Category: Business Mirror

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it will raise awareness of Sukuk as an alternative financing instrument, as the agency is advancing the development of the country’s Islamic finance market by encouraging companies to offer Shari’ah-compliant investment products.

Sukuk refers to certificates of equal value representing undivided investment, interest in or rights to the underlying assets, usufructs and services or projects undertaken in accordance with Shari’ah principles.

Implemented through SEC Memorandum Circular No. 12, Series of 2026, the guidelines provide the regulatory framework for Sukuk issuances, including rules on its registration, permissible structures and reporting and disclosure requirements of issuers, among others.

‘Our vision is simple: a Philippine capital market that is deeper, broader, and more inclusive-a market where every legitimate source of capital can find a place, and every investor can participate with confidence. Islamic finance is part of that vision,’ SEC Chairman Francis E. Lim said.

‘For many investors, financial decisions are shaped not only by economic returns, but also by faith, values, and ethical principles. Our markets must be ready to serve them as well.’

The SEC’s new guidelines allow Sukuk issuances to be made using Shari’ah-compliant structures and other Sukuk structures that may be approved by the agency, as well as the creation of special purpose entities for Sukuk issuances. It also provides the disclosure obligations of Sukuk issuers.

The issuance of the Sukuk guidelines builds on the active Islamic finance landscape with a total of 58 Shari’ah-compliant securities currently listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange and Philippine Sukuk totaling $1 billion issued by the Philippine government in 2023.

Last May, Fitch Ratings said in a non-rating commentary that the Philippine Islamic finance industry is still in the ‘nascent stage.’

Fitch Ratings said the Southeast Asian region’s Islamic finance industry exceeded $1 trillion in the first quarter.

Malaysia stood as the regional leader, with Islamic financing reaching 44 percent of banking system financing at end-2025.

PHILIPPINE exports worth about $6.25 billion could face higher costs in the United States after Washington’s new 12.5-percent tariff took effect, although government estimates show most of the country’s shipments remain exempt from the additional duty.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said a preliminary assessment based on 2025 trade data showed that around 34.28 percent of Philippine exports to the US, valued at approximately $6.25 billion, may be covered by the new tariff.

Meanwhile, exports worth about $11.98 billion, or nearly two-thirds of the country’s total shipments to the US, are exempt under the measure.

Among the products excluded from the tariff are major Philippine export items such as semiconductors, integrated circuits, automatic data processing machines, printers, headphones and projectors, as well as automotive parts, aircraft components, coconut products, processed and fresh fruits, cocoa, frozen cassava, taro, pastries and biscuits.

Mineral exports, including copper, nickel and cobalt ores and concentrates, are likewise exempt.

However, the DTI said several labor-intensive export industries remain subject to the additional duty, including leather and travel goods, apparel, footwear, and toys.

On Friday, the US imposed the new tariff after concluding that the Philippines had not adequately prohibited the entry of goods produced through forced labor.

The additional duties took effect at 12:01 p.m. Philippine time on July 24. Products already loaded onto vessels before the deadline and entered for US consumption before 12:01 p.m. Philippine time on July 28 are exempt.

In its submission to the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) earlier this month, the trade department argued that forced labor is not a systemic issue in the country’s export sector.

The agency said shipments denied entry into the US over forced labor concerns reached a total of only about $2.71 million, equivalent to roughly 0.01 percent of the $48.25 billion worth of Philippine goods imported by the US from 2023 through the first two months of 2026.

The US remained the Philippines’s largest export market in 2025, accounting for $13.46 billion, or 15.9 percent, of the country’s total exports, based on Philippine Statistics Authority data.

New interagency body

A day before Washington announced its tariff decision, the Departments of Trade and Industry, Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Finance (DOF) signed a Joint Administrative Order (JAO) creating an interagency system to investigate and prohibit the importation of goods produced wholly or partly through forced labor.

Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said the measure has already attracted support from international development partners.

