Category: Philippine Star

Record-high contribution from nickel mining and significantly narrower losses from the cement business bolstered first-half earnings of the Consunji family’s DMCI Holdings Inc.

The diversified engineering conglomerate reported a net income of P11.4 billion in the first semester, up by 26 percent from P9 billion in the same period last year.

In the second quarter alone, the company saw its net income surge by 61 percent to P6.5 billion from P4 billion, supported by improved results across all subsidiaries.

Higher earnings from integrated energy, nickel mining, real estate, off-grid power, construction and cement businesses more than offset the lower contribution from Maynilad during the period in review.

Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) delivered P2.7 billion in second-quarter earnings, 17 percent higher than last year’s P2.3 billion, as record power performance more than offset weaker coal results.

At the SMPC level, power accounted for 96 percent of earnings, while coal comprised the remaining four percent.

DMCI Mining generated a record P1.3 billion in earnings, nearly four times the P344 million recorded last year, fueled by record shipment volumes following the full quarter contribution of the Long Point mine.

The company’s active mines have increased from two to three with the start of Long Point operations.

DMCI Homes, for its part, booked P1 billion in net income, up by 49 percent from last year’s P705 million on the back of higher residential revenues, lower cancellation reversals and improved operating margins.

Associate Maynilad’s attributable income amounted to P810 million, 17 percent lower than last year’s P974 million, mainly due to the reduction in DMCI Holdings’ effective ownership following the water company’s initial public offering.

Meanwhile, DMCI Power posted a nine-percent increase in contribution to P406 million, driven by record quarterly energy sales following capacity additions in Masbate and Antique.

Improved project margins likewise boosted D.M. Consunji Inc.’s contribution to P195 million compared with P18 million last year.

Concreat Holdings Philippines moved close to break-even, posting an attributable net loss contribution of just P4 million, a 99-percent improvement from the P682 million loss recorded last year.

DMCI said the turnaround reflected higher cement sales volumes and selling prices, along with continued operational improvements.

In moments of political upheaval, the arts often serve as society’s mirror, reflecting its anxieties and aspirations. The impeachment of the Vice President has become more than a legal process-it is a performance, a theater of power where scripts are written, roles assigned, and audiences persuaded. Against this backdrop, the rise of politically charged theater and film offers a critical lens to examine how narratives are crafted and consumed, reminding us that both politics and art shape the way we see truth.

Recently, the resurgence of ‘political theater’ in the Philippines has caught my attention. Plays and independent films tackling corruption, populism, and the fragility of democracy are being staged in universities and cultural centers. These productions are not accidental; they are deliberate interventions, reminding us that art is never neutral. Just as the impeachment hearings are choreographed to project credibility or discredit, so too are these cultural works designed to provoke reflection and, at times, outrage. I recall attending a student production in Cebu where the actors portrayed a fictional leader clinging to power despite moral bankruptcy. The audience laughed, sighed, and ultimately left the theater with a sense of unease-because the fiction felt too close to reality.

The danger, however, lies in the blurring of lines between art and propaganda. In the impeachment proceedings, we see carefully curated soundbites, dramatic pauses, and even symbolic gestures meant to sway public opinion. This is theater, but theater with consequences. Unlike a play that ends when the curtain falls, the political performance continues to shape institutions and policies. The arts community must therefore guard against being co-opted into mere extensions of political machinery. When cultural productions echo partisan scripts without critique, they risk becoming complicit in the erosion of democratic discourse.

What strikes me most is how the impeachment has awakened a renewed interest in cultural expressions of dissent. Street murals, spoken word poetry, and protest music are flourishing once again, reminiscent of the martial law era when artists became the conscience of the nation. These forms of art remind us that culture is not just entertainment-it is resistance. Yet, resistance must be thoughtful. It must rise above caricature and spectacle, offering instead a nuanced critique that challenges audiences to think critically rather than simply react emotionally.

