Category: Philippine Star

Carlos Yulo’s gold rush has momentarily screeched to a halt.

It came to be after the Filipino Paris Olympics double gold medalist was denied the floor exercise gold by Great Britain’s Jake Jarman and settled for a bronze in the 53rd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia yesterday.

The 25-year-old spectacle from Leveriza in Manila had a 14.533, which wasn’t enough to prevent Jarman from seizing the gold with a 114.866 in the Worlds and in the same apparatus the Filipino used to dominate.

Another Brit in Luke Whitehouse took the silver with a 14.666.

It was sweet revenge for Jarman, who had a bronze in Paris where he was reduced to a spectator by Yulo’s magnificence after the Filipino captured one of the two golds he snared in the French capital.

It must be Yulo’s hand, which he sprained going into the annual event.

It will be the same pair of hands that he will use when he shoots for a medal, possibly a gold, in the vault finals today.

Yulo is eyeing his third gold in the world championships following his exploits in Stuttgart, Germany in 2019 and Kitakyushu, Japan three years ago.

This is how we are robbed of our future.

In one year, the BBM administration managed to build only 22 classrooms this year. The classroom backlog runs into the hundreds of thousands.

Vince Dizon made this frank admission. Only 22 classrooms. The target was to build 1,700 classrooms – a modest goal considering the previous administration was able to build tens of thousands every year.

In his State of the Nation Address, Marcos boasted of an incredible number of classrooms built. That is as empty as his previous boast about 5,500 flood control projects being completed.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara attributes the severe underperformance to the preoccupation of DPWH personnel for other projects. Which is not to say that building classrooms is not profitable for the looters. It is just not profitable enough during a time when ghost flood control projects and kickbacks are delivered in cartons.

Private foundations helping to build classrooms say the typical DPWH-built classroom was over three times more costly that what private sector groups build. A typical DPWH classroom costs about P8.8 million each. A better one built by private charities typically costs P2.7 million.

At the rate the DPWH is building classrooms, it will take forever to close the classroom gap. The ancient Egyptians built the pyramids at Giza at a much shorter time – and with no kickbacks.

By the time the DPWH closes the classroom gap, the demographics have changed. Our population growth rate will have dropped from the current high. There will be less pupils to enjoy the facilities the current generation of students direly need.

Pity the children. Many of them have to wade in floodwaters to make it to school. A good number of them go to school hungry as child malnutrition rates rocket in the face of food price inflation. Some of them sit in water-logged classrooms or hold classes in the open.

Even if they have an actual classroom, they listen to the lessons in congested conditions and in unbearable heat. Contact time in the classroom is reduced by the sheer number of holidays we observe, by frequent suspensions of classes due to rains and by other causes such as when our schools are used as evacuation centers.

All these compound the inferior content of our current education process, the lack of equipment and the shortage of teachers. The syndicates of corruption have not spared our education institutions. Among other things, Zaldy Co is accused of selling inferior laptops to the Department of Education.

Compare our basic education system with those of our neighbors and weep. All of our neighbors are investing heavily in their young. They are producing highly trained warriors ready to thrive in the new technological economy.

By contrast, our functional literacy rates are deteriorating. A typical high school graduate may be able to read but not comprehend – much less analyze. It is as if we hope that training on the job will somehow help our young survive in a competitive world.

Business associations are trying their best to help solve the severe classroom shortages. It is a heroic crusade. But there is only so much they can do.

Sen. Bam Aquino has introduced a bill titled Classroom-building Acceleration Program (CAP) that will, among others, encourage local governments to join in building education facilities. He is urging the President to certify this bill as urgent to ensure swift passage.

But the bill adds little to what is already there. Classroom construction has been swiftly decentralized in the wake of this administration’s utter failure to deliver. Local governments and non-government organizations may now enter the classroom construction game provided they follow design guidelines.

But government remains the single biggest entity with the resources to close the classroom gap – if the funds are not intercepted by legislators to other things where the kickback rates are higher. It is government that must throw its full force behind providing the facilities young Filipinos so desperately need.

