Category: Philippine Star

The first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Sept. 14, 2026 officially marked the political transition of the region following the peace accord signed on March 27, 2014 between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) hopes for the success of the election and reinforces the UK as a supporter of the Bangsamoro peace process.

BCCP Executive Vice Chairman Chris Nelson believes that the success of the elections will further drive the region’s attractiveness to foreign investors.

He noted that, ‘The British Embassy is one of the [international observers] and they have been very supportive of this whole exercise…So, we hope the elections go as safe and secure as they can. And I think this will drive investments because livelihood and economic growth are key to the whole going forward, not just for Bangsamoro, but also for the whole Philippines.’

As of April 30, 2026, BARMM investments continue to grow, which has exceeded its target for 2025, reaching up to P5.1 billion.

Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) previously noted that the growth is a “strong indicator of rising investor confidence and sustained peace-driven development in the region.”

As reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), growth performance by major industries is recorded in trade, construction and manufacturing at 59.6%, health and social services at 13.9%, public administration and defense at 9.6%, and agriculture, forestry, and fishing at 4.9%.

In terms of British investments, Nelson also cited Sunda Energy, a British independent gas-focused company which currently holds exploration Service Contracts offshore the Philippines, particularly the exploration of the Sulu Sea.

Nelson noted that other market opportunities can be further leveraged, given the growing economy in the region and said, ‘I think renewable energy is going to be a key. Energy is a key demand in the Philippines and a key requirement. And let’s not forget that it can be 100% owned by foreign investors. I think agriculture and agribusiness is going to be also essential, feeding the growing population, and food security.’

In 2017, with the aim of increasing market opportunities for British companies outside Metro Manila, the British Chamber held a trade and investment mission in Davao City to establish partnerships within agribusiness, infrastructure, technology, banking, finance and energy.

Target Pro by Watsons celebrates 10 years of delivering dermatology-targeted solutions, powered by Japanese innovation. The milestone is testament to the trust it has received and the effectiveness Target Pro by Watsons delivers in each and every product.

In appreciation for the past decade and in the spirit of Target Pro by Watsons’ unwavering commitment, everyone is welcome to the Target Pro by Watsons pop-up at the SM Makati Main Atrium. Launched last September 10, the space offers an interactive way to engage with Target Pro by Watsons’ different product lines and new offerings.

At the press launch of the popup, Target Pro by Watsons presented an informative program-highlighting the successes of the past 10 years, key reviews from loyal users, and an expert chat featuring Dr. Vada So. The program also introduced the newest product line FEMTechLab. Target Pro by Watsons expands its range with hair care that’s tailored to hormonal, stress-induced, and postpartum hair loss.

FEMTechLab offers a complete collection of products, including Anti-Hair Fall Root Balance Scalp Serum (P1,199), Anti-Hair Fall Root Renew Scalp Serum (P1,199), Anti-Hair Fall and Clarifying Shampoo (P899), and Anti-Hair Breakage and Shining Conditioner (P899).

Apart from this, Target Pro by Watsons extends its gratitude through a special raffle that includes various special prizes, including a trip to Japan! Target Pro by Watsons e-raffle promo rewards customers every time they shop!

Running from August 15 to September 30 and open to Watsons Club Regular, Watsons Club Elite, SMAC Regular, and SMAC prestige members, every minimum P2,999 single-receipt purchase entitles you to an e-raffle entry. Every qualifying in-store purchase earns Watsons Club and SMAC Regular Members one e-raffle entry, while Elite Club and SMAC Prestige members will earn two e-raffle entries.

Online purchases give you more chances as Watsons Club and SMAC Regular members who make qualifying purchases can get two e-raffle entries, while Elite Club and SMAC Prestige members can get four e-raffle entries.

Target Pro by Watsons is an authority when it comes to solution-based skincare that’s easy-to-understand with its straight-forward approach. Favorites and bestsellers include the Vitamin C Serum, Whitening Serum, Luminous Sun Milk, Age Defense Eye Cream, Airy Spray, Body Moisturizing Cream, Dark Spot Corrector, and Whitening Lotion.

