Category: Business Mirror

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.

AWARDS can make a dish sound better than it tastes.

That is why the more interesting test for Hilton Manila’s winning creations was not the plaque, the competition they came from or the chefs behind them, but what happened when the dishes were finally placed in front of a diner.

At Hilton Manila Newport World Resorts, four winning dishes from the hotel’s local and Western selections were served as part of a special lunch featuring chefs Gianpaulo Climaco, Eljon Panahon, AJ Chua and Marjorie Dionisio.

The menu, available from September 15 to November 15, 2026, brings together Sinurol na Molong Manok and Humba Pata from the local selection, and Hamachi Kama Farce and Braised Beef Intercostal from the Western selection, followed by the Summer Sonata dessert.

Familiar comfort with a twist

THE strongest impression came from the Sinurol na Molong Manok, which was immediately aromatic, with coconut milk providing the first noticeable scent.

The ‘molong’ refers to the chicken dumpling, which sits in a broth that borrows the familiar comfort of tinola while adding the richness of coconut milk.

The combination worked. The ginger-forward broth had the savory, warming character of tinola, while the coconut milk brought a restrained sweetness and a faint spicy note. It was comforting without becoming overly rich.

The weak point was the dumpling wrapper. Some pieces had a noticeably thick, slightly tough exterior that interrupted the otherwise smooth experience of eating the dumpling with the soup.

A thinner, softer wrapper would have made more sense here, allowing the dumpling to disappear into the broth rather than making it feel like a separate component.

Sweet, unapologetically fatty

HUMBA Pata went in more predictably but executed the basics well.

It smelled distinctly sweet, and the sauce carried enough garlic to keep the sweetness from becoming one-dimensional. The pork itself was very soft, as pata should be, although the cut leaned heavily toward fat.

It is the kind of dish that does not necessarily surprise you, but understands what people expect from humba-and delivers it.

Sauce does the heavy lifting

PERSONALLY, the Hamachi Kama Farce was the least convincing to this palate.

Visually, it was perhaps one of the more polished dishes, but its flavor was comparatively restrained. The fish had a slightly sour profile and, on its own, came across as somewhat bland.

That may be intentional-the dish relies on its accompanying olive-oil-based sauce to give the fish more character-but diners who prefer bolder seasoning may find themselves reaching for salt and pepper.

It is, however, not a bad dish. It is simply one where the sauce becomes necessary rather than optional.

The beef that needs no intro

THE Braised Beef Intercostal was more layered.

The sauce was the first thing that stood out aromatically, while the red wine component worked particularly well with the pumpkin puree. The beef itself was properly seasoned and tender, requiring little effort to cut or eat.

The truffle risotto was another good supporting element. Its truffle character was noticeable without becoming overpowering, which matters because too much truffle can quickly turn a dish from elegant to exhausting.

Here, the components made sense together: soft beef, smooth puree and creamy risotto, with enough seasoning to keep the plate from tasting flat.

Dessert understood the assignment

THE Summer Sonata was arguably the easiest crowd-pleaser of the meal.

It looked the part: mango-forward, colorful and neatly assembled, with the kind of presentation that makes you want to take a photo before disturbing it. More importantly, the flavor had enough contrast to keep it from becoming merely decorative.

The tartness of the mango cut through the sweetness of the custard-like filling, while mango puree and caramel tucked inside the sponge added another layer of sweetness.

Further, the almond crumble was particularly useful because most of the dessert was soft. Its crunch provided the textural break the dish needed, while adding a little more sweetness and nuttiness.

Now, repeat orders

FOR diners approaching the menu without the benefit of a chef explaining what went into each plate, the Sinurol na Molong Manok and Braised Beef Intercostal stand out as the more memorable choices.

The Sinurol succeeds because its flavors are familiar but not entirely predictable. It takes the comforting profile of tinola and adds another dimension with coconut milk and the chicken dumpling.

