(UPDATE) THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Friday said it has begun organizing interagency teams to investigate hundreds of anomalous flood control projects across the country. ICI special adviser Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said the ICI was coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and various engineering groups, including those from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and civil engineers’ organizations, to carry out technical inspections and forensic validation. “In connection with the investigation, we are organizing the units, agencies and personnel who will be part of the probe,” Azurin said in an interview. He said the commission directed the AFP, PNP and DPWH to identify which projects were “ghost, substandard, unfinished, or overpriced.” “Physically, the AFP, PNP and the Department of Development have already inspected the sites. They identified 421 ghost projects nationwide,” Azurin said. “The verification is done; we are now proceeding to technical validation with our pool of engineers,” he said. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group will lead the field operations, while the Scene of the Crime Operatives would handle forensic examinations. Azurin said the 421 questionable flood control projects that government auditors had flagged, particularly from the DPWH, covered the period from 2018 to 2025, although the review reached back to 2016. “We’re also looking at when these irregularities began to worsen so we can make recommendations to prevent them from happening again,” he said. The 421 projects were drawn from an initial pool of 8,000 flood control projects reviewed by the ICI in cooperation with the DPWH, AFP and the PNP. Of these, 261 are in Luzon, 109 in the Visayas and 51 in Mindanao. The DPWH earlier reported that from 2016 to 2025, it had implemented about 238,200 infrastructure projects nationwide — of which 12.5 percent, or roughly 29,800, were flood control works. Aside from flood control structures, Azurin said the ICI was also investigating farm-to-market roads, roads and bridges. “There are so many questionable projects. We just need to prioritize, and we ask for the public’s patience as we conduct a thorough investigation,” he said. Azurin said that once the engineers’ team was fully organized, they will have one week to validate all 421 projects. He said the ICI expected to send out the validation teams next week, after which evidence gathering and case buildup would follow. “Within three to four weeks, we expect to file at least 15 cases,” Azurin said. The investigation covered projects implemented from 2016 onward to avoid overwhelming the commission’s resources. “If we go further back, say another five years, we might be swamped by the volume of cases,” Azurin said. Also on Friday, the Department of Health (DOH) has briefed the ICI on its ongoing investigation into “ghost” super health centers or facilities funded by the government but are still idle or incomplete despite reported completion. In a press conference, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said around 300 facilities remained nonoperational, up from 297 earlier reported. Herbosa clarified that of 818 funded centers, about 500 have been completed, while 300 are still under construction. “Yesterday, it was 297, but last night it became 300 again. As we continue to investigate, the number changes,” he said. “When we reviewed the Super Health Centers, there [were] 818 that have been actually funded. About 500 were completed, and the remaining 300 are ongoing,” Herbosa said. “Among those completed, we checked how many are functional and how many are not — that’s the 300.” He said the DOH was using the term “ready for occupancy” to better classify centers that are physically built but not yet operational. “Some projects were marked ‘completed’ but turned out to be only phase one,” Herbosa noted. It helped a lot that the DOH requires a permit to build before any facility is constructed, he said. “In this way, there is a check and balance within the Department of Health facilities because the DOH is both the implementer and the regulator,” Herbosa said. The agency would continue its case-building to identify whether a particular project is delayed, misreported or neglected, with the ICI providing oversight, he said. He made it clear that not all inactive facilities were anomalous, with some remaining nonoperational due to missing utilities or staffing delays. “What we’re seeing are ‘obstacles to operations’ — sometimes no power, no water or no local personnel. The local government is responsible for connecting utilities and hiring doctors, nurses and midwives. The DOH only provides the infrastructure grant,” Herbosa said. Preliminary ICI figures show that since 2021, 878 super health centers have been funded under the Health Facility Enhancement Program. Of these, 365 are in various stages of construction, 196 are operational, 17 are partially operational and 300 remain nonoperational. The super health center project, launched in 2021 to decongest hospitals and expand primary care access, was designed to deliver full facilities within two years. Undersecretary Randy Escolango explained during The Manila Times Pharma Health care Forum 2025 on Friday that confusion arose from comparisons with “ghost projects” linked to public works, where funds are released for structures that were never built. “In our case, there is actual construction of the buildings,” Escolango said. “But once completed and turned over, the local governments are responsible for providing staff, equipment and operations.” He said the issue is not about missing infrastructure but nonfunctioning ones. “Maybe the proper term is ‘not functional,’” he said. Escolango also said the DOH has strengthened its coordination with PhilHealth to improve access to medicines and health care services under the Universal Health Care Act. He discussed the agency’s Health Care Financing Strategy for 2023 to 2028, which aims to reduce out-of-pocket health expenses and ensure fair, sustainable access to essential health services. Escolango said the DOH has implemented reforms in supply chain management to prevent expired or missing medicines, including real-time tracking through the Electronic Logistics Management Information System now used in more than 2,600 health facilities. New warehouse hubs in Caloocan City, Mandaue City, Zamboanga City and Camarines Norte will speed up the distribution of medicines and supplies nationwide, he added. He also confirmed that patients admitted to basic wards in all 87 DOH hospitals will benefit from zero-balance billing, meaning no out-of-pocket expenses. “Previously, no-balance billing was limited to indigent patients,” Escolango said. “Now, it covers everyone admitted to public wards.” He said the department is studying ways to expand the program through partnerships with private hospitals to widen access to free basic care. Escolango urged consistent accountability among government and local health agencies. “When medicines are within reach, communities become healthier,” he said. “We must make sure no health center is left idle and no Filipino is left without care.”

