Category: Business Mirror

SMART Communications Inc. is bringing the excitement of the Philippine International Challenge 2026 closer to fans nationwide through PusoP.com where selected elimination-round matches and all finals matches will be streamed live and free.

The event that started Tuesday at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City and will end Sunday brings together 220 athletes from 28 countries in one of the country’s premier international badminton events.

Hosted and organized by the Philippine Badminton Association (PBAD), the competition highlights the Philippines’s growing presence in the international badminton community while providing local athletes the opportunity to compete against top global talent on home soil.

Smart and the MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF) are supporting the tournament as part of their commitment to sports development and athlete excellence.

The support also reflects the long-standing passion of PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan for badminton, a sport that remains close to his heart and one he has championed through the years.

PusoP.com, Smart’s digital sports platform continues to make Philippine sports more accessible by bringing fans closer to athletes, teams and sporting moments that inspire the nation.

‘Sports play an important role in nation-building. It teaches discipline, resilience, and teamwork, while bringing communities together behind a common goal,’ said Jude Turcuato, FVP and Head of Sports at PLDT and Smart. ‘Through our support for the Philippine International Challenge and platforms like PusoP.com, we are helping make world-class badminton more accessible to Filipinos, inspiring more young people to embrace the sport and creating opportunities for the next generation of athletes to pursue excellence.’

‘This tournament is an important opportunity for our athletes and for the growth of badminton in the country,’ PBAD secretary-general Shawntel Nicole Nietosaid. ‘By bringing together players from around the world, we provide valuable international exposure for Filipino athletes while inspiring more young people to take up the sport.’

The momentum continues with the PBAD Juniors Tournament from August 4 to 9 also at Gameville Central Park.

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is seeking a proposed budget of some P270 billion for 2027, with the largest allocations intended for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS).

The proposed funding will enable the department to further strengthen the country’s social protection programs in line with the priorities outlined by President Marcos in his fifth State of the Nation Address, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in a radio interview.

Gatchalian said approximately P100 billion of the proposed budget would be allocated to 4Ps. The allocation reflects the government’s sustained investment in education, health, and nutrition to help Filipino families achieve self-sufficiency.

‘I saw the preliminary draft, and we are pleased because it reflects what we requested. Of the DSWD’s P260 billion to P270 billion budget, around P100 billion is immediately allocated to 4Ps. This is an important investment in human capital that helps lift our fellow Filipinos out of poverty. To date, 1.6 million families have graduated from 4Ps. That represents the number of families we have helped move out of poverty,’ Gatchalian said.

Another significant portion of the proposed budget, estimated at P30 billion to P60 billion, will support AICS.

‘The next largest allocation normally ranges from P30 billion to P60 billion, depending on subsequent amendments. This amount supports AICS, which provides financial assistance to people in crisis,’ Gatchalian explained.

He emphasized that AICS is available not only to low-income families but also to Filipinos from other economic groups who may suddenly require government assistance.

The remaining portion of the proposed budget will fund other DSWD social protection initiatives, including the Walang Gutom Program, Pag-abot Program, Project Aruga, and child protection services.

Beyond financial assistance, the DSWD chief said the remaining portion of the proposed budget will support the department’s other social protection programs, including the Walang Gutom Program (WGP), Pag-abot Program, Project Aruga, and child protection initiatives.

‘The balance will support our other programs, such as the Walang Gutom food stamp initiative, the Pag-abot Program for people living on the streets, and Project Aruga for families caring for children with special needs. It will also help strengthen families and protect children through financial assistance and psychosocial and emotional interventions,’ Gatchalian said.

The DSWD is also intensifying its efforts to help Filipino families address emerging challenges associated with the digital age. These efforts include the Parent Effectiveness Service under the Department’s protective services programs and the Family Development Sessions under 4Ps.

‘As the world and technology continue to evolve, our children are increasingly exposed to sexualized and violent content online, as the president mentioned. The DSWD is, therefore, expanding the implementation of Parent Effectiveness Sessions, which help parents better understand and perform their responsibilities at home. After all, parents are their children’s first teachers,’ the secretary said.

