Based on the Monetary Policy Report (MPR), the BSP estimated that should oil prices reach $90 per barrel, inflation could reach 4.1 percent this year and 4.4 percent next year. Under a $100 per barrel scenario, the BSP estimated that inflation could average 4.5 percent this year and 4.7 percent in 2026.
“Inflation could breach the 2–4 percent target range if Dubai crude oil prices average above $90 per barrel in 2025 and 2026,” the BSP said in the MPR.
“These oil price scenarios consider only direct effects and do not incorporate potential second-round effects on transport fares, food pric-
es, and wage increases,” it added.
The BSP said global crude oil prices are expected to decelerate in 2025 and 2026. The BSP now projects Dubai crude to average $70.05 per barrel this year and $68.15 per barrel in 2026.
However, expectations that global demand would be weak and there was a likelihood of global oversupply, the BSP said, delayed the increase in oil production, which could raise prices in the near-term.
“[This] led to a delay in the anticipated increase in oil production by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto @reine_alberto
HE Marcos Jr. administra-
Ttion has allocated nearly one-fifth of the national budget for pork barrel in the past three years, according to a public finance analyst.
In an online discussion by Freedom from Debt Coalition on Wednesday, Institute for Leadership, Empowerment and Democracy Executive Director Zyza Nadine Suzara said 17.4 percent of the P11.937-trillion programmed appropriations from 2023 to 2025 are pork or soft projects. This amounts to P2.077 tril-
lion worth of legislators’ projects, which have guaranteed cash cover.
“If we think about it, these programmed appropriations, these should be the portion of our budget for national development. Whether that’s infrastructure, socio-economic development programs of the [Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Education and Agriculture],” Suzara said.
Despite various economic development problems the Philippines is facing, such as learning poverty, problematic support to farmers and fisherfolk, poverty alleviation and lack of healthcare access, what remains in the national budget goes only to operations of govern-
ment agencies.
“So that is essentially the situation of the national budget. The 2025 national budget really just follows a pattern of massively funding pork barrel and concealing it through the unprogrammed appropriations ]UAs],” Suzara said.
The 2025 national budget, which amounts to P6.326 trillion, is the “most corrupt” and “excessively greedy” budget, according to Suzara.
UAs, which can only be used when there are excess revenue collections, new revenue sources or through approved loans for foreign-assisted projects, are used and bloated by Congress
to conceal the real magnitude of pork, Suzara said. Data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed the approved UAs more than doubled to P251.639 billion from the proposed P151.639 billion in 2022. It again climbed to P807.162 billion from P588.162 billion in 2023. Last year, Congress bloated the UAs to P731.448 billion, 159.46 percent higher than the P281.908 billion initially proposed. In 2025, only P159 billion was proposed under UA, but P532 billion was set aside further.
“There is now a trend of deprioritizing strategic programs and
By Ada Pelonia
recorded in 2004.
The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) attributed the stunted fisheries production to factors like extreme weather conditions from climate change and overfishing.
“Climate change and overfishing [likely caused the decline],” PCAFI President Danilo Fausto told the BusinessMirror on Wednesday.
PSA data showed that three out of the four subsectors registered contraction last year, with the commercial fisheries subsector being the only one that rose on an annual basis. The aquaculture subsector, which contributed over half of the total fisheries out-
put, slid by 6.8 percent to 2.22 MMT in 2024 from the 2.38 MMT in the previous year. The inland municipal fisheries dropped by 4.8 percent to 166,170 metric tons (MT) year-on-year from 174,581 MT. It accounted for 4.1 percent of the total output. For marine municipal fisheries, the output shrank by 8.8 percent to 802,769 MT in 2024 from 879,961 MT recorded in the previous year. The subsector constituted 19.8 percent of the total fisheries production, based on PSA data. Commercial fisheries production last year expanded by 4.2 percent to 857,329 MT last year from 822,427 MT in 2023. The subsector’s share accounted for 21.2 percent of the total output.
PSA said the species that primarily posted reductions were seaweed, down 10.5 percent to 1.46 MMT; big-eyed scad (matangbaka), 20 percent to 96,223 MT; bali sardinella (tamban), 8.2 percent to 253,356 MT; and roundscad (galunggong) 9.8 percent to 172,417 MT.
Increases were noted in skipjack (gulyasan), up 31.2 percent to 277,525 MT; P. Vannamei (putian) 32.3 percent to 48,115 MT; frigate tuna (tulingan) 8.6 percent to 79,083 MT, and milkfish (bangus) 1.6 percent to 361,241 MT.
TWILIGHT TREATS As commodity prices continue to rise, so do start-ups—both online and in physical spaces. Against the backdrop of a fiery sunset, a mobile food and pasalubong stall sets up shop along East Bank Road, Floodway, Pasig City, hoping to attract hungry passersby. BERNARD TESTA
By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto
HE Bureau of Internal Revenue
T(BIR) is receptive to the moratorium on tobacco tax rates, coupled with stricter enforcement, as it combats a surge in illicit cigarette trade and a drop in excise tax collections.
During the International Tobacco Summit on Tuesday, Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. told reporters he has no objection should a moratorium, suspending the annual 5-percent tax hike on tobacco products, be implemented.
“I think it’s a policy [issue.] Let’s see if there will be [an] improvement,” Lumagui said.
However, one issue that the Bureau will face moving forward is the corresponding increase in the excise tax target collection on tobacco products as this has already been set, incorporating the assumptions of the yearly increases in the tax rate.
The BIR is projected to collect P148.929 billion this year, P156.543 billion in 2026
the illicit tobacco trade, which has cost the government up to P129 billion in the past three years. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/01/09/solons-seek-halt-in-annual-tobacco-products-tax-hike/).
“If your excise tax rates are too high, then it’s more lucrative for the illicit traders as well,” Lumagui said. Whether the moratorium will improve the BIR’s collection of excise tax on
ADB: Informal caregivers…
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to help the elderly live better and healthier lifestyles in their twilight years.
“I think, in terms of sort of tapping into these associations, but also, I think, tapping into the experience that older people have. They have a rich wealth of experience of men and women, and tapping into that in building the community care model so they also feel productive, and there is a huge learning opportunity for everyone,” ADB Senior Economist Hema Swaminathan said during the webinar.
A recent study shared by Gretchen Donehower, Research Specialist at the Center for the Economics and Demography of Aging at the University of California Berkeley, showed much of the unpaid care that is given are often received by children. Women and even the elderly are often tasked to provide this care both to children and the older members of the households or to those who are sick. This means taking themselves out of the labor force.
In the country’s own labor force survey data, in November 2024, there were 8.181 million persons who left the labor force due to household family duties.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said this accounted for 29.1 percent of the total number of persons who were not part of the labor force during the period.
30K MT monthly release of rice to agencies, LGUs eyed
By Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
THENational Food Authority (NFA) plans to release around 30,000 metric tons (MT) of rice stocks monthly to agencies and local government units (LGUs) ahead of the food security emergency declaration.
This, as Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said he aims to secure approval from the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) this week to declare a national food security emergency. Such a declaration would authorize
the release of rice buffer stocks to government agencies and LGUs.
According to NFA Administrator Larry Lacson, the grains agency plans to release 150,000 MT of rice stocks, or roughly 3 million 50-kilo bags, in a span of six months. He said they
BIR eyes options vs illicit…
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P49.3-billion loss. This was followed by a P39.4-billion deficit in 2023 and P51.3 billion in 2024.
would prioritize areas with evident price surges of the food staple.
“This monthly release of approximately 30,000 metric tons will alleviate high rice prices and prepare NFA warehouses for the upcoming palay procurement season,” Lacson said in a statement. He assured the public that sufficient buffer stocks would still be maintained to address potential disasters or emergencies.
The DA said the grains agency would procure palay at P23 per kilo this coming rice harvest season, which will begin mid-February. It added that this is set to bolster supply in compliance with the amended Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).
Under the amended law, the NFA should maintain a 15-day rice buffer stock, equivalent to 555,000 MT, to meet national consumption needs.
Apart from the increasing tobacco tax rates, Lumagui said the shift in consumer preference, such as choosing vapor products as an alternative to cigarettes, has also caused the decline in tax collections.
Unified tax
AS such, the BIR is suggesting a unified tax rate on vapor products to equalize it with the rates imposed on cigarettes.
The House Committee on Ways and Means on Monday decided just to lower the scheduled annual tax hikes on cigarette products instead of imposing a one-year moratorium on tax increases.
The approved House Bill 11279 aims to lower the annual increase in tobacco excise taxes from 5 percent to an alternating schedule of 2 percent and 4 percent until 2035.
Continued from A1
partner countries [OPEC+],” the BSP said.
Balance of risks
APART from higher global oil prices, supply-side issues continue to hound domestic commodity prices. The BSP said the balance of risks on the country’s inflation outlook this year and next year continue to be tilted to the upside.
Using a 90-percent confidence interval, BSP estimated that for 2025 and 2026, there was a 50-percent chance that inflation would breach the government’s inflation target.
“The probability of inflation breaching the high end of the target range is higher for these [2025 and 2026] years. The probability of inflation breaching the low end of the target range over the policy horizon remains low,” the BSP said.
BSP said supply side constraints affecting food could lead to a faster increase in inflation. Food accounts for 34.78 percent of the Consumper Price Index (CPI) for all income households.
These supply side constraints include the lingering impact of last year’s El Niño phenomenon, African Swine Fever (ASF), and Avian Flu that threaten local production.
ASF affects pork supply while the avian flu affects poultry supply. These are part of Meat and Other Parts of Slaughtered Land Animals, which accounts for 6.43 percent of the CPI.
The BSP also expects fish supply to become “insufficient” due to a decline in “local output, lower imports, high input costs,” and bad weather.
This could prompt an increase in the price of the commodity. In
‘Nearly a fifth of NG budget went to pork barrel’
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“This plan underscores DA’s commitment to ensuring rice affordability and availability across the country amid ongoing price fluctuations and market challenges.”
The NFA earlier announced that it is seeking more funds to increase its buffer stock as mandated by the amended law.
Lacson noted that the initial allocation of P9 billion for palay procurement this year should be doubled to achieve its new buffer stocking requirement.
“We were initially allocated a budget of P9 billion for buffer stocking this year, based on the 9-day requirement,” he said.
“But the additional 6 days will necessitate an extra P9 billion for palay procurement, considering that our palay price procurement per kilo increased in 2024.”
‘Railroaded’-coalition
LOWERING the taxes will result in P29 billion in foregone revenues for public health and tobacco farmers from 2026 to 2030; and will make cigarettes and electronic smoking devices more accessible to the youth and the poor, according to Sin Tax Coalition (STC).
“It is disappointing that the Ways and Means Committee allowed the bill to be rushed and railroaded,” STC said.
If a moratorium on tobacco tax rates will not be imposed, Lumagui said the BIR “hopes” to hit its overall excise tax target, which is projected at P343.104 billion this year.
Lumagui said that to improve its tobacco tax collection, the BIR is banking on the implementation of the digital track and trace system for tobacco products at the end of the year and on raiding the illicit market.
the CPI, Fish and Other Seafood had a weight of 5.66 percent.
Further, BSP said the impact of La Niña and the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon could also lead to a decline in domestic sugar supply. In the CPI, Sugar, Confectionery and Desserts has a weight of 1.05 percent.
“Under this risk scenario, elevated commodity prices are assumed to persist until Q1 [first quarter] 2025. An overall medium probability is assigned to this risk, considering the relative weights of these commodities in the CPI basket,” BSP said.
Rice tariffs
HOWEVER , the tariff reduction on rice imports could give Filipinos a reprieve from high rice prices. Rice prices has a weight of 8.87 percent of the CPI for all income households. This has a “medium probability” given expectations that the formalization of the reduced tariff through Executive Order no. 62, dated 20 June 2024. This could also lead to lower prices of domestically produced rice.
“Inflation is expected to ease amid the direct impact of the tariff reduction reflected in the baseline forecast. However, the estimated impact is lower compared to the previous round, given the gradual decline in domestic rice prices,” BSP said.
Apart from food, BSP also expects transport fares in jeepneys, trains, and taxis to increase and affect average inflation nationwide. Transport has a 9.03 percent weight in the CPI.
The BSP noted that petitions to raise minimum fares for jeepneys filed last year will be implemented in the first quarter of 2025. Further, the Manila Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-3 management also filed a P3 increase in the minimum fare to P16. The expectation is for the fare hike to take
projects, placing them in the unprogrammed appropriations to free up the fiscal space and put their pork there,” Suzara said.
As such, P296 billion was slashed from the Department of Transportation in the last three years, which placed big-ticket projects, such as the MRT Line 4 Project, Davao Public Transport Modernization Project, North-South Commuter Railway System, under UAs.
The Special Purpose Funds were also targeted, cutting P567 billion of the fund in three years and moving the Pension and Gratuity Fund, Revised AFP Modernization Program, Universal Access to Tertiary Education, among others, to UAs. With the freed-up fiscal space, P675 billion worth of flood control projects and P1.3 trillion for local roads, bridges and multi-purpose halls in the past three years were channeled to hard projects as pork for electoral favor and personal gain, Suzara said.
Moreover, the de-prioritization of regular programs caused the excessive allocation of funds to soft projects or “ayuda,” such as the Ayuda to Kapos ang Kita (Akap), Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients (MAIP) and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad).
“If this will not be exposed and cannot be stopped, we will continue like this. We will reach the point where the debt will increase and the funds of the government corporations will also be drained,” Suzara said.
Taxpayers should demand the government to open up the bicameral conference committee and make public the list of congressional insertions, Suzara added.
effect in the first quarter of 2025. In addition, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is reviewing the request from taxi operators to increase fares nationwide. BSP noted that in previous taxi fare hikes, the LTFRB approved a P5 increase in September 2022 and the same level of increase in March 2024.
The report stated that should authorities approve the fare hike, the increase will also take effect in the first three months of the year.
“An overall medium probability is assigned to the transport fare risk based on the CPI weights of the items considered. The table below presents the assumed fare adjustments,” the BSP said.
The BSP also expects electricity rates to increase due to higher generation charges that are usually passed on to consumers.
In July 2023, the Supreme Court (SC) nullified the previous cap on Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) prices for November 2013 and December 2013.
“The risk scenario assumes that this adjustment will be distributed evenly over the next three years and considers other possible electricity charges adjustments. A high probability is assigned to this risk following the SC ruling,” the BSP said. The high commodity prices are expected to keep demand subdued. This means the economy could post “below potential” growth over the near-term.
The BSP noted that in 2024, the contraction in agriculture and a moderation in industry and services may have led to slower-thanexpected GDP growth. On the demand side, weather disturbances led to a slowdown in tourism and leisure-related spending, particularly private consumption and services exports, also affected GDP growth.
Case vs Chinese ‘spy’ strong–NSC exec
THE government’s case against the Chinese man arrested for alleged espionage along with two Filipino accomplices is strong, a ranking National Security Council (NSC) official said on Wednesday.
“On the part of the NSC [National Security Council], I think, what we would like to say is that we have a solid case. We have a solid case against the Chinese agent or spy that we arrested. Of course, we cannot preempt the release of the information to the public, the evidence that we have collected over time,” NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said at a media forum in Quezon City. Malaya made the statement in response to the Chinese Embassy’s claims that the accusations against the suspect Deng Yuanqing are “baseless” and that the Philippines should stop hyping the issue.
The NSC official emphasized that an extensive case build-up was done against the suspect.
“Surveillance was done on this individual. So nakita natin iyong galaw niya nakita natin na pinuntahan niya ang mga lugar na kahina-hinala [we saw his moves, we saw him going to these places suspiciously] and places of significant military importance to us, significant strategic locations which pinuntahan niya , nag -surveillance [ siya] doon [which he went and conducted surveillance],” he added.
Malaya also stressed that the suspect was caught red handed or “en flagrante delicto” in legal parlance.
Hawak-hawak niya iyong mga surveillance equipment, kahinahinala ang mga galaw niya [he was holding the surveillance equipment and his actions were suspicious],” he added.
In addition, Malaya said the Chinese man “will have his day in court.”
“We filed cases against him and him companions for violation of the Espionage Act and the
Cybercrime Law and he will have his opportunity [to refute the charges], but in so far as the government is concerned, we have a very solid case and we have all the necessary evidence to prove his culpability,” he added.
More arrests to follow
WHEN asked about the activities of other individuals who might be doing intelligence operations in the Philippines, Malaya said there will be more arrests and announcements in the coming days.
“I don’t want to preempt the announcement of the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] and of course, other relevant law enforcement agencies, but there will be more arrests, we’ll probably have announcements in the next few days about other individuals which we also caught conducting intelligence operations in the Philippines,” he added.
He also expressed gratitude to the Filipino citizens whose reports made these operations possible.
“So again our appeal to the public, if you see any suspicious activity please report that immediately to the nearest law enforcement agency, the National Police, even the Armed Forces, they have their intelligence service which can help us, and of course, the NBI,” Malaya said.
With these ongoing efforts, the NSC official said they are now able to disrupt and to stop all of these illegal activities in the country.
Malaya, likewise, said the arrest of alleged Chinese spies masquerading as tourists in Palawan is part of these operations.
Siguro what I can say right now is that there will be more arrests and these include what happened there in Palawan because we have ramped up our counterintelligence efforts and because of that we’re slowly unravelling the conspiracy, this operation that’s being done by foreign actors to conduct espionage in the Philippines,” he added. PNA
PCG notes ‘surge’ of online trolls vs govt
HE Coast Guard (PCG)
Thas noted a surge in online trolls targeting government social media pages following increased transparency efforts in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), an official said Wednesday. At a media forum in Quezon City on Wednesday, the PCG spokesperson for the WPS, Commo. Jay Tarriela, said these trolls—persons or groups that deliberately post inflammatory messages—have been particularly aggressive in spreading misinformation about the WPS.
“I think this is their reaction to the transparency efforts that the National Task Force [NTF] for WPS is doing right now,” Tarriela said. He added that the PCG and the NTF-WPS are developing strategies to “dominate the public discourse about our factual narrative.”
“We are committed to protect the interests of Filipino fishermen and safeguard our maritime jurisdiction. At the same time, as President Marcos said, we should come up with actions that will not escalate the tension,” he said.
Comelec confident on meeting schedule despite 3-week delay
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
DESPITE a three-week delay, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) remains confident it can meet its April 14 deadline for completing ballot production as printing operations resumed on Monday.
In a press briefing at the National Printing Office (NPO) in Quezon City, Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the delay will not derail their timeline.
“Kakayanin ang April 14 deadline pa rin na sinet ng [Comelec]. Inatasan na natin ang mga tauhan at pinakiusapan ang [NPO] na kahit gabi ay mag - iimprenta tayo ng balota ,” Garcia said.
A total of 884 personnel will be involved in the ballot production process.
Among them, 800 Comelec employees will handle verification to ensure that only “good ballots” or those passing quality standards will be used in the elections.
Meanwhile, 64 workers from the NPO and 20 from Miru Systems, the country’s election technology provider, will oversee the printing process itself.
The workforce will operate in 12-hour shifts, with the capacity to produce up to 1.5 million ballots daily.
To accelerate the process, six machines—two from Miru and four from the NPO—will be used.
Each group is tasked with printing ballots for nine regions.
Garcia explained that this intensive approach is necessary to complete printing and verification on schedule, allowing enough time to deploy all election-related materials.
Wala na po tayong panahon
Ang pinaka mabigat talaga ay hindi iyong printing, iyong susunod na stage which is the deployment.
Pinaka mahirap iyon dahil kailangang masigurado na ang pinaka maliit na gamit ay makakarating sa pinaka malayong lugar sa ating bansa ,” Garcia said.
The printing delay stemmed from temporary restraining orders issued by the Supreme Court, favoring several political aspirants previously disqualified by the Comelec or declared as nuisance candidates.
Among those added to the official list of candidates for the May 12 elections are senatorial aspirant Subair Mustapha and Caloocan district representative aspirant Edgar Erice.
‘As is and accordingly’ WHEN asked if further delays are expected, Garcia assured that Comelec is proceeding “as is and accordingly.”
“ Kung meron man , asahan ninyo we will proceed as is and accordingly sa ating printing ng balota . At this point, our commitment is we will proceed because masyado nang madaming hindrances noong nakaraan ,” he said.
However, Garcia clarified that Comelec will prioritize compliance with any directives from the Supreme Court, which retains the authority to halt the printing process temporarily.
Hanggang magagawa nating sumunod, gagawin ng [Comelec]. Basta maunawaan ng lahat lang na kapos na kami sa panahon Iyong nawala sa amin napaka hirap i -recover,” he added.
For the first time in election history, the Comelec suspended ballot printing to comply with a Supreme Court mandate. In previous elections, the poll body would continue printing operations despite receiving temporary restraining orders.
Bgy, SK officials’ terms seen extended to 2029
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
THE House of Representatives has approved on second reading House Bill 11287, which adjusts the term length and number of terms for elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials.
The measure also reschedules the next synchronized barangay and SK elections to the
second Monday of May 2029 and mandates that subsequent elections be held every six years thereafter.
Under the bill, the synchronized barangay and SK elections shall be held every six years on the second Monday of May, starting in 2029.
Also, the term of office for elective barangay and SK officials will be extended from three years to six years.
The bill provides that a twoterm limit will be imposed on barangay officials, while SK officials will be limited to a single term.
It added that a transitory provision allows all incumbent barangay and SK officials elected on October 30, 2023 to remain in office until May 2029, unless removed or suspended for cause.
Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, the bill’s author, highlighted its potential to en -
hance stability in barangays and allow for the full implementation of ongoing programs.
“This will provide greater stability at the barangay level and ensure that the programs initiated by current leaders are successfully carried out,” Rodriguez said. He also pointed out that holding elections less frequently could help ease political tensions within communities.
Philippines, New Zealand start military agreement negotiations
IBy Rex Anthony Naval
PCG patrols in WPS
TARRIELA also highlighted the PCG’s success in monitoring and deterring China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels from approaching the country’s western coastline.
“In the past days, we have been very successful in pushing back the CCG vessels. Right now, as we speak, the latest position of CCG 3304, the ship that replaced the Chinese monster ship, is 88 nautical miles away from Zambales,” he said.
CCG-5901, dubbed the “monster ship” for its size, was first monitored to have intruded into the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) at a distance of 54 nautical miles from Capones Island in Zambales on January 4.
In response, he said several PCG vessels made continued patrols in the area to monitor the Chinese incursion.
“From January 4 until now, we have rotated our vessels to [BRP Teresa] Magbanua , [BRP] Gabriela Silang , [BRP] Suluan , [BRP] Cabra , and then again, it’s BRP Teresa Magbanua that is taking responsibility of monitoring and challenging the CCG monster ship,” he said. PNA
N line with the ongoing efforts to beef up their defense ties, the Philippines and New Zealand on January 23 formally started negotiations for the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (Sovfa).
This was announced by the Department of National Defense (DND) in a statement on Wednesday.
“The first round of talks, on Jan. 23, 2025, was hosted by the Philippine government in Manila, with DND Undersecretary Pablo M. Lorenzo and Ministry of Defense (MoD) Director Kathleen Pearce leading the Philippine and New Zealand delegations, respectively,” the statement said.
The first round of negotiations marked an important step in strengthening bilateral defense ties between the Philippines and New Zealand.
A commitment to conclude a Sovfa was among the key outcomes agreed between President Marcos and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon during the latter’s visit to Manila in April 2024.
The Sovfa will reinforce the Memorandum of Arrangement between the DND and the Armed Forces (AFP) with the MoD of New Zealand on defense cooperation, which was signed in 2017.
It will enable both countries’ armed forces to elevate their cooperative activities and conduct exercises in each other’s territories, deepening overall defense and military cooperation.
The conclusion of this agreement will be a significant milestone for the overall bilateral relationship between the Philippines and New Zealand, as the two countries will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties in 2026.
The delegation from New Zealand included New Zealand Ambassador Catherine McIntosh, Deputy Head of Mission Stacey Kwant, and an analyst from the MoD.
Other New Zealand delegates joined the discussions virtually, the DND said.
The Philippine team consisted of Justice Undersecretaries Raul Vasquez and Dennis Arvin Chan,
Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces Undersecretary Antonio Habulan Jr., Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretaries Aileen MendiolaRau and Patrick Chuasoto, and Defense Assistant Secretary Erik Lawrence Dy.
More interaction with US Air Force
THE Air Force (PAF) on Wednesday announced that it is sees more high-level interactions with the US Pacific Air Force (Pacaf).
This came as the Pacaf commander, Gen. Kevin Schneider, paid a visit to Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura, PAF commander, at Villamor Air Base, Pasay City on Tuesday, the Air Force spokesperson, Col. Maria Consuelo Castillo, said in a statement.
“During the visit, General Schneider and Lieutenant General Cordura engaged in discussions on bolstering interoperability between the two Air Forces and excellence in combined operations,” Castillo said. She added that the two Air Force commanders, in their meeting, also emphasized the importance
Help fully electrify 200 areas, DOE tells investors
TBy Lenie Lectura @llectura
HE Department of Energy (DOE) strongly urged investors to participate in the electrification of over 200 under -
served and unserved areas. In her keynote address during the Microgrid Systems Provider (MGSP) Investment Forum held on Tuesday, Energy Undersecretary Rowena Christina Guevara emphasized the significant ad -
of joint exercises and training programs in enhancing the operational capabilities of both forces.
“The high-level meeting further addressed key areas, including information sharing, airman-to-airman talks, and routine maritime cooperative activities,” she added. Cordura and Scheinder also discussed ongoing projects under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca), which aim to facilitate cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, strengthen the country’s defense capabilities, and promote regional security.
“As part of the visit, General Schneider and his delegation will visit PAF air bases and Edca project sites in Pampanga, Palawan, Cebu, and Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro,” Castillo said. With this activity, the PAF and Pacaf reinforces their commitment to enhancing interoperability, promoting operational excellence, strengthening bilateral relations, boosting defense capabilities, and supporting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific Region, she also said. With PNA
vantages of microgrid solutions, including reliable and resilient energy supply, economic development, job creation, environmental sustainability, and improved access to education and healthcare in underserved communities. She also stressed the vast economic potential of these communities.
“There are more than 200 areas that need microgrid system developers. These underserved and unserved households represent communities that have long been left behind in our nation’s energy
“DOE,” A4
Marcos eyes ‘enhanced’ jobs fairs
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
AMID changing demands of the labor market, President Marcos said the government is eyeing the holding of more “enhanced” job fairs with the private sector in the coming months to upgrade the skills of workers, and the quality of their employment opportunities.
In his speech during the Jobstreet Career Con 2025 in Pasay City on Wednesday, the Chief Executive reavealed the plan of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) to expand its collaboration with its private partners in holding job fairs, which offer not only vacancies but also extensive
development journey, yet hold so much potential for economic growth if given access to electricity,” said Guevara.
During the first round of the MGSP Competitive Selection Process, the DOE awarded eight lots covering the areas Carnaza and Gibitngil in Cebu, Carlagan and Bongliw in Quezon, and Bacau, San Juan, Calasag and Katep in Palawan to Maharika Consortium as the winning MGSP.
The consortium is expected to provide 24-hour electricity service to a total of 3,106 households in all awarded areas.
“Investing in microgrid solutions isn’t just an investment in energy infrastructure. It’s an investment in economic resilience, environmental sustainability, and social impact. As MGSP expands, we are creating robust investment and opportunities aligned with our future energy trends. The benefits of investing in microgrid solutions are profound,” said Guevara.
A 2010-2018 study, using data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Department of Health, and the DOE, revealed a strong correlation between household electrification and economic growth. The study showed that increasing household electricity access from zero to eight hours a day could boost income and expenditure by 17 percent; from eight
skills training.
Marcos stressed the need for workers to undergo skills training and upskilling to meet the changing employment needs of businesses and corporations and help sustain the country’s employment gains.
“So now if the [company] where
to 16 hours, by 33 percent; and from 16 to 24 hours, by 50 percent. The study estimated the total annual economic contribution of increased electrification at P314 billion, or 1.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product—more than sufficient to offset the estimated P100 billion cost of complete national electrification.
