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After his success in Hollywood and Broadway, Filipino-American actor Conrad Ricamora is set to make his Philippine theater debut in the Manila run of Michael Bennett’s ‘A Chorus Line.’

Theatre Group Asia announced Ricamora’s Philippine theater debut in a press statement where he will take on the role of Zach. In the musical, Zach is the director and choreographer of an upcoming Broadway production, with 17 spots hoping to get a spot on the musical’s chorus line.

Ricamora expressed his excitement about performing in the Philippines for the first time, describing it as a form of homecoming.

‘Performing in the Philippines for the first time is incredibly meaningful for me because it’s my father’s homeland. To bring my work here feels like a kind of homecoming-a chance to connect with a part of my heritage that I’ve always carried in my heart,’ he said.

The actor added that he has long admired the ‘passion, talent, and heart’ of the theater community in the Philippines.

‘The Philippine theater community is known for its passion, talent, and heart. I’ve been so inspired watching artists from here make their mark globally, and I can’t wait to share the stage with them and learn from their artistry. There’s warmth and joy in Filipino storytelling that I’ve always felt connected to, and I’m honored to finally be part of it,’ he said. Ricamora shared that portraying the character of Zach is a ‘full-circle moment,’ especially that its staging in Manila will take place at the height of its golden year.

‘I’ve always loved ‘A Chorus Line’ because it celebrates the raw, vulnerable truth of being a performer. To step into Zach’s shoes, especially in its golden year, feels like a full-circle moment,’ he said.

‘I’m excited to explore how this show – written nearly fifty years ago – still speaks directly to artists today: the hunger, the heartbreak, the need to be seen. And as someone who started in musical theater before moving into television and film, it’s thrilling to return to that sense of community and truth that only the stage can offer’ he added.

Apart from the upcoming musical, Ricamora was confirmed to join the cast of ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2.’ He is best known for playing the role of Oliver Hampton in the hit series ‘How To Get Away with Murder’ and Ninoy Aquino in several runs of ‘Here Lies Love.’

The Manila run of ‘A Chorus Line’ is led by Theatre Group Asia’s overall artistic and creative director Clint Ramos, while Emmy award-winning Karla Puno-Garcia was tapped to be the director and choreographer.

It will be staged at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater from March 12 to 29.

The Bangsamoro Parliament elected unanimously on Tuesday Member of Parliament Mohammad Shuaib Yacob as its new Speaker, filling in the post left by Pangalian Balindong, who died last Oct. 2.

In a session on Tuesday afternoon, the Bangsamoro parliament, presided over by Bangsamoro interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, unanimously voted for Yacob.

Balindong, who served as the parliament Speaker since its inauguration in 2019, passed away due to an illness.

A total of 67 members of parliament were in attendance during the session called by Macacua, and the majority of whom voted for Yacob with no objection or abstention.

Aside from being a parliament member, Yacob is also the BARMM Senior Minister, running the day-to-day affairs of the regional bureaucracy.

Before that, he served as the minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Aquatic Resources (MAFAR).

Yacob has been an MP since 2019.

Before that, he served as executive director of the Bangsamoro Development Agency, the main development arm of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Yacob is trained in Shari’ah Law and completed a Doctor of Philosophy degree./coa

Cavite 4th District Rep. Francisco ‘Kiko’ Barzaga has released a copy of his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), showing that he has a net worth of P5.375 million.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Barzaga showed his SALN, which indicated that he currently has no real properties at hand, and just four personal properties – cash from a donation in 2019 worth P3.025 million; cash from his monthly income from 2019 to 2024 totaling to P2.350 million; and two donated vehicles, a Toyota Camry and a Toyota HiAce both donated to him in 2019.

He also did not list any liability.

