Category: Business Mirror

A LAWMAKER on Tuesday warned that Co’s resignation should not erase accountability for alleged abuses tied to his party-list group, Ako Bicol, saying it exposes systemic weaknesses in Congress.

Cebu Rep. Duke Frasco alleged that Co, as a shareholder of construction firms, profited from billions of pesos worth of projects inserted in the national budget during his term as Appropriations Committee chair. He argued that by resigning, Co evaded sanction from the House but left his party list unaffected, a move he described as ‘impunity.’

But Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin pushed back, calling Frasco’s remarks ‘mere conjecture’ unsupported by evidence or legal findings. He invoked the constitutional presumption of innocence, stressing that no case has yet been filed against Co.

‘The resignation of Cong. Zaldy Co should not, and cannot, erase his crimes, nor absolve Ako Bicol Partylist, the vehicle through which these abuses were committed,’ Frasco said.

‘While Co walks away, his conduit, Ako Bicol Partylist, keeps its seat, benefits, and power as if nothing happened. This is not accountability. This is impunity,’ Frasco stressed.

Citing Section 141 (h) of the House Rules, Frasco said, ‘A Member shall not acquire or receive any personal pecuniary interest in any specific business enterprise which will be directly and particularly favored or benefited by any law or resolution authored by the Member that is approved or adopted by Congress during the Member’s term.’

‘Accountability must extend beyond individuals. If consequences are limited only to a nominee, Congress sets a dangerous precedent: that members can violate rules, resign to avoid expulsion, and leave their party untouched. To protect the integrity of our institutions, Ako Bicol Partylist must face investigation, sanction, and, if warranted, disqualification,’ he added.

Garbin, however, that under the 1987 Constitution, Co enjoys the presumption of innocence unless and until charges are filed and proven before a competent court. ‘To prejudge Zaldy Co in the absence of due process would be a dangerous erosion of the rule of law itself,’ Garbin added.

He added that resignation does not shield Co from investigation, citing jurisprudence that public officials remain liable for acts committed in office even after stepping down.

Garbin also dismissed allegations of conflict of interest, saying Co had long divested from any construction-related businesses prior to assuming office. He further clarified that the insertion of funds into the General Appropriations Act (GAA) is a legitimate congressional process.

‘Even as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Zaldy Co is not powerful enough to railroad provisions of the budget according to his sole wishes. The GAA undergoes rigorous deliberation in both Houses of Congress, bicameral scrutiny, and final approval by the President,’ he said.

Garbin said the party-list should not be dragged into the controversy, noting its separate juridical personality under the Party-list System Act. ‘To punish Ako Bicol for unproven allegations against one nominee would disenfranchise the millions of Bicolanos who vested their trust in Ako Bicol,’ Garbin said.

Meanwhile, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendana has called on Co to come home and confront the allegations leveled against him, stressing that the issue now affects not only Co but also the entire House of Representatives.

‘He should come back and face these allegations. This is no longer just his personal issue-it has become an institutional matter that taints the House as a whole,’ Cendana said.

THE House of Representatives will focus on passing a ‘clean budget’ for 2026, the speaker said, underscoring that this remains the chamber’s priority despite political noise and controversies over alleged flood control projects and questionable budget insertions.

Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III said the chamber is considering extending the plenary debates on the proposed 2026 national budget for another week.

The deliberations were originally scheduled to conclude this week, with October 10 set aside for the period of amendments to House Bill (HB) 4058, or the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

The budget was originally set to complete plenary deliberations on the 2026 budget proposals of key agencies this week, with October 10 reserved for the period of amendments to House Bill (HB) 4058, or the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) of 2026.

‘Our priority in Congress is to pass a clean budget so we can transmit it to the Senate,’ Dy said.

The Speaker added, ‘For now, we will hold consultations, and we may even extend for another week to ensure the proper passage of next year’s budget.’

On Wednesday, plenary debates will cover the proposed budgets of the Office of the President, other executive offices, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Science and Technology, and the Department of Transportation.

Deliberations on Thursday will include allocations for Congress, the Civil Service Commission, the Department of Migrant Workers, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Discussions will also tackle support for the government corporate sector, lump-sum funds, and the Turno En Contra.

According to the schedule provided to the media, Thursday marks the last day of plenary debates for government agencies. Congress, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, is set to adjourn for a break on October 10.

‘That has not been thoroughly discussed yet, but if it becomes necessary to extend for another week, then that’s what we will do. Most likely, we may really extend by another week,’ said the speaker.

Once approved by the House, the GAB will be transmitted to the Senate for review. A bicameral conference committee will later be convened to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget.

Paragraph 7, Section 25, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution provides that the general appropriations of the preceding year shall be deemed as re-enacted if both houses of Congress fail to pass the general appropriations bill for the ensuing year before the end of the present year.

Manila, Philippines – Last August 16 at The Fifth at Rockwell, the awarding for the 2025 Modern Parenting’s Parents’ Choice Awards happened and two of the awarded establishments were Kinetix Lab and Kinetix Kids.

