Category: Business Mirror

MALABON CITY-A new chapter in Malabon’s healthcare system officially began with the inauguration of the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital (SLRGH), now a Level 2 General Hospital, that will provide better health services to more Malabueños.

Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval led the blessing and inauguration ceremony along with Rep. Ricky Sandoval, who initiated the upgrade through House Bill No. 5791, Secretary of Health Teodoro J. Herbosa, and SLRGH officials.

‘With the collaboration of our Depoartment of Health and the initiative of our city’s former representative, Ricky Sandoval, the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital has been reopened – more modern this time, and able to provide more comprehensive services for more Malabueños. Now, along with the programs of the city government, our people are assured of better healthcare. We continue to pursue our goal of better services for all,’ Mayor Jeannie said.

The newly inaugurated six-story hospital along Panghulo Road boasts a 200-bed capacity, a major upgrade that will allow it to accommodate more patients. Equipped with modern facilities such as operating rooms, a labor room, an intensive care unit, a surgery consultation room, an emergency room, and a spacious lobby, the SLRGH ensures that Malabueños have access to comprehensive and quality healthcare.

SLRGH’s expansion was made possible through the initiative of Reo. Ricky Sandoval, who filed House Bill No. 5791 in the 17th Congress. The bill led to the allocation of funds for a wider hospital site and the construction of the new six-story facility under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program. In 2019, through Republic Act 11289, the former San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital was officially converted into the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital, paving the way for its upgrade.

Because of this initiative by Sandoval, the hospital has increased its capacity from 10 beds to 200 beds, allowing it to serve more residents of the city.

As a Level 2 hospital, SLRGH offers departmentalized services, including:

Medicine

Diagnosis and treatment of various illnesses

Pediatrics

Child healthcare and wellness

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-Gyne)

Women’s health and childbirth services

Surgery

Safe and advanced surgical procedures

Anesthesiology

Specialized care before, during, and after operation.

It features modern equipment, including machines for colposcopy, MRI, CT scan, 2D echo, ultrasound, therapy, x-ray, a clinical laboratory, and other services under Level 2 classification that will improve the delivery of health services to residents. It will soon have a fully digital fluoroscopy machine, a fully digital C-arm machine, and a hystero-laparoscopy tower and instruments.

Founded in 1990 as the San Lorenzo Ruiz Municipal Hospital, the facility initially served as a small healthcare center before becoming the San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital (SLRWH) in 1998. From a modest 10-bed Level 1 hospital, it has now transformed into a 200-bed modern general hospital-proof of Malabon’s continuous investment in healthcare.

Over the years, SLRGH has also earned national recognition such as being a PhilHealth-accredited Center for Quality hospital, an ISO 9001:2015 Certified Government Hospital, and a Red Orchid Hall of Famer Awardee.

CHANGES introduced by lawmakers during budget deliberations are part of the regular budget process, and provide a check and balance mechanism to ensure prudent use of public funds, Senate President Vicente Sotto III asserted Monday.

In a speech at the start of the regular session, Sotto sought to ‘clarify some matters brought to the forefront by recent events,’ after Senate President Pro Tempore reported in a radio interview at the weekend that ‘almost all’ senators made insertions in the 2025 budget. The current budget has been widely deemed ‘the most corrupt’ budget in recent years owing to the diversion of precious resources into graft-ridden flood-control projects.

‘Amendments, insertions or whatever you want to call it, whether individual or institutional, done during the deliberations in the Senate, are part of the regular budget process. It is within the mandate of the Senators to amend and determine the government spending allocation. It serves as a crucial check-and-balance mechanism to ensure that public funds are spent in accordance with the law.

‘It is unfortunate that the issue on ghost projects and failed flood control projects affect and generalized all amendments as illegal or improper,’ Sotto declared.

