Category: Business Mirror

The numbers are staggering, and they demand our attention. Nearly half of all our 15-year-old learners-47 percent, to be precise-report experiencing bullying at least several times a month. This is not merely a statistic from the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA); it is a damning indictment of the learning environments we have allowed to persist. When our students experience bullying at more than twice the OECD average of 20 percent, we are no longer looking at an isolated problem but a systemic crisis that threatens the future of an entire generationThe Department of Education’s response through Department Order No. 006, s. 2026, formally titled the Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment (ESMLE), represents a necessary step forward. The expanded mandate giving schools authority over incidents occurring within a two-kilometer radius of campus is particularly noteworthy. By extending jurisdiction to nearby convenience stores, internet cafes, and sidewalks, policymakers acknowledge a critical reality: bullying does not respect school boundaries. A student harassed at a nearby internet cafe faces the same psychological trauma as one bullied in the classroom, and the school’s responsibility to protect learners must extend to these spaces.

However, policy on paper means little without implementation and cultural change. The Department of Justice’s Student Awareness Seminar at Bagong Tanyag Integrated School, led by Undersecretary Ian Norman E. Dato, offers a template for what meaningful intervention looks like. By bringing together students, faculty, and parents, the DOJ recognizes that combating bullying requires a multi-agency, multi-stakeholder approach. The involvement of local government units, law enforcement, and social welfare agencies creates a safety net that schools alone cannot provide.

What distinguishes this current approach is its emphasis on restorative rather than purely punitive justice. Undersecretary Dato’s explanation that penalties should ‘straighten the path’ rather than destroy a child’s future represents a mature understanding of adolescent development. Bullies are often themselves products of trauma, insecurity, or inadequate emotional regulation. Addressing the root causes of aggression-while still holding perpetrators accountable-offers the best hope for breaking cycles of violence.

The DOJ Action Center’s trauma-informed, victim-centered protocols also deserve praise. Too often, reporting mechanisms retraumatize victims through bureaucratic indifference or public exposure. By guaranteeing confidentiality and providing access to legal counsel and psychosocial support through the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the government is finally treating bullying victims with the seriousness their trauma demands.

Yet we must remain vigilant. Bagong Tanyag Integrated School reports almost zero bullying incidents-a commendable achievement that should be studied and replicated. But this is one school among thousands. The DOJ seminar was, by their own admission, a ‘random initiative’ without immediate plans for expansion. When nearly half of our teenagers face regular harassment, random initiatives are insufficient. These programs must become systematic, mandatory, and funded.

The most powerful tool against bullying may ultimately be the simplest: kindness. Principal Donnabel Balantac’s observation that ‘nothing is diminished or wasted when we are kind’ cuts to the heart of the matter. Building a culture of compassion requires daily reinforcement, not just annual seminars. It requires teachers and parents to serve as the first line of defense, creating environments where students feel safe to speak up without fear of retaliation.

The PISA data has exposed the scope of our failure. The ESMLE guidelines and DOJ outreach programs show we are beginning to take responsibility. But policies and seminars are only the beginning. Every stakeholder-educators, parents, government officials, and students themselves-must commit to transforming our schools from places of fear into sanctuaries of learning.

How people choose to pay is becoming another part of the customer experience that businesses need to keep up with.

Cards, digital wallets, bank transfers, QR payments, and installment options have given customers more ways to decide what works for a particular purchase. For businesses, however, keeping checkout aligned with these changing preferences can come with a less visible challenge: every additional payment method can bring new technical and operational requirements.

SwiftPay is addressing this by making payment adaptability part of the platform itself.

As a BSP-regulated Operator of Payment System, SwiftPay enables payment methods at the platform level, allowing merchants to expand the options available at checkout without building a separate integration for every new payment method.

This gives businesses greater room to respond as customer payment habits evolve, without requiring each change to become another development project.

‘Payment preferences will continue to change, and businesses need the ability to respond without adding unnecessary complexity to their operations,’ said Damian Gil, Chief Revenue Officer at SwiftPay. ‘SwiftPay gives merchants an infrastructure where expanding the ways customers can pay becomes much simpler, so their checkout can evolve alongside the people they serve.’