But will this administration do it?

The President has been burned once more when he boasted about how many classrooms his administration built. He was burned previously when he boasted about the thousands of flood control projects completed. He tends to stop mentioning things that got him burned.

If our educational system is weakened, it is because of the rampant corruption that does not spare our young.

The signs of a worsening crisis brought about by unchecked corruption are flashing before our eyes. The peso is sinking rapidly. Investments are fleeing our stock market. According to businessmen, some 600 business projects were shelved in the aftermath of the flood control scandal.

In the recent opinion polls, the problem of corruption has shot up the rankings among the top-of-mind concerns of our citizens. It is second only to anxieties over rising food prices. Both are urgent concerns that do not seem to merit a more determined and strategic response from those who govern us.

Our business community has become even more outspoken over the past few weeks. The distress will not be relieved by mere public relations offensives. These are people with a better grasp pf what is happening on the ground.

Our people are rapidly losing trust in those who lead us. The erosion of trust will continue until our people feel that government is grabbing the situation by the horns.

An octopus electrical connection is being eyed as the possible cause of the fire that struck the Bureau of Research and Standards building of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Quezon City on Wednesday, according to the National Bureau of Investigation.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago said investigators found hazardous and improperly used extension cords as well as electrical wires at the scene.

‘The supposed octopus connection exploded,’ Santiago said, adding that faulty wiring was located inside an office socket.

Santiago, however, did not rule out arson pending the probe outcome.

He said the third floor of the Bureau of Research and Standards building sustained the heaviest damage.

Several computers and office equipment were destroyed, but the total number of affected items has yet to be determined as arson investigators have not completed processing the area.

Santiago said he deployed forensic chemists to examine debris and burned materials to check for possible traces of flammable substances.

A team from the NBI was expected to return to the site yesterday to conduct a joint electrical inspection with the Bureau of Fire Protection.

‘The investigation will determine if negligence was involved or if it was purely an accident,’ Santiago said.

In the coming weeks or a couple of months, expect cases to be filed and arrest warrants to be issued against contractors and politicians tied to the trillion-peso flood control projects scandal.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla told The Philippine STAR’s Amy Pamintuan that they are eyeing the issuance of arrest warrants against those involved in the anomalous flood control projects this November. Detention centers and jail facilities are also being inspected and spruced up in preparation for the expected batch of accused.

But this is not the main reason for my optimism about what’s coming. The main reason is this: the people’s anger at systemic corruption in our governance has not dissipated. The ground is shifting, and I must say that civil society and the movements for good governance, in general, must prepare and be mature enough to seize the moment.

This is not a time for ideological purity or intellectual snootiness; it is a time for unity and common ground in the pursuit of good governance. Too often, reform movements end up exhausting themselves in factional one-upmanship or purity policing. There is no need for those on the Left to quarrel among themselves over doctrine or strategy, nor for those on the Right to dismiss them with red tags. The so-called Center, meanwhile, retreats into tepid moderation, hesitant to be associated with either pole.

Systemic corruption and institutional decay recognize no ideology, though they often find fertile ground among those without any except loyalty to patronage, clan, and convenience. If people across the political spectrum can’t find some shared purpose, those who profit from corruption and impunity will keep us divided.

The challenge now is to build alliances broad enough to demand accountability yet grounded enough to act decisively. That work begins from the ground up –in our puroks or sitios, in community associations, and even in the workplace– where a culture of accountability must take root, where people first encounter the meaning of good governance.

I hit my wall over a year ago when I found myself appearing before a government agency in the national capital on behalf of a client. A fellow lawyer had already warned me that the agency was known for its culture of corruption and that my client would stand no chance if he was penniless, which he was. Indeed, I was given the runaround by powerful people; it was as if I didn’t belong there, and the rules and processes on paper meant nothing without greasing the system in your client’s favor.

I was so frustrated. I had no direct evidence of corruption, but somehow you could feel it. People in the know, friends you trust, tell you what’s really going on. They say nothing can be done about it. It’s a good thing my client was broke –not poor, but without the six-figure ‘requirement’ that’s commonly asked for, according to reliable sources. I wouldn’t have allowed it anyway, not on my watch as his counsel.

