Category: Business Mirror

The headline panic over the Philippine peso passing 61, touching 62, and trending toward 63 against the US dollar typically triggers a familiar story. Standard commentary habitually points outward-citing high interest rates set by the US Federal Reserve, global oil market spikes, and geopolitical conflict in the Middle East.

While global dollar strength affects emerging markets across the board, chalking the currency drop up to external turmoil overlooks an uncomfortable reality: the domestic economy is operating on a fragile foundation. The peso’s slide isn’t merely a byproduct of international market shifts; it reflects deep-seated structural dynamics within the local economy.

In the Philippines, domestic capital tends to go where the returns are more familiar and predictable. That is why so much of it goes into malls, property, retail, tollways and other businesses serving the local market. Export manufacturing is a tougher proposition. Power and logistics are expensive, connectivity is still a problem, skilled workers are leaving, and Philippine companies have to compete for FDI with countries that have spent decades building their industrial base. So, it is understandable why many large Filipino companies hesitate to put big investments into factories, supply chains, technology development, and industries that can compete globally.

The irony is that electronics already make up more than half of our exports, yet much of the industry operating inside our economic zones is still tied to foreign multinational companies and global supply chains. At the same time, many of the engineers, technicians and other skilled Filipinos needed to build these industries are working abroad. We export the products and we export the people, because we still own too little of the industries that put the two together.

There is another side to this. Much of the business of our large local conglomerates is still tied to the domestic consumer. They generate strong revenues in pesos, but that does not necessarily bring in the dollars the country needs to pay for imported fuel, machinery, components and other goods. So, while the domestic economy keeps generating pesos, a significant part of the dollar earnings that support the economy comes from OFW remittances and the BPO industry.

This capital structure creates a core problem when the exchange rate changes: the economy cannot quickly stop buying foreign goods when import prices go up.

Usually when a currency weakens, the price of imported goods rises. In theory this should cause people and businesses to buy locally made items. This shift can help reduce the trade deficit. The trade deficit may shrink when the currency weakens. But that only works if the country has something to buy locally. The Philippines has not invested enough in agriculture for decades, and we still depend to some extent on imports for basic needs such as rice, meat and fertilizer. Then, when the peso falls, we cannot simply switch to cheaper local alternatives. We still have to buy from abroad, only now we pay more pesos for the same goods. The same problem applies to energy. We import much of the oil and fuel needed to keep transport, factories and businesses running. A weaker peso therefore does more than make imports expensive. It makes the country spend even more of its scarce foreign exchange just to keep the economy moving.

When the exchange rate moves toward 63, demand for these essentials cannot drop significantly. The country spends more local currency simply to acquire the same volume of basic necessities, turning currency weakness directly into higher domestic living costs rather than an improved trade balance.

At the same time, the mechanics of foreign exchange entry have evolved. Historically, dollar earnings from overseas workers or BPO services moved through standard banking channels and were immediately converted into local currency, offering steady liquidity to the spot market.

Today, a growing segment of tech contractors, remote freelancers, and digital service workers receive compensation in foreign currency via digital financial platforms and multi-currency accounts. Rather than converting these earnings into pesos right away, many retain their funds in foreign currency, converting only as needed for local expenses. As a result, even when foreign earnings grow, the velocity at which those dollars flow into local banking channels slows, leaving domestic spot markets more sensitive to supply pinches.

Meanwhile, OFWs’ remittance inflows act as a double-edged sword. While they provide essential household support and sustain domestic retail trade, they also offer policymakers a buffer. Because billions in foreign currency enter the economy annually to support private spending, structural reforms in key areas-such as agricultural supply chains, energy costs, and industrial capability-are frequently delayed.

Deploying central bank foreign reserves to support the peso at 61 or 62 offers temporary relief from volatility, but it does not fix the underlying structural trade imbalance.

