ICI: Charge 8 ‘cong-tractors’
Ombudsman eyes graft, plunder, bribery cases
By Pot Chavez and Charles Dantes
THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure has recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co and seven incumbent congressmen over their alleged involvement in government projects.
The lawmakers, collectively identified by ICI chairman Andres Reyes as “congtractors,” either own construction firms or whose family members obtained government contracts from the Department of Public Works and Highways.
“These so-called ‘cong-tractors’ are those members of Congress or their partners or family members, who own construction firms that received projects or obtained contracts from the
By Charles Dantes and Maricel V. Cruz
AMLC freezes assets of 2 officials in flood infra mess
By Thony Rose Lesaca and Charles Dantes
multibillion-peso flood control scam. Meanwhile, a lawyer for
THE Anti-Money Laundering Council has secured two new freeze orders against assets of two individuals – an incumbent high-ranking official of a constitutional body and a former elected official – allegedly linked to anomalous flood control projects.
The fresh orders cover 230 bank accounts, 15 insurance policies, two helicopters, and one airplane.
“The issuance of the freeze orders will enable AMLC to pursue a more extensive financial investigation to uncover any possible money laundering scheme linked to the flood control projects,” said AMLC executive director Matthew David.
By Rex Espiritu
DOJ confident Austria would do right by Roque
THE Department of Justice (DOJ) said Wednesday it trusts Austria’s asylum process amid claims that the European nation would handle the protection request of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
“We believe the relevant asylum authority in Austria will do the necessary research and validation of the information that Atty. Harry Roque will be giving them,” Chief State Counsel Dennis Chan said in an interview.
“We trust in their own process as we also believe that other countries will trust and respect the integrity of our own asylum process here in the Philippines,” he added.
By Katrina Manubay
dismissed accusations by resigned Ako-Bicol Party-list representative Zaldy Co linking First Lady Liza Marcos to alleged anomalies in rice and onion importation.
In a media interview yesterday, TiuLaurel described the allegations as “total baloney” and a “script fit for Netflix.” “The only thing he said that was true was that we talked about lowering the tariff,” he said He clarified that Co was not the only one who made the suggestion, noting
Coin and
By Rio N. Araja
By Vito Barcelo and Ram Superable
Nisay
Rep. Edwin Gardiola
Cagayan 3rd
Rep. Joseph Lara Surigao del Norte 1st District Rep. Francisco Matugas
DPWH. The subject of this joint referral is the 1,300 infrastructure projects awarded from 2016 to 2024 to contractors that are related to House of Representatives members,” Reyes said.
Aside from Co, who was linked to the construction firm FS Co. Builders Supply, among those listed in the referral are as follows:
1. Construction Workers Solidarity party-list Rep. Edwin Gardiola for Newington Builders, Inc., Lourel Development Corp., and S-Ang General Construction and Trading, Inc.; 2. Uswag Ilonggo party-list Rep. James Ang Jr. for IBC International Builders Corp. and Allencon Development Corp.; 3. Pusong Pinoy party-list Rep.
Jernie Jett Nisay for JVN Construction and Trading; 4. Bulacan 2nd District Rep. Augustina Pancho for CM Pancho Construction, Inc.;
5. Cagayan 3rd District Rep. Joseph Lara for JLL Pulsar Construction Corp.;
6. Surigao del Norte 1st District Rep. Francisco Matugas for Boometrix Development Corp.; and 7. Tarlac 3rd District Rep. Noel Rivera for Tarlac 3-G Construction and Development Corp.
In a video message, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., without identifying the lawmakers, said the eight congressmen were recommended to be charged before the Ombudsman with plunder, graft, bribery and conflict of interest charges based on evidence gathered by the ICI and the DPWH. Public Works Secretary Vince Di-
zon said they submitted various contracts owned by Co and the seven other incumbent lawmakers.
“We have presented evidence that they own construction companies that have various contracts with the DPWH... We have also recommended possible cases against these eight individuals,” Dizon said.
He said the records they submitted also include documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that established the beneficial interest of the lawmakers in the construction companies they are linked to.
For his part, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the referral will be evaluated before his office proceeds with the preliminary investigation.
“When we go through the documents, when we see them to be complete, we can actually go for PI (preliminary investigation) already.
from the House of Representatives, who allegedly own construction companies with DPWH projects.
Nevertheless, we are ready to do the fact-finding and we would like to say that we have started on some of these names before,” Remulla said. He said he believes there is “conflict of interest” that is very evident in at least 12 to 15 individuals involved in anomalous flood control projects.
In its referral, the ICI said these lawmakers should not be engaging in private business activities in conflict with their official duties; should not influence bids and awards; must not sway procurement processes; and should not participate in or benefit from government contracts.
“This practice should have ended decades ago. The longer we allow it to exist, the more it corrodes public trust. Let us tear down this abusive system, one by one, with every filing,” the ICI said. The ICI said more names will be announced in the coming days.
to dismiss the question of whether it is truly him, and whether these were recorded in one sitting,” she said.
“The public can be assured that the AMLC will continue to pursue all possible legal remedies to ensure that those involved in the misuse of public funds are held accountable,” he added.
David, without disclosing the names of the two individuals, said the air assets alone were already valued at P3.9 billion. However, it did not disclose the name of the said officials.
The AMLC said the assets were determined to be linked to violations of the Anti-Graft law and the Malversation of Public Funds law.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said more assets will be frozen as the investigation into substandard or even “ghost” flood infrastructure projects continues.
“This is just the start. More assets will be frozen so we can recover (stolen) public funds. This is our promise – that the money of the people will be given back to the people,” Mr. Marcos said. He said with the fresh freeze orders, the total value of frozen assets stood at P11.7 billion.
that several others proposed it as well.
“And it is not true that he suggested it alone, marami ang nagsuggest. Ang recommendation niya actually was zero tariff, not 15 percent,” he added.
Earlier, in a video posted on his social media page, Co alleged that the First Lady attempted to halt the House inquiry into the rising onion prices in 2022. He claimed this was done on behalf of her brother, Martin Araneta, whom the former congressman accused of “controlling” onion importation.
to the Philippines and participate in formal proceedings as allegations of large-scale budget insertions continue to fuel political controversies.
“I do not negotiate with criminals,”
Marcos said in a video statement. He said Co’s lawyer approached the government and warned that his client would release videos unless authorities halted efforts to cancel his passport.
“Even if you release a video full of your lies meant to destabilize the government, I want you to know, Zaldy, your passport will still be canceled. You will no longer escape justice,” the President warned.
Marcos said the blackmail bid was a consequence of his administration’s determination to push its investigation into the kickbacks, which has already led to several arrests and large-scale asset freezes.
In a nine-page resolution adopted on November 26, the Comelec’s Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD) ordered the termination of its investigation into the donation from Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development, Inc.
Investigators found no evidence that Escudero or Lubiano violated Section 95(c) of the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits campaign donations from government contractors.
The PFAD said Lubiano and Centerways are legally distinct, and there was no indication of fraud, bad faith, or an attempt to evade campaign-finance rules.
Lubiano admitted making the contribution but maintained that it came from his personal funds. Because the donation did not originate from the company’s resources, the PFAD concluded that Escudero’s acceptance “suffers no legal impediment.”
Escudero welcomed the Comelec decision, saying it affirmed “what we have always believed and practiced—that transparency, honesty, and adherence to the rules matter, and that the truth prevails when the process is fair.”
“Since we first ran for public office in 1998, we have worked to consistently comply with our election laws because this is the foundation of public trust,” the senator said in a statement.
“The Comelec’s ruling strengthens my faith in our institutions and reinforces my commitment to continue serving with integrity and accountability,” he added.
Meanwhile, Escudero praised President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for steering an evidence focused inquiry into alleged irregularities in the flood control budget.
The commendation came during Senate deliberations on the Department of Public Works and Highways budget as scrutiny over infrastructure spending intensified.
“I commend the administration for not following or yielding to any script or charade meant to divert attention from the real culprits. According to Secretary Dizon himself, what they are following, based on President Marcos’ directive, is wherever the evidence leads them,” said Escudero.
He pointed to the Ombudsman’s recent filing of corruption and malversation cases against several former officials and executives tied to disputed flood control projects.
He also announced that the AntiMoney Laundering Council has obtained two new freeze orders covering assets linked to the scandal, raising the total amount to about P12 billion.
The frozen assets included airplanes identified with Co valued at some P4 billion, along with 3,566 bank accounts, 198 insurance policies, 247 vehicles, 178 real properties, 16 e-wallet accounts, and additional aviation assets.
“This is only the beginning,” Marcos said, adding that more assets are expected to be frozen and eventually returned to public coffers.
He also said the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will submit evidence to the Office of the Ombudsman and recommend plunder, graft, bribery, and conflict-ofinterest charges against eight lawmakers
Lawyer Ruy Rondain in a statement said he has “not spoken with anyone from the government to negotiate the stoppage of the videos in exchange for the passport.”
“As I have always maintained, I have no control over the release of the videos,” he said.
Marcos said the offer was made in exchange for Co to post his video exposès implicating the President, the First Family and several other government officials into the flood control mess.
The Palace on Wednesday cast doubt on the credibility of Co’s online accusations, including his claim that House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos inserted P50 billion into the national budget, saying the videos he released were riddled with inconsistencies and shifting narratives.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro noted that the younger Marcos had already denied the allegation, calling it “a lie,” and said the administration preferred to wait for Co to finish releasing all his statements before issuing a full response.
“Before we give any reaction, it’s best that he—if he is indeed the one speaking—finish all his so-called accounts,” Castro said during a press briefing.
“From video one, two, three, up to video four and five, his hairstyle keeps changing, and with it the inconsistencies in his story. Every time people point them out, he changes his narrative,” she added.
Castro said the inconsistencies were significant enough to raise doubts about the authenticity and timing of the videos.
“With the way his appearance shifts from one video to the next, it is hard
they approve rally permits are those stated in their memorandum of understanding,” Tuaño said, referring to the ban on balaclava.
Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Tuesday warned that any “shortcut” to regime change, including withdrawing military support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. , would throw the country into turmoil and give China a strategic upper hand.
In a press briefing, PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said the local government may reject the protesters’ future applications for rally permits if they violated Manila’s antibalaclava ordinance.
“One of the prerequisite o requirement of the city government before
The PNP official made the remarks after the Manila Public Information Office posted the anti-balaclava ordinance, or Ordinance No. 9134, on its Facebook page.
“Balaclava, face mask, except for health reasons, are prohibited, including hoodies and any headgear that conceals the face while entering a commercial or government building, and while the motorcycle is parked and on standby mode,” Tuaño said.
The first offense is punishable by a P1,000 fine, the second by a P3,000penalty, and the third and succeeding offenses by P5,000-fine, plus 15-day imprisonment and the possible revoca-
process his application. If, based on his statement, the Austrian government will grant him asylum protection, then he should be in Austria,” Chan said.
Roque, who applied for asylum in the Netherlands, earlier said Dutch authorities told him it would be up to the Austrian government to grant him protection because it was Austria that issued his visa.
However, he said his trip to Vienna did not push through after his surgeons deemed him unfit to travel.
Chan said the DOJcannot comment on or confirm this.
Citing the process in the Philippines,
Chan said an applicant must be physically present in the country where he is seeking asylum. “So if Attorney Roque is asking for asylum in the Netherlands, then he should be in the Netherlands to
“That is as far as we can answer because we cannot confirm or validate the information that the Dutch government was actually the one that booked the flight for him,” he added.
Chan also said asylum proceedings are confidential.
Even if Roque disclosed that he is seeking asylum, the Philippine government cannot reach out to Austria or the Netherlands to validate his claims.
Roque is facing charges for qualified human trafficking in connection with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) Lucky South 99.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime
“If these were done in a single day, his appearance wouldn’t change. It suggests these were shot on different days, likely adjusting based on public reaction,” Castro added.
Castro also pointed to Co’s shifting timeline of events.
“He never mentioned in videos one or two the alleged 2022 transaction,” she said.
“He first claimed his supposed discussions with Secretary Amenah Pangandaman began in 2024. When experts and lawyers noted the inconsistencies, the story in his later videos changed,” Castro added.
She said the Palace cannot ignore the issue, especially as Co’s allegations have become part of the national conversation.
She added that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prefers that Co return to the Philippines to air his claims directly.
Hontiveros said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s inquiry remains active and stressed that Co must face investigators if he intends to substantiate his claims against top government officials.
“If he is saying anything true, if he has any evidence, he should present these to the authorities here so that the proper cases can be filed,” said Hontiveros.
For her, testimony released only through social media carries no formal weight and must be accompanied by proper legal steps, including an affidavit or apostilled submission through Philippine representatives abroad.
She added that she cannot personally assess Co’s credibility until he appears before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which she described as the chamber’s primary venue for determining the truth or falsehood of his allegations.
tion of their driver’s license.
I n an interview, the AFP chief stressed that any abrupt power shift would not only further damage an economy already rattled by a weakening peso but also leave the Philippines vulnerable to foreign exploitation.
“So when we look at this, and when we decide, we’re not just looking at the political environment of our country, we’re also looking at the bigger picture,” said Brawner.
“For instance, our regional security. They really want us to do what they like—the shortcut to regime change, They (Chinese) will gain from it, and the Philippines would be on the losing side,” Brawner said. His remarks came amid calls from some retired military officers for the
Commission (PAOCC) has said the Philippine government has asked the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a red notice against him.
In a live Facebook video with vlogger Maharlika, Roque said he remains in the Netherlands after he was made to disembark from his flight to Vienna due to a medical certificate from his doctors stating he was unfit to fly.
He said Dutch authorities had earlier booked him on a flight to Austria so he could leave the Netherlands, where he first sought asylum. Roque said this was because of the “Dublin rules,” which state that the country that issued his visa is responsible for processing his protection request. Because of this, the Netherlands determined that he should seek asylum in Austria.
