Category: Philippine Star

President BBM mentioned the proliferation of substandard steel but offered to policy solution to the problem. The matter, he says, will be investigated.

Several plants using obsolete induction furnace (IF) technology were built over the past few years. The President starts counting from 2018, seeming to suggest that the entry of these obsolete plants was attributable to the Duterte administration.

The more compelling contest should be Beijing’s decision to ban plants using IF technology. These plants are blamed for the heavy air pollution that enveloped China then. Many of the plants dismantled because of this policy found their way here. Today, about 40 IF plants have been transplanted from China to the Philippines.

There is another reason besides proximity that explains why the obsolete plants were relocated here. The steel industries in most of our neighbors in the region have come under the control of Chinese steel giants. These giants would not tolerate competition from substandard steel produced by banned technology.

Only the Philippines stands outside the realm of Chinese steel giants. Filipino steel manufacturers resisted offers from Chinese corporations to buy in or enter into joint ventures. Currently, some Filipino manufacturers use some of the most advanced steelmaking technologies in the world.

It could also be that some influential persons in the Duterte administration helped facilitate the entry of the banned IF plants from China. But available evidence point to toleration rather than policy encouragement of these plants.

There is speculation that the ban on IF plants in China represented the triumph of one faction of the Chinese ruling elite over the others. The triumphant faction has invested in more modern steelmaking plants. The losing faction, invested in obsolete IF technology, found ways to transfer the banned plants elsewhere. These transfers, by the way, also opened an avenue for laundering money.

The involvement of politically influential political factions in China should explain why the raids recently conducted by Philippine authorities on some of the IF plants precipitated something of a diplomatic incident. The Chinese embassy protested the treatment of their nationals found in the raided plants.

There is enough reason for some of our security officials, such as Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, to closely scrutinize the IF plants. Some of them were found to be using hazardous (including radioactive) raw materials imported from China. The substandard steel they manufacture pose a hazard to public safety. The building that crumbled in Angeles City, for instance, used steel procured from an IF plant in Magalang.

The proliferation of substandard steel manufacturing cuts into the viability of Filipino steelmakers. Using obsolete technology banned at the source, availing of possibly cheaper financing, the possible involvement of money laundering activities and often using lower quality scrap metal, they are able to carve a share of the domestic market.

When corruption in our public works projects was at its peak, we cannot discount the symbiosis between corrupt contractors and suppliers of substandard steel manufacturers. Corrupt contractors care very little about the quality of their projects. They are in it for the illicit profit even if the inferior projects bring misery to Filipino communities. As we saw in the last flooding episode.

The solution to the proliferation of substandard steel products is available if the President cares to seriously address the matter. Experts at the DTI have long recommended a policy requiring steel products – especially reinforcement bars – to meet ‘seismic’ standards. This will require the steel products to have the tensile strength to withstand a seismic event.

The DTI, for reasons only they know, have not acted on the policy recommendation. Imaginably, our trade and industry bureaucrats are under great pressure from interest groups whose businesses might be hurt by a policy aimed at improving safety standards for our people.

According to metallurgists, the steel produced by the IF plants will fail to meet ‘seismic’ standards. There is no way the obsolete technology could meet the tensile strength requirements necessary to prevent buildings from collapsing and bridges from falling. Hundreds of millions, possibly billions, in hurried investments in importing old steel technology from China would be lost.

Our regulators, however, face literally life and death policy choices. If public safety is not the principal consideration, then we may simply allow substandard steel products to grab market share. But if our people’s safety is the first concern, then our regulators must enforce a ‘seismic’ grade requirement.

When the General Santos area was struck by an earthquake recently, several public school buildings collapsed. These are single-level structures, not even high-rises. It is a stroke of fortune that young students were not present when the classrooms collapsed.

We expect quakes to happen. We live in the western Pacific rim of fire. Every precaution needs to be taken to protect our people from inferior steel products.

Beyond promising more investigations, President BBM should instruct the DTI to adopt the higher grade requirement for steel products sold in our market. Public safety requires it.

Part of the crusade against corruption in our public works should be an honest examination of the materials used to build vital projects. In the last flooding episode, a bridge in Tarlac collapsed. Several dikes surrendered to the onslaught of water.

