Category: Business Mirror

SOME P4.63 billion in investments in the tourism industry have been registered with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) from January to August this year.

Lawyer Karen Mae G. Sarinas-Baydo, assistant chief operating officer of Tieza, said these investments are already 80.6 percent of the total registered investments in full year 2025, which reached P5.74 billion.

She added that this year’s committed investments are projected to create 522 jobs, while last year’s total were supposed to create 1,039 jobs.

In addition, Sarinas-Baydo said, ‘Tieza is currently processing eight ongoing applications representing approximately P2.56 billion in proposed investments and 569 potential jobs.’

She added that of the eight registered projects, ‘five with about P1.07 billion in proposed investments and 256 jobs, have target opening dates within 2026. The remaining three applications represent approximately P1.49 billion and 313 jobs, with opening dates in 2027.’

Under recent tax reform laws, Tieza has been apppointed as the premier tourism investment promotion agency of the government, and can grant tax-free privileges and income tax holidays to registered projects.

‘From 2021 to August 2026, Tieza registered 34 projects under the CREATE [Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises] and CREATE MORE [CREATE to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy] Acts, representing approximately P14.5 billion in committed investments and 2,826 committed jobs,’ she noted.

Projects registered in 2025 until August 2026 alone accounted for P10.37 billion, or about 71.5 percent of total registered investments since 2021, ‘underscoring the continued strength of tourism-related investment commitments in the last two years,’ she said.

As this developed, some members of the House of Representatives urged that a budget for Tieza be allocated next year, in the light of the impending removal of the travel tax, which funds the government firm’s operations and infrastructure projects. The House of Representatives has already passed a measure on the lifting of the travel tax, but the Senate has yet to pass its own version.

Appeal for 2027 funds

‘I WOULD just like to manifest for the budget of Tieza. I hope the honorable sponsor [of the Department of Tourism budget] can push for an additional budget for Tieza, even if it’s not the full amount because I believe infrastructure is really needed even more than branding funds to attract tourists,’ said Party-list Rep. Sergio Dagooc of Apec.

The lawmaker made the appeal during last week’s plenary hearing on the proposed P5.5-billion budget of the DOT and its attached agencies under the National Expenditure Program for 2027. SorsogonRep. Ma. Bernadette Escudero-Quirante was the sponsor of the DOT’s budget. (See, ‘DOT budget gets HOR backing,’ in the BusinessMirror, Sept. 9, 2026.)

There is an ongoing P100-million eco-tourism project funded by Tieza in the Dinagat Islands from which Dagooc hails. The project, signed between the provincial government and Tieza in July, involves the construction of a boardwalk and related structures leading to watersports areas in the Gaas Inlet.

While lawmakers who had backed the removal of the travel tax earlier vowed they will get funding for Tieza projects under the General Appropriations Act next year, the government firm received zero allocation in the NEP 2027.

Tourism officials and private stakeholders had already expressed serious concerns of the removal of the travel tax as it may disrupt many multi-year infrastructure projects. (See, ‘Tourism competitiveness at risk in travel tax junking,’ in the BusinessMirror, Feb. 23, 2026.)

Some P4.63 billion in investments in the tourism industry have been registered with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) from January to August this year.

According to lawyer Karen Mae G. Sarinas-Baydo, assistant chief operating officer of Tieza, these investments are already 80.6 percent of the total registered investments in full-year 2025, which reached P5.74 billion.

She added that this year’s committed investments are projected to create 522 jobs, while last year’s total were supposed to create 1,039 jobs. Tieza, a government-owned and -controlled corporation, is the infrastructure arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT).

She told the BusinessMirror that these projects are ‘mainly hotels, but we do have wellness establishments, an events center, farm tourism sites, and recreational facilites as well.’

Also, she said, ‘Tieza is currently processing eight ongoing applications representing approximately P2.56 billion in proposed investments and 569 potential jobs.’

Investment promotion agency

Of the eight registered projects, ‘five with about P1.07 billion in proposed investments and 256 jobs, have target opening dates within 2026. The remaining three applications represent approximately P1.49 billion and 313 jobs, with opening dates in 2027,’ said Sarinas-Baydo.