Gatchalian also announced that the department plans to establish five additional regional residential facilities to improve rehabilitation services for children in conflict with the law.’

Millions of Filipinos without bank accounts, credit cards or formal borrowing records could gain access to loans using their digital financial transactions under a bill pending in the House of Representatives.

House Bill No. 9149, or the proposed Open Finance and Consumer Data Empowerment Act of 2025, would give consumers the right to authorize accredited financial institutions to access up to 24 months of their financial and transactional data for credit evaluation.

The measure would allow lenders to consider alternative data-including e-wallet transactions, utility bill payments, subscription records and rewards card activity-in assessing a borrower’s creditworthiness, even without a traditional banking relationship.

‘The digital economy has outpaced our regulatory infrastructure. Filipinos are generating rich financial data every day through their phones, their e-wallets, and their utility payments. We aim to leverage that data to democratize access to financial tools and services that have long been unavailable for millions,’ Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, a co-author of the bill, said.

The proposal comes as digital payments accounted for 57.4 percent of all retail payment transactions in the Philippines in 2024, with an estimated 58 million Filipinos using e-wallets. Despite the rapid shift to digital payments, many Filipinos remain outside the formal financial system.

Todd Schweitzer, a trustee of the Fintech Alliance Philippines, said the measure would both expand financial inclusion and create new opportunities for financial service providers.

‘Filipinos are digital natives and have rich data sources beyond banking data to demonstrate their creditworthiness. What’s been missing is the legal right to put that data to work, and the mandate for data-holding institutions to provide that data upon the consumer’s request,’ Schweitzer said.

The bill proposes the creation of a Consumer Data Commission (CDC) under the Office of the President to oversee the implementation of the law.

The commission would have jurisdiction over banks, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, utilities and other entities that collect and maintain consumer data.

It would be chaired by a commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission and co-chaired by at least a deputy governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Representatives from the National Privacy Commission, National Telecommunications Commission and Philippine Competition Commission, along with four private-sector experts, would also serve on the body.

Among its functions would be setting technical and security standards for data sharing, accrediting entities authorized to receive consumer data, conducting compliance audits, enforcing sanctions against violators, submitting annual reports to Congress and reviewing the law every two years.

El Niño is one weather phenomenon we should not take for granted. It can do more damage to the economy and the population than higher oil prices-and its adverse effects can be more lasting.

Water supply and food security are the most vulnerable from this freak of nature. Water elevation at Angat Dam in Bulacan, for one, already dipped to an alarming record low of 152.12 meters in the middle of last week.

The dam’s water level is 28.43 meters below its 180-meter minimum operating level and well below its 212-meter normal high water level. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, or Pagasa, earlier said the water level could hit 150 meters by the end of July.

The agency warned the water level at the dam may even drop to 149 meters, especially with the El Niño episode expected to persist in the coming months.

The receding water level directly impacts on our agricultural farmers. Less irrigation from dams could mean reduced farm output and lower farmers’ income. I can already imagine the anxiety of our farmers.

The water elevation of San Roque Dam in Pangasinan last week plunged from 277.44 meters to 227.41 meters; Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija from 176.82 meters to 176.64 meters; and Caliraya Dam in Laguna from 287.05 meters to 287.00 meters. These dams primarily supply water to the Cagayan Valley region and Central Luzon, or the Rice Granary of the Philippines.

House Speaker Faustino G. Dy III, who hails from Isabela, is naturally alarmed over the creeping El Niño. Speaking at the House Committee on Agriculture and Food’s El Niño briefing, Mr. Dy stressed that the country has already experienced the severe consequences of prolonged drought on agriculture, food supply and the economy.

The country’s rice output in recent years has declined and El Niño couldn’t come at a better time. Philippine rice production contracted from 2023 to 2024 by 12 percent to 15 percent, leading to higher rice prices and affecting millions of Filipinos.

I commiserate with Mr. Dy’s home province. Prolonged dry conditions are damaging farmlands, straining irrigation systems and contributing to fish kills in the Magat Reservoir.