Some of these amendments are for additional classrooms, farm to market roads and bridges that will benefit our people, especially those in the far flung provinces. Some of which were never funded and were tagged ‘for later release’ (FLR). These requests come from LGU’s, province, municipalities and even barangays that were not included by their respective Regional Councils due to numerous reasons. These basic services are as equally important and it is within the duty of the Senators, upon assessment, to include these amendments that will benefit the people.’

He then assured the public that, as ‘agreed in our caucus, rest assured that for the 2026 budget, the Senate will institute changes for greater transparency, people’s participation and accountability. That is the reason that we have included live streaming in all the steps of the budget process.’

Palace: No ‘suspicious insertions’

Suspicious insertions by lawmakers in the future national budget will not be tolerated under the Marcos administration, according Malacañang.

This after Senator Lacson exposed that there were P100-billion total insertions from almost all senators of the 19th Congress in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

He said that while the said insertions were not entirely illegal, it was suspicious.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro admitted that Marcos was not aware of the said insertions in the 2025 GAA, but she said it will no longer be allowed in future national budgets, especially after the President and the public have expressed outrage against any corrupt practices in government public works.

‘When the budget was implemented, he definitely did not know in detail what the insertions of the said senators were,’ she said in Filipino in a press briefing in Malacañang last Monday.

‘But now, because the President has really seen and really noticed what happened to the funds for flood control projects, it has also resulted in him knowing about those kinds of insertions,’ she added.

The President created the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, which was tasked to investigate sub-standard and non-existent flood control projects and then recommend to concerned government agencies the prosecution of the involved individuals or parties.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said he will veto the 2026 GAA if it contains any provisions, which are not aligned with the priority of his administration.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has its own forfeiture and seizure powers under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA, RA 10863), which can directly apply if the flood control anomaly perpetrators are found owning untaxed, smuggled, or misdeclared motor vehicles.

The BOC can forfeit vehicles, including cars, planes or yachts, owned by the flood control anomaly perpetrators if these were smuggled or misdeclared in importations, or if the owners cannot present official importation documents and BOC clearances. The BOC, upon finding probable cause (e.g., no valid import documents), can issue a Warrant of Seizure and Detention against the vehicle. Subsequently, these seized properties can be forfeited in favor of the government after the application of several measures, including the auction of said vehicles. The BOC made a big show of seizing 10 of 12 imported luxury cars owned by contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya in early September 2025.

Simultaneously, the BOC can assess the unpaid duty and taxes and impose up to 500 percent surcharge on these, plus 20 percent per annum of interest on unpaid duties and taxes for smuggled vehicles. The smuggling cases can also be filed as criminal cases that can result in imprisonment.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) designated its tax investigators to conduct a multi-year audit of the tax declarations of the flood control contractors, including the top 15 contractor companies cited by the President in his televised broadcast last August 2025. BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui, Jr. has designated its various investigating offices, including the National Investigation Division, to audit the flood control perpetrators. The BIR investigators can conduct criminal tax fraud audits and utilize net worth investigations, resulting in both deficiency tax assessments with 50 percent fraud surcharge and 20 percent per annum interest and criminal prosecution for tax fraud that carries fines and imprisonment. Commissioner Lumagui has mandated the multi-year audit of the tax liabilities of these construction companies. The investigation should cover all the related or dummy companies, the owners, and their relatives. The tax cases of these persons and companies that have been closed by earlier tax investigations of BIR district offices should be reopened and investigated again with the authority of the Commissioner.

I suggest that the Presumptive Taxation or the best-evidence assessment approach be applied appropriately. Section 6(B) and 6(C) of the National Internal Revenue Code give the BIR the authority to assess taxes on the ‘best evidence obtainable’ if the taxpayer’s records are incomplete, falsified, or non-existent. This is a powerful authority that the BIR investigators can utilize to come up with immediate results even when the taxpayers being audited do not submit complete records and documents.

