NEARLY six years after the Philippines was placed under lockdown at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, experts are urging policymakers and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to shun a one -size -fits-all approach to relief and recovery to prevent the misallocation of scarce fiscal resources.
In a discussion paper titled “Liquidity amid Lockdowns: Corporate Performance in the Philippines during the Global Pandemic,” the authors pointed out that while revenues of local firms began to recover in 2022, “lingering adverse effects” on profitabil-
THEBy Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the GDP data in the fourth quarter of 2025 is one of the major factors that the Monetary Board will take into account when it meets next month to determine whether it would implement another rate cut.
“Even
ity and employment remain.
“The Philippine experience also reveals implications for central banking policy. Monetary and macroprudential policies must increasingly account for the real economy’s impacts, firm-level asymmetries, and sectoral vulnerabilities,” the paper read.
In the said discussion paper, authors Marianne J. Rodriguez, John Paolo R. Rivera, Ivan Cenon V. Bernardo, Ramona Maria L. Miral and Mark Gerald C. Ruiz pointed out that the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in an “unprecedented” contraction in gross domestic product—the largest decline
across Southeast Asian nations.
As such, beginning in March 2020, the government implemented a series of strict lockdowns to mitigate the spread of the virus.
However, the authors said these measures led to “prolonged” disruptions in economic activity and, at the corporate level, declines in revenues, establishment closures, and mass layoffs.
“We analyzed the impact of the pandemic on corporate performance and employment using a unique dataset for the Philippines that combines firm-level financial data, establishment-level employment data, and business
restrictions data defined for each industry- province -year combination,” they said, adding they constructed a panel of around 2,500 firms and 3,900 establishments covering the period 2018 to 2022. The authors found that mandatory business closures had a “large negative impact” on corporate revenues, with a full-year closure resulting in a 65-percent reduction in annual revenues, or a 5.4-percent reduction for each month of closure. For “liquidity-constrained” firms, the decline is “larger in magnitude,” suggesting that the
By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo Special to the BusinessMirror
THE transfer of turboprop aircraft to Clark in Pampanga will rationalize fares to many destinations as carriers are able to add more routes and flight frequencies from Manila.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Bangko Sentral Reception for the Banking Community on Friday, Cebu Pacific Chair Lance Y. Gokongwei told the BusinessMirror, “while I can’t claim that everybody benefits [from the transfer], of course some destinations will be affected, as a whole, it will add more capacity to Manila because larger aircraft could be there. If you increase capacity to that air-
port, it should make fares even more competitive.”
Cebu Pacific on Thursday announced that it was completing the move of its remaining turboprop flights—on CebGo (Coron and Naga) and SwiftAir (El Nido)—to Clark International Airport by March 29, 2026. Coron and El Nido are prime destinations for many foreign tourists, with 220,149 traveling to Coron, and 366,763 to El Nido in 2024. They accounted for more than 61 percent of total tourists in these two destinations, as per data from the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Following the announcement, Rajah Tours Philippines President Jose C. Clemente III warned that,
By Lorenz S. Marasigan
TEXT and call scams in the Philippines dropped sharply in 2025, but authorities and cybersecurity players warned that fraudsters are shifting to phishing links, fake social media pages, and even deepfake-driven deception this year.
The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and trust-tech firm Gogolook reported that text scams plunged from 6.1 million in 2024 to 822,634 in 2025, while scam calls fell from 610,688 to 477,302.
Officials credited the drop to stronger public reporting and the wider use of the 1326 National Anti-Scam Hotline. However, Gogolook’s Whoscall 2025 Philippines Scam Report
flagged phishing as the fastestgrowing threat, with risky URLs rising from 13,602 in the first quarter to 49,431 by the fourth quarter of 2025, or nearly four times higher within the year.
“Scammers are shifting from calls and texts toward malicious links and fake social media sites because URLs are easier to spread, harder to verify, and far more scalable,” said Mel Migriño, General Manager of Gogolook Philippines. CICC Executive Director Renato Paraiso said scam reports and digital fraud data are becoming critical tools for enforcement and faster response. He said data helps authorities identify patterns and respond to emerging threats.
“This can be a source for actionable intelligence. When scam data
Scammers shifting to phising links–CICC
is responsibly shared, it allows us to spot patterns, trace digital footprints, and respond faster to emerging threats,” he said.
The agency reported a 38-percent decline in recorded cybercrimes nationwide in December, citing improved inter-agency coordination.
For 2026, Migriño said the declining trend in text and call scams does not mean fraud is slowing down overall, as scammers continue to migrate to online platforms where fake identities can be produced quickly.
She also warned of the “proliferation of deepfake-as-a-service,” which could make impersonation scams more convincing and harder for victims to detect.
All these, she said, will require faster URL takedowns, stronger intelligence sharing among platforms, and broader consumer participation in reporting suspicious activity.
Continued
Govt scraps chicken MDM from SSG duty coverage
By Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
THEDepartment of Agriculture (DA) has removed mechanically deboned meat (MDM) of chicken from the list of farm products that will be slapped with special safeguard (SSG) duties.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. confirmed to the BusinessMirror that the agency has recalled its Department Order (DO) 5, which initially sought to impose SSG on five farm goods after their respective cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) breached the trigger prices.
DO 5 would have authorized the government to impose price-based SSG duties on these products, as stipulated in Republic Act (RA) 8800. “I had it recalled to remove MDM,
monetary policy meeting on February 19.
Remolona said, however, that the gross domestic product (GDP) data, is
since it should have been included,” he recently told this newspaper. “It’s possible to consider that the [trigger price for chicken MDM] hasn’t been breached. We will reissue the order.”
In the previous order that had since been removed from its website, the DA sought the imposition of SSG on five agricultural goods.
These products include out-quota of frozen chicken MDM; other meat and edible meat offal, salted, in brine, dried or smoked except freeze-dried
not the only factor that would prompt another interest rate cut.
“Our mandate is inflation. Inflation is the number one factor,” the BSP gov-
diced chicken and dried pork skin; onion, except bulbs for propagation.
Also included are: other prepared and preserved meat, meat offal, blood of turkeys except those mechanically deboned or separated meat; and other prepared and preserved meat, meat offal, blood, except those of turkey and chicken.
The respective trigger prices for the mentioned commodities are as follows: frozen chicken MDM, P93.96 per kilo; edible meat offal, P70.5 per kilo; onions, P74.21 per kilo.
Furthermore, trigger prices for other prepared and preserved meat, meat offal, blood of turkeys, P259.22 per kilo; while other prepared and preserved meat, meat offal, blood except those of turkey and chicken, P298.55 per kilo.
“Price-based SSG measures to be imposed shall be on a shipment-by-shipment basis, depend-
ernor said, adding that the monetary board considers the United States Federal Reserve’s decision as one data point among many.
During its monetary policy meeting last December 11,2025, the BSP’s Monetary Board decided to reduce the BSP’s Target Reverse Repurchase (RRP) Rate by 25 basis points to 4.50 percent.
The BSP signaled in December that it may be approaching the end of its easing cycle, after delivering its 25-basis-point rate cut, the fifth reduction in 2025.
Remolona said in a press briefing last month that the cut “will revive economic activity a bit at a time when painful governance
ing on the difference between the actual CIF price at the time of lodgment of import documents and the corresponding trigger price,” the order read.
The special safeguard (SSG) duty is a trade mechanism that a country can impose on imported products that fall below a trigger price. Additional duties are computed based on the difference between the value of the imported product and the trigger price.
Under RA 8800, 50 percent of revenues collected from fees, charges, and safeguard duties on imported goods will be earmarked for the Competitiveness Enhancement Measures Fund (CEMF) to boost domestic industries injured by increased imports.
This year, the DA received a P25 million appropriation from the CEMF, based on budget documents. The balance of the CEMF as of end-2024 stood at P5.16 billion.
issues around infrastructure investments have weakened government spending, business confidence, and domestic demand.”
While he recognized that monetary policy cannot directly address the corruption scandal, it can compensate for its impacts on business sentiment and investor confidence.
“When those things weaken, it would weaken growth, and lower policy rates can compensate for that,” Remolona said.
While it usually takes one to two years for monetary policy to take its full effect, recovery could be expected in 2026 and 2027 due to See “GDP,” A10
on the possible impact of this shift on local travel and destination accessibility.”
“There will now be extra costs tacked in to the transfers between Manila and Clark and vice versa. Moreover, there will now be an extra two hours of travel time between Manila and Clark. As time is precious for tourists, that can become a dealbreaker for a lot of travelers.”
No consultation?
HE added: “Timings for connecting flights will have to be adjusted, higher rates will have to be imposed, and the inconvenience needs to be addressed to our overseas partners…. The destinations that are serviced by this move will also be adversely affected as we will probably funnel our guests to destinations that have better and cheaper accessibility.”
A 51-year veteran in inbound tourism, Rajah Tours also undertakes the annual Very Important Pinoy tours from the United States and Canada. Clemente was former president of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines.
The transfer of turboprops was ordered by the Manila Slot Coordinating Committee (MSCC) in December 2024 to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) and accommodate more widebody jets and additional flight frequencies by carriers to select destinations.
For her part, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the DOT had already pushed the Department of Transportation (DOTr) “as early as March 2025” to coordinate with tour operators on the turboprops move. “DOT likewise supported and endorsed to DOTr the concerns raised by local local government units, Coron and Siargao, in particular,
While she recognized the advantages of the turboprop transfer such as “the potential for international flights expansion, greater convenience for Central and Northern Luzon travelers, and positive gains for the Clark ecosystem and local economy,” Frasco warned of its “potential impacts on domestic tourism,” currently valued at US$70 billion (P4.2 trillion).
‘Purely a DOTr move’
THE DOT is also mindful of possible added costs to travelers, as ticket pricing and ground transport expenses may increase overall trip costs. Hence, the DOT voiced these concerns [to the DOTr] on several occasions,” she said. The DOT chief underscored: “Progress in connectivity must be balanced with the needs of local travelers and impacts on local destinations. We will continue to work with the DOTr and industry stakeholders to help ensure that the benefits of this transition are realized while addressing its challenges, without compromising accessibility, affordability, and the continued growth of domestic tourism.”
While the DOT sits as vice chair of the Civil Aeronautics Board, a member of the MSCC, Frasco stressed that “airport operations and air transport management fall within the purview of the DOTr and its attached agencies.”
The MSCC order also covers Philippine Airlines, which started relocating its turboprops last year to Clark and Cebu, affecting its Coron, Siargao, and Basco flights. CEB earlier transferred its turboprop operations for Masbate, Siargao, Naga, and San Jose (Mindoro) to Clark.
lack of liquidity impairs a firm’s ability to cope with the crisis and withstand business closures.
“Analysis of cash flow accounts suggests that the increase in cash was primarily driven by positive net cash flows from operating and investing activities. Given the fall in revenues, an increase in cash flow from firm operations may indicate a reduction in operational expenditures. Meanwhile, an increase in cash flow from investing activities may indicate a reduction or liquidation of investments in response to the crisis,” the paper read. The authors said the rise in inventories likely reflects the adverse effects of business closures and restrictions on the mobility of goods and services during the pandemic. In addition, increases in trade receivables suggest that companies extended more supplier credit to customers for their sales.
“Interestingly, we found diverging debt patterns. Liquid firms increased their long-term borrowing during the pandemic, more prominently at its height in 2020,” the experts noted, further explaining that this indicates that financially healthy firms were able to access debt markets. In contrast, “illiquid” firms showed higher short-term debt, suggesting limited financing options and a potential reliance on credit purchases or accrued expenses.
Overall, the paper said the net working capital (NWC) of large corporations remained healthy, on average, by the end of 2020.
However, the authors observed a “deterioration” in NWC for illiquid firms beginning in 2021, hinting at heightened financial fragility amid a prolonged crisis.
Separating the data between the tradable and non-tradable sectors, the authors said they found that the onset of the pandemic coincided with a buildup of cash, particularly in the non-tradable sector and among illiquid firms.
Inventory accumulation was also more pronounced in the non-tradable sector such as goods and services that could not be traded outside the lockdown area.
Tradable sectors include agriculture, manufacturing, mining and quarrying, financial services, communications, professional services, and transport and storage.
Meanwhile, non-tradable sectors include construction, electricity and gas, water and sanitation, education, health, entertainment, hotels and restaurants, other services, real estate, and trade.
The paper noted that the findings on liquidity and solvency suggest the “need to enhance credit access for financially constrained firms.”
“Given the heightened vulnerability of these firms, liquidity support may be enhanced through temporary and targeted loan moratoria and tax relief, reductions in policy interest rates and reserve requirements, the creation of emergency lending facilities, and the expansion of collateral frameworks to improve access to financing,” the discussion paper read.
As reflected in their results, the authors noted that sector-specific and firm-segmented evidence can guide “more coordinated” fiscal and monetary responses, ranging from wage subsidy programs and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) credit lines to targeted liquidity support and digital payments infrastructure.
“Ultimately, a segmented, evidence-based framework can better align fiscal interventions, financial regulation, and central banking operations, enabling a more inclusive and resilient path to recovery,” they added. This approach ensures that macroeconomic stability is not achieved at the expense of micro-level resilience and that both large firms and MSMEs receive “tailored, equitable” opportunities for recovery and growth.
DA rationalizes high-value crops development program
TBy Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
HE Department of Agricul -
ture (DA) will split its highvalue crops development program into three divisions to boost the country’s production.
DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered to divide the HVCDP into three groups, with emphasis on the coffee industry.
He said the first group, focusing on local production of traditional crops, will be led by Agriculture Undersecretary Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero.
Another group will put primacy on 10 export-based crops, including bananas, avocados, pineapples, rambutan, and dragon fruit, among others. This will be headed by DA Assistant Secretary Philip Young.
In addition, de Mesa said that there will be a special emphasis on coffee to be led by Agriculture Undersecretary Jerome Oliveros.
Earlier, Caballero told the BusinessMirror that the DA is in the process of reviewing proposals under the Competitiveness Enhancement Measures Fund (CEMF), all 13 of which came from the coffee sector. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/12/22/
govt-wants-to-hasten-rolloutof-cemf-projects/)
The DA is also revising the rules for the availment of the fund meant to boost the competitiveness of domestic industries injured by increased imports.
Among the adjustments in the policy were the Office of Special Concerns and for Official Development Assistance (ODA) taking over the handling of the CEMF from the HVCDP to leverage additional funds.
“The group will be reconstituted so the assessment and review can be faster,” Caballero said. “With the Secretary’s direction to implement it as quickly as possible, and with a new group taking over, the implementation will be faster.”
Last September, Nestlé Philippines said it proposed changes to the CEMF availment which it submitted to the DA.
One of Nestlé’s recommendations is to allow up to 100 percent in-kind equity for small farmers’ associations, “recognizing that these groups can contribute labor, produce, and existing assets more readily than cash.”
It also urged the government to simplify supporting documents so that compliance requirements are “practical and farmer-friendly.”
Zambales fishermen get vessels
By Henry Empeño
IBA, Zambales—The Zambales provincial government received on Friday two 45-footer fiberglass-hulled fishing boats worth P10 million to kickstart the modernization of the local fishing industry and boost fishermen’s catch.
Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. named the FV Zambales III and FV Zambales IV during a ceremony that was attended by other local government officials at the Coast Guard Substation in barangay Amungan here following their turnover by the builder Stoneworks Specialist International Corp.
Ebdane said the vessels were procured under a livelihood assistance program initiated by the Zambales Maritime Development Council (ZMDC) last year. The provincial government organized the ZMDC in late 2024 to address fishermen’s concerns at the WPS and promote sustainable local fish production.
The fishing boats will be operated by members of the Zambales Provincial Fisherfolks Association (ZPFA), a federation of 10 local fisherfolk cooperatives headed
by its chairman Paulo Quitaneg. The new boats, Ebdane said, are “a concrete proof of the government’s concern over the plight of local fishermen who risk their lives at sea to eke out a living” and a recognition of the need for them to modernize and be more competitive.
“The provincial government will continue to support you,” Ebdane told fisherfolk in the turnover rites. “We will continue to help develop the fishing sector in Zambales, which is a priority of this administration,” he added. Local fishermen had increasingly faced difficulty catching fish in their traditional fishing grounds around the Bajo de Masinloc after China occupied it in 2012, and despite an Arbitral Ruling in 2016 that invalidated China’s broad claims and affirmed the rights of Filipinos to fish in the area.
Ebdane said the procurement of modern vessels for local fishermen “is the logical next step in pursuit of a long-term solution to the WPS problem by giving local fishers a significant fighting chance.”
See “Fishermen,” A5
19 airports to get ₧7.8 billion for capital outlays this year
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
AT least 19 airports in the country will receive a combined P7.8 billion in capital outlays this year, a move aimed at tightening inter-island air connections and improving mobility between regions, the House minority leader said on Sunday.
House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan said the funding under the 2026 General Appropriations Act will modernize aviation facilities in key provincial gateways, making it easier and faster for people, goods, and tourists to move between islands.
“We are counting on these upgrades to enhance the overall air travel experience for passengers,
attract more tourists, support the growth of small and medium enterprises, and create additional jobs,” Libanan said.
The Minority Leader said the disclosure of the airport allocations is part of the Minority bloc’s duty to keep the public informed and ensure transparency in the use of public funds.
“We are reporting these fund -
ing allocations so communities can monitor the progress of airport upgrades in their respective areas,” Libanan said.
Libanan identified the following airports as recipients of facilities development funding under the 2026 national budget: New Dumaguete Airport, which will receive P2.5 billion; Tacloban Airport, P741.7 million; Mati Airport, P700 million; Laoag International Airport, P507.3 million; New Naga Airport, P444.6 million; Ormoc Airport, P433 million; Busuanga Airport, P415 million; Candon Airport, P350 million; New Manila International Airport, P200 million; Catbalogan Airport, P200 million; Kalibo International Airport, P195.5 million; Camiguin Airport, P150 million; Bukidnon Airport, P150 million; Daet Airport, P150 million; Bicol International Airport, P150 million; Central Mindanao (M’lang) Airport, P100 million; Siargao Airport, P100 million; and
Antique Airport, P99.5 million.
“These allocations are fully itemized in the 2026 national budget,” said Libanan, the nominee of the 4Ps party-list group. He also noted that Busuanga Airport and Siargao Airport will receive additional funding of P70 million and P23 million, respectively, for night rating improvements.
Cauayan Airport is, likewise, allocated P160 million for its night rating upgrade.
Night rating an airport refers to equipping it with the lighting, navigation, and safety systems to allow aircraft operations at night or under low-visibility conditions, not just during daylight hours. The Department of Transportation said the funds will be used for the construction or improvement of runways, taxiways, ramps, control towers, and passenger terminals, as well as for the acquisition of navigation and safety equipment.
Dole to verify Tupad beneficiaries through PhilSys
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
IN a bid to strengthen the monitoring system of its emergency employment program, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) said it will now verify beneficiaries using the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys). Dole–Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) Director Leilani M. Reynoso said over the weekend that the agency has coordinated with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to use the National ID system to check whether applicants for the Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced
Workers (Tupad) program are truly qualified.
“Their National ID…PSA shared with us that there is now a system where, once a person’s authentication is entered, it can really be seen if that person is qualified because the information will show whether they meet the criteria to become a Tupad beneficiary,” Reynoso said, mostly in Filipino.
According to Reynoso, the Labor department’s monitoring system is “tight,” but she said it cannot be considered foolproof, as she acknowledged that some beneficiaries may still slip through.
“To be honest, our qualification process is already strict, but of course I cannot say that
absolutely everyone is covered because sometimes there may still be a few who manage to slip through,” she added.
Under Department Order 239, Series of 2023, Tupad provides temporary employment ranging from 10 to 90 days for disadvantaged workers aged 18 and above, excluding government employees.
The guidelines also specify that only one family member may avail of the program, and only once per calendar year, except in cases of natural or humaninduced calamities.
In previous years, the Commission on Audit (COA) has repeatedly flagged duplications in Tupad payouts in several regions.
Most recently, in its 2024 report, state auditors found “excessive payments or availments” involving 39 Tupad beneficiaries in the National Capital Region (NCR). Reynoso said Dole’s coordination with PSA would also help curb such cases, as PhilSys can detect applicants who have already become beneficiaries within the same year. “And what’s good about the system that will now be implemented in partnership with PSA is that it will show if there are duplications…to prevent double availing of Tupad. It will immediately be flagged if someone has already received it…That process is now underway,” she said.
