Category: Philippine Star

The Presidential Communications Office is finalizing the process of donation of its property to a state university in Bukidnon, according to PCO Secretary Dave Gomez.

The property was originally intended as a training center for government information officers.

The construction of the Government Strategic Communications Academy (GSCA) was initiated by the Presidential Communications Operations Office, which was renamed PCO, under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian earlier flagged the PCO for tapping the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the construction of the project, saying it falls outside the core function of the PCO.

Gomez said he agrees with Gatchalian’s opinion. He gave assurance that the project would benefit government scholars at Northern Bukidnon State College.

‘The previous administration should not have engaged in such a public works project that falls outside our core responsibility,’ Gomez said.

Citing a 2024 report of the Commission on Audit (COA), Gatchalian said the PCOO entered into a contract with the DPWH in 2019 for the implementation of the second phase of the GSCA project worth P45.7 million.

He said a 2020-2023 report of the COA listed a similar project with a different amount of P79 million.

The project has no budget allocation for 2026 as the funds have been allotted for the completion of the remaining 10 percent of the facility, Gatchalian said.

‘We’ve already spent P124 million and the project is 90 percent complete. If we don’t finish this, it will become a white elephant,’ Gatchalian, chair of the Senate committee on finance, said.

Various multi-sectoral organizations are planning to file a multibillion-peso civil class suit over alleged anomalies in flood control projects in the country.

In an interview with radio dzBB yesterday, Ariel Inton, president of Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection, said they will start with the filing of a civil case for damages in Quezon City, where hundreds of flood control projects were discovered to have been implemented without proper coordination with the city government.

He projected that the civil case would amount to between P1 billion to P5 billion.

Among the respondents, he said, were the four lawmakers from Quezon City who were tagged by the Discayas as allegedly involved in the corruption scheme – Representatives Arjo Atayde (district 1), PM Vargas (district 5) and Marivic Co-Pilar (district 6), and former district 4 representative Marvin Rillo. The four have denied the allegations.

Inton said the class suit will also include the Discaya couple and their companies, former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan, local Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials, resigned Ako-Bicol representative Zaldy Co and former speaker Martin Romualdez.

‘We can’t interfere with the plans of the government’s prosecutorial bodies to file criminal cases (against these individuals),’ he said in Filipino.

‘But the disruptions and hardships that people experienced. who will compensate them? Will the filing of a criminal case compensate these people, those directly affected? No,’ he added.

Inton said they will start with Quezon City as they already have data on the extent of the anomalies. He cited the city government’s report showing that over 300 projects worth around P16 billion were not coordinated by the DPWH.

Inton said they are now compiling the necessary documents for exemption from paying docket fees, which he said could reach millions, given the amount of damages that they intend to claim.

‘Retribution plus restitution’

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson urged the government to adopt a ‘retribution plus restitution’ approach in holding accountable those behind the multibillion-peso flood control and infrastructure anomalies, saying taxpayers could potentially recover at least P26 billion from the ongoing investigations.

Lacson said that of the P629 billion worth of flood control projects contracted between 2023 and 2025, at least 421 have been identified as ‘ghost’ projects based on inspections by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and Department of Economy, Planning and Development composite team.

That accounts for 5.26 percent of the total, he noted, suggesting that a similar pattern across the remaining projects could yield billions in recovered funds.

‘If all those responsible – contractors, politicians and DPWH officials – will return just 80 percent of their loot after a plea bargaining agreement in exchange for shortened jail terms, easily the Filipino people can recover at least P26 billion,’ Lacson told radio dzMM.

‘Imagine the hundreds of billions in taxpayers’ money that we may be able to recover out of all the other similarly corrupted infrastructure projects,’ he added.

He emphasized that recovery efforts would depend heavily on the political will of agencies leading the investigations, including the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice and the judiciary.

‘The government may direct its investigation toward this formula. For instance, you cannot expect those involved to cooperate without plea bargaining. Although plea bargaining is not common in the Philippines, the lawyers of the government and those involved can pursue that,’ he said.

