Author: Nouman Ali

Suspected drugs worth a total of P3.4 million were confiscated, and four individuals were arrested in buy-bust operations in Quezon City and Pasay City on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.

In a statement on Thursday, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said it entrapped two suspects in front of a restaurant at the corner of Tomas Morato Avenue and Scout Limbaga Street on Wednesday night.

‘A police officer acted as poseur buyer and bought P451,000 worth of shabu from suspect Ronnie, and at the given pre-arranged signal, he was arrested along with his cohort, [John],’ the police explained.

Operatives recovered an additional P913,538 worth of suspected shabu from the two suspects, according to the QCPD.

Police said the suspect, identified by the alias Ronnie, has a previous case for violating Presidential Decree No. 1602, which prescribes stiffer penalties for illegal gambling.

Meanwhile, the Southern Police District (SPD) said it had apprehended two more suspects in front of a fast-food restaurant at the corner of Libertad Avenue and Taft Avenue in Barangay 92 early Thursday morning.

The SPD identified the suspects by the aliases ‘Chong,’ 33; and ‘John,’ 26, noting that they were both ‘high-value’ individuals.

‘Seized during the operation were approximately 300 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated standard drug price value of P2,040,000, along with buy-bust money, a mobile phone and other drug paraphernalia,’ the police explained.

All four suspects were taken into their respective police’s custody, awaiting charges for violating Republic Act No. 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Sergio Veloso’s era with Ateneo Blue Eagles has come to an end.

After three seasons, the Brazilian coach handled his final game in the UAAP-and in the Philippines-as Ateneo absorbed a heartbreaking 22-25, 23-25, 25-12, 25-21, 15-10 loss to Far Eastern University to close its Season 88 campaign on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

According to reports, Veloso has already decided to leave after this season. Tiebreakertimes broke the news.

‘This is my last season in Ateneo. I am leaving the Philippines. I’ll work. I am part of the FIVB program. And now in this situation, I am now out of the PNVF,’ Veloso said.

‘For this time, Ateneo decided not only this season. This decision started in the last year, when change came in the PNVF.’

Veloso finished his final season with a 2-12 record.

Under his belt, Ateneo missed the chance to end a four-year Final Four drought. His first two seasons ended with identical 5-9 records when Lyann De Guzman and AC Miner were still leading the team.

Veloso was brought in by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation in 2023, handling the Alas Pilipinas squad in the Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games before Angiolino Frigoni replaced him for the FIVB Volleyball World Championship.

‘I want to thank Ateneo, thank the PNVF, for this opportunity to share my knowledge and my players. Not only for the girls, but for the national men’s team too, and for me, it’s so glad,’ said Veloso. ‘When I look at the end of the match, all the players, and the former players AC, Lyann, and Roma (Doromal). They give me nicknames, they call me ‘dad.’ And this for me is so good, because I know I can touch the players.’

As he leaves the country, Veloso brings precious memories not just from Philippine volleyball but from all the Filipinos he met.

‘When I think about the countries where I worked in the world, I stayed here three seasons, and if you ask me, out of my country, out of Brazil, here in the Philippines, I think it’s the best. Because the people, it’s more similar than Brazil. I tell them, the Philippines, they are Latin Asians, because the country has a lot of influence because it’s a Spanish-Latin country, and I appreciate it a lot,’ the outgoing Ateneo coach said.

The police have filed a criminal complaint against seven cadets and two police officers of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) in Silang, Cavite, over the alleged hazing of 22 plebes (first-year cadets) on April 3, Good Friday.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed the complaint for violation of Republic Act No. 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 with the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Imus, Cavite.

Among those charged were third-year PNPA cadets Harold Locop Heje, Lance Elroy Guinitaran Gayramon, Mhicco Legarda Escalante, Renz Matthew Abuhan Cutab and Renald Perfecto Brunio, as well as second-year cadets James Baldazan Bandao and Christopher Fernandez Dayag.

Also named in the complaint were the duty officers for the day, Maj. Mark Anthony Cailing and Senior Master Sgt. Silverio Dolorfino Jr.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, PNPA director Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said that under the antihazing law, on-duty supervisors in training institutions tasked to directly oversee cadets or trainees may also be held criminally liable when such incidents occur.