To incentivize investment, several enabling policies and laws have been implemented, including income tax holidays, duty-free importation of equipment and materials, renewable energy (RE) cash incentives for missionary electrification, special real property tax rates, and zero VAT rates. These incentives aim to make renewable energy investments more attractive, the DOE official said.
“Why would anybody invest P100 billion on these underserved areas? Well, as I mentioned, we did the study. There are those improvements in income and expenditure. And when we computed the total contribution to the economy of such increase, the number we came up with was P314 billion per year, or 1.8 percent of our GDP. Where can you find an investment of P100 billion that produces over P300 billion? Only in electrification of the country,” she said.
She stressed that the agency is committed to working with stakeholders across the energy sector, government agencies, private investors, technology providers, and local communities to create an enabling environment for microgrid investment.
you applied will say you need to be capable of doing this, you should be qualified to do it,” Marcos said in Filipino.
“The government is providing more significant and stronger support to improve your ability to find jobs,” Marcos told the audience in the Career con, which were mostly applicants.
In its latest data, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported the unemployment rate slowed down to 3.2 percent last November from 3.6 percent in the same month in 2023.
During the same period, underemployment also dropped to 10.8 percent from 11.7 percent year-onyear, while the employment rate improved to 96.8 percent from 96.4 percent.
Better support programs
ON Tuesday, SEEK, an Australian job search website, through its local platform, Jobstreet, launched its career convention at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
The event featured high level discussions, masterclasses on upskilling, employment trends, and exclusive networking opportunities aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation.
“So this is a pilot project. If its result is okay, we plan to hold it every month. Not only in Manila, but also other areas,” Marcos said.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said they already signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Jobstreet on Tuesday to strengthen their collaboration on such initiatives.
“We sit down [with them] and determine what we can enhance, and what companies, which will be invited [for such events],” Laguesma said.
Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) Director Patrick P. Patriwirawan Jr. said that the Career Con featured a more extensive career development support programs to what DOLE features in its own job fairs.
“[The said programs] were just contained in a booth compared to that of Jobstreet, which were well-funded. We are now considering putting its on our future job fairs,” Patriwirawan said in a Viber message.
Ex-Pogo workers
LAGUESMA said one of the reasons why the Career Con was held was to provide alternative employment opportunities to the 40,000 workers, who were displaced from the banning of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo) and Internet Gaming Licensees (IGL) last year.
He noted there was a low turnout of applicants in the past four job fairs they held for the affected Pogo workers.
Dole said among the reasons for the low turnout was the entry level positions, which were offered in said job expos.
“We were told that the salaries of the IGL workers were much higher than [entry level workers].
They are not minimum wage earners,” Laguesma said.
He said the latest Jobstreet event were able to address the said issue by offering more higher level job positions from top companies.
The job expo organized by Jobstreet and Dole in collaboration with SM, featured 5,000 local and overseas jobs and include employers SM Retail, Nestlé, Metrobank, Accenture, and others from various industries, such as Information Technology (IT), Business Process Management (BPM), retail, banking, construction, logistics, food services, and manufacturing.
“So in this particular job fair, the participants [employers] offered high end jobs. Hopefully, the IGL affected workers will qualify [for the vacancies] so they can transition to their new jobs,” Laguesma said.
During the first day of the Career Con, Laguesma said over 100 former IGL workers participated.
SC junks petition vs power bill deposits
TBy Lenie Lectura @llectura
HE Supreme Court (SC) decision, upholding the authority of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to require consumers to provide bill deposits, paves the way for the regulator to establish more measures that would benefit the consumers.
“We are grateful for the recognition of the mandates of ERC by our highest Court. This recent ruling clears the way for the Commission to review its
rules on bill deposits and put in place sufficient safeguards to ensure not just the viability of our distribution utilities but more importantly the protection of our consumers’ hard-earned money that are temporarily held by DUs [distribution utilities],” said ERC Chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta.
The bill deposit is the amount required from the customers of DUs as a guarantee for payment of electric bills, similar to a security deposit for a home. It is equivalent to the estimated billing for
one month. These deposits could be used for overdue bills, earn annual interest credited to customers’ accounts, and are refundable upon service termination.
Under the Magna Carta for Residential Electric Consumers, the ERC mandates all DUs to refund the bill deposit to consumers after three years of on-time payments with no record of disconnections.
However, the ERC’s authority was challenged by Neri J. Colmenares and Carlos Isagani T. Zarate, and other representatives of various
party-list groups. Hence, a petition was filed but the SC denied it. The SC ruled that the ERC can require consumers to pay bill deposits as security for their electricity bills, affirming it as a valid exercise of the ERC’s rate-fixing power to ensure the economic viability of DUs, such as the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), to collect bill deposits from their consumers.
The SC’s 32-page order was promulgated in October last year, but was only made public last January 27.
Legislator seeks preparation of disaster map
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
ALAWMAKER has filed a bill that that mandates the development and issuance by the government of a national disaster map as a means to help save lives and mitigate losses from natural calamities.
Bicol Saro Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan said the measure –House Bill (HB) 11205–provides for the creation of this map, which will contain a list that clearly identifies low-lying areas vulnerable to rising sea levels and communities at high-risk for natural disasters.
A similar “hazard map” was prepared during the incumbency of the late Angelo Reyes as Secretary of Evironment and Natural Resources during the presidency of now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo but that map has since been outdated.
“We cannot prevent the occurrences
of typhoons, volcanic eruptions and other natural phenomena, aggravated by the added threat of climate change. But it is possible to mitigate their impact by adopting science-based strategies. These include creating a national disaster map that would help communities, especially coastal areas, prepare for, and lessen the devasting effects of these disasters,” Yamsuan said.
He said the previous year starkly highlighted the urgency of passing this measure, with the country experiencing a record-breaking severe typhoon season that led to the loss of thousands of lives and massive damages to homes, infrastructure and the agriculture sector.
The economic repercussions of these successive calamities were most felt in the Bicol Region, where the damage to agriculture alone from typhoons Kristine and Leon reached P2.9 billion. This is almost half of the nearly P6 billion total
losses reported in the agriculture sector, said Yamsuan, who represents the Bicol Saro party-list group in the House of Representatives.
HB 11205 mandates the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through the National Mapping and Resources Information Authority (Namria) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), to provide and issue a national disaster map of the Philippines.
Assisting these agencies in completing the task are the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
The disaster map identifies low-lying areas vulnerable to rising sea levels as a result of climate change; areas of high-risk for natural disasters; and “shall contain proper identification of lands bordering
Angeles City’s new app boosts public safety
ANGELES CITY—A new mobile application launched by the city government early this week enables residents and visitors to report incidents and share their exact location with emergency responders.
A statement issued by the local government said the Computer-Based Information System (Cbis) Personal On-call Guard Interface (Pogi) mobile app is the first of its kind in Central Luzon.
It is designed to enhance the city’s emergency response capabilities since the app allows the users to directly report incidents and share their precise location with responders from the Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (ACDRRMO).
The Pogi app is free and user-friendly, currently available for Android users via the Google Play Store. It will be available for iOS
users within six weeks. The registration and verification process may take up to 48 hours.
Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. has set a goal to limit emergency response time in the highly urbanized city to 10 to 15 minutes. With the introduction of this app, Lazatin expects to further reduce response times to just eight minutes.
“ Dahil sa app na ito kakayanin natin na mas mababang response time. Yapin ini ing amanwan ku. [Because of this app, we can now reduce the response time. This is what I’m talking about.] The safety of every Angeleño is our priority. With this app, we can reduce response time and ensure help arrives faster during critical moments,” Lazatin said during the launch event on Tuesday.
“Hinahamon ko po ang ating mga responders namaspabilisinpaang emergency
response time para sa ating mga kababayan (I challenge our responders to speed up the emergency response time for our fellowmen),” he added
Mike Lising, Information Communication and Technology Division chief, explained that the app includes a location-sharing feature, allowing responders to pinpoint incidents with greater accuracy, even if users cannot communicate directly.
The app’s registration process involves both users and responders, as well as the dispatching of responders from ACDRRMO, the Bureau of Fire Protection – Angeles City, and the Angeles City Traffic and Management Enforcement Unit. Non-residents of Angeles City can also download and use the app. Angeles City Chief Adviser IC Calaguas said the app is fully protected under data privacy
sea levels, exposed to volcanic eruption and lying on earthquake faults.” Under the bill, the map should also include the criteria for evacuation and illustration of recommended evacuation sites and routes.
Creating the disaster map would not have to start from scratch, given that the MGB already has a geohazard map in place that pinpoints vulnerable areas in the country, Yamsuan said.
He said information sources in creating the disaster map should not be limited to scientific instrument-based data but should also utilize a holistic approach by including, among others, indigenous peoples’ knowledge.
The bill provides for a nationwide information drive; training programs for local officials, disaster resp onse teams, and community leaders; and other similar efforts to ensure the disaster map’s accessibility and proper use.
laws. She further explained that it is fully integrated with the city’s Command Center and ACDRRMO’s existing systems, ensuring seamless communication and efficient information transfer.
Calaguas said that the app’s long-term goal is to reduce fatalities during disasters and emergencies by enabling immediate responses from authorities, particularly medical personnel. She added that the use of the app is expected to serve as a deterrent to crime, given the faster response times from authorities.
“The city government, through the ICTD, is continuously collaborating with our service provider to ensure the safety of our app users. The app features a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy to use,” Calaguas said. To further enhance efficiency, each ambulance has been equipped with mobile phones to allow real-time tracking of reports through the app. Ashley Manabat
Mining groups back Senate Bill 2826’s fiscal provisions but reject raw ore export ban, citing economic concerns
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
THE Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) and the Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) expressed their support behind the fiscal provisions of Senate Bill 2826, which passed on second reading on Tuesday.
However, COMP and PNIA nixed the provision in the same measure that imposes a ban on the export of raw ores, saying it is the last thing the country needs.
In a joint statement, the two mining groups said the measure, which is proposing a margins and windfall-profits-based tax scheme similar to House Bill 8937.
“Given that a mining tax increase is unavoidable, we express our support for the fiscal provisions of Senate Bill
[SB] 2826,” the joint statement stated.
“We believe this system will put the Philippines (on) par with other mining jurisdictions and help ensure a sustainable and vibrant industry,” COMP and PNIA added.
Support for mineral processing COMP and PNIA reiterated their support behind the share of the goal of a fully developed value-added mineral processing industry in the
country, saying the Philippines can be a significant mineral processing hub if we continue to pursue the initiatives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos in creating an environment that is conducive to investments.
“We are truly grateful that our government is taking steps to establish an enabling environment for mineral development. These steps include the ongoing efforts of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to reduce the mining and exploration permitting process, and President Marcos’ certification as urgent of a mining fiscal regime that is reflective of mining’s designation as an essential and critical industry. We eagerly look forward to the realization of these initiatives,” the statement reads.
Lack of power plants, transport networks IN rejecting the proposed ore export ban under the same SB 2826, COMP and PNIA said the provision’s intended purpose of compelling mining companies to build processing plants
within five years before the enforcement of the export ban will not happen. “It will even most likely lead to considerable unintended consequences,” they said.
According to COMP and PNIA, the Philippines has the highest power costs in Asia. However, it still lacks the necessary infrastructure such as power plants, transport networks, and facilities to support large-scale domestic mineral processing. Moreover, several local ordinances remain in conflict with national mining laws, COMP and PNIA maintained.
“Unless these issues are fully addressed, mineral processing will remain but a dream. Simply, there are no shortcuts,” they maintained.
Mines closure, unemployment
A RAW ore export ban will lead to mine closures and, consequently, to unemployment for hundreds of thousands of Filipino workers who rely on mining, directly or indirectly, for their livelihood.
The closures will also reduce government revenues and economic activities in mining communities.
“The mining sector is a significant contributor to government revenue through taxes, royalties, and fees. A decline in mine operations could negatively impact public funds for infrastructure, social services, and community development programs.
Moreover, the proposed raw ore export ban will have adverse global implications on trade.
The Philippines is the second largest exporter of raw nickel ore worldwide. The proposal will cause massive disruptions to existing supply chains; many mining companies have long-term contracts and established supply chains with international buyers. This policy change could disrupt these agreements, leading to contractual disputes, penalties, and loss of trust in the Philippines as a reliable trading partner,” COMP and PNIA said.
Detrimental to investments
THE proposed ore export ban will essentially be another midstream change of policy that is detrimental to investments, COMP and PNIA maintained.
“We recognize the Indonesian experience as the inspiration for the proposed export ban. There are, however, significant differences between our two countries, including Indonesia’s much higher ore grades— especially saprolite ore— compared to those mined in the Philippines. Indonesia also has much lower power costs, more abundant coal reserves to power processing facilities, and a more encouraging and stable business environment.” Instead, COMP and PNIA recommend an extensive study to assess the economic and social implications of the proposed raw ore export ban. “We submit that a more sustainable approach would be to focus on improving infrastructure, reducing energy costs, and enhancing regulatory stability to attract investments in mineral processing. This approach will make the Philippines a truly competitive destination for value-added
Marcos certifies urgent bill to delay BARMM elections until October 2025
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
RESIDENT Ferdinand
PMarcos has backed the Senate version of the bill, which seeks to postpone the first ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections (BPE). In a Viber message to Palace
reporters last Wednesday, the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) said the Chief Executive has certified as urgent the latest version of Senate Bill No. 2942, which will defer the BARMM polls from 12 May 2025 to 13 October 2025.
Malacañang said a copy of the letter for the certification was transmitted to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez
and Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Secretary Mark Llandro L. Mendoza.
Prior to its revision in its second reading, SB 2942 proposed moving the BPE to August 11 this year.
The OES made the clarification after the Senate announced last Tuesday that Marcos has certified as urgent the bill months before the
DOJ seeking re-arrest of 6 accused in missing ‘sabungeros’ case
TBARMM elections are held.
The House of Representatives counterpart version of the postponement bill was already approved on third and final reading and was supposed to reset the BPE to May 2026.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cesar B. Chavez said the decision of the President aims to assist the Bangsamoro transitional
strong pieces of factual evidence that show that the victims were detained or kidnapped,” the CA said.
government address its issues related to Sulu.
“Given recent legal developments surrounding the issue, the President believes that the move would address the urgent need of the Bangsamoro transitional government to realign its governance structure. It will also ensure that the region’s aspirations for unity, inclusivity, and genuine autonomy are achieved,” Chavez said. Last November, Marcos said he wanted to defer the conduct of the BPE to address the effect of the decision of the Supreme Court to separate Sulu from BARMM. He said the High Court decision will require creating a new province for eight municipalities of Sulu, which he said is unlikely to be completed by May.
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
HE Department of Justice (DOJ) has sought the re-arrest of six security personnel charged with kidnapping and serious illegal detention before the Regional Trial Court of Manila City in connection with the disappearance of several “sabungeros” or cockfighting aficionados in 2022.
The move came following the recent ruling issued by the Court of Appeals (CA) which set aside the orders issued by Manila RTC Branch 40 Presiding Judge Rebecca Guillen-Ubaña on December 11, 2023 and February 1, 2024 that granted respondents’ petition for bail.
Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said they have requested the Manila RTC to order the re-arrest of respondents Julie Patidongan, Mark Carlo Zabala, Virgilio Bayog, Roberto Matillano
Jr., Gleer Cedilla, and Johnry Consolacion.
The six security personnel were accused of being responsible for the disappearance of “sabungeros” identified as Mark Joseph Velasco, Marlon Baccay, James Baccay, Rowel Gomez, John Claude Inonog and Rondel Cristorum, who were last seen on January 13, 2022. A witness claimed that he saw the “sabungeros” on the said day being led by the security officers to a van at the Manila Arena. The van was later recovered abandoned in Tanay, Rizal.
In granting the bail petition of the respondents, the trial court held that the prosecution failed to provide strong evidence to establish the crime charge. It pointed out that the prosecution failed to show that the respondents detained the victims or deprived them of their liberty. The trial court allowed the respondents
to post bail for their temporary liberty in the amount of P500,000 for each count.
The trial court’s decision was elevated by the DOJ before the CA, arguing that the judge erred in using the threshold of guilty beyond reasonable doubt in resolving the petition for bail of the respondents.
The DOJ noted that the witness provided a “detailed account of the sequence of events leading to the deprivation of liberty of the victims” and that the absence of physical force or weapon did not mean that no deprivation of liberty was committed by the respondents.
In ruling in favor of the DOJ, the CA held that the trial court judge “gravely abused her discretion” in granting the respondents’ bail petition “despite the presence of strong evidence of guilt.”
“In the Court’s opinion, the fact that after the victims were made to board the van, that they could no longer be traced and found even by police authorities, are
“Based on the totality of the circumstances presented by the prosecution, there is strong evidence of conspiracy among the private respondents and their cohorts,” it added.
The CA said Patidongan, Zabal and Cedilla played a vital role in restraining the victims, by making sure that they did not leave the arena and that they boarded the van.
On the other hand, Consolacion, Matillano and Bayod carried the victims personal belongings after they were made to board, ensuring that they did not run away.
“It can be clearly inferred from these circumstances that there was a common understanding among the private respondents and their cohorts relative to the commission of the crime. Their actions coordinated with each other to ensure that the victims were deprived of their liberty,” the CA declared.
PHL exporters of ‘bagoong’ lose ₧53.6M in export revenues since US imposed import ban–DTI-EMB data
PHILIPPINE exporters of bagoong or shrimp paste have lost P53.62 million in export revenues to the United States in just the span of one year after the US imposed a ban on shrimps that allegedly involve turtles in harvesting shrimp, data processed by the Department of Trade and Industry—Export Marketing Bureau (DTIEMB) showed.
“In the US, w e cannot currently export shrimp paste since we need to prove that there are no turtles that are accidentally caught when we harvest shrimp,” DTI-EMB Director Bianca Pearl R. Sykimte told the BusinessMirror in a Viber message recently
Data provided to the BusinessMirror which was processed by DTI-EMB and
$282,490 or P16.52 million in the January to November 2024 period.
T his is 76.45 percent lower than the $1.19 million or P70.13 million export revenues from shrimp paste in the same period in 2023.
T his developed nearly a year after the DTI-EMB published on their website an advisory saying the US prohibits importation of shrimp and shrimp products from the Philippines.
“Wild-caught shrimp harvested in the Philippines, or products from that shrimp, for example “bagoong”, is prohibited from importation into the United States pursuant to Section 609 of U.S. Public Law 101-162,” the advisory published on the DTI-EMB’s website in February 2024 noted.
The said provision in the US law has prohibited the importation of
shrimp caught using commercial fishing technology that adversely affects turtles (the use of Turtle Excluder Devices).
With this, Philippine exporters of shrimp paste or other shrimp products have been advised not to ship to the US to avoid shipments being held by the US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) until the issue is resolved.
Data processed by the DTI’s export marketing arm showed that among the three types of shrimp paste products being exported to the US, shrimp paste not placed in an airtight container amounted to zero export earnings in 2024 compared to the $85,750 earned in export revenues in the 11-month period in 2023.
Mean while, other types of shrimp paste products saw significant declines with export earnings from shrimp paste (with blachan) declining by 54.35
percent to $216,440 in 2024 from the $474,199 revenues in 2023.
T he other type of shrimp paste, which is labeled as “other” shrimp paste saw a decline of 89.67 percent to $66,050 in 2024 from the $639,627 in 2023.
H owever, it can be gleaned from the data provided by the DTI-EMB that apart from the US, there are other markets which the Philippines exports bagoong to such as South Korea, Canada, Netherlands, Japan, Guam, Singapore, and Australia, among others. Under the ca tegory of shrimp paste with blachan, South Korea is the Philippines’ largest export market. Revenues from shipments of bagoong of this particular type to South Korea increased by 2.12 percent to $577,108 in 2024 compared to the export earnings of $565,121 in 2023. Andrea E. San Juan
‘Maharlika’s sudden investment in NGCP raises more questions’
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
Maharlika
HE
TInvestment Fund’s sudden purchase of a 20-percent stake in the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) “raises more questions than assurances for consumers,” according to Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros.
“Una, gusto ba ng gobyerno na mas maimpluwensiyahan ang kalakaran ng NGCP sa pamamagitan ng dagdag na board seats? Kung iyan ang layunin, bakit hindi na lang natin pakinggan ang panawagan na ibalik sa pamahalaan ang kontrol sa systems operation function ng NGCP?
[First, does the government want to influence the way things are run in NGCP{ by way of board seats? If that’s the goal, why don’t we just heed the call to return to the government the systems operation function ng NGCP?]”
In her view, “Walang epekto ang MIF investment sa 40-percent stake sa NGCP ng isang Chinese state firm, na may veto power pa . [The MIF investment has no impact on the 40-percent stake in NGCP of a Chinese state firm, that even has a veto power]. MIF’s 20 percent share was taken from Synergy Grid Corporation, the Filipino consortium led
by Henry Sy that controls 60 percent shares in NGCP. We have to begin looking at all our options, including the renationalization of our power grid, as done by countries like the United Kingdom.”
Second, she raised doubt on whether the MIF investments can result in lowering the monthly electric bills and boost the reliability of the country’s power supply. “As of now, NGCP is raking in unconscionable profits for its shareholders even while delivering unsatisfactory service to Filipinos and leaving critical transmission projects unfinished,” she claimed. She also doubted whether the MIF can afford to get embroiled in what she called the “many controversies faced by NGCP,” including, she added, the P8.7 billion security and janitorial expenses that she said the transmission operator wants to pass on to consumers. She found surprising the timing of MIF’s investment in NGCP, whose franchise is being reviewed by Congress.
Hontiveros concluded, “When I voted against the Maharlika Investment Fund Act, I said that government should not be reckless with the people’s money.” She added, in Filipino, “it does not send a good signal that of all the enterprises it can invest in, the MIF’s first investment is in a controversial entity.
World
Congo struggles to halt rebel advance amid protests targeting 10 embassies
By Justin Kabumba & Chinedu Asadu The Associated Press
GOMA, Congo—Congolese security forces on Tuesday tried to slow the advance of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels who say they have captured Goma after entering eastern Congo’s largest city, as UN officials reported violence, looting and bodies in the streets.
The officials said hospitals are overwhelmed in Goma, a regional trade and humanitarian hub that is now a refuge for hundreds of thousands fleeing gunfire and shelling in the major escalation of one of Africa’s longest conflicts.
The violence echoed far from Goma as protesters in the country’s capital attacked at least 10 embassies, including those of France and the US, which urged citizens to leave the city.
Congo’s Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that the protesters’ damage to embassies were “sincerely regrettable incidents.” She said Congo respects the principles governing diplomatic relations, and reassured countries that the Congo government “has taken all necessary measures to ensure the protection of the accredited diplomatic missions” in the country.
The M23 rebels are one of about 100 armed groups vying for a foothold in the conflict-battered North Kivu province—which includes Goma—rich in minerals critical to much of the world’s technology.
United Nations official says re -
ports of rapes, looting
There were reports of genderbased violence and rape committed by fighters, looting of property, including a humanitarian warehouse, and humanitarian and health facilities being hit in the city, UN humanitarian affairs office spokesman Jens Laerke said at a media briefing on Tuesday.
“The humanitarian situation in and around Goma remains extremely worrying, and this morning (there were) heavy small arms fire and mortar fire across the city and the presence of many dead bodies in the streets,” said Laerke, adding that hospitals are “struggling to manage the influx of wounded people.”
Many continued to flee across the border into Rwanda, braving gunfire and heavy rains and caught in between shootouts on both sides from the Congolese soldiers and the rebels.
“What we want is this war to come to an end,” said Christian Bahati, a Congolese teacher among hundreds now sheltering in the Rwandan town of Gisenyi. “You can see the level of frustration. Congolese people are victims, but
now they find themselves seeking refuge from the aggressor.”
Growing anger in the far-away capital
DOZENS of demonstrators, meanwhile, looted and set fires to parts of at least 10 foreign embassy buildings far off in the capital, Kinshasa, including those of Rwanda, US, France, Belgium and Kenya.
The protesters demanded that the international community condemn Rwanda over its role in the conflict. “We denounce the hypocrisy of the international community,” said Timothée Tshishimbi, one of the protesters. “They must tell Rwanda to stop this adventure.”
The attacks were condemned by the respective countries as well as the Congolese government, which said it has reinforced the security at the embassies.
Several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom and France have condemned Rwanda for the rebel advance. The African Union Peace and Security Council demanded the M23 and other rebel groups “immediately and unconditionally withdraw and cease their attacks and permanently disband and lay down their arms.”
M23 rebels emboldened, plan to set up administration in Goma
IT was unclear how much of Goma is controlled by the M23 rebels, though analysts say they are more emboldened than in 2012 when they temporarily took over the city before being forced to pull out under international pressure. They resurfaced in late 2021 with increasing support from Rwanda, according to Congo’s government and UN experts. Rwanda has denied such support although UN experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo.
Trump invites Israel’s Netanyahu to meet with him at the White House next week
By Wafaa Shurafa & Melanie Lidman
WThe Associated Press
ADI GAZA, Gaza Strip—President Donald Trump has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House next week as the first foreign leader to visit in Trump’s second term, Netanhayu and the White House said Tuesday.
The announcement came as the United States pressures Israel and Hamas to continue a ceasefire that has paused a devastating 15-month war in Gaza. Talks about the ceasefire’s more difficult second phase, which aims to end the war, begin next Monday.
The White House letter shared by Netanyahu’s office, dated Tuesday, said “I look forward to discussing how we can bring peace to Israel and its neighbors, and efforts to counter our shared adversaries.”
The meeting on February 4 is a chance for Netanyahu, under pressure at home, to remind the world of the support he has received from Trump over the years, and to defend Israel’s conduct of the war. Last year, the two men met face-to-face for the first time in nearly four years at Trump’s Florida Mar-a-Lago estate. Israel is the largest recipient of US military aid, and Netanyahu is likely to encourage Trump not to hold up some weapons deliveries the way the Biden administration did, though it continued other deliveries and overall military support.
Netanyahu also wants Trump to put more pressure on Iran, and renew efforts to deliver a historic normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, a rival of Iran and the Arab world’s most powerful country.
Even before taking office this month, Trump was sending his special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to the region to apply pressure along with the Biden administration to get the current Gaza ceasefire achieved.
But Netanyahu has vowed to renew the war if Hamas doesn’t meet his demands in negotiations over the ceasefire’s second phase, meant to discuss a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a “sustainable calm.”
Over 375,000 return to northern Gaza
UNDER the deal, more than 375,000 Palestinians have crossed into northern Gaza since Israel allowed their return on Monday morning, the United Nations said Tuesday. That represents over a third of the million people who fled in the war’s opening days.
Many of the Palestinians trudging along a seaside road or crossing in vehicles after security inspections were getting their first view of shattered northern Gaza under the fragile ceasefire, now in its second week.
Trump this week suggested that Egypt and Jordan take in Palestinians from Gaza, at least temporarily, so that “we just clean out that whole thing”—which Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinians swiftly rejected, fearing Israel would never allow a return. Instead, Palestinians were determined
to pitch makeshift shelters or sleep outdoors amid the vast piles of broken concrete or perilously leaning buildings. After months of crowding in squalid tent camps or former schools in Gaza’s south, they would finally be home.
“It’s still better for us to be on our land than to live on a land that’s not yours,” said Fayza al-Nahal as she prepared to leave the southern city of Khan Younis for the north.
At least two Palestinians set off for the north by sea, crowding into a rowboat with a bicycle and other belongings.
Hani Al-Shanti, displaced from Gaza City, looked forward to feeling at peace in whatever he found, “even if it is a roof and walls without furniture, even if it is without a roof.” One newly returned woman hung laundry in the ruins of her home, its walls blown out.
Next steps UNDER the ceasefire, the next release of hostages held in Gaza, and Palestinian prisoners from Israeli custody, is set to occur on Thursday, followed by another exchange on Saturday.
