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POOMSAE’S JUSTIN MACARIO BAGS PH’S 1ST SEAG GOLD
SPORTS / A8
Carlo Aguilar slipped out of PH, says solon
GOLDEN BOY. Justin
Kobe Macaro proudly shows the Philippine’s first gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand. POC
By Joel E. Zurbano
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 299 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2025
Gov’t cancels Zaldy Co’s passport—PBBM
LAS Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos disclosed that politician-contractor Carlo Aguilar left the Philippines just five days after the testimony of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo before the Senate last month. In an interview with Bilyonaryo News, Santos said Aguilar departed via Ninoy Aquino International AirNext page
Orders DFA, PNP to track, bring home ex-lawmaker By Charles Dantes and Katrina Manubay
T
HE government has cancelled the passport of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said as he ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine National Police to track the fugitive ex-lawmaker and bring him back to the Philippines.
“I have already directed the Department of Foreign Affairs, even the PNP, to coordinate with our embassies in various countries to ensure that the person we are pursuing cannot hide there in their country,” the President said in a video statement released Wednesday. “And if he happens to go there, he will be reported to us so that we can
bring him back to the Philippines,” he added. At the same time, President Marcos welcomed the surrender of contractor Sarah Discaya to the National Bureau of Investigation pending the formal issuance of her arrest warrant. Mr. Marcos described the development as a sign of progress in the Next page
Zaldy Co
‘No more flood-control funding, but higher budget for education’ By Ram Superable and Maricel Cruz AHEAD of tomorrow’s bicameral budget deliberations, lawmakers have stood firm in their position to expand funding for education and social protection while removing allocations for flood-control projects in the 2026 national budget. Rep. Mikaela Suansing, the House Committee on Appropriations chair-
person, stood by the House-approved version of the money measure, saying it has “no more allocations for flood control projects.” She maintained that safeguards have been put into the proposed 2026 budget to prevent abuse of the unprogrammed appropriations. She said the House GAB was able to add P553.7 billion to agriculture, raising the sector’s total 2026 budget Next page
Palace: Reform bills a priority; need not be certified urgent By Charles Dantes M A LACA ÑA NG on Wednesday justified President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s stance on
four reform measures including the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, even as some legislators pressed for immediate action.
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AGRI MANUFACTURING. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks at the groundbreaking of the multi-billionpeso agricultural machinery manufacturing facility in Nueva Ecija that will be built in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and Local Government Unit (LGU) of Cabanatuan City, and the Korea Agricultural Machinery Cooperative (KAMICO.) Revoli Cortez
PBBM’s confidence in ICI’s role in corruption probe undiminished By Charles Dantes MALACANANG on Wednesday reaffirmed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s confidence in the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI)
amid criticisms over its authority, resources, and relevance alongside existing investigative agencies. Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President continues to support the
ICI’s mandate even as the administration pushes for the passage of the proposed Independent People’s Commission Act, a priority measure that would institutionalize the ICI. “Yes, still, there isn’t any law yet.
And the President trusts what the ICI is doing,” Castro told Palace reporters. Concerns surfaced after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla commented that the commission could be Next page
Standard backs DOT’s Asean tourism drive THE Department of Tourism (DOT) has secured the support of major media outlets, including the Manila Standard, in promoting the Philippines’ upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026, with an official media partnership signed yesterday during the pre-event of the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Manila. Speaking at the signing, Manila Standard publisher and chairman Rogelio G. Estabillo emphasized the role of storytelling in showcasing the region. “Our commitment to unity, sustainability, and shared prosperity must guide how we tell our story to the world. ASEAN is blessed with wonders, from ancient temples and emerald seas to mountain sanctuaries and rich traditions, but what truly sets the region apart is the warmth and generosity of its people,” he said. Estabillo added that Manila Standard will support efforts to build a tourism sector that is both sustainable and inclusive,
PHILIPPINE Ambassador to Thailand Millicent Cruz Paredes announced that 110 Filipinos living in Thailand’s border provinces have been evacuated due to renewed armed clashes over a disputed boundary. In a radio interview on Wednesday, December 10, Paredes said Thai authorities began evacuating thousands of residents along the border on Sunday, December 7. “No Filipino is in danger,” she assured. She noted that the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with foreign ambassadors and diplomats to coordinate evacuation efforts. The fighting intensified recently over territory, a conflict that started in July, she added. On Monday, December 8, the Philippine embassies in Thailand and Cambodia advised Filipinos near the borders to stay vigilant, ensure their
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By Othel V. Campos
PROMOTING ASEAN TOURISM. The Department of Tourism, led by Secretary Ma. Christina Garcia Frasco
and Usec. Shalimar Hofer Tamano, join leaders of nine major media organizations, including Manila Standard publisher Rollie Estabillo, after the signing of a memorandum of agreement to promote the Philippines’ first hosting of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in January 2026. Apart from the Standard, the event’s media partners include Cignal TV, BusinessMirror, Daily Tribune, Inquirer Interactive Inc., Manila Bulletin, The Manila Times, Malaya Business Insights, and The Philippine Star. Under the agreement, they will offer promotional support and editorial coverage to boost the visibility of DOT’s tourism campaigns and activities. Norman Cruz
110 Pinoys safely removed from harm’s way in Thailand