‘But there should be no compromise because we are talking about restitution plus retribution. No one should go free just because they returned their loot. That is very unfair,’ he added.

Lacson stressed that the government could also recover more funds by going after the insurance companies of the anomalous projects, saying the same framework could apply to other sectors such as farm-to-market roads, school buildings and multipurpose structures.

Following his resignation as chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, Lacson said he would now focus on the deliberations for the 2026 national budget while continuing his duties as Senate President Pro Tempore and chair of the committees on accounts and on electoral reforms and people’s participation.

The Philippines is projected to be the second fastest-growing economy in Southeast Asia this year and the next, although the pace of expansion is expected to slow from last year amid uncertainties stemming from external developments, according to the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO).

In the Quarterly Update of the ASEAN+3 Regional Economic Outlook, AMRO said it expects the Philippine economy to grow by 5.6 percent this year.

The forecast falls within the government’s target growth range of 5.5 to 6.5 percent for this year.

If AMRO’s forecast is realized, the Philippines would post the second-highest growth in Southeast Asia, next to the projected 7.5-percent expansion for Vietnam this year.

Other ASEAN countries are expected to register slower growth rates than the Philippines, such as Indonesia (five percent), Cambodia (4.9 percent), Laos (4.4 percent), Malaysia (4.3 percent), Singapore (2.6 percent), Thailand (2.2 percent) and Brunei Darussalam (1.2 percent).

For 2026, AMRO expects the Philippine economy to expand at a slightly slower pace of 5.5 percent, below the government’s growth target of six to seven percent.

AMRO’s forecast for the Philippines is the second highest in Southeast Asia, with Vietnam projected to lead the region’s growth with a 6.4-percent expansion next year.

AMRO expects slower growth in 2026 for Indonesia (4.9 percent), Cambodia (five percent), Laos (4.2 percent), Malaysia (four percent), Singapore (1.7 percent), Thailand (1.9 percent), Brunei Darussalam (1.8 percent) and Myanmar (1.5 percent).

Runchana Pongsaparn, group head and lead economist at AMRO, said in a press conference that the growth forecasts for the Philippines for 2025 and 2026 are slower than the 5.7 percent growth posted in 2024 due to the anticipated weakening of exports as tariffs imposed by the United States kick in by the end of the year and next year.

‘But we still expect that the consumption is going to grow quite steadily, supported by the strong labor market, lower inflation and also the still robust remittances as well,’ she said.

She said the AMRO also expects the US tariffs to affect investor sentiment.

‘In terms of the (flood control) scandal, I think we would have to see to what extent it’s actually going to affect the wider economy because if the event is short-lived and then it does not severely affect the investment sentiment, then that could be contained and may not affect the growth forecast materially,’ she said.

While the Philippine economy has been performing quite well, AMRO chief economist Dong He said the challenge for the country is how to bring medium-term growth to higher levels.

He said that higher investments, both from the government and the private sector, are necessary to support faster growth in the medium-term and to address major shocks.

‘The Philippines, because of its geography, is quite exposed to climate risks. Infrastructure really has to be strengthened. Some of these issues with flooding have to do with the infrastructure not being able to deal with these shocks,’ he said.

He said the Philippines would also need to upgrade its business process outsourcing sector, given its important role in the economy and the growing use of artificial intelligence.

‘That would also require the upscaling of human resources in terms of public investment and also private sector investment,’ he said.

Aryna Sabalenka powered into her 11th semifinal of the year with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Elena Rybakina at the Wuhan Open Friday as a flawless Jasmine Paolini stunned Iga Swiatek in just 65 minutes 6-1, 6-2.

The world No. 1 Sabalenka remains unbeaten in four tournament appearances at the event and will take a 20-0 record into her showdown with Jessica Pegula on Saturday.

Meanwhile, an ailing Novak Djokovic was knocked out of the Shanghai Masters semifinals on Saturday by world No. 204 Valentin Vacherot.

The government official was in a Lexus LX570 luxury sport utility vehicle. Definitely, it was not a government vehicle, but it had its blinkers on.

