Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Stakeholders from the ube industry have formalized a national federation that will provide representation and policy direction amid the ongoing popularity of purple yam products.

Dubbed the United Ube PH Association Inc., the national organization will provide stronger representation, clearer direction and a common national identity for the ube industry.

Members include farmers, cooperatives, growers, processors, traders, exporters, researchers, the academe, government agencies and other industry players to support the country’s ube industry.

‘This organization gives the ube industry a stronger advocate and a clearer path to market,’ Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement yesterday.

‘We want Philippine ube to become one of our export winners, and that means building an industry strong enough to meet global demand while ensuring our farmers capture more of its value,’ he added.

United Ube PH has officially registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a non-stock, non-profit organization representing the Philippine ube industry.

Since its formation, the group has started working with government agencies, local government units, business organizations and other stakeholders to create concrete strategies to boost the industry.

United Ube PH is also looking to expand markets and partnerships with institutional buyers, conducting exploratory discussions with Philippine and German business chambers and developing long-term supply and purchase agreements.

The group and the Department of Agriculture will draft a bilateral agreement that would improve cooperation and identify potential joint interventions.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway to create a nationwide ube industry development strategy while also conducting a membership drive.

The group is also set to inaugurate the first National Ube Forum in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, in September, bringing together stakeholders and government agencies.

It is also set to participate in the ASEAN Health Tourism and Wellness Economy Summit, where it will present Philippine ube products and reach out to potential buyers, investors and business partners.

The country has been pushing to capitalize on the ongoing craze for ube products in local and international markets. The government is looking to allocate P300 million next year to raise output and improve support for the ube industry.

ABS-CBN Corp.’s new investors are entering the company at a more precarious state, as its first-half losses doubled to P1.83 billion, pushing it further from profit return.

The media giant yesterday reported a net loss of P1.83 billion in the six months to June, twice as much as the P852 million it sustained a year ago.

The former leader of Philippine free TV failed to plug the absence of election spending last year and also came out with fewer events and movies to improve revenue.

As a result, ABS-CBN suffered a 17-percent decline in revenue to P6.88 billion. In particular, the company’s content production and distribution income fell by nine percent to P5.76 billion.

ABS-CBN, similar to GMA Network Inc., blamed the absence of political ads from 2025 for the revenue drop. ABS-CBN also sang the same tune as GMA on external factors, saying economic challenges worsened its finances.

Worse, ABS-CBN succumbed to rising inflation, with expenses climbing by 17 percent to P8.46 billion in the first half.

‘In addition, global developments this year had a negative impact on consumer sentiment and the domestic economy,’ ABS-CBN said.

Still, ABS-CBN is confident its revenues would come out better in the second half, as its girl group BINI is going on a world tour scheduled until November.

Further, ABS-CBN is receiving a fresh infusion of P6 billion from new and long-time investors. The amount will be allocated for business expansion, supporting efforts to produce more content and widen revenue sources.

Private investor IandC Holdings Inc. is injecting P3.5 billion into ABS-CBN, trusting that it could still turn itself around after years of bleeding. The Lopez clan’s Creme Investment Corp., Mantes Corp. and Presta Holdings Co. Inc. are placing a combined P2.2 billion.

Lopez Inc. will add P300 million to ABS-CBN, giving it another shot at resuscitating itself after spiraling into yearly losses since it was denied a new franchise in 2020.

ABS-CBN made progress in nursing its losses in 2025, encouraging management to declare a return to profit in 18 months, or by the end of this year.

A six-year-old pug named Jinny Lu was crowned the newest winner of the annual World’s Ugliest Dog competition, now in it’s 50th year.

Jinny Lu was the runner-up in last year’s contest held in California’s Sonoma-Marin Fair but this time around she and her owner Michelle Grady have come away triumphant.

The pug will receive $5,000 (P308,000), a trophy, and has the chance to appear on custom, limited-edition cans of the root beer that sponsored the competition.

Two Chihuahua mixes completed the podium places: Pinky, who is albino and part Pomeranian, came in second and won $3,000 (P185,000) while a dog named Otto finished third and won $2,000 (P123,000).

