Category: Philippine Star

Consumers will not see the controversial system loss charge simply rebranded and hidden in other sections of their monthly electricity bills as soon as a proposed legislation banning it becomes law, Sen. Erwin Tulfo assured the public yesterday.

Addressing fears that power distributors might offset the impending removal of the charge by quietly inflating other fees, Tulfo, chairman of the Senate energy committee, guaranteed that the proposed legislation contains strict safeguards against such practices.

‘We have anticipated this loophole and it is unacceptable. We cannot remove systems loss from one line of the electricity bill only to see the same cost transferred somewhere else,’ Tulfo said.

The senator sponsored Senate Bill No. 2486, or the proposed Systems Loss Charge Removal Act on the plenary floor last week, certified as a priority measure.

To prevent power companies from circumventing the ban, Tulfo explained that the bill specifically targets the exact billing components that utilities might attempt to exploit.

‘This is why the bill we are shepherding now explicitly prohibits distribution utilities and electric cooperative from recovering allowed losses through distribution wheeling charges, supply charges, metering charges, universal charges, subsidies or any other item in the bill,’ he noted.

‘Why do consumers pay for electricity that they did not consume? Why do consumers bear the brunt of inefficiencies and deteriorating facilities resulting in systems loss?’ Tulfo asked.

Pushing for the immediate passage of the measure, the senator emphasized that access to fair utility pricing is essential.

‘Electricity is not a luxury. It is a basic necessity the modern society needs to operate with dignity,’ Tulfo said.

Financing is a critical business element. But it is not the only thing needed. Global Dominion recognizes this and has partnered with Bayan Family of Foundations (BFF) for more accessible and engaging public financial education.

Presidents Samuel Cariño of Global Dominion and Carlo Sagun of BFF signed the partnership between both organizations on September 22, 2026. The partnership will strengthen and enhance the creation of valuable content on finance education for individuals and businesses through the program Ka-partner Academy. The partnership enables both organizations to advance sustainable development goals for better education, economic growth and reduced inequalities.

Areas for improvement among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are more than financial; they are, at a higher level, developmental. Capital without education, education without community, community without financing: each component alone is insufficient.

Research consistently shows that financial literacy and business development training improve loan repayment rates, reduce default risk, and increase the likelihood that capital generates durable business growth rather than short-term relief. The behavioral dimensions of MSME credit uptake demonstrate that financial literacy improves repayment behavior and enables entrepreneurs to make better use of borrowed capital.

The Ka-partner Academy is Global Dominion’s business development platform for its borrowers, partners, and the broader micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) segment it serves, designed on the conviction that a financing institution’s responsibility to the community neither starts nor ends at applications and disbursements.

The program has recently expanded to include content-creation-centered campaigns to engagingly inform and educate entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs on social media.

Global Dominion, a non-bank financing institution established in 2003, grew into a nationwide network of over 170 branches, nearly 2,000 employees strong, by championing the very borrowers traditional lenders often ignored, including the dynamic MSMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs who remain formally employed while building their businesses. The company offers real estate financing, car financing, doctors’ loan, and secured business loans (backed by either a vehicle or real estate). It is set to transform Filipino entrepreneurs’ lives for the better in the years to come.

‘We finance businesses, while BFF builds entrepreneurs. The Ka-partner Academy is where our missions converge,’ said Cariño. ‘The next generation of Filipino business owners will learn that a ka-partner does not just give you a loan. A ka-partner helps you grow,’ he added.

The Bayan Family of Foundations (BFF) is a Philippine non-stock, non-profit organization advancing social entrepreneurship, education, health, and community development. It works through four component foundations: Bayan Academy, which leads training, education and curriculum development; Bayan Innovation Group (BIG), which leads research, strategic planning, policy and monitoring and evaluation; Bayan SEARCH, which leads community development and capacity building beyond the classroom; and Bayan EDGE, which handles impact investing and resource mobilization.

For more than a decade, Bayan has partnered with government agencies, development organizations, and private companies to design and deliver programs that strengthen entrepreneurs, educators, and communities nationwide.