As a retired professor who has spent decades advocating for the arts as a vehicle for social transformation, I find myself both hopeful and wary. Hopeful, because the cultural ferment suggests that our artists are alive to the urgency of the times. Wary, because the temptation to reduce art to mere political commentary is strong, and in doing so, we risk losing the depth and complexity that true art demands. The impeachment of the Vice President is a sobering reminder that politics, like theater, thrives on perception. But unlike theater, its consequences are lived, not imagined.

In the end, the question we must ask is this: are we passive spectators in this grand performance, or are we active participants shaping the narrative of our democracy? The arts can help us answer that question, but only if they remain critical, courageous, and committed to truth. As the impeachment drama unfolds, let us not forget that the real theater is not in the halls of Congress but in the hearts and minds of the people. And it is there, in that intimate stage, where the power of theater must be reclaimed-not to entertain, but to enlighten, to educate, to awaken, and ultimately, to transform.

A doctor’s experience in attending to patients suffering from cancer, diabetes, stroke, chronic diseases or those who are on maintenance hemodialysis has underpinned a valuable lesson in her 15-year practice as a physician. She has witnessed how these diseases have taken a toll not only on her patients but also on their families – physically, emotionally and especially, financially. With every consultation, medication and care for her patients came the realization that ‘the best treatment is prevention.’

I met Dr. Divina Cristy Redondo-Samin during our posting in New York. Dr. Samin is on semi-sabbatical from her practice in the Philippines while fulfilling the significant role of a trailing wife to her husband, Col. Bernie Samin, our deputy military adviser at the Philippine Mission to the UN in New York. With opportunities for advancement in the US, she took the time away from home to bolster her expertise in the field of health, nutrition and dietetics.

Before we left New York, Doc Cristy, as I fondly call her, reminded me of her willingness to share her knowledge via a webinar should there be a need for one in our new post. She does consultancy and fellowship works in medical nutrition and weight intervention and nutrition services in a major hospital in the Philippines and other hospitals nearby Manila. Her scholarly work and extensive research have set the pathway for her to pursue her passion despite being physically away from our home country.

I thought about Doc Cristy’s kind offer when Consul Emi and I brainstormed on how we could meaningfully celebrate Nutrition Month in Suva. We planned to organize a hybrid webinar on health literacy complemented with a medical mission. Like an ever-ready doctor on call, Doc Cristy enthusiastically replied to my email then researched on the demographic of our kababayans in Fiji and Filipinos in general. She suggested that a sound baseline information would be essential in developing her presentation.

Because she adheres to the research-backed, evidence-based premise that ‘chronic disease prevention starts at the table,’ she recommended the topic, ‘Healthy plate, healthy life.’

Statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal that noncommunicable diseases or NCDs are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths worldwide, with cardiovascular diseases as the leading one. At her presentation, Doc Cristy identified 10 NCDs like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, among others. She explained that NCDs are caused by both non-modifiable risk factors or things that we do not have control over such as age, gender, ethnicity and family history and modifiable risk factors or things that we can change like abdominal obesity, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol and psychosocial factors. It was alarming to know that 80 percent of our seniors have two or more chronic diseases while those below 65 have at least one of the 10 identified NCDs.

An overarching topic that Doc Cristy focused on the webinar was how obesity leads to a range of diseases. From her we learned that ‘if the lungs, heart and kidneys are body organs, body fat is also an active organ.’ Body fat has the capacity to release inflammatory substances or hormones that can affect other organs of the body, resulting in high cholesterol or insulin resistance, which are all harmful to the body. She emphasized: ‘Obesity is a chronic inflammatory state, literal na namamaga ang katawan.’

Referring to a 2018 nutrition survey, Doc Cristy mentioned these numbers: one of every five Filipinos is overweight or obese by BMI; one out of three Filipinos has central obesity or visceral fat, also known as body fat of more than 32 inches for female and more than 35 inches for male. Central obesity is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. One out of every five adults either has diabetes or prediabetes while seven out of 100 Filipinos have diabetes. One to two out of 10 of our population can potentially develop diabetes in the next few years.

