Category: Business Mirror

The Department of Science and Technology Regional Office No. III (DOST-III / DOST-CL) and WPH Digital, a Singapore-based AI and digital innovation company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to accelerate regional digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption across Central Luzon.

The collaboration brings the Philippines’ National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS-PH) closer to regional implementation by combining DOST-III’s public-sector mandate with WPH Digital’s expertise in AI, digital transformation, and practical technology implementation.

The agreement was formally signed by Dr. Julius Ceasar V. Sicat, Regional Director of DOST Central Luzon, and Mr. Vincent Leoh, Managing Director of WPH Digital, on 19 August 2026. Held at the opening of the joint program, the ceremony was witnessed by over 50 key delegates and industry leaders representing diverse business, technology, and public sectors from across Central Luzon. ‘We believe AI adoption is not a technology challenge – it is a capability challenge,’ said Mr. Vincent Leoh, Managing Director of WPH Digital. ‘Through WPH Academy, we help people build AI capabilities, and through WPH Digital, we help organisations apply those capabilities using practical AI solutions. When capability building and practical implementation come together, organisations start seeing real value from AI.’

Democratizing Generative AI Across Central Luzon

By bringing enterprise-grade digital expertise directly to Region III, the collaboration demonstrates how government and private-sector organisations can work together to democratize access to advanced Generative AI and cloud computing technologies beyond Metro Manila. The initiative positions Central Luzon as a key regional innovation hub, driving competitiveness across local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), industries, and public sector operations.

Human Capital and Workforce Readiness First

At the heart of the partnership is a strong emphasis on talent reskilling, practical capability-building, and workforce development. Rather than viewing technology solely as a displacement risk, the collaboration equips local professionals and civil servants to use Generative AI as a productivity multiplier-fostering a resilient, highly competitive regional talent pool equipped for modern, future-ready workflows.

As an immediate step toward putting the partnership into action, DOST-III and WPH Digital conducted the Generative AI for Modern Business Operations workshop. The practical capacity-building session provided business leaders, IT professionals, and regional stakeholders with hands-on exposure to practical AI solutions, cloud-native platforms, and execution strategies designed to deliver practical business value.

Beyond training and capability-building, the collaboration is intended to help organisations translate these capabilities into actual implementation, enabling them to identify practical AI opportunities and develop solutions that can be applied within their operating environments.

International Cross-Border Tech Collaboration

The MOU highlights cross-border technology transfer between Singapore’s private sector and the Philippine government. By bringing Singaporean tech consulting expertise to Central Luzon, WPH Digital showcases how international private-sector solutions can actively contribute to regional development goals in organisations and communities across Southeast Asia.

Trusted AI with Certified Governance

The partnership also underscores the importance of responsible and governed AI adoption as organisations move from experimentation to implementation. WPH Digital brings AI governance expertise backed by the internationally recognised ISO/IEC 42001 standard, which provides a structured framework for responsible, secure, ethical, and governed AI adoption.

A Replicable Blueprint for Regional Action

The alliance establishes a repeatable model for regional government-industry partnerships throughout the Philippines. Moving beyond high-level strategy, DOST-III and WPH Digital provide a structured model for continuous technical implementation, capacity building, and enterprise enablement across provincial economies.

The longer-term ambition is for this model to extend from national government agencies to provincial and local government units (LGUs), and eventually across other regions of the Philippines. By connecting national AI priorities with regional capability-building and practical

implementation, the collaboration has the potential to provide a scalable model for AI capability-building and implementation beyond Central Luzon.

TWO WorldTeams and eight ProTeams have officially confirmed to heat up the 30th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi 2026 (LTdL2026) scheduled September 27 to October 4.

Completing the 20-team line-up for this year’s race are nine Continental teams and the Malaysian National Team which all set to tackle the 1,285.5-km route spanning eight stages.

The two WorldTeams are Kazakhstan’s XDS Astana and Dutch outfit Picnic PostNL while the eight ProTeam entrants are Tudor Pro Cycling Team (Switzerland), Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Equipo Kern Pharma and Burgos-Burpellet (Spain), TotalEnergies and Unibet Rose Rockets (France), Bardiani CSF-Saber (Italy) and newcomer Modern Adventure Pro Cycling from the United States.

