Category: Philippine Star

Flood control project or reclamation activity?

This is the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)’s urgent concern in Laguna de Bay, after flagging a supposed flood control project that turned out to be reclamation activities within the lake.

During the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget hearing before the Senate yesterday, DENR Undersecretary for integrated environmental science Carlos Primo David said they have identified several questionable projects presented as flood control initiatives but appeared otherwise, based on remote monitoring.

‘This is a flood control project within Laguna de Bay, but if you look at the satellite images, they are actually reclamation projects within the lake right along C6,’ David said.

‘This is a different kind of issue because there are much, much more permits, environmental impact, maybe it even causes further flooding within the Laguna Lake area when you do reclamation projects,’ he added.

David urged the DPWH and investigating bodies to look deeper into the findings, noting that the DENR’s role is limited to environmental monitoring.

Meanwhile, senators are looking to have the DPWH coordinate with the DENR and the National Irrigation Administration in implementing flood control projects across the country.

Sen. Loren Legarda said that studies on flood-control projects must be science-based, emphasizing the need for strong inter-agency coordination among water and environment agencies.

Reclamation activities around Laguna de Bay, the country’s largest inland lake, have continued to raise concerns over environmental compliance. The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) maintained that no reclamation permits or clearances have been issued for projects within the lake since April, yet some undertakings by local governments and private developers have proceeded without authorization.

The agency has been pursuing legal actions to challenge ownership claims in areas where reclamation and backfilling have been reported.

It has also identified ongoing activities along C6 Road involving both local government units and private entities. The LLDA noted that such developments pose potential risks to the lake’s ecological balance and could affect the region’s water supply.

Meanwhile, in a July 2025 directive, the Philippine Reclamation Authority reiterated that no reclamation project within Laguna de Bay has been approved and ordered the immediate cessation of any ongoing or proposed activities.

The PRA warned that any government office or local unit allowing reclamation without its clearance is violating national reclamation policy and environmental laws. Such activities, it added, are ‘void ab initio’ and may expose involved parties to administrative, civil and criminal liability.

The revelation comes as the DPWH’s budget and project spending face mounting scrutiny amid allegations of ghost and anomalous flood control projects tied to potential kickback schemes.

Environmental experts and watchdogs have long warned that reclamation disguised as infrastructure development not only undermines flood management programs but also deepens flooding in Metro Manila and nearby low-lying areas that rely on Laguna de Bay’s natural capacity to absorb floodwaters.

The PRA said it is conducting a legal review, field validation and inter-agency coordination to identify violators and halt illegal operations in the area.

Meanwhile, communities around Laguna de Bay continue to suffer from recurring floods worsened by the lake’s siltation and reduced capacity to absorb rainwater.

In Biñan City, particularly in Barangays Dela Paz, Malaban and San Josef, floodwaters often submerge homes and roads for months, causing an estimated P50 million to P100 million in annual damage.

One of the contractors for a P200-million flood control project in Biñan is St. Matthew General Contractor and Development Corp., owned by the Discaya family – currently under probe for alleged flood control corruption.

John Mark Tokong and three other local stars made the round of 32 of the World Surf League QS6000 Siargao International Surfing Cup off Cloud 9 in General Luna on Siargao Island.

Despite the break due to the small waves and current conditions, Siargao’s very own Tokong, Eduardo Alciso, Shelamae Arjona and Nilbie Blancada survived the grueling round of 64 to go deeper into the competition supported by the Philippine Sports Commission chaired by Patrick ‘Pato’ Gregorio, General Luna Mayor Johnson Sajulga and Vice Mayor Romina Rusillon-Sajulga, and Surigao Del Norte Governor Robert Lyndon Barbers.

Tokong, 29, conquered the island’s challenging waves with a precision ride to score 9.83 points in Heat 16 where Australia’s No. 1 junior surfer Dane Henry (11.83), Japan’s Jin Suzuki (8.67), Indonesia’s I Made Ariyana (11.30) and Italy’s Diego Cordeiro (9.20) also made the grade.

