Category: Business Mirror

The proposal to raise the taxes slapped on sweetened beverages stoked concerns that the use of artificial sweeteners will accelerate to the detriment of the domestic sugarcane industry, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said hiking the current two-tiered tax bracket for sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) while retaining cane sugar in the same category as artificial sweeteners could spur the importation of the sugar substitutes.

At present, SSB containing cane sugar and artificial sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, and acesulfame potassium) are taxed P6 per liter while the levy for those with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is P12 per liter.

The Department of Finance (DOF) wants to raise the lower tax bracket to P20 per liter and the higher tax bracket to P40 per liter while keeping the sweeteners in their respective categories.

‘The SRA fears that if the SSB tax on sugar is raised, (there would be a repeat of the 2018 situation),’ Azcona told reporters.

When the tax for HFCS was increased to P12 per liter in 2018, he said manufacturers shifted to artificial sweeteners which was also placed in lower tax bracket together with cane sugar.

‘So, over the years, as the sugar price was increasing, their use of artificial (sweeteners) was also increasing.’

SRA issued Sugar Order (SO) 5, which imposes a clearance fee on the importation of artificial sweeteners under Harmonized System (HS) codes 2106 and chapter 29, which are used in the manufacture of food and beverages.

This includes, but is not limited to, any form or concentration of sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium, and processed stevia.

The agency decided to issue the order following consultative meetings in which stakeholders raised their ‘grave concern’ on the effects of ‘the long-practiced unregulated importation into the country of artificial sweeteners’ on the local sugar sector.

Stakeholders comprising farmers, millers, and refiner groups recently issued a joint statement seeking to retain the P6 per liter tax imposed on beverage manufactured with local cane sugar.

Drinks using any sweetener other than pure cane sugar as well as imported sweetened beverages should be taxed P40 per liter, they added.

The groups pointed out that from the absence of recorded artificial sweetener imports prior to the TRAIN Law enacted in 2018, its shipments jumped and cornered 18.4 percent of the market or 503,117 metric tons (MT) in sugar equivalent for crop years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.

HFCS, which previously accounted for 11 percent, plunged to 15,901 MT, they added.

‘But cane (sugar) did not win that ground back; artificial sweeteners took it,’ the groups said.

‘This is happening to an industry that receives very little subsidy, supports more than five million Filipinos, and already contends with climate change, El Niño, flooding, and the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation.’

The groups then called on the SRA to stand with their proposal and convey its findings under SO 5 that artificial sweeteners ‘compete head-on’ with domestic cane sugar.

‘This industry has weathered droughts, floods, pests, and price swings by standing together. We stand together again now, ready to help the (SRA) in any way it needs.’

There’s much to learn from small creatures. Insects, for instance, are known for their teamwork, adaptability, and ability to undergo metamorphosis.

For artist Dex Fernandez, the hardy garapata (tick), an arachnid known for its perseverance and focused instinct for survival, became his creative inspiration.

Using this parasite as a symbol for his whimsical visual narratives, Fernandez transformed his fascination for the creature into a reimagined Garapata neighborhood. Here, each entity is distinct, with a human-like personality and always interconnected amid its vibrant ecosystem.

With the rawness, community-centricity, and spontaneity of street art, Garapata murals have brought life to the walls of the Ayala walkway and the outdoor spaces of PETA Theater and Pinto Art Museum.

In his third solo show, ‘GC4: A Walk Home’ at West Gallery, Fernandez magnifies the sturdy creatures anew as a parallel microcosm of human society.

This time, he puts a ‘human face’ on the garapata. Or rather, he puts the garapata on the human face.

From more than 300 portraits of his friends, family, and colleagues-people who are all interconnected with the artist-Fernandez uses photo prints as canvas, covers each face with a ‘Garapata’ cutout, and makes mini-collages out of the colorized images, playing it up further with threads, spray paints, and acrylic.

In this Garapata world, the creatures have become humans, and the walk home refers to the community, built in human and Garapata time.

Against the neatly arranged mixed-media portraits, Fernandez transforms the gallery into a frenzied tick’s nest, painting its four walls with Garapata life.

In reality, the garapata is not a social creature. Multiple ticks seem to gather together merely because they have been directed to the host by chemical signals.

In Fernandez’s murals, the Garapatas stick together and let each other be.