This is Jinny Lu’s fourth attempt at the World’s Ugliest Dog contest, shared Grady, who adopted her in 2022 after being rescued in South Korean mountains from the dog meat trade.

“[Jinny Lu] absolutely loves competition, meeting everyone, and everything the event stands for,” the owner added in a statement.

The dog frequently visits schools with other rescue pugs to teach kids about the importance of adopting pets, and also visits those in hospice and memory care facilities.

New energy vehicle (NEV) maker BYD is looking to strengthen its presence in the Philippines by expanding its offerings amid rising demand for electrified vehicles.

BYD Co. Ltd. chairman and president Wang Chuanfu recently visited the Philippines amid the country’s growing role in the automotive manufacturer’s push for electrified vehicles,

BYD Cars Philippines said in a statement yesterday.

‘The Philippines has become one of the most exciting and promising markets for NEVs in the region,’ Wang said.

‘We are encouraged by the strong momentum of electrification and by the commitment of our partners at ACMobility to our customers,’ he said further.

BYD and ACMobility’s partnership for the distribution of BYD vehicles in the country started in 2023.

ACMobility CEO Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala said that NEVs could help address the cost of mobility, which has long been a pain point for Filipino households.

‘That conviction is what brought us to BYD in 2023, and it is why we have deployed resources across the entire ownership journey, whether that be distribution and retail, charging solutions or after-sales support,’ Zobel said.

‘Chairman Wang has now seen that work on the ground. We intend to keep expanding it so that electrified mobility becomes a practical option for more Filipino families in the years ahead,’ he added.

BYD Cars Philippines managing director Bob Palanca said that the company also intends to continue expanding the vehicle lineup in the country.

He said Wang’s visit reflects BYD’s strong vote of confidence in ACMobility and in the country.

‘It reflects the progress we have achieved together over the past three years and reinforces our commitment to making world-class electrified vehicles more accessible to Filipinos. As demand continues to grow, we remain focused on expanding our lineup to deliver innovative products for every Filipino driver and providing exceptional ownership experience,’ he said.

During his visit, Wang also met with other dealer principals and business partners for BYD and its premium brand Denza in the country.

At present, there are 81 BYD dealerships and four Denza dealerships nationwide.

‘With the collaborative efforts of our partners, we’re growing our network for both brands, improving the customer experience and investing in the EV ecosystem to make electrified mobility more accessible and help more Filipinos shift toward a more sustainable way of driving,’ BYD and Denza Philippines country head Adam Hu said.

The local stock market opened the week in the red territory as investors stayed on the sidelines amid lack of fresh leads.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) shed 0.56 percent or 35.5 points to close yesterday’s session at 6,261.80.

The broader All Shares index likewise slipped by 0.18 percent or 6.3 points, settling at 3,432.87.

AB Capital Securities said the PSEi held above 6,300 for most of the session before a sharp market-on-close selloff pushed it to the day’s low.

It said turnover fell to its fifth lowest year-to-date, pointing to continued lack of conviction.

Trading was tepid as total value turnover stood at P4.59 billion.

Luis Limlingan of Regina Capital said the local index ended lower as the market remained choppy amid subdued trading activity.

‘Investors stayed on the sidelines while awaiting fresh positive catalysts to drive market sentiment. Cautious positioning continued to limit buying interest and kept the market range-bound,’ Limlingan said.

Sectoral gauges were a mixed bag, with mining and oil posting the largest gain at 3.4 percent, while services registered the biggest drop at 1.48 percent.

Advancers overpowered decliners, 113 to 85, while 58 issues were unchanged.

First Gen was the top traded stock, plummeting by 11.4 percent to P27.20 per share after First Philippine Holdings said it turned down KKR’s offer to buy a portion of its stake in the company.

It was followed by ICTSI, which fell by 1.93 percent to P963, and Alliance Global Group, which rose by 2.86 percent to P9.72.

President Marcos had never discussed the ‘leadership fund’ with former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan, Malacañang said yesterday.

