Category: Business Mirror

Thirty years after it was first staged at the main theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Philippine Ballet Theater’s Andres KKK will be revisited and performed by a new generation of all-Filipino ballet artists.

Three very special performances are scheduled this weekend at the Rockwell Proscenium Theater, and major artistic collaborators Gener Caringal (choreography) and Jesse Lucas (music) are expected to grace the much awaited shows, with highly anticipated performances by the exceptional dancers of the highly-touted Philippine Ballet Theater.

And for the mostly student population in the university belt, there will also be special free shows on August 26 and 27 at the University of the East Theater, to be performed by the members of the UE Silanganan Dance Troupe.

Multi-awarded composer Jesse Lucas shared that he was only 27 years old when Caringal sought him out to create the music for this historical production on the life and times of Philippine hero Andres Bonifacio. ‘It was the beginning of our long creative partnership, and the many years of our many wonderful collaborations also strengthened our friendship and solidified our respect for each other’s artistic pursuits and undertakings.’

Unforgettable ballet productions of the Lucas-Caringal tandem include Sarimanok, Chanted Journeys and Darangen ni Dantugen for Philippine Ballet Theater, and the widely praised dance-musical of Ballet Philippines in 2003 which we were able to watch, Darna.

Lucas believes that music, whether created for theater, film or ballet, becomes timeless when it is able to blend authenticity and universal human experiences with a strong narrative. ‘Music has the power to shift the perspectives of people and communities. When music corresponds with a particular scene, whether it is on the big screen or a performance stage, and it allows the audience to be immersed in that particular moment and its setting, then it becomes truly effective because the emotions are raw and real, and the music allows these emotions and the other visual components to resonate with the audience.’ Lucas, his compositions and musical creations have been recognized locally and overseas, including the Gawad URIAN, the Young Critics Circle, Aliw Awards, and the Gawad Tanglaw. In 2010, he was elevated to the FAMAS Hall of Fame in the Film Music category. He also took home the Best Music trophy at the 2005 Screamfest International Film Festival in California.

For Andres KKK, which premiered at the CCP in 1996, Lucas took off with the basic narrative structure that Caringal gave him, including the important timestamps. ‘My inspiration built up as I worked on the music, where I combined chants, indigenous local instruments and synthesizers, at a time when electronic technology in music was still relatively new.’

Lucas said that he is more than excited to watch a new generation of ballet dancers interpret the music he created, under the artistic direction of Ronilo Jaynario, with choreography by Caringal.

From the early days when he first took on the challenge of creating music about one of the Philippines’ most colorful historical heroes, Lucas has made sure that his compositions remain relevant and relatable to both performers and audiences alike. And just like how art, dance and music evolve, who knows when the next great leap for the well-loved and celebrated composer Jesse Lucas will come.

Nearly 3,800 disadvantaged workers in Legazpi City will be given temporary jobs as heavy rains increase the need for drainage clearing, sanitation and repairs in local communities.

The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) said 3,786 beneficiaries will work for 10 days under its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (Tupad) program.

The project has a total cost of P18.74 million, with each worker set to receive P4,550 for the 10-day work period, along with personal protective equipment and group accident insurance.

Beneficiaries will be deployed across 35 barangays to declog canals and drainage systems, maintain community gardens and tourism sites, and conduct sanitation and dengue-prevention activities.

Others will undertake minor repair and maintenance work in school facilities.

The emergency employment initiative comes as heavy rains and other weather disturbances heighten the risk of clogged drainage systems and create sanitation and safety concerns in communities.

Weather disturbances can also affect classrooms and other public spaces, prompting the government to use temporary employment both as income support and for cleanup work.

Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino led the orientation of beneficiaries of the Kalinigan Para sa Ligtas na Legazpi 2026 project at the Embarcadero de Legazpi on August 17.

‘Tupad means the government is fulfilling its commitment to help you with your livelihood,’ Tolentino told beneficiaries.

Tolentino also urged beneficiaries to extend the spirit of the program beyond the government-funded work by helping their own communities.

‘We need to unite-help our fellow barangay residents, help our neighbors, help our families, and most of all, help our one beloved nation, the Republic of the Philippines,’ he said in Filipino.

DOLE said the project is part of the government’s disaster preparedness and recovery efforts, using emergency employment to provide immediate income while helping restore safe and functional public spaces.

The agency also said it is working with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to help individuals in the province establish small businesses.

Food security, sustainable energy and resilience programs are the appropriate programs to meet the challenges of government and business in the Zamboanga Peninsula, one of the economically struggling regions in the country.

