DISINFLATION, policy shifts and external demand are the three nodes where risks, and opportunities, could arise this year, according to the Chief Investment Officer of ATR Asset Management Inc. (Atram). Atram’s Alessandra Araullo-Gonzalez explained in a statement the fund manager issued last Wednesday that investors should expect a “dynamic” economic environment, with opportunities and challenges shaping the investment landscape.
“While disinflation is expected to continue through the middle of the year—benefitting from lower rice prices and a more stable energy market—potential threats to external demand could still slow economic growth,” Araullo said.
A stronger Philippine peso is also seen by mid-2025, as interest rate cuts push foreign capital flows back to emerging markets, Araullo said. Atram also expects a steeper yield curve as monetary policy eases, inflation expectations rise, and bond supply increases, placing upward pressure on longer-term yields.
Meanwhile, Atram also announced returns in its unit investment trust funds (UITFs) and mutual funds (MFs) grew by double digits in 2024. Atram said its key funds delivered double-digit returns, particularly in the feeder fund space, which resulted in a 48-percent market share in the Philippines. Among UITFs, the Atram Global Financials Feeder Fund (PHP Class) posted the highest return at 34.46 percent, followed by the Atram Global Consumer Trends Feeder Fund (PHP Class) with a 31.72-percent gain.
The firm pioneered feeder funds in
the Philippines, launching the first complete range of these products.
“Atram’s top-performing feeder funds give Filipino investors access to globally managed portfolios through strategic partnerships with some of the world’s most respected asset managers, including BlackRock, Allianz, and J.P. Morgan,” it said. The Atram US Equity Opportunity Feeder Fund (USD Class) also recorded a 25.67 percent return while the Atram Philippine Sustainable Development and Growth Fund (A Unit Class) also grew by 17.61 percent.
By Samuel P. Medenilla
@sam_medenilla
TBy Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
HE Department of Agricul-
ture (DA) will lower the maximum suggested retail price for imported rice to P49 per kilo starting March 1. This move marked the first time that the MSRP would slip below the P50 mark since it was introduced over a month ago.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., however, clarified that the MSRP would not be implemented nationwide. Instead, the agency will take a “surgical” approach, imposing the MSRP selectively in Metro Manila,
key cities, and other urban centers.
“In many provincial areas, we’ve seen prices of imported rice already lower than the MSRP. So we will apply it more selectively,” Laurel said in a statement.
“We will review the numbers in the coming days to determine if there’s room to lower the MSRP further. As of now, there could be scope for additional reductions, but we’ll have to see,” he said.
DA first introduced the MSRP on January 20, which settled at an initial price of P58 per kilo. This was gradually reduced to ease the transition for the rice industry.
It added that the measure aimed
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto @reine_alberto
AI-enabled CCTVs anchor
P1.7-B DILG new 911 system
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
THEcrime rate is expected to drop further once the government launches its new 911 emergency system, which has an initial cost of P1.7billion capital, and deploys thousands more Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled close-circuit television (CCTV) in major urban areas nationwide, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
In an interview with Palace reporters on Wednesday, DILG Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” C. Remulla said the Capital Expenditure (CapEx) of the 911 system is P1.7 billion. The CapEx will be reduced to
Colliers…
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P500 million next year and to P400 million in 2027.
“The TOR [Terms of Reference] will come out by March 1,” Remulla said when asked about their qualifications for the winning bidder for
demand in the coming years.
“These big-ticket public projects should play an important role in stoking demand in the capital region beyond 2025,” it said.
the project.
The three-year 911 system of DILG is an enhanced unified reporting system, which will allow local government units to promptly respond to crimes and emergencies.
Remulla earlier said DILG will reallocate P500 million in intelligence funds for the initiative, which is expected to be launched in greater Metro Manila, Cebu and Mindanao by June.
The DILG chief said they also target to install thousands of additional CCTVs, which will be connected to the National Fiber Backbone, to help reduce crime rate and help solve crimes faster.
“All those cameras are AI-enabled. All of those cameras will be linked to the National ID system again which we will relaunch this year,” Remulla said.
He said the completion of such initiatives will help boost public confidence to PNP.
“The public must be confident that we have the tools necessary
In its previous report, Colliers indicated that 791,000 square meters (sqm) of office space were vacated in 2024, a 36 percent rise from 581,000 sqm in 2023.
feel that they no longer have value in their family and society. Don’t even think about that. Even sadder, many of them experienced further abuse,” he added.
to fight crime. The public must be confident of the integrity of the people around me now, I vouch safe for them. They are doing a good job. The public must be confident that we will never let down our guard against criminality,” Remulla said. Last week, PNP reported that the number of focus crimes dropped to 3,528 from January 1 to February 14 or 26.76 percent lower compared to the 4,817 cases in the same period in 2024.
Focus crimes include incidents of theft, robbery, rape, murder, homicide, physical injury, car theft and motorcycle theft.
Remulla noted that the Marcos administration was able to achieve a lower crime rate compared to the previous administration without resorting to extra judicial killings (EJK).
During the administration of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, the PNP reported over 6,000 drugrelated deaths as part of the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
The Atram US Multi-Asset Feeder Fund (PHP Class) also delivered a 14.33-percent return while fixed-income UITFs, such as the Atram Global Bond Income Feeder Fund (PHP Class) returned 11.48 percent.
In the MFs, the Atram Alpha Opportunity Fund Inc. provided a 23.24-percent return while the Atram Corporate Bond Fund Inc. recorded a 3.30-percent return.
“Our long-standing commitment to fund management and access to diverse financial markets enable us to deliver superior investment performance,” Araullo said.
Under Republic Act No. 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act, senior citizens or the elderly refers to any Filipino citizen, who are at least 60 years old.
In its latest census data, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that there were 9.22 million senior citizens nationwide in 2020.
A study on the informally employed by University of the Philippines School of Labor and Industrial Relations (UP-SOLAIR) professor Emily Christi A. Cabegin published in 2022 stated that only 4 out of 10 workers are covered by retirement benefits by Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
There were over 69.4 million people in the working age or those aged 15 to 64 years old in 2020.
Last year, the government released P49.8 billion for its Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPISC) for over 4 million elderly, who have no pension benefits.
Enhanced benefits MARCOS wants concerned government agencies to implement measures that enhance the welfare of senior citizens.
“They deserve nothing less than our love, our care, our protection, our respect, and our honor. So let us take steps to improve the welfare of our senior citizens,” he said.
He said the initiatives should be on top of the programs they are already providing senior citizens, including the 5- to 20-percent discount provided by the Expanded Senior Citizens Act, SPISC, and the Residential Care Facilities of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Last Wednesday, Marcos led the inaugural distribution of cash gifts to 14 qualified seniors in Malacañang under RA 11982. Of the said beneficiaries, three are 80 years old; three are 85 years old; and five are 95 years old. Each of them received P10,000 cash gifts. The remaining centenarians, who each got P100,000, were Generosa M. Velus, Brigida A. Reyes, and Hiwaga E. Dominguez.
The government will distribute over P2.9 billion worth of cash gifts to over 275,000 senior citizens nationwide this year.
Marcos said each of the country’s elderly deserved to be honored for their contribution to society.
“Now with the fast pace of technology, and everyone is in a hurry to keep up with the flow of time, let’s not forget our elders. Let us make them feel our love and show that we are proud of them because of what they have shared in our society,” he said.
Philippines is US$29,875,208.
· The WFP plan focuses on improving emergency preparedness and response, strengthening resilience against climate change and other shocks, and enhancing the delivery of social protection in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 2, i.e. Zero Hunger.
· Its donors include Japan, United States of America, UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Australia, United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, Canada, France, Emerging Donor Matching Fund (EDMF), OPEC Fund for International Development, and private donors.
· Around US$2 billion worth of US donation to WFP is for the Food for Peace Title II program, which provides food aid in hunger hotspots such as Sudan, South Sudan, Gaza and Haiti.
· When US State Secretary Marco Rubio announced in January that the US is suspending foreign aid worldwide, one of those affected was the WFP. US media reported that around 500,000 metric tons of food already at sea or ready to be shipped were in limbo because of the aid freeze.
· On February 9, the WFP said they got word from the Trump administration that the suspension for in-kind assistance under the Food for Peace Title II program was lifted.
For some time, the Philippines had been a beneficiary of USAID’s Food for Peace Title program. Malou Talosig-Bartolome
at steering retail prices of imported rice in its bid to reflect the steady decline in world market prices and the slashed rice tariffs to 15 percent until 2028 effective last July.
The DA said that before the imposition of MSRP, imported 5-percent-broken rice variety was sold between P62 and P64 per kilo.
In January, the DA chief had projected that the price of imported rice could fall below P50 per kilo, provided world market prices remain stable, with a maximum landed cost of $550 per metric ton (MT) for 5 percent broken rice.
The agency said the landed cost of 5 percent broken rice was quoted at $490 per MT on February 21.
Price spike
MEANWHILE , the DA recently identified 12 regions in the country, including a major rice producer, which saw extraordinary price hikes of the staple.
The agency identified areas affected by the surge in rice prices along with their corresponding monthly rice allocations. On the list is Western Visayas, one of the country’s top rice-producing regions.
These areas will be given priority in allocations for cheaper rice un-
der the recent declaration of a food emergency. Under Department Circular (DC) 4, an initial allocation of 625,600 units of 50-kilo bags, or 31,280 metric tons (MT) of rice from the National Food Authority (NFA), could be availed of monthly by local government units (LGUs) from the determined areas. Broken down, the monthly allocation of the National Capital Region (NCR) stood at 293,000 bags; Western Visayas at 58,000 bags; Region 4 at 47,000 bags; Bicol Region at 38,600 bags; Central Visayas at 50,000 bags; Eastern Visayas at 18,000 bags.
Zamboanga Peninsula will have a monthly allocation of 21,000 bags; Northern Mindanao at 20,000 bags; Davao Region at 19,000 bags; Soccsksargen at 36,000 bags; Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at 5,000 bags; and Caraga at 20,000 bags. However, the list could still be expanded upon further determination by the DA. The LGUs from these affected areas would sell the rice stocks to their respective constituents at P35 per kilo under the food security emergency declaration.
business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.
can always predict with certainty due to weather-related factors,” Lim noted.
“We do acknowledge a lot has already been improved...Overall inflation has come back to within target, the monetary policy easing path is on its way and that should actually be supportive for the economy in general,” Lim added.
Economic growth is expected to be driven by domestic demand as both investment and consumption accelerate in 2025, according to Lim. Consumption, which is seen to recover in the second quarter of 2025 and onwards, would likely be supported by “solid” labor income growth as the unemployment rate has been “low and stable” at around 3 percent as well as “gradually easing inflation.”
Economic growth would also be supported by government spending in the first half of 2025, and services exports, particularly in the
Meanwhile, Lim said private investments will recover gradually as financial conditions become less restrictive as interest rates also turned “less restrictive” and as consumer sentiment gradually picks up.
UBS also sees the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) cutting its key policy rates twice this year, in April and December, by a total of 50 basis points. Despite the BSP holding the key policy rates steady at 5.75 percent, Lim said the BSP is “slightly more advanced” in the rate cut cycle compared to other Asean economies with its three cuts in 2014. Moreover, even in the case of trade tariff escalation, Lim said the Philippine peso could be slightly a relative “outperformer” in the region.
“We do think that if tariffs are universal, then obviously there could be weaker prospects for currencies in general. But even in that scenario, it would not be a very big depreciation,” Lim said.
nila Subway, in boosting property
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LACE-UP your sneakers and hit the pavement for an all-women fun run at SM Mall of Asia on March 9! Back in its second year, Women’s Run PH is all about strength, endurance, and celebrating the unstoppable spirit of women. Beat your personal best because it’s time to own the road in
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Known as the Philippines’ very first allfemale national art competition, Sining Filipina is all about celebrating the talent, resilience, and artistry of women in the local art scene. Witness the brilliance of Filipina artists as they express their creativity, vision, and passion through incredible artwork.
Join a gender-inclusive future with empowered women SM is hosting its 5th annual International Women’s Day Summit featuring women leaders and allies of gender equality. The summit, entitled “Women Inspiring Women,” will feature speakers such as internet personality Small Laude, sexual therapist Rica Cruz, Forbes 30 Under 30
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The Sining Filipina 2025 Press Conference was held at the Samsung Hall, SM Aura last January 10, Friday.
awarded the grand prize in the figurative category for her artwork titled “Pira-pirasong Tela ng mga Marias” during last year’s inaugural Sining Filipina art competition awarding ceremony at SM Aura.
Maria Gemma San Jose from Ilocos Norte and her artwork
Rica Cruz
Karen Davila Amanda Cua
Small Laude
George and Onnie’s Panco Cafe Single Origin
Remulla bares Pogo connection in kidnapping of Chinese boy
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
HOT pursuit operations following intense search and rescue efforts by the police backed by the military resulted in the kidnappers abandoning their 14-yearold victim in Parañaque, Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla said on Wednesday morning.
However, the kidnappers sliced off a portion of a finger of the victim before leaving him.
The victim was a Chinese male student at an exclusive school in Taguig City.
Remulla said a syndicate involved in the operations of a shuttered Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) was behind the kidnapping.
“We are sure that the syndicate behind the kidnapping were former operators of Pogo.
We are definite that the perpetrators used their former bodyguards who were already Awol [absent without official leave] from the Armed Forces and the National Police, Remulla told reporters.
Remulla said the perpetrators are still in the country.
“We will make sure that they will be neutralized at the soonest possible,” Remulla said.
Police earlier said the kidnapping victim, a 14-year-old
Chinese national, was found abandoned along Macapagal Avenue in Parañaque City.
No ransom was paid.
IN the same briefing, Remulla disclosed that the driver of the child was found dead in another vehicle.
Some pieces of evidence were also recovered in the vehicle.
Asked about the motive of the kidnapping, Remulla said it was about money.
Authorities have launched a manhunt for the assailants.
The victim was taken to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City for a medical examination.
Remulla said the victim was left by the kidnappers, who were escaping from a joint National Police-Armed Forces team, on Diosdado Macapagal Avenue in Parañaque City.
The boy was wearing pajamas when abandoned by the kidnappers on the side of the road.
The kidnapper reportedly cut off a portion of a finger of the victim, allegedly on account of failed negotiations. He is now being treated at an undisclosed hospital, news reports said.
Ken Chua of the Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) was quoted in a news report that the 14-year-old kidnap victim was reunited immediately with his family who took him to the hospital.
Meanwhile, the police are still conducting a hot pursuit operation to arrest the suspects, Remulla said, adding that authorities have identified the kidnappers, including their base of operation.
Remulla assured the victim and his family that justice would be served.
“We know who they are. We know where they are operating from. We will find them. Justice will be served,” Remulla said.
The victim was reportedly abducted on February 20 with their family driver and reported missing the next day.
There’s no confirmation from authorities on claims circulating on social media that the driver was killed.
The National Police’s Southern Police District said the investigation is ongoing and that details of the incident would be disclosed to the public as soon as they become available. with Rex Anthony Naval
Number of poll hotspots in BARMM increasing
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
OWING to the increasing electionrelated violence in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is considering placing more areas in the region under the red category.
Comelec Chairman
George Erwin M. Garcia said on Wednesday that the commission is reviewing its list of election hotspots and may upgrade the classification of several areas in the region.
“We have noticed that some areas under the orange category have suddenly seen a spike in violence. While it hasn’t reached extreme levels, we believe deploying more state forces is necessary,” Garcia said, partly in Filipino, during a news forum.
Currently, 403 areas nationwide are classified as areas of concern.
Of these, 38 fall under the red category, signifying the
highest level of security risk due to the presence of armed groups, intense political rivalry and past election-related violence.
Meanwhile, 177 areas are under the orange category, indicating significant armed threats, while 188 are in the yellow category, covering areas with a history of electionrelated incidents.
BARMM has the highest concentration of red-category areas, with 32 out of the 38 nationwide. The remaining areas are in the Cagayan Valley and the Bicol Region, with two each.
For the orange category, the Bicol Region has the highest number of areas at 48, followed by BARMM with 22, Caraga with 17, and Central Visayas with 16. Other regions also have smaller numbers of orange-tagged areas.
Meanwhile, the yellow category includes 49 areas in BARMM, followed by 22 in Northern Mindanao, 19 in the Ilocos Region, and varying counts in other regions.
Garcia specifically identified
the Maguindanao provinces and Cotabato City as among the areas in BARMM experiencing a rise in election-related violence.
This assessment follows the broad daylight shooting of Maguindanao del Sur’s Datu Piang Vice Mayor Omar Samama on Monday while he was attending a medical mission.
Samama—who is gunning for re-election—survived the attack.
The Comelec considers the incident election-related.
“That’s due to the elections… although it’s not yet the start of the campaign period for local candidates,” Garcia said.
However, he clarified that the increasing number of redcategory areas does not mean the commission’s monitoring efforts—alongside that of the National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces (AFP)—are insufficient.
“There will always be people who lose their temper, who refuse to put down their guns, or who believe violence is their only option. It’s unfortunate,
but you can’t completely prevent a determined attacker,” he said.
Garcia also noted that the Comelec is investigating cases where children and civilians have been caught in electionrelated violence.
“It’s not a matter of insufficient monitoring. It’s just that as the campaign period approaches, it becomes clearer who is leading—and that’s when violence escalates,” he explained.
Despite the growing concerns, Garcia said the Comelec has not yet identified any area that needs to be placed under full Comelec control, which would give complete take over to al national and local officials in the affected place.
The decision to lift such a classification would also be at the Comelec’s discretion.
The commission is set to meet with PNP officials on Thursday to finalize the updated list of areas of concern and discuss the increasing election-related violence in BARMM.
No truth to data breach report-DND
THE Department of National Defense (DND) on Wednesday branded false reports claiming that it sustained a data breach last weekend.
“Contrary to a recent news report, the DND has not monitored any data breach over the weekend, and its systems remain secure and fully functional,” Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong, DND spokesman, said in a statement.
Andolong did not give other details regarding this alleged data breach for security reasons. A data breach also known as data leakage refers to the “unauthorized exposure of sensitive or protected information.”
“The DND, along with its bureaus, including the Armed Forces, continues to implement its cybersecurity measures to prevent attempts by malign actors to illegally access our ICT [information communications technology] systems and infrastructure, Andolong added. Rex Anthony Naval
Lacson pushes ‘teacher’ role for cops in guiding youths away from drugs
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
ORMER senator Panfilo
FLacson wants the National Police (PNP) to play not just the role of enforcers against illegal drugs, but also “teachers” in keeping young people away from the menace.
Speaking at a seminar on drug abuse on Tuesday, Lacson said this is similar to the Philippine Drug Abuse Resistance Education (PhilDARE) program he undertook as PNP chief during the Estrada administration.
“We can train our police to work closer with the community, teachers and schools. They can explain to our youths the whys and hows of staying away from illegal drugs,” Lacson said in Filipino.
In the 1990s, the Philippines adopted the Los Angeles Police Department’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)—an education program that sought to prevent drug use among the youth—as Philippine Drug Abuse Resistance Program (PhilDARE). Lacson said PhilDARE played a key role in the government’s two-pronged strategy of demand reduction and supply reduction against illegal drugs—while law enforcers continued to go after drug dealers as part of supply reduction, PhilDARE taught youths to stay away from drugs, thus reducing demand for it.
“Lacson,” A5
See
‘Spare trees, lamp posts, utility posts from battle of tarpaulins’
AWASTE and pollution watchdog reiterated its appeal to candidates to be mindful of the environment and spare the surroundings from campaign materials.
Trees, lamp posts and utility poles, according to the EcoWaste Coalition, are off limits to campaign materials as the battle of tarpaulins rages just weeks after the start of the three-month campaign period for national candidates.
A partner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in pursuing environmentally sustainable elections, the group monitored the rampant display of campaign materials, particularly in the cities of Caloocan, Manila and Pasay, in places forbidden by law.
Comelec Resolution 11111 prohibits the posting of campaign materials outside of the designated common poster areas, on private properties without the owner’s consent, and on public places such as streets, bridges, public structures or buildings, trees, electric posts or wires, schools, shrines, main thoroughfares, and other public places.
“Despite the ongoing Operation
Baklas, major and secondary streets in some cities are teeming with propaganda materials, particularly the ubiquitous plastic tarpaulins that are nailed, tacked, or tied on lamp posts, utility poles, and trees. The battle of tarpaulins rages on as the campaign heats up,” said Jove Benosa, campaigner of EcoWaste Coalition.
The group said it found not a few lamp posts and utility poles in busy streets “decorated” with one or more campaign tarpaulins of senatorial bets. In some cases, it found tarpaulins of one or two senatorial bets on the same lamp post, plus a tarpaulin or two of one or more party-list groups, virtually making the lamp post a “common poster area.”
“While not as many as those posted on electric and lamp posts, we also found campaign tarpaulins hanging on electric wires, bridges, pedestrian overpasses, public covered courts and trees,” he added. “Some of these materials may even exceed the permissible size for posters.”
Based on the monitoring it conducted since the official campaign
See “Campaign,” A5
www.businessmirror.com.ph
House think tank: 200 laws remain unfunded
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
AT least 200 laws enacted between 1991 and 2023 remain unfunded or have funding deficiencies, the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department, the think tank of the House of Representatives, said.
Of these, 46 laws explicitly specify budgetary requirements as determined by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) or the implementing agency, while 154 laws lack specified budgets.
Among the 200 laws, 65 have
received partial funding, while the rest remain unfunded.
The economic sector recorded the highest number of laws with funding deficiency at 90, followed by the creation of regional offices at 56, human development at 27, and good governance at nine.
The total funding deficiency amounts to P2.627 billion, which represents 85.7 percent of the total funding requirement of P3,064.5 billion.
Major funding deficiencies by sector are security, peace, and justice at P2,138. billion; good governance at P471.2 billion; food security, ecological protec -
BI deports 98 more Chinese Pogo workers
Ttion, and climate change at P8.9 billion; human development at P5.2 billion; DBM regional offices at P3.1 billion; and economic development at P0.7 billion.
Of the total P2,627 billion in funding deficiencies, 99.3 percent can be attributed to six major laws with significant financial requirements. Notably, the Revised Armed Forces Modernization Program (P2,138. billion) accounts for 82 percent of the total funding deficiency among these major laws.
Additional reforms with funding deficiencies are the Maharlika Investment Fund at P255 billion, the Murang Kuryente Act at P176
billion, the NEA (National Electrification Administration) Reform Act at P19.6 billion, and the Shelter Financing Act (RA 7835, enacted in 1994) at P9 billion as of August 2024.
‘Common sense law’
WITH this, Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidate and Makati Mayor Abby Binay underscored the need for practical and well-funded legislation, noting that many national laws fail owing to lack of foresight and financial backing.
Speaking before the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce
Inc., Binay reaffirmed her commitment to be the “People’s Voice in the Senate.” She emphasized that laws should not only be wellintentioned but also practical and financially sustainable.
“There’s often a disconnect when senators craft legislation without consulting the grassroots,” Binay said.
She pointed out how mandates requiring local government units (LGUs) to shoulder financial assistance programs often fail due to insufficient fiscal capacity, leading to difficulties in implementation.
“It is crucial to have someone coming from a local perspective.
We have laws that work really well on paper, but implementationwise, it’s not happening. For example, in Makati, when we pass an ordinance giving benefits, we make sure that there is money; it is sustainable,” she said. She also pointed out how some national policies are passed without securing funding first, putting an unnecessary burden on LGUs.
“So, that’s what I mean by being the voice of reason; being the voice that says, ‘That’s doable, that’s not doable,’” Binay said.
“You think it’s common sense, but I realize that common sense is not very common,” she added.
Bill creating DWR needs more refinement–Marcos
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
HE Bureau of Immigration (BI)
deported on Tuesday a total of 98 Chinese nationals who were earlier caught working under a Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo).
Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said deportees boarded a Philippine Airlines chartered flight to Xi’an, China on the evening of February 25.
“This a part of broader effort with the Chinese Embassy to expedite the removal of foreign nationals engaged in illegal offshore gaming operations,” Viado told reporters during a virtual press conference.
Of the 98 deportees, Viado said 91 were among the 450 individuals arrested last January 8 in a commercial building in Parañaque City, while the seven others were from the BI’s detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City.
Since January, Viado said 500 foreigners linked to illegal Pogo activities in
Paranaque City, Cavite and Pasay City have been arrested.
However, BI spokesman Dana Sandoval said there are still around 10,000 foreigners who are still being hunted as they are already considered illegal aliens following the government’s decision to ban all Pogo operations starting this year.
Viado said with this latest deportation, a total of 226 individuals have now been sent back to their home countries including 10 Vietnamese who were also deported on Tuesday.
Viado assured the public that deportation efforts remain a top priority.
“Let me emphasize the swift and efficient deportation of these individuals is our top priority. We are working relentlessly with our partner agencies to ensure the swiftest deportation possible,” Viado stressed.
“This is a clear message that the Philippines will not be a safe haven for illegal activities,” he added.
PAP elects new president
THE head of Razon-led Prime Energy Resources Development B.V. (Prime Energy) has been elected Chairperson of the Philippine Petroleum Association of the Upstream Industry (Oil & Gas), Inc. (PAP).
Donnabel Kuizon Cruz, president and chief executive officer of Prime Energy, operator of the Malampaya gas field, was elected during the annual membership meeting of PAP in Parañaque City.
The PAP members account for the country’s entire oil and gas production.
Aside from Prime Energy, member companies include Nido Petroleum Philippines Pty. Ltd., Oriental Petroleum and Minerals Corporation, PXP Energy Corporation (formerly Philex Petroleum Corp.), PetroEnergy Resources Corporation, The Philodrill Corporation, PNOC Exploration Corporation, Enex Energy Corp., UC38 LLC, Anglo Philippine Holdings Corporation, NPG Pty. Ltd. and Alcorn Petroleum and Minerals
period for national candidates commenced on February 11, the EcoWaste Coalition expressed the urgent need for the candidates themselves to step in and ensure their names and faces are not associated with illegal campaigning activities.
“As a sign of their respect and
Corporation. Associate members include key service and support companies such as CSA Resources, BenLine Agencies, Royal Cargo, Sycip Gorres Velayo & Co., and Desco Inc.
“I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence of my peers in the industry. As we move forward, PAP remains committed to working closely with the government and stakeholders in ensuring a stable and sustainable energy future for the Philippines,” Cruz said at the PAP gathering attended by Energy Undersecretary Alessandro O. Sales. Cruz has two decades of experience in the energy sector. Before leading Prime Energy, she built a strong track record in exploration and production, asset management, and regulatory affairs.
“Together, we will continue advancing the responsible development of the country’s oil and gas resources, helping build a stronger economy and a better future for Filipinos,” Cruz said. This commitment is reflected in
adherence to the election laws, we appeal to concerned candidates to instruct their campaign workers and supporters to follow the rules and direct them to remove tarpaulins in forbidden sites,” said Benosa.
The group also pointed out that the absence of a law on premature campaigning should not be exploited by local candidates to inundate the streets and communities with campaign tarpau -
The training involved preventive education, or teaching youths up to high school to avoid drugs by showing them the ill effects of drugs. It also involved behavioral skills development, teaching youths to resist peer pressure to try illegal drugs.
PBy Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
RESIDENT Marcos on Wednesday said the current version of the bill creating the Department of Water Resources (DWR) still needs adjustments before it is passed into law.
In his social media page, the Chief Executive said a simplified framework is needed for the new department so it can operate more efficiently.
“I’ve instructed government agencies to refine the Department of Water Resources bill to create a clear and effective framework that cuts inefficiencies, strengthens regulation and ensures clean, reliable water for every Filipino,” Marcos said.
The passage of the DWR is part
Prime Energy and the other Malampaya Service Contract 38 (SC 38) consortium members’ target of delivering new gas by 2026 through the drilling of two production wells and one exploration well in 2025.
The drilling of the two wells is estimated to cost $800 million while the budget for the third well has yet to be finalized. A fourth well is possible only after the results of the drilling for the three wells are determined.
Prime Energy operates the Malampaya Deep Water-Gas-toPower Project, the country’s first and only indigenous gas resource off the province of Palawan. The gas field supplies indigenous fuel to four gas-fired power plants in Batangas — Santa Rita, San Lorenzo, San Gabriel and Avion.
Cruz said Malampaya gas is playing a critical role in ensuring avoiding volatility, stability of gas prices, energy security as indigenous gas guarantees fuel supply.
Prime Energy is a subsidiary of Prime Infra and is the operator of the Malampaya gas project, which supplies approximately 20 percent of Luzon’s electricity needs.
lins before the local campaigning kicks off on March 28.
EcoWaste Coalition pm February 10 launched its “Kalikasan: Pangalagaan sa Halalan” advocacy to urge candidates to embrace eco-friendly, nontoxic and sustainable campaign practices, and to incorporate the protection of public health and the environment into their campaign platforms.
Jonathan
L. Mayuga
“The results were very good. Our teacher-policemen became closer to the youths,” Lacson said.
