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US seeks critical mineral partnership with PHL

ADEEPER commercial relationship with the United States stands to bring critical technology and industrial expertise to the Philippines as Washington seeks to fortify secure, trusted supply chains for strategic minerals, according to a senior US Embassy official.

Speaking at the Mining Philippines 2026 International Conference and Exhibit in Pasay City, US Embassy Manila Senior Commercial Officer Gregg Harris outlined the surging demand in the US market and underscored how the Philippines can integrate directly into American and allied industrial supply chains.

‘What could the Philippine mining industry look like in five or 10 years from now with deeper cooperation from the United States and partners? More importantly, what can we do to make that a reality?’ Harris asked attendees.

The commercial push coincides with US economic policy under President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, which prioritizes rebuilding domestic manufacturing and securing supply chains through domestic production and reliable international partnerships.

Harris highlighted the Philippines’ vast, untapped natural wealth, emphasizing its potential to become a pivotal player in the global network. ‘We see the Philippines and treaty partners as an essential part of the global supply chain,’ he said.

He noted that critical minerals such as copper, nickel, and cobalt are fundamental inputs for key growth sectors, including semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, and clean energy-industries that both the US and the Philippines aim to expand.

‘Our vision is a deeper commercial relationship in which Philippine mining companies benefit from American technology and industrial expertise, which will help build more diverse and secure supply chains for the Philippines, the US, and allied partners,’ Harris said.

While the Philippines is already a major producer of nickel and copper, Harris said the central challenge is enabling local enterprises to capture higher value from their raw materials rather than relying solely on direct extraction exports.

Harris reported sustained interest from US companies eager to finance, develop, or modernize mining operations across the archipelago-ranging from greenfield developments to productivity and sustainability upgrades at existing sites.

Potential areas of cooperation include high-tech mining equipment, advanced drilling systems, automation, geospatial mapping tools, and processing infrastructure aimed at improving recovery rates and operational efficiency, building on progress already observed in the Visayas and Cebu.

‘In all of this, the economics must work,’ Harris stressed. ‘Somebody’s going to have to leave some money somewhere, or it’s going to fail. So, let’s make it more productive, finance it well, and we will all be successful.’

Beyond mineral extraction, Harris emphasized environmental stewardship and resource management, identifying US firms like water technology provider Aquatech, specialized pit-lining firms, and global engineering giant Bechtel as key players interested in local partnerships.

‘Imagine the Philippines, that it’s not simply recognized as a leading producer of nickel and copper, but also a regional hub for mining technologies, processing, and reliable industrial supply chain relationships,’ Harris added.

The initiative builds upon the existing US-Philippines Memorandum of Understanding on Critical Minerals. Harris detailed four key US government tools designed to move projects from feasibility to execution:

US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA): Grants funding for early-stage feasibility studies at no cost to local partners, such as its November 2022 project with Eramen Minerals for a nickel and cobalt processing facility.

Export-Import Bank of the United States (Exim): Operates a $10-billion financing program dedicated to backing US capital equipment exports.

US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC): Provides direct debt financing, equity investments, and political risk insurance.

Strategic Transactions Advocacy Track (STAT): A US Department of Commerce program designed to support critical mineral processing initiatives and evaluate project financing on a case-by-case basis.

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‘So you can see that we are here to not only talk and tell you about DSE, but to actually get you to a project implementation-from the beginning of the feasibility study to the financing and the first shovels into the ground,’ Harris said.

Closing his presentation, Harris encouraged Philippine mining companies and government officials to engage with the US Commercial Service to identify operational requirements, match with U.S. industry partners, and attend MINExpo International, scheduled for September 2028 in the United States.