Alciso, on the other hand, placed second behind Heat 4 leader Shohei Kato (12.40) of Japan with 8.00 to also advance reach the next round, which organizers had to postpone for Monday because of rains and a small current.

Also progressing were Australians Dom Thomas, Kyan Falvey, Ash Jenner, Harley Walters, Morgan Cibilic, Axel Curotta, Ben Lorentson, Lennix Smith, Ty Richardson, Tane Dobbyn, Eden Hasson and Tom Whitpaine.

The other Japanese in the next phase were Ikko Watanabe, John Azuchi, Yuma Nagasawa, Ikko Watanabe, Reo Inaba, Takumi Nakamura, Raiki Masuda, Roi Kanazawa, Shohei Kato and Tenshi Iwami.

In the women’s QS6000 round of 48, 24-year-old pro Sheila Mae Arjona tallied 6.43 in Heat 6 to move to the round of 32.

Nildie Blancada, one of the country’s finest bets, was seeded to the Round of 32.

The other qualifiers were Japan’s Mirai Ikeda, Anon Matsuoka and Sara Wakita; Australia’s Isi Campbell, Paige Hareb, Freya Prumm, Tayla Brown and Ziggy McKenzie and Great Britain’s Sky Brown and Milla Coco Brown.

After Siargao, the Qualifying Series goes to Baler from November 17 to 23 and La Union from January 11-16 and 20-26.

Obscure but unflinching, rookie pro Jeffren Lumbo stole the spotlight from a field of seasoned campaigners with a brilliant five-under 67 to seize the first-round lead in the ICTSI South Pacific Golf Classic at the South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estate here on Tuesday.

Mixing power with precision on a course that humbled even the tour’s biggest names, the 29-year-old from Sarangani turned in a poised and confident performance that left his more accomplished rivals scrambling to keep pace.

With veterans Jhonnel Ababa and Reymon Jaraula matching steady 70s and returning Keanu Jahns opening with a 71 to join a big group of pursuers, Lumbo carved a three-stroke cushion heading into the second round of the P3.5 million Philippine Golf Tour event – an early but significant statement from a player many barely knew before the week began.

Just a shot behind Jahns’ pack were Guido van der Valk and three others at 72, while seven more, including James Ryan Lam, opened with 73s – setting the stage for what could be another tight, down-to-the-wire finish come Friday.

The South Pacific layout again proved unforgiving, yielding only 11 under-par cards under erratic weather, making Lumbo’s 67 stand out as a round of rare control and composure.

‘Hindi ko po ini-expect na mag-lead kasi madaming magagaling dito. Nag-enjoy lang ako sa laro ko,’ said Lumbo, who leaned on his power off the tee and a hot putter to birdie Nos. 12 and 18, both par-5s, before closing with three birdies in his last six holes.

‘Nag-click ang putting kaya naka-score. Mahirap kasi ang green, hindi mo alam saan pupunta ang bola. Mabuti na lang sinuwerte ako,’ he added.

It wasn’t Lumbo’s first flash of brilliance. He made quite a stir at Forest Hills last June, opening with the same 67 and finishing fifth after a final-round 66. After a brief break from competition, he returned fresh and focused – clearly ready to seize the moment.

Still, the chasers are no pushovers. Ababa, chasing an end to a season-long drought, birdied Nos. 15 and 16 to stay within striking distance. Jaraula, meanwhile, recovered from an up-and-down frontside with clutch birdies on Nos. 12 and 16 to rekindle his bid for a second career crown after ruling his home leg in Del Monte.

‘Medyo masama palo ko sa Apo pero dito maganda. Sana magtuloy-tuloy,’ said Ababa, who last won via playoff over van der Valk at Apo last year. ‘Mahirap lang ang green dito.’

Jaraula, for his part, credited improved putting after a frustrating week in Apo.

‘Sa Apo hindi maganda ang putting, hindi tumatama. Pero after practice, medyo naka-adjust na dito,’ he said. ‘Wala naman ako gaanong expectations, basta laro lang at enjoy.’

