Category: Business Mirror

TOP junior standout Matthew Morris lived up to his billing after he won the boys’ 16- and 18-and-under singles crowns in the Cebu City Juniors Age Group Tennis Championships at the Villa Aurora and Alta Vista courts last Monday.

The Dumaguete City standout survived an early scare from Naga City leg champion Madison Rago, 6-4, 6-4, in the opening round of the 16-and-under division before cruising through the rest of the draw, including a commanding 6-2, 6-0 victory over doubles partner Jhunreal Espinosa in the final.

Morris carried that momentum into the more competitive 18-and-under class, dropping only two games in four matches and capping another imposing campaign with a 6-1, 6-0 dismantling of Claudwin Toñacao in the championship match.

Fresh from his impressive campaign in the Governor’s Cup in Dumaguete City last April, Morris completed his triple-title haul after joining forces with Espinosa to rout Al Jose Gairanod Jr. and Kristian Kilat, 8-2, in the 18-and-under doubles finals.

Ma. Caroliean Fiel matched Morris’s three-title feat on the girls’ side to share MVP honors in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop, the second stop of the three-stage Palawan Juniors Series Visayas.

The Ormoc City ace overcame her toughest challenge in the girls’ 14-and-under semifinals, battling past Naga City leg winner and doubles partner Nadine Seno, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, before overwhelming Niña Orlanes, 6-0, 6-0.

Seeded second in the premier girls’ 18-and-under category, Fiel also upended top seed Mitchellen Cruspero, 6-2, 7-6(2), then partnered with Seno to dominate Jaynelle Castro and Arianna Tiongko, 8-1, for the 14-and-under doubles championship backed by the Palawan Group of Companies.

Also emerging victorious in the week-long tournament, sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association and the Universal Tennis Rating were Andrio Estrella of Asturias, Cebu; Cebu City’s Val Gairanod and Arianna Tiongko; and Cruspero of Negros Oriental.

Estrella edged Rago, 7-5, 6-4, to claim the boys’ 14-and-under singles crown, while Gairanod defeated Everett Niere, 6-1, 7-6(4), for the 12-and-under title.

Tiongko stunned top seed Jaynelle Castro, 6-1, 6-2, to rule the girls’ 12-and-under division, while Cruspero rebounded from her loss to Fiel by beating Donna Diamante, 6-1, 6-2, for the girls’ 18-and-under championship.

Following a successful Mindanao swing, the Visayas circuit-an initiative of Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro-continues its mission of bringing consistent, high-level tournaments closer to young athletes, sharpening their competitive skills and preparing them for bigger national and international stages.

In doubles, Val Gairanod teamed up with Xian Calagos to outlast Dale Diamante and Estrella, 8-6, in the boys’ 14-and-under finals, while Cruspero and and Donna Diamante outlasted Danica Diamante and Juliana Tenepre, 8-7(5) for the girls’ 18-and-under title.

With Alex Eala continuing to make history and inspire a new generation of Filipino players on the global stage, the series has become an increasingly important pathway for identifying and developing the country’s next wave of elite talents.

The Visayas leg concludes with its final stop at the Mandaue courts on July 23-28, where another batch of promising juniors will seek valuable ranking points and another opportunity to move one step closer to following in Eala’s footsteps.

THE government stands to save as much as P40 billion annually by eliminating duplicated technology spending across agencies, a windfall from its e-governance push that will also bankroll a fund to tap local start-ups next year.

In an interview on Wednesday, Undersecretary for E-Government David Almirol of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said government agencies requested more than P200 billion for information and communications technology (ICT) projects for 2025 alone, much of it overlapping.

‘When we looked at it, there was so much duplication, so many redundancies, so many repetitions. So, if you put governance to it, we estimate we can save around P30 billion to P40 billion from that,’ he said on the sidelines of the eGov Hackathon event in Taguig.

Almirol cited human resources payroll systems and asset management platforms that individual agencies seek to build separately – each easily costing hundreds of millions of pesos – when a single shared system could serve all of them for free.

Bulk procurement of blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) subscriptions could also yield bigger discounts, he added.

The DICT has, likewise, decommissioned 60 percent of cloud services in e-government since 2023 after finding that many servers were being paid for but left unused, cutting costs further.

He explained that the savings are being generated under Republic Act 12054, or the E-Governance Act, which mandates the streamlining of government digital processes and bars agencies from duplicating systems.

Almirol said the agency will allocate at least P100 million next year to engage start-ups as systems integrators, developers, or research and development (RandD) partners-not as investment recipients.

