Category: Philippine Star

Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states have signed the Manila Declaration, affirming their collective commitment to accelerating implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Work Programme 2026-2030; strengthening ASEAN accountability, monitoring, and learning for disaster resilience; and shaping the region’s disaster resilience agenda toward 2030 and beyond.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., who also chairs the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, presided over the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Disaster Resilience (AMCDR) Ministerial Meeting on Wednesday where ministers from ASEAN member states adopted the Manila Declaration.

The Department of National Defense said the meeting ‘took place against a backdrop of complex and dynamic risk landscapes, and presented an opportunity to build consensus on exchanging knowledge, best practices, and lessons learned, which are vital to ASEAN efforts to enhance the safety and well-being of its communities and build the resilience and prosperity of the region.’

‘It likewise reaffirms the role of ASEAN as a global leader and convener in disaster resilience, as well as our commitment to sharing lessons, innovations, and good practices with the international community,’ Teodoro said.

With the concurrence of all member states, the DND said it is now slated for notation by state leaders at the 49th ASEAN Summit this November.

ASEAN vision

Teodoro also announced that they will seek the endorsement of the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the Resilient, Innovative, Sustainable, and Empowered ASEAN Vision, subject to the consensus of all member states.

This statement declares the region’s shared vision of a resilient, innovative, sustainable, and empowered ASEAN, which is defined as ‘one that can better anticipate, withstand, adapt, recover, and thrive in the face of complex and systemic risks while leaving no one behind.’

‘We are hopeful that these critical directions will reduce risks, accelerate resilience, and transform the lives of our people. For our part, the Philippines remains firmly committed to building and enhancing ASEAN solidarity,’ Teodoro said.

‘This is the indispensable pathway to ensuring resilience, security, and prosperity in our region, not only today, but for generations yet to come,’ he added.

During his closing remarks at the two-day AMCDR held on Sept. 15 and 16, 2026, Teodoro expressed his hope for continued cooperation, networking, and finding effective and agile solutions beyond the conference.

‘I am hopeful that we will continue to work with one another faster, more often, on a more collaborative basis – not only within ASEAN, but with the international community within which we coexist – in the pursuit of a safer, more prosperous, and more resilient future for our people,’ he said.

With the theme, ‘Twenty Years of AADMER: Advancing Global Commitments Toward a Resilient ASEAN Beyond 2030,’ the AMCDR is a flagship activity of the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN chairmanship under the Marcos administration, bringing together ASEAN ministers, disaster management officials, and stakeholders from international organizations and civil society groups.

The National Capital Region Police Office (PNP-NCRPO) will be placed on full alert status starting Saturday, September 19, in anticipation of protest actions scheduled in connection with the September 21 Martial Law commemoration.

The PNP announced that the transition to full alert status will officially begin at 12 a.m. Saturday, with full deployment of police personnel commencing at 5 p.m. that afternoon, PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co said.

More than 15,700 personnel will be deployed, according to Co.

He added that the PNP may augment its personnel with forces from Central Luzon, Calabarzon and neighboring regions if necessary.

Asked what gear police would carry, Co said personnel deployed for crowd dispersal management would have standard protective equipment, including helmets, shields and batons.

“Babalik rin po tayo sa main function ng ating kapulisan to ensure the safety of other people and ‘yung infrastructures natin,” Co said.

(We will also return to the main function of our police force, which is to ensure the safety of the public and our infrastructure.)

“So we have to control pag ‘yung crowd natin ay naging unruly,” he added. (So we have to maintain control if the crowd becomes unruly.)

The PNP, however, had yet to receive information on any rally permit applications as of Thursday morning.

He added that peaceful assemblies may be held in designated freedom parks even without a permit, subject to existing rules.

ames Huang, chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), said Taiwanese companies could become partners in efforts to develop an artificial intelligence hub in the Philippines.

Huang said this during the sidelines of the opening of Taiwan Expo 2026 in Manila on Thursday, September 17, where 125 Taiwanese companies are showcasing products and technologies in areas including smart technology, healthcare, agriculture, energy and lifestyle.

The Philippines joined Pax Silica in April as its 13th signatory. The US-led initiative aims to build a secure and resilient supply chain for silicon, semiconductors and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Asked to comment about the Philippines’ participation in Pax Silica, Huang said Taiwan and the Philippines could support each other through the initiative.

‘Pax Silica is a very, very important alliance for like-minded, democratic countries in the world in building up a strong alliance of silicon and semiconductor cooperation,” he said.

Taiwan and the Philippines, he added, both work closely with the United States.

‘And, we can be very…partners supporting each other in Pax Silica,’ the TAITRA chief added.

On AI infrastructure

Asked specifically about the planned AI hub within the Luzon Economic Corridor, Huang said Taiwan could help countries develop their own AI infrastructure.

