Category: Philippine Star

The family of illustrator Kevin Eric Raymundo, popularly known online as Tarantadong Kalbo, are seeking donations after the artist was rushed to the hospital.

Kevin’s family gave an update on social media that the artist was urgently admitted last October 5 and was diagnosed with a transient ischemic attack.

The family informed that Kevin is receiving critical medical care however the medical bills are beginning to pile up.

“We’re calling for donations to ask for your support in helping cover the costs of medical treatment, lab tests and medicine, etc.,” Kevin’s family said.

“Your generosity and prayers are deeply appreciated. Maraming salamat!” the family ended.

According to Mayo Clinic, a transient ischemic attack is a short period of symptoms similar to those of a stroke.

It is caused by a brief blockage of blood flow to the brain, usually lasting only a few minutes without any long-term damage.

There are still precautions though as 1 in 3 people who suffer a transient ischemic attack eventually have a stroke, with about half occurring within a year after the former.

Thus transient ischemic attacks are often called ministrokes, serving as warning of a future stroke and a chance to prevent it.

‘Often called a ministroke, a TIA can serve as both a warning of a future stroke and a chance to prevent it.’

Tarantadong Kalbo rose to fame for his satirical art on social media. Among his most popular creations is the “Tumindig” illustration drawn during the previous administration.

The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) has expressed support for the passage of a proposed measure seeking to grant President Macos emergency powers to address the country’s classroom shortage, which now exceeds 165,000.

Earlier, Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre filed House Bill 5103, which aims to declare a state of national emergency to tackle the severe lack of classrooms across the country.

Under the bill, President Marcos would be granted temporary emergency powers to fast-track classroom construction by adopting special procurement measures, reallocating government funds and establishing an oversight task force to address the shortage.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara previously disclosed that the shortage is primarily due to the country’s growing population.

Both the Department of Education (DepEd) and EDCOM 2 reported that the education system continues to struggle with a persistent and severe classroom shortage, compounded by a massive backlog in the repair and rehabilitation of existing school facilities.

The measure cited that millions of students are currently attending overcrowded classes, with many schools implementing double or triple shifts, while others resort to makeshift or condemned structures, compromising students’ health, safety and learning outcomes.

The bill also noted that the country’s frequent exposure to natural calamities such as typhoons and earthquakes has worsened the situation, necessitating the immediate repair and reconstruction of thousands of damaged schools.

‘Existing procurement, budgetary and administrative processes, while necessary for accountability, are often too slow and cumbersome to effectively address this crisis with the urgency it demands. The traditional timeline for project conceptualization, bidding and execution spans multiple fiscal years, a pace that cannot keep up with the increasing student population and the rapid destruction of facilities caused by disasters,’ Acidre said in his explanatory note.

The government, he added, aims to declare a ‘temporary and targeted state of necessity’ within the education infrastructure sector.

‘The grant of emergency powers, which shall be for a limited period and subject to strict reporting and oversight by Congress, is imperative to streamline procurement, accelerate budget utilization and ensure inter-agency coordination,’ said Acidre.

ARAL program

Aside from the passage of House Bill 5103, the government is also pushing to strengthen the implementation of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program.

Angara has directed concerned DepEd officials to refine the program and the promotion system for teachers, following President Marcos’ order during the culmination of National Teachers’ Month.

The directive was issued during the 47th executive committee meeting, where discussions also covered the Senior High School Recognition program, safe learning environments and updates from the School Meals Coalition Global Summit.

At the same meeting, Marcos vowed that no public school teacher will retire as Teacher I, underscoring the implementation of Republic Act 12288 or the Career Progression System for Public School Teachers and School Leaders Act, which expands teachers’ career pathways.

DepEd Memorandum 64 enforces the ARAL-Reading component for key stages 1 to 3 under Republic Act 12028 or the ARAL Program Act, which offers free tutorials to address learning gaps.

For school year 2025-2026, the program will prioritize reading, targeting over 6.7 million learners with the help of 447,000 tutors and 45,000 school heads.

ARAL-Reading will launch in the second quarter, to be followed by ARAL-Mathematics for Grades 1 to 10, ARAL-Science for Grades 3 to 10 and ARAL-Summer Programs.