Jahns, a two-leg winner this season, birdied two of his first nine holes but bogeyed the 13th to settle for a one-under card alongside Michael Bibat, Marvin Dumandan, Ryan Monsalve, American Collin Wheeler, Korean Jaehyun Jung, and Fil-Australian Fidel Concepcion.

Concepcion, fresh from his maiden win at Apo, was poised for another strong finish before stumbling with a double bogey on the last hole to fall four strokes off Lumbo.

Meanwhile, van der Valk slipped out of the 71 group with a closing bogey to finish with a 72, sharing 122th place with Russell Bautista, Arnold Villacencio and John Michael Uy.

Among the notable names, Angelo Que and Clyde Mondilla both struggled to sustain solid starts. Que fired early birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 but faded on the back nine with a six-over stretch capped by a double-bogey on the par-3 15th for a 76. Mondilla stumbled early as well, offsetting mid-round birdies with costly errors to post a 75.

Hidilyn Diaz’s influence is in full effect.

Weightlifters from her training centers in Rizal and hometown Zamboanga City made their moves even as tracksters propelled Manila to an early lead in the explosive second day of the 2025 Batang Pinoy yesterday at the Barangay Labangal Gymnasium here.

Both avid fans of Diaz with hopes of following her suit, Stephanie Mandigma led Rizal’s three-gold medal haul while Kyle Nathan Kue carried the fight for Zamboanga en route to a five-gold medal harvest.

The 14-year-old Mandigma lifted a total of 113 kilograms to rule the girls’ 40kg division while Kyle Nathan Kue carried a total of 150kg (65 in snatch, 85 in clean and jerk) to reign supreme in the boys’ 12-age category.

‘Coach Hidilyn inspires me. Thankful po ako na maging coach si Hidilyn kasi kung wala po siya, hindi ko makukuha itong gold,’ said Mandigma.

‘It inspires me to work harder so I can be the next Olympian of the Philippines, win many medals throughout my life and become famous like my idol, Ate Hidilyn,’ said Kue.

Pep Samantha Agosto, also from Diaz’s training center in Rizal, topped the girls’ 11-age category with a 135kg lift.

For Zamboanga, Hero Anthony Alas-as (95kg in boys’ 10), Jane Marie Manalo (108kg in girls’ 10), Cydrille Jay Andalahao (115kg in boys’ 38kg division) and Precious Jade Lozada (90kg in girls’ 36kg division) took top honors.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure has sent a new subpoena to former House appropriations chairperson Zaldy Co for him to appear for its two hearings scheduled in November.

The ICI delivered the Oct. 20 subpoena to Co’s addresses in Pasig City and Bicol, ordering him to appear on November 11 and 12 at 9 a.m., ICI Executive Director Brian Keith Hosaka said at a press briefing on Tuesday, October 28.

Co has yet to return to the Philippines and earlier snubbed the ICI’s first summons for him to attend its October 14 hearing.

That first subpoena to Co was sent alongside subpoenas to former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Both appeared before the ICI.

Co is being asked by the ICI to explain his role as chair of the House’s powerful appropriations committee, a position he held before stepping down in January.

The ICI initially shared that it had considered citing Co in contempt due to his refusal to show up, but decided not to do so due to a supposed difficulty in serving the first subpoena.

On Tuesday, Hosaka said that if Co fails to heed the ICI’s summons again, they would study if there is “enough basis” to pursue remedial measures, including whether to cite him in contempt.

Co has yet to return to the Philippines amid allegations he masterminded dubious insertions in the 2025 budget to allow for kickbacks in flood control projects. He has since denied these allegations.

The former lawmaker has been tagged by the Department of Justice as a person of interest.

GCash yesterday assured users of the e-wallet that their accounts and funds are secure in the app following an advisory from the National Privacy Commission (NPC) to exercise heightened vigilance after an alleged data leak.

The NPC said it has immediately launched an investigation, after a dark web post appeared Sunday claiming to sell user information.