As in any impending disaster, it is best for authorities to plan ahead and minimize the damage of El Niño, or any weather disturbance for that matter.

The monitoring of Magat Dam’s water levels and coordination with irrigation managers to plan water releases and predict available water supply are critical before conditions worsen.

Assistance to farmers and fisher folk, including fuel subsidies, will likewise soften the blow on the rural economy while advancing longer-term investments in irrigation systems are equally urgent. It is time for authorities to invest more on water-efficient technologies, climate-resilient agriculture and additional water-harvesting and multipurpose dam projects to counter El Niño.

As I have been saying in this column, the government must invest more on irrigation canals to insulate our farmers from hot weather conditions.

The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that more blistering heatwaves and other weather extremes are becoming increasingly likely across the world now and in the coming months.

According to WHO’s monthly Global Seasonal Climate Update, strong El Niño conditions are expected to develop rapidly from July to September, with ‘high confidence’ in this outlook.

It is based on multi-model forecasting from WMO partners, which indicates a ‘consistent and significant warming of ocean temperatures’ across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, with seasonal-average sea-surface temperature anomalies expected to exceed 2°C in monitored regions.

Drier weather patterns are also forecast in parts of Indonesia and Southeast Asia during the monsoon season.

El Niño events typically occur every two to seven years and usually last between nine and 12 months. They often begin developing between March and June, reach peak intensity between November and February, and exert their strongest influence on global temperatures in the year following their onset.

The Philippines lies on the western side of the Pacific Ocean, where extreme weather conditions usually develop. El Niño and La Nina should always prepare us for any eventuality to minimize disaster risks, and protect our population and livelihoods.

THERE’s a ‘slim chance’ for the central bank to aggressively raise the key interest rate at its upcoming monetary policy meeting in August amid new upward pressures to inflation.

That’s what Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. told reporters when asked on the possibility of a 50-basis points hike after the Monetary Board of the BSP convenes in its August 27 policy meeting.

‘May chance naman. Pero baka maliit na chance,’ Remolona said. ‘Malaking volatility ‘yung last week. Maraming nangyari last week, lumakas ‘yung dollar ng husto last week.’

The central bank chief also told reporters that the BSP remains pensive given the recent economic developments. The latter includes the historic wage hike for workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the 12.5-percent tariffs slapped by the United States on Philippine exports, among others.

‘Lahat ‘yun sinasaksak namin sa mga model namin. We’re still refining because the models don’t necessarily take account of the uncertainty so we’re still calibrating that. But the usual price of rice goes up, the price of oil goes up-those things in themselves you can just stick them into models,’ Remolona added.

However, what the central bank still has to integrate into its models are: the ‘associated uncertainty and associated effect on confidence.’

Remolona noted that the central bank is still running its estimates on the size of the impact on inflation of the recently-announced P85 daily minimum wage hike in NCR.

He earlier told reporters that the recent wage adjustment may have ‘significant’ impact on inflation but the ‘sensitivities’ of this adjustment may have to be further analysed.

‘We’ll have to do the numbers. Unusual ito, eh,’ Remolona told reporters in an interview on July 3.

During that interview, however, he said the recent wage adjustment ‘will probably not’ lead to a jumbo or 50-basis-points hike.

The central bank’s annual minimum wage increase assumption for 2026 was way below the actual minimum wage hike or the P85 approved by the NCR wage board for this year, the BSP’s latest monetary policy report showed.

‘The assumed annual minimum wage increase is 6.7 percent for 2026, in line with the previous year’s wage adjustment in the National Capital Region,’ the BSP said in its ‘Monetary Policy Report.’

The wage hike approved by the NCR wage board is equivalent to a 12.23-percent expansion of worker’s pockets.

Minimal intervention

MEANWHILE, Remolona also revealed that the BSP minimally intervened in the foreign exchange market last week when the peso continued to weaken against the dollar. He emphasized, however, that the central bank usually limits its interventions, especially amid a strong greenback.