Without policy incentives that redirect domestic capital into export-generating production and farm productivity, the currency remains exposed to external shocks. Under these structural conditions, a move toward 63 represents a predictable outcome of the economy’s current framework.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said the dismissal of Senator Rodante Marcoleta’s election case does not clear the three donors linked to the P75-million controversy.

The poll body said it has already settled the election-offense issue involving Marcoleta.

However, Comelec firmly said proceedings involving the donors remain ongoing.

Marcoleta is facing a separate plunder case before the Sandiganbayan over the P75 million he received from former lawmaker Michael Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray.

His camp has argued that the controversy falls under Comelec jurisdiction because it involves campaign contributions.

Comelec said its mandate covers election offenses, including matters involving the Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE).

The poll body added it already exercised that jurisdiction in determining Marcoleta’s liability.

The case was dismissed after Comelec found that Marcoleta’s failure to disclose the contributor information was no longer a criminal offense under the amended election law.

Meanwhile, the 1991 amendment removed the criminal penalty for a candidate’s failure to report the names of contributors.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the violation may still carry administrative liability.

‘Whether they submit or not, reveal the name of the donor or contributor or not, it remains as a criminal case,’ Garcia said.

‘The amendment changed the law concerning the failure of the politician or candidate to report, but not the failure of the donor or contributor of the candidate to report,’ he added.

Comelec said it must first complete its proceedings against the donors before determining whether any administrative liability remains.

‘The administrative liability, if any, will only be determined after we complete the criminal determination or election-offense proceedings involving the donors or contributors,’ the poll body chief said.

Comelec’s position comes as the Sandiganbayan considers Marcoleta’s argument that the case should instead be handled by the poll body.

The poll body said it would still exercise its jurisdiction if the matter is eventually returned to it.

‘If it is suddenly returned to us, there is no problem,’ Garcia said.

ADVERSE weather conditions, a still-elevated inflation environment which could continue to weigh on prices of food such as rice, and the recent depreciation of the Philippine peso will likely prompt the central bank to deliver rate hikes in its last two policy meetings this year.

Alongside oil, the biggest risk to inflation in the coming months is the potential super El Niño, according to Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Lead Economist Emilio S. Neri Jr.

‘The full impact of this phenomenon may only materialize in the first quarter of 2027, with food prices remaining the most vulnerable among consumer items,’ Neri said in a commentary over the weekend.

Neri explained that rice prices are ‘particularly sensitive to adverse weather conditions, and rising fertilizer costs could further amplify the effect of poor weather on food supply by raising farmers’ production costs.’

Against this backdrop, he said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) may continue to deliver rate hikes in the last two policy meetings of 2026, likely 25 basis points each, which would bring the policy rate to 5.50 percent.

‘Additional hikes later on will depend on the severity of El Niño,’ added Neri.

Meanwhile, he said the central bank will likely keep rates steady for most of 2027, with further increases possible should the impact of El Niño prove more severe than currently anticipated.

Peso depreciation

Aside from oil and potential super El Niño, Neri said the recent slump of the local currency likely signals the market’s view that additional rate hikes may be needed given the risks to inflation, as well as other external headwinds such as the recent surge in global bond yields.

‘With inflation still elevated and the outlook uncertain, keeping the door open to further rate adjustments may be necessary to keep inflation expectations anchored,’ the BPI lead economist said.

He said the central bank may also need to preserve ‘policy flexibility’ in case the US Federal Reserve delivers a rate hike.

‘If currency weakness due to Fed tightening materially adds to inflation, the BSP may have to respond with a rate adjustment of its own,’ added Neri.

The Philippine peso plunged to a fresh record low of P62.59 against the dollar on Friday, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) showed.

Analysts have recently cited the growing expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike as one reason behind the dollar’s strength, which has contributed to the weakening of the peso. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2026/09/01/peso-hits-new-all-time-low-on-global-jitters/)

Economic recovery

Meanwhile, the private bank’s lead economist pointed out that should the economy prove to have recovered in the second half of 2026, this could give the central bank more room to adjust its policy rate further if needed.