From payment infrastructure to customer experience

This adaptability matters particularly at checkout, where the payment options available can shape the final experience of a customer who has already decided to make a purchase.

For higher-value transactions, for example, paying the entire amount upfront may not always suit every customer. Making installments available at the point of purchase gives eligible customers another way to complete the transaction based on how they prefer to manage their payments.

SwiftPay’s latest integration with Billease puts this into practice.

Billease installment payments are now available through SwiftPay’s online checkout, with payment terms of 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months. Interest is calculated on the declining principal balance, while the cost of credit is disclosed upfront.

For SwiftPay merchants, the addition does not require a separate Billease integration or a new settlement and reconciliation process. Instead, it becomes another capability available through the existing SwiftPay infrastructure.

‘Installments are most useful when they are available where customers are already making the decision to pay,’ said Kurt Molina, Head of POS Product at Billease. ‘By making Billease available within SwiftPay checkouts, merchants can provide that option as part of the existing payment journey rather than creating an additional step for the customer.’

Keeping checkout ready for what comes next

The Billease integration represents one application of a broader capability: enabling merchants to adjust their payment offering as customer needs and behaviors change.

Rather than treating checkout as a fixed set of payment methods determined by previous integrations, SwiftPay allows businesses to operate with an infrastructure designed to accommodate new options as they become relevant.

For merchants, this can reduce the technical work involved in keeping their payment experience current. For customers, it can mean having appropriate choices available when they are ready to complete a purchase.

Ultimately, the business advantage is not simply the number of payment methods offered. It is the ability to adapt without having to rebuild the checkout experience each time customer preferences move forward.

With Billease as its latest example, SwiftPay is showing how payment infrastructure can help businesses make checkout more responsive today-and better prepared for how customers choose to pay next.

THE government is preparing a new housing program modality that will allow private developers to sell existing condominium inventory priced at P3 million and below through Pag-IBIG Fund financing, as it seeks to address the glut in Metro Manila.

According to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), the planned modality under the expanded ‘Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino’ (4PH) program will cover prime-located condominium units and give homebuyers access to lower-priced units.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling said the initiative is intended to help developers dispose of their current inventory while expanding housing options for buyers.

The move comes as developers continue to face elevated condominium inventory in Metro Manila.

Data from consultancy firm Colliers Philippines showed that as of the second quarter of the year units that remained unsold has hit about 80,000, including 32,600 units that were already ready for occupancy.

Developers have consequently been focusing on selling existing units rather than launching new projects. Only 1,200 condominium units were launched in the second quarter, bringing first-half launches to 2,600 units, down 64 percent from a year earlier.

Net take-up also fell 60 percent quarter-on-quarter to 500 units in the second quarter, its lowest level in five quarters.

‘With this new modality through Pag-IBIG Fund, we will enable private developers to sell more units, thus addressing inventory issues, while offering wider options for our homebuyers and access to best-located housing units at a lower price with low interest rates,’ Aliling said.

The housing agency and Pag-IBIG Fund are expected to announce the guidelines for the new modality, which will also allow private developers to use the program to help meet their compliance with the balanced housing requirement.

According to DHSUD, the proposal was discussed during earlier this week’s meeting of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Infrastructure Sector Group-Real Estate, which was attended by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and officials from the government and major property developers.

The meeting included representatives from Aboitiz Group, Ayala Land Inc., Robinsons Land Corp., and SM Prime Holdings Inc.

According to the DHSUD, the new program has drawn interest from major property developers.

‘Top developers expressed their willingness to reduce selling prices so they can avail of the new program, aimed at providing Filipino working class more access to best-located condominium projects at a lower price and further boost the ongoing nationwide rollout of the ‘Expanded 4PH’ [program],’ it added.

Vingroup has been ranked 340th in TIME’s World’s Best Companies 2026, placing the Group among the world’s Top 400 companies. Compared with 2025, Vingroup has risen nearly 500 places and remains the only Vietnamese company to be recognized on the prestigious ranking.

The World’s Best Companies 2026 ranking is jointly conducted by TIME, a globally recognized magazine, and Statista, a leading global data and market research company.

Companies are evaluated across three comprehensive dimensions: revenue growth, employee satisfaction, and sustainability transparency, supported by in-depth analysis of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors.