DepEd said tutor training, learning material distribution and readiness audits have been completed to ensure the program’s success.

Goverment pensions

In a separate development, officials of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) met with representatives of the Action and Solidarity for the Empowerment of Teachers (ASSERT) and the Philippine Government Employees Association (PGEA) to discuss concerns on pensions and other benefits of teachers.

The dialogue, led by GSIS president and general manager Wick Veloso, tackled issues raised by members and pensioners, including the review of the minimum pension, burial benefits and the Christmas cash gift for some retirees.

Veloso gave assurance that the GSIS understands these concerns, but emphasized that any adjustment to benefits must undergo actuarial study to protect the long-term stability of the Social Insurance Fund.

He also cited ongoing GSIS initiatives to make transactions easier for members, such as the GSIS Touch mobile app for online loan filing and Annual Pensioners’ Information Revalidation, as well as housing programs with lease-with-option-to-buy schemes.

ASSERT president Arlene James Pagaduan underscored the importance of continuous consultations to address teachers’ issues effectively, while PGEA president Esperanza Ocampo said her group looks forward to sustained collaboration with GSIS to advance the welfare of government workers.

The GSIS said a separate meeting would be held with the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition.

Unemployment in the country declined in August as jobs lost due to typhoons in the previous month were recovered, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Preliminary results of the Labor Force Survey released by the PSA yesterday showed that the unemployment rate dropped to 3.9 percent in August from the previous month’s 5.3 percent and four percent in the same month last year.

This translated to 2.03 million jobless Filipinos in August, down from the previous month’s 2.59 million and 2.07 million in August 2024.

In a press conference, National Statistician Dennis Mapa said the typhoons that hit the country in July affected employment in industries, particularly agriculture, retail trade and construction.

He said these sectors have since recovered. ‘So in a way, the job losses in July seem temporary.’

Leonardo Lanzona Jr., economics professor at the Ateneo de Manila University said in an email that the slight increase in factory output in August may have also contributed to the lower unemployment.

‘This reversed the negative factory output observed in July. This could have resulted in more jobs which decreased the unemployment,’ he said.

Malacañang attributed the latest labor force survey results to the government’s job generation efforts.

‘The government and the President did not stop working to uplift the lives of Filipinos. We have ongoing job fairs to bring employment opportunities closer to our countrymen,’ Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing.

‘This shows that the President really cares about the welfare of each one,’ she added.

Meanwhile, the country’s employment rate rose to 96.1 percent in August from the previous month’s 94.7 percent and 96 percent in the same month last year.

There were 50.10 million employed Filipinos in August, up from 46.05 million in the previous month and 49.15 million in the same month last year.

Job quality also improved as the underemployment rate went down to 10.7 percent in August from the previous month’s 14.8 percent and 11.2 percent in the same month in 2024.

This was equivalent to 5.38 million underemployed Filipinos or those who want an additional job or longer work hours in August, lower than the prior month’s 6.80 million and 5.48 million in the same month last year.

Sub-sectors which saw the biggest month-on-month increase in employment were the agriculture and forestry (1.35 million); wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (1.30 million); construction (672,000); other service activities (399,000) and fishing and aquaculture (346,000).

On the other hand, those with the largest month-on-month drop in jobs in August were human health and social work activities (-105,000); mining and quarrying (-103,000); professional, scientific and technical activities (-102,000); manufacturing (-70,000) and education (-54,000).

Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan welcomed the developments in the labor market, noting that efforts to expand employment opportunities are paying off.

‘These positive labor market indicators reflect our collective effort to sustain economic growth while ensuring that more Filipinos benefit from it. We are working to generate not just jobs, but quality jobs that will raise incomes, reduce underemployment and improve the overall well-being of our people,’ he said.

As the holidays draw near, Lanzona said orders for various seasonal items have started to pile up, which may lead to high level of production and employment for the rest of the Christmas season.

The DEPDev said it aims to build on the positive labor market developments by promoting the policies and strategies under the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan 2025-2034, aimed at generating higher quality jobs.

‘Guided by the TPB Plan, we aim to support the transformation of the labor force toward higher-paying and more productive jobs by attracting investments, developing a competitive and skills-ready workforce and strengthening labor market governance to effectively respond to evolving conditions,’ Balisacan said.