Barzaga then mentioned four relatives in government:

his mother, Jennifer Barzaga, Mayor of Dasmariñas, Cavite

his brother, Elpidio Barzaga III, Vice Mayor of Dasmariñas, Cavite

his aunt, Jocelyn Austria, Sr. Administrative Assistant III in the city government of Dasmariñas, Cavite

his uncle, Nickanor Austria Jr., Board Member, Provincial Capitol of Cavite

Barzaga clarified that his assets do not include yet assets inherited from his father, late former Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., which have not been transferred to him.

The assets inherited from the fallen lawmaker are estimated to be around P35 million.

‘Not including untransferred, inherited assets from the late Congressman Pidi Barzaga: Vehicles, Dasmariñas Property, and Cash amounting to an estimated total of 35 Million PHP,’ the younger Barzaga said in his post.

Barzaga is not the first among House of Representatives lawmakers to release copies of their SALN. As early as September 1, members of the House Minority’s Akbayan Reform Bloc released redacted copies of their SALNs to prove their commitment to transparency, while also urging colleagues to do the same.

The bloc – composed of Akbayan party-list Reps. Chel Diokno, Percival Cendaña, and Dadah Kiram Ismula, along with Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao – said that they released their SALNs as a first step in regaining public trust in government.

According to the documents, Bag-ao has the highest net worth at P15.05 million, followed by Diokno with P13.13 million, Ismula with P3.246 million, and Cendaña with P1 million.

Last Friday, the Makabayan bloc, which is also part of the Minority, released their SALNs. Among the bloc’s three members, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio registered the highest net worth at P10.93 million, followed by Gabriela party-list Rep. Sarah Elago at P1.039 million, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co at P280,000. /jpv

After directing his first series, Gerald Anderson has stepped into a new role behind the camera as a first-time producer of the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry ‘Rekonek,’ but he admitted that managing the budget is one of the major challenges of the job.

Anderson talked about the financial struggles that come with bringing a project to life during the press conference of the partnership launch between his The Th3rd Floor Studios and Reality MM Studios headed by Dondon Monteverde on Monday, Oct. 20, in Makati.

‘If you want a good or big project, you also need money. Money, that’s one of the biggest challenges as a producer. So I was hoping that this would be our first project and that it would be successful,’ he said.

The Kapamilya actor noted that he’s not one to ask anything from other people, but investors helped to bring the project into production.

‘I don’t like asking anything from other people, but as a producer, we need to [ask], so when someone trusts you with their money, you want to give the best project for them,’ he explained.

Despite the challenges, Anderson admitted that he’s one to embrace them with open arms, which was one of the reasons he decided to venture into producing following his directorial debut with ‘Sins of the Father.’

‘Mahilig ako sa challenge (I like challenges). Hindi rin basta-basta makapasok ng MMFF (It’s not easy to get into MMFF). So I think this is the best time to test the waters as a producer,’ he said.

Aside from being the producer, Anderson also stars in ‘Rekonek,’ which features Filipinos from all walks of life as they scramble and stumble through a world suddenly stripped of Wi-Fi, screens and constant connectivity.

Directed by Jade Castro, ‘Rekonek’ stars the Legaspi family (Carmina, Zoren, Cassy and Mavy), Andrea Brillantes, Bela Padilla, Kelvin Miranda, Charlie Dizon and Gloria Diaz.

The Th3rd Floor Studios and Reality MM Studios’ first film collaboration with ‘Rekonek’ aims to bring the meaningful spirit of Christmas and connection to the MMFF this year. /ra

Former lawmakers Teodoro ‘Teddy’ Casiño and Liza Maza said on Tuesday that the call of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian to abolish the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is not serious.

Casiño claimed that this suggestion was ‘politiko-speak,’ adding that the government can’t function without a public works and highways department.

‘Abolish the DPWH? That’s just political talk, pure bluff. They’ll just create another one anyway. It’s the same old deception from politicians.,’ Casiño, speaking in Filipino, told the Inquirer.

The former congressman also suggested that ‘perhaps, it should be the Senate and Congress that should be abolished,’ citing that its members get the biggest percentage of alleged kickbacks.