I did the next best thing I could for my client: I sought guidance from a highly-placed friend in the capital on how to ensure the case would be handled strictly by the book. I moved past any suggestion that might be read as invoking personal connections. But it was already a relief to have someone try to help within proper channels.

That experience reminded me of a larger problem: when institutions are weak and rules are compromised by bad culture, people start to believe outcomes depend on money or connections rather than clear standards.

I became so frustrated that every time former classmates from college and high school who are now living abroad visit, I always end up raising the issue of systemic corruption. It usually starts when they ask how life is in the Philippines, because most of them have plans of retiring and spending their old age here. I tell them our country is beautiful –except for the unbearable corruption, the dynasties, and the lack of opportunities for ordinary individuals to innovate, shine, and lead.

I am no hero to fight corruption alone, or with only a few. But now, we are not so few anymore. Before, protest actions were met with frowns and disapproving looks from bystanders and commuters. Now, commuters and bystanders raise their fists, cheer the protesters on, some even clap their hands. They are no longer disinterested or contemptuous. Indeed, the ground is shifting.

Bea Binene and Wilbert Ross have grown closer since working on the romantic series ‘Golden Scenery of Tomorrow.’ The Viva One series, produced by Studio Viva in cooperation with OC Records, is an adaptation of the best-selling Wattpad novel by Gwy Saludes.

‘Golden Scenery of Tomorrow’ is the fifth installment of the phenomenal ‘University Series’ after ‘The Rain in España,’ ‘Safe Skies Archer,’ ‘Chasing in the Wild’ and ‘Avenues of the Diamond.’ The latest offering is helmed by Victor Villanueva (‘Patay Na Si Hesus’ and ‘Kidnap for Romance’).

‘We’re friends,’ Bea stated during the presscon when asked about the nature of their relationship. ‘I think with Wilbert, especially in this series, we got to know each other more. And I think we’re still getting to know each other more. But I admit, we became closer while working on this series.’

‘Are we opposites? Parang sakto lang. It depends. He’s into arts, ako po, medyo maarte lang. He’s also into a healthy lifestyle, ako medyo lang. But I think there are things we’ll agree on,’ added she.

Wilbert, on the other hand, shared they have different interests but they try to influence each other with positive things. ‘Like I encouraged you to try healthy things. Lagi niya akong pinapakain sa set. Lagi siyang may pinapatikim na pagkain sa akin. We’re OK. We’re friends, like what she said.’

They initially felt a bit of awkwardness before because they didn’t have the chance to share many scenes in the previous series, Wilbert added. But now, they have an easy working relationship and have gotten to know each other better as they headline the series, now streaming on Viva One.

Regardless of their status, the onscreen partners consider each other girlfriend and boyfriend material.

‘Yeah, Bea is very caring,’ described Wilbert. ‘She shows her concern for us whenever something happens. She’s motherly in the way she shows care. She’s also a good cook and I love to eat. She’s definitely girlfriend material.’

‘I will think about it,’ quipped Bea. ‘Of course, he is (boyfriend material). He takes care of you. He makes sure you’re comfortable.’

Bea and Wilbert star as Avianna ‘Via’ Diaz and Larkin ‘Arkin’ Sanchez in ‘Golden Scenery of Tomorrow.’ They are best friends who have always been inseparable.

According to the media release, Via, an architecture student, is introverted and cautious of the spotlight – scarred by how fame consumed her mother and left their family neglected. Resilient yet conflicted, she shoulders the burden of caring for her siblings while quietly searching for her own purpose in life.

Arkin is a film student who embodies charm, wit and an easygoing nature. Protective and devoted, he has always centered his world around Via. With a passion for storytelling and music, his path unexpectedly leads him into showbiz, where he rises to fame as part of a popular love team.