‘Favorable base effects in government construction, following the decline in public spending that began in the third quarter of 2025, may support a better year-on-year growth rate and reinforce the cast for keeping the door open to additional tightening,’ Neri said.

Neri laid out these potential scenarios against the backdrop of headline inflation easing to 6.1 percent in August from 6.2 percent in the previous month. This was the fourth consecutive month that headline inflation softened.

Meanwhile, core inflation also slowed to 4.1 percent from 4.2 percent.

Year-to-date, the average headline inflation is at 5.2 percent, which is still above the central bank’s 3 percent full-year inflation target and the tolerance range of plus or minus 1 percentage point.

During the Monetary Board’s August 27 monetary policy meeting, the highest policy-making body of the BSP opted to raise the key interest rate by 25 basis points for the third meeting in a row, this time as a ‘preemptive move’ against the threat of El Niño, which could worsen in the fourth quarter and drive up food prices.

Education Secretary Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara on Monday appealed for a P145-billion supplemental fund to cover key ‘unbudgeted’ programs, as the Department of Education (DepEd) presented its proposed P975.96-billion budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 before the House Committee on Appropriations.

‘For next year, we aim to build on the progress we have achieved over the past four years,’ Angara said.

While the budget proposal under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP) safeguards key operations, Angara urged lawmakers to fill funding gaps for learning recovery, personnel hiring, and heightened school safety and security.

Our FY 2027 budget proposal builds on the reforms we have already started and focuses on key investments needed to further improve the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of basic education for every Filipino Angara said, thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Congress for the previous year’s historic P1.015 trillion allocation, which enabled DepEd to pursue critical reforms to improve learning outcomes and strengthen basic education support.

Under the proposed NEP allocation, Personnel Services increased by 8.64 percent to P766.74 billion to cover salaries and career progression, while Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) declined by 15.94 percent to P174.32 billion, and Capital Outlay fell by 67.49 to P32.34 billion.

The remaining P2.56 billion is divided among six attached agencies, including the National Museum of the Philippines at P1.56 billion; the Teacher Education Council at P360.28 million; National Academy of Sports at P258.48 million; the National Book Development Board at P169.96 million; the Philippine High School for the Arts at P135.28 million; and the National Council for Children’s Television at P76.01 million.

Under the core thrusts of the proposed 2027 budget, P12.09 billion is earmarked to promote over 135,000 teachers and school heads under the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) system; P17.31 billion to construct over 4,900 new classrooms; and P7.33 billion for 11,100 classroom repairs.

DepEd has allocated P6.4 billion for textbooks and instructional materials; P10.81 billion for learning recovery under the Project for Learning Upgrade Support and Decentralization (PLUS-D) program; and P2.63 billion for Inclusive Education programs.

For learner support and well-being, P11.43 billion is designated for the School-Based Feeding Program for 3.69 million learners including all Kindergarten learners and wasted/severely wasted learners from Grade 1 onwards, while P38.12 billion will support 2.32 million private education voucher and subsidy grantees.

Meanwhile, P801.5 million will fund the hiring of 1,800 School Counselor Associates and 221 Schools Division Office Counselors.

Angara highlighted that several critical programs remain unfunded under the 2027 NEP, prompting an appeal for P145.19 billion in additional funding for DepEd and P1.74 billion for attached agencies.

‘Ito po ang mga priority interventions na hindi na-accommodate sa FY 2027 NEP level budget ngunit mahalaga upang mas mapabilis ang ating mga reporma at mas mapabuti ang learning outcomes ng ating mga mag-aaral,’ Angara explained.

Primary among these is the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, which received no funding in the 2027 NEP despite its positive results during School Year 2025-2026, which saw the number of struggling readers decrease from 6.7 million to 2.2 million, and the number of learners reaching grade-level reading readiness rise from 3.3 million to 5.8 million.