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 33 dakika

(UPDATE) THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Friday said it has begun organizing interagency teams to investigate hundreds of anomalous flood control projects across the country. ICI special adviser Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said the ICI was coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and various engineering groups, including those from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and civil engineers’ organizations, to carry out technical inspections and forensic validation. “In connection with the investigation, we are organizing the units, agencies and personnel who will be part of the probe,” Azurin said in an interview. He said the commission directed the AFP, PNP and DPWH to identify which projects were “ghost, substandard, unfinished, or overpriced.” “Physically, the AFP, PNP and the Department of Development have already inspected the sites. They identified 421 ghost projects nationwide,” Azurin said. “The verification is done; we are now proceeding to technical validation with our pool of engineers,” he said. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group will lead the field operations, while the Scene of the Crime Operatives would handle forensic examinations. Azurin said the 421 questionable flood control projects that government auditors had flagged, particularly from the DPWH, covered the period from 2018 to 2025, although the review reached back to 2016. “We’re also looking at when these irregularities began to worsen so we can make recommendations to prevent them from happening again,” he said. The 421 projects were drawn from an initial pool of 8,000 flood control projects reviewed by the ICI in cooperation with the DPWH, AFP and the PNP. Of these, 261 are in Luzon, 109 in the Visayas and 51 in Mindanao. The DPWH earlier reported that from 2016 to 2025, it had implemented about 238,200 infrastructure projects nationwide — of which 12.5 percent, or roughly 29,800, were flood control works. Aside from flood control structures, Azurin said the ICI was also investigating farm-to-market roads, roads and bridges. “There are so many questionable projects. We just need to prioritize, and we ask for the public’s patience as we conduct a thorough investigation,” he said. Azurin said that once the engineers’ team was fully organized, they will have one week to validate all 421 projects. He said the ICI expected to send out the validation teams next week, after which evidence gathering and case buildup would follow. “Within three to four weeks, we expect to file at least 15 cases,” Azurin said. The investigation covered projects implemented from 2016 onward to avoid overwhelming the commission’s resources. “If we go further back, say another five years, we might be swamped by the volume of cases,” Azurin said. Also on Friday, the Department of Health (DOH) has briefed the ICI on its ongoing investigation into “ghost” super health centers or facilities funded by the government but are still idle or incomplete despite reported completion. In a press conference, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said around 300 facilities remained nonoperational, up from 297 earlier reported. Herbosa clarified that of 818 funded centers, about 500 have been completed, while 300 are still under construction. “Yesterday, it was 297, but last night it became 300 again. As we continue to investigate, the number changes,” he said. “When we reviewed the Super Health Centers, there [were] 818 that have been actually funded. About 500 were completed, and the remaining 300 are ongoing,” Herbosa said. “Among those completed, we checked how many are functional and how many are not — that’s the 300.” He said the DOH was using the term “ready for occupancy” to better classify centers that are physically built but not yet operational. “Some projects were marked ‘completed’ but turned out to be only phase one,” Herbosa noted. It helped a lot that the DOH requires a permit to build before any facility is constructed, he said. “In this way, there is a check and balance within the Department of Health facilities because the DOH is both the implementer and the regulator,” Herbosa said. The agency would continue its case-building to identify whether a particular project is delayed, misreported or neglected, with the ICI providing oversight, he said. He made it clear that not all inactive facilities were anomalous, with some remaining nonoperational due to missing utilities or staffing delays. “What we’re seeing are ‘obstacles to operations’ — sometimes no power, no water or no local personnel. The local government is responsible for connecting utilities and hiring doctors, nurses and midwives. The DOH only provides the infrastructure grant,” Herbosa said. Preliminary ICI figures show that since 2021, 878 super health centers have been funded under the Health Facility Enhancement Program. Of these, 365 are in various stages of construction, 196 are operational, 17 are partially operational and 300 remain nonoperational. The super health center project, launched in 2021 to decongest hospitals and expand primary care access, was designed to deliver full facilities within two years. Undersecretary Randy Escolango explained during The Manila Times Pharma Health care Forum 2025 on Friday that confusion arose from comparisons with “ghost projects” linked to public works, where funds are released for structures that were never built. “In our case, there is actual construction of the buildings,” Escolango said. “But once completed and turned over, the local governments are responsible for providing staff, equipment and operations.” He said the issue is not about missing infrastructure but nonfunctioning ones. “Maybe the proper term is ‘not functional,’” he said. Escolango also said the DOH has strengthened its coordination with PhilHealth to improve access to medicines and health care services under the Universal Health Care Act. He discussed the agency’s Health Care Financing Strategy for 2023 to 2028, which aims to reduce out-of-pocket health expenses and ensure fair, sustainable access to essential health services. Escolango said the DOH has implemented reforms in supply chain management to prevent expired or missing medicines, including real-time tracking through the Electronic Logistics Management Information System now used in more than 2,600 health facilities. New warehouse hubs in Caloocan City, Mandaue City, Zamboanga City and Camarines Norte will speed up the distribution of medicines and supplies nationwide, he added. He also confirmed that patients admitted to basic wards in all 87 DOH hospitals will benefit from zero-balance billing, meaning no out-of-pocket expenses. “Previously, no-balance billing was limited to indigent patients,” Escolango said. “Now, it covers everyone admitted to public wards.” He said the department is studying ways to expand the program through partnerships with private hospitals to widen access to free basic care. Escolango urged consistent accountability among government and local health agencies. “When medicines are within reach, communities become healthier,” he said. “We must make sure no health center is left idle and no Filipino is left without care.”

