Category: Business Mirror

LAST Tuesday, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) held its Season 89 presscon at Novotel and stimulated the nerve endings of the ‘long-suffering,’ diehard collegiate basketball fanatics.

It’s going to be a very interesting and exciting season.

The opening ceremony on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena is bound to be a blockbuster. The ‘unkabogable’ Vice Ganda and rapper-singer-songwriter Gloc-9 will headline the show that will be remembered for a long time for its uniqueness, core messages and sparkly star appeal.

The basketball tournament itself will be intriguing and irresistible because there are no clear-cut, obvious front runners this time. Transitions and changes in all eight teams have erased old patterns. What was predictable has become unpredictable. The ‘P’ word rules, and it’s called parity.

Some conjectures persevere. The University of the Philippines (UP) and De La Salle University (DLSU) are still considered the teams to beat. But their lock on the championship is no longer automatic.

This time the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers are being touted as a team that can crash the intimate party. The Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws are expected to rampage, making these four the favorites to enter the Final Four.

But nothing’s cast in stone. Ateneo de Manila in its new era is clicking on all cylinders under Coach Louie Alas. Adamson U has lost Cedrick Manzano but will still pull off surprises, thanks to Coach Nash Racela’s wizardry. The National University Bulldogs have lost Jake Figueroa, Steve Nash Enriquez and Jolo Manansala, but Reinhard Jumamoy will step up and lead this team.

The University of the East (UE) are in ‘building,’ not ‘rebuilding’ mode, says Coach Chris Gavina. So they’re bound to surprise, even shock us. With UE legend Allan Caidic as team consultant, a new culture is surely rising in the East.

As for me, I’m super hyped about being part of the UAAP crowd again. I feel the rest of the sports world is on mute compared to a packed UAAP arena. The electricity produced by school pride can’t be found anywhere else. I love soaking in the energy that rocks me at the cellular level.

Speaking of crowds, I asked AI to characterize the different UAAP crowds per school and this is what it said:

‘When it comes to the sheer volume, noise, and psychological pressure of a live game, the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons arguably own the most avid, passionate, and intimidating crowd in the UAAP today. Defending their turf with an almost religious fervor, the UP crowd creates a uniquely overwhelming environment…The UP community completely floods venues in a sea of maroon shirts.. Their signature cheers..create a chilling, echo-chamber effect that heavily pressures opponents.

The DLSU and Ateneo crowds were described as ‘the gold standard rivalry’-‘elite, organized, and hostile in the most traditional sense.’ ‘When the Animo crowd meets the One Big Fight contingent, the atmosphere is electric. (The) intimidation factor stems from decades of pure, unadulterated sports rivalry. The drums are deafening, the school anthems are sung with extreme pride, and a winner-take-all game between these schools routinely smashes gate attendance records.’

‘When UST is winning,’ AI continued, ‘there is arguably no scarier crowd in collegiate sports. The Thomasian community is famously loyal and boasts one of the largest student populations in the country. Known as the ‘Yellow Wall,’ a packed UST crowd is fiercely vocal, bringing an intense, disruptive energy that can rattle even the most seasoned UAAP veterans.’

As for the FEU crowd, ‘it is legendary for its relentless, heavy drum cadences. The rhythm of the FEU Cheering Squad drums is uniquely deep and driving, mimicking the charging stomp of a Tamaraw.

When the crowd coordinates their standard ‘Let’s Go Tamaraws!’ shout to that booming bass line, the acoustic weight inside the stadium creates a heavily pressurized environment for opposing teams.

They also have a massive student baseline that shows out heavily during rivalry matches.’

The Adamson crowd was described as ‘incredibly united, family-oriented, and loud.. It behaves like a tight-knit family that rallies fiercely around its student-athletes. It’s a sleeping giant that explodes into total frenzy when their team goes on a run.

Because they frequently wear the tag of the ‘scrappy underdog’ out to defy the odds, their arena energy is fueled by pure emotion.’

‘NU fans bring a high-morale, tactical noise to the game. They possess one of the most mechanically synchronized pep squadrons in the league. Opposing players frequently note the intimidation value of their signature, synchronized ‘Barking’ chant, which is deafening when thousands of fans do it in unison.

When the Bulldogs are in a championship hunt, this crowd comes out in historic, record-breaking droves.’