As Via and Arkin’s friendship deepens into love, their bond is tested when Arkin’s new life in the entertainment industry collides with Via’s fears and insecurities. The glare of the spotlight revives Via’s deepest traumas, while Arkin struggles to balance his career with his devotion to her. Together, they must face the question: is their love strong enough to withstand the pressure of fame and the wounds of the past?

Reprising their respective roles in the series are Heaven Peralejo, Marco Gallo, Krissha Viaje, Jerome Ponce, Hyacinth Callado, Gab Lagman, Aubrey Caraan, Lance Carr, Nicole Omillo and Jairus Aquino.

Meanwhile, Marco was queried if there’s a possibility of him and his former partner, Heaven, getting back together.

‘I don’t know what I’ll do tomorrow. So, I don’t know how. Let fate decide. I honestly don’t know. I’m just living life at the moment,’ replied Marco, who seemed caught off guard by the question.

Senators Francis Pangilinan and Sherwin Gatchalian yesterday made public their statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Pangilinan, who made his SALN public in an event of the Liberal Party yesterday, declared a net worth of P26.7 million, with no liabilities.

In his SALN, he declared that he bought P5.8 million worth of agricultural and residential properties from 1992 to 2017. He also declared ownership of P20.8 million in cash, furniture, jewelry, vehicles and stock shares.

He declared business interests in Sweet Spring Country Farm Corp. and FRD Food and Spices Inc., where he has been a shareholder since 2017.

Pangilinan declared no relatives in government.

Based on his declaration as of Dec. 31, 2024, Gatchalian reported total assets of P89.5 million and no liabilities.

His filing listed two real estate properties with a combined acquisition cost of P40.1 million and personal assets amounting to P49.3 million. His declared cash in the bank stood at P38,062.79.

The senator also disclosed business interests in Wellex Industries, Iloilo Country Club, Universal Leisure Club, The Orchard and Valley Golf.

Gatchalian identified his brothers – Social Welfare Secretary Rexlon Gatchalian and Valenzuela City Mayor Weslie Gatchalian – as relatives in government service.

Meanwhile, members of the Marcos Cabinet are expected to meet today to discuss matters relating to the release of their SALN, according to Palace press officer Claire Castro.

How many people know Gondelina Amata and Michael Lim Benjamin?

Amata is the former president of state-owned National Livelihood Development Corp. The now defunct NLDC was used to funnel funds from the P29.1-million pork barrel of Gregorio Honasan when he was a senator, under a crooked scheme that was supposedly designed by convicted scam queen Janet Lim Napoles.

Benjamin was Honasan’s chief of staff. Since 2022, Benjamin and Amata have been out on bail of P510,000 each. Yesterday, the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division sentenced both of them together with Napoles to imprisonment of up to 68 years for graft, malversation of public funds and malversation through falsification of public documents for the misuse of Honasan’s Priority Development Assistance Fund – the PDAF or pork barrel. Honasan did not face charges.

Those convicted were also ordered to pay P15 million each as fine, and to jointly pay the government another P15 million as civil liability.

Also yesterday, the same Third Division of the Sandiganbayan cleared former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile, his former chief of staff Jessica Lucila ‘Gigi’ Reyes, Napoles and 30 other defendants of 15 counts of plunder and graft in connection with the misuse of Enrile’s PDAF allocations from 2004 to 2010.

Enrile was accused of receiving through Reyes a total of P172.83 million in kickbacks from Napoles.

Enrile was allowed to post bail by the Supreme Court in 2015 on ‘humanitarian grounds’ that cited his frail health and advanced age. But at 101, he’s young and hale enough to remain on the public payroll as the chief legal counsel of President Marcos.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division, consisting of Associate Justices Ronald Moreno, Arthur Malabaguio and Juliet Manalo-San Gaspar, imposed civil penalties, ordering a joint payment amounting to P338 million by Napoles and 15 of her co-defendants linked to her bogus non-government organization along with the PDAF conduits – NLDC, the National Agribusiness Corp. and Technology Resource Center. Enrile and Reyes were spared from this civil liability.