Under recent tax reform laws, Tieza has been appointed as the premier tourism investment promotion agency of the government, and can grant tax-free privileges and income tax holidays to registered projects.

From 2021 to August 2026, Tieza registered 34 projects under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) and CREATE to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Acts, representing approximately P14.5 billion in committed investments and 2,826 committed jobs.

Projects registered in 2025 until August 2026 alone accounted for P10.37 billion, or about 71.5 percent of total registered investments since 2021, ‘underscoring the continued strength of tourism-related investment commitments in the last two years,’ said Sarinas-Baydo.

As this developed, a House legislator urged that a budget for Tieza be allocated next year, in the light of the impending removal of the travel tax, which funds vital tourism infrastructure projects.

Appeal for funds

‘I would just like to manifest for the budget of Tieza. I hope the honorable sponsor [of the DOT budget] can push for an additional budget for Tieza, even if it’s not the full amount because I believe infrastructure is really needed even more than branding funds to attract tourists,’ said APEC Partylist Rep. Sergio Dagooc.

The lawmaker made the appeal during the September 22 Plenary hearing on the proposed P5.5-billion budget of the DOT and its attached agencies under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2027. Sorsogon First District Rep. Ma. Bernadette Escudero-Quirante was the sponsor of the DOT’s budget. (See, ‘DOT budget gets HOR backing,’ in the BusinessMirror, Sept. 9, 2026).

There is an ongoing P100-million eco-tourism project funded by Tieza in the Dinagat Islands from which Dagooc hails. The project, signed between the provincial government and Tieza in July, involves the construction of a boardwalk and related structures leading to watersports areas in the Gaas Inlet.

The House of Representatives has already passed a measure on the lifting of the travel tax, but the Senate has yet to pass its own version. While lawmakers earlier vowed they will get funding for Tieza projects under the General Appropriations Act next year, Tieza received zero allocation in the NEP 2027, imperiling multi-year projects.

Tourism officials and private stakeholders had already expressed serious concerns of the removal of the travel tax as it may disrupt many multi-year infrastructure projects. (See, ‘Tourism competitiveness at risk in travel tax junking,’ in the BusinessMirror, Feb. 23, 2026.)

The National Food Authority (NFA) is implementing a new scheme that aims to provide registered farmers with assured market access and enhance the food agency’s palay procurement operations.

NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said the agency launched for the first time a purchase order (PO) system, a procurement arrangement between the grains agency and farmers.

‘We started this season the purchase order system, wherein the NFA can already issue a PO to farmers while they’re still planting. They just have to wait for the harvest and then bring it to the (warehouses),’ Lacson told reporters.

He added that the respective POs issued by the grains agency include the date and the estimated volume of unmilled rice the farmers will deliver to the NFA.

Eligible farmers include those listed in the registry system for basic sectors in agriculture (RSBSA).

Under the rules, farmers who submit and comply with PO requirements will be prioritized in scheduling and procurement arrangements.

Despite this, Lacson noted that the mechanism would not replace its existing procurement procedures; rather, it seeks to improve the agency’s current practices and tackle operational challenges.

‘That’s on top of our regular procurement, which is on a first-come, first-served basis. We also have a fast lane wherein small farmers with 70 bags and below have their own line for faster processing.’

The NFA said the PO system’s implementation would address ‘persistent’ operational and market-related concerns that tend to beset farmers.

This includes long delivery queues and congestion in warehouses; uncertainty in procurement schedules and acceptance capacity; price manipulation and dependence on private traders.

Also included in the bottlenecks that the grains agency aims to address are delays in payment processing due to incomplete or unprogrammed deliveries; and limited coordination between farmers and NFA procurement units.

Through the system, the grains agency said accountability and traceability in procurement transactions would be strengthened. This also ensures that palay purchased by the NFA complies with stipulated quality standards, it added.

‘This is the first time that we implemented the PO system, because then at least, we’ve already programmed the entry of palay since we know the date of delivery and volume. This would help in properly managing the incoming unmilled rice,’ Lacson said.

DAVAO City Mayor Sebastian Duterte and former senator Antonio Trillanes IV are expected to testify in Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s impeachment trial this week as House of Representatives prosecutors continue presenting evidence related to allegations of unexplained wealth, business interests, and financial transactions.