Cyprus Department of Meteorology – Forecast for the Sea Area of Cyprus (A)

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1013hPa (hectopascal)

Barometric low is affecting the area. The weather will be at times mainly cloudy with local showers and isolated thunderstorms. IN STORM THE WIND IS EXPECTED TO BE VARIABLE STRENGTHENING, WITH RISK GUSTING TO 7 TO 8 BEAUFORT.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in showers

Sea surface temperature: 25°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA

PERIOD

WIND

STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning

Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4, at times 4

Slight

Afternoon

Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4, at times locally Variable 4

Slight

Night

East to Southeast 4 to 5, gradually Southeast to Southwest

Slight, gradually Slight to Moderate

South Coast

Morning

Northwest to North 3, gradually Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

Afternoon

South to Southwest 3 to 4, locally 4 to 5

Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Night

Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4, later 4 to 5

Slight

East Coast

Morning

Southwest to Northwest 3, later Southwest 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

Afternoon

South to Southwest 4, at times 4 to 5

Smooth to Slight

Night

Southeast to Southwest 4, at times 4 to 5

Smooth to Slight, at times Slight

North Coast

Morning

Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Afternoon

Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, at times South to Southwest 4

Smooth to Slight, at times Slight

Night

Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4, gradually 4 to 5

Slight

Time of issue: 0530

Date: 28/10/2026

Kayunga LC 5 chairman sues whistleblower over defamation claims made to Minister Balaam

A personal clash between local leaders in Kayunga District has escalated into a legal battle after the Kayunga District LC 5 Chairman, Mr. Andrew Muwonge, filed a defamation lawsuit against a prominent local whistleblower who publicly accused him of corruption before Minister for Local Government, Mr Balaam Barugahare.

The dispute stems from a heated anti-corruption meeting convened last month at the Ntenjeru District headquarters by Minister Barugahare during his tour of the district. During the gathering, Mr. Sam Mukasa-a member of the Kayunga Elders’ Forum, former Kayunga Town Council councillor, and defeated candidate in the previous local council elections-openly accused Mr. Muwonge of gross misconduct, job selling, land grabbing, and conflict of interest.

Addressing Minister Barugahare directly, Mr. Mukasa pointed at Mr. Muwonge and alleged that the district chief had illegally acquired prime property belonging to Kayunga Police Station opposite Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital, sold district jobs for cash, and illegally awarded lucrative public construction contracts to JIIRA Construction Co. Ltd, a private firm connected to his family.

Mr. Muwonge vehemently denied all allegations during the meeting, dismissing them as politically motivated smears orchestrated by opponents still bitter over his election victory. However, following the public confrontation, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) leaning district chairman, who is currently serving his second term in office, elected to pursue civil remedies to clear his name.

According to summons issued by the Kayunga Chief Magistrates Court on October 6, Mr. Mukasa has been formally ordered to file his defense against the defamation suit. Mr. Muwonge argued that the unverified allegations made before the minister and local constituents severely damaged his personal reputation and standing as an elected public official.

Addressing reporters at his office on Wednesday, October 28, Mr. Muwonge urged his accuser to reserve his arguments for the courtroom rather than staging media appearances. He maintained that he had done nothing illegal and asserted that no law prevents companies associated with his family from bidding for public contracts provided the procurement process is followed and quality standards are met. He further expressed confidence that the court would clear him of wrongdoing and order his accusers to pay the legal costs incurred.

In response, Mr. Mukasa convened a separate press conference in Kayunga Town on Wednesday, October 28, where he remained defiant, insisting the lawsuit would not deter his campaign against district corruption. Mr. Mukasa claimed he possesses documented evidence showing that Mr. Muwonge’s wife is a signatory to the bank accounts of JIIRA Construction Co. Ltd. He added that his legal team is preparing a petition to the Constitutional Court to determine whether an official facing multiple graft investigations remains legally fit to hold the district’s top executive office.

The ongoing feud comes amid heightened scrutiny of Kayunga District administration. During Minister Barugahare’s recent visit, several district departmental heads were interdicted following separate investigations into alleged abuse of office and financial malpractices, while both the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit continue to probe various administrative departments within the district.