‘But one thing constant is their never-ending determination to keep walking, looking for a host. Their journey represents our own human life. For as long as we live, the quest for survival is basic, and it just doesn’t end with physical needs but also with finding connection and purpose,’ said the artist.

Staying buoyant

A Thirteen Artist Awardee of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2013, Fernandez mentioned his own challenges as an artist-dealing with realities like funding and working with available resources.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) brought together agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental to provide training and learning sessions on practical tools to make their farms and communities more sustainable.

The training, which focused on sustainable agriculture, stakeholder engagement, and environmental protection, was held at Malagos Garden Resort in Davao City.

The discussions and hands-on learning tackled how responsible farming practices, stronger community cooperation, and environmental safeguards can help protect their livelihoods while sustaining the resources they depend on.

DAR Regional Director Joseph H. Orilla encouraged the participants to turn the lessons from the training into actions that can benefit their communities.

‘I encourage everyone to learn, share your experiences, and apply these lessons in your own communities. When knowledge is put into action and shared with others, it can create positive change that benefits not only our farmers, but the whole community,’ Orilla said.

The training, titled ‘Building Resilient Agrarian Reform Communities: Sustainable Agriculture, Stronger Stakeholder Engagement, and Environmental and Social Safeguards,’ was conducted with resource persons from Laquihon Agro-Environmental Consultancy Services.

Sessions covered sustainable agriculture, stakeholder engagement, and Environmental and Social Safeguards, giving participants practical perspectives on responsible resource use and protecting both communities and the environment.

The learning continued beyond the training room through a visit to Novela’s Farm in Barangay Cadalian, Baguio District, Davao City. Farm owner Evangeline Novela welcomed the participants and shared her experience in managing the farm, including practices that promote environmental protection and consider the welfare of the surrounding community.

The activity supports DAR’s continuing efforts to equip ARBs with knowledge and practical approaches that can strengthen their livelihoods and communities.

The Philippines has called for a shift from isolated, short-term projects toward predictable and sustained financing for permanent, nationally owned systems of resilience, particularly for early warning systems as global temperatures threaten to cross critical warming thresholds.

Lawyer Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Finance, Information Systems, Climate Change and Administration, made the pitch as she spoke at the Solutions Dialogue on Financing Adaptation in the Era of Global Overshoot held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

She stressed the need for multi-year and predictable financing to sustain early warning systems and ensure that warnings are translated into timely protective action.

For climate-vulnerable island nations like the Philippines, Teh said: ‘We are already confronting increasingly intense and compounding hazards that threaten lives, livelihoods, food and water security, ecosystems, and economic stability.’

Global adaptation costs for developing countries are projected to reach $310 billion to $365 billion annually by 2035, compounded by acute debt distress and prohibitive capital costs, Teh said.

In the Philippines alone, the economic cost of inaction across eight priority sectors identified in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) is estimated at P645 billion annually.

‘Adaptation cannot remain reactive,’ the Undersecretary emphasized. ‘We need new, additional, predictable, and scaled-up public finance to enable developing countries to respond to growing climate risks at the speed and scale required.’

To strengthen financing for early warning systems, the DENR official highlighted three key areas:

Making Early Warning Financing Predictable and Permanent. Moving beyond short-term projects and recognizing early warning systems as critical, permanent public infrastructure supported by multi-year and predictable financing.?

-Financing the Last Mile from Warning to Protective Action. Ensuring that warnings translate into timely action through pre-arranged and trigger-based financing, local risk information, warning dissemination, and community preparedness.? ?Financing the ‘Unfunded Middle’ and Building Domestic Ownership. Sustaining operations and maintenance, data collection, technical personnel, system upgrades, and training, with a clear pathway toward domestic budget ownership.?

Underscoring the Philippines’ commitment to disaster resilience, Rebuelta-Teh highlighted the country’s recent formalization as the 71st member of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), making it the second Southeast Asian nation to join the global body.

‘For the Philippines, our goal is to move from isolated projects to permanent, nationally owned systems of resilience,’ Teh said.

‘With predictable international support aligned with domestic planning and budgeting, we can ensure that early warnings are not only issued, but translated into timely action that protects lives, livelihoods, and development gains,’ she said.

