Category: Philippine Star

Kapuso actress Gabbi Garcia shared some behind-the-scene photos of her “Prisoner of War” shoot with English actor Scott Adkins.

On her Instagram account, Gabbi called it an honor and “a true thrill” to work on the film with Scott, a celebrated action star.

“Prisoner of War” stars Scott, who also co-wrote the story, as a British pilot captured by the Japanese during World War II and is sent to an internment camp in the Philippines.

Before setting out on the now-historic Death March, Scott’s James Wright and other prisoners engage in death matches, leading to a plan for escape.

Gabbi portrays a nurse named Theresa alongside taekwondo star Pauline Lopez. Also in the film is Filipino-American director-actor Michael Copon as Gabriel Villanueva.

Michael commented on Gabbi’s post praising her participation in the film and hoped to cast her in another project having directed Danny Trejo, Bea Alonzo, Hector David Jr., Maricel Laxa, and Costas Mandylor (brother of “Prisoner of War” director Louis Mandylor) in “1521.”

The filmmaker also teased he was producing another movie this December in Silang, Cavite and and would be working on three more films next year.

Others who left congratulatory messages were Iza Calzado, Janine Gutierrez, Karen Davila, Max Collins, Ina Feleo, and Melai Cantiveros-Francisco, who joked that Scott looked like entrepreneur-content creator Nico Bolzico.

“Prisoner of War” at the Beverly Hills Film Festival last April and had a limited wide release in the United States last month.

Some of Scott’s best known action roles are “John Wick: Chapter 4,” “The Expendables 2,” “Ip Man 4: The Finale,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” and the “Undisputed” films.

The existing restrictions on the release to the public of the individual statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (PBBM) and any of his Cabinet officials will not be lifted any time soon. As far as Malacañang is concerned. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin maintains these restrictions are necessary safeguards to ‘control’ access to SALNs as these might fall into the wrong hands with malicious motives.

Under existing laws of the land, all government officials and employees must submit completed forms of SALN before April 30 each year. The SALN submission is specifically required under Republic Act (RA) 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees in the Philippines. It was signed into law on Feb. 20, 1989 by the late president Corazon Aquino.

To wit, Section 8 of RA 6713: ‘Statements and Disclosure. – Public officials and employees have an obligation to accomplish and submit declarations under oath of, and the public has the right to know, their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests including those of their spouses and of unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age living in their households.’

Then, how come these officials refuse to respect the right of the people to check SALNs over fears it can be ‘weaponized’ supposedly against the declarants? The letter and intent of this law is precisely to detect the corrupt and grafters before they could further enrich themselves in public office. Thus, the SALN is a tool intended as an alert system against suspicious increase in wealth of our state-paid individuals.

That is, if the declarations in the SALNs are truthful.

For the President, the Vice President and all other impeachable officials, their respective SALNs are submitted annually to the Office of the Ombudsman. Justices and judges all over the country must submit theirs to the Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court (SC). The officials of constitutional bodies must submit their SALNs to the ombudsman as well. For Cabinet officials, their SALNs are filed with the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES). All other national executive officials must submit SALNs to the Office of the President.

For the senators and Congress members, they must submit their SALNs to the Senate secretariat and the House secretary-general, respectively. As of last Monday, Senate president Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III led the first five senators who voluntarily gave one after the other copies of their respective SALNs to media. Thirteen other senators authorized the Senate secretary to release theirs to media yesterday. On the other hand, the House minority bloc so far were the early birds to provide their SALNs for public scrutiny.

All other public officials and employees, as defined in RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, must submit their SALNs to the Civil Service Commission (CSC). Last Monday, the CSC revised the guidelines on SALN submission.

Among the key features of the updated guidelines is the ‘digitalized filing and submission of the SALN,’ which includes the procedure for online oath-taking, online filing and digital submission to the repository agencies starting next year.

‘These updates consolidate and streamline existing CSC policies on SALN filing, review and access – ensuring a clearer, more straightforward and more efficient process that promotes greater clarity and uniformity in implementation across government agencies,’ the CSC cited.

Since RA 6713 was first implemented during Mrs. Aquino’s administration all the way to the first term of then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, we were even able to get hard copies of the SALNs. For no apparent reason, Malacañang has since then controlled the release of SALNs in tabulated form that contained only the reported total assets, total liabilities and net worth.

