MANILA, Philippines — August is among the deadliest rainy months in Metro Manila. In 2015, the deluge caused a “carmageddon.” Commuters took eight long hours to walk home, while many others were stranded. For the first time, the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) organized a Traffic, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with me as the […]... Keep on reading: BRT as the future of the Edsa Busway
MANILA, Philippines — SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) is betting on its logistics and renewable energy businesses to be the next potential growth sectors for the country’s largest conglomerate as it remains confident about its prospects this year. Frederic DyBuncio, SMIC president and CEO, said in an interview with CNA News on Friday that all their […]... Keep on reading: SMIC sees logistics, renewables as its next growth areas
MANILA, Philippines — Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) is redeveloping Greenbelt 1, its landmark Makati mall built in 1982, into a greener, more resilient building. This is with the help of a P12.87-billion sustainability-linked loan from the International Finance Corp. (IFC). Financing from IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, will also support the development of Ayala Malls Evo City in Cavite. Together, the two large-scale commercial projects have an estimated gross leasable area of 89,000 square meters. The IFC said the investment is expected to generate over 1,000 direct jobs during construction and operations. Merchant activities in […]... Keep on reading: IFC grants loan for Ayala Land’s Greenbelt 1 revamp
MANILA, Philippines — Renewable energy projects of ACEN Corp. will get a funding injection worth P4.6 billion. The listed energy arm of the Ayala Group told the local bourse that it would provide an equity infusion of about P3.1 billion into ACEN Renewables International Pte Ltd., its unit that is focused on its projects abroad. While the Philippines remains ACEN’s core market, it has also established its footprint in Vietnam, Australia, Laos, India and Indonesia. READ: ACEN eyes P34.5-billion Tayabas City wind park ACEN’s 300-megawatt (MW) Palauig 2 Solar Project in Zambales province would also receive P1.5 billion. Based on […]... Keep on reading: ACEN sets P4.6-B infusion into clean energy assets
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) could keep its policy rate unchanged through the end of the year if inflation remains subdued and demand holds up, Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said. In an interview with Bloomberg TV on Friday, Remolona signaled that the central bank’s easing cycle is nearing its end. Still, he left the […]... Keep on reading: BSP signals rate pause as easing cycle winds down
Union Bank of the Philippines and state-run pension fund Social Security System (SSS) have unveiled a new Visa debit card that doubles as a valid identification card. This is part of efforts to make government services more accessible to at least 40 million people. In a joint statement on Friday, UnionBank said SSS members could […]... Keep on reading: UnionBank, SSS unveil new debit card
The current rice tariff must be immediately increased back to its original 35 percent, or even higher. This was the position of Alyansa Agrikultura at the Senate Agriculture Committee hearing last Aug. 27. Sen. Francisco Pangilinan chaired this meeting. As the former Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agriculture Modernization from 2014-2015, Pangilinan has a […]... Keep on reading: Increase the rice tariff immediately
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has moved to cut $5 billion of congressionally-approved foreign aid, the White House said Friday — raising the likelihood of a federal shutdown as Democrats oppose the policy. The cuts target programs of the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development, Trump wrote in a letter to the House of Representatives. The president “will always put AMERICA FIRST,” the White House Office of Management and Budget said on social media, releasing a copy of the letter. Trump has effectively dismantled USAID, the chief US foreign aid agency, since taking office. […]... Keep on reading: Trump moves to cut more foreign aid, risking shutdown
Vice President Sara Duterte has advised President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to take full control of the national budget to prevent corruption in government projects, citing the ongoing investigation into anomalous flood control projects. Duterte emphasized that the president should be fully aware of the budget's contents and not allow legislators to interfere. She also mentioned that a comprehensive flood control plan for Davao City was previously ignored by the national government and urged the administration to seek advice from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Davao del Sur Rep. John Tracy “Manong John” Cagas has announced his full cooperation with the Office of the President’s ongoing review of flood control projects in the province. Cagas has formally requested the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to inspect all projects from 2020 to 2025 to ensure proper fund use and identify any issues. This commitment to transparency follows Cagas's earlier clarification that the province's actual flood control budget is ₱2.37 billion, not the widely reported ₱180 billion.
