Category: Business Mirror

A TOTAL of 69,686 families or 244,689 persons were affected by heavy rains induced by Tropical Storm Ramil, flooding many areas in Luzon and the Visayas, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported.

In its 6:00 a.m. Situation Report on Tuesday, the NDRRMC said Ramil has left seven persons dead, one injured, and two missing.

The agency reported that 28,506 persons from the Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas, including Metro Manila, were pre-emptively evacuated at the height of the storm, the 18th severe weather disturbance to hit the country.

Across the five regions, 66 seaports were affected, stranding 3,433 passengers, 1093 rolling cargoes, and six vessels, the NDRRMC said.

Heavy rains and floods affected a total of 629 barangays in 63 citiesand towns in 13 provinces in Luzon and the Visayas, the NDRRMC said. The NDRRMC said a total of 48 areas were submerged by floodwater, damaging 94 houses.

Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas experienced floods, which turned roads into raging rivers at the height of the storm.

The Office of the Civil Defense said Capiz and parts of Iloilo and Aklan were severely affected.

In Capiz, some towns, including Roxas City’s main roads, were inundated. At least 30 barangays also experienced knee or waist-deep flood in the last two days. Local officials of Roxas have declared the city under a state of calamity.

A TOTAL of 36,536 voters registered on the first day of the nationwide registration for the 2026 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE), initial data provided by the Commission on elections (Comelec) on Tuesday indicate

Initial figures reported by Comelec show that Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) had the highest number of registered voters nationwide so far at 8,290, followed by the National Capital Region at 4,637.

Central Luzon, Central Visayas and Western Mindanao drew 4,100, 3,145 and 1,999 registered voters, respectively.

The overall total accounts for about 2.6 percent of the 1.4 million target of registrants expected by the poll body.

The opening of registration came on Monday with Comelec’s ‘Special Register Anywhere Program [SRAP],’ the poll body’s initiative for Filipinos in Metro Manila who are not able to return to their provinces.

New voters were able to complete their registration through the government’s SRAP sites stationed at PITX ANIX in Parañaque City, the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and Luneta Park.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the poll body aims to conduct the program in other highly urbanized cities in the country, which will soon allow Filipinos to register at schools, government offices, hospitals, call centers, airports and other accessible locations.

Garcia said the poll body had already anticipated the possible increase in the number of new registered voters, adding that the House of Representatives had already granted the commission’s budget request.

‘We are very conservative with our target of 1.4 million registrants, but if the number goes beyond that, that’s fine. We can still accommodate the influx and increase in the number of our fellow citizens who will register.’

Garcia added that the proposed number of precincts would be sufficient, noting that not all of them would be filled and that new voters could be accommodated in both newly created and existing precincts.

So long as the promised budget from the House is delivered and later approved into law, Garcia said the commission would be able to handle the additional number of voters.

‘So no one needs to worry. As long as the budget promised to us by the lower house is granted, and once it is approved into law later on, we will be able to handle an even greater increase in the number of voters.’

Last August, the poll body drew 2.7 million registrants during its ten-day nationwide voter registration for the BSKE, exceeding its goal of 1.5 million registered voters.

Voter registration for the BSKE runs from October 20 to May 18, 2026.

Top-seeded teams defending champion National University and University of Santo Tomas secured their spots in the Final Four after hurdling their respective foes in the 2025 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Preseason Unity Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday at the San Andres Gym in Manila.

Celine Marsh stepped up big time for the four-peat-seeking and twice-to-beat Lady Bulldogs as they turned back gritty San Beda University, 26-24, 25-27, 25-18, 25-16, to advance into the next round.

The sophomore open spiker took over the scoring role in the absence of Sam Cantada and Denesse Daylisan, who are currently playing for the national team in the 2025 Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, finishing with a game-high 23 points.

NU had a shaky start where it needed to stave off the pesky Lady Red Spikers in a tight, extended opening set before yielding the second frame.

With Marsh leading the way, the Lady Bulldogs got their rhythm going in the next two sets, building comfortable gaps to keep San Beda at bay to remain unscathed after seven starts in the league’s centerpiece tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea.