Through the Ka-partner Academy, BFF brings this experience in entrepreneurship training and capacity building to Global Dominion’s borrowers and the wider MSME community.

“We are excited to contribute to the Ka-partner Academy,” said Sagun. “Democratizing financial education cannot be done in just one way or through one format. It has to be multidimensional, multiformat, and collaborative, but always purposive, so that we reach more Filipino entrepreneurs and go deep enough to truly change, not only their businesses, but their lives. This is the same belief that guides every Bayan program, and it is what makes this partnership with Global Dominion a natural fit,” he added.

BFF has spent years building cooperative and collaborative development methodologies in education and partnerships. Global Dominion has spent decades financing the businesses that emerge from those communities. The Ka-partner Academy is where they finally meet in the same room.

I recently learned that San Miguel Corp. CEO Ramon S. Ang called for a press briefing with members of the Bulacan media. There, he presented satellite images, video footage, maps and the like.

All this in an effort to disprove claims being spread by unknown Facebook accounts in the province that flooding there is caused by the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) project.

‘Not long after the media attendees’ stories were filed and posted, what followed bore some of the hallmarks of a coordinated online activity: locked profiles churning out comment after comment disparaging Ang and the airport – with the same comments making it to the comments section of multiple media outlets.’

I am reminded of the words of Thomas Aquinas who pointed out: ‘To those who believe, no explanation is necessary. To those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.’

Ramon Ang has, time and again, gone out of his way to be transparent about the airport project to the point that he personally engages the media and the public to update or clarify matters of concern and interest.

But I agree with the position of St. Thomas Aquinas that no amount of explanation is enough to convince not only critics but especially those who are part of a sinister and well-financed group organized for the sole purpose of destabilizing and delaying the SMC-NMIA by preying on the emotions of Bulakeños by blaming the airport for flooding.

I looked back on the history or early stage of the proposed SMC Bulacan airport and remembered that the project was actively blocked by certain individuals in government.

They were deeply invested in the New Clark City Airport as well as businesses with in the Clark development project that they wanted Clark Airport to have exclusive control of aviation in the region.

Another group wanted to protect the economic growth of Pampanga instead of allowing Bulacan to build up its own economic hub, a proposed legislation in support of this, which was killed at the Office of the President as PBBM’s first veto.

Then there were those who wanted to preserve and protect the old NAIA which was their gold mine. Another group was even pushing for Sangley as an alternative for domestic flights instead of NAIA.

Come to think of it, many infrastructure projects of SMC as well as aviation-related endeavors have all been subjected to ‘generated opposition’ or technical delay or sabotage starting with the expressways, trains, airline, the New NAIA and now the New Manila International Airport.

To their credit, SMC has kept going as it has done in the past. RSA often says ‘this too shall pass’ or ‘lilipas din yan.’ One time I heard him say ‘Hindi na ba kayo na sanay?’

Every undertaking of San Miguel Corporation has been completed, operating and, more importantly, beneficial to Filipinos on land and in the air.

The expressway projects are ongoing concerns that have expanded in lanes, volume and length. The Skyway keeps going further and better, and now the Star Toll is well on its way to operating in Quezon province and soon to Bicol province.

Under RSA’s leadership, PAL transformed into a viable undertaking to the point that the previous owners bought back the company.

When SMC won the bid to rehabilitate and develop NAIA, SMC was once again subjected to ‘created’ negative publicity and disinformation. It became evident that there were sore losers who could not accept the SMC takeover.

There were also several aviation-related companies and investors that were unwilling to give up their advantageous rentals within NAIA and of course, with the SMC management came the clean-up related to corruption.

Today, critics claim that the New Manila International Airport project supposedly ‘blocked’ river outflows to Manila Bay, causing water to backflow and flood wider areas across the province. They even use ‘inventive’ AI graphic work to fool and mislead the public and Bulakenyos in particular that their worsening flooding is caused by a single project.

Without needing to, SMC addressed flooding in the areas in Bulacan near the airport. The rivers that were supposedly blocked, three of them actually – the Santa Maria River, Meycauayan River and Taliptip (Alipit) River that surround the airport site – were actually widened and deepened, just like SMC has done in their river clean up in Metro Manila. What SMC did was essentially increase the rivers’ flood-carrying capacities and rate of discharge out to Manila Bay.

