Category: Business Mirror

THE Invitational Confeence kicks off Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with four of the Premier Volleyball League’s (PVL) top clubs taking on powerhouse teams from Thailand and Vietnam in a six-squad sprint that promises little room for error.

Eleven-time league champion Creamline and defending titlist PLDT banner the Philippine side that includes Farm Fresh and Nxled in a six-day, single-round-robin battle against Thailand’s EST Cola and a new Ho Chi Minh City-based club from Vietnam.

Opening day action begins with PLDT’s clashing with EST Cola at 1:30 p.m., Nxled and Creamline squaring off at 4 p.m. and Ho Chi Minh taking on Farm Fresh in the 6:30 p.m. main event.

Duels on September features PLDT against Nxled at 1:30 p.m., Fresh against EST Cola at 4 p.m. and Creamline against Ho Chi Minh at 6:30 p.m.

On September 3, Farm Fresh and Creamline take the court at 1:30 p.m., Ho Chi Minh battles PLDT at 4 p.m. and EST Cola takes on Nxled at 6:30 p.m.

The September 4 triple-header pits PLDT against Farm Fresh at 1:30 p.m., Nxled against Ho Chi Minh at 4 p.m., and Creamline against EST Cola at 6:30 p.m.

The elimination round winds up on September 6 with Farm Fresh and Nxled meeting at 1:30 p.m., EST Cola facing Ho Chi Minh at 4 p.m. and Creamline and PLDT closing out the eliminations at 6:30 p.m.

All matches, including the championship, will be played at the Big Dome.

With three matches scheduled on each playdate and only the top two teams advancing to the championship, every game is expected to carry the weight of a virtual knockout as the field races to the finish.

The Philippine Embassy in Beijing has advised Filipinos to comply with China’s new immigration regulation, State Council Decree No. 841, which will take effect on September 15, 2026.

In its August 24 advisory, the Embassy stressed that the decree does not abolish existing visa categories or restrict legitimate travel.

Instead, it reinforces requirements that visa purposes must match actual activities, that all documents are authentic, and that invitation letter issuers and visa agencies are legally accountable.

A valid visa will not necessarily guarantee admission, as border authorities retain the power to assess whether a traveler meets China’s entry requirements.

Violations could lead to rejection of applications, denial of entry or exit, fines, or bans lasting several years.

China’s State Council Decree No. 841, formally titled the Regulations of the State Council on Exit and Entry Administration, was approved on June 29 and promulgated on July 22, 2026.

It applies to mainland China’s immigration system only. Hong Kong and Macau maintain their own immigration laws, visa categories, and border-control procedures.

This means the decree governs the mainland side of the journey: entry or exit through a mainland airport or land checkpoint is subject to the new rules, while admission into Hong Kong or Macau is decided under those territories’ separate immigration systems.

The regulation introduces clearer grounds for denying foreign nationals’ entry.

Visa or immigration authorities may bar a person for one to five years if false materials are submitted or false statements are made during a visa application abroad or at a Chinese border checkpoint.

The same maximum applies to foreigners punished for obstructing border administration or penalized for fraudulently obtaining documents or crossing illegally.

One of the most consequential provisions is its link to Beijing’s sanctions and economic-security measures.

Under Decree No. 841, foreigners placed on China’s Countermeasure List, Unreliable Entity List or Malicious Entity List-or otherwise subjected to legally authorized countermeasures-may be denied visas or refused entry when the underlying decision calls for such restrictions.

The official explanation says the rule is intended to strengthen China’s legal response to foreign sanctions, interference and what Beijing describes as ‘long-arm jurisdiction.’

The measure does not automatically bar every employee of a listed company.

Instead, it creates a formal link between sanctions designations and immigration controls, potentially exposing designated individuals and relevant personnel to visa denial, entry bans or other immigration consequences.

Officials and legal experts also emphasize that the decree is an enforcement measure, not a wholesale rewrite of China’s visa categories.

It does not abolish visa-free arrangements, create a universal visa requirement, or automatically bar employees of companies targeted by Chinese measures.

Instead, it gives authorities more explicit grounds to scrutinize and reject applications or deny entry where a traveler’s documents, stated purpose, or immigration history raise concerns.

There are about 12,000 Filipinos living in mainland cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Xiamen, while 140,000 Filipinos reside in Hong Kong and 30,000 in Macau, mostly employed in domestic work, hospitality and construction.

