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‘Trillion’ has been quite the buzzword lately, especially with budget deliberations and economic data coming up.

But if you’re a close follower of capital market updates, or if you just happened to stumble upon social media posts lately, you’d know that there’s yet another hot topic.

Over the last week, a post has been circulating on Facebook about the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) supposedly losing up to P5 trillion in market capitalization since December 2024.

The operator of the local bourse was quick to dispel this post and the mammoth, destructive number.

In a strongly worded statement on Monday, PSE clarified that the domestic market capitalization was actually down by just P273.26 billion year-to-date, or 1.88 percent, to P14.3 trillion.

Meanwhile, total market capitalization, which includes shares of dually listed firms Sun Life Financial Inc., Del Monte Pacific Ltd. and Manulife Financial Corp., was down 4.43 percent, or P886.84 billion, to P19.12 trillion.

Given this data, PSE infers that the Facebook poster may have actually compared domestic market capitalization to total market capitalization, which, as it vehemently highlights, is a big no-no.

‘Deliberately comparing apples to oranges by comparing domestic market capitalization to total market capitalization is dishonest, if not malicious, and is clearly meant to provoke investors to lose confidence in the Philippine capital market and destabilize the economy,’ PSE said in its statement.

Let’s hope this finally clears things up and doesn’t cause any further harm. -Meg J. Adonis

Ikea expands to the north

Sweden-based home furnishing brand Ikea will open on Oct 23 its first Plan and Order Shop in the Philippines at the Ayala Group’s TriNoma Mall in Quezon City, in a bid to bring its products closer to target customers in the north.

But if Paul Birkett, chief operating officer of Ayala Malls, will have his way, he would love to have a full-size Ikea branch at TriNoma and in other malls under the Ayala Group. That dream, however, will have to remain just that for the meantime.

According to Ikea Philippines country retail manager Ricardo Pinheiro, the possibility of having a new branch is always there, but for now, the priority is to make a success out of the P35-million, 500-square-meter Plan and Order Shop, where customers can pick up their online orders or shop for bestselling Ikea items, particularly from the kitchen, dining and home organizing segments.

The small-scale store also provides customers with space to plan their dream kitchens, wardrobes and living areas with the help of in-house experts who can provide free advice, as offered from Ikea’s flagshop store in Pasay City, which remains the world’s largest standalone Ikea branch.

‘The new Plan and Order Shop at TriNoma reflects our Democratic Design philosophy and offers a convenient alternative for those who live in the north of Metro Manila,’ Pinheiro said.’

Pinheiro shared that while the possibility of setting up a new branch continues to be discussed, Ikea will pursue more immediate plans, which include possibly doubling the sales of its fresh plants, which it secures locally, and bringing local textiles to the Philippine market. -Tina Arceo-Dumlao INQ

Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III said he is ready anytime to make his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) available to the public, but he will consult his peers on their preferences about this matter.

Even before, Sotto pointed out that the Senate has allowed access to the SALNs of senators ‘subject to their individual approval.’

‘And so this is not new to us,’ the Senate chief said in a text message on Wednesday. ‘The only variation is we redact the addresses of their properties.’

Sotto was sought for comment on a new memorandum issued by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday, which lifts the restrictions previously imposed by his predecessor, Samuel Martires.

During Martires’ time, SALNs of government officials could only be accessed if there was a notarized consent from the officials concerned, a court order for its release in relation to a pending case, and if the Office of the Ombudsman’s field investigators needed the records for a fact-finding probe.

But with the new memo, journalists and the public will now just need to present two valid IDs and pay for a reproduction or certification fee to request a copy of an official’s SALN.

‘As of today, and as the memorandum circular is written, there is no need for consent on the part of the public officer whose SALN is requested,’ Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano earlier explained to reporters.

Sotto said he would likely call for a caucus to discuss the new memo with his colleagues.

‘I will seek their permission. Me, I’m ready, ready,’ he said.

‘I will consult my current colleagues on how they prefer theirs,’ Sotto added.

At present, the public may request for a senator’s SALN through the Office of the Senate Secretary.