‘The good thing is that we have received offers from multilateral institutions as well as bilateral partners…they want to help us implement this JAO,’ Rodolfo said in a mix of English and Filipino during a virtual press briefing on Friday.

He said several partners have expressed willingness to provide technical assistance and grants to help implement the new policy, noting that they viewed the JAO as strengthening the country’s commitment to promoting decent work and safeguarding supply chains.

Rodolfo added that the interagency committee created under the JAO is already in effect, while implementing rules and regulations are being drafted.

Under the order, the Inter-Agency Committee for the Investigation of Imports Produced by Forced Labor will receive complaints, evaluate evidence and investigate allegations involving imported goods suspected of being produced through forced labor.

The committee is chaired by the DTI, with the DOLE serving as vice chair. Members include the DOF, Bureau of Customs (BOC), Board of Investments and Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

Investigations may be initiated by the committee, referred by government agencies or filed by private individuals, civil society organizations or international groups, provided supporting evidence is submitted.

Importers under investigation will be given 15 days to respond after receiving notice. If substantial evidence is found that goods were produced wholly or partly through forced labor, the committee may recommend that the BOC stop their importation.

The order applies to imported goods before their release from customs custody, with detailed implementing guidelines scheduled for issuance within 90 days.

Besides a wage hike, one way to increase the take-home pay of more Filipino workers and provide them with relief from the continued increase in the already high cost of living is an expansion in the annual income tax exemption, according to Senator Bam Aquino. Thus, he is pushing for the passage of his measure seeking to raise the annual income tax exemption threshold from P250,000 to P480,000.

Aquino’s Senate Bill No. 267 proposes an amendment to the National Internal Revenue Code that would exempt individuals earning up to P480,000 a year from paying income tax.

Filed on July 8, 2025, the measure was one of the first bills filed by Aquino following his 2025 successful senatorial campaign, where Filipinos called for affordable living and increase in take-home pay.

‘This [income tax exemption level] has not moved for many years, so when session starts [July 27], I will have this included as priority legislation in order to provide fast relief to our people and increase their take-home pay,’Aquino said, speaking partly in Filipino.

Aquino said the current exemption level, which was set under Republic Act No. 10963, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, has become outdated as inflation continues to erode workers’ purchasing power.

Aside from easing the financial burden on Filipino families, Aquino said raising the income tax exemption threshold would allow workers to keep more of what they earn, giving them additional resources to spend on essential needs such as food, education, and healthcare, while also helping boost consumer spending and economic activity.

Aquino has also filed several other proposed measures aimed at providing relief to Filipinos amid rising prices of goods and services, petroleum products, and electricity.

To help reduce electricity costs, he filed Senate Bill No. 266, which seeks to exempt the sale of electricity by generation, transmission, and distribution companies, as well as electric cooperatives, from the imposition of value-added tax (VAT).

He is also pushing to reduce the VAT from 12 percent to 10 percent on goods and services, including petroleum products, through Senate Bill No. 2047.

THE Philippines takes on two formidable opponents-Jordan and Iran-in the fourth window of the FIBA 2027 World Cup Asia Qualifiers at home in August.

A month before taking on Jordan on August 28 and Iran on Augusty 30 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, head coach Tm Cone is faced with several options but with one goal-form a consistent Gilas Pilipinas core.

‘We must have a consistent core,’ Cone told the BusinessMirror on Monday.

‘Jordan and Iran are absolutely crucial games for us and for our countrymen and obviously, we must deepen our preparation against them,’ he added.

Cone said he’s looking at 7-foot-3 Kai Sotto and 6-foot-10 Quentin Milloria-Brown-but Sotto’s commitment isn’t solid.

‘We’re not yet sure about Kai…where he is going to be exactly at that time,’ said Cone of Sotto, who skipped national team duties to focus on his National Basketball Association dream.

Milloria-Brown’s not 100 percent, too.