While the risk factors and numbers appear startling, Doc Cristy reassured us, ‘compelling clinical proof exists that NCDs can be prevented.’ The prospects are not grim. Doc Cristy opines, the good news is all these diseases are avoidable. She asserts that ‘food is considered one of the most powerful forms of preventive medicine today.’ Because her research on the healing power of food is wide-ranging, she optimistically affirms that ‘practical, realistic and sustainable habits that every family can begin with help discover how simple everyday food choices help prevent chronic diseases.’

Citing data from WHO, she underscored that proper diet, exercise, avoiding alcohol and tobacco can ‘prevent premature heart diseases by 80 percent, type 2 diabetes by 80 percent and cancer by 40 percent.’ It simply means that when we improve our lifestyle, we are averting not just one disease, but we are simultaneously preventing many other diseases.

Research suggests that healthy eating can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol and lower blood sugar. Her own research reveals encouraging metabolic effects for individuals who underwent weight loss. A modest weight loss of three percent can significantly improve health. She advocates the healthy plate or what we call ‘pinggang Pinoy’ in the Philippines.

What consists of our pinggang Pinoy? The doctor-nutritionist recommends that half of our plate should contain fruits and vegetables, a quarter for whole grains like brown rice and a quarter should contain lean protein like fish, chicken and eggs. The healthiest drink? It’s plain water. She debunks the notion that healthy food is expensive or Filipino food is unhealthy as they’re usually associated with lechon, crispy pata, etc. In fact, we have food choices like ginisang munggo, sinigang, pinakbet and the like.

Doc Cristy believes that healthy foods – fruits, vegetables, the right protein – supply the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healthy fats the body needs. Her advocacy is to ‘eat real to heal’ because our body has an incredible ability to heal. She advises that ‘to be healthy we don’t try to achieve perfection; we try to make healthier choices consistently.’

The Philippine government is positioning tax incentives as a key lever to steer private capital into high-value industries, as investment approvals and exports reached record levels despite mounting global trade and geopolitical risks.

Board of Investments (BOI) Managing Head and Trade Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo said the government’s 2026-2028 Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) is designed to channel investments into industries with the greatest potential to generate jobs, strengthen domestic value chains and enhance the country’s long-term competitiveness.

Speaking during the Visayas launch of the SIPP in Cebu, Rodolfo said the program goes beyond offering fiscal perks, serving instead as a roadmap to accelerate the development of emerging industries through coordinated government support, infrastructure, innovation and workforce development.

‘The SIPP is not simply a list of incentives. It is the government’s roadmap for creating the conditions that allow new industries to grow, existing industries to move up the value chain, and more Filipinos to participate in higher-value economic opportunities,’ Rodolfo said.

He identified Cebu as a strategic investment hub, citing its strengths in manufacturing, logistics, technology and skilled labor, while highlighting complementary opportunities across the Visayas. These include semiconductor and advanced manufacturing in Cebu, digital services and education in Iloilo, agribusiness and renewable energy in Negros, tourism and technology-enabled services in Bohol, and renewable energy (RE) and infrastructure projects in Leyte and Samar.

Rodolfo said these regional strengths position the Visayas to play a larger role in the country’s industrial transformation, provided investments are supported by an enabling policy environment.

The government’s investment push comes as approvals continue to accelerate.

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) approved P140 billion worth of investments in the first six months of 2026, up 94 percent from a year earlier, while BOI-registered projects reached P462 billion, a 21 percent increase over the same period. Together, the two investment promotion agencies account for more than 80 percent of approved investments nationwide.

Trade performance has also remained resilient despite global uncertainties.

Philippine exports reached $8.8 billion in June, the highest monthly value since the Philippine Statistics Authority began compiling monthly export data in 1991. The country has now posted 18 consecutive months of export growth, following a record annual export performance in 2025.

Rodolfo said the gains were achieved despite higher tariffs imposed by major trading partners, continued geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict, which have disrupted global supply chains and commodity markets.

‘Cebu remains one of the country’s most export-oriented economies, giving the region significant potential to benefit from continued expansion in global trade,’ he said.