This covers the air assets of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co valued at around P4 billion, as well as 3,566 bank accounts, 198 insurance policies, 247 motor vehicles, 178 real properties, and 16 e-wallet accounts.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transparency, implementing stronger measures against corruption and misuse of public funds.
Based on the NDRRMC’s latest report, no fatalities or injuries have been recorded so far.
A total of 275,458 people or 78,736 families were affected by the bad weather in Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Central Visayas, and Caraga. The most affected region was Negros Island, with 169,133 individuals. Of the total affected population, 48,450 people or 14,238 families were staying in evacuation centers, while 34,377 people or 8,087 families were taking shelter elsewhere. Floods and landslides were reported.
A total of 95 houses were damaged, of which 82 were partially and 13 were totally damaged.
According to the NDRRMC, 25 of the 37 affected road sections and all five affected bridges remained impassable. Power interruption persisted in one of the 19 affected areas, while another area continued to experience communication line problems.
Operations remained suspended in 73 of the 79 affected seaports, leaving 3,727 passengers, 1,132 rolling cargoes, 124 vessels, and 34 motorbancas stranded. With Rex Espiritu.
AFP to join a withdrawal of support to topple the Marcos administration over the flood control corruption scandal.
Brawner said the AFP’s rejection of extra-constitutional moves was not tied to Vice President Sara Duterte’s perceived pro-China leanings, even though she would assume power if the President were removed.
“Well, not really… What we are after is the constitutional means. We’re not going to agree with any unconstitutional means of regime change. Kasi nga po, kawawa talaga yung ating bansa,” he said.
Brawner also cited the country’s bloody history of coup attempts, recalling that he personally witnessed the violence of the 1987 and 1989 uprisings.
Dutch authorities booked him on the Vienna flight, and he voluntarily went with them.
But once he was on board, the airline saw his medical passport and the certificate from his doctors saying he was unfit to fly, which delayed the flight.
The doctors issued the certificate after Roque underwent medical procedures in the Netherlands.
However, another doctor at the Netherlands immigration office cleared him for travel, which was why he boarded the plane, he said.
Roque said the captain asked if he agreed to the flight, and he replied that he thought he had no choice. When asked if he wanted to fly, he said he did not. In the end, he was offloaded from the plane.
BSP presents ASEAN 2026, Festival coins
By Charles Dantes
PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong”
Marcos Jr. on Wednesday received two new commemorative coin sets from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), including a circulation coin marking the Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship in 2026 and a 12-piece series celebrating major Philippine festivals.
During the ceremonial presentation at Malacañang, BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. and Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan showcased the P10 ASEAN 2026 Commemorative Circulation Coin to Mr. Marcos.
The coin’s design, which incorporates a woven pattern, rice stalk, waves and a balangay to reflect regional unity and the Philippines’ leadership, was crafted by Abigail Cutaran, Gregorio Caparas and Laurie Joyce Gengoni.
The coin also includes a scannable QR code linking to information about ASEAN 2026.
The BSP will release the coin to the public in 2026 to coincide with the country’s chairmanship of the regional bloc.
President Marcos also received the P100 Philippine Festivals Silver Commemorative Non-Circulation Legal Tender 12-coin series, which the BSP will begin issuing monthly starting January 2026.
The series features, in order of release: Sinulog (Cebu City), Tan-Ok ni Ilocano (Ilocos Norte), Kaamulan (Bukidnon), Moriones (Marinduque), Pahiyas (Lucban, Quezon), PintadosKasadyaan (Tacloban City), T’nalak (South Cotabato), Kadayawan (Davao City), Peñafrancia (Naga City), MassKara (Bacolod City), Higantes (Angono, Rizal) and the Giant Lantern Festival (San Fernando City, Pampanga).
DPWH exec in Mindoro case arrested at NAIA
By Rex Espiritu
AN ENGINEER of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), who was among the accused in alleged anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro, was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said yesterday.
The CIDG identified the accused as DPWH Mimaropa (4B) Planning and Design Division officer-incharge Montrexis Tamayo, who was arrested shortly after his arrival via an Emirates Airline flight on Tuesday afternoon.
“Upon arrival of the flight, arresting personnel approached the subject for verification using an identification card as Montrexis Tordecilla Tamayo. The arresting team informed him of the nature of the warrants, and the arrest was effected without incident,”
the CIDG said in its report. Tamayo was reportedly in Jordan when the arrest warrant was issued against former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co and at least 14 other officials of Sunwest construction firm and the DPWH, for graft and malversation cases, which were filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II, CIDG director, said Tamayo had already been brought to the Sandiganbayan “for the return of the warrant of arrest and commitment to the designated jail facility.”
The arrest of Tamayo brought to nine the total number of accused in the flood control-related charges now under government custody.
Claire to Robin: It’s not me in the video clip
PALACE Press Officer Claire Castro yesterday denied being the person in a leaked voice recording allegedly talking to a vlogger. This came after Sen. Robin Padilla on Tuesday presented in the Senate an alleged voice clip linking Castro to paid vloggers.
“For the satisfaction of Senator Robin Padilla: Hindi po ako ang nasa video clip. Dahil sa aking pagkakaalam, itong video na ito ay lumabas na noon pa at ibang mukha ang ipinapakitang binabanggit na ‘madam’ (I am not the person in the video clip. To my knowledge, this video has been circulating for some time, and the face shown is not mine, contrary to what the ‘madam’ mentioned),” Castro said in a Palace press briefing in response to Padilla’s claim.
“Hindi nga po ito kinober ng mainstream media dahil lumalabas, ayaw nilang maging lehitimong balita ito nang hindi naman nila alam ang source (It was not covered by mainstream media because, once it surfaced, they did not want it to be treated as legitimate news without knowing the source). So, I deny that the person or kung sinuman sa dalawa doon na (or anyone else in the video that) I was talking to a certain vlogger,” she added. Castro also lamented that Padilla, who has been pushing for the passage of an anti-troll farm bill, fails to verify the sources of the voice recording. When asked if she would take legal action, Castro said the origin of the clip remains unknown and suggested Padilla clarify his source. Charles Dantes
SMILE THE BLUES AWAY. Coast Guard personnel evacuate residents yesterday from Annafunan East, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, amid flooding brought by Tropical Storm Verbena. PCG
New DILG initiative embraces, empowers vulnerable sectors
IN BRIEF
Jinggoy: K to 12 program failed, must be abolished
SENATOR Jinggoy Estrada has described the K to 12 education program as a failure and urged the government to abolish it during the Senate’s budget deliberations for the Department of Education (DepEd).
During the discussions on Tuesday, Nov.25, Estrada argued that the program has fallen short of its promise to make senior high school students job-ready.
“I think this is a failure, since all those who completed senior high school are bound to be rejected in their job applications because the employers were looking for college graduates,” Estrada explained.
He emphasized that his office has been receiving appeals to scrap the program, adding that that it has become an extra financial burden for low-income families. Katrina Manubay
LTO summons owner of truck in fatal mishap
THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued a show cause order against the registered owner of an Isuzu dump truck that was involved in a tragic accident on Tuesday, Nov. 25, along Sumulong Highway, Brgy. Dela Paz, Antipolo City, Rizal.
Based on a police report, the dump truck driven by Daniel Jose Aballa lost its brakes, causing it to collide with the rear of another dump truck.
The force of the impact caused the two dump trucks to push forward and collide with five other vehicles.
Three victims, including one of the dump truck drivers, were declared dead on arrival at the hospital. Rio N. Araja
BOC seizes P800-k kush at Port of Clark
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has intercepted 538 grams of highgrade marijuana, or “kush,” valued at approximately P807,000 at the Port of Clark, Pampanga.
The illegal drugs were found concealed inside a parcel declared as “keychains” shipped from Hong Kong and was bound for Biñan, Laguna. The parcel arrived last Nov.15 and was flagged by the BOC’s Xray Inspection Project (XIP) after suspicious images appeared during routine scanning.
A subsequent physical inspection revealed two boxes labeled as “Labubu” keychains. Inside each box were two transparent sealed pouches containing dried leaves and fruiting tops suspected to be high-grade marijuana. Vito Barcelo
C
By Rex Espiritu
THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Wednesday it launched an inclusivity program meant to reinforce its commitment to “protect the rights of vulnerable groups and empower them as active contributors to national development.”
The initiative is called Local Initiative in Governance and Social Protection (LINGAP), the DILG said.
“In line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call for a more inclusive Philippines, LINGAP harmonizes the department’s programs that promote diversity, address the concerns of vulnerable sectors, and strengthen Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion or GEDSI at the local level,” the agency explained.
It emphasized that every child, senior citizen, single parent, woman, person with disability, and every member of the marginalized sector “has the right to dignity, respect, and social protection as an essential foundation for nation building.”
During the launch, DILG Assistant Secretary Ester Aldana underscored the importance of empowering vulnerable groups, saying; “Investing in the vulnerable strengthens the nation at large.”
As the Department’s umbrella initiative for diversity and social inclusion, LINGAP recognizes the role of local governments at the frontlines of promoting inclusive governance through sustained advocacy and community engagement.
The DILG also recognized the City Government of Carmona for its local initiative for persons with disability, which received international recognition during the Global Inclusion Awards in Paris. The Department highlighted that this achievement shows how Filipinos can lead global conversations on inclusion and social protection.
Carmona City Mayor Dahlia Loyola shared their KALINGYAKAP program, referring to Comprehensive Approach, Responsive Education, and Rehabilitation program, the Community-Based Inclusive Development initiative, and the Integrated Shelter and Support Services, as among the city’s best practices.
By Maricel V. Cruz
THE Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) on Tuesday announced it has recovered more than 10,000 stolen vehicles nationwide, many of them perpetrated through the so-called “rentangay” scheme.
The recovered units, covering the period Sept.1 to Nov. 24, have already been returned to their rightful owners, the HPG said.
The operation was carried out under the Balik Sasakyan Program of the PNP-HPG, whereby around 2,000 vehicles and 8,746 motorcycles have been remanded to the custody of their owners.
HPG chief Col. Hansel Marantan
identified the thieves’ modus as “rentangay’ and “pay to return” which were essentially the same. Marantan said recovery of stolen
vehicles usually started with flagging down the vehicles for traffic law violations by the Land Transportation Office operatives.
“When we went deeper into questioning the document, they cannot present proof of ownership, and then we go even deeper into the investigation. It turns out the vehicles in question were not theirs,” he narrated.
The “rentangay” involves a plot where the car thief leases a vehicle-for-rent but deliberately fails to return it.
In the same period, the HPG reported that it has arrested 277 suspects and recovered 12 firearms linked to various criminal activities, according to an HPG statement.
It has also impounded 2,738 motor vehicles and 10,928 motorcycles for violations of traffic laws. Rex Espiritu
“Given
“Although
undue financial strain on our overseas worker,” they added. Since the enactment of RA 11223 in 2019, which aims to ensure that every Filipino has equitable access to quality and affordable health care services, several gaps and areas for improvement have emerged, necessitating appropriate legislative measures.
One of these areas concerns the inclusion of migrant workers or OFWs in the definition of direct contributors mandated to make premium payments to the PhilHealth.
Under Section 4(f) of the UHC Act, direct contributors are defined as “those who have the capacity to pay premiums, are gainfully employed and are bound by an employer-employee relationship, or are self-earning, professional practitioners, migrant workers, including their qualified dependents, and lifetime members.”
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will prosecute and hold accountable all barangay officials in Iloilo City who are found to be taking cuts from the cash aid of Ilonggo beneficiaries of the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).
DSWD Asst. Secretary for Regional Operations Paul Ledesma, who leads a special fact-finding team on the controversy, assured the public of the agency’s commitment to deliver justice to the affected beneficiaries.
“We are very serious about this. The people have suffered enough. They are already victims (of circumstances). You victimize them again. Now, you even threaten them. That’s too much,— Ledesma said in a statement. He recommended that future payouts should include mandatory orientations to inform beneficiaries of the exact amount they should receive and to ensure that no barangay official has the authority to take any portion of the aid.
“I think that’s one recommendation we’ll give, that every time we give payout, the DSWD must first conduct an assessment, like interview them, or some sort of orientation: What’s this program? What is this for? It’s for you. This is not for your barangay, this is not for your barangay officials to share, or for any other reason. It’s personally for you,” he noted.
Ledesma’s fact-finding team confirmed that at least 27 beneficiaries received only P2,000 each from the actual amount of P10,000 cash aid allotted by the AICS program.
This meant that the barangay officials took P8,000, or 80 per cent of the amount intended for the direct beneficiaries.
Maricel V. Cruz
COLOR ME ORANGE. Malls and corporate logos across the country, including the SM North EDSA Tunnel, glow in orange on Monday, Nov. 24,
signalling the launch of the global 18-day Campaign to End Violence Against Women, an annual initiative to raise awareness about ‘one of the most pervasive social problems.’ In photo are SM Supermalls vice president Liza Silerio, UNFPA Philippine country representative Neus Bernabeu, Quezon City
Mayor Joy Belmonte, Philippine Commission on Women chairperson Ermelita Valdeavilla, DILG Assistant Secretary Lilian de Leon, UN Women Philippines Country Programme Director Rosalyn Mesina, and UN Office of the Resident Coordinator economist John Alikpala. UNFPA photo
OPINION
Straws in the wind
THE title was suggested by my grandson, from music I never learned to appreciate, King Gizzard and Lizard Wizard singing “Straws in the wind, is it all ending?”
Respectable Toby Tiangco, in trying to absolve the president from the slings and arrows of misfortune, recounted how the latter gave a dressing down of their cousin, the former Speaker, over the 2025 budget finalized by Congress.
“Ilan bang bahay sa Forbes…ilan bang eroplano…ilan bang Ferrari… gaano karaming caviar ang kaya nyong kainin? Gaano ba karaming pera ang gusto nyo?”, the president thundered on Nov. 24, 2024.