Tourism flows are also significant, with more than 1.19 million Filipino tourists visiting Hong Kong and 1.16 million traveling to Macau in 2024.

The Embassy assured that legitimate travel remains permitted but urged Filipinos to keep their visa category, invitation letters and actual activities consistent, and to consult the Embassy or China’s National Immigration Administration hotline (12367) for guidance.

For millions of Filipinos navigating EDSA, the daily commute could soon become safe, more seamless, and more convenient. As SM continues its transformation journey beyond its retail and shared spaces, its malls are also evolving to make getting to and from key transport hubs easier for commuters.

In the coming months, mallgoers can look forward to improved connections through the SM Megamall EDSA Busway Concourse and Pedestrian Bridge and SM North EDSA MRT-7 link. The projects aim to shorten long walks to transportation hubs while giving commuters familiar, well-lit, and ventilated access and departure points. The completion of the SM Megamall EDSA Busway link, which connects SM Megamall to the Ortigas station of the EDSA Bus Carousel, provides an accessible entrance and exit point for commuters.

Prior to the completion of the elevated walkway, commuters had to pass through the congested MRT-3 footbridge to reach the EDSA Carousel. The new pedestrian bridge significantly shortens the long, inconvenient walk, allowing easier access and smoother commuter flow in the busy transportation hub.

The elevated walkway is fully covered, protecting commuters from rough weather conditions. The vast space has ramps and an elevator to ensure easy access for commuters, including persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and pregnant women.

The SM Megamall EDSA Busway Link provides commuters with easier access to the bus carousel platform, which offers northbound trips to Monumento and southbound trips to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange.

Meanwhile, the ongoing construction of the SM North EDSA-MRT 7 Link will provide commuters with seamless access to the Common Station linking MRT-3, LRT-1, the soon-to-be-operational MRT-7, and nearby establishments. Pedestrians can safely walk from hub to hub as the walkway will be fully covered to protect them from harsh weather conditions.

These pedestrian walkways, done in coordination with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, are part of SM Supermalls’ broader initiative to create commuter-friendly facilities around their most-loved SM Supermalls.

Under the MY SM Transportation e, the mall operator is reimagining the daily commute-not simply by improving access to transportation, but by creating safer, more comfortable, and more convenient journeys for everyone. By putting everyday commuter needs at the heart of these improvements, SM aims to make getting from one place to another a more seamless part of everyday life.

National University (NU)-led by Johann Estacio and Gold laner Kirk Herrero and head coach Ernest Del Rosario-share the early lead with University of the Philippines (UP) in University Athletic Association of the Philippines Mobile Legends: Bang Bang opening-day action on Monday at the MVP Studios in Mandaluyong City. NU leads Group A with 3 points (1-0-0) while UP paces Group B with 4 points (1-1-0).

SUBSIDIES provided to government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) more than doubled to P114.576 billion in the first half of the year compared to a year earlier.

Financial support to state-run corporations rose by 118.24 percent to P114.576 billion from January to June this year from P52.498 billion in the same period in 2025, according to the latest data from the Bureau of the Treasury.

The national government regularly grants subsidies to GOCCs to cover operational expenses not supported by revenues, as well as payments for deficits and losses.

Of the total subsidies in the six-month period, P1 billion went to government financial institutions, P22.727 billion to major non-financial government corporations and P90.849 billion to other government corporations.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) received the largest subsidy at P60 billion, following the return of ‘excess’ funds it had remitted to the Treasury to finance unprogrammed appropriations under the 2024 national budget.

It was followed by Food Terminal Inc. with P10 billion, the National Irrigation Administration with P8.959 billion, the National Food Authority with P8.708 billion and the National Electrification Administration with P3.022 billion.

In June alone, subsidies to GOCCs surged by 122.33 percent to P16.562 billion from P7.449 billion in the same month last year.

FTI obtained the highest subsidy during the month at P10 billion, trailed by the Philippine Postal Corp. with P1.025 billion and the NFA and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority with P758 million each.

For the full year, GOCC subsidies are programmed at P159.560 billion, 9.22 percent lower than the P175.777 billion allocated in 2025, as state-run corporations become more self-sufficient.