‘And as our skin needs continue to evolve as well, you can rely on Target Pro to keep listening, keep learning, and keep innovating, developing targeted solutions for every new stage, every new concern, and every chapter ahead,” said Mary Adriane Aguado, Watsons Brand Manager.

Trust in Target Pro by Watsons’ 10-year experience, and science-based skincare! Explore the products for you, targeted for better skin, better you!

Malacañang said on Tuesday, September 15, that the asylum request and political persecution claims of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque lacked basis as he continues to face charges in the Philippines.

According to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, during a press briefing, aside from qualified human trafficking complaints, Roque also faces accusations of land grabbing and tax evasion.

‘Ang paniniwala ng PCO (Presidential Communications Office) ay wala pong batayan ang ginawang request ni Harry Roque na sinasabing political persecution lang ang ginagawa sa kanya. Maliwanag naman po ang mga kaso, hindi lang qualified human trafficking,’ Castro said.

(The PCO believes that Harry Roque’s request claiming he’s experiencing political persecution has no basis. The cases are clear, and they involve not only qualified human trafficking.)

The Palace’s comment came after Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said in a separate press briefing earlier Tuesday that Roque’s asylum request had been denied.

Remulla previously said Roque was applying for asylum in Austria, citing political persecution.

In the Philippines, Roque faces non-bailable qualified human trafficking charges filed by the Department of Justice over his alleged active participation in the operations of Lucky South 99, the illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub in Pampanga, which was raided in 2024.

An arrest warrant was issued by a Pampanga court against Roque and his co-accused in May 2025 for the qualified human trafficking case.

Meanwhile, in March this year, a group of farmers from Bataan filed land-grabbing complaints against Roque for allegedly transferring land titles, which were supposed to be distributed to 100 farmers, to a private corporation connected to a POGO firm.

The corporation’s listed address supposedly pointed to Roque’s office.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) also filed a tax evasion case against Roque and his wife in April this year for allegedly failing to pay P3.35 million in taxes connected to transactions involving Biancham Holdings and Trading Inc.

Roque denied all accusations, saying these are all part of the continuous political attacks against him.

He also dismissed Remulla’s claim that his asylum request had been denied, calling it ‘fake news.’

Roque, who served as the Palace spokesperson under then-President Rodrigo Duterte, left the Philippines in 2024.

Today, the oil price increase will be especially brutal on our consumers. Global uncertainty and the sharp depreciation of the peso explain this event.

The peso is on a slippery slope. The speculation is that the currency could fall to $1:P65 towards the end of this year. There is little we could do to defend our currency.

Optimists, as usual, are telling us the increased inflow of remittances as we near the holiday season will rescue the peso. We have been told that every year as the fourth quarter approaches. Each year, the remittance flow was not strong enough to reverse the trend towards a weaker peso.

It will certainly not be strong enough this year. Many of the economies that host our migrant workers are suffering from the fallout from Trump’s war. Our workers are spending more to support themselves in the countries where they serve. Escalating inflation is a global phenomenon.

We rely on remittances to prop up domestic consumption. Our economy runs on household spending. This has become more pronounced in the light of lesser government spending and weak industrial performance. This year, a large proportion of household spending will be dedicated to repairs after all the flooding we endured.

Meanwhile, we need more dollars to buy oil. Because of what is happening in the Middle East, Brent crude climbed to $108 last week. It will likely stay at that level into the foreseeable future. The uncertainties in this troubled region have not subsided. They have multiplied.

Last week, the Houthis in Yemen swept up the Red Sea coast and took another important city. Their bombing attacks forced Saudi Arabia to shut down a vital pipeline from the wells in the east to the ports on the western side of this country. Suddenly, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia looks like a vulnerable country defended with tin can soldiers.

The demographics do not favor the status quo. The population of Yemen is larger than the population of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states combined. Three-fourths of Yemen’s population resides in areas controlled by the Houthis. By sweeping up Yemen’s western coast and taking a strategic island at the mouth of the Red Sea, the Houthis are now better positioned to choke commerce through the narrow Bab Al-Mandeb strait.