Amid global headwinds, domestic challenges and climate risks, he said there is a need to protect vulnerable workers and enhance labor market resilience.

‘We aim to enhance resilience in sectors vulnerable to disruptions, such as retail trade and agriculture, by prioritizing improvements in logistics, infrastructure, digitalization and workforce development, particularly among micro, small and medium enterprises,’ he said.

‘The government is also ramping up investments in climate-resilient infrastructure and proactive measures, alongside timely emergency employment programs to support workers affected by disruptions,’ he said.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo questioned the allegedly overpriced body cameras purchased by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in 2020, each costing as much as P879,000.

During the Department of Transportation’s budget hearing on Thursday, October 9, the senator exposed the PPA’s purchase of 191 body cameras from a little-known supplier, Boston Homes, under a P168-million contract.

‘Skandaloso na masyado ito,’ Tulfo said, calling the procurement ‘too scandalous.’

When his office went to the company’s address, they found that Boston Homes was merely an apartment. The winning bidder also had a startup capital of only P10 million.

Repeat purchases. The Commission on Audit had previously flagged Boston Homes for delivering defective equipment to the Environmental Management Bureau in 2020.

Despite that the PPA awarded Boston Homes another contract the following year, in 2021, for 164 more body cameras – this time priced even higher.

Tulfo said the deal amounted to P168 million, translating to more than P1 million per unit.

PPA defends procurement

At the hearing, Tulfo grilled PPA General Manager Jay Santiago over the body camera procurement.

Santiago, who initially wanted to verify the amounts Tulfo mentioned, told senators the equipment cost included not only the cameras but also an integrated operating system compatible with the agency’s CCTV network.

He said each winning bid undergoes assessment before final approval.

Tulfo, however, questioned why such post-bidding assessment failed to detect red flags with the supplier. He then suggested that those involved in the evaluation be dismissed.

DOTr acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez told the committee he would investigate the issue personally.

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Bryan Adams is heading back to the Philippines as part of his new “Roll With The Punches” tour.

Adams recently announced his tour’s Asia leg where he will close January with a concert at the Mall of Asia Arena on January 31, 2026.

That will mark three years since his last Philippine visit when he performed here for his “Happy It Hurts” tour back in March 2023.

“Roll With The Punches” which began in May promotes Adams’ 16th and latest album of the same name which he released last August.

The Canadian artist has reached #1 in over 40 countries and has been nominated for 16 Grammy Awards, winning one in 1992 for his hit track “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You.”

He also received nominations at the American Music Awards, the Golden Globes, the MTV Video Music Awards, and is an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Other classic hits include “Summer of ’69,” “Heaven,” “Straight from the Heart,” “Cuts Like a Knife,” “Run To You,” “Please Forgive Me,” “All For Love,” “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman,” and “I Finally Found Someone.”

Adams co-wrote the the songs for “Pretty Woman: The Musical,” re-recorded his biggests songs in a “Classics” double album, and launched his own independent label “Bad Records” just last year.

Tickets for the Manila leg of Adams’ “Roll With The Punches” tour go on-sale on October 18 at noon via SMTickets.com and SM Tickets outlets nationwide.

Rampaging title holder University of the Philippines clipped Ateneo’s perfect run, 83-69, to catch up with the leaders after a poor start in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Fighting Maroons shattered the gates wide open in the second half to run away from a slim 40-38 cushion at the turn, hitting two birds with one stone by notching their third win in a row and snapping the Blue Eagles’ torrid 4-0 start.

At 3-2, UP climbed from the cellar to solo fourth behind Santo Tomas (3-1) with Ateneo and first-game winner National U sharing the leaderboard. Up next for UP is Far Eastern U (1-3) Sunday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

Francis Nnoruka feasted on the Blue Eagles with a career-high 28 points built on a 9-of-13 clip alongside nine rebounds, four steals and a block while Noy Remogat added 20 points on four triples before his ejection due to an unsportsmanlike foul late in the blowout affair.

Harold Alarcon was also instrumental for the Maroons, scoring 13 of UP’s 22 points in the second quarter, where they launched a tone-setting 15-3 rally to overturn a 23-30 deficit.

