, and select UT shirts at P590. Customers who spend at least P3,000 in a single receipt at the new store this week can also take home a free Uniqlo lunch bag, while gachapon prizes from local partners such as Bun Run, 717

Executives and partners mark the official opening of Uniqlo Greenhills with a kagami-biraki ceremony

Fresh styles greet shoppers at Uniqlo Greenhills, where LifeWear pieces are showcased in the brand’s latest retail space

The new Uniqlo Greenhills spans 2,943 square meters, giving shoppers in San Juan one of the brand’s largest stores in the Philippines

Seasonal staples like the Pocketable UV Protection Parka headline the opening promos