‘It was not our A-game. Madami pa talaga kaming need i-improve. Madami pa kaming need na connect and stuff. Ang ginawa namin sa mga remaining sets we really needed to be composed para makuha ang match na ito,’ said Marsh, who had 21 kills and two kill blocks.

Abegail Pono had 12 points, Alexa Mata and Myrtle Escanlar added 11 markers each while Chams Maaya scored 10 for the Lady Bulldogs, who also rested skipper Vange Alinsug. Veteran setter Lams Lamin dished out 19 excellent sets to help NU outgun the Lady Red Spikers, 59-40 in attacks.

Angel Habacon was the lone Lady Red Spiker in double figures with 17 points.

Meanwhile, the Tigresses cruised past hapless Ateneo de Manila University, 25-16, 25-21, 25-21, to book a fourth straight semis appearance in the competition, supported by Asics, Mikasa, Smart Sports, Summit, Team Rebel Sports, Belo Deo, Eurotel- Apo View Hotel, Batangas Country Club, Executive Optical, Baic Auto Philippines, SM Tickets and PusoP.com as technical partners.

Regina Jurado uncorked 13 points while Xyza Gula logged 11 markers for UST, which didn’t need to use its quarters incentive to draw closer to a championship return since its runner-up finish in 2023.

The Tigresses had a scare in the third frame after the Blue Eagles closed the gap, 22-21, before Poyos, Cassie Carballo and Blessing Unekwe put on the finishing touches in the one-hour, 31-minute encounter.

Faye Nisperos had nine points and Ana Hermosura finished with seven in Ateneo’s sixth defeat in a row.

Both NU and UST will advance to the semis armed with a twice-to-beat advantage by virtue of their No.1 seedings in their respective pools after the second round.

The Lady Bulldogs will face in the Final Four the survivor between Far Eastern University and University of the Philippines while the Tigresses battle the quarters winner between Adamson University and College of Saint Benilde.

Semis action is set to begin Sunday. A sudden death, if needed, will be played on October 29.

San Beda and Ateneo have been relegated to the classification round starting Friday at the Paco Arena.

Games in the SSL Preseason Unity Cup are available live and on demand via PusoP.com and Solar Sports.

Setbacks caused by corruption allegations hounding flood control projects and other public infrastructure projects are temporary and will not derail the Philippines’s bid to achieve higher growth, according to the country’s socioeconomic planning chief.

Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said implementing reforms that will prevent future abuses will even bolster the country’s economy.

‘We believe that the setbacks are very temporary. I like that this happened because then we can do something about these issues so that the medium-term and long-term prospects of the economy will be even stronger,’ Balisacan told reporters on the sidelines of the EU-Philippines Business Dialogue last Thursday in Makati City.

As corruption is now being ‘openly discussed,’ Balisacan said, ‘We can put our house into better order. We can put reforms. We can get these institutional processes to address these issues so we establish a better foundation for long-term growth.’

Balisacan, however, acknowledged that the corruption scandal could affect investment and consumer sentiment.

‘[Also], the external environment for investment has continued to be muted. That’s experienced by many countries. All this uncertainty in the external environment is still there. It’s not as bad as we thought it would be six months ago. The world did not sink as we thought it would with all these Trump tariffs and uncertainty in the global markets,’ he said.

‘As I said, there are positive forces and negative forces. Hopefully, the positive forces will dominate,’ he added.

The corruption issues, he said, could also lead to a slowdown in luxury spending of local consumers.

‘I like that there is a slowdown in those areas [luxury goods] because these are very import dependent anyway. The value added is low,’ he said.

Patronizing local goods, Balisacan said, will be good for the economy. ‘It creates more economic activity. Luxury imports do not really generate economic activity.’

Rice tariff review

Meanwhile, Balisacan said the Cabinet-level Committee on Tariff and Related Matters is currently reviewing the petition of farmers to revert the tariff on imported rice to 35 percent.

‘We discussed the results of consultations and review of the Tariff Commission with respect to the petition of our rice farmers for a revert on the tariff from 15 percent to 35 percent. And we had a lot of discussions on pros and cons, what are the considerations that we have to look at,’ he said.