As the first and only Vietnamese company to be included in the ranking for two consecutive years, Vingroup achieved positive results across all three dimensions, receiving an overall score of 81 and ranking 340th among the Top 1,000 companies worldwide, up 477 places from its 817th ranking last year.

In terms of Revenue Growth, Vingroup received an ‘Outstanding’ rating. In the first half of 2026, the Group recorded consolidated net revenue of VND 222.9 trillion, up 72% year on year from the same period in 2025, driven by strong growth in industrial manufacturing and real estate businesses. Consolidated profit after tax reached VND 20.904 trillion, 4.6 times higher than the same period last year and equivalent to 60% of the full-year target.

In terms of Employee Satisfaction, Vingroup ranked 398th globally, up 496 places from 2025. The Group has developed a dynamic working environment that encourages dedication, innovation and employee engagement, while placing a strong focus on individual development.

Over more than three decades of development, Vingroup has continuously expanded into new areas, established new growth drivers and progressively expanded its ecosystem into international markets. Today, companies across the Vingroup ecosystem operate in 12 countries, creating employment for approximately 400,000 people worldwide.

In terms of Sustainability Transparency, Vingroup continues to make important contributions through green transition initiatives, infrastructure development and the development of sustainable urban and living ecosystems. Alongside economic growth, the Group focuses on creating long-term value for society.

VinFast, the all-electric vehicle brand within the Vingroup ecosystem, has become the leading automotive brand by sales volume in Vietnam, while setting a target of delivering 300,000 cars and 1 million electric motorcycles globally in 2026. Meanwhile, Vinhomes has pioneered the development of the ESG++ urban model, adding Regeneration and Resilience to the three core ESG pillars of E – Environment, S – Social and G – Governance, thereby raising the standard for sustainable development across large-scale urban developments spanning thousands of hectares.

In particular, in 2025, Vingroup officially expanded into two new strategic areas: Infrastructure and Green Energy. Through VinSpeed, with the Ben Thanh – Can Gio (Ho Chi Minh City) and Hanoi – Quang Ninh high-speed railway projects now under construction, as well as energy projects developed by VinEnergo across multiple localities, Vingroup is progressively contributing to stronger regional connectivity, the expansion of economic space and the acceleration of the green transition.

Previously, Vingroup became the first and only Vietnamese company to qualify for and be included in the World’s Best Companies 2025 ranking. Brands across the Vingroup ecosystem have also received recognition from numerous international organizations. VinFast was previously recognized by TIME in two prestigious rankings: the TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2024 and Asia-Pacific’s Best Companies of 2025. In the latter ranking, VinFast was recognized among the companies shaping the region’s position on the global economic map.

TIME is a leading global magazine headquartered in New York, the United States, with a history spanning 101 years. With a global presence and in-depth, independent analysis of political, economic, cultural and scientific developments, TIME has established a strong voice and influence capable of shaping public discourse. Its rankings are widely recognized for their value and credibility worldwide.

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday asked senators to restore its confidential funds to the 2026 level of about P1.1 billion, saying reduced resources could constrain information gathering, witness protection and operations against trafficking and cybercrime.

During the Senate deliberation on the DOJ’s proposed 2027 budget, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said the department hopes to retain this year’s funding level instead of the roughly P579.4 million cited for next year.

‘Ang amin pong hiling sana ay maibalik man lang iyong 2026 level para hindi maapektuhan],’ Vida said.

The proposed allocations form part of the P7.2-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2027 submitted by the Executive branch to the Congress.

Vida said the reductions would be felt across several confidential activities of the department.

For the DOJ Central Office, he said only P34 million was proposed compared with P214 million sought, while the Witness Protection Program was allotted about P319.9 million instead of the P500 million the department wants restored.

He also cited the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, which has P10 million, saying additional resources are needed as its operations face growing challenges.

Vida particularly raised the proposed confidential allocation for cybercrime operations, saying the DOJ wants the funding restored as the work involves coordination among the department, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Information and Communications Technology and other agencies.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said during the hearing that the annual confidential allocation cited for the DOJ’s cybercrime work would translate to only about PHP35,000 monthly.