In fact, the government expects to collect P147.15 billion in dividends from 50 GOCCs this year, 28.34 percent higher than the P114.65 billion remitted in 2025.

Actual dividend collection reached P140 billion as of July, of which P62.39 billion was contributed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Under Republic Act No. 7656, or the Dividend Law, all GOCCs, with some exemptions, are required to declare and remit at least 50 percent of their annual net earnings as dividends to the national government.

The Department of Finance has requested GOCCs to increase their remittances to 75 percent to maximize non-tax revenues.

For 2027, GOCC subsidies are projected to rise to P191.8 billion, up by 20.20 percent from this year’s allocation.

HOUSE of Representatives impeachment prosecutors are planning to request that personnel from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) who previously reported to Vice President Sara Z. Duterte be treated as hostile witnesses as they continue presenting evidence regarding the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

One of the officials being considered is former DepEd Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) Edward Fajarda, whom House prosecutor Terry Ridon said may be given the same treatment as former OVP SDO Gina Acosta.

‘I think all of the OVP and the DepEd personnel that reported to the Vice President, I think we will seek to qualify them as hostile witnesses,’ Ridon said during a news forum.

When asked whether Fajarda would indeed be presented as a hostile witness, Ridon confirmed, ‘That is correct.’

He explained that Fajarda and Acosta are similarly situated because their interests are closely connected, particularly regarding the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Fajarda previously withdrew three cash advances amounting to P37.5 million each, or a total of P112.5 million in DepEd confidential funds in 2023, when Duterte was serving as Education secretary.

Ridon said prosecutors expect Fajarda to confirm his earlier testimony before the House that Duterte allegedly instructed him to transfer the confidential funds to Col. Dennis Nolasco, then a DepEd security officer who was not the department’s officially designated SDO.

‘Prosecutors expect Mr. Fajarda to confirm what he previously stated during the House committee hearings – that the Vice President gave instructions to release DepEd’s confidential funds to non-regular DepEd personnel,’ Ridon said.

Ridon said the alleged transaction was similar to the arrangement described by Acosta regarding the OVP’s confidential funds.

During her testimony before the Senate Impeachment Court, Acosta said Duterte instructed her to hand over P125 million in OVP confidential funds to then-OVP security officer Col. Raymund Dante Lachica after withdrawing the money in December 2022.

The P125 million was the first of four cash advances made by Acosta from December 2022 to July 2023. The remaining three withdrawals, totaling P375 million, covered the OVP’s confidential fund expenses for the first three quarters of 2023. Overall, the OVP received P500 million in confidential funds during that period.

For the DepEd funds, prosecutors expect Fajarda to testify that Duterte similarly directed him to transfer the department’s confidential funds to Nolasco.

The prosecution considers this significant because the designated SDOs who were responsible for handling confidential funds allegedly surrendered control of the money to security officers upon Duterte’s instructions.

Acosta remains on the witness stand after the impeachment court allowed prosecutors to treat her as a hostile witness. Her direct examination is scheduled to continue on Monday, August 24.

Ridon described Acosta’s testimony as a ‘smoking gun,’ saying it established what prosecutors believe was the beginning of the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Another Duterte subordinate whom prosecutors intend to request as a hostile witness is OVP Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio.

Ridon explained that treating these individuals as hostile witnesses would allow prosecutors more flexibility in questioning them and could help speed up the proceedings.

‘They should be recognized as hostile witnesses so the questioning process can be more efficient and the proceedings can move faster,’ he said.

Prosecutors are also considering presenting Lachica as a hostile witness, although Ridon said no final decision has been made.

The House prosecution panel is still presenting evidence related to the confidential funds article, which involves allegations that Duterte misused P612.5 million in confidential funds released to the OVP and DepEd from December 2022 to 2023.

Of this amount, P500 million was allocated to the OVP – P125 million released in December 2022 and P375 million during the first three quarters of 2023. Meanwhile, P112.5 million was provided to DepEd through three separate P37.5-million releases in 2023.

The prosecution has already completed presenting evidence for the article concerning Duterte’s alleged threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his family. The articles involving alleged bribery and unexplained wealth have not yet been discussed.

MORE unusual names surfaced on Monday in the acknowledgement receipts for the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential funds, as the House of Representatives impeachment prosecution team questioned whether former special disbursing officer (SDO) Gina Acosta could personally verify that the purported recipients actually received the money.