Whether the joint payment will ever be made remains to be seen. The nation is still waiting for the joint return to public coffers of P124.5 million arising from the PDAF plunder case filed against former senator Bong Revilla, his chief of staff Richard Cambe and Napoles.

Cambe was convicted but Revilla was cleared of criminal charges. Cambe died of a stroke in 2021 while serving a life sentence at the New Bilibid Prison.

All these cases should serve as a cautionary tale for the factotums of VIPs. If their bosses engage in thievery and get caught, the underlings are the ones who get thrown under the bus, and rot for life in Bilibid.

Ayala-led ACEN Corp. has executed a loan agreement and credit facility of P17.5 billion with state-run Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) to fund its clean energy projects.

In a stock exchange filing yesterday, ACEN said the agreements included an P8-billion loan and a P9.5-billion credit facility, which reallocated the balance of its existing P20-billion credit line with Landbank.

A loan agreement is a one-off deal between a lender and a borrower, while a credit facility may include several loan tranches.

This follows Landbank’s approval in November 2023 of a P20-billion loan to partially finance ACEN’s general corporate requirements and investments in renewable energy projects.

In another development, ACEN has forged a supply deal with Siena College to power the latter’s campuses in Quezon City and Taytay, Rizal with 100 percent renewables.

Through ACEN RES, the retail electricity supply arm of ACEN, the campuses are projected to collectively displace roughly 290 tons of carbon emissions monthly.

‘By embracing renewable energy, we are not only embodying our values but also keeping our operations more efficient,’ said Sister Rosalea Busilac, president of Siena College of Taytay.

‘This efficiency allows us to channel more resources directly into enhancing the learning experience and expanding access to education, reinforcing our mission to serve,’ she said.

Sister Maria Celia Varon, president of Siena College of Quezon City, said the supply agreement with ACEN RES affirmed the Catholic school’s sustainability commitment.

‘Beyond our ecological responsibility, this partnership also optimizes our energy costs, enabling more efficient operations so we can continue to provide high-quality education that remains within the reach of many students,’ Varon added.

In recognition of Siena College’s transition to clean power, ACEN RES awarded the campuses with a ‘Powered by Renewable Energy’ badge, a proprietary seal granted to businesses and institutions that have embraced RE.

‘We are honored that Siena College’s (campuses) have placed their trust in ACEN RES as their renewable energy partner. ACEN RES lauds Siena College for making the right choice, setting a powerful example for other academic institutions nationwide,’ said Tony Valdez, ACEN senior vice president for market transformation.

Earlier, Mapúa University tapped ACEN RES to supply clean energy to its campuses in Manila and Makati.

ACEN has also onboarded the Philippine Cultural College as its first customer under the government’s retail aggregation program, powering the Filipino-Chinese school’s five facilities across three campuses.

Malacañang has called for an investigation into reports that former ombudsman Samuel Martires issued a ‘secret decision’ reversing a 2016 dismissal order of the agency against Sen. Joel Villanueva, who had been accused of misusing pork barrel funds.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told a Palace press briefing yesterday that such a ‘secret decision’ would be alarming if proven true.

‘The people should not doubt our justice system, considering that it is one of the most important agencies that address the issue of corruption,’ she said.

‘Even if they are an independent body, we have to tell them – for us, this should really be investigated to determine if there are wrongdoings and whether there is a violation of the law. If there is, it should be solved and rectified by the Office of the Ombudsman,’ Castro added.

Asked whether Martires should be held liable, Castro replied: ‘It depends on the decision. It is difficult to speculate.’

She explained that if the parties were not furnished copies of the ruling, the period for filing any action, such as a motion for reconsideration, would not have progressed.

‘It appears that if there was a motion for reconsideration in 2016, the decision on the motion for reconsideration should not have dragged on until 2019,’ she noted.

In 2016, then ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales ordered Villanueva’s dismissal and perpetual disqualification from public office for allegedly misusing pork barrel funds, finding him guilty of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

Three years later, Martires, who succeeded Morales, granted Villanueva’s motion for reconsideration and reversed the ruling.

Current Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has described the reversal as a ‘surprise’ and a ‘secret decision.’