Based on preliminary results, however, GCash said the datasets being sold online are different from what is being used in the app, denying claims that the hacker has stolen personal information.

‘Further analysis reveals that it includes individuals who are not GCash users, and that many of the entries appear incomplete, inconsistent and invalid. These findings strongly indicate that the material being circulated did not originate from GCash,’ the company operated by G-Xchange Inc. said.

GCash said there is no evidence of any breach into its critical systems, and is presently talking to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, NPC and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to validate further information on the alleged data breach.

The post, made by a hacker using the alias Oversleep8351, allegedly offered merchant and basic user data, GCash account numbers, linked bank and virtual card accounts and KYC or Know Your Customer records containing names, addresses, employment details and valid Philippine IDs.

The NPC said users of the e-wallet should monitor their accounts and update their passwords to protect their identity.

However, the NPC said it has yet to receive any breach notification from GCash as of yesterday morning, but the agency has scheduled an online conference with the e-wallet.

The NPC said it would make available verified updates on the case as soon as it can, warning the public to refrain from sharing sensitive data while investigation is ongoing.

Oversleep8351

Deep Web Konek, which exposes data leaks in the Philippines, yesterday flagged a supposed sale of personal information from GCash on the dark web by Oversleep8351.

The post claimed that it has records of up to eight million GCash users from 2019 and 2025, such as personal information, bank accounts and e-wallet numbers.

Additionally, Oversleep8351 said the datasets include basic and merchant users, with details as sensitive as valid IDs used to verify the GCash account.

Deep Web Konek said if the data leak is true, it would be one of the largest by a Philippine financial technology company to date.

A P10-billion scam. Air-conditioned detention cells. Two detained VIPs. Dozens of guests. And a feast with 17 dishes including melt-in-your-mouth king crabs and the proverbial juicy and crispy lechon, a fixture at Filipino tables when celebrating the best of times.

My source could not remember exactly when but for sure, this was sometime between 2014 and 2017, at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, where two of three senators charged in the PDAF scam were then detained.

I’m resurrecting this issue because it’s a good reminder of how justice looked for VIPs in the Philippines, now that authorities are trying to assure us that some of those implicated in the flood control corruption scandal will be jailed by Christmas.

PDAF, or the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam – also known as the Napoles pork barrel scam – involved stealing around P10 billion in pork barrel funds that were diverted to fake nongovernment organizations controlled by Janet Lim-Napoles between 2003 and 2013.

Those charged were then senators Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla and Juan Ponce Enrile. The three lawmakers were charged and detained, but were later on acquitted. Enrile was detained at the PNP General Hospital and later on released on bail for humanitarian reasons.

‘Those VIP detention joints’

As for Estrada and Revilla, the two spent time in those detention cells at the PNP Custodial Center, which, according to news footage, looked more like studio units – private, with a single bed and spacious enough for one person, maybe more.

The rooms were a far cry from their sprawling homes for sure, but these were definitely not like those cramped rooms for ordinary detainees.

But that’s not all. My source who once visited the Custodial Center while the two were detained was stunned to find a lavish feast fit for kings – not accused plunderers – laid out on a dining table just outside the detention rooms.

By my source’s own estimate, there were 17 dishes, including the all-time Filipino favorite lechon or roasted pork belly, with its trademark crowning glory – that irresistible golden brown skin, perfectly crisp and crackling with every bite.

There was no special occasion, the source said. It was just another day at the Custodial Center. Indeed, such festivities, it turned out, were not unusual – the tables were often filled with a smorgasbord of food.

As I researched further on how the detention cell looked, I found veteran journalist Inday Varona’s blog post titled ‘Those VIP detention joints.’

Here’s an excerpt:

‘The last we heard from Senator Bong Revilla’s family, following that drawn-out surrender drama, was that he needs an air cooler for his special cell – more a studio – in the Philippine National Police custodial center. His wife, Rep. Lani Mercado, says the heat gives him migraines.