The investment drive is also being supported by sector-specific policies. Rodolfo cited the Executive Order signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. establishing an incentive framework for the electric vehicle industry, which has already attracted interest from four prospective applicants.

The initiative follows previously announced plans by Japanese manufacturers to establish hybrid vehicle assembly operations in the country, underscoring the government’s efforts to build a competitive electric mobility ecosystem.

Rodolfo said the challenge now is to accelerate investments already taking shape across the Visayas by strengthening regional supply chains, attracting higher-value industries and creating more quality jobs.

‘Our task is not simply to identify future industries, but to create the ecosystem, partnerships and investments that will allow them to thrive,’ he said.

No water crisis is expected amid the threat of El Niño even as the water level of Angat Dam remains below its normal high level, a study conducted by the University of the Philippines (UP) Resilience Institute-Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards or RI-NOAH showed.

‘Current evidence does not indicate an imminent domestic water supply crisis for Metro Manila, although irrigation and hydroelectric power generation may experience greater operational constraints, if dry conditions persist,’ the report of UP RI-NOAH stated, which was shared by UP Resilience Institute executive director Mahar Lagmay.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, Angat’s water level was at 158.13 meters, or 51.87 meters below its normal high water level of 210 meters.

Among the key findings of the UP RI-NOAH is that the Angat Reservoir reached one of its lowest dry-season water levels during 2025-2026, which is comparable to the 2018-2019 drought.

The report noted that the La Mesa Reservoir remained within its historical operating range, unlike during the 2018-2019 Metro Manila water supply crisis.

‘UP RI-NOAH has been monitoring the water levels of Angat Dam and La Mesa Dam for about 10 years, providing a sufficient record to prepare a report presenting our assessment of the current El Niño and its likely impacts on Metro Manila’s domestic water supply,’ Lagmay said on social media.

The study said that the strongest El Niño, which was in 2015-2016, did not produce the most severe water supply impacts, indicating that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation or ENSO intensity alone is not a reliable predictor of municipal water security.

‘For now, Metro Manila’s domestic supply appears stable. Persistently low storage at Angat could nevertheless narrow the room available for other uses, particularly irrigation in Central Luzon and hydropower generation, if rainfall remains below normal. This assessment falls near the upcoming seasonal turn from the dry months to the southwest monsoon,’ the UP RI-NOAH report said.

It noted that monitoring remains important because a strong El Niño later this year could limit recharge and reduce the water carried into the next dry season.

Expect another massive crowd as Filipina tennis star Alex Eala clashes with fellow giant-slayer Caty McNally of the United States in the third round of the WTA 1000 National Bank Open.

The match is set at 8:10 a.m. today (Saturday, August 8 Philippine time) at the Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, Canada.

Eala, fresh from making history as the first Filipina to win a WTA title at the Mubadala DC Open last week, ousted American Alycia Parks 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 to punch a ticket to the Round of 32.

The 21-year-old Eala, ranked No.20 in the world, received a first-round bye as the 25th seed in the tournament.

On the other hand, the world No.70 McNally advanced after knocking out reigning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 7-6 (7/5), 6-1

The Internal Affairs Service of the Philippine National Police (IAS-PNP) has started summary dismissal proceedings against the two policemen arrested in Caloocan on Thursday for allegedly selling loose firearms.

PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said a thorough background check on S/Sgt. Nino Paguirigan and M/Sgt. Arjay Terrado is also being conducted to determine if they are involved in other illegal activities.

‘Our internal cleansing program will continue without fear or favor, and we will hold every erring police officer fully accountable. In this particular case, we are checking if these arrested personnel are part of a larger criminal group,’ Nartatez said in a statement.

The policemen, who are assigned with the Caloocan police station, were arrested in a sting in Barangay 5 at 5:30 a.m., after a civilian posed as a buyer of loose firearms. One of the officers was in uniform during the arrest.

The suspects were caught with a .38-caliber handgun, a 9mm handgun and a 12-gauge shotgun.