‘May konti-konti lang,’ Remolona said when asked if the central bank intervened in the market last week.

Last week, the Philippine peso slumped anew to P61.75 against the dollar on the back of a re-escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran which led to elevated crude oil prices.

Just two days later, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor would warrant a 10-percent or 12.5-percent tariff on 60 trading partners, subject to ‘certain product exemptions.’

Washington’s announcement, thus, added another layer to global economic uncertainties-fueling the demand for safe-haven dollar assets and dragging the Philippine peso to a new record low of P61.847 against the greenback last Friday.

‘When it’s a strong dollar, we limit intervention to just maintain orderly markets,’ Remolona explained. ‘Because if we intervene against a strong dollar, we’re just helping the rest of the world get their dollars. Binibigyan natin sila ng dollars. Wala tayong laban sa ganoon. Uubusin lang natin ang dollars natin.’

Data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) showed that the Philippine peso closed at P61.614 against the dollar last Tuesday, 6.1 centavos stronger than its previous finish of P61.675 on Monday.

‘In terms of the game theory, we might say the universe is so constituted as to maximize play. The best games are not those in which all goes smoothly and steadily toward a certain conclusion, but those in which the outcome is always in doubt. Similarly, the geometry of life is designed to keep us at the point of maximum tension between certainty and uncertainty, order and chaos. Every important call is a close one. We survive and evolve by the skin of our teeth. We really wouldn’t want it any other way.’-George Leonard

MUCH have been said and written about the pockets of wars, viral infections, corruption, hunger, floods, earthquakes, impeachment trial, and more. We live in chaotic and uncertain times. In the realm of the business world, there is that very primary program of emergency, crisis and business continuity management; in simple terms, risk management. On a personal level, what is the counterpart?

Social media, access to information (both legitimate and fake), the speed of communication and robust technological advancement facilitate informing/mis-informing the populace. How does one overcome the ‘overload’ of information that impacts on one’s mental health? How does one ‘survive’ chaos and uncertainty?

Resilience comes to mind. It is the modality to adopt in times of disruptions and uncertainty. Basically, it is the capacity to take on the challenges and recover, and the ability to bounce back.

On a layman’s level, what can one consider to adopt in uncertain and challenging/chaotic times?

May I suggest the following:

Control social media intake.

Do not readily believe everything thereon.

Focus only on things one can change or influence.

Stay positive within one’s limitations. and

Stay calm during high stress.

Some reminders, too:

One cannot control or change the world by oneself; and

One does not have the monopoly over what is right and good, and how to manage.

Some parting words: Pray, work, eat, and rest; then, repeat.

Conchita L. Manabat is an incorporator and the president of the Development Center for Finance, an incorporator and Trustee of San Carlos School of Cebu Inc. and a Trustee of the Coalition of Services for the Elderly. Dr. Manabat is also an incorporator of and Lifetime Fellow at the Institute of Corporate Directors and a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Council of the International Federation for Ethics and Audit. She also chairs the Advisory Council of the International Association of Financial Executives Institutes (IAFEI). The views and opinions she expressed herein are hers and do not necessarily represent the BusinessMirror.

Following the 5th State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Department of Education (DepEd) has reassured the public that it is fully aligned with the administration’s executive directives. The agency is prioritizing four critical areas: teacher welfare, school infrastructure, learner protection, and the employability of Senior High School graduates.

As Marcos outlined his key priorities for DepEd during his SONA, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara assured the public that the agency is working systematically and decisively to translate the Chief Executive’s policy vision into tangible improvements across basic education institutions nationwide.

‘Seryoso nating tinutupad ang marching orders ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos para sa sektor ng edukasyon….Bawat bilin ng Pangulo sa kanyang SONA-mula sa pangangalaga sa mga guro hanggang sa pagpapalakas ng kahandaan sa trabaho ng ating Senior High School graduates-ay direktang tinutugunan ng DepEd sa pamamagitan ng mga konkretong reporma at programa,’ he said.