“Our police personnel grew closer to the community and our youths, and our youths learned to stay away from drugs,” he added.
of the Common Legislative Agenda of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory (Ledac) for the 19th Congress.
During its meeting with the President on Tuesday, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) urged President Marcos Jr. to certify the DWR bill as urgent.
In 2023, Marcos issued Executive Order 22 creating the Water
Management Resources Office (WMRO) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
He said a dedicated agency for water resource management is necessary to prevent a water crisis.
The WMRO will integrate government efforts and regulatory activities to ensure availability and sustainable management of water
resources in the whole country while the law creating the DWR is still pending. Under EO 22, the National Water Resources Board; Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (Corporate and Regulatory Office); Local Water Utilities Administration and the network of local water districts; and the Laguna Lake Development Authority were placed under DENR.
Officers from the LAPD were invited to train their PNP counterparts for PhilDARE, to work with schools and the community.
NBI seizes ₧121.6 million in counterfeit Louis Vuitton products in major operation in Cavite
TBy Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
HE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced the confiscation of counterfeit Louis Vuitton (LV) products with an estimated value of P121.6 million.
In a statement, the NBI said the fake LV products were seized in several premises in Cavite City by virtue of search warrants issued by the lower court. The operation stemmed from the complaints filed by the LV representative Mayank Vaid against individuals and entities engaged in the unauthorized sale and distribution of the items. NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the search warrants which were served by operatives of the NBI-Intellectual Property Rights Division covered establishments in General Trias and Imus, Cavite. Santiago said the operation is in line with the bureau’s the campaign to stop the proliferation of counterfeit products, the National Bureau of Investigation— Intellectual Property Rights Division (NBI-IPRD).
Cardinal Tagle
Following the successful operation, Santiago reminded the public to reframe from patronizing counterfeit products.
leads rosary for Pope Francis’ recovery
SENIOR Vatican official Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle led a rosary prayer at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday evening (4:00 A.M. February 26 in Manila), offering intentions for the health and recovery of Pope Francis. Hundreds of faithful gathered in silent solidarity, joining Tagle in the prayer service, which forms part of a nightly initiative that began on Monday. Tagle, the pro-prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, earlier asked for “special prayer” for the fast healing of Pope Francis.
The Rome-based Cardinal said during his Sunday homily that prayers in unity bring strength and healing.
“In the spirit of communion and as the Gospel states, [we may] be vessels of God’s compassion to him and to many other people who are suffering from illness,” he added.
The Holy Father has been hospitalized since February 14 due to double pneumonia.
According to the latest health bulletin released by the Vatican at around 3:00 A.M. Manila time, Pope Francis remains
POGO remnants suspected in espionage, crime ‘resurgence’ troubling–Sen. Risa
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
THE arrest by National Bureau Investigation (NBI) of another set of suspected Chinese spies validates yet again the warnings aired earlier that POGO operations are likely spawning, not just illegal businesses and crime, but also enabling espionage against the Philippines, a senator said Wednesday.
Asked to react to Tuesday’s report that the NBI had arrested two Chinese nationals and three Filipinos, Senator Risa Hontiveros urged authorities to continue, without letup, the measures to weed out the pernicious effects of at least four years of sustained POGO operations in the country.
POGOs have been banned by the government since Jan. 1, 2025, but authorities have acknowledged that remnants of illegal POGOs have gone “underground” or fanned out across the country to transform into other businesses.
Reacting to the latest NBI arrest, Hontiveros said, “ Nakakabahala at
nakakagalit talaga. Ang kakapal talaga ng mga mukha, di ba? Ang tatapang talaga ng mga apog, di ba? Kasunod na yan ng, di ba, yung unang naarestong mga diumanong Chinese spies, na yung ganyangmga espionage equipment nila, nakaturo dun sa isang coastline ng West Philippine Sea.”
So, she added in Filipino, “the issues have obviously been joined that emerged in our the theories and suspicions the evidence that emerged in our POGO hearings, are tied up to China’s presence in the country’s energy system, in telecommunication sector. And now, we’re seeing the still un-setteled issue of espionage, in the perimeter of our military and naval and air force camps.”
Also still unsettled, she said, is the issue of Shi Zhejiang, “the confessed Chinese who said Guo Huaping [dismissed Bamban Tarlac mayor Alice Guo] is a fellow—as NICA calls it—agent of influence. So it’s truly alarming that China’s presence is felt, not just in the West Philippine Sea, but in various sectors of our society and economy, and
Gatchalian promises swift approval of key education bills before 19th Congress ends
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3
SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday assured to have two bills approved before the end of the 19th Congress during a public hearing of the Committee on Basic Education. House Bill No. 11185 or the Tanay National Science High School and House Bill No. 111038 or the Doos Del Norte National High School were approved on the committee level after no objections were raised “We will submit these to the plenary
for further discussion. We will move fast to have these approved before the end of the 19th Congress,” said Gatchalian, chairperson of the Committee on Basic Education, noting that they only have six session days before it ends. Gatchalian presided over a public hearing on bills seeking to establish a public high school in Hindang, Leyte and Tanay, Rizal, as well as, convert two public elementary schools into integrated schools in Barcelona and Irosin, Sorsogon. Likewise, they discussed during the hearing were the recognition of the
in a “critical but stable” condition.
The statement also noted that the 87-year-old Pontiff has not suffered any acute respiratory episodes and that his hemodynamic parameters remain stable.
“In the evening, he underwent a scheduled CT scan for radiological monitoring of bilateral pneumonia. The prognosis remains cautious,” the Holy See Press Office said.
Despite his condition, Pope Francis has continued working, even after receiving the Eucharist in the morning, it added. Justine Xyrah Garcia
intertwined with the issued POGOs.” Meanwhile, she noted the PNP had said the kidnapped international student’s case is possibly tied to the POGO. The cases pertaining to the kidnapping of Chinese nationals has risen to 40. The resurgence of crimes related to POGOs simply proves, she stressed, the perniciuous, deep-seated influence of POGOs. “So, it’s really a very big public safety issue.”
Meanwhile, she supports a bill by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada to strengthen the espionage law in the Philippines.
Hontiveros’ committee on women also continues to monitor developments in human trafficking operations linked to POGO or POGO-like hubs in Southeast Asia, especially Cambodia and Myanmar, where another batch of victims, including Filipinos, were recently rescued. She did not rule out the possibility that former POGO employees or officers who opt for self-deportation could proceed to Cambodia or some other country, and work there. She cited the “chatter in some Chinese websites that some POGOs here are preparing to transfer or return to Cambodia, which we know is also a human trafficking destination for Filipinos victimized by POGO and scam hubs.
Singapore schools in Manila, Cebu, and Clark as an educational institution of international character and granting them certain prerogatives conducive to their development and growth. LGU role ALSO , Gatchalian underscored the importance of the involvement of the local government units (LGU) in addressing the needs and challenges faced by the schools in the country.
“LGUs play a very important role—a big role, in fact—in addressing local problems and issues, as well as infrastructure projects,” said Gatchalian as he cited the initiatives of LGU to mitigate landslide and flooding risks in schools, as well as the lack of infrastructure.
CARDINAL Luis Antonio Tagle during a rosary prayer service held for the health of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at The Vatican, Tuesday, February 25, 2025. AP/KIRSTY WIGGLEWORTH
Editor: Angel R. Calso
Israel and Hamas agree to exchange bodies for release of prisoners, preserving ceasefire
By Josef Federman & Abby Sewell
The Associated Press
JERUSALEM—Israeli and Hamas officials said Tuesday they have reached an agreement to exchange the bodies of dead hostages for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, keeping their fragile ceasefire intact for at least a few more days. Israel has delayed the release of 600 Palestinian prisoners since Saturday to protest what it says is the cruel treatment of hostages during their release by Hamas. The militant group has said the delay is a “serious violation” of their ceasefire and that talks on a second phase are not possible until they are freed.
The deadlock had threatened to collapse the ceasefire when the current six-week first phase of the deal expires this weekend.
But late Tuesday, Hamas said an agreement had been reached to resolve the dispute during a visit to Cairo by a delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya, a top political official in the group.
The breakthrough appeared to
clear the way for the return of the bodies of four more dead hostages and hundreds of additional prisoners scheduled to be released under the ceasefire.
The prisoners previously slated for release “will be released simultaneously with the bodies of the Israeli prisoners who were agreed to be handed over,” along with the release of a new set of Palestinian prisoners, the Hamas statement said.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed an agreement to bring home the bodies in the coming days. He gave no further details.
But Israeli media reports said the exchange could take place as soon as Wednesday. The Ynet news site said the Israeli bodies would be handed over to Egyptian authorities without any public ceremony.
Hamas has released hostages, and the bodies of four dead hostages, in large public ceremonies during which the Israelis were paraded and forced to wave to large crowds. Israel, along with the Red Cross and UN officials, have said the ceremonies were humiliating to the hostages, and Israel last weekend delayed the scheduled prisoner release in protest.
The latest agreement would complete both sides’ obligations of the first phase of the ceasefire— during which Hamas is returning 33 hostages—including eight bodies—in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
It also could clear the way for an expected visit by the White House’s Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, to the region. Witkoff, who is expected in the region in the coming days, has said he wants the sides to move into negotiations on the second phase, during
which all remaining hostages held by Hamas are to be released and an end to the war is to be negotiated. The Phase 2 talks were supposed to begin weeks ago, but never did. The ceasefire, brokered by the US, Egypt and Qatar, ended 15 months of heavy fighting that erupted after Hamas’ Octpber 7, 2023, attack that killed some 1,200 people in Israel and took about 250 people hostage.
Israel’s military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials, displaced an estimated 90 percent of Gaza’s population and decimated the territory’s infrastructure and health system. The Hamas-run Health Ministry does not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths, but it says that over half of the dead have been women and children.
Sewell reported from Beirut.
Pope Francis’ friends around Rome pray for him as he fights pneumonia
RBy Paolo Santalucia
The Associated Press
OME—Pope Francis was a frequent visitor to Rome long before he became pope, and over time found his favorite shops and artisans who are now pulling for him as he battles double pneumonia.
“The pope is by now a friend, a beloved person for me, not a customer,” said Francis’ optician, Alessandro Spiezia. “I am praying for his recovery.”
Francis’ occasional unannounced visits to Spiezia’s shop, on the tony Via del Babuino near Piazza del Popolo, often created mob scenes as tourists and Romans alike realized the pope was inside.
Francis has popped in a few times since becoming pope in 2013 to get new lenses for his glasses, arriving in a simple Ford or Fiat with minimal security detail and waving to well-wishers as he came and went.
The Argentine pope also has his favorite ice cream flavors, and a shop near his Vatican hotel has catered for years to his sweet tooth.
When Argentine ice cream maker Sebastian Padrón opened his gelato laboratory around the corner from the Santa Marta hotel, his dulce de leche ice cream, a typical Argentine caramel dessert, became the pope’s favorite.
“He called me on the phone after Covid to invite me,” Padròn told The Associated Press. “He wanted to meet me since he had been eating our ice cream for a few years. We went with my family, we talked to him for a long time. A very nice meeting, very friendly, very simple, as if we were neighbors and as if we had known each other our whole lives.”
Padròn added: “After we came to know of the hospitalization we sent him our greetings, and as he always says, we must pray for him,” he said.
A Vatican-area tailor also was following news of Francis’ hospitalization.
“We are all saddened and we all pray for the recovery of the pope,” said Raniero Mancinelli, who sold the modest pectoral cross that Francis has been wearing for the past few decades.
Before Francis’ papacy, Mancinelli sold lavish crosses set with gemstones to cardinals and bishops. But afterward, the clerical style shifted to simpler crosses made of silver, Mancinelli said.
They are similar to the one that a bishop friend purchased in 1998 and later gave to the future pope, who at the time was archbishop of Buenos Aires. According to Mancinelli, the current cross that the pope still wears was bought in his shop.
“Francis immediately went on a much simpler and essential style,” he explained as he cut the fabric for a bishop’s garment in his historic workshop, steps away from the Vatican.
When he became pope in 2013, Francis decided not to live in the lavish, baroque papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square, but to stay in an austere room at the Santa Marta hotel inside Vatican City.
He has lamented that he can’t walk around freely as he did when he lived in Buenos Aires, when he was known for taking public transportation.
As an archbishop, Francis came to Rome frequently on periodic visits to the Vatican and frequented his favorite shops, including a record shop where he would stock up on his beloved classical music and tango. In 2022, when he went to bless the newly renovated shop and visit its owners, a Vatican reporter happened to be nearby and filmed him exiting. Francis later reached out and mused about the attention he draws during his local outings.
“I won’t deny that it was (bad luck) that after taking all the precautions, there was a journalist waiting,” Francis later wrote the journalist, Javier Martinez-Brocal. “You can’t lose your sense of humor.”
Families of hostages in Gaza face uncertainty as nightmare drags on
By Melanie Lidman The Associated Press
TEL AVIV, Israel—Yael Alexander has been watching the release of hostages from Gaza over the past six weeks with a mix of joy, envy and fear. Her son Edan, an American-Israeli hostage held for over 500 days, is not yet on the list of those to be freed.
As uncertainty swirls over the future of the fragile ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, the families of hostages still in Gaza are struggling to maintain hope that they will see their loved ones soon.
“This is a critical time,” said Alexander, whose son was a 19-year-old soldier when he was abducted by Hamas-led militants.
“I know my son is probably in tunnels, so I understand that he’s not seeing sunlight, and the air is very thin underground,” said Alexander. “It’s very, very difficult for me to even think about it.”
The ceasefire deal that paused the 15-monthlong war in Gaza has held despite repeated crises. But with its first stage coming to an end this week, its fate remains unclear.
The two sides were supposed to negotiate a second phase in which Hamas would release all of the remaining living hostages taken during its October 7, 2023, attack, in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
But the sides haven’t even started those talks, leaving the families of the remaining hostages terrified for the fate of their loved ones and desperate for progress.
Pinning hopes on the Trump administration SINCE he is a soldier, Edan Alexander was not expected to be freed in the first phase of the
ceasefire, during which Hamas is releasing 33 hostages—mostly women and older or sick men—for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Still, every week, Yael Alexander hoped in vain she might see her son’s name on a list of hostages to be freed. Each time she didn’t was a punch to the stomach, she said. She is thrilled for every family that is reunited, but she dreams of her own jubilant embrace with her son and wonders if it will ever happen.
Alexander is pinning her hopes on the Trump administration. On Sunday, President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, told CBS that Alexander was “front and center” for the administration.
“It’s one of President Trump’s most (important) objectives, is to get all Americans home and we’re going to be successful in getting Edan home,” Witkoff said.
That sparked hope for Alexander’s mother.
“Every time they say Edan’s name, it’s like they didn’t forget. They didn’t forget he’s American, and they’re working on it,” she said.
After months of talks with no progress, the Trump administration was “speaking the language of the Middle East,” she said, giving credit to the president for applying pressure and clinching a ceasefire the day before his inauguration.
Hostage families grow desperate
THE tenuous ceasefire has faced repeated stumbling blocks and, most recently, Israel delayed the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners over what it calls the “humiliating” hostage handovers in staged ceremonies in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu also faces pressure from his political allies to resume the war and crush Hamas.
There are 27 hostages still believed to be alive in Gaza and eligible for release as part of the second phase of the ceasefire. The remains of 35 others who were killed in the October 7 attack or in captivity are also being held. There are also the remains of an Israeli soldier killed in 2014 whose body was taken to Gaza.
The families have been ratcheting up pressure on the Israeli government to move ahead with talks to release more hostages. And Hamas’ latest tactics are only fueling more desperation. On Saturday, it posted a video of two hostages, Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Evyatar David, whom it forced to witness the release of other hostages. Hamas militants filmed them pleading for their freedom in a vehicle as they watched the three Israeli hostages on stage before their transfer to the Red Cross. Their distraught families called the video cruel and said it was proof of the urgent need to get everyone out.
“I don’t know how, after this event they experienced yesterday, they will be able to gather their strength again,” Galia David, the mother of Evyatar David, told Israel’s Reshet Bet radio station on Sunday. “It’s clearly staged, but their desperation is real.”
A plea for progress before time runs out HAMAS released a video of Edan Alexander last November during the Thanksgiving weekend, his favorite holiday, his mother said. The video was difficult to watch as he cries and pleads for help. But it was a
South Korea’s Yoon defends his martial law decree as impeachment ruling nears
By Hyung-Jin Kim The Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea—In a final statement at his impeachment trial, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his martial law decree that plunged the country into chaos as a bid to inform the public of the danger of the opposition-controlled parliament as he vowed Tuesday to push for political reform if reinstated.
Yoon spoke at the Constitutional Court as it wrapped up arguments in his impeachment trial. The court is expected to rule by mid-March on whether to remove Yoon from office or reinstate his presidential powers.
The liberal opposition-controlled National Assembly impeached Yoon, a conservative, after his short-lived Dec. 3 martial law decree caused political turmoil, rattled its financial markets
and hurt its international image. He has been separately arrested and indicted on rebellion charges in connection with his decree. If convicted, he would face the death penalty or life imprisonment. Yoon has denied any wrongdoing and blamed the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which obstructed his agenda, impeached many senior officials and slashed key parts of the government’s budget bill,
for the political crisis. During his marital law announcement, Yoon called the assembly “a den of criminals” and “anti-state forces.”
“The reason why I declared martial law was because of desperation as I could no longer neglect a door-die crisis facing this country,” Yoon said. “I tried to inform the people of these anti-state acts of wickedness by the mammoth opposition party and appealed to the people to stop it with intense surveillance and criticism.”
After declaring martial law, Yoon sent troops and police officers to the assembly, but enough lawmakers still managed to enter an assembly chamber to vote down Yoon’s decree unanimously, forcing his Cabinet to lift it.
Yoon reiterated Tuesday that he had no intentions of disrupting assembly work and that deploying troops and police was meant to maintain order. But some commanders of military units sent to the assembly have testified that Yoon ordered them to drag out lawmakers to prevent them from overturning his decree.
During the hearing, Democratic
Party lawmaker Jung Chung-rai said that Yoon must be dismissed as he undermined the constitution by trying to seal the assembly and suppress its authority with armed troops. Jung also said Yoon’s imposition of martial law disturbed public order because South Korea wasn’t in an emergency that required such a drastic step.
“Yoon Suk Yeol is still refusing to have self-reflection and soul-
China takes tougher tone on Taiwan, announces military drills and new language on reunification
By Bloomberg News
CHINA’S number 4 official unveiled stronger language toward Taiwan that signaled greater efforts ahead to intimidate the self-ruled democracy, as Beijing announced military exercises near the island. Wang Huning, who oversees Taiwan affairs for China, urged his nation to “shape the inevitable reunification of the motherland” at a meeting in Beijing on the self-ruled democracy, according to a Wednesday report from the official Xinhua News Agency. It marked the first time that phrase had been used by the government in Beijing, which has never ruled the archipelago of 23 million people.
President Xi Jinping has previously declared China’s unification with Taiwan “can without a doubt be realized,” but the new language on molding that process suggests Beijing will take a more proactive approach. Chinese state media outlets highlighted the call to “shape the inevitable” when reposting the readout of the conference, with the People’s Daily making it into a hashtag on social media.
There are no signs Xi plans to
invade Taiwan anytime soon, as China’s economy grapples with a slowdown and the People’s Liberation Army reels from corruption probes. But the Communist Party could intensify efforts to peel off the island’s last 12 diplomatic partners and ramp up its military activity around Taiwan.
Illustrating those pressures, the Defense Ministry in Taipei said China announced Wednesday that it would conduct military drills about 40 nautical miles off the southern coast of Taiwan’s main island, without specifying exactly when. Such maneuvers would pose a danger to airplanes and ships in the area, the ministry
said in a statement, adding that the exercises hurt the region’s stability.
The drills come after Taiwan detained a freighter and its crew that included Chinese nationals because a key cable to an offshore outpost was severed. Taiwanese authorities have opened an inquiry into whether sabotage was involved.
China has accused Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party of “hyping up” the affair. “There are hundreds of incidents involving undersea cables globally every year,” Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said at a regular briefing. “They’re common maritime accidents.”
Wang, a member of China’s powerful, seven-man Standing Committee, also said in his speech that Beijing “must resolutely oppose and curb external interference” related to Taiwan, comments aimed at least in part at the US, which backs Taiwan
diplomatically and militarily.
The State Department this month deleted a phrase from a fact sheet that said the US does “not support Taiwan independence.”
Taipei praised that move while China condemned it. The US later said it was committed to peace in the region but the wording change remained.
While President Donald Trump has stacked his administration with China hawks, his own comments have cast doubt over Washington’s commitment to Taiwan. The Republican has called on Taipei to pay the US for security, and has weakened support for defending Ukraine from Russia raising questions about how his administration would respond to greater Chinese aggression.
The Communist Party should “consolidate the international community’s adherence to the one-China principle,” Wang said at the event in Beijing. That was a reference to Beijing’s stance there is only one nation known as “China,” which the government in Beijing leads, and of which Taiwan is a part. China frequently asks nations it has diplomatic ties with to reiterate its principle.
Taiwan’s ruling party counters that Taiwan is a de facto nation deserving broader recognition.
China’s shift in language reflects a “more confident and a more patient China,” according to Wen-Ti Sung, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub. “China believes that strategically time is back on Beijing’s side again,” he added.
searching and repeating sophistry and crafty remarks that say his emergency martial law was a highlevel act of governance,” Jung said. “We should dismiss him as soon as possible to get the Republic of Korea back on track.”
Massive rallies by opponents and supporters of Yoon have divided the streets of Seoul and other major South Korean cities. Whatever the Constitutional Court
decides, experts say it will likely further polarize the country and intensify its conservative-liberal divide. If Yoon is formally thrown out of office, a national election must take place within two months to find his successor.
During more than an hour of testimony Tuesday, Yoon said that he would push for political reforms and a constitutional revision to change the current presidential system if he regains his presidential powers. He also suggested stepping down before his single five-year term ends in 2027 to promote “political reform.”
It’s unclear whether and how Yoon’s statement could affect the court’s ruling.
South Korea adopted the current system that limits a president to a single five-year term in 1987, following decades of military-backed dictatorships. After Yoon’s martial law stunt, there have been calls to change it. Some favor a parliamentary Cabinet system, others want a US-style setup in which a president can run for a second fouryear term or a system in which a president and prime minister split key responsibilities.
Yonaguni: Tiny Japanese island becomes new front line in potential Taiwan conflict
By Mari Yamaguchi The Associated Press
YONAGUNI, Japan—This tiny island on Japan’s western frontier has no chain convenience stores. Nature lovers can dive with hammerhead sharks and watch miniature horses graze on a hill.
But the wooded mountain ranges now carry radar sites. A southern cattle ranch has been replaced with the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force’s Camp Yonaguni. Japan and its ally, the United States, hold joint military exercises here. Plans are underway to add a new missile unit and expand a small airport and port.
All of the buildup has cemented the island as a front line in a potential clash over Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island that China claims as its own.
“As a child, was so proud of this westernmost border island,” said Fumie Kano, an innkeeper on Yonaguni. “But recently, we are repeatedly told this place is dangerous, and I feel so sad.”
The militarization has been especially felt as the island’s population shrinks. There are less than 1,500 local residents. Supporters say new servicemembers arriving are needed for
the island’s safety and struggling economy. Opponents like Kano say the military buildup is damaging the environment, making the island’s economy dependent on the military and could provoke an attack.
On the front line
YONAGUNI is only 110 kilometers (68 miles) east of Taiwan, around which China has bolstered military activity. Worried about a conflict, Japan has made a “southwestern shift” in its military posture and accelerated defense buildup and spending around the front line. Missile units for PAC-3 interceptors have been deployed on Yonaguni and nearby Ishigaki and Miyako islands. Yonaguni residents find themselves at the center of the geopolitical tension. A recent government plan to deploy more missiles, possibly long-range, has caused unease about the future of the island, even among those who initially supported hosting troops. Kano, a Yonaguni native, recalls that officials and residents once wanted to improve the economy and environment
See “Yonaguni,” A14
Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attend a rally to oppose his impeachment near the Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, February 25, 2025. The letters read: “The people’s president.” AP/AHN YOUNG-JOON
Ukraine, US reach framework deal on rare earth minerals and economic cooperation
By Susie Blann, Hanna Arhirova & Vasilisa Stepanenko The Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine—Ukraine and the US have reached an agreement on a framework for a broad economic deal that would include access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, three senior Ukrainian officials said Tuesday.
The officials, who were familiar with the matter, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. One of them said that Kyiv hopes that signing the agreement will ensure the continued flow of US military support that Ukraine urgently needs. The agreement could be signed as early as Friday and plans are being drawn up for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to trav-
el to Washington to meet President Donald Trump, according to one of the Ukrainian officials.
Another official said the agreement would provide an opportunity for Zelenskyy and Trump to discuss continued military aid to Ukraine, which is why Kyiv is eager to finalize the deal. Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, said he’d heard that Zelenskyy was coming and added that “it’s okay with me, if
he’d like to, and he would like to sign it together with me.”
Trump called it a big deal that could be worth a trillion dollars. “It could be whatever, but it’s rare earths and other things.”
According to one Ukrainian official, some technical details are still to be determined. However, the draft does not include a contentious Trump administration proposal to give the US $500 billion worth of profits from Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as compensation for its wartime assistance to Kyiv.
Instead, the US and Ukraine would have joint ownership of a fund, and Ukraine would in the future contribute 50% of future proceeds from state-owned resources, including minerals, oil, and gas. One official said the deal had better terms of investments and another one said that Kyiv secured favorable amendments and viewed the outcome as “positive.”
The deal does not, however, include security guarantees. One official said that this would be something the two presidents
would discuss when they meet. The progress in negotiating the deal comes after Trump and Zelenskyy traded sharp rhetoric last week about their differences over the matter.
Zelenskyy said he balked at signing off on a deal that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pushed during a visit to Kyiv earlier this month, and the Ukrainian leader objected again days later during a meeting in Munich with Vice President JD Vance because the American proposal did not include security guarantees.
Trump then called Volodymyr Zelenskyy “a dictator without elections” and claimed his support among voters was near rockbottom.
But the two sides made significant progress during a threeday visit to Ukraine last week by retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia.
The idea was initially proposed last fall by Zelenskyy as part of his plan to strengthen Kyiv’s hand in future negotiations with Moscow.
Hong Kong to cut thousands of civil service jobs and invest in AI to tackle rising deficit
By Zen Soo The Associated Press
HONG KONG—Hong Kong will cut thousands of civil service jobs and boost spending in artificial intelligence as it seeks to tackle an increasing deficit, authorities said Wednesday.
Finance Secretary Paul Chan said during a budget speech that there would be a “cumulative reduction” of government recurrent expenditure by 7 percent from now until 2027-2028. Hong Kong’s deficit had reached
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Federal technology staffers resign rather than help Musk and DOGE
By Brian Slodysko & Byron Tau The Associated Press
WASHINGTON—More than 20 civil service employees resigned Tuesday from billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, saying they were refusing to use their technical expertise to “dismantle critical public services.”
“We swore to serve the American people and uphold our oath to the Constitution across presidential administrations,” the 21 staffers wrote in a joint resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.
“However, it has become clear that we can no longer honor those commitments.”
The employees also warned that many of those enlisted by Musk to help him slash the size of the federal government under President Donald Trump’s administration were political ideologues who did not have the necessary skills or experience for the task ahead of them.
The mass resignation of engineers, data scientists, designers and product managers is a temporary setback for Musk and the Republican president’s tech-driven purge of the federal workforce. It comes amid a flurry of court challenges that have sought to stall, stop or unwind their efforts to fire or coerce thousands of government workers out of jobs.
In a statement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was dismissive of the mass resignation.
“Anyone who thinks protests, lawsuits, and lawfare will deter President Trump must have been sleeping under a rock for the past several years,” Leavitt said. “President Trump will not be deterred from delivering on the promises he made to make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers.”
Musk posted on his social media site X that the story was “fake news” and suggested that the staffers were “Dem political holdovers” who “would have been fired had they not resigned.”
The staffers who resigned had worked for the United States Digital Service, but said their duties were being integrated into DOGE. Their former office, the USDS,
through commercial exchanges with Taiwan by operating direct ferries between the islands. But that was set aside when a plan to host Japanese troops became an easier alternative to gain government subsidies and protection.
Disagreement about the plan has divided the small community. Support for hosting Japanese troops carried in a 2015 referendum; that meant the island’s fate would be largely decided by the central government’s security policy.
A year later a 160-member coast watch unit was set up to monitor Chinese military activity, with radars built on Mount Inbi and elsewhere. Now there are about 210 troops, including an electrowarfare unit. Servicemembers and their families account for one-fifth of the island’s total population.
was established under President Barack Obama after the botched rollout of Healthcare.gov, the web portal that millions of Americans use to sign up for insurance plans through the Democrat’s signature health care law.
All previously held senior roles at such tech companies as Google and Amazon and wrote in their resignation letter that they joined the government out of a sense of duty to public service.