Yet it took months of agonizing before the president let go of SFMR. And he let Christmas pass before he sacked Zaldy Co as chair of appropriations in the HoR, that expendable parvenu they conveniently used.
At least he was given graceful exit for “medical reasons”.
***
But like straws in the wind, the sordid saga never of history’s most corrupt budget never signs off.
Besieged by massive floods a week before his fourth SONA, his “strategists,” whether of local or foreign provenance, such as data analytics expert Lucian Despoiu of Bucuresti, or David of Alameda County near the Bay, must have supplied the “bright idea” of “Mahiya naman kayo!” which got many crocodiles thundering in ovation and started the current mantra of “inumpisahan ni Pangulo.”
***
To follow through, another straw in the wind: Isumbong mo kay Pangulo, which triggered the Senate Blue Ribbon to expose ghosts and ghastly sub-standard flood control projects.
After a flurry of “true confessions” from the Discayas to Hernandez to Alcantara and then Bernardo, minus the “see nothing, hear nothing, know nothing” of the now resigned Bonoan, and the impugned testimony of Orly Guteza, the chair of the BRC concludes the president is not involved.
Another case of see nothing, hear nothing, know nothing?
But Toby says the president was furious at the Speaker in November last year, yet could not get himself to finally let go of his first cousin until September this year. ***
Now come the songs of Zaldy, Part One till Part Four and how many more only he knows, taped from only God knows where. The hunted discombobulates the hunters.
The prosecutors finally indict Zaldy, along with the Speaker. But on what basis?
The “sworn” statement of Orly Guteza which the Blue Ribbon and a Manila RTC judge impugned for being spuriously notarized.
Ano ba talaga, Kuya?
But in the latest episode, Zaldy implicates the princeling Sandro, who supposedly got 54 billion in almost identical tranches of 500 million each regardless of project description in the last three years.
Co is dismissed through an ad hominem response, labelled the “newly crowned champion of the DDS,” but no denial of the princely allocations. ***
A week before, 650,000 INC followers massed at the Luneta got another straw in the wind --- the pained cri de coeur of the president’s Manang, which for all the telenovela-ish drama simply asks the question: “Is the president fit to govern?”
The hunted discombobulates the hunters
And only a week after did brother response, lamely disowning his sister, “she is not my sister (anymore).”
To which his Manang Imee quickly reacted, not in anger but in sadness: “patunayan mong mali ako --- gusto kong mali ako.”
***
Law enforcement agents swooped down on empty houses and a few where the “sapsap” were caught, with their faces un-blurred as privacy demands. Kasi nga, sapsap lang kayo.
Straws in the wind, in the full glare of media, for optics’ sake. No, it’s not all ending, yet.
***
So now the vice-chair of the Blue Ribbon, Erwin Tulfo of Leyte, Palawan, Ilocos, Davao and somewhere in the US of A, proclaims they are winding down their investigation “in aid of legislation,” because the ball is now in the hands of the ICI and the Ombudsman.
I did not know the voluble Ping needed a spokesman in Erich/Erwin. “Mission” accomplished already?
***
Besides which, silver bells are ringing, though in muted tones, with shopping so slow and the malls used by the public only to experience air-conditioned comfort.
Our president calls on us “to remember what is nice, what is good, what is happy, what is joyous in Christmas”.
Shades of mommy Imelda’s “the true, the good and the beautiful”.
Pasko na, mga sinta ko, kalimutan na ang gulo, while his DPWH secretary says, “sabi ni Pangulo, tigilan muna ang pagnanakaw.”
Still, the new Ombudsman vows: fiat justitia, ruat coeli (let justice be done, though the heavens fall!) Straws in the wind, is it really all ending?
Zaldy Co
goes on the offensive
FORMER Rep. Zaldy Co, one of the main actors that have been mentioned in the ongoing flood control corruption scandal, has taken to the airwaves and gone on the offensive.
His fourth and latest video expose’ released last Tuesday detailed how billions have been delivered by him personally and some by his aides and divided between PBBM himself and his cousin former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
This time around also, he implicated the son of PBBM, Rep. Sandro Marcos as one of the beneficiaries. Co’s initial salvo several days ago also resulted in the replacement of three Cabinet rank officials working directly in the President’s office. Co’s main contention is that PBBM and his cousin Romualdez are the brains and principal beneficiaries of the flood control corruption scandal. He also emphasized that although he was responsible in bringing dozens of suitcases full of money to both gentlemen, he never benefitted financially in the transaction which is unbelievable to
many.
And reading between the lines, Co would want the public to believe he was simply thrown under the bus when no longer needed.
His problem, however, is he is not here and his statements have not been subscribed or sworn to, thereby rendering his story as mere hearsay and therefore legally worthless.
We have to believe that we Filipinos can stop this kind of unbridled corruption
There are also reliable and credible witnesses attesting to the non-involvement of PBBM plus the fact that he did veto the alleged insertions.
As his allies are also saying, PBBM could have simply included the P100B in the National Expenditure Program which after all originated from his of-
EDITORIAL
Can the ex-Speaker defend himself in court?
THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) recently recommended the prosecution of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez along with former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co for plunder, graft and direct bribery in connection with flood control projects worth billions of pesos.
Also to be charged are members of the board of two public works contractors linked to Co involved in flood control projects from 2016 to 2025.
Romualdez is a lawyer and Constitutionalist. His recent public statements—both on the flood-control controversy and earlier the alleged P100-billion budget insertions—indicate he and his team are likely to anchor his defense on several themes.
One, he has no role in DPWH procurement and there is no evidence of direct participation.
He has repeatedly stressed that lawmakers do not handle procurement, bidding, or project implementation, and therefore cannot be liable for corruption in how DPWH awarded or executed projects.
Two, he has no direct link to Sunwest or Hi-Tone; guilt by association is not evidence.
He can argue that the presence of Zaldy Co’s alleged associate-companies in the DPWH list does not con-
SAN FRANCISCO
– After three years of breakneck growth and soaring valuations, the AI industry enters 2026 with some of the euphoria giving way to tough questions.
Here is a look at what is at stake:
Bubble goes pop?
Money is pouring into artificial intelligence, with spending expected to reach more than $2 trillion worldwide in 2026, according to the consulting firm Gartner.
stitute proof that he himself benefited or intervened. Sunwest and Hi-Tone may be linked to Zaldy Co, but not to him.
Three, Romualdez can argue that accusations are politically motivated since his being the President’s cousin makes him a convenient target for controversies.
The charges rely on inferences of influence, not evidence
The charges rely on inferences of influence, not evidence. Four, on the issue of alleged P100billion budget insertions, Romualdez can say any recommendation or endorsement by congressional leaders is
within normal legislative function. Budget realignments, amendments, and district allocations are all performed within the legal framework of Congress.
Five, on the plunder charge. The prosecution must show that Romualdez personally benefited by at least ₱50 million.
He has categorically denied receiving any money. His defense will stress: No unexplained wealth has been proven. No bank records, SALN inconsistencies, or lifestyle indicators link him to illicit gains.
Without demonstrating enrichment, the plunder charge collapses. Six, he can assert that since the projects span multiple administrations, he was not the Speaker or in a decisive political position for much of that period.
Flood control budgets have long been shaped by DPWH regional offices and congressmen from floodprone areas, and not by the Speaker alone.
Any supposed scheme would require long-term coordination across administrations, which is implausible without stronger evidence.
In the end, Romualdez is likely to invoke in his defense these arguments: the institutional separation of powers; the absence of hard evidence of personal enrichment; political overtones in the filing of charges against him; and denial of direct links to the implicated contractors.
The AI boom hits a crossroads in 2026 —“—
But concern is growing. Stock markets are closely monitoring tech giants Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Nvidia, and startups like OpenAI, amid fears of a speculative bubble.
Several major investors -- including Japan’s SoftBank and Peter Thiel --divested Nvidia shares in mid-November.
“No company is going to be immune, including us,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai warned.
Yet Nvidia reported “off the charts” demand for its chips, indicating the fever continues.
Jobs under threat?
The debate over whether AI will destroy jobs continues, with answers still elusive.
“The AI phenomenon is here and influencing how firms think about the labor force,” US Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said.
True AI believers think employment will be so transformed that a universal income will be needed.
Most forecasts see gradual change. McKinsey projects 30 percent of US jobs
fice in the first place. Co therefore has a tough decision to make.
This is whether to come home and swear to his statements and satisfy some sectors who do believe in what he is saying or simply stay wherever he is and continue his video revelations hoping civil society will do something the government cannot ignore. Detention without bail after all is a strong disincentive on his part that he perhaps is not willing to accept.
He must also remember, that flight is often associated with guilt.
Right now, the public wants a big fish that they believe Co can help unmask but if he does not come home and swear to his statements, this will probably not be possible.
For instance, some quarters are thinking there is an apparent effort by the government at damage control limiting it only to those officials already men-
could be automated by 2030, with 60 percent significantly altered. Gartner analysts suggest AI will create more jobs than it eliminates by 2027.
Super-intelligence now?
AI innovation raises the specter of super-intelligent machines like those in science fiction.
Traditional media face threats from chatbots and Google’s AI overviews, which regurgitate content without users visiting original sites, eroding traffic and revenue
Anthropic founder Dario Amodei contends the next level of AI could debut in 2026 and become smarter than Nobel Prize winners. This artificial general intelligence (AGI) will work at a higher standard than any person, he said.
OpenAI chief Sam Altman said by early 2028 that his ChatGPT-maker could create a “legitimate AI researcher” capable of discoveries.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg spent hundreds of millions of dollars in 2025
tioned which is unsettling these groups. In spite of all these, however, the public should keep in mind that when it comes to disbursing government funds, there is always a money trail down to the last centavo.
All the money being mentioned by Co and former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernado can therefore actually be traced to where it went, which bank it was transacted and who signed for the documents. A lot of the money were admittedly advanced by contractors but the billions mentioned could be traced.
As I have written in previous articles on the subject, this scandal can still be investigated if the result of all the government investigations are not satisfactory to the public. Any group of qualified non-government organizations or individuals with investigative skills can do it. The money in all those suitcases did
hiring researchers to achieve AGI.
But Meta’s departing Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun calls talk of manufacturing AI “geniuses” in a data center “complete BS.”
Media facing tidal wave
Generative AI represents “the largest transformation in the information ecosystem since the printing press,” consultant David Caswell told AFP.
Traditional media face threats from chatbots and Google’s AI overviews, which regurgitate content without users visiting original sites, eroding traffic and revenue.
Survival options include becoming high-value products like The Economist; implementing blocking techniques; or winning compensation through lawsuits or partnerships, as the New York Times, Associated Press and AFP have done. Clean up the slop Despite promises of cancer cures and climate solutions, many see “AI slop -low-grade AI-generated content -- as the technology’s most visible impact for now. Creating slop requires little effort but generates clicks and revenue by gaming platform algorithms. These creations, often presented as real, saturate social feeds with content ranging from fake Spotify bands to TikTok videos claiming to show explosions on the frontlines in Ukraine. The platforms have responded with labeling, moderation, and anti-spam measures, though no silver bullet has emerged to stop the tide. AFP
not just sprout from out of nowhere but is a product of a series of government actions starting from the advice of allotment which culminates in the bank withdrawals of the billions of pesos distributed to corrupt officials.
The problem is, everyone appears to be involved like the COA, DPWH officials, politicians and office accountants which makes it difficult but not impossible to investigate.
There has to be someone out there who will not sell his soul to the devil and can be trusted to do it right.
It will be the paper trail that will tell the whole story and it will be something we can believe unlike some of the things we are hearing nowadays which as they say, hindi kapanipaniwala.
After everything is said and done, we have to believe that we Filipinos can stop this kind of unbridled corruption. Otherwise, this insatiable greed will consume the very soul of our nation.
Trump sends Witkoff to Moscow for deal
WASHINGTON, DC – Donald Trump said Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time) he is sending his envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week as the US president seeks to close out a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that there were “only a few remaining points of disagreement” -- but European leaders were skeptical, and Russian missiles continued to rain down on Ukraine.
He also expressed hope to meet “soon” with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages.”
Trump later told journalists aboard Air Force One that Witkoff may be joined in Moscow by the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
An initial US plan which was heavily weighted in Russia’s favor has been replaced by one taking in more of Ukraine’s interests, and an official familiar with the new version told AFP it was “significantly better.”
However, US officials acknowledged that “delicate” issues remain.
French President Emmanuel Macron threw cold water on the idea of a rapid solution, stating there is “clearly no Russian willingness” for a ceasefire or to discuss the new, more Ukraine-friendly proposal.
Mother
Frantic discussions have been underway since the weekend when Ukrainian and US representatives huddled in Geneva to discuss Trump’s controversial, initial 28-point plan for settling the bloody conflict.
The latest talks including US and Russian delegates were taking place in Abu Dhabi, US media reported. Leaders of a group of 30 countries supporting Ukraine also met by video on Tuesday. US negotiator Dan Driscoll emerged upbeat from meeting with Russian counterparts, with his spokesman saying: “The talks are going well and we remain optimistic.”
The White House cited “tremendous progress,” while cautioning “there are a few delicate but not insurmountable details that must be sorted out.”
But the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, continued unabated.
On Tuesday night, Russia launched a major attack on Zaporizhzhia that damaged at least seven high-rise buildings and caused 12 people to be hospitalized, the head of the regional military administration said. AFP
jailed for life in ‘suitcase murders’
AUCKLAND – A mother who mur-
dered her two children and stuffed them into suitcases stashed inside a storage locker was on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment in New Zealand.
Hakyung Lee, a New Zealand citizen originally from South Korea, was earlier this year found guilty of killing her children in a grisly crime dubbed the country’s “suitcase murders”.
High Court judge Geoffrey Venning sentenced Lee to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years, saying she had killed children who were “particularly vulnerable”.
The 45-year-old showed little emotion as she sat in court, bowing her head
with eyes fixed to the floor as the judge handed down the sentence.