The Supreme Court’s dismissal of petitions challenging the Senate Impeachment Court’s voting threshold interpretation allows the impeachment proceedings to move forward without further delays, keeping the focus on the evidence presented before the court as it prepares to reach a final decision, the House prosecution said on Wednesday.

House prosecutor Terry L. Ridon of the Bicol Saro Party-list said the dismissal provides clarity on the direction of the proceedings and allows the Senate impeachment court to perform its constitutional duty without additional legal challenges affecting the trial.

‘The direction is clear: let the Senate impeachment court do its duty and complete the process established by the Constitution. What matters now is that the trial continues until judgment-whether it results in conviction or acquittal,’ Ridon said.

The Supreme Court dismissed separate petitions filed by former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez and lawyer Ernesto Francisco Jr. questioning the impeachment court’s ruling on how the required two-thirds vote should be computed. The petitions were dismissed due to procedural deficiencies, including issues involving prematurity and legal standing.

Ridon said the prosecution has consistently maintained that the Senate Impeachment Court should be allowed to exercise its constitutional authority to hear and decide the case based on the evidence and arguments presented during the proceedings.

‘Instead of spending time on petitions that may hinder the progress of the trial, it is better to allow the process to move forward. The trial will continue, and the prosecution is ready to continue presenting our evidence,’ Ridon said.

He emphasized that the prosecution remains focused on completing the presentation of its case and leaving the final judgment to the senator-judges who will assess the evidence submitted before the impeachment court.

‘At the end of the process, the evidence should speak for itself. Let the trial be completed and allow the Senate impeachment court to decide based on the evidence before it,’ Ridon said.

House trial spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur also welcomed the Supreme Court’s action, stating that the responsibility of the prosecution in an impeachment trial is to present evidence, examine witnesses, and establish the allegations contained in the Articles of Impeachment.

Adiong said the dismissal of the petitions allows the trial to proceed without interruption and keeps attention on the central purpose of the impeachment proceedings-the evaluation of evidence by the Senate impeachment court.

‘We welcome the ruling. It allows the trial to proceed without delay and keeps the focus where it belongs-on the evidence already before the Senate Impeachment Court,’ Adiong said.

Healthway Cancer Care Hospital (HCCH), the country’s pioneering specialty cancer facility, has launched its ‘Her Next Step’ campaign to strengthen comprehensive cancer care for women, highlighting new and expanded services from early detection and treatment to fertility preservation and survivorship.

Anchored on the message ‘Every Stage, A Stronger You,’ the campaign recognizes the individualized nature of cancer diagnosis and treatment and emphasizes the importance of supporting patients throughout their cancer journey.

Among the developments highlighted during the launch were the hospital’s new Brachytherapy Unit and a referral partnership with GenPrime Fertility Manila that provides appropriate oncology patients with access to fertility preservation services before undergoing cancer treatment.

HCCH also presented its expanded Women’s Health Services, which brings together screening, diagnostics, treatment and survivorship care.

Targeted radiation treatment

Brachytherapy is a form of radiation therapy commonly used to treat gynecologic cancers, including cervical, uterine, vaginal and vulvar cancers.

Unlike external beam radiation therapy, which delivers radiation from outside the body, brachytherapy involves placing a radiation source inside or immediately adjacent to the tumor. This allows radiation to be delivered directly to the treatment area while limiting exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.

Many brachytherapy treatments use high-dose-rate (HDR) technology, in which radiation is delivered over a relatively short period before the source is removed after the procedure. The number and duration of treatments vary depending on the type and stage of cancer and the patient’s individual treatment plan.

In appropriate cases, brachytherapy may be delivered on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to return home after treatment.

HCCH’s Brachytherapy Unit is located in the hospital’s Radiation Oncology Department on the lower ground level of its facility in Arca South, Taguig.

Preserving fertility

The campaign also puts emphasis on fertility preservation, recognizing that cancer treatment can affect a patient’s reproductive health and future family-planning options.

‘When someone is diagnosed with cancer, our immediate priority is to provide them with the best possible care and treatment. But caring for a patient also means looking beyond the cancer itself and considering their quality of life and the future they hope to have,’ said Dr. Manuel Fracisco Roxas, HCCH president and CEO.

HCCH has partnered with GenPrime Fertility Manila to give appropriate cancer patients access to fertility specialists before undergoing treatments that may affect their ability to have children in the future.

