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A subsidiary of Lucio Tan-led MacroAsia Corp. has begun construction of a P2-billion water supply project in Iloilo.

New Earth Water System (NEWS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Boracay Tubi System Inc. (BTSI) is working on the project dubbed New Earth Iloilo Water Supply.

MacroAsia, through its unit MacroAsia Properties Development Corp., holds a majority interest in BTSI.

NEWS said on Tuesday that the project is designed to boost the potable water supply, given the population growth and rising economic activity in the province.

NEWS has water rights and permits to supply, treat and distribute potable water to Iloilo City and the towns of Sta. Barbara, Pavia, Oton, Leganes, Cabatuan, Maasin and San Miguel.

Phased development

The first phase of the project includes the development of a water treatment facility in Barangay Bongo, Pototan. This will have an initial capacity of 37.5 million liters per day (MLD). This may be expanded to as much as 50 MLD.

Water transmission lines and a distribution network of pipelines will also be built.

MacroAsia intends to complete the project in two years. It is expected to ease the current water supply woes in Iloilo.

‘Water is the lifeblood of Iloilo’s growth, and shortages must not become a barrier to progress,’ said Eduardo Luis Luy, chair of both NEWS and BTSI.

‘This facility will not only close the immediate supply gap, but will also provide Iloilo with resilient and sustainable water infrastructure for the future,’ Luy said.

Expansion plans

MacroAsia Properties Development has investments in economic zones and several water ventures outside Metro Manila.

The group’s core investments span aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul; airline and institutional catering; ground handling; property development and leasing; and water utility services.

In the first half of 2025, the group reported a 15-percent growth in consolidated net income. This reached P771.10 million.

Consolidated revenues also jumped 9 percent to P4.81 billion. This was driven by stronger demand across aviation services, institutional food accounts and water concessions. INQ

Lifting the rice import ban while retaining the 15-percent tariff rate on imported rice is crucial to protect consumers from rising food prices and keeping inflation in check.

This is according to advocacy group Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF), which called on the government to ‘immediately’ lift the rice import freeze and reconsider the plan of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to raise the import tax to 35 percent from the current 15 percent.

‘These measures represent a significant setback to economic liberalization, consumer welfare and overall national competitiveness,’ said the FEF, whose members include some of the country’s most prominent economists and sociopolitical thinkers.

‘FEF believes that a liberalized trade, guided by market signals, is the most effective way to ensure food security and affordable prices for Filipino consumers,’ it said.

‘Scourge of the poor’

The group warned that raising the import tax on rice could drive inflation higher, noting that rice accounted for about 20 percent of food inflation.

‘Inflation is a scourge of the poorest of the poor (bottom 30 percent of the income quintile) Filipinos as an increase in food prices will hurt them most due to limited and alternative income sources,’ it added.

The FEF said any plans to hike the import duty on rice would only penalize 95 percent of Filipino rice consumers, adding that higher rice prices would jack up food and overall inflation.

‘Dismal’ precedent

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said last month the moratorium would be extended for at least 30 days, hinting it could remain in place until the end of this year.

Tiu Laurel earlier said Cabinet members were discussing the possibility of raising the rice tariff to help shore up ‘palay’ or unmilled rice prices.

However, the FEF said the two-month import ban was a ‘failure’ as farm-gate prices of palay were still ranging between P8 and P10 per kilogram, way below the production cost of P14.53 per kg recorded by the Philippine Statistics Authority in 2024.

The last time that the government intervened in the rice market likewise had the same ‘dismal’ result when retail prices almost tripled after President Marcos had imposed a rice price cap in September 2023.

The FEF said rice prices significantly declined after Mr. Marcos had lifted the price ceiling on the food staple.

Alternatives

Instead of implementing such measures, the FEF proposed improving the productivity and competitiveness of the local rice industry. It called for investments in public goods services, such as research and development, irrigation, infrastructure and extension services.

Such interventions will ultimately protect the local industry against the influx of rice imports, according to the group.

It also recommended providing cash assistance to farmers instead of defending a floor price for their palay, which the FEF warned would be costlier and more inefficient.

‘Providing direct assistance to farmers will plug in fund flow leakages and directly benefit the affected farmers,’ the FEF said.

Buffer stocks

The group also proposed assigning rice buffer stocking to the proper institutions.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development, with the National Food Authority’s support, should ensure access to affordable rice for the poorest of the poor, the group added.

The group also suggested that the private sector should take the lead in stabilizing rice supply, with the government intervening only when necessary. INQ

Rain will continue across the Philippines as the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), northeasterly windflow, and localized thunderstorms persist, the state weather bureau said on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

The ITCZ is a belt of low pressure near the equator where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres meet.