The Senate Impeachment Court will resume hearings with prosecutors scheduled to complete the testimony of Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) Division Chief Rendell Sopeña before calling additional witnesses.

Following Sopeña’s testimony, prosecutors are expected to call Mayor Duterte, lawyer Gary Samonte of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) Regional Office XI Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat and Maj. Joe Rickson Sanggalang of the National Police (PNP) Firearms and Explosives Office.

Sopeña previously testified about government contracts awarded to Gencorp Industries Inc., a company that Vice President Duterte declared as a business interest in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).

PhilGEPS records showed that Gencorp received 49 government contracts worth a combined P35.878 million during Duterte’s vice presidency. These included contracts from Davao City, PhilHealth Region XI, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Region XI.

The prosecution said these transactions are relevant to its allegation that Duterte did not fully separate herself from business and financial interests after assuming the vice presidency. Prosecutors cited Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution, which restricts certain officials from participating in businesses or having financial interests in government contracts while in office.

The House lead prosecutor, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, pointed to Duterte’s own declaration of Gencorp in her SALNs as part of their argument. ‘The admission came from the respondent herself,’ Luistro said, referring to Duterte’s disclosure of the company as a business interest.

Luistro also emphasized that the allegation involving unexplained wealth includes the issue of failing to divest from business interests. She said, ‘Please remember that the last part of Article II of the Articles of Impeachment involves the non-divestment of other business and financial interests.’

Mayor Duterte has been subpoenaed to appear before the Impeachment Court from September 28 to 30. Prosecutors said they plan to question him about Davao City government transactions involving Gencorp. Luistro earlier said, ‘We hope he appears because his testimony will be significant.’

House prosecution spokesperson Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia-ur Rahman Alonto Adiong said Mayor Duterte’s previous acknowledgement that Gencorp had transactions with the Davao City government strengthened the need for his testimony. He explained, ‘The prosecution’s position became stronger because his testimony will be essential for the court to fully understand the case being brought against the Vice President.’

Trillanes meanwhile is expected to testify about financial information related to Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth. Prosecutors said they intend to compare Duterte’s declared assets, lawful income, and financial records gathered from investigations.

The prosecution has referenced Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) information involving 663 transactions connected to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, with a reported combined value of about P6.77 billion.

Prosecutors clarified that these figures represent total transaction values and do not automatically mean that the amount was owned or possessed by them at one time.

Adiong said the prosecution has already presented witnesses from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and PhilGEPS. The SEC testimony involved corporate documents connected to businesses declared in Duterte’s SALNs, while the PhilGEPS witness authenticated government procurement records involving Gencorp.

He explained that company sales and government contracts do not automatically represent personal income or prove wrongdoing. ‘What we presented are documents that the court can examine alongside the Vice President’s declarations and the constitutional restrictions that apply to her position,’ Adiong said.

The prosecution expects the defense to cross-examine the PhilGEPS witness before moving to its remaining witnesses. Adiong said, ‘We expect there will be a cross-examination of the witness we presented from PhilGEPS.’

He also discussed the Impeachment Court’s ruling on the voting requirement for conviction. Adiong said the decision did not reduce the constitutional requirement but maintained the two-thirds rule based on senator-judges who are legally and factually able to participate when judgement is made.

Vice President Duterte’s impeachment trial must continue even if some senator-judges choose not to participate, according to the prosecution. Adiong said, ‘That is one possibility we are considering, but from the prosecution’s side, this process must continue.’

Adiong added that the Senate has already taken jurisdiction over the impeachment case and must resolve the charges. ‘The Senate has already accepted jurisdiction over the impeachment case, so there are no other options except for the Senate to decide on the Articles of Impeachment,’ he said.

The possibility of a boycott emerged after six minority senator-judges did not participate in the court’s vote regarding the conviction threshold. The senators involved were Alan Peter Cayetano, Pilar Juliana Cayetano, Christopher Go, Imelda Josefa Remedios Marcos, Robin Padilla, and Camille Villar. Despite disagreements over the ruling, the prosecution maintained that the impeachment proceedings should move forward.