CamSur congressmen to Senate: Act on bill modernizing building standards
CITING the urgent need to modernize the country’s outdated building standards, members of the lower chamber are calling on the Senate to act swiftly on a House-approved measure aimed at making Philippine infrastructure more resilient to natural disasters.
Camarines Sur Reps. Migz Villafuerte and Luigi Villafuerte said the House of Representatives has already passed House Bill 6615, which seeks to strengthen build -
ings against earthquakes, fires, floods, landslides, storms, and volcanic eruptions.
The two lawmakers, in a statement, appealed to senators to pass their own version of HB 6615 as Congress resumes session on Monday, stressing that the measure is long overdue.
They underscored the urgency of congressional approval, noting that the Philippines was recently ranked the world’s most disaster-prone country,
with a Risk Index of 46.91 percent—nearly double its 2018 score of 26.70 percent.
They also cited findings from a global review by the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank covering 22 countries, which said the Philippines needs to modernize its building code.
The review recommended adding provisions to address resilience to strong winds and flooding, improving standards for retaining walls and seismic isolation
systems, and including design guidelines for confined masonry and vernacular timber structures. HB 6615 proposes the enactment of a New Philippine Building Act to better prepare the country for major disasters, including the feared “Big One” earthquake that experts warn could topple at least 10 percent of structures in Metro Manila, the Villafuertes said.
Arrest of anti-mining protesters, dispersal of human barricade in Dupax lawful–PNP
TBy Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
HE Nueva Vizcaya police arrested seven anti-mining protesters and dispersed a human barricade formed along the Keon barangay road in Dupax del Norte.
Armed with an arrest warrant issued by a Nueva Viscaya court, the police said among those arrested is professed anti-mining leader Florentino Daynos, whose group had defied a court order to remove their road barricade to prevent entry to the mining tenement of Woggle Corporation.
The police stressed that all actions were carried out strictly in compliance with the court’s directives and in accordance with the
principle of maximum tolerance.
On Saturday, the protesters held a peace rally, attended by members of academe, the church, and community stakeholders, to denounce the arrest.
In a statement, Col. Paul T. Bometivo, NV police commander, said that the PNP acted solely in support of the judiciary, following the court’s express instructions.
“Our actions are anchored entirely on lawful court orders. The PNP did not initiate this enforcement; we merely assisted the court in the execution of its writ,” Bometivo said.
The clarification followed the orders issued by Judge Paul R. Attolba Jr. of Branch 30 of the Regional Trial Court in Bayombong directing the enforcement
of a Writ of Preliminary Injunction and authorizing the arrest of individuals who obstruct its implementation.
The writ covers access along the Keon barangay road leading to mining exploration areas operated by Woggle Corporation, holder of Exploration Permit 00030-II issued by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB).
Court records showed that while earlier physical barricades had been removed, groups opposing the project subsequently formed human barricades, preventing the movement of company personnel and contractors.
The court ruled that these actions constituted patent disobedience and a circumvention of judicial authority.
In its January 19 order, the RTC expressly directed court sheriffs, with police assistance, to arrest— without need of further court instruction—any individual who refuses, resists, or obstructs the implementation of the writ. The court also ordered the identification of those involved for possible indirect contempt of court, punishable by fines and imprisonment under the Rules of Court.
Bometivo emphasized that police operations were conducted with restraint and professionalism.
“We observed maximum tolerance at all times. There was no use of unnecessary force, and the situation was resolved peacefully,” he said.
“Our priority is to maintain
public order while fully respecting constitutional rights and human dignity.”
The provincial police reiterated that the PNP is not a party to the mining dispute and exercises no independent discretion in determining enforcement actions. “This is a matter of judicial enforcement. Respect for court
Brawner joins patrol at Malampaya
By Rex Anthony Naval
GEN. Romeo Brawner Jr., Armed Forces chief
of
staff,
late last week joined a monitoring patrol over the Malampaya Natural Gas Power Plant off the coast of Palawan, highlighting the military’s commitment to guard and defend the country’s energy security.
In addition, Brawner also visited Joint Task Force (JTF) Malampaya headquarters in Palawan to assess its security posture and operational readiness.
“The visit underscored the
AFP’s unwavering commitment to protect strategic national assets that are vital to the Philippines’ energy security and economic stability. A briefing was conducted on current security measures,
ongoing maritime and air patrol operations, and inter-agency coordination efforts implemented to ensure the continuous and safe operation of the Malampaya facility,” the AFP said.
During his tour, Brawner emphasized the importance of sustained vigilance, professionalism, among personnel tasked to secure the country’s offshore resources.
He also commended the personnel of JTF Malampaya for their dedication and readiness in carrying out their mandate amid evolving security challenges in the maritime domain.
“The AFP continues to intensify its presence and monitoring operations in key strategic areas as part of its broader mission to defend national sovereignty, uphold maritime rights, and ensure
House to focus on Ledac priority bills
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
AS the House of Representa -
tives reconvenes on Monday, the chamber is setting a more aggressive timetable to move legislation forward, with 36 out of 48 priority bills identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) still awaiting action.
House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos said the chamber, under Speaker Faustino G. Dy III, will adopt a quicker and more disciplined approach to ensure that the administration’s legislative agenda stays on course.
He said the focus will remain on measures that directly affect everyday life, particularly those tied to food security, health services, education, and social protection.
Marcos stressed that the House has already shown it can deliver when lawmakers agree on urgency and preparation. He said the challenge now is to maintain that pace, stick to set schedules, and keep debates centered on policies that produce tangible benefits for Filipino families.
Citing recent accomplishments, Marcos noted that in just 22 session days, the House passed 12 Ledac bills on third and final reading. During the same period, 7,127 bills and 660 resolutions were filed, with 86 measures approved and 584 processed in committees
By Samual Medenilla @sam_medenilla
MALACAÑANG said President Marcos’ health is a serious concern and should not be used for one’s ulterior motive.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued the statement during the weekend when asked about a reaction on a recent video made by the Chief Executive’s sister, Sen. Imelda Josefa Remedios Marcos. In the video clip, the lawmaker blamed “neglect” for the President’s recent hospitalization.
She urged her brother to ignore the said people, who are focused on their own agenda and first focus on his health. Castro, however, said what the President currently needs are genuine words of concern and care rather than disingenuous advice from a “comedian or a clown.”
and in plenary. He said these figures demonstrate the intensity of legislative work at the opening of the new Congress.
Among the Ledac measures already approved are proposals amending the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) to strengthen the Energy Regulatory Commission, a waste-to-energy measure on waste treatment technology, the creation of a National Center for Geriatric Health, amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act.
The Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) Act, revisions to the National Building Code, the Blue Economy Act, the National Reintegration Bill, amendments to the Teachers Professionalization Act, the extension of the estate tax amnesty, the proposed Department of Water Resources, and amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law. With 36 Ledac measures still pending, Marcos said priority will be given to bills on agriculture, health, education, and social welfare. He said committees will be pushed to speed up deliberations and coordinate more closely before plenary debates to prevent bottlenecks.
For agriculture and food security, he identified the proposed amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law, the Fisheries Code, and the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act as key measures
“Let’s not make a joke about the President’s health. Don’t be a comedian or a clown in giving advice,” she said in Filipino in a statement issued to Palace reporters last Sunday.
“A person who has been through an illness needs a true heart and care. Don’t be plastic [insincere] in the eyes of the majority,” she added. On Wednesday evening, Marcos was temporarily confined in a hospital after suffering from abdominal discomfort. He later said that he was diagnosed as having diverticulitis, a medical condition where the large intestine suffers from inflammation, causing stomach pain.
The condition prevented Marcos from attending several events last week.
However, he assured that the condition, which he attributed to his hectic schedule, was not life threatening.
the protection of critical infrastructure essential to national development,” the AFP said.
As this developed, the Department of National Defense (DND) roundly scored the statement made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign which contained the quoted section:
“Certain Philippine uniformed service members, driven by personal political motives, have repeatedly made outrageous and absurd statements and habitually incite confrontation. Such behavior is despicable. A word of advice to relevant individuals in the Philippines: immediately stop making provocations and stop confusing right and wrong, or they will pay the price for what they did.”
Assistant Defense Secretary Arsenio Andolong, DND spokesman, said: “The DND and the
aimed at boosting production, stabilizing markets, and protecting both farmers and consumers.
In the health sector, Marcos pointed to pending amendments to the Universal Health Care Act, saying lawmakers are reviewing ways to broaden access, improve service delivery, and make the system more responsive to patients’ needs.
On education, he cited the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program, amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, and changes to the Local Government Code affecting the special education fund.
These, he said, are meant to help schools cope with shortages in facilities and resources while strengthening support for learners.
For social welfare, he highlighted the proposed amendments to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act and the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act, describing them as reforms intended to reinforce safety nets for the country’s most vulnerable families.
Marcos said many lawmakers believe that delays in service delivery translate to denial of service, adding that if the administration deems these measures necessary, the House will work swiftly to turn them into law so the public can benefit as soon as possible.
Continued from A3
MOLTEN lava continued to flow from the crater during an effusive eruption at Mayon Volcano, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
Effusive eruption is a type of volcanic activity where magma rises to the surface and flows out, creating lava flows or domes. Phivolcs reported that glowing lava slowly flowed from the crater of Mayon on January 6, or 19 days ago.
Currently under Alert Level 3 or intensified unrest, Mayon is a classic but young stratovolcano known for its near-perfect cylindrical cone. It is one of the country’s most active volcanoes.
Lava flow occurs when lowviscosity, gas-poor magma allows gas to escape easily, resulting in a
AFP strongly condemn such an affront to any of its members and reiterate that it shall not be cowed by any official of the People’s Republic of Chinese [PROC] whether in their homeland or as guests here,” adding, “we shall continue to speak against their lies and malign actions when such are committed.”
The statement, Andolong said, “proves the unflinching and twisted attempt by the PROC to spread distorted narratives and to continue with its ineffective and distasteful campaign to bully smaller countries.”
“The WPS and any of its features have never been part of the PROC and we shall continue to perform our duty to stop the PROC’s malign influence and illegal activities in our areas of jurisdiction,” he added.
Navy sends missile frigate to help in search for missing Pinoy seamen
THE Navy (PN) on Saturday night announced that the guided missile frigate, BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) was deployed by the Naval Defense Command to help the ongoing search-and-rescue (SAR) mission for the crew of Singaporeanflagged cargo vessel M/V Devon Bay which capsized near Bajo de Masinloc, West Philippine Sea (WPS) on January 23.
“Upon order, FF-150 immediately departed from its present position to conduct SAR mission to the crew of M/V Devon Bay, a Singapore cargo vessel that capsized at vicinity 55 nautical miles northwest off Bajo de Masinloc, Zambales in the WPS,” it added.
Earlier reports said that 14 crewmen of the ship were found and rescued and now in stable condition.
M/V Devon Bay had an allFilipino crew of 21 at the time of the sinking.
“Other relevant agencies also dispatched SAR assets maximizing the capability to assist in search and rescue. Ongoing efforts are being conducted to locate the missing crew,” the PN said.
It added that it remains committed to the timely and effective
orders is indispensable to the rule of law,” Bometivo said.
Police authorities also reminded stakeholders that disputes
gentle outflow rather than an explosive blast or violent explosion.
Phivolcs reported that lava flow from Mayon Volcano’s summit crater has reached an approximate distance of 1.3 to 3.2 kilometers downslope of the Mi-isi, Bonga, and Basud Gullies on January 24.
Crater glow at Mayon remains visible to the naked eye, Phivolcs said in its summary of 24-hour observation ending at 12 midnight on Saturday.
During the observation period from 12:01 a.m. to 12 midnight Saturday, Phivolc said it recorded one volcanic earthquake and one ongoing tremor.
These seismic activities triggered 253 rockfall events and 44 pyroclastic density currents, locally calleduson.
Phivolcs said Mayon continued
Chiz urges govt to advance tripartite deal to empower local governments
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
THE national government was urged to advance the proposed tripartite agreement among the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Such a framework, according to Senator Francis Escudero, will empower qualified local governments (LGU) to achieve accelerated growth through improved infrastructure, stronger rural connectivity, and better school facilities.
Escudero, in a recent conversation with Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon, said he was informed that the proposed agreement identifies two key requirements for LGUs that will be prioritized: demonstrated capacity to implement and complete projects, and a stable peace-and-order environment that allows development programs to proceed without disruption.
conduct of search and rescue missions, and continues to coordinate with relevant agencies to assist ongoing operations.
As this developed, the PN also said that Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) is also helping on the ongoing SAR operations for the missing motor banca, MBCA Amejara, along with its crew and passengers in Davao waters.
“In support of the ongoing SAR efforts led by the Office Civil Defense, the Navy through BRP Artemio Ricarte [PS-37] and BRP Tagbanua [LC-296] are actively conducting continuous SAR operations covering the waters of Sarangani and extending towards the Philippine–Indonesia border areas,” it added.
In addition, NFEM deployed a Navy aircraft, Beechcraft King Air C-90 (NV-392), to conduct maritime air surveillance over the Philippine–Indonesia maritime borders to locate possible survivors.
“As of Jan. 24, SAR units were able to recover a total of four bodies and were turned over to the BRP Artemio Ricarte for transportation, disposition, and coordination with concerned authorities for the identification of the bodies,” the PN said. Rex Anthony Naval
“The national government should focus on LGUs that have shown they can plan well, execute well, and maintain order,” Escudero said. “When local governments are capable, national-local partnerships become faster, more efficient, and more impactful.”
“Our LGUs should also take advantage of this new business model by meeting these requirements so they can access more support, unlock bigger opportunities, and deliver development programs more quickly to their constituents,” he added.
The tripartite model, Escuderod said, is applicable to all provinces nationwide, provided that LGUs meet the agreement’s requirements on capacity and peace and order.
He added that the DPWHDepEd-DA partnership can serve as a template for future collaborations aimed at improving infrastructure, enhancing education facilities, and supporting agricultural productivity.
“This is exactly how the Local Government Code envisioned development—strong national support matched with capable, empowered LGUs delivering results on the ground,” Escudero pointed out.
“When we back LGUs that are ready and proven, progress becomes faster, fairer, and felt by more families,” he also said.
related to mining activities fall within the jurisdiction of proper regulatory and judicial bodies under Republic Act 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, and should not be addressed through self-help measures that undermine court authority.
to emit sulfur dioxide at 2,327 tons per day on January 24. Plumes also created a wall reaching 600 meters high from the crater.
At Alert Level 3, entry into the six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) and entry without vigilance into the Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) of Mayon is prohibited.
Authorities also prohibit flying any aircraft close to the volcano because of the danger of moderatesized explosions and ballistic fragments happening anytime aside from rockfalls, landslides or avalanches, lava flows, lava fountaining PDC, and lahars during heavy and prolonged rainfall.
19 earthquakes at Kanlaon DURING the same observation period, Phivolcs recorded 19 volcanic
earthquakes at Kanlaon Volcano on Negros island. Kanlaon is currently under Alert level 2 or Increased Unrest. Sulfur Dioxide emission reached 2,094 tons per day on January 24, while plume emission was moderate but still reached a height of 50 meters above the crater.
Two other restive volcanoes current being monitored by Phivolcs: Bulusan in Sorsogon and Taal in Batangas. Both under Alert Level 1 or a low level of unrest.
At Alert Level 1 and 2, entry into the four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) and flying any aircraft close to the volcano are prohibited because of the possible hazards that can occur, such as steam-driven or phreatic eruption.
Jonathan L.
Mayuga
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Cousin in law tells Marcos: Do not be derailed by impeachment cases
AA5 Monday, January 26, 2026
CamSur. . .
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
MID the filing of impeachment complaints, a lawmaker urged President Marcos not to let the moves derail his work, calling on the chief executive to remain focused on public service and economic recovery.
At the same time, the House of Representatives assured that it will not block any impeachment complaint filed against Marcos or any other impeachable official, stressing that all such cases will be properly received and acted upon in accordance with the rules.
Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, in a recent interview, said the President would have the opportunity to answer the accusations at the proper time, stressing that the issue should not distract him from governing.
“There is a process, and when the time comes for him to give his side, he will be heard. So my unsolicited advice is that this should not be a distraction for him. That is my view,” Tiangco, a first cousin in law of Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez, said.
He added that Marcos has a continuing responsibility to deliver basic services, especially at a time when many Filipinos are struggling due to economic difficulties.
“He also has the responsibility to continue providing services to our people. We all know that our economy is facing challenges and our countrymen are having a hard time. So he should concentrate on that,” Tiangco said.
He noted that impeachment proceedings do not only affect political leaders but can also have broader economic repercussions, affecting Filipinos both in the country and abroad.
“Of course, when the economy is affected, our people here are affected as well. Naturally, their relatives who are overseas workers breadwinners sending money back home are also affected,” he said.
The lawmaker reiterated his earlier position that Congress is constitutionally mandated to act on any impeachment complaint filed before it, as provided under the 1987 Constitution.
Properly act
HOUSE Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos said the chamber will not block and will properly act on any impeachment complaint filed against the president or any other impeachable official.
Marcos said the House is duty-bound under the Constitution to process any impeachment complaint once it is formally filed with the Office of the House Secretary General and transmitted to the Office of the Speaker.
“The House, under the Constitution, has the duty to act on any impeachment complaint filed against any impeachable official,” Marcos said.
He explained that once transmitted, the complaint will be referred to the Committee on Rules for inclusion in the Order of Business and eventual referral to the Committee on Justice.
Marcos said it is the responsibility of the plenary to refer any impeachment complaint to the House Committee on Justice after it has been included in the Calendar of Business and read in plenary.
“Congress has a constitutional duty to refer the impeachment complaint to the House Committee on Justice once it is placed in the Order of Business and read in plenary,” he said.
Marcos added that the House must hear and consider any impeachment complaint, even if it involves his own father.
Marcos stressed that the House must hear and consider any impeachment complaint, even if it involves his own father.
“The House must hear any impeachment complaint that may be filed, even if it is against my father,” he said.
He emphasized that impeachment is a constitutional process governed by established rules and due process, and that the House is expected to act impartially and in accordance with procedure.
The first impeachment complaint was filed by lawyer Andre de Jesus on January 19 and was endorsed by House Deputy Minority Leader Jett Nisay, the nominee of the party-list group Pusong Pinoy.
Two other groups have also attempted to file separate impeachment complaints against the Chief Executive.
Continued from A4
Beyond these four sectors, Marcos also listed other pending Ledac measures in the House work program. These include proposals to modernize the Bureau of Immigration, enact a National Land Use Act, create an Independent People’s Commission, establish a Presidential Merit Scholarship Program, Expand the regulatory framework for waste-to-energy, impose an excise tax on single-use plastics, pass the Philippine Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Act, strengthen the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, introduce disaster risk financing insurance, amend the Magna Carta for MSMEs, pass the Right to Information bill, reprogram the Seal of Good Local Governance,
Enact a general tax amnesty, regulate online gambling, adopt a national infrastructure and development masterplan, institutionalize progressive budgeting, bar close relatives of officials from certain government contracts, pass a Cybersecurity Act and a Digital Payments Act, Regulate the use of artificial intelligence and social media in elections, enact a Magna Carta for Barangays, amend the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Law and the Biofuels Act, require civil servants to waive bank secrecy, amend the AntiMoney Laundering Act, pass the CADENA Act, ban political dynasties, and reform the party-list system.
“We’re not promising miracles, but we are committing to hard deadlines, tighter coordination, and a House that treats time as a responsibility. If we want real reforms, we have to deliver with the urgency the public expects from us,” Marcos said.
Police-military heightens coordination against terrorism in Mindanao
THE National Police (PNP) acting
Chief, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio
Nartatez Jr., has ordered strict monitoring and intensified intelligencegathering to help deter terrorism-related recruitment and training in Mindanao.
Nartatez said the police force is constantly coordinating with the Armed Forces (AFP) and the intelligence community. He said strict monitoring is regularly done to preempt terrorists’ plans.
“We treat all the information we receive seriously. And while there are already significant gains in improving peace, order, and development in areas in Mindanao that used to be the sites of armed conflict, we continue to monitor the situation on the ground with the help of our AFP counterparts,” Nartatez said in a statement on Sunday.
A group engaged in monitoring violence and advocating peace in Mindanao has warned of alleged recruitment and training activities of Dawlah Islamiyah (DI) in the provinces of Lanao and Maguindanao following a Jan. 23 ambush in Munai, Lanao del Norte that left four soldiers dead.
