Category: Philippine Star

Self-proclaimed ‘Son of God’ Apollo Quiboloy is now in stable condition after being hospitalized due to a ‘difficulty in breathing,’ according to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) on Tuesday, September 30.

BJMP spokesperson Jayrex Businera told Philstar.com that Quiboloy was rushed to the hospital on September 11 after he experienced difficulty in breathing.

‘He was later diagnosed with Community Acquired Pneumonia (Moderate Risk),’ Businera said.

‘As of 30 September 2025, he is stable and recovering in a public hospital, in line with BJMP policies on medical care for PDL (person deprived of liberty),’ he added.

The Pasig City court handling Quiboloy’s case, Regional Trial Court Branch 156, had already been informed and authorized Quiboloy’s hospitalization on September 15.

Quiboloy faces several indictments from the US, including sexual abuse and coercion, as well as human trafficking.

The pastor, a close ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte, is on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted list.

In the Philippines, Quiboloy also faces several cases, which include sexual abuse and qualified human trafficking.

The Philippine National Police suspect that Quiboloy sexually exploited hundreds of women.

On top of the sexual crimes he was charged with, Quiboloy also faces contempt charges from both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Quiboloy failed to show up in proceedings for both chambers, prompting lawmakers to issue subpoenas and eventually a contempt citation.

Talks of the US extraditing Quiboloy have been circulating ever since his arrest.

The local stock market fell deeper in the red, opening the week below the 6,000 mark and extending its decline to a sixth consecutive day.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slipped by 0.49 percent or 29.52 points to end at 5,997.60.

The broader All Shares index also inched down by 0.23 percent or 8.46 points, settling at 3,636.34.

‘The PSEi fell below the 6,000 mark as prices continued to decline despite last week’s all-red performance,’ Luis Limlingan of Regina Capital.

‘Selling pressure remains strong, with the market still lacking any positive catalyst,’ Limlingan said.

Limlingan said that adding to the bearish sentiment are the ongoing uncertainties in the country and the continued depreciation of the peso against the dollar, which is dampening confidence among both local and foreign investors.

Trading was anemic as total value turnover stood at P4.72 billion.

Sectors were dominated by those in positive territory, led by mining and oil with a 5.32-percent jump.

Services and financials, meanwhile, fell by 1.58 percent and 1.23 percent, respectively.

Decliners edged out advancers, 106 to 100, while 58 issues were unchanged.

BDO Unibank was yesterday’s top traded stock, plunging by 2.6 percent to P135 per share, followed by ICTSI with a 2.63-percent drop to P481.

Public servants shouldn’t be onion-skinned. They need to answer bona fide questions from their constituents. With all the hullabaloo on flood control, it’s my opinion that former congressman of Cebu’s 7th District, as well as the incumbent, his own wife, have a lot of issues to clarify.

PJ and Dra. Patricia Cinco Calderon are persons of integrity, honor and dignity. Nonetheless, they may have the legal and moral obligation to answer questions on the issue of flood control.

PJ used to be mayor of Samboan, which belongs to the 2nd District. We don’t know why he was later representing the 7th District, from 2016 to 2019 and again from 2019 to 2022 and from 2022 to 2022 and from 2022 to 2025. He was a Provincial Board member from 2007 to 2016. He was succeeded by his wife, Patricia, who ran without any serious opposition in 2025.

First, as vice chairman of Zaldy Co’s magical and controversial Appropriations Committee, under the overall leadership of resigned speaker Martin Romualdez, PJ should explain to the people and to the nation, and especially to the concerned citizens of Cebu, particularly of the 7th District, how in the world did this remote area get the lion’s share of flood control budget, when there is no scientific study indicating that the eight towns in southwest Cebu are the most flood-prone in the whole province.

Second, the Calderons should explain, what political and financial wisdom guided Congress in allocating no less than ?12.06 billion to the 7th District alone, as declared in the online Sumbong sa Pangulo platform, out of the total ?25.521 billion allocated for the entire island of Cebu. Out of 395 flood control projects for the entire Cebu, why did Calderon’s district get 162? Congressmen are national officials, not LGU or parochial leaders. Did they consider the bigger picture instead of focusing only on the most remote district? It is incumbent upon the Calderons to explain this to the people. Explain the rhyme and the reason.

Third, why was the 1st District, with three cities, and with a population multiplied four times the population of the 7th District, and with too many flood-prone areas given only ?3.01 billion or just one-fourth that of Calderon’s district? The 3rd District, with the big city of Toledo and the largest towns of Barili and Balamban, and with a population four times bigger, given only ?1.95 billion, or less than one-sixth of what Calderon’s district got? What formula did Calderon’s committee use in the distribution of public funds?