It is not so easy to examine flood control projects for the quality of materials used to engineer them. The corrupt syndicates do not care much about engineering quality.

Air quality in Metro Cebu has improved significantly from ‘very unhealthy’ on September 1 to ‘fair’ as of September 16, with the latest monitoring showing better conditions in both Metro Cebu and Toledo City.

The Environmental Management Bureau Region VII (EMB-7) recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 57 in Metro Cebu as of 7 a.m. on September 16, classified as fair.

Meanwhile, the Barangay Cabitoonan monitoring station in Toledo City recorded an AQI of 17, classified as good.

The latest figures indicate a substantial change from the beginning of the month, when Metro Cebu recorded an AQI of 173 on September 1, classified as very unhealthy.

Air quality further deteriorated over the next two days, with the AQI reaching 208 on September 2 and peaking at 251 on September 3, both classified as acutely unhealthy.

The September 3 reading of 251 was the highest recorded AQI in Metro Cebu during the September 1 to 16 monitoring period.

The air quality remained poor on September 4, with AQI readings of 202 at 7 a.m. and 197 at 11 a.m., before improving to 159 on September 5.

From September 6 to 9, the AQI gradually declined but remained within the unhealthy for sensitive groups category.

Metro Cebu recorded AQI readings of 126 to 136 on September 6, 143 on September 7, 121 on September 8, and 116 on September 9.

A marked improvement was recorded on September 10, when the AQI dropped to 86, classified as fair.

It remained fair on September 11 at 97, but air quality deteriorated again on September 12 when the AQI rose to 154, classified as very unhealthy.

The improvement resumed over the following days, with Metro Cebu recording an AQI of 84 on September 13, 73 on September 14, 78 on September 15, and 57 as of 7 a.m. on September 16.

The September 16 reading represents a 116-point, or about 67 percent, improvement from the AQI of 173 recorded on September 1.

Meanwhile, air quality in Toledo City also showed a substantial improvement during the monitoring period.

The Barangay Cabitoonan station recorded an AQI of 113, classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups, on September 4. The reading improved to 79 later that day and further declined to 44 on September 5.

The station subsequently recorded AQIs of 47 on September 6, 48 on September 7, 33 on September 10, 28 on September 11, 25 on September 13, 20 on September 14, 10 on September 15, and 17 as of 7 a.m. on September 16, all classified as good.

EMB-7 has been closely monitoring the air quality amid the haze affecting the region, which authorities earlier associated with transboundary smoke and fine particulate matter from forest and wildfire activity in Indonesia.

Prevailing weather conditions, including southwest monsoon winds, can influence the movement and concentration of particulate matter and result in fluctuations in air quality.

Despite the significant improvement, EMB-7 continues to advise the public to monitor official air quality updates and take appropriate precautions whenever pollution levels rise.

West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Service Inc. (Maynilad) has completed its Renewable Energy Transition Plan, setting out a long-term roadmap to increase the share of renewable energy in the company’s total electricity consumption to 35 percent by 2037 under its Climate Neutrality Plan.

As the first major initiative under the roadmap, Maynilad will increase the renewable energy component of electricity supplied under its contract with MPower, Meralco’s local retail electricity supplier, from 10 to 20 percent beginning next year. The increase is expected to reduce the company’s carbon emissions by approximately 8,500 metric tons annually.

The roadmap outlines a combination of renewable electricity procurement, on-site solar generation and energy efficiency initiatives designed to reduce carbon emissions, strengthen energy security and support the long-term resilience of Maynilad’s water and wastewater operations.

Among the initiatives identified under the roadmap is the installation of new rooftop solar photovoltaic systems at 20 company facilities, including water treatment plants, pumping stations, reservoirs, wastewater treatment plants and sewage pumping facilities. These will complement Maynilad’s existing solar facilities at the La Mesa compound and further expand the company’s use of renewable energy.

‘The completion of this roadmap marks a major milestone in our sustainability journey. By steadily increasing our use of renewable energy and investing in cleaner technologies, we are reducing our carbon footprint while strengthening the long-term resilience of our operations,’ Maynilad chief sustainability officer Roel Espiritu said.