Trump’s empowerment of Musk upended that. The day after Trump’s inauguration, the staffers wrote, they were called into a series of interviews that foreshadowed the secretive and disruptive work of Musk’s’ Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
According to the staffers, people wearing White House visitors’ badges, some of whom would not give their names, grilled the nonpartisan employees about their qualifications and politics. Some made statements that indicated they had a limited technical understanding. Many were young and seemed guided by ideology and fandom of Musk—not improving government technology.
“Several of these interviewers refused to identify themselves, asked questions about political loyalty, attempted to pit colleagues against each other, and demonstrated limited technical ability,” the staffers wrote in their letter.
“This process created significant security risks.”
Earlier this month, about 40 staffers in the office were laid off. The firings dealt a devastating blow to the government’s ability to administer and safeguard its own technological footprint, they wrote.
“These highly skilled civil servants were working to modernize Social Security, veterans’ services, tax filing, health care, disaster relief, student aid, and other critical services,” the resignation letter
The local economy largely depends on the servicemembers and their families who use local shops, schools and community services.
There’s worry on the island about the pace and extent of the militarization, says Kyoko Yamaguchi, a potter. “Everything is pushed through in the name of the Taiwan emergency, and many feel this is too much.”
A nonfatal crash in October of a Japanese army tilt-rotor aircraft Osprey during a joint exercise with the US military on the island also caused apprehension.
Japan and China build their militaries
JAPAN’S air and maritime forces in Okinawa’s prefectural capital of Naha are key to protecting the country’s southwestern airspace and territorial waters.
The Naha-based Southwestern Air Defense Force is the busiest of Japan’s four regional air forces. In fiscal 2023, the force was scrambled 401 times, or 60 percent of the national total of 669,
Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Thursday, February 20, 2025, in
states. “Their removal endangers millions of Americans who rely on these services every day. The sudden loss of their technology expertise makes critical systems and American’s data less safe.”
Roughly one-third of the 65 staffers who remained at USDS quit on Tuesday rather than take on new duties under DOGE.
“We will not use our skills as technologists to compromise core government systems, jeopardize Americans’ sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services,” they wrote. “We will not lend our expertise to carry out or legitimize DOGE’s actions.”
The slash-and-burn effort Musk is leading diverges from what was initially outlined by Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign. DOGE, a nod to Musk’s favorite cryptocurrency meme coin, was initially presented as a blue-ribbon commission that would exist outside government.
After the election, however, Musk hinted there was more to come, posting to his social media site, X, “Threat to democracy? Nope, threat to BUREAUCRACY!!!” He has leaned aggressively into the role since.
Last week he stood on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference gathering outside Washington, where he boasted of his exploits and hoisted a blingedout, Chinese-made chainsaw above his head that was gifted by Argentinian President Javier Milei.
“This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy,” Musk bellowed from the stage.
Still, Musk has tried to keep technical talent in place, with the bulk of the layoffs in the Digital Service office focused on people in roles like designers, product managers, human resources and contracting staff, according to interviews with current and former staff.
Of the 40 people let go earlier this month, only one was an engineer—an outspoken and politi -
mostly against the Chinese, according to the Defense Ministry.
Rear Adm. Takuhiro Hiragi, commander of Fleet Air Wing 5 of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, says his group’s mission is to fly P-3C aircraft over the East China Sea near Okinawa and its remote islands, including Yonaguni, and the Japanesecontrolled Senkaku island, which Beijing also claims.
“We have to be mobile, quick and thorough to keep tabs in this region,” Hiragi said, noting the presence of key sea lanes in the area, including those that China uses to navigate the Pacific Ocean. “We watch over their exercises, not only near Taiwan but wherever necessary.”
Defense officials say China has been accelerating its military activities in the area between Taiwan and Yonaguni.
In August, a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane briefly violated Japanese airspace off the southern main island of Kyushu, prompting Japan’s military to scramble fighter jets and warn the plane. A
cally active staffer name Jonathan Kamens, who said in an interview with the AP that he believes he was fired for publicly endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, on his personal blog and being critical of Musk in chats with colleagues.
“I believe that Elon Musk is up to no good. And I believe that any data that he gains access to is going to be used for purposes that are inappropriate and harmful to Americans,” Kamens said.
US Digital Service veterans, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal, recalled experiencing a similar sort of shock about how government processes worked that Musk and his team are discovering. Over time, many developed an appreciation for why certain things in government had to be treated with more care than in the private sector.
“’Move fast and break things’ may be acceptable to someone who owns a business and owns the risk. And if things don’t go well, the damage is compartmentalized. But when you break things in government, you’re breaking things that belong to people who didn’t sign up for that,” said Cordell Schachter, who until last month was the chief information officer at the US Department of Transportation.
USDS was established over a decade ago to do things like improving services for veterans, and it helped create a free governmentrun portal so tax filers did not have to go through third parties like TurboTax. It also devised systems to improve the way the federal government purchased technology. It has been embroiled in its fair share of bureaucracy fights and agency turf wars with chief information officers across government who resented interlopers treading in their agency’s systems. USDS’ power across government stemmed from the imprimatur of acting on behalf of the White House and its founding mission of improving service for the American people.
Leavitt, the White House press secretary, is one of three administration officials who face a lawsuit from The Associated Press on first- and fifth-amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
The Associated Press video journalist Rodrique Ngowi contributed from Boston.
Chinese survey ship separately violated Japanese territorial waters off a southern island days later. In September, the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and two destroyers sailed between Yonaguni and nearby Iriomote, entering a band of water just outside of Japan’s territorial waters.
Growing fear
YONAGUNI fisherfolk, who closely monitor foreign vessels, have been among the first to see the growing Chinese military activity.
In 2022, several ballistic missiles China fired as part of an exercise landed off Japan’s southwestern waters following then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit in August. One of them landed just 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Yonaguni while more than 20 local fishing boats were operating.
Though it caused no injuries or damage, the Chinese drills kept fisherfolk from operating for a week, Yonaguni fisheries association chief and town assembly
Nigeria’s EV revolution gains momentum amid rising fuel costs, power challenges
By Anthony Osae-Brown & Emele Onu
ON an untarred road in Nigeria’s upmarket neighborhood of Victoria Island in Lagos, a fairly modest looking car dealership has been drawing attention.
The showroom floor of Saglev, an independent electric vehicle dealer in Nigeria’s largest city, showcases several car models with unfamiliar names for most Nigerians: Voyah, Nammi and Mhero—all made by Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Group Co. Three Saglev-branded luxury EV sedans parked in front of the showroom turn a few drivers’ heads as they pass by in gasoline-fueled cars.
While the EV revolution is well underway in many parts of the world, the idea of charging up a car with electrons is still somewhat bemusing in the West Africa nation where half of the population have no access to electricity, and the other experiences frequently interrupted power.
Yet after gasoline prices began to soar in Nigeria in 2023, EV proponents saw an opportunity to pitch their wares to the millions of drivers across Africa’s most populated nation. There are now at least 10 dealerships across Nigeria pushing twoand four-wheel EVs, mainly from Chinese makers. Separately, efforts are underway to build up a nationwide EV charging infrastructure and Saglev is even backing a domestic manufacturing facility to build zero emissions vehicles.
Rather than be deterred by the notoriously erratic power supply in Nigeria, investors see EVs as a savvy long-term bet in a country that needs to quickly switch to reliable clean power for cost reasons alone.
“The actual EV story in Africa is not actually climate change but economic,” said Saglev Chief Executive Sam Faleye, a native Nigerian who left his medical practice in the US to go into EVs in Africa. He has partnered with Chinese EV maker Dongfeng to annually assemble up to 2,500 units in Nigeria by as early as this year.
Until two years ago, gasoline in Nigeria was among the cheapest globally as the country spent about $10 billion annually to keep the fuel affordable for its largely poor population. That changed in May 2023, when newly elected President Bola Tinubu put an end to the costly practice that was pushing the nation into a fiscal
crisis. Subsidies were consuming nearly half of government income, while debt service took the remainder. Pump prices of gasoline subsequently soared more than fivefold, leaving many people struggling to keep their cars on the road.
To cushion the pain of higher fuel costs, the government has been urging car owners to convert their vehicles to ones running on compressed natural gas. At the same time, Faleye said, the case for EVs has been improving—especially for electric ride-hailing drivers who had to stop work after gasoline subsidies ended.
“Today a ride hailing driver in a small vehicle will need almost 18,000 to 20,000 naira ($11.91 to ($13.23) for petrol for the day,” he said. “It’s less than 4,000 naira for the
With
This means in the near term, EVs charged at home will likely be fueled by dirty power systems, which is paradoxical to the advantages the clean cars are supposed to bring. Over time though, renewable energy will play a bigger role in meeting Nigeria’s electricity needs. BloombergNEF expects solar installations in Nigeria to soar. The researcher had to completely revamp its forecasts after gasoline prices surged in 2023. It currently sees Nigeria’s solar capacity increasing to as much as 21.5 gigawatts by the end of the decade, compared with only around 1 gigawatt a couple of years ago. Jenny Chase, an analyst for BloombergNEF, said one indication that solar is already taking off at a great clip is customs data show in 2024, $150 million of solar panels—about 1.5 gigawatts—left China for Nigeria. “It isn’t clear where they have gone, but most likely they have been installed on homes and businesses to help
See “Nigeria,” A15
of
member Shigenori Takenishi said. “It was an extremely dangerous exercise that really made us feel China’s potential threat right next to us.”
Fear of a Taiwan war rekindles bitter memories here of the Battle of Okinawa, in which about 200,000 people, nearly half of them civilians, were killed. Historians say the army sacrificed Okinawa to defend Japan’s mainland. Today Okinawa ‘s main island hosts more than half of the 50,000 American troops in Japan.
“Being at the center of this issue is very stressful for residents,” said shopkeeper Takako Ueno. “I don’t want people to imagine this beautiful island turning into a battlefield.”
To keep that from happening Yonaguni needs to be fortified, says Mayor Kenichi Itokazu, a military buildup advocate who has campaigned for the deployment of more Japanese troops for decades.
What happens in an emergency?
SOME residents feel uneasy about their
vulnerability, even amid the military buildup.
A government evacuation plan last year showed moving 120,000 people from five remote islands, including Yonaguni, to Japan’s main islands would take at least six days. Some question whether such an evacuation is even possible. Itokazu, the mayor, wants to build a shelter in the basement of a new town hall and to expand the Higawa port for evacuation by ship, a plan opposed by environmentalists who say there are rare marine species there.
But there’s skepticism from some.
“It’s absurd,” Kano said of the evacuation plan, because all of Japan would be in danger if Okinawa is dragged into fighting.
“I just hope the money will be spent on policies that will help the people in Yonaguni live peacefully.” The
ELON MUSK speaks at the Conservative
Oxon Hill, Md. AP/JOSE LUIS MAGANA
www.businessmirror.com.ph
European banks warn rollback of ESG rules will hamper credit risk analysis
By Frances Schwartzkopff
THE European Banking Federation is warning that the sheer scale of a proposed rollback of the bloc’s ESG rules will make it harder for lenders to analyze credit risk.
Banks in Europe have been waiting for years for their clients to start providing hundreds of data points under new ESG reporting rules. But as the European Union now looks set to dramatically water down planned regulations, banks fear they’ll be left without the necessary tools to conduct proper credit risk analyses, according to the EBF, whose members include BNP Paribas SA, UniCredit SpA and Deutsche Bank AG. The EBF’s warning comes as the European Commission prepares to unveil its long-awaited omnibus proposal on Wednesday. The EU’s executive arm is proposing that key ESG rules, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, be scaled back so that 85% of
the companies originally intended to be in scope will no longer be required to comply, Bloomberg reported earlier this week.
Denisa Avermaete, the EBF’s senior policy adviser for sustainable finance, says the EU now appears to be winding back reporting requirements to a level that will be even weaker than before the bloc started working on the current ESG framework. For banks, fewer reporting requirements for their clients “will introduce complexity and a need for bilateral engagement, as banks will always need certain key data that are necessary for sound business and risk management,” she said in an interview. And while companies across Europe may now be facing a reduced mandatory ESG reporting burden,
the proposed watering down of regulations “will not reduce the operational burden” since banks will have to make their own demands, Avermaete said.
CSRD, which is being phased in through the end of the decade, was intended to require thousands of companies to use standardized templates to report hundreds of environmental, social and governance metrics. But after intense pressure to simplify Europe’s regulatory framework, officials in Brussels look set to take a knife to the bloc’s once prized ESG agenda.
The commission’s proposal “could be bad news for the financial industry,” said Eva-Maria SégurCabanac, global lead sustainability partner for the financial institutions group at Baker McKenzie. “They would have had reliable data audited by an external auditor on a very large set of their clients,” she said. “Now, they’re not getting that.”
Banks will “of course” continue to ask for sustainability data, Cabanac said. “There is a financial risk associated with not transforming, not decarbonizing, et cetera.”
Germany and France, the EU’s two biggest economies, led the call for the rollback, citing the threat to European competitiveness. The
US has also voiced displeasure at the design of Europe’s ESG rules, which force non-EU companies targeting the EU to comply. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Republican Senators last month he’s prepared to use “trade tools” in retaliation if the EU doesn’t rein in its ESG framework.
The European Banking Authority, which is the bloc’s main watchdog for lenders, said in a report on Monday that banks are currently struggling to gather information on parameters such as how a customer’s exposure to
environmental risks like flooding may affect their ability to pay off a loan. That’s as the European Central Bank warns lenders it’s ready to impose fines if they don’t adequately address environmental and social risks lurking in their portfolios.
The EBA is “very closely” monitoring the discussions around CSRD, which had been expected to address such data gaps, said Dorota Wojnar, the EBA’s head of ESG risks.
Wojnar said the EBA is now hoping that the basic data points that
banks need “will remain available,” despite the expected rollback. But part of the challenge for banks is that “we do not necessarily know which exact data points will be the ones that are the most useful,” she said.
Avermaete said the EBF would be willing to back a reduction in the number of data points that companies are required to report. But the prospect of having a dramatically reduced universe of companies in scope remains problematic, she said.
On Wednesday, the commission started unveiling a plan it says will shield climate goals while improving competitiveness in the bloc by cutting red tape. The proposals will map out measures for the next few months and years, including a more flexible state aid framework in the second quarter of this year, a new law on faster renewables permitting in the fourth quarter and a package for European grids in the first three months of 2026. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is due to meet industry leaders on Wednesday in Antwerp, where a year ago they signed a landmark declaration urging the EU to cut energy costs and the regulatory burden of green rules. With assistance from John Ainger/Bloomberg
Nvidia’s earnings to determine AI’s Wall Street future amidst rising competition and caution from investors
By Ryan Vlastelica & Carmen Reinicke
NVIDIA Corp.’s earnings are set to dictate whether artificial intelligence can regain its status as the key driver behind Wall Street gains—or trigger more weakness after the Magnificent Seven group of technology stocks fell into correction territory.
Reports from the leader in AI chips have become some of the most important events of the year for Wall Street. Nvidia’s fourth-quarter earnings due after Wednesday’s close may be its most critical yet, coming after the emergence of China-based startup DeepSeek scrambled the outlook for AI infrastructure needs.
While Nvidia shares had been trending higher this month, they remain below their pre-DeepSeek levels. Investors have been more reluctant to buy this dip than previous selloffs, and hedge funds have sold tech of late. It’s also the first time since 2022 that Nvidia will report earnings with shares down since its last report.
“DeepSeek opened our eyes to the fact that Nvidia is not invincible,” said Shana Sissel, chief investment officer at Banrion Capital Management, who expects muted results from the chipmaker this quarter. Options data show the implied move around the report is about 8.5 percent in either direction.
“The other tech companies that have reported have been broadly pessimistic and the AI parts of
Nigeria. . .
Continued from A14 people generate power independent of the grid and without burning expensive diesel and gasoline,” she said. “This trend is likely to continue, as solar modules are now incredibly cheap.”
Already more than 7 million Nigerians in rural areas are now able to access power via decentralized renewable projects. Siemens AG is also working with the government on a $2.3 billion project to improve transmission and distribution. Meanwhile, Sterling Bank is backing an initiative through Qoray Mobility to build a network of EV charging stations across Nigeria, with a little more than a dozen deployed so far. The bank funded the first publicly available EV-fueling station in the business district of Lagos. “That station has been running for nearly a year now charging some of the most sophisticated electric vehicles, the Tesla of this world to the BYDs and the rest,” said Olabanjo Alimi, head of renewable energy and mobility at
the business were in some cases the most negative parts,” she added. “I’m feeling pretty cautious, and am not overly optimistic that this will be the kind of report we’ve seen a lot from Nvidia over the past year and a half. That could lead to a massive selloff.”
DeepSeek’s emergence in January blew a hole in what had been one of Wall Street’s sturdiest trades: that developing AI would require massive investments in computing power and related infrastructure, notably the kind of chips Nvidia specializes in. The China-based firm claimed performance that is comparable to US models despite requiring far fewer chips and less computing power.
The latest hiccup for tech stocks came after TD Cowen wrote that Microsoft Corp. has begun canceling leases for a substantial amount of datacenter capacity in the US, a move that may reflect concerns about whether it’s building more AI computing than it will need over the long term.
Still, a key theme of megacap tech reports this earnings season—including from Nvidia customers Microsoft, Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc., and Meta Platforms Inc.—is that they all affirmed or notably boosted their capex plans, suggesting they’re not primed to turn off the spigot to Nvidia products.
“This quarter we’ve seen increases to capex numbers that were already dramatic, and what gives me encouragement is that the companies providing the majority of the spend and AI infrastructure are the strongest companies in history, which speaks to the sustainability of this trend,”
Lagos-based Sterling Bank.
Arguably the biggest obstacle for the expansion of EVs across Nigeria, however, is upfront cost. An estimated 87 million Nigerians were living below the poverty line in 2023, according to the World Bank, making it the world’s second-largest poor population after India. For some EV proponents, the answer is to focus on just two- or three-wheel EVs, which are cheaper to make and buy.
Adetayo Bamiduro, chief executive and co-founder of Max, a Nigerian vehicle subscription startup, said his company is aiming to deploy around 100,000 EVs—mainly twowheelers—in Nigeria and other African countries over the next five years. “Max is mainly focused on two-wheeler EVs because of affordability,” he said. “A lot more people can afford to buy an electric motorcycle than buy a an electric car.”
There are a mix of private and public solutions to make EV purchases more financially feasible. As part of its Qoray initiative, Sterling Bank is providing buyers of EVs loans for up to 90 percent of the value of a vehicle with repayment spread over five years.
said Nick Rubinstein, technology equity portfolio manager at Jennison Associates.
According to data compiled by Bloomberg, the analyst consensus for Nvidia’s net 2026 earnings has stayed steady over the past quarter, while the view for revenue is up about 2 percent, a sign Wall Street firms aren’t trimming their estimates on account of DeepSeek or anything else. In Wednesday’s release, analysts expect Nvidia to report more than $38 billion in quarterly revenue, a 73 percent increase from the same period a year earlier.
The steadiness with estimates, coupled with a stock that is down since its last report, has diminished what had been one of the biggest sticking points about Nvidia: its valuation. Shares currently trade at 28 times estimated earnings, below their 10-year average, and not far from the Nasdaq 100 Index, which carries a multiple near 26.
“What’s important to recognize is that this is no longer an expensive stock,” said Jennison’s Rubinstein. “Considering the growth is north of 20 percent, I think the multiple is relatively fair.”
Wall Street remains widely positive on Nvidia, as nearly 90 percent of the analysts tracked by Bloomberg recommend buying, while just one firm—Punto Research—has a sell rating. The average analyst price target points to upside of 38 percent over the coming 12 months, among the highest implied returns among components of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Semiconductor Index.
“It’s really not hard to back into an upside case
The government is also offering incentives as it aims for 30 percent of domestic car production to be EVs by 2032. It announced in October last year a value-added tax exemption for EVs in a bid to promote usage and reduce greenhouse emissions in line with its net-zero target by 2060. EV dealers can also get additional tariff waivers with a so-called import duty certificate.
Faleye said the exemption has made EVs cheaper when compared to their gasoline counterparts, while Chinese EVs are almost cost competitive on their own. “Today the electric vehicles coming out of China, cost wise, quality wise you can’t get anywhere in the world,” he said.
The potential to scale-up business is also key. Alimi noted that any slice of the vehicle market in a country as populous as Nigeria can give a good return in the long term.
“There are 12 million registered vehicles on Nigerian roads,” he said. “At
registered cars on Nigerian roads will begin to have some electric vehicle [in the] mix.” Bloomberg News
for Nvidia,” said Matt Stucky of Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management, who is optimistic about the growth potential of the company’s Blackwell chip, among other factors. If investors’ concerns “were to dissipate, that’s where you start to see some multiple expansion.”
Tech chart of the day
SEVEN of the biggest companies that have powered the majority of the S&P 500 Index’s gains over the past two years are having a difficult start to 2025. The Bloomberg Magnificent 7 index, an equal-weighted gauge that consists of Apple Inc., Nvidia Corp., Microsoft Corp., Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Meta Platforms Inc. and Tesla Inc., has fallen more than 10 percent from a December high, passing the threshold that meets the definition of a technical correction.
Top tech stories
SUPER Micro Computer Inc. gained more than 20 percent
in extended trading after it submitted outstanding financial reports to become compliant with Nasdaq Inc. rules, easing concerns that the server maker would be delisted.
Coupang Inc.’s shares jumped after the largest ecommerce company focused on South Korea handily beat quarterly profit estimates, helped by a one-time insurance gain as it faces off against Chinese rivals.
Deutsche Telekom AG forecast profit for 2025 below analysts’ estimates after price wars sprang up in European markets, dampening growth last year.
Adobe Inc. released its popular Photoshop editing app for the iPhone, the first smartphone release of the industry-leading creative software.
DeepSeek has reopened access to its core programming interface after nearly a three-week suspension, resuming a service key to wider adoption of an AI model that’s proven remarkably popular since its emergence last month. With assistance from Subrat Patnaik/Bloomberg
The White House says it ‘will determine’ which news organizations cover Trump,
rotating traditional ones
By Laurie Kellman The Associated Press
THE White House said Tuesday that its officials
“will determine” which news outlets can regularly cover President Donald Trump up close—a sharp break from a century of tradition in which a pool of independently chosen news organizations go where the chief executive does and hold him accountable on behalf of regular Americans. The move, coupled with the government’s arguments this week in a federal lawsuit over access filed by The Associated Press, represented an unprecedented seizing of control over coverage of the American presidency by any administration. Free speech advocates expressed alarm.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the changes would rotate traditional outlets from the group and include some streaming services. Leavitt cast the change as a modernization of the press pool, saying the move would be more inclus ive and restore “access back to the American people” who elected Trump. But media experts said the move raised troubling First Amendment issues because the president is choosing who covers him.
“The White House press team, in this administration, will determine who gets to enjoy the very privileged and limited access in spaces such as Air Force One and the Oval Office,” Leavitt said at a daily briefing. She added at another point: “A select group of D.C.-based journalists should no longer have a monopoly of press access at the White House.” Leavitt said the White House will “double down” on its decision to bar the AP from many presidential events, a departure from the time-tested and sometimes contentious practice for more than a century of a pool of journalists from every platform sharing the presidents’ words and activities with news outlets and congressional offices that can’t attend the close-quarter events. Traditionally, the members of the pool decide who goes in small spaces such as the Oval Office and Air Force One.
“It’s beyond time that the White House press operation reflects the media habits of the American people in 2025, not 1925,” Leavitt said. At an event later in the Oval Office, the president linked the AP court case with the decision to take control of credentialing for the pool. “We’re going to be now calling those shots,” Trump said.
There are First Amendment implications THE change, said one expert on presidents and the press, “is a dangerous move for democracy.”
“It means the president can pick and choose who covers the executive branch, ignoring the fact that it is the American people who through their taxes pay for the running of the White House, the president’s travels and the press secretary’s salary,” Jon Marshall, a media history professor at Northwestern University and author of “Clash: Presidents and the Press in Times of Crisis,” said in a text.
Eugene Daniels, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, said the organization consistently expands its membership and pool rotations to facilitate the inclusion of new and emerging outlets.
“This move tears at the independence of a free press in the United States. It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president,” Daniels said in a statement. “In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps.”
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press called it “a drastic change in how the public obtains information about its government.”
“The White House press pool exists to serve the public, not the presidency,” Bruce D. Brown, the group’s president, said in a statement.
It comes in the context of a federal lawsuit
Leavitt spoke a day after a federal judge refused to immediately order the White House to restore the AP’s access to many presidential events. The news outlet, citing the First Amendment, sued Leavitt and two other White House officials for barring the AP from some presidential events over its refusal to call the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” as Trump ordered. AP has said its style would retain the “Gulf of Mexico” name but also would note Trump’s decision.
“As you know, we won that lawsuit,” Trump said incorrectly. In fact, US District Judge Trevor N. McFadden said the AP had not demonstrated it had suffered irreparable harm—but urged the Trump administration to reconsider its two-week-old ban, saying that case law in the circuit “is uniformly unhelpful to the White House.”
McFadden’s decision was only for the moment, however. He told attorneys for the Trump administration and the AP that the issue required more exploration before ruling. Another hearing was scheduled for late March.
The AP Stylebook is used by international audiences as well as those within the United States. The AP has said that its guidance was offered to promote clarity.
Another Trump executive order to change the name of the United States’ largest mountain back to Mount McKinley from Denali is being recognized by the AP Stylebook. Trump has the authority to do so because the mountain is completely within the country he oversees, AP has said.
Thursday, February 27, 2025 A17
Pakistan’s transgender community finds hope and dignity at a culinary school
By Babar Dogar The Associated Press
AHORE, Pakistan—For transgender
Lstudents involved in a very special project at a culinary school in Pakistan, there is more to a class than just learning the art of cooking.
Neha Malik used to dance at parties and weddings for a living and was, occasionally, a sex worker. Since January, she has been enrolled in a new course for the trans community at the Culinary & Hotel Institute of Pakistan.
The free six-month program in the city of Lahore, Pakistan’s cultural capital, welcomed its first group of 25 trans students in January; the second group of 25 began training on Feb. 1. Now, Malik, 31, dreams of working as a chef in Dubai, the futuristic, skyscraper-studded city in the United Arab Emirates.
She never misses a class. “I am so absorbed in learning that I don’t have time to dance anymore,” she added.
Many Pakistanis have entrenched beliefs on gender and sexuality, and trans people are often considered outcasts in the conservative Muslimmajority country. Some are forced into begging, dancing and even prostitution to earn money. They also live in fear of attacks.
The U.N. development agency said last year that the majority of trans people in Pakistan reported experiencing violence or abuse and that most reported being denied employment opportunities because of their gender identity. Just 7% were employed in formal sectors, the UNDP added.
Trans women in public office and the media have raised awareness about a marginalized and misunderstood community, and overall, the community has seen some progress in the protection of their rights.
Supreme Court rulings allow them to selfidentify as a third gender, neither male nor female, and have underscored they have the same rights as all Pakistani citizens.
Last year, Lahore got its first ride-sharing service for trans people and women in an effort to protect them from discrimination and harassment, and in 2022 Pakistan launched a hotline for trans people.
“Society usually looks down on us,” said Malik. “We have to change this mindset. Now, people come up to me and ask what I do when they see me in a chef’s coat and hat.”
Since classes started, students file into the Lahore culinary school with backpacks and beaming smiles, swapping their colorful clothes for white uniforms.
However, it’s a struggle. They each get a monthly stipend of 8,000 rupees, around $26— nowhere near enough to live on as a student.
“How can we survive on that when my rent is 15,000 rupees?” said 26-year-old Zoya Khan. Her utility bills swallow up most of it, she said.
So, she performs at a few events a month.
“I used to earn a decent amount (from dancing), I won’t lie,” she added. But “there was no respect in it.”
“Why do we come here? It’s because we see hope,” said Khan, who wants to start her own business after graduating—a roadside cafe.
Nadia Shehzad, the institute’s chief executive, said the project will help the trans community, a “rejected and ignored sector of society” get equal recognition.
The school is trying to get government officials to help the aspiring chefs with visas to go abroad for work, Shehzad said. There are also talks with local hotels and restaurants about jobs once the students graduate—with wages of up to 30,000 rupees, or about $107.
Still, it’s not easy for trans people to leave behind dancing, begging and sex work for the culinary program, said Shabnam Chaudry, a trans community leader.
Many wonder if society would give them work—or if people at restaurants would eat food cooked by trans chefs.
In the past, Chaudry said she had seen many trans people taking makeup and sewing courses, only to fail to find jobs afterward and be forced to return to begging and dancing to survive.
She is also concerned about their prospects of finding a job: Pakistan has hundreds of thousands of young people with skills and degrees who cannot find work.
“In the face of this tough competition, who will give jobs to trans people,” Chaudry asked. “People are not ready to shake hands with us.”