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 33 dakika

(UPDATE) THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Friday said it has begun organizing interagency teams to investigate hundreds of anomalous flood control projects across the country. ICI special adviser Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said the ICI was coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and various engineering groups, including those from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and civil engineers’ organizations, to carry out technical inspections and forensic validation. “In connection with the investigation, we are organizing the units, agencies and personnel who will be part of the probe,” Azurin said in an interview. He said the commission directed the AFP, PNP and DPWH to identify which projects were “ghost, substandard, unfinished, or overpriced.” “Physically, the AFP, PNP and the Department of Development have already inspected the sites. They identified 421 ghost projects nationwide,” Azurin said. “The verification is done; we are now proceeding to technical validation with our pool of engineers,” he said. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group will lead the field operations, while the Scene of the Crime Operatives would handle forensic examinations. Azurin said the 421 questionable flood control projects that government auditors had flagged, particularly from the DPWH, covered the period from 2018 to 2025, although the review reached back to 2016. “We’re also looking at when these irregularities began to worsen so we can make recommendations to prevent them from happening again,” he said. The 421 projects were drawn from an initial pool of 8,000 flood control projects reviewed by the ICI in cooperation with the DPWH, AFP and the PNP. Of these, 261 are in Luzon, 109 in the Visayas and 51 in Mindanao. The DPWH earlier reported that from 2016 to 2025, it had implemented about 238,200 infrastructure projects nationwide — of which 12.5 percent, or roughly 29,800, were flood control works. Aside from flood control structures, Azurin said the ICI was also investigating farm-to-market roads, roads and bridges. “There are so many questionable projects. We just need to prioritize, and we ask for the public’s patience as we conduct a thorough investigation,” he said. Azurin said that once the engineers’ team was fully organized, they will have one week to validate all 421 projects. He said the ICI expected to send out the validation teams next week, after which evidence gathering and case buildup would follow. “Within three to four weeks, we expect to file at least 15 cases,” Azurin said. The investigation covered projects implemented from 2016 onward to avoid overwhelming the commission’s resources. “If we go further back, say another five years, we might be swamped by the volume of cases,” Azurin said. Also on Friday, the Department of Health (DOH) has briefed the ICI on its ongoing investigation into “ghost” super health centers or facilities funded by the government but are still idle or incomplete despite reported completion. In a press conference, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said around 300 facilities remained nonoperational, up from 297 earlier reported. Herbosa clarified that of 818 funded centers, about 500 have been completed, while 300 are still under construction. “Yesterday, it was 297, but last night it became 300 again. As we continue to investigate, the number changes,” he said. “When we reviewed the Super Health Centers, there [were] 818 that have been actually funded. About 500 were completed, and the remaining 300 are ongoing,” Herbosa said. “Among those completed, we checked how many are functional and how many are not — that’s the 300.” He said the DOH was using the term “ready for occupancy” to better classify centers that are physically built but not yet operational. “Some projects were marked ‘completed’ but turned out to be only phase one,” Herbosa noted. It helped a lot that the DOH requires a permit to build before any facility is constructed, he said. “In this way, there is a check and balance within the Department of Health facilities because the DOH is both the implementer and the regulator,” Herbosa said. The agency would continue its case-building to identify whether a particular project is delayed, misreported or neglected, with the ICI providing oversight, he said. He made it clear that not all inactive facilities were anomalous, with some remaining nonoperational due to missing utilities or staffing delays. “What we’re seeing are ‘obstacles to operations’ — sometimes no power, no water or no local personnel. The local government is responsible for connecting utilities and hiring doctors, nurses and midwives. The DOH only provides the infrastructure grant,” Herbosa said. Preliminary ICI figures show that since 2021, 878 super health centers have been funded under the Health Facility Enhancement Program. Of these, 365 are in various stages of construction, 196 are operational, 17 are partially operational and 300 remain nonoperational. The super health center project, launched in 2021 to decongest hospitals and expand primary care access, was designed to deliver full facilities within two years. Undersecretary Randy Escolango explained during The Manila Times Pharma Health care Forum 2025 on Friday that confusion arose from comparisons with “ghost projects” linked to public works, where funds are released for structures that were never built. “In our case, there is actual construction of the buildings,” Escolango said. “But once completed and turned over, the local governments are responsible for providing staff, equipment and operations.” He said the issue is not about missing infrastructure but nonfunctioning ones. “Maybe the proper term is ‘not functional,’” he said. Escolango also said the DOH has strengthened its coordination with PhilHealth to improve access to medicines and health care services under the Universal Health Care Act. He discussed the agency’s Health Care Financing Strategy for 2023 to 2028, which aims to reduce out-of-pocket health expenses and ensure fair, sustainable access to essential health services. Escolango said the DOH has implemented reforms in supply chain management to prevent expired or missing medicines, including real-time tracking through the Electronic Logistics Management Information System now used in more than 2,600 health facilities. New warehouse hubs in Caloocan City, Mandaue City, Zamboanga City and Camarines Norte will speed up the distribution of medicines and supplies nationwide, he added. He also confirmed that patients admitted to basic wards in all 87 DOH hospitals will benefit from zero-balance billing, meaning no out-of-pocket expenses. “Previously, no-balance billing was limited to indigent patients,” Escolango said. “Now, it covers everyone admitted to public wards.” He said the department is studying ways to expand the program through partnerships with private hospitals to widen access to free basic care. Escolango urged consistent accountability among government and local health agencies. “When medicines are within reach, communities become healthier,” he said. “We must make sure no health center is left idle and no Filipino is left without care.”

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 33 dakika

(UPDATE) A MAGNITUDE 6 earthquake jolted several towns in Surigao del Norte and the Caraga Region (Region 13) in Mindanao on Friday, a week after two powerful quakes hit the country. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the quake struck at 7:03 a.m. near General Luna town, Surigao del Norte. It had a depth of 28 kilometers (km). The quake was initially recorded at magnitude 6.2, with a depth of 10 km, according to Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol in a radio interview. It was later recalibrated to 6.0. The quake was felt at Intensity 5 in the towns of Basilisa, Cagdianao, Dinagat and San Jose on the Dinagat Islands and Claver in Surigao del Norte. It was Intensity 4 in Butuan City, as well as the towns of Anahawan, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Liloan, Pintuyan, Saint Bernard, San Francisco, San Juan, San Ricardo and Silago in Southern Leyte; Libjo and Tubajon on Dinagat Islands; and the City of Surigao in Surigao del Norte. It measured Intensity 3 in Tacloban City, Abuyog, Dulag and Palo in Leyte, as well as in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte. Phivolcs said the quake was also felt in Cagayan de Oro City and Davao City. Several aftershocks were recorded, ranging from magnitude 1.2 to 4.4, including a 4.2 earthquake around noon time near Burgos, Surigao del Norte. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, provincial rescuer Ralph Cadalena told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “We felt a sudden strong shake, but it was only for a very short time,” Cadalena said. It came a week after two quakes of 7.4 and 6.7 magnitude shook the eastern section of Mindanao, killing at least eight people. These followed a magnitude 6.9 earthquake days earlier that killed 76 people and destroyed or damaged 72,000 houses in Cebu province. Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. An 8.0-magnitude quake off Mindanao island’s southwest coast in 1976 unleashed a tsunami that left 8,000 people dead or missing, the country’s deadliest natural disaster.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 34 dakika