This was highlighted during the Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW) in the Zamboanga Peninsula as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said it supported ongoing initiatives in these three sectors.

The RSTW events in the region were held in Dipolog City early this month.

‘The Zamboanga Peninsula has already shown us what is possible when government, academe, industry, and local communities unite around science, technology, and innovation [STI] to ease local concerns through collaborative action,’ said Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr.

Solidum said that interventions for efficient and sustainable agricultural production with greater value are ‘already underway’ for the region’s farmers and fishermen. The DOST has rolled out assistance on minimizing post-harvest losses and improving productivity in both rice processing and aquaculture to lessen the challenges brought by soaring prices and insufficient agricultural investment.

‘Farmers are yielding more, fisherfolk are increasing their returns, entrepreneurs are expanding into high-value goods, and consumers are accessing safer food,’ he said, citing Food and Agriculture Organization findings that noted that almost five in every ten Filipinos face moderate to severe food insecurity, the highest rate in Southeast Asia.

He said sustainable energy source should work hand-in-hand in the Zamboanga Peninsula to take advantage of the region’s industrial base in wholesale and retail, including motor vehicle maintenance. The DOST has said the region has strong talent and industrial capacity enough to drive e-mobility through electric vehicles (EVs).

The DOST said Dipolog City has one unit of converted tricycle (c-trike), while Dapitan City will receive more besides the six e-trikes and two CharM EV charging stations turned over last year. Moreover, Zamboanga Peninsula is set to advance e-mobility innovation and technical skills through the C-Trike Kit Developer and Training Center, which Solidum noted is being discussed with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).

‘We are preparing for its establishment to strengthen science and technology services, as well as the deployment of e-tranvia in Dipolog and e-trike in Dapitan, creating opportunities for cleaner and more sustainable mobility,’ said Science Undersecretary for Regional Operations Sancho A. Mabborang.

Solidum also emphasized that natural hazards disasters were the common challenge of the Philippines, the Zamboanga Peninsula included, yet he said the region has demonstrated critical leadership in preparedness.

Across the region, he said 44 local governments have adopted DOST-developed disaster risk technologies and 43 local resolutions have institutionalized science-backed risk reduction. ‘True resilience is not built after a disaster strikes; it is established long before. Every investment made in science today prevents catastrophic loss tomorrow,’ Solidum said, citing Zamboanga Peninsula as the first region in the Philippines to complete all the modules of the Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (Redas) platform.

Redas is a DOST-developed software that performs hazard monitoring, database development, simulation, and impact assessment on various natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, severe winds, tsunamis, and lahars.

Defense spokesperson lawyer Michael Poa on Monday said that the filing of the second perjury complaint by Vice President Sara Duterte against Ramil Madriaga, who claimed to be her former bagman, does not have a major impact on the impeachment trial.

In a press briefing shortly after the Day 16 of the trial, Poa stressed that the defense remain focused on upcoming cross-examinations in the impeachment proceedings, even if the prosecution plans to include Madriaga, who faced the second perjury complaint filed by Duterte at the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office.

‘We don’t see any major impact pagdating sa atin, we don’t see any major impact on the impeachment trial. Meaning, ang ibig sabihin non, if they are not present…we will have to cross-examine in accordance with our plan,’ Poa said.

‘Sa atin naman, yan naman ay nakahain pa lang sa fiscal no? So for evaluation pa ‘yan. So sa atin, we will just go on with our plan na kung ipepresent naman sila [Madriaga], meron kaming plinano diyan pagdating sa cross-examination,’ he furthered.

Madriaga faced another perjury complaint, under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, in connection with his supplemental affidavit dated April 11, 2026.

The first perjury complaint against Madriaga was filed in March.

In an affidavit submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman, Madriaga claimed he had delivered large sums of money to various individuals, as instructed by the Vice President.

Duterte denied giving Madriaga ‘instructions of any kind’ and that she visited him in prison, nor have spoken to him.

Pasay City – Senator Mark A. Villar has filed Senate Bill No. 2391, or the ‘PRC ID 5-year Validity Act,’ seeking to extend the validity of Professional Identification Cards (PICs) issued by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) from the current three years to five years.

Villar said the measure is aimed at reducing the time, expenses, and administrative burden faced by Filipino professionals who are required to regularly renew their PRC identification cards.

Recent data reveals that there are more than 5,887,714 registered professionals across 65 PRC-regulated professions. The PRC currently operates one central office, 14 regional branches, 21 satellite service centers, and four offices located in One-Stop Service Centers for Overseas Filipino Workers. Under the existing system, PICs are valid for only three years, after which professionals must undergo the renewal process.