Powering the future: PHL’s transformative investment landscape
THE recent announcement from the Board of Investments (BOI) regarding the remarkable P1.9 trillion in investments approved by the country’s leading Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) marks a significant turning point for the Philippine economy. The data reveals an impressive doubling of domestic investment approvals, skyrocketing from P578 billion to P1.35 trillion. This growth is further enhanced by foreign investments, which, while substantial at P544 billion, comprise a smaller portion of the total—a trend that underscores the resilience and potential of local enterprises. Such a dynamic is crucial, as it highlights the Philippines’ ability to attract both local and foreign capital—a dual approach that is essential for holistic economic growth. (Read the BusinessMirror story, “IPA-cleared projects, at P1.9 trillion, to fuel growth,” February 24, 2025).
The BOI’s focus on sectors poised for modernization—renewable energy, telecom infrastructure, and tech-enabled agriculture—demonstrates a strategic alignment with global economic trends and environmental sustainability. The renewable energy sector, in particular, stands out, attracting a staggering P1.3 trillion. This shift towards clean energy is not just timely; it is imperative for the Philippines, an archipelago vulnerable to climate change. By investing heavily in renewable energy, the nation is addressing both ecological and economic needs, setting a precedent for future development.
The anticipated creation of 130,000 jobs from these investments is another promising aspect. Employment generation is a fundamental pillar of economic stability, and the government’s commitment to fostering better job opportunities speaks to its dedication to improving the quality of life for Filipinos. However, as the economy modernizes, it is vital that the workforce is equipped with the necessary skills. This calls for a collaborative effort between the government, educational institutions, and the private sector to ensure that the labor force is prepared for the demands of a rapidly evolving job market.
The changing investment landscape, especially in the renewable energy sector, indicates a developed investment environment that values strategic foreign partnerships. The examples of Terra Solar and SunAsia Energy illustrate how initial local ownership can transition into fruitful collaborations with global firms. This flexibility not only enhances industry growth but also integrates the Philippines into the global economic landscape, providing access to advanced technologies and expertise.
The strong performance of the country’s IPAs, including BOI, PEZA, and others, has been instrumental in cultivating investor confidence. This trust is a crucial currency in attracting investments, and the government’s proactive stance on investment and economic policies has evidently borne fruit.
The journey ahead is filled with potential. The record investments signify not just financial inflows but a commitment to building a resilient, innovation-driven economy that prioritizes sustainability and inclusivity. As these projects unfold, it is essential for the government and stakeholders to maintain transparency and accountability, ensuring that the benefits reach the broader population.
The Philippines is at a turning point. With a strong foundation laid by these investments, the nation has the opportunity to redefine its economic narrative, fostering an environment where local enterprises thrive alongside global players, ultimately benefitting all Filipinos.
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John Mangun
OUTSIDE THE BOX
ONALD TRUMP has stormed the global arena again, dropping a bombshell that has the world humming like a beehive. A trade deal with China? “Possible,” he tossed out with that trademark smirk while aboard Air Force One on February 19, 2025, cool as a shark circling its prey.
It is Trump working his old trick: lure them in, then hit hard. Markets flicker, analysts stumble, and Beijing, one imagines, chokes on its morning tea. The chessboard is set. Let the match begin.
On February 4th, Trump slapped China with a 10 percent tariff, raging at Beijing over fentanyl pouring in and a trade gap still bleeding in China’s favor. Equitable? Maybe. Effective? Time will tell. China whines to the World Trade Organization and initiates a dispute complaint, but Trump is standing firmly, calling tariffs his “heavy club” to drag Xi Jinping to the trade bargaining table. Then he brags of his “stellar” bond with Xi, dangling the chance of a deal. Vintage Trump: smash the door down, then smile when you get inside. Look back to 2020. The “Phase One” pact was sold as the cure with China pledging to buy $200 billion in US goods and clamping down on IP theft. It cratered hard. Beijing
crawled to barely half its promises, ducking behind Covid excuses, while Trump’s tariffs stuck around like a bad smell for Beijing. Trump is still very annoyed, slamming Biden for letting China get by. Now, round two and he aims higher: not just soybeans or trinkets, but Chinese cash flooding US ventures. Bold? Yes. Waste of time? Could be.
The stars align nicely for Trump. China’s economy is wobbling as growth drags and exports keep it breathing. Trump knows Beijing cannot ditch the American consumer. His tariffs can bite just enough to twist Xi’s arm, but not so deep they hurt badly. It is clever if he pulls it off. The markets have held steady with the tariff damage lighter than feared. But Xi is no lightweight, and China has cards: rare earths, factory might, and a gift for outlasting brash talkers.
Here is the core: this is not only about the trade spreadsheet. Trump
Here is the core: this is not only about the trade spreadsheet. Trump struts to prove he can face the dragon and snag a win that Biden never touched. European and Asian allies might complain if he cuts a deal that jams their gears, but Trump usually ignores the noise from those sitting in the cheap seats. He is wagering heavy on his Xi connection, with the two bulls locking horns in a global cage match, egos roaring. The trade negotiation could land like one of Musk’s rockets. Or it could blow sky-high if China digs in. The Dragon is fire-breathing and has sharp teeth. Xi is not going to roll over quietly.
struts to prove he can face the dragon and snag a win that Biden never touched. European and Asian allies might complain if he cuts a deal that jams their gears, but Trump usually ignores the noise from those sitting in the cheap seats. He is wagering heavy on his Xi connection, with the two bulls locking horns in a global cage match, egos roaring. The trade negotiation could land like one of Musk’s rockets. Or it could blow skyhigh if China digs in. The Dragon is fire-breathing and has sharp teeth. Xi is not going to roll over quietly. On to Asean and the Philippines. Trump’s China gambit is rattling the cage, and we better brace for it.
China needs $3 trillion local debt solution, top economist says
CHINA needs to vastly step up its efforts to cleanse the balance sheets of the nation’s local governments, giving them the space needed to support consumer spending and strengthen the economy, one of the nation’s most prominent economists said.
The central government should take on at least 20 trillion yuan ($2.8 trillion) worth of local sovereign debt, David Li Daokui, an economics professor at Tsinghua University and a regular adviser on policy to Beijing, said in an interview. The debt relief measures policymakers rolled out late last year aren’t strong enough, he said.
Burdened by debt loads accumulated during Covid and China’s previous property-and-infrastructure boom, many local authorities have taken actions including delaying payments to suppliers and withholding public workers’ paychecks — damaging the broader economy. Li estimates regional authorities owe a total of 10 trillion yuan in arrears to contractors and civil servants. That’s equivalent to 7 percent of China’s
gross domestic product last year.
To solve the problem, Li proposed that the central government sell more bonds and use the proceeds to buy regional authorities’ debt. Provincial and municipal agencies could transfer assets to Beijing in exchange, he said.
A swap at a scale of 20 to 50 trillion yuan would be effective in relieving debt burdens around the country, allowing local authorities to better support consumers, according to Li. This would also be helpful in the face of US President Donald Trump’s measures to curb Chinese exports, he indicated.
“No matter whether it’s pressure from Trump’s trade protection or from China’s own economic problems, the solution lies in fixing weak consumption,” Li said. “The key is to
reduce local governments’ contractionary behaviors.”
Encouraging domestic consumer spending may prove crucial to China this year. Export growth, which has surged since the pandemic, is under threat from Trump’s tariffs along with rising trade tensions with the European Union and other locations around the world. Weak domestic demand has led to persistent deflation, resulting in a downward spiral between residents’ income and corporate profits.
While local governments used to be a key driver of growth in the past, with big spending on infrastructure, they have turned into a drag in recent years as an historic property slump led to strained finances.
Many economists have called for the central government to increase borrowing, as China’s public debtto-GDP ratio remains low compared with other major economies. But Beijing has so far resisted bailing out local authorities—worrying it will lead to moral hazard risks, en-
A US-China pact could ease global trade heat, and Asean, parked at Asia’s economic crossroads, might salute that. The region lives on exports; better US-China vibes could spark demand for Asean’s tech and goods. But watch out. If Trump successfully rams American soybeans down China’s throat, Asean could see its slice of the Beijing trade pie shrink rapidly. For the Philippines, it is a tightrope. Manila ties tight to China with electronics, nickel ore, and now even durian while banking on Uncle Sam for “guns” and remittance cash. If Trump’s deal drowns China in US goods, Filipino chip-makers and miners could get flattened with rural wallets feeling the pain first. Flip side is if tariffs fade and China pumps money into US plays, Philippine factories wired to global chains could ride the surge. Politically, President Marcos might avoid picking sides, but the heat is rising. Other Asean members and Manila need to wake up and move fast as this could redraw their trade map quicker than they think. The truth cuts sharp: Trump’s “possible” is not a vow. It is a gauntlet slammed down. He has the nerve, the grit, and the world’s eyes. This could lock in a historic win for both sides or could ignite a tariff war to haunt us all. Whatever hits, 2025 will howl.
E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.
couraging irresponsible borrowing in the future.
Local governments had over 47 trillion yuan in on-balance sheet debt as of the end of 2025, according to official data. On top of that, they have about 60 trillion yuan in so-called hidden debt, according to International Monetary Fund estimates.
The Finance Ministry in November unveiled a plan to allow local authorities to sell 10 trillion yuan in bonds to refinance their off-balance sheet debt. That’s only led to temporary relief, according to Li, who anticipates problems may surface again in the future.
The economist also called on the central government to significantly expand its “upgrade” incentives for consumer products and equipment. He urged an expansion to 800 billion yuan to 1 trillion yuan from last year’s 300 billion yuan. Even more effective would be handing out cash subsidies to households during major holidays, Li said. Bloomberg
Volatile climate splits weather agencies on El Niño messaging
By Mary Hui & Brian K Sullivan
PREDICTING the onset and intensity of the weather-roiling El Niño and La Niña events is crucial for global markets, and meteorologists need to get the messaging right or risk sparking confusion and backlash.
Australia’s forecaster, which faced criticism last year after an unusual El Niño, is taking a less-is-more approach, while the World Meteorological Organization and the Philippines are fielding requests for more detailed and frequent information. The contrasting styles underscore the challenge for agencies seeking to balance demands for certainty against the volatility of weather.
An accurate read on the status of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation is essential for governments, energy markets and farmers planning their cropping regimes, especially as global warming exacerbates extreme weather. Warm and cold phases can cause sapping droughts or unleash drenching rain from the Asia-Pacific to the US, and cost the global economy trillions.
“It’s vital information,” said Tristan Meyers, a meteorologist at New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. “It gives you a little bit of an insight into how the seasons will develop.”
South American fishermen first noticed periods of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean centuries ago, which they named El Niño de Navidad, and modern researchers came to realize its importance to global weather in the 1960s. La Niña was named about two decades later and today, climate variations are monitored by an array of buoys across the Pacific.
Australia’s weather bureau stopped issuing its fortnightly updates in December because they had “created an overemphasis on ENSO as a predictor of seasonal conditions” and “the likelihood and severity of weather events,” according to a spokesperson. The agency says its long-term forecasts on rain and temperatures are a better guide.
“El Niños and La Niñas just weight the probability of having wetter or drier, or warmer or cooler conditions in different parts of the world, but they don’t rule out the possibility of the opposite,” said Andrew King, an associate professor in climate science at the University of Melbourne.
That subtlety can often be lost in communication, as the Australia bureau found after its declaration of El Niño in late 2023. Despite the call being correct, the agency faced intense criticism after an atypical event: wet instead of dry.
“When the forecasts end up being so wrong, that has a huge effect on us,” said Rhys Turton, a crop farmer in Western Australia and the chair of industry group GrainGrowers Ltd.
“You can’t reverse those decisions you made early in the season, like what to plant, or how much to plant.”
Divided outlook
PEOPLE want certainty from a discipline that can’t deliver it, according to Jon Gottschalck, chief of the US Climate Prediction Center’s Opera-
tional Prediction Branch. Forecasts are based on probabilities and sometimes the unexpected or low-odds outcome happens, which can lead to complaints.
“Nuances in our forecasts mean something even if stakeholders don’t like to see it,” said Gottschalck, adding that “ENSO is still the most predictable seasonal and inter-annual prediction we have.”
ENSO is monitored using indexes that measure deviations in Pacific Ocean temperatures from averages in preceding decades, and with the world getting hotter, there are concerns about overestimating El Niños and underestimating La Niñas. Some are using methods to remove the background noise caused by global warming, but more research is needed on their effectiveness.
The US agency, for example, informally tracks a relative oceanic Niño index that subtracts the tropics-wide sea temperature anomaly. The relative measure has consistently run cooler than the traditional index over the past year by at least 0.5C (0.9F) —the very threshold that makes or breaks El Niño or La Niña events.
Even without the challenge of a warming world, global ENSO forecasting can still create uncertainty, with this year’s yes-no La Niña an example of that conundrum. Earlier this year, the Philippines and the US said La Niña had developed, while Japan and Australia still see conditions as neutral. The lack of unity stems from each nation using different standards for measuring ENSO thresholds.
“It’s like a philharmonic concert without a conductor. Each instrument, whether it’s the Australian one or the American one, or the French one, they play their best score perfectly, but it doesn’t prevent a cacophony occasionally,” said Alexandre Peltier, a meteorologist and the head of the climatology division at Météo-France in New Caledonia.
‘Worse outcome’
THE WMO, a United Nations agency that already issues ENSO outlooks by drawing on forecasts from several dozen meteorological centers worldwide, is creating a new “one-stop repository” to provide more detailed and frequent information. The hub is in response to growing demand from member states following “the rapid evolution of ENSO events in recent years,” said Wilfran Moufouma Okia, chief of climate prediction services at the agency.
In the Philippines, the country’s weather agency is seeking to provide more detailed information that’s tailored to specific regions and industries, including advice on what to do before, during, and after an El Niño or La Niña. The nation is on the frontline for typhoons that originate in the western Pacific. With assistance from Keira Wright and Kevin Dharmawan /Bloomberg
USAID contractors warn of shutdowns, lawsuits with millions owed
By Iain Marlow
CONTRACTORS owed hundreds of millions of dollars by USAID are warning they may have to shut down and risk lawsuits across the developing world, with one large firm even saying US banks won’t lend it more money over concerns the US government won’t honor its funding commitments.
The allegations, which include threats of physical harm to overseas employees over unpaid debts, were made in new court filings Monday regarding one of several cases intended to undo the Trump administration’s 90-day freeze on foreign aid funding and work, which has thrown the global aid sector into turmoil.
The case is part of the legal backlash to the administration’s broader assault on the federal government workforce, which has had a particularly pronounced impact on the United States Agency for International Development and its so-called implementing partners.
The agency owed at least $500 million to contractors as of early February, according to the Professional Services Council, an industry group that warned many of its smaller members were at risk of going out of business.
On Tuesday afternoon, a judge ordered the US government to pay what it owes by midnight Wednesday, a decision the US government appealed a few hours later. The plaintiffs have repeatedly said the Trump administration has ignored the court’s orders.
USAID managed roughly $43 billion in 2023 and works mainly through contractors that execute projects on its behalf around the
world—with some firms doing hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of development projects each year, mostly at low margins.
President Donald Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk, who leads the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, argue that USAID should be shut down. The administration has placed most of USAID’s 10,000 employees on administrative leave and canceled dozens of contracts—affecting projects from Africa to Ukraine and leading to hundreds of job losses across the US.
‘Lost confidence’
One plaintiff, DAI Global LLC, which is based just outside of Washington, in Bethesda, Maryland, said it has not received any payments on $115 million owed by USAID, with $70 million at least 30 days past due.
The firm—which was founded in 1970 and led US-funded projects in Afghanistan and Iraq after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks— has already “tapped out” a $75 million working capital facility, it said.
The company has historically secured good commercial terms for loans because of its relationship with the US government, but now “four of the largest financial institutions in the US and Europe” are “unwill-
The agency owed at least $500 million to contractors as of early February, according to the Professional Services Council, an industry group that warned many of its smaller members were at risk of going out of business.
ing to extend DAI any further working capital, because they have lost confidence that the US government can be counted upon to pay its legitimate bills.”
DAI said it has been forced to go to a “non-bank lender that specializes in distressed situations” as a result of the US government not paying what it owes.
“It’s absolutely unprecedented,” said Zan Northrip, an executive vice president at DAI, in an interview. “In general, this is a sort of lessening of the confidence that lenders have in the US government as a client that can be relied upon to pay its bills.”
Fines, labor laws
DAI, which has already furloughed more than 500 US-based staff, said it now risks fines, tax penalties and legal action from several vendors, and could face lawsuits if it’s forced to suspend as many as 4,000 additional overseas staff without pay in violation of local labor laws.
A separate company, Chemonics International Inc., which has implemented more than 1,000 foreign assistance programs in more than 100 countries for the US over the last 50 years, said in mid-February it was still owed more than $100 million. The plaintiffs in the case featuring
UK climate adviser’s carbon plan clears path for Heathrow growth
By Eamon Akil Farhat & Olivia Rudgard
THE UK’s climate watchdog has released new recommendations for the government’s decarbonization strategy that include higher projections for airline passenger numbers, helping smooth the way for plans to expand London’s Heathrow Airport.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC), the independent body that advises the British government, said it’s more optimistic than it previously was about future supplies of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), an alternative to kerosene made from biofuels or waste. The technology is seen as the only viable solution to reduce airline emissions while still allowing growth.
The committee is being “less policy prescriptive on airport capacity, because there isn’t an easy relationship between capacity and passengers,” said Piers Forster, the CCC’s interim chair, in a briefing. He added that the government may need to introduce policies to restrict demand if the industry is not adopting alternative technologies fast enough.
The UK is one of the few countries still forging ahead with ambitious climate goals. Yet Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s center-left Labour government is also keen to spur economic growth and is backing plans to add a third runway at Heathrow. The expansion would increase capacity by
about 40 million passengers, according to estimates from the airport.
Climate advocates have raised concerns that a jump in air traffic will imperil the country’s drive toward net zero emissions by midcentury, as technology like SAF and carbon capture have yet to be proven at scale.
The CCC said it has upgraded its expectations for the proportion of SAF likely to be used by 2050, from 25 percent in its 2020 report to 38 percent in this year’s projections, in part because of a new government mandate that could give the market a jolt. The UK now requires SAF to make up 2 percent of jet fuel from flights taking off from British airports.
The committee’s net zero pathway also allows for a 28 percent rise in aviation demand to about 402 million passengers by 2050—10 percent more than when it last released the advice 5 years ago. Projections by the previous Conservative-led UK government suggested that passenger numbers would grow by 70 percent
by 2050, assuming that airports would expand.
The committee said it expects passenger growth to be naturally constrained by higher ticket prices because of carbon pricing and investments in SAF and carbon capture. The analysis assumes the industry is “responsible for cleaning up its own mess,” Emily Nurse, head of net zero at the CCC, said in the committee’s briefing.
Ed Miliband, the UK’s energy secretary, said last month that the expansion would not go ahead if it did not fit with the country’s carbon goals.
Emma Pinchbeck, the CCC chief executive, said it had not looked specifically at airport expansion or Heathrow’s plans, and would offer more substantive advice if the government asked for it. A separate government decision on expanding Gatwick, the country’s second busiest airport located in south London, is due this week.
Mike Childs, head of policy at the climate charity Friends of the Earth, called the advice “dangerously optimistic,” adding that the aviation industry “will leap on this to argue that airport expansion is compatible with climate goals, even though the committee also stresses the importance of constraining the growth in passenger numbers.”
Both the UK government and the CCC expect engineered carbon
DAI have repeatedly urged the judge to force the government to pay what it owes, and nonprofit organizations suing in a separate but related case have even asked to find the US in contempt of court—which the judge has not done.
While the courts have ordered some USAID employees to be reinstated, USAID contractors say the agency is unable to function at current staffing levels and that payment approvals have been politicized and effectively halted.
Democracy International, another contractor seeking funds owed by USAID, said in a similar filing it could also face lawsuits overseas if it can’t transfer money for salaries this week—with 17 employees in Tunisia already formally notifying the firm that they’ll seek legal relief if salaries aren’t paid by March 3.
The organization said it is owed $3 million for services rendered before January 24, has furloughed all of its 95 employees in the US, and now risks eviction from its headquarters and may seek bankruptcy protection. There are also risks to overseas staff.
“In Tunisia, for example, our senior staff/representatives are being threatened by vendors and other creditors with legal jeopardy or physical harm for failure to pay,” Eric Bjornlund, Democracy International’s chief executive officer, wrote in a declaration to the court, adding that staff now risk “arrest or reprisals due to their inextricable association with these USAID programs that are suddenly not keeping promises or meeting their obligations.” With assistance from Zoe Tillman /Bloomberg
removals to play a significant role in decarbonizing aviation, which is expected to be the UK’s highestemitting sector in 2040, and for this to be funded in large part by the aviation industry.
By the 2040s the CCC expects electricity will be almost entirely decarbonized in the UK, and the remaining sectors, including home technologies like electric cars and heat pumps, will rely heavily on actions by individual consumers. The CCC downgraded its shortterm projections for a heat pump rollout, expecting around 450,000 annual installations by 2030, compared to 1 million by 2030 in its previous modeling. It said meeting net zero would require significant funds in the short term, with expenditure peaking in 2029, but would save money in the long run. For example, in 2050, consumers would pay more upfront for heat pumps than they currently do for a boiler, but less for heating their homes and charging their cars because of the lower cost of energy.
“This carbon budget will be the one where the savings to the economy from investing in these low carbon technology solutions start paying back to the economy,” said Pinchbeck. With assistance from William Mathis /Bloomberg
As measles cases surge in Texas, WHO’s global control program risks collapse
By Jason Gale
THE World Health Organization has warned that its largest global laboratory network is on the brink of collapse unless new funding is secured to replace the support lost after President Donald Trump’s order to withdraw from the United Nations agency. The Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network—known internally as “Gremlin”—is the backbone of efforts to track and control infectious threats. With 760 labs worldwide, it tests about 500,000 patient samples annually, identifying outbreaks before they cross borders. Its potential collapse threatens the elimination of measles,
which is fueling a growing outbreak in Texas that’s infected at least 124 people and hospitalized 18.
“Protecting this resource is absolutely imperative,” said Matthew Ferrari, director of Pennsylvania State University’s Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics. Measles and rubella elimination set the standard for other programs, and the ‘Gremlin’ network is their foundation. “It provides the information needed to advance those programs, and any threat to it will reverberate far beyond measles.”
The WHO-led program relies entirely on US funding, receiving about $8 million annually to operate. The US was WHO’s biggest donor, contributing $1.3 billion to the organization between
2022 and 2023.
“The network is at risk of collapse unless alternative funding is identified,”
Margaret Harris, a WHO spokesperson, said in an e-mail.
Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—a founding member of a global initiative to stop measles and rubella—and the Department of Health and Human Services didn’t respond to emailed inquiries about whether funding would resume.
While its primary focus is measles and rubella, the global lab network also provides critical pandemic preparedness capabilities, helping detect SARS-CoV-2, respiratory syncytial virus, rotavirus, dengue, and rarer infections such as bird
flu, Mpox, yellow fever, Ebola, and Lassa fever, according to Harris.
Outbreak ‘eyes’
“ THE reason we know about rare threats
—Mpox, Ebola—when they emerge is because ‘Gremlin’ operates year-round, processing fever and rash samples every day” to determine their causes, said Pennsylvania State University’s Ferrari, whose research has helped the WHO estimate global measles cases and mortality.
“That is what gives us ‘eyes.’”
Beyond laboratory surveillance, the US also funds WHO’s measles control and elimination efforts, contributing an additional $5 million annually to support specialists in Geneva, regional offices,
and affected countries.
These teams detect and respond to outbreaks, organize preventive campaigns, and coordinate regional measles and rubella elimination strategies.
“Without this support the global program on measles and rubella elimination is seriously compromised and will result in increased cases and deaths of measles around the world,” Harris said.
Brain swelling MEASLES is one of the world’s most contagious viruses, infecting the respiratory tract before spreading throughout the body. It causes fever and a rash, and in severe cases, can lead to complications such as deafness, blindness, pneumonia,
and encephalitis—swelling of the brain that can be fatal. It can also weaken the immune system for years by attacking B cells, which are crucial for remembering past infections and helping the body fight off diseases. Globally, measles deaths dropped sharply from 2000 to 2021 due to vaccination campaigns and rapid outbreak responses. However, progress has stalled in recent years as declining immunization rates and pandemic-related disruptions fuel a resurgence. Since 2020, global measles cases have surged more than threefold, while rubella infections have more than doubled. With assistance from Gerry Smith /Bloomberg
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Arbitration win won’t affect ops, but NGCP ‘vindicated’
By Lenie Lectura
ATOPofficial of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on Wednesday welcomed the ruling of the Arbitral Tribunal of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and said the petitioners stand vindicated.
power transmission network.
“Day one, what I said 50 years ago, that’s what I’m still saying today, which just really proves that our narrative doesn’t change because that’s the truth,” Alabanza stressed.
Disputes related to the terms of the concession agreement were also cleared by the SIAC. “The concession agreement and how we’ve been implementing it in the large part will remain the same. We have been vindicated...the arbitral court proved that what NGCP is doing is correct,” she said.
ment was made contrary to the provision of the concession agreement.
The Court also ruled that NGCP is entitled to an indemnification from PSALM and TransCo up to the amount of P56.5 million for expenses on right-of-way claims with interest. It shall be compensated by TransCo through a corresponding reduction in the concession fee for Sub-Transmission Assets (STAs).
COLLIERS: ‘25 PROPERTY GAINS SEEN ON RATES, PRICE FACTORS
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio @blessogerio
THE Philippine property sector is poised for growth this year, fueled by anticipated lower interest rates and stable inflation, according to a real estate consultancy.
Colliers noted that with inflation averaging 3.2 percent in 2024—down from 6 percent in 2023—and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas maintaining the policy rate at 5.75 percent in February, with a projected 50bps cut this year, the preselling condo market, which saw its weakest launch and take-up last year, is expected to benefit.
ed out that “expansions from traditional and outsourcing occupants helped mitigate the impact, preventing a sharper decline.” Tenants are also urged to take advantage of discounted lease rates, while landlords are advised to enhance their properties to stay competitive in a tenant-favorable market. Provincial office markets, meanwhile, remain resilient, with emerging locations outside the capital gaining traction. But in the residential segment, developers are adjusting strategies to address oversupply concerns in Metro Manila.
THE World Food Programme, the United Nations agency in charge of providing food assistance worldwide, has assured the Philippine government that it would continue funding the school meals and food voucher programs.
Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Representative Neal Imperial said he received this assurance from WFP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Samir Wanmali at the sidelines of the First Regular Session of the WFP Executive Board last February 18.
Imperial said he was told by the WFP that the “impact of US funding cutbacks on WFP projects in the Philippines will be minimal.”
“Mr. Wanmali assured that the Philippines remains a top priority of the WFP in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition to continued financing for the school meals program, including the home-grown school feeding, and the food voucher program, the WFP also assured continued support for the Philippine Government’s emergency preparedness and response initiatives,” Imperial said.
Since 2024, the WFP has instituted two major programs in the Philippines:
· Help DSWD implement the Walang Gutom (No Hunger) e-voucher program by providing digital food vouchers to 1 million food-poor households with local, nutritious food. This social protection program will run until 2027 Enhancing Deped’s School-Based Feeding Program which provides meals to children in grades K-6 to address malnutrition. The WFP initiative, which runs until 2028, integrates a home-grown school feeding approach, supporting farmers by boosting their incomes while providing daily, nutritious meals to schoolchildren.
· According to the WFP’s Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2024-2028, a total of US$131,193,069 was allocated to support the Philippine government’s programs related to food and nutrition security. · For 2025, the WFP’s budget for the
“The NGCP has complied with contract, franchise and rules and regulations. So clearly, there is no violation of prohibition, among others,” said Alabanza, referring to the 60:40 ownership rule in the Philippines. “Others are very technical, based on the contract, but that is the biggest win for NGCP,” she said.
NGCP won the 25-year concession contract to operate and manage the grid system in December 2007 for $3.95 billion. To date, the NGCP operates the country’s
“So that’s a vindication that we’re only following the laws that were passed in the contract that the government filed when they privatized the transmission and NGCP was granted the concession,” said NGCP Assistant Vice President and spokesperson Atty. Cynthia Alabanza at a news briefing. The SIAC ruled with finality that NGCP did not violate the nationality restrictions in the Philippine Constitution and the Anti-Dummy Law. The favorable ruling was announced by the Synergy Grid & Development Phils., Inc. (SGP), which holds a 40.2-percent effective ownership interest in NGCP.
The SIAC upheld the NGCP’s P57.88-billion prepayment in 2013 as against the P3.9-billion claim of the National Transmission Corp. (TransCo), the state firm which owns the transmission assets.
NGCP remitted to the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) P57.88 billion in July 2013 to prepay its 10th to 30th deferred payments for concession fees. The prepayment corresponds to 51.59 percent of the outstanding concession fee as of July 16, 2013. However, TransCo claimed that the prepay -
The Court also said it is NGCP that will determine the exchange rate for project costs amounting to P10.106 billion, thereby decreasing the concession fee. Back then, NGCP said the rate of $1 : P49.62 must be used.