Fourth, explain why the 7th District had 162 flood control projects. Where are these located? What is the scientific basis in terms of atmospheric geophysical and astronomical criteria and determining factors? What planning parameters and mechanics were used by the congressman and the DPWH in determining that there should be 162 flood control projects in the 7th District, while only 36 in the 1st District, only seven in the 6th District, and 42 in the 3rd District? My God, all thinking Cebuanos should be amazed at such a draconian mystery.

Fifth, the Calderons should declare the exact location by precise geographic coordinates, where in the world these specific projects are located. Where in Malabuyoc are the so-called 38 projects supposedly costing ?3.3 billion located? How many projects are in Ronda, my own hometown, which is allegedly blessed by no less than ?2.6 billions. I am from Ronda and I always go around my small town. And I can testify before the holy image of Our Lady of Sorrows that I have not seen these projects. Well, I am not saying that they do not exist. I must be either blind or a stranger in my own paradise.

Lastly, the Calderons should declare why of all contractors in the whole universe, his close friend’s own construction company, a single proprietorship, based in Dumanjug, the QM Builders, reportedly cornered 89 projects worth ?7.15 billion in the whole Cebu and Quirante Construction Corp. allegedly got a whopping 41 projects worth ?3.19 billion. It must not be an accident that QM and Quirante Construction have been blessed with such huge, even gargantuan multi-million projects.

With no malice or bad faith, as a taxpayer from the 7th District, this humble writer has the right to know the truth. If the Calderons have nothing to hide, they should take these questions calmly and in good faith. I believe they are honorable people.

Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon has issued new budget guidelines for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), starting with a new policy on proposed budgets for project consultants.

In an order issued Sept. 22, Dizon outlined guidelines on the preparation, review and updating of Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for consulting services under locally funded and foreign-assisted projects of the agency.

Under Department Order No. 184, Dizon said the ABC will now strictly serve as the ceiling for bid prices in locally funded consulting projects. Any offer that goes beyond the ABC will be disqualified outright.

For foreign-assisted projects, the ABC is referred to as the estimated project cost. The agency said EPCs must follow the rules of donor or lending institutions, but stressed that no increase beyond the approved loan or grant amount may proceed without clearance from oversight agencies such as the Department of Budget and Management or the Department of Economy, Planning and Development.

Compared to earlier rules, the new order imposes tighter controls by mandating documented market scoping, automatic disqualification of bids above the ceiling and higher-level approvals for any cost adjustments in foreign-assisted projects.

Previous rules introduced during the time of former DPWH secretary and now Sen. Mark Villar had set a ‘management fee’ as the ABC for the project consultancy contract which took into consideration the actual cost of services to be rendered by the consultant. This called for the computation of a remuneration cost, overhead cost, a ‘social charge’ and the ‘management fee’ as well as a multiplier formula, not counting a ‘contingency’ fund.

The new guidelines also direct the DPWH Bureau of Design to validate all ABC packages and issue updated costing guidelines annually to reflect changes in law, funding rules or market conditions.

The new rules take effect immediately and supersede Department Order No. 99, Series of 2018.

Dizon had previously ordered the lifting of the suspension on procurement activities for all locally funded infrastructure projects, but had imposed interim guidelines for strict disclosure rules on the part of prospective bidders as well as the livestreaming of the bidding events.

Blockchain

Meanwhile, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it is supporting a multisectoral initiative to put the government’s national budget on the blockchain.

ICT Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda said the agency was providing full support to an ongoing collaborative effort which has drawn the participation of US-based global blockchain technology leader Polygon Labs and local tech partners led by Bayani Chain.

Aguda said the DICT recognized the merit in using blockchain technology as a solution against corruption.

‘Blockchain is a platform for data, with immutability. It cannot be erased or changed,’ Aguda said.

‘From a record keeping standpoint, you have an immutable ledger, meaning that ledger will forever be there, (serving like) a single version of the truth,’ he noted.

FPJ Panday Bayanihan party-list Rep. Brian Poe Llamanzares said the push also had support in both houses of Congress, with him filing House Bill 4489 to put the national budget on the blockchain.

Donning sharp, colorful corporate ‘girl boss’ outfits for their sashing ceremony, the 15 candidates of Mrs. Cebu-Philippines 2025 each have their reasons for joining the pageant for married women, single mothers, and older women.

Among them is Jesusa Lopez from Talisay City-South, the oldest contestant at 69, who was named Darling of the Press during the September 27 press conference at Teatro Casino, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. Joining the competition fulfills her long-held dream of joining a beauty tilt.