The nine Continental Teams are Terengganu Cycling Team and Malaysia Pro Cycling (Malaysia), Thailand Continental Cycling Team (Thailand), 7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines (Philippines), Nusantara Cycling Team (Indonesia), WheelTop Rotor Chengdu Cycling Team (China), Aisan Racing Team (Japan), KSPO (South Korea) and St George Continental Cycling Team (Australia).

In contrast to last year’s 22-team field, two notable omissions from the start list are ProTeam outfits Uno-X Mobility and Polti VisitMalta.

National Sports Council (NSC) Director-General, Jefri Ngadirin said that while the total number of teams has been reduced compared to last year’s edition, it remains fully compliant with the ProSeries race quota set by UCI.

‘The primary reason for reducing the team quota is part of cost-saving measures implemented across all government ministries, departments and agencies in light of current national economic and global geopolitical uncertainties,’ Ngadirin said.

‘LTdL achieved these savings through two key areas-reducing appearance fees and travel allowances for WorldTeams,’ said Jefri during the official team lineup announcement at MSN, Bukit Jalil, recently. ‘We declined requests from teams such as EF Education and Uno-X, as Astana and Picnic PostNL had confirmed their entries earlier.’

Stages on Langkawi Island were omitted from this year’s route as part of logistics cost-containment measures, which typically incur high operational expenditure.

Nevertheless, with a lineup featuring two WorldTeams and eight ProTeams, LTdL26 is expected to maintain a high level of competition, fierce, thrilling and unpredictable – especially with three formidable mountain stages at Gunung Jerai, Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands.

‘Astana, Picnic and Tudor regularly feature in cycling’s three Grand Tours which is the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana,’ Ngadirin said. ‘TotalEnergies and Caja Rural also race the Tour de France, Bardiani and Unibet compete in the Giro while Kern Pharma and Burgos feature in the Vuelta.’

‘Therefore, the teams confirmed for this edition are formidable contenders in top-tier global cycling and I am confident they will field strong rider combinations to secure victory,’ he added.

Newcomer Modern Adventure Pro Cycling is a newly formed team this year but the South Carolina-based setup is guided by world cycling legend George Hincapie, a former lead domestique for Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador and Cadel Evans, alongside former Tour de France and Giro stage winner Bobby Julich.

Ngadirin added that MSN, as the main organiser, eagerly awaits the final rider rosters to be submitted by respective teams, given that this year’s route profile is regarded as one of the most gruelling in the race’s history since its inception in 1996.

‘Some teams have submitted initial rider lists, but we expect them to make a last-minute revisions and field their strongest lineups,’ he said. ‘Achieving top results means securing crucial UCI ranking points, especially in these end season races.’

LTdL2026 will flag off from Shah Alam on September 27 and conclude in Putrajaya on October 4, covering a total distance of 1,285.5 km across eight stages.

Classified as a 2.ProSeries event on the UCI Asia Tour calendar, the race is co-organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through MSN in collaboration with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation.

LTdL 2026 – TEAMS

UCI WORLDTEAMS

XDS Astana (Kazakhstan)

Picnic PostNL Netherlands)

UCI PROTEAMS

Tudor Pro Cycling Team (Switzerland)

Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (Spain)

Equipo Kern Pharma (Spain)

Burgos-Burpellet (Spain)

TotalEnergies (France)

Unibet Rose Rockets (France)

Bardiani CSF-Saber (Italy)

Modern Adventure Pro Cycling (USA)

UCI CONTINENTAL

Terengganu Cycling Team (Malaysia)

Malaysia Pro Cycling (Malaysia)

Thailand Continental Cycling Team (Thailand)

7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines (Philippines)

Nusantara Cycling Team (Indonesia)

WheelToprotor Chengdu Cycling Team (China)

Aisan Racing Team (Japan)

KSPO (South Korea)

St George Continental Cycling Team (Australia).