A northeasterly windflow, on the other hand, is a current of air blowing from the northeast, associated with the early stages of the Northeast Monsoon, or Amihan, in the Philippines.

In its latest update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the ITCZ will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms over Visayas, Mindanao, and Palawan.

The northeasterly windflow will affect Quezon and Camarines Norte, bringing cloudy skies with rain. Cagayan Valley, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, and Aurora will experience partly cloudy skies with isolated light rain due to the same system.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated showers caused by localized thunderstorms.

Tropical depression

As of 2 a.m. Wednesday, a tropical depression is still being monitored outside of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

It was last located 1,985 kilometers east of Luzon, packing maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 70 kph. Its movement was northwestward at 15 kph.

‘It will slightly or somewhat graze our area of responsibility. We are also not ruling out that it may enter our PAR briefly or momentarily and then move away again,’ said Pagasa Weather Specialist Loriedin De La Cruz during the 5 a.m. weather forecast.

She added that the tropical depression is not expected to directly affect the country.

The Philippines needs to strengthen sustainability standards in major infrastructure projects to attract discerning foreign investors and donors, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said.

In a report released on Tuesday, the OECD said the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 had already laid out specific strategies and measurable actions that signal a commitment to integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations.

Still, the group said, more could be done to embed sustainability more deeply into infrastructure investments to meet the expectations of global investors.

The report noted that ESG criteria have expanded beyond environmental safeguards to include climate risk assessments.

Projects now face rigorous compliance checks at the feasibility stage. Emphasis is growing on sustainable technologies-from electric vehicles in urban centers to solar power integration and energy-efficient airport operations.

Supply chains

Companies operating in economic zones are also aligning their practices with the ESG standards of tenants and partners, reflecting a broader shift toward sustainability across supply chains.

‘Further integrating ESG factors should be discussed by the government to ensure alignment with the various factors necessary to attract both ODA and foreign capital,’ the OECD said.

ESG considerations in Philippine public-private partnerships, or PPP, are still evolving, the report noted.

With limited local regulations in place, private companies often take the lead in incorporating international standards into contract negotiations.

Bankers’ push

The country’s banking sector has also emerged as a driver of change, enforcing stricter ESG requirements for project financing.

The OECD said this shift has led to ‘more favorable capital requirements for sustainable finance,’ encouraging companies to prioritize sustainability and pushing both public and private players toward stronger compliance even in the absence of comprehensive legislation at home.

‘Banks and investors are increasingly adopting ESG-focused sustainable finance frameworks, driven by regulations and market demand,’ the OECD noted.

‘This trend has expanded funding opportunities for companies . with some banks offering more favorable terms for sustainable projects. However, implementation varies among institutions, with some conducting internal due diligence while others require third-party evaluations, influencing project financing decisions,’ it added. -INQ

A study commissioned by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) identified cultural and religious norms, poverty, and weak enforcement of child protection laws as primary drivers of child marriages in the provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

In a report, ‘Understanding Factors Driving Child, Early, and Forced Marriage and Unions (CEFMU),’ focused on the two provinces and launched on Tuesday, Unicef said that child marriage continued to jeopardize the future of thousands of children in Jolo, the capital of Sulu, and in Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi.

It also said the Philippines ranked 12th in the world in terms of the absolute number of child marriages, with 1 in every 6 girls married before they turned 18.

Patricia Lim Ah Ken, child protection chief of Unicef Philippines, said the international body commissioned the study, with support from the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to identify gaps in understanding child marriage in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and to inform targeted interventions and policies that foster a protective environment for all vulnerable children.

‘Several studies showed that child marriage remains a deep-rooted issue in the Philippines, depriving thousands of girls of their childhood, of their education, and of their futures,’ Ken said during the study’s virtual launch on Tuesday.

She cited the National Demographic and Health Survey, which showed that nine percent of girls marry at the age of 18, some as young as 13; and that in 2023, more than 12,000 adolescent girls entered marriage, a statistic that is four times greater than boys.

Among the contributing factors were poverty, limited education, cultural norms, and legal ambiguity, she said.

‘While the national poverty incidence rate from 2021 to 2023 has been reduced overall, BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) still has the highest rate at 40.1 per cent. This compounds the risk for girls to marry or enter into a union, cutting short their education and limiting their ability to participate in civic life and leadership,’ she said.

The study highlighted how these drivers persisted despite the passage of Republic Act 11596, or the Act Prohibiting the Practice of Child Marriage in 2022; legislation alone was not enough to end the practice.

