Category: Business Mirror

THE Commission on Audit (COA) has filed four additional fraud audit reports before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), exposing cases of fully paid but non-existent or substandard flood control projects in Bulacan.

According to state auditors, the new filings involve projects in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO), ranging from P69 million to nearly P97 million.

The findings point to what the agency describes as another set of ‘ghost projects’ that were marked as completed and fully paid by the government.

COA flagged two projects awarded to SYMS Construction Trading: a P92.69-million flood control structure in Barangay San Roque, Baliuag, and another P92.71-million revetment project along Angat River in Barangay Taal, Pulilan.

Inspectors reported that the San Roque structure did not exist at the approved site, while an alternative location pointed out by DPWH officials contained a substandard facility that did not meet specifications.

For the Pulilan project, auditors found only an abandoned slope protection structure that predated the contract period.

Despite the irregularities and the absence of critical documents required under COA Circular No. 2009-001, the DPWH-Bulacan 1st DEO had fully paid SYMS Construction.

‘This is another ghost project,’ state auditors said.

Among those initially held ‘liable’ are District Engineer Henry C. Alcantara, Assistant District Engineer Brice Ericson D. Hernandez, Planning and Design Section Chief Ernesto Galang, Engineer John Michael E. Ramos, Project Engineer Lemuel Ephraim SD. Roque, Engineer Jolo Mari V. Tayao.

SYMS owner Sally Santos was also found to be liable.

Aside from SYMS, state auditors found a P69.48-million riverbank protection project awarded to Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. as anomalous.

The approved site in Plaridel showed no signs of a flood control structure, while the alternate site identified by DPWH contained an incomplete facility that fell short of approved standards.

‘Based on these findings, COA takes this to mean that the fully paid flood control project does not exist,’ the agency said.

Aside from Alcantara, Hernandez, and Galang, Construction Section Chief Jaypee D. Mendoza, Ramos, Engineer Irene DC. Otingco, Engineer Joshua Blitz S. Roxas, Engineer Bernardo Villafuerte, and Eumir S. Villanueva of Topnotch Catalyst Builders, Inc. as well as the company’s officers and members of the board, ‘were tagged as liable.’

The audit also covered a P96.5-million riverwall construction project in Barangay Pagala, Baliuag, contracted to Triple 8 Construction and Supply Inc. Similar to the other cases, the approved site showed no structure, while the alternate site presented a facility ‘drastically’ below plan specifications.

The project had nonetheless been fully paid, with COA citing the absence of supporting validation documents as another red flag.

Triple 8’s officers and members of the board, led by Wilfredo M. Natividad, along with Alcantara, Hernandez, Ramos, Galang, and Mendoza were found liable.

COA said individuals found liable may face graft and corruption charges under Republic Act 3019, malversation and falsification of documents under the Revised Penal Code, as well as violations of procurement laws and COA regulations.

‘The initial list of liable persons is not final and may expand as the audit progresses, or new information becomes available,’ the COA said.

To date, COA has filed a total of 17 Fraud Audit Reports: nine with the Office of the Ombudsman and eight with the ICI, including the four new cases.

SIMPLE LIFE

BEFORE he married the celebrity, the politician lived a relatively simple life, considering his status. He and his family lived in a modest but comfortable home. But marriage to the celebrity changed that. The politician is by no means innocent in all this because he gave his wife all that money of his own free will but it’s obvious that he would not be living this life if he had not married her. Because of the recent uproar against those in government who live luxuriously in these difficult times, the husband told his wife to keep a low profile and not flaunt whatever it is she keeps flaunting.

BIRDS OF THE SAME FEATHER

PEOPLE are comparing a young and pretty starlet to a star who is no longer active in show business, this for a lot of reasons. One is that they became popular not because they are talented but because of luck. The more important reason, they say, is that they’re both allegedly uncouth and rude. The young and pretty starlet is very popular but many claim to have had rude encounters with her. The more senior star has had many horror stories told about her behavior too. One of these stories is that she insists on sleeping while having her makeup done, making things difficult for her glam team.