‘Kung i-divide mo ng 12, 35,000 a month?…Ano ma-accomplish mo [If you divide it by 12, that’s P35,000 a month. What can you accomplish]?’ Lacson said.

Vida also asked that at least P5 million be provided for the National Coordination Center against Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials, which he said received no confidential fund under the proposal.

He said combating such offenses has become increasingly complicated.

The Senate Committee on Finance chairman, Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, said confidential and intelligence funds would face closer scrutiny during this year’s budget deliberations, but acknowledged that agencies involved in law enforcement, investigation and national security have operational requirements for such funds.

The Bureau of Immigration, meanwhile, retains a P20-million confidential fund under the proposal, the same amount as this year.

Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said additional funding would help an intelligence force of fewer than 100 agents operating nationwide, including its fugitive search operations.

‘Nationwide po ang operations namin. So makakatulong po nang malaki kung iyan po ay madadagdagan [Our operations are nationwide, so an increase would help us greatly],’ Viado said.

THE chairman of the House of Representatives Special Committee on Land Use on Thursday called on the Senate to pass the proposed National Land Use Act (NLUA), a measure seeking strict criminal liability to halt the illegal conversion of prime agricultural land into commercial real estate.

House Special Committee on Land Use Chairman and Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Matugas expressed optimism as the Senate conducts deliberations on several counterpart measures. The bill is a priority measure of the Marcos administration.

‘We appreciate the Senate for giving serious attention to this long-standing measure. Our senators bring their own experience and perspectives, and we welcome their inputs in producing a stronger and more workable law,’ Matugas said.

House Bill 8466, which passed its third and final reading in the House on May 5, 2026, and was transmitted to the Senate the following day, seeks to establish a unified national framework to resolve conflicting land demands across agriculture, housing, infrastructure, and environmental preservation.

A central pillar of the House measure is the mandatory integration of climate and disaster risk assessments into all land planning decisions. Under the proposed law, local and national authorities will be required to use hazard maps, geospatial data, and environmental evaluations before approving developments in critical areas such as floodplains, watersheds, and coastal zones.

Under the proposal, developers and local officials involved in unauthorized farmland reclassification face prison terms of up to 12 years. The proposed legislation aims to establish a comprehensive framework for land governance, protecting agricultural areas to secure a national food supply and prevent unregulated urban sprawl.

HB 8466 seeks to institute a national land use policy and implementing mechanisms, including the creation of a National Land Use Commission.

‘The House has done its part, and we look forward to working constructively with our colleagues in the Senate. If there are provisions that can be strengthened, we are ready to listen and work with them,’ Matugas said.

Several senators have filed their own versions of the National Land Use Act, reflecting continuing legislative interest in establishing a comprehensive national framework for land use.

‘After decades of discussion, Congress has another opportunity to finally provide the country with a national land use law,’ Matugas said, emphasizing the need for a balanced policy covering food security, infrastructure, and natural resource protection.

If enacted, the bill will establish a National Land Use Commission to oversee spatial policy implementation-a mechanism advocates say is long overdue to prevent unregulated conversion of agricultural land and human settlement in high-risk hazard zones.

Stanford University scientists killed off roughly half of a mouse’s brain on purpose, then filled the empty space with human tissue, and the resulting mouse did better on tests than mice carrying the same damage with nothing put back in the brain hole. That is the actual result of a study published this month in Nature by neuroscientist Sergiu Pa?ca. It deserves attention well beyond the medical journals because it describes something the Philippines has been doing to its own institutions for 50 years without the benefit of a laboratory.

The mechanics are almost too similar to ignore. Researchers engineered mice so that the cells destined to become the cortex and hippocampus, the parts of the brain responsible for higher reasoning and memory, died off early. Those two regions normally make up about half a mouse’s brain. The animals survived anyway, a little forgetful, a little clumsy, running on whatever was left. Then the scientists injected several hundred thousand human cells, grown from reprogrammed human skin cells, into the vacant real estate.

Within two to three months, the graft had grown to nearly five times its original size, occupying more than 90 percent of the missing cortex, with a human neuron count nearing four million. It plugged into the mouse’s circulatory system, began generating electrical activity on its own, and extended nerve fibers as far as the spinal cord. Researchers even found neurons resembling Von Economo cells, specialized cells linked to social behavior in mammals, growing inside a rodent that will never attend an office Christmas party. The maze results told the same story with the mice carrying the graft consistently outpacing mice whose damaged cortex had been left empty.