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. graced the 19th Founding Anniversary of the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), praising the AFP unit for its role in transforming Eastern Mindanao from a hotbed of insurgency to a bastion of peace. Teodoro highlighted Eastmincom's success in neutralizing armed groups and its evolving role in addressing external and hybrid threats. The Davao Region was officially declared insurgency-free, with the military confident that remaining armed groups in nearby regions will be dismantled by year-end.
MANILA, Philippines — There were no winners in the Ultra lotto 6/58 and Megalotto 6/45 draws on Friday night, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said. The winning combination for Ultra lotto 6/58 was 41-01-19-57-27-11 which had a jackpot prize of P49,500,000.00. There was also no winner for the Megalotto 6/45 draw, which had a winning combination of 31-07-33-12-36-20 for a jackpot prize of P8,910,000.00.
PhilHealth-Davao has officially launched Yakap PhilHealth, a rebranded and expanded version of its previous Konsulta package, to provide Filipinos with enhanced primary care services. The program offers broader coverage for consultations, diagnostic tests, and a wider range of essential medicines. According to PhilHealth-Davao OIC-assistant regional director Dr. Grace Amistoso, the program aims to ensure that Filipinos can access preventive and community-based health care without financial hardship.
(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is willing to undergo a lifestyle check along with all members of the executive branch, Malacañang said Friday. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued the statement after Sen. Risa Hontiveros challenged the President to set an example by subjecting himself to a lifestyle check that he has ordered for all government officials. Castro said the President was even open to disclosing his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN). “All members of the Executive are ready for a lifestyle check, including the President,” she said during a press briefing. Marcos ordered a lifestyle check on all government officials involved in flood control projects, beginning with the Department of Public Works and Highways, to promote accountability across the bureaucracy. Lawmakers have pressed for broader transparency, including a call from Hontiveros for Marcos to make public his SALN. Castro warned against shifting the conversation or politicizing the matter. “The issue now is to go after those involved in the flood control projects. Let’s not divert and politicize the matter,” she said. Castro said SALN disclosures were inherently part of a lifestyle check. Castro also reiterated that the Office of the Ombudsman, as an independent constitutional body, could carry out its own investigation of anomalous government projects. “We mentioned the Ombudsman because they have authority to initiate investigations on this matter. But since they are independent, it is up to them to decide on the process or mechanics,” she said. The Office of the Vice President (OVP) indicated it is ready for a lifestyle check, but added that Vice President Sara Duterte herself remained mum over whether she would subject herself to one. Speaking to reporters during the tree-planting activity of the OVP in Hermosa, Bataan, on Friday, OVP spokesman Ruth Castelo said the agency’s officials and employees are ready to subject themselves to a lifestyle check. “As we have always been, the Office of the Vice President is mindful of the provision in the constitution that public office is a public trust, and we are supposed to live modest lives. We are mindful of that, and if the President wants all civil servants to follow, we will follow, too,” Castelo said. Asked if Duterte will open her SALN to the public, Castelo said there are mechanisms to follow when one is requesting a SALN of any government official or employee. “We are just asked to submit it and that’s where they will submit their request,” Castelo said. In her latest interview from The Hague, Duterte did not mention if she would release her or her family’s SALN, but instead spoke up on using overseas Filipino workers as possible consultants of the Marcos administration to resolve issues such as flood control. She also advised the President to control the budget from the regional development council, up to the national development council, up to the Cabinet level and only follow what was discussed based on the development plan. “The President should know what is included in the budget. Secondly, the President should not allow legislators to tinker with it,” Duterte said. In an online interview on Friday, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said the Senate and the House of Representatives should not be the ones to do the lifestyle check. Zubiri, the Senate deputy minority leader, suggested that a third party do the checking. “It seems not right that Congress and the Senate lead the investigation. There should be a third party led by government investigators and civil society [groups],” Zubiri said in Filipino. “These are things that we are taking into consideration. What if you have colleagues who might be exposed [having questionable wealth],” he added. “There are politicians who have no huge income but ride in Rolls Royces, Ferraris,” he said. Senate President Francis Escudero, and Senators JV Ejercito and Francis Pangilinan support the President’s call for a lifestyle check. Escudero expressed hope the President would also “support and include as part of his priority legislative agenda” two bills that he filed that would complement his initiatives to curb corruption. He filed Senate Bill (SB) 232 mandating government officials and employees to allow the examination of their deposits and investments “thereby waiving the Bank Secrecy Law.” Escudero also filed SB 783, or the proposed law disqualifying relatives of public officials within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity and affinity in all government contracts. Pangilinan noted the social media posts showing the lavish lifestyles of the family members and relatives of those allegedly behind the flood control ghost projects. He called on Filipinos to be vigilant and to report on politicians’ and public servants’ “extravagant lifestyles.”
