Author: user user

As the Philippines ushers in National Children’s Month this November, renewed calls were made to focus on bridging the alarming nutritional gap in Filipino children. The 2023 report of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) revealed that 21.3% of Filipino children aged 5-10 years old are underweight, 8.4% have muscle wasting, and 12.9% are either overweight or obese. These numbers are higher compared to their 2021 data.

This was echoed in the February 2025 research of Thrive, a non-profit organization with an international board and advisory council, which said that childhood malnutrition remains a critical issue in the Philippines.

Dr. Yvonne Marie Ferrer, FEIHE Philippines’ Medical Affairs Head, echoed the calls to address children’s nutritional challenges, especially during early childhood, which is a period of rapid growth and development. She said that if parents miss out on this chance to support the child’s growth and development during early childhood, there could be a risk for lesser opportunities to excel later in life.

Dr. Ferrer said that one effective and simple step to help close the nutritional gap is for school-aged children to consume one to two glasses of milk daily, explaining that milk offers a lot of nutritional benefits for optimal growth and development.

However, a recent FNRI study showed that only half of the population of Filipino children consume milk daily and Dr. Ferrer said that this is a cause for concern. ‘Parents should not miss out on the milk benefits for their children as an essential food and nutritional source. Not drinking milk on a daily basis may leave lasting consequences on children’s health and learning potential,’ she said.

However, Dr. Ferrer said that not all milk is created the same and advised parents to be mindful about the milk they give their kids.

‘Fresh milk formula would be a great choice for growing kids such as AceKid Activegro. Unlike conventional milk formulas which go through numerous heating treatments in their milk manufacturing, AceKid fresh milk formula has a game changer farm-to-can process. High heat treatment and storage required in conventional milk manufacturing degrade nutrients, and even leads to loss of some essential nutrients needed for the child’s growth and development. With FEIHEs single step process, heat treatment and storage are lessened, resulting in retention of milk’s natural nutrients, Dr. Ferrer explained.

‘Parents would also be happy to know that AceKid does not contain sucrose and maltodextrin, preventing early tooth decay and picky eating due to the sweet taste conditioning and the possibility of having diabetes later in life,’ she adds.

More importantly, Dr. Ferrer said AceKid ActiveGro is produced from the pristine ‘golden milk source belt’ at 47° North Latitude. This region is known for its fertile black soil, rich in nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, calcium, and magnesium-ideal for growing high-quality feed for dairy cows.

‘Cows fed with crops from this golden dairy source produce milk that is naturally more nutrient-rich,’ Dr. Ferrer said.

In choosing milk for their kids, parents should also pay attention to the milk’s texture, smell and solubility as children tend to reject milk that smells strong or feels clumpy,’ she advised.

AceKid ActiveGro is processed using fresh milk formula, retaining the natural aroma of milk and its nutrients. The single step approach also leads to easy solubility of the milk when mixed with water. All these features make it easy for mothers to convince their children to drink milk, according to several testimonies of mothers.

As Filipino families continue to navigate the nutritional gap challenges, AceKid ActiveGro champions a simple yet powerful call: invest in children’s nutrition, one glass of fresh milk formula at a time, positioning itself as a trusted partner in building a healthier future for the next generation.

LE SSERAFIM has been confirmed to collaborate with BTS’ J-Hope for their upcoming single, ‘Spaghetti,’ set for an Oct. 24 release.

The K-pop girl group’s label Source Music announced the collaboration in a teaser clip for the quintet’s comeback single on Sunday, Oct. 19.

Dubbed as ‘The Kick,’ the teaser showed silhouettes of J-Hope before transitioning to the BTS member – while donning a leather jacket and massive sunglasses – in a series of dance-like poses.

‘The kick,’ the video’s description read.

J-Hope and LE SSERAFIM’s Huh Yunjin previously collaborated in the single ‘i don’t know,’ which is part of the BTS member album’s ‘Hope on the Street.’ The girl group had previously done a number of TikTok collabs with the K-pop powerhouse on multiple occasions.

LE SSERAFIM and J-Hope are part of Source Music and BigHit Music, music labels that are under the umbrella of K-pop giant HYBE.

‘Spaghetti’ is the title track of the quintet’s upcoming single album of the same name. While teasers have been showing Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Eunchae in concept photos with the themes ‘Cheeky Neon Pepper,’ ‘Knocking Basil,’ ‘Knocking Basil,’ and ‘Weird Garlic,’ further details have yet to be revealed.

The single album will be released seven months after their mini-album ‘Hot.’

