Jojo Mendrez couldn’t contain himself from fanboying over Joshua Garcia at the recent 37th Star Awards for Television ceremony, with the singer and social media personality getting starstruck by the latter’s looks. Mendrez was among the presenters of the Male and Female Celebrity of the Night awards during the ceremony, which was held at the VS Hotel Convention Center on Sunday, August 24, where he had an awestruck expression upon seeing Garcia up close. While Garcia bagged the Male Celebrity of the Night award, Rochelle Pangilinan was named the Female Celebrity of the Night plum at the event. “‘Di ako […]... Keep on reading: Jojo Mendrez starstruck by Joshua Garcia at PMPC Star Awards for TV

• Inquirer
• 4 saat, 6 dakika

Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Tuesday, August 19, 2025. Today’s episode is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, The Philippines’ leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer — your Trusted Building Partner. READ: Public Works Chief Vince Dizon demands courtesy resignations to 'clean house' NEWLY appointed Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday said he would call for courtesy resignations from top to bottom at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which has been racked by scandal over ghost projects and allegations of bribery and corruption. Dizon said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered him to clean the agency. The call for resignations will cover more than 400 DPWH personnel, including eight undersecretaries, six assistant secretaries, 17 regional directors and assistant regional directors, 197 district engineers, and more than 200 division chiefs. The courtesy resignations would be followed by an intensive review of all DPWH personnel. READ: Sarah Discaya grilled by Senate over alleged DPWH links CONTROVERSIAL contractor Sarah Discaya said her family owns nine companies involved in flood control projects, one of which, Alpha and Omega, bid on 491 projects and won 71. Out of these nine firms, one is owned by her eldest son and another is run by her husband’s cousin. Discaya on Monday attended the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation of reported ghost or substandard flood control projects. Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III asked her at what point her business earned its first billion. Discaya replied, “We have been in the construction business for [the past] 23 years, so I would presume in 23 years we can earn that [amount].” READ: Marcos to create independent commission to investigate flood control anomalies PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said he would create an independent commission that would look into anomalies connected to the government’s flood control projects. “We are putting together the EO (executive order) that will create the independent commission. The independent commission will be the investigative arm so that they will continue to investigate whatever information is received,” Marcos said in a media interview in Pasay City. The chief executive said the commission will make recommendations on how to proceed against liable parties and whether to file cases with the Office of the Ombudsman or the Department of Justice (DOJ). BUSINESS: Philippines' manufacturing sector sees growth in August, but still below averages THE Philippines’ manufacturing sector continued to grow in August, supported by modest growth in output and new orders, but overall performance was said to be subdued compared to historical standards. The S&P Global Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) stood at 50.8 last month, easing from 50.9 in July but still above the 50.0 threshold marking an expansion from a contraction. “The headline figure indicated a further improvement in health of the Filipino manufacturing sector, but one that was historically subdued and only marginal overall,” S&P Global Market Intelligence said on Monday. SPORTS: Eala jumps to 70th in WTA rankings FILIPINO tennis ace Alex Eala found herself in 70th place of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) live rankings ahead of her Guadalajara Open campaign in Mexico. That is five rungs higher than her place of 75th, same as last week, in the latest official WTA rankings on Monday. After claiming a historic US Open first round win against world no. 14 Clara Tauson, the first-ever victory for any Philippine player in a singles main draw major, Eala climbed to 66th in the live rankings. Eala pulled off a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11) comeback win against Tauson of Denmark before bowing out in the second round with a 4-6, 3-6 defeat to Cristina Bucsa of Spain. READ: Opinion and editorial Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Orlando Mercado. Contreras talks about Journalism ethics in his column. Meanhwile, Makabenta says that the crisis of competence is what is roiling our government system today. Mercado talks about the Ombudsman as a dragon slayer in his piece. Today’s editorial proposes lifestyle checks on public servants to combat corruption. For more news and information, read The Manila Times on print, subscribe to its digital edition or log on to www.manilatimes.net. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and LinkedIn; and be part of our communities on Viber, Telegram, and Mastodon.