Filipino actress and vivo Philippines ambassador Anne Curtis attended the global launch of the vivo X500 Series in Shanghai on September 21, 2026, where the company introduced its latest imaging flagship lineup.

The event presented the vivo X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max as part of vivo’s strategy to develop what it describes as dynamic imaging, which extends smartphone imaging beyond still photography to video and live content. The series uses vivo’s BlueImage Dynamic Imaging Technology Stack, which combines developments in sensors, imaging chips, and software algorithms.

Curtis attended the event ahead of the series’ planned launch in the Philippines.

‘Anne’s presence at the global launch in Shanghai gives Filipino consumers a closer look at where vivo’s imaging technology is heading,’ said Liu Lu, Brand Marketing Director of vivo Philippines. ‘The X500 Series brings together technologies designed not only for professional creators, but also for people who want to capture everyday moments through photos, video, and live content.’

About vivo X500 Series

The X500 Pro Max features the vivo × Sony LYTIA L910 sensor, which vivo says provides up to 17 EV of dynamic range. It also includes a 200MP ZEISS APO Telephoto Camera and support for the 400mm Equivalent vivo ZEISS Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra. Other features include 4K 240 fps Cinematic Slow-Mo Video and 8K Native Live.

The X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max support video features including 17 EV TrueDynamic Log Video, 10-bit 4:2:2 encoding, ACES support, and 4K 120 fps Log video. The series also includes six cinematic video color styles and 4K Cinematic Portrait Video. Its Cinema mode offers options such as Auto Framing Video, Vortex Shot, Super Slow-Mo, and Dual View.

According to vivo, the BlueImage Dynamic Imaging Technology Stack covers five areas: high dynamic range, professional image quality, cinematic color, professional stabilization, and dynamic consistency.

The X500 Pro Max is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro platform and includes vivo’s V3+ and VS1+ imaging chips, a 2K ZEISS Master Color Display, and an 8,000mAh BlueVolt Battery. The X500 Pro has a 6,510mAh battery, while the standard X500 has a 7,500mAh BlueVolt Battery.

All three models run OriginOS 7. vivo said the imaging features will be available across the lineup, including 8K Native Live and high-specification video recording on the standard X500.

vivo has confirmed that the series will also launch in the Philippines, although local availability details have not yet been announced.

Filipinos can follow vivo Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, or visit the vivo website and vivo Store app for official announcements.

DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur-The country is now developing its own combat prowess against emerging pollutants, particularly invasive microplastics, as well as evolving contaminants, as researchers at this state university have installed key gadgets and technology to protect humans and the environment.

Professor Kris Kristofferson T. Tan, head of Mathematics and Arts and Sciences at Davao del Sur State College (DSSC), showed the BusinessMirror on Thursday the machines and gadgets acquired from Japan to establish Mindanao’s 16th laboratory in the network funded and supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Inside the Research Center for Emerging Pollutants (RCEP) were the Microplastic Automated Preparatory Device, the first of its kind in the country that extracts, collects and filters water sample the volume equal to glass of water; the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer, or FTIR, which identifies the sampled pollutants from its own library of organic molecules; and the Ultra-Low Freezer, which can turn in as low as 80 degrees below zero degree to preserve biological samples.

All were recently acquired from the DOST fund of P5 million that also signified its approval to the RCEP.

Tan said the laboratory has been the product of the research work put up by his staff with multidisciplinary talents, including one chemist, two biologists with postgraduate expertise in microbiology and microplastics.

DOST Regional Director Anthony Sales, who also sits in the board of directors of the DSSC and in the board of other state universities and colleges in the Davao Region, has assured Tan that the RCEP will expect three plantilla positions for researchers.

Tan said the RCEP was developed from the array of suggested environmental issues to develop a science laboratory, and said the pestering and unaddressed environment pollution and contamination led him and his team to confront the issue.

He said the province, as well as the entire Davao Region, has its decades-long grapple with improper disposal of wastes from commercial agriculture, mining and urban and rural industrial operations. ‘Their disposal had river beds and sea floors contaminated with mercury, arsenic and other heavy metals. Even that simple but definitely destructive disposal of batteries contaminates the environment with lead,’ Tan said.