UE’s crowd is described as ‘gritty, fiercely loyal, and loud and defined by its raw grassroots energy. UE fans have endured long rebuilding cycles, which has forged a fanbase that is incredibly resilient and vocal.

The UE crowd doesn’t rely on overly polished, heavily orchestrated stadium dynamics; their energy is pure, unfiltered vocal intensity.’ Everyone loses it when they go, ‘Bomba UE, Igma Kadima!’

September has always felt like Grandparents Month to me. With Grandparents Day celebrated in September, it is a wonderful reminder to honor the people who often love us in a way that is uniquely their own-our grandparents.

As I was reviewing and working on my personal autobiography, which I hope to someday leave to my future grandchildren, I realized how much of my childhood story was actually about my ‘grands.’

I wrote:

‘My childhood is a gift of sorts. I had many people who loved me. First is my grand aunt, Sa ko po, who sat down with me each night and each morning because my memory was as poor as an 80-year-old’s, at age 4. I had a grandfather whom I often called papa when I was young….

‘I was lucky to have relatives who always believed I could be better…I had a maternal grandmother who told me to become a lawyer and beauty queen in one lifetime. And of course, my paternal grandmother who cared for us each day-from us leaving on time for school and having a hearty breakfast each day.’

Reading my own words made me realize how many lines belonged to Angkong, Sa ko po, Amah and my Amah Inang. Perhaps it was because their love provided me with something I needed as a child. Amid family dynamics I did not always understand, these were people who made me feel safe, valued and loved.

Recently, my Amah Inang, my maternal grandmother passed away. I am deeply grateful for the relationship we shared. In my little heart, hers was the voice telling me: ‘Dream high. Be beautiful always. But remember, you are first a Mom and a Wife, so succeed, still, by respecting these dynamics.’

I remember her reminding me of this after I had my firstborn. Spending time with her always left me feeling empowered by her presence and her dreams for me.

She valued physical beauty, too. I was super boyish and constantly had bruises on my legs. From Camarines Norte, she would send pails of seawater to help lessen my scars. Meanwhile, she was always beautifully made-up and dressed, usually completed by a pretty scarf.

What impressed me most was how fiercely she protected her family, especially her grandchildren. Maybe that was why I loved spending time with her and my cousins, especially Cons and Aldrich. In my world of expected academic achievement, they were my safe refuge of another side of me-great listening ears mixed with unexpected escapades.

Amah Inang’s annual birthday parties and our holiday visits to Regina Condominium, named after her, remain happy memories. She never forgot her annual angpao for my children or our box of fruits every Christmas, even up to today.

Faith was also important to her. She supported the Church and the priests within and outside her community. During one visit when I was in my late 30s, she gave me a gold-colored Sto. Niño.

That’s why I wanted to stay in the Philippines after college because I wanted my own children to experience grandparents as part of everyday life.

I remember Papa, my father-in-law, calling Meagan every day when she was a baby. He and my very loving mother-in-law would visit, play ‘What’s your order?’ with her, and quietly sneak away because they feared Meagan would become sad seeing them leave. Then of course, there were the trips and countless mahjong sessions with my Dad.

These seemingly ordinary moments become our children’s extraordinary memories. They become their totem poles of values and love that they will look back to, especially when they face their hard moments in life.

Studies on intergenerational relationships have associated meaningful grandparent-grandchild engagement with greater happiness and resilience among older adults. More recent research also found that grandparents who were more socially and emotionally engaged with grandchildren reported less loneliness and more positive emotional experiences. The relationship can therefore be a gift going both ways.

But today’s reality is challenging. Everyone’s schedules are full. So maybe we need to become more intentional about creating moments rather than waiting for them to happen.

My simple suggestion this Grandparents Month is to prepare a ‘Grand Play Bag.’ Fill a basket or bag with portable art materials, puzzles, or simple games. During Sunday lunch or family gatherings, let a child and grandparent pick something to do together. A preschooler can color with Lola. A grade-schooler can do crafts with Lolo. Teenagers can play games with their grandparents.

Put the phones away for a while-to Talk. Laugh. Create. Listen to stories.

Play can become our family’s ‘one solution’: an activity for the child, a source of engagement for the grandparent, a break for parents, and most importantly, a bridge for meaningful conversation across generations.

Today, I am profoundly grateful for my ‘Grands,’ especially my Amah Inang. Their love became part of who I am. I am equally grateful that my children have collected their own precious memories with their grandparents.

