Category: Philippine Star

At least four uniformed personnel were killed during the collapse of the San Remegio Sports Complex during the deadly magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit Cebu on Tuesday, September 30.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) announced the death of 31-year-old FO2 Allier Vincent Catadman. Catadman, a firefighter assigned to the San Remigio Fire Station, was killed during the quake.

‘He died in the line of duty following the collapse of the San Remigio Sports Complex during the magnitude 6.9 earthquake. We honor his service, bravery, and sacrifice. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, especially his wife and young child,’ the BFP said in a statement.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) also confirmed that at least three of its personnel were killed in the same sports complex. Seaman Second Class Lawrence Palomo, Apprentice Seaman Jujay Mahusay, and ASN Ert Cart Dacunes died when the San Remigio Sports Complex collapsed.

The PCG said the three personnel were rushed to Bogo General Hospital for treatment, but were all eventually pronounced dead.

“We extend our sincere condolences to the families of our fallen personnel. Their dedication to the service and camaraderie with our fellow uniformed men and women will always be remembered. The PCG stands in full solidarity with their loved ones and will ensure that they receive the utmost support,’ PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said.

Despite the tragedy, more PCG personnel and other uniformed workers have been deployed on the ground for rescue efforts in Cebu.

The earthquake has killed at least 60 people, according to the Office of the Civil Defense, with around 154 others injured.

Cebu province has declared a state of calamity following the deadly quake.

Critical infrastructure has been damaged, including several roads and bridges. A number of historical churches have also sustained damage.

Despite the tragedy, more PCG personnel and other uniformed workers have been deployed to assist with rescue efforts in Cebu.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized nearly P35 billion worth of smuggled goods from January to August, underscoring the agency’s intensified border control operations and continuing efforts to curb illicit trade and protect government revenues.

Carrying out 653 seizure operations, the border patrol bureau said it has confiscated P34.73 billion worth of smuggled goods during the eight-month period.

The collection on seized items is only 41 percent of last year’s full year record of P85.16 billion.

BOC Assistant Commissioner Vincent Maronilla explained that last year’s figures were largely driven by letters of authority, which have now been suspended, noting that many of the operations involved were conducted outside the bureau.

‘Now we look at the complaints, when that is back, we are not keen on catching up. I think whatever the figure is, what’s important for us is the industry feels we’re doing something and there’s a reduction of the effect of smuggling in their fields,’ Maronilla said.

Letters of authority are official BOC directives that empower customs officers to carry out specific enforcement actions, such as requesting proof of duty and tax payments on imported merchandise.

In July, BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno halted the execution of all previously approved letters of authority that had not yet been served.

Maronilla said they are reviewing and streamlining safety measures for the issuance of letters of authority to prevent potential abuse based on intelligence reports.

‘Especially in the intellectual property, most particularly agriculture and the tobacco and vape industry,’ he said, referring to stronger patrols in several industries.

According to the report, the top five highest-valued seized commodities were various goods worth P20.16 billion and wildlife and natural resources at P4.78 billion.

Also among the most confiscated smuggled goods were illegal drugs valued at P4.6 billion, cigarettes, tobacco, and vape products worth P2.1 billion, along with counterfeit items amounting to P1.4 billion, according to the BOC.

Still in the eight-month period, the BOC has revoked the accreditation of 40 erring importers and customs brokers as part of its crackdown on trade law violators.

Gokongwei-led real estate developer Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) plans to open more ‘work.able’ centers across its developments to address the growing demand for flexible workspaces, including in the provinces.

RLC, through its office development and leasing arm Robinsons Offices, recently opened its 14th work.able center at the GBF Center 1 in its Bridgetowne Destination Estate in Pasig and Quezon City.

RLC senior vice president and business unit general manager Jericho Go said that several more work.able centers are in the company’s pipeline, including at least three more within the year.

For next year, Go said that the company ‘will definitely build more,’ with work.able’s future expansion to include provincial locations as well.

‘That’s the plan because some of the demand is coming from the province already. So still Metro Manila, but also demand in the province,’ he said.

‘Be assured that we will continue to grow the business because there is demand for it. So we are not growing it for the sake of growing it. We have received demand for provincial work.able sites where we have a presence in as Robinson Land. So it will really depend on the demand, but as much as we can, we would like to have that presence to be able to bring offices closer to where people live,’ Go said.