‘When (then) secretary Manny Bonoan was reporting, he (the President) was looking for projects and these projects should be based on the needs of an area. The funds are given to projects, not to people. Perhaps that is the reason why he (Bonoan) mentioned that the President wanted an equitable distribution, because that was the order of the President,’ Palace press officer Claire Castro said.

‘But when it comes to the leadership fund, it was never mentioned by the President and it has been denied by the economic team. So, if they had discussions among themselves at the DPWH, it was never a program of the President. The leadership fund is not in the GAA (General Appropriations Act),’ she added.

‘His (the President) order was to ensure that all projects are properly implemented,’ Castro pointed out.

‘I do not want to say that secretary Manny Bonoan was scolded, but in my latest conversation with the President, based on how his face looked, that was what he wanted to tell secretary Bonoan: ‘do your job properly,’ ‘ she said.

Transparency in 2027 budget

Defending the lawmakers’ use of the so-called leadership fund to finance local projects, Senate finance committee chairman JV Ejercito vowed that strict transparency measures would be in place for the 2027 national budget.

Ejercito said this will ensure that all legislative amendments are debated in open plenary rather than negotiated in secret.

He did not deny the practice when asked if he had received such allocations as he responded to claims by Bonoan that senators utilized the fund to secure P500 million to P1 billion each for pet projects under the 2025 budget.

‘Let’s admit it. People approach us for concerns. But it should not be kept a secret,’ Ejercito told radio dzBB.

He cited as an example certain requests from Cebu to fund neglected provincial hospitals, saying if he successfully pushed for the actual funding, the allocation is naturally attributed to his office.

‘There are good and bad amendments I would say. But they’re not all bad. As long as you do it in an open plenary,’ Ejercito explained.

No secret bicam

During his stint as finance committee chair last year, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian introduced sweeping reforms aimed at making the entire budget process transparent, barring the highly secretive ‘small committee’ during the bicameral conference committee meetings.

To draw the line between legitimate constituent funding and corruption, Ejercito promised transparent oversight.

Historically criticized as a secretive, ‘smoke-filled room’ where lawmakers allegedly horse-trade billions in public funds behind closed doors, the bicam under Gatchalian’s watch introduced unprecedented oversight to the final stages of the budget’s passage.

‘Last-minute insertions in the bicam is where it balloons,’ Ejercito stated, recalling previous investigations where a district’s P2-billion infrastructure allocation mysteriously ballooned to as much as P18 billion after the closed-door meetings.

‘This time, we will not allow that. We will flag that,’ he said, adding that the 2027 budget deliberations will be entirely televised and open to civil society organizations to serve as active observers.

Ejercito’s push for open spending comes as the government plans to borrow approximately P1.2 trillion to support the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027.

He warned that the government must urgently accelerate public spending to rescue a slowing economy, noting that over-strict safeguards implemented after the flood control scandal have caused collateral damage

Metro Manila remains under flood watch of state weather bureau PAGASA as the region expects moderate to occasional heavy rains until 5 p.m on Tuesday, August 18.

As of 8 :30 a.m, here are the flooded areas reported by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, local government units and communities:

Impassable to all types of vehicles

Quezon City

NS Amoranto from G. Araneta Avenue up to Sto. Domingo Avenue – 19 inches, knee deep

Araneta Maria Clara to Florentino – 26 inches, tire deep

Passable, with caution

Valenzuela City

D. Bonifacio, Canumay East -1-2 inches, surface water

Meanwhile, as of 9 a.m, floodwaters have subsided in Manila, Pasay City, Makati City, Malabon City, Taguig Cit, and Marikina City.

Motorists and commuters are advised to stay alert as Metro Manila remains under a yellow rainfall warning, with expected 50 millimeters to 100 millimeters of rain.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed complaints of sexual assault and acts of lasciviousness against Rep. Marcy Teodoro (Marikina 1st District).

In a message to reporters, DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez said that four counts of rape by sexual assault and one count of acts of lasciviousness were filed before the Marikina courts.

The sexual assault complaints were filed before a Marikina Regional Trial Court, while the information for acts of lasciviousness was filed before a Metropolitan Trial Court in Marikina.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by two police officers who were close security aides of Teodoro. In response to the complaints, Teodoro filed perjury complaints against them, claiming that their accusations were fabricated.