FAT SHAMED

THE starlet must have had a difficult time growing up as a chubby girl because her father is known for being fatphobic. Those who are close to the starlet have, in fact, heard her father castigating her for being overweight. According to these sources, he even goes as far as comparing her to thinner girls, saying ‘no one will say you’re beautiful because you’re fat.’ The starlet eventually gave in to this pressure and is now as thin as her father wants her to be. She is a lovely and nice girl at any weight.

ON THE ROCKS

IT seems that the marriage of this beautiful couple is on the rocks but both parties are working hard to save it. It reportedly got to the point where the wife left the marital home but came back after a while. There are no cheating rumors on both sides so everyone is curious as to what happened. The wife has not posted anything about her husband on social media in a while and this has added to everyone’s curiosity about what is happening.

Vientiane, Laos – Hinatuan Mining Corporation – Taganaan (HMC), a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC), has won the Best Practices in Distribution award at the 4th ASEAN Mineral Awards (AMA), held recently in Vientiane, Laos.

The AMA is a biennial event that recognizes excellence in mineral development across ASEAN, with a focus on sustainable practices, technological innovation, and responsible industry leadership.

This is the second recognition for HMC at the AMA. In 2023, the company was named 2nd runner-up in the same category during the ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

‘HMC’s continuous pursuit of excellence in distribution practices has solidified its position as a leader in the mining industry, further enhancing its reputation for corporate responsibility, efficiency, and sustainability,’ said NAC Senior Vice President and HMC Resident Mine Manager Francisco Aranes Jr.

HMC’s victory is the fourth AMA award earned by the NAC Group since the program’s launch in 2017. That year, Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTN), another NAC subsidiary, won the top prize in the Best Practices in Minerals Mining category, and later secured runner-up honors at the 2nd AMA in Bangkok under the Metallic Mining category.

HMC – Taganaan is one of six mining subsidiaries of the NAC Group. It is situated on the Hinatuan Island in Barangay Talavera within the municipality of Taganaan, Surigao del Norte. It operates within the Surigal Mineral Reservation, focusing on the export of saprolite and limonite ore.

THE country’s fish unloading volume rose by over 9 percent in August, the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) reported.

In its latest briefer, the PFDA said the fish unloading volume in the reference month grew by 9.7 percent to 46,458.20 metric tons (MT) from the 42,354.45 MT posted in the same period last year.

The General Santos Fish Port Complex held the lion’s share of the total unloading record delivered to consumers in August at 23,716.08 MT. This was higher than the 19,718.79 MT recorded in the previous year.

PFDA noted that the Navotas Fish Port Complex, the largest RFP in the country, trailed behind as it unloaded 16,211.08 MT of fish, higher than the 15,809.70 MT of fish products delivered to consumers in the same period last year.

For its Luzon ports, the agency said the Lucena Fish Port Complex unloaded 1,752.3 MT of fish products in August, up from the previous year’s 1,669.05 MT.

The Bulan Fish Port Complex in Sorsogon delivered 860.9 MT of fish in the reference month, according to the agency. It was lower than the 1,328.10 MT last year.

The PFDA said the sole port in the Visayas-Iloilo Fish Port Complex-managed to supply 2,843.4 MT of fish to consumers in August, from 2,724.86 MT.

Meanwhile, the country’s Mindanao ports-Zamboanga Fish Port Complex and Davao Fish Port Complex-supplied 704.55 MT and 360.57 MT of fish, respectively.

The agency also said the Sual Fish Port delivered 9.31 MT of fish products in the reference month.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier issued memorandum orders that allowed the Philippines to import fish and aquatic products.

Such a move is aimed at ensuring a stable supply amid successive typhoons and the upcoming closed fishing season.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed MO 47, which stipulated the guidelines on the implementation of the certificate of necessity to import (CNI) 55,000 MT of frozen fish for wet markets covering the period of October to December.

Only registered importers under Fisheries Administrative Order 259 can participate in the importation program under CNI 55,000 MT.

In a separate document, Laurel also issued MO 46, authorizing the importation of 22,000 MT of various frozen seafood. The CNI covers the period September to December.

Such an import order followed the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) recommendation to ‘provide a wider range of choices of affordable fish’ and ‘cater to the market demand.’

THE Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference is set for a high-intensity, action-packed run crammed into just eight weeks to accommodate Alas Pilipinas’s participation in the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December.