People may not know it but in the early stages of the project, San Miguel Corporation called on global experts to study the proposed site and provide engineering solutions.

These global experts were: Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI), an engineering, research and technology firm specializing in water environments; UK-based Mott MacDonald, experts in coastal and marine engineering, and Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. of the Netherlands, experts in marine infrastructure.

The engineering evaluation and services of such global firms became the stamp of approval that green lighted funding within SMC as well as European banks and regional investors who also conduct their own due diligence and sustainability assessments.

We could go on discussing or arguing the merits or demerits of the Bulacan Airport or New Manila International Airport project. But to what end when we know that the alleged opposition is manufactured by vested interest groups?

Do we want to be deprived of or denied world class infrastructure that brings economic growth annd allow the terrorism of the insignificant few to once again delay the inevitable?

The Philippine men’s team delivered a Category B bronze medal after it ripped Panama, 3-1, in the 11th and final round of the 46th World Chess Olympiad at the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre in Samarkand, Uzbekistan Sunday night.

It was the second straight medal for the Philippines after snaring a Category B gold in the women’s section the last staging in Budapest, Hungary two years ago.

International Master Pau Bersamina and Grandmaster Darwin Laylo carved out the victories on boards two and four, respectively, while IMs Michael Concio, Jr. and Jem Garcia pulled off draws on boards one and three that helped seal the triumph.

Overall, the Filipinos finished 32nd with 14 match points, which was a big leap from their 59th-place performance last time.

Vietnam took the Category B gold while Mongolia the silver.

Host Uzbekistan topped the tournament with 20 match points, two ahead of eventual runner-up and 2024 champion India.

Germany took the bronze.

The Filipinas took a shot at grabbing another Category gold but stumbled to the 20th-seeded Britons, 1.5-2.5, in the last round and ended up at 43rd spot with 13 match points.

WFM Shania Mae Mendoza secured the lone win for the squad on board four while WIM Ruelle Canino snatched a draw on second board.

Both WGM Janelle Mae Frayna and WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda-Grafil lost on Boards 1 and 3.

Jake Bahia and Dan Simeon may be representing their company’s name in the World Corporate Golf Challenge (WCGC) in Beijing, China, but they will be carrying the Philippine flag there as well.

Bahia and Simeon of Steelmax Inc. ruled the WCGC Philippines golf tournament earlier this month, giving them the opportunity to compete in China next month.

Bahia, in an interview with reporters Sunday evening, said that ‘he does not think about the company’ as he carries the three stars and the sun.

‘I actually don’t think about the company anymore. I think a bit more on the Philippines side. Yung pride namin na dala-dala namin yung flag natin. For the Philippines,’ he said.

He said that he does not feel pressure in competing for the Philippines.

‘Yung pressure actually, doon sa sarili namin yan. Same as what we did nung nalalaro kami, hindi na namin iisip kung gaano kagagaling yung kasama namin,’ he said.

‘We actually conquered the course. At tsaka yung sarili namin.’

For his part, Simeon said that he feels more excitement than pressure.

‘I think less pressure this time. Maybe the pressure is a little bit of more… It’s more of an excitement. Kasi this is our first time [competing outside the country],’ Simeon said.

‘And also, I think it will be… I hope it will be a good take na on my side, medyo wala pressure, more on excitement, na first time going out to the country. So hopefully this time, kung less pressure or no pressure, will be a positive sign for the both of us.’

Bahia and Simeon topped their division in the Grand Corporate Golf Tournament held September 14-15.

More than 30 countries will compete in the World Final set from October 19-23 at the Beijing Qinghe Bay Golf Country Club.

Represented by Paulo Legaspi and Fred del Rosario, the Philippines, last year, finished 12th in the golf tournament.

A total of 44 municipalities and cities from across the province will take part in the two-month tilt organized by the Cebu Provincial Sports Commission (CPSC) headed by chairman Dr. Rhoel Dejano.

