Category: Business Mirror

A PROPOSED law that removes heavy permits and fees for homes and businesses setting up rooftop solar panels for personal use could trigger a massive drop in electricity demand from the main grid, hurting the profitability of power distribution utilities (DUs).

‘That has a direct impact on our distribution utilities [DUs], and it affects the market as well. Essentially, instead of market demand increasing, it will shrink; self-generation-such as distributed energy resources-will offset the load, meaning that demand won’t register in the market.

‘The direct market impact is a drop in demand. Similarly, for the DUs, their demand will also decrease,’ said Isidro Cacho, Jr., vice president for the trading operations department at the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (Iemop).

Iemop is operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), thecountry’s trading floor for electricity.

The proposed Sariling Kuryente Act (House Bill 10431) aims to remove unnecessary barriers to rooftop solar panels and BESS to make installation simple, easy, affordable for consumers.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), for its part, will soon release soon a compendium. ‘We are fully supportive of these bills. We’re preparing the matrix of comments,’ said ERC chairman Francis Saturnino Juan.

Likewise, the Department of Energy (DOE) is expected to issue a policy related to the proposed measure.’ There’s a new policy that were drafting. There are households that want solar and battery without the intent of selling the excess capacity to the distribution utility,’ said DOE Secretary Sharon Garin.

The shifting dynamics of self-generation are reshaping the energy landscape as consumers install rooftop solar systems to generate their own electricity, ultimately offsetting their reliance on traditional power grids. This puts a strain on DUs as they will likely observe a direct, measurable drop in electricity consumption.

Regarding the WESM, Cacho pointed out that the broader energy market will also feel an immediate ripple effect. A portion of the DUs’ power requirements is sourced from WESM. Cacho explained that energy procurement volumes will experience a noticeable decline as total market demand shrinks. As such, prices could also drop.

‘Ultimately, a drop in demand will be observed in the market. That is the direct impact. If demand is low, our supply margin increases, which could lead to more competitive pricing and affect price spikes-especially if the impact is significant.

‘Even with the rise of self-generation, many are now installing rooftop solar systems-five kilowatt [kW], six kW, or 10kW. The direct result is a reduction in market demand, and with that drop in demand, one can expect prices to go down,’ he explained.

The Iemop has yet to assess actual impact of solar power generation on the

WESM rates. ‘We don’t have specific figures yet; although it is being studied, we haven’t fully quantified it. What we can quantify is the impact of solar power at the grid level. At that level, we observe a significant impact-sometimes even resulting in negative demand, particularly on weekends or holidays. While the negative pricing is minimal, we do see prices dropping as low as P2,’ he said.

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has recognized the challenge posed by the increasing number of its customers utilizing rooftop solar.

Meralco chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said the 2.2-percent customer growth does not translate to a higher energy sales volume. ‘We’re growing by 2.2 percent, but sales are still tempered. It’s because of the fact that of the new customers that are coming in, 50 percent of them are from the residential segment . . . Some of these new residential customers that we’re energizing also have their own rooftop solar, so that’s really the challenge. The counter-effect is from the solar panels that they are putting up,’ he said.

Meralco has MSpectrum

On the other hand, Meralco is targeting the rooftop solar market through its subsidiary, MSpectrum, Inc., by offering fully financed solar installations with no out-of-pocket costs for customers possibly under power supply agreements (PSAs).

‘But maybe you’re aware also that Meralco is also into solar through our MSpectrum, so that’s why we’re trying to capture that market also by, of course, providing our services. We will be the ones who will install the rooftop solar. We’ll be financing it and then subject to, like a PSA, things like that,’ Aperocho said.

He acknowledged observations that higher electricity rates have driven residential and commercial customers to adopt energy conservation measures, directly reducing Meralco’s sales. Shopping malls, for instance, have reduced their operating hours, while some steel companies have shut down completely, further hurting energy sales.

‘But of course, we know that during these times when electricity bills are high, energy conservation efforts on the part of our customers also have a big impact on us. Not only in the residential segment, but even in the commercial,’ he said.

Talubangi National High School (TNHS) in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, shifted to remote learning on Monday after an online message containing a threat to shoot all teachers on the head during the flag-raising ceremony.