‘They’ve already built a lot of things. Why repeat them?’ he said. ‘Instead of engaging foreign entities that are very expensive, Filipinos are more than capable of doing it.’

The engagement will draw from a pool of 137 startups, spanning education technology, financial technology, agriculture technology, health technology, peace and order applications, and automation tools for local government units.

Priority will likely go to start-ups with integration capabilities, Almirol said, as the eGov PH super app now has some 1,300 government systems integrated, with more in the pipeline.

The engagement will also cover cybersecurity, including white-hat hackers who can help secure the platform.

Almirol acknowledged continued pushback from some agencies and local governments hesitant to integrate, which he attributed to vested interests threatened by the cost reductions.

‘Big savings mean smaller business for some,’ he said. ‘The government is not a business; we’re here to help. At the end of the day, it’s taxpayers’ money being used in government.’

Titan Ultra head coach Rensy Bajar challenged his players to commit on defense on the way to shocking reigning champion TNT Tropang 5G, 103-87, on Wednesday in Season 50 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City.

Import Tirrell Brown powered the Giant Risers to 29 points and 10 rebounds plus five assists to finally snap a three-game losing skid and make it at the win column at the expense of one of the league’s most dominant teams.

‘I challenged all my players to commit on defense because in our last three games, we really played so terrible,’ Bajar said. ‘We deeply committed to our rebounding and transition defense, so we really worked so hard.’

Jerrick Balanza, Bryan Sajonia, and Joshua Munzon posted 13 points while Fran Yu issued 11 assists and scored five points.

TNT Tropang 5G fell to 1-1 despite Darius Days’ 21 points. But the locals had anemic performances with Roger Pogoy posting only 10 points and Rey Nambatac finishing only with just five points.

Meanwhile, San Miguel Beer cruised to 128-122 win over Converge to remain unbeaten in four games

The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) aims to empower electric cooperatives (ECs) via capital infusion which will enhance their power distribution services.

‘We’re looking at all the other electric cooperatives in general. So, because basically this is a nation-building effort of Meralco…Most of the electric cooperatives are non-profit entities and they cannot attract investment because of that structure.

Under Section 57 of Epira [Electric Power Industry Reform Act], they are allowed to convert into stock corporations to encourage infusion of private capital,’ said Meralco Senior Vice President Arnel Casanova said.

Meralco said it is keen on helping Batangas II Electric Cooperative Inc. (Batelec II), South Cotabato Electric Cooperative II (Socoteco II), and Albay Electric Cooperative (Aleco).

For Batelec II, Meralco has submitted a joint venture proposal instead of a takeover, vowing to invest to upgrade aging facilities and modernize power infrastructure.

The company said ‘it makes sense’ for Meralco to offer its services to Batelec II since the company already serves the cities and municipalities of Sto. Tomas, Batangas City, and San Pascual.

‘I think it’s very fast for us to improve the reliability of power because we have 13 substations surrounding the entire province. We could just connect them to the Meralco existing management. This will make the power more reliable and lessen and reduce the system losses, making it much more efficient.

Definitely, the objective is really to eliminate or reduce brownouts and power interruptions,’ said Casanova.

The Batelec II board of directors earlier approved a competitive selection process (CSP) to help choose its private partner.

‘Based on the news, they are finalizing the terms of reference. We are waiting for that. We’ll wait for that and then we will see. We will definitely participate in the bidding,’ said Casanova.

A CSP is a government-mandated bidding procedure that distribution utilities like Meralco must conduct to secure power supply agreements (PSAs). It is primarily designed to ensure transparency, promote market competition, and find the lowest-cost electricity available for consumers.

By forcing generation companies to bid against each other, the CSP helps keep electricity rates down and protects customers from the volatile pricing of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.

Meralco has also submitted its formal intent to do the same with Socoteco II. ‘We’re also looking at the Socoteco 2 in General Santos. Hopefully, they bid it out similarly to what BATELEC has done, because it actually ensures more transparency and it’s for the best interest of the member consumers.’

He said they haven’t heard from Socoteco II after Meralco’s letter of intent was submitted. ‘We actually encourage them to bid it out because we know that there’s also other parties that are interested.

So, to ensure that the process will be more transparent, we encourage them to actually bid it out. Well, I don’t know if they have a decision yet.’

Meralco has also set its sights on Aleco to be able to have a better service. ‘We are studying that and hopefully, Aleco will be welcoming enough to provide us with the necessary information so we could make a better proposal,’ Casanova said.