Pa?ca’s own framing was that psychiatry and neurology have fewer treatments than almost any other branch of medicine, largely because the human brain is too inaccessible to study directly. So, they built a mouse that could carry a piece of human brain around for them to observe. The scientists insist that the animals are not thinking like humans and remain, in every functional sense, mice. It is the movie Ratatouille in reverse. Instead of a rat’s brain under the chef’s hat doing the human’s cooking, it is human tissue under a mouse’s skull helping the mouse survive.

Filipinos have watched a version of this experiment run at national scale for two generations. Domestic manufacturing capacity, the cortex of any developing economy, was allowed to waste away while remittances from a large and growing population of overseas Filipino workers and a business process outsourcing sector built on other countries’ back-office needs filled the vacant space.

The transplanted tissue took over nicely. It grew, and it now accounts for a share of gross domestic product that keeps consumption humming along well enough that nobody in Malacañang loses much sleep over the industrial base nobody built. That is the same result the mouse study produced, better than the version with nothing put in the hole at all, which is not the same as healthy.

The question the mice cannot ask, because they lack the cortex for it, is the one that matters. What happens when the environment changes and the substitute was never built for the problem it now has to solve? The grafted human cortex is still wired to a mouse body. OFW earnings are wired to host-country hiring, visa rules, and oil-state payrolls. BPO earnings are wired to corporate cost-cutting and to software that is getting better every year at doing without a night shift in Manila. Those grafts still work, but they are not a factory floor, a supplier network, or an export mix that survives the day someone else’s back office gets automated.

A transplant that beats an empty socket is not a transplant that beats the original, and confusing the two is how a country talks itself into believing a workaround is a cure. The Philippines has spent two generations passing the tests built around the hole it already has, with foreign exchange coming in, consumption ticking along, the lights staying on, and by those measures it has reasonably often passed. What none of those tests ask is the harder question of whether an economy that outsourced its industrial base to other people’s factories and other people’s paychecks can still grow the thing it gave up, if it ever needs to.

Stanford’s mice will spend their lives being useful to researchers who are not particularly curious what a mouse would have done with its own brain, given time. A country gets to ask that question of itself. The Philippines has not done so yet, and the tests it keeps passing were never designed to force the issue.

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.

Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna underscored the important role of biotechnology in agriculture, health, industry, environmental protection, and sustainable development during the launch of kick-off of the 2026 National Biotechnology Week.

‘Nearly two decades after Presidential Proclamation No. 1414 was issued in 2007, the Philippine biotechnology landscape has grown considerably. What began as research and laboratory work in universities and government laboratories has developed into a national, multidisciplinary effort that connects science with agriculture, health, industry, environmental protection, and sustainable development,’ Cuna said in a speech delivered by Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo Jr.

This year’s ‘Biotek para sa Kinabukasan: Kalikasan, Kalusugan, Kagandahan, Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran,’ is a reminder that biotechnology is not only about what happens in a laboratory, but how science can help in responding to various challenges, Cuna said.

‘For the DENR, those challenges are very real. We have degraded lands that need to be restored. We need better planting materials for forests and bamboo. We have native species that need to be conserved. And we need better scientific information to guide how we manage our natural resources,’ he said.

‘This is where biotechnology can make a difference. One example is H2OrganicsTM, developed by our researchers at the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau. It is a locally developed hydroseeding technology intended to help rehabilitate mined-out and degraded lands by improving moisture retention, supporting plant establishment, and helping stabilize soil,’ the DENR chief said.

‘We see this same practical focus in ERDB’s HI-Q VAM 1-a biofertilizer technology harnessing beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. By forming a natural symbiosis with plant roots, it helps improve water and nutrient absorption, supports seedling survival, and helps stabilize degraded soils,’ he added.

Cuna said that there are good examples of biotechnology responding to a very practical environmental problem. Instead of simply asking what new technology we can develop, we are asking what technology can help us restore land that has already been damaged.