On Sunday night, a certain ‘Tonyo Shooter’ sent a threat using the messenger of TINTA -Talubangi NHS OSP, the official online publication of the school, that read:’ UMANDAM KAMO BWAS HA…Sadya gid ni para sa inyo…pang tiruhon namon sa ulo mga maistro kag maistra [Prepare yourselves tomorrow… This is going to be exciting…we will shoot all teachers on the head].’

The school officials then coordinated with the local police and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to track down the sender of the message.

Police Lieutenant Colonel (PLTCOL) Gary Alan V. Resuma, City Chief of Police, met with TNHS Principal Melvan B. Calumag to assess the situation and to ensure peace, order, and safety of the students, teachers, and faculty members.

In an interview with Business Mirror, Calumag said that they were surprised by the threat, noting that the Science -oriented school has a peaceful school environment, with almost 1,000 students.

She said that the authorities are now investigating to uncover and apprehend the suspect or suspects behind the threat.

Calumag also met with the TNHS teachers for a well-being assessment and to discuss measures against school violence and threats.

Some of the teachers admitted that they felt nervous and experienced anxiety when they were informed about the threat on Sunday night.

‘We have interventions in place…this threat is different since it specifically targeted the teachers,’ Calumag said, noting that they will apply effective interventions for teachers who were nervous and experiencing anxiety following the school shooting threat.

Calumag said that classes at TNHS will resume on Tuesday, August 11, after Resuma assured them of the safety of learners, teachers, other school personnel, and the security of the school premises.

Resuma told the school officials that they will sustain the intensified police visibility, mobile patrol operations, and other preventive police measures in the area to deter criminality and maintain public safety.

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) will study the recent peace and security gains of Indanan, Sulu, as a possible model for encouraging other communities to voluntarily surrender loose firearms and help prevent the return of armed violence.

In a statement, the National Police Chief, Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., welcomed the declaration of State of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) in the former Moro rebel hotbed and a ‘gun-responsible municipality,’ saying it showed the value of cooperation among security forces, local officials and residents.

‘The declaration of Indanan as a place of stable peace and a gun-responsible municipality is a significant achievement for the community and the security forces. It shows what can be achieved when the police, military, local government and residents work together to protect peace,’ Nartatez said.

Indanan was recently placed under a State of Stable Internal Peace and Security and tagged as a gun-responsible municipality following a declaration involving the local government and security forces.

‘I have directed the Sulu police to help sustain these gains, strengthen coordination with local stakeholders, and continue efforts to account for loose firearms,’ Nartatez said.

‘We will also study Indanan’s experience as a model for encouraging other communities to voluntarily surrender firearms and work with authorities in keeping their communities safe,’ he added.

The PNP said sustaining the gains in Indanan would require continued cooperation between police personnel, the military, local government units, community leaders and residents.

GET ready for a fun and unique shopping experience as MaArte Fair at The Pen happens at The Peninsula Manila from August 13 to 16.

Now on its 17th staging, the MaArte Fair is a much-anticipated event for lovers of Philippine-made crafts, clothes, houseware, accessories, and food items.

The fair found its home at The Pen in 2017, with a brief hiatus during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. This year marks the event’s eighth edition at the five-star hotel.

Open to the public, the gathering of artisans widens the appreciation for Filipino artisanal products while visitors enjoy the comforts of a luxury hotel.

The unique room-by-room setup adds to the excitement of the experience, giving the feel of visiting a friendly neighborhood block party.

CARNIVAL OF FINE FINDS

THIS year’s theme Karnabal promises to be a whimsical, nostalgic, and contemporary reimagining of the iconic Manila Carnival-an annual spectacle held from 1908 to 1939 featuring trade fairs, parades and pageantry. It has since become part of Philippine culture and lives on today as the ubiquitous perya.

‘Karnabal is our way of turning the fairgrounds into a living tribute to a piece of Filipino history that many younger generations have only heard about in passing,’ said Danny C. Jacinto, president of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines (MFPI).

‘Every exhibitor here is helping us keep that story-and the artisans who carry it forward-alive for the next generation.’

Mariano Garchitorena, The Peninsula Manila’s director of public relations, told BusinessMirror, ‘Karnabal is a celebration! The year 2026 is our 50th anniversary, so this is part of our celebration of the best and the brightest of Philippine artisans.’

Officially opening on September 14, 1976, on the corners of Ayala and Makati Avenues, The Peninsula Manila’s Brutalist architecture, designed by lead architect Gabriel Formoso and consulting firms, is considered an important landmark of Makati City. Its lobby, with the iconic Sunburst sculpture by National Artist Napoleon Abueva above it, has witnessed various social milestones and historical events.