The import-laden tournament kicks off on Tuesday with the league using its streamlined Reinforced Conference format-the 12 teams are divided into two pools and will play a single round-robin within their groups and the top three teams from each pool will advance to the second round and face off only against the bottom three squads from the opposite group.

Rankings will follow the FIVB classification system based on total wins, match points, set ratio and point ratio.

At the end of the second round, all 12 teams will be re-ranked from 1 to 12 and the bottom four will be eliminated, and the top eight will advance to the quarterfinals, which will follow a 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, and 4 vs 5 knockout format.

The semifinals, championship and bronze medal matches will also be one-game encounters.

Fresh off a dominant preseason, PLDT is aiming to complete a rare triple crown after sweeping both the PVL on Tour and the Invitational Conference.

Led by Russian ace Anastasiia Bavykina, the High Speed Hitters boast a stacked roster and are gunning to finish the year with a perfect record.

PVL president Ricky Palou expressed optimism for another unforgettable conference during Thursday’s press conference of the import-laced conference-backed by Milcu, Fabriano Appliances, Mikasa and International Container Terminal Services Inc.-at the Discovery Suites in Ortigas.

‘We’re looking forward to a very exciting conference,’ Palou said. ‘It’s going to be more competitive than usual because it’s Reinforced-we still have to see the caliber and skills of the imports. Whoever wins the championship, it’s anybody’s game.’

Creamline will look to bounce back with American spiker Courtney Schwan, seeking to defend its title, while Petro Gazz returns with a proven weapon in Lindsey Vander Weide, a key figure in their 2022 championship run.

Galeries Tower has signed former Chery Tiggo import Jelena Cvijovic of Montenegro, Nxled will lean on Spanish standout Paola Martinez Vela, Akari welcomes American Annie Mitchem, while Capital1 brings in Ukrainian Oleksandra Bytsenko.

Chery Tiggo tapped Cuban veteran Yunieska Robles Batista, Choco Mucho will be reinforced by American Anyse Smith, Cignal will rely on Greek hitter Eva Chantava, Farm Fresh looks to make waves with Belgian Helene Rousseaux, and ZUS Coffee is banking on American spiker Anna DeBeer.

THE Department of Finance (DOF) announced last Thursday of having maintained its International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification for its compliance with global standards.

A statement issued by the DOF read that the department sustained its ISO 9001:2015 certification for eight years, following a third surveillance audit conducted in September 2025.

By securing an ISO certification, an organization’s management system, process, service, or documentation procedure has met all the global requirements for standardization and quality assurance set by the International Organization for Standardization.

According to the non-governmental body, ISO 9001 is a standard ‘that sets out the requirements for a quality management system. It helps businesses and organizations to be more efficient and improve customer satisfaction.’

‘This stamp of approval from the ISO is evidence of the kind of public service that we at the DOF are committed to delivering. At the DOF, there is no room for ‘just good enough.’ Everything must be aligned with global standards,’ Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto was quoted as saying in the statement.

The ISO 9001:2015 Certification for its Quality Management System is the most widely recognized quality management standard in the world.

An external team regularly conducts surveillance audits to verify continuous adherence to ISO standards. The third Surveillance Audit on the DOF was carried out on September 17 and 18, 2025.

The audit covered the DOF’s core processes, such as the granting of tax exemptions on importations by the Revenue Office (RO), the support services provided by the Policy Development and Management Services Group, and the functions of the Legal Affairs Office.

The DOF received a feedback score of 99.55 percent in the service quality dimension during the second quarter of 2025.

In 2017, the DOF secured its first ISO 9001 certification (2008 version), covering the core processes of the RO and the Municipal Development Fund Office, and the updated 2015 version later that same year.

Since then, the DOF has maintained its certification through successful recertification audits conducted in 2021 and 2024, alongside annual surveillance audits.

BESIDES the national government agencies and the police force, the Philippine Postal Corp., the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) have pulled in weight to help Masbate’s storm victims and earthquake survivors in Cebu. The Makati city government also sent volunteers and material aid.

The PCSO earlier said that it has already handed out millions worth of evacuation kits and relief goods to families impacted by Typhoon ‘Opong’ in Masbate, and the earthquake in Cebu.