It sported a ’10’ protocol plate – a number assigned to justices of the Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals and the Sandiganbayan as well as the solicitor general, according to guidelines set by the Land Transportation Office. But the passenger of the Lexus does not fall under any of these categories.

He’s nevertheless a ‘VIP’ deserving of road courtesy. This was according to his barong-clad security escort, who reportedly slapped the driver of an Isuzu multicab who dared get in the way of the luxury SUV last Wednesday morning in Quezon City.

The official with a driver and a bodyguard is Undersecretary Ricky Alfonso of the Department of Transportation and Communications, which has jurisdiction over the LTO, so he presumably knows the rules on the use of protocol plates. The vehicle is reportedly registered to a holding company in Dasmariñas, Makati.

Netizens were angered by a viral video showing Alfonso’s driver and bodyguard berating the multicab driver, who was demanding to know why he had been slapped. That’s a case of physical injury. But traffic enforcers of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority who responded to the incident merely advised him to get a medical certificate and file a formal complaint. Why did none of them try to question the passenger in a Lexus, or even get the identities of the driver and bodyguard? Are MMDA personnel cowed by the ‘VIP’ tag?

Alfonso’s bodyguard chastised the multicab driver for weaving in and out of traffic, ignoring the blinker in the Lexus and endangering its ‘VIP’ passenger. ‘VIP yung dala namin, naka-blinker na kami,’ the bodyguard told the driver. ‘Malilintikan ka talaga.’

President Marcos issued Administrative Order No. 18 in April last year, prohibiting government officials from using sirens, blinkers and similar signaling devices. Alfonso was either clueless about this or ignored it. And why does an undersecretary deserve a security escort? Is that bodyguard on the public payroll? Surely a person who tools around in a Lexus can afford his own security escort.

Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said he had talked with Alfonso, who claimed to have fired his driver and apologized to the multicab driver. But this case is not supposed to be settled with a mere apology. And that VIP entitlement is out of place in this period of great public outrage over the atrocious misbehavior of government officials.

There are multiple violations in this incident, which should be dealt with accordingly. There must be no VIPs before the law.

Referee Tom Taylor has become the latest toast of the boxing world with big-ticket assignments in the recent Manny Pacquiao-Mario Barrios and Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez fights. He worked WBO/WBA minimumweight champion Oscar Collazo’s seventh round stoppage of Filipino challenger Jayson Vayson in Indio, California, a few weeks back.

Taylor said believe it or not, the Pacquiao-Barrios and Crawford-Alvarez bouts were two of the easiest contests he’s ever worked. ‘They’re four excellent fighters, clean, don’t do anything illegal, don’t hold,’ he said. ‘I’ve been blessed and honored to work those fights.»

Asked to single out the best fighters he’s been in the ring with, Taylor declined to name names. ‘I could still do fights involving some of them so it’s best to withhold comment at this time,’ he said. But Taylor remarked he was amazed by Pacquiao who at 46, held Barrios, 16 years younger, to a draw. ‘I think Manny’s still better than 75 percent of the guys out there,’ he said.

Regarding the Collazo-Vayson fight, Taylor said he asked the Filipino’s corner about the challenger’s condition thrice. ‘His seconds know him more than anyone and before the sixth, I asked Vayson if he was OK and he said yes,’ related Taylor. ‘When Vayson’s corner signaled to stop it, I did. Then, I went to the corner to congratulate them for doing what they did. It’s not often you see a corner protect their fighter before he gets badly hurt.’

Carlos Costa, who was in Vayson’s corner with chief second Allan Alegria and manager Brico Santig, said the decision to stop the fight was difficult but prudent. ‘We understand that the outcome may not have been what we hoped for but we stand by our decision to prioritize Jayson’s well-being,’ wrote Costa in a report to GAB chairman Francisco Rivera. ‘It is our sacred duty to care for him at all times. After the fight, Mr. Taylor approached Allan, Jayson and Brico, congratulating them for the timely and wise stoppage. He remarked, ‘I hope all corners do as you guys did . very well done.”