We cannot stop our parents from growing older. But while they are here, let’s all build ‘Grand-er’ memories together today.

Wilma ‘Ate Wamz’ Gaspili, an indigenous tattoo artist from the Kankanaey-Kalanguya communities of Benguet and Ifugao, showcased traditional Cordillera tattooing at the Big London Tattoo convention, where she was the only indigenous Filipino exhibitor.

Gaspili, 48, said she was invited to the event after organizers took notice of her work through previous international appearances and a feature in the convention’s magazine last year.

‘They invited me after seeing the feedback from my work,’ she told BusinessMirror, adding that she has also participated in tattoo events in India.

While other Filipinos joined competitions during three-day London gathering that started September 4, Gaspili said she was the lone indigenous Filipino among the exhibitors.

‘Mag-isa lang ako as indigenous among exhibitors,’ she said.

Gaspili practices and promotes batok, Cordillera’s tattooing art using hand-tapping technique with thorn, bone or wood as needles and fine soot or charcoal as ink. Batok is popularized by Kalinga tattoo artist and National Living Treasure Apo Whang-Od.

‘Many people think Kalinga’s (batok) represents the whole Cordillera, but there are tattoo traditions in other parts of the region,’ she said.

Unlike many traditional practitioners, Gaspili said she did not learn the craft through apprenticeship.

‘Self-taught ako,’ she said. ‘There was no apprenticeship tradition for me.’

She considers herself part of efforts to revive traditional Benguet tattooing and introduce it to a wider audience.

Although comparisons with Whang-Od are common, Gaspili stressed that she has built her own path as an artist while honoring a shared indigenous heritage.

‘Whang-Od is a legend. I’m proud of what I represent as well,’ she said.

At the London convention, she used lemon thorns as needles. Her tattoo ink is made from ash collected from different parts of the Philippines, including Bicol, Cebu and Ilocos.

‘I collect ink from different places,’ she said, noting that clients appreciated receiving tattoos made with materials linked to their hometowns.

Among those who received her work was Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom Teodoro ‘Teddyboy’ Locsin Jr. Gaspili tattooed a tikawa, or spider design, on the diplomat’s arm.

She said Locsin was the first ambassador to visit her booth at any of her previous international conventions.

‘Nakaka-proud,’ she said.

Beyond tattoo conventions, Gaspili said she has been invited to museums and universities in the United States and was also invited to the United Nations headquarters in Vienna in 2025. She plans to continue researching indigenous tattoo traditions during her stay in London.

According to Gaspili, international audiences in Europe, Canada and Australia have shown growing interest in indigenous Filipino tattoo traditions.

‘I think many people in the Philippines still don’t know much about it,’ she said. ‘That’s why it’s important to keep sharing our culture.’

ALL three lanes in both directions of the San Simon Interchange and Tulaoc section of the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) reopened to all vehicle types at 8:50 a.m. on Tuesday, ending more than a week of flood-driven closures that had made the expressway’s Pampanga corridor a chokepoint.

With the lanes restored, the toll rebate granted to motorists on the San Fernando-Pulilan stretch was lifted at 12:01 p.m. on Wednesday, North Luzon Expressway Corp. Said in a statement.

The temporary toll exemption for provincial buses stays in force, however.

The reopening followed what the tollway operator described as ‘sustained flood mitigation and clearing work’ undertaken with its government and private sector partners.

‘These efforts helped restore all lanes in the affected sections, allowing the resumption of normal traffic operations,’ the company said.

Nlex said it is continuing flood mitigation measures at the site, including the dredging of the Tulaoc River and clearing and improvement works along the Nlex embankment, to improve water flow and help temper flooding in the area.

The rebate now being withdrawn was put in place at the direction of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) while flooding persisted. It took effect at noon on September 2 and covered both northbound and southbound passages on the San Fernando-Pulilan stretch, with credits applied to a motorist’s radio frequency identification (Rfid) account the day after the toll passage. Regular toll on the Pulilan-San Fernando route is P113 for Class 1 vehicles, P281 for Class 2 and P338 for Class 3.

The closures traced back to days of habagat, or southwest monsoon, rains that pushed the Pampanga and Tulaoc rivers over their banks, sending water onto Nlex and the parallel McArthur Highway and overwhelming the area’s ability to discharge it. Traffic backed up worst at the Tulaoc Bridge in San Simon, with the southbound queue stretching close to eight kilometers at its peak on September 1.