‘Every country is trying to build up its own sovereign AI and AI infrastructure. And when it comes to sovereign AI and AI infrastructure, Taiwan would be a very, very important partner because we are..we have the most complete and most advanced artificial intelligence supply chain ecosystem,” Huang said.

‘We support almost every country in the world. And we will be happy to work with the Philippines,” he added.

The proposed Pax Silica project in Capas has faced questions in the Philippines over concerns that the hub could exploit natural resources and displace Indigenous peoples.

Last month, Sen. Raffy Tulfo filed Senate Resolution No. 571 seeking to assess the potential impacts of Pax Silica on the country amid the growing concerns about its consequences. Tulfo urged the Senate to determine whether the existing laws and policies in the country are enough to regulate Pax Silica.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has defended the project, saying Filipinos could benefit from jobs, investment, technology and training.

‘What we are interested in is to benefit our people in terms of jobs, in terms of investment into the country, in terms of the advancement of our capabilities, in terms of technology, in terms of training, reskilling and upskilling, all of those things,’ Marcos was quoted as saying at a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said the project is expected to involve semiconductor production supporting AI rather than AI data centers, which he said would mean lower water requirements.

‘Essentially, it is AI-focused by developing chips that will support (the technology), but not an AI hub,’ Solidum said. ‘Since there will be no AI hub, the water requirement will not be very much,” he said.

Semiconductor potential

Huang said Taiwan’s interest in the Philippines extends beyond Pax Silica and AI. He said Taiwanese companies are already operating in the country in areas including electronic manufacturing and that the Philippines could potentially develop into a semiconductor packaging center in Southeast Asia.

‘In the future, I think Philippines has the potential to be developed into one of the semiconductor packaging centers in the ASEAN,’ he said.

He also cited the Philippines’ English-speaking workforce as an advantage for Taiwanese companies working with US customers.

‘So, I would anticipate more and more Taiwanese companies will come over, particularly in the area where they can enjoy the language advantage,’ Huang said.

Huang said the restructuring of global supply chains is also encouraging Taiwanese companies to consider the Philippines for investment and manufacturing.

Meanwhile, Huang said participating companies at the Taiwan expo were selected based on areas where Taiwan sees potential for cooperation with the Philippines and in support of Philippine national development priorities. The three-day Taiwan Expo 2026 runs until September 19 at the SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City.

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has allocated P2.2 billion to expand some of the facilities in Luzon’s busiest crossing for roll-on, roll-off (Roro) vessels.

The PPA is bidding out the contract to undertake the first phase of the Matnog Port Expansion Project in line with its strategy to improve regional ports, especially the busiest ones.

The Port of Matnog is Luzon’s busiest crossing for Roro ships, which ferry passenger buses and cargo trucks from Sorsogon to Samar across the San Bernardino Strait.

In particular, the PPA divided the Matnog Port Expansion Project into three parts. First, the contractor must conduct removal, disposal and excavation works to clear the sites for the project. Afterward, it must construct a port operational area and a continuous Roro ramp, all to be completed within 900 days.

The PPA is limiting the bidding to developers with a Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board registration of Large B, specifically for port, harbor and offshore engineering.

This means only builders with a net worth of at least P10 million and industry experience of five years or more can submit an offer.

The PPA scheduled the pre-bid conference on Sept. 23, while submission deadline and bid opening are set on Oct. 3.

The PPA is expanding the Port of Matnog as Roro traffic is going up. First half data showed that Roro traffic has grown by four percent to 6.88 million, from 6.62 million a year ago.

The Port of Matnog also serves as one of the country’s most reliable routes for ships. The port is about 1.5 hours away by sea to Allen, so it is frequently picked by travelers as a jumpoff point to Visayas.

The Port of Matnog currently services several shipping operators such as FastCat, Montenegro Shipping Lines and Starlite Ferries.

Mobile services provider Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) and its value mobile brand TNT on Friday launched its latest app that provides loading, bill payments and daily transaction services to users.

In a news release, the telco said the LiveSmart App will also give users access to exclusive offers, savings and deals.

Available for download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, the app helps subscribers of Smart, TNT and other network providers to stay one step ahead by bringing more benefits and opportunities to save in one convenient app.

Smart said the app is a response to Filipinos’ need to ensure every peso counts amid rising costs.

‘With the rising cost of everyday expenses, Filipinos are becoming more deliberate about where they spend and how they can get more value from every peso. The LiveSmart App is designed to help make those everyday decisions a little smarter, by giving users convenient ways to load, pay bills, and access exclusive savings and offers in one place,’ said Lloyd Manaloto, FVP and OIC for Smart.

‘As we celebrate our subscribers this September 18, or 9.18, we are also giving them more reasons to experience the LiveSmart App, with exclusive offers and benefits that reward them for choosing Smart and TNT. And this is just the beginning, as we continue to bring more value and opportunities to our subscribers through the app.’