Similarly, Maza shared that the suggestions are not true, saying in English: ‘that suggestion was just to make them look good, and become a headline in newspapers. They’re just bluffing and they’re not really serious.’

She also echoed the idea that even if the DPWH gets abolished, public officials will still find a way to get ahold of government funds.

‘If the DPWH is abolished, for sure they will have a system again, so that they can get funds again, these congressmen, these senators. So that they have a source of their own funds and so that they can engage in corrupt acts again,’ Maza, speaking in Filipino, told the Inquirer.

Gatchalian previously floated the idea of abolishing the DPWH, due to its officials being involved in the alleged anomalous flood-control mess and widespread corruption.

However, on Monday Malacañang said that this suggestion is not being considered and there are ‘no plans’ to abolish the agency, citing that ‘not all administrators or government employees in the DPWH can be said to have made mistakes.’ /jpv

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday assured his agency’s employees of their promotion, as he announced 1,993 vacancies to be occupied first by ‘job order’ or short-term workers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

‘Our priority to fill these various positions is within the DPWH. Let’s elevate the deserving, honest, hardworking people already in DPWH, including our current job order employees,’ Dizon told fellow DPWH workers at Monday’s flag ceremony.

‘Just because you have been on job orders for a long time does not mean you have no rights and opportunities to advance. You will be the first to fill almost 2,000 vacancies,’ he also said.

Dizon encouraged DPWH employees to apply for the vacancies and promised job order employees that their salaries will no longer be delayed.

He warned those responsible for the delay in wages of dismissal.

‘Within seven days from cut-off, all salaries will be paid. Nothing more, nothing less. It cannot exceed seven days. If there is anything here that cannot be paid, please tell me immediately,’ he said.

Upon his appointment to the DPWH last month, Dizon called for the courtesy resignation of all agency officials, from the top ranks in the central office to the district levels, amid the widening scandal over corruption involving allegedly anomalous flood control projects.

New appointment

Also on Monday, Dizon named engineer Lara Marisse Esquibil officer in charge undersecretary for convergence projects and technical services.

According to the DPWH chief, Esquibil is highly regarded in the agency, receiving ‘a lot of great words’ from many observers, including former Public Works Secretary Rogelio ‘Babes’ Singson.

‘She has my full trust and confidence,’ Dizon said as he presented Esquibil to the agency’s staff.

Before her appointment, Esquibil, 36, was assigned officer in charge director of the DPWH Bureau of Design in July.

She entered the DPWH in 2013 under the first batch of the Cadet Engineering Program.

Dizon said Esquibil was initially reluctant to accept her new assignment due to the scandal surrounding the agency.

But ‘I had a very long conversation with Director Lara,’ Dizon said. ‘I told her, ‘Just do what is right, keep your integrity, and you will be okay. We will always be behind you.”

He expressed confidence that President Marcos will sign Esquibil’s appointment, saying Mr. Marcos ‘wants good people.’

The appointment followed the resignation last Friday of Undersecretary Arrey Perez after Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste linked Perez to alleged dealings with private contractors.

Perez had served less than a month as DPWH undersecretary. Dizon called for more details regarding the congressman’s allegations, which he subsequently retracted.

The Office of the Ombudsman is investigating the involvement of Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Mario Lipana and his wife not only in flood control projects but also in the supply of fire trucks.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said he was briefed about the alleged participation of Lipana and his wife, Marilou, in government projects and learned that the couple were allegedly involved in the supply of fire trucks and ‘other government stuff.’ He did not elaborate.

‘This is a work in progress. We are still building up the teams that will evaluate,” he said, referring to the Lipana couple’s possible role in the construction of a COA building in its central office in Quezon City.

Resignation calls

Lipana, who is due to retire in 2027 and has gone on medical leave from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31, has faced resignation calls for allegedly pocketing kickbacks from flood control projects and using his influence to help his wife’s company corner projects.

His wife is the president and general manager of Pasig City-based Olympus Mining and Builders Group Phils. Corp.