The Braised Beef, meanwhile, is the more substantial plate, pairing tender meat with a flavorful red wine sauce, pumpkin puree, and a risotto where the truffle remains noticeable without taking over.

On the other hand, the Humba Pata suits diners who already enjoy sweet, garlicky, fatty pork, while the Hamachi Kama Farce may appeal more to those who prefer lighter, more restrained seasoning.

But still, even if a competition can identify what deserves recognition, the plate still has to convince the person actually eating it. With reports from and photos by Julian Michael Gulles

Public support for Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his Bhumjaithai Party has plunged, according to an opinion poll, as his government confronts rising oil prices and a court ruling that may threaten its hold on power.

Only 13.8 percent of people polled backed Anutin as prime minister in September, compared with 21.7 percent in June, according to a September 18 to 23 nationwide phone survey of 2,500 adults by the National Institute of Development Administration.

Bhumjaithai’s rating declined to 12.1 percent from 17 percent over the same period, pushing it into third place behind the opposition People’s Party and coalition partner Pheu Thai, the survey, released on Sunday, showed.

The decline in support comes as higher global energy costs squeeze Thai households and businesses. The government has extended cost-of-living assistance introduced after the Middle East conflict pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel, threatening faster inflation and weaker economic growth.

Anutin’s government faces its biggest political test yet on Monday, when the Constitutional Court is due to rule on a challenge to the validity of the February election that brought Bhumjaithai to power. The case centers on allegations that codes printed on ballot papers could have compromised voting secrecy.

If the court invalidates the election, Thailand could be required to hold a new vote.

The latest poll was held before severe flooding hit Bangkok, adding another challenge for the government. The capital declared all 50 districts disaster zones after nearly 300 millimeters (11.8 inches) of rain fell over about 48 hours, swamping major roads and disrupting businesses and transportation.

Opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut remained the most popular named choice for prime minister in the poll, although his support slipped to 24.7 percent from 26.1 percent in June. The share of respondents who couldn’t identify a suitable candidate nearly doubled to 19.8 percent from 10.2 percent.

Pheu Thai’s Yodchanan Wongsawat placed fourth overall with 11.3 percent, little changed from 11.6 percent in the previous survey, while former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s support fell to 9.60 percent from 11.8 percent.

The People’s Party retained a commanding lead in party preferences, edging up to 35.4 percent from 34.8 percent. Pheu Thai rose to 18.4 percent from 16.8 percent, while the Democrat Party declined to 9.8 percent from 12.7 percent.

NAGOYA-Tenny Madis bowed out of the women’s singles at the 20th Asian Games on Sunday following a 1-6, 0-6 setback to Japan’s Himeno Sakatsume in tennis’s first match on center court of the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.

Sakatsume, ranked No. 119 by the Women’ Tennis Association, proved too much for Madis and dictated the pace from the first serve.

‘I need to train harder, not double time, but maybe 10 times more,’ Madis said. ‘I need to get stronger, build more muscles, my physique.’

The pride of M’lang in North Cotabato, Madis said she relished the opportunity to play on center court against a formidable opponent in these games where Team Philippines’ participation is supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission.

‘I was excited but at the same time jittery at center court,’ she said. ‘But it was an opportunity for me to play center court against a strong player from Japan.’

The 19-year-old said her training with the University of Hawai’i in Manoa helped prepare her and women’s doubles teammate Stefi Aludo for the Asian Games.

‘We’ll do our best, we’ll scrape bottom tomorrow,’ said Madis, who thanked the PSC and Philippine Tennis Association. ‘I’ll always thank God for this opportunity.’

Grains tumbled in Chicago after the presidential summit in Washington offered few immediate details on the United States-China trade agreements that markets had been primed for.

Commodities markets are looking for specifics on trade in agriculture and energy between the two powers, including Chinese purchases of US crops and natural gas. So far, details haven’t materialized, leaving traders awaiting further statements from Washington and Beijing.

US President Donald Trump is hosting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for a state visit, which was capped by dinner at the White House on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Trump said the two leaders had made ‘tremendous strides’ on expanding access to the Chinese market for US farmers under the newly-created Board of Trade. But some found the lack of new information disappointing.