Located in Parañaque City, GenPrime Fertility Manila provides fertility assessments, fertility preservation and assisted reproductive services, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI). It is part of GenPrime Fertility’s international network, which includes clinics in Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Los Angeles.

The partnership brings together HCCH’s cancer care services and GenPrime’s reproductive healthcare capabilities, allowing fertility considerations to be incorporated into treatment planning when appropriate.

‘For patients who may want to have children someday, fertility can be an important part of that future. Our partnership with GenPrime Fertility Manila allows us to connect appropriate patients with fertility specialists early, so they have the opportunity to understand their options before treatment begins,’ Roxas said.

Four pillars of women’s cancer care

HCCH’s expanded Women’s Health Services is organized around four pillars: Know, Understand, Treat and Live.

The Know component focuses on prevention and early detection through specialized screening consultations, executive check-ups and HPV vaccination at VaxHub.

Under Understand, patients receive diagnostic services and multidisciplinary reviews, supported by international collaborations with institutions including City of Hope, National Cancer Center Singapore and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.

Treat brings together coordinated treatment options, including surgical packages, financial assistance for systemic therapies, external beam radiation and advanced brachytherapy.

The Live component focuses on long-term survivorship, with services that include rehabilitation, psychosocial support, fertility preservation through GenPrime, recurrence monitoring and palliative care.

Dedicated nurse navigation and referral pathways support patients as they move through the different stages of care.

‘As we approach Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this becomes even more meaningful. Awareness should not end with knowing that breast cancer exists. It should encourage women to take action-to understand their risk, pursue appropriate screening, seek answers when something changes, and have access to the right care when they need it,’ Roxas said.

For Dr. Ronald Augustine O. Campos, head of HCCH Gynecologic Oncology, the campaign represents another step toward fulfilling the vision of providing integrated women’s cancer care within the hospital.

Campos said the Women’s Health Center now covers a broad range of gynecologic cancer services, including screening and colposcopy, open and minimally invasive gynecologic oncology surgeries, complex benign procedures, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and fertility preservation.

‘This is more than a list of services. It means that a woman who walks through our doors with fear and uncertainty can find a team that can walk with her from diagnosis to treatment, to recovery, and preserve fertility, and hopefully to survivorship,’ Campos said.

‘In every diagnosis, there’s a story behind it. In every diagnosis, there’s a woman. Behind every woman is a family, and behind every family is a story, a hope, and a future that we are privileged to be part of,’ he said.

For consultations, the HCCH Women’s Health Clinic may be reached at (02) 7777 4724 or (0917) 128 3527.

THE Philippines has room to create fiscal space equivalent to as much as 7.1 percent of economic output through reforms to improve tax collection and cut inefficiencies in government spending, according to the World Bank.

The World Bank on Monday said the country could generate 3.6 percent to 7.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in fiscal savings and additional revenues without relying primarily on higher statutory tax rates.

‘That’s a very significant number, actually. That’s equivalent to hundreds of billions of pesos that can be redirected to health, education, infrastructure, social protection, and to lower public debt,’ World Bank Division Director Zafer Mustafaoglu said at a media briefing.

‘These resources are vital to building greater human and fiscal capital and to strengthen the macro foundations of this country, which together will attract investment, create more and better jobs, reducing poverty, and growing middle class. The reforms that can unlock this are concrete, sequenced, and achievable.’

The potential gains come as the World Bank estimates that more than 11 percent of GDP in potential revenue is being left uncollected from the country’s three main taxes: value-added tax, corporate income tax and personal income tax.

Official data showed that the government collected P1.26 trillion in VAT in 2025, P121.7 billion below its P1.37-trillion target; while personal income tax collections reached P809.1 billion, falling P40.4 billion short of the P849.5-billion goal.

Corporate income tax collections, meanwhile, hit a total P685.4 billion, P48.8 billion above the P636.6-billion target.

The World Bank said the additional fiscal space can be unlocked through three sets of reforms: reducing government procurement costs and tightening the budget; improving tax collection; and making existing public spending more targeted and effective.

The first package, ‘Fiscal Space at Hand,’ could generate 2.2 percent to 4 percent of GDP. It would seek to lower procurement costs by combining government purchases, simplify tax rules and review corporate tax incentives.