‘Revilla’s new flat may be well below the standards of the clan’s sprawling Cavite homes. But as TV news footage shows, it’s comfortable enough.

‘An outcry soon followed, with memes spreading on social media.

‘One compared the cells renovated for Revilla and Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile – all three charged with the non-bailable crime of plunder – with the bunkhouses for Yolanda survivors. The meme’s subtext is that Revilla and company are accused of heinous crimes while Yolanda folk’s only crime is that of existence.

‘Previous news reports, quoting government agencies, have shown the Yolanda bunk homes to be of substandard stuff. This news video also reports an old man dying from heat stroke and children falling ill. His widow notes the stifling heat. Electricity use is only for light.’

As for Janet Lim-Napoles, who is currently at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City following her conviction for plunder, she was, at the time, detained in a two-bedroom bungalow with a floor area of about 82 square meters at Fort Sto. Domingo. The compound was reportedly guarded by 300 Special Action forces, Varona also said in her blog.

Enrile, who is now chief presidential legal counsel, was cleared of his remaining PDAF-related case at the Sandiganbayan.

Estrada and Revilla have also been acquitted of plunder, though remaining charges are pending for Estrada.

It’s interesting to note that the two were again tagged by alleged key players in the flood control corruption but both denied any involvement in the mess.

Slow wheels of justice

Eleven years after the PDAF scam, this nation of 115 million is facing another historic corruption scandal, the biggest in our nation’s storied journey, with estimated losses potentially hitting the P1-trillion mark.

Investigations are ongoing. Cases are being prepared, some have already been filed, but nobody has yet been sent to jail.

Those implicated are no ordinary Filipinos. The labyrinthine money trail shows current and former lawmakers, ex-DPWH undersecretaries, engineers and billionaire contractors.

Some of them could be recidivists or those who repeatedly commit crimes.

For our beloved Republic, the only way through this is to bring the perpetrators to justice – charged in court, detained for non-bailable offenses and put behind bars if found guilty.

But let’s heed the lessons from the cases of PDAF VIPs. Justice must not be biased toward the powerful. It must be meted out equally to everyone – no lechon parties, no VIP detention quarters, no hospital arrests, not even for lawmakers. If anything, the opposite should hold true: as lawmakers, they should have known better than to violate the laws of the land.

Justice that bends for them is no justice at all.

Sunday evening, I finally had the chance to watch ‘Quezon,’ the third film in the ‘Bayaniverse’ series directed by Jerrold Tarog. The first two films, if one may recall, were the likewise critically acclaimed ‘Heneral Luna’ (2015) and ‘Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral’ (2018).

For me, all three films share a common thread. Each examines, in its own historical moment, the enduring flaws of Filipino politics and leadership: the tension between personal ambition and duty to the nation, the fragility of institutions, and the tragic cycle of heroism undermined by ego and factionalism amid foreign domination.

That is why I encourage everyone to watch these films. If you haven’t seen the first two, watch them first. The production company, TBA Studios, has made them available for free on YouTube in HD quality. Then catch ‘Quezon’ in theaters this week. Hopefully the movie houses extend its run. Together, the trilogy weaves a continuing narrative about how our past leaders’ moral and political choices mirror the dysfunctions that still ail our politics today.

My interest in the movie ‘Quezon’ was actually sparked by a recent controversy in which Enrique Quezon Avanceña, grandson of former President Manuel L. Quezon, confronted the filmmakers and cast during the Q and A session at a special screening in Makati City last week. ‘You ruined the memory of my grandfather,’ he said in Tagalog, as reported by Rappler, voicing strong objections to the film’s depiction of his grandfather, which he said distorted Quezon’s legacy and reduced him into a scheming politician.

The film’s producers later released a statement saying that while they respect the sentiments of Quezon’s descendants, they reiterate that the film is grounded in verified historical accounts, including President Quezon’s own autobiography and other reputable sources. ‘While the film includes fictional elements for thematic purposes, the facts and details presented in the film are easily verifiable through public records, online research, or library resources,’ the producers said.