NATIONAL TEAM

Malaysia National Team

FOUR months into the final stretch of 2026, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) is within P83.534 billion of its P300-billion investment goal, after approvals more than doubled from a year earlier.

Peza approved P216.466 billion worth of investments from January to August, equivalent to 72.16 percent of its P300-billion target for the year.

The amount was 104.53 percent higher than the P105.834 billion approved during the same period last year.

The increase came alongside a rise in the number of approved projects, with the Peza Board clearing 196 new and expansion projects in the first eight months, 9.50 percent more than the 179 projects approved in the same period in 2025.

The projects are expected to generate $6.604 billion in exports and 26,994 direct jobs nationwide.

August contributed significantly to the year-to-date total. On August 20, the Peza Board approved 22 new and expansion projects worth P64.565 billion, more than four times-or 334.13 percent above-the P14.872 billion approved in August 2025.

‘Our job now is to move these projects forward quickly and ensure their benefits reach more Filipino workers and communities,’ Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque said.

Manufacturing accounted for the largest share of approved projects during the eight-month period, with 80 projects.

It was followed by 31 ecozone development projects, 30 information technology and business process management projects, 19 facilities projects, 15 logistics projects, 15 export-oriented projects for the domestic market, four tourism projects and two utilities projects.

Most of the approved investments remain concentrated in Luzon, which accounted for 161 projects. The Visayas had 23 projects, while Mindanao had 12.

The Philippines was the largest source of investors among the approved projects, followed by the Netherlands, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

Large-scale investments also accounted for a substantial portion of the approvals. About 34 projects were classified as big-ticket investments, with a combined value of P193.713 billion.

The investment approvals come alongside continued activity in existing economic zones.

Peza’s ecozone reports for the first half of 2026 showed actual exports of $32.89 billion, up 2.35 percent from the same period last year. Direct employment in the zones reached 1.82 million, 1.56 percent higher than the first half of 2025.

‘With four months to go, Peza remains relentless in turning investor confidence into lasting economic opportunities for the country,’ Peza Director General Tereso Panga said.

The impending closure of DHL Supply Chain’s Muntinlupa warehouse is raising the stakes in a labor dispute involving 473 workers who have been on strike over alleged union busting and demands for recognition and collective bargaining.

The DHL United Workers Union (DUWU) entered its seventh consecutive day of strike on Tuesday as it continued to demand union recognition and good-faith negotiations with management.

DUWU said the Muntinlupa warehouse is nearing closure at the end of the month.

The union and its allies have also raised concerns over alleged retrenchment, job insecurity, unpaid wages and other issues affecting workers.

According to the union, the dispute has gone through nine hearings between DUWU and the management, but has yet to yield progress or positive outcome for its demands.

‘We formed the union to achieve our rights to a living wage, fair benefits, regular employment, and others,’ DUWU President Nap Aromin said.

Aromin said the workers continued their strike despite what the union described as attacks against their organization.

‘We will continue to face DHL until they have no choice but to respect the union and negotiate with us in good faith.’

The union has also questioned the company’s refusal to pay workers for work performed on every 31st day of the month.

Aromin said workers are seeking adequate wages and benefits instead of remaining at the minimum wage.

‘We are asking for sufficient wages instead of remaining at minimum wage, and instead of not being paid for working on every 31st day of the month.’

Meanwhile, SENTRO Deputy Secretary General Joanna Bernice said DUWU’s strike is ‘a legitimate exercise of workers’ collective rights.’

‘On one hand, we have workers practicing their right to strike, and on the other, we have management busting their union.’

Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña likewise called on DHL to uphold its commitments to workers’ rights to organization, collective bargaining and freedom of association.

‘DHL’s global commitments to respect workers’ rights to organization, bargaining, and freedom of association must not simply be performative.’

The dispute has also drawn support from workers, women and youth groups, as well as lawmakers who have joined mobilizations in support of DUWU.

The union and its allies have scheduled a candle-lighting protest in Pasig City on Wednesday to press DHL management on union recognition and good-faith negotiations.

RISING medical costs, gaps in existing health coverage and complex treatment options have given rise to a healthcare confidence gap, leaving Filipinos unable to seek proper medical care when the need arises.