Suspected members of the DI–Maute Group allegedly attacked government forces who were conducting non-combat security operations for the development of the community.
Nartatez said military and police personnel in Lanao and Maguindanao are not lowering their guard on any threat involving peace and order in the area in line with the directive of President Marcos to maintain an uncompromising stance against internal security threats and ensure the continuous stability of the Bangsamoro region.
He said strict monitoring and intervention measures have always been a part of the protocol to maintain the significant achievements of the national government in pushing for peace and development in
Mindanao.
Nartatez, who once served as head of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, also cited the importance of community involvement in peace and order efforts.
Earlier the Climate Conflict Action Asia (CCAA) warned the government on the resurgence of violent extremism (VE) in Mindanao following the ambush that killed four soldiers in barangay Lininding, Munai, Lanao del Norte, on January 23.
CCAA’s Critical Events Monitoring System has documented a 91 percent surge in VE incidents—from 23 in 2024 to 44 in 2025. This near doubling of violent incidents include deadly encounters between DI and military forces (resulting in 30 deaths), arrests of DI-linked financiers and drug dealers, and recovery of high-powered weapons including M-16 rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
CCAA has been tracking persistent VE recruitment over the past two years, and have confirmed a resurgence in the BARMM. Police, media, and community reports indicate an impervious presence in the Lanao and Maguindanao corridors and a reemergence in areas previously declared as Isis (Islamic State of Iraq and Syra)-free.
The November 15, 2025 encounter in Pagayawan, Lanao del Sur, that killed DI leader “Abu Jihad” and his wife, and reports following the December 14, 2025 Bondi beach attack in Australia linking perpetrators to a visit in Davao, Mindanao underscore the gravity of this threat, CCAA said.
“While we urge caution against hasty conclusions that could fuel religious and identity-based polarization, the Lininding ambush demonstrates unequivocally that recruitment and training are ongoing, DI numbers are growing, and their operational capabilities have advanced to the point of
successfully re-engaging security forces,” said the CCAA in a press statement.
The CCAA said the rejuvenation emerges at a particularly critical and vulnerable moment. With the BARMM parliamentary elections approaching and the larger electoral contest in 2028 on the horizon, violent extremism has the potential to destabilize an already fragile peace and undermine the hard-won gains of the Bangsamoro political settlement. The stakes could not be higher.
“Pushing back the VE threat requires a state and society approach that goes beyond a hard and exclusive security response. Cooperation between government authorities at all levels and civil society groups is necessary too,” it said.
Meanwhile, the CCAA urged the government to pursue the following:
n Enhanced vigilance and monitoring of critical events with particular focus on identified VE hotspots.
n Comprehensive, innovative reintegration mechanisms that employ restorative justice approaches for former combatants and their families—not merely as security measures, but as pathways to genuinely mend community relations and address the root causes of radicalization
n Robust social support systems for families and communities, particularly youth, to prevent the deepening of grievances that fuel recruitment
n Sustained investment in community resilience programs that address economic marginalization, social exclusion, and the structural conditions that make vulnerable populations susceptible to extremist narratives
n Coordinated action across peacebuilding and development sectors to ensure VE prevention is not sidelined by other pressing concerns such as redistricting and electoral preparations. Rizal Raul Reyes with PNA
Groups protest amendments to Bangsamoro electoral code
By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox
DAVAO CITY—Some 54 mostly youth and women organizations protested some amendatory provisions to the Bangsamoro Electoral Code ahead of the rescheduled Parliamentary elections this year for the autonomous region, pointing to the downgraded percentage of women representation and the revocation of the certificates already granted to sectoral groups.
A statement signed by the presidents of the protesting groups said they “strongly register our collective indignation and strong opposition against Bangsamoro Transition Authority Bill 419 titled: ‘An Act Amending Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 35, entitled: An Act Providing for the Bangsamoro Electoral Code of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’ on the basis of highly objectionable, illegal and unjust proposals.”
They said the proposal to reduce the quota set for party nominees of regional political parties “from 30 percent to 20 percent marks a retreat from the envisioned
electoral reform, weakens representation and undermines the status of women.”
Second, they said, the proposal under Section 8 of Bill 419 “to revoke all previously issued certification of sectoral organizations, namely, Women, Youth, Ulama, Settler Communities, Traditional Leaders and Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples impairs vested rights and the constitutional guarantee to due process.”
And third, the proposal also revised the election of sectoral representatives, from election of representatives through sectoral assemblies to direct and synchronized voting during the Parliamentary elections.
The groups said that the Bangsamoro Electoral Code “has been widely hailed for enacting gender-responsive legislation, most notably the provision, which mandates, among others, a 30 percent quota for women in the party nomination.”
As they claimed that this percentage was hard-won, “reducing this to 20 percent is a big blow to the women sector necessitating the strongest indignation, and effectively dilutes women’s representation before the existing safeguards have even been fully
realized in practice.”
Also, they said, “revocation of the sectoral certificates could jeopardize the legal status and vested rights of around 187 sectoral organizations whose petitions for accreditations were already granted by the Commission on Elections en banc in 2025.”
“It must be emphasized that it took these 187 sectoral organizations almost two years to undergo the process of certification with the certifying agencies in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the subsequent accreditation process with BRAC and the Comelec en banc. These cannot be withdrawn arbitrarily by mere legislative fiat,” they said.
“Instead of moving forward, Bill 419 is a clear step backward, dripping with gender bias and relegating women back to the margins. For Moro women, in particular, a quota is not even the end goal. It is but a temporary measure to correct historical underrepresentation and systemic biases that for decades prevent women from participating, in governance and politics,” it said.
The BTA Bill 149 was filed by 11 members of Parliament.
A counterpart bill seeking to amend the Philippine Building Code (PBC) is currently pending in the Senate.
The House-approved HB 6615 serves as a substitute measure for several earlier proposals to overhaul the National Building Code, including HB 2396, or the New Philippine Building Act, which the Villafuertes filed last year with Camarines Sur Rep. Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata and Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro. The existing PBC was established through Presidential Decree 1096 in 1977 to set standards for the design, construction, and maintenance of structures nationwide.
The two lawmakers earlier backed the plan of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to revisit their two-decade-old study on the potential impact of the “Big One,” in light of the recent spate of tremors in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol said that the review of the JICA study is set to begin in 2026.
Bacolcol also recalled that the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study, conducted in 2004 by JICA in partnership with Phivolcs and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), found that movement along the 100-kilometer West Valley Fault, also known as the Marikina Valley Fault, could trigger a major earthquake. He added that the deadliest earthquake in Philippine history so far occurred in August 1976, when a tremor traced to the Cotabato Trench killed around 8,000 people. Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
Continued from A3 Fishermen. . .
Continued from A3
In the same event, the provincial government also unveiled a third boat, the MV Province of Zambales, which will be used for patrol operations in Zambales waters.
Domingo Mariano, head of the ZMDC Technical Working Group, said the two fishing boats will serve as ancillary vessels for gathering fish harvests from “payaos” or fishaggregating devices (FADs) anchored at open sea.
Powered by 125-horsepower Hyundai engines, the boats have a maximum speed of 18 knots.
Two more vessels, the future FV Zambales and FV Zambales II, which are respectively 92-footer and 100-footer harvester vessels, will soon join the fleet as “mother boats,” Mariano said. Payao fishers normally stay at sea for several days, thus the need for mother boats with bigger storage and ice supply.
The harvester vessels will also be built by Stoneworks, a company in General Trias, Cavite, which is reputedly the biggest fiberglass boat maker in the country.
Ebdane has long advocated the modernization of the Zambales fishing industry as a strategic solution to the problem faced by Filipino fishermen in the WPS, thus the formation of the ZMDC in 2024. Under this broad modernization program that includes development of fish landing sites and institutionalization of fishers’ groups into cooperatives, the Zambales provincial government had provided P10.6-million worth of “payaos” to local fishers’ groups in the last two years and also provided for their training in the operation of modern fishing vessels and maritime safety.
Dole stresses balanced wage growth as pay hike leads public concerns
T HE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) said it is doing its best to respond to workers’ concerns by strengthening social protection measures, including wage-setting mechanisms and programs that support skills upgrading and job security. The department made the statement after the
According to Octa’s Tugon ng Masa Survey, 45 percent of the surveyed individuals cited a wage hike as the leading issue the government should address, overtaking concerns over controlling the rising prices of goods and services. Dole-National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) Executive Director Ma. Criselda R. Sy said the agency continues to coordinate with other government institutions to improve the socioeconomic conditions of workers.
“Improving the socio-economic condition of our economy requires a whole of government approach… the intention is to ensure that our wage growth is sustainable,
NFA sets another auction for aging rice stocks
TBy Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
HE National Food Authority (NFA) will start accepting bids for the third round of auction for over 750,000 50-kilo bags of aging rice stocks on February 5.
In a document obtained by BusinessMirror, the NFA said it will sell 754,565 50-kilo bags or 37,728 metric tons (MT) of its aging rice inventory.
As the grains agency maintained the floor prices ranging from P22.52 to P25.16 per kilo, the NFA expects to gain between P849 million and P949 million.
The NFA will issue auction documents on February 5, with the pre-
auction conference slated on February 13. The documents and receipt will be available at the regional offices and central office until February 18 and February 19, respectively. The opening of auction tenders will be on February 20. For the third auction, the minimum acceptable price (MAP) for rice stocks stored in warehouses for more than three months to six months is P25.16 per kilo;
‘Structural reforms crucial to reviving PHL sugar industry’
SENATOR Francis Pang -
ilinan underscored the need for structural, legislative, and budgetary reforms in the multi-billion sugar industry, pointing out inadequate government support, rising production costs, and declining farmgate prices that could potentially bring the industry down to its knees.
The senator and chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform was in Talisay City, Negros Occidental last January 23 to hold a public consultation with sugar planters in a bid to identify the many challenges that plague the multi-billion-peso industry.
The focus of the public consultation, he said, was to find a way to stabilize prices and incomes, fix recurring structural bottlenecks such as capacity, investment, and governance, and implement a sugar industry roadmap complemented by a strong budgetary support and trade policy.
“This public consultation matters because real reform cannot be designed from Congress alone. I personally commit to translating your inputs into legislative and budgetary action,” Pangilinan said.
“In return, we ask for concrete proposals on possibly price floors, program design, Sugarcane Industry Development Act [SIDA] priorities, and meaningful reforms at the Sugar Regulatory Administration [SRA]. Let us be frank, practical, and help
one another so that the sugar industry can once again be a source of stability, not uncertainty, for Negros and the nation.”
As sponsor of the budget for the Department of Agriculture (DA), Pangilinan has emphasized the need for a P2-billion allocation for the SRA during the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) budget plenary deliberations last year to revitalize the country’s sugar industry.
But the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has pointed out the SRA’s underutilization and absorptive capacity, leading to a P1.02-billion appropriation for 2026 instead.
Based on an SRA report as of January, the number of operating raw sugar mills declined to 25 in 2025 from 28 in 2018 , with 13 mills located primarily in Negros Island. Sugar refineries also dropped to 10 from 13 over the same period, with only 5 refineries capable of producing premium-grade refined sugar.
The sentiment of especially the small planters is influenced by the decline in farmgate prices, with the per-bag of sugar falling to P2,150 to P2,300 last year. The current production cost is P2,500 per 50-kilogram bag.
“We are here with one purpose: to listen, to be candid about the crisis we face, and to agree on practical and sustainable solutions that protect farmers, workers, communities, and the industry,” Pangilinan said. Butch Fernandez
for more than six months to nine months, P24.63 per kilo; and for those over nine months to 12 months, P23.84 per kilo.
For rice stocks aged over 12 months to 15 months, MAP is at P23.31 per kilo, while for those aged more than 15 months to 18 months, and over 18 months, the floor price is P22.52 per kilo.
The NFA’s rice stockpile are considered “aging” starting from the third month after milling.
For its second tender last December, the grains agency awarded 315,000 50-kilo bags or 15,750 MT, accounting for 28 percent of the 55,579 MT they were expected to bid out.
NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said the winning prices for that round fell within the P22.52 to P25.16 per kilo range, which had been lowered to entice participants after its first auction last October failed.
When asked if he had reservations that the third tender might fail, given that the government recently lifted the ban on foreign rice shipments, Lacson said: “We have yet to see.”
For 2026, the grains agency’s budget to procure palay stood at
P14 billion. Of this, P9 billion was allocated under this year’s General Appropriations Act (GAA), along with the P5 billion carryover fund from last year.
At an average buying price of P23 per kilo, the grains agency could purchase up to 608.7 mil -
lion kilos of unmilled rice. As daily consumption is pegged at 37,500 kilos, this could last for 16 days. While this could cover the mandated 15-day rice buffer stocks, Lacson raised a caveat that the P20 per kilo program and natural calamities could put pressure on its resources (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2026/01/12/ nfa-seeks-elbow-room-for-riceprocurement/).
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the rice country’s rice output reached 19.68 million metric tons (MMT) in 2025, falling short of reaching another record harvest. PSA figures indicated that that the country’s rice production last year inched up by 3 percent from the 19.09 MMT recorded in 2024. Albeit higher, the latest figures failed to surpass the alltime-high palay output in 2023 at 20.06 MMT.
Bicol pili, Camiguin lanzones inch closer to GI status
THE government has chosen Bikol pili and Camiguin lanzones as priority products for geographical indication (GI) protection, according to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).
The IPOPHL, in partnership with the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Department of Agriculture (DA), will advance the products toward GI status through a P30-million AFD-funded project promoting GIs in the country.
The agency said the GI project, launched in May 2025, aims to shortlist 10 value chain products, select at least two high-potential GI products, and provide guidance to farmers and other value chain stakeholders throughout the registration process.
“This is part of AFD’s broader efforts to support agricultural
competitiveness and strengthen climate change resilience.”
With this, Bikol pili and Camiguin lanzones were selected as pilot GIs from an initial list of nine products following a comprehensive review during the recent Project Coordination Committee (PCC) meeting.
In its presentation, the committee said Bikol pili was selected “due to its strong geographic identity, organized value chain, high economic potential, and natural climate resilience.”
“The product derives a distinct flavor profile shaped by its unique environment, which is closely linked to the Bicol Region’s forested and volcanic landscapes. Pili trees also contribute to regional climate resilience, helping withstand frequent storms affecting the area,” it added.
The committee also noted that
Bikol pili demonstrates a crucial value addition, given its array of diversified product range, which spans across food, oil, cosmetics, and handicrafts.
“Its strong domestic reputation and growing international exposure in European and Asian markets further reinforce its suitability as a pilot GI with region-wide impact,” it added.
Meanwhile, the committee said it chose Camiguin lanzones because of its strong geographic identity, organized producer base, and readiness for GI development.
“Renowned for its distinct sweetness and quality, the product’s reputation is closely tied to Camiguin’s volcanic soil and island ecology. Its pending collective mark application further reflects the presence of established producer organizations, coordinated stakeholders and a shared com -
mitment to collective branding and protection.”
For IPOPHL Acting Director General Nathaniel Arevalo, the collaboration and consensus behind the selection of the pilot products “further strengthen the collective efforts that underpin the development of a robust and credible GI system in the Philippines.”
“Geographical indications are tools to empower local communities, preserve cultural heritage, promote rural development and enable Filipino products to stand out in regional and global markets,” Arevalo said.
“By pushing for the registration of more GI products, we give more Philippine products the spotlight they deserve internationally and show the culture, skills and stories that make us proud of our roots as Filipinos.” Ada Pelonia
Bill seeks to create web-based agri information system
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
DIGITALIZING agricultural
data—to allow real-time glimpse into crop yields and market demand—will boost productivity and keep food prices stable, according to Senator Win Gatchalian, who filed a bill for an agricultural information system (AIS). Such a system “would provide real-time insights on crop yields, market demand, and other important farm data to help empower farmers to optimize harvests and help prevent price increases caused
by inefficiency,” said Gatchalian, in filing Senate Bill 1653. The measure sets up an AIS in all provinces, cities, and municipalities in the country.
“What we experience today in terms of high prices of basic food products in the market, like vegetables, can be avoided if we have an effective agricultural information system,” he added, speaking in Filipino.
The envisioned AIS will be managed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) as an integrated, computerized, web-based agriculture commodity supply inventory
and registry system linking farmers and organized communities all over the country.
Gatchalian said the system would provide farmers with easy access to real-time local and global information on agricultural commodities, aiming to expand market linkages with buyers.
He added that aside from price stabilization, an AIS would strengthen ties between farmers and end-users, cut middleman costs, reduce waste, and help the government shape climate-resilient policies.
Last December, the DA said it
is fast-tracking data collection efforts ahead of the launch of its new command center, which seek to safeguard supply and maintain stable prices.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the agency’s modernization plans hinge on the quality and completeness of information fed into the system.
“I encourage everybody to gather and provide data that will populate the Command Center. But we need real data, not fake information, to ensure we make the right decisions and take correct actions.”
Wheat extends gain on worries freezing weather will hurt crops
WHEAT futures rose for a second day in Chicago last Friday amid concern freezing weather in the United States and Russia could damage crops, while traders kept an eye on geopolitical tensions.
Prices have been supported by record-low temperatures across the central and eastern US. Severe cold is set to sweep across key winter-wheat regions in the coming days, though nationwide damage should be limited, partly due to snow cover protection, said Tom Whittaker, a meteorologist at Aura Commodities.
Still, localized losses are possible where snow cover is patchy, and the south and east the main threat comes from freezing rain, he
said. Major hard red winter wheat areas such as Kansas are unlikely to be significantly affected, Whittaker said.
“Wheat prices have rebounded from recent lows as funds cut historically large short positions amid rising weather concerns across the Northern Hemisphere, with additional support coming from stronger commodity markets more broadly,” said Andrey Sizov, of consultancy SovEcon. Wheat futures climbed as much as 0.8 percent in Chicago on Friday. There have also been weather worries in top shipper Russia. An abnormal cold pattern there hasn’t yet affected winter crops, but SovEcon said output could fall if the current frosts persist for another week.
“For now, soil temperatures remain relatively high at –2C to –8C (28F to 18F), posing no immediate threat,” said SovEcon, which has kept its 2026 wheat production estimate at 83.8 million tons. “Winter kill risks increase if soil temperatures fall to –12C to –15C or lower.”
Traders are also keeping an eye on efforts to end Russia’s war with Ukraine. The Kremlin said the “territorial issue” remains unresolved after President Vladimir Putin held late-night talks with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on the latest peace plan.
Talks will continue between US, Russian and Ukrainian representatives in the United Arab Emirates on Friday and Saturday.
Silver tops $100 SILVER topped $100 an ounce for the first time, extending a scorching rally built on surging demand for haven assets and frenzied buying in retail markets from Shanghai to New York.
Spot silver surged as much as 6.9 percent to $102.87 an ounce on Friday, bringing gains this year to more than 40 percent after prices more than doubled in 2025. Gold also climbed to a fresh record, edging closer to $5,000 an ounce. Investor demand for precious metals intensified during the first year of US President Donald Trump’s second term in the White House, amid growing uncertainties over trade, geopolitics and monetary policy. Worries that silver
could be hit with US tariffs triggered a rush to ship metal to New York, culminating with a historic short squeeze in London in October.
Silver’s advance this week was fueled by a rift in Washington’s relations with European allies, while the latest attempts to reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine have so far failed to reach a breakthrough. Challenges to the Federal Reserve’s independence have also fanned demand.
“Support for silver has been reinforced by a weaker US dollar, lower real yields, and stronger investor appetite for hard assets amid heightened policy uncertainty,” said Ewa Manthey, commodities strategist at ING Groep NV. Its “higher volatility relative to gold,
driven by its smaller market size and dual role as both an industrial and investment metal, has amplified recent moves.” Meanwhile, the global silver market has been in a supply deficit for five years. As prices push higher, there’s been a wave of retail buying. And in China, investors have piled into silver as an affordable alternative to gold, while in the US, there’s been a frenzy that’s overwhelmed dealers.
Some banks had already forecast silver to break into three figures. In a January note, Citigroup Inc. upgraded its near-term outlook for a jump to $100 an ounce, along with a prediction that gold could surge to $5,000 an ounce. Bloomberg News
RICE from Regions 2 and 3 is stored at a National Food Authority warehouse in Valenzuela on Monday, January 20, 2025. PHOTO BY NONOY LACZA
Top Chinese military official Zhang Youxia under investigation in ongoing anti-corruption purge
EIJING—The Chinese mili -
Btary’s top general is being investigated for suspected serious violations of discipline and law the Defense Ministry said Saturday.