At a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing in late September, former Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara said Lipana had asked for a list of projects in Bulacan in 2022 and managed to have inserted at least P1.4 billion worth of projects in the next three years, presumably for his wife’s firm. Olympus had at least 11 projects in the district worth P1.026 billion.

COA building

Former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo had also named Lipana as among those who took cuts from allocations for flood control projects.

The Right to Know, Right Now coalition also divulged that the P959-million contract for a new COA building in Quezon City in 2021 was awarded to the joint venture of R.U. Aquino Construction and Development Corp. and Le Bron Construction.

Le Bron Construction is the main joint venture partner of Olympus Mining.

Furthermore, the coalition found that Olympus entered into several joint ventures with Le Bron in various DPWH projects, including flood control structures and access roads in Bulacan, some of which were later linked to alleged ‘ghost’ or substandard projects.

Ethical issues

Lipana was a senior COA officer when the contract for the agency’s new headquarters was awarded.

The group warned that the apparent business connections between Lipana’s family and government contractors raised potential conflicts of interest and ethical issues.

The province of Capiz bore the brunt of Tropical Storm Ramil (international name: Fengshen) that dumped heavy rains in many parts of the Visayas and Luzon, even a day before it hit land in Gubat, Sorsogon on Oct. 18.

At least 102,00 Capiznons were affected by the widespread floods that inundated the capital, Roxas City, and its towns on Saturday, many of which were still underwater on Monday, according to the Capiz Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC).

Those in Capiz accounted for most of the 133,196 people in four regions that the National DRRMC, in a report Monday, said were affected by the storm.

According to the NDRRMC, the number of deaths due to Ramil rose from six to seven, five of whom were from a family crushed by a fallen tree in Quezon province and two from Capiz. The two missing persons were from Eastern Visayas, while one was reportedly injured in Calabarzon.

The NDRRMC has yet to release the total number of infrastructure and agricultural damage.

State of calamity

According to the Capiz PDRRMC, at least 215 barangays across 15 municipalities and Roxas City have experienced flooding, displacing 27,285 families or 102,419 individuals.

The municipality of Panay recorded the highest number of affected residents with 8,935 families (35,247 individuals), followed by Sigma with 5,876 families (22,571 individuals) and President Roxas with 3,705 families (10,709 individuals).

In Roxas City, 2,223 families or 7,489 residents were affected, while Maayon and Ivisan towns also saw significant flooding that displaced 1,956 families (6,411 individuals) and 1,564 families (6,206 individuals), respectively.

The city council of Roxas on Sunday placed the city under a state of calamity due to severe flooding across multiple barangays, damaging properties, agricultural lands, and infrastructure, while also prompting the evacuation of affected residents.

Roxas Mayor Ronnie Dadivas, on Sunday, reassured residents that the city government was working closely with both local and national agencies to coordinate immediate relief and rehabilitation operations.

‘This (state of calamity) declaration will allow us to mobilize resources more quickly and accelerate recovery efforts to assist our affected constituents,’ Dadivas said in a statement.

Other municipalities with affected populations include Panitan, Mambusao, Dao, Cuartero, Dumalag, Dumarao, Pilar, Pontevedra, and Sapian.

The data was consolidated by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and validated by local disaster response teams.

Rescue operations

Continuous rainfall over the weekend – intensified by Ramil’s outer rainbands – caused rivers to swell, submerging low-lying areas and rendering several roads impassable, the PDRRMC said.

Thousands of residents had to be rescued in flooded areas in the towns of Panay, Pontevedra, Sigma, and Roxas City, where knee-to-waist-deep floods have inundated several barangays.

The Philippine Coast Guard-Roxas Station and Bureau of Fire Protection assisted in transporting residents to safer grounds, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development dispatched family food packs and hygiene kits to the hardest-hit areas.

