Category: Business Mirror

THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Friday asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate and file criminal charges against those behind the circulation online of a ‘malicious’ and ‘misleading’ article that undermines the commission’s mandate.

The ICI was referring to online reports claiming that it has tapped the assistance of Task Force Kasanag International, a nongovernment organization led by a certain John Chong, in its ongoing probe into the multibillion anomalous flood control and other infrastructure projects of the government.

‘The commission categorically denies this claim. The ICI has not authorized, deputized or engaged Task Force Kasanag International, or any group led by Mr. John Chong, in any capacity related to its investigation,’ the ICI said.

‘This report is entirely untrue and should not be given credence,’ it added.

The fact-finding body assured the public that it is pursuing its mandate with ‘independence, impartiality, and professionalism.’

It added that appointments to the ICI or partnerships with other groups will be made public through the commission’s authorized channels.

The ICI was created by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. following reports of ghost flood control projects and other anomalies in the government’s infrastructure projects.

It is chaired by former Supreme Court Associate Justice Andres Reyes, with former Public Works Secretary Rogelio ‘Babes’ Singson and SGV and Co. country managing partner Rosanna Fajardo as members.

Former Supreme Court Public Information Chief, lawyer Brian Keith Hosaka, was recently appointed as ICI’s Executive director and spokesman.

Prior to his appointment, Hosaka served as commissioner of the Governance Commission for Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCC).

There’s a hilarious before-and-after meme going around featuring Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon referencing job applicants and a popular tune of 1980s British rock band The Smiths.

The ‘Before DPWH’ photo shows Dizon all smiles and dapper in a casual business suit beaming at the camera. The ‘after’ photo has Dizon, now Public Works Secretary, dressed in a crumpled shirt and rain jacket, his face all scrunched-up in frustration and hair askew, while he is in the field probably inspecting another substandard flood project. The meme’s caption goes (sing it with me): ‘I was looking for a job and then I found a job, and heaven knows I’m miserable now..’

I don’t know what possessed Sec. Vince to accept the job as Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief, when he was hardly finished with his work at the Department of Transportation (DOTr). I, for one, was still hoping he could order the construction of an escalator or elevator at the MRT Ortigas station. That is probably the worst hiking experience for commuters ever-after the legendary Mount Kamuning pedestrian footbridge.

(But as one former Cabinet Secretary told me, when I lightly ridiculed him about accepting his position, ‘You can’t say ‘No’ to the President.’ I of course retorted flippantly, ‘Yes you can!’)

But as difficult as the job Sec. Vince had to do in DOTr-although the cleanup there had already been initiated by his immediate predecessor, former airline executive Jimmy Bautista-the job of auditing and inspecting DPWH flood-control projects is probably not just exhausting but most likely depressing, as one can imagine. A trillion pesos in substandard or ghost flood-control projects in the past decade?! And yet we have floods everywhere?!?!

That staggering amount made me wince in utter grief and frustration.but, yes, anger soon followed-the reason I went out of my home, like so many thousands of other Filipinos all over the country on Sunday, September 21, to protest the continuing corruption in government. Ironically, it was the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines by the current President’s father, the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.-a name also synonymous with corruption.

It was Marcos Jr., of course, who opened the.uhmmm.floodgate of allegations and investigations into these DPWH projects, after he called out their irregularities and the possible collusion of some government executives. He later named 15 private construction companies which implemented these highly questionable projects.

And while both houses of Congress continue their respective probes into the flood-control mess, along with the President’s own recently formed investigation body, the Independent Commission on Infrastructure, Sen. Loren Legarda, rightly so, recently raised the possibility that the corruption in DPWH may also cover other projects it implements for government agencies like the Departments of Health (DOH), Education (DepEd), Agriculture (DA), and Tourism (DOT).

Under the current setup, funds are lodged with the DOH, DepEd, and DA for infrastructure projects. These agencies then download these funds to the DPWH to construct those projects as it has the engineering expertise. (For tourism roads, funds for their construction are directly allocated to the DPWH, since the law doesn’t provide the DOT any infrastructure construction function, per se.)