Administrative liability

He added that the PNP Internal Affairs Service is also conducting an investigation into the police officers’ possible administrative liability under the principle of command responsibility.

Maranan said that based on their investigation, the on-duty officers who were supposed to supervise the activities of PNPA cadets were not on campus when the hazing occurred.

Following the incident, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered tighter anti-hazing measures across all systems within the PNPA, which is composed of two main branches: the Tactics Group and the Academics Group.

Maranan said that because the hazing occurred under the Tactics Group, it will be prioritized for reforms.

According to him, cadets have been segregated by class and assigned to separate barracks to ensure all interactions are supervised by tactical and assistant tactical officers.

Maranan said that closed circuit TV cameras will be installed in and around barracks, classrooms and other areas where cadets conduct various activities.

Tactical officers will also be required to use body-worn cameras so their actions can be properly documented and reviewed.

In a separate statement, Nartatez said the filing of cases against those involved in the alleged hazing ‘shows that the PNP’s system of discipline and accountability is working.’

‘Regardless of the people and the ranks involved, there will always be a certainty of facing the consequences of violating our rules and regulations, and the rule of law,’ he said.

When Creamline flushed Cignal with a heavy dose of championship experience to take Game 1 of the PVL All-Filipino Conference finals, the Cool Smashers did so in such an authoritative manner that even their foes couldn’t help but notice.

‘It’s about how they (Creamline) stay composed and enjoy every situation. For us, it felt different,’ said Super Spikers coach Shaq Delos Santos. ‘The biggest lesson for us, especially since it’s our first time [in the All-Filipino finals], is to embrace the moment.’

Cignal, which owns runner-up finishes in the 2022 Reinforced and 2024 Invitational, has one shot to embrace the moment.

Creamline guns for the crown on Thursday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, intent on reclaiming its crown but very much aware of how much its gritty foe has to offer as it fights for survival.

‘Cignal is the type of team that doesn’t stick to just one lineup. They make a lot of changes. So we need to stay patient and be ready for whatever adjustments they make in Game 2,’ said Jema Galanza, who had 17 points in Game 1, aside from collecting 13 excellent receptions from 18 tries.

The Cool Smashers looked untouchable in that 25-22, 25-18, 25-16 victory two days ago, but even coach Sherwin Meneses admitted that his squad can’t expect to run through their rivals in the same easy manner.

‘The series isn’t over,’ Meneses said, adding there is much to clean up heading into the 5:30 p.m. Game 2 tussle. ‘We’ll continue to work on our lapses in practice and go back to square one. Cignal won’t back down. That’s why they’re in the finals. So we can’t relax.’

Jia de Guzman, who returned to the finals for the first time in three years, is optimistic heading to Game 2, but said her teammates will have to be careful against a team that beat them twice in three previous meetings this conference.

No surrender

‘We have to do our best to close out as much as possible because we know Cignal is a good team. They gave us a hard time the whole conference,’ said De Guzman, who had 22 excellent sets and scored four points.

‘We’re optimistic. We’re thankful that the team is slowly coming together. We’re peaking at the right time. But Game 2 will be a different kind of fight,’ she added.

It is a fight that Cignal hasn’t surrendered just yet.

‘There’s still a Game 2. The championship isn’t decided in Game 1. We still have the opportunity to bounce back, reset, and perform better in the next game. We’ll fight until the end,’ said Delos Santos in Filipino.

‘It’s tougher for us since we didn’t get Game 1. Personally, I need to trust the team and our system more. We just have to play our game. I told them not to pressure themselves too much. I want us to show what we’ve built and prepared for, because that’s why we got here. We just need to bring out our real game, and that’s it, no regrets,’ he added.

The Super Spikers will again rely on Vanie Gandler, who finished with 17 points and 10 receptions in Game 1, and will hope that Erika Santos can rebound from a 9-of-39 attacking clip that netted 10 points. Gel Cayuna was limited to 14 excellent sets but scored six points-the third-best scorer of the team.

PLDT, meanwhile, looks to clinch bronze in Game 2 against Farm Fresh at 3 p.m.

The United States and Israel’s attacks on Iran have now embroiled the entire Middle East in a war characterized by the use of large quantities of missiles and drones.