The princes who became former princes

As a grandmother, these days, I find myself looking for folk tales or trying to remember those ones my grandparents, uncles and parents told me many many years ago. And they are many, especially the ones with songs. Those ones come in handy on Omugwo duties, trust me. I remember how my Little Man watched my lips as if he understood the lines of

‘Agbigbo, agbigbo gb’omo mi ko mi,

Eye’gbo…’

He had turned down another bowl of his cereal. He didn’t want me to put him in his seat. A diaper change didn’t change anything. He was crying so hard I became afraid someone would the cops or something. All he wanted was his mum. Then I remembered that song, took him to the balcony (it was a warm day in Newcastle) and started singing. Between the song and the birds flying and the swaying trees, Little Man eventually stopped crying. Until I returned to Nigeria, we kept to that routine.

I am also the self-appointed Yoruba Professor for the little ones. I intend to give that job my best shot.

Folktales carry values. They carry heavy cultural contents, the kind that we need to preserve our communities our kingdom, our nation long after we are gone.

Our young ones must learn the true values of selflessness, service to the community, love for the poor. They must learn that a slave can sit with kings, the same way a prince can end up a refugee. Then must learn not to chew life like new yam. They must enjoy today to the fullest while protecting tomorrow with wisdom. They cannot afford to be so drunk on the wealth of the moment that they forget that wealth can change location (ola a maa s’ilo ni ile eni) and that money is a visitor (also l’owo).

I bring you a story for your relaxation and reorientation pleasure.

Aaalo o

Aaalo.

Once upon a time, beyond seven rivers and nine mountains, there stood a magnificent kingdom called Aramanda. Its border walls were made of polished stones, its palace gates were plated with gold, and its princes wore silk embroidered with precious stones. The kingdom was so wealthy that its kings were said to have forgotten the colour of copper coins. Gold was their language. Silver was their small change.

Aramanda was a land blessed by the gods. Its rivers never ran dry. Its soil yielded three harvests in a year. Its women bore strong children, and its men lived long enough to become ancestors with many stories to tell.

For generations, the kingdom prospered because its rulers understood a simple truth: the palace was only as strong as the villages surrounding it.

Then came King Adagun the Third.

Adagun inherited a kingdom he did not build, wealth he did not earn and a throne he did not understand. He was a handsome king with a magnificent beard and an unfortunate allergy to responsibility. He believed that the purpose of kingship was to enjoy the privileges of power while leaving the inconveniences of leadership to the gods.

His sons were worse.

The hunger did not arrive suddenly. It announced itself in small, frightening ways.

First, the farmers noticed the rainy seasons were shorter and the dry season longer. The yam seeds were roasted by the scorching sun before they became tubers. The corn stalks died stunted before they could fetch seeds for their cobs. The river that flowed through the villages slowly became ponds and small pools that smelled.

The river goddess was angry?

Obatala had been fed a taboo?

Orisa-Oko was feeling neglected?

The royal barns were empty because the princes had sold saved harvests to buy the latest Alaari.

Then diseases of all kinds showed up, from skin rashes and diarrhoea to measles and small pox.

The healers complained that their stores were empty. The princes had diverted the kingdom’s medicinal herbs and healing supplies to buy royal ornaments.

The Balogun got no money to buy guns or arrows because the royal treasury had no money. Yet, there was always money for another festival.

The roads became dangerous. Bandits occupied the farms and forests. Merchants stopped bringing goods to Aramanda.

The king’s advisers warned him.

The princes were even less interested. They had discovered a new amusement: rewarding their favourite concubines with golden carriages.

Seven magnificent carriages were commissioned from the finest craftsmen in the neighbouring kingdom. Each was decorated with precious stones and drawn by six white horses.

When the carriages arrived, the princes organised a great ceremony. Trumpets sounded. Drums rolled. Praise singers exhausted their vocabulary.