LE SSERAFIM debuted as a six-piece act in May 2022. Forging ahead as a quintet in the same year, the girl group is composed of Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Eunchae.

Malacañang on Monday said the government is ready to imprison individuals linked to the anomalous infrastructure projects of the government.

At a press briefing, Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro reacted to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s earlier statement that the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) is preparing regular jail facilities to detain individuals who may be charged in connection with the flood control scandal.

Remulla also estimated that the number of individuals to be jailed could reach at least 200.

‘Let’s wait and see because the investigation isn’t over yet. If that’s how he sees it or estimates it, the government is ready if they indeed need to be imprisoned,’ Castro said in Filipino.

The Palace official also affirmed Remulla’s assumption that the first round of indictments could be filed within the next three weeks.

‘That is also ICI’s promise-that there will be a swift filing of the case. It’s just that they are currently gathering enough evidence so that the cases they will file won’t be weak and risk being dismissed. All their efforts would go to waste if the case gets dismissed right away.’

In an interview, Remulla said the ‘rules of the jail will apply to the rich and to the poor the same.’

‘The BJMP is ready. The facilities are ready. We are not backing out of the obligation to fulfill our role as the office in charge of all jails in the Philippines,’ he said.

Former Philippine National Police chief and ICI Special Adviser Rodolfo Azurin Jr. previously said at least 15 cases may be filed before the Ombudsman in the coming weeks.

Private-sector connections of government officials are not inherently improper, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon said Monday.

Dizon made the remark following the voluntary resignation of former DPWH Undersecretary Arrey Perez, who was named by Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste in connection with the alleged ties to private contractors.

Dizon noted that Perez, before his DPWH post as undersecretary for convergence projects and technical services, worked at the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) of the MVP Group.

‘So that’s his link,’ Dizon said in a radio dzMM interview. ‘But it doesn’t mean that having a link makes you corrupt, asking for bribes, or doing something illegal, right?’

The DPWH clarified that the investigation into Perez’s actions continues, but it is not focused on his private-sector ties.

‘We will investigate not their links, but whether they did something wrong or illegal. That will be the subject of our investigation,’ Dizon said.

Other private sector links

Other DPWH officials also have private-sector ties, Dizon said.

He cited Undersecretary Charles Calima, who previously worked at San Miguel Corporation, another major infrastructure firm.

‘Does that mean he will do something wrong in the DPWH? I don’t think that’s automatic. Just because you came from a big infrastructure firm like San Miguel or Metro Pacific doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong or illegal in the DPWH,’ he said.

Based on facts and evidence

Meanwhile, Dizon said he had spoken by phone with Leviste, who told him he had ‘heard’ something about Perez’s connection.

‘For me, I respect what Congressman Leviste did, but it would be better if we based such kinds of accusations [on] facts and evidence. Congressman Leviste called me, and he talked about something he heard, and we immediately acted upon it,’ he also said.

Perez, who only took his oath as DPWH undersecretary for operations in charge of convergence projects and technical services on Sept. 29, resigned on Oct. 17, hours after Leviste identified him, Dizon previously said.

‘What Arrey Perez did was commendable because we rarely see that-even with just speculation or opinion, gossip, or rumor-he already immediately submitted his irrevocable resignation,’ he added.

Perez has yet to publicly respond with Leviste’s allegations.

Following Perez’s resignation, Dizon appointed Lara Marisse Esquibil as the officer-in-charge undersecretary for convergence projects and technical services.

A multi-billion-peso corruption scandal involving DPWH officials, private contractors, and lawmakers over flood-control projects has sparked widespread protests and college walkouts since Sept. 21, alongside rumors of a coup, which the military denied./mcm

Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III appeared more confident on Sunday that he would be able to persuade Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson to resume his leadership of the chamber’s blue ribbon committee.

‘Most of my colleagues in the majority want him to return,’ Sotto said, adding that blue ribbon committee members have scheduled within the next few days, or until the end of October, to collectively persuade Lacson.

In an Oct. 7 resignation letter to Sotto, Lacson explained how a number of their colleagues have expressed disappointment with the ‘direction’ of the blue ribbon committee hearings regarding the anomalous flood control projects.

‘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,’ said Lacson.

But Sen. Francis Pangilinan recalled that ‘no one in the majority bloc sought his replacement as blue ribbon committee chairman.’

‘My sense was and is that, while there were a number of our colleagues in the majority bloc who disagreed with some earlier public pronouncements made by him, the matter [was] threshed out and clarified by him in a majority caucus [on] Oct. 1,’ Pangilinan said.