Zhang Youxia, the senior of the two vice chairs of the powerful Central Military Commission, is the latest figure to fall in a long-running purge of military officials. Analysts believe the purges are designed both to reform the military and to ensure loyalty to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who also chairs the military commission. They are part of a broader anti-corruption drive that has punished more than 200,000 officials since Xi came to power in 2012.
try statement said. Liu is the chief of staff of the commission’s Joint Staff Department. The commission is the top military body in China.
The statement did not provide any details on the alleged wrongdoing.
Another member of the commission, Liu Zhenli, has also been placed under investigation by China’s ruling Communist Party, a Defense Minis -
Zhang, who is 75, joined the People’s Liberation Army in 1968 and is a general from its ground forces.
The Communist Party expelled the other vice chair of the commission, He Weidong, last October and replaced
him with commission member Zhang Shengmin.
In 2024, the party expelled two former defense ministers over corruption charges.
The Trump administration released a new National Defense Strategy on Friday acknowledging China as a military power that it said needs to be deterred from dominating the US or its allies.
“This does not require regime
Trump’s Greenland ambitions strain MAGA ties with Europe’s far-right
By Sam Mcneil, Justin Spike & Sylvie Corbet
The Associated Press
RUSSELS—Tensions over US Presi -
Bdent Donald Trump’s plans to take control of Greenland have driven a wedge in the once iron-clad link between MAGA and Europe’s far-right.
The rift seems to signal that ideological alignment alone may not be enough to temper worries among European nationalists over Trump’s interventionism abroad. Far-right leaders in Germany, Italy and France have strongly criticized Trump’s Greenland plans. Even Nigel Farage, a longtime ally of Trump and head of the Reform UK nationalist party, called Trump’s Greenland moves “a very hostile act.”
During a debate Tuesday in the European Parliament, far-right lawmakers typically aligned with Trump overwhelmingly supported halting an EU-US trade pact over their uneasiness with his threats, calling them “coercion” and “threats to sovereignty.”
MAGA’s trans-Atlantic partners SUCH a divergence between Trump and his European acolytes came as some surprise.
Far-right parties surged to power in 2024 across the European Union, rattling the traditional powers across the bloc’s 27 nations from Spain to Sweden. Their political groupings now hold 26% of the seats in the European Parliament, according to the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
Less than a year ago, Europe’s far-right
parties gathered in Madrid to applaud Trump’s election under the banner “Make Europe Great Again,” while Elon Musk, before his fall from Trump’s graces, had boosted European far-right influencers and figures on X, including Germany’s radical right Alternative for Germany party.
US Vice President JD Vance drew scorn from within Germany and across Europe after he met with AfD leader Alice Weidel during elections in February. The party, with which mainstream parties refuse to work, upset German politics by doubling its presence in the Bundestag to become the nation’s second-largest party.
Yet deep divisions within MAGA itself over Trump’s approach to foreign affairs has reverberated in Europe, with his actions over Greenland, Venezuela and Iran forcing his po -
litical allies to favor their ideological convictions over their deference to the US president. Sovereignty trumps shared values FRANCE’S far-right National Rally has at times vaunted its ideological closeness to Trump, particularly on immigration.
A year ago, the party sent one of its senior figures, Louis Aliot, to attend Trump’s inauguration. In turn, Trump has staunchly defended party leader Marine Le Pen, describing her conviction for embezzling EU funds as a “witch hunt.”
Jordan Bardella, the 30-year-old National Rally’s president and a MEP, has praised Trump’s nationalist views, saying to the BBC last month that a “wind of freedom, of national pride” was blowing across Western democracies.
In recent days, however, Bardella has appeared to distance himself from the US administration. In his New Year’s address, he criticized US military intervention in Venezuela aimed at capturing then-President Nicolás Maduro, calling it “foreign interference” designed to serve “the economic interests of American oil companies.”
Going further, Bardella on Tuesday denounced Trump’s “commercial blackmail” over Greenland.
“Our subjugation would be a historic mistake,” Bardella said.
Another Trump ally, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, echoed this sentiment.
In an interview on Rai television Wednesday, she said that she told Trump during a call that his tariffs threat over Greenland was “a mistake.”
Reluctance to criticize on the EU’s eastern flank YET the reactions among European right-wing leaders have not been lockstep. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely regarded as the trailblazer of Trump’s brand of illiberal populism, has been careful to avoid even the slightest criticism of the US president. Facing what is likely to be the toughest election of his 16 years in power in April, Orbán has built his political identity around his affinity with Trump, promising voters that his close relationship with the president will pay hefty dividends. Trump, Orbán has insisted, is Europe’s only hope for peace amid the war in Ukraine and a guarantor of national sovereignty.
Spike contributed from Budapest and Corbet from Paris.
A sobering reality check: Why PHL’s economic engines are losing steam editorial
THE International Monetary Fund’s recent downward revision of the Philippines’s growth projections serves as a sobering reality check for an administration often bullish on its economic prospects. By trimming growth forecasts for 2025 through 2027, the IMF has identified a critical structural friction: a “slower pace of capital accumulation.” Beyond the numbers, this is a warning that the engines of long-term prosperity are losing steam. (Read the BusinessMirror story: “IMF cuts PHL growth outlook from 2025 to 2027,” January 20, 2026).
Capital accumulation—the process of acquiring more assets, improving infrastructure, and investing in technology—is the bedrock of sustainable development. When this pace slows, it suggests a hesitation among investors and a stagnation in the physical and digital tools that drive productivity. According to the IMF, the ripple effects of a sluggish 2025 (now downgraded to 5.1 percent from 5.4 percent) will “carry over” for years.
The reasons cited for this slowdown are particularly telling. The IMF pointed to a “sharper-than-expected” slowdown in the latter half of last year, exacerbated by a toxic mix of climate shocks and corruption allegations. While the Philippines has long been a victim of geography, with typhoons and climate events regularly shaving points off the GDP, the mention of “corruption allegations” as a factor in economic deceleration is a stinging indictment. Corruption is not just a moral failing; it is an economic tax that deters Foreign Direct Investment and misallocates public funds that should be fueling the very capital accumulation we lack.
Furthermore, the divergence between the IMF’s projections and the government’s targets is widening. While the government maintains an optimistic outlook of 5.5 to 6.5 percent for 2025, the IMF’s 5.1 percent suggests a significant “expectations gap.” Bridging this gap requires more than just optimistic rhetoric; it requires addressing the “downside risks” the IMF highlighted: geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, and a lack of reform momentum.
However, the report is not entirely a forecast of gloom. The IMF notes that growth could hit 6 percent by 2028, provided the country can pivot. The roadmap is clear: accelerated implementation of structural and governance reforms. By cleaning up the bureaucracy and ensuring a stable, transparent environment for business, the Philippines can boost its fiscal multipliers and attract the FDI necessary to jumpstart capital investment.
The government cannot afford to treat these IMF figures as trivial statistics; they demand a decisive response. Climate resilience must be integrated into every infrastructure project to mitigate “climate shocks,” and governance reforms must be pursued with enough vigor to silence the allegations that spook investors.
The IMF’s forecast should serve as a wake-up call for the government, businesses, and civil society. The Philippines must harness its strengths and address its vulnerabilities to create a sustainable and resilient economy. While challenges abound, the path forward is not solely reliant on external factors; rather, it depends on the collective commitment to reform and innovation at every level. The choices made today will shape not just the economic landscape but also the future of millions of Filipinos who aspire for a better tomorrow.
Opinion BusinessMirror
Reflecting on Cory’s resilience today
YRISING SUN
ESTERDAY, January 25, 2026, marked what would have been the 93rd birthday of former president Corazon “Cory” Aquino, born in 1933 in Tarlac. She became the 11th President of the Philippines on February 25, 1986, after the People Power Revolution ousted Ferdinand Marcos, serving one term until June 30, 1992. Passing away on August 1, 2009, from colon cancer, Cory remains a beacon of moral courage.
As the nation grapples with economic challenges—a slashed 2026 GDP target to 5 percent to 6 percent amid $2 billion flood scandal fallout, inflation squeezing MSMEs, Trump’s tariffs hitting exports at 19 percent, and ASEAN chair pressures—Cory’s legacy offers fresh inspiration at this important time.
Cory shattered glass ceilings as Asia’s first female president; her
quiet resilience amid coup attempts and disasters serves as a model for today’s women entrepreneurs. With MSMEs—99 percent of businesses—facing slumps and the 7 percent inflation eroding margins, Filipina founders in the country channel Cory’s grit. They pivot to digital sales and eco-products, the way Cory empowered small traders post-dictatorship by easing
red tape and supporting local markets. New tax breaks and fintech loans could echo her reforms, and for example, a dedicated fund for job creation amid the 2026 crisis, where youth unemployment hovers at 15 percent. In polarized politics, Cory’s nonconfrontational diplomacy is an inspiration. She rebuilt ties with the world after isolation during the previous administration, securing debt relief without begging. Today, as the country assumes ASEAN chairmanship amid Trump-era tariffs battering $30 billion exports and the South China Sea tensions, PBBM could borrow Cory’s playbook: bridge divides with humility, not bravado. Her “straight path” integrity sidestepped elite games, probing graft without vengeance—something that is crucial now as corruption probes affect the economy.
Cory’s true genius was healing factions for the sake of progress. Edsa united the left, right, and center; we need that bipartisan spirit for anticorruption laws today. From women
hustling startups to diplomats navigating tariffs, her example urges cooperation over division. Remember Cory’s prayerful demeanor—today’s leaders could use that calm to rally Congress for urgent reforms. Her land reform vision, though imperfect, seeded rural co-ops; it can be revived digitally to shield farmers from import floods. Ultimately, Filipinos can help by voting for clean candidates, boycotting corrupt firms, and starting community watchdogs against graft and corruption. We have to stay vigilant and keep our eyes open on local projects, just like in the ongoing 2025-2026 anti-corruption investigations. This demands deeper probes into flood scandals and pushes for SALN transparency from officials.
Cory Aquino’s birthday reminds us: resilience, integrity, and cooperation aren’t relics—they’re roadmaps. In today’s storms, channeling her spirit can turn scandals into strides, powering an inclusive recovery for all Filipinos.
Beyond the box: Why services are the real prize in the Philippines-UAE CEPA
IN business, a foreign trip only matters if it changes the numbers back home—new orders, lower costs, clearer rules, bigger and more predictable markets. That is the proper lens for viewing the Philippines-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed on January 13, 2026.
The headlines naturally focus on tariffs. But the bigger, more durable economic payoff—especially for jobs—lies in a less flashy place: services.
The central commercial claim is straightforward. Tariffs will be eliminated or reduced on roughly 95 percent of Philippine export lines to the UAE. For exporters, this is not abstract. It directly affects landed cost, shelf price, and competitiveness. Early beneficiaries are familiar and employment-heavy sectors: bananas and other fruits, canned fish, and industrial lines such as automotive and aircraft components, textiles, and apparel.
But tariffs are only the first-order effect. The larger story is this: the Philippines is selling rules, not just products. Trade agreements are often reduced to shipping boxes. That misses how the modern economy actually works. The real prize is stable market access for services, because services are already the country’s core engine. Official national accounts place ser-
vices at roughly two-thirds of GDP. If that is accurate, then any agreement that improves market conditions for service providers is not a side benefit. It is the main event.
The Department of Trade and Industry itself frames CEPA as a comprehensive agreement designed to increase flows of goods and services, attract investments, and expand opportunities for professionals and service providers. Crucially, it provides more stable and predictable rules for Filipino service suppliers—and secures commitments for non-discriminatory treatment, including for MSMEs.
That language matters. In services trade, access is rarely blocked by tariffs. It is blocked by licensing hurdles, opaque requirements, and uneven enforcement. Predictable, non-discriminatory treatment is the difference between a one-off contract and a repeatable market.
The UAE is not merely a destination market. It is a hub. Goods and services cleared there can move onward to the
wider GCC and beyond, giving Philippine firms a first-mover advantage relative to peers without similar arrangements.
More importantly, UAE demand aligns neatly with Philippine strengths. DTI highlights ICT and data-centerdriven opportunities in computer and information services, alongside construction and engineering services, and retail services buoyed by tourism and rising consumption.
This is where services translate into jobs and the underappreciated mechanism: services exports do not create jobs only abroad. They create jobs at home, because services production is networked.
Clearer market access and fairer treatment generate employment through training and certification pipelines; project management, documentation, compliance, legal and financial support; subcontracting to SMEs in design, analytics, customer support, and back-office work; and ancillary demand for local telecom, facilities, and professional services.
CEPA, then, is not just a deal for firms shipping boxes. It is a deal for the ecosystem that makes those boxes profitable—and for service firms that can sell directly across borders.
The Philippines has seen trade agreements celebrated at signing and forgotten in implementation. CEPA will be different only if the domestic system delivers.
That means unglamorous but essential work: streamlining customs, strengthening halal certification capacity, enabling MSMEs to access the market, and managing fiscal pressures from foregone tariff revenue. Here, the Marcos administration
deserves measured credit, without overpraise. The strongest attribution is not personality but method: converting diplomacy into enforceable rules and pairing market access with structural reforms that reduce investor friction.
DTI’s parallel investor pitch cites the amended Investors’ Lease Act extending lease periods up to 99 years, the CREATE MORE Act, Green Lanes with a One-Stop Action Center to speed permits, and a modern PPP Code to scale infrastructure and service delivery. That is how serious economies compete—not by promising miracles, but by improving the rules of the game.
CEPA shortens the distance between Philippine firms and a Gulf market that functions as a commercial, logistical, and increasingly digital hub. The opportunity is real—and time-sensitive. Early movers secure partners, master compliance, and become the “known supplier” before competitors arrive. For exporters, the work is immediate: revisit pricing, volume planning, and distribution under a new tariff landscape. For service firms, the task is just as urgent: package cross-border offerings with clear scope, deliverables, and contract terms.
For policymakers, the job is simple and that is to execute and make sure the rules promised on paper become predictable practice.
If that happens, CEPA will not be remembered as a ceremonial signing in Abu Dhabi.
It will be remembered as a quiet but decisive shift in how the Philippines competes—through services, through credibility, and through jobs that compound over time.
Chua
Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II
LITO GAGNI
Beyond the numbers in tax collections and targets
IJoel L. Tan-Torres
DEBIT CREDIT
Part 2
N last week’s column, I explained why pronouncements on whether the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) or the Bureau of Customs (BOC) “met” or “missed” their tax collection targets are never purely technical. These debates go to the heart of governance. They shape public perceptions and trigger fiscal and budgetary consequences, including whether government spending programs can actually be implemented. This follow-up examines how tax targets translate into accountability and, ultimately, into budgetary reality under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).
A fundamental point must be reiterated. Tax collection targets are not static figures. They are set by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) based on macroeconomic assumptions, expected legislation, and fiscal capacity. Revenue agencies do not determine these targets; they receive them as part of the government’s overall fiscal framework. During the year, targets may be revised as assumptions change. By year-end, the final DBCC-approved target—not the original projection—becomes the official benchmark for evaluating revenue performance and for making budgetary decisions.
The NEP submitted by the Executive to Congress is anchored on these DBCC-approved revenue projections. These projections determine the expenditure ceiling, the programmed fiscal deficit, and the government’s borrowing requirements. Congress appropriates expenditures on the premise that the projected revenues will be realized within the fiscal year. Importantly, however, not all appropriations are immediately usable.
The GAA typically includes unprogrammed appropriations and conditional expenditure items—projects and programs that may only be released if revenue collections exceed targets or if additional financing becomes available. These mechanisms serve as fiscal safeguards. They allow Congress to authorize priority expenditures while protecting the government from committing funds that are not yet supported by actual resources. When tax collections fall short of approved targets, these conditional expenditure items remain unavailable, regardless of their importance. Infrastructure projects are delayed, capital outlays are postponed, funding commitments under international agreements may be curtailed, and agencies are forced to revise implementation plans midstream. In contrast, when collections appear to exceed targets, pressure quickly builds to declare excess revenues and to release these conditional appropriations.
This is why Congress, the Department of Budget and Management, and the Department of Finance scru-
When tax collections fall short of approved targets, these conditional expenditure items remain unavailable, regardless of their importance. Infrastructure projects are delayed, capital outlays are postponed, funding commitments under international agreements may be curtailed, and agencies are forced to revise implementation plans midstream.
tinize not only whether collection targets were met, but which targets were used, when performance was declared, and how collections were validated. Tax collections are not mere scorecards for revenue agencies. They are triggers for binding fiscal decisions, including the release—or continued withholding— of budgetary funding under the GAA. In the end, tax collection performance is the critical link between revenue administration and the government’s ability to deliver on its promises for the funding of the citizens’ requirements. The credibility of the NEP, the integrity of the GAA, and the orderly release of public funds all depend on accurate, disciplined, and transparent reporting of collections against final, approved targets. When numbers are ever-changing, the consequences are not abstract—they are felt in delayed projects, disrupted programs, and strained fiscal management. Beyond the headlines, good fiscal and budgeting administration is ultimately about enabling credible budgets and responsible governance.
To be continued
Joel L. Tan-Torres was a former Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. He has also held various positions, including Dean of the University of the Philippines School of Business, Chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy, Tax partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co., and SyCipGorres and Velayo & Co., and director of various corporate boards. He is a Certified Public Accountant who ranked No. 1 in the CPA Board Examination of May 1979. He has his own tax and consultancy practice in JL2T Consulting and can be contacted at joeltantorres@yahoo.com.
Flipping a word
ASiegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.
THE PATRIOT
FANTASTIC turnaround story in sports needs to be retold many times to serve as a blueprint in making a successful turnaround. In collegiate athletics, Indiana University (IU) is more known as a powerhouse basketball school. But when it comes to football, the IU Hoosiers are considered as a doormat. In their Big Ten conference, IU historically finishes last or next to last, their losing record is as consistent as the winter snow falling over the gridirons of Bloomington, Indiana.
Two years ago, IU decided to hire a relatively unknown coach in the big leagues. In believing that culture can change overnight, this coach made drastic changes in the Hoosier football roster and the way football can be played without the prized recruits. The most notable of his supposed irrelevant players who transferred to IU was a certain Fernando Mendoza. Given little respect and virtually ignored, Mendoza was not even considered to win the Heisman trophy at the start of football season, in the same way that IU was given 100 to 1 odds of winning the 2025 national championship. But, lo and behold, Mendoza and the Hoosiers both won, individually and collectively, under the mentorship of Coach Curt Cignetti. After decades of mediocrity and inferiority, IU finished the season with an unblemished record, 16-0, beating the typical powerhouse football teams along
the way. What Coach Curt did in IU in a matter of two years is nothing short of spectacular. He flipped the word “Hoosier” to mean as Winner. After decades of being perennially equivalent to Loser, the word Hoosier can now be given a higher regard in football. Such a U-turn simply began when university officials decided to put their faith in Curt Cignetti and his style of leadership.
Poor leadership has caused the current political turmoil wherein multiple protests against government have led to impeachment complaints against both President Marcos and Vice President Duterte, compounded by significantly decreased trust ratings. In an interview, Professor Malou Tiquia candidly declared that the word “politician” is practically synonymous to “corruption” these days. I am sure that decades ago, such close association between the two words did not ex-
ist. Somewhere along in our country’s history, these two words became interconnected, if not interchangeable. Historians have claimed that the source or start of such word association in the Philippines was Martial Law where corrupt politicians were far too powerful, borne out of cronyism used by those in power. Decades after, nothing has changed, and, in fact, corruption has now expanded—from one powerful family to multiple families or dynasties. Just as IU Hoosier football made a U-turn with the hiring of a coach, I hope the Filipino voters will come to their senses and decide to install a better “coach” for the Republic. We need a major turnaround to be led by a Spirit-filled leader, perhaps in the mold of Fernando Mendoza and Curt Cignetti of IU. I was told that the word “believer” has been synonymous with the word “follower.” Yet some of those who believe fail to follow His commands or worse surrender to His will. And so, for those who have stumbled and have fallen understand that they can always make a U turn, towards the right path by simply hearing His Word. My pastor mentor told me that faith comes from hearing His Word. The Bible is the best source if believers truly want to hear His Word. “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8).
Mediating on His Book carries with it a promise of prosperity. During the days of Joshua, the Bible we
VBy Francesca Stevens
IETNAM’S new Politburo has been revealed as the Communist Party Congress wrapped up early in Hanoi, with To Lam winning a full five-year term as party chief, seemingly with minimal backroom wrangling.