In so many words, Bersamin expressed strongest reservations against relaxing the rules of public access to this document. He reiterated existing rules that the release of individual SALN of any government official and employee must be done through formal request letters. Among other matters, the letter sender must state why and for what legal purpose the copy of the SALN will be used.

Bersamin shrugged off news that several senators and other Congress members have already voluntarily released copies of their individual SALNs, albeit all redacted. He justified the ‘privacy’ rights of SALN declarants must be balanced with the public’s right to know. He warned not all those demanding easy access to SALNs have noble intentions in their supposed wish for greater transparency in governance.

A retired Chief Justice, Bersamin echoed sentiments of his erstwhile colleagues in the Supreme Court (SC) on the SALN being ‘weaponized’ in politics and not as a tool for good governance. He particularly recalled how the SALN of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona was used in the impeachment trial and led to the ouster of his predecessor at the SC.

The Executive Secretary, let’s call him ES for brevity’s sake, is the so-called ‘little president,’ or the primus inter pares, or first among equals among Cabinet officials who are all alter egos of the President. As the highest ranking alter ego of the President, the ES usually heads the Cabinet caretaker committee whenever PBBM goes abroad.

‘We do not have a denial of access. But we must control the access… The purpose must be legitimate because we do not like the SALN to be a weapon,’ Bersamin told reporters before PBBM left for Malaysia last Saturday.

Bersamin should realize by now that matters reaching his desk should not be all about what is legal and what is constitutional. The ES must also take in the popular sentiments and the public pulse in decision-making because the President is the highest elected official of the land.

For the past three years, Bersamin has gone through all these annual SALNs of fellow Cabinet officials. The SALN is the best detection tool against those enriching themselves illegally in their offices in government.

Prevention against corruption is better than investigation of ill-gotten wealth.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has elected PBA chairman Ricky Vargas as president and PLDT honcho Manny V. Pangilinan as chairman.

Vargas, who served as vice president under outgoing chief Al Panlilio, and Pangilinan, who was previously chairman emeritus, will lead a board consisting of 17 seats, 13 of which were filled through an election among the federation’s 34 active members to ‘ensure broad sectoral representation across Philippine basketball.’

Elected sectoral representatives were Paul Tristan Laus (North Luzon), Edgar Francisco (South Luzon), Robert Uy (Visayas), Renauld Barrios (Mindanao), Jose Franco Soberano (Youth), Bo Perasol, Manuel Raymund Castellano and Eric Altamirano (Schools), Vivian Manila (Women’s) and Pangilinan, Vargas, Alfrancis Chua and Archen Cayabyab (Commercial and Professional).

Rosendo Yamyamin and Karl Christian Alasagas dominated the October edition of the Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (CEPCA) monthly tournament over the weekend at Robinsons Galleria Cebu.

Yamyamin was actually tied with September champion Amado Olea Jr. with similar 5.0 points but Yamyamin took the top spot in Class A, thanks to a higher tiebreaker.

National Master Arnolito Cadiz placed third with 4.5 points.

In Class B, Alasagas and Mario Bustillo Sr. both finished with 4.0 points but Alasagas clinched the title by virtue of a superior tiebreak output.

Ritchie Evardo settled for third with 3.5 points.

Aside from the cash prize courtesy of CEPCA’s long-time president Engr. Jerry Maratas, Alasagas will also be joining Yamyamin, Olea, and Cadiz to the Grand Finals billed as the ‘CEPCA Battle of Champions’ this December.

Meanwhile, Ma. Crizelda Cruz (female) and Kurt Jaden Igot (12 Under) emerged as the top performers in their categories.

Actress Julia Barretto and her siblings left encouraging messages and vowed to ‘protect’ their mother, actress and former politician Marjorie Barretto, after their grandmother Inday revealed details about their family’s strained relationships.

Marjorie addressed her mother’s comments during the latter’s interview with showbiz host Ogie Diaz. Inday revealed details about their family life to the host, even describing Marjorie as ‘strong-willed,’ which the actress took as an insult in the context of the interview.

Marjorie also said that she was hurt by the revelations. She called the statements as ‘unprovoked’ and ‘undeserved,’ as she was in shock with the second part of the interview with Inday, where the Barretto matriarch talked about her three daughters: actresses Gretchen, Marjorie and Claudine.