In 2025, the country’s Total Health Expenditure (THE) reached P1.87 trillion, a 15.1 percent increase from 2024’s THE of P1.63 trillion. Of this, 41.2% was paid out-of-pocket, placing a direct financial burden on individuals and families, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Meanwhile, 2026 medical costs can potentially increase to 16.1 percent, indicating a continued rapid increase in healthcare spending which highlights the need for better healthcare funding among Filipinos.

These numbers indicate a health crisis that affects even affluent families who have the financial means to pay for healthcare when a serious illness strikes. After all, major illnesses and healthcare concerns can mean more than medical expenses. They can disrupt business interests, investments, and other financial priorities.

A premium health insurance solution, InLife Global Care (www.inlife.com.ph) aims to address these gaps to give Filipinos greater choice, flexibility and confidence when important healthcare decisions arise.

‘Healthcare confidence is knowing that when a serious medical situation happens, you have choices, resources, and someone you can rely on to help you move forward. InLife Global Care aims to provide all these and more, to help those who have worked hard to build their careers, businesses and family wealth, and who recognize that protecting their health is just as important as protecting their financial future,’ said InLife chief product and innovation officer Jose Eduardo O. Ang.

For many Filipinos, healthcare confidence means having the financial protection that does not reduce savings or business cash flows, family protection, long-term health coverage, funds to cover healthcare costs that may not be sufficiently covered by one’s health maintenance organization (HMO), and treatment options whether locally or abroad.

InLife Global Care provides all these and more. It gives up to P125M annual coverage, with cashless service options and the flexibility to choose how and where one receives care, with access to accredited healthcare providers in the Philippines and abroad.

InLife Global Care delivers not just comprehensive inpatient coverage but also outpatient and preventive care benefits for essential healthcare needs, especially as a supplement to one’s HMO coverage such as major hospitalization, serious illnesses and cancer treatments, outpatient benefits including consultations and diagnostics, and even emergency treatment outside areas of coverage for up to P12.5M (subject to policy terms, conditions, limits and exclusions).

For Filipinos seeking protection beyond their working years, InLife Global Care is renewable annually until age 99, and includes a built-in life insurance benefit that provides additional protection up to age 70, for as long as the plan remains active.

‘InLife’s 115 years of experience gives us a deep understanding of what matters to Filipino families. They want world-class care, but they also want the reassurance of knowing that they and their families have someone they can depend on when difficult healthcare decisions arise. That is what we mean by world-class care. Filipino heart. InLife certainty,’ said Ang.

ALEX Eala has practically hit the big time, indeed. Proof of that once more is the fact that she’s been included in the mixed doubles event of the 2026 US Open now underway with the qualifying matches being completed in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York.

Seemingly, only the tennis elite are highlighted in mixed-doubles play, making Eala a certified world superstar this early in her career.

That is really something to crow about as Eala is not even a Grand Slam winner yet. And she has yet to crash into the Top 10 world rankings.

But she’s slowly inching her way up. Only last Monday, August 24, she was upgraded to No. 18 from No. 20, another huge hop that should auger well for the 21-year-old Filipino superstar, morale-wise.

With her new ranking, Eala officially becomes the first Southeast Asian to achieve that plateau-another feather to her cap going into the last Grand Slam of the season.

It’s a shame that Eala’s mixed-doubles debut was scheduled at 10 p.m. last night, August 25 Philippine time-or hours away before I had to finish this piece in time for deadline.

But whatever the result is, Eala deserves our absolute applause in her team-up with Felix Augur-Aliassime, the world No. 4 from Canada.

We can only pray and hope that they did well against the husband-and-wife team of Ukraine’s world No. 9 Elina Svitolina and France’s Gael Monfils.

Svitolina is the same player that Eala beat earlier this year during the Filipina’s winning streak against several of the Top 10 campaigners in the world.

It was that streak, fashioned across the globe before wildly cheering Filipino crowds, that helped carve Eala’s glory-rich niche now sweeping the global tennis landscape.

Should Eala-Aliassime get past Svitolina-Monfils in the Round of 16 of the Top Draw, they’d meet the winner of the match between Aryna Sabalenka-Novak Djokovic and Leylah Fernandez-Frances Tiafoe.