‘Our professionals have already invested years of study, training, and continuing development to serve the country. We should not add unnecessary burdens to their work through frequent and costly renewal transactions,’ Villar said.

‘Extending the validity of the PRC ID to five years is a practical reform that will save our professionals time and money, reduce congestion in PRC offices, and allow them to focus more on their careers, their families, and the people they serve,’ he added.

Under SB 2391, all PRC-issued PICs would be valid for five years, subject to compliance with existing legal and procedural requirements. The measure also directs the PRC’s Information and Communication Technology Service and other concerned offices to undertake the necessary systems enhancements, including improvements to the Licensure Examination Registration Information System and other administrative processes. The bill provides for the finalization of the revised assessment of annual registration fees within six months from its effectivity.

Senator Villar hopes that this measure would espouse a more efficient PRC renewal system that would benefit professionals across the country while supporting the government’s broader goal of reducing red tape and improving public service delivery.

‘Every hour saved from unnecessary queues and every peso saved from repeated transactions can instead be spent on productive work and professional development. Through this measure, we are making government services more convenient for the people who help keep our country moving,’ Villar said.

The Department of Agrarian Reform has distributed more than 400,000 land titles covering over 500,000 hectares to agrarian reform beneficiaries in the past four years, DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III confirmed following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address.

The President directed the DAR to complete the remaining land title distribution by 2027 and finish all remaining debt condonations this year.

A TOTAL of P6.182 trillion of this year’s national budget has been released in the first seven months of the year as the government tries to pick up the pace in spending and improve budget execution.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) disbursed 91 percent of this year’s P6.793-trillion budget as of end-July, according to its Status of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget report.

The release rate was slower than the 93.8 percent recorded in the same period last year, although the amount released was higher than the P5.936 trillion made available through July 2025.

Under the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the DBM allocated P3.356 trillion, or 91.4 percent, of the P3.671-trillion allotment for line departments, including agencies in the Executive branch, Congress, the Judiciary and other constitutional offices.

About P497.668 billion, or 69.2 percent, of the P719.074-billion program was also distributed as special purpose funds (SPFs), which are budgetary allocations for specific socioeconomic purposes.

These include the Contingent Fund, Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, Pension and Gratuity Fund, as well as budgetary support to state-run corporations and allocation to local government units.

Meanwhile, a total of P2.158 trillion, or 89.9 percent, of the P2.402 trillion allotted for automatic appropriations had been released as of end-July.

The DBM has fully released the P1.190 trillion in National Tax Allotment, P93.982 billion in block grants, P480,000 in pensions for former presidents or their widows, P42.229 billion for the Special Account in the General Fund and P14.5 billion for the Tax Expenditures Fund.

An additional P186.554 million was also issued in July to augment the P82.194 billion originally allotted for retirement and life insurance premiums of government employees, bringing total releases for the item to P83.108 billion.

Another P21.525 billion was released for net lending, while P712.5 billion was made available for interest payments.

Beyond the 2026 GAA, the DBM released P49.898 billion to line departments and SPFs under continuing appropriations from the 2025 budget.

Some P2.063 billion was also released in July for unprogrammed appropriations-particularly P23.787 million for the Department of Health, P654.760 million for the Department of Public Works and Highways and P1.384 billion for the Department of Transportation.

The additional allotments brought total releases to P87.716 billion. Unprogrammed appropriations are standby appropriations that authorize additional agency expenditures for priority programs and projects when revenue collections exceed the resource targets or when additional grants or foreign funds become available.

Meanwhile, P32.515 billion was disbursed for other automatic appropriations, which include grants, special accounts in the general fund, the Armed Forces of the Philippines’s Modernization Program and the tax expenditures fund.

For 2027, the government has proposed a P7.2-trillion national budget, 6 percent higher than this year’s allocation and equivalent to 21.7 percent of gross domestic product.

The DBM separately submitted the 2027 National Expenditure Program to the House of Representatives and the Senate last week, beginning congressional review and deliberations on the proposed budget.

Property developers in the country are beginning to divest their non-core assets in their bid to have leaner balance sheets, real estate consultant Property Interactive Marketing Enterprise Realty Corp. (Prime Philippines) said.

As of said, it said asset rationalization has become close to a standard practice among the sector’s biggest names in both institutional and mid-sized developers.

‘This has exposed a bifurcation between highly leveraged and financially stable entities, with the former pushing ‘good deal’ acquisitions and the latter divesting properties to service debts,’ Prime said. The sellers, some of which have acquired their properties during 2018 to 2019, are likely to dispose these assets at a loss as commercial land values have reverted to 2017 levels. This was compounded by elevated taxation that stemmed from zonal values that now exceeded market prices between 10 percent to 20 percent.