‘This laboratory here is actually against emerging pollutants, like the microplastic pervasive intrusion into the water and marine life ecosystem, and the evolving contaminants, like bacterial and heavy metal contamination of the environment,’ he said.

Engineer Niñaliza Escorial, deputy executive director of the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) told via online the opening of the RCEP that the laboratory becomes significant in the middle of disturbing findings that 16 of the 25 drinking water sources of Davao del Sur show coliform bacteria contamination and all the sources failed the microbiological testing.

She said that the Digos River also contained cadmium and chromium levels that exceeded tolerable level, and microplastics were detected int eh marine gastropods in the mangrove system of neighboring Santa Cruz.

This means, he said, that this laboratory ‘is not only for this province but for the entire region.’

Dr. Ruby Raterta, chief of PCIEERD’s Human Resources and Institutional Development, said the RCEP is the latest addition to the 70 DOST-supported science laboratories in the country and the first Institution Development Program of DOST on emerging pollutants.

‘We hope that this laboratory will produce bigger research projects,’ she said.

Sales said the RCEP ‘is a crucial development in advancing science in the area’ and talked with Tan to have a possible profiling of bottled water that were being marketed and manufactured in the region ‘because it has been a wider knowledge now that even drinking water contains microplastics, which have also invaded the food and water chain’.

‘Let the RCEP be the beacon of scientific inquiry,’ Sales said.

Escorial urged the DSSC to work with the local governments, the water district, environmental agencies, schools and the communities.

The Philippines, one of Israel’s longest-standing allies in Asia, joined more than 70 countries in a mass walkout during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday, according to Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Enrique Manalo and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

As Netanyahu approached the rostrum, the General Assembly chamber erupted in a mix of applause, boos and coordinated walkouts. Scores of diplomats filed out of the hall, leaving large sections of the chamber noticeably empty.

‘Order in the hall, please,’ General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman repeatedly appealed as delegates exited.

Netanyahu responded defiantly.

‘If there are any other moral cowards who have not yet left this hall, please do so now,’ he said.

While the UN’s live television feed showed numerous empty seats throughout the session, camera angles did not fully capture the section where the Philippine delegation was seated.

Asked by BusinessMirror whether the Philippines had joined the walkout, Manalo replied simply: ‘Yes,’ declining to elaborate further.

The DFA later confirmed the move, saying it was consistent with the Philippines’s position on the Middle East peace process and its concerns over developments in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

‘Yes, the Philippines joined the walkout in global solidarity for peace in the Middle East and the call for all parties to desist from unilateral actions that erode the conditions for peace and undermine the viability of a future Palestinian state,’ DFA spokesperson Analyn Ratonel told the BusinessMirror.

‘The Philippines is deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and notes with alarm Israel’s efforts to advance the E1 settlement plan and the continued rise of settler violence in the West Bank. These actions are detrimental to finding a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Middle East conflict.

The Philippines has always supported the two-state solution as the viable path to peace in the region.’

The Philippine participation in the walkout was notable given the historically close ties between Manila and Jerusalem.

The Philippines was among the few Asian countries that welcomed Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution during World War II under President Manuel L. Quezon.

In 1947, it became the first Asian country to vote in favor of United Nations Resolution 181, which recommended the partition of Palestine and paved the way for the creation of the State of Israel.

The two countries have maintained warm relations for decades, with Israel often describing the Philippines as one of its closest friends in Asia. The special relationship has also been reflected diplomatically. For several years, the Philippine ambassador served as dean of the diplomatic corps in Israel, representing the collective interests of foreign envoys accredited to the Israeli government.

Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu reported that countries participating in the walkout included Trkiye, Palestine, Tunisia, Syria, Algeria, Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iran, Qatar, Lebanon, Malaysia, Indonesia and Kuwait.

Delegations from Spain, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Nigeria, Ghana, Libya, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Oman, Niger, Madagascar, Botswana, the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Cabo Verde and several other countries also either walked out or remained absent from the session.

The Iranian delegation reportedly left a photograph of Qassem Soleimani, the slain commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, on its table before departing.

According to Anadolu, the United States, Germany, Argentina, Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, Czechia and Greece remained in the chamber during Netanyahu’s address. Delegations from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which normalized relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords, also stayed in their seats.