Toward the end of her Instagram post, Marjorie said she needed to clarify and explain because she is misunderstood. She reasoned that when someone chose to ‘distort’ truths in a ‘very public way,’ it creates an ‘ache that my silence cannot hold anymore.’

Julia, who followed in the showbiz footsteps of her mother and aunts, left ‘I love you’ comments on her mom’s page.

Her siblings, Leon, and older sister, Dani, went all out to say that they will be Marjorie’s protectors.

‘No words can describe how much we love you mom. We will be your protector as well,’ Leon wrote. Leon and Julia are Marjorie’s children with actor Dennis Padilla.

Dani, the daughter of Marjorie with actor Kier Legaspi, echoed Leon’s comment.

‘We will always love you and protect you! No matter what,’ Dani wrote.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure has recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against several former and incumbent government officials – including Sens. Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada – over alleged anomalies in flood control projects.

ICI Chairperson Andres Reyes announced the commission’s new set of recommended charges at a press conference on Wednesday, October 29. This is the ICI’s second recommendation to the Office of the Ombudsman since it began its investigation into the flood control scandal on September 19.

The ICI will be submitting today its “interim report and recommendation… on the alleged involvement of several incumbent and former members of the House of Representatives and the Senate in obtaining bribes or unwarranted monetary benefits from flood control project contractors,” Reyes said.

Also named in the recommended charges are former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana, former Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co, and former Caloocan Representative Mitch Cajayon-Uy.

The ICI chairperson said the officials involved may be “possibly” held liable for direct or indirect bribery, corruption of public officials, and plunder under existing anti-graft laws.

Bribery scheme. During the press conference, the ICI chairperson outlined what witnesses described as a kickback chain linking lawmakers to DPWH engineers who managed flood control projects.

Reyes said the scheme typically begins when a senator or House member would approach then-DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara to inform him that a budget allocation was available for an infrastructure project. This, Reyes said, would set the corruption in motion.

‘Additionally, the scheme shall always involve flood control projects because kickbacks are from 25% to 30%, higher than in other projects, which is only at 10%,’ Reyes said.

He said Alcantara would then instruct fellow DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez to draw up a list of projects based on the lawmaker’s allotted budget. The list, Reyes added, was passed to an intermediary named Carlo Rivera, who would send it either to the DPWH regional office in Bulacan or directly to the legislator.

‘If the list was provided to the DPWH regional director, it will be included in the National Expenditure Program,’ Reyes said. ‘On the other hand, if the list is given to the proponent itself, he or she will insert the budget in the House General Appropriations Bill or bicameral insertions wherein it would be reflected in the General Appropriations Act.’

Once the projects were listed in the NEP or GAA, Rivera would prepare a summary while Alcantara selected the contractors who would carry out the work, Reyes said. ‘This would trigger the payment for obligations or SOP to the proponent. An advance payment of 10% of the budget allocation [is made] when the NEP is released, while the remaining 15% will be paid off to the proponent when the GAA is passed.’

He added that if the insertions were included in the final budget law, ‘the whole 25% SOP is given to the proponent. This 25% payoff is advanced by the contractors to ensure that the budget will be awarded to them.’

“Their testimonies and affidavits named the abovementioned former and current government officials as primarily involved in these violations,” Reyes said.

With its second set of recommended charges, the ICI said it was remaining true to its commitment that “no one will be spared in this fight against corruption.”

“Politicians and government officials will be investigated and charged with credible evidence. Those found responsible will face consequences and be held accountable under the rule of law. To aspiring criminals, crime will not and does not pay,” Reyes said.

“We will continue to investigate, follow the evidence, pursue charges to the very last man involved,” the ICI chairperson added.

ICI Executive Director Brian Keith Hosaka said in an update Wednesday afternoon that the report will be amended to include DPWH engineers Alcantara, Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza in the list of people that charges are recommended against.

ICI’s first recommendation, submitted on September 29, asked the Office of the Ombudsman to pursue charges against Co and 13 DPWH officials over a P289.5-million ghost project in Oriental Mindoro.

The boardroom of AB Capital and Investment Corp. has welcomed a familiar name from the insurance world: Alexander S. Narciso, former president of Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) Inc., whose appointment as independent director was just approved by the BSP.