The province-wide cage wars aims to give young aspiring ballers a platform to showcase their skills while discovering new talents at the same time.

Before the games, a grand opening ceremony, to be graced by no less than Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro and the different mayors of the participating local government units (LGUs), will take place starting with the traditional parade of athletes at 1 p.m.

The selection of the Best Muse and a celebrity game set at 5 p.m. will spice up the kick-off rites.

Exciting hardcourt action will then commence with a triple-header on tap.

In the 7 p.m. season opener, Santa Fe from Bantayan Island will mix it up with San Francisco from Camotes Island.

The next two matches pit Madridejos against Bantayan and Mandaue City versus Lapu-Lapu City.

The champion will take home ?500,000, while the first-runner up will pocket P250,000. The third and fourth placers will receive ?100,000, and ?50,000, respectively.

Alex Eala is now in Japan, ready for the noblest mission of her blooming career.

‘Proud and excited,’ was how the tennis darling described her mindset in representing the Philippines in the 20th Asian Games.

Eala landed in Nagoya last night after a couple of flight delays and was warmly greeted by members of the Filipino delegation led by Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino.

In Aichi-Nagoya, the world No. 18 Pinay will be fighting for something bigger than herself, carrying the hope of the nation as she competes as the top seed – and sentimental favorite – in women’s singles.

Eala takes a bye in the opening round that’s firing off today and launches her gold-medal drive Monday in Round 2 against either Patcharin Cheapchandej of Thailand or Mahin Aftab Qureshi of Pakistan, with a quarterfinals seat on the line.

Based on the draw, the lefty ace needs four victories to crown herself queen of Asia and as sweetener, grab a corresponding ticket to the LA Olympics – another feather to her cap.

The 21-year-old star anchors the top half of the field alongside other seeded players Xiyu Wang of China (No. 4), Moyuka Uchijima of Japan (No. 6) and Joanna Garland of Chinese Taipei (No. 8).

Only the top two seeds get a first-round bye with Chinese Shuai Zhang (WTA singles No. 55, doubles No. 7) notching the other one at the bottom half of the bracket as the second seed.

Filipina Tenny Madis is at the bottom half and plays No. 7 seed Himeno Sakatsume of Japan in today’s Round 1.

Other seeded players are Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan (No. 3) and Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand (No. 5), whom Eala beat for the Southeast Asian Games tiara last year.

Barring any major upsets, these big guns are expected to be the biggest roadblocks to Eala’s quest.

Out of the picture are reigning champion Zheng Qinwen of China (WTA No. 52), world No. 1 and newly-minted US Open champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, No. 17 and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka of Japan as well as Indonesia’s Janice Tjen (No. 46).

Qinwen ruled the 2022 Asiad at home in Hangzhou with compatriot Zhu Lin winning the silver. Eala and Haruka Kaji of Japan took the bronze, making the Filipina the only remaining medalist this edition – and definitely the favored one.

Eala is also seeing action in women’s doubles with Shaira Hope Rivera. They face Hong Kong’s Lai Ching Laam and Kallista Liu in the opener.

Lapu-Lapu City has become the first city in Region VII to establish a formal partnership with the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center of the Philippines.

The partnership was formalized through a memorandum of agreement with the PPP Center, signed by City Mayor Ma. Cynthia ‘Cindi’ King-Chan, aimed at strengthening the city’s capacity to pursue poten-tial public-private partnership projects.

The agreement will give the city access to technical assistance and capacity-building support as it iden-tifies, develops, and evaluates possible PPP projects.

King-Chan said the partnership comes as the city continues to plan for its development and assess op-portunities that could support its growing needs.

‘This partnership is an important step as we continue to plan for the growth of Lapu-Lapu City,’ King-Chan said.

Through the agreement, the city will work with the PPP Center to assess potential projects and ex-plore possible arrangements with private sector partners.

King-Chan said the PPP Center’s technical guidance would help the city improve its capacity to evaluate projects before moving forward with potential investments.

‘With the guidance and expertise of the PPP Center, we can strengthen our capacity to assess projects, explore opportunities with the private sector, and make sound decisions that respond to the needs of our communities,’ she said.