‘QMB is coming from [back] injury,’ he said.

Even Justin Brownlee’s health isn’t a sure thing-he’s sidelined with a right hamstring strain, right peroneal tendinopathy and left knee swelling with cartilage defects.

So Cone’s best option at the naturalized player spot would be Benny Boatwright.

Boatwright’s naturalization has passed the Senate and his fate now lies on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

If Benny Boatwright gets the approval, we must put him in practice to familiarize himself with our system,’ Cone said.

Thus, Gilas Pilipinas needs to sweep Jordan and Iran to fan its hopes for the 32-nation World Cup Qatar is hosting next year.

‘We play at home and we have to make sure we play our best,’ Cone said.

SENATORS on Monday laid down their own expectations on what they hoped the 2026 State of the Nation Address (Sona) should contain, hours ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos’s delivery at the Batasan complex.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said he expects the State of the Nation Address (Sona) to report on the progress of implementing the historic 2026 education budget, the largest in the country’s history and the first to meet the United Nations’ recommended benchmark for education spending.

‘Naglaan tayo ng makasaysayang pondo para sa edukasyon upang masugpo natin ang malawakang krisis na hinaharap ng sektor na ito. Inaasahan nating sa darating na Sona, malinaw na maiuulat sa atin kung ano na ang narating natin at ano pa ang ating aasahan para tugunan ang krisis sa edukasyon,’ said Gatchalian.

[We allotted a big budget for education so we can solve the huge crisis faced by this sector. We expect that in the Sona, we can hear a clear report on what has been achieved to respond to this crisis]

For Sen. Anna Theresia ‘Risa’ Hontiveros, millions of Filipinos are eager to hear, ‘how much or how quickly will government act on the rising costs for electricity, water, fuel and food?’

Sen. Joel Villanueva said Filipinos expect this year’s Sona ‘to go beyond promises and present a clear roadmap that delivers quality jobs, better education, and relief from hunger.’

Historic education funding

THE 2026 education budget touted by Gatchalian includes a ?67.9-billion allocation for the construction of at least 22,000 classrooms. As of July 2025, the classroom backlog stands at around 147,000 classrooms. This year’s budget also covers the ?12.3-billion funding deficiency in the free higher education program incurred from 2022 to 2025.

During his stint as chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Gatchalian ensured that the 2026 budget met the United Nations’ recommendations of allotting 4-6 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for education spending.

The 2026 budget’s ?1.35 trillion education budget is equivalent to 4.4 percent of GDP.

Meanwhile, Hontiveros said people want to know how the take-home pay of each worker can be increased if every centavo of the ?85 minimum wage hike [in Metro Manila] just goes straight to paying for electricity.

‘How do we end the joblessness crisis especially when so many youth from all regions, especially college graduates, can barely find liveable jobs or livelihood?’ she continued

More important, how can corruption be licked decisively and investor confidence in the country restored, the senator added.

Hontiveros wants the VAT windfall revenues used to expand the lifeline rates, refund the ‘bogus fuel cost,’ and fast-track the transition to renewal energy to ensure sustainable supply of electricity.

In agriculture, offering ?20 per kilo of rice is not enough. ‘Our crops are weak, farmers are wary of Super El Niño. If the supply shock is not resolved, we might reach the level of ?80 per kilo. We need targeted fuel and fertilizer subsidies, Asap [as soon as possible],’ Hontiveros added.

For Villanueva, ‘This year’s Sona must answer the questions that matter most to ordinary Filipinos: Where are the jobs? How will families put food on the table? How will we reduce poverty? How do we give our children a better future through education?’ Villanueva said.

The senator said Filipinos continue to grapple with rising costs and economic uncertainty, and are pinning their hopes on the government.

As of May 2026, unemployment rate increased to 4.8 percent, or an equivalent 2.5 million jobless Filipinos.

Underemployment rate, meanwhile, is at 12.2 percent, or 6.04 million Filipinos who seek more hours of work or an extra job.

