Category: Business Mirror

THE Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is seeking a P11.9 billion budget for 2027 to support the modernization of prison facilities and operations.

In a statement, Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said the proposed budget, which is 9.6 percent higher than the current P10.88 billion allocation, will also support personnel requirements, facility development, prison security and the transfer of prisoners or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) to other penal facilities.

He said the 2027 allocation includes P7.6 billion for personnel services; P3.7 billion for maintenance and other operating expenses; and P519.9 million for capital outlay.

Catapang said the proposed budget reflects BuCor’s continuing efforts to address congestion, improve prison infrastructure, enhance personnel capabilities, and strengthen the security and accountability of correctional operations.

‘It will also support the bureau’s broader mandate to provide humane safekeeping and meaningful rehabilitation programs for PDLs,’ he added.

Through investments in modern facilities, digital systems, livelihood programs, rehabilitation services, and personnel development, he said the BuCor aims to improve prison administration and help ensure the productive reintegration of former PDLs into their communities.

BuCor has an authorized plantilla of 10,425 positions, of which 9,831 are filled, leaving 725 vacant positions. These include 592 positions for corrections officers, 108 for corrections technical officers, and 25 for civilian personnel.

Currently, the personnel-to-PDL ratio is one corrections officer for every 17 PDLs (1:17) and one corrections technical officer for every 120 PDLs (1:120). These figures remain above the ideal ratios of 1:7 for Corrections Officers and 1:24 for Corrections Technical Officers prescribed under Republic Act 10575, Catapang said.

BuCor currently has 52,356 PDLs in facilities with a total capacity of 17,211, resulting in an occupancy rate of approximately 305 percent and a congestion rate of about 204 percent.

At the New Bilibid Prison, the Bureau’s main corrections facility, congestion was reduced from 313 percent in 2022 to 40.58 percent this year following the transfer of more PDLs to other operating prisons and penal farms nationwide. The transfers are intended to improve custodial conditions and strengthen correctional and rehabilitation programs.

Catapang also said the capital outlay program includes funding for the first-year requirement of the multiyear construction of a super maximum-security facility in Curuan, Zamboanga. The project will begin with the construction of a Level 1 PDL dormitory with a capacity of 500 PDLs. With PNA

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) will institutionalize urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) skills training nationwide.

Tesda and DA, through the National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP) of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), formalized their collaboration to develop training and certification programs that will equip individuals and communities with practical skills in modern food production, while helping address food security, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.

Recently signed by Tesda Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the partnership will pave the way for the development of competency standards, training programs, and the Urban Agriculture Production National Certificate (NC II), giving Filipinos a nationally recognized qualification in urban agriculture.

The implementation of the initiative will be led by the Tesda Green Technology Center (GTC), in collaboration with the DA-BPI, particularly its NUPAP, to ensure that the training programs are grounded in appropriate, modern, and climate-smart urban agriculture technologies and practices.

For individuals seeking livelihood opportunities, the initiative can provide pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and community-based food production. For communities, it can help build local capacity to produce food using modern and climate-smart technologies, even in areas where conventional agricultural space is limited.

‘Skills development is ultimately about creating opportunities for people. Through this partnership with DA, we are giving Filipinos practical skills that they can use to earn a living, start an enterprise, and contribute to food security in their own communities,’ Benitez said.

The collaboration supports the government’s broader goals of strengthening food security, promoting climate-resilient and sustainable communities, and expanding inclusive economic opportunities through skills development.

‘At Tesda, we believe that skills transform lives. This convergence ensures that learning goes beyond the classroom and translates into sustainable livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and stronger, more resilient communities.’

For his part, the DA chief said the initiative draws on a distinctly Filipino ingenuity that became particularly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, when Filipinos transformed rooftops, vacant lots, and other unused spaces into productive vegetable gardens.

‘I have always believed that Filipinos have a special gift. Give us a small patch of land, a rooftop, a balcony or even a few recycled containers, and before long, someone has turned them into a thriving garden. We are, by nature, nurturers. Today, our task is to match that instinct with knowledge, skills and opportunity.’

To make these opportunities more accessible and relevant to communities, Tesda and DA will establish technology demonstration hubs and strengthen the capacity of trainers, assessors, and partner institutions nationwide.

These facilities will showcase practical applications of urban agriculture that learners can adopt and replicate in their own homes, communities, or enterprises.