They were charged with violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition.

IAS inspector general Brigido Dulay said Paguirigan and Terrado face dismissal for moonlighting as gunrunners, a grave offense based on PNP regulations.

‘When a police officer sells his service firearm, he does not merely violate a regulation. He arms the very threat he swore to protect the public from,’ Dulay said in a statement.

Nartatez vowed to dismiss the police officers from service for tainting the reputation of the police force.

‘There is no place in the PNP for personnel who abuse their authority or violate the law. If you choose to engage in criminal acts, you will be investigated, arrested and prosecuted,’ he said.

The tennis world is still getting used to having consistently loud capacity crowds thronging venues for Mubadala DC Open champion Alex Eala. They’ve never experienced a player who brings the home court with her. The socio-economic impact is not only palpable, it is substantial. Schedules are changed, tickets sell out like concert, menu items like adobo added, and yet, somehow, everybody wins.

The Filipino diaspora started after the first two world wars, when American soldiers would come home to wives who had been working in factories, running businesses and being bosses. They didn’t want to go back to being homemakers, nurses or secretaries. The solution lay thousands of miles away. Filipinos saw an opportunity, first in America, which opened their eyes to the rest of the world. Then came Martial Law and the political upheaval of the mid-1980’s, which spurred even bigger waves of migration. It has since ebbed and flowed, but never waned. To date there are anywhere from 10 million to 30 million legal and illegal Filipinos overseas.

One other thing changed. Succeeding generations of Filipinos had access to more money than before. They were getting compensated for work that could not earn them anywhere near that much back home, in dollars, Euro and other currencies more powerful than the Philippine peso. But there was one thing missing. What Filipino thing was there to spend their money on? In 2005, Manny Pacquiao came along when the economy was low and desperation high. He gave the country a hero, every so often lifting spirits and lowering crime in the country and abroad.

This is the distinct advantage of tennis. You can play every day. And as we have seen, pros play weekly in the WTA. Filipinos, who have been weaned from their impatience by football’s Azkals and rugby’s Volcanoes, now have a rallying point. It is a weekly event, like Sundays at Lola’s. They can take the day off, make a week of it, even. For many, the only challenge is getting permission to take off from work.

Significantly, Filipinos are very visible when they watch sporting events. We’re loud, raised on basketball and boxing. We’ve even learned to cheer during billiards matches (sharking). We buy the merchandise, the food, and bring flags. Now, every Alex Eala match is a party, like the Brazilians invaded tennis. Nobody is used to it. The staid, stiff tradition of obedient silence during serves and points is being challenged and strained, everywhere.

There is no written rule against cheering. It’s tradition that was imposed on other classes by the Europeans, like wearing all white, which Andre Agassi and his cohorts forced to change with their electric, luminous colors. Maybe it’s time to change that tradition, too. In fact, we already see it in how raucously they introduce the young Filipina every time, as if it were the walk-on to a boxing world title fight. In a way, we can say that they started it.

At the end of the day, as Eala continues to succeed, we will wear down the stiff upper-lipped traditionalists who try to quiet us down. We are not just fans, we are an economic force that tennis has never seen, and wants to harness. Let the other players complain. Let the officials reprimand. They will tire, and we will win that point, too. We have the numbers to force change. And we’re not going anywhere, because we’re already everywhere. You can’t shush Pinoy pride.

Rianne Malixi’s bid for a second US Women’s Amateur crown ended in heartbreaking fashion Friday (Saturday Manila time) as China’s Yujie Liu held her nerve on the extra hole to eliminate the Filipina ace and advance to the Last 16 of the prestigious championship at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee.

Malixi appeared headed for another stirring comeback after erasing a two-hole deficit late in their Round-of-32 match, but Liu kept her composure when it mattered most, making a gutsy par on the 19th hole to deny the former champion.

The two returned to the par-4 No. 1 for the playoff after Malixi forced the match to extra holes by matching Liu’s par with a clutch chip for a four-foot par putt on No. 18.