Taylor, who once appeared as a boxing referee in an episode of TV’s ‘Quantum Leap’ series, has been assigned to work in different promotions, an indication of his worth. Golden Boy, Top Rank, Premier Boxing Champions and DAZN were among the outfits that have tapped his services. ‘For over 30 years, I’ve been doing the same training routine to stay in shape,’ he said. ‘The toughest challenge I’ve faced is to stop a fight. I know a fighter won’t give up, fighting’s his livelihood, it puts food on the table for his family.’

The city government of Las Piñas, led by Mayor April Aguilar, formally launched the Dredging and Desilting Project along the Las Piñas and Zapote Rivers near C5 Extension, Barangay Pulanglupa Uno, in partnership with San Miguel Corp. (SMC)’s Better Rivers PH initiative.

The project aims to mitigate flooding, restore ecological balance and ensure long-term river rehabilitation – a crucial step in protecting the city’s communities and environment.

These operations also help enhance water quality, restore natural river flow and complement Las Piñas’ long-term solid waste management and rehabilitation programs.

Mayor Aguilar expressed her gratitude to San Miguel for supporting the city’s flood mitigation and environmental rehabilitation efforts.

‘This partnership with SMC reflects our shared commitment to protect our waterways, reduce flooding and safeguard the welfare of our residents,’ Mayor Aguilar said. ‘This is a proactive step toward a cleaner, safer and more resilient Las Piñas.’

Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos, who joined the site inspection, lauded the collaboration as a strong example of how government and private sector partnerships can deliver lasting impact.

‘Flooding has long been a concern for our communities. Through this initiative, we are addressing not just the symptoms but the root causes of the problem,’ Rep. Santos said. ‘We thank SMC for being a steadfast partner in our shared goal of building a better, flood-free Las Piñas.’

Representing San Miguel Corp. were Jimmy Lu, vice president and overall project manager of SMC Better Rivers PH, and Cynthia de Castro, government affairs and advocacy group manager.

The Better Rivers PH program is part of SMC’s nationwide initiative to rehabilitate major rivers, improve water flow and help prevent flooding in key areas across the country.

‘With this partnership, we are not just dredging rivers, we are rebuilding communities and protecting lives,’ Rep. Santos added.

There is absolutely no doubt that the Philippines today is facing a dual challenge that goes beyond ordinary governance. On the one hand, an endemic corruption scandal has shaken public confidence in our institutions and provoked public outrage. On the other, there are external forces that seek to exploit our vulnerabilities, amplifying instability in hopes of changing the country’s political direction to serve their own interests. These domestic and external threats cannot be separated; they feed into each other.

Corruption has long been treated as a governance or economic issue, but today, it has become perfectly clear that it is also a national security risk. What is considered the most widespread corruption in government and the betrayal of public trust has sparked volatility and anger. When people see those in government as having no accountability, when public funds are abused and wasted and when justice is perceived as absent, the very legitimacy of government is weakened. That loss of public trust is extremely dangerous to national stability in much the same way that insurgency or terrorism threatens peace and national security.

Internal security, therefore, must be understood more broadly than just simply police and military power, but about sustaining legitimacy. Corruption undermines that legitimacy, and in so doing destabilizes the domestic order that national security depends upon. This is because corruption destroys the trust of the people in government, generating deep-seated resentment at the thought that billions of pesos that should have gone to health, education, basic services and food security were diverted to the pockets of these heartless corrupt officials, legislators and contractors.

There is enough intelligence information that show growing indications that foreign forces are closely watching – with some actively working to inflame tensions, weaponizing social media by engaging peddlers of fake news to sow disinformation, using covert influence and political proxies to destabilize the government, even impersonating government officials to spread fraudulent messages.

As a matter of fact, our embassy in Washington was recently the target of phone hacking and fake messages sent from telephone numbers that are not registered with the embassy, with some claiming to be me.

Ostensibly, messages were supposedly sent by me to some of our government intelligence officials. This is simply totally unacceptable. Clearly, this situation requires stronger alliances as well as stronger internal defenses against information warfare and foreign manipulation.