• The Manila Times
• 3 saat, 20 dakika

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia has appealed to the House of Representatives to push for legislation that would address concerns on premature campaigning and address loopholes in the party-list system. During the discussions on Comelec’s 2026 budget before the House of Representatives, Garcia was asked by Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno regarding the two topics, as to what the poll body can do to level the playing field in terms of campaigning. Garcia said that the premature campaigning provisions are only implemented at the level of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections due to the existence […]... Keep on reading: Garcia asks House to push reforms on campaigning, party-list

• Inquirer
• 3 saat, 14 dakika

(UPDATE) NEWLY appointed Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday said he would call for courtesy resignations from top to bottom at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which has been racked by scandal over ghost projects and allegations of bribery and corruption. “The first order I will put out is the courtesy resignations, top to bottom — usecs (undersecretaries), asecs (assistant secretaries), division heads, regional directors, down to district engineers,” Dizon said in Filipino at a press conference in Malacañang on Monday. “The order of the President is to clean house, to cleanse the agency... a clean sweep — that is the order of the President,” he added. The call for resignations will cover more than 400 DPWH personnel, including eight undersecretaries, six assistant secretaries, 17 regional directors and assistant regional directors, 197 district engineers, and more than 200 division chiefs. The courtesy resignations would be followed by an intensive review of all DPWH personnel. “I believe that there are many good and excellent employees within the DPWH. The order of the President is to find them and place them in the sensitive and important positions,” Dizon said. He emphasized the need for accountability in light of recent reports on so-called ghost projects, noting that such anomalies could not occur without the involvement or negligence of people within the department. “There won’t be any of these projects if there is no collusion from inside the DPWH. How could a project be funded if it’s really non-existent? There certainly have to be people from DPWH who were paid off,” he said. Dizon acknowledged that his task would be challenging. “It’s not easy for someone like me who has been working in government for a long time. But we have to do it because we have seen, our President has seen, we have all seen what has happened here in this agency,” he said in Filipino. Dizon, who headed the Department of Transportation for only three months before his new assignment, said contractors who are guilty of anomalies would be immediately banned. “The contractors of these ghost projects.... First of all, I will impose a lifetime blacklisting; I will ban them immediately. When a contractor of a ghost project, or if their project is proven to be substandard, there will be no more process, no more investigation. That contractor is automatically blacklisted for life. And of course, there would be a corresponding case,” he said. The DPWH and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) have also begun discussions regarding the blacklisting of erring contractors. Dizon said they are looking to bar them from bagging government contracts and also studying the possibility of “perpetually” revoking their licenses in line with the President’s directive to clean up irregularities in public works projects. “We really need to review and revamp the PCAB (Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board) because that’s the body that does all that. We will start with blacklisting [and] disqualification, because that can be done by the DPWH,” Dizon said. Support from mayors Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Valenzuela City Mayor Weslie Gatchalian on Monday hailed the designation of Dizon as head of the DPWH. Belmonte, in a statement emailed to The Manila Times, said Dizon has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication in every national responsibility entrusted to him — whether as former president and chief executive officer of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, as the country’s Covid-19 testing czar, or most recently as Transportation secretary. “In each role, he has delivered transformative results that directly benefited our people and strengthened public trust in government institutions,” Belmonte said. “In particular, we trust that Secretary Dizon will champion strategic, science-based, and community-driven solutions to the persistent problem of flooding, including the adoption and scaling of Quezon City’s Drainage Master Plan,” she said. These reforms, she said, are crucial in ensuring that every peso of public funds is maximized for infrastructure that safeguards lives and protects property and builds resilience in the face of climate change. Her statement came a day after parts of Quezon City were hit by flash floods. Similarly, Gatchalian threw his full support behind Dizon. “We, here in Valenzuela, have clear proof of Secretary Dizon’s dedication in his job when he went back here to see for himself the progress of several de-clogging, dredging operations as well as hauling of debris that we had agreed to carry out with DPWH and NLEX (North Luzon Expressway) Corp. after 80 percent of the city was submerged in floodwaters last July,” Gatchalian said. Both part of the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG), Belmonte and Gatchalian said they were hopeful that under Dizon’s leadership, the DPWH could be able to restore its public image.