‘The SALNs of senators are submitted to the Secretary of the Senate, who is also the repository of the SALNs. Requests for SALNs may be filed with the Office of the Senate Secretary,’ Senate Secretary Renato Bantug said in a separate message to reporters. /abc

The chemistry between Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino will heat up in the romantic thriller ‘The Alibi,’ set to premiere on Nov. 7 on Prime Video.

‘The Alibi’ tells the story of Vincent Cabrera (Avelino), an heir to a news empire, who was accused of killing his rival Walter Cunanan (Sam Milby). In a quest to protect his own reputation, Vincent seeks the help of a star dancer named Stella Morales (Kim Chiu) to pose as his alibi.

‘What begins as a transactional deal between strangers soon spirals into an emotional and dangerous entanglement. As Stella and Vincent’s connection deepens, they are pulled into a web of lies that threatens to destroy not only them but the powerful families they come from,’ a press release said.

The upcoming whodunit series will also feature the tumultuous relationship of Stella and her ‘fractured family,’ as well as the ‘decades of corruption and betrayal’ perpetuated by the Cabrera clan, where it was hinted that Vincent and Stella will uncover later on.

”The Alibi’ is a story about the lies we tell ourselves to survive. It’s a taut, character-driven mystery that challenges viewers to question every motive and every memory,’ Prime Video creative manager Danica Domingo said in a statement.

Joining Chiu and Avelino are John Arcilla, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Sofia Andres, Irma Adlawan, Rafael Rosell, Romnick Sarmenta, and Alora Sasam.

Other stars joining the series are Robbie Jaworski, Angelina Cruz, Alyanna Angeles, Alma Moreno, PJ Endrinal, Lotlot Bustamante, Ian de Leon, Enzo Osorio, Ayesha Bajeta, Thou Reyes, Marvin Yap, Johaira Omar, Yesh Burce, and Kim Tubiano.

‘The Alibi’ – co-directed by Onat Diaz, Jojo Saguin, and FM Reyes – marks the fourth time Chiu and Avelino will work together after ‘Linlang,’ the Philippine adaptation of ‘What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,’ and the film ‘My Love Will Make You Disappear.’ /edv

Lower-priced stocks and the peso regaining strength against the US dollar perked up investors on Wednesday. This enabled the Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) to close just below the 6,100 barrier.

The benchmark index added 0.29 percent or 17.88 points to settle at 6,094.1.

The PSEi briefly broke through the 6,100 level, although some selling pressure among conglomerates, industrial and property firms pushed it back to 6,000. Foreigners were also net sellers, with outflows totaling P233.37 million.

Meanwhile, the broader All Shares Index was nearly flat, gaining only 0.06 percent or 2.25 points to close at 3,670.88.

A total of 2.6 billion shares worth P7.9 billion changed hands, stock exchange data showed.

Japhet Tantiangco, research head at Philstocks Financial Inc., explained investors went bargain hunting for lower-priced blue chips. The local currency’s improvement against the greenback likewise improved sentiment, Tantiangco added.

The peso closed at 58.055 against the US dollar on Wednesday, coming from 58.215 on Tuesday.

Mining stocks saw the steepest climb as traders considered higher gold prices.

Emerging as the top-traded stock was International Container Terminal Services Inc., which gained 2.42 percent to P550 each. It was followed by Universal Robina Corp., up 1.05 percent to P77; Manila Water Co. Inc., down 2.9 percent to P36.80; PLDT Inc., down 0.73 percent to P1,094; and BDO Unibank Inc., up 1.16 percent to P139 per share.

There were 107 losers against 95 gainers, while 56 companies were unchanged at closing, stock exchange data also showed./ rwd

Contractors, suppliers and consultants found to have grave or repeated violations of government procurement rules face a lifetime ban from bidding under Republic Act No. 12009, or the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.

Pangandaman described the NGPA as a modernization of procurement that tightens accountability and prioritizes ‘quality over connections.’

She cited provisions that expand public access to contract implementation data, require beneficial ownership declarations to prevent conflicts of interest, and strengthen citizen and media oversight.

The law sets an enforcement ladder that begins with corrective measures, such as fines, retraining and placement on performance watchlists, for lapses that can be remedied. For procedural violations, agencies may impose suspension-typically one year for a first offense and two years for a second.