Reaffirmed support

‘I appeal to Senator Ping to stay on as blue ribbon committee chairman and appeal as well to our colleagues in the majority bloc to reaffirm our support for him to stay on, even as we iron out our differences,’ he added.

In an interview with Sotto and Lacson’s daughters, Lacson revealed that he was also irritated by an ‘overly vocal, boastful, or aggressive’ person who seemed to be keen on protecting principal suspects Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya.

‘There is a saying: ‘The loudest one in the room is the weakest,” Lacson said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). ‘He is overly vocal, boastful, or aggressive so he can create an image of strength through noise.’

Lacson was apparently referring to Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who also listened to bombshell revelations implicating current and former senators in the flood control anomalies.

Pangilinan said he is hoping that with the renewed support of the majority bloc, Lacson would be convinced to stay in his post.

‘Now more than ever, amidst the political crisis facing the nation, our people are looking for stability and certainty in the state of our affairs and looking to the strength of our institutions to withstand the ongoing crisis and resolve it in favor of truth, transparency, and public accountability,’ Pangilinan said.

The committee has since been led, in an acting capacity, by Sen. Erwin Tulfo, who was the committee’s vice chair, but Tulfo is in the United States.

According to Sotto, the blue ribbon committee members will set a meeting before the end of October to discuss the supposed request of sacked Public Works and Highways officials Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza for house arrest, but Sotto said the Senate could continue to detain them until 2028, according to a ruling of the Supreme Court.

Alas Pilipinas men seek to return to the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) final in December after turning heads in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.

The Alas official page has revealed the groupings in the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand with the men’s national volleyball team being grouped with three-peat champion Indonesia, fast-rising Cambodia, which reached the 2023 final and won bronze in 2022, and Myanmar in Pool B.

Pool A has host Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Laos.

‘It’s still going to be a challenge because all the teams are preparing hard for the SEA Games. Especially Cambodia and Myanmar, we haven’t seen much of them in recent tournaments, but we know they compete at a high level in volleyball,’ said Alas Pilipinas 10-year veteran Marck Espejo.

Espejo was one of the top gunners of Alas Pilipinas with Bryan Bagunas, Leo Ordiales, and Owa Retamar after an impressive showing in the World Championship, where they beat Egypt and narrowly missed the round of 16 after a heartbreaking five-set loss to Iran.

The longtime national team player says the squad’s goal is to reach the final again after a runner-up finish in the 2019 SEA Games Manila.

‘I’m really excited to play again. This time, our team’s goal isn’t just to reach the semifinals, we want to make it to the finals,’ said Espejo as the potential of the men’s team has been unlocked by Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni.

Spikers’ Turf, which opens on Monday next week, has expressed its full support, as well as the men’s clubs, allowing the players to join the national team training camp on November 15 or even earlier.

‘We’re fully supporting our national team here at Spikers’ Turf. That’s why we’re allowing national team players to join practices, training camps, or whatever plans the national team has. Even before November 15, they’re free to go. We already spoke with the different teams to get their thoughts and suggestions too. So that’s how we came up with our solution,’ said Spikers’ Turf tournament director Mozzy Ravena in Filipino.

‘It’s not really a problem because support for the national team should always come first. What we’re doing now is allowing teams with national team players to bring in additional players as substitutes for those who will be joining the national team.’

Bryan Bagunas, who is with his SV.League club Osaka Bluteon, has also committed to the national team for the SEA Games amid the ongoing club season.

Meanwhile, Alas Pilipinas women’s quest to end a 20-year medal drought starts in Pool A against the dynasty of 16-time gold medalist Thailand and Singapore.

Silver medalist Vietnam and bronze medalist Indonesia headline Pool B with Myanmar and Malaysia.

Under the leadership of setter Jia De Guzman, young guns Angel Canino, Alyssa Solomon, Eya Laure, and Bella Belen reached the final of the AVC Nations Cup and won two bronze medals in the SEA V-League this year.

Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday urged greater investment in digital transformation, describing it as a ‘weapon against corruption’ that can end the manipulation of public funds through the digitalization of government processes.

In a speech at the 51st Philippine Business Conference and Expo at the SMX Convention Center, Duterte noted how digital transformation has become a strategic tool for good governance and nation-building, as it enabled innovation in the business sector, all while improving the country’s capacity to deliver public services.

‘More importantly, it is our weapon against corruption. As we digitize, we automate our processes, make data and all government transactions seamless, borderless, and transparent, and we leave no room for scrupulous backdoor transactions,’ said Duterte.

‘We take away the power of corrupt leaders to manipulate public funds and capitalize on people’s money for their personal interests, greed, and political ambition,’ she added.