Like Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the United States and Israel are using naked force to push ahead with their own political agendas. The law-of-the-jungle aphorism of ‘might makes right’ seems to be sweeping across the world. Does this mean that the world has entered an era in which military power alone holds sway?

I don’t think so. When observing the two wars, doubts arise about whether military power is actually helping to achieve the goals. Both wars were launched to attain political objectives in a short period of time, but things are not going as desired by those countries.

The US and Israel seem to have established air superiority over Iran just a few days into their offensive. Nonetheless, Iran has not surrendered and is instead continuously staging counterattacks on other Middle Eastern countries that host US military bases.

Moreover, Iran has declared a closure of the Strait of Hormuz, taking bold steps to choke off supplies from the Gulf area to the rest of the world, and the United States has been unable to take any effective countermeasures against this.

In other words, these two wars show that no matter how overwhelming the difference in military power between the two sides is, it is not so easy to force an opposing country that resolutely resists to accept political demands in a short period of time, let alone force it to ‘unconditionally surrender.’

There are several factors that make it difficult to accomplish political objectives through destructive physical force or threats.

The first factor is the opposing country’s firm resolve not to yield. Ukraine, for instance, has maintained its resolute stance not to capitulate to Russia’s unjustifiable demands, in spite of the US’ calls for a ceasefire. In Iran, the Israeli intelligence agency apparently expected to see moves to topple its leadership from within emerge right after the beginning of the US-Israeli attacks, but no such thing has happened, even after the killing of many leaders.

Second, international norms regarding military action during conflicts are still in effect to a certain degree, although they have been weakened. Nevertheless, no countries have publicly declared their intention to kill civilians in large numbers, and situations like the indiscriminate air raids in World War II have been avoided so far.

Third, the asymmetry of the weapons and tactics used in modern warfare is also significant. Even if a country cannot defeat an attacker using the same types of weapons or tactics, it may still be able to counter them by employing different types of weapons or tactics. If Iran says it will lay inexpensive mines to block the Strait of Hormuz, ship operators will inevitably hesitate to travel through the waterway even if there are not a large number of mines.

Fourth, global economic interdependence reduces the use of destructive force and mitigates the impact of intimidation. The interdependence of the global economy is complex. Even if there are no deep economic ties with a hostile nation, a country that takes military action will face various economic repercussions.

The US itself is hardly dependent on Middle Eastern crude oil, but Iran’s counterattacks on other Gulf nations and the Islamic Republic’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz have sent Middle Eastern crude oil prices soaring.

A spike in energy prices leads to spiraling prices for other products and supply constraints. Stock markets react to concerns about these situations, fluctuating wildly as people get excited or discouraged regarding the course of the war. If the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is prolonged, the situation could bring about a crisis far more serious for the global economy than the oil crises of the 1970s.

The outbreak of the war in Ukraine and that in the Middle East has worsened the circumstances of all the countries involved. In short, military power doesn’t help achieve political objectives.

Needless to say, it isn’t easy to end a war once it starts, since nations, too, don’t always act rationally. However, the continuation of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East will bring nothing but harm to not only the countries directly involved but also the entire world.

The most rational choice in both wars is first and foremost to achieve a ceasefire. It is crucial to persuade the countries directly involved of this. The Japan News/Asia News Network

Akihiko Tanaka is president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, a post he took up in April 2022 for the second time after his first stint from 2012 to 2015. He also served as vice president of the University of Tokyo from 2009 to 2012. He was president of the Tokyo-based National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies from 2017 to March 2022.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer is a member of the Asia News Network, an alliance of 22 media titles in the region.

An outright downgrade of the Philippine sovereign credit rating is unlikely unless the war in the Middle East drags on, Nomura Global Markets Research said, adding that growth should rebound as the government accelerates spending.

In a note, Nomura economists Euben Paracuelles and Nabila Amani said the country’s fiscal risks are more manageable than those facing many of its peers that are also under ratings pressure.

On Monday, Fitch Ratings revised its outlook on the Philippines to ‘negative’ from ‘stable,’ signaling that the country’s investment-grade ‘BBB’ rating could be downgraded within one to two years if fiscal conditions fail to improve.