Lee killed her son Minu Jo and daughter Yuna Jo, aged six and eight, in 2018 by lacing their fruit juice with an overdose of prescription medication.
Stricken with grief following her husband’s death from cancer, Lee said she had planned to kill herself alongside the children but got the dose wrong.
She wrapped her dead children in plastic bags before stuffing them into suitcases that were then hidden at a suburban storage warehouse on the outskirts of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city.
The bodies sat in storage until 2022,
when an unsuspecting family pried open the contents of an abandoned storage locker they bought in an auction.
Police used DNA and other forensic evidence to piece together who the children were, how long they had been dead, and ultimately who had killed them.
Lee, who had long since changed her name and fled the country for her native South Korea, was eventually tracked down and arrested in the port city of Ulsan. She was extradited to face trial in New Zealand.
The sentencing hearing on Wednesday heard how the murders had left deep emotional scars on Lee’s family. AFP
Floods kill 33 in Thailand
– The death toll from days of widespread flooding in southern Thailand rose to 33 on Wednesday, with tens of thousands displaced in the country and neighboring Malaysia, officials said.
The Thai government declared a state of emergency in southern Songkhla province on Tuesday, with torrential rains since late last week inundating the tourist hub of Hat Yai and the southern region.
An image from Wednesday published by AFP showed murky brown floodwater submerging streets and ground floors of residential buildings in the city of Hat Yai.
IN BRIEF
process begins at UN
PARIS – French authorities have arrested four more people in the probe into last month’s spectacular daylight theft of imperial jewels from the Louvre museum, the top Paris prosecutor said.
“They are two men aged 38 and 39, and two women aged 31 and 40, all from the Paris region,” Laure Beccuau said, following earlier charges against four others over the heist.
On October 19, a four-person gang raided the Louvre, the world’s most-visited art museum, in broad daylight, taking just seven minutes to steal jewelry worth an estimated $102 million before fleeing on scooters.
The thieves parked a moving truck with a ladder below the museum’s Apollo Gallery housing the French crown jewels, ascended in a bucket, broke a window and used angle grinders to cut into glass display booths containing the treasures.
The four already charged over the theft include three men and a woman.
One of those men, a 37-year-old, was in a couple with the woman and they have children, Beccuau said earlier this month.
The couple were arrested after their DNA was found in the basket lift used during the robbery. AFP
“Authorities say 33 people have died across seven provinces, with causes including flash floods, electrocution and drowning,” Thai government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat told reporters.
“The water level is expected to recede in the south,” he added.
Severe flooding has spread to seven southern provinces, home to several million people, according to the disaster prevention and mitigation department.
The flooding since last week has stranded residents and travelers in their homes and hotels, with rescuers using boats, jet skis and military trucks amid high floodwaters.
The military has deployed an aircraft carrier and mobilized helicopters to airlift patients to nearby hospitals, the army said.
More than 10,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Songkhla since last week, the province’s public relations department said.
University campuses have been converted into shelters for displaced people.
The Songkhla provincial administration said Wednesday that it had set up food centers capable of distributing up to 20,000 food boxes a day to flood victims.
Thailand regularly records heavy rainfall from June to September, but experts say human-induced climate change has intensified extreme weather, making conditions increasingly unpredictable.
In neighboring Malaysia, flooding from days of heavy rain swept through eight states, with forecasters predicting more rain in the region in the coming days. AFP
Taiwan’s president to propose $40-b in extra defense spending
TAIPEI – Taiwanese President Lai
Ching-te said his government will propose $40 billion in additional defense spending over several years, as the democratic island seeks to deter a potential Chinese invasion.
Taiwan has ramped up defense spending in the past decade as Chinese military pressure intensified, but US President Donald Trump’s administration has pushed the island to do more to protect itself. The extra spending would go towards “significant new arms acquisitions from the United States, but also vastly enhance Taiwan’s asymmetrical capabilities,” Lai said in an opinion piece published in the Washington Post on Tuesday.
“We aim to bolster deterrence by inserting greater costs and uncertainties into Beijing’s decision-making on the use of force,” Lai said.
Communist China has never ruled Taiwan, but Beijing claims the island is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to annex it. The announcement came as Tokyo and Beijing were locked in a weeks-long diplomatic spat that followed remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting that Japan could intervene militarily in any attack on Taiwan. It also follows US approval earlier this month for $330 million-worth of parts and components in its first military sale to Taiwan since Trump’s return to the White House. Lai, who leads the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), previously laid out plans to boost annual defense spending to more than three percent of GDP next year and five percent by 2030, following US pressure to spend more on protecting itself against a potential Chinese attack. AFP
“The position of Secretary-General is one of great importance and one that requires the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity and a firm commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,” said the joint letter from Sierra Leone ambassador and current Security Council president Michael Imran Kanu and General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock. Some member states are advocating for a woman to be selected, and in its letter UN leadership noted “with regret that no woman has ever held the position of Secretary-General” and called on members “to strongly consider nominating women.” AFP
Ex-president Sarkozy risks 2nd conviction UNITED NATIONS, New York – The search for the next Secretary-General of the United Nations launched Tuesday (Wednesday) , as member states were invited to send nominations to replace Antonio Guterres for the term starting in 2027. In a letter from UN leaders to 193 member states, the 80-year-old global intergovernmental organization is seeking candidates with extensive experience in international relations, diplomacy and language skills.
PARIS – France’s top appeals court on Wednesday rules in a case of alleged illegal campaign financing against former president Nicolas Sarkozy -- his last chance to escape adding a second definitive conviction to his growing rap sheet. The Court of Cassation in Paris will rule on whether a lower court was right to convict him of illegal financing in his failed 2012 re-election campaign.
If it upholds Sarkozy’s conviction, he will serve a six-month term, possibly with an electronic bracelet.
Sarkozy, a one-term president from 2007-2012, has faced a series of legal challenges since leaving office. Wednesday’s hearing is his last chance to escape a second conviction after he was sent to jail last month in a separate case, related to an earlier election campaign. In that trial, the 70-year-old was found guilty of allowing aides to seek to collect money for his 2007 presidential run from Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi. AFP
EUTHANASIA THREAT. This aerial view shows of the Niagara Falls seen from above, homonym city in the background, on Nov. 13, 2025. The remaining 30 captive belugas at Canada’s Marineland have nothing to do but wait. The reportedly broke former tourist attraction is closed to visitors, so the whales circle their decaying pools, while the park’s owners -- who issued a shocking threat to euthanize the belugas -spar with the government over what happens next. AFP
BANGKOK
TOUGH ROAD AHEAD. France’s President Emmanuel Macron (center) – flanked by France’s Foreign Affairs
Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (center-right), France’s Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin (center-left) and Chief of Staff of the French armed Forces Fabien Mandon (3rd left) – speaks during a statement to the press with members of the Government and of the French Army, following a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, on Tuesday. Macron warned Russia showed little sign of seeking a ceasefire with Ukraine, calling for ‘continued pressure’ on Moscow to negotiate. Macron also called for ‘strong Ukrainian army’ without ‘limitation’ to deter another Russian attack, speaking after a video conference with Ukraine’s European allies and also including
Marco Rubio. AFP
PBBM hails execs on transparency
By Charles Dantes
PRESIDENT Ferdi-
nand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday honored local governments and regional offices of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for what he described as model transparency and citizendriven governance.
Speaking at the 2025 SubayBAYANI Awards at the Manila Hotel, President Marcos said the awardees demonstrated that clean, open, and accountable leadership can translate into better infrastructure and stronger community engagement.
“We recognize today the LGUs and DILG regional offices that chose to govern with excellence, integrity, and compassion,” he said.
“You proved this through your success in encouraging citizens to participate in local projects and in monitoring infrastructure funded by the people,” the President added.
The SubayBAYANI Awards honor local governments that excel in transparency, evidence-based planning, and community involvement, as reflected in their monitoring of publicly funded infrastructure.
This year’s roster includes 126 LGU “Exemplars,” nine top overall performers, and three DILG regional offices cited for strong collaboration and transparent processes.
Mr. Marcos said the awardees show that clear data, proper systems, and measurable results build public confidence in government. “When there is data, there is basis. When there is process, there is direction. And when there are results, the public trusts us,” he said. He also highlighted the government’s newly launched DPWH Transparency Portal, which allows citizens to follow infrastructure projects “from procurement to construction to completion.”
PNPA Kaisang Bisig marks 20th anniversary
THE PNPA Kaisang Bisig Class of 2009, Inc. celebrated its 20th service anniversary and year-end gathering by choosing service over ceremony, launching an outreach program for the children and families of Everlasting Hope Childhood Cancer Mission in Guadalupe, Cebu City.
Instead of a grand commemoration, the alumni opted to honor two decades of service by lifting the spirits of young cancer patients and providing support to their families. Through gifts, activities, and meaningful engagement, the group brought hope, joy, and encouragement to those courageously battling childhood cancer. Members of the Class of 2009, now serving in various capacities nationwide, said giving back to communities remains at the heart of their identity. What began as the commitment of cadets has evolved into a lasting mission of service beyond their badges. Their presence in Everlasting Hope reflects not only solidarity with the children and families they visited but also a renewed dedication to compassion, public service, and community unity.
Senate eyes OMB phaseout, cites irrelevance
By Ram Superable
SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on
Wednesday expressed support for phasing out the operations of the Optical Media Board (OMB), citing the obsolescence of the industry it was created to regulate.
Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, also said he is willing to recommend to the executive department a transfer of the OMB’s functions to another agency, such as the Film Development Council, to prevent worker displacement.
“We can provide the agency with a winding-down budget good for three to six months, and then we can put
that budget to another agency that has a similar function,” he said.
“Times today have rendered the OMB totally obsolete. People do not watch CDs anymore. Everything is now on live streaming platforms. We just have to find the proper transition for the employees,” Gatchalian added.
The OMB is tasked with licensing and registering legal optical media businesses, as well as investigating and shutting down illegal operations.
Last month, he questioned the justification for allocating P66 million to the OMB in 2026, citing a Commission on Audit report that showed the board had zero accomplishments in physical inspections of optical media
establishments from July to September 2024.
The OMB admitted it only conducted pre-inspections, attributing the gap to limited authority granted to its former officer-in-charge, James Macasero.
Dennis Pinlac, the current officerin-charge, said Macasero focused on administrative functions such as employee salaries and office utilities because his mandate did not clearly authorize inspections.
Gatchalian said the lack of clear executive directives contributed to the OMB’s poor performance in 2024, both in inspections and in overall budget utilization.
2 Chinese posing as Filipinos nabbed
By Vito Barcelo
THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has arrested two Chinese nationals in Laguna for allegedly posing as Filipino citizens and using their assumed identities to illegally obtain firearms.
The suspects, identified as Chen Yian and Hong Ping Ping, were intercepted along Magsaysay Road in Barangay San Antonio, San Pedro City.
BI Intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said the pair had falsely assumed Philippine identities, a violation that poses serious risks to national security, especially when used to acquire weapons for illicit activities.
Three other Chinese nationals—Cai Weixin, Li Rongpo, and Cai Junqiu— were also arrested during the same operation after being found working for a
company other than their 9(g) visa petitioners, in violation of immigration laws.
The operation was conducted in coordination with the CIDG 4A, the Philippine Army, barangay officials, and government intelligence units.
All five individuals were brought to the BI Main Office in Manila for documentation before being transferred to the BI Warden’s Facility at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the bureau remains firm in its crackdown on identity fraud, stressing that such schemes have direct national security implications. He added that BI intelligence and enforcement teams are conducting continuous operations to locate and apprehend foreign nationals violating Philippine laws.
IN BRIEF
Gatchalian bill eyes regulation of AI in PH
SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday said he is developing a bill that would regulate the use of artificial intelligence in the Philippines. He cited the potential harms AI could cause if used for malicious purposes. He said disclosure should be required when AI is used to create videos or images, stressing that accountability is needed because AI-generated content is becoming harder to detect.
Gatchalian warned that the widespread use of AI could worsen disinformation and deepen social divisions, noting how quickly manipulated content spreads online.
Ram Superable
Aquino bill proposes aid to nursing students
SENATOR Bam Aquino on Wednesday urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to allow nursing students under the Free College Law to use their Tertiary Education Subsidy for related learning experience (RLE) expenses.
He noted that RLE costs remain a major burden for financially struggling students.
He explained that the RLE, equivalent to on-the-job training, is a required component for nursing graduates and often causes students to drop out due to high costs.
Aquino said using TES for RLE needs aligns with CHED guidelines, which allow financial aid to cover food, books, and other education-related expenses, even for students in private institutions. Ram Superable
DPWH seeks to complete key Mindanao projects
THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is accelerating key infrastructure under the Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project, with the Guicam Bridge now 91.9 percent complete.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said the agency aims to finish the flagship project “as soon as possible.”
The Guicam Bridge will connect Olutanga Island—covering the towns of Olutanga, Talusan, and Mabuhay—to mainland Zamboanga Sibugay, improving mobility and access to economic opportunities. Another major component, the 24-kilometer R.T. Lim–Siocon Road, is set for inauguration in December. The new route will link Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte and help cut transport costs for residents and businesses. Vito Barcelo
‘KAISANG BISIG.’ Members of the PNPA Kaisang Bisig Class of 2009 mark their 20th service anniversary with an outreach program for children and families of Everlasting Hope Childhood Cancer Mission in Guadalupe, Cebu City on November 20.
‘END VIOLENCE.’ Groups led by Cordillera women and community organizations hold up protest placards during a demonstration in front of the Department of Justice in Manila on November 26, 2025. The rally marks the International Day to End Violence Against Women and the government’s Mine (Un)Safety Week. Norman Cruz
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2025
RIERA U. MALLARI, Editor
RANDY M. CALUAG, Asst. Editor
EDGARD HILARIO, Asst. Editor
Que, Jahns lead power-packed quarterfinal tiffs
STA. ROSA, Laguna – Angelo Que and Keanu Jahns stayed firmly on a marquee collision course after dispatching their respective rivals in contrasting fashions to lead a high-powered cast into the quarterfinals of the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational here on Wednesday.