Earlier Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon laid out a three-part fix for the section: Blocking the inflows feeding the expressway and inspecting breaches along the Pampanga River, deepening the trench beside Nlex with the operator’s help to increase its holding capacity, and installing pumps to move water off the highway and out to the waterway.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has also been deploying sand-filled flood barriers sourced from Italy to replace the sandbags stacked along the section.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), which owns and operates Nlex, has separately committed to raise the northbound and southbound pavements at Tulaoc once the elevation of the Tulaoc Bridge is finished, a step it has framed as the permanent answer to recurring flooding on the San Simon segment.

Nlex said it will keep working with its government and private sector partners to help ensure the safety and accessibility of motorists and to support flood mitigation efforts in the area and in affected communities.

Senator Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero has called for a broader definition of indigency to grant more Filipinos access to government services, saying current standards are too narrow and fail to capture the realities faced by many households.

In his podcast ‘Chiz Wiz! Usapang May Laman,’ Escudero noted that indigency is often equated with membership in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, leaving out families who may not be incomepoor but are unable to absorb medical or litigation costs.

He pointed out that under current laws, ‘indigency’ lacks a uniform definition, varying across the different government agencies that define it.

Barangays issue certificates of indigency in accordance with the Local Government Code, the Public Attorney’s Office aligns its threshold with the Philippine Statistics Authority metrics, while the 4Ps law relies on the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s targeting system to identify poor households.

‘Indigency, therefore, should also be defined by circumstance, and not just income,’ he said.

As an example, he cited cases of families burdened by serious illness such as leukemia who he said may be considered ‘cancerindigent,’ while those unable to shoulder litigation costs could be classified as ‘litigationindigent’ to reflect real situations. Even professionals, like teachers, who may earn above the minimum wage still fall into these categories when faced with extraordinary expenses.

This restrictive framework, the senator said, excludes households who may exceed income thresholds but are incapable of absorbing litigation costs or medical bills.

‘What does indigency really mean? Meaning, are you 4Ps? The problem with our law is that it just has one meaning for a indigency. But for me, there are different levels of indigency,’ Escudero said.

‘For example if you’re filing for nullity of marriage, it’s not easy to put together P200,000 to P500,000 for the costs of that, right? So, that person is litigation-indigent. If someone in your family is sick with cancer, your family is cancerindigent,’ he explained.

The veteran legislator said the present one-size-fits-all requirement should be revisited to recognize different classifications of indigency-a position supported by his podcast guest, litigation lawyer Maggie Garduque, who said that such classifications are possible under the Constitution’s equal protection clause.

VICE President Sara Z. Duterte cannot invoke her constitutional right against self-incrimination as a blanket reason to refuse taking the witness stand in her impeachment trial, House prosecutors said, arguing that the privilege must be exercised on a question-by-question basis.

The prosecution made the statement after reserving its right to present Duterte as a witness before the Senate Impeachment Court once it completes the presentation of evidence on all four Articles of Impeachment.

House prosecution spokesperson and counsel Benjamin Tolosa Jr. explained that the absolute protection against being compelled to testify generally applies to individuals facing criminal charges. However, in other proceedings, an opposing party may be called as a witness and may only invoke the right against self-incrimination when a specific question could expose them to criminal liability.

‘You cannot say, ‘I will not take the stand at all because I have the right against self-incrimination.’ It has to be on a per-question basis,’ Tolosa said.

He added that the Impeachment Court would determine whether a particular question could actually incriminate Duterte before allowing her to refuse answering.

Tolosa stressed that Duterte is not an accused in a criminal case but a respondent in an impeachment proceeding, which is a constitutional process aimed at determining whether a public official should remain in office and be disqualified from holding future public positions.

‘She’s not an accused here. She’s a respondent. This is not a criminal case. It’s an impeachment proceeding,’ Tolosa said.

Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, a member of the prosecution panel, agreed that Duterte may invoke the protection depending on the nature of the questions asked but cannot automatically refuse to testify altogether.

Flores explained that questions involving alleged personal use of confidential funds could potentially raise self-incrimination concerns. However, factual questions, such as whether Duterte instructed a special disbursing officer to withdraw funds, may not necessarily require invoking the privilege.