The BSP, AMLC, SEC, BOC, and BIR must now show that they can bite as well as bark. The flood control perpetrators have flaunted their ill-gotten wealth for too long, hiding behind dummies, offshore accounts, and smuggled toys. By freezing their assets, seizing their hot cars and planes, and hammering them with tax fraud assessments that lead to prison time, the financial watchdogs can prove that the rule of law still has teeth. But as I have stressed in many of my columns, laws and powers are meaningless without relentless follow-through. It is up to all of us-tax professionals, civil society, and ordinary taxpayers-to demand results and keep watch, lest this investigation be remembered as another showpiece probe that went nowhere.

Gokongwei-led Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) said it will spend the P7.66 billion in net proceeds from the sale of shares of its real estate investment trust RL Commercial REIT Inc. (RCR) to its ongoing projects.

RLC said the bulk of the money will go to the Forum redevelopment in Mandaluyong at P1.82 billion. The said development involves a mall and an office tower, which is 43 percent complete. It has torn down the original structure to build a modern, high-end lifestyle center and mixed-use development, which will include a new six-storey mall and four office towers, collectively known as The Jewel.

About P282 million will be spent for Cebu Hotels, which include Nustar Hotel and Grand Summit in Cebu; P288 million for Robinsons Bacolod; P238 million for Robinsons Manila; P834 million for Malolos Bayan Park in Bulacan; P260 million for Robinsons Antipolo; P562 million for Robinsons Tanay; P638 for Robinsons Pangasinan; P56 million for BF Homes Paranaque; P148 million for the Tower 2 of GBF Center in Bridgetown in Quezon City, which is already 90 percent complete; P362 million for Cybergate Apo 1 in Davao; P327 million for Fili Hotel in Bridgetowne; P4 million for Grand Summit Pangasinan; and P302 million for Grand Summit Panglao in Bohol.

The company also listed P1.65 billion in land acquisition in the Visayas and Mindanao and P6 billion to buy properties in Luzon, which will also be disbursed by its wholly-owned subsidiary Bonifacio Property Ventures Inc.

‘Pending the disbursement of such proceeds, RLC may invest the net proceeds in short-term liquid investments including but not limited to short-term government securities, bank deposits and money market placements which are expected to earn interest at prevailing market rates, withdrawable on demand and without holding restrictions prior to any fund withdrawals.’

The said money came from the sale of 1 billion RCR shares at P7.75 per share.

Robinsons Offices, a unit of Robinsons Land Corp., meanwhile, has inaugurated GBF Center 2 in Bridgetowne.

The said opening came two years after the completion of the adjacent GBF Center 1.

The new 30-storey building has a gross leasable area of 60,000 square meters, 20 percent more than the 50,000 square meter-GBF Center 1. Both have 21 office floors, eight parking floors, plus basement parking and the ground floor, which has the lobby and some retail outlets.

‘Although they have the same height, GBF Center Two has larger floor plates, which results in more usable space,’ RLC Senior Vice President and Robinsons Offices general manager Jericho P. Go said.

Each floor in GBF Center 2 offers 2,800 square meters of flexible office space, compared with GBF Center 1’s 2,500-square meter of office space per floor.

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) is open to the possibility of including firms linked to the flood control controversy to its debarment list to prevent them from participating in its current or future projects.

In a briefing on Tuesday, ADB Country Director for the Philippines Andrew Jeffries said under its rules, ADB can only debar firms that participated in its projects.

ADB also implements cross-debarment with other multilateral development banks in the world. Under this policy, debarred firms in these institutions are also debarred from participating in their projects in the region.

‘If there is an officially sanctioned government blacklist, we would honor such a list and take that into account. But it would need to be, you know, kind of officially sanctioned and not just a list of firms in the press, so to speak,’ Jeffries told reporters.

Currently, Jeffries said the ADB has implemented strict technical and financial requirements for all contractors bidding for ADB-funded projects.

These include having a proven track record in undertaking a project as well as possessing the technical capability of implementing specific projects.

Jeffries also mentioned that they have a strict oversight when it comes to loan disbursement to make sure that funds are released based on achieved milestones set by ‘legal construction contracts.’