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 58 dakika

(UPDATE) CONTROVERSIAL contractor Sarah Discaya said her family owns nine companies involved in flood control projects, one of which, Alpha and Omega, bid on 491 projects and won 71. Out of these nine firms, one is owned by her eldest son and another is run by her husband’s cousin. Discaya on Monday attended the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation of reported ghost or substandard flood control projects. Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III asked her at what point her business earned its first billion. Discaya replied, “We have been in the construction business for [the past] 23 years, so I would presume in 23 years we can earn that [amount].” Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada asked Discaya whether there is a “point person” or someone from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) who gives them a list of projects, which they can bid on. “Wala po ako knowledge (I don’t have any knowledge). I don’t know anyone [from the DPWH],” Discaya said. To which Estrada said, “I don’t believe you.” Discaya later admitted that she knows the DPWH district engineers in Laguna and Bulacan. “How did you manage to secure 400 projects? Who was your point person at the DPWH, and where do you get your information? Who provides you with the list of bidding projects?” the senator asked. “Do you even have enough personnel to handle all these projects?” Estrada added. To which Discaya said, “We have sufficient employees to carry out the projects.” “This investigation is about transparency and accountability. If you are innocent, then tell the truth. Because if you are not, I assure you — you will be held accountable not only under the law and before the Senate, but also before the people,” Estrada warned. Under Estrada’s questioning, Discaya also admitted to owning at least 28 luxury vehicles — though in an interview with broadcaster Julius Babao, she had boasted about having more than 40, including a Rolls-Royce and a Bentley. In the same interview, she readily stated that her and her husband’s fortunes turned when they started doing jobs for the Department of Public Works and Highways.

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 52 dakika

(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said he would create an independent commission that would look into anomalies connected to the government’s flood control projects. “We are putting together the EO (executive order) that will create the independent commission. The independent commission will be the investigative arm so that they will continue to investigate whatever information is received,” Marcos said in a media interview in Pasay City. The chief executive said the commission will make recommendations on how to proceed against liable parties and whether to file cases with the Office of the Ombudsman or the Department of Justice (DOJ). “They will recommend to the executive what to do with certain parties who have been found to be part of all of this corruption that’s been going on, not only in flood control but also in all of the workings within DPWH,” he said. Underscoring the wide scope of the independent commission’s tasks and the sternness of his administration’s commitment to addressing corruption, Marcos said he wants it to be comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise. “We haven’t put the structure together yet. But the names... we need forensic investigators; we need, of course, lawyers, justices, (and) prosecutors who will look at the evidence and look at the information that we have, and they will put together that information and make the recommendation to either DOJ or the Ombudsman depending on who is found to be liable for some of these nefarious activities,” he said. Malacañang on Monday said members of the independent commission will undergo strict screening to ensure impartiality and credibility. “This independent commission will be under the executive. They will investigate all documents and complaints and recommend cases to the proper agencies. If government officials are involved, the cases will definitely go to the Ombudsman,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a media briefing. “Its members must be truly independent and not engage in politics,” she said in Filipino. Time is of the essence in creating the investigative body, given that deliberations for the national government’s 2026 budget have begun. Marcos lamented how more and more irregularities are being uncovered in the course of the investigation, hence the need for intensified efforts to clean up the DPWH. “Unfortunately, the more we look, the more we find. Even in the 2026 budget, there are still many insertions. So, it really needs to be cleaned out properly,” he said. Command responsibility The creation of the commission comes after the resignation of former Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan in the face of the growing scandal at the DPWH. “Secretary Bonoan, basically, he took responsibility because all of these things happened, all of these problems happened under his watch. So, under the principle of command responsibility, he felt that he should leave his post,” he said. Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon replaced Bonoan. Taking over from Dizon at the DOTr is lawyer Giovanni Lopez. Audits launched Meanwhile, the Commission on Audit (COA) has launched a high-priority, comprehensive performance audit of the government’s flood control projects. The audit was initiated by an Aug. 23, 2025, memo from COA Chairman Gamaliel Cordoba to Director Michael Racelis of the Performance Audit Office (PAO). The subject of the memo, “Conduct of Performance Audit entitled Flood Risk Management and Resiliency Program (FRMRP),” directs the PAO to “prioritize and immediately conduct a performance audit on flood control projects, and submit a report thereon upon completion,” underscoring the need for “immediate and strict compliance.”