The eldest prince declared that the carriages would help their loyal companions travel to distant villages to remind the people of the greatness of the royal family.

An old woman watching from the roadside laughed.

‘Will the carriages carry food?’

‘No.’

‘Will they carry medicine?’

‘No.’

‘Will they bring back the rains?’

‘No.’

‘May the gods help a kingdom whose glory rides in golden carriages while its children crawl towards their graves.’

What insolence!

The palace guards arrested her.

That night, the gods held a meeting.

Not because of the old woman’s arrest. The gods had heard thousands of prayers from Aramanda. They had watched the kingdom decay. They had seen children buried without names, women die in childbirth and young men abandon their ancestral homes.

But the gods were patient.

They understood that kingdoms, like men, must sometimes be allowed to choose their own destruction.

The oldest god, whose beard was said to contain the wisdom of a thousand generations, asked a question.

‘What affliction shall we send upon Aramanda?’

Sango, the god of thunder suggested fire.

Oluweri, the goddess of the rivers suggested a flood.

Ogun proposed an invasion.

But the goddess of wisdom shook her head.

‘Why waste our strength? They are already destroying themselves. Let us simply withdraw our protection.’

And so it began.

The rivers shrank. The rains failed. The forests surrendered to bandits. The soil became hard. The kingdom’s finest craftsmen departed for distant lands. Its healers left. Its blacksmiths left. Its strongest young men enlisted in foreign armies.

Where there had once been prosperous villages, there were abandoned compounds. Where children once played, weeds had taken possession. The markets were silent. The roads were empty.

The people had gone.

Some had died. Others had fled. Those who remained no longer recognised the authority of a palace that had abandoned them.

The princes ordered their golden carriages prepared for escape.

But the horses had starved.

They summoned their guards.

The guards had deserted.

They called their praise singers.

The singers had taken their talents to kingdoms where people still had money to pay for lies.

Nobody answered.

Years later, travellers passing through the ruins of Aramanda would find seven broken golden carriages buried in sand. The palace had become a playground for lizards and snakes, it’s s village square occupied by animals.

Aramanda disappeared from the map.

Its princes became former princes.

And nobody remembered their names.

Rose Jean bags bronze in IWF world tourney

Rose Jean Ramos opened the Philippines’ Olympic weightlifting qualifying campaign with a bronze medal at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships on Tuesday at the Ningbo Olympic Center in China.

The 20-year-old Ramos, younger sister of national weightlifter Rosegie, placed third in the women’s 49-kg snatch with an 86-kg lift.

North Korea’s Ri Song Gum swept the gold medals in snatch (92 kg), clean and jerk (119 kg), and total (211 kg). China’s Zhao Jinhong took all three silver medals with 91 kg in snatch, 116 kg in clean and jerk, and a 207-kg total.

Ramos placed ninth in clean and jerk with 92 kg and fifth overall with a total of 181 kg.

Although the women’s 49-kg division is not an Olympic weight class for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, Ramos can carry her accumulated ranking points to the Olympic 53-kg division.

Asian Games bronze medalist Albert Ian de los Santos will compete in the non-Olympic men’s 70-kg division on Friday. His ranking points can count toward the Olympic 75-kg category, provided he meets the qualification requirements.

‘They must compete in at least five Olympic qualifying events. If they compete in a non-Olympic weight class, they can carry their ranking points once they compete in an Olympic weight class,’ Coach Allen Diaz told the BusinessMirror on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles 2028 qualifying program features six weight classes each for men and women. The men’s divisions are 65 kg, 75 kg, 85 kg, 95 kg, 110 kg, and +110 kg, while the women’s are 53 kg, 61 kg, 69 kg, 77 kg, 86 kg, and +86 kg.

Unlike the Paris Games, where the top 10 athletes in each weight class earned qualification slots, Los Angeles 2028 will offer slots to only the top eight.