Apart from the procurement of contractors, Jeffries said ADB also has a post-implementation evaluation process that scrutinizes financial statements, final project costs, and the explanation of any cost overruns and changes that were made in the course of project implementation.

‘Regarding our lending, we take the corruption and public financial management very, very seriously. [Public Works and Highways] Secretary Vince Dizon has stopped progress on domestically funded flood protection projects, for example, but he has not stopped foreign funded flood protection projects because of the strict oversight that ourselves and other development partners give,’ Jeffries said.

In 2010, ADB and multilateral development banks such as the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank Group, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Inter-American Development Bank Group entered into a mutual enforcement agreement on debarment decisions.

The agreement covered the harmonization of debarment rules across the multilateral development banks and mutual enforcement of debarment decisions, which required the banks to debar the firms.

In most cases the names of the firms and their violations as well as the period of their debarment are made public by the multilateral development banks.

In a joint statement in 2010, the multilateral development banks stated that the collective enforcement action validated the institutions’ September 17, 2006 commitment as part of the International Financial Institutions Anti-Corruption Task Force.

The 2006 accord committed MDBs to further explore how compliance and enforcement actions taken by one institution could be mutually recognized. Under the 2006 agreement, the institutions agreed to harmonize their definitions of sanctionable practices and to share greater investigative information among the Banks.

ADB’s public debarment list currently includes 14 Filipinos and firms; some are debarred indefinitely while others are debarred ‘until further notice’ for committing various integrity violations. Some of the firms are cross-debarred with the World Bank as a result of the agreement between the multilateral banks.

THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) asked Congress to provide a clearer policy direction on its investments, following Senator Risa Hontiveros’ concerns over its P1-billion investment in online gambling firm DigiPlus.

GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo A. Veloso emphasized that the state pension fund’s mandate is to grow and protect members’ contributions through investments that are legal and transparent.

‘We would like to get the wise wisdom of this committee and your chamber. We are just being obedient, if this is what the people want, let us change the policy so we could be guided,’ Veloso said mostly in Filipino.

‘We were told that if the company is legal and listed by the Philippine Stock Exchange, then we could invest in it.’

The pension fund chief clarified that investments are made within strict guidelines, with focus on profitability, liquidity, and security.

Veloso highlighted that the GSIS portfolio remains largely concentrated in low-risk assets, including government bonds, loans to members, and income-generating real estate properties.

Citing the pension fund’s performance, Veloso said GSIS assets reached P1.88 trillion in the first half of the year, an increase from P1.54 trillion in 2022.

Net income in the first half of the year climbed to P77.82 billion, marking a 30 percent increase from the same period last year.

He said the actuarial life of the GSIS fund is secured until 2058, reflecting the sustainability of its investment strategy and its capacity to meet the obligations of future retirees.

Still, Senator Risa Hontiveros pressed Veloso on why GSIS chose to invest in DigiPlus, despite the social costs associated with online gambling.

Veloso acknowledged these concerns but clarified that the investment decision was based strictly on financial and legal considerations.

‘I cannot impose my own moral standards because our duty is to be able to grow the fund,’ Veloso said.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the DigiPlus investment and recommended that GSIS prepare recovery plans for its stock exposures ‘at a term not disadvantageous to the fund.’

COA further advised GSIS to review its investment policy guidelines and align them with the GSIS Charter, which outlines limitations on fund placements.

Veloso said the fund has already drawn up recovery plans covering DigiPlus and other equity holdings identified by the audit.

However, he explained that the fund is waiting for more stable market conditions before executing any recovery plans

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has teamed up with the Blockchain Council of the Philippines (BCP) to roll out ‘Integrity Chain,’ a blockchain-powered platform aimed at embedding transparency and accountability in government infrastructure spending.

The initiative, formalized through a memorandum of agreement signed on September 30, will see foreign-assisted projects of the DPWH digitized and recorded on an immutable ledger.

Key details-ranging from budgets and procurement processes to construction milestones and contractor payments-will be uploaded on the system, which will be accessible to the public.