Angara requested P15.98 billion for the ARAL Program to cover honoraria for teaching overload, training for DepEd tutors, external tutors’ compensation, learning resources, the ARAL Summer Program, learning recovery and remediation consultations, and program management, as well as P50 million for the Bayang Bumabasa initiative.

In addition to learning recovery, DepEd’s supplemental request seeks P49.16 billion to hire 14,274 new teachers and around 59,000 non-teaching staff while providing teacher benefits, training, laptops, and other support mechanisms that will enable teachers to focus on teaching.

DepEd is also requesting P37.75 billion to construct 1,500 new classrooms, repair and rehabilitate school buildings, provide learning materials, and undertake disaster preparedness. This includes P8.68 billion dedicated to school safety and security, which allocates P5.05 billion for school security guards, PH2.31 billion for metal detectors and walkthrough scanners, and P1.5 billion for perimeter fences.

DepEd also requested P40.33 billion to expand the School-Based Feeding Program, learner assistance and subsidies, health and mental health services, guidance programs, and sports development.

DepEd also requested P983.8 million to expand support for learners with special needs, learners in Madrasah schools, indigenous peoples learners, and those in hard-to-reach communities.

Berong Nickel Corp. (BNC), a unit of DMCI Mining Corp., is nearing completion of the rehabilitation of the depleted Berong Mine in Palawan, with only 13 percent of the mined-out areas remaining idle.

‘We measure our success by the forests we rebuilt, lives we empowered, communities we left stronger, and the lesson we learned moving forward,’ DMCI Mining President and CEO Tulsi Das C. Reyes said.

Since mining activities at the Berong Mine in Quezon, Palawan concluded in 2021, BNC has shifted its focus from mineral production to implementing a six-year Final Mine Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Plan. DMCI said this plan is the country’s first for a shuttered nickel mine and could become a benchmark on how to restore mined lands.

Berong Mine covers a 288-hectare Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) area. Of this, 130 hectares were previously utilized for mining operations, 7 hectares housed ancillary facilities, while the remaining 151 hectares were left undisturbed.

To date, 112 hectares have already been rehabilitated, with restoration work continuing across the remaining disturbed areas including 18 hectares of idle mined-out areas.

The mining firm has invested approximately P160 million in rehabilitation activities, planted nearly 352,000 seedlings, with a 97 percent survival rate, and produced more than 497,000 seedlings in its nurseries, exceeding its year four targets under the six-year rehabilitation program.

The program remains on track for completion in 2027, after which the rehabilitated area will be formally turned over to the government.

In addition, it remitted P161 million in royalties to indigenous peoples, supporting the development of their communities.

‘Today, Berong’s rehabilitation demonstrates that responsible mining extends beyond mineral production. Through environmental restoration, biodiversity conservation, and investments in education, healthcare, livelihoods and essential infrastructure, BNC

aims to leave behind safe, stable and productive lands that continue to benefit both people and the environment in Palawan,’ Reyes said.

PRESIDENT Marcos’ infusion of a fresh P1 billion funding for Project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (Noah) will bolster government’s capacity to respond effectively to typhoons and floods made worse by climate change.

Executive Director Mahar Lagmay of the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (Upri), said that with the additional funds, Project Noah can focus on strengthening flood management, hazard monitoring, and disaster-risk-reduction systems as the country confronts the effects of climate change.

In interviews with state and private broadcast media over the weekend, Lagmay, a UP geology professor, said he hopes that the government’s funding for ‘Project Noah will continue to transform scientific knowledge into practical action that protects lives and helps build safer, more resilient, and sustainable communities.’

Marcos ordered the release of P1 billion for Project Noah, which Upri manages, to boost impact-based forecasting developed by Project Noah researchers using years of historical information, satellite images, rainfall data, and other datasets.

The President’s directive to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is another critical move in his data-driven governance, which recognizes the vital role of hard science in statecraft, notably the national infrastructure spending of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) being guided by scientific data from Upri’s Noah.