Robinsons Offices intends to expand the work.able brand to high-growth areas to reinforce its position as a trusted partner for businesses and a catalyst for growth in the country.

Robinsons Offices’ work.able provides plug-and-play and build-to-suit workspaces, catering to clients seeking private offices, co-working spaces, conferencing facilities and event venues.

‘We are very demand-driven. So, we look at and listen to what the market needs, and then we supply it, because we also want to be conscious of our capital expenditures. We don’t want to speculate. We want to make sure that there’s a demand for space and then get into that space and serve that demand,’ Go said.

Robinsons Offices has also recently inaugurated GBF Center 2, a 30-story premier office development that will serve as a strategic gateway for global firms seeking a future-ready address in Metro Manila.

The 30-story premier office development in Bridgetowne Destination Estate will serve as a strategic gateway for global firms seeking a future ready address in Metro Manila, with each floor offering 2,800 square meters of flexible office space designed to cater to tenant layouts and evolving business needs.

Reports claim that Zaldy Co ‘is shopping for a house in Europe.’ That can only mean he has no intention of returning to the Philippines ‘post-haste.’ Since he has resigned, is it time to take a shot at Blue, as in a Blue Notice with Interpol for the return of exs-congressman Zaldy Co?

I just saw a very timely and accurate proverb related to the Senate and congressional investigations now slowly but surely floating towards Malacañang and the executive department:

‘The accomplice of a thief is his own enemy; he is put under oath and dare not testify’ – Proverbs 29:24. In legal terms, they invoke the right against self-incrimination!

Last Monday evening, I chanced upon a video where a retired Marine officer suggested that we all get a patch of the Philippine flag and wear it red side up. As you all know, that simple act is a declaration of war against another nation, the government or a revolution.

That was what the retired Marine officer was suggesting in defiance of the subtle threats of politicians, officials of the Armed Forces, the PNP and talking heads in Malacañang. I have thought of doing the same thing on numerous occasions as an act of protest against political abuse and corruption.

In fact, I actually went a step further that evening by asking a couple of friends if any of their suppliers could produce such t-shirts and how much. In a matter of seconds someone immediately suggested ‘black shirts with the inverted Philippine flag.’

Then another asked, ‘How many, how soon and what sizes please.’ All I had to do was fill in the order and we would have the shirts in a matter of days.

But instead, I asked a friend to first check with a lawyer if it was against the law or illegal to don the Philippine flag red side up or not. Half an hour later, I received ‘mixed’ opinions and replies to the question.

One lawyer immediately said it was against the law. Another said the law prohibits using the flag as a ‘garment’ or actual clothing like a robe or cape. Ultimately, the answers depended on who you asked.

The historical commission has set rules, even about the positioning of a statue of Jose Rizal on the right side of the flagpole/flag and must be facing the front of government buildings.

Others view historical rules as ‘dated’ or irrelevant with current culture, especially to the millions that have seen flag-inspired uniforms and many Olympic athletes draped with a flag doing a victory lap.

A valuable lesson I am reminded of from all of this is not to rush out and make an order, instead sleep on it, pray for divine wisdom:

‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes: fear the Lord and shun evil’ – Proverbs 3: 5-6

The answer came the next morning through an FB post of my friend Charmaine who posted a heart-shaped painting of the Philippine flag. One nation under God – marching behind one flag.

Instead of political colors, symbolism of rebellion, placards and titles of movements, use the Philippine flag to symbolize our unity and patriotism! That is exactly what my friends and I will do; ‘wear’ the flag closest to our hearts!

In a post from Heneralunacy ‘What kind of country have we become,’ the author stated: the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce, normally a late political responder, recently issued a strong statement asking for real structural reforms and accountability.

Yes, said chamber is very prudent and circumspect about issuing statements, especially concerning politics, governance and peace and order because business and industry view the chambers’ pulse very seriously.

Even when their community is under attack by kidnappers, extortionists or corrupt government officials, they respond with restraint, opting to address the problem calmly and strategically.

The fact that the FFCCCII has now issued a strongly worded statement about the current levels of corruption in the Philippines is a cause for concern, because it is no longer just their backyard or community concern, it is the entire country that has been affected by corruption.