Hunger incidence, according to the March 2026 Social Weather Stations survey is at 23.2 percent, higher than the November 2025’s 20.1 percent.

Inflation is at 6.4 percent in June 2026, way higher compared to 1.4 percent in June 2025.

ON July 31, 2026, the Bureau of Internal Revenue will commemorate its 122nd anniversary with the theme ‘Husay at Dangal: Lingkod-Bayan ng BIR.’

The BIR was formally organized and made operational on August 1, 1904, following the enactment of Reorganization Act No. 1189 on July 2, 1904. It began with only 69 officials and employees, headed by the first Collector of Internal Revenue. From that modest organization emerged the government institution that now carries the principal responsibility for financing public services and national development.

I am pleased to have been invited to join this year’s anniversary celebration on July 31 at the BIR National Office compound in Diliman, Quezon City. This year’s gathering will be more low-key than the elaborate celebrations of some previous years-a fitting opportunity for reflection rather than spectacle.

The anniversary provides an occasion to look back at the reforms that transformed the BIR from a predominantly manual organization into an increasingly digital and data-driven, service-oriented tax administration. I have discussed the administrative reform undertaken by the BIR over the past decades. For my article next week, I will dwell on the major laws that were passed over the more than a century of existence of the BIR.

One of the earliest foundations of modern tax administration was the establishment of a unified system for identifying taxpayers. The old Tax Account Number, or TAN, was first utilized in 1976. I still retain the light yellow colored TAN card issued to me in 1980 when I started working.

The TAN was eventually replaced by the Taxpayer Identification Number, or TIN, in 1991. The TIN became the permanent identifier linking taxpayers to their registration, return filing, payment, and audit records.

The next great milestone was the Tax Computerization Project (TCP), which started in the 1990s. This produced the Integrated Tax System, or ITS, supported by Revenue Data Centers, computerized registration, returns processing, collection accounting, and taxpayer-account databases. Computerization began replacing ledgers, index cards, and physical folders that previously made the verification of taxpayer information slow and difficult. I am proud to have been part of the TCP, having been appointed one of the Project leaders at the time.

One major milestone in the BIR history was the creation of the Large Taxpayers Service (LTS) in 2000. This brought the country’s biggest corporate taxpayers under specialized monitoring and account management. The LTS model recognized that a relatively small number of taxpayers accounted for a substantial share of government revenues. The Large Taxpayers Service (LTS) has consistently contributed about 55 percent to 60 percent of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s total tax collections over the past two decades

The launching of the Electronic Filing and Payment System, or eFPS, in 2001, was another historic milestone. It enabled taxpayers to file returns and pay electronically, reducing dependence on paper returns and over-the-counter transactions. What started with large taxpayers was subsequently expanded to other mandatory users. Incidentally, the eFPS celebrates its 25th year of existence this year. About 85 percent of BIR tax collections are now received through the eFPS.

The Reconciliation of Listings for Enforcement, better known as RELIEF, introduced data matching into tax enforcement. Through taxpayers’ schedules of sales and purchases, the BIR could compare a seller’s declared sales with the buyer’s reported purchases. Discrepancies became potential indicators of under-declaration, unreported income or unsupported claims.

RELIEF was revolutionary for its time. It demonstrated that tax enforcement need not depend solely on an examiner manually inspecting books. Information already submitted by taxpayers could be matched and analyzed to identify compliance risks.

Another important development was the publication of the BIR Monitor, a weekly newsletter which started as a printed copy with pictures of activities conducted by BIR employees. It continues to be issued to this day, trumpeting the achievement of revenue, but now in digital form already. I was then the BIR Commissioner who conceptualized and created the BIR Monitor in 2009.