After slogging through a rainsoaked opening day that left the fairways softer and the greens trickier, the field faced a punishing turnaround as Day 2 unfolded under hot, blustery conditions. The shift in weather favored those with deeper experience – and steadier nerves – and Que, feeling significantly better than he had 24 hours earlier, made sure to take advantage. The top-seeded Que endured streaky stretches before finally finding his rhythm late to oust Ryan Monsalve, 2&1, and secure a mouthwatering duel with fellow multi-titled campaigner Clyde Mondilla in Thurs day’s quarterfinals.
“Feeling much better but not 100 percent yet. Getting better every day,” said Que, who had been unsure of even competing this week after withdraw ing from last Friday’s final Philippine Golf Tour leg at Valley Golf due to a stomach ailment.
While his confidence grows with each round, he remained guarded, mindful of the volatility inherent in match play.
“It’s match play, so anybody has a chance,” he said, fully aware that his quarterfinal showdown with Mondilla promises to be one of the tournament’s most compelling matchups – two sea soned aces with the firepower, finesse and mental toughness to go deep.
Martina Miñoza’s shotmaking is a blend of maturity and daring. Manny Marcelo
Manila lights up for record AIA Rock ‘n’ Roll run
WITH over 8,000 runners charging to the starting line, hundreds of supporters rallying from the sidelines, and an entire city turning into a neon-lit arena, the AIA Rock ’n’ Roll Manila presented by ASICS is set to blast off this Saturday (Nov. 29) at Rizal Park, promising a high-octane fusion of athletic grit, musical energy and pure Filipino festivity.
The massive turnout – already spread across five race categories (AIA 1km KIDS, 5km, AIA 10km, Pilipinas Live 21km and ASICS 42km) cements the event as one of the country’s biggest and most anticipated running spectacles. Now on its fourth straight staging in the nation’s capital, the event continues to grow not only in numbers but in cultural vibrancy, transforming Manila into a grand nighttime celebration of movement, music and community spirit.
Runners will once again enjoy a rare treat – an opportunity to race through Manila’s historic and iconic landmarks illuminated under festive lights, on fully closed roads that showcase the city at its most enchanting. From the starting line at Luneta Park, participants will make their way past the National Museum, Manila City Hall, Fort Santiago, the bustling streets of Binondo, and the scenic Manila Bay strip.
The entire route is certified by the World Athletics Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) which means it has met stringent standards for safety and accuracy, making it not just visually memorable but also a qualifier for the World Marathon Majors. Fast, smooth and atmospheric, the course offers runners the perfect blend of performance potential and spectacle.
Miñoza eliminates Bisera
STA. Rosa, Laguna—Martina Miñoza moved two giant steps closer to a career breakthrough, delivering the tournament’s most jarring upset by eliminating defending champion Florence Bisera, 2&1, in Wednesday’s quarterfinals of the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational here.
Though the margin appears modest, it hardly captures the authority with which Miñoza – long touted as one of Del Monte’s brightest rising stars – controlled the match. She seized two of the first six holes and built a commanding fourup cushion, her shot-making displaying a blend of maturity and daring rarely seen from the young ace. Bisera, who turned back
Mikha Fortuna, 2&1, to clinch the crown last year, mounted a late charge, trimming the deficit and threatening to flip the momentum. But Miñoza answered with poised, pressure-proof pars over the closing stretch to secure the victory on the 17th green. The result rattled pre-tournament projections and overshadowed Marvi Monsalve’s stunner over top seed Sarah Ababa in the first round of the headto-head duels among the top performers of the 2025 Ladies Philippine Golf Tour. Miñoza’s win not only removed a heavyweight from the title picture but also signaled her readiness to contend with the tour’s biggest names on one of its toughest stages.
PH seeks statement win in final World Cup test against Argentina
Matches Thursday (Philsports Arena)
6 P.M. – Poland vs. Morocco 8:30 P.M. – Argentina vs. Philippines
HOST Philippines battles Group A leader Argentina Thursday night, raring to deliver a strong performance in its last appearance at the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup at the PhilSports Arena.
Though already out of contention for the quarterfinals after opening losses to Poland (0-6) and Morocco (2-3), the gritty Filipina5 vow to go all out in the 8:30 p.m. duel with the unbeaten La Albiceleste as a treat for loyal supporters.
“It’s the World Cup, they’re playing in their home country so that’s more than enough motivation for the players,” Philippine coach Rafa Merino said in
Spanish.
The Filipina5 came tantalizingly close to scoring a historic victory in the 16-nation showpiece backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Football Federation last Monday as Inday Tolentin and Cathrine Graversen struck early against Morocco. But it wasn’t meant to be as the Moroccans countered with three goals to turn the game around.
The come-from-behind verdict enabled the reigning African titlists to tie Poland at second spot with three points on one win against one loss, making their 6 p.m. faceoff a winner-take-all for the last available ticket to the KO rounds.
World No. 6 Argentina clinched the first seat at six points with victories over Morocco (6-0) and Poland (32) ahead of its final group assignment against the home side.
The 63rd-ranked Filipina5 are heavy underdogs but that won’t prevent them from fighting tooth and nail and trying to upset the South American powers.
“We have to try to give the best of ourselves, keep with our identity, keep with who we are,” said Merino. “There’s nothing extraordinary that we can do but we play the best way we can.”
Paws and pace! Runners, dogs power thru Run
ORTIGAS EAST—Runners and their energetic furry friends filled the streets with energy and enthusiasm as the 4th edition of the annual Run Ortigas kicked off early Sunday, November 16, at Ortigas East.
Organized by Ortigas Land in partnership with Runrio, the premier race organizer in the Philippines, the event successfully gathered people of all ages and fitness levels from the Ortigas Community for an exciting day focused on running, fitness, and tail-wagging fun. Race Highlights and Winners
Participants showed incredible speed and stamina on the asphalt, with the top three finishers in each category making their mark on the racecourse.
In the 16K category, the top male finisher was Mark Anthony Oximar with a time of 1:00:56, followed by Aron Fresco (1:14:11) and Joel Orlanes (1:18:20). The female champion was Maricar Camacho at 1:08:05, with Eloisa Cusi (1:09:12) and Jocelyn Elijeran (1:13:02) taking second and third place, respectively.
The 5K race saw Raisen Camba cross the finish line first for the men at 00:18:14, ahead of Kyle
Lardizabal
Del Rosario eyes Youth Olympic Games’ slot in Asia Youth Triathlon tourney
AFTER making his debut in the Asian Youth Games, promising triathlete Peter Sancho del Rosario is now keenly eyeing a podium finish in the Asia Triathlon Under-15 and Youth Championships scheduled for Dec. 5 to 6 in the coastal city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia His excelling in the meet was a priority because it serves as a part of the qualifying process for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, according to his father Rienzi del Rosario.
In his maiden appearance in the meet in October last year in Hong Kong, Del Rosario, who was 15 years old then, finished eighth overall out of a field of 43 Asian entries and was the best Filipino bet among seven, clocking 33 minutes and 19 seconds in the swim-bike-run event.
Supported by leading global running wear HOKA, the result was a solid follow-up to placing sixth in the Asia Triathlon Junior Cup in July the same year in Kampar, Malaysia, winding up the best PH triathlete anew in a field of 48th entries in a time of 33:16. The 11-12 Ironkids overall champion held in 2022 in Mactan, Cebu, and 13-14 Ironkids overall champion held in Vermosa and Subic in 2023, Del Rosario was included int the national triathlon developmental team in 2024. In 2025, the triathlete, who turned 16 last September, became the youngest member of the national triathlon team as one its junior elite athletes. Del Rosario, a Fil-am whose father is an industrial engineer and biologist Fil-Am mom, revealed that he is deep in training for his international competition next month. “We are following a
Kaizer
(00:20:45) and James Rigor Celajes (00:24:37). For the women, Jonalyn Elijeran clinched the top spot with 00:24:34. Runners-up were Nicole Dominique dela Cruz (00:27:11) and Rona Raissa Gutierrez (00:27:15).
Angelo Que ( Manny Marcelo)
Sancho del Rosario is shown at the recent Asian Youth Games in Manama, Bahrain after finishing in 12th place in the boys’ triathlon event.
Lady runner with her ‘fur baby’
Champion Mark Anthony Oximar (center) with runner-up Aron Fresco (left) and thirdplacer Joel Orlanes in the 16K category
The Filipina5 celebrate a goal.
BUSINESS
PH investments face ‘headwinds’
amid scandal
By Thony Rose Lesaca
THE Philippines faces “mounting headwinds” in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) through 2026 amid a domestic flood control corruption scandal, external uncertainties and global trade tensions, according to a report from Fitch Solutions unit BMI.
The global insights company noted that FDI inflows as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) slipped to 1.3 percent in the second quarter of 2025, which preceded the corruption issue raised in the State of the Nation Address in July.
Recently released data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas underscored these concerns, showing net FDI inflows slumped 40.5 percent year-on-year to $494 million in August 2025. BMI said this compounded investor concerns about global trade uncertainty and showed signs of further deterioration ahead.
The corruption scandal also contributed to the weakness of the Philippine peso against the US dollar. BMI expects the peso to close the year at around P59 against the greenback, before slightly depreciating further to P59.50 by end-2026.
The local currency weakness is expected to provide modest support to the trade balance in 2026. BMI anticipates this will narrow the current account deficit only slightly from 3.4 percent of GDP in 2025 to 3.2 percent in 2026.
It said the deficit remains significantly wider than the pre-pandemic average of a 0.4 percent deficit recorded between 2015 and 2019.
Latest data showed the current account deficit narrowed year-onyear to 3.1 percent of the GDP in the first half of the year, which BMI attributed to the resilience of merchandise exports with an average growth rate of 13.1 percent in the first three quarters of 2025.
STRENGTHENING POLICY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN PH CONTACT CENTERS.
P1.11 trillion
10-month budget deficit
P3.81 trillion
10-month revenue collection
P4.91 trillion
10-month gov’t expenditures
10-month budget deficit hit P1.11t
By Darwin G. Amojelar
THE national government (NG) recorded a fiscal deficit of P1.11 trillion as of end-October 2025, an increase from the P963.9 billion it booked in the same period last year, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said Wednesday.
It said the 10-month fiscal gap remains on track with the government’s fiscal consolidation goal, reaching 70.83 percent of the revised P1.56 trillion full-year target for 2025.
Revenue collection amounted to P3.81 trillion, reflecting a 1.13-percent growth year-on-year, led by a 7.45-percent rise in tax collections, despite the absence of extraordinary non-tax receipts recorded last year.
The BTr said that as of endOctober, NG revenues have reached 84.25 percent of the revised full-year program of P4.52 trillion. Tax revenue totaled P3.47 trillion, making up 91.04 percent of the overall collections. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) was the primary contributor, collecting P2.65 trillion—a 9.55 percent year-onyear increase—supported by strong collections from corporate income
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Assistant Secretary Joel M. Gonzales (top photo, left) meets with officials of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) to explore ways to strengthen governmentindustry collaboration on policies and programs affecting the contact center sector on 21 November 2025 at the DOLE Central Office in Intramuros, Manila. The labor department welcomed CCAP’s support in enhancing the government’s understanding of the sector’s unique needs and challenges, particularly through data and insights that may guide the review of labor regulations. DOLE also acknowledged CCAP’s initiatives to promote employee welfare and compliance programs among its member companies, strengthen disaster preparedness, and align business continuity plans with government response strategies, as well as advance workforce development, upskilling, and reskilling efforts. Potential areas of collaboration include industry briefings on sector trends, challenges, and opportunities; CCAP’s participation in DOLE technical working groups and policy consultations; improved information sharing and regional coordination; workforce development initiatives; data and research partnerships; and sustained tripartite dialogue. (Top photo) Joining Assistant Secretary Gonzales is Bureau of Local Employment Director Patrick P. Patriwirawan, Jr. (2nd from left). Representing CCAP are Board Trustees Steve Emerson (rightmost) and Jamea Garcia (2nd from right), and Marketing and Communications Specialist Arianne Arenas (3rd from right). (Photos by Alejandro Echavez, DOLE-IPS)
THE Philippines joined world leaders in Doha, Qatar, to strengthen its role in global initiatives
Second World Summit for Social Development, convened by the United Nations and chaired by International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo.
“In line with Paragraph III-H of the DOHA Political Declaration, which calls for support to the implementation of the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, the Philippines values this platform as an essential mechanism to deepen collaboration among ILO constituents toward fairness and inclusivity, and sustainability in the world of work,”
Undersecretary Miclat said speaking on behalf of the Philippine Government.
The Labor Undersecretary also outlined how the Philippines is putting those principles into practice, starting with efforts to refine the methodology for a family living wage aligned with international standards, strengthen social protection, and expand opportunities for decent and green jobs.
tax personal income tax value-added tax percentage tax on banks/financial institutions and excise tax on tobacco products.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) collected P784.6 billion, slightly exceeding last year’s performance by 0.91 percent. The BTr attributed the increase to growth in the value of both dutiable and non-dutiable imports, but noted it was partially offset by a decline in duty collections from rice following the recently instituted rice import ban.
Non-tax revenues fell 36.7 percent to P341.3 billion from P539.3 billion a year ago, with the non-recurrence of last year’s windfall receipts. Nontax collections already surpassed the adjusted full-year program of P306.5 billion by 11.37 percent.
Cumulative expenditures in the 10-month period totaled P4.91
trillion, representing an 80.80 percent utilization of the P6.08 trillion revised full-year program. This was 3.90 percent higher than last year’s level. Primary expenditures, which accounted for P4.19 trillion (85.28 percent) of total disbursements, saw a minimal increase of 2.45 percent over last year.