(UPDATE) A MAGNITUDE 6 earthquake jolted several towns in Surigao del Norte and the Caraga Region (Region 13) in Mindanao on Friday, a week after two powerful quakes hit the country. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the quake struck at 7:03 a.m. near General Luna town, Surigao del Norte. It had a depth of 28 kilometers (km). The quake was initially recorded at magnitude 6.2, with a depth of 10 km, according to Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol in a radio interview. It was later recalibrated to 6.0. The quake was felt at Intensity 5 in the towns of Basilisa, Cagdianao, Dinagat and San Jose on the Dinagat Islands and Claver in Surigao del Norte. It was Intensity 4 in Butuan City, as well as the towns of Anahawan, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Liloan, Pintuyan, Saint Bernard, San Francisco, San Juan, San Ricardo and Silago in Southern Leyte; Libjo and Tubajon on Dinagat Islands; and the City of Surigao in Surigao del Norte. It measured Intensity 3 in Tacloban City, Abuyog, Dulag and Palo in Leyte, as well as in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte. Phivolcs said the quake was also felt in Cagayan de Oro City and Davao City. Several aftershocks were recorded, ranging from magnitude 1.2 to 4.4, including a 4.2 earthquake around noon time near Burgos, Surigao del Norte. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, provincial rescuer Ralph Cadalena told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “We felt a sudden strong shake, but it was only for a very short time,” Cadalena said. It came a week after two quakes of 7.4 and 6.7 magnitude shook the eastern section of Mindanao, killing at least eight people. These followed a magnitude 6.9 earthquake days earlier that killed 76 people and destroyed or damaged 72,000 houses in Cebu province. Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. An 8.0-magnitude quake off Mindanao island’s southwest coast in 1976 unleashed a tsunami that left 8,000 people dead or missing, the country’s deadliest natural disaster.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 34 dakika

(UPDATE) A MAGNITUDE 6 earthquake jolted several towns in Surigao del Norte and the Caraga Region (Region 13) in Mindanao on Friday, a week after two powerful quakes hit the country. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the quake struck at 7:03 a.m. near General Luna town, Surigao del Norte. It had a depth of 28 kilometers (km). The quake was initially recorded at magnitude 6.2, with a depth of 10 km, according to Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol in a radio interview. It was later recalibrated to 6.0. The quake was felt at Intensity 5 in the towns of Basilisa, Cagdianao, Dinagat and San Jose on the Dinagat Islands and Claver in Surigao del Norte. It was Intensity 4 in Butuan City, as well as the towns of Anahawan, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Liloan, Pintuyan, Saint Bernard, San Francisco, San Juan, San Ricardo and Silago in Southern Leyte; Libjo and Tubajon on Dinagat Islands; and the City of Surigao in Surigao del Norte. It measured Intensity 3 in Tacloban City, Abuyog, Dulag and Palo in Leyte, as well as in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte. Phivolcs said the quake was also felt in Cagayan de Oro City and Davao City. Several aftershocks were recorded, ranging from magnitude 1.2 to 4.4, including a 4.2 earthquake around noon time near Burgos, Surigao del Norte. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, provincial rescuer Ralph Cadalena told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “We felt a sudden strong shake, but it was only for a very short time,” Cadalena said. It came a week after two quakes of 7.4 and 6.7 magnitude shook the eastern section of Mindanao, killing at least eight people. These followed a magnitude 6.9 earthquake days earlier that killed 76 people and destroyed or damaged 72,000 houses in Cebu province. Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. An 8.0-magnitude quake off Mindanao island’s southwest coast in 1976 unleashed a tsunami that left 8,000 people dead or missing, the country’s deadliest natural disaster.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 34 dakika

THE Marcos administration has been able to improve health care access, but procurement and distribution systems need to be built to ensure that patients get quality and life-saving health care. During The Manila Times’ Health and Pharmaceutical Forum held on Friday in Makati City, Philippine Pharma Procurement Inc. (PPPI) President Kim Bernardo-Lokin said the Philippines must bring down out-of-pocket costs for health care spending to ensure a more “equitable and affordable care for everyone.” “At PPPI, we are able to help in adopting these improved approaches for our country. As proof, we have expanded health care infrastructure through the current administration’s investments. We now have a growing institutional capacity through government programs and the specialty center network. What we need is policy innovation that connects these elements more effectively,” Lokin said. Lokin called on the health care sector to collaborate with the PPPI to identify gaps in health care innovation. “The PPPI possesses the expertise, relationships and institutional mandate needed to bridge gaps between the global pharmaceutical innovation and local patient needs,” she said. “We have the opportunity to create a health care system where life-saving treatments would reach our hospitals, where families don’t face impossible choices before recuperation and basic needs, when our country’s health care system has the therapeutic tools they need to practice modern medicine effectively,” Lokin said. Diana Edralin, president of the Pharmaceutical and Health care Association of the Philippines (PHAP) and general manager of Roche Philippines, said the private sector has always taken the “extra mile” to support the advancement of accessible health care and be at par with global quality standards. “PHAP and its member companies work closely with the Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine FDA (Food and Drug Administration), number one, to speed up the regulatory approval process specifically for the vaccines and the treatment. We also ensure the timely vaccine and medicine availability, and definitely, we also partner with DOH and PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corp.) to provide timely health information,” Edralin said. She called for expanding the Philippine National Formulary which would lead to cheaper medicines for Filipinos. The formulary is the list of medicines from which the government can choose the specific medicines that will be given for free, especially in public hospitals. Edralin said one of the major barriers in streamlining the supply chain is the delays in the Health Technology Assessment process, which sometimes takes years. “Because of these delays, many innovative treatments, especially for cancer and other serious diseases, are not included in the PNF. The result: These medicines are not accessible in the public hospitals and facilities, and patients are forced to pay out of pocket, often at great financial risk.” She suggested that an expedited review mechanism or reliance pathway be developed, which would allow the Philippine HTA to leverage trusted international regulators such as the United States FDA or the European Medicines Agency. Also a participant in the forum, FDA Philippines spokesman Khay-Ann Magundayao-Borlado said the agency is working on making sure medicines that have been approved in other countries will be approved in the Philippines. Borlado added that the ongoing digitization will help the FDA manage the registration and approval of these medicines and vaccines.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 35 dakika

