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No work in all gov’t offices on Dec. 29, Jan. 2—Palace MALACAÑANG announced yesterday the suspension of work in all government offices on December 29, 2025, and January 2, 2026. The directive was contained in a Memorandum Circular No. 111 issued by Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto by authority of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Next page
OATH TO THE REPUBLIC.
President Ferdinand Marcos administers the oath to 42 new generals of the Armed Forces of the Philippines yesterday in Malacanang. PCO
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 307 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2025
Bicam averts reenacted budget Restores most of DPWH’s budget cut, hikes PhilHealth funding By Maricel Cruz, Ram Superable, Katrina Manubay and Charles Dantes
DONE DEAL. Members of the Bicameral Conference Committee pose for a wacky groupie after the end of the sessions at the Philippine International Convention Center. Senate FB page
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NEW spending plan for 2026 is now assured after the bicameral conference committee ironed out differing provisions in the proposed 2026 national budget, including the restoration of more than half of the slashed budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The bicam also hiked the allocations for PhilHealth and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, as well as restored the funding of the Office of the Vice President. The bicam wrapped up its work at around 2:22 a.m., reconciling provisions of the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill and effectively avoiding the possibility of a reenacted budget in 2026. ““The important thing is that all the safeguards are here in this budget. the flood control (fiasco) will not be repeated, the ghost projects will not be repeated, the projects that cannot be found or substandard will Next page
PBBM: Arrest warrants out vs. Discaya, 9 others By Charles Dantes, Vito Barcelo and Maricel Cruz WARRANTS of arrest have been issued against 10 people, including contractor Sarah Discaya, over an alleged P96.5 million “ghost” flood control project in Davao Occidental, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a video statement released Thursday evening.
Mr. Marcos said the accused are facing charges of graft and malversation, which he described as nonbailable offenses. The case involved a flood control project that was funded but allegedly not implemented, he said. “The court has issued an arrest warrant against the ten principal persons involved in this anomaly,” the Presi-
dent said. He said Discaya, whom he identified as one of the principal respondents, is currently in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation. He said eight officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways have also expressed their intention to surrender in connection with the case. Next page
COA finds large-scale Bulacan anomalies in report to ICI THE Commission on Audit (COA) announced it has formally filed with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) four fraud audit reports (FARs) that allege large-scale anomalies in Bulacan flood control projects with a combined cost of P330.51 mil-
lion. These were all implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office and awarded to WAWAO Builders. Next page
Madriaga lawyer claims VP Sara visited client twice
SSS now offers emergency loans to members
By Rio N. Araja
By Charles Dantes
THE camp of whistleblower Ramil Madriaga on Thursday claimed that Vice President Sara Duterte visited him twice during his detention at a jail in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City. In a news conference in Quezon City, Madriaga’s lawyer, Raymond Palad, said the Vice President’s last visit on his client was on Oct. 19, but Madriaga refused to see her since “a group is already helping him in his case.” Duterte previously visited Madriaga in jail, trying to offer him legal assistance, Palad said. The counsel failed however, to provide other details of Duterte’s first visit. He said the Vice President tried to dissuade Madriaga from his intended exposé in exchange for the dismissal of a kidnapping case against him.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Thursday that the Social Security System (SSS) has begun offering an emergency loan program for its members, featuring a low interest rate and a six-month payment moratorium. In a video message, Mr. Marcos said the emergency loan will be available to SSS members during periods of national emergency, with the interest rate set at seven percent. Under the program, borrowers will not be required to pay loan amortizations for the first six months after receiving the loan, a move the President said is meant to ease the financial burden on members facing urgent needs. “This is an emergency loan that members can use for their immediate
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Eala, Blu boys baseball team make history in SEA Games
By Riera U. Mallari
THAILAND—Team Philippines turned in a rousing Thursday in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, high-
lighted by historic gold-medal triumphs from Alex Eala in women’s singles tennis and the Blu Boys in men’s softball, complemented by a stunning Next page
TRAILBLAZERS. The women’s football team, left, and tennis star Alex Eala make history by taking the gold in their respective events at the SEA Games in Bangkok, Thailand. POC
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