Enforcement programs also became more visible. The Run After Tax Evaders, or RATE, program institutionalized the filing of criminal tax-evasion complaints. Oplan Kandado authorized the temporary closure of businesses for serious violations, including substantial understatement of sales and failure to issue invoices. Industry benchmarking, lifestyle checks, third-party information matching and inter-agency data exchanges further expanded the BIR’s enforcement tools.

During my term as Commissioner from 2009 to 2010, we pursued the reinvigoration of RATE, Project R.I.P. or ‘Rest in Peace’ for the estates of deceased taxpayers with unsettled obligations, taxpayer lifestyle checks, the development of industry champions and audit of large-ticket items. We also strengthened linkages with other government agencies to provide the BIR with information useful for registration, assessment and collection. The BIR’s historical account records these initiatives as part of its institutional development.

I will discuss in a future column the tax collections and strategy of the BIR in raising revenues by means of administrative tax amnesties. There were several of these measures instituted by the BIR that resulted in billions of taxes collected. These, with the legislative tax amnesties, will be a topic of discussion in a future article.

The subsequent introduction of eBIRForms in 2012 gave taxpayers outside eFPS an electronic facility for preparing and filing returns. The newer Electronic Tax Information System, or eTIS, was intended to replace and improve upon the aging ITS platform.

More recent reforms include the Online Registration and Update System, or ORUS, that was launched in 2022. Through ORUS, taxpayers can conveniently apply for registration and update certain information online. The BIR now also provides electronic facilities involving tax clearance, certificates authorizing registration, appointments, payments and other transactions. Its Citizens’ Charter confirms that several registration services, including applications for TINs, are now available through ORUS.

The Electronic Invoicing System represents the next major frontier. Instead of waiting for periodic returns and summary lists, electronic invoicing can eventually provide the BIR with more timely transaction-level information. Properly implemented, it can strengthen VAT verification, detect fictitious transactions, improve audit selection and support near-real-time compliance monitoring.

The BIR is now entering the age of compliance-risk management, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence. The central challenge is no longer simply to collect more information. It is to integrate registration, invoicing, customs, property, corporate and financial information and convert these into fair and defensible compliance actions.

Technology, however, is not reform by itself. Digital transformation must produce faster taxpayer service, fewer unnecessary audits, risk-based selection, transparent case monitoring, and greater accountability among revenue officers. It should make compliance easier for honest taxpayers while making evasion more difficult.

As the BIR celebrates 122 years, its history should remind us that every generation of revenue officers inherited reforms from those who came before them. TAN led to TIN. Manual records led to computerization. Computerization led to electronic filing. Electronic filing and RELIEF led to data matching. These, in turn, are leading toward e-invoicing, tax analytics, and artificial intelligence.

The anniversary is therefore not merely a celebration of longevity. It is a celebration of public service and a reminder of unfinished work.

To Commissioner Charlito ‘Charlie’ Mendoza, the officials and employees of the Bureau, former revenuers, taxpayers, and the BIR’s institutional partners: congratulations on the 122nd anniversary of the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

May the next chapter of its history be defined by integrity, innovation, taxpayer trust and the continuing mission of bringing in revenues for nation-building.

To be continued

Joel L. Tan-Torres was the former Dean of the University of the Philippines Virata School of Business. Previously, he was the Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy, and a partner of Reyes Tacandong and Co. and the SyCip Gorres and Velayo and Co. He is a Certified Public Accountant who garnered No. 1 in the CPA Board Examination of May 1979. He is now back to his tax practice with his firm, JL2T Consulting. He can be contacted at joeltantorress@yahoo.com.

A consumers’ group in the Davao Region has asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to bring down fuel prices and electricity rates across Mindanao to ‘unburden’ the residents in the island already reeling from steady increase in the rates of electricity and commodity prices.

‘Mindanawon consumer has it rough. Every trip to the grocery, every ride to work, and every monthly electricity bill reminds families across Mindanao that the cost of living continues to rise. A P1,000 grocery budget no longer stretches as far as it once did, while rising fuel and electricity prices continue to erode household incomes,’ the Davao Consumer Movement (DCM) said, saying that it hoped its demands be heard and announced as part of the President’s commitment when he makes his State of the Nation Address.