Below is the FFCCCII statement:

An urgent call against corruption

Public statement by the FFCCCII

The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. urgently calls on the government, private sector and every citizen to resolutely confront the cancer of corruption eroding our nation’s foundation.

The Need for Systemic Reform – Prosecuting corrupt individuals is reactive. We must go further and dismantle the entire ecosystem that allows corruption to thrive. This requires sweeping systemic reforms built on radical transparency, efficiency and ruthless accountability.

Learn from Global Success – We need not reinvent the wheel. We must look to exemplary models in other jurisdictions where powerful, independent anti-corruption agencies have full autonomy to investigate and prosecute without fear or favor.

Corruption is a Crime Against the People – Corruption is not a victimless crime. It is a heinous betrayal that robs our most vulnerable citizens of essential services and a better life. It stifles innovation, repels investment and essentially destroys our nation and kills its people.

The time for half measures is over. Let us unite to build a system that rewards integrity and paves the way for a just and prosperous Philippines.

Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez is asking for a detailed clarification about the condition of the San Juanico Bridge as he hinted that there could be corruption in the rehabilitation of the structure.

The rehabilitation of the 52-year-old bridge, which links the islands of Samar and Leyte, was first estimated to cost P800 million, but the amount reportedly increased to P7 billion recently.

‘There is something going on na hindi kanais-nais na corruption,’ said Romualdez, cousin of President Marcos and former speaker Martin Romualdez. ‘From P800 million to P7 billion? Magkano ba talaga?’

The mayor said there should be a public disclosure about the real state of the bridge. He questioned the imposition of the three-ton weight limit on the bridge, which he said was implemented without sufficient notice or explanation.

Romualdez said he wanted to know who conducted the feasibility study that recommended the weight limit and why the public was not informed about the matter.

‘That’s why I am calling for clarification of these issues. Is the bridge really defective? How long would the rehabilitation take? Who conducted the study? Why was everything seemingly so sudden and we were given 48 hours only to close the bridge?’ Romualdez asked.

He criticized the Department of Public Works and Highways for not providing a clear information about the condition of the bridge and the basis for the weight limitation.

Romualdez said the reported defects on the bridge were not new since 20 years ago, the structure also underwent repair and the public was given sufficient time to prepare.

He said experts should be tapped to look into the bridge to determine the real cost of the rehabilitation and how it would be done.

COAL is a non-operational zombie, so I’m in favor of any move by COAL’s board that will make this company a productive part of the PSE. That said, I’m not a fan of backdoor listings, as I think they encourage blind speculation and reward insider trading while also side-stepping important parts of the price discovery process. Let me be clear: I’m not alleging that anyone related to COAL or PURE has done anything specific to encourage blind speculation, or that they’ve done insider trading. The lack of information is the issue. In a regular IPO, we’d get a legally vetted document that lays out the ownership structure, the plan, and the risk/reward matrix for all to see. Here, what do we know? Just the names of the buyers.

The 6.9-magnitude earthquake that shook Central Visayas for about 30 seconds left a trail of destruction – highways split by deep cracks, churches reduced to rubble, a mall set ablaze, and many buildings collapsing.

At least 26 people have already died due to the powerful quake, with 147 others injured, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Its early assessment on Wednesday, October 1, showed at least 22 buildings damaged by the quake, with one road and three bridges rendered impassable. Overall, six roads and bridges in Cebu were affected:

Tabogon

Salag Hanging Bridge – not passable to all types of vehicles

Tuburan

Langoyon Bridge – not passable to all types of vehicles

Fortaliza Bridge – not passable to all types of vehicles

Brgy. Putat Bridge – passable to light vehicles

Brgy. Bagasawe Bridge – passable to light vehicles

Daanbantayan

Brgy. Poblacion Road – not passable to all types of vehicles

A dashcam video also captured the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge shaking in Cebu.

The devastation reached heritage, infrastructure and commercial spaces. The Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima in Daanbantayan, considered a cultural treasure, was toppled by the quake.

San Remigio saw damage to the Lambusan and Looc bridges and a government sports facility.