MORE than 12 million beneficiaries all over the country have already benefited from the P20-per-kilo rice that President Marcos promised during the campaign in 2022.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government’s flagship ‘Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!’ continues to expand, making P20-per-kilo rice now available in around 800 participating outlets nationwide.

The Department of Agriculture targets to have 1,500 outlets by the end of the year to bring affordable, quality rice closer to Filipino families in more communities while strengthening support for local farmers and fishermen, Tiu Laurel said.

‘Ang target natin ay iyong mga lower income lalo na ang mga PWD [persons with disability], 4P beneficiaries, single parents at seniors. Target natin is 15 million households,’ the agriculture chief said.

The program currently distributes around 15,000 to 20,000 metric tons of P20 rice every month, with the DA aiming to double this to 40,000 metric tons monthly by December to ensure that more Filipino families can access affordable staple food amid global and local challenges.

Despite the effects of El Niño, the DA assured the public that the country’s food supply remains stable, emphasizing that there is no reason for concern as the government continues to implement measures to secure the nation’s food needs.

‘Marami naman tayong supply, ample, walang cause for any alarm, we are food secure,’ Tiu Laurel said.

Beyond making rice more affordable, the initiative also creates a reliable market for locally produced palay, allowing farmers to earn better while ensuring consumers benefit from lower food costs. ‘Masayang-masaya ang farmers….Nakakatulong talaga sa kanilang kabuhayan,’ he noted.

To further strengthen the agriculture sector, the DA continues to invest in long-term interventions such as solar-powered irrigation systems, farm-to-market roads, agricultural credit through the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), climate resilience programs for farmers and fisherfolk, and measures to prevent fish kills during extreme weather conditions.

The department is likewise accelerating infrastructure investments through public-private partnerships, with a target of constructing 10,000 kilometers of farm-to-market roads within two years, while also pursuing the country’s first three mega hatcheries to boost aquaculture production and improve the livelihood of fishing communities.

The DA is also pushing reforms that encourage greater investments in rice milling, drying, and storage facilities to strengthen the local rice industry, reduce dependence on imports, and create more opportunities for Filipino farmers over the long term.

For Tiu Laurel, the department’s mission extends beyond increasing production-it is about helping Filipino farmers and fisherfolk build sustainable livelihoods. ‘Tanging hangad ko ay kumita ang ating mga farmers and fisherfolks. While in office, one of my main missions is to create the atmosphere and give them the infrastructure for them to be able to make money.’

The agriculture chief likewise encouraged stakeholders to continue working with the government in improving the country’s food systems. ‘Kung meron kayong gustong paratingin at mga ideas, it is very welcome and we have an open structure. Ang utos po ng Pangulo ay tutukan nang maayos ang agrikultura, hopefully ma-aayos namin lahat ng mga problema ninyo,’ he said.

PRESIDENT Marcos led the distribution of over P3.4 billion worth of assistance to beneficiaries to in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as part of the national and regional governments’ efforts to ensure nationwide inclusive development.

The Chief Eexecutive said the rollout of the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang (BBM) Program and the Bangsamoro Government Convergence Program aims ‘to foster mutual trust and shared responsibility between the national and BARMM government.’

At least a thousand people benefitted from the programs.

‘The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the National Government of the Republic of the Philippines are advancing a shared vision of a more peaceful, prosperous, and inclusive Philippines, guided by the belief that the strength of our nation rests on the well-being and the dignity of every Filipino,’ Marcos said in his speech at the event held at Camp Brig. Gen. Gonzalo Siongco, the headquarters of the Army’s Sixth Infantry ‘Kampilan’ Division, in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, on Wednesday.

Among those who attended the event, were BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, Bangsamoro Transition Authority Speaker Mohammad Yacob, and BARMM Ministry of the Interior and Local Government Minister Jordan Bayam.

Under the Bangsamoro Government Convergence Program, the Bangsamoro government released P2.9 billion, to make essential services within its jurisdiction more accessible.

Of the said amount from the Bangsamoro Government, P100 million came from its MILG for the disaster relief and recovery initiatives of the local governments (LGU) of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi.

Other BARMM ministries that participated in the distribution event are those of Labor and Employment, that released P150 million for the Bangsamoro Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (BTupad) assistance and P15.7 million Reintegration Program for Balik Bangsamoro Hanap Trabaho program; of Trade, Investments and Tourism, that distributed P64 million for the tourism parks; and of Human Settlements and Development that gave P38.8 million for 50 resettlement housing units.

The BARMM-Unified Program Management Office came out with P1 billion worth of livelihood and socioeconomic assistance for former combatants of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (Biaf) and Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade (Biwab), as well as widows of war, and orphans of war.