On what to expect at MaArte Fair at The Pen this year, Garchitorena summarizes it in three words: ‘Bigger. This year has the most number of artisan exhibitors at more than 200.

‘Filipino. MaArte celebrates the country’s creative identity.

‘Curated. Not just because the exhibitors are selected, but because every piece on offer reflects a certain level of artistry, craftsmanship, and authenticity. MaArte is about ‘gawa sa kamay,’ not mass-produced.’

The MaArte Fair is the flagship fundraising event of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines (MFPI), a private non-profit organization committed to promoting and preserving Philippine cultural heritage.

A portion of the fair’s proceeds will serve as grants to deserving organizations or individuals engaged in cultural preservation projects.

Shoppers can look forward to getting their coveted stash from MaArte mainstays, such as Happy Andrada, PamPinay, A.Mara, and OneWeave, plus new exhibitors Genes and Hails, Locallae´, Lookal by Alixia Marie, Ligaw Travel Accessories, Dermtropics, Mele + Marie, and Fam PH.

THE House of Representatives’ Committee on Ways and Means has approved two State of the Nation Address (Sona) priority tax measures designed to strengthen household purchasing power, ease the financial burden on businesses, and support broader economic growth beginning in 2027.

Filed by Speaker Faustino Dy III and House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander ‘Sandro’ Marcos, House Bill 10345 seeks to raise the annual tax-free income threshold from P250,000 to P350,000, while House Bill 10346 proposes to abolish the minimum corporate income tax (MCIT) imposed on domestic corporations.

Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, chairman of the House Ways and Means committee, said the panel may consolidate the proposed tax relief measures with corresponding compensatory revenue measures into a single omnibus tax reform package.

The measures follow President Marcos’ call for tax relief during his fifth Sona. They also reflect key elements of the Department of Finance’s proposed ‘Progress Bill,’ or the Promoting Growth, Revenue, and Equity toward Socio-economic Sustainability measure.

Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law, individuals earning no more than P250,000 annually have been exempt from personal income tax since 2018. However, years of inflation have weakened the value of this exemption.

HB 10345 would increase the tax-free ceiling by P100,000. Taxable income above P350,000 but not exceeding P400,000 would be subject to a 15-percent rate, while the succeeding marginal rates of 20, 25, 30 and 35 percent would remain.

During the House Committee on Ways and Means hearing, Finance Undersecretary Karlo Fermin S. Adriano said the House proposal would result in an estimated average annual revenue loss of P68.6 billion.

Quimbo said many employees have entered taxable brackets not because they have become significantly wealthier, but because their salaries have struggled to keep pace with inflation.

The unchanged threshold has created what economists call ‘bracket creep,’ in which workers pay higher taxes because of nominal salary adjustments even when their real purchasing power has barely improved.

According to Quimbo, the reform could provide relief to an estimated 4.2 million Filipino workers. Around 1.3 million taxpayers could regain tax-exempt status, while another 1.2 million could become newly exempt from paying personal income tax.

He said the proposal is particularly important for the country’s ‘missing middle’-lower- and middle-income workers who regularly contribute taxes but often do not qualify for government assistance.

HB 10346, meanwhile, would abolish the minimum corporate income tax beginning January 1, 2027.

Under the current system, a domestic corporation generally pays an MCIT equivalent to two percent of its gross income beginning in its fourth taxable year whenever the amount is higher than its regular corporate income tax.

Because the MCIT is based on gross income, a company may still face a tax obligation even when its profit is small or when it experiences legitimate business difficulties.

The proposed reform would require covered corporations to pay the regular corporate income tax based on taxable income. The regular rate is generally 25 percent, while qualified domestic corporations with taxable income not exceeding P5 million and total assets of no more than P100 million are subject to a 20-percent rate.

DOF’s Adriano said the proposed current exemption would cover microenterprises with annual gross sales below P3 million and small enterprises earning between P3 million and P20 million.

The measure could provide an average tax relief of P78,000 per business while reducing government revenue by about P6.6 billion annually.

Adriano clarified that qualified businesses would remain subject to the regular corporate income tax when they earn taxable profits. Medium and large enterprises would also remain covered by the MCIT.