Two-time Olympian Elreen Ann Ando will compete in the women’s 61-kg division on Saturday. Rosegie Ramos is scheduled to compete in the 53-kg division on Thursday, while Kristel Macrohon will see action in the 69-kg division next week.

Protect govt workers, seniors, PWDs

Healthcare is a basic public service. If we want a strong bureaucracy, we need healthy workers who deliver these public services.

We should also continue the privileges enjoyed by senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs) by helping establishments provide the price discounts on goods and services. I have recently filed two separate Senate bills to protect government workers, senior citizens and PWDs.

Public servants keep the government running effectively. I filed a bill to give state workers free health maintenance organization (HMO) coverage. At present, out-of-pocket health expenses hurt family finances of government employees.

A free HMO coverage means workers can seek medical care without putting the burden on their families. This would ensure that government employees are in tip-top condition and able to perform their tasks efficiently.

Our bill seeks to make comprehensive free HMO access mandatory, so employees can seek care early and without worrying about the cost. Our public servants help the country grow and deliver services to the people. It is only proper that we look after their health, especially when they get sick or face a medical emergency.

While state workers are covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), those benefits may not cover the full cost of hospital stays, treatment and other medical expenses. Workers can end up paying a big part of the bill from their own pockets.

Under Department of Budget and Management Budget Circular No. 2024-6, qualified civilian government employees can receive a medical allowance of up to P7,000 annually for HMO-type benefits. The Government Service Insurance System also offers the Ginhawa Health Assistance Loan, or G-HEALTH, which enables eligible members to pay HMO premiums through a zero-interest loan.

Our bill goes beyond those benefits. Instead of a fixed allowance or a loan, it would make free HMO coverage a standard benefit for every government worker. This means access to consultations, preventive care and treatment on top of PhilHealth.

It will ease the cost of abrupt medical bills and encourage workers to see a doctor early instead of delaying treatment because of money concerns.

Caring for the health of our public servants is an investment in the future. When they have access to good healthcare, they can focus on serving the people.

At the same time, senior citizens and PWDs deserve their prices discounts. Businesses, however, should not carry the cost alone. Under Senate Bill No. 2494, establishments could claim those discounts as tax credits instead of deductions. This will keep the benefits secure and give small businesses room to stay afloat.

This will amend Republic Act No. 9994 and Republic Act No. 7277 to allow establishments to claim mandatory senior citizen and PWD discounts as tax credits, instead of deductions.

At present, deductions do not allow businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises, to fully recover those costs.

Under the current system, businesses treat the cost of mandatory discounts as a tax deduction. They may not be able to recover the full cost under this this approach, which adds to the financial strain on establishments, especially MSMEs. Our bill would enable them to claim the cost as a tax credit, instead, so they can deduct it directly from the national internal revenue taxes they owe.

Discounts for seniors and PWDs are an important part of our social protection, but small businesses including small pharmacies, clinics, restaurants and grocery stores should not carry the whole burden. We need a fairer system that protects those who benefit and helps MSMEs stay in business.

Under our proposal, tax credits from senior citizen discounts can be carried over to later tax years, but they cannot be refunded or transferred to another party.

Protecting government workers, senior citizens and PWDs should be sustained and institutionalized. This is about taking care of our people, today and in the future.

Government workers serve us every day, and they deserve to see a physician or dentist without worrying about how to pay for it.

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Seniors and PWDs have earned their discounts, and the shops that give them should not be left to pay for the full cost. A fairer system is needed to make the discount privileges more sustainable.

When we protect government workers, senior citizens and PWDs, we build a stronger Philippine society.

State police will create jobs, strengthen grassroots security – Jigawa Speaker

Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin, has said the proposed State Police Service will create employment opportunities for youths and strengthen security at the grassroots.

Dangyatin, who spoke after the Assembly endorsed the State Police Bill, dismissed concerns that governors could use the proposed security outfit to intimidate political opponents, insisting that its primary objective was to address insecurity.