It was all UP from there.

Earlier, National U clawed back from 11 points down to scrape past Adamson, 56-54.

The Bulldogs stepped up in the last five minutes, launching a 15-2 finishing kick to erase a 41-52 deficit for a gutsy rebound from an endgame meltdown versus the Maroons.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo wants charges filed against 23 business process outsourcing (BPO) companies in Cebu that allegedly put the lives of their employees in danger when a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the province recently.

Tulfo, chairman of the Senate committee on labor, yesterday said that one BPO company blocked the emergency exit of the facility to prevent employees from getting out, while another forced workers to immediately return to work after the quake.

‘I went to Cebu last weekend to condole with and help victims of the earthquake. I witnessed the sufferings of our countrymen. Some lost their loved ones, others their homes and property,’ Tulfo said. ‘I was furious when I learned that a BPO company compelled its workers to return to work instead of allowing them to go home after the earthquake. Another firm prevented the workers from going out of the building.’

In pushing to hold these companies accountable, Tulfo cited Labor Advisory 17 issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in 2022, which states that during calamities such as earthquakes and typhoons, companies must prioritize the safety of their workers and cannot penalize those who are unable to report to work due to safety risks.

He also cited a DOLE order that recognizes the right of workers to refuse work without threat or reprisal from employers if an imminent danger exists in the workplace.

‘What’s the purpose of these orders if these are not implemented properly? There should be a corresponding penalty against companies that violate DOLE’s orders and advisories,’ Tulfo said.

John Kyle Enero, spokesman for the BPO Industry Employees’ Network-Cebu, lamented the ‘business-as-usual’ policy of some BPO companies during natural disasters.

DOLE-Central Visayas chief Roy Buenafe said they investigated and issued work stoppage orders against six local BPO companies that reportedly violated labor laws.

Business group Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) has selected Hans Sy, chair of the executive committee of SM Prime Holdings Inc., as recipient of the MAP Management Person of the Year 2025.

The announcement was made during the MAP’s general membership meeting yesterday.

‘I have never seen myself as someone deserving of awards or recognition. I simply try to do my part. What matters most to me is using what we build to make a difference in our country,’ Sy said.

‘At SM, it has long been our responsibility to create spaces that protect people, support communities and help Filipinos stand stronger for the future,’ he said further.

MAP said the conferment of the award would be held on Nov. 24.

The MAP Management Person of the Year is awarded to those in business or government, who have demonstrated unquestioned distinction in the practice of management and made valuable contributions to nation-building.

Recipients of the award are leaders and managers who are considered exemplary models that should be emulated by their peers and younger generations of leaders.

MAP said Sy was chosen as this year’s recipient for his commitment to environmental stewardship, social inclusion, good governance and resilience, by establishing SM Prime as a benchmark for sustainable and resilient urban development.

The business group also cited Sy’s people-centered style of leadership that promotes employee welfare, professional development and work-life balance and builds an organization that exemplifies the United Nations (UN) Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles.

Sy was also recognized for helping provide growth opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises, local government units and the communities where SM malls operate.

The award also recognizes Sy’s role in helping shape global and local guidance on integrating disaster risk reduction into core business strategies by representing the Philippines in the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and by founding ARISE Philippines.

MAP said Sy’s leadership has also shown how Filipino companies can compete successfully with global big brands.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will be releasing a total of P425 million in financial assistance to the hard-hit local government units (LGUs) in northern Cebu by the Sept. 30 magnitude 6.9 earthquake. It will be released through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).

The release of funds is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. to provide immediate assistance to communities hit by the recent earthquake.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, in a statement, said the allocation included P150 million for the entire Province of Cebu and P75 million each for San Remigio, Bogo City, and Medellin-three of the hardest-hit localities.

Also, an additional P50 million will also be released to the Municipality of Borbon.

The Province of Cebu was placed under a state of calamity after Governor Pamela Baricuatro signed Executive Order No. 57, allowing faster access to emergency funds and the immediate implementation of rescue, relief, and rehabilitation measures.

Pangandaman assured the public that the national government has standby funds ready to support recovery and rehabilitation initiatives.