The launch of a new Batangas-Caticlan ferry service is expected to strengthen the movement of passengers, cargo and goods between Luzon and Western Visayas, while providing a more reliable sea link to one of the country’s major tourism gateways.

Lite Shipping Corp. has deployed the newly acquired MV Lite Ferry Twenty on the Batangas City-Caticlan, Malay, Aklan route, adding capacity to the Western Nautical Highway and linking Batangas more directly with Panay Island.

The vessel, which can carry up to 578 passengers and 30 units of 12-meter trucks and six cars, is expected to support tourism, local commerce and the movement of goods between Luzon and the Visayas.

At the August 7 blessing and inauguration, Jonathan Lim, CEO of Lite Shipping Corp., said the deployment marks the company’s growing presence in the Western Nautical Highway and its effort to provide faster and more dependable connections among major economic and tourism centers.

‘This deployment is more than just an expansion of load,’ Lim said, noting that the new service would provide a sea link between major industry hubs and destinations such as Boracay.

Lite Shipping President Lucio Lim Jr. said the company plans to make the Batangas-Caticlan service a daily operation.

The company intends to deploy a second vessel on the route before the end of August, allowing daily trips between the two destinations.

The new vessel is the company’s largest brand-new acquisition to date. Measuring 90 meters in length and with a gross registered tonnage of 3,923 tons, the MV Lite Ferry Twenty is designed to provide greater passenger and cargo capacity on the route.

Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Administrator Sonia Malaluan said the vessel’s deployment would strengthen a key maritime corridor supporting trade and economic activity between Luzon and Western Visayas.

She said the vessel’s capacity would allow it to carry passengers and rolling cargo while raising the standards for safety, reliability and comfort in domestic shipping.

Marina has granted the vessel pioneering status, recognizing the introduction of an upgraded shipping service on the route.

Malaluan said the deployment is consistent with the agency’s push to modernize the domestic shipping fleet and encourage operators to invest in vessels that meet higher standards of safety, efficiency and passenger comfort.

Aklan seeks new Batangas-Dumaguit route

Moving forward, Aklan is seeking to expand its maritime connectivity beyond the new Batangas-Caticlan service, with a proposed route that would allow heavy cargo trucks to bypass difficult mountain roads in northern Panay.

Aklan 2nd District Rep. Florencio Miraflores said the provincial government plans to ask Marina and Lite Shipping to consider opening a Batangas-Dumaguit service.

Under the proposal, cargo trucks bound for Kalibo and Iloilo could use Dumaguit as an alternative entry point instead of passing through Caticlan and traversing the roughly 70-kilometer road between Caticlan and Kalibo.

Miraflores said the proposed route could help address the difficulties faced by heavy trucks traveling through the mountain sections between Caticlan and Kalibo, while reducing congestion and improving road safety.

He said the diversion of heavy cargo traffic could also allow the Caticlan-Kalibo highway to function more effectively as a tourism corridor for travelers heading to Boracay from the Kalibo International Airport.

‘We will be writing a request for your consideration to open the Batangas-Dumaguit route for our heavy cargo trucks in the future,’ Miraflores said.

He said the proposed route would complement Caticlan’s role as a major gateway for tourism and maritime trade, while providing an alternative logistics corridor for goods moving toward Iloilo and other parts of Panay.

The provincial government is also seeking additional shipping routes serving other parts of Aklan as it aims to maximize the province’s position as a gateway between Luzon and the Visayas.

Western, Eastern nautical highways

Lite Shipping said its expansion in the Western Nautical Highway forms part of a broader effort to connect the country’s major island groups through a more integrated shipping network.

The company currently operates routes across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and has been expanding its fleet through the acquisition of new vessels.

Lim Jr. said the company has been adding around two higher-class vessels annually in recent years.

Aside from the MV Lite Ferry Twenty, another brand-new vessel is scheduled for deployment in September on the San Carlos City-Toledo City route.

The company said the additional routes are intended to strengthen links between Panay, Negros, Cebu and other parts of the country, eventually bridging the Western and Eastern Nautical Highways.

Lite Shipping, together with its subsidiaries, currently operates 27 roll-on/roll-off passenger ferries serving 36 destinations, according to the company.

For Aklan, the arrival of the MV Lite Ferry Twenty represents another step in the development of Caticlan as a strategic gateway not only for Boracay tourism but also for the movement of cargo and passengers between Luzon and the Visayas.