Covering daily deliveries through C130 flights, and the Philippine Coast Guard vessel ‘Gabriela Silang’, a larger wave of assistance is set to follow by land with a PCSO caravan scheduled to leave Manila Sunday morning on October 5, delivering more aid to both regions.

The caravan will transport substantial quantities of relief supplies to the affected provinces.

Among the resources being dispatched are 11 patient transport vehicles (PTVs) for Cebu, alongside five dump trucks from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) dedicated to carrying essential relief items.

To ensure a steady supply of aid, the convoy will also include at least five wing vans and one bus filled with crucial necessities for the families in need.

Masbate is under a state of calamity as it grapples with the aftermath of the typhoon that displaced thousands, destroyed homes, and severely impacted agricultural lands.

In Cebu, the magnitude 6.9 earthquake has left over 20,000 individuals displaced, with Bogo City, Medellin, and San Remigio among the most severely affected areas.

Thousands of residents remain in evacuation centers or have been forced to sleep outdoors due to ongoing aftershocks, highlighting the urgent need for immediate assistance.

‘We cannot turn away from the suffering of our fellow Filipinos in Masbate and Cebu,’ stated PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles.

PRC tents as shelter

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., together with DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, had personally called Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman Richard Gordon to seek the Red Cross’ assistance in deploying tents for displaced families in Northern Cebu.

Dizon, who closely worked with Gordon during the pandemic response, recalled the effectiveness of PRC tents as hospital extensions during the Covid-19 crisis.

Gordon swiftly mobilized PRC assets from warehouses in Manila, Cebu, and Subic, including prepositioned medical and family tents, food supplies, and emergency equipment ready for rapid dispatch to the hardest-hit communities.

Currently, PRC is on standby and awaiting the go-signal from the LGU, which is identifying an open area where the tent city can be set up. Once the site is confirmed, PRC will also assist in camp management to ensure safety, order, and proper living conditions for displaced families.

Dizon assured that DPWH, in coordination with DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, will provide full logistical support-including air transport via C-130s if necessary-to ensure the swift delivery of aid.

‘The President moved quickly and decisively. That kind of leadership is what our people need in times of crisis. His call to action allows the Red Cross and government agencies to work hand in hand in bringing immediate relief to the victims of this earthquake,’ Gordon said.

‘PRC is an auxiliary to the government. We stand ready to work with DOH, DSWD, DPWH, DND, and all agencies to ensure the welfare of our people,’ Gordon added.

PHLpost delivers hope

The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) has deployed its fleet of vehicles in Central and Eastern Visayas to support the DSWD in transporting relief supplies to families affected by the recent 6.9 magnitude earthquake in Cebu.

Postal trucks were used to deliver food packs, sleeping kits, and laminated sacks for temporary shelters to Bogo City and nearby municipalities. Postal Area 5 Director Marilyn Alcoy has been coordinating with DSWD Cebu to mobilize trucks and personnel, ensuring timely delivery of aid to evacuation centers and affected communities.

As the country’s universal service provider, PHLPost maintains a nationwide logistics and delivery network capable of reaching even the remotest barangays. The agency also keeps a standby fleet of trucks and has identified facilities nationwide that may serve as logistics hubs during disasters, enabling it to complement government relief operations.

Meanwhile, Makati Mayor Nancy Binay has ordered the deployment of a Search and Rescue Team to Cebu. The team of 12 highly trained search and rescue personnel, including four licensed nurses and EMTs, arrived in Cebu on Wednesday, October 2, to assist in relief and recovery operations in the affected areas.

The team brought critical equipment including specialized search and rescue tools, a generator set, power tools, and a drone to support operations on the ground.

SHFC freezes loan payments

Meanwhile, the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC), an attached agency under the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), has declared a one-month moratorium on housing amortization payments for partner-homeowners in communities affected by recent natural calamities.

The declaration of moratorium is in response to President Marcos, Jr.’s directive and DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling’s instruction to extend urgent support to disaster-affected communities.

The moratorium covers member-beneficiaries affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu, as well as Typhoons Nando and Typhoon Opong in Region IV-B (MIMAROPA), Region V (Bicol), and Region VI (Western Visayas).

SHFC President and CEO Federico Laxa said the moratorium seeks to ease the financial burden of affected families so they can prioritize recovery and rebuilding.