Duterte noted how technology has allowed the government to more effectively impose checks and balances, as well as eliminate ‘politically motivated decision-making,’ and prevent ‘unconstitutional budget insertions to curry political favor at the expense of the people’s money.’

‘If technology is a blessing to modern society, then let us use it to protect the people’s rights and welfare – the right to have better governance, the right to have better opportunities in our homeland, and the strong political will to put our leaders in check when they have unforgivably gone beyond the authority that the people have vested in them,’ said Duterte.

‘Let us use technology and digital transformation as weapons to close the door where corruption once thrived, unchecked and unpunished,’ she added.

Furthermore, Duterte noted investing in digital transformation is tantamount to investing in the country’s people, building better future opportunities, and creating a stronger and more competitive nation.

‘These strategies will be significant economic drivers that will help create local jobs, increase domestic activities, and spur development and progress in domestic and micro-economies across the Philippines,’ said Duterte.

Duterte’s pronouncements come amid the government and the private sector’s ongoing efforts to improve digitalization.

Her remarks also reflected recent government corruption scandals, including the alleged anomalies in infrastructure deals-particularly, flood control projects-as well as her own office’s alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Senators Loren Legarda and Bam Aquino on Monday proposed on Monday an across-the-board cut in all infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2026 in light of the systematic overpricing revealed by recent corruption scandals.

Legarda and Aquino floated the suggestion at a Senate subpanel on finance’s hearing on the proposed 2026 budget of the DPWH.

Legarda first brought up the matter, asking Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon if he and his team would consider it reasonable to implement a 25 to 30 percent across-the-board cut on all DPWH infrastructure line items.

Legarda said this could be a ‘temporary corrective measure’ in the 2026 budget, so that the 2027 funding would be more ‘scientific.’

‘It seems only right that the changes should not happen in 2027. It can’t wait because the people have already paid taxes, and those taxes are what we use for the infrastructure we’re going to build. If we say, ‘Well, we didn’t do that, it’s still for 2027′ – then I won’t be able to sign off on the 2026 General Appropriations Act if we don’t lower the prices of the line items,’ Legarda said in Filipino.

So this across-the-board move is a good indication that we are serious about reforming our budgetary process,’ she added.

Dizon admitted that some projects of the DPWH were indeed found to be overpriced by more than 20 percent, but instead of recommending an across-the-board budget cut, the DPWH chief said a targeted budget adjustment would be better.

‘Prices are different in the National Capital Region, different in Cebu, different in Palawan, and different in Mindoro. But clearly, there is overpricing. So what we are doing now is going through them one by one – examining each region individually to identify which items are overpriced,’ said Dizon.

Dizon said they are ‘going through the process already,’ adding that they would be announcing a recommendation in the next few weeks.

‘If you will allow us, maybe we can announce this once we are committee-ready. We’ve only been here for just a little over a month, but the team has already made immense progress in its effort and I think very soon we’ll be coming out with a – not just an across-the-board, but a region-by-region adjustment in the cost of materials throughout the country,’ said Dizon.

Later, when it was time for him to question the DPWH budget, Sen. Aquino said the across-the-board budget cut might be warranted if the Senate could not see changes in the agency in terms of addressing overpricing.

‘Because if there’s overpricing, we won’t be able to sign off in good conscience knowing that the design and cost of materials are overpriced. But since the budget isn’t due until December – and as you know, it usually reaches the third week of December – there’s still time,’ Aquino said in Filipino.

Aquino said he likewise told former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan to resubmit their list of projects as well as their prices, particularly asking the ex-DPWH chief to fix overpriced projects because the Senate is ‘very open to accepting a resubmitted budget detailing all the projects’ it wants to do.

Now, Aquino made the same appeal to Dizon.

‘Let’s remove the fat. Let’s take out the overpriced items, let’s focus on the right projects, and let’s do the right thing. I know that’s not easy, but we have time. Now, if that can’t be done, I will support a 20 percent cut in the budget just to make sure that fat – the one used for parking, kickbacks, and all sorts of things – is gone,’ he said.

‘Let’s remove that. Let’s go for the real, actual prices of these projects, because that’s what the people truly deserve,’ he pointed out.

A plunder complaint has been filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against former Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Mayor Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson, along with several local officials, over the alleged overpriced purchase of a nearly P150-million property in the municipality in 2019.

The complaint was lodged by Warriors Ti Narvacan, Inc.-an organization advocating good governance and public accountability-before the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday. The group was represented by Atty. Estelita Cordero.

Aside from Singson, 11 individuals, including a former member of the Sangguniang Bayan, a former municipal assessor, and a representative of Western Textile Mills Inc., were also named as respondents in the complaint.