‘Biotechnology is also helping us restore forests and produce quality planting materials. Through plant tissue culture, ERDB researchers are developing ways to propagate priority forest trees and bamboo species. These efforts can help provide more planting materials for reforestation, biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management, and climate-resilient restoration,’ Cuna added.

According to Cuna, the DENR’s biotechnology efforts also contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources, citing research on the in vitro propagation of gugo (Entada phaseoloides), which is exploring ways to increase the availability of planting material while supporting the conservation of this economically valuable Philippine medicinal plant.

‘In parallel, molecular biotechnology has been used to examine the genetic diversity of narra populations from different parts of the country. This information provides a scientific basis for identifying and selecting appropriate planting materials and populations for conservation, restoration, and reforestation,’ he added.

According to Cuna, while these are different applications, it shows something important; that biotechnology can give the DENR additional tools to address some of the environmental problems we deal with every day.

The DENR chief admitted that developing a technology is only part of the work, where it can be applied, whether it is appropriate for the communities and ecosystems concerned, and how it can be delivered from research into practical practice, requires collaboration. Jonathan L. Mayuga

‘The work we are doing cannot be carried by one agency or one institution alone. Our researchers need to work with other government agencies, universities, local governments, communities, and industry. We need to share knowledge, learn from one another, and make sure that our research remains connected to the needs on the ground,’ he said.

‘We also need to make sure that innovation is pursued responsibly.’

Cuna said that the DENR is committed to strengthening research and innovation in environmental biotechnology, deepening partnerships that can help bring promising technologies from the laboratory into actual practice, and ensuring that these innovations are developed and applied responsibly, with ecosystems and communities in mind.

‘In doing so, we hope to bring science closer to the environmental challenges we face on the ground. To our researchers and scientists, I encourage you to continue pursuing questions that can help us understand and address the environmental challenges of our country,’ he said.

THE Commission on Audit (COA) has raised concerns on the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) implementation of P168 million worth of disaster-relief operations in 2025 after auditors identified inconsistencies, deviations from approved procedures, and incomplete documentation.

In its special review of the OVP’s use of the 2025 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (DRRMF), COA identified several deficiencies that affected its ability to verify whether the relief assistance reached the intended beneficiaries and whether recipients qualified for support.

Among the findings were inconsistencies between situation reports and actual distribution records, deviations from approved mission orders, the issuance of open-ended mission orders, and deficiencies in beneficiary documentation.

COA reported that some required supporting documents were either incomplete, missing, or not submitted, making it difficult for auditors to establish a complete audit trail of the relief operations.

The audit identified eight mission orders worth more than P84 million that did not specify the intended beneficiaries. Auditors also reviewed 24 relief operations involving P39 million in goods where actual distributions differed from approved mission orders without documented authorization.

Additionally, supporting records for approximately P25.2 million worth of distributed goods involving 33,980 beneficiaries were found to be incomplete or unavailable. COA also noted discrepancies between OVP situation reports and local government validation reports involving more than P19.6 million.

The House of Representatives impeachment prosecution panel emphasized the importance of a complete audit trail to determine how public funds were utilized.

House prosecution spokesperson Ace Barbers stated that the P168 million involved public money and that every peso spent should be properly accounted for.

‘They really have to explain. I’m sure they’ll be given enough and sufficient time to answer these adverse findings of the COA,’ he said.

Barbers explained that the records should clearly identify the purpose of each distribution, the recipients, the timing of the assistance, and the circumstances that led to the relief activity. He emphasized that disaster-response programs must provide details regarding the specific disaster addressed and when the event occurred.

He said that these details are necessary for the OVP to respond to COA’s observations and explain how the funds were used. Without sufficient documentation and justification, questions regarding the transactions remain unresolved.

House prosecution spokesperson and Lanao Del Sur Rep. Zia-ur Rahman Alonto Adiong also highlighted the importance of documentary evidence in government assistance programs. He said that relief operations should have clear records showing where the assistance was delivered, who benefited from it, and how the distribution process was carried out.

Adiong noted that similar documentation concerns had previously been raised regarding the OVP’s confidential fund expenditures, although he clarified that the COA special audit on relief operations was a separate matter from the impeachment proceedings.