In the ceasefire’s six-week first phase, a total of 33 hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that ignited the war should be released, along with almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel this week said a list provided by Hamas confirmed the fears that eight of the 33 hostages to be freed are dead, bringing fresh grief to Israeli families who have long pressed the government to reach a deal to bring everyone home before time runs out.
On Tuesday, one of the first hostages to be released under the current ceasefire—
“Since morning, we have heard bomb explosions and crackling bullets,” Sam Luwawa, a resident of Goma, said of the fighting in the city. “So far we cannot say who really controls the city.”
Seventeen peacekeepers and foreign soldiers have been killed in the fighting, according to UN and army officials.
Manzi Ngarambe, a representative for the M23 diaspora, told the AP that the group is in control of Goma and plans to set up an administration in the city so people can continue living normal lives and displaced people can return home.
“There will be no bloodbath, we want to live in peace,” Ngarambe said. “Right now, we’re going to tell our people all over the world (to) go back home.”
Ngarambe said they would be willing to sit at the table with Congolese officials and denied that they were being supported by Rwanda.
Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said that Congolese President Félix Tsh -
just the second in the war—shared a glimpse of life in captivity.
Naama Levy, 20, wrote on social media that she spent most of the first 50 days alone before being reunited with other soldiers kidnapped from her military base on Oct. 7, well as other civilian captives.
“We strengthened each other until the day of our release, and also afterwards,” she wrote.
Aid flows in
A SURGE in humanitarian aid into Gaza continued under the ceasefire.
“In this past week alone, approximately 4,200 trucks carrying aid have entered the Gaza Strip following inspections,” said Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel. Under the deal, 600 trucks of aid are meant to enter per day.
The government of Qatar, a mediator in the ceasefire talks, said Tuesday that while complaints have been raised by both sides, no confirmed ceasefire violations have occurred that could cause the agreement to collapse.
The ceasefire is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas. Militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 assault and abducted another 250.
Israel responded with an air and ground offensive that has killed over 47,000 Palestinians, over half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. It does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.
Lidman reported from Nahariya, Israel. Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.
isekedi “will have to accept talks with M23 to end the situation once and for all.”
Rwanda’s goal in Congo is to protect its borders against attacks, army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ronald Rwivanga told the AP, adding that appropriate measures would be “all-encompassing,” including the use of water, air and land defense.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame recently accused Congo of enlisting Hutu rebels and former militiamen that it blames for the 1994 genocide.
“The very people who murdered people here in Rwanda still exist, are still armed, are still practicing the ideology of genocide in our neighborhood, in eastern Congo... supported by government...on the watch of this international community,” Kagame said earlier this month while meeting with diplomats.
A dire humanitarian situation, risk of regional war
T HE humanitarian situation in Goma “is extremely, extremely
worrying,” Bruno Lemarquis, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Congo, told reporters in a video news conference on Monday.
Several shells struck the Charité Maternelle Hospital in central Goma, “killing and injuring civilians, including newborns and pregnant women,” Lemarquis said on Monday, describing active combat zones in all areas of the city. Aid groups are unable to reach displaced people who rely on them for food and other necessities.
“Key roads surrounding Goma are blocked, and the city’s airport can no longer be used for evacuation and humanitarian efforts. Power and water have reportedly been cut to many areas of the city,” said David Munkley, head of operations in eastern Congo for the Christian aid group World Vision.
Some analysts worry about the risk of a regional war if peace efforts led by Kenya fail. Past attempts at dialogue between Congolese and Rwandan leaders have failed, including in December when the meeting of the two leaders was canceled.
Congo might seek support from countries like South Africa— whose troops are among foreign militaries in Congo—while Rwanda might be motivated to continue backing the M23 rebels, said Murithi Mutiga, program director for Africa at the Crisis Group.
“The risk of a regional confrontation has never been higher,” Mutiga said.
Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria. Christina Malkia and Jean-Yves Kamale in Kinshasa, Congo, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Sam Mednick in Jerusalem, Rodney Muhumuza in Kampala, Uganda, Ignatius Ssuuna in Gisenyi, Rwanda, Nayara Batschke in Santiago, Chile, and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
Several people are feared dead in stampede at the massive Maha Kumbh festival in India
By Rajesh Kumar Singh & Sheikh Saaliq The Associated Press
PRAYAGRAJ, India—Several people were feared dead and many more injured in a stampede early Wednesday as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to take ritual baths in sacred rivers at the massive Maha Kumbh festival in northern India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “extremely sad” and extended his condolences without specifying how many had died. “My deepest condolences to the devotees who have lost their loved ones. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured,” Modi said in a post on social platform X.
Several pilgrims were injured, some seriously, in the stampede between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. as they tried to jump barricades erected for the movement of religious saints, Uttar Pradesh state’s top elected official, Yogi Adityanath, said in a televised statement.
He made no mention of any deaths even eight hours after the crush of pilgrims at the site. Some local news websites said 10 people had died.
Distressed families lined up outside a makeshift hospital inquiring about their missing relatives, rescuers were helping the injured and police tried to manage the crowds. People’s belongings like clothes, blankets and backpacks were strewn around the scene of the stampede. It was not immediately clear what triggered the panic. “The situation is now under control,
but there is a massive crowd of pilgrims,” Adityanath said, adding that 90 million to 100 million pilgrims had congregated there.
“About 30 million people had taken the holy bath by 8 a.m. Wednesday,” he said.
Wednesday was a sacred day during the six-week festival, and authorities were expecting a record 100 million devotees to engage in a ritual bath at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Hindus believe that a dip at the confluence will cleanse them of their past sins and end their process of reincarnation. The main draw are thousands of ash-smeared Hindu ascetics who make massive processions toward the confluence to bathe. Millions continued to throng the site even as police officials urged them over megaphones to avoid the confluence. Adityanath urged people to instead take baths at other riverbanks. The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, started on Jan. 13 and is the world’s largest religious gathering. Authorities expect more than 400 million people to throng the pilgrimage site in total.
Nearly 150 million people have already attended, including the likes of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah and celebrities like Coldplay’s Chris Martin. A sprawling tent city was built on the riverbanks to accommodate visitors. It has roads, electricity and water, 3,000 kitchens and 11 hospitals.
Saaliq reported from New Delhi.
PEOPLE attack the Rwanda Embassy in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, in protest over the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels’ advances into eastern Congo’s capital Goma. AP/SAMY NTUMBA SHAMBUYI
World
Lunar New Year celebrations launch Year of the Snake in Asia, worldwide
By Ken Moritsugu The Associated Press
EIJING—Lunar New
BYear festivals and prayers marked the start of the Year of the Snake around Asia and farther afield on Wednesday—including in Moscow.
Hundreds of people lined up in the hours before midnight at the Wong Tai Sin Taoist temple in Hong Kong in a bid to be among the first to put incense sticks in the stands in front of the temple’s main hall.
“I wish my family will be blessed. I hope my business will run well. I pray for my country and wish people peace. I hope this coming year is a better year,” said Ming So, who visits the temple annually on the eve of the Lunar
New Year.
The holiday—known as the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea— is a major festival celebrated by diaspora communities around the world. The snake, one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, follows the just-ended Year of the Dragon.
The pop-pop-pop of firecrackers greeted the new year outside Guan Di temple in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, followed by lion dances to the rhythmic beat of drums and small cymbals.
Ethnic Chinese holding incense sticks in front of them bowed several times inside the temple before sticking the incense into elaborate gold-colored pots, the smoke rising from the
burning tips.
Many Chinese who work in bigger cities return home during the eight-day national holiday in what is described as the world’s
biggest annual movement of humanity. Beijing, China’s capital, has turned into a bit of a ghost town, with many shops closed and normally crowded roads and
subways emptied out.
Traditionally, Chinese have a family dinner at home on New Year’s Eve and visit “temple fairs” on the Lunar New Year to watch performances and buy snacks, toys and other trinkets from booths.
Many Chinese take advantage of the extended holiday to travel both in the country and abroad. Ctrip, an online booking agency that operates Trip.com, said the most popular overseas destinations this year are Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, the United States, South Korea, Macao and Vietnam.
Russians cheered, waved and took smartphone photos of a colorful procession with drummers, costumed dancers and large drag -
on and snake figures held aloft that kicked off a 10-day Lunar New Year festival in Moscow on Tuesday night.
The Chinese and Russian governments have deepened ties since 2022, in part to push back against what they see as US dominance of the world order.
Visitors shouted “Happy New Year” in Russian and expressed delight at being able to experience Chinese food and culture in Moscow, including folk performances and booths selling snacks and artwork.
The Associated Press video journalists Alice Fung in Hong Kong and Syawalludin Zain in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this story.
People watch as artists perform an acrobatic lion dance at the Dongyue Temple on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. AP/ANDY WONG
The alarming rise of mercury-laced cosmetics in PHL
THe recent discovery of mercury-tainted skinlightening products, manufactured in Thailand and sold in the Philippines, underscores a disturbing reality: the illegal trade of hazardous cosmetics continues to thrive despite international regulations. This blatant disregard for consumer safety demands immediate and concerted action from both national and regional authorities. (Read the BusinessMirror story, “Watchdogs tell Thai authorities: Stop exporting ‘mercury cosmetics’ to PHL,” January 28, 2025).
The EcoWaste Coalition-Philippines, Ecological Alert and RecoveryThailand (EARTH), and the International Pollutants Elimination NetworkSoutheast & East Asia (Ipen-SEA) have rightly called upon the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to crack down on the manufacturers, exporters, and distributors of these dangerous products. Their appeal, detailed in a joint letter, highlights the urgent need to enforce the global ban on mercury cosmetics, a ban enshrined in both the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Cosmetic Directive and the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
The alarmingly high levels of mercury found in the five implicated products demonstrate the severe health risks posed to consumers. These products, easily accessible through e-commerce platforms, highlight the loopholes in current regulatory frameworks and the effectiveness of online monitoring. While the FDA has swiftly banned two of the identified products, this reactive approach is insufficient. A proactive, collaborative strategy is crucial.
The groups’ request for an updated list of banned cosmetics from the Thai FDA, disseminated via the Asean Post-Marketing Alert System (PMAS), is a vital step towards greater transparency and regional cooperation. This initiative would empower regulators in Asean member states to effectively identify and remove these hazardous products from their markets. The previous success in getting 12 mercury-containing products banned in Thailand, following a similar appeal in 2023, demonstrates the potential of this collaborative approach. However, the continued online sale of some of these banned products underscores the need for more robust compliance monitoring and enforcement.
The successful Libreville Commitment, adopted at a recent African meeting, serves as a powerful example of regional collaboration in combating the trade of mercury-laden cosmetics. The call for a similar initiative in Asia is timely and necessary. A unified regional approach, encompassing stronger regulations, enhanced enforcement, and targeted public awareness campaigns, is essential to protect consumers and ecosystems from the devastating effects of mercury contamination.
The fight against mercury-laced cosmetics is not merely a regulatory issue; it is a public health imperative. Mercury in skin-lightening products can be easily absorbed through the skin, leading to mercury poisoning. Symptoms of mercury poisoning include rashes, scarring, discoloration, and damage to the kidneys, digestive system, and nervous system.
The continued presence of these products in the market represents a significant threat to consumer well-being. We urge the Thai FDA to heed the call for a comprehensive crackdown and for Asean member states to strengthen their collaborative efforts to eliminate this dangerous trade once and for all. The pursuit of profit must not come at the expense of consumer health and safety.
BusinessMirror
T. Anthony C. Cabangon
Lourdes M. Fernandez
Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug
The Filipino’s inflation struggle
IJohn Mangun
OUTSIDE THE BOX
N the grand, often bewildering economic theater of the Philippines, where the script seems to shift from comedy to drama with the regularity of the morning sun, we find ourselves in early 2025, wrestling with the specter of inflation. Like a mischievous imp, inflation has been toying with the lives of filipinos, particularly impacting the contents of their wallets.
Starting with the numbers, the inflation rate for January 2025 is projected to settle at a somewhat comforting 2.9 to 3.1 percent, after December’s 2.9 percent, according to Finance Secretary Ralph Recto’s optimistic forecasts. Perhaps we should feel a sense of relief.
However, in the daily drama of buying and selling, this figure acts more as a photograph rather than a video. Inflation has its moments of stealing the spotlight, particularly in the areas of food, housing, and transportation—the trifecta of daily economic concerns.
Food prices, the star of the inflationary drama, have remained stable for two months at 3.4 percent, a significant drop from July’s 6.4 percent.
Yet, rice, a staple that binds Filipino culture and cuisine, has seen its price fluctuate with the global markets and local supply constraints. Government measures, such as tariff adjustments, aim to keep prices from soaring, but their effectiveness on the ground is inconsistent. Consumers have adapted by opting for cheaper alternatives or reducing portion sizes, painting a sad comedy of economic adjustments.
‘Housing and Utilities’ play a significant role in this economic narrative, with its own set of challenges. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for these sectors climbed to 121.20 points in December, marking the highest point for the CPI Housing Utilities index, an increase
Food prices, the star of the inflationary drama, have remained stable for two months at 3.4 percent, a significant drop from July’s 6.4 percent. Yet, rice, a staple that binds Filipino culture and cuisine, has seen its price fluctuate with the global markets and local supply constraints. Government measures, such as tariff adjustments, aim to keep prices from soaring, but their effectiveness on the ground is inconsistent. Consumers have adapted by opting for cheaper alternatives or reducing portion sizes, painting a sad comedy of economic adjustments.
of 20 percent since pre-Covid 2019. Additionally, the Philippines’ Bank Lending Rate has been at historic highs since August 2023. Filipinos are responding by prolonging stays in family homes, sharing living spaces, or relocating to less costly areas, showcasing a resilience that is both admirable and annoying if you are wanting to make it big in the world.
Transportation, the third act in this economic drama, sees costs inflated by fuel prices, which, despite global trends, continue to hit hard
locally due to the peso’s dance with the dollar. Transportation costs have significantly contributed to the overall inflation rate, directly affecting lower-income groups who allocate a larger share of their income to mobility.
Consumer behavior in this environment is a testament to adaptation. Surveys reveal a significant dissatisfaction with how the government manages inflation. Pulse Asia’s data highlights high disapproval ratings for the Marcos administration’s efforts to control commodity prices, which directly impact daily life. Whether the criticisms hold merit, perception shapes reality. Filipinos are adjusting their consumption in response to inflation, showing a shift towards more careful spending. People are more likely to seek promotions, switch to less expensive brands, or limit non-essential purchases. The surge in online shopping reflects attempts to find better deals and manage budgets more efficiently.
There remains a hope that with ongoing government intervention and the stabilization of global commodity prices, inflation will subside. However, there is also a demand for structural reforms, especially in agriculture and logistics, to secure long-term price stability rather than
See “Mangun” A11
Trump’s freeze on grant funding temporarily halted by judge
ALorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos Lyn B. Resurreccion, Dennis D. Estopace Angel R. Calso, Dionisio L. Pelayo Ruben M. Cruz Jr.
Eduardo A. Davad Nonilon G. Reyes
D. Edgard A. Cabangon Benjamin V. Ramos Aldwin Maralit Tolosa
Rolando M. Manangan
BusinessMirror is published daily by the Philippine Business Daily Mirror Publishing, Inc., with offices on the 3rd floor of Dominga Building III 2113 Chino Roces Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Makati City, Philippines. Tel. Nos. (Editorial) 817-9467; 813-0725. Fax line: 813-7025. (Advertising Sales) 893-2019; 817-1351, 817-2807. (Circulation) 893-1662; 814-0134 to 36. E-mail: news.businessmirror@gmail.com www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com Printed by brown madonna Press, Inc.–Sun Valley Drive KM-15, South Superhighway, Parañaque, Metro Manila Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua Founder
By Zoe Tillman & Erik Larson
feder AL judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a new directive to halt payments of federal grants, loans and other assistance to an array of programs across the country.
The decision was handed down Tuesday in Washington by US District Judge Loren AliKhan in a lawsuit filed by a group of nonprofits, even as nearly two-dozen states filed a separate complaint challenging the directive. Both cases are seeking nationwide injunctions against Trump’s plan.
AliKhan issued her order minutes before the freeze was to take effect. She said the administrative stay was not a ruling on the merits of the case and set a hearing on Feb. 3 to consider whether to order a longer-term block. Her order only applies to funding that federal agencies had already awarded, and would not stop the Trump administration from halting any new grants of money.
The coalition of nonprofit organizations, which sued earlier Tuesday, claimed that even a temporary halt in funding could immediately “deprive people and communities of
their life-saving services,” including health care, small business support and programs for the LGBTQ community.
The memo, signed by President Donald Trump’s acting budget director Matthew Vaeth on Monday, was set to take effect Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Washington. Agencies would have been required to pause “federal financial assistance” and other activities covered by Trump’s early wave of executive actions. Those included limiting foreign aid and federal funding of diversity and equity programs, nongovernmental organizations, “woke” gender-related programming and “green” energy initiatives.
The original memo from the Office of Management and Budget featured broad language, sparking widespread confusion and panic about its scope. The memo stated that direct assistance payments to individuals
The decision was handed down Tuesday in Washington by US District Judge Loren AliKhan in a lawsuit filed by a group of nonprofits, even as nearly two-dozen states filed a separate complaint challenging the directive. Both cases are seeking nationwide injunctions against Trump’s plan.
would continue and that Medicare and Social Security benefits wouldn’t be affected, but it didn’t list other specific carve-outs.
On Tuesday, Democratic state attorneys general reported problems with access to portals used to apply for federal reimbursements from Medicaid, which covers health-care costs for low-income Americans, and the Head Start early childhood development program.
Nearly two-dozen state attorneys general filed a joint lawsuit Tuesday evening in federal court in Rhode Island, alleging the policy has caused “immediate chaos and uncertainty for millions of Americans” who rely on federally funded state programs. New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that
“immediately blocking the majority of federal funds to states is unconstitutional and dangerous. Millions of Americans rely on federally funded programs every day to get the health care they need, support their families, and stay safe in their communities.”
The White House budget office circulated a second memo attempting to clarify the reach of the funding pause, saying it was not an “acrossthe-board” freeze. The OMB said the halt of funds would only affect programs “implicated by” Trump’s executive orders and that Medicaid, Head Start, a nutrition benefits program known as SNAP and other “mandatory programs” would continue to get funding.
The group of nonprofits argued in their lawsuit that OMB lacked legal authority to impose a broad payment stoppage and that the directive violated the US Constitution’s free speech protections because the administration’s goal was to punish “disfavored speakers.” In the original memo, Vaeth wrote that the “use of federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of See “Trump” A11
Microsoft probing if DeepSeek-linked group improperly obtained OpenAI data
By Dina Bass & Shirin Ghaffary
miCroSoft Corp. and open ai are investigating whether data output from open ai’s technology was obtained in an unauthorized manner by a group linked to Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek, according to people familiar with the matter.
Microsoft’s security researchers in the fall observed individuals they believe may be linked to DeepSeek exfiltrating a large amount of data using the OpenAI application programming interface, or API, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Software developers can pay for a license to use the API to integrate OpenAI’s proprietary artificial intelligence models into their own applications.
Microsoft, an OpenAI technology partner and its largest investor, notified OpenAI of the activity, the people said. Such activity could violate OpenAI’s terms of service or could indicate the group acted to remove OpenAI’s restrictions on how much data they could obtain, the people said.
DeepSeek earlier this month released a new open-source artificial intelligence model called R1 that can mimic the way humans reason, upending a market dominated by OpenAI and US rivals such as Google and Meta Platforms Inc. The Chinese upstart said R1 rivaled or outperformed leading US developers’ products on a range of industry benchmarks, including for mathematical tasks and general knowledge—and was built for a fraction of the cost. The potential threat to the US firms’ edge in the industry sent technology stocks tied to AI, including Microsoft, Nvidia Corp., Oracle Corp. and Google parent Alphabet Inc., tumbling on Monday, erasing a total of almost $1 trillion in market value.
OpenAI didn’t respond to a request for comment, and Microsoft declined to comment. DeepSeek and hedge fund High-Flyer, where DeepSeek was started, didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment via e-mail.
David Sacks, President Donald Trump’s artificial intelligence czar, said Tuesday there’s “substantial
Microsoft’s security researchers in the fall observed individuals they believe may be linked to DeepSeek exfiltrating a large amount of data using the OpenAI application programming interface, or API, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Software developers can pay for a license to use the API to integrate OpenAI’s proprietary artificial intelligence models into their own applications.
evidence” that DeepSeek leaned on the output of OpenAI’s models to help develop its own technology. In an interview with Fox News, Sacks described a technique called distillation whereby one AI model uses the outputs of another for training purposes to develop similar capabilities.
“There’s substantial evidence that what DeepSeek did here is they distilled knowledge out of OpenAI models and I don’t think OpenAI is very happy about this,” Sacks said, without detailing the evidence.
In a statement responding to Sacks’ comments, OpenAI didn’t directly address his comments about DeepSeek. “We know PRC based companies—and others—are constantly trying to distill the models of leading US AI companies,” an OpenAI spokesperson said in the statement, referring to the People’s Republic of China. “As the leading builder of AI, we engage in countermeasures to protect our IP, including a careful process for which frontier capabilities to include in released models, and believe as we go forward that it is critically important that we are working closely with the US government to best protect the most capable models from efforts by adversaries and competitors to take US technology.” Bloomberg
Some Trump voters are skeptical of his opening moves to embrace fellow billionaires
By Jonathan J. Cooper, Bill Barrow & Amelia Thomson Deveaux
The Associated Press
meSa ariz.—enrique lopez votes sporadically but bought into Donald trump’s vows to fight for everyday workers, helping the republican flip arizona last year. then the home construction contractor watched how the billionaire president opened his second administration.
“So, the rich control the poor, I guess. They do whatever they want. They get away with it,” Lopez said after seeing Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, and other tech moguls, notably Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, at Trump’s limitedseating, indoor inauguration.
The 56-year-old Lopez, a resident of the Phoenix exurb of Apache Junction, said he was also struck by the president’s lack of emphasis on housing costs or consumer interests: “I didn’t hear anything about helping people out.”
Trump insists his overall agenda will help working- and middle-class Americans—notably his executive orders intended to goose domestic energy production and, he reasons, lower consumer costs. Days into his return to power, however, reactions from some voters highlight how difficult it could be for Trump to maintain his populist appeal alongside his embrace of fellow billionaires as well as tariffs and other policies that could stoke the very inflation he criticized as a candidate.
According to AP VoteCast, voters whose total household income in 2023 was under $50,000 were split between Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, while Trump won more than half of voters whose total household income was between $50,000 and $99,999 and Harris won among voters whose household income was $100,000 or more. The median annual household income in the US is about $81,000.
Trump. . .
continued from A10
More than half of voters without a college degree supported Trump in the 2024 election, while a similar share of voters with a college degree supported Harris.
The Associated Press spoke to a dozen voters in Arizona about Trump’s inauguration and his first days in office. Some middle-class Trump voters say that much of what he has done reflects his campaign —especially his immigration crackdown and the targeting of LGBTQfriendly policies.
“I’m happy about that,” said Lorrinda Parker, a 65-year-old retired local government worker in Arizona, who said she distrusts both major political parties and voted for Trump because she is concerned about medical treatments for trans children, the economy and what she described as a “definitely dangerous” US-Mexico border.
Yet Parker expressed concerns about the company Trump keeps. The political class, she said, is a “little insular world” where power brokers are “not paying attention to the people.”
Billionaires, she said, could provide valuable input as presidential advisers. But she likened the inauguration trio to a “technocracy,” saying they represent “elitist thinking, ‘We know more because we’re so smart,’” and adding her wish that Trump keep “a tight leash” on them.
The White House did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment.
US adults broadly think it is a bad
Trump insists his overall agenda will help working- and middleclass Americans—notably his executive orders intended to goose domestic energy production and, he reasons, lower consumer costs. Days into his return to power, however, reactions from some voters highlight how difficult it could be for Trump to maintain his populist appeal alongside his embrace of fellow billionaires as well as tariffs and other policies that could stoke the very inflation he criticized as a candidate.
thing if the president relies on billionaires for advice about government policy, according to a January AP-NORC poll. About 6 in 10 US adults say this would be a “very” or “somewhat” bad thing, while only about 1 in 10 call it a very or somewhat good thing, and about 3 in 10 are neutral.
The poll found warning flags specifically for Musk, whom Trump has empowered as chairman of the advisory Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. According to the poll, about one-third of Americans have a favorable view of Musk. That is down slightly from December. Support for the special commission he’s helming is similarly low: Only about 3 in 10 US adults strongly or somewhat approve of Trump’s creation of DOGE. About 4 in 10 disapprove, while the rest were neutral or didn’t know enough to say. (The poll was conducted before Vivek Ramaswamy announced he would no longer be involved in the group.)
Democrats and labor-friendly activists, meanwhile, are pointing to Trump’s embrace of fellow billionaires at his inauguration as they look for a message to galvanize op-
position to the president.
“You can bring those Gilded Age analogies straight to the fore,” said Maurice Mitchell, who leads the progressive Working Families Party. “That image tells the story better than a thousand breathless op-eds.... Once he got the votes and won the election, he’s pivoted in a naked and clear way.”
Mitchell compared the scene with Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos with Trump backing off since Election Day on pledges to slash consumer prices immediately and refusing to promise that his tariffs won’t feed inflation. The president over the weekend reiterated he would push to end income taxes on tips, a key campaign pledge that some Democrats embraced last year. Still, Trump also is determined to extend 2017 tax cuts tilted to corporations and the wealthiest US households, Mitchell noted.
“There can’t be any doubt that Trump 2.0 is a government by, for and with billionaires,” he said.
Mary Small, who leads the strategy and organizing efforts for the progressive group Indivisible, suggested Musk seemed “like he was calling the shots” even before the inauguration by pushing House Republicans to spike a December budget deal with then-President Joe Biden. And she noted that Trump seems already to have sided with Musk over rank-in-file “MAGA supporters” with his support for H-1B visas for highly skilled immigrants.
“Musk says the quiet part out loud,” Mitchell said.
But, he added, working-class voters and advocates who are frustrated cannot simply rely on Trump’s or other billionaires’ missteps.
“In some ways, Trump’s and MAGA’s hubris is an advantage,” he said. “We still need to fill in the other gaps and explain the positive direction we want to take the country.”
Mangun . . .
continued from A10 taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.”
Agencies were directed to file reports by Feb. 10 on programs or activities that would covered by the funding freeze.
The Justice Department submitted a copy of the second clarification memo to the court and argued it was premature for the judge to intervene “without any meaningful opportu-
nity” to “consider and address the relevant issues.” A government lawyer, Daniel Schwei, argued during the hearing that it wasn’t clear that the nonprofits filing the suit were set to receive federal funds in the coming days or that specific programs would be affected.
AliKhan said she was sympathetic to the government’s argument, but that the lack of details at this point was “in part of the government’s own making,” given the tight turnaround from when the memo was announced to when it was set to take effect. Bloomberg
temporary fixes. The average Filipino appears cautiously optimistic, balancing between immediate coping strategies and expectations for governmental policy enhancements.
While the inflation rate might just be a number, its implications are deeply felt in daily life. Food prices dictate everyday choices, housing influences major life decisions, and transportation shapes daily routines. The Filipino adaptation to
Climate change made LA 35% more primed to burn, scientists say
By Eric Roston
Climate change made Southern California’s dangerous wildfire conditions in early January 35 percent more likely than they would have been before the industrial era, according to a new analysis by the scientific group World Weather attribution.
Greenhouse gas pollution raised temperatures, made drought more likely and extended the length of fire season, contributing to the most destructive fire disaster in US history, killing at least 28 people and destroying more than 16,000 structures. The fires were also 6 percent more intense because of climate change, the analysis found.
“The fires that we saw were within the range of fire size recorded historically for Southern California,” said Roop Singh, a climate risk advisor with the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre and WWA contributor. “It’s their proximity to densely populated urban areas that really led to their significant impact.”