However, the perjury complaints were dismissed, according to a copy of the resolution obtained by Philstar.com.

In a statement, Alma Mallonga, legal counsel for Teodoro, expressed her surprise at the resolution.

According to Mallonga, the complaints underwent an investigation by a designated Department of Justice (DOJ) panel, where the hearings concluded over seven months ago.

However, Mallonga said that the resolution was signed by a different prosecutor, who is not a member of the investigating panel.

‘Dahil dito, makatwirang ipagpalagay na binago ang orihinal na investigation report at recommendation ng DOJ panel na ibasura ang mga reklamo laban kay Cong Marcy,’ Mallonga said.

(Because of this, it is reasonable to assume that the original investigation report and recommendation of the DOJ panel to dismiss the complaints against Cong. Marcy were altered.)

She added that Teodoro’s camp will still comply with the legal processes.

As of writing, Philstar.com sought comment from Martinez on Mallonga’s contention, but he has yet to reply.

On orders from Vice President Sara Duterte, P125 million in confidential funds was released entirely to her security aide in 2022, her former disbursing officer testified yesterday at the resumption of her impeachment trial.

‘The one who ordered me to release P125 million to her security officer Colonel (Dante) Lachica was Ma’am Sara Duterte,’ former OVP special disbursing officer (SDO) Gina Acosta said on Day 16 of Duterte’s trial.

Lachica used to head the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG).

‘Ma’am Inday gave me an order to release it (money) to Lachica because it’s he who knew how to implement the programs and activities in line with the confidential activities,’ Acosta said.

Upon direct examination by private prosecutor Amando Virgil Ligutan, the former SDO admitted that there was indeed no specific provision in the Commission on Audit’s Joint Circular (JC) 2015-01 designating or allowing the disbursement of confidential funds to security officers.

Acosta also acknowledged that the OVP’s P125-million confidential fund allocation in late 2022 contained ‘no detailed activities’ under its broad ‘Good Governance Program.’

‘I gave no details your honor because in the JC, the need to itemize was not indicated,’ she said in reply Ligutan’s query whether the fund release fully complied with the circular’s requirements for ‘specific legal purpose’ and ‘specific detail.’

‘It had the approval of ma’am Inday Sara,’ Acosta said when asked what gave her the confidence to hand over the entire amount to Lachica despite being herself an accountable officer.

Asked whether she would have done so without Duterte’s approval, Acosta replied in the negative. ‘I trust Sir Lachica because he’s trusted by the head of office, Inday Sara,’ she pointed out.

Hostile witness

The Senate impeachment court, through its presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero, declared Acosta yesterday as the prosecution camp’s ‘hostile witness’ after she informed the court that a Duterte conviction would leave her jobless. Her job is co-terminus with Duterte’s.

‘I would not be working in OVP if VP Sara is not the VP anymore,’ she said.

The three-term calendar should help protect teaching and learning amid class suspensions caused by unabated rains induced by the southwest monsoon, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines said yesterday.

In a statement, CEAP said the three-term calendar gives teachers longer and more focused periods for instruction, allowing schools to better address disruptions caused by typhoons, floods, extreme heat, earthquakes and other emergencies that have become part of the country’s educational landscape.

‘From recovering lost days to recovering lost learning, the true measure of educational resilience is how well we restore every learner’s path forward,’ CEAP said.

Class suspensions present a practical challenge for teachers whose lessons have already been carefully planned but whose available instructional days are suddenly reduced, the group said.

To address learning losses, it said the implementation of curriculum triage is necessary. It described the process as making sound instructional decisions when circumstances change while preserving intended learning and allowing teachers to recalibrate their approach.

‘A class suspension reduces available instructional time. When classes resume, teachers may feel pressure to increase the pace in order to regain lost ground. A faster pace, however, can compromise understanding,’ it said.

CEAP stressed that the effectiveness of the three-term calendar would also depend on how the education system responds when classes are disrupted.

‘The real measure of recovery lies beyond restoring the original calendar. It lies in restoring learners to meaningful, sustained and progressive learning,’ CEAP said.