As part of the initiative, the Tesda Complex in Taguig will be developed as a flagship Urban Agriculture Technology Demonstration and Training Center, featuring modern and climate-smart farming technologies such as hydroponics, vertical farming, container gardening, composting, and other innovative production systems.

The demonstration center will serve as a learning and knowledge-sharing facility where trainers, learners, community members, and partner institutions can gain hands-on exposure to technologies suited for urban and peri-urban environments.

Through competency-based training and nationally recognized certification, Tesda and DA aim to build a pool of skilled and certified urban agriculture practitioners who can contribute to local food production while pursuing employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Beyond developing technical skills, the partnership seeks to bring practical solutions closer to Filipinos by enabling communities to make productive use of available spaces, adopt modern farming technologies, and develop sustainable sources of food and income.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and Australian firm StB GigaFactory Inc. are studying potential renewable energy, energy storage and electric mobility projects in New Clark City and other BCDA-managed properties.

Under a 12-month memorandum of understanding, BCDA will provide StB with site access, project data and administrative support. At the same time, the battery manufacturer will conduct site surveys, technical feasibility studies and financial modeling for potential projects.

The studies are intended to determine which clean-energy and e-mobility applications could be deployed across BCDA properties and the investment required to implement them.

BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang said the partnership would feed into the agency’s planning for New Clark City, adding that it ‘aligns directly with our vision to make New Clark City a model of sustainable, high-tech urban development.’

StB operates a manufacturing facility at Filinvest Innovation Park in New Clark City, Tarlac, which produces lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells and battery energy storage systems (BESS). The company has employed about 500 Filipinos and has said it plans to increase its workforce to 2,500 by 2030.

Its potential involvement in electric mobility also predates the latest agreement. In November 2024, StB said it was targeting the deployment of about 2,000 electric tricycles by the end of 2025 and was then assembling around 250 units. The company’s battery manufacturing facility was inaugurated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in September 2024.

The latest agreement expands the scope of potential cooperation beyond battery manufacturing, with the two sides now looking at how renewable power, energy storage and electric mobility could be applied within BCDA-managed developments.

No specific project, investment amount or deployment schedule has yet been announced, as the parties will first undertake the technical and financial assessments under the agreement.

RISING temperatures, acidifying seas, and extreme weather are no longer just environmental concerns. Regional security experts and diplomats warn they are now security threats that demand Asean move beyond its traditional nonintervention policy.

Speaking at a Manila conference sponsored by the Stratbase Institute and the German Embassy, Philippine Special Envoy for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Maria Antonia YuloLoyzaga said climate change is a ‘convergent risk’ that cuts across food, energy, and geopolitical stability.

‘Changes in temperature and rainfall are inextricably linked to availability, access and affordability of resources, as well as the resilience of ecosystems and infrastructure that support them,’ she stressed.

YuloLoyzaga pointed to rice yield declines, looming rainfall shortages in Mindanao during the projected Super El Niño of 2026-27, and the vulnerability of sea lanes and undersea cables as examples of how climate shocks cascade into social unrest and economic disruption.

‘There are Asean Agreements on Transboundary Haze, Food Security, Biodiversity and, most recently, Maritime Cooperation. All of these intersect climate security, but this fragmentation still suggests siloed decisionmaking and implementation,’ the former environment secretary said.

She also underscored the Philippines’s domestic planning.

While the National Adaptation Plan identifies the cost of inaction within the 2030 decade at between P1.2 trillion and P1.4 trillion, the government is strengthening localization and interagency coordination.

To enhance prevention and preparedness within a limited fiscal space, the Office of Civil Defense is drafting new strategic engagements with the private sector and national and foreign humanitarian and security actors. This proactive planning, she said, draws directly from the painful lessons of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, when the country had to coordinate 14 different military organizations and more than 40 major NGOs for emergency response and recovery.

German Ambassador Andreas Pfaffernoschke echoed the call to break silos.

‘Too long we have been discussing climate change in one room, conflict and security in another room. But the people of Southeast Asia do not experience these challenges in separate rooms. They experience them simultaneously,’ he said.

He urged Asean to treat climate change as a ‘cooperation multiplier,’ noting that shared rivers, seas, and disasters create reasons to communicate and cooperate.

Dr. Mely CaballeroAnthony of Nanyang Technological University was more blunt: ‘The assumption could be made that our way of doing things is no longer feasible. Strict adherence to nonintervention has historically prevented Asean from addressing shared risks.’

She cited transboundary haze, Laos’s upstream hydropower projects, and South China Sea tensions as flashpoints where sovereignty norms block collective action.