For misconduct involving fraud, falsification or collusion, agencies may impose blacklisting for one to two years. When entities show a pattern of grave or repeated breaches, the NGPA authorizes perpetual disqualification-effectively a lifetime bar from all government procurement.

‘Accountability by design protects taxpayers and rewards honest performers,’ Pangandaman said. ‘We’re raising the bar for anyone who wants to do business with the government.’

While administrative in nature, cases under the NGPA can also support criminal complaints when evidence points to fraud or misuse of public funds.

The Department of Budget and Management said the blacklisting provisions are part of broader reforms to curb waste, abuse and misuse of public resources, backed by an integrated procurement monitoring system to track compliance and performance across agencies.

Amid a rapidly evolving media landscape, ‘listening’ has emerged as the second most popular media activity among Gen X and Millennials, right behind ‘watching.’

This is according to a generational research that PR agency CommandSense conducted earlier this month.

Titled ‘Common Ground: Pinoy Voices in New Media,’ the study involved a survey that covered 400 Filipinos aged 27 to 58 across the Philippines.

Findings show that FM radio leads the way, capturing 34 percent of listeners. Closely following is digital streaming giant Spotify with 32% of listeners.

YouTube Music (28%) and AM radio (22%) rounded out the top platforms, showing a diverse range of audio preferences among respondents.

Fernando Paragas, a professor at the University of the Philippines’s College of Media and Communication in Diliman, Quezon City, served as lead researcher of the study

Simultaneously popular

Paragas said that the simultaneous popularity of traditional and digital audio sources reflected the adaptability and expanding preferences of Gen X and Millennials.

‘While visual content continues to dominate, the sustained appeal of FM radio alongside the rise of digital platforms like Spotify and YouTube Music highlights a rich and varied auditory landscape,’ Paragas stated.

Charlotte F. Reyes, managing director of CommandSense, said the survey results revealed an intriguing balance in media consumption habits. Gen X and Millennials embraced both the nostalgia of FM radio and the convenience of digital streaming.

‘For brands and content creators, this presents a unique opportunity to engage audiences across multiple platforms by blending the old with the new to cater to the evolving tastes of these influential age groups,’ Reyes said.

Meanwhile, traditional audio formats such as cassettes, vinyl records and CDs have largely fallen out of favor with Gen X and Millennials. These collectively account for only 11 percent of their listening preferences.

Founded in 2005, CommandSense differentiates itself by ‘combining data-driven insights with intuitive storytelling to create impactful narratives that resonate and deliver results.’

The company said its latest research focused on Gen X and Millennials because these two generations play a major role in shaping today’s media and consumer landscape. INQ

Letran halted the longest winning streak in the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, defeating Perpetual Help, 63-56, at San Juan Arena.

The Knights snapped the Altas’ four-game run to hand the Group A leaders their first loss of the season.

‘We’ve finally broken our slup,’ said coach Allen Ricardo, referring to Letran’s slow start that saw them open the season with three straight losses.

‘We’ve now won back-to-back and we’re looking for to our next few games.’

Letran also notched an 84-80 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College last Saturday.

Johnsherick Estrada powered the Knights with 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Deo Cuajao added 16 as Letran improved to 2-3.

Patrick Sleat led the Altas with 16 points, five assists, and three rebounds, while Mark Gojo Cruz and Kim Abis combined for 19, but it wasn’t enough to keep their streak alive as they slipped to 4-1.

‘It’s OA.’

Nothing but a ‘repressive’ and an ‘OA (overacting)’ requirement is how media professionals would describe the conditions laid down by the Office of the Ombudsman for journalists to submit their outputs based on the acquired statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) following the reversal of policy that concealed the document of public officials for years.

While the move by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla was a welcome development, Danilo Arao, a journalism professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, said the graft-buster should be reminded of the ‘mutual trust’ between the press and the government.

‘It’s very, very repressive because why do you need that particular requirement? It’s too bureaucratic and why is it the business of the Office of the Ombudsman to know how the information was used for the media?’ Arao told the Inquirer in a phone interview.