Miraflores said the province would continue supporting the operation and would work with port authorities to facilitate the vessel’s operations in Caticlan.

The new service, he said, should be viewed as a starting point for further expansion of maritime links that could strengthen commerce, tourism and logistics in Aklan and neighboring provinces.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Monday ordered police officers in areas affected by the southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’ to remain on heightened alert and intensify preemptive evacuation efforts in flood- and landslide-prone communities.

In a statement, the PNP chief instructed local police units to remain ready for search, rescue, retrieval, and evacuation operations, as well as closely monitor weather conditions and coordinate with local government units and other response agencies.

‘I have directed our police units in affected areas to remain on heightened alert, closely monitor developments and coordinate with local government units and other response agencies. They must be ready to immediately conduct search and rescue, retrieval and evacuation operations when needed, while ensuring the safety of our personnel,’ Nartatez said.

He also added local police units must help authorities move residents out of danger before conditions worsen.

‘Our local police units must actively assist local governments in preemptive evacuations, particularly in areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides. We must act early, provide timely warnings and help prevent loss of life rather than wait for the situation to worsen,’ the PNP chief said.

Prior to this, the PNP has already activated its Subcommittee on Natural Disaster under the Directorate for Police Community Relations to monitor the situation through the PNP Command Center.

Around 800 PNP personnel had been deployed in affected regions while around 10,000 reserve personnel were also on standby for possible search and rescue and retrieval operations

As this developed, the PNP said deaths that could be attributed to the adverse weather conditions now went up to 15.

PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said a total of six people were also reported missing while 13 were injured due to different incidents that include landslides, flashflood, and electrocution.

‘All of these are still to be validated by the Office of Civil Defense but these are the reports that we obtained from our personnel on the ground,’ he added.

In Ilocos Region, one person was reported to have been electrocuted in La Union while another one drowned in Alaminos, Pangasinan.

In Cordillera Administrative Region, six people died due to two separate incidents of landslides-two of them died in La Trinidad, Benguet last week while four more died in Baguio City on Sunday night.

In Calabarzon, seven people were reported fatalities- three of them from Batangas due to drowning, electrocution and landslide; two due to landslides in Rodriguez, Rizal; one in Binangonan, Rizal due to drowning; and another one in Antipolo City who was hit by an uprooted tree.

THE Philippines received a $600-million grant from the United States to strengthen the country’s healthcare system and improve its capacity to respond to public health threats, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).

The grant, equivalent to about P36.95 billion and does not require repayment, is under the ‘Strategic Objective Agreement’ (SOAG) for Integrated and Sustainable Health Systems in the Philippines.

According to the DOF, the funding will build an integrated and self-reliant health system by improving health security, healthcare delivery and the country’s capacity to respond to infectious disease threats.

Specifically, the Department of Health will implement the grant to strengthen disease surveillance, detection and outbreak response; integrate health service delivery across disease programs; and improve domestic capacity to finance and manage the health sector.

The fund will also support priority health initiatives covering Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), tuberculosis (TB), neglected tropical diseases and maternal, newborn and child health.

The DOF added that the agreement will advance strategic bilateral cooperation on global health security and other priority health programs.

The SOAG builds on more than six decades of health cooperation between the Philippines and the United States, read a statement the DOF issued.

According to the DOF, the grant is also part of the five-year ‘Health Strategic Objective Agreement,’ a jointly funded plan signed by the Philippines and the United States last July to improve and sustain the capacity to detect, treat, and prevent HIV and TB, as well as strengthen global health security.

Under the agreement, Manila committed to investing more than P30 billion, or $491 million, in its health systems over the next five years.

Washington, for its part, intends to provide more than P11.8 billion, or $193 million, over the five-year term of the agreement to advance shared global health goals, fight the spread of infectious diseases  and build greater autonomy and self-reliance in its health systems.

A RANKING American senior defense official on Monday called the Philippines as a ‘model ally’ as it actively leads its own defense modernization even as the former affirmed his government’s commitment to its oldest treaty ally in Asia especially when it comes to credible deterrence.

In his speech before the forum organized by the Stratbase Group, US Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby gave assurances that the United States remained a ‘willing partner’ amid a perceived shift in US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy.

This as he stressed that the new approach was to ‘build strength in ways that are durable and achieve their intended effect, of genuine peace through strength rather than rhetorical pressurization without adequate material strength and resolve.’