Scientists now routinely analyze extreme weather events for a climate change influence. Dusting for climate fingerprints on heat waves has become so straightforward that it even can be automated. But wildfires are more complicated than heat waves: They depend on temperature, rainfall, humidity, vegetation
growth and windiness all aligning, over days to years. And fires in Southern California present an even harder puzzle. The region’s Mediterranean climate is prone to wild fluctuations—wet and dry years, strong and gentle winds. Its cramped landscape of steep mountains, brushcovered foothills, cities and hybrid woodland-residential areas is hard for climate models to parse. So the 32 WWA experts broke the disaster down into three main factors: fire weather, recent precipitation and when the dry season ends (which it finally did this week).
A fire weather index for Los Angeles peaked on Jan. 8. That’s a measure of dryness in plants and soil, gleaned from temperature, humidity, wind speed and precipitation. The scientists found the conditions were rare but not unprecedented, occurring every 17 years or so. They occurred every 23 years before the atmosphere took on 50 percent more carbon dioxide. The fire weather index “was very high but it was not unprecedent-
ed,” said Claire Barnes, a WWA researcher.
Recent rainfall, measured as a three-month average, is the WWA’s second key factor. California’s fire season typically peaks in late summer, when new springtime vegetation has had time to dry out, and ends when rain falls in October and November. Only this year, it didn’t.
The lack of rainfall might not have been quite as perilous, the scientists wrote, if it weren’t for the prior two years, which were unusually wet—including the once-in-ageneration rains that Hurricane Hilary dumped in August 2023. All that water led to massive plant growth in the region. Record-breaking heat this summer then sucked moisture out of all the vegetation, leaving it primed to ignite. Rising risks of “weather whiplash”—very wet followed by very dry conditions—were documented in a review paper published coincidentally two days after the fires began.
WWA scientists typically combine weather data and climate models to understand how rare a disaster is and how big an impact, if any, greenhouse gases had. The observations and models agreed for the spiking fire-weather index. But that’s not the case for precipitation.
The complexity of the Southern California landscape—cities, for-
Greenhouse gas pollution raised temperatures, made drought more likely and extended the length of fire season, contributing to the most destructive fire disaster in US history, killing at least 28 people and destroying more than 16,000 structures. The fires were also 6 percent more intense because of climate change, the analysis found.
ested exurbs, brush-covered hills, all tightly wedged between steep mountains and the Pacific—was hard for many of the models to parse. That means the team was able to quantify observations, without necessarily assigning a specific number to the climate effect. For example, the observational record shows that the area gets dry seasons as bad as the fall of 2024 every 20 years now— or 2.4 times more often than before industrialization. Older and newer models disagree, though, on whether climate change will bring more or less precipitation to the area. The newer models suggest less; the scientists understand those as likelier be correct, but the model disagreement technically prevents them from making the official call. “Qualitatively, we would say
that the rainfalls, as well as the end of the drought season, that is changing because of climate change,” said Friederike Otto, WWA co-founder and a climate scientist at Imperial College London. “But we can’t quantify it because there, we just don’t have the models that are able to simulate this well enough.”
Another factor worsening this year’s fire weather was an El Niño, in place much of last year, which made the drought nearly twice more likely, compared with non-El Niño “neutral” years.
Fire season is also getting longer, the experts say, by 23 days a year, based on the observed data. The three-week extension makes it likelier that blazes will overlap with the winter Santa Ana winds, which is exactly what happened this month.
The Santa Anas carry hot, dry air from inland deserts down the mountains and toward the Pacific, fanning flames as they go. Early January’s powerful winds caused fires to spread rapidly and widely. There’s no clear climate influence on these winds.
Park Williams, a climate scientist at the University of California at Los Angeles, worked on the WWA study and a smaller-scale analysis published January 13. He likened wildfires to an indoor light that turns on only when four switches are flipped
this economic environment is not just commendable but a reminder of the ongoing struggle between the cost of living and living well. As we navigate through 2025, the hope is for an economic narrative that leans more towards success than setback for the everyday Filipino. But for now, we watch and adapt, keeping a sharp eye on the next economic development.
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.
simultaneously: vegetation, or fuel; heat; lack of precipitation; and ignition of some sort, almost certainly human this time of year. Heat is only the most obvious way for greenhouse gas emissions to make the event more likely, or worse, he said, and scientists no longer need supercomputers to understand that. WWA also looked at fire simulations that compared the actual burning this month with what might have burned in a pre-fossil-fuel world. “Overburning”—what they call this additional climate-juiced destruction—amounted to 26 percent more land burned in Southern California and 45 percent along the coast. ClimaMeter, an attribution group at France’s Institute Pierre-Simon Laplace, analyzes historical weather data without using climate models. They looked at the two-day weather conditions—including pressure, temperature, precipitation and wind—on January 7 to January 8 and found them to be 5C (9F) hotter, 15 percent drier and 20 percent windier than similar weather would have been from 1950 to 1986. The researchers attributed that to greenhouse gas pollution. Their analysis concluded that “natural variability likely played a minor role” in the fires, given the structure of their analysis. Bloomberg
Thursday, January 30, 2025
House OKs 2 bills to cut tax hikes, combat illicit tobacco
THEBy Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz
House of Representatives
approved on second reading two measures aimed at lowering the scheduled annual tax increases on cigarette products while strengthening excise tax administration to curb illicit trade and minimize revenue losses.
House Bill 11360 and 11286 were passed via viva voce voting early Wednesday.
HB 11360 proposes amendments to several sections of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, specifically Sections 144, 145, 147, 263-A, and 289. Under the bill, excise tax rates for tobacco products, including heated tobacco products, vapor products, cigarettes packed by hand, and cigarettes packed by machine, will increase by 2 percent every evennumbered year starting January 1, 2026; and by 4 percent every oddnumbered year starting January 1, 2027, until December 31, 2035. Under the current law, the tax rate for these tobacco products will be increased by 5 percent each year. Moreover, as a safeguard against frontloading, the Department of Finance (DOF), in consultation with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), will set a reasonable threshold for removals. Additionally, the bill grants the President the authority to increase the tax rate by up to 5 percent upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Finance in the event that the actual national government deficit exceeds the program deficit by the
WITH just over a week left before the House of Representatives adjourns its session, a labor coalition on Wednesday renewed its call to lawmakers to pass the longoverdue across-the-board wage hike for workers. In a statement, the Nagkaisa labor coalition called on legislators to act swiftly on the wage hike bill, which has been pending in the House of Representatives since May 2024.
The Labor secretary asserted, however, that when it comes to setting the country’s minimum wage, employers and workers should have crucial role in making the said adjustments through the regional wage boards.
DOLE Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma made the remark in an interview with Palace reporters in Pasay City on Wednesday when asked about his position on the pending P150 wage hike in Congress.
“The mechanism of the regional tripartite wage boards is the most orderly,” he said.
Under Republic Act No. 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act, Congress delegated its power to approve minimum wage adjustments to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB). Each of the RTWPBs has seven members: three representatives will come from the government; two members from employers’ groups; and two representatives from employees’ groups. Through the wage boards, Laguesma said workers and employers can have an agreement on the adjustment of the minimum wage rates.
As for the role of government agencies in the RTWPB, they conduct studies to determine the economic impact of such adjustments.
Laguesma said employers and workers can also negotiate for pay increases in the plant level through collective bargaining agreement or through productivity pay schemes.
On Tuesday, labor groups met with House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez to discuss how to fasttrack the passage of House Bill No. 7871 implementing a P150 across-the-board daily legislated wage hike. Laguesma said they won’t oppose Congress if it decides to pass the legislation, but they will provide technical inputs and scenarios on the said proposed wage increase.
Workers struggle NAGKAISA warned that the longer Congress takes to act, the more workers will struggle to cope with rising inflation.
“We cannot afford to wait any longer. With every passing day, the value of our wages continues to diminish as inflation rises,” Nagkaisa said.
The proposed increase is outlined in House Bill No. 7871, or the Wage Recovery Act, filed in 2023 by the Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP).
The measure seeks to grant all private sector employees—whether in agricultural or non-agricultural industries—a P150 daily wage hike while still allowing future adjustments through the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB). However, the bill has remained stalled in the House Committee on Labor and Employment for over eight months, dampening hopes for its passage. With time running out, Nagkaisa urged workers to ramp up pressure on lawmakers, particularly members of the labor committee and their respective district representatives.
The group stressed that recent wage adjustments from RTWPBs—ranging from P21 to P74—were insufficient to keep up with the soaring cost of living.
Despite the delays, TUCP, meanwhile, remains hopeful.
In a separate statement, the party emphasized that the bill is not dead in the water, citing a pledge from House Speaker Martin Romualdez to push for its passage.
“Speaker Romualdez vowed that the House of Representatives, as the ‘House of the People,’ would urgently and swiftly act to ensure progress and approval in both the House Committee on Labor and Employment and the plenary, despite the limited session days remaining,” TUCP said.
A public hearing scheduled for Thursday, January 30, could be a turning point.
Both Nagkaisa and TUCP are optimistic that lawmakers will finally take decisive action and approve the much-needed wage hike.
‘Real wages are falling’ WHILE labor groups push for immediate relief, economic experts warned that real wages have been declining for decades.
IBON Foundation Executive Director Sonny Africa noted that despite periodic wage adjustments, the purchasing power of workers has eroded over time.
“The minimum wage in 16 regions is lower in value today than it was in 1989, when wage boards were regionalized. On average, real wages are now worth 23 percent less than in 1989,” Africa said at a recent forum.
Only Metro Manila has shown a slight improvement, with real wages growing by 4 percent over the past 35 years.
Currently, the national average minimum wage stands at P465.
Among all regions, Metro Manila has the highest at P645, while the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has the lowest at P361.
equivalent of 2 percent of the previous year’s GDP.
Furthermore, the bill mandates a comprehensive review of the imposed tax rates after the 10-year period. This assessment will evaluate the measure’s impact on revenue collections, health costs, and the prevalence of smoking.
Earlier, the Sin Tax Coalition rejected the proposals seeking to amend excise tax and prevent illicit trade of tobacco and related products.
Illicit trade must be fought headon through stringent enforcement of good rules by government agencies, the group noted.
Citing the position paper of the Department of Finance, Finance Director Euvimil Nina Asuncion emphasized before the lower chamber the importance of mitigating illegal activities that impact public health and revenue generation.
“The DOF generally supports the intent of the bills to mitigate illicit trade of tobacco and related products, cognizant that illicit trade is a persistent problem that continues to erode government revenues and reverse our wins in reducing smoking prevalence,” she said.
Meanwhile, HB 11286 introduces
a mandatory tracking and tracing system requiring the use of secure digital markers with unique identifier features on tobacco products. Additionally, it defines the crime of illicit trade of covered products and imposes commensurate penalties for such offenses.
Manufacturers will be required to register their tobacco product manufacturing equipment within 30 days from acquisition or disposal. Digital platforms are also mandated to ensure the absence of illicit covered products on their respective platforms.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue, through the National Telecommunications Commission, will be granted the authority to remove illicit product listings from digital platforms. The bill further outlines the procedure for custody and disposition of confiscated, seized, or surrendered covered products to ensure a proper chain of custody.
To strengthen enforcement, the bill establishes an Inter-Agency Tobacco Illicit Trade Council, to be chaired by the Department of Finance, which will implement appropriate measures to suppress the illicit trade of covered products.
SBy Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
UBSIDIES such as cash allowances from the government could help informal caregivers of the elderly be compensated for taking care of older members of the population, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
In a webinar on Wednesday, ADB Senior Social Development Specialist Meredith Wyse said while there is family care, countries should also invest in building home and community care services to ensure that the elderly are taken care of.
Wyse said an ADB project in Tonga provided caregiver allowance access, discounted access to supplies for caregiving, assistive technology, building home modifications, and training for caregivers.
“Some of the lessons from this, even with the support, there’s still a very heavy reliance on the family caregivers, with many family caregivers still having to reduce or come out of the workforce for periods of time,” Wyse said.
“So I really echo the comments about, you know, activities to or programs to support family caregivers, to re-enter the workforce, and looking at sort of extending social protection policies for them,” she added.
United Nations Women AsiaPacific Regional Lead for Women’s Economic Empowerment and Migration Katja Freiwald said a recent report by the UN Women estimated that for every $1 invested in unpaid care work, there are “returns [of] more than $3.80 as [a country’s] GDP grows.”
“Here is a universal right and should be financed by governments. And that’s what we’re strongly advocating for. The reality is that we have been seeing different models evolving and the investment gap is just so big,” Freiwald said.
“We see that employers are stepping up. We see that new delivery models come there, but if they are not subsidized, [it falls] into the risk of making care not affordable and accessible for everyone anymore,” she added. Wyse also said cited a need for care provision at the community level to support families in taking care of older members of their households. Across Asia, she noted, there are a lot of intergenerational associations that could be good community care hubs in terms of keeping the elderly engaged and promoting healthy aging. Governments, the private sector, and families themselves, Wyse said, should reach out and link up with these associations
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio @blessogerio
PROPERTY buyers and investors in the Philippines are looking for homes that offer more than just a place to live—they want themed and leisure-oriented communities that bring comfort into their daily lives, a property marketplace found. In its real estate outlook on January 20, Lamudi reported a growing interest in developments that provide added value through amenities and services. This often features pools, golf courses and green open spaces.
“Many property buyers are interested in finding a place that provides lifestyle and outdoor
amenities—especially young professionals who want to maximize their property investments and growing families who want a more comfortable space to raise their children,” it said.
Additionally, developers, according to the realty hub, are also stepping up by adding upscale and premium features in houses, especially in provincial areas.
“Township components may also be incorporated into industrial parks, addressing the rising demand for residential real estate in areas outside Metro Manila,” the report said.
This preference aligns with the increasing popularity of golf communities, with hotspots like Antipolo City in Rizal, as well as
Dasmariñas and Silang in Cavite. Aside from the green surroundings, these areas attract buyers with their easy access to the metro.
In a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) report, the demand for high-end homes outside Metro Manila in the second quarter of 2024 was on the rise. Calabarzon saw the highest share of residential real estate loans at 30.1 percent, followed by Central Luzon at 13 percent and Central Visayas at 8 percent. Moreover, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the November 2024 residential buildings made up 62.3 percent of all construction projects. The majority were
single-type houses (6,656 projects), followed by apartments (739), duplexes (103), condominiums (9) and other residential types (6). Meanwhile, real estate firm KMC Savills’ 2025 residential outlook pointed out an oversupply in the mid to upper-middle housing market due to pricing mismatches, saying, “Developers will shift focus to the high-end and luxury segments as well as provincial areas in 2024.” Leechiu Property Consultants, on the other hand, warned that factors like global economic uncertainty and geopolitical risks could lead developers to take a more cautious approach moving forward.
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
‘FLI office leasing segment will post growth this year’
By VG Cabuag @villygc
Gotianun-led property developer Filinvest land inc. (Fli) said it is optimistic that its office leasing and residential businesses will continue to grow this year despite the challenges it confronted in recent months.
FLI President and CEO Tristan
Las Marias said the developer’s office business is benefiting from its focus on leasing to government entities as the market is seeing more supply than demand due to the exit of the Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO), composed of mostly Chinese firms.
The company is currently able to maintain its occupancy rate despite the completion of new buildings.
“That’s growth, right? If you maintain the same occupancy average and then you added more office spaces. That’s improvement,” Las Marias said.
He said the company was able to close two leases last year--a building in Makati to the Department of Trade and Industry and in Pasay to the National Bureau of Investigation. There is high demand from government agencies for new office
spaces, he said.
“We started only last year, at least deliberately for the government. So, we’re starting to tap into more government offices. This is because they have the budget. So, hopefully, we’ll be able to get more this year.”
He said the company is also securing new leases from traditional offices as many businesses are setting up shop in Filinvest City in Alabang, which is becoming known as a regional hub in Southeast Asia.
Las Marias also said that there is a “flight to quality” by both government and private lessors so there are a lot of opportunities for FLI since most of its buildings are of Grade A quality.
“If people are moving out of their old offices to upgrade at friendlier rates, then we’ll be able to help them.”
For FLI’s residential business, he said the company is not affected by the supposed glut in the middleincome condominium market since more than half of their projects are outside of Metro Manila.
About 50 percent of FLI’s residential projects are in the Visayas and Mindanao while the other half are in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.
He said FLI’s residential business is seen to get a boost from the decline in interest rates, which makes the borrowing rate of home mortgages more affordable. It will also benefit from the weakness of the peso since its gives more purchasing power to dollar-earners.
About 30 percent of FLI’s residential sales are from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“This is because when OFWs invest, particularly for rental, they will choose places where they are more familiar with so that their relatives can take care of or maintain these investment properties.”
For this year, Las Marias said FLI will open its second building in General Santos City, second building in Naga, the third building in Dagupan. The company is also expanding in Bacolod.
ERC to review Meralco refund bid
THE E nergy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said on Wednesday it will act immediately on a newly filed application of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) since this involves a refund to its customers amounting to P19 billion.
“We will evaluate their filing, hold hearings. We will evaluate first for issuance of provisional authority. It was filed last night (Tuesday),” said ERC Chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta via Viber on Wednesday.
Meralco is proposing to refund
the difference between the Actual Weighted Average Tariff (AWAT) and its approved final rate amounting to P19,096,911,515.00 over a period of 36 months at an average rate of P0.1138 per kilowatt hour (kWh), which Meralco proposed to be allocated among its customers classes. For residential customers, the proposed refund rate is P0.1937 per kWh. The refund rate will be reflected as a special line item in the bills of customers during the refund period.
“Pending final approval of the instant application, the issuance of a provisional authority will allow
Meralco’s customers to immediately enjoy the benefits of the refund sought to be implemented, providing welcome relief to consumers during this time,” the company’s application stated.
Meralco utility economics head Lawrence Fernandez said the filing was in compliance with ERC’s December 2024 order, which declared the period July 2022 to June 2025 as Lapsed Period and which ordered Meralco to submit a proposal to refund the difference between Meralco’s AWAT during the said period and the ERC-approved Maximum
Average Price (MAP) for Meralco of around P1.35/kWh.
“The computed refund amount is P19 billion, covering the period July 2022 to Dec 2024. We will submit the refund amount for Jan 2025 to June 2025 once we have actual collected rates for those months.
Similar to previous ERC rulings on Meralco’s past AWAT refunds, the mechanism is proposed to be through credits to bills. For residential customers, this is equivalent to a deduction of around 19-c/ kWh for 36 months,” said Fernandez via Viber. Lenie Lectura
Comelec, TikTok team up to fight fake news
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
HE Commission on Elections
T(Comelec) and social media platform TikTok have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to prevent the spread of fake news during the election season. Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia noted that the vast reach of social media makes it challenging for the commission to monitor election-related content on its own.
“The fight now is not in the regular campaign; it will be in the social media campaign. That’s why this partnership between Comelec and TikTok is a very much welcome development as far as our campaign [against] disinformation or fake news is concerned.”
Under the agreement, Comelec and TikTok will work together to develop in-app resources that promote election awareness.
The partnership will also grant the poll body access to TikTok’s safety enforcement tool, enabling them to report content that violates local election laws more efficiently.
As part of its election initiatives, TikTok has introduced a new in-app feature that users can access by searching for “Elections” or “Halalan.”
This will direct them to the “Election Awareness” tab, where they can explore various election-related content in both English and Filipino from Comelec, the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections, and the Legal Network for Truthful Elections.
The page also includes a step-bystep guide titled “Learn How to Spot False Information,” which educates users on how to critically evaluate online content, particularly on TikTok.
TikTok Public Policy Manager Peachy Paderna assured the public that the platform has strict stance against disinformation, stressing its potential to distort public opinion.
“We don’t allow harmful misinformation in the platform that may disrupt our civic and electoral processes in the country… we also label unverified information in the platform,” she said.
Paderna added that TikTok has stringent measures in place to moderate false information.
This includes automated systems that initially screen content, followed by human reviewers who verify
Cebu Pacific to reduce 2025 capex
By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan
BUDGET c arrier Cebu Pacific is set to lower its capital expenditures (capex) for 2025 following a reduction in its aircraft orders, a top executive confirmed.
Cebu Pacific President and Chief Commercial Officer Xander Lao said the airline’s capex will fall from its 2024 level of approximately P60 billion, mainly due to fewer incoming aircraft.
“We will disclose the capex numbers, but I guess based on that, it will
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
THE Department of Energy (DOE) said 21 renewable energy (RE) facilities of 12 power firms are qualified to join the third round of the Green Energy Auction (GEA-3). Under GEA, RE firms compete for incentivized fixed power rates by offering their lowest price for a certain capacity. The auction covers 300 megawatts (MW) of impounding hydro capacity, 4,250 MW of pumped storage hydro (PSH), and geothermal (100 MW) contracts. The qualified bidders and their RE facilities are as follows: Maibarara Geothermal Inc.’s Maibarara geothermal projects 1-3; Energy Development Corp.’s Mindanao 3 binary geothermal power plant expansion project phase 3-unit 1; the Bago binary geothermal plant—unit 1; and Bac-Man Geothermal Inc.’s Palayan binary plant—unit 1 and Tanawon geothermal plant—unit 1.
For impounding hydro, the DOE has qualified the registration documents of Pan Pacific Renewable Power Philippines Corp. for its Gened 1 and 2 hydro plants; Pulangi Hydro Power Corp.’s South Pulangi hydro power project; and United Hydro Power Builders Corp.’s Dakgan hydro power project.
flagged posts. Users can also report misleading content themselves.
Additionally, TikTok collaborates with 21 fact-checking partners globally to ensure the accuracy of information shared on the platform.
Beyond content moderation, TikTok will also conduct briefings for candidates and content creators to guide them on the proper use of the platform during the elections.
Violators of TikTok’s community guidelines may face bans from the platform.
In October, Comelec and Tiktok already forged a partnership to ban fake news and paid political advertisements in the platform.
be lower, as from 17 aircraft to seven aircraft—that was our largest capex cited,” Lao said, noting that the new jets will be a mix of narrow-body and wide-body airliners.
The budget carrier had previously ramped up aircraft acquisitions to support its post-pandemic recovery and expansion efforts. However, with significant network growth in 2024, the airline is now shifting its focus toward maximizing existing routes rather than aggressively introducing new ones.
After launching 24 new routes in 2024, Cebu Pacific is taking a
“measured approach” in expanding its network further.
“Pagod pa kami from last year eh,” Lao quipped, noting that the newly launched routes have delivered mixed results and require further optimization.
Cebu Pacific’s Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer Candice Iyog said there is a need to consolidate recent expansions before considering additional routes.
“I know there is excitement about new route announcements, and we presented a lot of them in 2024, with the recent one being the
Sapporo route. We can’t just keep announcing new routes as we have to be making sure that our recent ones become profitable, sustainable and make sure we grow our frequency in those said routes. So right now, our focus will mainly be there.”
Last year, Cebu Pacific announced a groundbreaking $24 billion deal with Airbus and Pratt & Whitney for up to 152 A321neo aircraft, marking the largest single purchase agreement in Philippine aviation history.
The list for PSH include Ahunan Power Inc.’s Pakil pumped storage hydro project; First Gen Hydro Power Corp.’s Aya pumped storage project; Olympia Violago Water and Power Inc.’s Wawa pumped storage 1 hydro
project; Pan Pacific Renewable Power Philippines’ Maton pumped storage hydro project; San Roque Hydropower Inc.’s Aklan pumped storage project, San Roque Lower East, Upper East, and West pumped storage hydro projects; COHECO Badeo Corp.’s Kibungan pumped storage project; and Repower Energy Development Corp.’s Real II Seawater pumped storage project.
“Pursuant to the terms of reference for the GEA3, the GEA-Bids Evaluation and Awards Committee, with the assistance of the GEA committee-TWG, conducted a review of the registration documents by the qualified suppliers during the registration period from January 9-10, 2025,” DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said in a GEA advisory.
The DOE now requires the qualified bidders to submit proof of their bid bonds.
Based on the latest GEA3 timeline released by the DOE, GEA3 is scheduled on February 11, 2024 while issuance of notice of award to the winning bidders will take place from May 20 to July 4.
“The administration of GEA3, with the majority of the capacity coming from PSH, will pave the way for greater entry of RE energy in the grid’s energy mix, provide grid stability and reliability, foster a cleaner and more sustainable future, and at the same time ensure a transparent and competitive selection process of RE Facilities,” the DOE said. A pre-bid conference is scheduled on January 23.
Maibarara Geothermal inc.’s power project in Sto. Tomas, batangas.
Photo from www.Petroenergy.com.Ph
Banking&Finance
PHL bags $500M loan for disaster financing
THE Philippine government has secured its first sovereign loan for the year from Manilabased multilateral lender Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The ADB announced it has approved a $500-million worth policybased loan to give the Philippines quick access to financing during disasters caused by natural hazards or health-related emergencies.
The loan is tapped through the “Second Disaster Resilience Improvement” program. It is a multiyear contingent disaster financing program with an option to replenish the facility twice, upon approval by the ADB Board. Loan renewals are allowed if there will be unutilized amounts after the initial 5-year period.
“The Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia but is at high risk for earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons, rising sea levels, and flooding,” ADB Country Director for the Philippines Pavit Ramachandran was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the ADB last Wednesday. With this program, we aim to: help boost the country’s capacity for disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) nationally and locally, including state-owned and controlled corporations; strengthen DRRM policies and frameworks; and, attain long-term resilience to lessen the impact of disasters, especially to the most vulnerable sectors, Ramachandran explained.
According to the ADB, the financing will support reforms to raise resilience and enable timely response and recovery efforts, thus minimizing the impact of disasters on the economy and Filipinos’ lives and livelihoods.
The lender continued that the new program seeks to harmonize DRRM planning processes at the national, provincial, and city levels and integrate DRRM in national public financial management (PFM) reforms as
prescribed in the PFM roadmap developed with ADB’s support.
It also seeks to incorporate gender equity, disability, and social inclusion in DRRM plans; enhance the service delivery of state-owned or controlled corporations for disaster response; and provide additional sources of risk financing, including a voluntary city parametric disaster insurance scheme that offers faster payouts for damages from earthquakes, typhoons, and other disasters.
The program forms a central part of ADB’s support to the Philippines to build disaster resilience. It builds on the reforms achieved under the first Disaster Resilience Improvement Program.
It also leverages past ADB assistance on climate and disaster resilience, such as the support for the “Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services” (KalahiCidss) program, which addressed the post-disaster needs of local communities.
The program complements ADB’s Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Project (Phase 1), which is helping prepare and implement DRRM plans to reduce selected LGUs’ disaster vulnerabilities.
It also builds on the Climate Change Action Plan Subprograms 1 and 2, which support the implementation of national climate policies and the scale-up of climate adaptation and mitigation efforts at the national and local levels.
The ADB noted that the Philippines ranked as the highest in disaster risk out of 193 economies in 2024, according to the World Risk Report 2024.
At least 60 percent of its total land area is exposed to multiple hazards, with nearly three-fourths of its entire population susceptible to the impact of these hazards.
The country experiences at least 20 typhoons and an average of up to 150 earthquakes of at least magnitude 4 every year. Cai U. Ordinario
Bankers to sell smaller amount of PDS shares
LENDERS grouped under the Bankers Association of the Philippines formally agreed to sell the BAP’s stake in the Philippine Dealing System (PDS) Holdings Corp. to the Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE); the amount of which, however, is smaller earlier targeted.
In a disclosure, the PSE said it has entered into a share purchase agreement with BAP, for itself and on behalf of the BAP Data Exchange Inc. and an unidentified member-bank. Under the agreement, the PSE agreed to purchase while the BAP agreed to sell 1.16 million common shares of stock of PDS, equivalent to 18.62 percent of the total issued and outstanding stock of the owner of the fixed income exchange.
Last December 26, the PSE said it signed a term sheet (a non-binding document) with the group for the purchase and of up to 1.8 million common shares of stock of PDS, equivalent to 28.8335 percent of the total issued and outstanding stock of PDS.