To celebrate its subscribers, Smart and TNT said they are rolling out exclusive offers on the LiveSmart App starting September 18, including cashbacks, special Smart and TNT data offers, and FREE access to AI.Smart.

Subscribers can enjoy a 5% cashback when they purchase load or pay their Smart Postpaid bill through the LiveSmart App.

The LiveSmart App also gives users access to exclusive Smart and TNT offers available only through the app. For example, Smart Prepaid subscribers can get Power All 109 for only P105, while TNT subscribers can enjoy Saya All 109 for only P105.

Users downloading the LiveSmart App may also get limited-time FREE access to AI.Smart, a one-stop AI workspace that brings multiple advanced AI models, including AWS Nova, ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, and Thinking Machines, into one easy-to-use experience.

Users simply have to click the AI.Smart banner on the LiveSmart App and simply create their AI.Smart account using their Smart or TNT number to claim their free credits, which they can use to generate images, create presentations, draft documents and spreadsheets, and get assistance with schoolwork, content creation, and other projects.

Beyond these special offers, users can look forward to more exclusive perks and deals from lifestyle partners, as Smart continues to expand the LiveSmart App and bring more value to its users.

Users can download the LiveSmart App now from Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Click here to learn more.

Defending champion Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas and perennial contender Centro Escolar University have been tagged as the early teams to watch when the Universities and Colleges Athletic League (UCAL) opens its ninth season with its streetdance competition on Saturday, September 19, at the Playtime FilOil Centre in San Juan.

The ninth-season opening ceremony is set to begin at 2 p.m., with OPM rock band Lola Amour and artist Matthaios adding a concert-like atmosphere to the festivities as the league kicks off another year of competition.

But the spotlight will ultimately fall on the athletes and performers from the league’s nine member schools, led by host Manila Central University (MCU), along with CEU, LPU-B, Diliman College, Immaculada Concepcion College (ICC), Olivarez College, Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas, Philippine Women’s University and University of Batangas.

Tournament Director Horacio Lim and league officials Col. Bong Nebrija, Bernard Yang and Carmelo Navarro are expected to lead the opening ceremonies together with MCU strategic adviser for sports Javier Lopez-Sanz Chulvi and representatives from the participating schools.

‘We are excited and we hope it’s gonna be one to remember and we believe it’s gonna be a good start for the season that is to come,’ said Lopez-Sanz Chulvi.

LPU-B enters the streetdance competition with the confidence of a defending champion after edging CEU by just three points for last season’s crown.

The Batangas-based school will be looking to put together another high-energy routine capable of impressing both the judges and the crowd as it seeks to make it two straight titles.

CEU, meanwhile, will be out to reclaim the crown after settling for second place last season, while PCU-D, UB and ICC are also expected to contend after finishing in the Top 5 a year ago.

PWU, Olivarez, Diliman and host MCU are likewise hoping to shake up the field and spring a surprise when the dancers take center stage.

With the streetdance competition setting the tone for the ninth season, the UCAL is looking to open its sporting calendar with a showcase of talent, energy and school pride before the volleyball, esports and badminton tournaments get underway for the first semester.

The Department of Energy (DOE) welcomed a new regional electricity price cap that could cut Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) prices in the Visayas and Mindanao by more than half during periods of tight supply.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) began applying the Secondary Price Cap (SPC) separately to the two grids starting with the August 2026 billing period, preventing lower electricity prices in Luzon from masking supply tightness in the regions.

Based on an ERC simulation, the regional SPC could have reduced the average August WESM price in the Visayas from ?18.59 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to ?8.47/kWh, or by 54 percent. In Mindanao, the average could have fallen from ?19.56/kWh to ?8.69/kWh, or by 56 percent.

‘Consumers in the Visayas and Mindanao should not have to bear extraordinary electricity prices when supply becomes tight. The regional price cap gives them immediate protection,’ Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said in a statement.

Garin said the DOE was also working to strengthen power supply by bringing unavailable power plants back online, building up battery reserves and addressing recurring and prolonged outages.

The DOE clarified that the impact on individual electricity bills would vary depending on each distribution utility’s exposure to the spot market and overall power supply mix.

The ERC directed distribution utilities to promptly and accurately reflect the recalculated SPC-based charges in consumers’ electricity bills.

The Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) was also ordered to recalculate the August 2026 market settlements and issue revised Final Statement Bills on or before Sept. 20, 2026.

The regional computation will also apply to succeeding billing periods.

The DOE also supported the ERC’s directive for the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation, through its Market Surveillance Committee, to examine the bidding, offer and dispatch behavior of generators during periods of unusually high electricity prices.