‘From the budget process to the procurement process, to the award of the contract, to the implementation of the project, to the monitoring of the project, to the payments made to the contractors, to the acceptance of the project. Everyone should be watching now, everyone,’ said Dizon.

The Integrity Chain will feature a real-time dashboard for tracking project progress, citizen feedback, and anomaly reporting. Its tamper-proof recordkeeping is designed to deter corruption and reinforce accountability in one of the most corruption-prone agencies of government.

‘For the first time, the private sector isn’t just demanding integrity-we’re building the infrastructure to deliver it,’ said BCP President Donald Patrick Lim.

As part of the pilot, BCP will provide the DPWH with a one-year complimentary subscription, including training, technical support, and cybersecurity safeguards.

Dizon has intensified anti-corruption efforts at the DPWH in the wake of the multibillion-peso flood control scandal, which exposed how public funds were allegedly siphoned off through ghost projects and collusion between contractors and agency officials.

Since taking office, he has ordered the removal of several executives and regional officers, while initiating criminal and administrative cases against erring contractors and personnel.

IN a bid to lure in more investors in the upstream petroleum industry, the Department of Energy (DOE) will extend ‘special allowance’ to operators of marginal petroleum blocks, new and frontier areas.

Department Circular no. 2025-3-17, signed by DOE Secretary Sharon Garin on September 23, provides special allowances that allow for maximum benefits to the country and, at the same time, provide reasonable returns to private companies that render financial and technical services and assume all the risk of petroleum exploration. This will make the country’s service contract regime more attractive to investments and improve the state of the oil and gas exploration.

‘The current state of the oil and gas exploration in the country shows low-level investments due to the attendant high risk in petroleum operations,’ the DOE said.

‘There is a need to offer improved fiscal terms to service contractors to complement the other government initiatives in attracting more exploration and production companies to spur exploration activities leading to the discovery of more oil and gas fields in the country.’

A special allowance on marginal petroleum operations shall be granted when the annual operating expenses exceed the cost recovery allowance of 70 percent. The DOE defined operating expenses as those related to produce petroleum but excluding development and exploration cost, and capital expenditures.

Meanwhile, the DOE defines ‘new plays’ as untested geological prospects in productive basins. Under this category, a special allowance of 5 percent of the gross proceeds will be granted only to the first commercial development.

The same allowance shall be granted in frontier areas, which the agency defines as ‘basins with no significant production activity.’

For gas development in remote areas with more than 200 kilometers (km) but not less than 400km from the identified delivery market, a special allowance of 2.5 percent shall be granted. This will increase to 5 percent for areas within the 400km but not less than 800km and 7.5 percent within 800km and above.

To encourage the production of indigenous gas in new plays, frontier, or remote areas, a special allowance of 30 percent of the gross proceeds shall be granted.

The DOE said it continues to adopt new mechanisms and strategies to carry out its plans and programs mandated under PD 87.

Okada Manila proudly celebrates its second consecutive win as the Best Meetings and Conventions Hotel – Philippines at the 2025 Travel Trade Gazette (TTG) Travel Awards, organized annually by TTG Asia.

The award, decided by votes from readers across TTG Asia publications including TTG Asia, TTG China, TTG India, TTG MICE, TTG-BT MICE China, TTG Associations, and TTG Asia Luxury, underscores the resort’s standing as the country’s premier destination for meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE).

Widely regarded as one of the Asia-Pacific region’s most prestigious distinctions in travel and hospitality, the TTG Travel Awards continues to honor organizations that consistently raise the bar of excellence. Okada Manila’s back-to-back recognition not only highlights its role as a leader in the industry but also showcases the Philippines’ growing prominence as a hub for world-class business events. The 2025 Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner was held on September 25, 2025, at the Centara Grand at CentralWorld in Bangkok, Thailand.