In assessing the petition, Balisacan said the committee will have to consider the farmgate price of rice as well as the accessibility of the staple to local consumers.

‘We are also concerned about the impact of high prices of rice on inflation, which can impact on our macroeconomic fundamentals,’ he said.

He cited an instance last year and the year prior when prices of rice ‘skyrocketed’ and inflation accelerated, which prompted the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to ‘jack up the policy rates.’

‘So, it really has an effect,’ Balisacan said.

At the same time, the DepDev chief said the government is also tuning into the recent developments such as world prices which ‘have come down sharply since then for rice by over 30 percent.’

‘Our farmers bore the burden of that. Farmgate prices have also come down so much,’ he added.

As such, Balisacan said the government needs to address ‘how we can provide and ensure that our farmers remain profitable in their enterprises.’

‘Rice farming in particular remains remunerative. So that’s a kind of discussion that’s happening, how we achieve all these three goals at the same time,’ he said. ‘Obviously, you need not just tariff as an instrument to achieve those goals, but you need other tools.

‘For example, directly subsidizing the price received by our farmers would be one such policy goal or instrument to ensure that the benefits of world prices and the tariff reduction are shared by everyone.and those benefits don’t arise at the expense of our farmers,’ he added.

THE chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations on Monday assured the public that the 2026 national budget contains no pork barrel funds, emphasizing that all appropriations were itemized, transparent, and free from post-enactment congressional intervention.

Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela B. Suansing made the assurance following persistent claims from the chamber’s Makabayan bloc and some civil society groups that the national budget allegedly contains more than P600 billion in pork barrel-type allocations.

‘We assure the public that there are no pork barrel allocations in the 2026 budget,’ Suansing said in a news conference.

‘The programs often cited-such as AICS [Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations] under DSWD [Departmet of Social Welfare and Development], MAIP [Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients] under DOH [Department of Health], and Tupad [Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged-Displaced Workers] under DOLE [Department of Labor and Emplooyment]-are all implemented directly by their respective agencies. Congress has no post-enactment role in how these are implemented,’ she added.

Suansing clarified that once the General Appropriations bill is enacted into law, the authority and discretion to disburse funds rest solely with the implementing agencies-not with lawmakers.

‘Congress never engages in post-enactment interventions,’ she said. ‘Each agency has its own guidelines and internal procedures for releasing funds. There are no lump-sum appropriations, no hidden funds, and no embedded projects.’

She underscored that the 2026 national budget is fully itemized, detailing all allocations to ensure transparency and accountability in government spending.

Suansing assured that the proposed national budget for 2026 will be transparent, corruption-free, and responsive to the needs of Filipinos.

She emphasized that Congress remains committed in ensuring that every peso in the 2026 budget will directly benefit the people and address the country’s most urgent priorities.

‘The assurance that we can give to our fellow Filipinos is that our budget for 2026 will truly respond to the needs of our people and our nation. It will be clean, it will be transparent, and most importantly, it will be a budget that our citizens can trust,’ Suansing said.

She underscored that transparency and accountability will remain at the core of the budget process, ensuring that funds are allocated efficiently and free from misuse.

The Makabayan bloc earlier rejected the approval of the proposed P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2026, denouncing it as a continuation of the ‘corrupt pork barrel system’ despite the ongoing trillion-peso flood control scandal.

According to the bloc, the ‘presidential pork’ alone amounts to P281 billion, including P243 billion in Unprogrammed Appropriations-a funding mechanism that ballooned in previous years and allegedly became a major source of funds for ghost and overpriced projects.

They added that the P10.9-billion Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIF) remain ‘grotesquely inflated,’ with the Office of the President keeping the largest share at P4.5 billion, while the NTF-ELCAC’s P8.08-billion Barangay Development Fund also remains intact.

Makabayan also alleged that P415 billion constitutes ‘legislative pork,’ coursed mainly through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and other agencies.

The bloc said that through the DPWH’s district offices, P174.6 billion will be distributed as ‘allocables,’ roughly P230 million per congressional district and P3.2 billion per senator.