Among those named in receipts presented during Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s impeachment trial were ‘Antonio Pagong,’ ‘Timon Andrew Pusa,’ ‘Don Piang,’ ‘Shane Ngitngit,’ and ‘Xuniso P. Belat.’

The receipts reflected payments ranging from P100,000 to P250,000 for expenses such as the purchase of information and rental of vehicles.

House prosecution counsel Amando Virgil Ligutan first confronted Acosta, testifying as a hostile witness, with an acknowledgment receipt bearing the name Antonio Pagong.

The document indicated that Pagong received P100,000 for the purchase of information.

Asked whether she personally saw Col. Raymund Dante Lachica give the money to Pagong, Acosta said she did not.

‘I didn’t see him, Your Honor, because I wasn’t on the ground. He was the one who implemented it, Your Honor,’ Acosta testified.

Another receipt named Timon Andrew Pusa as having received P100,000 for the rental of a transport vehicle, while Don Piang was listed as receiving P250,000 for transport rental.

A receipt under Shane Ngitngit’s name reflected P150,000, while another bearing the name Xuniso P. Belat indicated a P100,000 confidential fund payment.

Acosta repeatedly said she did not witness Lachica make the payments.

‘I didn’t see it, Your Honor, because I wasn’t on the ground,’ Acosta said when asked about the payment bearing Ngitngit’s name.

The names add to the scrutiny surrounding purported recipients of the OVP’s confidential funds, most notably Mary Grace Piattos, whose name appeared on acknowledgment receipts submitted to support the office’s expenditures.

Piattos became a central figure in the earlier House investigation after lawmakers questioned her identity and even offered a P1-million reward for information that could lead them to her. Her name appeared on multiple acknowledgment receipts covering OVP confidential fund expenditures.

Monday’s testimony did not establish whether Pagong, Pusa, Piang, Ngitngit, and Belat are real or fictitious individuals.

It established, however, that Acosta, the accountable SDO, had no personal knowledge that Lachica actually handed the amounts reflected in the receipts to the people named in them.

Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Sen. Francis Escudero put the issue directly to Acosta.

‘You have no personal knowledge that the money was actually given to those people or actually spent on supplies?’ Escudero asked.

‘None, Your Honor,’ Acosta replied.

Acosta said she instead relied on Lachica, whom Duterte had designated to implement the OVP’s confidential activities, and on the documents he provided to account for the expenditures.

She also admitted that she sought verification from Lachica himself.

‘I verified it with him, Your Honor. I asked him, Your Honor,’ Acosta said.

Ligutan then asked whether, among all the people she could have consulted to verify Lachica’s representations, Acosta turned to the same person who supplied the documents.

‘Yes, Your Honor,’ she replied.

Acosta said Lachica told her the documents he provided were proof that the confidential funds had been spent and that the underlying operations were sensitive and confidential.

The receipts were among the documents used to account for confidential funds that Acosta had released to Lachica.

Acosta testified on Monday that she released four P125-million cash tranches totaling P500 million to Lachica from December 2022 through the third quarter of 2023.

She also confirmed that Lachica was not fidelity-bonded, while she remained the accountable officer for the funds.

The testimony forms part of the House prosecution’s presentation on the first article of impeachment involving Duterte’s alleged misuse and irregular liquidation of confidential funds.

Carlos Yulo is focused on adding to his medal collection when he competes in the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games men’s artistic gymnastics from September 20 to 25 at the Nagoya Civic General Gymnasium in Japan.

The 26-year-old three-time world champion is determined to secure gold in the Asiad after a podium-less debut in the Palembang 2018 Games and missing the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games in China.

‘I have no Asian Games gold and I want to get one or maybe more,’ Yulo told the BusinessMirror.

‘I was world champion many times, then won World Cup titles, Southeast Asian Games crowns, and two gold medals in the Olympics. But I am missing Asian Games gold.

Personal trainer Aldrin Castañeda expects the entire continent to focus on Yulo.

‘They are all watching Carlos…the entire Asian opposition. So, we must prepare for all routines in all the apparatuses. Our execution in the floor exercise, vault, individual all-around events,’ Castañeda said.

Yulo is targeting the Asian Games men’s individual all-around gold medal, floor exercise, and vault gold medals.

The field features 44 other nations.