Closure of this strait doubles the destructive power of the blockades. First, there was just the Strait of Hormuz. Now the Bab Al-Mandeb strait may be closed as well.

When the Houthis began their lightning offensive, the Saudi-sponsored Yemeni government asked for air strikes. None came. Saudi Arabia had modern military equipment but not enough men to man a credible military.

The US forces in the region could not respond to the Houthi offensive either. Twelve US bases in the vicinity have been completely destroyed by Iranian bombardment. The US forces in the region are running short of munitions. The carrier strike group is too far out in the Indian Ocean, fearing Iranian supersonic missiles.

If this trend continues, Saudi Arabia could face an existential crisis. The kingdom could dissipate ahead of the State of Israel. This is the worse-case scenario.

After Trump and Netanyahu launched the attack on Iran last February, the US and its major industrial partners were able to soften the impact on oil prices by drawing down on the strategic petroleum reserves. As the consequence, the oil price spike was more benign than it should be.

Today, however, the strategic petroleum reserves are down to their minimum operating levels. These reserves could no longer function as shock absorbers for oil prices. Worse, should the conflict expand over the next few months, supply issues could drive prices through the roof. This, in turn, portends a global recession.

Add to the loss of oil supply from the Gulf region the loss of many Russian refineries to Ukrainian drone attacks over the past month. This means even less oil getting to market. The supply/demand price dynamic kicks in.

Diesel prices in the US are at the highest they have ever been. Diesel prices here will soon replicate that. Prepare for a transport crisis over the next few weeks.

Trump did not only fail to beat Iran into submission. He has opened the door to general instability in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia looks most fragile. Bahrain could face upheaval. The economy of the other Gulf states are on their backs.

The US military worldwide is at its weakest in recent history. If Beijing makes a move to annex Taiwan, the US will not have the forces to intervene. Washington will rely on Manila to provide the troops to rescue Taiwan.

Meanwhile, bond yields in US Treasuries are spiking. This will force American interest rates to climb across the board, hitting mortgages and drying up reinvestments. Still, Trump fails to understand that his much vaunted tariffs are harming American consumers more than the other countries. Life for ordinary Americans will become increasingly unaffordable.

Things will become even more severe for Filipinos as well. We have borrowed beyond the point of prudence. As things stand, we no longer have the fiscal space to rebuild our economic momentum.

Higher interest rates loom. Our ability to grow our economy will be seriously constrained. We can go downhill very quickly on an already slippery slope.

We need to be rescued from incompetent leadership.

A big city like Cebu brings together people of different classes, occupations, origins, and ways of life. They must all share, and compete for, the same limited space to live, work, and rest.

When we use the roads, take public transport, or seek government services, we depend on common rules. We trust that they apply equally to everyone. That trust matters in a big city, where people cannot rely on the familiarity and close ties of a small town or rural community.

Banilad in Cebu City –or, more accurately, the Banilad-Talamban corridor, which also encompasses parts of Barangays Kasambagan and Apas– is a test case for this proposition because residents from different backgrounds, including many of the city’s middle-class and wealthy residents, converge there or pass through it.

How the government responds to what happens there shows whether the social contract is being upheld –whether it applies the rule of law to everyone without favor, and protects the weak against the strong.

Before dawn last Friday, September 11, 2026, a 42-year-old call center agent was crossing Gov. M. Cuenco Avenue on his way to work. He was reportedly using the marked pedestrian lane when a speeding Toyota Vios struck him. He suffered severe injuries and was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

Police said the Vios had been racing a Toyota Raize driven by a friend of the Vios driver. The suspected Vios driver was later identified as a 22-year-old man. After the collision, he allegedly stopped near a gasoline station, abandoned the Vios, and got into the Toyota Raize. The Raize driver was later traced and arrested, while the Vios driver remained at large as of this writing.

The victim’s family appealed for justice and called for all those responsible to be held accountable. This is where the city government must take the lead and do more than simply assure the public that justice will be served.