THE Marcos administration has been able to improve health care access, but procurement and distribution systems need to be built to ensure that patients get quality and life-saving health care. During The Manila Times’ Health and Pharmaceutical Forum held on Friday in Makati City, Philippine Pharma Procurement Inc. (PPPI) President Kim Bernardo-Lokin said the Philippines must bring down out-of-pocket costs for health care spending to ensure a more “equitable and affordable care for everyone.” “At PPPI, we are able to help in adopting these improved approaches for our country. As proof, we have expanded health care infrastructure through the current administration’s investments. We now have a growing institutional capacity through government programs and the specialty center network. What we need is policy innovation that connects these elements more effectively,” Lokin said. Lokin called on the health care sector to collaborate with the PPPI to identify gaps in health care innovation. “The PPPI possesses the expertise, relationships and institutional mandate needed to bridge gaps between the global pharmaceutical innovation and local patient needs,” she said. “We have the opportunity to create a health care system where life-saving treatments would reach our hospitals, where families don’t face impossible choices before recuperation and basic needs, when our country’s health care system has the therapeutic tools they need to practice modern medicine effectively,” Lokin said. Diana Edralin, president of the Pharmaceutical and Health care Association of the Philippines (PHAP) and general manager of Roche Philippines, said the private sector has always taken the “extra mile” to support the advancement of accessible health care and be at par with global quality standards. “PHAP and its member companies work closely with the Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine FDA (Food and Drug Administration), number one, to speed up the regulatory approval process specifically for the vaccines and the treatment. We also ensure the timely vaccine and medicine availability, and definitely, we also partner with DOH and PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corp.) to provide timely health information,” Edralin said. She called for expanding the Philippine National Formulary which would lead to cheaper medicines for Filipinos. The formulary is the list of medicines from which the government can choose the specific medicines that will be given for free, especially in public hospitals. Edralin said one of the major barriers in streamlining the supply chain is the delays in the Health Technology Assessment process, which sometimes takes years. “Because of these delays, many innovative treatments, especially for cancer and other serious diseases, are not included in the PNF. The result: These medicines are not accessible in the public hospitals and facilities, and patients are forced to pay out of pocket, often at great financial risk.” She suggested that an expedited review mechanism or reliance pathway be developed, which would allow the Philippine HTA to leverage trusted international regulators such as the United States FDA or the European Medicines Agency. Also a participant in the forum, FDA Philippines spokesman Khay-Ann Magundayao-Borlado said the agency is working on making sure medicines that have been approved in other countries will be approved in the Philippines. Borlado added that the ongoing digitization will help the FDA manage the registration and approval of these medicines and vaccines.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 35 dakika

THE Marcos administration has been able to improve health care access, but procurement and distribution systems need to be built to ensure that patients get quality and life-saving health care. During The Manila Times’ Health and Pharmaceutical Forum held on Friday in Makati City, Philippine Pharma Procurement Inc. (PPPI) President Kim Bernardo-Lokin said the Philippines must bring down out-of-pocket costs for health care spending to ensure a more “equitable and affordable care for everyone.” “At PPPI, we are able to help in adopting these improved approaches for our country. As proof, we have expanded health care infrastructure through the current administration’s investments. We now have a growing institutional capacity through government programs and the specialty center network. What we need is policy innovation that connects these elements more effectively,” Lokin said. Lokin called on the health care sector to collaborate with the PPPI to identify gaps in health care innovation. “The PPPI possesses the expertise, relationships and institutional mandate needed to bridge gaps between the global pharmaceutical innovation and local patient needs,” she said. “We have the opportunity to create a health care system where life-saving treatments would reach our hospitals, where families don’t face impossible choices before recuperation and basic needs, when our country’s health care system has the therapeutic tools they need to practice modern medicine effectively,” Lokin said. Diana Edralin, president of the Pharmaceutical and Health care Association of the Philippines (PHAP) and general manager of Roche Philippines, said the private sector has always taken the “extra mile” to support the advancement of accessible health care and be at par with global quality standards. “PHAP and its member companies work closely with the Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine FDA (Food and Drug Administration), number one, to speed up the regulatory approval process specifically for the vaccines and the treatment. We also ensure the timely vaccine and medicine availability, and definitely, we also partner with DOH and PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corp.) to provide timely health information,” Edralin said. She called for expanding the Philippine National Formulary which would lead to cheaper medicines for Filipinos. The formulary is the list of medicines from which the government can choose the specific medicines that will be given for free, especially in public hospitals. Edralin said one of the major barriers in streamlining the supply chain is the delays in the Health Technology Assessment process, which sometimes takes years. “Because of these delays, many innovative treatments, especially for cancer and other serious diseases, are not included in the PNF. The result: These medicines are not accessible in the public hospitals and facilities, and patients are forced to pay out of pocket, often at great financial risk.” She suggested that an expedited review mechanism or reliance pathway be developed, which would allow the Philippine HTA to leverage trusted international regulators such as the United States FDA or the European Medicines Agency. Also a participant in the forum, FDA Philippines spokesman Khay-Ann Magundayao-Borlado said the agency is working on making sure medicines that have been approved in other countries will be approved in the Philippines. Borlado added that the ongoing digitization will help the FDA manage the registration and approval of these medicines and vaccines.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 35 dakika