‘At my age, I want to enjoy myself,’ she said. ‘I want to encourage and inspire women that whether they are single or separated, we are strong even though we don’t have a husband.’

In contrast, Princess Devalgue of Cebu City-North is the youngest at 24 and a mother of two.

‘I was told that young mothers my age don’t usually have opportunities, and people think we are just wasted goods,’ she said. ‘That’s why I joined, because I want to empower young mothers and show that opportunities are waiting for us as long as we lift each other up.’

Raquel Britania, 40, from Talisay City-North, said she aims to help stay-at-home mothers find ways to earn an income.

‘I am for empowered women through livelihood, and I want to impart my knowledge on how they can earn even if they are just at home,’ she said.

For Mae Mancao Maranga of Cebu City-South, who was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism last year, joining Mrs. Cebu-Philippines is about showing strength despite hurdles.

‘I want to raise my platform and be fearless because I want to help other women understand their rights. We are women with limitless power,’ the 29-year-old candidate said.

This year’s Mrs. Cebu will crown winners in nine categories during its coronation on November 27 at Waterfront Lahug, including the titular crown currently held by Cherie Mae Ocampo of Talisay City.

Other titles include Elite Mrs. Cebu-Philippines, MS Cebu-Philippines, Mrs. Cebu-Philippines Tourism, Charity, Grand, Heritage, as well as two ‘special titles’: Mrs. Cebu Philippines Regional Queen, and Imperial Queen.

The rest of the candidates are Eunice Baguio (32, San Remigio), Marichu Alferez (45, Lapu-Lapu City-North), Raina Barrientos (27, Mandaue City), Shanine Rose Gealon (27, Argao), Alfanta Obispo (38, Mactan), Nika Linz Harris (31, Liloan), Ethel Joan Poley (48, Consolacion), Sweeney Capote (37, Toledo City), Emielou Sanchez (30, Borbon), Janeth Bardos (45, Lapu-Lapu City-South), and Myrla Navarra (43, Carcar City).

Resilience, role models

Asked what qualities a titleholder should possess to represent Cebu nationally and globally, Bardos, a mother of three, said resilience defines a true Filipina beauty queen.

‘We should be resilient in everything we do because there are so many challenges thrown at us,’ she said. ‘Being a mother is no joke, but I am lucky to be one because I wouldn’t be complete without my kids. I am resilient and have overcome challenges because of them. I actually have asthma, but look at me, presenting myself in this pageant. Obstacles are unexpected, and we should always be ready.’

Alferez believes empathy is the most essential trait. She said, ‘Being compassionate is so important. Most people these days are not anymore because they are busy with their cellphones.’

Sanchez highlighted bravery, explaining that ‘Women are capable of everything. That’s why I am here despite personal struggles.’

On how they would promote responsible tourism in Cebu as mothers, Poley emphasized the importance of environmental protection.

‘We have to take care of our waters. Coastal cleanups are helpful in our communities, especially since we had a big storm a few days ago,’ she said.

Capote stressed that local leaders must serve as role models who can help uplift Cebu’s image.

‘We have to be good examples so we can promote ourselves without hard selling,’ she said. ‘When we meet people internationally, they will see good things in us as Cebuanos who love what it’s like to be a Cebuano.’

Lopez agreed, adding, ‘Our leaders should join us so we can be united and become good examples not only within Cebu but also outside.’

Building a sisterhood

Obispo shared that she looks forward to the Q and A portion, viewing it as a platform for sharing stories. ‘It’s always the wonderful part of the pageant. We have different stories to tell, and I believe this sends a message that married, separated, and single mothers can still join these kinds of pageants,’ she explained.

Bardos expressed her excitement for the entire competition. ‘It won’t be a whole pageant if one part is missing. I love all parts of it because they help enhance our personalities, develop new skills, and sharpen our knowledge. All of them are enriching,’ she said.

Harris shared that she looks forward to fostering camaraderie among her co-candidates, as well as ‘having a sisterhood, growing together, and sharing our advocacies so we can support each other.’

Capote echoed the same sentiment, stating that, ‘This is not about competing against each other or stepping on others because we are friends. We should encourage one another and build a sisterhood. It’s inspiring for women to step out of their comfort zone and shine.’

ABS-CBN executive Lauren Dyogi shared the details on how the Nation’s Girl Group BINI was invited to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival next year.

In an interview with Karmina Constantino on the latter’s “KC After Hours” YouTube channel, Dyogi said that BINI’s recent world tour paved the way for their Coachella 2026 gig.