The Renewable Energy Transition Plan was developed following an assessment of Maynilad’s energy consumption and carbon emissions, supported by renewable energy feasibility studies and implementation planning. It will guide the company’s renewable electricity procurement and on-site generation projects as it works toward sourcing 35 percent of its total electricity requirements from renewable energy by 2037.

Investors have gone on a selling spree over worries that the Philippine economy would struggle to post respectable growth in the third quarter due to currency and inflation risks.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) yesterday fell by 1.51 percent or 90.84 points to close at 5,916.94, as investors were cowered by economic concerns.

The broader All Shares index also retreated by 1.26 percent or 42.26 points to 3,300.26.

Regina Capital Development Corp. head of sales Luis Limlingan said investors raised concerns over the possibility of slower economic growth in the third quarter.

Limlingan also said that investors are anxious about the absence of a long-term peace deal in the Middle East.

Similarly, investors await the decision of the US Federal Reserve on its monetary policy.

Analysts expect the Fed to raise interest rates to prevent inflation from running away, and this could be countered with an off-cycle hike by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

‘Market sentiment remained cautious, as investors assess the potential impact of weaker growth and heightened geopolitical risks,’ Limlingan said.

RCBC chief economist Michael Ricafort said the PSEi declined for the second straight trading day amid elevated global crude oil prices, thereby exacerbating inflationary pressures that could lead to higher borrowing costs.

The market saw P5.89 billion worth of shares change hands yesterday, as the losers edged out the winners, 139 to 54, though 58 issues were unchanged.

Logistics giant ICTSI was the most actively traded stock yesterday, surrendering 3.76 percent, or P36, to dip to P922 a piece.

The Benedicto College (BC) Cheetahs dominated the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, 67-50, in a battle of unbeaten teams in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 26 basketball tournament Tuesday night, September 15, at the Cebu Coliseum.

Serge Gabines sizzled with 18 points, nine rebounds, one assist, four steals and one block, while John Carlo Sabroso added 15 points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals as the Cheetahs seized the solo lead in the college division with a perfect 3-0 record.

Kenneth Babalcon also made his presence felt with 11 assists to go with nine points, seven rebounds and four steals for the Cheetahs, who kept the Webmasters at bay after racing to a hot 20-10 start and taking a 20-point lead late in the game.

Ricofer Sordilla was the lone double-digit scorer for UC with 11 points and five rebounds as the Webmasters saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.

It was a rousing twin kill for Benedicto College as the Baby Cheetahs earlier barged into the win column with a 70-50 rout of the San Roque College de Cebu (SRCDC) Greyhounds.

Jake David Guanco bagged 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal, while Rajnish Butaslac chipped in 10 points, four rebounds and a steal to help the Baby Cheetahs snap their two-game losing streak.

Christeim Gascon scored only six points but collected 14 rebounds, four assists and five steals for the Baby Cheetahs, who never looked back after opening the game with a 19-6 scoring blitz.

Anthony Ross Luche finished with 14 points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals, but his effort went for naught as the Greyhounds tasted defeat for the first time.

Presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero yesterday issued show-cause orders against members of the House prosecution panel amid alleged violation of the sub judice ruling in the ongoing impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Escudero did not disclose the names of the members of the prosecution team who were included in the show cause orders.

Escudero has vowed the sub judice rule will be strictly enforced in Duterte’s impeachment trial as he has warned of public reprimand and admonition on the first offense and a P30,000 fine on the second.

He warned the prosecution – both the public and private panels – and the defense team that they could face contempt of court if they violated the sub judice rule.

Baste subpoenaed

Meanwhile, Escudero approved the issuance of a subpoena for Duterte’s brother, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte.

‘In regard to Mayor Sebastian Duterte… let the subpoena be issued only for Sept. 23. However, on Sept. 22, depending on where we are with respect to the three witnesses, we shall announce if we will be withdrawing that subpoena and simply issue a new one for the following week or the week thereafter. So as not to waste their time, given that they are all officials performing duties in connection with their functions,’ Escudero said.

Defense spokesman Michael Poa said that it is the prerogative of the prosecution to request a subpoena for the mayor.

Title defense is the name of the game anew for the National University Lady Bulldogs, as they aim to complete a five-peat in the Shakey’s Super League Unity Cup.

NU has ruled the past four editions of SSL Unity Cup, and they could shoot for a fifth straight championship as the preseason tournament opens on September 25.