The OVP explained that disaster situations may change quickly, requiring adjustments in schedules, locations, and quantities of relief goods during actual operations. However, COA maintained that any changes must still be properly documented and supported to confirm that they were authorized.

COA’s findings focused on accountability and transparency rather than the overall financial condition of the OVP. The audit findings did not constitute an adverse opinion on the agency’s financial statements, as COA issued an unmodified opinion on the OVP’s 2025 financial statements.

Barbers said that the OVP should be given sufficient opportunity to respond to the audit observations and provide the necessary supporting documents. He stated that if the agency can satisfactorily explain the issues raised by COA, it may address possible concerns related to audit actions.

The prosecution panel stressed that government agencies handling public funds must maintain complete and accurate records to demonstrate proper utilization of resources, especially for emergency assistance programs.

The Cebu Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) has intensified surveillance and containment efforts following the confirmation of three African swine fever (ASF) cases in Ginatilan on September 18, prompting the local government to impose tighter restrictions on the movement of hogs and pork products.

Provincial Veterinarian Mary Rose Bahian Vincoy said the provincial government is still tracing the possible source of the virus, while containment measures are being implemented to limit the risk of transmission to other areas.

The confirmed cases were reported in barangay Cagsing and Calabawan.

An executive order issued by the mayor banned the movement of live swine to and from the two villages without prior clearance from the Municipal Agriculture Office and the Provincial Veterinary Office.

The slaughter or butchering of pigs in Cagsing and Calabawan has, likewise, been suspended until further notice.

The order also established internal checkpoints at all entry and exit points of Cagsing and Calabawan. Border checkpoints were designated in barangays Looc, Palanas, Mangaco and Salamanca.

Land and highway controls will be led by the National Police, with support from barangay officials, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. The Coast Guard’s Ginatilan station was tasked with helping prevent unauthorized entry through coastal and shoreline areas.

The order also bars the entry into Ginatilan of live pigs, pork and other swine products originating from Negros Oriental, identified in the directive as a high-risk area.

The municipality has further prohibited livestock transport trucks or carriers from entering its barangays to load, unload, buy or sell livestock.

Vehicles merely passing through the national road between Looc and Palanas may continue to travel through Ginatilan provided they do not stop or engage in livestock-related transactions.

Violating vehicles or cargo may be turned back and subjected to inspection, quarantine or disposal upon direction of the veterinary authorities.

The executive order also temporarily suspended livestock trading throughout Ginatilan, including transactions normally conducted during market days on Tuesdays and Fridays. The suspension will remain in effect until lifted by the Municipal Agriculture Office with the concurrence of the Provincial Veterinary Office.

Field animal services have also been put on hold. The deployment of animal technicians and artificial-insemination personnel to farms and swine holdings was suspended to reduce the possibility of transmitting the virus through personnel, equipment and other materials.

Province-wide surveillance

THE measures imposed at Ginatilan came as the PVO expanded ASF surveillance across Cebu.

The office has collected around 2,101 blood samples from backyard and commercial hog farms in 25 localities, with laboratory results from 19 LGUs so far showing no ASF detection. The LGUs with negative results are Bantayan, San Francisco, Poro, San Fernando, Santa Fe, Tuburan, Cordova, Tudela, Carcar City, Pilar, Madridejos, Bogo City, Sibonga, Mandaue City, Liloan, Minglanilla, Talisay City, Sogod and Tabogon.

Results remain pending from San Remigio, Tabuelan, a second round of testing in Cordova, Pinamungajan, Borbon and Balamban.

Vincoy said the PVO has also stepped up farm-level biosecurity, disinfection activities and disease investigations, including traceback and trace-forward operations aimed at determining potential sources of infection and identifying locations that may have been exposed.

The provincial government is coordinating with the Department of Agriculture and affected local governments, while monitoring areas surrounding Ginatilan and conducting information campaigns on ASF prevention and animal-movement restrictions.

Authorities are also preparing possible assistance for hog raisers who could be affected by the containment measures.

ASF is a viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs. While it does not infect people, outbreaks can cause substantial losses to hog raisers and disrupt the movement and sale of live pigs and pork products.

The Ginatilan executive order will remain in force until lifted by the municipal mayor upon the recommendation of the Provincial Veterinary Office and the Department of Agriculture.