In response to executive mandates prioritizing teacher welfare and administrative unburdening, DepEd confirmed that around 82,000 teachers and school heads have been promoted under the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System since 2025.

To further expand promotions, DepEd is working closely with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to secure a proposed P12 billion allocation for the continuous implementation of ECP for Fiscal Year 2027-doubling the allocation provided in the previous two fiscal years.

Simultaneously, the department is filling 32,916 new teaching positions and 32,268 various non-teaching positions for FY 2026 to strengthen school staffing and enable teachers to focus more on instruction.

The new non-teaching positions include 10,000 School Counselor Associate I positions to provide psychosocial support and learner well-being services, 11,268 Administrative Officer II positions to assume administrative functions previously performed by teachers, 5,000 Project Development Officer I positions to support the implementation of school programs and initiatives, and 6,000 School Principal I positions to strengthen instructional leadership and school management. These are part of the initiatives of the ongoing development of School Organizational Structure and Staffing Standards (SOSSS) which shall rationalize school operations.

Complementing these staffing initiatives is the digitization of 10 School Forms, undertaken in partnership with UNICEF, to streamline documentation, reporting, and school data management. Together, these interventions help reduce teachers’ administrative workload, enabling them to devote more time to teaching and learning.

These efforts are further supported by initiatives that promote the welfare and well-being of education personnel, including the expanded P10,000 Teaching Allowance, the P7,000 Medical Allowance, the provision of laptops and lapel microphones, and the grant of a five-day Wellness Leave for all personnel.

Addressing classroom backlogs, as directed by the Chief Executive, DepEd has completed 21,441 classrooms through the Basic Educational Facilities Fund (BEFF)-including 411 classrooms in Last Mile Schools-while coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government units (LGUs) for over 12,000 additional units. Furthermore, private sector partners are constructing an initial batch of over 16,000 classrooms in Luzon via Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), with upcoming expansions set for the Visayas and Mindanao.

In response to the President’s directive to strengthen the Senior High School curriculum and expand employment pathways, DepEd welcomed the Chief Executive’s sustained support for workforce readiness.

Apart from key milestones cited in the SONA-including over 1,500 SHS graduates hired on the spot during Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fairs and new qualification standards opening first-level government positions to SHS graduates-DepEd is implementing the nationwide rollout of the Strengthened Senior High School (SSHS) Program for SY 2026-2027.

By streamlining the curriculum and strengthening both Academic and Technical-Professional (TechPro) pathways, DepEd is enhancing work immersion, industry exposure, and career guidance and is aligning the SHS program with the goals of the National Education and Workforce Development Plan.

Working in close coordination with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), industry partners, and other stakeholders, the department is ensuring that SHS graduates are equipped with industry-aligned skills to confidently pursue higher education, employment, middle-level skills development, or entrepreneurship.

DepEd also reiterated its commitment to the President’s call for stronger child protection, implementing DepEd Order No. 6, s. 2026 or the Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment (ESMLE Policy) alongside its Child Protection, Anti-Bullying, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and Digital Citizenship policies.

Partnering with LGUs, barangays, the Philippine National Police (PNP), parents, and other stakeholders, DepEd is creating safe learning spaces against physical harm and online hazards like fake news and social media violence. This is reinforced by the presence of School Counselor Associates in schools for mental health support and expanded feeding programs serving 4.6 million learners, including all Kindergarten and Grade 1 learners as well as undernourished Grade 2 to Grade 6 learners.

On digital literacy, DepEd highlighted its lead in national AI readiness following the SONA updates. Through the AI Ready ASEAN Philippines program with the ASEAN Foundation and Google. org, DepEd has trained over 1.8 million Filipinos-including 1.3 million learners, 420,000 teachers, and 130,000 parents-making the Philippines as the country with the second highest number of beneficiaries across the region. Program materials from this initiative now serve as core references for DepEd’s official AI teacher training modules.