Narciso brings with him decades of leadership in life-insurance and financial services, having had full operational, financial and regulatory responsibility for Sun Life’s Philippine insurance business.

Under his watch, the firm posted P55.79 billion in total premiums and P10.0 billion in new-business annual premium equivalent (NBAPE) in 2023, earning it the top spot among Philippine insurers for 13 years running.

Narciso is credited with having reshaped Sun Life’s salesforce into a streamlined, high-performance team of around 21,000 advisors by the time of his retirement in 2023.

Over this period, the company earned the Trusted Brand Platinum Award in Life Insurance for 14 consecutive years and repeatedly produced the most Million Dollar Round Table qualifiers nationwide.

Beyond business metrics, Narciso channels his energy into social causes: he serves as an Independent Trustee for both the Jesuit Volunteers Philippines Foundation and the World Surgical Foundation.

He also holds a philosophy degree from Ateneo de Manila University, a master’s in industrial economics from the Center for Research and Communication and is a Fellow (with distinction) of the Life Management Institute.

Women in their mid-30s or 40s still feel changes in the body like slowing metabolism, muscle mass loss, and bone density.

Perimenopause and menopause occur in middle-aged women, leading to mood swings, brain fog, and increased risk of certain health disorders such as diabetes and heart disease.

An active, non-sedentary lifestyle is highly beneficial, with strength training offering exceptional advantages for women in this age range.

According to a study conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in the United States, women who do strength training have a 30% lower risk of cardiovascular-related deaths.

Aside from making them physically stronger, regular strength training burns calories more efficiently, reduces the chance of injury, helps control blood sugar levels, enhances mental health, and promotes increased mobility and flexibility.

Strong moms Aliza Goco, Jackie Go, Sam Valenciano, and Millie de Luna all believe that disciplined strength training is beneficial to women of all ages and stages of life.

First-time mother Millie has been training at premier strength and conditioning training gym Kinetix Lab for well over a year even while pregnant.

She notes that prenatal strength training is quite different from regular strength training, “You need a very educated coach who knows what you need, what your limits are. And having a coach makes me feel very supported and makes it very safe, while all the more increasing my strength.”

As a mother of two young and energetic children, Sam managed to unlearn the clichés about women becoming “buff.”

“I [learned] how to strengthen my core, arms, and legs, which helped me with my two-year-old, who is very magulo,” said Sam, who enjoys playing football.

Perimenopausal mom Aliza credits her training to her coach allowing her to move easily at home.

“My being strong helped me move easily while carrying my children’s school bags and groceries. Everything is about movement,” said Aliza. “At home, I do a lot of house work, I move around freely without aching joints or back pain.”

Aliza, now in her mid-40s, has already been experiencing hormonal changes, which is why she recognizes the importance of engaging in consistent strength training.

“My energy level improves when I train. I super love it. I guess it has something to do with working out. It is no longer just looking good, but it’s more of feeling good about yourself. It boosts my confidence level,Aliza ended.

Corruption is the nation’s crippling affliction – the core reason for its perennial underperformance and prevalence of poverty. While the majority of Filipinos live from hand to mouth, the political elite roll in scandalous wealth.

The culture of corruption took deep root under Marcos Senior and, over the decades, was institutionalized at every level of government. It reached its most brazen form under Marcos Junior. These days, public service is no longer a calling – it has become a shortcut to wealth and privilege.

As lawmakers and public officials jostle to extract more and more resources from the state, government has grown increasingly inept in most of its functions.

It is inept at carrying out simple infrastructure projects without it being overpriced and/or shoddily constructed (if the project exists at all). It is inept at managing public facilities like airports, railways and toll roads without making it to the list of the world’s worst. It must rely on the private sector to operate them.

It is inept at providing quality public services, be it by way of education or health care. It is inept at supporting the arts, sciences, patrimony and sports in the manner they deserve. It is inept in carrying out justice in an expeditious manner. It is inept at maintaining decent public spaces without flooding them with ugly billboards for quick profits. The list goes on.

In short, corruption has rendered government incompetent. The trajectory of the country will only improve once this culture of corruption is dismantled and replaced by one grounded on integrity.

The scale of corruption

Under the Marcos administration, ‘unprogrammed appropriations’ (UAs) – or budget items without a defined purpose – ballooned to record levels.