Arao acknowledged that while there may be inaccuracies and even misquotations on the SALNs of public officials, he said other members of the press can easily call them out and not Remulla himself.

‘That’s part of the self-regulatory framework we adopt,’ he pointed out. ‘It’s OA. It’s very bureaucratic and to some extent, it might even be repressive because there is that element of chilling effect when the Ombudsman himself would make such impositions on the media.’

Arao urged Remulla to reverse this provision in the ruling he released on Tuesday, and beat reporters covering the Ombudsman should also oppose these measures that ‘compromise access to information.’

‘Remulla should rescind and apologize for this unnecessary, bureaucratic and even repressive measure,’ Arao said. ‘He is not tasked to police media content.’

For the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), Remulla’s requirement was ‘unusual,’ but may even be ‘benign’ if it will be used for formal investigations.

‘It’s an unusual requirement, but if the premise is that the Ombudsman will use the stories as leads and tips for its own field investigation units, it might be a benign one,’ NUJP chairperson Jonathan de Santos said.

This may even be a way to validate whether the SALN requested was used for journalistic purposes, he also said, but he stressed what possible implications this policy may do in the future.

‘What would be worrisome is for them to require the reporter to disclose the angles of the story,’ De Santos stressed. ‘So, for now, even if it is unusual, we can acknowledge that this is an opening up of restrictions.’ /cb

Imelda Schweighart is coming back to pageantry and will be taking part in the 2026 edition of the Miss Universe Philippines pageant after her recent appointment as the representative of Kalibo, Aklan.

Many were surprised when she personally appeared and joined in the celebration of the 25th Miss Philippines Earth pageant in August even though she abdicated her throne in 2016.

Schweighart received her official title as 2026 Miss Universe Philippines-Kalibo, Aklan on Tuesday evening, Oct. 14, right in the province’s capital and largest town.

Many pageant fans remember her as being one of the only few Filipino delegates who failed to advance to the semifinal round of the Manila-based Miss Earth pageant.

When she missed the cut at the 2016 Miss Earth pageant, Schweighart was filmed outside the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, speaking to her fans and throwing tirades against other delegates.

Carousel Productions later announced that she had stepped down as Miss Philippines Earth. Schweighart also dropped a bombshell declaration afterwards, admitting that she was pregnant.

But this is not the first time for her to seek a spot in the Miss Universe pageant. She joined the 50th Binibining Pilipinas pageant in 2013 when the national search still held the Miss Universe franchise for the Philippines.

She ended in the Top 15, with Laguna lass Ariella Arida claiming the crown that would bring her to the Miss Universe pageant in Russia. Arida finished as third runner-up in the global tilt.

A decade since her participation in the Bb. Pilipinas pageant, Schweighart tried to represent her father’s country and signed up for the Miss Universe Germany competition. She, however, did not earn a placement.

She flew back to the Philippines in 2024 to take part in the Century Tuna Superbods search. There, she received the ‘Supermom’ special award, but pageant veteran Justine Felizarta topped the female division.

Giselle Quimpo, the Miss Universe Philippines pageant’s local director for Kalibo, Aklan, appointed Schweighart, who represented Puerto Princesa in her 2016 Miss Philippines Earth and 2013 Bb. Pilipinas outings.

Since 2024, the Miss Universe Philippines organization has been strictly implementing their local directorship program, skipping any general screening and only accepting participants fielded by local directors.

The local directors have the option of conducting their own pageant in their respective town, city, province, or overseas community, or appointing a delegate.

Schweighart is not the first Miss Philippines Earth titleholder to join the Miss Universe Philippines pageant, with a precedence set by 2018 Miss Philippines Earth Celeste Cortesi who was crowned Miss Universe Philippines in 2022. /edv

Amid the ongoing investigations into anomalous infrastructure projects, fighting graft and corruption has emerged as the second most urgent national concern among Filipinos in the latest Pulse Asia survey released on Monday.

Conducted on Sept. 27 to Sept. 30, a week after the Sep. 21 Trillion-Peso March, the survey showed that out of 17 national concerns, controlling inflation and fighting corruption were foremost for a majority of the respondents.

It said that 54 percent of the respondents placed inflation as the top national concern, while 51 percent cited fighting corruption as an urgent concern in the country.