Singson, who served as Narvacan mayor from 2019 to 2022, was identified by the group as the ‘main plunderer’ for allegedly initiating and negotiating the property’s purchase, while members of the Sangguniang Bayan, the municipal assessor, and the representative of Western Textile Mills Inc. were tagged as ‘co-conspirators.’

In its complaint, Warriors Ti Narvacan, Inc. alleged that Singson and the other respondents conspired to defraud the local government by approving an overpriced purchase of a 99,974-square-meter property from Western Textile Mills Inc. worth P149.96 million.

The group claimed that the property’s actual value was only around P49.98 million based on zonal valuation-making the nearly P100-million difference a violation of Republic Act No. 7080, or the Plunder Law.

Aside from filing the plunder complaint against the respondents, Warriors Ti Narvacan, Inc. sought the following:

Issuance of a subpoena duces tecum to compel the production of relevant documents

Preventive suspension of current mayor of Narvacan

A lifestyle check of the respondents, and restitution or payment of P99,974,000.00 representing the overprice

Administrative penalties and perpetual disqualification from public office

Additionally, the group likewise lodged a graft complaint against Singson and three other individuals over the alleged irregularities in the use of public funds, particularly those linked to tobacco excise tax allocations intended for the development of Narvacan.

In the graft complaint, the group alleged that Singson and the three other respondents ‘illegally occupied and privatized the foreshore area in Sulvec, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, known as Santorini, by constructing resort structures without permits or environmental clearance.’

Singson, for his part, categorically denied what he called a ‘baseless and malicious’ complaint against him, describing it as ‘a desperate diversionary tactic and a renewed smear campaign orchestrated by political detractors.’

‘The complaint alleges that I profited P100 million from the sale of a 10-hectare property to the Municipality of Narvacan. The facts clearly show the opposite is true,’ the former mayor said in a video statement sent to the media on Monday afternoon.

Singson claimed that the market value of the property at the time was actually P8,000 per square meter, bringing the total value to P800 million since the 10-hectare parcel covers 100,000 square meters.

‘This transaction resulted in a personal loss of approximately P680 million on my part, demonstrating a substantial act of assistance, not an attempt to profit or plunder. My sole intent was to sincerely help our municipality,’ he said.

‘Furthermore, to underscore this intent, I arranged the entire transaction and opted not to immediately transfer the title to prevent any future issues like double-selling, treating it purely as aid,’ he added.

As social commerce accelerates across Southeast Asia, one agency has emerged as a key force behind its evolution. M-Commerce, widely recognized as the Leading Tiktok shop partner in the Philippines, has positioned itself not just as a marketing agency-but as a growth engine for brands navigating the fast-changing digital retail landscape. What sets M-Commerce apart is its end-to-end capability, offering strategy, content, live selling execution, logistics support, and platform partnerships under one roof. ‘We don’t just drive awareness-we build impact,’ the company states. ‘Our role is to turn discovery into loyalty by helping brands form genuine connections with their consumers.’

Social commerce in Southeast Asia has evolved beyond transactional buying. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are now digital marketplaces fueled by entertainment, discovery, and community. Shoppers don’t simply browse-they engage, interact, and participate, blurring the line between content consumption and purchase intent. This cultural shift has opened doors not only for established brands but also for small sellers and emerging creators who can scale rapidly through authentic storytelling.

M-Commerce stays ahead of platform trends by operating at the heart of activity. Running full campaigns daily enables the team to spot trends in real time, while direct collaboration with TikTok allows them early access to features and platform insights. Their recent 6.6 Mega Sale campaign-which mobilized multiple creators and top influencers simultaneously-became one of their strongest showcases of coordinated live commerce, turning performance into celebration.

Beyond campaign metrics, the agency’s long-term success lies in strategic alignment with brand partners. Rather than focusing solely on sales, M-Commerce measures success through sustained growth, often securing joint business agreements with multinational companies expanding across Asia.

Localization remains critical to their approach. Campaigns are rooted in local language, humor, and cultural context, while anchored to universal themes such as self-expression and belonging, striking a balance between familiarity and aspiration.

Looking ahead, M-Commerce predicts that social commerce will become even more experience-driven, integrating storytelling, AI-powered tools, and seamless transactions. With even luxury brands entering the space, the agency sees enormous opportunity for both big players and grassroots entrepreneurs.

At its core, M-Commerce believes that technology may power commerce, but people sustain it. Whether nurturing creators into influencers or helping small businesses scale beyond expectations, the agency continues to build not just campaigns-but ecosystems of growth.