During the hearing of DOT’s budget on September 25, Legarda demanded: ‘How would we know, as I said, health centers and hospitals, tourism roads, farm-to-market roads, DepEd school buildings, all DPWH [projects, have been completed?] If there could be some standard, or even goals in the DPWH for their own organic projects, what more the other agencies? Baka naman nabibiktima ang mga ibang departments?’

She continued, ‘If we allocate [project funds] in the other departments to be implemented by an agency, which has gained notoriety of late, and inaamin nila [that] this is this is what happens, we might be wasting the whole national budget, right?’

The senior lawmaker likewise instructed Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco not to rely on the reports of the DPWH regarding the status of tourism roads, and instead have the latter’s own regional executives visit these projects for more accurate reporting.

Frasco had said during the budget hearing that 882.28 kilometers of tourism roads were completed by the DPWH from 2022 to 2024, under the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (TRIP). These projects cost over P46 billion.

To recap, the DOT and DPWH jointly forged TRIP in 2012, under the terms of then Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. and then Public Works chief Rogelio ‘Babes’ Singson. The convergence program calls on both agencies to agree on priority tourism roads that have to be built. These roads are designed to connect vital infrastructure like airports or seaports to resorts and hotels in key tourism destinations.

Following Senator Legarda’s own questions regarding the credibility of the DPWH’s tourism roads report, an agency insider told me that the Secretary will also have these projects probed. ‘It’s in Sec. Vince’s plan. We’re just gathering momentum to investigate those projects, too,’ my source assured.

So Sec. Vince certainly has more than enough work on his head, his shoulders, his hands, and his feet. Thank goodness he is young enough to have the energy to keep going around and inspecting all these DPWH projects. (I guess he has been hard-pressed to delegate the inspections as he is unsure how far corruption in the agency goes, and who can actually be trusted to give him honest monitoring reports.)

Sec. Vince should take loads of vitamins and minerals to keep up with the demands of his job.

Meanwhile, lawmakers-especially those alleged to have received kickbacks on these irregular DPWH projects- and officials of this administration have been put on notice. Judging from the numbers that joined the protest marches and rallies last September 21, we, the Filipino taxpayers, are not having any of this foolishness. We are keeping a close watch on the goings on attending this flood-control mess. And we are hoping something good for the country eventually comes out of these investigations, after all the hearings have been wrapped up.

Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed) celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Laser Center under the Department of Dermatology on September 30, 2025, with a meaningful program in collaboration with Breast Imaging Center and Department of Psychiatry at the 8F Tower 2 Auditorium.

With the theme ‘Courage,’ the event honored patients facing skin and breast cancer, as well as those navigating mental health challenges, while paying tribute to the compassion and dedication of the hospital’s doctors, nurses, and staff.

In his opening remarks, Interim Co-President and CEO and Medical Director Saturnino P. Javier, MD, commended the cooperation among the Dermatology, Radiology, and Psychiatry Departments, emphasizing, ‘Unity and collaboration are highlighted by the several departments, and that has always been the flagship of Makati Medical Center-we collaborate at every important activity.’

The program featured Ryan Raymond Y. Bautista, MD, Head of the MakatiMed Wellness Center, who shared an overview of its services; Donna Marie L. Sarrosa, MD, Chairperson of the Department of Dermatology, who traced the history of laser dermatology and introduced Dermagraphix, the country’s first advanced skin cancer detection technology; and Julie Anne Patricia M. Songco, MD, who underscored the role of dermoscopy in early detection through her lecture ‘Dermo-scope: Zeroing in on Early Skin Cancer.’ Socio-civic leader Elizabeth Eder Zobel de Ayala also shared her advocacy for cancer prevention, followed by a message from broadcast journalist Bernadette Sembrano who expressed her appreciation for the hospital for the warmth and excellence she experienced in her every visit. Maria Luz Espinosa, MD highlighted the importance of imaging in breast cancer detection and Genevere Serna-Santos, MD recounted the history of the Breast Imaging Center. In line with Mental Health Awareness Month, Joaquim Gerardo L. Jurilla, MD, a second-year resident, presented on MakatiMed’s holistic approach to care, underscoring that healing goes beyond the physical.

The celebration culminated with ‘An Evening with Music and Advocacy’, starting with a surprise dance number from the LeBran dancers, a group of doctors. The event also featured OPM band Ben and Ben, whose music inspired hope, connection, and comfort among attendees.