The BTr said this minimal growth was impacted by a contraction in infrastructure spending amid an ongoing probe into the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) flood control issues and a review of project implementation. Meanwhile, interest payments (IP) accounted for the remaining 14.72 percent (P723.2 billion) of cumulative expenditures, increasing by 13.24 percent (P84.5 billion) from the previous year.
DOLE leads the discussion on jobs and social protection
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), along with other government bodies, continues to affirm its commitment to accelerating progress through decent jobs and enhanced social protection, as it held the 4th meeting of the Technical Working Group on the Global Accelerator (GA) on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions on November 19, 2025, at the DOLE Central Office in Intramuros, Manila. DOLE serves as the Chairperson of the Global Accelerator Technical Working Group (GA-TWG), with the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) serving as co-chairs. The working group is tasked with organizing, supervising, and tracking the assessment of the GA implementation in the Philippines.
As an approved pathfinder country, the Philippines commits to accelerating jobs and social protection for just transitions, which is also in line with goals of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s administration. The meeting was chaired by DOLE Undersecretary Carmela I. Torres, along with Assistant Secretary Joel
M. Gonzales and Bureau of Local Employment Director Patrick P. Patriwirawan, Jr., CESO III. Discussed during the meeting was the GA Roadmap including the strategy context and policy foundations, current labor market realities, acceleration agenda, financing and resource mobilization plan, and coordination and governance.
The group also addressed improving workers’ employability, productivity, and welfare in its priority sectors: the construction and transportation industries.
The working group additionally reviewed its next steps, which include the submission of concurrence of draft GA Roadmap; creating an Executive Summary/Brief; presenting the Fifth Version of the GA Roadmap; and finalizing activities under the M-GA Round 1 Joint Programme. Launched in September 2021, the GA on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions was initiated by the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General as the main vehicle to support countries in achieving one of the six Sustainable Development Goals.
the Philippines’ primary tourism transfer hub, is recognized as Airport of the Year-Asia at the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025, during a ceremony held in Singapore on Nov. 25, 2025. The award acknowledged MCIA’s dedication to providing the most efficient and seamless transfer experience
GLOBAL
MEETING. Together with multiple government bodies, the Department
Employment (DOLE) convened the Technical Working Group on the Global Accelerator (GA) on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions at the DOLE Central Office in Intramuros, Manila. (Photo by Ali Creo/DOLE IPS)
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2025 extrastory2000@gmail.com
PSEi surges past 6,000 amid foreign buying, rate
cut hopes
SHARE prices bounced back Wednesday to close above the 6,000 level on strong foreign and local buying. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index rose 28.53 points, or 0.48 percent, to close at 6,004.70, while the broader all shares index slipped by 28.17 points, or 0.79 percent, to 3,546.65.
“Rate cut hopes for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Federal Reserve in their December meeting were seen as the main reason for the positive sentiment today,” said Japhet Tantiangco, research head for Philstocks Financial Inc. Foreign investors were net buyers with inflows of P2.39 billion.
Strong foreign transaction boosted value turnover to P7.69 billion.
The property sector rose 1.31 percent, as real estate firms are expected to benefit from a potential rate cut. Financials also went up by 1.24 percent. Holding firms, on the other hand, declined 1.31 percent.
SM Prime Holdings Inc. was the day’s top index gainer, increasing by 4.66 percent to P22.45, while DigiPlus Interactive Corp. was the day’s worst performer, declining 4.79 percent to P25.85. Meanwhile, the Philippine Stock Exchange has appointed Cecile Ang, daughter of San Miguel Corp. President Ramon Ang, and former Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista as directors of the local bourse.
The PSE, in a disclosure to the stock exchange, said Ang will replace Ferdinand Constantino, who resigned Wednesday as non-broker director (representing investors) of the exchange. Jenniffer B. Austria
Attending the
are
Ayala Land raises P4.19b from AREIT share sale
By Jenniffer B. Austria
AYALA Land Inc. (ALI) successfully raised P4.19 billion from the sale of AREIT Inc. shares via an overnight placement, the property firm said in a stock exchange disclosure Wednesday.
ALI sold 100 million AREIT shares at P41.90 per share, which represented a 4 percent discount to the stock’s closing price of P43.65 on Tuesday. AREIT is ALI’s listed real estate investment trust company.
ALI engaged UBS AG Singapore
Branch, BPI Capital Corporation and Maybank Securities Pte. Ltd. for the placement.
The share sale was completed ahead of a planned P19.5 billion propertyfor-share swap deal between AREIT and ALI.
LOW-INCOME individuals have benefited from micro-financing after being long excluded from the traditional banking system. Small entrepreneurs, too, obtain micro-loans for their working capital and are able to grow their business.
Micro-financing works and any attempt to alter the rules mid-stream should be weighed carefully.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is considering new rules on interest rate caps for micro-loans, presumably to protect consumers. The regulator, however, should be cautious on crafting a new policy that could inadvertently harm the very people it aims to safeguard.
Micro-loan providers ranging from financing companies and digital lenders to fintech-enabled credit platforms have been serving millions of Filipinos who cannot gain access to traditional bank loans.
HARBOR CRANES.
NorthPort, a domestic gateway operated by International Container Terminal Services Inc., has acquired two Konecranes Gottwald ESP 5 mobile harbor cranes (MHCs) to strengthen its operational capability. It is part of the terminal’s modernization program aimed at supporting growing domestic trade volumes and ensuring reliable service for customers and logistics partners.
These private entities stepped into a space long underserved by government financial programs, building systems that allow first-time borrowers, micro-enterprises, women and low-income families to tap short-term credit for essential needs.
These are companies that pay taxes, comply with regulation, invest in technology and cybersecurity, and operate under stringent reporting requirements.
In a very real sense, they perform functions that should have been part of a more robust public financial safety net.
The SEC’s draft rate cap of 6 percent per month for loans under ₱20,000 is well-meaning. But micro-loans are fundamentally different from larger, lower-risk loans.
In October, ALI announced it would infuse two malls — Ayala Center Cebu in Cebu City and Ayala Malls Feliz in Pasig City — valued at P19.5 billion into AREIT. In exchange, ALI will receive 444.131 million AREIT shares.
The asset infusion will increase AREIT’s total assets under management (AUM) to P158 billion. The two malls have a combined gross leasable area (GLA) of 375,000 square meters, raising AREIT’s total building GLA to 1.8 million square meters and industrial land GLA to 2.9 million square meters.
Post-transaction, AREIT’s portfolio mix will shift to 40 percent office space, 54 percent retail and 6 percent hotels. The company expects the addition to strengthen its retail exposure and expand its footprint in Metro Manila and Cebu.
The property swap is still subject to approval by AREIT shareholders at a special stockholders’ meeting scheduled for Dec. 11, 2025, and by relevant regulatory bodies. Once approved, ALI’s total infusions for the year will reach P40.5 billion.
Earlier this year, AREIT also announced plans to acquire P21 billion worth of assets from ALI, a deal which received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission last month.
Meanwhile, the share sale follows ALI’s previous divestment of P489.36 million worth of AREIT shares last July.
Micro-financing works and any attempt to alter the rules mid-stream should be weighed carefully.
Effective policy cannot be reduced to headlinefriendly caps that fail to consider operational realities and market behavior. It should be twofold: protect consumers and preserve access to regulated, fairly priced and transparent microloans.
It is best for the government to work closely with the private sector, especially the entities that have long shouldered the work of serving underserved communities.
AYALA Land Inc. on Wednesday said it launched Metro Nuvali — a 200-hectare central business district rising in the heart of CALABARZON, envisioned as the South’s defining address for enterprise, culture and public life.
Anchored within Nuvali’s 2,500-hectare eco-community, Metro Nuvali embodies a new kind of city where commerce, civic spaces and sustainable living come together in a seamlessly connected environment framed by green corridors, dynamic plazas and future-ready infrastructure.
Metro Nuvali unfolds across three distinct yet interconnected districts designed to balance enterprise, nature and community.
The Lakeside District (100 hectares) reimagines shopping, dining and leisure with Ayala Malls Nuvali, a Super Regional Mall integrated with the lake, Seda Hotel and future office towers. Nearly 50,000 square meters of new retail space will open by next year, featuring a flagship multi-level wing and wellness hubs.
The Central District (40 hectares) serves as the commercial and cultural core, blending modern office towers, collaborative workspaces and green urban spaces, including a threehectare Central Park beside the East Bloc Garden — creating a vibrant hub where business and creativity thrive. The Civic District (60 hectares) anchors the institutional heart of the city with the Santa Rosa Civic Complex, which will house a City Hall Satellite, Convention Center, Hotel and Command Center. Nearby, the Nuvali Parish Church stands as a new community landmark. With its frontage along Casile–Tagaytay Road, the district establishes a strategic gateway linking Cavite, Tagaytay and Laguna.
Mr. Recto is sure to redefine the role of the “Little President” by driving economic reform and governance in the Philippines. He brings fiscal expertise and political resolve at a crucial time when the country faces an infrastructure corruption scandal and a laggard economic growth. In sum, his appointment signals a shift toward proactive accountability and disciplined crisis management.
They involve higher default risk, intensive fraud controls, identity verification costs, and more complex operational safeguards. A cap that does not take these realities into account could make sustainable microlending unviable for responsible players.
Thus, if legitimate lenders are forced to pull back, the vacuum will be filled quickly and aggressively by illegal and abusive loan operators. These loan sharks charge astronomical rates, sometimes 20 percent per day or week, and are notorious for coercive collection tactics.
Driving borrowers back toward these predators would reverse years of progress in financial inclusion and undermine the country’s broader objective of bringing more Filipinos into the formal financial system.
These companies have built infrastructure, developed risk models and invested in safeguards that government financial programs have not been able to match at scale.
Instead of constraining responsible lenders, a more constructive approach would be to support them and take decisive, sustained action against illegal lending operators who have operated with impunity for years.
If the country is serious about financial inclusion, then policy must focus not only on regulating rates but also on strengthening enforcement against loan sharks.
It should reduce barriers to formal credit, and create an environment where responsible lenders can continue to serve the people who depend on them.
Anything less risks pushing millions of Filipinos back into the shadows of predatory lending.
Recto: A compleat Cabinet official
Having been a lawmaker and the country’s finance chief, new Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto is a compleat Cabinet official.
Recto is expected to serve as an economic reform strategist, public trust rebuilder and political stabilizer. His expertise in economics and fiscal policy through his past roles in the Cabinet cannot be ignored. He played a key role in passage of the Expanded Value Added Tax law and steered the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) during the 2008 global recession. These feats position him to revitalize stalled government spending and restore investor confidence. More importantly, Recto’s breadth of experience—from the legislative branch to local governance—equips him to reconcile political divisions and foster coordination across government sectors. At 61, Recto blends seasoned public service with the urgency needed to implement strategic reforms. His leadership will transform the Executive Secretary’s office from passive advisorship to an active driver of economic stability and government efficiency under the current administration.
Recto’s deep understanding of fiscal policy and governance, combined with his dedication to transparency and accountability, make him a strategic asset to the administration’s efforts to restore stability, rebuild public trust and drive inclusive economic growth in this critical period.
E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com
Ayala Land unveils Metro Nuvali, envisioned as the South’s defining address for enterprise, culture, and public life.
launch (from left)
Mariana Zobel de Ayala, SVP, leasing & hospitality group head, Ayala Land, Inc.; Andy Locsin, chairman, Ceci Realty Corp.; Meean Dy, president & CEO, Ayala Land; Arnold Arcillas, Santa Rosa City Vice Mayor; Arlene Arcillas, Santa Rosa City Mayor; Christopher Maglanoc, SVP & estates group head, Ayala Land; and Mayi Platero Rodriguez, VP & senior estate development head, Ayala Land Estates, Inc.
COURTESY VISIT.
Aika Events and Productions chief executive Joemel Bofil Ramos pays a courtesy visit to Ambassador Mylene Garcia-Albano at the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo. The meeting comes ahead of Aika Events’ major milestone as the first Filipino production team tapped to mount the final gala of the 63rd Miss International, one of the world’s longestrunning and most prestigious beauty pageants. Norman Cruz
ACCIONA secures 20-year PH power supply contract
By Alena Mae S. Flores
ACCIONA Energía, the largest
100-percent renewable energy company with no fossil legacy, said Wednesday it was awarded a 20-year power supply contract for the full output of two renewable projects totaling 281 megawatts (MW) in the Philippines.
The contract, granted by the Department of Energy under the Fourth Round of the Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP), provides long-term certainty for the energy these projects will produce. This supports the Philippines in reaching its renewable energy targets and delivers clean reli-
Cash withdrawal limit had no effect on growth—BSP
By Thony Rose Lesaca
PANGLAO, Bohol – Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Zeno Abenoja said the P500,000 cash withdrawal limit likely did not impact the Philippine economy’s third-quarter performance, noting the policy’s implementation came toward the end of the July to September period.
The policy, stemming from a draft circular released on Sept. 18, was implemented “just implemented before the third quarter numbers were released. So, it’s probably not in the Q3 numbers for GDP since the requirements are only very recent,” Abenoja told reporters on the sidelines of the Central Banking Symposium. His comments follow remarks by Senate Finance Committee Chair Sherwin Gatchalian, who told a plenary that former Finance Secretary Ralph Recto suggested the P500,000 cash withdrawal cap was a “possible” factor behind the country’s slowerthan-expected third-quarter economic growth of 4.0 percent.
Addressing concerns raised by cash-dependent sectors about future economic growth, Abenoja assured that the financial supervision sector, headed by BSP Deputy Governor Lyn Javier, is reviewing feedback from Philippine banks.
“I think they are looking at the feedback because everyone is aware which ones are cash-oriented. There are a lot of cash-oriented clients and there was guidance on how to treat such clients so there will be less disruption,” Abenoja said.
able power to consumers.