Health concerns

Amid the flooding, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) released a health advisory on Oct. 18, reminding residents about the risks of leptospirosis and other waterborne diseases due to prolonged exposure to floodwaters.

The PHO advised those exposed to contaminated water to immediately seek post-exposure prophylaxis, which is available for free at local health facilities.

On Monday morning, Ramil moved westward and exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

However, Pagasa warned that rains would still persist over parts of Western Visayas, including Capiz, due to the enhanced southwest monsoon and saturated soil conditions.

Gov. Fredenil Castro on Monday urged Capiznons to remain vigilant and follow official advisories: ‘We ask our people to stay cautious, especially those in flood-prone and landslide-prone barangays. Local government units are on full alert to ensure everyone’s safety.’

As of Monday morning, clearing operations and damage assessments were ongoing, while authorities continue to monitor possible outbreaks, infrastructure damage, and livelihood disruptions in the aftermath of the storm.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has also activated its disaster response teams to assist the NDRRMC and the local governments in the clearing operations.

‘I have already directed all our commanders on the ground to ensure that a sufficient number of our personnel be deployed to assist in road clearing operations,’ said Acting PNP Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. in a statement Monday

To infuse young blood into the scandal-rocked Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Secretary Vince Dizon is reviving a program to train and hire young engineers.

‘This is very good for us to revitalize the DPWH with fresh graduates, with new fresh engineers who have just passed or are just starting to work,’ he said.

Dizon credited his predecessors, Rogelio ‘Babes’ Singson and Jose ‘Ping’ de Jesus, for suggesting the revival of the DPWH cadet engineering program at a meeting last Saturday. Singson launched that program, a 26-week course, in 2013.

Under the program, engineers took promotional examinations to avoid the ‘patronage system.’ It was eventually dissolved after ‘outsiders’ were allowed to get promotional slots.

The first batch of graduates included engineer Lara Marisse Esquibil, who was named acting undersecretary in place of Arrey Perez following his resignation last Friday.

Current and former members of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) board of trustees on Tuesday accused GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo ‘Wick’ Veloso of misrepresenting the pension fund’s financial performance as most of the investments he oversaw incurred significant losses.

In a statement, members of the board of trustees directly refuted Veloso’s and the GSIS’ ‘illusory growth metrics’ which paint a public narrative that the GSIS supposedly has a strong financial performance under his leadership.

They revealed that the reported asset growth of the GSIS was actually ‘based on misleading metrics and structural inflows,’ rather than genuine investment returns and explained that the increase primarily came from non-cash, unrealized gains from annual revaluation of the agency’s property portfolio and higher mandatory premium collections.

According to the members, this growth is an ‘automatic, structural feature,’ not an outcome of ‘strategic financial management.’

‘In stark and concerning contrast, our review indicates that the new investments introduced and endorsed by President and General Manager Veloso have overwhelmingly underperformed, with most, if not all, currently realizing significant losses,’ the members said.

‘The assertion that the current leadership has been financially accretive to the Fund is, therefore, contrary to the evidence,’ they added.

Furthermore, they accused Veloso of evading a mandatory Board review which was meant to provide a ‘crucial layer of scrutiny, risk assessment, and collective judgment.’

‘It was precisely by evading this mandatory review process that PGM Veloso was able to proceed with the high-risk, underperforming ventures that have now resulted in substantial losses,’ the board members said.

‘This failure of governance is not incidental to the losses; it is the direct cause of the financial damage inflicted upon the Fund and its members,’ they added.

Due to this, the board members called for a comprehensive review of Veloso’s underperforming investments and to hold those involved in the process by which they were allowed accountable.

‘Only through an honest assessment of the facts can we truly safeguard the future of the Fund and the welfare of its members,’ they said.

The statement was signed by Evelina Escudero, former trustees Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez, Emmanuel Samson and Rita Riddle, as well as former board members Alan Luga and Jocelyn Cabreza.

It comes just days after they called for the resignation of Veloso, claiming that his strategies had resulted in losses of P8.8 billion. /gsg