This was the second widely-reported fatal hit-and-run in Banilad within seven months. The first claimed the life of a young businessman in February and prompted Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña to appeal to the public for information. Osmeña called for a review of broader traffic and public safety measures, and personally assured the victim’s family of the city’s support.

Osmeña’s response to that first incident reflected his long experience as a city leader. He recognized the emotional center of the issue and made one thing clear. In Cebu City, there shall be no sacred cows.

It comes from knowing what happens when city residents lose faith in the equal application of the law. They do not simply remain passive. Some victims have money, influence, connections, or strength in numbers, and they can find their own solutions outside the legal system. Once different groups begin enforcing their own ideas of justice, public authority gives way to competing centers of private power, and legal order begins to crumble.

Perhaps this sense of political attentiveness is something Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival could learn in his first term. I can understand why he may not yet have developed that same keen awareness of urban dynamics. When Osmeña called attention to Archival’s use of traffic escorts, the so-called ‘sweepers’, Archival initially defended the practice. It reportedly ended afterward, however, suggesting that he eventually listened.

Cebu City brings together people with unequal resources and influence who nevertheless share the same roads and public spaces. What makes the city work is the belief that public authority will protect everyone and that its rules will apply equally, regardless of wealth, status, or political connections.

The Swan Lake-inspired evening gown designed by Harvey Cenit that Pampanga’s Mikay Bautista wore at the coronation night of Queen Universe Philippines mirrored her pageant journey as someone who had always been the bridesmaid, but never the bride.

That changed on September 13 at Mactan Expo Center in Lapu-Lapu City, when she finally clinched her first national title as the inaugural Queen Universe Philippines.

‘I have worn a lot of different gowns, and for this time, I told myself that I want to wear something where all eyes are on me,’ Bautista explained in a post-coronation interview. ‘What if I combine my failures, my setbacks, and my successes, because my failures make me feel like an ugly duckling sometimes. But because of these failures, I can be beautiful as well.’ Bautista, a 21-year-old trans model and content creator, is known to be a repeater at Miss International Queen Philippines. In 2024, she was fourth runner-up. In 2025, she was a top five finalist. Earlier this year, she was first runner-up.

Other pageants that Bautista joined included Miss Gay Luzon 2026, where she won. She was also a semifinalist in the third season of Miss QandA on ‘It’s Showtime’ in 2022, as well as Queen of Quiapo 2026, where she was third runner-up.

Hoping to turn things around at Queen Universe Philippines, she focused on improving her communication skills. She told The FREEMAN: ‘God redirected me to Cebu. That’s why I decided to join this pageant. God has a better plan for me.’

At the final QandA, when asked what truth could cost her the crown, Bautista said, ‘I will be honest. And that is, I will prove to those people who keep pulling me down saying that I am beautiful, but lacking…I am beautiful, but I am not ready. I know in myself that I have never been ready. So if ever I was crowned tonight, I would prove that everything can be learned,’ she said.

‘We don’t need to be the smartest one for you to be the queen, you just need a heart. As long as you have the heart and you’re ready to carry the responsibility of the crown, you are definitely worthy for the crown.’

She later told The FREEMAN, ‘I feel complete because after losing so many times, I feel like I redeemed myself. I am so happy that this organization believed in me. Even if I am not that eloquent candidate, they chose me as the winner.’

During the casual interview round with hosts Maria Gigante and OJ Cimafranca, they asked Bautista what motivates her to repeatedly join pageants

‘There’s so many doors that have closed to [sic] me countless times. But my faith is strong. I believe when God closes the doors, he opens a window. When [I enter] that window, he showed me a path, and that path is here in Cebu,’ said Bautista, who was also awarded Best in Swimsuit, among a slew of awards.

‘That’s why I am so excited to make you all proud because I know what it takes, I got what it takes, and I am willing to do everything it takes to be the first ever Queen Universe Philippines,’ she added.

As the inaugural titleholder of the pageant organized by beauty queen Jess Labares, Bautista earned the right to represent the Philippines at Queen Universe, tentatively scheduled to take place next year.