PUBLIC Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan on Friday suspended all applications by department officials and employees to travel abroad for personal reasons while the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects are being validated. The travel freeze will last until the end of November, unless circumstances warrant an earlier lifting or an extension, Bonoan said. Only urgent medical reasons will be exempted from the travel ban. He said the suspension is part of the agency’s commitment to transparency, accountability and service integrity. The DPWH has been caught in a swirl of controversy following revelations of massive corruption in government flood control projects. In a press briefing on Friday, House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno called for the “complete overhaul” of the DPWH, and lawmakers should not be blamed for the systemic corruption plaguing its infrastructure projects. “My thesis here is, lawmakers are not the problem. I think it is the problem of the agency. I think the Department of Public Works and Highways needs a complete overhaul, their processes and systems, it should be overhauled,” Puno said. Puno also said the DPWH is to blame for the anomalies in the building of classrooms, and not the Department of Education (DepEd), which proposes and funds the projects. “The funds of the DepEd for the school building program is moved automatically to the DPWH. DepEd does not do the construction, it goes to the DPWH, and in that sense, we could say that there are sinister moves in the funds parked in the DPWH,” Puno said. He agreed with lawmakers’ suggestions that the construction of school buildings be handled by local governments. “Many are saying that if you put it in the local government, the gravel is free, and they don’t need to haul it anywhere. And also based on their experience, all local government works are faster because they are only focusing on a specific project,” Puno said. Puno, who is chairman of the National Unity Party, has filed House Resolution 201 calling for an investigation into the alleged sponsors of anomalous and fictitious construction projects in the 2025 national budget. On Friday, the Akbayan Partylist denounced contractors accused of cornering billions in flood control projects while flaunting lavish lifestyles, saying taxpayers’ money should not be squandered on luxury. The group held a protest at St. Gerrard Construction, one of the top 15 contractors that reportedly cornered 20 percent of the flood control projects. The company, owned by Sarah Discaya, recently drew public ire after a television feature revealed her extravagant lifestyle. Deputy Minority Leader Perci Cendaña, who belongs to Akbayan, said contractors such as the Discayas must be held criminally liable. “The widespread uproar and condemnation of such flagrant displays of wealth by the likes of Discaya is deserved. But more than condemnation — they should be charged and jailed for stealing people’s taxes,” Cendaña said. Cendaña commended netizens for helping unearth evidence of corruption, urging the revival of the policy of publishing public officials’ Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth to deter misuse of funds. Student Council Alliance of the Philippines Secretary-General Matthew Silverio also underscored the youth’s anger over the scandal, saying that stolen money could have built classrooms, hired teachers and improved lives. “While millions drown in floods and study in dilapidated schools, contractors drown in luxury,” Silverio said. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged to ask Ombudsman to initiate probe on flood control projects. A nongovernmental organization whose founding chairman is Bienvenido “Ben” Tulfo, of the Bitag Media Unlimited, on Friday exhorted President Marcos to ask the Office of the Ombudsman to launch an investigation into the anomalous flood control projects. Tulfo told a press conference in Quezon City an investigation could be fast-tracked if the President would be the one to ask the Ombudsman. He said he sent a letter on Aug. 27 to acting Ombudsman Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo, requesting an “immediate, urgent and honest-to-goodness investigation on what is turning out to be the worst corruption scandal in the country.” “Let the Senate do its own inquiry, but it’s only in aid of legislation and ultimately, whatever it may find out, it would still ask the Ombudsman to investigate whatever they have discovered, so why wait for the senators when the latter can do it by its own?” Tulfo said. The Ombudsman can, on its own, investigate alleged improper official acts or omissions, he said. “Unfortunately, there is a deafening silence, and we are all wondering and asking at the same time why the Ombudsman has never initiated any legal moves about this hot issue which could involve several elected and nonelected government officials,” Tulfo said. He said no less than Secretary Bonoan confirmed that “shameless pocketing of billions and billions of flood control fund has been and still being carried out by unscrupulous individuals masquerading as DPWH directors, engineers and other public officials in conspiracy with politicians who had received pork barrel allocations which were not found in the approved General Appropriations Act.”