The move followed last week’s setback, when S and P Global Ratings cut its outlook to ‘stable’ from ‘positive,’ dimming hopes that the country could soon secure its first-ever ‘A’ rating from one of the three major credit rating agencies.

Fitch’s rating stands one notch below S and P’s ‘BBB+,’ itself one step short of the coveted ‘A’ level.

Explaining their actions, both agencies pointed to the same challenge: The Philippine government, still reeling from the fallout of a major corruption scandal that paralyzed public spending, is confronting an oil shock with diminished fiscal buffers.

‘As we argued before, a shift to a negative outlook, much less a rating downgrade, by S and P, is unlikely over the next few months, even with its higher credit rating, and we believe it will be the same for Fitch, unless the crisis becomes is significantly prolonged,’ Paracuelles and Amani said.

Review cycle

‘By the next review cycle (which is usually 12 months, unless there are significant developments that warrant an earlier review), the main factors cited by Fitch for a downgrade will likely show some improvements, in our view,’ they added.

Moody’s Ratings, the third major agency, has yet to announce a rating action. But in an April 14 credit opinion, it warned that the conflict in the Gulf region has increased downside risks to the Philippines’ economic outlook by lifting global energy prices and intensifying external cost pressures.

A rating downgrade could mark the country’s first since 2005, when political turmoil and fiscal instability eroded the Philippines’ credit standing.

A lower rating could raise the government’s borrowing costs at a time when it is running a budget deficit to finance development spending.

Infrastructure spending

But looking ahead, Nomura said gross domestic product growth should rebound as the government implements catch-up infrastructure spending and as terms-of-trade pressures ease. This assumes that a US-Iran deal could be made.

The bank forecasts 2026 growth at 5 percent-above Fitch’s 4.6 percent-even after trimming its own projection from 5.3 percent to reflect the energy price shock.

‘We still think the government has a limited appetite to implement blanket fuel subsidies that tend to be difficult to unwind,’ Nomura said. ‘Therefore, the medium-term fiscal consolidation agenda is unlikely to be derailed, even if implemented more gradually to recalibrate for the external shock and evolving domestic economic conditions, in our view.

Fresh off the box office hit ‘The Loved One,’ screenwriter and director Irene Emma Villamor returns with her latest offering, ‘Midnight Girls,’ starring Jodi Sta. Maria, Sanya Lopez, Jane Oineza, and Loisa Andalio. The film is a huge departure for Villamor, whose filmography is rife with stories revolving around the complex nature of love. From ‘Camp Sawi’ to ‘The Loved One,’ Villamor had always looked at the price of romance-especially in films like ‘Sid and Aya: Not a Love Story,’ ‘Ikaw at Ako at ang Ending,’ and ‘The Loved One’-where she argues that economics, politics, and society are of vital consequence to love and being in love.

‘Midnight Girls’ strays away from the central themes in most of Villamor’s filmography as she sets her camera on the bonds of sisterhood formed in a small community of Filipina hostesses in Japan. It’s an OFW story that centers on a different kind of love-that of family, both chosen and by blood.

Discussed, implied, but never shown

The four actresses represent the different struggles of the Filipina OFW in an exploitative industry. Sta. Maria’s Vicky has left her son in the Philippines and only communicates with him via video call on the phone. She provides for him, her grandmother, and other family members. Lopez plays Paris, who must navigate the difficulties of falling in love with a native, who may take her off her path. Meanwhile, Oineza plays Saki, who is struggling with the nature of the work while confused about her own gender identity.

And Andalio plays the latest arrival, Wanna, who is taken under the wing of the three older women and learns about the hardships of the work.

These hostesses, more popularly known as ‘japayuki’ (though I’m wary of using the term), work in bars and serve as companions for locals and tourists-mostly the former-and entertain them, getting them to order more drinks in exchange for large tips.

The film tells us that the clients have a ‘no touch’ policy, but we see it broken over and over as the girls and their patrons get comfy, seated beside each other and sharing drinks. This is Villamor’s approach to the story-the exploitation is discussed, implied, but never shown. But what is in full view here is the women’s humanity: The moments are spent showing them endure and persevere through their work-often questioned by people around them, and even sometimes themselves-and anchoring the narrative on why they do what they have to do.