China, which has repeatedly criticized Israel’s military operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, was represented by a lone diplomat.

Other countries present during the speech included Australia, Austria, Canada, Portugal, Poland, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Iceland, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Kenya and El Salvador. Al Jazeera separately reported that Ethiopia, Italy, Finland, Senegal, Mozambique and Somalia also remained represented in the hall.

The walkout left visible gaps across the General Assembly chamber and underscored Israel’s growing diplomatic isolation as the Gaza war enters its third year and international divisions over the conflict continue to deepen.

Despite the walkout, the Israeli leader pressed ahead with his address, dismissing allegations of genocide as ‘the biggest lie of the century’ and defending Israel’s military operations against Hamas and Iran.

‘In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall,’ Netanyahu said.

‘In fact, I want you to know that many of their leaders even thank us privately for taking out Iran’s nukes.’

Netanyahu argued that the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel, left his government with no choice but to wage war against the militant group.

The Israeli leader also defended attacks against Iran, predicted the eventual collapse of the Iranian government, and dismissed criticism over Israeli settler violence in the West Bank.

His appearance came after days of speeches by world leaders condemning Israel’s conduct in Gaza and accusing his government of undermining prospects for a Palestinian state.

ANGELES CITY-Overstressed columns and piles were the highly probable main cause of the collapse of a building under construction in barangay Balibago that killed 30 people on May 24, according to the final report of the Angeles City Fact-Finding Task Force.

City Attorney Darwin Reyes said the findings were based on technical assessments, expert opinions, project documents, site inspections and laboratory test results.

Structural models generated from documents submitted for the project showed that the size, number and material properties of the columns and piles were insufficient to carry the loads imposed on them, resulting in a progressive collapse, the report said.

‘Our findings are based on expert engineers on the subject. So nag-rely kami sa findings nila,’ Reyes said.

The task force also found that the columns had been designed to resist gravity loads only, when they should also have accounted for lateral displacement in both directions.

Construction alterations further contributed to the collapse, Reyes said. A post-collapse inspection found additional steel beams and floor framing that added weight but were not included in the original design, the report said. The task force also cited construction methods and detailing errors as contributing factors.

City Administrator Noel Luzung said the final report was delayed partly because the task force had to consolidate findings from other government agencies, including the Departments of Labor and Employment and of Public Works and Highways.

Luzung also cited the southwest monsoon and the fire in Pampang market as among the factors that affected the timing of the report.

DPWH analysis remains pending

REYES said testing conducted by the DPWH was put on hold amid a separate investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation, leaving the DPWH analysis pending.

‘Doon sa mga tests na pina-evaluate sa DPWH, na-hold iyon dahil sa simultaneous investigation made by the NBI,’ Reyes said. ‘So, hindi muna sila naglabas ng analysis report, that’s why hindi namin masabi kung may substandard materials doon sa steel na nagamit.’

Reyes said the NBI report would also be significant in evaluating the cause of the collapse. The pending DPWH analysis will supplement the task force’s technical findings, he said.

‘It will help supplement the final report but it will not alter the findings,’ Reyes said. ‘So mas pagtitibayin lang nila ang findings on technical aspects.’

Reyes also said the task force’s final report found no markings of the type investigators were looking for, although he said the matter could still be determined.

Labor, safety violations

THE Dole ordered contractor Golden Years Construction and Steelworks Corp. and the building’s owner, Ernest Jackson Lim, to pay P11.43 million in workers’ monetary claims and administrative fines over labor and occupational safety violations.

The investigation found labor standards and occupational safety and health violations.

The report cited violations involving 57 workers, including nonpayment or underpayment of wages, rest-day premiums and holiday pay, resulting in over P1.1 million in assessed monetary deficiencies.

Violations involving safety controls, permits and inspections, safety personnel and training, supervision and worker welfare facilities were also cited.

These resulted in P10.3 million in administrative fines, including penalties related to alleged misrepresentation or inauthentic safety and first-aid certificates, according to the report.

Five criminal complaints involving about eight or nine individuals have been filed, Reyes said.

Separate labor cases had also been filed by workers against Lim and Golden Years. A nearby property owner had also filed a complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property.