Asked what she would like to highlight about the Philippines as a transwoman during her reign, she said she hopes to champion the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Other winners

Winning Best in Evening Gown was Cebu City’s Maria Paula Vega Espina, who wore an elegant white creation by designer Jeanom Ursua.

Espina, who was crowned Queen Global Philippines, also serves as national director of Queen of Canada, a pageant for transwomen residing in The Great White North. For the same final question, Espina explained that while this may pose as a conflict of interest that could cost her the crown, she is ‘here for Queen Universe Philippines.’

‘I would like to dedicate all of my time to fulfill my reign because I know it’s a great responsibility for the Queen Universe Philippines Foundation. I am here for two things: to tell my stories and the stories of transgender women, and to live by that purpose. I would use my leadership to do great things for the organization,’ she added.

Yeng Lavitoria, a 29-year-old mother, seamstress, and virtual assistant from Tarlac City, completed the top three as Queen Grand Philippines.

She said her family responsibilities might come in the way of pageant duties, though she doesn’t believe she would need to sacrifice one for the other. ‘There are emergencies where family will come first, and that could cost me the crown,’ she said during the final QandA. ‘If ever I win, I will accept it as part of my family because it’s a responsibility and not just a title.’

Asked what can be considered right and wrong at the same time, she cited her existence as a trans woman, using the concept of yin-yang as an example. ‘Being an LGBT can be wrong for others, but right for me. Good things for others may not be for me. It does not mean I am not wrong, it just means you’re a human being and you should be accepted,’ she said.

First runner-up is Sheila Magpale III from Davao City, who also won Miss Photogenic and Best in National Costume for her Philippine Eagle-inspired outfit designed by Andres Mabalon Jr. that symbolizes the unwavering spirit to soar amid adversity.

ML Tucay from Pangasinan was named second runner-up, while Vhanie Medalla from Las Navas, Northern Samar, was third runner-up.

Fourth runner-up went to Iarth Jones Ranis from Cagayan de Oro, fifth runner-up to RB Jean Buhian, and sixth runner-up to Jam Sy Mallari of Isabela, who was also named Miss Congeniality.

Top 14 semifinalist Staycee Ravena won Best in Tourism Video for her entry highlighting her municipality of Moalboal, Cebu.

A few candidates also managed to stand out despite not making it to the top 14.

Former ‘Pinoy Big Brother’ housemate Rian Bacalla, who represented Cebu Province, jokingly introduced herself as a representative of the ‘rotational brownout capital of the Philippines.’

The clip posted by The FREEMAN on its Facebook page received 550,000 views, 15,500 reactions and 2,000 shares as of writing.

Bacalla shared on social media after her name wasn’t called: ‘Kidding aside, I hope this serves as a reminder to the electric companies to do better. We are trying our best by working hard just to make ends meet in order to pay our bills on time, and this is the kind of service that we get?’

Meanwhile, General Santos City delegate Angela Maria Madrigal also made the audience and netizens laugh by cosplaying GenSan pride, boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, as her national costume.

Former House speaker Martin Romualdez was transferred to the New Quezon City Jail late Monday after government doctors found no medical need for continued hospital confinement, two days before his scheduled arraignment on a P7.44-billion plunder case.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division set Romualdez’s arraignment and pre-trial for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 16, according to a resolution released Monday.

During arraignment, Romualdez will be asked to enter a plea to the plunder charge against him.

The anti-graft court also ordered his immediate transfer to the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory after doctors from the Philippine General Hospital testified that he was clinically stable and no longer required inpatient care at an acute care hospital.

Romualdez was transferred from PGH to the jail in Payatas, Quezon City at 10:09 p.m. Monday.

PGH Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi told the court that Romualdez was “clinically stable” and unlikely to suffer an emergency medical condition if discharged from hospital confinement.

The PGH team said unstable angina was “not demonstrated” during its evaluation and found no acute cerebrovascular event, despite earlier diagnoses cited by Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

Doctors confirmed that Romualdez has chronic coronary artery disease and chronic cerebrovascular disease, but said neither condition currently requires inpatient management.