‘Headwinds are real. Inflation shocks, slowing growth, political noise and environmental risk continue to weigh on sentiment.’

Debt financing has also become harder to secure for those who can afford to look for asset acquisition, renovate developments or service existing debt. Meanwhile, real estate non-performing loan ratios have exceeded the overall industry rate, as banks become cautious on extending credit to the property companies.

Nationwide demand for office spaces in the first half fell 15 percent, as the share of business process outsourcing (BPO) sector dropped more than 21 percent. The BPOs were overtaken by government agencies and traditional firms mostly from professional services and wholesale and retail. Prime said the drop in BPO’s share was caused by the resolution to raise the allowable work-from-home scheme to 90 percent from the previous 50 percent, while industry estimates puts automation from artificial intelligence exposure at about 80 percent for customer service roles and 75 percent for data processing.

‘These temporary shocks should not be read as a severe hallmark for full retrenchment of the BPO labor base. The evolution of artificial intelligence is proving as a much as a source of new job creation as it is a driver of displacement.’

The industry, it said, still expects close to 2 million jobs and $42 billion in export revenues by the end of the year. The demand is shifting toward analytics, business intelligence, program and project management, and other highly-technical work.

Despite the recent ambush targeting Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, Malacañang has confirmed that the autonomous region’s first-ever regular election will push through as scheduled.

‘As mentioned in the President’s message, this will not hinder any plans for continuous reform aimed at establishing a democratic government within the BARMM community,’ Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in Filipino in a press briefing last Monday.

Quoting the Commission on Elections (Comelec), she said preparations for the BARMM polls in September are still ongoing.

The poll body also noted that except for the recent attempt on Macacua’s life by still unidentified gunmen last Saturday afternoon in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, the security situation in BARMM remains peaceful.

During the weekend, Marcos ordered all concerned government agencies to intensify security in BARMM and to hold accountable those responsible for the said attack.

The Chief Executive also called for calm in the region in the aftermath of the said ambush attempt.

‘However, we will leave the operations to identify those behind this to the PNP, and we cannot disclose the details of their ongoing investigations and operations to the public,’ Castro said.

The BARMM election is scheduled to be held on September 14, 2026. It was originally set to be held in May 2022, but it was deferred multiple times because of the pandemic and decision from the Supreme Court.

Comelec earlier said it has spent P63 million to complete the printing of 2.3 million ballots, which will be used in said polls.

At the General Membership Meeting of the Federation of Philippine Industries on August 13, I reported to our domestic manufacturers, allied industries, and partners several developments that helped boost the level playing field for businesses in the country.

I particularly cited the Office of the President and the Bureau of Customs for displaying effective governance.

I commended the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Through the Office of the President, Presidential Management Staff, Office of the Executive Secretary, and the concerned departments-PBBM has been responding to the concerns and proposals that we brought to his attention, both through my letters and column here in the BusinessMirror.

Notably, PBBM took cognizance of the following:

1) Illegal importation of palm olein-The Office of the President directed the Department of Agriculture to work with us in addressing the duty-free importation of palm olein purportedly for compounding of animal feeds. This was also investigated by the NBI and BIR. Eventually, this illegal importation, which robbed the government of an estimated P45 billion in revenues over a period of five years, was stopped and an importer has been penalized.

2) Illegal collectors and smelters of used lead acid battery (ULAB)- PBBM’s office ordered the DENR to act on our complaint and investigated the smelters who lack the necessary permits and licenses while operating their environmentally hazardous facilities in San Simon, Pampanga. Their operations were stopped, although one is still doing guerilla smelting.

3) Cigarette smuggling-Our advocacy against the proliferation of smuggled cigarettes in the market continues to bear fruit as various agencies-the NBI, PNP, BOC-have been raiding and seizing millions of pesos worth of smuggled cigarettes.

4) LPG cylinders-We reported to the government that importers are declaring the value of their imported LPG cylinders at only P400/cylinder but refillers are collecting deposits from consumers ranging from P1,400 to P1,900.

5) Imported goods being sold with no Import Commodity Clearance-This is a continuing campaign as despite actions taken by concerned agencies, including raids conducted by the DTI, NBI, and PNP, we continue to see imported products in the market that do not bear the ICC mark, which means they did not pass the requirements prescribed by law.