‘Siguro, kung ano po yung gusto namin i-aim ngayon na five-peat champion. Siguro, magsisimula lahat sa training namin, kung ano yung ginagalaw namin, kung paano namin i-polish yung galaw namin sa training,’ NU’s Arah Panique said.

‘So, sa game namin this Shakey’s, papakita lang namin kung ano talaga yung kaya namin and improve sa lahat na kaya namin,’ she added.

A total of 17 teams, both from the UAAP and the NCAA, will be battling it out for glory.

They will be divided into four pools, with NU bunched with San Beda University, Arellano University, University of Perpetual Help and NCAA champion Letran in Pool A.

Newly crowned SSL National Invitationals champion and last year’s Unity Cup runner-up University of Santo Tomas, College of Saint Benilde, Jose Rizal University and Mapua University are placed in Pool B, while Pool C is composed of Far Eastern University, Ateneo De Manila University, Emilio Aguinaldo College and San Sebastian College-Recoletos.

Adamson University, University of the Philippines, Lyceum University of the Philippines and University of the East, which makes a comeback after skipping last year’s edition, are in Pool D.

But more than glory, cash prize will also be within reach.

The champion will bag P1 million, while the runner-up will be given P600,000. The third-place squad will pocket P300,000.

Individual award winners get P10,000 each while the tournament Most Valuable Player will be given P30,000 cash.

‘After our successful staging of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League and the National Invitationals to start the season, of course, we want this year’s Unity Cup to be bigger, thrilling, and explosive,’ said Ian Laurel, president and chairman of SSL organizer Athletic Events and Sports Management Inc.

Turning 18 is a milestone that comes only once in a young woman’s life – a special chapter that deserves to be celebrated with the people who matter most.

For Azia Ablaza-Syquia, the only girl among the five children of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jofe and Czarina Ablaza-Syquia, her much-awaited debut was an elegant yet intimate affair held at the well-known Chef Jessie’s at Rockwell.

Interestingly, Azia had initially preferred not to celebrate her 18th birthday with a party. She wanted to keep the occasion simple and low-key. But her family lovingly insisted, knowing that an 18th birthday is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone – one that would be worth remembering for years to come.

And so, what began as a reluctant celebration turned into a beautiful evening filled with warmth, laughter and cherished memories.

Family members, relatives and close friends gathered for an intimate dinner in honor of the debutante. There were no grand trappings – just good food, heartfelt conversations, familiar faces and the unmistakable joy of being together.

The evening unfolded naturally, with guests enjoying dinner and lively conversations before everyone gathered for the traditional birthday moment. As the candles were lit, Azia made her wish and blew them out amid cheers and warm birthday greetings from her loved ones.

But the celebration did not end at dinner.

The mood became even more festive when DJ Chiqui Carpio took over the music, setting the perfect beat for an evening of dancing and fun. The party truly came alive when Azia herself surprisingly stepped onto the dance floor. The debutante joined her family and friends, dancing freely and enjoying every moment of the celebration.

It was a fitting way to mark Azia’s transition into adulthood – not with an extravagant affair, but with a gathering filled with love, laughter and the people closest to her heart.

For a young woman who initially did not want a party, may this new chapter of your life be filled with beautiful adventures, meaningful dreams and countless reasons to smile.

GCash is seeking to bring stock-market investing closer to mainstream Filipinos by giving its millions of users a digital route into Arthaland Corp.’s latest preferred-share offering, highlighting how financial technology is lowering some of the traditional barriers to participation in the capital markets.

The Series G and H preferred shares of the property developer will be available for subscription from September 14 to 25 through GStocks PH, the investment platform within the GCash app operated by AB Capital Securities Inc.

The shares are priced at P500 each. Series G, or ALCPG, carries an annual dividend rate of 7.3260 percent, while Series H, or ALCPH, offers 7.8105 per cent, subject to the terms and conditions of the issue.

The transaction illustrates how digital finance platforms are changing the way retail investors access securities offerings that have traditionally required a separate relationship with a stockbroker and, in many cases, a bank account.

Rather than treating stock-market participation as a specialist activity, GCash is attempting to embed investing within a financial platform already used by Filipinos for everyday transactions.