The film actually has a ‘Study Guide and Companion Book’ downloadable from the websitehttps://activevista.ph/new-library/. It points to specific historians, books, and primary materials such as McCoy (1987), Jose (1999), and Quirino (1971), and even links to public collections. It also itemizes which moments are invented, condensed, or time-shifted, allowing viewers to distinguish fact from dramatization.

But whether ‘Quezon’ is an accurate portrayal of the man or a semi-fictionalized depiction crafted to highlight historical truths about our politics and society is, ultimately, less important than the larger conversation it provokes –about how moral vision is tested in the messy, transactional world of politics (Philippine politics at that), and how factionalism, patronage, and personal ego pierces the myth-making of our history books, which tend to sanitize our leaders’ flaws.

In the words of my good friend Januar Yap, a professor on study leave from University of the Philippines Cebu and a PhD candidate in Media and Communication at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia: ”Quezon,’ the film, strips the blinders to make us understand that much of what happens in politics happens outside the public sphere. The obvious optics are but tips of the iceberg, a craftwork of intermediation, intense lobbying of private interests and, yes, public welfare as well. The volume of truth is submarine.’

Without overlooking their title defense in the ‘Thrilla in Manila 2’ main event at the Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, the camp of World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight champion remains determined to achieve an ultimate goal.

That is, to get back at Puerto Rico’s Oscar Collazo, Jerusalem’s former tormentor who currently holds the World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association versions of the crown.

‘Anytime, anywhere. Oscar Collazo, that’s the fight we want,’ Jerusalem’s promoter, the youthful JC Mananquil of Sanman Boxing, told Philstar.com during the ceremonial weigh-ins Tuesday at the Quantum at Gateway Mall in Quezon City.

‘Melvin will avenge his defeat,’ added Mananquil, referring to his ward’s technical knockout loss to Collazo in 2023.

But first, the 31-year-old Jerusalem (24-3, with 21 knockouts) must get past South Africa’s Siyakholwa Kuse (9-2-2, 4 KOs) in the celebratory show for the 50th anniversary of the famed ‘Thrilla in Manila’ showdown between heavyweight greats Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

Jerusalem and Kuse both weighed in at 104.8 pounds, looking primed for their 12-round battle.

‘Sobrang excited ako kasi atin ito e. Saka 50th anniversary ito ng ‘Thrilla in Manila’,’ said the pride of Bukidnon, who will be making the third defense of his belt.

Jerusalem isn’t the only Filipino 105-pound titleholder who’s after Collazo’s scalp. Pedro Taduran already took care of business when he battered countryman Christian Balunan en route to a lopsided decision to defend the International Boxing Federation minimumweight crown last Sunday.

Taduran, too, wants an immediate shot at the undefeated Collazo (13-0, 10 KOs).

Collazo, for his part, is raring to unify all four belts.

Nobody is coming for me, I’M COMING FOR BOTH OF YOU, keep holding my belt https://t.co/E6jDHVesUl

– Oscalito (@Oscalito6) October 26, 2025

‘Nobody is coming for me, I’M COMING FOR BOTH OF YOU, keep holding my belt,’ Collado posted on X (formerly Twitter) the other day.

‘It depends kung sino unahin niya (Collazo). But eventually (it will be) Collazo (for us),’ Mananquil said.

‘We’re gonna finish the business tomorrow. Then Collazo, anytime,’ added Jerusalem’s promoter.

Police shot dead a father who held hostage four people, including his two children, aged 5 and 7, in Barangay Sampaloc 4 in Dasmariñas City, Cavite yesterday.

According to police, the man was stabbing his 7-year-old son when responding officers arrived at the scene.

This was after the man stabbed his 5-year-old son to death as well as injured a 30-year-old neighbor and her daughter in University Hills Estate Subdivision.

Rescuers rushed the three surviving victims to the Pagamutan ng Dasmariñas for treatment of stab wounds.

Initial investigation showed that the man was suffering from anxiety and had kept himself and his sons locked inside their house for two days.