As consumers, ‘we demand the following long-term solutions to protect consumers: establish a long-term fuel price stabilization mechanism; reduce or remove the 12 percent VAT (value added tax) in electric bills; review of passed-on charges on to consumers; and establish new power generating facilities.’

It said the Philippines has its ‘ayuda’ system for those in the public transportation and agricultural sector. ‘However, we do not see this as sustainable. We believe the government can pursue several long-term options, including establishing a fuel price stabilization mechanism that cushions consumers from severe global oil price shocks, reviewing the 12 percent VAT on petroleum products, and studying the feasibility of a targeted or broader fuel subsidy program that balances consumer welfare with fiscal sustainability.’

It said that fuel and electricity are the foundation of every modern economy. Fuel moves people and goods, while electricity powers homes, businesses, industries, hospitals, and schools. When the prices of these essential commodities rise, the effects ripple through every sector, increasing the cost of transportation, food, housing, healthcare, and nearly every other basic necessity.

‘Mr. President, Mindanawons are not asking for temporary relief, they are asking for lasting solutions. Affordable fuel and affordable electricity are not luxuries; they are the foundation of every household and every business,’ the DCM said.

By pursuing long-term reforms that ensure stable energy prices and a more resilient power sector, ‘your administration has the opportunity to ease the cost of living, strengthen economic growth, and improve the daily lives of millions of Mindanawons, and ultimately, all Filipinos.’

The impact of rising fuel prices extends far beyond the cost of filling up a vehicle. As an essential input in transporting people and goods, fuel influences the prices of nearly every commodity and has become one of the country’s primary drivers of inflation. This is particularly significant for Mindanao, the nation’s food basket, where higher transport and logistics costs eventually translate into higher food prices for consumers across the Philippines.

And, meanwhile, electricity is also one of the sectors affected by higher fuel prices. Oil- and diesel-fired power plants face higher operating costs when global fuel prices rise, contributing to increased generation costs.

On top of the effects of fuel prices on power generation, structural weaknesses in the Philippine power sector also expose consumers to volatile electricity prices, it added.

‘We recognize the efforts of your administration to cushion consumers through temporary fuel subsidies, electricity bill relief measures, and interventions during periods of high energy prices. These measures have provided much-needed assistance. However, they address only the immediate symptoms of the problem rather than its underlying causes,’ it said.

The four-kilometer span connecting Samal Island to Davao City will be completed before the end of the term of President Marcos.

Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon made this statement after inspecting the repair of a slippage of a road along mountainous Marilog Highway connecting this city to Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro City.

Dizon said he would talk with the contractor, the China Road and Bridge Corp., to proceed with the construction that was slowed down by budget constraints and road right of way problem.

Two weeks ago, Dean Ortiz, regional Department of Public Works and Highways spokesman, said the national government allocated a measly less than 10 percent of the bridges’ supposed P4.86 billion allocation this year.

Ortiz said government allocated only P314 million and the regional DPWH here has already asked Malacanang for a supplemental budget to finish the project that spans 4.76 kilometers across the Pakiputan Strait.

Although the project was constrained lately by funding delay, Ortiz said construction was still slightly ahead of schedule, at 62.223 percent, which was 0.6 percent positive slippage.

From the original target completion of December 2027, it was moved to September 2028 and then moved to 2030. It was started in September 2022.

Dizon said the President instructed him to assure of the project completion before the President ends his term in 2028.

‘I am confident that the Davao-Samal Bridge will be completed and passable before the end of the term of President Marcos,’ he told reporters after inspecting inspection the damaged section of the Davao-Bukidnon Road at sitio Marahan, Marilog District, some 65 kilometers north of downtown Davao.

Dizon flew later for aerial inspection of the bridge project.