Both players had previously parred the opening hole, but Liu produced another steady finish in the playoff, while Malixi failed to get up-and-down, allowing the 26th-seeded Chinese to escape with the victory and a place in the third round.

It was a particularly tough setback for Malixi, who had fought her way into the match-play stage by barely making the cut in the stroke-play elims at No. 58. She then announced her presence in emphatic fashion by routing seventh-seeded Jasmine Koo, 6and5, in the opening round of head-to-head play.

Against Liu, however, Malixi was forced to chase from the outset.

The Chinese won holes No. 4 and 5 to seize an early advantage, but Malixi quickly settled down and answered with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 6 and 7 to pull the match back to all square.

Liu refused to buckle.

She reclaimed the lead on the eighth hole despite making bogey, taking advantage of Malixi’s costly double bogey on the par-3. Liu then moved two holes ahead again with a par on No. 10 after Malixi dropped another shot with a double bogey.

Malixi continued to fight, though, producing a birdie on No. 13 to cut into the deficit. Liu responded immediately with a clutch birdie of her own on the par-3 14th to restore her two-hole cushion.

The match then turned into a tense exchange down the stretch.

After the two traded birdies on No. 15, Malixi finally made her move, winning the 16th with a par before birdieing the par-5 next to pull level for the first time since the early stages of the match.

With momentum firmly on her side, Malixi reached the 18th needing another solid finish to complete the comeback. Liu matched her with par, but Malixi’s clutch chip set up the par-saving effort that sent the match into an extra hole.

The drama continued on the return to No. 1, where Liu delivered the decisive blow with another composed par.

Malixi’s failure to convert her up-and-down opportunity ended a spirited fightback and sent her out of the championship, while Liu advanced to a Last 16 meeting with No. 23 seed Bailey Shoemaker.

Shoemaker also produced an upset Friday, edging 10th-seeded Korean Soomin Oh, 1-up.

Top seed Anna Iwanaga of Japan likewise survived a close contest, defeating Natalie Blonien, 1-up, to set up a Last 16 clash with Canada’s Michelle Xing, who held off Molly Smith, 2and1.

For Malixi, the defeat brings an end to another run at the championship she conquered in 2024, when the Duke University freshman capped a remarkable season by winning the US Women’s Amateur and earlier capturing the US Girls’ Junior title.

Her latest campaign ends earlier than she had hoped, but not without another display of the resilience and fighting spirit that have marked her rise on the international amateur golf stage.

This time, though, Liu had the final answer.

The local stock market managed to finish in the positive territory despite the country’s disappointing economic growth in the second quarter.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange (PSEi) advanced by 0.2 percent or 12.4 points, snapping a three-day losing streak to end the week at 6,290.35.

The broader All Shares index also improved by 0.15 percent or 4.95 points to close at 3,418.40.

‘The PSEi closed at its high despite second quarter gross domestic product (GDP) slowing to 2.3 percent, suggesting investors had already turned cautious ahead of its release,’ AB Capital Securities said.

First Metro Securities said Philip pine equities staged a late-session recovery after shrugging off early weakness tied to a disappointing second quarter GDP print.

It said a strong surge in Ayala Land, which gained by 6.14 percent, anchored the rebound, complement ed by solid performance in Universal Robina Corp. and DigiPlus, which grew by 2.74 percent and 6.11 percent, respectively.

Total value turnover stood at P6.23 billion, slightly higher than Thursday’s P6.18 billion. First Metro Securities said foreign participation cornered 55.07 percent of the activity, recording P339.35 mil lion in net foreign selling.

Sectors were mixed, with those in the green with the slight advantage. Property posted the biggest increase at 0.99 percent, while financials incurred the largest drop at 0.54 percent.

Market breadth was negative as decliners edged out advancers, 90 to 86, while 68 issues were unchanged. ICTSI was the top traded stock, finishing unchanged at P1,000 per share. It was followed by banking gi ants BPI, which was also unchanged at P101, and BDO Unibank, which declined by 0.97 percent to P122.