‘Winning this award for the second year in a row is a proud milestone for our entire team,’ said Cielo Reboredo, Vice President for Sales and Marketing at Okada Manila. ‘It shows the confidence our partners and guests have in us, and it drives us to keep delivering events that bring people, ideas, and possibilities together here in the Philippines.’

A benchmark for world-class events

Since 2016, Okada Manila has built a strong reputation for hosting seamless events of every scale and a diversified portfolio of event venues. Its venues combine flexibility, tailored solutions, and professional support for everything from international conventions to private celebrations.

The Grand Ballroom accommodates large gatherings of up to 1,200 pax, while the Golden and Glass Ballrooms are ideal for mid-sized occasions good for 100 to 300 pax. The Crystal Pavilion, with its striking glass architecture, is ideal for trade shows, exhibitions, and entertainment events. Cove Manila, Southeast Asia’s largest indoor beach club can be booked for major corporate events and conventions that can accommodate up 1,500 guests offers a dynamic setting, and the Chairman’s Lounge provides exclusivity with panoramic views of Manila Bay and The Fountain.

The resort also offers versatile meeting rooms and event venues, complete with multimedia technology, curated packages, and award-winning culinary experiences designed to elevate every gathering. All venues are complemented by customizable packages and dedicated services to ensure flawless execution.

A complete resort experience

Okada Manila’s 30-hectare property offers more than event spaces. Guests can choose from 1,001 well-appointed accommodations, relax at the Forbes 5-star recognized The Retreat Spa, or recharge through extensive wellness and recreation facilities.

Dining and shopping are equally diverse, with more than 40 restaurants serving global cuisines and The Promenade offering premium retail options. This balance of business and leisure makes Okada Manila not just a venue, but a destination where every aspect of the guest journey is thoughtfully curated.

Putting the country at the center of MICE excellence

Strategically located in Entertainment City, just minutes from international airports and Manila’s business districts, Okada Manila plays an essential role in strengthening the Philippines’ standing as a competitive MICE destination in Asia. Its continued recognition by TTG Asia’s readership reflects not only the resort’s pursuit of excellence but also the country’s growing appeal to global event organizers.

THE prolonged temporary import ban on rice will have only a minimal impact on the government’s tariff take, according to the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip C. Maronilla said the rice import ban extension will have an impact, but the revenue shortfall the BOC will suffer will be ‘very minimal.’

‘Based on our analysis, we can make do. We’re talking about a three-month sacrifice for better stabilization of the prices and helping out our farmers,’ Maronilla told reporters on the sidelines of a convention last week organized by the Philippine Tax Academy (PTA).

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the extension of the rice import ban, which began on September 1 and is supposed to end on November 2, to support Filipino farmers and stabilize rice pricesMaronilla said the BOC will put in additional work to search for other sources of revenue to cover any deficiencies in its collections caused by the rice import ban.

This year, the BOC is tasked to collect P958.7 billion, which makes up 21.20 percent of the government’s full-year revenue target of P4.520 trillion.

‘We look into tightening our assessment procedures so that certain loopholes can be plugged and maybe help out in the deficiencies that we will experience because of the rice importation ban,’ he said.

The BOC is also anticipating collections to improve during the ‘ber months,’ when demand for food, not only rice but also alternatives such as corn and bread, typically rises, Maronilla added.

‘Every time you plug one item, an alternative item comes up,’ she said, explaining that it may lead to increased consumption or importation of alternatives, offsetting the impact on revenues.

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said earlier that collections on rice tariffs are going down because world market prices are also declining.

Theoretically, Recto said the government suffers a loss of about P2 billion every month from the rice importation ban.

‘Last year, we reduced the tariff, but the volume of imports went up. So we almost had no losses last year,’ Recto said.

To recall, President Marcos signed Executive Order 62 in June 2024, reducing the rice tariffs from 35 percent to 15 percent starting July 2024.

The lowering of the rice tariff rate has already resulted in around P14 billion in revenue loss for the BOC as of July this year.

Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said earlier that excise taxes on petroleum products and pick-up trucks will drive the BOC’s collections this year to meet its revenue target.