In 2023, UAs hit P807.16 billion, more than triple the Duterte-era peak. It reached P731.45 billion in 2024 and P363.24 billion in 2025. These funds carry minimal oversight and are fertile ground for abuse.

Unprogrammed appropriations are only the tip of the iceberg. Add the cost of economic sabotage like tax fraud, kickbacks, ghost projects, etc. Smuggling alone reached startling proportions last year. The Bureau of Customs seized P85.167 billion worth of illicit goods. This does not count the value of goods that slipped through the cracks. Meanwhile, the Department of Finance estimates losses of P35 billion from tobacco smuggling alone.

And then there are rigged bids. Take the P210-billion Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge as an example. Insiders reveal that multiple Chinese state-owned enterprises are bidding for the contract. On paper, it looks like healthy competition. In reality, they are one and the same bidder – the Chinese government. Corruption is seemingly at play again at DPWH to favor the Chinese.

Experts estimate that corruption drains some P1.6 trillion annually – roughly 25 percent of the national budget. Redirecting even a fraction of this to education, infrastructure or the AFP’s modernization could fundamentally alter the nation’s future.

Leadership?

By running for president, Marcos Junior effectively applied for the nation’s Chief Executive post. Any responsible chief executive would first confront the country’s deepest ailment with resolve and determination. He did the opposite. Instead of dismantling the machinery of corruption, he entrenched it further by approving three consecutive budgets swollen with pork and UA’s.

Neither did he successfully resolve the pressing problems of ease in doing business, food insecurity and the uncontrolled prevalence of political dynasties. The latter is the most damaging defect in our political system. Marcos appears perfectly fine with the status quo. His actions showed no intention of becoming a transformative leader.

And to address the people’s rage over the scale of corruption, his response was to outsource the fight to the ICI – a commission ill-equipped to confront entrenched interests and constrained by limited powers. By letting the ICI take the lead, Marcos neatly cast himself as a bystander ‘awaiting findings,’ sidestepping direct accountability.

It’s been three months since the investigation into the flood-control anomalies began, yet no arrests have been reported. No hold-departure orders have been issued (only lookout notices). Asset-freezing is limited to a few lower-level officials and Zaldy Co’s passport is still valid.

Instead, we are given endless promises that ‘cases will soon be filed.’ ICI hearings are not conducted in a transparent manner but behind closed doors. Focus is on the small fry, not on the real plunderers in the legislature. Marcos’ promise that justice will be swift and blind is sounding like rhetoric.

There is growing fear that Marcos is orchestrating a whitewash to shield certain allies while assuaging public outrage by arresting a few sacrificial lambs. The pattern is familiar – scapegoats for optics, protection for the powerful.

Meanwhile, no meaningful reforms have been introduced to dismantle the machinery of graft – save for the ombudsman’s move to grant public access to officials’ SALNs. Too little, too slow. Why this administration continues to drag his feet on enacting reforms remains a mystery.

As an economist who worries about the country’s economic future, I could be more forgiving of PBBM’s weak leadership if the economy was doing well. But it too is losing steam under this status quo leadership. I’ve lost count of the number of times the economy’s growth rate was slashed. Foreign investments and exports are flagging while that of our neighbors’ surge. The budget deficit is at new heights while public debt is now at P16.31 trillion. No new competitive industries developed. Economic competitiveness is waning due to government’s inability to address systemic flaws.

President Marcos’ rhetoric has been loud, but his results are wanting. Yet, a window for redemption remains. If he confronts the culture of corruption head-on – by instituting genuine anti-graft reforms and restoring integrity in public service – he may still reshape the perception of his leadership.

The Manjuyod White Sandbar in Negros Oriental has been closed temporarily due to the contamination of the local water supply.

In an order issued on Monday, Mayor Raffy Alipio Andaya said the water discoloration was caused by wastewater discharged from a collapsed dike in a lagoon of a nearby distillery company.

Alipio said the dike sustained cracks from an earthquake and heavy rainfall that occurred in the past few days.

He said the contamination poses health and environmental hazards,which required immediate preventive actions to ensure the safety of visitors, residents and stakeholders.

The municipal government and its disaster risk reduction and management council are coordinating with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other concerned government agencies for the conduct of water quality testing, assessment and monitoring.