He had planned to send a letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III for the implementation of Villanueva’s dismissal, but dropped it after learning of Martires’ move.

Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon urged Remulla to scrutinize the timeline that led to Martires’ reversal, saying the key issue is when Villanueva actually sought reconsideration.

‘With Ombudsman Remulla calling the reversal of the dismissal of Sen. Joel Villanueva’s grave misconduct case a ‘secret and surprise decision,’ the most important question at this point is this – when did Sen. Joel Villanueva actually file his Motion for Reconsideration?’ Ridon said.

He cited records showing that Villanueva filed his motion in November 2016, within the 10-day period under ombudsman rules, and that Morales acknowledged it on Dec. 14, 2016, but never resolved it within the prescribed five-day period.

Had Morales resolved the MR within that period, Ridon said, Martires would not have had the opportunity to act on it much later, on July 31, 2019.

‘If the MR was filed out of time, then ombudsman Martires had absolutely no discretion to entertain or resolve it in 2019, as the dismissal would have already been final and executory as early as 2016,’ he added.

Lifestyle check on Martires urged

Echoing the lawmaker’s statements, former Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares called for an investigation into Martires’ properties, lifestyle and bank accounts for possible ill-gotten wealth.

‘A secret decision to help a senator involved in a pork barrel scam is not normal. Ito ay may kapalit (It has a quid pro quo),’ he said.

He also questioned Martires’ decision to stop the publication of officials’ statements of assets, liabilities and net worth, urging a thorough audit of his SALNs and the Commission on Audit to probe his use of confidential funds.

‘If he cannot submit proof of payment or receipts for his expenses, or he violated joint circular 2015-01, then he must be charged in court for malversation of public funds and corruption,’ Colmenares said.

Pole position stayed with Thai Sarit Suwannarut, but the day belonged to homeboy Miguel Tabuena.

On the course he called home, with his adoring family, compatriots and two-time major winner Dustin Johnson watching, Tabuena holed in an incredible ace that fueled his rise to second spot in the International Series presented by BingoPlus yesterday.

Using an 8-iron, Tabuena, a Sta. Elena Golf Club ‘baby’ through and through, drove his tee shot on the 171-yard, par-3 14th hole with laser precision, the ball landing inches to the pin, taking a bounce then graciously rolling into the cup.

The crowd erupted in jubilation.

He followed that spectacular hole-in-one with a well-celebrated eagle on No. 16, which, combined with four birdies against a lone bogey, greased Tabuena’s second-round seven-under 65 for a 36-hole card of 134.

The local hero, who opened with a 69, trailed pole Suwannarut, who kept pole position at 130 after a follow up 66 to his sizzling opener of 64, heading into Round 3.

‘It’s been six years since I last had one (ace), and second in a competition so it was nice that it was here, in front of friends, family and my home club,’ said Tabuena.

The ace didn’t register until he got congratulatory gestures from people around and Johnson, his decorated flight-mate in the morning sessions, himself.

‘I didn’t see it go in.I just heard the crowd go wild and Dustin said it’s in,’ he shared.

More than producing the round’s highlight reel, roaring into contention from his previous spot at joint 23rd was hugely satisfying for the 31-year-old Pinoy.

‘It was a pretty solid round and the plan was to get back in position for moving day,’ he said. ‘There’s still a lot of golf to play, we can’t get ahead of ourselves and be too complacent. There are two more days to go, I have to stick to the game plan, recover and go at it again (today).’

Oblivious to Tabuena’s mighty charge, Suwannarut birdied seven and dropped just one to post a 66 in his afternoon flight and keep the lead at 130.

Tabuena and Japanese Kazuki Higa (66) are four adrift.

One shot back at 131 were Japanese Yosuke Asaji (66), Korean Soomin Lee (67), Taiwanese Wang Hei-hsuan (67) and Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung (67).

Angelo Que zoomed to a share of fourth at 135 – a manageable five off the Thai pacesetter – after matching Tabuena’s 65.

Que 46, fired eight birdies, including three in his last four holes, to make his jump.