Founded in 2012, Noah seeks to assist the government in disaster-risk reduction and management, climate-change adaptation and mitigation efforts, and related activities through research, development, and extension services.

Science-backed infra projects

THE Department of Public Works and Highways has begun laying the technical foundation for future, science-backed flood-management infrastructure to strengthen long-term disaster preparedness and climate-change-risk response nationwide.

At Marcos’s directive to enhance nationwide flood resiliency, Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon has ordered the updating of all flood-management master plans to protect Filipinos from massive flooding year after year.

To ensure these master plans reflect current climate realities, the agency is collaborating with UPRI’s Project Noah, local government units, and key partner agencies to integrate detailed hazard mapping and scientific data before their implementation.

On September 2, the President said the government is now implementing a flood-control master plan that has been waiting for implementation for decades.

‘We already have a master plan. It’s just never been executed. We are only executing it now,’ Marcos told reporters after inspecting repair works at a collapsed bridge in Tarlac.

‘We have had a master plan for decades pero walang ginawa. Ngayon lang natin sinisimulan [but nothing was done. We are only starting it now],’ the President said.

The President’s remarks came as Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and other parts of Luzon grappled with widespread flooding brought by heavy monsoon rains.

The administration has repeatedly called on national government agencies to implement long-term flood-control measures, including de-clogging and dredging waterways, improving drainage systems, and proper land-use planning, as the government responds to increasingly intense rainfall linked to climate change.

Noah aims for faster, more accurate forecasting

Lagmay said Noah’s impact-based forecasting system is projected to forecast, one day in advance, where flooding may occur and its impact on roads, homes, buildings, and vehicular flow.

‘The P1 billion allocation for Upri will be measured by better information, transparency, evidence-based governance and decision-making, effective flood management, and reduced disaster risks and losses,’ Lagmay said.

Of the total allocation, P935 million will support research services, while P65 million will fund general management and supervision of Noah’s implementation. The allocation is part of the UP System’s built-in appropriation under the 2026 General Appropriations Act.

Lagmay said Upri’s budget will fund high-resolution mapping of major river basins, hazard assessments, land-use planning, and Oplan Kontra Baha initiatives, in coordination with the DPWH, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, local governments, and private-sector partners.

The allocation will also support Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) drone topographic surveys, capacity-building programs with state universities and colleges, native tree mapping, sediment erosion assessments, mapping of hidden waterways, nature-based solutions, and the use of artificial intelligence and analytics for disaster-risk management.

UP President Angelo Jimenez said the Marcos administration’s funding for Upri is ‘an investment in the power of research and innovation to serve the nation.’

‘We do research because knowledge matters, and knowledge matters most when it can help us make better decisions, solve real problems, and improve the lives of our people,’ Jimenez emphasized.

THE Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) has been able to raise the profile of the Philippines and a number of local destinations through its recent travel fairs.

At last month’s Philippine Business Mission (PBM) in Japan, 1,284 strategic business-to-business (B2B) meetings were held in Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo and generated some P1.08 billion in sales leads, according to a news statement. The TPB said this was a 168.63 percent increase from the leads secured in the same event last year.

TPB is the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), and Japan is among the board’s 13 key source markets for tourists. Under the General Appropriations Act of 2026, the TPB is targeting the arrival of 6.98 million foreign tourists from these 13 markets this year.

Arrivals up from Japan

The PBM was held from August 3 to 7 to strengthen tourism linkages and drive visitor arrival growth from Japan. Of the total sales leads generated, Tokyo delivered the highest at P596.31 million from 600 sessions.

The business mission also highlighted 70 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan, which underscored tourism as a pillar of the two nations’ bilateral relations.

From January to August this year, visitors from Japan reached 350,191, up 0.76 percent, year on year, as per DOT data from e-travel forms. These are arrivals by country of residence and includes Filipinos living in Japan. Based on their passports of nationality, Japanese tourists from all parts of the globe reached 310,196 in the same period. No comparative data was available.