Other allocations allegedly open to congressional discretion include P32.6 billion for farm-to-market roads, P35.1 billion for school buildings, P20.2 billion for health facilities, and P9.6 billion for irrigation projects.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) declared Batanes as an organic farming practitioner province, which positions it as a leading agro-tourism destination that would boost local livelihoods.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed an order that formalized the recognition of Batanes as ‘organic by default.’

The DA said that due to the province’s geographic isolation and long-standing farming traditions, its 13,208.90 hectares of agricultural land that spans across crops and livestock have remained untouched by synthetic chemicals.

It added that the province’s 4,126 farmers and 35 cooperatives exclusively engage in organic agriculture, supported by local ordinances and provincial legislation aligned with Republic Act 10068 or the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.

‘This designation affirms Batanes’ commitment to sustainable farming that ensures food security, protects the environment, and empowers communities,’ the DA chief said.

He added that the recognition paves the way for increased technical, financial, and market support for the province.

The DA said all six municipalities, such as Basco, Uyugan, Sabtang, Ivana, Itbayat, and Mahatao, have passed ordinances institutionalizing organic farming.

It added that various programs and demonstration farms like the Naidi Multi-Commodity Project and the Tukon Agro-Tourism Site further promote natural farming methods and community-based food production.

According to the DA, Batanes’ organic crops, such as garlic, sweet potatoes, onions, and beef cattle are key to local food sufficiency that would allow it to gain market value outside the province.

Premium prices and increasing demand are encouraging wider participation among farmers, it added.

With organic produce as a driving force, the DA said Batanes is integrating agriculture with tourism.

Projects like the Batanes Resort Agro-Tourism Site are drawing visitors interested in eco-friendly farming practices and Ivatan culture.

‘Through this declaration, the DA reinforces its support for provinces like Batanes that exemplify the goals of sustainable agriculture, ensuring long-term food safety, ecological balance, and rural development.’

Earlier, the DA deployed mobile soil testing laboratories nationwide as part of efforts to improve crop yields.

Advocacy group Universal Healthcare (UHC) Watch welcomed the progress of Senate Bill No. 1213 or the Wastong Nutrisyon sa Ospital Act, which was read on First Reading and referred to the Committees on Health and Demography and Finance last September 15, 2025.

The measure seeks to institutionalize the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) as part of medical care in the Philippines.

‘Poor nutrition leads to longer hospital stays, bigger expenses for families, hospital congestion, and in the worst cases, death. This is a reality already happening across the country,’ the group emphasized.

In a forum organized by the think tank Stratbase Institute, health advocates from public and private sectors underscored the need for enhanced nutrition care in hospitals nationwide. The think tank’s policy paper on the NCP emphasized that the successful implementation of the NCP in the Philippines is crucial to improving the nutritional status and health outcomes of the population.

It also noted that addressing the various challenges requires multi-faceted approaches that span institutional preparation, inter-professional collaboration, resource allocation, and patient centered care.

With this, UHC Watch hailed the filing of Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1213 by Senator JV Ejercito and

House Bill No. (HBN) 3806 by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Abante Mindanao

Party-list Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr., calling the move a potential game-changer in making Philippine healthcare more people-centered.

The proposed measures seek to institutionalize the NCP as an essential part of medical treatment, ensuring that patients receive not only medicine but also the proper nutrition needed to recover and live healthier lives.

Senator Ejercito, in his explanatory note, emphasized the alignment of the measure with global development priorities.

‘The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), a framework gearing toward the growth and sustainability of developing and developed countries, includes the objective to ‘end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture’ among their seventeen (17) overall goals. This direction recognizes that proper nutrition is a critical part of physical health and overall well-being,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Reps. Rufus Rodriguez and Maximo Rodriguez Jr. echoed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) stance on the crucial role of nutrition in health outcomes.

‘This bill aims to enhance current laws by mandating the implementation of the Nutrition Care Process, an internationally recognized standard approach for practitioners in nutrition and dietetics. With this measure, Filipinos will gain access to effective tools for recovering from illnesses and significantly improving their quality of life, all in a cost-efficient manner.’

Also known as the ‘Wastong Nutrisyon sa Ospital Act,’ the proposed measure introduces a standardized, evidence-based approach to nutrition care, covering assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and follow-up. It mandates hospitals to screen all admitted patients using a Department of Health (DOH)-approved tool to identify those who are ‘nutritionally at risk.’