‘Tinitiyak natin na ang bawat direktiba ng ating Pangulo ay hindi nagtatapos sa pananalita lamang kundi nagiging totoong benepisyo para sa mga mag-aaral, guro, at magulang… Patuloy nating pinalalakas ang pundasyon ng ating sistema ng edukasyon upang masiguro na walang pamilyang Pilipino ang maiiwan sa ating pag-unlad,’ Angara said.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has earmarked P35 million to fund interventions to curb the spread of the pest infestation ravaging sugarcane plantations in Negros Island and Western Visayas.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the allotted P35 million would bankroll chemical spraying and drone operations, with an initial target covering 25,000 hectares.

This could expand to more than 45,000 hectares should the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation worsen.

Universal Leaf Philippines lent drones for aerial spraying, while the Air Force (PAF) would provide a C-130 ‘Hercules’ aircraft to transport chemicals once supplies are ready. The coverage in Negros Island could reach around 300 hectares daily.

In addition, Tiu Laurel said the DA and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) would distribute P10,000 in cash assistance to each validated affected farmer as immediate relief.

More than 12,300 farmers have already been validated, with the agency seeking additional funding to expand assistance to up to 20,000 beneficiaries.

‘This is about protecting an industry that supports thousands of farmers, workers, and their families,’ said Tiu Laurel.

‘Every hectare we save means protecting livelihoods, preserving sugar production, and keeping one of the country’s most important agricultural industries strong. We intend to act quickly, decisively, and in close partnership with local governments.’

RSSI has been reported to cause severe damage to sugarcane, stunting plant growth and reducing both cane yield and sugar content.

Of the 421,606 hectares planted to sugarcane this crop year, the agency said 93,898 hectares have been affected by RSSI.

It added that 92,295 hectares are situated in the Visayas, particularly Negros Island and Western Visayas. More than 12,700 farmers have already been identified as affected.

Beyond emergency response, the DA and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) have readied memorandum of agreement templates as part of efforts to reduce red tape and ease the provision of aid to planters.

This would allow funds to be downloaded directly to local government units (LGUs) and qualified cooperatives, enabling them to procure chemicals and supplies without lengthy bidding procedures.

The SRA will provide geotagged infestation data, technical assistance, and validated area estimates to guide local interventions.

Furthermore, the agencies urged municipalities, state universities, sugar mills, and farmers’ cooperatives to establish laboratories capable of producing biological control agents, making this standard practice in sugarcane production.

The SRA will provide laboratory designs, technical training, and mother cultures, enabling local facilities to build stockpiles in anticipation of future outbreaks.

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said containing the infestation right away is crucial to protecting both farmers and consumers.

‘Our objective is to minimize crop losses, stabilize sugar production, and prevent unnecessary disruptions in supply,’ Azcona said.

‘The faster we do this, the better we can protect farmers’ incomes, sustain milling operations, and help keep sugar prices stable for consumers.’

With the budget season in Congress set to start in the coming weeks, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged beneficiaries of the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) to ask Congress to raise the budget allocation next year for the said initiative, which has benefitted hundreds of barangays.

The chief executive made the proposal during the launch of the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program at the Capitol Grounds of the Provincial Capitol of Davao De Oro last Tuesday.

‘When it comes to its budget, let’s approach our congressmen, and tell them ‘This is a good program; please increase the funding for it,’ Marcos said in Filipino in his speech during the event.

‘So, if you have grievances or concerns, or if you see something good that you think should be done, please let us know. Tell your local officials, or tell the officials from government agencies-whether national or local,’ he added.

The LGSF is being used for the implementation of the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program, where each beneficiary receives 10 kilos of rice every two months. It is part of the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program.

The Presidential Communications Office said it has covered 1,276 barangays as of 20 July 2026.

Congress has allocated P57.87 billion for the LGSF this year the highest since its implementation. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) reported that as of June, around P46.53 billion of the LGSF this year was released to its recipients.

Marcos earlier said he will push for further raising the budget for LGSF next year.

While in the Davao region, Marcos also led in the distribution of P133 million worth of agricultural machinery, farm inputs, and fisheries assistance from the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

During the event, P113 million in Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF) assistance were distributed to 565 barangays in Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and Davao Occidental.