In 2021, the Bangsamoro Women Commission estimated that 88,600 girls had been married before they turned 18. A survey conducted by Plan International and the Women’s Refugee Commission revealed that for every 100 girls in BARMM, 15 are married before age 18, two are married before age 15 – figures significantly higher than the national average.

The study found that in many cases, early marriage is seen as a way to avoid what is considered haram, a term in the Muslim faith referring to actions forbidden by Islamic law, such as premarital relationships or pregnancies outside marriage.

Families facing economic hardship may also view marriage as an escape from financial difficulties.

These factors place children, especially young girls, at risk of losing their right to education, being forced into adult responsibilities before they are ready, according to Unicef. At the same time, early pregnancy among girls further compounds their risk to health, safety, and overall well-being.

Among Unicef’s key recommendations is to keep girls in school by expanding scholarships and alternative learning systems for those at risk of dropping out, supporting families economically through livelihood and women’s empowerment programs so that early marriage would not be seen as the only option to end or minimize poverty; and working with religious and community leaders to challenge harmful norms and promote child rights.

‘Every girl deserves the chance to grow into adulthood with dignity, health, and hope. Child marriage and early unions can interrupt education, compromise health, and place girls in roles they are not yet ready for, including motherhood. UNICEF stands with communities of every faith and tradition to protect girls and uphold their right to choose their future,’ said Ken./coa

A deputy police chief in Cavite province – whom authorities did not name – was put into restrictive custody for allegedly raping a detainee in their station, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

In a press briefing in Camp Crame on Wednesday, PNP public information chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said the relieved deputy police chief was taken into custody last Sept. 19 and charged last Sept. 23 for violating Republic Act No. 8353 or the Anti-Rape Law, Tuaño noted.

‘This deputy chief of police, our suspect is currently in restrictive custody at the Cavite Police Provincial Office. Our victim is being considered to be moved to another custodial facility,’ he detailed.

The PNP public information chief did not name the deputy police chief but said he had the rank of police lieutenant and was stationed at the Noveleta police station.

According to Tuaño, the rape incident allegedly occurred in the station early Sept. 4 morning.

The victim – a 34-year-old woman detained in Noveleta for drug-related charges – reported the incident to the police on Sept. 18, Tuaño added.

‘BAs part of our zero-tolerance policy, that the Philippine National Police leadership will not tolerate these violations by their men, their police chief was replaced last Sept. 19,’ Tuaño further noted.

Additionally, Tuaño said the PNP was looking to file administrative cases against the relieved deputy police chief and his superior over the alleged rape incident. /mr

Alas Pilipinas player Steven Rotter is officially engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Sophia.

Rotter shared photos of his October 5 proposal, which took place during their 11th anniversary celebration with the breathtaking view of Yosemite National Park as the backdrop.

‘You’re my best friend and my rock, and since the beginning, I knew you were the one I wanted to spend forever with. I am so lucky that 11 years later I finally get to call you my fiancée, ‘Rotter wrote.

The Filipino-American spiker celebrated the milestone back home in California.

The Filipino-American spiker missed Alas’ historic FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship after he was ruled ineligible due to federation issues.

Rotter explained that he needs to change his federation from USA Volleyball to the Philippine National Volleyball Federation, despite representing Alas Pilipinas since 2023.

The Spikers’ Turf Finals MVP still watched every game to cheer for his teammates, who finished 19th out of 32 nations with a historic win over Egypt and narrowly missed the round of 16 after a heartbreaking five-set loss to Iran.

Rotter is also preparing for the Spikers’ Turf season with the Cignal HD Spikers, who are returning to action this month.

The Office of the Ombudsman will review the complaints filed against Vice President Sara Duterte over alleged misuse of confidential funds (CFs) by her office and the Department of Education (DepEd) during her tenure, according to newly appointed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla.

The 64-year-old former justice secretary made the remark following his appointment on Tuesday afternoon.

‘Actually, those reports are already with the Ombudsman. We will open them, study them, and question those who are currently in charge – as well as those who had the duty to handle the cases before we arrived,’ Remulla said in Filipino.

Apart from Duterte, respondents of these complaints also include other DepEd and Office of the Vice President (OVP) officials, like Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez, Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta, former DepEd officials Sunshine Fajarda, and Edward Fajarda, among others.

Last year, Duterte’s office drew criticism for the alleged misuse of its 2022 confidential funds, which became the subject of an investigation by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.

During the hearings, two officials from the OVP admitted to releasing millions in CFs to security officer Col. Dennis Nolasco and Col. Raymund Lachica, the head of Duterte’s security group.

OVP special disbursing officer (SDO) Gina Acosta said she turned over all the funds to Lachica, who was assigned to manage them.