In Cebu City, fast-food chains were not spared. A McDonald’s and Jollibee branch were left in ruins, while another McDonald’s in Bogo collapsed. Housing facilities such as SM Cares Housing and Condor Lodge in Bogo also crumbled.

Communication lines were also cut in three parts of Region 7, while eight areas reported power outages. Affected localities include Daanbantayan, Bogo, San Remigio, Tabuelan, Carmen, Asturias, Catmon and Tuburan.

A total of 46 cities and municipalities declared class suspensions to focus on recovery efforts, with the Cebu provincial government declaring a state of calamity.

The earthquake also triggered a landslide in Tabuelan, Cebu, along a national highway. And around the same time the earthquake jolted Cebu, a fire broke out at SM Consolacion. It was quickly extinguished shortly after the quake.

In Asturias, Cebu, an old concrete wall at a private residence along Lapu-Lapu Street had also collapsed.

The NDRRMC has yet to assess the cost of the damage, but its regional office in Central Visayas has already raised a red alert, with Bureau of Fire Protection teams placed on standby.

Under red alert status, response agencies are placed on complete staffing, with urgent interagency coordination required to address the emergency.

The earthquake

The 6.9-magnitude earthquake was strong enough to cause widespread destruction. It struck 19 kilometers north of Bogo, Cebu, at a depth of 5 kilometers around 9:59 p.m. on September 30. The tremor was tectonic in origin and produced a total of 611 aftershocks as of 7 a.m.

Destructive shaking, Intensity VII, was reported in Cebu and Negros Occidental, as well as in parts of Eastern Visayas. This level of intensity is significantly felt by most people, driving many outdoors, as buildings are rocked by strong movement and hanging objects swing violently. Infrastructure damage, landslides and rockfalls are expected.

Weak to strong shaking was reported across several provinces, including Negros Occidental, Bohol, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Zamboanga del Norte, Albay, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Antique and Capiz.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called on LGUs to activate their emergency operations centers and incident management teams, urging chief executives to lead damage assessments and activate contingency plans.

Disgraced contractor couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya did a ‘tell-all plus plus’ when they appeared before the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) yesterday.

Cornelio Samaniego III, the couple’s legal counsel, said the Discayas were fully cooperative and bared everything they know to the ICI.

‘They are not hiding anything anymore,’ he said.

Samaniego said his clients divulged everything – from the persons involved up to the history of transactions they had undertaken.

‘We are telling everything,’ he stressed.

Pressed on the revelations made by his clients before the commission, Samaniego said that most were already included in the affidavit they had filed before the Senate and Congress, yet there were also new names bared by his clients to the commission.

‘We’ll submit a supplemental affidavit, so we will add new names. In due time, it will come out,’ Samaniego said. ‘For now, no comment.’

Samaniego said his clients were scheduled to come back to the ICI to finish giving their statement.

‘It went OK. The members of the ICI were very cordial,’ Samaniego said.

He added that unlike former DPWH Bulacan district engineer Brice Hernandez, the Discayas are not inclined to return any of their luxury cars to the government as a goodwill gesture.

‘We are not returning anything at the moment, because the accounts were frozen,’ Samaniego said.

AMLC, BIR tie-up

Meanwhile, the ICI has forged a cooperation and information-sharing pact with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) that will facilitate the freezing of assets of personalities implicated in the numerous ghost and substandard flood control projects at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka said the agreement, which also includes the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), will speed up investigation of the anomalous flood control projects, the filing of the relevant criminal cases as well as the recovery of the proceeds.

‘We will have information-sharing, coordination and cooperation which is crucial for the verification of information divulged to us by their ‘resource persons’,’ Hosaka told reporters.

Several senators, congressmen, contractors and former and current DPWH officials and officers have appeared before the ICI to provide information regarding multibillion-peso ghost and substandard flood control projects implemented by the DPWH.

Hosaka said the partnership with BIR will be helpful in determining tax liabilities, while the AMLC will facilitate the freezing of assets of individuals involved in the flood control mess.

According to BIR commissioner Romeo Lumagui, Jr., they aim to build strong cases for tax evasion.

‘We already have preliminary draft of (tax) assessments. But they still lack a number of information. We don’t want to file haphazard criminal complaint(s) with the Department of Justice. That’s why we want to get all the useful information,’ he said.