‘Our government is prepared. We have standby funds that can be tapped immediately to deliver assistance to those affected. In moments like this, government aid must never be delayed,’ she said.

In addition to the LGSF allocation, the DBM will also release P1.625 billion to replenish the Quick Response Funds (QRF) of key government agencies, with an aim to speed up aid and recovery efforts for the victims of recent calamities that hit the country.

These are the P625 million to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to support the prepositioning of relief goods and cash transfers for families in calamity-hit areas and P1 billion to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for infrastructure repair and rehabilitation.

The QRF is a standby fund that ensures immediate government response during disasters and emergencies.

The budget department said that as of October 2, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) still has P5.3 billion available to support broader rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts.

On the other hand, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) has also launched the ‘Dungan sa Pagbangon’ donation campaign to support the affected communities.

Funds raised will be used to provide shelter kits, hygiene kits, sleeping kits, toddler kits, and newborn kits during the relief phase, followed by recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

Meanwhile, the Cebu’s emergency response capacity received a boost with the turnover of 11 new ambulances from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) through the efforts of GM Mel Roble.

The ambulances were distributed to Mandaue City, Naga City, Lapu-Lapu City, Asturias, Alegria, Consolacion, and the Camotes Island municipalities of Poro and San Francisco as well as the municipalities of the island town of Madridejos, Tabogon and Tuburan.

‘This is another big step in strengthening our emergency response system, so we can reach more patients faster and save more lives when every second counts,’ said Cebu Provincial Health Consultant Elisse Nicole Catalan

Inflation is projected to climb in the coming months as supply-side pressures and the extension of rice import restrictions threaten to push prices higher, which could prompt the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep policy rates unchanged today.

Following the slight uptick in inflation to 1.7 percent in September from 1.5 percent in August, analysts said this may mark the start of a gradual pickup after months of subdued readings, with weather-related disruptions and policy measures posing upside risks toward year end.

HSBC ASEAN economist Aris Dacanay said that while September’s below-consensus figure still falls below the BSP’s two to four percent target range, rice prices would be a key factor to watch in the next few months after the government extended its rice import ban until the end of the year.

‘This is a major upside risk to inflation that needs to be monitored,’ he said. ‘But importers have frontloaded their rice orders in anticipation of the ban, leading to ample supply by end-August. If local farmers were able to harvest before Typhoon Nando hit, rice supply may be sufficient to keep prices stable through year end.’

Despite the soft inflation reading in September, HSBC expects the BSP to pause its easing cycle this week before resuming rate cuts in December.

‘We think September inflation sets the stage for a quarter-point rate cut in the fourth quarter to 4.75 percent. But we still expect the BSP to wait for more data on gross domestic product and rice prices before continuing its easing cycle,’ Dacanay said.

He added that the policy rate could fall to 4.50 percent by the first quarter of 2026 if inflation remains stable.

Economists at Citi echoed the view that the BSP would likely stay on hold in October, even as it eyes further rate cuts toward the end of the year.

‘Following tame inflation readings in September, we continue to expect a gradual rebound of the headline into the three-percent handle in 2026,’ Citi said.

‘Growth concerns could eventually resurface, leading to a cut before the end of the year. However, as economic data is so far mixed, BSP will probably pause in the October meeting.’

Citi expects inflation to stay between 1.3 and two percent year-on-year through the first quarter of 2026 before rising to around 3.5 percent by end-2026.

BPI lead economist Jun Neri also flagged that inflation risks remain tilted to the upside, particularly due to weather disturbances and import restrictions.

Neri expects inflation to stay near two percent for the rest of 2025 before climbing to around 3.5 percent by mid-2026 and nearing four percent by the third quarter next year as base effects fade and supply risks persist.

‘With inflation likely to pick up in the coming months, the pace of monetary easing may slow down,’ Neri said. ‘A more conservative approach is justified as cutting rates aggressively could leave the economy vulnerable to inflation shocks that might force a sharp policy reversal later on.’

The BSP has so far cut policy rates by a total of 150 basis points since August 2024, bringing the benchmark rate to five percent.

After today’s policy meeting, the Monetary Board is scheduled to hold its final policy review for the year on Dec. 11.