He said state police would enable governments to recruit personnel familiar with the security challenges, terrain and social dynamics of their communities, thereby improving intelligence gathering and responses to threats.

According to the Speaker, the existing policing structure is overstretched and requires additional support to tackle the country’s security challenges effectively.

‘People are complaining about insecurity, and we need to improve the security architecture at all levels of government. The President, in his wisdom, decided that creating state police would help address these challenges,’ he said.

Dangyatin added that the proposed arrangement would create employment opportunities for qualified youths, particularly indigenes with knowledge of the security situation in their localities.

‘Most of our teeming youths who are indigenes of the state will have the opportunity to be employed. Those who understand the security architecture of their localities can contribute meaningfully to maintaining peace and protecting lives and property,’ he said.

He explained that the proposed State Police Service Commission would provide an institutional framework for the recruitment and administration of personnel.

The Speaker said the Assembly’s endorsement followed its examination of the proposed constitutional amendment and consultations with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, civil society organisations and professional bodies.

He disclosed that the National Assembly transmitted the Constitution Amendment Bill to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 23, 2026, for concurrence in line with constitutional requirements.

According to him, a special ad hoc committee was constituted to study the proposed amendments and engage relevant stakeholders before the House reached its decision.

Dangyatin maintained that the consultations underscored the need for a decentralised policing arrangement that would complement the Nigeria Police Force.

He also dismissed suggestions that the Assembly delayed consideration of the bill, explaining that the legislature was on recess when the proposal was transmitted.

He said the passage was initially scheduled for the previous week but was affected by his engagement as a director in the presidential campaign council, which required him to attend a meeting in Abuja.

The Speaker, who is also the National Vice-Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), said he was determined to preside personally over the session because of his longstanding interest in community policing.

‘It is a matter of pride for me to preside over the session that passed the State Police Bill. I want history to record that during my tenure as Speaker, I chaired the session in which we voted for state police,’ he said.

On concerns about possible political interference, Dangyatin argued that such fears should not overshadow the potential benefits of the proposed arrangement.

‘The President and the governors have done this with good intentions to address the insecurity people are talking about in the country,’ he said.

He added that transparency and the protection of the public interest would be essential to ensuring that the proposed system served its intended purpose.

Dangyatin expressed confidence that state police would strengthen security operations, improve responses to local threats, and provide qualified youths with opportunities to contribute to peace and stability in their communities.

Govt targets 12,000 out-of-school children for skills training, says minister

The Federal Government has announced plans to train 12,000 out-of-school children and equip them with skills for specific jobs.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, said the children would be trained and certified for specific jobs to enable them to contribute to the economy.

Doro said this when he hosted a delegation from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Nigeria, led by its Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Ms. Sylvia Ekra, in his Abuja office.

In a statement by the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Janet Noah, the minister said the programme would adopt special teaching methods because some of the children might have outgrown the conventional school teaching stage.

He said the programme is expected to cost $20 million, adding that four foundations had indicated interest in supporting the initiative.

Doro said the proposed training programme was part of the ministry’s efforts to reform the humanitarian sector, reduce poverty, and help vulnerable Nigerians achieve stability.

The minister said the ministry was working towards fulfilling its vision and mission in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is geared towards lifting poor Nigerians out of poverty.

He also announced that the One Humanitarian One Poverty Reduction System (OHOPRS) programme was awaiting the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval.

According to him, OHOPRS is designed to connect humanitarian assistance and social protection from the beginning to the end, providing what he described as a poverty graduation pathway.

Doro explained that the system would coordinate interventions at the federal and subnational levels to promote greater synergy and achieve better results.

The minister said the ministry was working on 20 models to help identify vulnerable people and guide them through pathways to stability.

He urged fellow Nigerians in the diaspora to support the ministry’s efforts to lift vulnerable people out of poverty by liaising with the office.