Villamor is working hard to give these girls dignity and agency, presenting the film as a slice-of-life, rather than a plot-driven story. She carefully builds these women’s stories and amplifies the bonds that are formed from sharing these struggles.

Loisa andalo

Loisa Andalo in ‘Midnight Girls’

Immersing in the world

During a special screening leading up to the film’s opening in May, I had a chance to talk to Villamor about the film. She told me that they had spent a lot of time in Nagoya, Japan, interviewing the hostesses to gather their stories.

‘We were able to build other stories,’ she tells me, ‘and we gave them all to the producers-and this is what they chose. I was so happy it was this one that they gave the go signal to.’ She was happy because they chose the ensemble piece, which is something she really wanted to do. She calls out Marilou Diaz Abaya’s ‘Moral’ as her inspiration, and I can see it in the narrative structure and its elements.

When asked if it was hard shifting her lens to a different kind of story, Villamor says, ‘Yes! Kasi hindi siya ‘yung comfort zone ko-‘yung love story-at nakaka-challenge kasi nag-iisip pa rin ako ng panibagong love story.’

And this time, the focus is on love for family and the bonds of sisterhood. She claims that she had asked the universe for the chance to exercise her directing skills in another genre-and she truly was able to.

Women with agency

When I tell her about how the film never felt exploitative to me, she shares an anecdote about coming home after the one-month shoot-several days of immersion for the cast, 13 days of shooting-and where, during editing, she realized that the film had no sex scenes or scenes of abuse or the exploitation that is talked about by the characters.

‘Tama ba ‘yung ginawa ko?’ she questions, but because of the absence, the film now begins a dialogue with so many other previous Filipino films about OFW workers and the abuse and exploitation that they have received in their work. The absence is instantly filled by our own collective imagination of all the things we’ve seen on the news, on social media, and all the prior films that came before. ‘Midnight Girls’ ends up presenting us with the other side of the story.

Lopez, during the talk back, shared that this film does not present these women as victims. She emphasizes that the women are portrayed with agency, which elevates them from the usual representation.

Immersing themselves in the role

Sta, Maria reveals that she had studied extensively in preparation for the role-read articles and books on transnationalism and really engaged with the women whose lives were the basis for the characters on screen-and she adds that the women were present during filming, guiding them through the entire shoot so they could really represent them as accurately as possible.

They even had a translator on set, and the actors had to learn to speak Nihonggo for their scenes-most challenging for Sta. Maria, Lopez, and Oineza-as their characters have been living them for many years, and the delivery had to represent that.

But after all that practice, the moment the scene is done and they move off to the next, both Sta Maria and Lopez admit that they forgot the lines immediately.

A different kind of OFW story

Shot entirely in Nagoya, Japan, ‘Midnight Girls’ takes the expectations that are attached to the Filipina hostess in Japan and turns them on their head.

It never judges its characters-no matter how hard some characters judge them-but seeks to identify the social structure of the system that demands these kinds of sacrifices to be made. This is something that drew Sta Maria to the project-about how the film implicates how our own society and government have made these efforts necessary, by splitting families apart and building new homes in foreign lands.

The spectacle in the film is not the exploitation or the abuse but the bonds of the chosen family that help keep these women afloat. While the film has its dramatic moments, the most visually striking images are of how these women keep themselves together through the toughest events possible and the eventual reveal of their vulnerability.

The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) has activated a Special Investigation Task Group to establish the identities of bodies recovered following a series of ‘encounters’ in Toboso, Negros Occidental, on Sunday.

Through forensic examination, documentation, and coordination with local government units and relatives, the task group aims to provide a formal accounting of the deceased, said the PRO NIR statement.

The Philippine Army earlier said that 19 alleged New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed during a series of encounters with soldiers of the 79th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, on April 19.

On Wednesday, PRO NIR confirmed that six of the 19 fatalities have been positively identified and claimed by their respective families. They were Rene Villarin Sr., alias Kumader Pikot, 58, of Sitio Huwebisan, Barangay Marcelo, Calatrava; Roger Fabillar Tapang, alias Jhong or Arnel, 36, of Sitio Malig-on, Barangay Bandila, Toboso; Ruel Sabillo, 19, of Sitio Singiton, Barangay Tabun-ak, Toboso; Sonny Boy Manayon Caramihan, 28, of Sitio Batbataw, Barangay Bagonbon, San Carlos City; Pedro Agustin Bonghanoy, 32, of Barangay Libertad, Escalante City; and Arnel Mahilum Javoc, 32, of Sitio Labay-ao, Barangay Lalong, Calatrava.

Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas C. Ibay, PRO NIR Director, said that the successful identification and release of the remains reflect their commitment to professionalism and humanitarian considerations.

He noted that while the police are carrying out lawful duties, they remain dedicated to showing compassion to the families involved.

Meanwhile, Altermidya Network had said its NIR coordinator. RJ Nichole Ledesma was among those killed, while the UP Diliman University Student Council confirmed the death of Alyssa Alano in Sunday’s incident.

Continuing efforts are now focused on identifying the other fatalities, the PRO NIR said.

Police authorities are currently validating submitted information, reviewing available records, and conducting further medico-legal and forensic documentation, it added.

The PRO NIR said they are facilitating the orderly release of all confirmed cadavers once the necessary documentary and legal requirements are fully completed.

Angelica Panganiban has warned the public against an online scam using the name and photos of her business resort.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, April 22, Panganiban informed her followers about a fake Facebook page posing as her business, Mangrove Resort Subic.

‘SCAM ALERT – PLEASE READ and SHARE. We have been informed of a fake Facebook page pretending to be Mangrove Resort Subic and illegally using our name and photos to scam guests,’ she wrote.

The actress stressed that her resort does not process transactions through unofficial channels.

‘We DO NOT accept payments through unofficial pages. We ONLY have ONE official Facebook page. Any similar pages are FAKE and NOT affiliated with us!’ she added.

Panganiban urged the public to remain cautious when dealing with suspicious online transactions.

‘DO NOT send payments, personal details, or booking information to any suspicious page. DO NOT click unknown links or entertain offers that seem too good to be true. Always verify by contacting us through our official page or direct contact details,’ she said.

The post included an official statement from Uy Coronel and Villamor Law Offices, which was hired by the actress as they plan to coordinate with authorities to address the issue.

‘If you have been contacted or victimized, please report immediately and inform us. We are currently working with authorities regarding this matter. Stay alert and help us protect others by sharing this post,’ Panginiban noted.

According to the law firm, the fraudulent page has been actively responding to inquiries and accepting payments without the resort’s knowledge or consent, with reports that several individuals have already been scammed.

Meanwhile, Panginiban has been generating online buzz following her daring role opposite Mylene Dizon, in which they play lesbian lovers in the Prime Video’s new series ‘The Silent Noise.’

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) threw its support behind the possible lifting of the moratorium on new coal-fired power plants, which it said could be an ‘essential bridge’ to keep businesses running amid the energy crisis.

‘Our economy cannot run on uncertainty,’ PCCI president Ferdinand Ferrer said in a statement on Wednesday.

‘While the transition to renewable energy remains our long-term goal, our immediate priority must be the stability and affordability of our power grid.’

This comes after Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the Department of Energy is open to revisiting the 2020 ban, particularly amid surging fuel prices amid tensions in the Middle East, which had prompted the Philippines to declare an energy emergency.

‘Pragmatic solution’

PCCI, the country’s largest business group, said the move could serve as a ‘temporary and pragmatic’ step to stabilize supply, even as the country continues to scale up renewable energy capacity.

Any policy shift, it added, should not derail long-term clean energy goals but instead act as a bridge to address immediate needs.

‘This is not about choosing between coal and renewables, it is about ensuring the lights stay on, businesses remain competitive and households are protected from rising costs,’ said David Chua, director for energy at PCCI.

Call for ‘policy flexibility’

PCCI cited three key pressures behind the need for policy flexibility: the need for steady baseload power as manufacturing expands; persistently high electricity rates that blunt competitiveness; and exposure to swings in global oil and gas prices.

As such, the group said any new coal capacity should use high-efficiency technologies and form part of a broader transition plan.

It also urged the government to expand natural gas and liquefied natural gas, while accelerating renewables, energy storage and grid modernization.

‘We must be flexible enough to adapt our policies to the realities of 2026,’ Ferrer said. ‘Lifting this moratorium provides the essential bridge we need to keep the lights on and the factories running while we continue to build our renewable capacity.’