DENR Undersecretary Analiza RebueltaTeh proposed a shared regional marine and hydrological early warning system.

‘Natural ecosystems do not respect national borders. Governments must talk to each other about common problems,’ Rebuelta-Teh said.

Lukas Rttinger, senior advisor of Berlin-based research group adelphi, also suggested that Asean build a ‘regionally owned process and institutional backbone.’

‘Waiting for global consensus will not resolve local security pressures. What works are solution narratives that show how integrated climatepeace projects can improve livelihoods while easing resource disputes,’ Rttinger said.

DENR Secretary Miguel Cuna reinforced the need for unified regional action.

‘No Asean member state can address these challenges entirely on its own. Environmental resilience and lasting peace share the same principle. We must act before vulnerability becomes crisis. Then we will have strengthened the conditions for peace itself,’ Cuna said in a video message.

AN official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Sunday that President Marcos’ Executive Order 122, which establishes a Unified National Policy Framework for Developing the Critical Minerals Industry, has significantly positioned the country in the global critical minerals and global green technology value chain market.

‘Worldwide, nations are competing to secure resilient supply chains for essential raw materials like nickel, copper, and processing inputs for renewable energy infrastructure, electric vehicle batteries, and defense applications,’ Director Larry M. Heradez of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), said.

Signed on August 21, the order also reorganized the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) to drive strategic growth in the sector, a policy fully supported by the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP).

‘The country has identified at least nine million hectares of highly prospective areas with potential to host various mineral resources that could position the Philippines as an important player in the critical minerals value chain. EO 122 shifts the national strategy toward maximizing the domestic value of these resources, moving beyond raw ore exportation to building integrated processing and manufacturing ecosystems,’ the MGB chief said.

Section 2b of EO 122 anchors the country’s economic development in the responsible utilization of critical minerals. Under Section 2b, the State promotes the responsible development and utilization of critical minerals and commits to supporting value-adding and downstream industries.Because these mineral assets are vital for national security and economic resilience, the framework ensures that local resources are essential inputs for the global energy transition and for industrial activities, including clean energy technologies, digital infrastructure, and major public projects.

To support this vision, the Department of Trade and Industry’s Board of Investments will offer incentives under the CREATE Act for downstream refining, battery production, and side-stream industries, while providing for domestic processing plants priority access to mineral ores at fair market prices.

Equally fundamental to the framework is Section 2c, which establishes strict safeguards for environmental protection and for social and cultural development. Section 2c mandates that the government enforces sustainable mining practices to strengthen the industry’s capacity to manage environmental impacts effectively.

In addition, it requires that all mining operations prioritize the social, cultural, and economic well-being of host and neighboring communities, ensuring that community development efforts directly align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Executive Order 122 enacts sweeping structural reforms to revitalize the mining landscape. The government will strictly enforce a ‘Use It or Lose It’ policy, subjecting non-compliant or dormant mining tenements to immediate cancellation and reallocating freed-up mineral areas into declared reservations. To eliminate bureaucratic delays and create an internationally competitive investment climate, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau will implement streamlined permit processing within six months and deploy a fully digital Virtual One-stop Shop platform within one year.

The executive order also reorganizes the MICC, co-chaired by the Secretaries of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Finance, and expanded to include strategic cabinet members, local authorities, and indigenous representation. Within 90 days, the reorganized council will submit a comprehensive industry work plan to the Office of the President, establishing international sourcing standards, environmental safeguards, and valuation frameworks to ensure that the exploration of the nation’s mineral wealth yields lasting national progress.

COMP backs EO 122

IN a statement, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines – representing the country’s premier and longest-operating large-scale metallic mining and exploration companies and allied industries-said it fully supports Executive Order 122.

‘We strongly endorse the Order’s emphasis on policy stability, regulatory consistency, and transparency. Securing long-term capital for exploration, mine development, and mineral processing requires a predictable environment that builds investor confidence,’ COMP said.

In a statement, it said: ‘EO 122 looks beyond extraction. By encouraging value-added processing, refining, and downstream manufacturing, it lays the foundation for the Philippines to capture greater value from its mineral wealth, driving new investment, generating quality jobs, and bolstering local supply chains.’

The group said that economic growth must align with sound environmental stewardship and social responsibility. EO 122 rightly prioritizes the rights, welfare, and culture of host communities and Indigenous Peoples. The industry’s expansion will remain anchored in high environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, rigorous environmental management, and meaningful community partnership.