PERSONALIZED products accessible to customers could help the East West Banking Corp. (EastWest) sustain its doubledigit credit card growth this year. In a statement it issued last Wednesday, the Gotianun familyowned bank aims to introduce new products and innovative features tailored for the mass, affluent and high-end markets, including in key provinces across the country.
According to EastWest, it had over 1.5 million cardholders and P116.6 billion in credit card billings at the end of 2024.
Foreign capital infusion lifts profits of rural banks–BSP
By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
FOREIGN capital has been good for rural banks and helped them sustain their profitability, according to a study released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
In a discussion paper, researchers from the BSP Research Academy led by Principal Researcher Hazel C. Parcon-Santos, of the 13 rural banks that received foreign capital infusion, five saw high profits despite some lag time since they obtained foreign capital.
Given this, the researchers recommended that rural banks should consider seeking foreign capital from investors abroad. The capital infusion led to improvements in technology and manpower skills, among others.
“With the capital infusion, these banks underwent capacity building, such as upgrading business
TBy VG Cabuag @villygc
HE Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. (PDEX), the operator of the country’s fixed-income market, may introduce next week a new derivative product.
“We’re excited about that because that’s the first purely Philippine peso denominated interest rate hedge,” PDEX President and CEO Antonino A. Nakpil said.
The derivative will only be available to banks, and then will be opened to other sectors that may find it useful, Nakpil added.
processes, information technology, manpower skills, and data management,” the researchers said.
“Additionally, although five rural banks were already operating profitably before the infusion, the foreign capital may have helped them sustain their profitability,” they added.
The researchers also recommended that the BSP continue to monitor the progress of rural banks with foreign equity to monitor whether they continue to benefit or are benefitting from the capital infusion.
“An annual survey, similar to the one conducted for commercial
banks (Survey on the Effects of Foreign Bank Entry into the Philippine Banking System), could be carried out,” they also said. The study was based on a BSP survey that was participated in by nine rural banks that received foreign capital infusion as of the end of 2022.
A third or 33 percent of the participating institutions said they received foreign equity as the investors wanted to expand their businesses.
Out of the 17 regions nationwide, seven regions had rural banks that received foreign equity. The largest concentration of these banks, around four, were located in Calabarzon.
This was followed by three in the Ilocos region, two in the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila and one each in MIMAROPA, Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley and the Davao Region.
Out of the 13 rural banks with foreign equity, six received foreign funding from Singapore ranging from a 6.04 percent share of the rural bank’s total capital to as high as 60 percent of total capital.
“It’s a new thing. It will be settled in a way I think that’s unique. We’re not creating a futures contract like the traditional sense. But it’s a forward expression of what has been established as a method of hedging in the futures markets. But we’re using a forward, OTC (over the counter) forward expression of that. So, it’s Pinoy,” he said.
“So, it’s a first. We’ll see if it works; we think it will work. It’s not a futures contract so there’s no leverage on it. We’ll allow only the dealers and then qualified investors. Basically, professionals only,” he said.
With the agreement signed with the BAP, the PSE will be acquiring a total of 57.25 percent or 3.58 million shares of PDS for P2.15 billion based on its enterprise value of P3.75 billion. Last January 17, AIA Philippines Life and General Insurance Co. Inc. also agreed to sell its 4-percent stake in the PDS (equivalent to 250,000 shares worth P150 million) to the bourse. AIA’s move comes after the decision of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines Research and Development Foundation to also sell its stake to the PSE.
The PSE entered into a share purchase agreement with the Finex Foundation on December 27 for the acquisition of 96,388 common shares of PDS equivalent to a 1.54 percent interest.
The PSE also signed agreements with PDS shareholders on December 26, 2024, to purchase a total of 3.87 million PDS shares for P2.32 billion. The transaction cost was based on the P3.75 billion enterprise value of the PDS, or P600 per share. VG Cabuag
“We value our customers so we aim to provide a robust and seamless experience to meet their evolving needs,” EastWest Senior Vice President Aylwin Herminia P. Tamayo was quoted in the statement as saying.
“By making our products more accessible and personalized, we empower Filipinos to better manage their financial journeys,” added Tamayo, who also heads the lender’s credit cards business.
According to the bank, it aims to enhance its digital platform and product offerings to strengthen its position as the trusted financial
THE new president of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex), Phinma Corp. Chief Financial Officer EJ A. Qua Hiansen, vowed to champion innovation in business and called on fellow leaders to promote positive change for society through finance.
In his inaugural speech last Monday, Qua Hiansen said that this year’s leadership has adopted the theme “Shaping the Future: Leadership and Innovation in Philippine Business.”
“Amid volatile and changing times, we will focus on the fundamentals, our capacity to lead organizations, and a continuous drive for innovation,” he said, citing the economic theory of innovation cycles.
The current wave, which encompasses artificial intelligence and robotics could be briefer than the most recent cycle that included social media and digital networks, Qua Hiansen added.
“Strong leadership, the right talent, and likeminded partners have guided companies through these cycles. For me, this is one of the values of FINEX: cultivating financial executives who will elevate our businesses by capitalizing on the opportunities presented by emerging technologies,” he noted.
Phinma Chairman and CEO Ramon R. del Rosario Jr., the keynote speaker during the induction
partner for its customers.
For this year, the bank aims to streamline its credit card applications through its digital platform and mobile applications to allow customers to apply for credit cards anytime and anywhere.
The bank intends to simplify its financial solutions such as introducing enhancements to services such as cash installments, insta-cash, balance transfers, and balance conversions.
It will also introduce travel and rewards promotions such as its partnership with Singapore Airlines to provide exclusive travel offer for
He said the new product is not meant for the retail investors.
“So, there’s no sense of equality for all; because some contracts are not meant for retail investors, especially if there’s leverage involved. Once you’re involved in leverage and the likes of futures contracts, it becomes complicated because sometimes it’s sold,” Nakpil said.
The PDEX said earlier it may this year raise from the exchange some P600 billion in capital, which is close to double the actual P360 billion raised last year.
Nakpil, however, said the ex-
ceremony, talked about using finance as a force for Filipino dignity and reminded leaders in attendance that their work goes beyond numbers.
Qua Hiansen said the new Finex officers “ac-
cardholders.
Their clients can enjoy up to P5,000 cash rebate for flights booked via the Singapore Airlines app or website using the EastWest Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer World Mastercard, KrisFlyer Platinum Mastercard, or EastWest Platinum Mastercard.
EastWest bank also intends to offer exclusive dining privileges at top establishments such as top hotels and establishments around Metro Manila.
The bank, as part of its Kaskasan Buddies raffle promo, EastWest JCB credit card applicants have a chance
The data also showed one rural bank has foreign equity from investors in Hong Kong and Malaysia while three rural banks received equity infusions from investors in North America (USA/Canada) and two rural banks received foreign equity from Australia.
“The average share of foreign equity to total capital is 30 percent, ranging from 1 to 60 percent,” the researchers stated.
The researchers noted that the rural
of Philippine
Specifically, “non-Filipino citizens may own, acquire, or purchase up to 60 percent of the voting stocks in a rural bank.” This provision permitted foreign individuals or corporations—not just banks—to acquire ownership of rural banks, opening a new source of capital for these banks.
change may possibly tweak its target downward, depending on geo-political risks and issues such as inflation for the rest of the year.
“Last year, our budget was P400 billion, but we reached P360 (billion). Well, right now we think most of it is refinancing. So we’re seeing February,” Nakpil said.
“These guys are the ones who were planning last year, late last year, and they’re coming in into this first quarter of 2025. So we’ll see them starting February, I think we have three or four to start now,” he said.
cept your challenge to be catalysts for positive change by going beyond the numbers to serve as guardians of our nation’s future in the national discourse and to lead our companies in fostering positive change for society.”
A homegrown talent, Qua Hiansen began his Phinma journey as the executive assistant to thenpresident del Rosario in 2013. He rose through the ranks in the subsequent years, holding various positions such as investor relations officer, vice president for corporate strategy and planning, and deputy CFO prior to his current role.
Qua Hiansen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Butler University in Indiana, USA. where he was recognized as one of the “Top 100 Outstanding Students” in 2005, along with a Master’s degree in Global Finance from HKUST-NYU Stern.
Joining him at the Finex Board are Executive Vice President Mharicar Reyes, Vice President (VP) for Internal Affairs Mignon Ramos, VP for External Affairs Senen Matoto, Treasurer Carlo Lazatin and Corporate Secretary Jose Luis Gomez.
Other directors include Jesusa Arellano, Mailene Bisnar, Augusto Bengzon, Paolo Azurin, Antonio Ramon Ongsiako, Benito Soliven, Gema Ong Cheng, Edith Estacio and Stephanie Zulueta.
to win a trip to Tokyo, including Disney Sea tickets.
“These initiatives reaffirm our dedication to delivering accessible and personalized financial solutions,” Tamayo said.
“EastWest is here to support Filipinos in their journey toward financial empowerment, offering innovative tools and rewarding experiences,” she added.
Last year, EastWest saw its income post double-digit growth in the nine-month period and in the third quarter 2024.
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), EastWest saw its
EJ A. Qua Hiansen CREDIT: F nanCIal ExECuTIvEs InsTITuTE oF ThE PhIlIPPInEs
B4 Thursday, January 30, 2025
Export receipts from tobacco fall in 2024–NTA
TBy Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
HE country’s unmanufactured tobacco exports shrank by 14.2 percent in 2024, according to the National Tobacco Administration (NTA).
Data from the NTA showed that exports of unmanufactured tobacco stood at 17.8 million kilograms last year from 20.75 million kilograms recorded in 2023. The value of exports dropped by 6.47 percent to $94.59 million in 2024 from $101.13 million in the previous year.
NTA data also showed that Universal Leaf Philippines, Inc. (ULPI) emerged as the top exporter of unmanufactured tobacco last year with a total volume of 14.14 million kilograms worth $111.97 million. JTI Asia Manufacturing Corp. trailed behind with 1.89 million kilograms at $3.12 million. This was followed by Continental Leaf Tobacco Philippines Inc. with an export volume of 747,210 kilograms (kg) worth $3.9 million, Trans Manila Inc. (TMI) with 636,120 kg worth $1.85 million, and PMFTC Inc. with 315,026 kg worth $795,761.
Meanwhile, NTA data showed imports of unmanufactured tobacco plunged by 39.89 percent to 30.59 million kilos in 2024 from 50.88 million kilos in the previous year.
The value of imports also plummeted by 49.51 percent to $115.87 million from $229.47 million recorded in 2023.
The agency said over half of the imported unmanufactured tobacco is used for local cigarette manufacturing, 39 percent is for export as cigarettes, and the remaining 4 percent is for export as processed leaf.
Output
NTA Deputy Administrator for Operations Nestor Casela said tobacco production last year grew by 7.46 percent to 45.40 million kg from 42.25 million kg in 2023.
“Philippine tobacco became competitive in international markets,” Casela told reporters on the sidelines of the International Tobacco Summit in Quezon City last Monday. He said that this was spurred by China, the world’s leading tobacco producer, which reduced its production, which caused global supply to tighten.
Manila halts testing of porcine PAP from ASF-hit nations
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) suspended the testing of porcine processed animal protein (PPAP) from countries affected by African swine fever (ASF).
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed Memorandum Order (MO) 5, which authorized the moratorium on the testing of PPAP coming from ASF-affected nations at the country’s ports of entry.
The DA noted that since 2023, all PPAP samples sourced from ASF-affected countries tested by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) for the ASF virus had negative results.
“Based on the policy review using information from recent inspection missions and a more detailed risk assessment conducted by BAI on the entry of ASF from PPAP sourced from ASF-affected countries, the probability of occurrence is moderate while the consequence assessment is low,” the order read. The agency said PPAP would undergo extreme temperatures that would be sufficient to inactivate the ASF virus in animal by-products used for production. It added that the duration of storage in the country of origin, which is typically from European and South American nations, and
the over 30-day transport period to the Philippines “satisfies the recommended ‘quarantine period’ for feeds.”
“Based on scientific studies, prolonged storage or feed quarantine can potentially prevent viral spread as it allows virus to naturally decay, thereby reducing infective viral load within the feed over time.”
Under the order, a moratorium on the testing of PPAP from ASFaffected nations will be issued provided that certain measures are followed.
This includes export health certificates of PPAP certifying that the raw material is sourced
In his presentation, Casela noted that international prices rose, which made the Philippines “very competitive in price and quality.”
“Due to the interplay of demand and supply, there was a great demand for tobacco last year [since] China reduced its production of
from animal by-products fit for human consumption and has been processed at temperature and time duration in line with internationally acceptable standards.
It should also attest that animal by-products used for PPAP production are sourced from animals free from any transboundary and infectious animal diseases and that rendering plants regularly comply with GMP and/ or HACCP certification bodies.
“All other procedures relative to the inspection of shipments prior to clearance at the ports of entry shall be followed.”
Ada Pelonia
Bill creating regulatory body for agriculturists hurdles Senate
TBy Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
HE Senate passed on third and final reading last January 27 a measure which is expected to raise the standard of the agriculture profession through the creation of a regulatory body for agriculturists.
Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2906, or the Philippine Agriculturists Act, sponsored by Sen. Juan Miquel “Migz” F. Zubiri, got the nod of all 23 senators present. Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla principally authored the bill, which seeks to establish “a more relevant and responsive legal regulatory framework” for the agriculture profession.
“This is one of our happy bills, and as testament to that, all
weekend we have been receiving messages of gratitude from our stakeholders on social media— thanking us for spearheading this measure and ensuring that our agriculturists are given the professional recognition and renumeration that they deserve,” Zubiri said.
Revilla thanked Zubiri for shepherding SBN 2906, as well as his colleagues for their support for its timely approval.
“Our vote of yes is a vote for the whole agriculture sector on which many of the rights of our countrymen depend,” the senator said.
“Registered agriculturists are the backbone of the sector and they are responsible in propelling our joint aspirations for a better future for our farmers, their community
and the country as whole. Through this measure, it is our hope that it will fill the void between scientific research and development and traditional farming practices.”
The Philippine Agriculturists Act is expected to elevate the standards of the agriculture profession through the creation of the Professional Regulatory Board of Agriculture under the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
The board will consist of a chairperson and five members, each representing key fields: crop science, animal science, soil science, crop protection, agricultural economics/business/entrepreneurship, and agricultural extension and communication.
It will be mandated to supervise and regulate the licensure,
registration, and practice of registered agriculturists, as well as assess conditions affecting agricultural practice to enhance the profession.
Both Zubiri and Revilla are proposing a registration of agriculturists without examination for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from a governmentrecognized school; postgraduate Agriculture degree holders; those with at least five years of experience in the agriculture sector, whether in government or private practice.
The measure also seeks to allow only registered agriculturists to use the title “Registered Agriculturist (R. Agr)” with a minimum base salary employed in government or state universities and colleges not below Salary Grade 13.
Egg prices are soaring. Don’t expect that to change anytime soon
OMAHA Nebraska—Bird flu is forcing farmers to slaughter millions of chickens a month, pushing US egg prices to more than double their cost in the summer of 2023. And it appears there may be no relief in sight, given the surge in demand as Easter approaches. The average price per dozen nationwide hit $4.15 in December. That’s not quite as high as the $4.82 record set two years ago, but the Agriculture Department predicts prices are going to soar another 20 percent this year. Shoppers in some parts of the country are already paying more than double the average price, or worse, finding empty shelves in their local grocery stores. Organic and cage-free varieties are even more expensive. Some grocery stores have even limited how many eggs shoppers can buy.
“It’s just robbery,” said Minneapolis resident Sage Mills, who bought eggs to bake a birthday cake last week. “Eggs used to be kind of a staple food for us, but now you know, you might as well just go out to eat.” What is driving up prices?
THE bird flu outbreak that started in 2022 is the main reason egg prices are up so much.
Anytime the virus is found on a poultry farm, the entire flock is slaughtered to help limit the virus’ spread. And with massive egg farms routinely housing more than 1 million chickens, just a few infections can cause a supply crunch.
The problem tends to linger because it takes months to dispose of all the carcasses, disinfect barns and bring in new birds.
More than 145 million chickens, turkeys and other birds have been slaughtered since the current outbreak
began, with the vast majority of them being egg-laying chickens.
Cage-free egg laws in 10 states may also be responsible for some supply disruptions and price increases. The laws set minimum space for chickens or cage-free requirements for egg-laying hens. They’ve already gone into effect in California, Massachusetts, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Michigan. At a Target in Chicago on Monday, a dozen large conventional eggs cost $4.49 but a dozen large cage-free eggs were selling for $6.19.
Why is the virus so hard to control?
BIRD flu is primarily spread by wild birds such as ducks and geese as they migrate.
While it is fatal to a variety of animals, those species can generally carry it without getting sick, which offers the virus a chance to mutate and thrive.
The virus can be spread through droppings or any interaction between farm-raised poultry and wild birds. It’s also easily tracked into a farm on someone’s boots or by vehicle.
Unlike previous outbreaks, the one that began in 2022 didn’t die out in high summer temperatures.
The virus found another new host when dairy cattle started getting sick last March. That creates more opportunities for the virus to linger and spread and unlike poultry, cattle aren’t slaughtered when they get sick because they rarely die from bird flu.
More than five dozen people have also become ill with bird flu and one person died since last March. Nearly all of them worked around sick animals.
Health officials haven’t yet found evidence of the disease spreading from person to person.
tobacco, that’s why our Philippine tobacco became competitive and resulted in much higher prices.”
He said the average buying price of local leaf tobacco stood at P129 per kilo in 2024.
Furthermore, Casela noted that the increase in output was also caused by local government units (LGUs) prompting farmers to plant more, given the incentive stipulated under the Republic Act (RA) 7171.
“The local government units are so motivated in convincing their farmers to plant more because it means that if there’s bigger volume they produce, their share from the [law] is higher,” he said.
Under the law, 15 percent of the collection from excise taxes on locally manufactured Virginia type of cigarettes will be allocated to the beneficiary provinces pro rata according to the volume of production.
PHL seen completing field trials for bird flu vaccines in March
THE long-awaited bird flu vaccines are expected to hurdle field trials by the end of March this year, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the trial results for avian influenza (AI) vaccines would be presented to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) through the Veterinary Technical Advisory Committee (VTAC), which would then be endorsed to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“By the end of this quarter, the two trials would be concluded and then the application for approval will be sent to the FDA,” de Mesa told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday.
He noted that the vaccines undergoing field trials came from companies in Hungary and Germany.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. earlier hinted that the vaccine for AI could become available by March.
“If that comes out in March, we will have to [allot] P300 million for that,” Laurel said in a previous interview, adding that this amount would be sufficient to procure 30 million doses.
The agriculture chief noted that the agency would prioritize the inoculation of layers against the disease.
Industry groups have been lobbying for bird flu vaccines given their international availability which were proven effective against the transboundary animal disease.
BAI report showed that no positive cases of AI have been reported from January 4 to January 24 this year.
ASF vaccine
MEANWHILE , de Mesa noted that over 32,000 doses of the African swine fever (ASF) vaccine had been administered to 18 farms under controlled use, with more applicants under evaluation for eligibility.
“The 18 farms are in 11 municipalities in 5 provinces. There are still a number of applicants that are undergoing evaluation for eligibility.”
He said 160,000 doses of ASF vaccine had been delivered to the BAI.
Laurel said vaccines against the hog disease could be commercially available by March, with the agency distributing 150,000 doses. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2024/12/18/asf-vaccinesready-for-commercial-use-bymarch-2025-da/)
“If the 150,000 doses are used up, there will be mass trial results. Hopefully, we can start (its) commercial use possibly by
March [2025].” Laurel also said the government has procured 490,000 doses, which will arrive on a staggered basis until the first half of the year.
The agency started the government-controlled inoculation of the ASF vaccine in Lobo, Batangas last August 2024. Data from the BAI showed that 133 barangays in 34 municipalities have active ASF cases as of January 10.
‘Accelerate distribution’ CAMARINES Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte called on DA to accelerate and expand its distribution of free ASF vaccines to backyard hog raisers to hasten the repopulation of local swine and drive down pork prices.
“All being well, consumers can look forward to significantly higher local pork output and cheaper retail prices in the market afterwards before the year is over with the government’s rollout at last of free anti-ASF vaccines for the hogs of small or backyard raisers,” he said.
“We are hoping that the DA, through its BAI [Bureau of Animal Industry], will accelerate its free vaccine rollout and expand the number of beneficiary hog raisers so the higher domestic pork supply and cheaper retail cost of liempo, kasim, and other pork products can happen sooner than later this year.”
He urged the DA, through BAI, to intensify the vaccine distribution and extend coverage to more backyard hog raisers, who account for 70 percent to 80 percent of the country’s pork supply.
Villafuerte acknowledged the DA’s repopulation efforts but noted that many hog raisers had been reluctant to reinvest in their farms due to the absence of an official vaccination program to combat ASF, which has affected over 5,826 barangays across 1,007 municipalities in 75 provinces over the past six years.
According to BAI data as of January 10, ASF cases were reported in 34 municipalities across 11 provinces, with North Cotabato (86 cases), Kalinga (15 cases), and Bohol (8 cases) being the most affected.
The Philippines is ranked as the world’s tenth-largest pork consumer, eighth-largest producer, and seventh-largest importer.
According to the DA’s Bantay Presyo monitoring report, the perkilo cost of pork liempo and kasim ranged from P370 to P450 and P330 to P400, respectively, in mid-January, from P310 to P400 and P270 to P360 in October 2024. Ada Pelonia & Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz
‘Working closely together toward our shared vision’
LADIES and gentlemen: Magandang gabi sa inyong lahat. And G’day!
Thank you for joining me and my husband Fergus at our third and final Australia Day event as ambassador and spouse.
I know. Time really flies when you’re having fun!
With over 1,000 guests joining us tonight, this is our biggest national day event ever! And it’s only fitting because the Australia-Philippine relationship has never been stronger—we have never achieved so much together in just two-and-a-half years.
Underpinning our strong relationship and achievements is our shared vision for our region: A region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous. [One] that is governed by accepted rules and norms, Where no country dominates, and no country is dominated; where disputes are resolved through dialogue—not force and raw power; and where all of us can cooperate, trade and thrive.
Achieving this vision is a continuous and ongoing process. It takes all of us to work together. Because, let’s face it: While we have had some positive developments with the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, we still live in a more dangerous, contested and turbulent world, where more people are displaced, and more people are hungry; the climate is changing faster than our efforts to stop it; and there is greater risk of nuclear warfare. Sadly, conflict rages from Sudan to Myanmar. Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine is now being aided by troops from North Korea, which directly links this conflict to our region.
And we share the Philippines’ concerns about dangerous actions by Chinese vessels and have consistently pressed China on the importance of peace and stability in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea.
So tonight, I ask each of us to reaffirm our commitment to achieving our shared vision. Let us uphold international law and protect the rules and norms that guide us. Let us foster trust and cooperation, not division. And let us create a shared prosperity that leaves no one behind.
Looking ahead, next year will be another exciting year for the Australia-Philippines relationship. As the latter takes on the Asean Chair role, both nations will mark 80 years of diplomatic relations. This will create plenty of opportunities for us to work even more closely together toward our shared vision. So for tonight, let’s enjoy each other’s company and celebrate our many successes.
On a personal note, some of you already know that my time as ambassador comes to an end in July.
So in closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your friendship, kindness and unwavering support. And for giving me the best three years of my 35-year career in the Australian government.
Thank you, all of you—it has been an honor to work alongside such inspiring colleagues and partners. And a special shout out to all my colleagues at the Australian Embassy. You are the best team an ambassador could ever wish for!
To His Excellency: Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., to the health and prosperity of the Filipino people, and to the enduring friendship between Australia and the Philippines. Mabuhay, and Happy Australia Day!
UN Phils. gathers civil society leaders to accelerate SDGs
THE United Nations (UN) Philippines and civil society organizations (CSOs) nationwide have set new bases for cooperation to hasten the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda rollout.
In the framework of the “UNCivil Society Engagement Forum,” CSO leaders and the global agency’s officials debated on challenges and opportunities in the Philippines’ development agenda, as well as new modalities of partnership within the context of the “2024-2028 UN Cooperation Framework” for the country.
“The forum is a critical step to strengthen coalitions with CSOs under our ‘One UN’ approach; they are an indispensable link between the people and the authorities,” said UN Philippines’ resident coordinator
AMB. Kazuya Endo signed on January 23 at his official residence two grant contracts under the “Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects [GGP] 1”.
The total grant amount of $138,828 will fund the procurement of a portable X-ray machine and equipment for livelihood programs for persons with disabilities. Details of the projects are as follows:
Provision of X-ray machine
WITH a grant amount of $83,529 (P4,910,714), it will help the City of Muntinlupa’s Putatan Health Center conduct tuberculosis X-ray screening visits for communities where people have a high risk of TB infection due to various reasons. Currently, the screening visits are outsourced to other organizations since the city does not own a mobile X-ray machine. As a result, the number of screening visits is limited, hindering the strengthening of the city’s infection control measures.
Gustavo Gonzalez. “By harnessing the insights and expertise of civil society leaders, we can tailor our initiatives to truly address the needs of the most vulnerable.”
A strong civil space is key for development, and the Netherlands will continue to support CSOs and the UN in consolidating their efforts towards common goals, said Amb. Marielle Geraedts of the Kingdom of Netherlands in her address to the forum.
“The Netherlands proudly supports the UN’s efforts to institutionalize dialogue and consultation with
civil society,” Geraedts said. “The UN’s work remains essential to all [these, as it facilitates] partnerships and ensures the global SDG framework stays aligned with the needs of local communities. Together, we can ensure that the SDGs are truly realized and that no one is left behind.”
The rights-based approach to development requires a strong civil society as distinct from and complementary to the government and business sectors, said Karen Gomez Dumpit of Human Rights and People’s Empowerment Centre in her keynote remarks: “CSOs work tirelessly on a myriad of fronts: from climate change and biodiversity, to governance, health, education, agriculture, peace and human rights. This diversity is our greatest asset.”
During the forum, participants provided inputs on ways the concerns and realities of their constituents can be addressed with the help of the UN around the thematic areas of inclusive human development, peace and governance, sustainable economic development and climate action.
Sheila Aggaro of the Lifehav-
Through the GGP, the Embassy of Japan said the city will be able to procure a mobile X-ray machine, which will help enhance TB screening activities for high-risk groups and expand medical services.
Provision of livelihood tools
THE grant amount of $55,299 (P3,091,244) will support Tahanang Walang Hagdanan Inc. (TWHI) in providing training and employment opportunities to some 272 persons with disabilities and their families through
their livelihood programs that involve metalworking, woodworking, sewing and packaging operations.
The purchase of new equipment will replace many of the machines that are outdated. According to the Japanese Embassy, the old machines prevent the completion of delicate processing and special embroidery that meet modern needs, contributing to lost business opportunities.
GGP will help TWHI acquire the necessary equipment for their livelihood project, thereby enhancing employ-
en Center for Independent Living (CIL)—a nonprofit organization for persons with disabilities advocating for independent living and disability inclusion across the country—had positive remarks for the event, as it had a wide representation among various sectors. She said that events like the forum should be cross-cutting because there are PWDs across all sectors of society.
Agarro hoped that the level of their participation is not just on the “meta” level, but more on the specific engagements.
For Rose Trajano who is the international advocacy officer of In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity, partnerships between the UN and CSOs need to be systematic, programmatic, and strategic: “We’re expecting that the UN and CSOs will monitor together our obligations when it comes to joint [and] different programs under this [cooperation] framework. It’s also very critical, as you are making us understand the framework, and how it relates to our priorities, on how we follow through: monitoring and evaluation.”
The UN-Civil Society Engagement Forum represented a commitment to building stronger partnerships with civil society, ensuring that development efforts are inclusive, sustainable and in tune with the needs of the most vulnerable populations.