BARMM’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications released P18.7 million for its Pantawid Pasada Fuel Subsidy cash cards; the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education released P883 million worth of learners’ kits, teachers’ kits, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training scholarship training allowances;

The Ministry of Science and Technology distributed P14.9 million worth of Science and Technology (SandT) educational grants and cash assistance to Mujahideen Assistance for Science Education (Mase) and Professional Assistance for Science Education (Pase) grantees; and the Ministry of Social Services and Development provided P687 million worth of financial subsidies and emergency assistance to indigent Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), individuals in crisis situations, and orphan children.

The Ministry of Health turned over P5 million worth of Operation Centers (Opcens) were turned over to the MOH-Special Geographics Area, and P16.4 million worth of Transitional Development Impact Fund 2026 Tulong Medical Assistance was released to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) and Iranon District Hospital (IDH); the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs distributed PP175,000 in financial assistance to tribesmen affected by disasters; the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (Mafar) released PP2 million worth of portable solar water pumps, boat engines, Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (Cloas), Emancipation Patents (EPs), and rice and corn combined harvesters; and Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources also awarded land titles valued at P150,000 to qualified Bangsamoro beneficiaries.

The BARMM government also released P3 million worth of food packages, medical services, and livelihood assistance from its Project Tulong Alay sa Bangsamorong Nangangailangan (Tabang) was provided to vulnerable Bangsamoro individuals, families, patients, and emergency-affected communities.

For its part, the national government, disbursed P433 million from Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF) of the Office of the President to support the priority projects of the LGUs of Cotabato City, Lanao del Sur; Tawi-Tawi; Maguindanao del Sur; Maguindanao del Norte; and Basilan under the BBM program.

Barangay beneficiaries of the BBM program each get P200,000 with P100,000 of that amount to be used to for educational assistance, and the other half for key priority initiatives of the barangay.

Marcos said from April 8 to July 17, the government distributed almost P7 billion to 34,800 barangays nationwide.

‘Moving forward, this Administration remains steadfast in pursuing reforms that enhance the quality of life of every Filipino, strengthen the foundations of our economy, and to ensure that no community is left behind,’ he said.

The defense panel on Wednesday questioned why the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) created a special task force to investigate alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. but did not do the same for alleged threats against Vice President Sara Duterte.

During the ninth day of Duterte’s impeachment trial, defense counsel Mark Vinluan cited Administrative Order No. 11, which established a special NBI task force in April 2026 to investigate alleged threats to the President.

Reading from the order, Vinluan noted that the task force was created because such threats were considered grave offenses with implications for national security and the stability of government.

He then asked NBI Director Melvin Matibag whether alleged threats against the Vice President should likewise be considered grave offenses with far-reaching implications for public safety and government stability.

The prosecution objected, arguing that the question called for speculation, but Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero overruled the objection.

Matibag replied that threats against the President and other high-ranking government officials affect national security and public safety.

Vinluan then asked whether the NBI had formed a similar special task force to investigate alleged threats against Duterte.

‘There was none, as far as I can recall,’ Matibag replied.

The defense also cited Question and Answer No. 13 of Annex G-9 in the NBI records, which referred to an alleged threat against the Vice President.

‘Nakalagay doon may threat daw po. Tama po,’ Matibag confirmed.

Vinluan also asked whether Matibag, after assuming office on Feb. 20, 2026, initiated a motu proprio investigation into the alleged threats against Duterte.

Matibag said no subpoena had been issued to the Vice President because investigating officers had informed him of her previous non-attendance in NBI and House proceedings.

Asked whether the NBI also intended to subpoena former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Matibag said the bureau planned to do so but was still evaluating the testimonies of 18 alleged former Marines who claimed they served as bagmen in the alleged ?805-billion flood control kickback scheme, in which Romualdez and other politicians were implicated.

Vinluan also questioned whether Matibag had personally issued subpoenas to individuals who attended Duterte’s Nov. 22, 2024 press conference. Matibag said subpoenas had been issued, but Vinluan argued those were issued by Matibag’s predecessor.

The defense then contrasted the bureau’s handling of the two cases.

‘Insofar as the alleged threat against the President, there is an ongoing investigation. But in terms of the alleged threat against the Vice President, there is no ongoing investigation?’ Vinluan asked.

‘There is a big difference, Your Honor,’ Matibag replied, without elaborating.

On Tuesday, Matibag testified that the NBI continues to investigate Duterte over her Nov. 23, 2024 video statement in which she said that if she were killed, she had instructed someone to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Romualdez.