‘Furthermore, we applaud the focus on inter-agency coordination and process digitalization. Streamlining regulatory requirements eliminates unnecessary delays while preserving vital safeguards, positioning the Philippines as a globally competitive investment hub without compromising environmental or social standards,’ COMP added.

EO 122 recognizes that critical minerals are essential to national industrialization, energy security, economic resilience, and the global green transition. Unlocking this potential requires active, sustained collaboration among government, industry, host communities, and broader society.

‘The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines stands ready to collaborate with all stakeholders to implement EO 122. Together, we can build a competitive, responsible, and sustainable critical minerals sector, one that creates lasting value, protects local ecosystems, and drives inclusive national development.’

The Philippines can resume poultry imports from Illinois and Minnesota, United States, following resolved bird flu cases, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed Department Circular (DC) 41, which authorized the entry of birds and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen from Illinois and Minnesota.

This reversed the previous temporary restriction imposed on Illinois last March and on Minnesota last year when these US states reported bird flu outbreaks.

The DA decided to lift the ban after US veterinary authorities reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) that outbreaks of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) in affected counties have been resolved, with no additional cases detected.

‘All import transactions of the above commodities shall be in accordance with

existing rules and regulations of the Department of Agriculture.’

Since the US has a regionalization agreement with the Philippines, state-wide trade restrictions would only be imposed if there are three or more counties affected by bird flu.

A regionalization agreement means the Philippines will restrict shipments of certain products only from areas with active cases of a transboundary disease instead of imposing a country-wide ban, in order to maintain trade.

The move ensures sustained poultry trade, since imposing a temporary ban on the entire country limits sources of raw materials, which could potentially affect prices.

‘The occurrence of HPAI from exporting countries and the imposition of a whole-country temporary ban limits the sources of day-old chicks, parent stocks and poultry meat, which in turn affects the prices.’

Other DA-accredited countries that have already secured a regionalization agreement with the Philippines include Chile, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Russia, Poland, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Belgium.

Share prices fell on renewed concerns over the situation in the Middle East, which took center stage again as the United States-Iran ceasefire ended without a deal.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index declined 58.84 points to close at 6,238.46 points.

Trading was still tepid during the four-day work week and this reflects poor confidence, according to Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco, senior research analyst at Philstocks Financials Inc.

Average value of trade reached P5.86 billion. Foreign investors, who cornered 40 percent of the trades, were net sellers at P2 billion.

Other sub-indices ended mixed. The broader All Shares index fell 3.94 points to close at 3,435.23 points, the Financials index declined 0.67 to 1,942.01, the Industrial index gained 79.45 to 8,187.94, the Holding Firms index shed 67.73 to 4,474.51, the Property index was down 1.38 to 1,904.73, the Services index retreated 54.06 to 3,363.12 and the Mining and Oil index surged 1,344.27 to 19,347.20.

For the week, gainers led losers 123 to 96 and 25 shares were unchanged.

Top gainers were Harbor Star Shipping Services Inc., Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc., Zeus Holdings Inc., Philippine Realty and Holdings Corp., East Coast Vulcan Mining Corp., NiHAO Mineral Resources International Inc. and Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp.

Top losers, meanwhile, were Swift Foods Inc. LFM Properties Corp., Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp., Primex Corp., ABS-CBN Corp., Sta. Lucia Land Inc. and Seafront Resources Corp.

This week

Trading may still be choppy this week as the market weighs on lingering uncertainties against the mixed results of the first half corporate reports.

‘With no end in sight, tensions between the US and Iran are expected to remain hanging above market sentiment. Especially as global oil prices continue their climb, in turn, setting up higher inflation expectations at home,’ Tantiangco said.

At home, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is about to have its policy meeting this week. The BSP is seen to be at a critical juncture as they balance elevated inflation against slowing economic growth in their policy decision. The uncertainties in their policy direction may also weigh on the market, he said.

Broker 2TradeAsia said it expects the BSP to hold its policy rate steady at 4.75 percent during its August 27 meeting, a view that aligns with growing consensus.

It said while several global peers are refining their easing timelines, local policymakers still operate with thinner safety margins. Case in point, the broker noted, is that inflation faces upward bias in August from 6.2 percent in July from a 7.2 percent peak in April.

‘Combined with the peso trading near P61.50 to P61.80 to the dollar and ongoing food-supply volatility, the room for early rate cuts looks extremely limited for now.’