Doro also advocated the establishment of a National Economic Trust Fund, expressing the hope that the Federal Government, development partners, and philanthropists would come together to finance the proposed fund for humanitarian purposes.

The minister hailed the IOM for its contributions to humanitarian services in Nigeria and congratulated the organisation on its achievements over the past 25 years.

He expressed hope that the next 25 years would be more fruitful and beneficial to humanity through continued partnership with the ministry.

Ekra attributed IOM’s progress in Nigeria to its friendly partnership with the government and people of Nigeria, particularly the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.

She expressed hope that the organisation would support the ministry in implementing the OHOPRS programme and support the proposed humanitarian trust fund.

Alternergy unit completes Quezon transmission line

Alabat Wind Power Corp. (AWPC), a subsidiary of Alternergy Holdings Corp., has completed an overhead sea-crossing transmission link that will connect its 64-megawatt (MW) Alabat Wind Project in Quezon Province and the Luzon mainland.

Spanning 1.4 kilometers, the overhead crossing forms part of the project’s 37-kilometer (km), 69-kilovolt (kV) transmission line. The crossing required two 100-meter-tall and two 45-meter tall lattice towers, providing the infrastructure needed to transfer electricity from Alabat island to the Luzon grid.

‘Developing a wind project on an island requires more than building the generating facility itself. It also means creating the infrastructure needed to deliver clean power to consumers,’ said Gerry Magbanua, president of Alternergy.

‘The Alabat sea crossing addresses that challenge and demonstrates our ability to deliver complex infrastructure that unlocks the potential of the country’s renewable energy resources.’ The transmission route links the wind farm on Alabat Island to a connection point along the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ (NGCP) Gumaca-Lopez (Hondagua) 69-kV transmission line. The broader transmission infrastructure includes 483 poles spanning 37 km.

The Alabat Wind Power Project consists of eight 8-MW wind turbines, the largest commercial wind turbines deployed outside China, supplied by Envision Energy and designed to withstand typhoons. It is the first wind farm in Quezon province and is among the first wind projects to be completed under the Department of Energy’s second Green Energy Auction Program.

The Alabat project, together with the 128-MW Tanay Wind Power Project in Rizal, is expected to lift Alternergy’s operating capacity to about 311 MW from 119 MW by the end of 2026.

U17 World Cup: NFF backs Flamingos to beat Mexico

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has backed the Flamingos to overcome Mexico and secure a place in the quarter-finals of the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, Acting General Secretary of the NFF, gave the team a morale boost on Wednesday when he visited the Nigeria U-17 girls during their afternoon training session in Rabat.

Ikpeme urged the players to put their 3-1 victory over defending champions Korea DPR behind them and focus on Thursday’s Round of 16 clash against Mexico, with a place in the last eight at stake.

He encouraged the team to remain focused and determined as they prepare for the knockout encounter.

Thursday’s meeting will revive memories of the teams’ clash at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica. The Flamingos defeated Mexico 3-0 in a Group D fixture at the Estadio Nacional in San José on March 23, 2014, with Rasheedat Ajibade, Uchenna Kanu and Aminat Yakubu scoring for Nigeria.

Head coach Hakeem Busari had earlier urged his players to put their group-stage victories over Puerto Rico and Korea DPR behind them and prepare for the greater intensity of knockout football.

Busari will have his full 21-player squad available for selection, with in-form goalkeeper Jane Ijirigho and defenders Azeezat Oduntan, Ohunene Sunday, Esther Stephen and Kanyinsola Rodiat Yusuf among the players expected to feature.

Favour Nkwocha and Tosin Rafiu, who represented the Falconets at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland last month, could feature in midfield alongside Mary Dunstan.

In attack, Oluebube Umejiaku and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, who have scored two goals each at the tournament, are expected to be considered for starting roles. Precious Oscar and Harmony Chidi, who were benched for Friday’s victory over the defending champions, are also options.