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 50 dakika

COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia told the House Committee on Appropriations that the proposed 2026 Comelec budget did not include the postponement of the village and youth council elections. On Aug. 13, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law the measure moving the barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections, or BSKE, to Nov. 2, 2026, from Dec. 1, 2025. The matter is pending at the Supreme Court. “We were required to file our comment, but just the same... we did not stop in the preparation for the barangay and SK [elections] just in case,” Garcia said in Filipino and English in the Comelec’s budget briefing on Monday before the committee led by Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing. “But our problem is... the postponement of the barangay and SK elections is not in the proposed budget,” he said. The Department of Budget and Management turned over the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), or the President’s proposed spending plan for the country’s budget of P6.793 trillion for 2026, to the House of Representatives on Aug. 13, 2025. Garcia said the budget of P11 billion they have would be a continuing appropriation. However, he said this would not be enough for the additional honoraria for teachers because there would be more precincts to accommodate the additional 4 million voters by July next year. “The budget given to us for December does not include the new additional voters,” he said. “So all the teachers that were supposed to serve in the barangay and SK [elections] on Dec. 1, if it pushes through, have no additional honoraria of P2,000,” he said. Suansing asked the Comelec to provide the House committee with information on “how much it would take to stage the BSKE in 2026.”

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 49 dakika

ACTING Philippine National Police (PNP) chief LtGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Monday said there is no such thing as “quota arrests,” referring to the controversial policy of his predecessor, Nicolas Torre III. “There’s no such thing as quota arrests,” Nartatez told a media briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City. He said intelligence and information, not numbers, are the sole basis of police operations. Ideally, the PNP aims for a 100-percent arrest rate, said Nartatez. Citing an example, he said the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) has data on the number of wanted persons. “What we are doing is we have these wanted persons, and we should arrest (them),” he said. Nartatez’s statement was a response to a call by the detainee rights advocacy group, Kapatid, urging him to “rescind” Torre’s directive of using arrest numbers as a metric for police promotions. When Torre took over the PNP’s helm last June, he said the number of arrests a police officer makes would serve as a measure of the officer’s performance — a scheme reminiscent of the supposed quota system of drug-related deaths during the Duterte administration’s drug war. The Commission on Human Rights warned that the directive could lead to abuses and rights violations by police officers. Torre stressed that his order was for officers to meet their targets “within the ambit of the law.”

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 47 dakika

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday downplayed China’s security advisory for its citizens that the country’s crime situation is worsening. PNP Public Information Chief BGen. Randulf Tuaño said the number of crime incidents has actually dropped, from 26,969 for January to August 2024, to 22,519 during the same period in 2025. This represents a 16.15-percent decline, or 4,450 fewer reported criminal cases, Tuaño said. “The crime rate in the Philippines is not worsening,” he said, reassuring the public that the peace and order situation remains under control. Tuaño said recent incidents may have prompted the Chinese Embassy to issue the advisory, particularly the 21 kidnapping cases involving Chinese nationals from July to August this year. The incidents reportedly involved Chinese victimizing fellow Chinese. In its advisory issued on Sunday, the embassy said “public security in the Philippines has been worsening,” citing an increase in crimes targeting Chinese. Beijing urged Chinese in the country to remain cautious, avoid high-risk areas, and assess security risks before planning trips to the Philippines. Tuaño said PNP acting chief LtGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered the force to coordinate with the Chinese Embassy to determine the basis of Beijing’s crime alert. The Department of Foreign Affairs said China’s advisory was an unfair and inaccurate portrayal of the country’s security situation.

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 46 dakika

FUEL prices went up Tuesday for the second straight week. The per-liter price of gasoline increased by 70 centavos, diesel by P1, and kerosene by 70 centavos. The increase was attributed by sources in the local oil industry to oil-related global developments, specifically concerns of supply disruptions after Russia and Ukraine intensified their attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure, the possible impact on supply flows and global economy of the new US tariffs on India, signals from US Federal Reserve of an interest rate cut, and a large drawdown in US crude and fuel inventories. Last week, pump prices of gasoline went up by 70 centavos, diesel by 50 centavos, and kerosene by 30 centavos. Since January, the price of gasoline has risen by P12.80 per liter, diesel by P13.35 per liter, and kerosene by P2.75 per liter.