“Laging ang nasa utak natin, one way to go international is to be invited in big festivals [like] Coachella and Lollapalooza,” Dyogi shared.

He added it was the vision of ABS-CBN CEO Carlo Katigbak to hire an international group of consultants to guide them in bringing artists to global stages.

“When we were able to get an agent nadala tayo sa promoters na non-Filipinos. And these promoters, ang vision talaga ‘nun is if we were able to impress the promoters, itong mga promoters na ‘to, sila din ‘yung magdadala sa atin sa festival,” Dyogi said, referencing promoters like Live Nation and All Things Live.

Dyogi continued by saying that the BINIverse world tour was an investment rather than a revenue-making tour for the group.

“Wala tayong kita diyan. It was really a risk on our end. It was really Carlo’s vision, Tita Cory (Vidanes) saying, ‘Kailangan niyong gawin yan,'” Dyogi went on. “Because that’s a month of being away from more lucrative opportunities locally. But we took that risk, we went there.”

The executive explained they had to prove the P-pop act had a crowd, and big shows in Dubai, Los Angeles, and San Francisco were evidence of a global audience, and in Dyogi’s eyes led to the Coachella invitation.

Dyogi also denied that ABS-CBN paid the long-running music festival to include BINI in the lineup.

“Sinasabi ng tao ngayon binayaran daw natin, hindi naman po totoo ‘yun, hindi ganun,” Dyogi stated.

BINI will be the first all-Filipino group to perform at Coachella. Next year’s festival will be headlined by Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, and Karol G.

The government is reviewing the country’s rice tariffs and may raise these to as much as 35 percent after the current import ban ends, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said yesterday.

Tiu Laurel said the review is being carried out with Finance Secretary Ralph Recto and Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go, following President Marcos’ directive.

‘We’re running the numbers now, from 20 percent, 25 percent or 35 percent. Hopefully, we can make a decision before the closure of the ban,’ Tiu Laurel told reporters in an interview at the House of Representatives in Quezon City.

The move comes as farmers’ groups press for stronger safeguards against cheap rice imports that have dragged down farmgate palay prices to below P10 per kilogram.

In a petition filed with the Department of Agriculture (DA) yesterday, the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) and the Magsasaka Party List urged the government to impose provisional safeguard duties under the Safeguard Measures Act.

The two organizations said the 60-day import ban that began in September was not enough to stabilize prices.

‘By itself, the import ban will not prop up palay prices significantly because traders anticipate that cheap imports will flood the market again when the ban is lifted in November,’ FFF national manager Raul Montemayor said.

He added that raising tariffs is the fastest way to compel traders to pay higher prices to farmers while remaining competitive with imports.

Magsasaka chair Argel Joseph Cabatbat, for his part, said the government’s proposed floor price for palay may not work if market prices remain low because of imports.

‘The low prices that rice producers have been receiving for their labor represent not just an economic problem. They threaten the very survival of rice farmers and the long-term security of our entire agricultural sector,’ Cabatbat said.

The two groups warned that the country’s 2.5 million rice farmers could lose as much as P43 billion this year due to the surge in imports.

They traced the surge to the government’s tariff cut from 35 percent to 15 percent in July 2024, as well as a 40-percent drop in world rice prices from early 2024 levels.

Under Republic Act 8800 or the Safeguard Measures Act, the DA secretary can impose safeguard duties on rice imports that cause or threaten to cause serious harm to local producers.

Duties can last up to 200 days while the Tariff Commission investigates and issues a final ruling. Importers must also post a bond equivalent to the safeguard duty on top of the current tariff.

Following allegations linking him to a kickback scheme involving Sen. Francis Escudero, tech executive Maynard Ngu has resigned from his position at a property firm.

In testimony from retired Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Ngu was alleged to have received P160 million in kickback funds on behalf of Escudero.

Ngu is the Chief Executive Officer of Cosmic Technologies, the company behind the Cherry Mobile brand.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Altus Property Ventures, Inc. announced a change in its board of directors.

Ngu, aside from being a businessman, also serves as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Special Envoy to China for Trade, Investment, and Tourism.

‘Please be informed that the Board of Directors of Altus Property Ventures, Inc. (APVI) has duly accepted the resignation of Mr. Maynard S. Ngu as independent member of the Board of Directors of APVI effective September 29, 2025,’ the disclosure statement read.

Ngu cited ‘personal reasons’ for his resignation.

Based in Ilocos Norte, APVI is a stock corporation incorporated as a property firm. The board that Ngu stepped down from is chaired business mogul Faraday Go, the brother of Marcos’ economic and investment special assistant, Frederick Go.