Sabalenka, of course, is the world No. 1 from Belarus while Serbia’s Djokovic holds the all-time record of 24 Grand Slams in a tie with Virginia Wade.

The duo are heavily favored over the Fil-Canadian Fernandez and American journeyman Tiafoe.

The 23-time major winner Serena Williams is paired with four-time Slam champ Carlos Alcaraz, the Spanish star who is returning from a four-month hiatus after hurting his right wrist.

Their opponents will be qualifiers, and should they pull through, they will face the winners of the match between Belinda Bencic-Flavio Cobolli and Taylor Townsend-Alexander Zverev.

Eala’s first singles foe this year will be known possibly on Friday, August 28 Philippine time.

This will be Eala’s second US Open appearance, advancing to the second round last year with a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 win over Denmark’s Clara Tauson before losing to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa 6-4, 6-3.

The US Open dangles the biggest winner’s purse of $5.5 million (roughly P116 million) in both the men’s and women’s divisions among all four majors.

Yes, Virginia, we are in the wrong racket.

THAT’S IT By just showing up and playing her first match in the US Open, Alex Eala will earn $190,000-win or lose. If she reaches the Round of 16, she gets $480,000; a quarterfinal stint is worth $780,000, semifinal $1.450 million and runner-up $2.8 million. If Eala remains healthy and active in the next 10 years, she’d be a billionaire by age 31-easily. Tennis is where the money is. Like golf.

THE ambush of Bangsamoro interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua’s convoy has exposed deepening political divisions within the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), raising concerns over the stability of the Bangsamoro region just weeks before its first parliamentary election, a media brief by Climate Conflict Action Asia (CCAA), said.

Macacua’s convoy was attacked on August 15 in barangay Bitu, Datu Odin Sinsuat, as

he was returning to Cotabato City after attending a general assembly of the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP) in Kabuntalan, where he took his oath as the party’s chairperson. No one was injured, although the vehicles were riddled with bullets.

The national government, MILF Central Committee, Moro National Liberation Front, Commission on Elections and other organizations condemned the attack.

The National Police, in coordination with the Armed Forces, has launched an investigation and identified a person of interest, although authorities were still determining whether the incident was election-related as of Aug. 18.

CCAA said the timing of the attack has fueled speculation that it could be connected to tensions surrounding the upcoming elections.

One narrative circulating on the ground and on social media alleges that individuals aligned with the BFP may have staged the ambush, either to create grounds for postponing the election and keeping Macacua in power or to generate public sympathy. CCAA stressed that these are among several theories surrounding the incident and have not been established as facts.

The incident came a day after the MILF Central Committee publicly announced its decision to indefinitely suspend Macacua as chief of staff of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, along with nine base commanders who had pledged allegiance to the BFP.

Another possibility raised by CCAA is that the attack could have been carried out by supporters of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) who oppose Macacua and his recent actions against the MILF Central Committee, including the removal of Mohagher Iqbal as Education minister.

Macacua’s decision to take the BFP chairmanship may have further heightened tensions by reinforcing perceptions that he is challenging the MILF leadership and its authority. CCAA also noted the possibility that other political parties, gun-for-hire groups or extremist organizations could have been behind the attack in an effort to generate fear and violence ahead of the election.

CCAA warned that the ambush could further widen divisions within the MILF and deepen political polarization across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The organization said this could have significant implications for the MILF’s support base and potentially threaten both the parliamentary election and the broader political settlement. The area where the ambush occurred has also been a longstanding hotspot for political and identity-based violence, with rival clans previously contesting the mayoralty.

The rhetoric from opposing camps has added to concerns about a potential escalation. During a BFP rally in Kabuntalan before the ambush, Macacua reportedly said the group was ‘prepared for war to ensure that the Bangsamoro is on the right path.’ Meanwhile, MILF-linked politician and Member of Parliament Abdullah Macapaar, also known as Commander Bravo, warned during a UBJP assembly on Aug. 3 that they were prepared for armed confrontation if there was manipulation of the electoral process.