Moreover, NGCP’s claim that it has exclusive rights over transmission assets, including their use for telecommunications, was affirmed by the Court.
“How will that affect us moving forward? Operationally, maybe nothing. But, hopefully, the weight of what the third party said will clear the clouds surrounding NGCP and how we run the transmission system,” stressed Alabanza.
“Lower interest rates should result in lower mortgage rates, and these should complement the promos offered by developers,” the firm stated in its report. It also cited sustained growth, with the economy expanding 5.6 percent in 2024, up from 5.5 percent in 2023 but below the 6 percent to 6.5 percent target.
Colliers expects the continued expansion to support office and residential demand, helping the sector recover from the lingering effects of the pandemic and the exit of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
Despite high office vacancy rates in Metro Manila, it point-
“While it takes more than eight years to fully absorb the unsold units, it is important to highlight the fact that not all Metro Manila submarkets are affected,” it said.
Colliers added that developers are offering flexible payment schemes, and the expected interest rate cuts could further stimulate demand. Additionally, it said, “resort-themed projects in Batangas, Benguet, Davao, and Cebu continue to perform well while some mid-income vertical projects outside Metro Manila are nearly sold out.” The firm also underscored the role of major infrastructure projects, such as the Metro Ma-
By Rex Anthony Naval
ARESOLUTE and united Association of Southeast Asia Nations (Asena) is needed to address emerging security challenges in the region, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said on Wednesday. He made this appeal in his speech before his counterparts at the Asean Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Retreat held at Penang, Malaysia on February 26. There, Teodoro highlighted that amid the shifting geopolitical landscape, the actions of a few states are reshaping global relations.
The defense chief also stressed the necessity for Asean to remain cohesive and proactive in upholding regional stability. “Asean has ensured the longest period of peace in any region since World War II. However, this peace is now under threat—not due to our incapacity to preserve it, but because of the absence of unanimity on key issues,” Teodoro said. As this developed, the DND chief reaffirmed the Philippines’ long-standing commitment to regional peace.
He also stressed the need to articulate the realities of the current geopolitical environment to remain adaptive to rapid change and uncertainties.
Teodoro also called Asean to strengthen operational cooperation by expanding joint patrols, exercises, and intelligence-sharing to build trust among regional defense forces.
He also shared the success of the Philippines’s trilateral cooperation with Indonesia and Malaysia, saying that such collaborative efforts should be further developed to address pressing security concerns.
Teodoro also warned against external attempts to sow division within Southeast Asia, saying that Asean must reject external influences that seek to fragment the region.
Asean, he added, must remain steadfast in its commitment to independence and strategic
autonomy.
“We should resist coercion in whatever form and exchange information on foreign activities that are inimical to our national interests, such as online scams, trafficking in persons, illegal migration, which destroy the fabric of our respective societies,” Teodoro said. He reiterated that the ongoing threats to Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea are not merely a domestic or regional concern but a “global issue”
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
Exec: Alfamart to focus on underserved areas in Luzon
By VG Cabuag @villygc
SM Group’s mini-mart business Alfamart is set to expand its network by at least 200 new stores in Luzon this year.
As of end-2024, Alfamart had a total of 2,100 stores.
“Our continued growth is anchored on the needs of the neighborhoods we serve. We remain committed to strengthening our presence in the underserved areas within Luzon, in order to provide the communities better value and easier access to essential goods.” Harvey T. Ong, COO of Alfamart Philippines, said. The mini-mart chain said it con-
tinues to generate more job opportunities for local communities. In 2024 alone, it was able to create more than 2,500 new jobs as a result of its network expansion, which includes the new distribution center located in Sariaya, Quezon. Alfamart, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in the Philippines last year, was able to expand across 11 provinces, including Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, Rizal, Bulacan,
Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Pangasinan and Zambales, as well as 15 cities in Metro Manila.
“Beyond job creation, Alfamart’s expansion has opened doors for micro, small and medium enterprises [MSMEs] to grow.”
Through strategic partnerships, local entrepreneurs have set up businesses within Alfamart stores, creating a thriving ecosystem that fuels local economic development.
Among the MSMEs that have partnered with Alfamart is Laundry Express, a self-service laundry shop which has grown to over 50 outlets across the Philippines. Brands, such as Coco Fresh Tea and Juice and Potato Corner, are also present in select locations.
Alfamart said it is enhancing its in-store services to provide fresh and affordable options.
GIn collaboration with local hog raisers and poultry farmers, the mini-mart chain offers frozen meats at competitive prices. To further improve the shopping experience, it has also recently introduced in-store butchers in select stores, allowing customers to select custom cuts and portion sizes of fresh meat.
“As we grow, we want our communities to grow with us. By offering spaces within our stores for MSMEs, we empower local businesses while enhancing the overall shopping experience for our customers,” Ong said.
“Fostering inclusive growth, creating more business and employment opportunities, and bringing modern minimart convenience to the communities remain our priority as we enter our second decade of service to the Filipino people.”
PLDT steps up fight against cable theft
By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan
PLDT Inc. said on Wednesday it has intensified its crackdown on cable theft and vandalism, leading to the arrest of 2,487 suspects over the past three years, nearly 1,000 of whom were apprehended in 2024 alone.
Butch Jimenez, PLDT COO and Network Head, said the telco giant has been working closely with the Philippine National Police (PNP), barangay officials, and local communities to protect its network infrastructure from criminal activities that cause internet service disruptions.
“Not a lot of people know this, but at PLDT, we spend a lot of man hours to secure our network,” he said. “This
New system to streamline operations of ports—PPA
THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has rolled out its Integrated Management System (IMS) at the Port Management Offices (PMOs) NCR-North and NCR-South, helping it streamline port operations, strengthen governance, and improve global competitiveness.
PPA General Manager Jay Santiago said the IMS integrates international best practices into port management, ensuring compliance with ISO standards and the Government Quality Management Systems Standards (GQMSS).
“We are proud to announce that we are at par with the world’s best port practices and that the Philippine ports are globally ready and competitive. The launch of Integrated Management System (IMS) is a testament to our commitment to operational excellence, environmental stewardship, and workplace safety.” Santiago added that it is in line with Executive Order 605, which mandates the institutionalization of quality management in government agencies.
The IMS rollout in Metro Manila follows the successful ISO certification of nine other PMOs, including Batangas, Panay/Guimaras, Misamis Occidental/Ozamiz, Zamboanga, Socsargen, Misamis Oriental/ Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Palawan, and Bicol. Lorenz S. Marasigan
is a big win for our security team— and we extend our gratitude to the PNP, and to our partners in the barangays and communities who have helped us catch these suspects.”
Network equipment theft and vandalism remain among the top causes of service outages in the country, with criminals often targeting copper cables, power lines, and batteries for resale.
To counteract these threats, PLDT has reinforced physical security measures, ramped up surveillance, and implemented rapid-response strategies.
“We at PLDT remain vigilant. We’re still implementing stronger physical security controls, surveillance measures, and rapid response strategies to make sure our custom-
ers stay connected. I’m proud of our teamwork, preparedness, and proactive security mindset—but we intend to do even better this year,” said Wilfredo F. Gonio, Head of Security Central Command and Administration Center at PLDT.
PLDT urged citizens to report incidents through its Hotline 164, available on any landline or mobile network. Reports should include details such as the date and time of discovery, exact location, and other relevant information to facilitate quick action.
Roy Ibay, who sits as VP at Smart, said last January that the company led industry efforts to protect telco infrastructure in 2024, citing partnership with both the public and private stakeholders, including local
government units and communities.
“Protecting our infrastructure is not just about safeguarding our business operations—it is about ensuring that our customers and communities can rely on uninterrupted connectivity and technology that are essential for our country’s development within a safe and secure cyber environment.”
Ibay also serves as the convenor of PROTECTA Pilipinas, a publicprivate coalition dedicated to the protection of technology and telco infrastructure nationwide.
Launched by PLDT, Smart, and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), PROTECTA Pilipinas has united key stakeholders from various sectors.
Construction of BESS project of ACEN unit in Australia begins
THE 400-megawatt hour (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) project of ACEN Australia, the platform representing ACEN Corp.’s renewable energy assets in Australia, has commenced construction.
In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Wednesday, ACEN Corp. said the BESS will be put up by leading international energy storage specialist Energy Vault and will be able to provide energy on demand to customers in both New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland.
“Our geotechnical and design work is almost complete and work to install the electrical infrastructure to connect the battery is well underway. We expect the civil and base electrical work for the BESS to begin over the next month or two, ready for the delivery of the battery modules in the second half of the year,” said ACEN Australia’s Head of Construction and Engineering, Tim Greenaway.
The BESS will be located on site at ACEN Australia’s 936-MW direct current (dc) New England Solar project. The first 521 MWdc stage of the project was completed in 2023, with work expected to begin on the second 416 MWdc in 2026.
The 400 MWh battery project will be co-located on the stage 1 solar project site. New England Solar (Stage 1) in
ACEN Corp.'s wind farm in Ilocos. PHOTO FROM WWW.ACENRENEWABLES.COM
NSW is ACEN Australia’s first operational project which commenced generating in 2023. Stubbo Solar in the NSW Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone is ACEN Australia’s second project, which is currently being commissioned and will be in full operation by mid-2025.
ACEN, the power arm of Ayala Corp., recently announced that it obtained a higher rating from CDP, the global nonprofit that assesses corporate environmental transparency
AMING firm DigiPlus Interactive Corp. said it is expanding its geographical footprint with plans to establish DigiPlus Global Pte. Ltd., a company to be incorporated in Singapore.
This plan was approved by the board of directors in their meeting held on Wednesday, February 26.
DigiPlus Global will be wholly owned by Diginvest Holdings Inc., a 100 percent subsidiary of the company.
It will serve as a support function center and regional hub, dedicated to strategic partnerships, talent acquisition, and international growth, which are now key pillars of DigiPlus’ longterm growth strategy, the company said.
“Singapore is a world-class hub for business, technology, and talent, making it an ideal base for our global initiatives,” DigiPlus Chairman Eusebio Tanco said.
“With the incorporation of DigiPlus Global, we are strengthening our ability to attract top-tier professionals, forge strategic alliances, and enhance our international presence, all while remaining deeply committed to our home market in the Philippines.”
DigiPlus will be included in the FTSE All-Cap Index and FTSE
Total-Cap Index on March 21. Previously, the company was classified under the FTSE Microcap Index in 2024.
DigiPlus said its progression to these broader indices reflects its increased market capitalization, enhanced liquidity and strengthened position within the investment landscape.
“Being included in the FTSE All-Cap and Total-Cap Indices reflects the strength of our fundamentals and the momentum we have built over the past year. This milestone reinforces our position in the broader investment community, opening new opportunities to further scale our business and create lasting value for our shareholders,” Tanco said. The FTSE All-Cap Index tracks large, mid and small-cap companies, serving as a key benchmark for global investors.
The said index extends this coverage to include micro-cap companies, collectively representing over 99 percent of the global investable market capitalization.
DigiPlus inclusion places it among companies that meet the highest standards of market capitalization and liquidity, further enhancing its visibility to institutional investors worldwide, the company said. VG Cabuag
and performance in climate change, deforestation and water security.
The company said it has achieved Leadership level and an A− rating for its climate actions from CDP. This marks an improvement from ACEN’s previous B rating.
CDP scores organizations from A (highest) to D- (lowest) based on the comprehensiveness of their disclosures, awareness of environmental issues, management strategies and progress toward sustainability goals. Lenie Lectura
Treasury yields slide as economic red flags pile up
TREASURY yields slid to their lowest levels of the year
Tuesday as a recent parade of softening data suggesting the US economy will require Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts this year.
Treasuries were trading near session highs late in New York, with the 10-year yield lower by more than 10 basis points around 4.29 percent, back at a mid-December level and well inside January’s peak of 4.8 percent.
Evidence that uncertainty over the Trump administration’s policies is weighing on households on Tuesday offered the latest driver for yields, which have slumped since mid-January. Traders are once again pricing in two quarterpoint interest-rate cuts by the Fed this year.
“Red flags are emerging for the US economy,” said Elias Haddad, senior market strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman. “Another month or two of poor US economic data would deliver a blow to the US exceptionalism narrative.”
Data released Tuesday showed the Conference Board’s consumer confidence index fell more than expected to the lowest level since June. The report was merely the latest sign that the US economy is struggling with inflation and borrowing costs. A Citigroup Inc. index of US economic surprises last week declined to the lowest level since September, indicating that data isn’t measuring up to expectations.
Treasury yields declined to new session lows after the Conference Board data, with all benchmark tenors falling at least 10 basis points, and remained near those levels after an auction of five-year notes drew strong demand.
“The question is whether or not this growth scare is different” to last summer when most Treasury benchmarks fell below 4 percent, a move “that faded very quickly because you had so much fiscal stimulus taking place at the same time,” said Brij Khurana, portfolio manager at Wellington Management.
Now the fiscal picture looks less supportive for the economy. Economic anxiety has also been stoked by declines in US stocks since the S&P 500 reached record highs last week, with catalysts including a profit warning by Walmart Inc. Ongoing threats by US President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on imports from major trading partners and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts to slash federal payrolls are among other contributors.
“Even though the amount of dollars that DOGE is finding are not substantial, there are going to be layoffs coming in the government sector,” Khurana said. “Half the job growth since 2022 has come from either the government, healthcare, education, all three sectors, which are likely going to be affected by DOGE.”
As Trump’s policies are implemented, 10-year Treasury yields “should naturally come down” over time, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday. He also said that he and Trump were focused on “increasing the desirability” of US Treasuries.
Pagcor’s ’24 gaming revenue second-highest after Macau
GInvestors flocked to the second of this week’s three Treasury coupon auctions despite the drop in yields. The $70 billion five-year note sale was awarded at 4.123 percent, the lowest monthly result since September and about a basis point lower than its yield in pre-auction trading just before the bidding deadline of 1 p.m. New York time, a sign of strong demand. Monday’s auction of two-year notes also drew strong demand despite a rally into the bidding deadline.
Swaps that predict the outcome of future Fed rate decisions are pricing in 56 basis points of easing by the end of the year, up from 48 basis points on Monday.
Tuesday’s price action featured buying in 10-year Treasury options that anticipate a yield decline to around 4.15 percent by April 25. Bond bullishness also was reflected in JPMorgan’s weekly Treasury Client Survey, which found the biggest net long position since January.
The 10-year yield peaked this year near 4.8 percent in mid-January, and Tuesday’s rally completed a half-percentage-point retreat that some view as excessive. Interestrates strategists at TD Securities advised exiting the long position they had recommended on Jan. 10 in light of its gain.
“The 10-year will be sensitive to the data and if we do continue to see a little bit of a slowdown, then yields could grind lower,” said Gregory Faranello, head of US rates trading and strategy for AmeriVet Securities. “If the administration is going to cut spending and focus on initiatives that try and get the deficit down, then there is an element of austerity and of the economy slowing.”
The 10-year has scope to reach 4.25 percent, its 200-day moving average, a widely followed trendline, Faranello said. A break below it “could get potentially a little grabby” as investors become concerned about missing a buying opportunity.
The bond rally briefly pushed the 10-year yield below three-month bill yield, inverting that segment of the curve for the first time since midDecember. Historically, inversions have been a precursor of economic recessions, though the most recent period of inversion since late 2022 has not thus far.
Bond traders also are contending with uncertainty about the Treasury supply outlook, which rests in part on Fed balance-sheet policy. The US central bank has been winding down its Treasury holdings, and traders have been anticipating it’s preparing to pause or slow down that process as the balance sheet shrinks. Federal debt-ceiling considerations could influence the decision, the minutes of last month’s Fed policy meeting indicated.
Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan, speaking on that topic in London Tuesday, said it would be appropriate in the medium term for the Fed to purchase more shorter-term securities than longer-term ones so that its portfolio can more quickly mirror the composition of Treasury issuance, without commenting on the timing of any policy change.
By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
AMING regulator and operator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) is eyeing the country’s gross gaming revenues (GGR) to grow by double digits up to P480 billion in 2025 after posting a record-high P410-billion GGR in 2024.
In a news briefing last Wednesday, Pagcor Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco reported the agency’s GGR reached around $7.09 billion in 2024. This is the second-highest GGR recorded in Asia after Macau with $31.2 billion.
Data from the Pagcor showed the GGR, or the gaming revenues Pagcor derived from its licensees, is 24.81-percent higher than the P328.882 billion recorded in 2023.
With this growth, Tengco said Pagcor is poised to collect about P450 billion to P480 billion in 2025.
“I can see that in the first two months, land-based operations have shown good results, and not to mention electronic gaming. Integrated resorts have also shown good performance in the first two months,” Tengco said, adding that close to P40 billion in GGR has been recorded in January this year.
“I believe it will come from e-gaming and I believe the trend in Jan and Feb will continue, land-based, will have, not as significant, but it will have growth,” Tengco added.
Specifically, Tengco expects IRs will contribute 50 percent in this year’s GGR pie, followed by e-games at 45 percent and Pagcor-operated casinos at 5 percent.
Last year’s GGR was driven by IRs, contributing P201.839 billion or 49.17 percent to the total GGR. However, this declined by 2.72 per -
THE Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) announced it will sell 61 residential, agricultural, and mixed-use lots through electronic public bidding (e-bidding) in the first week of April.
Electronic bids will be accepted through the PDIC e-bidding portal, https://assetsforsale.pdic.gov.ph, starting at 9:00 a.m. on April 2, 2025, until 1:00 p.m. on April 3, 2025, and will be opened at 2:00 p.m. on April 3, 2025, read a statement the PDIC issued last Wednesday.
To be sold on an as-is-where-is basis are closed banks’ and corporate assets consisting of 34 vacant residential lots, 13 residential lots with
cent year-on-year from P207.482 billion.
E-games contributed the second highest with P154.517 billion or 37.64 percent as the sector’s revenues nearly tripled from P58.162 billion in 2023.
Changing landscape
PAGCOR-operated casinos chipped in P15.977 billion (3.89 percent) while offshore gaming operations added P38.143 billion (9.29 percent) to the GGR.
“The landscape of gaming has changed worldwide. It’s not true what’s being spread that there’s only online gaming in the Philippines; it’s the whole world,” Tengco said.
As such, the Pagcor official said e-games would level with landbased casinos in the next two to three years after Pagcor reduced fee rates for e-games to 30 percent from 35 percent to combat illegal gaming operations.
“[For] e-games, we continue to attract the unregistered to register because of the rates that are now comparable to the license fees of online gaming jurisdictions around the world,” Tengco said.
Pagcor recorded a net income of P16.76 billion in 2024, after it posted a new record-high revenue of P112 billion in 2024.
With the increased revenues, Pagcor was able to contribute to nation-
improvements, nine vacant agricultural lots, two vacant residential/ agricultural lots, two residential/ agricultural lots with improvements, and one agricultural lot with improvements. These properties, with areas ranging from 74.1 to 82,690 square meters, are in Metro Manila, Aklan, Batangas, Capiz, Cavite, Davao del Norte, Isabela, La Union, and Palawan.
Prospective parties can join the ebidding through a one-time registration at http://assetsforsale.pdic. gov.ph/Account/Register Once registered, buyers may submit their bids online and observe the e-bidding proceedings by clicking the “Assets
building about P68.20 billion, up by 37.61 percent from P49.56 billion in 2023.
Remittances to the National Treasury amounted to P46.32 billion, Philippine Sports Commission with P2.31 billion, and P12.37 billion was also released to the Office of the President to fund socio-civic programs.
Other mandated beneficiaries of Pagcor’s revenues this year included cities hosting Casino Filipino branches with P698.60 million, the Board of Claims under the Department of Justice with P178.80 million and the Renewable Energy Trust Fund with P248.01 million.
Warning vs scam MEANWHILE, Pagcor is also warning the public about an alarming scam operation in which fraudsters are impersonating its top executives to deceive individuals and businesses.
The state gaming agency said several individuals and business owners have complained that they received fraudulent Viber messages that falsely claim to be from Tengco and Pagcor President and COO Wilma T. Eisma.
“Scammers are using mobile numbers maliciously registered under the top executives’ names, specifically +63951-7359836 for Tengco and +63938-2857343 for Eisma to contact potential victims,” read a statement the Pagcor issued last Wednesday.
“We urge the public to exercise caution and avoid engaging with any unsolicited messages that appear to come from PAGCOR executives,” Tengco was quoted in the statement as saying.
“These fraudulent schemes pose a serious risk to the public; hence, we ask everyone to be vigilant and immediately report any suspicious messages to the authorities, especially those that promise financial windfalls,” he added.
Tengco advised individuals to verify any communication they receive through its official website, www. pagcor.ph, and other legitimate communication platforms such as Pagcor’s official trunkline numbers +632 8521-1542 and +632 8522-0299.
The Pagcor chief earlier warned the public against a website that purports to issue gaming licenses and accreditations using fake forms and bogus content.
Thailand’s casino push a ‘big threat’–Tengco
By Cliff Venzon Bloomberg
THAILAND’S plan to legalize casinos is a “big threat”to the Philippines that’s now Asia’s second-largest gambling hub and is looking to set a new revenue record in 2025, Manila’s gaming agency chief said. Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco told reporters last Wednesday that regional competition is increasing and the Philippines risks losing out to Thailand. Thailand’s tourist arrivals which dwarf the
for Sale” icon at www.pdic.gov.ph
Interested buyers can browse through the catalog of properties on the e-bidding portal where the complete list and description of the properties, requirements, e-bidding process, and Conditions of Bid are posted. Prospective bidders are encouraged to get familiar with the terms and conditions outlined by the PDIC and are reminded of their responsibility to determine the actual condition, status, ownership, and other circumstances of the properties they wish to acquire.
Winning bidders of agricultural properties are required to submit, within 15 days after the e-bidding,
Philippines’ gives it an advantage in drawing gamblers and investors. “It’s a big threat,” Tengco said, adding that Japan also plans to open a casino in Osaka, another tourist hub. Pagcor, as the agency is known, must shape up and proceed with a plan to sell its dozens of small state-owned Casino Filipino outlets so it can focus on its role as industry regulator, he said.
“By decoupling, we will be able to show the world that we are fair. That there is no conflict of interest,” Tengco said. The privatization process may start next year, he added.
a Certification issued by the Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer of the Department of Agrarian Reform where the property is located that the agricultural lot subject of the bid is not covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program and that no Emancipation Patent or Certificate of Land Ownership Awards has been issued for the said property. Winning bidders are also required to submit an Affidavit of Aggregate Landholdings within the same period, which states that the person’s collective landholdings, including the property/ies to be acquired during the bidding, do not exceed the five-hectare limit set by law.
Treasury yields slide low as economic red flags pile up
JEREMY ALLAIRE , the cofounder of stablecoin issuer Circle Internet Financial, is making the case that the issuers of the dollar-based cryptocurrencies that underpin much of the trading in digital-assets markets should be registered in the United States.
Stablecoins have leapt to the forefront of the crypto market’s attention as of late with legislation governing the use of tokens among the first measures expected to be considered during the second Trump administration. Senator Bill Hagerty, a Republican from Tennessee, introduced legislation earlier this month to create a framework for stablecoins. President Donald Trump has vowed to make the US the crypto capital of the world.
“It shouldn’t be a free pass, right?” Allaire said in an interview with Bloomberg News. “Where you can just ignore the US law and go do whatever the hell you want wherever and sell into the United States.”
New York-based Circle is the issuer of USDC, the second-largest stablecoin after Tether Holdings SA’s USDT token. Tether recently moved its headquarters to El Salvador. Stablecoins often serve as a bridge between crypto and the traditional financial system, in addition to being used to facilitate trades and serving as a haven from the price volatility of most other cryptocurrencies.
“This is about consumer protec-
tion and financial integrity,” Allaire said. “Whether you’re an offshore company or based in Hong Kong, if you want to offer your dollar stablecoin in the US, you should need to register in the US just like we have to go register everywhere else.”
A Tether spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier Tuesday, Tether Chief Executive Officer Paolo Ardoino commented about speculation on X that some of the largest crypto companies are seeking to influence the US legislation in their favor.
In January, Trump firmly aligned the US government’s interests with those of stablecoin issuers like Circle and Tether by signing an executive order to protect the US dollar “including through actions to promote the development and growth of lawful and legitimate dollar-backed stablecoins worldwide.”
“The stablecoin bill is the first priority of the administration,” Allaire said. Bloomberg News
“While our competitors business model should be to build a better product and even bigger distribution network, their real intent is ‘Kill Tether,’” Ardoino said in the X post. Tether’s reserves are partially managed by Cantor Fitzgerald LP, whose former chief executive, Howard Lutnick was recently confirmed by the Senate to be secretary of the US Department of Commerce.
THE Federal Reserve building in Washington. CREDIT: BLOOMBERG NEWS
B4 Thursday, February 27, 2025
PHL rice imports hit over 400,000 MT—report
By Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
IMPORTED rice arrivals reached more than 400,000 metric tons (MT) as of February 20, based on the latest government data.
Figures from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) showed that the volume of rice shipments that entered the country during the period stood at 414,137 MT.
Of the volume that arrived in the Philippines, BPI data indicated that 293,084.94 MT came from Vietnam, the country’s top supplier of the food staple. Pakistan trailed behind, accounting for
55,468.68 MT.
The South Asian nation dislodged Thailand as the Philippines’s second-largest supplier, as its shipments were lower at 47,964.75 MT.
The country also received stocks from other countries, such as Myanmar (10,795 MT), India (4,823.86 MT), and South Korea (2,000 MT).
Data from the BPI indicated
that the agency approved and issued 841 sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSICs) for the purchase of 665,745 MT of imported rice.
Rice importers should secure an SPSIC from the BPI to ensure that an inbound shipment is safe for human and animal consumption.
The country’s imported rice shipments reached 4.78 million metric tons (MMT) last year, nearly 33 percent higher than the 3.6 MMT imported in 2023.
DA official and industry sources said stunted palay output, lower tariffs, damage from ill-effects of El Niño and anti-smuggling efforts catapulted the country’s rice imports to an all-time high in 2024.
Paddy rice output last year shrank by 4.85 percent to 19.09 MMT from 20.06 MMT in the previous year, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Last month, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the country’s farm output contracted by 2.2 percent in 2024 due to damage incurred from weather disturbances.
PSA data indicated that the crops, livestock, and fisheries subsectors registered declines in terms of value while only the poultry subsector maintained its positive performance last year.
The value of agriculture and fisheries production amounted to P1.73 trillion in 2024 at constant 2018 prices. This was
Global instant noodle makers aim to reduce salt content
TBy VG Cabuag @Villygc
HE World Instant Noodles Association (WINA), an international organization of noodle makers, has adopted the Manila Declaration, which sets voluntary targets for the industry, including the reduction of fat and sat content in their products.
Henry Soesanto, Monde Nissin Corp.’s CEO, said the initiative aims to drive global industry efforts in four critical areas—nutrition and health, environmental sustainability, food safety and addressing social issues.
Monde Nissin was this year’s host of the 11th World Instant Noodles Summit.
“Here in Manila, we declare that we, as a united instant noodles industry, are dedicated to addressing relevant social issues facing the world. We commit to continue collaborating in creating positive change through specific actions based on the WINA Challenge Target,” said Soesanto who read the declaration.
More than 250 people from WINA member companies attended the Manila Summit, including instant noodle manufacturers and raw material suppliers from countries and regions around the world.
Participants had thorough discussions on actions that the industry should take, such as how to address global nutritional challenges and food crises as well as how to contribute to solving environmental issues such as climate change.
The theme of the Summit was World United by Noodles. Forums were held on nutrition and health, environmentalsustainability, food safety, and solving social issues, featuring content such as lectures given by experts and joint sessions with instant noodle manufacturers.
The session on solving social issues featured discussion on the importance of collaboration
NDA wants to team up with private sector
THE National Dairy Authority (NDA) is keen on forging partnerships with the private sector to bolster the country’s milk industry.
According to NDA Administrator Marcus Antonius Andaya, private firms could help boost the country’s dairy animal herd through multiplier farms.
He said the agency would usually import dairy cattle
and directly distribute them to farmers. However, local dairy farmers were not accustomed to raising them, which often led to lackluster yields or death.
“The problem is that our local dairy farmers are not used to taking care of imported cows. The animals are also not used to the country’s climate,” Andaya said in a recent Bagong Pilipinas
Ngayon interview.
“ So, kapag iyan ay diniretso mo at hindi naalagaan ng maayos at hindi napakain ng maayos, more often than not, mamamatay iyan o mahina ang produksiyon niyan.”
To prevent this, the NDA chief said they would place imported dairy animals in their stock farms where they would be acclimatized before seeking partnerships with
and ideas for initiatives that transcend national borders and cultural differences to address the various issues facing the world, including a proposal to hold a “WINA Day” where member companies promote social contribution activities in their respective regions.
Soesanto said in the Philippines there is a low consumption of noodles, at only 40 per capita per year. This means a person eats only 40 packs of noodles per year.