The awarded projects are the 101MW Kalayaan 2 wind farm in Laguna, which is under construction, and the 180-MWpeak Daanbantayan solar plant in Cebu, with construction expected to begin before the end of 2025.
The Spanish firm has a pipeline of more than 2 gigawatts (GW) under development in the Philippines in addition to these two projects.
ACCIONA Energía recently reorganized its partnerships in Southeast Asia to strengthen its position in key markets such as the Philippines and Thailand, where it holds substantial portfolios and plans to continue ex-
panding in the coming years.
ACCIONA, the parent company and a leading global firm in the provision of regenerative solutions, has had a strong presence in the Philippines since 2016, primarily through its water and infrastructure divisions. Flagship projects include the CebuCordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) and the Putatan 2 and Laguna Lake water treatment plants.
ACCIONA’s foundation, acciona. org, has been supporting rural and underserved communities in the country since 2021, bringing electricity services to areas that previously lacked access.
By Jenniffer B. Austria
The notes, issued under the bank’s medium-term note program, saw investor orders reach about $1.6 billion, making the issuance more than 3.2 times oversubscribed, according to the bank’s disclosure to the stock exchange.
The notes carry an annual coupon rate of 4.375 percent and are expected to be rated “Baa2” by Moody’s. Settlement is scheduled for Dec. 3, 2025.
BDO, controlled by the Sy family, said the fundraising is part of its liability management strategy to secure longerterm funding. The capital will support its lending activities and general corporate purposes.
Standard Chartered Bank served as the sole global coordinator. Standard Chartered, MUFG and Wells Fargo Securities acted as joint bookrunners and joint lead managers for the issuance.
BDO, which has credit ratings of Baa2 (Stable) from Moody’s and BBB- (Stable) from Fitch, is tapping debt markets to support its lending
PCC clears Verdant-Raslag joint venture for RE expansion
By Othel V. Campos
THE Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has cleared the proposed joint venture between Singapore-based Verdant Philippines Alpha Pte. Ltd. and local solar power developer Raslag Corp., finding no competition concerns after a phase 1 review.
The transaction will allow Verdant to enter the Philippine renewable energy generation market and enable Raslag to expand into the off-grid wind power segment.
Under the deal, Verdant will ac-
DPWH speeds up completion of flagship Mindanao road project to boost growth
By Darwin G. Amojelar
THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Wednesday it is accelerating its flagship Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project (IGCMRSP) to unlock the region’s economic potential, with a major bridge component now nearly finished.
The Guicam Bridge Project, a key part of the IGCMRSP, is in its final stages with a 91.9-percent progress rate. The bridge will link Olutanga Island, including the municipalities of Olutanga, Talusan and Mabuhay to mainland Zamboanga Sibugay, providing efficient connectivity and
mobility for residents.
Another major component of the IGCMRSP, the 24-kilometer RT Lim-Siocon Road, will be available for inauguration in December.
Once completed, the RT Lim–Siocon Road will connect the municipality of R.T. Lim in Zamboanga Sibugay to the town of Siocon in Zamboanga del Norte, lowering transportation costs boosting trade and improving the movement of people and goods.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the DPWH to strengthen coordination with local government units to ensure timely and accountable implementation of infrastructure under the IGCMRSP.
quire shares in Philippine Hybrid Energy Systems Inc. (Philippine Hybrid Energy) and PHESI Holdings Corp. (PHC). Raslag will also acquire shares in PHC.
Philippine Hybrid Energy holds wind energy service contracts for the 16-megawatt Puerto Galera wind project and its planned 10-MW second phase. It also operates a 7.306MW battery energy storage system supporting off-grid facilities in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro.
The PCC noted that there are no horizontal overlaps or vertical rela-
tionships between the parties. Raslag operates in the nationwide on-grid renewable energy market, while Philippine Hybrid Energy is active solely in the off-grid market on Mindoro Island.
The firms do not compete with each other because they serve different geographic markets.
The agency said the joint venture is unlikely to substantially lessen competition. It cited the presence of larger industry players and a fragmented supply landscape that will continue to exert competitive pressure.
operations and general corporate purposes.
The bank’s net income in the first nine months of 2025 reached P63.1 billion, a 4-percent increase from P60.6 billion in the same period last year.
Third-quarter net income was P22.4 billion, or 3 percent higher than the P21.76 billion it recorded a year ago. BDO attributed the growth to the sustained performance of its core businesses along with investments in technology and branch expansion.
BDO has a history of tapping both offshore and onshore debt markets. In 2020, the bank raised $600 million from offering fixed rate senior notes as part of its liability management initiatives. In July, it raised a record P115 billion from its latest ASEAN Sustainability Bond offering.
The bank expects the Philippine economy to remain resilient despite global trade uncertainties and local political challenges, supported by stable inflation and strong domestic consumption.
IN BRIEF
SISIDLAN
reusable and modern bayong bags. BingoPlus Foundation celebrates Filipino artistry and cultural heritage by donating P500,000 to the Sisidlan Rizal Weavers. The support helps the local artisans maintain their business and advocacy, which gained recognition when showcased during a recent golf tournament’s
FFCCCII names 2 new advisory committee members
PH products showcased in Guangzhou
by Julie Ann Lope
THE Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou participated in the ASEAN cultural, trade and tourism event titled “The Virtues of Ingenuity: From ASEAN to the World,” held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Guangzhou, China on Nov. 6, 2025. At the Philippine booth, attendees experienced an array of the country’s culinary delights, showcasing traditional Filipino delicacies such as puto, kutsinta and coconut macaroons.
The booth also featured pandesal from renowned bakery MarySweets, alongside San Miguel Beer and various Philippine-made products, including preserved fruits, ready-toeat specialties, herbal teas, and snack items from Food2China exhibitors.
Free medical mission treats 620 patients
participates in the ASEAN cultural, trade and tourism event at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Guangzhou, China on
Tourism packages offered by the accredited travel agency Jinyue Travel, with the support of the Department of Tourism–China, invited guests to explore the Philippines’ rich tapestry of diverse destinations.
Artisan crafts were also highlighted through displays of handwoven textiles and woven mats, emphasizing the country’s rich cultural heritage.
The event served as a platform to strengthen ASEAN–China ties, fostering business networking, cultural exchange, and strategic collaborations
Forum highlights agribusiness opportunities
THE Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) led by its president Victor Lim, hosted a forum titled “Turn Your Raw Land into Profitable Venture Opportunities in Agri-Livestock with MNCs.” on Nov. 6, 2025. The event aimed to showcase verified business models to landowners with undeveloped properties, promote cooperation with multinational companies, increase income, and strengthen national food security and rural development.
Lim expressed encouragement over having a common vision with agribusiness operators.
He noted an increasing demand for food security and inclusivity and noted that contract farming is an effective model for breeders to connect directly with the market, ensuring that breeders have a stable income while providing sellers with quality supply.
Lim said that through cooperation and shared responsibility, they could help local agribusiness thrive and foster stronger competition.
Keynote speeches were delivered by industry leaders, including James Miralles, AVP for contract growing operations of Bounty Fresh Group; Darwin Lictawa, assistant vice president of Charoen Pokphand Foods Philippines; Michelle Centeno, agricultural project manager of Cargill Joy Poultry; and Orlando dela Cruz, live operations manager of San Miguel Foods.
They shared their insights on market trends, challenges and strategies for achieving stable income.
They also discussed ways to access technology, information flow and expertise, as well as tactics for lowering investment risks and securing loans from financial institutions. Julie Ann Lope
THE Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII), in collaboration with the Baclaran General Chamber of Commerce, conducted a medical mission on Nov. 9, 2025.
The team, comprising 5 doctors and 8 dentists, treated a total of 450 patients.
During the mission, dental professionals extracted teeth for 50 patients and distributed 120 pairs of reading glasses.
Overall, 620 individuals benefited from the services provided.
FFCCCII vice president William Yap Castro donated Gibi sports shoes, made by his company, to the patients.
The event underscored the importance of community health and charitable initiatives. Julie Ann Lope
Mindanao’s Bell Church promotes harmony
THE Bell Church in Cagayan de Oro City, an understated landmark of the Filipino-Chinese community in Northern Mindanao, stands as a testament to cultural coexistence and interfaith harmony. Established in 1989 in Barangay Macasandig, the church’s roots trace back to a religious group founded by Ng Pee in Baguio City in 1954.
The church promotes unity through its unique interfaith philosophy by honoring five patron saints from Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity.
Such approach illustrates its belief in harmony among different religions and the wisdom found in all faiths. Inside, visitors find the five patron saints at the altar amid traditional offerings, making it a sanctuary for prayer and meditation.
Architecturally, the Bell Church is a stunning site with ornate features, including dragon carvings, guardian lions and landscaped gardens, offering a peaceful setting for reflection. The temple is particularly lively during the Chinese New Year, with rituals like incense lighting, dragon dances and fortune readings, preserving the community’s heritage and sharing Filipino-Chinese culture with the public.
In recent years, the city government has promoted the Bell Church as a cultural and historical attraction, offering guided tours during the Chinese New Year festivities.
The initiative aims to enhance cultural awareness and integrate the church into Cagayan de Oro’s tourism circuit, highlighting the importance of
By Michael Wong Ho
THE Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) convened for a board of directors’ conference on Nov. 11, 2025 where president Victor Lim proposed the appointment of Chen De Xiong and Wang Yuan Ming to the FFCCCII advisory committee. The board approved the motion.
Chen De Xiong, a successful businessman who has been residing in the country since 1982, is well-known for his significant contributions to his hometown in Fujian, China and in the Philippines.
He donated a school building, a stadium and a concert hall in Fujian, and the local government erected monuments to praise him for his significant contributions.
Chen actively supports various FFCCCII welfare projects, having donated 70 classrooms for rural schools and contributed to disaster relief initiatives.
He is the owner of Advance Prime Power Corp. and Calmia Nickel Inc., with business interests spanning energy, mining and steel.
Wang Yuan Ming, another prominent figure in the business community, owns the renowned underwear brand Walker and operates a successful real estate development company.
He has made considerable contributions to the Filipino-Chinese community, including a recent donation of P40 million to Chiang Kai Shek College, his alma mater. At the conference, both Chen and Wang generously donated P5 million each to support FFCCCII’s charity and welfare projects.
preserving Filipino-Chinese traditions and fostering mutual respect among diverse communities.
Despite facing challenges, such as flooding
community mobilizes relief efforts in Cebu
THE Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) launched a relief operation to aid families affected by Typhoon Tino in Cebu.
Under the leadership of FFCCCII president Victor Lim and in collaboration with the Cebu Mandaue FilipinoChinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with the Filipino at Tsino Magkaibigan Foundation, the initiative aims to support those in need.
Typhoon Tino has caused devastating impacts, resulting in over 100 fatalities and numerous injuries, which led to a declaration of a state of calamity in the region.
On Nov. 22, CFCCC president Huang Jia Shun, along with other leaders from the Filipino-Chinese community and local government officials, distributed 2,700 bags of rice (5 kilograms each) and 941 containers of drinking water (5 gallons each) to residents in various Barangays of Mandaue.
The humanitarian effort highlights the community’s commitment to assisting those in distress during this challenging time. Michael Wong Ho
The FFCCCII appoints Chen De Xiong and Wang Yuan Ming as members of the group’s advisory committee.
The Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou
Nov. 6, 2025.
The FFCCCII, in collaboration with the Baclaran General Chamber of Commerce, holds a medical mission on Nov. 9, 2025.
The Bell Church in Cagayan de Oro City is an understated landmark of the FilipinoChinese community in Northern Mindanao.
from Tropical Storm Sendong in 2011 and Typhoon Vinta, the Bell Church has remained resilient. Julie Ann Lope
THURSDAY,
VILLANUEVA, Writer
JASPER VALDEZ, Writer
By Angelica Villanueva
AS STREAMING habits shift toward mobile and short-form content, Cinepop is staking its claim as a new destination for vertical series and films in the Philippines.
Cinepop was created to cater to audiences accustomed to quick, mobile-friendly videos, offering content that is around 10 minutes per episode.
“The idea is to provide stories that are short but complete. Viewers today are used to quick content, like TikTok or Instagram reels, so we wanted to create something they can enjoy in one sitting,” said Cinepop founder and director Albert Langitan
The platform’s content spans four categories, namely “Dirutol,” a sexy comedy; “Secret Confession,” which features sexual confession stories; “Maria’s Diary,” which presents narratives from female perspectives; and pay-per-view releases including Mansanas ni Eba. Langitan emphasized that more than half of Cinepop’s audience is female, a factor that influences the platform’s storytelling.
“According to our analytics, sometimes up to 72 percent of our viewers are women.
That’s why we make sure our stories, even the erotic ones, are told with a perspective that resonates with female audiences,” Langitan explained.
Mansanas ni Eba was chosen to feature Apple Angeles , who has a cumulative following of 16 million across social media platforms. Langitan said leveraging influencers helps the platform reach audiences efficiently while remaining focused on niche storytelling.
Cinepop’s content balances sensuality and storytelling while upholding performer consent and ethical standards.
“It’s erotic, not pornographic. We do not show genitalia, and
SHOWBIZ
Balancing sensuality and storytelling for audiences
we avoid exploitation. Before shooting, we ask our performers about their parameters and limitations. If it goes beyond what they’re comfortable with, we don’t do it. There are instances when someone changes their mind, and that’s fine—no hard feelings, they can leave,” the director shared.
“What’s important is that we respect their personhood and allow them to express themselves without judgment. Everyone’s appearance is fine, as long as they’re capable and skilled in front of the camera. We also consider cultural differences; some cultures are more sexually liberated, and we respect that as well,” he continued.
The platform operates on a subscription model of P99.00 per month, with pay-per-view episodes priced at P50.00 each. Langitan acknowledged piracy as a challenge and explained that Cinepop employs security measures to protect content and ensure sustainability.
Langitan also stressed that Cinepop is not meant to compete directly with other mainstream platforms.