They also told the court that his response to a stress test was normal and estimated that his annual risk of suffering a heart attack over the next decade was about 3%.

Dr. Henry Fabro, chief medical officer of the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory, assured the court that the facility could manage Romualdez’s medical needs.

Fabro said Romualdez could regularly use his CPAP machine, receive prescribed medication and consult his private doctors inside the jail. He could also be transferred to a nearby hospital in an emergency.

Romualdez had sought continued confinement at Cardinal Santos Medical Center after his September 7 arrest.

The Sandiganbayan instead ordered him transferred to PGH on September 11 for an independent medical examination.

Romualdez faces plunder allegations over P7.44 billion in alleged kickbacks from contractors and other parties with interests in flood-control, infrastructure and other government projects.

The Department of Energy has formally certified that Dubai crude breached the $80-per-barrel threshold that allows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend or reduce excise taxes on petroleum products, clearing a key legal requirement for another round of fuel tax relief.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said Tuesday, Sept. 15, that the 30-day average price of Dubai crude reached $99.41 per barrel from Aug. 13 to Sept. 11, well above the trigger set under Republic Act No. 12316.

“Lampas na po ito sa threshold na itinakda ng batas, kaya naman opisyal na naming na-certify ito at na-transmit sa DBCC para sa kanilang konsiderasyon,” Garin said.

(“This is already beyond the threshold set by law, so we have officially certified it and transmitted it to the DBCC for its consideration.”)

The certification does not automatically suspend fuel taxes. Under RA 12316, the President may suspend or reduce excise taxes upon the recommendation of the Development Budget Coordination Committee, in coordination with the energy secretary.

The law allows the relief to cover specific petroleum products and last for up to three months at a time.

The Department of Finance said last week that it was awaiting the DOE certification before proposing a full suspension of excise taxes on liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene.

The LPG Marketers Association has urged the government to go further and include gasoline and diesel as fuel prices surge amid continuing tensions in the Middle East.

Mechanism used earlier this year

The government invoked the same mechanism in April after the DOE certified that the 30-day Dubai crude average had reached $93.71 per barrel.

Marcos subsequently suspended excise taxes on LPG and kerosene under Executive Order No. 114.

The taxes were restored in July after the DOE certified that the monthly average had fallen to $79.45 per barrel, below the statutory trigger.

RA 12316, signed in March, authorizes the President to fully suspend or partially reduce excise taxes on selected petroleum products whenever the one-month average Dubai crude price reaches or exceeds $80 per barrel.

“This is a step forward in protecting our motorists, and we’ll continue pushing for consumer relief amid the Middle East crisis in coordination with economic managers,” Garin said.

Fuel prices surge

The certification comes after two consecutive weeks of steep pump price increases.

Gasoline prices rose by P5.68 per liter Tuesday, diesel by P4.31 and kerosene by P4.62. Combined with the previous week’s increases, gasoline has climbed by P10.37 per liter in two weeks, diesel by P9.49 and kerosene by P10.20.

Some fuel products are now selling above P100 per liter at certain stations.

Oil prices have risen amid escalating Middle East tensions and concerns over supply routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for global oil shipments.

DOH data showed that 8,317 cases of leptospirosis were posted from Jan. 4 to Sept. 5, 2026. The figure is 14 percent higher from last year’s 7,280 cases.

From Aug. 9 to Aug. 22, the DOH registered 2,374 leptospirosis cases, or an increase of 332 percent compared to the 550 cases from July 26 to Aug. 8.

The number of fatalities this year stood at 457, which is 41 percent lower compared to the 772 deaths in 2025.

The National Capital Region recorded the highest number of leptospirosis cases with 3,191 followed by Central Luzon with 1,063 and Calabarzon with 831.

Cagayan Valley had 590 cases and Davao Region logged 404 cases.

Most of the cases were male at 81 percent. The youngest patient was less than one year and the oldest was 91.

As of Aug. 29, 6,253 leptospirosis cases had been recorded nationwide.