The President also inspected the new Medical Ward Building of the Davao de Oro Provincial Hospital (DDOPH)-Montevista.

The Office of the President provided the medical facility with P147.95 million under the SCPF to help in its rehabilitation after it was affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake last month.

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is planning to expand its network of marine protected areas (MPA) and is eyeing to secure ecologically important areas in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) and other areas within the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The KIG is administratively governed by the Municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan province, with Pagasa Island serving as its official seat of government.

Backed by almost a decade of Filipino-led marine scientific research, the effort underscores the importance of protecting the country’s waters and the communities that depend on the ocean’s bounty.

The call was raised during the symposium ‘Science-to-Stewardship-to- Sovereignty: A Decade of Marine Scientific Research in the West Philippine Sea’ organized by the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) and Ocean Environments Task Force, held in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.

‘Years of marine scientific research and expeditions have identified key ecosystems in the West Philippine Sea that are vital to Philippine biodiversity. Further, despite climate threats, these habitats are still able to deliver significant ecosystem services for Filipinos all over the country, from fisheries to genetic resources that support the entire West Philippine Sea,’ Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said.

Establishing MPAs in the area will help safeguard the biodiversity through scientific monitoring and enforcement of sustainable use guidelines, that help ensure these ecosystems remain healthy and continue to support the rich biodiversity found therein.

Cuna said the DENR-BMB and its partners conducted sufficient marine scientific research to support actionable conservation strategies for the delicate yet biodiverse ecosystems in the West Philippine Sea, and continues to monitor the ecosystems there.

From 2017 to 2025, the DENR conducted biodiversity expeditions under the Coastal Assessment for Rehabilitation Enhancement: Capability Development and Resiliency of EcoSystems (Care-CaDRES) and Predicting Responses between Ocean Transport and Ecological Connectivity of Threatened Ecosystems in the West Philippines Sea (Protect-WPS) projects. The studies examined the coastal and marine ecosystems of the West Philippine Sea and provided the scientific basis for the proposed protected areas.

The research was carried out in partnership with the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Navy (PN), the Coast Guard (PCG), the National Coast Watch Council, and other government and academic institutions.

Subsequent studies further expanded scientific understanding of the West Philippine Sea. Under the Integrated Research for Biodiversity Conservation and Carbon Sequestration in the West Philippine Sea (BioConSeq-WPS) project, researchers documented 49 fish species previously unrecorded in the Kalayaan Island Group, including eagle rays and endangered wrasses. The project also recorded rare corals and confirmed the first seagrass beds in Rizal Reef, increasing to two the number of Kalayaan Island Group sites with verified seagrass ecosystems.

Cuna elaborated on another study led by Hazel Arceo and her team, which found that the offshore ecosystems of the Kalayaan Island Group could potentially sustain an annual fisheries yield of 1,000 to 2,000 metric tons, underscoring the area’s importance to the country’s long-term food security.

Marine scientific research also highlighted growing environmental threats. A study by the UP Marine Science Institute found that Pag-asa Island has been the fastest-eroding island among those assessed, losing around 1,500 square meters of land annually over the past two decades. Researchers linked the erosion to ‘solid-based man-made structures jutting out of the coastline.’

‘As we commemorate the 2016 Arbitral Award, we also celebrate the rigorous science that led to its victory,’ Secretary Cuna said. ‘True sovereignty is built on active stewardship. It is our duty to stand on the frontlines and mobilize our citizenry to conserve and manage our marine resources for present and future generations.’

To strengthen long-term marine research, Cuna also announced that the DENR is moving to operationalize nine Marine Scientific Research Stations, including one on Pag-asa Island. The stations will enhance biodiversity monitoring, support evidence-based policymaking, and improve the management of the country’s coastal and marine ecosystems.

The DENR said it will continue supporting regular marine scientific research, monitoring, and reassessments in the West Philippine Sea to establish updated environmental baselines, track emerging threats, and guide science-based policies for the protection and sustainable management of the country’s marine resources.