Bernardo claimed he was friends with Ngu and alleged that Ngu received kickbacks on behalf of Escudero. Bernardo also claimed that Ngu was present when Escudero personally thanked him for the money.

Escudero has denied all allegations, calling them part of a scripted narrative being used against him. The former Senate president has since vowed to prove himself innocent.

The flood control issue has drawn national attention, as billions of pesos are suspected to have been lost through flood control kickback schemes allegedly involving lawmakers and officials from the DPWH.

Local manufacturers are urging the government to impose a definitive safeguard duty on cement imports to allow the industry to compete with foreign suppliers and retain their workforce.

‘We need this safeguard to ensure the industry remains viable and to protect local jobs,’ Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc. (CeMAP) executive director Rey Baja said in a statement.

CeMAP said cement manufacturers in the Philippines are not receiving subsidies, unlike some Vietnamese cement suppliers that enjoy support from their government allowing them to sell at lower prices.

‘It is of national interest to promote and protect the local cement industry against unfair competition from other countries,’ Baja said.

CeMAP said business groups like the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Philippine Industries also support the imposition of a safeguard measure to protect local jobs.

Cement manufacturing contributes at least one percent to the country’s gross domestic product and supports around 130,000 jobs.

The industry group also expects cement prices to be stable even if a definitive safeguard measure is imposed.

‘We also don’t think it will result in higher prices,’ Baja said.

According to CeMAP, cement prices have been stable despite the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)’s imposition of a provisional safeguard duty on cement imports.

In February, the DTI issued an order imposing a provisional safeguard duty of P400 per metric ton or P16 per 40-kilogram bag of imported cement after finding a causal link between increased cement imports and injury to the domestic industry.

The provisional safeguard duty is in place for 200 days while the Tariff Commission decides on whether a definitive safeguard measure should be implemented.

Republic Act 8800 allows the government to impose a safeguard measure in the form of increased tariff on certain imports when there is serious threat or injury caused by a surge in import of like products.

CeMAP said the country’s cement imports reached 7.6 million metric tons last year, with the bulk coming from Vietnam.

While the local industry has a total capacity of 51 million tons, actual production dropped to 27 million tons, while demand was only around 35 million tons.

This led to P5 billion in losses, slower operations and job cuts.

With the industry in a difficult position, CeMAP said a definitive safeguard measure is needed to make local cement manufacturing viable.

Whenever the photographer would yell “wacky!” during a shoot, the very definition of it confuses me. The quickest wacky pose I know is to raise two of my fingers and form it into a finger heart. The gesture became popular during the hit of the K-drama wave, where characters used it to portray a cute kind of love, happiness, or just to strike a pose. However, its context has changed in the Philippine setting when top contractor Sarah Discaya used a finger heart to convey a message to the public.

Discaya has become a household name since they were named by the president as one of the top contractors in the country. Their projects span the entire nation, with many believed to be anomalous. Reports say they allegedly operate nine companies with the same nature of business, sometimes even competing against each other in public biddings. Talk about monopolizing infrastructure projects and taking advantage of the system by placing prices higher than what the market offers today. Many were quick to notice their seemingly fast ascension in the social ladder, coupled with lifestyles that are lavish, glittering, and very much devoid of the ordinary Filipino’s struggle.

Recent news about substandard flood control projects uncovered by the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas brought more attention to the issue. Inspectors found works that were either incomplete or below standard, raising public suspicion about the kind of contractors the government entrusts with taxpayers’ money. This is where the finger heart of Discaya becomes more than just a pose. It becomes a symbol of irony: a cheerful gesture masking the weight of corruption and inefficiency that Filipinos continue to endure.

We cannot just finger heart our way into finding who the real culprit is in this whole scandal. It may be a sign of positivity, but it is also an insult to those who are trying their best to put out the truth for everyone to know. The investigations done by agencies like the NBI are not for show; they require utmost effort, long hours, and persistence, because they too want justice for the taxes that come out of people’s pockets. There is nothing to be joyous about this whole situation, especially as the issue seems to drag on. The bigger fear is that it will eventually be forgotten, buried under the next wave of headlines.

I would like to finger heart those who are joining the cause in calling for accountability. They deserve to use this gesture among themselves because they are in unity to get to the bottom of things. Their voices on the streets are not in vain, as they have become part of a bigger cause. It is one that challenges the very positions of power in government today or perhaps, it should be the other way around. We should be the ones finger hearting those who are now slowly being held accountable. After all, true love for a country is not expressed in cute poses but in the courage to stand for what is right.