“Why would you blame instant noodles as the main cause of high blood (pressure), diabetes and also UTI [urinary tract infection] when we only consume 40 a year?”
the private sector. He noted that the private sector has the capacity, resources, and experience to increase the country’s dairy herd.
Meanwhile, the NDA chief said he is seeking to expand the country’s milk feeding program apart from the initiative of the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) as provided by law.
lower than the previous year’s P1.76 trillion.
According to Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa, the agriculture damage pegged at 2.17 million metric tons (MMT) and worth P57.78 billion dragged down the country’s farm output last year.
“The primary reason (behind this contraction) is the damage from El Niño, La Niña, pests and diseases, volcanic eruption, and other weather systems,” De Mesa told reporters, partly in Filipino, during a briefing.
PSA data showed that crop production, which amounted to P960 billion, declined annually by 4.2 percent. The value of palay and corn production fell by 5 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively.
Global quotes THE United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said global export quotations registered declines in January, with Vietnamese prices falling by $55 to $394 per MT while Thai prices declined by $57 to $437 per MT with fewer sales to Indonesia.
“Pakistani quotes decreased $52 to $400 per MT and Indian quotes fell $34 to $410 per MT as India’s return to the export market continues to create downward pressure on global prices.”
It added that US prices dropped $30 to $697 per MT due to weaker sales to Latin America while Uruguayan prices fell $32 to $668 per MT as buyers wait for the harvest of the new crop.
Monde Nissin, he said, has been reducing the salt content of its noodle product Lucky Me!.
“Salt is used to perk up the taste. But if you reduce it, people should not notice it. So,
“The government has its own milk feeding program via DepEd and the DSWD but it is not enough,” he said.
“With the participation of the private sector in the milk feeding program, this will accomplish two things—not only will they be able to help the children, but they will also encourage milk producers to increase output.”
The NDA said stock farms in Tinio, Nueva Ecija; Ubay, Bohol; Malaybalay, Bukidnon; Carmen,
little by little we are reducing it,” Soesanto said, adding that the company has reduced the salt content of its product by more than the WINA target of 10 percent by 2030.
Cotabato; and Agusan Del Sur will be operationalized this year.
Andaya noted that the agency is expecting the arrival of at least 600 imported dairy cattle from Australia in July 2025.
“Within the same year, the dairy cattle will be able to produce milk.”
Currently, the country’s milk sufficiency stands at 1.66 percent, with the NDA targeting to increase this to 5 percent or 80 million liters of milk by 2028. Ada Pelonia
Trump opens door to new metal levy with copper tariff probe
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has signed an executive action directing the Commerce Department to examine possible copper tariffs, the latest in a string of measures aimed at imposing sector-specific levies that could reshape global supply chains.
Trump said the order would have a “big impact” as he signed it in the Oval Office, joined by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Senior administration officials earlier on Tuesday cast the step as necessary to address what they said was a national security issue. They argued that dumping and overcapacity in world markets had impacted domestic US copper production, leaving weapons systems and other critical products dependent on imports.
The officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said it was premature to discuss a potential rate for the tariffs.
Copper futures in New York
surged nearly 5 percent for their biggest intraday gain since May last year.
Copper is a critical material for modern economies because of its widespread use in the wiring that delivers electricity to homes and factories. Many analysts forecast higher prices this decade as supply fails to keep pace with demand. As with other metals, China’s grip is particularly strong when it comes to processing — the country accounted for about 44 percent of the world’s refined copper last year, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Great industry
THE investigation will be carried out under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which gives the president broad authority to impose trade restrictions on domestic security grounds. Trump is also employing that authority to impose 25 percent tariffs on two other industrial metals — steel and aluminum — with
those levies slated to take effect in March.
Lutnick said in a statement that the action would also probe products that include copper, and said the administration aimed to rejuvenate the domestic copper industry.
“Like our steel and aluminum industries, our great American copper industry has been decimated by global actors attacking our domestic production,” Lutnick said.
“Tariffs can help build back our copper industry, if necessary, and strengthen our national defense.”
Peter Navarro, a Trump trade adviser, singled out China, saying it had “long used industrial overcapacity and dumping as an economic weapon to dominate global markets, systematically undercutting competitors and driving rival industries out of business.”
The US consumed about 1.6 million tons of refined copper in 2024, according to the US Geological Survey. While the
US has significant mines, producing some 850,000 tons of primary copper last year, it still relies on imports from key trade allies to fill the need. Chile is the largest import source, accounting for 38 percent of total import volumes, followed by Canada and Mexico at 28 percent and 8 percent, respectively.
Net copper imports account for 36 percent of demand, according to Morgan Stanley research.
Trump’s comments last month that he intended to implement tariffs on copper came as a surprise to the physically traded copper market, as the key commodity had avoided being caught in the president’s trade war during his first term.
Benchmark prices on futures in New York are up about 17 percent this year amid speculation that any trade barriers would raise prices on US consumers. Washington’s announcement has fed a
historic disconnect from other global price benchmarks, with Comex copper futures at one point trading at a premium of roughly $1,000 a ton to equivalent contracts traded on the London Metal Exchange.
Jia Zheng, head of trading at Shanghai Soochow Jiuying Investment Management Co., said trade would continue to shift away from China, with the spread between the Shanghai exchange, the LME and Comex remaining wide through the investigation period. Given limited domestic production, she said copper supply in China would come under pressure.
“Prices will move higher globally,” Jia said.
COMEX futures were up 4.2 percent at 10:26 a.m. Shanghai time at $4.7145 a pound. LME copper was trading up 0.9 percent to $9,481.50.
Trump has also said additional tariffs on automobiles, lumber, semiconductors
and pharmaceutical drugs of around 25 percent are forthcoming, with an announcement as soon as April 2. Individual countries are also in his sights, with China already facing a new 10-percent levy on imports and Trump saying on Monday that tariffs scheduled to hit Canada and Mexico with a 25-percent rate in March were “on time,” even as a US official cautioned that schedule was less certain.
His most sweeping action, though, promises to be reciprocal tariffs, with recommendations due in April. Those import taxes will target countries that have their own levies on the US, with Trump aiming to match tariff and non-tariff barriers. Most mainstream economists warn import taxes risk fueling inflation that already has Americans on edge, will fail to bring in the revenue Trump foresees, and are poised to reduce or redirect trade flows. Bloomberg News
PHOTO FROM WWW.LUCKYME.PH
National Day reception celebrates Japanese emperor’s 65th birthday
AMBASSADOR of Japan to the Philippines Kazuya Endo led the annual National Day Reception on February 20 to celebrate the 65th natal day of the Japanese emperor.
In his speech, Endo highlighted that Japan-Philippines relations have entered the “Golden Age” bolstered by nurtured friendship and strategic partnership. He mentioned that, as like-minded countries, both have further strengthened cooperation in various sectors, encompassing security, economic and people-topeople exchanges.
The ambassador recalled significant milestones such as the historic signing of the “Reciprocal Access Agreement,” Japan’s steady provision of the official security assistance, and the recent visit of Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya to Manila.
Endo also focused on Japan’s commitment to enhancing the two government’s economic cooperation, as he underscored the development of landmark infrastructure projects including the Metro Manila Subway, the North-South Commuter Railway, and the Davao City Bypass. Related to the two countries’ deepening economic ties, he referred to the “World Expo 2025 OsakaKansai” as a meaningful event that celebrates innovations and welcomes the participation of the Philippine pavilion.
The evening commenced with a Nihonbuyo or Japanese traditional dance by the Gion Higashi Song
and Dance Society from Kyoto, who presented their interpretation of the Matsuzukushi or “All Sorts of Pine Trees.” Traditionally performed during ceremonies, the dance production showcased Japan’s rich cultural heritage through graceful movements and artistic expression.
Guests were then treated to a remarkable rendition of the Japanese and Philippine national anthems led
by the Santo Domingo Male Chorale. Among several Japanese cultural elements displayed at the reception were the ikebana and bonsai arrangements. Centrally positioned during the program, the timeless elegant pieces served as a visual representation of the thriving ties between Japan and the Philippines.
The reception also featured 32 specialty booths by Japanese companies and organizations, where they presented various products and merchandise, as well as an array of fresh seafood, sake and a variety of gourmet food that enriched the vibrant ambiance of the event.
Usec. Ma. Ellen B. De La Vega of the Department of Foreign Affairs graced the event and led the toast on behalf of the Philippine government. Other honorable guests included Senate Pres. Francis Escudero, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and Apostolic Nuncio Arch. Most Reverend Charles Brown DD.
Jordanians experience ‘Pinoy’ culture at first-ever ‘pasinaya’
AMMAN—More than 100 attendees gathered for a cultural celebration at the first-ever “Pasinaya in Jordan”—a National Arts Month activity that coincided with Valentine’s Day.
“Pasinaya,” which means “inauguration,” is a flagship program of the Philippine Embassy in Jordan in partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Language City Cafe. It brought the 19th edition of pasinaya—the largest arts festival in the Philippines—right at the heart of Jordan.
This year’s theme, “Pasinaya 2025: Para Sa Lahat,” which means “sharing” or “offering” in Filipino, reflected Filipino values of inclusivity, community and the celebration of the rich diversity of Filipino art.
Ambassador of the Philippines to Jordan Wilfredo C. Santos said in his opening remarks that “through [the] event, we highlight the beauty and diversity of Filipino art, music, dance and traditions. Let us wholeheartedly embrace the values of inclusivity, creativity and the shared experiences that weave our diverse cultures into a vibrant and meaningful narrative.”
The festivities were held at the Zghairon Cafe—considered a historic location in this Jordanian capital city where the “Kalha Stairs” —one of the oldest stairways in the city—is located. As general manager of Language City Cafe and owner of Zghairon, Assim Ahmad Alkhatib generously provided the space for Pasinaya and expressed his enthusiasm and delight to partner with the Philippine Embassy in Amman for the event.
This year’s festivities featured
several exciting components such as Pamilihan (Bazaar), Palihan (Workshop), Palaro (Games), and Palabas(Performances), as they were introduced to the local audience.
At the Pamilihan, Filipino entrepreneurs from all over Jordan had the opportunity to display a wide array of “Pinoy” food and pastries that ranged from savory dishes and sweet treats. A variety of proudly Filipino handicrafts were also showcased that highlighted the diverse talents of Filipino artisans.
The first activity of “Pasinaya…” was the Palihan: a dance lecturedemo workshop that featured the Madal Siwol: a traditional courtship dance from the T’boli people of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato province. The session was streamed live and allowed online participants to join in real time.
Another Palihan-art workshop took place to launch the Department of Tourism’s “Love the Philippines” campaign. Attendees were invited to contribute to a mural titled “Paint the Wall by Numbers.” Designed by Daphne S. Sarion who is the embassy’s consular assistant and attaché, the mural depicted “bayanihan:” the Filipino value of communal unity and togetherness. The mural symbolizes “inclusivity:” a reminder of the Filipino spirit that encourages collaboration and togetherness. Participants had the opportunity to fill in the final sections of the mural as they made it a truly communitydriven effort. The collaborative work became the centerpiece of the newly established Philippine Embassy corner at Zghairon Cafe. Palaro, or the Valentine’s themed parlor games, were also high points
of the event as attendees, mostly Jordanian youth, participated in fun and interactive games.
The most anticipated part of the event was the Palabas: a series of live performances that showcased Filipino musical and dance talent. More than 15 acts took the stage and entertained the crowd, including those by acoustic group Bliss from the Philippine Chaplaincy Choir, 16-year-old solo artist Christian Lopez Dacanay from the Friends of Poveda, Arab solo artist Shereen Musabeh and Elma Bigayen who was a local singing contest winner. Dance performances from various Filipino organizations in Jordan, namely the Filipino Organization, Pinoy Adventurers Family, United Filipino Organization, Federation of Filipino Association in Amman with the JCO dancers, as well as the Pinoy Bikers and Runners in Amman, Jordan took place.
Conceptualized and organized by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Sheila Marie G. Andales with Cultural Officer Rachel Joy A. Pamorada from the Philippine Embassy, the “Pasinaya…” provided a platform for the Filipino community in Jordan to showcase remarkable talents and a venue for Filipino-Jordanians to reconnect with their roots. For the deputation, it was a day that not only celebrated Filipino artistry, but also fostered stronger bonds between the Filipino and Jordanian communities.
Through this first-ever event, the Philippines once again proved its ability to connect with people from all walks of life as it showcased the warmth, artistry and resilience of the Filipino spirit in the heart of Jordan, according to the embassy.
The road to prosperity
By Radosław Sikorski Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland
BROWSING through social media, I recently came across a map showing all the countries with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita higher than Poland’s back in 1990 and in 2018. The difference was striking.
Some 35 years ago, there were quite a few such countries not only in Europe, but also in South America, Asia and Africa. In time, their number has significantly decreased. In 2018, there were no longer any South American or African states highlighted on the map. By 2025, the group has shrunk even further. According to the International Monetary Fund’s data, Poland’s GDP in 1990 was a mere $6,690 in current dollars. By 2024, it grew almost eight-fold to $51,630. All that in just three decades. One generation. And it goes on. According to the European Commission’s forecast, in 2024 and 2025, Polish economy will be the fastest-growing large economy in the European Union.
How did it happen? Apart from the hard work of our citizens, two major factors—or, to be more precise, two institutions—contributed to the economic success: the North American Treaty Organization or NATO, and the European Union.
The first, which Poland joined in 1999, provided security guarantees and helped overcome decades-old division between Eastern and Western Europe. The second, which we joined five years later, took the process of easing long-standing disparities one step further. It granted new memberstates access to so-called “cohesion funds;” but most importantly, to the common European market.
Sources of success
AFTER the fall of communism in Poland in 1989 and the return of messy democratic politics, despite all day-to-day political squabbles, one thing remained constant no matter who was in power: Poland’s determination to join the two aforementioned organizations. Why?
We are a great nation, but a medium-size country. We cherish our long history (this year marks a millennium since the coronation of our first king), but our population is much smaller than that of Beijing and Shanghai combined. Poland needs allies to boost its potential on the international stage.
What’s been true for Poland: In 1990, a poor country coming out of four decades of Russian domination and economic mismanagement might well be true for many of the so-called “middle powers” in Asia, Africa and South America looking for room to grow. These countries often need what Poland desperately needed 35 years ago, and still profits from: good governance,
foreign investments with no strings attached; but above all political stability, rule of law, and predictable international environment with neighbors eager not to wage wars, but work together for mutual benefit. In fact, these factors can benefit every country, no matter their GDP level.
Today the international order is being challenged on multiple fronts—sometimes, for good reasons. Decades-old institutions, including the United Nations and its Security Council, are unrepresentative of the global community and incapable of dealing with the challenges we face. What they need, however, is to be thoroughly reformed, and not entirely rejected.
Imperialist illusions TO those desperate, change might look appealing. It would be a mistake. Abandoning forums for global dialogue and resorting to violence will not get us far. Take Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. According to Kremlin’s propaganda, it is a justified reaction to Western imperialism allegedly threatening Russia’s security. In fact, it is a modern-day colonial war against Ukrainian people who—just like us Poles 30 years ago—want a better life and realize they can never achieve this goal by going back to subjugation to Russia. That is what they are being punished for: an effort to free themselves from the control of a former metropolis. The Kremlin’s aggression is a desperate struggle of a failing empire to restore its sphere of influence. Russian victory—may it never come— would not create a more just global order. It wouldn’t benefit countries dissatisfied with where things stand now. It wouldn’t even bring about a more just and prosperous Russia. Suffice to say, there are now more political prisoners in Russia than there were in the 1980s when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. There are many more casualties as well. War is hardly ever a shortcut to prosperity. Over the last millennium, Poland has experienced its share of invasions and uprisings against occupying forces. What finally brought us prosperity were three decades of peace, predictability, international cooperation and political stability. That is why on assuming the presidency of the Council of the European Union, Poland made its priority clear: security in its many dimensions: from military, through economic, to digital. A Europe that is safe, prosperous and open for business can benefit not only Europeans, but a greater global community. Just as it benefited Poland over the last three decades. It may sound dull but it worked. Just look at the numbers.
Norway convenes local importers, exporters to streamline fish trade
THE Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) and related Philippine government agencies recently hosted the first-ever “Seafood Roundtable.” The roundtable was attended by more than 70 different seafood importers and exporters in the Philippines, together with national agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry, Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to set the tone for facilitating seafood trade in the country. It also aimed at accelerating the utilization of the current free trade agreement between the Philippines and Norway under the European Free Trade Association’s Free Trade Agreement (EFTA-FTA). NSC’s director for Southeast Asia Åshild Nakken mentioned that there is high potential for seafood trade in the Philippine market that she calls it a “hidden gem” for seafood trade among its Asean peers.
largest seafood exporters around the world, where salmon is slowly and sustainably grown for under worldclass standards.
According to Nakken, Norwegian seafood exports to the region had a total value at 172,000 tons at $834 million in 2024. This, she said, was a significant 112.5-percent increase in value from 2020 to 2024, with yearly average growth of 21 percent in Asean. The NSC official likewise highlighted that Norway is one of the world’s
Amb. Christian Lyster shared that Philippine exports to EFTA reached €350 million in 2022 alone, while imports peaked at €433 million. However, he said the FTA has yet to fully realize its full potential to maximize the benefit of this agreement.
The ambassador also pointed out that a significant portion of trade to the Philippines is composed of seafood exports like salmon, as “[the Norwegian kind] has now even found its way into traditional Filipino dishes like sinigang.”
SIKORSKI
MADAL Siwol group with Philippine Embassy in Jordan officials MARIELLA S. MASIGLAT-BALLA
AMB. Kazuya Endo MIKE POLICARPIO
Kärcher, Intramuros Administration team up to clean historic Fort Santiago
KÄRCHER, a worldfamous German brand for cleaning technology, has partnered with the Intramuros Administration (IA) to launch a significant restorative cleaning initiative at Fort Santiago.
The project focused on cleaning parts of the reconstructed main gate and the wall façades of Baluartillo de San Miguel and Medio Baluarte de San Francisco in a restorative manner. It is part of Kärcher’s 90th anniversary challenge of undertaking 90 cleaning projects in public places, streets, communities, and historic structures around the world in 2025.
“As we celebrate our long-standing passion for technical solutions that make a difference, Kärcher proudly recommits to preserving cultural heritage across the globe. Having the esteemed Intramuros Administration as our partner is instrumental to this initiative’s success, enabling us to honor the memory of war victims and celebrate Filipinos’ heroic sacrifices,” said Darwin Banez, General Manager of Kärcher Philippines.
Fort Santiago is a concrete symbol of Filipinos’ national identity, a reflection of allegiance to its forefathers’ pursuit of freedom. The IA embarked on this restorative cleaning project in its mission to protect and conserve the significance of Intramuros for generations to come.
The IA deployed key personnel to help in the restorative cleaning project, who were trained by Kärcher experts in the proper, safe, and efficient use of cleaning equipment. Kärcher utilized advanced technologies to address the environmental issues confronting the
Park
fortress, including organic growth.
The solution involves the use of hot water high-pressure cleaners in steam mode using pressure of only 0.5-1 bar across the surface of the structure at 95°C temperature. In addition, the heat of the steam is the most important factor in the cleaning process as it also kills the seeds of the biological growth that are settling in the pores of the stone.
Constructed in 1571 under Spanish navigator Miguel López de Legazpi, Fort Santiago served as a critical defense fortress within the historic walled city of Manila. Today, it stands as a national monument, providing local and foreign visitors with insights into the rich history and cultural heritage of the Philippines. Fort Santiago is only one of the sites under the management of IA. The latter is responsible for the orderly restoration and development of Intramuros as a monument to the Hispanic period of Philippine history. An attached agency of the Department of Tourism, the IA provides cultural property conservation and development, commercial property
leasing, tourism promotions, and regulatory programs.
Founded on January 2, 1935 by Alfred Kärcher as a tinkerer’s workshop for heating technology in Stuttgart, Germany, the family business has developed over the decades into a world-famous brand for cleaning technology. His wife Irene took over after his early death and drove internationalization forward, building a legacy that is synonymous with quality, innovation, and sustainability.
Kärcher has also been committed to the preservation of historical monuments and buildings, showcasing its expertise through over 200 restorative cleaning projects worldwide. Its dedication to cultural heritage is reflected in its meticulous approach and innovative cleaning technologies, ensuring that each project respects historical significance.
Philippine sites that previously benefited from restorative cleaning services include St. Andrew’s Cathedral, San Sebastian Basilica, Plaza Miranda, San Agustin Church, People Power Monument, and Rizal Monument.
GRACING the event are, from left, Daphne Oseña-Paez, who served as Event Host; Dr. David Klebs, Economics Counsellor - Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany; Daina Bartuseviciute, Director of Marketing & Product Management ASEAN, South Korea, Taiwan and Bangladesh at Kärcher Southeast Asia Ltd.; Atty. Joan M. Padilla, Administrator of the Intramuros Administration; Gerd Heidrich, Kärcher cleaning expert; and Darwin Banez, General Manager of Kärcher Philippines.
Inn by Radisson North EDSA
Announces
First Hire from Basic Housekeeping Skills Training for PDLs
SM Hotels & Conventions Corporation’s (SMHCC) regarded hotel property in the North takes pride and joy in welcoming Marissa Basa, its first hire from the program, as a Housekeeping Attendant under Multi-Access Cooperative. Through a groundbreaking collaboration, Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA, with the full support of Radisson Hotel Group and its owning company, SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC), aims to create lasting, positive change by giving PDLs the tools to build better futures for themselves and their families.
Last February 13, 2025, the hotel officially celebrated this momentous occasion led by no less than Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, together with the rest of the Quezon City Government, Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA and SMHCC
Executives, Multi-Access Cooperative, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
In October 2024, with its commitment to responsible business, Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA officially launched a long-term initiative to provide Basic Housekeeping Skills Training for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) at the Quezon City Jail Female Dormitory. This program aligns with Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte’s No Woman Left Behind initiative, which aims to empower women and equip them with the skills needed to rebuild their lives.
In partnership with the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, which provided the global Housekeeping Curriculum, Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA ensures that the training adheres to international hospitality standards. To
support hands-on learning, a Park Inn Standard Room was constructed within the Quezon City Jail Female Dormitory, allowing trainees to practice and apply their skills in a real-life setting. The Quezon City Skills and Livelihood Foundation, through a TESDA-certified trainer, conducts the training. One of the program’s participants regained her freedom and, in February 2025, was provided an employment opportunity at Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA through Multi-Access Cooperative. This initiative is a testament to the power of collaboration and the impact of providing opportunities for rehabilitation and empowerment. Through continued efforts, Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA and its partners remain committed to making a meaningful difference through the newly-found competence of these women.
Baliuag University Honors Service, Excellence with Buklod, Lakan at Lakambini
are recognized for their loyal service and dedication over the past 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 50 years.
Bis the prestigious University Service Awards that recognizes
dedicated employees for their
of
and service. During the ceremony, honorees are celebrated for reaching significant milestones—5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and even 50 years of service. The event unfolds in a warm and uplifting atmosphere, where each awardee is acknowledged for their enduring commitment to BU. Their inspiring stories of perseverance and hard work serve as a reminder of how the university’s success is built upon the passion and dedication of its staff. The Buklod awards not only
highlight individual accomplishments but also reinforce the strong sense of community and family that defines Baliuag University.
In another exciting event of the centennial celebration, Lakan at Lakambini captivated the audience as a beauty pageant featuring contestants from the various colleges and the senior high school. More than a contest of beauty, this event is a platform for showcasing intelligence, cultural heritage, and leadership. The participants impress with their eloquence, grace, and dedication to community service, embodying the dynamic spirit and values of BU. Together, “Buklod” and “Lakan at Lakambini” represent the heart and soul of Baliuag University. As the centennial celebrations continue, these events honor the legacy of the past while inspiring a future filled with promise, excellence, and unwavering commitment to service and community.
Learn drawing techniques @ Sunshine Place
SUNSHINE Place launches a seven-session workshop on Fundamentals of Drawing in collaboration with Filipino contemporary artist Jucar Raquepo starting March1 until April 12, 2025.
The workshop, which is open to 12 years old and older, will be conducted every Saturday from 10 am to 12 noon. The workshop is beginner-friendly and introduces fundamental techniques through several structured and guided exercises.
Through these exercises, participants will develop a keen sense of observation, improving their ability to capture shapes and forms with precision.
As the sessions progress, students will focus on drawing individual facial features—lips, eyes, nose, and ears—before assembling them into a complete head. Step by step, they will build their understanding of structure, perspective, and proportion, leading to more lifelike and expressive portraits. By the end of the course, participants will have a strong grasp of the fundamentals, setting a solid foundation for more advanced portrait drawing techniques.
Raquepo has worked across different artistic disciplines such as painting, installation, assemblage, and video art over the last 20 years. His paintings have been defined by pictorial experimentation, with imagery that references and even questions art, composition, art history, popular culture, politics, society, contemporary art, the spiritual, history, and time.
He has conducted art workshops as part of his residency program participation in Incheon, South Korea, and in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. He has participated in group exhibitions in Manila, Canada, Berlin, Hamburg, New York, Seoul, Incheon, and Hong
Kong and has mounted several solo shows in Manila. He was granted the Casa San Miguel residency, National Museum of Contemporary Art Korea’s Changdong artist residency program, The Gate Project residency of Incheon Arts Foundation, and the Artshealth North residency under Ontario Arts Council and was recipient of grants from the NCCA. Raquepo holds the distinction of being the lone Philippine representative to the 14th GIAF international art festival in Korea in 2017. To know more and to enroll, please contact Sunshine Place: T. (632) 856-4144 / 856-4162; M. (0917) 515-5656; or email: hello@sunshineplaceph.com Follow Sunshine Place online: Website: http://www.sunshineplaceph.com/; FB: @ SunshinePlace56Jupiter; IG: @sunshineplaceph; Youtube: Sunshine Place: Senior Recreation Center; and Hashtags: #sunshineplacephonline
TRUE to its #alagangBU trademark, members of the BU workforce community
Red dye No. 3 has been banned, but what about other artificial food dyes?
THE US Food and Drug Administration banned the dye known as Red 3 from the nation’s food supply in January, setting deadlines for stripping the brightly hued additive from candies and cough syrup, baked goods and frozen treats.
The agency said it was taking the action because studies found that the dye, also known as erythrosine, caused cancer in lab rats. A federal statute requires FDA to ban any additive found to cause cancer in animals, though officials stressed that the way Red 3 leads to cancer in rats doesn’t happen in people. But the dye is only one of several synthetic colors widely found in common foods and other products.
As their use is questioned by experts and consumers, here’s what you need to know:
n WHAT ARE ARTIFICIAL COLORS? Synthetic dyes are petroleum-based chemicals that don’t occur in nature. They’re widely used in foods to “enhance the visual appeal” of products, according to Sensient Food Colors, a St. Louisbased supplier of food colors and flavorings. Nine dyes, including Red 3, have been allowed in US food. The other common color additives in food are Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. Two permitted colors are used more rarely: Citrus Red 2 and Orange B.
The FDA certifies synthetic color additives and regulates their use. With the FDA’s recent order on Red 3, manufacturers have until January 2027 to remove the dye from their products. Makers of ingested drugs like cough syrups have until January 2028.
n WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT THESE DYES AND WHY? Consumer advocates, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, had long lobbied to ban Red 3 from food because of the rat-cancer link. The dye was prohibited for decades in cosmetics, but not in food or ingested medications. Other research has tied artificial colors to behavioral problems in some children, including hyperactivity and impulsivity, particularly for those at risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
“Artificial colors are not the main cause of ADHD, but they may contribute significantly to some cases,” said Dr. L. Eugene Arnold, an emeritus psychiatry professor at Ohio State University who studied dyes and their effect on behavior and now advises CHADD, a support group for people with ADHD.
n WILL OTHER COLORS BE BANNED? Momentum is building for the removal of synthetic dyes in foods.
Last year, California became the first state to ban six artificial food dyes from food served in public schools. More than a dozen state legislatures may take up bills this year that would ban synthetic dyes in foods, either for school lunches or in any setting. In October, protesters demanded that WK Kellogg Co. remove artificial dyes from cereals such as Apple Jacks and Froot Loops.
n WHAT ABOUT NATURAL COLORS? It is possible to add color to foods with natural ingredients. Some manufacturers have already reformulated products to remove Red 3. In its place they use beet juice; carmine, a dye made from insects; or pigments from foods such as purple sweet potato, radish and red cabbage.
But it’s tricky, said Meghan Skidmore, a Sensient spokesperson. Natural dyes may be less stable than synthetic dyes and may be affected by factors including heat and acid levels. “It’s not impossible to replace, but there’s not a single solution,” she said.
n HOW CAN YOU AVOID SYNTHETIC DYES? Because the dyes are so widely used, it can be difficult to find foods that don’t contain color additives. The best to way to avoid the dyes is to read ingredient labels, said Arnold.
“If the list is so long that you don’t want bother reading it and it probably has things in it you can’t pronounce, don’t buy it,” he said. AP
First quarter 5-point parenting check-in
AS February comes to a close, parents may find themselves wondering where the first two months of the year have gone. The start of a new year often brings resolutions, renewed energy, and a fresh sense of purpose, but time moves quickly, and it is easy to get caught up in daily routines.