For the UHC Watch, the stakes are high if the measure is not passed.

‘Good nutrition is often overlooked, yet it plays a critical role in preventing complications and reducing the burden on our healthcare system,’ UHC Watch said. ‘You need proper nutrients to recover. When a patient has proper nutrition, hospital stays are shorter, families spend less, and hospitals can serve more patients.’

Beyond hospital care, UHC Watch emphasized that the measure also supports the advocacy for healthy aging in the Philippines.

‘By incorporating proper nutrition into healthcare, children can reach their full growth potential, adults can maintain their productivity, and older adults can experience a higher quality of life as they age. Promoting healthy aging begins with early attention to nutrition. This bill empowers healthcare providers to promote wellness across all life stages, not just when people are sick.’

Composed of patients and civil society organizations, UHC Watch underscored that nutrition care is an issue of equity, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and patients with chronic illnesses.

‘When nutrition is neglected, the most vulnerable suffer the most. By passing this bill, Congress is sending a message that every Filipino’s health matters. More than a healthcare reform, the NCP bill is a promise of better lives for millions of Filipinos.’

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is now looking at the possible liability of the manning agency and foreign principal of the Filipino crew member of the MV Minervagracht after it was attacked by Houthi rebels last month.

Last Sunday, the remains of the said OFW was finally repatriated and was received by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the concerned licensed manning agency.

‘The DMW is currently conducting a thorough investigation to determine whether the manning agency and the foreign principal are responsible so that appropriate sanctions can be imposed if proven to have violated its existing policies,’ DMW said in a statement.

The remains was initially brought to the OFW’s wife in Iligan and then to his parents and other relatives in Zamboanga del Sur.

‘The Department of Migrant Workers extends its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased Filipino seafarer, and assured continued assistance and support in accordance with the instructions of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.,’ DMW said.

The agency called on the public to pray for the deceased crew member.

MV Minervagracht was damaged by an explosive device on 29 September 2025. The incident resulted in the evacuation of the cargo ship including a Russian, a Ukrainian, Sri Lankans, and 12 Filipinos.

One of the said Filipino crew members of MV Minervagracht died after being injured from the incident.

The 10 other Filipino crew members of the cargo ship returned home safely on October 4, while the other seriously injured crew member was repatriated on October 10.

In a related development, OWWA also reported the arrival of the 19 OFWs from Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia via Saudia Flight SV870 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1 on 19 October 2025.

The said OFWs sought repatriation due to labor-related cases, welfare issues, and humanitarian concerns.

Upon their arrival, they were given immigration assistance, food packs, financial assistance, transport support, and temporary accommodations. Since January, almost 400 OFWs were successfully repatriated by OWWA and DMW from Jeddah.

THEY say you should never meet your heroes because you might be disappointed should they turn out to be very different from your preconceptions. Lawyer Estrella ‘Star’ Elamparo, who’s also a runner and mother, is someone who I have always wanted to meet. Formerly a lawyer for the government pension fund GSIS, Elamparo seemed to me a beautiful, smart and empowered woman.

Finally, I met Elamparo at the #UnstoppablePowHER: The Watsons Women’s Forum 2025 held at Enderun, where she was one of the panelists in the discussion moderated by Mica Pineda and also participated in by Ting Joson, secretary general of Triathlon Philippines; Miss Earth Philippines 2017 Karen Ibasco, and Lynn Pinugu, co-founder and CEO of She Talks Asia and executive director of Mano Amiga Philippines.

At the sidelines of the event, we talked to Elamparo about being a woman in law, a male-dominated field.

‘In law school, it was not much of a problem, but when I went into practice that’s where I saw how difficult it was. As a young female lawyer, I encountered harassment in the form of comments about what I wore [short skirts and heels] and other micro-aggressions. That escalated to even more serious forms of harassment and when I told the law office where I worked, I was told it was probably because my skirts were very short,’ said Elamparo.

As she became more established in the field of law and gained a reputation as someone strict and outspoken, the harassment has stopped-but it’s still there.