Closed hearing up to ICI – Palace

Malacañang will not intervene with the decision of the ICI against livestreaming its hearings on anomalous flood control projects, stressing that President Marcos respects the body’s independence.

‘The President has already said that this ICI is an independent commission. So, whatever their policies and procedures are, the President will respect them and he will not interfere because they are an independent body or commission,’ Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told reporters.

ICI’s Hosaka earlier defended the decision to keep the hearings closed, saying it is necessary to ‘avoid a trial by publicity.’

‘We don’t want the commission to be used for any political agenda or leverage that’s why we are careful,’ Hosaka said.

He said the ICI’s investigation is a ‘process’ that cannot be defined by piecemeal revelations.

‘People might be misled,’ he noted. ‘We would like to prevent that because we want the people to trust the system and in the independent commission that we will be doing our jobs fairly, objectively and independently.’

Meanwhile, Castro also defended the appointment of former Philippine National Police chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. as special adviser and investigator to the ICI.

Castro said Azurin was chosen to replace Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong based on his capabilities and experience as an investigator.

There were some who questioned Azurin’s appointment as he was previously implicated in the alleged cover-up of the P6.7-billion shabu haul involving high-ranking PNP officers in 2022.

He was later cleared in the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs’ investigation into the massive controversy.

‘It’s clear he was never charged,’ Castro said.

‘What I want to stress here is that the independent nature of this commission. We will not interfere with their work. We will, of course, be in discussion with them. We will ask them what happened, what have you found, what are we doing next,’ Marcos said during a Sept. 15 press conference.

‘But we were not about to direct them as to how they were going to conduct their investigations, and we are going to leave it up to them,’ he said.

‘Let the people in’

For some lawmakers, keeping the ICI hearings away from the public invites doubt into what transpires behind closed doors.

‘There’s no real accountability without transparency. Let the people in. It is the right of the people who were robbed of billions of pesos to watch the proceedings of the ICI,’ Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña said in a statement.

Cendaña said corruption existed because of the lack of transparency in the process of the bicameral conference committee, which reviewed and approved the national budget of the government up to its project implementation.

‘It is time to pass the Independent Commission for Infrastructure Bill or House Bill (HB) 4453 that will put in place the mandatory public hearings with livestreaming,’ Cendaña said.

For her part, ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said given the witnesses’ testimonies in the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearings on flood control anomalies, it is ripe for Congress to pass HB 4453 into law.

‘As the plot thickens, it becomes even more urgent and imperative to pass House Bill No. 4453. To ferret out the truth and ensure accountability – whoever is involved – Congress must act swiftly and decisively,’ De Lima said in a separate statement.

‘This is the biggest corruption scandal in our history, and we cannot address it with partial solutions. The ICI cannot handle this widespread corruption using its limited powers. The DOJ (Department of Justice) and the ombudsman must hasten the filing of strong cases,’ De Lima said.

Health expert and nutritionist Dr. Hash Flores stressed that the public must be educated on the dangers of consuming imported frozen products, saying that it poses health risks.

Flores said a platform for food and safety must be put in place.

‘I think there are more inherent problems but the only solution at the moment would be to educate the public properly and that stems from a platform that consumers can trust,’ Flores said.

‘This will allow you to be more informed and empowered as a consumer,’ he added.

Flores warned that imported frozen and chemically treated chicken could lead to illnesses and hormonal imbalances.

He said that since such products are ‘not done in its natural form,’ women can get polycystic ovary syndrome and men can do a ‘flip switch’ because of ‘too much estrogen.’

He further encouraged the public to consider the health benefits of local, natural and organic chicken and to exercise caution when purchasing imported frozen poultry.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) told agencies to access their emergency response funds to address the devastation caused by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu.

The quick response funds (QRF) are standby provisions that first responder agencies like the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have.

‘We also have the NDRRM (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management) Fund on standby for larger-scale needs, including the repair of damaged facilities and heritage sites, to help ensure that our communities can rise again as quickly as possible,’ DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said in a statement.

The NDRRM fund still stood at around P8 billion as of October 1, the DBM said.

Once agencies exhaust 50% of their QRFs, they can ask the DBM to replenish them.

The earthquake that struck Cebu late Tuesday night killed at least 20 people, with reports on the ground saying that the number has reached around 30.