It advised investors to rotate capital-intensive cyclicals and weather-exposed retail names into cash-generative, high-dividend stocks; particularly, power utilities, telecom operators, and top-tier real estate investment trusts, whose yields still sit above sovereign bond rates.

‘With Ghost Month typically thinning liquidity and dampening volumes, we are also watching for selective opportunities in speculative names and mining plays that are more excitable while the index attempts to find stabler footing in the 6,100-6,300 zone.’

Stock picks

Broker RCBC Securities Inc. gave a buy rating on ports operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. and upgraded its target price by 10 percent to P1,129 per share.

‘This implies a compelling total potential return of 23.3 percent, including a 2 percent dividend yield,’ the broker said.

It said the valuation upgrade is anchored on raised earnings expectations and strong cash flow visibility.

‘ICT’s long-term growth prospects remain exceptionally strong, underpinned by the rapid commercial integration of new concessions, capacity expansion initiatives and ongoing operational efficiency programs,’ it said.

ICTSI’s shares closed last week at P960.50 apiece.

Meanwhile, the broker also maintained its buy rating on PLDT Inc. and placed a target price on the stock at P1,620 per share.

‘Our valuation is supported by near-term catalysts, including a potential VITRO REIT listing and anticipated second half revenue acceleration driven by seasonal strength,’ it said.

‘Furthermore, while macro inflation continues to pressure consumer wallets, TEL’s robust Enterprise segment provides a resilient cash flow buffer, one that is well- positioned for long-term expansion as domestic data center demand accelerates.’

PLDT’s shares last week closed at P1,198 apiece.

THE Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) on Sunday warned the public against fraudulent text messages that misuse its name and identity to steal personal and sensitive financial information, a scheme known as ‘smishing.’

The state-run postal service said scammers typically send text messages containing suspicious links, claiming that a parcel cannot be delivered due to an incomplete address or that an immediate ‘redelivery fee’ must be settled using a credit or debit card.

PHLPost stressed that these messages do not come from the agency, noting that it does not ask for sensitive information-such as bank account details, card information, passwords, or one-time passwords (OTPs)-through text messages.

Given this, the postal service advised the public to never click suspicious links, share personal or banking information, or make online payments through unverified websites.

Recipients should verify the source and authenticity of any message before taking action, it added.

For legitimate parcel tracking and verification, PHLPost encouraged the public to use only its official website and authorized communication channels.

Suspicious messages or activities may be reported to PHLPost Customer Service at (02) 8288-7678 or 8288-POST, or via email at phlpostcares@phlpost.gov.ph. Reports may also be sent to the PHLPost Inspectorate Department at isd@phlpost.gov.ph.

The agency urged everyone to remain alert and vigilant when receiving text messages, social media posts, emails, and other online communications, as fraudsters continue to exploit the names of legitimate institutions to victimize unsuspecting consumers.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) emphasized the importance of reliable power plants and efficient transmission lines to manage and possibly prevent system loss, which refers to excessive power delivery waste.

‘So many ways to…prevent voltage and system loss; among them is building more power plants in areas that can provide voltage support and lessen system loss as well as answer for increased demand for electricity.

On the part of NCCP, what was mentioned in the discussions is correct, we

continue to build more efficient high-voltage lines,’ said NGCP Spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza during last week’s joint hearing of the Senate committees on energy and public services.

The NGCP runs, builds, and looks after the high-voltage power transmission network. It takes electricity from power plants and sends it safely to local distribution companies across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

She cited the 500-kiloVolt (kV) for Luzon, 230-kV backbone in Visayas-Mindanao, and the installation of capacitor banks and static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) as technologies that can compensate for system loss.

A STATCOM is an advanced power electronics device used by the NGCP to stabilize voltage levels, improve power quality, and manage reactive power across high-voltage transmission networks.

She said the NGCP is committed to continuously upgrading to higher voltage lines as the greatest system losses normally occur within the lower 69-kV voltage lines.

‘The NGCP still manages the 69-kV lines because the electric cooperatives still lack the capacity for various reasons.

Regarding our higher-voltage lines, power delivery is significantly more efficient. For areas with long lines-and as was correctly mentioned earlier, the longer the line, the greater the system losses- we install technologies such as capacitor banks and STATCOMs.

We are increasingly utilizing STATCOMs because we observe that power generators are being located further and further away from certain load centers,’ added the NGCP official.

The grid operator had said that it is on track to complete 10 projects worth P30.88 billion this year.