The nation’s top positions are selected from the 19 members elected to the party’s most powerful decision-making body, which sets overall policy direction.
Lam, 68, has been confirmed as General Secretary and also appears to have secured the presidency, while the make-up of the Politburo signals who is in line for the other top posts.
While the roles still need parliamentary approval, here are the likely top figures under Lam:
Le Minh Hung, 55
Prime Minister A former State Bank of Vietnam Governor, Hung will be nominated for prime minister to replace Pham Minh Chinh, who was not included on the Central Committee list released Thursday. Hung’s currently the head of the Party Central Organization Commission, which essentially controls the hiring and firing
TBy Jennifer A. Dlouhy & David Wethe
HE US is in talks with Chevron Corp., other crude producers and the world’s biggest oilfield service providers about a plan to quickly revive output in Venezuela at a fraction of the estimated $100 billion cost for a complete rebuilding. Oilfield contractors such as SLB Ltd., Baker Hughes Co. and Halliburton Co. would focus their initial efforts on repairing or replacing damaged or outdated equipment and refreshing older drilling sites, according to senior administration officials who asked not to be identified discussing internal plans. The idea is that with limited investment, Venezuela could boost production by several hundred thousand barrels over the short term, the people said. The go-fast approach is designed to fulfill the Trump administration’s goal of swiftly increasing crude flows in the wake of the US capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro, generating
cash that could be used to help pay for rebuilding the country. Longer term, President Donald Trump’s goal remains an industry revival that would bring output closer to the country’s 1970 peak of roughly 3.75 million barrels per day from current production of less than 1 million.
While analysts say achieving that bigger prize will take at least a decade, there’s plenty of production gains to be had in the near term.
“There’s some low-hanging fruit that you could probably squeeze some life out of once again,” said Tom Liskey, who heads up Latin American research at industry consultant Enverus. A representative for Halliburton said its goal in Venezuela “is to achieve quick wins and generate immediate production recovery.” Representatives for SLB didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Baker Hughes declined to comment.
A more immediate upswing in Venezuelan crude flows would align with several priorities for Trump, who has prized American energy dominance both as a source of leverage globally and politi-
of senior officials. The son of a former public security minister who was To Lam’s mentor, he worked for over two decades at the central bank. Hung, who has a master’s degree in economics from a Japanese university, has also served on a powerful anti-corruption steering committee since 2021.
Tran Thanh Man, 63 National Assembly Chair Man is from the economically powerful south, where he was previously party chief of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho. He was head of the Vietnam Fatherland Front— a party-led organization—before becoming vice chairman of the National Assembly in April 2021. Man, who has a PhD in economics, took over from Vuong Dinh Hue, who resigned as parliament chairman in 2024 over violations of Party regulations. The National Assembly chair presides over the
US pushes for quickest fixes to boost Venezuela oil output
cal capital at home, where he is seeking to allay cost-of-living concerns ahead of critical midterm elections in November.
A supply boost from Venezuela, however modest, is seen as not only helping to check crude and gasoline prices, but also expanding the US’s leeway to move against Iran without jolting the market. Venezuelan crude sales will make money for both countries and “bring down oil prices even further,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Thursday. “We are drilling more oil than at any time in the history of our country, by far. If you add Venezuela to it, it’s a tremendous part of the market.”
Bringing state-of-the-art US equipment and techniques to Venezuela— where the oil industry has been throttled by years of sanctions—can revitalize existing wells and bring new production online within months, the Trump administration officials said. Some analysts have underestimated how dramatically operations could improve under free-flowing, regular relations, one of the people said. Even so, the country’s existing infra-
structure has been plagued by decades of underinvestment and neglect—including in once-prolific areas in the east and around Lake Maracaibo where oil was first discovered a century ago. Environmental liabilities from years of oil spills and jury-rigged installations are another challenge. If the Trump administration gives the green light for other US contractors to join rival SLB—the largest service company that’s remained working in the country—in the initial phases, they are likely to employ tried-and-true equipment that will rehab old wells, repair artificial lift pumps and install electric turbines at remote fields.
“The short term is workovers of PDVSA’s inventory,” David Goldwyn, chairman of the Energy Advisory Group, said Thursday in an Atlantic Council event, referring to Venezuela’s state-owned oil company. “It’s not technically difficult, doesn’t require a huge amount of capital.”
Chevron will initially focus on “leveraging what’s on the ground” already in Venezuela, Vice Chairman Mark Nelson said at a White House meeting January 9.
know today has yet to be written. Fortunately, believers today can hear God’s voice—through holy people, situations, and, of course, the Holy Spirit within us. So if we, as a nation and a people, want to prosper and truly live the life of a “believer,” we have to flip its meaning to a “follower” who reads, studies, and, most importantly, obeys His commands! After decades of being equivalent to losing, the word “Hoosier” in college football became winners primarily because of one or two persons. I hope and pray, that one day, a Filipino believer and follower can flip the word “politician,” from being associated with corruption or something evil to be the same as just or righteous or something noble and good. It only takes one to flip that meaning—Jesus Christ!
The word believers, as we know them, can be and should be synonymous to “followers” whenever we trust and surrender to His will. Armed with this perspective, all believers can see the Philippines, as a country, exactly where God wants it to be.
Siegfred has a diversified set of education and experiences which has made him a game changer and a servant leader in organizations. His professional degrees came from the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA. His corporate experiences include stints as general counsel for the country’s flag carrier, a food exporter with manufacturing plants in Davao and in Laguna, and a sports distributor company. Siegfred is a former soldier and a lawyer by profession, a teacher and inspirational speaker by passion, and a book author and a writer with a mission.
Vietnam’s Politburo signals key winners after party congress
parliament, shapes legislation and is a core political figure who’s considered part of the nation’s top leadership group.
Tran Cam Tu, 64 Standing Member of the Secretariat Tu has been Standing Member of the Secretariat since 2024, a role that oversees the Party’s daily operations. The post was given greater prominence last September when it was elevated to a so-called “fifth pillar,” formalizing its place in the leadership hierarchy. This also eased the way for the likely merging of the party chief and presidency roles by providing an extra layer of internal checks on party processes. Tu, who holds a doctorate degree in agriculture, was the director of Huong Son Forestry and Services Co. and then party chief of the former Thai Binh province.
Phan Van Giang, 65 Defense Minister Defense Minister Giang had been seen as a potential rival presidential candidate, but with Lam securing both roles, he’s likely to keep his current job and may also be elevated to a deputy prime minister. Giang,
The company plans to increase production from its joint ventures with PDVSA by 50 percent within the next 18 to 24 months, he said. Currently the JVs produce about 240,000 barrels of oil per day.
The company said in a statement that it stands ready to help Venezuela “build a better future while strengthening US energy and regional security.”
Longer term, US authorities— and oil companies in talks with the administration about entering Venezuela—see opportunities in drilling new wells and even tapping new underground reservoirs. US Treasury Department officials are weighing a surge of applications from crude producers, oilfield service companies and other firms seeking licenses to enter Venezuela, the administration officials said. The enthusiasm remains tempered by concerns about political stability and safety for workers in the country. Some industry leaders have stressed they need financial and security guarantees from the US—an option Energy Secretary Chris Wright appeared to foreclose in a Thursday interview with Bloomberg TV.
who’s from Ninh Binh province, has served in the military since 1978. He fought on the Cao Bang front against the Chinese army in the 1979 border war. He rose through the defense ranks before attaining the top job in April 2021, the same year he was also awarded the rank of general. Giang is a popular figure who has a loyal and active social media base.
Tran Sy Thanh, 54 Central Inspection Commission
Chairman Thanh is seen as a rising star who became head of the powerful Central Inspection Commission last November, the party’s top internal watchdog overseeing disciplinary action. To Lam highlighted the ongoing fight against corruption in his Tuesday address to the Congress, underscoring the prominence of this role. From Nghe An province, he was previously chair of Hanoi People’s Committee and has had multiple high-level jobs including at the finance ministry and as chairman of the Vietnam National Industry—Energy Group, known as Petrovietnam. With assistance from Nguyen Dieu Tu Uyen, Nguyen Xuan Quynh and Cao Ban/Bloomberg Monday,
Despite having to write down losses in the past, US service providers also are buzzing about the opportunity to return to a country that boasts one of the world’s biggest oil reserves.
“We can mobilize in weeks,” Halliburton Chief Executive Officer Jeff Miller told investors recently. “We can move fairly quickly as opportunities arise.” Baker Hughes has the largest installed base of so-called rotating and artificial lift equipment—machinery that speeds up crude production—in Venezuela, Chief Executive Officer Lorenzo Simonelli said recently. The infrastructure is key for production in the country, where crude is located in remote areas that don’t always have
Monday, January 26, 2026
2nd Front
BusinessMirror
CEMENT INDUSTRY BANKING ON ALTERNATIVE FUELS TO SLASH CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS
THE Philippine cement sector is ramping up its use of alternative fuels as part of a long-term plan to shrink its carbon footprint, the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) said.
CeMAP president John Reinier Dizon said the Philippines Cement Decarbonization Roadmap, set to be finalized by February, will be presented at an ASEAN meeting in March, with the country hosting.
“Our target is to reduce our carbon footprint,” Dizon told reporters on Friday. “Because in cement production, we use a large amount of fuel, and this is typically coal. It is fossil-based and, of course, it emits CO2 [carbon dioxide].”
The initiative comes as the industry braces for growth driven by infrastructure projects and renewed private construction. In 2024, local cement production exceeded 27 million tons, supported by a capacity of about 53 million tons.
The roadmap is being developed under a United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) project on decarbonizing cement and concrete, funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The Philippines is the second country in the region, after Thailand, to adopt such a framework.
Targets stretch to 2050, with five-year
benchmarks along the way, per the CeMAP head. Dizon added that achieving net zero is “challenging.”
“The holy grail, maybe that’s not the right term, but the ultimate goal is net zero,” he said partly in Filipino. “Even reaching the immediate target is already difficult, because if you really want to eliminate CO2 entirely, that’s hard.”
Dizon added that the roadmap is voluntary and not legally binding, but represents a commitment for companies aiming to make their operations more sustainable.
National policies, such as the New Government Procurement Reform Act and the Tatak Pinoy Act, already include provisions on sustainable procurement.
An Associated Press report indicated that climate patterns in 2024 helped set the stage for 2025’s extreme weather.
Atmospheric levels of heat-trapping carbon dioxide jumped by the most on record in 2024. That “turbocharged” the climate, the United Nation’s World Meteorological Organization says, resulting in more extreme weather.
Asia is bearing the brunt of such changes, warming nearly twice as fast as the global average. Scientists agree that the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events are increasing. Bless Aubrey Ogerio
Local auto sector narrowly misses 2025 sales target
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio @blessogerio
THEPhilippine automotive industry fell short of its 500,000unit sales target in 2025, data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed
Combined industry figures show total vehicle sales reached 491,395 units last year, surpassing 2024’s 473,842 but marking only a 3.7-percent growth.
Campi cited a “challenging market environment” in the second half of the year, including the reimposition of excise taxes on pick-up trucks and natural disasters that affected
operations across the country.
Its new president, Jose Maria Atienza, however, credited industry promotions and fresh model introductions for supporting last year’s sales.
“We attribute last year’s achievement to the aggressive promotional campaigns and the new product introductions from the various car brands, which
expanded consumer options, especially in electrified and commercial vehicle segments,” he said.
December proved to be the strongest month since 2017, as the industry sold 47,371 units during the period.
Despite the slight decline in vehicle sales in November, the auto industry said last month that it would end 2025 on “a strong footing” due to the expected surge in consumer activity during the last month of the year.
Campi-TMA data showed that electrified vehicles (EVs) made a notable impact, with 58,905 units sold in 2025, representing 12 percent of the total market, up from just 5.5 percent in 2024.
Combined battery electric (BEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and hybrid electric (HEV) sales surged 142.5 percent year-onyear.
The rise in EV sales underscores a growing Filipino interest in electrified mobility, Atienza said, pointing to broader acceptance of cleaner vehicle technologies.
Other segments also contributed to industry performance. One-ton and larger multi-purpose vehicles, including models like the Toyota Tamaraw, Mitsubishi L300 FB and Isuzu Traviz, saw a 76.6 percent jump in sales compared to 2024. In terms of brand market share, Toyota led with 46.7 percent, followed by Mitsubishi at 18 percent, Suzuki at 4.5 percent, Ford at 4.4 percent and Nissan at 4.2 percent.
Campi said it remains confident in the auto industry’s upward trajectory as manufacturers continue to expand their product offerings, enhance supply availability, and support the country’s transition toward sustainable mobility.
Makati RTC throws out cyberlibel case vs BusinessMirror
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
THE Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Makati City has junked the cyberlibel complaint filed by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) against the publisher and editorial staff of Philippine Business Daily Mirror Publishing Inc. (BusinessMirror) in connection with an article published in 2017.
In a 25-page decision, Makati RTC Branch 57 Presiding Judge Lovely Concepcion Matillano-Chavez held that the prosecution failed to prove that the accused—BusinessMirror publisher Anthony T. Cabangon, editor Jun Vallecera and reporter Michael Alunan—were guilty of cyberlibel under Section 4 (c) (4) of Republic Act No. 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The subject of the case was an article purportedly published in the BusinessMirror’s website titled “Chilling signals from PDIC” on April 5, 2017 written by Alunan alleging that the PDIC illegally took over the Unitrust Development Bank and that its officials subsequently dipped their hands into the banks’ coffers, “thus sending chilling signals to other banks.”
may arise does not exist. There is therefore no basis to hold the accused civilly liable to private complainant,” it added. The trial court noted that the prosecution’s evidence consisted of printed copy of the article published in the newspaper, and the testimonies of PDIC senior official, lawyer Maria Antonette BrillantesBolivar, and Renar Gonzales, department manager of the Technical Support Department of the Office of the President of PDIC. However, the trial court noted that this evidence did not prove the existence of the article subject of the cyberlibel complaint.
The prosecution, according to the court, failed to show that Brillantes-Bolivar saw or read the subject article.
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
THE government is seeking to cap rice imports at 300,000 metric tons (MT) before the end of February as part of efforts to manage supply ahead of the peak palay harvest, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said last week.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel V. de Mesa said the target volume was agreed upon during consultations with rice millers and importers, amid early harvesting in several rice-producing areas and an expected production peak between March and April.
“So, those shipments need to arrive on or before the end of February so they will not coincide with the bulk of the harvest in March and April,” De Mesa said, partly in Filipino.
Rice importation resumed on January 1, following earlier restrictions. As of mid-January, total arrivals had reached 178,000 MT or nearly 60 percent of the February target, according to the DA. To enforce the timeline, the department—through the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)—set February 28 as the final arrival date.
“If they arrive beyond those dates, they will be returned to the source country at the importers’ expense,” De Mesa said.
The BPI has also expanded the list of ports authorized to receive imported rice to include Bataan and La Union, although all shipments remain subject to 100-percent inspection by the DA’s inspection and enforcement unit.
The import ceiling is intended to support a parallel commitment by millers to buy palay from farmers
at P17 per kilo for wet palay and P21 per kilo for dry palay, as the government seeks to protect farmgate prices ahead of the peak harvest.
In a separate statement, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said preventing the plunge in farmgate prices during peak season remains the government’s priority.
“Farmer prices are non-negotiable. Whatever import volume we agree on, farmers must be protected,” he said.
Based on DA estimates, the Philippines typically requires around 300,000 MT to 350,000 MT of imported rice per month to supplement domestic production without causing a glut.
The short-term import ceiling comes amid broader efforts by the government to curb rice inflows over the medium term. The DA has
earlier announced plans to raise rice tariffs to 20 percent starting January 2026, from the current 15 percent. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/12/17/ government-to-limit-importsand-raise-rice-tariffs-to-20/).
The DA chief said the increase to 20 percent was “reasonable” given the government’s move to limit import volumes.
“If there were no quantitative restrictions, [the tariff rate] should be higher. But [there’s] an agreement between all stakeholders to limit the quantity, and it’s clearly been proven that tariffs don’t matter as long as you can control the volume,” he said.
Looking ahead, the DA projects rice imports to reach between 3.6 million metric tons (MMT) and 3.8 MMT in 2026, while palay output is expected to hit a record 20.3 MMT.
In exonerating the accused, the trial court pointed out that the prosecution failed to prove the existence of the subject article.
“It is clear and undisputed from the records that the prosecution did not offer into evidence the subject article, whether in its electronic form, printout, or duplicate,” the trial court pointed.
“Considering the foregoing, the court is without recourse but to acquit the accused and the act or omission from which civil liability
“She may have testified that she was at the office when she first read the article, but as shown by the following excerpt of her testimony, it is clear that she was referring to the printed article…and not the subject article,” the court explained. Meanwhile, Gonzales said, upon instruction, she searched for the said article in the Businessmirror website but was not able to find it. This prompted him to use an online facility called “wayback machine” where he allegedly found the same article posted in BusinessMirror’s website.
The “wayback machine” is an online facility that collects an archive of snapshots of old posts of all websites, and that allows access to such snapshots.
However, the trial court held that Gonzales’ testimony “is based on unauthenticated article supposedly found in the ‘wayback machine’ facility, which was supposedly captured and recorded by other persons.”
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
Companies
BusinessMirror
B1 Monday, January 26, 2026
DMCI Homes banks on condos
By VG Cabuag @villygc
DMCI Project Developers Inc., or DMCI Homes, announced it is starting the year with four residential developments in the pipeline, which it expects to earn some P16 billion.
The company said it also allotted also a P16 billion capital expenditures this year, which include its other projects.
“With interest rates expected to ease, we anticipate a healthier environment for homebuyers and a gradual recovery in the housing market,” Alfredo R. Austria, president of DMCI Homes, said.
“We will continue offering value-for-money homes with practical financing options, while roll out new projects at a pace that reflects both opportunity and prudence,” Austria added.
DMCI Homes is preparing a mix of premium, leisure, and mid-market projects, including One South
Drive, a luxury development in central Baguio City.
“It’s a property right beside the golf course of a country club. Right beside it. So it’s a very prime location,” Austria said.
He added that the project will be geared towards the high-end market, since no one will buy an expensive 2-bedroom unit, priced at around P18 million, just for vacation.
There will be 150 units, but some of these will have larger cuts due to the location.
“It’s really an upscale location,” he said.
The second one is the Moriyama Nature Park, a Japanese-inspired leisure community in Calamba, Laguna.
Austria said the location is right at the foothills of Mt. Makiling, but the place is elevated.
The first phase of development of
the condotel, of around seven stories high, will have 300 units
“So it’s just a first phase of a big development, a large development,” Austria said.
He said most of the area will be preserved as a nature park, and the company will put a forest trail.
The third project will be near Cubao in Quezon City, while the other will be beside Acacia Estates in Taguig.
DMCI said the bulk of the 2026 capital spending will continue to fund the construction of 13 ongoing developments and preparations for the upcoming launches, with the remainder allotted to land acquisition and equipment purchase.
Rent-to-own units under the program reached a record P14.5 billion in total property value in 2025, nearly double the P7.3 billion posted in 2024.
CebuPac to grow at level similar to last year’s
CEBU Pacific airline operator
Cebu Air Inc. targets to grow passenger traffic by a tenth this year—its 30th—after carrying 27 million passengers in 2025.
F(RG)
and
attendees. This partnership
W“We are looking to grow similar to that of last year,” Lao told reporters, adding that the airline expects to receive two wide-body and five narrow-body jets this year.
On the sidelines of the listed firm’s anniversary kickoff event, Cebu Air President Xander G. Lao said the airline is looking at “similar growth levels” to last year’s roughly 10 percent expansion, supported by the delivery of seven new aircraft this year.
Cebu Pacific will raise weekly frequencies for Manila-Bacolod to 63 from 56, Manila-Butuan to 46 from 39, Manila-Cagayan de Oro to 69 from 62, Manila-Cebu to 108 from 98, and Manila-Davao to 90 from 81.
The airline will also add flights for Manila-Dumaguete to 42 from
The projected capacity growth of 6 percent to 10 percent will be driven by increased flight frequencies from Manila to key domestic and international destinations.
38, Manila-Ozamiz to 14 from 11, Manila-Tacloban to 49 from 42, and Manila-Zamboanga to 45 from 38.
Lao added that the company is ready to “bring back” aircraft for deployment to Chinese routes with the change in visa policies. “China was a key market for the Philippines in 2019 that’s something we want to establish,” he said. Lorenz S. Marasigan
a shared commitment to safeguarding lives and empowering the RG community. Together, Fortune Life and RG continue to build a safer and more secure future for members nationwide.