He also testified, however, that the NBI had not monitored any credible or actual threat to Duterte’s life, although it treated her public statements seriously because of their potential implications for national security.

Three dams that provide water for irrigation and power generation have fallen below minimum operating levels, based on a July 21 report released by the state weather bureau. Data available on the website of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) showed the alarming water levels of Angat, San Roque, and Pantabangan dams. The latest update indicated that water in Pantabangan and Angat continued to decline in the past 24 hours.

Based on the report from Pagasa, the water level of Angat Dam-which also supplies the drinking water needs of Metro Manila-reached 152.20 meters, lower than its minimum operating level of 180 meters. The water level of Pantabangan Dam nosedived to 176.82 meters, also well below its minimum operating level of 207 meters. Only San Roque Dam maintained its water level in the past 24 hours, but it has yet to return to its minimum operating level of 237 meters as of 8 a.m. of July 21.

Pagasa declared the onset of the rainy season over the western sections of Luzon and Visayas on June 4, yet the rainfall received by Luzon in recent weeks has not been enough to fill its dams. This is a cause for concern as Luzon is home to some of the major rice-producing areas in the country including Nueva Ecija-the Philippines’s rice granary and Cagayan Valley, which considers rice as its second most important crop. Water scarcity in Luzon-the most populous island in the country-poses a threat to the production of the country’s staple, which the Philippines has been importing in large quantities in recent years.

This problem is not new as the Philippines had to make do with scarce water supply especially during the hot dry season months. Dams are usually replenished when certain areas experience rainfall even before the habagat or monsoon season begins. This year, however, the Philippines received reduced rainfall and the super El Niño could even worsen the water situation in the country particularly in the latter part of the year. (See, ‘PHL braces for super El Niño as 47 provinces seen facing dry conditions by November 2026,’ in the BusinessMirror, June 3, 2026).

The water situation of Luzon and possibly the whole country by the fourth quarter due to El Niño and the uncertainty caused by the Middle East war are recipes for disaster, particularly if the government is not prepared to cushion their impact. Some government officials have asked for prayers to shield the Philippines from a super El Niño, but beyond prayers, the public is counting on the state to take proactive measures that will minimize the impact of the weather phenomenon on the local farm sector. It would do well for policymakers to remember that the Philippines has remained a net food importer and it cannot rely on other countries for its food requirements for the next two years, particularly if they are also hit by El Niño.

REPRESENTATIVE Wallace Chow of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines, on behalf of the Government of Taiwan, turned over a $200,000 donation to the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO).

The financial support was aimed at augmenting the Philippine government’s relief and recovery efforts for communities affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao on June 8.

MECO board member Cherbett Karen Maralit formally received the donation in accordance with established protocols. Representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Office of Civil Defense also attended the ceremony as witnesses, which reaffirmed the close cooperation between Taiwan and the Philippines in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR).

In his remarks, Chow relayed the deepest sympathies of the government and people of Taiwan to all those affected by the devastating earthquake. He also commended the resilience and unity demonstrated by the Filipino people as they continue their recovery efforts.

The representative noted that ‘Taiwan and the Philippines are close neighbors that share similar vulnerabilities to earthquakes and other natural disasters.’ He recalled that after Supertyphoon Nando (international name: Ragasa) struck his hometown of Hualien in September last year, which caused severe mudflows and flooding, hundreds of Filipino nationals living in Taiwan-many of whom are overseas workers-volunteered alongside Taiwanese communities to help clear mud and debris from the affected areas.

Their participation embodied the Filipino spirit of bayanihan, which Chow described as ‘Taiwanihan,’ and reflected the enduring friendship and mutual support between the two people.

Chow expressed his hope that the $200,000 donation would not only provide humanitarian assistance as part of the collective recovery effort but also serve as symbols of compassion, friendship, and partnership between the ‘neighbors.’ He further reaffirmed Taiwan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with the Philippines and deepening cooperation in HA/DR.

During the ceremony, Subic Bay Taiwan Chamber of Commerce president Best Chang also presented a cash donation of P360,000 on behalf of the chamber, which TECO said further demonstrated the solidarity and goodwill of the Taiwanese community in support of Filipinos.

On behalf of MECO, Maralit expressed heartfelt gratitude to the government and people of Taiwan for their consistent and timely support whenever the Philippines faces adversity. She conveyed the Filipino people’s appreciation and emphasized that all assistance would be directed to those who need them most.

MECO board member Norman Villanueva and secretary Lucy Yap, as well as DSWD and OCD representatives also attended the ceremony.

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