Through this event, MakatiMed reaffirmed its mission to provide compassionate, innovative, and holistic care, supporting every patient’s journey to healing and wellness.

Starting next year, overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan will benefit from the pending decision of Taiwan to raise the monthly minimum wage to NT$29,500 (P56,381.85), according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

It will be a 3.18 percent increase to the prevailing monthly minimum wage NT$28,590 (P54,642.61) in Taiwan. The Taiwanese government also raised the hourly rate from NT$190 (P363.14) to NT$196 (P374.60).

The higher rates, will take effect on 1 January 2025 once it is approved by the Executive Yuan-the highest administrative body in the self-governing island. It is the 10th successive year Taiwan implemented such an increase.

DMW Secretary Hans J. Cacdac welcomed said wage hikes in Taiwan, which he said will help thousands of OFWs cope with rising cost of living.

‘We are very grateful to the Taiwanese government and labor organizations for their efforts to implement this wage hike,’ he said in Filipino in a statement.

‘This news is a victory for all workers in Taiwan, especially for our OFWs,’ he added.

The DMW chief assured that they will ensure that OFWs will benefit from the said increase.

Based on the latest government data, of the 200,000 Filipinos in Taiwan, 170,000 are workers.

The Department of Public Works and Highways on Thursday said initial estimates indicate tht at least P2 billion worth of infrastructures were damagedby the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu province on Tuesday evening.

In a news conference, Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon said the figure could still go up as their teams continue to conduct more assessments.

Dizon said that the moment, the priorities are clearing the roads and providing access for the unhampered delivery of relief goods to the affected areas.

‘We were sent here by the President quickly to respond immediately to the needs of Bogo and the other affected localities,’ he added.

Dizon added that a team will be sent to assess the structural integrity of the Bogo City Provincial Hospital.

He said that the hospital incurred major damages in its operating room, emergency room, and the delivery room. With this, he instructed DPWH Cebu to direct all its resources to conduct repairs starting Thursday.

Tourism

TOURISM Secretary Christina Frasco reported that 80 tourism establishments incurred damage and 711 tourism workers were affected.

She asked the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide assistance for the displaced tourism workers.

DOT has also facilitated for the safe return of 14 local tourists who got stranded, and assisted one foreign tourist to stay in a safe place in Bogo City as the latter opted not to leave.

‘We want to assure the local governments that the national government is here to help out. Nakighiusa mi sa mga kaigsonan sa Sugbo niining nahitabo [We are in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Cebu after what happened],’ Frasco assured.

The DOT will also also send a team to conduct assess the damage to churches.

THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has summoned Senator Mark Villar to ‘discuss and shed light’ in relation to its ongoing probe into the anomalous flood control and other infrastructure of the government.

The invitation, dated October 2 and signed by ICI Chair Andres Reyes, was sent to Villar’s office in the Senate.

Villar was asked to testify under oath about the planning, budgeting, supervisions and monitoring of flood control and other infrastructure projects undertaken during his tenure as Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

He served as DPWH chief under the administration of former President Duterte from 2016 to 2021.

The ICI has scheduled Villar’s appearance before the commission on October 7 at its headquarters inside the Department of Energy Compound, in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

The ICI issued the summon a day after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that the justice department will will be looking into the alleged ‘prohibited interest’ of the Villar family in the estimated P18.5 billion infrastructure projects in Las Piñas City.

Remulla said the investigation is necessary following a news report that a close relative of the Villars owns a construction firm that undertook several infrastructure projects, including flood-control projects, in the city.

Aside from Villar, Remulla said the agency will also investigate Senator Camille Villar, who also served as congresswoman of the lone district of Las Piñas in the 19th Congress and former businesswoman Cynthia VIllar, who served as a senator from 2013 to 2025 and congresswoman for the city’s lone district from 2001 to 2010.

At a press briefing yesterday, Remulla disclosed that the camp of Villars has sought a meeting with him but he has yet to respond to the request.

‘There was an effort to set a meeting. But, I have not given my response because I would rather it be done officially,’ he said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SYMS owner Sally Santos was also found to be liable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SIMPLE LIFE

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

BIRDS OF THE SAME FEATHER

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

FAT SHAMED

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

ON THE ROCKS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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