Aside from the B2B meetings, PBM also featured destination seminars and networking receptions. ‘As one of the TPB’s flagship tourism initiatives in Japan for over 16 years, the PBM plays a vital role in positioning the Philippines as a top-of-mind destination for Japanese travelers,’ said TPB Chief Opearting Officer Ma. Margarita Montemayor-Nograles.

Sixty-five delegates representing 39 Philippine sellers attended the PBM. These included major hotel chains, luxury resorts, integrated properties, destination management companies, and airlines.

The Visayas region was the most represented among the participating sellers, as per the TPB. Japanese travelers buyers were offered a diverse number destinations such as Manila, Cebu, Bohol, Boracay, Palawan (including El Nido, Coron, and Puerto Princesa), Siargao, Ilocos Sur, and key hubs for MICE (Meetings Incentives Conventions Exhibitions).

Empowering local biz

‘PBM in Japan 2026 has proven to be a powerful driver of growth in one of our key source markets,’ said Nograles. ‘By generating over P1 billion in sales leads, our private and public sector partners have demonstrated the immense potential of Philippine tourism. As we commemorate 70 years of diplomatic relations with Japan, these meaningful B2B connections reinforce our commitment to deepening partnerships and welcoming more Japanese travelers to discover more reasons to love our islands.’

The country’s four operational urban and commuter rail lines keep 74,781 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere each year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said. That’s about half the emissions the same passenger volume would have generated if commuters had taken private cars.

The agency said the reduction covers the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT 3), Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT 1), Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT 2) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR), using private car travel as the baseline.

Bigger cuts are expected once the government’s pipeline of rail projects comes online. The North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) is projected to trim CO2 emissions by more than 150,000 tons annually-over twice the combined savings of the four existing lines.

The Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT 7), set to open in the second quarter of 2027, is expected to deliver a net reduction of around 58 percent, or more than 60,000 tons, against over 105,000 tons of car-generated CO2 per year.

The Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), for its part, is seen cutting emissions by as much as 63 percent, equivalent to more than 70,000 tons of CO2 yearly.

‘Ang bilin ng Pangulo, gawin nating sustainable ang ating transportasyon. Kaya tayo sa DOTr, isinusulong natin ang tinatawag na commuter-centric transport gaya ng mga tren kung saan mas marami ang nakakasakay,’ Transportation Secretary Banoy Lopez said. ‘Kung mas maraming sasakay sa tren kaysa private vehicles, malaki ‘yung mababawas sa carbon emission sa kalsada.’

The computations draw on National Rail UK’s Greener Travel data, which pegs car travel at 167 grams of CO2 per kilometer against 35 grams per passenger-kilometer for rail. Even at an average of two passengers per private vehicle, car travel emits roughly 83.5 grams of CO2 per passenger-kilometer-more than double that of rail.

A case study on Metro Manila by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Climate Change and Energy Project said private car emissions in the Philippines ‘significantly worsen urban air quality, accelerate climate change, and pose severe public health risks, particularly in congested metropolitan areas like Metro Manila.’

Citing a study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), Lopez said the economy loses an estimated P3.5 billion a day to traffic, a figure that could climb to as much as P5.4 billion daily by 2035 absent government intervention.

MINIMUM wage workers in the Davao Region began receiving higher pay on September 1, with the second tranche of the latest wage adjustment raising daily rates by P10 to P15.

Agriculture workers now get P525 per day from P515, while those in non-agriculture industries receive P540 from P525.

Wage Order RB XI-24 authorized the adjustment following consultations by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board XI, including a public hearing held in February.

The Department of Labor and Employment said labor inspectors will check establishments’ compliance with the new rates during routine inspections.

Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino has also reminded employers to comply with prevailing wage and labor standards.