According to CCAA, such declarations raise the risk that succeeding developments could become increasingly volatile and potentially threaten the transition away from armed struggle that the Bangsamoro political settlement was intended to achieve.

CCAA warned that the political divide could reignite long-standing conflicts and trigger new cycles of violence, particularly between MILF-affiliated groups aligned with the UBJP and BFP.

The organization said signs of such tensions are already evident in areas including Nabalawag in the Special Geographic Area, and warned that violence could spread to other areas with a history of clan rivalries and intra-MILF conflict, including the SPMS Box, where several MILF base commands remain active.

With the parliamentary election approaching, CCAA said the coming weeks will be a critical test for the Bangsamoro peace process.

It added that the first parliamentary election could either strengthen the foundations for lasting peace or, if political polarization continues to deepen, create conditions for renewed conflict.

THE Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division has allowed detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada to undergo a knee X-ray at Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) in San Juan City on August 26 despite objections from the prosecution.

In a four-page resolution, the anti-graft court granted Estrada’s motion for leave, filed via electronic mail, seeking permission to undergo the procedure after experiencing persistent pain in both knees that has made it difficult for him to walk.

The Sandiganbayan said Estrada will be allowed to leave his detention cell at the New Quezon City Jail at around 11 a.m. for his scheduled 1 p.m. X-ray.

The court directed his security escorts to return him to the Quezon City jail no later than 3 p.m. on the same day.

Aside from his security escorts, Estrada may be accompanied only by immediate family members, legal counsel and attending medical personnel during the procedure.

‘Photography, video recording, and any social media postings regarding the accused’s procedure are strictly prohibited,’ the court said.

All hospital, medical, transportation and incidental expenses will be shouldered by Estrada.

In his motion, Estrada said that even before his detention on June 1, 2026, he had been suffering from joint effusion and intermittent pain in both knees.

He was previously diagnosed with osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition affecting his mobility. His orthopedic doctor, Dr. Jose Fernando Syquia, recommended an X-ray to determine whether his condition has worsened.

The prosecution opposed Estrada’s request, suggesting that the procedure instead be conducted at the New Quezon City Jail using a portable X-ray machine or mobile X-ray clinic.

It also proposed that the court tap government hospitals or other public medical facilities to conduct the examination.

Estrada is facing trial before the Sandiganbayan for plunder and graft over allegations that he received more than P573 million in kickbacks from government flood-control projects from 2024 to 2025.

The Office of the Ombudsman alleged that Estrada, former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan and several others were involved in an ‘intricate mechanism involving illegal budgetary insertions and project allocations’ within the Department of Public Works and Highways’ infrastructure portfolio.

The Ombudsman said its evaluation of the records showed that ‘substantial public funds were deliberately funneled into designated infrastructure projects in exchange for pre-determined commission fees or kickbacks.’

Estrada has maintained that there is no strong evidence showing that he demanded or solicited kickbacks or ‘commitments’ from former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo or his aide in connection with flood-control or other infrastructure projects.

A SUPREME Court challenge is likely whichever way the Senate Impeachment Court ultimately resolves the number of votes needed to convict Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, a House of Representatives prosecutor said.

Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro, a member of the House prosecution team, said the issue surrounding the conviction threshold remains unresolved despite previous statements from Impeachment Court officials.

He explained that whichever interpretation the Senate adopts-whether requiring 16 votes or a lower number-there is a possibility that the matter will eventually be brought before the Supreme Court.

‘Realistically, whatever decision may be reached, there will likely be someone who will go to the Supreme Court, whether we are talking about 16 votes or a lower number,’ Ridon said during a news forum.

He added that either side involved in the impeachment proceedings may seek judicial clarification depending on the final decision of the Senate Impeachment Court.

Ridon made the statement in response to a hypothetical situation where the Impeachment Court changes its interpretation of the constitutional requirement for a two-thirds vote and convicts Duterte with fewer than 16 votes.

However, he declined to speculate on how such a scenario would unfold, saying that the issue would only be addressed if it actually happens.