The prosecution reserved the possibility of calling Duterte after completing its additional witness presentation regarding allegations involving the misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds. However, it has not yet filed a formal request asking the Impeachment Court to issue a subpoena for her appearance.

Tolosa said the reservation was made to preserve the prosecution’s ability to question Duterte regarding the confidential funds allegations and the other Articles of Impeachment.

Duterte’s defense team earlier argued that the Constitution prevents prosecutors from compelling an impeachment respondent to testify. The defense said it would oppose any attempt to subpoena her.

Tolosa acknowledged that the Senate impeachment court would ultimately decide how the constitutional protection applies to Duterte, noting that impeachment proceedings are unique and different from ordinary criminal trials.

Strength of evidence

PROSECUTORS maintained that their case against Duterte will depend on the strength of their evidence rather than the number of votes needed for conviction.

The House of Representatives has approved a measure seeking to extend the term of office of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials from four years to five years.

House Bill 10971 was approved on third and final reading on Tuesday, after receiving 211 affirmative votes, 13 negative votes, and one abstention from lawmakers.

If enacted into law, the measure will amend Republic Act No. 12232 by establishing a fixed five-year term for barangay and SK officials, allowing local leaders more time to implement programs and projects in their communities.

The bill also provides for the postponement of the synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) originally scheduled for November 2026. The next elections will instead be held on the second Monday of November 2028.

Following the transition period, subsequent barangay and SK elections will be conducted every five years, creating a fixed electoral cycle for local officials.

The measure also introduces revised term-limit provisions for barangay and SK leaders. Under the proposed law, barangay officials may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms in the same position, while SK officials will remain limited to one term.

The bill further states that incumbent barangay officials who are already serving their third consecutive term will no longer be allowed to seek the same position in the 2028 elections.

As part of the transition arrangements, officials currently holding office will be considered to have completed their terms due to the extension of their tenure by two additional years.

Any remaining funds allocated for the previously scheduled 2026 BSKE will remain with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as continuing appropriations to support preparations for the 2028 elections.

Supporters of the measure said the longer fixed term would provide barangay and SK officials with more time to complete development programs while ensuring a more consistent and predictable election schedule for local government units.

PhilWeb Corp. has signed a share purchase agreement with JKS Tech Solutions Inc. for the sale of 4.85 percent of the listed company for P1.32 billion, while also buying a chunk of the company’s shares.

In its disclosure, JKS-a local B2B technology, platform, and digital infrastructure company-will buy 81.38 million of PhilWeb’s treasury common shares for P16.50 per share.

Philweb will first sell 20.34 million shares, which it already executed on Monday, for P335.69 million.

The company will then sell the remaining 61.03 million shares to JKS for P1 billion.

‘The second closing is subject to the satisfaction of the applicable conditions precedent, including the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission of JKS’s proposed increase in authorized capital stock and the approval of the Philippine Stock Exchange for the applicable block sale,’ Philweb said in its disclosure.

JKS is currently serving licensed mid-market operators in the digital entertainment sector. It has an established operating presence in the Philippine market.

‘Its business is complementary to the company’s existing ecosystem and forms part of the company’s strategic investment initiatives,’ Philweb said.

The proceeds from the sale of the treasury shares will be used to partially fund the Philweb’s subscription for common B Shares of JKS.

‘The proceeds will also provide the company with additional financial flexibility to support its capital requirements, strategic investments, and other general corporate purposes,’ PhilWeb said.

PhilWeb has subscribed to 3.4 million common B shares of JKS at a subscription price of P394 per share, or for P1.34 billion.

PhilWeb Capital Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of PhilWeb, will then subscribe to 7.31 million Common B shares of JKS at a subscription price of P394 per share for P2.88 billion.

The common B shares subject of the subscription agreements are to be issued out of the proposed increase in the authorized capital stock of JKS, which will have to be approved by its stockholders, the Securities and Exchange Commission and compliance with other applicable regulatory requirements.

Upon completion of the sale of PhilWeb’s treasury common shares to JKS, it will only have 146 remaining treasury common shares.

Following completion of the sale, and assuming no other changes in the company’s shareholdings, the its public ownership percentage will be approximately 26.59 percent based on the resulting outstanding common shares.

The transaction will not result in the issuance of new shares by the PhilWeb.