This is a good moment for parents to pause, reflect, and assess how their parenting journey has unfolded so far in 2025. Have you stayed true to your goals? Have there been unexpected challenges? What small wins can you celebrate?
By taking a step back and evaluating the past two months, parents can adjust their approaches and set a more intentional course for the months ahead.
Moreover, there is a big need to remind ourselves to “Breathe deep!” and “Exhale out!” both literally and figuratively. Below are my suggested five-point check ins:
n Assessing Family Resolutions. Many families start the year with resolutions, whether it’s spending more quality time together, instilling better habits in children, or improving communication. However, resolutions can easily fade as the demands of work, school, and daily life pile up. Now is a great time for parents to assess their progress.
Ask yourself: Have we been consistent in our family goals? If not, what got in the way? Perhaps
schedules became too packed, or old habits crept back in. Instead of feeling discouraged, use this reflection as an opportunity to recalibrate.
Maybe it’s time to simplify goals—less about grand resolutions and more about small, achievable habits that create meaningful change.
For example, if the goal was to have more family meals together but conflicting schedules have made it difficult, consider alternative bonding moments. We now make it a point to have a past-game meal with Marcus. It gives him a chance to wind down with him sharing his joys and frustrations. Parenting is about adaptability, and it’s okay to adjust from our original plans.
n Revisiting School and Learning Goals. For many children in the Philippines, the school year is either nearing its final month or on its last two quarters of the year. February is an ideal time for parents to check in on their children’s academic progress and overall school experience. Are they struggling with certain subjects? Are they feeling motivated or overwhelmed? How are their friendships and social interactions?
A mid-year academic check-in doesn’t have to be formal. Simple conversations over dinner or during a weekend outing can reveal a lot about a child’s current mindset. If a child is facing difficulties, parents can explore ways to support them—whether through tutoring, adjusting study routines, or simply offering emotional encouragement. It’s also a chance to recognize achievements, no matter how small.
A child improving in math, showing resilience in group projects, or managing time better is all worth celebrating.
n Emotional Well-being Check. The start of a new year can be exciting, but it can also bring anxiety and emotional adjustments for children. How has your child been feeling lately? Have they been more withdrawn or unusually stressed? Have they expressed excitement, frustration, or worries about
school or friendships? Emotional check-ins don’t always require structured discussions; they can be woven into everyday interactions.
One way to create an open space for emotionl sharing is through art and play. Emotions are far more diverse now. Identifying emotions is the first step so our children can learn to manage what they are feeling. Toys like Learning Resources My Feelings Pineapple and Open the Joy toys are great after-school activities with our chldren. Setting up a calming zone with socio-emotional learning toys, art materials, blocks and puzzles for free play is now being set up in some schools in the US. A child who is constantly juggling school, extracurricular activities, and other obligations may need moments of rest and play to recharge emotionally.
n Looking Ahead to Summer. As March approaches, summer is just around the corner, and many parents are already thinking about how to make the most of the break. Planning ahead can help ensure that summer is both enriching and enjoyable for children. What kind of summer would benefit your child the most? For some, it might be a time to relax and unwind. For others, it could be an opportunity to learn new skills, such as music, sports, or coding. Some families may even consider educational trips or community activities to broaden their children’s experiences.
n A Time for Reflection and Growth. February is often seen as a transitional month—a bridge between the excitement of January’s fresh start and the busy months ahead. By taking this time to reflect, parents can acknowledge what has been working, make necessary adjustments, and set new intentions for the rest of the year.
As you close this month, take a deep breath and appreciate the parenting efforts you’ve made so far. Whether it’s being more present, guiding your child through academic challenges, or simply offering them a listening ear, every small step counts. n
The ‘ruff’ stuff: What to do when your dog or cat bites or scratches your child
IF you own a dog or a cat, you’re most likely reaping the benefits of having a pet in your family. Fur babies have been credited for improving people’s mental health—they’re happier, more relaxed, and less lonely in the company of their kittycats and pooches. The perks of having a pet extend to your children, too. Growing up with a dog or a cat at home develops your little one’s sense of compassion, patience, and unconditional love. Assign them the task of feeding the pet or cleaning up after it, and you teach them how to be responsible for a living thing at an early age. And yet, even as you treat them as a member of your family, your beloved dog or cat is still an animal, prone to certain moods and behavior. Forcing pets to do something they don’t want to do or even patting them innocently on the head when they’re asleep, eating, or cranky may elicit scratches or bites— accidents parents shouldn’t take lightly, even when their pets are vaccinated.
“When your child is bitten or scratched by a pet, time is of the essence,” says Amado A. Flores III, MD of the Emergency Department of top hospital Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed, www.makatimed.net.ph).
“Wash the wound with soap and clean running water for 10-15 minutes, apply an antiseptic on the wound, cover it with a sterile bandage. Bring your child to the ER immediately if the wound is swollen, doesn’t stop bleeding, and is so severe that it shows bones, muscles, and tendons. Otherwise, make sure you’re at the hospital no more than eight hours after the bite. The longer you wait, the more you put your child at risk for infection and possible complications.”
At the hospital, be prepared to answer questions about the animal that scratched or bit your child.
“Has the pet had its rabies shots, or is its vaccination status unknown? Was it behaving strangely?” enumerates Flores. “Ideally, you’ll have to quarantine the animal to observe it for 10 days. Whether the dog or cat becomes ill or not, we strongly recommend a series of antirabies shots on your child.”
Post-exposure shots consist of four rabies vaccine doses given on days 0, 3, 7, and 14 (plus a fifth dose on
Day 28 if the patient is immunocompromised), and a single dose of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG). The HRIG is administered as soon as possible after exposure to provide immediate, passive immunity, while the vaccine stimulates the body to produce its own antibodies that protect against the rabies virus. For subsequent exposures, those who have been previously vaccinated do not need HRIG and would typically receive two booster doses of the rabies vaccine, one on Day 0 and one on Day 3.
A critical issue in the Philippines, rabies cases
numbered 354 from January to September 2024, a 23-percent jump from the previous year, according to the Department of Health.
“Rabies is a fatal disease. But it’s also very preventable,” shares Flores. “Keep your pets’ vaccinations up to date, and teach your kids to respect dogs and cats, and all kinds of animals. Don’t bother them when they’re eating or sleeping, don’t run away or toward an unfamiliar dog or cat, never reach for a dog or cat from a gate or fence, and keep your child away from an animal once it starts to show signs of aggression.”
A pet with complete shots doesn’t necessarily mean your child is in the clear.
“Dog and cat bites and scratches can transmit bacteria to the wound,” warns Flores. “Capnocytophaga and Pasteurella multocida from dog bites can lead to fever, diarrhea, swollen joints, and blisters or pus on the wound. The same symptoms have also been observed in Pasteurella multocida Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacteriosis—bacteria found in the saliva of cats. Treatment for such conditions include antibiotics or a tetanus shot.”
A child who grows up with pets will surely have countless memories (and pictures!) of bonding with a furry, four-legged family member.
“When you spend time in close contact with dogs or cats, scratches and bites are both avoidable and inevitable,” says Flores. “Be steps ahead: Have your pets vaccinated regularly, remind your children to be gentle with a dog or cat, and act quickly in the event of a scratch or bite.”
Closing 66 gives Bruce first pro title
SAM BRUCE fired a tournament-best six-under 66 in the final round to rule the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Pradera Verde Championship on Wednesday in Lubao, Pampanga.
The 24-year-old Seattle University product came up with birdies on two of the last three holes at the wind-swept Pinatubo course for a 210 total to bag her first professional title.
The Ladies Philippine Golf Tour victory was a defining moment for Bruce, who honed her skills on the European Tour last year. Having never won a professional event before, she proved her championship mettle by overcoming a rollercoaster battle in the final stretch.
With the wind dictating play and the lead shifting hands, Bruce rose to the occasion with clutch putts on Nos. 16 and 17 that cemented her two-shot triumph on a 210 total over 54 holes.
“This win really means a lot,” said Bruce, reflecting on her breakthrough. “I’ve come close before, but to finally get this first win—especially at home—feels incredible.”
Bruce, who majored in Mathematics, turned professional in 2023 and set her sights on the Epson Tour this season. Her dominant showing at Pradera Verde
ANGELO QUE weathered a series of errors, including a late stumble, to salvage a second straight 71 and stay atop the leaderboard after the third round of the Pradera Verde Championship on Wednesday in Lubao, Pampanga.
The wind-swept Pinatubo course continued to punish contenders, particularly in the closing holes, Carl Corpus also firing a 71 for solo second place.
Que built momentum with a fourbirdie surge over five holes from No. 6, offsetting an early bogey. He navigated the treacherous water-guarded par-3 11th with a double bogey but responded with a run of pars and a birdie on the 16th. However, a bogey on the 17th slightly marred his finish, as he settled for another one-under card and a 54-
By Josef T. Ramos
INTER Olympics medalists
WAlex and Maia Shibutani of the US believe Filipino ice dancers have what it takes to make it to the big stage, noting how the Philippines managed to clinch a curling gold medal in the Asian Winter Games.
“There’s so many challenges. But as long as you trust yourself, anything is possible and doable in the long journey,” Maia said.
signals the emergence of a potential star, one whose game continues to evolve with every tournament.
After posting steady rounds of 72-72, Bruce saved her best for last, going bogey-free on the front nine with four birdies before adding a fifth on No. 10 to grab the lead. Though she stumbled with a lone bogey on No. 13, her composure never wavered.
With the title hanging in the balance, she delivered a dazzling finish, sinking long birdie putts on Nos. 16 and 17 while her closest rivals, Daniella Uy and Seoyun Kim, fell just short despite strong performances of their own.
Bruce’s final tally of six-under total edged out Uy and Kim, who tied for second at 212 after rounds of 70 and 69, respectively.
“I really felt in control of my putting today,” said Bruce. “Those long putts in the final holes made all the difference.”
Her ability to handle pressure and execute in critical moments underscores her potential for greater achievements.
“This win gives me even more motivation,” she added.
Sarah Ababa delivered a flawless, bogey-free 68 to seize fourth place at 217, while Chanelle Avaricio staged a strong comeback with a 70, catching up to Tiffany Lee, who struggled with a 77, for a share of fifth at 219.
Sports BusinessMirror
B8 Thursday, FeBruary 27, 2025 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao
Lee, tied with Uy at the top after 36 holes, faltered early with a double bogey and two bogeys in her first eight holes. She regained her rhythm with three birdies over the next eight holes, only to stumble at the finish, closing with a bogey and a disastrous triple-bogey after finding the water twice.
It was a tough blow for the 16-yearold rising star, who stunned the pro field as an amateur by winning the Lakewood Championship and clinching her first pro title at Splendido Taal.
Mafy Singson posted a 74 to finish seventh at 220, while Martina Miñoza settled for eighth at 223 after a 73. Mikha Fortuna followed with a 224 after back-to-back rounds of 76.
Meanwhile, Princess Superal, Chihiro Ikeda, and Florence Bisera all shot 74s, tying for 10th at 225.
But the day ultimately belonged to Bruce, who also attributed her breakthrough victory to the strength of her long game and wedge shots, delivering the kind of composed, clutch performance that defines champions.
“I made sure to position myself
well on the fairways—not necessarily attacking every drive, but focusing on giving myself as many birdie opportunities as possible,” she said. Beyond her putting, she highlighted the key role of her approach shots. “My wedges really set me up for a lot of birdie chances,” she added. The win was especially meaningful for Bruce, who reflected on the challenges of her journey as a professional, saying: “It feels really good. I’ve been a pro for a year and a half now, and sometimes you can play really well, but others can play even better, and you don’t win.”
“But today, everything just clicked. I was able to play my best, and it’s an incredible feeling to finally clinch the victory,” she added.
With her maiden victory now in the books, Bruce has firmly established herself as one to watch in the professional ranks. As she sets her sights on bigger stages, her blend of skill, mental fortitude and relentless drive suggests this is only the beginning of a promising career.
hole total of six-under 210. Corpus, second in the Philippine Golf Tour qualifying last week, has a 213 total. He came within one stroke of Que after 13 holes, riding a threeunder surge, but his charge faltered with bogeys in two of the last five holes as the punishing layout and demanding pin placements made it difficult to capitalize, keeping Corpus from further closing the gap.
With a six-shot gap separating the leaders from the rest of the field, the final round shapes up as a virtual match-play duel for the top P450,000 prize in the P2.5 million season opener of the Philippine Golf Tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services Inc. and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
The Shibutani siblings, bronze medalists in the ice dance event of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, held a figure ice skating clinic for kids with two-time Olympian Michael Martinez of the Philippines and Skye Chua at the Mall of Asia ice rink. The event was organized by the US Embassy and the Philippine Skating Union (PSU).
“Their work ethic and confidence are great,” Maia said of the kids. Maia told BusinessMirror that
Que, a seasoned campaigner with multiple wins, including three on the Asian Tour, remains unfazed.
“I just need to shoot another underpar round. There are only two of us under par, so I just have to match his score,” said Que, aware that steady play will be key in securing victory.
Despite making more mistakes on Wednesday, including a double bogey on the 11th after hitting the water, Que remained composed.
“This course is really tough, so shooting under-par is always the goal,” he added.
Corpus, meanwhile, relishes the opportunity to test himself against Que in a high-stakes battle.
“No expectations tomorrow [Thursday]. I will just fully commit to all
the gold medal won by the Philippine men’s curling team in Harbin, China serves as an inspiration to other athletes in winter sports.
“It’s really incredible and we enjoy that historic achievement especially because it’s your first winter games gold medal not only for your country but also for Southeast Asia. I hope it inspires the next generation of curlers and other winter sports athletes,” Alex said.
The Filipino curling team delivered the Philippines’ first gold medal drought
Unranked Higa, No. 1 Dagoon share honors
UNRANKED Jonathan Higa defied the odds, toppling two seeded rivals, including No. 1 Ariel Cabaral, to claim the premier boys’ division title in the Dr. Pablo Olivarez National Junior Tennis Championships in Parañaque on Monday.
Top seed Cadee Dagoon ruled the girls’ 16-and-under class to share MVP honors.
Higa, representing Taguig City, signaled his title intentions early with a commanding 6-0, 6-0 win over Jayson de Paz. He then stunned No. 4 Antonio Ng Jr., 6-1, 6-2, before overcoming a tough challenge from Lucas Go, rallying for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory to enter the semifinals at the Olivarez Sports Center. There, he ousted fifth seed Al Tristan Licayan, 6-3, 7-5, to earn a shot at his first Palawan Pawnshop junior series crown.
Cabaral, the top seed from Bais City, powered through the upper half of the 32-player draw with straight-set wins, including a 1-0 (ret.) semifinal victory over France Dilao. However, he faltered against Higa’s resilience and power, retiring at 4-2 in the second set after dropping the first, 5-7.
Dagoon, meanwhile, dominated her bracket but faced a stiff challenge in the girls’ 16-and-U finals, edging Isabel Ataiza, 6-0, 7-6(4).
The rising Olongapo City star later fell short in the 18-and-U championship, bowing to unseeded Sabine See, 1-6, 6-4, 3-6, also held at the Parañaque courts. Despite this, Dagoon’s stellar performance earned her co-MVP honors with Higa as the Palawan
Pawnshop-sponsored circuit moves to Sultan Kudarat for its next Group 2 tournament in Isulan from March 6 to 10. Multi-titled men’s singles Open champion Eric Jed Olivarez Jr. graced the awards rites.
Lipa City’s Rafa Monte de Ramos ruled the boys’ 16-and-U division, while Nicolas Andal dominated the 14-and-U category. Jan Caleb Villeno from San Pablo City captured the boys’ 12-and-U title, and Makati’s Liam Harrow triumphed in the 10-and-U unisex event of the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop and part of the nationwide circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro. In the girls’ division, Ataiza, from Albay, clinched the 14-and-U crown, while Olongapo’s Athena Liwag secured the 12-and-U championship in the weeklong tournament sanctioned by Philta and supported by Universal Tennis Ranking and ICON Golf & Sports.
my shots and take it one shot at a time,” said the young pro, who matched Que’s birdie spree but faltered late. The Pradera Verde’s Pinatubo course, playing as a demanding par 37-35, proved unforgiving, especially in the closing stretch.
Q-School topnotcher
Jaehyun Jung launched a fierce rally with five birdies in his first seven holes, surging from seven strokes behind to within four. But a miscal culated shot on the 11th sent his ball into the water, leading to a disastrous triple-bogey six.
in the Asian winter games by stunning South Korea, 5-3, in the final. Among the Filipino figure skaters eager to make their mark are Harbin Games fourth placers Isabella Gamez and Aleksander Korovin, Sofia Frank, Paolo Borromeo and Cathryn Limketkai.
The Shibutanis also encouraged the Filipino winter athletes to go all out to secure a qualifying berth for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games next year in February.
and Danna Eme Barizo winding up third only four seconds behind.
ADAMSON University regained its winning form, routing University of the East, 25-20, 2515, 25-12, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Wednesday.
The Lady Falcons improved to 2-1, tying the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons for second in the eight-team standings.
National University leads with a 3-0 record.
It was a huge bounce-back win for Adamson, which suffered a straightset defeat to La Salle last Saturday. Shaina Nitura, Frances Mordi, Mayang Nuique, and Jen Villegas powered Adamson to a 19-9 start in the second frame. The Lady Falcons continued the domination in the third with a 15-4 burst on the way to victory in one hour and 18 minutes.
Nitura delivered 18 points on
Mark Arvin Armendez won the 88-km Men Junior road race in 2:05.40 two bikes length over Carl Ivan Alagano and three bikes further back Ruben de la Cruz. The road races resume on Thursday in the combined Women Elite and Under-23 and Men Under-23.
16 attacks, a block and an ace to go with 11 digs. Nigerian wing hitter Mordi added 11 points while Nuique, who was moved to the wing from middle blocker, contributed nine points. The Lady Falcons controlled all the scoring departments, winning the spiking (41-27), blocking (9-5), and service (5-1) departments while also having lesser errors compared to the Lady Warriors, 14-20. Adamson faces last year’s silver medalist University of Santo Tomas at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Van Bangayan and Khy Cepada continued to carry the offense with 11 and 10 points, respectively, but the Lady Warriors remained winless in three outings. Libero Angelica Reyes had 13 excellent digs and 11 excellent receptions.
JONATHAN HIGA shares the stage with Cadee Dagoon as they receive their trophies from Eric Jed Olivarez Jr.
JERMYN PRADO, Kim Bonilla and Angelica Mae Altamirano proudly display their gold medals. ROY DOMINGO SHAINA NITURA again shows the way for the Lady Falcons.
Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz
Frequent leg cramping? get checked For peripheral artery disease or pad
By Anne Ruth Dela Cruz
Forty-one-year old Homer Perey had to make a very difficult and life-changing decision last year. around august 2024, Perey decided to have his lower left limb amputated because he could no longer endure the pain that he had been experiencing for the past few months.
crimination.
According to Dr. e milita S. Lapuz, an Adult Cardiologist and Vascular Medicine Specialist at Perpetual Help Medical Center–Las Piñas (PHMC-LP), Homer has uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, a condition he was diagnosed with when he was 16 years old, and atherosclerosis. What made things more difficult for Homer was that he developed a callus in March or April on his foot. He cut out the bulging skin from the callus with a nail cutter. t he following day, he had the wound checked by Dr. Lapuz who immediately confined him because he had developed cellulitis. i was on leave for two weeks but the wound got better. i went back to work but the same wound got infected again because i was always walking and wearing shoes,” Homer related in an interview.
Unbearable pain tH e pain got so bad that he had to be readmitted to the hospital, this time at PHMC-LP. However,
the surgeon who was attending to Homer did not want to clean his wound because the doctor felt that it would not get any better. He discharged himself from the hospital and went back to work. it helped that his wife Katherina was a nurse and was able to help take care of him when she came home from work as a school nurse. t he pain, however, became unbearable and Homer decided that he wanted it to be amputated. However, Dr. Lapuz was against it, adding that Homer was still young and that he would suffer some form of dis -
“Dr. Lapuz ordered that i undergo an arterial duplex scan to check whether i could have a bypass instead. However, based on the duplex scan, all the antibiotics that i took were not effective anymore. t his helped me decide that it was best to amputate my left leg,” Homer related.
t he duplex scan also confirmed that Homer was already in the advanced stages of peripheral artery disease. According to Mayo Clinic, peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition where narrowed
AHMC CoMMenCes 2025 witH innovAtion, CelebrAtion, Milestones
After a successful kick-off ceremony for 2025 last January 13, 2025, Asian Hospital and Medical Center (AHMC) immediately got down to work and conducted several events that showcased innovation, celebration and milestones.
8th Clinical Innovation Summit Wit H the theme “ technologye nabled Medicine: Healthcare’s f uture Now,” AHMC conducted the 8th Clinical i nnovation Summit at the Acacia Hotel, Manila. Dr. Jose Acuin, the overall chair of the summit, delivered the opening remarks with AHMC President and C e O Dr. Beaver tamesis welcoming attendees to the yearly innovation summit. Health Secretary Dr. teodoro Herbosa delivered the k eynote address via video.
Present during the event were the AHMC Leadership team, newly appointed Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carmen Nievera, hospital partners, doctors, allied medical professionals and Asian Hospital employees. Close to 300 participants attended the whole day event.
Asian Hospital Professional Staff Association General Assembly, New Year’s Party tH e Asian Hospital Professional Staff Association (AHPSA) held its 2025 General Assembly and New Year’s Party last Janu
ary 28 at t he Palms Country Club with a “Broadway Musical” theme. “Here’s to a successful
ning and the ongoing pursuit of
arteries reduce blood flow to the arms or legs. i n PAD, the legs or arms, usually the legs, do not get enough blood flow to keep with the demand. t his may cause leg pain when walking, called claudication and other symptoms. PAD is usually a sign of a buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis.
Asymptomatic
tH e problem with PAD is that it is mostly asymptomatic. By the time the patient develops symptoms, especially if it is a non-healing
A total of 16 graduates took part in the commencement exercises and they came from i nternal Medicine, Pediatrics, General Surgery, Adult Critical Care Medicine, Advance Minimally i nvasive Surgery, Breast Surgery and Adult Cardiology.
t he message from the graduates was delivered by Dr. Lianne Sylianco who represented the graduates. Dr. Sylianco highlighted AHMC’s role in fostering, excellence, compassion and ethical practice in a collaborative environment.
“Asian Hospital has always pushed us towards excellence. to become experts in our field, to feel for. and to do the right thing by, our patients. t hey have nurtured this mindset in a humane and collaborative working environment,” she said. Graduates are now poised to
wound, they are most likely in the late stage of the disease. t his means that complications have already set in,” Dr. Lapuz said. i n Homer’s case, his most striking risk factor is his complicated diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia, or high levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C or more commonly known as the bad cholesterol), We did not expect it to be this advanced because Homer is still young,” Dr. Lapuz explained.
Continued on C2
make a difference, inspire others and achieve new milestones in their respective fields. AHMC extended its heartfelt congratulations to the graduates of the 9th Commencement e xercises.
Asian Institute of Respirology 1st Post Graduate Course tH e Asian i nstitute of r espirology conducted its 1st Post Graduate Course last february 20 and 21, 2025. Close to 1,500 online and face to face attendees actively participated in the event and engaged in the discussions, networking opportunities and interactive sessions. topics that were tackled during the two-day event ranged from acute respiratory failure, ventilator-associated pneumonia, cough, lung nodules to COPD and lung cancer.
Heart Week 2025 Celebration A S i AN Hospital and Medical Center celebrated Heart Week 2025 with the theme “ transforming Lives for Better Cardiovascular Health.”
“ it’s really important that we constantly remind ourselves, our patients, and the community we serve that there are ways to prevent the progression of cardiovascular disease—so long as we focus on key factors such as blood pressure, smoking cessation, cholesterol levels and more. By doing so, we can effectively reduce the risk. And here at Asian Hospital, we offer all the necessary services to help achieve that goal,” said Dr. Beaver tamesis, AHMC President and Chief e xecutive Officer.
As part of the week-long celebration, AHMC conducted a community outreach/caravan at the f irst Philippines i ndustrial Park ( f Pi P) with a talk by Cardiologist Dr. Loudon Antonio last february 21, 2025. Ate r ose, Asian Hospital’s personified atherosclerosis mascot) was present as part of the awareness campaign.
Ate r ose also visited the Senior Wellness Club Monthly gathering together with cardiologist Dr. Janelle D. e nero last february 18, 2025.
D R Carmen Nievera opening the AHPSAI Party 2025 Dr Lianne Sylianco speaking on behalf of the graduates
AtE Rose acts as a blockage in the large vein display as she visits the exhibit during the Heart Week celebration at Asian Hospital.
D R Jose Acuin at the opening ceremony of the Clinical
K At HERINA and Homer Perey
Ev EN if his lower left limb has been amputated, Homer can still drive his automatic vehicle. Hom ER with one of his furbabies.
DOH launcHes Daily 4 pm clean-up Drive vs Dengue
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
When the clock strikes 4 pm, it’s clean-up time!
To prevent the spread of dengue, the Department of Health (DOH) recently launched the “Alas Kwatro, Kontra Mosquito Drive,” in partnership with the local health offices in the country. The program aims to prevent the spread of dengue and other diseases in the community through intensified search and destroy activities.
Every 4 pm, the community will conduct clean-up activities, including search and destroy possible mosquito breeding sites.
“Slowdown” in dengue cases T HE DOH, earlier, has observed a slowdown in the trend of dengue cases recorded over the past four weeks nationwide.
According to DOH, the number of cases from January 5 to 18, 2025, recorded to be 15,904, declined by 5 percent to 15,134 from January 19 to February 15, 2025.
“This welcome change may be due to heightened public awareness and collective action fol -
lowing the recent calls to action. In focus would be the more frequent clean-up drives to search and destroy stagnant water mosquito breeding sites and misting or fogging in hotspot areas with high mosquito vector load,” the DOH said.
The total number of dengue cases from January to February 15, 2025, well ahead of the usual wet or rainy season in June, is now at 43,732.
The number is 56 percent higher than the 27,995 cases recorded in the same period last year.
However, the case fatality ratio (CF r ) this year, at 0.38 percent, continues to be lower than the 0.42 percent observed last year.
Protective measures T HE DOH are urging parents
New partnership aims to curb diabetes, NCDs in
By Candy P. Dalizon Contributor
NOVO Nordisk Philippines, a global healthcare company, and the Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism (PCEDM) have entered into a partnership agreement to address the alarming increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which pose a significant threat to lives and place a substantial burden on the healthcare system. Specifically, they are collaborating to strengthen type 2 diabetes management through a holistic approach.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says NCDs, also known as chronic diseases, are “the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioral factors.” The main types of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and stroke, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. WHO likewise reports that cases of diabetes have alarmingly doubled to over 800 million cases globally in just 30 years. In the Philippines alone, a recent report disclosed that diabetes now ranks as the 5th leading cause of death, claiming the lives of over 15,000 Filipinos annually as of 2024. When managing NCDs, Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) and healthcare providers in Local Government Units (LGUs) are at the forefront. PCEDM President Dr. Aurora Macaballug said that as the primary point of contact for patients, PCPs must stay updated on the latest advancements in treatment and inform patients about accessible, innovative options that are
successfully used in other countries and are readily available in the Philippines.
PCEDM is a sub-specialty society under the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) and the Philippine Medical Association (PMA). It is the only accredited body for endocrinology training in the Philippines, with over 350 board-certified specialists leading in treating gland-related disorders like diabetes, thyroid conditions, and obesity.
“To effectively combat diseases, we must begin in our communities. It is essential to empower healthcare providers at the most basic level to address illnesses at the earliest point of care for every Filipino. This means equipping them with the best knowledge and innovations available,” said Dr. Macaballug.
One innovation is the availability of a diabetes drug class called Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 r As) drugs in the country. By mimicking natural hormones, these medications stimulate insulin re -
lease, reduce appetite, and aid weight loss, all of which are crucial for effective diabetes management. Although possessing considerable potential, these medications require greater education and awareness among both the public and healthcare providers to realize their full benefits.
To address this, Novo Nordisk Philippines and PCEDM will incorporate education on Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 r As) into PCEDM’s Continuing Medical Education (CME) initiative, EASE DIABETES. This program provides healthcare professionals with updates on the latest clinical practice guidelines and emerging treatment paradigms in type 2 diabetes care.