Fortune Life is part of the ALC Group of Companies, founded by the late Amb. Antonio L. Cabangon Chua.
Beyond normal: Are executive check-up results telling you the truth about your health?
By Francine Medina
hile executive check-ups are packaged as health investments that give a picture of one’s overall health, they do not tell the full truth about your state of health. This is according to Dr. Rolando “Oyie” Balburias, medical director of Rhodium Regenerative Institute who recently guested in BusinessMirror’s weekly digital show, “Freshly Brewed.”
In the episode, host and Health and Fitness editor Anne Ruth Dela Cruz engaged in a conversation with Dr. Balburias for a closer look at executive check-ups, what they’re designed to do, what they may miss, and why understanding your biology could mean more than just being told everything is normal.
While executive check-ups are designed to detect diseases, Dr. Balburias explained that many diseases like lifestyle-related chronic diseases develop even before they are detected.
“So oftentimes, no matter how hightech a machine is in imaging organs, if we’re not measuring how those organs are functioning, then you may not be able to detect any abnormalities or damage. Hence, you are declared to have normal results.”
“But having normal results in these organ-based tests, no matter how comprehensive they are, does not mean that you are optimally healthy. It only means that you are not yet sick,” said Dr. Balburias.
Getting an executive check-up is acceptable, especially if one is experiencing several symptoms, noted Dr. Balburias.
“All we’re saying is that if you have normal results, it’s not a guarantee, it’s not enough to just accept the results. You still have to look into the different risk factors that will contribute to the development of diseases. For instance, genes that predispose you to develop certain diseases will be turned on.”
“But we’re not doomed by our genes. Genes are switches. You still have to turn it on. And what turns on a harmful gene or what turns off a beneficial gene depends on what you call exosomes.”
On its website, the US National Cancer Institute (https//www.cancer.gov) defines exosomes as, “A tiny sac-like structure that is formed inside a cell and contains some of the cell’s proteins, DNA, and RNA. Exosomes get released into the blood by many types of cells, including cancer cells, and travel through the blood to other parts of the body.”
Dr. Balburias continues, “Exosomes are your day-to-day exposures. through your nutrition, through your sleep quality, and through your stress level. So those are the ones that contribute to activating or turning on a harmful gene. It’s like saying that the gene is like the bullet of the gun. If you don’t
pull the trigger, the gun will not fire. So the trigger is the exosome and your lifestyle. Diseases develop before they are detected.”
Check the pattern ON why people pass their executive checkups with a normal mark without detecting the onset of diseases, Dr. Balburias explains, “Oftentimes, executive check-ups, when they are interpreted as a result, are interpreted as a single result. For example, if your fasting blood sugar is measured today, it shows that you have 99 milligrams per deciliter. From the perspective of a doctor who is an expert in disease management in diabetes, he will say there’s nothing wrong.
Your fasting blood sugar is normal.”
“But when you look at the series of your fasting blood sugar through the years--let’s say you had your fasting blood sugar done last year and it was measured 80 milligrams per deciliter, that’s a very optimal level. But from 80 to 99 milligrams per deciliter–it’s quite significant. That means something happened that affected the efficiency of how your body metabolizes glucose. Then that has to be managed in order for it not to progress until such time that you are now diagnosed to have diabetes.”
Another factor to consider when it comes to executive check-up results is to discern between the normal range--the statistical guideline--and one’s individual biology or body make-up.
“When it comes to our health, we don’t use the word normal. Or abnormal, high, or low. We use what is optimal, because when you talk about optimal, it talks about the efficiency of the system, how the body functions as one interconnected, interrelated biological system.
He compares the body to a car that has different body parts. The car runs because of its system. But the system of the car, for it to function, needs to have a lot of equally important substrates like gasoline, oil, battery, electricity, and the air in the tires.
“The same thing with our body. Our body needs a lot of metabolic substrates for it to function efficiently and optimally. These substrates include micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids. It needs micronutrients and macronutrients, which are both equally important. But there’s a difference between the system of our car and our body system. The body’s system is an adaptive biological system. Even if you are lacking certain
nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, the body will try to compensate and maintain homeostasis, or balance, as much as it can.
“We have an amazing Creator. As a system, the body is designed to have many reparative mechanisms to restore itself. That” why, when a disease is detected, it’s already too late.”
Discerning false assurance BESIDES executive check-up results, the daily habits and routines of the individual should likewise be taken into consideration.
“The danger there is that if the results of the tests done on you are disconnected from those exosomes that we mentioned, and if nobody is looking into your nutrition, your day-to-day quality of sleep, your day-today stressors, especially if you have chronic stressors,” Dr. Balburias noted. He added that another danger of taking the results for granted is that, “ Well, it could lead a person to manage those symptoms symptomatically by taking drugs for a specific symptom. At the same time, it could also impact their quality of work. Remember, no matter how dedicated you are to your work, no matter how passionate you are, once your health breaks down, your
body gives up. That’s the consequence.”
Beyond “normal” BESIDES the standard executive check-ups, Dr. Balburias proposed the need for more personalized measurements or tests based on individual biology.
“At Rhodium, we look into your biology, your cellular health, because every organ is made up of cells. If your cells are healthy, then your organs will be healthy. When it comes to conventional medicine, where experts focus on detecting diseases, they really rely on the science of pathology,” he said.
“But when you want to optimize your health, we need to use the science of physiology because the body functions as a system--integrated and interconnected seven systems. So instead of pathology, let’s look at the physiological functions of your body,” he commented. Rather than prescribe drugs or medications, healing happens in one’s own household, he recommended, “And for treatment, conventional medicine is great in treating pharmacology. But in optimizing your health, we don’t rely on pharmacology; we rely on biochemistry. The biochemistry of food is not just for energy; there are a lot of properties of food that can optimize your health. Your kitchen can be your pharmacy.” Besides that, the team also provides personalized programs for managing one’s lifestyle, including sleeping habits. While the biomarkers are the same for conventional check-ups, their perspective is different, noted Dr. Balburias, “We’re not looking at diseases. We’re looking through the lens of biological patterns from those results. We can predict your health if we know your medical history. We will know what you are predisposed to. Next, we can give functional diagnostics that can measure your nutrient levels, hormone levels, antioxidant capacity, and even toxin exposure.
“From there, after finding more about your personal biology, we then design a program that will find ways to correct, intervene, and restore the balance of your biological system.”
To learn more about Rhodium Regenerative Institute, log on
Dr. Rolando "Oyie' Balburias, medical director of Rhodium Regenerative Institute.
Anne Ruth Dela Cruz, BusinessMirror's Health and Fitness Editor.
Dr. Rolando "Oyie' Balburias, medical director of Rhodium Regenerative Institute, talks about executive check-ups and why they do not give a real picture of your health with Anne Ruth Dela Cruz, BusinessMirror's Health and Fitness Editor.
Banking&Finance
Telco to techco
THE term “techco” is a relatively new buzzword that has emerged to describe the transformation of traditional telecommunications companies (telcos) into more technology-focused and innovative businesses. This transformation is driven by the rapid pace of technological change and the increasing demand for digital services.
The evolution of telcos into techcos reflects the convergence of telecommunications and technology. As the digital world becomes increasingly interconnected and reliant on data, techcos are poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future of communication and innovation. Today’s telcos recognize that to survive and thrive in the digital age, they must be built around their customers, with the ability to respond and adapt to ever-changing needs continuously.
Signals of change
TELCO service revenue has stabilized over recent years and is now moving towards a phase of strategic transformation. Network operators are leveraging their existing infrastructure while introducing innovative, value-added offerings that command premium pricing, thereby creating multiple new drivers of revenue growth that extend beyond saturated consumer markets.
Such strategic initiatives reflect an industry-wide recognition that future growth is driven by innovation, diversification, and an expanded role within the digital ecosystem. With this shift, telcos are increasingly focusing on the business-to-business (B2B) segment as a key driver for revenue growth. In line with these developments, the following factors below represent key drivers of change shaping the evolution of telco business models:
n Telcos should continually invest to avoid becoming outdated.
n Business-to-consumer (B2C) customers seek fast and reliable connectivity, personalized services, and an excellent customer experience.
n B2B customers are looking for secure, scalable telco solutions with integrated services and personalized support.
n Traditional telco models are focused on infrastructure and network operations, with less emphasis on customer experience.
n Telcos’ traditional business models are no longer fit for purpose to address the new digital opportunities.
Key characteristics of a techco TECHCOS are the modern evolution of traditional telecommunications companies that have embraced the digital landscape and beyond. They prioritize innovation, digital transformation, and customer experience. Techcos are characterized by their focus on:
n Client centricity
n Digital experience
n Automation
n Data utilization
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
In the pursuit of techco status, recognizing ambition alone won’t necessarily suffice. A strategic paradigm shift is imperative, necessitating a holistic restructuring of the telco company’s operational landscape.
In the Philippine context WITH internet penetration and social media usage among the highest globally, the Philippines presents a vast and highly engaged market for digital services. This shift from a traditional telco to a versatile, technology-focused techco is a critical necessity.
This market dynamic compels local telco providers to look beyond their core role as connectivity providers. However, these ventures rely on processing massive amounts of customer data and deploying advanced digital platforms like AI. While these capabilities enable efficiency and hyper-personalization, their success ultimately depends on consumer trust.
As the KPMG report titled “Telco to techco” highlights, the public often remains cautious about powerful, automated digital systems. For the Philippine digital economy to continue its growth, telcos must address concerns around data handling and platform reliability to drive widespread adoption of their new digital financial and commercial services.
“The challenge for Philippine telcos is to continue moving up the value chain, building on their progress beyond basic connectivity to higher-value offerings such as digital media, cloud solutions, and specialized business services. This requires further strengthening their role as trusted service enablers, leveraging scale and customer relationships to support sustainable growth beyond traditional telecom boundaries.” said Technology, Media and Telecommunications Sector Deputy Head Frits Gerald M. Enriquez.
Ultimately, the future growth of the country’s leading digital carriers lie in their ability to establish an uncompromising standard of digital trust. By strengthening governance, ethical practices, and risk management frameworks, telcos can support the development of secure, reliable, and widely trusted digital services within the Philippine digital ecosystem.
This excerpt was taken from the KPMG Thought Leadership publication “Telco to techo.”
the imposition and enforcement of penalties. GNPK owns and operates a 4x138 megawatt coal-fired power plant located in Lanao del Norte. It commenced commercial operations of Unit 1 becoming operational in August 2019, Units 2 and 3 in December 2019 and Unit 4 in October 2020. During this time, the WESM has not yet been established in Mindanao and dispatch was performed by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). Back then, the power systems and processes in Mindanao were implemented under the old structure whereby the NGCP was not only responsible for central dispatch, but it also performed the function of scheduling of, and, issuing dispatch instructions to, power generation facilities.
BSP to roll out interoperable auto-debit facility this year
By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will roll out an interoperable auto-debit facility this year to allow bank clients to automatically pay bills even if their accounts and billers are in different banks.
On the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Reception for the Banking Community on Friday night, BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto E. Tangonan told reporters that the central bank conducted a pilot of the facility last year and is now gearing up for its full implementation.
Tangonan said the new system will allow a customer’s account in one bank to be automatically debited by
CIVILIAN government employees are set to receive higher salaries starting January 1, 2026, after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the third phase of the government’s salary adjustment program.
This was after Acting Budget Secretary Rolando U. Toledo issued National Budget Circular 601, ordering the implementation of the third tranche of the four-year salary increase to modernize and standardize government compensation.
As such, civilian personnel in the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches; constitutional commissions and offices; state universities and colleges; and governmentowned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) will all receive higher wages.
The salary increase will apply regardless of the employee’s job status, including regular, casual, contractu-
a biller in another bank.
“It works interoperably—so it works regardless of the bank,” Tangonan said.
Currently, auto-debit arrangements offered by banks are limited to intrabank transactions, requiring both the payor and the biller to maintain accounts in the same bank.
The direct debit facility forms
al, elective and part-time personnel.
Under the new guidelines, incumbent employees will be moved to the corresponding salary grade and step under the third tranche schedule based on their position and pay as of December 31, 2025.
Employees whose current pay already surpasses the maximum step for their grade will either be capped at Step 8 or will no longer be eligible for raises if their salary is already higher than the prescribed ceiling. Those whose pay falls between steps will be adjusted to the next higher step.
New hires, meanwhile, will automatically be placed at Step 1 of their respective salary grades, while casual and contractual workers will get rates equal to Step 1, with daily wages calculated on a 22-working-day basis.
Employees whose retirement takes effect after December 31, 2025,
PDIC puts up Davao City, VisMin assets for e-bids
DAVAO CITY—Prime condominium and agriculture properties here and elsewhere in the Visayas and Mindanao areas will be up for electronic bidding next month, the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) has announced.
These are the assets of closed banks, that must be disposed to cover for the claims of the closed banks’ depositors and creditors, read a statement issued by the PDIC.
The featured properties for sale are four commercial condominium units and four parking slots located at the Landco Corporate Centre in Davao City, a prime location for business and development.
The portfolio also includes 45 agricultural lots, 19 residential lots, and four mixed residential and agricultural lots ranging from 82 square meters to 10 hectares, it said.
The sale of the prime commercial con-
According to GNPK, under this industry structure, Mindanao generators are not compelled to operate their power plants if these plants have not been nominated by their customers and not scheduled for dispatch by the NGCP. Significantly, in the absence of the WESM, and consequently, the nonimplementation of WESM rules and WESM market manuals, GNPK was governed solely by the terms and conditions of its power supply agreements (PSAs) and the instructions of the Mindanao System Operator.
“Accordingly, GNPK was neither obligated to operate its generating units that may jeopardize the integrity and health of its physical assets nor bound by any rules requiring the simultaneous operations of all its units. GNPK, therefore, had the right to manage
part of the BSP’s broader push to modernize the country’s retail payments infrastructure by launching three e-payment streams: “bills pay,” “request to pay” and “direct debit.”
Direct debit allows customers to authorize billers to pull funds directly from their accounts to settle their recurring payments, such as monthly rentals, amortizations, and insurance, among others.
The BSP and the Philippine Payments Management Inc. launched Bills Pay PH last November 2022, while the “request to pay” and “direct debit” streams remain in the pipeline.
Google pay
MEANWHILE, Tangonan said that the much-awaited launch in the Philippines of Apple Pay, a mobile payment service by Apple Inc., is ultimately up to the multinational technology company.
including those on authorized service extensions, are still entitled to the wage adjustment.
As for GOCCs, the GOCC governing board will decide whether to implement the salary increase, but it should not be earlier than January 1, 2026.
The DBM said GOCCs without sufficient funds may adopt lower salary rates as long as these are implemented uniformly across the corporation.
GOCCs are also prohibited from seeking national government subsidies or borrowing funds to cover the increases and must charge the adjustments to their corporate operating budgets. The funds needed for the salary adjustment are already included in the respective agency budgets under Republic Act No. 12314 or the 2026 General Appropriations Act.
dominium units and the portfolio of real properties in Visayas and Mindanao will go through an electronic public bidding (ebidding) on an “as-is, where-is” basis from February 25 to February 26.
Interested parties may browse through the complete list of properties with detailed descriptions and bidding requirements, procedures, and conditions on the PDIC ebidding portal.
Submission of bids will start at 9:00 am on February 25 to 1:00 p.m. on February 26, exclusively through the PDIC e-bidding portal, and the submitted bids will be opened at 2:00 pm on February 26.
“They are also encouraged to conduct due diligence on the properties they want to acquire to determine their actual condition, status, ownership, and other circumstances,” according to the PDIC. Manuel T. Cayon
and operate its facility in the most economical and financially viable manner, taking into consideration the technical limitations inherent in the operation of a coal-fired power plant,” it said.
GNPK said it started receiving “compliance monitoring and assessment reports” from the Enforcement and Compliance Office (ECO) of the PEMC in May 2023 for the alleged violations of the “Offered Capacity Compliance” or the “Must Offer Rule.”
GNPK said it elevated the ECO resolutions before the compliance committee of PEMC. It asserted that it was denied procedural due process when the ECO resolved its requests for reconsideration based on evidence where it never had the opportunity to controvert or verify.
THE Philippine Chamber of Cooperatives Inc. (Coop Chamber) announced its leaders discussed with officials of the International Labor Organization (ILO) Philippine Country Office how to strengthen the role of cooperatives in national development, decent work promotion and the “social solidarity economy” (SSE).
A statement issued by the Coop Chamber read this was the gist of a gab during a courtesy visit by the organization’s chairman, Noel D. Raboy, and secretary-general, Edwin A. Bustillos, to ILO Philippines Director Khalid Hassan on January 22.
“The high-level meeting focused on aligning the Philippine cooperative movement with international standards, specifically ILO Recommendation 193 on the Promotion of Cooperatives,” read the statement. The dialogue also underscored the pivotal role of cooperatives as major pillars of the SSE, it added.
“Cooperatives are not just capital-driven enterprises; they are people-driven and servicedriven,” Raboy was quoted in the statement as saying. He highlighted the
“We released a determination that it is not an OPS (operators of payment systems). Google Pay has launched. So it’s up to them [Apple],” said the BSP official. OPS are required to secure from the BSP a license to operate. Google Pay was the first one to make its way in the country last November, given that 80 percent of Filipinos use the Android operating system developed by Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company. In 2024, the share of digital payments to total monthly retail transactions rose to 57.4 percent in terms of volume and 59.0 percent in terms of value, up from 52.8 percent and 55.3 percent, respectively, in 2023, according to the BSP.
“The upward trajectory reflects the long-term impact of market developments, policy initiatives, and the growing trust and familiarity of Filipinos with digital payment options,” the BSP said.
For casual and contractual workers paid from lump-sum appropriations, agencies were directed to charge the increases against their respective allotments under the 2026 budget.
Moreover, the salary increases for the President, Vice President and members of Congress will only take effect after the expiration of the respective terms of the present incumbents, in line with constitutional restrictions.
Excluded from the salary increase are military and uniformed personnel, job order and contract of service workers, student laborers, apprentices, and consultants or experts without an employer-employee relationship. Agencies and GOCCs with separate and approved compensation systems are likewise not covered.
Chamber’s ongoing advocacy to maintain the “one member, one vote” principle in the revision of the Philippine Cooperative Code, warning against proposals that would introduce share voting and erode democratic member control.
A significant portion of the discussion centered on the government’s “Public Transport Modernization” program, the statement read.
According to the Coop Chamer, Hassan expressed interest in collaborating with the organization on this program, particularly through the ILO’s “Global Accelerator” program, which focuses on the transport sector. The initiative aims to design integrated policies for decent work and ensure a “just transition” for workers in the industry.
According to the Coop Chamber, the meeting concluded with a commitment from both parties to sustain communication and explore concrete partnerships. Hassan also committed to share the ILO roadmap for the construction and transportation sectors with the Chamber, inviting their policy recommendations through a cooperative lens.
Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
Explainer
PENTAGON PIVOT:
How the old and new US defense strategies differ on traditional priorities
By The Associated Press
THE new US National Defense
Strategy released by President Donald Trump’s administration is the first since 2022 and contrasts with its predecessor, issued under former President Joe Biden. Here’s a look at how the two Pentagon strategies address some of the traditional concerns of US security policy.
The Western Hemisphere
2022: “The United States derives immense benefit from a stable, peaceful, and democratic Western Hemisphere that reduces security threats to the homeland. To prevent distant threats from becoming a challenge at home, the Department will continue to partner with countries in the region to build capability and promote security and stability.
“As in all regions, the Department will work collaboratively, seeking to understand our partners’ security needs and areas of mutual concern.”
2026: “We will actively and fearlessly defend America’s interests throughout the Western Hemisphere. We will guarantee US military and commercial access to key terrain, especially the Panama Canal, Gulf of America, and Greenland. We will provide President Trump with credible military options to use against narcoterrorists wherever they may be. We will engage in good faith with our neighbors, from Canada to our partners in Central and South America, but we will ensure that they respect and do their part to defend our shared interests. And where they do not, we will stand ready to take focused, decisive action that concretely advances U.S. interests.”
Russia and European security
2022: “The Department will maintain its bedrock commitment to NATO collective security, working alongside Allies and partners to deter, defend, and build resilience against further Russian military aggression and acute forms of gray zone coercion. As we continue contributing to NATO capabilities and readiness — including through improvements to our posture in Europe and our extended nuclear deterrence commitments — the Department will work with Allies bilaterally and through NATO’s established processes to better focus NATO capability development and military modernization to address Russia’s military threat.”