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has affirmed the cancellation of the registration of the Duty to Energize the Republic Through the Enlightenment of the Youth (Duterte Youth) Party-list. In a resolution promulgated on Aug. 29, the commission denied the appeal filed by Duterte Youth to reverse the June 18 ruling of its Second Division that voided the party-list’s registration. The case originated from a petition filed on Sept. 3, 2019, by Reeya Beatrice Magtalas, Abigail Aleli Tan, Raainah Punzalan and Aunell Ross Angcos, arguing that Duterte Youth’s registration failed to comply with jurisdictional requirements, including publication and public hearing of its petition for registration. The Comelec en banc said it found no merit in Duterte Youth’s appeal, stating that the Second Division’s decision was “well-supported by the evidence on record and is consistent with applicable law.” It emphasized that the duty to publish the required documents lay with the party-list organization itself, a legal prerequisite that Duterte Youth failed to fulfill. The Comelec also upheld the Second Division’s finding that Duterte Youth committed multiple grounds for cancellation. The party-list was found to have made untruthful statements in its petition, particularly regarding the eligibility of its nominees, and lacked a bona fide intention to represent the youth sector. The Comelec said the group also advocated violence or unlawful means to achieve its goals and was determined to be an adjunct of, or an entity funded by the National Youth Commission. The commission rejected Duterte Youth’s argument that the petition was moot because it had won a seat in the elections. The Comelec said there is no prescriptive period for canceling a party-list registration. With the ruling, the Comelec can proceed to remove Duterte Youth from the party-list system. In a statement on Friday, Duterte Youth Chairman Ronald Cardema said the group will file a petition for review at the Supreme Court. Cardema claimed that some employees of the Comelec negotiated with losing party-lists to disqualify Duterte Youth so that they could usurp its seats in the House. The former National Youth Commission chief said the party-list had the highest number of votes among overseas Filipinos, as well as among police and soldiers through local absentee voting. Duterte Youth received 2.3 million votes, giving it three seats, but its proclamation has been suspended because of the nullification petition. The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives cheered the disqualification of Duterte Youth. In a statement, Kabataan Partylist Rep. Renee Co said the decision is a “victory for authentic youth representation in the country.” “The Duterte Youth was never established to advance the genuine interests of Filipino youth. Instead, it served as a tool for red-tagging and attacking progressive youth organizations while masquerading as a legitimate sectoral representative,” Co said. Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said that with the disqualification of Duterte Youth, the Comelec must immediately proclaim qualified party-list groups such as Gabriela Women’s Party, which he claimed has been unjustly denied its rightful seat. “Every day that passes without Gabriela Women’s Party’s proclamation is another day that Filipino women are deprived of their voice in crafting laws that affect their lives and welfare,” Tinio said. The bloc alleged that groups such as Duterte Youth have “corrupted” the party-list system. In a Facebook post on Friday, Emil Marañon III, the lawyer for nullification petitioners, said that by voiding Duterte Youth’s registration, the Comelec “has finally corrected years of impunity that allowed Duterte Youth to participate in the 2019, 2022 and 2025 party-list elections, even when it is not technically registered before the Comelec.” The Comelec decision “is more than a legal victory, it is a strong signal that accountability can prevail over political manipulation,” Marañon read. He said he hoped the ruling will also spark reforms in the party-list system. “This victory comes at an opportune time when the party-list system has been overrun by political dynasties, traditional politicians, and the rich and powerful. We hope that this case sparks a long-overdue conversation on party-list reform, that is, to reclaim the party-list system for the truly marginalized and underrepresented sectors of our society, as intended by the framers of the 1987 Constitution,” Marañon said.
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