“As the role of the UN shifts toward broader strokes of sustainable development by focusing on knowledge and policy, jointness and innovative financing, we are looking at a cooperation where the civil society’s contributions are at front and center of multilateralism,” Gonzalez said. For more information, contact unic.manila@unic.org.
ment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and supporting their economic independence. Endo stated that GGP has the flexibility to adapt to the ever-changing needs of local communities and foster sustainable growth. He also emphasized that “the partnerships nurtured between the embassy and proponents over the years are one of many reflections of the strengthening ties between Japan and the Philippines.”
As the Philippines’ top donor of overseas development assistance or ODA, the government of Japan launched the GGP scheme in 1989 to support small-scale projects directly benefiting the grassroots level, as well as contribute to socioeconomic development.
The two projects are the newest addition to the 566 grassroots projects that have already been implemented by the GGP. Japan believes that these projects will strengthen its friendship with the Philippines and contribute to sustaining strategic partnerships between the two countries.
STUDENTS FROM
RESIDENT coordinator Gustavo Gonzalez (front row, from left), Amb. Marielle Geraedts and Human Rights and People’s Empowerment Center head Karen Gomez Dumpit together with civil society organizations representatives UN PHILIPPINES
MAYOR Rozzano Rufino B. Biazon of Muntinlupa City (left) and Amb. Kazuya Endo
(Keynote by the ambassador during the Australia National Day.)
AMB. HK Yu (from left) shares the stage with Usec. Ma. Theresa Lazaro of the Department of Foreign Affairs and dean of the Diplomatic Corps Rev. Charles John Brown at the Australia National Day local celebration on January 21.
Belmont Hotel Mactan Earns Halal Certification
BELMONT Hotel Mactan is proud to announce its official Halal Certification, awarded by the Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Philippines in December 2024. This milestone emphasizes the hotel’s goal to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment, ensuring a Muslim-friendly accommodation experience that celebrates diversity and cultural harmony.
Aligned with Megaworld Hotels and Resorts’ distinction as the first 100
percent Muslim-friendly accommodation establishment accredited by the Department of Tourism, Belmont Hotel Mactan upholds its signature Sampaguita Service Brand by catering to the needs of Muslim travelers. Key initiatives include a Halal-certified kitchen, a dedicated Halal menu, prayer facilities, and comprehensive Muslim-friendly employee training, ensuring a seamless and enriching stay for every guest.
This recognition reinforces Megaworld Hotels & Resorts’ position as a trailblazer
in advancing Muslim-friendly hospitality in the Philippines, exemplifying its commitment to inclusivity. Guided by this leadership, Belmont Hotel Mactan upholds the same dedication, striving to deliver exceptional service that honors and celebrates the diverse traditions and cultures of its valued guests.
For inquiries and reservations, please call 0917 861 1019 for bookings, 0917 819 7395 for dining reservations, email stay@belmontmactan.com.ph, or visit www. belmontmactan.com.ph.
Radenta Features Google Cloud Security, Gemini at ITIP 2024
RADENTA Technologies, one of the country’s leading solutions integrators, joined the 21st annual IT Interaction Philippines (ITIP) 2024 National Conference held recently at Fili NuStar, Cebu City.
The event, with the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence: Establishing the Value of Co-existence,” brought together industry leaders and experts to discuss the latest trends in AI and Security technology. Radenta highlighted Google Cloud Security and Google Gemini’s generative artificial intelligence chatbot during the event.
Cloud computing is now the technology of choice. It gives companies the flexibility and agility to meet the needs of modern consumers. Cloud, nevertheless, suffers from similar security risks inherent in traditional environments, such as insider threats, data breaches and data loss, phishing, malware, DDoS attacks, and vulnerable APIs.
Novel approaches to security are needed to ensure that data remains secure across online infrastructure, applications, and platforms. An effective cloud security works to provide storage and network protection against internal and external threats, access management, data
governance and compliance, and disaster recovery.
Google offers diverse types of cloud security solutions like:
Identity and access management (IAM): IAM services and tools allow administrators to centrally manage and control who has access to specific cloudbased and on-premises resources. IAM can enable you to actively monitor and restrict how users interact with services, allowing you to enforce your policies across your entire organization.
Data loss prevention (DLP): DLP can help you gain visibility into the data you store and process by providing capabilities to automatically discover, classify, and deidentify regulated cloud data.
Google SecOps (SIEM, SOAR, Threat Intelligence, UEBA and AI) combine security information and security event management to offer automated monitoring, detection, and incident response to threats in your cloud environments. Using AI and ML technologies, SIEM tools allow you to examine and analyze log data generated across your applications and network devices—and act quickly if a potential threat is detected. Public key infrastructure (PKI): PKI is
Okada Manila Unveils Romantic Experiences for Valentine’s Day
THIS Valentine’s season, Okada Manila sets the stage for a grand celebration of love, offering curated experiences that include intimate dining, indulgent spa escapes, and heartfelt gifts. With breathtaking views and a romantic ambiance, the Forbes 5-star integrated resort stands as the ultimate destination for lovers.
Dine in Romance Celebrate love with thoughtfully crafted menus at Okada Manila’s signature restaurants. At Medley Buffet, indulge in a Valentine’s dinner featuring fresh seafood and decadent desserts, priced at P4,500 nett per adult and P2,250 nett per child on February 14, 2025.
Enbu offers an exclusive Valentine’s set menu for two, showcasing authentic Japanese flavors from February 13 to 16 for P5,000 nett. For an Italian-inspired evening, La Piazza presents a romantic set menu for two on February 14 and 15 at P7,000 nett. Sweeten the occasion with artisanal pastries at The Pastry Shop, available from February 1 to 15, starting at P450 nett.
Pair your meals with Valentine’s-inspired drinks at select restaurants, including La Piazza, Lobby Lounge, Okada Lounge, Medley Buffet, and Enbu. Choose from refreshing options like Pink Lady or Cotton Kiss for P420 each, or Red Roses for P250.
Escape and unwind ESCAPE into romance this Valentine’s Day at Okada Manila, where every moment is crafted for tranquility. Treat your loved one to a luxurious stay in one of our beautifully appointed suites, and let the soothing spa experiences recharge your body and soul. Enjoy up to 20 percent off and create unforgettable memories in the ultimate sanctuary of love.
This exclusive offer is perfect for guests seeking rest and relaxation. It includes spacious accommodations and a soothing 30-minute spa treatment for two at The Sole Retreat.
Gifts of Love MAKE your love story even more special with thoughtful gifts from Les Fleurs. From the Eternal Desire Flower and Chocolate Box (P3,788) to the Scarlet Romance Bouquet of Roses (P6,800), these arrangements are perfect for expressing your affection. Les Fleurs’ offerings are available from February 10 to 14.
Guests who shop at Okada Manila’s retail outlets from February 7 to 16 can also receive a complimentary diffuser with a minimum spend of P25,000, or P20,000 for Reward Circle members.
Moments of Bliss RELAX and reconnect with your partner with The Retreat Spa’s Valentine’s packages. The Chocolate Bliss package (P14,888 nett) includes a chocolate body scrub and a bespoke massage, while the Rose-Scented Romance package (P18,888 nett) features a rose milk bath, a bespoke massage, and handcrafted pralines.
ENBU’S exclusive Valentine’s set menu for two that offers authentic Japanese flavors.
Both packages come with two glasses of white wine, a long-stemmed rose, and a Valentine’s cake. Extend your celebration with the “A Soothing Getaway” offer, providing up to 25 percent off suites with an option to include a beautiful floral arrangement.
Heart-racing action
Get ready for a heart-pumping adventure! This Valentine’s, Thrillscape has another challenge that’s sure to get your heart racing. Bring your loved ones along and make unforgettable memories as you dive into an adventure filled obstacle course with one-of-a-kind thrills and action. Take part and get a chance to win exciting prizes at Thrillscape’s ultimate Valentine’s challenge happening on February 13 and 14, from 2 pm to 6 pm.
Lucky in Love
REWARD Circle members can enjoy added perks this Valentine’s season. Spend P2,000 at select restaurants from February 10 to 23 and receive two complimentary Valentine’s Coolers to share. At The Retreat Spa, choose from one of four romantic packages and receive a bonus gift from the lucky bowl. Les Fleurs is also offering an additional 5% discount on floral arrangements when you present your Reward Circle card. Okada Manila has thoughtfully crafted every detail to ensure a Valentine’s celebration like no other. Whether it’s dining, relaxing, or finding the perfect gift, the resort promises to make this Valentine’s truly unforgettable. For inquiries and reservations, email RestaurantReservation@ okadamanila.com or call +632 8555 5799. You can also visit https://www.okadamanila.com/in-love-at-okadamanila to know more about our Valentine’s offers.
the framework used to manage secure, encrypted information exchange using digital certificates. PKI solutions typically provide authentication services for applications and verify that data remains uncompromised and confidential through transport. Cloud-based PKI services allow organizations to manage and deploy digital certificates used for user, device, and service authentication.
One of the new kids on the block is Gemini which is developed by Google and is a large language model designed to be a secure and responsible AI. To make this possible, Gemini offers the following security measures:
Data Privacy: Gemini is designed to handle data responsibly and securely. It adheres to strict data privacy practices and employs advanced security measures to protect user information.
Regular Security Audits: Google conducts regular security audits to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
Continuous Improvement: Gemini’s security measures are constantly evolving to stay ahead of emerging threats.
Google Security recommenders that users observe best practices that provide specific and informed guidelines to secure Google Cloud deployments as well as recommended configurations, architectures, suggested settings, and other operational advice.
Best practices for Google Cloud include enterprise foundations blueprint guide; architecture center: security and compliance; and best practices for enterprise organizations. Best practices for security products include security blueprints for Secured Data Warehouse, AI Platform Notebooks, Container security, DDos protection and mitigation on Google Cloud, how to best use Microsoft AD with Google Cloud, Identity and Access Management. Also made available is the security best practices checklist for small, medium, and large businesses. See why Google Cloud Security and Gemini are the best bets for any enterprise. Call Radenta on 0908812-4898, email info@radenta.com or visit www.radenta.com.
Thousands of travel deals await Travel Tour Expo 2025 visitors
PREPARE to go beyond borders with unbeatable travel deals and exclusive offers at the 32nd Travel Tour Expo (TTE).
For the past three decades, the TTE has established itself as the ultimate travel and tourism event. This year’s edition promises to outdo itself, featuring over 300 exhibitors and drawing an expected crowd of more than 100,000 attendees. From affordable flights to curated tour packages and luxurious accommodations, the TTE has something for every budget. Since the event is hosted by the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), attendees will have the opportunity to gain expert travel advice and take advantage of exclusive deals for both domestic and international adventures.
PTAA President Evangeline Tankiang-Manotok
underscores the advantages of working with professional travel agencies. “This is the perfect spot to avail of amazing deals, explore new destinations, and plan your dream getaway. Bring the whole family — there’ll be games, raffle prizes, and fun for everyone during the three-day event!”
“The great thing about the TTE is you will find everything under one roof — airlines, resorts, cruise tours, and more. So many options to choose from and you can even opt to pay by installment, depending on your bank,” added PTAA PRO Chal Lontoc-del Rosario. Tickets to the TTE are now on sale: P100 for general admission and P80 for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
The 32nd Travel Tour Expo is happening on February 7 to 9, 2025, at the SMX Convention Center.
MEGAWORLD Hotels and Resorts Managing Director Cleofe Albiso acceps a token from Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco. They are joined by general managers from Visayas properties and executives of Megaworld Hotels & Resorts.
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Parentlife
Building life skills through sports: A parent’s perspective
AS parents, we all want the best for our children and prepare them for what we hope to bright futures. When it comes to academics, we carefully choose the most suitable schools. But what about life skills? These skills, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), are “a group of psychosocial competencies and interpersonal skills that help people make informed decisions, solve problems, think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, build healthy relationships, empathize with others, and cope with and manage their lives in a healthy and productive manner.”
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Golinkoff introduced the six C’s of 21st-century learning skills in their book Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children. These skills—collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation, and confidence—build on each other and are vital for success in school and life. Collaboration involves working effectively with others.
Communication emphasizes speaking, writing and listening. Content refers to mastering school subjects and skills like paying attention. Critical thinking is about evaluating information for accuracy and usefulness. Creative innovation combines content knowledge and critical thinking to solve problems. Finally, confidence helps children take calculated risks and persist through challenges.
Sports provide an excellent avenue for children to develop these life skills. Through sports, kids learn teamwork, discipline, resilience and problem-solving. My daughter Meagan has grown immensely through fencing. Her journey in entering the Junior National Team at 14 and entering Senior National Team at age 17 has been both humbling and enriching. Today, she continues her passion as a proud member of the Columbia University of New York’s CU Lions Fencing Team, a Division 1 NCAA team. She also graduated Valedictorian of her high school.
Recently, my son Marcus, a ninth grader, was given the opportunity by Coach Chico of his school’s high school varsity to play as point guard in the last two games. His team won with a 46-point lead last Saturday, a testament to the skills and team work built through sports.
Marcus was a very quiet boy growing up, and he played the violin for 8 years. He started fencing at 9 and from the tutelage of his coaches—Coach Lucio, Coach Don and later Coach Alvin. He earned gold medals in both local and international competitions.
effort and sacrifices make a significant impact. To the players, pursue your dreams and passion. Work hard, stay positive, and strive to reach your full potential.” You can find the league on Facebook via Stallion Cup or Instagram (@stallion.cup). Sports leagues like the Stallion Cup provide children with experiences that align with the six C’s, equipping children with skills that prepare them for the future.
As our children face a world filled with complexities, from managing relationships to
resisting negative influences, these life skills become even more critical. Reflecting on my journey as a parent of now teenagers, I am deeply grateful to the coaches and leagues that have helped shape my children into accountable individuals today. These experiences, I hope, would also encourage other parents to explore sports for their children beyond the skills they learn, but as their partner for teaching valuable life skills much needed for their bright futures ahead. n
MMC ACHIEVES MILESTONE WITH FIRST-EVER FACIAL REANIMATION SURGERY
old male who had been suffering from left complete hemifacial (one-sided) paralysis.
This condition not only affected his physical appearance but also his ability to perform basic functions like blinking and smiling.
Xavier School. They started playing in the Milo Best SBP league at the ages of 9 and 10. For them, the most memorable aspect of basketball is the camaraderie built while playing together. This bond transcends game results and creates lasting connections.
What makes walking so great
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky—Janet Rapp strode briskly down a paved path through the city zoo, waving at friends and stopping briefly to greet emus she knows by name.
The 71-year-old retiree starts each morning this way with a walking club. “I’m obsessed,” she said. Not only does it ease her joint pain, “it just gives me energy...And then it calms me, too.”
Medical experts agree that walking is an easy way to improve physical and mental health, bolster fitness and prevent disease. While it’s not the only sort of exercise people should do, it’s a great first step toward a healthy life.
“You don’t need equipment and you don’t need a gym membership,” said Dr. Sarah Eby, a sports medicine physician with Mass General Brigham. “And the benefits are so vast.”
WHAT CAN WALKING DO FOR YOU?
WALKING can help meet the US surgeon general’s recommendation that adults get at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity every week. This helps lower the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, dementia, depression and many types of cancer. Walking also improves blood sugar levels, is good for bone health and can help you lose weight and sleep better, added Julie Schmied, a nurse practitioner with Norton Healthcare, which runs the free Get Healthy Walking Club.
Another advantage? It’s a low-impact exercise that puts less pressure on joints as it strengthens your heart and lungs.
James Blankenship, 68, said joining the walking club at the Louisville Zoo last year helped him bounce
THE country’s leading medical institution, the Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed, www. makatimed.net.ph) has reached another milestone with the successful performance of its first facial reanimation surgery, a groundbreaking procedure that restores movement and symmetry to the face in patients with facial paralysis.
This remarkable feat was achieved on December 3, 2024, by a team led by Benjamin G. Herbosa, MD, Chief of the Section of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, with Wong Manzhi, MD from Singapore, as guest surgeon.
The surgery was performed on a 36-year-
The procedure utilized the Labbe Flap technique, which involves harvesting the temporalis muscle and mobilizing it to reinvigorate paralyzed areas of the face. The harvested muscle was precisely inserted into the periorbital (tissues around the eye) and lip areas to restore movement and improve facial symmetry.
Following the surgery, the patient has
for your health and what else you need to do
shown significant improvement. He is now able to close his left eye and blink, functions he had lost due to the paralysis. Additionally, his left facial area demonstrates movement during biting and smiling, creating a more symmetrical appearance.
Herbosa expressed his satisfaction with the surgery’s success, saying, “A facial reanimation procedure is truly rewarding and gives a patient utmost gratification and improves the quality of life.”
This achievement shows MakatiMed’s commitment to advancing medical care and offering innovative solutions to complex conditions.
steps a day and it’s fine to gradually work up to 10,000, Shmied said. Setting a time goal can also be useful.
Shmied suggests breaking the recommended 150 minutes per week into 30 minutes a day, or 10 minutes three times a day, for five days. During inclement weather, people can walk in malls or on treadmills.
As they become seasoned walkers, they can speed up the pace or challenge themselves with hills while still keeping the activity level moderate.
“If you can talk but not sing,” Eby said, “that’s what we consider moderate-intensity exercise.”
HOW DO YOU STAY MOTIVATED?
WALKING with friends—including dogs—is one way. Walking clubs have popped up across the nation. In 2022, New York personal trainer Brianna Joye Kohn, 31, started City Girls Who Walk with a TikTok post inviting others to walk with her.
back after a heart attack and triple bypass in 2022.
“My cardiologist says I’m doing great,” he said. For all its benefits, however, walking “is not enough for overall health and well-being” because it doesn’t provide resistance training that builds muscle strength and endurance, said Anita Gust, who teaches exercise science at the University of Minnesota Crookston. That’s especially important for women’s bone health as they age. Experts recommend adding such activities at least
twice weekly—using weights, gym equipment or your own body as resistance—and doing exercises that improve flexibility like yoga or stretching.
DO YOU REALLY NEED
10,000 STEPS A DAY?
NEARLY everyone has heard about this walking goal, which dates back to a 1960s marketing campaign in Japan. But experts stress that it’s just a guideline. The average American walks about 3,000 to 4,000
“We had 250 girls show up,” she said. Since then, the group has walked every Sunday for around 40 minutes, with some meeting afterward for brunch or coffee. The Louisville Zoo launched its walking club in 1987, partnered with Norton in 2004 to expand it, and now boasts more than 15,000 registered members. Every day from March 1 through October 31, people walk around and around the 1.4mile loop before the zoo officially opens.
Tony Weiter meets two of his siblings every Friday. On a recent morning, they caught up on each other’s lives as they zipped past zebras in a fenced field and a seal sunning itself.
“I enjoy the serenity of it. It’s cold but the sun is shining. You get to see the animals,” said Weiter, 63. “It’s a great way to start the morning.” AP
PHOTO BY RICHARD SAGREDO ON UNSPLASH
Sports
B8 Thursday, January 30, 2025
mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph
Editor: Jun Lomibao
Crossovers-Foxies showdown duel between streaking teams
more important that we execute our movements and system properly.”
in
the
11 matches of the preliminaries ahead of the knockout phase.
Farm Fresh, meanwhile, tries to rebound from a recent setback to Chery Tiggo as the Foxies face the struggling Galeries Tower Highrisers at 6 p.m. The Crossovers bolstered their campaign with a four-set victory over the Foxies last weekend, improving to a 5-3 win-loss record for a three-way tie for fourth with the PLDT High Speed Hitters and Choco Mucho Flying Titans. PLDT, however, holds the edge with 15 points, followed by Chery Tiggo with 14 and Choco Mucho with 12.
The Crossovers try to maintain their charge as they take on the surging Thunderbelles with head coach Norman Miguel feeling confident in his squad’s ability and the experience and leadership of Cess Robles, Ara Galang, Shaya Adorador and the ever-reliable Cza Carandang. Their chemistry and playoff experience could give them an advantage over the young but fearless ZUS Coffee squad.
“Maybe it’s better for us to focus on our movements as a team, regardless of who our opponent is,” said Galang, who had 20 points in their previous match. “But since we’re up against ZUS, it’s even
ZUS Coffee won’t back down without a fight from a balanced mix of veterans and rising stars, including Chai Troncoso and Jovelyn Gonzaga. Young guns like Thea Gagate, Michelle Gamit, Gayle Pascual and Chinnie Arroyo have proven their ability to step up in big moments, according to coach Jerry Yee.
We always strive to do our best, we work hard, and then we just try to execute,” Yee said. “If we get the win, that’s good for us; if not, then we keep going and just aim to be better.”
Mondilla takes charge, posts 2-shot lead at TCC
ONE Silay pulls rug from under favored VNS; Zamboanga wins
ONE Silay made its presence felt with a hard-earned 25-22, 25-23, 22-25, 32-30 upset of Volleyball Never Stop (VNS) Club at the start Wednesday of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Under-21 Championship National Men’s Division at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The club from Negros Occidental had an answer to every solid play the favored VNS side displayed in the marathon Group A encounter to gain a head start in the five day championship being staged for the first time by the PNVF headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara. Mindanao’s No. 1-ranked Zamboanga City also survived a grueling fifth set to turn back North Luzon’s No. 2 Lingayen, 16-25, 25-20, 23-25, 30-28, 15-7, in another Group A action.
One Silay and Zamboanga City clash on Thursday at 2 p.m. in the competition supported by Akari, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Meralco, PLDT, Smart, AyalaLand, Nuvali, Mikasa, Senoh, Asics, Rebisco, Cignal, OneSports, OneSports+ and Pilipinas Live.
The other matches set for Thursday are the preliminary duels between Notre Dame of Dadiangas University and City of Naga-Cebu Volleyball Club at 9 a.m., Umingan Volleyball Club and University of the East at 11 a.m. and VNS and Lingayen at 4 p.m. The preliminaries will continue until Friday while the semifinal matches are set Saturday and the final is on Sunday.
Zodiac athletes
By Aldrin Quinto
ANTA ROSA, Laguna—
SConservative play and modest goals paid off for Clyde Mondilla as he recovered from a tough start to fire a 73 on Wednesday for a two-stroke lead halfway through The Country Club Invitational.
J ust a stroke off the lead at the start of the day, Mondilla slid at the turn at two-over with bogeys on Nos. 6 and 9 but after trading birdie for bogey at the start of the back nine, the 31-year-old Mondilla moved to the top with birdie on the par-4 No. 15 for the second straight day.
A lready a demanding layout, the par-72 course played longer in the second round with the teeing area pushed further back, but Mondilla made sure not to mess
By Josef Ramos MVP Group teams TNT Tropang and Meralco target decisive victories against separate opponents on the final day of preliminaries of the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
IT’S officially the Year of the Wooden Snake. It began Wednesday, January 29, and will last till February 17, 2026, after which we’ll slide into the Year of the Fire Horse, whom we last met in 1966.
Will people born in the year of the Snake (‘65, ‘77, ‘89, ‘01, ‘13) be lucky this year? We’ll have to watch the careers of Snakes like Jimmy Butler, James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, Evan Mobley, Ant Edwards, Junemar Fajardo, Kevin Quiambao and Carl Tamayo to find out.
PEBBLE
BEACH, Califor-
nia—Ely Callaway as about much more than a golf company that created “Big Bertha,” the driver that hanged an industry. e was the chief procurement officer for all Army uniforms during World War II and became president of the largest American textile company. e bought a
up on the closing holes as the winds started to pick up again.
Mondilla’s three straight pars to close the round was impressive considering the early contenders led by Lloyd Jefferson Go and Aidric Chan relinquished their share of the lead with costly bogeys down the stretch.
“ We survived again,” Mondilla said.
“I’m glad I was able to recover, especially since I wasn’t hitting it very well.”
“Birdie chances became even fewer, especially in the closing holes,” said Mondilla, the International Container Terminal Services Caliraya Springs titleholder in the Philippine Golf Tour.
Go, overnight leader and still on top of the leaderboard at the turn, bogeyed four of the last six holes including three straight from the par-4 No. 15 for a 76 and a one-over 145 with total.
The Palos Verdes champion shared second spot with former junior world
vineyard in Southern California and turned it
There’s
TN T takes on an equally-hungry Rain or Shine in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m. with Meralco opening hostilities at 5 p.m. against a Magnolia side that’s fighting for survival.
“Things are unpredictable but the best thing is to give ourselves a shot for the top two [quarterfinals slots],” said TNT coach Chot Reyes, whose wards
Snakes are athletes who are determined to win. They’re enigmatic, intelligent, intuitive, determined, practical, with keen powers of observation. They know when to strike and hate to fail. Loaded with charm, they use it to advantage, in or out of the playing field. W hat about Rats (’60, ’72, ’84, ’96, ’08)? Rats are smart and resourceful athletes. Insightful, scrappy and not afraid to dare, they know how to spot opportunities. In basketball they would make good point guards. Ox athletes (’61, ’73, ’85, ’97, ’09, ’21) are diligent, loyal and are the salt of the earth. They’re the people you can count on— in the game or out of it. Oxen stick to the game plan and are team players. Patient, diligent and hardworking, they are also somewhat slow to change. Tiger athletes (’62, ’74, ‘’86, ’98, ’10, ’22) are bold and brave. They are strong leaders with legendary enthusiasm that motivates their teammates to go for the gold. Confident and competitive, they will dare and win. Unfortunately, they may also be arrogant and unpredictable.
Rabbit athletes (’63, ’75, ’87, ’99, ’11, ’23) are the diplomats of the team. They are very persuasive and always see both sides.
are 8-3 won-lost behind front-running NorthPort (9-3). The Tropang Giga boosted their bid for the twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs by forcing San Miguel Beer to the wall, 115-97, last Sunday. Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson erupted for a triple-double of 35 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists with three
champion Chan, Bacolod Golf Challenge titlist Jaraula and Jay Bayron after two rounds of the 20th running of the Don Pocholo Razon Memorial Cup.
Chan carded a 74 marred by bogeys on the 16th and 18th as Jaraula and Bayron shot 71s to stay in prime position in the P6 million tournament.
“There’s still a lot that could unfold. On this course, it’s not really over even on the final three holes with the leader two or three strokes clear,” Mondilla said. “That’s just the way TCC is.”
Manila-based Dutchman Guido Van der Valk strung up three birdies from No. 13 before slipping with a closing birdie for an even-par 72 for a three-over total of 147 for solo sixth place in the elite 30-player field made up of tournament winners and the top finishers in the Order of Merit.
Big-hitting Keanu Jahns, the Forest Hills champion, came up with a second
and
steals against San Miguel Beer, while Roger Pogoy and Calvin Oftana added 22 and 16 points, respectively. Reyes hopes to to control Rain or Shine’s run-and-gun game with his flamboyant guards Adrian Nocum and Andrei Caracut.
R ain or Shine, on the other hand, tries to bounce back from a frustrating
They motivate others, but in a quiet way. Polite, compassionate and responsible, their downside is that at times they can be overly cautious. You can always trust a Rabbit’s intuition though.
Dragons (’64, ’76, ’88, ’00, ’12, ’24) are born to be stars. They have a majestic presence and an aura that says “We’ve got the wer-pa”. Passionate and courageous, they are also generous, enabling and are natural leaders. One thing they also have is charisma. They bring in the fans.
Horses (’67, ’78, ’90, ’02, ’14, ’25) are the natural athletes of the zodiac. Vigorous, virile and blessed with immense energy, they are loaded with stamina and can work like, yup, a horse. Personality-wise, they are easygoing and sociable, but they like to take risks and crave adventure. Challenge a Horse to win the gold for you.
Sheep (or Goat) Athletes (’67, ’79, ’91, ’03, ’15) have the best defensive instincts of all the zodiac athletes and are topnotch team players. They are great teammates, don’t mind if they don’t play the lead, and will persevere to win – both in training or a competitive game. All they want is to be treated fairly and well.
If they are, their dedication to the team will be off the roof.