2026: “Russia will remain a persistent but manageable threat to NATO’s eastern members for the foreseeable future.”
“European NATO dwarfs Russia in economic scale, population, and, thus, latent military power. At the same time, although Europe remains important, it has a smaller and decreasing share of global economic power. It follows that, although we are and will remain engaged in Europe, we must—and will—prioritize defending the U.S. Homeland and deterring China.”
“Fortunately, our NATO allies are sub -
stantially more powerful than Russia—it is not even close. Germany’s economy alone dwarfs that of Russia. At the same time, under President Trump’s leadership, NATO allies have committed to raise defense spending to the new global standard of 5% of GDP in total, with 3.5% of GDP invested in hard military capabilities. Our NATO allies are therefore strongly positioned to take primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense, with critical but more limited U.S. support. This includes taking the lead in supporting Ukraine’s defense.”
China and the Indo-Pacific
2022: “The NDS (National Defense Strategy) directs the Department to act urgently to sustain and strengthen U.S. deterrence, with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the pacing challenge for the Department.”
“The most comprehensive and serious
challenge to U.S. national security is the PRC’s coercive and increasingly aggressive endeavor to refashion the Indo-Pacific region and the international system to suit its interests and authoritarian preferences.”
“The PRC’s increasingly provocative rhetoric and coercive activity towards Taiwan are destabilizing, risk miscalculation, and threaten the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait. This is part of a broader pattern of destabilizing and coercive PRC behavior that stretches across the East China Sea, the South China Sea, and along the Line of Actual Control.”
“The Department will support Taiwan’s asymmetric self-defense commensurate with the evolving PRC threat and consistent with our one China policy.”
2026: “Were China—or anyone else, for that matter—to dominate this broad and crucial region, it would be able to effectively veto Americans’ access to the
world’s economic center of gravity, with enduring implications for our nation’s economic prospects, including our ability to reindustrialize. That is why the NSS (National Security Strategy) directs DoW (Department of War) to maintain a favorable balance of military power in the Indo-Pacific.
“Not for purposes of dominating, humiliating, or strangling China. To the contrary, our goal is far more scoped and reasonable than that: It is simply to ensure that neither China nor anyone else can dominate us or our allies. This does not require regime change or some other existential struggle. Rather, a decent peace, on terms favorable to Americans but that China can also accept and live under, is possible.”
North Korea
2022: “The Department will continue to deter attacks through forward posture; integrated air and missile defense;
close coordination and interoperability with our ROK (South Korea) Ally; nuclear deterrence; resilience initiatives; and the potential for direct cost imposition approaches that come from globally deployable Joint Forces.”
2026: “With its powerful military, supported by high defense spending, a robust defense industry, and mandatory conscription, South Korea is capable of taking primary responsibility for deterring North Korea with critical but more limited U.S. support. South Korea also has the will to do so, given that it faces a direct and clear threat from North Korea.”
Middle East
2022: “As the Department continues to right-size its forward military presence in the Middle East following the mission transition in Afghanistan and continuing our ‘by, with, and through’ approach in Iraq and Syria, we will address major security challenges in the region in effective and sustainable ways.”
“The Department will prioritize cooperation with our regional and global partners that results in their increased ability to deter and defend against potential aggression from Iran, for example by working to advance integrated air and missile defense, maritime security, and irregular warfare capabilities. Working in concert with global and interagency partners, the Department will redouble efforts to support regional security coalitions within the Gulf Cooperation Council and among states in the region to ensure maritime security and improve collective intelligence and warning.”
2026: “DoW will empower regional allies and partners to take primary responsibility for deterring and defending against Iran and its proxies, including by strongly backing Israel’s efforts to defend itself; deepening cooperation with our Arabian Gulf partners; and enabling integration between Israel and our Arabian Gulf partners, building on President Trump’s historic initiative, the Abraham Accords. As we do, DoW will maintain our ability to take focused, decisive action to defend U.S. interests.”
PRESIDENT Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House on May 20, 2025, in Washington. AP/ALEX BRANDON
Bambanti Festival 2026: Isabela’s beauty and bounty
CITY of Ilagan, Isabela—One of the country’s most exuberant cultural celebrations, the Bambanti Festival just concluded over the weekend. Vice Gov. Francis Faustino “Kiko” Dy served as the director general, with Nilo Agustin as the brilliant creative mind behind all the spectacular activities. The festival, featuring the adorable bambanti (scarecrow), is an annual event that pays tribute to the province’s hardworking farmers as well as a thanksgiving for the Queen Province of the North’s continued blessings. Ecotourism exhibits, homegrown products, and giant scarecrows were on full display at the Bambanti Village at the capitol grounds from January 18 to January 25.
“This year’s Bambanti Festival promises a vibrant mix of culture, food, sports and entertainment,” enthused the tireless Provincial Tourism Officer Joanne Dy Maranan at the opening ceremony. Along with the agricultural and heritage showcases, the festival also highlighted Isabela’s beautiful maidens and emerging creative minds. As far as creating costumes go, Isabela attracts the most brilliant young talents in the land.
Prima Joy N. Alamban, meanwhile, was crowned as Queen Isabela 2026 during the coronation night held at the Queen Isabela Park on January 21. under the theme “Innovations Through Tourism: Bagong Tuklas sa Bagong Bukas.”
KENNEDY JHON GASPER: BEST DESIGNER, QUEEN ISABELA II CREATIVE ATTIRE
THE young designer is one of the country’s best designers of creative costumes. Take note of his accomplishments: Miss Universe 2021 (Nigeria)-Best in National Costume; Miss Intercontinental Malaysia 2024-Best in Costume; Miss Teen USA Utah 2021-Best in Costume; and Miss Supranational Kenya 2022-1st Runner-Up. For the Bambanti Festival, Kennedy won the Queen Isabela Echague 2023-Best in Creative Attire, Queen Isabela 2024-Best in Creative Attire and Best Designer, and Bambanti King 2025-1st RunnerUp, Best in Costume. This year, he was named Best Designer for his design for Queen Echague Ashera Mishael Gallegos, who also placed in the Top 5 for Best in Creative Attire at Queen Isabela 2026. Kennedy described his incredible entry, called “The Moneda de Plata de la Reina (The Silver Coin of the Queen)” as:
“Trajes is a historic Filipina formal dress that blends indigenous and Spanish styles, symbolizing the mestiza identity and Filipino women’s elegance. This attire features sheer fabrics, mantillas, and elaborate beadwork, reflecting the aristocratic look of the past. Associated with Queen Isabela II, it represents the Philippines’ rich cultural heritage and artistry. The name references silver coins, which have played a significant role in Philippine currency history, from the Spanish era to modern commemorative coins.”
MARK ANTHONY S. PIMENTEL: BEST IN CREATIVE ATTIRE WORN BY QUEEN SAN MATEO ELENI ATHINA DOMINGO
MARK ANTHONY is another brilliant young
talent. His entry, “Queen Isabela: The Golden Oriole Sovereign,” won Best in Creative Attire, as carried by Queen San Mateo Eleni Athina Domingo:
“The Queen Isabela Creative Attire is a regal couture masterpiece inspired by the Isabela Oriole (Oriolus isabellae)—the vibrant yellow bird endemic to the Province of Isabela. This costume embodies grace, rarity and cultural pride, transforming the natural beauty of the oriole into a commanding visual narrative of identity, heritage and queenship.
“The gown’s voluminous, wing-inspired structure forms a majestic halo around the queen, symbolizing protection, freedom and elevation—qualities of both a monarch and the oriole itself. The dramatic feathered skirt and sculpted bodice create the illusion of a bird mid-display, asserting power and elegance. The crowned headdress, echoing traditional forms, signifies leadership, dignity and ancestral authority, crowning Queen Isabela as both guardian of nature and bearer of culture.”
PRIMA JOY ALAMBAM: QUEEN ISABELA 2026 FROM TUMAINI
A UNIVERSITY of the Philippines Diliman education graduate, Prima Joy previously joined the Hiyas ng Pilipinas 2024 pageant representing Malabon City, but she finished unplaced. As she celebrated her first anniversary as a flight attendant late last year, she reflected:
“As a child, yellow was my favorite color. Somewhere along the way, I outgrew yellow. Or maybe I just hadn’t found the right reason to wear it again, until this job did.
“Yellow came to represent warmth, hope and resilience—qualities I now see everyday in the people I work with. A year ago, I never imagined I’d be celebrating my [Cebu Pacific anniversary] as a Lead Cabin Crew. Along this journey, I’ve met so many kind, genuine and inspiring individuals. If this experience taught me anything, it’s that kindness quietly carries more weight than authority ever could.
“Grateful for the trust, the lessons, the people, and the opportunity to lead with heart. Here’s to growth, gratitude, and choosing yellow again.”
At the crucial interview portion at Queen Isabela, the Saint Matthias Parish Tumauini noted that their Queen Tumauini was clutching a rosary as she gave her winning answer to the final question: “The theme for this year’s Bambanti Festival was ‘Innovations Through Tourism.’ Give one concrete example of innovations through tourism that you can observe here in the province of Isabela and tell us about it. If you were to be crowned Queen Isabela, how would you support and further this innovation?”
Prima Joy replied: “Isabela is known as an agricultural province, and one innovation that I saw is the use of new machineries for our farmers. These [machines] help support our farmers because they are the backbone of our society, and it enables our tourism to go further because Isabela is known as an agricultural province. And if we support our farmers, we can have a better future, and we can have a better tourism because people will keep coming back to Isabela, not just for its harvest but for its farmers.”
New Pop Mart store in SM Aura showcases Skullpanda
of sniffing each blind box. This is perhaps one of the joys of buying these blind boxes. The thrill is not knowing what iteration of the collectible toy you’re going to get and the possibility of getting the “secret.”
Pop Mart’s main business is producing and selling these collectible toys mostly in blind boxes, many of them developed with artists or in collaboration with franchises. Blackpink’s Lisa is a Pop Mart toys collector. In the Philippines, known celebrity collectors are Marian Rivera, Nadine Samonte and Jed Madela.
Pop Mart recently opened its second permanent store in the Philippines at Level 2 of SM Aura. The new store (the first opening was in SM Megamall) spans 164 square meters. Like other Pop Mart stores in the world, the SM Aura Premier store is bright with thoughtfully laid-out displays encourage visitors to encourage browsing.
For the SM Aura Premier opening, the spotlight was focused on Skullpanda, a Pop Mart favorite known for their expressive designs and distinctive visual style. The character’s presence anchors the store’ s lineup, reflecting the brand’s creative range and its appeal to fans who gravitate toward characters with personality and artistic flair. For the grand opening, for the store’s grand launch, Pop Mart SM
with her flower-inspired collection at the Fashion Graduate Italia in Milan, Italy’s fashion and financial capital. Barrera represented the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) in the 11th edition of the annual event hosted at BASE Milano It featured industry talks, fashion shows, exhibition spaces for school and graduate projects, and portfolio reviews.
Themed Bridging Tribes, Building Dreams and spearheaded by institutional hub Piattaforma Sistema Formativo Moda, this year’s Fashion Graduate Italia gathered the next generation of talents to connect various cultural identities and creative visions worldwide.
The participation of the 25-year-old magna cum laude graduate of Benilde Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) Program in the fashion week marked her debut in the global design stage. Barrera is the first Filipina who was selected to join the prestigious event.
The fourth-generation designer continues to honor the fashion legacy of her great-grandmother Marina Antonio, grandmother Malu Veloso, mother Vicky Veloso-Barrera, and aunt Letlet Veloso, all while making her own mark. Her brand “love, h,” a curated selection of gowns consisting of fabrics that she personally hand-painted and dyed, was brought into spotlight alongside the works of students from several Italian and international schools.
The former Benildean scholar’s capsule graduation collection on the Milan runway comprised four showstopping pieces that reflect her art: the “morning glory,” the “white iris,” the “bougainvillea,” and the “gumamela.” Each one is like a love letter she addressed to herself—a bouquet of flowers she offered the future Hannah as a gift.
“Hidden in the collection are little messages in the form of concepts and designs that I would like my future self to know, so that years later I could look back at the collection and see what my 21-year-old self was trying to tell me; I am worthy, and I will spend a lifetime in fashion proving that this is true,” she wrote. “To the me of tomorrow, this is for you.”
The “morning glory” is composed of draped abaca cotton silk from Aklan and embellished with carefully crafted flower applique and cotton linen backing. The “white iris” is made from pure Philippine silk sourced from La Uñion. It is characterized by a lenticular off-shoulder collar and irises that are manually painted.
The fuchsia-colored “bougainvillea” captivated the crowd with its vibrantly dyed abaca silk and silk organza, along with handmade ornamental applique and stunning blooms. The scene-stealing red “gumamela” gown flaunts wood-dyed piña silk and abaca as well as beautifully hand-painted flowers.
“Hannah’s achievement underscores the caliber of Benilde’s FDM alumni and reinforces the program’s commitment to prepare graduates to compete internationally,” FDM officer in charge chairman Roxoanne Bagano-Dizon noted.
Barrera was escorted and assisted by her college mentor Jinggay Serag. Andre Chang shared styling direction for Barrera’s collection, while Adanté Footwear provided the shoes to complete the overall look.
Aura featured a massive sculpture inspired by “The Antigravity,” a blind-box figure from Skullpanda’s Image of Reality series. Skullpanda, created by Chinese artist Xiong Miao, is immediately recognizable by its skullshaped helmet, soft spherical braids, striking dark eye makeup and fashion-forward, intricate outfits. Skullpanda series themes delve into introspection, dreams and futuristic or gothic aesthetic. One of the most recent Skullpanda releases is the Wednesday Plush (Nevermore Academy Uniform version). For me, Skullpanda is a beauty person as their makeup is whimsical and impeccable. I am always excited to see what makeup look they will be
next. Pop Mart, as an official store, will also be the first to carry the newest releases, with selections refreshed regularly to keep the experience dynamic for returning customers.
WHEN Chanyeol of the K-pop group EXO showed his Pop Mart blind box pull—Hacipupu Gummy Bear Series in Cherry—sales of the vinyl plush pendant spiked. I witnessed first hand in Pop Mart’s Bangkok store how K-pop fans bought sets of Hacipupu, just because they did not have the luxury
QUEEN ISABELA 2026 Prima Joy Alambam from Tumaini, wearing Albert Andrada (PHOTOGRAPHED BY ROEL HOANG MANIPON); Kennedy Jhon Gasper: Best Designer, Queen Isabela II Creative Attire (KENNEDY JHON GASPER FACEBOOK); Mark Anthony S. Pimentel: Best in Creative Attire worn by Queen San Mateo Eleni Athina Domingo (HAIR AND MAKEUP BY JUDEN BATAC, MARIA CONCEPCION, SOBREPEÑA BATAC; MARK ANTHONY S. PIMENTEL FACEBOOK)
THE Bougainvillea by Hannah Barrera PHOTOS BY DANIELE VENTURELLI
THE Gumamela by Hannah Barrera
SHFC builds lives, not just houses as it celebrates its 22nd anniversary
For over two decades, the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) has led the Philippines’ socialized housing movement, evolving from simply building homes to transforming entire communities.
As SHFC celebrates its 22nd anniversary this month, it continues to support both formal and informal sectors through innovative housing initiatives under President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program.
SHFC remains dedicated to providing affordable, resilient, and communitydriven housing solutions for Filipino families. Its key programs include the Community Mortgage Program (CMP), a people-led housing finance and community development initiative which assists legally organized associations of low-income groups to acquire and develop a tract of land under the concept of community ownership.
The agency also undertakes special projects that advance national development, such as the High Density Housing Program for families in Metro Manila’s waterways and danger zones, and the Strategy for the Inclusive Mainstreaming of People’s Living Entitlements (SIMPLE) Program for resettling families in Intramuros, Manila.
It also provides housing assistance to families affected by the North-South Commuter Railway Extension Project (NSCR-Ex) and those displaced by the Marawi siege.
Meanwhile, SHFC’s vertical 4PH projects, such as Crystal Peak Estates in San Fernando City, Pampanga, People’s Ville in Davao City, Valley View Township in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, and Port Town in Manila, represent a strategic response to the growing demand for affordable housing in highly urbanized areas. These multistory developments maximize limited land resources while ensuring access to essential services and livelihood opportunities.
DIGIPLUS Interactive Corp. (DigiPlus), the pioneer and leading digital entertainment provider behind BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, and GameZone, is partnering with global boxing icon Manny Pacquiao as it unveils a slate of co-branded games that tell the story of the Filipino sporting legend’s journey, resilience, and legacy.
Bannered by games “Super Ace Pacquiao” and “Boxing King Pacquiao,” DigiPlus and Pacquiao will roll out a total of nine titles across the BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, and GameZone platforms. Seven of these games are already live and ready for play, with more titles set to launch in the coming weeks.
“As the entertainment scene continues to evolve, audiences are seeking more authentic and exciting experiences. This landmark collaboration with revered Filipino sportsman Manny Pacquiao allows us to create something innovative, meaningful, familiar, and truly local,” said DigiPlus Chairman Eusebio H. Tanco. The partnership heralds a long-term, contentdriven collaboration that goes beyond branding, as DigiPlus deeply integrates Pacquiao’s most well-loved moments, Filipino traits, and symbols into each game’s mechanics and visual design as it hopes to deliver an entertainment experience that
The story of SHFC is one of innovation, resilience, and unwavering commitment to uplifting Filipino families. Its roots trace back to the early 1980s, when the community mortgage concept was first introduced in Cebu through the efforts of a development organization, with support from the national housing sector.
This pioneering initiative paved the way for the formal adoption of the Community Mortgage Program as the flagship for socialized housing under Republic Act 7279, the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992, which first defined “socialized housing” in Philippine law.
In 2004, Executive Order No. 272 finally established SHFC as the lead agency for social housing, focusing on informal settlers and low-income families. Its clear mandate: provide accessible, community-driven financing and empower the urban poor to secure land and build their own homes.
SHFC has consistently embraced innovation. Guided by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), it has adapted to meet the evolving needs of the national housing agenda.
In July 2025, SHFC launched the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program (ECMP), a faster and more flexible alternative to the traditional CMP. Within months of its inception, 36 ECMP projects were approved, securing land tenure for over 6,200 families— demonstrating SHFC’s commitment to efficiency and inclusivity.
The impact of these programs was highlighted at the October 2025 National Housing Expo, where President Marcos, Jr. personally awarded Certificates of Lot Award (CELA) to over 900 beneficiaries from five
resonates with Filipino players.
“Super Ace Pacquiao” sets the tone with 1,024 ways to win and payouts that can reach up to 10,000x, which mirrors the kind of boldness that led “The Pacman” to dominating eight divisions—a feat that continues to be unmatched to this day.
“Boxing King Pacquiao,” meanwhile, is a steady, action-driven slot game built around 88 paylines, and wins of up to 2,000x that also feature free games, free spins, and multipliers that echo Pacquiao’s rhythm and patience that helped him build the staying power that shaped his career and success in the ring.
“These games are made for Filipino players, with a Filipino champion front and center,” Chairman Tanco added.
Other readily available titles include “Pacquiao
ECMP communities.
According to SHFC President and CEO Federico Laxa, “We are on track in implementing our housing programs, particularly the ECMP, to help more Filipino families secure the land they occupy. This reaffirms our commitment to providing safe, secure, and inclusive housing where beneficiaries can build better lives for their families.”
SHFC’s vision goes beyond constructing houses—it is fundamentally about building sustainable and inclusive communities.
By partnering with local government units, fellow government agencies, and non-governmental organizations, SHFC empowers informal settlers to purchase land and develop essential infrastructure.
Today, with significant progress in 4PH implementation, SHFC is answering the President’s call to ensure that all citizens, especially the unserved and underserved, experience tangible government support in their daily lives.
As SHFC moves into 2026, it aims to accelerate project approvals and strengthen partnerships to deliver more inclusive and sustainable housing solutions for Filipino families, bringing the goal of secure and dignified homeownership within closer reach.
For 22 years, SHFC has done more than construct houses—it has helped build lives by empowering organized communities, overcoming challenges, and continually innovating to meet families’ needs.
As Laxa aptly stated, the organization’s legacy will be measured not only by the homes it has built, but by the communities it has transformed.