Obviously, the goal of these malign actors is not to promote the welfare of Filipinos but to create a political vacuum that they can manipulate. History teaches us that external meddling thrives when there is corruption and governance is weak. We have seen far too many examples where a country can very well become a pawn in a great power rivalry. In today’s Indo-Pacific contest, the Philippines just happens to be geographically situated right in the middle of these crosshairs – potentially a battleground and a prize in the competition of these great powers.

There is no question that vigilance is required on the external front. Disinformation campaigns, political destabilization and even covert efforts at regime change must be anticipated and neutralized.

This is why the corruption scandal must not be treated as another business-as-usual politics. It is a serious national security crisis. The government cannot confront external interference if it is paralyzed by domestic scandal, nor will foreign allies take our security commitments seriously if Filipinos themselves have lost faith in their government and their leaders. To face outward, the country must first put its own house in order. Simply put – a country that is both clean at home and secure abroad cannot easily become vulnerable to destabilization.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. knows the challenges we face both internally and externally are equally important to address. He is well aware that his administration’s credibility is on the line, as well as the nation’s resilience against foreign pressure. He has so far acted incisively: instructing the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to do its job, ensuring credibility in the process and demonstrating political will most of all. Failure to do so will not only feed more public anger but would also risk fueling more instability – giving outsiders potentially greater leverage.

In the end, both fronts come down to one principle: trust. Trust in government, trust in institutions and trust between leaders and the people. Without it, corruption festers, outside interference thrives and security collapses. With trust and confidence, no scandal or foreign pressure can undermine the nation’s fundamental strength. But ultimately, the government would be unable to secure its borders if it cannot secure the trust of its people.

For the Philippines, this is a defining moment. If we can confront corruption with courage and transparency while standing firm against external interference, we will emerge stronger. But if we hesitate – if we allow scandal and foreign meddling to dictate our future – then we risk being swept once again into the cycle of instability that has haunted our nation for far too long.

The Philippines can no longer afford hesitation. Domestic and external security are not separate priorities. They are inseparable, and can even be described as two sides of the same coin. Our nation’s future depends on acting with clarity and resolve today – not tomorrow. Time is definitely running out. We must act swiftly and decisively, or we are bound to lose it. As my history professor once succinctly told me, ‘If you snooze, you lose.’

Nobody wants to lose a country. We should never allow it. We not only owe it to ourselves but most especially to those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of our country.

‘Mckenna brings so much life to Clara,’ says Allison Williams, who plays Morgan Grant, mom to Mckenna Grace’s Clara in the upcoming tragic romance Regretting You. ‘She’s an extraordinary actress.’

In ‘Regretting You,’ movie adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same name, Williams and Grace play the mother-daughter duo of Morgan and Clara Grant, respectively, as they explore what’s left behind after a devastating accident reveals a shocking betrayal and forces them to confront family secrets, redefine love, and rediscover each other.

Directed by Josh Boone, ‘Regretting You’ is a story of growth, resilience, and self-discovery in the aftermath of tragedy, also starring Dave Franco, Mason Thames and Sam Morelos, with Scott Eastwood, Willa Fitzgerald and Clancy Brown.

Shortly after the trailer was released in August, fans quickly fell in love with Grace, with one fan commenting, ‘OMG, Mckenna is perfect as Clara.’ Find out more about Clara Grant and the young actress that breathes life into the beloved character:

1. Mckenna, 19, started acting at age five and has starred in everything from ‘Captain Marvel’ to ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ for which she was nominated for an Emmy award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. In ‘Regretting You,’ she plays Clara Grant, a young woman torn apart by grief after a family tragedy, who falls in love with a boy that her mother, played by Allison Williams, most definitely does not approve of. ‘Clara has been such a special role for me,’ says Grace. ‘She’s so complicated, mature and immature all at once.’

2. Clara’s boyfriend, Miller, is played by Mason Thames, who just so happens to be Mckenna’s best friend in real life. ‘We already knew each other so well because we’ve been goofing off for the past year, doing all these stupid things,’ she says of Thames. ‘Then all of a sudden, we were working together, running around, having a blast!’