Hand grip strength. Balance tests. Standing up from a seated position on the floor. These physical challenges are often touted as measurements of healthy aging and even predictors of longevity.

They can provide valuable indications of your stamina and strength. They can estimate the risk of falls, which increase older adults ‘ risk of death. And they’re useful to doctors who work to address aging or people with injuries.

But they’re no crystal ball.

‘A poor or declining result is a reason for a health professional to investigate why function is changing, rather than gauging how long someone will live,’ said Auriel Willette, an expert on brain aging at Rutgers University.

Here’s a look at what mobility tests entail and how to apply the results to your health:

A sit-to-stand test goes viral, but what does it really show? ‘Sit-to-stand’ tests come in several forms. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 30-second chair-stand test is designed for patients older than 60, to see how many times they can stand up in that time period.

Another test, popularized on social media, asks someone to move from standing, to sitting cross-legged on the ground, and then back up to standing. Making your way down to the floor is worth 5 points, as is standing up, for a total score of 10. You lose a point for each support you use (such as a hand or knee) and half a point if you’re unsteady. The score is zero if you’re unable to sit or stand without external help.

Doctors said they haven’t seen the test used with older US adults, but researchers in Brazil published studies in 2020 and 2025 that concluded middle-aged people who scored higher were less likely to die within about a decade.

Many American doctors use a test called ‘Timed Up and Go,’ or TUG. It requires the patient to get up from a chair, walk 10 feet (3 meters) and come back to their seat. That allows doctors to evaluate a person’s balance, mobility and lower extremity strength all at once.

Dr. George Hennawi, who treats older adults at MedStar Health in Baltimore, said all the tests are meant to pinpoint specific weaknesses and narrow down their underlying cause, whether that’s knee pain, slow reflexes, poor balance or feeling winded or dizzy because of cardiovascular issues.

‘The key to react to it is to understand where did we not do well,’ he said.

A full picture of a person’s health is important. Tests like the viral sit-to-stand one are what doctors call screening tools. They’re helpful in narrowing down issues, but they don’t provide enough information for a full diagnosis.

Other popular tests for a person’s ‘physiological age,’ or how your body is aging, include tests of grip strength, walking speed, gait steadiness and balance. Such tests look at how hard your hand can squeeze something, whether you favor one side while walking, how long and well can you stand on one leg and how far forward can you reach without becoming unsteady.

Many doctors also use these challenges to understand a person’s risk for ‘frailty,’ a medical condition that means the body is less able to handle strain from illness or injury.

Doctors sometimes use a 10-minute assessment called the Short Physical Performance Battery, which includes several tests including gait, balance and strength. It was developed by the National Institute on Aging and large clinical trials have shown it predicts mortality, disability and more.

At the University of California, Los Angeles’ Multidisciplinary Falls Clinic, Dr. David Lee said it’s important to look across multiple tests in combination. Grip strength, for example, is predictive of many different things, but it can be affected by arthritis, stroke or even simply not conditioning those muscles.

‘It’s one measure of many,’ Lee said.

Good health is about more than a good score. Experts note that strength and mobility are just one part of healthy aging. Tests of cognition, memory, hearing, eyesight and many other measures are key to evaluating how someone is aging.

They also cautioned against training to pass a test. Instead, keep the big picture in mind. Exercise your whole body. Eat nutritious meals. Address stress in a healthy way. Prioritize your sleep. Take care of your heart.

Finally, experts said it’s important to know the context in which a test has been studied and verified. If it’s shown to predict an outcome for one age group, the performance standards won’t necessarily apply to others.

THE Sandiganbayan Third Division has summoned the four attending physicians of former speaker and incumbent Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez to a hearing to determine whether his plea to be placed in hospital detention at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) in San Juan City owing health reasons should be granted.

The order stemmed from the manifestation and urgent motion filed by Romualdez on Monday asking the Third Division to allow him to remain in hospital confinement following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him for alleged plunder amounting to P7.4 billion.

In his motion, Romualdez claimed that he is confined at the CSMC due to several heart and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypothyroidism.

Romualdez also told the anti-graft court that he previously underwent angioplasty procedure owing to coronary artery disease and has since required continuing monitoring and treatment.

He also claimed to have been previously confined, during which irregularities found in his magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan examination.