‘Zootopia 2’ returns with a lesson on prejudice
sentient animals of Zootopia are back in a family-friendly adventure that tackles prejudice and the misuse of power, which Disney hopes will be a holiday
Nine years after the Oscarwinning original, Zootopia 2 Zootropolis 2 in some markets—explores a city where predators and prey coexist, but stereotypes still shape interactions.
The first film grossed over $1 billion worldwide and was praised for its moral
Judy, the first rabbit on Zootopia’s police force, proves herself to skeptical colleagues and teams up with Nick, a former con artist fox, to solve a highstakes heist during the city’s centennial gala. Their target, Gary the rattlesnake, seeks to restore his family’s honor despite being banned from the city.
“We have a lot of misconceptions about reptiles,” said co-director Jared
Bush. “But Gary is the most kindhearted, warm, vulnerable character we’ve ever made.”
Judy lets Gary escape, setting her and Nick on the run and uncovering how the city’s leaders use stereotypes to maintain control. Along the way, the pair clash repeatedly, testing their partnership.
“They have very different ways of looking at the world,” said director Byron Howard. “It was fun to see them challenge each other and ask if their differences were too much to overcome.”
The film’s soundtrack features Shakira, who reprises her role as a pop star gazelle. While some of its themes mirror current debates over inclusivity, the creators say the story was meant to be timeless.
“As humans, there’s a tendency to notice differences in others,” Bush said. “This movie shows that while differences exist, they make us stronger.” AFP
“We are a niche player in the vertical content space. Our focus is on creating short, engaging stories that suit modern viewing habits,” he added.
Looking forward, Langitan predicts strong growth for vertical content.
“By 2026, vertical viewing is expected to rise by 60 to 70 percent. This is the future of entertainment, especially as traditional television audiences decline,” he stated.
GMA Network president and chief executive officer Gilberto R. Duavit Jr. received the Management Excellence Award from BizNews Asia during the publication’s 24th anniversary celebration on Nov. 25.
BizNews Asia cited Duavit for his “outstanding and visionary leadership,” recognizing his role in driving the network’s growth across television, radio, and digital platforms.
Duavit joined GMA Network in January 1999 as a member of the board and the Executive Committee. He became chairman of the Executive Committee in August 2000 and was appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer in November that same year. He was elected president and COO in 2010 and assumed the role of CEO on Jan. 1, 2024.
He also holds several leadership posts within the GMA Group, serving as chairman of GMA Network Films Inc.; president and CEO of GMA Holdings Inc. and GMA Productions Inc.; director and CEO of GMA New Media Inc.; and chairman, president, and CEO of Group Management and Development Inc. and Dual Management and Investments Inc. He is vice chairman of GMA Ventures Inc. Duavit is president and trustee of the GMA Kapuso Foundation, a trustee
From left: GMA Network president and CEO Gilberto R. Duavit Jr. receives the prestigious
Brenda Song (left) and Macaulay Culkin at the world premiere
Cinepop founder and director Albert Langitan (left) poses together with ‘Mansanas ni Eba’ star Apple Angeles
Apple Angeles takes center stage in Cinepop’s newest vertical drama
‘Mansanas ni Eba’
Visitors
Growing diabetes threat fuels demand for early detection
By Jasper Valdez
AT FIRST glance, many Filipinos may appear healthy. They lead active lives, juggling work, family meals, and endless errands across the day. But health advocates warn that beneath that normal routine, a growing number may be living with a condition they don’t even realize they have.
During Watsons Philippines’ recent #KahitAnongTypeMo event held at SM North EDSA, representatives from Watsons and Diabetes Philippines came together to shed light on what experts now call a “silent epidemic.”
By the time symptoms appear— frequent urination, constant thirst, or fatigue—serious complications may have already developed.
“Half of Filipinos with diabetes
don’t even know they have it,” said Watsons senior AVP for Marketing, PR, and Sustainability Sharon Decapia. She emphasized that early screening, education, and small daily habits remain the most effective defense against the disease.
“Managing your health begins with knowing where you stand. Awareness is the first step toward living well every day,” she added.
The event offered free
Belle Mariano celebrates confidence through everyday care
By Angelica Villanueva
MOVIE and television star Belle Mariano knows what it feels like to juggle long workdays, public expectations, and the pressure to always be “on.” For her, staying grounded simply means practicing self-care.
During Sanicare’s “Hygiene Hangout” event, the actress and singer shared that perspective, talking about treating hygiene as a personal confidence booster rather than just another task on her to-do list.
“Self-care for me is really important because that’s where you
a step back, have a day off from social media, or unwind with friends. This allows me to recharge and deliver my best in everything I do,” she added.
The actress also reflected on her connection to the personal hygiene brand, sharing that the partnership aligns with the values she grew up with.
“I grew up using Sanicare, from my early days in the industry. Knowing that the brand shares the same advocacy I truly believe in—which is selfcare—makes me proud to be part of
get your energy to present yourself to the world. To show your best version out there, you really need to take care of yourself. There is nothing wrong with forming that kind of healthy relationship with yourself,” Belle shared. She said that consciously taking breaks helps her protect her creativity and well-being, especially when her schedule gets overwhelming.
“I continuously live by ‘Selfcare isn’t selfish.’ It’s okay to take
this family,” Belle continued. Her message set the tone for the Hygiene Hangout, which turned personal hygiene into something expressive and lifestyle-driven. Instead of a standard launch, the venue was divided into three activity zones—Chill Minimalist, Fresh Trendsetter, and AlwaysReady Planner—each representing a different approach to staying fresh and prepared.
Belle immersed herself in the activities and asked guests about the habits that make them feel their most confident. She shared that everyone’s version of self-care looks different and that the goal is not perfection but comfort, saying she hopes people embrace routines that support, not overwhelm, their daily lives.
For Sanicare, the goal was to make everyday care feel relatable and reflective of individual lifestyles.
“At Sanicare, we believe hygiene goes beyond a routine; it’s part of who you are. This event was our way of showing that personal care can be both practical and expressive. Everyone can find a Sanicare product that fits their unique lifestyle,” said Jazel Marielli A. Ramos Yeo, marketing communications manager of Sanitary Care Products Asia, Inc.
Nearing its 30th year in Filipino households, the brand continues to lean toward lifestyle-oriented personal care, highlighting that staying clean and confident doesn’t have to be complicated and can be something that resonates with who people are both on and off the clock.
consultations, blood sugar checks, and kidney screenings to encourage visitors to make health checks part of their regimen. For Decapia, the goal is to make wellness management accessible and less intimidating.
“Our goal is to empower people through education—helping them understand their risks, make informed choices, and take control of their own lifestyle and condition,” she said.
President of Diabetes Philippines Dr. Fatma Tiu underscored the
importance of early screening, noting that one in eleven adults worldwide now lives with chronic metabolic conditions and that the Philippines ranks among the top five countries in the Western Pacific region with the highest number of cases.
“It is a silent killer because most people do not feel symptoms until complications have started,” she explained. “Fifty percent of those affected remain undiagnosed. That means half of our population doesn’t know they are already sick.”
Dr. Tiu added that Diabetes Philippines has been expanding its efforts to reach more communities, partnering with Watsons to conduct screenings, educate pharmacists, and provide free tests in major cities.
“We’ve already trained hundreds of Watsons pharmacists nationwide to help correct misinformation about these conditions,” she said. “Pharmacists are not just dispensing medicines—they are frontline health workers who can offer counseling, early screening, and support for treatment adherence.”
According to the International Diabetes Federation, about 4.7 million Filipino adults currently live with undiagnosed or unmanaged health issues—and the number continues to rise each year.
That figure, advocates say, is a wake-up call to start treating regular screenings as a shared responsibility. Beyond personal discipline, early detection often begins with families, workplaces, and communities that encourage one another to stay informed and proactive about their health.
As Dr. Tiu said, “When we talk about health, we talk about family. It’s everyone’s concern—because one person’s awareness can change how an entire household lives.”
Nationwide program brings free health services to communities
SANTÉ International launched a nationwide outreach initiative offering free health services and community support as part of its Santé Cares program.
The campaign, called “Your Health, Our Mission,” aims to bring accessible wellness services to communities across the country.
Santé International, known for producing Santé Barley, said the effort reflects its long-running push to promote holistic well-being.
The company held Santé Cares Free Clinic Drives on Sept. 17 at its head office in Eton Cyberpod Corinthian in Ortigas, Quezon City, and on Oct. 25 at its Bulacan branch in Guiguinto. Participants received
free BMI and blood sugar tests, medical consultations, and body massages.
Santé Cares also organized a donation drive on Oct. 7 at Batino Elementary School, where SPED students were given school hygiene and learning kits contributed by campaign supporters.
The program encourages the company’s distributors and direct sellers to help promote health awareness in their communities.
“Good health is everyone’s right,” Santé International president Joey Marcelo said. “Through ‘Your Health, Our Mission,’ we’re bringing care closer to home, one community at a time.”
Santé Cares volunteers distribute school hygiene and learning kits during the outreach activity at Batino Elementary School
Belle Mariano grew up using Sanicare products and believes in the company’s self-care advocacy
Belle Mariano talks about treating hygiene as a source of confidence during Sanicare’s ‘Hygiene Hangout’ event
From left: Watsons Philippines SAVP Marketing, PR & Sustainability Sharon Decapia, Diabetes Philippines Inc. president Dr. Fatma Tiu, Watsons’ pharmacist Erika Alcazaren, and Watsons Philippines director of the health Business Unit, Finance, Property, and Store Development Joweeh Liao pose for the cameras at the #KahitAnongTYPEmo event
the #KahitAnongTYPEmo diabetes awareness event
Watsons’ Sharon Decapia emphasizes that early screening and small daily habits are key to managing diabetes
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2025
lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com
NICKIE WANG, Editor
ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer
JASPER VALDEZ, Writer
DA mother and daughter’s journey through body changes and transformation
AWN Zulueta entered the room with her daughter Ayisha Lagdameo by her side. The 16-year-old ballet dancer joins her mother as one of the celebrity ambassadors for the body wellness brand Marie France. The event also celebrated the brand’s 40th anniversary.
a punchline. Dawn described the realities of midlife: joint pain that flares without warning, shoulders that lock in place, and circulation that no longer keeps up with her active life.
Two decades ago, she worked with the same brand for a completely different struggle, the physical changes that followed childbirth. She remembered knees that hurt, a frame that no longer felt like her own, and a body that refused to keep pace with her energy. That experience became the start of her public conversation about transformation.
Now, the stakes feel heavier. Menopause has replaced post-pregnancy recovery, and Dawn is determined to protect her mobility, comfort, and confidence.
“Just because we are getting older does not mean we have to just wallow in this,” she said, urging women her age to push back against resignation. Her daughter Ayisha faced an entirely different kind of change. It came suddenly, disrupted her
forced her to relearn everything she thought she knew about movement.
“Every time I take a class, I would feel a lot of joint pain,” she said, recalling the shock of knees and ankles that buckled after routines she once mastered with ease. Doctors explained what she feared was injury was simply adolescence moving faster than her muscles could respond. For the young ambassador, the changes were confusing. For her mother, they were familiar. Their
she added, noting the comfort of sharing the same space while managing opposite challenges, one body aging, the other expanding. A quiet pause swept the venue when organizers brought out Dawn’s old billboard, a photo of her pregnant with Ayisha. The actress stared at the image, visibly moved.
“It is surreal,” she said, as the daughter she once carried now stands beside her as a partner in a new campaign. Dawn’s current routine focuses on treatments that ease pain and help her move more freely.
Doctors emphasized that programs are adjusted depending on age, needs, and hormonal changes, a reminder that health transformations do not
follow a single timeline. For Ayisha, the challenge is stability amid rapid growth. For Dawn, it is reclaiming comfort in a body reshaped by menopause. Their stories move in opposite directions yet meet at the same point, learning to adapt, learning to listen, and learning to care for bodies in transition.
“Some feel they have lost hope,” she said. “I tell them, no. You will feel better.”
Dawn’s routine focuses on improving mobility, easing joint and muscle pain, and maintaining skin firmness. Her program includes Wonder Axon, which strengthens muscles and supports bone density; Endospheres, which boosts circulation and relieves stiffness, including her frozen shoulder; and Celluform, which firms and smooths the skin.
Ayisha’s treatments help her adjust to rapid growth and support her dance training. They focus on joint care, circulation, and overall wellness, providing guidance and relief as her body adapts to developmental changes. Get connected with Marie France through https://mariefrance.com.ph/, facebook.com/mariefrancephil and instagram.com/mariefrance.ph.
familiar weekend scene at Burnham Green Park changed on Nov. 22 when Puregold staged its first Hakot Relay Run. This high-energy event transformed a simple Filipino “hakot” pastime into a massive public spectacle where fitness fanatics, families, and music fans gathered for some fun and entertainment. Thousands showed up at the Luneta grounds early in the afternoon, gathering in groups as organizers set up the course—a threekilometer relay built around Puregold’s signature “hakot” challenge. Instead of chasing
time, runners moved through the route in waves of three, stopping midway to scoop up grocery items and pack them into sling bags before passing the tag to the next teammate. The park buzzed as participants balanced speed with tactics, laughing as bags grew heavier and the handoffs turned more chaotic. By sunset, the finish line filled with runners comparing what they managed to load. Concert lights soon took over for an early evening show headlined by OPM and P-Pop acts KAIA G22 Press Hit Play, and Brent Manalo and Mika Salamanca Each participant walked away with a Hakot Relay finisher’s medal, an event singlet, and a grocery sling bag produced for the inaugural run.
president Vincent Co led the first wave of runners, noting that
Puregold
Puregold Hakot Relay Run. Photo courtesy of Running Photographers
Dawn (left) and Ayisha highlight two generations navigating body change together
Dawn Zulueta (second from left) and daughter Ayisha Lagdameo (second from right) are introduced as Marie France ambassadors at the brand’s 40th anniversary celebration