THE Home Development Mutual Fund, or Pag-IBIG, announced that it was able to close 7,000 winning bids and purchased offers in just six weeks since they launched the Acquired Assets Super Sale. In a statement, the agency said that since the online sale’s start last Aug. 25, it had drawn 6,402 winning bids nationwide, as well as 486 current occupants of Pag-IBIG-acquired properties expressing their intent to purchase the homes they live in, for them to legitimize ownership. “We are happy to report the early success of Pag-IBIG’s Acquired Assets Super Sale in providing more Filipino workers with homes of their own... With nearly 7,000 homes with winning bids or reservations, this initiative is more than a sale — it is a concrete step toward empowering thousands of Filipino families to finally own the home they’ve long dreamed of,” Housing Secretary and Pag-IBIG Board of Trustees Chairman Jose Ramon Aliling said. “For us, this forms part of a wider commitment under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program to help build better, more dignified lives for our fellow Filipinos, as we push forward the Marcos administration vision for a Bagong Pilipinas,” he added. The sale featured 30,000 foreclosed properties offered at “significantly reduced prices.” “For unoccupied properties, buyers may receive discounts of up to 35 percent for cash purchases, 25 percent for 12-month installment terms and 15 percent when financed through a Pag-IBIG Housing Loan. For occupied properties, discounts go as high as 40 percent for cash, 30 percent for installment and 20 percent through housing loans. Meanwhile, current occupants of acquired assets may purchase the homes they are living in through direct sale and enjoy a 10-percent discount,” the agency explained. Pag-IBIG Fund’s chief executive officer Marilene Acosta cited the strong turnout to their fully digital auction system, which made the participation convenient and transparent for the agency’s members. “Not only are we offering our highest-ever discounts on our acquired assets, we are also providing a seamless, secure and user-friendly platform that allows more members to participate... What’s remarkable is that nearly 30,000 individuals registered for a Buyer ID in just one month since we launched the Super Sale, a significant surge that pushed our total to 108,643. This rapid growth shows just how many Filipinos are eager to take this opportunity to become homeowners through our Super Sale,” Acosta stated. He said new batches of properties are posted weekly until Dec. 14 and invited all interested members to visit the Pag-IBIG Fund online portal so they can browse their listings and submit their offers. She also encouraged current Pag-IBIG-acquired property occupants to avail of the sale. “This is the best time for our current occupants to settle with Pag-IBIG Fund and become legitimate homeowners. We are issuing Invitations to Purchase or Lease to help them legalize their tenure and gain peace of mind, knowing they have a home to call their own,” she said. Interested buyers who are willing to participate in the Super Sale can visit http://www.pagibigfundservices.com/OnlinePublicAuction where they can also view listings.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 36 dakika

THE Home Development Mutual Fund, or Pag-IBIG, announced that it was able to close 7,000 winning bids and purchased offers in just six weeks since they launched the Acquired Assets Super Sale. In a statement, the agency said that since the online sale’s start last Aug. 25, it had drawn 6,402 winning bids nationwide, as well as 486 current occupants of Pag-IBIG-acquired properties expressing their intent to purchase the homes they live in, for them to legitimize ownership. “We are happy to report the early success of Pag-IBIG’s Acquired Assets Super Sale in providing more Filipino workers with homes of their own... With nearly 7,000 homes with winning bids or reservations, this initiative is more than a sale — it is a concrete step toward empowering thousands of Filipino families to finally own the home they’ve long dreamed of,” Housing Secretary and Pag-IBIG Board of Trustees Chairman Jose Ramon Aliling said. “For us, this forms part of a wider commitment under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program to help build better, more dignified lives for our fellow Filipinos, as we push forward the Marcos administration vision for a Bagong Pilipinas,” he added. The sale featured 30,000 foreclosed properties offered at “significantly reduced prices.” “For unoccupied properties, buyers may receive discounts of up to 35 percent for cash purchases, 25 percent for 12-month installment terms and 15 percent when financed through a Pag-IBIG Housing Loan. For occupied properties, discounts go as high as 40 percent for cash, 30 percent for installment and 20 percent through housing loans. Meanwhile, current occupants of acquired assets may purchase the homes they are living in through direct sale and enjoy a 10-percent discount,” the agency explained. Pag-IBIG Fund’s chief executive officer Marilene Acosta cited the strong turnout to their fully digital auction system, which made the participation convenient and transparent for the agency’s members. “Not only are we offering our highest-ever discounts on our acquired assets, we are also providing a seamless, secure and user-friendly platform that allows more members to participate... What’s remarkable is that nearly 30,000 individuals registered for a Buyer ID in just one month since we launched the Super Sale, a significant surge that pushed our total to 108,643. This rapid growth shows just how many Filipinos are eager to take this opportunity to become homeowners through our Super Sale,” Acosta stated. He said new batches of properties are posted weekly until Dec. 14 and invited all interested members to visit the Pag-IBIG Fund online portal so they can browse their listings and submit their offers. She also encouraged current Pag-IBIG-acquired property occupants to avail of the sale. “This is the best time for our current occupants to settle with Pag-IBIG Fund and become legitimate homeowners. We are issuing Invitations to Purchase or Lease to help them legalize their tenure and gain peace of mind, knowing they have a home to call their own,” she said. Interested buyers who are willing to participate in the Super Sale can visit http://www.pagibigfundservices.com/OnlinePublicAuction where they can also view listings.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 36 dakika