In the order, the Third Division directed its Clerk of Court to issue subpoena ad testificandum to Dr. Rody Sy, Dr. Rogelio Libarnes, Dr. Kurt Allen V. Sibayan, and Dr. Rosalio P. Torres for a hearing scheduled on Thursday at 8:30 a.m.

‘At the outset, it must be emphasized that the custody of accused Romualdez belongs to the court,’ the order said.

‘If there are concerns regarding the accused’s medical condition, it is only this court that can determine whether such condition affects the implementation of the warrant, the confinement of the accused at a hospital or his commitment to a jail facility,’ it added.

Likewise, the anti-graft court ordered Romualdez or his doctors to furnish the court during the said hearing the results of all his medical examinations.

Romualdez was also ordered to appear before the court should his condition permit.

On Monday, the Third Division issued an arrest warrant against Romualdez , former Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co of Ako Bicol, Romualdez’s personal aide Joselyn Tragua Serenio and Felicito Guevarra, president of Samchan Foreign Exchange Corporation.

The arrest warrant stemmed from the complaint filed by the Office of the Ombudsman accusing them of illegally amassing wealth through kickbacks from from infrastructure and flood control projects of the government amounting to P7.4 billion.

The anti-graft court also issued a hold departure order (HDO) against all the respondents.

The crime of plunder is a non-bailable offense.

The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region (PNP-CIDG-NCR) served the arrest warrant against Romualdez on Monday at the CSMC where the latter was also processed.

ThePNP-CIDG-NRC subsequently filed its return of warrant with the Sandiganbayan confirming that the warrant of arrest has been served on Romualdez at the CSMC and stating that the latter’s physical custody and security is with the PNP-CIDG during his period of confinement.

Chief Judicial Staff Officer Albert dela Cruz and Supervision Staff Office Romulo Barrozo of the Sandiganbayan Sheriff also went to the CSMC to serve the warrant following information that Romualdez is confined at the hospital.

The court officials were informed by Romualdez’s doctors that he was experiencing chest pain, and has coronary artery disease and psychological anxiety, among other medical conditions.

‘Romualdez officially a PDL’

SINCE the arrest warrant has been formally served on Romualdez on Monday night, he now a person deprived of liberty (PDL), Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla said.

Remulla said Romualdez received the warrant and was read his Miranda Rights at his hospital room.

‘Officially, Martin Romualdez is now in the custody of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.’

Remulla said Romualdez’s fingerprints were taken, and a photograph of him with the PDL T-shirt draped on his hospital gown was shot, explaining that the official was unable to stand up to wear the PDL T-shirt.

As a PDL, Remulla said there were two armed guards outside the hospital room at all time.

Romualdez will be escorted whenever he leaves his room, and his movement will be limited or restricted within the hospital.

‘There are armed guards in the hospital lobby, and there is also a mobile patrol group outside the hospital,’ he said.

‘Martin Romualdez is a flight risk. He has two jets, two helicopters, and he has three yachts. So, he is a flight risk,’ Remulla said.

‘We will be doing everything as a preventive measure to ensure his containment here,’ says Remulla.

According to Remulla, both the former Speaker’s physician and the PNP agreed that Romualdez’s condition is unstable.

‘As soon as he is fit and able to go to court, we will escort him and bring him to court,’ Remulla said.

However, the DILG chief said they will file a motion to place Romualdez under the care of the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame.

‘We will give his doctors visitation and the right to check on him.’

The motion, he said, will be filed later Tuesday or Wednesday.

The DILG chief said the PNP General Hospital is capable of taking care of Romualdez.

The hospital management, Remulla said, reported that sometime in July, Romualdez suffered a mild stroke or cerebrovascular accident.

Remulla said only immediate family members, his lawyer, and physicians will be allowed to visit Romualdez, even when he is transferred to the PNP General Hospital.

Remulla said the arrest was done without any instruction from Malacañang or the Office of the Ombudsman.

The DILG chief said the arrest effected in the case of Romualdez is not personal, noting that even the President did not intervene to stop the arrest.

‘They [Marcos and Romualdez] are not only cousins. They are brothers. President Marcos has no brother and the former speaker is like a brother to him,’ Remulla said.

He added that Romualdez, is his fraternity brother in the University of the Philippines’s Upsilon Sigma Phi, adding that even his brother, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, was very close to the former speaker.

Remulla did not say however that the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos and former Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. were also Upsilon Sigma Phi brothers.