Monkey athletes (’68, ’80, ’92, ’04, ’16) are the life of the party, and the team. They are clever, witty, funny and confident. They learn playbooks easily and adjust very well. They can also
defeat to NLEX, 110-122, to return to playoff contention with a 6-5 record. Meralco is also eyeing a share of the lead against Magnolia, which kept its flickering hopes alive after dominating Hong Kong Eastern, 107-78, the last time behind import Ricardo Ratliffe’s 25 points and 16 rebounds for a 5-6 record.
be mischievous and opportunistic. But when you want action right off the butt, go to your Monkey athlete. He/she can hit the ground running.
Rooster athletes (’69, ’81, ’93, ‘’05, ’17) are hard workers who aren’t afraid to do the little things. They are also assertive, direct, honest and sometimes blunt. You can count
have the kindest hearts. They are loyal, honest and sincere. Dogs can be the glue that keeps the team together. They are all about team togetherness, safety and cooperation. To get a Dog athlete on a leash, you must earn their trust and give them playing time. You wouldn’t want to see the flipside of the Dog athlete when he’s angry, cynical or paranoid.
L ast but not least, the Pig athletes (’71, ’83, ’95, ’07, ’19). Pigs are focused and responsible, intelligent and calm. They
DOTr marks 126 years of driving Philippine growth via the transportation sector
From its humble beginnings as a small department, the DOTr is now boosting the transformation of the country’s transport sector through big-ticket infrastructure and projects enhancing connectivity and mobility across the archipelago.
WITH transportation as backbone of the Philippine economy, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) plays a vital role in implementing transport systems in railways, aviation, maritime and road sectors.
O ver the decades, the DOTr transformed the nation’s transportation landscape with changes in policy, planning, development, implementation and regulation of transport systems.
The country’s transportation sector traces its roots back to 1891 when the colonial train had its first commercial run on the ManilaDagupan Ferrocaril line. The opening of the first commercial rail line was, however, caught between two colonial overlords - the Spaniards and the Americans.
Then came the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution when the First Philippine Republic was established in January 1899 and President Apolinario Mabini included the transportation and communications sectors under the Department of Public Welfare.
From the American colonization period in the early 1900s, to the Commonwealth Government, Philippine Republic, and up to the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the transportation sector was merged with communications, defense, commerce and public works portfolios.
To redefine the roles and priorities of each government ministry, President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. issued in July 1979 Executive Order 546 that divided the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Communications (MPWTC) into two agencies, the Ministry of Public Works and Highways (MPWH) and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC).
Significant strides under MOTC were vehicle registration, introduction of permanent license plates, and introduction of new buses in Metro Manila. The agency also spearheaded airport improvements
and traffic lights upgrade. It was during this pivotal time that the transformative Light Rail Transit System was developed. Operations of the Philippine National Railways and the Metro Manila Transit Corporation were also improved and enhanced.
The early 1980s saw the creation of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) and the start of operations of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 or LRT-1.
Post-People Power Revolution saw the reorganization and transformation of MOTC to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). This period allowed for the modernization of old and aging taxi units.
From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, former DOTC heads implemented various transport initiatives such as the ‘yellow lane,’ where the two outermost lanes of roads with 4-6 lanes are reserved for public utility vehicles; development of the railway and maritime transport systems, and revitalization of the DOTC Action Center.
I n 2016, the communications portfolio of DOTC was transferred to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). As the Department of Transportation’s headquarters was transferred to Clark, Pampanga, several infrastructure projects were implemented under the Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte administration.
I n 2022, DOTr offices eventually returned to Manila and with the ‘full speed ahead’ directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., various transportation projects were launched. These include the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR),
Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), Ninoy Aquino International Airport Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project, LRT-1 Cavite Extension, MRT-7, Public Transport Modernization Program, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Modernization, Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Davao Public Transport Modernization Program (DPTMP), among others.
The DOTr, now under Sec. Jaime J. Bautista, is gradually transforming the country’s transport sector through big-ticket infrastructures and projects enhancing connectivity and mobility across the archipelago.
The DOTr is building better and more, ushering in an era of modernized and improved transportation systems that will provide comfortable, accessible, safe, sustainable and affordable travel experience for all.
According to Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, the PPP scheme is expected to propel the Philippines as a leader in the aviation industry in the region in the coming years.
DOTr harnesses the potential of PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) schemes in infrastructure development to usher modernization and efficiency in the Philippine transportation sector.
With air travel regarded as safest mode of transportation, the agency’s aviation sector made several strides in 2024 as various airport projects were signed.
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said that as a comprehensive modernization program, the PPP scheme is expected to propel the Philippines as a leader in the aviation industry in the region in the coming years.
The aviation sector’s robust accomplishments in 2024 are aimed at increasing economic activities and sustain the industry in the future,” Sec. Bautista said.
A fter three decades and six administrations, privatization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) was the fastest PPP project, from National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) board approval to Concession Agreement (CA) signing.
On September 14, 2024, DOTr and Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) turned over the operations and maintenance of NAIA to San Miguel-led New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), as agreed under the CA signed between government and NNIC in March 2024.
Improvements in NAIA include the expansion of the passenger terminal buildings, additional aircraft parking bays, increase in vehicular parking slots, installation of worldclass systems and technology, more food and beverage and retail options, more convenient land transport connectivity, among others. Flight delays and cancellations, issues with airport facilities are also expected to be significantly reduced.
To date, NNIC has achieved the following: parking rate adjustments to prioritize passengers and improve airport flow, new terminal assignments which will be gradual-
ly done in the next three years and opening of Terminal 1 main arrival curbside to all passengers that ends VIP-only restriction.
LAGUINDINGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PPP
Regional growth, job generation and investments await Northern Mindanao after DOTr, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC) signed on October 28, 2024, the concession agreement for the rehabilitation and modernization of the Laguindingan International Airport. The agreement provides an opportunity to expand facilities, upgrade the terminal, augment capacity, and deliver services in a safer, efficient, and more convenient way, while the airport’s transformation is expected to promote regional development and create jobs and investments.
Under a PPP scheme, the airport’s operations and maintenance have been turned over to the Aboitiz InfraCapital over a 30-year period.
BOHOL-PANGLAO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PPP
On December 18, 2024, DOTr also signed a concession deal with Aboitiz InfraCapital for the operations and management of BoholPanglao International Airport. Under a 30-year arrangement, the project involves expansion of the passenger terminal building and other airport facilities, installation of required and modern aviation equipment, development of commercial assets and improvement of airport services.
Once completed, the modernized Bohol-Panglao International Airport can accommodate 3.9 million passengers and 35,000 air traf-
fic movements annually. LRT-1 CAVITE EXTENSION Traveling to and from south of Metro Manila has dramatically improved as the first five stations of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) Cavite Extension Project started operating last November 16, 2024, a milestone expected to enhance public transport as well as ease traffic problem in Parañaque, Las Piñas and other areas in Cavite. The opening of the new stations - Redemptorist-Aseana, MIA Road, PITX, Ninoy Aquino Avenue, and Dr. Santos (formerly Sucat) - is a big improvement for the daily commuting experience of residents in the southern part of Metro Manila.
The completed Phase 1 alone will add 80,000 passengers to the current daily ridership of
SEC. BAUTISTA UNFAZED BY 2025 BUDGET CUTS, VOWS TO FINISH INFRA PROJECTS
According to the transport chief, DOTr is focused on the projects’ end-goal, which is to finish these projects to improve mobility and connectivity in the country.
DESPITE the hefty reduction in the Department of Transportation’s 2025 budget, Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista remains bullish on the agency’s transport projects for 2025 and the years ahead.
B ased on data, the DOTr’s budget cut was pegged at P92 billion—from the proposed P180.14 billion—to P87.24 billion.
S ec. Bautista explained that the infrastructure projects will continue as projects such as Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Cavite Extension, the Metro Manila Subway Project, and the North-South Commuter Railway System will be funded through unprogrammed appropriations.
T he budget cut, according to Sec. Bautista, is part of loan proceeds from development partners, which he explained the agency still can draw from.
We have also discussed this with our development partners and they will continue to provide the loans to DOTr,” he said.
A ccording to the transport chief, DOTr is focused on the projects’ end-goal, which is to finish these projects to improve mobility and connectivity in the country. “As far as the DOTr is concerned, we should be able to continue our projects. We are happy that the government share in our infrastructure projects were not reduced, so we will continue to implement these programs,” Sec. Bautista said.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
While DOTr suffered budget cuts, the agency will tap the resources of the private sector via the Public-Private Partnership scheme.
U nder President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration, the DOTr has partnered with the private sector in improving the country’s transport infrastructure—from airports, railways, seaports and road transport.
The signing of [agreements] for more PPP projects manifest the administration’s unwavering commitment in providing improved transport connectivity across the nation,” Sec. Bautista said during the signing of key transport deals such as the New Cebu International Container Port, Cebu Bus Rapid Transit, modernization of BoholPanglao International Airport, as well as the Agreements for the New Dumaguete and New Siargao airports.
“ This milestone underscores the transformative potential of PPPs in fostering innovation and driving infrastructure development,”
he added.
M oving forward, DOTr sees the PPP scheme as a success as
the partnership will not only improve the entire transport system, but will also generate
revenues for the government, allowing more funding for other projects.
MOVING FORWARD. Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista highlights the transformative potential of PPPs in fostering innovation and driving infrastructure development. PHOTO COURTESY OF DOTR.
C4 Thursday, January 30, 2025
DOTr @126
DOTr cites MRT-7, TCITX and Edsa Busway privatization among its 2025 milestones
DOTr gears up towards a more seamless and secure transportation environment with groundbreaking initiatives
N December 2024, Pres. Mar -
Icos witnessed the closing of agreements for the New Cebu International Container Port (NCICP) for the construction of the new Cebu Port, which is expected to decongest the existing Cebu Base Port, while improving cargo handling capacity and reducing logistics cost.
C onstruction for the new Cebu Port will begin in 2025.
MRT-7 PARTIAL OPS
On the other hand, Sec. Bautista said the first 12 stations of the MRT-7 is expected to be partially operational in the fourth quarter of 2025.
S ec. Bautista said construction for the MRT-7 is on schedule.
“Continuous ‘yung construction [ng MRT-]. We’re on schedule to start operations by the end of 2025,” Sec. Bautista said.
S ec. Bautista said the partial operations will cover the first 12 stations of the rail line from North Ave. Station up to Quirino Station.
“Magsisimula ‘yan mula sa
SM North EDSA hanggang Lagro, QC,” he said. The transport chief added that the Tala Station in Caloocan and San Jose Del Monte Station in Bulacan will be serviceable by years 2026 and 2027, respectively.
O n extending the rail system further to Sta. Maria, Bulacan near the New Manila International Airport (NMIA), Sec. Bautista said that it would have to be studied first by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
“Sa ngayon wala pang funding. Pero pag-aaralan natin Gagawan natin ng feasibility study. Pero ang maganda rito tuloy-tuloy ang construction ng MRT-7. Full speed ahead,” Sec. Bautista said.
O nce completed, the rail line is expected to reduce travel time from Quezon City to San Jose Del Monte in just 35 minutes.
TCITX AND EDSA BUSWAY PRIVATIZATION
Meanwhile, two land transport projects are expected to be set
in motion for 2025 as the DOTr begins the construction of the Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange (TCITX).
U nder a PPP scheme together with Ayala Land, Inc., the TCITX is a multimodal passenger terminal aiming to connect passengers to other transport systems such as the NorthSouth Commuter Railway and Metro Manila Subway, city buses and other public utility vehicles.
A ccording to the PPP Center, the TCITX, which will operate under a centralized ticketing scheme, will also make available various modalities inside the exchange such as provincial buses to and from Southeastern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, city buses, taxis, and other public utility vehicles (PUVs).
O n the other hand, Sec. Bautista has announced that the operations and management of the EDSA Busway will be handed to a private concessionaire as the agency is now in the process of preparing the terms of reference for the privatization.
“Ito pong 2025, mag-start na rin
RAILWAY RENAISSANCE: DOTR ACCELERATES CONSTRUCTION PACE FOR PROJECTS
Once completed, the rail system will cut travel time from Valenzuela City to Pasay City from one hour and 38 minutes to just 45 minutes, while servicing over half a million passengers daily.
IT’S full speed ahead for DOTr as it implements the massive North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System. On October 4, 2024, the NSCR viaducts between Bocaue and Balagtas stations were connected.
A s of end of October 2024, the overall construction progress of the Tutuban to Malolos segment of the NSCR is at 45.35%; Malolos to Clark at 51.5%, and Manila to Calamba at 9.23%.
Once operational, the entire NSCR will connect key cities in Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, and Laguna, reducing end-to-end travel time between Clark International Airport in Pampanga and Calamba in Laguna to less than two hours from the current four hours. The NSCR is expected to serve 800,000 passengers daily.
The 147-kilometer NSCR’s Clark to Valenzuela segment is expected to be operational by end of 2027 or early 2028.
Meanwhile, DOTr and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recently launched the start of operations of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) in the Camp Aguinaldo station.
Under MMSP’s Contract Package 103, four TBMs will be used for the tunneling of the Anonas and Camp Aguinaldo stations.
To date, a total of 10 TBMs
are already in the country. As of December 2024, the country’s first underground railway has an overall construction progress of 18.24%.
Billed as the Philippines’ “Crown Jewel” of mass transit system, the 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway will cut across eight cities from Valenzuela City to FTIBicutan in Parañaque City.
Once completed, the rail system will cut travel time from Valenzuela City to Pasay City from one hour and 38 minutes to just 45 minutes, while servicing over half a million passengers daily.
Construction for the MRT-7, on the other hand, is in full swing, with an overall progress rate of 74.23% as of end of December 2024. The completed manufacturing of 108 train cars is essential for the project, with 87 of which have already been delivered last November.
A s of October 2024, the construction progress for the Tandang Sora station is at 88.35%, Don Antonio station at 90.32%, Batasan station at 98.94%, and Manggahan station at 93.21%.
ROAD TRANSPORT
Under the road sector, the DOTr’s Active Transport Program continues to gain traction.
A s of November 2024, a total of 325.66 kilometers of Active Transport infrastructures were established in Metro Manila, Kalibo in Aklan,
Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao.
A total of 184.93 kilometers of maintained and upgraded active transport infrastructure were completed in Metro Cebu and Metro Davao, while a total of 338 racks for end-of-trip facilities were installed in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao.
To date, at least 800 kilometers of bike lanes in 32 local government units (LGUs) have been
iyong process natin for the privatization of the EDSA busway,” he said. “Mayroon po tayong consul -
tant na gumagawa ng terms of reference, and hopefully po, by siguro end of first quarter or start of second quarter, ay matatapos
Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz
Health& Fitness
No studies, clinical trials support use of IV glutathione as a skin-lightening agent, says PDS president
By Rory Visco Contributor
LASTweekend, a Filipina recounted her experience in a video after a beauty procedure where she underwent an intravenous (IV) glutathione procedure. That video has already gone viral and shows the woman being unable to open her right eye and pleading to viewers to pray for her so that she won’t lose her eyesight.
Dr. Jasmine Jamora, president of the Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS), the only specialty society recognized by the Philippine m e dical Association (Pm A ) and Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) that specializes in skin, hair and nails, warned the public and gave advice about possible consequences, side effects, and other complications of i V g lutathione and other medicines infused intravenously.
“People need to understand that these are not just vitamins but real drugs. They need to be reminded that i V infusion is a medical procedure
that should be done by a licensed medical professional such as a doctor, or even a nurse but under direct supervision by a doctor who should be present onsite. Aside from this, the procedure should be done in a proper healthcare situation or hospital setting, clinics with the proper license with a doctor also onsite,” Dr. Jamora pointed out.
What is glutathione?
g L u T ATH i O N e is a compound composed of amino acids such as glutamine, glycine, and cysteine, said Dr. Jamora, that can be found in our own
bodies since it is produced naturally in the liver. i t i s an antioxidant and has effects on the body’s metabolism and in detoxifying the body. u s ually, the body doesn’t’ need to take it as a supplement because it can be acquired from food like fruits and vegetables.
However, there is a long-standing belief, she said, that glutathione can lighten skin color through tyrosine, an enzyme in the production of melanin that gives color to the skin. But when drank, it is broken down in the stomach’s acids and then metabolized by liver enzymes, which, in turn, contributes to a low bioavailability or effectivity sometimes. The infusion of glutathione through i V, however, may result in higher doses and may overload the kidney.
i n 2 018, Dr. Jamora said the PDS, through its g l utathione Advisory Committee, released a position paper regarding the safety and efficacy of i V glutathione. u p t o now, despite careful and thorough examination, they still cannot find any recent published studies on the efficacy of i V g lutathione on skin whitening and or any significant clinical trials on this. “The evidence in relation to the efficacy of glutathione on skin whitening is still not enough to recommend its use,” she emphasized.
i n travenous ( i V ) glutathione is a method of delivering glutathione directly into the bloodstream. This bypasses the digestive system, allowing for higher bioavailability and immediate absorption by cells. it i s commonly used for its antioxidant, detoxifying, and aesthetic benefits.
What the committee found in the studies is that it may not be a costeffective medicine, the efficacy does not last long, and that there are evidence and reports pointing to possible serious adverse effects even during clinical trials.
She also cited that there were advisories already issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Philippines, specifically 2011004 and 2019-182, that referred to the unsafe use of glutathione as a skin-lightening agent. i t warned the public about the possible dangers and serious health consequences in using injectable agents such as glutathione.
“The advisory stated that there are still no published guidelines on the proper administration, dose, regimen, and duration of treatment. The FDA has not yet approved any injectable products for skin lightening. The FDA in the Philippines has approved injectable glutathione as an adjunct to lessen the side effects or neurotoxicity of cisplatin chemotherapy.”
Possible side effects of IV glutathione THOS e reported, according to Dr. Jamora, on the possible side effects of i V glutathione include abnormality or toxicity in the thyroid gland, the kidney, and the liver. There were also reports on kidney failure, gastritis, headache, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, increase in thyroid hormones, high blood sugar, chest heaviness, fever, and severe skin allergies such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare skin condition that causes painful blisters and peeling skin, skin rash, inflammation of the eyes, bursting veins, and even anaphylactic shock, a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction.
“There are also possible side effects in the administration of intravenous medication such as high concentration and dose, and infusion is done much faster. We are also not even sure about the quality of the medication administered. it c an be fake medicine, contaminated or adulterated. i f i V m edication was not given under sterile conditions, it may also lead to possible infections such as Hepatitis B and C, Human i m munodeficiency Virus or H i V,” Dr. Jamora said.
As of now, there are no approved glutathione products for skin whitening. The FDA already approved a total
of five i V g lutathione products last year but as mentioned, only as an “adjunct,” or an addition to the primary treatment, to help lessen the side effects of chemotherapy.
“Please do not use products not approved by the FDA since we are not sure of the quality and safety of medicines that are unlicensed. i f y ou think you have skin, and also hair and nail, conditions that need to be looked at and examined, go to a licensed, or even Board-certified medical professionals, for these concerns,” Dr. Jamora pointed out.
When asked by Business m i rror regarding these clinics that offer i V glutathione medical procedures, Dr. Jamora said that they are closely working and coordinating with the FDA and the Department of Health on the issue. “We want to protect the public and make sure that the clinics are licensed and that doctors are present onsite.”
e x perts in skin conditions such as those from the PDS reiterate that the public should steer clear of i V glutathione in order to avoid possible complications and other side effects. i f t here are skin concerns, better to consult a Board-certified dermatologist, look for the PDS Seal of e x cellence or PDS logo, or go to www.pds.org.p h,” Dr. Jamora said in closing.
AsiAn HospitAl KicKs off 2025 witH ‘HigH five pArA sA 2025’
remier medical institu -
Ption Asian Hospital and m e dical Center (AH mC ) welcomed 2025 with its annual kick-ff event, rallying employees, doctors, and staff under the banner of “High Five para sa 2025.” The vibrant event served as a platform to celebrate past achievements and unveil ambitious goals for the future.
Asian Hospital is expected to cement its position as a leading cancer care facility with the launch of the Cyberknife later this year.
Atty. Joey Torres, AH mC ’s Human r e sources Director, opened the program by introducing the hospital’s newest leaders: Dr. Carmen Nievera, Chief m e dical Officer, and Frank Vibar, Chief i n formation Technology Officer. Their appointments mark a significant step in strengthening AH m C ’s commitment to delivering worldclass healthcare services.
The Meaning Behind the ‘High Five’
Duri N g t he event, Dr. Beaver Tamesis, President and Chief e xe cutive Officer, captivated the audience as he unveiled the essence of “High Five para sa 2025.” He explained that the initiative represents five transformative milestones that will shape the future of Asian Hospital and m e dical Center.
The first milestone is the hospital’s pursuit of its 5th Joint Commission i nternational (JC i ) Accreditation, a testament to its commitment to maintaining global standards in patient care and safety. Dr. Tamesis said this achievement would solidify AH mC ’s reputation as a premier healthcare institution.
Next, he shared the exciting plan to expand
Finally, he introduced the Atherosclerosis and Ate r o se Campaign, a crucial public awareness initiative designed to educate the community about atherosclerosis prevention and treatment. The campaign underscores AH mC ’s dedication to promoting wellness and empowering indi -
viduals to take proactive steps toward wellness.
e a ch element of the “High Five” symbolizes AH m C ’s ambitious vision for the future, rooted in its mission to deliver world-class healthcare while championing innovation and community wellbeing. The announcement was met with resounding applause, reflecting the shared excitement and commitment of the AH mC f amily.
Spotlight on the Ate Rose Campaign
AH m C a lso unveiled the Ate r o se Campaign, an educational initiative aimed at raising public awareness about atherosclerosis, a condition that can lead to serious cardiovascular diseases. The campaign is spearheaded by its newly announced ambassador, Kuya Kim Atienza, a trusted public figure known for his advocacy for health and wellness.
To complement this initiative, Hennesy Lou m i randa, m a rketing and Patient e x perience
AHMC’s new leaders, Dr. Maria Carmen Nievera, Chief Medical Officer, and Mr. Frank Vibar, Chief Information Technology Officer.
Make realistic New Year’s resolutions and work to achieve them–expert
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
It’stime to take your New Year’s resolutions to heart. According to social psychologists, New Year’s resolutions that are too ambitious and not turned into habits are more likely to fail during the first quarter of the year.
So it is better to have a realistic, doable, specific, and measurable goal for this year, especially when it comes to your health.
Heart disease
O PT f or the simple steps on lifestyle changes through the advocacy PHA ( Philippine Heart Association) PUSO MUNA, that is suitable to time and energy and is not heavy on someone’s pocket at the same time”, said PHA Director/Advocacy Chair Dr. Avenilo “Jun” Aventura Jr. during the podcast-inspired PHA Usapang Puso sa Puso (UPP) on January 22, 2025 titled “Heart Strong 2025: Beating for a New You.”
Aventura emphasized that heart disease remains one of the leading health concerns in the country. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, from January to April
2024, 30,848 people died from ischemic heart disease (IHD) which accounted for 20.2 percent of all deaths in the Philippines. One’s risks can be significantly reduced through mindful eating, regular physical activity, and quitting harmful habits like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
Aventura further urged every Filipino family to embrace the PHA PUSO MUNA formula: Pagkaing masustansya, Huwag manigarilyo, Aktibong pamumuhay, Presyon ay kontrolin, Uminom ng maintenance, Sugar ay kontrolin, Obesity ay iwasan, Matulog nang kumpleto, Umiwas sa stress, No to alcohol, and Ayaw sa cholesterol, and make it a habit.
Diet-related resolution W I TH many Filipinos starting the year with diet-related resolutions, Aventura
stressed that the key to a sustainable healthy diet is making smart choices rather than drastic restrictions.
He pointed out that not all fats are created equal—while healthy fats from fish, avocado, and olive oil are beneficial, excessive consumption of saturated and trans fats can be harmful.
The PHA reminded everyone that a commitment to heart health is an investment in a longer, healthier future.
During the holidays, most of the people tend to take advantage of the holiday spirit.
“It’s the season to feast, to eat all you can and have bottomless alcoholic drinks and be happy. Actually, this attitude or practice is embedded in the Filipino culture. Filipinos mark every feat or milestone with food and drinks, sugared and alcoholic beverages. Food is a central part of every gathering,” he said
According to the PHA, more cardiac deaths like the Holiday Heart Syndrome (HHS) spike during the chilly months of December and January.
Likewise, the PHA said, cold temperatures cause blood vessels to constrict, which elevates blood pressure and makes the heart work harder to pump blood. This can be aggravated by binge eating and drinking.
To make heart-healthy eating more accessible, Aventura suggested practical and budget-friendly food swaps: Instead of snacking on chips, people
can opt for nuts or seeds.
Adding more fruits and vegetables to meals while reducing salt intake can also contribute to better heart health without breaking the bank.
PHA urged the public to apply the Pinggang Pinoy (17 percent fruits, 33 percent vegetables, 33 percent carbohydrates and 17 percent protein) on their daily diet.
Exercise
T
HE P HA also acknowledged that one of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to exercise more. However, many struggle to keep up due to busy schedules.
The PHA suggested that a 30 minute exercise routine per day is a good start while increasing it to 40 minutes to one hour of physical activities can be of greater benefit.
Improving physical activity does not have to mean hitting the gym or following an intense workout routine.
“Even small changes, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking short distances instead of driving, and stretching during breaks, can have a big impact on heart health,” Aventura said.
He also encouraged people to rethink their daily routines and find creative ways to incorporate movement without added stress, as staying consistent with small efforts throughout the year can lead to long-term benefits.
Moving away from BMi, experts propose a new definition for obesity
Agroup of global experts is proposing a new way to define and diagnose o besity, reducing the emphasis on the controversial body mass index and hoping to better identify people who need treatment for the disease caused by excess body fat.
u n der recommendations released earlier this week, obesity would no longer be defined solely by BMI, a calculation of height and weight, but combined with other measurements, such as waist circumference, plus evidence of health problems tied to extra pounds.
o b esity is estimated to affect more than one billion people worldwide. In the u S about 40 percent of adults have obesity, according to the u S C enters for Disease Control and p r evention.
“The whole goal of this is to get a more precise definition so that we are targeting the people who actually need the help most,” said Dr. David Cummings, an obesity expert at the u n iversity of Washington and one of the 58 authors of the report published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal.
Two categories
Th E r eport introduces two new diagnostic categories: clinical obesity and pre-clinical
nEW Yo r K ( A p) u S p ublic health officials have been told to stop working with the World h e alth o r ganization, effective immediately.
A u S C enters for Disease Control and p r evention official, John n k engasong, sent a memo to senior leaders at the agency on earlier this week telling them that all staff who work with the W ho must immediately stop their collaborations and “await further guidance.”
Experts said the sudden stoppage was a surprise and would set back work on investigating and trying to stop outbreaks of Marburg virus and mpox in Africa, as well as brewing global threats. It also comes as health authorities around the world are monitoring bird flu outbreaks among u S. livestock.
The Associated p r ess viewed a copy of n k engasong’s memo, which said the stopwork policy applied to “all CDC staff engaging
obesity.
p e ople with clinical obesity meet BMI and other markers of obesity and have evidence of organ, tissue or other problems caused by excess weight. That could include heart disease, high blood pressure, liver or kidney disease or chronic severe knee or hip pain.
These people would be eligible for treatments, including d iet a nd e xercise in terventions and obesity medications.
p e ople with pre-clinical obesity are at risk for those conditions, but have no ongoing illness, the report says.
Flawed measure
BMI has long been considered a flawed measure that can over-diagnose or underdiagnose obesity, which is currently defined as a BMI of 30 or more. But people with excess body fat do not always have a BMI above 30, the report notes. And people with high muscle mass—football players or other athletes—may have a high BMI despite normal fat mass.
u n der the new criteria, about 20 percent of people who used to be classified as obese would no longer meet the definition, preliminary analysis suggests. And about 20 percent
of people with serious health effects but lower BMI would now be considered clinically obese, experts said.
“It wouldn’t dramatically change the percentage of people being defined as having obesity, but it would better diagnose the people who really have clinically significant excess fat,” Cummings said.