‘We’ve progressed but the problem is still there. As women, it is up to us to stand against these things so that [the situation] will change,’ she said.

But the way Elamparo looks at it, progress is still progress, no matter how small.

‘There are more female law students than men now, and eight out of 10 legal department heads in the country’s top conglomerates are women. It feels good to know we’ve opened doors for the next generation.’

The Watsons Women’s Forum was created to be a celebration of women. It was also a reminder that the best atmosphere where they can thrive is one wherein they get support from other women.

Elamparo, for example, said that while laws are in place to counter violence against and harassment of women, it is still up to us to be vigilant and make sure the laws are enforced.

‘Even if we are not the victims, we have to speak up. It is our obligation to be vigilant.’

‘Today is all about women empowerment, giving women a voice, a platform, and a community where we can share stories, exchange ideas, and remind one another that we are never alone in our journeys. Through the Women’s Forum, Watsons continues to open spaces that uplift, educate and inspire. At Watsons, empowerment has always been part of who we are,’ said Kim Reyes, Beauty Business Unit and Commercial Services director for Watsons Personal Care Stores (Philippines).

As a safe space for women, the event also featured PowHER Stories, an open mic session where women shared their journeys of resilience, purpose and self-discovery. Meanwhile, guests explored interactive experiences such as a customized scent perfume bar, commissioned artists for watercolor portraits, photo booth, and message wall. Every activity was created to celebrate creativity, confidence, and connection.

‘The celebration doesn’t end here. Empowerment isn’t just a one-day event. It’s something we live and breathe every day. It’s in the way we care for ourselves, how we treat others, and how we lift up other women. Because at Watsons, we truly believe that when women empower women, the world becomes a better place,’ said Sharon Decapia, SAVP for marketing, PR and Sustainability of Watsons Philippines.

The recent decision by the Office of the Ombudsman to reopen public access to the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) of government officials marks a significant victory for transparency and accountability in our government. This move, reversing the restrictive policy under former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, rightly acknowledges that the Filipino people have an undeniable right to know how their public servants acquire and manage wealth. However, restoring access to SALNs, while commendable, should not be mistaken as the endpoint of transparency reforms. As highlighted by House Assistant Majority Leader Mark Anthony Santos, transparency should be a comprehensive, institutionalized practice-not a patchwork of isolated disclosures. The long-overdue Freedom of Information (FOI) bill remains the linchpin in this effort.

The FOI bill, pending in Congress for nearly 30 years, is the legal backbone that would empower citizens to scrutinize government operations beyond personal wealth declarations. It would mandate government agencies to release records, contracts, and transactions that reveal how public funds are spent and programs are executed. This is precisely the kind of openness needed to deter corruption, prevent abuses like the ghost projects scandal, and ensure that public servants are held accountable at every level.

The history of the FOI bill is a saga of delay and missed opportunities, despite its clear constitutional mandate under Article III, Section 7. The persistent lobbying by champions such as the late Rep. Ernesto Ruffa, Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III, and others shows the enduring demand for transparency among lawmakers themselves. The current iteration, supported by a broad coalition in both the House and Senate-including Sen. Francis Pangilinan and Senate President Vicente Sotto III-provides a real chance for passage.

The timing could not be more crucial. The Ombudsman’s transparency move, coupled with growing public outrage over corruption scandals, sets the perfect political climate for Congress to act decisively. Passing the FOI bill would institutionalize transparency as the norm rather than the exception and would complement the SALN disclosure policy by opening the floodgates to information on how government operates.

Moreover, transparency must be paired with accountability mechanisms. Calls for a strict ‘one-strike policy’ against corrupt officials in agencies like the Department of Public Works and Highways are necessary corollaries. Transparency without enforcement risks becoming an empty gesture.

Reopening SALNs to public scrutiny is a welcome milestone but not the finish line. The real test of our government’s commitment to transparency and good governance lies in passing the FOI bill. It is time for Congress to fulfill its constitutional duty and the people’s right to know. Only then can we hope to restore genuine public trust and build a government that serves with integrity and openness.

Transparency is not a privilege but a right. The people deserve nothing less than full access to information that affects their lives and their future.