AS I said, mouth-watering deals should fill the air as Christmas nears. That has always been the case, given that Filipino car buffs are suckers for bargain offers.

An early bird is Hariphil Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), which is celebrating its 24th year with exclusive deals from Chevrolet and BPI.

Ciana Mae Calsena says a promo that runs until October 31, will grant the buyer of a Chevrolet Captiva a P140,000 cash discount or an all-in down payment (DP) of only P46,000 (based on 20-percent DP).

‘The Chevrolet Captiva isn’t just a car, it’s a trusted family partner that’s made efficient for everyday use and ready for long drives on weekends,’ says Ciana. ‘The Captiva’s advanced safety features includes six airbags, an elevated ride height, MacPherson suspension, and an 18-inch alloy wheels.’

Ciana adds: ‘You stay in control no matter the road conditions. With a 7-seat capacity and flexible cargo configurations, the Captiva adapts to whatever the day demands, whether you are planning for a road trip, grocery run, or school drop-off. Fold the seats for up to 1,709 liters of space, and you’ll have room for everything that matters.’

THE Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association, Inc. (MDPPA) recently held two road safety seminars to build a culture of responsible riding through education and community partnership.

Teaming up with the Mandaluyong City-based Shigi Shigi Riders Club, Inc., the MDPPA embellished the seminar with a poster-making contest at the Highway Hills Integrated High School in Mandaluyong City.

Some 146 students from Grades 8 to 12 attended the event that centered on safe driving practices, personal and vehicle safety, pedestrian awareness, road courtesy and understanding traffic rules and road infrastructure.

‘Teaching road safety at a young age is critical because it lays the foundation for responsible behavior on the road,’ said MDPPA’s Richard Victoria.

A similar event was held in Cavite as part of the 2025 anniversary celebration of Motorsiklo Xklusibo’s ‘Walang Mintis sa Disisais.’

Held at Megaworld Maple Grove in General Trias, the road safety talk focused on real-world issues faced by motorcycle riders, including the most neglected traffic signs, intersection etiquette and the importance of wearing proper helmets.

‘Sometimes, it’s the little things we overlook that put us most at risk,’ said Victoria. ‘Many riders miss important traffic signs or forget how to navigate intersections safely, even if they’ve been riding for years. That’s why we focus on real-world issues like these during our seminars, which beginner and veteran riders alike encounter every day but may not always pay attention to.’

For more than 50 years now, MDPPA has been at the forefront of advocating safer roads through awareness campaigns, public engagement and education-based outreach programs.

By equipping riders with knowledge that addresses both long-standing and emerging road issues, MDPPA ensures that safety remains a shared responsibility across generations and communities.

MDPPA members include leading motorcycle manufacturers Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and TVS.

Among the many goals of MDPPA is addressing the global industry gaps in road safety, regulation compliance, environmental protection, technology, and innovation through active consultation, representation and communication with various stakeholders.

To learn more about the various advocacies of MDPPA, Nicole Lucena directs us to visit https://mdppa.site/.

PEE STOP The inauguration of the new Lexus building at BGC Taguig on Sept. 26 was cancelled due to Super Typhoon ‘Opong.’ It was moved to Nov. 6, says Lexus AVP Jade Sison-Mendoza. Wise decision. Had the gathering pushed through, many guests might have missed it as ‘Opong’ battered many parts of the country that day, including Metro Manila. Casualties reached 26 as of last count, with destruction of properties and agricultural crops estimated at millions of pesos.Paulo P. Cuento reports that new buyers of select Volvo Plug-in Hybrid and All-Electric models will get a chance to win a trip for two to Europe. This exclusive promo runs until October 31, 2025.

The ADB’s latest Asian Development Outlook is a useful reality check. Slowing global growth, trade tensions and domestic governance problems have combined to nudge the Philippines’ GDP forecast down-modestly for now, but with risks that could turn a small downgrade into a meaningful derailment.