In less than a year since it opened, Kinetix Kids, the premier play-gym, activity, and specialized training center has been recognized by the award giving body as the Best Recreational Venue for Kids under the Toys, Play, and Learning. Kinetix Kids believes in the power of play. It is the ultimate teacher, offering a vibrant avenue for children to acquire new knowledge and skills, foster social interactions, and grasp foundational concepts in various subjects. Assistant Branch Manager Aki Carino and Events Director Albee Barretto were there to represent the play-gym and to receive the award.

As the premier strength and conditioning training gym in the country, Kinetix Lab consistently finds ways to ensure that its members achieve holistic health. The gym has been recognized by this year’s Parents’ Choice Awards as having the Best Fitness Program for Parents under the Health, Safety, and Wellness category.

Last year, Kinetix Lab launched its Strong is Beautiful campaign to show women that overall strength is beautiful. This campaign offers several training programs, each designed to help women achieve their specific fitness goals. One of the founders / COO / Head Coach of Kinetix Lab Marlon Lugue was there at the event to receive the award.

Currently in its fourth year, the Modern Parenting’s Parents’ Choice Awards recognizes brands, products, and services that have a significant impact on Filipino families. This year, Editor-in-Chief Marga Tupaz led the careful evaluation of hundreds of entries. With the invaluable insights of a select panel of discerning mothers, the team identified the brands that consistently go above and beyond for both parents and children.

Cebu City Vice Mayor Tommy Osmeña recently visited the Isla Mactan Desalination Plant in Cordova, a facility that aims to help the city’s growing water security challenges.

Codeveloped by global experts in water technology and Vivant Water, the water arm of Cebu-based and publicly listed conglomerate Vivant Corporation, the plant is the country’s first utility-scale seawater desalination facility. More than an engineering milestone, it represents a promise of resilience for thousands of Cebuano families who depend on safe and reliable water every day.

The facility uses globally recognized seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) technology with energy-efficient operations powered by Energy Recovery Devices (ERDs). Designed to deliver 20 million liters of potable water daily, enough to serve nearly 29,000 Cebuano households, the project is now in its final stages of testing and commissioning, before supplying the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) by end-2025. It reflects Vivant Water’s commitment to practical, sustainable innovations that address today’s needs while anticipating tomorrow’s demands, in line with the Cebu City Administration’s pursuit of scalable and sustainable solutions.

The newly renovated 50-year-old Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) is now ready to accommodate the international delegate of the 2026 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related meetings, which will be hosted by the country.

President Ferdinand Marcos was personally accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos when he led the reopening ceremony last Tuesday of the iconic building designed by the National Artist Leandro V. Locsin .

In his speech during the reopening ceremony, the chief executive recognized how Asia’s first international convention center became the venue of not only many historic events such as the Miss Universe pageant in 1994 and ASEAN Summit in 2017, but also numerous public events such as graduations and oath-taking ceremonies of board passers.

‘As we look ahead, we recognize the PICC as a symbol of Filipino resilience and creativity. And that is why, with the PICC’s Golden Anniversary in 2026 and, coincidentally, our hosting of the ASEAN Summit, we reaffirmed our commitment to preserving and modernizing the PICC for many generations yet to come,’ Marcos said.

The renovated facility now features state-of-the-art audio-visual systems, energy-efficient lighting, complex-wide high-speed Wi-Fi to enhance security.

It now also features a newly curated art collection, with priceless works from Filipino masters from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Marcos has vowed to preserve the PICC, which he said will continue to serve as ‘testament to the artistry, ingenuity, and passion of the Filipino people’ for the next generation.

‘As we reopen the doors of the PICC, let us also open ourselves to a greater challenge: to create, to imagine, and to contribute,’ Marcos said.

‘So, together, let us ensure that the PICC will remain as a testament to the artistry, ingenuity, and passion of the Filipino people,’ he added.

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has expanded its internal anti-corruption probe to now include not only flood control projects, but also farm-to-market roads, according to Malacañang.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro made the pronouncement after the Department of Agriculture (DA) ordered on Monday an audit of ghost or non-existent farm-to-market roads, which were built from 2021 to 2025.

She said DPWH Secretary Vivencio ‘Vince’ B. Dizon has also initiated their separate probe on this type of public works.

‘I also spoke with Secretary Vince this morning, and he said that they are also looking into this because a solution [to this issue] should be found as soon as possible,’ the Presidential Communications Office undersecretary said in Filipino in a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday.

The anomalous flood control projects are also being investigated by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

Marcos created the ICI through Executive Order (EO) No. 94 to investigate sub-standard and non-existent public works then recommend to concerned government agencies the prosecution of the involved individuals or parties.

Less than a month since the ICI was formed, its special adviser, Baguio Mayor City Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong resigned due to possible conflict of interest between his role in the fact-finding panel and his duty as a local chief executive.

On Monday, Castro announced the designation by the President of retired Philippine National Police Chief, Rodolfo Azurin Jr. as the new Special Adviser and Investigator of the ICI.

Castro said Azurin was picked for the said position despite his involvement in a drug-related issue during his stint as PNP chief based on his experience and skills as an investigator, as well as ‘not being a politician.’

She also noted no case was filed against Azurin related to his alleged involvement in the cover-up in the arrest of a police sergeant, who yielded 990 kilos of shabu or methamphetamine in 2022. Azurin denied any involvement in the issue.