3. The set in this page’s picture is of Miller’s bedroom, on which the production of the film began its very first week. ‘I especially loved that first week,’ remembers Mckenna. ‘Those scenes were all shot at Miller’s house, which had all these goats and horses.’ And they weren’t the only animals on set. As always, she travelled on location with her beloved pet Yorkshire Terrier, Gizmo.

4. Clara and Miller love each other deeply. Although during one big argument, Miller accuses Clara of using him to ‘piss off’ her mom – something Grace concedes may well be true. ‘Clara does some things that she knows will piss off her mama,’ Mckenna laughs. ‘The interesting thing is that sometimes I don’t think she knows there’s a part of her that’s doing it to piss her off. Sometimes she definitely does, though, and does it anyways!’

5. Clara and Miller share another love, too: the movies. And their passion extends to both sides of the camera. Clara’s big ambition is to go to her dream college, to study to become an actor. His is to direct. ‘Miller is a filmmaker, so he’s very creative,’ notes Thames.

6. As well as the classics, Miller is a huge fan of romantic movies, which is perhaps why Thames calls him ‘a lover boy.’ Amongst what Thames says are Miller’s ‘guilty pleasures’ is Elizabethtown (hence the poster in his room) by Cameron Crowe, one of ‘Regretting You’ director Josh Boone’s favorite filmmakers.

7. Clara has a great sense of humor and can be hilariously sarcastic. She is also quite captivating, especially if you’re Miller. ‘Whoever his first kiss was with, I bet it was nothing like his first kiss with Clara,’ says Thames of when Miller and Clara’s romance first blooms. ‘That is a moment that everybody is looking for. And once you find it, it’s pretty special.’

8. Clara and Miller are both high school students. But while before the tragic family accident Clara is a straight-A student, after it she goes off the rails, rebelling against her mom’s rules. ‘There are a lot of bad decisions that Clara makes within her grief, just trying to figure herself out. Which I think makes her very human,’ says Grace. ‘This film is about her and her mom trying to find each other again.

9. Music plays a key role in ‘Regretting You,’ hence the R.E.M. logo on Boone’s hoodie in the photo showing Miller’s room. ‘Music is almost the starting point for me to even know whether to make a movie or not,’ Boone says. ‘I worked at a record store for many years before I made movies, so the first thing I do is build a soundtrack. Music is important to Clara, too.’

10. The movie in many ways is about buried secrets. Thankfully, in real life, the person who plays Clara is pretty good at keeping them. ‘I don’t have a lot of secrets of my own, but I am a vault for other people’s,’ says Grace. ‘I’m somebody people tell a lot of secrets to. I never tell. I am a really, really good secret-keeper.’

11. In real life, Mckenna is a musician herself. She has released over 30 songs since her debut single, ‘Haunted House,’ in 2021. ‘Music writing,’ she says, ‘is my therapy.’

‘Regretting You,’ from Paramount Pictures, opens in Philippine cinemas October 22.

Packaging solutions provider Sako Pilipinas has opened a new warehouse and production facility in Cavite.

In a statement, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said that Sako Pilipinas’ 1,000-square-meter facility at the Cavite Economic Zone was inaugurated on Oct. 6.

The expansion is expected to boost the firm’s operations and strengthen the local packaging industry.

The firm produces over 22 million packaging units annually.

‘This new facility underscores our commitment to provide reliable and tailored packaging solutions that support the country’s manufacturing sector,’ Sako Pilipinas CEO Erny Yu said.

‘Sako Pilipinas combines global expertise with a local, sustainable approach to ensure that our packaging solutions meet what the local market needs,’ he said.

PEZA director general Tereso Panga said Sako Pilipinas is an essential partner, as it supports domestic industries while promoting sustainable manufacturing practices.

Sako Pilipinas, a subsidiary of Hong Kong SSG Limited, is engaged in the manufacture of woven polypropylene and paper sacks.

The firm is recognized as a leading provider of quality and sustainable packaging solutions, with its products used for a range of products, including rice, fertilizers, feeds, as well as sand, gravel, detergents, and other industrial products.

As part of its commitment to environmentally responsible manufacturing, the company uses raw materials from recycled sacks and packaging.