The bridge project is funded under a P20.8-billion loan agreement with China International Development Cooperation Agency (Cidca). The contractor is China’s leading construction company, which also constructed the longest bridge portion of the 17.783-kilometer coastal road across the Davao River.

Converge ICT Solutions Inc. said on Monday it captured all three of Ookla’s top fixed broadband distinctions for the first half, adding a first-ever latency title to a streak of speed and overall-performance wins stretching back four years. The Speedtest Intelligence report for January to June named the listed fiber operator’s flagship product, Converge FiberX, as ‘Best Internet,’ ‘Fastest Internet’ and ‘Best Fixed Latency’ in the Philippines.

The rankings were drawn from millions of consumer-initiated tests run nationwide on web and mobile platforms.

Converge posted a Speed Score of 61.86 and a Speedtest Connectivity Score of 73.14, along with a Latency Score of 14.44-the best among local fixed operators. Lower latency signals faster network response, a metric that matters most for online gaming, video conferencing and real-time enterprise applications.

The latency award is the newest addition to the company’s tally. Converge has been named the country’s fastest internet service provider (ISP) for four consecutive years and best ISP for three, with its run in the Ookla Speedtest Awards dating back to 2022.

‘We take pride in providing the best broadband service to our over three million subscribers,’ said Converge COO Benjamin Azada. ‘Being awarded the fastest provider for four straight years, best ISP for three years, and now confirmed to have the best latency, is a testament to our consistent efforts to deliver superior performance.’

Under Ookla’s methodology, the Speed Score blends download speed, upload speed and latency to approximate typical user experience, while the Connectivity Score measures the broader connected experience across high-bandwidth activities such as video streaming.

‘The real test is sustaining network performance as more people depend on the network every day,’ noted John Paul Aguilar, Converge SVP and Consumer Business Group Head. ‘These results reflect the discipline behind our network investments and the standard we intend to keep raising as we expand nationwide.’

IT was short but sweet for the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses.

Marching into their first tournament following the departure of key senior players and in the absence of their injured main setter, the Golden Tigresses found a way to bring out their fierce growl and translate it into a breakthrough championship in the 2026 Shakey’s Collegiate National Invitationals.

UST came out firing on all cylinders and captured the throne in a sweeping fashion to punctuate the Espana-based squad’s dominance in the international-flavored weeklong tournament.

The Tigresses rolled past every obstacle for an impressive perfect seven-game romp capped by a come-from-behind, 22-25, 25-8, 25-12, 25-22, winner-take-all championship win over College of Saint Benilde on Sunday at the Playtime FilOil Arena in San Juan.

‘We’re so happy we won the championship,’ said UST head coach Shaq Delos Santos, whose squad dropped only of two sets in the entire competition. ‘We had a short preparation but the good thing was the girls responded so well.’

De los Santos steered a UST team to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines crown 16 years ago.

Skipper Regina Jurado and Most Valuable Player Angge Poyos stepped up not only on offense but also in their roles as leaders of a Tigresses side filled with young guns.

The duo delivered the much-needed points in the title showdown with Jurado pumping in 21 points and Poyos scoring 20 as UST surpassed its third-place finish in 2023.

Rookie Kim Rubin, who helped UST’s high school team rule the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League Rising Stars Cup and was named MVP last May, added 12 points while middle blocker Blessing Unekwe scored seven of her 10 points on kill blocks, highlighting the Tigresses’ collective team effort.

Setter Arlene Waje, meanwhile, embraced the playmaking position after Cassie Carballo was forced to sit out the National Invitationals due to a leg injury.

Waje effectively filled the big shoes left by Carballo by dishing out 22 excellent sets in the finale to help the Tigresses pour 56 kills.

UST is now looking forward to completing a season title sweep in the Shakey’s Super League Preseason Unity Cup in September.

The Tigresses eye redemption after a runner-up finish last year behind four-time champion National University.