THE Home Development Mutual Fund, or Pag-IBIG, announced that it was able to close 7,000 winning bids and purchased offers in just six weeks since they launched the Acquired Assets Super Sale. In a statement, the agency said that since the online sale’s start last Aug. 25, it had drawn 6,402 winning bids nationwide, as well as 486 current occupants of Pag-IBIG-acquired properties expressing their intent to purchase the homes they live in, for them to legitimize ownership. “We are happy to report the early success of Pag-IBIG’s Acquired Assets Super Sale in providing more Filipino workers with homes of their own... With nearly 7,000 homes with winning bids or reservations, this initiative is more than a sale — it is a concrete step toward empowering thousands of Filipino families to finally own the home they’ve long dreamed of,” Housing Secretary and Pag-IBIG Board of Trustees Chairman Jose Ramon Aliling said. “For us, this forms part of a wider commitment under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program to help build better, more dignified lives for our fellow Filipinos, as we push forward the Marcos administration vision for a Bagong Pilipinas,” he added. The sale featured 30,000 foreclosed properties offered at “significantly reduced prices.” “For unoccupied properties, buyers may receive discounts of up to 35 percent for cash purchases, 25 percent for 12-month installment terms and 15 percent when financed through a Pag-IBIG Housing Loan. For occupied properties, discounts go as high as 40 percent for cash, 30 percent for installment and 20 percent through housing loans. Meanwhile, current occupants of acquired assets may purchase the homes they are living in through direct sale and enjoy a 10-percent discount,” the agency explained. Pag-IBIG Fund’s chief executive officer Marilene Acosta cited the strong turnout to their fully digital auction system, which made the participation convenient and transparent for the agency’s members. “Not only are we offering our highest-ever discounts on our acquired assets, we are also providing a seamless, secure and user-friendly platform that allows more members to participate... What’s remarkable is that nearly 30,000 individuals registered for a Buyer ID in just one month since we launched the Super Sale, a significant surge that pushed our total to 108,643. This rapid growth shows just how many Filipinos are eager to take this opportunity to become homeowners through our Super Sale,” Acosta stated. He said new batches of properties are posted weekly until Dec. 14 and invited all interested members to visit the Pag-IBIG Fund online portal so they can browse their listings and submit their offers. She also encouraged current Pag-IBIG-acquired property occupants to avail of the sale. “This is the best time for our current occupants to settle with Pag-IBIG Fund and become legitimate homeowners. We are issuing Invitations to Purchase or Lease to help them legalize their tenure and gain peace of mind, knowing they have a home to call their own,” she said. Interested buyers who are willing to participate in the Super Sale can visit http://www.pagibigfundservices.com/OnlinePublicAuction where they can also view listings.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 36 dakika

MIAMI, Florida — Federal prosecutors have charged voting technology firm Smartmatic with money laundering and other crimes arising from more than $1 million in bribes that several executives allegedly paid to election officials in the Philippines. The payments, between 2015 and 2018, were made to obtain a contract with the Philippines government to help run that country’s 2016 presidential election and secure the timely payment for its work, according to a superseding indictment filed Thursday in a Florida federal court. Three former executives of Smartmatic, including co-founder Roger Pinate, were previously charged in 2024 but at the time South Florida-based Smartmatic was not named as a defendant. Pinate, who no longer works for Smartmatic but remains a shareholder, has pleaded not guilty. The criminal case is unfolding as Smartmatic is pursuing a $2.7 billion lawsuit accusing Fox News of defamation for airing false claims that the company helped rig the 2020 United States presidential election in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump. Smartmatic in a statement denied the allegations and said it believed the US Attorney’s Office in Miami had been misled and politically influenced by unnamed powerful interests. “This is again, targeted, political and unjust,” the company said. “Smartmatic will continue to stand by its people and principles. We will not be intimidated by those pulling the strings of power.” As part of the criminal case, prosecutors in August sought the court’s permission to introduce evidence they argue shows that revenue from a $300-million contract with Los Angeles County to help modernize its voting systems was diverted to a “slush fund” controlled by Pinate through the use of overseas shell companies, fake invoices and other means. They also accused Pinate of secretly bribing Venezuela’s longtime election chief by giving her a luxury home with a pool in Caracas. Prosecutors say the home was transferred to the election chief in an attempt to repair relations following Smartmatic’s abrupt exit from Venezuela in 2017 when it accused President Nicolas Maduro’s government of manipulating tallied results in elections for a rubber-stamping constituent assembly. A hearing on the purported evidence tied to Los Angeles and Venezuela will be held next month however none of the accusations are mentioned in the superseding indictment signed by Jason Reding Quinones, the new Trump-appointed US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Smartmatic was founded more than two decades ago by a group of Venezuelans who found early success running elections while the late Hugo Chavez, a devotee of electronic voting, was in power. The company later expanded globally, providing voting machines and other technology to help carry out elections in 25 countries, from Argentina to Zambia. But Smartmatic has said its business tanked after Fox News gave Trump’s lawyers a platform to paint the company as part of a conspiracy to steal the 2020 election. Fox said it was legitimately reporting on newsworthy events but eventually aired a piece refuting the allegations after Smartmatic’s lawyers complained. Nonetheless, it has aggressively defended itself against the defamation lawsuit in New York — arguing that the company was facing imminent collapse over its own internal misconduct, not due to any negative coverage.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 37 dakika