Davao’s latest increase comes as wage adjustments continue to roll out across regions under the country’s decentralized wage-setting system.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila workers are still waiting for the first tranche of the P85 daily wage increase approved under Wage Order NCR-27.

The NCR order will raise minimum pay by P60 pesos, which should have been rolled out by July 25, while the final tranche is set on January 20, 2027.

However, the Regional Trial Court in Pasig City issued a preliminary injunction against the implementation of the wage order, effectively putting the Metro Manila increase on hold while the legal challenge is being resolved.

Full implementation will bring the daily minimum wage in Metro Manila to P780 for non-agriculture workers.

Agriculture workers, as well as those employed by small retail and service establishments and small manufacturing firms covered by the order, will eventually receive P743 per day.

Labor groups have criticized the staggered implementation, saying workers will have to wait months before receiving the full adjustment.

However, Dole has maintained that there is no legal basis to suspend the second tranche after the wage order completed the required process.

Davao’s wage order excludes barangay micro business enterprises with valid Certificates of Authority issued by the Department of Trade and Industry under Republic Act 9178.

Compliance with the new rates will be monitored through Dole’s regular inspection program, with covered employers required to observe the wage order starting September 1.

THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) found that 1,685 out of 2,669 names listed as alleged recipients of confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) had no matching birth, marriage, or death records, while other names matched individuals who were already dead, including a recipient record linked to a person who died at only two months old in 1965.

The findings were presented before the Senate Impeachment Court as part of the House of Representatives prosecution team’s effort to challenge the validity of confidential fund liquidation documents submitted under Vice President Sara Duterte.

PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza B. Grande testified that the agency verified 2,669 alleged payee names, consisting of 1,992 names from the OVP and 677 names from DepEd. The verification involved searching the Civil Registry System (CRS) for birth, marriage, and death records associated with each name.

Private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia said the largest group identified during the verification consisted of names with no available civil registry records. She stated that 1,287 names from the OVP list and 398 names from the DepEd list had no recorded birth, marriage, or death entries in the PSA database.

The prosecution also presented at least 37 names that matched death records, including 32 from the OVP list and five from the DepEd list. Among these was the name Marlin Sunga, which matched a PSA death certificate showing that the individual died on November 2, 1965, at only two months old.

Grande explained that the PSA record showed Marlin Sunga as the youngest person identified during the verification process. ‘According to the death certificate, he or she died when he or she was only two months old,’ Grande testified when asked about the youngest person found in the records.

The prosecution said the Sunga record was significant because it appeared among names used in confidential fund documentation covering transactions decades after the recorded death. However, the PSA testimony focused only on the existence of the civil registry record and did not independently establish who used the name in the acknowledgement documents.

25 children

DIVINAGRACIA also cited 25 names matching children’s records, including several individuals whose ages raised questions regarding their inclusion on the confidential fund recipient lists. The prosecution argued that these findings supported its challenge to the authenticity of some names appearing in liquidation reports.

The PSA explained that its verification process categorized names into three possible results: no matching record, multiple possible matches, or a single matching entry. Grande said that among the submitted names, 152 produced single-match entries that allowed the PSA to issue certified copies of corresponding civil registry documents.

The defense questioned parts of the prosecution’s interpretation of the PSA findings, arguing that the witness could not provide conclusions beyond the official records. Defense counsel Justin Nicol Gular maintained that certain issues, particularly those involving signatures and document comparisons, required further examination.

The prosecution responded that Grande’s testimony was only one part of a larger body of evidence. Divinagracia said the PSA records should be considered together with other documents and testimonies already presented before the Impeachment Court.

Grande further explained that PSA verification follows four procedures, beginning with receiving requests from agencies and processing the names through official databases. She said the agency searched birth, marriage, and death records individually based on the information provided by government offices.

The PSA emphasized that a missing record does not automatically prove that a person does not exist, just as a matching record does not alone identify the actual person who signed a receipt. The agency’s role was limited to verifying whether corresponding civil registry records existed.