NGCP is advancing major infrastructure upgrades to secure grid stability and accommodate new renewable and non-renewable generation plants.

The grid operator recently completed massive interconnections including the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP) and Cebu-Negros-Panay Backbone, unifying the Philippine Grid.

In 2025, NGCP completed the upgrading and expansion of 14 substations to enhance grid reliability and stability. The Castillejos Substation was installed with 1,000-MVA transformer capacity, the Calaca and Concepcion Substations were each installed with new 300MVA transformers, the Corella, Toril, Pitogo, Maramag, Dingle, Calbayog, and Paranas Substations with 100MVA transformers, the Davao Substation with a 150-MVA transformer, and the San Jose and Mabinay Substations with a 50-MVA transformer.

A 100-MVA expansion at NGCP’s Iloilo Substation, a component of the Panay-Guimaras Interconnection project, was also completed in April 2025.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government’s recent directive to plaster ‘Bawal ang Red Tape’ posters across its offices nationwide reads like a familiar scene in Philippine governance: bold declarations against bureaucratic inefficiency accompanied by the ceremonial unfurling of banners, streamers, and government-mandated signage. While the DILG’s alignment with the Anti-Red Tape Authority’s (ARTA) campaign against fixers is commendable in intent, we have seen enough well-intentioned memorandums dissolve into performative compliance to warrant healthy skepticism about whether this latest push represents genuine institutional reform or merely another layer of administrative theater. (Read the BusinessMirror story: ‘DILG backs Arta’s anti-fixer drive,’ August 17, 2026).

There is, of course, nothing inherently wrong with visibility campaigns. The directive to display anti-fixing materials in ‘strategic and conspicuous areas,’ alongside the harmonized Client Satisfaction Measurement (CSM) survey, theoretically creates an environment of accountability where citizens are reminded of their rights and encouraged to report irregularities. The DILG’s reported 99.50-percent client satisfaction score in its 2025 CSM Report suggests, at least on paper, that streamlining efforts are resonating with the public. Yet such astronomical satisfaction ratings should raise eyebrows rather than expectations-perfection in government service delivery remains an aspirational fiction, and numbers that approach it often signal measurement instruments calibrated more for public relations than for genuine feedback.

The core issue with anti-red tape campaigns in the country has never been a shortage of signage. Republic Act No. 11032, the Ease of Doing Business Law, has been in force since 2018, yet fixers continue to operate with impunity in government offices, not because citizens are unaware that fixing is illegal, but because the underlying conditions that create demand for fixers-convoluted procedures, unclear requirements, arbitrary processing delays, and the informal ‘tax’ of bureaucratic inconvenience-remain stubbornly entrenched. People do not patronize fixers because they missed the memo that red tape is prohibited; they patronize fixers because the legitimate pathway is deliberately engineered to be slower, more expensive, and less certain than the illicit shortcut.

The DILG’s emphasis on ‘surprise inspections and spot monitoring’ by its Compliance Monitoring and Evaluation Office (CMEO) suggests recognition that signage alone cannot transform behavior. However, government self-regulation often fails because internal watchdogs are compromised by the same systemic issues as the programs they oversee. Real accountability requires external pressure-civil society watchdogs, media scrutiny, and most importantly, citizens who feel empowered to complain without fear of retaliation or further bureaucratic retribution.

What would signal genuine commitment beyond the current campaign? First, the publication of binding processing timelines with automatic approval provisions when deadlines are missed-the ‘silent’ provision of the Ease of Doing Business Law that agencies have been slow to implement. Second, the digitization of end-to-end processes that eliminate face-to-face interactions where fixers traditionally operate. Third, the prosecution not merely of fixers but of the government employees who enable them, including those in supervisory positions who create the bottlenecks that make fixing profitable.

The DILG’s declaration that ‘red tape has no place’ in the department is welcome rhetoric, but rhetoric is where reform often begins and ends. Our people do not need more reminders that red tape is forbidden; they need government transactions that are actually swift, hassle-free, and customer-friendly-not just in the pages of compliance reports, but in the lived experience of securing permits, clearances, and certifications. Until then, the ‘Bawal ang Red Tape’ signs will serve less as warnings to erring bureaucrats and more as ironic decorations in offices where the unwritten rules of palakasan, padrino, and lagay continue to dictate who gets served and who gets stalled.

The campaign is a start. But in the fight against bureaucratic corruption, starts are cheap. It is the finish that matters-and on that front, the verdict remains very much out.