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 44 dakika

THE Marikina City chief of police and a substation commander have been relieved from duty in connection with the alleged involvement of two police officers in a molestation case. Eastern Police District director BGen. Aden Lagradante said an investigation will be conducted to determine if Col. Geofrey Fernandez and Community Precinct Substation Commander LtCol. Victoriano De Castro were remiss in their duties. Two Marikina police officers, a patrolman and a staff sergeant, are now under restrictive custody and are facing a criminal complaint over an alleged molestation incident involving a colleague while on duty. The two officers are facing charges of for violation of RA 8353 for Sexual Assault and Acts of Lasciviousness filed last Aug. 27. Lagradante said that the two suspects asked the victim out for coffee but instead of going to a coffee shop, they drove the patrol car somewhere and sexually assaulted their colleague.

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 43 dakika

PASAY police arrested on Monday, Sept. 1, one of the two suspects in the robbery and rape of massage therapists last Aug. 29. The suspect, identified only as “Alias Jared” of Legazpi City, Albay, was captured through a manhunt ordered by Mayor Imelda “Emi” Calixto-Rubiano. On Friday, Aug. 29, two armed men allegedly stormed a massage parlor along Cabrera Street, robbing 13 therapists and raping two of the victims before fleeing. The mayor condemned the crime, saying it has “no place in Pasay City.” She added, “With the help of our Pasay Police and other agencies, we are certain that justice will be served.” She directed Pasay police chief Col. Joselito de Sesto to intensify patrols and increase citywide police visibility. After his arrest, Jared was presented to Calixto-Rubiano by Pasay police officials following standard booking and medical procedures. The mayor also pledged full assistance to the victims. “The Pasay City local government unit is committed to providing not just judicial support, but also holistic support and assistance to all victims and families,” she said.

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 42 dakika

A TOTAL of 1,144 residents from various villages in Manila, who were affected by recent calamities, have received cash aid totaling P11.44 million from the National Housing Authority (NHA) through its Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP). NHA General Manager (GM) Joeben Tai, together with Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, led the distribution during the weekend of P10,000 to every family whose house was partially damaged due to the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Crising, Emong and Dante. EHAP beneficiaries were selected through a thorough assessment, validation, and data consolidation conducted by the NHA West Sector Office, led by Regional Manager Wenson Reyes, in coordination and partnership with the city’s social welfare and development office for recipient certification and verification. Moreno said the event was the first NHA-EHAP distribution under his administration. “I am very thankful to GM Tai and NHA for extending the much-needed assistance to my constituents who were displaced by the recent calamities, especially the consecutive tropical cyclones last July and the enhanced southwest monsoon,” the mayor said. NHA Assistant General Manager Alvin Feliciano, Manila Vice Mayor Angela Lei “Chi” Atienza-Valdepeñas, and other city as well as agency officials witnessed the cash aid distribution. Feliciano said the NHA is set to conduct another EHAP distribution activity in Caloocan City after doing the same in its neighboring cities of Malabon, Valenzuela and Navotas.