‘Financial inclusion is not only about more financial services. It is about creating a simpler, more rewarding experience that keeps Filipinos’ needs in mind,’ said Winsley Bangit, group head of new businesses at Mynt, GCash’s parent company.

‘By digitizing financial services and making investing more convenient, we make it easier for Filipinos to participate and take greater control of their financial journeys,’ he said.

The GStocks PH offering facility allows retail investors to subscribe digitally to initial public offerings and follow-on offerings.

A subscription meter provides visibility on shares available from the broker’s allocation, while investors can see their allocation at the point of subscription when shares remain available within that tranche, according to GCash.

If the broker’s initial allocation is fully taken up, investors can continue to place orders, with final allocations determined after the offer period if the issue is oversubscribed.

For investors, the significance extends beyond the Arthaland transaction. Preferred shares typically provide fixed dividends and rank ahead of common shares for dividend payments, although investors remain exposed to the terms and risks attached to the particular security.

The broader opportunity for GCash and other digital investment platforms is to convert financial inclusion from access to basic financial services into access to a wider range of investment products.

Fully verified GCash users can open GStocks PH through the app’s Invest section. New users can onboard digitally and transfer funds to and from their GCash wallet without maintaining a separate bank account, according to the company.

That lowers several practical hurdles that have historically discouraged smaller investors from entering the stock market. The shift could be particularly significant in a country where participation in listed equities and other capital-market products remains relatively limited compared with the reach of digital financial services.

The challenge, however, is not simply to make investing easier. Greater access also places more responsibility on platforms and investors to understand the risks, pricing and terms attached to securities offerings.

For Arthaland, the digital channel offers another avenue to reach retail capital. For GCash, the offering is part of a larger effort to turn financial inclusion into broader participation in investing – bringing the stock market into a platform already familiar to millions of Filipinos.

Food historian and researcher Ige Ramos has always been fascinated with the depth and diversity of Filipino cuisine down to the local cuisines of the many regions that make up the country – and Maranao cuisine is one that particularly caught his attention.

He has researched on it extensively and made several trips to Quiapo to immerse himself in the multi-cultural cuisines represented by this district in the City of Manila that is home to two major communities – Chinese and Muslim.

Chicken Pastil happens to be one of the Maranao dishes that has made a mark on him. It is a simple and very popular rice dish made with shredded chicken, which is called Kagitkit, served over freshly cooked rice, wrapped in a piece of banana leaf. The chicken is boiled, then shredded and sautéed with garlic, onion, spices and seasonings until golden. It is usually enjoyed with boiled egg and slices of tomatoes.

In his recently released book, “Bukambibig” (Word of Mouth), published by Anvil Publishing, Ramos invited readers to ‘go beyond the kitchen table and explore the complex intersections of food, history, and identity.’ He introduced his readers to various regional cuisines and local dishes that play an important part in Philippine gastronomy, and one of them is Chicken Pastil.

Since he believes that a dish is better understood and cooked when stories and history are woven around it, he includes a narrative recipe of Chicken Pastil, which he graciously agreed to share. He also spoke about his book and even prepared food samples for his audience in a recent talk, “From Plate to Pages,” held alongside Chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou at the Le Cordon Bleu-Ateneo de Manila University.

Below is Ramos’ narrative recipe of Chicken Pastil.

Ige Ramos’ Chicken Pastil

To prepare Chicken Pastil, start by boiling 500 grams of chicken breast in a large pot filled with water. Let it boil for about 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and tender. Once done, drain the water and transfer the chicken to a plate. Allow it to cool, then shred the chicken into smaller pieces using your hands or a fork, and set it aside.

To make the Kagitkit, heat 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, sauté 4 cloves of garlic, chopped, and 2 medium-sized onions, chopped, until they turn translucent. Add the shredded chicken to the pan and stir well. Incorporate 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, and black pepper into the mixture, stirring to combine. Adjust the seasoning with salt, if needed. For an enhanced flavor, you can add grated ginger.

To serve, place cooked white rice on a plate or banana leaf, shaping it into a rectangle using a spoon or clean hands. Top the rice with the cooked shredded chicken mixture. For added presentation and taste, serve the dish with sliced cucumbers, boiled eggs, and palapa on the side. Enjoy your homemade Chicken Pastil!