Fortune,” “Manny Punch,” “Pacman’s Bingo Boom,” and “Pacman’s Color Game.” Players can experience these co-branded games by downloading BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, and GameZone.
Pacquiao, a Hall of Famer who scaled the boxing world’s summit by ruling eight different weight classes, hopes that the games inspire players by reflecting the grit, perseverance, and fighting spirit that defined his own trek from humble beginnings to global success.
“These games created together with DigiPlus chronicle my story. Aside from the wins, they tell the story of my struggle, discipline, and the faith that lifted me through it all,” said the 47-year-old southpaw from General Santos City.
“I hope players get to see themselves as they see me in these games and feel inspired by what they could also achieve,” Pacquiao added.
As the partnership with the legendary boxer evolves, DigiPlus will continue to roll out new Pacquiao-themed titles while pursuing future collaborations that celebrate local culture, sports, and entertainment—advancing its vision of transforming the world of entertainment for good by delivering innovative, technology-driven experiences grounded in stories that are deeply relatable to the Filipino player.
Real financial wins every Filipino can achieve with Cebuana Lhuillier
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AS part of its enduring commitment to Iloilo, the Lopez Group Foundation, Inc. (LGFI) continues to partner with the UP Visayas Museum of Art and Cultural Heritage in presenting exhibitions that tell stories of the Filipino people.
The current exhibition of paintings from the Lopez Museum and Library, titled “Sown by the Traveler: Women and Migrants in Philippine Art”, resonates with audiences through the shared experience of migration.
From moving between provinces to settling in distant parts of the world, Filipinos leave home in pursuit of opportunity and discovery. Like the artists featured in this exhibition, many migrants are shaped by their journeys and make meaningful contributions to the communities they encounter. The narratives of overseas workers and the Filipino diaspora are often absent from national histories, but they are vital to understanding our collective identity.
Oscar Lopez, former chairman of LGFI, emphasized the Lopez Museum and Library’s role in bridging “the discontinuities imposed by our way of life and the transitions in our culture—from the Spanish to the American periods, and to the realities of a globally dispersed yet interconnected Filipino diaspora.”
Through its Filipiniana collection— comprising artworks, books, manuscripts, and artifacts that span from the pre-colonial era to the present—the Lopez Museum and Library seeks to help Filipinos uncover
connections that foster deeper understanding and empathy among our people.
Driven by a commitment to the legacy of impactful stewardship, service, and philanthropy and the principle of collaboration, LGFI draws on the resources of its various advocacy groups, such as LML, to develop national pride and uplift the Filipino. This exhibition is an expression of LGFI’s thrust for greater accessibility of Philippine art and inclusivity in the dialogue about Philippine culture. It honors the Iloilo community as the roots of its commitment. The exhibition is at University of the Philippines Visayas, Museum of Art and Cultural Heritage and it will run until May 3, 2026. The exhibit was curated by Dr. Patrick Flores.
VinFast Shifts Into High Gear in 2026 with Bigger Electric SUVs and Aggressive Nationwide Expansion
creators for an immersive evening highlighting the shared progress between Vietnam and the Philippines, from cultural performances and collaborative art installations to conversations around product expansion, dealer network growth, and charging infrastructure development.
Thanksgiving gathering themed “The Road We Share,” to recognize their role in the brand’s journey in the Philippines and to mark the transition into its next stage of growth. Held at Palacio de Memoria in Parañaque, the event gathered VinFast executives, journalists, and content
“We are entering 2026 with strong momentum, built on the trust and support we have earned in the Philippines over the past two years,” said Toti Zara, CEO of VinFast Southeast Asia. “This year is about accelerating, expanding access, strengthening our ecosystem, and making electric mobility a source of confidence and pride for Filipino drivers.”
By sharing its plans in this setting, VinFast underscored
SHFC President and CEO Laxa with SHFC officials during the ocular visit in Crystal Peak Estates in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
Two Women by Doris Magsaysay-Ho
MAKI+FIESTA!
WHO doesn’t love a fiesta?
It’s a staple of our culture.
It’s a joyous gathering, a visual feast of color, a melodious showcase of artistry, a total experience that lingers as events are wont to be. It’s a celebration of who we are and what we can be.
For two full days, December 11 and December 12, 2025 at the Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines, event venues of Maki+Fiesta 2.0 (it was the second year) were festooned in colorful banderitas for the event that had 33 sessions and close to 100 speakers and panelists in both plenary and breakout sessions.
Maki+Fiesta 2.0 truly lived up to its reason for being a Media Festival Celebrating Free Expression, Democracy, and the Creative Economy, organized and synergized by Convenors: the Quezon City Government led by Mayor Joy Belmonte, UP led by President Angelo Jimenez, Probe led by Cheche Lazaro, Pumapodcast led by Roby Alampay, and FYT led by Atom Araullo.
In the IBG-KAL Theatre, the Gimenez Gallery, the Aldaba Hall, and outdoor booths, there was an energizing exchange of ideas, topics, arts, data, enthusiastically attended by almost 1,000 students, educators, journalists, content creators, digital and data experts, writers, musicians, government officials, visual artists, researchers, influencers, changemakers, innovators, professionals from different fields in both arts and science.
The registration information showed that attendance was up by 30 percent compared to that of 2024, with seven out of 10 being Millennials, GenZs, and GenAlphans.
Engaging topics
THE session titles alone already whetted interest and brought together very robust discussions:
Day 1: Data-driven insights on the Filipino, Humor as Power, From Media Literacy to AI Literacy, AI and Creatives; Tech, Memory and the Defense of History; Meme Wars and the Forces of Truth vs. Disinformation, Music and the Language of the Unheard, Gender Biases in Content and Platforms, A Soldier’s Story on Photography, Peace and Birds.
Day 2: Arts and Creative Paths to Justice; Art, Poetry in Times of Struggle and Resistance; AI Solutions for Resilient Communities, How Gen Z and Millennials Push Back Against Misinformation, Journalism for Non-Journalists; Farmers, Food, and Hunger; Human Trafficking and Online Exploitation of Children, Tips, Tricks, And Ethics For Aspiring Content Creators; Safety and Sanity, Fundraising Without Losing Your Soul, AI in Public and Devcom; Train the Eye, not the Algorithm; How Do You Sell the Truth, Learn Baybayin.
Sessions
THE media festival began excitedly, ensued with continued fervor, and ended with iconic insightful sessions. Day 1 opened with messages from UP System President Angelo Jimenez and from Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. Then, there was a casting feat of the opening panel with reform-minded Mayors, advocates of good governance, service, and truth.
The sincerity of Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte; Isabela City, Basilan Mayor Sitti Djalia Hataman; and Infanta, Quezon Mayor Lord Arnel “L.A.” Ruanto shone as
they shared their vision, aspirations, challenges, and impact of specific city programs for the betterment of their constituents.
As the discussion was moderated by leading journalists, Cheche Lazaro of Probe, Roby Alampay of Pumapodcast, and Atom Araullo of FYT, attendees in the packed hall hung on to every word, asked fearless questions, and received honest answers.
Day 2 began with an inspiring keynote message from 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Fr. Flavie Villanueva, and ended with a fireside chat with National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee and a panel by Atin ‘ToWest Philippine Sea (WPS) Coalition. Communication and PR takeaways: Event Management MAKI+FIESTA 2.0, especially for communication and PR professionals, exemplifies the experience and process of professional event management.
Professor emeritus and author Dr. Joe Goldblatt, whose books on special events management were our reference in the syllabus for international hospitality students in my previous classes as an adjunct faculty, defines events as “a unique moment in time celebrated with ceremony and ritual to satisfy specific needs.”
(Goldblatt, 2002; p. 6)
Teaching the course that was a required subject (first taught the Philippine M.I.C.E. Academy’s Certification Director Cynthia Bernabe who out -
standingly studied under Dr. Goldblatt in Temple University), meant that we would tackle professional event management that calls for a combination of creativity and innovation, and of efficient project management. We dissected the process that Dr. Goldblatt identified: research, design, plan, coordinate, and evaluate, that culminated in the class holding an actual graded event.
The origin and meaning of the word “event” is traced back to the Latin eventus “occurrence, accident, event, fortune, fate, lot, issue,” from the past participle stem of evenire “to come out, happen, result.” (Event-Etymology, Origin & Meaning)
From years of corporate and industry event management, and as part of the working committees (under the UP banner), I was enthused and fascinated with Maki+Fiesta 2.0’s energy and the kaleidoscope of interesting sessions that lived up to the interplay of creativity and innovation from both young and seasoned personalities.
Insights
WHICH brings me to these insights:
1. Purpose. This has to be clear as it will be a north star for the event. Dr. Goldblatt identifies that purposes for events are as a celebration, education, marketing, and reunion. Its reasons could be religious, political, social, commercial and educational.
2. Ideation. It starts from a big idea, an aspiration, a vision of what
could be that is then articulated and activated.
3. Synergy of partners guided by a common cause and purpose. It takes synergy among organizations and institutions that may have different beginnings, but share common aspirations for truth, democracy, and creativity. It takes the dedication, hard work, team spirit, and valued hours of the working committees to weave everything into place: before, during and after the event.
4. Understanding the audience. Profiles and findings from that of the previous year as well as grounded insights from the hardworking joint organizing committees were the rubrics for choosing topics, inviting speakers, and determining the program flow.
5. Logistics, facilities, resources. Good ideas need practical support. Each convenor group shared their respective contributions in ideas, time, effort, resources.
6. Timing. This means securing the venues and doing a scan of other events happening in the same place and time that might impact the event’s attendance, resources and support. This also meant zooming out to see the flow of the sessions, that builds to end on a high note.
7. Branding. Consistent themes, terms, tone, approaches, event items make the event seen, remembered, promoted, supported, attended. Having shareable and engaging online content is now very much part of promoting events.
8. Process and attention to details. The project management aspect of events needs this. Misspelled words, wrong names and position titles, miscues, for example, are some occurrences that could ruffle feathers, adversely affecting the event.
9. Presence of mind and thinking on your feet. Event and production leaders and teams know that there may
be last-minute changes and sudden issues that may arise anytime and are ready to resolve these even on the spot.
10. Learning from the experience. From the word evenire, events leave us with an impact through the total experience replete with learning. The best events leave us with lingering learning, engagement evoked strongly by the multi-use of our senses, heightened emotions, new ideas, and the interplay of all its elements as we immerse in it.
11. Documentation. This captures the highlights for media releases, postevent review and reports, improvements, and posterity.
12. A continuing journey. Some things change, and some things do not. While the methods, production and technical details may change, the very essence of why the event was done in the first place, remains. Continuous improvement through post-event review helps raise the bar. And, as it has been said, the journey continues.
Communication truly brings diversity together. And it takes a village to have a rousingly successful event. Hanggang sa muli, makilahok at magkita tayo sa susunod na Maki+Fiesta!
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of IPRA Philippines, the local chapter of the United Kingdombased International Public Relations Association, the world’s premier association for senior communication professionals around the world. Ritzi Villarico-Ronquillo, APR, IABC Fellow is a seasoned Communication and PR leader, Consultant, Coach, Mentor, Professional Lecturer, and Adjunct Faculty for Business Communication, Strategic PR and Leadership, with 46 years of award-winning experience across
and
INSPIRING CULMINATING TALKS from Ramon Magsaysay 2025 Awardee Fr. Flavie Villanueva and from National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee.
INTER-ORGANIZATION WORKING TEAMS. The
teams behind Maki+Fiesta 2.0. Truly, it takes a village to make an event.
Para Games bets register above par finish in Thailand
THE Philippines continued to rack up more gold medals on the fifth and final day of the 13th ASEAN Para Games at the 80th Birthday Stadium on Sunday in Nakhon Ratchasima. The Filipinos already collected 38 golds, 31 silvers and 47 bronze medals for fourth place in the overall medals race to post its best ASEAN Para Games harvest after eclipsing the 34-33-50 gold-silver-bronze haul in the 2023 edition in Phnom Penh.
After setting a new meet record of four minutes and 26.32 seconds in the men’s 1500-meter T12 last Wednesday, Cyril Ongcoy claimed his second gold medal in this year’s games, clocking 17:32.19 in the men’s 5000-m T12.
“This has always been my main event, and I won’t settle for anything else but gold here,” Ongcoy said. “I’ve studied pretty well my strategy in this race, how to focus.” Cleford Trocino also made an impact on the final day of the games for the differently-abled by winning gold in the men’s 800m T52 with a time of 2:00.16, while team captain Jerrold Mangliwan tallied 2:00.73 for the silver medal.
The 38-year-old Trocino said the gold was worth it as he beat Athens 2004 Paralympic bronze medalist and Thailand bet Peth Rungsri, who took the bronze medal with a time of 2:01.31.
“Finally after 10 years I got the gold, and I had a Paralympic-caliber opponent to match,” he said.
Gary Bejino won his fourth gold medal after clocking in 1:11.40 in the men’s 100m freestyle S6 at the 80th Birthday Aquatics Center.
Thailand topped the games running away with 165 gold medals, way ahead of Indonesia (128) and further up front of Malaysia (60). Vietnam was fifth behind the Philippines with 34 gold medals, followed by Myanmar with 20, Singapore with 13, Timor Leste with three and Laos and Brunei with two and one, respectively.
Sports tourism leads to economic growth
SPORTS tourism is fast emerging as the most dynamic driver of the global sports economy and the Philippines is determined to seize this opportunity through the leadership of the National Sports Tourism-Inter Agency Committee (NSTIAC) chaired by Patrick Gregorio.
In mature sporting markets such as the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union, sports contribute between 2 and 4 percent of gross domestic product and support approximately one in every 25 full-time jobs. Major events like the Boston
erupt from a street-level crowd as he reached the top of the spire of the 508-meter (1,667-foot) tower about 90 minutes after he started. AP
JAPAN’S Sakura Hosogi earns a ticket to the main draw at local bet Stephanie Aludo’s expense.
gear adjustment
EANU JAHNS is mentally focused and brimming with confidence as he plunges into action in The Country Club (TCC) Invitational that gets going Tuesday.
While many of the top pros head into the new season fine-tuning swings, adjusting iron play or recalibrating their putting strokes, the Filipino-German chose a different path—sharpening what has already been proven to be his greatest weapon.
“I’m not really trying to do anything different,” said Jahns ahead of the 72-hole, P6.5-million championship.
“Staying present and being committed on the course has been working for me, so I’ll be sticking to that.” Jahns and the 29 other pros gear up for the main event in Monday’s traditional pro-am where they will be paired with guest amateurs of the sponsoring International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI).
Perhaps the most motivated heading into the event, Jahns dominated the same TCC layout, overpowering Guido van der Valk in the final to capture
About etiquette
THAT incident where Filipino fans went overboard in their support for Alex Eala during the Australian Open is nothing new. Am not excusing that behavior.
I am kind of miffed that I have seen quite a few comments justifying it whether it is not their fault if supporters of the opposing player are not the same in terms of attendance or vocal support. And bad behavior, some reasoned, isn’t limited to Filipinos.
It wasn’t too long ago when American supporters during the 2025 Ryder Cup got on Rory McIlroy’s case with heckling, insults and jeers.
“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” McIlroy said Sunday after a 15-13 win against the United States. “I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf. I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week.”
the Match Play crown.
Before his Match Play triumph, Jahns had already showcased his dominance in traditional formats, stringing back-to-back stroke play victories at Caliraya Springs and Bacolod.
The ability to win in various formats has elevated him into the inner circle of contenders as the championship being staged in honor of ICTSI founder Don Pocholo Razon.
Despite finishing second in last season’s Order of Merit, narrowly behind three-time TCC Invitational champion Angelo Que, Jahns views the new season as a fresh opportunity.
“My goal this year is to have a good finish in the OOM Top 3,” he said. “But with the way I’ve been playing, winning the OOM would be nice.”
With former champions—including Miguel Tabuena, van der Valk, Tony Lascuña, Frankie Miñoza and Micah Shin—in the field and the top 30 finishers from last year’s Order of Merit, the TCC Invitational is expected to unfold in classic fashion.
remember the incident when some over eager fans barged into Lea Salonga’s dressing room and broke protocol? It wasn’t too long ago, we were offering subscriber packages to Filipinos so they could watch Alex Eala. She was already on an upswing but not yet of this current stage. The packages were largely ignored. Now, you have all these bandwagoners and pseudo or new fans coming in. There is nothing wrong with becoming a new fan or supporter. Not everyone is a die-hard fan who was there from the start. But ignorance of the game, rules and etiquette is no excuse. Just because you don’t know your way around Makati it
trying to achieve, it’s the right strategy,” said Gregorio, pointing to the NSTIAC’s role in coordinating government agencies, private sector partners and local communities to ensure every hosting leaves a lasting legacy.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Administrative Order No. 38 that created the NST-IAC to spearhead the country’s sports tourism agenda. The NST-IAC is tasked with crafting and promoting initiatives that align with national laws, overseeing bids and hosting of
ABy Josef Ramos
LEX EALA flashes her worldclass act before Filipino fans in her first round match against Russian Alina Charaeva in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 125 Philippine Women’s Open on Monday night at the newly-refurbished Rizal Memorial Tennis Center. Eala, 20, last played at the Rizal Memorial facility when she was 12—in a mixed doubles match with brother Miko, according to the Eala’s dad, Mike—with almost no one watching. This time around, an enormous crowd is expected to see in the flesh the world tennis sensation who rocked the Australian Open in Melbourne a week ago.
NU’s Natinga breaks Caidic record
Miekho Natinga breaks a University Athletic Association of the Philippines basketball record for the most three-pointers in a game with 13 in National University (NU) Nazareth School’s 124-41 demolition of University of the Philippines Integrated School in Season 88 actionon Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym. Natinga breaks the previous record of 10 triples held by De La Salle’s Luisa San Juan for women (September 25, 2024, Season 87) and NU head coach Jeff Napa (August 22, 2002, Season 65), and even
doesn’t excuse one driving through the wrong way. You are still going to get a ticket.
It is a barangay mentality. Wherever there is a family who is on a world stage, they come out and cheer as if they invented cheering. It seems at times, there is this insane need to be heard as if to say, “We’ve arrived. We have a Filipino here.”
For a nation that doesn’t often have a representative in these stages or competitions, it is definitely something to be proud of and to support. I just wish it wasn’t ningas kugon.
Then when the noise subsides, they are gone and all you have left are the real fans.
We saw that with the Philippine men’s national football team. After their exploits during the 2010 Suzuki Cup, all of a sudden there were thousands and thousands of fans showing up. A lot of fan girls who didn’t know jack about the game too.
When they stopped winning, the crowds disappeared.
During the 2011 Fiba Asia Champions Cup, for some reason, Gilas is not even a club champion anywhere but we were included in the tournament that was held in Manila. It didn’t matter as fans flocked to the PhilSports Arena.
I remember during the semifinals game against Mahram Tehran, the venue was packed with Filipino fans and roughly some 50 Iranian supporters. Every time the foreigners cheered or sang their songs, the Filipino crowd booed and heckled them. But instead of being intimidated, their cheers grew louder. They had the last laugh as their team eliminated Gilas. Sadly though, others can dish it back to us albeit in an extreme manner.
“I will be happy to see many Filipinos coming out to see us play tennis,” Eala told a press conference ahead of the Philippine Sports Commission-backed WTA125 over the weekend. “I’m so happy to see how supportive they are.” Eala, who plays left-handed, is seeded second in the tournament with a world ranking No. 49—the best by any Filipino—faces the 23-yearold Charaeva, competing under the banner Individual Neutral Athlete— under the lights at 7 p.m. Although Charaeva’s way down at No. 169 in the world, Charaeva owns eight International Tennis Federation (ITF) individual and five doubles titles—the right-handed player has been competing in WTA tournaments since 2019. Eala said she already faced Charaeva in the first round of an ITF tournament in Spain in September 2020—the Filipina lost, 3-6, 3-6. “She is a very nice person and a great player,” Eala said. “I am just going out there and prepare to the best of my abilities.” The other notable matches on Monday pit top seed Tatjana Maria of Germany against Leolia Jeanjean of France and Filipino wildcards Tenny Madis against Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand and Kaye Anne Emana against Tatiana Prozorova of Germany, as well as Elsie Abarquez against Japan’s Mai Hontama.
During the semifinals stage of the 2010 Suzuki Cup, the Philippines was not ready to host the match so the “home game” was held in hostile territory in Jakarta. The Filipino fans (including the Philippine Ambassador) were seated in a section so they weren’t scattered). When they began
KEANU JAHNS has sharpened what’s already been proven to be his greatest weapon.