The ranking for fighting corruption showed a sharp increase from a similar survey in June 2025, where it was fifth with 24 percent.

Concern over corruption was highest in Luzon outside Metro Manila at 56 percent, followed by the Visayas (55 percent), Metro Manila (50 percent), and Mindanao (39 percent).

Congress has ongoing investigations into the alleged anomalous flood control projects across the country, as well as the budget insertions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) weeks before the survey period.

A call to action

The newly created Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) also began its probe of the misuse of funds in infrastructure projects implemented since 2015 and submitted its first interim report to the Office of the Ombudsman on Sept. 29, 2025.

Malacañang has brushed off the results of the survey, maintaining that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. does not rely on these polls and will just continue doing his job.

‘The President is not alarmed by the numbers,’ Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a briefing on Tuesday.

‘He continues to work hard to further fight corruption in the country, and he has previously said that ratings should not be based solely on one survey,’ she added.

But for Pulse Asia Research president Ronald Holmes, the survey results should serve as a call for the Marcos administration to exert more effort, especially in its anticorruption campaign.

‘If you look at the numbers alone, then that means Filipinos are basically unhappy with regard to what the administration is doing in addressing the concerns,’ he said in an interview on ANC.

‘[If] you have seven out of 10 Filipinos saying they are disapproving of the performance of the administration in fighting corruption, then the administration has to really take this as a signal. They have to do more,’ Holmes pointed out.

According to Holmes, while the rising prices of goods and services have always been a No. 1 concern for Filipinos, it was only more recently that corruption has been among the top issues for the public.

‘In terms of corruption, I think the last time that we saw it in the top three was prior to the Aquino administration,’ Holmes said, referring to the presidencies of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada.

He largely attributed this to the ‘signaling effect’ of Marcos, who emphasized his denouncement of corruption involved in the flood control projects during his fourth State of the Nation Address in July.

‘Basically, it’s a clear indication that people really feel that [corruption] is an issue that must be attended to resolutely and seriously, in all honesty, by the national administration,’ Holmes said.

Wages, crime, poverty

Concern over inflation was consistently high across all areas: 63 percent in Mindanao, 56 percent in Metro Manila, 54 percent in the Visayas, and 49 percent in Luzon outside Metro Manila.

Across socioeconomic classes, concern over corruption was highest in Class ABC with 66 percent, followed by Class D (49 percent) and Class E (44 percent).

Concern over inflation was highest among Classes D and E (both 55 percent), followed by Class ABC (47 percent).

According to the survey, other top urgent concerns of the country include increasing workers’ wages at 37 percent, fighting criminality at 23 percent, reducing poverty at 23 percent, fighting the widespread sale and use of illegal drugs at 22 percent, and creating more jobs at 20 percent.

Tax reduction and assisting farmers scored 12 percent and 11 percent, respectively.

Only 10 percent of Filipinos classified promoting peace in the country and addressing involuntary hunger as urgent.

Least concerning to respondents were enforcing the law (8 percent), stopping the destruction and abuse of the environment (6 percent), providing support to small entrepreneurs (5 percent), defending national integrity (4 percent), Overseas Filipino Worker welfare (3 percent), and preparation to face any kind of terrorism (1 percent).

Flood control was a new issue in the September survey, volunteered by 1 percent of the respondents. This item was not present in the previous June survey.

Approval ratings

The survey also revealed that the Marcos administration earned majority approval ratings only in OFW welfare, with an approval rate of 58 percent.

Responding to the needs of areas affected by calamities and defending national integrity came close to a majority approval rating, with 46 percent and 43 percent, respectively.

The administration posted a low score in fighting graft and corruption in the government (69 percent disapproval versus a 17 percent approval).

Disapproval was also notably high in areas such as controlling inflation (64 percent), fighting widespread sale and use of drugs (61 percent), and reducing poverty (57 percent).

Other national issues with elevated disapproval are fighting criminality (44 percent) and involuntary hunger (43 percent).

Pulse Asia interviewed 1,200 adult respondents nationwide and used a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2.8 percentage points at a national level and plus-or-minus 5.7 percent for subnational estimates.