In collaboration with Cities for Better Health, a global public-private partnership committed to accelerating change in urban health across generations, PCEDM and Novo Nordisk Philippines will extend the EASE Diabetes program to PCPs of Quezon City and other LGUs in the country. Specialized training modules will be
Newly-appointed PHAP Board Members to advance access to innovative medicines, vaccines for Filipinos
The Pharmaceutical and h ealthcare Association of the Philippines (P h AP) is proud to introduce its newly appointed board members who will lead the organization into 2025, with a vision aimed at strengthening the nation’s health and economy. As part of its renewed focus, P h AP will work on expanding access to innovative medicines and vaccines, as well as drive the successful implementation of Universal h ealth Care (U h C) to improve health outcomes for all Filipinos. The newly appointed board members are set to play a pivotal role in the roll out of U h C as the organization works with the government in making life-saving medicines and vaccines accessible and avail -
and caregivers to take protective measures including dressing children in long-sleeved clothes and pants, applying mosquito repellents, using mosquito nets while sleeping, and avoiding mosquitoprone areas.
“WHO itself says mosquito control remains the main means for the control of dengue. Let’s unite from Batanes to Jolo, every four o’clock, against mosquitoes,” said Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa.
“Keep the inside and outside of the house dry. Do not allow mosquitoes to breed. Wear long sleeves and pants, use anti-mosquito lotion or spray. Consult early if you have symptoms - don’t worry about the cost, PhilHealth [Philippine Health Insurance Corp.] will cover it,” the health chief added.
the Philippines
provided to healthcare providers in Quezon City through this program, enhancing their ability to manage NCDs and diabetes and equipping them to address the specific needs of urban communities.
To enhance type 2 diabetes management, the program promotes stronger collaboration between primary care physicians (PCPs) and specialists, ensuring patients receive comprehensive, multidisciplinary care.
“Change starts with awareness and education. Our goal is to bring these medical advancements to the public and empower patients and healthcare providers, showing them that advanced medical options which can elevate quality of life are readily available in the Philippines,” said Wei Sun, General Manager of Novo Nordisk Philippines.
Education campaigns
N OVO Nordisk Philippines and PCEDM will launch educational campaigns to empower grassroots healthcare providers with equitable care knowledge. These initiatives will enhance the capacity of local healthcare providers to deliver early detection, proper management, and innovative treatment options, ensuring that patients can receive comprehensive care in their communities.
Ultimately, the partnership aims to elevate Filipino and healthcare provider awareness of innovative treatment solutions and their realworld applications. This will enhance patient outcomes, reduce disease burden, and contribute to a healthier, more informed Filipino society.
Frequent leg cramping? Get checked for Peripheral Artery Disease
Continued from C1
When she found out that Homer had decided to amputate his left limb, Dr. Lapuz was against it. She wanted to exhaust all possibilities before resorting to amputation.
“I actually tried to save the limb by doing vascular rehabilitation and I also tried to do a bypass. However, when he had his follow up check-up, it was too late. The infection had already progressed and it was already a matter of life and death,” Dr. Lapuz recalled.
“If the source of infection was not removed, the patient will die because he was already septic at that time. What the surgeon and I did was to lover the level of amputation instead of doing an above the knee amputation. We did a peripheral bypass which allowed us to perform the knee amputation,” she added.
Saving the limb
Dr . Lapuz stressed that she would do everything in her power to save the limb.
“Before making the cut, we have to know the perfusion of the whole leg and whether we can do an angioplasty. There is actually a high mortality rate of amputation in patients with critical limb ischemia,”
Dr. Lapuz added.
Prior to his surgery, Homer related that he could not walk for long distances because his legs would become very painful after a while, similar to having cramps. He would rest for a few minutes before he would walk again. It was while walking one time when he developed callus in his feet, which eventually led to the wound that he suffered.
According to Dr. Gilbert G. Florentino, a cardiologist at Asian Hospital and Medical Center, 70 percent of PAD cases happen in the lower extremities while the remaining 30 percent happen in the upper extremity. Hence, it is more prevalent in the legs where the symptoms worsen.
modification in your diet. Exercise can help but you have to consult with your doctor if you can exercise. I you have uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, exercising might cause more problems and may lead to sudden heart attack and stroke,” he said.
“To diagnose PAD, doctors will require patients to undergo the ankle brachial index that measures the pressure in the extremities. If the outcome is inconclusive or if further tests are needed, a duplex scan or ultrasound of the extremities will be ordered in order to measure the flow of the different arterial extremities,” Dr. Florentino said. He reminded patients that having PAD is the equivalent of having a stroke and heart attack.
“If your atherosclerosis is in the brain or the heart and causes a stroke or heart attack, it is most probably that you have some form of PAD as well. It is most of the time neglected because the symptoms are not common,” he said.
Atherosclerosis campaign T O drum up awareness about atherosclerosis, Asian Hospital and Medical Center launched the Atherosclerosis and Ate r ose Campaign last January designed to educate the community about the atherosclerosis prevention and treatment.
“The effort now is to reduce cholesterol to the lowest levels possible so that we can reverse the effects of atherosclerosis. It is also important to consult with your doctor on a regular basis so that we can monitor your blood works,” Dr. Florentino said. It is important to ACT NOW! A means Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) is a top killer in the Philippines. C stands for Cholesterol which is a key risk but can be managed. T means take action to lower it fast. NOW means the next heart attack or stroke cold be worse. Act now to stay protected.
Next step
F O r now, Homer has fully recovered from his surgery and is slowly getting used to going around on a wheelchair. He can still drive his automatic vehicle and maintains a positive outlook towards life.
P h AP’s new leadership is also determined to take bold steps to ensure that the health and well-being of the Filipino people are prioritized while continuing to significantly contribute to the economy and scientific development of the country in the years to come.
“An environment conducive to biopharmaceutical innovation will be crucial
able to Filipinos The newly appointed P h AP officers include Dr. Diana e dralin, MD, DPCOM – President (General Manager, Roche Philippines, Inc.); Andreas Riedel – Vice President (President & Managing Director, MSD in the Philippines); and Jannette Jakosalem – Treasurer (Market Managing Director, Zuellig Pharma Corporation). Joining them as trustees are Melissa e llen Belvis (General Manager, A. Menarini Philippines, Inc.); Lotis Ramin (President, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals); Martha Paiz h errera (General Manager and Managing Director, Merck, Inc); Wei Sun (Vice President & General Manager, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Inc.); Loreann Villanueva (Country Manager, Takeda h ealthcare); and Teodoro Padilla ( e xecutive Director, P h AP). “The goal for us at P h AP is clear: strengthen and expand our healthcare system to ensure that all Filipinos, including children, women, and the elderly, have timely and sustained access to the quality care and life-saving medicines and vaccines they deserve,” said Dr. e dralin.
in achieving health, social and economic progress. A vibrant biopharmaceutical industry creates benefits beyond health such as employment, scientific knowledge, investments and revenues for the country,” said Padilla. In addition to improving medicine and vaccine accessibility, the new leadership team will place a strong emphasis on ethics and integrity within the pharmaceutical industry. By reinforcing the P h AP Code of Practice, the organization seeks to create an environment where trust and ethical conduct are consistently upheld, ultimately benefiting the patients. Looking ahead, P h AP and its members remain committed to collaborating with key government agencies, the medical community and patient organizations to ensure that all Filipinos have access to new medicines and vaccines, strengthening the nation’s commitment and journey to Universal h ealth Care.
“PAD involves the narrowing the arteries through time. So these symptoms are leg cramps which people with PAD experience when walking. When they are at rest, they do not feel anything. But when they start moving, they need more blood flow and that is the time the symptoms are aggravated,” Dr. Florentino said.
“We really have a bad situation right now in our diet modification. Our population with diabetes, hypertension, dislipidemia is growing exponentially and these are all directly related to other diseases like diabetes, stroke, and heart attack. All of this are directly related. We also have to include smokers as smoking accelerates PAD,” he added.
Chronic inflammatory process
A S such, patients with PAD are more often than not hypertensive, diabetic and has atherosclerosis which “is a chronic inflammatory process where it builds up fatty cells.”
“This build-up can be prevented and having a healthy lifestyle is a top priority. You also need a significant
As Dr. Lapuz explained, Homer did experience discrimination because he could no longer go back to his old company. While he was offered a job, decided not to accept it because it would require him to be mobile.
“When I am well enough, I will go back to Dr. Lapuz for a check up and see if I can already be fitted for prosthetics,” he said, adding that he is still weighing his prospects for the future. This article is part of the Unblock Your Heart Health r eporting initiative, supported by the Philippine Press Institute and Novartis, to improve health literacy on cardiovascular diseases. Know your numbers,
Dr. Emilita S. Lapuz, an Adult Cardiologist and Vascular Medicine Specialist at Perpetual Help Medical Center - Las Pinas Dr. Gilbert G. Florentino, cardiologist at Asian Hospital and Medical Center
& Fitness
Caregivers also need to look after themselves–experts
EBy Candy P. Dalizon Contributor
xp E rts assert that, as caregivers, focusing on their own needs and desires is not a selfish act but an important part of the job, as self-care is essential for their well-being and effective caregiving.
During the “Caring for Carers” forum held recently at Healthway Cancer Care Hospital (HCCH), Dr. Maria Madeline Mallillin, head of the p sychosocial s upport in Oncology s ection, addressed the growing need for caregiver support. s he cited reports indicating caregivers experience a greater emotional and psychosocial burden, poorer health outcomes, and a lower health-related quality of life compared to non-caregivers of similar demographics. Dr. Mallillin was speaking about informal caregivers, those who are unpaid carers, such as family members.
In contrast to informal carers, formal caregivers are paid professionals who provide care services and have undergone formal healthcare training.
“Usually, the informal carers are female, right? Carers also appear to have poorer health outcomes because they don’t take care of themselves because they take care of other people,” said Dr. Mallillin.
Self-care practices
sHE emphasized the importance of self-care practices, particularly attending to their own healthcare needs.
“Learn and use stress reduction techniques like meditation, prayer, yoga, tai chi.
Always attend to your own health care needs.
p rogram your own maintenance medications and take them,” she pointed out.
It is also important to get proper rest and nutrition and to exercise regularly, even if only for 10 minutes at a time. take time off without feeling guilty. p articipate in pleasant and nurturing activities, not only physical activities, but also spiritually or emotionally or mentally nurturing. t hose kinds of activities,” said Dr. Mallillin.
It will also help to seek and accept the support of others. And when the carer needs it, “seek supportive counseling or talk to a trusted counselor, friend, or pastor.”
Caregiver burnout
Dr. Mariane Bautista, a specialist in s upportive and p alliative Care, emphasized that formal caregivers or healthcare workers must also practice self-care and watch for signs of burnout.
Bautista said caregiver burnout can manifest in many ways, including fatigue, changes in appetite, difficulty sleeping, feeling sick more often, increased anxiety, irritability, social withdrawal, resentment, and depression. Healthcare workers may also experience compassion fatigue which Bautista described as “deep physical, emotional, spiritual exhaustion occurring in healthcare professionals previously dedicated to their work with patients.”
According to WebMD, compassion fatigue is the physical, emotional, and psychological impact of helping others, frequently
resulting from exposure to stress or trauma.
Compassion fatigue can lead to a host of bodily symptoms such as exhaustion, muscle pains, headaches, digestive issues, and changes in appetite. Additional symptoms may include misplaced anger, diminished empathy, a lack of joy, feelings of hopelessness, depression, and low self-esteem, among other manifestations.
“ s o it’s very important for us to remember that you can’t pour from an empty cup,” said Dr. Bautista.
Healthcare workers
tO address this, Dr. Bautista gave some tips on how healthcare professionals can care for themselves at work.
“It’s important to prioritize our daily tasks. s o if you know for a fact that the activities that you need to do are A, B, and C, stick to them. Add additional workload cautiously to avoid burnout. Do not overload yourself.”
“Listen to your body. Know your limits. If you are hungry, don’t delay eating. You have to make sure that you prioritize yourself so that you can be of help to others,” added Dr. Bautista.
Healthcare professionals should also focus on one task at a time. t hey should pause to plan, then execute. s cheduling breaks and rest is essential for efficient time management.
Outside of work, Dr. Bautista advised healthcare caregivers to: prioritize their health needs, adhere to medication schedules, maintain a healthy diet, ensure ad -
Take care of yourself and the environment with clean beauty products
By Anne Ruth Dela Cruz
Back in 2023, christophe Jauquet, an author and speaker on health, business and technology, spoke about the “Planet Health Trend” which recognized that there are no healthy people on a sick planet.
“This belief continues to grow as people realize the symbiotic link between climate change and our health and we notice increasing illnesses caused by climate change,” he said. This year’s health trend is clean care which urges the same care for the environment in healthcare, wellness and caregiving. According to Jacquet, people are more conscious now and are buying natural, sustainable health products and spending time in nature to improve their well-being.
In today’s world, taking care of ourselves goes hand in hand with taking care of the planet. Clean care, specifically clean beauty, are more than just trends; they are mindful choices that prioritize sustainability, wellness and eco-friendly living.
If you are looking to make a positive impact while elevating your self-care routine, SM Clean Beauty which carries the SM Green Finds badge is the perfect place to start.
SM Green Finds is an initiative to help shoppers access greener options to help them lead a greener lifestyle. Green Finds are eco-friendly items that are sustainably sourced, made from and of natural materials and support local communities.
Safe and non-toxic SM Clean Beauty focuses on prod -
ucts that are safe, non-toxic and environmentally responsible. This means choosing skincare, personal care and beauty products that are free from harmful chemicals, cruelty-free and sustainably packaged. SM Beauty carries a wide range of clean beauty products under SM Green Finds that include lotions, toners and moisturizers. The St. Ives BHA Exfoliating Toner Unfragranced is free from 20 harmful ingredients. This skin savior is packed with beta hydroxy acid known to whisk away dead skin cells, leaving your skin looking more radiant than ever. This revitalizing skin toner is your secret weapon to snapping stunning selfies for life.
For lotions, check out Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion. This rich and fast absorbing hydrating lotion starts to work immediately to nourish and restore essential moisture to extra-dry or sensitive skin so that it looks and feels healthier. More importantly, it is free from 20 harmful ingredients.
Water gel
Ano THER one to consider is the neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic acid water gel that has a unique light-weighted fresh texture that can be instantly absorbed, proven
equate sleep, engage in regular exercise, pursue enjoyable activities, spend quality time with loved ones, and prioritize self-respect and personal time.
National Cancer Awareness Month
tHE forum for healthcare workers and informal caregivers was among the activities held at HCCH in observance of National Cancer Awareness Month.
HCCH commenced a month-long series of activities in support of Cancer Awareness
M ON t H last February 3, 2025 with a special event that underscored its mission to support patients, survivors, and the broader cancer community.
Displaying a powerful visual statement of solidarity, HCCH unveiled a p urple r ibbon installation at the lobby and illuminated the hospital facade in purple, a color recognized globally for cancer awareness.
In his speech, Dr. Manuel Francisco r oxas, Chief Operating Officer of HCCH, reinforced the hospital’s dedication to personalized cancer care.
“Our theme, ‘Every cancer is unique, but we fight it together,’ acknowledges the individuality of the disease while emphasizing the collective strength we bring to the fight against cancer. It highlights the power of collaboration—the combined expertise of our doctors, nurses, support staff, and most importantly, the courage of our patients and the support of their families,” he stated.
t hroughout February, the hospital also initiated several activities to sustain its awareness campaign, including inviting employees to wear purple on tuesdays, distributing purple ribbons for hospital guests, hosting weekly musical serenades for patients and their loved ones (in partnership with Generika), and organizing several lay fora for partners including a special session focused on healthcare carers.
Quezon City, Pasay City Reign Supreme at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital’s Brainiac Quiz Bowl
oUR Lady of Lourdes Hospital concluded the third year of its “Brainiac: Clash of the Sci-Tech Champs” quiz bowl at Don Bosco Technical College Mandaluyong on February 15, 2025. o ver 500 junior and senior high school students from the n ational Capital Region participated in this year’s quiz bowl with only approximately 380 making it to the finals after a series of qualifying rounds in early January.
The finals started with an elimination round followed by the Brainiac grand finals for the junior and senior high school categories.
The competition concluded with Quezon City Science High being the champions of the junior high school category for the second consecutive year, while Pasay City n ational Science High School claimed their first Brainiac title in the senior high school category.
Apart from recognizing the quiz bowl champions, Lourdes Hospital also presented the BIDA Achiever Awards to the finalists who achieved the highest scores in Mathematics, Science, and Research during the elimination round.
In Mathematics, n ouel Christian Amaguin of Manila Science
High School and Prince Carl Ison of Taguig Science High School emerged as the top scorers. In Science, Magnus Rex navarro of Philippine Science High School and Angelo Geronimo Jr. of Makati Science High School led the rankings. Meanwhile, in Research, Kyle Anthony Roberto of Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science High School secured the highest score.
“Brainiac: Clash of the SciTech Champs” is an initiative of Lourdes Hospital with the Department of Education that looks to improve the healthcare and education sectors. Their joint initiative aims to increase the interest of high school students the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand while increasing the competency of students and teachers in science, mathematics, research, and robotics through trainings, competitions, and other academic activities. Since its inception in 2023, the competition has grown exponentially with the addition of robotics competitions and has expanded to the grade school level. Brainiac proved itself more than a competition; it’s a platform for cultivating excellence and inspiring the best in its participants.
to effectively lock in hydration deep within the skin.
If you are looking for serums, check out the Garnier brand. Garnier has the Bright Complete Vitamin C Serum and the Anti-Acne Serum. The Vitamin C Serum is made of the most concentrated formula that can fade and lighten dark spots and acne marks in as fast as three days. This is best used for dull skin with dry spots. Garnier’s Anti-Acne Serum has four percent Vitamin C, salicylic acid and niacinamide and AHA that helps fight acne spots in three days. Skin is soothed, visibly brighter and clearer.
You also need to look after your lips. Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm conditions skin while antioxidant Vitamin E has a moisturizing component. A hint of peppermint oil provides that one-of-a-kind fresh tingle. The result is smooth supple lips.
Hair care
Don’ T forget to look after your hair as well. Check out the naturals by Watsons line of hair care products that include Argan Shampoo and Conditioner for dry and damaged hair and the Hair & Scalp Tonic Coffee for thin, fragile hair.
Shifting to clean beauty does not have to be overwhelming. By choosing these products, you can take small but meaningful steps toward a more sustainable and responsible lifestyle. Every product you choose is a step towards a cleaner and greener future, one that prioritizes wellness for you and the world around you.
So why wait? Always look for the SM Green Finds badge every time you shop at SM Beauty and together we can make a difference one green choice at a time.
Unblock your heart: The shift from heirloom recipes to trans fats
By Marilou Guieb
In earlier times, people prepared food from resources found in their immediate area, with their nutritional values passed on from the wisdom of ancestors who studied their forests and plants that thrived in their territory.
Dr. Penny Domogo still saw this practiced in the 1980s when she served as a doctor to the barrios in Besao. To this day in her hometown in Sagada, Mt. Province, she is still immersed in her healing advocacy of healthy eating with a leaning on indigenous cuisine, being an indigenous person herself. She recalls the days when what one ate came from the resources found in the area. Food came with the seasons, and meat was more abundant in the hunting season.
Dr. Domogo, recalling the days she served in Bontoc, recalls, “What’s the proof that our plain boiled organic food is healthy? Our people are the proof. When I was new in Bontoc, there was only one diabetic and she retired from Manila so you can understand why she’s diabetic. Now we have two dialysis centers in Mountain Province and these cannot even accommodate all the patients from our province.”
The Cordillera in fact is part of the trend where cardiovascular disease has become the leading cause of death, with high cholesterol being a factor. But in places where food is less processed, the numbers are lower.
Risk assessment
The risk assessment project of the Department of h ealth-Cordillera (DO h -CAR) as part of the Philippine Package of e ssential NCD Preventions (PhilPen), studied adults 20 years old and above per 100, 000 population for the presence or absence of common risk factors leading to increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases from 2021 to 2023. The numbers shown in the project tells a story of how diets correlate with cardiovascular diseases.
Among the five provinces and one city of the Cordillera Region—Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Baguio City—Apayao registered to have the lowest incidence of hypertension cases.
Benguet, Kalinga, and Mt. Province were the top three areas with the highest number of hypertensive cases. According to Joycelyn Rillorta, Nurse V and coordinator of NCD at the DO h -CAR, the centers of these three provinces are quite modernized where fastfood restaurants and shops are prevalent.
Baguio City, despite being the most developed, comes fourth. Rillorta speculates that this may be because while CVDs are still the main cause of deaths, residents here are more health conscious because of their exposure to educational materials and campaigns for healthy living.
Apayao, meanwhile, is more
laid back and still akin to subsistence economies where households produced their own food from their lands and waters.
Hunting season h e R e , meat comes during the hunting seasons where tradition dictates rules for hunting. Traps are set up only during the allowed periods and the catch is shared with the community with the hunter getting the choice parts. Traps are placed under trees where the nuts that fall off their branches are devoured by wild boars. Deer meat is still enjoyed as their havens are also protected by ancient forest practices.
In the book “ h eirloom Recipes” produced by the Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples Rights and Partners for Indigenous Knowledge Philippines, explains, “Food is a gift for which to give thanks. It is a gift to be shared with family, community and the unseen spirits from which these blessings come from.”
And so in Apayao, food not only nourishes the body but also the spirit and many time-tested recipes are preserved and eaten on a day-to-day basis. Food is served fresh and with little addition of processed ingredients, particularly trans fats.
The story of trans fats M ANKIND has always been looking for ways to make food last longer and taste better.
In fact, it is the story behind travels and conquests. The quest for ways of preserving food launched the momentous voyage of galleons crossing oceans in search of salt and spices.
Modernity rolled in with the years until food became a thing of science, and scientists developed the concept of hydrogenation to extend the shelf life of food.
Memory takes us back to 1902 when Wilhelm Normall, a German chemist, showed how liquid oils could be hydrogenated and become solid. h e patented the process in 1902 and built the h erford Company that produced hardened fats. Normall developed his process from the work of another scientist, Paul Sabatier, who observed the chemical reaction on the hydrogenation of vapors that created trans fats and recorded the process. Joseph Crasfield & Sons Ltd. started large scale production of trans fats in 1909 in e ngland.
But it was in America where the trans fats industry boomed.
By 1911, Procter and Gamble had acquired a patent in the United States and released the first hydrogenated shortening product, Crisco, made by the hydrogenation of cottonseed oil to
become semi-solid at room temperature. P&G had the brilliant marketing strategy of creating free cookbooks that used Crisco in the recipes.
And so it goes that the culinary world was revolutionalized by this new cooking oil standard and products for baking.
Liquid oils
T RANS fats are formed when liquid oils are converted into solid oils. Margarine and shortening, used in a wide range of snack products such as crackers, packaged and fried foods, are examples of products using trans fats.
Dr. Ranulfo Javelosa, chief of the Department of Preventive Cardiology at the Philippine heart Center, explains that trans fats are formed when hydrogen is put in unsaturated oils, rendering it to be more stable, tastier and with a longer shelf life.
Part of the early popularity of trans fats, aside from its lower cost of production, was the belief that it had health benefits.
But time proved this wrong.
By 1980, indications showed the correlation between coronary vascular disease (CVD) and the wide use of trans fats, and by the mid-1990s, giant food chains in USA started to alter their cooking processes, substituting trans fat with healthier options, to avoid lawsuits against them.
But the problem persists to this day, and the W h O estimates that trans fat intake is responsible for 500,000 premature deaths from coronary heart disease each year worldwide.
REPLACE
Th IS prompted W h O to launch in May 2018 a program called R e PLAC e to eliminate artificial trans-fatty acid (TFA) from the global food supply by 2023 which is projected to save 17.4 million lives over 25 years.
REPLACE stands for:
n R e view of dietary sources of industrially produced trans fat and the landscape for required policy-change;
n Promote the replacement of industrially produced trans fat with healthier fats and oils;
n Legislate or enact regulatory actions to eliminate industrially produced trans fat;
n Assess and monitor trans fat content in food supply and changes in trans fat consumption in the population;
n Create awareness of the negative health impact of trans fat among policy makers, producers, and the public;
n e nforce compliance with policies and regulations.
In its second progress report on the R e PLAC e package presented on September 8, 2020, the W h O said that a 2016 report estimates 17.9 million deaths worldwide due to CVD and that 10 million of these are diet-related, making the elimination of TFA in the world diet an urgent concern.
Since 2018, more than 40 countries have taken action to initiate or advance trans fatty acids (TFA) policy discussions. A total of 32 countries have implemented TFA limits, covering 2.4 billion people or 32 percent of global population. As of May 2020, 14 countries have best practices benefitting about 589 million people, (eight percent global population coverage).
Ban on PHO
I N South Asia, Thailand was cited to be the third country in the world to put a ban on partially hydrogenated oil or P h O, following Canada and the United States. Singapore, meanwhile, is the only country to have set limits on TFA in the Western Pacific Region.
In 2023, the W h O recognized five countries that eliminated industrially produced trans fats. Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand were awarded for placing successful systems to monitor and enforce the replacement of trans fats with healthier alternatives.
But W h O laments that progress takes place mostly in richer countries.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, h ouse Bills 7200 and 7202 were filed on July 29 by Probinsyano Partylist Representative Ronnie Ong and co-authored by Rep. Alfred de los Santos called “Trans fat Free Philippines Act”. It calls for the prohibition of manufacturing and selling of food with a high trans fat content. Both bills were consolidated as h B 8128. h owever, h B 8128, together with its counterpart Senate Bill No. 1288, is still being scrutinized.
But heart advocates welcome the ban on industrially-produced trans fats fatty acids in pre-packaged and processed foods in the country issued by the Department of h ealth and the Food and Drug
Administration, giving food manufacturers until June 18, 2023 to remove trans fats from their products.
h B 8128 states what was made stark clear by the Covid-19 pandemic was that patients with comorbidities are at greater risk of critical illness or of dying, and heart diseases are among these conditions. “As of June 8, 2020, 49 percent of Covid-19 deaths in the Philippines had co-morbidities. Now more than ever, the need for preventative health care and healthy lifestyle promotion must be realized in line with the vision of universal health care,” Ong said in his bill’s explanatory note.
Hypertension
Th IS is affirmed by Cordillera Covid-19 statistics where hypertension co-morbidity ranked top for deaths from 2019 to 2024 at 12,543, followed by diabetes at 4,232.
Chronic respiratory diseases, particularly heart diseases account for nearly half of the world’s NCD related deaths, according to W hO. In the Philippines, it claims about 70,000 lives every year.
W h O also cites that the high intake of TFA increases risk of death from any cause by 34 percent, coronary heart deaths by 28 percent, and coronary heart disease by 21 percent. Thus it is called the “Tobacco of Nutrition” as it has no health benefits.
Javelosa explains that while heart disease can be caused by an interplay of several factors that includes smoking, the toxic fat builds up slowly in the arteries. “They say it has no cholesterol, but trans fat increases LDL [low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol] and lowers h DL [high-density lipoprotein or good cholesterol],” he said in the Underpaid Podcast, hosted by Stanley Chi. “It is worse than bacon or lechon,” he added.
A slice of the grim statistics on cardiovascular diseases is reflected in the DO h -CAR report on mortality and morbidity from 2015 to 2019, where cardiovascular diseases and heart diseases came first and second on the list. The number of premature deaths in 2019 among the 30 to 70 year old population caused by NCDs was 1,745 in a projected population of 1.8 million. Of this number, CVDs was responsible for 45 percent of deaths at 813.
This has prompted health experts to push a campaign called
ACT NOW! A - ASCVD is a top killer in the Philippines C - Cholesterol is a key risk but can be managed T - Take action to lower it fast NOW—The next heart attack or stroke could be worse—act now to stay protected.
In the pandemic years, hypertension also ranked the highest as the co-morbidity of Covid with 19 deaths.
In 2024, CVDs also ranked highest in number of deaths, numbering 693 by October. And hypertension cases at 175, 548 ranked second to acute respiratory infections (71,122). But there is no turning back. The industry has become too big and W h O recognizes the daunting challenge it faces to achieve its R e PLAC e goals. And people have definitely acquired a taste for trans fat peppered cuisines. For one, there is the difficulty of getting the exact data on the level of trans fats consumption to make it a policy priority. But a gauge can be made in the report that global market volume of partially hydrogenated oil (P h O), the main source of industrial TFA, was some 13.6 million tons in 2017.
Atty. Ma-Anne Rosales, project manager of Trans Fat Free Philippines under Imagine Law, an organization actively lobbying for policies for healthy living, said that while there is the claim to tastier foods and melt in the mouth goodness trans fats offer, there are foodie nightmares that go with it. “I discovered that some oils for potato fries are used even up to 70 times,” she said. This is because of the so-called longer shelf-life advantage of trans fats. “But she assures that there are alternatives that will not cost more or change the flavor of foods. As advocates claim, ”Only your heart will know the difference.” And that calls for another story.
This article is part of the Unblock Your Heart Health Reporting initiative, supported by the Philippine Press Institute and Novartis, to improve health literacy on cardiovascular diseases. Know your numbers, understand your risks, and consult your doctor—so no Filipino heart is lost too soon. Take control of your heart health today. Visit unblockedmovement.ph for more information.
M AR g AR in E used for baking is an example of trans fats products. Butter is an alternative.
T RA nsfAT s are commonly used in pastries, baked items and fast-selling doughnuts.