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 41 dakika

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has affirmed the designation of LtGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. as the acting chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), replacing Gen. Nicolas Torre III. In a statement on Monday, Napolcom said that the designation was necessary as Torre, “though relieved from his post,” continues to hold the rank of police general — a rank that by law can only be vested in a single officer at a time. “This move underscores Napolcom’s constitutional mandate to administer and control the PNP and ensures the continuity of leadership at the helm of the national police force,” Rafael Vicente Calinisan, Napolcom’s vice chairman and executive officer, said. Under Resolution 2025-0552, Napolcom said Nartatez, as acting PNP chief, “is fully vested with legal authority to exercise and discharge all powers, prerogatives, and responsibilities of the Chief of the PNP.” Meanwhile, the Napolcom also confirmed the “designation, assignment and reassignment” of 12 senior PNP officials. Napolcom’s Resolution 2025-0558, issued on Monday, involves the following officials and positions: LtGen. Bernard Banac, who will remain Deputy Chief for Administration; MGen. Anthony Aberin, who will remain director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO); MGen. Robert Alexander Morico II, who will head the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG); BGen. Christopher Abrahano, who will be assigned as the officer-in-charge of Area Police Command-Visayas; BGen. Romeo Macapaz Jr., designated at the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit; BGen. Kenneth Lucas, designated regional director of Police Regional Office-4A (Calabarzon); BGen. Jack Wanky, designated as NCRPO deputy regional director for administration, NCRPO; BGen. Arnold Ardiente, designated as regional director of PRO-12 (Soccsksargen); BGen. William Segun, designated at the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit; Col. Hansel Marantan, designated director of Highway Patrol Group; Col. Jonathan Abella, named acting director of the Explosives and Ordnance Disposal (EOD) K9 Group; and Col. Arnold Rosero, named deputy director for administration of EOD K9 Group. The order was signed by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Calinisan and Nartatez. “This latest round of appointments reflects Napolcom’s continuing exercise of its power of control over the PNP, aimed at ensuring strong leadership, efficient command, and effective law enforcement across the country,” Napolcom said. In a separate statement, Nartatez thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the commission’s trust, and reaffirmed his commitment to lead the PNP with integrity and resolve.

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 40 dakika

VALENZUELA City Mayor Weslie Gatchalian has been named among Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG), a movement of local chief executives championing integrity, accountability, and transparency. “Good governance is not a trend in Valenzuela — it has been our way of life for years. M4GG is a chance to bring the same fight for accountability and transparency to the national stage,” he told The Manila Times. Gatchalian has launched several programs for the welfare of his ‘Pamilyang Valenzuelano’ — from quality and inclusive education, robust social welfare initiatives, peace and order advantage, housing projects, to disaster preparedness, and flood resilience efforts, to name a few. Under his leadership, the city has consistently gained recognition for good governance, having been conferred the Seal of Good Local Governance for two consecutive years, and maintaining unmodified opinion from Commission on Audit — a testament to transparency and accountability of its financial management. Furthermore, Gatchalian, now serving his second term, also champions child protection and was awarded with one of the outstanding local governance programs in 2024 by the Galing Pook Awards. The M4GG highlights outstanding leaders across the country who serve as role models in upholding values, fostering participatory leadership, and ensuring that every program is felt by their constituents. For these, the city government looks at the mayor’s recognition as a strong affirmation of his steadfast commitment to good governance, and his dedication to delivering fast, quality, and efficient public service and programs for every “Pamilyang Valenzuelano.” Leading the group were Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 39 dakika

A FEMALE trafficker, her 4-year old child, and three of her victims bound for Cambodia were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 (NAIA-1) late last month. “What is disheartening about this case is that the woman even used his 4-year-old son to make the travel seem legitimate,” said Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado on Monday after he received the incident report. According to Viado, the incident is another case of the “bitbit” scheme, wherein seemingly legitimate travelers accompany trafficking victims to facilitate their departure from the Philippines. The woman, identified only as “Alias Rosa,” was turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for filing of cases against her. The incident happened last Aug. 26 at the NAIA-1. Records show that Rosa was traveling with her 4-year-old son, and claimed to be traveling to Kuala Lumpur for a five-day vacation, together with another 23-year-old female friend. Two other individuals, a male and a female aged 24 and 27, however, were also intercepted and were found to also be traveling with them. The three victims admitted they were traveling to Cambodia where they have been recruited as customer service representatives. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported the repatriation of seven Filipinos who were forced to work in scam hubs in Cambodia. The victims arrived on board a Philippine airlines flight from Phnom Penh on Aug. 31. As in previous cases, they were all recruited online, and left as regular tourists. Three of them even left together, pretending to be friends on vacation. They recounted how they were forced to be scammers together with Africans, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani workers. The scam hub reportedly targeted Americans and Fil-Ams. The Filipino workers claimed they were physically abused if they weren’t able to reach their quotas. Viado reiterated his warning against job offers abroad, stating that aspiring workers should only accept employment offers vetted by the Department of Migrant Workers.

• The Manila Times
• 2 saat, 38 dakika