MIAMI, Florida — Federal prosecutors have charged voting technology firm Smartmatic with money laundering and other crimes arising from more than $1 million in bribes that several executives allegedly paid to election officials in the Philippines. The payments, between 2015 and 2018, were made to obtain a contract with the Philippines government to help run that country’s 2016 presidential election and secure the timely payment for its work, according to a superseding indictment filed Thursday in a Florida federal court. Three former executives of Smartmatic, including co-founder Roger Pinate, were previously charged in 2024 but at the time South Florida-based Smartmatic was not named as a defendant. Pinate, who no longer works for Smartmatic but remains a shareholder, has pleaded not guilty. The criminal case is unfolding as Smartmatic is pursuing a $2.7 billion lawsuit accusing Fox News of defamation for airing false claims that the company helped rig the 2020 United States presidential election in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump. Smartmatic in a statement denied the allegations and said it believed the US Attorney’s Office in Miami had been misled and politically influenced by unnamed powerful interests. “This is again, targeted, political and unjust,” the company said. “Smartmatic will continue to stand by its people and principles. We will not be intimidated by those pulling the strings of power.” As part of the criminal case, prosecutors in August sought the court’s permission to introduce evidence they argue shows that revenue from a $300-million contract with Los Angeles County to help modernize its voting systems was diverted to a “slush fund” controlled by Pinate through the use of overseas shell companies, fake invoices and other means. They also accused Pinate of secretly bribing Venezuela’s longtime election chief by giving her a luxury home with a pool in Caracas. Prosecutors say the home was transferred to the election chief in an attempt to repair relations following Smartmatic’s abrupt exit from Venezuela in 2017 when it accused President Nicolas Maduro’s government of manipulating tallied results in elections for a rubber-stamping constituent assembly. A hearing on the purported evidence tied to Los Angeles and Venezuela will be held next month however none of the accusations are mentioned in the superseding indictment signed by Jason Reding Quinones, the new Trump-appointed US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Smartmatic was founded more than two decades ago by a group of Venezuelans who found early success running elections while the late Hugo Chavez, a devotee of electronic voting, was in power. The company later expanded globally, providing voting machines and other technology to help carry out elections in 25 countries, from Argentina to Zambia. But Smartmatic has said its business tanked after Fox News gave Trump’s lawyers a platform to paint the company as part of a conspiracy to steal the 2020 election. Fox said it was legitimately reporting on newsworthy events but eventually aired a piece refuting the allegations after Smartmatic’s lawyers complained. Nonetheless, it has aggressively defended itself against the defamation lawsuit in New York — arguing that the company was facing imminent collapse over its own internal misconduct, not due to any negative coverage.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 37 dakika

MIAMI, Florida — Federal prosecutors have charged voting technology firm Smartmatic with money laundering and other crimes arising from more than $1 million in bribes that several executives allegedly paid to election officials in the Philippines. The payments, between 2015 and 2018, were made to obtain a contract with the Philippines government to help run that country’s 2016 presidential election and secure the timely payment for its work, according to a superseding indictment filed Thursday in a Florida federal court. Three former executives of Smartmatic, including co-founder Roger Pinate, were previously charged in 2024 but at the time South Florida-based Smartmatic was not named as a defendant. Pinate, who no longer works for Smartmatic but remains a shareholder, has pleaded not guilty. The criminal case is unfolding as Smartmatic is pursuing a $2.7 billion lawsuit accusing Fox News of defamation for airing false claims that the company helped rig the 2020 United States presidential election in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump. Smartmatic in a statement denied the allegations and said it believed the US Attorney’s Office in Miami had been misled and politically influenced by unnamed powerful interests. “This is again, targeted, political and unjust,” the company said. “Smartmatic will continue to stand by its people and principles. We will not be intimidated by those pulling the strings of power.” As part of the criminal case, prosecutors in August sought the court’s permission to introduce evidence they argue shows that revenue from a $300-million contract with Los Angeles County to help modernize its voting systems was diverted to a “slush fund” controlled by Pinate through the use of overseas shell companies, fake invoices and other means. They also accused Pinate of secretly bribing Venezuela’s longtime election chief by giving her a luxury home with a pool in Caracas. Prosecutors say the home was transferred to the election chief in an attempt to repair relations following Smartmatic’s abrupt exit from Venezuela in 2017 when it accused President Nicolas Maduro’s government of manipulating tallied results in elections for a rubber-stamping constituent assembly. A hearing on the purported evidence tied to Los Angeles and Venezuela will be held next month however none of the accusations are mentioned in the superseding indictment signed by Jason Reding Quinones, the new Trump-appointed US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Smartmatic was founded more than two decades ago by a group of Venezuelans who found early success running elections while the late Hugo Chavez, a devotee of electronic voting, was in power. The company later expanded globally, providing voting machines and other technology to help carry out elections in 25 countries, from Argentina to Zambia. But Smartmatic has said its business tanked after Fox News gave Trump’s lawyers a platform to paint the company as part of a conspiracy to steal the 2020 election. Fox said it was legitimately reporting on newsworthy events but eventually aired a piece refuting the allegations after Smartmatic’s lawyers complained. Nonetheless, it has aggressively defended itself against the defamation lawsuit in New York — arguing that the company was facing imminent collapse over its own internal misconduct, not due to any negative coverage.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 37 dakika

(UPDATE) THE two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were reported missing in Hong Kong have been found, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac announced on Friday. Speaking in an online press conference, Cacdac said 23-year-old Imee Pabuaya and 33-year-old Aleli Tibay were found at 10:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two had been missing for nearly two weeks. They were supposed to be on a hiking trip in the Tsuen Wan District last Oct. 4. After they were found, they were brought to a police station, Cacdac said. They were transferred to the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Hong Kong, “and were given psychosocial counseling from our social welfare attaché,” he said in Filipino. Pabuaya and Tibay will be repatriated soon,” Cacdac said in his X post, because they were terminated by their employers. “They need to explain to their employers what had happened, because according to the pair, they went missing while hiking in a country trail. They will talk to their employers, but their services were terminated and they will need to gather their belongings,” Cacdac said. “Rest assured they are in good condition, and are safe and sound in our MWO in Hong Kong,” he added.

• The Manila Times
• 16 saat, 38 dakika