The DOE said it would continue coordinating with the ERC and other power-sector agencies and stakeholders to stabilize electricity supply, monitor market conduct and ensure that recalculated charges are properly reflected in consumer bills.

Before the 2026 Asian Games could formally open, Team Philippines already has a medal.

Women power delivered it.

Bannered by Bien Zoleta and Christy Sanosa, the women’s soft tennis squad assured Team Philippines a podium finish in the Aichi-Nagoya Asiad, barging into the semifinals Friday at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.

It is a breakthrough, long years in the making.

Never since soft tennis became a medal sport in the 1998 Bangkok Asiad had the Philippines won a medal. On the eve of the Nagoya Games opening ceremonies, the drought ended.

The Nationals made the semis by punching a 2-1 win-loss record in the group play.

They opened with a statement against Mongolia, with Zoleta and Princess Catindig winning their doubles match to set the tone. Inspired by the doubles pair, Sanosa blasted her singles rival to complete the 3-0 sweep.

They followed it up with a gritty 2-1 win over Thailand before being stopped by powerhouse Chinese-Taipei, 0-3.

The 2-1 card put the Philippines at second in Group B behind Chinese-Taipei and into the semis – and with it, an automatic bronze as there is no playoff for third in soft tennis.

The men’s team couldn’t keep up with the women and bowed to fancied Korea in the quarterfinals.

For Zoleta and her teammates, waiting in the semifinals is world champion and reigning Asian Games champion Japan, which topped Group A.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is stepping up enforcement against illicit vape and tobacco products as demand typically peaks ahead of the Christmas season.

The tax agency has ordered its regional and enforcement offices to intensify monitoring of suspected production sites, warehouses, distribution channels and retail outlets.

BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza said there would be no holiday for operations against illicit vapes, putting its enforcement teams on high alert.

‘We are receiving intelligence and market information on the increased risk of illicit vape and tobacco products entering the market as holiday demand picks up,’ Mendoza said.

The heightened monitoring comes as the BIR continues nationwide operations against illicit tobacco and vape products, including seizure and destruction of illegal goods, assessment of tax liabilities and the filing of cases against violators.

The government lost around P141 billion in revenues to illicit tobacco trade over the past two years, according to a study by the European Union-ASEAN Business Council and Euromonitor International.

A double-digit price hike on local diesel prices is expected to take effect by next week, marking the third major increase in pump prices within a month.

Domestic diesel prices are seen to further surge by P10 to P10.50 per liter next week, while gasoline prices could go up by P4.50 to P5 per liter, according to a report by The STAR.

Department of Energy (DOE) Oil Industry Management Bureau Director Rino Abad said this big-time oil price hike is already highly expected to take effect as movements of global prices in the world market continue to go up.

‘Napakataas ho ang tyansa na masundan ho ang ating increase. Mataas ho ang magiging increase next week at ito naman ay consistent din sa napakataas na naging diperensya o naging increase din sa ating international benchmark prices,’ Abad said on Friday, September 18, in an interview with dzMM.

(There is a very high chance that the price increase will continue. We expect a significant increase next week, and this is consistent with the very large difference, or increase, in our international benchmark prices.)

Abad said as of the fourth day of trading in the world market, diesel prices increased by almost P10 per liter, gasoline by more than P5 per liter, and kerosene by P7 per liter.

Due to Saudi’s petroline damage

According to Abad, the recent upward trend on local prices is brought about by the damage on Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline (Petroline) after being attacked by drones.

The damage has added to the effects of the disrupted operations in the Strait of Hormuz on the global oil supply.

International reports said the Saudi government has shut down the pipeline and could take more than a month to repair.

In the Philippines, Abad said high prices of local oil and fuel products will remain even after Saudi Arabia restores the pipeline’s operations.

‘Ang effect lang siguro n’yan kapag na-restore ‘yan, balik lang siguro tayo doon sa P80 to P90 range, kumpara sa P50 to P60 range before the war,’ Abad said.

(It’s only effect, perhaps, if that was restored, we would only go back to P80 to P90 range, compared to the P50 to P60 range before the war.)

Appeal for staggered increase

The energy department said they will appeal to oil companies in the country to implement a staggered price increase, given the large amount of the expected hike.

‘Palagi na ho nating ginagawa kapag ganitong kalakihan, humihingi ho tayo ng pakiusap doon sa mga oil companies na kung pwedeng i-stagger ang implementation kahit within next week,’ Abad said.

Earlier this week, the DOE certified that global oil prices have gone beyond the $80 per barrel benchmark set by the Philippine laws, which now allows the government to suspend the excise tax on fuels.

On September 14, the DOE announced a P5.68 per liter increase on gasoline, P4.31 per liter on diesel, and P4.62 per liter on kerosene.

Abad said the current highest range on diesel prices are P114 to P115 per liter.