The DOH said another wave of leptospirosis cases could be experienced in two weeks following the massive flooding in Metro Manila and Central Luzon caused by monsoon rains recently.

Leptospirosis is transmitted through direct contact with the urine of infected animals such as rats and pigs, or with a urine-contaminated environment such as floodwaters.

The DOH advised the public to proceed immediately to the nearest health center for treatment when experiencing symptoms

While our politicians battle for power, millions of Filipinos are struggling to simply survive. This is the dark truth that we should confront.

Every day, the country is consumed by political controversies. We argue about personalities, dynasties, accusations, investigations, impeachment hearings, alliances and betrayals. Social media explodes over who said what and which political camp is gaining or losing ground.

Politics is our national obsession. Addiction actually. Thus, we forget the more important issue. Where is the economic discourse, or quest for a program that will end poverty?

Poor Filipinos, estimated at not less than 17 million, hardly care which politician won the latest political debate. A farmer does not become prosperous because a senator delivered a fiery speech. A minimum wage worker does not bring home more money because one faction defeated another.

Our people need jobs. Quality jobs. They need higher income. Farmers need markets and productivity. Businesses need affordable electricity and robust infrastructure. Young Filipinos need skills that lead to decent-paying employment. These are the battles that matter.

Politics is necessary in a democracy. Accountability is essential. Good governance matters. Elections are vital. But politics should be the vehicle for improving lives, not the destination.Our tragedy – we have allowed political drama to overwhelm the economic conversation.

Wrong focus. We spend precious hours debating who should control government, but far less time on how we can create wealth through productive enterprises and competitive jobs.

While we argue about personalities, other countries are focused on building factories. We are mesmerized by political predictions, our neighbors are inspired by investment frameworks and growth strategies.

We are tragically distracted. Millions of our youth dream of leaving the country the soonest and search for a decent future elsewhere. They plan to join the more than 2.5 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). We are confused on how to measure our national success.

The Philippines needs an economic agenda powerful enough to survive political administrations. We need to industrialize. We must. Being a perpetual consumer-driven economy, a net-importer regime and backward agricultural sector is a sure road to despair and despondency.

Way forward must be relentlessly pursued. Our agriculture must be modernized. Our industries must be globally competitive. Our middle class must be expanded and strengthened. Hopefully, the brain-drain and continuous export of our best laborers must be reversed. To achieve these, we must have reliable and affordable electricity, efficient infrastructure, stronger education and skills training and a business ecosystem that encourages investment instead of frustrating it.

We need to measure government by concrete results. How many jobs were actually created? How much did household income rise? How many farmers escaped the shackles of poverty? How much private investments landed? How much did productivity improve? How much has total logistics cost decreased? How many local companies became global?

These questions should dominate our national conversations. Let’s cease from always asking who’s winning politically. We must yearn to know who is delivering economically.

The media has a big role. Political controversy will always attract attention. But we need more serious discussions about economic policies. Filipinos deserve to understand not just who is attacking whom, but what each political leader intends to do in arresting poverty, unemployment, agriculture, industrialization and economic competitiveness.

Our voters must demand the same. Before we cheer for a politician, we should ask: what is your economic plan? How will it be funded? How many jobs will it create? How will it increase income? When will the ordinary families see the results?

Because promises are cheap, results are what matter. The country does not lack talented people. We have more than enough natural resources. We have countless entrepreneurs. We have more than enough workers and ideas.

What we need is focus. Desperately. We must have the collective courage to put economic development ahead of political gamesmanship.

Political administrations are never permanent. They come and go. Presidents will inevitably be replaced. Political alliances will collapse and new ones will emerge. But poverty will persist. It decreases when people have productive work, better incomes, access to basic goods, productive farms, dynamic industries and genuine opportunities to build better lives.

Politics is not our greatest battle. It never was. The greatest battle is against poverty. We may win every political battle and still lose the war for our country’s future. It is long overdue to stop asking who will control the country – and start to demand who will transform it. Because we will drown ourselves in politics, poverty is not waiting. It is devouring our country’s future.