‘We seek partnerships, not dependencies, and we understand that countries will engage widely just as we do,’ Colby said.

Likewise, the US official said they are putting their alliances on a sustainable, realistic, and durable footing for the long haul.

‘When we ask our allies and partners to step up, to invest more in their own defense, and to take responsibility for their own sovereign security, we are not signaling abandonment,’ he stressed.

Colby also clarified the US is looking for partners and not protectorates.

‘When our partners are strong, deterrence is strong. And that is exactly what we have here in Manila under the leadership of President Marcos, Secretary of National Defense Teodoro, and other key leaders,’ he added.

Colby’s visit to Manila-his first as Undersecretary of Defense for Policy-is part of his four-nation tour including Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia as part of the United States’s efforts to affirm the country’s commitment to build durable peace in the Indo-Pacific region. Colby also met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the morning before the forum.

Meanwhile, Stratbase Group President Victor Andres Manhit said Colby’s visit was also timely given that the Philippine-US alliance ‘carried greater weight than any point in recent memory.’

He also said the Filipinos rank the US first among the countries they want the Philippine government to work with in defending the Philippine maritime territories, especially in defending the West Philippine Sea and advancing its economic security.

‘Today, that is precisely what we hope to explore, how this trust can be translated into a stronger, more capable, and more resilient alliance that responds to present challenges and contributes to a free and open rules-based Indo-Pacific,’ he said.

Relatedly, Colby emphasized that the administration’s defense strategy was focused on cultivating a ‘network of highly capable sovereign nations’ that could establish a ‘denial defense’ along the first island chain to ensure that any potential aggression in the region was rendered completely infeasible.

He also said the United States touted the Philippines as a ‘resolute and proud nation… determined to strengthen its own capabilities to better defend itself and its allies.’

Colby also praised the Philippines’s ‘clear-headed pragmatism’ as the exact strategic fit required for the region’s strategic demands, and that through the help of Manila and other allies, ‘we are actively building a strong denial defense to back up a peace-through-strength approach of a lastingly favorable balance of power in Asia.’

Colby pointed to several areas where the two countries were seeking to translate their alliance into greater military capability, including the operationalization of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca), investments in resilient defense infrastructure and expanded joint training.

He said Washington was also supporting Philippine defense investments through the rotational deployment of four US Coast Guard Fast Response Cutters, which would work with the Philippine Coast Guard in securing and patrolling the country’s exclusive economic zone.

‘This is not a one-sided partnership,’ Colby said, noting the Philippines’ increased investments in modernizing its armed forces and coast guard.

‘Alliances are most durable when they are based on shared responsibility, mutual interests governed by pragmatic respect, and underwritten by real capability on both sides, rather than permanent dependency,’ he added.

Colby’s visit also comes as Manila and Washington continue to deepen defense cooperation amid growing security tensions in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the South China Sea.

The United States has repeatedly affirmed that the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty covers armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels or aircraft-including those of its coast guard-anywhere in the South China Sea.

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) considers Sen. Francis Escudero’s proposal to move the 2026 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) to 2028 a term adjustment rather than a simple postponement of the polls.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said Congress has the sole authority to determine the term of barangay officials, including whether their tenure should be shortened or extended.

‘Only Congress has the power to determine the term of barangay officials. It may make the term longer or shorter, and it is also given the discretion to determine the reasons for doing so,’ Garcia told the BusinessMirror.

‘Because of this, Senator Escudero’s proposal appears to be a term adjustment-from the present four-year term to five years per term-rather than a postponement of the elections,’ he added.

Garcia said Comelec cannot interfere with Congress’ exercise of that authority.

Escudero filed Senate Bill 2387 seeking to increase the term of elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials from four years to five years.

The measure would also move the next regular BSKE from November 2026 to the first Monday of November 2028, with elections to be held every five years thereafter.

Under its transitory provision, incumbent barangay

officials would be considered to have completed one term despite the proposed two-year extension of their tenure.

Officials currently serving their third consecutive term would be ineligible to seek the same position in the proposed November 2028 elections.

Escudero said the longer term would provide greater stability and continuity in barangay governance while giving officials more time to implement community development programs.

The bill’s explanatory note said extending terms could also reduce disruptions caused by frequent elections and allow local officials to focus more on public service instead of electoral cycles.