‘It is not great for the farmers and bulls who were looking for additional grain and oilseed purchase announcements,’ said Joe Davis, a director of commodity sales at Futures International LLC.

The US and China have discussed cutting tariffs on certain goods. Traders expect more Chinese purchases from the US if duties on energy products like gas, and crops such as soybeans, corn and wheat, are removed.

Soybeans in Chicago declined as much as 1 percent, extending losses to a fourth day in the longest losing streak since June. Corn and wheat both fell to one-month lows, dropping as much as 1.8 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively. In Kuala Lumpur, palm oil futures slid as much as 2.2 percent, tracking weakness in US soyoil markets.

The lack of fresh news led Chicago soybean futures to waver, with some investors ‘selling on the apathy,’ AgResource Co. wrote in a note.

Chinese state-owned buyers have stepped up purchases of US soybeans, and are over halfway toward Beijing’s target to import 25 million tons annually, a pledge that runs through 2028. But progress on a wider goal to buy at least $17 billion of US agricultural products has been slower.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News just before the summit that China had been ‘very fulsome’ in fulfilling its soybean pledge, but was ‘a little behind schedule’ on the broader commitment. Bessent also announced a two-month extension to the trade truce between the two countries.

The American Soybean Association said in a statement it hopes further progress can be made. ‘Soybean farmers want to see this momentum continue with strong purchases of US soy and a lasting trade partnership with China,’ said President Scott Metzger.

In the energy sector, traders have been anticipating that China could scrap its 15% tariff on US liquefied natural gas. For Beijing, LNG is seen as a relatively minor concession and a useful one, with traffic still constrained around the Persian Gulf and one of China’s largest suppliers, Qatar, all but cut off.

For the Trump administration, it would be an obvious win, given that LNG contracts typically span decades, at a time when US producers are expanding and in need of fresh commitments.

Art Arbole’s confidence is soaring after finally ending a 14-year title drought and now seeks back-to-back titles as the Philippine Golf Tour goes to Iloilo this week.

The International Container Terminal Services Inc. Iloilo Golf Challenge gets going on Tuesday at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club, with Arbole eyeing a follow-up to his victory in the Negros Occidental Classic.

‘I’m still on cloud nine. My confidence is much higher now because before, I was always worried things just weren’t gong to work out for me,’ Arbole said.

The Del Monte native, now based in Canlubang, held a share of the lead in the first round and managed to hold on until the end.

Now he hopes to prove it was no one-week flash of brilliance, on a course that could demand an entirely different type of play.

The former Santa Barbara layout is tight and tricky, much like Marapara, but its quirks and stern challenges can punish even the slightest lapse in concentration. It is the kind of venue that can test patience as much as shot-making, with the premium likely to be on precision, course management and the ability to stay composed when birdies are hard to come by.

Among those looking to take the title are last week’s runner-up Ababa, five-time Order of Merit winner Tony Lascuña, Clyde Mondilla, Rupert Zaragosa, Reymon Jaraula, Guido van der Valk, Lumbo and Zanieboy Gialon.

Gialon, in particular, returns to a venue where he has already left his mark, having dominated the last Iloilo Challenge in 2024. He won by six strokes over Angelo Que and Ira Alido.

Que, meanwhile, will be eager to bounce back after finishing joint 13th in Negros. The reigning Order of Merit winner and a two-leg champion this season had entered the previous event with momentum after ruling the PGT stop at Summit Point, only to come away with a result below his usual lofty standards.

The chase in the P2.5-million championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and serving as the seventh leg of this year’s Tour is further deepened by Russell Bautista, Collin Wheeler, Michael Bibat, Dino Villanueva, Ryan Monsalve, Gabriel Manotoc, Arnold Villacencio, Elee Bisera, Kim Tae Soo, Nilo Salahog, Jay Bayron, Mars Pucay and Gerald Rosales.