The Constitution provides that no person shall be convicted in an impeachment trial ‘without the concurrence of two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate.’ The Senate Impeachment Court had previously maintained that 16 votes are required to convict Duterte. Senators who have been affected by cases include Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, Sen. Jose Pimenel Ejercito alias Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.

Ridon emphasized that the prosecution is not seeking a specific interpretation of the voting requirement and that the decision ultimately belongs to the senator-judges. He said the role of the prosecution is only to present its arguments and allow the impeachment court to determine the proper application of the constitutional provision.

When asked about concerns that Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Senator Francis Escudero would continue to uphold the 16-vote requirement, Ridon said that different positions on the issue have already been expressed.

‘There have already been statements from various officials. The presiding officer has his position, and the spokesperson of the court has also provided clarification,’ Ridon said.

However, he noted that the matter may still be subject to further discussion, saying that the question of the proper interpretation of the requirement has not yet been completely settled.

Quorum

RIDON said that the absence of some senator-judges should not affect the impeachment proceedings as long as the Senate Impeachment Court maintains a quorum.

He explained that the trial can continue even if some senator-judges are not physically present on the Senate floor, provided they remain within the Senate premises and the required number of members is present to conduct official proceedings.

Ridon added that the greater concern involves senator-judges who are completely outside the Senate premises, including those who are abroad.

Despite these concerns, Ridon stressed that the most important consideration is whether the Senate impeachment court has enough members present to establish a quorum.

‘As long as there is a quorum to proceed, that shouldn’t have any impact on the proceedings itself,’ Ridon said.

Ridon also clarified that the prosecution is not asking the Senate to reduce or adjust the number of votes required for conviction because determining the threshold is a matter for the senator-judges.

‘It is not for the prosecution or defense to determine the threshold. It is for the Senate judges to make that determination,’ Ridon said.

He reiterated that the Constitution does not specifically mention an absolute number of 16 votes but instead states that conviction requires the concurrence of two-thirds of all senators.

‘The Constitution does not state an absolute number of 16. It states two-thirds of all senators. Whatever that provision means will be decided by the Senate judges,’ Ridon explained.

The Senate Impeachment Court previously ruled that 16 votes are required to convict Duterte.

DAMAGE to public and private infrastructure and farms during the onslaught of the recent storms Luis and Maymay, and Neneng, and aggravated by excessive rainfall from the prevailing southwest monsoon, have reached P6.6 billion, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported.

Of these, P4.9 billion damages was in public and private infrastructure, mainly to the 2,300 houses that were damaged by floods and landslides, and P1.7 billion was in agriculture.

The NDRRMC noted that the combined effect of storms Luis, Maymay and Neneng, and the southwest monsoon has severely affected almost the entire Luzon, with 89 cities and towns having been declared under a state of calamity.

Over 2.1 million families or 7.4 million persons were affected, with 11,900 families or 40,600 persons still being provided care in 549 different evacuation centers, the NDRRMC said.

According to the NDRRMC, the inclement weather that triggered flashfloods, severe flooding, and landslides claimed the lives of 29 people as of August 22.

Search and rescue operations are still ongoing for 3 other persons reported missing in Quezon, Manila, and Batangas City.

The government said it continues to assist affected families and has so far spent P1.1 billion.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that it is currently tracking Typhoon Saudel, which is now moving west-northwest over the Philippine Sea off extreme northern Luzon.

The typhoon was estimated to be some 2,085 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour near the center, and gustiness of up to 206 kph.

The state weather bureau also said the southeast monsoon or habagat continued to affect Luzon on Sunday as two tropical systems outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) are being tracked.

In its 4 a.m. bulletin, Pagasa said Batanes will experience occasional rains while

Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro and the rest of Cagayan Valley will have cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms.

The rest of Luzon will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to habagat while the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, Pagasa continues to monitor Typhoon Saudel and Tropical Depression Gaenari, which are both outside of the PAR.

As of 3 a.m., Saudel was located 2,245 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon packing maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph) with gustiness of up to 215 kph, and moving west northwestward at 25 kph.

Gaenari, on the other hand, was located 565 km north of Itbayat, Batanes packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph with gustiness of up to 70 kph, and moving westward at 10 kph.