Assistance

LUZUNG said the city government would shoulder structural assessments for affected buildings to determine whether they should be condemned or what their status should be.

‘Merong tulong na ibinigay o ibibigay ang local government sa pag-conduct ng assessment sa building nila,’ Luzung said. ‘Sasagutin ng LGU ang assessment ng building kung i-condemn na ba or kung ano ang magiging status.’

He said affected property owners could use the fact-finding report in pursuing possible claims for damages.

‘Itong report na ito ay pwede nilang gamitin basehan if interesado silang mag-pursue ng cases for damages against the owner or sa contractor,’ Luzung said. ‘And we will provide them with documents, evidence or information na kailangan nila.’

The city government incurred expenses amounting to P9.6 million for the rescue, watch, retrieval and clearing operations following the building’s collapse, the report said.

Reyes said the city would also review building permit and construction regulations and introduce measures aimed at preventing a similar incident.

Sony Group Corp. is skipping the CES technology show in 2027, ending a decades-long presence at the Las Vegas electronics showcase in favor of a growing focus on entertainment content.

Neither Sony, whose products were first displayed at the inaugural conference in 1967, nor its affiliates plan to exhibit at CES in January, a spokesperson said, confirming an earlier report by the Nikkei. The PlayStation creator did not have its own booth at the show earlier this year, but its joint venture with Honda Motor Co. displayed the Afeela electric vehicle, a joint venture that has since been scrapped.

The decision to skip CES entirely will reconfigure the show floor at the world’s highest-profile gathering for consumer electronics. Sony has long occupied one of the largest booths at CES, and even as Japanese peers reduced their footprint, it remained a mainstay and attracted large crowds with its keynote events.

Sony also synced up with the broader trend across CES toward the automotive sector, using the show to promote its collaboration with Honda to jointly develop EVs. That project-one of Sony’s most prominent attempts to explore a new platform for content and AI-powered services-unraveled this year and the two companies said they would reassess the future of their joint venture, established in 2022.

‘We continuously and strategically evaluate our approach to events and communications based on the needs and priorities of our diverse business,’ Sony said in a statement. The company’s focus continues to evolve toward entertainment, intellectual property and technology geared to support creators, it said.

Sony’s business has shifted increasingly toward games, music and film, reducing the importance of CES as a venue to display its strategy. The company remains a key supplier of image sensors used in automobiles, and executives have argued that vehicles could eventually help create new forms of entertainment inside cars.

NAGOYA-The Philippine esports team Sibol take on an Asian Games challenge without the benefit of playing beyond the realms of the Southeast Asian region.

The team plunges into the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) on Tuesday at the Aichi Sky Expo with head coach Allec Alvarado acknowledging that launching their Group C run against Jordan at 2 p.m. and Kazakhstan at 5 p.m. presents unique challenges due to the unfamiliarity of non-SEA styles.

‘Against Jordan and Kazakhstan, there could be new meta heroes, unfamiliar play styles, and strategies we’ll need to adapt to on the fly,’ Alvarado noted ahead of the opening matches.

‘Especially since we haven’t had the chance to scrimmage against teams outside of the SEA region, Day 1 will definitely test us,’ he added.

Despite the opening-day hurdle, Sibol enters the tournament aiming for a top-podium finish to extend the Philippines’s dominance after capturing the last six MLBB world titles. Alvarado emphasized that the team is embracing the immense expectations as fuel rather than pressure.

‘I think that’s just part of being at the top,’ Alvarado added. ‘We just have to embrace it, use it as motivation, and learn to see the pressure in a positive way.’

Sibol features a star-studded lineup anchored by two-time M-Series World Champion Karl ‘KarlTzy’ Nepomuceno.

The 22-year-old superstar, the only player to win world titles under two different organizations (Bren Esports at M2 in 2021 and ECHO at M4 in 2023), is joined by Team Liquid PH teammates Sanford ‘Sanford’ Vinuya, Alston ‘Sanji’ Pabico, Dave ‘Teddy’ Viana, and Jaypee ‘Jaypee’ Gonzales.

Completing the roster is veteran gold-laner Duane ‘Kelra’ Pillas of ONIC Esports, who previously suited up for Execration, Omega Esports, and ONIC Philippines.