6) SRA’s order to put additional bureaucratic red tape on the entry of ‘other sugars’-We acted on the complaint of our members in the confectionery and beverage industries that the SRA’s memo would gravely affect their operations. We wrote to the President and also held press conferences. The SRA administrator eventually withdrew his order.

7) Substandard imported automotive batteries-Through our coordination with the NBI and DTI, about P100 million worth of substandard imported automotive batteries were seized in Quezon City, which, to date, is the biggest haul of DTI’s Task Force Kalasag in its campaign against substandard and counterfeit products.

8) BPS order to replace mandatory testing of imported LPG cylinders with factory audits – We campaigned against this memo from the BPS because it runs counter to laws and issuances concerning product standards and mandatory testing by independent third-party testers to protect the consumers.

9) Appeal to issue EO extending inter-agency campaign on smuggling of agricultural products to also include industrial goods to protect domestic industries-the Office of the President wrote a letter to all concerned departments to submit their comments/response to our letter to the President.

10) MOA with the BOC for close coordination with FPI – We have signed a memorandum of agreement with the BOC, strengthening our partnership and creating avenues for better coordination.

11) Assist the steel industry in fast-tracking the elimination of PNS 49:2020 with PNS 49:2026- The 2026 Standards for Reinforcing Steel Bars removes all non-seismic grades. Its immediate implementation means that only seismic bars can be manufactured and sold locally.

12) TRO vs product standards- The Supreme Court has already acted on our petition to include in the Rules of Civil Procedure a provision that only the Supreme Court can issue an injunction order against the implementation of product standards by the DTI and FDA. The Supreme Court has already ordered both the DTI and FDA to submit their comments within 30 days from receipt of the order. This is an offshoot of the TROs issued against the standards of flat glass.

I am also happy to report that the FPI and BOC, under the leadership of my friend, Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, have strengthened their partnership.

I was having lunch with Ariel in Greenhills about one week before he became BOC Commissioner; that was when he informed me of his transfer from the OCD. I was very excited because the BOC is very important to us domestic manufacturers, and Ariel, leading that agency will be a major boost for us.

And we have seen measurable progress.

From July 2025 to June 2026, the Bureau of Customs conducted 1,090 enforcement and intelligence operations, resulting in the seizure of approximately P40.47 billion worth of illicit goods. The BOC also filed 30 cases involving Customs fraud, smuggling, and unlawful importation.

These figures matter to local manufacturers because every illegally imported or fraudulently undervalued product removed from the market helps restore fair competition.

Just as important to FPI is the renewed partnership between the Bureau and our Federation. Under the BOC-FPI agreement, accredited Industry Technical Experts can assist Customs in monitoring and inspecting high-risk shipments nationwide. The BOC has committed to act on ITE reports within seven days, while a joint monitoring committee meets quarterly to review implementation.

Commissioner Nepomuceno has also made legitimate trade easier. Customs valuation processing has been shortened from five days to three days, while importer, exporter, and customs broker registrations have been extended from one year to three years.

At the same time, stronger post-clearance audits generated about P3.07 billion, reinforcing compliance even after shipments have been released.

In one sector alone, illicit tobacco, the BOC conducted 187 enforcement operations in just five months, seizing approximately P13.5 billion worth of smuggled cigarettes and tobacco products.

For FPI and its members, the most important accomplishments of Commissioner Nepomuceno are not simply higher Customs collections, which, for the first seven months of the year, reached P587.711 billion, the highest collection ever recorded for the January-to-July period.

More meaningful to us at FPI are the reforms that increasingly address a longstanding concern of Philippine manufacturers:

A local manufacturer that pays the correct taxes, follows Philippine standards, employs Filipino workers, and complies with government regulations should not have to compete against imported goods that enter the country through smuggling, undervaluation, misdeclaration, or other fraudulent practices.

The combination of stronger enforcement, better valuation, the reinstatement of FPI Industry Technical Experts, industry data-sharing, digitalization, faster processing, tougher internal controls, and closer government-industry cooperation helps move us toward that level playing field.

We don’t really need to be pampered or be protected, like some would call us THE FEDERATION OF PROTECTED INDUSTRIES.

We just want a level playing field. And we are happy because Commissioner Nepomuceno is taking the time to meet with us regularly to help ensure we achieve that level playing field.

In closing, I want to congratulate the directors, officers, and members of the FPI on a highly successful General Membership Meeting. Your strong turnout underscores our shared commitment and re-energizes our collective fight against smuggling and all forms of illicit trade.

Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza is the Chairman Emeritus of the Federation of Philippine Industries and concurrent Chairman of the Anti-Smuggling and Anti-Illicit Trade Committee.