First, the external shock is palpable. The ADB highlights higher US tariffs and broader trade uncertainty as a drag on advanced-economy demand that, in turn, bleeds into the Philippines’ export and investment prospects. The imposition of a 19 percent tariff on Philippine exports to the US raises costs for exporters, and make long-run planning harder for businesses. For an economy that relies on both merchandise exports and foreign investment, the new tariff environment elevates downside risk. It is therefore appropriate that forecasts were trimmed-and that the government treats the change as urgency to diversify markets, upgrade product competitiveness, and support exporters adjusting to higher trade costs.

Second, domestic vulnerabilities matter just as much-if not more. ADB singled out the controversy around flood-control projects as a ‘heightened risk.’ Corruption, contract mismanagement and politicized public works do more than erode public trust; they destroy capital, delay critical infrastructure, and raise the cost of borrowing and doing business. Infrastructure built poorly or stalled by scandal becomes a recurring liability: vulnerable communities remain exposed to flooding, budgetary resources are wasted, and the private sector loses confidence.

Third, the apparent resilience of domestic consumption is a double-edged sword. The ADB and other analysts note that household spending has supported growth amid benign inflation. That is welcome. But deeper inspection shows this consumption is increasingly credit-fueled: higher credit-card use and salary-based loans have helped maintain demand, yet ANZ Research’s warning that some of these practices are ‘unhealthy’ should not be dismissed. Consumption driven by increasing household debt-without significant investment in assets or productive ventures-can obscure fundamental weaknesses. When interest rates or employment conditions shift, the weak link will show up in defaults. Policymakers and regulators should allow domestic demand to support growth while promoting responsible lending, improving financial literacy, and incentivizing savings and productive investment.

Fourth, the inflation outlook allows for policy flexibility, enabling further monetary easing as ADB expects inflation to remain within the BSP target. The BSP has already reduced rates to support growth. However, given global volatility, rate cuts must be data-driven, and temporary support should be linked to structural reforms that ensure financial stability.

The recent ADB downgrade should sharpen political will across the executive, the legislature and watchdog institutions. The Philippines has the demand fundamentals and demographic tailwinds to achieve stronger, inclusive growth. But that path requires greater transparency, fiscal discipline, responsible credit expansion and a proactive diversification of trade and investment ties.

The forecast downgrade serves as a warning, not a verdict. Policymakers need to act swiftly and decisively-addressing corruption that harms infrastructure, safeguarding household finances, and preparing the economy to withstand external shocks. By taking these steps, the Philippines can maintain and enhance its growth potential. Failing to act could turn today’s modest downgrades into more significant losses in the future.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday formally proclaimed the first nominees of Abono, Ang Probinsyano, and Murang Kuryente to take over the three party-list seats in the House of Representatives once reserved for Duterte Youth.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the proclamation capped the poll body’s monthslong deliberations after Duterte Youth lost its bid to stop the cancellation of its registration.

On September 30, the clerk of the commission issued a Certificate of Finality and Entry of Judgment, affirming that the August en banc decision voiding the group’s registration was final and executory.

‘They will fulfill the three seats supposedly to be awarded to the Duterte Youth after the en banc decision disqualifying them became final and executory,’ Garcia said in a press conference.

Abono’s Robert Raymond Estrella, Ang Probinsyano’s Alfred delos Santos, and Murang Kuryente’s Arthur Yap received their certificates of proclamation after their groups each secured one seat in the May 2025 polls.

Abono garnered 254,474 votes, Ang Probinsyano 250,886 votes, and Murang Kuryente 247,754 votes.

Chairman Garcia said the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) followed the same formula applied in the disqualification of An Waray, where the next party-list in line was proclaimed to fill the vacancy.

‘The decision of the NBOC is based on the recommendation of the Commission’s Law Department and Supervisory Group.At the same time, we also applied Banat vs. Comelec. The Supreme Court said an integer cannot be treated as a person. That’s why we went down to three, consistent with what we did in the An Waray case,’ he explained.

Duterte Youth had won 2.33 million votes, the second-highest tally among party-list groups in the May elections, which would have entitled it to three seats.

But the Comelec en banc declared its registration void ab initio for failure to comply with mandatory requirements of publication and hearing when it first sought accreditation in 2019.

The Supreme Court did not act on its petition for a temporary restraining order within the 30-day period, effectively sealing its disqualification.

Estrella, delos Santos, and Yap will now join the House as party-list representatives for a full three-year term ending June 30, 2028.