It also calls for capping Unprogrammed Appropriations at 5 percent of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) and strengthening the medium-term fiscal framework.

The World Bank said combining procurement needs would allow agencies to negotiate lower prices, particularly for commonly used goods and services.

Under the proposed 5-percent cap, Unprogrammed Appropriations would also be limited as a standby spending authority outside the regular budget, with clearer conditions for their release.

The second package, ‘Closing Fiscal Gaps,’ could add 1.4 percent to 3.1 percent of GDP through better financial management and stronger tax administration.

Measures include e-invoicing, matching taxpayer information across sources, stronger audit capacity and reducing some non-food VAT exemptions.

The World Bank also proposed expanding the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) alongside the VAT changes to cushion poor and near-poor households.

World Bank Senior Country Economist Jaffar Al-Rikabi noted that some existing VAT exemptions are poorly targeted because higher-income households tend to consume more exempted goods in absolute terms.

‘A policy that is intended to support the poor actually does it, but in a quite poorly targeted manner. There is scope to improve how this policy works,’ Al-Rikabi said.

The third package, ‘Targeting Human Capital,’ would focus on improving the use of existing public funds rather than generating large new fiscal savings.

It calls for better targeting of health and social assistance and directing education funds toward foundational learning, classrooms and teaching materials, particularly in underserved areas.

These reforms, according to the World Bank, could reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio to 57 percent by 2032 while supporting GDP growth of 5.8 percent.

Gov’t response

For its part, Finance Secretary Frederick Go said the Department of Finance (DOF) will review the World Bank’s recommendations and use them to refine the government’s approach to revenue mobilization and tax policy.

‘We will work closely with the World Bank to build our technical capacity and to track our progress. We will pursue this agenda as a whole-of-nation effort,’ Go said in a prerecorded keynote message during the report’s launch on the same day.

Go said the government, Congress and the private sector would need to work together to advance the fiscal reform agenda, with fiscal credibility helping support lower borrowing costs and investment.

He said the agenda centers on improving tax collection, making public spending more effective and strengthening institutions to ensure government programs are properly planned, implemented, and reported.

Panabo City, Davao del Norte-Mindanao continues to strengthen its position as an increasingly attractive destination for investment, supported by expanding industries and its growing contribution to the country’s trade. The region’s economy grew by 4.69% in 2025, outpacing the Philippines’ overall growth rate of 4.40%, reflecting the resilience and expanding potential of its regional economies.

Within Mindanao, the Davao Region remains a key economic driver, ranking as the fifth-largest economy in the country. Its growing role in trade further highlights the region’s investment potential, with gross regional domestic product (GRDP) reaching P1.14 trillion in 2025. These indicators point to a broader shift: Mindanao is increasingly creating opportunities for businesses and investors willing to take a long-term view of the region’s growth.

Contributing to this momentum is Anflo Industrial Estate (AIE) developed by Damosa Land, Inc. (DLI). It has attracted globally and locally recognized locators such as HEAD Sport for sporting goods production, Novococonut, Inc. for coconut-based food products, and GMAC Logitech Refrigeration Corporation (GMAC) for regional cold chain capabilities. Through the AIE, DLI has helped create an environment where export-oriented businesses can establish and expand their operations, contributing to the region’s evolving industrial and trade landscape.

Today, AIE hosts 24 operational locators, with 70% engaged in export-oriented manufacturing, collectively generating annual export value for the region. These reflect high confidence in AIE’s growing role as a gateway for export manufacturing.

‘Anflo Industrial Estate is positioned to provide long-term growth potential while capitalizing on Mindanao’s unique economic strengths. As companies continue to diversify their manufacturing footprint, we see growing opportunities for the region to become an integral part of global value chains,’ said DLI President Ricardo Floirendo Lagdameo.

Global manufacturing confidence in the rubber industry

The presence of HEAD Sport at AIE emphasizes the growing confidence in the Philippines’ manufacturing capabilities, particularly in the rubber industry. HEAD Sport, known for producing high-performance tennis equipment and other sports products, operates the world’s largest tennis ball manufacturing facility at AIE. They serve international markets from Mindanao with 3,000,000 dozen tennis balls produced annually.