Similarly, former DepEd SDO Edward Fajarda said he released the department’s CFs to Nolasco, whom Duterte had designated to disburse the funds.

The panel’s findings showed that Acosta encashed P125 million per quarter between late 2022 and 2023, while Fajarda encashed P37.5 million per quarter in 2023.

Moreover, two names – Mary Grace Piattos and Kokoy Villamin – listed in the acknowledgment receipts (ARs) for confidential fund expenditures of both the OVP and DepEd, could not be found in the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) records.

In September, Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo confirmed that the OVP’s P125-million CF in 2022 was spent in just 11 days – shorter than earlier reports claiming it was exhausted in 19 days.

The Commission on Audit’s 2023 report, released in December, also showed that the OVP spent over P375 million in 2023 – triple the amount recorded the year before. /mr

Senator Erwin Tulfo will automatically assume the chairmanship of the Senate blue ribbon committee if no one takes the post vacated by Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson.

Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto earlier named Sens. Raffy Tulfo, JV Ejercito, Francis Pangilinan, Pia Cayetano, and Risa Hontiveros as candidates for the post.

So far, Sen. Raffy has officially declined, while Ejercito is still contemplating, Sotto told reporters in a message late Tuesday night.

‘Erwin could be a good choice. If no taker, automatically the vice chairman steps in,’ he added when asked about the possibility that no one would be interested in taking Lacson’s place.

Sen. Erwin is the only vice chairman of the blue ribbon committee, according to Sotto.

‘He has expertise and experience in investigative journalism. Matapang pa! (He is also brave!)’ The Senate chief added in a separate message to reporters.

At present, Sen. Erwin heads two committees: games and amusement, and social justice, welfare, and rural development.

His brother, Raffy, already said on Tuesday that he would humbly decline if offered the blue ribbon panel chairmanship, as he does not want to lose focus on his three committees. He currently chairs the committees on labor, migrant workers, and public services.

While grateful to be considered for the post, Ejercito said he is aware of his limitations.

‘There are others who are more capable of chairing this important committee,’ he said in Filipino.

Pangilinan, meanwhile, said it would be ‘unwise to accept a fourth committee’ as he now chairs the committees on agriculture, justice and human rights, and constitutional amendments.

‘I have championed the country’s food security and agriculture sector for the last 15 years. I believe it is in helping address the serious and dire challenges of the agri sector that I can best serve our country with my utmost,’ he said in another statement.

He was also hoping that Lacson would change his mind, but the latter is firm with his decision.

Lacson resigned on Monday as chairman of the blue ribbon panel amid its investigation into corruption allegations hounding the government’s flood control projects.

‘In the course of the current investigation, which has implicated some senators in the flood control mess, a number of our colleagues have expressed disappointment [over] the ‘direction’ of the blue ribbon committee, which this representation chairs,’ he said in his letter to Sotto.

‘Furthermore, some senators publicly and secretly pursue the narrative that I am zeroing in on several of my colleagues while purportedly protecting those members of the Lower House perceived to be the principal actors in the budget anomalies related to the substandard and ghost flood control projects,’ he added.

Alexa Miro, who just came from a breakup with presidential son Sandro Marcos, turned emotional while performing her version of Rockstar’s ‘Ika’y Mahal Pa Rin’ at the reality game show ‘Sing Galing.’

The actress earlier confirmed her five-year relationship and breakup with Sandro, the Ilocos Norte’s first district representative and the son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Marcos.

In the show’s episode aired on Sunday, Oct. 5, Miro, who was among the Sing-lebrities, sang the song as part of the game.

The first lines of the song was sang by hosts Randy Santiago, K Brosas, and Donita Nose who briefly joined Miro on the stage. While the three were singing, it can be noticed that Miro was holding her chest then covering her eyes and mouth.

When it was her turn to sing, Miro appeared to have struggled as her voice broke from tearing up. Miro’s emotions became more evident when she sang the line, ‘Ika’y mahal pa rin.’ She was also seen wiping her cheeks before the hosts returned to the stage.

Miro has yet to publicly comment about her performance as of this writing.

Miro previously confessed that she kept her relationship with Sandro from the public ‘for safety purposes’ since he is part of the first family. The actress also earlier named fellow actress Franki Russell as the alleged third party in the split.

‘Nasaktan kasi talaga ako sa mga huling kaganapan kaya siguro naramdaman ko na baka panahon na para magsabi ng totoo,’ Miro said of her admission. (I was really hurt by the recent events so I felt this might be right time to tell the truth.)

Nonetheless, Miro said she is open to reconciling with Sandro, saying she ‘will always have love for him.’