‘I am eyeing an individual all-around title, floor exercise, and vault, but I must prepare wisely and hopefully safe. So far, despite disruptions in training due to the heavy rains here in Manila, I make sure to be in good condition,’ Yulo added.

Yulo, double Olympics gold medalist in Paris, returned to training alongside younger brother Karl Eldrew who are both bound for the Asiad on Tuesday at the Intramuros gym, and strength and conditioning with Bethel Solano on Wednesday at Mandaluyong City gym.

The final training day in Manila is set September 1 before leaving for Japan on September 2 for two weeks training camp in Tukushikai gymnastics in Tokyo before going to Nagoya just a few days before the opening ceremonies take places.

Other Filipino gymnasts Juancho Miguel Besana, Justin Ace de Leon, and Zachary Nunez will train in Sohgoh gymnastics club.

Asiatel Outsourcing Inc. is expanding beyond its existing business process outsourcing (BPO) and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) operations, adding enterprise AI implementation and market-entry services to its portfolio.

The Philippine outsourcing firm has activated its partnership with fileAI LLC to offer businesses in the country an enterprise AI platform for processing documents and other unstructured information, while separately launching managed go-to-market services for foreign software companies seeking to establish a presence in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

The fileAI partnership allows Asiatel to offer services that automate document-heavy processes such as lending applications, insurance claims intake, customer onboarding and finance operations.

Under the arrangement, fileAI provides the AI platform, while Asiatel handles workflow assessment, solution design, implementation, systems integration and continuing support.

‘In a lending workflow, for example, fileAI can classify an application pack, extract and validate the required information, flag missing or inconsistent items, and route complete cases and exceptions into the existing approval process,’ Asiatel CEO Jasjit Singh Anand said.

The system is designed to retain links to the underlying source documents, allowing users to trace information processed by the AI system back to the original files.

For his part, Asiatel Chairman Shafi Aboobaker said the partnership forms part of the company’s expansion into technology-enabled services. ‘Our alliance with fileAI enables us to support organizations throughout their digital transformation journeys.’

The company is also targeting international software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies through its new managed go-to-market services, initially focusing on Canadian growth-stage and mid-market firms.

The service covers local market knowledge, business development, demand generation, sales enablement and commercial execution. It is intended to allow foreign companies to establish a presence in Southeast Asia without immediately setting up their own local operations.

‘Our managed GTM services enable Canadian companies to expand into Southeast Asia while leveraging Asiatel’s established delivery platform,’ Anand said.

Asiatel said about 15 percent of its existing client programs are already established in the Canadian market.

The Canada focus comes as bilateral economic ties deepen. In July, Canada and the Philippines agreed to launch negotiations for a new action plan under their Strategic Partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing free trade agreements.

The two countries elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Canada last July 2.

THE EB Coquette girlies have a full weekend planned this month. First up, a TikTok Live with Bea Borres on August 27, giving everyone a first look at the collection before it hits retail shelves. Then, on August 29, Ever Bilena is taking over Ladrée BGC for one day only. Because if there’s one place that gets the whole soft, pink, a-little-indulgent vibe of EB Coquette, it’s a French patisserie.

And since a coquette girl’s hair era matters just as much as her makeup, the TikTok Live is also where Ever Bilena is unveiling its first-ever collaboration with Monday Hair. From August 27 to 29, anyone who shops EB Coquette on TikTok Shop gets a free Monday Hair mini thrown in (while stocks last), so don’t sleep on it.

Additionally, anyone who grabs the EB x Ladrée Latte + Macaron Set at the pop-up on August 29 gets a free EB Coquette Bisou Juicy Tint thrown in. You can pre-order your slot exclusively through Ever Bilena’s TikTok Shop by searching the ‘EB Bisou Juicy Tint Ladrée Set.’

And it’s not just shopping. The whole day is set up as an experience, with a photobooth, a bloom bar in collaboration with Petalier, on-the-spot product customization, and first dibs on exclusive EB Coquette merch you won’t find anywhere else.

‘We want people to be able to step into EB Coquette, not just scroll past it. Ladrée feels like the perfect match-soft, luxe, and romantic in exactly the way our new collection is. We can’t wait to see everyone there in person,’ said Denice Sy, chief sales and marketing officer of Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc.

Slots for the Ladrée BGC pop-up are limited and open for pre-order now on TikTok Shop.