By establishing operations in Panabo City, HEAD Sport highlights the Philippines’ ability to support specialized manufacturing through its skilled workforce, access to good-quality raw materials, and strategic location within global supply chains.

Adding value to Mindanao’s agricultural strengths

Novococonut Inc.’s presence at AIE demonstrates how Mindanao’s agricultural advantages can support globally competitive value-added manufacturing. As one of the world’s leading producers of coconut-based food products, Novococonut leverages the region’s strong coconut supply chain to produce export-ready products for international markets.

The company’s investment draws focus to the importance of agro-processing in fostering economic growth. This creates opportunities to transform locally sourced agricultural commodities into higher-value products, while strengthening linkages between local farmers, suppliers, and global economies at the same time.

Expanding Mindanao’s infrastructure for food and export industries

Developed through the partnership of Glacier Megafridge Inc. and AC Logistics, GMAC Logitech Refrigeration Corporation’s (GMAC) facility at AIE strengthens Mindanao’s cold chain capabilities and supports the growing needs of food, agriculture, and export industries.

With a capacity of close to 12,000 pallet positions, GMAC’s facility is the largest and most advanced cold storage facility in Mindanao. The facility enables businesses to enhance product quality, extend shelf life, reduce supply chain inefficiencies, and efficiently transport temperature-sensitive goods across domestic and international markets.

Beyond attracting investments, AIE continues to strengthen its infrastructure and support systems with the recent inauguration of Davao Light’s first 10 MVA substation, with an additional 33 MVA capacity set to be added in its second phase to provide reliable power for its growing locator base. Additionally, the water treatment plant of Manila Water Philippine Ventures aims to produce 1,300 cubic meters of high-quality treated water every day in the estate. By expanding these critical support systems, AIE is helping create the conditions for businesses to scale and for Mindanao to deepen its participation in regional and global trade.

‘As Mindanao continues to gain momentum as an investment destination, AIE is positioned to become an increasingly important driver of export-led industrial synergy in the region. By connecting global companies with Mindanao’s resources, talent, and infrastructure, the estate showcases the potential of regional industrial development to forward economic progress,’ Lagdameo concluded.

The ‘BER’ months mark the start of the country’s most anticipated holiday season. As families prepare for gift shopping and festive celebrations, making every peso count becomes important when planning meaningful reunions to create lasting memories.

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Easy access for first-time users

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This season of giving, BDO Pay Mo Na!

Holiday spending is in full swing, but managing your everyday payments can be hassle-free. With BDO Pay, you have everything you need in one easy-to-use app that lets you spend smart, enjoy the festivities, and make your every peso count.

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THE public is so disturbed about relationship of a female sportscaster who’s in her 30s with an 18-year-old basketball player. But to them the relationship between an older actor and a teenage girl is okay.

The actor, then in his 20s, has admitted that he ‘waited’ for the girl after he first spotted her when she was 13. They become a couple when she was 16. At that time, she was her family’s breadwinner. It’s not clear if the actor has taken on that role after he stopped her from continuing her showbiz career.

SHE LIKES OLDER GUYS

THE starlet really has a thing for older men. During the pandemic, it’s said that she got into a relationship with an older actor who’s single but with grown kids. The relationship was never admitted nor denied. The actor, though old enough to be her dad, is still very handsome. This time, the starlet’s new man is said to be a businessman and political aspirant who’s also way older. The man has a liking for young celebrities. Maybe the starlet likes older men because she grew up without the presence of her dad.

SHE’S NICE

MANY people don’t like this starlet-influencer because they see her as someone who’s fake. They also believe she’s the cause of the break-up of two loveteams (hers and that of her current boyfriend’s). But while many people hate her, those who have worked with the starlet only have good words for her. They say she’s kind instead of nice. They also see that she may not seem warm at first, but she’s actually a person who’s loyal and helpful. Her relationship with her current boyfriend seems good and solid.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE

THERE’S a rumor that one of the reasons why this singer is persona non grata in the community is because she allegedly flirted with the husband of another singer. She would allegedly send explicit messages and lewd photos via SMS. Of course, the guy told his wife who was horrified. Eventually, this reached other singers and managers and they started avoiding the female singer. This female singer allegedly starts behaving in weird ways when she starts drinking. If all the sexting is true, she was probably under the influence of alcohol when she sent them to him.