New definitions endorsed
Th E n ew definitions have been endorsed by more than 75 medical organizations around the world, but it’s not clear how widely or quickly they could be adopted in practice. The report acknowledges that implementation of the recommendations “will carry significant costs and workforce implications.”
A spokesman for the health insurance trade group A h I p formerly known as America’s h e alth Insurance p l ans, said “it’s too early at this point to gauge how plans will incorporate these criteria into coverage or other policies.”
There are practical issues to consider, said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of the obesity treatment company Flyte h e alth.
Measuring waist circumference sounds
simple, but protocols differ, many doctors aren’t trained accurately and standard medical tape measures aren’t big enough for many people with obesity.
Health assessment
In addition, determining the difference between clinical and pre-clinical obesity would require a comprehensive health assessment and lab tests, she noted.
“For a new classification system to be widely adopted, it would also need to be extremely quick, inexpensive, and reliable,” she said.
The new definitions are likely to be confusing, said Kate Bauer, a nutrition expert at the u n iversity of Michigan School of p ublic h e alth.
“The public likes and needs simple messages. I don’t think this differentiation is going to change anything,” she said.
o v erhauling the definition of obesity will take time, acknowledged Dr. r o bert Kushner, an obesity expert at the n o rthwestern Feinberg School of Medicine and a co-author of the report.
“This is the first step in the process,” he said. “I think it’s going to begin the conversation.” AP
Food, drug administration oversight needed to
UNICEF has emphasized the importance of protecting child health through robust regulation over products intended for their consumption, including breast milk substitutes. It is critical that agencies mandated to protect public health, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), maintain their authority to ensure these products meet high safety standards that protect children from potential harm.
The Philippines faces a critical nutrition crisis, with one in four children experiencing the triple burden of malnutrition, including stunting, which affects almost three million children. Annually, malnutrition costs the country over USD 3.1 billion in lost productivity, which highlights the urgent need for policies and interventions that prioritize children.
“Every child deserves the best nutrition and care to support their growth and development,” said Behzad Noubary, Acting Representative for UNICEF Philippines. “The FDA’s decades of expertise in maintaining regulatory frameworks ensures that children in the Philippines have access to safe, nutritious products that support their healthy development and empower their potential.”
Crucial for growth
ADEQUATE nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life is critical for a child’s growth and develop -
ment. To ensure infants receive safe and sufficient nutrition, it is essential to protect and promote breastfeeding while providing the public with accurate, consistent, and objective information about the appropriate use of breast milk substitutes, supplements, and related products. This can be achieved through the implementation of strong regulations governing the marketing and distribution of these substitutes and related products.
The FDA enforces the Philippine Milk Code to ensure these standards are met and plays an important role in the broader effort to combat malnutrition and promote child growth and development. Consistent oversight remains necessary to safeguard children’s health and prevent claims about milk and milk products that could mislead families to select less nutritious options.
UNICEF urges ongoing cooperation between all sectors to support policies that protect child health and ensure every child has access to proper nutrition from the start. Strong regulation and coordination across government agencies is crucial for safeguarding children’s well-being.
Twith W ho through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements or other means—in person or virtual.” It also says CDC staff are not allowed to visit W ho offices.
p r esident Donald Trump last week issued an executive order to begin the process of withdrawing the u S. from W ho, b ut that did not take immediate effect. Leaving W ho r equires the approval of Congress and that the u S. meets its financial obligations for the current fiscal year. The u S. also must provide a one-year notice.
h i s administration also told federal health agencies to stop most communications with the public through at least the end of the month.
“Stopping communications and meetings with W ho is a big problem,” said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a u n iversity of Southern California public health expert who collaborates with
W ho on work against sexually transmitted infections.
“ p e ople thought there would be a slow withdrawal. This has really caught everyone with their pants down,” said Klausner, who said he learned of it from someone at CDC.
“Talking to W ho is a two-way street,” he added, noting that the two agencies benefit from each other’s expertise. The collaboration allows the u S. to learn about new tests, new treatments and emerging outbreaks—information “which can help us protect Americans abroad and at home,” Klausner said.
The CDC details nearly 30 people to W ho and sends many millions of dollars to it through cooperative agreements. The u S agency also has some of the world’s leading experts in infectious diseases and public health threats, and the two agencies’ staffers are in daily contact about health dangers and how to stop them.
The collaboration halt isn’t the only global health effect of Trump’s executive orders. Last week, the president froze spending on another critical program, p E p FA r or the p r esident’s Emergency p l an for AIDS r e lief. The anti- h IV program is credited with saving 25 million lives, including those of 5.5 million children, since it was started by r e publican p r esident g e orge W. Bush. It was included in a Trump administration freeze on foreign aid spending slated to last at least three months.
p E p F A r provides h IV medication to more than 20 million people “and stopping its funding essential stops their h IV t reatment,” International AIDS Society p r esident Beatriz g r insztejn said in a statement. “If that happens, people are going to die and h IV w ill resurge.”
ACLOBAN CITY—The Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) formally opened earlier this week a veterans’ ward inside the regional hospital complex in this city.
The facility called “Captain Nievas Fernandez Veterans Ward” was named after a resident of this city who was a teacher-turned-guerilla and one of the lesser-known World War II heroes.
The veterans’ ward is funded by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO).
“Inauguration of this ward was held in November 2024 but the management had to wait for the permit from the Department of Health (DOH),” EVMC information office chief Roby Peñalosa said. The facility has 15 beds exclusively intended for the use of World War II veterans, Korean War veterans, Anti-Dissident Campaign veterans, and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) retirees, includ -
ing their qualified dependents who need hospital treatment or confinement.
“Those who will be admitted at Veterans Ward, their finances will be shouldered by the PVAO, on top of PhilHealth and other subsidies from the government,” Peñalosa added. Veterans and retirees including their dependents must present proper identification documents issued by PVAO or the AFP to avail in-patient care.
This is the fifth veterans’ ward created in the country as mandated by Republic Act 6948 and amended by Republic Act 7696 creating the Veterans Hospitalization and Medical Care Program (VHMCP), by establishing veteran wards in all DOH-retained hospitals.
Other similar facilities in the country are in Cagayan
& Fitness
InternatIonal accredItatIon caps a decade of success for the MedIcal cIty clark
By Candy P. Dalizon Contributor
The Medical City Clark (TMC Clark) celebrated its 10th anniversary on January 24, 2025 with a grand event that showcased a decade of achievements and a steadfast commitment to world-class healthcare.
One of the highlights of the celebration was the unveiling of the prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) Gold Seal of Approval, signifying the institution’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety in healthcare.
“The JCI Gold Seal is not just a symbol; it represents the highest standards of quality and safety in healthcare. To our doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, administrative staff, and support teams, this accomplishment is yours - it’s ours,” said Dr. Noelito M. Lacsamana, TMC Clark President and CEO.
In December 2024, TMC Clark earned its first JCI accreditation, a
prestigious recognition awarded only to healthcare organizations that meet the strictest standards for quality and safety. This achievement underscores TMC Clark’s commitment to global best practices and positions the institution at the forefront of transforming healthcare delivery in the region.
During the anniversary celebration, Dr. Lacsamana, along with other hospital leaders, reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to providing exceptional patient care and thanked everyone for their invaluable contributions to its success.
Honoring excellence, partnerships THE program, held at the TMC Clark
Special children can have a normal life–expert
CHILDREN w ith special conditions can have normal life amidst their situation, according to a neurodevelopmental pediatrician at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.
“Their condition is lifetime but it does not mean they can be in that condition for life. If their condition is detected early, they can be assisted and provided with skills that will normalize their daily lives,” said Dr. Leanith Haya in a press conference for the Autism Consciousness week aired on social media recently.
Haya said autism is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by social and communication difficulties and restricted and repetitive behavior.
She said screening and surveillance lead to early identification of children at risk, leading to earlier evaluation and initiation of intervention that can lead to improved outcomes.
Village health worker
S HE u nderscored the role of village health workers in assisting special children to have normalcy in their lives.
“As far as a I know, our barangay health workers are trained in early childhood care and development. Part of the training includes when and who to refer to. I am glad to say that we have good communication with the different institutions/ hospitals in the Cordillera, which will facilitate ease of referral,” Haya told the Philippine News Agency in an interview.
The medical specialist explained that clinical screening by a neurodevelopmental doctor is needed after a surveillance to determine if the signs and symptoms are consistent with the condition.
“That is the only time intervention is provided, which is in different stages, that will allow the child to live with normalcy,” the doctor said.
Interventions
T HE i nterventions focus on applied behavioral analysis; occupational,
speech, therapy and sensory processing; educational; social-relationship; pharmacological; and psychological intervention.
Haya said primary care facilities like the Baguio General Hospital are covered by the Z-package of the Philhealth for the assessment, which could be different if done by a private physician. She said that while therapy can be done by the doctor, family and home therapy and support will mean the difference in the outcome.
“The therapy done at home will help a lot since the doctor’s therapy is limited to 10 sessions and could be costly,” she said.
She said training the special children also matters since it is their future that are at stake.
Father’s experience
F R ED ( not his real name), whose son was diagnosed with mild attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when he was six years old, said his son is academically superior when it comes to subjects he likes.
“He started reading and counting numbers in English, Filipino and Ilocano even before he spoke clearly,” he said, adding that his son knows a lot about countries and planets but hates writing on paper.
He said a pediatrician saw something different when his son was four years old, thus they sought an appointment with a child development expert, whose service they were able to avail of after a year due to the long queue.
His son was referred for therapy but Fred said they requested to be “taught how to do it so that we can still continue even at home.”
Fred, a scuba diver and is into extreme outdoor games, has exposed his son to different skills like snorkeling and swimming.
His son is also starting to learn scuba diving and has been trained on jungle survival while he continues to be on home schooling.
“It is challenging but it has to be done and complemented at home,” Fred added. PNA
AT TY Agnes VST Devanadera, President and CEO of Clark Development Corporation speaking at the 10th anniversary celebration of The
grounds in Clark Global City, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, also featured a segment titled “Honoring Excellence” where esteemed partners who played pivotal roles in the hospital’s growth were recognized and invited to share their inspiring remarks.
These included Christopher D. Gloria, RN, MN, Development Management Officer V, Department of Health; Andrew B. Meadows, Member of TMC’s Board of Directors; patient partners Erika B. Laminero and Robert Clyde McGlew, and Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera, President and CEO, Clark Development Corporation.
Devanadera emphasized TMC Clark’s significant contributions to both medical care and the overall growth of the community. Furthermore, she acknowledged that TMC Clark’s presence significantly enhances the appeal of the Clark Freeport Zone as an investment destination.
“For us at CDC, when we invite investors, we can confidently say that the ecosystem here is complete. With pride, we can declare, ‘We have The Medical City in Clark—an internationally accredited center of excellence.’ We don’t just take care of in -
vestments; we also take care of our investors,” Devanadera said.
The CDC head also recognized TMC Clark’s role in the development of Clark Freeport Zone, which supports over 140,000 locators, employees, and community members.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
THE celebration was graced by Jose Xavier B. Gonzales, Chairman of TMC’s Board of Directors, and Dr. Stuart A. Bennett, President and Group CEO.
A special video presentation celebrated the hospital’s 10 years of progress, highlighting the achieve -
ments and milestones the institution has reached over the years.
A teaser video for the “Discover Your Wellness” episode of TMC Clark, created in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, was also shown. The program also paid tribute to history-makers, including JCI core members, champions, and committee chairs, adding a meaningful touch to the event. Entertainment was provided by renowned Filipino vocal group The CompanY.
About The Medical City Clark THE Medical City Clark is a leading 103-bed healthcare facility situated in the heart of the Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga. Since its official opening on January 16, 2015, TMC Clark has become the premier
Keeping blood pressure under control is critical; new option available
WASHINGTON (AP)—Nothing doctors prescribed controlled Michael Garrity’s dangerously high blood pressure—until they zapped away some nerves on his kidneys.
If that sounds weird, well, kidneys help regulate blood pressure in part through signals from certain nerves. The new treatment disrupts overactive renal nerves.
“My blood pressure would spike and I’d run out of breath and feel tired, and that doesn’t happen anymore,” said Garrity, 62, of Needham, Massachusetts. He still takes medicine but at lower doses, his blood pressure normal for the first time in years.
“I’m thrilled.”
About half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, a major risk for heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, even dementia. Many people don’t even realize they have hypertension until it’s done serious damage.
“Know your blood pressure, know the numbers,” stressed Dr. Randy Zusman of Massachusetts General Hospital, who specializes in the hardest-to-treat cases and advises people who think they’re fine to at least get a yearly check.
And only a fraction of patients have their hypertension well-controlled, meaning there’s a need for novel strategies. The
Food and Drug Administration approved that “renal denervation” option about a year ago, based on studies showing a modest benefit in patients whose blood pressure remains high despite multiple medicines.
Now, after the American Heart Association recently deemed it promising, some hospitals including Mass General Brigham are cautiously offering it as they work out who are good candidates—and whether their insurance will cover a minimally invasive procedure costing thousands of dollars.
What is high blood pressure?
T WO n umbers describe blood pressure. The top, “systolic” pressure, is the force blood puts on the walls of arteries as its pumped out of the heart. The bottom “diastolic” number measures that same pressure but between heartbeats.
Normal is less than 120 over 80. Blood pressure naturally fluctuates throughout the day, higher when you’re physically active or stressed. But when it stays high—consistently 130 over 80 or higher, according to the most recent guidelines—it stiffens arteries and makes the heart work harder.
How to measure blood pressure
I T d oesn’t take a doctor’s visit. Pharmacies
and sometimes even libraries offer screening, and people can use at-home monitors.
To avoid falsely high readings, the American Medical Association has tips: Sit quietly with feet on the floor, legs not crossed. Place the cuff on a bare arm, not over clothing. Don’t dangle the arm—rest it on a table.
Drugs aren’t the only way to treat high blood pressure
L IF e S T y L e changes are the first step, especially for otherwise healthy people. Guidelines urge losing weight, exercise, eating more fruits and vegetables, limiting salt and alcohol, and taking steps to handle stress.
Medicine is a must once hypertension reaches 140 over 90. The average patient requires two or three drugs, sometimes more, along with healthier living, Zusman said.
But the hypertension Garrity has struggled with since his late 20s is treatment-resistant. Despite taking four to six drugs plus a strict diet and exercise, his blood pressure regularly reached 150 over 100 or worse.
What is renal denervation?
D O c T ORS t hread a small catheter, or tube, through blood vessels to reach the kidneys, and then beam in ultrasound or radiofrequency energy. Those pulses pass through
for tough cases
the renal arteries to selectively target surrounding nerves, said Dr. Joseph Garasic, a Mass General interventional cardiologist who performed Garrity’s procedure. It takes about an hour.
Although already used in other countries, a key US trial of renal denervation failed about a decade ago, prompting changes before researchers tried again. In November 2023, the FDA approved two catheter systems, from Recor Medical and Medtronic. It’s not a cure—and some patients get no benefit. But Garasic said multiple studies show on average an eight to 10-point drop in blood pressure, a modest but important improvement. Some like Garrity see a bigger drop, enough to gradually scale back medications.
The FDA deemed the procedure safe for carefully chosen patients—it wasn’t tested in those with kidney disease or narrowed arteries, for example. And studies have lasted only a few years, not long enough to tell if the nerves might eventually regenerate.
Guidance from the American Heart Association urges would-be patients and experienced doctors to have “thoughtful and informed discussions” to decide who’s a good candidate. Lauran Neergaard, AP
Lower dementia risk by controlling blood pressure, eating healthy
WASHINGTON (AP)—About a million Americans a year are expected to develop dementia by 2060, roughly double today’s toll, researchers reported recently.
That estimate is based on a new study that found a higher lifetime risk than previously thought. After age 55, people have up to a 4 in 10 chance of eventually developing dementia, if they live long enough.
It’s a sobering number but there are steps people can take to reduce that risk, such as controlling high blood pressure and other bad-for-the-brain health problems. And it’s not too late to try even in middle age.
“All of our research suggests what you do in midlife really matters,” said Dr. Josef c o resh of N y U L angone Health, who coauthored the study in the journal Nature Medicine.
Dementia isn’t only Alzheimer’s TAKING longer to recall a name or where you put your keys is typical with older age. But dementia isn’t a normal part of aging – it’s a progressive loss of memory, language and
other cognitive functions. Simply getting older is the biggest risk and the population is rapidly aging.
Alzheimer’s is the most common form, and silent brain changes that eventually lead to it can begin two decades before symptoms appear. Other types include vascular dementia, when heart disease or small strokes impair blood flow to the brain. Many people have mixed causes, meaning vascular problems could exacerbate brewing Alzheimer’s symptoms.
Measuring the risk from a certain age over the potential remaining life span can guide public health recommendations and medical research.
“It’s not a guarantee that someone will develop dementia,” cautioned Dr. James Galvin, a University of Miami Alzheimer’s specialist. He wasn’t involved with the new study but said the findings fit with other research.
Dementia risk is different by age
P RIOR s tudies estimated about 14 percent of men and 23 percent of women would de -
velop some form of dementia during their lifetime. c o resh’s team analyzed more recent data from a US study that has tracked the heart health and cognitive function of about 15,000 older adults for several decades.
Importantly, they found the risk changes with the decades.
O N Ly 4 percent of people developed dementia between the ages of 55 and 75, what c o resh calls a key 20-year window for protecting brain health.
Overall, the lifetime dementia risk after age 55 was 35 percent for men and 48 percent for women, the researchers concluded. Women generally live longer than men, a main reason for that difference, co resh noted.
Black Americans had a slightly higher risk, 44 percent, than white people at 41 percent.
Yes, there are ways to help lower dementia risk
T H e R e a re some risk factors people can’t control, including age and whether you inherited a gene variant called APO e 4 t hat raises the chances of late-in-life Alzheimer’s.
But people can try to avert or at least delay health problems that contribute to later dementia. c o resh, for example, wears a helmet when biking because repeated or severe brain injuries from crashes or falls increase the risk of later-in-life dementia. e sp ecially important: “What’s good for your heart is good for your brain,” added Miami’s Galvin. He urges people to exercise, avoid obesity, and control blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol. For example, high blood pressure can impair blood flow to the brain, a risk not just for vascular dementia but also linked to some hallmarks of Alzheimer’s. Similarly, the high blood sugar of poorly controlled diabetes is linked to cognitive decline and damaging inflammation in the brain. Stay socially and cognitively active, too, Galvin said. He urges people to try hearing aids if age brings hearing loss, which can spur social isolation.
“There are things that we have control over, and those things I think would be rea lly, really important to build a better brain as we age,” he said.
Medical City Clark
T H E l
eaders of The Medical City Clark and The Medical City Enterprise
Cardinal SantoS MediCal Center CelebrateS the 2025 ChineSe new Year
By Vincent Peter Rivera
Santos Medical Center
welcomed the lunar new Year in high spirits as patients, doctors, and staff gathered for a celebration of cultural diversity, good fortune, and prosperity at dr. Eduardo r Mercado auditorium last January 28, 2025.
a s a n institution that forged strong ties with the Chinese community over its 50 years of service, Cardinal Santos Medical Center annually celebrates Chinese n e w ye ar as a testament of its commitment to building an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.
“Cardinal Santos is a multicultural center, we respect its culture and community,” said Dr. a n tonio S. Say, Chief Medical Officer of CSMC. “Since we are near [the] Chinese community and we have a lot of Chinese patients, we have to celebrate with our patients the Chinese n e w ye ar together to have more prosperity and special good health for all.”
This year of the Wood Snake, Raul
C. Pagdanganan, President and CEO of CSMC, encouraged everyone to undergo transformation, growth, and renewal.
“The snake, a symbol of wisdom and grace, inspires to embrace change, meaningful change, lasting change. Shed all skin and emerge stronger and more resilient, and just like the snake shed its skin to grow.”
In the same way, Pagdanganan said the hospital would improve and transform the hospital’s programs by constantly listening to the patients’ needs. “This year, we will be introducing products and services, innovative services, which will elevate our healthcare services,” he mentioned.
During the celebration, Pagdanganan and other CSMC leaders took part in the
C AR d in A l Santos Medical Center Management Committee members performed the beating of drums to welcome the 2025 Chinese new Year.
drum beating performance as a recognition and respect to the Chinese culture and community.
The event concluded with the lion
and dragon dance performance for the crowd, a traditional Chinese dance to attract good luck and cast away evil spirits in welcoming the year.
Maxicare launches LifesavER, LifesavER+ prepaid health cards
In a groundbreaking move to make premium healthcare more accessible and flexible, Maxicare, the Philippines’ leading healthcare provider, introduces two innovative prepaid health cards: l i fesavER and l i fesavER+. Designed for individuals and families seeking peace of mind in medical emergencies, these cards redefine how Filipinos approach emergency healthcare.
Medical emergencies can strike at any time, and the l i fesavER product line ensures you’re always prepared. With nationwide coverage at Maxicare-affiliated hospitals, including six premier medical institutions— a s ian Hospital and Medical Center, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Makati Medical Center, St. l u ke’s Medical Center (BGC and QC), and The Medical City—Maxicare guarantees access to world-class emergency services.
a t M axicare, we believe that health emergencies should never be a barrier to quality care. l i fesavER and l i fesavER+ empower Filipinos to face life’s uncertainties with confidence, knowing they have access to reliable and immediate medical assistance when they need it most,” shared Roberto Macasaet, Jr., Maxicare’s Chairman of the Board.
Affordable safety net
lIFES aV E R is perfect for individuals looking for an affordable safety net against un -
Many of us think of chickenpox as a childhood illness, a harmless rite of passage that fades into memory once the itchy blisters heal. However, what most people don’t realize is that the virus behind chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), never really leaves the body. Instead, it lies dormant in the nervous system for years, only to reawaken later in life as a painful and potentially debilitating condition known as shingles.
Shingles, or “kulebra” as it’s locally known, is a viral infection that can cause severe discomfort. It’s the same virus that caused your chickenpox but reawakens when your immune system is weakened.
In a radio interview, Family Medicine and Geriatrics Expert Dr. Cheridine Oro-Josef, likened the pain of shingles to “a dormant volcano suddenly coming to life.” She emphasized that the most challenging symptom isn’t the rash itself, but rather the nerve pain known as postherpetic neuralgia or long-term nerve pain. Her patients often described this pain as “barbed wires” piercing the skin, which can linger for months or even years after the
emergencies can strike at any time, and the li fesavER product line ensures you’re always prepared.
expected health crises. For only P2,299, it offers up to P25,000 coverage for emergency room (ER) treatments, ensuring immediate access to life-saving services. Other benefits include doctor’s services for emergency treatment, and emergency room fees, medicines, and diagnostic tests. Families and frequent travelers seeking
enhanced medical protection, on the other hand, will find l i fesavER+ quite useful. It provides up to P50,000 coverage, including emergency room treatments and those leading to confinement, if needed. a t P 6,999, it comes with additional perks such as a s sist a m erica emergency travel medical assistance for trips beyond 150 km from home or abroad
(up to 90 days), and 12 complimentary 24/7 teleconsult calls through Maxicare’s dedicated hotline.
Coverage for both prepaid health cards includes, but is not limited to, accidents, food poisoning, dengue, and upper respiratory tract infections. a d ditionally, they come with l i fe Insurance with a c cidental Death, Dismemberment & Disablement ( a D D&D) coverage up to Php 50,000.
Register your card
G ETTI n G started with l i fesavER or l i fesavER+ is easy. a f ter purchasing via Maxicare Online Store, register your card by entering your reference number on the Maxicare Member Viewpoint. Once activated, your card is valid for one year, giving you the freedom to access emergency care whenever needed. yo u can also purchase and activate multiple cards annually.
With l i fesavER and l i fesavER+, Maxicare continues its mission to make quality healthcare simple, affordable, and accessible to all Filipinos.
Take the first step towards a worry-free tomorrow. Visit Maxicare’s online store and secure your l i fesavER or l i fesavER+ card today. yo ur health and peace of mind are just a card away. For more information, visit www.maxicare.com.ph/maxicare-plans/#prepaid-plans.
PhilHealth coverage for peritoneal dialysis now up to P1.2M: Assistance extended to children
rash has healed.
“When it develops there, it can be extremely painful because it affects the nerves. Our sensations come from our nerves, so if they are inflamed or affected, the pain can be really intense,” Dr. Oro-Josef said.
Shingles primarily affects older adults, particularly those over 50, as well as individuals with weakened immune systems due to conditions such as asthma, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, or rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, about 24 percent of adults aged 50 to 59—around 2 million Filipinos—are at risk of developing shingles.
Spotting the signs S H I n G l ES o ften starts with signs that are easy to miss. yo u might feel itching, tingling, or a burning sensation on one side of your body. This early feeling can seem like a minor skin irritation but is actually a warning of more noticeable symptoms to come.
a s shingles progresses, a painful rash usually appears. It begins with a few red spots or small blisters that quickly turn into clusters
of fluid-filled blisters, which then crust over. In addition to the rash, shingles can cause sharp, shooting pain that can last for more than 10 days. yo u might also experience fever, headaches, sensitivity to light, and fatigue.
Dr. Oro-Josef noted that since the VZV can spread through direct contact with fluid from shingles blisters or through airborne particles if the blisters burst, individuals with shingles should isolate themselves. This helps prevent spreading the virus, especially to those who haven’t had chickenpox or been vaccinated.
“If you’ve already been vaccinated against chickenpox and had the disease, you likely have some protection against shingles. However, if you haven’t had chickenpox and are exposed to someone with shingles, you could contract chickenpox instead,” Dr. Oro-Josef explained.
Staying ahead of shingles
W H I l E s hingles is a viral infection, there are effective ways to reduce the risk. Dr. Oro-Josef emphasizes that preventing shingles isn’t just about hoping for the best; it requires a proactive strategy.
PhilHealth wants to
as
apart from hemodialysis, not just to give autonomy and flexibility to our members in choosing the treatment modality, but also to promote quality of life and mobility of patients”, he added. For adult patients, coverage could either be P389,640 or P510,140, depending on the PD solutions a patient needs per day. The package used to be at P270,000 per year.
Meanwhile, benefits for pediatric patients under CAPD range from P510,000 to P765,210, while coverage for APD ranges from P763,000 to P1.2 million. PhilHealth also pays for exit site infection and peritonitis prevention care as well as ancillary services which include catheter insertion, outpatient treatment of PD-related peritonitis and laboratory, diagnostic tests, and drugs and medicines for both adult and pediatric cases.
Registration in database
ACCORDI n G to PhilHealth Circular n o . 2024-0036, patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 5 who will avail of this type of RRT shall first be registered in the PhilHealth Dialysis Database and shall comply with existing membership eligibility guidelines. Patients shall also adhere to the treatment plan, including follow-up visits. They are strictly prohibited from sharing, selling or distributing PD solutions provided them.
F urthermore, the contracted providers or health facilities are prohibited from charging co-payments for essential health services. However, co-payments may be charged for services and amenities that are not included in the list of essential health services covered by the package. Providers are likewise advised to fully explain to the patients whatever copayment that will still be charged to them.
T he enhanced PD Z Benefits are available at any of the 51 contracted PD providers nationwide, the list of which can be viewed at www.philhealth. gov.ph. Members may also seek further information and assistance by calling the following 24/7 touch points: (02) 866-225-88 or at mobile numbers 0998-857-2957, 0968-865-4670, 0917-1275987 or 0917-1109812.
She also highlighted the importance of consulting a healthcare professional before using any ointments or topical treatments on skin rashes. “Sometimes, patients use different ointments, which can alter the appearance of the rash. This makes it harder for doctors to diagnose shingles since the rash might look different. If you have a painful rash or blisters, see your doctor right away.”
Maintaining a strong immune system is key. This involves managing stress, eating a balanced diet, staying active and vaccination according to Dr. Oro-Josef. Shingles treatment can be expensive, making prevention crucial. Understanding shingles and taking preventive measures can make a significant difference. With the right approach and knowledge, you can fend off this painful condition and safeguard your health. Consult your doctor about shingles treatment and prevention or visit www.whatisshingles.ph.