The partnership is also expected to provide the city with additional institutional support as it studies projects that may be undertaken through public-private cooperation.

Rather than immediately identifying specific projects under the agreement, the city will work with the PPP Center in identifying and evaluating potential opportunities based on the city’s needs and devel-opment plans.

The agreement also provides a framework for capacity-building, allowing city officials and personnel to gain technical knowledge relevant to the preparation and assessment of PPP projects.

The signing was attended by PPP Center Undersecretary and Executive Director Rizza Blanco-Latorre, Assistant Secretary and Deputy Executive Director Eleazar E. Ricote, Director III Atty. Cyris Ann Ng-Santiago, and Deputy Executive Director Jeffrey I. Manalo.

Representatives from the Lapu-Lapu City Government also attended the signing, including City Counci-lor Annabeth Cuizon, Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Misaellee Tejano, City Treasurer Claire Cabalda, and Lapu-Lapu Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Anthony Noel.

For Lapu-Lapu, the formal partnership marks a new avenue for the city to work with the private sector while building its own capacity to evaluate major development proposals.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson has called for a ‘fair’ and ‘evidence-based’ verdict in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Lacson made the remark during the Philippine Constitution Association’s 65th anniversary celebration in Makati yesterday when asked what kind of decision would help bring stability after a politically polarizing impeachment trial.

‘A fair decision will bring stability to the country. As long as the decision is fair and based on evidence as presented without any political color, then it will bring stability to the country,’ Lacson said.

He pointed out that the trial has yet to wrap up the prosecution’s presentation of evidence before the defense takes its turn.

‘The defense has not yet presented their evidence. We only hear one side of the story. We need to hear the other side,’ Lacson said.

The senator said fast-tracking the trial should mean maximizing the limited trial time without compromising evidence.

The Senate impeachment court will have a full week of proceedings this week, with whole-day trial dates set in the first half of October.

The verdict, which is expected to be heard by year-end, should be guided by the Constitution and by the weight of evidence, not by political considerations or public opinion, Lacson said.

In his speech, Lacson said accountability as enshrined in the 1987 Constitution is a tool to fight corruption and ensure honesty and integrity among public servants in the wake of the flood control mess.

He was referring to the Constitution’s provision that ‘Public office is a public trust,’ which he said is a principle that cannot be compromised or negotiated.

Lacson threw shade at public officials who cry political persecution when investigated for malfeasance, instead of facing the allegations with confidence and conviction.

Constitutional crisis?

A law expert, meanwhile, has warned of a possible constitutional crisis amid the filing of petitions before the Supreme Court questioning the legality of the Senate impeachment court’s decision to lower the number of votes needed to convict the Vice President.

In an interview with dzMM, San Beda University-Manila Graduate School of Law Dean Rev. Fr. Ranhilio Aquino said the petitions filed by former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez and lawyer Ernesto Francisco Jr. were premature.

‘The cases are premature because the decision of the Senate has not been used yet. It has not yet been applied on the respondent, Vice President Duterte,’ Ranhilio said.

‘To be able to bring a case in court, you should be the one affected in the decision of the Senate. Of course, they can use grounds like citizen suits, lawyer suits, and public interest suits. But basically, the rule is that you cannot file a case in the Supreme Court that you are not directly affected,’ Ranhilio added.

The Philippines has called for stronger cooperation on safe, orderly and stronger migration among member-countries of the United Nations.

‘Migration is a Philippine reality,’ Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said yesterday, highlighting the scale of the Filipino diaspora and noting that many Filipinos abroad consider their host countries their ‘second homes.’

Lazaro made the remarks at a forum on ‘Forging Alliances: Strengthening Collaboration Along Migration Routes’ held on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

‘As a Champion country of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, the Philippines is committed to protecting, promoting and fulfilling the human rights of migrants throughout their migration journey,’ she stressed.

While the Philippines has made significant progress in strengthening migration governance, Lazaro acknowledged that gaps persist.

‘No country can address these challenges alone. This is why collective action, grounded in shared responsibility, is essential,’ she said.